Kaieteur News

al i c e p S

Online readership yesterday 87,708

September 02, 2012

$140

Email: kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Website:http://www.kaieteurnews.com

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Amerindian Heritage Month launched

p.

3

- “Any person not rooted in their heritage will lose their identity” - President Ramotar

Werk-enRust man perishes in fire

Is the Head of State now amerindian chief? an Amerindian

p.

50

p.

17

Niketa Barker

Pioneer of a dying art…

Economy has grown considerably p.

12 for the year - Finance Minister

p.

18

More startling NCN revelations …

Ads were being Tailor Hermon Bholaisingh is a aired for free special person p.

10

Page 02

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Sunday September 02, 2012

There Is Only One You Look at your palm. Try checking to see if it’s the same as your friend’s. It’s not, so don’t even try.

You are a unique person, that’s why you have the name you have.

Even though you share the same name with countless people, it’s just a name. God sent you down to earth to bloom, to sprout, to live out the message that’s embedded in you, regardless of the name you bear, for whatever name you bear doesn’t matter. What does is how we live the ‘me’ in our name.

We can have two Bill Gates or two Oprah Winfreys but that won’t make them the same people. We’ve spent careless time trying to be that other person. That other person on television screens and glossy pages is not you; it’s her, it’s him.

You are the one here, creating your own memo, filling your own blanks and dreaming your own dreams. You’re the one here, crying your own tears, facing your own fears and filling the world with your laughter.

How many times have you given up because you feel that what you’re about to do has already been done before? I have, but that’s not where you ought to throw in your towel.

Try a different approach and then a different one and then another different one. It’s in those differences that you certainly get your marks.

Set expectations. You’re not a Titan, so don’t just go setting expectations and don’t hope to transcend them. You need those expectations to check if you’re on point.

When you throw in your towel at your first defeat, what’ve you learned? You don’t have to know everything that’s been written in the history books before you set out to make your mark.

You don’t have to wait for that right time, when you’ve received all the degrees your name should have attached to it, before you can be the person you should be. There is no right time to start; you start first and you get it right.

You start now with that little in your hands, that fire in your heart and that faith you have in the God that sent Moses to Egypt with just a staff and his stutter.

When you wake up every morning, look at yourself in the mirror, even if it’s only your eyes you see, and tell yourself this: “Creator, it’s another new day today. I didn’t complete what I started yesterday. I may not even complete it today but I will complete it because only I can and only you can.

Through these hands and through these eyes, you gave me the ability to see the world through rose-colored spectacles.”

Now you go on out to the staircase of life; you may not see the stairs but just take a step.

Kaieteur News

Page 3

Amerindian Heritage Month “Any person not rooted in their heritage will launched lose their identity” – President Ramotar “Any person not rooted in their heritage will lose their identity and is akin to a rolling stone,” was the notion expressed by President Donald Ramotar as he declared the 2012 Amerindian Heritage Month activities opened yesterday.

The Head of State pledged government’s support in the preservation of Amerindian cultures, and also related that it is essential for Amerindians to pass on their cultural practices to the younger generations while maintaining the dying indigenous languages.

Yesterday’s official launching ceremony was held at the Sophia Exhibition Centre. This year’s theme is “Embracing our identity, celebrating our Culture”.

Indigenous tribal groups, Members of Parliament, and people from all walks of life, were among the many numerous attendees.

All of the Amerindians present were either completely dressed in their cultural outfits, or had something specially worn to signify their culture attached to their attire.

Indigenous tools and an array of delicacies were also on display for persons attending the event to sample.

President Ramotar told the gathering that he has many plans to enhance the livelihood of the indigenous people - developing the roads leading into the interior area, where most of the Amerindian villages are, is among some of the issues he gave asurances will be fixed.

He called for the preservation of Guyanese

A scene from the cultural program

diverse cultures, and implored Amerindians to take the lead in ensuring a rejuvenation and preservation of their traditions.

Meanwhile, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, another featured speaker at last night’s proceedings, said that Guyana is home to thousands of Indigenous people, approximately 10 percent of the total population.

She emphasised that Amerindians continue to play pivotal roles in the nation’s development, as their contributions in various areas such as education, economic and social development, culture, health, and human

rights, stand out.

Special mention was also made of the Late and Former Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Dr. Desrey Fox, who served the country in some of the highest fora and was a role model for many Amerindians in Guyana.

Sukhai called for all to embrace the theme of this year’s heritage month activities, while noting that government allocated $35M in this year’s Budget to assist

with ventures aimed at preserving the Amerindian Culture.

Chairman of the Toshaos Council, Dereck John, noted that Amerindians in Guyana are continuously evolving and have achieved many goals throughout the decades The formal activities for Amerindian Heritage Month are scheduled to conclude with a dinner at the Regency Suites, Hadfield Street on Friday, August 28.

Page 4

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210

Editorial

Development and the Big Picture In our editorial of last Friday, “Sharing the Pie: Sustainably” we discussed the exponential increase in the exploitation of our mineral resources in the last decade. We pointed out that the last administration, with its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), identified the need for an overall development strategy that would be sustainable, environmentally and otherwise.

After the last election however, the agenda has unfortunately become dominated by politics and we are in danger of losing the plot. We suggested that we need to relook at our roadmap for development.

Like most other poor countries, Guyana has also unquestioningly embraced an economic growth model based on increasing consumption. While we understand this is neither automatically sustainable from the environmental perspective nor inclusive in ensuring that the economic benefits are shared equitably, it is difficult to proceed otherwise when even the developed countries continue to raise their levels of consumption.

To prevent further degradation of the environment and to enable more informed and participatory environmental management, which can then be held accountable, we need a paradigm shift in our approach. Our LCDS adopted a more holistic model of development, which includes environmental and social factors right from the beginning and is based on a robust ethical framework. To separate development, environment and social justice or to present these as conflicting issues is incorrect. However, the attitude of the developed countries which pay lip service to these values - witness their foot-dragging on funding for REDD+ programs - is discouraging.

Traditionally, development projects have not really accounted for environmental costs when financial viability was examined. Neither were projects assessed based on their performance post-completion against the initial cost-benefit calculation. While the developed world initiated a movement in the 1970s that included such a perspective, the post-2008 downturn in their economies have placed such concerns in cold storage.

It was pointed out that if more realistic accounting methods were adopted, methods that would actually capture the costs of environmental loss and the damage to both ecosystems, and also to the ecosystem services that they would provide on a sustained basis. This enables us to get a far more realistic picture of how destructive, unsustainable and economically unviable the current development model is. The ‘cap and trade’ proposal that would have allowed the developed countries to pay environmentallyconserving countries such as Guyana to sequester carbon in our forests, now have been placed on hold.

It does not appear to matter that the degradation of natural ecosystems is currently very rapid, resulting in loss of species or ecosystems that is often irreversible. The loss of natural ecosystems results in loss of ecosystem services such as clean water from watersheds, retention of soil and soil fertility, changes of weather patterns, sequestration of carbon and provision of pollinators and natural predators of pests. Right over in our neighbour Brazil, the clearing of hundreds of thousands of square miles of forests have led to a dramatic change in our weather patterns that has affected them – and us.

An unfortunate mindset was exposed in the current debate on usage of our hinterland resources: a lack of appreciation that thousands of people, mainly Amerindians, rely on services and products from natural ecosystems to sustain their livelihoods.

Fortunately the Norway intervention gives recognition of the value of ecosystem services and has incorporated a payment for ecosystem services, which specifically targets local populations.

While we may be disappointed with the international sloth on compensation for conservation, we cannot stray from the premises of our LCDS. We must continue to develop models based on local experience with the active participation of the local communities that integrate science and traditional knowledge. This will ensure that we implement programmes which are knowledge-based, appropriate to the local ecological and socio-cultural contexts and have the support of the local people, and hence will have better chances to succeed and also be sustainable.

For instance, the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project, while vital for our future sustainable development, must allow for increased participation by local people.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Cheddi Jagan and the PPP in opposition would have fully backed Lindeners DEAR EDITOR, The PPP in government with all its corruption, vindictiveness and arrogant sense of injustice and wrongdoing was not the PPP in opposition during those harsh PNC years from 1964 to 1992.

The PPP was a fearless, relentless and determined force in opposition. The PPP was committed to the rights of Guyanese. PPP supporters and Indians throughout Guyana know this fact. They know the shameful change that has overtaken the PPP since Janet Jagan departed.

It sickens and disgusts them.

The PPP of Cheddi Jagan, not the PPP of Jagdeo and Ramotar, would have stood proudly and fearlessly behind Lindeners in their cause against a vengeful government. Back then, the PPP was a peoples’ party, a

working class machinery that saw wrong as wrong. It was not a party hijacked by elitists and profiteers seeking to fill their pockets.

Cheddi Jagan would have been at the forefront of the battle for Lindeners. Power corrupts everything and absolute power corrupts absolutely but decent-minded PPP supporters know of a PPP of the past that saw nothing wrong in struggle for fairness, justice and equality.

If nothing else, the PPP since Jagdeo has actively tried to destroy that philosophy of Cheddi Jagan in the hearts and minds of PPP supporters and specifically Indians throughout Guyana.

By condemning any protest and using threats and intimidation against those who dare to protest wrongdoing, the Jagdeo and Jagdeo/Ramotar regime have

made a substantial number of Guyanese sheep in their own land.

More critically, they have eroded that sense of struggle, protest and indignation Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Ashton Chase and others instilled in PPP supporters to stand up for their rights in the face of evil and misdeed.

Many Indians are now afraid of their own party and cannot even speak out against the manner it was stolen from them by the Jagdeoites who have suspended congresses and elections and hold show of hands voting to handpick presidential candidates.

These are the same predominantly Indians who railed and raged against the sins of the PNC for 28 years and who somehow find voice to castigate the opposition today. These are the same

people who stood for hours in picket lines and stood their ground on countless occasions against a mighty PNC military machine. Yet they live in glass houses and throw stones.

The PPP supporters who were actively taught to resist dictatorship are now being mentally trained by NCN, GINA and other despicable mouthpieces to condemn legitimate resistance.

These PPP supporters who in the heyday of the PNC despotism would have marched in solidarity with Lindeners are now being told they should condemn them.

The PPP that epitomized resistance for 28 years is now indoctrinating its own supporters that protesting for one’s rights is wrong. The problem with the PPP since Jagdeo is not only its Continued on page 6

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Bisram’s flawed analysis on the US elections

DEAR EDITOR, Rashleigh Jackson, in response to a question posed by a reporter at a press conference at the United Nations some years ago gave this response: “if your information was accurate and your analysis sound then I would agree with your conclusion.

But your information unfortunately is not verifiable and in my view your analysis is flawed. Under these circumstances therefore I cannot agree with the premise…the conclusion (on which your question is based.)

This response would be an apt one to the letter by Vishnu Bisram on the upcoming US election published in Stabroek News’ Saturday edition.

Any analysis of the issues which are most likely to influence the voting pattern(s) of Guyanese and other Caribbean Americans that does not include their thinking on immigration and which does not take into account President Obama’s health care policy which among other things, allows children to remain on their parents’ health insurance policies until age 26, is seriously flawed.

According to Bisram “as an observer and political analyst, the level of interest shown (watching it on TV during prime time) by Guyanese Americans and other ethnic minorities was shocking, as most Guyanese tend to be Democrats.” Where did he get this from and on what basis is he making such a sweeping statement?

He is suggesting that an alarming amount of Guyanese Americans and other minorities watched the GOP Convention. I don’t know about “other ethnic minorities” but what I do know is that the overwhelming majority of Guyanese and Caribbean Americans did not watch the

GOP Convention and the same may well apply to the Democratic Convention. Not even those in Queen’s New York where I think Bisram is domiciled.

What is certain however is, that 1,000 times more Guyanese and Caribbean Americans are likely to watch the Democratic Convention, especially when Michelle Obama and later her husband speak, than those that watched the GOP Convention.

Bisram claims that Guyanese Americans are disappointed over Obama’s education policies. Where is the evidence to support this?

Yes we have concerns about certain aspects of the education policies such as the FCAT exams in Florida and the lack of security at schools where our immigrant children are often the target of bullying because they refuse to let their underwear show, pay more attention to their schoolwork than to deviant behavior and ultimately end up being the favorites of all the good looking and intelligent girls in the classroom.

But these problems predated Obama. And the extension of the health care coverage for children until age 26 must also be

seen in the context of education since Guyanese and other immigrants place tremendous importance on higher education and this provides for our children to have access to health care while pursuing higher education.

Yes the issue of jobs and the economy are of foremost concern to all including Guyanese Americans. These are two issues that most voters will be analyzing as they think about how to vote.

This analysis will not be restricted to the conditions under Obama’s presidency but will certainly take into account how the country got to this position in the first place and what would have been the situation had the current administration not taken certain steps, such as the TARP and Stimulus, and even more important whose proposed economic plan stands the best chance of continuing the decline in unemployment and improving the economy overall.

Finally, Bisram says “I don’t think an Obama victory can be ruled out…”. I would say that I don’t think an Obama defeat can be ruled out but this is highly unlikely.

Wesley Kirton

Page 5

Kaieteur M@ilbox Mr. Fitzpatrick, you Aishalton residents should also protest for electricity DEAR EDITOR, It is with great disappointment that I read a letter published on August 28, 2012 in which a ‘Patrick Fitzpatrick’ slammed Linden residents for protesting the increase of electricity tariffs, while stating that students of the Aishalton Secondary School and residents of that community use candles and other measures in the absence of electricity.

The writer went on about Lindeners receiving assistance from the opposition during the protest, while stating that Amerindians have no one they can call upon. He concluded that the Government was paying no attention to his community and the Aishalton School while they were seeking to rebuild Linden.

Are you serious Mr. Fitzpatrick? It is unfair for you to slam of Lindeners to get your point across, especially when these persons were expressing their democratic right to protest.

It is a people’s own fault when they do not demand what it is they need from their Government.

You villagers should be ashamed of yourselves to be living under those conditions in these modern times. But

instead of ‘righting’ the wrongs of your community and demanding quality from your leaders, you are pointing fingers at the Lindeners who chose to act when they felt cheated.

It is even more heartrendering to know, by Mr. F i t z p a t r i c k ’s own admission, that three students died as a result of a fire that was caused by lighted candle in the Aishalton School dorms.

Yet still these villagers have not pressed their Government for electricity.

I get goose bumps when citizens fail to demand of their Government the things that they want, and in your case, Mr. Fitzpatrick, what you need.

Did we not put these politicians in power? Do we not pay them handsomely to handle our country’s affairs?

Why then do we not demand quality?

If the people of Aishalton are not receiving what is due to them as citizens of this country, then it is their democratic right to do as the Linden people did, which is protest to demand what you want.

I don’t know how much it costs to travel from Aishalton to Georgetown, but if it takes a month to gather fees to

transport community members to Georgetown, then I advise you to make the necessary sacrifice and head to the city to vent your frustrations.

If they won’t come to you, you go to them. If you need the opposition’s help, then appeal to them. Invite them to your community, show and tell them your problems.

Mr. Fitzpatrick, you spoke about Lindeners using more electricity than average. If so, one would hope that after Linden’s recent events, the community will conserve.

Nevertheless, I respect every one of those Lindeners who came out and demanded what they needed.

I can’t help but appreciate Eusi Kwayana’s letter published August 29 2012; “a society without protest is heading straight for slavery”.

You should read it.

A man may not be able to wear shoes if he has no feet Mr. Fitzpatrick, but a man with feet would surely appreciate a pair of shoes.

The essence of this letter is to say that the issue here is bigger than Linden and your community. The issue is about reforming our lost nation and restoring power to the people.

Elizabeth Henry

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Time for the creation of a new Constitutional Anti-Corruption Agency DEAR EDITOR, We watched with disgust the sickening spectacle of corruption scandal after corruption scandal in the PPP Government over the last decade in every single conceivable Ministry under every single conceivable Minister and when we thought it would have gone away with new leadership, oh what a surprise.

PPP corruption is here to stay.

Might we remind the people about that award for $300 million in computers for the Education sector to a “barbar shop” located in Brooklyn New York?

Might we remind the people about that multimillion award for a motor boat that never worked in the Home Affairs sector to a car dealer after kick backs were paid to PPP operatives? To date not one of these corrupt PPP operatives were even arrested much less charged and convicted.

Might we remind the people of the comments of the Auditor General on its findings with respect to procurement in the Health Sector where a company owned by a close business friend of one of the top leaders of the PPP is paid billions of dollars in advance for “drugs and medical supplies” in a tendering

process that does not follow a transparent process?

Might we remind the people of the $90 million that was earmarked by Minister Rohee for meals and transportation for the police during the elections?

We are yet to hear the auditor general’s report on this alleged fraud of taxpayers’ money for which Commander Ramnarine is sidelined for exposing such scheme.

Unfortunately editorial space does not provide us with enough space to list all the compendium of these corruption cases involving PPP operatives.

It would take more pages than the Bible, Quran and Gita combined to document these acts of mal-administration and wholesale “white collar banditry” conducted by these PPP operatives.

Suffice to say that when the former speaker and PPP s t a l w a r t , M r. R a l p h Ramkarran admitted that corruption had become a monstrosity under the Jagdeo/Ramotar regime, he was vehemently attacked at Freedom House by the PPP apparatchiks and was forced to resign.

So here we go again with another deceptive practice of awarding the contract of the Specialty Hospital, not necessary to the most competent and experienced contractor.

We can safely expect the same on the new $ 5 billion power plant which the most

cooperative and compliant majority opposition voted for to facilitate another scam without first demanding that the Public Procurement Commission be in place.

Mr. Carl Greenidge was so confident in his party’s stance on the Commission that he assured the Guyanese people that he is working on an October deadline; when the PPP told him and the entire opposition by way of Minister Rodrigues that they are prepared for a Commission by the end of June 2012.

At least for the record the AFC was on the ball and responded with its nominee as soon as Minister Rodrigues threw out the challenge. Thank you AFC. To the APNU, your actions to date can only leave the political observers wondering who is in the queue for a political payday from the PPP. We are convinced that the leaders of APNU continue to shy away from their role as opposition just as the PNC did for ten years under Mr. Robert Corbin and allowed the PPP regime to continue its discriminatory practices against a section of the Guyanese community.

Guyanese are fed up with menu of corrupt activities and discriminatory practices under the PPP rule over the last decade which has permeated the political system that even the Police Force is now a principle actor in the corruption to the point

where they cannot enforce the law.

It is high time for the creation of a new Constitutional Anti-Corruption Agency independent of the PPP regime to investigate acts of corruption.

This anti-corruption agency shall have similar powers to the Contractor General in Jamaica to investigate all procurement transactions including those done by NICIL and prosecute alleged wrong doers.

But then again with such a lethargic and proPPP compliant APNU leadership, we can only dream of this happening. In terms of the tripartite talks which are dictated by the likes of the Gail Teixeiras

and the Roger Luncheons, the combined opposition has no tangible results to showcase to the people for their efforts.

This is true of Parliament where their only claim to fame is the reduction of the budget by $21 billion, but less than four months later, the PPP tricked them into restoring $11 billion.

The Jagdeo/Ramotar regime is not interested in ending or reducing corruption or prosecuting any of its senior members for alleged corrupt practices and the majority opposition must use their powers to do something and do something fast about this.

The behavior of the

Minister of Health, Mr. Ramsarran in deflecting questions on the billion dollar Specialty Hospital is a tacit reminder that this PPP plague called corruption is not going away.

Minister Ramsarran and his Permanent Secretary believed that they could have conned the reporters but they were surprised by their intelligence and resistance.

Their behavior is typical of the strategy used by the “untouchables” in the PPP; that is to attack the reporters/ messengers when they are cornered by tough questions.

Put simply, despite all the pronouncements by the Continued on page 7

Cheddi Jagan and the PPP in opposition...

From page 4 corruption, constitutional contumeliousness, venality, transgressions, abuse of power and selfenrichment. It is the bigger problem of what this degrading bunch running the PPP has done to the psyche of Indians in Guyana. It has weakened the ability of its supporters to speak out against depravity.

It is suddenly shameful to protest and to stand up for yourself in the eyes of the party and those who do so are rampaging and violent. It is better to get on your knees and take whatever is being dished out without complaint. It is the same affliction that trapped PNC supporters under the PNC. PPP supporters have lost their moral core. They have lost their sense of injustice and their relativism and empathy. They have been trained in Pavlovian fashion

to reject legitimate protest as a wholesome thing when the PPP comes from a strong tradition of protesting abomination.

By accepting the calls and psychological retraining to reject something as fundamental as their right to stand up for their rights, these PPP supporters have surrendered their virtues and values.

Some people relinquish morality for something good and uplifting in return. In Guyana, Africans and Indians have given up their dignity and integrity for political devilry and impiety. It is time we start looking beyond our own narrow windows and try to see what our history and identity really is.

The PPP was a forceful opposition. Yet today when this nation has been handed a welcome gift of a minority government to bring much needed change to our country’s political

domination, many who support the PPP forget and dismiss the role the PPP played as a powerful opposition in restoring democracy and economic normalcy to Guyana. How could we forget the 28 years of struggle the PPP delivered to help change Guyana? An opposition has a role and it is right to condemn it when it fails in that role.

H o w e v e r, s o m e P P P supporters in this country refuse to see any role for t h e o p p o s ition. They characterize it as a cancer that should be completely removed. It is the same mentality some P N C supporters held from 1964 to 1992.

I will make this abundantly clear - the PPP in opposition was far better and accomplished far more for the people of this country and their emancipation than the PPP in government.

M. Maxwell

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox Time for the creation of...

From page 6 minority PPP government, Mr. Ramotar has placed corruption on the back burner and the parliamentary opposition which campaigned against PPP corrupt practices seems to have overlooked this critical development.

There is even empirical evidence to reveal that the majority opposition continues to throw billions at the PPP greed and corrupt machine; case in point the majority opposition voted for some $5 billion in new funds for the new GPL power plant without a vital pre-requite for any new mega project in place the Public Procurement Commission.

Mr. Carl Greenidge was even inconsiderate about this matter, promising a Commission in October 2012; months too late, which can easily roll into the 2011 elections anniversary of the majority opposition.

Guyana needs an opposition that not only demands at press conferences an end to corruption, injustice and unfairness, but which actually mobilizes the people into forcing change. The opposition must not wait for three more Guyanese to be cut down in the prime of their lives before they mobilize and work to offer effective representation to the people who have elected them in November 2011.

So why were the wrong doers at NCN not placed before the courts? Why were the policemen who allegedly killed the Linden Martyrs not placed before the courts? Why were the police officials who fleece this nation with some $17 million in a motor boat fraud not placed before the courts?

Why the Permanent Secretary who signed the multi-million contract with Fip Motilal not banned from public office? Why is an official investigation not launched into the award of the Specialty Hospital by the leadership at the Ministry of Health?

Why did the interrogation into the NICIL operation by Parliament not take place before the recess?

The nation has been waiting patiently for Mr. Ramotar to act; it is now clear he is a continuation of the Jagdeo regime. It is time for the majority opposition to act. NOT A DIME MORE FOR THE PPP until the Public Procurement Commission is fully established; until President Ramotar acknowledges the no-confidence motion passed by Parliament and demands the resignation of Minister Rohee; until the Jagdeo/Ramotar regime makes public all of NICIL’s transactions from 2000 to 2011; until the PPP regime releases the investigate report of NCN and until the PPP recognizes the need for fairness and ceased awarding contracts to their friends and cronies.

Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh

Page 7

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Congrats to Mr. Burrowes

DEAR EDITOR, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Keith Burrowes on his appointment as Presidential Advisor on Financial Matters.

In making the announcement Dr. Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat described Mr. Burrowes as “a man of many talents”, and I would like to add a true patriot and highly competent in all the different hats he wears.

This extraordinary individual will be a valuable addition to

the team advising the President.

I have followed his work and writings over the years and would describe most of it as brilliant, innovative and practical.

It is hoped that Mr. Burrowes could persuade the President to implement some of the ideas he has been writing about, it would be disappointing if not.

While this is not a lobbying position I believe that the Government may want to consider appointing him as a Minister.

It has been brought to my attention that his board fees from the several institutions on which he sit goes back to the staff.

While this new appointment is not a salaried position and it is a honorable thing to donate his board fees to staff welfare within the organization, I believe he should consider donating the money to an established Charity or Trust Fund to contribute and support the causes and ideals’ for which he believes in.

Gerald DeWeever

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Bakr declines to testify at coup probe

A hand for UWI Barbados Nation GOVERNMENT, with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler at the forefront, is coming to the rescue of the cash-strapped University of the West Indies (UWI).

Principal and Pro ViceChancellor Sir Hilary Beckles said he had met over the last few days with Stuart and Sinckler, and they had given the assurance that Government would be coming to the aid of the university that

Sunday September 02, 2012

Sir Hilary Beckles has a staggering debt surpassing its operational costs.

Speaking Friday evening at a matriculation ceremony at the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex to launch the new semester, Sir Hilary said Government had made a commitment to the university to which it owes $150 million. “[Stuart and Sinckler] have given us assurances and they have made commitments to us that we must enter into this semester with confidence and courage, because arrangements are being put in place to ensure that this campus and university are financially alleviated in the next few weeks and in the next few months”.

Trinidad Guardian - The man who led the attempted coup in T&T in July 1990 has signalled his intention not to testify this week’s hearing of the commission of enquiry.

Jamaat Al Muslimeen leader, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, through his attorney Wayne Sturge, last week delivered a letter to counsel to the commission, Christlyn Moore-George, indicating his reservations about testifying.

On Wednesday Abu-Bakr was served with a summons to appear before the commission tomorrow. The enquiry is being held at the Caribbean Court of Justice, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain.

In the past Abu-Bakr has publicly stated his intention to testify at the enquiry once his trial for sedition was completed.

In his letter to the

commission, Abu Bakr stated he meant no disrespect to the commission and while he was willing to attend, “unless and until there is a final resolution of his trial, either by a verdict or by the filing of a notice of discontinuance by the DPP,” he needed to ensure for himself, a fair trial.

Last month a nine-member jury was unable to arrive at a verdict in which the Jamaat leader faced four charges resulting from a 2005 Eid-ulFitr sermon at the Jamaat’s Mucurapo mosque. As a result of that Justice Mark

Mohammed ordered a retrial.

