Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
Moldova detains former PM in parliament over $1 billion fraud CHISINAU (Reuters) Former Moldovan prime minister Vlad Filat was detained in parliament yesterday over the theft of $1 billion from the banking system, a crime that has led thousands to camp out in the capital in protest. Television footage showed Filat being handcuffed by masked officials from Moldova’s anti-corruption bureau. Anti-government protesters had blocked the exits to the building for most of the day to prevent him leaving. A spokesman for the anticorruption office said Filat had been formally taken in for questioning. Under Moldovan law he can be held for 72 hours after which the court must make a decision on his status. Filat denies any connection to the large fraud, which has weakened the former Soviet republic’s currency and damaged living standards in what was already Europe’s poorest country. Thousands of protesters have camped out in central Chisinau since early Septem-
Vlad Filat ber demanding resignations of senior government officials and early elections. Yesterday, Chief Prosecutor Corneliu Gurin asked parliament to strip Filat of his immunity from prosecution as a lawmaker. “We have irrefutable evidence that Filat, while prime minister, was directly involved in the withdrawal of money from the banking system,” Gurin said in his written appeal to parliament. Of the 99 lawmakers registered to vote, 79 voted in
favor of the decision, comfortably over the 51-vote minimum. Last November, three of Moldova’s largest banks were placed under special administration after they were reduced to insolvency by the hemorrhage of the $1 billion - equivalent to around one eighth of its gross domestic product - through a web of toxic loans, asset swaps and shareholder deals. Filat, who heads the proEuropean Liberal Democrat Party of Moldova (LDPM) and served as prime minister from 2009 to 2013, yesterday protested his innocence. “This is just cheap show. I can prove my innocence in court,” he told journalists. A protest leader, Renato Usatii, promised to buy a Mercedes car for any policeman who handcuffed the former premier inside the parliamentary chamber. Usatii is a millionaire businessman and head of a proRussian political party, and says he wants to run for president.
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Kaieteur News
Friday October 16, 2015
Mining Court mulled as Govt. Jagdeo not exempt from prosecution warns no more free passes - Attorney General Pradoville 2 scandal…
Once sufficient information and evidence is gathered by his Chambers, then Attorney General, Basil Williams may institute a civil action against former Cabinet ministers. And former President Bharrat Jagdeo could face prosecution, said Attorney General Basil Williams. He may be immune from prosecution for certain decisions he may have taken as president, provided these were legal actions. Misappropriating state lands may not be within his purview, Williams said. Questions on this front have been overwhelming. SARU confirmed with this newspaper Wednesday night that former President Bharrat Jagdeo is not exempt from the charges. Adding his opinion on the matter, Williams said, “Yes the Constitution does provide immunity for him but it is a question of interpretation. Already we have had cases where they (Presidents) can justify their decision if they are acting within their powers, but if they acted outside of their powers then they cannot be protected.” He continued, “The Constitution does say something to this effect about his immunity but it is all a question of interpretation in the courts. Even though you have power, you have to exercise it judiciously. And if you operate outside of it and you do so excessively, then you lose that protection.” The Minister of Legal Affairs said that the only action that can be brought by his chambers on this matter is a civil action of misfeasance in Public Office, and once he is satisfied with it what they have gathered to make their case, his chambers will act accordingly. “Once I find that we have sufficient evidence and I believe we have , then we will
Attorney General, Basil Williams
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo
pursue the case because we have former ministers who knew that they were buying state lands at an undervalued price and then sold it for a profit,” said Williams. Yesterday, he said that he is sure that there is sufficient evidence to support a common law charge of misfeasance in public office. The charge would stem from their involvement in the Pradoville Two deal back in 2010. He added, “Ministers must know that they’re in an office of trust and they’re supposed to use their office for the benefit of the public and the state. They cannot be involved in an exercise that would undermine the rights of the state and cause the state to suffer loss or damage, and certainly when it comes to land they must know the value of those lands.” A report by the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) was forwarded to him earlier this week. The damning report recommended criminal charges for several former Cabinet Ministers who served under the Jagdeo-led administration. Commenting on the report, Williams said that the Pradoville Two deal is a clear case where former ministers obtained prime land at an undervalued price and then resold it for huge profits. He said that the very nature of this situation is on par with others from the UK and Belize as outlined in the SARU
report. He said, “It is a case where they used their office to profit unlawfully and at the expense of the state.” Williams said that while the law may state that individuals could have brought the case of misfeasance in public office before the court, the Caribbean Court of Justice extends that power from individuals to the AG. “So the AG could bring such an action but also criminal charges could be laid and that is misconduct in public office. That would be swifter while the civil side would take a while.” The AG also made it clear that he cannot institute charges in this case as the person constitutionally empowered to do so is the DPP. He noted that while the Guyana Police Force can also institute such charges, should it act without the advice of the DPP, then she also has the power to intervene and take over the prosecutions started by the police. “SARU sent its findings and I would recommend that it be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan. That would be for the criminal side.” CONFLICT OF INTEREST The SARU report however lists the DPP, Miss Shalimar Ali-Hack as a beneficiary of the controversial Pradoville Two deal. The report said that on September 7, 2011, the DPP bought Lot 184 Sparendaam, ECD, Block IV, which is 0.2767 acres of land. Asked how this looming situation of conflict of interest would be dealt with, Williams said, “She would have to recuse herself in the determination of the matter.”
Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, meeting with the Board of Directors of the GGMC yesterday. Also in picture is Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes. Minister of Governance, with responsibility for the Natural Resources and the Environment, Raphael Trotman, has charged the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s (GGMC) Board of Directors to step up its efforts to ensure a safe and secure mining sector is achieved. The Minister declared that stricter measures will now have to be taken by that agency to ensure that the laws are enforced and upheld. The charge was issued to the Board yesterday afternoon at the GGMC offices on Brickdam. Present at the meeting were members of the board, including Chairman Clinton Williams; Director Gerry Gouveia; Rickford Vieira, Commissioner of GGMC; Terrence Adams, President, Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and Lisaveta Ramotar, Head of the Guyana Gold Board (GGB). According to Trotman, the days for “free passes” are over and it is now time that the mining sector be placed on a safe and stable footing. The Minister referred to President David Granger’s speech at the first gold pour at the Aurora Gold mines a few weeks ago, where the Head
of State promised tougher monitoring to ensure safety and environmental regulations are adhered to. Trotman insisted that GGMC must ensure it holds miners accountable for their lawless practices. “The responsibility for the environment is not solely that of the state. It is the responsibility of those who own and operate mining concessions to ensure that after they would have ceased operations they do not leave these huge abscesses on our landscape, but that the land is reclaimed by nature,” he said. The Minister of Governance pointed out that as it stands, the sector has attracted criticism. “The thrust of this, is the manner in which, the industry is viewed and regulated. It has to change. We must protect and preserve our national patrimony for the others to come.” Calling for better regulations, Trotman underscored the Government’s zero tolerance for corruption and graft. “That is the policy of the government. The Minister, the Commission and the Commissioner must work together and cooperation and respect must be given to each other.” He said: “It is our job to
provide infrastructure. That’s a governmental function, but we need to ensure the security and safety of the sector. We need to improve health and environmental practices. They [miners] have been given a free pass for too long. We have to put them to work. An environmental bond of $100,000 is simply insufficient and we must address this,” he declared. The Minister also told the Directors of the Board that the granting of duty free conces s i o n s m u s t n o w come with an attached condition, which is that, miners must practice safe and sustainable mining. “You’ve got to show that you are paying your taxes; that you haven’t left lands with gaping holes and you’re practicing safe mining. At the end of the day to qualify, you’ve got to show that you are mining in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.” The Minister of Governance also said that the Government was examining the possibility of the re-establishment of a Mining Court, which will deal strictly with mining related matters so as to minimise the time spent on such matters in the Civil Court.
Thursday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
DNA samples back from Brazil…
Results confirm man killed wife, but inconclusive in rape/murder After almost two years, police have received DNA evidence that proves that a man who was accused of killing his wife in 2013 did commit the crime. But similar tests on DNA samples taken from 89-year-old Millicent Adriana Cummings have failed to help them to identify her killer. The DNA samples in both cases were sent to Brazil some two years ago. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that police received the DNA results yesterday. One sample was from elderly Millicent Adriana Cummings, called “Baby Prince”, who was raped and murdered at Cove-and John, East Coast Demerara inApril, 2013. Her semi-nude body was found beneath an abandoned house on the Cove and John Public Road. Police reportedly took samples from several suspects, as well as forensic evidence from beneath the slain woman’s fingernails, since it was suspected that she may have scratched her attacker. However, Blanhum said that the results they received from Brazil were ‘inconclusive.’ The other samples were related to the murder of Maryann Nauth, who was stabbed to death in the K&VC Hotel in South Road on May 11, 2013. The 31-year old mother of
three children of Lot 110 Vryheid’s Lust North, East Coast Demerara, was discovered lying on a blood-soaked bed. Hotel employees recounted that Nauth’s lifeless body was found with a knife stuck in the centre of her chest and a rose and a photograph next to her. The gruesome discovery was made hours before Mother’s Day. Her body reportedly bore over 30 stab wounds. There were reports that Nauth was last seen in the company of her estranged husband, Vinod Balgobin. The couple of 13 years was separated after the woman reported that she had endured constant abuse at the hands of her spouse. Crime Chief Blanhum said that samples were taken from a blood-stained pair of trousers that the husband was wearing. The samples were subsequently sent to a Brazil laboratory. The results confirmed that the blood on Balgobin’s trousers was his wife’s. In March 2015, while the samples were still in Brazil, 35year-old Balgobin was found guilty of his estranged wife’s murder and sentenced to 45 years in prison. Two years were deducted for time spent in prison prior to sentencing. He is required to serve 27 years before he is eligible for parole.
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THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS? The Peeper forgot to ask some important questions in yesterday’s column proposing the salaries of Ministers be increased to a minimum of one million dollars per month, but that their other benefits be removed. I am not trying to prolong this debate. I have stated most of what I had to state. I believe that Ministers should be paid properly but I do not believe they have a right to decide their own emoluments, and I do not believe that they should have awarded themselves increases when there is a Commission of Inquiry into wages and benefits in the public service. The government should have put the issue of salaries and benefits for Ministers in front of that Commission. On the question of benefits, I forgot to ask whether there is a cap on the electricity bills of Ministers. After all the government did place a cap on the electricity bill of the former President, one of the first parliamentary acts of APNU+AFC when it took office. Are the electricity allowances for Ministers restricted to the $25,000 the government imposed on the
former President? And what about the controversial medical benefits that the PPP ministers enjoyed, and which caused someone to claim that one of the PPP ministers had an Allion (a model of a motor car) in her mouth? This was said because the alleged value of dental works to the Minister could have bought such a model motor car. Have the Ministers of APNU+ AFC rejected this medical plan or are medical benefits similar to what the PPP enjoyed payable to them? Also what is the cost of petrol to drive around the Ministers in those fancy 4X4 vehicles that they use? How much fuel do they consume each month? Why do ministers have to drive around in fuel-guzzling vehicles? Is it not enough that they are enjoying free transportation and chauffeur services? Why do they have to use these huge vehicles when most of their travel is likely to be to work from home? Could vehicles with smaller engine capacities not be used? Then there is the issue of
travel allowances? Are Ministers allowed a travel allowance for foreign travel? If so how much is this allowance? Then there is the question of rental? Is there a cap on the rent paid by the State for accommodation for Ministers? If so, is there a cap on this and if so what is the amount? What happens also if a Minister owns his or her own property? Is the Minister still paid a salary? And what about security at the homes of Ministers? Is this provided for by the State or are Ministers required to pay their own security guards? What about the maids and gardeners? How many of each are Ministers entitled to? I believe that if the
government provides answers to these questions, it would enhance public transparency and the public, many of whom are against the salaries increases that the Cabinet paid to itself, would be willing to come around to accepting the increases because the government would have shown it had nothing to hide and that in fact it was being extremely transparent. So how about the government answering the above questions voluntarily because you can bet your bottom dollar that the media is not going to ask them.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday October 16, 2015
== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
Clarifications at the Commission of Enquiry One cannot expect the press to highlight every aspect of a public speech. The journalist and editor would decide which sections readers would find informative. Many of my thoughts which were delivered to the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service were not carried in the media. I also did not elaborate on the concept of contract workers in the public service. What follows below are parts of my presentations that were not reported on. I did say that I found the Structural Adjustment Programme of the Hoyte presidency to be the beginning of the laceration of the status and livelihood of public sector employees in general. Mr. Hoyte’s Economic Recovery Programme hurt the public sector sphere of employment more than any other strata. The shockingly large devaluation of the
Guyana dollar against the American currency hurt public sector salaries in deep ways. It was from 1988 onwards that one began to see the loss of prestige and income in the public sector in general. Also one of the main targets of the Economic Recovery Programme was the curtailment of spending in the public sector that specifically included wages and salaries The press reported me as saying that the presence of an enormous amount of contract employees in the public service during the tenure of the PPP, was a mechanism designed to engender ethnic dominance at the top of the public service hierarchy. My research that I presented to the Commission bears this out. What I did not tell the Commission was my conceptual approach to contract workers specifically. Contract workers program in
the employ of the government in a country like Guyana is a necessity. The public service does not have and in the foreseeable future will not have the admirable skills that it needs. Guyana is way behind even small Surinam What President Jagdeo did in his 12 year reign was to use the service of contract employees as a political tool and an ethnic mechanism to bolster the power base of the PPP. The concept of contract employees was thus vitiated. What is needed is a design that would have the authority of contract employees separated from the mainstream jurisdiction of the professional public service. I cannot envisage future governments in this country ditching the use of contract employees. Government should not turn their backs on scarce skills. I would like to be a contract worker in the labour
department I did touch in a very emotional way, my feelings on one of the most horrible anachronistic institutions still alive in this country – retirement at 55 for public servants. I offered my explanation on the origin of the meaning of retirement as it came down to modern world. Retirement’s essential purpose was to finally free the employed person from the permanency of work for him/ her to pursuit the pleasures and leisure of life. I cited the need for a retiree to finally climb the mountain he/she always desired. But leisure and pleasure had to come from your pension. If the pension was small, it defeated the very reason for the existence of retirement The Commissioner’s Chairman, Professor Harold Lutchman nodded his head when I mentioned the ignominy of life in Guyana whereby former UG Chancellor, Dr. George Walcott took home less than
$7000 in monthly pension from UG. This may seem to those not familiar with the history of Guyana as an exaggeration but it wasn’t. This naked absurdity was highlighted in the press and was the subject of a Stabroek News editorial. In which part of the world they pension off public servants at age 55? My presentation also included pay rise for public servants. One cannot seriously analyze the future of this county without an examination of the wage and salary structure of public servants. The state is the fulcrum on which society rests. Even in neo-liberal economies the role of the state is no less important. In the US despite hateful calls among the extreme rightwing for a drastic curtailment of government’s role in society, if the far-right Tea Party people were to control the government, the role of the state would not be any less powerful than under an administration of libel democrats.
