30 take up residency at Hugo Chávez Homeless Shelter
Police “name and shame” another six for drunk driving
Parika departure:
Wednesday, December 24 – 18:00h and 06:00h
Thursday, December 25 – 19:00h and 06:00h
Friday December 26 – 20:00h and 07:00h
Supenaam departure:
Wednesday, December 24 – 18:00h and 06:00h
Thursday, December 25 – 19:00h and 06:00h
Friday December 26 – 20:00h and 07:00h
Winds: East North-easterly between 4.47 metres and 5.81
High Tide: 06:00h and 18:17h reaching maximum heights of 2.70 metres and 2.81 metres respectively.
Low Tide: 11:49h reaching a minimum height of 0.53 metre.
Maida, Corentyne robbery: AFC Execs accused of
“framing”
Police ranks
...parties urged to keep ‘Force out of politicking’
he Guyana Police Force has accused Executives of the Alliance For Change (AFC) of “lying on” ranks of the Whim Police for allegedly not responding in a timely manner to a robbery that occurred in the nearby village of Maida, Corentyne Coast on Sunday.
The allegation of Police sloth was reportedly made by AFC’s executives Veerasammy Ramayyah and Mark Ross. The two party executives, in addition to criticising the Police, had called for Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee to resign.
However, in a dramatic twist to the issue, the Guyana Police Force, in a statement on Tuesday without explicitly naming the AFC, said it has observed that at least one political party has been “lying on police ranks in various aspects of their operations, the most recent being in regard to an armed robbery committed on businessman Latchman Pooran of Maida Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, on Sunday December 21, 2014”.
In this instance, the Police said members of the political party wrongfully claimed that the Police took more than two and a half hours to respond to the report and then mobilised persons to picket the Whim Police Station and demanded that ranks be transferred from the station immediately. “In fact the information on the slothful response by the police was a fabrication aimed at achieving political mileage,” police said in a strongly worded statement.
According to the Force on the contrary, the victim himself has indicated to reporters of another newspaper that the Police took less than half an hour to arrive on the scene and has publicly praised the work of the Police whom he said worked under stressful and strenu-
ous circumstances.
“The Guyana Police Force is appealing to members of political parties not to use the Guyana Police Force for political mileage and wishes to inform the public that it is making great efforts to improve the quality of service it provides and to gain public trust. “
The Force said it was incidents like these that cause one to question whether some organisations in our society would like to see a secure Guyana or not. “The Guyana Police Force also wishes to advise of its mature stance whenever it is being criticised. Constructive criticisms are taken in good faith and necessary adjustments are being made to improve our services. It would, however, be remiss of us if we do not seek to clarify misleading information being peddled with the intent of achieving some ulterior objectives,” the statement concluded.
Protest
Residents of Maida and nearby Whim on the Corentyne Coast, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)
Sunday afternoon staged a picket exercise in front of the Whim Police Station following an attack on a family by armed bandits, earlier in the day, who damaged the victims’ property in their bid to
get in. The bandits escaped with over $4 million in cash and jewellery.
At approximately 02:30h, six men armed with guns, stormed the home of businessman Pooran Latchman called “Anil” and his family. The bandits gained entry by first breaking the concrete fence to get into the yard. They then broke a glass door
to gain access to the veranda and using two 4x4 fivefoot long wooden planks that they brought with them, broke the grille on the windows, through which they forced their way into the home.
Three of the men entered the house while the other three stood guard outside. When they entered, they started shooting and demanding that the family come out of hiding.
According to the mother of the home, Noonawattie Pooran, they were alerted by loud noises coming from the back of the house. She said when her husband went to see what was happening, he saw on the monitors four masked men making their way up the steps.
The family purchases paddy from farmers, mill it themselves and sell the rice and by-products on the local market. They estimated their loss at over $4 million, $3 million in cash and over $1 million in jewellery. The
cash was meant for payment of paddy farmers that was supposed to be handed over later in the day.
The neighbours and residents from four other communities on the Corentyne that participated in the demonstration at the Whim Public Road said the protest aimed to express their disgust and dissatisfaction with the time the Police took to respond to the crime.
They stated that had the Police arrived on time, they could have apprehended the men while they were in the house. Among the protesters were Ross and Member of Parliament MP Ramayyah, who had denied to this newspaper that it was an AFC staged protest.
They said they were called by the residents and were there in solidarity with them to ensure justice was served. They too accused the Police of not responding in a timely manner to the crime. “Why every time residents have to resort to protest action before something tangible is done?” Ramayyah asked.
Some of the placards called for a change at the Whim Police Station and the intervention of the Home Affairs Minister to drive out alleged corruption within the Police Force. Another protest was planned for Monday, but this fizzled.
Mark Ross
Veerasammy Ramayyah
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee
Editor: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
The allegations levelled against a political party by the Guyana Police Force on Wednesday are believable, as they expose the covert and sometimes overt agenda being pursued by some politicians which is all aimed at undermining the work of the country’s law enforcement agencies and officers.
The Guyana Police Force, in a strongly worded statement, accused a political party, which no doubt appears to be the Alliance For Change (AFC) of “lying on ranks” in various aspects of their operations. The Force also expressed concern over the continuous misinformation being peddled by the party in its attempts to extract political mileage from issues and incidents in the security sector.
The Police in the press statement not only advised that party and other functional ones here against using the Force as a vehicle for achieving their ulterior political objectives, but also questioned whether they were genuinely concerned about the creation of a safer Guyana.
This move by the Force to set the record straight is bold and important. It is also commendable and demonstrative of its frustration over the slew of unfair and biased criticisms it is receiving, particularly from the Opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and its apparent coalition partner the AFC.
It also demonstrates the Force’s unwillingness to be used as a political weapon in the ongoing war against the Government of Guyana, its Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee and the security sector in general.
The truth is that any decision by the hierarchy of the Force to remain passive as the Opposition parties draw first blood will result in irreparable consequences and longterm damage being inflicted on its already waning image, particluarly in anticipation of elections in the not-too distant future.
The rebuke is a step in the right direction and hopefully it would ward off and dissuade the AFC and APNU from making future unfair, undue and untrue attacks on the operations and professional standing of the law enforcement agency –in this caase the Guyana Police Force.
If these allegations made by the Force are found to be truthful, then the AFC in particular must be mature enough to admit that they acted rashly, wrongly and unjustly, and perhaps with policital motives, as the Police themselves suggested.
The party must also offer a full and unconditional apology to the hardworking ranks of the Guyana Police Force that rendered assistance to the businessman Latchman Pooran of Maida Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, on December 21.
Sadly, the concerns raised by the Force are neither new nor surprising, as they expose the grand plot by the new coalition partners to embolden the efforts of criminals by continuously criticising the Police ranks unjustly who put their lives at risk to serve the public.
For too long, the two Opposition parties have criticised Home Affairs Minister Rohee’s stewardship of the security sector, blaming him in the process for everything that goes wrong, even if it is absolutely clear that he had no oversight role in specific matters and decisions of the Force.
They have also stood on the side of criminals and other persons with shady characters whenever the Police are seen as acting forcefully or aggressively. It has also become a norm for the Opposition parties to lash out at the Police over isolated instances of criminal activity even without the facts to support their claims.
It is not surprising, therefore, that these parties find comfort in rejecting various proposals made by the Government which are aimed at arresting crime and causing a reduction in criminal activities in our society.
The spate of reforms proposed by Rohee after widespread consultations is still in limbo along with several pieces of legislation.
The Opposition parties must understand that they are not helping the Police in their fight against crime if they continue to manufacture controversies and downplay the serious effort placed on fighting crime every time.
Could APNU be moving away from violence?
Dear Editor,
Those who blame Opposition Leader David Granger as only engaged in Don Quixote battles with windmills should take note not so much about his politic compliments to the media, but more so the issued warning at his year end press conference on December 9.
It can be taken seriously or be ignored into oblivion. He charged journalist to “separate yourselves from quacks… who try to come into your profession and lower the standards”.
Most refreshing was the inewsgy online report that “he expressed hopes that as the country goes to the polls in 2015, that the same high standards of reporting would be demonstrated. He cautioned against reporting on the filth that political parties spew during elections period”.
An online news agency reported that “he also urged new entrants to adhere to the noble and honorable tenets of the profession and reminded that journalism, like other professions, is bounded by norms”. Could the PNC be turning over a new leaf by any ennobling patriotic appeal which repudiates their usual political and racial street violence history? Most noteworthy was the absence of any reported violence after the mass PNC rally at Cuffy Square a few days after Guyana’s Parliament was prorogued.
APNU’s resort to violence and race acrimony, while not a trademark exclusive to that party has always traditionally increased national disharmony.
Considering President Barack Obama’s strategic ostracization of Black America’s traditional leadership during his 2008 election campaign, even his church pastor, it significantly made a difference to his election.
APNU may be onto something new if it endures. Whether striving for peace or just incensed repudiation, one letter titled “Winner takes all, now losers want all is equality?” in the KN of Dece,ber 15 reflected on the traditional opposition street violence after the 2011 elections. “Our Americanbased Afrocentric advocate Dr David Hinds reportedly said in
Demerarawaves on December 11 that "we are not going to take this lying down because this is a declaration of war on people who have a right to protest".
“Dr Hinds had previously said that Granger has to be President of Guyana even as the losing party got less votes and less seats than the winning PPP/C in government.
“This demand for Mr Granger to be Guyana’s President by the 2011 election results has absolutely no foundation in law or fairness.
In fact, according to GECOM, Guyana’s 2011 national elections witnessed 166,340 registered electors voting for the governing PPP/C while 139,678 registered electors voted for the losing APNU (a whopping difference of 26,662 votes).
“Nevertheless the rationale for all the agitators street brouhaha was given earlier by another Afrocentric activist, Tacuma Ogunseye, in a letter to KN on December 5 titled, "APNU and a responsible opposition should have rejected the GECOM results". APNU street protests seek to enforce the reckless fantasy that APNU ‘won’ the 2011 elections with 26 seats as compared to the PPP/C’s 32 seats.
“Dr Hinds nevertheless continued to unfairly demanded that: Granger must be President after APNU lost. That could only mean that the loser now wants it all!
In other words, while the PPP/C has been accused of ‘winner take all’ now the "losers want all”.
In 2014, Granger’s APNU certainly wants to win. Will he resort to traditional rigging or by democracy? Partition or Federalism are still optional.
“We are all worms, but I do believe I am a glowworm” said British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who ordered British Guiana’s constitution suspended in 1953.
Recent declassified UK archives revealed his instructions directing colonial secretary’s Oliver Lyttelton’s approach: “We ought surely to get American support in doing all that we can to break the communist teeth in British Guiana.”
The UK archives offered only details, not any
new awe shattering revelation. However those same joint UK/US’s players who favoured Mr Forbes Burnham’s PNC as beneficiary in 1964 were to dramatically influence the democratic return of the PPP/C 28 years later in 1992 with the fall of the Soviet Union. Subsequent to the West’s destruction of the communist juggernauth, neither the Jagans nor their PPP were anymore threatening.
The Linden rebels have also been overcome if the Brigadier General (ret) has somehow resolved their current mouse into quiet. Truth be told the 2012 riots at Linden and Agricola were both engineered by the AFC, not the PNC. The rush to remove the PPP/C government was also an incestuous inhouse AFC pregnancy reluctantly midwifed by the PNC. With the PNC now in “child” support hostage by the clever AFC demand for ‘coalition leadership or nothing/, which party is in polyestrous heat is becoming clearer.
Guyanese can hardly wait to know the fate of “Schrodinger’s cat”!
Could Mr Granger’s PNC be signalling need for a truce to tidy up their house? The PPP/C has historically been known to rescue the PNC most often in need and when in a bind, considering their “critical support” and historic boardroom secret talks including on the seawall.
The Jagan’s PPP/C dentistry are either targeted in 2015 to again face “mutual assured destruction” (MAD) by our Lilliputian glowworms, or we are witnessing unfolding “trust” building measures. By what criteria can any PNC/ APNU leader genuinely inoculate, distance and delink from our many violent psychomotor redeemers, each evidently believing they are with equal divinity to also walk on water, raise the dead, calm the seas, and convert water into wine? The PNC/APNU’s gigantic task is to successfully assuage the multitude who are most grounded in historic fear of PNC bodysnatcher programming and constant unchecked violence.
Suspicion exists that theGranger operates and could also be applying his Nigerian military training to create a
flash election diversion to lull his adversaries into heavenly peace, then time-jump into an allied Normandy Beachead blitzkrieg with his three (GAP, WPA, NFA) passengers to electoral victory.
It's his own career, a burdensome shadow from which he will never escape, when assessed. Every human is however most entitled to never again face any similar PNC complicit accommodation of the Buxton’s Taliban 2006-2008 massacre at Lusignan, Bartica, Agricola and Lindo Creek where even children were savaged.
Like the sickening Taliban massacre of 145 innocent Pakistani school children, Boko Haram’s kidnapping of 200 defenceless Nigerian school girls and America’s 911 human misery of 3000, it has become overbearing.
When Guyana’s many nuffnang glitterati go pirouetting as ‘fishers of men’ under cover of journalistic embroidery , most democratic, they will boldly reassume public licence to enforce equality based on race, regardless. What is to be the targets counter defense? Guyana’s armed forces still remain remain racially unbalanced, with even the AFC drunk and in a daze of a glory to come.
