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INSIDE Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1984 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, December 16, 2013

HIV/AIDS no longer – Desiree a gay issue Edghill

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

APNU in local govt election campaign P9 mode

See story on page 3

Heavy rains batter East Berbice villages See story on page 2

A final farewell: Mandela laid to rest

Health Ministry P12 salutes voluntary blood donors

See story on page 13

Girl, seven, hospitalised after being hit by speeding car P12

Former South African President and peace icon Nelson Mandela was laid to rest following a short graveside sermon by Bishop Siwa. As a military bugler played the Last Post, followed by Reveille, the pall bearers saluted and then withdrew as did the cameras, allowing the Mandela family a private moment at the graveside (BBC photo)

Stewartville resident Restoration of funds clobbered to death for NCN, GINA during robbery was lawful – AG See story on page 17

See story on page 7

CANU P12 imposters rob Chinese national, worker Local wildlife authority seeks reason for caiman seizure in P17 Netherlands

2 news

monDay, december 16, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Heavy rains batter East Berbice villages

A flooded street at Vrymens Erven, New Amsterdam

H

eavy and consistent rainfall has battered sections of East Berbice, leaving several villages inundated.

The rains which started on Saturday evening and continued periodically until Sunday afternoon have caused a 10-inch build up of water in some communities.

Farmers on the East Bank of Berbice say their cash crops are under treat and they stand to lose heavily if the rains continue.

Some farmers have start-

ed to reap premature ground provisions.

“Is better you pull them out now an get something fo dem dan wait and the water stay on the land an you lose everything,” David Singh of Lighttown Village told Guyana Times.

At Islington, Greater New Amsterdam, residents have complained that they have not received any assistance from the Mayor and Town Council.

Most of the streets in that community were flood-

A section of Pitt Street, the centre of the New Amsterdam commercial area under water

ed when this publication visited. Residents say that it has been more than a decade since drains in the community have been cleaned. The water accumulation in some parts of the community was about 12 inches high.

Nothing new

In New Amsterdam, the residents say flooding is nothing new whenever there is prolonged rainfall. Some of the hardest hit areas are Stanleytown, the downtown shopping area and Vryman’s

Ervin.

At Fort Ordinance, East Canje, some residents are praising the new drainage system, contending that had it not been in place in time, the situation could have been worse, but others are up in arms, saying that the drainage system does not carter for the entire community.

Meanwhile, the communities along the East Berbice Highway also experienced flooding with up to eight inches of water in some ar-

eas.

Pumps which have been installed at Fyrish have been able to minimise flooding along the Lower Corentyne.

Rose Hall Town was tested for the first time since the new $35 million drainage system was installed.

According to some residence, after the rains, there was very little evidence that it had rained.

There are reports that farmers at Black Bush Polder have suffered and stand to lose tens of thou-

sands of dollars. According to Region Six Chairman David Armogan, two pumps are at work getting the excess water out of the community.

But cash farmers are facing a challenge if the rains continue.

“It is only cash crop farmers that are under treat. The rice farmers just went into the crop and so they need the water,” the chairman said, noting that the Region Six administration is closely monitoring the situation.

News

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Monday, December 16 from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Monday, December 16 from 15:30h to 17:00h.

WEATHER TODAY

monDay, december 16, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

HIV/AIDS no longer a gay issue – Desiree Edghill

Weather: Thundery showers are expected during the day with clear skies in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations.

Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 27 degrees Celsius.

towards gay people have been rapidly growing.

Edghill said for example, if one is to say that a child has HIV/AIDS, the response would be far different from someone saying that a gay man or woman has contracted the virus.

“The community itself needs to step forward and take some responsibility for stigma… they have to step out to say that we are humans and we want to be treated as such,” she added.

Edghill said that there are many marches held for persons at risk of contracting the virus but the gay community does not participate.

Wind: East north-easterly between 3.61 and 3.88 metres per second.

High Tide: 03:35h and 15:46h reaching maximum heights of 2.44 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:20h and 21:47h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.62 metre respectively.

Attitude adjustment

A.I.D.S. Executive Director Desiree Edghill

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rtiste in Direct Support (A.I.D.S.) Director Desiree Edghill said while stigma and discrimination remains a major issue in Guyana, she believes that the issue of HIV/AIDS is no longer a gay but an anal issue.

Edghill explained that while HIV/AIDS has been associated largely with gay people in Guyana, it is no longer the case, noting that the problem today is that too many men and women are engaging in anal sex.

The director told Guyana Times that more young girls are having anal sex and this places them at a higher risk of also contracting HIV/ AIDS. While stating that Guyana has made a few steps to end stigma and discrimination, especially among high risk groups, she believes that there is much more that needs to be done in order for Guyana to win the war against the disease.

However, in pointing to the positive outcomes of the fight against stigma, Edghill

said years ago, people never wanted to been seen getting an HIV test.

Today, people usually line up on National Day of Testing, without being scared of beings seen taking the test. Edghill said this is a plus for Guyana and is a testimony to some of the achievements made.

Positive change

In addition, Edghill said that more couples are now getting tested before they start a sexual relationship or before getting married.

This is a step in the right direction for Guyana, she said, while noting that these are ways that show people are becoming more HIV/ AIDS conscious and want to know their status.

However, she noted that the issue lies mainly in the key population of higher risk persons, mainly men who have sex with men.

According to her, when HIV/AIDS first came to the fore in Guyana, it came from a gay man. Since then, the discrimination and stigma

However, Edghill said that law enforcement agencies are becoming more responsive to the gay community, pointing out that they no longer harass them as they used to do in the past.

She contended that the move by some religious bodies to speak out against the gay community also has to be altered to end the stigma and discrimination.

In the foreword of Dr Prem Misir’s recent book titled HIV & AIDS Knowledge and Stigma in Guyana, it

said that although widely recognised as a problem, HIV/AIDS stigma has not been studied enough to inform policymakers and assist them to develop evidencebased, effective policies to fight the epidemic.

This book attempts to bridge that gap by comprehensively studying HIV/ AIDS knowledge and stigma among high school students in Guyana. This is at least one of the most recent attempts to ascertain the real level of stigma and discrimination in Guyana.

HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among persons in the age group 20-49 in Guyana. The first case of HIV/AIDS in Guyana was reported in 1987.

Currently, Guyana is described as having a generalised epidemic and if this trend continues, it could pose a threat to the social and economic development of the country.

While some headway is being made in the development of more effective HIV/ AIDS treatment and resources are being channelled into various interventions, the level of stigma and discrimination is still a major issue.

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guyanatimesgy.com

monday, december 16, 2013

Views 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

Editorial

Honoured now, hated then

P

eter Beinart of the U.S. web magazine Daily Beast, reminds us that, contrary to present asseverations, Nelson Mandela was not always honoured in the U.S. “Now that he’s dead, and can cause no more trouble, Mandela is being mourned across the ideological spectrum as a saint. But not long ago, in Washington’s highest circles, he was considered an enemy of the United States. Unless we remember why, we won’t truly honour his legacy.

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan placed Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC) on America’s official list of “terrorist” groups. In 1985, then-Congressman Dick Cheney voted against a resolution urging that he be released from jail. As late as 2008, the ANC remained on America’s terrorism watch list, thus requiring the 89-year-old Mandela to receive a special waiver from the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to visit the U.S. From their perspective, Mandela’s critics were right to distrust him. They called him a “terrorist” because he had waged armed resistance to apartheid. They called him a “communist”, because the Soviet Union was the ANC’s chief external benefactor and the South African Communist Party was among its closest domestic allies.

More fundamentally, what Mandela’s American detractors understood is that he considered himself an opponent, not an ally, of American power. And that’s exactly what Mandela’s American admirers must remember now.

We must remember it because in Washington today, politicians and pundits breezily describe the Cold War as a struggle between the forces of freedom, backed by the U.S., and the forces of tyranny, backed by the USSR. In some places – Germany, Eastern Europe, eventually Korea – that was largely true. But in South Africa, the Cold War was something utterly different. In South Africa, for decades, American presidents backed apartheid in the name of anticommunism. Indeed, the language of the Cold War proved so morally corrupting that in 1981, Reagan, without irony, called South Africa’s monstrous regime “essential to the free world”.

In South Africa, it was the Soviet bloc – the same communist governments that were brutally repressing their own people – that helped the ANC fight apartheid. In the 1980s, they were joined by an American and European anti-apartheid movement willing to overlook the ANC’s communist ties because they refused to see South Africa’s freedom struggle through a Cold War lens.

At a time when men like Reagan and Cheney were insisting that the most important thing about Mandela was where he stood in the standoff between Washington and Moscow, millions of citizens across the West insisted that the ANC could be Sovietbacked, communist-influenced, and still lead a movement for freedom.

They were right. When it came to other countries, Mandela’s leftist ties did sometimes blind him to communism’s crimes. In 1991, for instance, he called Fidel Castro “a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving people”.

But at home, where it mattered most, the ANC was a genuine, multiracial movement for democracy. And so the Americans who best championed South African freedom were the ones who didn’t view freedom as synonymous with the geopolitical interests of the United States.

Therein lies Mandela’s real lesson for Americans today.

The Cold War is over, but mini-Cold Wars have followed. And once again, American elites, especially on the right, have a bad habit of using “freedom” as a euphemism for whatever serves American power.

Mandela challenged that. Like Martin Luther King, who publicly repudiated Lyndon Johnson’s claim that Vietnam was a war for democracy, Mandela rejected George W Bush’s idealistic rationalisations of the Iraq War. As with King, it is this subversive aspect of Mandela’s legacy that is most in danger of being erased as he enters America’s pantheon of sanitised moral icons. But it is precisely the aspect that Americans most badly need. American power and human freedom are two very different things. Sometimes they intersect, sometimes they do not.

Walking in Mandela’s footsteps requires being able to tell the “difference”.

President Donald Ramotar and Public Works Minister Robeson Benn on Saturday visited several areas in the city that were affected by heavy overnight rainfall. Here, Minister Benn is seen making a point to the president (Sandra Prince photo)

Noise nuisance

Dear Editor, A 27-year-old pianist from Spain is expected to face severe consequences after a report was made against her for causing continuous disturbance to her neighbours.

Many people fail to realise that noise nuisance is a serious offence worldwide.

Music enthusiasts worldwide claim that intermittent noise is not hazardous; however, noise in its entirety has been known to have negative impacts in the long run on

people’s hearing ability.

Noise comes in many forms including from vehicular traffic, from manufacturing factories, from home appliances and music systems, among many other sources.

Not so long ago, an East La Penitence resident was fined a total of $35,000 after she was found guilty of charges of noise nuisance and abusive language.

The woman was accused by her neighbour of continuously playing loud music and

when asked politely to lower the volume, she proceeded to verbally attack her neighbour. At this stage, the affected neighbour decided to file a complaint against what she considered to be unbearable and inconsiderate behaviour.

It is not often that we hear of a report of this kind, but I must commend the police and the magistrate for addressing the issue in the manner in which they did.

Noise in the form of music can greatly affect peo-

ple, especially individuals who are studying and have to undertake work which requires great concentration.

Moreover, it causes severe inconvenience to the sick and the elderly.

We must take the necessary steps to curb noise nuisance in society and as good citizens, we must also learn to have consideration for others.

Sincerely, Jonathan Burke

Providing care for the elderly Dear Editor, The Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), in collaboration with the Health Ministry recently conducted a training programming entitled “Health Management for Older Persons in Primary Care”.

The programme was the first of its kind to be done in an English speaking country.

It was designed to enhance the skills of health professionals across the country, while simultaneously improving

primary health-care services offered to the elderly.

The aging of Guyana’s population presents vast societal challenges and it is important for our infrastructure to be able to support the needs of older people, thereby enabling them to live healthy, independent, and productive lives.

As it relates to health care, aside from special homes for the elderly, Guyana needs to consider establishing home support services. This option will allow the elderly to

remain in their own homes, while still being able to receive the treatment and care that they require at an affordable price.

Trained paramedics can visit patients on a routine basis or more frequently if needed. Treatment can include monitoring their blood pressure, teaching them fall prevention and other exercises, and doing other health checks.

I remember years ago, elderly patients visited the many dispensaries for their

routine checks. They were each assigned a special day to ensure that each patient received the maximum attention and service that they needed.

I urge the relevant authorities to initiate the preliminary preparations needed for providing and improving the services we have available for the elderly.

Sincerely, Carmen Alphonso

The need to overcome differences Dear Editor, Many businesses and organisations have security guards that are responsible for monitoring and controlling the flow of people in and out of the compound. They are also generally responsible for monitoring the premises.

It is every security guard’s responsibility and right to intercept any visitor at any point if they are unsure of the person’s identity and purpose of visit. Many of us tend to be dismissive of security guards,

but we must understand that they are simply just doing their job. Security guards, like every other worker, should at all times demonstrate professionalism.

Just recently, the Gender Equality Commission hosted a press conference at the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). Several media houses were invited to provide coverage, however, one particular group got into a confrontation with the security guard.

Though the behaviour of

the security guard on duty at the ERC was uncouth and unacceptable, it was no reason for the reporter to terminate the assignment. As reporters, like every other profession, we need to learn to put our differences behind us in order for us to be proficient.

Not so long ago, several reporters submitted their resignations after they failed to carry out their designated and assigned duties. Shortly after, the resignations were made public and were further

used as essence for a personal attack. The manner in which the situation was dealt with was uncalled for and unprofessional.

Each of us has different roles to play in the world of work and so we must allow security guards to carry out their responsibilities as they should. They should not be attacked or humiliated for simply trying to do their job.

Respectfully, Ulric Seymour

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monday, december 16, 2013

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Making use of health Streamline hire car driving centres in Guyana Dear Editor, I must applaud the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry for commissioning the new $10.9 million health centre located in the compound of the Charity Hospital.

Though the physical development of the centre would have required significant effort, there are still logistical aspects that are yet to be dealt with.

Over the years, Charity has developed into quite a commercial hub. Many people flock the area to establish and transact businesses. In fact, Essequibo in its entirety now plays a significant role in contribut-

ing to Guyana’s economy.

However, the area still has some improving to do as it relates to the development and use of health centres.

It is important that citizens understand the purpose of a health centre. Ideally, health centres strive to provide a high standard of care and service to patients who need it.

Moreover, their staff component should comprise of highly qualified individuals who have expertise in various fields. In the event that the health centre is unable to deal with a situation, a referral will allow the patient to be recommended for transfer to a better facility

The new computer training centre for police

Dear Editor, Zara, a North Americanbased Guyanese company has been for quite some time continuously demonstrating their efforts to promote information communication technology (ICT) and its use in Guyana.

With a centre already established in Berbice and Essequibo respectively, they recently commissioned a third computer training centre for police officers in Georgetown.

ICT generally contributes significantly to aspects of crime-fighting within the force. Moreover, the centre will also open its doors to all members of the public interested in garnering basic ICT training and knowledge in aspects of computer engineering.

At the recent commissioning, it was stated that ever since the establishment of the two training centres, no reports or complaints have been made regarding the loss or damage of equipment.

Zara has thus far invested approximately $60 million in establishing and fully equipping the labs. As the beneficiaries of this project, we must ensure that we make maximum use of these facilities; while ensuring that it is properly maintained and cared for.

Advanced technology is fundamentally transforming the way in which police work. New and emerging technologies are playing an increasingly crucial role in the daily work of frontline police officers; equipping them with enforcement and investigative tools that have the potential to make them better informed and more effective.