“Whilst Imam Yasin Abu Bakr is desirous of giving a full account of his participation in the 1990 insurrection for the benefit of the wider public, as previously indicated, it is very likely such evidence given by him can and will be used against him at the new trial,” the letter states. Abu Bakr further stated, through Sturge, that at the commencement of the trial, lead prosecutor for the State, Dana Seetahal, SC, “expressed agreement that the events of 1990 were irrelevant to the trial and would play no part in the trial.”

Lack of funds blamed for increase cholera cases in Haiti UNITED NATIONS CMC - The United Nations says Haiti is struggling to cope with a cholera outbreak that has killed thousands as aid groups withdraw from the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country because of a lack of funding.

Haiti is still recovering from a powerful earthquake in January 2010 that killed an estimated 300,000 people and left more than a million others homeless.

In a report to the UN

Security Council on Friday, Secretary General Ban kiMoon said there had been an increase in the number of cholera cases since the rainy season began in early March and the World Health Organisation (WHO) had projected there could be up to 112,000 cases during 2012.

The first case of cholera was detected here October 2010 and Haitians have accused Nepalese UN troops for introducing the epidemic that killed more than 7,200 people so far.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

>>>> PNCR Column <<<<

APNU denounces deceptive TV tactics of PPP and NCN

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) denounces the devious attempts by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the National Communications Network (NCN) to blame it for its absence from the current NCN-hosted ‘Corruption Debate’ series. This has been done without providing a proper public explanation of NCN’s own shifting position on the proposed series.

APNU makes it clear that the exchanges between APNU and NCN on the issue of the ‘debates’ have been taking place over a period of nearly four months. APNU, from the outset, adopted a principled position in its relations with the stateowned media house which has never attempted to hide its hostility to the Opposition.

The Partnership refused to be manipulated by NCN and made it clear that it had no intention of participating in any series of debates that was not the result of genuine consultation and that did not address urgent matters of public importance.

APNU Leader Brigadier David Granger pointed out that the Partnership’s decision to dissociate itself from the bogus series had its origins in NCN’s biased coverage of the 2011 general and regional elections and its unfair and dishonest coverage of opposition speakers during the debate on the 2012 National Budget debate.

The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly was obliged to write the Speaker who, in turn, wrote the NCN about its patently biased coverage, but there was no discernible improvement in the way the network reported the Opposition presentations.

Things got worse after the Assembly cut the budgetary allocation to the NCN which, in a vindictive manner, almost completely abandoned any attempt at fair and balanced coverage of Opposition addresses and activities as a consequence.

Former NCN Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Sattaur then wrote to

Opposition Leader David Granger on 9th May 2012 inviting APNU’s participation in a series of live, one-hour, ‘face-to-face’ discussions on ‘topical issues and matters of national interest.’

Sattaur’s letter carried a schedule which determined, without consultation, which PPP/C cabinet minister would debate which APNU member.

The series was set to start only 4 days later - on Sunday 13th May - and would be moderated by Mr. Michael Gordon. The ‘panel’ would comprise one person each from the government and opposition sides.

The Opposition Leader declined to participate in the contrived series and replied to Sattaur on the same date.

The NCN CEO then wrote the Opposition Leader on 26th June, again inviting APNU to nominate representatives to debate a series of topics from 1st July. No mention was made of ‘corruption.’ The issues proposed by NCN were: “Economy and Finance; Legal Affairs, Constitutionality of Parliamentary events; Education; Governance; Home Affairs; Housing Development and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy”.

Sattaur then demitted office.

Gordon, acting CEO in the absence of Sattaur, then wrote an almost identical letter to the Opposition Leader dated 12th July. APNU responded stating clearly that it was interested only in discussing 12 specific subjects which it regarded as matters of public importance. These were as follows: · The University of Guyana crisis; · The Linden security crisis; · The riverain and road infrastructure crises; · The local government and municipal crises; · The Georgetown Nursing School crisis; · The hinterland secondary schools crisis; · The appointment of diplomats in Guyana’s Foreign Service; · Guyana Police Force reform; · The establishment of a tripartite budget committee;

· The appointment of judges in the judiciary; · Social protection for vulnerable citizens and · Collective bargaining in the public sector.

Gordon acknowledged receipt of APNU’s letter and wrote, on 13th August, indicating that he concurred that the issues raised “are of utmost importance to the future advancement of our beloved nation.”

He, only at this stage, decided to change the issues to be discussed from those proposed by Sattaur. He suggested, instead, “transparency, good governance and corruption.”

He also proceeded to propose the start of a fresh series on 15th August, only two days away.

Gordon then sent a new letter dated 15th August proposing a new list of topics and, thereby, abandoning the lists of topics proposed by both Granger and Sattaur.

The new series was set to start on 19th August. The new list of topics included, for the first time, Amaila Falls hydro project and corruption claims; Marriott Hotel and corruption claims; CJIA expansion projects and corruption claims; NICIL and corruption claims; Institutional corruption and President’s Pension.

APNU replied to NCN

stating clearly that the new list did “not address” its concerns. APNU Leadership Council and Shadow Cabinet discussed the NCN proposals.

The Partnership iterated that its reasons for nonparticipation in the debate series has been because of, first, NCN’s unwillingness to grant the Opposition equitable access to radio and television; second, NCN’s reluctance to engage in meaningful consultation; third, NCN’s new list of topics for the debate proposed by Gordon which varied substantially from Sattaur’s and, fourth, NCN’s unilateral decision to completely reject APNU’s request without any reason being given.

APNU restates its commitment to attaining greater access by the entire Opposition to the stateowned media and restates its resolve to continue to protest the lack of access of the entire opposition in the National Assembly to NCN – a stateowned corporation.

APNU will continue to insist on regular daily and weekly programmes so that Guyanese radio listeners and television viewers could receive ‘balanced’ accounts about matters of public interest by their elected representatives in the National Assembly.

Page 9

Dem boys seh

Uncle Donald proppa frighten Is one thing when people eye open and dem can’t see. Uncle Donald deh in that position. Dem boys seh that de man ain’t even done one year in office and he got all this trouble round he head. De sugar union people grumbling, de nation grumbling, and Bharrat laughing.

Is like when li’l boy create problems fuh big man. That is wha Bharrat do fuh Uncle Donald. He tie up all kind of contract that he know gun cause problems and he lef Uncle Donald inside.

Well people asking question and is like when a man buy a house that somebody else build. You can’t ask that man fuh explain how dem construct de foundation or how dem put on de roof. He didn’t do it.

Well Uncle Donald got to talk ‘bout how people thief de laptop that he didn’t buy; how dem got to explain de sugar packaging plant that ain’t wukking and how de hospital tek expired sanitisers from Food fuh de Poor and when dem get ketch dem want blame Food fuh de Poor.

Dem boys want to know if dem couldn’t read, if when dem mek de arrangements de Food fuh de Poor people didn’t show dem de sanitisers.

Uncle Donald can’t answer dem questions and that is why he trying fuh get advisers. But that can’t help he because de same advisers was Bharrat people and dem job is to mek sure that Uncle Donald walk in Bharrat shadow.

That is why de one eye one who does call heself Peeping Tom get vex when de Waterfalls reporter decide fuh ask all dem hard question. De reporter nearly jook out he other eye. Dem boys seh that he and Freddie got something in common.

Poor Uncle Donald want to hold a press conference but he frighten. Imagine a man frighten in he own house. And Bharrat laughing.

Talk half and call some obeah man fuh Uncle Donald.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

More startling NCN revelations…

Ads were being aired for free Recent revelations by a whistleblower revealed how at least one senior finance official at the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN), placed for free, several advertisements belonging to a heavy equipment company run by a close family member.

Strangely enough, the ads were running as Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on both NCN Channel 11 and the affiliated radio station, 98.1 Hot FM. According to leaked copies of the NCN’s daily radio and television records, the company and that of a prominent internet and cable entity were the only ones listed as PSAs. According to a well-placed NCN official, PSAs simply meant that the ads were free.

This latest revelation would be more fuel for an opposition which has already blocked a budgetary subsidy for NCN for over $65M. The opposition had called for more accountability and balanced coverage by the state agency. They have accused NCN of being heavily biased in their coverage against the opposition.

Last year, NCN admitted that it raked in more than $500M in revenues, raising eyebrows on why it would need government allocations.

More than two months have passed since a government-ordered probe at the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN) ended with the

resignation of its most senior executive and the suspension of his deputy over what emerged to be wrongdoing.

Despite calls from the Parliamentary opposition for a wider investigation into all aspects of the entity which controls the government’s radios and television stations, there has not been any response to date. Yesterday, NCN’s Chairman, Dr. Prem Misir, indicated that he had just returned to the country and would have to be briefed.

He advised Kaieteur News to call back tomorrow.

Following a report by accountant, Harryram Parmesar, at the end of June, NCN’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Sattaur, handed in his resignation while Production Manager, Martin Goolsarran, was given an eight-week suspension.

The issue has been a major embarrassment for the new government with numerous questions being asked on the extent of wrongdoing at NCN. The investigation was ordered by the Office of the President to probe allegations of financial irregularities that occurred between September 2011 and February 2012, regarding payments for the GT&T Jingle and Song Competition.

GT&T had contracted NCN to provide production and broadcasting services for the competition between September and February.

Several staffers were questioned during June 14-18, including NCN’s Finance

Manager, and other senior departmental officials.

The probe was triggered when GT&T’s CEO, Yog Mahadeo, raised the red flag after Goolsarran for a second time had presented an invoice for over $3 M in his personal name, instead of NCN. Mahadeo refused to pay and GT&T had launched its own audit. A number of senior officials of the telephone company were sent home, including the Chief Financial Officer. However no penalties were imposed on private advertising agencies and other persons reportedly involved in what seems to be a huge racket at NCN, as the audit was done.

Members of Parliament of both the Alliance For Change and A Partnership for National Unity, made it clear that they were of the opinion that the probe of Parmesar did not delve deep enough.

This newspaper understands that there were direct conflicts of interest that not only stemmed from managers’ offices, but from

the board room as well as the operations room of NCN. The Parmesar report made it clear that both the CEO and Goolsarran failed to carry out their duties diligently and professionally. “They have knowingly breached the company’s internal control procedures. Their actions in dealing with the GT&T Jingle and Song Competition clearly demonstrated conflict of interest.” The report also recommended that the Board of Directors should take necessary actions, including legal ones, to recover loss of revenue for all amounts paid to any individual.

There were allegations that advertisements were transmitted on NCN’s programmes for which there were no payments. The names of the staffers who processed these transactions are also known. There were also direct leaks of information from the board level to at least two companies, both advertising firms, which benefited from contracts and rates.

The revelations about

Resigned: Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur

Suspended: Martin Goolsarran

financial impropriety at NCN have rocked the country since hitting the media in June.

Government had declined to release the report on the findings of the investigations.

But it was leaked to a parliamentarian. AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan has called for criminal charges to be laid against both Sattaur and

Goolsarran.

The investigations revealed that no verification was done on another critical record, the Broadcast Log, to ensure “all billable broadcasts are being invoiced to the customer. This could result in loss of revenue to the NCN.” This was the first signal that ads were being aired, but clients were not being billed.

$350,000 bail for woman accused of embezzling $2.4M from gold company A 52-year-old woman accused of embezzling $2.4M - money allegedly entrusted to her by her former place of employment – was granted $350,000 bail. The allegation against Karen Lynch is that while she was employed as a clerk or servant at Green Stone Gold Incorporated (GSGI), she embezzled the said sum.

The resident of Gordon Street, Kitty, appeared before Magistrate Hazel OctiveHamilton, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The charge states that between March 4 and April 30 of this year, she embezzled $2.4M. Lynch was not required to plea to the indictable charge.

Lynch’s lawyer, Keavon

Bess made an application for reasonable bail to be granted to his client. Bess told the court that the woman had no previous or pending matters before the courts, and that she would pose no flight risk as she had a fixed place of abode.

Bess went on to say that prior to the embezzlement matter being brought to court; his client was making herself available to ranks of the Brickdam Police Station.

He said that Lynch was reporting to officers there and it was on her last visit that she was formally arrested and charged in relation to the matter.

The lawyer further stated that his client prior to the

embezzlement charge being laid, made complaints to the Ministry of Labour in relation to unpaid salaries owing to her by the complainant (GSCI). According to the lawyer, the Labour Ministry had ordered that GSGI make the relevant payments to his client, but he said they are still to do so. He continued that it was some time after the complaint to the Labour Ministry was made, that his client was accused of embezzling GSGI’s money.

The prosecution did not have any objections to Lynch getting bail. They however asked for the woman to surrender her passport to the police and to continue reporting to the Brickdam

Station.

The court then gave Lynch her bail sum and ordered her to reappear on October 5 for the continuation of the matter.

On the other hand, GSGI is alleging that Lynch was given the sum of money to conduct business on their behalf, but the woman converted it to her own use.

She was said to be acting in the capacity of Human Resource Manager at the time.

The gold company further alleged that the accused offered to let the unpaid salaries matter go if the company would withdraw the court matter. That was disputed by Lynch’s lawyer.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Charmaine Blackman, 11 others receive NY awards

By Lin-Jay Harry-Voglezon Brooklyn, US – Several Guyanese were honoured Wednesday night during the 11th Annual Awards Ceremony of the Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc. (GCA).

Under the theme, “Masquerade Lives”, the 12 persons from Guyana, Canada, the Caribbean, and the USA, including one posthumously, were acknowledged for their accomplishments in education, the performing arts, masquerade, community activism and cultural promotion.

The awards ceremony was held at the Borough Hall, Brooklyn.

Among the awardees is well know music personality, Charmaine Blackman, a professional singer for 22 years, and Marilyn P. Dewar, principal of The Dewars Music School, who travelled to the US for the occasion.

Blackman who “has appeared on stage with the cream of Caribbean and International Artistes” is arguably “Guyana’s most recorded voice with over 300 performances…”.

Among other things, she was contracted by the Golden Princess Cruise Line for nine weeks and appeared at many international Caribbean festivals. She is recognized as a cultural ambassador of Guyana.

Dewar is said to be excellent at the piano, guitar and the organ and is fascinated with the violin and violoncello. She has not only got formal groundings in the teaching of music and music administration from the Cyril Potter College and the University of Guyana, in addition to acquiring a Master’s Degree in Education from Framingham University, Massachusetts, but has experienced the mentorship of outstanding musical personalities such as Miriam Daniels, Daphne Scott, Francis Percival Loncke, John Bunbury, Edith Peters, Meighan Duke, Lynette and Celeste Dolphin, and the Pilgrim brothers.

As a music educator, with over 40 years in music, Dewar in responding to her Lifetime Award expressed gratitude for the inputs of those persons and pleaded with the Guyanese emigrants to help Guyana in its cultural development, especially in music.

Rudolph “Putagee” Vivierios who started his Masquerade career at age 7, and Andron Alphonso both received Exemplary Awards.

Lionel Blackett, who in his late 80s, received the Enabler Award, for singlehandedly contributing to ensuring the survival of Masquerade for over 75years.

Other recipients of the Enabler Award are Dr. Alissa Trotz, Derry Etkins (Educator/ Musician), Maurice G. Blenman (Photogapher), Mel Carpen (Community Activist), Dr. Lear Matthews (Educator), Joseph BurganTrotman (Artiste), Rosalind Kilkenny Mc Lymont, (Lecturer/Journalist), and the late Judge Elrich Eastman.

Dr. Alissa Trotz is Director of Caribbean Studies at University of Toronto, coordinator and editor of Guyana Stabroek News Diaspora.

Besides being a recipient of several prior awards of merit and excellence, having contributions in the media and academic journals, she is recognized as an advocate for innovative ways of enhancing the quality of life of those who lack higher education.

Derry Etkins is another music educator and recent music journalist. His more than 30-year career transcended Guyana, Barbados, and the British Virgin Islands where he established “The St. George’s Muzik Lab” which performs at the annual Jazz Festival etc. He played in several bands, notably, the well-known “Telstars” and “The Graduates”.

Described as a “Cultural Enabler”, professional photographer and videographer, Maurice G. Blenman was once attached to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government Information Services. Films such

Marlyn P. Dewar, principal of The Dewars Music School, receiving her Lifetime Achievement Award from Ronald Sammy, Co-Chair of the Awards Committee. as “If Wishes Were Horses” and “Operation Makanima” are to his credit as well as several documentaries on and inclusive of Guyana. Blenman, whose work took him extensively in the Caribbean, Europe, African, and the USA is a founder of Folk Festival in New York and board member of GCA. Community activist, Mel Carpen, is founder of Guyana Day Inc. a cultural organization of Queens, New York, which brings together Guyanese artists of all ages for multicultural and multidisciplinary expression and preservation of Guyanese cultural heritage.

Joseph Burgan-Trotman, the “Mighty Enchanter” from Wakenaam, was recognized for his contributions to the “development of Chutney through the Afro-Indi beat” and his “skillful ability to deliver social messages”.

Dr. Lear Matthews, former UG lecturer and current professor at the Department of Community and Human services, State University of New York, and Empire State College, is credited with about 50 journal articles which address among other things, psycho-social issues of Guyanese and Caribbean immigrants in the USA, adaptation to North American culture and school

system, occupational change, crime in the Caribbean, mental health etc.

Many of his writings are included in college curricula in the United States and the Caribbean. He is a licensed Social Worker, editorial board member of the Caribbean Journal of Social Work, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Caribbean-American Social Workers Association, former director of Bedford Stuyvesant Community Mental Health Centre and former President of New York Tutorial Support Group.

“Cultural Enabler” and journalist Rosalind Kilkenny-Mc Lymont “has an extensive career in global entrepreneurship. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The Network Journal, a business magazine for Black professional and entrepreneurs, author of the award winning non-fiction “Africa: Strictly Business, The Steady March to Prosperity”, and the groundbreaking novel “Middle Ground”.

As lecturer/advisor she served as Executive Board Member of the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation, on NYU’s graduate programme in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, UNDP’s Gender Programme for African Women, the Alliance of Russian and American Women, and American and

Charmaine Blackman (left) receiving her award as an artiste from Ave Brewster-Haynes, Vice President, Guyana Cultural Association.

African Business Women’s Alliance. Ms. McLymont, a recipient of several awards, inclusive of “Woman History Maker” by the CaribbeanAmerican Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has also been a language teacher in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The late judge Elrich Eastman is the posthumous recipient of the Award for Community Service. Born of

Guyanese parentage in Washington, D.C, his legal career spanned 60 years and earned him the prestigious National Bar Association’s Distinguished Award in the Attorneys Hall of Fame. He is recognized by GCA for his community work at building multiracial and cohesion among Guyanese and WestIndian social groups, in addition to his pioneering civil rights activities.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

New Amsterdam celebrates 121st anniversary

By Samuel Whyte The New Amsterdam Town Council is presently celebrating 121 years in existence. The Council which is headed by Mayor Claude Henry observed the milestone last Friday, August 30, with a simple Prayer Breakfast and cake-cutting ceremony held at the New Amsterdam Town Hall. It was conducted by councilor Reverend Winifred Haywood.

Speaking to the Media, acting Mayor Harold Debydeen stated that over the years the town has grown and has had its fair share of challenges, one of the main ones being the disposal of solid waste, which he stated has been a bugbear. Persons continue to dump indiscriminately and cause serious flooding to the town.

He said, however, that despite having scarce resources and with government’s reluctance to release the yearly subventions in a timely manner, the council is doing its best for the municipality.

He stated that most of the Town Council landmarks and assets are old and need urgent repairs while some are defunct. He mentioned the Town Hall Tower which was built in 1868 and had to be pulled down, the old Smokey, an incinerator which has deteriorated and needs

repairing. He also urged those gathered to help lobby for the complete rehabilitation of the Town Hall, which has had its historic moments and is now in need of rehabilitation.

Workers and councilors lead from in front and participated in a three-day clean-up campaign of the town from August 28-30. The workers also took time off and visited and presented gifts to a number of children’s homes, orphanages and senior citizen homes in the municipality.

New Amsterdam situated in Region 6, is some 62 miles from the capitol Georgetown.

It has its origins in a village which grew up alongside Fort Nassau in the 1730s and 1740s. It was first situated about 56 miles up the Berbice River. It once comprised a Court of Policy building, a warehouse, an inn, two smithies, a bakery, a Lutheran church and a number of houses, among other buildings. It was built by the Dutch in 1740 and was first named Fort Saint Andries, before being taken over by the British in 1803. In March 1763, Cuffy had made the Court of Policy building his headquarters. When the revolutionaries were forced to retreat upriver in 1764, New Amsterdam was torched under the supervision of Prins, and only the brick Lutheran church remained.

Around 1784, as a result of the fluctuating fortunes of Fort Nassau, the Dutch relocated the town to its present site at the confluence of the Berbice and Canje Rivers. The name New Amsterdam was chosen because most of the colonists originated from the province of Amsterdam in Holland.

New Amsterdam was established as the seat of Government for Berbice between 1785 to 1790. In May 1825 an Ordinance to establish a Board of Management for the town was passed. In 1844 a Board of Superintendence was established and Mr. Neil Ross McKinnon who was president of that Board was appointed as the Town’s first Mayor .The town consists of three main roads with many cross streets. The present mayor is Claude Henry.

Earlier this year the Town Hall which was an architectural and a landmark piece was torn down due to its dilapidated state. A committee was formed a year ago to look into the restoration of the edifice, but not much has been done since.

Other important landmarks in the town are All Saints Scots Church, Mission Chapel Congregational Church: The All Saint Anglican Church and The Ituni Temple among others.

The New Amsterdam Public Hospital which was also a centrepiece attraction in the town was also torn down.

The population of New Amsterdam is approximately 50,000.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Economy has grown considerably for the year - Finance Minister - Gold industry a significant contributor

By Latoya Giles Guyana’s economy has grown considerably over the last six months, says Finance Minister Ashni Singh - with gold being one of the major contributors. The minister made this disclosure yesterday at a press conference discussing the half-year economic review.

According to the Minster, the domestic economy achieved real growth of 2.8 percent, with non-sugar gross domestic product expanding by 6.2 percent. He said that an overall growth for the year is now projected at 3.8 percent and non-sugar growth at 3.9 percent. Dr. Singh noted that the total export earnings grew by 9.2 percent to US$592.1 million.

With gold being a major contributor to the economy, the minister said that production grew by 13.2 percent to 184,929 ounces and export earnings amounted to US$268 million, pushing it to an increase of 16.8 percent over the corresponding period in 2011.

Surprisingly the bauxite sector grew by 41.9 percent.

Dr. Singh revealed that the export earnings amounted to US$79.4 million, an increase of 21.8 percent over the corresponding period in 2011.

Moreover, he told the media that rice production expanded by 1.4 percent to 210,395 tonnes and export earnings amounted to US$84.6 million.

The fishing industry also saw some growth, according to the minister, with an expansion of 13.8 percent being recorded so far for the year. Interest rates trended downwards and inflation remained within acceptable norms at 1.8 percent in the

Minister of Finance Ashni Singh first half of 2012.

“Private Sector Credit expanded by 8 percent to $145.3 billion and Foreign Direct Investment amounted to US$167.2 million in the first half of 2012,” Singh stated.

Henceforth in the education sector, the minister said that some $10.2 billion was expended. He explained that the national school feeding programme benefitted over 46,000 students, with the hinterland venture serving more than 16,000 children in Regions one, seven, eight and nine.

“The national school uniform assistance programme provided for the distribution of 165,000 vouchers throughout coastal regions; while over 29,000 hinterland students will benefit from the distribution of school uniforms” the minister highlighted.

In the area of ICT, some 46 training courses were completed in the regions and 1,150 teachers were trained.

The minister went on to say that $6.4 billion was expended

in the Health sector in the first half of 2012. He added that medical outreaches were carried out in the Lethem, Mabaruma and Bartica areas to the benefit of over 500 persons.

Further, a Masters in Obstetrics and Gynecology was launched in the first half of 2012, with the enrollment of six candidates, and eleven medical support staffers were trained in neo-natal intensive care. Dr. Singh said that over 21,000 mothers and children benefitted from the distribution of nutritional supplements for children (infant sprinkles) and antenatal supplements.

In the area of housing, a whopping $1.2 billion has already being expended so far for this year, with some 1,154 house lots being distributed.

He said that 1,701 titles were processed in the first half of the year. 58 core homes were constructed and distributed.

According to the Finance Minister, under the second low income settlements programme, 148 professionals drawn from the Teachers’ Union, the Nurses Association and the Police Association were prequalified and referred to banks for fast track access to loans for home construction.

Singh said 79 families benefited from the distribution of subsidies on the coastland, while two Amerindian families benefited from full house and roof improvement subsidies and another 72 families have qualified for similar benefits in the Whitewater and Manawarin Amerindian Villages.

The minister expressed optimism that the growth would continue.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Only quality students can pass nursing programme Strict criterion currently governs the quality of students graduating from the country’s nursing school, with a view to ensuring that only those competent enough are entrusted with the responsibility of caring for persons seeking medical attention.

This assertion was recently made by Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, as he sought to address reports of less than desirable pass rates emanating from the nursing schools.

The Ministry of Health currently has three nursing schools – the Georgetown School of Nursing, the New Amsterdam School of Nursing and the Charles Roza School of Nursing – which have over the past few years massively increased their intake of students.

This move has however not been without some problems. There have been

- Dr. Persaud

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud complaints surfacing that with the increased quantity, the quality of candidates entering the nursing school have greatly diminished.

There have been reports that some students are admitted without being certified with English Language and Mathematics

and other grades that are unacceptable. However, Dr. Persaud has indicated that this state of affairs is not unique to Guyana, but rather, obtains across the Region. In this regard, he said that efforts are being directed at building capacities and “so we allow them to do their own remedial work and we do some too...so we have been trying to help them along.”

In seeking to defend the move by the Ministry he mentioned that “with any new endeavour in training, things might happen and cause it to not always yield the best results. Even in the past, 50 per cent of the nursing students did not even pass.”

