Policeman, with 40 years' service, charged with $7.8M fraud
NAREI Manager shot during robbery
Miner critical after beaten at Puruni Backdam
Hickens' warning taken out of context – Police
Telecoms giants warn customers against credit scam
Resumption of Parliament will not solve problems – GHRA
wednesdAY, nOVeMBeR 19, 2014 | guYAnAtiMesgY.cOM
Weather: Heavy thundery showers are expected during the day, with sunny conditions otherwise prevailing. Thundery showers are also expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-easterly to Northeasterly at 3.12 metres per second.
High Tide: 14:22h reaching a maximum height of 2.51 metres.
Low Tide: 07:55h and 20:21h reaching minimum heights of 0.80 metre and 0.68 metre.
The New Building Society Limited (NBS) on Tuesday slammed statements which suggested that it was being managed by former President Bharrat Jagdeo and senior Government functionaries when a $69.9 million fraud was unearthed at the institution in 2007.
“The New Building Society Limited (NBS) categorically condemns any suggestion by those bent on creating mischief and misleading the public that the Society is or was managed by senior Government functionaries, including former President Bharrat Jagdeo,” the bank said in a strongly worded statement.
The NBS cleared the air on several speculative reports in sections of the media following disclosures made by a report submitted by the Ombudsman’s Office.
The bank stood its ground, stating that the three managers who were dismissed were guilty of gross misconduct, a breach of the rules and standing operational procedures, collusion and conspiring to commit fraud.
It maintained that on matters relating to sacked Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maurice Arjoon, like any other employer, the bank is legally entitled to institute disciplinary action against any employee or employees for infringements which warrant punitive action.
Arjoon was back in 2007, embroiled in a major fraudulent operation, along with two other senior officers Kent Vincent and Kissoon Baldeo, resulting in their subsequent dismissal.
The allegation against Arjoon and the two managers was that they plotted, along with a fraudulent Power of Attorney, to withdraw some $69.9 million from an account at the institution. The three senior officers were sent on adminis-
trative leave, during which an investigation got underway. They were later dismissed from their posts for dereliction of duty, negligence and serious misconduct.
Some three years after his case was dismissed in the High Court, the former CEO in January of this year,
dressed.
The fact of the matter as presented by NBS is that some $69.9 million had been withdrawn from the Savings Account of Bibi Shamila Khan. This was carried out via a Power of Attorney between November 1 and December 8, 2006.
The release stated that on learning of the allega-
“The New Building Society Limited categorically condemns any suggestion by those bent on creating mischief and misleading the public that the Society is or was managed by senior Government functionaries, including former President Bharrat Jagdeo,” the bank said.
filed a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman, Guyana’s public intermediary, under the stewardship of retired Judge Winston Moore, claiming that the charges against himself and his colleagues were trumped up.
Arjoon also claimed that the decision to terminate his service might have well been planted in his decision not to lend support to a request by former President Jagdeo to pump some $2 billion into the Berbice Bridge Project back in 2006. He claimed too that while the NBS is a privately owned financial institution, it is controlled by persons connected with the Central Islamic Organisation (CIOG) and the Government.
The NBS said it was taken aback by the statements emanating from the press purportedly attributed to the Ombudsman’s Office.
The bank, in an effort to make clarifications, released a statement made by former Chairman of the Board of NBS, Moen Mc Doom at a Special General Meeting of the Members held on September 8, 2007, at which the issue in relation to the three managers was ad-
tion, the matter was brought to the attention of Arjoon requesting that he urgently investigate the matter. The response from the former CEO was that he earlier chaired a meeting of senior management at which it was decided, that the money withdrawn from Khan’s Savings Account was appropriately withdrawn.
“In his report on the matter, which was later submitted to me on February 6, 2007, Mr Arjoon revealed that, in fact, it had been brought to his attention on January 22, that M Zainool Khan Safi, husband of the Account Holder, had questioned the withdrawals from his wife’s Savings Account. We were later to discover that, on January 3 2007, Mr Safi had brought, the Passbook for the Savings Account into the Society for updating.”
In further details, NBS said the woman’s husband returned a few days later to uplift the Passbook, only to discover that his wife’s Account had been closed.
When Khan, accompanied by her Attorney-at-Law, met with Arjoon, Vincent, Assistant Secretary Nizam Mohamed and Internal
Audit Manager Atma Rajaramon on January 29, she advised that she did not authorise any withdrawals from her Savings Account.
Arjoon was then instructed to check with Guyana’s Honorary Consul General in Toronto, Canada, whether the Power of Attorney conducting the transaction had been confirmed by the Consulate. It said the task was carried out and the matter handed over to the Police It said subsequent investigations by the Police led to charges of conspiracy to defraud funds from the Society being brought against Arjoon, Operations Manager at the time, Vincent, and Assistant Mortgage Manager Kissoon Baldeo, on June 1, 2007.
“I would like to emphasise that it was not until this stage of the matter that the Board was persuaded that a fraud may well have been committed.
"The Board was left with no alternative, in these circumstances, but to send these managers on administrative leave, while continuing our own internal investigations.”
Editor: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown
Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com
Guyanese citizens are currently being bombarded with comments from some of our political leaders which, in our view, are considered racially insensitive and distasteful.
It must be noted that these statements are not coming from the mouths of young or new politicians, they are indeed coming from senior Members of Parliament who should be well aware of the responsibility they have, not only to themselves to behave in a mature and respectful manner, but to the people they serve.
Following the President’s Proclamation on the prorogation of Parliament, an act that falls within the Constitution, members of the combined Opposition held a meeting in the Chambers of the National Assembly, where several utterances were made, some of them being extremely vitriolic and certainly unsubstantiated.
APNU MP Carl Greenidge referred to King Charles losing his head for the prorogation Parliament. He was reported in the media as saying:
“The case of King Charles is an interesting one. I know that you are familiar with the history from which this Constitution derives its origin, and when Charles prorogued his parliament in 1929, I don’t think he had anticipated the route on which he was setting out. Charles of course was the steward King who lost his head directly as a result of the proroguing and the activities that followed from the proroguing.”
There were many comments made by AFC Members of Parliament Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamoottoo, and APNU Leader David Granger, that in different ways were considered to be veiled threats of violence, and violence against Government.
The utterances made by Ramjattan were distasteful and could be viewed as inciting racial tension. He was alleged to have said:
“This PPP/C is provoking that which could very well be very serious to itself, but it has the spin master. I want to tell especially the East Indian constituents in this country this is exactly where the PPP/C wants us and they are going to make the spin. They are going to get their people, if people start demonstrating. They are going to get their people to beat up East Indians.”
Almost daily there are accusations being leveled against public officials of corruption and the Government’s intention to use the prorogation period to “thief more” without any evidence being provided to substantiate these claims.
Leaders must be willing to engage in debates and discussions on real issues and refrain from making statements which they cannot prove or those which cannot stand the test of scrutiny. Making such allegations does not add in any way to the level of political discourse that voters, especially young people, expect.
The Parliament Chambers was used as the platform to launch these attacks on the Government and the Head of State. The Speaker who presided over the ‘sitting’ did not caution the MPs at any point in time about the highly insensitive and irresponsible comments that were being made.
There must be a Code of Conduct for politicians, one similar to the Code of Conduct that was established for media owners and practitioners during the last four national elections held in Guyana. Such a Code would seek to provide clear guidelines for politicians and political parties in relation to their conduct, especially during elections campaigning. Whenever they step outside of these guidelines they must be sanctioned accordingly. Now that elections are eminent, perhaps the relevant stakeholders may want to seriously consider establishing a Code of Conduct for political parties and a facility to monitor compliance thereof.
All political parties, including both the ruling PPP/C, the APNU and AFC, must act maturely and make decisions in the best interest of the country and its people.
In situations such as this, one does not get everything he/ she wants, but in negotiating, if one puts country first ahead of any party or self interest, there is a high possibility that the solution will be in the nation’s interest.
Dear Editor,
The political circus of arrogance and hypocrisy displayed at the Square of the Revolution on November 14 by the PNC-AFC coalition in response to President Donald Ramotar’s prorogation of Parliament was indeed a circus of clowns and an insult to Cuffy, one of Guyana’s national heroes.
The “rally” was not constructive at all with respect to taking Guyana forward in terms of current national development and, in my humble analysis, it was a useless activity, since all that came out of the mouth of the speakers were vile and baseless outpourings against the Government of Guyana.
What the PNC-AFC coalition’s “rally” did reveal though was that Dr Rupert Roopnarine has outlived his political usefulness and relevance in Guyana, and it is high time the coalition adopts a policy where the old gives way to the new to avoid possible extinction at the upcoming General Elections.
Dr Roopnarine’s public call for the boycott of the Guyana Times, Guyana Chronicle and NCN at the Square of the Revolution shows that the PNC-AFC coalition disrespects freedom of the press, which was restored to Guyana in October 1992, and is staunchly in support of a dictatorship inherited from Forbes Burnham, which is not surprising.
In this regard, Roopnarine must be vigorously and publicly condemned, including political cronies like Lurlene Nester, who demanded that local businesses erect some placard in front of their business houses, showing their support for the political Opposition in what seems to be a vile political campaign.
What rubbish is this? But by the way, was the Square of the Revolution the PNC-AFC “Parliament” last on November 14? If so, Cuffy, our national hero was totally disrespected and is perhaps now turning in his grave with disgust.
Back to Roopnarine. This elder politician unfortunately seems to have gotten senile and asinine when he called for the boycott of the Guyana Times, Chronicle and NCN. He is now within modern political times, having now been dressed with the garments of Burnhamism.
In his dictatorial boycott call, he failed to include the Stabroek News and Kaieteur News because they are the mouth pieces for the political Opposition, while the Guyana Times, Chronicle and NCN practice balanced and ethical journalism, which the political Opposition see as a weapon and has become terribly afraid.
So keep up your great work Guyana Times, Chronicle and NCN in the provision of fair and balanced information to the Guyanese people and let political cowards like Roopnarine and Lurlene Nestor remain in disarray.
Sincerely,
Peter Persaud
Dear Editor
The Guyana Police Force is responding to a Letter to the Editor published in the Guyana Times on November 15, under the headline, “It is ‘ok’ to augment one’s income, but do it honestly”.
The Guyana Police Force wants to once again bring to the attention of the public the incorrect statements of the author of the letter Baliram Persaud.
The Police Force has on the payroll for the Aurora
Police Station members of the regular Police Force as well as a Barrack Labourer who is known personally to Mr Persaud.
Ranks of the Police Force are required to record their timings when they perform duties and this has been occurring at every Police Station, including the Aurora Police Station.
Barrack Labourers on the other hand are required to perform specific functions relating to the
cleanliness of the buildings and compounds, and therefore their times of work are flexible, as required by the management of the particular location to which they are attached.
The Guyana Police Force is aware of the involvement of the Barrack Labourer at the Aurora Police Station in legititmate economic activities that are unrelated to the work of the Police Force, at times when he is not required to perform duties at the station.
There has been no “lack of proper administrative work at the top level” in this matter as alluded to by Mr Persaud.
The Guyana Police Force wishes to encourage Mr Persaud to continue writing on Police matters, but with accuracy and without intentions to mislead.
Sincerely, Ivelaw Whittaker Police Public Relations and Press Officer
Dear Editor,
The Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs
Anil Nandlall has been expunged from his allegations of financial impropriety by the Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) Dr Roger Luncheon.
Yet, the Kaieteur news still continues its unabated publication of erroneous, misleading and deceptive articles aimed at perpetually tarnishing the character and integrity of the subject Minister.
It is well known that the publisher of Kaieteur news Glenn Lall is embroiled in multiple cases of “alleged” criminality, paramount of those cases is the attempt by Mr Lall to defraud the Government of Guyana of over $100 million in taxes for two Luxury vehicles. The matter is in the Court and is the cause of great public embarrassment for a man who preaches on a daily basis about corruption and the need for more accountability.
It does not take a rocket scientist to see that Mr Lall is using his newspaper as a tool to exact revenge and perpetuate his self-seeking agenda against those not aligned with his monochromatic, tunnel vision.
In this case it would be members of the Government.
Lall knows that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is in its right to issue an audit on his company in light of the revelations of tax evasions.
But, to curtail the implementation of that audit he instituted attacks on the Head of the GRA by using Kaieteur News as his weapon. Now, he feels threatened
about the consequences of his crimes and is attacking the Legal Affairs Minister, using deceptive and illegal means.
Mr Lall has gone beyond the level of legality and ethics, while using his newspaper to ensure that his self-serving agendas are preserved. It is a pity that the combined Opposition has for political mileage and prominence sold their mouths to champion blindly whatever indiscretions are offered to them by Kaieteur News.
Case in point being the General Secretary of the Alliance For Change (AFC) David Patterson lending his voice to an article dated on November 17, under the headline.
In the article Patterson took the comments made by President Donald Ramotar on the Minister’s use of public monies as a private matter out of context. President Ramotar was speaking about the sensitivity of the issue on the basis of its medical nature, which is private and should not be publicly discussed.
In fact, the Attorney General had said publicly that the state monies used by him for medical purposes was approved by Cabinet in a written Cabinet decision dated June 20, 2013. This is, and historically has been, an entitlement of every member of Cabinet long before my appointment.
His remarks were substantiated by the Cabinet Secretary, who stated in the media that most of the Cabinet members benefit from the provision of expenses; this is a provision where expenses are met, incurred by the Cabinet member and
the members of their immediate family. They essentially present Cabinet with documentation, based on which the authorization is provided by the Cabinet for the Ministry of Health to cover those expenses.
