LOCAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS Payment To Rent Drugs Bond More Than Some Regions' Budget - Jagdeo PAGE 2
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jadgeo said that the controversial drug bond at Sussex Street which he described as a “a bottom house” will be paid close to $170 million per year while the Health Services Capital Budget for Region 4 is $88 million. The former president said that the money set aside to pay the owner of the drug bond which was single sourced by government because of the urgent need for a place for drug storage is twice as much than the amount of the entire health services of Region 4. It was discovered during the Thursday proceedings of the National Assembly that the drug bond stored boxes of umbilical cord clamps, latex condoms, lubricant, and IDU kit insertions and some heavy medical equipment including incubators, a pharmaceutical forklift etc but not a single tablet. Jagdeo went on to compare other capital budgets for other regions to the drug bond payment. He said it will be bigger than the entire public works budget for Region 6; he compared it to the entire capital budget of education in Region 10 which stands at $90 million. Again he compared the amount saying that the payment will be almost as much as the entire capital budget for Region 8 which stands $206 million, and the capital budget for Region 7 which is $227 million.
Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jadgeo
RAMJATTAN CALLS ON CITIZENS TO COOPERATE WITH POLICE
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan
Guyanese citizens continue to complain about the police system not working properly but Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan assured that thanks to Budget 2017, the problems will be addressed. "You see in Guyana here, I have come to learn that silence is violence," Ramjattan told the National Assembly during his budget presentation. The Minister further stated that ‘’if people do not come out and speak out against the people who are doing the wrongs them, like what happened in Berbice. After so many piracy incidents, we then understood that the pirates are the same Berbicians neighbour and community members, you are going to get the thing solved.’’ Ramjattan believes that even as the Police Force continues its fight against crime citizens must play a role by speaking up against those friends or family who may be part taker of criminal activities. He further stated that Government will be training Police officers. According to Ramjattan, "we have to train some more policemen, and I have pleading with members across the floor, if they have friends and family want to join up ,because they say we are not creating employment, well I am short a thousand policemen, send some over so that they could be employ.’’
LOCAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS Contract Inked With Dutch Company For Study On New Harbour Bridge PAGE 3
The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation this morning signed a contract with Dutch company Lievense CSO. Plans are moving a pace for a new Demerara river bridge to be constructed . The contract covers the production of a Feasibility Study and the Design for the new Demerara River Crossing. The feasibility study will commence on January 15, 2017. The new structure is expected to be a ďŹ xed high span bridge, which will allow for ships to traverse the waterway, without affecting trafďŹ c. During the signing of the contract Minister within the Ministry of public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, on behalf of the Ministry and the Government of Guyana, thanked the company for its interest in the project and for the experience and knowledge it will undoubtedly bring. The advisor to the CEO of the Dutch company, Arie Mol, thanked Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation for the opportunity. He said that he looks forward to working with DHBC and also assured that his company will ensure that all scheduled are met and completed. Demerara Harbour Bridge General Manager, Rawlston Adams, expressed similar sentiments.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
New Police Recruits Treated To Luncheon The Guyana Police Force on Thursday held its Trainees Christmas Luncheon, at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Eve Leary. Force Training Officer- Assistant Commissioner Paul Williams, said that the event is an annual one for the new recruits and that it is seen as part of leadership to be serving the 235 new trainees.According to Mr. Williams, this present batch will be passing out on the 16th December, 2016. According Mr. Williams there are approximately 600 new recruits for the year 2016, which brings the Guyana Police Force close to 4000 Police Officers. When asked about shortages in the GPF, Mr. Williams said that there is approximately 700-800 presently, but this amount will be complemented with the present recruits and the incoming batch.When asked about the quality of training the recruits received, Mr. Williams said that the training is in keeping with the growing needs of the society. He encouraged persons to join the GPF with an open mind and be prepared to go through the training. He further noted that the GPF is recognizing persons with degree coming in to the Police Force.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
UnidentiďŹ ed Male Killed On Buxton Road By Alleged Drunk Driver The Police are investigating a fatal accident which occurred about 01:30 hrs this morning on the Friendship/Buxton Public Road E.C.D, which resulted in the death of an unidentiďŹ ed male. Police Investigation revealed that Motor car PVV 4355 was proceeding west along the southern side of the road, when it is alleged that two motor cars proceeding in the opposite direction, drove into the lane of PVV 4355, resulting in the driver swerving left and colliding with the pedestrian who was walking on the southern parapet. The pedestrian was rushed to the G.P.H.C, in an unconscious state by Police Ranks along with one Emily Persaud, 17, of Annandale E.C.D, who was an occupant of the car. The pedestrian was pronounced dead on arrival and Persaud is admitted in a stable condition with abrasions about her body. The driver, 21, of Annandale E.C.D,who was tested and found to be over the legal alcohol limit, is
presently at the G.P.H.C seeking medical attention under police guard ,after complaining of feeling unwell.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
$100M To Rebuild Burnt Health Ministry Government has designated $100m towards the rebuilding of the burnt Ministry of Health located on Brickdam, Georgetown. Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton presented a detailed construction plan during the debate of the 2017 budget to the National Assembly after which Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira rose to her feet asking that Dr Norton share the document with the House. The reconstruction is expected to happen within three phases. :It is a known fact that the head office of the Ministry of Public Health was burnt to the ground nearly eight years ago since July 2009 during the past regime…The PPP/C seemed quite contented in letting it remain that way,” the Health Minister said. It was reported that the Ministry of Health building had been in existence for more than 100 years and during the fire, various documents were lost which included records relating to professional examination, financial administration, procurement, payment as well as the history of the building. The fire, believed to have been sparked by ‘channa bombs’, completely destroyed the main building and an annex at Brickdam in the wee hours of July 17, 2009. Keith Ferrier, the man accused of setting the firewas freed of the charge by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Back in 2013, two men were sentenced to 66 months imprisonment each, after they were found guilty of unlawfully and maliciously setting fire to the public building. The men were Colin Jones and Clayton Westford.
Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton
LOCAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS Cops, Businessman Robbed PAGE 9
A male suspect is in custody assisting with an investigation after he was found with a number of recently stolen articles. Police reports have disclosed that about 11:55h. today two ranks of the Guyana Police Force were in the process of retrieving video footage, at a Georgetown business location, in respect of an ongoing investigation of a recent crime, when two identifiable males approached and relieved the two unarmed ranks and the proprietor of a number of valuables inclusive of their cellular phones and a wallet, after which they escaped on a motorcycle. Shortly after acting on information, ranks apprehended a male suspect on Middle Dam, East la Penitence, with a haversack containing 2 cell phones belonging to the proprietor, a bank card, an identification card and a wallet belonging to one of the ranks.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
The investigation continues.