Compounding APNU’s predicament is their inhouse WPA’s neck, attempting to muscle wrestle and rotate APNU’s head.
Their Rudyard Kipling Gunga Din in chief has assumed ‘inheritance guilt’ of not only “the white man’s burden” but entirely “the black man’s burden” without fail, for his soulless Indian Ramayana Hanooman return from timeless banbass (exile).
Dr Rupert Roopnarine, no Walter Rodney for sure, can hardly wait to become festooned in his newly bought suit to swear in as APNU’s Prime Minister. In a case where the WPA neck believes they are most important to APNU’s existence they have recently strongly criticized the PNC for ‘inaction’ reported by the WPA as dismissed suggestions that countrywide mass street protests would result in the Opposition failing to attract non-traditional supporters.
The Guyana Police Force will be holding “Christmas at Eve Leary” on Saturday, December 27, 2014, commencing at 18:30h on Young Street outside Police Headquarters, between Parade Street and Camp Road, Eve Leary. In photo, a glimpse of what the event has in store
The situation in southeastern Ukraine
Dear Editor, Russian public opinion holds that what is now happening in southeastern Ukraine is actually a punitive operation by the Kiev authorities with the use of multiple rocket launchers, artillery and fighter jets.
After the Government coup the southeastern part of the country did not agree with these developments.
Instead of at least trying to engage in dialogue with it Kiev started sending there law enforcers, the police force. When that didn’t work out, they sent in the army. Since that didn’t work out either, they are now trying to settle the issue by using other forceful methods, the economic blockade.
This path has absolutely no future and is detrimental to Ukraine’s statehood and its people.
I hope that by engaging in dialogue – and we are ready to assume the role of intermediaries in this respect – we will succeed in establishing a direct, political dialogue, and by employing such methods and political instruments we will reach a settlement and restore a single political space.
It is a fact that much of Ukraine’s power industry utilizes the southeastern coal, but up until now they aren’t buying this coal. We were asked to influence Ukraine’s southeast, i.e. Donbass, to make the miners agree to supply coal. We did that, but the Kiev authorities are not buying it.
Why? Because they’ve closed all the banks and are unable to make payments. Our colleagues told me yesterday: We are ready to pay and have transferred a prepayment. I’ve made inquiries and found that there is no prepayment. They allegedly wired the money to the miners’ bank cards, but the cards are not working! And
this is how it is with every issue. Nevertheless, there is no other way but a peace settlement.
As far as the Minsk agreements are concerned we want them to be complied with because, first, the initiative for the Minsk meeting came from me and from President Petro Poroshenko.
We have been hearing statements from other officials, who advocate basically a war to the end. The implication is that all of this is likely to lead to a continental crisis. I still think that President Poroshenko is oriented towards settlement. But concrete actions and steps are needed.
If Ukraine wants to restore peace, tranquility and its territorial integrity, the people who live in certain regions of the country must be respected and a straight, open, and honest political dialogue must be maintained with them. It must be a political dialogue without any pressure. I hope that in the end everyone will go down that path.
Crimea After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia opened itself to our western partners. What did we see? A direct and fully-fledged support of terrorism in North Caucasus. Is that what partners usually do?
On any issue, no matter what we do, we always run into challenges, objections and opposition. Let me remind you about the preparations for the 2014 Olympics, our inspiration and enthusiasm to organise a festive event not only for Russian sports fans, but for sports fans all over the world. However, and this is an evident truth, unprecedented and clearly orchestrated attempts were made to discredit our efforts to organise and
host the Olympics.
This is an undeniable fact! Who needs to do so and for what reason? And so on and so forth.
You know, at the Valdai (International Discussio) Club I gave an example of our most recognisable symbol. It is a bear protecting his taiga. You see, if we continue the analogy, sometimes I think that maybe it would be best if our bear just sat still.
Maybe he should stop chasing pigs and boars around the taiga, but start picking berries and eating honey. Maybe then he will be left alone. But no, he won’t be! Because someone will always try to chain him up. As soon as he’s chained, they will tear out his teeth and claws.
In this analogy, I am referring to the power of nuclear deterrence. As soon as –God forbid – it happens and they no longer need the bear, the taiga will be taken over.
We have heard it even from high-level officials that it is unfair that the whole of Siberia with its immense resources belongs to Russia in its entirety. Why exactly is it unfair? So it is fair to snatch Texas from Mexico, but it is unfair that we are working on our own land –no, we have to share.
So, it is not about Crimea, but about us protecting our independence, our sovereignty and our right to exist. That is what we should all realise.
Foreign policy I often hear comments about Russia’s turn towards the East. Now, if you read American analysts, they also write about the United States’ turn towards the East. Is this true? Partly, yes. Why? Is this political? No.
This stems from the global economic processes, because the East – that is, the Asia-Pacific Region – shows faster growth than the rest of the world. New opportunities open up.
Could APNU be moving...
Those who say marches, as against supposedly less threatening public meetings and picket action, will make APNU and AFC less able to win over significant numbers of traditional (PPP/C) Government supporters, must also realize that (their) inaction may cause the Opposition to lose some of its hard core, but extremely frustrated voters, through abstention, said the WPA leadership.
In other words, the WPA’s at-ease comfort with violent street demonstrations, inevitably targeting Indians, are their very best university endorsement to resolve our problems. What is substantially more important to the post-Rodney WPA, is bold satisfaction of their hard core abstention than the entire well being and tranquility of all Guyanese.
What ever became of the WPA’s stockpile of weaponry which the ‘coequal’ jolly good fellow Dr Roopnarine could not deny? Faced with such fanciful diversity of ‘civil society’ attempting to resonate their many personal Rumpelstillskin
ego trumpets with Dr Philip Mozart Thomas’s disappearing orchestra in all its smokeing glory, where are we headed?
Though invited the Opposition leader was one of many who boycotted Mozart’s symphony concert. Only Mr Granger can best clarify if his warning applies to all scribes or only those with a “journalist” aura. But he did say, “It is not a place for quacks. People should take the profession seriously”.
The PNC/APNU leadership is always best equipped to defend themselves from those ‘inhouse’ who have started something. Whether Mr Granger is a confirmed “doubting Thomas” of them all, even the UG ‘retired’, journalists, communists, the Buxton Taliban included, is not more important.
Would anyone, including a Brigadier General allow his neck to cut off his head by any conspiratorial epileptic twitching arm? With the desirable AFC Pussycat again in heat season, most anxious for attention,our anxious suitor, must quickly decide
As for energy, the demand for resources is racing in leaps and bounds in China, India, as well as in Japan and South Korea. Everything is developing faster there than in other places.
So should we turn down our chance? The projects we are working on were planned long ago, even before the most recent problems occurred in the global or Russian economy. We are simply implementing our long-time plans.
Turkey
The Turkish economy is also growing and requires additional energy resources as much as the APR. We built the so-called Blue Stream pipeline many years ago, and now our Turkish partners are considering increasing the supplies to the Turkish market. Should we refuse?
We have reached all the key agreements with them, which cover the pricing formula, supply schedule and other aspects. We more or less understand their requirements, and we will certainly sell them what we have and what they need.
Will a so-called European hub be built on the border of Turkey and Greece? This is not for us to decide. The decision largely depends on our European partners: Do they want stable, guaranteed and absolutely transparent energy supply from Russia, which they badly need, without any transit risks? Great! Then we’ll start working, and the pipeline would reach Macedonia via Greece, go on to Serbia and to Baumgarter in Austria.
If they don’t want this, we won’t do it. The thing is that there is no cheaper and more reliable supplier than Russia, and there won’t be any in the near future.
EEU
From page 4
where maximum satisfaction is attainable by any necessary transplant repairs to the equipment while the window is still open.Woff!
Sultan Mohamed
Starting from January 1, 2015, the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will become fully effective, and the three countries – Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia – will be joined by Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.
It would be easier to do this together, providing free space for transition of goods, workforce and capital. Of course, this is easier through joint efforts. Moreover, during the existence of the Customs Union, our trade turnover
grew by 50 percent in recent years.
This is a serious objective indicator, and we will rely on the positive achievements related to integration.
SCO
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was created following the collapse of the Soviet Union to resolve border issues between China and the former Soviet republics. It proved to be very useful and effective in this respect.
We have had no conflicts and no problems to settle in bilateral relations. There were many outstanding issues, but we have settled all of them based on the principles of respect for the interests of China and all the other SCO member states, including Russia. The SCO has exceeded its initial mandate; it can do more than address the targets for which it was created because it is increasingly in demand.
This would not have happened had the international community and the SCO member states not seen that they needed to continue working together.
As you know, Iran, Pakistan, India and several other observer countries have shown interest in working together with us. India and Pakistan have filed applications to become full members. This issue is on the table.
We are working together with China in several promising areas, but the most important thing is that we have many common interests on the international stage, such as international stability.
We work very closely in the UN and in the Security Council. The cooperation between Russia and China within this forum is certainly an important element in stabilising the international situation.
We are not attacking in the political sense of the word. We are only protecting our interests. Our Western partners – and especially our US partners – are displeased with us for doing exactly that, not because we are allowing security-related activity that provokes tension.
In fact, we only have two bases outside Russia, and both are in areas where terrorist activity is high. One
is in Kyrgyzstan. It was deployed there upon request of the Kyrgyz authorities after the country was raided by Afghan militants.
The other is in Tajikistan, which also borders on Afghanistan. I would guess you are interested in peace and stability there too. Our presence is justified and clearly understandable.
On the other hand who was it that withdrew unilaterally from the ABM Treaty, one of the cornerstones of the global security system? Was it Russia? No, it wasn’t. The United States did this, unilaterally. They are creating threats for us, they are deploying their strategic missile defence components not just in Alaska, but in Europe as well – in Romania and Poland, very close to us. And you’re telling me we are pursuing an aggressive policy?
If the question is whether we want law-based relations, the answer is yes, but only if our national economic and security interests are absolutely respected.
We negotiated WTO accession for 19 years or so, and consented to compromise on many issues, assuming that we are concluding cast-iron agreements.
And then… I will not discuss who’s right and who’s wrong (I already said on many occasions that I believe Russia behaved the right way in the Ukrainian crisis, and the West was wrong, but let us put this aside for now).
Still, we joined the WTO. That organisation has rules. And yet, sanctions were imposed on Russia in violation of the WTO rules, the international law and the UN Charter – again unilaterally and illegitimately. Are we in the wrong again?
We want to develop normal relations in the security sphere, in fighting terrorism. We will work together on nuclear non-proliferation. We will work together on other threats, including drugs, organised crime and grave infections, such as Ebola. We will do all this jointly, and we will cooperate in the economic sphere, if our partners want this.
Denis Kopyl Press Attaché Russian Embassy
JAGS Aviation adds US$4M Skytruck to fleet
As Guyana’s economy continues to grow, the Aviation Sector on Tuesday welcomed a M28 Skytruck, which will be operating primarily out of the Ogle International Airport (OIA).
Welcomed in grand style, the M28 Skytruck is the second aircraft BK Group of Companies has brought into the Guyanese market to date, Head of JAGS Aviation, Briony Tiwarie said, the first being a Cessna Caravan which arrived earlier this year.
Both aircraft will operate from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Airplane Hangar at the Ogle International Airport. The Skytruck provides space for transportation of passengers and cargo to Guyana’s Hinterland.
“Because of the terrains we cover, it was decided that we needed a more diverse fleet,” Tiwarie said.
She added that Guyana’s domestic aviation sector is a robust and dynamic sector with tremendous capacity for innovation. Tiwarie guaranteed consumers’ satisfaction with their services and added that the Skytruck will deliver the versatility which is not yet available in the local market. Made in Poland, the aircraft is said to facilitate short take-offs and is used in many countries, with the United States Air Force being one organisation that utilises such.
Many officials were pre-
sent at the event including Member of Parliament of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Joseph Harmon.
Harmon, a longstanding friend of Brian Tiwarie, Owner of JAGS Aviation, lauded the Tiwarie family for their contribution to the aviation sector. “This addition of an aircraft to a fleet of aircraft to bring the hinterland closer is an occasion for celebration,” Harmon said.
Interconnected
Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali said the GuySuCo Airplane Hangar is a facility supported and financed by the Government. He added that this new addition
opens up the economy and creates opportunities for Guyana. “This outlines why the Marriott Hotel is important for the expansion of the tourism sector,” Minister Ali said while adding that all sectors are interconnected.
In addition, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said the addition of such an aircraft “represents a game of change and a significant improvement and contribution to Guyana’s economy”.
Benn also took the opportunity to clear the air on the cost for the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Project. The Minister said the expansion is expected to cost approximately US$158 million, this contradicts the US$250 million recent- ly
give Guyanese citizens a comprehensive report on the project.
APNU had said that several changes have been made to the airport project’s initial plans. It further said in some sections of the media that “Some financial experts estimate that the true cost of the project is not going to be US$155 million or US$158 million, because when you add the several benefits attached, which the contractor is not paying for (included incentives like tax breaks) they estimate that we are looking in the vicinity of US$250 million.” This new aircraft adds to a series of investments in Guyana’s economy of re-
cent times. It is expected to contribute significantly to Guyana’s Tourism Sector and the economy in its entirety.
