Kaieteur News

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

What’s all the hullabaloo about the Berbice Bridge?

DEAR EDITOR, I have been following the recent hullabaloo about the Berbice River Bridge and while I remained silent all the while, I have come to the realisation that I cannot stand the one sided view of some members of society. I have followed in the news most of the comments made by President Granger, Minister Harmon, Christopher Ram and even former President Jagdeo. Many of these comments are political and I have not seen anyone make a fair assessment based on how commuters feel about the Berbice Bridge and the services they now enjoy in light of what used to happen before. Before the establishment of the Berbice Bridge, I was a regular commuter on the ferry service across the Berbice River. And I am still a regular commuter now that the bridge is in place. On some occasions back

then, there were two ferries operating from either side of the crossing from Rosignol to New Amsterdam. But even when the two ferries were working, it was hardly a service that commuters like myself were ever satisfied with. First of all, there was no guarantee that you would get on the very next ferry once you arrived at the stelling. But to take your car on the ferry was about $1520 for a return

the suffering of passengers and drivers who used the ferry service on a daily basis. Secondly, the waiting time was horrendously long and many times you had to buy food while waiting, thereby adding to the overall cost you would incur for the “crossing”. Usually, that’s another $500 one would spend on some sort of food or snacks. For both ways, that was usually another $1000,

processing. For a 15-seater minibus, with all the passengers, driver and conductor, that meant paying about $3320 for the return crossing. Now to cross with my car on the Berbice Bridge I pay $2200 return. Mini buses pay the same. There is no waiting time except when the Bridge might be open, so usually there is no need to buy food. In a table, here’s a quick comparison:

trip, if I recall correctly. If you wanted to get on the ferry on the next trip, that usually meant bribing one of the gatemen at the stelling. This practice was prevalent under both the PNC and PPP/ C administrations and both parties turned a blind eye to

bringing the total to $2520. Plus you still had to pay for every passenger in the car, including the driver, and that was around $120 per person return, so that was another $600 return, bringing the total to $3100, not including the bribe to the gate men for swift

The Berbice Bridge therefore in my view is a nonissue. It is only being contaminated by all the politically motivated comments surfacing. And there are those who wish to gain mileage, politically or otherwise, in this whole debate. In these times, who will choose a ferry service when a bridge is a more than viable option? For me, I welcome the Berbice Bridge and trust it is here to stay. Let us keep politics, envy and malice out of the Berbice Bridge, and instead let good sense prevail in all the deliberations. Unfortunately, Guyanese have forgotten so fast the sufferings when the ferry service was in place. Berbice Businessman

A simple call to me would have given these truths, Mr. Kissoon DEAR SIR, I have read with mixed emotions of the critical reviews, compliments, and sometimes with amusement of the various articles published in the newspapers since the opening of the Giftland Mall. In particular, I would like to comment on two. The first is Mr Freddie Kissoon, who is claiming that the Government built the PUBLIC access road to the Mall. Let me enlighten him on that. When we moved to Turkeyen, this was not even a tract, it was a dam which we had to excavate, discharge

the sludge , build shoulders, build drainage, provide concrete walkways, provide street lighting, which is powered not by Government but by the Mall itself. Our Engineer, Mr Marcel Gaskins provided the engineering design for the sub surface, which comprised international standards of road building specifications using materials and processes which were verified by the Public Works Division and we undertook the works of laying sand, loam, crusher run stones. We had to grade and roll

these, add quarry shifting and roll this again after which the Government provided a top coating of asphalt. So if this qualifies as them building the access road then he have redefined the meaning of the word. This is nothing unusual coming from this particular author. A simple call to me would have given Continued on page 23

SOCU’s performance is commendable

DEAR EDITOR, In his quiet unassuming way Lt. Col (ret’d) Sydney James, the Head of Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has always impressed me with his attention to detail, bolstered by a steadfast desire to get the job done. This is not about a testimonial for Sydney, but is an appreciation for the gains made by SOCU in recent times which speak volumes about professionalism and commitment. You might ask what is there to applaud in SOCU’s performance under James’ short stewardship and I would unhesitatingly respond “astute leadership.” Just look at what has been unearthed in one year and we will understand how well embedded are the tentacles of organised crime in this country and the tremendous work that has gone into those investigations. Editor, unlearned as I am, I would like to offer two suggestions to avoid compromising the work of the unit. In my humble view all prospective members should be required to undergo polygraph testing to determine among other things whether they are in what is sometimes called ‘disclosable associations’, and whether they have

knowingly benefitted from the proceeds of a criminal enterprise. The point being made here is that there is no limit to what organised crime will do in their quest to undermine the investigative integrity of the unit. Another thing is I believe that the less offices with access to the type of sensitive information that SOCU handles, the better for confidentiality and security of operations. A reading of GHK Lall’s contributions would strongly suggest that the integrity of certain agencies is compromised, and they would do all in their power to be obstructionist using all the procedural delays at their disposal. It therefore makes absolutely no sense to blindly enter into, or remain in any unlimited information sharing arrangement that is rife with opportunities for leaks. Incidentally, I have known Sydney James, since 1982 when we- with soon to be retired Lt. Col Terry Benn, trained at Tacama ‘Battle’ School. In my view Sydney is incorruptible. Patrick E. Mentore

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Monday September 07, 2015

No place for vulgarity in National Assembly By: Kiana Wilburg While acknowledging that it is not always roses and kisses when Members of Parliament engage each other in the National Assembly, President David Granger made it clear that there is no place for vulgarity in the honourable House. He made this comment during government’s recorded programme, “The Public Interest” on Thursday last. Given the complaints about the behaviour of parliamentarians during the 2015 budget debates and deliberations not only by Parliamentarians but even from members from various quarters, Granger was asked whether his government has plans to take his social cohesive efforts to the level of the National Assembly. “Yes. We feel that the present government is in the forefront of a new culture of political governance and in any parliament around the world there will always be some good natured banter but we must be careful not to allow that good natured banter to degenerate into insulting language. I have briefed the Chief Whip (Amna Ally) and I will discuss this with the Prime Minister, (Moses Nagamootoo) who is the leader of the house, to ensure that the banter doesn’t degenerate into vulgarity.”

President David Granger President Granger reminded of the effects such behaviour had in the Tenth Parliament where former Education Minister, Priya Manickchand hurled some hurtful remarks at Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma which led to him resigning at the time. Granger said that he hopes such does not repeat itself. “I think we must be prepared for some type of exchange but it shouldn’t degenerate into vulgarity, there is no place for this kind of antipathy in this new political culture…We must have a robust debate but in a respectful manner.” Several Parliamentarians throughout the 2015 budget debates felt the Honourable National Assembly was transformed into a Fish market given the behaviour of some members.

Speaking to the issue, Prime Minister and Leader of the House, Moses Nagamootoo had said that he believes that members on both sides could have done a better job in showing respect for the Parliament. “I sincerely believe that we could have conducted ourselves in the House with decorum and respect for each other, in spite of the fact that we have a political divide and the fact that we belong to two different political blocks. Additionally, there are members of the House who just recently held positions in high offices such as Advisor to the President and ministers. But while one might forgive the Opposition backbenchers who are new for certain unparliamentary conduct, I cannot say the same for those who know what they are saying and intend to say what they are saying and the intention is to disrespect, demean and degrade members of the government,” said the First Vice President. Nagamootoo believes that because he tabled the NoConfidence motion which led to the PPP administration being dethroned in the last elections, he and other members have been targets of abusive remarks from those in the Opposition benches. “I am seen by the PPP as the one who took office from them and who triggered a process where they are in the

- Granger Opposition and so they blame me…It’s a letdown and it hurts their ego and when egos are wounded it is not expected that they would have consideration for others ,” added Nagamootoo. But the Prime Minister had said that while he expected the heckling and statements that bordered on blatant disrespect, one comment from an Opposition member shocked him the most. He said that he did not expect such “low” behaviour from the Opposition’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira who he has worked with for many years. “She looked at me in the face and said “you are the son of a b***h” in the parliament …this is not heckling. It is a disease of the mind that would allow you to be so condemnatory in the House.” The politician had said that the posture of the Opposition is to “show that they are big and bad.” The Prime Minister believes that while heckling is characteristic of most Parliaments, in his opinion, the Opposition went too far. Kaieteur News spoke with

Teixeira on the allegation which other members from the government’s side claim to have heard and she categorically denied it. The Opposition Chief Whip had said that she would never use such terms as she believes that it is even disrespectful to women. Nonetheless, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall is of the view that heckling is an acceptable aspect of parliamentary life. He did concede that both sides of the House were guilty of making disrespectful utterances in the House and going overboard. But what he found most disturbing was the “consistent shouting” from the government’s backbenchers, particularly from Junior Minister of Social Protection, Simona Broomes. He had said that the behavior of Broomes and those similar to hers “transformed the honourable House into a Fish market.” Nandlall said he had even appealed to the government members to calm Ms. Broomes. “I do my own heckling but I am complaining about Broomes and that particular group. Their behaviour bordered on disrespect for the House and the Speaker.

Members from the Government side who called us thieves several times were also out of order and it was nothing but unparliamentary behaviour.” Nandlall had said that it is most unfortunate that the Speaker of the House, Dr. Barton Scotland did not reprimand any of the Government Parliamentarians for their crude language in the House. But for Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, he believes that there will always be heckling as it is part and parcel of a robust parliament system. Ramjattan said that while heckling should have limitations, he believes that it should be left to the Speaker of the National Assembly to determine what really constitutes “crossing the line.” As for government’s constant referral to the Opposition members as thieves during the budget 2015 debates, Ramjattan saw nothing wrong with this. “This was not out of order. It was not unparliamentary for us to call them thieves. This is absolutely correct given what we know,” an impassioned Ramjattan exclaimed.

Bartica Gold Board must be re-established, but with higher level of checks and balances Prominent Mining advocate Sherwyn Downer has called for the reestablishment of the Bartica Gold Board as one measure that can see the Government of Guyana recovering revenue in at least one district as gold declarations are still at their lowest in years. The Bartica Gold Board, a sub-office of the Guyana Gold Board, has been closed since April of last year, after allegations surfaced that several employees were tampering with the gold that was being brought in for declaration. Downer pointed out that since then miners have been

- mining advocate taking their gold to private buyers. Noting the reason for the office’s closure in the first place, Downer also emphasized the need for more levels of checks and balances from the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). It was widely believed that scores of miners, disheartened by the price drop on the world market, pulled out, causing

Mining Advocate Sherwyn Downer production to fall. However, there is emerging evidence that the huge drop is a direct (Continued on page 23)

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 7

Austria to revoke measures that let migrants cross from Hungary Reuters - Austria said yesterday it planned to end emergency measures that have allowed thousands of refugees stranded in Hungary into Austria and Germany since Saturday morning. Austria had suspended its random border checks after photographs of a Syrian toddler lying dead on a Turkish beach showed Europeans the horror faced by those desperate enough to travel illegally into the heart of Europe, which is deeply divided over how to cope. After 71 people suffocated in the back of a truck abandoned on an Austrian highway en route from Hungary, and as thousands headed from Budapest towards Austria on foot, Vienna had agreed with Germany to waive rules requiring refugees to register an asylum claim in the first EU country they reach. Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said that decision was being revised following “intensive talks” with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a telephone call with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, bitterly opposed to the waiver. “We have always said this is an emergency situation in which we must act quickly and humanely. We have

helped more than 12,000 people in an acute situation,” Faymann said. “Now we have to move step-by-step away from emergency measures towards normality, in conformity with the law and dignity.” Hungary laid on over 100 buses to the border on Saturday night after Austria said it had agreed the emergency measures, to the relief of thousands of migrants and refugees stranded in Budapest after travelling through the Balkans and Greece, many of them fleeing civil war in Syria. Others set off from the station to make the 170 km (110 mile) journey on foot. The platforms filled up again yesterday. Germany has said it expects to receive 800,000 refugees and migrants this year, and urged other EU members to open their doors. At the station in Munich, state capital of Bavaria, a few dozen well-wishers turned up to cheer the new arrivals. Those who stopped to speak told of weeks of arduous travel by land and sea. Some seemed intimidated by the welcoming applause. Almost 11,000 migrants arrived in the city yesterday, following 6,800 on Saturday, and the president of the

A group of migrants make their way after crossing the Macedonian-Greek border near Gevgelija, Macedonia, yesterday. REUTERS/STOYAN NENOV government of Upper Bavaria, Christoph Hillenbrand, said Munich was running out of capacity. Authorities there were using a disused car showroom and a railway logistics centre as makeshift camps, and were adding a further 1,000 beds to 2,300 already set up at the city’s international trade fair ground. About 4,000 people were sent to other German states. “It’s getting tight,” Hillenbrand told reporters at the train station. Merkel’s decision to allow

the influx has caused a rift in her conservative bloc, with her Bavarian allies saying she had pushed ahead without consulting the federal state administrations dealing with the problem on the ground. The political rift is greater across Europe, with Hungary’s Orban accusing Berlin of encouraging the influx. “As long as Austria and Germany don’t say clearly that they won’t take in any more migrants, several million new immigrants will come to Europe,” he told Austrian

broadcaster ORF. Orban has portrayed the crisis as a defence of Europe’s prosperity, identity and “Christian values” against a tide of mainly Muslim migrants. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused Germany of looking to lower wages and hire “slaves”. Hungary, the main entry point for migrants into Europe’s borderless Schengen zone, plans to seal its southern frontier with a new, high fence by Sept. 15. Some EU states say the

focus should be on tackling the violence in the Middle East that has caused so many to flee. British Prime Minister David Cameron wants to hold a vote in parliament in early October to allow it to join air strikes by a U.S.-led coalition on Islamic State in Syria, London’s yesterday Times said, and Le Monde reported that France was also considering joining. EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Saturday failed to agree on any practical steps. “When rich Europe argues and tears itself apart over whether to accept 1,000, 10,000, 42,000 or 100,000 refugees, when Turkey already has 2 million, it is clear that we have a problem of perspective and identity,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. In Budapest’s Keleti station, migrants and refugees followed handwritten signs in Arabic directing them to trains to Hegyeshalom on the Austrian border, and volunteers handed out food and clothing. On the frontier, long lines of people, many wrapped in blankets or sleeping bags and carrying sleeping children, got off buses on the Hungarian side and walked across into Austria.