“What the public should know is that there are good measures to ensure that those who actually get qualified are those who actually are ready and fit to

Causing death accused on $350,000 bail A sales manager was on Wednesday last given pretrial liberty in the form of bail to the tune of $350,000, after appearing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

The charge states that the accused, Jan Verwey, 32, of Lot 3 Vreed -En -Hoop West Bank Demerara, caused the death of motorcyclist Orlando Augustus. The man was not required to plea to the charge when he faced Magistrate Hazel OctiveHamilton. The allegation is that on August 25 at Conversation Tree and Railway Embankment, Verwey drove motor car PNN 6496 in such a manner that it

was dangerous to the public, thus causing the death of Augustus.

It is alleged that on Saturday, last around 19:30 hours, Augustus collided with the car the accused was driving at the aforementioned intersection. Augustus, 22, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital, as a result of a fractured skull.

Attorney-at-law Ronald Burch-Smith, made an appearance for the accused.

He claimed that his client was driving West of Conversation Tree junction and Augustus who was riding a motorcycle collided with his vehicle.The lawyer said his client tended to the deceased in the back

seat, while a female occupant drove his motorcar to the hospital.

Apart from that, BurchSmith told the court that the accused was known to him and was of a noble character.

The lawyer concluded that Verwey had no previous or pending matters in the court.

When the prosecution did not object to bail for the accused, the court granted the man bail and ordered him to make another court appearance on October 4.

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

be registered as nurses and go out there and treat their loved ones.” He also said that the failing rate at any nursing school should not be seen as something negative but rather as a positive.

“We don’t just pass people because we want to say the programme is doing well. We want a quality product at the end of the day...Yes, we do take in large amounts, but we have strict criterion for movement from year to year.”

While Dr. Persaud has admitted that there are problems, he noted that there have been many changes aimed at improvement. He revealed that although the Ministry had in the past made the decision to lower the acceptance qualification for applicants “we now have many qualified persons applying for our nursing programme, and in some instances, even highly qualified persons who present themselves. So it is not about the qualifications any longer...”

He revealed that in the past year, for instance, there were a total of 1,000 applications for the 400-odd spaces at the Georgetown School of Nursing. About 500 of those applicants met the

requirements comfortably.

Having opened the doors to a greater intake of students, Dr. Persaud explained that there were some barriers, among them the fact that the environment wasn’t very conducive and there was a need to change some of the culture of training.

In ensuring that nursing students are afforded an environment favourable to learning, he revealed that the Ministry had sought to acquire the Guyana Water Incorporated head office at Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown. Both the New Amsterdam and Linden nursing schools, according to the CMO, have additional resources in place to facilitate the training of more nurses.

However, due to the working hours he revealed

that it is sometimes a challenge to ensure that students are afforded adequate clinical experiences.

This is expected to be addressed with some intervening measures that are already in the pipeline.

“We do have the patients, but it is all about us trying to adjust the nursing schools’ schedule to allow the students to get the experience.” This move, he added, could see students not only gaining clinical experiences between the hours of 09:00 and 16:00 hours, but also from 16:00 hours through 08:00 hours.

Based on hospital records, he said that more cases of deliveries are attended to, thus allowing for the students to gain real experience.

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Preserving cultural heritage is essential for development - AFC Each year Amerindian Heritage Month in Guyana highlights the different aspects of Amerindian culture and encourages Amerindians across Guyana to celebrate their cultural heritage, according to Alliance For Change (AFC) member Valerie GarridoLowe.

Amerindian Heritage Month 2012 is being held under the theme: “Embracing our identity, Celebrating our culture.”

This year ’s heritage village is Micobie, which will host celebrations on September 8. The village is located in Region Eight above the Lower Potaro River.

In recognition of September being designated Amerindian Heritage Month, GarridoLowe said in a fast-paced, modern world where industrialization, globalization, and the assimilation or marginalization of specific cultural groups, have contributed to the loss of tradition, many countries around the world are now engaged in attempts to preserve their traditions.

“As a nation of six races, celebrating and showcasing the diversity of our cultural heritage, beliefs and traditions, will not only serve to preserve them, but will educate all across the spectrum of this country of the beauty, creativity, strength and resilience, and the indomitable spirits of our foreparents,” she noted.

The AFC parliamentarian said understanding follows naturally after education; hence, “we can begin to genuinely appreciate our cultural differences and to respect each other as persons of worth.

This will go a long way towards narrowing and eventually eliminating any perceived racial divide.”

She explained that as a National event within the calendar year it attracts a wide cross-section of Guyanese eager to know more about the Indigenous way of life.

The indigenous craft continues to fascinate all and it is a feather in their cap that nibbi furniture is sold as a high-end product on the market both locally and internationally.

Sunday September 02, 2012

ImmigrationTALK

Do’s and Don’ts for Permanent Residents

By Attorney Gail S. Seeram, Gail@GailLaw.com, www.GailLaw.com

AFC MP Valerie Garrido-Lowe However, Garrido-Lowe said other than creative expressions and food being showcased, “the Indigenous brothers and sisters should make a valiant effort to preserve and embrace their languages. Language is the key ingredient humans require to build bridges of understanding between cultures and communities.

The elders who are versed in the various languages should be sought out to teach the rest of the community or, better yet, the languages should be taught in schools countrywide”.

Many lawful permanent residents (or green card holders) are not aware of their legal rights and responsibilities upon entry into the United States. Also, they are ignorant of the fact that their legal status in the United States can be terminated for several reasons. Below we identify the Do’s (legal rights and responsibilities) and Don’ts (actions that can lead to losing legal status) for permanent residents: DO’s • File federal, state, and, if applicable, local income tax returns.

• Register with the Selective Service, if you are a male between the ages of 18 and 26. Register at http:// www.sss.gov or speak with someone from the Selective Service at 847-688-6888.

• Give your new address to Department of Homeland Security by filing Form AR-11.

• File to remove conditions on a two-year green card at least 90 days before the card expires.

• Obey all federal, state, and local laws.

• Maintain your immigration status by not traveling outside the U.S. for extended periods.

• Carry your permanent resident card (or green card) at all times. If not, jail or fines apply.

• Apply to become a U.S. citizen when you are eligible.

• Request visas for your husband or wife and unmarried children to live in the U.S. • Get Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare benefits, if you are eligible.

• If your card is valid for 10 years, it must be renewed before it expires.

• Keep copies of all forms you send to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services and other government offices. When sending documents, do not send originals. Send copies.

• Consult with an immigration attorneyregardingALLimmigration matters. Immigrationproviderssuch as notaries, travel agencies, accountants and consultants are not qualified to offer legal services or represent you in front of an immigration officer or in court.

DON’TS • Don’t leave the United States for an extended period of time or move to another country to live.

• Don’t engage in the following behaviors that can have serious consequence on your status: 1. Lie to get immigration benefits for yourself or someone else.

2. Say you are a U.S. citizen if you are not.

3. Vote or register to vote in a federal election or in a

Gail S. Seeram local election open only to U.S. citizens.

4. Become a “habitual drunkard”—someone who is drunk or someone who uses illegal drugs most of the time.

5. Marry more than one person at the same time.

6. Fail to support your family or to pay child or spousal support as ordered.

7. Are arrested for assaulting or harassing a family member, including violating a protection order. This is called domestic violence.

8. Lie to get public benefits.

9. Help someone else who is not a U.S. citizen or national to enter the United States illegally even if that person is a close relative and even if you are not paid.

• Don’t engage in the following crimes that can lead to removal/deportation proceedings: 1. A crime defined as an “aggravated felony,” which includes crimes of violence that are felonies with a oneyear prison term.

2. Murder.

3. Terrorist activities.

4. Rape.

5. Sexual assault on a child.

6. Illegal trafficking in drugs, firearms, or people.

7. A crime of “moral turpitude,” which in general is a crime with an intent to steal or defraud; a crime where physical harm is done or threatened; a crime where serious physical harm is caused by reckless behavior; or a crime of sexual misconduct.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 15

Last-minute school shopping! New York City recognizes Georgetown

By Lin-Jay Harry-Voglezon At an awards ceremony of the Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc., at Borough Hall, Brooklyn last Wednesday night, the City of Georgetown, was proclaimed by New York City. Georgetown, so named on April 29th, 1812 in honour of King George III by British colonialsts, is in its 200th anniversary.

Among other things the Proclamation reads: “Whereas, it is the sense of this legislative body that when organizations and entities of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our attention it is appropriate to publicly proclaim and commend those organizations and entities for the edification and emulation of others.

“Now, therefore be it resolved, that I, State Senator, John L. Sampson, commend the City of Georgetown for its long and sterling history and thus urge all citizens to share in the celebration of its 200th anniversary and to take the opportunity to educate themselves about this important city and nation…”

During French colonization in 1782, Georgetown was named La Nouvelle. The Dutch

With most public schools set for definite opening tomorrow, several parents along with their children were seen around the city yesterday undertaking last-minute back-to-school shopping.

Eon 'Watusi' Andrews (left), receiving the proclamation on behalf of the Mayor and City Council from Brentnol Evans representing Senator John L. Sampson renamed it Stabroek in 1784 when they restored control.

But by ordinance on May 5th, 1812, the boundaries of G e o rg e t o w n o ff i c i a l l y became Kingston and La Penitence with Stabroek becoming one of its districts.

Georgetown gained official city status on August 24th, 1942 under the reign of Queen Victoria, as the city replaced its Board of Police with a Mayor and City Council.

Eon 'Watusi' Andrews, envoy of the Mayor and City Council, disclosed to the assembly of mainly

Guyanese immigrants that the council aims at tapping into the tourism potential of the city.

He identified sports tourism, heritage site tourism, convention hosting, and business-related events as areas of potential.

He invited anyone interested in a business arrangement such as in the promotion of the city, information technology, heritage site restoration and preservation, and solid waste management, to make contact with the Mayor and City Council.

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Police track down Hope hit-and-run car After days of painstaking investigations traffic ranks on the East Coast of Demerara have finally managed to locate a Toyota AT 212 motor car that they strongly suspect was involved in the hit-and-run accident that left 67-year old pensioner Harrichan Baliram dead.

Baliram, of Foulis, East Coast Demerara, was killed on the spot last Monday morning on the Hope Public Road, while he was cycling to work.

A c c o r d i n g t o eyewitnesses, he was struck from behind by a silver grey Toyota which sped away.

A l t h o u g h t h e eyewitnesses were unable to identify the licence number of the vehicle, they provided some information to the police, who managed to piece it together with a broken rear view mirror to trace the car.

A source at the Traffic Department of the Cove and John Police Station, told this newspaper that investigators were able to locate the car and its owner, a few days after the accident.

However the owner has denied that he was driving the car at the time of the accident and according to the source, he is assist the police to locate the alleged driver.

The car has since been impounded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although we did not get a positive ID on the mirror, people see things and talk,â&#x20AC;? said a police source, when asked how they managed to locate the car.

It was the second time in a week that the police on the East Coast of Demerara were able to track down vehicles that were involved in fatal hit-and-run accidents.

Dead: Harrichan Baliram On Sunday last they tracked down a truck which was involved in an accident on the Mahaicony Public Road the previous night, in which Mahaica market vendor, Benjamin was killed.

On that occasion, the driver of the truck drove to De Hoop, Mahaica, several miles away, and parked it in the owner's yard before disappearing.

He did not cater for the police retrieving a piece of broken glass from the accident scene and matching it perfectly with the turning indicator on the truck.

The driver subsequently turned himself in after he learnt that the owner of the truck was in custody and had provided police with information on his whereabouts. He was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, failing to render assistance and failing to stop after an accident and was granted bail in the sum of $1.6M, despite the objections of Police Prosecutor, Corporal Cheryl Graham.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Niketa Barker Meet the beautiful Niketa Barker who is an aspiring doctor, she is a medical student at the University of Guyana. She enjoys nature based activities like hiking, swimming and camping. In addition, Niketa loves to cook and spend quality time with family and friends. Her advice to young ladies is that they should be themselves and learn to love and appreciate who they are and focus on their dreams.

Page 17

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Pioneer of a dying art…

Tailor Hermon Bholaisingh is a special person I

By Dale Andrews

n his own words, he was conceived on a pressing table, delivered on a cutting table and learnt to stand by holding on to a sewing machine.

That's Hermon Bholaisingh, one of the last of a dying breed of pioneers of the local tailoring scene.

In these days of readymade and brand name clothes, it's no wonder that craftsmen like Bholaisingh are becoming extinct.

His establishment, despite growing significantly over the years, is one of only two such businesses remaining on Lombard Street, which was once considered the tailors' capital of Guyana.

But the resolve to maintain a business started by his late parents, was born of the fact that tailoring was in his genes (his father a tailor and his mother a seamstress).

He traced it way back to his great grandparents, who came to this country from India in 1869 as indentured labourers, with the skill.

But although, he admitted, that tailoring was not his first choice as a career, it was inevitable that Hermon, the second of five children, would continue the

Back in the days: Hermon on his pedal machine.

tradition of the Bholaisingh's, which was started in the late 1950s.

Hermon's is the typical country-boy-come-to-townand-made-it story. He was born at Alness, Corentyne to Harold Bholaisingh and Julia nee Drepaul.

Wellington Park Scot's School provided the early education for Hermon.

“Then I went to Chandisingh in the Corentyne. Then I came to Georgetown and I went to Indian Education Trust College, then I went to the

the ombudsman, while another was a popular doctor.

For Hermon, his parents wanted him to pursue a career in medicine, a path that has been followed by his two sisters, one a doctor in the United Kingdom and the other a nurse in Canada.

His brother, however, had a little more of the tailoring genes in him and he pursued a career as a designer in the United States.

But it was Hermon who really threw himself into the

“I never used to communicate with the home. I was outside there from country to country, but my heart was always set for home.”

College of Arts and Science,” Bholaisingh said.

Hermon's family was one of the big landowners on the Corentyne and life there consisted of milking cows, riding donkey carts, making coconut oil and rice farming.

But like most farming parents in those days, Hermon's parents wanted their children to pursue civil service careers, and not be confined to the daily grind of the plantation.

As a matter of fact, he came from a family of academics-one of his mother's brothers was once

business that his father and mother had pioneered to provide a decent life for their offspring.

It was not like he cared much for tailoring in his early years. In fact that was far from his thoughts as he went on what he described as a journey around the world after leaving school although the circumstance that led to that was not one that he would readily recommend to others.

He described that decision as a “long story” which he simplified for this particular interview.

REBELLIOUS… STOWAWAY “I was a bit rebellious as a young man and I travelled Guyana on motorcycles and then I joined a ship and started to go here there and everywhere, from country to country.”

In fact he was a stowaway on a bauxite carrying ship, which he joined at Linden, and according to him, his parents gave him up as dead having not heard from him for between five to seven years.

“I never used to communicate with the home.

I was outside there from country to country, but my heart was always set for home. Being a young man and having the desire to explore, I stayed away for a while,” Hermon reflected.

He was the only “coloured” person on the ship and his skill as a boy scout and at cooking played a great part in him remaining on the vessel.

His travels took him through the entire Caribbean, North America and parts of Europe, which widened his horizons.

The “long story” ended like the familiar Prodigal Son of the bible, with Hermon returning to Guyana and immediately reuniting with his father in his tailoring business.

“It's a trade that's in the family blood and like we didn't had to learn it, but we knew all the weaknesses and strength of tailoring; the long cut, the short cut and the neatness. We were actually pronounced as one of the best tailors in this countrythe Bholaisingh family,” he explained.

JAGAN'S TAILOR He sewed for former President Bharrat Jagdeo while his father was the tailor of choice for the late President Cheddi Jagan.

However, Hermon went back to school, a decision he said helped him to understand the business of successfully running the tailoring establishment.

By that time he was in his early twenties. It was round this time that his mother died and a young Hermon went on to get married and start a family.

Of course, tailoring was the vehicle to provide for his

Hermon Bholaisingh young family.

“In the sixties, there were much family (tailoring) businesses around. There were tailors, yes, but people used to employ others,” Hermon said.

But his family's tailoring business was unique in that there was his father, mother, his brother and himself.

They, however, still found it necessary to employ other persons who were interested in the trade.

In those days, the business was located at the junction of Lombard and De Roy Streets before it was moved to its present location, also on Lombard Street.

Eventually, Hermon developed his own clientele and the business was divided into two. Hermon took a part, his brother another part.

His father continued to operate next door.

“It was friendly competition, everybody had their own clients but we were all still family. If the work was too much for me I would send some over to my father or my brother…and the best came out of us.”

Hermon specialized in fat cap, for those who are old enough to remember them.

He then started to make windbreakers which were popular with the new fad of motorcycle riding in Guyana in the late sixties, early seventies.

“Everybody was a motorcyclist - the boy with the lil '50',” he explained.

“And we introduced windbreakers, which were made from a material named 'onion skin'.”

Shortly after this period, Hermon migrated to the

United States where he spent a lot of time “going and coming”.

Of course, he did tailoring in the US since some of the clients he had grown to know through the local family business were over there and readily called on his services.

“I had a list of names of people I know who were over there….but my family was over here and then I decided that America is not what I want,” he stated.

So it was back home for Hermon where he could use his talent to help his own people.

As a matter of fact, Hermon never left the local family business, since he had always maintained contact, sending materials back home. The Bholaisingh business began to specialize in sewing suits to add to the trousers and shirts that were the standard wear in Guyana then.

Not surprisingly, today, Hermon still sews for himself almost every piece of garment he wears.

The business also dealt with Indian and African garments.Of course, learning to sew Indian wear was made easy by the passing down of the skill that the old Bholaisingh tailors brought with them from India.

Both male and female clothing were catered for.

There was immense competition from other tailoring establishment on Lombard Street.

“Lots of shops. You had Canadian Persaud, Paul, Bholaisingh and you had Mr. Lee. Lombard Street was (continued on page 48)

Page 20

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Ravi Dev Column

The Commission of Inquiry into the police shootings at Linden will soon begin its work. I wonder if the Disciplined Forces Commission (DFC) Report, submitted to Parliament in 2004 and approved in 2010, had been implemented, that we’d have needed such an Inquiry.

The authorities consistently assert that aspects of the report have been operationalised, pointing to massive increases in the GPF’s budget.

The question for us, the citizenry, however, is whether we have gotten the “bang for the buck” –pun intended with all this spending.

Even the most fervent supporter of the Police will have to concede that we have not.

Our murder rate keeps rising even as the rate of solving murders keeps plummeting. Armed robberies have become increasingly brazen and daring – and frequent.

But all of this is not new: Police performance had plummeted since the Force

After the calm on the roads during the out-ofschool season there is going to be madness.

Irresponsible minibus drivers are going to be racing to capture the pieces of silver offered by passengers, particularly the school children on their way to school.

In this rush will be many disasters, not least among them a serious crash at a busy intersection. Children who recently enjoyed a much earned vacation will be

was politically compromised in the 1970’s when the rot had set in so deeply that senior officers had to swear personal fealty to the PNC top brass.

All of this has been well documented in Professor Ken Danns book that came out of his PhD research that was so was well researched: “Domination and Power in Guyana”.

Of greater import to us is the question “why police performance has not improved noticeably after all the resources have been pumped into it in the last two decades?”

The police could reasonably respond that the nature of crime and criminality has changed drastically over that same era: drug trafficking, high intensity robberies and politically motivated violence etc. have all risen to new heights (or sunken to new lows). But has the Police reoriented or reorganised themselves – a la the DFC Report - to face these new threats? I don’t believe so.

What we have been emphasising is that our Police Force does not just need its

hurt. ** Another frustrated man is going to capitalize on a hapless woman whom he says was unfaithful. Sadly, this man had been ignoring

“capabilities upgraded”; it needs a complete makeover in its composition, values and raison d’etre.

To start with the last one, we can see that no matter what changes have been made up to now, the Police Force and its leadership still views its role as it was when it was founded in 1839, right after the abolition of slavery: as a “force” to pacify the newlyfreed slaves.

This has to go! Its military-style and highhanded mode of operation within that population in the present has really turned off and even incensed the average man in the street – even some of its erstwhile supporters. The GPF needs to be redefined, retrained and redeployed as a police “service” rather than a police “force” for the citizens of Guyana. This will have to go far beyond a mere name change.

Secondly, the composition of the force has to change to reflect the general population. At the start the British brought in Barbadians to ensure they

this woman because he had eyes and his money elsewhere.

The society would not be kind to him. ** Linden is not completely out of the news. The relatives of one of those slain would be running foul of the law but the authorities would never discover post traumatic stress disorder.

And there will be another fire in the community caused by a careless discard.

would take on the local exslaves. When the locals showed they were not a threat, they were recruited to keep down the new ‘threats”: Indian indentureds with cutlasses on the sugar plantation. This “divide and rule” policy was maintained by the PNC after independence because it served their purpose. But this foundational policy not only created an Indian security dilemma but eroded the legitimacy of an institution of the state that more than any other needs to be affirmed by all the citizenry.

Thirdly, the service needs to be radically decentralised.

In the end, all good policing is local policing. Practically every police organisation in the world – apart from those in totalitarian states – are decentralised. The nexus between centralisation and totalitarianism is not coincidental. The colonial state was essentially a

totalitarian one as far as its drive to control the actions and thoughts of the captive population.

Our Force was explicitly modelled on the one England established to pacify the Irish rather than their decentralised one for the English. We have to decentralise radically and immediately.

It is not only in biology that form to a large extent dictates function: the truism also holds for organisations.

The centralised form of the Force encourages a very hierarchical and authoritarian mindset, not only in the upper echelons but also even among the rank and file.

Such a mindset is totally unsuitable for dealing with a civilian population.

The decentralisation we envisage would see the creation of several police forces for the country based on population and geographical considerations.

The decentralisation would

Ravi Dev

rest on a base of Neighbourhood Policing.

Then in an internal decentralisation, the Force needs to farm out all those tasks that can be handled by civilians.

To deal with the “newage” crimes of drug trafficking, high intensity crimes and money laundering etc, the creation of specialised units of the Force is demanded.

Where is the intelligence unit that is key to breaking drug rings? Where is longpromised Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit.

Let’s quit blaming the police and start reforming the GPF.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

The quiet mass murderer - in one moment of madness, Oral Hendricks took three innocent lives…

By Michael Jordan Guyana’s crime files are replete with cases of men who suddenly became afflicted with madness and went on killing sprees.

There was Hubert Headley, called ‘Baby Arthur’ who flew into a cocaineinduced rage one day and hacked his mother and nine other villagers to death in Friendship, East Coast Demerara before a policeman’s bullet ended his rampage.

There was a Buxton security guard named Raul Herod, who armed himself with a gun and killed his mother-in-law and his children before taking his own life.

And there is a case at Berbice, where a man barged into a wedding house with a shotgun and blasted two people to death.

In these matters, there was a hint of impending tragedy. ‘Baby Arthur’ was a violent drug addict who habitually beat his mother.

Herod had a long-running dispute with his mother-inlaw, and had warned her that “some people don’t hear when fus bell ring, they does only hear second bell.”

But in the case of Oral Hendricks, no one saw it coming.

Oral Hendricks’ story is one of a quiet, nondescript individual who suddenly went violently mad.

Back in 1992, Hendricks was 25 years old and working as a caretaker at the Speedway Hotel at Land of Canaan, East Bank of Demerara. And at that

relatively young age, he became involved in a common-law relationship with a woman, Carol Braithwaithe, and her three small children: Jason Braithwaithe, seven; Althea George, four; and Travis Bunbury, aged two.

Some blame this relationship for all that followed. Carol Braithwaithe eventually moved to Plaisance, where she allegedly had a live-in job.

Oral Hendricks was left to take care of Carol’s three children.

This situation continued for several months, until Hendricks eventually took the children to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and left them in the compound.

The children remained at the hospital in the care of staffers, but on Friday, December 10, Hendricks collected the children from

hospital officials.

According to police records, on the night of Saturday, December 12, 1992, Hendricks took his reputed wife’s three children to a canal in Depot Dam in Pouderoyen, East Bank Demerara.

It is alleged that Hendricks flung two-year-old Travis Bunbury into the canal and watched the child drown.

He then did the same to the boy’s four-year-old sister, Althea George.

Finally, Hendricks dumped seven-year-old Jason Braithwaithe into the canal, but the child managed to swim to the other end.

Hendricks, it is alleged, pursued the child and slit his throat with a knife.

He then held the child’s head underwater to ensure that he was dead.

The following day, Hendricks went to a brother’s home in Depot Dam,

Pouderoyen, where he told his sibling what had transpired.

The brother and another man raced to the canal where a frantic search began for the missing children. First, they located the bodies of Travis Bunbury and Althea George.

Jason Braithwaite’s body was found later in the afternoon.

Shortly after, Oral Hendricks surrendered to police at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station.

On December 15, 1992, he was charged with murder.

During his trial, Hendricks’ two attorneys claimed that their client had an alibi and knew nothing of the gruesome crime. Hendricks, they said, had loved the children as if they were his.

Prosecutor Shalim AliHack presented evidence which showed that after the children were slain, Hendricks had gone to Plaisance and told his reputed wife, Carol Braithwaithe, that his sister had taken the children to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and that the authorities were refusing to return them to him.

But a witness for the prosecution stated that the children were handed over to Hendricks on Friday, December 10, 1992, the day before they were murdered.

In addition, the prosecution provided a statement which showed that Hendricks had confessed to killing the children.

In his statement, the accused alleged that he had murdered the three children because he was angry with their mother.

On Tuesday, February 5, 1996, a seven-man, fivewoman jury found Hendricks guilty.

Before passing the death sentence on the accused Chief Justice Cecil Kennard asked Hendricks what he had to say.

“I did not commit this crime,” was Hendricks’ terse response.

In 2000, Hendricks’ attorneys filed an appeal against his sentence but the appeal was rejected. That same year, a death warrant was read to the accused.

However, Hendricks remains on death row. Prison officials say that he is a quiet inmate and causes no trouble.

A relative who spoke briefly to Kaieteur News this week suggested that Hendricks is resigned to his fate.

A male relative feels that Hendricks, whom he described as a quiet individual, was deranged when he committed the act.

Some persons opined that the young man’s mind had

snapped after being deserted and being left to take care of his spouse’s three children.

However, some 15 years after that unspeakable crime, the reasons are still somewhat unclear as to what transformed ‘quiet’ Oral Hendricks into a mass murderer.

FOOTNOTE Around the same time of the Oral Hendricks case, a woman was also charged with poisoning her twin babies.

She was found guilty and sentenced to death.