Also speaking at the event, Harmon expressed his party’s support for the addition of the M28 Skytruck much to the appreciation of the Government.
However, the APNU MP said there was need for value for money to be part of every project, and Ali said that it was what the Government stood for.
He added that he was very happy Harmon was supportive of the arrival of the new aircraft, which suggests that he was also supportive of development. “We cannot support a component of the development agenda without supporting the bigger picture,” Ali said.
Other officials present among the gathering included former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud, Head of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority Zulficar Mohamed and Chairman Hugh Denbow.
floated by Harmon. The APNU General Secretary had recently demanded that Government come clean and
The Tiwarie family members (sitting), along with former President Bharrat Jagdeo; Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud; Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali; APNU MP Joseph Harmon; Public Works Minister Robeson Benn; and head of the GCAA, Zulficar Mohamed with the M28 Skytruck aircraft in the background
BK Group of Companies Chairman Brian Tiwarie giving former President Bharrat Jagdeo a tour of the new aircraft
Dynamic Airways scrambles to relieve stranded passengers
The Dynamic Airways flight that was delayed for some 48 hours at the John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport since Sunday finally arrived in Guyana on Tuesday morning.
According to information reaching the Guyana Times, the flight touched down at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) around 09:45h and the immigration clearing process was completed by 11:00h.
The scores of passengers who were left stranded at the New York Airport were relieved to have finally arrived and expressed their frustration at the inconvenience that the two-day delay caused. Some of the passengers had a few choice words to say about the troubled airline, vowing not to use it for their return to the United States while others were hopefully that the issues would be sorted out so that this situation would not repeat.
Meanwhile, the flight was supposed to depart the CJIA for the JFK Airport at 17:30h on Tuesday, but left around 15:45h and was scheduled to arrive in New York at 20:30h. Another flight is expected to arrive in Guyana at 02:30h today with passengers who were scheduled to travel on Tuesday.
Speaking to this newspaper, local representative for Dynamic Airways, Captain Gerry Gouveia, explained that the flight left earlier than it was scheduled, because there is still another set of passengers in New York waiting to be flown to Guyana.
Gouveia explained that
the airline only has one aircraft, which is flying the New York-Georgetown route. He noted that the set of passengers who arrived Tuesday morning were those that were stranded since Sunday in the US and those that left with the early flight back to New York were stranded in Guyana.
The local Dynamic Airways representative added that those passengers that came with the second flight into Guyana are those who were supposed to arrive on the Tuesday flight, but arrived in the wee hours of Wednesday morning instead.
Gouveia was optimistic that the flight will be on schedule as he explained that Sunday’s delay was as a result of maintenance issues experienced when the plane was being switched.
On Sunday, Gouveia posted to his Facebook page that “Due to an unanticipated maintenance delay, the additional flight that was added by Dynamic to handle holiday passengers is delayed by 24 hours. To alleviate the inconvenience, passengers are being accommodated with hotels, meals,
and transportation”.
The flight was rescheduled to depart the JFK at 01:00h as usual and arrive at the CJIA at 07:00 this morning. Another flight is scheduled to leave Timehri at 17:00h heading back to New York.
Gouveia stated that while the airline was sorry for any inconvenience caused by the delay, safety was always the first priority.
The Guyana Times understands that when passengers showed up on Sunday morning around 03:30h at the JFK to check in, there was no one at the Dynamic counter. Calls made to the airline went to an automatic system, which related that the flight was rescheduled as a result of maintenance issues. This situation frustrated the passengers as there was no one for them to talk to about the situation.
This recent delay has caused public outbursts, particularly on social networks, about the continuous inefficiency of the airline. One passenger, Sherry Persaud Swami complained about the service on Facebook. The complaint
all the time, I got some water and some juice,” the woman vented.
Only in November last, Dynamic Airways resumed operations in Guyana after being out for several months owing to a number of issues, including problematic ground handling personnel. Gouveia had told this newspaper last month that local aviation authorities had given the greenlight after the airline would have provided some additional documents requested.
was posted on Monday at 11:52h.
“My flight was delayed from last night (Sunday). They told me to come again today (Monday), board the plane then I was told the flight was delayed again. They are not courteous. In
Based on the approval granted by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Dynamic Airways has up to June 9, 2015, to operate in Guyana and is allowed to only sell tickets for the approved period (November 22-June 9).
In the meanwhile, the troubles for Dynamic seem never ending as there were reports back in November that two 767 aircraft belonging to Dynamic Airways were being held hostage by Air India, who is allegedly trying to extort money from the US-based carrier. Reports indicated that an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) agreement was signed between the two airlines in which it was reportedly agreed that Dynamic will fly the Hajj for Air India this year. However, the India-based airline has refused to release the two B767-200s back to Dynamic, because it allegedly does not want to pay the original contracted rate that was agreed upon with Dynamic.
Sex worker stabbed on Croal Street in foiled robbery
Acommercial sex worker is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was stabbed several times to the neck at Croal Street, Georgetown in the wee hours of Tuesday.
Twenty-eight-year-old Kevin Carr, also called “Teacher Girl” of Agricola, East Bank Demerara was reportedly carrying out his trade when he was attacked by a man who is suspected to be a stalker.
According to reports re-
ceived, Carr was on the road ‘collecting business’ when the perpetrator who was clad in a blue long sleeved hoodie confronted the sex worker and demanded the money he made for the night. Carr reportedly put up a fight which alerted his co-workers who were some distance away.
After the man realised that the others were heading in his direction, he stabbed Carr and made good his escape. Carr was reportedly holding on to him when he was stabbed to the neck.
The injured sex worker was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted and underwent emergency surgery. It is believed that the man might be the person who habitually robs sex workers in the evening. He would normally pretend that he was interested in ‘doing business’. The matter was reported to the Police and an investigation has started.
The troubles for Dynamic seem never ending
GTU executives hold talks with APNU
Executive members of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), led by President Mark Lyte, on Tuesday met with representatives of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
The meeting was held at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, 61 Hadfield Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown. According to an APNU release, Leader of the Opposition, retired Brigadier David Granger congratulated the GTU President on his assumption of office and welcomed members of the executive.
Granger took the opportunity to iterate APNU’s commitment to the improvement of the education sector and making Guyana ‘an education nation’. The Leader of the Opposition said that in an APNU administration, not only would every teacher be given a laptop (computer), but teachers would be
the best paid public servants in the country.
The GTU team briefed representatives of APNU on the state of education in Guyana and the several challenges facing the nation’s teachers. In what can be described as an amicable engagement, the two sides discussed a wide range of issues of importance to the education sector, these included
the need for improved facilities, salaries and concessions, better training for teachers, the need for school buses and boats, and the need for more vocational and technical education capacity.
The GTU team also included Immediate Past President Colin Bynoe, Vice President Lesmeine Collins, General Secretary Coretta Mc Donald,
Deputy General Secretary Jacquelyn Douglas, Regional Vice President Donnette D’Andrade, and Executive Member Lance Baptiste. APNU’s team included Deputy Chairman of the APNU, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, Shadow Minister Legal Affairs Basil Williams, Shadow Minister Education Amna Ally and Communications Director Mark Archer.
US Virgin Islands citizen fined $20,000 for narcotics possession
Forty-eight-year-old Denzel Williams of St Thomas, US Virgin Islands was fined $20,000 for possessing narcotics. He appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday. The charge read that on December 22, at Ituni
Street, Bel Air, Georgetown, he had in his possession four grams of cannabis to which he accepted.
The facts of the case read that the Police acting on information received went to William’s house where they told him of their suspicion and requested to carry out a search on his home. While
conducting the search, in the wardrobe in the defendant’s room they found what they suspected was cannabis. He was arrested and cautioned.
Williams agreed that the drug was his and said that he would usually smoke it. He was taken to the Police station where he was arrested and charged.
The unrepresented defendant was fined $20,000 along with two weeks of community service.
He is expected to remain in Police custody at the Criminal Investigations Department, Eve Leary, Georgetown and will be escorted to the nearest exit port out of Guyana.
Prisoner remanded for narcotics possession
Keith Bailey, 34, a prisoner, was remanded to prison after being arraigned on a possession of narcotics charge.
The defendant made his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday.
It was alleged that on December 9 at the Camp Street Prison, he had in his possession 197 grams of cannabis to which he pleaded not
guilty.
Bailey was remanded to prison until January 9, 2015, where he is set to appear before Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
Dim down the light...
...with Desmond H'yte??
As the PNC heads into the looming elections ahead, their spin doctors're working overtime to do the impossible - make the PNC respectable. Desmond Hoyte, Burnham's trusted apparatchiki who never thought he'd succeed his "Founder Leader", was the first one to give it a shot.
He'd just been hung out as PM because the even more trusted Ptolemy Reid passed on the offer and Burnham just never trusted the ambitious and avaricious Hamilton Green. So needing to consolidate his precarious role in the party H'yte made a virtue out of necessity - by first ousting the Burnhamites, who saw themselves as the "true heirs" to their master.
But in jettisoning the Burnhamite socialist policiesremoving the ban on "dhall and flour" for instance - which he'd fully supported when they were enacted (and now pretending he was just a bystander), he fooled a lotta people into thinking he was a "reformer".
His "opening up" of the PNC to newcomers and appointment of several technocrats in Government and the Public Service was merely a ploy to replace his rivals. But the PNC did get a "kinder, gentler" image which Hoyte believed would make him win the 1992 elections. When he lost decisively in 1997, his true nature - the bigot who swore never to let the Jagans govern - resurfaced.
Robert Corbin, who succeeded Hoyte, just gave a speech on Hoyte to the PNC faithful at his graveside. It's clear he's trying to show that his hand picked successor, David Granger's cut from the same cloth as the "kinder gentler H'yte". But he really overplayed him hand. He quoted Hoyte's death-bed like conversion to "shared governance" - which Granger now touts to make the connection.
What Corbin can't hide, however, is that Hoyte's concession to the young guns in his party that the PNC had to abandon its "master or nothing" philosophy, was merely to mamaguy them. He simultaneously honoured Blackie London, denied that there were any criminals in Buxton. And launched the "slow fyaah; mo' fyaah strategy that was executed to the end by no other than ROH Corbin!
So while Granger up to now's been trying desperately to push "shared governance" and hide behind some group or other like H'yte did with the "Reform", it's not going to work. As Obama said about the vicious right winger Sarah Palin - as she tried to do a makeover - "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig!"
And Granger's still leader of a party which doesn't concede that the successors of the Jagan's can, or even SHOULD, govern Guyana.
...on SWAT ever swotting
The situation with our "elite" SWAT team - over a decade in the making - is getting murkier and murkier. We have the present COP being supported by his predecessorwho knocks his previous changes with alarming frequency, intensity and viciousness - that the SWAT should only be swotting "high profile" criminals. He wasn't too clear as to what this meant - but we gather it's not the garden variety crimes.
But the Police's own figures show that most robberies now involve bandits who're heavily armed. When will the Police determine that the crime is "high profile" to deploy the SWAT?? After several policemen or victims are killed??
The ex-COP - now security guru to PNC/APNU - suggests that "high profile" means those situations involving hostage taking. Well, we can't think of a single instance where we've had an incident of "hostage taking" like in "Dog day afternoon" or some such movie, which Felix must've seen.
So does our SWAT just sleep until such crimes evolve?? What bullocks!
...on Berbice
This Eyewitness has a concrete instance to ask the COP about the SWAT's criteria for deployment. Take that Maida, Berbice case where the bandits took over an hour to break into the house and the "regular cops" didn't respond.
If a squad of the SWAT platoon had been in Berbice, would they've been deployed??
APNU leaders meeting with the GTU executives
Ramotar to security top brass: Get on top of crime
President Donald Ramotar on Tuesday told heads of the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force to “get on top” of the crime situation.
The President who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces met with Chiefof-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Mark Phillips and Commissioner (ag) of the Guyana Police Force, Seelall Persaud at the Office of the President.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA)
The Force has also insisted that it is prepared, pointing to its elaborate city plan which was presented earlier this month to members of the business community and the media.
To tackle this anticipated surge, the GPF last month released a “Christmas Strategic Plan” with the aim of preventing or minimising the commission of crimes that are likely to occur as a result of increases in commercial activity during the Christmas season.
The strategic plan cov-
Sector. He appealed to the business community to put in place proactive measures in protecting their businesses.
“We have seen the continuous occurrences of crimes committed by persons while businessmen are seeking to take cash to the bank.
“In some cases, their employees are robbed, some of them are killed. What actions you take in terms of protecting your business ought to be commensurable with the type of business you are engaged in.
“If you have a $500 million
release the Head of State discussed the current state of affairs with regards crime, and urged the officials to get on top of the situation. Secretary to the Defence Board, Dr Roger Luncheon was also present at the meeting.
Ramotar’s meeting with the security chiefs comes in wake of concerns by Guyanese over the escalation of crime. Against the background of daily armed robberies across the country and over 130 murders for the year so far, Guyanese have been expressing concerns about the lawmen’s readiness to deal with the expected spike in crime during the holiday season.
ers the period December 15 to January 15, 2015. This type of pro-active measure has been implemented by the Police over the years, however many still feel in secure and are not confident about the plan put forward by the Force. The plan mostly targets the A Division, particularly Georgetown.