Frederick Kissoon State employees then, given their strategic roles in society need to have an income that is as respectful as in any other sector of a country. Since the Economic Recovery Program of President Desmond Hoyte, the damage done to the income structure of civil servants and public sector workers has remained and was further smothered by a distrustful revengeful PPP Government. Public sector pay is disgraceful. Or maybe horrible is a more suitable word Editor ’s note: This column was read for libel and nothing else.
Ann McLennan appointed Chief Magistrate The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has appointed Senior Magistrate Ann McLennan, as Chief Magistrate. The appointment was made two weeks ago. The post of Chief Magistrate became vacant earlier this year after former Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry was sworn in as a puisne judge.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan
Dem boys seh...
Sweet mouth does wuk belly In de heat of traffic a man ride pun de harbour Bridge, park he bicycle, tek off he shoes and dive over de side. It had to be that de man was blind or he was mekking joke because he dive pun de pontoon at de bottom. He miss de big river. When dem boys ask wha happen he tell dem that he get vex because he uncle tell him that he always talking pun de phone. He brick up de phone and decide that he gun kill heself. Is a regular thing. It regular like de man who like to give way other people thing once he get a piece of de thing. People didn’t know but when he decide to give away de Sanata complex he mek sure that he would escape prosecution. He get de Cabinet to vote to give he best friend and then he go round and ensure that he friend realize that he got to get a share. That is how Jagdeo own a big piece of de Hard Times newspaper and de TV station. Giving away de Sanata complex sweeten him because he hit upon a plan to give away something else. He didn’t check to see that giving away
things is not part of de presidential duty. De president can mek decisions but he can’t tek de people property and give it away. That is criminal and is that gun mek he tail get roast when dem boys carry him to court. De unit that Soulja Bai set up dun check pun de land by de seawall and find out that Jagdeo give away fuh little or nutten and then de people who get decide to sell. Everybody get rich. Dem boys gun find out who pay tax and who and who hold on to de cheap property. Old people does always seh that wha sweet in you mouth does be bitter in you tail. Whole day yesterday some of dem old Ministers was trying to give away de Pradoville land. Was as if de land get hot— too hot to handle. Old people does also seh that sweet mouth does wuk belly. All of dem who tek land from Jagdeo had diarrhea yesterday. People now seeing jail. Nuff of dem went to Jagdeo house but Jagdeo had more sense than dem; he run way to Church Street. Talk half and watch when Soulja Bai start to clean out dem jail cell.
Thursday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Unused $23M satellite uplink…
Sattaur implicates Finance Ministry, OP, NCN Management
Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur As the fallout over the latest scandal to rock the National Communications Network (NCN) continues, the Former Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur, is distancing himself from the purchase of the $23M satellite uplink facilities. In the process he is implicating the hierarchy of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/ C) Government. Sattaur, yesterday, issued a public missive in an attempt to clear his name. He is contending that budget teams from NCN, the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the President and the Members of Parliament who were present for the budget debates all had to have known about the purchase of more than $20M in satellite equipment that has never been used for the stateowned station. According to Sattaur, who left NCN at the end of June 2012, he could not have had anything to do with the capital budget of 2012 since the budget process starts in July/August of each year with a submission of a wish list to the board of directors. Explaining the process, Sattaur said that a list of items proposed for purchase is prepared in order of importance and once
approved by the board, is submitted to the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the President. According to Sattaur, each item on the list has to be justified by a written plan and a verbal presentation by each agency head several times at the Ministry of Finance and Office of the President. A figure is then determined for capital budget support to each agency each year. “That figure is applied to the capital budget submission and whatever is prioritized above the line established by the agency’s allocation is approved and the rest is discarded…The person making the presentation for 2012 was certainly not me as I had left before the process started.” According to Sattaur, the allocation then has to be taken to Parliament for approval as part of the capital budget presentation and is documented in the annual estimates with reasons for each line item and verbal presentations to the committee of supply. “Once the capital budget is approved in April/ May of the following year, the items are purchased and installed,” said Sattaur. Sattaur posits that the failure here “seems to be on the part of the Board of Directors and the Management team at NCN at the time of the receipt of the equipment in the third quarter of 2013.” He suggests that it was either they were not aware of the purpose of the purchased equipment or they simply dropped the ball and failed to proceed with the implementation of the system. Sattaur is adamant, “Clearly the blame for this cannot be placed on my shoulders as I was not part of the Management team or the Board of Directors for the last three and one half years.” This publication had reported that it was only the
former Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur, then Programme Manager Martin Goolsarran, the Finance Controller and a technician, Kenneth Jones, who were aware of the presence of the multimillion dollar equipment. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NCN, Molly Hassan, had also said that there was no plan documented for the use of the equipment which also includes nine satellite dishes. The dishes, used in the down link aspect of the project, are currently lying in the compound. The monies for the purchase, according to Hassan, came from NCN’s 2013 Capital Budget but the equipment was identified in 2012. It began arriving early 2013. According to Hassan, the company will still have to conduct an evaluation of the pieces of equipment and secure the services of competent personnel to bring the facility online. Kaieteur News, over the weekend, broke the news that NCN had purchased the equipment two years ago but the then government instead of using it, opted to continue to pay TVG 28, now owned by Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, $3.6M monthly, to broadcast The Learning Channel. Further, this publication has since learnt that not only does NCN own its satellite uplink, it is also capable of having any event occurring locally broadcast live, not only across Guyana but throughout the Caribbean Region and even in North America. This publication was told that while there is currently not in train any plans to have the equipment brought online with any haste, it will be made operational by the end of the year. The contract with TVG 28 comes to an end in December and the administration has already signaled its intention to not have the contract renewed.
The unused satellite uplink laying in NCN’s premises.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday October 16, 2015
Domestic worker fined GTUC claims BCGI workers get no pay increase for cross dressing A well-known male domestic worker was yesterday ordered to pay $20,000 for being attired in female clothing. He was given an alternative to serve three weeks imprisonment, if unable to pay the fine.Nicholas Kissoon, 18, of Herstelling New Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) pleaded guilty to the charge after it was read to him by Magistrate Leron Daly, in the Providence Magistrate’s Court. Kissoon admitted that on October 14, last, at Herstelling, New Scheme, EBD being a man, for an improper reason, he wore female clothes in a public place. In addition, Kissoon, who told the court that he was a domestic worker, was also slapped with several assault charges. One of the allegations alleged that on October 14, at Herstelling, EBD, he unlawfully assaulted his aunt,
- remanded for assaulting aunt Savika Kissoon.He pleaded not guilty to this charge and was remanded to prison.Police Inspector, Michael Grant presented the prosecution’s case. At yesterday’s court proceedings Kissoon was clad in a burgundy jeggings and questions arose whether he could have entered the Camp Street prison in his attire. He had no legal representation and told the Magistrate he could not have afforded to pay the fine. According to reports, the defendant and his aunt reside on the same premises. On October 13, the defendant and his aunt used a series of expletives towards each other and were arrested as a result.Nicholas and his aunt were subsequently
released on self bail.However, on October 14, they continued their unlawful behaviour and both made a report at the station. Once again Nicholas assaulted his aunt by spitting on her. His aunt retaliated by using a series of expletives once again towards her nephew. Further, the facts stated that Nicholas then accused his uncle, Devar Kissoon, of threatening him with a gun. Nicholas became afraid and made a report to the station. As a result, the police visited Devar’s home and conducted a search, but found nothing.The relatives were all arrested and charged. In relation to the assault charges, Kissoon will return to court next month for continuation.
…representative union seeks immediate clarity
Government which in recent days has been coming in for increasing flak over a decision to award a pay increase to the upper echelons of the Executive and Legislative arms of the administration, is now being accused of directing that there be no pay increases for workers attached to the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated’s (BCGI). The matter has since engaged the attention of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) which has called on the coalition A Partnership for National Unity plus Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government to immediately clarify the directive. BCGI, a company coowned by Russian Aluminium (RUSAL) and the people of Guyana, recently announced to its workers that there will be no increase in wages “based on a
government directive.” GTUC reported, yesterday, that BCGI’s management in meetings with workers at its Aroaima location on Monday announced that there will be no wage increases for 2015 based on advice of the Government of Guyana. GTUC further reported that the following day at another mee t i n g w i t h another group of employees, the management repeated what was said on Monday, when workers asked the question about wage increase. The Trade Union body has since sought to point out to government that where there exists a recognized trade union, no employer or government has the power or authority to arbitrarily determinate there will be no wage increase, outside of official engagement between the employer and the workers’ representative. According to GTUC, there exists a Certificate of Recognition issued by the Trade Union Recognition and Certificate Board, dated July 26, 2007. This Certificate of Recognition alluded to by the GTUC expressly states that the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) is recognised as the Bargaining Agent for all non-management employees excluding its security” at BCGI. Since 2009 BCGI has reportedly been engaging in acts and actions contrary to the Laws of Guyana with the
complicity of the Government of Guyana. “GTUC calls on this present administration to clarify this latest position by BCGI, even more so that the act by the company constitutes violation of the laws and transgression of workers/citizens’ rights which elected officials have sworn to uphold, without fear, favour or ill will.” The union body by way of a public missive yesterday said that it finds “it very disturbing (that) BCGI is being allowed to violate the tenets of good corporate practices, universal principles and laws.” The GTUC Statement asserted, too, that “this can only continue in an environment where a government and part owner lacks the political interest, will or commitment to take a stand for what is right, or as the workers are wont to believe, that they have been sold out by a group they voted overwhelmingly for.” According to GTUC, “These acts do not constitute the climate for a stable i n d u s t r i a l environment…Consequently; GTUC calls on the Ministry of Social Protection to address this matter with the immediacy and seriousness it deserves and in the interest of restoring normalcy in the workplace.” The union body is adamant, “This is a matter about the workers, not a discussion with the BCGI as the company and others are wont to belief.”