However, her sentence was overturned and she was eventually freed.

If you have information about any interesting case, please write to us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street offices. You can also contact us on telephone numbers 2258465, 22-58491 or 2258458. You can also contact Michael Jordan on his email a d d r e s s mjdragon@hotmail.com

SEEKING HELP TO LOCATE RELATIVES OF EIGHT CHILDREN KILLED BETWEEN 1969-1970 Michael Jordan is trying to contact relatives of eight children who were murdered between March 20, 1969 and June 1970, by Harrynauth Beharry, also known as Harry Rambarran, Charles Bissoon, Charles Pereira, Anant Persaud and Maka Anan.

Some of the victims are Basmattie, an eight-year-old schoolgirl from Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara. David Bacchus, 15, of Tucville, 11-year-old Mohamed Fazil Nasir, of Number 78 Village, Corentyne, Mohamed Faizal, of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Jagdeo Jagroop, Mohamed Nizam Ali; Paulton of Hogg Island, Essequibo; Orlando Guthrie, of Grove Village, East Bank Demerara.

Please contact him via his email address mjdragon@hotmail.com., or on telephone numbers 22-58458, 2258465, or 22-58491. HeI can also be contacted on 645-2447.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

Driving home wearing boxer shorts only I left my home on Friday morning with the unshakeable intention to attend the funeral service at 9AM of the mother of my People Parliament colleague, Charlene Wilkinson, (she was one of the persons who started it) at St. Sidwell’s Anglican Church on Vlissengen Road.

As I got into the car, my wife noticed I was wearing a T-shirt. She enquired whether I am going to attend the service with such an inappropriate top. I directed her to my long-sleeve white shirt in the car. That morning, I avoided wearing jogging clothes for the National Park since I had to be in church.

So I put on black trousers to go strolling. I would put on my shirt and head for Vlissengen Road after I would have completed my walk.

I wrote about an incident that happened two Thursdays ago in the National Park when a guy crashed his bicycle into us, hurting attorney Jailall Kissoon.

Since that event, I informed the chief of security of the Park that I will no longer jog on the street in the Park. So my routine is to walk on the grassy lawn next to the trench. You can actually see when someone is coming up to hurt you. The evasive thing to do is to jump into the trench and come out onto the roadway where you can stop one of the vehicles that constantly pass.

For me that is a more strategic objective. If you are on the jogging lane, someone can easily come up to you, knife you and the other

joggers would hardly notice.

On the sprawling lawns in the Park, you can definitely see when a person is approaching you because joggers do not use that space.

In other words, it is not crowded, so you can spot your would-be attacker. So Friday morning, I went strolling on the large grassy parapets of the National Park.

As I approached the tennis courts, I saw a person behind me and there was an object in his hand. It bothered me that he didn’t look like a jogger or stroller. I decided I would move away, walk in the direction of the tennis courts and onto the jogging track where other persons were. As I turned in the direction of the tennis lawn, I sank deep into a trench. For all the years I have been using the National Park, I had no idea that outside of the southern, concrete walls of the tennis area, there is a trench I went down into the bottom of that black, stink water. My thoughts were still with the guy behind me but I honestly don’t know where he went but no one attacked me. I was covered in stagnant water. My discman (don’t have an I-pod; find it too tedious to put songs on a computer then transfer them, so I use CDs) and cell phone were submerged.

I went to my car, parked outside the security head office and stripped down leaving only my boxer shorts on. There was no way I could and should have driven home in those clothes.

I don’t know how the traffic cops or the anti-crime

squad would have reacted if they had stopped me on the highway because all I was wearing was my boxer shorts.

I don’t see how that can be an offence. Three years ago, former UG Student President, Jason Benjamin, was freaking out in my car because I was driving without my top on.

After buying flowers at the Parika backdam, the sun was too cruel. My shirt was totally submerged with perspiration. So we headed back to Georgetown with me driving without my top. Jason

kept complaining that the cops will charge me with indecent exposure. I was laughing because I know that would be absurd.

A jogger can run from Parika to Georgetown in his shorts only if it is the long type of boxer shorts I wear that resembles a beach pants.

A cyclist can do the same.

And I doubt any police would take notice. So why can’t a motorist drive in his beach pants only? As I opened the door to my home, my daughter was staring in total disbelief. I told her what

happened and she was laughing. When my wife heard she cracked up. Why were they laughing? Obviously at the irony of it all In taking security precautions in the National Park, I ended up at the bottom of a stink, stagnant trench.

Indeed this was funny and I found it amusing myself. But surely, I was unlucky.

If I wasn’t surrounded by a security threat then I would not have done what I did. So after having a bucket of filth thrown on me, in order to avoid being attacked again

Frederick Kissoon and again, I walked into a dirty trench. I guess the life of a human rights advocate has its hilarious moments. Sorry, I missed your mom’s funeral service, Charlene.

Page 24

Kaieteur News

SUNDAY US$12.5M ENMORE PACKAGING PLANT LIES IDLE The Enmore Packaging Plant, which was set up to sweeten the sugar corporation with 35% more gains than it would get for raw sugar, is currently resting idle.

Managers at the Enmore estate told Kaieteur News that the packaging plant is not in operation because the sugar currently being produced is meant for export by bulk.

The government paid the Indian company, Surendra Engineering Corporation, US$12.5 million to construct the plant. The intention was to package all of the sugar produced at Enmore for sale locally and overseas.

For the first crop of this year, Estate Manager Yudhisthir Persaud said the factory produced approximately 21,000 tonnes of sugar, and most of that went to the packaging plant.

However, for the current crop, no sugar has been sent for packaging at the plant, and Persaud told Kaieteur News that he is not sure when they will receive those orders.

Factory Manager Akbar Ally said that the permanent workers at the plant are sent off to perform various functions in the factory when the plant is not in operation.

Temporary staff, mainly from the Enmore area, is employed once the plant is in operation. The plant was

commissioned in May 2011.

It was announced then that the intention was for the plant to package 40,000 tonnes of sugar per year. The factory was constructed during the tenure of Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud.

HEALTH MINISTER AVOIDS KEY QUESTIONS ON SPECIALTY HOSPITAL Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran and his Permanent Secretary Leslie Cadogan last evening refused to answer key questions regarding the conditions under which Surendra Engineering Corporation Limited was recommended for the US$18.2 million specialty hospital. Unable to answer a pertinent question regarding bid security, Minister Ramsaran attempted to close the press conference, when the Kaieteur News reporter interjected to say that he had further questions.

Dr. Ramsaran stated emphatically that it was his Ministry’s press conference.

When he was reminded that it was his Ministry that called the press conference to answer questions regarding the bidding process, and that Kaieteur News was not going to listen to his statements if he would not take the questions, the Minister told this publication’s reporter to “shut up!”

At this point, the Kaieteur

Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran (left) and Permanent Secretary Leslie Cadogan at the press conference.

News reporter opted to walk out of the press conference, with Minister Ramsaran declaring that he would not be bullied and scared by the reporter. The reporter replied that he would not be bullied or scared by the Minister either. The question that caused the stumbling block for the Minister and his Permanent Secretary was whether Surendra Engineering had complied with the stipulations in the bid documents regarding bid security.

MONDAY NON-APPOINTMENT OF OMBUDSMAN A MOCKERY OF THE CONSTITUTION Annually, a budgetary allocation is made for the Office of the Ombudsman but its substantive office remains empty. Months into his presidency, Donald Ramotar has not appointed an Ombudsman, which is a constitutional body. To this end, Leader of the Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan believes that the President is acting unconstitutionally.

He stressed that the nonappointment of the Ombudsman makes a mockery of the democracy of Guyana’s constitution. “We can only row and make statements and that we have been doing. A number of persons have talked on this matter. At the budget debates a number of speakers

indicated that they have been taking moneys out of the budget for the Office of the Ombudsman.

We have a number of persons being paid as staff, but no Ombudsman,” Ramjattan said. According to the Commonwealth Caribbean Public Law by Professor Albert Fiadjoe, the system of Ombudsman gives encouragement to open government, and to that extent, helps to bring transparency to the decision making process.

It enables complaints of maladministration by Government and injustice meted out to citizens to be investigated. The politician pointed out that Guyana has the available expertise to fill the post of the Ombudsman.

HOMEOWNER SENDS BURGLAR TO HOSPITAL A teenage burglar received a sound thrashing from an Enmore, East Coast Demerara resident, after he was caught red handed in a home in the village. According to information, at around 04:30 hrs on Saturday the homeowner was awakened by a strange sound emanating from the upper flat of his home.

Upon checking, he was confronted by a teenager, who was armed with a chopper. The suspect has been identified as Imran Bacchus, 19, of Enmore.

The homeowner and the teenager had a scuffle during which the burglar suffered the worst of the exchange. He was severely chopped on his hands while the homeowner sustained minor injuries.

Despite being badly wounded, Bacchus managed to escape through a window which he had earlier used to gain access into the house.

Villagers said that Bacchus was in the company of another teenager, who escaped when he heard his “partner” was being beaten.

Both the homeowner and the burglar ended up at the hospital for medical attention.

Sunday when Kaieteur News visited the hospital, Bacchus admitted that he and his friend went to the house to “do a simple larceny” when he was caught.

He denied that he is a regular thief but when asked how he knew the term “simple larceny” he explained he learnt the phrase when he went to court a while back for stealing mangoes.

TUESDAY APNU SIGNS OFF ON NCN ‘CORRUPTION’ DEBATES The country’s main opposition, the coalition A Partnership National Unity

Sunday September 02, 2012

(APNU), Monday said it would no longer participate in the so-called ‘“corruption” debates by the state-owned TV NCN, calling it an exercise to suit the fancies of the government, with officials misleading the public on key issues. Joseph Harmon, a Member of Parliament for APNU, has sought to challenge Minister Irfaan Ali, who on Sunday’s programme stated that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had advised that there is need for an Environmental Impact Assessment for the expansion project for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Harmon has since written the EPA and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) for clarification.

Further, Harmon said residents have refuted claims

by Ministers Ali and Robeson Benn that they were consulted. An estimated 2,500 residents of North Timehri have been told they have to relocate. Harmon said that airport officials driving around and handing out eviction letters does not constitute consultations.

Further, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, also a Member of Parliament for APNU, said there is much more that needs to be told about the airport expansion plan.

WORKS STALLED ON EAST BANK FOUR-LANE EXTENSION For weeks, construction works to expand the East Bank Demerara Public Road into a four-lane from the ‘high bridge’ at Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) to Diamond Housing Scheme entrance have been stalled.

The presence of utility poles and pipelines has caused the contractor, BK International, to halt operations after carrying out preparatory works to the eastern section of the thoroughfare.

The contractor during a telephone interview with this publication disclosed that major works under the US$3.4M contract are expected to recommence by December. This has altered the completion date of the project, which was expected to conclude within 18 months.

The contractor had signed the contract on October 3, 2011, but physical works under the project began in January this year.

Explaining the reason for the delay, Works Ministry Engineer, Ron Rahaman, said that initially when the consultants did the designs, provisions were made in the contract for the relocation of utilities, but while executing works, the cost estimated by consultants was less than

that estimated by the utility companies. He added that the Inter-American Development Bank was approached to provide additional funding, outside of the contract, for the relocation.

WEDNESDAY TAXI DRIVER’S BULLETRIDDLED BODY DUMPED ON THOMAS LANDS

Dead: Sean De Freitas Sookdeo Police have launched a hunt for the killers of 25-yearold taxi driver, Sean De Freitas Sookdeo, whose bullet riddle body was discovered early Tuesday morning on Thomas Lands, near the National Park.

The discovery was made around 06:00 hours by early morning joggers who subsequently informed the police. No motive for the killing, which bore all the hallmarks of an execution, has been established so far.

But police have almost ruled out robbery as the motive since there are reports that the taxi driver was lured to his death by persons he knew well. His Toyota 212 motor car was found in front of his sister ’s yard at McDoom, East Bank of Demerara where he had apparently parked it on Monday night. His passport was found on his person and this led to his swift identification by investigators.

Sookdeo’s body bore gunshot wounds to the head, hands and abdomen and according to reliable police sources close to the investigation, Sookdeo who hails from Lot 6 Block CC Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara, appeared to have been tortured also.

The source said that there were what appeared to be burns to his neck and abdomen. Investigators are searching their records with the hope of establishing what might have led to Sookdeo’s death.

GPHC IN URGENT NEED FOR CRITICAL DRUGS Patients are being sent home and surgeries (Continued on page 28)

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 25

My column

Reporters are never mouthpieces These days, everyone is an expert on news and news reporting. Beyond that, everyone is a critic of the reporter, especially if that reporter is keen to do his job and that job is to keep the government in line. It is true that no reporter is liked by the government because of his role in highlighting those things that the government may wish to suppress.

In recent times reporters have been examining many things that were once hidden to the point that people were unaware of the real state of affairs in the country.

For example, people never knew that there were people who were paid more than handsomely for doing little or nothing.

More recently, a reporter on my staff opted to examine a multi-million-dollar construction at Enmore. From the inception, this newspaper found that the cost of the facility was abnormally high and therefore warranted closer examination.

Needless to say, the government had a plaster for every sore exposed by Kaieteur News. When we said that the machinery could have

been had from Brazil, the government said that indeed it was. However, the nation had been led to believe that the machinery had come from India. The query about the cost led to the fact that a lot of the money was spent on the factory. In the end, the high-priced factory was a virtual white elephant.

Then came conflicting reports and a press conference on another controversial project…the Specialty Hospital.

The reporter decided to challenge the Minister in charge only to the told to “shut up”. The columnist, Peeping Tom, writes that the reporter should not be allowed to grill a Minister.

Utter crap. If a Minister summons a press conference then he wants to sell his side of his story. He must also be prepared to answer any question pertaining to his role as a Minister.

Peeping Tom said: “When a journalist leaves to cover a briefing or a press conference he or she does so under the assumption that something is likely to be said that will be of public interest. The journalist is there to capture that which

is of public interest so that it can be communicated to the public.

“At most press briefings and press conferences, questions are usually entertained. This is done for the purpose to allow for clarifications or to provide additional information.

“Their job is not to get into a debate with the host of the press conference but only to report on what was said.”

I use foul language and I would describe this piece of drivel in such language. No reporter should be a Minister’s mouthpiece. If the Minister wants to say something and not having to answer questions, then he can issue a press release.

The duty of reporter is to get the Minister to talk about those things that he does not want to. For example, there was the Head of the Presidential Secretariat hosting a press conference to talk about Cabinet matters and decisions.

A reporter took the opportunity to ask about the missing laptops and got an

answer.

As far as Peeping Tom was concerned that question did not form a part of the press conference and therefore should not have arisen. Poppycock. But then again Peeping Tom is not a reporter and never has been.

It turned out that the sons of a man who switched political alliance are at the centre of the probe into the missing laptops. This would have remained a state secret.

I can now understand why reporters with the state media go to press conferences and more often than not, keep their mouths shut. I can also understand why Ministers prefer to hold tete-a-tete with members of the state media to the exclusion of the private media.

The media dug into so many things and attracted Government’s criticisms only to be proven correct. I watched the media coverage of the Republican convention and through the media, I learnt that the Republican candidates lied or distorted the facts. The reporter

refused to be the mouthpiece.

Reporters in Guyana lack the research capability largely because record-keeping is not what it should be.

I have institutional memory and am therefore able to question any Government official on some things. I have been able to challenge changes in statements and comments. I am still to get an answer to the query about when did Guyana assume responsibility for the construction of the specialty hospital.

It was the then President Bharrat Jagdeo who described reporters in the private media as vultures simply because they dared to challenge some of the contradictions in his comments. They also challenged some of the decisions he made and were proven correct. Reporters are duty bound to get the stories that Ministers want to hide.

I also noticed that there are always those sycophants

Adam Harris who parrot whatever the government says about reporters. For example, there were the stories about the Kaieteur News thwarting national development simply because it highlighted a number of problematic dealings.

One New York lawyer who was shown some of what was written about Kaieteur News, said “This is not even news.”

I can also understand why those who get peeved rush to the courts with a hope of silencing some reporters. I also know that some of them will get a rude awakening.

Page 26

The Business Dictionary defines corruption as, “Wrongdoing on the part of an authority or powerful party through means that are illegitimate, immoral, or incompatible with ethical standards”.

Recently, the government controlled National Communications Network (NCN) started a seven part debate series looking at corruption related to a number of million dollar projects.

One of the projects debated was the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion Project. We take the opportunity to raise some of the points made by the

Kaieteur News

Alliance For Change during the debate and put forward some questions which the government has failed to answer.

CORRUPTION CLAIMS The little that is known about this project raises more questions rather than reassure the people. First, the signing of the agreement between the Government of Guyana and the Chinese firm, China Harbour Engineering Company, only came to light when the company made an announcement in Jamaica.

Usually, when contracts are being signed, the minister would claim his/her two minutes of fame and call in the

media to witness the signing.

There would be a big ‘to-do’ even if it is a small contract.

Why was this not done for the airport expansion project? This is a US$150M project. Why would the government not want to have this contract signed with the media present?

Why all the secrecy?

Could it be that, were it not for the privately owned media houses, the Government would have announced this project probably until work had started?

During the debate, the government took a lot of time and put a lot of effort into explaining that money was

offered by the Chinese and they jumped to it.

This of itself is highly unethical behavior on the part of a government. Why would a government, disregard its own procedures and policies for entering into loans and contracts? It is highly unprincipled for a government to allow itself to be lured into a loan agreement without first conducting due diligence to determine whether the time and circumstances are ripe for such an agreement. Why was there this obscene haste by the PPP/C government to get this money? How much money will have to come from the national coffers to compensate those residents and businesses that will have to be relocated?

CJIA EXPANSION PROJECT Where is the feasibility study for this project, when was it done and who did it?

How was bidding for this project done? Who were the other companies that sent in bids? When was the short listing done?

What would be the impact of this project on the environment?

Sunday September 02, 2012

How many residents and businesses will have to be moved to accommodate this expansion?

How many creeks and waterways would be blocked or diverted to accommodate this project?

What compensation the government intends to offer to the persons and businesses that will be affected?

What would be the total cost for this project inclusive or the expansion and compensation?

These are questions that the government failed to adequately answer. It is not good enough to say they have the feasibility study and not share that study with the AFC and other stakeholders.

If the study is dated more than 10 years then there is need to review that assessment.

During the debate, the government minister was beating his chest and making a lot of noise that the government has a plan for the residents who will be affected by the expansion but he failed to outline even in the broadest of terms, what that plan is. It is not enough to say, “we have a plan.” The government

should have detailed what that plan is.

In addition to the impact on the residents, the project will also impact the environment.

The government failed to address the impact on the environment and the businesses relying on the environment.

Maybe now the government can start by providing answers.

In addition, the government should also explain why they are scrambling to secure a loan to expand the airport when children at Moleson Creek cannot get to school because of the deplorable condition of the road. They should also explain to the thousands who travel the East Bank Demerara road and take close to two hours to travel from Diamond to Georgetown in the mornings, why they are borrowing money to expand the airport instead of building an alternative road as a matter of priority. They should also explain to the thousands of young Guyanese why they keep piling on debts that will have to be paid by these young people in a few years time.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Page 28

Kaieteur News

PRESIDENTIALADVISOR ON FINANCIALMATTERS

Keith Burrowes

From page 24 postponed due to the shortage of critical drugs at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), a senior official said Tuesday.

Dr. George Norton, Head of the Ophthalmology Department, confirmed reports that surgical sutures, operating materials, medications and “kits” to perform blood test are among the items currently unavailable at the hospital.

This publication was told that medications are not being administered to patients although these were prescribed on their charts.

“When a doctor tells a patient that they required two injections a day, the patient would come and say they only get one, sometimes they don’t get any over the weekend and it is not because doctors are not making requisitions… it is because the items are not being supplied to us,” Norton disclosed.

Norton is also the Shadow Minister of Health in the National Assembly for the main opposition, A

Partnership For National Unity. This publication was told that doctors at the facility have to “make do” with whatever the pharmacist tells them is available.

At the faculty’s Low Vision Department Tuesday, surgeries for patients with “crossed eye” were on the verge of being suspended because there were no sutures. “We use what we were not suppose to usewhich is endangering the patient’s welfare,” Norton stated. He explained that surgery to the eye requires doctors to have “certain types of needle, with a certain size and shape”.

THURSDAY KN REPORTER BLOCKED FROM ENTERING ENMORE PACKAGING PLANT The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Wednesday blocked Kaieteur News from having a tour of the Enmore Packaging Plant, reversing an earlier commitment. It was only on Tuesday that the Corporation

acknowledged that the Packaging Plant accommodated a request by Kaieteur News for a visit two Saturdays ago “with an understanding that the newspaper will return on full resumption of operations.”

The Corporation announced in a press release Tuesday that the plant had resumed operations two Wednesdays ago.

Kaieteur News’ reporters decided to visit Wednesday, but were met by two guards on duty who said that they were instructed not to let reporters in. Calls to the managers of the factory went unanswered. When Kaieteur News visited the plant two Saturdays ago, it was closed to operations, as there was no sugar to package.

Managers Yudhisthir Persaud and Akbar Ally said that the plant was out of operation because the sugar being produced at Enmore was meeting bulk export demands. No other reason was given.

KEITH BURROWES APPOINTED AS

Chairman of the Guyana Chronicle’s Board of Directors Mr. Keith Burrowes has been named Presidential Advisor on Financial Matters. This disclosure was made Wednesday by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon. According to Luncheon, President Donald Ramotar has issued instructions to that effect.

Luncheon Wednesday described Burrowes as “a man of many talents”.

Luncheon stated that Burrowes has assumed the additional responsibility without reducing his involvement in other issues, and would be working under pro bono terms and conditions – strictly voluntarily.

He will work directly with the President and Office of the President. Luncheon further asserted that Burrowes’ forte is in financial management, an area which he has had much exposure, and added that he currently chairs the board at GoInvest, among other institutions.

FRIDAY AUDIT ORDERED INTO ARMY’S CREDIT UNION, TWO OFFICERS ON LEAVE Government has ordered an investigation into the operations of the army’s credit union and two top-ranking officers have since been sent on administrative leave. The probe was ordered by the Chief Cooperative Development Officer. The audit, according to a statement issued by the army, stated that audit was ordered based on reported breach of Credit Union’s rules governing the acquisition of vehicles.

The current Secretary/ Manager and a past Secretary/Manager are the two persons who have been sent on leave to facilitate the audit. Meanwhile, this publication was told that the audit is a “vindictive” move against the two officers who were simply trying to put proper systems in place. They reportedly unearthed some major discrepancies involving a senior army official. An army source revealed that close to a year

Sunday September 02, 2012

ago, a new head was appointed to the credit union.

This publication was told that during his tenure there, the officer began making some startling discoveries relating to monies being withdrawn from the credit union and not being repaid. Having made the discovery, the officer did not seek to cover up but instead was very vocal and this did not go down well with other senior officers.

SPECIALTY HOSPITAL HITS SNAG…INDIAN CONTRACTOR ASKS GOVT. TO REVIEW BIDDING PROCESS A major fight is looming between two Indian contractors and the government over an US$18M contract to build a specialty hospital at Turkeyen, Great Georgetown. Construction firm, Fedders-Lloyd, is asking the Guyana Government to reverse a decision taken to award the contract to Surendra Engineering Corporation Limited of India.

Fedders-Lloyd, which says Surendra should have been disqualified as a bidder, wants the contract. The firm, which submitted one of the lowest bids, said that a Government statement which termed them as an “air conditioning sales agent, and “an over the counter drug salesman,” has undermined its stature. The hospital is being funded with a line of credit from India of US$18 million. The government here intends to staff the hospital with specialists from India to do complicated surgeries, ranging from heart operations and organ transplants to cosmetic surgery. Preliminary works have begun at Turkeyen where the specialty hospital is intended to be built. The announcement for construction was made in February 2011 by former President Bharrat Jagdeo when he returned from India after securing a US$18M line of credit.

SATURDAY CON-MAN SELLS $80M IN BOGUS HOUSE LOTS -JUMPS THROUGH WINDOW AS COPS CLOSE IN A slippery confidence trickster narrowly escaped last night from police and Housing Ministry investigators who have unearthed an $80M scam involving the sale of bogus house lots in the Diamond Housing Scheme.

Police officials said that the man, who was residing at a Grove New Scheme, East Bank Demerara residence, jumped through a window and fled just as police ranks were preparing to arrest him.

Kaieteur News understands

that investigators from the Ministry of Housing have posted up a sign at the house indicating that the property now belongs to the Ministry.

Police sources said that the fraudster, who goes by the aliases ‘Prem Persaud’, ‘Prem Rampersaud’ and ‘Jeff’, has been luring his victims with promises of providing them with transports and house lots, particularly in the Diamond Housing Scheme.

Two women and a male employee from a prominent business firm are reportedly the man’s accomplices.

Kaieteur News was told that the male accomplice helps to locate potential clients.

One of the non-existent lots was given as Lot 193 Little Diamond. Another was given as Lot 204 Little Diamond.

Investigations indicated that the suspect has defrauded at least 150 victims and the scheme has raked in about $80M. Police sources said that the fraudster has been living large, and has bought three Dodge Rams.

One of the vehicles is reportedly registered in the name of one of the women suspected to be involved in the scam.

WEST DEM. HOSPITAL ‘WASTAGE’…

EXPIRED HAND SANITISERS ARE FOOD FOR THE POOR DONATIONS - OFFICIALS Health officials are claiming that more than 150 boxes of expired hand sanitisers that were to be dumped by the West Demerara Regional Hospital were donated by Food For The Poor Incorporated, earlier this year.

A photo of the stacked boxes was printed in the front page of Kaieteur News on Wednesday, last (August 29) raising the question whether taxpayers’ money had been well spent.

The photograph was part of an article on the deplorable conditions of the hospital which has been the subject of much criticism in recent times.

Yesterday, apparently the Regional Health Services held a press conference to clear the air but Kaieteur News, in what seems to be an increasing trend by a number of government agencies, was not invited, and as such questions could not be asked. Rather, a government release was issued of the press conference.

