Guyana chronicle 05 02 14

GUYANA No. 103730

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2014

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

PRICE: $60

GRANGER CALLED OUT Page 3

David Granger

- on conditions set for passage of AML/CFT Bill No evidence to support buggery of Colwyn Harding Justice Cecil Kennard

- according to Chairman of Police Complaints Authority - assault and breach of SOPs by cops confirmed

Page 11

INCLUDING VAT

PSC chides APNU for ‘a disturbing display of bad faith’

Page 27

“Non-passage of the AML/CFT Bill will have devastating consequences not only on the economy, but also on Guyana’s international image. The bottom line, undisputed, is that every single Guyanese will suffer in the end. This will include Opposition supporters as well” – Rohee Clement Rohee

Centre

Pupils from Head Start Nursery and Precious Jewels Nursery perform at the National Cultural Centre yesterday. (Adrian Narine photos)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Chinese Gov’t to fund bridging of Corentyne River

- design already taking shape

THE bridging of the Corentyne River, which undertaking will physically link Guyana and its eastern neighbour, Suriname, remains a key area of focus for the Governments of both countries.

And according to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, plans are well underway, in that engineers are presently working on what the bridge will look like in terms of design.

Construction will be funded by the Chinese Government, Ms Rodrigues-Birkett told the media Monday. “Guyana, at the request of Suriname, has informed the Chinese Government that we are supportive of the bridge across the Corentyne River,” she said.

The Guyana Government has also sent “No Objection” letters to the Foreign Ministries of Suriname and China in support of the construction of the bridge.

In 2010, then President, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo and his Surinamese counterpart, Mr. Desi Bouterse signed an accord for the undertaking of a feasibility study on bridging the Corentyne River, with both countries pledging to pursue a closer working relationship.

The bridge across the Corentyne River has been identified as one of the projects that would further physically integrate the

Foreign minister reports...

Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), of which Guyana is a member.

During a meeting in Suriname in 2012, Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar and Suriname’s President Bouterse had agreed to move to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to seek joint financing for construction of the bridge.

At that meet, the two Heads reiterated the significance of building the structure, noting that it would considerably enhance trade and economic relations and cultural exchanges between the peoples of the two nations.

Guyana making significant strides internationally on the diplomatic front THERE have been several important steps taken on the diplomatic front by Guyana, and many more are in train that will further raise the country’s profile.

Speaking to the media Monday in what was her first formal briefing for 2014, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett said that in July, Guyana will assume the Chair of CARIFORUM, and that one of the main issues up for discussion is the impending reduction in concessionary financing from international funding agencies, which hinges upon GDP (Gross Domestic

Product) per capita. “...We are saying that GDP per capita cannot be the only consideration in determining whether a country is doing well or not,” the minister said, adding that at the CARIFORUM level, “the grouping will continue to advocate in that regard.”

Another major issue on which Guyana is playing a key role is the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), signed in 2008 with the European Union (EU), the review clause of which, at Guyana’s insistence, will be presented with the findings of two studies, Minister

Rodrigues-Birkett said.

One of the reports, the minister said, will be filed by the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and the other by an EU consultant. “Those reports should be out shortly…so we would be reviewing those reports as well,” she said.

And with Guyana also assuming the Chairmanship of the Council for Community and Foreign Relations of CARICOM in May, the minister said that a local meeting will be held for all of the foreign ministers within that grouping, and that among issues that will

Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett be discussed are CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) membership and ways to maximise their presence.

“You will recall that the troika of the CELAC included the incoming Chair, the present Chair and the outgoing Chair, and what we felt was that the CARICOM Region would never be able... well, not in a hurry... to be on that troika because none of us had come forward to

host CELAC or Chair CELAC, and so we made a request,” she said.

Noting that it was the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who had put forward the proposal to expand the troika to a quartet, where the Caribbean would have a representative, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said: “The proposal has been accepted, and the troika has

now been renamed as the Troika Plus,” or ‘The Quartet’, as is the new name by which it is now formally known”.

CARICOM’s relationship with the European Union will also be a topic for discussion, as well as the regional grouping’s ability to maximise its 14 votes at the United Nations General Assembly. It was pointed out that Guyana’s chairmanship of the Council of Trade and Development (COTED) will end in June this year, and the main line-item up for discussion will be the CARICOM/Canada trade negotiations that are on-going, according to Minister Rodrigues – Birkett.

“Last year, in September,” she said, “we received a formal notification from Canada that they would like those negotiations to conclude by December 2013, and that was impossible, given that we had agreed that we would have a number of additional negotiating sessions.”

Since then, she said, “we have agreed to conclude negotiations by June 2014…CARICOM is willing to be flexible but that must be reciprocal.”

The inputs of the local and regional private sectors in the international negotiations are sorely needed, and according to the minister, some of the challenges reside in the fact that CARICOM has no formal private sector body that is active. This is however being addressed and the minister is confident that there will be a formal private sector presence as the Region engages its international trading partners.

(GINA)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

GRANGER CALLED OUT - on conditions set for passage of AML/CFT Bill

By Vanessa Narine

THE France-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meets on February 13, mere days away, and with Guyana being ranked at the top of that body’s list of possible countries to qualify for the International Cooperation Review Group’s (ICRG) review, the pressure is mounting on this country to have the Anti-Money Laundering & Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) Bill passed into law.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr Clement Rohee, at a press conference held at the party’s Freedom House headquarters yesterday, called out Opposition Leader David Granger on his position that APNU will support the AML/CFT Bill only if President Donald Ramotar assents to identified Opposi-

“Non-passage of the AML/CFT Bill will have devastating consequences not only on the economy, but also on Guyana’s international image. The bottom line, undisputed, is that every single Guyanese will suffer in the end. This will include Opposition supporters as well” – Rohee tion-driven bills.

Rohee pointed out that Granger’s comments give the impression that the bills are with the President, which is untrue. “The truth of the matter is that none of those bills are with the Presidential Assent.

The President has dealt with those bills months ago, in accordance with the procedure outlined by Article 170 of the Constitution. The

President withheld his assent from those bills, as he is entitled to do in accordance with Article 170 (3),” Rohee said.

He explained that those bills not assented to were returned to the National Assembly with reasons for their return being stated, and Speaker of the House, Mr Raphael Trotman, so informed Members of Parliament (MPs).

“The President cannot assent to bills that are no longer before him. On every occasion, the Speaker so informed the National Assembly, and requested whether the National Assembly requires the bills to be sent back to the President,” Rohee stressed.

Rohee said there is a constitutional process to be followed before those bills can return to the Head of State for assent. “In accordance with Article 170 (4), in which case a Motion will have to be presented by the National Assembly in respect of each bill, which Motion will require twothirds (2/3) of all elected Members of the National Assembly,” he said.

The General Secretary made it clear that on “no occasion” did the Opposition in the National AsDavid Granger sembly indicate that they would like the bills to be returned to the President for his assent.

He said, “The request of the Leader of the Opposition for the President to assent to the bills is one that is completely misplaced.

The President cannot assent to a bill that is not before him. The Leader of the Opposition must know this.

“We therefore believe that this request is a deliberate sham.”

In rejection of shutdown…

Lindeners demonstrate desire to move beyond confrontational politics - Rohee

By Vanessa Narine GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr. Clement Rohee has lauded the majority of Lindeners’ rejection of the call for “political confrontation, disunity and division” in relation to the shutdown of the mining town two weeks ago.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Freedom House headquarters, yesterday, Rohee remarked that the main Opposition seems “preoccupied” with the promotion of disunity.

He said: “There is no indication that we are at the end of PNC’s promotion of disunity and division.

“In contrast the PPP/C remains dedicated to national unity. We believe that every Guyanese deserves equal opportunities and a chance to develop their fullest human potential.

Our political work, inclusive of the re-launch of the Party’s Linden office destroyed by arsonists, is part of our struggle,” he added.

According to him, the failed attempt by the People’s National Congress (PNC) to mobilise support for a shutdown at Linden, because of the visit by President Donald Ramotar and other PPP leaders, is demonstrative of a desire by Lindeners to move beyond confrontational politics.

Rohee said: “In the estimation of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), a great majority of Guyanese are becoming increasingly wary of the Opposition’s politics of confrontation, disunity and division which

continues to detract from the country’s national development objectives.”

NEGATIVE IMPACTS He underscored the negative impacts of “opposition politics” and referred to the loss of lives in Linden during the July 18, 2012 unrest, which also saw the burning of public buildings, including schools and bridges and the loss of income to Linden families/households, as well as revenues to the State to reinvest in people’s welfare.

Clement Rohee The Minister of Home Affairs continued: “The amount of energy spent on promoting political confrontation and the race to succeed in extremism could be better spent to do more positive and productive things for the people of Region 10, in particular all the Guyanese people in general.”

Rohee pointed out, too, that despite claims about Linden being the most marginalised and impoverished community

in Guyana, some $10M was returned to the treasury.

“This money was budgeted for developmental works in Region 10. However, the PNC’s preoccupation to promote disunity and division prevented them from utilising this money for the growth and development of this Region,” Rohee told reporters.

“At present, there’s still unfinished business to fulfil on the PNC’s side, as regards agreements made with the PPP/C Government for the activation of several bodies to advance development in this Region,” he pointed out.

“These individuals ought to know that leadership comes with challenges and responsibilities, which he (Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon) must manage in a way consistent with the aspirations of his constituents. But his most recent misjudgment of the mood of Lindeners tells us he is incapable of effecting good leadership,” Rohee declared.

CREATED UNEASE Rohee surmised that the re-launch of the PPP’s Linden Office has created “unease” in the Opposition camp.

He said: “From our information, the APNU dispatched a team into that community under the guise of attending their Local Government campaign in Linden. We are convinced that the ‘fear factor’ used by the Opposition against the PPP/C is not working and the resurgence of support for the PPP in Linden has caused jitters among those in the Opposition.”

The PPP General Sec-

retary expressed confidence about the presence of support for the ruling party, despite efforts to discourage such.

CRIMINAL CONNECTIONS Rohee, as Guyana’s Minister of Home Affairs, added that the question at hand is whose interests are being represented with the non-support of such a critical piece of legislation.

“The question which this obviously poses is why would the Opposition parties, who are themselves an alternative Government and who depend upon their supporters -- the Guyanese public, the business sector and international community -- not only for political and financial support, but for their very political survival, would want to withhold their support from a measure which, if not supported, will have a crippling effect upon those whom they depend upon for their very survival?

“It makes no political sense, and it is obviously devoid of logic.

What, then, is the answer?” Rohee questioned.

He said, “The answer lies in the confirmation of our worst fears, that is (that) the Opposition parties in the National Assembly are protecting the vested interests of a few, whose operations, and perhaps survival, will be affected if the Bill is passed. These persons, obviously, are those engaged in illicit activities, including trading and trafficking in drugs, arms, ammunition, and who need to launder the proceeds of their ill-gotten gains.

“In short, the majority in the National Assembly has been penetrated, infiltrated and represent the interest of criminal cartels at the expense of their own supporters, their own constituents, their own people and their own country!”

Rohee surmised that such actions are being done in exchange for a “reward” in one form or the other.

“We have referred at length, in the past, to their connections to crime, criminals and criminality. Again, we see incontrovertible evidence of this connection.

“We are aware of their connections to drug lords and violent criminal gangs. We know that a former PNC leader and Member of Parliament is currently serving a prison sentence in the United States for conspiring to blow up the John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York. We are aware that his operations at Linden have been taken over by another PNC member in Linden.

“We will do everything we can, both locally and internationally, to draw attention to this horrible reality. We owe it to all of our people, including supporters of the Opposition. We owe it to our country.

We cannot allow our country to be hijacked by criminals and those whom they have sponsored.”

Rohee stressed the “devastating consequences” that non-passage of the AML/CFT Bill will have not only on the economy, but also on Guyana’s international image.

“The bottom line is -- and what is undisputed is that every single Guyanese will suffer in the end. This will include Opposition supporters as well,” he said.

In addition to the FATF’s deadline, CFATF itself is expected to review Guyana’s position in May 2014 at its next meeting.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Tunisian police kill seven militants, including senior commander (REUTERS) - TUNISIAN police killed seven Islamist militants, including a senior commander wanted for the assassination of two opposition leaders, after a clash outside Tunis where the armed group had stashed arms and bomb belts.

The raid was one of the deadliest since Tunisian forces cracked down on the banned Islamist militant movement Ansar al-Sharia, whose leader declares allegiance to al Qaeda, and which Washington lists as a foreign terrorist group.

Gun battles broke out late

Tunisian police stand guard near a house in Raoued, a northern suburb of the capital Tunis, February 4, 2014. on Monday night when police surrounded a house in the Raoued suburb north of Tunis, leaving one police officer and seven militants dead, the Interior Ministry said, without naming the group.

Among those killed was Kamel Ghadghadi, a senior member of the Ansar al-Sharia, wanted for killing seven soldiers, some of whom had their throats slit, and for assassinating opposition leaders Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi.

“Ghadghadi is among those killed. This is the best present for Tunisians a year after the murder of Belaid,” Interior Minister Lofti Ben Jeddou told reporters at a news conference.

Officials showed reporters a photograph of what they said was Ghadghadi’s corpse, wearing a suicide bomb belt.

Other explosive material and

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weapons were also found in the house.

Raoued is a poor district close to luxury beach resorts just outside the capital. Heavily armed counter-terrorism police patrolled near the whitewashed house where the fighting took place, its outer wall pockmarked by bullet holes.

Ansar al-Sharia was one of the more radical movements to emerge after Tunisia’s 2011 uprising ousted president Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, whose autocratic regime suppressed and jailed Islamist leaders.

The rise of ultra-conservative Salafi movements who promote the establishment of an Islamic state has alarmed many in Tunisia, one of the most secular nations in the Arab world with a strong tradition of liberal education.

Ansar al-Sharia was blamed for storming the U.S. embassy in Tunis in late 2012.

The moderate Islamist government at the time declared Ansar al-Sharia a terrorist organization after accusing the group of murdering the opposition leaders.

Two rockets hit Baghdad’s Green Zone, car bombs kill 10

(Reuters) - ROCKETS hit Baghdad’s heavily fortified “Green Zone”, home to the prime minister’s office and several Western embassies, on Tuesday and car bombs elsewhere in the capital killed 10 people, police and medical sources said.

One soldier was killed in the rare attack on the Green Zone, which is likely to heighten concerns about Iraq’s ability to protect strategic sites as security deteriorates.

The car bombs struck mostly Shi’ite districts, including Shurta, in the southwest of Baghdad, where four people were killed in a crowded market, the police and medical sources said.

A car bomb in south Baghdad’s al-Maalif neighborhood killed two people and three died in a blast in the Bayaa quarter.

In Taji, north of the capital, an explosion near a police patrol claimed another life, police said.

Police found the bullet-riddled bodies of two government-backed Sunni militiamen in Mishahda, north of Baghdad.

Such fighters are often targeted by Sunni Islamist militants fighting Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s Shi’ite-led government.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for any of Tuesday’s attacks.

Two years after U.S. troops departed, insurgents exploiting discontent among Iraq’s alienated Sunni minority have rebounded, driving violence to an intensity not seen since the sectarian bloodshed of 2006-2007, when tens of thousands were killed.

The insurgents, led by the militant Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, overran the western city of Falluja on January 1.

After a month-long standoff, the army has intensified shelling of the city since Sunday ahead of a possible ground assault.

More than 1,000 people were killed in violence in Iraq in January, according to monitoring group Iraq Body Count.