Berbice Youth Charged With Death Of Boy, 11 The driver, who was involved in the accident that resulted in the death of 11-year- old Simon Kendall on Thursday, was today charged and remanded to prison until December 28, 2016. Darshan Babulall, 22 years of age and of Number 46 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, appeared before Magistrate Ortiga at the Number 51 Village Magistrate’s Court, where the charge of causing death by dangerous driving, was read to him. The Court was informed by the Prosecutor that the accused was in August of 2014, charged with Causing the death of another teenager at Alness Village, Corentyne, was convicted in May of this year and sentenced to one year imprisonment and two years suspension of his Driver’s Licence. However, he appealed the decision and was released on High Court bail, pending the determination of the matter.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
Opposition Will Support Government On Juridical Settlement Of Guyana-Venezuela Border Controversy – Jagdeo Leader of Opposition and Former President Barrat Jagdeo on Friday morning said that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will be supportive of the government’s efforts to have the GuyanaVenezuela Border controversy be taken to the International Court of Justice. “Whatever that outcome is, and I hope it is a favourable one to Guyana, we in the People’s Progressive Party will be supportive, we have a national position on this matter and that will not change” Dr. Jagdeo said in his presentation to the National Assembly. However, Jagdeo said he hopes that the government had serious discussions in the event that the outcome is not a favourable one. “But I do hope that the Government has had serious discussions on this issue and has examined all the likely possibilities that may emerge from this process," he said. The Former President said that if Guyana is successful in getting the United Nations’ General Secretary “to advance our cause through a juridical process, then we would have achieved the outcome that we sought.” But if the outcome is not favourable and the matter is delayed, Jagdeo warmed that Venezuela maybe embolden to be a bit more” adventurous” on the matter. He said that even the agreement that Trinidad and Tobago recently signed with Venezuela, as to the development of the gas resources offshore may have implications for the country. He restated that he is “hopeful that the government is paying serious attention to ensure that if the outcome is not the one that we desire, that this does not endure to the detriment of Guyana and that we take urgent steps to address through diplomatic means, because there could be no other means, the likely fall out of such a process”. Jagdeo also said
that Guyana should restate with Trinidad and Tobago, its objections to any action on their part that may infringe on Guyana’s maritime space or its sovereignty. Guyana has been pushing the UN Secretary General to recommend a juridical settlement to the border controversy, maintaining that t that the border conflict was settled since 1899. Venezuela, however wants the Good Officer’s process to continue which has failed. The UN General Secretary had promised to give his recommendation at the end of November but so far has not provided that assessment to the situation.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
PENSIONERS TO BENEFIT FROM ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEM The new measure is geared at easing the burden on the elderly and improving the efficiency of the OAP payment system, as well as oversight of Senior Citizens homes. According to Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, the new system is expected to improve the management and administration of the system. "Mr. Speaker, the Ministry in collaboration with the E - G o v e r n m e n t A g e n c y, t h e M i n i s t r y o f P u b l i c Telecommunications has commenced testing an Electronic Pension Payment System.(EPPS). In 2017,there will be full implementation and operationalization of the EPPS, which upon completion, is expected to improve the managenment and administration of the old pension payments," she said during the debate of budget 2017 in the National Assembly. Additionally, the review will address persons who seek to encash vouchers that were issued months prior to the existing date. Lawrence said too that her Ministry has developed and finalized minimum standards for elderly residential facilities in line with international best practices and Guyana’s obligations under international treaties and agreements. Next year pensioners across the country would benefit from the implementation of an electronic pension payment system for Old Age pension (OAP). ‘’Also an additional $500,000 is provided in the 2017 budget for one of our oldest private homes for the elderly, the Dharm Shala,’’she stated. An electronic payment system is a way of paying for a goods or services electronically, instead of using cash or a check, in person or by mail. An example of an electronic payment system is the use of Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence a credit card.
LOCAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS Social Protection Ministry Signs Protocol For Prevention Of Sexual Violence PAGE 14
The National Task Force for the Prevention of Sexual Violence will soon be revived to better address the scourge of domestic violence. The Ministers of Social Protection, Public Security, Public Health and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs signed on to the protocol to have the Task Force operational. The event took place on Thursday at Parliament in the presence of Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, Dionne McCammon and staff from the Social Protection Ministry. Minister Lawrence said domestic violence that currently prevails in the society is one which has caught the attention of the Ministers and work will commence towards the eradication of this scourge. “The Sexual Offences Act of 2010 prescribed that there be a national task force for the prevention of sexual violence and that task force will be chaired by the Minister of Social Protection, and the task force is comprised of Ministers of Legal Affairs, Public Security, Social Protection, Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Education, Public Health and Local Government,” the Minister explained.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
Minister Allicock said the task force has been a long awaited necessity and will give justice to victims of domestic violence especially in the hinterland communities. The Minister explained that generally in the hinterland, the Indigenous people who have been abused for too long were not given justice. Therefore, with this initiative women and teenagers will have an opportunity to have more security in the future.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
WANTED! Ravi Maniram is wanted by the police for questioning in relation to fraud committed on the Guyana Police Force which occurred between January 11 and February 01, 2016. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Ravi Maniram is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 333-3876, 333-21513, 225-2227, 225-0575, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with the strictest conďŹ dence. Name:
Ravi Maniram
Ethnic Origin:
East Indian
Date of Birth:
1974-02- 19
Last known address: Overwinning, EBB, Islington Front, EBB. Guyana Police Force Press Release
Ravi Maniram
REGIONAL PAGE 17
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
Antigua-Barbuda PM Condemns Opposition Terrorism Video By Caribbean News Now contributor ST JOHN’S, Antigua -On Thursday, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne moved a resolution in Parliament condemning what he described as opposition incitement to assassinate members of parliament in the form of a video circulating on social media that brings terrorism and incitement to commit murder directly into the country and at the very heart of government. The video (below), which has a strong military focus, portrays several members of parliament on the government side, as well as the speaker of the house, as targets for execution. At the end of the video, a male voice is heard to identify himself as George Whenner, who calls on his audience to keep their heads down and to keep their eyes on the target. “Mr Speaker, never in the history of our country have we witnessed such a naked threat of terrorism. Never in the conduct of political rivalry in this nation have we seen such a wanton call to commit murder,” Browne said in Parliament. He noted that the video has all the overtones of similar videos produced by ISIS, the most notorious terrorist organisation in the world. “It has brought into our peaceful and tranquil land, an element of terror that threatens the very fabric of our society,” Browne said, noting that the threats in the video assume credible proportions because it shows Whenner in military uniform and soldiers engaged in war. Whenner is reportedly a trained soldier, a captain, a commissioned officer well-versed in the use of guns, ammunition and other lethal weapons. In 2010 the Commander of the Antigua Barbuda Defence Force recommended to the Defence Board, headed by the former prime minister Baldwin Spencer, that he be retired from the Antigua Barbuda Defence Force in the interest of national security. “Mr Whenner consistently promotes himself on Crusader Radio as a ‘War Dog’ and has threatened me on several occasions. George Whenner was also the person in command during the infamous ‘Palm Sunday Massacre’. He is known to be cold and calculated and we should not take any chances. As a consequence of this threat, measures will be put in place to protect the individuals so threatened,” Browne continued, saying that this is not a matter that Parliament can afford to take lightly. “The well-being of our nation and the welfare of all our people is at stake. Violence, terror and murder have never been part of our social or political structure of the country. Tearing-down the rule of law, blowing away peace and
tranquility starts with only one act. If not stopped at its beginning, the dark consequences of such terror will permeate our country and reduce it to rubble,” he said. Wenner is an executive member of the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) and he is also a declared candidate for the UPP at the next general election. Browne emphasised that terrorism is not the pursuit of legitimate goals, nor is it a legitimate form of action and that those who invoke terror and incite murder are not seeking a better society, or a stronger economy, they are doing nothing more than seeking the murder of people and the destruction of ordered society. “I cannot believe that the members of this House, who belong to the UPP, would condone this call to terror and this incitement to assassinate. Therefore, I call upon them to join all the members of this House in condemning this dastardly act of terrorism. “I also call on the leadership of the UPP to disassociate itself immediately from Wenner and his dishonourable summons to their supporters to kill. If they fail to do so, the people of this nation will be forced to conclude that the UPP leadership condones and encourages terrorism and incitement to murder,” Browne said. He called on Parliament to declare unanimously, by way of the following resolution, its absolute condemnation of this terrorist threat: “Therefore, be it Resolved that this Honourable House deplores the dastardly Act of Terrorism by the propagation and worldwide circulation on Social Media of video inciting the assassination of members of this Honourable House.” (Caribbean News Now!)