The health officials, including Director, Regional Health Services (Ag.), Dr. Irv Chand, claimed in the release that the items were donated

by Food for The Poor Inc., and were not received and stored by the institution prior to meeting expiration date, “hence taxpayers’ money was not involved”.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Page 34

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Backing Australia and Finland:

The Caribbean at One

By Sir Ronald Sanders The 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries will be supporting Australia and Finland for two of the ten nonpermanent seats on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) when elections are held in the UN General Assembly in New York in October. There is good reason to do so.

As frustrating as the wrangling between its five permanent members may be, the UNSC still has great relevance to small independent Caribbean states, fourteen of which are members of CARICOM. Unlike large and powerful countries, Caribbean small states have neither military might nor economic clout. Diplomacy is their most important tool in international affairs. They must use diplomacy to build a network of links to countries with which they share common goals and interests.

In the case of the UNSC, Caribbean small states have to be anxious about the security of their own borders from external threats, but they also have to be concerned with global peace and security. Disruptions in other parts of the world affect Caribbean countries.

Examples of such effects are: the 9/11 atrocities in the US that crippled tourism, hurting Caribbean economies, and conflicts in the Middle-East that caused oil prices to soar with harmful consequences for production and the cost-ofliving. Because Caribbean small states are infrequently represented on the UNSC, they have to work to ensure that like-minded countries are elected – countries whose positions would be broadly reflective of their own, and upon whom they can rely to speak up on issues about which they are troubled.

This is why the elections for ten non-permanent members of the UNSC for the period 2013-2014 are important to the people of the Caribbean.

Not enough is done to explain the vital link between foreign policy positions and domestic considerations in small states. Yet, the citizens of countries have a right to know and understand why their governments adopt the foreign policy positions that

they do.

It is now fairly wellknown that CARICOM countries have collectively decided to support the candidatures of Australia and Finland for the two seats on the UNSC allocated to what is called the “Western Europe and Others Group” (WEOG). There is a third candidate –Luxembourg. So, it is a three-cornered fight for the election to two seats.

In the case of Australia, CARICOM's support derives from two things.

First, of the 14-independent member nations of CARICOM, 12 of them are also members of the Commonwealth along with Australia. They are many similarities among them including language, common law, shared values, a history of cooperation and a passion for the game of Cricket. Second, Australia has also been a contributor to the rebuilding of Haiti – the poorest of the CARICOM states. It is a contribution appreciated by all CARICOM countries.

Beyond these two important considerations, Australia has always shown concern for the plight of small states in its own area of the world – the Pacific. That concern has extended to the Caribbean where Australia has contributed in practical ways. For example, since 2010, Australia has been spending a four-year allocation of US$63M on projects in the Caribbean, including US$17.4M on climate adaptation – a matter of crucial importance to the region.

Because of the many contacts with Australia at several levels within the Commonwealth – through both the governmental Commonwealth and civil society organizations – Australia has a keen understanding of the outlook and aspirations of the Caribbean and it can be called-upon to take account of them in the positions adopted at the UNSC. With regard to Finland with which there has not been the sort of traditional links as exist with Australia, there is a kind of “soulbrother” relationship.

Finland is a small state in European terms, and, like the Caribbean, it knows the anguish of colonialism and occupation having endured them both from Russia and Sweden.

Conflict resolution is high on Finland's agenda – something welcomed by the Caribbean. And Finland and the small CARICOM countries were natural allies in last July's negotiations in New York on an Arms Trade Treaty. While they failed to secure the Treaty, largely because of a last minute abandonment by the US, together with Canada and Australia they overcame many hurdles to bring the treaty to the cusp of

conclusion.

Despite its distance from the region, Finland has diplomatic relations with every CARICOM country and it has appointed Honorary Consuls in all of them. It is also little known that, for over a decade, Finland has quietly been contributing to the region's development, particularly in meteorological services that are important to the area especially to prepare for annual storms.

At the disappointing Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil earlier this year, Finland was also a solid ally of the CARICOM states in trying to get action to address the needs of small island developing states in anticipation of the effects of global warming that are expected to worsen in the near future.

It may well be asked whether or not it matters who is elected to the 10-member non-permanent seats of the

Sir Ronald Sanders UNSC since it is the permanent five – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States – that hold real power and any one of them can veto actions by the Council that they disapprove.

It is precisely because so (continued on page 37)

Page 36

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Sunday September 02, 2012

From page 35 much power resides in the hands of the five permanent members that it is important to elect to the ten non-permanent seats countries that will have the sensitivity and concern to raise their voices

Kaieteur News

as trustees for all the other countries of the word that have no veto, and even no say.

Both Australia and Finland have demonstrated not only a determination to contribute to resolving conflicts

in the world, but also a commitment to advancing the interests of small and powerless states. That is why joint support for Australia and Finland

by CARICOM countries, in a welcome harmonization of their positions, is good for the

Caribbean people and for the wider world community.

(The writer is a Consultant and former Caribbean diplomat) Responses and previous commentaries: http:// www.sirronaldsanders.com/

Page 37

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 39

Page 40

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Born Loser MUD BATH An elderly man goes into his doctors office for an annual physical. After a while, the doctor comes out and says, “I’m sorry Bill, but we have discovered you have a condition which only allows you another 6 weeks to live.”

“But Doctor,” Bill replied, “I feel great. I haven’t felt better in years. This just can’t be true. Isn’t there anything I can do?”

After a moment the doctor said, “Well, you might start going down the street to that new health spa and take a mud bath every day.”

Excitedly Bill asked, “And that will cure me?”

“No,” replied the doctor, “but it will get you used to the dirt.” ****************** PASSING GAS An elderly couple was attending church services when about halfway through she leans over and says to him, “I just had a silent passing of gas, what do you think I should do?” He leans over to her and replies, “Put a new battery in your hearing aid...” ****************** TOO MUCH HUNTING Saturday morning I got up early, put on my long johns, dressed quietly, made my lunch, grabbed my shotgun and the dog, slipped quietly into the garage to load the truck, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour.

There was snow mixed with the rain, and the wind was blowing 50 mph. I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad throughout the day.

I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. There I cuddled up to my wife’s back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, “The weather out there is terrible.”

She sleepily replied, “Can you believe my stupid husband is out hunting in that crap?” ****************** POKER GAME Six retired Floridians were playing poker in the condo clubhouse when Meyerwitz loses $500 on a single hand, clutches his chest, and drops dead at the table. Showing respect for their fallen comrade, the other five continue playing standing up.

Finkelstein looks around and asks, “So, who’s gonna tell his wife?” They cut cards. Goldberg picks the two of clubs and has to carry the news. They tell him to be discreet, be gentle, don’t make a bad situation any worse.

“Discreet? I’m the most discreet person you’ll ever meet. Discretion is my middle name. Leave it to me.”

Goldberg goes over to the Meyerwitz apartment and knocks on the door. The wife answers thru the door and asks what he wants? Goldberg declares: “Your husband just lost $500 in a Poker game and is afraid to come home.

“Tell him to drop dead!” yells the wife.

“I’ll go tell him.” says Goldberg ****************** HEARINGAID An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, “Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.”

The gentleman replied, “Oh, I haven’t told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I’ve changed my will three times!” ****************** ONE SMART OLD MAN An elderly man in Florida had owned a large farm for several years. He had a large pond in the back, fixed up nice - picnic tables, horseshoe courts, and some apple and peach trees. The pond was properly shaped and fixed up for swimming when it was built. One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn’t been there for a while.

He grabbed a five gallon bucket to bring back some fruit. When he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee. As he came closer he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond. He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end.

One of the women shouted to him, “We’re not coming out until you leave!” The old man frowned, “I didn’t come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked.”

Holding the bucket up he said, “I’m here to feed the alligator.” Moral: Old men can still think fast.

Garfield

Non Sequitur

Peanuts

Shoe

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Chamomile for Dark Circles Under The Eyes Chamomile is great for stress relief so, if the dark circles under your eyes are due to stress and/or fatigue, drinking a cup of chamomile tea before you go to bed should help you relax.

Alternatively, steep the tea bag (unused) in cold mineral water for a few minutes. Soak a couple of cotton wool balls in the water, squeeze out the excess and place them over your closed eyelids for ten minutes.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more information about using tea bags for dark

circles under the eyes on this site.

You can now purchase chamomile sticks for treating the dark circles under your eyes. These can be carried with you and used as needed.

Dry Skin-Controlling Paste Dry Skin-Controlling Paste Moisturizes dry skin.

To naturally-moisturize dry skin.

You will need: Egg yolk Olive oil Lemon juice Procedure: Make a creamy paste with egg yolk, olive oil and lemon juice by mixing all these ingredients together. Mix well and apply it on neck and face.

Leave the mixture for 10 minutes and wash with water.

Repeat this remedy as often as needed.

Egg & Honey Facial Mask This recipe is good in removing the tan from the face due to prolonged exposure to sunlight.

What you need: Egg white Honey Bowl Procedure: In a large bowl mix together the egg white and the honey.

Continue to stir until it becomes sticky and thick. Apply to the damaged face for 5 minutes. And wash face thoroughly with a mild facial soap. Sometimes it would be advisable to wash face with lukewarm water alone to avoid skin complications of sun-burned damaged skin.

SOLUTION FOR LAST WEEKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SEARCH & FIND

Page 41

Page 42

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 43

Page 44

Kaieteur News

Country profile:

Sunday September 02, 2012

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

OVERVIEW Equatorial Guinea is a small country off West Africa which has recently struck oil and which is now being cited as a textbook case of the resource curse - or the paradox of plenty.

Since the mid 1990s the former Spanish colony has become one of sub-Sahara’s biggest oil producers and in 2004 was said to have the world’s fastest-growing economy.

However, few people have benefited from the oil riches and the country ranks near the bottom of the UN human development index. The UN says that less than half the population has access to clean drinking water and that 20 percent of children die before reaching five. The country has exasperated a variety of rights organisations who have described the two post-independence leaders as among the worst abusers of human rights in Africa.

Francisco Macias Nguema’s reign of terror - from independence in 1968 until his overthrow in 1979 - prompted a third of the population to flee. Apart from allegedly committing genocide against the Bubi ethnic minority, he ordered the death of thousands of suspected opponents, closed down churches and presided over the economy’s collapse.

His successor - Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo took over in a coup and has shown little tolerance for opposition during the three decades of his rule. While the country is nominally a multiparty democracy, elections have generally been considered a sham.According to Human Rights Watch, the ‘’dictatorship under President Obiang has used an oil boom to entrench and enrich itself further at the expense of the country’s people’’.

The corruption watchdog Transparency International has put Equatorial Guinea in the top 12 of its list of most corrupt states. Resisting calls for more transparency, President Obiang has for long held that oil revenues are a state secret. In 2008 the country became a candidate of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative - an international project meant to promote openness about government oil revenues but failed to qualify by an April 2010 deadline.

A 2004 US Senate investigation into the Washington-based Riggs Bank found that President Obiang’s family had received huge payments from US oil companies such as Exxon Mobil and Amerada Hess.

Observers say the US

finds it hard to criticise a country which is seen as an ally in a volatile, oil-rich region. In 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hailed President Obiang as a “good friend” despite repeated criticism of his human rights and civil liberties record by her own department. More recently President Barack Obama posed for an official photograph with President Obiang at a New York reception.

The advocacy group Global Witness has been lobbying the United States to act against the President Obiang’s son Teodor, a government minister. It says there is credible evidence that he spent millions buying a Malibu mansion and private jet using corruptly acquired funds - grounds for denying him a visa.

Equatorial Guinea hit the headlines in 2004 when a plane load of suspected mercenaries was intercepted in Zimbabwe while allegedly on the way to overthrow President Obiang.

Africaine) franc = 100 centimes Main exports: Petroleum, timber, cocoa GNI per capita: US $14,540 (World Bank, 2010) Internet domain: .gq International dialling code: +240 LEADERS President: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo

Full name: The Republic of Equatorial Guinea Population: 720,000 (UN, 2011) Capital: Malabo Area: 28,051 sq km (10,830 sq miles) Major languages: Spanish, French Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 50 years (men), 53 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere

Equatorial Guinea’s President Obiang Mr Obiang has been in power for three decades Mr Obiang Nguema is Africa’s longest serving leader and has been in power for three decades.

In 1979 he seized power from President Francisco Macias Nguema, who was the leader at independence and whose rule prompted a mass exodus and thousands of deaths. The former leader was tried and executed. The new president relaxed some of the restrictions of his predecessor - such as a ban on the Catholic Church - but kept the absolute control he inherited.

Officials said Mr Obiang won more than 97% of the vote in presidential elections in December 2002.

Opposition candidates had withdrawn from the poll, citing fraud and irregularities.

Officials reported similar results following the November 2009 presidential elections.

A French judge announced in May 2009 that he would launch a landmark investigation into whether President Obiang and two

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo

Teodorin Obiang is Vice-President and Minister of Agriculture

FACTS

other African leaders plundered state coffers to buy luxury homes and cars in France. It became known as the case of “ill-gotten gains”.

A complaint filed by Transparency International France, accused the leaders, who denied any wrongdoing, of acquiring millions of dollars of real estate in Paris and on the French Riviera and buying luxury cars with embezzled public money.

However, a French appeal court threw out the case saying the activists couldn’t act against foreign heads of state. A subsequent ruling, in November 2010, authorised an investigation into the charges.

The president’s son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, has been resisting attempts by the US administration to seize some $71 million worth of his assets, denying charges that they were obtained with allegedly corrupt funds taken from his country.

US authorities in 2011 filed to seize a $30 million Malibu, California, oceanfront home, a $38.5 million Gulfstream jet, a Ferrari worth more than $500,000 and dozens of pieces of pop singer Michael Jackson memorabilia worth almost $2 million.

They argued that Obiang obtained the items with money corruptly taken from his impoverished country through a variety of alleged schemes, including requiring companies to pay so-called taxes and fees to him as well as to make donations to his pet projects and then took those funds for his own use.

Proposed changes to the constitution were put to a referendum in November 2011, and according to the government, accepted by voters. Critics allege that while the changes are presented as democratic reforms they will actually entrench the president’s position.

MEDIA Equatorial Guinea’s media outlets are closely controlled by the government. There are few private publications.

The nation ranks at position 161 out of 179 countries in the 2012 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) press freedom index.

RSF includes President Obiang on its list of “Predators of Press Freedom”. The watchdog says the national broadcaster obeys the orders of the information ministry.

Radio France Internationale and Gabonbased Africa No 1 broadcast on FM in Malabo. Satellite TV is widely available.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 45

Hosororo girl gets “wiggy” with the biggies Name: Latoya Ward Occupation: Hairstylist Clients: Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, etc.

Every time Yolanda Ward has to hop on a plane from New York and head out to some other state, or some other country, just to fix someone's hair, particularly big names like Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige, she has to stop and pinch herself.

The dead stares outside the aircraft's windows are not to admire the clouds, but to relish on how she, a Hosororo girl, now shares space, and actually works for music's biggest stars.

When Yolanda says she just “likes hair” you can't really argue with her. She has meddled with people's hair from the time her fingers gained the strength.

It started in her home village, Hosororo, in the North West District, where she was just “braiding everybody's hair.”

At age 13, she moved to Georgetown and once her high school days were over, it was straight to beauty school –a certain Indra's Salon, which taught cosmetology. She learnt the whole range of disciplines – hair, nails, facial and so on.

But it was the hair styling that

Yolanda Ward takes a break at work she was most interested in.

“I just liked hair,” she told Kaieteur News while holidaying home.

Her father wanted more of her; working on people's hair didn't seem like a career he wanted his daughter to get involved in.

But now, he is like, “Oh well.” His girl is doing just fine.

Yolanda moved to New York and enrolled in a beauty school there too, so she could get certified and all that good stuff.

After two years of studying, she went looking for a job and ended up at a salon in Manhattan that

was looking for an assistant.

She was told to show them what she can do, and she got to work. She was hired the very next day. But she wasn't really prepared for the clients that would start walking in as her time on the job went on.

Yolanda has worked on styling for supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Iman, and singers Alicia Keys, Brandy, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna and Beyonce.

In fact, just before her visit to Guyana, she had just finished working on a concert for Beyonce.

And those are just a few years. A phone call could see her flying to Paris, London, Germany, and wherever else.

“At times I have to stop and say to myself 'OH MY GOD' I am braiding Alicia Keys' hair!”

The first time she met Beyonce, Yolanda wasn't sure how to react. Understandably, but she got through fine. Now, Beyonce is the one who has to listen to the Hosororo girl. She knows which wig would work best for what aspect of a show.

Beyonce likes to have her own way, but she has been proven wrong by the feisty Yolanda.

Mary J. Blige.

Hair: Yolanda Ward

Beyonce. Hair: Yolanda Ward

Yo l a n d a ' s s p e c i a l t y i s extensions. She has perfected the art, so you can be sure that when she lands a wig on your head, it doesn't look “wiggy.”

So what's the dream for this young lady?

Her dream is working on the Golden Globes and the Oscars.

While she is now enjoying freelancing, she one day hopes to open a salon in New York and, of course, Guyana.

Although not sure on the timelines; Yolanda is enjoying the good life, even though after years, it still remains a surreal experience for her.

Alicia Keys. Hair: Yolanda Ward

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 49

Livestock Authority investigating stockfeed quality … as small poultry farmers complain

T

he Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) is investigating the quality of stockfeed available on the local market. This stems from complaints by small poultry farmers that it does not meet the quality standards that support healthy growth of poultry.

“We have been doing surveillance studies to determine if the allegations of the farmers have any m e r i t . We h a v e a l s o embarked on an exercise to determine the chemical and physical composition of the stockfeed,” Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said.

The Minister stressed that not all stakeholders are cooperating with the GLDA and the Ministry may have to utilise the full force of the law and regulations to ensure cooperation.

Dr. Ramsammy said, “The Ministry of Agriculture will ensure that all laws are complied with in order to protect the poultry industry.

Previously, the Bureau of

Standards had drafted standards for stockfeed.

These were never finalised.”

He assured that the Ministry will work with the Bureau of Standards and the Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Industry to finalise these standards. The Ministry will also strengthen provisions to ensure certification and quality of feed plants.

Another concern expressed by farmers was the cost of poultry stockfeed.

Dr. Ramsammy pointed out that in recent weeks, prices of stockfeed from the major producer in Guyana have been rising. “These price increases have been introduced without notice to farmers or to the Ministry of Agriculture,” he said.

The producers of feed in Guyana have blamed the price increases on the high costs for corn and soyabean meal on the overseas market.

They related that owing to the drought in certain parts of the United States, the prices for those ingredients have increased. Some producers have been using

A small scale poultry farm rice as a substitute for corn, but there is no substitute for soybean meal.

“Stockfeed availability in Guyana depends on production from one major producer, Guyana Stockfeeds Ltd., which accounts for about 60% of the stockfeed available.

Bounty Farms also produces stockfeed, but mainly for its own use. There are some small producers, but their impact on the market

presently is marginal,” Dr. Ramsammy explained.

He related that a consultation will be held on Monday with a number of experts on one of the major constraints facing the poultry industry in Guyana – that of the availability and affordability of quality stockfeed.

Dr. Ramsammy related that after a period of rising chicken prices earlier this year, they are now stable on

the local market. “At both Bourda and Stabroek Markets, and at other markets around the country, prices remain relatively stable for chicken and eggs,” Dr. Ramsammy said.

While the price is stable not everyone could afford to pay $400 per pound of chicken.

“Indeed, prices compared to the same period in 2011 show a slight decrease. The truth is that

even though we provided licences for importation of chickens earlier in the year, the Ministry of Agriculture is only aware of two importers who actually imported chicken,” he disclosed.

It was noted that chicken production has increased from 13,329,083 kilograms (kg) for the first half of 2012 as compared to 12,238,682 kg for the same period in 2011. This represents a nine percent increase.

Page 50

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Werk-en-Rust man perishes in fire What remains of the cottage

An inconsolable Kamarool Azeeze

By Abena Rockcliffe Residents from the Werken-Rust area yesterday morning converged hurriedly at what remained of a Breda Street cottage to get a glimpse of the grisly sight of the charred remains of 55-year-old Anthony Brumell known to most as “Pepee.”

Brumell perished in his home during a blaze that started around 10:55hrs.

Luckily, his reputed wife, Kamarool Azeeze, escaped with a few minor burns.

The cottage was divided into two rooms. One was occupied by Brumell and Azeeze while the other was occupied by a blind man known only as “Buddy.”

He was not at home at the time of the fire.

Even though Lot 79 facilitated three houses, the Guyana Fire Service was able to expertly control the

inferno, saving two of the buildings. However, the cottage immediately south of the one destroyed was extensively damaged, but all was not lost.

The neighbouring house on the northern side was mildly scorched, while smoke at one point was seen emerging from the front house.

Azeeze recalled that she was at a stand pipe washing utensils when the smell of smoke triggered her realization that her house was afire. She revealed that her husband was cooking.

The woman, who is unemployed and occasionally solicits help from the public, said that she heard no sound that would have indicated something was amiss.

“I ain't hear no poof, I ain't even hear he call out to me, I don't really hear good.”

Azeeze said that all her belongings were burnt in the fire.

Neighbours are speculating that Brumell probably either fell on a kerosene stove that “he always fixing” or “it sut up and catch afire”.

The position of Brumell's body indicated that he could possibly have made his way out of the house as his remains were discovered in close proximity to the door.

Neighbours who described the man as “very willing” are of the belief that he was most likely weak at the time, as his constant use of “high wine” usually had him staggering.

“He is a nice man, anything you ask he fuh do he would do it for you, but oh gosh, he would drink de rum, chew de label and swallow de cork,” a neighbour (continued on page 53)

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 51

Page 52

From the Diaspora...

By Ralph Seeram If you make a mistake once it’s a learning experience, twice it’s a warning experience, three times brings on firing experiences, and you will be out of a job. When it comes to contracts, the PPP Government has exceeded its three mistakes a long time ago.

When it comes to contracts the Government cannot get its act together.

One wonders if the latest controversy over the contract for the Specialty Hospital is another sign of favoritism, corruption, Government’s incompetence, or a combination of all three.

What bothers me is the

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Why can’t the PPP government get its contracts and service to the public right? defensive way the Government reacts and attacks individuals when questioned on their decisions.

It is as if they should not be questioned; they seem to forget whose money they are dealing with, they forget it’s the people’s money, and they, the people, have every right to question their actions, whether it’s through the media or not.

The award of the contract for the Specialty Hospital needs to be re-examined and reviewed in light of the facts brought out by the losing company, Fedders Lloyd. I will not go into all the technical details of the contract; this has been aired sufficiently in the media during the past few days.

However reading through the details, it seemed to me that somebody was making up the rules as that person went along, in my view to favour the winner, Surendra Engineering. The “goal post” was being shifted when it came to the question of the bank guarantee. The government, it would appear, was giving “mixed signals “on this aspect of the contract.

Should it have been through a local bank or through a bank in India?

Surendra Engineering did theirs through a bank in India, when the contract stipulates it must be done through a local bank. The government claims the contract was subsequently changed (verbally or otherwise) for the guarantee to be done through a bank in India. Fedders Lloyd’s on the other hand, was done through a bank in India along with a corresponding local Guyanese bank.

On both counts it would seem that Fedders Lloyd met the requirements. Unlike Surendra Engineering, Fedders Lloyd’s consortium has experience in the construction of these types

of specialty hospitals. So why did they lose out? We know that Surendra Engineering built a Sugar Packaging plant in Guyana, a plant some perceived as over-priced. Did the company’s prior presence in Guyana give it an unfair advantage?

Did the association with some Government officials work to their advantage?

This entire episode needs to be reviewed. Fedders Lloyd seems to be relying on international business practices, not taking into account local business practices which include corruption in the award of contracts. It apparently does not understand the polarization of local politics.

If it did, it would not have retained Khemraj Ramjattan as its Attorney.

In fact, it could not have made a worst choice to help its case; not that Khemraj Ramjattan is an incompetent advocate. Far from it, it’s just that the PPP Government is not going to pay attention to anything Khemraj represents.

After all, Ramjattan is the leader of one of the opposition parties.

In the USA that might be

good move, but in the polarized politics of Guyana, Fedders Lloyd needs to get another Attorney, if the Government is going to pay any attention to it.

Of course there is still hope for the company; it has recourse with the bank in India that is furnishing the loan.

Which brings me to a pet peeve of mine when it comes to service to the public by government. It should rightfully be called “customer no service”. Earlier this week, I went to purchase some air conditioning parts in a store in Orlando. On the wall was a large management notice called the 10 commandments of customer satisfaction, for customers and the employees to see.

Among those “the customers are always right” “never argue with a customer”, and the one I love “the customer pays your salary”. The latter is lost to clerks and officials in public service.

In this 21st Century why do Guyanese have to travel to Georgetown to get a passport, birth certificate or other licences? It does not take much imagination to know that you have to decentralize so the people in Essequibo and Berbice do not have to leave their homes at 4 am to travel to Georgetown, to get a document I can obtain here in Orlando in five minutes.

On a visit last year to Guyana I accompanied someone to the Passport Office to obtain a passport.

Given what you hear in the

Diaspora, I was surprised when we were told it would be ready in four or five days.

On return at the required time the passport was ready, there is no question that things have improved vastly in the passport office. That was better than I can do in the US. Now if they can only decentralize, thousands of Guyanese outside of Georgetown would be very happy.

Before closing on a personal note, I saw a little news item about the death of Hector Bunyan at 90. It jogged my memory when I was aspiring to be a journalist. Back then you were told that shorthand (Pitman’s) would be an advantage. It should be known that Mr. Bunyan was one of the fastest shorthand writers in Guyana “back in the day”.

I had the privilege to be taught by this gentleman, when I attended the then Maggie Clark Commercial School in New Amsterdam.

Many will recall that that was the premier school if you wanted to write shorthand.

Mr. Bunyan, then an official court reporter/recorder, impressed upon me the importance of shorthand.

He probably would have been disappointed to know I never achieved speeds at over 100 words per minute.

To date I know of only one reporter who still writes shorthand, George Barclay, who still covers high court cases in Guyana.

Ralph Seeram can be reach at email ralph365@hotmail.com

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

GPF 2012 work study programme concludes Over the past two months 35 children from across the country were given an opportunity to get a firsthand look at the operation of the Guyana Police Force having being placed within the organization for work study.