Recently released findings by the 2007 LEMAS

survey indicate that the U.S. local police departments are using computers for a variety of law enforcement functions, including records management, crime investigation, information sharing and dispatch.

I am glad that Guyana has decided to take this route to embrace technology and to further allow the relevant authorities to be more equipped to undertake investigative and background research.

Sincerely, Derrick Chappelle

that will provide the attention and care that the patient requires.

Ensuring that a clinic is properly staffed often allows for patients to receive adequate one on one interaction and counselling. Each patient is therefore able to receive the quality care and attention that they deserve.

I urge members of the public to desist from visiting hospitals unless it is absolutely necessary. We must learn to make full use of our health centres and clinic facilities.

Yours truly, Romain Deodatt

Dear Editor, A letter was recently prepared by several Enmore, East Coast Demerara hire car drivers expressing their feelings and views of several ongoing issues. The letter further requested for the president’s attention and direct intervention in addressing the concerns of the drivers.

Several serious accusations were made inclusive of police discrimination, racism, bullyism and drug use by individuals operating taxi services.

I am confounded by the concerns put forward in the letter. I find it difficult to believe that commuters would allow a person to transport them, knowing fully well that they are under the in-

fluence of alcohol and other drugs, which can impair their vision and their ability to pass good judgment.

In my opinion, I think that only hire cars should be used for the purpose of taxi driving. Additionally, individuals who operate hire cars should be required to have a certain number of years of driving experience and should furthermore be over the age of 21.

There are currently too many young, inexperienced youths who are operating private taxi services and who are further putting the lives of their passengers at risk.

In Guyana, many people rely on the use of public transportation, simply because it’s affordable and also

because many of them may not necessarily have their own vehicles. The establishment of new housing projects now requires commuters to pay an additional fee for them to be taken further into the schemes.

Lastly, it is understandable that the Enmore taxi drivers need to have their issues addressed as soon as possible. However, I suggest that they approach the relevant authorities and individuals who can assist them in curbing all outstanding matters. This is truly not a matter for the president to directly address.

Regards, Resident of Enmore Name withheld by request

Potential danger is lurking in our jails Dear Editor, Many of our police are trying their best to remove criminals from the streets and to further prevent them from engaging in illegal activities which can threaten the lives of innocent civilians.

It is disturbing to know that several cellphones, among other items were found in the possession of several criminals at the New Amsterdam Prison.

This situation makes me question the efforts, responsibilities and loyalty of the officers in charge at the prison.

Cellphones allow for

communication and it is quite obvious that if we allow for this kind of liberty, criminals can use it to their advantage to organise criminal activities from within their cell.

Prisons should ideally offer inmates some opportunity of rehabilitation.

Many of these individuals steal because they don’t understand the value of honest work. While they are in prison serving their time, they should be giv-

en the opportunity to carry out community service.

Some of the other items found in the cells of prisoners included nail clippers, scissors, forks, spoons, cigarettes, smoking utensils and lighters. Many of the items can be used to create distractions by inmates who will make desperate attempt to escape.

I urge those in charge to become more vigilant and aware of their surroundings. If it calls for

the instalment of security cameras then this is the route me must take. We cannot allow our prisons to become susceptible to jail breaks.

People who collude and are responsible for smuggling cellphones and other gadgets into the hands of inmates should be dealt with severely.

Yours sincerely, Compton DeSouza

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monday, december 16, 2013

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Foundation

This Christmas help those in need by donating to the Salvation Army

McFee’s kettle idea launched a tradition that has spread not only throughout the United States, but all across the world. Kettles are now used in such distant lands as Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries and even right here in Guyana. Everywhere, public contributions to Salvation Army kettles enable the organisation to continue its year-round efforts at helping those who would otherwise be forgotten

T

he traditional red kettle is a part of the Christmas scene, with millions of dollars donated each year to aid needy families. When you see the familiar red kettle you know Christmas is not far off. Bell ringers have donated their time in helping those in need since the 1800’s.

You can help those in the area by donating to your local Salvation Army. Money that is collected in a county will stay in that county.

Reach out and help your fellow Guyanese in need this Christmas.

History of the Red Kettle In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday sea-

guyanatimesgy.com

son, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and povertystricken. He only had one major hurdle to overcome – funding the project.

Where would the money come from, he wondered. He lay awake nights, worrying, thinking, praying about how he could find the funds to fulfil his commitment of feeding 1000 of the city’s poorest individuals on Christmas Day. As he pondered the issue, his thoughts drifted back to his sailor days in Liverpool, England. He remembered how at Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.

The next day Captain McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing

at the foot of Market Street.

Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.

Six years later, the kettle idea spread from the west coast to the Boston area.

That year, the combined effort nationwide resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy.

In 1901, kettle contributions in New York City provided funds for the first mammoth sit-down dinner in Madison Square Garden, a custom that continued for many years. Today in the U.S., the Salvation Army assists more than four-anda-half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods. (kynews)

Seven ways to teach your children the true meaning of Christmas

BY LORI GARCIA

W

hen my son told me, “Mom, did you know the word ‘Christ’ is in Christmas?” last Sunday after church, I realised we had a situation.

Hey, I’m down with celebrating jolly old Saint Nick and the presents he brings my children in spite of their questionable behaviour, but it seemed as though our family lost sight of the real reason for the season.

Whether your family is religious or not, we can all take this holiday season to reflect, give thanks, and remember the importance of family.

Holiday cards

Take a look at seven ways my family is choosing to remember that Christmas isn’t just about the presents:

Many of us send and receive Christmas cards out of habit more than anything else.

This year, I plan to proudly display the Christmas cards we receive and when the season is over, I’m going to keep the cards in a basket by our dinner table.

With each meal we’ll pull one holiday card sent from a dear friend or family member and include them in our mealtime prayer.

If you’re not a family that prays together, simply pull a card and discuss the wonderful ways the card's sender has touched your life. In just a few minutes, you’ve shown gratitude toward those who matter in your life.

Go homemade

Before all the madness of Christmas morning, exchange

handmade gifts with your immediate family on Christmas Eve. Draw names so each person can focus their energies on creating that one special gift from the heart. In doing so, we remind ourselves that the gifts from the heart are far more precious than any gift we can buy.

Revisit Christmases past

Warm up the hot cocoa, snuggle together and break out the photo albums and home movies – it’s time to revisit Christmases past! Take a special moment to remember those family members who are no longer with you in a positive and celebratory light.

Tradition!

Participate in your family’s long-standing traditions or establish new ones.

Whatever you choose, do it together!

Adopt a family in need

There are so many families in desperate need this time of year. Discuss ways your family can get involved in your community to make a real difference to a family in need. Giving is the true reason for the season!

All I want for Christmas is you

Have each family member share the personal reasons each person in the room is important in their lives. We get so busy (particularly this time of year) that we forget to stop and appreciate each other. The words feel good to say and great to hear.

Remember the Christ in Christmas

When all is said and done, the one true reason for the season is not about the shopping or the presents under the tree, but rather the baby that was born in a manger, and who would grow into the salvation of our souls. Visit a nativity scene and tell your children the story of the birth of Chirst... throw in the three wise men and it can even become the newest family tradition – a play! Merry Christmas! (Yahoo! Shine)

news

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monday, december 16, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

dead, another Stewartville resident clobbered One seriously injured to death during robbery in brawl

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Guyana Sugar C o r p o r a t i o n (GuySuCo) worker was on Sunday morning discovered wrapped in pieces of cloth and in a pool of blood by his reputed wife at their Stewartville, West Coast Demerara home.

He is suspected to have been robbed and then murdered.

Jamaluddin Sattaur, 56, also called “Jaggo”, of Lot 28 Middle Street, Stewartville Village, West Coast Demerara, sustained a deep gash to his head.

His house was ransacked and his money which he kept in a purse in the house was also missing. Police in a release stated that they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death. The release added that Sattaur’s body was found about 07:30h.

According to information received, this was not the first time that the man’s house was burglarised. About three months ago, unknown person broke into his house and carted off a quantity of jewellery and other items.

At the home of the dead man, his reputed wife of five years Jenny Hartman explained that she worked as a security guard in Den Amstel and on Saturday evening, she left Sattaur lying in a hammock in the house.

She said earlier in the day, he went to the market to purchase greens, vegetables, flour and rice, but returned without the last two

Dead: Jamaluddin Sattaur

items.

When his reputed wife inquired the reason for him not purchasing the items, he reportedly told her that it was raining heavily and he decided against making the purchase. However, he promised to buy the items at the market on Sunday.

Request refused

She disclosed that he had a quantity of foreign and Guyanese currency in his possession and requested her to stay away from work so that “they can go drink a few beers”. She did not take up the offer, claiming that it was necessary for her to work.

She left home about 18:30h, but before doing so, she cautioned him to lock the doors if he decided to go anywhere. Hartman explained that he was lying in the hammock and asked her instead to lock the door.

Upon her return home on Sunday morning, Sattaur’s

Sattaur’s reputed wife: Jenny Hartman

brother, who lives close by, enquired about him, relating that he was not seen for the morning.

The distraught woman stated that upon approaching the front door, she realised that it was the same way she left it the previous night.

However, when she opened it, walked into the house and called out for Sattaur, she heard no answer. The woman went on to say that when she put on the lights, she recognsied that her house was ransacked.

Gruesome discovery

At that time, she thought that something was amiss and continued to call for her reputed husband. As she walked towards the kitchen area, the woman stumbled on the man’s body which had a “big gash” in the head.

The distraught woman stated that she screamed

Den Amstel man dies after mining pit caves in

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miner was on Saturday killed after a mining pit caved in on him at Warrenbu Village, North West District. The incident occurred about 14:30h.

Dead is Seckou Adams, 33, of Den Amstel, West

Coast Demerara. Details of the incident were not immediately available to Guyana Times. His body was taken to the Port Kaituma Hospital Mortuary to await a post-mortem examination.

In September, four

Brazilians: Taigo Nunes Pinto, Ronaldo Da Silva Sousa, Joao Nelson Pinto Mands and Joao Gonsalves Martins were killed after a mining pit collapsed on them at the Arau Backdam, Eteringbang, Cuyuni River.

and neighbours rushed over to enquire what was happening. The neighbours claimed that they did not see any unusual movements or heard any suspicious sounds.

Marya Sattaur, a sister of the dead man, told Guyana Times that she was at home when she received a call from her brother’s neighbour who related the devastating news. She immediately left for her brother’s home where she saw him lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

Marya was not aware that her brother had any enemies, but admitted that he would drink quite frequently and the possibility exists that he might have been under the influence of alcohol when he met his demise.

A relative of the dead man confirmed that Sattaur had not consume alcohol for a few days as he was due to attend a wedding with him on Sunday.

Relatives are not sure about the circumstances of the man’s death, but are calling on the police to thoroughly investigate the matter.

The man’s body was taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home to await a post-mortem. He leaves to mourn his six other siblings.

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vociferous argument between two men on Sunday has left one dead and the other critically injured after a bloody confrontation in Lamaha Springs, Greater Georgetown.

The dead man has been identified as Carl Garnett, 42, of Lot 229 Thomas Street, Section B, South Sophia, Georgetown while the injured is Akeem Jones of Lamaha Springs.

Jones reportedly sustained several chops about his body, including a severe wound on the neck. He underwent surgery Sunday night at the Georgetown Public Hospital, while Garnett was pronounced dead on arrival at the said hospital.

Guyana Times understands that Jones, who is living with Garnett’s former wife and his children.

Garnett had called to talk to his son, but Jones answered the phone, and denied him the request. This reportedly made him very angry and when he called again and received the same response, it sent him into a fit of rage.

Garnett reportedly rushed down to Jones’s Lamaha Springs home and an argument ensued followed by a confrontation, during which Garnett was killed.

Details the confrontation remain sketchy as the relatives and those who witnessed the event were reluctant to speak with the media.

Carl Garnett

This newspaper understands that it was the first time the two men had a confrontation, and Garnett had called to speak to his son who was celebrating his birthday today.

8 news

monday, december 16, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

196 graduate from BIT programme in Region Five

Eyew tness Self-promotion... ...for presidency he pieces of the puzzle are falling into place. Your humble Eyewitness always had a sneaking suspicion as to what the final picture would be. Not because he had any powers of clairvoyance – just experience in dealing with the politically ambitious and their wanton choice of bedfellows.

We’re talking, of course, about ex-Speaker Ralph Ramkarran’s latest article for the StabberNews. He pleaded that in the next elections, there should be a “consensus” candidate leading the opposition into the next elections.

Coyly, he doesn’t explicitly nominate himself for the position, but every sentence evoked the image of the man feverishly waving his hand in the air, like a first grade schoolboy – “me! me! me!”! The Eyewitness always maintained that StabbberNews picking up of Ramkarran’s “blog” column had an ulterior motive.

Too many times, the piece was in the paper before it came on the “blog”. Then, quelle surprise!! Ramkarran was given a second shot at the Guyanese populace when the following day, the Stabber would regurgitate the column as a “news item”.

Jeez...this was positively incestuous – and like all incestuous relationships, they eventually produced a degenerate offspring: Ramkarran for opposition consensus candidate!!!!

The puzzle now make sense – but it’s chilling to see the Machiavellian manipulation of the sentiments of Guyanese to garner support for Ramkarran’s run – a whole year before the actual gambit. The legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan – is continually evoked. He’s made to always push “unity” with the People’s National Congress (PNC).

Dr Jagan pushed “unity”, all right, but never without “struggle”: “unity with struggle” was the great man’s mantra. He never gave up the struggle against the PNC’s excesses just to “get a position”.

Ramkarran, however, is so eager for a shot at the presidency that he’s willing to close his eyes to the deformities in the present opposition. Not so as to the opposition’s leaders: they have to be removed to clear the way for him!

David Granger? “For a reason that is well known, but need not detain us, the proponents of the consensus presidential candidate idea do not see Granger as attracting enough People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) supporters to lead to an opposition majority.”

Please! please! detain us! Detain us!

His erstwhile comrades Moses Nagamootoo and Kemraj Ramjattan, now in the Alliance For Change (AFC)?

“The AFC will be crushed if it aligns with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). “So what to do? “ Funny you asked: “...search for a suitable candidate from outside the ranks of the opposition who has broad, across the board appeal.” And who else but Ramkarran fits the bill? Ah...the canker of ambition!

T BIT graduates take a photo with Region Five Chairman Bindrabhan Bisnauth, Board of Industrial Training Chief Executive Officer Maria Khelawan and Public Service Ministry Permanent Secretary Hydar Ally

T

he Board of Industrial Training (BIT) is continuing to empower Guyanese through programmes administered and delivered through its National Training Project for Youth Empowerment ((NTPYE) and Single Parents’ Programme.

One hundred and ninety-six persons from Region Five, on Thursday graduated after completing training administered by BIT at a ceremony held at Hurricane Harbour, Berbice. A total of 144 persons graduated under the NTPYE, while 52 women graduated from the Single Parents' Programme.

Among the NTPYE graduates were 21 engineers, and 10 welders, while 38 persons received certificates after completing training in health services and 42 in the area of home economics.

Public Service Ministry Permanent Secretary Hydar Ally said BIT must be applauded for its key responsibility of facilitating fundamental training

A BIT graduate receives her certificate from Public Service Ministry Permanent Secretary Hydar Ally

in the area of technical and vocational proficiency.

