Guyana chronicle 24 01 14

GUYANA No. 103718

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

FRIDAY JANUARY 24, 2014 GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

PRICE: $60

INCLUDING VAT

Ganga resigns as Local Gov’t Minister Page 3

- thanks President Ramotar for the opportunity to serve in his Cabinet - declares fullest support to him and his Gov’t

No press, no stakeholder presence to observe parliamentary select 8 committee’s work Page

- AG criticises Opposition’s malingering strategies and dilatory tactics

Security boost…

Centre

GANGA PERSAUD

Amidst row over legality issues…

House approves $1.4B supplementary Page 2 provision 11-yr-old student stabs classmate in eye Page 3

Guyana gets equipment to dispose of obsolete weapons, ammunition

- in alleged chucking incident where pointed object penetrated deeply into the eye, causing wound to bleed considerably

- will greatly assist to keep illegal weapons off the streets

Weapons to be destroyed

Teenager refused bail on illegal gun, ammo charges 11 Page

Defendant Alex Mendonca

Linden Chamber of Commerce rejects Solomon’s call 15 for a ‘shut down’ of the mining town tomorrow Page

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Amidst row over legality issues…

House approves $1.4B supplementary provision THE National Assembly yesterday approved supplementary funding to the tune of $1,474,960,454 to meet additional expenses for various agencies that were not anticipated in the 2013 national budget. Financial Paper 4 totalled $1,062,179,646,

while Paper 5 amounted to $412,780,808. *** PAPER 4 Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh moved the consideration of a $1.1B Supplementary Financial Paper which reflects

advances for current and capital expenditures made from the Contingencies Fund for the period Nov. 6 to Dec. 31, 2013.

Responding to criticisms from APNU Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge, Minister Singh made it clear that all the necessary laws have been adhered to in submission of the paper to the National Assembly.

Throughout the debate, Greenidge maintained that the Supplementary Financial Paper reflected an ‘abuse of the Contingencies Fund’, but the Finance Minister reiterated that Greenidge’s characterisation was incorrect and that ‘all aspects of the law’ relative to Supplementary Financial Papers have been adhered to.

“They are in full conformity,” he retorted.

According to the Finance Minister, the monies have been expended on legitimate needs.

The listed expenditures on this paper are in relation to additional electricity subsidy to the Linden Electricity Company Inc (LINMINE) and Kwakwani Utilities Inc; to the clean-up campaign in Georgetown; to payment of additional stipends and tuition fees for Government of Guyana-sponsored students; to execution of additional drainage and irrigation works; to providing additional support to the Transport and Harbours Department; and to the clean-up exercise at schools within the

- which includes $1.1B advance from Contingencies Fund

Georgetown District following heavy rainfall, among other things.

A provision for providing assistance to the Philippines following typhoon Haiyan; and to Somalia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia and Dominica was also included on the paper.

Greenidge referred to the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act and said much is left to be desired, considering the stipulations of the Act. The Finance Minister said the amounts, recipients and purposes of the expenditure were clearly listed on the document being considered.

Greenidge and other Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) questioned the justification for the costs, particularly in relation to the Constitutional criteria to justify advances from the Contingencies Fund.

LINDEN ELECTRICITY SUBSIDIES Greenidge claimed that details of the additional sums for the subsidy to Linden Electricity Company Inc. (LINMINE) and Kwakwani Utilities Inc were inadequate.

He also questioned the ‘cost areas’ on which the $276 million was being expended; but the Finance Minister explained that his ministry does not allocate monies to a particular “cost centre”, but that the companies invoice the ministry based on the generation and supply of electricity to Linden and the neighbouring areas – a process subsidised by the Government.

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Government’s Chief Whip Ms Gail Teixeira in the National Assembly yesterday.

He added that the invoicing is done on the basis of an agreed formula. According to him, disaggregation of the cost will be available from the individual companies themselves.

Dr. Singh added that the cost was included in the supplementary paper, since the level of consumption cannot be anticipated with “perfect foresight”, and hence the monies were needed – an addition to the subsidies approved under the 2013 Budget.

“There is a volume variance and that is the base of the supplementary provision,” he said.

Greenidge argued that the shortfall has to be examined closely to justify the cost.

“This is a blanket cover,” he said.

The Shadow Finance Minister contended that the ex-

penditure ought to have been anticipated, given that subsidies to areas in Region 10 have been given well over the past five years.

Acting Deputy Speaker, Bibi Shaddick, intervened and called for the additional information to be supplied to the House by the companies, to ensure that MPs have a “full picture” on the matter.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in his contribution to the subject, stated that the invoice was first sent to his office for approval before being forwarded to the Ministry of Finance.

“I am confident that the invoicing is in accord with the agreement,” Pm Hinds said, and reiterated Government’s commitment to providing additional details, as required.

COUNCILS’ HELP The allocation of monies to cover expenditure for the cleanup campaign in Georgetown and support to the Linden Municipality also attracted debate.

Greenidge questioned what made the expenditures Please turn to page 4

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Ganga Persaud resigns as Local Gov’t Minister - thanks President Ramotar for the opportunity to serve in his Cabinet - declares fullest support to him and his Gov’t

By Vanessa Narine JUST over two years since his appointment as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development by President Donald Ramotar, on December 5, 2011, Mr Ganga Persaud has announced his resignation.

In a press statement yesterday, Minister Persaud cited per-

sonal reasons as the motivation behind the unexpected move.

“My resignation as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development is based on personal issues presently engaging my attention as well as some additional responsibilities to which I am committed,” he said.

Persaud cited several “significant achievements” made during his tenure, including:

the strengthening of the Local Government Department, both centrally and regionally; the establishment of a Local Government Department to provide support to the NDCs and municipalities; the enhancement of relations with communities across Guyana, through our constant Outreach Programmes and visit to villages; and the significant movement in the

direction of Information Technology and Communication (ITC) to enhance the ministry’s communication network.

He said, “It was a distinct pleasure for me to have served as a Member of the Cabinet. I am extremely grateful to His Excellency, Mr. Donald Ra-

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

By Shirley Thomas ELEVEN-year-old Ishmael Pollard, a student of St. George’s Secondary School on Church Street, Georgetown, was stabbed in the left eye with a pointed object by another male classmate yesterday at approximately 14:00 hrs.

The pointed object penetrated deeply into the eye, causing the wound to bleed considerably.

“His eye was very, very red, and there was blood on his shirt. He was rushed to the St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital, where his mother works as a nurse,” his father, Wilfred Pollard, told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday. He added that because of the extent of the injury to his son’s eye, it had to be sutured.

The elder Pollard recalled being at work when he received the message informing that his son had been stabbed. However, the message did not say what part of his son’s anatomy had been injured, so the elder Pollard became terrified.

On reaching the child’s school, he said, he saw the other child’s parents there, and was told that the boys were playing – ‘touching one another’. Ishmael apparently did not take kindly to the touches and chucked the other boy aside. They allegedly proceeded to chuck each other, and the aggressor, who had a pen in his hand, rushed up to Pollard, targeting his face. The object landed in the child’s left eye.

But one child who claimed to have witnessed what transpired refuted claims that the boys were touching each other, and said it was more like ‘chucking’ each other. However, the doctor who attended to Ishmael is reported to have said that, from the nature of the wound, it did not appear to have been inflicted by a pen, but a piercing object.

The aggressor was taken home from school by his father, who informed the police that it was a case of self-defence. After initial treatment, Ishmael was discharged from hospital, but his parents have been advised to return him immediately in the event of an emergency. However, he is scheduled for a routine check next Tuesday.

GANGA PERSAUD motar for the confidence he placed in me and I wish to declare my fullest support to him and his Government.

“I wish to reiterate my full confidence in His Excellency, Mr. Donald Ramotar’s ability to lead our country to greater heights and bring more opportu-

nities for success to all Guyana.

“His Excellency’s leadership styles are admired by many and I am always amazed at the ease with which he deals with issues, particularly delicate and sensitive issues.”

In pledging his support to the Head of State, Mr Persaud made it clear that he remains committed to supporting the current People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

“As a member of the leadership of our Party, I wish to restate my commitment to working with the PPP in enhancing our chances at the next General and Regional Elections so as to reclaim the majority in the Parliament,” he declared.

“This is so important for Guyana’s continued Growth and Development since no other political party can assure our country’s development other than the PPP,” Mr Persaud said.

Persaud was supported in the discharge of his functions by his colleague Minister, Norman Whittaker, and the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Collin Croal, among others.

General Secretary of the ruling party, Clement Rohee, when

asked by the Guyana Chronicle, yesterday, to give a comment, respectfully declined, saying he will give a comment on the issue at a later date.

Presidential Advisor on Governance and colleague Member of Parliament (MP), Gail Teixeira, told this newspaper that while Persaud has resigned as a minister, his post as an MP is still to be determined.

She said, “Those issues regarding his position as a Member of Parliament will have to be determined, but he has resigned as a minister.”

Asked about his reasons for leaving, Teixeira noted that his explanation citing personal reasons and commitments should be respected.

“We should respect that and leave it at that,” she said.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, also commented on Persaud’s resignation.

He said, “I consider it a loss to the Government and the Cabinet. The time that I have spent working with him as a colleague minister, he has always been extremely hardworking and diligent.”

Persaud’s resignation is effective January 31.

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House approves $1.4B ...

(FROM PAGE 2) “urgent and unanticipated”, as are stipulated in the criteria for advances from the Contingency Fund.

Minister within the Ministry of Local Government Mr Norman Whittaker explained that $9.2M was requested by the Linden Municipality to meet wages after the body had found itself with a shortfall in its collections.

He added that $15M covered the clean-up campaign in Georgetown after the City Council reported that they had insufficient resources to independently undertake such an exercise.

Greenidge argued that irreg-

ularities in collections should have been anticipated, and he reiterated that the costs were not anticipated expenditure.

His comments were met by heckling on the Government benches, “Paying wages is not urgent.”

Whitaker made it clear that, at the time of the last budget, the excess expenditure was not catered for; and based on the request by both bodies, the allocation for support was made.

“The municipalities get set subventions for identified projects, other projects from rates and taxes, and that fell short and we were called in to support the municipality to meet its responsibilities,” he said.

Greenidge charged that the

explanation was unacceptable.

“This explanation that the minister gave (about) humanitarian concerns is very touching, but the explanation does not justify urgent expenditure,” he said.

Whittaker committed to providing the details of the expenditures.

GDF EXPENSES An allocation of $237M was made to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to cover costs of vehicle spares and services, transport and travel. Equipment maintenance and dietary needs were another focus of some contention.

A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Winston Fe-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014 lix questioned the spending, in particular the equipment maintenance and the dietary expenditure.

Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, argued that the terrain in the interior warrants the need for the expenditure on maintenance, and the need for the GDF’s operations to continue unhindered, justify the urgency of the expenditure.

He added that accidents are not anticipated, and the provisions on the supplementary paper conform to the section of the law which provides for unanticipated and unforeseen expenditures from the Contingency Fund.

APNU’s Jaipaul Sharma called for the monies to be spent on road works to avoid repeated expenditures on equipment maintenance.

He also raised several operational questions, which were not allowed, given the consensus from the Acting Deputy Speaker and Government MPs that those are issues that should be dealt with at another forum, given their implications to national security.

Sharma also questioned the allocation for dietary need, a question that attracted much heckling, “You gon starve the men?”

Edghill stressed the genuine need for the allocation.

CARIBBEAN SUPPORT Another major issue among the provisions on the supplementary paper which attracted debate was the decision of Government to allocate monies for support to the Philippines following typhoon Haiyan; Somalia; and St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Dominica – Eastern Caribbean countries that were badly hit by torrential rains in December.

Greenidge questioned within which framework the support was being provided, and on what basis the amounts were determined.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Ms Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, in response, noted that the $69.3M would be deposited into accounts set by the individual Governments of the countries.

She added that the determination was made by the Government on the basis of affordability, and in the case of the Eastern Caribbean states, reports from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Caribbean

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Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

The latter provided a needs analysis, which was made public in early January.

CDEMA’s announcement was followed by Cabinet’s approval of the transfer of some US$275,000 to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia.

The countries were hit by the torrential rains and high winds which caused deaths and severe damage to property and infrastructure over the period December 23 to 25.

Greenidge maintained that the supplementary paper tabled by the Minister of Finance reflects an abuse of the Contingencies Fund.

At end of the debate, the Committee of Supply approved the supplementary paper and it was passed in the National Assembly. *** PAPER 5 Parliament yesterday also approved $413M in extra budgetary allocations with the largest allocation of $258M going to support drainage and irrigation (D&I) works.

Dr Ashni Singh piloted Financial Paper No.5 for 2014 through the House as a supplementary provision on capital estimates for the period ended December 31, 2013.

The sum included $97M for support for a low income housing settlement programme and $58M for a justice improvement programme.

Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said the sum of $258M would be used for additional D&I works including construction of control structures, gates, culverts, bridges, pump stations and rehabilitation of channels and consultancy services under the Agriculture Export Diversification Programme.

The majority of the D&I projects are to be done at Canals Polder # 2 in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and comprise cleaning of culverts and fabrication and installation of control gates, construction of culverts and revetments and rehabilitation of channels in that area at a total cost of $149M. Additionally, Dr. Ramsammy said $58M will be spent on consultancy services for Agriculture Health and Food Safety Services and approximately $50M on the construction of a pump station at Patentia in Region 3.

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Minister of Housing and Water Mr. Irfaan Ali disclosed that the funds for the low income settlement programme will be used to upgrade roads, construct core homes and supply materials and labour for the construction of homes under the hinterland pilot component.

The sum of $53M will be used to upgrade roads at Parfaite Harmonie in Region 3 and Amelia’s Ward in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice); $31M for the construction of core homes at Ankerville and Fort Ordnance Frontlands in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) and RechtDoor-Zee in Region 3 and $13M on the supply of materials and labour for the construction of houses under the hinterland pilot component.

The communities to benefit from the hinterland pilot component are Oronoque in Region 1 (Barima/Waini), Westminster in Region 3, Bath and Onderneeming in Region 5 (Mahaica/ Berbice), Manawarin in Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni) and Annai, Apoteri, Massara and Whitewater in Region 9 (Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo).

Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall said the sum for the justice improvement programme will be utilised to purchase furniture and equipment to enhance the institutional capacity of the Court of Appeal, the Commercial Court, the Director of Public Prosecutions Chambers, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, establishment of a Law Revision Department and rehabilitation of court rooms among others.

Of the $57M approved, the largest sum of $24M is to be spent on the purchase and installation of a voice amplification and recording system and furniture and equipment for the Court of Appeal, the Commercial Court and the Criminal Justice Court.

