Kaieteur News

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

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

Is Harmon implying that corruption is ingrained in Guyana’s DNA at the ministerial level? DEAR EDITOR, The recent announcement about a 50 % increase in salaries for Ministers of the APNU-AFC government has been received with outrage and criticism by many quarters in Guyana. Red Thread activists, Dr David Hinds, Lincoln Lewis, Frederick Kissoon and other individuals and sectors have already condemned the controversial salary increase albeit with different emphases. David Hinds for instance talks about the bad timing. Kissoon focuses on the comparative treatment of workers in the public service and Lincoln Lewis stated that if they desired wealth, ministers should go into the private sector. Red Thread vowed public protests over the insensitive pay raise for the big boys. We w h o l e h e a r t e d l y endorse these criticisms, but would like to briefly respond to two aspects of Minister of State Joe Harmon’s defence of the increases. First, the statement that he (Harmon) had “no apologies” to make for the announced pay hike. Minister Harmon’s tone was, to say the least, arrogant and reflective of his immediate predecessor’s treatment of queries and criticisms by the press and public. There has been no parallel exuberance of the state in relation to public servant and

teachers pay increases. Perception is a very important role in how the public views its representatives in government and we hope that the government learns quickly from the outrage generated by the rash and illtimed salary increase for ministers. Even more astonishing was Minister Harmon’s rationale for the precipitous rise in salaries for ministers. The Minister told the nation that the APNU/AFC was implementing the increases to stop potential corruption. Does the Minister realize that the logic of that statement? Is the upshot of this reasoning that Ministers of the Guyana government are preordained for future corruption? Guyana is really in a bad state when Mr Harmon, in defense of the indefensible, proclaims a high salary to halt future corruption. Is he implying that corruption is ingrained in Guyana’s DNA especially at the ministerial level? We now shudder to think what will occur if and when the oil revenues begin to flow. What form will Mr. Harmons’s defense take then? That there has to be a 500% increase for Ministers to prevent the siphoning off of the oil money? All this is taking place while other branches of the same state are taking commendable initiatives in terms of public trust and recovery of monies unaccounted for in the

previous administration. Dr Clive Thomas and his Asset Recovery team are assiduously looking into the recovery of the nation’s resources and corruption of the past regime. We wonder how Dr Thomas’s team views this unilateral and ill-timed raise for ministers of the Government. One story stands as testament to unflinching antagonism to public excess in any form. Once sent to represent Guyana abroad, Eusi Kwayana received a “thousand dollar check for ‘additional expenses, and inconveniences’”. Kwayana sent it back to the Public Treasury. He received another and sent that back too with a note stating that he had no “any additional expenses” and that he had not been “inconvenienced in the least.” Contemporary cynics might suggest that is an exceptional Guyanese of a different era. Yet we badly need that example in Guyana today. Elective officials are under an obligation to render public service and not service for profit. Keith Branch Abbyssinian Nigel Westmaas Moses Bhagwan

Some of Mr. Oditt’s proposals should have been implemented during his tenure DEAR EDITOR, In a Kaieteur News letter of Oct. 4, Mr. Oditt, a former Chairman of GuySuCo, opined that recent letters and statements in the press had inferred a doomed fate for the Corporation and therefore he felt obliged to participate in a Moray House Trust Seminar on the sugar Industry to present participants with several of his viewpoints, which, if implemented, could enable it to return to profitability. In 1993, Mr. Oditt, a little known businessman but politically well connected, was appointed as Chairman of GuySuCo by the then newly elected PPP/C Govt. A supportive Board and senior management staff politically loyal were appointed to his team. Ten years later in 2003, he was relieved of his duties as his poor performance and lack of management capability to manage Guyana’s largest Corporation caused GuySuCo to incur large annual losses during his tenure, thus failing the mandate of his appointment which was to return the corporation to profitability. In his missive, Mr. Oditt concluded that GuySuCo must be run as a business and free from political interference

if it is to return to viability through increased production and productivity. He however seemed oblivious to the adage,” he who pays the Piper calls the tune” and therefore the Government, as owner, had the obligation for oversight of the industry. Whether it had the right people and adequately devised strategic plans in place to make GuySuCo viable is another matter, as ultimately it was responsible to its constituents for performance of the Corporation. Privately owned businesses run into trouble too, if they are not managed well. Some of Mr. Oditt’s proposals such as cogeneration of power from bagasse for the national grid and the development of value added products from sugar to increase GuySuCo’s revenue stream and hence its profitability should have been considered and implemented during his tenure. GuySuCo missed the opportunity for its economic growth and profitability years ago when

investments should have been made to increase production and productivity, mechanize field operations, improve worker skills and provide adequate support for research and development to increase yields. Brazil, the world’s largest sugar producer manufactured 38.4 million metric tons (MMT) of sugar last year and is expected to produce 36 MMT this year while it has the largest stockpile in 35 years which is depressing sugar price. This will be so until existing stocks are drawn down and production decreases further and/or demand increases. 90 out of 300 of its sugar mills have closed since 2005 and onefifth of those functioning have sought relief for unpaid bills and debt payment. 10% of Brazil’s sugar workers have lost their jobs in the past 2 years and there are more in line waiting to let go. Given this scenario, it is no small wonder that the English speaking Caribbean Continued on page 23

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Kaieteur News

Monday October 12, 2015

New govt. to get UK help that PPP/C turned down ‘Better late than never’, is probably what the new government had in mind when it approached the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Guyana, James Gregory Quinn seeking to access the Security Sector Reform Action Plan (SSRAP) that the previous PPP/C government turned its back on. Back in 2009, the UK had offered a hefty sum for the SSRAP but the previous government refused it on the grounds that the British law enforcement had too much of a big a role in the implementation of the plan. On Friday last, Quinn hosted the media at his Bel Air, Georgetown residence for a briefing. At this forum, he said that the complaints by the previous government about the plan were completely baseless. “To be honest, the claims of 2009 that we were seeking to impose and basically run Guyanese law enforcement, in our opinion was without basis.” During an interview with Kaieteur News after the press briefing, Quinn said that his main focus at the time is on the Security sector as it is a specific request from President David Granger. Quinn said “there is a very clear interest and desire on the Guyanese government’s side for help on SSR (Security Sector Reform). Certainly as we move on from the election

British High Commissioner, James Gregory Quinn period our focus may be on what we can do in this sector.” He pointed out that the UK already does work with the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) “which you can argue is part of that 2009 programme.” Quinn also said that he and his team will have to finalize the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the needs assessment. The British High Commissioner told Kaieteur News that the team will be looking at the Guyana Police Force to see what is lacking, identify the gaps and then strategize what could be done to address those gaps. As for allocations for the project, Quinn said he is not sure of the amount but “there will certainly be some British

money involved…Once we have an idea what the plan is, then there will be British money available; how much that is going to be, I do not know.” Quinn added that the 2009 programme will definitely be updated and will include training that is expected to improve the capabilities of local police to handle crime scene investigations. The original plan was developed in 2006 and was to be implemented in 2009; together with a three-year capacity building plan for a National Security Committee in the National Assembly between 2007 and 2009. Parliamentary Oversight was described by the plan as being at the core of democratic governance and management of the security sector, and key to the success of the programme. Security Sector Reform was seen as a critical component for the attainment of good and democratic governance and was twinned with the Commonwealth Secretariat’s sponsorship of the needs assessment of the National Assembly conducted by Sir Michael Davies and the recommendations, which flowed there from 2005. The inextricable link between governance and security was recognized, assessed, and addressed through the recommendations made.

The SSRAP had highlighted that “Guyana remains dangerously close to tipping point. The consequences of failure – of the various stakeholders to seize the moment, to engage and initiate decisive action – may well be the transformation of Guyana into a failed state and/or haven for international criminality, with all the regional and international implications that this may entail. This is a development that should be avoided at all costs and will entail some give and take and

flexibility on all sides, in the interests of the long suffering people of Guyana.” The then Bharrat Jagdeo administration’s had initially agreed and supported the recommendations and this led to the mobilization of funding; the identification and utilization of experts, and the activation of the National Assembly to pass Bills and Motions. During the National Stakeholder consultations held at the then Office of the President (OP) in the aftermath of the Lusignan

and Bartica massacres, Jagdeo extolled the virtues of the action plan as being the panacea of the ills within the sector. But subsequently, the then head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Luncheon, said that the plan will not be implemented because of “ulterior motives” on the part of the British Government. This led to speculation that the then administration was not interested in genuine, comprehensive and transparent reform of the sector.

U.S urges swift implementation of SWF as oil exploration moves forward “rapidly” United States of America Embassy’s Chargé D’Affaires, Bryan Hunt sees it as important that Guyana moves as swiftly as possible to chose and implement a model for the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). He gave many reasons for this among which was the fact that US oil company Exxon Mobil is “rapidly” moving forward with its exploration. Hunt told Kaieteur News that the US and Canada are working together to help the government of Guyana to promptly move ahead with the fund. “We think that the Sovereign Wealth Fund is important, no questions about that,” said Hunt adding that President David Granger had committed to the implementation of such. “So we will do whatever we can to support him in that quest. I think it is going to be very important that Guyana considers all of the models out there because the Sovereign Wealth Fund has hundreds of different models that can be used.” The diplomat said that in this regard, US representatives are working closely with their Canadian

US Embassy Chargé D’ Affaires, Bryan Hunt colleagues and others in the Diplomatic Corps. Hunt indicated that he and his colleagues will try to give information to the government of Guyana about the models available. He added that the team will seek to help the relevant officials become exposed to some of the experts in the area “so they can work with them to get some of the pros and cons in the various models

and then hopefully settle on the one that would best fit the needs for Guyana.” Hunt was keen to note that the selection of the models would not be done by him or his colleagues. He said that “going forward as to which one is a question for the government and for public debate in Guyana. It is not that ‘model one’ is better than ‘model two’, for each has its own pluses and minuses, so I think helping the government through that is going to be very important.” The US diplomat indicated too that the government’s intention, as communicated to him, is to include not just revenues from oil and gas but also from the mining sector and forestry industry in the fund. He said that therefore, “moving expeditiously is going to be very important.” “I do not know what government’s legislative timeframe is but I know that they want to have it in place as soon as they possibly can; and given that the Exxon Mobil exploration continues to move forward rapidly I think it is in everyone’s interest to do it as fast as we possibly can,” said Hunt.

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

Ruling party wants South Africa to pull out of ICC Johannesburg (AFP) South Africa’s ruling party said yesterday it wanted the country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, saying the court has lost direction and no longer fulfilled its mandate. The decision comes after a spat with The Hague-based court over South Africa’s failure to arrest Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir when he arrived in the country in June to attend an African Union summit. “The National General Council has just resolved that South Africa should withdraw from the international court. However, only after we have followed certain processes,” said Obed Bapela, who heads the ANC p a r t y ’s international relations commission. The resolution came out of an ANC policy meeting where leaders are r e v i e w i n g t h e p a r t y ’s policies ahead of the c o u n t r y ’s municipal elections in 2016. The ANC said it still believed in the founding principles of the ICC, such

Obed Bapela as prevention of genocide and stopping the violations of human rights, and that such principles led the country to become a signatory to the Rome Statute that governs the court. But Bapela said that the ICC “has lost its direction”. South Africa was the first African country to sign up to the ICC and a d o p t e d t h e c o u r t ’s founding Rome Statute into domestic law in 2002. The ANC also raised concern that there were powerful nations which

were refusing to be members of the court, yet have “unfettered powers to refer matters to the ICC”. The United States is one of the countries not a member of the ICC. Bapela also said the reasons for the South Africa move would have to be shared with the rest of the continent. The government earlier this year issued a threat to sever ties with the ICC following the Bashir saga. South Africa’s failure to arrest Bashir sparked i n t e r n a t i o n a l condemnation, prompting the international court to order Pretoria to explain its decision. This month, government asked for an extension of the October 5 deadline to give its reason. Bashir is wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes related to the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan. The government has argued that he had immunity from arrest because he was visiting the country as the head of a member state of the African Union.

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Sweden’s PM shuns opposition calls to push Green Party from power Reuters - Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said yesterday he had no plans to oust the Green Party from his government but that he wanted more cooperation with the centre-right opposition. On Friday a grassroots rebellion at the Christian Democrats convention prompted the smallest opposition party to vote to pull out of an accord to let the minority government’s budgets through parliament, and the other centre-right parties quickly followed. The deal was struck just 10 months ago to avoid new elections after the antiimmigration Sweden Democrats, which holds the balance of power, brought down the centre-left minority government’s budget by voting for the centre-right opposition’s bill instead of its own. Analysts feared the collapse of the deal could bring about the first snap election in Sweden in over half a century. But in a televised debate yesterday, PM Lofven of the Social Democrats rejected calls from the opposition Liberals to oust the Greens

Stefan Lofven from government in order to facilitate smoother cooperation with the opposition. “Forming a new government is not on the agenda,” said PM Lofven.