“Not many countries in the world are offering these kinds of opportunities, and I think the government and the board must be commended for this initiative,” the permanent secretary added.

The value of the programme cannot be overstated considering its mandate of empowering young

men, women and single parents by creating opportunities through technical and vocational training.

Ally noted that government’s drive to ensure all Guyanese are information communication technology (ICT) inclined forms part of the administration’s vision of enhancing the lives of Guyanese.

Despite the tremendous success of the programme

since its beginning in 2005, the subject of gender imbalance remains an issue since almost 100 per cent of the participants of the Single Parents Programme are women. This, however, is testimony to the success of the programme’s mandate of empowering women and encouraging entrepreneurship.

Meanwhile, Region Five Chairman Bindrabhan Bisnauth commended the graduating students, while citing the tremendous economic benefits of the initiative. He also highlighted the critical responsibility of the initiative in reducing unemployment, while at the same time contributing to national development.

BIT since its inception has trained 8869 in over 50 technical and vocational skill areas.

Recently, graduations were also held at Leonora, Region Three; Bartica, Region Seven; Linden Region 10 and Essequibo, Region Two, a Government Information Agency (GINA) release said.

...for opposition wuk With snap elections in the air (can we go on much longer with this confounded nonsense?) Ramkarran’s in front of a long line of wankers trying to oust the opposition leaders – and take their place.

They know they can’t “make side” in the PPP/C, of course. In the StabberNews there was a letter from Tarron “Donkey Cart” Khemraj, who’d bolted the AFC because Ramjattan and Nagamootoo weren’t giving him enough play.

He entered APNU in company with the Asquith Rose fella, who’s incapable of crafting a letter on his own – he always needs a sidekick. Anyhow, Khemraj seems to have eased off on his romance with Granger and also with Rose.

He’s now teamed up with some older disgruntled refugees from the Guyanese political scene. He’s pushing an idea he’s cogged wholesale from his Economics 101 textbook – the need for a developmental state in Guyana.

Even though StabberNews had given him his column – hey, he’s opposition, isn’t he? – they didn’t do the regurgitating routine as for Ramkarran. Can’t have him challenge Ramkarran, can they?

So they’ve let him into the letters columns for his second shot. Ah...ambition is so fecund! ...of GPSU The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), arguing for higher public servants wages, complained they’ve been “sometimes working under difficult and unhealthy conditions”. We always knew air conditioning wasn’t only unhealthy for the environment!

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monday, december 16, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

APNU in local govt election campaign mode

Simply the

On Nelson Mandela

By Professor Daizal Samad

T

T

Opposition Leader David Granger addressing the media

he A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has started its elections campaign as it prepares for the highly anticipated local government elections.

Coalition leader David Granger said that the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM) recently kick started a series of rallies across the country, three of which have already been held.

APNU Member of Parliament Winston Felix, who is directing the campaign, is the key person who will set dates and times for rallies at various locations.

The coalition launched its election on November 28, and Granger said the response thus far has been satisfactory.

“As far as the parties are concerned, we are going into the election campaign as a partnership…” he added.

He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the president’s non-assent to the Local Government (Amendment) Bill .

However, he said the party will continue to work on getting the president to accent to the critical piece of legislation.

Dissatisfaction

“We are confident that election will be held and the bill will be assented to,” he said. APNU has been pushing for the past two years to have the local government election held, pointing out that the dysfunctional local government structure is creating little room for the improvement of community life.

APNU has also stated its dissatisfaction with government’s response to the call for local government elections.

Government on the other hand has made some effort to ensure that local government elections are held, especially since there were numerous calls by the diplomatic corps to ensure that this becomes a reality.

Four local government reform bills – the Fiscal Transfers Bill 2012, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill 2012, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2012 and the Local Government

Commission Bill – were passed by the National Assembly, after the bills were tabled in the house.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) said it is fully equipped and ready to stage the long-anticipated local government elections. GECOM’s Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally had said that the commission is prepared for the elections.

Foreign donors

According to him, GECOM has already demarcated the various boundaries and constituencies – 71 districts. Each of these areas has been targeted for voters’ education. Further, Dr Surujbally added that with support from foreign donors and funds covered under the commission’s own budget, finance will not be a problem.

GECOM has conducted approximately 7000 transactions ahead of the closing of its fifth cycle for continuous registrations on November 23. Additionally, the Local Government Ministry has given the green light for GECOM to commence its public awareness programme.

Next year will be 20 years since local government election was last held in Guyana.

Government has indicated that local government election is expected to be held in either the second or third quarter of 2014.

Truth

he passing of Nelson Mandela makes the world a poorer place.

South Africa is poorer, Africa is poorer, and every citizen of this planet is poorer.

But if we begin in our own individual lives to live as he lived, then we will begin again to enrich ourselves and the countries and the world in which we live. This is the way to keep Mandela alive. We need not go through decades in prison to learn.

We do not need to assist in the dismantling of a system as cruel as apartheid to do this. We need not be president or prime minister of our respective countries.

We simply need to look at, and emulate, the simple decency of the man. That decency was shown in several ways. His gentle manner of talking. The passion of his belief was such that he did not need to be strident nor loud nor aggressive.

When we lack substance, we run to adjectives and we make noise.

Mandela had substance.

His calmness under pressure never failed. He was intense in his belief in justice, but that intensity never boiled over as poisonous anger. Mandela never exaggerated.

The decency came out in the grace of the man!

He gave to all people with grace, and he accepted their adoration with a kind of bashful grace. He spoke with grace and listened with grace.

Mandela was loath to speak ill of anyone, even his political adversaries.

Men like F W De Klerk.

He disagreed with Thabo Mbeki who succeeded him, but nary an ill word in public. He showed that one may disagree with another without resorting to crudeness.

And Mandela laughed.

He smiled. He joked and had others laughing. And the laughter had that element of youthful innocence and bashfulness that is always to be found in the wise and the humble. But most of all, the humour was turned on himself.

This great gift at being able to laugh at oneself.

Mandela’s lesson: take the work seriously; take yourself much less so.

Like all the greats before him, Mandela taught without seeming to teach.

Mandela did not need a classroom. He did not proclaim his degrees. Much like the poet, Wong Phui Nam, Mandela corroded ego to a papery frailty.

One just never really knew how much the man knew, did not know the depth of the gentleness nor wisdom through his proclamation of these things. One felt it though.

Dr Walter Sisulu,

Professor Daizal Samad

Mandela’s late good old friend who spent a little longer in jail than did Mandela, said to a small group of three of us: “Mandela is humble.

He never felt comfortable in ceremonies, nor in board rooms. He is honourable.” The things we can learn from this great man!

Grace, respect, humility, humour, intensity without loudness, correctness without rancour, and honour!

The great Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu (about 320BC; formal name: Taishang Laojun; mentor of Confucius) said thus: “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

The Nazarene knew this. Thus, he had both

strength and courage.

Henry David Theroux knew this.

Mahatma Ghandi knew this from both. Mandela learned, as did Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Mohamed Ali. Mother Theresa and Mary Woolstonecraft knew. A long lineage of goodness and honour, strength and courage.

We do not need microphones and pre-recorded music to know what they knew; we need not classroom walls to learn what they teach. We need not jump and scream for the heavens to hear us. The heavens themselves hear us in the pulses of our hearts. It is up to us to listen to our own heart beating, behold our own goodness. In the end, I may tell my Beloved that I need and wish to be needed, to love and be loved.

I pray that Mandela is taken up and warmed in the cool blue flame of the Lord himself. Surely, he sits on the right hand of God with that smile of his.

And all the children of this Republic of Guyana should shed a gentle and quiet tear upon our cheeks.

Such tears will surely bring good things upon us all. The world is poorer for the passing of Mandela.

The world would be replenished if we followed his example.

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monday, December 16, 2013

News

GBTI hosts 10th annual children’s Christmas party

O

ver one hundred children from Region Two were thoroughly entertained by Santa Claus and the magical clown when the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) hosted its 10th annual Early Savers Christmas Party on Saturday.

Excitement filled the air as Dr Obie Wetherspoon (clown) told traditional stories such as Brer Anansi, the Old Riding Horse and the story of the first Christmas.

The atmosphere was filled with excitement and screams of the overjoyed children and parents.

GBTI in encouraging parents to open an account for their children so that they can begin to save at an early age,

One man meat is poison fuh another man

D

The children having a great time at the Christmas party

noting that this will help them to secure a bright future.

The GBTI Early Savers Club was established in July 1995 with the aim of developing good saving and money man-

agement habits in young people.

The 11,500 plus members of the club qualify for a wide range of benefits, including birthday cards, premium interest rates, discounts at se-

lected stores, prize giveaways and participation in the annual calendar competition.

The Early Savers members also benefit from GBTI one-time bursary awards.

e more water come down from de sky, de more water goin up in people house. De more GEE-W-High cut off people water, de more dem gettin free water from de heavens. De more G-PEE-Hell poles fall down, de more people light bills goin up. And as soon as G-PEEHell promise no more blackouts fuh Christmas, is then de blackouts start.

De less de public servants wuk is de more dem strikin fuh more increase in salary. De more de ducktors kill people at de horsepital, de more de nurses want bigger pay. De more de ministers talk, de less people believe de guvament.

De more Mook Lall and de headitor write wrong news, de more dem gotta seh sorry, only to write more wrong news again and only to beg pardon again. Another magistrate call in de Mook and de headitor and tell dem to kneek down and seh sorry. De Mook kneel down and de headitor leff stand up.

De magistrate get vex and ask dem whah happen. De Mook seh he and de headitor does only kneel down one at a time, not together. De magistrate realise that when mouth open story does jump out. She tell dem none of that in she court room and chase dem out.

De more de headitor tink he got brains, de more de Mook dotishness ketchin on pun he like how people does ketch other people cold. When de Mook sneeze, de headitor does have to cough, even if he don’t feel like coughin, and play like he ketch a cold. When de Mook fart de headitor does have to seh excuse me. When de Mook go in de toilet de headitor does have to wipe he behind, wid or wid out toilet paper.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie!

That is why old people seh whah ever is good meat fuh one man does be poison fuh another man. So when de Mook up, de headitor down. And when de headitor up de Mook down. Even de magistrate see fuh she self!

Two on the run for reportedly burglarising Cotton Tree home

P

olice ranks at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice, are looking for two suspects who allegedly broke into the home of Maheshri Lall, 56, of Lot 10 ‘B’ Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice and carted off a quantity of jewellery and electrical equipment.

The incident reportedly occurred between 13:00h on December 4 and 21:30h on December 14. The names of the two suspects were given as Keeshan and Saindat, both of Cotton Tree, Corentyne, Berbice.

According to reports received, the men invaded the home of the overseas-based Guyanese and took away a quantity of gold jewellery value $720,000, one stabiliser value $22,000, one 19 inch Sharp television set estimated at $45,000, one power amplifier valued $35,000 and one Phillips DVD player valued $18,000, all belonging to Bissoon Lall

Rampersaud, the caretaker of the home.

Police investigations thus far revealed that between the dates and times mentioned, Rampersaud secured his house, leaving the electrical equipment in the hall while the jewellery was hidden in a pillow case and safely kept in a wardrobe in one of the bed rooms.

He then left for his home at Lot 5 Kingely Village, East Coast Berbice.

On his return on December 14, he discovered the house ransacked and the articles mentioned missing. Further checks led to the discovery of one of the windows in the lower flat of the house wrenched open.

The police were contacted and based on information received from several persons in the area, ranks went to the home of the two men, but they were not seen. The police are continuing their investigations.

11 Feature

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, DEcEMBER 16, 2013

Times Notebook The Specialty Hospital must not be a political football T

he Specialty Hospital that government is trying to establish is a much-needed development initiative and it is good for all citizens. In the 2013 budget presentation, the opposition parties, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC), voted against the initiative.

On December 12, the government presented a supplementary budget paper to provide funding to accelerate the construction of the hospital.

Both APNU and AFC again voted against the project.

But there was divine intervention. God really is on the side of the people of Guyana.

Had every AFC and APNU member voted, they would have had 32 votes, but APNU Member of Parliament (MP) Debra Backer was absent from that sitting. This meant that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) had 32 votes and the opposition had 32 votes. When the vote was taken, however, the opposition had only 31 votes.

God's intervention?

APNU MP Volda Lawrence was absent during voting and the budget was approved. Could it be that God decided to intervene on behalf of the Guyanese people?

The Specialty Hospital must not be a negotiable project. Every Guyanese must embrace its establishment. Small, developing countries like Guyana will never be able to afford a hospital that can provide routine high quality tertiary care services such as cancer treatment, heart and brain surgeries, transplants and other interventions.

Guyana’s Specialty Hospital is designed to attract people from other countries to come to Guyana for such services, rather than having to go to distant Asian locations. While people from outside will pay regular prices for such services, resident Guyanese would be assisted to obtain services at an affordable cost.

Government will negotiate a discounted price that all Guyanese will benefit from. Government will also provide support to those Guyanese citizens who cannot afford even the discounted prices. In this way, all citizens will benefit from the investment.

It is shameless that any politician will vote against a project that is good for Guyana, simply to ensure that the PPP/C does not get credit for such a develop-

ment. Anything that is good for Guyana should have the support of all politicians.

But APNU and AFC consistently have voted against the welfare of the nation and the interest of the Guyanese people.

This is but only one example of how reckless the opposition is, as they trade good sense and decency for recklessness and indecent sabotaging of development in Guyana. They have demonstrated time and again, a propensity to hold Guyana hostage in their shameless efforts to grab political power.

The opposition also threatened to vote against a budgetary allocation to expand the cardiac care unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital which presently caters for patents benefiting from heart surgeries at the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI).

More than 300 Guyanese citizens are alive today because of life-saving heart surgeries at CHI. Persons who have accessed CHI services are Guyanese citizens of every race, religion and from all political background.

Access

The opposition wanted to vote against the provisions to expand the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) because they say CHI is a greedy institution that only caters for the rich.

But they should speak to the large number of pensioners, cane cutters, farmers and labourers who were provided with support to get services. Had CHI not been here, many of these persons would not have had access to such life-saving interventions.

Because of CHI, Guyanese citizens of all walks of life have access to services that they would not have been able to afford, even with government help to go abroad. In the seven years in which CHI has been operating as part of a publicprivate-partnership, Guyana has saved more than $1 billion in medical costs, if citizens had to travel abroad for those services.

The partnership between the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and CHI has more than justified the government’s bold initiative to bring better health care to people.

This is the kind of further upgrading of health services that the Specialty Hospital promises. If Guyana saved more than $1 billion in seven years with CHI providing only one kind of service

A model of the Specialty Hospital which is to be built at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown

in Guyana, how much more would be saved from the Specialty Hospital?

Politicians should stop playing games with people’s lives. Every MP should be asked how they voted on the Specialty Hospital and we should judge them, not from their words but from their action.

Let’s look at how they vote whenever it comes to anything that directly benefits Guyanese citizens.

Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times. notebook@gmail.com

12 news

monday, December 16, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

CANU imposters rob Chinese national, worker T

hree armed men who posed as Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) officers on Saturday carried out a brazen daylight robbery on a Chinese businessman and his worker at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice.

Hanghua Fang, 28, of Lot 68-69 Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown was relieved of G$1 million in cash while his driver, Krishna Ramnarine, 49, of Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara was relieved of one iPhone estimated to worth $100,000 and a LG mobile phone valued $30,000.

