Tuesday September 17, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
How can the Government permit this? DEAR EDITOR, In the Kaieteur News of Sun Sept 15th, the disturbing column “Unfair treatment by this security firm” appears. Do the workers of this country not know they have to fear no one when they are abused, under-payed or robbed by their employers? It is the thieving employer who must be afraid. Are they not aware that the Government has appointed the Ministry of Labour to look into their affairs? Also, there are so many civic-minded individuals they can go into in any village or town to ask for help. Then the Political parties have offices everywhere where they can go to and complain if they feel that they cannot enjoy their rights as sellers of their labour. A worker sells his labour, and hence, is entitled to his earnings. I am ashamed to know that in this country where security services now have to be licensed, and which must fulfill certain criteria, and fail to do so, that there are still illegal ones operating, and some who are licensed are flouting the laws, stealing
National Insurance, and virtually escaping with murder and large scale theft. How can the Government of this country permit this? This is truly vexatious and extremely annoying. The minimum wage before July 1st, 2013 was $140 and became $202. Yes, the timing was bad to my opinion and everyone else’s, but it is the law, and unless repealed, it must be adhered to, or it becomes criminal. This is why the undersigned gave up several contracts, especially Government Security Contracts, as I cannot steal, commit crime, steal NIS and VAT, as some will do to make ends meet. No one is even doing any undercover work to arrest these dodgers and criminals. One agency calling itself a security service tenders below cost, and is known to absorb the VAT as profits, and the workers’ NIS and PAYE as its own, then cooks the books to fool the authorities or bribes. One is known also to operate a theft ring. Several others in this city, I am ashamed to say, are doing the same, and allowed to
operate. I have a few honourable colleagues I can mention who will never sink to paying below the prescribed wages, or manipulate VAT, PAYE and NIS. Like myself, they suffer the consequences, but will not play with their name and honour. I am also usually annoyed at the letter writers. They are afraid to state their names, they are afraid to say where they work, and they are afraid to say which company their work for. This is Guyana, a democracy with laws, and laws to protect the workers, the vulnerable. Laws which go back even to the days of the British, and are embellished by the Government of the day. We have the police and even political parties we are comfortable with to turn to for help. Citizens of Guyana, state your name freely, or at least give clues to the location and company, so that the related Ministry can launch a powerful or undercover investigation. Go to the Labour Ministry and state the company, do not be afraid, this is your right, your entitlement.
Then the Government has to seriously clamp down on these criminal operators of businesses that employ labour; that abuse their workers with underpayment. They must have their right to operate taken away. I went recently to an expatriate entity to discuss security. The management wishes to change because they know the security guards are being paid below the stipulated rate, and that NIS is being stolen; that for twelve hours, seven days per week, four weeks in the month, one full month the workers get only $50,000. Their NIS is deducted and never paid and they do not get annual leave. This is sick! sick! sick! That same company was taken numerous times to court by NIS and GRA, but never fulfilled its promises to repay, never paid corporate taxes, so it changed its name, and hence, thousands of employees over the two decades have lost all benefits. The other famous ones spoken of in this article are known for such skulduggery. There are several others. Another one, now defunct, was allowed to operate for a
decade, eking out tens of millions of dollars of NIS and PAYE, and now the company is no more, the workers of this country lost. The Government has to root them out and terminate them, and this goes for every employer who is involved in such rackets. Some known ones are construction firms or groups, sawmills, rice millers, trucking companies, and so on. The laws must be formatted for jail sentences, and NIS must now involve serious jail time, or the people, through the state have to bear the liability if the retired persons or sick ones cannot get benefits they paid for. Bankruptcy must not save them, even if they operate with a corporate or business name. It is never possible to satisfy anyone with money, but for God’s Sake, the people’s sake, let us ensure they are paid the prescribed wages or shut down the entities, blacklist the
employers! The Ministry of Home Affairs appointed the Police Commissioner as the controller of security services, thus the Commissioner must do what he is mandated to. I think it was not right to select the Commissioner of Police for this, as he is already saddled with enormous responsibilities, too much! Plus he heads a security service also within the Police Service. It should have been a retired Judge with an appointed Committee. Hon. Minister Rohee, you proposed the Bill, saw it through, now see it enforced! Only through this can security services, who do not pay prescribed wages or steal NIS or PAYE, be imprisoned. Use it Sir. I will raise this in the next National Commission of Law and Order. Roshan Khan CEO/Founder RK’s Guyana Security Services
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday September 17, 2013
UG Vice Chancellor dispels 181 Cuban trained allegations of examination fraud doctors begin In an effort to safeguard itself against academic fallout with the Hugh Wooding Law School, the University of Guyana (UG) has conducted an investigation into reports of examination fraud within the Faculty of Law. There were reports that a lecturer within the local Law Faculty has been suspended but Vice Chancellor of the local University, Professor Jacob Opadeyi, has insisted that this is not the case. “Nobody in the Faculty of Law was suspended since I was here...nobody in the Faculty of Law has been suspended because of the sale of exam papers or because of any reason,” Professor Opadeyi told reporters. However, he has called on any individual with such information to bring it swiftly to his attention. The sale of examination papers within the Law Faculty was called into question after an anonymous letter was sent to the Trinidad-based Law School alleging that marks and examination questions are being sold at a cost. The nameless correspondence was in turn forwarded to Professor Opadeyi and the Attorney General with officials from the Trinidadian institution stating their concern. And according to Professor Opadeyi, “this concern is a serious one,” even as he considered that UG has over the years shared a cordial relationship with the Hugh Wooding Law School. Currently the Law School takes 25 UG graduates to undertake the Law programme there and according to Professor Opadeyi, the damning allegations have come at a time when the local university is seeking to have that number increased to 35.
UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi “Now to say that marks and question papers are being sold, means that the Law School will start looking at us and saying ‘hey who are these people?’” said Professor Opadeyi. He however noted that the record will show that “our graduates from the University here have been doing very well, even topping the class at the Law School.”
In his attempt to shed light into an investigation conducted at UG regarding the allegations, the Vice Chancellor explained that not only were there no evidence to support the allegations but it is clear that “students get into the Law School based on their merit...It is your marks not who you are that get you in there.” “What do you expect if somebody purchases examination questions in advance? How much marks will they get 40 or 80 (per cent)?” queried Professor Opadeyi, who insisted, “We look at all the marks and the pass rate (here) was less than 50 per cent in the class in all courses. There are no set of persons who are getting 80 or 90 (per cent); that is what you do when you buy question papers; because in law it is very easy once you get the questions and you work hard on the questions and get all your citations and cite all your cases properly.” According to the Vice Chancellor following his own evaluation, the allegations thus far have proved to be
unjust since it gives a bad label to “those eminent persons who are teaching our law programme, people who have been professors at other universities, people who are doing a good service collecting poor salary, (it is bad) to paint all of them as collecting money.” However, it has come to the attention of Professor Opadeyi who assumed the position of Vice Chancellor earlier this year that “I was told this (allegation) happens every year.” And even as he asserted that the state of affairs is unfair to the University, the Vice Chancellor disclosed that he is opened to receive any evidence of sales of examination papers. “If anybody has any evidence of such sales bring it to the Vice Chancellor and put your name on it and I will deal with it because that should not be allowed,” said Professor Opadeyi. He further cautioned that allegations could cause the University at least two weeks of its time just to investigate.
Carolan Lynch worked at Duke Lodge From page 3 had carried her daughter to school and when she came back home, she went in the gym which was located downstairs at her house, and when she went upstairs back she saw him lying on the floor.” According to the employee, Lynch did not appear as if she had anything to hide. This publication learnt that Lynch and some of the staffers were involved in a “side business” at the resort. They would sometimes throw huge parties at which guests were invited. The employees said that they did not know that she was
a fugitive from justice, and only learnt about it when the news appeared in the newspaper. By then Lynch was gone. This publication was told that the Toshau for Santa Mission, where the resort is located, was upset that Lynch was employed there. “I hear they (leaders of the village) had a meeting and they discussed about having a 'criminal' working in the area but nothing came out from the meeting,” the employee said. According to the employee, they all knew about the murder of Lynch's husband. From all appearances, the resort is still being closely monitored just in case Lynch should return. Last Sunday, there was a boat loaded with men who appeared to be policemen cir-
cling the resort. The source also added that “suspicious men” would just stop in front of the resort. “I don't know if they are police or what, but they does come in front here, look in and drive away without saying anything.” It is not clear if apart from his public statement, Gerry Gouveia has given a statement to the police for what is, by his own admission, harbouring a fugitive, which is a criminal offence. A high ranking police officer opined that over the years, “We have come to recognize and accept that Guyana as a country seriously mirrors the story of Animal Farm, a famous novel written by George Orwell.” Lynch's present whereabouts are still unknown.
orientation process
A large contingent of Cuban-trained graduate doctors is beginning the final phase of their medical training. Over the next three days they will be undergoing part. Approximately 180 new medical graduates were at the International Conference Center, Liliendaal yesterday, at the commencement of the programme. The batch represented the fleet of medical students, who left Guyana seven years ago; to study at Cuban Universities. The three-day programme will educate the new graduates on the functions of the local health care system as well as skill training in different types of health crisis management which includes Advance Labour Room Risk Management (ALARM). Leslie Cadogan, Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry Of Health (MOH) congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments but advised that they stay focused, committed and serve in a professional manner throughout their career. “You have embarked on a career path that requires that you are humble, polite and must conduct yourselves in
a professional manner at all times, when relating to your coworkers and as you serve the public, your work must never be questionable.” Cadogan encouraged the young doctors to continuously advance in their career. He explained that the MOH is working to provide additional Post Graduate qualification programmes particularly for specialized medical careers. The Health Ministry is currently exploring the possibility of having post graduate studies in the areas of gynecology, ophthalmology, and general surgery. Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran reemphasized the importance of continuous training in medicine. He explained that approximately 10 per cent of the National Budget allotted to the Health sector has been used to provide better infrastructure at health institutions across the country. “The administration had invested in the construction and revamping of several medical facilities…that is the construction of the hospitals (continued on page 8)
Murder suspect's wife now in custody The wife of murder suspect, Randy Jagdeo was released from Woodlands Hospital yesterday but was immediately taken into police custody. Sources say that the woman was allegedly shot by her husband on the day he 'shot' and killed popular biker, Kirk Davis. Ranks at the CID headquarters were up to press time questioning her. Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell last week disclosed that his force is actively
soliciting the help of Surinamese counterparts to “bring justice and closure to one of the 92 murders that occurred this year”. Several eyewitnesses had seen the suspect in the neighbouring Dutch speaking country days after the shooting. Days after the man was killed, Brumell had disclosed the name of the only suspect in his murder—businessman Randy Jagdeo. The 30-year-old reportedly met his demise because the businessman was told that he having an affair with his wife. Davis denied the allegations but was still fatally shot. There are reports that Jagdeo has been reaching out to a number of friends of the deceased, apologizing for the murder and telling them that he could not believe what happened. The two men were friends who traveled across Guyana together in their bikers' posse to various shows and events. They were also involved in motorcycle stunts. Davis's family says all they need at this time is justice. Davis was laid to rest on Saturday.