Dr Luncheon highlighted further that it is a normal procedure and the rule of thumb is once it is a medical expense and the documentation is made available, the Cabinet office authorizes payment. Some Cabinet members, I know, have rather zealously avoided a resort to public funding for medical expenses; others haven’t.”
The erroneous decry by Kaieteur News that “Ministers are using the treasury as a private bank account” when it was clearly established by Cabinet secretary Dr. Luncheon that such is not the case, is a classic example of the misleading and deceptive journalism that this news agency propagates.
It is my contention, that MrLall who is the publisher of the Opposition aligned Kaieteur News has been trying more surreptitiously to attack Government and its officers in an attempt to get revenge for the embarrassment he is experiencing, since he somehow holds them responsible for the illegal transgressions that he brought unto himself and is now caught up in.
Guyanese are very bright people and they are not that easily fooled, if they have not already figured out Lall’s end game, they will very soon.
Yours truly, Richard Mendoza
Dear Editor, Cognisant of an article published in another section of the media on November 18, under the headline, “Police Commander under fire for blaming victims for rapes”, and other media coverage of this matter, the Guyana Police Force wishes to advise the public that the Police Divisional Commander of “A” Division has been taken out of context. The Divisional Commander had no intention to, in any way, justify sexual assaults.
While the males in our society ought not to interpret a female’s mode of dress to be sending a particular type of
signal, the fact remains that it is happening to some degree.
The Divisional Commander has a lot of experience which provides information arising out of interviews of suspects in sexual assault matters, as well as intelligence coming from discussions among elements of criminal groups regarding sexual assaults they would have committed. This occurs when such groups have been infiltrated.
In many cases the discussions would have suggested that the mode of dress of the victims may have contributed to the suspects’ selection of targets.
The Divisional
Commander felt obligated to share that information as one of his crime prevention strategies focusing on sexual assault.
The Guyana Police Force supports the Divisional Commander in his crime prevention efforts, inclusive of sharing pertinent information, and wishes to reiterate that the Commander had no intention of defining moral conduct and that the statement was aimed totally towards crime prevention.
Sincerely,
Ivelaw Whittaker Police Public Relations and Press Officer
Dear Editor, It was instructive to see E B John’s critique recently on the “organizational lacuna” that plagues the National Cane Farming Committee (NCFC).
Instead of the inanities and ad hominem which characterized the response of the NCFC Chairman to the critical issues which I had raised, it would help if he (and I may add the Cane Farming Officers of GuySuCo) were to heed the comments and advice of Mr John who is an originator and authority on the development and administration of the private cane farming sector.
As a private cane farmer and concerned Guyanese, I had drawn attention to the diminishing output from private cane farmers and the apparent anachronism/obsolescence/ uselessness of the
NCFC.
My specific calls for an examination of these issues by the relevant authorities initially in GuySuCo and then the NCFC were met with minutiae, irrelevant defensiveness and personal acrimony.
The obvious failure by GuySuCo and the NCFC to address the real issues of diminishing outputs from current farmers and the abandonment of several farms by long established private cane farmers and cooperatives to which I had alluded is alarming.
The Chairman’s reference to the leasing of more lands to farmers at Wales, Uitvlugt and Albion raises another set of questions such as the persons/organizations to whom these lands were leased, when and how they were leased and what has been their production so far?
Finally, the Chairman
mentioned two contributions made by the NCFC, namely, the reduction of fertilizer charges and the establishment of a revolving fund. But his doing so prompts more questions than provide answers to the real issues. For example: when was the “revolving fund” established and what is its purpose and its utilization so far.
What about the more longstanding, more critical issues of overhead charges of 30 percent to 50 percent levied on farmers by the estates? What about the silence surrounding the EU funds?
Can the NCFC Chairman and GuySuCo address these issues, instead of engaging in personal attacks on farmers?
Sincerely, Nowrang Persaud
The ward had become the house of death
I continued listening to my healing messages. They gave me life. I literally played them hours on end. Two days later, on Saturday, August 16, the WHO doctors came with some papers. I was informed that the result of my blood test was negative for the Ebola virus. If I could somersault, I would have, but my joints were still painful. I was free to go home after being in isolation for exactly 14 days. I called my mother to get fresh clothes and slippers and come pick me up. My husband couldn’t stop shouting when I called him. He was completely overwhelmed with joy.
It felt like I was being baptised into a new life as Dr Carolina, a WHO doctor from Argentina, poured the bucket of chlorinated water all over me
I was told, however, that I could not leave the ward with anything I came in with. I glanced one last time at my CD player; my
valuable messages; my research assistant – my iPad; my phones; and other items. I remember saying to myself, “I have life; I can always replace these items.”
I went for a chlorine bath, which was necessary to disinfect my skin from my head to my toes. It felt like I was being baptised into a new life as Dr Carolina, a WHO doctor from Argentina, poured the bucket of chlorinated water all over me. I wore a new set of clothes, following the strict instructions that no part of the clothes must touch the floor and the walls. Dr Carolina looked on, making sure I did as instructed.
cheered and clapped. It was a little but very important ceremony for me. I was free from Ebola! I hugged my family as one
I was led out of the bathroom and straight to the lawn to be united with my family, but first I had to cut the red ribbon that served as a barrier. It was a symbolic expression of my freedom. Everyone
who had been liberated after many years of incarceration. I was like someone who had fought death face to face and come back to the land of the living.
We had to pass through
several stations of disinfection before we reached the car. Bleach and chlorinated water were sprayed on everyone’s legs at each station. As we made our way to the car, we walked past the old isolation building. I could hardly recognise it. I could not believe I slept in that building for 10 days. I was free! Free of Ebola. Free to live again. Free to interact with humanity again. Free from the sentence of death.
My parents and two brothers were under surveillance for 21 days and they completed the surveillance successfully. None of them came down with a fever. The house had been disinfected soon after I was taken to the isolation centre. I thank God for shielding them from the plague.
My recovery after discharge has been gradual but progressive. I thank God for the support of family and friends. I remember my colleagues who we lost in this battle. Dr Adadevoh, my boss; nurse Justina Ejelonu and the ward maid, Mrs Ukoh were heroines who lost their lives in the cause to protect Nigeria. They will never be forgotten.
I commend the dedication of the WHO doctors, Dr David from Virginia in the US, who tried several times to convince me to specialise in infectious diseases; Dr Carolina from Argentina who spoke so calmly and encouragingly; Mr Mauricio from Italy who always offered me apples and gave us novels to read. I especially thank the volunteer Nigerian doctors, matrons and cleaners who risked their lives to take care of us. I must also commend the Lagos state government and the state and federal ministries of health for their swift efforts to contain the virus.
To all those who prayed for me, I cannot thank you enough. And to my First Consultants family, I say a heartfelt thank you for your dedication and for your support throughout this very difficult period. I still believe in miracles. None of us in the isolation ward was given any experimental drugs or socalled immune boosters. I was full of faith, yet pragmatic enough to consume as much ORS as I could – even when I wanted to give up and throw the bottles away. I researched the disease extensively and read accounts of the survivors. I believed that even if the mortality rate was 99 per cent I would be part of the one percent who would survive.
Why do some die and some survive? Why do bad things happen to good people? Where is God in the midst of pain and suffering? Early detection and reporting to hospital is key to patient survival. Please do not hide yourself if you have been in contact with an Ebola patient and have developed the symptoms. Regardless of any grim stories one may have heard about the treatment of patients in the isolation centre, it is still better to be in the isolation ward with specialist care than at home where you and others will be at risk.
I read that Dr Kent Brantly, the American doctor who contracted Ebola in Liberia and was flown out to the US for treatment, was being criticised for attributing his healing to God when he was given the experimental drug Zmapp. I don’t claim to have all the answers to the nagging questions of life. Why do some die and some survive? Why do bad things happen to good people? Where is God in the midst of pain and suffering? Where does science end and God begin? These are issues we may never fully comprehend on this side of eternity. All I know is that I walked through the valley of the shadow of death and came out unscathed. (Excerpt from the Guardian)
President Donald Ramotar has signalled his preparedness to meet with the combined opposition – A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) and Alliance for Change (AFC) to discuss several pertinent matters relating to the prorogation of the National Assembly.
This was confirmed by Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira who late Tuesday afternoon confirmed that the President has taken steps to despatch a letter to both Opposition parties to that effect.
The Presidential Advisor explained, in a synopsis, that the letter’s content details that the President is now ready to meet on dialogue and steps should be
taken to have tripartite discussions as soon as possible.
However, when contacted, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan claimed that he was not in receipt of the invitation from the President.
While this is so, sectors of society are doubtful that there will be any talks between the President and the Opposition. If there are talks, the fear is there will be no consensus.
This is largely due to the fact that the Opposition “has resolved that there will be no extra parliamentary engagement with the President on the matters which were before the National Assembly”.
The two parties have also accused President Ramotar of being insin-
The Society said that its investigations found that over a five-week period, someone with the name of Compton Chase unknown to the bank was successfully able to present a Power of Attorney, which has subsequently proven to be forged.
On November 20, Chase returned for the third time.
On this occasion, he re-deposited the sum of $20,500,000 from previous withdrawals, seeking two separate withdrawals of $10,200,000 and $10,300,000.
Once more, these withdrawals were authorised by the Managers, despite the considerable sums being consistently withdrawn, without any further attempts to check the authenticity of the documents being presented and without receipt of the Indemnity Form from the Account Holder and without the presentation of a Passbook or request for a new Passbook.
Chase returned on December 8, the final occasion, this time to close the Account. On this occasion Vincent reported receiving a call, prior to Chase’s return, from the alleged Account Holder authorising the closure of the Account and a fax was received on December 7 to this effect, but, again, without a traceable address and, on this occasion, not signed and, as on all other previous occasions not notarised.
The report said that Arjoon thought it fit, for the first time, to direct Vincent to call the person alleging to be the Account Holder and request the Indemnity Form, which had been provided to Chase since November 1, be completed before closure of the Account.
The three senior managers who have been dismissed and were directly involved in processing and authorising the fraudulent withdrawals from the Savings Account in the name of Bibi Shamila Khan, the report said, did not observe the rules of the Society and were in grievous breach of established practices.
“An Account Holder is required to be in possession of a Passbook to make a withdrawal. A member losing his or her Passbook is required to immediately give notice in writing to the Secretary. Any person other than the Account Holder seeking to make withdrawals on behalf of the Account Holder, must be subject to due diligence in the identification of that person. As I have described for you, these rules were grossly violated throughout the processing of the withdrawals and the standard of diligence expected of the managers was simply not evident.
The release added that on June 12 of that year, the Board, having conducted its investigations, was satisfied that there was sufficient
cere in the issuance of the prorogation Proclamation, contending that there was enough time for the President to engage the Opposition previously.
Guyana’s Private Sector and several labour organizations have already expressed a willingness to serve as mediators in the ongoing conflict and parliamentary dispute between the Government and Opposition that led to Parliament’s suspension on November 10.
These organizations have also expressed support for dialogue as a means of
settling the differences between the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), AFC, and the main opposition parliamentary party APNU.
reason to interdict Arjoon, Vincent and Baldeo from duty without pay and benefits with immediate effect.
Twenty-six-year-old Charles Stoby and 23-year-old Kelvin McPherson were remanded to prison on Monday morning after they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with armed robbery.
It is alleged that on Saturday (November 15) at Georgetown, being armed with an offensive weapon –an ice pick – they robbed Virtual Complainant (VC)Edward McCoy of a
BlackBerry Torch smartphone valued $22,000 and $3000 in cash.
The charge was deemed indictable; hence, a plea was not required.
Representing Stoby was Attorney-at-Law Paul Fung-A-Fat, who told the court that his client was a first-time offender, who resided at Lot 15 Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, and was a cane harvester, employed with the Guyana Sugar Corporation
(GuySuCo).
McPherson, who was unrepresented by legal counsel, defended himself, stating that he lives at Lot 70 Belfield Housing Scheme, Victoria, East Coast Demerara, and is a miner by profession.
The matter was transferred by presiding Magistrate Ann McLennan to Court Five where the defendants will stand before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on November 21.
Amember of the Guyana Police Force, with 40 years of service under his belt, was Tuesday morning arraigned on a $7.8 million robbery charge and was granted bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Ali Suban, of Lot 403 Block 8 Tuschen Housing
Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, was placed on $500,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan.
It was alleged that between October 1, 2013 and August 8, 2014, Suban, being employed as a servant or clerk at the Guyana Police Force, stole $7.8 million, property of the Guyana Police Force.
The application of the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was requested by Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield when Suban denied the charge after it was read to him.
Prosecutor Mansfield did not object to bail being granted to the defendant, but asked that it be a substantial sum.
Bail was granted on the conditions that the defendant lodge his passport at the Magistrates’ Courts and report to the Leonora Police Station every Friday. Suban will make his second court appearance on December 2 at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.
A36-year-old farmer, of Waramadong, Upper Mazaruni River, Essequibo, accused of assaulting two men was Monday granted $110,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The court heard that
Nash Grant unlawfully and maliciously wounded Deyomar Frances on November 17 at Waramadong, and on the same day, unlawfully assaulted Derrick Bernard. The father of six was not required to plead to the first offence, since it was deemed indicta-
ble; however, after the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied as requested by Police Prosecutor Dinero Jones, Grant pleaded not guilty to both charges.