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Two new revenue stamps unveiled The Bank of Guyana, one day ahead of its 50th anniversary celebrations, collaborated with the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), yesterday, and unveiled two revenue stamps. The two revenue stamps valuing $80 and $150 respectively, are now available at selected post offices countrywide. Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, said that the achievement is laudable because of the extensive work done by the bank over the years, especially in regulating fiscal and monetary policies in Guyana. The collaboration over the years had started from the housing of the British Caribbean Currency Board’s Office to current inter-party services, such as banking, bulk postage and the granting of several licences such as the money order licence. “The key in this economy is service, and as service providers, we must forge effective and lasting partnerships built on trust, integrity, and reciprocity. The service sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in most economies, and we must
all ensure that we provide services of quality,” Minister Ferguson explained. The GPOC has been touting the expansion of its range of services to include e-commerce and integrated
financial services, especially for rural and riverain areas. “No doubt, the Bank of Guyana will create the enabling framework for the delivery of such services, ensuring the right oversight,
as we lay the pillars of economic resilience in Guyana. And this is a task to which we must be committed, both as providers and consumers of services. There must be of necessity, a level playing field, and the Guyana Post Office is willing to leverage its vast network of branches, to support the Bank of Guyana, in providing the leadership to ensure financial stability in Guyana,” Ferguson said. The stamps were chosen with the theme of “Promoting Financial Development for Guyana’s Prosperity”, capturing the past, the present and the future roles of the bank, in fostering monetary and financial stability, not only for the
GWI to deliver water to affected West Dem residents Several West Bank communities without water because of problems with the L’Oratoire Well Station will see a tanker delivering water to them until repairs are conducted. According to the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), the well is down due to technical
difficulties. It is expected that GWI’s Operations Department will be conducting emergency repairs from today with work expected to be completed by Monday. During this period, GWI said, it will be delivering water to affected customers via a tanker. “The delivery tanker will be traversing the
main access road and will commence delivery at the entrance of every street within the affected communities.” The affected areas that will be benefitting include Canal #1; La Parfaite Harmonie; La Grange; Westminster; Schoonord; and Recht-door-Zee.
welfare of the people, but for sustainable growth and development of the country. “The cover shows the stamps and building of the bank, which is an iconic landmark in Georgetown, since it was opened in 1966. “The stamps and cover serve not only as treasured pieces of the Bank’s history in its contribution to Guyana’s development, but also as a testimony, as an institution that reflects the tenacity of an independent people,” Ganga explained. Abdul Hassan, GPOC Post Master General (ag),
congratulated the bank on its golden jubilee, stating that the attainment of 50 years is a significant milestone, with the commemorative stamps form the perfect souvenir to mark the anniversary. “ These stamps are treated internationally as valuables, a case in point is the British Guiana one-cent stamp, printed locally, issued in 1856, and which is one of the world’s most expensive and rarest stamps, sold last year at an auction for approximately US$9M, this stamp follows the same pattern,” Hassan outlined.
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Kaieteur News
Friday October 16, 2015
NBTS on track to achieving 100 percent voluntary donation After several years of trying, the Health Ministry’s National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) is still striving to achieve 100 percent voluntary blood donation. This goal is, however, not a distant possibility. This is according to Director of Standards and Technical Services with responsibility for the NBTS, Dr. Julian Amsterdam. He recently disclosed that currently voluntary donation is very close to the sought after target. Dr. Amsterdam said that “we have been moving the
mark up in our efforts to phase out the replacement donation. In 2013 we had initially looked at 89 per cent. In 2014 we tried to move that to 100 per cent. The last we’ve checked we were above 94 per cent.” While figures had suggested that the target might have been met, Dr. Amsterdam asserted that this could be questionable, since some persons are asked to be replacement donors when their hospitalised relatives are the recipients of blood. It could therefore be argued that replacement donors cannot be classified
as voluntary donors. “There is a continued culture whenever a patient goes to a private hospital especially; they are advised to have a relative donate units of blood. However, in the true and technical sense what happens is that sometimes the relatives would come to donate, and when they discover that it is not a requirement to get units they still donate...so we will have to decide whether that is replacement donation or whether the relative is donating voluntarily,” said Dr. Amsterdam. In order to counter this
situation he plans to encourage relatives to return to the Blood Bank at a time convenient to them in order to be classified as voluntary donors. The NBTS has over the years continually appealed for donors to give blood voluntarily to help save the lives of those in need. However, there have been recent allegations levelled against the institution that several donors were turned away. This state of affairs, according to Dr. Amsterdam, is being investigated. “I am not sure yet why the donors were turned away because I
haven’t completed an investigation. I have asked some of the staff to submit statements,” said Dr. Amsterdam of the on-going investigation. Dr. Amsterdam said that the NBTS has tremendous capacity to store blood. He added that the number of donors usually spike in the months of May and November. In fact he intimated that there have been occasions that the NBTS has been able to cater to a collection of as much as 600 units. “What we say to donors is ‘you come, we will process the units of blood’,” insisted Dr. Amsterdam. Persons desirous of giving blood are expected to undergo phases of screening. The initial segment, according to him, is verbal whereby potential donors are asked certain questions including their age, if they are on medication, or if they have a cough or cold, among others. “If somebody has a current cough, cold or fever that person cannot donate...if persons had a recent vaccination that person cannot donate. If somebody had an exposure or is at high risk for contracting a disease that can be transmitted through the blood, they cannot donate and if the person has multiple partners they too cannot donate,” said
Dr. Amsterdam who stressed that these are some of the reasons that donations would have to be deferred. Also, persons with recent tattoos might have to wait until at least a year has elapsed before they can donate. “If a donor passes that initial screening what happens next, is that we have to test the units of blood but the initial screening is very important. That is why I have been working with the staff to ensure that we standardise that,” asserted Dr. Amsterdam. The blood is tested for a number of diseases including HIV, chagas and hepatitis. “It might seem monotonous but you must go through that screening and every single question and make sure those questions are answered,” the Blood Bank boss asserted as he underscored the need to urgently attain the goal of voluntary blood donation at the soonest possible time. “By having adequate stock it helps us to make sure that if a patient needs blood we will always have available...it will prevent relatives from feeling they have to donate even if they are ill and try to cheat the system. They don’t have to do that, and so we are also looking to phase out replacement donors and payment for donations,” added Dr. Amsterdam.
Granger to address Parliament on Thursday The National Assembly will convene next week Thursday to continue its business after a one month recess. President David Granger is also expected to deliver an address which will speak to a number of important issues. Apart from several reports which will be tabled, including the Auditor General’s report for 2014, Finance Minister
Winston Jordan is expected to table the Financial Institutions (Amendment) Bill. This Bill seeks to amend section 63 of the Act to permit disclosure of customer information by a financial institution to the Revenue Authority, where a law so requires or where the Revenue Authority makes a lawful request or demand for the information.
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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= = = THE VOICE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS = = =
Are successive Governments of Guyana prepared to invest in single mothers? Something is wrong at the heart of the Guyanese system. Every day that goes by, I am realizing that few things happen quickly in Guyana save and except when personal vested interest of the politically powerful are involved. Any government would realize that empowerment of single mothers can be a potent developmental tool and a tangible booster for economic growth especially in an environment where all the indicators are pointing to stunted economic growth rate. The true wealth of a nation lies not in its gold or bauxite, or rice, or sugar, but its institutions of learning and research and its children. Who cares for the nation’s children? Mothers! If one is to assess the track record of the Jagdeo/ Ramotar administration on housing for the poor and the working class, they will get a satisfactory grade because although some may have found homes in places like Diamond and La Parfaite Harmonie, the reality is that the poor single mothers have literally been shut out of the market in general. Today we have a new government and mothers in communities like Plastic City, Pigeon Island and Tiger Bag among other depressed communities have a real expectation. The system of
serving the poor and the working class is broken and leadership with “steel back” is required to change the way we do business. Poor people can and must be leverage as economic centers and partners to grow this economy. I am expecting much more from the Granger / Nagamootoo administration on the housing front especially on how it serves the single mothers. One of my greatest disappointments to date in our new Government, is that the people have not heard how we plan to address the social and economic disparities in the society by “ensuring all Guyanese have equal access to housing”. This is what we promised in our manifesto and this is what has to be done come hell or high water. This is not a game. On the campaign trail we promised female headed households and first time home buyers “low interest housing loans”. NOT DONE! We promised the Guyanese people that we will work hard to ensure that “every Guyanese family has access to affordable housing” but where is the policy to drive this agenda? Where is our action plan with quantifiable commitments and milestones on these housing promises? All governments must be judged on their rhetoric and
not because I am a supporter of this government, I should not hold them accountable. This is not a game; the poor people’s lives are in our hands and we have to act more decisively in enhancing their welfare. It is time for these historical injustices that were nurtured under the Jagdeo/ Ramotar governments, to be corrected. For how long will the single mothers, who work as Police Constables, Clerks and Sales Girls on Regent Street, have to wait for a fighting chance to improve their future? This Granger/ Nagamootoo government owes these people this much, a fighting chance. Many of these ladies came out in full strength to make this government a reality. There would have been no Minister Bulkan and no Minister Scott if these mothers in their numbers, did not turn up at the polling stations to offer our coalition their full support. There is an unpaid debt to be honored especially for the single mothers who continue to live in squalor in places like the mudflats of Plastic City and Pigeon Island and the urban garbage dumps that surrounds Tiger Bay. Over a month ago I advanced a model using a state construction company to provide some low income
housing which can be cash neutral to the nation; yet to date - squat. As I said in my opening statement, few things happen quickly in Guyana and the poor continue to wallow in their poverty and are struggling to ride out the current economic condition. So let us reflect on a few key things? 1.How has the 2015 Budget impacted on these single mothers and their unsuitable housing situations? 2. How are the housing loan programmes geared to support the single mothers? 3. What tax breaks are in place such as “child tax benefits” for the working mothers who have applied to
secure their own home? 4. What financial aid is available for first time home buyers to help the working poor and young climb on to the equity ladder with their own home? CONCLUSION The case has been made on the campaign trail by both the government and the opposition to invest in the single mothers but to date these promised are all being honoured in the breach. So what is the plan and when will the working poor and single mothers see the bacon? Somebody has to wake up, since children who are depending on their mothers for a safe, secured and stable home environment are
Sase Singh waiting on you. How long will they have to wait? I hope not after they decide that Trinidad or Suriname is a better place to call home? Next time I shall be continuing our conversation by sharing my views on the growth in India. Sase Singh - Washington DC (sasesin1@yahoo.com).
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Friday October 16, 2015
Calgary University to help set up Rose Hall Town Primary Sovereign Wealth Fund - Trotman wins Spelling Bee
A team from the University of Calgary in Canada is expected in Guyana shortly to assist the coalition A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government with the setting up of a Sovereign Wealth Fund. This is according to Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, who yesterday provided an update on the APNU+AFC Government’s drive to set up the fund, as announced by President David Granger. The Canadian government, he said, has in fact used its good offices “to allow us to benefit from the processes and expertise available at the University of Calgary.” According to Trotman, the Canadian team is expected in Guyana in November. This team, he said, will be travelling to Guyana with the specific responsibility of commencing the putting together of the mechanisms for the Sovereign Wealth Fund. The fund, he said, seeks to retain a percentage of all the resources in Guyana, “not just the oil resources, but also gold, diamond, sand, stone…” Trotman said, too, that there are even suggestions of including agricultural, sea food and even water proceeds. The Minister of Governance said water will soon become a scarce resource in the world, and it is a resource that needs to be harnessed and managed properly. Trotman did say that at this point, it would be too early to speculate on specifically what percentage of the revenues from any of the resources would be identified for the fund. This, he said, is a fiscal arrangement that will ultimately have to be decided on by the Cabinet Council of Ministers on the advice of
Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman
The participants with the organisers and sponsors.
the Finance Minister. He explained that Government is currently looking to have the Fund operated akin to a three in one fund. One aspect of the fund, he said, will be used to secure the wealth of the nation for future generations. Another aspect of the fund will be used as budget support in the case of shortfalls, and the final aspect of the proposed fund would be to cater to “the developmental thrust.” According to Trotman, there will be three funds, “which comprise the Sovereign Wealth Fund but each will have a different rate at which it is supplied and different reasons and mechanisms on which you can draw down.”
Rose Hall Town Primary spelt their way to championship honours when the annual Spelling B Inter Primary school spelling competition was held recently at the Rose Hall Town Primary School. The competition was part of The Rose Hall Town 45th Anniversary celebrations. The activity was organised by the Rose Hall Town Anniversary and Development Organization (RHTADO). It involved Primary schools in the Central Corentyne catchment areas. Four primary schools were invited to participate in the competition, however, only Rose Hall Town, and last year champions, Tain, participated. .
In the end and after a keenly contested affair it was Rose Hall Town Primary with 58 points that took top honours from Tain Primary on 50. The individual spelling competition was as a nail biting affair, but in the end it was Makayla Thomas with 21 points that spelt her way to the top edging out Shrinvas Kalimootoo of Tain Primary with 20 points. At the end of the competition the winning Rose Hall Town Primary team was presented with the winner’s trophy while Tain was also recognized. The two students in the individual competition also received awards from the Lucky Dollar store.