“But I welcome the attitude (of cooperation).” Several other party leaders in the debate talked of the need for cooperation and Anna Kinberg-Batra of the Moderate party, the largest opposition party, said she would not try to bring down the government’s budget in a parliamentary vote in December or to use the possibility to alter it after it had passed. “Sweden is facing acute challenges and it would not be responsible to throw Sweden into a political crisis now,” she said. The only party to make substantial gains in the polls since last year’s election is the Sweden Democrats. Most analysts deem a snap election unlikely as it would probably not to break the Sweden Democrat’s balance of power.

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Kaieteur News

Former Tourism PS must answer for $7m payment Trinidad Guardian Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe has called on former permanent secretary in the Tourism Ministry Jualiana Johan-Boodram to answer questions about a $7 million payment for a project done by FV Marketing which had no contract and wasn’t approved by the past PP cabinet. Cudjoe posed the questions during her 2016 budget contribution in Parliament Saturday. Noting there was a $10 million project, Cudjoe said the former minister approached Cabinet for approval for the $7 million payment to FV Marketing. She questioned how the payment was done since there was no Cabinet approval for it. She noted a March 2015 l e t t e r t o t h e m i n i s t r y ’s permanent secretary in which the former minister sought approval for the $7 million. Cudjoe said Cabinet didn’t approve it and sent back questions on why approval was not sought, who FV Marketing and Advertising Agency was, and if the tender process

was in keeping with Central Tendering procedure? She noted correspondence from one Ted Ramsammy, adviser to the minister/PS at the time. Cudjoe said the PS Donna Ferraz’s letter on the execution of the programme noted the queries from the Cabinet subcommittee and had responded that the information she had was all that was available from the ministry’s record and the Company Registry. If any information was required, Ferraz’s letter recommended contact be made with Johan-Boodram who held the post when the project was executed. “So PS Jualiana JohanBoodram has some questions to answer, the nation would like to know how you managed to move $7 million of public funds into the hands of a private company for marketing...?” Cudjoe added, questioning the past People’s Partnership administration. Cudjoe also said the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) was a law unto itself, a “runaway horse” and beyond the control of the board and

Jualiana JohanBoodram ministry. She said there were complaints of the TDC acting like “the tail wagging the dog.” She warned that the new Government would run the TDC and not the other way around. She noted TDC had base salaries of a total of $16 million with employees in the highest pay range. “I see strange hirings and firing; a former tea lady becoming an accounts employee, telephone operator, a marketing specialist— everyone in TDC is a specialist!” Cudjoe said TDC was a

well-resourced, well-travelled company, present at every tourism event, including half million spent on one trip with four people attending. She listed trips for October including Chile ($91,880), Curacao ($120,000), and others for $400,000. Deeming them “junkets,” Cudjoe said in some cases there was no ministry knowledge or communication with the Tobago House of Assembly. Cudjoe said among board expenses, cricketer Daren Ganga brought a $70,000 issue for CPL to the board and a $90,000 matter was brought by another member. Although TDC was supposed to market T&T, she said, TDC had agents from Scandinavia the US, UK, Canada, India and Germany costing an average of US$10,000 monthly. She also noted $194,000 in TDC grocery bills from the Massy group for Christmas, and a Christmas party costing $153,000. “Someone has abdicated their duty regarding TDC, they don’t feel any need to inform the ministry—but we’re in charge now!”

Monday October 12, 2015

IACHR urges Caribbean countries to follow Suriname’s position on death penalty Daily Observer - The I n t e r - A m e r i c a n Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) says it welcomes the abolition of the death penalty in Suriname and the progress being made worldwide to deal with the issue. IACHR said that it was urging member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) that still have the death penalty to abolish it or impose a moratorium on its application as a first step toward abolition. “Suriname’s decision marks a very important step forward, one the IACHR applauds and hopes will become an example for the countries in the region that still have capital punishment,” the IACHR said in a statement marking 2015 World Day Against the Death Penalty on Saturday. The Commission said that the elimination of the death penalty in Suriname’s Criminal Code represents an opportunity for the Caribbean countries to make significant progress in guaranteeing human rights in the region. In December 2014,

Suriname voted in favour of a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty. The IACHR said that along the same lines, highlevel public officials in Suriname made statements indicating a wish to take an important step forward on this issue. “Finally, in March of this year, in the context of debates on the adoption of a new Criminal Code, the National Assembly of Suriname approved the abolition of the death penalty,” the IACHR added. The IACHR said it was also stressing the need for countries that still allow for capital punishment in their legislation to move toward the goal of abolishing the death penalty throughout the region or at least imposing a moratorium on its application. The IACHR said that it was also inviting countries that have not done so to ratify the Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty.

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Auditing the Audits A great many audits are taking place. The government is wasting a lot of time and a lot of money on these audits instead of creating a more transparent and accountable system. These audits are premised on the belief, a belief bordering on a philosophy that the previous administration was so deep into skulduggery that almost all of the institutions of the State were tainted with financial wrongdoing. The establishment of Audits, with a Minister specially designated to this task, has been going on since the new APNU+AFC

government came to power. It is said that there is likely to be more than sixteen more audits. This means that the audits are likely to continue until the end of the first term of the new government and will most likely cost of healthy sum of money. Will this money be recoverable from the State Assets Recovery Unit which has also been established and whose administrative costs are likely in the long– run to exceed what the unit can conceivably be recovered. These audits and asset recovery attempts may end up turning into a scandal. In

Canada recently, the Auditor General conducted an audit into spending by Senators. The audit cost come 23 million dollars and was only able to recover a mere one million dollar. Just how much has been spent on the private audits undertaken by the government so far is not clear. It is also not clear whether the confidentiality of these audits have been compromised. Ever so often we are reading about reports of audit findings. There is an Office of the Auditor General in Guyana. This Office is an independent constitutional office. It is supposed to carry out audits

Prisoner chopped to head over non delivery of “weed” A prisoner is nursing a chop wound to his head following an attack by at least two other inmates of the Georgetown prisons. The injured prisoner Patrick Chad Coates was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital on Saturday morning, minutes after he was attacked inside the Camp Street facility. The incident occurred just after 5:00hrs in the Old Capital Section of the prison, reportedly after Coates allegedly took weed into the Camp Street Prison for someone to sell to prisoners. However, according to a source, he did not deliver the package and allegedly told his attackers that he got busted

by prison officials. His attackers did not believe the story and t h e y waited until he fell asleep and attacked him, chopping him to his head and about his body. Kaieteur News understands that prison authorities have since placed two inmates, who they suspect to be involved in the chopping, into the “Strong Cell”. One of the two was recently given a sentence of 46 six years for murder. Following the incident, prison officials raided the facility and several cutlasses and cellular phones were confiscated. Meanwhile prison authorities have reportedly whisked away murder ac-

cused Jermaine Otto to an unknown location without notifying his family. He is suspected to be the man behind a number of recent attacks within the prison. Recently Otto was among several prisoners who protested by burning newspapers to get media attention. On that occasion Otto shouted out that he is in the jail for a murder that he did not commit and that a Constable (name given) “wanted to take me to a “Strong Cell” for another prisoner to chop me up. He say how the OC want to see me but I get to understand that it was a lie and he wanted to feed me to the prisoners. ”

Dem boys seh...

Soulja Bai got to play dance music fuh de people Old people got a sayingDance a battam look ah top. Is a nice saying that is also a message. De pay rise that de Ministers and all dem MPs gun get is something to dance about. But dem got to look at who else got to get a pay rise. Nuff of dem ordinary people talking bout how dem didn’t vote fuh that. Dem want to know if dem can’t dance too. Dem ain’t hearing de music and dem want Soulja Bai to create de dance hall and provide de music. De river man, Jordan, got to fetch de water and he got a big basket name de Budget. People want he to provide dem wid something fuh dance about. Jagdeo was a smart man. He use to give de people a li’l radio to play when is

Christmas time. River Man got to do de same thing and he can’t tell de people that dem get something de other day. This is wheh de fun deh because although he give de public servants a small piece he got to mek up he mind to give dem something more because he done get he own. That is how people stay. He can’t tell dem that Cheddi did do de same thing when he get into power because nuff of de people today don’t even remember wha Cheddi look like. Of course, dem boys remember when Cheddi was smart to give he Ministers a pay rise couple months after he get in office but he didn’t got people looking to see wha he gun do. Then Jagdeo

give dem couple more increase and still people didn’t pay attention because dem was too busy hustling. But River Man can’t tell dem people that because people did expect him to be different from Jagdeo. Fuh sure, he can try a thing and give another five per cent at Christmas or he can wait fuh de budget but people done get spoil. Dem expect fuh dance at Christmas. Of course he can go to Jagdeo and Babbie and all dem others and ask dem to chip in wid some of de money dem help demself to but he done know that dem ain’t gun give he one cent. Suh is to de Treasury fuh Christmas and to de Budget next year. Talk half and watch wah de River Man gun do.

of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies. It has a statutory responsibility to report the findings of its annual audits of government to the National Assembly. The Auditor General has been doing a great job so far in his audits. His annual reports have been used extensively as evidence that all was not well with accountability under the PPP. The annual reports of the Auditor General have revealed many areas which need strengthening. One would have expected that the new government would have been more interested in plugging these loopholes within the system and strengthening the Office of the Auditor General so that it can better do its work. Instead the new administration seems bent on trying to duplicate the work of the Auditor General by contracting out to private firms the audits of government agencies. Government, should not, as was done in the past under the PPPC have had to summon the Auditor General to investigate instances of fraud. It only needs to advise the Auditor General of this but the Office of the Auditor General has the option to deciding whether it wishes to undertake an audit of a fraud of whether it will leave this to the police. The new government

obviously has some political interests in pursuing certain audits. The audit into the procurement of medicines within the public health system is one such audit which is ongoing. But it really did not need to be doing this because the Auditor General’s Office could have done this. The government however has justified these audits on the grounds that they are more than ordinary audits. The government has said that they are forensic audits. But the government has never said just how different the audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General are from these forensic audits that it is undertaking at the moment and which are likely, as mentioned before, to go on for the next five years. Just what is a forensic audit, and does Guyana have accounting firms with the experience and technical wherewithal to undertake such audits.

When Trinidad and Tobago was conducting its audit into the airport project, it was forced to hire a foreign firm. That was a long time ago and the court cases resulting from that investigation are still not yet completed. Guyana has also established an Asset Recovery Unit. It would be interesting to know just how much money has been budgeted for this unit and how many assets this unit has so far recovered. This unit may end up costing far more money to run than it is able to recover. What is needed is a strengthening of the Office of the Auditor General, the establishment of internal audit divisions within major government entities and improving audit systems.

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Monday October 12, 2015

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Why did Black people wait until 23 years? Ethnic instincts are very strong. In ethnically riveted polities, racial incitement is easily whipped up. People have a part of their mind that they assign to irrational sentiments so they are vulnerable to ethnic propaganda. But equally competing (perhaps the analogy is Freud’s distinction of the competing EGO, ID and SUPEREGO) is a part of their mind where rationality fights and inevitably overcomes the vulnerability to irrationality. Two vivid examples are

so phenomenal that they must be described. Black South Africans accepted that after the election of Mandela to the Presidency, they would have to co-exist with Whites rather than confront and defeat them and that even if Mandela had enemies in the Black population that would have used race to incite Blacks against Whites, the South African Blacks would not have done so. This is what is called the rational mind. The second example was the election of Barack Obama.