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Gunman opens fire at D.C. Navy Yard, 13 dead (Reuters) - A 34-year-old man opened fire at the U.S. Navy Yard yesterday in a shooting that left 13 people dead, including the gunman, not far from the U.S. Capitol and the White House, officials said. The suspect was identified by the FBI as Aaron Alexis of Fort Worth, Texas. Washington D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier told reporters that Alexis “was engaged in shooting with police officers” when he died. “We have no indication of motive at this time,” Lanier said. Valerie Parlave, assistant director in charge of the Washington field office of the FBI, asked the public for help with information about Alexis. Authorities said they were searching for another possible gunman wearing military-style clothing. Earlier, officials said they were looking for two men, but then said police had established one of them was not a suspect in the shooting, which began at about 8.30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT). Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray said 13 people
were killed and a dozen or more injured at the Naval Sea Systems Command, one of five such commands where civilians, military personnel and contractors build and maintain Navy ships and submarines. About 3,000 people work there. Patricia Ward, who works at the Navy Yard, said she heard three shots “pow, pow, pow” and then four more shots after a pause. “Everybody was panicking and trying to decide which way to get out,” Ward told reporters. Security guards told people to “run, run, run,” Ward said. “You just want to know why,” said David Reyes, a tech sergeant stationed at Andrews Air Force Base who rushed to the Navy Yard when he received a text message from his wife, who works there. Reached by telephone, Aaron Alexis’ father, Algernon Alexis, seemed stunned by the news his son may have been involved. “This comes as a complete shock,” he said and
Aaron Alexis then asked a Reuters reporter how he could reach authorities leading the investigation. He said his son was former military and now studying while working in a computer-related job for a private company. ANOTHER MASS SHOOTING President Barack Obama was briefed on the shooting and then talked about it at the start of a speech on the U.S.
economy. “We are confronting yet another mass shooting, and today it happened at another military installation, in our nation’s capital,” said Obama, who vowed to enact “sensible” gun control measures after a gunman shot dead 20 school children and six adults at an elementary school in Connecticut last December. “They know the dangers of serving abroad, but today they face the unimaginable violence that they wouldn’t have expected here at home,” Obama said. The Washington shooting happened less than three weeks after U.S. Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan was sentenced to death for murdering 13 people in 2009 at Fort Hood, Texas, where he gunned down unarmed soldiers in what he later called retaliation for U.S. wars in Muslim countries. Among the injured in yesterday’s shooting was a District of Columbia police officer and one other law enforcement officer, officials said. Washington Hospital Center said it treated three
gunshot victims, who were in critical condition. At George Washington University, a man in his 60s died of a single gunshot wound to his head, said Babak Sarani, head of trauma surgery. The man was shot in his left temple and the injury “was not survivable by any stretch,” Sarani told reporters, adding he was unsure what type of weapon was used or whether the bullet had exited the victim’s body. SECURITY BREACHED The shooting revealed a potentially serious security breach. The command where the shooting takes place requires two separate identification badges, one to get on the base and another to access the building, according to a source who works at the Navy Yard and requested anonymity. Military personnel are generally banned from carrying weapons on military installations but most people with proper credentials are not routinely checked for
f i r e a r m s . “It will be interesting to see as this develops who the shooter is, how he got in,” said Navy Commander Tim Jirus, who was in charge of evacuating the Sea Command building. “Right now a lot of people are wondering just how safe the building is or just how safe the office environment is.” Dozens of police and emergency vehicles surrounded the complex in southeast Washington, which is about a mile south of the U.S. Capitol and 3 miles from the White House. Helicopters circled the headquarters with some touching down on the building’s roof. The Federal Aviation Administration said it briefly suspended departures at Reagan National Airport. The District of Columbia Public Schools put six schools and an administration building on lockdown as a precaution. The Washington Nationals baseball team postponed their game against the Atlanta Braves scheduled for Monday night at nearby Nationals Park.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Kaieteur News
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THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF THE GUYANA ENERGY AGENCY This column seeks to address a number of controversies that have emerged within the media, concerning the reporting requirements of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA). It specifically seeks to provide an opinion as to whether the annual report of the GEA is required to be laid before the National Assembly and if so, under what law is such a requirement made. It also seeks to disabuse the reader of the notion that as a statutory body, the Guyana Energy Authority is not supposed to be guided by the Companies Act. The Guyana Energy Agency is treated in the National Budget as a statutory body. This is important because the meaning of the statutory body under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) is too general and ambiguous. However, because the government has chosen to treat the Guyana Energy Agency as a statutory body in the preparation of the country’s annual Budget, it has led to the belief that the GEA is thereby subject to any requirements that the FMAA may impose on it. However, if the GEA is incorporated it becomes subject to the Companies Act and cannot be legally treated as a statutory body since the
corporation has a different identity to that of a body merely created by statute but not incorporated. Thus, if during the course of its existence the GEA became incorporated or if any incorporation continued under the Companies Act, it would mean that the GEA cannot be considered as a statutory body under the FMAA despite it being so treated in the national estimates. It is therefore for those concerned with the management of the GEA to disclose whether as a body corporate it is incorporated under the Companies Act or whether its incorporation was continued under the Companies Act. This issue is important because if it is incorporated it would be subject to different reporting requirements than if it merely retained the status of a statutory body. The fact, however, that the GEA may be for legal purposes, a statutory body or so treated in the National Budget does not automatically subject it to the reporting requirements set out under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act. Indeed, the FMAA at Section 78 allows for statutory bodies to be exempted from the reporting provisions set out under Section 80 of the FMAA providing that
Dem boys seh ...
One Bee meet he meetah Was big news de other day when de police ketch up wid some bandits and shoot one of dem. Two things happen— de man dead wid he eye open and he had on clothes like if the was reading meter fuh GPL. Now this is a man who believe that he got a gun suh he powerful. De next thing is that he lef East Coast and decide that he gun mek life a misery fuh dem people who live pun de West Coast. Well dem boys seh that he dress like if he going to read meter but he meet he meetah. And was no pre-paid meter. De Bees using a lot of pre-paid meter and behaving like pre-paid meter. Dem like tek dem thing up front. Unless dem get is no business; nutten ain’t wukking. All of dem gun meet dem meetah fuh de wrang things that dem do to ordinary people. Is not nice to wish bad thing pun people but these people do so much that dem boys really vex and only bad thing can come out of dem mouth. Now everybody know that when a person tell you that you gun dead wid you eye open dem telling you that you gun dead bad. Is only when death come sudden that people does die wid dem eye open like this bandit who name Bacchus. He and all is a Bee and according to dem boys he setting de pace fuh dem other Bees to follow. Watch how dem manipulate de Marriott. De crew spend dem money but dem tell de nation how dem get a loan from de Chinee. Now if de Chinee give money to build de hotel and you tun round and sell most of de hotel it mean that de loan safe. Brazzy telegraphing that dem intend to thief de Marriott money, Dem boys don’t believe that dem giving back de loan to de Chinee and in any case, dem done sign up. Talk half and watch fuh de Marriott accounting
provision is made under the law establishing the statutory body for such reporting. It therefore needs to be asked whether the Guyana Energy Agency Act which created the Guyana Energy Agency makes provision for reporting requirements. It does. Section 30 of the Guyana Energy Authority Act provides that a report, (not an Annual Report) is to be submitted within six months of the end of each calendar year. This report is to be submitted to the subject Minister and is required to provide an account of transactions throughout the calendar year and in such detail as the subject Minister may direct. The GEA is also required to submit an audited
financial statement. A copy of that report and audited financial statement are supposed to be laid before the National Assembly by the Minister but there is no specified time frame in which this is to take place. It is therefore respectfully submitted that: a) Providing that the GEA was incorporated or its incorporation continued under the Companies Act, then that Act is relevant to the agency. b) Despite being treated under the Budget as a statutory agency, the GEA is by statute a body corporate. c) The FMAA requires that audited financial statements and annual reports of statutory bodies be submitted to the National Assembly within a specified
time frame. d) However the same FMAA makes provision for such bodies to be exempted from these reporting requirements under the FMAA once provision is made for such reporting under the act creating the statutory body. e) The GEA Act makes provision for financial and other reporting, and as such is exempted from having to comply with the specified reporting requirements of the FMAA. f) Under its own statute, the GEA is required to submit to its subject Minister, audited financial statements and a report about the transactions it under took during the calendar year. The report to be submitted concerns its
transactions and is not an annual report per se. g) It is for the Minister in turn to lay such reports before the National Assembly but unlike the FMAA, no time frame is set out under the GEA Act. As suggested in a previous column published in this newspaper, there is however no harm in the authorities issuing annual reports for every public authority and statutory bodies, since this can enhance public accountability and transparency. At the same time, we must avoid concocting controversies where none exist.
Better Hope Businessman robbed, kidnapped and beaten …in critical condition at Balwant Singh Hospital Vick Seegobin the proprietor of Alyesia Auto Spares in Better Hope, East Coast Demerara was on Sunday night robbed by four bandits who were apparently dressed in police attire. The business man was on his way home around 22:00 hours from a social event with friends w h e n h e w a s ambushed by four bandits as he was about to enter his apartment in Prashad Nagar. The bandits forced Seegobin, who lives alone, into his apartment and then inflicted a beating on him, ransacked his home and robbed the business man of all his jewelry and cash that he had in his house. After being brutally beaten in his home, Seegobin
was placed in his car and taken by the four bandits to the Ogle Airport old road, where he was dumped. He was found with blood oozing from his ears and nose by a taxi driver. The driver summoned the Police who then took Seegobin to the Hospital. Seegobin is currently in critical condition at the Balwant Singh Hospital with injuries to his face, broken jaw and apparent haemorrhaging in his stomach. His car was found abandoned at the back of Plaisance. This robbery comes in the wake of the recent upsurge in crimes being perpetrated by bandits who are becoming more emboldened with every passing day.
Vick Seegobin
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Information drought to blame for Computer hackers in Africa targeting Guyanese importers Amaila’s uncertainty - Ramkarran - businessman loses $20M in two weeks Computer hackers are wreaking havoc around the world and local businesses are being urged to take extra precaution in their overseas dealing, since the perpetrators seem to be targeting Guyanese importers. While it is believed that many Guyanese businessmen have suffered at the hands of the hackers, one of them was bold enough to speak about his loses although for obvious reasons he asked to remain anonymous. The Guyanese importer revealed that he has lost in excess of US$97,000 within the past two weeks and thankfully he was spared further loses after he contacted his overseas supplier. From initial investigations, the hackers, who are believed to be operating out of Africa, are tapping into email accounts and manipulating arrangements between importer and supplier, getting the importer to make payment to accounts that are in no way connected to the supplier. A check of the businessman's e-mail login activity revealed that it was accessed on several occasions from Nigeria. “We have serious hacking in our system. What they are doing, they control your email. They are rerouting all your mails, coming to you and going out from you. So when you think you are corresponding with your supplier, you are not, you are corresponding with them (hackers), and you are receiving emails that's not coming from your supplier. “You are sending mails to your supplier that is not reaching your supplier. They are you and they are your supplier,” the businessman explained. “They are telling you what you want to hear and telling the supplier what he wants to hear,” he added. He said that he managed to discover the scam while he was talking to his supplier in
India. During the conversation, he was receiving emails purportedly from his supplier that a shipment will be made in a few days time. But it could not be the supplier sending the mail because he had not yet received any payment for the cargo. The businessman said that he had received an email from the hackers pretending to be his supplier, directing him to make payment to a different account to the one he previously used. According to the businessman, alarm bells did not ring in his head since it appeared as a legitimate request. “There are suppliers that I would have sent payment to for the last five years. This is a norm how they operate. Every now and then they would change their bank account. So it wasn't surprising, especially when you receive a booking from your local freight forwarder,” he said. The hackers appear to be well versed in similar transactions since they would inform that the account change was to work around new tax arrangements connected to the payment. According to the businessman, when he realized that he was not getting his goods as was arranged, he decided to call his suppliers and was shocked to learn that they had never changed their bank information. “They never authorized me to send money to no other bank, except at their bank, although I would have received an email from them.” “Unfortunately the transfer had already been made, millions of dollars, and of course he (supplier) never received the money. He's only one, there are many like him that I had done similar transactions with,” the businessman lamented. He said that one of his suppliers in China had informed him that her email ac-
count was also breached by someone operating in South Africa, while another hacker working out of Ghana had hacked his Indian supplier's account. “All these people (hackers) need is an email address from you. They have scouts in Guyana, who are going around and look at large scale importers, get your email address. Then if they can't hack in, you may receive an email advising you that your system has been breached and 'please change your password', and while you doing that, they are already in your system and they live in your system from then on.” It means that every e-mail that the importer would have sent or mail that is coming to them would be rerouted through the hackers and they control the system, giving directions on where to send money and how shipment is being arranged. Most of the money was going to the hackers accounts in the United States of America. “I lost close to $20M, they have people who have lost more,” the businessman stated. He said that he hoped that other local businessmen will take heed and not be duped by what is definitely a well organised worldwide scam.
