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Kaieteur News
Sunday October 28, 2012
“In sports and politics, so much money for none of the above!” Colin E. H. Croft Sometimes, like Haiti’s huge 2010 earthquake, events take precedent over normal sporting menus. Since this pending USA 2012 election could affect us all logistically, it deserves special mention! Starting this weekend, US citizens; indigenous or adopted; the latter of whom I am one, could cast early votes for November 6’s General Election, be they Democrat of Republican. For me, that is actually the easy part, as, for whatever reasons, I have never voted in USA previously. Indeed, to this day, nearly 60, I have never actually entered a polling booth anywhere! I had planned to change that this time, so I went to all possible lengths to have myself fully registered to vote this year, as an ‘Independent.’ Now, I am not so sure at all! Overall, I imagined that I had voted for the rest of my life already anyway, when, somehow, I managed to vote 24 times (fact!) in Guyana’s due 1978 election which was only eventually held on December 15, 1980! Unbelievably, by then, I was actually in Pakistan, playing for West Indies! Only in Guyana! But, after seeing three truly strange and funny debates between incumbent
Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney, reminding me much of those similar Looney Tunes arch-enemies, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, I am of the true belief now that the best vote could probably be; “None of the above!” This whole façade is so distasteful, even disgraceful, that one wonders where all this is leading to! People of that certain age might remember the late, great comedian Richard Pryor acting as Montgomery Brewster in 1985’s “Brewster’s Millions”, a brilliant film about comedy, stupidity, confusion and fun. In it, Pryor, who was of course black, had to properly, industriously, dispose of US$30 million in thirty days, without giving any away or gaining assets, to be totally penniless at that month’s end, if he wanted to inherit, from his great-uncle who incidentally was white, a princely sum of US$300 million! Hilarious! Brewster eventually decided to use some of the US$30 million to run for Mayor of New York. On finding out how sleazy that situation can become, he decided to run on a motto that stated that none of the candidates was good enough for the position - “None of the above!” Not surprisingly, that motto won!
Allen Stanford and Travis Dowlin, who took the man of the match award Now, according to all facts that I can glean, POTUS – President of the United States of America – has an overall annual salary of US$400,000. By simply mathematics, if he or, (not yet), she is in office for the maximum allowed eight years, then that person would be paid a maximum US$3.2 million gross. Easy enough; adequate enough! How come, then, can these candidates justify spending, between them, as openly told by the Federal Election Commission, (FEC),
Shuffler to meet with FIVB President and CSV executive in Rio next month President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) Lenox Shuffler has been invited to meet with new FIVB President Dr Ary Graca and the executive of the South American Volleyball Federation (CSV) in Rio, Brazil on November 12 and 13. According to a release from the Federation, the visit is a follow up to his continued request that Brazil become “BIG BROTHER” to GVF and that a South American Volleyball Association be formed with the Federation of Amapa (Brazil), Cayenne, Suriname, Guyana and Rorima (Brazil) in the first instance for the development of volleyball in this part of South America with increased activity at affordablecost. Shuffler, who started this process in 2001when he presented his Block Development Plan and which was approved by FIVB and CSV in 2004 also included
Lenox Shuffler Venezuela and Trinidad for the same purpose. A South American Zonal Association which could be the first in South America could see more financial and administrative support from FIVB and CSV. With FIVB’s new direction of greater support to developing federations, Dr Graca sees this as a positive step in the right direction for CSV to adopt. Already, an International
Invitational Club tournament is planned for November 1519 involving teams from Suriname, Trinidad, Rorima (Brazil) and Guyana and which will be played at the National Gymnasium on the new Taraflex floor that was donated to the GVF from FIVB on the recommendation on CSV. Several other associations are also benefiting from the use of this world class indoor floor which can last a long time with proper care and which Shuffler and the National Sports Commission are asking associations that request the use of the facility. With the Inter-Guianas Goodwill Games set for Guyana on November 3, FIVB and CSV Meetings, an International Invitational tournament scheduled and the School Programme set to restart, Volleyball in Guyana seems to be enjoying a shift in fortune.