In 2008 even if all the nonwhite and Black American voters had given Obama all their votes, he could not have won. White Americans balloted for a Black candidate in substantial numbers. This is where the rational mind shuts out racial incitement. There is constant exodus of American born Jews to the US from Israel. Three decades ago, American Jews migrated to Israel in huge numbers. But the return began more than ten years ago because American Jews are not happy with the war-mongering

attitude of Israeli born Jews toward a Palestinian state. The rational mind is not a fertile bed for race hate. This has been a long introduction to the analysis below of some aspects of Jagdeo’s race-baiting speech in New York last week. Jagdeo spoke about GECOM staff being predominantly African Guyanese. From 1992 to 2015 and up to the time of writing, GECOM’s staff has been predominantly Black. From 1992 up to May 2015 when the PPP lost the General

Elections, the police force and the army have been predominantly Black. Mr. Jagdeo was speaking to an exclusively Indian audience. The PPP draws its support exclusively from Guyana’s Indian demography. It is natural then for Indians to offer the PPP leadership, now in opposition, a sympathetic ear. But the rational mind has to kick in. Here are some counterarguments to Jagdeo’s advocacy in New York that the Indian rational mind has to accept because rejecting them can only be done by a mind that is irrational. If Black employees in GECOM rigged the 2015 election to put a Black party in power, why did they wait for twenty three years during which time Mr. Jagdeo dominated Guyana for fifteen years and pursued Indian hegemony? I did a study of Jagdeo in power titled; “Ethnic Power and Ideological Racism: Comparing Presidencies in Guyana.” That study, replete with names and statistics, reveals that the engineering of ethnic placements in the public sector in general was extensive and intensive. In the first twelve years of PPP tenure - 1992 to 2000 there were large-scale ethnic replacements in the public sector. Under Jagdeo’s reign, Guyana’s class structure went through deep transformation. If Hoyte’s Economic Recovery Programme birthed a nascent Indian nouveau riche stratum, by the time the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal lost power, that formation had displaced the traditional Indian commercial petty bourgeois and Indian landed oligarchic class. So intricate was the intertwining between class and ethnicity, that

Frederick Kissoon African-rights activists had leveled a charge of economic genocide against Jagdeo. The rational Indian mind, if it accepts Jagdeo’s arguments and accusations that he used in New York, has to ask itself just one logical question. If Blacks in Guyana so hated the PPP and frenetically wanted the Indian government removed, then why did a Black GECOM, Black public service, Black police force, Black army wait for twenty-three years. The most banal analogy should suffice. I wanted to steal your new car badly. Why would I wait until you batter it up for twenty years then risk police intervention by stealing it? That is something you only find in comic books. And comic books are the perfect phrase to use to dissect that New York speech of Jagdeo. Jagdeo is telling Indian minds that one day in 2015, Black people in GECOM woke up and said, let us rig the elections and throw out the PPP. If they did do it, then it will remain Guyana’s greatest puzzle as to why they waited for twenty three-years to act. The rational Indian mind has to reject the comic books Jagdeo gave them in New York last weekend. Gecom didn’t rig the 2015 elections. The PPP lost because of Jagdeo’s arrogance, power madness and insane corruption.

Date set for reports on ... From page 3 Chief Executive Officer of GuySuco, Dr. Rajendra Singh; former President of the Private Sector Commission, Ramesh Dookoo, and Andrew Ranji Bishop, Florrie Loretta Ramnauth, Safraz Khan. They each paid $1.5M for 0.3005 acres of land. George Hallaq and Nada Hallaq paid $5M for 0.85 acre while, according to the document, Future Developers International (Guyana) Inc., a company whose sole Director is CEO Dr. Singh, paid $3M for the land. Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Hack and her husband Moeenul Hack are said to have paid nearly $1.5M for 0.2767 acres. Former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Rear

Admiral Gary Best and former Chairman of Commonwealth Development Compton Bourne were listed as having paid $1.5M for 0.3 acres of land there as well. In 2013 former Minister Manickchand sold the land and property to David Narine for $100M while the year before, Persaud sold his land and property to a local company ASR Inc., for $90M. In representing Trotman and the group, Senior Counsel Rex McKay and Neil Boston along with Attorneys-atLaw Betina Glasford and Brenden Glasford have called on Attorney General Basil Williams to defend several actions taken by the former People's Progressive Party (PPP) Cabinet in setting up the exclusive housing scheme.

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Public servants to be trained in ICT services - Harmon The public sector is expected to benefit significantly when the Guyana Government embarks upon Information and Communication Technology (ICT). And while the ultimate beneficiaries will be the Guyanese citizenry, public servants will also benefit from training in ICT services. This is according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon who emphasised that it is time that Guyana’s public sector stepped into the 21st century. According to Harmon, the APNU+AFC coalition has been looking at ways to make the Public Service more professional and efficient. He said that as part of this goal, the administration is looking keenly towards the creation of an ‘e-government’ and the provision of ICT services. He said, too, that ICT will increase the levels of service provided to the nation. “Information and Communication Technology is pervasive in society and are useful tools to improving efficiency and effectiveness,” Harmon stressed. He went on that the government is aiming towards adapting ICT solutions to address many of the barriers which stymie and constrain efficiency, and improve quality of the public service. As part of the adaptation of ICT, digitisation will be a necessity. According to Harmon, Government agencies are inundated by large volumes of data stored on paper. He noted that this type of storage has several drawbacks, including easy degradation, large space consumption, and difficulty in retrieving specific records. “Digitisation of the public sector information presents new vistas and opens greater opportunities for the public service,” Harmon said. In explaining the rationale behind ICT services, Harmon said that using ICT to provide government services online allows for quicker and convenient access to these services by citizens. “With the use of ICT, Government aims to improve the level of public service to citizens, create a platform for interoperability and collaboration among ministries and government agencies, and harmonise government ICT operations, maintenance, training, procurement and human resources in order to improve capabilities and capacities, reduce costs and attain higher level of service,” Harmon said. He added that

redesigning the government processes by making these services online will be accomplished through the egovernment network. “This network will foster interoperability among government agencies, thus improving government’s operating procedures and making the business of government more efficient and competitive,” Harmon said. He added that the network will also provide online interactions with citizens to save cost, save time, promote equity and transparency, remove barriers between people and information, and increase work productivity. ICT is hoped to especially benefit those in remote areas. “Guyanese will be able to go online to submit applications for various licences submit queries and file complaints. By accessing government services online, citizens will also be able to save money by making fewer trips to government offices,” the Minister added. However, Harmon noted that the provision of ICT services was not enough to make the public service function at maximum efficiency. Instead, he said, the Public Servants must be trained to deal with the ICT services. According to Harmon, building capacities in the public sector through training and exposure to modern technologies is important. In this regard, he said, a Public Service Staff College would contribute immensely to developing capacities in the public sector in the use of ICT. He shared that every student who enters the college will be issued with a personal computer, immediately upon entry.

“People need to recognise that this is the new world we have to live in so that over time – we expect that in a fiveyear period – we would have at least 500 or more Public Servants in the public sector who are well trained, who understand the use of computers, who can link with the ICT and who can communicate with all parts of the system,” he said. Harmon added that in order to foster citizens’ adaptation and use of online systems, internet access must be expanded countrywide, particularly to target poor and remote communities. “Truly the Government is prepared to pave a number of public internet access points across the country. Government will also set up ICT hubs that will serve communities to facilitate citizens across the country and provide government services online,” Harmon said. He continued, “Government will go further by providing a unified communication system for email and collaboration; this will facilitate the smooth and secure movement of electronic documents across government agencies, much quicker than the manual system.” Meanwhile, Government has reportedly moved to raise the standard of ICT use in the public sector. It is seeking to eradicate the use of illegal software in government computer systems. “Illegal software not only demonstrates disregard for

intellectual property rights but introduces virus and makes the public sector susceptible to other cyber threats,” Harmon said. He indicated that Government is already engaging ICT giants Microsoft and Cisco in this

regard. Additionally, Government is engaging the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Company in a bid to buy consolidated internet which will be distributed among government sectors and government agencies through the e-government network.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

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Monday October 12, 2015

“Time to step up on genderbased violence,” says local NGO As Guyana joins the rest of the world in celebrating Domestic Violence Awareness Month, calls are being made for a more comprehensive approach to the issue, not only on the Government’s part but also key stakeholders. These calls were made by the locally based nongovernmental organisation,

- calls on Govt for swift action The Caribbean Voice, which stressed that gender-based violence is far too prevalent in Guyana. In an issued statement, the NGO opined that Guyanese women are continually subjected to

widespread violence, which prevents them from enjoying other constitutionallyensured rights. Noting that different surveys throughout the years have highlighted the serious plight in Guyana, Caribbean Voice said that the

figures all show that gender inequity remains an issue. “In effect, all of this stacks up to gender inequity premised on gender-based violence and abuse, in which children also often end up being victimized,” Caribbean Voice said. It continued, “The reality also is that in Guyana, domestic violence continues to be seen as personal, private or a family matter. Its purpose and consequences are often hidden, and domestic violence is frequently portrayed as justified punishment or discipline in what is still a male-centric society and one in which children are still to be seen but not heard.” The NGO further said that, in many instances, financial dependency on abusers keep many women locked in their abusive relationships, thus leading to Guyana’s reinforced patriarchal and social structure. Additionally, the NGO noted that the abuse is not limited to any specific group. Rather, it said, “Spousal abuse cuts across ethnicity, status, social standing and other ‘divides’, which would seem to suggest that such acts are somewhat normative and thus very few, including some victims, would see anything wrong with abusive behaviour, often until it is too late.” The NGO also pointed out that in some cases, domestic violence has become recurrent, passing down from one generation to another. Caribbean Voice emphasised that there is an urgent need for a serious action plan to counter genderbased violence. Recently, Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton also highlighted the issue and similarly noted the need. “The Caribbean Voice hopes that Dr. Norton’s assertion of ‘…the need for a national action plan on

violence and the introduction of educational and enforcement initiatives to eliminate this scourge’, will quickly be translated into action and implementation with the necessary educational and enforcement measures built in.” Caribbean Voice also noted the agreement between Argentina and Guyana to beef up Guyana’s Forensic Laboratory to conduct DNA tests and deemed it a “commendable step”, especially when one considers the role it can play in solving murders related to gender-based violence. “Also indications from the Ministry of Social Protection that gender-based violence will loom large on its agenda is welcomed and it is hope that within this context, teeth will finally be given to both the Domestic Violence Act and Sexual Offences Act,” the NGO added. Meanwhile, the NGO had suggestions of its own on how to tackle gender-based violence. Among the suggestions are increased equitable investments in programs and support for girls and young women; ensuring all medical institutions have adequate amounts of rape kits as well as capacities for DNA tests; the expansion of school-based sexual education programs; increased participation by women to formulate solutions to daily challenges faced; and encouraging education, particularly among girls and

women. Meanwhile, Caribbean Voice opined that an increase in the available personnel to deal with gender-based and related issues would go a long way in attacking the problem. The NGO noted that gender-based violence has a direct connect with suicide and called again for school counselors throughout Guyana. The NGO also called for the placement of more Social Workers in Guyana as well as Psychologists at all major medical facilities. Additionally, Caribbean Voice opined that there is a need for sensitivity training to be expanded to all members of the Guyana Police Force and healthcare personnel, while it believed that the local suicide hotline should be expanded to include issues related to gender-based violence. Furthermore, the NGO called for the establishment of support and safety networks for abused women so as to cushion any economic and social fallout of separating from their abusers. Caribbean Voice emphasised that victims must not become imprisoned by economic dependency and helplessness, especially where children factor into the equation. However, increased personnel face increased risks for these personnel, and the NGO stressed that “caregivers all need to be cared for”. It emphasised that those who work to eliminate genderbased violence and related issues such as suicide prevention, alcoholism and drug addiction must be able to do so in relative safety. It also noted that incentives must be provided to centrally based NGOs to expand their work to rural communities. Meanwhile, Caribbean Voice emphasised that while this month will obviously see increased focus on domestic violence and promises to tackle it, the issue must not “slip to the back burner” once October is over. It stressed that gender-based violence must remain an ongoing focus of local NGOs. It went on to applaud the efforts of NGOs that have been placed gender-based violence in the forefront while urging other NGOs to include the issue into their focuses.