Man on attempted murder charge vanishes from Blairmont Police Station A man who was an attempted murder suspect and was arrested at Springlands, allegedly on his way to Suriname, is now on the run after he allegedly escaped from the Blairmont Police Station, West Bank Berbice on Monday, while court was in session. According to information, the man allegedly wounded a woman on October 5 at Blairmont following a misunderstanding. The woman was hospitalized at the New Amsterdam Hospital and the man subsequently disappeared. The police commenced investigation and acting on information got wind that the man was on his way to Suriname where he lives. They nabbed him at Springlands on Sunday. He was ferried back to the Blairmont Police station where the necessary investigations were being conducted. The man was expected to be charged with attempt murder on Monday, but the necessary paper work was not completed so he was supposed
to be taken back to the lock up when he mysteriously disappeared. The Police Officer of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is reportedly investigating the matter. In the meanwhile, investigation is ongoing into the conduct of ranks station at the Fort Wellington Police station who failed to visit the scene of a woman who was brutally murdered at Hopetown, West Coast Berbice, between October 3 and October 4. This follows complaints made by members of the dead woman’s family. The victim was 78-year-old Vaulda Britton. The police had nearly bungled the investigation when they told family members who telephoned the station to report her death, to take the woman to the hospital and let the Doctor pronounce her dead. It was later found after a post mortem examination that the woman was strangled, sodomized and raped.
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 29
Bartica residents still waiting on land matter to be resolved Three years after receiving letters to plots of land in the Five Mile Housing Scheme, residents of Bartica are still experiencing some confusion. Some of them who had applied for low income house lots and received middle and high income house lots have been in a state of limbo since 2012. They cannot afford the price of the new plots allocated to them. Those who have paid for their house lots are also affected. They have not received their land titles to date. Many residents began paying for their house lots in the area and some actually contemplated building but they were confronted with uncertainty regarding the high prices attributed to the very lots because of the conversion to middle income or high income bracket. Land owners claimed that the previous Minister of Housing, Irfaan Ali, treated the issuance of land as a business deal. It was the general belief amongst land owners that the Ministry wished to retain the land to sell it for a higher price. This belief stemmed from the various “challenges” which sporadically popped up after land applicants were issued letters to lands in the scheme. Claims were made that the Ministry lied about the number of low income house lots available in an effort to trick residents into paying higher prices than they would have catered for. This belief was birthed when those who would have been assigned their low income land letters in 2012, were told that all low income house lots were finished, upon presenting their letters to the Ministry. The unforeseen change in land status left many applicants without land. They did not have the money for the new priced plot of land. Residents claimed that lands were distributed in a business-like manner, catering only for those who possessed sufficient money at the time of distribution. In support of this claim, residents pointed to remarks reportedly made by Irfaan Ali during a speech at the St. John-the Baptist Primary School where the “One stop shop” proceedings were held. “Who have their right amount of money will get their house lots. So those persons, who don’t have the amount of money needed for the house lots, just step aside and let those who have money to pay come forward and make their payment,” Ali was quoted as saying. Residents also related that on August 30, 2013 two officials from the Ministry of Housing held a meeting in Bartica with land owners of the Five Miles Housing
Scheme and issued them letters of relocation. There was widespread erosion of the land. The erosion of land at the Five Miles Housing Scheme was caused by the lack of proper drainage. Front sections of the eroded lands were fixed by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration when the matter was brought to its attention. Some applicants who would have signed the relocation letter were given lands albeit, not the ones originally possessed. It is unclear whether they paid the additional $1M or not. These residents were advised that upon signing the relocation form they would have to pay a sum of $1M in addition to their original land price. Some land owners signed the document while others did not. One land owner who was present at the
meeting for relocation lamented that she could not afford to pay the price for the original house land much less the additional price for relocation. The officials when asked where land owners would be relocated said they did not know as no other housing scheme was available in Bartica at the time. Residents who would have otherwise been living in their own homes by now or have begun construction continue to live in rented apartments or with family and friends. They claimed that the prices for the house lots provided under the previous administration were too high. Those who have finished payment for their house lots are also affected. They talk about their fear of commencing construction of their homes. They say that banks will not issue loans without the
required documentation. With a new administration in place, the Five Miles Housing Scheme Land Delegation was established to make further contact with Government officials. According to President of the delegation, Mica Williams, on several occasions efforts to contact Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan were futile. “Every time I make calls to the Ministry of
Communities to try to reach Mr.Bulkan the secretary says she is waiting for directions. When I told her I would like to contact the Junior Minister, she told me that the matter is a technical one and should be taken directly to Mr. Bulkan. I understand that they are busy, but respond, let us know something,” said Williams. Several land owners voiced their disappointment in the current government as
during their campaign in the community they said they would address the issue but to date have not. “I really thought things would have changed,” stated one land owner. “Three years now and I still living in people house. They rich, they get plenty house, I can’t get one yet ‘cause up to now I can’t get my title and banks don’t give nothing without you ain’t get your title.”
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Kaieteur News
FOR RENT
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Thursday October 16, 2015
VACANCY
SALON
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LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj Building- Tel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 Continued on page 31
Thursday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 31
Letters... Where your views make the news
Jagmohan’s attempt to assail Clinton Conway was evident DEAR EDITOR, François-Marie Arouet, known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was an 18th century French philosopher enlightenment writer and historian, famous for his wit, his attacks on the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy. Voltaire once said: “those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” After contributing to the rich discourse in the letter columns of our daily news papers for over 15 years. I am in the process of rapping up those activities for something much more challenging. I however found it
prudent to respond to a letter that was published in your news paper, written by one Jagmohan under the caption: Does Conway want Ramjatan to micro manage the police? For purposes of clarification, it is important that I state for the record from the onset, that the term ‘micro-manage’ which has pejoratively connotations is essentially a preferred management approach in certain circumstances, simply because it works. Jagmohan’s attempt to assail Clinton Conway was not only evident, but made a mess of what could have otherwise been a scholarly
piece. Firstly, there are only two police forces in this part of the world that were given the mandate to be self governthose are Argentina and Chile, regrettably both attempts failed. The police in developing countries are the most conspicuous symbols of state power, and unless and until the government in a particular jurisdiction provides the necessary latitude, it is virtually impossible for the police, let alone one man (Conway) to be the catalyst of great improvement and change. Whenever a letter writer in this case a layperson, attempts to critique a
professional, that person should first do the ethical thing: do your research. There are rules and conventions which govern good writing and speech craft, this letter writer has broken them all. But this letter is not without merit, for it is a good specimen to be used in the training of intelligence officers- why so? Because it is a classical representation of what is known in intelligence circles as the FRIM –FRAM phenomenon – that is, a person who rather than take a logical and sequacious path, chooses to be all over the place. Clairmont Featherstone
Coalition Government, National Sovereignty and...
From page 5 our benefit in the international arena. The APNU+AFC coalition government, given the little experience we have so far, seems to lend itself to a greater degree of transparency and consensus, giving rise to the conclusion that, given our bitter past of ethnic insecurity, a multiparty government is best suited for Guyana. An important ingredient in coalition formation is convergence around shared values or objectives, as such, coalitions are valid only to the extent by which they have a working accord derived out of shared interests. It is therefore not a strange phenomenon for a coalition to be formed around a single issue. This brings us to the PPPC. Like them or hate them, they are an entrenched part of the Guyanese political landscape and cannot just be wished away, with just about 49% of the valid votes cast at the 2015 elections they ought to be considered a partner in the governance apparatus of
Guyana. Therefore, any genuine attempts to build consensus should gain the PPPC a seat at the table, notwithstanding their low morale and initial resistance. There is at least one common objective around which all parties have agreed; the reverberating refrain “Not a Blade of Grass.” The Venezuelan incursion threat is real and has the potential to set back our development by more than 20 years. It is opportune for Guyana to have a formal Allparty Parliamentary Coalition, albeit, around a single issue, that is, to repel the Caracas edict. If nothing else, this should get the Government and the opposition on speaking terms, to give the government the highest degree of political legitimacy and present a collective national identity. There should be an Allparty Accord leading to a menu of national countermeasures born out of Government-Opposition consensus. To help Guyana make perhaps its most powerful international
statement, this proposed pact should contemplate a confidence vote, when Parliament resumes, that should be led by no lesser person than the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. Essentially this is a vote of confidence in the Grand Coalition G o v e r n m e n t (APNU+AFC+PPP) to stand together against Venezuelan aggression. A by-product of building consensus around this singular issue may be to diminish internal political strife and perhaps set a tone for future consensus on other is-
sues to which the parties may have shared objectives. Guyana needs all its political forces on the same stage to swell the cry against this unneighbourly intrusion of our economic and national sovereignty and our right to self-determination. To build and maintain a culture of internal consensus will remain one of the most effective diplomatic armour to successfully neutralize any threat to our national sovereignty and no effort should be spared in its pursuit. Leonno Craig
DEAR EDITOR, There was a time, not too long ago, when the residents of the new Diamond Housing Scheme received potable water from the well in Grove Housing Scheme. Then the powers that be decided to install a new well in Diamond…and that was the day our woes started. The well, said to have cost taxpayers some $36M,
has been breaking down every few weeks. Even as I write, we have been without water for two days, and this is a day after it was ‘repaired. Please, GWI, dump that multi-million dollar scrapheap, give us a new well, and cease with the tired excuse that GPL is causing it to ‘trip out’. Long-suffering resident.
Diamond Housing Scheme needs a new well, not this one that keeps breaking down
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Friday October 16, 2015
‘Await a letter in November’, Cameron tells EU on renegotiation Reuters - David Cameron sought to defuse fellow EU leaders’ frustration over a lack of detail in his demand for new membership terms from the bloc by promising yesterday to send them his wishlist in writing in early November. The prime minister says his bid to renegotiate relations with the bloc it joined in 1973 is “bloody hard work”, but many officials across the European Union have expressed frustration that London has failed to submit precise detail on its proposals since Cameron was re-elected in May. With EU leaders grappling with a migration crisis, some officials have cautioned that an initial schedule that envisaged a deal being hashed out in December could slip, pushing back Britain’s referendum until at least late 2016. “The pace will now quicken and I’ll be again setting out the four vital areas where we need change, laying down what those changes will be at the start of November,” Cameron said as he arrived for a summit of EU lead-
British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) is welcomed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels, yesterday. REUTERS/YVES HERMAN ers in Brussels. “So we quicken the pace and quicken those negotiations in the run-up to the December Council,” he said of the next summit, scheduled for Dec. 17-18. A Downing Street official said Cameron had told other leaders that he would detail his wish list to Council President Donald Tusk in early November. The letter will be published, said the official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity. Tusk welcomed the move, saying real negotiations could then begin. A British divorce would shake the Union to its core, ripping away its second largest economy and one of its top two military powers. ProEuropeans warn an exit from the EU would hurt Britain’s economy and could trigger the break-up of the United Kingdom by prompting another Scottish independence vote.
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Friday October 16, 2015
Citing ‘very fragile’ security in Afghanistan …Obama slows pace of U.S. troop withdrawal
U.S. President Barack Obama (C) announces plans to slow the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, while delivering a statement in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington yesterday. REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST Reuters - Reversing policy on Afghanistan, President Barack Obama announced yesterday he will prolong the 14-year-old U.S. military engagement there, effectively handing off the task of pulling out troops to his successor. Calling it a “modest but meaningful” adjustment to winding down the American presence in Afghanistan, Obama said Afghan forces were not yet as strong as they needed to be given a “very fragile” security situation and the United States will maintain a force of 9,800 through most of 2016. Obama had previously aimed to withdraw all but a small U.S.-embassy based force in the capital, Kabul, before he leaves office in January 2017. Under the new plan, troops will be drawn down to 5,500 starting sometime in 2017 and will be based at four locations - Kabul, Bagram, Jalalabad and Kandahar. Obama has been under pressure from his military ad-
visers, Republicans, and a bipartisan group of national security experts to keep U.S. forces in Afghanistan, particularly as Afghan forces have struggled in assaults from Taliban militants, who briefly took over the northern city of Kunduz. Yesterday, Republican critics warned against rushing to cut troops in 2017. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the proposed 5,500 U.S. troops would be inadequate to handle both counterterrorism missions and training and advising Afghan troops. McCain said it was unlikely that senior military leaders and commanders on the ground had recommended this force level, adding, “It would have been far better to halt all further troop withdrawals and allow President Obama’s successor to determine what is warranted based on conditions on the ground.” At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Ash Carter rebuffed
criticism from McCain and others over the planned 5,500 troops. “We do look at it as enough. We did a lot of homework on this,” Carter told reporters. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said U.S. allies would also offer a significant contribution of forces but declined to offer details. Obama, a Democrat, has faced steady criticism from Republicans on security issues as he has wound down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that he inherited when he took office in 2009. In his remarks yesterday, he focused on the rationale for delaying a complete withdrawal, telling Americans that he did not support the idea of “endless war” but arguing Afghanistan’s stability is vital to U.S. security. Troops would remain out of combat roles, focused on training and advising Afghan forces, and ensuring that any al Qaeda remnants do not threaten U.S. security, he said.