Prime Minister Gaston Browne
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
Caribbean Islands Recover From Devastating Rains PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- A tropical disturbance, caused by over a dozen damaged roads and bridges in addition to a trough of low pressure, provoked severe weather conditions in several Central-Eastern Caribbean islands recently. Thundershowers and torrential rainfall began on November 28, 2016, and continued well into the end of the month. Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, and St Lucia reported some flooding and minor damage but, according to citizen media reports, the most severe instances of flooding and landslides took place in Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines, devastating several villages. St Vincent and the Grenadines At the start of the inclement weather, a flood warning was issued for St Vincent and the Grenadines, with forecasts predicting up to six inches of rain within 24 hours. Meanwhile, the ministry of education closed all schools, many until December 2, 2016. The National Emergency Organisation (NEMO) further advised that only the most “essential” employees should report to work. By the morning of Tuesday, November 29, floods and landslides had been reported in various areas of St Vincent and residents were being asked to be pro-active about evacuating their homes. The brunt of the impact was felt in the northern reaches of the island, around the communities of North Windward and Sandy Bay. “The damage is devastating,” Vincentian Senator Camillo Gonsalves lamented on Facebook following his visit to North Windward. “Many of the people at the shelter in the Sandy Bay school have lost EVERYTHING. Not just all their personal possessions and furniture, but their actual house.” Photos and videos posted on social media show the extensive destruction of homes, bridges, and roads in the area. St Vincent resident Sanjay Jiandani shared especially unsettling photos of the flooded London Cemetery in Sandy Bay, where coffins and skeletal bones lay exposed. He later expressed his sadness and exasperation with the current situation in a follow-up post, but put a religious spin on the situation: “Three major weather events in a matter of weeks. […] I hope priority is given to fixing the damaged infrastructure ASAP and also to assess and address potential problem areas island wide. This is not going to stop. No matter what people wish to say (deny or not), this is all God’s will and it is time for us all to take a serious look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we are living according to his word. God bless SVG and the other islands by extension.” It is not uncommon, Caribbean-wide, for people to attribute natural disasters to some kind of religious comeuppance, as the majority of islands have thriving Christian communities, especially in rural areas. Jiandani’s call for a focus on infrastructure reconstruction is not unfounded. In a Facebook post, Gonsalves reaffirmed that “the infrastructural damage is widespread”, saying, “[An] engineer told me that it's easily tens of millions of damage in London/Sandy Bay alone.” A NEMO “situation report” released on November 30 noted
widespread loss of electrical power. The Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWS) reported seven major interruptions in its main transmission line near Sandy Bay, which affected water supply in many areas. Beginning the arduous process of recovery, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and other government officials met with Windward-side families and assessed the affected areas. NEMO’s damage assessment teams joined these efforts at the beginning of December, while at the same time working to provide food and supplies for shelters, and the nearby Orange Hill Mental Health Centre. Trinidad and Tobago The storm hit the island of Trinidad on November 29, 2016, triggering serious flooding, and causing large sea swells and landslides that isolated the North Coast fishing villages from the rest of the country. One resident, A Pencos Reyes, shed light on the gravity and urgency of the situation in a Facebook post: “Up to 3,000 villagers in these vulnerable rural areas [Toco, Grande Riviere, and Matelot] are in desperate need of food, water, mattresses and in some cases shelter as heavy winds blew the roofs off an undetermined number of houses. Up to late last night, many were without power, as electricity poles were pounded down by the wind and rain. Water lines were also broken, according to reports, and damage to the infrastructure has been described as extensive.” Head of the Office of Disaster Preparedness Management (ODPM) Dr Stephen Ramroop called the devastation in Matelot “the worst disaster to have hit the village in the last five years”. By December 1, the ODPM released a public service announcement to residents of Matelot, ensuring imminent relief. Since that time, the roads have been cleared and a bailey bridge was constructed, fully reconnecting Matelot to the rest of Trinidad. The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) worked in the area to restore power to the affected communities, and the ODPM distributed mattresses, garden hoses, coolers and water to affected residents. The army and air guard also participated in recovery efforts. Citizens responded to the situation with empathy, organizing numerous donation drop-off centers in the north-eastern area of the country. Destruction, however, was not isolated to that area. Brasso Seco, located in the country's mountainous Northern Range, also experienced serious damage. Facebook user and Brasso Seco resident Kelly Warren-Fitzjames chronicled her experiences through a series of posts in which she shared photos of the scene on the morning of November 30, and expressed appreciation for the “rapid response of government workers”. However, this sentiment regarding government response was all but universal.
Continued on next page ...
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
Caribbean Islands Recover Con’t . . . He questioned why the area had not been regarded as a disaster storm, but there are still many conversations to be had and zone and expressed concern about a repeat of Tuesday's disaster, saying, “We have to be prepared for an event like [this]”. Rondon’s concerns were echoed by a larger critical dialogue sparked by the week’s devastations. Trinidadian netizen Michael Bartholomew aired similar trepidations in a Facebook comment: “This should certainly be an eye opener for all of us. We're just not ready for any kind of natural disaster in Trinidad and Tobago. I mean most nations aren't but they do have certain contingencies in place that will allow them to react quickly and we don't. I hope we can learn from it though. I hope the residents get the help they need. We should thank all the members of the defense force and disaster teams that are currently working day and night to help those that have been affected by this.” Climate change was also a recurring topic of conversation. Kent Thomas, a citizen of St Vincent, expressed similar frustrations in a Facebook post: “It is ridiculous there are people who still do not believe in climate change while my country lives on the forefront of this war and we are losing every battle. […] It is ridiculous my country still does not fully appreciate the need for disaster research and local research support.” Both Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines have made significant strides in recovery since the
much left to be done before the lives of those affected can return to normal. As reiterated by many involved, the process will take #AllHandsonDeck. (Caribbean News Now!)