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Kaieteur News

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STALKING BULL When I was small I was fascinated by cranes, trains, dump trucks and tractors. The first time I heard the term “bulldozer” I had no idea what it meant and since these were the days long before the internet and there were no reference books in the school’s meagre library, the image I had was of one of my Uncle’s large male ungulates of the sub-family Bovinae sound asleep in the small savannah the family owned on Roopsingh Road in Carapichaima, Trinidad. Now, on the roads in Trinidad where madness, murder, mayhem, bedlam, anarchy and pandemonium abound simultaneously, I wish I had a bulldozer. Actually, I wish I had a “transformer” type vehicle, like the ones in the comic strip and movies, which would swiftly change from a small, innocuous vehicle into a big, bad bulldozer and wipe whoever “bad drives” me right off the road. In fact, this is really where the word “bulldoze” came from. In the 1880s, the term “bull-dose” in the US meant a large dose of any sort of medicine strong enough to quiet, tame or put to sleep a bull. Then it became

associated with punishment as well. “Bull-dosing” meant a bad beating or any other kind of intimidation, sometimes at gunpoint. A large caliber pistol, something like a Magnum and the person who wielded it were “bulldosers.” Along the line it came to mean the use of brute force to push over or through any obstacle. Then it was applied to the blades in the huge tractors that moved mountains or anything else in their paths, and now it means not just the blade but the entire machine. It sounds weird to have them known as “Caterpillars” but this is the most famous of bulldozer brands. It is one such variation of the bulldozer that a Welshman used to destroy his own pub. Wealthy shellfish factory owner Mark Swistun and his friend Colin McDonald invested £60,000 into a pub called the Royal Oak in the Welsh fishing village of Penclawdd, Gower. They put in staff to run it while he and his buddies drank regularly in the pub. One night recently Swistun demanded a drink after the statutory closing time of 11pm and was refused. He left and

then returned at midnight with a huge 28-ton yellow digger and wrecked the place, causing an estimated at £40,000 of damage in just a few minutes. Tables, chairs, umbrellas, bricks, tiles and everything in sight went flying. Switsun was arrested and then released without any charges being laid. The police said they could not charge him because he wrecked his own pub and nobody had complained about it. Other people have used bulldozers as weapons of massive destruction. There is the story about the bulldozer operator who was so depressed that before he went to work he popped some Prozac but took too much. In addition to flattening a dilapidated drive-in cinema he also took out five houses that were next to it. His excuse? He overdozed. However, Marvin John Heemeyer, a welder and owner of a muffler-repair shop in Grandby, Colorado had no such excuse. He was so upset with the city officials over a zoning dispute that he took a Komatsu bulldozer and demolished the town hall, the former mayor’s house, and

other buildings. The rampage ended when the bulldozer got stuck in the basement of a store he was in the process of destroying and Heemeyer then killed himself with a pistol. Another bull-headed, bulldozer owner, Barry Allan Sweegle, was so angry with his neighbors that he took a powerful Caterpillar D9 bulldozer and damaged four homes, knocking one off its foundation and cutting power to thousands of people. I can understand without condoning the rage that overwhelms some people when they find themselves increasingly powerless in the tightening iron grip of officialdom and bureaucracy. It is easy to feel cornered and to want to hit back against the unrelenting pressure from the paper-pushers. Alcohol-fuelled anger is something I have grown up with as well. I have seen really quiet men lash out in anger and grab stools or bottles as weapons in the rum-shops. I have seen cars used as weapons, with half-drunk or very angry drivers wanting to kill someone. In situations like this it is human to fantasise about what you would do if you had

a weapon at hand. In fact, there are many of us who go into the bank expecting a holdup, contemplating what we would do if it occurred, or planning one. In the case of the Trinidad traffic, I would review my initial desire for a “transformer” or even Tank, his brother Dozer from the “Matrix” and the hover-craft Nebuchadnezzar. I drive a small Hyundai Matrix around the city and what I would like instead is the only vehicle that might possibly intimidate Trinis who break red lights with impunity, pull across and stop suddenly in front of you, hit you and then argue or want to kill you. It is an armed bulldozer or what is called a

“tankdozer” that is a fully armoured D9 bristling with heavy artillery, grenade launchers and machines guns and a massive blade that could go through anything. I would wait for or even seek out one of the huge container trucks that with horns blowing fly along the roadway regardless of who has the right-of-way and then... *Tony Deyal was last seen saying that there is something called a “calfdozer” which is supposedly a small “bulldozer” but while there are manatees there are no womanatees, boyatees or girlattees.

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Kaieteur News

FOR RENT

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VACANCY

SALON

Work from home earn $5,000-$20,000 monthly. Call monday-friday (9am-5pm): 233-6517; 638-0595 or www.jobfairworldwide.com

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Porters and Carpenters to work at Coveden, E.B.D, apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling. Maid, 38-50years; experienced will be an asset @ Wieting & Richter LtdCall: 226-6150-7 Female accounts clerk, apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling. Cashier’s & Salesperson for cosmetics/general store on the East Coast- Call: 642-1141 Accounts clerk: experienced in QuickBooks, accounting software, VAT NIS & PAYE, @ Technical Services Inc, 1823 Industrial Site, Eccles E.B.D Agent require for preparing document and quotes for regional contracts. Email: mozartart@yahoo.com/ 6919383 M.A.X Consultancy & Accounting Services urgently need: field sales agents. For more information-Contact: 2231855/ 609-0623 Bond Clerk, Office Clerk, Security officers, Engineer, Kitchen assistant, Waiter/ waitress, Cleaner, Operator/ mechanic. Call: 603-4094 Bar worker to work in the Interior-Call: 231-0363 Male sales representative 25years and older @ Wieting & Richter Ltd-Call: 226-6150-7 Experienced Driver and porters @ Wieting & Richter Ltd-Call: 226-6150-7

CAR RENTAL

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TAXI SERVICES

Monday October 12, 2015

Rising Star All Day Nursery, 2-6 yrs 15 students: 2 teachers enrichment programs Phonics, Reading, Speech, Vocabulary & Numeracy Call: 690-9378

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Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Letters... Where your views make the news

Our dignity & pride as a people are being restored DEAR EDITOR, It was a very emotional experience on Monday last, October 5, 2015, to share the 58th Anniversary of the founding of People National Congress at Sophia. It included a Flag Raising and a stirring address by our Leader Brigadier David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Recall, the time when we had already passed through a period of our earlier Leaders, Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham, JP Latchmansingh, Sydney King, Ashton Chase, Jainarine Singh and many young ‘turks’ like myself had seen the 1953 Elections This was the first time that universal adult suffrage became a reality. This allowed every citizen to vote putting aside the qualification of a high salary or property. In other words, there were no prequalifications such as ownership of property, the amount of money earned that

determined the right to vote. Unhappily, there was the split in the PPP Leadership after the British suspended our Constitution. The British set up an Interim Government. Then came the 1957 Elections held on the 12th August. Two PPPs contested the Elections. One led by Cheddi Jagan, the other led by Forbes Burnham [ PPP Jaganite, PPP Burnhamnite]. Those elections came in the aftermath of an unhappy campaign, in which this dirty racist phrase of (Apan Jat) emerged; it was a significant factor apart from this divisive development, there was some confusion since there were six Elections symbols naming the parties, the Aeroplane, the Basket, the Fish, the Arrow and Bow, the Bird and the Tree. There existed also some concerns related to the identification of Polling

Places. In the interior areas there were only six Polling Places particularly in the ‘diamond fields’ and so a lot of Burnham supporters did not have an opportunity to exercise their franchise. It is interesting to note that period (1957), those who made it to the Legislative Assembly, were:- Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham - Cheddi Jagan - W.O.Rudy Kendall, - Ajodha Singh - S.M Saffee, - Etwaroo Beharry - Balram Singh Rai - Andrew L Jackson. - Jainarine Singh - Fred. Bowman, - Ramkarran, - Brindley.H. Benn - Janet Jagan, - Stephen Campbell. After the Elections, it was generally understood that to continue with two PPPs – one

‘Jaganite,’ one ‘Burnhamnite,’ made no sense, and so after much deliberations, influenced by parties both in the Indian subcontinent and Africa, plus the need to embrace all of our people, we came up with the name P e o p l e ’s National Congress with the Red, Green and Black design, the white circle in the middle carrying the Palm Tree. We look forward to the party with its coalition partners fulfilling the dreams of those fourteen elected to the National Assembly in 1957 APNU –AFC to forge a strong united country where human dignity is maintained. The next day at the Investiture Ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre, we saw evidence that our dignity and pride as a people are being restored under the astute leadership of David Arthur Granger. Hamilton Green

Developed USA uses elderly experienced... From page 4 and engaged’ in the context of the elderly in Guyana, but I chose to view the comment positively. Then I read the Minister of Social Protection’s comments to residents of the Palms Geriatric Institution in which the honorable minister was reported as saying “government is committed to ensuring a better life for the elderly.” She then went on to qualify what some aspects of this “better life” would look like – “government would like to build a modern facility for the elderly” she disclosed. Also the government was working to “address some of the administrative issues” and she encouraged residents “to improve their relations with each other, as love can replace the loneliness they may sometimes feel.” “That’s all?” I thought to myself as I looked to the end of the page to find directions on which other page to turn to for a continuation of the report. There was no such direction, what I had read was the ‘meat’ of the minister’s presentation, I was sad, disappointed. If what I read was a reflection of the depth of the thinking of these two outstanding ladies on the matter of a better life for our seniors, then the future looks bleak for the

elderly, nothing will change and we are in trouble as a people. If there is one thing we know it is that persons who contribute to the wellbeing of others are usually respected, and their self - esteem is enhanced, allowing them to lead productive and contented lives. Work in the interest of others is the source of the greatest satisfaction known to man. This is no idle statement, and age should not be used to deny citizens the opportunity to serve their fellow man and their country in ways they are best capable of so doing. The boiler men at Guysuco factors of whom I spoke earlier are a good example of elderly men being respected and allowed to contribute. We complain of teachers today not being as efficient as they use to be generations ago. Yet we can find no role for tried and proven educators like Oswald Kendall at the highest level of the Ministry of Education leading a return to the supposed ‘glory days.’ We struggle to find ways of organizing youth to play a leading role in planning national development and reducing youth unemployment. I looked at a photograph in one of the dailies which captured the

Some of Mr. Oditt’s... From page 5 countries as well as Mauritius, formerly a large sugar producer in the Indian Ocean have given up on sugar cultivation. The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Report on the viability of GuySuCo is expected on Oct 17. It is hoped that the stark realities facing the industry will be honestly conveyed to its workers therein. After all, Yesu Persaud, former Chairman of DDL is reportedly to have said, “ Sugar is what brought us all here”. Will its subsidies continue to flow to keep us here? I hope so. Charles Sohan

persons leading the discussion on the creation of a youth policy, no Lynette Seabra was there. Mrs. Seabra was the person who started the community youth training program which saw research being done in a number of communities which led to a register of small businesses in each community to which youths from the said community were attached and later, with the help of the Commonwealth Youth Programmme, seed money was provided to give them a start in their own business. She was also responsible for the creation of the Georgetown Youth Council which was intended to be an example to all the regions of how youths could be encouraged to organize themselves. The Georgetown Youth Leaders Council eventually had its own restaurant which was housed at the YMCA, Thomas land, that restaurant provided lunch for hundreds of students from Queens College and GTI five days per week while providing employment for about six youths. You mean there is no role for such a person in our search for novel ways of involving our young people as we plot youth development? True persons like the two names I mentioned might not want to serve any more in their areas of known competence, but they deserved to be asked. Were they asked? I suppose people like Mrs. Seabra and Mr. Oswald Kendall are considered too old even to be asked. Seemingly, when the elderly were told the Government “is committed to ensuring a better life for the elderly,” that was not intended to suggest action will be taken to encourage the

elderly to lead productive lives if they so choose. The residents of the Palms were not encouraged to organize themselves into production units designed to produce hand towels, foot mats and black-board dusters for schools. The elderly were not promised training in how to bargain in their own interest or how to ensure representation on all regional councils. The length and breadth of what government conceives as providing “a better life for the elderly,” was really made clear when the Minister of Social Development told them “government would like to build a modern facility for the elderly.” One gets the impression that this government; much like the previous government; does not have a clue on how to involve the elderly in national development. I think worldwide some of the healthiest people – both physically and mentally, between age 60 and 75 are Caribbean and Guyanese people. Here in the USA one is frequently reminded of this as one watches Caribbean persons in that age group hurrying to be on time for the train taking them to work, where many of them work six days per week. Developed USA is still hungry for elderly experienced workers, while backward and poverty stricken Guyana can think of no way of harnessing their skills for development. In Guyana we are satisfied to direct our energy each year to organizing banquets and the giving of cheap gifts to our senior citizens as we celebrate International Year of the Elderly. Shortage of skills meh foot! Claudius Prince

From page 22

LAND FOR SALE 1500 Acres Transported land 4 Miles from Bartica, 2 Miles River front, sand, loam, forestry, rock quarry, farming, resort-Call: 603-1266; 625-9788 Guyana’s 1st 5-Star Community, modern amenities, luxurious, recreational & business facility, security entry and more- land @ US$ 7.2SqFtCall: 650-0978 80X40ft. Land at B Field, Sophia. Well-developed and ready to build on. Call: 6836200 Houselot @ Wallers Delight W.C.D, 9 lots available in different size; road side land, great investment for business or huge bonds. Call: 670-4036 365 Acres cultivated, 1135 acres-unclean, house 20X60 (porch)- Call: 657-0992

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Kaieteur News

Monday October 12, 2015

Cops grill wife, friend over murder plot claim Police have questioned a Berbice woman and one of her friends following claims by her estranged husband that she had twice hired individuals to have him killed. A police official said yesterday that the man’s claims seem to be authentic, and they are now attempting to locate the men who were allegedly hired to abduct and kill him. Kaieteur News understands that this development occurred after a woman, who detectives questioned, admitted that she had accompanied the wife to Georgetown and that they had picked up two men there. While the women are not in custody, Kaieteur News understands that police are to question them further this week. A woman who claims to be the man’s wife has since contacted Kaieteur News to allege that her husband has fabricated the entire story. She also made counter-claims that the man has fleeced her and others numerous times,