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Pope claims ‘greed is U.N. says Iran meets deadline driving world to ruin’ for investigation of nuclear past Paris (AFP) - Pope Francis yesterday called on the world to reject the “idolatry of money”, claiming that greed was driving societies to ruin. In an interview in his modest apartment in the Vatican, the pope told the glossy French magazine Paris Match that the world economic system as it stands was “unsustainable”. “Capitalism and profit are not diabolical if we don’t turn them into idols. They are not if we just leave them as tools,” he said. “Nevertheless, if money and profit at any price become the idols that we adore, and if greed is the basis of our social and economic system, then our societies are heading towards ruin.” The comments to a magazine whose usual fare is the
Pope Francis lives of celebrities, billionaires and royals, hammered home the Argentinian pontiff’s twin concerns about the need to tackle poverty and the environment. “Man and all creation must not be at the service of money... humanity must renounce its adoration of
money and instead put at its centre the person, the common good and future generations who will people t h e E a r t h a f t e r us,” he said, saying a w o r l d c l i m a t e change conference in Paris in December could help turn that around.
Oscar Pistorius to be released on parole Tuesday JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Oscar Pistorius will be released on parole next Tuesday, about a year into his five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, authorities said. The department of correctional services said in a statement yesterday the Olympic and Paralympic track star would be placed under house arrest from Tuesday. Pistorius is behind bars in the capital, Pretoria, after being convicted in September last year at the end of a seven-month trial. He was found guilty of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter, when he fired four shots through a locked toilet door on Feb. 14, 2013, killing model and law graduate Steenkamp. Pistorius was due to have been freed on parole in August after serving 10 months
Oscar Pistorius but Justice Minister Michael Masutha blocked his release, saying the parole hearing had been held prematurely. The department of correctional services said parole conditions would include him undergoing psychotherapy. Pistorius, a gun lover, will be subject to firearms prohibitions.
Tania Koen, a lawyer for the Steenkamp family which has opposed early parole, told state broadcaster SABC: “Nothing is changed in their lives. Reeva is not coming back.” At a globally televised trial Pistorius argued that he had mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar. Prosecutors are appealing the verdict of culpable homicide, arguing it should be one of murder because Pistorius must have known that the person behind the door could be killed. The appeal is due to be heard on Nov. 3. The state will argue that the trial judge misinterpreted parts of the law and ignored vital evidence. A murder conviction would result in a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
China approves 218 projects worth $285 billion in Jan-Sept BEIJING (Reuters) China’s economic planner said it approved 218 fixed-asset projects worth 1.81 trillion yuan (184.5 billion pounds) in the first nine months of the year, as Beijing looks to drive infrastructure investment to support slowing economic growth. The highest number of approvals were in the transportation and infrastructure sector, which saw 84 projects worth 990.6 billion yuan, the
National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said at a briefing in Beijing yesterday. It also gave the green light to 398.2 billion yuan worth of irrigation and water conservancy projects, as well as to 236.6 billion yuan of energy projects. “As these projects are developed and implemented, they can support steady investment growth, beef up de-
velopment and provide strong foundations for longterm economic development,” NDRC spokesman Li Pumin said. China has increased efforts to support the economy in recent months, ranging from fast-tracking infrastructure investment to cutt i n g d o w n p a y ments for some first-time home buyers and pushing ahead with financial reforms.
Reuters - Iran has met a deadline to give the U.N. nuclear watchdog information it needs to assess whether Tehran sought to develop nuclear weapons in the past, the agency said yesterday, a step towards carrying out a deal between Tehran and world powers. The apparent progress reported in the longstanding U.N. investigation coincided with increasing Western disquiet over Iran’s test of a ballistic missile this week in defiance of a U.N. ban, a move France said sent a disconcerting message. It also followed an unusual broadcast by Iranian state television of footage of an underground tunnel crammed with missiles and launchers that appeared to signal Tehran’s determination
to expand its large missile inventory. The Islamic Republic’s missiles are viewed with concern by its Western-allied Gulf Arab neighbours given what they see as the risk of Tehran tipping missiles with nuclear weapons, should it ever develop any in future. Iran has long denied that its enrichment of uranium for nuclear fuel has any military ends, saying it is for civilian energy only. But its restrictions on U.N. inspections and intelligence suggesting it has researched nuclear bombs in the past raised concern and led to international sanctions. In July, Iran struck a deal with six world powers under which it must restrict sensitive aspects of its nuclear programme to help ensure they can never be put to
bomb-making, in exchange for the removal of sanctions. Under a roadmap agreement reached parallel to the Vienna deal, Iran had to provide by yesterday the cooperation necessary for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to complete an assessment of Iran’s nuclear work by Dec. 15. “In the period to 15 October 2015, activities set out in the ‘road-map for the clarification of past and present outstanding issues regarding Iran’s nuclear programme’ were completed,” the IAEA said in a statement. The Vienna-based watchdog added that it would provide its assessment by Dec. 15, on schedule. A spokesman for the IAEA declined to elaborate on yesterday’s statement.
Germany tightens asylum rules to cope with refugee influx Reuters - German lawmakers approved a raft of measures yesterday to tackle the refugee crisis, including speeding up asylum and deportation procedures, facilitating the construction of asylum shelters and lowering cash incentives for economic migrants. Germany expects a record influx of more than 800,000 migrants this year, by far the most in the European Union. With the new legislation, Berlin is aiming to better cope with the unprecedented numbers of new arrivals and to stem the influx. The package includes widening the list of countries deemed “safe”, meaning their citizens generally have no chance of getting asylum, to include Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro. Among those already in that category are Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia.
Angela Merkel The aim is to speed up asylum and extradition procedures for migrants from southeastern Europe, in order to focus on refugees from war-torn countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Lawmakers from Chancel-
lor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition also passed a proposal to extend to six months from three the period that asylum seekers have to stay in reception centres until their request for shelter is approved or rejected.
Russia tells Turkey of steps to avoid further air space violations ANKARA (Reuters) - The Russian air force officially informed the Turkish military yesterday about violations of Turkish air space by its warplanes earlier this month and steps it will take to prevent a repetition, Turkey’s armed forces said in a statement. Russian planes violated the airspace of NATO member Turkey on Oct. 3 and 4 during strike missions against Syrian opposition targets in Syria. A Russian air force del-
egation informed the Turkish military of the violations at a meeting in Ankara and told them of measures being taken to prevent a repetition of such incursions, the Turkish statement said. Last week, President Tayyip Erdogan, angered by the Russian violations, warned Russia there were other places where Turkey could get natural gas and other countries with whom it could build nuclear plant.
The two countries are closely connected through energy, but are at odds over Syrian policy. Turkey says it will not welcome any solution that includes Syrian President Beshar Assad whom Russia supports. Russia is expecting consultations to take place in the next few days with Turkish officials about Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov was quoted yesterday as saying by RIA news agency.
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Turkey seeks EU cash, visas, for help on refugee crisis
Refugees and migrants arrive by the Blue Star Patmos passenger ferry from the island of Lesbos at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece, October 14, 2015. REUTERS/ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters - Turkey demanded yesterday that the European Union start easing restrictions on Turks travelling to the EU next year if it wants cooperation to stem the flow of Syrian refugees and other migrants to Europe. As EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss making concessions to Turkey in return for help with Europe’s migration crisis, EU sources said Turkish ministers asked EU negotiators in Ankara for 3 billion euros ($3.41 billion) in financial aid and a broadening of long-running talks on eventual Turkish membership of the bloc. Turkey was also seeking more high-level political dialogue with invitations for President Tayyip Erdogan to summits after an ice-breaking
visit he made to Brussels earlier this month. EU diplomats said an existing plan to ease visa requirements for Turks could be speeded up, but only if Ankara met the technical conditions, and that member states were prepared to discuss further funding, although on a more modest scale. Requests for Turkey to be put on a list of “safe countries”, whose nationals would not normally be granted asylum in Europe, broader accession talks and more EU-Turkey summits could find support, they said. Turkey and delegates from the European Commission in Ankara were “close to finalising” agreement on a joint action plan they hope will improve conditions for
the more than 2 million Syrians in Turkey to encourage them to stay, EU officials said. The plan also envisages cooperation on border patrols and fighting people-smugglers. “It’s a reset of our relationship, together with a firm commitment on both sides to cooperate on dealing with the refugee issue,” a senior EU official told Reuters. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Ankara would not finalise a previously drafted agreement to take back migrants rejected by the EU without progress on the visa issue. “We will not sign the readmission agreement before steps are taken on the Schengen visa and thus a visa liberalisation is secured for Turkish citizens,” he told a television interviewer, saying he wanted a deal by the first half of next year. Parallel, linked agreements on readmission and visa-free travel were made in late 2013, laying out conditions to be met, and expectations, that would take some three to four years.
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
City resuscitates bicycle patrols
Members of the Bicycle Patrol Unit The Bicycle Patrol Unit which was at a standstill for over three years has been resuscitated by the City Constabulary Department of the Mayor and City Council. The bicycle patrol was birthed out of a relationship developed during a visit to the Miami Conference of Mayors 2008, by local City
Council officials. The focus of the unit is said to be to identify violations of the City By-Laws which can see ranks warning and initiating arrests. The first batch of Bicycle Patrol officers were trained by, Gary McLaughlin. The Bicycle Patrol Unit was said to have been resus-
citated in an effort to enhance the performance of the City Constabulary Department while also lending support to the City Engineer, Public Health and Solid Waste Management Departments. Chief Constable Andrew Foo stated that an additional 20 persons are intended to be posted in the area.
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RHTY&SC to host Junior Double Wicket competition
Form part of clubs developmental programme The Cricket Developmental Committee of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club is set to host a double wicket competition for the club’s junior cricketers from the Under13 to Under-19 level. The brainchild of the club’s Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster, the competition would be played over a period of four days at the Area ‘H’ ground. Foster and club Coach Collis Butts would spearhead planning for the tournament which is expected to have at least 20 pairs competing. This tournament is one of several new ideas that the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club would be implementing among efforts to develop players while they gain experience.
The other proposed programmes include a six-aside cricket tournament, individual cricket tournament (one player versus another), playing friendly matches against other clubs as well as playing developmental ‘B’ teams in all tournaments organised by the club. Special emphasis would also be placed on hosting and visiting clubs outside the Ancient County. Among the junior players expected to be part of the double wicket tournament are Jason and Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Denzil Sinclair, Brandon Prashad, Surendra Budhoo, Joel Pike, Joshua Gobin, Brandon Corlette, Sylus Tyndall, Joshua Wilson, Keith Simpson, Simon
Naidu, Chanderpaul Govinda, Quinton Crandon, Chad Munroe, Samuel Lewis, Rudradeo Ramotar and Avinash Seenarine. Foster explained that one experienced junior player would be paired together with an inexperienced player with special emphasis on developing a culture of working together for success. The winning pair would receive a trophy (each player) as well as a cash incentive. Meanwhile, the club is inviting interested young players to join the club as early as possible, membership is free. Members enjoy a wide range of benefits including cricket gear, educational assistance and personal developmental programmes.
Friday October 16, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) It's hard to stay centered now. Your mind is on something wonderful that's happening for you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A romantic partner may appear to be more concerned with business than with you right now.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) An impromptu gathering including some neighbors could take place today. Someone could start a round of gossip, and this could turn you off.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You're likely feeling strong, healthy, and energetic. You might be inclined to take on huge tasks, some of which are more appropriate for three people than one.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A temporary separation between you and a lover could have you experiencing mixed feelings. You may need some time to yourself, but you'll miss your friend!
SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Today you may be obsessed with romance. Racy novels could be especially appealing, and you might try some experiments with how you look in order to enhance your sex appeal.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) This may be one of those days in which you don't feel like doing anything and you can't force yourself. While you're out you'll shop just enough to take care of essentials, and at home you'll probably veg out in front of the TV. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Spiritual concepts may seem elusive and incomprehensible today. You might have difficulty focusing on books and your mind could wander during lectures or meditation. Conversation should shed light on what's unclear to you. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Someone once said that you can't be too rich, but today you may think this statement is false, at least when it comes to a friend.
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Your household could be a happy place tonight. Good food and lively conversation heighten the atmosphere as visitors and family members enjoy each other's company. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Too much to do around the house could have you running around like crazy. You may need to make a lot of calls, see too many people, or execute some rather tedious paperwork. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Did you celebrate last night? Happiness over a surprising turn of fortune is indicated, but so are a heavy head and hollow stomach from overindulging in food and drink!