A damaged house in the Brasso Seco area in northeastern Trinidad. Photo by Kelly WarrenFitzjames, used with permission
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
Bahamas Opposition Leader Ousted By 'Rebel' Mps By Royston Jones Jr. Nassau Guardian Staff Reporter NASSAU, Bahamas -- In an unprecedented move that took the Bahamas Parliament and the nation by surprise, seven members of the opposition Free National Movement’s parliamentary caucus revealed on Wednesday that they had written to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to have FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis removed as leader of the official opposition. In the letter to the governor general dated December 7, 2016, which House Speaker Dr Kendal Major read in Parliament, the FNM MPs advised that they withdrew their confidence in Minnis and asked her to appoint Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner as the leader of the official opposition. The signatories of the letter include Butler-Turner; Central and South Abaco MP Edison Key; Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant; St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman; North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn and Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins. As the speaker read the letter, Minnis remained expressionless. “Your Excellency, as we know you are aware, our parliamentary democracy rests on the notion of confidence,” read the letter. “A prime minister may continue to govern only insofar as he or she continues to enjoy the confidence of the House of Assembly. “Likewise, an opposition leader may continue to serve in this position only if he or she enjoys the confidence of his or her colleagues in the House. “That being the case, we respectfully ask you to revoke the appointment of Dr Hubert A. Minnis as leader of the opposition in accordance with Article 82 (4) of our constitution. “Furthermore, in revoking his appointment, we request that you consider not only the will of the majority of the parliamentary opposition’s caucus in the House of Assembly, but the wellbeing of our nation. “We are deeply pained by the growing crisis of confidence that ails our beloved country. “In addition to good government by the executive, The Bahamas needs an effective and dutiful opposition that will work with Bahamians to develop a clear vision for the future, along with effective solutions to the many problems affecting our country. “In that spirit, our caucus will, once under new leadership, devote itself entirely to those priorities, doing whatever it can to ensure Bahamians can once again look to the future with confidence, assured of their safety and prosperity. “Your Excellency, it is also our duty to inform you that in the interest of ensuring a seamless transition, our caucus has also voted to undertake its work in Parliament under the leadership of Loretta Butler-Turner.” After Major ordered that the letter be tabled in Parliament, Minnis rose to his feet and said Bahamians were witnessing the “subversion of democracy”. Admitting that he was blindsided by the move, Minnis, who will remain leader of the FNM, also said he was saddened that some of his colleagues were prepared to “subvert democracy and take their way” because they “could not get their way in a democratic process”. “We had gone through a democratic process within our organization,” Minnis said. “But we had individuals who attempted to subvert that democratic process. “Here it is again, having conceded a democratic process in July, individuals within my organization are not happy with the results of democracy. “But the Bahamian people will continue to fight for democracy. “They will not allow subversion to occur nor will they
allow democracy to be played with. “Mr Speaker, the FNM will continue on the road of democracy. “These, as I would call them, rebels... do not believe in democracy and have continued to subvert the process of democracy.” He continued, “Democracy will always rule in this Bahamas. As I stand here as leader of the opposition until they carry the letter to the governor general, and leader of the Free National Movement, who was democratically elected to such a position, the FNM will democratically move toward a democratic electoral process.” Over the weekend, Key said he will not run again on the FNM’s ticket, accusing Minnis of “destroying” the organization ahead of the general election and plotting behind his back in Abaco to end his (Key’s) political career. He also said he owed Butler-Turner an apology and asserted that she and other FNM MPs were right to oppose Minnis’ leadership. Ahead of the FNM’s July convention, the FNM MPs with the exception of Key, who had expressed support for Minnis at the time, gave Minnis an ultimatum – to have a convention or face being ousted as opposition leader by way of a vote of no confidence. The convention was set for July and Butler-Turner and her running mate, Senator Dr Duane Sands, campaigned for the two leadership posts. However, the pair pulled out of the leadership race on the morning of the vote, claiming the process was corrupted. Minnis and his advisors offered Butler-Turner key positions in a future FNM administration. She refused the offers, saying she was not for sale, but later accepted the re-nomination for Long Island. At the time, she urged unity in the party, asked her supporters to back Minnis and sought forgiveness for her “errors”. Neilly, Rollins, Grant, Chipman and Lightbourn have either been denied nominations or opted out of running for the FNM again. In the foyer of the House on Wednesday, Minnis was asked by reporters whether he thinks the MPs in question could be expelled from the FNM. He said, “I don’t discuss party business, but this is a matter that the party will deal with.” (Caribbean News Now!)
Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr Hubert Minnis rises to respond after Speaker of the House of Assembly Dr Kendal Major revealed on Wednesday that a group of opposition MPs has written the governor general asking that he be removed as leader of the official opposition.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
Panama Papers Law Firm Under Fire: Authorities Target Mossack Fonseca Investigators removed bags of shredded paper from a Mossack Fonseca facility in Panama during a raid in April. Photo: La Prensa By Will Fitzgibbon and Emilia Díaz-Struck WASHINGTON, USA (ICIJ) -- On October 5, Ramón Fonseca, one of the founders of the law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers documents leak, visited Momi, a bakery in Panama City known for its empanadas and cupcakes. Fonseca, a lawyer, award-winning novelist and former advisor to Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, wanted to mark a special occasion. “Bought a cake to celebrate six months since the hacking of my firm without even one case in the world brought against us,” Fonseca tweeted. Despite his good cheer on that day, his 40-year-old law firm, Mossack Fonseca, has not emerged unscathed amid the scrutiny of its clients and its practices. Panamanian officials have defended their country by deflecting attention back on Fonseca’s firm, telling journalists that the Panama Papers aren’t about Panama; they’re about Mossack Fonseca. In October, speaking in Munich to reporters at Süddeutsche Zeitung, President Varela said Fonseca, his former advisor, “will have to take responsibility for his actions -- and ultimately face the judge.” Panama’s banking regulators and securities commission are conducting audits and Panama Attorney General Kenia Porcell is investigating whether Mossack Fonseca facilitated or promoted illegal activities. Her office raided Mossack Fonseca’s headquarters twice in April, on one occasion carrying away trash bags filled with shredded paper. In September, a Panamanian judge rejected Mossack Fonseca’s claim that the raids directed by the country’s special prosecutor for organized crime, Javier Caraballo, were unlawful. Porcell’s office says authorities have made 16 onsite visits and more than 500 requests to financial institutions and law firms as part of its investigation. Panama has sent 15 requests for information and legal assistance relating to the Panama Papers to 11 countries, including Mexico, Columbia and the Bahamas. Panamanian officials have met with prosecutors and diplomats from nine countries since April to assist with investigations, including a meeting with U.S. officials in September. As the pressure has grown, Mossack Fonseca’s offices around the world have also come under fire. Nine Mossack Fonseca offices, in the British dependencies of Jersey, Isle of Man and Gibraltar, Peru, São Paolo in Brazil, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Lugano, Switzerland and Nevada, have shuttered, according to media reports and corporate registries. In Nevada, officials fined the law firm’s Las Vegas branch $10,000 for failing to maintain adequate paperwork. In Wyoming, state officials fined Mossack Fonseca’s branch in Cheyenne $9,600, charging that the office had shown an “obvious disregard for the law” and “completely failed to perform” its duty to keep records on the people behind any of the Wyoming companies that it represented. Authorities in the British Virgin Islands hit Mossack Fonseca with a $31,500 fine in April and then another $440,000 penalty in November for 14 violations that faulted weak anti-money laundering and terrorist financing controls. It is the largest fine in the BVI’s history for a registered agent. Arrests: From Venezuela to Israel One former Mossack Fonseca representative, Venezuelan attorney Jeannette Almeida, is