Information reaching this publication revealed that Fang and Ramnarine were in motor van with registration number GPP 7473 and were proceeding along the Port Mourant Public Road when the three suspects drove alongside them in a silver gray 192 motorcar and identified themselves as CANU officers.

The three men then informed the businessman and his driver that they wanted to conduct a search on the motor vehicle.

Upon hearing so, Ramnarine obeyed and stopped in the corner of the road. Two of the bandits then

exited the car in which they were in and held Ramnarine at gunpoint commanding him to remain silent.

The other suspect then went around to Fang and carried out a search on a haversack which he was carrying when he saw the cash mentioned.

As a result, he pointed the gun at Fang and relieved him of the cash and cellular phone while the other bandit also relieved Ramnarine of his cellular phones and made good their escape.

The police have been contacted and took statements from Fang and Ramnarine.

No arrests were made.

Girl, seven, hospitalised after being hit by speeding car

A

seven-year-old pupil attached to the Auchlyne Primary School is nursing several injuries about the body at the Anamayah Memorial Hospital after being struck by a speeding motorcar on Friday on the Nurney Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice.

Nalini Fraser of Auchlyne, Corentyne, reportedly suffered a fractured right shoulder and injuries to the forehead, among others on her body.

The driver of the motorcar, Looknauth Durbhjai, 37, of Lot 40, Number 65 Village, Corentyne, was arrested but subsequently released.

However, according to information received, the accident occurred about 09:30h on Friday as Durbhjai was driving motorcar PPP 5927 along the southern carriageway of the Nurney Public Road at a fast rate.

Durbhjai alleged that a vehicle was proceeding in the opposite direction and suddenly he saw a pedestrian running from north to south.

Upon seeing this, he told investigators that he swerved to avoid hitting the pedestrian, but instead hit Fraser. He further told investigators that he applied brakes and the right side

front portion of his vehicle collided with the child.

As a result of the impact, Fraser was thrown some distance onto the northern grass parapet, resulting in her receiving several injuries.

She was picked up in a conscious condition and taken to Anamayah Memorial Hospital where she was treated and later admitted a patient.

The police have since visited the scene and launched an investigation.

Statements were taken from the driver of the motorcar. He is expected to be prosecuted shortly.

Health Ministry salutes voluntary blood donors

Sheik Baksh achieved voluntary donations of more than 20 units of blood to the National Blood Transfusion Service

M

ore than 20 individuals along with collaborators were saluted by the Health Ministry on Friday evening for their contribution towards voluntary blood donation to the public health sector.

Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran in his address to the donors observed that it was only through their contributions that the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) achieved a total of 10,014 units of blood

by August 31, this year. He noted that this achievement is equivalent to 92 per cent voluntary non-remunerated blood donations.

Minister Ramsaran expressed his happiness that the ministry is not on its own in this regard, and that the civic duty of voluntary blood donation has caught on. He commended the staff of the NBTS for their hard work and dedication in office and during their field trips.

Pointing out the cooperation between 70 large corporations and the NBTS, the minister noted that the target achieved by the blood bank was made through hard work and investment.

“This achievement is being used for creating a catalyst for better collection in the future,” Minister Ramsaran said.

Ron Robinson and Leo Sawh each achieved voluntary donations of more than 100 units of blood to the National Blood Transfusion Service

Noting that less blood has been discarded, he said that this was the result of the investment of improved leadership at the blood bank and its new head, Dr Nadia Liu. Minister Ramsaran also pointed to the ready availability of blood which enables lives to be saved from road accidents and ensuring of safe motherhood.

The health minister urged the donors to spread the message of voluntary donation since the intention is to achieve 100 per cent voluntary blood donation in the

near future.

Persons who were awarded are Leo Sawh and Ron Robinson who each achieved donations of over 100 units and Mohan Gobin, who donated more than 54 units.

Six persons donated over 30 units while 12 donated over 20 units each.

Collaborators who were awarded for assisting were the Arya Samaj Movement, Marian Academy, the Education Ministry, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Guyana Red Cross and the Saraswatie Vidya Niketan School.

CPG member injured in minibus, car collision A community policing group (CPG) member was admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital after she sustained injuries to her neck following an accident on Saturday, involving a minibus and the car she was in.

According to reports, the accident occurred on the Liverpool Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice around 07:45h.

Madery Greene, 46, who is stationed at the Whim Police Station, was the passenger in motorcar HB 8599 driven by Marcel Corlette, 27, of Lot 11 Manchester Village, Corentyne, Berbice when a minibus BLL 6791 driven by Wazir Khan, 25, of

Lot 593 Belvedere Village, Corentyne, Berbice, collided with them.

According to reports received, Corlette was proceeding along the northern carriageway on the Liverpool Public Road while the minibus was behind him.

As he continued on his journey, Corlette put on his right side indicator and stopped to allow the traffic that was coming in the opposite direction to turn into an access street.

The driver of the car told police that after a while, he observed that the road was clear and decided to turn into the access street, but as he was doing so, he felt a heavy impact and lost con-

trol of the vehicle and ended up on the grass parapet.

As a result of the collision, both Corlette and Greene received injures, but with the CPG member receiving severe injuries to her neck. They were both taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where they were seen and examined by a doctor on duty.

Corlette was treated and sent away, but Greene was transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital and remains a patient at the medical facility. Both drivers were questioned and placed on bail after being served with a notice of possible prosecution. Investigations are continuing.

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monDAY, december 16, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

A final farewell: Mandela laid to rest

President Jacob Zuma sat between Mandela’s widow Graca Machel and his ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

South African military helicopters staged a fly-past as Mandela’s coffin was interred

elson Mandela’s body has been laid to rest in a family plot, after political and religious leaders paid tribute to South Africa’s first black president at a state funeral service.

His widow, Graca Machel, and President Jacob Zuma were present for the private, traditional Xhosa burial at Mandela’s ancestral home in Qunu.

Zuma had earlier told the larger funeral service that South Africans had to take his legacy forward.

Mandela died on December 5 at aged 95.

The last of 10 days of commemorations for Mandela began with his coffin being taken on a gun carriage from his home to a giant marquee where his portrait hung behind 95 candles – each representing a year of his life.

gious element of the service.

The master of ceremonies, ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, had earlier explained that burial had to take place at midday, in line with the traditions of Mandela’s Thembu tribe in Qunu.

“A person of Mandela’s stature is meant to be laid to rest when the sun is at its highest and when the shadow is at its shortest.”

The BBC’s Pumza Fihlani says it was a fitting send-off for a man widely seen as the “father of the nation”.

As the state funeral drew to a close, military pallbearers carried the coffin to the grave site for the more private ceremony.

There, a chaplain spoke of Mandela achieving ultimate freedom at the end of a

N

Tributes

The coffin, draped in the South African flag, was placed beneath a lectern where speakers paid their tributes.

Some guests sang and danced to celebrate Mandela’s life as the service began.

After the national anthem, the service heard from a family spokesman, Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima, who thanked the army medical team that had treated Mandela before he died.

“A great tree has fallen, he is now going home to rest with his forefathers. We thank them for lending us such an icon.”

Close friend Ahmed Kathrada, told mourners he had lost an “elder brother” who was with him for many years in prison on Robben

Island.

Kathrada’s voice filled with emotion as he spoke of the difficulty of recent months and of how he had held his friend’s hand the last time he saw him in hospital.

“Farewell my dear brother, my mentor, my leader,” he said.

Disciplinarian

Two grandchildren then addressed the congregation.

Ndaba who read an obituary, and Nandi, who spoke fondly of her grandfather as a disciplinarian.

“We shall miss you... your stern voice when you are not pleased with our behaviour. We shall miss your laughter,” said Nandi.

Listening to the tributes were Graca Machel and Mandela’s second wife, Winnie-Madikizela Mandela. They sat on either side of President Jacob Zuma.

Both women were praised for their love and tolerance, in an address by Malawi’s President Joyce Banda.

African National Congress members, veterans of the fight against apartheid and foreign dignitaries – including several African presidents and the Prince of Wales – were among the guests.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu – a long-time friend of Nelson Mandela – was also there, as was U.S. talk-show host Oprah Winfrey.

While the service took place, a 21-gun salute sounded far away in Pretoria.

President Zuma, who was booed at last week’s stadium commemoration in

Soweto, led the service in song before giving his funeral oration.

It had been a long and painful week, he said.

“Whilst the long walk to freedom has ended in the physical sense, our own journey continues.”

An unexpected contribution came from Kenneth Kaunda, 89-year-old former president of Zambia, who lightened the tone of the proceedings by jogging to the stage.

He recounted failed appeals he had made to two South African leaders, John Vorster and PW Botha, for the release of Mandela and his ANC colleagues from prison.

As the political tributes overran, the organisers made an unsuccessful attempt to cut back the reli-

“truly long walk”.

George Bizos, another close friend who was part of Mandela’s legal team at his 1964 Rivonia trial, was among those who attended the private burial.

“We have known each other for 65 years. Now he is gone,” he said.

Three helicopters trailing South African flags then flew over the scene followed by six jets. TV pictures of the grave site came to a close.

British entrepreneur Richard Branson, who attended the burial, said Desmond Tutu told mourners Nelson Mandela “doesn’t need a stone – he is in all of our hearts”.

The former archbishop was at the private ceremony despite conflicting statements on Friday about whether he had been invit-

Many people walked to watch the funeral on the Mandela family’s property in Qunu

ed.

According to tradition, the Thembu community was holding a private traditional Xhosa ceremony – including songs and poems about Mandela’s life and his achievements.

An ox was due to be slaughtered and a family elder was to stay near the coffin, to talk “to the body’s spirit”.

Sad but happy

The burial brought to an end more than a week of mourning across South Africa.

Tens of thousands of people flocked to the FNB stadium for a public memorial on Tuesday, to hear President Barack Obama and other international leaders pay tribute to Mandela.

Over the next three days, at least 100,000 people saw the former president’s body lying in state in Pretoria.

Thousands more had to be turned away.

On Saturday, Mandela’s coffin was flown from Waterkloof airbase in Pretoria to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape.

A military guard of honour then took the casket on a 20-mile (32km) route to Qunu, where Mandela had wanted to spend his final days.

Crowds waving flags and cheering and singing lined the route, which culminated at the Mandela homestead.

(BBC News)

14

monday, December 16, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Bachelet easily wins Chile’s election, plans reforms

Approval of Peruvian President Humala drops to fresh low

M

ichelle Bachelet was elected as Chile’s president again on Sunday in a landslide victory that hands the centre-leftist the mandate she sought to push ahead with wide-reaching reforms.

Bachelet won with about 62 per cent support, the highest proportion of votes any presidential candidate has obtained since Chile returned to holding democratic elections in 1989.

Evelyn Matthei, the conservative candidate of the ruling Alianza coalition, conceded defeat after capturing just 38 per cent of the vote, the right’s worst performance in two decades.

Bachelet’s supporters waved flags and sounded car horns outside the La Moneda presidential palace.

Bachelet, who led Chile between 2006 and 2010 as its first female leader, will look to capitalise on her resounding win to make changes aimed at redressing persistent inequality in the world’s top copper exporter.

A physician by training,

Chilean presidential candidate Michelle Bachelet shows her vote during the presidential election in Santiago, December 15

Bachelet is a moderate socialist and has promised 50 reforms in her first 100 days, once she takes office in March.

Her flagship policy is a hike in corporate taxes to 25 per cent from 20 per cent, to pay for social reforms that include a gradual move to free higher education.

“I am happy with the result and victory and I shall be a president for everyone in Chile,” Bachelet said as she received a congratulatory telephone call from out-

going President Sebastian Pinera.

Bachelet’s large margin of victory will come as a relief, if not a surprise.

Approval ratings for Bachelet, loved by many Chileans for her warm and personable style, were skyhigh at the end of her first term.

Constitutionally barred from seeking immediate re-election in 2009, she was the runaway favourite to win this year’s vote since before she even launched her candidacy.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Trinidad launches “virtual police officers” project

N

ational Security Minister Gary Griffith said the authorities would soon launch a major crime-fighting initiative as they deal with an upsurge in criminal activities in Trinidad and Tobago.

So far this year, 373 people have been murdered and Griffith said that the Virtual Police Officers (VIPO) will, once launched, make every law abiding citizen a virtual police officer.

“In this way, you can go on a secure website and report a crime which may be about to be committed or has been committed,” Griffith said, adding he would be personal-

ly held responsible to ensure the confidentiality of the informants remained secure.

“VIPO will fall directly under me so that people will feel safe to report information that can be turned into evidence,” he said, sending a message to rogue elements within the police.

“We are putting special mechanisms to weed out rogue elements in the police service and give citizens responsibility to become virtual officers on cyberspace.

It is no secret that there are police officers on the payroll of gang members, and once we find the evidence to remove them, they will be re-

moved.

“I don’t want to transfer the problem. They don’t belong in police stations, perhaps the only place they belong is behind bars in the stations.”

Griffith called ‘cowards’ those criminals who “prey on victims who are on most occasions defenceless”.

“I am fully confident that the upcoming law enforcement initiatives would peg them back, provide the deterrent and if not, they would be brought to justice.

This would be my New Year resolution to the country,” he said, adding “failure is not an option”. (Excerpt from Barbados

Nation)

Jamaica: Education Ministry lauds Jamaican students on receiving CXC regional awards

T

he Jamaican Education Ministry has lauded three Jamaican students for copping top regional awards in the 2013 Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams.

At a ceremony recently held in Guyana, CXC awarded Dea Thomas of Ardenne High School for being the Most Outstanding Candidate in the Caribbean Overall in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

CXC noted that Thomas “becomes the eight recipient and first Jamaican student

to win the award,” which is named in honour of Dennis Irvine, former chairman of the council. She received grade ones in 12 CAPE units.

The Most Outstanding Candidate in Humanities in the region was awarded to Tasanique Henry of Hampton High School for achieving grade ones in eight CAPE units.

Another Jamaica student, Ranolyn Hunt of St Mary’s College, won the regional award for Most Outstanding Candidate in Visual Arts (three-dimensional work) in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate

(CSEC) examination. Hunt designed and produced an elaborate necklace for a fashion show using macramé techniques and wire as well as natural fibres.

In congratulating the awardees, Education Minister Ronald Thwaites said “all Jamaica is proud of your scholastic achievement which is a result of your diligence and the dedication of your teachers”.

Minister Thwaites also commended other Jamaican students who have placed in the top ten in the 2013 CSEC examinations for the Caribbean. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Peruvian President Ollanta Humala speaks at the Harvard Club during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, September 25

O

nly one in four Peruvians approved of President Ollanta

Humala in December, an all-time low for the leader, a poll showed on Sunday.

Humala, who has been in office since July 2011, saw his popularity slip to 25 per cent from 27 per cent in November, stung by a police corruption scandal, pollster Ipsos said.

His approval rating has plummeted 29 percentage points since March and about 69 per cent of Peruvians now disapprove of the former military officer.

That’s a far cry from the roughly 65 per cent approval ratings he enjoyed near the start of his term.

While Humala has put in place a variety of social programmes, he has been criticised for not doing enough to ensure the poor benefit from an ongoing metals boom in the Andean country.

The Ipsos Peru poll of 1663 people has a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points. (Reuters)

Thousands march for sacked Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro

T

ens of thousands of people in Colombia have been taking part in a demonstration in support of the sacked mayor of Bogota, Gustavo Petro.