Friday October 16, 2015
Steele sets the pace in Napa, McIlroy five back Brendan Steele charged one stroke clear after the op e n i n g r o u n d o f t h e Frys.com Open yesterday, though golfing heavyweights Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose were among those in hot pursuit. American Steele took advantage of near-perfect conditions at a sunsplashed Silverado Resort in Napa, California, firing a brilliant nine-under-par 63 on the North Course to rocket to the top of the leaderboard. Steele, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2011
Texas Open, birdied seven of his last eight holes for a redhot homeward nine of sevenunder 29 to set a sizzling pace in the season-opening event on the U.S. circuit’s 2015-16 schedule. Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas carded a 64 while American rookie Harold Varner III and Britain’s Martin Laird returned 65s but Steele will certainly be keeping a wary eye on world number seven Rose (67) and third-ranked McIlroy (68). Englishman Rose, who won his first major title at the
2013 U.S. Open, mixed six birdies with a lone bogey to vault up the leaderboard. McIlroy, making his first trip to the idyllic wine c o u n t r y o f C a l i f o r n i a ’s Napa Valley, bogeyed his fourth hole of the day before rebounding with five birdies to climb into contention. A notable absentee this week is last year’s winner, Bae Sang-moon, due to a requirement for him to complete two years of military service in his native South Korea. (Reuters)
Several teams register victories as NSC Boys’ U-12 cricket competition continues Several teams will aspire to ink their names among the front runners when action in the National Sports Commission (NSC) Boys’ Under-12 cricket competition continues at venues along the East Coast corridor. The tournament got underway last Sunday October 10 with competing teams being drawn from Calcutta, Mahaicony ECD right up to Plaisance. Already, Novar Primary
Two slates... (From page 45) of submission of candidates. She, however, conceded that the Electoral Body had passed the Slate fit and she was in position to dispute the nonappearance of the name for the post. Slate 1 which was nominated by Beacon FC comprises- President- Christopher Matthias, Vice-President- Mark Phillips, VicePresident- Akram Sabree, Vice-President- Stephen Joseph, General SecretaryAdepemo Peters, TreasurerAduke Woolford and Assistant Secretary TreasurerCharmine Wade. Slate 2 which was nominated by the Guyana Police Force FC will have PresidentClifton Hicken, Vice-President-Aaron Fraser, VicePresident- Frank Parris, VicePresident- Charles Greaves, General Secretary- Althea Scipio, Treasurer- no nominee and Assistant Secretary Treasurer- Lloyd Millington. The Meeting starts at 11:00 hrs.
has emerged as the winners of Zone One after defeating Mahaicony Primary on Thursday, October 7 last. Action in Zone Two ended last Wednesday afternoon with Mon Repos defeating Company Road, Buxton Primary School at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground. Buxton batted first and amassed 44-6 at the end of its 5 overs after Kevonne Isaacs had scored an unbeaten 30.
Verun Mangal was the principal wicket taker for Mon Repos with 3-12. Arsenio McDonald then contributed 17 for Mon Repos to lead his team to 45-5 in 4.4 overs. The action will resume today when several teams from Virginia, Cane Grove and Unity convene at the Mahaica school compound for their matches. Action time is 09:00hrs. The coordinator is Daniel Richmond.
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Alastair Cook hits 168 Bermuda Beat Puerto Rico in not out in first Test CFU Women’s U-20 Opener
Captain Alastair Cook led England’s reply to Pakistan’s daunting 523-8 declared with a fine unbeaten 168 in the first Test in Abu Dhabi. He batted throughout the third day but England lost two wickets in three overs late on as they closed on 290-3, needing 34 more to avoid the follow-on. Cook added 116 for the first wicket with Moeen Ali (35) and 165 for the second with Ian Bell. Bell fell for 63 to Wahab Riaz, who also removed nightwatchman Mark Wood. Those two wickets for four runs boosted Pakistani spirits on another day when bat dominated ball, on a soporific surface which has been widely criticised. Cook’s 28th Test century was typical of so many of his previous 27, founded on patience, discipline and excellent shot selection. He dominated his first Test opening stand with Moeen Ali, tucking the ball off his pads with customary ease and capitalising on any width afforded outside off stump. His approach was unaffected by the departure of
Moeen, who was caught behind for 35 pushing at Rahat Ali shortly before lunch to end a patient first innings as a Test opener. Cook had made 147 by the time he offered a chance, substitute fielder Fawad Alam dropping a tumbling effort at backward square-leg off a top-edged sweep. Bell spent the early part of his innings batting like a man who contemplated retirement following a miserable Ashes this summer. Knowing that his dropped attempts to catch Mohammad Hafeez and Asad Shafiq cost England 188 runs in the field, Bell himself was reprieved on one when Shan Masood g r a s s e d a sharp bat-pad chance at silly point off Zulfiqar Babar. He managed only one run off the first 33 balls he faced and saw a couple of edges fall short of slip before finally finding something approaching fluency as he compiled a 134-ball half-century. He perished five overs before the close when he drove the persevering Riaz, who regularly touched 90
miles per hour, to Hafeez at point. Wood, sent in to protect Joe Root, was dropped at second slip on nought before playing on as he attempted to force off the back foot. With only 11 wickets falling in nine sessions - four of which came when Pakistan were chasing declaration runs - criticism of the pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium showed no sign of abating. Although the spinners found turn from early on the first day, the surface sorely lacks pace and bounce and there has been negligible reverse-swing with the older ball. “This is tedious,” former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott said on Test Match Special. “You can’t sell this product to spectators.” Ex-England spinner Graeme Swann joked that the pitch is “as lifeless as an away game at Luton Town” - before earning a swift rebuke. While the departure of Bell and Wood in 14 balls raised the prospect of an England collapse on Friday, a fourth draw in nine Tests on this ground remains the most likely result. With Cook at the crease, however, England could yet establish a first-innings advantage. Boycott said: “If England bat all day tomorrow, then they’ll have a small lead with one day to go. “That’s not enough time to win the game - who’s going to get those wickets quickly and cheaply?” (BBCsport)
FIFA says ‘working well’ as Hayatou takes charge
FIFA, engulfed by a wave of scandals, is still working well in operational terms, acting secretary general Markus Kattner said yesterday as interim president Issa Hayatou assumed office to replace the susp e n d e d S e p p B l a t t e r. Blatter was last week suspended for 90 days by FIFA’s Ethics Committee along with secretary general Jerome Valcke and UEFA president Michel Platini, pending a full ethics investigation. FIFA has been engulfed in crisis since May when 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives were indicted in the United States on bribery, money laundering and wire fraud charges involving more than $150 million in payments. Just four days into his fifth mandate, Blatter an-
Issa Hayatou nounced in June that he would step down at an extraor d i n a r y Congress which would choose a replacement. ”Operationally, FIFA is working well, as it should,
and the best example is the FIFA under-17 World Cup, which is about to kick-off in Chile,” Kattner said in a FIFA statement. “On top of that, the FIFA World Cup qualifiers are taking place... Our football development activities across the globe continue apace.” Hayatou, who has been president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1988, described FIFA’s situation as “unprecedented.” “But we remain focused on the necessary reform process, the Presidential election and on supporting the current investigations,” he said. ”To restore public trust is a crucial objective. It is essential that FIFA carries on its mission of developing the game and staging international tournaments.” (Reuters)
Bermuda Under 20 Female Football team. Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CFU) – The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Under 20 Championship finals opened here with Bermuda defeating Puerto Rico 1-0 in what was a high-tempo encounter. From the opening whistle, both teams battled for possession early in the first half of play. Puerto Rico moved the ball well during the early mo-
ments but Bermuda used their pace in counter attacking. Bermuda scored the tournament’s first goal in the 29th minute after Aaliyah Nolan received a ball wide, displaying remarkable talent. Nolan skipped by her defenders and fired a low shot past Puerto Rico’s goalkeeper Maria Guerrero, ending the first half in Bermuda’s favor. During the second half,
Bermuda continued to apply pressure but Puerto Rico returned from the break with much more focus, keeping more of the ball and creating chances in the early moments of the second half. Although Puerto Rico created many chances in the second half, Bermuda held out for a 1-0 victory and took their first three points in Group A. (CFU)
Easy for Djokovic but Murray claws past Isner in Shanghai Novak Djokovic sauntered past Spaniard Feliciano Lopez to reach the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters yesterday but Andy Murray had to claw past big-serving American John Isner after losing a first-set tiebreaker. Dominant world number one Djokovic, twice a champion in Shanghai, eased to a 6-2 6-3 victory to stay on track for a ninth title of the year having picked up his eighth last week in Beijing where he dropped only 18 games in five matches. The Serb, who could face Murray in the semi-finals, looks unbeatable, but warned there is still room for improvement. “I still believe there are shots in my game that can be better. I think that’s one of the things that keeps me going. It motivates me to play more,” Djokovic told the ATP website. Murray, playing his first tournament since helping Britain into the Davis Cup final last month, had to produce some of his best tennis in the face of 22 Isner aces. The 28year-old world number two finally preserved his perfect record against the American, winning 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4. Murray managed a crucial
Novak Djokovic celebrates winning against Feliciano Lopez. Reuters/Aly Song break of serve at 5-4 in the second set and broke a tiring opponent in the seventh game of the final set on his way to victory. While Djokovic is beyond his reach in the rankings this year, Murray believes he can have a tilt at top spot next year. In the quarter-finals, Murray will meet fifth seed Tomas Berdych, who eased past Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-3 6-3. Rafa Nadal, seeded eighth in Shanghai, continued his resurgence that saw him reach the Beijing final, moving through to a quarterfinal clash with Stanislas
Wawrinka. Nadal beat Canada’s Milos Raonic 6-3 7-6(3) while Swiss Wawrinka battled past Marin Cilic 7-5 6-7(7) 6-4 after an almost three hour slugfest. Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the sixth seed, was beaten 7-6(10) 76 ( 3 ) b y S o u t h A f r i c a ’s Kevin Anderson who still has his eye on a place in the ATP World Tour Finals in London. Anderson will face Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga next after he beat Roger Federer’s Spanish conqueror Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-7(5) 7-5 6-4. (Reuters)
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Kaieteur News
Friday October 16, 2015
Herath restores Sri Lanka dominance Bishoo takes 4-143 Rangana Herath bowled Sri Lanka back into the dominant position achieved by Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal’s doublecentury stand and squandered somewhat by a collapse that cost them their last seven wickets for 59 runs. At the end of an actionpacked second day, West Indies were 66-2, trailing Sri Lanka by 418 runs. The quick demolition of Sri Lanka’s lower order raised West Indies’ spirits when they came out to bat, and the openers got off to a solid start against the quicks, with three fours coming off the second over, bowled by a Nuwan Pradeep erring generously on the full side. But Herath, introduced as early as the sixth over, pulled West Indies back down to earth with his ability to beat both edges. In his very first over, he had Kraigg Brathwaite adjudged lbw with one that turned sharply from leg to off, only for Hawkeye to rule the ball had pitched marginally outside leg stump. In his next over he sent down the arm ball, which snaked past the inside edge of Brathwaite’s defensive bat and rapped into his front pad. This time the batsman didn’t even review. Shai Hope was next to go, bowled by a beauty. The opener came half-forward in defence, inward drift causing him to open up, and the ball turned past his outside edge to clip off stump. Herath caused Darren Bravo problems as well, beating his outside edge on a couple of occasions and causing him to inside-edge sharply turning deliveries close to short leg. Bravo survived the testing spell in the company of Marlon Samuels, but both of them will have to come out and begin all over again on the third morning. The day began with Chandimal and Karunaratne extending their overnight stand to 238 - the highest by any third-wicket pair in Galle - after which Chandimal added a further 86 with
Angelo Mathews. Sri Lanka were 425-3, and a 500-plus total looked like a formality. Their sights, perhaps, were set on 600, but they only managed 484. The slide began with tea around the corner, when Chandimal slapped Jerome Taylor straight to cover, against the run of play. In his next over, Taylor straightened one from around the wicket to produce an edge from the debutant Milinda Siriwardana. First ball after tea, Mathews was back in the dressing room. Jason Holder banged one in short, and Mathews, getting into an awkward position while trying to fend the ball into the leg side, popped back a simple return catch. Devendra Bishoo then sent back Dhammika Prasad and Rangana Herath off successive deliveries, before Kusal Perera, looking for quick runs, played on to Shannon Gabriel. The final wicket fell to Bishoo, who finished with four wickets as Nuwan Pradeep miscued a slog to deep midwicket. The tumble of wickets must have left West Indies wondering how good their position might have been had they held their catches. On day one, with Chandimal on 11, Taylor had put down a relatively straightforward chance while backtracking from mid-on. In the tenth over of the second morning, Chandimal cut Shannon Gabriel to backward point, where Jermaine Blackwood spilled the ball after getting both hands to the overhead chance. Chandimal was on 82 at that point. Bishoo had struggled on a slow pitch, the batsmen easily negotiating his legspin off the back foot, often making length balls look like short balls. In the third over after lunch, he managed to draw Mathews forward and find his edge, only for Jason Holder to put him down at slip. Later, Hope dropped Prasad at backward point, taking West Indies’ total of
Dinesh Chandimal whips the ball into the leg side © AFP
spilled chances to five, including Bravo letting off Lahiru Thirimanne on the first day. Coming in to bat at 339 for 3 - it was the first time since August 2014 that he had walked in with Sri Lanka’s score past 200 - gave Mathews license to play his shots. He hit two fours off Bishoo in the first over after tea - admittedly off bad balls and continued going after the spinners after Holder dropped him. He pulled Bishoo for another four, ran down the pitch to Marlon Samuels to launch him over wide long-on, and scored his runs at a strike rate of above 100 until he reached 32. Chandimal was a little more sedate at the other end, but got enough scoring opportunities, with Kemar Roach and Taylor both feeding his favourite square-cut, and the latter shot getting him to 150. In the morning session, Samuels dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne 14 short of a double-hundred. The wicket was a result of the slowness of the pitch, which
Karunaratne had dealt with expertly till then, picking the right lengths to drive and even then refusing to go hard at the ball. For once he jabbed at the ball, a short one from Samuels that stopped on him, and ended up lobbing a return catch to the offspinner. Till then a double-hundred had seemed inevitable. The ball was only 10 overs old at start of play, but there was little of the seam movement that had been in evidence on the first morning. The runs came at a good clip, with Karunaratne pulling Taylor to the square leg boundary in the fifth over of
the morning before driving him through mid-off for another four to bring up his 150. At the other end Kemar Roach, bowling without either the seam movement or the pace he generated on the first day, conceded two fours in two overs to Chandimal. Taylor and Roach went out of the attack, and Gabriel, who replaced Roach, saw an edge from Karunaratne fly through the vacant slip area before Blackwood put down Chandimal. In his next over, Gabriel produced the only other moment of discomfort for a Sri Lankan batsman in the ses-
sion when he straightened one past Chandimal’s edge. Chandimal was not unduly deterred. Following Bishoo’s introduction, he stepped down the track and whipped him away wide of mid-on, and in the next over flat-batted Gabriel over extra cover to bring up his hundred. It was his second in a row at the venue, after his match-turning 162* against India two months ago. West Indies 66 for 2 (Herath 2-14) trail Sri Lanka 484 (Karunaratne 186, Chandimal 151, Bishoo 4-143) by 418 runs. (ESPNcricinfo)
GTM Guyana Health and Fitness EXPO set for October 24 and 25 As a leading health insurance provider, Guyana and Trinidad Mutual (GTM) appreciates the importance of fitness. As a result the entity has partnered with the Guyana Fitness Games for the hosting of its inaugural Health and Fitness Expo on October 24 and 25 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The event was launched on Wednesday night at 704 Sports Bar. The GTM health and fitness expo will be made up of exhibits from the health sector offering pharmaceuticals and various testing including blood pressure and eye. There will also be 30 minutes fitness sessions by some
of the best instructors locally in Karate, Capoeira, dancing and bodybuilding. Fans will also be treated to some exciting volleyball, football, Basketball, powerlifting and crossfit challenges. The objectives of the event are to increase fitness, showcase health resources available locally and to encourage Guyanese to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The ‘Guyana Fitness games’ is the team that successfully introduced the inaugural cross fit games to Guyana which was held last year. Roger Yee of GTM said they are pleased to be associated with the Guyana Fit-
ness Games for the event and their decision to be the main sponsor is reflected in their theme for 2016 ‘Live your life, stay strong’. Yee added that the concept is a fantastic idea and he is confident the event will be successful and will contribute to building awareness around the importance of health and fitness in Guyana. The other sponsors are Genesis Express, Fitness Express, Courts, De Sinco Trading and Wings Investments while the exhibitors are 2 Pares Health Mart, Axe Apparel, Fitness Paradise Health Bar, Juice Up, All Natural, Eye Wear Optical, Fitness Express and Genesis Fitness Express.