being held inside a military prison in the capital, Caracas, awaiting trial on charges of violating banking laws. Her family maintains that she is being scapegoated, telling Venezuelan news website La Patilla that she was just the lawyer who created offshore companies for clients, but not the owner of them. Almeida has been locked up, the family’s lawyer said in an interview, while “the real people connected with the case” have gone unpunished. Venezuelan police also arrested the mother and brother of Adrián Velásquez, a former bodyguard of former president Hugo Chávez. Velásquez became the director of an offshore company created by Mossack Fonseca four days after the election of the current president, Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela’s Public Ministry announced that authorities had arrested Velasquez’s relatives at an airport and had seized cars, motorcycles and empty jewelry boxes. Velásquez and his wife, a former head of the national treasury office and a nurse who tended to the cancer-stricken Chávez before he died in March 2013, live in the Dominican Republic. Velásquez’s mother and brother have since been released. In Uruguay, authorities arrested 11 people in April in the wake of reports linking the brother of one of Mexico’s richest drug lords to two offshore companies set up by Mossack Fonseca. In Israel, two investment and foreign exchange executives were arrested on suspicion of not declaring hundreds of thousands of dollars held offshore. The arrests are the first from the tax authority’s investigations into the Panama Papers. In November, British crime agencies arrested three employees of major banks in what UK media reported to be the country’s largestever insider-trading scandal. Authorities have not commented on the news, although the arrests came days after the government disclosed that the Panama Papers were being used to investigate a “major insider-trading operation.” Cross-border actions: ‘Get on this’ Two days after the first Panama Papers reports made news, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, an inter-governmental body that leads the global tax debate, called an emergency meeting in Paris. Mark Konza, Australia’s deputy commissioner of taxation, chaired the gathering of tax officials from 35 countries. Konza says that the after the Panama Papers broke, his boss told him simply: “Mark, you need to get on this.” “The next night I was on a plane to Paris for 24 hours, and I pretty much walked straight into the conference room,” Konza recalls. The room was packed with 80 people. One by one, representatives gave status reports on what they knew or didn’t know about Panama Papers. “The main impression I got was that everyone was under pressure from political circles to do something and reassure the community that these matters would be dealt with,” Konza said. Since then, many governments across the world have taken action. The European Parliament agreed in June to set up a 65-member committee to investigate potential money laundering and tax cheating. “The Panama revelations have shown that it is too easy to hide behind such complex structures,” European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said in proposing a European blacklist of tax havens to be released in 2017.
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REGIONAL PAGE 24
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
Panama Papers Law Firm Under Fire Con’t . . . Also in June, the United Kingdom delivered on its 2013 promise to create a public register of the owners of companies. At a global anti-corruption summit the month before in London in which the Panama Papers featured prominently, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Afghanistan committed to do the same and join a growing list, according to a tally by the Financial Transparency Coalition. The way forward: ‘Readiness to act’ As the after-effects from the Panama Papers continue, governments and advocates warn that progress isn’t assured – and that it will take a long battle to bring lasting change. Some governments have taken reform off the table entirely. Seven of the ten countries in which current or former heads of state were named in the Panama Papers have remained silent or refused to open inquiries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Ukraine, where the parliament rejected a proposal to create a commission of inquiry. “Some governments have made welcome new commitments to transparency, while others have shrugged it off,” the Financial Transparency Coalition’s McConnell said. “Until basic financial transparency measures become the norm worldwide, I worry that we’ll be in a perpetual cycle of making policy via leaks.” Still, advocates hope that public pressure, stoked by Panama Papers, will force governments to fight for a global
REGIONAL PAGE 26
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
Jamaica And Cuba Pledge To Deepen Relations By Latonya Linton KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) -- Prime Minister Andrew Holness says Jamaica and Cuba have pledged to identify ways to deepen collaboration and exchanges in the areas of trade, tourism, climate change and disaster mitigation as well as culture and education. “We have affirmed the commitment to examine the possibilities at the bilateral level to improve the current state of economic relations and methods for expansion, especially in light of the new dynamics in United States/Cuba relations,” Holness said. He added that among the possible areas identified for action are a stronger mechanism for cooperation in culture, music and the creative industries. “Recently, we signed a multi-destination agreement because it appears the plank of the new relationship between the US and Cuba is on tourism, and we want to market the Caribbean as a product,” Holness said. The prime minister was speaking in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, where he led tributes to late former president of Cuba, Fidel Castro. Fidel Castro, who died on Friday, November 25, led the island nation for almost 50 years. He had retired from active politics in 2008 due to illness. In his tribute, Holness said Fidel Castro has been a significant leader on the world stage. He described the late former leader as the embodiment of resistance, revolution and selfreliance, and while he was criticised for his totalitarian approach to government and record on human rights, admirers saw him as a visionary and a nation builder. “Notwithstanding where one falls on the spectrum, there is worldwide consensus on his charisma and on the conviction of his beliefs,” he said. Holness noted the long-standing friendly relations between the countries, with Jamaica receiving assistance in the areas of education, health and sports. He cited the José Martí Technical High School and the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, which were built by the Cuban government. The Fidel Castro Campus of the Anchovy High School in Montpelier, St James, was opened in 2015. Jamaica has benefited from the services of Cuban doctors and nurses, and hundreds of persons with eye diseases have been treated under the Cuban eye care programme. The prime minister said that Cuba is an important part of the Caribbean community
and represents a strong potential for trade and investments in the region. “We are unwavering in our commitment and hope to see the economic embargo against Cuba lifted,” Holness said. For her part, leader of the opposition, Portia Simpson Miller said Fidel Castro was the consummate leader and a great friend of Jamaica. “His legacy will live on well beyond the 90 years of his life. Fidel Castro, despite being born into material comfort, dedicated his education, training and, indeed, his own life to the struggle for Cuba’s social and economic revolution,” she noted. Fidel Castro first visited Jamaica in 1977, where he toured community projects in Kingston, St Catherine, Trelawny, and St James. He again travelled to Kingston in May 1997 for the funeral of late former prime minister, Michael Manley. His last visit was in September 2005 for the PetroCaribe Summit in Montego Bay. Cuba has welcomed Jamaican prime ministers over the years, including Michael Manley; P.J. Patterson; Bruce Golding; and Simpson Miller. Holness visited Havana in June for the seventh Association of Caribbean States summit. (Caribbean News Now!)