Afghanistan’s Karzai in secret talks with Taliban (REUTERS) - AFGHAN President Hamid Karzai has been holding secret talks with Taliban officials in the hope of persuading them to make peace with his government, his spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday, confirming a New York Times report.

“I can confirm that ... Taliban are willing more than ever to join the peace process,” Aimal Faizi said. “Contacts have been made and we are also in touch with them.”

A member of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council also confirmed that talks had taken place, but was measured in his assessment of their success.

“Talks took place in Dubai three weeks ago between government officials and Taliban who flew from Doha, but we are still waiting to see the result,” he

Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a news conference in Kabul January 25, 2014. told Reuters.

Western and Afghan officials speaking to the Times also said the talks had borne little fruit so far, although they may help explain Karzai’s mounting public hostility to Washington.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Department store standing by cardholders during layoffs (BARBADOS ADVCATE) CAVE Shepherd & Co. Ltd will be working closely with their cardholders who have been impacted by the string of layoffs across Barbados.

“We have been preparing ourselves for the layoffs. We have taken a look at our portfolio to see what level of impact we would have, and we do recognise the percentage spilt in terms of public and private sector workers,” says Director of Card Services, Alison Browne – Ellis.

She was speaking to the media after the presentation of prizes to the winners of the Cave Shepherd “More Partners, More Choices, More Rewards This Christmas Promotion,” yesterday at the Radisson Aquatic Resort.

According to her, Cave Shepherd does recognise that some cardholders may be impacted by the layoffs, and in light of, they have started to put promotions in place to work closer with customers.

“We have a cardholder base that has been very loyal over the years, so our intention right now is not to say – you’re delinquent with payments, and let them figure it out for themselves.

We want to make sure that while our cardholders go through the transaction to find new employment, that we are still here holding their hand.”

“Especially if a person’s payment history has been excellent, we work with the cardholders and structure plans so he/she doesn’t have a significant impact in terms of our expectations of them. Obviously there is an outstanding debt that needs to be recovered, but our approach is going to be to work closely with the cardholders,” she stated.

Browne – Ellis also believes that with the introduction of several merchant partners, the Cave Shepherd card “gives persons a bit of leverage in terms of how to manage their finances”.

“With the introduction of our merchant partners such as KFC, Trimart and SOL, we have recognised that our cardholders are spreading their options, in terms of what they are using the card to buy. If food is that priority, then the purchase it being made for food. Our cardholders are responsible and we seeing a spread now with our portfolio.”

Bolivia: 29 killed in torrential rains so far this year

(BBC News) OFFICIALS in Bolivia say the number of people who have died due to torrential rain since the beginning of the year has risen to 29.

More than 35,000 families have been affected by the rains and the flooding, the ministry of defence said.

The worst affected province is Beni, in north-eastern Bolivia, where 10 people have died, followed by La Paz in the northwest and central Cochabamba.

The rainy season in Bolivia usually lasts until March.

The director of Beni’s emergency centre, Luis Phillips, warned residents to be on the alert ahead of the next band of rain which is expected to reach the provincial capital, Trinidad, on Friday or Saturday.

The latest victim of the rains was 27-year-old Orlando Portugal, who was drowned after being dragged away by strong currents in the river Mogun-

In some areas, whole communities had to be relocated as the floodwaters rose tuyo, which he was attempting to cross.

Five people remain missing after being dragged away by rivers turned into raging torrents

him choking on the jell-o.

“From the report, this death was accidental. The child choked on a item of food which he was fed and as a result, his brain was suffocated. It (the brain) was denied oxygen for an extended period of time. To make a long story short, by the time he was brought to the hospital, the victim was diagnosed with axonal injury to the brain and so basically the child was brain dead due to suffocation.

“He was placed on respiratory support but as is common with neurogenic complications and in this case neurogenic

floods.

Twenty-two air force planes are transporting goods to areas which have been cut off.

Couva mom gunned down

(Newsday) GUNMEN shot and killed a mother of one yesterday afternoon in Couva not far from a pre-school where she was heading to pick up her three-year-old son.

Stacy Roopan, 25, a nursing student at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts’ (COSTAATT) south campus, who had dreams of opening her own pre-school, died instantly after being shot multiple times along Isaiah Street in Balmain, Couva. Relatives said that in December, her car was broken into and the perpetrator(s) left a note threatening to kill her because of a court case in which she may have been a State witness.

Boy, 2, dies after choking on jell-o (NEWSDAY) THE DEATH of a two-year-old boy, eight days after he was admitted to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mt Hope, is now engaging the attention of Central Division police detectives.

Jaylon Isaac, who lived with his mother in Palmiste, Chaguanas, was admitted to the Medical Complex on January 24, after reportedly choking on a piece of jell-o which was fed to him by his babysitter.

Baby Jaylon was rushed to the Chaguanas District Health Facility, before being transferred to the EWMSC, where he was treated. However, at the time of his admittance at the EWMSC, baby Jaylon had already suffered severe brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

Eight days later, on February 1, in the presence of his mother Oneka Isaac, baby Jaylon died at the EWMSC. An autopsy done by forensic pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov confirmed the child died as a result of neurogenic complications arising from deprivation of oxygen to the brain as a result of

by the heavy rainfall.

A Beni resident said fresh water, medicines and tents were badly needed as many families had lost their homes in the

pneumonia, within three to four days he developed certain complications such as difficulty in breathing. Eventually, the toddler succumbed to his injuries which is unfortunate.

But there was no evidence of any deliberate acts so we can conclude that death was accidental,” Dr Alexandrov explained.

Speaking with Newsday

Monday, Isaac’s mother Oneka said Jaylon was her youngest son and his death has left her shattered. “His brother Jhayden is three and right now I am in a state. I am just sad. That’s all I am feeling, sadness. Jaylon’s death has impacted everyone who knew him. He was just a sweet child.

He was always smiling,” Oneka said.

Police investigators said Roopan left her home at De Montebruin Street in Couva, to go to the nearby pre-school to pick up her son Christano Harickdeo at about 1.30 pm when the incident occurred.

As she was walking along Isaiah Street, a white car pulled up alongside her and the occupants opened fire. Residents told police they heard about ten shots.

On checking, they saw the woman’s bullet-riddled body. Her killing brought this country’s murder toll to 51 for the year.

The car sped off and up to last night Ag Snr Supt Johnny Abraham together with officers from Central Division were continuing investigations. Roopan’s father Lutchman “Andy” Roopan said moments before the shooting, he and his daughter together with his son-in-law Peter Harickdeo were watching television at her home.

After debating among themselves about who should go and pick up Christano from school, Stacy opted to go.

“We heard the gunshots and my gut feeling was that someone had just killed my daughter,” said the distraught man. Roopan’ mother Sally had to be taken away from the crime scene as she almost collapsed on seeing the body on the road.

Roopan’s brother Prem told Newsday that his sister did not deserve to die in such a violent manner. “She was a loving person.

She had her ways like everyone else but my sister did not deserve this. She often said she wanted to open a pre-school and she loved nursing,” Prem said.

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GUYANA

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

EDITORIAL

Child criminals: collateral damage of opportunistic politicians THE headlines are screaming of the delinquency of Guyana’s juveniles: ganging up on other students and injuring them, even with death sometimes being the consequence; attacking teachers, with in at least one instance a teacher being severely injured, just for instructing a group of students loitering in the corridors to return to their classroom; male students molesting females; and teenage aberrations, including schoolgirls’ pregnancies.

And, depending on parental guidance, to steer them on the right pathway is often a lost cause, because oftentimes, even the parents don’t know that pathway of righteousness. In fact, in most instances, the parents are also culprits who choose a divergent pathway and inculcate anti-social behavioural characteristics in their children, many of whom eventually become hard-core criminals with no respect for the rights and sanctity of property of others, not even for the lives of their victims.

As one letter-writer, Neil Adams, has observed, inter alia: “I do not think persons in Guyana are really taking note of what is going on in our country, Region 4 in particular…I speak of the spate of blood-curdling murders that seems to hit the headlines on a daily basis...”

The spate and level of these horrific crimes is beyond comprehension, and to add fuel to the fire, is the youthfulness of the offenders, teen-aged girls included. Truly, I believe serious crimes of a juvenile nature have reached an all-time high, and if something is not done soon enough, our country would have become one of those crime capitals, if not the crime capital, of the Caribbean.

We are most certainly nearing the top; judging from Guyana’s low population and the high incidence of murders, we are at the pinnacle of things. We have now grown accustomed to the notoriety of being called the “Murder Capital of the Caribbean”.

Let us review a few of these horror stories. The murder of taxi driver Rubindranauth Jeeboo; his life brutally snuffed out by three teenagers who stole his car then strangled him to death.

Just a week later, the same trio ambushed Raphael Campbell and did the very same thing: stole his taxi and killed him too.

These are horror stories of the worst kind, and, most troubling to say the least, committed by youngsters who can be so bold and daring at such a tender age. Then, heaven help us! What would our country be like when these youngsters become adults and are still allowed to roam freely among us?

According to a recent report in the Guyana Chronicle, a police patrol in the South Ruimveldt area recently stopped and searched two teenagers and discovered in their possession a deadly assault M-16 rifle, ammunition, and the equally deadly accessories of grenades in their possession, which further underscores the frightening fact of the presence of high-velocity weaponry, and their easy acquisition, by whomsoever, for what definite evil and murderous activity criminals plan and execute.

Samuel Johnson, 17, and Kevin George, 18, the youths found with the semi-arsenal, were arrested and have since been charged, placed before the court, and subsequently remanded to prison.

Another headline read, “11-yr-old student stabs classmate in eye - in alleged chucking incident, where pointed object penetrated deeply into the eye, causing wound to bleed considerably”.

According to the article, “11-year-old Ishmael Pollard, a student of St. George’s Secondary School...was stabbed in the

left eye with a pointed object by another male classmate....The pointed object penetrated deeply into the eye, causing the wound to bleed considerably.”

What was shocking was that the aggressor’s father, instead of scolding his aberrant son (What was he doing with a sharply pointed object in school?) defended him.

Shortly after this incident, another headline appeared, which read: “10-yr-old charged with robbery under arms”. The article continued: “A 10-year-old boy, along with an adult, yesterday pleaded not guilty to a robbery under arms charge before Magistrate Sherdel Marcus-Issacs at the New Amsterdamn Court. The minor, a Grade Five student, along with Hubert Elgin, known as “Squeeks”, a construction worker...is alleged to have been armed with a broken glass bottle when they allegedly robbed Coretta Lewis.”

Yet another headline read, “Student fined for cutlass in haversack”, wherein the article stated: “A 16-year-old student of Tucville Secondary School was ordered to pay a fine by Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmonds at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

“According to the prosecutor….police ranks noticed the youngster on Commerce Street, acting in a suspicious manner.

As he was walking, he was reportedly stopped by the ranks and the search revealed a cutlass hidden in his haversack.”

Don’t parents know what is contained in their children’s schoolbags? 12-year-old Rico Edwards and his 14-year-old sister, Romena, were travelling home in a bus when a young man pointed an ice-pick at Rico and robbed him of his expensive cellphone and his school haversack. Romena knew what the textbooks had cost Rico’s grandmother, and she sprinted after the thief.

Onlookers ran after him and caught him, retrieving Rico’s belongings. If Rico had resisted, he might have been dead today. Obviously, he had been trailed by the predator, who had no qualms about robbing a fellow schoolboy.

Neil Adams posited in his letter: “The Opposition, by their mindless antics in parliament, have given these bandits and would-be bandits tacit support. They have not, to date, openly condemned these acts of criminality; rather, they’ve been politicising the whole issue by blaming the victims and the Government, among other things.

“These acts only embolden the felons and, as seen in those matters cited above, encourage new and younger recruits for criminal activity. These serious crimes are taking place in their strongholds, so what have they done to rectify or turn this around?

“What have they done for the youths in their constituencies?

Instead of using them to gain cheap political mileage in times of so called protests, why not go down into their communities and source out avenues that would lead them away from a life of crime?”

However, there has been a serious endeavour by some youths in various communities to channel their energies into productive exercises. Working together with absolute camaraderie in these initiatives are young people from across every racial divide. This is a hopeful indicator that someday in the near future, opposition politicians would not be able to use its supporters as cannon fodder and bait to derail democratic processes and norms in the country, because they are recognising and enjoying being a part of their community-building and citizen-development and

THE HYPOCRITES IN SOCIETY IT always amazes me to look at the different positions taken by the many in our society: Opposition politicians, media

commentators/columnists, some letter writers, some NGOs, including the Guyana Human Rights Association, on

issues that have similarities.

Immediately coming to mind is the great hullabaloo that these forces made when former

President Janet Jagan threw a “court order” over her shoulder on the day that she was sworn in. The behaviour of those same forces is totally opposite to their position that they are taking in relation to Chief Justice Ian Chang’s decision on the case

enhancement programmes.

These youngsters are attempting to reach productive goals, especially in restoring the societal balance so urgently needed to sustain peaceful and supportive roles with the framework of the community.

Government officials have been working diligently with the young people of the various regions and lending support in a multiplicity of ways in an integrated, holistic approach to getting them involved in healthy activities, such as competitive sports and skills development, along with creative and character-building exercises such as poetry-reading, elocution, debates, drama, inter-secondary schools debating competitions, et cetera, in efforts to resuscitate community life.

Counselling is also being provided, and comprehensive computer and related training programmes are also in the works.

An official said that these activities are a countrywide initiative that are not extraneous to the formal educational concepts in the school system, but will be compatible with and adjunctive to the ruling party’s grounding in the working-class people of the country through community developmental exercises, especially targeting the young.

“We are also hoping to provide counselling in conflict resolution and other psycho-social dynamics; career guidance to, but not limited to, young people,” said one official, who continued: “We are hoping to extend our reach to NGOs that provide counselling in anger-management and other related areas, such as sports counselling. These initiatives are certain to redound to greater care and love within the social landscape of the communities nationwide.”

That these initiatives are succeeding immeasurably is attested to by the group of young volunteers from across every divide, whose selfless and committed voluntary work is generating the interest and involvement of many young people who were once seen as deviants within their respective communities.

A senior staff member of the Chronicle was riveted by the sight one morning of a young student in St. Stanislaus College uniform, who, although with just minutes to reach school on time, had stopped to help an old lady supporting herself by a walker to cross a puddle on the road.

The Chronicle staffer stopped her taxi and offered the youngster money as a reward for his good deed, but he refused.

The youngster, Mike Linton Jnr, is a bright star who is a tribute to the upbringing of his parents, Mike Linton Snr and Rachel Fraser, as well as to his school, where he is a Third Form student. His actions and refusal of any reward for helping that old lady, even at risk of arriving late at school, is testimony to the fact that Guyana’s young people are not quite lost, but with the right approach, can become productive and responsible citizens of this country, with potential for leadership, instead of criminal pursuits to which they are directed by self-serving politicians who only crave power, with their supporters, especially the young whom they are training in the art of banditry, being “collateral damage”.

The difference between the Government and the Opposition is that the former enables and empowers youths through education, techvoc and skills development programmes, provides them with houselots and enables funding through low-interest loans to build homes and enable wealth creation activities; while the Opposition calls them “Buxton Resistance”, members of which kill babies asleep in their beds.

of the constitutional right of the Opposition to cut the budget of the Government.

In the Janet Jagan case they spoke about her disregard for the courts, etc. They demonized her in the worst kind of way.