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Maximum Sports, Combat and Strength, Max Massiah, receives Martial Arts Hall-of-Fame award He has been agitating for better fortunes for local Martial Arts practitioners and has hosted a plethora of bigwigs of the sport. His efforts did not go unnoticed and host of Maximum Sports, Combat and Strength, Max Massiah, received just reward for his efforts in the promotion of the sport. Mr. Massiah received the accolade last Monday where he is attending the Legends of Martial Arts Hall-ofFame Awards at the Kalahari Resort & Convention Centre, Pennsylvania, USA. The award, in the form of a plaque, acknowledged Massiah’s ‘extraordinary
contribution to the Martial Arts and is signed by two notables, Grandmaster and President of the Legends of Martial Arts Hall-of-Fame, G r a n d m a s t e r, E r i c P Kovasleski and his Vice President, Grandmaster Cynthia Rothrock. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport from the USA yesterday, Mr. Massiah explained that he had hosted many martial arts practitioners including Grandmaster, Christopher Francis of Trinidad and To b a g o a n d l o c a l Grandmaster Frank Woon-atai. He said his works were noted and he was invited to
the forum to participate in activities and also receive his award. “I am pleasantly surprised but greatly delighted to have been singled out for this prestigious honour,” said messiah. He also said that the acknowledgement has galvanized him to work harder towards the development of the sport. Meanwhile, Mr. Massiah is reveling in the atmosphere while rubbing shoulders with the sports’ notables. Such personalities include Frank Shamrock, one of the most feared and recognized MMA and UFC champions, Dan ‘The Beast’ Severn, another MMA champion.
Mr. Massiah (4th left) shows off his award among other recipients during a break in activities. From left, Carl Hooper, Carl Van Meter, rd Cynthia Rothrock and Hwang Jang Lee (3 right).
GCB Officials outline programmes to Minister of Education President of GCB, Drubahadur, Secretary Anand Sanasie, and TDO Colin Stuart, met with Minister of Education who oversees sports, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, and outlined to him the Board’s immediate and upcoming programmes. The Officials explained the structure and benefits of the National Secondary School Cricket League. It will commence today with an official ceremony at the Everest Cricket Club. Over 150 secondary schools across the country will be participating in the League. The competition also has a champion school pathway that would see the national champion fully sponsored by the GCB to participate in the annual Sir Garfield Sobers Secondary Schools Cricket competition in Barbados. TDO Stuart lobbied strongly for the development of school grounds across the country. He posited that when the league is over, students need to keep training to further develop themselves. He noted that one of the aims of the league is to channel players towards joining cricket clubs. But, those who cannot get into clubs can use their school grounds to train. Hence, the need for proper pitches and favorable ground conditions is necessary. He believes it would not take much from the Ministry of Education/Sports to
Dr. Rupert Roopnarine (2nd left) with officials of the Guyana Cricket Board. partner with the GCB to execute this plan. Minister Roopnarine is impressed with the expectations of the league and went on to discuss the necessities in developing school grounds. He noted that he would explain the proposal to his colleagues. Also part of the GCB programme is an 8-team local Franchise League. The Officials gave Minister Roopnarine an in-depth view this league which would comprise of a franchises from the geographical cricket areas in Guyana. These areas are Upper Corentyne (Albion to Corentyne), Lower Corentyne (Albion to New Amsterdam/Canje), East Bank Demerara/ Upper Demerara, West Demerara, East Coast Demerara, West Berbice, Georgetown and Essequibo. The League will have three formats: T20, 50-Over and 3-Day.
With this League, a higher level cricket will be played.
Anand Sanasie, also a Director of WICB, informed the Minister about the West
Indies, Australia and South Africa tri-nation ODI series which will be played in the West Indies in June 2016. Three of these matches will be played in Guyana on the 6, 8 and 10 of June. Sanasie said the GoG stand to benefit greatly from this series; he gave an estimated profit which is satisfying. He further presented to the Minister a copy of the Economic Impact Assessment from the England Tour of West Indies earlier this year. T h e O ff i c i a l s a l s o proposed to invite foreign
teams and have a weekend of T20 matches in May 2016 to observe Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary. The Minister is happy about the idea, stating that he will try to fit it onto the calendar. There were other GCB ventures that were discussed and debated, some requiring government’s assistance. Dr. Roopnarine assured that as long they will benefit Guyana as a whole and develop cricket and cricketers, there should not be issues supporting progress.
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Friday October 16, 2015
GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy cricket – Georgetown zone
North Georgetown overcome Marian Academy
Kyle Chung
From left Shiloh Adams, Mervin Sears and Niomi Barkoye
North Georgetown overcame Marian Academy by seven wickets when the Guyana Cricket Board/Scotiabank progression one Kiddy cricket continued yesterday. Marian Academy batted first and scored 105-9 at the National Racquet Centre. Opener Kyle Chung blasted 22 with two sixes while Michael Alphonso made 16. Niomi Barkoye, Mervin Sears and Shiloh Adams claimed two wickets apiece. North Georgetown responded with 106-6 in 13 overs. Adams slammed four fours and one six in a brisk
25 while Sears finished unbeaten on 25 (1x4 3x6) and Barkoye made 20 (1x4). Georgiana Fernandes and Ashana Naraine took two wickets each. West Demerara Zone At Zeeburg, Hague overcame Den Amstel by five runs on Wednesday. Batting first, Hague managed 106-7 off their allotted 14 overs with 62 extras. Reuel Caroll, Nathan Haywood and Talya Carol took one wicket each. Dem Amstel responded with 1016. Prudence Hilliman made 19, Nikosi Williams 17 and Haywood 11.
Members of the winning Hague Primary School team Jailall Boodhoo, Nalini Cirdhani, Radha Girdhani and Brian De Putron had one scalp apiece. On Tuesday, Cornelia Ida (CI) beat Leonora by 12 wickets. Leonora scored 739 in 14 overs, batting first. Extras contributed 22 and Aditya Jetto made 12. Etan Khan, Nicholas
James and Devindra Gobin captured two wickets each. CI replied with 75-2 in 14 overs. Windsor Forest thumped Blankenburg by 83 runs. Windsor Forest rattled up 194-1 in 14 overs, taking first strike. R. Hemchand stroked 94 which contained nine fours
and five sixes while R. Arjoon slammed 59 with seven fours and two sixes. F. Sattaur took the only wicket to fall. Blankenburg made 111-6 in 14 overs in response. F. Miggins hit 26 while extras supported with 52. S. Ali picked up 2-12 while R. Balgobin and Z. Mansoor
had one each. According to the competition regulations, each team shall be comprised of 14 players, and each player must bowl one over. Tw o r u n s s h a l l b e credited to the batting side for every wide and no balls. (Zaheer Mohamed)
RHT ‘B’ are Leon Wiggins 5-A-Side Football champs Led by workmanlike goals from Anthony Ronaldo and Shaqville Batson, Rose Hall Town ‘B’ defeated Rose Hall Town ‘A’ 2-0 to lift the first ever Leon Wiggins Tribute 5-a-side tournament which was organised by the Rose Hall Town Pepsi Under-19 cricket team.
Watched by a large crowd at the Area ‘H’ ground, RHT ‘B’ team displayed discipline, team work and good ball control to emerge victorious in a keenly contested final. Earlier in the day, RHT ‘A’ cruised past RHT ‘D’ 20, former Guyana Under-19 cricketer Clinton Pestano
showing that he is multi skilled as he netted both goals. Rose Hall Town ‘B’ defeated RHT ‘C’ on a sudden death penalty kicks after the game ended 1-1 in regulation time. Trevor Simpson scored the winning goal after the score was again tied at 3-3. The winning team was
presented with the Leon Wiggins Tribute Trophy by Mr. Wiggins himself, a former treasurer and football coordinator of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster described the tournament as a success and praised the players for displaying a high level of discipline. The club Foster noted is interested in
promoting football but would only do so if the players form themselves into a properly organised body, be discipline, hardworking and committed. He disclosed that more tournaments would be organised by the RHTY&SC and the Pepsi Under-19 team in the future as part of their Say No To Drugs and Yes To Sports programme. The main aim Foster
stated would be to lift football to the same standard as cricket in Rose Hall Town. Leon Wiggins expressed gratitude to his former club for honouring him and praised them for the outstanding work they have been doing for youths, the elderly and less fortunate. The winning team also received the winner take all prize of $20,000.
The winning team pose with Leon Wiggins and Coach/Referee, Benjamin Harry.
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
PCL four-day practice match
Hetymer’s unbeaten 76 rallies his team to draw By Sean Devers The 332 needed by Shemron Hetymer’s X1 to win after Leon Johnson’s X1 declared their second innings closed at 259-8 midway through the second session was always going to be an improbable proposition even on an easy paced Bourda track yesterday. But 18-year-old opener Shemron Hetymer utilized the time remaining on the last day of the first PCL four-day practice game to fashion an entertaining unbeaten 76 from 80 balls with nine fours and a six to see his team to 123-1 as the encounter ended in a draw. Hetymer shared an unfinished 94-run second wicket partnership with fellow West Indies Under-19 player Tevin Imlach, who made an undefeated 30 from 55 balls with three boundaries after Robin Bacchus (12) was caught behind off a fired-up Ronsford Beaton at 29-1. Vishaul Singh who joined Shiv Chanderpaul 15 minutes before the close on Wednesday when Assad Fudadin needlessly threw his wicket away with a century for taking, soon edged a catch to the keeper off Raun Johnson for 14, Leon Johnson’s X1 slipped from their overnight 126-3 to 1424. Without addition to the score Bajan Raymon Reifer edged Johnson, who bowled impressively, to the keeper before he had scored. Chanderpaul, who made 38 from 89 balls in 156 minutes with three fours departed at 164-6 when he was dismissed for the second time in the game by teenaged leg-spinner Steven Sankar. Chris Barnwell and wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble took the score to 176-6 by Lunch. Bramble was dropped 10 minutes
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Rage win Turning Point Dominoes tourney Rage marked 75 games to win the final of the Turning Point Dominoes competition which was contested on Wednesday night at Turning Sports Club, Tucville. TNT placed second with 71 games while Rugged finished third on 69. Lyall Gittens made the maximum 18 games while Cargail De Freitas scored 16 for the winners. Kanhai Samaroo chalked up 17 while Shawn Morgan made 16 for TNT; Martin Permaul and Andrew Young were Rugged leading players with 16 and 15 respectively. Meanwhile, West Side Dominoes Club will be hosting a 20/20 tournament o n S u n d a y a t F o o ’s
Lyall Gittens Residence Best Road, West Coast Demerara. Entrance fee is $15,000. The winning team will receive a trophy and $90,000, runner up $30,000 and third place $20,000. Double six time is 1 4 : 0 0 h r s . There will also be a King and Queen competition.