Crime Chief Leslie James, in presenting the strategic plan disclosed that the Police will be focused on maintaining the intelligence-led posture while continuing to work along with Community Policing Groups (CPG) to ensure increased safety for citizens.
James added that they will also be engaging the Private
business, you ought not to have a $50,000 security,” the Crime Chief stated.
In a recent statistics update from the Police, it was revealed that serious crimes were reduced from 133 recorded in 2013 to 127 this year during the same period. A total of 127 murders were recorded at the end of November, representing a decrease of five per cent.
At the end of November 2014, robbery under arms overall had increased by six per cent during the same period. Police Divisions A and E recorded a decrease, while Divisions B, D and G recorded slight increases. Divisions C and F recorded the same amount.
Civil society meeting: GNCPP leader admits he was “rash”
...hopes Govt comes to table
Chairman of the Guyana National Council on Public Policy (GNCPP) and the recently established Guyana National Civil Society Council (GNCSC), Dr Phillip Mozart Thomas has admitted that his organisation might have been too “rash” in its approach to seek consultations with Government over the recently concluded Civil Society Summit.
While contending that the summit was a “phenomenally successful”, Dr Thomas said that that might have probably been one of the major contributing factors to the Government’s stern criticism of him and the organisation.
Dr Thomas, who spoke to Guyana Times on Tuesday, gave an appraisal of the threeday summit which was aimed at seeking a transition into a new dispensation of peace within society.
That conference, which was opened with pomp and ceremony at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown last Wednesday, was shot down by Government, through the Office of the President (OP), which the evening before had warned Guyanese against becoming entangled with the organisation and Dr Thomas.
But despite the warning by OP, the Council had listed President Donald Ramotar among the names of politicians to address the summit.
Although crumbling under pressure, shifting the remaining sessions of the symposium from the conference centre to the much smaller boardroom
of the Council’s Secretariat in Kingston, Georgetown, Dr Thomas contended that the summit was a “phenomenal success”.
He said too that the organisation will be seeking to re-engage Government on talks, since according to him; the Council has surmised that the move might have been too “hasty”.
He said the organisation will be giving itself and Government sometime before it seeks another consultation session on the way forward. According to him, the time might be right after Government “fully digests and analyses” the strategy used by the Council on the prior engagement.
Both Government and the coalition, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) had distanced themselves from the organisation and Dr Thomas.
Government for its part had said that the organisa-
tion and its Chairman were farcical and are aligned to the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR).
Dr Thomas said although he understands the reason behind Government’s action, he “wish they had taken a different approach”.
The move by the Office of the President did more harm than good, he said, as it sullied both his and the Council’s image.
The Chairman reiterated that the situation is unfortunate since he has on numerous occasions worked with Government, noting that the administration is fully aware of his qualification as he had worked closely with Dr Odeen Ishmael during his stint at the Organisation of American States (OAS).
The three-day summit came to an end last Friday. That session which was expected to end with an award ceremony, ended instead with a deliberation between Council members on what would be embraced on the way forward.
According to Dr Thomas, the Council, which was successfully established on the first day of the summit, will be making a formal proclamation of its existence, particularly of the names of each member.
The Council has also embarked on putting together a Civil Society Charter and will also be seeking to begin the truth reconciliation process among themselves. Dr Thomas had relayed too that the Council will continue the process which has led to the establishment of the GNCSC.
President Donald Ramotar meeting with Army Chief, Brigadier Mark Phillips and Police Commissioner (ag) Seelall Persaud. Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon is also in photo
GNCPP Chairman, Dr Phillip Thomas
GRA on course to surpass $135B target
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is on course to meet its fiscal target of 135 billion for 2014 despite being plagued by a slew of challenges and an overwhelming number of tax evaders.
This indicates that tax collection increased by over $9 billion when compared to $126 billion in 2013, GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur said.
He told Guyana Times that the revenue body would be sure to meet its target before year-end.
When asked what the current revenue figure was, Sattaur advised that the information was not immediately available, but assured that it was close to the target that was set.
Despite this, the Commissioner General is appealing to the general public and businesses to pay their outstanding taxes forthwith. He told Guyana Times that failure on the part of these individuals and businesses could result in harsh penalties in the coming year.
Those penalties, according to Sattaur could see persons having to pay additional fines, along with their
scheduled payments to the entity.
“They will face the full consequences of not honouring their statutory tax obligations,” said the Tax Chief, adding that the last installment for taxes is due on December 31.
For this year alone, GRA was faced with several issues relating to the collection of taxes, including tax evaders who overtime have managed to find ways to cheat the system.
This aside, smuggling of fuel and goods from neigh-
bouring countries Brazil, Suriname, Venezuela remains a problem.
But Sattaur explained to Guyana Times that the team at GRA was “seasoned and experienced”; hence, they were prepared for these setbacks.
He further advised that the legal and enforcement departments of the GRA are “actively” pursuing tax delinquents.
He said in the last 11 years, there have been notable improvements in collection, with the collection
methods being improved.
Sattaur had confirmed that more than half of Guyana’s registered Value Added Tax (VAT) collectors do not remit the money collected to Government at the scheduled time. He also noted that some establishments are Chinese-owned businesses which are not certified to charge VAT.
The Commissioner General said some shrewd businessmen have found ways to cheat the system and keep some or all of the monies paid to them by consumers, for themselves.
Sattaur stated that while the businesses are registered to charge VAT, most times the accounting systems are severely flawed which result in them not paying the full amounts collected to the GRA.
This means that the Government gets cheated out of possibly millions of dollars in revenue each year.
He explained too that these businesses are able to thwart the VAT system with the aid of both complicit and unsuspecting consumers.
Sattaur had also complained that Guyana’s private sector was not doing enough to tackle the smuggling of good across Guyana’s borders.
The Civil Gathering
Satiricus was miffed. He didn't mind not getting the "GILDED Invitation" to the Civil Gathering. After all he wasn't Prezzie or the Opposition Leader or all those other big wigs from Parliament who got duty-free cars and ate $1.7 million is food every time they "sat".
Satiricus wasn't surprised when these fella met they called it "sittings". After wolfing down that much food, what else could they do??
No sir!! Satiricus didn't begrudge them their GILDED Invitations. "And anyway," sniffed SatiriCus, "the advertisements in the papers weren't even gilded!" Satiricus hasn't even minded not being nominated to sit on the Council that was going to represent the entire Civil Gathering in Guyana.
But he did mind not even getting a call from his buddy Lalloo Ram...who did have a GILDED invitation and was billed as a shoo-in for the Council.
Satiricus, after all, was a very civil fellow. He didn't curse or swear or even raise his voice when drivers cut in front of him on the roads. He even smiled at surly shop attendants who always followed him around as if he was shoplifting.
When he'd read about Lalloo being mocked about using tweezers to pluck his ex-wife's pubic hair, he'd called the bookeeper and commiserated civilly. "What the hell did they expect Lalloo to use to pluck pubic hairs? And anyway, what a man plucked in the sanctity of his bedroom was his business," SatiricuS had offered civilly.
But Satiricus went to the Civil Gathering anyway. He figured that even if anyone figured out he didn't have an invitation, they'd be too civil to throw him out. And as luck would have it, right there in front was his buddy Lalloo Ram.
So, as was his wont, Satiricus greeted him civilly. "Hello there Lalloo old chap," said Satiricus, "Have the Missus' pubic hairs sprouted again, that they might be need some more tweezing?"
Sariricus was shocked at Lalloo's response: "Is why the arse, yuh asking me that in front of all these civil people?"
"I say, my dear fellow," protested Satiricus. "That's not very civil, is it?"
"You f*** around with me," screamed Lalloo, as he reached into his pocket, "I'll show you 'civil'!!"
"Not your tweezers!!'" exclaimed Satiricus. "My wife likes MY pubic hairs!" And Satiricus didn't even wait to listen to Lalloo's speech - even though he was the only "big one" who showed up at the Civil Gathering.
Satiricus wondered if civility was dying.
GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur
30 take up residency at Hugo Chávez Homeless Shelter
Some 30 homeless persons have already began occupying the $494 million Hugo Chávez Centre located at Onverwagt, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), with another 70 expected to take up residence in the near future.
Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster told Guyana Times on Tuesday that the Ministry was able to successfully move in the residents last month.
Construction of the multimillion-dollar homeless shelter began in 2010; a gift from then Venezuelan President, the late Hugo Chavez. The objective at the time was to assist in the social and physical welfare of persons who may have found themselves out of a home.
Webster told Guyana Times that the additional 70 persons will begin occupying the centre early next year. She noted too that those currently occupying: 25 males and five females are already engaged in agriculture and aqua culture farming.
Webster related that the shelter is in working order with a full complement of staff.
She had related to this publication that the Ministry was able to appoint an Administrator and was able to work along with the Health Ministry to evaluate the persons identified to occupy the facility. She explained too that each resident has a personal file.
The centre, which has separate dorms for males and females, a kitchen, recreational, medical, training and dining facilities and conference rooms has the capacity to hold 200 males and 100 females and sits on 7.30 acres of land. Some of the land has been set aside for residents to engage in agriculture.
In August 2013, President Donald
Ramotar and Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana Reina Margarita Arratia Diaz toured the facility after unveiling a plaque bearing the image of President Chávez whose name the centre bears.
The services offered by the centre include counselling.
Persons will be provided with transportation, skills training, medical attention, clothing and meals at the expense of the Government.
“The centre will endeavour to transform the lives of its occupants so as to enable them to become disciplined and productive members of our society,” Webster had remarked at the opening ceremony.
Meanwhile, the Human Services Minister said she is hoping that the trend over the last five years in relation to the increase in Old Age Pension could again happen in the New Year.
She reminded that Government, through her Ministry has been able to increase the monthly allowance to Guyana’s senior citizens over the last five years, and hopes that there will be a smooth transition when the budget is read in 2015.
She related that in 2009, Old Age Pension was a mere $6300. However, today, it is $13,125.
The explained too that Government has been able to assist some of the more than 45,000 pensioners, in receiving the $30,000 GPL subsidies.
At the last budget presentation in March of this year, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh had reported that Old Age Pension would see a five per cent increase from $12,500 to $13,125.
The previous year saw a 25 per cent increase from $10,000 to $12,500.
At a cost of $200 million annually, Government has also been assisting senior citizens to pay the
Belizean soldier shot during attempted robbery
Amember of the Belize Defence Force is now nursing at least four gunshot wounds to his body after he was attacked during an attempted robbery on Monday in the vicinity of Sandy Place, Kitty. The incident occurred about 20:15h.
water charges they incur at the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and another $590 million for their electricity.
The injured rank was identified as 20-year-old Emil Joel Mendez, who is stationed at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Base at Camp Ayanganna, Thomas Lands, Georgetown. Information reaching the Guyana Times revealed that Mendez was in Guyana on an official mission with the Health Ministry’s Orthopaedic Technician programme.
This publication understands that the young soldier and his girlfriend were
out earlier in the evening, and he reportedly placed her in a taxi and sent her home, since he had to return to the base.
As he was heading back to the army base, he was confronted by a lone gunman who demanded that he hands over his valuables but he reportedly resisted and was shot to his abdomen and thigh.
The gunman then made good his escape while public-spirited citizens rushed to the assistance of the soldier and took him to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted.
A hospital official stated that Mendez underwent a successful surgery and was in stable but serious condition. She added that the young man will be monitored on a regular basis.
The Police as well as the Guyana Defence Force have launched an investigation.
Some 30 homeless persons have already began occupying the $494 million Hugo Chávez Centre located at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice
Shot Belizean soldier Amil Joel Mendez
wednesdAY, december 24, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com
Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanage commissions new bus
– plans for higher education, social mobility
Last Saturday, a bus was commissioned for the Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanage, in celebration of the many successes the orphanage has had over the years and those successes that are expected.
The Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanage has been operating through the patronage of the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman (GUSIA) since its establishment in the 1950’s. The orphanage was built to care for children who had
had noted that finance was quite limited for the institution, though the children themselves had monies available to them at the commercial banks; namely Republic Bank and Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI).
However, for reasons that were not mentioned, the committee was unable to access these funds for the benefit of the children, until recently. Khan said it was due to the attention of Attorney Kalam A Juman Yasin, who had represented
nowhere else to go or anyone to care for them.
Secretary of the Shaheed Orphanage Hakim Khan, informed that since the change in management in 2005, the orphanage has taken the position of exposing the children to greater opportunities for their development and overall growth.
He stated that the bus will ensure this.
Khan added that the management committee
the orphanages for decades, that the day of celebration was even possible.
It is with this new source of funds, the Secretary states, that the management board was able to commission a bus for the children of the orphanage. He says that it has been a dream of the management board for some time, particularly when the children have to go to school.
The Secretary told those in attendance that a num-
ber of the children attend the Reyaz Hussein Private School, as such; the use of the bus became all the more crucial.
He explained that the transfer from public school to private school did come at a great price but stated that the board believes it is worth it as positive results are already seen from the children’s academic performances this term.
The Secretary shares that the committee has great dreams of seeing the children from the orphanage advance to higher education and great careers.
He went on to elaborate on the plans the board has for the children, notably the creation of a bank account for each of the children at the two orphanages at Demerara Bank. The account is released to the child upon leaving the orphanages as well as $50,000 the board provides for the child upon leaving.