Ministers Ali, Nandlall and Ramsammy averred that the additional expenditures were not expected to adversely affect the delivery of the Government’s programmes and policies for the year 2013 as envisaged in the 2013 financial plan.

The requests for supplementary funding were questioned exhaustively by the combined Opposition before being approved. (Vanessa Narine and Clifford Stanley)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

De Coteau: High divorce rate contributing to crime

Fire rages from the T&TEC Westmoorings sub-station yesterday. The fire started in a transformer just after 6 pm and was brought under control by firefighters in just over an hour. PHOTO: ANTHONY HARRIS

Fire knocks out power in west Trinidad

(Trinidad Guardian) PARTS of west Trinidad, from Diego Martin to Chaguaramas, were left in darkness last evening after a fire broke out at the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission’s Westmoorings sub-station around 6.08 pm yesterday. Firefighters brought the fire under control just before 7 pm and T&TEC corporate communications manager, Annabelle Brasnell,

said power was to be restored to all the affected areas by midnight.

“Once they have brought everything under control, we expect that we can transfer the load to another transformer and return service to affected customers,” Brasnell said Asked about the cause of the blaze, Brasnell said: “We have no details. We can’t determine the cause until the blaze is out and

the Fire Service give us some more information about the situation.”

Around 6.30 pm yesterday, people started tweeting about a loud explosion in the Diego Martin area. Minutes later, people were posting photos of the blaze at the sub-station, which is near West Mall. The fire was extinguished about an hour after it started. The affected areas included Diego Martin, Shore Lands, Carenage and “Down the Islands”.

JTA slams report on prison-school link (Jamaica Gleaner) THE JAMAICA Teachers’ Association (JTA) has described as faulty and hypocritical in interpretation, a government study revealing that most persons in penal facilities attended poor-performing schools.

In fact, JTA President Dr Mark Nicely said schools are the reason why more persons are not in penal facilitates, as many educational institutions have to take on the role of fulltime parents along with carrying out their professional duties.

The study, which was done by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, was presented in Parliament on Tuesday by Education Minister Ronald Thwaites.

Nicely said the data should serve motivate stakeholders to focus on the societal ills that spread into schools.

He added that the education minister’s presentation of the study did not paint a complete picture of the factors that affect how schools perform.

Nicely said the latest data continue to target non-tradi-

tional high schools that were upgraded without being given the necessary resources to function properly.

He argues that most blue-collar criminals are not from the poor-performing schools, but would not be captured in studies that target certain schools.

The five schools that featured most frequently in the sample are Kingston High, Holy Trinity High, Vauxhall High, Norman Manley High, and Pembroke Hall High - all

upgraded high schools.

The only traditional high school on the list is Jamaica College.

The education minister, who described the results of the study as frightening, said naming the schools was in no way intended to ridicule them.

He announced that the affected institutions will receive special intervention as of next month, which will include identifying troubled students and addressing their situation.

(Trinidad Express) THE high divorce rate in this country is crippling families, and causing a societal break down fueling some of the crimes being committed.

This is according to Minister of Gender,Youth and Child Development Clifton De Coteau who launched a series of workshops in New Grant on Tuesday, labeled the Defining Masculine Training workshop.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family and the theme is “Strengthening Our Families.”

De Coteau said if more emphasis was placed on building proper family structures, there would be less crime and less problems in the country.

He said: “ Let me share with you some statistics which should not only highlight my point of declining family life but should also generate some concern amongst you. The Ministry of Legal Affairs has indicated that for the period 2011 to 2013, approximately 24,000 couples applied for marriage licences. However, in the same period 7,123 couples applied for divorces.”

De Coteau said: “ If we factor in this relatively high rate of divorce, along with the already high number of single parent families, we begin to get a better picture of the number children growing up in single parent households. We all know how challenging parenting already is, imagine how much harder this becomes when only one person is responsible for raising a child. “ The planned workshops and vacation camps are attempts by the State to curb violence and criminal activities.

He said:” It is a general belief that fathers bring something unique to the family, thereby making an invaluable contribution to the life of the child. Consequently, when fathers are absent and children are denied the specific and unique contribution that fathers bring to the table, our child/children, particularly boys, suffer emotionally, socially, intellectually and psychologically.

Sadly, in Trinidad and Tobago, girls, boys and young men and women will go to bed each night in homes where their fathers do not live. “

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

GUYANA

Criminals in the legal fraternity

EDITORIAL

Acting in the best interest of country History seems to be repeating itself. After the many public calls for the Opposition to have an input in the 2013 Budget, shadow Finance Minister and Opposition representative at budget deliberations, former Minister of Finance in the PNC administration, Carl Greenidge absconded from the budget talks.

His abscondment at the time caused one to wonder whether the threat of the ‘scissors’ and the ‘axe’, even before the presentation of the Budget, were not part of a plan to precipitate just such an eventuality that subsequently occurred during the farcical Budget 2013 debates and deliberations.

Now, once again, the same scenario is being played out; but Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh is making it pellucid, that if the Opposition does not engage in budget talks within the stipulated time before Budget presentation, then their actions anent the threatening ‘scissors’ and ‘axes’ would be a clear indication of their intent (of which many people are convinced) to strangle Guyana’s economy and stymie the developmental paradigm as crafted by the PPP/C Government.

Mr. Granger has said publicly that he has authorised his Shadow Ministers to engage in consultations and discussions with their ministerial counterparts, therefore, it is incumbent that the Opposition representative to the budget talks avail himself of the opportunity the joint Opposition has been clamouring for – to have an input in the national budget.

But Opposition leader David Granger has been less than factual when he criticised the Government for not engaging their party in consultations on the budget.

Dr. Ashni Singh is calling on Granger to assert his authority and have his finance spokesperson, Carl Greenidge, respond to the invitation by the minister to meet for discussions on the 2014 Budget.

This call by the minister is being made at a time when Kaieteur News reported that government has not consulted with the Opposition in preparation of the 2014 budget.

“This is a repeat of history that occurred just a year ago,” said the Finance Minister.

During budget preparations for 2013, Mr. Greenidge was invited to attend the meetings in the capacity of Shadow Finance Minister. Instead of attending the meetings he disappeared overseas for an extended period and made himself unavailable for consultations.

“What was worse last year,” says Singh, “is that no one in the Opposition appeared able to shed light on Mr. Greenidge’s whereabouts.”

Mr. Granger is claiming that government has not consulted with the Opposition with regard to Budget 2014, two months before it is expected to be presented to Parliament. However Dr Singh, in a press release issued last weekend, called out the Op-

THERE is a circus now on in Guyana, and the main actors are an opposition leader, a lawyer who frees criminals through unethical methods and his criminal fraternity.

They are out in full force, with the central theme of their campaign being criminals of a certain kind must go free. In addition to setting the criminals free, they are also working assiduously to get them a reward for their criminal behaviour.

I must admit, this is quite an outrageous plan by these low lives.

Whichever way you look at it, the sick, disgraceful actions of the aforementioned group needs to be exposed.

The nefarious activities of this lawyer and company are too numerous to mention but, in the interest of time I shall endeavour to highlight a few of these cases.

We are all familiar with the Linden affair, where the relatives of the perpetrators were handsomely rewarded for their murderous acts, though the facts of the case painted a totally different scenario. The details in that case showed that the bullets coming from the murder weapon/s did not match any of those carried by the cops, so said the ballistics expert brought by the opposition themselves.

However, in the interest of peace, the government paid out a huge sum to the surviving relatives of the criminals-turned-victims.

This, I believe, was the beginnings of the modern-day criminal-becoming-victim scenario. Lest I forget, may I remind you that Nigel Hughes was the central figure in that case.

So, let us fast -forward to 2013 and the brutal slaying of Corporal Cleito by a brazen gunman at a busy city intersection. Shaka Blair, a known felon and one who fitted the description of the said gunman, was held. A test for gunpowder residue on his hands proved that he did discharge a firearm, an unlicensed one at that, because Shaka is not a licensed firearm holder.

However, the State’s case against Blair was rendered null and void when Nigel Hughes came on the scene. In the first instance, Shaka was instructed to make claims that he was badly beaten by the police and forced into signing a confession statement, although medical checks showed no signs of the alleged beatings.

Subsequent to his acquittal, we are now in receipt of information which shows that persons who witnessed the shooting, and are familiar with the felon, did identify him as the shooter. However, either through bribery or mere coercion from a corrupt attorney,

they recanted and gave another story of seeing a “Brave Indian Boy” fleeing the scene.

Again, in the face of a mountain of evidence against them, the State rested its case. Yet another criminal was let loose from prosecution.

Let me pause here to say this: It would be interesting to know what their defence would look like in the light of the Donston LaFleur matter, where we have a slain criminal at the crime scene who fits the description of another “Brave Indian Boy.” Fascinating indeed! Let them try working their way out of this one with that “Indian” story scenario.

Finally, we have the Colwyn Harding case. Colwyn Harding is a known felon who was indicted by the State for robbery, and being in possession of stolen goods.

A prima facie case was made against Harding, but while the State was in the final throes of bringing this felon to trial, the Nigel Hughes factor comes into play. This criminal with a pre-existing condition was coached into making outrageous claims that he was badly beaten and sodomized by the police who caught him.

So, instead of the State bringing the felon to trial, we are sidelined with an investigation into police brutality, a situation of convict becoming victim. The searchlight is now tuned off Harding and placed on the police.

But before we run ahead of ourselves, let us examine the facts of this latest claim. The bare facts reveal that Harding never made these allegations until Nigel Hughes came into the picture, the exact sequence of events, one month after he was arrested and charged.

Like I said earlier, even if you have half a brain, you cannot believe this story, which reeks of a conspiracy to extort money from the government. So, right now, the Hardings, seemingly receiving corrupt legal guidance, are trying every which way to see if they can manufacture a medical certificate to corroborate their spurious claims.

The point I am making is that criminal lawyer, plus criminal, equals to the sum total of a criminal fabrication, which, in some cases, brings handsome gains to the evil plotters at the expense of the taxpayers. This should not be permitted yet again.

NEIL ADAMS

Beware the consequences SOME folks just love to ‘hear’ themselves in the press. I hope this does not lead to the blocking off of a major road, then proceeding to beat, rob and sexually molest the innocent.

If you ask many Guyanese, they will tell you they never knew Guyana had so many arms of human rights bodies, all

in full support of criminals. I am alluding here to the following headline: ‘Human Rights activists picket Health Ministry; call for independent investigation into Colwyn Harding’s case.

position for making a false accusation. The Finance Minister noted that as recent as January 13, 2014 an email was sent, addressed to Mr. Greenidge, asking for him to suggest a date and time for the Government and Opposition teams to meet.

The email was also copied to David Granger, Lance Carberry, Khemraj Ramjattan, Dr. Roger Luncheon and Ms. Gail Teixeira.

The statement also noted that the email to Greenidge also contained copies of documents to be discussed. “To date my invitation has been met with stony silence by Granger and Greenidge,” noted the minister’s statement.

Singh is now calling on the Opposition Leader to assert his authority and instruct Mr. Greenidge to respond to the invitation for budget consultations.

“If Mr. Greenidge is unavailable to participate in budget talks this year, as he was last year, he should do the decent thing and let the Leader of the Opposition appoint someone else to lead the Opposition team to the Budget talks 2014,” the Finance Minister asserts.

The statement issued on Saturday also noted that the invitation issued a week ago, was not the first of its kind issued to the Opposition to discuss the 2014 Budget. According to the Ministry of Finance, a Government team has already initiated discussions with the Opposition in the latter part of 2013 and is looking forward to continued cooperation on the issue as preparations windup for the March 2014 budget deadline.

But in Guyana we have political leaders and aspiring leaders, and their acolytes and satellites, who use every opportunity to denigrate and derail the developmental processes of this nation, merely to advance their own selfish causes and agendas.

We are a developing country – emerging from a history of a plethora of destructive elemental forces that devastated our nation, even to the point where even the more optimistic thought that we would never emerge from the quagmire in which we had been immersed for decades – to the point where even the more altruistic

funding agencies had practically written us off as almost beyond redemption.

Until former U.S. President Jimmy Carter decided, in the interest of justice, and in light of the contention of Guyana’s supreme leader, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, that the PPP had been “cheated, not defeated” for decades during general elections in Guyana - a contention that was proven as fact by U.S. State files, that the Carter Centre should use its phenomenal power to force the Desmond Hoyte administration, which is recorded to have been responsible for the worst election rigging in the history of Guyana during general elections of 1985, as well as the Draconian Economic Recovery Programme (ERP – empty rice pot) that he had imposed on the Guyanese people, to concede to having relatively “free and fair” general elections in our country after decades of PNC rule.

Dr. Jagan was vindicated and the reconfigured PPP, with its civic component, undertook the gargantuan task of trying to restore some order out of the critical and chaotic national landscape then prevailing – in every area.

But we are indeed living in some interesting times; and the eerie re-enactment of posturing by public figures with responsibility to Guyana’s electorate to deliver quality representation that are meaningful and progressive in scope and content, for which they are amply rewarded with taxpayer’s dollars, but which they abandon for agendas inimical to the welfare of the very people they claim to care about, is a sad reflection of our recurring history.

The scenario of an absconding shadow finance minister and the blackmailing political leader has been re-enacted, time and again, in various guises and in different plays throughout the course of Guyana’s history, with dire consequences to this nation and the Guyanese people.

One wonders if yet again the calls to put the nation first will once again be ignored.

Ted King

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

North Essequibo condemns the silencing of Mr. Holder by the ECB THE executive and members of the North Essequibo Cricket Committee (NECC) strongly condemn the blatant, dismissive and deliberate act by the executives of the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) to gag the President of the North Essequibo Cricket Committee, Mr. Prince Holder.

The decision was made, via a Motion passed at the ECB’S Annual General Meeting held on 2014-01-19, which debarred Mr. Holder from speaking at the meeting, and any further forum to be held by the Board.

Mr. Holder is the NECC’S constitutionally-elected representative to the ECB. Interestingly, present at the AGM also were Mr. Dhru Bahudhur and Mr. Anand Sanasie, President and Secretary respectively of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), both of whom took an active role in the proceedings.

The Committee is asking the question: Isn’t this collusion between the ECB and GCB of executive lawlessness? Mr. Holder was ostracized for the ludicrous claim that he had wasted the ECB’S time following an issue he had raised at a

statutory meeting that implicated an executive member of the Board.