Colombia’s Inspector General, Alejandro Ordonez, announced on Monday that Petro would have to leave office over the alleged mismanagement of the capital’s rubbish collection service.

Petro was also banned from holding public office for 15 years. He says he will fight to reverse the decision.

He is allowed to appeal.

Bolivar square in central Bogota was packed, in the biggest demonstration in support of the mayor so far. Petro, a former left-wing rebel, said he had been the victim of a “rightwing coup” by the Inspector General’s Office.

“Here we will define whether peace is possible or not, whether democracy is possible or not,” Petro told supporters on the square.

He was a member of the M-19 rebel group, which signed a peace agreement with the government and gave up its armed struggle

Supporters of Petro say an unelected prosecutor should not have the powers to dismiss an elected mayor

in 1990.

The inspector general said the mayor had violated the principles of the free market and endangered people’s health with a series of changes to the rubbish collection system.

In 2012, rubbish was left uncollected in Bogota for several days due to failures in the system.

The Colombian constitution gives the Inspector General’s Office the power to oversee the performances of those holding public office.

Petro’s term started in 2012 and was supposed to end in 2016. He was a potential candidate for presidential elections in 2018.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Earthquake hits off the coast of Barbados

T

he Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the University of the West Indies is reporting that an earthquake took place just off the coast of Barbados early Sunday morning.

According to the reading taken at the centre which is based in Trinidad, a quake measuring 3.8 was recorded to the south of Barbados

at a depth of 66 kilometres.

The event was located at 12.60°N 59.67°W. It was recorded at 3:32h and the SRC said the effects might have been felt in the other islands.

Data is still being processed.

The earthquake is the latest in a series of minor seismic events that have

occurred in recent months off the coasts of Caribbean Islands, with the biggest occurring north of the Paria Peninsula, Trinidad on November 26.

The Seismic Research Centre is the official source of information for earthquakes and volcanoes in the English-speaking Eastern Caribbean. (Barbados Nation)

15 Around the world

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, dECember 16, 2013

Huge rally in Kiev in support of closer ties with EU S

ome 200,000 people have rallied in the Ukrainian capital Kiev to protest against President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign a landmark European Union (EU) deal.

Yanukovych backed out of signing the association agreement after months of negotiation, apparently under strong pressure from Russia.

He is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. The EU has put any new talks on the agreement on hold until there is a clear commitment to sign.

News agencies’ estimates of the size of the crowd at Independence Square ranged from 150,000 to 300,000. This is the latest in a series of demonstrations over the past few weeks by the opposition who see Ukraine’s future as part of the EU rather than aligned with Russia.

The series of protests, the largest since Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution, is de-

The protesters have been holding mass rallies in Kiev every weekend since President Yanukovych pulled out of the EU agreement

signed to push Yanukovych to dismiss his government and call fresh elections, opposition leaders say.

Makeshift barriers around the perimeter of the main protest encampment on Independence Square have been strengthened following an attempt by special police to dismantle them

earlier this week.

Opposition leaders have urged protesters to remain vigilant, fearing “provocateurs” could trigger clashes between rival demonstrators.

Yuri Lutsenko, a former interior minister and opposition politician, told the protesters on Independence Square they were fighting

for independence.

“What is happening on the Maidan [square] today?” he said.

“It is an anti-colonial revolution. Above all, Ukrainians turned out to say to Moscow: ‘We are no longer under your command, we are an independent country’.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

Syrian helicopter bomb raids kill 36 in Aleppo – monitor

T

hirty-six people, nearly half of them children, were killed on Sunday when Syrian army helicopters dropped improvised “barrel bombs” on the disputed northern city of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Video uploaded by local activists showed a fire in a narrow street covered in debris and dust after one air raid in the Karam el-Beik district. Another showed blackened and twisted wreckage of a vehicle at a busy roundabout.

The Britain-based Observatory said at least 15 of the casualties on Sunday were children.

Barrel bombs are explosive-filled cylinders or oil barrels, often rolled out of the back of helicopters with little attempt at striking a particular target but capable of causing widespread casualties and significant damage.

President Bashar alAssad’s forces, battling re-

bels in a two-and-a-halfyear conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people, frequently deploy air power and artillery against rebel-held districts across the country.

They have been unable to recapture eastern and central parts of Aleppo, which rebels stormed in the summer of 2012, but they have driven rebel fighters back from towns to the southeast of the city in recent weeks.

Backed by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas and Iraqi Shi’ite fighters, they have also consolidated Assad’s control over the capital Damascus and the main highway north to the central city of Homs, despite counter attacks by the Sunni rebels, who include many foreign jihadi fighters.

The observatory also said on Sunday the death toll from a sectarian attack by Islamist rebels on Wednesday in the town of Adra, northeast of Damascus, had risen to 28.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Israeli soldier killed in Lebanese China’s Jade Rabbit Moon rover sends back first photos sniper attack – military

A

n Israeli soldier was killed on Sunday when a Lebanese sniper opened fire in a normally quiet area of the border between the two countries, and a United Nations peacekeeping force said it was working with both sides to keep the incident from escalating.

Israel’s military said in a statement that a sniper from the Lebanese Armed Forces had shot at an Israeli vehicle driving near the Rosh Hanikra border crossing.

Israel has lodged a com-

plaint with the UN force in southern Lebanon and had heightened its state of preparedness along the border, spokesman Peter Lerner said.

“We will not tolerate aggression against the State of Israel, and maintain the right to exercise self-defence against perpetrators of attacks against Israel and its civilians,” he said.

Lebanese sources said they had lost contact with the Lebanese soldier after the shooting, which took place at the west-

ern tip of the border region across which Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia fought a 34-day war in 2006.

The UN force, UNIFIL, said they had been informed about “a serious incident” at the border.

“We are now trying to determine the facts of what happened and the situation is ongoing,” spokesman Andrea Tenenti said.

“UNIFIL’s force commander is in contact with counterparts in the Lebanese and Israeli army, urging restraint.” (Reuters)

Peter O’Toole, “Lawrence of Arabia” star, dies aged 81

A

ctor Peter O’Toole, who starred in Sir David Lean’s 1962 film classic “Lawrence of Arabia”, died on Saturday aged 81, his agent has said.

He was being treated at London’s Wellington hospital after a long illness, his agent added. O’Toole’s daughter Kate said the family was overwhelmed “by the outpouring of real love and affection being expressed towards him, and to us”.

He received an honorary Oscar in 2003, having initially turned it down. In a letter, the actor asked the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to delay it until he was 80, saying he was “still in the game and might win the bugger out-

Peter O’Toole

right”.

But when he finally clasped his statuette, he said: “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, my foot.”

O’Toole’s agent said he was “one of a kind in the very best sense and a gi-

ant in his field”. Film critic Barry Norman described him as a “true movie star”, who had “tremendous charisma”.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “My thoughts are with Peter O’Toole’s family and friends. His performance in my favourite film, “Lawrence of Arabia”, was stunning.”

Irish President Michael D Higgins added: “Ireland, and the world, has lost one of the giants of film and theatre. “I was privileged to know him as a friend since 1969. I spent part of 1979 in Clifden where we met almost daily and all of us who knew him in the West will miss his warm humour and generous friendship.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

T

he first robot to land on the Moon in nearly 40 years, China’s Jade Rabbit rover, has begun sending back photos, with shots of its lunar lander.

Jade Rabbit rolled down a ramp lowered by the lander and on to the volcanic plain known as Sinus Iridum at 04:35 Beijing time on Saturday (20:35 GMT).

It moved to a spot a few metres away, its historic short journey recorded by the lander.

On Sunday evening, the two machines began photographing each other. A Chinese flag is clearly visible on the Jade Rabbit as it stands deployed on the Moon’s surface.

Ma Xingrui, chief com-

New images show the probe viewed from the rover

mander of China’s lunar programme, declared the mission a “complete success”.

The first soft landing on the Moon since 1976 is the latest step in China’s ambitious space programme, says BBC science reporter Paul Rincon.

The lander will operate there for a year, while the rover is expected to work for some three months.

The Chang’e-3 mission landed some 12 days after being launched atop a Chinese-developed Long March 3B rocket from Xichang in the country’s south.

The official Xinhua news service reported that the lander began its descent on Saturday just after 1300 GMT, touching down in Sinus Iridum (the Bay of Rainbows) 11 minutes later.

Chang’e-3 is the third unmanned rover mission to touch down on the lunar surface, and the first to go there in more than 40 years.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Central African leader in talks with militias

T

he Central African Republic’s interim leader Michel Djotodia is weighing a possible amnesty for militias involved in Christian-Muslim violence that has killed hundreds of people, most of them civilians, in exchange for their disarmament. The former rebel leader said in a state radio address, late on Saturday, that he had been contacted by a representative of the mainly Christian and animist militias known as anti-balaka, who were demanding inclusion in the transitional government he leads.

“The anti-balaka sent us an emissary and said they want to lay down their weapons and leave the bush, but they fear for their security. They gave preconditions ... They asked for an amnesty and entrance into government,” Djotodia said.

“Contacts are already established and we will pursue these exchanges in the interest of peace for all Central Africans,” he added. “We don’t see the harm, because this is the price of peace.”

The country has been paralysed by cycles of killing, torture and looting since

Djotodia’s mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the majority Christian nation in March.

Djotodia has since lost control of his former fighters whose abuses have led to the emergence of the anti-balaka, meaning anti-machete in the local Sango language, opposing them. More than 1000 extra French troops were deployed this month to try to stop the violence that has displaced over 680,000 people – nearly one-seventh of the country’s inhabitants – according to the United Nations. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

16

Monday, DECember 16, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

International Financial and Economic Report Chairman, Guyana Americas Merchant Bank

BY GEOFFREY BELL

Table I

Currencies against the Dollar

Euro UK Pound Swiss Franc Australian dollar South African rand Chinese yuan Thai baht Indian rupee Japanese yen Brazilian real Gold Dow Jones

T

he economic evidence over the past few weeks in the U.S. has been good. The chances are that Dr Ben Bernanke and Dr Janet Yellen will be a little skeptical and prefer to wait longer before concluding that the U.S. economy is accelerating in a sustained way.

Interest rates are at about the same level as a week ago (2.87 per cent for 10-year notes and 3.92 per cent for 30-year bonds) when they may have been expected to rise closer to three per cent and four per cent.

In Table I, the South African rand has fallen over 20 per cent and the Australian dollar, the Indian rupee and the Brazilian real by double-digits as is the

Jan 2,

Dec 12,

2013

2013

% Change

1.33 1.63 0.91 1.05 8.51 6.23 30.34 54.4 87.17 2.04 $1694 13,360

1.38 1.64 0.89 0.90 10.39 6.07 32.12 61.83 102.9 2.35 $1232 15,845

+3.8 +0.6 -2.2 -14.3 -22.1 +2.6 -6.0 -13.7 -18.0 -15.2 -27.6 +18.6

case of many emerging currencies not listed.

The price of gold is down 27.6 per cent since January 2 and this has had a negative effect on the South African rand. The Japanese yen has dropped 18 per cent in 2013, raising import prices in Japan and helping exports. The Chinese yuan continues its upward movement and has increased 2.6 per cent this year and could end the year at close to six per cent.

The Dow Jones is up almost 20 per cent and was up almost three per cent in October and, sometime in 2014. Dr Yellen, the likely new chairperson of the Federal Reserve, will decide to begin reducing purchases of bonds in the U.S. unless

the economic performance of the U.S. is really bad.

Last Tuesday, five regulatory agencies formally adopted the “Volcker rule”

Currencies: Euro Yen Sterling

1.37 103.2 1.63

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cur

Buying

Selling

GBP

$334.43

$338.62

CAN

$192.86

$195.09

USD

$205.49

$207.93

U.S.

$1335.00

Cambio

$202.67

Gross

$254,331

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

Indicators as on December 13, 2013 Live Spot Gold

USD Per Once

Bid/Ask

$1238.80

$1239.80

Low/High

$1228.40

$1239.90

Change

+13.60

+1.11

USD GBP EUR

AM

PM

1222.75 750.89 891.22

1232.00 756.94 987.50

AM

PM

Dec 13

USD GBP EUR

1243.50 758.51 902.79

Last: 15755.36

Price Silver

Platinum

London Gold Fix

Dec 14

Indicators Crude Oil

1225.25 749.25 891.09 Changes: +15.93

Open: 15745.66

High:15792.80

% YTD: 20.23

52Wk Hi: 16174.51

Swiss franc Aussie$ Canadian$

Treasuries: Two-Year 0.33% 10 Year 2.87% 30 Year 3.88%

Fixed as at July 24, 2013 Calculated at 94% purity

Bank of Guyana

gross domestic product (GDP) was essentially unchanged in the third quarter heralding an end to the recession.

China’s retail sales unexpectedly accelerated in November and rose 10 per cent from a year earlier and auto sales rose 16 per cent in November. The economy expanded at 7.8 per cent in the third quarter from a year earlier.

It is expected by many observers to slowdown in the fourth quarter and in 2014 to something around seven per cent. In India, factory output fell 1.8 per cent from a year earlier as consumer spending moderated and this had a feedback into the system.

Over the week, both the Euro and the pound sterling were unchanged against the U.S. dollar at 1.37 and 1.63 respectively. The Japanese yen continued its downward spiral weakening to 103.2 from 102.9 two Fridays ago.

Likewise the Australian

Market summary at 10:00h – December 13, 2013

Market statistics Cambio Rates

almost five years after the idea was first introduced by Paul Volcker and three years from the time that President Barack Obama named the

On Wednesday, Daniele Nouy, secretary general of France’s Prudential and Regulation Authority, was approved by the European parliament to be the new head of bank supervision in the Eurozone.

The European Central Bank will have to do a better job of “stress testing” European banks in 2014 than in earlier efforts and Nouy will play a major role in this regard. This assessment will require an analysis of the risks run by the banks, an in-depth asset quality review as well as a stress test gauging banks resistance to a range of shocks.

The general view is that a number of banks will fail the test and needed capital will be at least US$40 billion and perhaps more.

Italy is seen as being vulnerable because banks have not yet been subject to external scrutiny.

The U.S. economic reports this week have been positive with wholesale trade inventories rising 1.4

US$ per barrel

$108.67 USD per Ounce

$19.71 $1361.00

Change %

-0.95 Change %

+0.21 +5.00

% Change: +0.10 Low: 15717.92 52 Wk Lo: 12471.49

rule after the retired head of the Federal Reserve.

The measure seeks to keep banks from taking positions that could cause their collapse. It will take full effect on July 21, 2015 over objections from bank lobbyists seeking to protect the US$44 billion that the biggest U.S. banks make from trading securities.

Given this approval, the Dodd-Frank act is largely complete even if many rules mandated remain to be written or completed. The key feature is that the act will restrain risk-taking in the banking industry and the Volcker rule has already had an impact on reducing proprietary trading.

The Volcker rule helps in reducing risks such as the one that cost JP Morgan US$6.2 billion in 2012 on bets in credit derivatives.

Regulators are in a position to reduce many activities of banks and are closer to stopping taxpayer’s funds being used again if there were another 2008.

0.89 0.89 1.06

Mexican peso Euro/£ Euro/¥

12.96 0.84 141.7

Equity Indices since before last Friday: Dow Jones -1.8% Nasdaq -1.4% FTSE -1.5%

15,739 4007 6457

Nikkei

15,403

+0.7%

per cent in October which was more than anticipated and job openings climbing to the highest level in five years (Tuesday).