Not one of them sought

to explain that the paper delivered to Mrs. Jagan was useless since she had already been sworn in as President of the Republic. She did not throw out a valid court See page 7

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

How the Opposition resolve problems today is good gauge of how they will govern MR Ralph Ramkarran hit the nail on the head in analysing the Honourable Chief Justice, Mr. Ian Chang’s ruling on the budget.

In fact, his clarification why the ruling was sound and inviolable became clearer in his blog site, conversationtreegy.com, as published in SN of 2-2-14.

But Mr Eusi Kwayana finds the decision objectionable, as usual, in the SN of 2-1-14. Can motive, if any, explain why both speak their minds, but they differ significantly? Who makes the better case?

There is currently no constitutional crisis in Guyana, because the checks and balances are in place, operating normally. How the Opposition resolves problems is a meter by which to judge how they will behave in government. For example, by the Declaration of Sophia, Mr Forbes Burnham’s PNC subsumed the entire country, including the judiciary, to his PNC party by symbolically flying the PNC flag over the Court of Appeal.

Moulded within such a mindset, does it adequately explain why his successors seem petrified, with only a headache seen as a constitutional crisis? Did the ground hit their head, or did their head hit the ground?

Most ridiculous is any wailing lamentation that the National Assembly has been legally circumcised or neutered. Relief is always most permissible and possible for rectification by appealing to the Guyana Court of Appeal and subsequently the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as permitted.

Alternatively, the combined opposition can let the Executive (specifically, the Finance Minister) know when the entire National Assembly becomes the Committee of Supply where they need compromise. They are the majority, by the 2011 elections, and their mandate does count, compared to negotiations on the streets.

A stinking city with the usual chaos is no way to capitalize on a bigger airport, with tourists being scared away, failing which they have that power to reject the entire budget; force the Finance Minister to submit everything all over again, since no money was authorized to run the country.

Not only would it grind the entire country to a halt, but would both sides of the legislature risk committing nationwide Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). Additionally, the opposition can move a no-confidence motion (it has the majority), and legally reset the government to be decided by the electorate.

The President is constitutionally required to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections. Where and how does this make the Opposition impotent? Guyana will, indeed, remain a democratic country governed by law and order, unless its Constitution is raped by the gifted confused, who “...cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war” (Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar).

The right to disagree in a democracy is as normal as best finding relief in court. Whatever is implied can only be dangerous intent or not, should Mr Kwayana mean otherwise than the Judiciary, that “It is the work of the political culture to keep them from intruding unlawfully on one another’s jurisdictions.”

THE HYPOCRITES ... from page 6 document. That point none of her detractors have made.

They did not do so because their main task is to spread disinformation and try to create problems to destabilise the government.

Many have openly advocated violence and instigated

it. They want to create fear to make people succumb. One columnist is a good example of this.

Look at how their position has changed in relation to the ruling of the Chief Justice on the budget-cut case. They are not only expressing disagreement but also urging defiance.

But legal responsibility for reconsideration and any readjustment permanently resides only within the judiciary, empowered by the Constitution itself, and no one else. All sovereignty which lies in the people becomes most prudent and valid when it is in harmony, sanctified and expressed only through the same Constitution’s judiciary , and not outside the law of a civilized society.

That the Guyana Constitution is the highest and supreme law of the land is without question. The judiciary alone is empowered by the Guyana Constitution to be its interpreter, enforcer, adjudicator and guardian. It does not become subsumed, changed, diluted, altered or a subject to or by any subsidiary law(s) or rules. The judicial process must run its course. Change is also possible by changing the Constitution itself, no easy task, and this is where the basis of dialogue can begin.

In the meantime, all national laws passed by the National Assembly and ratified by the President’s signature automatically empowers the judiciary as the adjudicator to interpret, and ensures its implementation, imposing necessary penalties. Existing rules or regulations in the National Assembly which regulates its operations are valid, save and except only when they conflict, attempt to supersede, nullify, invalidate or compromise, etc constitutional authority.

All, without exception, are subjected to constitutional authority, including the executive and legislature. The judiciary itself is not immune from the law. A judge or magistrate will be charged for murder regardless. Disobeying the decisions of the judiciary is usually contempt of court and illegal - always subject to penalties. The Honourable Chief Justice, Mr Ian Chang, has upheld and justified constitutional authority where it speaks for itself. Disagreement with a judicial ruling cannot nullify the source by which it was guided and validated.

What is ironic is that Guyana’s Chief Justice has upheld the highest law of the land, and the legal luminaries in the Opposition are with headache! All three dictators later paid the price when Commonwealth Uganda’s General Idi Amin killed the Chief Justice and dumped his body in the Limpopo River; Pakistan‘s President, General Pervez Musharraf jailed the Chief Justice, and lawyers led street protests; and lastly, CARICOM’s Trinidad Prime Minister Patrick Manning removed Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma on false charges. Both the Pakistani and Trinidadian Chief Justices were exonerated afterwards in court.

That Red Thread, ACDA, the Guyana Human Rights Association, Guyana Bar Association and civil society, except the Private Sector Commission (PSC), have chosen to remain silent is absolutely no surprise. President Barack Obama did say a pig still remains a pig, even if you put lipstick on it. Since the past is inspiring for Mr Kwayana, it obviously explains why he easily casts doubt on the court. His friend’s retort that the traditional In this case, this is a valid ruling of the court, unlike the one served on Mrs. Jagan. Their disrespect is so obvious that it is hard to believe that it was the same people speaking about the rule of law. With Mrs. Jagan it was a clear case of witch-hunting and racism.

It is time that those hypocrites be told that their position is unreal, inconsistent and definitely prejudiced.

REBECCA CONSTANCE

Outlandish actions that shame the Commonwealth Parliamentary System IN respect of the recent judicial decision that Parliament could not amend the budget but could reject it in full, Speaker of Parliament Raphael Trotman declared that decision would have far-reaching implications for the Commonwealth Parliamentary System.

Mr Trotman may be pleased to consider the following:(1) There is no precise concept of a Commonwealth Parliamentary System. For example, Commonwealth countries usually have prime ministers

as being head of Government; here in Guyana there is an executive president.

Commonwealth countries do not have direct elections for prime ministers; in Guyana the executive president is directly elected. Commonwealth countries do not have parliamentary elections based on proportional representation; in Guyana we do. And there is a plethora of other differences among Commonwealth states in their parliamentary systems. Justice Chang’s decision could therefore scarcely be of the world-shaking dimensions over the

five continents of the world where the Commonwealth is spread as Mr Trotman seems to think.

(2) But Commonwealth states all share in the concept of the three branches of Government and Mr Trotman’s recent remark encapsulates the concept:- “The principle of comity dictates that the three branches of Government – the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial – are all separate and equal and are to respect the right and authority of each other.” The Commonwealth Parliamentary System (however viewed) would therefore be

combing history of the Committee of Supply (COS) -- when the entire National Assembly becomes one committee -- is now a farce, is only to profit by huckster resale.

Just to be most fair and kind, let’s assume that he did not have in mind a return to the good old PNC killing days. Nevertheless, whatever motivates Mr Kwayana’s objections is no longer a mystery.

But what can actually motivate former Speaker, Mr Ramkarran, when he actually enjoins the Court? Mr Ramkarran clarified that the long-ago story (1966 Guyana’s independence Constitution) was replaced by the 1980 Constitution.

Since there is uncertainty about how the gridlock in the National Assembly should be resolved, the Court was the appropriate means of resolution in the highest legal authority of the Constitution. The Honourable Chief Justice delivered a brilliant legal ruling, unprecedented in its scope, analysis and novelty. Mr Ramkarran zeroed in on the finesse with which the Court ruled.

The Opposition says it can amend the budget, no doubt because of its majority. The Constitution says it can, but not by encroaching on the executive’s right to present the budget. Additionally, the Judiciary does clarify, not neuter how the legislature can protect their rights.

Mr Kwayana is yet to reconcile Guyana’s parliamentary history, where the Standing Order rules previously regulated only clear cases of White and Black, i.e., majority government and clear-cut minority opposition. This is where he is no doubt familiar as a PPP minister.

If travelling by elephant express into the 21st Century is burdensome, can an elephant attempting to colour spray the 1980 Guyana Constitution from afar still cut it? He writes: “In Guyana, it should be easy for a Court to appreciate that the business of the National Assembly is governed by a special body of rules with the status of law called Standing Orders.” Are not procedures of the Courts governed by Rules of Court? And does not the High Court Act empower Courts to determine their own procedure where the Rules of Court do not apply?

Where such an argument is completely untenable is when, like Mr Kwayana so often does, he expects his ideas and the National Assembly rules to supersede Guyana’s constitution! Unlike the past, the 1980 PNC Constitution actually now permits and regulates the Executive Presidency to head a minority government as the new legal norm.

Refreshing the painted lanes on the highway to ensure the integrity of government traffic necessary for avoidance of anarchy and chaos in no way affixes blameworthiness on the Traffic Department.

Only an ill prepared or bad driver blames their tools, other drivers, and the traffic enforcer.

Is Mr. Kwayana’s approach outdated as a very, very senior citizen? His legitimate concerns, advocating respect and appreciation for the rights and rules of the National Assembly are indeed valid; but what about the rights of the Executive and Judiciary?

The Chief Justice has now clarified all three branches constitutional rights and demarcations, which will hopefully prevent future problems for everyone. Compromise is now a necessity, and our politicians must start talking with each other. Go ahead!

Make our days better!

SULTAN MOHAMED

Freddie wants bloodshed in Guyana MR. Frederick Kissoon continues to instigate and preach violence in our country. All his articles are of the same. This is how far journalism has slipped in this country. Two things can explain Kissoon’s actions: the first is that he is absolutely irresponsible; he has no constituency, and therefore behaves crazily. The other is that he is trying to give the impression that he is so indignant. horrified to learn that the Guyana Parliament had been trying to arrogate to itself the Executive and Judicial roles, had been trying to ignore and disregard the rulings of the Courts, and even to disobey the Constitution of Guyana. These outlandish actions shame the Commonwealth Parliamentary System.

Mr Trotman could do well to educate the parliamentarians as to the three branches of Government and their respective rights and authority.

If they understand the roles of the three branches and their respective rights, duties and authority, then Mr Trotman’s office as Speaker would be less stressful and far happier.

P. RAMLALL

For him, it is more of a show to demonstrate to the PNC/APNU that he is with them. He therefore has to overcompensate. Such behaviour is determined by his own cowardice.

He knows that he can say all these things, and no one in the PPP/C and government will harm him.

He feels that he is safe in attacking the PPP/C Administration. It is also true that he is aware of what will happen to him if he attacks the PNC/APNU in that manner. So, now, the PNC/APNU is good; it does not matter that Rodney, whom he hypocritically claims he loved, was brutally assassinated by them.

Those are the same people who have been accused of several murders of the then political Opposition; it is the same people who destroyed Freedom of the Press and murdered journalists. He knows what happened to Dayclean, the Mirror and Catholic Standard. That is the same party that pauperised the Guyanese people, and criminalised them for eating bread, roti, split peas dholl, potatoes, sardines, corned beef, etc. These are the same people who established con-

trols over the judiciary and flew the PNC flag above the Guyana flag at the Court of Appeal, then the highest court in Guyana.

Now, the cowardly Kissoon, to ingratiate himself to that bunch, is working overtime to try to rehabilitate the image of the PNC/APNU. His “love” of Rodney is clearly just hot air; he has to work himself up to a maniacal rage, because the PPP/C has done nothing to him to justify his hatred.

Everyone who knows him is aware of how frightened he was in the post1997 elections. He was cringing and crying and afraid the PNC would have beaten him up. Whenever things heat up, Kissoon disappears; that is his history.

Recall, too, that Tacuma Ogunseye had accused him of being a coward. Kissoon loves to speak about himself, but those in the WPA know he is just a little coward seeking to befriend those he believes could, and would, harm him. For that, he has to be a strident and fanatical opponent of the present democratic administration.

JENNIFER BAKER

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

John Palmer is betraying Great Britain’s political philosophy I WISH to refer to John Palmer, a British citizen who acted in concert with Janette Bulkan to publicly criticize the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) 2005-2012 Annual Reports a few days ago in the Stabroek News.

These reports were submitted to Parliament. However, cognisance must be taken that John Palmer is a British citizen.

Great Britain, as every Guyanese knows, was once the motherland of Guyana, and today, it is universally known to be a

developed country where democracy, good governance and the rule of law prevail; and with the absence of rigged elections and illegal governments.

But Palmer seems to have betrayed Great Britain’s political philosophy, having turned a blind eye and deaf ear to elections rigging and massive corruption that took place under the illegal PNC regime, from 1964-1992, in that he deliberately chose to peddle and write an abundance of lies about Guyana, knowing fully well that

democracy, the rule of law and economic dynamism have been restored under a democratically elected Government since 1992.

This shows clearly that John Palmer prefers Guyana to be ruled by an illegal and dictatorial Government for its social and economic destruction, since he is currently an admirer and supporter of the PNC/APNU, which is now part of the parliamentary Opposition in Guyana.

In this regard, John Palmer must be condemned by all

British citizens. Further, John Palmer, while being a British Citizen, is not resident in the UK but in Miami, Florida, with his Guyanese spouse.

This shows that Palmer, in his anti-Government of Guyana agenda, is interfering in the domestic affairs of Guyana when he writes this misinformation about Guyana’s forestry sector and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).

making practically confession statements to a PNC official and current PNC parliamentarian linking him to cover up and perpetration of terrible crimes, including murder and the planting of drugs on someone while he was in office, is defending police ranks accused of criminal activities in Corentyne, Berbice,

saying they could not have been involved in an armed robbery, as is being claimed by residents, as the only working vehicle they had at the time was at the No. 51 Station where a vehicular accident was being investigated.

PNC officials have a track record of defending criminals in Guyana, while PNC

Parliamentary Opposition has to be held accountable for blacklisting of Guyana THE parliamentary Opposition, in its mischievous and worthless political agenda, is clearly doing what the Rastafarian song says, “Them Ah Fight Fuh Powah”.

However, it seems that they will never learn that “Power” only comes through the Ballot Box and not through the back door. It is power they want!

In total shame of their court defeat that they cannot cut the country’s budget estimates anymore, because it is unlawful

and unconstitutional, they now claim to be legally challenging the Chief Justice’s ruling.

It is power they want!

The parliamentary Opposition claims that they will not support the passage of the Anti- Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) Bill. It is power that they want!

But if the parliamentary Opposition claims that they will not support the AML/CFT Bill, then it means that the US State

Department may have to apply sanctions against Guyana’s parliamentary Opposition for being supporters of terrorism and money laundering.

It is my hope, therefore, that the US Embassy, and Canadian, British and EU High Commissions are making the necessary observations in relation to the AML/ CFT Bill and its current status, and are informing their respective Governments.

But if Guyana’s AML/CFT Bill is not completed before the

- just as guilty as the criminals

February 13 deadline set by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), I will be making an intervention, since it is absolutely unfair for the Guyanese people to severely suffer as a result of being internationally blacklisted, due to the arrogance of the leadership of Guyana’s parliamentary Opposition.

IN the recent shooting death of a 15-year-old bandit at the hands of a licensed firearm holder, one of his relatives was quoted as saying, “…since his mother died, he has been following bad company, which resulted in him meeting his demise.”

Another one of these worn-out excuses “…he is from a broken home ... he’s been following bad company,” and the list goes on and on; flimsy reasons why these guys were destined to lead a life of crime.

The way these relatives speak is akin to saying that these guys had no choice, because they were born to live a life of crime; a hex or spell was cast on them, so they were predestined to be criminals.