In addition, a surveillance system has been installed at both orphanages after suggestions which were put forward by the Human Services Ministry and the management committee in relation to security and the safety of the children.
He says moves are in place to enable monitoring of these institutions from the homes or offices of the committee, any hour of the day or night.
Khan spoke on the management’s plans for a playground at Oleander Gardens, where $3 million has been spent in preparatory works but currently lays static as funds are limited to continue the process.
However ever optimistic, Khan says that his committee has already started to look for partners that can come on board to continue the project.
Hakim Khan says more
is expected to be celebrated in the future but “mums the word” for now as he cannot say much on the committee’s plans for the children.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who attended the commissioning, was duly honoured for his strong support towards the goals
of the orphanage. Nandlall said that such institutions are quite necessary for a country to ensure all children are well taken care of and not left to flounder in the system.
He remarked that the orphanages for years, have taken in children, trained them and moulded them into productive members of society.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who also attended the commission, remarked on one of the feature of the orphanages that he believes is quite admirable. The Prime Minister said the fact that the institution takes in children of all creeds, no matter their backgrounds or religion, is extremely rare.
Three students were presented with awards at the event for their great performances at primary and secondary school –Justin Gooroodyal, Mellisa Persaud and the top performer Sunita Persaud who gained three As and three Bs for this term.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds cut the ribbon of the new bus for the children of the orphanages
The children from the Shaheed Orphanages as they sing a song for the attendees at the bus commissioning ceremony
Regional
Authorities investigating alleged rape of Jamaican national
The Bahamas Government says it is prepared to let the “chips fall where they may” after an immigration officer was placed on administrative leave with immediate effect “pending investigation of a sexual assault alleged by a detainee who is a Jamaican citizen”.
Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell told a news conference that while he would not speak “more to this matter”, he was nonetheless prepared to allow the “chips (to) fall where they may”.
In a statement, the Foreign Affairs and
Immigration Ministry said that “a diplomatic note … will be sent to the Jamaican Foreign Minister and the Minister will speak to his counterpart in Jamaica shortly” on the issue.
The statement said that Mitchell had already spoken to Honorary Consul of Jamaica to The Bahamas “to convey his deep regret at these allegations and assured the Consul that the matter will be thoroughly investigated”.
The statement said that the matter is also before the Police and that “all necessary steps including prosecution, suspension and
Fred Mitchell Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister of Bahamas
dismissal from the public service will be applied where warranted.
“….the Ministry wishes to indicate that it does not
condone or sanction in any way, shape or form abuse of any kind by any officer of the department. It will not be tolerated and the strongest measures will be taken where there are violations of the rights of people.”
Mitchell told reporters that the Government will “not countenance any malfeasance on the part of individuals who are a part of this department” announcing that a criminal investigation will be launched into another matter in which money deposited by an inmate at the detention centre had disappeared. (Excerpt from CMC)
Nicaragua breaks ground on canal project
Nicaragua has announced the start of work on a US$50 billion shipping canal, an infrastructure project backed by China, aiming to rival Panama’s waterway and revitalise the economy of the second-poorest country in the Americas.
The groundbreaking for the project took place on Monday and was largely symbolic.
The event marked the start of some ancillary pro-
jects in Brito, a city about five kilometres from Nicaragua’s Pacific coast where the first port in the scope of the project will be built.
Nicaragua’s Government says the proposed 278km canal would raise annual economic growth to more than 10 per cent.
The canal might also give China a major foothold in Central America, a region long dominated by the US, which completed the Panama Canal a century
ago.
Construction of the new waterway will be run by Hong Kong-based HK Nicaragua Canal Development Investment (HKND Group), which is controlled by Wang Jing, a Chinese telecom tycoon.
Flanked by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who is a former Marxist guerrilla leader, Wang Jing said the tender for the preliminary design of the project would be offered by the
end of the first quarter of 2015.
By the end of the third quarter, excavation work would begin, with a tender for the design of the locks due by the end of the year, he said.
Officials say the canal will be fully operational by 2019 or 2020.
The initiative has drawn criticism from local residents and environmentalist groups, igniting protests in the country. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
High costs affecting Caribbean share of global tourism market – study
Astudy examining what is driving the tourism flows in the Caribbean has found that the region’s share of the global tourism market is declining.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Working Paper titled “Revisiting Tourism Flows to the Caribbean: What is Driving Arrivals,” finds that tourism arrivals and expenditure are sensitive to both price and income factors in source markets; price and income elasticities of tourism have declined since 2008 and that price elasticity is statistically insignificant for “high-end” destinations.
In addition, the study prepared by Nicole Laframboise, Nkunde Mwase, Joonkyu Park, and Yingke Zhou, also found that the nominal cost of an average one-week beach holiday in the Caribbean is higher than in other beach destinations around the world.
“These results point to
the need for structural reforms to raise product quality, cost reduction or containment in “low-end” destinations, including possibly via exchange rates, and an adjustment in aggregate consumption to adapt to the implications of a lower contribution to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) from tourism,” the study indicated.
The study found that the Caribbean is highly dependent on tourism. In many countries, the importance of tourism increased steadily as the system of agricultural trade preferences was dismantled.
Tourism gradually became the dominant sector, and now accounts for a large share of GDP, ranging from eight to 40 per cent of GDP for most of the 16 countries studied in this paper. It found that tourism is, of course, the main driver of economic growth and employment, and is a key source of government revenues. (Excerpt from CMC)
Around the world
North Korea’s Internet links restored amid US hacking dispute
North Korea, at the centre of a confrontation with the United States over the hacking of Sony Pictures, experienced a complete Internet outage for hours before links were restored on Tuesday, but US officials said Washington was not involved.
US-based Dyn, a company that monitors Internet infrastructure, said the reason for the outage was not known but could range from technological glitches to a hacking attack. Several US officials close to the investigations of the attack on Sony Pictures said the US Government had not taken any cyber action against Pyongyang.
US President Barack Obama had vowed on Friday to respond to the major cyberattack, which he blamed on North Korea, “in a place and time and manner that we choose”.
Dyn said North Korea’s
France to deploy soldiers after spate of attacks
France is to step up Police and military patrols in areas frequented by the public following recent attacks, Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said.
He said up to 300 soldiers would be deployed around the country to boost security over the Christmas period.
The attacks, seemingly unrelated, in Nantes, Dijon and Tours have left more than 20 people injured.
One person injured in Monday’s attack on a Christmas market in Nantes has been declared clinically dead.
Nine others were injured in the incident, as a man drove a van towards a stall in the market before repeatedly stabbing himself.
In Dijon on Sunday, a driver shouting “God is great” in Arabic ploughed into pedestrians, injuring 13 people.
On Saturday, a man using the same phrase was shot dead by Police after attacking them.
On Tuesday, Valls sought to reassure the public, saying he understood the public’s “strong concerns”.
President Francois Hollande had called for an emergency Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and urged the public not to panic.
The BBC’s Hugh Schofield in Paris says French authorities are playing down the idea that there is a pattern behind the three attacks.
However, many people will be asking themselves if there is a copycat element to them, he adds. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Internet links were unstable on Monday and the country later went completely offline. Links were restored at 0146 GMT on Tuesday, and the possibilities for the outage could be attacks by individuals, a hardware failure, or even that it was done by North Korea itself, experts said.
Matthew Prince, head of US-based CloudFlare which protects websites from webbased attacks, said the fact that North Korea’s Internet was back up “is pretty good evidence that the outage wasn’t caused by a statesponsored attack, otherwise it’d likely still be down for the count”.
Almost all of North Korea’s Internet links and traffic pass through China and it dismissed any suggestion that it was involved as “irresponsible”.
Meanwhile, Sony is set to release the film “The Interview” which sparked the row, on Christmas Day after earlier pulling it. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Ukraine votes to scrap nonaligned status
Ukraine’s Parliament has renounced the country’s nonaligned status with the aim of eventually joining NATO, angering Moscow which views the Western alliance’s eastward expansion as a threat to its own security.
Introducing the bill on Tuesday, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said it was a vital bill for Ukraine in current times.
“Today we all should vote for a key bill in the current situation – a bill about peace, a bill about the reform strategy, a bill about our place in the Western civilisation.
This is a bill denouncing Ukraine’s “non-aligned” sta-
tus,” said Tymoshenko.
Kiev first announced its intention of seeking the protection of NATO membership in August following what it deemed the open participation of Russia’s military in a separatist war in Ukraine’s eastern provinces.
Non-aligned statuses are a classification given to states such as Switzerland which refuse to join military alliances and thus play no part in wars.
The amendment passed easily in Parliament, receiving 303 votes, 77 more than the minimum required to pass into law.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Children killed in Syrian air strikes
At least 10 children have been killed after two schools were hit in a series of air strikes carried out by the Syrian Government in Damascus and villages in the Idlib province, sources say.
Military jets dropped barrel bombs on a school in the town of Safohan in Idlib Province on Tuesday, killing seven children.
In the rebel held area of Douma in Damascus, another school was hit. At least five people were killed, including three children.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, said that civilians often bear the brunt of these retaliatory attacks conducted by the Syrian Government.
The attacks on Tuesday come after at least four Syrian school children were killed and 10 others wounded on Monday when a Government air strike hit their bus in the northwest of the country, a monitoring group said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said most of those wounded and killed were under the age of 10.
“The toll could rise as there are serious injuries,” it said.
Idlib is largely in the hands of Syria’s al-Qaeda franchise, Al-Nusra Front, which in recent weeks has fended off advances by rival rebel groups and now holds two strategic military bases in the province.
Armed Indian tribal group kills villagers
At least 35 people have been killed by Bodo tribal fighters in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam, private television channel NDTV is reporting
called Ukraine’s renunciation of its neutral military and political status a “counterproductive” step that would only boost tensions around the crisis in the east.
“It will only escalate the confrontation and creates the illusion that it is possible to resolve Ukraine’s deep internal crisis by passing such laws,” TASS news agency quoted Lavrov as saying. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Reports said members of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland opened indiscriminate fire at Saralpara village in Kokrajhar district, and in Santipur village of Sonitpur district, on Tuesday.
The attacks came after a joint team of Assam Police and the Indian Army killed two Bodo fighters in the neighbouring Chiran district on Sunday.
Villagers who fled the carnage told Police that the rebels came on foot, armed with assault rifles and wear-
ing military uniforms. They forced open the doors of their thatched huts and opened fire.
Police Inspector General SN Singh told reporters in the main city, Guwahati, that additional forces were being sent in to chase down the fighters. He said villagers at risk will be evacuated to safer places.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a Twitter post that the killings of innocent people were an “act of cowardice”.
Some members of the Bodo community say their identity, culture and language are under threat of being overrun and the only way they can preserve it is through self-governance. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (front centre) gives field guidance at the Kim Jong Suk Pyongyang Textile Mill in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on December 20
wednesdAY, december 24, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com
Taxi driver wins $1M in GT&T Christmas promotion
Ataxi driver who works at night to sustain his sibling was all smiles when he pulled a box labelled ‘Holly’ that contained one million dollars, as the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) wrapped up its Christmas promotion on Tuesday.
The drawing was help at the BlackBerry Office, Brickdam, Georgetown which saw other lucky GT&T subscribers winning other prizes. Terry De Freitas, a former court clerk was among five finalists chosen to participate in the grand draw for the grand prize of $1 million.
It was indeed a festive atmosphere as the five finalists were serenaded by Calvin Burnett with his version of Luther Vandross’ “Every Year Every Christmas”.
The drawing was conducted in two segments –the first segment saw Terry De Freitas, Bibi Rehapen and Jewan Seenarine moving closer to the next round. The other two contestants, Conrade Kendall and Mahendra Sammy, both won Ipads with one-year free date service.
In the second segment, each of the contestants had to pull a number out of a bag which determines the order in which they will choose the boxes that were laid out on the table. De Freitas pulled number three which meant the he would be the first to select a box out of the three.
Each of the boxes was labelled with the names holly, mistletoe and bells. As the three finalists make their selection, they were instructed to open the boxes at the same time. As they opened the
boxes, the million dollars tag was seen in the box labelled ‘Holly’ while ‘Mistletoes’ and ‘Bells’ each had a tag marked flat screen television sets.
An elated De Freitas told the gathering that his parents passed away six years ago and he had to take care of his siblings. He thanked God all through the drawing and more so, thanked the telephone giant. He reiterated that it was hard to work during the nights to maintain his family and with the winnings; it will help a great lot.
De Freitas had at one time served time in prison for trafficking in narcotics, after the illicit substance was found in his suitcase at the Cheddie Jagan International Airport. He told Guyana Times that he wanted his family to have a better life and thought that trafficking the drug might
have solved their problems.
“It was one time I tried but I was caught… after that lesson I turned to the Almighty to protect my family and I have turned to God to lead me in the right path”.
De Freitas was confident from the beginning of the promotion about winning the grand prize. During the interview with this publication, he continuously thanked God.
Five lucky media personnel also won cash prizes at the drawing and seven customers also collected $50,000 each which they won after topping up their phones with $400 and more. The Christmas promotion started on November 1 and lasted for seven weeks.
Entertainment for the event was provided by Calvin Burnett and Ryan Hoppie.