Government did enough - Nandlall Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, is saying that the major downfall of the Amaila Hydro Falls Project lies not with its technicalities; but with the lack of public relations on the part of the government. Ramkarran is of the opinion that ways could have been found to deal with the inadequacies of the project, if any, but starving key stakeholders of what they need to know is the real issue. The politician said that Government’s actions sent a signal that there is a reluctance to deal with certain “critical issues.” He implied that the government cares little about how much the population knows about the project. This was reflected in Ramkarran’s latest article, published on his website— www.conversationtree.com. On the other hand, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, said yesterday that the government did enough to educate citizens on the project. He said that during a series of consultations, the President ensured that all documents available were handed over to the opposition. Nandlall stated that at one point, the President asked, “What else could be done and what other pieces of information were needed?”
Former House Speaker, Ralph Ramkarran Nandlall said that he feels strongly that the government did all it could have done as it relates to public relations. However, that is not a sentiment shared by former PPP executive member, Ramkarran. In his online article, Ramkarran noted that no structure to generate trust and confidence in the government existed by the time Amaila came around. He pointed out too that there was no organized public information campaign or effort to supplement, expand and define—on a daily basis—what government key speaker on this project had to say. “On the other hand, the Opposition and other critics were in the media every day.”
Ramkarran said that as a result, important questions were not answered, either at all, or in a timely manner while other questions were answered only partially. The former People Progressive Party (PPP) member said that bearing in mind the suspicions surrounding the project, the government erred by its non effort to take the offensive, to anticipate what the critics were likely to raise, and answer them beforehand. He highlighted that the result of what the government didn’t do, was that the narrative of the Opposition and the critics gained ascendancy and enough traction to enable A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to argue in justification of its negative vote in the National Assembly. Ramkarran said that some of the most important questions raised included: the cost of electricity to the consumer after the construction of Amaila, whether Guyana would have to go into debt, Sithe Global’s financial commitment, the rate of return, the inadequacy of Amaila by the time it comes on stream and the absence of a plan for the development of the Potaro Basin. The former (continued on page 24)
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Tuesday September 17, 2013
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
I met Mr. Tyndall on a trip up the Canje Creek Last Saturday, I traveled up the Canje Creek with my wife and other friends to see where the famous 1763 slave rebellion began. Our host was the inimitable Berbice lawyer and good friend Charrandas Persaud who is a son of the Canje area. When you travel this world, you meet all kinds of people some of whom you cannot describe. Living on the Canje Creek in a desolate spot is Mr. Bertis Tyndall. He resides not too far from the tiny Seventh Day Adventist Church where he
is a preacher. Mr. Tyndall is of the opinion that he is the only person in Guyana’s history that has contributed forty-seven years as a teacher in the hinterlands of Guyana. He retired in 2012 and now preaches at the church and has a little farm. A soft spoken person, Mr. Tyndall, who is related to Joe Tyndall, the former Trade Minister of the seventies and eighties, gave an intestinal smile when he said that he thought it would have been natural for the Ministry of Education to honour him in
some way for his unique contribution to the education of the hinterland. He listed the famous names from the hinterland whom he taught including the former Minister of Education, Desrey Fox. He did say that the Region Six Education Director had acknowledged his contribution and had indicated that Region Six may plan an event. But she went on to become an advisor in the Ministry in Georgetown and maybe that halted the process.
If the Minister is reading this, I would humbly advise that in some small way Guyana is made aware of the mammoth contribution this public servant has made to hinterland education. We came out of the creek in the afternoon and I took the opportunity to chat with Berbicians. One of the unpleasant complaints I received was the service of the New Amsterdam Hospital. Berbicians I spoke with cried out about poor doctor performance and shortage of basic medical stuff, including drugs. Here is an interesting case I encountered. A woman died at the institution from excessive bleeding. The family enquired about what caused the bleeding but was not given the reason. The family members took their plight to the Guyana Medical Council which failed to obtain documentation
from the hospital because there was no paper trail to follow. Charrandas invited me to be his guest on his Saturday night television interview programme. When the phone lines were opened, there wasn’t even one caller that spoke in favour of the government. I have heard people say that the PPP wants to call early elections but is afraid of the gamble. Now I can see why. I don’t think the magical hold the PPP had on Berbicians even a few years after Cheddi Jagan died is still there. When you look at the state of Berbice, the lamentations on the New Amsterdam Hospital and the cries of the sugar workers you are nonplussed to understand how the PPP can allow things in Berbice to fall apart when it was the vexations of Berbicians that
Frederick Kissoon caused them to lose their parliamentary majority? What is the analysis? Maybe it has to do with incumbency. After twenty-one years in power the PPP is suffering from fatigue, malaise, loss of ideas and complacency. It is anyone’s guess if the PPP can re-energize itself. When you are that long in power, mental attrition takes its toll. When I was traveling to Berbice, I noticed the rubbish that is all over the villages we passed from Region Four right through to New Amsterdam. Quite a large number of these districts are in the hands of PPP controlled NDCs. This is an intriguing situation. Georgetowners are constantly reminded of how incompetent the Mayor and City Council is; the Government insists that it is such an affair that lies at the core of the mess that Georgetown has become. But travel up to Berbice and you see horrible sights of garbage on the highways on both the old highway and the railway embankment. I saw a mountain of rubbish on the highway passing through Enmore. The NDC of Enmore is not in the hands of the Opposition. As you look at the filth, mess and garbage and you know it is nationwide not Georgetown alone, you fear for the future of Guyana. Daily we are told that Guyana’s growth rate is the only one climbing in Caricom. But the countries with lower growth rates look clean. Guyana looks like it is a civil war during which all you see is breakdown.
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 17
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Kaieteur News
Vigilante Murder P I continues in Berbice The preliminary inquiry into the vigilante style murder of Corentyne resident, Alfred Munroe, called “Guana Man”, 45 , of Manchester, Corentyne, continued on Monday at the Whim Magistrate’s court before Magistrate Rabindranath Singh. On trial for murder are Randolph Samuel, called ‘Rudy’, 22; Aris Cecil, 21, of Port Mourant; Richard Griffith, called ‘Buck Head’, 19; Michael Lewis, called ‘Mickey’, 31; Jafar Seeteram, 18; and Khruhnaraj Jagdeo, 47; all of Ro se Hall Town
Corentyne. The men are accused of murdering Munroe on April 9, at Bound Yard, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. So far, the prosecution which is being led by Corporal Sherlock King, has called eight witnesses including police officers Detective Corporals Primus Sam, Andrew Ward, Detective Constables Eustace Leitch and Emanuel Ragnauth who testified to the part they played during the investigation. The son of the deceased, Lawrence Gray, testified to identifying the body and witnessing the Post Mortem examination. Also giving evidence were civilians, Milton Ramphal, Nizam Khan and Shazeena Khan who testified to seeing the accused beating the deceased. The men are being represented by
Attorneys at Law Murseline Bacchus, Sanjeev Datadin and Charles Ramson Jr. On the day in question the men are alleged to have beaten Munroe and one Annie Persaud called “Short Hair, 18, of Rose Hall, Corentyne, and tying them with rope before placing them in the trunk of a car and driving away. The incident allegedly took place around 07:30hrs. It is understood that as the beating was taking place passersby objected and urged the perpetrators to take the two badly injured persons to the nearest police station which was a stone’s throw away. However the perpetrators refused and dumped the victims in their car trunk and sped away. When ranks arrived on the scene and were told what transpired the police went in search of the car and intercepted the vehicle at Williamsburg, Corentyne. They found Munroe and Persaud in the trunk of the vehicle tied with rope and with visible signs of injuries about their bodies. They were taken to the Port Mourant Ho spital where
Munroe succumbed to his injuries while Persaud was treated and sent away. Persaud died following on Sunday June 30 at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. The men will have to return to court tomorrow when Doctor Brijmohan is expected to give evidence to close the prosecution’s case.
How many more must die before Minister Rohee resigns - AFC questions
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee
AFC Executive Member, Cathy Hughes
Dead: Kirk Davis
Dead: Zulficar Namdar
“We have moved a far way from when rarely there was a fight or choke and rob. Now we have people dying every single day,” AFC executive member, Cathy Hughes said. Speaking at the Middle Street, Georgetown, Sidewalk Cafe, recently the AFC executive said that nothing has been done to enhance citizens’ safety when statistics over the year show the daunting reality. “Crime has continued and that is why many months ago we were calling for the resignation of Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee. It is clear, year after year, that Guyanese continue to be killed and the police are unable to handle, report and adequately find solutions.
The Minster is still presiding over the police force. Clearly something is wrong,” Mrs Hughes emphasised. “We continue to do exactly the same thing, which is in fact nothing.” As a country one of the basic fundamental rights has not yet been achieved, Mrs Hughes said. She continued that it is the right to security even as the right to life is being jeopardised with each act of crime. “How many more people have to die? Who is next? It comes down to ethics and it comes down to the fact that if you are not performing, then only you know to your heart that you are not performing and based on personal integrity you should be saying I can’t do better. “Rohee should be saying, ‘In the interest of not letting
more people suffer, let me step aside, because anybody has an opportunity to do better, since all we have doing is go from worst to worst.’” Mrs Hughes lamented. The AFC cited prior instances where they said Rohee failed to act justly in keeping to his portfolio as Home Affairs Minister. Those included the Lindo Creek incident, the Leonora trauma where a teen’s genital area was torched at the area’s police station and the shooting of Attorney at Law James Bond of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and former Chief of Staff Eddie Collins. Recent police statistics reveal that there have been 31 murders since the beginning of July – seven within the last two weeks and five in the past
six days. There have also been reports of slayings, bringing back memories of the crippling crime wave that began in 2002 and lasted for almost six years. Recently, businessman Zulficar ‘Vicky’ Namdar of 76 Third Street, Meten–Meer– Zorg was gunned down after heavily armed bandits descended on his MetenMeer-Zorg home, leaving the community in shock and anger, and continuing what has been a surge in violent crime across the country in recent weeks. Kirk Davis, 31, of Eccles, East Bank Demerara was gunned down by a man who called him out of his home. Davis, of Seventh Street, Eccles, was shot countless times at close range in the chest and back.
Corentyne shopkeeper murder Police in Berbice have held three men in connection with Sunday’s gruesome robbery and murder at Number 71 Village, Corriverton. The wife of the late Abdul Majid, 79, who was apparently strangled in his shop on Sunday morning, was visited by law enforcement officials yesterday where she was informed that three men were being held at the Springlands Police Station. Mrs. Majid stated, too, that she could be participating in an identification parade as early as today. She told Kaieteur News that she has a vivid mental picture of what
....Three in custody the robbers look like. Kamrun Nesha Majid and her husband operated a bolts- and- nuts business for the past nine years; a little shop which supplied mainly the rice farmers and tractor owners. Four men entered the yard around 10:30 hrs on Sunday posing as customers who wanted to purchase bolts and terrorized and allegedly robbed Mrs. Majid a quantity of foreign and local currency, as well as jewellery. While two bandits terrorized and robbed Mrs.
Columbia resident falls to his death Police were on Sunday afternoon summoned to the home of a Columbia Village resident who apparently fell to his death. Initial information is indicating that the man who is known to Villagers as “Tato”, from Columbia Village, on the Essequibo Coast died from severe injuries he
sustained after falling from his veranda, some time Sunday. Reports suggest that the man who lived alone would fall quite often. Tato was described as an alcoholic. The man was said to be in his fifties and was the father of adult children and grandchildren.