As a responsible and dedicated administrator, Mr. Holder continues to represent the welfare of its players, and in doing so, he sought the Board’s intervention regarding a serious complaint made by a group of under-15 players from the County.

The issue surrounded the alleged irresponsible and unacceptable behaviour of the Coach during the players’ encampment in 2013. The Coach is an executive member of both the Essequibo and Guyana Cricket Board.

The players had reported that the individual was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, and proceeded to take some of them from their beds one evening, turned the lights off, and began throwing cricket balls at them to catch while using obscene language.

Mr. Holder intervened, and brought the issue to the attention of the ECB at a statutory meeting. A date was set for an investigation. Mr. Holder subsequently contacted the parents of the affected cricketers, seeking their permission to

allow their children to attend the meeting. The parents, however, had expressed the fear that their children would have been victimized. The request was therefore denied by the parents.

This matter did not resurface until the Board’s AGM, which took the opportunity to gag Mr. Holder, in his absence, since he arrived at the meeting about 20 minutes after the scheduled start, and decided that he had wasted the Board’s time, hence his sanction.

The NECC also wishes to record that a letter was written by a parent of one of the affected players to the GCB regarding the same incident, yet nothing was done.

The isolation of Mr. Holder means that the North Essequibo Cricket Committee, which organizes the most cricket competitions and is the central area for most activities of the Board, will not have a voice as a constitutional representative of the ECB. The Committee views this as undemocratic and dictatorial, since it is a deliberate attempt to silence Mr. Holder, especially

since he has been openly critical of the Board’s inefficiencies, both at the local and national level.

In light of Mr. Holder’s sanction, the NECC is seeking answers on the following issues that continue to negatively impact on the image and function of the ECB:

1: Why is the ECB Bowling Machine still not in operation, and remains at the Secretary’s home after four years?

2: Why has the office of the Administrator never been used, yet the individual continues to be paid by the GCB? 3: The Hostel is not properly furnished, yet it is being

regularly used to host other activities other than cricket. The proceeds were never spent on its rehabilitation. Why? 4: An Under-15 player, who is a relative of the ECB Under-15 Coach, was selected for the County and subsequently for the country in 2013. A Senior Coach of the ECB knew that the player was overaged, based on his records, but the ECB, including the junior Coach, who also is a selector, thought otherwise.

He subsequently had to be withdrawn from the national team after he could not have produced his Birth Certificate. Why the GCB did not launch an investigation against this deliberate mischief and offence?

5: Why is the ECB President personally holding shares, in the name of the ECB, in a virtually secretive company created by the GCB as DEB Essentials? Can the President declare

what the shares have been used for and what is the figure?

6: The ECB never held an inventory of the Board’s assets.

The Hostel is rapidly deteriorating, and the utensils and other equipment -- including plates, glasses, chairs and mattresses -- are being frequently borrowed by executives of the Board and even destroyed. Are these assets the personal property of the executives?

These are some of the burning issues that the ECB must address, instead of being visionless and vindictive against another Committee. The NECC and Mr. Holder will not be silenced, since the decision by the ECB can be viewed as being injurious and malicious.

The NECC therefore wishes to publicly request that the Motion be withdrawn, and appeals for democracy to remain as the only mandate by which the ECB should be governed.

HAKIM KHAN Secretary, NECC

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

No press, no stakeholder presence to observe parliamentary select committee’s work - AG criticises Opposition’s malingering strategies and dilatory tactics

THERE is very little optimism that the new parliamentary select committee, to which the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill was referred, will complete its work in a timely manner.

This was expressed by Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall, after assessing what has occurred since the Bill was referred to the said committee.

“I am not at all optimistic that anything will come out of this exercise; it’s another sham, and it will be another futile exercise, unless I am completely wrong,” he said Wednesday during a television programme on the National Communications Network.

The new committee first met on January 13, when Government Chief Whip, Ms. Gail Teixeira was reappointed as its chairperson.

Subsequently, another meeting was convened on Monday, January 20, and according to Minister Nandlall, the Opposition has taken the same approach they employed with the last committee, applying various delaying tactics to frustrate the conclusion of this process.

“I am disappointed, and it is with deep regret that I have to continue to say that the Opposition is not working in a constructive way. I have no difficulty with the Opposition opposing Government, but I believe that there are certain matters with which you do not play politics,” he said.

“There are certain matters that are so important, that they touch and concern the nation, and the lives and livelihood of the people of Guyana, and the National Assembly must always act in the best interest of all of Guyana’s people. But in this instance, the majority Opposition is working, and contrary to what is in the best interest of people, and that is highly regrettable,” he added.

Since the new committee has been convened, Minister Nandlall said the battle to get the Opposition to agree to schedule frequent meetings has already begun.

“The only grouping I know which has expressed a desire for this Bill to not be passed is the Opposition,” he declared.

tabled, and even when it was re-tabled recently, there have been no proposals, to date, from the Opposition with regards to any changes they wish to see effected.

“We have been saying over the last nine months, that if it is that they have a proposal, then they should put it forward,” Minister Nandlall said. “If there are clauses that they wish to amend, then they should put it forward, so that they can be examined.”

At the last meeting of the new committee, on January 20, all of its members were present, with the exception of AFC’s leader, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan. The agenda of the meeting at reference was to work out the modalities on how the committee will function.

DELAYING TACTICS

‘All of the utterances which have been made by the private sector, the Bankers Association,

by Guyanese from every walk of life and from other sectors of our economy that we are actually encountering several and severe difficulties in transactions across our borders, all those concerns, all those fears and apprehensions are being rejected. The Opposition seems to be oblivious to these things’

The AML/CFT Bill was tabled in the House since March 2013, and was subsequently sent to a select committee, as per the Opposition’s request. However, the work of that committee suffered incessant delays at almost every meeting for approximately four months.

These malingering tactics, the minister said, manifested themselves in protracted delays in between meetings; calls for extensive participation of members of the public and stakeholders; and frequent absenteeism that eventually led to a complete boycott of the meetings altogether by the Opposition.

In a desperate bid to meet the November 18 deadline that was given by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), the Government was left no alternative but to conclude the committee’s work, and return the Bill to Parliament when it resumed after the

‘I have no difficulty with the Opposition opposing Government, but I believe that there are certain matters with which you do not play politics. There are certain matters that are so important that they touch and concern the nation, the lives and livelihood of the people of Guyana, and the National Assembly must always act in the best interest of all of Guyana’s people’ – AG Nandlall recess.

However, even at that late hour, and in total disregard of the pleadings by members of the private sector, other relevant stakeholders and the Guyanese population as a whole, the Opposition withheld their support in passing the Bill. As a result, Guyana missed the crucial deadline, and was blacklisted as warned.

The Bill was re-tabled in the House in December last, on which occasion the Government said that the Bill was examined, clause by clause, by the CFATF, which assured them that it met all the necessary requirements.

This notwithstanding, the Opposition insisted that the Bill be returned to a select committee. Notably, since the Bill was initially

UNACCEPTED PROPOSAL As the subject minister, the AG made a proposal, seeing that the Bill has already benefitted from the input of the widest possible consultative exercise (by both members of the public and stakeholders) at the last committee.

Among some of the stakeholders who came forward and made presentations were: The Bankers of Guyana; The Women Lawyers Association; The Director of Public Prosecutions; Professor Clive Thomas; and Ram and Mc Rae Accounting Firm and several other entities.

Seeing that the contributions made during these sessions were all taken into consideration and incorporated in the Bill where possible, and having regard to the fact that the Legislation has already been approved, almost clause by clause, by the CFATF, Minister Nandlall said: “The Government does not wish to change anything; the Bill is before the committee because the Opposition wants it to be there.

Therefore, I believe that a prudent approach which we should consider as a committee is for the Opposition to put forward any proposal they have, or any amendment they wish to make…This was my proposal, and it was not accepted.”

According to Nandlall, the Opposition wants the committee to re-advertise for more persons to come forward to submit presentations/proposals, but as he was at pains to explain to them, because of the time constraint, mechanisms need to be devised so as to allow for the expedient execution of the task at hand.

As it turned out, Jaipaul Sharma of APNU was the lone Opposition member on the committee who was willing to work on the Bill.

He was quickly silenced by colleagues higher up the food chain, who insisted that they wanted more stakeholders to come on board. Left with little choice, the Government has since acceded to this demand.

NO PRESS; NO STAKEHOLDERS PRESENCE In the interest of transparency, the Government had initially requested for the press to be present at meetings of the committee.

Minister Nandlall even said that the Government has no qualms with the proceedings being transmitted live to the Guyanese public.

However, the Opposition is not willing to allow this happen.

According to the AG, APNU members are of the view that it is dangerous to expose the workings of the committee to the press. They informed the Government that they will have to consult with their

‘I am not at all optimistic that anything will come out of this exercise; it’s another sham, and it will be another futile exercise, unless I am completely wrong…’

– AG Nandlall

Party’s principals before they can give a commitment to this issue.

The Opposition also objected to the presence of important stakeholders to observe the committee’s work. They contend that they need to consult their principals on this as well.

GREATER RISK Despite attempts to convene the next meeting of the committee at the earliest possible date, the Opposition has indicated that they want the meeting to be held on January 29, even though Minister Nandlall explained that the country has a specific timeframe to conclude this matter.

The FATF will be meeting in mid-February in Paris, France.

This Body can put Guyana under review at the international level

Attorney General Anil Nandlall as a delinquent country.

“Right now we are blacklisted regionally, by a regional body, but with international consequences…the procedure to which we will be subject is going to be much harsher, much more oppressive and much more rigid if we become subject of an ICRG review to be done by the FATF, the world body. This is why we are saying let us not expose Guyana to that risk…,” the AG informed.

He noted that if this Bill is not passed before CFATF’s May 2014 meeting, then this body will recommend that Guyana be subject to an ICRG (International Co-operation Review Group) review which will be done by the FATF. This review can take as long as seven years to be completed, during which time the country will remain blacklisted.

The AG also responded to the Opposition’s allegations that the Government is using “scaremongering tactics” in relation to the consequences that the country is currently facing as a result of it being blacklisted.

“All of the utterances which have been made by the private sector, the Bankers Association, by Guyanese from every walk of life and from other sectors of our economy that we are actually encountering several and severe difficulties in transactions across our borders, all those concerns, all those fears and apprehensions are being rejected. The Opposition seems to be oblivious to these things,” he said.

When Guyana failed to pass the AML/CFT Bill before the stipulated deadline, the CFATF issued an adverse public statement, calling on member states which fall under its jurisdiction to take the necessary measures to protect themselves from the risks that Guyana poses as a money laundering and terrorism State.

CAFTF also informed that if the identified deficiencies are not satisfactorily rectified, namely, the approval and implementation of the required legislative reforms, by the next Plenary Meeting, that is, by May 2014, then Guyana will be referred to the FATF/ICRG.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Old Kai: Chronicles of Guyana...

APNU makes an about-turn - Finally admits PPP/C Gov’t always had Linden’s back

OLD Kai has always believed that with the passage of time, everything will be brought into perspective; and he has been vindicated once again.

You will recall that in the lead-up to the Linden unrest in July 2012, opposition leaders from both the APNU and AFC tried to agitate residents into action by proclaiming how the PPP/C Government has been starving Linden of resources, and investments in infrastructure.

There was even an openly racist line being peddled to further fuel Lindeners into action, as they were led to believe that the PPP/C Government was deliberately withholding assistance to Region 10, particularly Linden, as it is an area which it has not enjoyed a majority in terms of voters support. The decision to increase electricity tariffs was made out to be the government’s revenge against Lindeners after it did not win the Region in the 2011 elections. This was the nasty propaganda being peddled, along with many more vicious tales too sickening to mention here.

Old Kai distinctly remembers the field day the opposition media had in publishing and injecting their own vile posturing into those daily reports which helped to set the tone for the violence which was to follow.

With this in mind, it is nothing short of amazing that APNU has now come full circle, and admitted that the PPP/C administration had put together a five-year development plan for Region 10, ever since 2007.

In a statement to the media on January 17, 2014, APNU revealed that the objectives of the PPP/C plan were to realise “a reduction of the Region’s traditional dependency on mining, and the achievement of long-term economic diversification and collaboration among the State, the private sector and the community.”

APNU went on to note that the plan “targeted the agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, transport, tourism, information communication technology and mining sectors.”

It is rather unfortunate that the main opposition party could not have recalled these efforts being made by the PPP/C to develop Region 10 during the lead-up to the Linden unrest. One could excuse their amnesia during the 2011 elections in their desperation to get as many votes as they could muster through any and every means, but to deliberately supress this kind of information to aid in a campaign of violence is not just despicable, but shows the extent to which the opposition will sink to

destabilise our country.

Lindeners and, by extension, the people of Region 10 should take note of this telling revelation, and must now question the actions of their leaders. However, based on what came out of the Linden Commission of Inquiry, it is clear that leaders in the opposition have absolutely no qualms about resorting to outright lies, even if they are eventually exposed.

Old Kai can easily recall when APNU Members of Parliament, Desmond Trotman and Vanessa Kissoon, and its Regional Chairman, Sharma Solomon were more than once exposed by the judges during the Linden Inquiry for their outright falsehoods.

But, back to the APNU release which focused on the renewed development of the Demerara/Berbice Region in which it laments that the PPP/C administration never fully implemented the development plan.

Both APNU and their Regional Chairman, Solomon, have expressed concern about the lack of investments in Region 10 for the past two years. In fact, APNU is now shedding ‘crocodile tears’, as it calls for a “new plan to resume the task of the development of the Upper Demerara-Berbice Region.”

Old Kai finds it pleasing that these individuals are now so genuinely concerned about the welfare and future prospects of Region 10. It is a pity they did not have such sentiments when they embarked on their “shut things down” campaign in Linden during June, 2012.

Here is what ‘Saint Solomon’ had to say on the shut-down campaign during a rally in Linden: “...we can shut things down.

So I am saying to you that our actions are not many; our action remains one...”

What a beautiful and inspiring message to investors, both local and foreign! They will run with all their hard-earned money and pour it into Region 10, knowing that at any given moment, the opposition, with people like Mr. Solomon, will commence another “shut things down” campaign, and their investments will either be torched and reduced to ashes, as was the fate of many during the unrest; or they will be physically attacked, have their possessions looted, and vehicles burnt. Such an attractive prospect for an investor!

The PPP/C Government and the PPP Party had warned the opposition all along about both the short and long-term dangers of its actions, but it was dismissed as simply baseless ranting’s from an uncaring group of leaders in our country. In fact, even the PPP office was attacked and destroyed by arsonists.