Man with “God Bless” tattoo found dead
TDredging operations completed in Essequibo River
The final phase of dredging activities at Chalmers Essequibo River by the “STEVE N” Dredge was completed late last month, the Public Works Ministry has said. The “STEVE N” commenced dredging in the Essequibo River at Chalmers Crossing on September 17, as part of the plan by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) to dredge the shallow areas of the Essequibo River that currently impede the movement of ships. The “STEVE N” is expected to conduct more dredging activities but at New Amsterdam Stelling in the first quarter of the new year.
Police
“name and shame” another six for drunk driving
The Guyana Police on Tuesday continued its “name and shame” campaign against drunk driving, releasing the names of six men who have been charged and convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Among them is Harrynarine Ramdass, of Number 78 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Police said he was stopped and tested with a breathalyser on December 7 while driving a motor vehicle on Dukestown
tested with a breathalyser on December 7 while driving motor vehicle PRR 4062 on the Scottsburg Public Road, Corentyne. He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared on December 11 at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded guilty and was fined $7500.
Additionally, Ghanraj Fairdine, of 155 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, was stopped and tested with a breathalyser on December 6 while driv-
guilty and was fined $7500. Devindra Umraw, of Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, was stopped and tested with a breathalyser on December 6 while driving motor vehicle PPP 6737 on the Providence Public Road, EBD. He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared on December 12 at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded guilty and was fined $7500. Finally, Delvon Abrams,
He was clad in a multicoloured jersey and shorts and a mobile phone suspected to have been stolen during a robbery at Ruby Backdam was found in close proximity of the body. The
he decomposed body of a man suspected to be a bandit was found at Good Hope Backdam, West Coast Demerara on Tuesday about 8:30h. The identity of the man is not known but his upper right arm has a tattoo “God Bless” and he appeared to be in his mid thirties.
deceased man is of African descent and is about 5’6” in height.
The body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting identification and a post-mortem examination. The Police have since launched an investigation.
Bandits cart off $2M from ECD businessman
Bandits on Tuesday carted off over $2 million from an East Coast Demerara (ECD) businessman after holding him at gunpoint. The bandits might have trailed him from a city bank. Ramcharran Narine is traumatised following the incident which occurred at his home at Vryheid’s Lust, ECD. Narine is re-
portedly a car dealer.
According to information reaching this newspaper, the businessman was robbed by two unmasked gunmen who confronted him at his house demanding the money he was carrying in his bag. The man had moments prior to the robbery returned home from the bank where he withdrew the money.
After committing the
robbery, the men escaped in a Toyota Premio motor bearing registration number PRR 1050, but Narine reportedly gave chase to the men who abandoned their vehicle after driving up a dead-end street.
The robbery was caught on surveillance video, which was handed over to the Police as they launched an investigation.
Public Road, Corentyne. He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and supposed to appear at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court on December 11, but failed to appear and an arrest warrant has been issued for him.
Secondly, Govindiadat Sasenarine, of 69 Section A Number 70 Village, Corentyne, was stopped and
ing motor vehicle PLL 2179 on the Providence Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD). He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared on December 12 at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded “not guilty”. The matter is continuing before the court.
Raiesh Nevrang, of Number 76 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, was also stopped and tested with a breathalyser on December 7 while driving motor vehicle HB 3172 on the Dukestown Public Road, Corentyne. He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared on December 11 at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded
of 13 Princetown, Corentyne, Berbice, was stopped and tested with a breathalyser on December 7 while driving motor vehicle PNN 2399 on the Dukestown Public Road, Corentyne. He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared on December 11 at the Springlands Magistrate Court, where he pleaded guilty and was fined $7500.
The “STEVE N” in operation
Delvon Abrams Devindra Umraw
Govindiadat Sasenarine
Harrynarine Ramdass Raiesh Nevrang
A jubilant Terry De Freitas with his grand prize along with Bibi Rehapen and Jewan Seenarine after the drawing on Tuesday
Govt still pursuing lawsuit against Surendra Engineering
... despite claims of liquidation
In the wake of rumours that Indian firm Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL) might have been liquidated, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said that Government is continuing with its lawsuit against the company.
Nandlall had in September of this year filed a lawsuit against the company seeking to retrieve US$4.5 million it reportedly unlawfully utilised after signing the US$18 million contract in 2012 to build Guyana’s first Specialty Hospital. The most recent report coming from the AG was that Government was waiting to serve the writ to the company which has a registered office here in Guyana. However, attempts to do so had proven futile, since the office, was vacant.
The Attorney General had told Guyana Times that Government would be moving to use the substituted service through advertisement. He could not at that time say how soon that would be. But a recent report in another local newspaper indicating that the Indian firm has been liquidated raised questions, and when asked, Nandlall said he was not aware of any such development.
Nandlall said that while he would be making enquiries about the claim, Government will not be backing out of the fight. In the legal document filed by the Attorney General Chambers, Government said that the company was found guilty of fraudulent practices and breach of the terms, conditions and warranties of the contract it had signed back in September 2012 to design, build, equip, test, deliver, install, complete and commission a Surgical Specialty Hospital located
at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown. The contract was signed to the tune of US$18,180,000.
‘Wriggling’?
According to the court documents, the defendant had failed to perform its obligations under the terms of the contract and to account for the advance payment of US$4,285,440 by way of tendering receipts. Instead, the defendant submitted fabricated, unsigned and sometimes inflated invoices with no evidence of actual payments made or any supporting documentation for the expenditure claimed. Government claimed too that the company had failed to renew its expired Advance Payment Guarantee, which was in breach of the contract.
The company, however, subsequently submitted drafted copies of the Advance Payment Guarantee, Performance Security and Insurance from “Worldwide Bankers Re Company Limited” of Trinidad and Tobago.
A letter was also produced and purported to be signed by a D Singh, Director of Financial Institutions,
Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, confirming that it has “more than five years in the reinsurance and coinsurance business” and has been authorised for those operations since 1988.
Government in its claim is catering for the 20 per cent Advance Payment amounting to US$3,636,000; an additional sum of US$505,440 for design services; and another US$144,000 that was paid for site mobilisation. That US$4,285,440, along with an additional $100 million is being sought in damages by Government. Additionally, costs are also being asked for as interest provided for by the Law Reform.
On September 9, the Donald Ramotar Administration announced that it was terminating the contract of the company to build and design the controversial Specialty Hospital, citing fraud and delays. The company had, however, denied the claims by Government, accusing the Administration of trying to “wriggle out of its stated commitments towards the project” due to political pressure.
Whittaker hails work of Local Govt Ministry
Local Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whittaker said that the subject Ministry has had major successes for the year 2014.
Whittaker was at the time speaking at the Local Government Ministry’s endof-the-year press conference held at his Kingston office on Monday.
The Minister noted that the Ministry was able to carry out all of its projects on time and within budget. He noted that the “Clean Up My Country Campaign” is one good example of the Ministry’ work that was completed as expected. He disclosed that thus far, some $490 million was disbursed in Georgetown and an additional $490.8 million in other regions. Whittaker stressed that the project is in its final stage, noting that some $20 million remain for the said project and is expected to be paid out this week.
Whittaker said that the Government continues to fund programmes all across the country to make sure that persons’ needs are being met. He said that although there have been many challenges and stalled projects, they have managed to keep focus and pull them off successfully.
“We also faced many challenges this year, and I am saying this because while we celebrate our success, we must acknowledge our failures too. There were many stalled projects that we didn’t manage to complete on the exact date we had promised, but we managed to get them done in a timely manner. I can safely say for the year 2014 we have achieved a lot” he noted.
Whittaker disclosed that the Local Government Ministry is responsible for some 11 budget agencies, and is responsible for paying more than 3000 employees within the Ministry. When asked about some of the projects the Ministry had undertaken outside of Georgetown, the Minister positively said that all 10 regions in Guyana were developed equally, so works that are visible in Georgetown are also visible elsewhere.
“We have been facilitating development in all 10 regions of Guyana. We have been undertaking a lot of projects in the hinterland communities as well that the works that we have done are visible, just like how it is visible and you can see what we have in Georgetown, that is how it is visible in other regions. We have done a lot of work for this year,” Whittaker pointed out.
The Minister also noted that more than $108 million was allocated to the Ministry for the year 2014 which is a major increase from the previous year.
“The fact that the Ministry 2014 budget had surpassed the 2013 budget by far is evidence that we have been doing a lot of work within the Ministry, and we are looking forward to raising the bar in 2015,” he said. Meanwhile, Whittaker made it clear that most of the projects that he have been doing are not politically motivated, but said he was assured that he would retain his position. He noted that should elections be called his outstanding work will gain him and by extension, the party the majority of the votes.
An artist's impression of the Specialty Hospital
TUESDAY'S WORD
SUDOKU
ARIES (March 21April 19)
TAURUS (April 20May 20)
(May 21June 20)
CANCER
Partnerships will be difficult if you aren’t tolerant, patient and willing to give others the benefit of the doubt. Stick close to home, and avoid potentially hazardous situations.
It’s the time of year to forgive and forget. If you show kindness to relatives whom you don’t see eye to eye with, you will discover a reason to reassess the way you feel.
Needy or disgruntled people will get on your nerves. Don’t try to please everyone. Instead, do something relaxing that will ease your mind and calm you down.
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)
You can be the centre of attention today. Make sure you don’t exclude anyone from the activities you are planning. Younger and older members will crave the companionship you offer.
Your efforts will be rewarded if you brighten someone’s life with love, laughter and good memories. Affection, romance and happiness are your ticket to a better personal life.
Don’t get caught in the middle of a family feud. Consider getting out of the house and spending time with friends who share your interests. An unexpected incident will influence you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
Travel will spark your creativity and stimulate your imagination. Don’t let unanticipated delays ruin your festive spirit or year-end plans. A positive attitude will lead to good results.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
Your hard work will go to waste if someone else takes the credit. Maintain a close rapport with your superiors and make sure your contribution is clearly noted.
CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)
Please pay close attention if you are travelling in unfamiliar places. Losing possessions will cause you difficulties, not to mention the cost involved. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
Romance is highlighted and will brighten your day. Find an inventive way to show your partner you care. If you are currently unattached, a social event will provide an interesting encounter.
AQUARIUS
PISCES
(Feb. 20March 20)
Enjoy the sense of camaraderie that develops during the festive season. Reflect on happy memories as you put the past behind you and begin to plan your future.
Don’t contribute to negative rumours or gossip. If you keep a positive outlook and look for the good in others, you will enjoy popularity and long-lasting friendships. Sharing will bring you happiness.
GEMINI
PeanuTs
Calvin and Hobbes
dilberT
arCHie
Captaincy fitting reward for Holder’s early promise
– the young fast bowler’s sudden elevation to ODI captaincy is not surprising, for he showed leadership aptitude at school level
Tony Cozier
At 23, Jason Holder has been thrust into the leadership of the one-day international team as the youngest of all West Indies captains - and, at 6ft 7in, the tallest.
He comes with a flattering endorsement from West Indies’ most successful captain, Clive Lloyd, now head of the selection panel that chose him, and concern from others that the circumstances and timing of his elevation are too daunting to impose on a promising player entering his third year of international cricket.
His first assignments are next month’s five ODIs against South Africa, the team ranked No. 3 against West Indies’ No. 8, followed by the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in February and March, the game’s most prestigious, intense and extensively followed tournament.
That he succeeds Dwayne Bravo, captain and forthright spokesman for the players, who sensationally abandoned the tour of India in October over a contractual dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board, creates a contentious backdrop to the issue.
Lloyd followed the team around India. He subsequently made his position plain in an interview on a Jamaican sports channel.
“I spoke to them on every occasion, I told them what was the situation,” he said. “They didn’t listen. I’m very disappointed they didn’t. It was just a dialogue that was needed. I told them to play and assess the situation [later]. I don’t think it was the intelligent thing to do. I am very disappointed.”
Lloyd’s explanation for the change is that it is with “an eye on the future”.
He describes Holder as “one of the good young players who we believe will form part of the long-term future of West Indies cricket”. “We know he will continue to
Lloyd and the WICB did not make the connection between the two in the decision to change; they didn’t have to. It was clear that Bravo’s removal as captain and demotion, along with senior players Darren Sammy and Kieron Pollard, to the T20 squad alone was payback for their part in the dramatic exit from India. Their attorney, Ralph Thorne, a Barbadian Queen’s Counsel, was wary of the WICB’s “victimisation” of the players from the start; he maintains this is clear evidence that it is just that.
grow and demonstrate leadership. He has a very good cricketing brain and has the makings of a very good leader.”
Ezra Moseley, the former Barbados and West Indies allrounder, is coach at the St Michael School in Bridgetown. He recognised the certainty of Lloyd’s judgement as soon as Holder switched schools and came
Indies captain. I wasn’t joking.”
Moseley’s initial opinion was that Holder was a better batsman than a bowler.
“His height was an advantage for his quick bowling but my impression was that he would develop into a batting allrounder,” he said. “I can’t understand why those in charge concentrated more on his bowling than
into his team.
“His leadership qualities were so obvious I immediately made him captain,” Moseley recalls. “Last year, after he was already in the West Indies team, I told the St Michael scorer that he would soon become West
his batting once he left St Michael.”