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Monday September 07, 2015

Tsipras vows battle to improve bailout after Greek election Reuters - Former prime minister Alexis Tsipras promised yesterday to fight to improve the terms of Greece’s latest bailout as he tried to shore up a rapidly collapsing lead in opinion polls, two weeks before a snap election. In a campaign speech in the northern town of Thessaloniki, Tsipras offered no new policy ideas but pledged thousands of new jobs and an attack on corruption. He defended his record of battling Greece’s creditors in his seven months in office, even though he was eventually forced to capitulate

to their demands to secure the 86 billion euro (£63 billion) rescue package, Greece’s third in a protracted debt crisis that at times has threatened its future in the euro. “The battle to improve it is far from over,” Tsipras said, referring to the bailout. He said he would seek to win some form of debt relief and press Greek demands to restore collective bargaining powers for workers, a move the creditors oppose. Tsipras resigned last month to make way for the election, hoping to secure a stronger mandate. But having started out as the clear frontrunner, his leftist Syriza

party’s poll lead has now all but disappeared, making for an unexpectedly close contest against the conservative New Democracy party. The prospect of a fractured result after the Sept. 20 vote has stoked fears of yet more turmoil in a country hit by years of instability and recession, and raised the prospect of Greece having to go to the polls again. Tsipras stormed to power in January promising voters to end austerity and redefine Greece’s relationship with its international lenders - the European Commission, International Monetary Fund

and European Central Bank. But with the economy on the brink of collapse, its banks temporarily shut and the chance of a euro exit looming ever closer, he was forced to give in to the creditors’ demands. Many of Syriza’s erstwhile supporters are furious, and may switch their allegiance to a hardline leftist group that split from Syriza to form its own party. Tsipras said his battle with the creditors had challenged what he described as the dogma of austerity in Europe. He boasted of inflicting a “moral defeat” on Greece’s biggest lender,

EU, U.S. clinch data-sharing deal for security, terrorism cases: document BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and the United States have clinched a deal protecting personal data shared for law enforcement purposes such as terrorism investigations, according to a document seen by Reuters. The two sides have been negotiating for four years over the so-called “umbrella agreement” that would protect personal data exchanged between police and judicial authorities in the course of investigations, as well as between companies and law enforcement authorities. However, talks have been hampered by the lack of a right for non-resident EU citizens in the United States to go to U.S. courts if they believe their data has been misused or unlawfully disclosed. The text of the agreement has been finalized, according to

the document. A person familiar with the matter said it will be initialed by the chief negotiators in Luxembourg today or tomorrow. That would signal the end of talks. The European Commission has said the agreement cannot be signed and formally concluded until the “right to judicial redress” for EU citizens is enshrined in U.S. law. In March, U.S. Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner introduced the Judicial Redress Act, aimed precisely at giving citizens of U.S. allies the right to sue over data privacy in the United States. The document says the bill appears to have received bipartisan support, and if passed would restore trust in frayed trans-Atlantic relations after allegations of mass U.S. spying emerged in 2013.

Germany. “Europe is not the same after the 7-month negotiation with our country, Europe was shocked by the tough battle of a determined nation,” he said. Earlier Tsipras had played down fears that the election would produce a fractured result, saying there were enough undecided voters to produce a clear winner on the day. “There is 15-20 percent of undecided voters right now. In simple maths, this means that the party that will come first, if it doesn’t secure an outright majority at the parliament, will be very close to it,” Tsipras said in an interview with Skai television. “So a government will be formed.” He again ruled out forming a national unity government with New Democracy if the election proved inconclusive, even though opinion polls show most Greeks want him to do this. “There is no room for cooperation in government because the differences in our policy programmes are very big and because we know very well that we don’t share the same target,” he said. Although he was forced

Alexis Tsipras to back down in negotiations with the creditors, Tsipras has at least secured the prospect of some form of relief for the country’s ballooning debt, although Germany has ruled out any “haircut”, or reduction in the principal. Tsipras, who never wears a tie and whose government became known for its informal style, said he would don one if he secured debt relief. Asked when this will happen, he said: “We will have this very important development over the debt by the end of the year. We will have a difficult year but I am optimistic.”

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 9

Fifty percent par value should be the offer! The government is making a mess of the situation with the Berbice River Bridge. In attempting to satisfy a longstanding commitment by the Alliance for Change to reduce the tolls on the said bridge the government is making a big blunder. The bridge tolls do not need reducing. The bridge tolls are reasonable. If people can spend five to six thousand dollars in petrol to go on a joy ride across the Berbice River Bridge, they can very well pay the $2200 that

is charged for the toll. If they had to travel by ferry they would have lost time and it would have cost them the same money. There is no need to reduce the bridge toll. Admittedly the people in Berbice want to cross free, but there is nothing like a free crossing. The population of Berbice and the projected traffic across the bridge can never justify the sort of rates to cross the Berbice River Bridge that are charged for crossing the Demerara Harbour Bridge. It was the

AFC with their nonsense that created expectations that government has the power to facilitate a reduction of the tolls. The tolls are not the problem. The problem is the ownership of the Bridge. Even if government buys out the shareholding of the Bridge it will have to charge the same tolls that are presently charged or saddle the treasury with a massive amount of transfers. The issue that should preoccupy the government

Dem boys seh...

Jagdeo cut a deal wid Soulja Bai Strange things does happen but when dem boys read in de papers that Jagdeo tell Soulja Bai that he gun help him recover billions of dollars, de first thing that come to dem boy head is that de paper wrang. How Jagdeo can talk about recovering money? De money had to disappear when he was president. Some people even believe that he help mek some of de billions disappear. Once he seh that he gun help it mean that he know wheh some of de money gone. People always been talking how money flowing out of de treasury. Fip Motilall disappear wid US$6 million and to cover up de money, Jagdeo tell Donald to sue Fip and de Chat-3 tell de whole country how de government sue Fip. Money disappear wid de Indian company, Surendra. Jagdeo was de man behind that disappearance because he encourage de government

to sign de contract wid Surendra. All Rum Jattan talk, Jagdeo tell Donald to ignore everything and continue wid Surendra. De next thing people know is that Surendra run way wid de money. Jagdeo got contacts in India suh he can get back de money that Surendra run way wid. Nuff contractahs run way wid money too. Some of dem pretend to do road wuk and before de wuk done de road bruck up. Things get suh bad that contractahs get more money than de contract and de wuk didn’t done. De poor Auditor General write how dem get over paid and de government can’t get back de money. Dem boys seh that Jagdeo know dem contractahs suh he gun get back de money from dem. Indeed, is billions disappear like that. Dem boys seh that since Jagdeo and Babbie is friend some of de money that Babbie

end up wid fuh drugs that he never supply gun get collected. But people don’t do nutten fuh nutten. Jagdeo had to cut a deal wid Soulja Bai. He probably tell Soulja Bai that he gun get back de money if Soulja Bai promise not to jail him. Well nuff people gun vex if Soulja Bai mek that promise. One man seh that if people does kill and get plea bargain, dem don’t see why Soulja Bai can’t offer a plea bargain. Talk half and wait to find out what Jagdeo promise.

therefore should not be the tolls. That is irrelevant. The tolls should not be reduced if the Bridge is to remain a profitable concern. The Bridge should be making money not having to subsidize tolls. It is better to subsidize food for poor people than for the persons with cars to cross the Berbice River Bridge. The government is also wasting its time in trying to introduce competition as a means of applying pressure to the Bridge Company to agree to a subsidized toll. The water taxis that the government proposes to introduce for school children and the elderly will not provide any competition to the Bridge Company. It will not reduce their traffic because right now the Transport and Harbours Department runs a scheduled service catering for school children and passengers. The government should move away from this preoccupation with tolls and concentrate on the financial model of the Bridge which effectively uses state funds to provide benefits to private companies. A handful of private companies have invested far less than the State but their investment is in equity (shares) while the bulk of the State investment is in debt. This allows a small grouping of private

shareholders to exercise disproportionate control over the Bridge Company. The financial model is flawed and this is what the government should be dismantling, not the toll structure. The private investors have a guaranteed rate of return of 23% and they will receive it for 21 years after which the Bridge will revert to the State. This twenty one year period means that if the rate of return is satisfied the private investors would have received at the end of the concession period, five times what they invested. This is better than finding oil. The Bridge Company says however that it is not making money, that is incurring losses and therefore it has not been able to pay dividends to its ordinary shareholders. They are also asking for the concession period to be extended from 21 years to fifty years. But why are they asking for this? If they are not making money, why extend the concession period. Their argument is that it will help resolve cash flow problems and eventually allow for the Bridge to make a profit. This makes no sense. How will extending the concession period allow for a resolution of cash flow problems when in eight years the Bridge is alleged to have lost money? The public has to ask

themselves this question. If you are an investor in the Bridge and you have not earned a cent in dividends over the past eight years, why do you want to continue with your investment for another forty two years? There is a simple solution to this whole matter. Seeing that the Bridge is losing money, the government should offer to buy out the shareholders at 50% of the face value of their shares. This will allow them to cut their losses and walk away from the deal with something rather than risk losing everything. The investment by the ordinary shareholders is small relative to the debt. The ordinary shareholders can even walk away from their investment. In other words, they can sell their shares for $1 like what the Royal Bank of Canada and Barclays Bank did years ago. Now, that is what the government should be doing. Not worrying about a toll reduction. The toll reduction is not going to increase the vehicular traffic across the Berbice Bridge. There is not the level of economic activity to increase the traffic crossing the Bridge, not now, not in the near future.

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 11

18-year-old Wismar Erosion at Belladrum puts student excels at CSEC farmers at risk of flooding Eighteen year Wismar Christianburg Secondary School student, Michael Bonds (Jnr) who is a Grenadian by birth but a Guyanese citizen, secured ten subjects with seven Grade ones with four distinctions in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Examinations Council (CSEC) making him the region’s top student. Bonds attended Grenada Boys Secondary School where he wrote eight subjects and secured passes in six prior to relocating to Guyana with his parents. The aspiring economist said that when he came to Guyana he enrolled in Wismar Christianburg Secondary School, known as ‘Multi”. Bonds noted that although he had already written CSEC in Grenada it was ‘Multi’ that did it for him. “I was 16 and I went back into fourth form and I haven’t regretted it.” Bonds said that the Grenadian teachers were only there for you in school but ‘Multi’ teachers were there, in and out of school. “In Grenada the teachers would only teach in school; they didn’t show any interest in you out of school. Here it is different, the teachers at Multi taught in school and if you are not performing as you should they ensured you did. One teacher met my father and complained that I was not focusing. The teachers were interested in your wellbeing.” He said that all the subjects were new to

him except for English and Mathematics but he was high in praise for God who he said came through for him. Michael Bonds senior who is an Associate Pastor at Faith Revival Ministries and Managing Director of MB Construction Service said he expected his son to do well but not to top the school yet it wasn’t a great surprise. He said he taught his children to always put God first. Bonds senior said he saw a complete change in his son as soon as he entered Multi. “When he started Multi I noticed a 180-degree turn around with my son and after the teacher complained to me I took away his phone and stopped him from watching TV. “All he did was go to church and he never left church for lessons at no time. I am thankful to God.” The senior Bonds said that he hopes his son gets a scholarship to attend University to read for his degree in Economics. “I am trusting God to open doors for him.” Bonds secured distinctions in Mathematics, Economics, Principles of Business and Social Studies; Grade One passes in English A, Home Management and EDPM, Grade Two passes in IT and Office Administration and a Grade Three in Principles of Accounts.