Prime Minister Andrew Holness emphasises a point in his tribute to late former president of Cuba, Fidel Castro, in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. Photo: Donald De La Haye
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 27
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
Aleppo Battle: UN Says Hundreds Of Men Missing Hundreds of men appear to have gone missing after crossing from rebel-held areas of Aleppo into government territory, UN officials say. Forces led by Syria's government have seized at least 75% of eastern parts of the city from rebels in recent weeks. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled those districts, with more than 8,000 leaving during a humanitarian pause on Thursday. Rebels were also reportedly stopping people from leaving, the UN said. What are the allegations? Rupert Colville, the spokesman for the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, said up to 100,000 people were trapped in "evershrinking" areas of eastern Aleppo. Reports differ on how many people remain and how many have fled eastern Aleppo, but Mr Colville said the UN had gathered evidence that "hundreds" of men may have disappeared after leaving for government-held areas. "Given the terrible record of arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearances by the Syrian government, we are of course deeply concerned about the fate of these individuals," he said. Reports cited by the UN say men aged between 30 and 50 were separated from their families. Other displaced people reported being taken in for questioning, and having their identity cards confiscated. Mr Colville also said rebel groups could be committing a war crime by preventing people from fleeing to safety, and "using civilians as pawns". What's happening on the ground? Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said fighting was suspended on Thursday to allow civilians to leave. By Friday morning, more than 8,000 people - including 3,000 children - had left, Russia's military said. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said fighting would continue "until the bandits leave east Aleppo". The UKbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a network of activists monitoring the violence, said ground forces continued their offensive, and that rocket attacks and air raids were launched overnight. Meanwhile, the civilian rescue group known as the White Helmets said 46 civilians were killed and another 230 injured on Thursday in east Aleppo. Three barrel bombs carrying chlorine gas were dropped, it added. After several previous attempts to flee the besieged area of Salhine, one man, Abdel Hamid, managed to leave with his wife and 10
children on Thursday. "Most of the people around me were saying 'in any case we will die, so let's leave together'. That encouraged me and we left," he told the AFP news agency. "I left my house behind... but I have secured my children's right to live. With each step I took I felt like I was getting closer to life itself." What are the latest diplomatic moves? Mr Lavrov confirmed that Russian and US military experts would meet in Geneva on Saturday to discuss ways of ending the violence. He said the talks would focus on plans to evacuate rebel fighters from eastern Aleppo, but the US State Department said the subject had yet to be agreed. Rebels have said they intend to fight on. The UN's envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, is planning to meet members of US President-elect Donald Trump's team, though he did not say when. Aleppo was once Syria's largest city and its commercial and industrial hub before the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011. It has been divided in roughly two since mid-2012. But in the past year, Syrian troops have broken the deadlock with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes, reinstating a siege in early September. Correction: A previous version of this article mistakenly reported that the UN said boys as well as men were missing. (BBC)
Tens of thousands of people have left rebel-held areas of Aleppo to government territory(REUTERS)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 29
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
Netherlands Trial: Geert Wilders Guilty Of Incitement Dutch anti-Islam political leader Geert Wilders has been convicted of insulting a group and inciting discrimination. But no penalty was imposed by the court near Amsterdam on Wilders, whose party is leading in polls ahead of parliamentary elections in March. Wilders was also acquitted of inciting hate over telling supporters in March 2014 he would ensure there were fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands. He called the guilty verdict "madness" in a tweet posted a short time later. He said he would appeal. The three-week trial was triggered when police received 6,400 complaints about remarks Wilders made during a municipal election campaign in The Hague. At a campaign meeting, he asked supporters whether they wanted "fewer or more Moroccans in your city and in the Netherlands". When the crowd shouted back "Fewer! Fewer!" a smiling Wilders responded: "We're going to take care of that." At the trial, prosecutors took testimony from Dutch-Moroccans who said his comments made them feel like "third-rate citizens". 'Line crossed' Wilders had argued his comments should be protected by his right to freedom of speech, reports the BBC's Anna Holligan in the Schiphol court. But judges ruled there were limits and that this right could not be used to limit the freedom of others - in this case, a minority group. "If a politician crosses the line, that doesn't mean free speech is being restricted," said Presiding Judge Hendrik Steenhuis. "A crime cannot be protected by the right to free speech." The verdict suggests that, in effect, Wilders and his party staged a stunt. Judges found evidence that they planned the remarks in advance and coached the supporters on how to respond. He had intended to insult, they said. The judges described it as an "extraordinary case" because Wilders was the leader of a political party and had a duty not to polarise society. They said the conviction was punishment enough and that there would be no jail sentence or
ďŹ ne, as the prosecution had requested. This guilty verdict will do little to damage Geert Wilders' political aspirations. In fact, the trial has provided the populist leader with the two vital elements upon which his party thrives - a platform to promote his political message and masses of media attention. In court he repeated warnings about the dangers of Islam and immigration. Many supporters see this trial as reafďŹ rming their belief that Wilders is a courageous leader prepared to stand up for them and address the issues a politically correct elite is afraid to talk about. They have been emboldened by populist victories in the UK and US. Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) is currently 10 percentage points ahead of the ruling liberal party in the polls. In response to the guilty verdict, Mr Wilders accused the judges of convicting "half of the Netherlands" - a reference to research commissioned by the PVV which found 43% of the Dutch public believe the country has a problem with Moroccans. Wilders was previously prosecuted in 2011, over anti-Islam comments such as comparing the religion to Nazism and calling for a ban on the Koran. He was acquitted and the case was widely seen as giving the populist leader a publicity boost. (BBC)
Before the verdict, Mr Wilders vowed to carry on speaking out
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 30
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
Park Geun-Hye: South Korea Lawmakers Vote To Impeach Leader South Korea's parliament has voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal. The motion passed by 234 votes to 56, meaning some members of Ms Park's ruling Saenuri party voted in favour. Hwang Kyo-ahn, the country's prime minister, has become interim president. Thousands of people took to the streets in recent weeks demanding Ms Park's removal. After the vote, she again apologised that she had "created this national chaos with my carelessness". At the heart of the crisis is the relationship between Ms Park and a close confidante, Choi Soonsil, who stands accused of using her connections to gain influence and financial benefits. She is custody, facing charges of coercion and abuse of power. Prosecutors say Ms Park had a "considerable" role in the alleged corruption, which she has denied. What did Ms Park do? Ms Park and Ms Choi have been close friends since the 1970s, when Ms Park was acting as first lady after her mother was killed during an assassination attempt on her father, then the country's military strongman. Ms Choi's father was a cult leader who had become Ms Park's mentor. It is alleged that after Ms Park became president in 2013, Ms Choi, 60, used their friendship to pressure powerful corporations into donating to two foundations she controlled and then siphoned off funds for her personal use. On Tuesday the corporations' leaders were grilled by MPs on whether they made the donations in exchange for political favours. Ms Park has also come under fire for allowing Ms Choi inappropriate access to government decisions, something which she has repeatedly apologised for. What happens now? The parliamentary vote means Ms Park - South Korea's first female president - has been suspended. The case now goes before the Constitutional Court, which has 180 days to make a final ruling. If at least six of the court's nine judges approve the decision, Ms Park will become the first sitting South Korean president to be deposed in the country's
democratic era and a new presidential election will be held within 60 days. In 2004, parliament impeached President Roh Moo-hyun, who was suspended for two months. However the court overturned the impeachment vote and Mr Roh was reinstated. Who is Ms Park's replacement? Hwang Kyo-ahn, a 59-year-old who spent most of his career as a prosecutor, is now acting-president. He had earlier served as justice minister, before becoming prime minister in June 2015, In 2014, as justice minister, Mr Hwang oversaw the banning of the Unified Progressive Party, which was accused of holding proNorth Korean views. The move was criticised by the human rights group Amnesty International. (BBC)
Ms Park chaired a last cabinet meeting before Friday's vote(EPA)
'Thirty Killed' In Nigeria Suicide Attack Boko Haram occupied the town for several months until it was retaken by the military last year. (BBC)
At least 30 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the north-eastern Nigerian town of Madagali in Adamawa state, the army says. Two female suicide bombers detonated their explosives in a busy market, an army spokesman told AFP news agency. No group has said it was behind the attack. But Islamist militant group Boko Haram has been waging a six-year insurgency against the government and often uses suicide bombers. Dozens of others were wounded in the attack, army spokesman Major Badare Akintoye told AFP.