I am of a different view, because I know for sure that no hex, nor generational curse was set on them; except that they have a thieving disposition, plain and simple, helped by those very same relatives.

Of course, those relatives would not tell you that they were prime recipients of the proceeds from these guys’ criminal enterprise. Yes, they have conveniently left that part of the story out of their utterances. They would never honestly repeat the stories of the gold chains, rings, cell-phones and cash they were enriched by. They would not tell of the many successful raids that brought them criminal enrichment. Instead, these guys were commended when those criminal acts brought handsome rewards. Now that he is dead, and the source of their criminal enrichment is gone, they can come out like “sympathetic judases” and blame it on his mother’s death and bad company.

These people need to go hang their heads in shame that they were the ones responsible for enabling him/them into a life of crime. In the same vein, they are solely responsible for his death. So, this “tale” of a mother’s death and bad company must be balanced with these relatives being accessories to crime; full stop and end of discussion. These relatives are just pandering to a criminal audience, while trying desperately to clear guilty consciences.

PETER PERSAUD

NEIL ADAMS

PETER PERSAUD

People without credibility are strangers to truth WINSTON Felix’s assertions that: “No way police could have been involved in No. 48 robbery because the only car in area was at No. 51 Station”, is a lot of bull.

This former police commissioner turned PNC Member of Parliament, Winston Felix, who was allegedly caught on tape

Relatives who share the spoils

supporters have proven they condone wrongdoing; if not, they would not be huffing and puffing and marching on the streets and instead protesting not to have Basil Williams and Winston Felix representing them.

T. KING

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Old Kai: Chronicles of Guyana...

Tek warning, Opposition cronies!

- Yuh see wha’ happen in St Lucia recently?

OLD Kai well and truly believes that the pressure is definitely on in the joint Opposition camp. The increasing evidence of their inadequacies has ushered in an air of insecurity among their ranks, further fuelled by dissention, with some ambitious ones

the opposition leaders were projecting themselves as alternative leaders for our country. Their constant attacks against the PPP/C Government during that time had managed to shift focus away from their limitations.

However, increasingly, they have run out of excuses, and

Old Kai has learnt that moves are apace quietly by an underground clique within the Opposition…and there will be some surprising casualties inside both the APNU and AFC. This silent power struggle may have serious repercussions, because of some of the players involved. lining themselves up, should there be a leadership shakeup.

Old Kai has learnt that moves are apace quietly by an underground clique within the Opposition to force this change, and there will be some surprising casualties inside both the APNU and AFC. This silent power struggle may have serious repercussions, because of some of the players involved.

I will give you a hint when I mention the ‘Trojan Horse’.

This situation was far from expected three years ago, when

now have nowhere else to hide.

In the past two weeks, their credibility has been dealt two shattering blows, first with their failure in their stronghold of Linden to effect a ‘shut down’ campaign in the community.

Then the more damaging of the two came with the Chief Justice ruling that the opposition has been engaging in an illegal practice all along, by cutting the 2012 Budget (and the 2013 Budget), thus withholding developmental assistance for citizens from the PPP/C Gov-

ernment.

Opposition supporters seem to have accepted the fact that their leaders appear to have run out of ideas, which has given rise to their increasingly outlandish actions, such as threatening to ignore the High Court ruling. Their frail and aged leader, David Granger, is becoming less conspicuous in the media, with some arguing that he is trying to distance himself as much as possible from the ineptitude, and hopes this will be enough to ensure he survives the impending shakeup.

On the other hand, there are those who are contending that age is finally taking its toll, and the rigors of the job is proving too much for the man who once played a crucial role under Burnham’s dictatorship.

Over in the AFC camp, whispers indicate that there is increasing mistrust between two dominant factions within the party, even though both try very hard to pretend that all is well in both their professional and political life. Apparently, while some have silently agreed on who should be the next presidential candidate, there are those who feel otherwise, and are trying in vain so far to

GCCI calls for end to political grandstanding on AML/CFT Bill

By Vanessa Narine THE Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Limited has issued a call for Members of Parliament to desist from employing political grandstanding in negotiating the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill.

Yesterday, the body issued a statement declaring its disappointment with the position taken by the main Opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), on the presence of private sector stakeholders as observes of the deliberations of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee.

The GCCI statement said in part: “The Chamber notes with deep disappointment the position adopted…. The Private Sector Commission is the second civil society stakeholder, after the media, to have been refused access to the Committee’s meetings.”

NOT SENSITIVE The Chamber said the issues to be deliberated on the AML/CFT Bill do not constitute “sensitive information” that would require secrecy by the Committee. It said, “During meetings with both Government and the APNU, the lament from both sides was to cast blame on the other for not attending meetings or adhering to appropriate procedures of the Select Committee.

“At those meetings, the Private Sector delegation received assurances from all parliamentary parties that they would welcome public screenings and observations of the Select Committee deliberations on the said bill. It is therefore surprising and discouraging that the APNU has deviated from this position.”

The CCCI added that public access to parliamentary committees is an important part of Government transparency, and expressed hope that the APNU would reconsider its position.

The statement said, “…(the Chamber is) hopeful that the APNU would rethink its position and re-engage in the deliberations, and allow for a vote on public access by the Committee members.

“The AML/CFT Bill is too important to our nation’s economy and development to have partisan and petty political tactics and grandstanding affect its consideration, augmentation and eventual passage.”

The AML/CFT Bill was returned to the Committee, where it spent six months before being defeated by the combined Opposition in a National Assembly vote, but it is currently being reviewed.

Last Monday, APNU members walked out of a meeting of the Committee to avoid a vote on allowing private sector stakeholders to be present. The Private Sector Commission (PSC) had submitted a letter to the sub-committee requesting to observe the meetings as stakeholders. However, on Monday evening, when Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh moved the motion to have the PSC attend the meetings, the Opposition objected.

Serious impending deadlines demand urgent action on this critical piece of legislation; or Guyana, which has already been blacklisted regionally, could face international sanctions.

justify their logic for choosing someone else.

There will also be an attempt soon to save face by replacing two or three of their MP’s. At least one of the new faces will be an individual who has been critical publicly of the ‘clique’ mentality in the way the party is being run at the leadership level. These cosmetic changes will, however, not be enough to stem the tide of rising resentment among members and supporters of that party, who currently feel that their leaders are operating like ‘runaway trains’.

The public admission, by a senior leader, that supporters are beginning to refuse to fund and support the party a few months ago, should have been a wakeup call, but, sadly, the leaders (including the individual who made the announcement) are solely focused on acquiring and maintaining as much power as

they can get their hands on, and are in no state of mind to pay attention to the wishes of their supporters.

Those yearning for change are taking note of what recently occurred in St. Lucia, where members of the opposition United Workers Party revolted against their leader, Stephenson King, and replaced him with Dr. Gale Rigobert as the island’s new leader of the opposition.

As I pen this column, I have received word that a major financial contributor to the opposition camp has decided to cut ties with them after their refusal and subsequent walkout from the Parliamentary Sub-Committee deliberations on the Amendment of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill. The individual is apparently peeved at their efforts to keep the Private Sector from independently monitoring the proceedings

during these meetings.

The PPP/C Government has been contending that the joint Opposition has been teaming up in the Committee to stall the process, using the flimsiest of excuses so as to ensure Guyana is blacklisted, and sanctions take effect. Other entrepreneurs who previously supported and financed the Opposition are said to be in a state of shock at this latest development, and have vowed to make their concerns ‘felt’ when the appropriate time comes.

It is now fitting to conclude with the phrase coined

by George Santayana and made infamous by Jim Jones: “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Jones has this quotation posted high atop his wall at the People’s Temple. Just in case anyone missed it, a photograph of Forbes Burnham was next to it!

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

GNRSC says road fatalities too high - will embark on initiatives to reduce number even as three children perish in road accidents for 2014

By Sabatini Daniels IN just a little over a month into the new year, three children have already become road fatalities on the country’s roads; and Romona Doorgen, Coordinator of the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC), pointed out in an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that, at the moment, road accidents statistics are already above the corresponding period for last year.

“For this year, so far, there have been 10 road accidents, compared to nine in 2013, resulting in 11 deaths, the same as last year. However, three children have died this year, compared to last year, when only one child died,” Doorgen disclosed.

Though this year’s road accident statistics are not substantially higher than last year’s, Doorgen was still disappointed at the figures, adding that “it is not looking good (to be) starting off the statistics neckand-neck.”

In 2013, there was a total of 103 road fatalities, compared to 102 for 2012; and Doorgen highlighted that youth drivers between the ages of 16 and 24, and 25 and 33, have been the most vulnerable to road fatalities for both years. In 2013, 33 youth drivers in the 16 to 24 age category died because of their involvement in accidents; while 27 youths in this same age category died under similar circumstances in 2012.

Moreover, 39 drivers between the ages of 25 and 33 died in 2013 because of their involvement in accidents, whereas 44 drivers in this same age category died under similar circumstances in 2012.

Doorgen noted that consequently close attention must be paid to young drivers to prevent the numbers of fatalities from growing larger each year. She disclosed that the GNRSC will, this year, collaborate with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to develop a ‘young drivers training programme’.

She attributed the outcome of most road accidents to the attitudes of drivers, and added that most accidents are due to drunk driving and speeding.

“We cannot have the police at every rum shop or corner….

If we can change human behaviour and attitude, then we will have a significant reduction (in road fatalities),” she opined.

Doorgen also noted that many drivers think they are invincible and that they cannot get involved in road accidents.

She deemed this unfortunate, since many of those persons eventually become statistics.

She opined that persons caught driving while under the influence of alcohol (drinking and driving included) should be most harshly punished. “If they are not severely punished, they (will) commit the act again. I think the fines should be raised to hundreds of thousands of dollars, because people don’t like (to) spend money. So if

they think it will cost them a lot, they will be more cautious,” she reasoned.

She disclosed that the GNRSC will, this year, embark on a number of initiatives which, hopefully, will aid in reducing road accidents countrywide. One such initiative involves compiling information on black spots in the country with the aim of publicising them, as is currently being undertaken. Doorgen said the GNRSC hopes to attract the support of private and public entities to assist GNRSC in getting these black spots publicised with a view to cautioning persons of their existence.

Another initiative entails the GNRSC working aggressively with schools to revitalise road safety patrols in the country.

Doorgen said that some students are already under police training to conduct patrols. She pointed out that drivers need to adhere to the instructions signalled by school patrols, because delinquent drivers risk being charged.

The GNRSC, she said, is also currently working on compiling a road safety magazine for publication this year.

That magazine would include information such as ticketing fines and speed limits, among other useful information. The agency is hoping that less than 80 road fatalities are recorded in the country this year, and Doorgen stressed that it would be ideal if no more road deaths are recorded for this year.

No evidence to support buggery of Colwyn Harding - according to Chairman of Police Complaints Authority - assault and breach of SOPs by cops confirmed CHAIRMAN of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) , retired Chancellor of the Judiciary Cecil Kennard said yesterday that that there is a difficulty at this time to prove that Colwyn Harding was indeed sodomised.

Justice Kennard told the Chronicle that the difficulty comes about because of the length of time that had elapsed since the alleged incident and when the young man was seen by a doctor.

In the meantime, many persons are anxiously awaiting the final report and looking to see what charges the culpable ranks will face. Justice Kennard, however, made it clear that while there are allegations of buggery, the medical reports and checks by the doctors are proving otherwise.

However, it was confirmed on the basis of the evidence that some amount of physical force was used on Harding while he was in police custody.

Justice Kennard has completed his leg of the investigations into Harding’s buggery and assault claims and the file is expected to be dispatched today to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Several ranks are expected to face disciplinary charges under the Police Disciplinary Act while two others would be facing criminal charges of assault once the DPP accepts the findings from the Police Complaints Authority investigation.

When this publication contacted the PCA chairman yesterday, he confirmed that he had finished compiling his report and informed this newspaper that he was reviewing the documents and making copies for his records before sending the file back to either the Commissioner of Police or the Crime Chief who will forward it to the DPP for legal advice.

He said that if one is to recommend buggery charges, among others, for the ranks fingered in the Harding matter, when it reaches the court it is likely to be thrown out on a no-case submission because the medical records will have to be produced to substantiate and support that the young man was buggered. And doctors are not confirming that in their reports, it was pointed out.

Harding had told reporters that he did not speak earlier about the incident of baton sodomy because he was embarrassed to reveal the ordeal.

Yesterday, Justice Kennard who had said earlier that he had an open mind to the investigation also confirmed that he had requested that the police bring to him a baton for him to analyse and this formed part of the conclusion of his investigation.

He made it clear that his leg of the investigation is just part of the entire probe and when the file reaches the desk of the DPP, the call will be hers. (Leroy Smith)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Agricola housewife/mother murder

FATHER FEARS SON WILL TURN INTO MONSTER TO REVENGE MOTHER’S DEATH

By Leroy Smith

BERTRAM Taylor, husband of murdered 55-year-old Agricola housewife Donna Taylor, has concluded that the media is more interested in the death of his wife and in ensuring that justice prevails than the police and other persons in authority.

-suspect due for court today

The broken man disclosed in a telephone interview with this newspaper last evening that he had served his country through the Guyana National Service (GNS), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and in the sporting arena; and now that his wife has been dragged from

her home and murdered in the yard, and the family needs love and answers at this time, it is very painful to countenance the attitude of the police and other persons in authority.

The man told the Guyana Chronicle that the persons who had murdered his wife really

wanted to get at his son, as they took away the thing the son held dearest. He recalled that there had been times when he had been forced to ask his son, “Wait man, this is who wife, me own or you own?” referring to the excellent relationship the young man had had with his mother.

Mr. Taylor explained that his son and wife collaborated on everything they did, and her death has left him so much in shock that he has been rendered speechless. Since the incident, the son has not been communicating with anyone.

Mr Taylor said his son seemingly now trusts nobody, since his girlfriend is the one who has been fingered in the murder of his mother, and she is likely to appear in court today.

“We need love and comfort.

That will make my son feel good, or he could turn out to be something that we don’t want,” Taylor told the Chronicle. The man said his son’s silence has made him very fearful, and he is pleading with the authorities to come forward and say something to the family.

Taylor believes that his

wife’s death could possibly turn his son into a ‘monster’ who may want to seek revenge, and the family is not willing for that to happen.

Taylor told the Chronicle that the police have communicated nothing to his family in respect to the investigation, and it was only through media reports that the family has been made aware that the suspect should have passed through the court yesterday, and is likely to so do today, since there were some difficulties with the filing of the matter for court yesterday.

His voice breaking with emotion during the telephone conversation, Taylor said he has seen families receiving gestures of comfort in the form of handshakes and other expressions of concern when they had lost loved ones; and for a family suffering the way his is at the moment, it is only fitting that some consolation be shown them during this difficult period.

He said he is of the view that the family is still at risk, and he is fearful for their lives, given the nature of the incident and the person involved. The main suspect is from Agricola, and lives with her relatives a few corners away from where the actual murder occurred.

“The persons who killed my wife really disrespectful,” Taylor added. He said that persons have, in the past, entered the yard and stolen stuff, including

a motorcycle; but they have taken things to the next level when they murdered his wife.

The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that the police, who have for the past three days been gathering information on the GDF Private, are certain they would be able to make a prima facie case against the suspect.

The suspect, whose name was given only as Abby, is said to have invaded the home of her boyfriend’s mother and bound her before beating her to death and slitting her throat.

The incident reportedly stemmed from the young man’s decision to sever the relationship he had shared with the army rank, who felt that the boy’s mother had encouraged the boy to take that course of action.