Local singer launches ‘uplifting’ album ...joins call for copyright laws

Clarence ‘Imykal’ Fraser In an attempt to sensitize the Guyanese people and provide them with a deeper understanding of the nation’s current struggles, local singer Imykal has launched an “uplifting” album. The album was recently launched by Clarence ‘Imykal’ Fraser and promotes positive messages. Dubbed “Black I Born”, the album sets out to get Guyanese reflecting on the true meaning of the word “emancipation”. But even while Imykal accomplishes this new milestone, he emphasised the need for greater appreciation of Guyanese music as well as cultural music which promoted positivity throughout the nation. According to the singer, there are current struggles in Guyana and the album speaks on what needs to be done to address the issues. As part of

his faith, Imykal sings about taking a stance against “Babylon”, uplifting oneself and regaining power from the Motherland, Africa, and her ancestors. He also described his album as “revolutionary and profound”. Imykal’s first album, “Woman of the Black Land” had been launched in 2007. This new album is available for download on iTunes. Meanwhile, the singer further said that support is needed for Guyanese musicians. “The Cooperative Guyana needs to be more supportive of its own Guyanese artistes,” Imykal stressed. He added that the same should apply for local disc jockeys (DJs). “Many of them would make up excuses not to promote their own people, claiming the quality was not the best. Well I won’t dispute that fact. But my question is, should we judge all music based on conception?” he questioned. He also questioned whether Guyana’s current radio landscape was doing more harm than good, particularly to the youths of the nation. He opined that these youths’ minds were being “polluted.” “If so, something is really wrong for that shows a great lack and betrayal of professionalism. I hope that the new administration will

place their focus more on the content of the music played on the airwaves,” Imykal emphasised. He went on, “We must also remember that leadership is not about domination but about paving the way for others to follow. I truly salute Jamaican radio personalities for their constant support of their artistes. However, Guyanese radio personality and DJs have been following Jamaica, but they don’t seem to capitalize on the rules of engagement; that is your credibility is the evidence of your work. If you can’t show what you have established, then your work is in vain.” He added that radio personalities and selectors must understand their profound role. He nonetheless congratulated those DJs in Guyana who tried to be original and represent Guyanese in the execution of their jobs. He further said that the new government should make it its priority to implement the enforcement of the copyright law with the aim of protecting the artistes and gaining respect for their creative work. A petition aimed at the Government of Guyana and local radio stations was recently launched by the Guyana Music Network (GMN), which represents Continued on page 23

Farmers at Belladrum, Berbice, fear that they face severe loss of crops and livestock unless action is quickly taken to stop the rapid erosion of a section of the sea defence dam. A visit to the area confirmed that sea water has been overtopping the embankment where the earthen dam meets with a wall made out of boulders. At the time the tide was rising, but there was mud from water running across the dam the day before. Failure to arrest the situation in good time could result in salt water reaching the rice fields, and livestock farmers would also be affected. There is a possibility of the salt water reaching as far as Cotton Tree Village via the facade canal which serves as a primary drain for the massive Mahaica/Mahaicony Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA) drainage and irrigation scheme, and discharges into the Atlantic. The farmers are concerned that erosion is rapid, and that this time of the year would traditionally see abnormally high tides. Therefore, they would be comfortable only after the rapidly developing sea defence breach is adequately addressed.

A section of the eroded dam.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Monday September 07, 2015

Consultations begin to transform Mahdia into a town - Residents welcome new Government Preparations are in full swing to transform Mahdia, a hinterland mining community located in Region Eight, into a town. Government is currently conducting consultations with stakeholders and examining different areas that need development. On Saturday, a team comprising Ministers of Communities and Public Infrastructure, Ronald Bulkan and David Patterson respectively, APNU+AFC Parliamentarian Gloria Bancroft and engineers of the two Ministries visited the community. During an interactive meeting with residents and Regional Officials including Regional Chairman Bonaventure Fredericks at the Mahdia Community Centre, the Ministers reaffirmed Government’s

commitment of developing Mahdia. All developmental works that would be executed in the community would be done in consultation with the RDC. The fresh approach The APNU+AFC Coalition Government has resuscitated good governance in Region Eight with the restoration of respect for the Offices of the Regional Chairman and other elected officials. Minister Bulkan was firm that the Regional Executive Officer is not the head of the Region but a public servant, who is there to serve the RDC. He emphasized that Guyana’s Constitution provides for 81 Local Governments, but were in breach for many years. One example is, in 2011 when the then government did not win Region Eight at the General

A section of the gathering in attendance at the meeting and Regional Elections the government appointed REO on many occasions did not cooperate with the RDC. The Minister emphasized that this fresh approach is a fulfillment of one of Government’s many promises of transforming Guyana when it was in the Opposition benches in the Tenth Parliament and on the 2015

Ministers of Communities and Public Infrastructure, Ronald Bulkan and David Patterson respectively, engineers and Regional Officials in discussions at the Salbora Creek

General and Regional campaign trail. According to the Regional Chairman, Bonaventure Fredericks, the walk to developing Mahdia and the entire Region would not be an easy task unless everyone works together. He related that the REO has been co-operative. CHANGE Residents expressed their satisfaction that there is new Government with a resounding warm welcome. While the residents are cognizant that the ANPU+AFC Coalition Government is now implementing its policies and programmes they are dissatisfied that many seemingly corrupt officers are still working in the Region. The residents, who were extremely vocal, identified several persons who they believe are corrupt and should be fired, if indeed this new Government would tackle corruption and give citizens the good life. Minister Patterson is of the view that those public officers who serve in a district for a number of years should be rotated. INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT The transformation of Mahdia into a town would require significant

infrastructure development. Minister Patterson announced that Government will be paving all internal roads in Mahdia and the road leading from the airstrip to the community. Additionally, consideration is being made to pave the airstrip. This revelation was greeted with loud applause from the residents, who complained about the deplorable roads for a number of years. However, a resident pointed out that Government needs to fix the water network before it could pave the roads. Minister Patterson agreed with that suggestion and pointed out that fixing Mahdia and surrounding communities’ water woes is a priority that is currently being examined. Prior to attending the meeting, the Ministers, engineers, Fredericks and the REO visited the Salbora Creek, which is the main source of water supply in the area. The team also inspected the distribution pipelines leading from the creek to Mahdia to ascertain why the community is constantly faced with low water pressure. It was observed that there are several leakages, illegal connections and silt in the pipelines. To ensure that quality infrastructural upgrading

Ministers of Communities and Public Infrastructure, Ronald Bulkan and David Patterson respectively, engineers and Regional Officials inspecting an illegal water connection

works will be executed, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure would be stationing two of its engineers in the Region. In fact, this would be the case for every Region across Guyana. This announcement was also met with appreciation by the people. MINING Mining is the major economic activity in Mahdia and is regarded as the backbone of the community. However, miners are faced with many challenges and are asking for Government’s swift intervention. Residents explained that the former administration has left a gap in the mining sector for corruption to fester. Offering an example of one of their many challenges a resident said, “Let’s just say a man own a claim in the 1980s and some persons get permission from him to bore a hole as soon as that happen a man come and say he own the bloc in 1999. Now, how can a man own something that another man already own since in the 80s?” Another challenge in the mining sector is access to lands. According to a resident, the current system that is being utilized by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission is not designed (Continued on page 21)

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 21

MERDE THEY WROTE In cricket there is an inadvertent stroke called a French Cut. A cricket blogger known as “Stuart” describes it jokingly and ironically as “one of the most productive shots in cricket, but one hard to master. It involves deliberately striking the ball off the inside edge of the bat down to fine leg, while deceiving the fielding team by pretending to actually hit it through the covers. “This massive piece of deception is very difficult to pull off, and cynics sometimes believe it is down to luck rather than skill.” A more accurate definition is that a French Cut is a poorly executed cut shot which almost gets a batsman out. If the French are right in claiming that cricket did not originate in England but was first played on a village green in France then what we call the “French” cut would have been known as the “English” cut and the English have been pretty cut-up about it to the point that they would have cut-off diplomatic relations with France

forthwith. In fact, to claim that the French invented cricket is, as a Roman, Mark Anthony said, the unkindest cut of all. The British are, like Queen Victoria, not amused. The French base their claim on a letter to their King Louis XI in 1478 which their historians say may contain the first known reference to cricket – or ‘criquet’ – almost a century before experts believe it arrived in England on a village green in Guildford, Surrey. Tom Payne says in the Daily Mail that the note, preserved in France’s national archives, mentions ‘boules’, or balls, and ‘criquet’, a wooden post, in a description of a game played in the village of Liettres, northern France. “Boules”, some of my English cricket friends would have said cuttingly if the game was really French but some of their responses were so vividly English that you really have to pardon their French. It was “merde” most foul. The French letter of

Liettres is supposed to be the seminal source of the evidence. Although the British contend that the French stretched it a bit and it has holes, the letter was supposedly quilled by a young man called Estiavannet, who watched with fascination at the strange game before a player barked: “Why are you staring at our ball game?”. A violent scuffle ensued, and one man died. While it was a feather in Estiavannet’s cap, an Englishman who views French letters and the French as a whole with suspicion, deduced on the basis of the letter-writer’s youth that Estiavannet was a little squirt and not necessarily a cut above the other letter writers to Louis. The Daily Mail says that English historians have long held that the genesis (which came before the new revelations), is England where the game may have begun as a hobby for shepherds in Kent, who used their sheep crooks as wickets.

The first evidence of a proper bat-and-ball game in Guildford, Surrey, was in 1550. The first written mention appeared in court papers from 1589 when a Royal Grammar School pupil mentioned playing ‘creckett’. The first written reference to the game in England was in 1589, when a pupil at the Royal Grammar School, then called The Free School, recalled how he and his classmates ‘did runne and play there at creckett and other plaies’. The first definite reference to cricket was in 1611, when two men in Sussex were prosecuted for playing on a Sunday instead of going to church. Now the British historians are stumped and are trying, by hook or by crook, to reclaim cricket as an English sport. Meanwhile Liettres, with a population under 300, is all set for the big times. The village officials want Liettres to be the venue for France’s first full-time cricket ground and they are advertising the ‘Liettres 1478 Challenge’ to

Consultations begin to transform... (From page 12) for the poor man or small miner. The resident pointed out that he had gotten a block a year or so ago from GGMC to mine. However, he had difficulty in locating the block which forced him to return the block to the Commission. Subsequently, a big businessman was given the same block by GGMC and was able to locate same. MAHDIA POWER AND LIGHT Residents are not taking lightly the fact that they are paying the highest per kilowatt in the country. Having noted the concerns of the residents, Minister Patterson said that the Government will be working with the power company to

see how residents could get a better supply of electricity at a lower cost. Minister Bulkan pointed out that the Tumatumari hydro power plant is being rehabilitated by a private company and when completed residents would be able to access electricity for half the current price being paid. EDUCATION Residents are calling for the equitable distribution of resources in the education system in Region Eight. They believe that the former government deliberately sidelined the delivery of quality education in Mahdia and neighbouring communities to benefit other communities. However, they are

demanding that this Government provide the necessary resources including qualified trained teachers in the school system. They are disheartened that Mahdia Primary School was unable to produce students with high scores in the National Grade Six Assessment. HOUSING Minister Bulkan informed residents that efforts will be made to complete infrastructure development of the housing scheme. The housing scheme was established under the former government but little efforts were made to do any infrastructural works that would enable persons to build their houses. A resident highlighted

that Mahdia needs to move away from leasing lands to land ownership. The man emphasized that if a commercial bank were to come into Mahdia it is unlikely that that company would want to lease the land. The Ministers assured that with Government’s policy of inclusive democracy and being a Government for all Guyanese, Mahdia will be transformed. They assured the residents that all matters and complaints raised at the meeting would be related to the subject Minister and Ministry for action. It will take time but the RDC will be involved and responsible for its development, Minister Bulkan said.