Page 21
Abdul in her house, two others were dealing with Mr. Majid who had opened the shop a bit earlier to sell the bolts. The shop is located in an adjoining building in the yard. Mrs. Majid managed to free herself and immediately rushed across to the shop, along with a neighbour, but made a shocking discovery. Her husband’s body was lying lifelessly on the floor, “and he lay down flat—they tied his foot with a wire…he wasn’t responding,” she said on Sunday. The man’s body bore no wounds. The bandits took off one of the drop cord wires {electric cable} from the shelves after which it is highly believed that he was strangled. Mr. Majid’s body was taken to the Skeldon Hospital where upon examination, he was pronounced dead. Meanwhile, no post mortem has yet been conducted on the body since the Government Pathologist, Dr. Vivekanand Brijmohan is currently on leave.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday September 17, 2013
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PROPERTY FOR SALE
FOR SALE
VEHICLE FOR SALE
Hell the doctor is back! Have your Gas Stoves repaired and serviced- Call:601-0595/ 220-4073/220-5785
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SALON
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Unregistered Toyota Tundra 4x4 and Toyota mini buses now in stock- Call:674-5911 or 647-7676
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House lot for sale: Friendship, Diamond, E.B.D & in Mocha- Call: 223-0733/ 692-8513
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General domestic maid on E.B.D; 1 Handy Man, 1 Small Engine Mechanic 3 yrs experience- call:233-2408 Experienced Roti/Puri cooks, pastry makers, handy boys. Apply @ Hack’s Halaal 5 Commerce Street Attractive live in WaitressCall: 228-5129 One (1) Able bodied ClerkCall: 231-2029/ 616-5954/ 6244953 Urgently needed 1 plot of land to buy in Parfaite Harmonie- Call:675-7292 One mechanic to repair minibus and Solid DEF vehicle to work in InteriorCall:666-9836 One night guard; one cashier; one cook. Attractive salary. Call 223-7165; 2258645; 627-0799 Moulder operators, wood mizer operators and portersCall Richard: 609-7675/2332614 Experienced taxi drivers- Bus drivers. Apply with written application- Call:265-7076/ 616-5419 Cooks & cleaners. Apply to IKS- Call: 223-1719 Bill writers and porters to work in Grocery stall, Stabroek market- Tel:2269800/683-9500 Labourers, apply to: Friendship Slipway & Co. Ltd 7 Friendship E.B.D- Call:2662217 or 266-0311 (7:30am to 4:30pm) Experienced male dispatchercall:686-7862 or 600-1700 (8am-5pm)
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FOR RENT Rooms- Call:225-9223 1 Republic Park furnished US$1200. South Road (business) US$200. Lamaha Gardens US$1200 (office space) - Call Vish Realty 612-7372 2 Bedrooms apartment, fully furnished @ 266 Atlantic Gardens- Call:220-3735 Coolers and ScaffoldingCall:657-0424 VACANCY One experienced salesgirl must be computer literate and must have secondary education- Call:627-5378 DRESSMAKING Enid’s dressmaking certificate classes from Elementary to advance: 66 sixth St. Albertown: 223-9106/6953876: sewing done here (Continued on page 23)
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Timehri North residents call for meeting with Housing Minister ... says Works Minister meeting with irrelevant persons Residents of Timehri North say they are not satisfied with the manner in which follow up meetings about their removal is progressing. The residents say selected persons are being called to the community/government meetings, while the Minister holding the housing portfolio is still to meet with residents. Public Relations Officer of the Timehri North Development Council Sherlanda Daniels told Kaieteur News that three follow up meetings were held last week but residents were not invited. She said residents were not aware that Minister Benn held meetings on Monday and Wednesday and thus did not attend. She told Kaieteur News that the development council understands that persons who work at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, whether they lived in the area or not, received invitations to attend the meetings which are supposed to be for the
community. Daniels said that several airport staff members turned up to the meetings with the notion that it concerned the moving of their offices or working areas, but soon walked out after realizing that the meeting was about the residents removal. The PRO added that residents are seeking an audience with the Housing Minister Irfaan Ali since he would have to speak on the housing scheme that the community expects as part of their moving compensation. Daniels stated further that residents are calling for independent media persons to be allowed into the meetings. She said that last week’s meeting saw only members of the state-owned media being allowed. When contacted, Minister Benn told Kaieteur News that he met with Timehri residents on Wednesday, after notices were sent out. He said that it wasn’t a good turn out since “some 10 or 12 residents” attended the meeting which
would have been the first for those persons in the Phase two category to be moved. He said that the meeting was fully recorded by GINA. The Minister said that airport officials also met with residents twice for last week. Timehri residents are being told however that they have to remove from their current location to facilitate the expansion of CJIA. They were told by the Works Minister that land is being provided for them at Yarrowkabra on the Linden / Soesdyke Highway. He said however that no special compensation would be given to the residents who were referred to as ‘squatters’. The residents are however peeved over this, especially those who say that they have been living in Timehri all their lives. Residents are further annoyed since they say that it was this administration, that permitted the community to develop the area for regularization.
They say that their community has been in existence long before that of Khali Road which is also located in close proximity of the airport. “Yet, that area has been regularized for years now with persons acquiring their land titles.” A meeting two weeks earlier saw residents letting out steam on the Public Works Minister. They had met with him for the first time after several calls were made by the community. They were further annoyed when they were locked out of that first meeting. It was however explained that the meeting was meant for persons in the immediate path of the airport’s expansion. The residents say that the Minister was adamant about their removal and that no compensation was meant for them. They see this however as a breach of their constitutional rights and are demanding full compensation and all amenities be put in place for their removal.
Gunman killed, ten captured in shootout From page 2 man in plainclothes ordered him to stop and identified himself as a policeman. According to the driver, the policeman and another plainclothes rank entered his car and ordered him to follow a man who was running and another on a bicycle. But he said that the fleeing men realised that they were being pursued and one of them fired “about seven shots” at his taxi. At least two of the bullets struck the windscreen. He said that they trailed the men to another section of Meten-Meer-Zorg known as Tarla Dam, where police killed one of the men, later identified as Kirk Bacchus. A woman who lives nearby said that she was in her bottom flat when she heard a loud sound on her roof. “I think that is the people upstairs throw something on the house, then I hear 'badam-badam,' and I tell my daughter to come inside. This was followed by a barrage of gunfire. “I see one man riding with speed (west up Tarla Dam) and police running, and then they say that one of them dead.” The woman also confirmed that the slain man was wearing a jersey that identified him as a GPL employee. A GPL official said that Bacchus was never employed
by the power company. The official said that the company is still attempting to ascertain whether any relatives of the slain man were GPL staffers. Teachers at the MetenMeer-Zorg Nursery and Primary School, a stone's throw from the area where the drama began, said they tried to calm the terrified pupils. A teacher said that when she heard the first gunshot she initially thought that a transformer had blown. “I thought it was a transformer, because when you look out, you could see the smoke in the air.” “The children hear it too and you couldn't stop them from looking, while some of them started screaming and crying. “But when we look we saw the men running up the road. But we didn't know who is police or not. They had very big guns, long guns and had casual clothes,” she recalled. Another teacher said the police came to school and advised them to lock the gates, but that was already done. Another told Kaieteur News that parents immediately started to call the school to ascertain that their children were safe. After contacting the Education Department, the woman said permission was given to let parents collect the traumatized children. When Kaieteur News visited the scene yesterday morn-
ing, residents were still in a state of panic. They were however relieved that the police had finally caught up with the gang which they believe had been terrorizing the community for the past few weeks. All the residents were in high praise of the ranks, who they said responded promptly and also acted professionally. “The police worked fast; we compliment them for their work,” one woman said. “They didn't harass anybody, they just told us to lie low.” It was just a week ago that Zulficar 'Vicky' Namdar, 25,
was shot dead when heavilyarmed and masked gunmen invaded the family's Lot 76 Third Street Meten–Meer– Zorg home. The gunmen reportedly tried to shoot Namdar a second time, but instead wounded his 17-year-old employee Stephen Mohamed. He was shot in the left thigh. Police said that shells recovered at the scene revealed that some of the gunmen were carrying assault rifles. Police had initially detained four men but they have reportedly all been released.
Adequate mental... From page 19 prevalent in Region Six. Most deaths involved the ingestion of pesticide, which is easily accessible to households; poison that is not adequately labeled or stored. According to Dr Persaud, the prevention programme requires the involvement of other agencies. “We are working closely with the poison control board under the Ministry of Agriculture. A representative of the Ministry of Health, sits on that board, which handles the regulation and control of the poisonous substances across Guyana. “What we have found is that the importers of these substances need to have
available in addition to the pesticides, the antidotes.” Dr. Persaud, explained that the MOH had taken into consideration the introduction of poison control centers at the major health facilities across the country. This will enable a quicker access and suitable response of health workers to such cases, not only for persons who may ingest it with the intent but also for those who may suffer accidental exposure to the poisonous substances.” This year, World Suicide Prevention Day was celebrated on September 10, under the theme “Stigma: A Major Barrier for Suicide Prevention”.
(From page 22)
VACANCY Male bond attendants/ porters & cashiers. Send in application & passport size photograph @ Survival Shopping Complex 173 Sheriff St. Call:227-5286-89 Vacancy for girl to work in bar, age 18-25- Tel:256-4096 One Thread trimmer (factory experienced) & 1 heavy duty sewing girl (machine operator)- Call:627-5378 24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistantCall: 663-1751/684-2838 2 Receptionists, 1 Salesgirl & 1 Cashier. 4 CXC subjects required for cashier: Apply with application @ 27 Norton & Creen streets- Call:225-5501 Night Dispatcher for a Foreign Trucking Company: UG Graduate, 7 days a week 12 midnight to 8am. $120,000 monthly- Contact: 673-5475/ 624-0001 One experienced live in or out general domestic (Georgetown) forty five years and over- Call:627-5378 Jump Start your Career!!! Phone: 220-0401-3 or 220-3488 to schedule your Interview Or Email:recruitment_guyana@ qualfon.com Vacancy exists for Carpenters, Welder and Porter: Apply at Alabama Trading G/Town Ferry Stelling Live-in housekeeper 30-45 years. Long term employment. Location: Kuru Kururu- Call:697-8797 Hire Car drivers from E.C.D @ A1 Taxi- Call:220-1000
EDUCATIONAL I.A.E (Camp street): Forms 1-5, lessons & adult CXC classes: Maths, English, Business & Science- Call :223-0604/ 683-5742 Writing CXC Maths/ English, Business subjects, Social-St/HSB, Biology. Jan/ June, 2014. Forms 1-2 inclusive - Call Mr. Lee 231-2076 Is your child a slow learner struggling with reading, writing & math/ has a disability? For best resultscall:683-3887 Electronic Course- hands on training. Starting 2nd October. Abdul electronicsCall:226-655/225-0391
TO LET Fully furnished Vacation home with all amenitiesCall during working hours227-1218 Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles call: 6797139 120ft×42ft Space suitable for manufacturing or warehousing - Call: 2704485 Guyana Brakes & Clutch Company, 27 Coldingen, E.C.D Secret Villa apartment, fully furnished apartments Landof-Canaan E.B.D- Call:2665243/266-5245 Furnished executive one or two bedroom suite in Diamond. Ideal for foreigners. Call:609-2466. Harmony Inn: Apartments fully furnished, airconditioned apartments: $5000 per night- Call:6680306/602-8769/694-7817
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Campbellville $100,00, Kingston US$900, Queenstown US$1500, BelAir US$950 - Call Diana 2272256/ 626-9382
Fab’s Rental: Cars to RentCall:671-6051/609-6890
For immediate rental, one bedroom apartment with all modern amenities $500USD monthly- Call:623-4498 or 649-2251
Wings Car Rental- Call:6431131
One- two bedrooms apartment - Call: 653-4074
Dolly’s Car Rental- Call: 2257126/ 226-3693dollysautorental@yahoo.com/ www.dollysautorental.com
Furnished 2 bedrooms apartment in Linden for short term local & overseas guestsCall: 614-4415/ 444-4704
Premio, vitz call: 679-7139
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Kaieteur News
American educator imparts techniques to local teachers At a motivational seminar for teachers, held yesterday at the National Cultural Centre (NCC), thousands of teachers and education officials from across the country received a crash course on methods of bettering performance in the classroom. The event was put together by the Ministry of Education in partnership with a Trinidad-based bookstore owner who directly engaged, Ron Clark, the holder of an American Teacher of The Year Award, to introduce some of his teaching techniques to Guyana’s teachers. Clark is currently stationed in Atlanta, Georgia, USA and is the founder of
The Ron ClarkAcademy. The 41year-old school teacher is best recognised for his innovations and unique teaching techniques in Grades Six to Eight classrooms. During yesterday’s session, a very vibrant Clark delivered a number of key messages to the teachers gathered, beginning with a robust review of his early days as an educator, a career which he merely stumbled upon. His motivational remarks saw him urging the teachers to let positive energy emanate, so as to receive positivity. He told the audience not to look at teaching as a job but more as a mission. He urged those who are not prepared to take on the challenges of an educator to
“leave the job”. Teaching the nation’s children is much too important be taken lightly, he added. Clark placed much emphasis on challenging “gifted” students beyond their capacity since they are regarded as the “brain trust” of the nation. He recalled that in his initial moments in the classroom, after noticing that each student performs at varying levels, he was advised to “teach in the middle so as to hit everyone”. Yesterday, however, he urged teachers not to “dumb down” their lessons to fit the lower performing students. “You don’t want your brain trust being taught at middle level but the top and beyond. They
Thieves empty Robb Street store
Thieves empty Triple D Fashion shelves A Robb Street businessman is counting his losses after thieves escaped with goods worth millions of dollars over the weekend. This is not the first time the store, Triple ‘D’ Fashion, has been robbed, said owner, Dave Danny. The startling discovery of empty shelves and goods scattered across the store was made yesterday around 09:00hrs when Danny opened his door for business. The thieves, who gained access through the roof, made off with numerous items including clothing, costume
jewellery, and fans. Several high-end health and beauty products and a skin analyzer which were being stored on the premises were also stolen. The thieves apparently broke several light bulbs and pipelines of another store on King Street whilst walking through a slim alleyway to access Triple ‘D’ Fashion. The thieves who seem knowledgeable of the layout lifted a section of the zinc roof, broke the ceiling and entered the store. According to Danny, break and entry of his business has seemingly become an annual
event. It is however very costly to restocking. Recouping the losses is out of the question. The man recalled that after the more recent break-in he was forced to solid cast the wall which they had broken to gain entry. Other storeowners operating on Robb Street, who converged at the scene, lamented the recent spate of break-ins. About a week ago another storeowner was greeted with missing items after opening up for business. Apparently, the thieves are using the weekends to target the stores.