who oversees such things, the almost unimaginable sum of nearly US$3 Billion already, for November 06’s election? Considering that minimum wage in Florida is a measly US$7.75 per hour, this is truly scandalous! However, “Brewster’s Millions”, President Obama and Governor Romney are not the only ones that I thought about recently. Relevantly, late cricket entrepreneur R Allen Stanford should be remembered now too. Ironically, two weeks ago, CNBC, business arm of National Broadcasting
Corporation, aired an episode of ‘American Greed’, No. 67, featuring R. Allen Stanford “The Dark Knight”! Comparing Stanford to that other “Dark Knight”, Bruce Wayne – Batman – is not altogether incorrect. They both were, partly fictionally, seriously rich! The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) suggested, eventually proved, I suppose, that Stanford led a US$7 Billion Ponzi scheme, using garnered investor funds on a very lavish life-style. Earlier this year, he was sentenced to 110 years in jail. Talk about big figures! You really had to see that programme to fully believe it! It is thought that R Allen came to SEC’s notice during USA’s 2000, 2004, even 2008 General Elections, when SEC suggested that he somehow concocted to donate massive financial sums to candidates of both political parties, perhaps trying to hedge his bets either way for the future! That seems smart, but it is no wonder SEC came down so hard on him! Only in the USA! Strangely, this very week, some very prominent politicians who Stanford had financed have been courtordered to return the millions they got from him! Also relevantly, West
Colin E. H. Croft Indies recent ICC World T-20 2012 success should have brought Stanford to mind. They, indeed International Cricket Council too, have a bit to thank R. Allen Stanford for, regardless! In one game, v New Zealand, West Indies were down and nearly out. They had a one-over eliminator, the scores having been tied at 139. West Indies won that, thanks to Marlon Samuels and Chris Gayle. However, it must be remembered that it was indeed Stanford, in his 2nd Caribbean series, 2009, who first instituted that “Super Over” stuff anywhere, allowing Guyana to win, courtesy of Narsingh Deonarine’s six from the final delivery of the “new” oneover eliminator, after original scores were also tied! For once, money and common sense just about came together intelligently. If only the politics can do the same. Enjoy!
F & H Printing Countrywide Million dollar Plus Competition...
Organisers give update and outlines preparations for Playoffs The F& H Million Dollars plus Competition is now in its 5th week and matches are currently being played in every region. However, due to some logistical issues the coordinators have still not been able to get matches started in Mabaruma, Port Kiatuma and Kwakwani/Ituni areas; efforts are continuing to get matches played in these areas. A meeting was held with representatives of the East Coast of Demerara teams to iron out some previous issues that are not related to this competition, but have affected their participation to date. After the discussions, the Organisers have requested up to this weekend to inform on their participation. The traditional teams in Georgetown are about to complete the 6 of 7 intended zones. The 7th and final zone is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. The Ministries/Corporations/Business Entity Teams have commenced. The Organizing Committee have delivered official invitations to approximately 70 teams which fall into this category. Some corporations have commenced playing and more matches were to be played. Mr. Lyall Gittens, who has vast experiencing in running corporation competitions has been
drafted into the team of organizers to assist with this aspect. The Organisers also intend to brief teams reaching the playoffs on two issues that have plagued dominoes in Guyana; Punctuality and the ‘draws”. The scheduled time for activities and matches during the playoffs will be ‘strictly’ adhered to, teams arriving late will be disqualified. Timely arrivals by teams have always been a bug-bear in the system and the organizers of this particular competition is committed to getting it right. Each individual team making the playoffs will receive information to this effect. Also during the playoffs the organizers as far as possible will implement a drawing system which will see each match comprising a Georgetown team, a out of town team and a corporation team. This competition will culminate on November 18 with the finals slated for the National Gymnasium. Any teams interested in playing in the competition whom we have not contacted the organisers are asked to Contact: Mr. Colin McEwan (Turning Point) on 687-2074/6427502.