There were no facts read for this case. Grant’s attorney, Patrice Henry, requested reasonable bail
for his client. There were no objections to bail from the Police Prosecutor. Bail was granted in the sum of $100,000 for the unlawful and malicious wounding charge and $10,000 for unlawful assault.
The matter was transferred to the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court.
...on AFC’s mission
The AFC’s been playing ducks and drakes for quite a while now as to its raison d’être – its reason for being.
That’s apart from filling someone’s pockets with foreign donations that mysteriously disappear between NYC and Guyana. Since we don’t even fly over the Bermuda Triangle, you connect the dots!!
Anyhow Ramjattan finally fessed up when pushed to explain why he and Nagamootoo avoided being on the stage with APNU’s leaders like they have Kuh-ko-Beh.
“The AFC is the only Party now in Guyana, because of our still continuing polarised, ethnicised voting patterns, which can do major destruction to the PPP/C strongholds!” So if they’re seen publicly with “those” kinds of people, then his Indian supporters in Berbice will desert him in droves!! Yup!! That’s how they see their Indian supporters –as incorrigible racists.
So the AFC’s now insisting it be seen as an “Indian party” so that their “Indian racists” won’t vote for the PPP/C! Everything now falls into place. And we can now see wheels operating within wheels. The AFC was launched in 2006 –with massive help from some relative of Uncle Sam.
(Who else could conjure up “Big Dick” Morris, pollster to the Democratic Party??) At that time their stance was “a plague on both of their houses” – PPP/C and PNC. But it was the PPP/C in Government – and that’s the party they were trying to throw out.
With Ramjattan at the helm in 2011, with the latest PPP/C exec who’d jumped ship because he couldn’t be President – Nagamootoo – they picked up a solid block of votes in Berbice. The same ones they don’t want to lose now – by being seen with “them people”.
Now you should pick sense from nonsense: did the AFC voters just develop this aversion to “them”?? Or was it the campaign tactics used by Ramjattan and Nagamootoo that stressed exclusion of “them”??
Well, you figure it out – when you cogitate over Ramjattan’s whine that Trotman hadn’t wanted to step aside and let HIM, the “Indian” from Berbice, be the AFC’s Presidential Candidate!! When Ramjattan recently arbitrarily announced the abandonment of the “racial rotation principle” (RRP) on which the AFC was supposedly founded, that was the clincher.
Under the RRP, Nigel Hughes – one of “them” as you could get – was thrown under the bus for Nagamootoo.
Hughes was willing to commit political hara-kiri, because he agreed that the “race card” played by Ramjattan was the best bet to defeat the PPP/C.
But since the AFC stood no chance of winning the elections on its own – it would catapult the PNC/APNU into power. And that’s the point of it all, isn’t it??
...grow up!!
At APNU’s Cuffy rally, where he represented Ramjattan and Nagamootoo, AFC’s Nigel Hughes pleaded for “foreigners” to come to Guyana to “mediate” between the Government and the Opposition. AFC ex-leader and APNUappointed Speaker Trotman had already called for foreign parliamentarians to do the same.
But the British High Commissioner retorted that Parliament should re-sit ASAP and get on with the business of running the country. More pointedly, the Ambassador exasperatedly pointed out that Guyanese should find solutions to their political problems, themselves.
The President had already said, as clearly as you could wish, that he’ll reconvene Parliament pronto – if the Opposition wanted “to get on with the business of running the country”. But that’s the rub, isn’t it??
The Opposition’s adamant it wants Parliament to be reconvened. But not to discuss the people’s development –just to “bruk it up”. They should be careful, they might get what they’re asking for!!
...counting chickens
Old folks talk about people counting their chickens before they’re hatched. When he forms his “unity Government”, APNU’s David Granger said, he’s not going to work with “wrongdoers” from the PPP/C! And this is the fella who just rigged his own party’s elections!! Linden will be his Waterloo.
APartnership for National Unity (APNU) Leader David Granger is seemingly balked by the recent decision made by the Leadership of the Alliance For Change (AFC) not to send Khemraj Ramjattan nor Moses Nagamootoo to a recent APNU rally at Square of the revolution.
Speaking to Guyana Times on Friday evening, Granger said that he was “looking forward to the attendance or either Ramjattan or Nagamootoo” at the party’s post prorogation rally last Friday.
The rally was organized to demonstrate public discomfort with the recent move by President Donald Ramotar to exercise power granted to him under Guyana’s constitution and prorogue parliament for six months.
AFC Vice Chairman Nigel Hughes and General Secretary David Patterson were the lone AFC members to mount the APNU platform on Friday evening.
However, there were other AFC members such as Trevor Williams, Cathy Hughes and Valerie Garrido-Lowe, along with a few identifiable AFC sup-
porters at the rally.
Granger explained that he saw the attendance at the rally as an “internal AFC matter” declining to offer any suggestions as to why, Nagamootoo and Ramjattan declined to be a part of the rally.
“If he came he came, we just hoped that the leader of the party would show up,” Granger said in a very low tone during the telephone interview with Guyana Times on Tuesday evening.
The APNU Leader contended that what is important is that the AFC was represented at the APNU organized rally.
However, according to other news reports the Opposition Leader was dis-
appointed with the decision taken by AFC’s leadership to have only Hughes and Patterson mount its platform. Ramjattan had declined.
Meanwhile, according to reports carried in other sections of the media, Ramjattan declined to mount the APNU platform because he believed it goes against his ethics as a politician.
The AFC Leader reportedly contended via a social media platform that “the liberal democratic nature of the AFC allows a subjective decision to be made by leaders and members of the Party on particular issue of importance to them”, adding that “it is a sort of conscience vote on the matter”.
Ramjattan also stressed that he believed that his presence at the rally would have been used as material for the spread of propaganda by persons within the leading Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and those that are loyal to that party.
“I personally felt that knowing how it will be spun and twisted by the propagandists in the PPP/C, it would not be wise to attend. My presence there also
would have been inconsistent with my personal position that I will not want to be on an opposing party’s platform.
"If the platform was say an anti-dictatorial front platform, I certainly would have been there. But that is my personal position which ought to be respected for what its worth. Other members and leaders can have their individual approaches,” Ramjattan was quoted as saying.
The AFC had maintained that it believed that it was necessary to join the APNU’s platform which was organised to protest the President’s decision to prorogue Parliament.
The party on Tuesday in a press release downplayed the concerns raised by sections of the media about its decision to send only African-Guyanese representatives to the rally instead of its most vocal East Indian politicians.
The Human Resource Manager of National Agricultural Research and Extention Institute (NAREI), located at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara was on Tuesday shot to his neck during a robbery at the institution.
Up to late Tuesday afternoon, Wylock Sahadeo was being treated at a private medical facility following the incident which occurred around 12:30h.
According to informa-
tion received, on the day in question, a staff attached to NARI observed that a building in the compound was broken into.
She immediately alerted Sahadeo who went to check the report. Upon entering the building, he was confronted by three men, one of whom was armed with a firearm.
The Manager reportedly began to enquire about the robber’s motive but one of the men suddenly dis-
charged a round in his direction which struck him to his neck.
After the gunshot was heard, persons in the compound alerted the police who responded a few minutes later but the men made good their escape.
Sahadeo was rushed to the hospital where he was examined and told that the bullet had grazed his neck.
The police are continuing their investigations but no one was arrested.
Ateenage miner is battling for his life in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was allegedly beaten by a group of men at Puruni Backdam, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) on Saturday evening.
Seventeen-year-old Jerry Francis of Yakarinta, North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), has severe head injuries and is in an unconscious state. According to reports received, the young man left his mining camp to attend a party in the area.
He was later found along the Puruni trail in a pool of blood, with his head was bashed in. Information about the attack is sketchy. After the discovery, he was picked up and taken to his mining camp where he was cleaned up before being taken to the Bartica Hospital.
Due to the severity of his injuries, the young man was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he remains in an unconscious state. A colleague of the injured man who travelled with him to the city told the Guyana Times that they all went to the party and it was while they were on their way back to the camp, they saw Francis lying in the corner of the road. While he cannot say what might have occurred or who might have committed the act, he revealed that the young man was beaten badly. A cousin of the injured man said he was made aware of the incident
on Sunday after the young man was transferred to Georgetown.
He explained that Francis left his village in June to work in the mining area. The family had not heard from him since then, he stated.
Meanwhile, a hospital official confirmed that the young man was in a critical state, noting that he has been unconscious since his admittance to the medical institution. The official reiterated that most of the injuries were inflicted to Francis’s head.
Over the past months, the Police in the E&F Divisions (Hinterland Locations) have been trying to combat the increased criminal activities in those areas. The terrain, however, was cited as the most challenging factor. These areas could only be accessed by All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) or four-wheel drive vehicles.
Amissing charger landed a Linden man in legal trouble after he threatened his sister whom he believed had knowledge of the charger’s whereabouts.
Donnel Reid, of Lot 3 Constabulary Compound, Mackenzie, Linden, was on Monday afternoon fined $5000 by Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’
Courts, with an alternative sentence of one week’s imprisonment.
The court heard that on November 13 at the Constabulary Compound, Reid was searching for a
charger which he did not find. He then confronted his sister Lishauna enquiring about the charger. She told him that she did not know where it was and he replied that he did not mind going back to prison, if he did not get his belongings. With that, the VC became afraid and lodged a complaint at the Police Station. Reid was subsequently arrested and charged.
Satiricus was very upset with how folks were lambasting Roop-Na-Rain. Why would they do that when all the man did was save the day for the outfit on which he’s hitched his star??
“How the heck can you have a demonstration at the Square of the Revolution, and not do something “outlandish”?” mumbled Satiricus. Even old man Hite had draped a Guyana Flag over the body of the bandit Blackie. “Jeez, you had to have a sense of time and place!” thought Roop-Na-Rain.
Here it was, people were droning on for hours when the joint shoulda been jumping. Imagine No-Gel Huge had carried on and on and on about what?? Constitutional change, for Chrissake!! Was he the professor, or was RoopNa-Rain?? As No-Gel droned on Roop-Na-Rain thought long and hard about what he had to do.
When Rum Jhaat and Naga Man showed they didn’t have the guts to show up at the foot of the revolutionary hero Cuffy, he realised that he was going to be the only Chamaar on the stage.
That was the problem with Rum Jhaat and Naga Man. They only thought of themselves. They were probably in some backstreet rum shop knocking off a “large”. They didn’t realise that they had a duty to represent the Chamaars of Guyana??
They had showed good Chamaar behaviour when they had gone to Linden and provoked the people to burn down the place. Had they lost their Chamaar consciousness?? Roop-Na-Rain was proud that he had been picked by GrainJa to represent the Chamaar people in APANU. Roop-Na-Rain puffed up his chest. “My father was a Chamaar, my mother was a Chamaar...and by God, I am a Chamaar!! I will keep up the Chamaar principles. I will do the most low-class and low-down thing I can think about!”
And so it was when Roop-Na-Rain’s turn to speak came, he came out against all the values he had been taught by the British at their top university. As a Chamaar, they’d taken pity on him and decided to civilise him.
“Burn their newspapers!!!” he screamed. “Boycott them, so they can’t print anything I disagree with!!! Bring them to ruination!!”
You can take the Chamaar out of the gutter, but you can’t take the gutter out of the Chamaar.
Police Prosecutor Dinero
Jones told the court that the parties were siblings and that the defendant was in the habit of abusing the VC whenever he was unable to find his belongings.
While pleading guilty to the charge of threatening language, the defendant said he did not say what was mentioned in the facts about the prison, but did use indecent language towards his sister. He noted that his
mother was present at the time and that he loved his sister dearly and had not the slightest idea that the matter would have reached the court.
He then begged for mercy from the Magistrate who fined him and placed him on a bond to keep the peace, warning that failure to keep the bond would reward him with one year’s imprisonment.
The Guyana Police Force has defended 'A' Division Commander (Georgetown-East Bank Demerar) Clifton Hicken after concerns were raised over some comments he made with respect to the prevention of rape in Guyana.
The Police in a release to the media on Tuesday said that Hicken’s comment “has been taken out of context” adding that the Divisional Commander had no intention to, in any way, justify sexual assaults.”
The police noted that Hicken has an abundance of experience which would have led to him making the statement to the reporters
on Monday.
It said Hicken’s experience in interviewing “suspects in sexual assault matters, as well as intelligence coming from discussions among elements of criminal groups regarding sexual assaults they would have committed.”
It was noted that in many cases information received has suggested that the mode of dress of victims may have been a contributory factor to the rapist’s selection of victim.
“The Divisional Commander felt obligated to share that information as one of his crime prevention strategies focusing on sexu-
'A' Division Commander Clifton Hicken
Atwo-day seminar was launched on Tuesday at Guyana International Conference Center with the aim of addressing a wide range of topics with respect to the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the REDD+ Project.
Representatives of the Forestry Sectors from international and regional countries such as Spain, the Netherlands, the USA, the UK, Panama, Suriname, Guatemala, and several others, will conduct the seminar with local forestry representatives with the aim of improving the forestry standards and management worldwide.
“During the course, we hope to set the scene for continuing the sharing of ideas, experiences and research, to increase the knowledge and understanding of actions in the Guyanese Forest Sector”, Chairman of Guyana Forestry Commission Board, Inderjit Ramdas stated.
At the event, Head of the Guyana Forestry Commission James Singh highlighted several of Guyana’s achievement, such as being recognized as a source of legally harvested forest products, guaranteed accuracy in log tracking schemes and more importantly, having one of the lowest rates of deforestation in the world.