The police have held the GDF rank as the main suspect after she turned up at the police station wearing a pair of pants which she did not have on when the police visited the murder scene earlier on the night in question. Asked why she had changed the pants, the woman told the police that paint had fallen on the pants and it had to be changed. However, checks by investigators revealed that the pants the woman had changed was in fact stained with blood.

The police have confiscated the pants, and will be using it as part of the exhibit when the trial begins.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

GT&T donates $3.5M to Children’s Mash Costume Parade

By Leroy Smith GUYANA Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) yesterday presented the Ministry of Education with a $3.5M cheque to assist with the activities for the Mashramani Children’s Costume Parade slated for next week Saturday.

The donation was made following criticism that much was not being done to publicise and market the events for Mashramani 2014, including the children competitions which are done through schools.

The handing over, to Chief Education Officer Olato Sam, was done by GT&T’s Chief Financial Officer Justin Nedd.

The latter told the media that the company is pleased to be associated with such events, since it proves that GT&T is

not only a good corporate entity with the payment of its taxes and licence fees.

Sam praised the gesture by the utility which was done for the third consecutive year and expressed the anticipation that next year it will repeat itself with an even bigger figure.

Asked about the level of publicity the Children’s Mash activities have been receiving and if he was at all pleased that the marketing of the events was adequate, he responded in the positive.

WONDERFUL TURNOUT “I expect that we will have a wonderful turnout, even by those who have not yet enrolled in schools. I know our usual press releases were sent out, the extent to which you

With Le Repentir flooded…

Trevor Rose funeral service held but burial postponed

By Leroy Smith

THE burial of yet another well-known Guyanese was postponed on Monday owing to the condition of Le Repentir Cemetery.

The showers on Sunday night and Monday completely inundated the location and disappointed relatives of fashion designer and party promoter, Trevor Rose who was to be buried.

While t h e r e was the viewing and tributes followed by a funeral service as scheduled, the deceased could not be laid to rest because accessing the tomb was almost impossible but once accessed, placing the coffin in it would not have been advisable.

Scores had turned up to view the remains of the executed Rose, who was killed two Sundays ago while travelling in a taxi and there Trevor Rose were very moving tributes and reflections on his life, as tears trickled down the faces of many while others cried openly for the young man.

His body was locked up and put back in the refrigerator at Merriman Funeral Parlour following the funeral service at a church in D’Urban Backlands.

Efforts to contact officials of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council yesterday proved futile.

Over the past few weeks several burials had to be put off because of the state of the cemetery, the most notable cases were that of former broadcaster, Terry Holder and a former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Carlotta Dodson.

Meanwhile, the police are still continuing their investigations into the Trevor Rose murder.

guys cover them is another story but I cannot speak for the media houses,” Sam told iNews.

The CEO pointed out that this is the time of the year when many persons have a chance to witness the talents and dramatic performances of the students which never cease to “wow” those who show up as spectators.

This is the third consecutive year that GT&T has made a financial contribution to the Children’s Mash activities and, each year, it increases.

The Children’s Costume Parade is slated for next week Saturday, taking off from parade ground but other children’s competitions are already in progress.

There have been numerous comments and postings on the social networks with the level of publicity being given to the Mash activities for 2014 with several competitions being held across the country but little is known about them.

A l r e a d y, t h e C h u t n e y semi-finals and finals have come and gone and the Carib Soca Monarch, Adult Calypso and other contests are yet to be staged, along with the Float Parade but, again, little is known.

There will be no HIV/ AIDS Song competition this year because the sponsors have gone into hiding. One senior manager of a company which, usually, supports Mash activities and sponsorships each year told the Guyana Chronicle that Mash 2014 and its publicity and marketing are at an all time low, as it has been declining over the years.

Receiving the cheque on the Ministry’s behalf is Chief Education Officer Olato Sam (at right) while GT&T’s Chief Financial Officer Justin Nedd hands it over. Also in photo are Ministry of Education and GT&T officials.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Symposium today at UG - on religion and science for environmental sustainability

By Shivanie Sugrim THE University of Guyana in collaboration with the Religion, Science and Environment Research Group (UG-RSERG) is hosting a symposium today under the theme, ‘Religion and science for environmental sustainability’.

According to a UG press release, the public is invited to participate in this one-day symposium which will be held in the Education Lecture Theatre at the Turkeyen Campus, commencing at 08:30 hrs.

The symposium, the release stated, is motivated by consciousness of the debates over the existence of conflict

between religion and science, based largely in the conflict thesis which has its origins in the 1876 publication of the scientist William Draper.

It will specifically address the issue of conflict between religion and science and its impact on the environment, while aiming to forge a purposeful union of religion and science

A section of the sprawling UG campus at Turkeyen for the development of a more sustainable future for Guyana.

It is hoped that this would also provide a model for the rest of the world.

The main presenters at the symposium are drawn from religion and science. Fr Malcolm Rodrigues S.J., Swami Aksharananda and Maulana Abu Bakr Haniff will present papers on perspectives from Christianity, Hinduism and Islam, respectively, and Profes-

sor Godfrey Bourne will present perspectives from science.

Additionally, papers will be presented by researchers and/or practitioners, as submitted, as part of an open call for papers, the release stated.

Within a few months of the conclusion of the event, the release said, participants will be sent a copy of a book which will be the substantive material output of the symposium, the release added.

The UG-RSERG is a small group of scientists from the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Guyana (UG) who began collaborative research in April 2012. The group focuses on interdisciplinary research which seeks to understand phenomena emerging at the crossroads of religion, science and the environment to inform and help create a more sustainable future for Earth.

Three murder accused go on trial over separate killings in 2005 and 2008

By George Barclay MURDER accused Satnarine Sahadeo, called ‘Boyo’, went on trial yesterday before Justice William Ramlal and a mixed jury.

‘Boyo’ is accused of having on January 22nd, 2005, in the county of Demerara, murdered Vishnu Santie.

The prosecution led by State Counsel Miss Natasha Backer said in her opening address to the jury that Santie went home with his car on the said night and when he was going up his stairs he was attacked by a gang of robbers. He was shot to death.

And the trial of Julien Henry and Baldeo Seegobin of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, for the murder of Ricardo Henriques on November 24, 2008, began yesterday before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed jury.

The killing is said to have occurred at Middle Street, Georgetown. They are being represented by Attorneys-at-law,

Mr. Basil Williams and Mr. George Thomas.

At the trial, Williams for the number two accused, is attempting to destroy an alleged caution statement which the prosecution is claiming the accused had made.

However, Williams is saying that the statement was obtained by oppression and physical violence, and this was not in accordance with the Judges’ Rules.

Prosecutrix Miss Dhanika Singh is appearing for the prosecution in association with Miss Mercedes Thompson.

Both hearings are continuing.

Mixed jury frees murder accused

JUSTICE Franklyn Holder, on Monday, discharged Parsram Lalchand called Desmond after the mixed Demerara Assizes jury found him not guilty of killing Viranjan at Annandale, East Coast of Demerara in 2008.

He had been facing a retrial after being among six men who, allegedly, chased and beat Viranjan into unconsciousness on July 29, 2008.

The victim, subsequently, died from his injuries, resulting in Lalchand and the others being charged with murder.

The prosecution, led by Sate Prosecutor, Dhanika Singh in association with other State Counsel, Mercedes Thompson, had alleged that the accused was one of the men seen beating Viranjan.

The freed prisoner was represented by defence counsel Huckumchand. (Barclay)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Hadfield Street miner remanded on drug-trafficking charge

By Geeta Rampersaud DELLON Hutson, 38, a miner of Lot 36 Hadfield Street, Georgetown, appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Fabio Azore on Monday to answer a drug-trafficking charge, and was remanded to prison until February 20.

He had pleaded not guilty to the offence, particulars of which said that on January 28, at Georgetown, he had in his possession 58 grammes of cannabis sativa (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking; but Magistrate Azore said his defence lawyer had not raised any special reason why he should be admitted to bail.

Police Corporal Adduni Inniss, prosecuting, told the court that on the day in question, at around 10:00 hrs, ranks from the Narcotics Branch acting on information and led by Deputy Superintendent Lord, went to the defendant’s home in search of narcotics.

Spotted in his yard with a bag, Hutson was confronted by an inspector. He drew a scissors from the bag, and the inspector, becoming fearful for his life, discharged a single shot at Hutson’s left leg. The defendant dropped the bag and ran away, and the inspector picked up the bag and had the contents examined and weighed.

The prosecutor said the defendant later presented himself to the Narcotics Branch at Eve Leary in the company of his lawyer.

Attorney-at-Law Mr. Glenn Hanoman, representing Hutson in a bail application, said the allegation arose after his client had been shot by the police. He said the man is still nursing a wound and after he had reported the matter against the police, he was sent to the Georgetown Public Hospital to receive treatment.

Counsel said the police went to the hospital and put the allegation to his client, and his instruction was that a woman living upstairs in the same yard with Hutson, who claimed to have a relationship with a very high-ranking police official, told Hutson that she would have him killed by the police.

Mr. Hanoman deemed it the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, and informed the court that the defence has 15 witnesses to testify in the matter, two of whom were present in court. He said that when the police entered the defendant’s apartment, they found gold and diamonds valued in excess of $700,000, and believed that it was from an armed robbery. **********************************************

Confessed shoplifter denies stealing car battery - remanded to prison until Feb 6 DAMION James (no address given), facing charges of damage to property and simple larceny, was on Monday refused bail by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry after he pleaded not guilty to both charges.

On January 28, at Lot 184 James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, he allegedly damaged one car window valued $25,000, property of Wavel Naughton; and on January 3 at Lot 180 Garnett Street, Albouystown, he stole one car battery valued at $25,000, property of Damion Naughton.

James told the court, “I don’t steal anything with car, I only shoplift”.

Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry asked the defendant, “So you are saying you did not steal the car battery?” and he responded, “No, Meh Worship, I don’t steal those things; I does only shoplift”.

The defendant told the court that he was previously convicted for stealing a watch.

His matter was transferred before Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond for report and fixture on February 6.

(Geeta Rampersaud)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Destination Guyana set to soar in 2014

- given projected 15% increase in tourist arrivals DESTINATION Guyana can expect up to a 15% increase in arrivals for 2014, signalling yet another record-breaking year for the fledgling tourism industry.

This is according to Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh, who made the pronouncement recently while noting the various avenues available for increasing investment, marketing and promotion in the sector.

“One positive indicator of a destination’s performance is the continued increase in arrivals. We are predicting as much as a 15% boost in arrivals for this year,” Haralsingh said, adding that he came to the conclusion by compiling data collected at all major ports of entry in Guyana, including Moleson Creek, Lethem, and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Haralsingh said that often, people do not recognise the significant impact increasing tourist arrivals have on a country and its economy, such as the creation of more job opportunities, foreign investment, expenditure and revenue flow.

“This is healthy for any economy, and it is a good thing that the tourist arrivals in Guyana are growing,” he said.

ON THE RISE

Indranauth Haralsingh He alluded to the advent of two new airlines, CONVIASA and COPA, on the local market as being among developments to have already signalled a productive and healthy start to the new year. Other developments are the hosting of a Tourism Stakeholder Forum; the opening of new hotels and restaurants; and the continuation of several projects that will see the further expansion of the industry, among them the Marriott Hotel, and the CJIA Expansion Project.

He also noted that Guyana is currently working to establish a “healthy” cross-border tourism relationship with particularly Suriname and Brazil through the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) level, and will also promote multi-destination tourism.

For 2013, arrivals from Suriname accounted for 14% of arrival figures, while arrivals from Brazil accounted for seven per cent of overall arrivals. And alluding to the successful marketing campaign undertaken by the Tourism Ministry and GTA in the past, Mr Haralsingh gave the assurance that partnerships will be strengthened with the private sector and tourism stakeholders as Destination Guyana is presented to the world.

BEST IN THE WORLD He said too that efforts will be intensified to attract more travel writers and film and documentary producers to Guyana, as this is one of the most effective ways of capturing the attention of the world.

“National Geographic Traveler magazine has named Guyana on its annual Best of the World list, featuring 20 destinations to visit in 2014,” he declared. “This is as a direct result of one company, Wilderness Explorers tour itineraries to Guyana. We have indeed captured the attention of the world,” he added.

That said, he urged all tourism stakeholders, the media especially, to use the foregoing accolade to the fullest, and to leverage being recognised as one of the “Best in the World” destinations.

Noting that in the past, Guyana has hosted a series of FAM (familiarisation) Trips, and facilitated the BBC, National Geographic and the History Channel, Discovery Channel and Blue Paw among others to film snippets or entire series here, he said that more such opportunities will be created this year, generating even more interest in the destination.

Over the last 10 years, visitor arrivals to Destination Guyana have been increasing significantly, and in 2013, it was one of three countries in the Caribbean to record double-digit growth, with a 13.3% increase in arrivals.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

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Minister Ramsammy discloses...

Execution of comprehensive strategy gradually reducing flooding

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

By Clifford Stanley GUYANA’S capacity for drainage of accumulated rainwater is increasing and flooding is being gradually reduced, although it is still not at the level where it can deal effectively with unusually heavy rainfall.

Disclosing this, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said, Monday, that in 2013, there was much rain but fewer instances of flooding.

He said this was due to the comprehensive strategy for flood reduction executed by Government since the early 1990s.

He observed that, prior to Independence, this country had the capacity to drain the effects of 1.5 inches of rainfall over a 24 hours period.

However, due to the infrastructural decline, by the early 1990s, the capability was diminished.

“Pump stations were closed, Minister Dr Leslie sluices were closed and any amount Ramsammy of rainfall in excess of one inch within 24 hours had led to floods,” he said.

Ramsammy said that, with improvements the current drainage capacity is for 1.5 inches of rainfall over 24-hours.

He pointed out that Georgetown, for instance, is capable of effectively draining 1.5 inches, which is approximately 30 to 35 millimetres of rain, in a 24-hour period.

FLASH FLOODING “But once rainfall exceeds that amount, you are going to have flash flooding,” the minister said.

He added, though, that, sometimes, even when the infrastructure is in place, the systems may not work because of the inability of the persons in charge to run and manage them.

He said the Georgetown City Council, for example, had control over seven pumps but it was highly debatable as to whether all were operable at any given point in time.

He said his ministry is now trying to increase the drainage capacity on the East Coast and other parts of the country to deal effectively with between two and 2.5 inches of rainfall over 24 hours.

“However, the truth is that, at times, we get 50 millimetres or two inches of rainfall in a six-hour period. This exceeds the capacity of the system and that means that you are going to get some flash flooding,” the minister advised.

He said his ministry will continue to work on increasing drainage capacity with respect to accumulated rainfall.

He said one goal is to increase the drainage capacity through the strategic placement of pumps, canals and sluices, to the extent where the system can effectively cope with up to 2.5 inches of rainfall over a 24-hour period.

Nisi Order granted against police commissioner withdrawn

- Police release freed murder accused who had been re-arrested

By George Barclay SUBSEQUENT to the Bartica Magistrate freeing murder accused Keron Herbert, he was re-arrested and detained by the Bartica Police.

His lawyer Mr. Glenn Hanoman then sought his release by way of Habeas Corpus proceedings to the court. The Chief Justice heard the application and granted a Nisi Order calling on the commissioner of police to show cause why the applicant should not be released forthwith.

The police commissioner was to have appeared in court yesterday morning at 11.30 hrs to have the matter thrashed out.