Craft galore at Heritage... (From page 17) time that I does sell out all of my craft.” She makes beaded chains and items with seeds and nuts and in her assessment, the village needs more publicity and more involvement from Amerindians. “We need it more than just once a year, because it creates gainful employment and a chance for us and more so the young ones to see the city and learn about cultures.” Janette Patterson and her family are from Santa Mission, Region 3 where the Amerindian village day is

slated for staging on September 12. Her offerings included fruit baskets, jewellery boxes, table mats and the likes and she said “sales were okay for me, but I wish we had some more time, because I still have things that I will have to take back home. I wish this was like a long term tourist attraction, plus it would guarantee us full time employment, because in our village there is not work for us and the young people.” Kabakaburi, Upper Pomeroon Mission, Region Two residents, Pauline Chance and Vesta George,

took a chance as first time craft vendors at the Heritage event in Sophia, and they have no regrets. “We never realize that this trip to Georgetown would be so rewarding, but we don’t have any regrets at all. But we wish we had more time, because we were making things while selling.” Their offerings included tibisiri skirts, spin balls, table mats, jewellery boxes and ornaments. But even as the feedback was good for most craft vendors Elizabeth Dick of Moraikobai, Region Five, had

a different tune. “I’m not so happy, because my group made a lot of things but our craft sales were not so good. Maybe if we had more time for sales we would have gotten more support.” The hope to have more than just one week, once a year at the Indigenous Heritage Village event to earn and network is echoed by all, most of whom said they have other creations that are much more creative but they did not want to risk bringing them out to have to return home with them.

turn the village into a place of pilgrimage for cricket fans across the world. In September the Lille Cricket Club will take on a team from Whistable, Kent. The Mail quotes Philippe Dethoor, 48, president of Lille Cricket Club, who describes himself as ‘the first wicketkeeper ever to be born in Roubaix’, said it was ‘perfectly plausible’ the game began across the Channel. As a sup to the English he said, “Maybe by the late 15th century some form of the game had crossed the Channel from land, or maybe it was the other way round.” He added, “Cricket as we play it today is an English creation. That is undisputed.” In thinking of an alternate history of the game based on its origin in France, just at the very superficial level some of the fielding positions would have different names. If the English-French dictionary I

consulted is to be believed, “slips” would be “combinaisons” (not “chemise” as I first thought or even “petit-coat”), “cover” would be “couverture” and persons fielding at “long leg” would be described as “aux jambes longues”. Would “fine leg” be “beau jambe”? The West Indies team would be mainly from Martinique and Guadeloupe. The highlight would be scoring a century at Liettres and, most exciting of all, would be watching a Vingt Vingt final between the Marseilles Maraudeurs and the Paris Pirates under the auspices of the ICC (International Cricket Concile). But since I don’t speak French I wouldn’t be able to understand a single word. *Tony Deyal was last seen in France having a boule until a videur threw him out of the bar.

Page 22

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. PARTY DECORATING: balloon creation, back drops etc. for weddings, birthdays, anniversary etc. Make your event extra special! Tel Maya: 642-6664 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES,AIR-CONDITIONERS, WASHINGMACHINES,TVS, MICROWAVES,FREEZERSCALL: 629-4946 OR 225-4822 REPAIRS & SPARE, FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C, WASHERS, STOVES CONTACT NICK: 6831312, 627-3206 Floor sanding & Lacquering House plans, Estimate & painting, boat for Santa Mission - Call: 650-4362 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Eagle’s fridge re-gas @ 99100 New Market Street - $8,000 & washing machine repairs. Phone: 697-2969, 223-5818 Licensed Custom Broker/tax consultant: tax compliance certificates, assistance with customs documentationsCall: 660-9478 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@yahoo.comCall : 225-6496, 662-6045 Welding & fabricating, grill & Boat work –Call: 666-2101 Construction and maintenance of Terrazzo – Call Bacchus: 642-2289 INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 TOUR Trip to Suriname 20th -24th November 2015 -$38,000; Brazil 25th -30th, 2015- $46,000Call: 660-0312, 695-4506

Kaieteur News

SALON

CAR RENTAL

VEHICLE FOR SALE

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257

DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM

1 Mazda Axela, PTT series, low mileage, e x c e l l e n t condition -owner migrating Tel: 649-0956 Year 2003, Toyota Spacio, HC5070, first registration 29-012015. Price $1.6M negotiableContact:226-2558 or 29 Sandy Bobb Street Kitty . In Stock @ First Class Auto: 08 Premio, Allion, Runx, Axio, Bluebird, Sienta, Fielder, Rush –Tel: 609-8188, 638-3045

We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154

WANTED For interior location:1 logging truck driver, 1 mechanic/ serviceman,1 block inspector/ scaler, 1 tree feller. Call: 683-2575 2yrs Experienced seamstress – knowledge: flat/ over lockers/ Serger machines, meeting of deadlines/target a must- Contact: 270-4852 6am6pm & 645-5533 6pm-? Male sales clerk to work at hardware store at Pouderoyen West Bank Demerara. Call: 264-2524 One single honest live in housekeeper or domestic help for long term. Preferably from country areas-Call: 6645725 Pump attendants and cashiers –Call: 670-6005, 6997782 or 627-2550 One live in maid must know to cook – Contact: 677-8484 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 One cook to cook for family in the interior –Contact: 6778484. Straight stitch/Over edge machine operators. Call: 2222541 (8:00am-4:00pm MonFri) Experienced Cook @ Hibiscus Restaurant –Call: 231- 5857 Hire Car Drivers and contract cars from ECD-Call: 220-1000 Office clerk: senior/junior. With CXC Maths/English, Computer Knowledge is an asset. Call: 219-5354

VACANCY Work from home; earn $5,000$20,000 daily Call MondayFriday 9am-5pm #233-6517, 6 3 8 - 0 5 9 5 www.jobfairworldwide.com Office clerk, porters, apply at Survival Wholesale Depot, Lot 10 Vlissengen Road Vacancies exist for cashiers/ supermarket, helper. Apply in person with written application at Nirva Supermarket –Call: 227-5771 Babysitter/housekeeper live in Trinidad with family, hiring on excellent recommendations onlyCall:868-688-5908

Monday September 07, 2015

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 One 1 bedroom apartment, Grove New Scheme, EBD $36,000 per month –Call: 6421956 Business Spot located on Public Road en route to East Bank Public Road-Contact: 613-0448; 672-8625 Bottom Flat @ Lot 166 DaSilva Street Newtown, Georgetown. Preferably for Daycare centre or private dwelling-Call: 227-3578; 6232342 1 FURNISHED 2 BEDROOMSAPARTMENT WITH WI-FI, SHORT TERM /LONG TERM – CALL: 2227891; 609-9202 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, JACK HAMMER, CONCRETE SAW & MORE- CALL: 6750767, 627-5098 Fully furnished Apartment, luxury 2 and 3 bedrooms selfcontained, long and short term- Contact:603-9671 1-3 Bedrooms house @ Oleander Ave, Bel-Air Park, all modern conveniences, unfurnished -$1600US, monthly-Call:231-7839 working hours

PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL: CARS & SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 2193900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up- Call: 690-6494

EDUCATION I.A.E currently registering students for full time secondary school, lessons & evening CXC classes for adults- Call: 683-5742 Princeton College Forms 1-5 (5000) CXC adult classes $1,500 a subject, Phonics/ Grade 2,4,6,9 lessons Call: 231-1209, 690-5008,657-7398 CXC Lessons: Mathematics & English- Small Class Size, Teacher: Student Ratio 1:15, day and night classes, adults and youths –Call: 690-9378 Need help with your child’s education: English, other subjects? Call private teacher: 696-7467 Affordable Reading, Spelling, Phonics Classes etc for children of all agesCall: 675-4379 Didn't Do Well for CXC? Let Us Help you get better grade@ MicroGraphics, Vreed-En-Hoop. 264-3057 Advanced Diploma in Computers: Office 2016, Windows 8/10, 9 Courses @ MicroGraphics, Tel: 2643057, Vreed-En-Hoop Computerized Accounting: Quick-Books, Peachtree, POS, Excel 2016 @ MicroGraphics, Vreed-En-Hoop. 264-3057

Four storey business place located on Robb Street, next to Bourda Market-Call: 6237731; 629-0636

Business apartment for rent at 7 Durban Street Lodge $20,000 per month –Call: 6905796

SALE! SALE! SALE! 2008 TOYOTA PREMIO-$3.3M, 2006 TOYOTA ALLION$2.3M, ALL VEHICLES FULLY LOADED & UNREGISTERED- CALL: 642-7295 2000 Freightliner hauler, C12 Engine –Tel: 609-7257; 689-9041 EP 82 Starlet, AC 4 Doors, working standard rims, lady driven – good condition $550,000 – serious inquiries only - Call: 662-5052 1 Model M Truck with winch, big tire- Call: 692-9577; 619-2406 Unregistered Toyota IST – Fully Loaded -$1.9M –Call: 657-1796 Kaw a s a k i N i n ja 650R, excellent condition, lime green $650,000 asking price Tel: 655-2561 1-192 Carina, Alarm, A/C, Music Deck, working condition, PLL/HC series now $700,000 cash & go! Owner migrating. Call: 687-3241 One Leyland Daf LF with 6 ton Hiab 2002 GTT series (New) price $5 million Call: 622-6746 One Fuso canter truck with 3 ton crane GTT series, price $4 Million Call: 622-6746 Star Cars Auto Sale: Just Arrived: Rush, Allion, Pitbul, Bluebird, Alteeza, Benz, 06 Premio. Tel: 679-3140, 2683509 Star Cars Auto Sale: 04 Premio, Allion,06 Runx, 03 Runx, Axela, New Raum, IST, Vitz. Tel: 679-3140, 268-3509

1 Ford 2005 F350 Pickup, extended cab, 4X4 Diesel, 35 inch tyre auto, 1 Chevy Van 2007 –Call: 610-5370 Toyota 212 Carina - $650,000 –Call: 696-2251; 693-1474

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. One 318 BMW never registered for $ 3M down payment $500,000 contact # 650-0402 or 616-0429 Land at Schoonord (Next To Demerara Harbour Bridge), 45' X 100' $ 6 M, 60' X 100' $ 7.5M- Contact 650-0402 / 260-4988 Reusable ¼ & 3/8 inches marine steel plate – Contact: 688-7256 1 Complete six inch dredge inclusive of pick up and ATV- price 6,000,000Contact: 660-0422 52ft complete cabin cruiser. In excellent condition- Tel: 592-654-2817, 592-622-2958. Automatic Gate opener, garage door opener, chainsaw 51 HP, Dell Projector, Toyota Fielder, year 2003 –Call: 644-4582, 662-8665 50LBS BAGS DOG FOOD, W/SALE & RETAILCALL: 222-7891; 609-9202 One 928F Caterpillar Wheel Loader $8M contact # 6500402/ 260-4988.

Venus Auto Sale: September Specials: 2004 Premio $2.350M, Pre-Order specials on IST -$1.9M –Call: 624-5617

TO LET

Kitty 2 Self Contained Bedrooms apartment, cable TV, Internet, parking security cameras-$100,000 monthly –Call: 645-0247

1 Toyota Landcrusier Prado, PMM Series – Call: 223-7500 (Monday – Friday) (8:154:15pm), Saturday 8:151:115pm)

AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call:680-3154

LAND FOR SALE Land @ Parfaite Harmonie & Tuschen -$1.5M, $1.3M – Call: 604-6724 Friendship house lot for saleCall: 617-0465, 223-0733 Parfaite Harmonie 80X45 $1,250,000. Call: 683-0009

60 Seater Bluebird bus, brand new, air conditioned, electronic doors (front & back) for schools/ church etc –Call: 675-3062 Automotive and Manual buses, premio, Hilux. Two and three bedrooms apartment to rent in Bougainvillea Park. Call: 6167635

PROPERTY FOR SALE Liquor Restaurant going business with 2 pools table, 2 fridges, 1 freezer, 107 Middle Road La Penitence, price -$18.5M –Call Lovin: 225-7796 Continued on page 23

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Letters... Where your views make the news

Is the Top Cop’s driver bigger than the Commander? DEAR EDITOR, Please permit us a space in your column to publish our letter. This is an open letter to the Commissioner of Police Mr. Seelall Persaud. We the drivers and conductors of the Parika Mini Bus Association, along with business personnel are seeking justice. It is a clear view of victimization against Corporal Khanoo for doing his job. There is a smooth system of loading a bus at Parika, whereby each driver gets a turn to load so that everybody working gets a daily bread. This system is being supervised by the traffic ranks and wardens who represent the mini bus association. During the month of August 2015, mini bus BTT 4448 was being operated by the driver of the Police Commissioner, who did not adhere to the system we have. Disrespecting the Warden, stopping on the NO STOPPING Sign, stopping in front of the first bus loading in the line, Speeding, driving

away from police, operating the bus with a boom box and the list goes on. Corporal Khanoo warned him about his behaviour and he continued with the same nonsense. On the second occasion the Corporal warned him, he became abusive towards the police saying in the full view of the public that he is the driver of the Commissioner and nobody can tell him anything and he could load anywhere he feels like. This was reported to ASP Stephens, also the Commander. The Commander even warned him about his behavior. Apparently the Top Cop’s driver is bigger than the Commander, because he went to Parika and made it loud and clear that he will see to it that the Corporal is transferred, just like he did to the rest. Lo and behold that happened on Monday the 3108-2015; the Police Corporal was transferred to TSU with immediate effect. We made contact with the

ASP and Commander and they both were stunned as to the transfer. Where are we heading when junior ranks is being victimized by the Commissioner for carrying out their duties, just for the sake of his rogue driver? The police doing their job correctly are being victimized, while the Police Commissioner’s driver, who violates the law, seems to be right. Mr. Commissioner you made a wrong, wrong decision and we are standing up for what’s right. Corporal Khanoo is always there for us, seeing that Parika Traffic runs smoothly. We can say we have an accident-free zone and you could check how much errant drivers were charged for violating since he was there. This rank put an immediate stop to touts in Parika. We are hereby seeking justice for Corporal Khanoo and for his transfer to be rescinded, we need JUSTICE. Members of the 32 Mini Bus Association