Almost two years on, and the PPP/C has been vindicated, but, as always, it has been saddled with the responsibility of working to restore the image of Linden and Region 10, to make it more appealing to investors once again.

But this is no easy task, and it will take years to restore investors’ confidence. It is heartening to note that the Government has already approved $170M for the reconstruction of the One Mile Primary School, which was destroyed during the violence.

In all of this, it is evident that the blame squarely rests on the shoulders of the opposition for their reckless action. And, note how the AFC has taken itself completely out of the picture now, when one considers that they were at the forefront of inciting Lindeners from the inception.

Let me conclude by exposing APNU once more, and confirm, without a doubt, that its concern for the re-development of Region 10 is nothing but a shallow gimmick. This is the very party that opposed the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project, and because of its refusal to vote in support of the project in Parliament, the American investor pulled out.

From the inception, we were told that Linden was a critical point for this project, as workers would have been sourced from the Region, and that long-term employment would also be a reality, bearing in mind the need for employees to take over the operations after the contract of the overseas investors had expired.

Crucially, too, the transmission lines would have passed through Linden to the coastland, thereby creating the possibility for not only Lindeners to benefit from stable and cheap renewable energy, but also it would have enticed investors to come to the Region and create more opportunities and employment because of the cheap energy for manufacturing goods.

Don’t believe Old Kai? Well, simply read the Guyana Chronicle of January 22, 2014, where an article has revealed that the Reunion Mining Company, which has its manganese ore operations in Matthews Ridge, Region 1, will be constructing a silico-manganese plant in Trinidad and Tobago.

The first reason the company cited as to why it could not construct the facility in Guyana, and why Trinidad is a better prospect, is the fact that it has cheaper energy.

Yet another major project lost! And we are left to ponder if the pulling out of the Amaila contractor from the project after the opposition attacks was the reason the company decided to shift its project to Trinidad.

MoneyGram & SurePay promotion winners receive beneficial prizes

- Neal and Massay Chairman laments delay in passage of anti-money laundering legislation FIFTY-FIVE lucky customers were presented with prizes following the just concluded MoneyGram Christmas Promotion at Neal and Massy Staff facilities on Tuesday.

Among the prizes were a 32-inch flat screen television set, two smart phones and 52 tablets.

Mr. Deo Persaud, Chairman of NM Services Limited who delivered the feature address at the ceremony congratulated the winners and thanked them for participating in the promotion organised by NMSL. Mr. Persaud, who is also Chief Executive Officer of the Neal and Massy Guyana Group of Companies took the opportunity to express the Group’s concerns over the current state of the anti-money laundering legislation which has affected many companies in the local financial sector.

“The current impasse in the implementation of the anti-money laundering legislation is of great concern to everyone but we remain positive that the decision-makers will work diligently to have the bill passed in the very near future” he added.

Mr. Persaud said remittance remains a great part of Guyana’s revenue stream and should there be hindrances it would have serious economic and social impact for the country.

The Chairman also mentioned that a marketing team from MoneyGram International will be in Guyana in February to work on a programme that will benefit customers and agents and also to get a better understanding of the effects of Guyana not meeting the

CFATF’s requirements.

MoneyGram Supervisor, Darshinie Persaud said Neal and Massy & MoneyGram are two companies that are customer focused and the

Christmas promotion was their way of giving back to customers.

She stated that MoneyGram and SurePay customers can expect more promotions during 2014.

MoneyGram & SurePay promotion prize winners with officials from Neal and Massay

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

President to potential investors...

‘Now’s the best time to invest in tourism sector’ PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar tried his hand at a spot of marketing Wednesday evening when he urged prospective investors to seize the opportunity to invest in Guyana’s fledgling tourism industry now that it is beginning to turn a profit.

“It is an exciting time for the industry; tourism has a great future, and will contribute in a major way to the economy,” he told invitees to a stakeholders’ reception at the Palm Court Restaurant on downtown Main Street.

Noting that both Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, and Tourism Minister, Mr. Irfaan Ali have been tasked with putting up affordable proposals to help grow the sector at a more rapid pace, President Ramotar said that with tourism being looked at in a Regional framework, the government has been investing heavily on improving infrastructure so as to attract

even more overseas visitors.

Two cases in point, he said, were the Guyana National Stadium and the Guyana International Conference Centre, both of which are attracting thousands of people and hosting major international events.

As for the Marriott Hotel, currently under construction, President Ramotar said that once completed and opened as promised in August, it will not only offer five-star accommodation, but also several high-quality facilities.

He also referred to the proposed expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, which, when completed, will see Guyana being poised to be a major hub for South America.

Minister Ali, in turn, called for closer communication and collaboration among stakeholders in the tourism sector, which will redound to the benefit of all eventually. He also

expressed confidence in the sector’s growth for 2014.

“2014 should be the year of tourism, and it has the capacity to contribute substantially to the economy,” he said, adding that critical thinking is necessary if the “rising sector” is to move forward.

Among those present at the function was Sales Manager of the Panamanian-based Copa Airlines, Mr. Guillermo Gomez, who earlier in the day announced that his company will begin servicing Guyana as of July.

Gomez said that with Copa seeing cornering the Guyana route as its top achievement for 2014, it will have no qualms about contributing substantially to the development of the local tourism sector.

Also speaking briefly and welcoming Copa to the local aviation sector were CPL’s Mr. Peter Russell, who outlined the impact that the series

will have locally and regionally; Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana Pres-

ident, Mr. Kit Nascimento; Mahendra Bhoodoo of the Guyana Motor Racing and

Sports Club; and Mr. Harrynand Persaud of King’s Jewellery World.

TOURISM PARLEY: Sharing a light moment are, from left, President Donald Ramotar; Mrs Guillermo Gomez, wife of Copa Airlines’ Sales Manager, Mr. Guillermo Gomez (second right); and Tourism Minister, Mr. Irfaan Ali

With Trotman, Backer absent…

Shaddick unanimously voted Deputy Speaker SPEAKER of the National Assembly Mr. Raphael Trotman and Deputy Speaker Ms. Deborah Backer were, both “unavoidably” absent from the National Assembly yesterday.

Consequently, the House unanimously voted in People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), Ms. Bibi Shaddick as the Deputy Speaker for the sitting.

She expressed her appreciation for the confidence her colleagues reposed in her by the vote.

“Heckling is an art,” she declared, as she urged cordial exchanges in the day’s proceedings.

A Partnership of National Unity (APNU) front bencher, Backer has been absent from proceedings of the House due to a still undisclosed illness and had to access medical care outside of Guyana, at least twice in the last month.

In early January, she was flown to Florida, in the United States (U.S.), for tests and APNU Leader, Mr. David Granger expressed hopes for Backer’s speedy recovery.

Asked about her attendance at the Thursday, January 16 sitting, he had said: “Mrs. Backer’s condition is stable and we don’t have any reason to speculate on her attendance.”

The MP was first treated at a private hospital in Georgetown after falling ill.

At yesterday’s session, she was slated to move a motion for the second reading of the Married Persons (Property) (Amendment) Bill 2013, which would amend the principal Married Persons (Property) Act. (Vanessa Narine) PPP/C Member of Parliament Ms. Bibi Shaddick was the Deputy Speaker for yesterday’s sitting (Cullen Bess-Nelson photo)

Members of Parliament during yesterday’s sitting of the National Assembly

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Teenager refused bail on illegal gun, ammunition charges

By Geeta Rampersaud EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Alex Mendonca, a vendor of Lot 135 Vlissengen Road, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was yesterday refused bail by Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on charges of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.

He pleaded not guilty to both allegations which said, on Tuesday, January 21, at West Ruimveldt, he had one .32 Taurus pistol and 26 live rounds of matching ammunition, without being the holder of a firearm licence.

Police Inspector, Michael Grant, prosecuting, said ranks went to the defendant’s home to conduct a search, saw a door slightly open and made their way in, where they met his mother.

They asked her for the defendant and she told them that Mendonca was in his room.

The prosecutor said the policemen explained, to his mother, their reason for being there and searched his room where the gun and ammunition were found.

They enquired of Mendonca if he was a licensed firearm holder and he responded in the negative, hence the present charges, the prosecutor said.

Attorney-at-law, Mr. George Thomas, representing the defendant, said only he and his mother reside at the house and they were awakened by the police in the wee hours of the morning.

They entered the home and had already started searching when

they were confronted by the defendant’s mother, who is a potential witness to her son being threatened by the police to spend several years in jail, the lawyer stated.

Grant successfully objected to bail, citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offences and the cases were transferred to Magistrate Judy Latchman, for January 27.

Defendant Alex Mendonca

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Shipping Association emphasises need for modernising Port Georgetown

By Clifford Stanley

THE Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG) has identified the modernisation of Port Georgetown as a priority for 2014.

The Chairman, Mr. Desmond Sears said this is in keeping with the SAG’s vision of optimising Guyana’s maritime transportation potential through the provision of effective and efficient services at ports and harbours.

He reiterated, recently, that the mission of the SAG is to con-

tribute to the improvement of Guyana’s international trade competitiveness, by ensuring maximum utilisation of the country’s water terminals.

Sears sees this as being achieved by the establishment and operation of a public/private sector body, drawn from selected stakeholders and endowed with the requisite vision, entrepreneurship skill and resourcefulness that will sustain value, growth, learning and excellence in the delivery of port related delivery.

CONCEPT PAPER He disclosed that the strategies for the port’s modernisation were stepped up considerably in 2013, with the submission of a paper to Government entitled ’Concept paper for the improvement of the Georgetown Harbour through public/private sector partnership’.

The document had been submitted by a working group comprising ten persons, five from Government and five from the SAG. The Government’s representatives included three from the Maritime Administration (MARAD), one from the Ministry of Trade and one from the Ministry of Finance.

They identified the main problem as the severe limitations on the draught of vessels that can now transit the Demerara Channel, due to its shallow depth and stating that this has had a negative impact on maritime commerce in Guyana, to the extent that the volume of cargo being moved per vessel call has been declining significantly. *resulted in the inefficient movement of cargo which, when coupled with other uncontrollable factors, have caused increases in freight costs.

The deepening of the Demerara River channel for Port Georgetown continues to be a major requirement for port modernisation, Sears insisted.

According to the working group, another obvious challenge would be the need for immediate identification and subsequent establishment of a modern container terminal, preferably on the West Bank/West Coast Demerara Channel.

READY SOLUTION The working group had suggested that, given the constraints on the Government’s ability to raise capital, establishing a properly constituted Public/Private Operation (PPO) under the Company’s Act would provide a ready solution.

The PPO would be responsible for contracting and servicing debt, possibly from international funding agencies, as well as for implementing other activities considered necessary for the improvement of the harbour.

Sears emphasised:“Guyana must be made ready to meet the stringent demands of shippers all around the world for more modern port facilities and efficient operations.”

He stated that, when an international port is not as equipped as it should be, the inefficiencies affect not only the shippers and private berth operators, but trickle down, in higher costs, to end users of imported and exported goods.

Bad parking results in two charges

FORTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD John Darren (no address given) faced charges of abusive language and disorderly behaviour before Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond yesterday.

He pleaded not guilty to both, particulars of which alleged that on Friday, January, 17 at D’Urban Street in Georgetown, he abused police officer Wallace, whereby a breach of the peace may have been occasioned and behaved disorderly in a public place.

Police Corporal Jomo Nichols, prosecuting, told the court that the defendant badly parked a vehicle he was driving that day and after he was spoken to by the officer, he abused him and behaved in a disorderly manner.

Darren was placed on $15,000 bail on each charge and the cases were put off to January 29. (Geeta Rampersaud)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Gajie reports…

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RCCI partnership with CESO very beneficial for Region 9

By Clifford Stanley THE Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has disclosed that it is receiving assistance from the Canadian Executive Service Organisation (CESO), in the areas of environmental management and sustainable tourism development, through a three-week collaboration that begun two weeks ago.

Administrator of the RCCI Secretariat at Lethem, in Region 9 (Upper Essequibo/Upper Takutu), Mr. Roldon Welcome who made the disclosure, said two officers of the Canadian registered national and international development charity are collaborating with the Chamber in assessment visits and meeting communities in the North Central and South Rupununi.

Volunteer Henning Rasmussen is working with the Chamber on an environmental management plan for Lethem and Central Rupununi area.

It includes strategies for solid waste management and disposal, alternative potable water supplies, residential drainage and some elements of village planning, Welcome revealed.

Other volunteer Roger Wheelock is helping the RCCI to pinpoint the tourism potential of the area and has already met members of several Rupununi communities in discussions on the subject.

Daniel Gajie, President of RCCI He was, yesterday, said to be on a visit to Aishalton, 90 miles South of Lethem, to assess the tourism potential of the village, particularly the petroglyphs/prehistoric rock engravings for which the village is famous.

RCCI President Daniel Gajie said the current partnership with CESO is proving to be very beneficial for the Region.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Linden Chamber of Commerce rejects Solomon’s call for a ‘shut down’ of the mining town tomorrow THE Linden Chamber of Commerce (LCC) has rejected calls by Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) Chairman, Sharma Solomon, for mass protests and a shutdown of the mining community on Saturday (tomorrow).

Solomon’s call for a shut down reportedly comes ahead of plans by President Donald Ramotar to visit the community.

Eighteen months ago, what intended to be a peaceful demonstration in the mining town of Linden turned deadly as protesters, instigated by politicians, including the Region 10 chairman, blocked the MacKen-

zie/Wismar Bridge, a key access in the area.

The protest, which left three persons dead and Government and private buildings and other properties attacked by arsonists, saw the town descending into more than a month of shut down. Many persons could not work; mining in the hinterland ceased and banks and other businesses were closed.

This had placed an even further dent on the community’s economy. But despite these, new calls have now emerged for a similar shutdown of the community by the Region 10 chairman.

‘Queenie’ on trial for murdering her Barbadian lover

By George Barclay ATTIRED in an outfit befitting a queen in a pageantry, Tramangar Williams, called ‘Queenie’, told Police in a statement that her Barbadian lover, who had died, had been stabbed in his abdomen by two robbers whom he did not know.

The accused had also told the police during their investigations: “My boyfriend, Tyrone Best of Barbados, who lived with me at 605 ‘D’ Field, South Sophia, had gone to the shop to buy cigarettes when I heard him shout from the outside of our home: ‘Queenie’! Oh God, come!

She added: “Running outside of my home, I saw Tyrone on his knees holding on to his left side belly. The place was bright from sunlight, and I saw what appeared to be blood coming from his belly. I assisted him to get into the house, and I put methylated spirits on the area of the blood where I saw a small wound. I asked him what (had) happened and he told me two guys (had) tackled him, (taken) away his money and stabbed him. I asked him if he knew the boys, and he said ‘No’. He explained (that) they wore dark shirts, and one of them had a cap over his face.