Holder advanced into the Barbados and then West Indies team via the customary route of age-group cricket. He was among the leading bowlers in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup
in New Zealand in which Kraigg Brathwaite, his team-mate at Wanderers club in Barbados since coming through the junior programme together, was the second-highest run-scorer.
Since then, he has worn the West Indies maroon against seven of the top ten ODI teams; South Africa will be the eighth. Only Zimbabwe is missing. He has had a couple of IPL stints with the Chennai and Hyderabad franchises.
In his 21 ODIs with the senior team, he has batted no higher than No. 8 (twice No. 11); scores of 38 and 52 at No. 7 against New Zealand at Kensington Oval in June in his only Test were compiled with technical competence and a calmness that supported Moseley’s point about his batting.
I know Holder as a fellow member of Wanderers and fully agree with the comments of Lloyd and Moseley on his cricketing acumen and his leadership aptitude. His method is likely to be more persuasive than assertive, more Richie Richardson than Viv Richards.
Like several others, I’m also apprehensive over the immense task immediately confronting him.
“I would have thought they would have given him a
chance to develop as a player before they thrust upon him the responsibility of captaincy of a West Indies team that is really struggling,” former West Indies wicketkeeper Mike Findlay, himself a former head selector, says. “They have pushed him into the firing line too early. It’s bound to affect the young man. I hope he is strong enough to cope.”
Bryan Davis, the former West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago opener of the 1960s, questions the timing of the appointment.
“The young captain doesn’t have time to get experience on the field of play and bond with his team,” he says. “If you were thinking about a transition to youth, that should have happened after the World Cup.”
Moseley has no such reservations. “From what I know of Jason Holder, I think he’ll handle the challenge pretty well.” Holder himself is equally upbeat. “It’s just about moving West Indies cricket forward and I think most of the guys can buy into what I’m about to put forward and what I think is best for West Indies cricket.”
For all that, he is levelheaded enough to appreciate how tough the going could be. (Cricinfo)
TTCB official wants Sammy as WC captain
Executive member of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB), Patrick Rampersad says that Jason Holder is the wrong choice as captain of the West Indies 50 overs team at this point in time. The West Indies selectors headed by legend Clive Lloyd recently appointed the Barbadian all rounder as captain of the regional team for the upcoming limited overs series against South Africa in South Africa. He replaced the Trinidadian Dwayne Bravo who stood in the position for one year. Bravo was not even considered for the series and so too were Keiron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul, Darren Bravo and Sunil Narine.
Rampersad said: “I don’t think that Holder is the right man for the job at this point in time especially with a tough
South Africa tour that leads to the World Cup. In the cir-
cumstances I don’t think you would want to appoint a new
captain. Given the fact that he is so young, I don’t know that he will get the support of the players.
“Changing captains now is not the right thing and even if they had to do it, they should have gone back to Darren Sammy. I always thought that he was the right choice for the 50 overs and T20 versions of the game. I am glad to see that they have kept him as captain of the T20 team.”
On the point of Bravo, Pollard and the others not being included on the ODI team for the tour to South Africa, Rampersad said : “Shake up in West Indies cricket at this point in time is necessary. The only thing that I am concerned over, is whether they were removed as a result of the aborted Indian tour.
“I really hope that this is
not the case because the results of the investigation coming out from the WICB- appointed task force is that all parties were wrong.” Meanwhile, Guardian Media understands that Bravo and Pollard are looking forward to coming home to play for T&T in the Nagico Super50 series that will be staged in this country from January 15 right here in T&T. They have been named in the provisional 30 for the World Cup 2015 and not being involved in the South African series, they would have no chance to address the selectors in this format. They will however play in the three-match T20 series against the South Africans in early January. (Trinidad Guardian)
Jason Holder
Darren Sammy
Why punish the West Indies players when the administration is to blame?
– as ever, the West Indies board has taken the short-term view and removed supposedly troublesome players instead of recognising its own incompetence – michael Holding
Afew days ago, the West Indies board released the squad for the ODIs to be played in South Africa starting January 16. There had been rumours flying around as to its composition and the possibility of a new captain.
Well, those rumours are no longer rumours. A press release has confirmed that Dwayne Bravo is no longer captain of the team, and not just for this tour.
The chairman of selectors has pointed out that the new captain, Jason Holder, is younger, and that they see him as the person to take this team forward. But it doesn’t end there. Bravo has not just been relieved of the captaincy. He, along with Darren Sammy and Kieron Pollard, isn’t even in the squad to play the five games. Now while arguments can be put forward for the reasons to seek a younger cap-
tain, however flimsy those might be, what can you say about leaving the three gentlemen mentioned above out of the squad?
Obviously questions have been asked of the selectors. One volunteered the information that the three were left out because they wanted to have a look at younger cricketers leading up to the World Cup. Now if they were sensible enough to have done some homework, they would have re-
alised what a ridiculous argument that was. Narsingh Deonarine, who has been selected in the squad, is older than the three who have been left out.
Another argument put forward is that they looked at the stats, and the cricketers left out weren’t measuring up. Again, folks, do your homework. Bravo was just selected for the ICC ODI Team of the Year for
2014; that is the team selected from among all the ODI cricketers in the world. Bravo can make that team, but his “stats” aren’t good enough to make the West Indies side? That being the case, I think the ICC should just hand the World Cup trophy to West Indies instead of playing the tournament, as they have one hell of a team.
read an article based on an interview with the lawyer for the three gentlemen. He speaks of victimisation, and I’m afraid I have to agree with him. But am I surprised? I am afraid not. He went on to mention that the WICB cherry-picked details from the task force report to victimise the three cricketers. That is fairly obvious. Once again, the WICB has commissioned a report into the workings of the board, like the Patterson and Wilkins report, and used what it felt like using to suit its own agendas.
Yes, the report did apportion some blame to the players, in particular the seniors, but that came at the very end, just before the recommendations. In its opening salvo, the task force blamed the WICB and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) for creating the problem.
I draw your attention to the opening paragraph: “We are of the view that the over-
ing a team to faraway places with only a historical view of their terms of employment and then to radically change those terms after they arrive in that distant place.”
riding excuse for the players withdrawing their labour was the attempted imposition of new contractual terms of employment on the players negotiated between the board and WIPA, which the players saw for the first time after they got to India.
“There is something fundamentally wrong in send-
If that doesn’t clearly state that WIPA and the WICB created the problem then I am missing something. But once again, players are being victimised and punished, and I have yet to hear about any repercussions for those who created the problem in the first place. It is so unfortunate that the WICB, in choosing to use only that small part of the report that suits it, is again doing West Indies cricket a disservice. One of the recommendations made by the task force, which the board put together without any input from the players, was, “The WICB must now build pillars of trust and respect with the players who are the board’s employees. In this process, WIPA and
the senior players have a very real role to play.” Folks, that was recommendation No. 1. Is this how the WICB intends to build trust and respect? I think its actions clearly suggest that it doesn’t even intend to try. When this fiasco started in India, I wrote that the WICB had learnt nothing over the years. I pointed out that players who were happy to take up the mantle of representing the region when previous players went on strike were now ready to emulate the earlier cricketers and strike themselves. Now the WICB is looking to replace the “troublemakers” - one of whom, Darren Sammy, was seen as a “board man” not long ago - with new players. But you can bet your bottom dollar that these new players will soon become disenchanted and start rumblings against the board in the not-too-distant future. A much more knowledgeable man than myself defined madness as doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result. I leave you readers to determine what you think then defines the people running the WICB. That has been the board’s behaviour for years now. It’s time to change the culture of the board, and it’s obvious that change won’t come from within. (Cricinfo)
WICB broke promise, claims players’ Attorney
Attorney Ralph Thorne has accused the West Indies Cricket Board of breaking its promise to issue a statement making it clear that the players involved in the controversial abandoned India tour would not have been victimised.
Thorne, a high-profile Queen’s Counsel who represented most of the players during the recent impasse with the WICB and players union, WIPA, said the board had given its word following a meeting between the parties in Trinidad but had failed to follow through.
With no assurance coming from the board, Thorne said this paved the way for players to be targeted. This, he argued, was reflected in the selection of the 15man squad for the one-
day tour of South Africa next month, with Dwayne Bravo axed as captain and dropped from the squad, and Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy also overlooked.
Bravo replaced Fast bowler Jason Holder, who has replaced Bravo as skipper, was also on the tour of India, but Thorne said while he had been spared, the senior trio had not been as fortunate.
“While Jason himself has not been victimised, the three gentlemen have been victimised. We left the Hyatt Hotel (in Trinidad) with the WICB promising not to victimise. We left the Hyatt Hotel with the WICB promising to issue a statement saying that they would not victimise the players.
To this day, they have refused to issue that statement,” Thorne charged in an interview with CBC Sports Radio here.
“Now that refusal speaks volumes. Is it to say that they did not wish to say publicly something they intended to do in any event? This is cynical and an insidious form of victimisation visited on these three players.”
However, investigations by CMC Sports revealed that the problem with the release of a statement on the issue stemmed from the inability of the parties to agree on the appropriate language to be used.
A WICB official, who requested anonymity, told CMC Sports this lack of agreement had frustrated the process.
“The WICB had eve-
ry intention of issuing a joint statement with both the players represented at the meeting [in Trinidad] and WIPA but, regrettably, an agreement on suitable language could not be reached in spite of several days of drafting and redrafting,” the official said.
Documented evidence
“There is documented evidence of a slew of emails back and forth attempting to reach agreement on the joint statement, but a final version did not come to fruition due to the inability of the parties to reach agreement on a mutually agreeable version.”
The absence of Bravo, Sammy and Pollard has been a major talking point since the squad was announced by the WICB on Saturday. Among them, the players boast 370 One-
Day Internationals, although their records are all unflattering.
While no explanation was given for their omission, chief selector Clive Lloyd said in regards to the captaincy, that his selection panel had decided it was the right time to look to more youthful leadership.
Holder, 23, has played only 23 one-day internationals and a single Test but is widely regarded as having strong leadership qualities and had been tipped for captaincy in the future.
Explanation needed
Thorne said while legal action was not currently on the cards, he believed the WICB needed to explain its actions in relation to the identified players.
“I have to ask the WICB - since I believe in doing things in the proper manner in the realm of public law - to give an explanation for its conduct. I [also] believe there is room for further recourse within the channels of the International Cricket Council,” Thorne said. He said he had spoken to the affected players, all of whom were upset by the recent developments. Windies players walked off the one-day tour of India last October in protest over the terms of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Their actions led to a flurry of meetings between themselves, the WICB and WIPA, which also involved St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves. (Jamaica Gleaner)
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Khan optimistic of fight with Mayweather
– but first British fighter heads off to help rebuild school in Peshawar, Pakistan
Amir Khan says he will find out in the ‘next couple of weeks’ if his fight with Floyd Mayweather is on.
The welterweight is off to Peshawar, Pakistan, to of-
fer his support to the school where 141 people, mainly children, were murdered by the Taliban.
But before Khan flew out he made it clear that he is closing in on the superfight
he craves - a showdown with Mayweather remains top of his wish list.
“I want the big names like the Mayweathers and the Pacquiaos,” he told Sky Sport News HQ.
“I don’t know how long they are going to be around for, so hopefully I can get one of them.
“Fingers crossed and I should find out in a couple of weeks what’s going to happen.”
Khan also refused to dismiss an all-British clash with Kell Brook.
“That could be an option as well,” he said.
Khan also confirmed he is auctioning off the £30,000 shorts he wore in his victory over Devon Alexander to raise funds to help rebuild the school destroyed in Peshawar. (Sky Sports)
Man City hope to finalise Lampard’s future this week
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini hopes to resolve the future of Frank Lampard “within the next few days”.
The former Chelsea midfielder, 36, is on loan from sister-club New York City for the rest of the calendar year.
But City wish to keep him for longer and are hopeful of negotiating a deal to last until the end of the campaign.
“I repeat, Frank is very important for our team so I hope he will stay here,” said Pellegrini.
Lampard has been a key member of City’s squad this season with six goals in 15 appearances and with Yaya Toure at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, the champions could be short in the midfield positions.
However, New York
start pre-season training in January ahead of the new Major League Soccer season in March.
Asked if he risked upsetting the Americans, Pellegrini said: “I don’t think so. That is why we have long conversations with all of them.
“That is just one club so I think that what is better for the club is better for all the clubs.
“I hope Frank’s situation will be resolved in the next days. I said in the beginning it will be during December we are going to have the last decision.” (BBC Sport)
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Bravo, who was skipper and spokesman for the Windies ODI squad that controversially abandoned the one-day series in India in October, was also left out of the ODI squad for the tour of South Africa but was included in the West Indies 30-man preliminary World Cup squad.
Asked to comment on the new selections on the West Indies team and on the players that were left out of the ODI squad for the South Africa series, Cameron preferred not to make any statements.
“I don’t have anything to say. I think you should speak to the selectors. I don’t pick the team...You
will have talk to the selectors and they will give you their philosophy on why they picked the team. It is not for the president to talk about,” Cameron explained.
“The captain of the team has to be approved by the Board...the recommendation came (from the selectors) and the Board were unanimous in their approval,” the WICB president revealed.
T&T director on the WICB Baldath Mahabir confirmed that the directors do not get involved in the selection of the team saying: “What we were asked to do was to approve the change in captaincy.”