On Friday, last, the young men and women were recognised with a simple farewell ceremony for their contribution during their stint with the institution, which included being placed in departments such as the finance office, general office and Criminal Investigation photography department.

The students were drawn from the Scouts Group which

is also run by the Guyana Police Force.

Assistant Commissioner Mr. Balram Persaud addressed the gathering which included proud parents and their children.

He told the students that it was a pleasure for the force to have had them around, while noting that their contribution will go a far way.

He added that the stint with the force will no doubt impact on their l i v e s a s t h e y prepare for the world of work.

Persaud further urged the scouts to make the best of whatever they would have learnt and apply it in every other working environment

they plan to venture into. He also lauded the scouts for their dedication, as many of them opted to stay on until school is ready to be opened, despite being offered a oneweek break to prepare for the new school year.

Each student who participated was presented with a certificate of participation.

Over the years the Guyana Police Force has been affording young men and women opportunities to development themselves by way of various programmes throughout the year.

Some of these include the Scouts group, youth camps and the Tiger Bay outreach.

Werk-en-Rust man perishes in...

(From page 50) reflected. Syrn Rahamat who holds the power of attorney for the burnt house, said that Azeeze didn't raise an alarm as everyone was alerted of the fire only after her son-inlaw looked through the kitchen window and saw the smoke.

“We didn't know Pepee went in deh or else somebody woulda try and pull he out” said the woman in sympathy.

Rahamat said that Brumell had been residing in the area for about 10 years. However, about three years ago he began residing in the now burnt cottage.

She further revealed that sometime back the man almost caught afire another house in the same yard.

“He always with that old kero stove say… how he trying to fix it… and he nearly burn down this other house (pointing to an adjacent property) de same way.”

This newspaper understands that most of Brumell's

relatives reside overseas. Reports are that he and Azeeze lately started a common law relationship.

Azeeze, whose hair was burnt, and who bore several other minor burns, suffered hostile reactions from residents of the community who are convinced that if she had

raised an alarm earlier, “Pepee coulda get save, even if he hand or foot de break when we trying to pull he out.”

The woman said that she panicked and “just run.”

She lamented that her husband died two years ago “now Pepee gone and left meh too.”

Page 53

Arguments with lawyer cause premature adjournment in Lumumba assault trial Arguments between attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes and Presidential Adviser Odinga Lumumba over the meaning of the word “duress “and whether it was used in the correct context by the government official, forced a premature adjournment in Lumumba’s assault trial.

The matter was called on Thursday last, before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

It had not been five minutes into the trial when Magistrate Latchman ended the matter “refusing to sit through another episode of what had transpired on the last occasion.”

Lumumba took the witness box to give further evidence in the assault and provoking the peace matter which was brought against him by Onika Beckles, a woman who held a senior position at an Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt polling station during the 2011 General elections.

Lumumba on the previous occasion gave an account of what had happened on the day of the alleged incident.

The cross-examination by

Hughes had also commenced at the time and Lumumba had returned last Thursday for the continuation of the matter.

Hughes asked Lumumba about him entering the polling station on the day of the alleged assault. He asked Lumumba the purpose for him entering the polling station and the circumstances for him doing so.

Lumumba answered the lawyer’s questions stating that he entered the polling station under duress. Hughes in turn asked Lumumba if he was forced to enter the polling station and the government official answered in the negative.

Hughes further asked Lumumba if he knew the meaning of the word, putting forward that the way the word was used it would seem that he was pressured into entering the polling station.

From those questions and answers, a back and forth with words developed between Hughes and the defendant.

The Magistrate quickly adjourned the matter until September 27.

On the previous occasion, there had been sporadic outbursts by the government

official who was obviously irate by questions that Hughes asked. After Lumumba gave an account of the incident that occurred between himself and Beckles, Hughes asked him about persons that were present with him on the day in question. He first denied having anyone with him, but as the matter went on and more information surfaced, Lumumba admitted having a female occupant in his company, but denied being with two other gentlemen.

Further questions to the Presidential Adviser caused more outbursts until the Magistrate, obviously agitated by the situation, adjourned the trial.

On June 20, Lumumba was charged for reportedly disturbing the peace and assaulting Beckles when he went to a polling station in South Ruimveldt. It is alleged that Lumumba shoved the complaint against a wall and caused a scene at the voting station.

Beckles was also charged with preventing a political party candidate from entering the Polling Station. Her matter is also before the court.

Page 54

WANTED 1 female bartender & 1 cook, must know to bake pastries to work in interior, interested persons Call: 696-1127 Experience males to pluck chicken, attractive salary Call: 628-6160, 227-8998 Porters, Apply Wieting & Richter Ltd Experienced sales representatives, Apply Wieting & Richter Ltd

Kaieteur News

CAR RENTAL FABS RENTAL, cars & SUV rental, call: 600- 6890 or email fabsrental@yahoo.com Aidan’s car, pick up & canter rental Call: 698-7807 PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL, cars from $3500 per day. Call: 643-5122,656-0087 FOR SALE / RENT American Pool Table Call: 277-0578

Skilled carpenters and mason Call: 615-7526 1 General domestic t work in Georgetown Call: 696-1310 or 614-7267 Assistant pastry maker , counter persons. Apply in person @ Shanta’s ,225 Camp & New Market Sts.

Labourers to work at construction site Call: 2250188,225-6070 Survival Shopping Complex, Sheriff Street needs male bond attendants and bag packers Call: 227-5286-90 1 carnegie trained cook, age 18-45 Call: 614-4358 Reputable Taxi Service seeks dispatchers and contract cars Call: 6585402,670-8469,226-1542 Experienced upholster to work in Trinidad. Ravi 868753-3582 or 356-2015 Urgently needed live in waitress to work in bar, reasonable salary offered Call: 259-0574 Salesgirls salary $9000 weekly Call: 621-7862 Labourers for wood concession 4,000 per day, accommodation provided, call: 653 – 6236 1-Accounts clerk, experience: VAT,NIS & PAYE Call: 614-4358 T.S.I, Eccles Industrial Site.

Rental of machines : Excavator, Roller & Bobcat Call: 220-5580, 621-4786 One business Place and House, tel: 276- 0818 Property Lot 15 New Heaven, Bel Air for US$2,500 and Lot 198 Lamaha Gardens, Bel Air for US$2,000 Call: 600-4664, 644-1300

Trampolines and Bouney Castle Call: 225-2598, 6410784

1- Stores Clerk (male) Call: 614-4358

One minibus driver Call: 664-4945

New Classes in Cosmetology, nails & makeup Call Abby 216-1950, 6665241, 619-7603

Part Time security to work (1) night per week in Georgetown. Call 628 – 2388, 643-3903 between 13:00 – 15:00hrs daily

Sewing machines operators, clippers/pressers/porters Call: 222-2541

Security/ Watchman Call: 225-6070, 225-0188

Booths for rent in hair salon $6,000 weekly Call: 227-3273 or 696-3037 in Albert town Georgetown.

WANTED

Driver /salesman with clean lorry driving record, security guards. Call: 2664427

Salesgirls; call: 225-6137

SALON Make up courses, artist trained & certified in Trinidad: 660-5257,647-1773

PARTY RENTAL

Live in/ Live out Babysitter/ Domestic Call: 225-0188, 2256070

Live in waitress Call: 3320845

FOR RENT Taxi Base rental at a popular West Side Hotel Call: 6381627

Hair & nails stations, Middle Road La Penitence Call: 2238037, 683-1080 Apartment to rent, one bedroom at 67 Garnett Street Newtown Kitty.

Operators for LT Sawmill, Loader, 6 head plainer, edger and resaw Call: 684-5868

Drinks machine & bottle washer operator, male & female worker, mechanic ,worker @ #7 Bakery, RA Soda Factory 330-2399 Chain saw operators, call: 653 - 6236 Office clerk, CXC English/ Mathematics, computer knowledge an asset. Call: 225-4492,225-9404 Male & female to work in electronics store, Apply @ Guyana Variety Store & Nut Centre 68 Robb Street.

Male to work at a shop in an interior location, age 30-35 years old, salary $70,000. Call: 678-1911 Upholstery workers, sewing machine operators, joiners.

Call: 220-3175/616-4403 Reputable Transportation Service is seeking experienced drivers and dispatchers also contract vehicles Call: 645-0025 Experienced drivers, Apply @ Hack’s Halaal Restaurant with written application, 5 Commerce Street between 911am.

Reputable Taxi Service seeks contract cars and drivers Call: 231-0250, 231-0260 Computer literate person, Apply at Trophy Stall Bourda Market.

Waitress to work in bar. Age 18 to 25. Tel: 256-4096.

Sunday September 02, 2012

TO LET From 1st September, decent working couples, one bedroom apartment, parking convenience Call: 623-8759, 218-3463 Fully furnished 1 & 2 bedrooms apartments AC, Hot water, internet US$40 nightly. Contact 231-6721 & 674-8300. Long & short term Diamond two storey apartment with 4 bedrooms, 2 sitting rooms, grill etc Call: 650-5613 Apartments from $45000, furnished house $80,000,Bel Air US$800, Subryanville US$ 1500 Diana 227-2256,626-9382 Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles Call: 6797139 Apartments, tel: 667 1549 Newly built 2 bedroom house on West Coast Demerara, call: 610 – 4436 Newly built apartment WCD, call: 698- 6496 One 2 bedrooms furnished apartment, parking & Wifi & Short term for foreign Call: 222-7891 or 609-9202 4 Bedroom house next to new, A/C, Hot/Cold, large parking US$1,800 Monthly, Happy Acres ECD Call: 231-7839 8am-4pm.

2 bedroom apartment, fully furnished for overseas guest only. Call: 665-2548

FOR SALE MAC STUDIO FIX POWDERS $7,900, SACHA 2in1 $2,000 MAKE UP – top Brands, BLACK OPAL $2,700 Tel :647 -1773 Massey Ferguson Tractor 290. Full working condition.

Just overhauled & sprayed; tel # 618 – 7530.

Rosetta stone language software. Call: 695-7595

CAKES & PASTRIES Courses in cake decoration, pastry making & cookery, tel: 670-0798. Also Wedding dresses for sale.

FOR SALE SDMO Generator (Mitsubishi ) 28 KVA Diesel silent with 400 gallon storage tank not working $550,000 Call: 621-4000, 690-6000 SDMO Generator (Mitsubishi ) 28 KVA Diesel silent with 400 gallon storage tank not working $650,000 Call: 6214000, 690-6000 SDMO Generator (Mitsubishi ) engine 28 KVA Diesel silent with 400 gallon storage tank in working condition $1.4M Call: 6906000 Clean garden earth and bobcat rental, excavating clearing and leveling. Call: 616-0617, 663-3285 Exotic Hibiscus, Roses, Mussaenda, B/Ville, Ficus, Marigold, Periwinkle, Petunia, Herbs, Vegetable seedlings, A.K Plant Shop.

Call: 260-0005 STOCKS ARRIVED. PLAYSTATION2 Systems, games, controllers, memory cards etc, Great Bargains.

Max 609-8132 ORIGINAL GAMES FOR PSI, PS2, PS3, Xbox & Xbox360. Also Nintendo64 systems & controls 609-8132 (Max) Newly open Nokia Store, selling all types cell phones with all accessories in Vreeden-Hoop, Call: 661-4875 2-60-180 Leyland Daf dump truck lorry in working condition Call: 628-1756, 2285655 Bedford lorry-Model-M 4 Speed gearbox Call: 628-1756, 228-5655 The Children of the World musical CD. Positive messages in songs, Full Range Record Bar Call: 2671565

DVDs: Classic Indian & English, Olympics 2012, Usain Bolt, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates Call: 675-3489,6832714 Brandnew American made Crosely 10.5 cu ft Refridgerator for sale $75,000 Call: 697-5677

FOR SALE 1 225 KVA Generator, 1 Hiace Canter, Premio, 3 light towers, car batteries Call:624-2000 Roofing Shingles 15-15-15 Fertilizer Call: 266-2711, 6094594 One horse & cart Call: 6504421 Toyota Starlet EP71 Call:6482075 Imported Umbrellas 10ft & 12ft Call: 645-0870 Going cheap 1400x20R foreign used truck tyre Call: 648-2413 1 Gas stove $45,000, 1 bed frame $15,000 Call: 615-7132

Dachshund with Terrier mix, call: 680 – 0192, 216 -3408

16" Bore pump, rice field type. Utility four wheel trailer Call: 227-1830

Live chickens for sale at E.C.D $ 220 lb, call 691 – 8021

Male enhancer Viagra $4,000, 4 in pack Call: 638-1627

Games for PS2 $900, PSP $900, Xbox 360 $2,600, PS3 $2,600 Call: 265-3231, 672-2566 New Generac 2700 PSI & Honda 3100 PSI Power pressure washer Call: 6148564, 680-0862 Massey Ferguson tractors model 188, Honda ATVS model 500,2012 Call: 6886274 or 691-3851 Pallet jacks 2.5 ton, power tools, car mats, car seat covers etc wholesale & retail Call: 614-8564, 680-0862 New Sony 1-7 DVD/CD duplicator $100,000, used laptops $80,000 Tel: 2341473,621-7497 Granite, various colors, size 2x8 with backsplash, generators & cement mixers Call: 223-0943 Mon-Fri 9am4pm 65 kVA, 1 ph Deutz air cool gen set. Tel 622-3940 Solar lights & herbal products, tel: 641 – 5948, 688 -2592 Xbox 360 controllers, games Call: 639-7114,674-5625 Spares for washer, microwaves, fridges, stove timers, gear boxes, pumps etc Call: 225-9032, 647-2943 5 Clarke Forklifts 20004000lbs lifting imported USA, need basic servicing, sold as is $400,000 & up. Call 6214000, 690-6000 Projection television from 40’’ to 80’’ minor problems, sold as is, price $75,000, make cash offer Guyana Variety Store.

Call: 227-3939, 621-4000 Yamaha motorcycle YBR 125cc in perfect working condition $200,000, check Guyana Variety & Nut Centre 68 Robb Street Call: 225-4631

Sale!! Sale !! Jettoo’s Lumber yard & Sawmill, C o v e r d e n Public Road EBD, B & C Grade lumber.

Price negotiable.. Call: 261-5041, 261-5042 17 INCH RIMS & TYRES (USED) CALL: 622-0108 RABBITS FOR SALE CALL: 600-0814 One Cargo vessel in working condition, 450 tons Call: 774-5463 or 678-6024 1 400lb Ice machine, 2 polar freezers, 1 complete music set Call: 609-8260, 690-1864 Household items, LG Refrigerator, LG stereo set, LG DVD Player & other items Call: 221-2737 275 Massey Ferguson tractor $2.8M, Four 3 dish plows stools, Scaffle $500,000 Call Julie @ 6699891 Leading Technology, Toshiba Laptop-wholesale & retail Call:648-6600 1 stall Stabroek Market Call: 638-7031, 644-6630 Dell computers complete with 17&19 inch LCD from $50,000 Future Tech 2312206 Pure breed German Shepherd pups, one German shepherd mixed wit rotweiler 5 months old Call: 682-2148, 655-8674 SAMSUNG CHRONOS 7 LAPTOP INTEL CORE i5, 8GB MEMORY, 750GB HDD, 14'’ LED HIGH DEFINITION, WINDOWS 7. NEW/ SEALED $180,000.

TEL: 683-3161 19Ft Bass tracker, boat with trailer in excellent condition Call: 223-0943 Mon-Fri 9am4pm (Continued on page 56)

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 55

The Abigail Column Texting, Facebook are not requirements for a successful marriage Dear Abigail, Do you think it is compulsory for your husband to check your phone and you emails? I have been married for about two months now and since then my husband is being personal with everything. He checks my purse, he checks my emails.

He even made me deleted all my male friends on Facebook.

When we were dating I didn’t had any problem with his jealous behavior because I was told “only when a guy loves you then he do those things” but if I had known better I would have curse the

person who told me that.

With what I am experiencing now, I regret I married this freaking jerk.

Joyce Dear Joyce, You need to calm down and reflect on the reasons why you married the guy. Is there nothing good about him?

You have already married him, not that that means you were prepared for marriage.

You clearly are not mature enough. Being ready to regret you marriage, calling your husband a “freaking jerk” after just two months shows your immaturity.

And if you want to get technical, is there something you have to hide? Why are you so paranoid if your husband runs through your phone? If you have nothing to hide, take a chill pill. Learn to respect your husband. It is one of the foundations of a successful marriage.

Also, you can try talking to him; find out what makes him insecure. Facebook is not a requirement for a successful marriage. So if you want a marriage, just stop doing things that you know your husband is not comfortable with. And darling, he is your husband, so yes, he has a right to be personal.

Sunday September 02, 2012 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): If your feet are not planted firmly on the ground today, you are in grave danger of getting swept away in someone else's dreams! ****************** TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): If you are making any big decisions today, you need to be selfish with your time -- take all you need to learn what you need to know. ******************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): You won't have much patience for the folks who love to beat around the bush today -if someone can't just say what they mean and be clear about it, then you won't be interested in putting forth the effort required to pull it out of them. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Your instincts are good -so why aren't you trusting them? Just because that one friend was right and you were wrong doesn't mean that they know better than you how you should run your life! ******************** LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Today your perception is starting to shift -- you are suddenly much more willing to see the other side of someone's argument and see that while this person might not agree with you, they do have a good point and they do deserve to be respected. ********************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept.

22): Respect other people's opinions, and they will respect yours -- it's that simple. So while it might take everything you've got to keep from screaming at someone who is

saying totally nutty things, holding back is absolutely essential. ********************** LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): You have been doing too many things 'on the go' lately.

While this might make you think that you are getting lots of things done, all of this running around could be distancing you from the real meaning behind what you are doing! ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): The explorer deep inside of you should call all the shots, today -- let it lead you into exploring new kinds of art. ********************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 21): It's not a day about feeling -- it's a day about thinking! Your brain is set to think in a more analytical way and your heart is letting it drive things for a while. ***************** CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 Jan. 19): Be mature today -step up and accept the ramifications of your recent behavior. The good news is that when you face the music and dance, you will end up getting into the groove in no time at all! *********************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): A little voice inside of you is telling you to heed the warnings around you. 'Keep your cards close to your chest,' says that voice -- and you should definitely obey it. *************** PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20): You've been almost like an action hero lately, swooping in and coming to the rescue of people in need!

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55hrs. Sign On 09:00hrs. Live! With Kelly 10:00hrs. MacGyver 11:00hrs. The View 12:00hrs. World News 12:30hrs. The Young and the Restless 13:30hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 14:00hrs. The Talk 15:00hrs. Boy Meets World 16:00hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00hrs. MacGyver 18:00hrs. World News 18:30hrs. Nightly News 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00hrs. Channel 8 News 20:30hrs. The Cosby Show 21:00hrs. Movie: Secretariat 23:00hrs. Sign Off NCN CHANNEL 11 02:00h – NCN Late Edition (R/ B) 02:30h – Late Nite with GINA 03:00h – Movie 05:00h – Inspiration 05:30h – Newtown Gospel 06:00h – NCN News (R/B) 06:30h – Tomorrow’s World 07:00h – Voice of Victory 07:30h – Voice of Islam 08:00h – Lifting Guyana to Greatness 08:30h – President’s Diary 09:00h – Ravi D Show 10:00h – Homestretch Magazine 10:30h – Weekly Digest 11:00h – Round Table 12:00h – Feature 12:30h – GRA in Focus 13:00h – Dharma Vani 14:00h – Feature 14:30h – Catholic Magazine 15:00h – The Naked Truth 15:30h – Feature 16:00h – Family Forum 16:30h – Shape 17:00h – Farmers’ Connection 18:00h – NCN Week in Review 18:30h – Guysuco Roundup 19:00h – Parliamentary Debate on Corruption 20:00h – Feature 20:30h – Kala Milan

21:00h – Between The Lines 22:00h – Movie MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 06:30h Prayag Vanie 07:00h Transpacific Bhajans 08:00h Christ for the Nation 08:30h Puran Brothers: Shiva Bhajans 09:00h Muslim Melodies with Al Madina Exclusive 09:30h Teleview Kutbah 10:00h DJ Stress Indian Movie 13:00h Garam Geet 14:00h BBC World News 14:30h Sitcom 15:00h The Variety Show with

WR Reaz 16:00h Bollywood Sensation with Kavita 17:00h Birthdays & Other greetings 17:15h Death Announcements/ In memoriam 17:30h BBC World News 18:00h Entertainment Buzz with Shivanie 18:30h Wendy Khan and Dheeraj Show 19:30h Focus on GRA 20:00h Sangeet Mehfil 21:00h Indian Movie: Raajneeti Sign Off

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Page 56

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

(From page 56) VEHICLES FOR SALE Just arrived: Allion and Premio, tel: 624-2000, 622-1610

PROPERTY FOR SALE 1 two storey concrete building, 34 Durban Street Wortmanville Call: 609-8260, 690-1864 Diamond $5M, Friendship $15.5M, Albertown $19M, Prashad Nagar $30M Diana 227-2256,626-9382 79 William Street, Kitty, price negotiable Call: 662-5114 House & land @ 3A Plantation Walk Vreed-enHoop Call: 680-0143 One property opposite Charlestown school 2 buildings, ideal for business Call: 231-0631, 689-5103 House and land for sale located at Lot 29 Malgre Tout West Bank Demerara Call: 613-5076 or 264-2449 Transported land, wooden & concrete house situated at Lot 18 Zeskendren Mahaicony East Coast Demerara Call: 221-2737 Business property for sale comprising of fully equipped bar and guest house in Worthmanville Call: 6618091, 225-3287 1 transported house and land situated at 182 Section ‘B’ Non Pariel E.C.D, Price negotiable. Call Nanda at 2209808 1 property at Diamond New Scheme, price $23M Negotiable Call: 612-2697 DRESS MAKING 6 Weeks classes in designing and sewing Call: Sharmela 225-2598, 641-0784

One enclosed Mitsubishi Canter, excellent condition, price $1.4 M negotiable, call: 253- 3349, 695- 6945 Canter for sale GPP Series, very good condition Call: 682-4224 Unregistered Allion, IST & PLL 212 Call: 609-8188 1 Allion, 1 IST, 1 Rav4, 1 45150 Leyland Daff, 1 55-210 Leyland HIAB Call Archie 624-1343, 664-2755 Unregistered Tundra tt 100 and Tacoma Call: 265-2103, 645-9860 One Mitsubishi 2 ton canter truck, body needs some work Call: 694-1150 Toyota Runx PPP Series $1.9M negotiable Call: 6177113 ACURA RL top of the line luxury car, 3500CC. V6 engine, owner leaving country . Call: 693-9455 Honda Civic 2003, 17" rims, HID, TV/DVD, reverse camera $1.9M Call: 652-5668 1 Mitsubishi Lancer, 3.5 ton open back canter Call: 6269254, 264-2582 Leading Auto Unregistered, Toyota Tundra 2004 Loaded Call: 677-7666/610-7666 GX620 Honda Welder Generator, 20HP, 14.9kw, 614cc, 270 amps, 2002 Toyota Tundra Call: 6115114, 220-4495 One EP71 Starlet, 1- Toyota Ceres,212 Carina, AT150 Corona, 1- G Touring Wagon, Alteeza PMM, Call: 6445096,697-1453 1-BKK RZ long base, excellent condition Call: 2683572,652-0709 1-Toyota Tacoma, fully loaded 105,000miles, location Berbice Call: 649-0958

MASSAGE American style massage service Call: 609-4036

Leading Auto, Unregistered Allion, Premio, Spacio, Runx, IST Call: 677-7666, 610-7666 Toyota Hilux extra cab, 56,990km, price $4.1M Negotiable Call: 692-8020 or 227-1989 2003 RX8 PNN Series $1.9M Negotiable Call: 617-7113

LEARN TO DRIVE

1- Noah, unregistered $2.5M negotiable , 1- Toyota Wish $2.850 Tel: 648-6869 1 212 Manual HB 3631, Price $1M Call: 662-5530

Soman & Sons Driving School, First Federation Building Call: 225-4858, 6445166, 622-2872, 615-0964

1 192 Toyota Carina $860,000 Call: 680-0143

Prudential Learning ‘Training to Pass’ automatic also stick/manual. Call: 6424827, 661-5028 ‘We’re # 1’

One Bedford 4x4 Truck TM Model with winch Price negotiable Call: 651-7614, 670-8469

VEHICLES FOR SALE Spacio New Model, unregistered, $2.5M Call: 621-0956 Mercedes Benz A 140, Automatic, fully powered PMM, 37,000km $2.6 million cash Call: 621-4000, 227-3939, 690-6000 2005 H2 Hummer sut model, fully powered, leather, 22’’ rims system price negotiable 645-9977 Stretch Limousine Limcoln town car, perfect condition, perfect for rentals, wedding etc, realistic offer accepted.

Call: 621-4000 2009 Trident car, brand new, never registered $950,000, Guyana Variety Store & Nut Centre 621-4000, 227-3939 Grand Cherokee Loredo Jeep, automatic power windows locks, projection led lights cash $1.4M Call: 621-4000, 690-6000, 227-3939 Mercedes Benz S300, automatic luxury car, fully leather, fully powered 19’’ negotiable armoured $3.5M cash. Call: 621-4000 1 Honda CRV (immaculate condition), automatic. Fully powered, A/C, Mags, Price $2.3M Call Rocky 621-5902 1 Toyota RZ (Longbase), 15 seater (EFI) manual, immaculate condition, hardly used, price $1.6M. Call Rocky 621-5902, 225-1400 1 Toyota Hilux Surf automatic, fully powered, A/ C, magrims, price $2M. Call Rocky 621-5902 1 Toyota Harrier (2001), automatic, fully loaded, alarm, immaculate condition, price $4.8M Call Rocky 6215902, 225-1400 1 AT 212 Toyota Carina (New Model), automatic, fully powered, A/C , magrims, alarm, price $1.6M Call Rocky 621-5902 1 Toyota Rav 4 (hardly used) automatic, fully powered, A/ C, mags, price $2.3M. Call Rocky 225-1400, 621-5902 1 Toyota Prado (2000) Automatic, fully loaded, immaculate condition, price $6M. Call Rocky 621-5902, 225-1400 1 Toyota Harrier $3.5M, 1 RAV4 2002 Model ACA21, 4 doors $3M Call: 231-7837 8am-4pm Summer Sale!! Unregistered Toyota Allion, New Model Raum & bB (Scion). Fully loaded & cheap .Call: 6436565, 226-9931 New Honda TRX500 (475cc) foreman Call: 225-0370 Jags’Auto: IRZ, VVTI Manual/Automatic, Buses, Wagon, Raum. Cheapest Call: 616-7635

EDUCATIONAL ACADEMIA: CXC lessons forms 1-5 & Adults. Only $1000 per subject per month.