have to be challenged because the future of the country will suffer.” He said that teaching at the level of the smartest child in the class will eventually motivate the low performing students to improve. Clark further urged teachers to make productive use in the classroom and be energetic, and not to let time go by “sitting down”. “There should never be a moment when you sit down. Teachers should not sit down in class.” He said that by using the time productively, it leaves no space for misbehavior. He stated that an indiscipline problem would not exist if students are not given the time to be indisciplined. The teachers were further encouraged to be supportive of each other while putting the best interests of students, first. “When you’re dealing with children there is no room for the egos of teachers. As teachers we’ve got to hold it together. We’ve got to uplift each other; we must have each other’s back,” he said. Teachers were also asked to be supportive of, and to cooperate with, their administrators. In addition to his urges, Clark shared a number of his exciting experiences and challenges as a teacher in South Carolina and Harlem, New York and encouraged teachers to learn from them and to find inspiration and courage to be better teachers and to continue to effectively change the lives of the children they teach. At the end of the seminar, the question was asked whether those in the audience were ready to employ the methods spoken of and to “act on what has been learnt” in order to make a difference in the lives of children, to which there was a resounding “Yes” in response. Two of the books that Clark penned, ‘The Essential 55’ and ‘The End of Molasses Classes’; based on his teaching methods were also purchased by the hundreds following Clark’s motivational speech.
Information drought to blame for ... From page 11 Speaker said that the first above stated question was never answered or “adequately answered”. He opined that the second “had no relationship to the viability of the project. The third was never fully clarified. The fourth could have been defended. The fifth is no reason not to proceed with Amaila because without it the situation will be far worse. The sixth is giving up the bird in the hand for two in the bush.” With his answers being simply put forward, Ramkarran said that answers from the government needed to be in the media every day, “not merely as a response to the critics, but as a
public information activity in an effort to mobilize public support. But this was never done. “The distinct impression created was that no seriously organized public information effort went into the promotion of Amaila and the questions were dealt with on an ad hoc basis by persons who were otherwise heavily engaged with other daily activities.” Ramkarran noted that there was “no government website to answer, in a timely manner, all the questions which were being raised. Attractive publications arguing the case for Amaila were absent. Such publications as came out in the State press were unattractive and uninteresting.
No one watched Government spokespersons on television. Credible engineers and financial experts were not engaged to promote the project and debate with the critics.” The former speaker said that the government showed reluctance to deal with certain critical issues, even if unpalatable, such as the cost of electricity to the consumer. “Even if the cost would not have gone down initially, the public ought nevertheless to have been told. This could have been defended. Instead the Government allowed the critics’ accusation of deception to take hold. The Sithe Global website
did not deal with this and other important issues.” Ramkarran concluded that with the suspicions about corruption and accusations about inadequately negotiated deals, it is hardly a surprise that APNU said that it was not convinced. Government that public a relation is serious business and ought not to be left to politicians The former Speaker advised, “If the lesson of Amaila is not learnt, the new airport and the specialty hospital will go the same way unless lawful extrabudgetary ways are found to contribute Government share of the finance, if this is required.”
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Women rally against domestic violence Barbados endured the deaths of three women including a Guyanese - in four months allegedly at the hands of spouses, and the ladies came out in force for a rally against the scourge of domestic violence. This demonstration of vigilance last week can be seen as a pro-active move aimed at ensuring that Government’s planned amendmentstolegislation on domestic violence do not disappear onto some shelf in the legal affairs department. It is also intended to ensure that the Bill gets smooth sailing when it goes to parliament. As reported by Kaieteur News, Guyanese Brenda Belle was chopped to death in May. Police believe that her demise came at the hands of her jealous ex-husband. Barbadian Denise Clarke was murdered in July. She was found dead in a pool of blood in the waiting area of a St Michael retirement home, where she worked. Another Bajan woman Fish vendor, Caroline Ford, was knifed to death in the presence of co-workers at the Bridgetown Fish Complex, allegedly by her paramour in August. The spouses of all three women are in jail awaiting trial. Relatives and friends of Belle and Forde contend that if police had acted when complaints were made about assaults on them by the suspects, prior to the fatal incidents, they would have been alive today. But, as is the case in Guyana and many Englishspeaking Caribbean countries, police say their hands are tied by the law. For a number of reasons - including economic ones - many women refuse to offer further evidence against their male companion-abusers, making officers of the law less inclined to vigorously pursue reports of domestic violence. Responding to this social feeling of discontent, Barbados Attorney General, Adriel
Braithwaite, announced last month that Government is taking a Bill to Parliament to amend the Domestic Violence (Protection) Act to empower police to go ahead with prosecution even when the female partner refuses to testify against the abusive spouse. At last week’s rally, President of the 18-member strong umbrella women’s group, National Organisation of Women, Marilyn Rice-Bowen, urged Barbadians to express their views on it to their members of parliament. “They have to speak for you, so you need to start engaging them on the subject of domestic violence,” she said. She called for women throughout the island to apply full social pressure in the cause of this bill to make punishment of abusers legally easier. “I’m asking women - you sit on PTAs, you sit on church groups, I know you get very busy about fish-fries and cake sales and all that - put those things on the back burner and talk about domestic violence... You are women in your churches, you are women in your PTA organisation, you are women in all types of organisations. Your women are suffering,” she said. She called on the many men in the crowd to join the battle against domestic violence, “Men you need to talk to your men ... when they tell you in the bars that they abuse women, stop and tell them that it is wrong. Fathers talk to the boys. We women will talk to our boys, but you are to join us on this crusade. We will empower our women, but we can’t do it alone. We need you to tell the men when they are wrong “. This agitation in Barbados may be a useful example for the women of Guyana, where spousal abuse, many resulting in death, far exceeds that on the Caribbean island.
AFC wants forensic ... From page 14 truth as to an impending sale of, or investment into the Marriott Hotel, “clearly shows the continuing lack of transparency, and behind-the-door secret deals involving Head of the NICIL, Winston Brassington and unknown investors controlled by the former Head of State and his circle of friends.” Ramjattan asks, “Why is it that Brassington does not want to tell us who this new investor is? Is he some Phantom?” This past week Ramjattan alleged that an offer was made from a British Virgin Islands incorporated investor, to purchase the incomplete Marriott Hotel Building, as a result of Government “finding it difficult to attract the investors and syndicated loans” to complete the hotel.
Brassington has since denied this but did say that AHI is in the closing stages of a deal with a foreign investor and that the name of this investor will be announced when there is financial closure. He said, “In general, private investors are usually reluctant to make premature public disclosures about their business and in this case there is greater apprehension to do so, given the hostile and unwelcoming political environment created by the Opposition parties.” He said that the private investor is aware, and acknowledges, that given its intended relationship with the Government of Guyana, it will be required to make a public announcement which it is prepared to do at the appropriate time.
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Western powers press Assad to comply; U.N. confirms sarin used (Reuters) - The United States, Britain and France warned President Bashar alAssad yesterday that there would be consequences if he failed to hand over Syria’s chemical weapons, and said a U.N. report on the August 21 sarin gas attack left little doubt that Assad’s forces were to blame. As expected, a report by U.N. chemical weapons experts did not say who launched the attack on the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Ghouta, which prompted the threat of Western military action. But it did give details of the type of gas and the munitions used, which some experts said indicated government forces were responsible. After a meeting of their foreign ministers in Paris, the three Western permanent members of the United Nations Security Council said they would seek a strong U.N. resolution setting binding deadlines for removing Syria’s chemical weapons, French President Francois Hollande’s office said. This followed a weekend deal negotiated by Russia and
Sergei Lavrov
Bashar al-Assad
Francois Hollande
the United States on eliminating the arms. Russia cautioned against imposing tough penalties on the Syrian leader, who is Moscow’s close ally. Russia and Syria say that opposition forces carried out the chemical weapons attack. In Syria, where rebels fear the U.S.-Russia deal gave Assad license to continue his campaign using conventional weapons, fighting was reported on several fronts. Turkey said its warplanes shot down a Syrian helicopter after it violated Turkish airspace. The U.S.-Russia deal
reached in Geneva put off the immediate threat of U.S. air strikes to punish Assad for the August 21 attack, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed at the time that it did not include any automatic use of force in the event of Syria’s failure to comply. U.S. President Barack Obama has said force remains an option if Assad reneges. The U.N. report confirmed “unequivocally and objectively” that chemical weapons were used, according to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
“THIS IS A WAR CRIME” “This is a war crime,” Ban told the Security Council. “The international community has a responsibility to hold the perpetrators accountable and to ensure that chemical weapons never re-emerge as an instrument of warfare.” Washington says the attack killed more than 1,400 people, including some 400 children Wa s h i n g t o n ’s ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said the U.N. report made clear that only the Syrian government could have
carried it out. British and French officials echoed her comments. Russian U.N. envoy Vitaly Churkin said there was no scientific proof government forces were responsible for the sarin attack. “We need to not jump to any conclusions,” he said. Syria’s U.N. ambassador did not immediately respond to request for comment. The report confirmed that sarin gas was used. The investigators studied five impact sites and were able to determine the likely trajectory of the projectiles at two sites - Moadamiyah and Ein Tarma. SYRIA RISKS CONSEQUENCES U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told a news conference in Paris that the three powers agreed with Russia that Assad must suffer consequences if he fails to comply with U.N. demands. “If Assad fails in time to abide by the terms of this framework, make no mistake, we are all agreed - and that includes Russia - that there will be consequences,” Kerry said. The accord offered the Syrian leader “no lifeline” and
he had “lost all legitimacy”, Kerry added. After Hollande met Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague and their French counterpart Laurent Fabius, an aide to Hollande said: “The idea is to stick to a firm line”. “They’ve agreed to seek a strong and robust resolution that sets precise and binding deadlines with a calendar,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Russia accused the Europeans of trying to reinterpret the agreement. In Moscow, Lavrov said any rush to draw up a resolution threatening to punish Syria in the event of non-compliance showed a “lack of understanding” of the deal. “Our (European) partners want to again unilaterally review what we’ve agreed on with the Americans. That’s not how you do business, and I’m sure that despite these statements that are coming from European capitals, the Americans will, as proper negotiators, strictly stick to what has been agreed (Continued on page 28)
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Kaieteur News
HISTORIC CLASH - Shaw Tackles Holness In Rare Leadership Face-Off Andrew Holness
Audley Shaw Audley Shaw’s formal announcement Sunday night that he will be challenging Andrew Holness for the position of leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) at the next annual conference, is expected to set in motion a historic campaign in the 70year-old political organisation. The JLP has tended to circumvent leadership elections in the past. “I have now come to the decision that I will allow my name to be entered into nomination for the post of leader of this great 70-yearold movement, the Jamaica Labour Party that was formed by the Right Excellent Sir William Alexander Bustamante,” declared Shaw in a radio and television broadcast to the nation last night. Late yesterday, former JLP Chairman Mike Henry, the only Labourite to challenge an incumbent leader when he took on Edward Seaga in 1978, warned that a challenge by Shaw could do more damage to derail the already fragile democratic structures of the JLP. “A challenge at any time can become necessary but, unfortunately, the JLP has failed to put in place the structure necessary for
constitutional changes for which I have fought and extracted an agreement from the party before the return of Bruce Golding,” said Henry. He said he supported Golding’s return on the basis that the JLP implements term limits to be entrenched in the constitutional structure of the party. In this way, Henry said, ambitious politicians would not be free to challenge leaders until his or her tenure expires. Henry said, under the proposal, if Golding had lost the 2011 general election, it would have paved the way for him to make his exit. “Otherwise, his limit would have expired about now,” he said. “What if someone chooses to challenge the leader every year?” argued Henry. “What would that do to the party structure?” During his reign as leader of the JLP between 1943 and 1974, Bustamante never countenanced a leadership challenge. He was regarded as “leader for life”. Although Donald Sangster and Hugh Shearer were prime ministers, they were not party leaders during their respective tenures. The constitution of the JLP had to be amended in 1974 to facilitate an “election” that
would usher Edward Seaga to the helm of the organisation. Shaw is moving to change all this on the occasion of the JLP’s 70th year as a major political party. “If it is God’s will and the choice of the delegates that I am to lead this great party, I will do my best to be worthy of your trust and confidence,” asserted the man who spent 14 years as deputy leader of the JLP. Shaw also disclosed that he would formally launch his campaign later this month. “On the 29th of this month, there will be a formal launch of my campaign for leadership. Then, the details of the plans to rebuild our party will be presented, along with the policy framework and vision that will guide us into the next general elections when we form the next government,” he said. He also promised to unveil his vision to set not only the JLP but Jamaica on an alternative path, both of which he said were drifting. “In the course of this campaign, the party and every Jamaican can be assured that this will be a contest of ideas, plans, programmes and vision, and not one that is based on negative campaigning and personal attacks.”