“I then assisted my boyfriend to get into a minibus (which took us) to Sheriff Street. Then I took a taxi which took him to the Georgetown Hospital Emergency Unit. On our way to the hospital, we arrived safely. He was seen and examined by a doctor on duty and was admitted to Ward B2 the same night. Police in uniform took information from us.

I left (the hospital).

“On Sunday, December 28, 2008, about 15:00 hrs, he was discharged from the hospital and came home with me. On the same night, about 21:00 hrs, I was at home when Tyrone started crying out for pains in his belly and was peeing blood.

I took him to the hospital with a minibus, and he was readmitted to Ward B2; but on Saturday, January 3, about 12.30 pm, I went to the hospital to visit Tyrone when I was told that he died an hour ago.

The following day, I made contact with his mother in Barbados and told her of his death.”

The accused signed the statement which she had given to Police Constable D. Singh.

‘Queenie’ is accused of having, on January 3, 2009, murdered Tyrone Mc Donald Best.

Another witness, Detective Sgt. Adams, a senior investigating rank who assisted in investigating the death of Tyrone Best, had reported that other investigations were being pursued in relation to this matter, and that it is feared that Tramangra Williams, c/d Queenie, would compromise the investigations by escaping from the jurisdiction.

Mrs. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin, a Senior State Counsel, is prosecuting. She is expected to deliver her opening address to the jury today.

Attorney-at-Law Mr. Peter Hugh and Miss Latchmie Rahamat are defending. The trial is continuing.

Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon Solomon was quoted in sections of the media calling for a shutdown of the Linden Community on Saturday, January 25.

But his call was met with strong rejection from the LCC, which said a repeat of the July 2012 shut down will further plunder the economy and even chase away investors.

The LCC further stated that

it was not consulted about any shutzdown and that they only learnt of the event through the media.

The Chamber added that it is sad that Solomon would subscribe to such action since nothing substantial came out from the last occurrence.

The LCC noted that a repeat of 2012 could leave the mining town in a worse state.

Meanwhile, some residents of Linden are questioning the position taken by Solomon and urged that he should instead question the effectiveness of such actions and how this would benefit the people and the economic development of the region, drawing on the experiences of the last shutdown.

Anthony Morrison wanted by police for questioning into Jamaican woman’s murder FOLLOWING the homicide of Jamaican national Beverley Anesta Gardner, the police have issued a wanted bulletin for Anthony Lloyd Neville Morrison for questioning.

The body of Gardner was found at New York Car Wash & Hotel at Camp and Princes Streets, Georgetown on January 22, 2014.

Gardner, 31, was a guest of the hotel when her body was found by staffers, and close circuit television cameras (CCTV) aided the police in acquiring vital footage of the identify of the suspect.

The Police listed Morrison’s date of birth as April 13, 1977; he’s medium built of African ethnic origin and his nationality is Jamaican.

All information will be treated with strict confidence assures the Guyana Police Force.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Anthony Lloyd Neville Morrison is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-2227, 226WANTED: Anthony 7065, 227-1149, 911, or the nearest Lloyd Neville Morrison police station.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

In Parliament…

Regulations ta protect emplo HIV/AIDS discr

By Vanessa Narine

The Hydraulic Shears

Security boost…

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee speaking at yesterdays event

MINISTER of Labour, Dr. Nanda Kishore Gopaul, yesterday, tabled, in Parliament, the regulations made under the Occupational Health and Safety (HIV and AIDS) Act. They give teeth to the law

that ensures greater protection of employees affected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).

The several provisions range from the rights of employees to secure employment, regardless of their HIV status to their ability to

Guyana gets equipment to dispose of obsolete weapons, ammunition

- will greatly assist to keep illegal weapons off the streets GUYANA’S ability to remove obsolete ammunition has been boosted with the receipt of a hydraulic shears and a small arms ammunition burning tank which will be used for the destruction of obsolete and surplus weapons, ammunition and explosives.

The two pieces of equipment were presented to Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) during a handing over ceremony at the Tactical Services Unit, Eve Leary, yesterday.

Following the signing of the handover document between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and UNLIREC, a Hydraulic Shears and Small Arms Ammunition Burning Tank for the destruction of obsolete and surplus weapons and ammunition were presented to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in an effort to curb the proliferation of illicit firearms in Guyana.

A demonstration was performed yesterday for the benefit of the attendees, which included Minister Rohee; Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips; United States Ambassador to Guyana, Mr Brent Hardt; Police

Commissioner Leroy Brumell and the hierarchy of the GPF. Senior Programme Officer, Public Security Programme, UNLIREC, Juliet Solomon, said she is here to mark the beginning of the joint implementation of the national action plan for the management and destruction of firearms, ammunition and explosives, developed in conjunction with Government following the baseline assessment conducted in July 2013.

She added that, unfortunately, Latin America and the Caribbean has the highest homicide and violence rate in the world.

Nearly 80% of all homicides are committed with firearms which are trafficked illegally across borders, or are stolen from private or Government functionaries.

Solomon noted that Guyana, with its long borders and relatively small population, has its challenge in respect to effective stockpiling and periodically destroying small arms as per its reduction policy.

She pointed out that periodic destruction is the most effective means of ensuring arms do not find their way back on the streets and linked to criminal networks.

Solomon stated that it is in this context that the Government of Guyana requested

The Small Arms Ammunition Burning Tank (Sonnel Nelson photos)

support of UNRILEC in March 2013 under its stockpile management and destruction assistance package.

She said the set of hydraulic shears and small arms and ammunition burning tank the GPF received was to enable permanent technical capacity in respect to small arms and ammunition destruction in Guyana.

Solomon noted that both GPF and GDF personnel have been trained in the use and maintenance of the equipment, and UNLIREC will be back in February to conduct further training for the use of the equipment.

Ambassador Hardt, in his remarks, said UNRILEC was created in 1986 to render assistance and capacity building in Latin America and the Caribbean in disposing of their surplus arms and ammunition and reduce their stockpile.

He also spoke of the collaborative effort of the US and Guyana to bring this project to fruition, and the work of UNRILEC in a broader agenda for other major projects, including the Caribbean Security Basin Initiative (CBSI) in the illicit firearms trade.

H a r d t w a s , h o w e v e r, pleased with the cooperative effort, and expressed his satisfaction yesterday.

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, in the feature address, said that preventative maintenance should be priority for the equipment, which he deemed very important to Guyana. He spoke of the success of the police on Wednesday when they found a cache of arms in South Ruimveldt and arrested two men.

He noted that it is with this in mind they are geared to take illegal firearms off the streets and effect the necessary process; and said the matter should be looked at in an integrated way, since our borders are porous and firearms are being trafficked into our jurisdiction.

As such, the Guyana Government has engaged in bilateral and international cooperation to ensure measures are in place to

curb this practice, Rohee said yesterday.

Last June, Rohee had noted that while this move by Government was not necessarily a part of the security reform process, “it is part of bringing better management to our armories, whether they are in the Guyana Defence Force, Police Force, Municipalities or Prisons; wherever there may be a stockpile of firearms. The idea is to bring a better system of management, utilisation, and disposal of those (weapons and ammunition) that have become technically obsolete.”

UNILIREC provides support in several areas in terms of securing weapons’ stockpiles and managing them. Guidance is also provided in the broader context of legislation.

The UN Mission consists of Juliet Solomon (Team Leader), UNLIREC Senior Programme Officer (Caribbean), Stockpile Management and Destruction; and Peter Snow, Manufacturer’s Trainer (Hydraulic Shears). (Michel Outridge)

Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul (seated) in conversation with former Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir in the National Assembly yesterday.

Region 2 con programme w

By Rajendra Prabhulall MASHRAMANI celebrations, which started in Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam) on Monday with the Children’s Competition at the Anna Re-

gina Community Centre Ground, Essequibo Coast, continued yesterday with a 5,000 metres open five stage relay race.

A release from the Regional Administration said it was organised by the Department of Youth and Sport,

No permission granted for animal slaughter at Cliff Anderson - Minister Anthony

DR. FRANK ANTHONY

MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, yesterday, told the National Assembly that he was not aware, nor did he ever grant permission to anyone to slaughter any animal at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue.

Dr Anthony was at the time responding to questions posed by APNU MP, Christopher Jones, who made reference to a recent article published in the Kaieteur News that the sporting facility was being used as an abattoir by persons to slaughter goats.

Minister Anthony informed the House that Cliff Anderson Sports Hall is sometimes rented out for a commercial fee of $50,000; while several sports clubs and groups are allowed to use it free of charge.

However, he maintained, that no permission was granted to anyone by him or his Ministry to use the facility to slaughter animals.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

abled to oyees against rimination be included in health benefit schemes of the place they are employed.

Stipulated in the regulations are the provisions that: * no employer shall require, whether directly or indirectly, any person to undergo any form of testing for HIV, as a precondition to the offer of employment; * neither shall they make it compulsory for employees nor employer, except with the knowledge and written consent of the employee, to disclose any information regarding his or her HIV status or any medical examination; * no employer shall terminate the services of any employee on the grounds of an employee’s HIV status or perceived HIV status and * no employee shall suffer prejudice based on his or her HIV status or perceived status in relation to promotion, transfer, training and development opportunities, remuneration and working relations and other terms of employment.

NOT AFFECT The regulations also made it clear that the HIV status of an employee must not affect his or her eligibility for any occupational or other benefit schemes provided for employees The document added that: “Ev-

ery workplace, at which more than five workers are regularly employed, shall have a written policy on HIV and AIDS that is developed by the employer in consultation with employees and including, where they exist, union representatives and such policy shall be in consonance with the National HIV and AIDS Workplace Policy.”

It states, too, that every employer shall provide for the benefits of every person employed, at such place and time during normal working hours, education and information relating to the promotion of safe sex and risk reducing measures in relation to sexually transmitted disease, the acquiring and transmission of HIV, the prevention and spread of HIV and AIDS, counseling facilities on HIV and AIDS, confidentiality referral to supportive services for employees and their dependants affected by HIV and AIDS, as well as social support services to help employees effectively manage their health needs in HIV and AIDS. Contravention of the regulations amounts to an offence and the offender is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding $50,000.

GECOM mulls using advanced technology for future elections --in the interest of accuracy, timeliness when posting results

COGNISANT of the need to tabulate, certify and announce accurate results of elections in a timelier manner, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is exploring the idea of embarking on a pilot project in which automatic scanning and tabulation machines could be used in a future election.

With this in mind, a team of representatives from the DELIAN Project, an independent, non-profit organization registered in Canada and the United States of America, paid GECOM a visit two Mondays ago to conduct a demonstration on the use of automatic ballot scan and tabulation technology.

According to a release from GECOM, the DELIAN team comprised Mr. Jean-Pierre Kingsley, former Chief Executive Officer of the International Foundation of electoral systems and current Chairman of the DELIAN’s Advisory Board, who served as the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada from 1997 to 2010.

Other members of the team were Mr. John Hollins, Chairman of the DELIAN Board of Directors, who was Chief Electoral Officer for the Province of Ontario from 2001 to 2008; and Mr. Allan Best, Managing Director.

DELIAN was created in 2011 as a philanthropic entity by the Canadian elections technology firm, Dominion Voting Systems (DVS), with one of its objectives being to procure and donate electoral technology to emerging and growing democracies. Besides being a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, it recently joined the Clinton Global Initiative.

It was pointed out during the course of the demonstration that DELIAN could donate up to 25 paper-based, automatic ballot scan and tabulation machines to Guyana for future use at election-time.

Each machine, GECOM said, is capable of handling roughly 1,000 – 1,250 voters on a typical polling day. The automatic ballot scan and tabulation system could be deployed, on a pilot basis, at up to 25 polling stations, as selected by GECOM. One of the manay advantages of a paper-based, automatic ballot scan and tabulation system solution is that results are tabulated (counted) as they are sent in at close of poll, resulting in the ability to announce results immediately, while still maintaining the comfort of a “paper trail”, should a physical re-count be required.

Another is that the machinery is a form of document ballot voting system, meaning that there is a tangible record of the vot-

er’s intent, even as he or she still marks a traditional paper ballot.

The procedure for using the automatic ballot scan and tabulation system involves: (i) the voter simply using pen and paper to mark his/her intent on the ballot, and (ii) the voter’s ballot paper being confidentially scanned and dropped into a sealed ballot box.

At close of poll, results are tabulated, and the Statement of Poll is printed and shared with polling station officials, and then sent to the Returning Officer through a secure, electronic medium.

In the case of an unclear mark, the ballot scan and tabulation machine returns the ballot to the voter for review and correction, if desired. Finally, the Returning Officer electronically collates and tabulates poll results received from the multiple machines to rapidly and accurately produce consolidated poll results. Of importance, it must be noted that the ballot paper can be used to complete an audit trail if a manual recount becomes necessary.

During their three-day visit here, the DELIAN team also met with key officials of The People’s Progressive Party/Civic and A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU). They also paid a visit to Leguan and Wakenaam so as to get a feel of the type of terrain in which the machines could be put to use in any pilot project.

Guyana’s election laws do not currently provide for the use of electronic voting systems. Hence, the laws would have to be amended accordingly, should there be agreement between GECOM and the bona fide Political Parties pertaining to any introduction of the automatic ballot scan and tabulation systems in Guyana.

Witnessing the demonstration, which was conducted in the GECOM Boardroom, were GECOM Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally; Commissioners, Ms. Sandra Jones and Mr. Arun Mangar; Mr. Calvin Benn, Chief Election Officer (ag); Mr. Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Election Officer (ag); and technical staff from the Commission’s IT Division.

Subsequent to its visit here, the DELIAN Team conducted a similar demonstration to a wider audience during the 7th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Carribean Electoral Organisations (ACEO), held under the Chairmanship of Dr. Surujbally in Paramaribo, Suriname on January 16-17, 2014.

ntinues Mash with relay race in collaboration with the Regional Administration and Planning Committee for Mash celebrations.

It began from Lima and ended at the Anna Regina Car Park, with participating students from the seven secondary schools - Pomona, Johanna Cecelia, Abram Zuil, Cotton Field, Anna Regina Multilateral (ARMS), Eighth of May and Charity, as well as the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI).

Before the start of the race at Lima, Regional Chairman, Mr. Parmanand Persaud told participants

that it is part of Mash activities and commended them for taking part.

At the conclusion, ETI copped the first place in the male category while Eighth of May Secondary took second and ARMS third.