TENELEC INC 50-over tourney Shemron Hetymer pulls Raymon Refier for during his unbeaten 76 yesterday. before Lunch off Raj Nannan by Kandasammy Surujnarine at cover before he had scored. It was the type of catch that would have been gobbled up by a primary school student. Barnwell clobbered Sankar for four, hit him over mid-wicket off a knee high full toss before dispatching the spinner for four off another full toss. Sankar released the pressure on Bramble, who was batting cautiously, and thumped him for four off another high full toss and by the time pace was reintroduced both batsmen had found their rhythm. Barnwell pulled Johnson for four and when he bowled one that bounced higher, hooked him to the backward square boundary. Barnwell reached his 50 from 90 balls aided by six fours, before he moved across his wicket and was bowled by Joseph for 58 after spending 170 minutes at the crease at 244-7. Steven Jacobs (12) got off the mark with three consecutive boundaries off Joseph who troubled the batsmen with his pace. He first cut the Berbician and then edged twice over the
slip cordon before inexplicably playing no shot to Jevon Searles and was bowled. Bramble faced 92 balls and remained 28 not out; Johnson (2-43) and Sankar (2-64) were the main wicket takers for Hetymer’s X1 who began their run chase positively. Robin Bacchus was afforded the opportunity to open and delightfully cut Ronsford Beaton for four before Hetymer sliced Beaton to third man for four more. But just when he was looking untroubled Bacchus departed, that was the last taste of success for the bowlers on a hot day as Hetymer and Imlach played with confidence and displayed level heads. Imlach was struck on his helmet by a nasty lifting delivery from Beaton who ran in and bent his back on the docile track. But the courageous Imlach shook off the effects of the sickening blow. Although he was peppered with a couple of quick bouncers in the same over he soon overcame the testing period from the new ball. Hetymer ‘rode’ a
hostile short ball from Beaton to third man for four and then danced into Jacobs and on-drove him for four while Imlach punched the ‘dreadlocked’ off-spinner majestically to the cover boundary as the runs began the flow and the partnership grew under another cloudless sky and a lightning fast and parched outfield. Hetymer’s adrenaline was flowing and he smashed leftarm spinner Anthony Adams with contempt through cover to gallop to 49. But an over ambitious loft off Adam went high to long-on and the difficult catch was floored. Hetymer reached his 50 with a couple of runs from the dropped catch. The pair was still together when time was called and after a break for weekend club cricket, training and practice sessions resumes on Monday. The last four-day practice game will be played from October 26 at Providence where the Guyana Jaguars will begin the defense of their PCL title against the Windward Volcanoes on November 6.
RHT Gizmos and Gadgets beat Police to advance Rose Hall Town (RHT) Gizmos and Gadgets defeated Police by four wickets to advance to the semi final of the Bobby D e o n a r i n e a n d To m Gruntzel Tenelec Inc 50over tournament in Berbice. Police were bowled out for 101 in 26.5 overs, batting first after the game was reduced to 36 overs at Area ‘H’ ground. Essequibo opener Norwayne Fredericks was the only batsman providing resistance with 27 as pacer Keon Sinclair claimed 3-13 off 7 overs; Collis Butts had 3-30 off 6.5 overs while Clinton Pestano and Troy Mathieson picked up two each. In reply, RHT Gizmos and Gadgets lost Assad Fudadin who was caught at first slip off Michael Newland without scoring, however, Jason Sinclair and Vidal Crandon added 47 for the second wicket before Crandon was trapped LBW by Kwesi Mickle for 15 while Sinclair was dismissed for 35. RHT Gizmos and Gadgets then lost Renwick Batson (00) and Clinton
Jason Sinclair Pestano (05) in quick succession to be shakily placed at 70-5 in the 19th over. But Rajiv Ivan (15) and Eon Hooper (12) took their team to the brink of victory before they both departed, Shawn Pereira (05*) not out and Troy Mathieson (01*) saw them home. Andel Doris claimed 314 and Kwesi Mickle 2-26. RHT Gizmos and Gadgets will take on Young Warriors in the semi final tomorrow at the said venue. The winner will clash with Albion on October 27 (tentative) in the final at a venue to be named.
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Kaieteur News
Friday October 16, 2015
Naeem Nasir Memorial 5-Over tourney
Naeem Nasir Memorial 5-Over tourney Young Warriors emerge champions Young Warriors Cricket Club (YWCC) of Cumberland, East Canje won the inaugural Bakewell sponsored Naeem Nasir Memorial 5-overs cricket tournament organised by the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTY&SC) and held at the Area ‘H’ ground on Sunday last. Witnessed by a large and colourful crowd, the visiting YWCC put up a strong fight against surprising finalist Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘B’ before winning by six wickets with four balls to spare. Consisting of mainly Under-15 players, Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘B’ recorded shock wins against Belvedere United and Rising Star Cricket Club of West Demerara on their way to the final. Batting first after losing the toss, Rose Hall Town ‘B’
reached 30-4 off their allotted 5 overs; Hector George and Junior Sinclair top scored with 10 each. B o w i n g f o r Yo u n g Warriors, Linden Austin and Kassim Khan claimed a wicket each. In reply, the experienced Young Warriors found themselves 2-0, the massive crowd urging on the Rose Hall Town ‘B’ players who played beyond their youthful years. Opener Martin Singh used all his experience to score an unbeaten 19 to lead Young Warriors to 31-4 of 4.2 overs in reply. Kassim Khan was unbeaten on 5 while Brandon Prashad and Kevlon Anderson claimed a wicket each. Earlier in the day, Rose Hall Town ‘B’ defeated Belvedere United by 7 wickets; Young Warriors got past Guysuco Training
Openers Williams and Anderson knocked off the runs from two balls which sparked off celebrations among their supporters. Young Warriors received the winning prize of $100,000 and the Naeem Nasir Memorial Trophy. R o s e H a l l To w n Bakewell ‘B’ collected $40,000 while Rising Star pocketed $25,000 for the 3 place prize. Martin Singh was named man-of-the-final and received a trophy and $5,000. R H T Y & S C Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster disclosed that the tournament was a success and was a perfect tribute to the memory of the late Bakewell Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Naeem Nasir. Fo s t e r p r a i s e d t h e teams for their discipline on and off the field and also for the high level of competition. He specially expressed gratitude to Rising Star and All Stars Youth of West Demerara for participating in the tournament. Gratitude was expressed to the Widow of Mr. Nasir and Bakewell CEO Rajin Ganga for their sponsorship of the tournament. rd
Young Warriors, the inaugural Bakewell/Naeem Nasir 5-over champions. Centre by 15 runs; Courtland held their nerves to send home All Stars Youth of West Demerara by 10 runs while Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘A’ cruised past West Berbice by 9 wickets as
Rising Star drew the bye in the opening round. In the second round, Rose Hall Town ‘B’ drew the bye as Rose Hall Town ‘A’ were trounced by Young Warriors by 9 wickets while Rising Star also created another huge upset, thrashing Courtland. Young Warriors enjoyed a bye into the final while Rising Star Cricket Club and Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘B’ clashed in the lone semifinal. Batting first after winning the toss, Rose Hall To w n ‘ B ’ r e a c h e d a competitive 36-3 off their 5 overs, national Under-15
players Junior Williams and Kevlon Anderson both top scored with 13. Rising Star in reply found the competitive youngsters bowling attack difficult to score against as Kevlon Anderson, Denzil Sinclair, Brandon Prashad, Junior Sinclair and Surrendra Madramootoo, all bowled well. Needing to score 3 runs off the last delivery, they could only manage two, to leave the exciting match tied. In the super over playoff, the visitors only managed 3 runs off the bowling of Madramootoo.
Friday October 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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GFC claw back to draw with Fruta Conquerors; Pele thump Monedderlust Upstarts, Georgetown Football Club (GFC) has maintained that billing with yet another robust display from their young brigade when the Stag Elite League organised by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) continued on Wednesday night last at the GFC ground. Enjoying home advantage, GFC erased a 2-0 deficit that was racked up by the rampant Fruta Conquerors to come away with an even share of the points in an enthralling showdown. The evening’s opening game saw Pele putting on another clinical display led by the league’s leading goal scorer (Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson) as they ran away 3-0 winners to move back into the top spot in the points table. GFC found themselves trailing by two goals by the 27th minute of the match, Conquerors through Kwamie La Fleur in the 9th minute and Raphael Edwards in the 27th gave their team a comfortable
Romario Welcome advantage. But it was not all that comfort since GFC has built up a reputation of never letting up against any opposition, Slingerz and GDF would know all about that since the Bourda boys drew with the former and defeated the latter. On the night, the GFC gradually came into their own, they reduced the deficit in the 34th minute thanks to a
Travis Grant Cortez Kellman goal. With the minutes ticking away and Conquerors being able to keep the one goal advantage, they felt that it was all over but GFC’s Romario Welcome had other ideas. In the 4th minute of added on time (90+4) Welcome welcomed the opportunity to tuck in the
Gregory Richardson equalizer for GFC much to the delight of his fellow
peers and fans. Conquerors were left heartbroken with that goal. The opening game saw the league’s fastest goal being scored, Pele’s Captain, Tr a v i s ‘ Z o r r o ’ G r a n t blasting the nest a mere 45 seconds into the match against West Berbice’ Monedderlust. The league’s leading g o a l s c o r e r, G r e g o r y Richardson then came into the fray with a well executed goal to double the lead for Pele. It was Richardson’s sixth goal in as many matches, one more than Alpha United’s Delon Lanferman. Darren Harris then put the game way beyond the reach of Monedderlust with Pele’s third goal which
propelled them to 14 points and the top of the table as they also kept their unbeaten record intact with their fourth w in in s ix matches along w ith tw o draw s. Matches will continue on Saturday back at the #5 g r o u n d , We s t C o a s t Berbice. Fruta Conquerors is down to play Slingerz and Monedderlust will face Alpha United.
Two slates approved to contest tomorrow’s GFA Electoral Congress Acting President of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Lavern Fraser summoned a meeting with members of the Press yesterday at the entity’s Head Office on Robb Street to update them about the respective slates that were deemed eligible by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalisation Committee to contest tomorrow’s election of office bearers at the Sleepin International Hotel on Brickdam. Fraser, who was the lone representative of the GFA at the briefing, said that the Body had worked meticulously to ensure that all the rules and regulations stipulated by the GFF Electoral Committee were followed hence the approval of the two slates. ”It is the understanding of the GFA that the two slates would have met the eligibility criteria set out by the GFF so approval for them to contest the elections was granted,” Fraser stated. Fraser, who took over the reins of the GFA in April following the resignation of
Acting GFA President Lavern Fraser former President Vernon Burnett told the media that
Clifton Hicken she will not be contesting for any position at tomorrow’s
Christopher Matthias elections, but remain willing to assist in the further
development of the sport. Quizzed on whether she had felt that both slates had complied with the rules and regulations as mandated by the GFF NC, Fraser said that there was one area that seemed to be of some concern and that is the absence of a name for the Treasurer position on Slate 2 which will be headed by Clifton Hicken. In reference to the issue, Fraser pointed to Article 11 of the GFF Electoral Code for Examination of
candidatures which states that: 1. The submitted slates of candidates shall be examined by the electoral committee within 6 days as of the deadline for their submission. Following this term, the candidates shall be informed of the decision (admissibility or inadmissibility) of the electoral committee’s within 2 days and 2. In no event, any new slates or replacements for candidates shall be accepted after the deadline (Continued on page 32)
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Herath restores Sri Lanka dominance Bishoo takes 4-143
Devendra Bishoo is congratulated after dismissing Nuwan Pradeep ŠAFP
GTM Guyana Health and Fitness EXPO set for October 24 and 25
Representatives of the Organising Committee and sponsors, from left Roger Yee, Jamie Mc Donald, Noshavyah King, Jordana Ramsay-Gonsalves, Roberta Ferguson and Candy Ali. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210