PADDY BUG capable of causing havoc in the rice industry in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, Like red rice, the ‘paddy bug’ or ‘stink bug’, as known by all rice farmers, is another menace to the rice industry in Guyana and capable of causing significant damage to the rice crop during the reproductive stage, especially from flowering to maturity of the paddy grains. It is no secret, over the past few crops, farmers have been battling to minimized the damaging effect of this deleterious pest but still end up suffering high percent damage when their harvest reach the mills. The damages caused by the paddy bug reduces the quality and the overall yield of the rice crop which resulted

in farmers suffering great financial loss because of the amount of extra weight the mills take to compensate for the damage grains and the low prices they would offer to the farmers. With the rice crop in most of the rice growing region in Guyana almost heading towards its reproductive phase, the farmers need to be more alert and take the necessary step to try control the paddy bug early. I was once told by a learned person that “the paddy bug is here to stay and we have to learn to live with them”. Besides that, farmers are trying their best and in many cases they failed to manage the bugs either because the chemicals

currently in use are ineffective, overused and the pest become resistant and fail to provide the level of control. In my view, the government and the rice board need to overhaul the Burma Rice Research Station and remove the head, who seems bent on stymieing the progress. Also, consider to set up a dedicated team headed by a qualified and dedicated pest specialist to investigate and find solution for the management of the paddy bug. As our president said “rice is too big to fail…” but without structural and other important changes the industry may fail. T. Ross

A simple call to me would... From page 5 these truths. But why worry with facts which are an unnecessary inconvenience. Secondly I thank Mr Bernard for his compliments on the Mall. A country is defined by the quality of life, the Mall goes a long way towards improving ours. In the two months plus of operations, we have been inundated with congratulations and heartfelt gratitude for providing something which has been sadly lacking in Guyana; ask the hundreds of thousands of shoppers, wheelchair persons, families, Ex-pats, Guyanese from all walks of life etc to ascertain this. We hope through our success that we pave the way for more companies to make the developmental plunge needed to stimulate and move this country towards its goals. I would also like to enlighten Mr Bernard, whose qualifications in the retail field I am unsure

about, that not only is my Board whose total experience number hundreds of years in the business world, but also four of the larger Financial Institutions in the Region have analysed the project through many different credit, risk and other critical operational and functional analysis and have all been satisfied with not only the project but also the success which we have so far experienced and that we are on course with our projections. I think that the Financiers waiting for our failure will have to keep their check books in their collective pockets. On a final note, I personally would not invest in a Specialty Hospital which is an investment that is fraught with risk and in terms of comparison with the Mall cannot hold a candle as an investment. But there again what do I know? Roy Beepat President, Giftland Mall

Page 23

Bartica Gold Board must be...

(From page 6) result of a well organized smuggling racket that involved not only ordinary business persons but also licensed gold exporters. The racket also involves senior officials and key personnel at the country’s airports. For this year alone, gold declarations have fallen behind 30 percent, when compared to the same period of 2014. It was one of the major contributory factors that caused the economy to reflect

a lower growth rate last year as gold was the biggest foreign currency earner, ahead of rice and sugar. It has fallen behind now. According to a senior Government official involved in the investigation of the smuggling racket, the coalition administration was alerted to the situation by the US authorities, since the issue goes way beyond mere smuggling. It also involves money laundering. This newspaper has since learnt that the US Embassy here in Georgetown has revoked the visas of a number of persons, including businessmen, licensed gold exporters, their workers and even members of their families. As a matter of fact, it is reported that the prevalence of gold smuggling has been likened to that of the lucrative drug trade in Guyana. Both licensed and illegal gold traders are battling each other to take control of the trade. The situation has gotten quite worse over the last two

years. It is estimated that between 10,000-15,000 ounces of gold per week is being smuggled out via the Ogle and Cheddi Jagan International Airports. Some more ounces are also being taken overland to the border at Corentyne to Suriname and via Lethem to Brazil. At the very least, it means that Guyana is losing out from revenues that can be earned from at least US$500M in gold sales. It also means that the amount being smuggled annually is more than what is declared to official buyers like the Guyana Gold Board and the licensed traders. With Guyana charging up to 7 percent of the value in royalties and taxes, places like Suriname and Brazil have become attractive markets because of the lucrative profits due to the lower taxes in those countries. The gold racket has reportedly spread its tentacles as far as Belgium in Europe and the Middle East.

Local singer launches... From page 11 over 500 Guyanese artistes. The petition is a call to those in radio stations to play more local content. This call was particularly directed towards the National Communications Network (NCN) which the GMN believes is mandated to promote all things Guyanese. The petition seeks to get 50 percent of Guyanese music played on private radio stations while 100 percent for NCN. The petition also seeks to not only get more modern copyright laws but to have these laws enforced. It is hoped that with its success Guyanese musicians will be better represented and respected both nationally and internationally. Rupert Roopnaraine, Minister of the Ministry of Education, which now has responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, recently indicated the necessity of modern Intellectual Property legislation.

From page 22

PROPERTY FOR SALE Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461. Republic Park Phase 1- $48M, Prashad Nagar -$49M, 4 bedrooms -Call:609-2302, 6452580, 609-6516, Property for sale, business place at Kuru kururu, New Town on High Way- Call: 261-6282 or 676-4787 Pearl: Well built 1,995 SF concrete building on 58X165 lot, formerly used at meeting halls-$13.5M-Tel: 649-1670 Property for sale: House, Campbellville, Georgetown. Call: 223-0733 or 617-0465 Property for sale: House, Craig, East Bank Demerara. Call: 223-0733 or 617-0465 Are you interested in selling your home? Call T &T Realty: 660-9478; 672-0865 North Ruimveldt- 2 Storey Wo o d e n a n d C o n c r e t e house –price $9M-Call: 653-8082 Property for sale: Land, North Klien, Pouderoyen West Bank Demerara. Call: 223-0733 or 617-04 Grove/Diamond E.B.D, next to brand new, 5 minutes from P/Road, fully air condition/ well security. Call: 216-1285; 617-9982

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 25

Corruption-weary Guatemalans choose new president

Women queue at a polling station in San Juan Sacatepequez during general elections in Guatemala, yesterday (AFP Photo/Rodrigo Arangua) Guatemala City (AFP) Guatemalans voted yesterday in general elections amid widespread outrage with the government, just days after the country’s president resigned and was jailed to face prosecution on corruption charges. The race has been rocked by the customs bribery scandal that felled president Otto Perez, sparked protests on a scale never before seen in the impoverished Central American nation and fueled indignation with the traditional political elite. Caretaker President Alejandro Maldonado, who was sworn in Thursday after Perez resigned, called on Guatemalans to “never forget what the people are capable of,” after casting his ballot at a school in Guatemala City’s historic center. “People must use their votes to punish candidates who deceive them,” said Maldonado, who will hold the post until an elected successor is inaugurated on January 14. Some protesters had called for the vote to be postponed until widespread reforms could be implemented, but the national electoral tribunal rejected all petitions for a delay. Amid fears that many of the country’s 7.5 million voters would stay home, the head of the electoral tribunal

said mid-morning that turnout was “acceptable enough,” declining to give a figure but adding: “There’s still time for it to go up.” The United Nations led calls for voters to cast their ballots peacefully, amid warnings of potential violence after the turbulent run-up to election day. Clashes on Friday night between supporters from different parties left one person dead in the southern town of Santa Barbara, marring an otherwise violence-free campaign. Adding to the angry, unsettled mood, residents in some communities threatened to beat up any outsiders who showed up to vote in their precincts. There were no violent incidents reported as voting got under way, though

officials said there were several reports of protesters erecting road blocks to stop local candidates from busing in outsiders. Perez submitted his resignation just before midnight Wednesday, after Congress stripped him of his presidential immunity and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. By Thursday evening, he was in jail pending prosecution on corruption charges. Prosecutors and investigators from a special UN commission tasked with fighting high-level graft in Guatemala accuse the former president of orchestrating a scheme that allowed importers to pay bribes to get illegal discounts on their customs duty. The scheme — dubbed “La Linea” (the line), for a

hotline businesses allegedly called to access a network of corrupt officials — collected $3.8 million in bribes between May 2014 and April 2015, including $800,000 to Perez, prosecutors allege. The former president has denied any involvement. A judge will decide tomorrow whether to indict him. The scandal, which erupted in April, and the anger it triggered among Guatemalans upended the race for today’s vote. The final opinion poll, released Thursday, gave the lead to comedian Jimmy Morales, a political novice who rose to fame playing a simpleton who accidentally ends up becoming president. The poll gave Morales 25 percent of the vote, long-time frontrunner and right-wing lawyer Manuel Baldizon 22.9 percent and former first lady

Sandra Torres 18.4 percent. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent, the top two will face off in a runoff on October 25. Perez, a retired general who had been in power since 2012, was constitutionally ineligible to stand for reelection. As a criminal suspect currently in custody, he will not be allowed to vote. In Guatemala City, several hundred people demonstrated Saturday, some dressed in black and carrying cardboard coffins and a tombstone for a “stillborn” election. But the protest movement was split over whether to take part in the polls. In the central indigenous village of San Juan Sacatepequez, 32-year-old furniture maker Carlos Cuyuch said the corruption scandals “encourage us even

more to look for new leaders, to be able to demand better of them.” Indigenous Guatemalans, who make up 40 percent of the population but are largely poor and marginalized, have been a key group in the protest movement. Voters are also choosing a 158-seat Congress, 338 mayors and 20 delegates to the Central American regional parliament. The corruption accusations have stoked outrage in a country where 53.7 percent of the population lives in poverty and the scars of a 36-year civil war that ended in 1996 are still fresh. Besides poverty and corruption, Guatemalans endure horrific crime rates and powerful, vicious street gangs blamed for giving the country one of the world’s highest murder rates.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

UK to use foreign aid money to pay for housing Syrian refugees Reuters - Britain will use part of its foreign aid budget to help meet the costs of accommodating refugees arriving from Syria, its Chancellor said yesterday, in a bid to head off public concerns over the impact on local services. Prime Minister David Cameron said on Friday that Britain would welcome “thousands more” Syrian refugees, after an outpouring of emotion over the image of a Syrian toddler lying dead on a Turkish beach put him under pressure to act. Cameron had previously refused to commit Britain to taking in more refugees in response to a surge in numbers reaching Europe. Yesterday, finance minister George Osborne said that Britain would use part of its foreign aid budget, equivalent to 0.7 percent of gross domestic product, to help local authorities meet the costs of helping new arrivals. “The foreign aid we have ... can provide the support in the first year for these refugees, could help the local

David Cameron councils with things like housing costs,” Osborne told the BBC. Cameron did not say how many refugees would be welcomed, but a U.N. refugee agency spokeswoman said Britain would take in 4,000 Syrian refugees. Britain has taken in only 216 Syrian refugees under a U.N.-backed relocation scheme since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011. About 5,000 other Syrians

who have made their own way to Britain have been granted asylum. This is far below the numbers some other EU countries have taken in. Germany expects to receive 800,000 refugees this year and Chancellor Angela Merkel has said her country can cope with a record influx of refugees this year without raising taxes. In contrast, Osborne said that instead of being part of a proposed quota system to allocate refugees between EU nations, Britain saw the ultimate solution as deterring people from making the journey to Europe. He also hinted that Britain could spend more of its 12 billion pounds ($18 billion) aid budget on looking after refugees in countries neighbouring Syria. Britain’s centre-right government is keen to avoid fuelling debate over immigration ahead of a referendum on whether the country stays in the EU, due by the end of 2017. Many voters believe

being part of the bloc means Britain does not have full control over its own borders. Cameron, who is aiming to renegotiate Britain’s terms of membership, argues it is in the country’s interest to remain within a reformed EU. A Survation poll for the Mail on Sunday newspaper showed a slender majority of Britons now favour leaving the EU and a “significant minority” of voters who want to remain in the bloc would consider changing their minds should Europe’s migration crisis worsen. Osborne also reiterated yesterday that the government would not bring a vote to parliament over possible aerial bombardments of Islamic State militants in Syria unless it could guarantee opposition support. The Sunday Times newspaper said Cameron wanted to hold a vote in parliament in early October, quoting senior officials. There is uncertainty over the stance of the opposition Labour Party which is currently electing a new leader.

Monday September 07, 2015

Syria slams British meddling after intervention signal

George Osborne Reuters - Syria’s foreign ministry yesterday condemned British “interference” in its affairs, after a senior government minister signalled Britain was moving closer to military action in the war-torn country. State news agency SANA said the foreign ministry had sent two letters to United Nations chiefs which objected to “brazen standpoints” taken by British officials, and accused Britain and France of a “colonialist” agenda. On Saturday, Chancellor George Osborne said Britain and Europe had to find a way to tackle the conflict in Syria, which has fuelled Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since

World War Two, and described the government of President Bashar al-Assad as “evil.” “You’ve got to deal with the problem at source, which is this evil Assad regime and the ISIL (Islamic State) terrorists, and you need a comprehensive plan for a more stable, peaceful Syria,” Osborne told Reuters in an interview. The Sunday Times newspaper said British Prime Minister David Cameron wanted to hold a vote in parliament in early October to pave the way for air strikes against IS in Syria, joining an international coalition led by the United States which has been carrying out such strikes for the past year. However, Osborne said yesterday that the government would not call such a vote unless it could guarantee opposition support. Two years ago Cameron suffered a humiliating defeat in parliament over the same issue. French newspaper Le Monde said on Saturday that Paris was also considering air strikes in Syria against IS. Syria’s four-year-old civil war has killed an estimated quarter of a million people and driven 11 million from their homes.