However, aside from the appraisals, Singh mentioned that the forest environment is recognized for its complexity and dynamic structure, especially in the areas of the trade of forest products and the forever increasing requirements of consumers and international importers.
Additionally, Natural Resources and the Environment Minister Robert Persaud spoke highly of Guyana’s Forestry
Sector as he reminisced of Guyana’s inability to reach its full potential, which, he said, is mostly because of the political atmosphere within the nation after Guyana was released from Britain’s rule.
Nevertheless, as the Government is eager to foster development and well on its way to extend the country’s resources, they remain sound on maintaining safe environmental practices.
Persaud also highlighted Guyana’s constantly low deforestation rate while experiencing rapid growth in the mining sector, noting that he wants all Guyanese to benefit from the country’s wealth.
Also addressing the seminar was the EU Head Delegation to Guyana Robert Kopecky who spoke briefly on the details of the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) and the Volunteer Partnership Agreement (VPA).
The EU adapted the FLEGT action plan in 2003 in a response to the illegal loggings with the aim to counter the trade of illegally harvested timber. The VPA is a binding agreement with the EU and 6 timber producing countries that ensures timbers produced are legal-
ly done and in compliance to the laws of the country.
Basically, EU FLEGT is an initiative aiming to put a halt to illegal lumber from entering the European Union, thereby promoting sustainable forest management. Therefore, VPA with the EU, which has up to September 2015 to be negotiated, will gain Guyana an open access to the European markets for legally produced timber.
al assault...while the males in our society ought not to interpret a female’s mode of dress to be sending a particular type of signal, the fact remains that it is happening to some degree.
Since the statement was made, the Police Commander’s comments have attracted criticisms from A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) and Red Thread.
Members of the general public have also taken to Facebook to vent their concerns with respect to the remarks by the Commander.
The APNU in a statement to the media said that Hicken’s comment “sends a message to victims of rape that they were somehow responsible for the violence meted out to them”.
“These remarks attributed to a senior Police Officer show clearly the need for education at all levels of the force to sensitize ranks on
this most heinous crime.
"Police Officers must be educated to know that rapists are not overcome with sexual desire or that a woman who is raped may have dressed too seductively or 'asked for it' in some manner” said the release.
Red Thread reportedly said that the comments made by the commander are reflective of the urgent need for the implementation of the sexual offences Act of 2010.
The organisation said, “For Mr Hicken to suggest that how women dress may be a trigger for rape indicates a serious failure in the training which has purportedly been done with the police. The inclination to blame the victim is a weak and lazy response to a serious crime, and it is unacceptable in the responses of the police – more so a senior policeman – tasked with investigating these offences.”
These comments reportedly came after Hicken told reporters on Monday that “we are speaking about preventing somebody from committing an offence and yet we are creating an atmosphere in terms of our society which seems to be the norm now".
"When we are within our partnership programmes we advocate for the young females who seem to be vulnerable within a certain age group that is moving from around 13 to 18 16 to 18 and we always try to embrace an attire that would be accepted morally and not to have yourself in an attire that you create this type of look, reminiscing look by the opposite gender and that is a work in progress for you.”
According to data from the Police, last month alone, 11 persons were raped; representing a 31 percent increase when compared to the statistics for 2013.
By Jomo Paul
Times are hard and conmen and conwomen alike are becoming increasingly desperate to fleece and manipulate people out of their hardearned cash by any means.
Digicel Guyana on Monday issued an advisory to its customers warning them of an elaborate scam to get them to buy credit currently perpetrated by yet unknown individuals.
According to officials from the phone company, the con artists would contact random customers under the guise of calling on behalf of Digicel. Thereafter, in a very cunning manner, they convince the customers that they are part of a clandestine promotion. For the customers to qualify for the promotion, they would have to buy a $500 Flex Card and then give the person on the phone the number for the card.
After the card number would have been given to the caller, they inform customers of the prizes they are eligible to win or have won which are available for pick-up at local offices.
The prizes range from smartphones to other expensive electronics, Guyana Times was told.
Guyana Times understands that the mobile service provider had been receiving “sporadic” complaints from customers since the start of 2014, but was now taking steps to warn its entire subscriber base.
Digicel Public Relations Officer Vidya Sanichara said persons need to be a bit wiser and not fall prey to these con artists.
“Digicel doesn’t ask for credit, we sell credit,” the Public Relations Officer emphasised.
She further explained that the possibility exists that the scam artists were working in a group given the fact that several calls of that nature were recorded at the same time. She also indicated that the culprits are using blocked numbers to carry out their devious plans.
When asked what preventative measures are be -
ing taken by the mobile phone company, Sanichara explained that once the company was able to deduce the number the scam calls are coming from, it would take immediate steps to blacklist the number.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) has confirmed that its customers too are affected by the
scam, but could not immediately say how many persons were conned.
GT&T Public Relations Officer Allison Parker explained to the Guyana Times that the company noticed a spike in reports of the scam whenever a promotion is launched. She added that with the recent launch of GT&T’s Christmas promotion, there
was a spike in reports of the act. Parker further related that while sometimes the numbers being used to perpetrate the scam are not blocked, it would be difficult for the company to enforce any sort of clampdown given that many of the numbers are not being used by the persons under whose name they are registered.
In a simple ceremony held at its head office, Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd presented the winners of the “Deal on Wheels 2014” promotion with their prizes on Thursday.
The lucky winners include:
Eion Rodney, who copped the first prize of a trip for two to St Lucia, inclusive of airfare, four nights’ accommodation and spending money; and second-placed D’Audra Alexander, who won herself a trip for two to Barbados inclusive of airfare, three nights’ accommodation and spending money.
Grabbing the third prize was Kelsey Andrews, who won a trip for two to Trinidad and Tobago, inclusive of airfare, two nights’ accommodation and spend-
ing money.
There were also two consolation prizes which went to Fizal and Rafina Hussain, who won a day trip to the Kaieteur Falls, and Shellon Bovell, who won a day trip for two to the Baganara Nature Resort.
The auto dealer prize this year was given to Best Buy Auto Sales for having
the most referrals.
Speaking to Guyana Times, the shy but excited winners said that they were grateful for the opportunities provided by Republic Bank, noting that the trips would be much-needed getaways for them.
They advised persons to make Republic Bank their number one choice for bank-
ing, since it was the only bank in the country that gave back to its customers not just every year but several times throughout the year in various promotions. The Republic Bank “Deals on Wheels” Campaign, which is in its 12th year, was launched on June 2 and ran until August 31.
Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC)
Clinton Williams on Tuesday confirmed that staff members will receive salary increases, but only on a performance evaluation basis.
He said that there will be no across the board salary increase approved for workers.
Williams in a telephone interview with Guyana Times said that the workers had previously agreed on the performance evaluation method, but as of recent they have been pushing for salary increases to be paid across the board.
Williams said that the union had asked for a salary increase some months ago and a consultation re-
view was prepared to facilitate the increases.
He explained that the board had taken a decision and made a recommendation that is yet to be sent to the subject Ministry.
He also related that the process cannot be done without a consultant’s review.
The Chairman, nonetheless, confirmed that the GGMC will be opened, according to schedule, for business even though operations will be affected.
The comments made by Williams come on the heels of a protest by the Commission’s staff members on Monday after they claimed that the entity failed to honour a commitment to grant the promised increase since last year.
Over 100 youths are expected to converge today at the Princess International Hotel for the launch of the State of World Population 2014 Report and the Consultative Youth Forum by United Nations Guyana.
The Consultative Youth Forum is scheduled to last for two days and will bring together youths from Guyana’s ten administrative Regions.
A press release from the UN said the importance of engaging youths at all levels in the future development agenda, will be highlighted. The launch of the State of the World Population will take place during the opening session of the youth forum which will start 9:00am.
Ministers of Government: Dr. Frank Anthony- Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, and Minister of Foreign Affairs – Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett are expected to be present along with leader of the Opposition and Speaker of the National Assembly –Raphael Trotman.
Members of the diplomatic Corps and civil society are also expected to be present.
The UN said the Consultative Youth
Forum will contribute to the ongoing efforts of the national actors to engage youth in dialogue on the emerging Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Development agenda follows the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
It was further stated that a document is expected to be drafted to share the priorities the participants would like in Guyana’s development agenda; following discussions during the forum.
The UN said the process to formulate the global development agenda has engaged young people in the regional and national consultations inclusive of the ‘My World Survey’ and the ‘A Million Voices: the World We Want,’ and a range of stakeholder discussions on ‘The Future We Want Post – 2015.’
On Thursday, the final day of the forum, a Draft of Considerations will be presented to political and other leaders by the participants.
During the afternoon, participants will be divided in five working groups discussing topics such as: Health, Education, Environmental Sustainability, Employment and Entrepreneurship.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Clarendon, Mike Henry, says he has a growing concern about the deterioration of the town of May Pen under the current administration.
According to Henry, it is becoming self-evident in the accumulation of garbage, the unsightly appearance and ignoring of the deteriorating main road, which falls under
TT: Wanted man’s exgirlfriend in shock –“He’d never kill a child”
Relatives of Trinidad’s most wanted man, Azmon “Pappi” Alexander, are urging him to surrender to Police before he is killed. Alexander, 28, is wanted in connection with the disappearance and death of two members of a Brasso Seco family and murder of the family’s neighbour. Speaking with the T&T Guardian at her Sunset Drive, Malabar home, Alexander’s former girlfriend Ameilia Hosein, the mother of his 17-month-old son Antonio Hosein, cried as she called on him to surrender. She said during their six-year relationship she never thought he was capable of kidnapping and murder, especially the murder of a child, since he too was the father of a child near the same age. “I didn’t believe it, I am still shocked, but he have a son,” Hosein said, holding their child and wiping away tears.
The 22-year-old expect-
ant mother added: “He have a son, how he could do a child that? He (Alexander) never sees him (Hosein) and can’t give him anything. “Give up yourself, if he isn’t thinking about himself, he should think about his son and the family he hurt. It makes no sense.”
On October 26, Irma Rampersad, 49, and her daughters Felicia, 17, and Jenelle Gonzales, 19, and Janelle’s 14-month-old daughter, Shania Amoroso, were abducted from their Bleu Road, Brasso Seco home. One day later, they were reported missing by Felix Martinez, 52, who said he awoke to find a kitchen window broken and the women and child missing. A few days later, Martinez went missing and was believed to have been hunting. Martinez’s body was found along with baby Shania wrapped in a sleeping bag on November 8, while Rampersad’s body was found on November 11. (Trinidad Guardian)
the National Works Agency (NWA).
“For over 3 and 1/2 years, I have tried to address these issues in partnership with the Mayor of May Pen, but all of this seems to be of no avail. I get promises made by him, and I believe made by the Minister of Local Government, Noel Arscott; but they were mere empty promises,” Henry said.
He pointed to: the failure to turn the old Police station property into a green area, instead of the gathering point for a school transport system; recovery from the fire which destroyed a number of shops in the May Pen market; as well as the deteriorating condition of “side” roads, the lack of garbage collection and the threat of flooding due to a lack of planning. (Jamaica Observer)
The family of Reggae icon Bob Marley and a Seattle-based private equity firm on Tuesday said they are launching the first global cannabis brand with marijuana products sold under a name long tied to a plant he lovingly called “the herb”.
The brand, dubbed Marley Natural, marks the first time the family’s name would adorn packages of cannabis products ranging from strains similar to those Bob might have smoked in his homeland Jamaica to concentrates, oils and infused lotions sold in countries and US states that have taken steps to decriminalise and legalise pot use and sales.
The agreement came weeks after two US states voted to legalise marijuana for recreational use in systems that would usher in retail shops similar to those al-
ready operating in Colorado and Washington State. The sale of cannabis remains illegal in much of the world, but countries mainly in Europe and the Americas have decriminalised it by varying degrees. The Netherlands permits the sale of marijuana in “coffee shops”, Israel and Canada and nearly half of US states have allowed its
medicinal use, and Uruguay has legalised its use.
The Marley Natural brand would likely be seen on cannabis and other products and accessories by late 2015 under the 30-year global licensing arrangement struck between the family and Seattle-based private equity firm Privateer Holdings. (Jamaican Observer)
St Lucian political party warns of Russian ambitions in the Caribbean
The announcement last week that Russian aircraft will begin patrolling over the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean has prompted the Lucian People’s Movement (LPM) to revisit the question of the St Lucian Government’s support of Russian geopolitical ambitions in the Region. Earlier this year, the Government of Prime Minister Kenny Anthony abstained in a United Nations vote, introduced by the Government of Ukraine and backed by the US and most of its Western allies, condemning Russian expansion into Crimea and Ukraine.
According to LPM
Leader Therold Prudent, the St Lucia Government acceded to Russian pressure to abstain from voting in exchange for foreign aid and investment.
Prudent argued that while St Lucia in its capacity as a sovereign state was not required to vote with the US on every issue, there was absolutely no reason in this instance to buck its traditional ally (the US) in favour of Russian mischief and the country’s apparent desire for mass territorial expansion.
Meanwhile, according to Britain’s Observer newspaper, the pattern of accelerating Russian confrontationalism abroad and
authoritarianism at home, evident since Putin first took power as Prime Minister in 1999, is unmistakable.
A report published last week by the European Leadership Network disclosed that close military encounters between Russia and the West are now back at Cold War levels, including the resumption of longrange patrols by nuclearcapable Russian bombers, discontinued in 1992, over the Caribbean. Putin’s disregard for international norms is mirrored at home by his disrespect for individual human and civil rights, the Observer said in an editorial. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)
Aregional management consultant is advocating for a revolution in the Caribbean education system to better serve entrepreneurs.