LIAT CEO Ian Brunton resigns The Antigua Observer is reporting that Leeward Island Air Transport (LIAT) chief executive officer Ian Brunton has resigned. LIAT is a regional air carrier based in Antigua. LIAT’s three main shareholder governments are Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados and St Vincent & the Grenadines. Brunton, a former chief executive of Trinidad & Tobago state owned Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) was appointed CEO of LIAT on August 1, 2012.
His appointment came during a period of massive sustained losses for the airline – a combined amount of almost EC$80 million in losses from 2010 – and a deficit of around EC$344 million by the end of 2012. Brunton has been leading a US$100 million re-fleeting process from ageing Dash-8 aircraft to ATR’s – which is designed to help move the airline back into profit by lowering maintenance and fuel costs. Prime Minister of St Vincent & the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves commended
Brunton for making a good contribution to LIAT and said it would be hard to find a replacement if the resignation is accepted. According to the Observer, Brunton resigned last week and the LIAT Board of Directors is to meet this tomorrow to make a decision on whether to accept it or not. The St Vincent & the Grenadines Prime Minister refused to say whether, as the head of a shareholder government, he will accept the board’s decision on Brunton’s resignation.
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181 Cuban trained doctors...
A section of the gathering at yesterday’s orientation ceremony.
From page 6 at Diamond, Rosignol, Leonora, Suddie and Port Mourant.” The Minister told the doctors that the health sector expects consistent, positive results from them. He expressed satisfaction in the performance of the medical batch, to date. “You have proven that you are capable of conducting yourselves in a suitable manner thus far. We wish to see the same energy at the different levels of your employment in your capacity as medical doctors in the Health sector. “We are glad to have this large batch of locals trained,
in order that they can be employed at hospitals in various geographical locations …in hinterland areas and places like Leguan and Wakenaam that have the need for such skilled personnel.” Minister Ramsaran reassured the gathering that their registration process is being conducted in a “legitimate fashion.” “The Ministry of Health is currently conducting your registration exercise in quiet but legitimate manner in the same process that your predecessors would have passed through. The administration is doing all that needs to be
done in a correct manner.” Subsequent to the threeday training exercise, the doctors will be deployed to regional health facilities for institutional registration. They will undergo a period of internship for 12 months. During this time, the graduates will endure a period of steadfast supervision by regional health management. Dr Ramsaran warned the young professionals to take this stage of their employment “seriously” as success at the internship phase of their career will determine whether they acquire advance registration and certification.
Western powers press Assad... From page 26 on,” he said. PEACE TALKS PLAN Lavrov said it may be time to consider efforts to force the Syrian opposition to attend an international peace conference instead of just urging them to do so. The rebels have said they will not attend talks if the Syrian president is there. Syria’s government at the weekend hailed as a “victory” the Russian-brokered deal. Rebels who have been fighting Assad’s forces since 2011 say it benefited their enemy in the civil war.
Assad briefly dispersed his forces to protect them from strikes threatened by the United States in response to the attack. Opposition voices say the chemical weapons deal effectively gives Assad permission to carry on with the conventional war, in which more than 100,000 people have died, according to U.N. figures. Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said Turkish warplanes shot down a Syrian helicopter after it violated Turkish airspace. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an antiAssad monitoring group based in Britain, said government warplanes also hit targets in the Sbeneh area south of Damascus and in the eastern Deir al-Zor province. CHEMICAL WEAPONS
The Syrian government has told the United Nations it will adhere to a treaty banning chemical weapons. The U.S.Russian framework agreement calls for the United Nations to enforce the removal of existing stockpiles by the middle of next year. Assad has less than a week to begin complying with the deal by handing over a full account of his chemical arsenal. He must allow U.N.backed inspectors from the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to complete their initial on-site checks by November. Experts say the removal of up to 1,000 metric tons of chemical agents will be highly problematic in the middle of Syria’s civil war, although they assume that the dozens of chemical weapons sites remain under government control. The U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria said on Monday it was investigating 14 alleged attacks with chemical weapons or chemical agents in Syria over the last two years. U.N. human rights investigators also said hardline Syrian rebels and foreign fighters invoking jihad, or holy war, had stepped up killings, executions and other abuses in the north since July.
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Let us show appreciation for our National Awardees
DEAR EDITOR, The State from time to time confers National Honours on citizens who have contributed public service and have done much for the betterment of Guyanese society. These Honours (civilian) include M.S.- Medal of Service; A.A.-Arrow of Achievement; C.C.H. – Cacique Crown of Honour; O.R. – Order of Roraima; O.E. – Order of Excellence. Most of the recipients are persons past middle age and the total number of such recipients amount to a few hundreds. In all civilized countries, society shows its gratitude to them by according them certain facilities. I would like to earnestly suggest that the National Awardees be given some precedence in the Government Health Services so that they don’t have lengthy waits and could see
doctors with promptitude. And when they go to Government offices, once they properly identify themselves, they should be given a little specialized help. The NIS should also give special consideration to such people. They should also be on the invitation lists for all appropriate Government functions. Other ways of society’s showing its appreciation could be gleaned from other jurisdictions. I do hope this letter would catch the eye of His Excellency the President, the Protocol Division and other Governmental functionaries who could help. I do pray that quick action is taken, since many of the awardees are quite old and may not live long enough to enjoy any facility offered. F. Gibbs
Celebrating 50 years of incompetence
DEAR EDITOR, The incompetent University of Guyana has stood in my way (and many others, I am sure) of furthering my studies. Having applied since June for the Masters in Education Programme at Turkeyen and a transcript from the Berbice Campus (with all my grades), the document was only prepared and sent across to Exams Division thence to Admissions the other day. Of course, the Masters programme would not have waited on me or my slowly-processed transcript, as I was sadly informed that interviews were conducted last month and classes have begun a long time ago. Additionally, I was informed that there is only limited space for that programme and that applicants accepted this year applied since
last year. What nonsense. Perhaps, though, it is a blessing in disguise so that I can relax a bit. However, ‘academic breaks’ are not my forte. To think of all the work I put in applying; travelling to Turkeyen to take my documents for verification; paying this fee and that fee for processing, etc; checking the online application painstakingly on a daily basis for any update—and just to hear that the late transcript—and my late results— along with a jam-packed Masters programme class were the reasons for me (and others) not being able to commence studies. Celebrating 50 years of incompetence, that is the University of Guyana for you. The place stinks of it. But that’s what you get for ultra-cheap diplomas and very cheap degrees. Leon Jameson Suseran
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Windies ‘A’ look to draw level Yuvraj Singh takes the aerial route. (BCCI)
First Post - Bangalore, India - Their confidence on high after the comprehensive win in the opener, India A would look to seal the threematch unofficial ODI series against West Indies A in the second 50-over game between the two sides at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here
today. Skipper Yuvraj Singh stole the limelight with a breathtaking century to guide India A to a thumping 77-run win over the visitors in the opening match of the series yesterday, and come tomorrow the hosts would be looking for an encore. All eyes were trained on on Yuvraj
yesterday after he was handed a lifeline to return to the ODI team by being named captain of the India A team. And the dashing lefthander grabbed the opportunity with both hands and staked his claim for a national berth by scoring a brutal 89-ball 123 against the hapless Caribbean side in the opening match. Yuvraj produced a sensational exhibition of strokeplay by hitting eight fours and seven sixes in his scintillating innings to help India raise 312 for four after being put to bat in the match which was reduced to 42over-a-side affair due to twohour delayed start on account of wet outfield. India ‘A’ then bowled out the visitors for 235 in 39.1 overs, giving the home side a 1-0 lead in the series. Come tomorrow, India A, a team on a roll after the cleansweep against New Zealand A, would be hoping to carry on the winning momentum in their future matches. During his dazzling knock yesterday, Yuvraj shared two hundred-run partnerships with Mandeep Singh (67) and
Tuesday September 17, 2013 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): A new relationship is likely to form soon, and it will probably be with someone who’s already in your life. ************************* TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): Your head is somewhat in the clouds today, Taurus. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it just means that it’s difficult for you to get any work done. ************************* GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): Your heart and intuition will rule today much more than your mind. Trust what your instincts tell you, Gemini. ************************* CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Your creative nature will no longer be repressed, Cancer! As you look around your home, you realize you feel the need to spruce it up a bit. ************************* LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): You’ve always had psychic ability, and today it’s at a peak, Leo. Perhaps not coincidentally, you’re likely to be contacted by a close friend or lover from your past. ************************* VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): Prosperity is just around the corner, Virgo, if it isn’t h e r e a l r e a d y. A l l y o u r efforts are about to pay off and in a big way.
LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): There is passion in the air, Libra, and you’re convinced that you’re the one electrifying the air around you. ************************* SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): You have an innate psychic ability that only needs some fine-tuning and strengthening for it to develop into a formidable power. ************************* SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): You surprise yourself by signing up for a group lesson rather than a private one. ************************* CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): You’ve been working especially hard and you’re beginning to wonder if all your effort has been for naught. ************************* AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): You’re bubbling over with confidence and enthusiasm, Aquarius. Not surprisingly, those around you respond in kind. ************************* PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): Your natural intuition and sensitivity will be heightened today, Pisces. You’re able to read the thoughts and feelings of others and interpret them accurately.