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Monday September 07, 2015

J’can delegation to visit storm-ravaged Dominica KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works & Housing Richard Azan, will lead a Jamaican delegation to hurricane-ravaged Dominica. The delegation was expected to leave the island yesterday. Minister Azan is accompanied by EG Hunter, CEO of the National Works Agency (NWA); Varden Downer, Director of Major Projects at the NWA; Roger Smith, NWA’s Technical Services Director; along with representatives of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and Officers from the Jamaica Defence Force. The delegation will undertake an assessment of infrastructural damage with a view to offering technical assistance in the recovery process and discuss how Jamaica can further assist with rehabilitation to ensure rapid recovery from the

devastation. The eastern Caribbean island of Dominica suffered loss of lives and major infrastructural damage to roads, homes, bridges, and buildings as a result of a most destructive impact from Tropical Storm Erika on August 27. The Government of Jamaica has already pledged US$100,000, two bailey bridges, and technical expertise in the areas of health and engineering as part of its programme of assistance to Dominica. Consultations are also ongoing between the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to outline Jamaica’s strategy for extending medical assistance to the country in keeping with identified needs. While in Dominica, the Jamaican delegation will meet with Prime Minister Roosevelt

Richard Azan Skerrit, the Minister of Transport Don Corritte, Director of the Office of Disaster Management, and other officials. Azan and the other members of the delegation will return to Jamaica on September 12. (Jamaica Observer)

Brazil graft probe targets two in president’s inner circle: reports Brasília (AFP) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s former campaign treasurer and her chief of staff have been placed under investigation in the Petrobras mega corruption scandal, the local press reported yesterday. It would be the first time top members of Rousseff’s administration have been targeted directly in the widening investigation, which has already implicated her ruling Workers Party in massive graft at the stateowned oil giant. Two leading newspapers — O Estado de Sao Paulo and O Globo — reported that the Supreme Court has authorized investigations into Communications Minister Edinho Silva, who was the treasurer of Rousseff’s 2014 re-election campaign, and Rousseff’s chief of staff, Aloizio Mercadante. The reports said the head of a construction company implicated in the Petrobras scandal, Ricardo Pessoa, told prosecutors that he made hefty campaign donations to both men to get or keep Petrobras contracts for his firm, UTC Engenharia. The scandal involves an estimated $2.1 billion loss from inflated Petrobras contracts that went to a network of construction companies, which allegedly used the money to pay off politicians.

Edinho Silva

Aloizio Mercadante

Rousseff was chair of the Petrobras board during most of the 10 year period when the corruption is alleged to have occurred, but she has not been personally implicated. But the two latest cases bring the scandal into her inner circle just days after charges were brought against the treasurer of her Workers Party and a former chief of staff of ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Rousseff’s predecessor and political mentor. Pessoa told investigators that in response to pressure from Silva, he gave some two million dollars for Rousseff’s 2014 campaign in order to preserve his company’s Petrobras contracts. According to O Estado, he also said a 250,000 real contribution, or about

$67,500, that he made to Mercadante’s 2010 campaign for governor of Sao Paulo was in reality a bribe to gain Petrobras contracts. Mercadante, who lost the Sao Paulo race, had reported the contribution at the time. “I support all these acts being investigated, to clear up any doubts,” minister Silva said in a statement to AFP yesterday, without confirming that he was under investigation. He said he was confident his actions as Rousseff ’s campaign treasurer were above board. Rousseff, who was reelected with 52 percent of the vote in October, has watched her popularity collapse as the scandal has unfolded against the backdrop of a worsening economic situation.

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Antigua to host OECS climate change seminar ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - CMC – Antigua will host a two-day seminar as part of a project aimed at strengthening the environment and building resilience to climate change in the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The St. Lucia-based OECS Commission said the September 9-10 seminar will include presentations from several stakeholders including the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) of St. Lucia, and the Ministry of Health and Environment in Antigua. The Commission said that the seminar will seek to do a stock-taking of the RRACC project as it prepares to enter its final year. “Presentations will therefore focus on the critical lessons learnt and the best practices employed by the Project during its life cycle. Some of the areas of focus during the seminar will include discussions on the policies, the

climate change adaptation measures employed, the public awareness campaign, human resource development and capacity building initiatives.” The Commission said that so far six OECS member states – Antigua, Barbuda, Bequia, Dominica, Grenada, Nevis, St Kitts, St. Lucia, and St Vincent – have benefited from the RRACC project in reducing risks associated with climate change in relevant sectors, by putting in place 11 projects that demonstrate various measures to build resilience. The RRACC Project is a five-year developmental project funded by United States Aid for International Development (USAID) to the tune of US$9.5 million, and is aimed at assisting OECS countries with building resilience through the implementation of climate change adaptation measures.

Poll results: Too close to call Trinidad Guardian - With mere hours to go before the polls open, this country’s pollsters were projecting varying results, cementing the fact that the 2015 election is too close to call. Citizens are no better off than they were at the start of the campaign, since they are still left wondering just which party has the edge in today’s general election—the ruling People’s Partnership (PP) or the People’s National Movement (PNM). However, H.H.B & Associates pollster Louis Bertand believes that even though there are slight variations in the predictions of the local polls, citizens can make an assessment of who will win today since local polls were proven accurate in the past. “Polls like any other things you are trying to forecast, by and large, have been proven to be more accurate than inaccurate. It is like the weatherman who tells you it is going to rain and it does not, but it rains the next day,” he explained. Over the last week, pollsters have announced varying projections for the outcome of the highly anticipated September 7 polls. H.H.B & Associates, which conducted the Guardian Media Ltd (GML) poll, is projecting a PNM victory, with the opposition party taking 22 seats and the PP capturing 19. This finding contrasted with the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (Nacta) poll by Dr Vishnu Bisram, which predicted Saturday that the PP would win 21 seats, the PNM 18 seats, with two marginals up in the air. The UWI Constitutional Affairs and Parliamentary Studies

Dr. Hamid Ghany Unit (Capsu) poll released last week also found that the PP is leading in five marginal seats in the election race. Solution by Simulation tracking poll by Nigel Henry projected Saturday that the PP was leading by 38 per cent, the PNM had 36 per cent, and a whopping 25 per cent were still undecided. Dr Vishnu Bisram, in his Nacta poll, said the percentage of undecided voters had shrunk considerably from a month ago, from “a high of 31 per cent to just six per cent now,” and they could very well decide the outcome of the election. Political analyst Dr Maukesh Basdeo agreed that the undecided voters could swing the election either to the PP or to the PNM. He agreed that with the varying results, one might be left wondering if polls were accurate, especially given the situation with the UK elections in May. However, he said, it was “very difficult” to predict human behaviour. “Polls are a possible outcome, it is not to say 100 per cent accurate, because

you are speaking about human behaviour. The poll is a snapshot in time, a person’s view.” In the UK, pollsters came under fire after they predicted a hung parliament with the Conservatives, led by Prime Minister David Cameron, needing a coalition partner to remain in government. However, the opposite occurred, and Cameron’s party received a landslide victory securing 331 seats, five more than needed for a House of Commons majority. Dr Hamid Ghany explained that the UK situation was different from T&T’s because pollsters there used methodologies such as online polling, telephone polling, and limited face-to-face intercept. “We have had, in T&T, telephone polling and face-toface intercept,” he said. The key to polling, he said, was the methodology used for gathering the data and the size of the margin of error. “If your margin of error is more than +/- five per cent then the poll is unreliable, if is it less than +/- five per cent then the poll is reliable. In order to get a margin of +/five per cent, that is determined by the number of questionnaires,” he said. Henry, managing director of Solution by Simulation, said polling had a long history of successes, but recently it had been facing challenges for a number of reasons. However, he said, it was very important because “we do not just need to know the numbers at the end of the day, but we need to know why people are doing what they are doing in order to improve governance.”

Page 29

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Venezuela’s Maduro pledges to create comprehensive plan for PetroCaribe

Monday September 07, 2015

Trinidad to vote for 11th parliament today …PM in election fight over crime, corruption claims

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller walks hand-in-hand with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (left) on his arrival at the Donald Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James Saturday. MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica - CMC Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has pledged to build a comprehensive plan for PetroCaribe, in the next ten years, spanning 2015-2025. Maduro, who arrived here on Saturday for a two-day summit to mark the 10th anniversary of the signing of the energy agreement, told regional leaders that PetroCaribe offers a different and successful model for lower income countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, which prevents international crises like the growing refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. “PetroCaribe is part of a successful experiment of the integration of energy. This is a project that has demonstrated in its 10 years that it is possible to construct a different model,” he said. Maduro, who co-hosted the summit with Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, said without PetroCaribe “our Caribbean would be a Mediterranean,” referring to the refugee crisis brewing in the Mediterranean Sea at Europe’s borders. Simpson Miller says the agreement has led to increased developments for the region. In her address, Simpson Miller says the summit marks an opportunity to highlight “the profound impact of the Agreement committing to PetroCaribe’s future and renewing our historic alliance with the people and Government of Venezuela”.

This summit, she says further “marks another opportunity for our Latin American and Caribbean countries to jointly recognize the achievements of this important accord that has helped to fortify regional economies, meet many of the social and economic development needs of our people, and build strong relationships.” Maduro also hailed the successful efforts of PetroCaribe. “It has turned into a miracle, a formula of integration, of prosperity and has contributed (to the) economic, energetic and social stability for the Caribbean.” “We can say with certainty that without PetroCaribe, our Caribbean would be a Mediterranean” referring to the refugee crisis brewing in the Mediterranean Sea. Other regional leaders at the Summit include President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, Prime Minister of St. Lucia Dr. Kenny Anthony, Haitian President Machel Martelly, Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Prime Minister of St. Vincent & the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves. The PetroCaribe Energy Cooperation Agreement -the brainchild of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, came into being on June 29, 2005 and was signed by 14 countries. Under the agreement, members are allowed to purchase oil at market value, but on preferential conditions, which eases the pressure on their oil bill.

P O R T- O F - S PA I N , Trinidad (AP) — The first female prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago faces a tough fight for re-election today amid complaints about corruption and violent crime in the twin-island Caribbean nation. Polls show a close race for control of Parliament between the coalition led by Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar and the party of opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley. The two rivals have a similar ideology and their support is divided largely along ethnic lines. Each claims he or she will do a better job of tackling violent crime and managing the country’s natural gas and oil resources amid falling prices. The two also have traded accusations of corruption, some lobbied by ousted former world soccer official Jack Warner, who is seeking to recapture a seat in Parliament while fighting extradition to the U.S. on corruption charges. Five parties and several independents are contesting the 41 seats in the Parliament. Persad-Bissessar, 63, took office in May 2010 at the head of the four-party People’s Partnership coalition. She has called crime the No. 1 problem in the country and proposes better policing and a zero-tolerance approach. “Now is not the time to experiment with any inexperienced party,” she said at a recent rally. “You need to give us another five years to finish our work.”

Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Dr. Keith Rowley

The prime minister has promised a new highway, a children’s hospital, free laptops for primary school students and grants to single mothers. The United National Congress, the largest contingent in the prime minister’s coalition, has its base of support with people of East Indian descent who make up about 35 percent of the population of 1.2 million. Opposition leader Keith Rowley, leader of the People’s National Movement, has his base among people of African descent, who also make up about 35 percent. Some of his supporters accuse the ruling party of taking ethnic politics too far. “I am against this government because of its ethnic agenda in promoting its Indo supporters, giving them the major jobs in the public service over AfroTrinis,” said Karen Bart Alexander, a social development planner. Persad-Bissessar has included officials of African

descent in her Cabinet, including Warner, who was national security minister until April 2013. He resigned after an ethics panel of the regional COCACAF soccer federation released a report accusing him of enriching himself through fraud during his tenure with the organization. He was one of 14 people indicted in the U.S. on corruption charges involving international soccer’s governing body FIFA and has been battling extradition. Polls suggest he is unlikely to regain the seat he lost when his term expired in June. The People’s National Movement led the country to independence in 1962 and held power for most of the next half century. It has accused the government of mismanaging the oil-based economy, which has averaged annual growth of only half a percent over the past five years. Rowley said the economy needs to be diversified to lessen the island’s dependence on its energy sector.

35 people still missing in Dominica Daily Nation - Thirty-five people are still missing as Dominicans continue to rebuild in the wake of Tropical Storm Erika. Two communities on the southeast coast remain cut off from the rest of the island as the number of bodies recovered stands at 11, said Dominica’s Minister of Education Petter Saint Jean. He gave the update during a conference call with members of the Dominica Association of Barbados at the Black Rock Cultural Centre last night. The association invited Dominicans here to a meeting to update them on the relief effort for affected members of their country. Saint Jean, who stood in for Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit who was out visiting affected communities, said via Skype that 751 residents from Petite Savanne and 150 people in Bagatelle had to be evacuated from the storm-ravaged communities.