Curtis Dennie, who was speaking at a seminar in honour of Global Entrepreneurship Week at City View Hotel in Antigua, said the present model was not suited to the present job market and discouraged would-be businesspersons.
While students generally expect to get a job right after jumping through all the required academic hoops, Dennie pointed out that it does not always work that way.
He further noted that while students do attain some level of understanding during their school years, they do not become fully qualified until after they have entered and experienced the workplace.
Without this shift, Dennie said the Region would continue to be plagued by high levels of unemployment.
Management Consultant Curtis Dennie
In his speech, which focused on entrepreneurial sustainability and development through venture capital, Dennie said he also believes that more can be done by Governments to make the Caribbean a more inviting environment for entrepreneurs.
Global Entrepreneurship Week runs from November 17-23 and forms part of the Bridging the Gap project, which is a regional programme funded by Scotiabank. Activities will take place in countries across the Region during the week. (Antigua Observer)
Four Israelis have been killed and eight injured as two men armed with a pistol and meat cleavers attacked a West Jerusalem synagogue, Police say. The attackers, were reportedly Palestinians from East Jerusalem, were shot dead.
There have been several deadly attacks and clashes recently in Jerusalem, which has also seen heightened tension over a disputed holy site.
Israel has vowed to respond “with a heavy hand” to the attack – the deadli-
est in Jerusalem in six years.
Three of the victims were dual IsraeliUS nationals, while the fourth was a dual Israeli-UK citizen. All of the funerals will take place on Tuesday, with some of the ceremonies already underway.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed “incitement” by the militant group Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for the attack.
Abbas’s office issued a statement saying: “The presidency condemns the
attack on Jewish worshippers in their place of prayer and condemns the killing of civilians no matter who is doing it.”
The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said it carried out the synagogue attack.
The attack happened at the Bnei Torah Kehillat Yaakov synagogue and religious seminary site on Harav Shimon Agassi Street – home to a largely Orthodox Jewish community in the Har Nof neighbourhood. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called a snap election for December, and put off a sales tax hike planned for next year, as he seeks a renewed mandate for his all-or-nothing policies to end two decades of economic stagnation.
Despite his attempts to implement those policies, the Japanese economy slipped into a recession in the last quarter after a sales tax increase in April crushed consumer and business spending.
The recession has forced Abe to delay the second sales hike planned for October next year until April 2017.
Abe said on Tuesday that he will dissolve Parliament on Friday and he wants an election as soon as possible, which would be mid-December.
The Prime Minister hopes to gain support from the electorate for his tax decision and for his overall policies of extreme monetary easing, heavy government spending and economic reforms, which have become known as
“Abenomics”.
“I realise this election will be tough, but I need to hear the voice of the people,” Abe told a news conference on Tuesday.
“I will step down if we fail to keep our majority because that would mean our Abenomics is rejected.”
The Government and the Bank of Japan have pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy in the two years since Abe was elected. (Excerpt
India has quarantined a man who was cured of Ebola in Liberia because of the possibility that he may spread the virus through sex.
The man tested negative for Ebola in standard checks when he arrived at Delhi airport.
However, officials said he was being quarantined because the virus was still present in his semen – and could be transmitted by the “sexual route”.
Ebola has killed more than 5000 people this year, mostly in West Africa.
Most of the cases in the latest outbreak – the deadliest ever – have been recorded in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Men who have been successfully treated for the disease are advised against having sex – or to make sure they use a condom – because their semen can still carry traces of the virus for up to
90 days after they have been cured.
The Indian Health Ministry said the man, a 26-year-old Indian national, had arrived in the country on November 10.
He had been carrying documents with him that stated he had been successfully treated for Ebola in Liberia.
He was tested for the disease according to the guide-
lines of the World Health Organisation (WHO). No traces of the virus were found – effectively confirming that he had been cured.
According to a Government press release, however, the man was isolated at Delhi airport “as a matter of abundant caution”.
Semen samples were then taken, which tested positive for the virus. The ministry said the man would
Former rebels now serving in Ivory Coast’s army erected barricades and blocked streets outside barracks across the country on Tuesday in protest over unpaid benefits and bonuses, military and diplomatic sources said.
Ivory Coast, the world’s number one cocoa producer, is still recovering from a decade of political turmoil and a 2011 civil war that saw French- and United Nations-backed rebels topple President Laurent
Gbagbo after his refusal to accept defeat in elections.
Demonstrations broke out at around a half dozen military bases in the commercial capital Abidjan, in the second largest Ivorian city Bouake as well as in Korhogo, Bondoukou and Daloa, a hub of the country’s cocoa industry.
Some of the demonstrating soldiers were demanding promotions and payment of a five million (US$10,000) CFA bonus they say each was promised
three years ago while fighting for the rebels supporting current President Alassane Ouattara.
Others said they have been shortchanged on benefits.
Speaking on state television, Defence Minister Paul Koffi Koffi urged the protesters to return to barracks. He said the Government had agreed to pay overdue travel stipends and housing allowances and to set aside money for soldiers’ health care. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Tania Clarence, 43, of New Malden, southwest London, admitted to the manslaughter of three-year-old twin sons
Ben and Max, and daughter Olivia, aged four, due to diminished responsibility.
The children, who all had type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, were found at their home on April 22.
Justice Sweeney told Clarence she would not be released until she had recuperated from her illness (she was found to be mentally unstable)
was vulnerable at the time, but had been of previous good character and there was “clear and convincing” evidence she was suffering a “major depressive episode”. The court heard the children were found tucked into their beds with toys arranged around their heads.
be kept in isolation until the virus was no longer present in his body.
During sentencing he said the mother had been “overwhelmed” by her family’s situation, including witnessing medical interventions and procedures she felt were unnecessary. He told the court she had a history of mental illness and
During a mitigation hearing, prior to the sentencing, the court heard that after the killings Clarence took painkiller tablets and drank a bottle of wine in a suicide bid. She was discovered at home bleeding and crying. Her husband Gary had taken the couple’s eightyear-old daughter, who is not disabled, on a holiday to South Africa a few days earlier, leaving the mother alone with the other three children in New Malden.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
wednesdAY, november 19, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com
The implementation of a massive cleanup project in Sophia is considered the largest community cleanup to date under the Georgetown aspect of the Guyana Clean-Up My Country initiative.
Last week, contracts were signed with several community representatives from Fields A to E who will overlook the community enhancement programme in Sophia. Due to the size of the community and the magnitude of work to be undertaken, the Fields were divided into 74 blocks which will be manned by, 9 Field Supervisors and 1 Community Coordinator. More than 225 residents will function as Community Enhancement Workers as they embark upon cleaning drains, parapets and alleyways, a release from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development stated.
During this same period a team from the Ministry visited the area to inspect the work, and was pleased with the pace at which the teams were working.
Just a few days after work commenced the work force which is made up of both men and women cleaned several internal drains, primary and secondary canals and de-weeded several alleyways.
During the cleanup up exercise, the teams have informed the Ministry’s personnel that they found several snakes, and they anticipate coming into contact with several more.
One of the female supervisors, who are responsible for the end of D Field, said that the work was welcomed by the residents, but the block she is currently working on is “very risky since there are several illegal electrical connections across the roads that are in contact
with water”.
She further noted, “Much precaution is required when operating in the area”.
According to coordinator, Narine Khublall, “overall, the community will benefit tremendously from this clean-up exercise”. Khublall specified that by cleaning the community, “it will be more hygienic; garbage disposal will be under control; drainage and irrigation systems will be more effective, and more so, thieves will not have anywhere to hide or run to since all of the bushes in the community will be cut down.
Like all other communities which have signed on the programme, cleaning implements, protective gear and disinfectants are provided to the groups.
The Sophia Community Clean-Up Programme is expected to be completed by mid-December. (GINA extract)
Trio accused of cannabis trafficking remanded
Two men and a woman were arraigned on a possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking charge, and remanded to prison by Magistrate Ann McLennan when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday morning.
Julius Joyce, of Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown; and Ziggy Webster and Latoya Osborne of Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara, all pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that on November 14 at Lot 154 Middle Road, they had in their possession 257 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
The court heard that the three defendants were allegedly caught parcelling off the drug in a house when the Police made a surprise raid.
Attorney-at-Law Paul Fung-A-Fat, who represent-
ed Webster and Osborne, told the court, in his bail application, that Osborne was three months pregnant, there was no evidence against his clients, and many persons had access to the home.
Joyce, who represented himself, stated that he was at home sleeping when he got the phone call from a
Trinidadian team expected shortly to finalise agriculture land deal – Minister Ramsammy
Trinidad and Tobago Agriculture Minister is expected to lead a delegation to Guyana before the end of this month, with the hope of finalising the agriculture land deal between the two Caribbean nations.
According to Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, his ministry is currently working out the dates for the delegation to travel and meet.
During that meeting, it is expected that the two ministers will conclude where the visiting team’s interests are, and will allow for both countries to decide on the locations for the land.
“The land will most likely not be at one location, given the fact that the location of land will depend on the crops they are interested in.”
Minister Ramsammy said he was happy to see that very critical steps were being concluded now under this deal.
“It is important for people to realise that while these two governments made that agreement under the Jagdeo Initiative, we are strong in ensuring that the two governments play a facilitating and accommodating role for the private sector.”
The Minister pointed out that the economy of Guyana at this time is driven by the private sector.
“All of our governments have persisted with the
Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
notion of the private sector driving the economy. Agriculture has always been almost in control of the private sector…and therefore this agreement is focused on utilising the private sector to take advantage of the initiative for us to advance Guyana and CARICOM’s agriculture.”
The Minister pointed out that this project will pattern the Santa Fe rice project in Region 9, which can be considered the first and largest agriculture project under the Jagdeo initiative.
In the interim the Minister said, he has been advised that the Trinidadian partners have already sought to mobilise investors to utilse the ten thousand acres of land that Guyana had agreed and continue to have interest for Trinidad to develop.
“The two ministers have been meeting over a period of time that resulted in the MOU in early 2013. This MOU has been featured in the budget debates in Trinidad in 2013 and 2014. There are a number of things we have done as part of that agreement.”
Further the Trinidadian government undertook to mobilise its private sector to come to Guyana and make use of the land provided as it was partly intended to produce crops for products which that country at present imports from outside the Caribbean.
“The intention is to use Guyana as an export base to Trinidad and Tobago so whilst technically it will still be importing, it would be doing so from businesses owned by Trinidadians, and therefore retain the regional movement of integrating the economy.”
Last September, Guyana and Trinidad signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the release of land to investors and farmers of the twin island republic. The agreement addresses several areas including programmes and activities, core areas of cooperation, monitoring and coordinating mechanism, mutual responsibility, commitments and rights and obligations. (GINA extract)
Two gunmen were on Tuesday apprehended after they attempted to rob a popular businesswoman at La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara.
According to information received, the two men, who were armed with handguns, reportedly tailed Jasdai Persaud, 37, of Cherry Field, LBI after she had transacted business at a city bank on Tuesday morning.
friend telling him to come by and visit him at the said address. He noted that after he went, about half an hour later, the Police came. The defendant claimed that he did not know anyone who lives in the house.
The trio will return to court on November 24 before Magistrate Judy Latchman.
The Guyana Times understands that the two men rode up on a motorcycle, held her up, and demanded the bag containing the cash.
As the men left the premises, they were confronted by the victim’s husband, who retreated after a shot was discharged in his direction.
The perpetrators fled the scene on the motorcycle, but were pursued by a relative of the victim in a motor car, during which time the perpetrators lost control of the motorcycle and fell.
They were arrested by the Police who responded to the report of a robbery and are under guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
An unlicensed .32 re-
volver with four rounds and a spent shell, along with some of the stolen cash, have been recovered by the Police.
The Police, in a recent statement, said at the end of October 2014, robberies under arms increased by eight per cent in comparison to the same period in 2013.
The statistics indicate an increase of 13 per cent in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms; and a one per cent decrease in armed robberies where instruments other than firearms were used.
Colwyn Harding recovering from surgery
Colwyn Harding is slowly recovering after a major surgery which was successfully completed at the St Joseph Mercy hospital on Saturday. Harding was removed from the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital after the two million dollar surgery resulted in the removal of the colostomy bag from his stomach.
He was rushed to the hospital after complaining of being well and experiencing severe stomach pains over the past few days. Some of his intestines also began to protrude from a party of his body.
Speaking with the Guyana Times on Tuesday, Harding explained that he has been wearing a colostomy bag since the surgery he underwent last year at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
He said that this bag had allowed him to pass out excrement, as he was unable to do so through normal means since November 2013.
Harding explained that despite the insertion of the bag, he continued to experience a significant amount of pain and discomfort.
While the private medical institution, the doctors there explained the seriousness of his condition and the fact that a risky surgery was the only way to achieve results and relief. The surgery took about eight hours. The young man says the worry now is the hospital fee.
He shared with this publication that he had to be prepared for surgery and that would be a charge, as well as the surgery and his stay at the hospital.
He said that when it became too much and unbearable, his mother decided to seek medical assistance at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital.
wednesday, november 19, 2014 | guyanatimesgy.com
Four persons including a teenager are now in police custody and assisting with the investigation into the fatal shooting of Richard Dey.
Dey’s body was found in a pool of blood Saturday evening in New Amsterdam.