Yusuf Pathan (70 not out), who played perfect second fiddle to the left-hander. Just like Yuvraj, Yusuf who is also looking for a comeback to the ODI team displayed his attacking skills and tore apart the West Indies bowling attack to score his runs off just 32 balls with the help of four boundaries and six hits over the fence. But openers Robin Uthappa and Unmukt Chand, both of whom excelled against New Zealand A, failed to replicate their form in the opening match against the Caribbeans. And the duo would be hoping to return among runs which will ensure a rollicking start for the hosts. Uthappa, who is in ODI exile, in particular would be hoping an improved showing with the bat to catch the eyes of national selectors ahead of the limited overs series against West Indies and South Africa. In experienced Irfan Pathan and Praveen Kumar’s absence, the Indian bowling attack led by R Vinay Kumar lived up to expectations in yesterday’s match. With a cushion of 312 runs to defend, the pressure-less Indian bowlers stuck to a disciplined line and length against Caribbean batsmen yesterday. The quartet of Vinay Kumar, Sumit Narwal, Rahul Sharma and Yusuf Pathan scalped two wickets apiece to bowl out West Indies A for 235 runs. And Yuvraj would be expecting similar performances from his bowlers tomorrow. The West Indies A, on the other hand, who performed well during their home series against Sri Lanka-A in June, will look for improvement. The Caribbean side would be hoping for a better show from their top-order batsmen, especially Kirk Edward, who became the 14th West Indian batsman to score a century on debut and third West Indian to score a debut hundred against India. The West Indies A top order — Nkruma Bonner (16), captain Kieran Powell (17) and Edwards (19) would be hoping to utilise their starts in the remainder of the series. Narsingh Deonaraine (57) and Ashley Nurse (57) were the only two batsmen who showed intent with fighting half centuries while chasing India’s mammoth total yesterday. The visitors would also be hoping for fireworks from all-rounder Andre Russel, who has a reputation of winning matches on his own. The West Indies A bowling attack cut a sorry
Narsingh Deonarine slogs over midwicket. (BCCI) figure against the ruthless Indian batting line-up yesterday. All the West Indian bowlers, including pace duo of Miguel Cummins and Ronsford Beaton bled runs in the first match. The series is an opportunity for a number of young West Indian players to show their skills, especially
with the senior team set to tour India next month. And the likes of skipper Powell, vice-captain Veerasammy Permaul, Russell, Andre Fletcher, Devon Thomas, Edwards, Nikita Miller and Deonarine, all of whom have featured in the senior team, would be hoping to impress upon the selectors.
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Tuesday September 17, 2013
New Zealand and U.S. boats split thrilling America’s Cup races
Mackeson/TGH Pacesetters Inter-Ward Basketball C/ships
Emirates Team New Zealand (L) holds a lead over Oracle Team USA during Race 10 of the 34th America’s Cup yacht sailing race in San Francisco, California September 15, 2013. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Tucville/Guyhoc Park down East/West Ruimveldt Tucville/Guyhoc Park downed East/West Ruimveldt Sunday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall to move on in this year ’s Mackeson-sponsored Trinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters Inter-Ward Basketball Championships. Tucville/Guyhoc defeated East/West Ruimveldt 68-57 in the lone game Sunday with Pacesetters’ guard, Rayon Cummings scoring 12 points for Tucville/Guyhoc. Jason Squires had 10 points and six rebounds while Marlando Mickel scored 10 points. Ewan Watson continued his prolific
scoring at all levels with a mammoth 27 points, to which he added eight rebounds. Lloyd Bart supported with 10 points in a game that was won in the fourth, after Kester Gomes marshalled his East/West troops with excellence. The Mackeson/TGH Pacesetters Inter-Ward Basketball Championships continue tomorrow night with two quarterfinal games. McDoom/Diamond will take on Wortmanville/Werk-En-Rust in the first encounter, while Plaisance/Vryheid’s Lust battles Lodge/Meadowbrook in a thrilling contest set as the feature game.
Sammy feels Windies moving in the right direction SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team New Zealand split two dramatic races on Sunday, winning one each in heavy winds on San Francisco Bay and sending the America’s Cup sailing regatta into a tense and unexpectedly close final week of competition. The second race was among the most thrilling in America’s Cup history as the two teams changed leads four times, dueling neck-andneck for much of the course before New Zealand eked out a 17-second victory. “If you didn’t enjoy today’s racing you should probably watch another sport,” New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said at a news conference afterward. New Zealand won a very close start and barely maintained its controlling inside position against a faster Oracle around the first mark, before slingshotting to a lead. Oracle made a poor turn rounding the second mark, but steadily gained ground on the upwind leg as it had done in the previous two races - putting the duel into a dead heat at the third mark. On the final downwind leg, Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill had to steer behind the Kiwi boat as the two 72foot catamarans converged, but he slowed too much and made a longer turn, allowing New Zealand to sail away to the win. Despite the secondrace loss, Oracle showed again Sunday that changes it had made to its boat after losing six of the first seven finals races, combined with muchimproved tacking, had closed the speed gap with New Zealand. “You are constantly learning,” said Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill. “This is the most we’ve learned, lining up against these guys. Even after today we have a heap of stuff
we’d like to do with the boat.” In the first race Sunday, Oracle won the start and stomped on the gas pedal in the initial run with the wind. It opened up an 18-second lead and then showed a significant speed advantage on the upwind leg to all but seal a 47-second victory. Oracle tactician and British Olympic gold medalist Ben Ainslie afterward said it was “the most fun and exciting sailing I’ve ever been involved with - to see these two teams get a grip on these boats and what they are capable of.” After its second-race win, New Zealand led the competition seven races to one, with Oracle’s first two wins having been negated by a cheating penalty before the finals began. The first team to score nine points will take home the 162-year-old America’s Cup trophy. Until Oracle’s win on Saturday, New Zealand had dominated the competition with superior tacking and upwind boatspeed. New Zealand trounced challengers from Italy and Sweden to gain the right to take on defending champion Oracle in the finals. The wind exceeded 20 knots (23 mph) for both races,
hold just under the maximum allowed for Sunday’s competition, held on a crystal clear day on the Bay. A big crowd was on hand for the newly-competitive event, which the previous day drew 52,000 to viewing areas along the waterfront. Sunday’s wild racing was a vindication for America’s Cup organizers, led by software mogul Larry Ellison, whose decision to use extremely expensive and sometimes-dangerous hightech catamarans for the competition has been widely criticized. A dearth of challengers, a cheating scandal, a fatal accident and many weeks of one-sided racing had threatened to make a mockery of the event. But the spectacle of the huge carbon-fiber boats hurtling across the Bay at 50 miles an hour in razor-tight races, with good shore viewing and sophisticated TV coverage, is exactly what organizers hoped would ultimately drive interest in the event. The competition is scheduled to continue with two races on Tuesday and, depending on the results, will continue on Wednesday and Thursday.
Jamaica Observer - ST JOHN’S, Antigua — West Indies Test captain Darren Sammy said he was extremely delighted with the steps his side has taken in achieving their goals in the longest version of the international game. West Indies are now the fifth-ranked Test side in the world, following the latest update of the ICC Test Rankings table. It comes in the wake of a historic, 24-run victory for Zimbabwe in the second and final Test of their series against Pakistan yesterday at the Harare Sports Club. The two-Test series was drawn 1-1 and the Pakistanis, ranked number four before the series, conceded five ratings points, dropping them behind Australia and West Indies. “One of our goals has always been to be in the top five by 2015,” Sammy said. “As a Test team, we have worked really hard in the last three years and to achieve that goal two years early is a plus for us.” Sammy said: “We now have to continue working harder in order for us to keep moving forward. Massive praise must go to our head coach Ottis Gibson and his staff for creating the atmosphere where we as
WILLIAMS: EXPERIENCE... From page 35 the tournament had already started, so the passion was there and the guys fought right down to the end.” “We had Evin Lewis at the top of the order, Ramdin, Jason Mohammed…we had a few guys doing extremely well. Badree with the bowling, (Rayad) Emrit, he has been having a good stint as well and Sunil will always be himself. So we have guys that are going to India with form and
that is what you want with any team,” Williams added. “While you wish you can have all your players like (Kieron) Pollard, (Dwayne) Bravo and (Kevon) Cooper in your squad, with Sunil around and the rest of the guys doing extremely well, we are pleased with the combination at the moment,” the T&T coach concluded. T&T were expected to leave for India today, and play their first match in the competition against the Brisbane
Heat in Group B next Sunday at JSCA International Cricket Stadium in Ranchi. T&T Squad: Denesh Ramdin (Captain), Rayad Emrit, Jason Mohammed, Nicholas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Evin Lewis, Samuel Badree, Navin Stewart, Shannon Gabriel, Yannick Ottley, Adrian Barath, Sherwin Ganga, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Darren Bravo; David Williams (coach), Omar Khan (manager).
players can go out and work hard for each other and our fans in the Caribbean and everywhere else. “This is a massive step in the right direction and we will continue to strive for excellence for the cause of putting West Indies cricket back on top of world cricket. The journey continues.” Gibson said at a media conference this past week in Barbados that his side was targeting the climb into the top five at the end of their upcoming Test series against New Zealand on the road in November-December - but they have now achieved the target three months ahead of schedule. “If you look at the last six Tests we played, we won them,” he said at the time. “It’s been good progress, but I know people aren’t considering them as big wins. “Against India however, we can really gauge the progress. I’d never discount wins against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh though because they are upcoming and talented, but India will be an immense challenge and we’re looking forward to it.”
Gibson added: “We were in India a couple of years ago and played good cricket, but didn’t win. Now the team dynamic is different, and with Chris Gayle back, we’ll give a tougher run. “Then, against New Zealand, we’ll be looking to move to number five in the Test rankings as that’s our aim. I want to put some distance between us and them, but they gave England a tough time in the Tests, so it won’t be easy. India into New Zealand is a tough duo to tour.” The Test Rankings table, unlike the ICC One-day International Rankings table, is updated only after the conclusion of current series. West Indies face India in two Tests in November before flying to New Zealand for a series of three Tests. The Windies last visited India in November-December 2011, when they lost a threematch Test series 2-0 - the drawn third match was the dramatic Mumbai Test that ended with the scores level. The Caribbean side last toured New Zealand in 2008-09, drawing a two-Test series 0-0.
Tuesday September 17, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Jorge Lorenzo wins GFF’S EXPRESSIONS San Marino Grand Prix >>>Letter to the Sport Editor<<<
OF INTEREST
DEAR SIR, An advertisement appearing in the S.N. publication of 18.08.13 on Pg: 17A captioned “Guyana Football Federation Expressions of Interest” have somehow left me amazed, since a total of eleven competitions have been listed, along with two Courses/ Seminars for Coaching and Refereeing. However, strangely and most importantly, absolutely nothing about Administration, which is one of the most important areas of the sport. What remains of mutual interest however is “the mandate given by the Congress of the GFF, in pursuance of the development of the discipline of football, in accordance with the Statutes of FIFA, CONCACAF, CFU and the Constitution of the GFF”. Editor, if this is to be taken seriously, with a pinch of salt. Then the “self inflicted wound of under-development would continue as a festering sore, with a band-aid covering”! For personal and public edification, can we all be apprised of the Statutes of FIFA, CONCACAF and CFU that entails the development of football, encompassing 9 out of 11 inter-association competitions! With all associations comprising of male clubs, why it is age-limit and senior competitions are not being promoted at the inter-club level, under the auspices of the GFF? Suffice it to say that the GFF is probably the only Federation in the world that is coordinating inter-association football, as a catalyst for development! Meanwhile, no sponsor that is committed to the sport’s development would be inclined to sponsor interassociation football, save and except female. This primarily due to a small amount of clubs, But it should be compulsory that each affiliate of the GFF have at least 3 female clubs, and associates 2, with all of them having a structured youth programme. Definitely, in the long term this would eliminate a repeat of the national embarrassment the female national under-17 endured recently. Wherein from the 3 matches played, a similar amount of losses were secured; conceding 40 goals, while failing to score, with a goal difference of -40! Is this historical in the annals of CONCACAF/CFU?
Finally, since from all indications a comprehensive study was not undertaken to ascertain meaningful development, in a new dispensation. Then once again it should be back to the drawing board, “as the days for carrying dead weight is over”! In the absence of a mandatory ruling that participation in GFF coordinated/ sanctioned competitions, must entail domestic activity in each association. As such a review of associations and clubs structures must be taken into consideration, in the absence of Courses/ Seminars for Administration. Is it now crystal clear that associations are finding it difficult to attract sponsorship for domestic competitions? Has the GFF found itself in a similar predicament, hence the “Expressions of Interest”? With the 9th month of the year already in progress and only Georgetown (recently resumed) along with West Demerara, having some measure of activity at the senior level, when exactly would the other associations commence their respective competitions, for participation, in the GFF’s senior competitions? By the way is it still a requirement for Associations to submit their Annual Calendar of Activities in print to the GFF, prior to the latter’s compilation? With the players being almost another important aspect in the sport, since they spend a considerable period of time in training prior to competitive matches, are they now satisfied with the “Expressions of Interest, in a new dispensation” That has failed to coordinate competitions in their interest, moreover, at the youth level? While a one around league is being promoted for 16 clubs nationally, rather than two rounds for 8 clubs, and 16 clubs in a lower division playing one round also nationally, given the results that is currently being obtained in West Demerara and Georgetown (16-1 & 8-0), would it be prudent to have 16 teams? The notion of playing two rounds gives coaches and the respective clubs the opportunity to correct mistakes made in the first round for a better performance thereafter. In addition to more playing time with their regional contemporaries in CFU and further afield! Lester Sealey.