- woman claims spouse fabricated story and that it was she who had rescued him from poverty. The alleged plot is said to be linked to a property dispute. The man, who is from the Corentyne, has said that he only escaped death because the individuals that his wife hired were confidence tricksters who pretended to be hit men. The husband said that he has been married for some eight years to his third wife. He said at the time, he was wealthy and the couple had a joint bank account. But he claimed that four years ago, his wife withdrew all the cash from their joint account without his knowledge. She also took him to court to get half of their assets. According to him, a Judge gave him the matrimonial twoflat home at Berbice, while she was given a vehicle. He also agreed to give her $300,000 within a year. But she took him

to court when a year passed and he hadn’t given her all the money. At this time, they were living in separate sections of the home. He said that last year, two men snatched him from outside his home and took him by vehicle to the back of a Corentyne community. He said that the men then explained that his wife had hired them to kill him, but that they had no intention of doing so. “They told me to cooperate with them. They said that they didn’t want to harm me, they just wanted her money.” So, according to him, the men tied him up, threw tomato paste on him, ordered him to lie still, and took photographs of his ‘bloodstained body’, to show to his wife. They then untied him. He said that the bogus ‘hit men’ also promised to give him a recording of

Monday October 12, 2015 Aries: Bizarre and unexpected events lie in store for you today, so don't be surprised if not everything goes according to plan. Take note that these events may be part of a larger trend indicative of a tremendous opportunity. Taurus: You should team up with others and initiate action that resonates with your inner being. This might not be obvious now, but be on the lookout for unexpected events. Gemini: People of great power and drive may pop out of the woodwork today. They'll confront you directly and perhaps challenge you in some way. You may be at a climactic point right now, and feel like you're at a junction. Cancer: You may be going through tremendous growth now. Focus on this and see where you need to make some changes. This may be interrupted by powerful energy from other people or situations. Leo: There's a free-spirited energy calling your name. Latch onto it and manifest creative abundance in your life. Perhaps a major opportunity for change is knocking on your door. Look through the keyhole before you invite anybody in. Virgo: A major force confronts you now. It may seem like this energy will never stop. It might be mental or physical, but either way, you may be letting it consume too much of your attention. Try not to get caught in drama that doesn't really involve you.

Libra: Keep your eyes open today. Be on the lookout for opportunities and invitations. Don't act too hastily. This is a key time in which life seems to be moving more quickly than ever. Change may be just what you need to foster your growth. Scorpio: Unexpected events may throw you for a loop today, but these incidents could be part of a bigger trend that you should pay attention to. There's great opportunity at hand, and you shouldn't ignore it. Sagittarius: There's a powerful movement of energy in your life now. Major overhauls and subsequent undertakings are just waiting for you to give the green light. Realize the potential of instigating a significant change in your life. Capricorn: Take charge of your life. Initiate action and major change in an important area. Large trends are being activated today, alerting you to the fact that there's a great opportunity at hand. Aquarius: There's electricity in the air today, which may spur you to make a significant change in one area of your life. Try not to rush on this one. Don't change just for the sake of change, but really examine something that needs to shift. Pisces: You're at the start of a very expansive time in your life, and opportunities are available whether you realize it or not. You may get the feeling that there's an area that needs a total overhaul.

themselves and his wife, but never did. He said that the following day, his wife discovered that he was still very much alive. She flew into a rage. “She see me and she start cursing on the road,” he said. She say, ‘You ain dead? They ain kill you?’” The man said that he visited a Berbice police station and told a senior rank about the plot on his life. He also showed the cop the photographs of his ‘body.’ He claimed that his wife made a second attempt on his life a few months ago. Again, he was at home when two other men came calling at his gate. He said that the men showed him a forged affidavit that his wife had produced in court when she was seeking spousal support. He claimed that the men also produced a recording of a conversation between them and his wife. Like the first two ‘hit-men,’ he said that the visitors revealed that they were hired to abduct and kill him, but had no intention of going through with the plan. “They said that they were con-men, not hit men.” He said that the men took him to a house on the East Bank of Demerara. Again, he was tied up and had to pretend to be dead. This time, he claimed that his wife sent one of her friends to see his ‘body.’ Photographs were also taken of the ‘corpse.’ After the wife’s friend saw the ‘body’, she reportedly contacted the wife by phone and said “give the people the money, the man is dead.” He was told that his wife handed over $2.2M to the ‘hit men.’ According to the man, the

next day, he overheard his wife and the same friend asking neighbours if they had heard that he was dead. Later, on seeing that he was still alive, his wife allegedly accused him of ‘sticking her up’ and forcing her to withdraw $2.2M from the bank. But he said that a few weeks ago, an Attorney representing his wife served him with a legal document

which stated that the house he owned was no longer his. He was told that he had a week to remove his belongings from the property. According to the husband, he subsequently learned that his wife had sold the house. Too destitute to hire an Attorney, he said he turned to Legal Aid for assistance to get his property back. Meanwhile, he said he’s still paying off the $300,000 that he had agreed to give his spouse.

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Business, political leaders back Turkey sees Islamic State hand in British campaign to stay in EU bombing, vows election will go on Reuters - Campaigners for Britain to remain in the European Union will make a “patriotic case” that the country is safer in Europe, the group said yesterday, bringing in business leaders, politicians and television personalities to lead the cause. Called “Britain Stronger in Europe”, the ‘in’ campaign will launch today, keen to show it has broad appeal to fight for Britain’s membership of the EU, the world’s largest trading bloc, before a referendum which Prime Minister David Cameron said will be held by the end of 2017. Cameron conceded ground to Eurosceptics in his ruling Conservatives by offering the referendum, hoping to bury an issue that divided the party for years, but the British public is increasingly split over Europe, further complicating a vote that may cast a shadow over his last five years in power. A day after naming Conservative peer Stuart Rose, former boss of the Marks and Spencer (MKS.L) store chain, as its head, the ‘in’ campaign said it would also be backed by fellow Conservative peer, businesswoman and television personality Karren Brady and Peter Mandelson, a former Labour minister and European trade commissioner, among others. “With backgrounds in security, culture, business,

David Cameron the youth movement, trade unions, academia and politics, our board are ready to make the case for why Britain is stronger, safer and better off in Europe,” Will Straw, executive director of Britain Stronger in Europe, said in a statement. “We chose the name Britain Stronger in Europe because in the coming referendum we will make a positive and patriotic case that it is in Britain’s interest to remain part of Europe.” Cameron has pledged to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU to get “the best of both worlds” by asking for guarantees the country will be kept out of ever-closer union and that the euro is not the EU’s official currency, protecting the pound in a multi-currency union. He personally favours

Britain staying in a reformed EU, but has said he would not be heartbroken to leave. Opinion polls are increasingly split over whether the public wants to stay or not, with the migration crisis in Europe spurring fears about open borders with the 28-member bloc. ‘Britain Stronger in Europe’ will argue that the country would lose its most profitable market if it left the EU. “Forty-four percent of what this country exports goes to the EU ... the EU’s the biggest game in town,” said Richard Reed, co-founder of the Innocent smoothie brand and part of the ‘in’ campaign. “Let’s not poke that big customer in the eye.” The main campaign to leave the European Union, called ‘Vote Leave’, launched on Thursday, drawing together politicians from the ruling Conservatives and opposition Labour party, and business leaders such as billionaire hedge fund manager Crispin Odey. But ‘out’ campaigners are split, with Vote Leave competing with rival campaign, Leave. EU, backed by the Eurosceptic anti-EU United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). For many Eurosceptics, the renegotiation is a waste of time. Nigel Farage, head of UKIP, told Sky News Cameron’s demands of the European Union “amount to nothing”.

Benghazi panel head says staffer never mentioned Clinton when fired Reuters - A former investigator for the Republican-led U.S. House committee on Benghazi - who accused it of targeting Hillary Clinton - never expressed unhappiness about Clinton’s treatment in discussions leading up to his firing, the panel’s head said yesterday. Major Bradley Podliska, an Air Force Reserve intelligence officer on active duty in Germany and a Republican, alleged in a CNN interview taped on Friday that he resisted pressure to focus his investigation into Clinton’s role on the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. The Democratic presidential candidate was secretary of state at the time of the attack, which killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Podliska did not mention Clinton “at any time during counseling for deficient

performance” or when he was terminated in June for the same reason, Representative Trey Gowdy, the head of the House of Representatives’ Select Committee on Benghazi, said in a statement. In September, “this staffer had a chance to bare his soul, and raise his claim this committee was focused on Secretary Clinton in a legal document, not an interview, and he did not do it,” Gowdy said. Podliska has said he plans to sue the panel in federal court over his firing, seeking lost pay. The committee has come under criticism since House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who had been expected to become speaker of the House, suggested in a television interview that the taxpayer-funded investigation into Benghazi was designed to hurt Clinton as she seeks the Democratic nomination to run for president in November 2016.

McCarthy later said he had not meant to suggest the committee’s purpose had been to harm Clinton. On Thursday, he bowed out of the race for speaker, leaving House Republicans in disarray.

Family members of Korkmaz Tedik, a victim of Saturday’s bomb blasts, mourn over his coffin during a funeral ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, yesterday. REUTERS/Tumay Berkin ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey is targeting Islamic State in investigations of a double suicide bombing in Ankara that killed up to 128 people, officials yesterday, while opponents of President Tayyip Erdogan blamed him for the worst such attack in Turkish history. Government officials made clear that despite alarm over the attack on a rally of proKurdish activists and civic groups, there would be no postponement of November polls Erdogan hopes can restore an overall majority for the AK Party he founded. Thousands of people gathered near the scene of the attack at Ankara’s main railway station, many accusing Erdogan of stirring nationalist sentiment by his pursuit of a military campaign against Kurdish militants, a charge Ankara vehemently rejects. “Murderer Erdogan”, “murderer police”, the crowd chanted in Sihhiye square, as riot police backed by water cannon vehicles blocked a main highway leading to the district where parliament and government buildings are located. The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic

Party (HDP), a major presence at Saturday’s march and holding seats in parliament, said police attacked its leaders and members as they tried to leave carnations at the scene. Some were hurt in the melee, it said in a statement. The attacks have shocked a nation beset by resurgent conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in its southeast and increasingly threatened by spillover from the war in neighboring Syria. Islamic State fighters are encamped close to its borders, which mark also the frontier of the NATO alliance, and last week Russia launched air strikes in Syria, its planes violating Turkish air space on several occasions. Two senior security sources said initial signs suggested Islamic State was behind the Ankara attack, and that it bore striking similarity to a July suicide bombing in Suruc near the Syrian border, also blamed on the radical Islamists. “All signs indicate that the attack may have been carried out by ISIL (Islamic State). We are completely focused on ISIL,” one of the sources told Reuters.

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Kaieteur News

Syrian army advances with help of Russian strikes; Putin reaches out to Saudis

Residents inspect a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in Kafranbel, near Idlib Syria. REUTERS/KHALIL ASHAWI Reuters - Russian warplanes pounded Syrian rebels unaffiliated with Islamic State yesterday, insurgents said, helping Moscow’s ally Bashar al-Assad reclaim territory and dealing a fresh setback to the strategy of Washington and its allies. President Vladimir Putin who has infuriated Assad’s

enemies in the United States, Europe, Turkey and the Arab world by bombing the rebels to protect him - reached out to one of the Syrian leader’s fiercest opponents by meeting the powerful defence minister of Saudi Arabia. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group that monitors the 4-year-old

conflict, said the Syrian military and its Lebanese Hezbollah militia allies had taken control of Tal Skik, a highland area in Idlib province, after fierce Russian bombing. That brings Syrian government forces closer to insurgent-held positions along the main highway that links Syria’s principal cities.

The area is held by a rebel alliance that excludes Islamic State fighters. “The coming battles are going to be ferocious, the Russians are using scorched earth policy and they are hitting the targets very accurately but this is a battle of destiny,” said Abu Hamed, the head of the military bureau of Jabhat Sham, an insurgent group that operates mainly in Hama province. The Syrian army made advances from the towns of Mourek and Atshan in Hama province using tanks, heavy artillery and new surface-tosurface missiles, he said. Russia said its planes had flown 64 sorties, striking 63 targets and destroying 53 fortified positions in the previous 24 hours. As in the past, it described all targets as belonging to Islamic State, although most of the areas it said it had struck are not held by that group. Syrian state television also reported that the government had captured Tal Skik with the help of Russian air strikes.