But this did not happen. Instead, counsel appeared in court and withdrew his application for the habeas corpus writ, pointing out that his client had been released by the police.

Last Friday, acting Chief Justice Mr. Ian Chang, S.C., had issued a Nisi Order for a Writ of Habeas Corpus, calling on the commissioner of police to show cause why he should not immediately release Keron Herbert who was being detained at the Bartica Police Station.

The Order granted to Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Glenn Hanoman, on behalf of the applicant, Kenneth Herbert, father of Keron, sought to have the police commissioner appear before the judge in Chambers at 11:30 hrs yesterday.

The motion, it is said, followed the arrest of Keron Herbert after he had been released at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Dylon Bess on a charge of murder.

In the affidavit in support of the motion, the applicant had said that two minutes after his release, police from the Bartica Police Station assaulted him outside of the station compound and forcibly took him again into police custody.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Blame shifting over needed rehabilitation of Kitty Market

By Telesha Ramnarine

RESTORATION of the historic Kitty Market is on the cards of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) for this year but Town Clerk Carol Sooba said it is now just a matter of obtaining the necessary finances.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle yesterday morning, she informed the publication that the municipality is currently working to garner resources for the project from those who are indebted to the Council.

Furthermore, a few other financial avenues are also being considered, she added.

Sooba said an architect must also be retained, so that the market can be restored to its exact original appearance.

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor

Patricia Chase-Green told this newspaper, yesterday, that to her knowledge, the undertaking is at a standstill because Sooba has failed to implement the decisions taken by Council with respect to the market.

According to Chase-Green, the Council wanted the job to go to public tender so that anyone who was interested in rehabilitating the structure, or at least portions of it, could have come forward with a proposal and the Markets and Public Health Committee would have reviewed it.

She said the Kitty Market remains a source of worry because vendors are still there plying their trade.

Just recently, several concerned stallholders demanded that urgent steps be taken by the M&CC and Central Govern-

ment to save the edifice.

HARSH CONDITIONS When this publication visited the place, vendors had gathered at one stall loudly complaining about the harsh conditions in which they have to operate.

The stallholders are opposed to any form of privatisation of the market as they believe that both Central Government and the Council have a moral obligation to rehabilitate it.

The vendors, in expressing their concerns, pointed out that many of them depend on the market for their livelihoods and they are quite frustrated over the circumstances under which they are forced to sell.

The stallholders are of the view that the present state of

Vendors claim the market was wilfully neglected by the M&CC.

Kitty Market.

the market is due to the wilful neglect of the Council over the last 15 years.

The vendors claimed they have formed a committee and had written several letters to

President Donald Ramotar, (former) Minister of Local Government Ganga Persaud, Mayor Hamilton Green and Town Clerk Sooba, pleading for help.

They declared they are

The Kitty Market remains a threat to life and limb.

“fed up� of hearing action will be taken and demand that a decision be made for immediate works to start, as the state of the market is driving customers away.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Region 2 vice-chairman forecasts bountiful rice harvest on Essequibo Coast

By Rajendra Prabhulall VICE-CHAIRMAN of Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Mr. Vishnu Samaroo has reported that the rice crop on the Essequibo Coast is growing

well and a bountiful harvest is expected.

He said the crop is at various stages of bearing and production is anticipated to surpass the set target of one million bags of paddy.

According to him, 37,120 acres were cultivated and the plants are blooming under the current weather conditions.

The Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) Department of the Regional Administration is also

A field with rice in bearing stages on the Essequibo Coast

Rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast have increased the acreage under their cultivation, from 32,500 acres to 37,120 acres, because of Government’s massive investment, in terms of making the D&I system more efficient and providing farmers with technical help and training through the GRDB and the RPA. Region Two ViceChairman Vishnu Samaroo supplying water to the fields in a timely manner through its network, and harvesting of the golden grains is targeted to begin at the end of February.

Rice farmers on the Coast have increased the acreage

under their cultivation, from 32,500 acres to 37,120 acres, because of Government’s massive investment, in terms ofmaking the D&I system more efficient and providing farmers with technical help and training through the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Rice Producers Association (RPA).

The Government spends

hundreds of millions of dollars each year, through the regional administration’s capital programme, to construct concrete culverts, regulators, bridges and revetments to enhance the D&I network in the rice-growing areas, so farmers can produce more.

Government also spends millions of dollars more every year to grade and level access dams to facilitate farmers transporting their paddy quickly to rice factories after harvest.

Millions are spent yearly, too, to maintain D&I trenches and canals across the Coast, so that rice fields can be irrigated and drained efficiently.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Aries March 21 - April 19

If you’ve got a little less zest in your attitude overall, now is a great time to take action so you can get back to your old, more energetic self. Today’s energy may call for plenty of rest, silly movies and long chats with old friends so you can recharge those spiritual batteries. Try picking up a book, going to a museum or just watching people in the park -- anything that helps you appreciate the richness and variety of the human experience.

Taurus April 20 - May 20

It’s time to take the guilt out of your pleasures! Whatever it is that brings you real joy needs to be brought out in the open and celebrated, no matter what others might think.

If you like dancing to yesterday’s top hits while wearing clothes that would embarrass a teenager, go for it. It’s sure to be liberating -- not only for yourself but for your friends, who are eventually inspired by your fun-loving example.

Gemini May 21 - June 21

You know full well that your soul has unplumbed depths. Like the ocean, there are things living down deep that might become endangered if you don’t take time to cultivate them -- like your creativity, for example! If you’ve been a little careless about nurturing your artistic nature, now is definitely the time to turn it all around. Take a class, pick up a new book or magazine or talk with a total stranger on the street.

Cancer June 22 - July 22

Good times are on the way, and your good energy is totally ready for fun. Whether you choose to go out as part of a crowd, a pair or all by yourself, you can tell that a marvellous time will be had by all. Your company and agenda for the day (and night) are all up to you, though. Check in with your subconscious and decide who’s in, who’s out and what you’re all up to.

Leo July 23 - August 22

Eating a donut is a supremely delicious indulgence. Eating a dozen donuts is a cry for help! Remind yourself of that if you find yourself reaching for junky snacks all day long.

No matter how much you may care for an original glazed, they’re really not worth risking your health over. (Right?) Now is a great time for you to start taking better care of yourself!

Virgo August 23 - September 22

Aren’t you tired of the same old excuses from your people? They might be coming from your best friend, who’s always late. Alternately, they might come from a coworker who can never keep your travel itinerary straight. They might even come from yourself, telling yourself how you can never exercise because there’s not enough time. Cut to the chase!

No more excuses -- from anyone.

Libra September 23 - October 22

Though you may feel like monopolising someone’s company today, it’s a good idea not to get too greedy. Let them have their fun for now -- they’re sure to come back to you sooner or later. Trying to keep them by your side all day and night just cuts down on the amount of fun you could be having on your own. Set them free and watch them come right back to you soon.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

You need to figure out a way to drop some of your prized attachments before they make your life even more unnecessarily complicated. Though it might feel impossible not to cling tightly onto something or someone, wouldn’t your life be much easier if you could just loosen your grip a bit more? You should end up with more energy for the things that really matter?

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

Before you put your signature on that legal agreement or throw in your allegiance with someone new, be sure to scrutinise the fine print and go over every last detail. It might not come naturally to you -- the big picture is more your thing, after all -- but it’s essential to make sure that everything moves forward as smoothly as possible.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19

Cupid is sometimes too cautious for your liking. You can’t just strut up to him out of nowhere and demand that he shoots the object of your affections just to power up your love life! For now, try just acting nonchalant and totally unconcerned with what happens next. The more frantically you seem to want love, the less likely it is to come your way right now.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

Stop punishing yourself for mental sins and try to leave the past where it belongs -- far behind you. Learn to absorb the right lessons from past mistakes, but don’t pile on the guilt for anything you did out of ignorance or naivete. If you had never made any mistakes, you’d never have learned a thing, and if you never learn, you never grow. Who wants to live like that?

Pisces February 19 - March 20

It’s an easy, breezy day for you. You should feel relaxed and mellow and ready to enjoy life for exactly what it is. Augment that mood by doing whatever you can to spread the emotional wealth. Make an awesome dinner for you and someone close to you. Pull out all the stops -- what’s the point of having good china and fancy glasses if you never use them?

PSC chides APNU for ‘a disturbing display of bad faith’

THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) said it was “astounded” to learn that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has opposed a motion put to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee considering the Anti-Money Laundering Legislation for the Committee to be opened for the PSC to have an ‘observer’ presence at the meeting.

PSC, in a statement last evening, said it wishes to state that, at a meeting held with APNU on 10th December, 2013, with regard to the delay in the passing of the AML/CFT Amendment Bill and which was reported in a PSC Press Release on 20th December, 2013, APNU gave an unqualified undertaking to support the PSC proposal “that the meeting of the Special Select Committee be held in public”, facilitating observer attendance by the PSC, the media and, if they wish, representatives of Labour.

The PSC made the same proposal at a meeting held with

the Alliance for Change (AFC) on 18th December, 2013, to which the AFC indicated they had no objection.

The PSC said it finds it inexplicable that APNU would now renege on its undertaking made at a meeting chaired by

its leader David Granger and “considers this to be a disturbing display of bad faith on the part of the major Opposition party”.

The PSC has requested an urgent meeting with APNU on the matter.

For Wednesday February 5, 2014 - 08:30hrs For Thursday February 6, 2014 - 09:30hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Ireland’s John Mooney to return home for treatment

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Feb 4, CMC-Ireland allrounder John Mooney is returning home from Ireland’s tour of the West Indies to receive treatment for a stress-related illness.

Mooney had been managing but his condition deteriorated in the last 24 hours to the point where the decision was made for him to return.

“John Mooney is an incredibly passionate cricketer who has performed with distinction for Ireland over more than a decade,” Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said in a release.

“However, cricketing matters come a poor second where health issues are concerned. The most important thing for John is to get the support and care he needs to aid his recovery”.

The 31-year-old Dublin native has played 48 ODIs and 23 Twenty20 internationals for Ireland since making his senior team debut in 2000.

On Ireland’s current tour of the West Indies, he

played one match against Guyana, taking 0 for 21 off three overs before scoring 9 in Ireland’s 114-run loss.

“Cricket Ireland will endeavour to do all that it can to aid this process,” said Deutrom.

“John and his family have asked for privacy while he recovers and I would urge everyone to respect their wish at this difficult time.”

Mooney’s departure leaves Ireland stretched thin with only 12 players available for their next match on February 7 against Windward Islands.

Racing Tips ENGLISH Carlisle 09:20 hrs Rocking Blues 09:50 hrs Mohawk Ridge 10:20 hrs Basford Ben 10:55 hrs Conjola 11:30 hrs Alderbrook Lad 12:00 hrs Twoways 12:30 hrs Baltic Pathfinder LINGFIELD 09:30 hrs Cabuchon 10:00 hrs Rugosa 10:30 hrs Like A Prayer 11:05 hrs Club House 11:40 hrs St Ignatius 12:10 hrs Bretherton 12:40 hrs The Happy Hammer LUDLOW 09:40 hrs Edlomond 10:10 hrs The Romford Pele 10:40 hrs Cootehill 11:15 hrs Land Of Vic 11:50 hrs Fascino Rustico 12:20 hrs Pearlysteps 12:50 hrs Vincente SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Kenilworth 08:30 hrs Pecan Nut 09:05 hrs Eastern Front 09:40 hrs Tiger Tops 10:20 hrs Zakuska 11:00 hrs Das Beste IRISH RACING TIPS Down Royal 09:15 hrs Hole Em Cowboy 09:45 hrs All day Long 10:15 hrs Take A Shot 10:50 hrs Leavethelighton 11:25 hrs Gold Not Silver 11:55 hrs Roman General 12:25 hrs Railway Rule AMERICAN RACING TIPS Gulfstream Park Race 1 Benny’s Babygirl Race 2 He’s So Proud Race 3 Aspen Sky Race 4 Gray Day Lover Race 5 Great Cross Race 6 Defiant Race 7 Underestimate Me Race 8 Uncle Gare Race 9 Golden Lad

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Beaton Man- of- Match as Guyana trump Windwards ...

From back page Theophille 31 (36balls, 5x4) and Charles to join forces and add 20 for the second wicket before Charles went for an injudicious swipe at Barnwell and was bowled, while Andre Fletcher, who had earlier grassed a straight forward chance from Sarwan, was lbw to Bishoo, after hitting the right hand leg spinner for 6, followed by Theophille in Bishoo’s following over.

Keddy Lesporis 33 (43balls, 3x4) and Romel Currency (23) added 61 for the fifth wicket but the return of Beaton at the start of the 34th over, saw the fall of Currency who was bowled in his attempt to cut at a delivery that was close to him, while Wintz had Lesporis lbw in his next over leaving the defending champions who lost their first game to Jamaica, on 157 for 6.

Liam Sebastien and Matthew 24 (33balls, 3x4; 1x6) sought to repair the damage with a cameo seventh wicket partnership that netted 43 runs for the Windward Islands, with Matthew hitting Beaton over third man for a 97 meter six, before he cut the same bowler straight to Permaul at gully point in the 43rd over.

Veerasammy Permaul removed both Garey Mathurin (05) and Delorn Johnson (00) off successive deliveries in the 45th over, before trapping Sebastien lbw with his fourth delivery of the 46th over to seal the win for Malta Supreme Guyana.

Permaul ended with 3 for 24, Beaton who was later declared the Man of the Match, 3 for 39 while Bishoo took 2 for 42 for Guyana, who face Ja-

maica in their final preliminary round match on Saturday at the same venue.

Earlier in the contest, Fudadin and the 33 year old Sarwan repaired their team’s innings in the face of some adverse bowling from the defending champions, who conceded the first boundary in the 15th over, when Fudadin cut Mathew through point for four.

Sarwan followed suit with a four from his trademark cut shot off Kenroy Peters, before he hoisted Johnson Charles for six, followed by a four in the 23rd and 26th over, respectively, while he brought up his second half century of this year’s tournament and 50 overall in his team’s 32nd over.

Sarwan faced 82 balls and struck three fours and one six in getting to his half century, which he celebrated with back

GUYANA INNINGS T. Griffith c wkpr Fletcher b D. Johnson 00 A. Fudadin c D. Johnson b Matthew 51 R. Sarwan c Sebastien b Matthew 62 C. Barnwell b Matthew 51 L. Johnson c Currency b Charles 41 N. Deonarine c Sebastien b D. Johnson 02 A. Bramble c Lesporis Matthew 06 V. Permaul not out 01 Extras: (w14, lb4, b2, nb1) 21 Total (for 7 wickets off 50 overs) 235 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-124, 3-130, 4-214, 5-218, 6-234, 7-235 Did not bat: D. Bishoo, P. Wintz, R. Beaton Bowling: D. Johnson 10-139-3 (w3), Peters 10-1-370 (w3), Matthew 10-1-41-1 (nb1), Charles 7-1-39-1 (w1), Sebastian 9-1-50-0 (w2),

to back fours in the 34th over off Garey Mathurin, before he struck a low full toss from Matthew in the first over of the second power play, straight to Sebastien at extra cover.

This was after he added 121 for the second wicket with Fudadin, with his contribution being the team’s top score of 62 scored off 92 deliveries and decorated with five fours and one six, going with Guyana 124 for 2 in the 36th over.

Enter Christopher Barnwell to the wicket after the exit Fudadin, who after reaching his 50 from 118balls, with six fours, looked to work Matthew to fine leg and picked out the waiting hands of Delorn Johnson at short fine leg, having faced 120balls for his 51, with 89 being scoreless deliveries.