MOTO GP:
BBC Sport - World champion Jorge Lorenzo cut Marc Marquez’s lead at the top of the MotoGP standings to 34 points with victory in San Marino, his second win in a row. The 26-year-old, who started from the front row on his Yamaha, has now won his last three races at Misano. Fellow Spaniard Marquez took second, with Repsol Honda team-mate, and title rival, Dani Pedrosa third and Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi fourth. Britain’s Cal Crutchlow finished in sixth position on his Tech 3 Yamaha. Lorenzo insisted his title hopes were over after winning the British Grand Prix a fortnight ago, but his latest victory keeps alive his hopes of retaining the crown, with five legs of the 18-race season remaining. He has moved into second place in the standings behind 20-year-old Marquez, and level on points with Pedrosa, but remains cautious about his title chances. “It is important to win, but we have only recovered five points, so it is the same as Silverstone,” he said. “It doesn’t make a big difference to the championship. “But I’m very happy for
World champion Jorge Lorenzo leads Marc Marquez’s to win the San Marino MotoGP. this victory, because we struggled a lot during the weekend, especially on braking.” Marquez, who started on pole but dropped to fourth early in the race, said: “The second place is important, especially because with the fuel tank full, I was struggling. “I did go wide twice and that penalised me a lot in the race but we had a good race to take points for the championship. That is important.” The win, the 49th of Lorenzo’s career, means the Mallorcan has triumphed at
both Italian races on the calendar for three successive seasons. From second on the grid, he took the lead as Marquez dropped to third on the opening lap. The championship leader, who crashed in the morning warm-up, recovered to pass both Rossi and Pedrosa but, with the Honda team-mates locked in battle until the end, Lorenzo cruised to victory. Rossi was competing on his home circuit, renamed the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in honour of his
close friend, who died following a crash at the 2011 Malaysian MotoGP. In Moto2, Britain’s Scott Redding had his lead in the standings cut to 23 points by finishing sixth. Title rival Pol Espargaro secured victory, denying Takaaki Nakagami a careerfirst win by passing him on the penultimate lap. Championship standings: Marc Marquez (Spa) - 253 Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) - 219 Dani Pedrosa (Spa) - 219 Valentino Rossi (Ita) - 169 Cal Crutchlow (GB) - 146
West Demerara Sub Association Stag Beer Senior Football League...
Young Achievers FC, Den Amstel FC, and Slingerz FC in winners’ row Young Achievers FC defeated Beavers FC 3-0 when action in the West Demerara Sub Association Stag Beer Senior Football League continued at the Den Amstel Community Center Ground Saturday evening last. Eagles United also played Wales FC on that day and the match ended in a draw after Alexander
Clarke netted for the latter team in the 13th minute with Kerron Schmidt equalizing in the 58th. The Young Achievers’ victory came from successes off the boots of Jamal Thomas (11th) and a Jamal McPherson’s double in the 52nd and 69th minutes. Fans also witnessed two other exciting matches
on Sunday; in the first Den Amstel benefitted from home advantage and disposed of Seawall FC 3-1 after Andre Hector opened the winning team’s account in the 20th minute. Travis Hilliman and Orette Stephenson emulated the feat in the 48th and 72nd minutes, respectively. Clement Brown narrowed
the lead in the 75th minute for the Seawall FC in a lost cause. In the second match played on Sunday, Slingerz defeated Bagotsville/Nimes 4-0 with Quason McAulay (16th, 68th) and Tichard Joseph (39th, 86th) making the difference. Activities continue over the coming weekend with four other matches.
The Bahamas to spend US$3.5m to host World Relays NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) — The Bahamas Government plans to spend about US$3.5 million to host the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Relays in 2014 and 2015. Prime Minister Perry Christie made the announcement during a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in Nassau. “The Government of The Bahamas is looking to underwrite the costs,” said Prime Minister Christie.
“We are obviously hopeful that given the nature of these international sporting events will be a return to the country in every which way because we are very much committed to developing The Bahamas as a world sports tourism authority and destination.” The World Relays will bring together approximately 700 athletes, including those who competed and medalled in the sprint and middle distance events at the 2012
Olympic Games in London and the 2013 IAAF World Games in Moscow. They will represent 40 countries accompanied by 300 team officials. “I hope that we as an island nation, that we ensure that the young people of The Bahamas are able to benefit from this exercise at the end of the day,” said the prime minister. “We want to never give up on the commitment to develop athletes and sports in the country.”
The deal for the Bahamas to host the IAAF World Relays in 2014 and 2015 was sealed at the recent 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow. Hosting such an event will require approximately 500 volunteers, 150 organising committee members and a full-time staff of 25. The relay races will include men and women in the 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x400m, 4x800m, 4x1500m, with qualifying rounds for the 4x100m, 4x200m, and 4x400m.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday September 17, 2013
FORDE’S FOES OFFERED Referees getting in shape for NEW OPPORTUNITY FIFA List nominations 2014 - Courts 10km Classic looms By Edison Jefford Cleveland Forde’s distance-running foes will be offered a new opportunity to dethrone the local king of the road at the Courts 10km Road Race Classic on Sunday, after letting an elusive Forde slip from their grasp within seconds of transition pace last weekend. Undoubtedly Guyana and the Caribbean’s leading distance runner, Forde, pressed his accelerator around the 8km mark last Sunday in another race, leaving both Cleveland Thomas and Nathaniel Giddings unable to compete with his finishing pace. It is clear by now that Forde relies on his tried and tested strategy that is to use the pacemakers to his advantage early in road races, and keep enough gas in his tank to up the ante in the latter half, which on most occasion leaves his competitors dumbfounded. What Sunday’s precursor to Sunday’s mega Courts race has done for Forde is to identify clearly who are his likely competitors; Cleveland
Thomas, Dennis Horatio, Nathaniel Giddings, Lionel D’Andrade and now Winston Missenger will all challenge Forde at some point on the route this Sunday. The question is whether Coaches of Forde’s five challengers usually discuss strategy with their athletes following what has become a definite trend for Forde. Road races have become way too comfortable for Forde owed to predictable competition. It is expected that Police Progressive Youth Club Coach, Lyndon Wilson, who has Horatio and Giddings; Running Brave Athletics Club Coach, Julian Edmonds, who has Thomas, discuss what can be a possible appropriate strategy with their athletes. As results are showing, those coaches are yet to come up with any plan for their athletes against Forde, who continues to use an old approach for his success. Unfortunately, coaches and athletes alike have little time before Sunday’s race to come up with a plan. Giddings have been an established pacemaker in
10km road races for the last three years. Forde knows that his early pace will fade in the defining moments of the race; therefore, Forde is quite comfortable to allow Giddings to dictate the first 8km of the race. Giddings should know by now what ought to be his plan against Forde, even if it means keeping some energy in reserve as Forde does, and allowing Forde to run his own race. Thomas has been at his best recently, but he too must think through his race against Forde. Giddings seemed extremely comfortable up to the last 2km when he faded from a possible third place finish to fifth. It means that either something is wrong with his closing endurance or he has to monitor his pace along the route so as to finish as strong as possible. Whatever it is, the point is, it is time to see those more than reputable local distance athletes put more effort into challenging Forde. Maybe, it is just a matter of getting pass psychological jitters, but whatever it is; Sunday offers a real opportunity to challenge Forde.
GCC congratulates Mohamed performance Mohamed will be the recipient of an award at the Georgetown Cricket Club annual award ceremony to be held on November 16. The club also paid tribute to Leon Johnson on his selection on the west indies “A’’ team to tour India and also recognized Robin Bacchus for his Guyana Senior team debut against Trinidad and Tobago.
Ronaldo Ali Mohamed
- high percentage of passes recorded at Fitness Run As the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) prepares to make submissions to FIFA for the 2014 International List, the experts on the Laws of the Game have been putting in the hard work in order to be successful. At last weekend’s Fitness Run held at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, a high percentage of passes was recorded despite the humid conditions that prevailed. The Fitness Run which was supervised by Member Association (MA) Fitness Instructors, Anson Ambrose and Trevor Beckles, saw a 100% pass rate for the Male International officials. It was Beckles’ first outing as a Fitness Instructor following a CONCACAF MA Instructors Course held in Jamaica, last month. The successful Referees were Sherwin Johnson and Sherwin Moore along with Assistant Referees Dion Inniss, Venton Mars, Trevor Porter and Rollin Tappin. Guyana’s lone Women’s International Referee Nicola Joseph was also successful. There was only one failure among the National Male Referees Pool, while in the Assistant Referees category there were three failures out of nine starters. The successful Referees were Gladwin Johnson, Colin Bowry, Micah Erskine, Delroy Henry, Dwayne Johnson, Christopher Joseph and Roland Persaud. The Assistant Referees who completed the course were Vere Watts, Kleon Lindey, Patrick December, Lenval Peart, Keith Roberts, Marwin Layne and Kevin Stephens. Maurees Skeete
Dion Inniss
Venton Mars
Rollin Tappin
Trevor Porter
and Monica Welcome, the only two Women’s National Referees to participate were both successful. Skeete, who recently officiated at the CONCACAF Under-15 championships in the Cayman Islands, was recommended by CONCACAF Referees Instructors to be shortlisted for the 2014 FIFA list following her outstanding
showing. Meanwhile, the FIFA Referees Assistant Programme (RAP) will take place from October 1-5 in Guyana with FIFA Instructor, Jamaican; Peter Prendergast scheduled to facilitate the programme with assistance from local Referee/Instructors. At least 25 Referees from around Guyana will benefit from the training.
Beaton reminds Yuvraj of Curtly Ambrose
The executives and members of the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) have extended heartiest congratulations to national U15 player Ronaldo Ali Mohamed for his outstanding performances in the recently concluded WICB regional U15 tournament held in Jamaica. Apart from being the
vice captain of the Guyana team he was rated the most valuable player and best bowler. At the recent concluded West Indies Cricket Board sandals foundation U-15 performance camp held in Antigua Mohamed copped the most outstanding cricketer prize. In recognition of his sturdy
Sports NDTV Bangalore, India - Yuvraj Singh, who smashed a blistering century against West Indies A, said his knock was very satisfying on Sunday as it came against a high quality West Indies attack. Yuvraj spoke highly of paceman Ronsford Beaton and likened him to great Caribbean bowler Curtly Ambrose. “I think it was a complete international attack. (Andre) Russell has played for his national side and Beaton is the future fast bowler for the West Indies. He reminds me of Curtly. Obviously Curtly was great,
but I think he has lot of potential and I think it was a very good attack,” he said at the post-match press conference. Yuvraj said hitting a hundred in the first game of the season was special. “I think I have worked hard in my off-season on my batting and other skills in last couple of weeks,” he said. “Robin (Uthappa) and Mandy gave us a good start which allowed me and Yusuf (Pathan) to catch up at the end.” Yuvraj showered praise on his private French trainer Tim Exeter for making him and Zaheer Khan, who is also on
a comeback trail, match fit. “It was organised by National Cricket Academy physio Ashish Kaushik. NCA has always supported me and the people who believed in me. I thank them all,” he said. Yuvraj said he has shed a few kilos and feeling stronger and moving quickly on the ground. “I was always quick on the field and I just worked on those aspects and I am feeling better,” he added. Asked to comment on not being picked for fourday matches, Yuvraj said he was least bothered of the kind of matches as long as he was scoring runs.
“Boss, I have got an opportunity to play. I don’t know whether it is four-day match and Test cricket I am just happy I am playing and scoring runs. I don’t know what is going to happen in the future,” he said. Admitting the pressure a player faces while making a comeback, Yuvraj said he accepts such challenges which bring best out of him and exuded confidence he would get national selectors’ nod. He also welcomed facing challenge from performing youngsters, saying it was good for the future of Indian cricket.