Monday October 12, 2015

Britain dismisses reports about air force orders in Iraq Reuters - Russia called in the British defence attaché in Moscow yesterday after a British newspaper published what London said was an inaccurate report that its pilots had been given permission to attack Russian jets if fired on. The British tabloid, Daily Star yesterday, quoted unnamed senior defence sources as saying it was just “a matter of time” before British fighters were involved in a confrontation with Russian jets over Iraq. Moscow this month began bombing rebels in Syria in support of its ally, President Bashar al-Assad. Britain, which wants Assad to step down, is conducting air strikes on Islamic State militants in Iraq, but has yet to decide whether to extend its action to the Islamic State fighters opposing Assad’s forces in Syria. A spokesman for the British Foreign Office said in a statement that the attaché had had a meeting in the Russian Defence Ministry

Bashar al-Assad after it sought “clarification over inaccurate newspaper reports concerning RAF rules of engagement in Iraq”. Russian news agencies had earlier reported that the British defence attaché had been summoned to explain the reports. The attaché repeated Britain’s concerns about Russian bombing in Syria, which London has said complicates the situation there, the Foreign Office spokesman said.

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Monday October 12, 2015

Russia’s Putin, Saudi defense minister agree to cooperate in Syria SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin met Saudi Arabia’s defense minister yesterday, in Moscow’s biggest attempt so far to reach out to enemies of Syria’s President Bashar alAssad since Russia joined the conflict with air strikes. Speaking after the meeting between Putin and Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman, a son of the Saudi king, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said both countries were willing to cooperate in Syria and wanted to prevent the formation of a “terrorist caliphate”. ”On both sides, as far as I can tell, there is an understanding that today’s meeting can advance our cooperation,” Lavrov said. Russia’s intervention in Syria has infuriated Assad’s

Vladimir Putin regional foes, including Saudi Arabia, who say Russian air strikes have been hitting rebel groups opposed to Assad, and not just the Islamic State fighters Moscow says it is targeting. Lavrov acknowledged

that Saudi Arabia had “concerns” about Russia’s aims but said it was targeting only extremists, including Islamic State and Jabhat al Nusra, a group linked to al Qaeda. The Russian air strikes derailed a tentative detente between the two countries earlier this year, which aimed to smooth tensions over Syria and relations with Riyadh’s regional rival Iran. “We expressed our concerns that these operations could be regarded as an alliance between Iran and Russia,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel alJubeir. “But in the conversation, our Russian friends explained to us that the main aim is the fight with ISIS and terrorism,” he added, using an acronym for Islamic State.

Nigeria military says closing in on Boko Haram militants

Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah (C) visits troops near Pulka, on the frontline in Borno State, northeast Nigeria. (AFP Photo) Lagos (AFP) - The Nigerian army said yesterday it was closing in on Islamist Boko Haram militants and warned them of serious consequences should they fail to “surrender”. “They should follow their colleagues who have so far surrendered. Failure to surrender will result in serious consequences as our troops are fast closing up on them,” army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman said in a statement. “We wish to inform them that we are aware of all their hideouts, camps and enclaves,” said the statement sent to AFP. The military has claimed that more than 200 members of the militant group surrendered September 25 when troops regained control of the northeastern town of Banki, a launching point for attacks into Cameroon. There was no independent verification of the military’s statement. Boko Haram has denied its members surrendered and that 241 women and children were rescued when troops cleared what the military said were “terrorist camps” near Banki. The statement yesterday appealed to all Nigerians to persuade them to desist and renounce their membership of the group. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has set his military commanders a three-month deadline to early November to end Boko Haram violence, which has left at least 17,000

dead since 2009, mostly in the three affected states in the northeast: Borno, Adamawa and Yob. The military has claimed a series of successes against Boko Haram recently, including the rescue of the 241 women and children. But the group struck again this weekend, with 41 people killed on Saturday and 48 were wounded in triple explosions in a Chadian city on the shores of Lake Chad, blamed on Boko Haram, the government in N’Djamena said Sunday. Lake Chad is bordered by Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad. Boko Haram has continued to attack in these neighbouring countries. In another statement, the military said that security agencies were working to secure the release of school girls kidnapped in Chibok on April 14 last year and other citizens held hostage by the Islamists. “The search for abducted Chibok school girls and the rescue of other Nigerians in hostage has never relapsed...,” military spokesman Colonel Rabe Abubakar said in the statement. “The military has and will continue to sustain the operation until the entire northeast is cleared of all terrorists and miscreants,” it added. The abduction of more than 200 school girls from their dormitory triggered international uproar and condemnation.

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

Former Antigua PM says he didn’t know Ashe donation was bribe money ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Former Antigua prime minister Baldwin Spencer has broken his silence about his acceptance of money from an ex diplomat charged in connection with a bribery scheme, saying he had no reason to believe it was dirty money and insisting that bribes were never necessary to secure an audience with him while he was in office. Spencer, currently Leader of the Opposition, sought to clear his name amidst calls for him to resign, following the arrest of former permanent representative to the United Nations Dr. John Ashe on tax evasion charges linked to his alleged acceptance of US$1.3 million in bribes. Ashe, who served at the UN mission between 1989 and 2014 and was president of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) from September 2013 to September 2014, allegedly received more than US$1.3 million in bribes in 2013 and 2014, in exchange for supporting Chinese business interests. It is also alleged that he shared some of his bribe money with politicians from Antigua, including the prime minister at the time, to secure an audience with them. “While I am deeply saddened by the circumstances in which Dr. Ashe now finds himself, based on the court document,

Baldwin Spencer

Dr. John Ashe

he gravely misrepresented the United Progressive Party (UPP) government by implying that bribe money was necessary to gain an audience with me or my colleague ministers. That was never the case during the 10 years of our administration,” Spencer insisted in a statement. He added that he had absolutely no reason to distrust Ashe – a man recommended for a knighthood in Antigua and whose expertise in a number of critical areas was widely acknowledged – or be suspicious of the source of the funds he gave to the UPP during its 2014 election campaign. “Dr. Ashe was asked for assistance in raising funds among persons and organizations of goodwill and, as such, I did not hesitate to accept, through him, donations for the exclusive

benefit of the United Progressive Party,” Spencer said. “I have never had reason to doubt Dr. Ashe’s integrity. As a senior, seasoned, and highly respected diplomat of more than 20 years’ good standing, Dr. Ashe served the Government of Antigua & Barbuda – both the ALP [Antigua Labour Party] and the UPP administrations – with distinction. During his tenure, this country benefited from a number of initiatives and alliances with friendly governments and organizations, and he never, at any time, gave me reason to look askance at him or the contributions he spearheaded.” At the same time, Spencer said he never has and does not condone any criminal activity that resulted in donations to the UPP.

Run-off likely in Argentina’s presidential election: poll BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The Argentinian ruling party’s candidate Daniel Scioli maintains a commanding lead in the presidential race but still lacks enough voter support to win outright in the first round, a poll by the Poliarquia consultancy showed yesterday. Scioli, a moderate Peronist from President Cristina Fernandez’s Front for Victory Party, has support from 37.1 percent of those who have decided how they are going to vote, according to the poll published in the daily La Nacion. His nearest rival Mauricio Macri, the center-right mayor of Buenos Aires city, trails with 26.2 percent, while Sergio Massa, who defected from the ruling party in 2013, has 20.1 percent ahead of the Oct. 25 ballot. Scioli owes much of his support base to Fernandez loyalists. While he has made

Daniel Scioli new investment a pillar of his campaign platform he has given little away on how far he would unwind state controls in the economy. That has limited his appeal to voters weary of capital controls, import restrictions, rampant inflation. Some polls show a united

opposition would win a second round. Macri promises swift reforms to open up markets in Latin America’s third biggest economy but many voters worry he would return Argentina to the neo-liberal policies of the 1990s that led to a devastating economic depression. To win outright in the first round a candidate requires 45 percent of valid votes or 40 percent and a 10-point lead over their nearest rival. “Scioli is near the 40 percent threshold but there is no certainty he will reach it,” said Eduardo Fidanza, director of Poliarquia. The pollster said that if undecided votes were taken into account Scioli would poll between 38.5 and 41 percent, Macri between 27.5 and 30 percent and Massa 21 to 23.5 percent. The poll was carried out from Oct. 2-7 and surveyed 1,838 people across the country.

Spencer did not make any mention of the call for his resignation, but hit out at those whom he said sought to exploit the current situation “for political grandstanding”. He insisted this was no time to gloat, but to reflect on what the development had done to the country’s image, the integrity of the UN, and to relations between Antigua and the United States and the rest of the world. The ALP government as well as the UPP have both distanced themselves from Ashe’s alleged activity. The 61-year-old has not been charged with bribery, only two counts of filing false federal tax returns because of his failure to declare the money he allegedly received. He and his wife underreported their income to the IRS by more than $1.2 million in tax years 2013 and 2014 alone. But bribery and bribery conspiracy charges have been lodged against five others, including Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN for the Dominican Republic Francis Lorenzo, who allegedly facilitated the payments; and Ng Lap Seng, alias David Ng, a billionaire real estate developer from the Chinese territory of Macau who allegedly provided the bribe money. (Caribbean360)

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Applications For Jamaican Citizenship Increase – PICA The Gleaner - The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) has revealed that there was an eight per cent increase in persons applying for Jamaican citizenship last year. According to chief executive officer of PICA, Jennifer McDonald, the agency processed a total of 2,000 citizenship applications in 2014. McDonald says 250,000 applications for Jamaican passports were processed last year, a 28 per cent increase when compared to 2013. Additionally, the PICA CEO the agency processed a total of five million arriving and departing passengers at the island’s airports in 2014. According to her, the 2.5 million arriving passengers processed last year represents a six per cent increase when compared with 2013, while the 2.5 million

Jennifer McDonald departing passengers processed was five per cent more than in 2013. McDonald attributed the improved performance to measures implemented to boost service delivery and efficiency of employees.

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Kaieteur News

Diaspora urged to invest more in Jamaica

Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Ralph Thomas (centre) accepts a State of Maryland Resolution from Senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam (left) welcoming him as Jamaica’s twelfth ambassador to the United States at a welcome reception held in his honour by the Embassy of Jamaica at St Gregory Hotel in Washington DC last Thursday. Sharing in the occasion (right) is Sandra Dixon-Thomas, wife of the Ambassador. (Photo: Derrick Scott) WASHINGTON DC, United States (JIS) – Jamaica’s new ambassador to the United States, Ralph Thomas is calling on members of the Diaspora to seize the opportunity to participate more fully in the development and growth of Jamaica. He was addressing a reception held in his honour at the St Gregory Hotel in Washington, DC last Thursday. Ambassador Thomas stated that this could be done by engaging in wealth creation and investment, an important role that is being performed by foreign investors, but which can be broaden to include Diaspora investors. Thomas further pointed out that there were a myriad of investment opportunities that are now available in Jamaica, that Diaspora members could avail themselves of. “I will be working with the Diaspora to build bridges and connections between people, communities, institutions and government to connect with Jamaica in different ways so that they can benefit from these opportunities that currently exist with respect to the issue of economic

empowerment,” he said. The ambassador further stated that the government is committed to seeing that the role of the Jamaican Diaspora fully, evolves as a centerpiece for national development strategy. Ambassador Thomas also used the opportunity to laud the Diaspora for continuing to provide invaluable support and assistance to the process of nation building in Jamaica. “Today, I formally on behalf of the government and people of Jamaica, express sincere thanks to you members of the Diaspora for all that you have done, and will continue to do in the years to come for the Jamaica people everywhere,” he said. During the reception, Maryland Senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam presented Ambassador Thomas with a State of Maryland Resolution officially welcoming him to his new post. The reception was attended by Jamaicans in the Diaspora, representatives of federal and state government and members of the diplomatic core.