On Thursday, it was announced that retail sales rose by 0.7 per cent in November which was better than expected this was partly due to a rise in automobile purchases which rose to an annualised rate of 16.3, the highest since May 2007.

Excluding autos, sales rose by 0.4 per cent. At the same time, jobless claims rose 68,000 in the week ended December 7 and import prices dropped 0.6 per cent in November matching the decrease in October. On Friday, it was reported that wholesale prices declined for a third month in November as a result of lower energy and automobile prices. The 0.1 per cent drop followed a 0.2 per cent decline in the prior month.

In overseas news, the UK continued to do well with industrial production increasing by 0.4 per cent from September.

Italy’s

dollar moved down to 0.89 from 0.91 a week ago. The Swiss franc strengthened slightly to 0.89 from 0.90 and the Canadian dollar held steady at 1.06.

The yield on the two-year Treasury increased to 0.33 per cent today [Friday] from 0.31 per cent a week ago and the 10-year is now 2.87 per cent compared to 2.86 per cent while the 30year yield declined to 3.88 per cent from 3.92 per cent.

Fears about the Fed starting to “taper” its bond purchases sent the stock market down last Friday and the Dow Jones was at 15,739, down 1.8 per cent on the week. Gold moved up slightly this week and is now US$1238 an ounce from US$1233. Oil, however, weakened to US$96.60 from US$97.65 a week ago.

Dr Stanley Fischer, the recently retired head of the Central Bank of Israel and one of the world’s best economists, is top of the list to succeed Dr Janet Yellen as vice-chairman of the Federal Reserve.

news

17

monday, December 16, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Local wildlife authority seeks reason Restoration of funds for NCN, GINA was lawful – AG for caiman seizure in Netherlands

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

T

he threat by the political opposition to move to the courts, following the decision of the Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh to approve monies for state entities National Communications Network (NCN) and the Government Information Agency (GINA), may be in vain.

Clearing the air on the issue, Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said that the budgets of the two entities which were cut to $1 each by the parliamentary opposition were restored by his Cabinet colleague in accordance with the law.

“I suppose they can attempt to initiate proceedings they feel may be appropriate, but it will be unsuccessful.”

Minister Nandlall said the same constitutional mechanism was used by the finance minister in 2012 after government was faced with same challenge by the opposition.

“The finance minister utilised the very mechanism and restored the monies which were cut, and presented the same Financial Statement of Excesses to the National Assembly as is required of him by Article 318 of the Constitution.

In compliance

“They would have some type of impact on the financial accounting record of the country and those who are trained in that area have to deal with that, but speaking as attorney general and as a lawyer, legally, the minister acted in compliance with the Constitution of Guyana, and lawfully,” he stated.

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

“My interpretation and the minister’s interpretation of Article 318, accord with the interpretation of that article by the Honourable Chief Justice of the country in the budget cut case in his preliminary ruling. Recall he handed down an 18- page ruling in which he detailed a whole host of legal issues and detailed his opinion in the form of a ruling of those issues,” the attorney general stated.

He added that many of those issues involved included an interpretation of various provisions of the Constitution and Article 318 fell to be interpreted by the chief justice in his analysis.

This interpretation of the Constitution, he said, “is consistent with my interpretation of the Constitution and Dr Ashni Singh’s interpretation of the Constitution.”

Within parliamentary norms

The move by Minister Singh to submit financial papers to the National Assembly, detailing expenditures for the two state entities was met with opposition by APNU and AFC parliamentarians. The attorney general is adamant that his Cabinet colleague acted in accordance with accepted parliamentary norms, and procedures and the Constitution.

“One set of financial papers was Statement of Excesses and the other set was applications for supplementary provisions. The Constitution of our country which is the supreme law, allows for monies to be accessed via the National Assembly in a variety of

ways. You can do so at the beginning of the financial year by the presentation of what is called the national budget which is accompanied by an Appropriation Act, and that is the main method by which the government obtains money to be spent.”

The attorney general noted that Minister Singh is not empowered to just take money and spend, he has to comply with the law, and the National Assembly has a role to play in approving these monies which are required to be spent.

Constitutional options

“There are many occasions that will arise which will prove that what has been budgeted is insufficient… in such a situation the Constitution of our country provides two additional mechanisms, that is, after the Appropriation Act for the minister of finance to access monies from the treasury. The minister of finance can, if he forms the opinion that there has been insufficient money budgeted or for whatever reason the monies budgeted were spent, and the need still exists for additional monies to be spent on any given matter, he can do one of two things. Firstly, he can go to the National Assembly with a supplementary application requisitioning the Parliament’s approval for a given sum of money for a stated purpose.”

The second mechanism he said is that, “The Constitution expressly allows him to, in those very circumstances, to expend monies, and then as soon as it is reasonably possible, thereafter present to the National Assembly Statement of Excesses showing the monies which have been spent and the purpose for which they have been spent, and seeking what would then be, the ex-post approval of the National Assembly pursuant to Article 317 of the Constitution and that is what the minister of finance did.

A final ruling on the legality of the cuts to the 2012 national budget is expected on December 19, in the High Court.

I

n wake of the recent seizure of caimans in Netherlands, the Guyana Wildlife Management Authority Division has written to the Dutch authorities to ascertain the cause of the seizure.

The shipment of caimans departed Guyana last Thursday, destined for Ukraine; however, while passing through the Netherlands, the Dutch authorities seized the shipment.

In a press statement on Sunday, the Guyana Wildlife Management Authority Division said the Dutch authorities are contending that the caimans were transported in violation of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations; hence the seizure. However, the local authority is awaiting a response on the specific violation pertaining to the shipment.

According to the Guyana Wildlife Management Authority Division, the general container requirements (Live Animal Regulations, 2011, pp 278-280) indicate that the dimensions of inner enclosures and or outer enclosures must be related to the actual size of the specimens being transported.

“In general, the contain-

er must allow the animal to lie in a natural manner with enough space so that stacking does not take place. Further, the height of the container should allow air flow over the animals but must also prevent stacking,” the local authorities further explained.

In the areas of ventilation and temperature, the Guyana Wildlife Management Authorities Division said reptiles are cold blooded and have lower oxygen requirements than birds and mammals.

“Therefore, the ventilation and the size of the ventilation openings would be dependent on the ambient temperature.

Shipments that are exposed to cold climates will require fewer ventilation openings than shipments that are exposed to hot climates.”

However, aerations should be small enough to prevent the escape of the animals while meshed openings must be added to the outer container to prevent the possible blockage of inner ventilation holes by the outer container.

“Based on the foregoing, it is clear that while some parameters are established for the shipment of live animals, there is ambiguity in the guidelines which can lead to subjectivity on the part of in-

specting officers,” the Wildlife Management Authority contended on Sunday.

Nevertheless, it has promised to implement the training of inspecting officers on the IATA Live Animal Regulations.

Additionally, it will be working to develop clearer guidelines by the WMA within the parameters laid out by the LATA Live Animal Regulations to avoid accusations of subjectivity on the part of inspecting officers.

But Thursday’s seizure comes as no surprise. On November 29, a shipment of caimans departed Guyana destined for the Netherlands; however, upon arrival in the Netherlands, several of the caimans were found dead. The shipment was routed through Canada and Turkey. “The Dutch authorities determined that the animals had not been transported in accordance with the IATA Live Animal Regulations. They noted that ventilation was not adequate for the caimans, the caimans were transported “too cold” and that the packing density outlined by the IATA Live Animal Regulations was not adhered to,” WMA recalled.

The last incident occurred on the same day when the government tabled the Wildlife Import and Export Bill 2013 in the National Assembly.

Forest community agrees to action towards greening the economy

T

he Rovaniemi Action Plan for the forest sector in a green economy was adopted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Committee on Forests and the Forest Industry (COFFI) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) European Forestry Commission (EFC).

The action plan provides a solid platform for the forest sector to support transformation to a green bio-based economy in Europe, North America, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Forest leaders decided to name the strategic document The Rovaniemi Action Plan, after the city where their joint session “Metsä2013” is taking place.

COFFI Chair Heikki Grandholm said that “the forest sector in the region has already significantly contrib-

uted to the emerging green economy. This action plan is meant to inspire further action to enhance the contribution of forests in a green economy”.

Experts said that forests will play a critical role in greening the economy as they can sustainably provide alternatives to a range of products that are harmful to the environment and the climate.

For example, in the construction industry, cement, the production of which requires a large amount of energy, could be replaced with wood and bamboo. Bioproducts and bio-chemicals from forests are already being used in the food, clothing and packaging industries. Forests sustain economies by the products and services they provide and furthermore, directly employ around about a million people in Europe alone.

The forest sector can do still more if governments and the private sector seize the opportunity to produce and use wood-based products. The plan outlines concrete steps that will help countries to deliver a steady, secure and sustainable future for forests in the region in five key areas.

These include sustainable production and consumption of forest products; a lowcarbon forest sector; decent green jobs in the forest sector; long-term provision of forest ecosystem services; and policy development and monitoring of the forest sector.

“It is remarkable that the Rovaniemi plan was approved during the European Forest Week 2013 as the theme of the week this year is the role of forests and forest products in a green economy,” concluded Metsä2013 Co-chair Andrey Filipchuk.

BBCI fetes Dharam Shala residents T

BBCI Administrative Assistant Bibi Alli hands a gift to an official at the Dharam Shala

he Berbice River Bridge Inc (BBCI) recently provided lunch and gifts to residents of the Dharam Shala as part of activities to celebrate its fifth anniversary.

According to a release, the company was privileged to have the opportunity to make the donation towards the residents, which was also in keeping with the spirit of the Christmas season.

“The company will continue to sponsor other events subject to the availability of

funds at that time and is looking at a wider cross-section of sports and other charitable, non-charitable, government, non-government and inclusive of entertainments,” the release said.

The BBCI does not only fulfill the role of collecting tolls and facilitating vehicles crossing the Berbice River Bridge and vessels transiting through the retractor span and under the high span, but also discharges its corporate responsibilities.

In the past, the company has sponsored many

events that benefited communities on both the eastern and western sides of the bridge, and many other regions such as Georgetown, Linden, Parika and the hinterland.

Thus far, the company has received some 101 sponsorship requests; 94 of which have been approved.

These include sponsorship of Mashramani 2013 events, horse racing events and donations of trophies to various non-profit organisations and educational institutions.

18

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monday, december 16, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Your moodiness and changing attitudes may alienate you from friends and family. Be careful what you say. Try to avoid being controversial, and make amends quickly before a situation spins out of control.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Avoid getting caught up in details. Maintaining a general overview of a situation should do for now.

Your time is better spent reading or meeting up with friends and colleagues who provide mental stimulation.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Travelling or group activities will foster new partnerships. Avoid investing in moneymaking schemes. Be sure to consult with a financial adviser before you open your wallet.

Peanuts

SUDOKU

CANCER (June 21July 22) Opportunities for partnerships abound among the right people. Now is the time to make a difference through involvement in humanitarian ventures.

Take a measured, rational approach when dealing with children.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Your work rather than home life is where you will shine most right now, so focus your energy there. But don’t neglect your domestic responsibilities entirely – try to maintain a balance.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Plan to travel, whether for business or pleasure.

Self-improvement efforts will make you feel good and boost your aesthetic appeal. Make decisions while free from outside influence.

ARIES

LIBRA

(March 21-April 19)

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Seek a promotion or a more lucrative position at work. Be wary of competition – peers may try to make you look bad. If you take special care to avoid being criticised, affairs will work out well.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Now is not the time to worry about your personal life. Focus on your professional goals, and you’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

Pay attention to nutrition, as unwanted weight gain is likely at this time.

Maintain a healthy and active routine. You can take control if you pay attention and are willing to work at it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Close friends and relatives may steer you in the wrong direction regarding a sensitive situation. Keep in mind that it is you who must endure the consequences of your actions.

Saturday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20) If you get out and meet like-minded people, you could expand your network of friends. It is also a very good time to consider expanding your family or circle of loved ones.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) You may get an opportunity to meet people who can help you reach your career goals. You’ll need to mount a massive charm offensive if you want to bolster your reputation.

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Georgetown Lions Club cheers up less fortunate children

T

he holiday season is one of giving and sharing, and in keeping with this spirit, the Lions Club of Georgetown hosted its annual Christmas party for less fortunate children on the lawns of St Stanislaus College on Saturday.

When Guyana Times arrived to report on the celebration, the festivities had not long started with in excess of 150 children present, but more were expected to come.

According to club member Harun Hailim, the party is about giving to the less

fortunate the wonderful feeling that comes with this joyful time of the year.

Georgetown, Stabroek Lions Club President Odessa De Barros said that the club usually brings Christmas cheer to the Leopold area and has been doing so for the past 11 years.

She said members of the club who have families who are not as fortunate were also invited to the event.

De Barros thanked Banks DIH, Bravo Arts, New Building Society, Payless Variety Store, Gafoors and Sons and several other businesses which

donated generously to the event.

The children were treated to a meal and ice cream and were also given presents. They had their faces painted compliments of Bravo Arts and interacted with Santa Claus as well as Mickey and Minnie Mouse who entertained them.

On Christmas Day, the club will be spreading cheer to the children who are patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Santa Clause and the cartoon characters will be there distributing presents and Christmas goodies to them.

Miner accidentally shot during scuffle with policeman

A

North West District (NWD) man is nursing a gunshot wound to the back at the Georgetown Public Hospital which he sustained during a scuffle with a policeman who attempted to take away his unlicensed firearm at Kamaka Front.

The injured man was identified as Randy Edwards, 27, of Yarakita, NWD. Police in a release stated that about 23:45h on

Saturday evening, the police responded to a report that Edwards was discharging rounds from a firearm and threatening to kill persons at the Kamaka waterfront, NWD. As a result, a policeman went to the scene where he saw the miner, who was under the influence of alcohol, in a shop armed with an unlicensed shotgun. Upon seeing this, the police rank confronted Edwards in an effort to retrieve the firearm and

arrest him, but during the scuffle, the policeman’s firearm went off.

Edwards was shot to his back and was taken to the Mabaruma Hospital to seek medical treatment, but was subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further medical attention.

The unlicensed shotgun was recovered by the police as the investigations continue. Edwards is under guard at the medical facility.

P&P Insurance Brokers reaches out to charitable homes

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Managing Director Bish Panday (left standing) and his wife (right standing) with representatives of the charitable organisations

P

& P Insurance Brokers and Consultants on Wednesday donated cheques to 10 charitable homes from across Guyana as part of its mandate to reach out to the less fortunate.

The donation was made by the company’s Managing Director Bish Panday and his wife to representatives of the homes at the Guyana Cricket Club Pavilion during a simple presentation ceremony.

Panday said the company was happy that it can

contribute to making a positive impact on the lives of the less fortunate.

Each home received a cheque for $100,000, and their representatives thanked P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultants for the kind gesture.

The organisations that benefit are Bless the Children’s Home, the Canaan Children Home, the Hauraruni Girls Home, the Ptomely Reid Rehabilitation Centre, the Uncle Eddie’s Home, the Archer’s Home,

the Dharam Shala, the David Rose School for the Handicapped, the Cheshire Homes for Guyana and the Bright Horizon Family.

The representative from the Dharam Shala said the money will be used for repairs to the building and to provide three square meals a day for its members.

Over the years, P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultants has tried in small ways to reach out and bring cheer to the less fortunate.