Call: 600-3775 Princeton College, Forms 15, CXC adults classes for slow learners, reading classes for children Call: 6905008, 611-3793 Enroll now at Double B’s school for cosmetology courses as low as $5,000 each Call:676-4556,649-2930 VYC, IDCE/UG presents Business Development Training, in Marketing, Financing and Communication. Contact 227-1011-13 Register Now Imperial College- Register Now. CXC 2013. Fulltime/ Lessons/Adults classes.

Excellent Results Call: 6835742, 227-7627 Prepare your child for the National Exams: Grades 4, 5, 6. After school classes & adult evening tutoring, Queenstown, tel: 684 7403

LAND FOR SALE

LAND FOR SALE

1 ½ acre, 48ftx1300ft V/ Hoop Call: 627-9351

32 Acres for sale, Lot 5 Content Mahaicony E.C.D, $256,000.00 (USD) Call: 813319-4219 or rpooran@tampabay.rr.com

Vreed-en-Hoop House Lots, Call: 658-0115 Roraima Housing Scheme (Gate Community), Plantation Versailles, West Bank Demerara. Lot 7 12,596 sq ft $18M Negotiable Call: 618-5070 Roraima Housing Scheme (Gate Community), Plantation Versailles, West Bank Demerara. Lot 146 27,775 sq ft $38M Negotiable Call: 618-5070 17,500 sq ft land Blankenburg Fellowship area suitable for business development $22M Price negotiable Call: 718-7571106, 675-8941, 265-6019 Potaro-Tiboku, Kurubrong, MazaruniPeima, Cuyuni Aurora, Parish Hill- 10 Blocks & River (20) Claim Call Shawn 2312199, 618-7483 anytime

PEN PAL Female 30 yrs, American Citizen looking for male friend, send profile & full body picture to P.O Box 101702.

An Indian Businessman looking for life partner (2223) Call: 604-2243 DATING SERVICE Immediate link-Singles 18-80 yrs. Confidential : Tel: 2238237,648-6098. 8:30am-5:00pm Mon-Sun (Both phones same hours) NO TEXTING LIBRARY Sale! Novels, Texts, UG, others from $100 to $3,000 Call: 223-8237

VACANCY Hire Car Drivers wanted preferably from E.C.D Contact A-1 Taxi: 220-1000.

Yellow cars with drivers wanted Survival Shopping Complex, 173 Sheriff Street needs supervisors, evening cashiers and cleaners Call: 227-5286-90 Driver for party rental service, within the vicinity of Parka to V/Hoop, must be able to work flexible hours.

Tel # 638-1627 Be part of our world class customer care team . Phone: 220-0401-3 or email: recruitmentguyana@ qualfon.com One trainee/refrigeration technician Call: 2310655,683-8734 1 Male cook for interior, 1 gardener, 1 whole day domestic Call: 667-5717 or 650-4761

VEHICLES FOR SALE 2005 Honda CRV Late PLL Series, sunroof, leather seat, chrome rims Call: 658-8376, 690-6268 Mercedes Benz, E200 2006 Model Late PLL series, colour silver, price $4.4M Negotiable Call: 658-8376, 690-6268

SERVICES Permanent &Visitors Visa Applications Professional Immigration Consultant Sabita - Room E-4 Maraj Building 225-6496/ 223-8115/662-6045.

We refill HP cartridges for $1800 Call: 650-7699 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call:2310655,683-8734 Omar Mahadoe’s Construction, reliable services for your building, contact Tony Tel 618-3523, 669-7376. For free estimates and plans.

CXC Physics Lessons. Call: 615 – 2881 Community College, Seats available at forms 2,3 and 5, Pay only $28,000 per term at form 2. Call: 227-0218 Learn to do hand embroidery smocking, honey comb, cross stitch & other crafts.

Call: 604-5381 8:00am to 4:00pm.

FOR HIRE 1 Hilux 4x4 pick up, not for interior. Call: 644-8402

One experienced hair dresser contact Magic Touch Beauty Salon. Tel 225- 6492 Office Assistant, Age 18-30, Apply G.P.O Box 10352/310 East Street, email: gptw_union@yahoo.com before 2012/09/07.

1 Kitchen assistant, 1 cleaner to work in restaurant on W.C.D Call: 269-0045 or 6868640

ONLINE SHOPPING – NO COMISSION, WEEKLY S H I P M E N T S , AFFORDABLE RATES, FREE PRIVATE MAILBOX, T E L # 2 3 1 - 5 7 8 9 , F R E I G H T L I N K EXPRESS@GMAIL.COM PASSPORT & VISA FORMS:USA, CANADA &UK, TEL:225-9030, (ONE MINUTE AWAY FROM PASSPORT OFFICE) School bus service to and from school Call: 688-6566 Repairs to gas stoves, washing machines, electric stoves Call: 686-6209 UK, USA, Canada Visa Application services Call: 694-7221, Family discount available Vreed-en-Hoop opposite Police Station upstairs.

Selling your home, Land, renting, then call Shawn at GME Realty 231-2200, 618 7483 anytime.

Cruiser transport 4x4 pick-up service + mechanic & mining for hire, anytime, anywhere, right now. Call Steve 6749547,653-6687 Cell phone unlocking starting from $3,000. 2GB flash drive and memory card, Kingston $2,000 Call: 6527560

For the best rates, call us on 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 57

“Happy Sporting 50th - Trinidad & Tobago! What about that 50th Independence Sports Legends List?”

Colin E. H. Croft Happy 50th Independence Anniversary Trinidad & Tobago! August 31, and year 1962, are such very important dates that I would never forget them, regardless of whatever happens for the rest of my life!

However, having seen that list of Trinidad & Tobago Legends nominated to celebrate the event, and not at all knowing the full criteria for qualification to this T&T Legends list, I still have to ask: What the hell is wrong with this list anyway? Where exactly is the real objectivity in the selections of such personnel?

So, I am sure that I would not be alone in suggesting that 1962 was Guyana’s worst year ever, even after recent events of several killings in the mining town of Linden (former McKenzie/Wismar/ Christianburg).

That year, rank, outright racialism that had been festering in the country, like it is right now, came to full ripeness, with riots, destruction, looting and killings that has not been seen before or since. Recent situations in Linden do not come close to 1962. Even the British Army had to intervene; it was that bad!

Former T&T captain and all rounder Prince Bartholomew speaks to the media after receiving $30,000 in aid from WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine, left. PHOTO: SHIRLEY BAHADUR (Guardian Media).

“Black Friday”, February 16, 1962, all businesses in Water, Camp, and Regent Streets were looted then burnt to the ground. Georgetown was fully Armageddon.

Imagination cannot bring that destruction!

1990’s Bosnia or Syria now has nothing on Guyana.

Our “Dear Land of Guyana, of rivers and plains, made rich by sunshine and lush by rains,” descended into full anarchy. Indo and Afro Guyanese fought to the literal death, from Mahaica, Buxton and Annandale, all the way to Georgetown! Hundreds died!

I remember vividly seeing some almost impossible

events; one man transporting home a refrigerator as large as any I have seen to this day, on his bicycle, after he and his friends had looted Bookers Stores!

Stafford, my now deceased, extremely tough brother, who was then in SSU – Guyana Police Force’s Special Services Unit – actually threw live tear-gas canisters at my feet, at many other’s feet too, on Regent Street, after warning me to “go home”. For a 9 year old, that was real excitement, believe me!

On a much nicer note, August 31, 1992, I was married for the last time; yes, fully

celebrating T&T’s 30 anniversary with a Trini; Gail.

Extra prima good! Shannon, our progeny, was 23 last week. Better still!

To Trinidad & Tobago’s 50th Independence Sports Legends list! Where are Austin “Jack” Warner, Dr. Iva Gloudon, Cleopatra BurrellBrowne, Prince Bartholomew, Jack Noriega, Ria Ramnarine, Leslie Stewart, Claude Noel, George Bovell? On careful inspection, the entire selection even seems quite male-centric!

I am pleased that Merrick “Jim” Anatol is included for basket-balling, coaching and management skills. What of Macsoud Mohammed and his father, who have kept T&T’s volleyball alive for 25 years?

Where are Ria Ramnarine, Claude Noel and Leslie “Tiger” Stewart, all of whom were world boxing champions?

Where is Cleo BorrellBrowne, who carried the lone torch for field events for Trinidad & Tobago for the last ten or so years, until recent London Olympics Gold medal winner, Kershon Walcott, who is included?

It is always difficult to complete such assignments, but much of this selection makes no sense at all!

Firstly, the selection committee was wrongly

assembled. How could anyone who could be considered, as Sedley Joseph and Sandra Charles-Montano were, and thusly included, be selectors? Quite stupid!

Do not get me wrong here.

Sedley, one of T&T’s best footballers, and captains ever, deserves his place on the list, but being on the selection team turns objectivity into subjectivity, clouding the real issues!

Similarly, would anyone expect Sandra not to vote for herself, even if she also deserves to be nominated?

Where is her team-mate, Dr. Iva Gloudon, T&T’s present High Commissioner to Jamaica?

Dr. Gloudon’s omission confuses. Her old “boss”, Dr. Bhoe Tiwarie, now Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development, who convened this committee, was “Gran Poobah” at UWI (St. Augustine) when she led a team, including me as Facility Manager, to perform a miracle - UWI SPEC - Sports & Physical Education Centre, which featured in ICC World Cup 2007; still T&T’s best sports arena. Strange!

Dr. G is a “hard” lady, but her administrative skills always got things done, not to mention abilities as a T&T hockey player, and one who afterwards featured in getting

Colin E. H. Croft many scholarships for others, abroad.

Alvin Corneal justifies inclusion, for foot-balling and cricket skills, as does Willie Rodriguez, one of only two – with Jamaica’s Dr. Jerry Alexander – who played for West Indies teams at both cricket and soccer.

Where is that guy who was “Always a Prince, but never a king”, fast bowling allrounder Prince Bartholomew, who, like opener Richard De Souza, just missed playing for West Indies?

Prince gave decades of service to his country. Sadly, he has now lost his legs, literally, to diabetes. I wonder what exactly one really has to do to get on this list!

Finally, madness! T&T World Cup 2006 squad is included, but not “Jack” Warner! This is a full travesty. Regardless of what anyone thinks, there would be no “Soca Warriors 2006” without Jack! Still enjoy!

Fundraising matches for Federer and Serena march on Devers’ set for B’dos and T&T at U.S. Open Veteran West Indian Cricket Commentator Reds Pereira is appealing to the Trinidad and Tobago public for support for fellow Guyanese born cricket writer and commentator Sean Devers, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Devers is due to have an operation inTrinidad on October 2 at an estimated cost of US$35,000.

A press release from the St Lucia based Pereira said, “The former Guyana Under 19 Off Spinner has been a journalist for over 15 years and is well respected throughout the region.

During which time he has worked for the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), Line and Length Network and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

The release added that the Trinidad Promotions Group All Sports headed by Tony Harford, will stage a match shortly between Trinidad and Tobago and Bangladesh on September 8th, 2012 where

Brain Surgery set for Oct 2 in T&T the popular Trini Posse Group has volunteered to carry out a collection in aid of Devers.

“A similar appeal has already been launched in Barbados, and a special fundraising game is being planned at Cave Hill, University of the West Indies with the support of Tony Cozier and Andrew Mason.

The prognosis for the surgery looks good and Devers is very positive about the outcome.

A bank account will be shortly announced to allow the local and business community of Trinidad and Tobago to contribute or donate funds in aid of his surgery” the release stated.

United Insurance has underwritten the cost of Perreira´s travel to Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

Mason, Cozier and Pereira appeared on a fund-raising Radio programme in Barbados last Tuesday and a

similar TV programme in Trinidad is being planned with Pereira and Broadcaster Fazeer Mohamed. A fund raising venture for Devers has also commenced in Antigua.

It is understood that advisor to the President on Sports, Chairman of the IMC on Cricket in Guyana and former West Indies Captain Clive Lloyd has already approached Guyana’s Sports Minister Dr Frank Anthony for assistance from the Guyana Sports Ministry for the unwell former National cricketer’s surgery and post surgery care.

Devers is the guest on Niam Chan’s Morning TV programme on Channel six on Tuesday from 07:00hrs, and joins former West Indies spinner Roger Harper on Channel nine from 08:00hrs on Wednesday. Plans are in place for him to appear with former Guyana Player Neil Barry on Channel two and Lloyd on NCN.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top-ranked Roger Federer continued his dynamic U.S. Open form in near-tropical conditions on Saturday while fourth seed Serena Williams avenged a shock defeat she suffered in January.

With a possible semi-final showdown with Federer looming, Britain’s Andy Murray remained in the hunt for his first grand slam crown by defeating Spain’s Feliciano Lopez to reach the fourth round.

Women’s second seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland set up a fourth-round tussle with Italy’s Roberta Vinci by easing by former world number one Jelena Jankovic 6-3 7-5 at a steamy Arthur Ashe Stadium. “With the hot conditions you really have to fight yourself more than your opponent,” said Radwanska, a sentiment echoed by several players.

Federer cruised past Fernando Verdasco 6-3 6-4 6-4 in two hours and two minutes, blasting seven aces and 30 winners against the 25th-seeded Spaniard. The five-times U.S. Open champion, who has not dropped a set in the tournament, next faces American Mardy Fish or Frenchman Gilles Simon for a place in the quarter-finals.

Verdasco, 28, had 35 unforced errors and 10 double faults as he lost to Swiss Federer for the fifth time in as many meetings.

Williams, seeking her fourth U.S. Open title, needed a break of serve in the final game of the opening set to grab the momentum as she

ousted Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4 6-0.

Makarova buckled under the pressure of her first-set letdown and was blown away in the second in just 32 minutes. The Russian knocked out Williams in the fourth round of this year’s Australian Open and the American said she was “motivated” to turn the tables at the year’s final grand slam tournament.

PAINFULVIDEO The 30-year-old Williams, a 14-times grand slam champion, said it was painful to watch a video of her defeat by Makarova. “Knowing that I lost (I thought it) could definitely happen again,” said the Wimbledon and London Olympic champion. “I did not want that to happen. “Whether I learned something from that match, I don’t know. I really hate watching matches that I lose unless I’m punishing myself.”

Williams punished Makarova on Saturday, enjoying a 31-10 advantage in winners and claiming all eight of her service games.

Murray, who also won Olympic gold last month, recovered from a mid-match lapse to defeat Lopez 7-6 7-6 4-6 7-6 in three hours and 53 minutes. The Briton was leading 4-2 in the third set before Lopez fought back to send the match into a tense fourth set.

Third seed Murray next plays American wildcard James Blake or 15th-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic. “It was challenging on both fronts, mentally and physically,” said the Scot.

“I usually have three weeks in Miami before the U.S. Open but I couldn’t this year because of the Olympics. It was a nice problem to have though.”

Page 58

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Clive ‘Breezer’ Nedd aka “Caribbean Fox” Statistician Charwayne Walker continues his series of features on Guyana’s World Cup Football players. Today we are pleased to feature Clive ‘Breezer’ Nedd aka “Caribbean Fox”.

Only a few former National players can boast of having a sibling emulating Nedd at the International level along with his son Brentnol ‘Chubby’ Nedd. The others are George ‘Father’ Niles and Keith Niles; Terrence and Dirk Archer.

While Brentnol made his debut for Guyana at the International level in 1999 against Suriname in Paramaribo, his father’s first stint in National colours was October 1972 when the Ken Gibbs led side toured French Guiana.

The following year, 1973, Nedd featured in two Internationals against Haiti at GSC Ground and a similar amount of matches at the same venue against Trinidad and Tobago. He also played in two matches against French Guiana at Malteenoes and GCC Grounds, respectively.

The Santos FC star defender was then part of the team that suffered a 5-0 drubbing in 1973 at the hands of the English Division Two side Hull City at the GCC Ground, Bourda.

‘Breezer’ Nedd was

- Former Guyana Int. 1972 – 1984; Caribbean team selectee 1978 outstanding in his next matches when Guyana defeated Jamaica 2-1 at the GFC Ground in November of 1973 and in that same year a 2-0 defeat by Suriname at the GSC Ground was his final game in 1973. Guyana played no Internationals in 1974.

In 1975, the Guyanese started preparations for its inaugural World Cup campaign and Nedd, who was included in the 30-man squad, stood rock solid in defence in the squad’s first practice matches against BARE of Brazil and Texaco of Trinidad and Tobago.

The next year, 1976, the “Caribbean Fox” toured Brazil with the Maurice Enmore led World Cup squad. As preparations continued, Cuba was next on the list for Nedd.

According to the now deceased former defence stalwart, that series made him an unstoppable force at the International level.

In his next series of matches, himself, Earl O’Neal and Geronimo Braithwaite shutdown Alex Fergusons’ forwards when Guyana humbled Scottish Division One team St. Mirren 2-0 at the GCC Ground, Bourda. It is important to note that St.

Mirren had earlier defeated Trinidad, Barbados and Suriname.

So it was no surprise when the same trio put the brakes on Suriname’s strikers when Guyana won its inaugural World Cup encounter 2-0 at the GCC, July 4, 1976.

According to the late ‘Breezer Nedd the return fixture in Paramaribo where Guyana lost 3-0 was his worst match as a National player.

His final game in 1976 saw Guyana going down to a surprising 1-0 loss to the unfancied Curacao. In 1977, Nedd played International matches against Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Cuba’s Under-23; all the matches were contested locally.

In 1978 he toured Barbados and the Twin Island Republic with the Earl O’Neal led National Side and also contested matches against Suriname here and in Paramaribo in the Nations Cup tournament.

In August 1978 he represented the National Team which lost 5-0 to Chinese Provisional Side Kwang Tung.

His performance in that match was so outstanding that he

selected to the Caribbean team that played Kwang Tung in the next match.

The match against the Russain Textile team in November of 1978 was his last game of that year. He was one of the defenders named in Guyana’s 20-man squad in 1979 but the National side withdrew from the Caribbean Nations Cup. The following year Nedd was outstanding in World Cup Qualifiers against Grenada at Bourda and in St. George’s, Guyana winning both matches.

The “Caribbean Fox” then featured in World Cup Qualifiers which Guyana lost at Bourda and in Paramaribo to Suriname.

Next, in 1980 against Trinidad and Tobago at Skinner Park in two friendly matches Guyana drew the first encounter 1-1 thanks to a Keith Smartt goal but the Guyanese went on to lose the final match 2-0.

Cuba then defeated Guyana 1-0 in WCQ action in Havana and also at the

Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in the return fixture 3-0.

In 1981 Guyana contested no International matches so Nedd’s only International assignment was for his beloved club Santos against T&T’s Defence Force in the CONCACAF Club Championship. Santos loss both matches, here and in the Twin Island Republic.

Again in 1982 the then Guyana Football Association (GFA) failed to enter the National team in any International matches. When Guyana returned to International football in 1983, Nedd, O’Neal and Geronimo Braithwaite failed to find favour with the National selectors.

Instead, young defenders Leonard ‘Dentist’ Williams, Aubrey Hudson, Gordon ‘Ultimate Warrior’ Brathwaite and Marlon De Souza were called to duty when Lennox Arthur took over as National Coach.

In 1984, Nedd was recalled and played his last International against India at

GCC Ground, Bourda and Guyana won 3-0 with goals coming off the boots of Julian Moe { a double} and a Terrence Archer.

Football fans can still recall ‘Breezer’ or the ‘Caribbean Fox’ coming up against his two sons Shawn and Brentnol when he played for the Senior National team against the National Under21 side. Clive ‘Breezer’ Nedd collapsed and died in 1999 while playing his beloved Sport in the USA. INTERNATIONALTOURS 1972 French Guiana 1975 Brazil World Cup Squad 1976 Suriname World Cup Qualifier 1977 Barbados and Trinidad Goodwill tour 1978 Suriname Caribbean National Cup 1980 Grenada World Cup Qualifier 1980 Suriname World Cup Qualifier 1980 Trinidad Friendly International 1980 Cuba World Cup Qualifier 1981 Trinidad CONCACAF Club Championship

Lucrative challenge bounces off Sept. 15

By Edison Jefford The much-anticipated nationwide Mackeson Smooth Moves 3-on-3 Basketball Challenge will bounce off on September 15, following a brief break for the Coordinators to refine planning for the most lucrative basketball contest in Guyana.

The Ansa McAl Limited coordinated competition will host teams from across Guyana for the biggest purse in local basketball; a whopping $1M winner-takeall top prize will be up for grabs in the competition that was first held last year.

Large crowds were drawn to the tournament that had preliminary games as far as in Bartica and New Amsterdam last year. There is absolutely no doubt that this year’s event will be even bigger with Mackeson Brand Manager, Jamaal Douglas exuding optimism.

“We are getting great responses from the communities we have

contacted; we are hoping that all Guyanese come out and support this tournament since it will be one of the best tournaments for the year,” Douglas said in a brief comment yesterday.

He said the tournament must surpass the expectations of last year. For that reason, he said that all systems are being erected to ensure that both player and patron benefit in substantial ways from a challenge that is also geared toward advancing community development.

The word in the street is that defending champions, Pacesetters ‘A’ that comprises Steffan Gillis, Travis Burnett, Naylon Loncke and Royston Siland, has been busy refining their chemistry for an expected intense challenge that bounces off in just about two weeks.

The locations for registration will be published in the newspapers. With six Mackeson caps and the registration form being the entry criteria, teams

Jamaal Douglas comprising four players will have a chance to cash in on the ‘milli’. The games will be played for 15 minutes–7½ minutes per half–with a 30second timeout in each half.

A team must consist of four players, with none being under 18 years. The rules of the tournament will be reinforced. If any of the competing teams are found guilty of breaching the rules penalties that amount to a disqualification from the tournament could be the result.

The 3-on-3 format is an established International Basketball Federation (FIBA) format. The rules for the format include the fact that each basket from beyond the arc (three-point line) will usually count as two points while other buckets count as one point. The first team to reach 21 points will before the 15-minutes time expires will be declared the winner.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

The Emperor really needs to put on his clothes

By Nigel Mckenzie It’s refreshing to be among those who have heard and believe that, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Combined with the above, there’s a quote that can provide an individual with enough focus to tread self-assuredly and sensibly in this rapidly changing world. It reads: “Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for- because unless we stand for something we shall fall for anything.”

And then there’s my favourite tale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. I am ever so grateful that Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, provides a brief plot, thus enabling me to enhance my preamble without boring you.

Here is that plot: “A vain Emperor who cares for nothing hires two swindlers that promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position or “hopelessly stupid”. The Emperor cannot see the cloth himself, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing unfit for his position; his ministers do the same.

When the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they mime dressing him and the Emperor marches in procession before his subjects, who play along with the pretense, until a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is taken up by others. The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but continues the procession.”

The sports pages of yesterday’s dailies provide a clear understanding of what we are dealing with - in terms of being dictated to and expected to accept what we hear, without as much as a pertinent query.

In reading the opening paragraph in this newspaper’s article “Sports Ministry looks ahead to Guyana’s Road to 2016 Olympics” I can only assume the vain Emperor (the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry) now feels absolutely comfortable with his nudity, thus, emphatically dismisses those who are unfit for his position (don’t hold the purse strings) or are “hopelessly stupid” (don’t see things as he does).

He begins purposefully: “The London Olympic (sic) has gone. Much has been said – speculation, opinions, views and thoughts.

However, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has no intention of wasting time with idle talk. Instead, it will walk the walk.”

Woe unto us idle talkers! The Emperor knows the assertions that he is wearing nothing are true, but he insists the procession will continue unrestrained.

Well, I’m certainly not a child, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be among the crowd maintaining the cry that the Emperor is indecently exposing himself.

The Ministry’s ‘From now to Brazil’ - with the 2016 Olympics being the focus - might as well have been named ‘From Here to Eternity’ for all I care. There are elements of this strategy that we’ve heard before, are clearly unrealistic, quite bemusing, and in some ways, downright hilarious.

It’s ironic that the caption of an article which appears above the piece with all the stupendous promises, is one in which Rugby officials cite inadequate funds and preparation

for the loss of a prestigious title.

Yet, ‘From now to Brazil’, we will participate in the Goodwill Games, CARIFTA, ALBA, South American Championships, Pan Am, Commonwealth Games, CISC, CAS, World Games, Junior Carifta, World Juniors, World Seniors and “other competitions with international recognition”.

Money? No problem, we’ve always had it!

Our country has won one bronze medal at the Olympics. All rational thinking individuals know that mounting the podium is by no means a cakewalk, so we are prepared to take small steps to reach the top. We’ve all been taught by our parents, guardians or seniors that “you’ve got to creep before you walk”.

But this is what the vain Emperor tells his subjects “The principal purpose of this initiative is to direct our attention and endeavors towards the achievement of not merely commendable, but spectacular performances at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil”.

Spectacular performances? He’s not only vulgar, he’s delusional!

A boxing gym is constructed and named after one of the country’s standouts in that discipline, but eight years after its doors open, the Emperor suddenly feels a tinge of compassion and decides that his subjects have had enough punishment training on concrete, so he’ll be “converting the floor at the Six Head Lewis Gym to wood and redesigning Six Head Lewis Gym for better comfort”.

I guess just like the Colgrain swimming pool, at the conclusion of this much-needed rehabilitation, there will be the customary ribbon-cutting ceremony with full media coverage and more delusions of grandeur.

Oh, by the way, yesterday was the beginning of Amerindian Heritage Month, and we know the Emperor never misses a beat, so he will be “Identifying athletes living in the interior who have potential of becoming top class and arranging for them to relocate to Georgetown. Special attention to be paid to their education and welfare.”

We await their arrival and special treatment with bated breath.

Having promised all of the above, the Emperor is wasting no time in “Immediately identifying athletes and coaches for specialized training” and he earnestly vows to make arrangements for “qualified local and high level foreign coaches and officials to be involved in preparation of athletes”.