Monday October 12, 2015

PM recommits to ending corruption in Antigua-Barbuda ST JOHN’S, Antigua — Acknowledging that corruption charges brought last week in New York against former Antigua and Barbuda diplomat, John Ashe, while he was president of the UN General Assembly, have “cast a pall of gloom over all of us and neighbouring Caribbean countries”, in a national broadcast yesterday Prime Minister Gaston Browne promised to strengthen the structures and machinery of good governance in his country and put an end to all corrupt practices. “The implication of members of the former United Progressive Party (UPP) government, including the former prime minister, Baldwin Spencer, in bribery, money laundering and other corruption charges, has also caused us great alarm,” Browne said. According to the complaint filed in the Southern District of New York by FBI Special Agent Jason Alberts, payments were transmitted from China to Ashe as part of a scheme to promote the bribery of then prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer Approximately $170,000 was sent to Spencer in Antigua, Alberts said in his affidavit. These allegations prompted a statement from Spencer on Friday, claiming that any payments were “donations for the exclusive benefit of the United Progressive Party”. According to Spencer, Ashe “gravely

misrepresented the United Progressive Party government by implying that bribe money was necessary to gain an audience with me or my colleague ministers. That was never the case during the ten years of our administration.” However, Browne disclosed yesterday that, in the 15 months since his administration took office in June last year, they have encountered a residue of corrupt practices from the former UPP regime, involving the abuse of public office and organized misappropriation of state resources. “We have put an end to those practices and we are continuing to do so wherever they emerge. We intend to have the best and most transparent governance structure in the Caribbean and beyond,” Browne said. He also announced that changes will be made in the country’s Foreign Service. “We shall no longer permit Antiguans and Barbudans who are permanent residents of the host country to serve as diplomats. In addition, we shall begin a process of rotation of our Foreign Service officers, so that none of them exceeds a period of more than five years in any posting. We shall also carry out routine independent forensic audits of all our overseas missions,” he outlined. Browne pointed out that one of the first actions that he took when he became

Gaston Browne prime minister in June last year was to instruct that Ashe be removed as Antigua and Barbuda’s permanent representative to the United Nations. While committing his government’s co-operation in the ongoing investigations by the authorities of the United Nations and the United States, Browne noted that offences may also have been committed in Antigua under the Prevention of Corruption Act, which, he said, would be independently investigated by local law enforcement agencies. He said, however, that should law enforcement agencies, in their own independent determination make a decision to take some form of action, that is their prerogative and there will be no political witch hunt by his government or the political party that he leads. (Caribbean News)

More J’can agricultural products to be exported to the US ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) – More Jamaican agricultural products could soon be available on the shelves of major supermarkets and grocery stores in the United States (US). In making the disclosure, US Ambassador to Jamaica, Luis Moreno said the process to facilitate this move has started, and should become a reality soon. “Our team is working diligently to help Jamaican exporters get their agricultural products to the US to be on grocery shelves in the US,” he stated. The ambassador was addressing the opening ceremony for the 16th staging of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Expo at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James last Friday. Moreno also called on the

Luis Moreno Jamaican authorities to play their role in ensuring that if there are obstacles which could hinder that process, they should be removed. “The Jamaican government has to carry part of the ball too. Through a partnership between

the Jamaican Government and the US Department of Agriculture, Jamaica has preclearance to export 52 products to the United States and the Jamaican Government is working on adding mangoes,” he added. The US Ambassador pointed out that despite his Government putting in measures to aid the process of exporting mangoes to the United States, those opportunities are still untapped. “You are not exporting mangoes to the United States; you are not exporting mangoes to some place which desperately wants mangoes. We have laid out everything that you have to do to be able to do that, so it’s up to the Jamaican government and the exporters to get pass those three little things that the US Department of Agriculture is asking for and the market is all yours,” he stated.

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

New-look Italy cruise to Euro 2016 finals BAKU, Azerbaijan (AFP) — New-look Italy secured qualification to Euro 2016 with a game to spare Saturday after a stirring 3-1 win away to Group H rivals Azerbaijan. Sampdoria striker Eder opened Italy’s account inside the quarter hour and although Azerbaijan levelled through Dmitri Nazarov on the half-hour, Monaco forward Stephan El Shaarawy restored Italy’s advantage just before half-time. Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian gave Italy some breathing space with a superb strike on 65 minutes. Italy were rarely troubled in the remainder of the game and might have added a further goal had Badavi Huseynov not hauled second-half substitute Sebastian Giovinco off the ball as the Toronto striker was in a scoring position. Huseynov saw red, leaving Azerbaijan with 10 men for the final two minutes but the match was already beyond all doubt. Italy, beaten finalists at Euro 2012, remain top of Group H on 21 points from nine qualifiers, two ahead of Norway ahead of the sides’ clash in Rome on Tuesday. Italy had required a win from either of their final two qualifiers to qualify for next summer ’s showpiece in France. But coach Antonio Conte called for his side to put his mind at ease and Italy, despite

Norway’s Martin Odegaard (left) vies with Malta’s Paul Fenech during the Euro 2016 Group A qualifying match against Malta in Oslo, Norway. a few jitters at a stadium that has recently been kind to Robert Prosinecki’s side, duly obliged. With Andrea Pirlo out injured, Marco Verratti was handed a start in central midfield. It took only 11 minutes for the Paris Saint Germain midfielder to produce an instant of magic, finding Eder in space with a first-timer from just over the half-way line for the Brazil-born forward to run in unchallenged to beat Kamran Agayev down low. Conte was joyous on the touchlines, but the former Juventus handler had his head in his hands in frustration barely 20 minutes later when defensive blunders pulled the match level.

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini mistimed an interception deep on the left flank, offering possession to Nazarov, who ran in to fire past Gianluigi Buffon. El Shaarawy twice came close to restoring Italy’s lead in the immediate aftermath, firing just over with a looping drive and, as Azerbaijan struggled to clear moments later, sending another effort just wide of Agayev’s upright. When his next chance did come, it could not have been any easier for the Monaco man, who slotted home into an empty net from Antonio Candreva’s generous pass after Graziano Pelle had found the Lazio man with a defencesplitting pass.

Injuries strike as Ireland overcome... From page 33 crossing the Irish line. “They more than deserved victory,” France coach Philippe Saint-Andre told reporters. “As for us, we will have to recover, analyse, knowing that we’re still in the World Cup, and get ready for a great game on Saturday night against the All Blacks.” The roof of the Millennium Stadium was closed but the green-clad fans in the crowd of 72,163 nearly took it off with a passionate rendition of “Ireland’s Call” and the Irish players responded by tearing into the early exchanges. SEXTON BLOW Twice Sexton kicked Ireland ahead but twice France fullback Scott Spedding levelled the scores from long range, the second penalty from a metre or two inside his own half. In the 24th minute, though, Sexton pulled up gingerly after a tackle and had treatment on his groin. A

minute later his game was over after Picamoles smashed into his ribs. Sexton’s replacement Ian Madigan put Ireland 9-6 ahead with his first attempt at goal and almost set up the first try of the match when his pass sent winger Tommy Bowe through a gap in the defensive line. Bowe charged 40 metres towards the remaining French defender and got his pass away to Keith Earls, only for the outside centre to spill the ball with the line at his mercy. The first half looked set to come to a close without further incident when lock O’Connell failed to get back to his feet after a ruck and had to be carried from the pitch on a stretcher with a hamstring injury that looks like ending his World Cup. The Irish moved further ahead in the 50th minute when, after a scything break from centre Robbie Henshaw had taken Ireland to the French line, Kearney crashed

through one tackler and touched down in the embrace of another. The Irish celebration was deafening but subsided into supportive applause only a few minutes later when O’Mahony caught his studs in the turf and twisted his leg, becoming the second Irishman to need the stretcher. French replacement Morgan Parra cut the deficit with their third penalty but Ireland then pulled further ahead when the pack forced their way to the France line and Murray touched down on the padding of the post. Madigan added the extras and slotted another penalty three minutes from time to seal the victory. Flanker Sean O’Brien, later named man of the match, could also be lost to Ireland for the Argentina match after striking France’s Pascal Pape in the stomach early in the match, which is almost certain to bring a citing.

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Kenya’s Chumba wins slow Chicago Marathon (Reuters) Kenyan Dickson Chumba pulled away from compatriot Sammy Kitwara and comfortably won a slow Chicago Marathon in a sweep for the African nation on Sunday. Chumba, wearing a bright yellow singlet, clocked 2 hours 9 minutes 25 seconds as twice runner-up Kitwara recorded his fourth consecutive top-four finish, placing 25 seconds behind. Chumba broke up a tactical race with a surge after about 30km and gradually increased his lead over Kitwara. “The race was good, but the pace was slow to 30km,” said the 28-year-old, who won the Tokyo marathon in 2014 and finished third there this year. Kenyan Sammy Ndungu took third in 2:10:06, followed by Ethiopian Girmay Birhanu Gebru and surprising American Luke Puskedra.

Kenya’s world halfmarathon record holder Florence Kiplagat claimed the women’s race, breaking away at 40km to win in 2:23:33. “The course for me was very nice,” a smiling Kiplagat told reporters. “It was a flat course, sometimes it’s windy, but that is part of competition.” Ethiopians Yebrgual Melese and Birhane Dibaba took the next two spots with Melese 10 seconds adrift of Kiplagat. Early leader Kayoko Fukushi of Japan finished fourth, just one second behind Dibaba in 2:24:25. Deena Kastor, aged 42, took seventh in a U.S. masters record 2:27:47. NO PACE-SETTERS The race was run without pace-setters for the first time in 26 years and it noticeably affected times and strategy on the flat, typically fast course with Chumba’s winning time

the slowest in eight years. As many as 10 runners were in the lead pack through the first half of the race as Chumba, Kitwara and others let firsttime marathoner Elkanah Kibet, a Kenyan-born American, set the pace. He finished seventh. Only when Chumba made his move did the pace pick up with the Kenyan, Kitwara and Ethiopian Abera Kuma forming a group of three before Kuma, who was running his fifth marathon in 20 months, faded. Most top American men and women skipped the race to prepare for February’s U.S. Olympic marathon trials. American Tatyana McFadden won the women’s wheelchair race for a sixth time and Australian Kurt Fearnley took the men’s event with McFadden and top U.S. men’s finisher Josh George, who was third, qualifying for the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

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Kaieteur News

Monday October 12, 2015

Mercedes take title as Hamilton wins in Russia SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) Mercedes clinched their second successive Formula One constructors’ championship on Sunday and Lewis Hamilton took a huge stride towards his third drivers’ title with victory in Russia. Congratulated on the podium by President Vladimir Putin, Hamilton took his ninth win of the season and 42nd of his career after a throttle problem forced the early retirement of German team mate Nico Rosberg. The Briton now has a lead of 66 points over Ferrari’s second-placed Sebastian Vettel and, if results go his way, can secure his own second successive crown in Austin, Texas, in two weeks’ time. Mercedes team bosses had left the circuit long before the constructors’ title was confirmed, however, with the outcome depending on a stewards’ enquiry that eventually demoted Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen from fifth to eighth. “We found out (about the title) upstairs. It just feels special to be a part of it and to have contributed to a team

success,” Hamilton told reporters some two hours after the race had ended. “It is a great, great, great feeling.” With four races remaining, and a maximum 100 points to be won, Hamilton has 302 points to Vettel’s 236 and Rosberg’s 229. “It looked like we were going to have a race and I was thinking this is great and we were going to put on a good show,” said Hamilton, who also won the inaugural Russian Grand Prix last year, of his afternoon. “Nico made a mistake at turn one and went wide. I overtook him and after that, or maybe even before, he started to have some problems. It is very unfortunate for the team.” Mexican Sergio Perez finished third for Force India, in a race with two safety car interludes following crashes, after Raikkonen rammed the rear of fellow Finn Valtteri Bottas’s Williams while battling for the final podium place. “It doesn’t matter if he’s penalised, because I’m never getting those points back,” said Bottas bitterly.

Marcus Ericsson’s Sauber ended up on top of the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg after a collision on the first lap. (Rex Features) OPENING LAP The safety car was deployed after Perez’s team mate Nico Hulkenberg spun on the opening lap and was hit by the Sauber of Marcus Ericsson with Max Verstappen’s Toro Rosso also caught up in the action. Rosberg had led from pole, holding off Hamilton through the opening corners, but was forced to retire in the pits on the seventh of 53 laps. “F1 is pretty incredible sometimes how tough it is,” the German told the BBC. “After a great start, leading the race and feeling confident. Straight after the

safety car the pedal broke. It was quite dangerous. Definitely not a nice way to end the day.” Hamilton, who has now won more races than the late triple champion Ayrton Senna, had already taken over the lead as Rosberg wrestled with the problem. However his advantage was whittled away when Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who was unhurt, crashed heavily on lap 12 and

brought out the safety car again. Perez had thought his podium hopes had gone when Bottas and Raikkonen, on fresher tyres, passed him in the closing laps but the collision put him right back for his first top three finish of the season. “One lap before the end it seemed like everything went away from us. I was very unhappy with myself but in

the end I thought ‘’I gave it all”,” said the Mexican. “I did plenty of laps with my tyres and had massive degradation. On the last lap when it came it was just amazing.” Brazilian Felipe Massa finished fourth for Williams while Russian Daniil Kvyat was sixth for Red Bull, ahead of Sauber’s Brazilian Felipe Nasr and Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado in a Lotus. Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso finished ninth and 10th respectively for struggling McLaren but the Spaniard lost his point after being handed a penalty for exceeding the track limits. That left Toro Rosso’s 18year-old Dutch rookie Max Verstappen with a point instead. Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who was in hospital only a day earlier after crashing his Toro Rosso in practice, had been heading for his best result after running as high as sixth but retired eight laps from the end.