The 40-year-old of Mount Sinai, New Amsterdam, Region Six resident is believed to have been executed as a result of illegal activities.
His body was found with a suspected bullet wound to his head and a laceration to the throat.
Police sources on Tuesday confirmed that new evidence revealed that a cellular phone was removed
from the crime scene before the alarm was raised.
A student of the New Amsterdam Technical Institute was the first person to notice Dey’s lifeless body lying on the ground in a track close to his home.
The student had reported to police that after his discovery he went to the dead man’s home about sixty meters away and reported it to his wife.
Meanwhile, police on Tuesday arrested a teenager and another man.
The teenager reportedly had the SIM card from the missing cellular phone which police believe can provide vital evidence in their investigation.
On Monday police also arrested two men, one of whom was is a close friend on the now dead man.
Sources close to the dead man on Sunday told this publication that he had owed large sums on money to persons who he transported and delivered merchandise for in the Berbice River area.
The body has been taken to the Anthony’s Funeral Home at Fort Wellington, where it is awaiting a post mortem examination by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehal Singh.
Dey leaves to morn his wife and two children ages one and six as police continues their investigation.
Resumption of Parliament will not solve problems
While the Government and Private Sector continue to apply pressure on the Opposition for dialogue with the Executive so that Parliament can be resumed as early as possible, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) says that this will not solve the political stalemate.
GHRA said that if Guyana’s legislators return to Parliament there will be little difference when compared to the situation that has plagued the National Assembly for the past three years and ultimately resulted in the prorogation of Parliament.
“If the widely sought unconditional return to Parliament is achieved, the depressing likelihood is resumption of the turgid, unproductive process we have witnessed for the past three years, with the No-Confidence Vote and prorogation scenarios lurking continuously in the wings,” said GHRA.
It noted that while this scenario also holds the possibility of a successful Vote of No-Confidence taking place which will catapult Guyana into General and Regional Elections, it would occur under the “same rotten electoral system which has bedevilled political solutions in Guyana for the past 60 years.”
In a release issued to the media on Monday, GHRA contended that “the current political impasse is the result of neither Government nor Opposition having accepted the implications of minority Government, and continuing to view themselves as the sole repre-
sentatives of the will of the people. The result has been three years of fractious, fruitless infighting. Similar inflexible posturing is evident in the postprorogue period.”
The organization underscored that this situation has generated “public annoyance and bewilderment over how to set about rectifying the crisis. In stable democracies what is transpiring here could be absorbed without major cost.
"In our brittle political culture, however, such tactics become threatening and destructive.”
With this in mind, the GHRA put forth two proposals that the political actors here could consider on moving Guyana out of its current state.
These two proposals rest on two premises, the first being that the current problem is not episodic, it is systemic, rooted ultimately in the failure in 2001 to complete constitutional, particularly electoral, reform.
The second premise is that victory for one side of the political divide alone will not generate a longterm stable solution.
“Much of the work of reform was already completed and approved by the Constitutional Reform Commission in 2001 for complete implementation by 2006.
"When that deadline passed, complete implementation, including constituency boundaries, was enshrined in a Memorandum of understanding ratified formally by the major political parties and the Governments of the
The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) professionals from both the private and public sectors have organised a public seminar and exhibition for students in observance of GIS Day.
These events will be held at the University of Guyana (UG) Turkeyen Campus today with an opening ceremony at 09:00h at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre (GWLT). The exhibition will be held on the university’s tarmac.
GIS is being held under the theme “Discovering the World through GIS”. It is aimed at building enthusiasm among Guyana’s geography students to expose them to this relatively new field and career.
The planned programme
includes GIS presentations followed by viewing of exhibitions where local agencies such as Government, NGOs and private will display and demonstrate their use of GIS and related technologies. The GIS Day Committee will also be hosting a Geography Quiz Competition, GPS Treasure Hunt and will offer Spot Prizes and Give-Aways for the participating students.
GIS is a computer-based mapping tool that takes information from a database about a location such as streets, buildings, water features and terrain and turns it into visual layers. GIS allows for the visualization, questioning, analyzing and interpretation of data to understand relationships, patterns, and trends. GIS ben-
efits organizations of all sizes and in almost every industry.
GIS Day is an international educational event that enables Geographic Information Systems (GIS) users and vendors to open their doors to schools, businesses, and the general public to showcase real-world applications of GIS. The GIS Day committee was formed in 2013 by a group of GIS professionals belonging to the public, NGO’s and private sector within the country. The first GIS Day exhibition in Guyana was held last November, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, where a commitment was made to continue observing this international event annually in order to raise awareness of the field.
TUnited States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union for implementation in the 2011 elections, which became a second failed deadline.”
A second proposal relates to the role civil society might play in the constitutional reform process.
This aspect of the proposal is that a civic constituent assembly that would be implemented “to support and accompany the parliamentary reform agenda in terms of expertise, developing proposals, and conducting popular education around the reforms”.
he Ministry of Home Affairs will be looking to recoup outstanding fees for traffic tickets that were issued for the years 2013 and 2014.
In a release on Tuesday, the Ministry said that it is currently in the process of reconciling all traffic tickets that were issued by the Guyana Police Force and corresponding payments on fines to the Magistrates’ Courts for the last two years.
The Home Affairs Ministry disclosed that there are a number of motorists who have not been paying their fines as such action will be taken to ensure that this is done. “On completion of the reconciliation exercise, the Ministry will be instituting measures to recoup outstanding fines,” the min-
istry stated.
Additionally, the release further advised those delinquent motorists who still have unpaid traffic tickets to ensure that the same is paid without any delay otherwise contest the tickets in Court.
Only two weeks ago, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said that the State is being robbed of billions by motorists who do not pay ticket fines. He noted that tougher sanctions would have to be taken to address this and the overall traffic situation.
Thus far, there have been a total of 104 accidents with 113 road fatalities at the end of October, 2014.
However during the month of November, nine persons have lost their lives from nine fatal accidents.
According to the police, pedestrians have been the main victims off road fatalities with some 50 of them having lost their lives at the end of October. In addition 20 motor cyclists, 16 pedal cyclists, 11 drivers, 15 persons travelling in motor vehicles and 1 person being towed on a bicycle also lost their lives during this year. The police stated that speeding continues to be a major contributing factor to fatal accidents and was listed as the cause of 65 of the 104 fatal accidents recorded.
Some 58,654 cases have been made out against errant motorists up to October; of this figure 16,126 cases were for speeding. Traffic enforcement by the police has resulted in a total.
Dear Editor,
I have had the distinct displeasure of reading an article in the Kaieteur News headlined, “Estate Manager attempts to urinate on Police”, and must chide you on your newspaper’s continual publication of sensationalism where I am concerned.
Let me lend clarity to your misconceptions since it behooves me that even before such a publication, no attempt was made by your newspaper to contact me for verification.
Firstly, I was never at “The Grill” on November 15 nor was I in the company of
the Agriculture Manager.
Secondly, to insinuate that I attempted to urinate on the Police is grossly disrespectful not only to me, but also the Police. Anyone who would attempt to do so would be incarcerated and charged accordingly.
Thirdly, if I were under the influence of alcohol, would the Police allow me to drive under such influence?
Please do not underscore the integrity of the Police.
Let me assure you that the Administration of the Estate and the Police at Corriverton share a decent relationship where there is
mutual respect for each other.
Further, the Estate has and will always continue to foster good relationships with the Police since we need them as much as they need us.
I, therefore, refute your article and charge that it is slanderous and personally damaging to me. In closing, I would ask that you desist from any such publication in the future.
D Kumar Estate Manager
Dear Editor,
In responding to an interview published in other sections of the media, Hamilton Green is reported to have said, “If Forbes Burnham did not die unexpectedly on August 6, 1985, the People’s National Congress (PNC) and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) would have merged or at least have a national front government in order to work in the interest of the Guyanese community”.
I can say for sure that Green is not speaking the truth. This would have never happened, with Green, Ptotelmy Reid and Eusi Kwayana in the PNC. They divided the country racially, morally, culturally and took away the value of Guyanese people.
Desmond Hoyte as Vice President under Forbes Burnham had embarked on talks with the opposition PPP attempting to achieve a national unity formula to deal with the country’s problems.
Green was no part of trying to bring people together. Burnham and Hoyte wanted to get the confidence of the Indians.
I was in Guyana when Vincent Teekah was killed. I am very close to the family. I was told that Teekah wasn’t liked by certain high ranking members of the PNC, including Green and Reid.
They knew Burnham was keeping Teekah very close to him in his Administration. Burnham believed in Teekah and he (Teekah) was Burnham’s right hand man in certain decisions in the party. Burnham sent Teekah to
Cuba for him to get a better understanding of socialism.
It so happened that there was to be a protest march at Linden against the PNC Administration. Burnham called a PNC Cabinet meeting to discuss the problem. At the meeting, there were calls to shoot at the protesters.
Teekah told them that if they shoot at the protesters, they will shoot their own PNC members. Burnham immediately agreed with Teekah’s advice and told them not to do any shooting. Such events made Teekah an enemy to most of the PNC Cabinet members. They felt Burnham was listening to Teekah.
I was told by Teekah’s eldest sister (deceased) that, on the night when he was killed, he visited her and told her that he was going to Camp Ayangana, GDF for a dental check-up, to be done by an American dentist, arranged for officers of the Government on a periodical basis , and that it was his turn.
There was a person (officer) waiting for him outside to take him to the GDF compound, and that was the last she saw her brother alive.
No one knew what happened after he visited his sister. It was all arranged, probably by the ‘Axe Man’ to get rid of Teekah, because he was being lined up by Burnham to be the next Prime Minister.
Over Teekah’s dead body at the funeral in Camp Ayangana, Burnham promised to get the person or persons involved in the killing of Teekah. Widespread
Opposition wears perfectly the tag of ‘undemocratic’ and ‘dictatorial’
Dear Editor,
I quote verbatim: “It is important to remember that while the prorogation mechanism has been with us since Independence, the NoConfidence power, enjoyed by the Opposition, was only inserted in the Constitution, during the 1999-2000 Constitutional process.
“This process was engineered by and took place under the tenure of a PPP/C Administration, in our quest to enhance our democratic process and conferring greater power to our Parliament.”
This comment was made by the Attorney-General recently.
And secondly, what intentions do they have?
Let me make it clear that the Guyana Constitution clearly provides for prorogation of Parliament, and President Ramotar clearly functioned within his legal ambits. As per law, the proclamation was published in the Official Gazette, as is required under the General Clauses of the Laws of Guyana.
allegations ever since have implicated PNC members in Teekah’s assassination.
Teekah’s assassination joined a list of people killed under suspicious circumstances in Guyana in the 1970s and early 1980s. These assassinations, murders and mysterious deaths were never investigated or probed. There was no investigation in Teekah’s case.
Commission Members at the Rodney Commission of Inquiry have so far found with shock the vast amount of records missing from the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defense Force. Various files could not be found to show that there was an effective or efficient investigation into any of the persons assassinated.
With Rodney and Teekah, it was all planned. With Shirley Field Ridley, it was the same. At that time, Field Ridley was said to be having an affair with a boxing champion. So she had to be exterminated from society before it caused someone embarrassment.
Green’s interview could not be a truthful one. He at no time ever tried to reach out to the PPP to achieve national unity.
Green wanted the leadership of the country. Burnham knew he would have led it to nowhere. Green was disappointed that Hoyte was given the job as Prime Minister before him. Now as Mayor, the City of Georgetown is in a mess.
Sincerely, S N Singh
In reality, this effectively silences any claim that the PPP/C Government is being undemocratic and dictatorial. First, the November 10 decision taken by President Ramotar is most constitutional, yet I am hearing a lot of senseless verbiage and controversies, with all of them being most untenable.
Judging from what I am hearing and from whom the comments are coming, I have to ask myself two questions: First, what kind of legal minds do the two Opposition parties have?
By way of informing, prorogation is a (temporary) suspension of the sittings of Parliament. Dissolution, on the other hand means termination; this would have been the irreversible consequence of the No-Confidence Motion that the two opposition groups had in mind. I get the impression that these people are giddy and in a daze; they cannot be that dumb not to be able to understand simple legal and layman’s English.
As for evil intentions and the whole topic of dictatorship and being undemocratic, what about the ‘our way or no way’ stance as regards dialogue with Government? Many times the Opposition made calls for dialogue, claiming that they are interested there in – well now is
a good opportunity for them to deliver. Instead, what the nation is getting are actual threats. The Opposition is calling for protests, clearing showing a side that is wholly different from that of PPP/C. It should be recalled that when the idea of the NoConfidence Motion was posited, the PPP/C did not resort to threats and promises of disruption via protest actions. The PPP/C in fact recognised this constitutional provision and respected it; no less should be expected of the opposition at this time. Parallel to Guyana’s economic and infrastructural progress is the ever increasing maturity of the people. The people know that it would be foolish to resort to rashness and indiscretion, and for an unjustified cause too. Guyana has come a far way and the whims and fancies of a few peeved souls should not be allowed to galvanise any form of support. So far so good – I hail my fellow Guyanese.
Sincerely, Irshad
Abrahim
Dear Editor,
The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to inform the general public that it is in the process of reconciling traffic tickets issued by the Guyana Police Force and the corresponding fines paid by motorists to the Magistrates’ Courts for the
years 2013 and 2014.
From the information gleaned thus far, quite a number of motorists have not been paying their fines.