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 32
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016
AgustaWestland: India Ex-Air Force Boss Arrested For Bribery Police in India have arrested former air force chief SP Tyagi over allegations of corruption in a luxury helicopter deal with Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Mr Tyagi had given the company "undue favours" and had channelled funds to bribe others. Indian authorities filed a criminal case against the firm and its parent company Finmeccanica in March 2013. Mr Tyagi previously denied the charges. His cousins Julie Tyagi and Docsa Tyagi have also been arrested on charges of taking bribes, the CBI said. The scandal came to light after Finmeccanica's chief Giuseppe Orsi was arrested in Milan in 2013. The Italian authorities said they had been investigating him for bribery and embezzlement for several months. Mr Orsi has denied any wrongdoing. Italian investigators also named Mr Tyagi in a preliminary inquiry submitted to an Italian court. India's defence ministry cancelled the $753m (£597m) 12The AW-101 and its variants can carry up to 45 troops helicopter deal in 2014, after announcing that it would with full equipment and is capable of air-to-air re- carry out its own investigation into the matter. The luxury helicopters were intended to carry the Indian president, fuelling(AFP) prime minister and other VIPs. (BBC)
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Russian Doping: McLaren Report Says More Than 1,000 Athletes Implicated More than 1,000 Russians - including Olympic medallists benefited from a state-sponsored doping programme between 2011 and 2015, a report claims. At least 30 sports, including football, covered up samples, the report says. "It was a coverup that evolved from uncontrolled chaos to an institutionalised and disciplined medal-winning conspiracy," said the report's author, Richard McLaren. Lawyer McLaren said London 2012 was "corrupted on an unprecedented scale". The report also implicates medallists at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. According to the report, salt and coffee were used to manipulate Russian samples. The report added the system was refined over the course of the 2012 Olympics, 2013 Worlds and Winter Olympics to protect likely Russian medal winners. Russia won 72 medals at the London Games, 21 of which were gold, and 33 medals at Sochi, 13 of which were gold. "The desire to win medals superseded their collective moral and ethical compass and Olympic values of fair play," McLaren wrote. He said international sports competitions had been "unknowingly hijacked by the Russians" and sports fans have been "deceived" for years. "It is time that stops," he added. In a statement, Russia's sports ministry said it would examine the report but insisted on "the absence of a state programme of support for doping sport". It said it would "continue to fight doping from a position of zero tolerance". Russian MP Dmitry Svishchev, who is also the head of Russia's Curling Federation, was quoted by Ria Novosti news agency as saying: "This is what we expected. There's nothing new, only empty allegations against all of us. If you are Russian, you'll get accused of every single sin." When asked for a reaction to those comments, McLaren said: "I would say read the report. Its findings are not challengeable. He is reacting in a vacuum because he has not read the report." McLaren's second report added depth and supporting evidence to the initial findings published in July - that Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme. That first report was met with denials from Russia and calls for more proof from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The new report also found: At the Sochi Games, two Russian female ice hockey players had male urine samples. A total of 15 Russian medal winners at London 2012 were implicated [10 medals have since been taken away]. The samples of 12 medal-winning athletes at Sochi 2014 had evidence of tampering. Six winners of 21 Paralympic medals at Sochi had their samples tampered with. Emails were found asking for instructions from the Russian Ministry of Sport on what to do with a positive sample - save or quarantine? Spreadsheets
were found containing lists of athletes whose samples had been saved. A clean urine bank was kept in Moscow. A cocktail of drugs - known as the "Duchess" - with a very short detection window was developed to assist athletes in evading doping. Salt and instant coffee granules were added to clean urine samples to match the appearance of the positive samples. Three samples at Sochi had salt readings that were physiologically impossible. Investigators have published a searchable database of all the non-confidential evidence they have gathered How urine sample swapping worked The first McLaren report explained how disappearing positive drug tests were secreted through "mouse holes" drilled by spies. That was based on information received from Dr Grigory Rodchenkov, a director of the anti-doping laboratory at Sochi 2014. He had said the Russian secret service developed ways of opening sample bottles and replacing their contents without intervention being detected. Investigators used a tool which matched the description of one used by the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service), which leaves tiny marks and scratches when the inside of a cap is opened. An expert was given 13 bottles, one of which had not been tampered with, which he immediately spotted. In cases of alleged sample swapping, investigators found there were scratches and marks on the inside of the cap, along with DNA inconsistencies. Once again the gory details of Russian statesponsored cheating have been laid bare by Professor Richard McLaren. The difference now is those claims have been backed up with concrete evidence. Some of the details really do defy belief, and the fact the Russian government is so strongly implicated will inevitably lead to calls for Russian athletes to be banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics, and perhaps even for the 2018 football World Cup to be taken away from the country. Reaction - 'hugely significant' The IOC said the report showed "there was a fundamental attack on the integrity of the Olympic Games and on sport in general". It said it would re-analyse all 254 urine samples collected from Russian athletes at Sochi 2014. UK AntiDoping chief executive Nicole Sapstead said the report was "hugely significant for sport and those who fight to keep it clean". She added: "Everyone engaged in sport needs to ensure that the right processes, sanctions and safeguards are in place to protect everyone's right to clean, fair and honest sport." She also called for more funding to support investigations.