Dominicans living in Barbados praying for their country Saturday. (Sandy Pitt.)

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Who inspires allrounder Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago tie in six-goal thriller Dwayne Smith? When we asked West Indies international Dwayne Smith to tell us about players who had inspired him when he was getting into the game, he produced a veritable list of great players from around the world. As an all-rounder, he chose to focus on batting and fielding, although with Sir Garry Sobers as one of his inspirations, he has the bowling covered as well. “As a batsman, I have always liked Sir Vivian Richards,” he began, talking to us ahead of the Caribbean Premier League 2015. “I guess it came from because my father loved him too. “Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge as openers because they are from Barbados as well.” Having picked his batsmen, he then moved on to fielding

Dwayne Smith

inspirations. “Then for me, as a fielder, I liked Jonty Rhodes, Ricky Ponting, Sir Viv as well and then we also had Clive Lloyd, who was very good in the field as well.” And finally, few would argue with his choice of all-rounder to complete his list of players who inspired him as a youngster.

“To top it all, Sir Garry Sobers, who to this day I still have conversations with. “They were the people that really stand out for me.” Smith has played 10 Tests, 105 OneDay Internationals and 33 Twenty20 Internationals since making his West Indies debut in 2003. (Cricket World)

Shane Watson: Australia allrounder retires from Test cricket Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has retired from Test cricket after a calf injury cut short his involvement in the tour of England. The 34-year-old played in 59 Test matches, scoring 3,731 runs at an average of 35.19 and taking 75 wickets at 33.68. Having made his debut in 2005, he has played in five Ashes series, including this summer’s 3-2 defeat by England. “I just know it’s the right time to move on,” said Watson. “I don’t have that real fight in me, especially for Test cricket, knowing the lengths physically that I’d have to go through, mentally and technically as well, to be at my best in Test cricket. “I’ve been through a lot of different waves of emotion about what is right for myself, my family and most importantly the team as well. “Over the last couple of days there was a lot of clarity of what the right decision was. I’ve given everything I possibly can to get the best out of myself. “I’m hopefully not moving on forever, still able to play some one-day and Twenty20 cricket for Australia as well.” His injury came in Saturday’s 64-run win at Lord’s, which gave Australia a 2-0 lead after two matches of the five-game one-day series.

Shane Watson A two-time Ashes winner, Watson was dropped after one Test of this summer’s series following a run of poor form that had seen him reach a half-century only 11 times in 62 innings since the start of 2011. Before that, Watson had scored 1,373 runs in 14 matches at an average of 52.81, culminating in him being named Test player of the year. A powerful batsman who has operated in several positions in the batting order, Watson scored four Test centuries - including a top score of 176, which came against England at The Oval in 2013. Watson also courted controversy when he left the

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood.

tour of India in 2013 after being one of four players dropped for the third Test for failing to deliver feedback on how the team could improve, as requested by then coach Mickey Arthur. (BBCsport)

Sandy, Utah – Similar to their CONCACAF Gold Cup meeting in July, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago battled to another high-scoring draw, knotting at 3-3 in an international friendly on Friday before a capacity crowd of 20,560 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Less than two months ago, the sides clashed to a 44 standoff. On this occasion, the Mexicans had the last say as Hector Herrera struck from distance late in the encounter to complete the scoreline. In Ricardo Ferretti’s debut as interim head coach, the Tricolor extended its unbeaten streak to nine consecutive games. After opening 2015 with three straight losses, Trinidad hasn’t been defeated in its last five outings. The Trinidadians – despite playing without captain and striker Kenwyne Jones – jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Forward Jonathan Glenn opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a diving header at the edge of the sixyard box. After a seemingly innocuous right-footed effort by Keron Cummings from outside the box deflected off defender Oswaldo Alanis and looped towards the goal, the 28-year-old reacted quickly to capitalize. In the 39th minute, Glenn did all the hard work to double the advantage. He hustled to dispossess Alanis on the right endline, raced into the box and picked out Cummings, who hit the back of the net from nine-yards out. A minute later, Mexico halved the deficit as Jorge Torres Nilo’s left-sided cross was headed home by Carlos Esquivel at the penalty spot. The Mexicans were back on level terms 10 minutes following the break. Raul Jimenez combined on a neat give-and-go with Esquivel, before firing a shot

Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago battling on September 4 in Sandy, Utah. (Photo: Mexsport) from the right side of the box off diving goalkeeper JanMichael Williams’ hands and into the net, but not before glancing off defender Daneil Cyrus’ head. The Benfica forward also scored the only goal in Mexico’s 1-0 win over Trinidad in the 2013 Gold Cup quarterfinals. Impervious Trinidad refused to be rattled by the turn of events. The Caribbean runner-up went back in front in the 69th minute, when the Mexican wall split on Joevin Jones’ 19-yard free kick from

the right, allowing the ball to sail into the net untouched. Then with six minutes left in normal time, Herrera equalized in thunderous fashion. Carlos Vela rolled a right-sided corner kick to Herrera standing 30 yards from goal and the Porto standout one-timed it past Williams. Mexico returns to action Tuesday against Argentina in Arlington, Texas, while Trinidad & Tobago must wait until October 8 to meet Panama. (CONCACAF)

Neymar hits out at... From page 32 it,’ Neymar told ESPN Brasil. ‘I want to play and I’m always working to be amongst the starting XI.’ Being excluded from the starting XI was also particularly galling for Neymar as he will be suspended from the next two competitive games following his red card in Brazil’s match with Colombia at the Copa America. The Selecao start their bid to reach the 2018 World Cup with matches against Chile and Venezuela next month. (MailOnline)

Page 32

Kaieteur News

GCA’s Hadi’s 2-day first division cricket

GCC’s innings victory give them title Twenty-one year-old Ray Nanan turned in a useful all-round performance yesterday to lead GCC to an emphatic innings and 66-run victory over GDF at Bourda with over two sessions to spare on the final day of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) Hadi’s two-day first division cricket match to take the title. Resuming on their overnight 131-7 replying to G D F ’s p a l t r y 8 9 , G C C progressed to 180 all out with Nanan taking his unbeaten 45 to 60 before he was dismissed. GDF, set 91 to avoid an innings defeat fell for the lowest first division two-day total in GCA’s cricket when they were shot out for an embarrassing 25 on an easy paced track, 10 minutes before lunch to ensure the home team overtook defending GCA two-day Champions DCC to take the title. Left-arm spinner Anthony Adams bagged 57 and got support from fellow left-arm spinner

Nanan, who had 2-5 to finish with match figures of 6-42. Nanan and First-Class fast bowler Ronsford Beaton, who joined forces on Saturday at 106-7, extended their partnership to 50 runs before Nanan, who reached the boundary eight times and cleared it twice, was bowled by offspinner Randy Lindore at 156-8. Beaton was then removed by Lindore for 26 with two fours and six. Lindore finished with 3-50 while former Guyana Under-19 player Berbician Jomal Lafleur (3-38) offered support for the Soldiers who crashed to 25-8 innings closed with only opener Leon Andrews (10) getting into double figures. Fast bowler Neil Smith and Alex Nester were both ‘absent injured’ after they collided with each other while trying to stop a cut shot. They had to go the Hospital where Smith had a cut above his left eye, stitched and Nester received medical attention for a swollen head. (Sean Devers)

Malteenoes and... From page 36 leg-spinner Steven Sankar at 37-3. Two wickets tumbled in the space of six runs before Ricardo Adams, who hit Burnette for consecutive boundaries in his 34, missed a reverse sweep to a full toss and was bowled by Ford at 95-6. Kelvin Leitch (23*) also reached double figures. Cush (2-12), Dalrymple (2-25) and Ford (2-7) bowled well for MSC who lost Delvon McEwen (4), bowled by Stephon Harris who also got rid of Jacobs (3). When Lewis, who pulled Rocky Hutson for six and played intelligently, was bowled by Jason Heyliger for 23 at 35-3, MSC needed a partnership badly. Ford and Cush, who both represented Guyana in T20 cricket, put their experience to work with a wonderfully constructed 64-run stand before Cush was bowled by Adams for 33 which included three sixes. When Ford, 24 (3x4) was run out at 99-5, two wickets fell for one run but with 11 required from the last over bowled Seon Daniels, Sankar hit the first ball for six before

he was LBW, Kareem Naughton (5*) hit a boundary to seal the game as Harris had 2-13 for Police. The afternoon game saw Everest reaching 148-9 with Chanderpaul accelerating from a slow start to hit four fours from 30 balls in 49. He shared in a 62-run first wicket partnership with the dominant Persaud who made 38 (1x4 3x6). Chanderpaul, who pulled DeRoach for four to post the 50, was LBW to Richard Hoyte but Abelish Dookie (11), Shaid Mohamed (16) and Travis Persaud (11) all got into double figures despite 4-29 by left-arm spinner Trevon France who took the tournament’s first hat-trick. Leg spinner Divesh Ramjattan, son of Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, had 2-26 and Hoyte (2-26) as GYO, not aided by three run outs, could only reach 87-7 from 20 overs. Christopher Deonarine (11) was bowled by Mohamed at 19-1 and only France, who clobbered two sixes in his unbeaten 25 and DeRoach (19) offered resistance. Mohamed and Raymond Singh, had two wickets each. (Sean Devers)

Monday September 07, 2015

No pressure for Hamilton in dominant Monza win

Lewis Hamilton (left) holds the trophy aloft after victory in the Italian Grand Prix yesterday. Lewis Hamilton won the Italian Grand Prix to take a 53point lead in the Formula One championship yesterday after Mercedes team mate and closest rival Nico Rosberg retired with his car in flames. The Briton had to wait several more hours, however, for the result to be confirmed after a stewards’ enquiry into low tyre pressures on his car. With some rivals calling for the reigning champion to be disqualified, the stewards ruled Mercedes had followed the specified procedures and decided to take no further action. Apart from that scare, Hamilton’s was an afternoon remarkably free of pressure in all other aspects. He enjoyed a commanding cruise to the top step of a podium, standing high above a throng

of Ferrari fans who had hoped to acclaim one of their own as winner but had to make do with Sebastian Vettel finishing runner-up. It was Hamilton’s 40th career victory, one less than his boyhood hero Ayrton Senna, and seventh of the season. “This weekend’s been just fantastic, a perfect weekend for me,” said the Briton, who dominated practice, started from pole position, led from the first corner and set the fastest lap. “I don’t know if I have ever had a weekend like this. This circuit is such a special one for me...when you stand on top of that podium you feel an incredible pride, incredibly proud to be amongst the greats who have stood there. “The sea of fans is just unlike

anything I’ve seen.” He had led from start to finish, with his points advantage in the championship gaining a sudden boost when team mate and closest rival Rosberg retired two laps from the end with flames flickering from the engine. Vettel finished a massive 25 seconds behind while Brazilian Felipe Massa took third for Williams a mere 0.3 ahead of his Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas. A Hamilton disqualification would have put both Williams drivers on the podium and that team’s head of engineering Pat Symonds felt that should have been the case. “There’s a list of penalties for sporting infringements, technical infringements are

disqualification,” he said. The win was Hamilton’s third in Monza and also made him the first driver since compatriot Damon Hill in 1994 to take back-to-back wins at the historic Italian circuit, whose future on the calendar remains in doubt. He had been unaware of the tyre pressure issue until after the finish, when stewards said the left rear tyre — measured before the start — had been 0.3 PSI below the minimum specified by Pirelli. Rosberg’s tyre had even less pressure but the German was past caring, his hopes literally going up in flames when the German pulled over with smoke and flames billowing out from the rear of his car while in third place. A pre-qualifying problem had forced Rosberg to start the race with an engine that had previously done five races, while Hamilton had a fresh one with upgrades for the fastest circuit on the calendar. The German had started fourth but lost places taking evasive action when Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, on the front row with Hamilton, struggled to get away with cars swerving around on either side. The Finn was last into the first corner but fought back to take fifth place. Force India’s Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg were sixth and seventh with Australian Daniel Ricciardo eighth for Red Bull. Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson was ninth for Sauber and Russian Daniil Kvyat 10th for Red Bull. (Reuters)

Neymar hits out at Dunga after being benched for Brazil’s friendly win over Costa Rica Neymar has warned Brazil coach Dunga he won’t tolerate being benched for the national team. The Barcelona star was restricted to a 10-minute cameo in Brazil’s 1-0 friendly win over Costa Rica on Saturday night and wasn’t very happy about it. Dunga decided not to start with the 23-year-old forward, who has just recovered from the mumps and reportedly limped off during training on Thursday. Brazil won the game courtesy of Hulk’s early goal but Dunga will have to pacify the talismanic Neymar ahead of Tuesday’s friendly with the United States. ‘Being benched is not something I’m used to and I’m not willing to get used to Continued on page 31

Neymar wasn’t happy after being restricted to a 10-minute cameo during Brazil’s 1-0 win over Costa Rica.