On completion of the reconciliation exercise, the Ministry will be instituting measures to recoup outstanding fines. Those delinquent motorists who still have unpaid traffic tickets are advised to pay the required fines without delay or contest those tickets in Court.
Submitted by Home Affairs Ministry
Dear Editor
It is expected that a judge adopt near flawless practices and policies in any case. All considerations should be bi-partisan in nature when handling matters before you; these are standard procedures in any case.
Transparency and accountability are critical and essential attributes in safeguarding the integrity of your court. Whenever these are compromised there would be flawed and biased conclusions.
I make these statements based on the decision made by a judge in a recent matter. The judge presided over a civil lawsuit in which the case concluded with the judge ruling in the defendant's favour.
What is very clear is that this judge was the best defense for the defendant. In every respect the ruling shows collusion with the
defense. So, let me ask the question, is this a judge's role?
When you can so blatantly disregard the evidence of witnesses for the plaintiffs tells me that something else is at work here other than the rule of law. And this is my point, when a judge can be so flippant in a ruling, it brings home the message that something else is at work here.
When a judge can be so biased towards a lying defendant, then it opens the floodgates for corruption. Poor judgment and an improper review of the facts has led this judge into a horrible decision.
The point is, how could you be so wrong when there is a mountain of evidence that gives a contrasting view to that given by the lone witness of the defendant. The preponderance of evidence for the plaintiffs
gives a clear understanding of the case which should have guided the learned judge into a fair trial and an accurate decision.
Instead of making the judgment based on the rule of law, the judge blatantly disregarded pertinent facts and made the most outrageous decision ever. I am most confident that the appellate court would see these glaring anomalies and throw the ruling out.
I am also writing to let others so aggrieved by the biased ruling of a judge to come forward and make their grievances known.
I know that Guyana has a shortage of judges, but if this is all we've got then heaven help us. Justice, fairness and balance, which we are accustomed to, would have met a sudden demise.
Respectfully submitted, Neil Adams
B y R ajiv B isnauth
Guyana Jaguars
Head Coach Esaun
Crandon says his team cannot afford to be complacent heading into Friday’s start of the second round in the 2014/2015 West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League (WICB PCL) Franchise FourDay Tournament against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
The Jaguars whipped the visiting Leewards Islands by an innings and 10 runs inside three days in the opening round, and are understandably brimming with confidence.
“It’s good to win the first game, but we can’t get complacent,” Crandon said during an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
“We have played well as
a team. It’s still early days as we have played just one game; there is lot of cricket left in this tournament.
We still have nine games to go, but it is good to have a win under the belt,” the Berbician pointed out.
effort in winning the first game on Sunday.
posed a total of 343 all out in 126.5 overs, with Narsingh Deonarine hitting an unbeaten 110. Leeward Islands were then tumbled to a paltry 94 all out from 47.1 overs in their first innings and were asked to follow on.
The Leewards showed improvement in their second innings and made 239 all out off 79.4 overs.
“It was great all-round team performance,” added Crandon.
“The batting was outstanding; especially Deonarine, and the bowlers all did a splendid job, so maintaining the momentum will be the main aim going forward.”
No changes have been made to the Guyana Jaguars squad for Friday’s game.
The 13-man squad reads: Leon Johnson
Effort
Meanwhile, Crandon praised his side’s all-round
The former national fast bowler said that his side’s batting had really set the game up from the start and that the bowlers had also done a sterling job for the side.
Batting first, Guyana
(Captain); Assad Fudadin (Vice Captain); Rajindra Chandrika;
Shivnarine Chanderpaul; Narsingh Deonarine; Raymond Reifer; Anthony Bramble (wicketkeeper); Christopher Barnwell; Veerasammy Permaul; Devendra Bishoo; Ronsford Beaton; Vishal Singh; and Trevon Griffith.
Points standing
Meanwhile, the Guyana Jaguars are on top of the points table with 17 points, followed by Jamaica Franchise with 16; Barbados Pride, 8; Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, 5; Windward Islands Volcanoes, 3; and Leeward Islands, 2.
Bonus points
Bonus points are award-
ed only for performances in the first 110 overs of each team’s first innings only and retained whatever the result of the match.
A maximum of five batting points will be awarded based on runs scored by each team as follows: 200 to 249 runs – 1 point; 250 to 299 runs – 2 points; 300 to 349 runs – 3 points; 350 to 399 runs – 4 points and 400 runs or over – 5 points.
A maximum of three bowling points will be awarded based on wickets taken by each team as follows: 3 to 5 wickets taken –1 point; 6 to 8 wickets taken – 2 points and 9 to 10 wickets taken – 3 points.
Dear Editor, The final of the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) organised U-19 40-over game played at the Better Hope Community Centre on November 16 deserves to be deemed an upliftment for East Coast cricket. With our youths vying for greater heights, skills and talent were exhibited at the highest level and well
appreciated by the numbers that turned out to support.
It’s certain that no one would remember all those exciting cover drives, hits over the bowler’s head for six, and excellent fielding, since it was all daunted by poor umpiring. The comedians of the day were the two umpires, who took everything away from the players in their act of
selfishness. These umpires will be remembered for a very long time now that they have created an indelible mark on the minds present.
I’m still upset that the umpires were not nominated for man of the match for their spectacular performances.
From an umpire’s point of view, I would agree, decision making is never easy,
but one of this nature is baffling. The ball was hit to longon and was caught by the fielder. The batsman was unmoved and requested that the umpire confirm whether it’s six or out. The umpire went to the boundary to verify and signalled six to the scorers indicating that the fielder caught the ball in the boundary, but the shocker
was after he took a few steps in, he changed his decision and rendered the batsman out.
This umpire could not have been influenced by the TV umpire to change his decision, since the facility was not available.
With the entire ECCB executive present, a blunder of this kind must have been an embarrassment.
For too long East Coast cricket has suffered from umpires not turning up for matches, poor umpiring, and lack of trust. This should serve as a wake-up call for the East Coast Umpires Association to act in ways to bring disciplinary action against favouritism.
Sincerely, M Azimullah
As part of the mandate of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) and the National Sport Commission (NSC) in promoting sport at the school and community levels, schools in the Mahaicony area will be involved in a one-day coaching programme today at the Fairfield Community Centre Ground.
The clinic is for both genders and is part of the Ministry’s efforts to continue to enlighten students on the basics of cricket, selfconfidence and discipline.
According to Coach Daniel Richmond , the schools which are expected to be part of today’s programme are De Hoop, Carlton Hall, Zealand, Novar, Mahaicony, Mortice and Calcutta
Daniel Richmond
Primaries along with Novar and Mahaicony Secondary Schools.
The session starts at 09:00h. After the programme, a competition will be organised among the schools.
Ty Lawson scored 24 points, Arron Afflalo added 23 and the Denver Nuggets ended the Cavaliers’ four-game winning streak with a 10697 victory Monday night in Cleveland.
Denver took the lead for good early in the third quarter and was up by as many as 14 points midway through the fourth.
LeBron James, who missed the morning shootaround because of a cold, led Cleveland with 22 points.
The Nuggets limped into the game having lost seven of eight games and were coming off a loss to the Knicks on Sunday in which they made one field goal in the second quarter.
Denver looked like a different team against Cleveland, placing five players in double figures.
Timofey Mozgov had 14 points and 11 rebounds for Denver. Darrell Arthur scored 14, and Wilson Chandler added 12.
Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters each scored 20 points for the Cavs.
GRIZZLIES 119, ROCKETS 93 Mike Conley scored 19 points, and Memphis easily defeated visiting Houston in a matchup of the teams with the N.B.A.’s best records.
Whatever showdown was expect-
West Indies Women suffered an excruciating 148 run clobbering at the hands of Australia Women in the fourth and final One Day international here on Tuesday.
The defeat meant the West Indies Women finished the series winless as the Australians revel in a fournil series white wash on the heels of similar success in the preceding four-match Twenty20 series.
A promising start by West Indies on the hunt to surpass a challenging 275 for five back-fired on the misfortune of a spectacular batting collapse at the Bradman Oval.
Hayley Matthews, with three half centuries already to her credit, top scored with 37 as the Caribbean girls reached 104 for 2 in the 18th over before the crash.
Matthews faced 47 balls accounting for seven fours and a six while Britney Cooper smashed 33 from 47 balls including three sixes and two fours.
Deandra Dottin chipped in with 27 from 14 balls hitting three fours and two sixes before she was caught.
West Indies lost eight wickets for 23 runs, with Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry destroying the middle and lower order, sharing
seven wickets between them to skittle West Indies in 24.5 overs.
Half centuries from Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry powered Australia to a huge total as they continued their rampaging form against their Caribbean rivals.
Lanning struck 12 fours in her 84 off 79 balls, while Perry was unbeaten on 74 off 75 deliveries and Jess Jonassen struck 38 off 25 balls in an aggressive finish to the innings.
Stafanie Taylor, Subrina Munroe, Anisa Mohammed and Shakera Selman each picked up a wicket for West Indies.
Perry was named player of the match and player of the series. (Windies Cricket)
Australia Women
N Bolton run out (Dottin) 28
E Villani c Cooper b Munroe 16
M Lanning* c Matthews b Selman 84
J Cameron c Munroe b Mohammed 9
E Perry not out 74
A Healy+ c Munroe b Taylor 1
J Jonassen not out 38
Total: 275/5 (50 Overs)
Extras: (lb 5, w 20) 25
Did not Bat: E Osborne, K Beams, J Hunter, M Schutt.
Fall of Wickets: 1-41 (Villani, 13.6 ov), 2-78 (Bolton, 20.2 ov), 3-93 (Cameron, 24.3 ov), 4-196 (Lanning, 40.6 ov), 5-201 (Healy, 41.4 ov).
West Indies Women Bowling:
D Dottin 9-0-51-0, S Taylor
8-3-28-1, S Munroe 10-050-1, S Connell 4-0-28-0, A Mohammed 7-0-43-1, H Matthews 6-0-33-0, S Quintyne 1-0-11-0, S Selman 5-0-26-1.
West Indies Women (Target; 276)
Kycia A Knight c Beams b
ed from the two 9-1 teams never materialized as Memphis took a 16-point lead in the first quarter and extended it in each of the remaining periods, until the margin reached 36 points in the fourth. Seven players finished in double figures for the Gizzlies, who won
their fourth straight.
SPURS 100, 76ERS 75 Matt Bonner had 18 points, and host San Antonio handed Philadelphia its 10 straight loss.
Tim Duncan had 16 points and 9 rebounds and Kawhi Leonard had 5 points and 11 rebounds in limited action. Cory Joseph added 14 points for San Antonio (6-4), which never trailed. Duncan played 16 minutes and Tony Parker 18.
MAVERICKS 107, HORNETS 80 Monta Ellis scored 18 points, Chandler Parsons had 17, and Dallas defeated host Charlotte for the Mavericks’ fourth straight win.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 13 points to become the fourth player in N.B.A. history to eclipse 27,000 career points with the same franchise, joining a prestigious group that includes the Hornets owner Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant.
MAGIC 107, PISTONS 93 Tobias Harris scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter as visiting Orlando pulled away late to beat Detroit. Nikola Vucevic finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Magic, who had all five starters in double figures. (New York Times)
Guyana Jaguars and the Jamaica franchise have established themselves as early front runners at the end of the opening round of the WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) which concluded on Monday.
However the Jaguars hold a slender one point lead by picking up one more batting point than their Jamaican rivals in the revamped first class tournament set to run for four months.
Guyana Jaguars beat Leewards Franchise by an innings and 10 runs inside three days at the Guyana National Stadium while the Jamaica Franchise defeated
Jonassen 6
H Matthews c Lanning b Hunter 37
B Cooper c Beams b Perry 33
D Dottin c Bolton b Schutt 27
S Taylor b Perry 5
S Quintyne b Schutt 1
M Aguilleira*+ b Schutt 3
A Mohammed c Lanning b Perry 12
S Connell b Schutt 0
S Munroe not out 0
S Selman absent hurt -
Total:127 All Out (24.5 Overs) Extras: (lb 1, w 2) 3
Fall of Wickets: 1-15 (Kycia
A Knight, 1.3 ov), 2-49 (Matthews, 10.5 ov), 3-104 (Dottin, 17.4 ov), 4-104 (Cooper, 18.2 ov), 5-111 (Taylor, 20.1 ov), 6-114 (Aguilleira, 21.4 ov), 7-123 (Quintyne, 23.2 ov), 8-123 (Connell, 23.6 ov), 9-127 (Mohammed, 24.5 ov).
Australia Women Bowling: J Hunter 7-0-40-1, J Jonassen 4-1-14-1, E Osborne 2-0-8-0, K Beams 2-0-23-0, E Perry 5.50-23-3, M Schutt 4-1-18-4.
Windwards Volcanoes by 13 runs also inside three days at Sabina Park.
Jaguars sit at the top of the table on 17 points which include two for batting and three for bowling while the Jamaicans are one point behind having also collected three points for bowling and one for batting.
While Guyana and Jamaica enjoyed outright victories, Barbados Pride were not that fortunate as rain wrecked their chances of pushing for victory against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force after they dominated for the better part of four days.
Despite the opening round setback, the champi-
ons have finished the first round in third position on 8 points picking up two batting points and three bowling points along the way.
Red Force with five points are fourth, the Windwards are fifth with three points while the Leewards lie bottom of the standings on two points.