Amongst the females, Charity Secondary was first, ETI second and Eighth of May Secondary third.

Those who have won will receive their prizes at the presentation ceremony on Mash Day at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground.

Region 2 Chairman Mr. Parmanand Persaud addressing students on the Lima public road before the start of the relay race

DELIAN MEET: Standing (from left) are Mr. Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Election Officer (ag); Mr. Allan Best, DELIAN Managing Director; Mr. John Hollins, Chairman of the DELIAN Board of Directors; Ms. Juanita Barker, GECOM Legal Officer; Mr. Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Chairman of the DELIAN Advisory Board; Dr. Steve Surujbally, GECOM Chairman; and Mr. Calvin Benn, GECOM Chief Election Officer (ag)

Driver in recent ‘father-and-son’ accident remanded to prison ESSEQUIBO Magistrate, Mr. Sunil Scarce on Tuesday remanded Deyal Singh to prison when he appeared before him at the Anna Regina Court to answer to a charge of ‘Causing Death by Dangerous Driving’ on two counts.

According to a Police report, on January 17, Singh, of Perserverance Village, on the Essequibo Coast, drove in a dangerous manner to the public, killing Mumtaz Baksh, 72, and his con, Rafmat Baksh, 44 on the Land of Plenty Public Road.

Singh was represented by Attorney-at-Law Rajkumar, whose request for bail was denied by the Magistrate on the grounds that road accidents on the Essequibo Coast are becoming too prevalent.

Singh is due to return to Court on February 19. (Rajendra Prabhulall)

Charity truck driver remanded to prison for ‘causing-death’ TRUCK driver, Orette Best of Charity was remanded to prison Tuesday when he appeared before Essequibo Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Anna Regina Court to answer to a charge of ‘Causing Death by Dangerous Driving’.

The charge against Best, who was not required to plea, was that on Sunday, January 19, at Charity, he drove a heavy-duty truck in such a dangerous manner as to cause the death of threeyear-old Josiah Persaud.

He was represented by Rajkumar, Attorney-at-Law, whose request for bail was denied by the Magistrate.

He is to return to Court on February 18. (Rajendra Prabhulall)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

CONTACT NO: 604- 3518/ 616-0301 Today we are so very proud to present the dons and divas that made a smashing fashion statement over the last month. Please note that we have blended luscions Caribbean curves with well toned and chiselled physiques. We have also infused a rich Guyanese rush of womanly sexiness, interwoven with high class tropical fashion. Do enjoy, and remember to peruse the next three pages for all the excitement, fun and frolic that can be mustered from the Bombshell.... The best in local entertainment.

Very tantalising

So sexy ‘Suga Momma’ This dude rocks this outfit well.

So curvy, so bold, so bootilicious!!!

Calais, this is truely magnificent.

Dashing smiles and startling colours.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

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Jumo has eyes set on Soca Monarch crown in T/T competition

JUMO Primo, reigning Carib Soca Monarch King, will be leaving Guyana shortly to make preparations for his participation in the international Soca Monarch competition slated to commence in Trinidad and Tobago on February 8.

Primo is all excited about his inaugural participation in the competition, and promises to do his best to win it for Guyana. He has noted that while his winning would be a personal achievement, it is one that Guyanese should be proud of.

While cognisant that he has limited time to prepare, his main focus is to put Guyana on the map with respect to soca

music. He is also well aware that some big guns that are known to Trinidadians have already started to campaign and promote their music, and he would be sharing the same stage with them; but Jumo is unfazed by the competition.

He encourages all Guyanese to get on board and give him the support he needs to move forward into the finals.

The semi-finals will be held on February 8, and there will be a particular number to send text messages to in support of the Guyanese artiste.

“Once the number is available, I will broadcast it to make sure that all Guyanese become a part of the process,” Jumo has declared.

His entry into the international soca monarch is entitled “On de Road”, and this would also be his Carib Soca Monarch entry as he defends his title come February 15 in the National Park of Guyana.

The song was released on Thursday, and has already been creating some vibes on the local airwaves. However, with less than a month to go to defend his title, Primo, though well prepared, claims that anyone can be victorious.

He encourages all his fans to come out in their numbers on February 15 and party to the vibes and energy that he would be bringing to the stage.

He recently released “Marching Out” which he said

is suited for a hearty party. “We will start with Marching Out, then we will hit the road with On De Road, which will also be entered for the Road March competition,” an enthusiastic Jumo disclosed. He is also expected to shortly release Nosey People (Part two) called “People Like Talk”.

Meanwhile, the soca sensation and X2 member thanked his fans for their overwhelming support over the years. He said that without his fans he is no one.

He reiterated that he is all excited to be part of the international Soca Monarch competition, and renewed his call for the support from his fans.

American worship leader Israel Houghton for Guyana in February ISRAEL Houghton is a Grammy Award-winning American Christian singer, songwriter, producer, and worship leader mostly known for his cross-cultural style of Christian music.

He is set to perform live in Guyana on February 1, at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

The renowned artiste will be accompanied by a 15-member team, although the concert would also feature local Guyanese talents such as Junior Tucker, Hoszia Hinds and the 2nd Coming Band, among others. The four-hour concert would be characterized by worship and praise.

Houghton and his team are expected in Guyana on January 31, and are anticipating a fantastic concert as they promote peace, love and unity.

Inspire Inc., the organisers of this event, anticipate a monumental performance from a monumental singer; and accordingly expect a monumental turnout for this once-in-a-lifetime event. They are confident that an event of this nature and magnitude would create an indelible mark in the minds of those who attend.

Tickets for the concert will be available at various churches across the country, as well as from Gizmos and Gadgets, Princess Hotel and other locations that will be announced at a later date.

Houghton is normally known as Israel and the New Breed. He is currently signed to Integrity Music and is also a current worship leader at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood church in Houston, Texas.

Houghton has earned two Gold selling albums, six Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, a Soul Train Award, and five Grammy Awards.

In a dynamic world of praise and worship, the music never stops, as believers seek new songs to express their heartfelt gratitude in praise to God. No one knows this better than gospel-praise powerhouse Israel and New Breed and its bandleader, Israel Houghton.

Guyana’s Jumo Primo has his sights set on the International Soca Monarch crown.

Aidonia for Guyana Mash Night IN 2002, the Stereo Sonic Sound Company started bringing to Guyana the best Dancehall artistes of the Caribbean, and this year it will be no different, as one of the most requested musicians of recent times, Aidonia, would be brought to Guyana for the Stereo Sonic’s annual Mash Night Concert.

With 2013 hits like ‘Fi Di Jockey’ and ‘Bruki’, Aidonia has become one of the most in-demand artistes of the Caribbean, and now Guyanese will get what they have been asking for. On February 23, 2014, Aidonia will perform live at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground in Bourda.

With his distinctive raspy tones and smart lyrics, Sheldon ‘Aidonia’ Lawrence has become a favourite among fans across the Caribbean. He will be headlining this event, which will also see performing Guyana’s very own Lil Million, James Bond and Super Ray one-man band.

Lil Million was made popular with ‘The Dangles’, and later released ‘Rub it and Go Down’, ‘Eddo Leaf’ and ‘Front Door’ among other songs. James Bond recently stepped on the scene, but has created quite a buzz with his debut song, ‘Wine pon De Button’.

The Stereo Sonic Mashramani Concert has, over the years, evolved into the most anticipated and attended local event, drawing an estimated 10,000 patrons annually. Among the artistes who have headlined this event are the Mighty Crown, Tony Matterhorn, Mavado, Kiprich, RDX and Shal Marshall.

Mr. Famous ‘Play More Local’ for Guyana Mr. Famous

ON Saturday, February 22, the Hotel Tower Poolside will come alive with the sweet sound of soca as Guyanese ‘palance’ their way into Mashramani, our 44th Republic anniversary, with the sounds of Mr. Famous ‘Play More Local’ and Fadda Moses.

The voice of Devon Moses, better known as “Fadda Moses”, took the Caribbean and beyond by storm with the recent release of “Sample (Stand Up Bend Ova)” which went viral in a matter of days. Fadda Moses is no stranger to the music scene, and over the years has created a name for himself with songs like “Gyal Flex”, “Bubble Time” and “Never Bite”, among others.

Meanwhile, Mr Famous has not been doing too badly himself. He, too, has become a household name with his release of “Play More Local”. The calypso-like song has been heavily played on local airwaves as well as in Trinidad, creating quite a buzz about the artiste.

Aidonia

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Bombshell’s Artiste of the Week

Prince JP is a force to be reckoned with on the chutney/soca front Prince JP sizzles at every performance.

Prince JP

MOVE over seasoned faces, a new king is born! Yes indeed, Guyana is loaded with vocal and musical talent, but sometimes some of its seasoned campaigners need to move over to allow ‘fresh and talented young blood’ to shine in our music fraternity, if we are to get anywhere on the international music scene.

We have heard about Jumo Primo, and Adrian Dutchin, Mahendra Ramkellawan, Rajesh Dubraj and the tons of many others around.

And yes, they are all talented…. But come on folks, don’t you think it’s time they move over and make way for young talent?

If some seasoned campaigners can only budge and shift around a little, we will discover that smothered beneath the selfish and all controlling rule of some entertainers, there are talented faces like Joel Pharous, more popularly known as ‘Prince JP’, who has been creating chutney soca wonders since he hit the scene while he was just eighteen years old.

He is a spirited soul who performs raunchy and rude songs, and possesses the electric stage charisma that some singers truly lack while presenting. Come on folks, this dude is hot and very pulsating as an entertainer, and if he is not yet a household name, it is because selfish fans are refusing to give him the respect and recognition he deserves. “So come on now, Raise yuh hands in de air and welcome the likes of the new star, Prince JP!

Joel Pharous is a singing sensation in his still early twenties, and besides, he is also a talented songwriter. Born on December 30, he grew up in West Ruimveldt, but later moved to Diamond, East Bank Demerara. His singing career started when he joined the West Ruimveldt School Choir at the age of 10. He received much inspiration from the choir leader, Mr Wilfred Success, who pushed him to develop his singing talent.

At the age of 18, Joel began singing with a band, but was not very serious about committing to the career. However, after singing for some years and discovering in himself a passion to entertain,

Joel joined the Shakti Strings Orchestra. At that time he entered the GT&T Jingle and Song Competition and placed second.

This encouraged Joel even more to develop his singing flair. His famous original songs include the ‘BBM’ song, a reply to chutney singer Sally Sagram’s ‘Go So Nah’, and ‘Sally Wine Fuh Me’.

Joel hopes to soon release two new hot hits, ‘Why You Blaming Me?’ and ‘Bend Right Ova’.

The artiste aims to contribute his talents to promoting local music, and is indeed reaching for the stars in his intended musical career.

Bombshell’s hottest Babes Adrian Dutchin aims for eighth Madhu Singh Road March title is a ‘scorching siren’ from the Westside ADRIAN Dutchin, seven-time Road March King, will not participate in the 10th Annual Carib Soca Monarch competition, but would be participating in the Road March competition, and he has his eyes set on copping his eighth Road March title.

He is still to decide which song to enter for the competition, and might just have to resort to seeking advice from the public. There are two songs that have the vibes to lead a Mash band Adrian Dutchin down the road – “Jumping”, which was recently released, and “Bend Over and Roll”.

Thus far, the soca singer has released a number of tunes in time for Mashramani, and these include “Wine Up”; “Twerk it” and “Jumping”. He will soon release “Bend Over and Roll”.

All the tunes have already hit the local airwaves; and, rest assured, they have been drawing a listening audience.

Adrian Dutchin wrote these songs while on his long flights, and he is calling on the local deejays to promote local songs as Guyana moves into Mash rhythm.

Fans of Adrian can follow their star on Instagram and Twitter, as well on other social media, including BBM and Whatsapp.

SHE is hot and attractive, and so full of sensual fire. Provocative and very sultry, Madhu Singh is a distinct indication that the Westside is chockfull of naturally irresistible damsels.

This teenage beauty enjoys the outdoors and loves to travel, shop, and enjoy sight-seeing treks in her beautiful homeland, Guyana.

At present she is aspiring to become a beautician, but would dearly love to one day become a phenomenal woman in the world of glamour and high class fashion.

While she feels that women are vessels deserving of incessant care and the admiration of their mates and spouses, she opines that the female species must also return the favour.

At present, acquiring a balanced education are amongst her many positive priorities; so guys, don’t ask for a number.... She didn’t leave one simply because she is not ‘window shopping’.

The captivating Madhu Singh is the diva of the Westside

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

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Let’s tell it like it is!

Greed and envy have a way of consuming their masters -Envious neighbour causes businessman to suffer

A PROMINENT businessman now weeps disconsolately since he has invested millions into a luxurious business at Hydronie (Parika) but is unable to operate his business because it is reportedly under the spell and wrath of a continuously scheming neighbour.

In time long gone, A. Nazier & Sons Sports Bar was the entertainment hive of the Westside, until someone flew in on a broomstick from the Arctic region and made their lives a living ‘icy hell’.

Well, de Bombshell got wind of dese sordid events and decided tuh do ah lil personal investigating in de area. De findings were totally shocking!!!

De business people seh dat at one point deh de enjoyed a pleasant relationship wid de neighbah, until dey opened deh sports bar, den de neighbah became withdrawn and very gruff in speech and approach to dem, making dem think that envy was in de air.

Dem seh dat in no time at all dis neighbah began complaining about de large crowds visiting de location, and dat de music wuz too deafening. Wid tears in dere eyes, de business owners declared dat dis wuz a blatant lie, since deh only operated a small household music set dat was incapable of disturbing any neighbah. Dem she dat deh played only lulling music tuh allow de customers to relax and have conversation.

We checked the music set and realised that the neigh-

bour’s claims had to be absolutely false, or maybe malicious.

Though the business was large, there were only two small single speaker boxes there; and one was set up close to the bar, while the other was located far away from the neighbor, and only to provide soft music to the private dining location of the business.

Though the owners have invest millions into the business, they are unable to even attempt playing a little music, since this neighbour would call the police and complain about ‘noise nuisance’ all through the day.

The businessman’s son was in tears too, since he had just come from the Parika Police Station, where he had been summoned to comment ‘on a matter the police failed to dictate to him’, and just charged him when he arrived. He said each time the neighbour made a call the police would summon him to the station and just charge him for ‘noise nuisance’ and send him to the law courts, where he has already paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. A visit to the police station on Wednesday proved fruitless, since officers there rudely refused to comment on the matter.

The businessman and his son are of the view that the ‘wicked neighbour’, as they dubbed the individual, is ‘paying off’ the police, who readily would obey his evil bidding.