Monday September 07, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 33

US Open 2015: Serena Williams to Colts survive hostility to tame meet sister Venus in quarter-finals Bulls for Forbes Burnham title

Marin Cilic beat Kei Nishikori in the final of the 2014 US Open. Serena Williams saw off a significant threat to her Grand Slam hopes with victory over 19th seed Madison Keys at the US Open. Williams, the world number one, beat her fellow American 6-3 6-3 to set up a quarter-final against her sister Venus. Serena Williams, 33, is now three wins from competing the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988. The next player in her path is 35-year-old Venus

Williams, who beat Estonia’s Annett Kontaveit 6-2 6-1. Men’s defending champion Marin Cilic and 19th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga both progressed and will meet in the quarter-finals. Cilic survived an examination from France’s Jeremy Chardy, and a twisted ankle, to return to the quarter-finals. After winning the first set, the Croat rolled his ankle in losing the second and was taken to a third-set tie-break. But he took that with the help

of four aces and breezed through the fourth to complete a 6-3 2-6 7-6 (7-2) 60 win. “Jeremy played really well from second set on and I was having trouble with my movement after twisting my ankle,” said Cilic, a first-time Grand Slam winner at Flushing Meadows last year. The ninth seed will next play Tsonga, who beat fellow Frenchman Benoit Paire 64 6-3 6-4. (BBCsport)

Williams won in straight sets as she continues her quest to claim a historic calendar Grand Slam.

Police, GDF grab first innings... From page 35 before he was dismissed. Rodrigues and Austin continued to frustrate their opponents featuring in a third wicket stand of 57. Austin hit six fours and two sixes. Police declared on 255-6 off 47 overs in their first innings after they were inserted. Vishal Jaigobin struck an unbeaten 69 while Daniel Barker scored 42 and Joshua Paul 26. Barker and Michael Corbin added 50 for the second wicket after Rodrigues went for 12 with the score on 18. Darson La Rose chipped in with 19. Akash Dhanpaul claimed 3-52 and Xavier Ragnauth 247. St. Stanislaus were sent packing for 104 in 26.3 overs

in reply. Imran Ally smashed seven fours and two sixes in a top score of 53, Ramcharran Bawan picked up 3-13 off seven overs and Jaigobin 216. At Malteenoes Sports Club, GDF scored 177 all out, batting first. Opener Colvis Sam cracked 45 while Jeremiah Harris made 29; Damien Ross 28 and Jason Garraway 20 not out. Sam and Ross posted 61 for the opening stand to give their team a bright start before Sam was bowled by Devon Nandan after hitting four fours and two sixes. Ross then shared in a second wicket stand of 100 with Godfrey Matthews (13) before TSC fought back with incisive bowling led by off-

spinner Azeem Azeez who captured 6-45. TSC fought bravely but fell for 175 in reply. Azeez showed his allround prowess with an authoritative 79 while Sunil Singh who made a century in the previous game scored 30. Azeez mixed aggression with defense as he shared in a last wicket stand of 65 with Mark Baptiste (11*) before he fell with his team two runs shy of first innings honours. Michael Cumberbatch bagged 4-45 and Jeremiah Harris 3-36. Batting a second time GDF reached 37-6 when stumps were drawn. Azeez and Joshua Wilson claimed two wickets apiece, the game ended in a stalemate. (Zaheer Mohamed)

By Edison Jefford Except for the unnecessary delays owed to irate patrons storming the court to accost the referees and bottles thrown on the court, as predicted, Guyana’s Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Forbes Burnham Memorial Final was laced with quality. In the end, Colts braved the hostile environment at a packed Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court in Linden Saturday night to tame Half Mile Bulls 63-59, winning its second title in five weeks with a gutsy performance against an entire community. Bulls had galloped to an 11-2 lead in the first period with guard/forward, Terron Welch finishing back-toback layups. Welch entered this game after disposing of national champions, Pacesetters, with a mammoth 35 points at the Sports Hall last week. Forward, Travin Dryden finished a put-back for Bulls, but consecutive fastbreak plays for Colts helped them gain some momentum. Michael Tu r n e r ’s u p - a n d - u n d e r through the paint wowed the crowd and a jumper from Welch helped close out the period 21-10 for Bulls. The opening period clearly belonged to the home team, Bulls, as defensive lapses from Colts set them back early. However, Colts opened the second period on an 8-2 run, which continued to the point of the visitors heading into the halftime break with a lead. It was the beginning of the taming of Bulls. Thomas finished at the rim to cut the

Pacesetters blowout Royals in Georgetown clean sweep lead to 20-25 as Causway completed a layup and veteran Colt, Troy Green banged one off the glass to tie the game at 29-29 before Causway finished off a steal to give the Georgetownbased Colts a 31-29 lead a minute before halftime. The sudden overhaul of Bulls’ advantage silenced the crowd at the MSC Court, and angered the ignorant, who somehow blamed the referees, despite the composition of three on-court officials including the internationally certified, Sherwin Henry, who is from Linden. Colts went into the halftime break leading 37-31 after outscoring Bulls 27-10 in the period. The surge from Colts continued in the penultimate quarter with them taking a 48-36 points lead with improved defence and ballrotation as Bulls offensive struggle continued. Thomas completed a layup to close the third period 54-40 in favour of Colts, who continued its up-tempo basketball in the fourth quarter to go up 58-40 with Thomas and Causway running ball. The game seemed headed for a blowout until Turner got into the act for Bulls. The former Pacesetter, now back with Bulls, finished a penetration that triggered Bulls’ rush on the offensive end. Kevin Easton nailed a three-pointer to haul them within four points, 56-60 with three minutes to play in regulation time. Dryden then finished a

layup to bring Bulls within two, 58-60, with just over a minute to play before a referee call forced irate patrons onto the court. In clearly their best quarter of the game, the team from the western half of the Demerara River that flows through Linden outscored Colts 18-6 in a bid to secure their first major GABF title until their own fans quelled their momentum. The long break that followed after the raucous with still 1:16 left on the game clock certainly got the better of Bulls as Colts used their crunch-time experience when the game was restarted, after extended discussions, to come away with the win. In the final analysis, Thomas poured in 29 points with four rebounds and Causway 14 and four rebounds. Nicko Fraser had eight points for Colts, which had pockets of small contributions from the entire team. For Bulls, Dryden missed a triple-double scoring 16 points, 12 rebounds and eight a s s i s t s . We l c h h a d a double-double with 13 and 10 rebounds. Turner finished with 10 points while Easton added eight points and seven rebounds. Pacesetters blew out Victory Valley Royals 84-59 to win the third place prize that set up a clean sweep for Georgetown-based teams.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

Monday September 07, 2015

What cricket means to West Indians: (Part 1)

Sir Frank Worrell

By Sean Devers Presently, just the thought of West Indies cricket can take one into deep depression. Administrators, who vote only to serve their own agendas, players, most of whom seem only motivated by money and fans who, have lost all interest in watching Test cricket that’s involves a weak West Indies team are ‘normal’ today. But when Jamaican Robert Karl Nunes led the West Indies onto Lords on June 23rd 1928 to face England, it marked the birth of one of the most colorful and exciting teams to play test cricket and provided a major opportunity for West Indians to gain international acclaim. In the early days the West Indies team comprised players from the British Federation along with British Guiana, located in South America. Today the team is made up of players from the English speaking Caribbean Islands and Guyana. West Indies was the fourth team to play test cricket after Australia, England and South Africa. In a region dominated by ‘whites’ in the days of slavery and indenture ship, cricket

has played an important role in the social, economic, cultural and political development of Caribbean people. The slave rebellion in the 1790s in Saint-Domingue resulted in Haiti becoming independent in 1804 to become the first black republic in the Americas. Four years later Britain abolished the slave trade while slavery itself was abolished in the British West Indies in 1833. By 1838, the agriculture production in British Guiana (now Guyana) had fallen by 60 percent and plantations were being shut down since most of the freed slaves refused to work for plantation owners who had mistreated them. With most of the freed slaves heading for towns or forming villages of their own, the plantation owners, in search of cheap labor, turned to immigrants from England, Germany, Ireland and the British West Indies; starting the indentured system. However, due to the tough working conditions, these workers did not last long. During the days of slavery when the British were growing sugar cane in Guyana, they were also

powerful in other parts of the world and had entered an Indian Province called Uttar Pradesh in 1765. Under British rule in India, thousands of Indians were unemployed and living in poverty. Many who wanted to escape the poor living conditions opted to go to the ‘new world’ to work as indentured servants on the Sugar cane plantations in Guyana and later (1845) Trinidad and Jamaica. By the 1860s Indians also settled in smaller numbers in St. Lucia, Grenada, St Vincent and St Kitts. The first batch of 244 Indians arrived in British Guiana on a British ship named Whitby on May 5th 1838 and up to today many of their decedents still work on the sugar Estates in Guyana, St Kitts, Barbados and Trinidad. Those early days exposed the freed slaves and the indentured servants to cricket, played mainly by British Military teams. Since then cricket has played the biggest role in uniting West Indians from different Islands, giving them a sense of pride and self worth. Cricket for West Indians goes way beyond the boundary in a region populated by over ninety percent non-whites. It was the only opportunity for most people in the British West Indies and British Guiana in the early days to gain recognition. Cricket in the West Indies was a tool to gain respect and equality for a people desperately trying to emancipate themselves from the mental slavery that still engulfed their daily lives. The whites, although being the population’s minority, still controlled cricket in the West Indies long after slavery ended at a time when the class and status structure was still strong in the region. It was not until the 1950’s that nonwhites were given leadership rules in regional cricket teams. Black players like Frank Worrell, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Brian Lara, along with those of East Indian decent like Rohan Kanhai, Alvin Kallicharran, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Daren Ganga and Denish Ramdin were to eventually assume leadership roles of modern West Indies teams. It was in fact on the Sugar cane plantation of Port Mourant in British Guiana that Walcott (who worked with the Bookers Sugar Estate in 1950s & 60s) discovered Test batsmen Kanhai, Basil Butcher and Joe Solomon. Today most of the West Indians of ‘White’ ancestry

Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine, England, April 1950. (Getty Images) have gravitated to sports like Hockey, Motor Racing and Squash and the West Indies team is made up of mostly players of black and Indian decent. A lot has changed since those dark days of the 19th century but cricket is still the ethos around which West Indian society revolves. The 1950 victory against England at Lords for instance, still remains the single most satisfying moment in the history of West Indies cricket. It was the first victory over their former colonial masters on English soil and signaled the coming of age of the ‘calypso cricketers’. The famous win inspired Lord Kitchener to lead a crowd of Calypso singing West Indians around the ground at Lords. So great was the triumph by John Goddard’s team for all West Indians that

Lord Beginner wrote a calypso to celebrate. “Cricket, lovely cricket At Lords where I saw it Yardley did his best But Goddard won the test With those little pals of mine Ramadhin and Valentine” The song said it all as two 20-year-olds, Trinidadian Sonny Ramadhin (26 wickets) and Jamaican Alf Valentine (33 wickets) destroyed England. The highs and lows, those who excelled during the glory years when the regional team was not beaten in a single series for 15 years, the Calypso cricketers becoming professionals under the leadership of Sir Frank Worrell and later Clive Lloyd, the first ever tied test, the Kerry Paker affair in 1978, the rebel tour to apartheid ruled South Africa

in 1983, the fall from grace in 1995 and the new breed of West Indies players, many of whom seem to comprehend very little about the significance of wearing the prestigious Maroon cap, are all a part of the rich and exciting history of West Indies cricket. West Indies cricket faced tough times both on and off the field as we ended the 1990s but let us be inspired and motivated by what began several decades ago on a cold English day in London and the blood, sweat and tears that have flowed to keep the most celebrated sport in the West Indies alive since the 18th century. Since their first Test, West Indies have played 508, Won 163, Lost 177, Drawn 168, and Tied 1. (Records updated to end of Test series against Australia in Jamaica, 2015)

CFU sends condolences to Dominica in the Wake of Tropical Storm Erika President of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Gordon Derrick has expressed condolences on behalf of the regional football fraternity to the people of the Commonwealth of Dominica on the loss of life, displacement and damage to infrastructure following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika. “The impact of the storm, which caught our sister island completely off guard and which resulted in a still uncalculated number of deaths, missing people, severe structural damage and anxiety across that country, demonstrates our vulnerability in these islands and calls upon neighbours

Gordon Derrick to walk the talk insofar as expressing solidarity is concerned,” Derrick said. The CFU Executive Committee has been in contact with President of the Dominica

Football Association Glenn Etienne, and is awaiting his feedback on what kind of assistance would be most beneficial to the Dominican football fraternity and to the wider community. The CFU President will also lead a delegation to the Nature Isle in the coming days, for a first-hand assessment and to lend inperson support to the rebuilding efforts. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Dominica. We trust that they will find the strength to rebuild their communities and their lives, and we in the CFU commit to doing what we can to assist those efforts,” Gordon said. (CFU)