20

guyanatimesGY.com

monday, december 16, 2013

England unravel as Man United beat Villa to end losing run Warner cuts loose I

n a similarly lopsided Ashes contest at the WACA Ground nearly 20 years ago, Graham Thorpe dropped Steve Waugh at slip then compounded his error by booting the ball past cover for two.

This time England experienced similar extremes of dejection, their hopes of retaining the Urn evaporating under the heat of relentless Australian pressure and a scorching Perth sun.

The tourists’ last realistic hopes of keeping the Ashes alive had revolved around a strong batting display from the reasonable overnight platform of 4 for 180. What happened instead was the surrender of 6 for 61 to Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle, a slide made worse by the Johnson toe-crusher that not only pinned Stuart Broad lbw but sent him to hospital, ruling him out of bowling for the rest of the game.

Lacking his best paceman of the tour, Alastair Cook was largely powerless to stop David Warner careering away to another brazen century, while Chris Rogers contributed his own tidy half-century in a stand of 157. Chances went down in a manner predictable for a team so downtrodden, Matt Prior enduring a horrific afternoon with the gloves. At the start of the day England hoped for a contest. Now they wait wearily for another declaration from Michael Clarke.

Ian Bell and Ben Stokes had resumed with high hopes of pushing towards Australia’s first innings total, but early swing for Harris with the old ball indicated this would not be an easy task. Running a series of outswingers wide of Bell’s off stump, Harris twice tried to pin the batsman lbw with a ball moving back the other way.

The first was glanced to the fine leg fence but the second struck Bell in line.

Marais Erasmus declined the appeal, but Clarke’s review showed the ball would have struck enough of mid-

D

Danny Welbeck (left) scored twice for Manchester United

David Warner celebrates his hundred (Getty Images)

dle stump to overrule the decision. Australia celebrated raucously, Harris again claiming a critical breakthrough.

Stokes looked solid enough but Johnson’s pace provided a different challenge - one ball to Prior hit one of the significant cracks and veered towards first slip. Taking a single after the ball eluded Brad Haddin, Stokes soon offered a distracted waft outside off stump which he edged behind.

Siddle relieved Johnson as the second new ball neared, and a limp attempt at a pull shot by Prior reaped a thin edge behind.

With Prior went England’s last realistic hope of reducing the deficit sufficiently to stay in the match, given the poor returns by their tail so far.

Clarke called for a fresh projectile once 80 overs had been bowled, and though Tim Bresnan leaned into three cover driven bound-

SCOREBOARD England 1st innings A Cook* c Warner b Lyon 72 M Carberry b Harris 43 J Root c †Haddin b Watson 4 K Pietersen c Johnson b Siddle 19 I Bell lbw b Harris 15 B Stokes c †Haddin b Johnson 18 M Prior† c †Haddin b Siddle 8 T Bresnan c †Haddin b Harris 21 S Broad lbw b Johnson 5 G Swann not out 19 J Anderson c Bailey b Siddle 2 Extras: (b 11, lb 7, w 5, nb 2) 25 Total: (all out, 88 overs) 251 Fall of wickets: 1-85, 2-90, 3-136, 4-146, 5-190, 6-198, 7-207, 8-229, 9-233, 10-251

Bowling: R Harris 22-10-483, M Johnson 22-7-62-2, S Watson 12-3-48-1, P Siddle 16-5-36-3, N Lyon 16-6-39-1 Australia 2nd innings C Rogers c Carberry b Bresnan 54 D Warner c Stokes b Swann 112 S Watson not out 29 M Clarke* b Stokes 23 S Smith not out 5 Extras: (b 8, lb 4) 12 Total: (3 wkts, 70 overs) 235 Fall of wickets: 1-157, 2-183, 3-223 Bowling: J Anderson 13-538-0, T Bresnan 12-3-49-1, B Stokes 14-1-65-1, G Swann 23-7-51-1, J Root 8-1-20-0

aries from a first exploratory over by Shane Watson, Broad had his toe crushed in front of middle stump by a 144kph yorker from Johnson in the next. Bresnan touched Harris behind while trying to leave another away curler, and when James Anderson popped up a catch to short leg, Australia had completed another dominant session in the field.

Opening up after lunch, Warner and Rogers were opposed by Anderson and Bresnan but not Broad, who gingerly attempted to bowl in the nets then went to hospital for scans on his foot.

In the absence of their most potent paceman, England looked flat, and were unable to grasp the chances that came their way.

Warner was intent on destruction, but when, on 13, he sallied forth to drive Graeme Swann and missed, Prior was unable to glove the ball let alone complete the stumping.

Prior missed a sharper stumping chance when Warner had 89. The reprieves allowed Warner to go on his merry way, hitting over fielders as well as between them to build the lead.

Rogers was more circumspect, but on 27 edged a fine delivery from Anderson that moved across him. It was Prior’s catch, but the missed earlier chance perhaps kept his feet frozen as the ball whirred behind, leaving Cook to make a late and unsuccessful attempt for the catch with a dive to his right. Australia’s openers relished in their opportunities, going on after tea until their stand had passed 150. (Cricinfo)

anny Welbeck scored twice as Manchester United avoided a third Premier League defeat in a row by overwhelming Aston Villa on Sunday.

Welbeck’s goals came in the space of three minutes - his opener coming when he slotted in after Adnan Januzaj’s header rebounded off the post.

The England striker then slid in to score from Antonio Valencia’s cross.

Villa struggled to cope with the visitors and Wayne Rooney set up Tom Cleverley to drive in a third.

United had picked up just two points from their previous four league matches but the style with which they saw off Villa hinted at a return of form and confidence.

The Red Devils are still 10 points behind top-flight leaders Arsenal and seven points adrift of the top four, but they made sure they did not lose a third Premier League game in succession for the first time since December 2001.

Villa had not beaten United at home since 1995

and that record only ever looked like being extended as they lost for the fifth time in eight league outings at their Midlands base.

The home side were hoping to take capitalise on United’s poor form and applied some early pressure, with winger Marc Albrighton twice shooting from distance, only for his efforts to be comfortably saved by keeper David De Gea. However, the visitors responded in emphatic fashion, with two goals from Welbeck putting them firmly in command by half-time.

Rafael’s determination helped him cross from the right and, after the unmarked Januzaj’s header came back off the inside of the post, Welbeck reacted quickest to side-foot in the rebound from six yards.

The home side barely had time to recover before falling further behind. Villa defender Nathan Baker gave the ball away and Welbeck laid a pass off to right-winger Valencia before charging into the area and beating Januzaj to slot in the

Ecuadorian’s low cross.

The uplift in United’s demeanour from the two goals was palpable and they slickly scythed through Villa with a regularity and ease that threatened more goals.

The pace and trickery of Valencia was particularly potent, and he pulled the ball back for Rooney to drag a shot wide before threading a pass through to Welbeck, who angled his effort beyond Villa keeper Brad Guzan’s right-hand post.

Villa rarely troubled De Gea as striker Christian Benteke continued to look out of sorts and notched up a 10th game without scoring.

And United wrapped up the win when the impressive Rooney slid a lovely weighted ball into the path of Cleverley, who scored his first league goal a year to the day since his last one.

Another positive note for United was the 70thminute introduction of midfielder Darren Fletcher, who returned to first-team action for the first time since Boxing Day last year as he continues his recovery after bowel surgery. (BBC Sport)

Garcia claims first win of 2013 in Thailand Open

S

ergio Garcia recorded his first win of 2013 by shooting a finalround 68 at the Thailand Golf Championship on Sunday.

The 33-year-old, who led from the second round, hit six birdies and two bogeys as he finished on 22 under, four shots clear of Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.

Stenson also hit a 68 to finish four ahead of France’s Alexander Levy (69).

England’s Justin Rose (72) was fourth on 13 under with South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel (67), Japan’s Yuki Kono (69) and Anirban Lahiri (73) of India.

Garcia’s victory was his first since the Johor Open in Malaysia last December.

“I knew Henrik was going to make it difficult for me,” said Garcia. “He’s been playing so amazingly great, and he did.

“He kept hitting good shot after good shot. And

Sergio Garcia

then when I bogeyed seven, I had to make a good par save on nine.

“I made three very important birdies on the first three on the back nine and gave myself a little bit of a cushion.”

Stenson, who last month became the first player to

win the Race to Dubai and FedEx Cup in the same year, admitted he felt tired during the tournament.

“I’ve had a great year but coming here really on the fumes left in the tank, not too much going for me to perform in that sense,” he said. (BBC Sport)

monday, december 16, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

21

NBA Round-up: Lakers, Bryant Suarez stars as Liverpool thrash Spurs snap three-game skid

L

Lakers 88, Bobcats 85

G

uard Kobe Bryant scored a seasonhigh 21 points and handed out eight assists as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak with an 88-85 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Lakers scored the final nine points of the game after the Bobcats took an 85-79 lead into the final 2:50.

It was the Lakers’ (11-12) first win since Bryant, who also had eight assists but seven turnovers, rejoined the team on December 8.

Trail Blazers 139, 76ers 105

One of the NBA’s most explosive offensive teams met the one featuring the most porous defense, with predictable results.

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and 16 rebounds and the Western Conferenceleading Portland Trail Blazers drilled a franchiserecord 21 three-pointers en route to a 139-105 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers (718).

Nicolas Batum added 17 points and nine assists for the Blazers, who hit a season-high point total while improving to 20-4. Eight players cracked double figures for Portland.

Clippers 113, Wizards 97

Point guard Chris Paul efficiently dominated throughout with 38 points and 12 assists as the Los Angeles Clippers capped their lengthy road trip by hammering the Washington Wizards 113-97.

Paul made 11 of 14 field goals, including five of seven three-pointers, and went 11 of 11 from the free throw line for the Clippers (16-9).

Guard Jamal Crawford scored 17 points, and center DeAndre Jordan had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Point guard John Wall led the Wizards (9-13) with 24 points and 12 assists.

Knicks 111, Hawks 106

The New York Knicks displayed a well-balanced attack as they knocked off the Atlanta Hawks 111-106.

Forward Carmelo Anthony once again led the Knicks (7-16) with a gamehigh 35 points.

Anthony, the league’s second-leading scorer at 25.6 points per game, came into the game with some shooting woes (43 percent), but had arguably his most efficient shooting night of the season (13-of-22), including a couple of clutch threes to help stave off the Hawks (12-12).

He added six rebounds and notched 15 of his points in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Kobe Bryant shoots over Gerald Henderson

Heat 114, Cavaliers 107

The hot-shooting Miami Heat defeated the hot-tempered Cleveland Cavailers 114-107.

The Heat shot 70 percent from the floor in the first quarter and was still at 60 percent at halftime but cooled off in the second half as their 19-point lead was erased.

But the Heat responded with an 11-1 run down the stretch to put the game away.

Heat forward LeBron James had a game-high 25 points to go with nine rebounds, nine assists and four steals.

Cavs coach Mike Brown was ejected in the second quarter, apparently upset that no foul was called when Cavs forward Alonzo Gee had his layup attempt blocked by Heat forward Shane Battier.

Raptors 99, Bulls 77

The Toronto Raptors piled up a season-high 26 assists and rolled to a 99-77 over Chicago.

Guard Kyle Lowry led five players in double figures with 16 points. Forward DeMar DeRozan and center Jonas Valanciunas scored 15 each, while forward Amir Johnson added 14.

Toronto (9-13) is 3-1 since trading high-scoring forward Rudy Gay to Sacramento. The Bulls (9-

13) are 3-9 since losing guard Derrick Rose to knee surgery.

Mavericks 106, Bucks 93

Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle and forward Dirk Nowitzki were too ill to make it to the American Airlines Center for Saturday night’s game, but it hardly mattered against the hapless Milwaukee Bucks.

The Mavs scored 38 points in the first quarter and cruised to a 10693 victory. Dallas improved to 14-10 while struggling Milwaukee fell to 5-19.

Without Nowitzki, Mavs point guard Jose Calderon picked up the slack with 16 of his 18 points in the first half.

Spurs 108, Jazz 84

Tim Duncan scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 10084 victory over the Utah Jazz.

The Spurs (19-4) overcame a sluggish start and maintained a double-digit lead from the middle of the second quarter on to win their fourth game in five nights.

Rookie Trey Burke led the Jazz with 20 points and five assists in his first match-up with All Star point guard Tony Parker but Utah (5-20) only shot 39.3 percent. (Reuters)

uis Suarez scored twice as Liverpool dominated 10-man Tottenham to move second in the Premier League table on Sunday.

The Uruguayan’s 16th goal of the season took him past the total for the whole Spurs side when he found the bottom corner from Jordan Henderson’s flick.

Philippe Coutinho hit the bar before the excellent Henderson volleyed in.

Paulinho was then sent off for a high kick on Suarez before goals from Jon Flanagan, Suarez and Raheem Sterling completed Spurs’ humiliation.

Liverpool were without injured skipper Steven Gerrard, who last week joined Daniel Sturridge on the treatment table, but they could have easily scored more as they took control early on and never let it slip against a poor Tottenham team, who did not have a shot on target.

This was Liverpool’s first victory in seven visits to White Hart Lane, while Tottenham ended a fivegame unbeaten run with another disappointing display in front of their home fans.

Andre Villas-Boas’s side have now won just one of their last six matches at White Hart Lane and they must seek to overturn that form if they are to establish themselves as Champions League contenders, let alone fight for the Premier League title.

More prominently, this

Luis Suarez

result will lead to further questions about the Portuguese coach’s future having already fielded them after a 6-0 loss at Manchester City last month.

Spurs came up against a Brendan Rodgers side led by the irrepressible Suarez, who took his amazing scoring run to 14 goals in eight Premier League games and 17 overall this season.

But the South American, who was captain for the day, was ably supported by the effervescence of Henderson and Sterling, who tore shreds out of Kyle Naughton before the Spurs left-back was replaced at half-time.

Henderson has had his critics at Anfield but appears to be finding consistent form now and he played his part in the opener after almost being played in by Suarez.

But with Michael Dawson sliding in to intercept, the Premier League’s

top scorer collected the loose ball, danced around Kyle Walker and slotted into the bottom corner.

Suarez, Coutinho and Glen Johnson all went close to doubling the lead before the half hour, with Nacer Chadli heading over from an isolated Spurs attack, but the visitors went 2-0 up before the break with Sterling involved again.

His raking ball from the right found Coutinho, who touched the ball to the onrushing Henderson. His first shot was saved, but then after Hugo Lloris could only push Suarez’s effort up into the air, Henderson volleyed in.

Roberto Soldado, who retained his place after a midweek hat-trick against Anzhi Makhachkala, then had the ball in the net but referee Jonathan Moss believed the Spaniard fouled Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet after a poor touch by the Belgian. (BBC Sport)

Murray wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year

A

ndy Murray has been voted the 2013 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The 26-year-old Scot became the first Briton in 77 years to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title with victory over Novak Djokovic in the summer.

Wales and British & Irish Lions rugby union player Leigh Halfpenny was runner-up, with jockey AP McCoy third.

“I’d like to thank all the public who voted, for giving me so much support over the last couple of years,” said Murray. “It’s made a huge difference.”

The ceremony was held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, although Murray was presented with the award in Miami where he is training ahead of the new season.

Martina Navratilova, the 18-time Grand Slam champion, handed the trophy over.

Murray, who was third behind cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins and heptathlete Jessica Ennis in 2012, said: “Thanks to Martina for giving this to me. She’s possibly the greatest tennis player of all time.