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Russian Doping: McLaren Report Says Con’t . . . is yes but they need to reform themselves. I've spoken with
Travis Tygart, chief executive of the United States Anti-Doping Agency said the Russian Olympic Committee should be suspended, and no sporting events should be held in the country until "all the individuals who participated in the corruption are held accountable". The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) described the report's findings as "unprecedented and astonishing", adding: "They strike right at the heart of the integrity and ethics of sport." The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the body that governs world athletics, said: "It is time that this manipulation stops." It said it will take further action once it is able to examine the latest report. British marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe said Russia had committed a "huge fraud". She added: "We need to know this cannot happen ever again." Katherine Grainger, Britain's most decorated female Olympian, told BBC Radio 5 live: "This is a reminder that, along with all those high points in sport, there is a very dark side. It's depressing and it's slightly soul-destroying that it's on this scale." Paralympic table tennis champion Will Bayley said: "I do have compassion for the athletes. Because if they were forced into it, and they are never going to be able to compete in the sport that they love, then that's really sad." What is the reaction in Russia? Stanislav Pozdnyakov, vice-president of the Russian Olympic Committee, told state news agency R-Sport the report contains "nothing new". He said Russian athletes "should train calmly" for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Igor Lebedev, deputy speaker of the Russian parliament and a member of the executive committee of the Russian Football Federation, said: "This is yet another torrent of lies, disinformation, rumours and fables." Natalia Gart, president of the Russian Luge Federation, said: "Where are the facts? You can say this is nothing but rubbish... I am convinced that all of our athletes are clean and the silver medals that we won at Sochi are well deserved." What is Russia doing about doping? The Russian Investigations Committee - the country's main anticorruption body - continues to investigate criminal cases that have been launched. The committee says 60 athletes have so far been questioned. Senior officials from Russia's sports ministry, its anti-doping agency and the Russian Athletics Federation are also said to have been questioned. On Wednesday, Russia's anti-doping agency (Rusada) appointed former double Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva to chair its new board. The move was questioned by Wada, which said Rusada broke an agreement it would be consulted before any appointment was made. Isinbayeva, 34, was strongly critical of Wada's recommendation that all Russian athletes be banned from Rio 2016. McLaren was asked whether Russians athletes could be trusted in the future. He said: "I think the answer to that
many Russian officials since July and they are putting together a very comprehensive programme which, if implemented properly, will make a major difference." What could happen next? Wada says it will now pass evidence on Russian athletes' doping to the relevant international sporting federations and governing bodies. In a news conference on Thursday, IOC president Thomas Bach said the McLaren report's findings would be taken up by two further commissions. Only once those commissions had made their recommendations could the IOC decide what steps to take, he said. "As soon as we have the report it will be handed over to the two commissions, who have already undertaken preparatory work," Bach said. "But if you ask me for my private opinion then personally if you have an athlete being part of such a manipulation system, clearly I would not like to see this person compete again." What has already been done? In May, McLaren was tasked by the World Anti-Doping Agency with investigating allegations of doping in Russia. He published the first part of his report - stating Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme from 2011 - in July. As a result, Wada recommended all Russian athletes be banned from competing from the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics. But the IOC chose not to impose a blanket ban, instead leaving decisions on whether Russians could compete to individual sporting federations. Russia eventually took 271 athletes from an original entry list of 389 competitors to August's Olympic Games in Rio. However, the IPC chose to ban the nation entirely from the Paralympics in September. The IAAF has decided to extend Russia's ban from international competitions. (BBC)
The report's author, Richard McLaren (centre), said doping took place on 'an unprecedented scale'
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NFL Expands London Series To Four Games In 2017 The NFL has increased its commitment to the UK market by scheduling four games in London in 2017. The NFL has announced an increase its commitment to the United Kingdom by scheduling four games in London in 2017. The quartet of fixtures in the British capital next year - increased from the three the city has hosted since 2014 - will take the total number of matches played in the UK since the first regular-season game in London in 2007 to 21. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement: "We continue to be incredibly excited by the passion and love for the NFL shown by our millions of UK fans. "London is an amazing city. We have had tremendous support from our fans, from [London] mayor [Sadiq] Khan and other government leaders and business partners, and we are looking forward to taking the next step in the UK by playing four games in London next season." While all the teams and venues for 2017 series are yet to be announced, its already known the Los Angeles Rams, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins who will face the New Orleans Saints - will all be 'hosting' games. "London staging a fourth NFL game is fantastic news - not only for the millions of sports fans who get to enjoy our iconic stadiums - but also because it confirms our status as the go-to choice for
Luis Enrique: I Don't Dare Predict If Messi Will Renew It is claimed that Barcelona have begun talks with Lionel Messi over a new contract but Luis Enrique will not speculate on the outcome. Barcelona boss Luis Enrique claims he does not dare to predict if Lionel Messi will sign a new contract. Reports in Spain on Friday have said that initial talks have opened between the club and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner over the prospect of extending his deal at Camp Nou. Messi's father, Jorge, is believed to have flown to Barcelona to take part in discussions as he looks to broker a deal that will keep the 29-year-old at the club until 2022 on a wage that will make him the world's best-paid player. Luis Enrique says any confirmation of an agreement would be a cause for celebration but was reluctant to speculate on whether the talks will be successful. "It's good news, of course," he told a media conference ahead of Barca's LaLiga game with Osasuna on Saturday. "I'm quite relaxed about his dad being here. The day that Messi's renewal is announced will be a day to celebrate. At the moment, I don't dare
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US InterventionFormer Retards Warner Case FIFA Vice President Austin Jack Warner expected to have his case appealing extradition to the United States heard soon, however, a trial date is yet to be set. Trial dates were expected to be doled out on Tuesday, however, the matter was adjourned until March 13, 2017 because of a filing from the United States Department of Justice. The United States are appealing a ruling that the country could not make submissions to the case as an interested party because matters of Trinidad and Tobago Law could not be influenced from another sovereign country. The Appeal Court reserved judgement on that matter last month. Warner is attempting to avoid extradition, an act that would see him tried on a number of corruption-related issues having to do with his tenure as a member of FIFA. Warner is alleged to have played no small part in a massive racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery ring that included under-the-table deals and misuse of FIFA funds, spanning nearly 20 years. Justice James Aboud, though of the understanding that both sets of attorneys had completed all pre-trial matters, said he was not in a position to set trial dates just yet. “The thing is, it may be that this application is retarding the momentum of this case a bit. It may not be intentional, but we are being held back,” he said According to Justice Aboud, the US appeal for 'interested party' status in the case, should be resolved by the time the case is called up for mention in March. Warner's legal team is contending that it was not given an opportunity to make a case on the former FIFA official's behalf before the extradition request was signed. (SportsMax)
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Jamaica Scorpions Hold Slight Edge Over Red Force At Sabina 11, and Jermaine Blackwood for 34 before being blunted by
Half centuries from Andre McCarthy and Brandon King helped the Jamaica Scorpions to a competitive 314 all out against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Sabina Park on Thursday. On the first day of the fourth round of the Digicel Regional FourDay Competition between the two teams at the bottom of the six-team table, McCarthy scored 82 and King 78 as Jamaica recovered from 56 for 2 to 256 for 4 at tea. Both batsmen came together with the score at 117 for 3 and mounted a partnership of 139 before King was caught by Yannick Cariah off the bowling of Sheldon Cottrell. King faced 87 balls in 105 minutes and struck 10 fours and three sixes before he was dismissed with the score at 256. King’s dismissal triggered a middle-order collapse as the Scorpions stumbled from 256 for 4 to 269 for 7. Cottrell took his second wicket four overs later when he had wicketkeeper Devon Thomas caught by Red Force skipper Yannick Ottley for seven, with the score at 265. Rovman Powell, batting at number 6, lasted 12 balls before he was bowled by Jason Mohammed for one with the score at 268. McCarthy eventually fell for 82 at 269 for 7 when he was adjudged lbw to Mohammed. His innings lasted 192 minutes during which he faced 137 balls, hitting five fours and six sixes. Damion Jacobs, who scored 25, and Captain Nikita Miller, 11, managed to get the Scorpions beyond 300. Fast-medium bowler Roshon Primus, who had earlier ripped through the top order, dismissing John Campbell for 33, Shacaya Thomas for
McCarthy and King, ended with figures of 3 for 32. Jason Mohammed returned figures of 2 for 16 while Cottrell had 2 for 42. In reply the Red Force made it to 35 without loss before legbreak bowler Damion Jacobs took the wickets of Isaiah Rajah for 9, caught by wicketkeeper Thomas and then dismissed Marlon Richards, leg before first ball to have the visitors struggling at 35 for 2 at the close. Kyle Hope remained unbeaten on 15. Jacobs boasted figures of 1.2 overs 2 for 7 when stumps were drawn. (SportsMax)