As we stood there at the business place, scores of cus-

tomers were made to turn away, disappointed that they could no longer listen to the soothing music they had grown accustomed to.

The younger businessman said that on one occasion the police were summoned and he was not even playing any music.

He said a bus was parked on the road parapet blasting music and the police from the Parika Police Station came and ignored the bus but took him to the station and charged him instead.

“We are in great feat of this neighbour who has (been) transformed into ‘the evil of all evils’ and for what reason I don’t know. I never blasted music before, since our business is a sophisticated location, not like the ghetto lawlessness associated with some businesses in Parika, who are left to blare their boom boxes to the highest.

This is totally unfair, and my wish is that this neighbour has returned upon them double the evil they are delivering to us”.

We were taken to several neighbours who confirmed that the claims of the particular other household were false, since the music at the sports bar is always played at a moderate level.

Persons took us to an entertainment joint on the Public Road in close proximity to the police station and it was quite strange that the police seemed not disturbed by all the raucous goings-on there. The owner of that rowdy joint himself noted that he had no ‘run ins’ with the

Guyana’s Next Top Model nets poor response in Bartica/Essequibo

The battle begins: Who is going to be Guyana’s Next Top Model?

The saddened businessman and grieving staff members at the Sports Bar yesterday, after they were forced to turn away many customers. police, even though he has been playing his boom box quite loud.

The owners of the sports bar are wishing for favourable rectification of this debacle, since they are unable to do proper business as a result of the constant harassment from the police and the ‘neighbour from hell’, as the staff there has dubbed the individual.

Well, a-we nah know wha ah gon happen in de near future, because a group ah media operatives dem spatted de sports bar venue and dem decide dat dem want tuh host wan engagement ceremony dere. Me ah wandah if ‘somebaddy’ ah goh fly in on wan broomstick tuh try and stap dat engagement from happening too.

I would surely like to see the outcome of that attempt, because in the midst of that gathering would be the Miss Doubtfire of the media fraternity, and she would certainly not allow her ceremony to be interrupted because of the evil whims of someone who seemingly has nothing constructive to do with their time.

The small household stereo set that is used to play music at the venue

JUST recently, management of the Millennium Manor Hotel in Hadfield Street, Georgetown launched their ‘Guyana’s Next Top Model’ initiative, geared at discovering and unleashing fresh local talent for the runway and world of glamour, and creating positive forums of entertainment for youths countrywide.

While the launch saw large numbers being shortlisted in Georgetown and Linden, promoters were appalled at the almost ‘non-response’ of youths, particularly in Essequibo, when they visited that location and Bartica over the weekend.

At Essequibo, five persons turned up at the auditions and one lucky female was shortlisted to join the cast vying for the 2014 female ‘Next Top Model’ title. A considerable number came out in Bartica, but as promoters dictated, those that came were mostly grown girls involved in trades that would have come into contention with the guidelines of the competition.

Another audition was hosted at the hotel on Wednesday night, and it saw some thirty females turning up, from which another five were selected. To date, there are twenty females and five males vying for the prestigious titles; and as indicated, four persons will be eliminated each week until the final eight persons who would battle for the Next Top Model title and crown are arrived at.

The contestants will make a number of public appearances aimed at boosting their confidence and self-esteem.

The initiative is being promoted by private businesswomen, who think that this is an excellent event to stimulate the interest of the young people, and to get them involved in fashion and modelling.

The next top model will be crowned after the contestants would have gone through rigorous routines in the form of fashion, designing and other events. This will take the shape of a reality show. As in any reality show, there will be eliminations as the event comes to a climax.

The organisers, Yonette Bacchus and June Ann Ross, are optimistic that the event would be one with a difference, and will see the winner walking away with at least $1million in cash and prizes. The winners will also each gain a one-year contract with the Millennium Manor Hotel to become spokespersons for the entity and to engage in commercial and other opportunities.

Designers associated with the initiative are Rhonda Dumbar, Leon Persaud and Crystal Lam.

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Finance Minister gives details of public servants pay rise

By Vanessa Narine MINISTER of Finance, Dr.

DR. ASHNI SINGH

Ashni Singh, yesterday, provided the National Assembly with a breakdown of the expenditure related to the approved five per cent increase in wages and salaries for public servants.

He gave the details in written response to a question on the payment by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Parliamentarian Basil Williams.

Williams had asked the minister to provide the House with the particulars and specific amounts, utilised in relation to the increase in wages and salaries, new employment and promotions component under the $4.4B allocated in the 2013 Budget for ‘Revision of Wages

and Salaries’.

Dr. Singh explained that some $1.6B was used for payment of the five per cent increase in wages and salaries, $1.3B went to employment costs shortfalls arising from new recruits and $.03B employment costs shortfalls arising from promotions.

He added that $0.5B covered the one month bonus to the ranks in the Disciplined

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Aries March 21 - April 19

Someone will be giving you an awful lot of attention today, but you might not be comfortable with it. If so, your best tactic is to try to ignore them. You can’t try to fake it, but there is also no need to hurt their feelings or embarrass them with overcomplicated apologies.

Instead, just carry on with normal relations and sooner or later they will get the picture that you aren’t interested. Then they will likely give up and move on to someone else.

Taurus April 20 - May 20

Taking all of the credit for something you did all by yourself isn’t bragging, it’s justified!

You can’t be humble just because you’re afraid that by accepting praise you’ll be making it too obvious that someone who should have helped you didn’t. How other people react to your growing positive publicity is their issue -- it’s nothing you should take responsibility for. If they have a hang up, it’s their hang up to solve. Never, ever turn down praise that you have worked hard for.

Gemini May 21 - June 21

You deserve to indulge in a little silly distraction. You have been itching for some fun shenanigans for a while, but haven’t had the time or the opportunity for them -- until today. Let your mischievous side come out to play for a little while, and you will soon be able to cook up some interesting capers. As long as you’re not hurting anyone’s feelings, you’ve got a green light for practical jokes and even a little goofy teasing. Try to get others in on the fun.

Cancer June 22 - July 22

If you are going to be working with contracts or other types of legal documents today, make sure you have the time you need to concentrate on them. You’ll need to read all of the small print very carefully, because there could be a very big, very unpleasant surprise waiting there for you. It’s not a huge problem, but it is something that could create a bigger time drain than you can handle right now. Just make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before you get into it.

Leo July 23 - August 22 BASIL WILLIAMS

For Friday January 24, 2014 -10:30hrs For Saturday January 25, 2014 -11:30hrs

Services.

According to him, another $0.7B was for the payment of employment cost shortfalls at subvention agencies and $0.1B to employment cost shortfalls from the payment of salaries in lieu of leave and like expenditures.

The Finance Minister pointed out that some agencies met part of the five per cent hike in wages and salaries from their provisions that were already voted on in the 2013 Budget.

Last year public servants received a five per cent increase, which they deemed insufficient, giving rise to protest actions by the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) that fizzled.

Like most people, you still have some unresolved feelings about a person from your past. But unlike most people, you are ready to look at these issues deeply. They have been holding you back and you know it. This is an immensely big and healthy step for you to be taking, so if you need more time than you thought, take it! Let friends know that you’re working through some stuff so that they don’t worry if you start to pull back from the social scene. They want you to do what you have to do.

Virgo August 23 - September 22

In your work life as well as in your love life, you need to communicate what you need.

But more importantly, you have to be ready to move on if you don’t get it. It’s not about refusing to compromise or settle -- it’s about being firm in who you are and about what you want out of life. If you feel you have been compromising too much or that you are being taken for granted, today you need to find your backbone and have a nice long talk with that certain someone.

Libra September 23 - October 22

Your work or school life is going through some significant changes right now, and you might not be too happy about where you think things are going. But do not despair before you have to! Try to withhold your judgment until all of the shuffling around has finished and the dust has settled. Jumping to conclusions might seem like good mental exercise, but it is really a huge waste of your energy. Avoid gossiping with other people about what is going on. They will only feed your fears.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

Your greatest strength is usually your independent spirit -- but today, the greatest strength lies in numbers! So try not to go it alone. Get your circle of friends or coworkers to help you and you will feel back in control in no time. Things could start happening faster than you planned, so having a team at your back will help you feel a lot more confident about how the day will go. And don’t worry about getting recognised -- you will end up being the MVP of any team you’re on.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

Your sparkling charm can work wonders today -- it can transform a blue friend into a sunny and happy friend, help you connect with a shy or introverted person, and even tame a blustering bully. You turn them into a tame kitty cat! All you have to do is flash a smile and toss a compliment someone’s way and the magic will begin! This is a great time in your life to expand your social circle and try to connect with the people you normally would not think of approaching.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19

Finding a new way to organise your stuff will be easy today. You’ve got all the creativity you need to see things in a new way, and you’ve got the time you need to figure out a better way to put things together. If things at your job or at school have been confusing you lately, you can figure out how to make them make sense again. You’re coming out of the clouds, finally -- and while it might have taken longer than you wished, it is happening.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

Your eyes might have good vision right now, but what about your heart? Take some time today to think about what you really want emotionally -- in your love life, in your career, and in your personal development. Are you neglecting two of these areas in favour of the third? Balance is necessary in order to be content, so it’s wise to perform an internal audit every once in a while. The universe is waiting for you to tell it what you want for yourself, so it can help put you on that path.

Pisces February 19 - March 20

If you are worried about a friend right now, your concern might be unwarranted -- so do not act on your feelings just yet. You cannot get involved with stuff you are unsure of, especially when it involves people who you really care about. Just hang back and keep an eye out for new developments. Your compassion might be well-intentioned, but it could be interpreted as meddlesome or even annoying. You’ve got to give people time to deal with their own stuff.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

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SPR Enterprise three-way dominoes

Fierce encounter expected in final leg A FIERCE encounter is anticipated when the final leg of the SPR Enterprise- sponsored three-way aggregate dominoes tournament climaxes at Zeelugt this Sunday.

At the end of the second round, played at Ernest Shop, Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara last Sunday, International Six were leading with 150 games with Canal Six trailing on

145 and Zeelugt 143.

The lead represented a significant comeback by International Six after they trailed Canal Six by nine games following the end of the first leg, played last Friday at the Everest Cricket Club pavilion.

Led by the maximum 18 games from Ramroop Sukhai in the first leg, Canal Six romped

to a commanding 83 games with International Six on 74 and Zeelugt 69. Sukhai received admirable support from Chibar Seopaul with 14 games and Scotty Ramroop who made 29 out of a possible 36, playing through.

For International Six, Edmund Sammy (15 games), Hilbert ‘Bumpy’ Ali (14) and Ron Callender (13) were the

top markers. Skipper Boodnarine Persaud and Balram Sammy topped for Zeelugt with 13 games each.

The lone lovebird was Navin Samaroo of International Six. In the second leg, International Six bounced back to score 76 games with Zeelugt just behind on 76 and Canal lagging on a mere 62 games.

Intikab ‘Corbie’ Ali led the way for the winners with the maximum 18 games while Callender supported with 13.

Zeelugt’s top markers were Daniel Juman with 16 games and Robin Persaud 13. P. Ramdial and Scotty Ramroop made 15 and 14 games respectively for Canal.

Four players went down

lovers’ lane – skipper Manniram Shew and Hilbert Ali of International Six and Canal’s Ramroop Sukhai and Kedar Seopaul.

The teams are competing for a winning and first runner-up trophy, three trophies for the top three players in the winning team, the best two players in the second team and the best in the third team.

WICB to argue its Spinner Mendis position before ICC recalled by Sri Lanka ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) - The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has adopted a position on a draft proposal that would put power in international cricket in the hands of India, England and Australia.

Decision was reached during a two-day emergency meeting by teleconference which ended late Wednesday.

However, a WICB spokesperson has said that the WICB position would not be made public until it is articulated before the quarterly meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dubai on January 28 and 29.

“The Board has taken a position in the best interest of

Dave Cameron West Indies Cricket and which President Dave Cameron will present to the ICC Board meeting next week in Dubai,” the WICB spokesperson said.

“The WICB views it as prudent to present the Board’s

position to the ICC meeting before making any further public comment.”

The ICC working paper is proposing that Test cricket is played under a two-tier system in which England, India and Australia will not be demoted while teams like West Indies and New Zealand would find themselves in the second tier.

The issue has sparked a raging debate in the cricket world with Cricket South Africa calling on the ICC to withdraw the proposal and former chairman of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Governance Committee, Charles Wilkin, appealing to WICB and regional governments to resist the move.

Berdych blames tiebreak ‘lottery’ for semi-final defeat

By Simon Cambers (REUTERS) - Tomas Berdych blamed the ‘lottery’ of the tiebreak, as he was beaten

by Stanislas Wawrinka in the semi-finals of the Australian Open last night.

The Czech seventh seed won the second set on a tiebreak to level but then lost out in two more as he went down 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 to miss out on a second grand slam final.

“It was a very good match,” former Wimbledon r u n n e r- u p B e r d y c h t o l d reporters. “I played very well. I built the tactics and the game plan on my strength. It was working pretty good. There was just one thing that I missed and it was my service game in the first set.

“Other than that, I was able to play aggressively, not to do that many mistakes, attacking Stan, especially after those sliced backhands. The game plan was working nearly perfect. But just the tiebreak is always a big lottery and he was the lucky one today.”

Usually a tiebreak fa-

vours the player with the bigger serve -- he is likely to have to work less hard for points -- but Berdych

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was his own worst enemy as double faults in each one helped the Swiss get over the line.

09:35 hrs Guapa Lucia 10:05 hrs Dingdong 10:35 hrs Navignies 11:05 hrs Zanis 11:35 hrs Cardolan South Africa Racing Tips Fairview 08:10 hrs African Lily 08:45 hrs Tiger Right 09:25 hrs Daresay 10:05 hrs Daintree Dancer 10:40 hrs Casey Ryder 11:15 hrs Pacific Line Irish Racing Tips Dundalk 13:45 hrs Chiclet 14:15 hrs Above The Law 14:45 hrs Gold Falcon 15:15 hrs Palace Of Winds 15:45 hrs Iron Major 16:15 hrs Valley Queen 16:45 hrs Noble Call

(REUTERS) - Sri Lanka have recalled spinner Ajantha Mendis for the two-Test series in Bangladesh after he missed this month’s series against Pakistan.

He replaces off-spinner Sachitra Senanayake in the 15-man squad for the Tests in Dhaka and Chittagong, with the rest of the squad remaining unchanged.

Batsman Lahiru Thirimanne, who returned home during the Pakistan series in the United Arab Emirates due to an injured ankle, has not recovered

Ajantha Mendis

and is replaced by Kithuruwan Vithanage.