Andy Murray

“I’ve got a few people to thank - my family first. A lot are there in the crowd.

They’ve supported me since I was a kid, making a lot of sacrifices for me. I couldn’t have done it without you.

“My team are also all standing behind the camera here. They’ve been with me for a long time and I also couldn’t have done it without them. Thank you to all of them.”

Of the public, he added: “I know sometimes I’m not the easiest person to support but I’ve had a lot of pressure on me for a long time. I’m glad I managed to do it.

“No matter how excited

I try to sound, my voice always sounds boring - that’s just my voice. I’m sorry.

I’m very excited right now.

Thank you very much everyone.”

Murray is the fourth tennis player to win the award in its 60-year history, after Ann Jones in 1969, Virginia Wade in 1977 and Greg Rusedski in 1997.

Meanwhile, the British and Irish Lions were crowned Team of the Year after ending a 16-year wait for a series win with a 2-1 victory over Australia, with Warren Gatland making it a double celebration as he was named Coach of the Year. (BBC

Sport)

22

guyanatimesGY.com

SAturday, december 14, 2013

Smith braces for another Zaheer tussle Z aheer Khan may think, albeit somewhat cheekily, that he only needs to turn up to get Graeme Smith out and he would be surprised to learn the South African captain will probably be brushing off the brashness as nothing too serious.

"I can tell you now, Graeme doesn't think about Zaheer Khan at all," Jimmy Cook, Smith's former coach and long-time mentor, told ESPNcricinfo. "Mentally, he is one of the strongest cricketers I've ever worked with so he won't be bothered by what Zaheer said. And when he faces him, he won't think 'that's Zaheer Khan I am up against, I should be worried." He'll think 'Zaheer Khan, you're going to have a tough day because you're bowling to Graeme Smith.'"

This kind of playful trash talk is usually reserved for the boxing ring, not least because when it emerges in cricket, there's every chance it will earn the utterer a fine. As a result, press engagements can lapse into the predictable and it takes experienced and confident campaigners, like Zaheer, to spice them up.

The leader of India's attack will be the involved in what could turn out to the battle of the series. Between Zaheer and Smith - opening bowler to opening batsman, both of whom have returned from injuries looking leaner, fitter and stronger than before - the tone will be set.

Zaheer knows that if India are to make South Africa dance to their tune in the

Z

File photo: Payments to cricketers on national contracts have been delayed by four months

Zaheer Khan has dismissed Graeme Smith six times in Tests

two Tests, he will have to be the man to compose the first notes by making his advantage over Smith count for something.

Cook believes Zaheer won't be able to get that right this time, despite the numbers. Only Chris Martin has dismissed Smith more times in Test cricket than Zaheer eight compared to six - and Martin has played two more Tests against South Africa.

James Anderson has also accounted for Smith six times but that came in 17 Tests.

Of all bowlers currently playing, Zaheer is the one with the most success against Smith, underlined by when he gets him out as well as how. All but one of his dismissals - Cape Town

2007 - have come in the opening spell of the first innings which has meant Zaheer has often struck early blows against South Africa.

Using the left-armers angle, Zaheer has troubled Smith by moving the ball away from him for a period of time and then bringing one back into him. He discovered Smith's soft spot in the 2006 Boxing Day Test, although he only used it years later. That time, Zaheer's first three deliveries went away from Smith and the fourth moved in.

Smith was squared up and Zaheer induced the outside edge which saw the ball squirt past cover. Zaheer seemed to remember that for a later date. (cricinfo.com)

GBA/DDL Gatorade/Pepsi/Diamond Mineral Water U-16 Boxing C/ships…

Prado brothers impress at GABA future fighters finale

T

he Prado brothers displayed great movement in the ring against each other as Stevie topped Stephen on points during their box off in the 110-114kg weight class on Saturday at the Andrew “Sixhead” Lewis Gym in Albouystown .

The match between the two was fluid as both tried to pick each other off with jabs hooks. Body shots were few and far between but when thrown by either boxer they connected; both focused mainly on protecting and attacking the other’s head.

However, it was Stevie who had his hand raised by the referee and was immediately congratulated by his brother in a show of sportsmanship.

Meanwhile, Jamie Kellman of Young Achievers won decisively with a strong knockout win over Harpy Eagle’s Kevin Mullins in the 55-59 weight class.

The 70-74 weight class

Zimbabwe players boycott domestic game

imbabwe's domestic players from the Mountaineers franchise, and a few senior players of the Mashonaland Eagles team, refused to take the field for a Pro50 game in Mutare on Sunday, following through with a threatened boycott over unpaid salaries. The players have extended their deadline to Monday telling Zimbabwe Cricket that unless monies appear in their accounts, the four-day fixture, scheduled to start on December 17, will also not go ahead.* The Eagles team had traveled from Harare to Mutare for the one-dayer against the Mountaineers, without their senior players who had chosen to stay behind and honour the boycott. They were eventually awarded the match because they arrived at the ground, but the Mountaineers, the home side, didn't. Another Pro50 match between Southern Rocks and Mid West Rhinos got underway in Kwekwe. However, Rhinos players Brendan Taylor, Vusi Sibanda and

saw Stephon Howard outboxing Seraj Bhowani to win on points as both boxers went hard at each other throughout the bout.

Isaiah Moore outlasted Kevon Mullins to win the 7579 weight class in a show of boxing that had the gym clapping as the boxers launched

haymaker after haymaker at each other.

The 80-84 weight class was won by Delroy Allicock from Essequibo, who outboxed Osaiah Barker to take the win on points.

Meanwhile full results of the event will be in Tuesday’s edition of this publication.

prior to the series against Pakistan. The board's financial condition also resulted in Sri Lanka's tour to the country in October being deferred. That delay meant the national team would not play from September until February next year, and a lack of match practice was a major concern ahead of the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

This week a solution emerged with Afghanistan willing to pay their own way for three T20s and an ODI in Zimbabwe in January. It has now emerged that ZC is exploring the possibility of playing those matches in Bangladesh, rather than at home. Part of the rationale for that is to acclimatise to subcontinent conditions but it is understood that a lack of funding is also a consideration.

The domestic competitions in Zimbabwe, scheduled to begin in November, were also delayed due to financial problems but the tournaments were finally held without any sponsors.

(cricinfo.com)

Farfan & Mendes Junior squash Christmas tournament concludes

T

he Guyana Squash Association in collaboration with its number one corporate sponsor Digicel concluded play in the Farfan & Mendes Junior Christmas tournament at the Georgetown Club Ltd. squash courts.

Several of the country’s top junior players were in action on the final day of play and they did not disappoint the parents and spectators who had turned up to witness the matches.

The winners in the various categories were: Category F

Stevie snaps the head of his brother in the well fought bout (Treiston Joseph photo)

Malcolm Waller were not a part of the playing XI. On Friday, Zimbabwe cricketers had threatened to go on strike following delays in the payment of their salaries and had given their board a deadline of December 15 to pay up. It was learnt that players on national contract had not received payments for the last four months, while dues to players on domestic contracts had been delayed by two months.

ESPNcricinfo understands Zimbabwe Cricket has asked the ICC for an additional loan of US$3 million but an insider said the ICC may only agree to that if ZC provided an audit of the funds they received from the Targeted Assistance and Performance Programme earlier this year. Some of that money is believed to have been used to pay match fees for the Pakistan series, over which the Zimbabwe players threatened to strike.

In August this year, the Zimbabwe cricketers had formed a union to participate in salary negotiations

Winner: Nechemiyah Levans Second Place: Kirsten Gomes Third Place: Rayad Boyce Fourth Place: Paige Fernandes Fifth Place: Tome Reis

Category E Winner: Rajiv Lee Second Place:

Michael Alphonso Third Place: Madison Fernandes Fourth Place: Daniel Lowe Fifth Place: Jamila Da Silva

Category D Winner: Gianni Carpenter Second Place: Jonathan Edwards Third Place: John Phang Fourth Place: Dominic Collins Fifth Place: Zachary Persaud

Second Place: Matthew Phang Third Place: Alex Cheeks Fourth Place: Rebecca Lowe

Category A Winner: Akeila Wiltshire Second Place: Alec Melville Third Place: Larissa Wiltshire Fourth Place: Taylor Fernandes

Special Awards: Most Promising Boy: Nechemiyah Levans

Category C Winner: Jael Gaskin Second Place: Michael Ramroop Third Place: Anthony Islam Fourth Place: Savannah Mendes Fifth Place: Dennis Bagot

Most Promising Girl: Kirsten Gomes

Most Improved Boy: Gianni Carpenter

Most Improved Girl: Savannah Mendes

Most Outstanding Boy: Shomari Wiltshire

Category B Winner: Shomari Wiltshire

Most Outstanding Girl: Akeila Wiltshire

monday, december 16, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

Mc Donald finishes 54 out of 110 competitors in Prague …45 places better than last outing

N

ational champion Abigail Mc Donald returned from the Scrabble Champions Tournament 2013 in Prague, Czech Republic, richer in experience after finishing 45 places better than four years ago when the event was held in Malaysia.

She finished 54th of 110 competitors with 16 wins and a spread of +21 while her two other Caribbean counterparts Orlet Bullock ended with 17 wins and a spread of +192, and Leslie Charles with 16 wins and a spread of +159. The Scrabble Champions Tournament 2013 (formerly World Scrabble Championship) was held in the Andel’s Hotel.

Prague, Czech Republic from December 4-8.

Nigel Richards of New Zealand was the winner while Thailand’s Komol Panyasophonlert was the runner-up.

According to a report Mc Donald wrote, day one of the championships was a “disaster”, citing that she only won one game out of seven; day two however

National champion Abigail Mc Donald she won four games.

Day three, according to the report and website, she leapfrogged 58 opponents, and after the first game on the final day, she was in the 37th place, having gone on an incredible 8-1 streak.

Her biggest game was against former world champion Canada’s Joel Wapnick. She noted that playing alongside some of the big names made her realize she belongs although

she has only about 40 percent of her dictionary covered while some have as much as 85 percent.

She outlined that her favourite words played during the tournament were: thumbkin, windsail, realeasee, ericoid, dugouts, narthex and enquirer, which was challenged

by Wapnick for 105 points.

Concluding, she said “This is a proud time for the Caribbean in scrabble and I have no doubt that within the next four years, the Caribbean will produce a number 10 or better finisher at the world’s.

The top four players after the preliminary tournament, Richards, Panyasophonlert, Sammy Okosagah and Dave Wiegand played a best-of-five semi-final, with Richards and Panyasophonlert qualifying for the final. It was a closely fought final, with Richards eventually winning 3-2 and receiving the top prize and the title of World Scrabble Champion, winning the title for the third time.

23

PMTC/Shariff horse race meet tentatively rescheduled to December 22 …rain wreaks havoc on WCB

Many exciting races had been planned for the Port Mourant Turf Club

P

ersistent rainfall, which swept most of the coastal plain over the last 48 hours, left the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC) under water, forcing organisers of the PMTC/Shariff horse race meet to be tentatively rescheduled to December 22.

The event was scheduled to be held on Sunday.

Persistent rainfall on the West Coast of Berbice has left the venue in a soggy state, giving the authorities no alternative but postpone the event.

The meet was scheduled to be staged in collaboration with the Shariff

Business Enterprise and Racing Stable and eight races were scheduled for the day with over $8 million in prize monies and trophies up for grabs.

The feature race is classified for A and Lower allotted weight horses. The race will run over 1200 meters for the top prize of $1.2 million.

In the co-feature, for Three-year-old West Indies bred horses, the winner will receive $500,000 and a trophy over 1200 meters.

Other events on the day’s card are the D3 median and E and Lower and Two-year-old West Indies

median and Guyana Open.

Both races carry a winning purse of $400,000 and will run over 1200 meters.

Both the Three-yearold Guyana Open and the G1 and Lower races will run over 1200 meters with the animals running for a winning purse of $300,000.

The I and Lower contest has a winning purse of $200,000, while the G and Lower class match-up will see the winner pocketing $150,000.

The meet will be run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA). (Rajiv Bisnauth)

Kwakwani, UG advance to contest Titan Bowl finals

Stanton Rose breaks away for an easy finger roll during the win for Kwakwani (Treiston Joseph photos)

By Treiston Joseph

K

wakwani Secondary School outplayed Linden Technical Institute (LTI) for a 70-53 win on Saturday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall to clinch a berth in the finals of the Youth Basketball Guyana Titan Bowl tournament.

Despite a terrible shooting start for Kwakwai, going one from eight from beyond the arc, every play started on the defensive end as they gave LTI drivers of the lane

Terron Welch and Dennis Niles no room to work operate. A high 3-2 zone trap resulted in many steals, ensuring Kwakwani control the game early.

Kwakwani led throughout the close game. At one point the teams went on a fourshot shooting binge however Kwakwani’s Shafeeq Thomas missed the fifth to end the back and forth third quarter 46-41.

Kwakwani’s defence kept LTI from scoring in the fourth as they outscored them 24-12

in the final period to rout the team.

Leonard Primo was a “beast” down low, punishing the smaller players of LTI in the paint as he dropped 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Thomas dropped 20 points while Stanton Rose had 13. Orwin Samuels also picked up a game-high 15 rebounds to ensure his team’s place in the finals.

Welch ended with a teamhigh 21 points, nine rebounds and seven steals to lead the way for LTI while Vibert

Marvin Durant skies against an outstretched Pooran during Bishops’ failed attempt at a rally

Benjamin had 16 points.

Niles, who dropped a teamhigh 22 points in the first round, was cold from the field, managing only seven points.

Meanwhile, in the other semi-final the University of Guyana (UG) played one of the best quarters in the short YBG history.

They held Bishops’ High School to one point, scoring 17 as the game ended in a 6048 blowout for UG to advance to the finals.

Jonathon Pooran put on an offensive show, dazzling

the CASH with his penetration and his ability to change his shot in mid-air to finish. Pooran also controlled the game well, putting teammates in spots either to score or for them to pick up easy buckets.

Bishops’ tried on a number of occasions to rally but only managed to come as close as 10 points.

Pooran ended with 24 points, assisted five of his teammate shots; Omodele Phillips and LaShawn Hooper had nine points each,

with Hooper picking up a game-high 11 rebounds.

Daniel Haynes was the point-man for Bishops’ with 16 while Marvin Durant and Daniel Ramlagan had 12 and 11 points respectively.

In the two games that were played before the semifinals to decide which teams will face-off in the third place match-up, St. Rose’s High School topped Government Technical Institute (GTI) 4235 while Marian Academy defeated President’s College 3226.

monDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

TOP SCORES

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

Australia 385 & 235-3 (Warner 112, Rogers 54) lead England 251 (Siddle 3-36, Harris 3-48) by 369 runs

GBA/DDL Gatorade/Pepsi/Diamond Mineral Water U-16 Boxing C/ships…

Prado brothers impress at GABA future fighters finale

Mc Donald finishes 54 out of 110 competitors in Prague …45 places better than last outing See story on page

23

See story on page

22

Stevie Prado lands a flush left hand on his brother Stephen during their encounter (Treiston Joseph photo)

National champion Abigail Mc Donald

Kwakwani, UG advance to contest Titan Bowl finals See story on page

23

Leonard Primo dominates in the low post on his way to a 24-point outing for Kwakwani in the semifinal on Saturday evening

Jonathan Pooran goes up for a tough floater during his 24-point show for UG

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