Ruthless Djokovic crushes Nadal to win China Open

Winner Novak Djokovic (R) of Serbia and runner-up Rafa Nadal of Spain pose with their trophies during the award ceremony after the men’s singles final match at the China Open Tennis Tournament in Beijing, China, October 11, 2015. (Reuters/Stringer) BEIJING (Reuters) World number one Novak Djokovic continued his recent dominance over Rafa Nadal when he beat the Spaniard in the final of the China Open to win the tournament for the sixth time on Sunday. The Serbian showed no mercy against the Spaniard, who was hampered by a foot problem in the second set, as he cruised to a 6-2 6-2 victory at the National Tennis Centre in the Chinese capital. “I played a great tournament overall and continued playing well today,” Djokovic said at the trophy presentation. “This definitely has been my most successful tournament in my career. I have won the Australian Open five times but Beijing has been a lucky place for me. “I keep on coming back here and have very positive memories.”

Djokovic has now beaten Nadal in seven of their last eight meetings, dating back to the 2013 China Open, and is on the verge of leveling their head-to-head record. The pair have played each other 45 times with Nadal, who has struggled with his form and niggling injuries in the past year, hanging on to a 23-22 advantage. The world number eight took a medical timeout early in the second set when he hurt his right ankle but continued on, despite appearing to be in discomfort. “I hope Rafa’s foot is fine and he’s able to play next week (in Shanghai),” Djokovic said. “It’s always a pleasure to play against him on a big stage. “We’ve played, I think 45 times against each other and we keep on going. Hopefully, we can have many more encounters.”

Monday October 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

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GBA President, Steve Ninvalle, attends IABA Extra Ordinary Congress Endeavours to garner support for Caribbean tournament

Steve Ninvalle at the AIBA Congress in South Korea earlier this year. By Michael Benjamin President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle, left Guyana yesterday morning to attend the International Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) Extra Ordinary Congress in Doha Qatar. Moments before his departure, Mr. Ninvalle informed Kaieteur Sport that he will lobby for support for the impending ‘Back to the Future’ Caribbean Goodwill Development tournament, scheduled to be hosted by Guyana, November 26-29 next. The GBA President will also be making a brief stopover in the United States of America after the conclusion of the AIBA forum to encourage support from the Diaspora there. Local boxers have heightened their preparations

with an aim of turning in their best performances and the squad will soon be encamped but are currently preparing for the National Open Boxing Championships slated for October 23. Officials of the GBA have indicated that while several of the boxers have already been spotlighted, the bulk of representatives must earn their places on the team at the impending National Open Boxing Championships. Already, 11 countries have indicated that they will be sending teams to the championship and President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, is very upbeat about its success. The latest of these teams is St Maarten. President of the St Maarten Amateur Boxing Association (SMABA), Milton ‘Bobby’

Ottley, has confirmed that he would be sending two boxers accompanied by a manager and a coach. The other countries to have affirmed their participation are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica, Bahamas, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, French Guiana and Martinique. Those countries still to confirm their participation are Venezuela, Belize, Aruba, US Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands. Mr. Ninvalle is confident of positive responses from the remaining countries. President of the St Lucia Amateur Boxing Association (SLABA), David ‘Shakes’ Christopher has already identified a tough bunch of boxers to represent the Island. He said that he is

aiming for many gold medals and as such, will be fielding a strong team to the championships. The St Lucian entourage will be led Lyndel Marcellin, a senior Elite boxer in the 69 kg category, best remembered for his epic battles with Bert Braithwaite in Guyana and St Lucia early last year. The other members of the St Lucia entourage are Arthur Langelier (75 kg – Elite senior boxer), another top boxer that has made his mark in Guyana and further afield, Travis Maynard (56 kg – Elite senior boxer), Heslie Joseph (60 kg – Elite senior boxer), Nathan Ferrari (64kg – Novice boxer) and Merlanda St Clair (75kg female boxer). Coaches, Conrad Fredericks and Jorge Gonzalez Dominguez will accompany Brian Mc Donald

Injuries strike as Ireland overcome France

Ireland’s Robbie Henshaw in action. Reuters /Toby Melville CARDIFF (Reuters) Ireland survived the loss of captain Paul O’Connell and flyhalf Johnny Sexton to run out 24-9 winners over France and set up a Rugby World

Cup quarter-final against Argentina after a brutal Pool D decider on Sunday. Second-half tries from fullback Rob Kearney and scrumhalf Conor Murray

gave the Six Nations champions a victory they fully deserved and sent the French into a last eight clash with reigning champions New Zealand back in Cardiff next

weekend. The Irish will also return to the Welsh capital to face the Pumas next Sunday but could be without O’Connell and Sexton, who both left the pitch through injury before halftime, as well as flanker Peter O’Mahony, who was injured after the break. “I’m incredibly proud of the performance,” said Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, who conceded that O’Connell’s World Cup is probably over. “It was a battle that was attritional but a battle that showed a fair bit of character in the side. The challenge grew in complication when we lost Johnny Sexton, Paul O’Connell and Peter O’Mahony.” France, with skipper Thierry Dusautoir and number eight Louis Picamoles leading from the front, tackled like demons but were almost devoid of any creativity in the backs and never looked like Continued on page 31

who will manage the team with Mr. Christopher being the Head of Delegation. Plans for the tournament were recently unveiled when Mr. Ninvalle joined with President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), K A Juman Yassin, for a press conference at the Parade Street, Kingston headquarters of the GOA. Here it was revealed that the total expenditure will surpass six million dollars and the GOA would be contributing a large sum to offset the cost. French Guiana has also confirmed its participation and local boxers will do well to remember their fistic combats when the (local) team visited that French country last year. Leonardo Mosquea and Kesney Joseph are the ones to watch; they

were the two that had really caused problems in the Guyanese camp. Mosquea had had a raging battle with Thomas in Cayenne and the situation reached a head when the French pugilist had maliciously butted his opponent forcing the referee to disqualify him immediately. Mosquea will still be bristling and a fight between the two is bound to spark off animosity. Other members of the French delegation include Rolland Robbeiri (President of Committee), Michel Manguer (General Secretary), with Guy Luce (assistant coach) completing the team. Kaieteur Sport will be focusing on the local boxers, their training schedule and their general application in the run up to the championship.

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Kaieteur News

Stag Elite League

Fourth Kadir Memorial 80-mile Cycle Road Race

Monedderlust edge GFC; Slingerz trounce Buxton Home team Monedderlust FC maintained their unbeaten record at home in this inaugural Stag Elite League (SEL) when they again absorbed the opening goal before coming back to disappoint their visitors by taking full points. Like they did against the GDF, Monedderlust came from behind to win, this time they upstaged the ‘Upsetters’ Georgetown Football Club (GFC) 2-1 to record their second win after suffering three consecutive losses. The evening’s opening game saw Slingerz FC taking care of Buxton United 2-0 in a game they dominated throughout. Both matches were actually determined in the first half. GFC, with an animated home crowd to also deal with, thought it best to hush the crowd up early in order to deal with Monedderlust on the field. They did just that, Mikhail Stewart converted in the 10th minute which also underscored the fact that Monedderlust concedes early but is very destructive as the game progresses, at least on home turf. They {Monedderlust} were not daunted by the fact that they were trailing and with the boisterous home fans urging them along. They had Latest Points Standings Club P Pele 5 Slingerz 5 Alpha United 5 Fruta Conquerors 5 Monedderlust 5 GDF 5 GFC 5 Buxton 5

W 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1

Julian Wade conceded against the GDF in the 13th minute but this time around it was even earlier. The home team’s Captain, Travis Henry took on the GFC defence like he did against the Army and netted the neturalising goal in the 25th minute. The home team were now back in the game as they turned the pressure on GFC. With the half time break approaching, both teams were relishing some-time in the dressing room to recuperate and refocus. However, Monedderlust had other ideas as Kevin Cottoy, who also netted the winner against the GDF, achieved a similar feat against GFC. In the penultimate minute L 0 0 0 2 3 2 3 4

D 2 3 3 1 0 2 1 0

GF 10 6 7 6 6 7 4 2

Monday October 12, 2015

before the break, Cottoy handed his team the lead and as it turned out, the winning goal in the 44th minute as no goals were scored in the second half. The win saw them jumping into fifth place in the standings with GFC now occupying the penultimate spot in the eight team league. The opening game saw Slingerz romping to a comfortable 2-0 win over Buxton United, the win resulted in Slingerz jumping ahead of Alpha United on goal difference, into second place. Crafting the victory for Slingerz was Dominican forward Julian Wade who just returned to the side for his first game. He has the reputation of being a natural scorer and that he once again demonstrated by netting the opening goal in the 21st minute. Putting the preverbal icing on the cake was Domini Garnett who is now regaining scoring form, having endured a long drought. The former Grove Hi Tech player, who is now on loan with Slingerz from T&T Pro League side Caledonia AIA, netted his second goal in as many matches in the 44th minute to hand Slingerz a comfortable win. (Franklin Wilson) GA 6 1 3 7 9 8 7 7

GD +4 +5 +4 -1 -3 -1 -3 -5

Points 11 9 9 7 6 5 4 3

Jeffrey rides away with ounce of gold prize

It was back to back wins for Raynauth ‘Obeah Man’ Jeffrey when he stormed to victory in the fourth annual Kadir Memorial 80-mile Cycle Road Race to add to the 11th Hand in Hand feature race which he won on Saturday in the National Park. It was no easy riding for the seasoned Team Coco’s cyclist as he had to also battle, like the other competitors, the sweltering heat. In the end, Jeffrey out gunned his counterparts to win the grueling battle in Three Hours 12 Minutes 28 Seconds. Having to settle for the other top seven positions in the Open category were, Alanzo Greaves (Roriama Bikers Club), Raul Leal (Team Gillette Evolution), Andrew Hicks

(Trojan Cycle Club), Hamza Eastman (Team Coco’s), Michael Anthony (Team Gillette Evolution), Jamal John (Team Coco’s) and Orville Hinds (Team Gillette Revolution). Hicks was also the top junior rider, a category which he won from John with Raphael Leung third. Ruling the roost in the juvenile class was Deeraj Garbarran followed by Briton John and Nigel Duguid. Guyana Cycling Federation president Horace Burrowes was the leading Under-45 veteran he crossed the line ahead of the returning Raymond Newton and Ralph Williams. Ian ‘Deaf Boy’ Jackson was the top Over-45 veteran with Shameer Baksh and Kennard Lovell, second and third respectively.

De Villiers sparkles as South Africa edge India in first ODI

AB de Villiers hits over the top, India v South Africa, 1st ODI, Kanpur, October 11, 2015. (Associated Press) KANPUR, India (Reuters) AB de Villiers and Rohit Sharma enhanced personal reputations with scintillating centuries but it was the timely interventions of South African bowlers that secured the visitors’ five-run win over India in the first one-dayer on Sunday. De Villiers’ unbeaten 73ball century provided the late impetus as South Africa posted 303 for five, the highest team total at the Green Park Stadium, after deciding to bat first. Sharma led India’s strong reply with a brilliant 150 before leg-spinner Imran Tahir turned the runfeast on its head by claiming two wickets in his final over. Paceman Kagiso Rabada then dismissed two Indian batsmen in two deliveries in the final over to put South Africa 1-0 up in the five-match series. India needed 22 runs of the last two overs with five wickets in hand and Dale Steyn conceded 11 before 20year-old Rabada claimed

back-to-back wickets to restrict the hosts to 298 for seven. “I thought Imran Tahir first of all changed the game and gave us a chance,” De Villiers, who was adjudged man-of-the-match for his unbeaten 104-run blitz, told reporters. “And lot of credit to Dale and Kagiso. The youngster proved quite handful and he has got a bright future,” added the South Africa captain who set alight the stadium with his superb stroke-making. Containing De Villiers is one of the toughest jobs in international cricket and India were severely handicapped when their strike bowler Ravichandran Ashwin left the field after sending down only 4.4 overs. Ashwin struck in his first over to dismissed Quinton de Kock but Faf du Plessis (62) and Hashim Amla (37) shared a half-century stand. De Villiers did not hit a boundary in the first 33 balls he faced but was

unstoppable when he got going. The right-hander clobbered his sixth six off the final ball of the innings to bring up his 21st ODI century as South Africa plundered 109 runs from the last 10 overs. When India came out to bat, Sharma added 149 runs with Ajinkya Rahane (60) and the hosts looked on course to chase down the target without any fuss. Sharma hit six sixes and 13 boundaries before giving a return catch to Tahir who dismissed Suresh Raina in the same over. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (31) struggled throughout his scratchy knock and fell in the final over. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh will join the Indian squad as Ashwin’s cover before the second match in Indore on Wednesday. Scores: South Africa 303 for 5 (de Villiers 104*, du Plessis 62) beat India 298 for 7 (Rohit 150, Rahane 60, Rabada 2-58, Tahir 2-57) by five runs.