The first Test starts on January 27 and the second on February 4.

Squad: Angelo Mathews (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Prasanna Jayawardene, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Shaminda Eranga, Vishwa Fernando.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Schumacher may end up in ‘persistent vegetative state’ FEARS ARE continuing to grow for Michael Schumacher’s future condition as he remains in a coma over four weeks after his accident.

Jean-Marc Orgogozo, professor of neurology at the University of Bordeaux, has been quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying: “Every day, every week in a coma the chances decline that the situation is improving.”

An Austrian news agency Format reported on Tuesday as

saying that there is now an ever increasing chance that Schumacher might be left in a persistent vegetative state when he finally emerges from his coma.

The Daily Mirror spoke to another consultant neurosurgeon, Colin Schieff, who said that – while too early to say – doctors in France were correct to warn Schumacher’s family that he may end up in a persistent vegetative state, also known as Apallic Syndrome.

A vegetative state is a disorder of consciousness where a brain-damaged patient is in a state of partial arousal: the body is not dead, and the brain has a limited functionality, but there is no awareness or responsiveness even if the patient is awake.

The persistent vegetative state (or PVS) cannot be diagnosed until at least four weeks after the initial lapse into permanent unconsciousness, while it can only be deemed permanent

after 12 months.

At this moment in time Schumacher is in a coma – which means he is neither aware nor aware of what’s going on – so a vegetative state cannot be diagnosed until doctors allow him to emerge from his current state, which is being maintained in order to allow the damaged areas of the brain to heal.

The fear is that when doctors to eventually allow him to come out of the coma, there will

be little impact on his quality of life – he would essentially be brain dead.

However, many patients do recover from such injuries.

Around half of the patients who are in a vegetative state a

remains in a coma, and the longer it takes for him to regain consciousness, the worse his chances become and patients who stay in a PVS for a year or longer rarely make any sort of recovery.

Li beats Bouchard to reach another final (REUTERS) - China’s Li Na advanced to her second successive Australian Open final with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard.

Li has now reached three finals at Melbourne Park in the last four years, having lost to Victoria Azarenka last year and to Kim Clijsters in 2011. She also lost to Clijsters in the fourth round in 2012.

“Last time was a little bit tough so I will try this time to make one more step,” Li said in a courtside interview.

“I think after working with the coach, it’s not only about my technique, I’m playing much stronger on court ... and more stable from the first point to the second point,” she added of her success at the season-opening Grand Slam.

Bouchard was just the second Canadian player of either gender to make it to a Grand Slam semi-final in the Open Era, after Carling Bassett, who

was a semi-finalist at the 1984 U.S. Open.

The 19-year-old, however, had trouble from the onset, letting the ball bounce in front of her on the opening serve due to the sun, before her first

LI NA actual serve was into the wrong service box.

Li wasted little time in bashing three backhand winners

in the first game to break the young Canadian to love, held serve, then broke again to love to give her a handy 3-0 lead.

Such was the world number four’s dominance Li did not commit an unforced error until the fourth game and restricted Bouchard to three points in total in the first five.

She continued to force Bouchard back behind the baseline, when rallies extended beyond three shots, but then temporarily lost concentration to allow the Canadian to win two games, before she sealed the first set in 28 minutes with a forehand volley.

Bouchard began the second set with an ace - her first of the match - and while Li held two break points the Canadian appeared to be getting into a rhythm and she battled to hold serve in a game that lasted 11 minutes.

Li’s first service game of the second set lasted a further 10 minutes as Bouchard at-

Windies Under-19s start pre-World Cup camp BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The West Indies Under-19 team started their camp in Barbados on Wednesday as they get ready for next month’s start of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The 15 players are under the guidance of longstanding head coach Roddy Estwick, as they intensify their preparations at the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre. As part of the camp they will play a warm-up match against Combined Campuses & Colleges on Saturday afternoon at the 3Ws Oval. CCC will use the match as part of their preparations for the NAGICO Super50 tournament.

“We have to make the most of this camp here as we prepare for the World Cup. The boys know they have to work hard and look to tick all the boxes for what is a very prestigious event on the cricket calendar,” Estwick told WICB Media.

“What we are aiming for is to peak when we reach the UAE for the tournament – when it really matters. We have to hit the ground running in February and make sure we have the right combinations and chemistry.”

This year’s ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup will feature 16 teams in four groups and the Windies have been drawn alongside South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada in Group C, with their opening preliminary match being against the Proteas on Friday, February 14 at the Dubai International Stadium.

The second match is on Sunday, February 16 against Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The third match is two days later against the Canadians at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium Nursery Ground 1.

FULL SQUAD: Ramaal Lewis (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain/wicketkeeper), Fabian Allen, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Bryan Charles, Tristan Coleman (wicketkeeper), Jonathan Drakes, Shimron Hetmyer, Jerome Jones, Ray Jordan, Brandon King, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Gudakesh Motie and Jeremy Solozano.

tacked Li’s first serve, which had deserted her, with five deuce points before the Chinese belted a forehand out to give the 30th seed a 2-0 lead.

The momentum swung again with Li rattling off three successive games, and six of the final eight, as she continued to be aggressive to set up a final against Dominika Cibulkova, who thrashed fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska later in the day.

“Tough match of course in the final,” Li added of her potential final opponent. “I think both will fight because it’s one more step to take the trophy so we will see.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER month after injury are able to recover consciousness within a year; chances of recovery are linked to the extent of the brain injury, the patient’s age and physical fitness. Schumacher’s excellent physical condition would, in theory, could aid any recovery.

But the longer Schumacher

One Tuesday last, his wife Corinna again thanked fans for all their support. “ We a l l k n o w : h e i s a fighter and will not give up!,” she said. “We are deeply moved that there is no let-up in the good wishes for Michael from around the world. That gives us strength. Thank you, all of you!”

Blatter, Rousseff brush off World Cup problems (REUTERS) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff brushed off their troubled World Cup preparations after meeting FIFA’s Sepp Blatter yesterday, reiterating that her country would stage the ‘Cup of Cups’.

Blatter, president of world soccer’s governing body, also dismissed worries over Brazil’s problems, saying all that was needed were “a few touch-ups”.

Their meeting at FIFA headquarters came two days after officials in Curitiba, one of the 12 World Cup venues, were given until February 18 to prove they can get their stadium ready or risk exclusion from the tournament.

The Arena da Baixada was supposed to be ready in December but, like five other grounds, it is behind schedule.

Airports and public transportation are also a huge problem as Brazil prepares to host the tournament for the first time since 1950.

Blatter and Rousseff read statements in which they discussed initiatives to combat racism, promote peace and

strengthen women’s football in Brazil.

These included, according to Blatter, the release of a bird of peace before the opening ceremony.

However, the pair largely avoided going into details on the issues regarding World Cup preparations.

“We are prepared,” said

SEPP BLATTER Rousseff after an hour-long meeting.

“We are going to put on the Cup of Cups, and we are going to do so in the country

of football. Stadiums are relatively simple things to build,” she added. “We are sparing no effort into building stadiums, airports and ports to enable Brazil to welcome visitors with open arms.”

Blatter said he was also unruffled.

“Brazil is the country of football and there is no better country than Brazil when talking about football,” he said.

“So, Brazil is going to organise a very beautiful World Cup, a great World Cup and confidence reigns. And now, there are a few months to go, and there will have to be a few touch-ups but this is normal for a World Cup. I am used to World Cups.

“There is no problem,” he added. “At the end of the day, everything will be in order, everywhere in Brazil.”

Blatter said earlier in January that he could not remember any country having fallen so far behind in their preparations as Brazil.

After Rousseff tweeted that Brazil would stage ‘the Cup of Cups’, Blatter backtracked and predicted a successful tournament.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday January 24, 2014

Wawrinka beats Berdych to reach first Grand Slam final

(REUTERS) - Stanislas Wawrinka made his very first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 semi-final win over Tomas Berdych.

In a slow-burning contest that occasionally roared to life, the Swiss eighth seed stepped up on big points on a tense night at Rod Laver Arena, reaching his first major final where he will meet either Rafael Nadal or compatriot Roger Federer.

with queries over his fitness but was switched on from the start, and struck the first blow by breaking the seventh seed in the eighth game.

His first serve deserting him briefly, the Czech notched a string of unforced errors to proffer a break point, then pushed an overhead smash wide of the tramlines to hand the Swiss the initiative.

Door ajar, Wawrinka barged through with a huge serve to

break, and a second the set.

Deflated, Berdych netted a half-hearted backhand to concede a break point immediately, but saved it and then patently refused to yield.

Digging in for another set driven with tension, Berdych’s defiance began to grate on Wawrinka, who began to labour on serve and snipe at the chair umpire over close line calls.

But the Swiss composed himself in the final tiebreak,

STANISLAS WAWRINKA With only a single break of serve in the entire match, Wawrinka upped the ante in the decisive tiebreak, earning three match points when his opponent pushed a serve long.

Wawrinka closed out the match with a monster 214 kph (132 mph) serve that whistled into Berdych’s body, sparking a huge roar from the centre court crowd.

“I don’t know what to say.

I’m speechless. It’s amazing,” Wawrinka said in a courtside interview after throwing a triumphant stare at his player’s box and pointing to his head.

“I’m working every day to try to win matches; I didn’t expect to make a final in a Grand Slam so I’m just really happy.

I played really aggressive. It’s important against him to take the advantage as soon as you can to take the rallies.”

The win continued Wawrinka’s fairytale run at Melbourne Park, having sensationally ended Novak Djokovic’s three-year reign in a five-set quarter-final classic.

Wawrinka faced Berdych

clinch a set point then angled a devilish second serve into Berdych’s body to take the early lead.

Another tiebreak arrived, and Berdych’s serve promptly crumbled. A double-fault handed Wawrinka a crucial mini-

charging to a 4-1 lead after Berdych double-faulted.

A loose forehand that sailed long gave Wawrinka three set points, and the Swiss coolly took the second of them to set a date for the biggest match of his life.

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“It was a strange match,” said Wawrinka. “When you play a four-set match with three tiebreaks it is rare, but my goal was to be more aggressive than he.

“I had the feeling he was really nervous and really tired because he gave me a little bit some points in the third set tiebreak and fourth set tiebreak with some double faults. I think he started to be really nervous.”

A gloomy Berdych struggled to answer questions in his post-match press conference, but was satisfied his game plan had worked “nearly” perfectly.

“Just the tiebreak is always a big lottery, and he was the lucky one today,” he told reporters. “I’m starting to get quite annoyed with the matches losing in tiebreaks.

I’m not pretty good in that.

Little DIVA Flames FC intensify training

THE LITTLE DIVA Football Club will intensify their training as they prepare for their first friendly game to be played on Sunday at the Number 5 Ground, West Berbice, against Monedderlust commencing at 16:00hrs.

Training started yesterday and will continue tomorrow from 16:00hrs at the Georgetown Football Club ground, under the watchful eyes of coaches Joseph (Bill) Wilson and Sheron (Sherry) Abrams.

A meeting was held with the parents of the players yesterday at the GFC ground where the transportation of the players for Sunday’s game and other upcoming events of the club was discussed.

The following players have been selected to represent the Little DIVAS on Sunday; Aaliyah Stanley, Cindy McPherson, Mariska Corbin, Precyous Johnson, Sieda Dummett, Atabia James, Janet Chiniah, Keisha Gordon, Jennel Brown, Shaunna Taylor, Troyann Barton, Deborah Waldron, Dacaycia Norville, Tiffeney Jupiter, Gabriella English, Sonya Denny, Tandica La Rose, Shania Riley, Aquenna Forde, Sherita Singh, Kevona Hackett and Aaliyah Goodluck.

Meanwhile, the friendly game will be followed by two games in the Berbice Football Association Play-Off Tournament to select teams to participate in the Guyana Football Federation Nation Cup KO tournament scheduled for later this year.

From 18:00hrs, New Amsterdam United and Rosignol United will clash and at 20:00hrs Monedderlust and Cougars will lock horns.

Sport CHRONICLE

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Schumacher may end up in ‘persistent vegetative state’ See Story on Page 30

Dependable Spares supports DCC for fifth year

Here you go skipper! Manager of Dependable Spares Raymond Baksh (3rd from right) proudly presents one of the jerseys to national skipper and captain of Demerara Cricket Club’s first division team Christopher Barnwell, while from left Bertram Austin, Alfred Mentore, Trevon Griffith, coach Gavin Nedd and Paul Wintz look on appreciatively. ed,” said Mentore. the seniors, we had four of the uniforms to Barnwell

By Calvin Roberts “From the first time when (GCA)/Carib Beer first division He informed his audience players, with our very own and later the cheque to MenT20 tournament. The represen- we approached Dependable which also included the club’s Barnwell being drafted by tore, Manager of Dependable YESTERDAY morning and tatives have also agreed to have Spares and sought their assisthree players on this year’s the Royal Challengers BanSpares Raymond Baksh said for the fifth successive year, their business logo fitted on to tance with sponsorship for our NAGICO Super50 team - skipgalore for the Indian Prethe donation to the club was in Dependable Spares and King the club’s recently purchased uniforms - which will be used per Christopher Barnwell, Paul mier League. appreciation of their returns, Paul of Eccles, East Bank Deby the first division team - five uniforms.

Wintz and Trevon Griffith - that “This was all made possible as they wore the brand of his merara, joined forces with the In accepting the cheque, years ago, they have responded the club which is known as the because of the support from company with pride.

Queenstown-based Demerara DCC president Alfred Men- positively to us.

‘Home of the Legends’, prosponsors such as Dependable He congratulated the club Cricket Club (DCC).

“Today, we are happy to tore said he was happy to have duced players for every national Spares and King Paul and today on its success over the years, As a result, the corporate the sponsor on board once have them on board with us team that left these shores last I wish to say that while they are while he urged the trio selectentity made a donation of an again, noting that sponsorship once again, to whom I must year. giving us a substantial amount ed for national duties to go undisclosed sum to the club is hard to come by, hence the say thanks on behalf of the club “At the Under-15 and of cash, part of it will be used forward and continue being which is presently leading the club and himself are grateful and myself, since gestures like 17 levels, we had 5 players towards other projects at the good ambassadors not only points standing in Zone B of the for the entity’s unwavering these are always worthy to be each while for the Under-19 club,” stated Mentore. for DCC, but Guyana and Georgetown Cricket Association acknowledged and appreciatsupport. t h e re w e re t w o a n d f o r Prior to handing over one Dependable Spares as well.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014