Leon Johnson joined Barn-

Mathurin 4-0-23-0 (w1) WINDWARD ISLANDS INNINGS

D. Smith b Beaton 05 J. Charles b Barnwell 35 T. Theophille lbw b Bishoo 31 A. Fletcher lbw b Bishoo 17 K. Lesporis lbw b Wintz 33 R. Currency b Beaton 23 L. Sebastien lbw b Permaul 19 M. Mathew c Permaul b Beaton 23 G. Mathurin c wkpr Bramble b Permaul 05 D. Johnson b Permaul 00 K. Peters not out 03 Extras: (lb11, w11) 22 Total: (all out off 46.4 overs) 213 Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-55, 3-96, 4-96, 5-157, 6-157, 7-200, 8-206, 9-206, 10-213 Bowling: Wintz 5-0-29-1 (w1), Beaton 9-1-43-3 (w6), Barnwell 6-0-31-1 (w1), Permaul 9.4-2-24-3 (w1), Bishoo 10-0-42-2 (w2), Deonarine 7-0-33-0.

Guyana sending only athletes ...

From back page firmed that the Association has submitted Alicia Fortune, Alika Morgan, Cleveland Thomas, Cleveland Forde, Winston George and Kevin Bailey.

President of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA), Steve Ninvalle, said Dennis Thomas, Imran Khan, Eon Bancroft, and Theresa London are the boxers who have been submitted.

London, the lone female on the boxing team will be competing in the middleweight, Thomas will also compete in the middleweight on the men’s side. Khan will compete in the bantamweight category and Bancroft in the welterweight division.

According to Ninvalle, London’s presence on the team is the beginning of GABA’s efforts to hold true to its promise to increase its attention on female boxing in Guyana this year. Ninvalle said these four boxers com-

prise the best possible team to represent Guyana.

This year will mark Guyana’s fourth consecutive attendance at the event, since the country’s inaugural attendance back in 1998. Guyana last attended the event in 2010, when it was last held in Medellin, Columbia.

Participating along with 14 other countries Guyana finished 11th with four medals: one gold, one silver, two bronze.

The gold came from Nicolette Fernandes’ performance in the women’s singles of the squash competition where she defeated Columbia’s Silvia Anhulo in the final, Fernandes was also a part of the bronze medal performance where she teamed up with Ashley Khalil to win the women’s doubles. The silver came off Adrian Spellen’s performance in the men’s 87kg category in Taekwondo.

However, neither squash nor taekwondo will be represented this year, according

to Yassin he is not aware that these two sporting disciplines are still a part of the Games list of events to be contested.

As the name implies, the South American Games is a multisport event contested between nations of the South America continent, though athletes from countries in Central America and the Caribbean also take part.

In its attendance over the past 16 years Guyana amassed a total of 14 medals.

According to its website, one of the characteristics of the South American Games is that it gathers Olympic sports, like athletics and swimming, as well as other sports, not included in the Olympic programme, such as bowling and karate.

Last year saw the event, which is organised by the South American Sports Organisation (ODESUR), sprouting a youth arm – the South American Youth Games. Guyana fielded a team of 22 participants to the event.

well and they brought the sprinkling of spectators at the venue to their feet, during their 84 runs fourth wicket partnership that took them 9 overs to accumulate, a strong testament of their will to score rapidly in the face of discipline bowling.

Johnson pulled his namesake from the opposition over midwicket for six, which was followed by a sweetly timed reverse sweep off Sebastien for four, followed by a six over

wide long on off the Windward Islands’ skipper.

At the other end, Barnwell refused to be left out by hitting Matthew for six back over his head, before Romel Currency took a well-judged catch at deep cover to account for Leon Johnson, who made a rapid 41 from 31 deliveries with three fours and two sixes.

Despite the quick demise of Narsingh Deonarine (02), Barnwell got to his half century

from 41 balls with four fours and two sixes, but in their hunt for quick runs, Malta Supreme Guyana lost Anthony Bramble (06) and Barnwell in the final over of their innings, bowled

by Matthew.

Bramble was magnificently caught by Lesporis at wide long-on, while Barnwell saw his leg stump being clipped off the final delivery, having made 51 from 42 balls with four fours and two sixes, as Malta Supreme Guyana recovered from a shaky start.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Stylish Sangakkara sparkles with centruy for Sri Lanka (REUTERS) - KUMAR Sangakkara thumped his 34th Test century for Sri Lanka before Shakib Al Hasan hit back with two wickets to give Bangladesh something to cheer on the first day of the second Test in Chittagong yesterday.

Sangakkara was unbeaten on 160 as Sri Lanka reached the close of play on 314 for five after captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and opted to bat.

The stylish lefthander added 178 for the third wicket with Mahela Jayawardene (72) after Bangladesh dismissed openers Di-

muth Karunaratne (31) and Kaushal Silva (11) cheaply.

The 36-year-old Sangakkara, who went to his half-century with a six off spinner Mahmudullah, brought up his hundred with a boundary to fine leg off the same bowler.

Jayawardene also looked set for his 34th Test hundred but was out leg-before to Mahmudullah after playing across the line.

Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal (27) then put on 67 for the fourth wicket before the latter was caught at point as he danced down the wicket to left-arm spinner

Shakib.

All-rounder Shakib then bowled captain Mathews for five to peg back Sri Lanka late in the day.

Bangladesh, crushed in the first Test in Dhaka by an innings and 248 runs, dropped Marshall Ayub, Rubel Hossain and Robiul Islam and brought in batsman Imrul Kayes, all-rounder Mahmudullah and left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak.

Paceman Nuwan Pradeep and spinner A j a n t h a M e n d i s re placed the injured Shaminda Eranga and Rangana Herath in the Sri Lankan team.

Kumar Sangakkara hits his 34th Test century to put Sri Lanka in a strong position against Bangladesh in the Chittagong Test.

SRI LANKA first innings D. Karunaratne c Mahmudullah b Al-Amin 31 K. Silva lbw b Gazi 11 K. Sangakkara not out 160 M. Jayawardene lbw b Mahmudullah 72 D. Chandimal c Kayes b Shakib 27 A. Mathews b Shakib 5 K. Vithanage not out 0 Extras: (b-5, lb-2, nb-1) 8 Total: (five wickets; 92 overs) 314 Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-49, 3-227, 4-294, 5-312.

Bowling (to date): Al-Amin 194-56-1 (nb-1), Gazi 30-4-98-1, Razzak 4-1-6-0, Shakib 15-1-70-2, Mahmudullah 22-2-70-1, Nasir 1-0-2-0, Shamsur 1-0-5-0.

Hurricanes upset Stars to reach Big Bash final LEG-spinner Cameron Boyce helped the Hobart Hurricanes reach their first Big Bash League final with a comfortable victory over the previously unbeaten Melbourne Stars at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The Stars had been considered the hot favourites to win the tournament after winning all eight of their matches before this semi-final while the Hurricanes had only just scraped in, but Boyce and Tim Paine played key roles in denying the Stars.

Boyce claimed 3 for 11 from three overs to stifle the home team’s progress with the bat and his wickets were all key batsmen - Luke Wright lbw, Glenn Maxwell caught at longoff and David Hussey taken at long-on for 24.

Hussey and Brad Hodge had at least put on 62 for the fifth wicket as they led a recovery from 4 for 45, but when Hussey departed it affected the Stars’ chances of pushing up to a seriously competitive total.

Hodge was able to reach his half-century but fell for 51 from 35 balls when he was bowled by Doug Bollinger and a couple of wickets to Ben Laughlin in the final over helped restrict the Stars to 8 for 141.

Any thoughts the Stars had of defending that total were scuppered by a strong opening partnership

between Paine and the Player-of-the-Tournament Ben Dunk, who put on 51 in less than six overs as Lasith Malinga, back in Australia after a trip home

although Paine was runout for 65 with 15 runs still required, Bailey (32 not out) was able to steer the chase home with the help of Travis Birt.

George Bailey and Travis Birt celebrate their win as Glenn Maxwell looks on, at the MCG, yesterday. to Sri Lanka, struggled for consistency.

Dunk fell when he got a leading edge to point off John Hastings for 30 and when James Muirhead had Shoaib Malik taken at deep cover the Stars might have thought they had a sniff, but Paine and George Bailey kept the Hurricanes on target.

Paine and Bailey put on 64 for the third wicket and

It meant another missed opportunity for the Stars, who have reached the semi-finals in all three BBL seasons so far but are yet to force their way into the decider and therefore the Champions League.

In Friday’s final, the Hurricanes will meet the winner of today’s semi-final between the Sydney Sixers and the Perth Scorchers; the winner of that match will host the final. (ESPN Cricinfo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Pietersen’s England career comes to an end

By Toby Davis LONDON, England (Reuters) - Kevin Pietersen’s brilliant and controversial international career ended yesterday as the fallout from England’s woeful Ashes campaign claimed the scalp of one of the country’s most mercurial batting talents.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) brought the curtain down on Pietersen’s near 10-year spell at the top by leaving him out of the squad for this year’s World Twenty20 and limited overs tour of the Caribbean.

Paul Downton, the managing director of England cricket, cited a need “to rebuild not only the team but also team ethic and philosophy”, effectively closing the door on a player frequently labelled a disruptive dressing-room influence.

“Clearly this was a tough decision because Kevin has been such an outstanding player for England, as the fact that he is the country’s leading run-scorer in international cricket demonstrates,” Downton said.

“However, everyone was aware that there was a need to begin the long-term planning after the Australia tour.

Therefore we have decided the time is right to look to the future and start to rebuild not

only the team but also team ethic and philosophy.

“England cricket owes a debt of gratitude to Kevin who has proved to be one of the most talented and exciting players to ever represent the country and his 13 797 runs are a testimony to his immense skill.

“This decision brings some clarity now for the future of the England teams and we all wish Kevin the very best in the rest of his career.”

The 33-year-old South-African born Pietersen, who played in 104 Test matches, 136 oneday internationals and 37 Twenty20 internationals for England, was left in little doubt that he would not grace the international stage again.

HUGE PRIDE “Playing cricket for my country has been an honour.

Every time I pulled on the England shirt was a moment of huge pride for me and that is something that will live with me forever,” he said in the statement.

“Although I am obviously very sad the incredible journey has come to an end, I’m also hugely proud of what we, as a team, have achieved over the past nine years.

“I believe I have a great deal still to give as a cricketer. I will continue to play but deeply regret that it won’t be for En-

gland.”

A swashbuckling batsman, Pietersen polarised opinion, and came in for heavy criticism after England’s 5-0 Ashes surrender in Australia, which finished last month, despite

CLEAN SLATE The supremely talented Pietersen was hailed as a “million-pound asset” by limited-overs coach Ashley Giles, England’s Kevin Pietersen reacts as he walks off the field after he was caught out by Australia’s Shane Watson during the second day of the fifth Ashes cricket Test at the Sydney cricket ground January 4, 2014.

(Credit: Reuters/Dav)

Cricket South Africa to list revamped objections to ICC

By Nagraj Gollapudi and Sharda Ugra EVEN while it stays engaged in negotiations with the BCCI, Cricket South Africa has laid out some fundamental objections to the ICC makeover proposal, which includes the permanent membership for representatives from India, England and Australia in the proposed Executive Committee.

It is learnt that CSA is preparing a detailed submission to be made to the ICC president Alan Isaac, going into details of their objections to the draft proposal for the revamp of the ICC, drafted by the BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB. The precise details of the submission could not be obtained but ESPNcricinfo understands that the chief observations made to the ICC could include, apart from constitutional procedure and ethical codes, specifics around clauses pertaining to governance and revenues.

These may involve raising objections to the proposals suggesting that the all-powerful Executive Committee have permanent seats for the Big Three (BCCI, CA and ECB) in particular.

Or asking for clarity and

accounting on the revenue distribution with respect to the division of the ICC revenues on a scale of graded percentages.

Regardless of the ICC’s release after the last Board meeting about “unanimous support

Chris Nenzani says CSA will not consider deals that will compromise its key principles. around key principles” in its draft proposal, CSA, the Pakistan Cricket Board and Sri Lanka Cricket are the three boards that make up the main opposition to the changes.

On Monday, the PCB’s governing board recorded its

being their highest run-scorer.

Pietersen’s impact on and off the field was dramatic and a year ago he completed his reintegration into the England fold after making peace with the ECB in a row over “provocative” text messages that led to him being dropped.

He even committed to playing for England in all three forms of the game until at least 2015.

However, only last month former England coach Andy Flower felt compelled to issue a statement denying a dressing-room rift.

British media had claimed Flower, who stepped down last week, had threatened to quit if Pietersen continued to be part of the team’s rebuilding process.

opposition of the proposals, while SLC issued a statement after an emergency meeting of its executive committee.

The committee will meet, SLC said, with its “stakeholders” on February 5, adding that, “with a view to safeguard the current rights and privileges of Sri Lanka Cricket as a Full Member of the ICC.” CSA denied a report in ESPNcricinfo that talks were on between CSA and the BCCI with a view to reaching an agreement to push the draft proposals through and resolve the dispute between the two boards over CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat.

CSA’s statement said they would “not consider deals that compromise our key principles”.

CSA president Chris Nenzani said, “While we are engaged in discussions with the ICC and other Members, including the BCCI, to find an acceptable way forward, we have not and will not consider deals that compromise our key principles and integrity.”

The three boards who make up the main opposition to the Big Three draft proposals are said to be in contact with each other over their approach to the ICC Board meeting to take place on February 8.

(ESPN Cricinfo)

a contender to replace Flower, when named last month in England’s provisional 30-member squad for the Twenty20 World Cup. Yet the fallout from the woeful Ashes campaign was so stark that many pundits felt England needed a clean slate and that Pietersen would follow spinner Graeme Swann, who retired during the Test series, and Flower out of the exit door.

Typical of Pietersen’s colourful career, the decision to omit him from the England set-up amid only hints of dressing-room discord, has provoked controversy.

Pietersen’s former England captain Michael Vaughan told the BBC: “The ECB need to explain exactly what KP does inside the dressing room that they can’t manage any longer.

You have to manage mavericks; you can’t have clones around you all the time.

“Now it’s all gone pear-

shaped they’ve got rid of him, and I can’t agree with it.”

The call for answers from the ECB was echoed by another former England captain Nasser Hussain.

“There must have been things happening behind the scenes that Flower and (England captain Alastair) Cook weren’t amused with and it would be nice to know from the ECB - if you’re going to axe one of your best players - what those things are,” he said on Sky Sports.

Pietersen is now likely to turn his attention to the money-spinning Indian Premier League and other lucrative short-format competitions that were frequently a bone of contention when he was involved with England.

The batsman put his name down for next month’s IPL auction and is seeking a new franchise after Delhi Daredevils opted not to retain any of their players from last season.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Clarke backs ICC move to give trio of nations more power LONDON, England (Reuters) - England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke has defended the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to give Australia, England and India more power in the sport.

It was announced after a board meeting in Dubai last month that a new ICC executive committee would be established to include representatives from the ECB, Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

However, the plan has received widespread criticism with some suggesting the ‘big three’ will take over at the expense of the other cricketing nations.

“The ICC need to go to market this year with their broadcast and sponsorship rights for the period 2015-2023,” Clarke told the ECB website (www.ecb.

co.uk) yesterday.

“The ICC president (Alan Isaac) asked India, Australia and ourselves ... to come up with a proposal that will guarantee the participation of all nations in those events (because without that guarantee the rights would be seriously devalued) and at the same time benefit all countries. That is what we have done.”