The PCL enters its second round on Friday with Guyana Jaguars playing Windwards Volcanoes at the Guyana National Stadium, Leewards Franchise take on T&T Red Force at Warner Park and Barbados Pride face Jamaica Franchise at Windward Sports Club. (Windies Cricket)
Bidding to host the Olympic Games is to be made cheaper and easier, the International Olympic Committee has said. The IOC has put together a list of 40 recommendations designed to improve future Games.
They range from increasing the number of sports, to allowing events to be held outside the host country or city.
The IOC will vote on the proposals at a meeting in Monaco on 8 and 9
December.
Other recommendations include women making up 50% of the athletes taking part in the Games, and capping the number of athletes and coaches.
IOC president Thomas Bach said: “These 40 recommendations are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. When you put them together, a picture emerges that shows the IOC safeguarding the uniqueness of the Olympic Games and strengthening sport in society.”
The recommendation on reducing bidding costs includes cutting the number of presentations potential hosts will be allowed to make, as well as a financial contribution from the IOC.
(BBC Sport)
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Under the terms of the most expensive deal in United
States sporting history, the 25-year-old slugger will earn £16m per year, £307,692 per week, £1,831.50 per hour and £30.53 per minute.
It is a particularly stunning headline figure given that the Marlins’ payroll for their entire 25-man roster in
world champion is known as ‘Money Mayweather’ for a reason.
According to the Forbes 2014 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, the 37-yearold earned approximately £67m ($105m) from fights against Saul Alvarez and Marcos Maidana.
He is only the second sportsman or sportswoman to break the $100m (£64m) barrier, after golfer Tiger Woods, despite having no personal endorsements.
Mayweather signed a 30-month, six-fight deal with pay-per-view broadcasters Showtime in 2013 and tops the list.
Forbes say he has earned almost £255m ($400m) in the ring since he turned professional in 1996.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese forward, 29, is second in the Forbes list, with an estimated annual salary of £33.2m topped up by endorsements worth £17.9m.
Ronaldo signed a new five-year contract with Real Madrid in September 2013. He has scored 275 goals in 262 games for the Champions League holders.
Tiger Woods
Woods, 38, topped the Forbes’ list for 12 consecutive years until 2011 but his earnings have suffered a significant drop since he was engulfed by scandal in his per-
2014 was only £33.4m with Stanton’s previous contract with them worth just over £4m annually.
The value of the deal makes it a Major League Baseball record, although the £187m ($292m) 10-year contract Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera signed in March pays more annually.
BBC Sport looks at how Stanton compares to a selection of sport’s highest earners.
Floyd Mayweather
The unbeaten five-division
Roger Federer
The winner of 17 Grand Slam titles, it is a keenly-contested debate as to whether the 33-year-old Swiss is the greatest tennis player of all time, but he is almost certainly the most beloved and his worldwide popularity has contributed to his vast earnings.
Seventh on the Forbes list, Federer’s income was approximately £35.9m, with £33.2m from endorsements and £2.7m from his achievements on a tennis court.
Lewis Hamilton
The 29-year-old Briton’s current annual salary is $31m (£19.8m) without including bonuses and endorsements.
However, if the Mercedes driver wins his second Formula 1 World Championship on Sunday, he can expect his earnings to in-
crease substantially.
Wayne Rooney
The Manchester United and England striker’s latest contract, signed in February this year, is relatively close to the deal signed by Stanton, with the 29-year-old earning roughly £46.50 per hour less than the Miami Marlins man.
Rooney is thought to earn up to £300,000 a week, £1,785 every hour and just under £30 every minute.
If he saw out the length of the five-and-a-half-year deal, it will earn him more than £70m.
Forbes has his annual income at £15m, with £11.8m from his salary and £3.2m from endorsements.
Usain Bolt
The six-time Jamaican Olympic gold medallist, 28, has estimated earnings of £14.8m, almost all of which came through endorsements. German sportswear company Puma provide his main sponsorship, worth approximately £6.4m annually. (BBC Sport)
sonal life in 2009.
The loss of sponsors such as Accenture and EA Sports hit his bottom line, while increasing injury problems have limited his tournament play and contributed to a downturn in results.
However, despite failing to win a major tournament since 2008, Woods is still sixth in the Forbes ranking with a total income of approximately £39.1m, £35.1m of which comes from endorsements and £4m from salary and winnings.
Despite the omission of the feature ‘D’ and Lower race, the Bush Lot United Turf Club (BLUTC) one-day horse race meet held last Sunday at Sea View Park, Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice was a huge success, according to coordinator Lakeram Sukhdeo.
the races are as follows:
The ‘F’ and Lower –Captain Crook, Rosetta, Right to Rule
Romeo, Royal Passion.
COrganisers of the oneday horse race meet were left with no alternative but to reduce the programme to six races after the feature ‘D’ class race could not acquire the required number of entries.
The Two-year-old Guyana and West Indianbred animals – Its My Choice, Gold De Kova, She Running Hard
The G ‘3’ and Lower –Settling Jet, Top of the Line, Weekend Surprise
They were also forced to shelve the race for Threeyear-old Guyana and West Indies bred animals because of inadequate entries. Meanwhile, results from
The ‘I’ class match-up – Marian, Red Jet, Famous Pride.
The ‘J’ class – De Gump, Red Jet, Another Storm.
The ‘K’ class – Gray Boy,
The Jumbo Jet Stable ran away with the champion stable award with three wins and a second-place finish. Jockey Colin Ross was again adjudged the top jockey with two wins and a second-place finish. Trainer Carlton “Black Mouth” Pluck was the top trainer on show.
Over 50 horses took part in the day’s activity where close to $6 million in prizes and trophies were distributed.
Port Mourant Training Centre (PMTC) defeated Port Mourant Jaguars when the two teams clashed in the final of the second annual Rollers Old Boys Lien Volleyball Competition on Sunday at the Port Mourant Community Centre Hardcourt.
PMTC without their star players won the final 3-1, the scores were 25-23, 2325, 25-21 and 25-13.
Organised by the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA), the competition attracted three teams: PMTC, Port Mourant Jaguars and
Berbice Under-19. The preliminary stage was played on a two-bestof-three, round-robin basis with the top two clashing in a three-best-of-five final.
Earlier in the preliminary matches played in blistering sunshine and high winds, Port Mourant Jaguars defeated PMTC 2-1 (25-21,19-25,15-10).
PMTC defeated Berbice Under-19, 2-0 (25-18, 26-24) and Port Mourant Jaguars also defeated the Berbice Under-19 team 2-0 (25-21, 25-22).
Before the presentation ceremony, the Red Under-16
team defeated the Blue Under-16 team in an exhibition game 25-18.
At the presentation ceremony, Clifton Phillips, Captain of Rollers Volleyball Club, in his remarks, expressed disappointment that the present Rollers team did not participate and also lamented the poor turnout of clubs.
However, he said he was impressed with the standard of play, and he would encourage the Rollers Old Boys to continue their sponsorship.
BVA President Gregory Rambarran also expressed
disappointment with the poor turnout of teams, and took the opportunity to thank the Rollers Old Boys for their sponsorship.
Jason Seelochan received the best setter trophy, while Trevon McRae won the best Spiker trophy. The BVA also presented a medal to Trevon McRae for being the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
ourtland All Stars and No 64 Fighting Marines both won the final preliminary match of their respective zones and, in the process, are through to the play-offs of the New Building Society (NBS) second division 40-over cricket competition in Berbice.
Below are the summarised scores from the matches played recently: At Fyrish, Courtland All Stars beat Fyrish by 10 runs. Courtland All Stars 238-6 in 34.4 overs.
(Michael Cummings 65 notout, Leroy Bristol 62, Eon Gibson 42, Omran Alli 2-24, Yuvindra Chinapen 2-30). Fyrish 228 in 34.4 overs. (Chandradat Roopnarine 79, Munilall Shivdyal 54, Travis Williams 4-38, Eon Gibson 2-22, Michael Cummings 2-29).
At No 63, No 64 Fighting Marines beat No 69 Vikings by 59 runs. No 64 Fighting Marines 225-7 in 30 overs. (Trevor Thomas 79, Jason Itwaru 50, Deraj Bramdit 3-52). No 69 Vikings 166 in 29 overs. (Wadikar
Ramrattan 52, Trishan Narinedat 27, Jason Itwaru 4-18).
At No 70, No 70 MYO beat Young Royals of Crabwood Creek by 100 runs. No 70 MYO 211 in 28 overs. (Niazi Khan 37, Areef Khan 31, Avinash Persaud 30). Young Royals 111 in 20 overs. (Gobin Sugrim 29, Salim Khan 4-40).
At Skeldon, No 70 Young Star beat Skeldon Community Centre by three runs. No 70 Young Star 94 in 26.2 overs. (Parmeshwar Chatterpaul 39, Javed Ally 2-11, Sherwin Murray 2-13, Parmanand Narine 2-16, Robert Moore 2-19). Skeldon Community Centre 91 in 26.2 overs. (Sherwin Murray 30, Alim Haniff 3-11, Thameshwar Kumar 2-19, Omesh Kumar 2-24). At Fyrish, Fyrish beat Fyrish Strikers by 68 runs. Fyrish 175 in 34 overs. (Yuvindra Chinapen 41, Javed Mohamed 27, Trevor Sinclair 27). Fyrish Strikers 107 in 31 overs. (Avinash Shrikissoon 4-20, Munilall Shivdyal 2-26).
Daniel Gaskin of West Coast Berbice (District Five) easily outran the highly favoured Matthew McKenzie to take the 10k road run when the School National Championships kicked off with the road race on Tuesday morning which ended in the National Park.
Gaskin clocked a speedy 35 minutes and 51 seconds to take the gold as McKenzie of District 11 (North Georgetown) fell to third and got the bronze with a time of 36:57. Owin Tudor of Corentyne (District Six) finished in second for the silver medal with a time of 36:35.
The race started calmly just outside GT&T on Carifesta Avenue as no athlete tried to take the bull by the horn and push the pace. However, on the way down just after Ocean View Hotel, both Tudor and
Gaskin stepped on the gas while McKenzie was unable to keep up despite all his experience.
Gaskin made his final move inside the National Park with Tudor unable to follow.
On the distaff side, Rupununi which has a penchant of producing excellent distance runners did just that when Semona Lawrence easily won the female 10k event in a speedy time of 41 minutes and 55 seconds.
Delicia Harper of Berbice was second in 43:35, while Mariah McKenzie was third in a time of 44:39 to round out the top three finishers. Meanwhile, it was noted that there was no proper hydration for the athletes during or after the race, something the organisers must look into for next year’s edition of the event.
Romello Crawford of Corentyne (District Six) sprinted home to win the boys 40km cycle road race at the 2014 edition of the National School Championships on Tuesday when the event ended in front
of the Ocean View Hotel.
Most of the riders were neatly bunched all the way through the race that turned at Belfield, requiring Crawford to make a dashing sprint home in the final 100 metres to win the title just
ahead of second-place finisher Michael Anthony of Linden (District 10) and Mario King, who finished third for District 12 (East Georgetown).
The judges at the line were unable to furnish the media with times for the male event.
Meanwhile, on the distaff side, Toshwanna Doris won the event for District 11 (North Georgetown) in a time of 50 minutes 39.68 seconds (50m 39.68s).
Doris had no challengers
North Georgetown (District 11) was off to a flyer of a start in an effort to retain their National School Championships title when they won the swimming championship on Tuesday at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
The defending champions of the event were the favourites to win in spite
of the absence of Guyana’s star swimmer Brittany Van Lange.
North Georgetown finished ahead of North West, which took second place, and Upper Demerara/Kwakwani (District 10), which fell to third.
North Georgetown swimming official Tiffany Hinds noted that the swimmers picked up the slack and really showcased their talent
to bring the championship home.
Hinds said it was great to get off to such a good start, and noted that the athletes and teachers will have to perform if they were to retain the overall championships.
Team Manager Mariska Williams was also proud, and noted that with one aspect of the championships over, the athletes must re-
main focused.
Williams also stated that she will need all effort from her teachers in order to stay in the running for the overall title.
All the attention now turns to the final three days of the event, beginning today at the Guyana Defence Force Ground, Base Camp Ayanganna from 09:00h with the opening ceremony.
during the race and crossed the finish line comfortably ahead of her competitors.
Ronella Samuels of Corentyne (District Six) was second in the event with a time of 52m 00.88s, while her teammate Whitney Pouyer was third in a time of 53m 52.55s.
ECCB
The cyclists will take the track today at the Base Camp Ayanganna ground which will be the official venue for the remainder of the championships.
Anil Persaud and Taignauth Jadunauth, the defendants in the multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) President Bissoondyal Singh, were given a month to file their affidavit in answer to the legal proceedings.
The matter was called up at the High Court on Tuesday morning before Justice Diana Insanally, and Attorney KA Juman Yassin, who represents the duo, requested some time to file a response to the $50 million lawsuit.
The application was granted by the judge and the matter was scheduled to be called up again on December 16.
In addition to filing the $50 million lawsuit, Singh also obtained an injunction against both men for alleged-
ly false and malicious pieces concerning himself, which appeared in Kaieteur News on October 6 and Stabroek News on October 7.
Singh believes that the articles were designed to intimidate and obstruct his performance and duty as ECCB President.
The court documents also state that Persaud and Jadunauth are persons seeking to establish a parallel organisation to administer and manage the sport of cricket on the East Coast of Demerara. According to the documents, the ECCB is the only association, which is recognised under the constitution of the Demerara Cricket Board for the management, administration and development of the sport of cricket on the East Coast of Demerara.