Maybe the Trinidad-born Technical Director of our national football team could tell us whether he feels adequately compensated, financially, for having taken us to heights we’ve never experienced.

High level foreign coaches and officials?

To pay them what? We can’t even keep our cherished teachers and nurses, and they don’t ask for much.

I certainly don’t fall for anything, but those who believe everything promised last Friday and want to continue playing along with the charade, should join the vain Emperor, naked as he is, and proclaim that “with cohesion, proper planning, commitment, dedication, coordination and the will and passion for success, Guyana, at the 2016 Olympic Games, will definitely match strides with the rest of the Caribbean and the world.”

Yes, and I’m Usain Bolt!

The Emperor really needs to put on his clothes.

Page 59

Karatekas complete successful Grading at YMCA

Some of the Karatekas in action On August 26, Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai Graded 137 Karatekas at the YMCA Thomas Lands assisted by Sensei Amir Khouri.

Following are the results: KYU Grades Fourteen students promoted to Yellow Belts (8 KYU); 23 students promoted to Orange Belts (7 KYU); 26 students promoted to Green Belts (6 KYU); 20 students promoted to Blue Belts (5 KYU); 16 students promoted to Purple Belts (4 KYU); 19 students promoted to Brown Belts (3 KYU); 7 students promoted to Brown Belts (2 KYU); 3 students promoted to Brown Belts (1 KYU); 1 student promoted to 1st Dan Black Belt (Shodan); 2 students promoted to 2nd Dan Black Belt (Nidan).

Outstanding among the

KYU Grades was Dario Garner who skipped yellow belt to Orange Belt. Promoted to SHODAN (1st Degree Black Belt) was Jason Bhaskaran.

Promoted to NIDAN (2nd Degree Black Belt) were Shane Rahaman (Gold medalist at the recently held IKD World Shoto Cup in Canada) and Parmeshwar Persaud (Instructor at Land of Canaan, and Camille’s Institute Soesdyke).

Congratulations are being extended to all the students who worked hard for their success. The instructors are also being complimented for the work done with the students to get them where they are: Clinton Moriah (New Amsterdam, Berbice), Hazrat Ali (Albion & Tain University), Nathalie Gibson (Linden), Parmeshwar Persaud (Land of Canaan &

Camille’s Institute); Amir Khouri and Nathalie Gibson (YMCA).

Shuseki Shihan Woon-ATai presented SHODAN Diplomas to Jason Bulla, Sachin Puri and Nicholas Chan. NIDAN Diplomas were given out to Mikhail Broomes, Roger Peroune and Shane Wilkinson.

A YONDAN Diploma was presented to Hazrat Ali an Instructor at Albion and Tain in the Ancient County of Berbice.

Special words of commendation are being extended to Shuseki Shihan Woon-A-Tai who has been described as an inspiration, stimulating the imagination to develop Shotokan Karate.

The parents and students who’ve helped to keep the exams successful have also come in for high praise.

Page 60

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

GFF & NCN strengthens partnership Intestinal fortitude must be to further develop the game demonstrated to inject new blood

By Rawle Welch

The GFF and NCN delegations during their recent discussions to foster a strengthened partnership for the development of the sport.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) recently met with the Management of the National Communications Network (NCN) to discuss ways of further strengthening the partnership between the two entities.

Having enjoyed a good working relationship in the past, the top brass of the two entities met with the view of assessing the current relationship with a view to further enhancing same.

The meeting took place in the Boardroom of NCN with the federation’s delegation led by President (ag) Franklin Wilson including General Secretary

Noel Adonis and Marketing Director, Faizal Khan.

CEO (ag) of NCN Michael Gordon led NCN’s team which also included Wendy Hermanstine, Raymond Azeez, Kenneth Jones, Sharda Lall and Stephan Sookram.

Wilson stated that the GFF is keen on further strengthening the relations with NCN especially as it relates to the development of their flagship team, ‘Golden Jaguars’ and football in general across Guyana.

NCN’s CEO Gordon committed to the promotion of the national unit and football as a whole, pointing

out that features of biography as well as edutainment on the sport were areas in which the partnership would continue to grow and evolve.

NCN recently aired the Friendly International between Guyana and Bolivia and collaborations of this nature will continue according to both entities and is not limited to overseas matches but also locally.

Both sides agreed at the end of the very fruitful meeting that decisions made will positively impact the promotion and development of the sport through strengthened partnership.

GFF/EDFA U-13 League Final ...

Mahaica beat Buxton Stars 3-0 to lift title; Shamar Scott is MVP A double off the boot of Kadeem Blackman either side of play and another from Diquan Gomes propelled Mahaica to a comfortable 3-0 win over Buxton Stars and the championship trophy in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) / East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) Under-13 League which concluded on Friday afternoon at the Buxton Community Ground, East Coast Demerara.

The size of the Mahaica players was surely a big challenge for the home team and as much as they showed great heart, Mahaica more or less had things their own way in taking home the winning trophy.

In the third place game,

another Buxton based side; Youth Developers had to warde off a spirited challenge from Melanie Tritons to win that encounter by the lone goal of the game that came off the boot of Shawn Rodney in the 50th minute, 10 minutes to lemon time. Mahaica, coached by former Pele FC Coach Peter Gulliver, came with a plan and worked same to their benefit.

Despite the height advantage, Buxton’s little stars took the fight to the Mahaica side early in the piece and were doing a fine job until the 22nd minute when Kadeem Blackman tucked in the first of his double from a scrimmage in front of the goal.

That advantage would

Over-50 F/Ballers continue preparation as Surinamese veterans due this month The Flamingo veterans Football team from Suriname is scheduled to arrive in Guyana this month for two matches and their local counterparts are busy with preparations.

Today from 10:00hrs at the GFC ground, the Guyanese over 50 ball-weavers will intensify their preparation for the matches with another practice session.

A Georgetown over-50 and a former Guyana National line-up will face-off with the Dutch team in a series in aid of former Footballers Compton Julian, Godfrey Norville and Birdet Marshall who are all now disabled.

increase in the 45th minute from a powerful shot off the boot of Diquan Gomes with the sealer coming two minutes to game time (60th) from Blackman.

Adjudged as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player was Buxton Star’ Shamar Scott who apart from scoring three goals was the bedrock of his team’s defence. Tafari Rogers of Melanie Tritons ended as the tournament’s leading goal scorer, hitting the network on four occasions.

BV Triumph United’s Shamar Singh was named the Best Goalkeeper, while the Fair Play Award went to Youth Developers.

Special medals for their contributions to their teams, donated by Coach of Buxton Stars, Sherry Abrams, were awarded to Nigel Manifold of Mahaica; Goalkeeper of Buxton Stars Elton Sullivan; Shamar of Youth Developers and Joshua Liverpool of Melanie.

Nine teams contested the competition that was sponsored by the Guyana Football Federation as part of their ongoing policy of supporting youth development.

The next youth tournament that the federation will be supporting in the EDFA will be played at the Under-17 level and that is expected to kick off in mid September.

‘From now to Brazil’ has now become one of the more laudable pronouncements made recently by Director of Sport Neil Kumar, who spearheaded a Meeting involving a few Sports Associations on Friday morning, at the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport.

According to the dailies, the Director urged all the related Associations to work together with the Government so that Guyana could endeavor to present a more formidable contingent at the 2016 Rio Games.

The fact that the Director has seen it fit to initiate the call to meet with the various Associations to plan the way forward is a new and necessary development and one could only hope that the discussions among a section of stakeholders are sincere and not just as was stated in a previous article a sham in response to the plethora of critiques that emanated following Guyana’s dismal showing at the just concluded London Olympics.

No one could seriously disagree with the Director’s attempt to engage the Heads of the Associations to formulate Plans that could place this country’s athletes in the best possible position to replicate or even surpass the achievements of our Caribbean counterparts, but even with the best intentions, if persons with the requisite knowledge are excluded as has occurred in the past, all the well intended plans are doomed to fail.

We’ve seen in the past the undesired results of projects and plans that did not have the input of relevant stakeholders and many examples of such unilateral approaches can be identified.

In times gone by, the Media was chided for not offering advice to the overseers of sport here, so in an effort to eradicate that notion here are a few suggestions that the crucial stakeholders could work with for a start.

First of all, there must be a national consultative forum which will include all the stakeholders in sport and this has become imperative following the abysmal results and the absence of new initiatives by the current set of administrators.

When that is done, a committee with representation from all the stakeholders formed to evaluate and report on the findings of the Forum and a national document produced which will serve as a Policy Paper to fast track the development of Sport on a national level with priority given to those disciplines that have done well in international competitions.

Just involving national associations that have been administered by Managers who for a number of years seemed devoid of

initiatives to encourage and advance athletes development will only lead to more disappointment.

There must be a demonstration of intestinal fortitude to inject new blood in the current system since that has become a mandatory component which could determine success or more letdowns.

Of note, however, is the conspicuous silence from the subject Minister, who unlike his Regional counterparts, has uttered nothing in relation to Guyana’s showing at the Olympics or even given insight into the short, medium or long term thinking of his Ministry on the way forward for sporting success.

His silence could lead to many speculations, and he, as the individual responsible for Sport, must make an immediate announcement on his Ministry’s plans and by extension the Government’s.

Most of the other countries’ Ministers have already spoken and outlined their strategies and he must appreciate that as the Chief Official acting on behalf of the Government, his remarks are pertinent to the way forward and crucial for the nation’s understanding of how serious Sport will be treated.

As the Director said “Dismal performances must now be relegated from to our history” (Kaieteur News, September 1) and he must know that that includes the National Sports Commission, The Ministry of Sport, the Guyana Olympic Association and all underperforming Associations.

This country first participated in the Olympics in 1948 as British Guiana, before doing so as Guyana in 1968, and has one medal a bronze by Michael Parris in boxing to date, but for some inexplicable reason the sport (boxing) was never given the kind of support that, perhaps, would have secured more medals for us since the 1980 Moscow Games.

On the contrary, the Olympic record of Jamaica shows that their athletes have always showed progress in athletics, mainly in the track events, and in their first Olympic showing in 1948, Arthur Wint brought home gold for his country in the men’s 400m, with compatriot Herb McKenley winning the silver in the same event.

But for a 16-year dry spell during the period 1952-1968, the Jamaican athletes have always won medals at the Olympics, with Usain Bolt being the product of a comprehensive sports training programme that has produced successful athletes throughout the decades.

The hosting of a National Consultative Forum could determine which sports give us the best chance of medaling and which should be treated with priority and even underline the genuineness of the major stakeholders.

Kohli, Raina save India the blushes Cricinfo - Led by a Virat Kohli classic, after staggering somewhat at two points of their innings, India find themselves within 82 runs of the New Zealand first innings total of 365. Plus a healthy chance in this Test match. At stumps on day two, India were 283 for 5 with Kohli seven short of his century and MS Dhoni four short of his fifty.

Kohli formed the core of two middle-order partnerships that ensured that the Indians kept moving ahead. Just after lunch, India

had wobbled at 80 for 4, before Kohli became the fulcrum of the Indian resistance even as New Zealand’s impressive seam bowlers threatened to get their teeth into the Indian lower order.

A fifth wicket stand of 99 with Suresh Raina took control of the Indian innings after the loss of the top four. A sixthwicket unbeaten 104-run partnership with Dhoni had made the most of the softer old ball. New Zealand’s triumvirate of leading quick bowlers, Tim Southee, Doug

Bracewell and Trent Boult had an outstanding day of purpose, energy, swing bowling and wickets, more than ably aided by their fielders. In the final count, though, New Zealand were held off by these two partnerships.

At stumps, the Indian response was centered around Kohli’s most intelligently compilied knock.

Scores: India 283 for 5 (Kohli 93*, Raina 55, Southee 3-35) trail New Zealand 365 (Taylor 113, van Wyk 71, Ojha 5-99) by 82 runs.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 61

Sports managers must be told that big brother is watching them The recent crusade by journalists of Kaieteur News that demands overt and constructive responses from our sports executives seem to have sparked the appropriate response from Director of Youth and Sports (DY&S), Neil Kumar who has decided to read out the riot act to sports executives of the various disciplines.

The issue is extremely deep seated and it is evident that intensive scrutiny by journalists of this publication supported by cries of the public regarding Guyana’s mediocre showing at the just concluded London Olympics must have had some effect on the DY&S, who after some amount of soul searching has recoiled and later rebounded with a well timed counterattack.

It must be noted that earlier Mr. Kumar had directed his barbs at the officials of the Guyana Olympics Association (GOA), blaming them in part for Guyana’s dismal showing at the world’s premier event. GOA boss, Juman Yassin, had retaliated and had refuted Kumar’s claims, citing the absence of support and even going to great depths to point out unsuccessful efforts by the GOA to form a partnership with the government.

It now seems as though amidst the exchanges Mr. Kumar was holding consultations among key stakeholders of the relevant sports organizations to map out a strategy for the 2016 Brazil Olympics. We were informed that, “The primary objective of the forum is to direct attention and endeavors towards the achievements of, not only commendable, but spectacular performances at

the impending Olympics ………”

WOW! Has the DY&S actually awoken from his lethargy or is this initiative another of the many talk shops to ward off the probing and caustic queries of the media?

Journalists are integral stakeholders in sports matters and while they should not be regarded as policy makers, it is axiomatic that their views and opinions may form the basis of the formation of requisite policies towards the general rehabilitation of the sports sector. Recently though, some officials within the sports administrative sector seems to have regarded such intervention in derogatory ways which has seen a rift in relations and the prevailing environment is tepid with each group demonstrating acute suspicion of the other.

Mr. Kumar has read out the riot act; he has summoned several heads of sports organizations to ventilate the issue but even as one examines the area of Kumar’s concerns, questions are bound to arise.

Mr. Kumar has sweepingly dealt with the issue but while the projections seem grandiose and impressive, one cannot help but regard the initiatives as endorsement of nonconsultations in the first place which, in the end will uncover the wasteful attitudes engendered by a reluctance to consult in the very first place.

How does one re-design the Andrew Lewis Gym for better comfort? The truth is that the entire design is not conducive to boxing activities and one may very well have to destroy great portions of the building to achieve the desired objective.

Naturally, this entails spending additional funds which could have been averted had such consultations taken

precedence over unilateral pigheadedness.

On the issue of making equipment and infrastructure available, Come on Sir, we are hearing the many cries emanating from our sports administrators of the (too) rigid prerequisites of utilizing the various venues. Whose responsibility is it to fix this problem?

The document underlining the necessary reforms for the sports sector is very broad based and would take more than one article to adequately ventilate.

This will be done over the coming weeks. Journalists will also adhere to their ‘watchdog’ mandate and stay closely with the development of these issues. We are no longer in the mood to support empty rhetoric.

This is the 21st century when athletes the world over are performing phenomenal feats that leaves their audiences gaping.

The Ben Johnson 9.79secs feat of September 24, 1988 over Carl Lewis in the 100m final at the Olympics had obliterated the latter athlete’s record but was reverted after drug accusations by Lewis were subsequently proven.

Jamaican sprint maestro, Usain Bolt, has since obliterated that Olympic record with relative ease, replacing it with a phenomenal 9.63secs blur.

Lewis’ directed his attention to the Jamaican superstar, suggesting that he has cheated but the issue was simply classified as ‘a storm in a teacup.’

While these great athletes are re-writing the history books, local athletes are experiencing immense difficulties removing, or even emulating the feats of Caribbean nationals at the Carifta games and other such meets.

Our lofty ambitions are then extended to prestigious, world class and high profiled

Nagenahira’s total was defendable From page 62 contributing two sixes, Uva hit a six in each over they faced. “The way Uva batted when they came out, they had nothing to lose, so they went for their shots and batted well.”

The match may not have been completed had the two captains not agreed to continue playing on a sodden outfield. Three days of heavy rain had left parts of the ground muddy and the downpour that interrupted Nagenahira’s innings made those areas more slippery. Uva captain Thilina Kandamby commended Mathews on his willingness to play on, but Mathews said it was not a difficult decision to make, given they were playing in front of around 30,000 fans - by far the biggest

crowd of the tournament.

“I thought it [outfield] was pretty good apart from the boundary line. We couldn’t disappoint the crowds as well because it was a huge turnout today. After all it became and exciting game.”Mathews also said despite the poor result in the final, he was proud of his side’s performance in the SLPL, particularly as they did not have the star players other teams had secured in the draft.

“We never had big names, it’s just that we gelled quite well and we enjoyed each other’s company and success. I thought the team spirit was wonderful. Each time we walked into a game we just wanted to win and the whole unit was unbelievable.”

games and then we have the temerity to expect lucrative medals. The just concluded London Olympics was a carbon copy of preceding ones and upon its conclusion, instead of a thorough forensic examination succeeded by realistic projections for the Brazil Olympics, local sports officials resorted to vitriolic rhetoric while bushwhacking tactics seemed to be the order of the day.

There is that generalized view among sports administrators that subscribe to the belief that disgruntled citizens will vent their disgust and/or disappointment

amidst a plethora of rhetoric and regardless of the outcome of the contentious issues, shortly afterwards, all is quiet. As such those on the receiving end of such vitriol believe that they will only have to ride the tide for a short period until the issue is quelled and then its business as usual.

The time has arrived when sports officials should shape up or ship out. It would be interesting to hear of the decisions coming out of the forum organized by Mr. Kumar. It will be just as interesting to observe the implementation of those

initiatives/decisions.

Whichever way it goes, rest assured that Kaieteur Sports will continue to monitor the issue on behalf of the public as well as athletes and other relevant stakeholders. The time for empty rhetoric has long past.

Government officials who say they are doing something must subsequently go ahead and do it. It is the media’s job to ensure that these officials account for use the taxpayers’ funds. We are forced to borrow the famous words of a senior Minister when he said, “Big brother is watching.”

Page 62

Kaieteur News

Sunday September 02, 2012

Garraway, James and Straker impress Discarded Nash passes batting County landmark at AAG Youth and U-23 Trials - Boyce indicates Kadecia Baird might not attend S/A Games Tevin Garraway (Youth) of Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) along with Stephan James and Jevina Straker of Running Brave Athletic Club displayed their worth yesterday afternoon at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary when the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) hosted their Youth and U-23 trials for the World Youth Games (October) and the South American U-23 Championships (September).

The track event for day one of the trials saw the diminutive Tevin Garraway bolting out of the blocks in the youth boys 100 meters finals, outclassing a field of seven athletes to capture an unchallenged race. Garraway, the National 100 meters Youth Champion crossed the finish line in 10.6 seconds leaving Kevin Abbensetts of Mercury Fast Laners (MFL) in second in 10.9 seconds and Samuel Doris, 11 seconds in third.

Ruralities’ Deja Smartt reminded her rivals Shonquane Daniels and Tirana Michelle that she was a champion in the youth girls 100 meters finals when she walked passed them to register 12.2 seconds. Daniels was second in 12.6 seconds as Michelle came third in 12.8 seconds.

The males U-23 heats saw Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Delon DeAbreu (10.6 seconds) taking an easy win against his club mate Davin Fraser (10.8 seconds) and PPYC Simon Gordon (11.2 seconds). Heat two saw track star, Chavez Ageday of Ruralities clocking 10.7 seconds to qualify for today’s final; GDF’s Akeem Stewart and PPYC’s Terry Easton came second and third in 10.9 seconds and 11.1 seconds.

Another highlight for the

Kadecia Baird

Jevina Straker

Tevin Garraway

Stephan James

day was the males U-23 200 meters with Guyana’s national junior 400 meters record holder, Stephan James and sprinter, Chavez Ageday competing. James who recently returned from a training stint in the United States exhibited his strength on field, defeating his rival Ageday in 21.2 seconds.

Ageday clocked 21.5 second settling for the runner-up position as Stewart was third in 21.9 seconds in the final.

CARIFTA gold medalist, Jevina Straker wasted no time with her opponents when the girl’s U-23 1500 meters got underway. Running against the clock on the 400 meters track, Straker registered 5:14 seconds as Tisha Grimes strolled behind, finishing the race in 5:53 seconds.

Devon Barrington (4:13.4

seconds) sprinted away with the boys U-23 1500 meters from Tyson Bentick (4:14.8 seconds) who was unable to turn on the heat on the homestretch on his team mate. Ornesto Thomas of Enmore Track Club came third in 4:27.5 seconds.

Tiffany Carto missed her chance in the females U-23 200 meters after she was ruled out due to a false start. The race was won by Neisa Allen in 24.6 seconds, Letitia Myles 25.4 seconds, was second as Akele Alves clocked 26.5 seconds for third.

Marlon Moshette leaped away with the males U-23 long jump with his best bound of 6m49cm, while Cindy Fraser took the females jump with 5m28cm. The Open Men’s long jump was won by Ryan Scott who bounded to

Uva Next v Nagenahira Nagas, SLPL final, Colombo...

Nagenahira’s total was defendable Cricinfo - Angelo Mathews, the Nagenahira Nagas captain, believed his side had a winning total in the SLPL final which they could have defended had weather not intervened to cut the second innings short, and make Uva Next champions via the Duckworth/Lewis method. Mathews’ dazzling 73 from 27 balls took Nagenahira to 134 for 4 from their 15 overs after his side had spluttered to 47 for 3 from 9 overs, following a first rain delay that

- Mathews shortened the game. Uva then hurtled to 63 for 1 from 5.1 overs, before a second heavy downpour stopped play and the D/L calculation deemed them victors by 19 runs. ( ( “Getting to [134] after losing a few wickets early on and being 40-odd after nine overs, it was a great effort by the whole batting unit,” Mathews said. “In the

remaining six overs, we got the maximum number of runs you could hope for. The wicket was pretty slow, so [134] was a very good score, but unfortunately the rain gods had their say and that was that.”( ( Uva opener Dilshan Munaweera blasted 44 from 23 balls to propel his side beyond the D/L par score. He struck five sixes and two fours in his innings, and with a promoted Seekkuge Prasanna also (Continued on page 61)

7m09cm.

The Youth and U-23 Trials continue today at the Police Sports Club ground from 10 am. The females U-23 triple jump will open the field events as the U-23 females 100 meters final will open the track.

Meanwhile, the President of AAG, Colin Boyce indicated that Kadecia Baird might not be able to participate at the upcoming U23 South American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil since the event will be clashing with her schooling. The athlete, who is in senior high, Coach informed Boyce that at least two months advance notice is required for her to participate at International meets, “Going to the meet may not be feasible” the Coach mentioned to the President via email. Boyce however indicated that Baird will be available for next year’s CARITA Games.

(Juanita Hooper)

LEICESTER, England (CMC) — Discarded West Indies middle order batsman Brendan Nash passed 750 runs in his first County Championship season as Kent defeated Leicestershire by 147 runs here.

Playing at Grace Road, the left-hander finished on 25 not out as Kent tallied 103 for two in their second innings to set Leicestershire a target of 283 for victory.

Veteran Seamer Darren Stevens then snatched five for 35 as Leicestershire, without the services of West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan, were dismissed for a disappointing 135.

Kent are now third in Division Two on 149 points, 23 points adrift of leaders Derbyshire with two matches left.

Nash had struck his third century of the County season on Tuesday, a typically fluent 119, to help Kent up to 350 all out after they were sent in.

The 34-year-old counted 13 fours and a six in an innings that required 172 balls and lasted nine minutes shy of

Brendan Nash four hours.

After the second day was lost to rain, Leicestershire finished the third day on Wednesday on 171 for three and declared just one ball into the day yesterday, in a clearly pre-arranged agreement.

Nash now has 756 runs at an average of 50 and has been Kent’s leading batsman this season.

A former West Indies vice-captain, Nash played the last of his 21 Tests 14 months ago when India toured the Caribbean.

Boy without feet causing stir in Brazil CAMPOS, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazilian Gabriel Muniz, 11, is one of the best players at his school despite being born without feet and he dreams of being a footballer when he grows up, even though he knows it can only be at disabled level.

After an appearance in Brazil’s most popular sports show on the TV Globo network, Gabriel was invited to take part in a Barcelona training camp in Saquarema, a town in the state of Rio de Janeiro. His special skills impressed the Spanish club’s coaches and he has been invited to meet his idol Lionel Messi next month.

“When he arrived there no one believed in him but he proved to everyone he can go head to head with any boy. So much so that he was invited to go to Spain to showcase his talent,” said his gym teacher Jose Lopes.

Gabriel was not yet one when he started walking on his stumps and he went on from there.

He plays football like anyone else but without feet, kicking the ball with his stumps.

Gabriel’s mother Sandra told Reuters her son has always lived a normal life despite his physical limitations.

Every day the boy wakes up at 0630 and rides his bicycle to school along with his older brother.

Last year he received a donated foot-ankle prosthesis but his mother says she cannot afford any special treatments for him.

“Gabriel started walking before he was one. We would go after him, expecting him to keep falling, but he never fell,” she said. Lopes said the boy may help to create opportunities for children like him. “The disability only exists inside our heads and he is proving it to

Gabriel Muniz (Reuters) everyone, he is challenging the social norms,” Lopes explained.

“To this day there isn’t a Paralympics 11a-side football team but Gabriel is showing this will have to change because he wants to play 11-a-side football.”

His best friend, 13-year-old Lucas Santos, said Gabriel is a great player. “He is skilful, he goes after the ball and he is fearless. He also makes good passes,” he said.

The trip to Spain is already a dream come true for Gabriel whose imaginary team begins with him and includes a good part of Barcelona’s squad. “Me, Messi, Daniel Alves, David Villa, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Victor Valdez, Adriano, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano and (Alexis) Sanchez,” he said.

Sunday September 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 63

t r o Sp GFF/EDFA U-13 League Final...

Mahaica beat Buxton Stars 3-0 to lift title; Shamar Scott is MVP P. 60

Shawn Rodney

President (ag) of the GFF Franklin Wilson presents the winning trophy to the Captain of the Mahaica team in the presence of his teammates.

EDFA 2nd Vice President Luana Goodding hands over the MVP trophy to Shamar Scott of Buxton Stars.

Kadeem Blackman

Uva Next v Nagenahira Nagas, SLPL final, Colombo...

Nagenahiraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total was defendable - Mathews P. 62

Uva Next pick up the inaugural SLPL trophy.

Federer and Serena march on at U.S. Open

P. 57

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