Clarke, ECB chairman since 2007, denied that only Australia, England and India would benefit from the changes.

“The perception is completely wrong,” he said. “All countries earn more through this proposal. No one doubts that India’s contribution to world cricket is extremely important and that should be recognised.

“However, it was interesting to see that both West Indies and New Zealand were quick

to point out the advantages to them.

“West Indies said that they were expecting a rise of 100 percent in income. No

ECB chairman Giles Clarke member would earn less and if our predictions are correct

most will earn an awful lot more. How can that be bad for cricket?”

CHAMPIONSHIP SCRAPPED The world Test championship, due to take place in England in 2017, has been scrapped under the new plans.

Clarke defended the decision to replace the competition with the Champions Trophy one-day tournament that was originally dropped from the schedule after the 2013 edition in England.

“The world Test championship was an interesting concept but we must remember Test match cricket has never been a knockout format,” he said.

“It was very difficult to find a formula for a short, sharp competition that would appeal to cricket supporters and also

World Cup Golden Boot winner to visit Turks and Caicos PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands (CMC) - A renowned footballer from Croatia who now heads the country’s football association is due to pay an official visit to Turks and Caicos Islands this weekend.

Davor Suker, winner of the 1998 World Cup Golden Boot, and now president of the Croation Football Federation is using his visit to assist the Turks & Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) in its effort to raise the quality of the country’s football.

The celebrated footballer is due to visit a session of a Grassroots Development Davor Suker, president of the Programme, meet with coach- Croatia Football Federation. es, stage a clinic for young strikers and present football

equipment on behalf of the Croatian Football Federation to the TCIFA. “We welcome Mr Šuker to our Islands and thank him for his keen interest in what we are trying to achieve through our youth football development programmes,” said president of the TCIFA, Chris Bryan.

“What better way is there for kids to learn than to be coached by a World Cup legend.” Šuker scored 40 goals between 1984 and 1988 and became the best goalscorer of the former Yugoslav league.

He went on to achieve numerous career highlights in particular playing with one of the greatest football clubs in the world, Real Madrid, where he was among the Kings until 1999, implementing 40 goals in Real’s successes, and once being the club top scorer.

“A person of Mr Šuker’s stature will definitely leave an impact on the young players and coaches alike,” said Sonia Bien-Amie, General Secretary of the TCIFA. “We welcome him with anticipation and are excited about his collaboration with the TCIFA as we work towards improving the product of the TCIFA.” During Suker’s stint with Real Madrid, the club won a league title, domestic Supercup, one Champions League title and an Intercontinental Cup.

Player’s Cup/GT Beer golf tourney ... from page 39 teams in the competition which will tee off at 09:00hrs.

Banks DIH Limited/Citizens Bank named a strong four-member team led by Chairman Mr Clifford Reis and will include Gavin Todd and Mark Lashley and current ladies’ champion Ms Christine Sukhram. The manager is Alton Small.

President of the Lusignan Golf Club, Jerome Khan, will lead the Jaguars which will include Imran Khan, Jack Harry and Matti Wesselin while former vice-president Kishan Bacchus will spearhead a team of Fazil Haniff, Kalyan Tiwari and Munaff Arjune.

Former president Brian Hackett, William

Walker, Ian Gouveia and Patrick Prashad will compete as a team.

Other players expected on show will include Joaan Deo, Troy Cadogan, Colin Ming, Dr Philbert London, Maurice Solomon, Robert Hanoman, Roy Cummings, Fazil Deo, Chatterpaul Deo, Shanella Webster, Carlos Adams, Muntaz Hanniff, Avinda Kishore, Avinash Persaud and Brian Glasford.

There will be attractive prizes for the top three teams in the tournament.

Players can contact club captain Chatterpaul Deo or the Lusignan Golf Club for further details on the tournament.

broadcasters and sponsors.

“Countries that have ‘finals’ for their four-day competitions have found they often fail to produce exciting cricket.”

Clarke said the executive committee would create a new fund for the 10 Test-playing nations.

“The ICC has agreed to establish a Test match fund of $12.5 million per country over eight years available to all except England, India and Australia - which will allow

those countries which find Test cricket difficult to sustain economically the opportunity to continue to stage Test matches,” he explained.

“This is vital for countries like West Indies and Sri Lanka, not to forget New Zealand.

“At the same time the ICC will increase the prize money for the Test rankings so not only is there an incentive to play Test cricket but also an incentive to do well in that format,” added Clarke.

GCB to continue encampment of national cricketers THE Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) will be continuing the encampment for its cricketers in preparation for the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-Day cricket tournament which will bowls off on February 28.

The camp will consist of all the reserve players not selected for the WICB NAGICO Super50 tournament currently under way in Trinidad and Tobago and which will see the players from this tournament all rejoin the camp for a short period to facilitate practice matches on their return.

The encampment programme will commence today at the GCB’s Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence hostel in LBI with head coach Julian Moore. He will be assisted by Reon King and Quason Nedd and trainers Patrick King and Carl Stephenson.

All players are reminded that further fitness tests will be conducted during the new encampSEWNARINE ment period hence players CHATTERGOON are expected to maintain minimum fitness levels.

The players to be encamped are: Sewnarine Chattergoon, Jason Sinclair, Rajendra Chandrika, Anthony Adams, Ryan Ramdass, Keon Joseph, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Vishal Singh, Rajiv Ivan, Ricardo Adams, Totaram Bishun, Zaheer Mohamed, Amir Khan, Shaquille Williams, Jonathan Foo, Ryan Fredericks, Andre Stoll, Ron Thompson.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday February 05, 2014) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230)&CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

Lawrence Rowe and Brian Lara Dennis Amiss-103 (ENG vs AUST, Manchester, 1972)

Today’s Quiz:

How many Test runs Sir Vivian Richards scored in 1976?

What is Jimmy Adams’ highest score in an ODI game?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

39

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 5, 2014

Campbell, Taylor, Russell inspire second Super50 win for Jamaica PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) - Former West Indies pacer Jerome Taylor made an impressive return to regional first class cricket as Jamaica cruised to an easy six-wicket win over Ireland in their NAGICO Super50 match at the Queen’s Park Oval here on Monday.

Taylor, who last played for Jamaica against Trinidad in March 2011, grabbed three wickets to help destroy the Irish and send them crashing to their second straight loss after their 114-run defeat to Guyana.

Opener John Campbell top-scored with a powerful half-century to steer Jamaica to the winning target after come-back pacer Taylor and medium pacer Andre Russell ripped through the Ireland line-up, dismissing them for 161 in 46.1 overs.

Campbell struck a wellplayed 71 and batted through most of the innings hitting six fours and two sixes to carry his side to within eight runs of the target before he was bowled.

He pulled Jamaica out of a slump at 52 for the loss of two wickets, sharing a century stand for the third wicket with Tamar Lambert who chipped in with 27.

Earlier, a half-century stand from the openers, William Por-

terfield and Niall O’Brian, set the Irish off to a promising start against the Jamaicans who beat champions Windward Islands by 14 runs in the tournament opener on Thursday.

O’Brian top-scored with 35 while Porterfield scored 25 in a 54-run partnership which was broken by captain Dave Bernard who had Porterfield caught behind.

Alex Cusack scored 30, adding 24 runs for the second with O’Brian who top-scored with 35 and fell when he was trapped lbw to Tamar Lambert,

IRELAND innings W. Porterfield c Baugh b Bernard 25 N. O’Brien lbw b Lambert 35 A. Cusack c McCarthy b Russell 30 G. Wilson c Russell b Lambert 10 A. Poynter c Baugh b Russell 0 K. O’Brien c McCarthy b Richardson 8 S. Thompson c Bonner b Russell 15 M. Sorensen c Campbell b Taylor 12 A. McBrine b Taylor 7 T. Murtagh lbw b Taylor 6 G. Dockrell not out 2 Extras: (lb-1, w-9, nb-1) 11 Total: (all out; 46.1 overs) 161 Fall of wickets 1-54, 2-78, 3-100, 4-109, 5-110, 6-123, 7-146, 8-147, 9-156.

signalling the start of a steady fall of wickets.

Russell, who was named man-of-the- match, finished with best figures of three for 19 including the scalp of Cusack and was not out on 12 after facing six balls and hitting two sixes.

Taylor, who did not play in Jamaica’s opening game against Windwards and who last represented the West Indies in June 2010 against South Africa, picked up three wickets for 33 runs while Lambert bagged two for 27.

Bowling: Richardson 8-0-31-1, Taylor 9.1-0-34-3, Bernard 6-027-1, Lambert 10-0-27-2, Miller 5-0-21-0, Russell 8-0-19-3.

JAMAICA innings H. Miller lbw b Murtagh 18 J. Campbell b Sorensen 71 N. Bonner c Wilson b Sorensen 22 T. Lambert c Thompson b McBrine 27 A. Russell not out 12 A. McCarthy not out 1 Extras: (lb-6, w-9) 15 Total: (4 wickets; 29 overs) 166 Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-52, 3-153, 4-153.

Bowling: Murtagh 6-0-26-1, Thompson 3-0-22-0, Sorensen 4-0-17-2, Cusack2-0-14-0, Dockrell 6-0-35-0, McBrine 7-133-1, Poynter 1-0-13-0.

Points - Jamaica 5, Ireland 0

Andre Russell was named Man-of-the-Match

Simpson dope case pushed back … officials find lab report confusing KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) - The doping case against Jamaican sprinter Sherone Simpson has been further set back after officials failed to unravel the meaning of a long awaited report from a Sports Science Laboratory in Kentucky.

Attorney for the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) Lackston Robinson told a panel yesterday that he was not able to continue because he could not understand the report.

Simpson and her lawyers say the report reveals that oxilofrine was found in the supplement Epiphany D1 consumed by the athlete.

“Having examined that lab documentation we have some concern Reports from Jamaica say about the report. That Sherone Simpson seems report is a highly tech- frustrated as a result of the latest nical document,” Rob- development.

inson explained.

“We have persons in house who have limited training in the field of chemistry but they were not able to decipher the information in that document and we have therefore sought assistance in interpreting the document.”

Reports from Jamaica say Simpson seems frustrated as a result of the latest development in the hearing.

The Jamaican athlete and her legal team are anxious for a speedy end to the hearing which continued after two days in January.

“We must complete these matters next week,” said Robinson.

“It would not put the athlete at any disadvantage as far as time is concerned, because at the end of the day when this matter is complete it will be time for submissions.”

While Panel chairman Lennox Gayle agreed to postpone the hearing once again, Simpson’s lead attorney Kwame Gordon was annoyed.

Gordon described the decision as “unfortunate” and chided Robinson for seeking advice on a document in his possession “for more than three weeks”.

“We are here now ready to proceed and at the 11th hour in the heat of the battle, we are told we cannot proceed when there was sufficient time to meet that assessment,” said Gordon.

“With the greatest amount of respect to Mr. Robinson I think that is inadequate. The JADCO rules are clear, matters like these must be done expeditiously; the athlete has already suffered a disadvantage.

The adverse analytical finding was from last year June.”

Player’s Cup/GT Beer golf tourney set for Sunday BANKS DIH Limited and Citizens Bank Guyana Inc. are partnering to host the first major golf tournament for 2014 called the Player’s Cup/GT Beer Championship on Sunday at the Lusignan golf course.

Approximately ten teams are expected to battle for supremacy in the one-day tournament, organised by the Lusignan Golf Club.

Each team will comprise four players and the winning team will be determined by the lowest total net score.

Apart from the team prize, the individual player with the best net score will win the prestigious Player’s Cup, sponsored by Citizens Bank. The present holder of the Player’s Cup is Patrick Prashad who won title in 2012.

There will also be a Best Gross prize. Previous winners of the Players Cup are Mohanlall ‘Santo’ Dinannauth who won in 2010 and Andre Cummings in 2011. The players will compete in three flights – 0-9 handicap, 10-18 and 19-28.

Being the first major tournament for 2014, players are anxiously looking forward to the return to competitive golf following the recent inclement weather.

Several companies are expected to sponsor

see page 38

Sport CHRONICLE

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

Simpson dope case pushed back please see story page 39

Beaton Man- of- Match as Guyana trump Windwards by 22 runs

-book NAGICO Super50 semi-final spot

By Calvin Roberts in Trinidad and Tobago (Compliments of Carib Beer, Berbice River Bridge, Regal Stationery, Wartsilla, Romaine Car Wash, F&H Printing and GT&T THANKS to half centuries from three of their batsmen, coupled by some discipline bowling midway through the Windward Islands’ innings, M a l t a S u p re m e G u y a n a trumped the defending champions by 22 runs to book their place in the semifinals of this year’s West Indies Cricket Board NAGICO Super50 tournament last night.

Playing at the Queen’s Park Oval, Malta Supreme Guyana who defeated Ireland by 114 runs in their first game last

Friday, made one change to that lineup, wherein Assad Fudadin replaced an injured Shivnarine Chanderpaul, won the toss and opted to bat first on a grassy surface, where they recovered from 3 for 1 to post 235 for 7, before bowling out their opponents for 213.

They lost Trevon Griffith (00) who was caught at the wicket by Andre Fletcher off Delorn Johnson (2 for 39) off the final delivery of the first over, and should have seen Ramnaresh Sarwan back in the hut in the third over, only for Fletcher to spill the straight forward chance, also off a pumped up Delorn Johnson.

However, they recovered to score 235 for 7 from their 50 overs, with Sarwan leading

the way with 62 (92balls, 5x4, 1x6), coupled with 52 from the skipper Christopher Barnwell and 51 from Fudadin, in the face of Mervin Matthew (4 for 41) and Delorn Johnson’s 2 for 39.

The defending champions got a raucous start from Johnson Charles 35 (36balls, 5x4) and Devon Smith 5, who added 35 for the first wicket from 5.1 overs, with Charles hitting Paul Wintz for a pair of boundaries in the third and fifth over of his team’s innings.

Smith was the first to go, bowled by an in-swinging Yorker from Beaton which uprooted his middle stump like an unwanted piece of grass on the lawns of State House.

His demise enabled Tyrone

please see page 35

Malta Supreme Guyana’s Ramnaresh Sarwan works this delivery to the onside during his innings against Windward Islands yesterday.

(Photo courtesy flickr.com/windiescricket)

Guyana sending only athletes and boxers to South American Games

By Tamica Garnett GUYANA is expected to be represented only in athletics and boxing, when a contingent attends the South American Games next month in Santiago, Chile, according to president of the Guyana Olympics Association (GOA) president , K. Juman-Yassin.

According to Yassin several factors, including finance and how the sporting disciplines have been performing recently, were taken into consideration when the GOA decided upon which sporting disciplines should attend.

Yassin noted that the cost per person for airfare alone is approximately US$2500. Because of this athletes selected needed to prove that they are worth to be given the chance

Guyana Olympics Association (GOA) president K. Juman-Yassin to attend.

Council member of the

GOA, Gokarn Ramdhani will be the Chef-de-Mission of the Guyana team.

Six track athletes and four boxers are expected to account for Guyana’s participation at this year’s hosting of the quadrennial event, which will run from March 8 to 16 at locations in and around the Chile National Stadium - Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos.

The GOA is the body in charge of organising the Guyana team for the event, and Yassin yesterday confirmed that the national bodies for the two selected sporting disciplines have already submitted their list of athletes.

For athletics, the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) president Aubrey Hutson con-

please see page 35

Pacer Ronsford Beaton was named Man-of-the-Match for some superb bowling in which he took three wickets for 43 runs.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2013