“The Board does not get involved in team selection at all...You would have seen Mr Lloyd’s justification and the Board approved it. It did not come with a removal,” Mahabir explained.
“It came with a recommendation for Jason Holder to captain the team and it is very rare that the Board will turn down a recommendation from the selectors,” he added.
Asked if any of the Directors disputed the recommendation, Mahabir maintained that “It is very rare that the Board would dispute the recommendations.” (Trinidad Express).
Amir Khan and Floyd Mayweather
Frank Lampard
Mackeson “King of the Rim” basketball tournament...
Pitbulls receive winning prizes
ANSA MCAL, un-
der its Mackeson Brand, presented the Pitbulls basketball team with their first place prize on Tuesday at the company’s Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara head office.
The Pitbulls won the Mackeson “King of the
Rim” 3-on-3 tournament on Friday when they defeated Pacesetters A for the first prize of $500,000. In addition, Pitbulls’ shooting guard, Ryan Stephney, was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) prize for scoring 11 of his team’s 17 points in the final. He received $25,000
and a trophy compliments of Mackeson Stout.
The winners of each zone were also rewarded with $25,000 at the simple presentation ceremony.
Meanwhile, the Pacesetters team received their $300,000 second-place prize and a trophy for their efforts in the tournament.
GOA hosts appreciation dinner
The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) on Friday hosted an appreciation dinner for their associations at the residence of the GOA President KA Juman Yassin in Lamaha Gardens, Greater Georgetown.
Yassin congratulated all the associations on their 2014 year and wished them the best for the upcoming 2015 year.
However, the GOA boss made specific mention of the Rugby association and the national team.
“Well, Rugby, I must com-
pliment them; they did us proud and we will try to assist in whatever way we can and we hope to assist enormously, providing we get constant feedback on their needs,” Yassin stated.
Yassin also highlighted what he hopes to see pan out for sport in Guyana, “I would like to see a system where our athletes can become professionals or semi-professionals to begin with.
“We can’t expect our athletes to work or go to school in the morning then to training and we get results, it won’t
happen… we need our athletes and our coaches to be full-time,” Yassin noted.
Further, Yassin lamented the need for a sports policy by the Government, “We need a sports policy from Government where we can have the criteria for athletes who are eligible for sponsorship,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, the GOA also handed out cheques to various associations in hope of improving the respective sporting disciplines in the coming year. (Treiston Joseph)
Respect the Game Inc made a significant contribution to the Guyana Sickle Cell Association (GSCA) on Tuesday.
The proceeds from the Respect the Game Charity basketball game that was held on December 13 were donated to the association by Directors of the Respect the Game brand, Rawle Toney and James Bond.
GSCA President Errol London collected the substantial amount of cash on the entity’s behalf.
The donation was the second of its kind by the Respect the Game Inc after they donated some money to the Mahaica Girls Home last week.
GFA Banks Beer Cup...
GDF continues unbeaten run
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) remained unbeaten by topping Pele FC 2-1 when the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Banks Beer Cup continued on Monday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground.
The back and forth game saw Rayon Morrison opening the scoring in the 30th
minute to put GDF up 1-0 to end the first half.
Jumaine Somerset equalised in the 70th minute as the game intensified with both teams searching for goals.
However, a goal from Eusi Phillips in the 86th minute sealed the win for the army men.
Meanwhile, Flamingo FC
sunk Black Pearl 7-1 in the earlier fixture of the evening. Shem Porter netted a hat-trick in the 12th, 16th and 82nd minutes, while Dwayne Layne scored a first half double in the 20th and 30th minutes. Fabian Crawford and Orin Parris netted solo efforts in the 56th and 59th minutes respectively.
Guyana registers for CBC Championships
The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has entered both the senior male and female teams for the 2015 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships scheduled for British Virgin Islands from June 9 to 20, 2015.
The Guyana Men team placed fifth out of the eight teams that participated in the 2014 CBC Championships, finishing ahead of Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua and Barbuda
while the Guyanese women placed eighth out of the eight teams that participated.
With the benefits derived from training and playing alongside Guyana-born former NBA player Rawle Marshall – both in Guyana and the British Virgin Islands, the local based players will have a larger presence in the National Team, with some of the younger basketball talent in Guyana having an opportunity to represent Guyana at the championships.
A sustained effort will be made by the GABF to source overseasbased Guyanese players for the female team. The Guyana women won the Caribbean Basketball Championships in 1996 when several overseas-based Guyanese were part of the team. Training is expected to commence early in 2015 as Bermuda National Basketball Men’s team are scheduled for a series of games at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from March 10 to 15 in the new year.
Injured Peterson in doubt for 2nd Test
Robin Peterson, the left-arm spinner, is unlikely to play in the second Test against West Indies after cutting his left forefinger during fielding practice.
Peterson has had three stitches and will need 10 days to recover.
He was the only spinner in the South Africa squad, who will now search for a replacement after Faf du Plessis indicated they would not go into the Port Elizabeth Test all-pace, as they did in Centurion.
“A frontline spinner is very important for this ground,” du Plessis said. “We feel for Robbie. He has waited a period of time to make his return to the Test side. Conditions didn’t suit in Centurion but here, they are more likely to, so we feel for him that he may be out.”
Imran Tahir, who was dropped for this series, appears the frontrunner. Dane Piedt, who made a return from a shoulder injury two weeks’ ago, is his closest
competition. The selectors are expected to name a replacement later on Tuesday.
Tahir took six wickets in a first-class match for Dolphins last weekend, while Piedt, who claimed an eight-for on Test debut in Harare, has been out of top-level action since September. He has been playing though and last Tuesday tweeted, “2nd game back. Was so good. No pain and discomfort. The comeback is around the corner.”
Peterson’s injury brings the number of walking wounded in the South African camp to three . JP Duminy was all but ruled out of the series with a knee problem and Quinton de Kock rolled his ankle during the first Test. Duminy was targeting the Port Elizabeth Test for a comeback, but that appears to have been delayed until the limitedovers matches begin, while de Kock will be out for at least six weeks.
The spate of injuries may seem bearable with West Indies being their only assignment this summer, but du Plessis explained they know they need a fully-fit outfit by early next year.
“You go through cycles of not having any injuries and then all of a sudden you have a few. We’ve been very unfortunate in the last while, he said. “We’ve got quite an important tournament coming up - the World Cup - so we hope that’s it for injuries for now.” (Cricinfo)
Waller suspended from bowling in internationals
Malcolm Waller, the Zimbabwe offspinning allrounder, has become the latest to be suspended from bowling in international cricket. The ICC announced that an independent analysis at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria had found Waller’s action to be illegal. The analysis revealed that all his offspin deliveries exceeded the permitted 15 degrees of tolerance.
Waller was reported af-
ter the second Test against Bangladesh in Khulna last month in which he picked up six wickets. The analysis was done by the ICC’s accredited team of humanmovement specialists on December 7. Waller can apply for a reassessment after modifying his action.
The ICC has become increasingly vigilant about dodgy actions this year and offspinners have been hit the hardest. Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad
Hafeez, Sri Lanka’s Sachithra Senanayake, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya and Bangladesh’s Sohag Gazi have received suspensions for illegal actions. Senanayake and Williamson have subsequently been cleared. Utseya’s slow and medium-paced deliveries were found to be legal during the ICC retest after he underwent remedial work, but not his offspin. (Cricinfo)
The Pitbulls team receive their prize and trophy from Mackeson Brand Manager Jamal Douglas
Director of Respect the Game James Bond makes the presentation to GSCA President Errol London in the presence of Rawle Toney
Robin Peterson
Rajkumar is Meten-Meer-Zorg
CC’s Cricketer of the Year
Vinod Rajkumar was named Meten-MeerZorg Cricket Club’s Cricketer of the year when the club held its 2014 presentation ceremony and dinner on Saturday evening at the Club Pavilion, West Coast Demerara.
Seymour Evans copped the best batsman award, while 17-year-old Levroy Miggins was voted best bowler of the year.
Sheldon Alexander picked up the all-rounder of the year award, and wicketkeeper batsman Adrian Johnson voted emerging player of the year.
All-rounder Travis Mohammed collected the teen player of the year award.
Delivering the even-
ing’s feature address, Club President Troy Khan said at this festive time of the year the Club was happy to put smiles of joy on the faces of our youth and senior players, who have put in a lot of hard work throughout the year.
However, he expressed concern regarding the lack of cricket played during the year.
“This year’s events did not make good reading on papers, mainly due to the lack of games played under the West Demerara Cricket Association. Our Club has only played five matches in 2014 which were organised by the area board.
“Additionally, we have also played five T20 matches. As President of the Meten-Meer-Zorg Cricket Club, I will like to see the West Demerara Cricket Association do more for the game of Cricket, because it is unfair for our Club who has spent over $400,000 in 2014 at our venue and only played five matches,” Khan concluded.
no word yet on Deonarine’s...
He expressed his delight at making a comeback at the international level.
“I’m happy to be back in the team. Obviously, I’ve been out for a while, but it feels really good to be back representing the West Indies,” said Deonarine.
He added: “I am mentally ready for the challenge. I know South Africa will come hard at us be it Test cricket or the shorter version, but I am ready to take them on.
from back page
“I was also in South Africa for T20 World Cup and with the Guyana Amazon Warriors for the 2010 Champions Trophy T20 competition, so I have fair knowledge of what to expect over there,” Deonarine added.
Fudadin suffered a fracture of the right little finger during warm-up on the opening day of the first Test, and is expected to be out of action for approximately six weeks.
Awardees and club members of the Meten-Meer-Zorg Cricket Club
Seymour Evans collects the best batsman award from Errol Baird
No word yet on Deonarine’s visa issue
– batsman ready for serious business
By Rajiv Bisnauth
Guyanese left-handed batsman Narsingh Deonarine, spoken of as a replacement for injured countryman Assad Fudadin in the West Indies Test squad on the ongoing tour to South Africa, is facing a visa issue which has delayed the 31-year-old joining the squad.
Deonarine, with 18 Tests to his name, will depart the Caribbean as soon as his United Kingdom in-transit visa is processed.
But there has been no word from the West Indies Cricket Board or the British High Commission Office
of Immigration here about Deonarine’s status.
Deonarine, however, told Guyana Times Sport on Tuesday that the relevant documents were handed over to the British High Commission Office of Immigration last Wednesday to be processed.
“As we speak right now, I don’t know if the documents are in Jamaica or in the UK.
All I was told I would get back my Passport in 15 working days and that there was nothing that could be done to fast track my UK Visa application,” Deonarine disclosed.
The 15 working days will expire on January 7, which means Deonarine will defi-
nitely miss the Test series. The second Test starts on Friday while the third and final Test bowls off on January 2.
Once granted his UK intransit visa, the elegant batsman will definitely be available for the five- match One Day International series, which starts on January 16.
Serious business
Deonarine has been in good form recently in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional League FourDay Tournament with over 300 runs from the first four matches, scoring back-toback hundreds.
Chanderpaul backs West Indies teammates
Veteran West Indies player Shivnarine Chanderpaul has defended his side’s poor performance in the wake of their innings and 220 run defeat against South Africa in the first Test in Centurion last week.
The West Indies batting lineup had no answer for the Proteas’ 552 for five declared batting first, as the tourists were bowled out for 201 and 131 over two days.
“The guys we have here are the best in the Caribbean, that’s the reason why they’re here. They’ve all scored runs in the past, scored a lot of hundreds in regional cricket,” said
Chanderpaul at a training session in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.
Chanderpaul, 40, said his side hoped to prove their critics wrong in the Boxing Day Test starting on Friday at St George’s Park.
“We’re disappointed after Centurion. I think we’re a better team than that. We just have to put it behind us and take it as a learning experience and do better in this next match.”
The unorthodox lefthander, having played for the West Indies for 20 years since making his Test debut against England at Georgetown in 1994, conceded his team were often ei-
ther brilliant or well belowpar.
“It’s probably true about how we’ve played in the past. It’s something we’re trying to change and improve on in the future.”
Ranked eighth on the alltime Test run scoring charts with 11,709 runs at an average of 52.74, Chanderpaul said the odds were stacked against his West Indies team playing the Proteas on their home turf.
“They’re the number one team in the world. To be there you have to have the best bowling attack in the world. Their batters always do well.”
With eight members of their squad under the age of 30, Chanderpaul predicted a change in fortune.
“They [the West Indies players] all have talent and are bright stars for the future. Hopefully in this match we can put it right and put some big scores up on the board.”
In their last trip to Port Elizabeth — the Boxing Day Test in 2007 –the West Indies picked up their first ever win on South African soil.
Despite that historic victory, Chanderpaul did not read too much into that win.
“We had a good match. Some days you play well and some you don’t.” (The Citizen)
WICB Directors united about new ODI Skipper
West Indies Cricket Board president Dave Cameron revealed yesterday that
the Board of Directors’ approval of a new One Day International skipper was unanimous.
Earlier this month, Board of Directors were presented with a recommendation from the WICB selectors, chaired by Clive Lloyd, to appoint 23-yearold Barbados all-rounder Jason Holder as captain of the West Indies ODI squad ahead of the regional team’s five-match ODI series against South Africa and just two months before the ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Holder replaced Trinidad and Tobago allrounder Dwayne Bravo at the helm of the ODI squad for the South Africa ODIs.
