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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
INEFFECTIVE LAB RESULTS IN FOOD & DRUG DEPT LOSING CASE AGAINST BUSINESSMAN Businessman Ganga Singh, who had a container of 17,000 cans of milk seized from him in October of 2015, todaysaw Magistrate Annette Singh ruling in his favor and against the complainant, Director of the Analyst Food and Drug Department, Marlon Cole. The Magistrate dismissed the case on the grounds that there is insufficient evidence against Singh;
GA-FDD Director, Marlon Cole
bringing into question the ability of the test facilities and staff at the Food and Drug Department. A source from the department revealed that the labs are not properly and readily functional. Cole, evidently frustrated, reiterated the need for better training of his employees, since he believes that the mental capacity of his employees would have surely changed the outcome of the court case. Cole argued that the chemical makeup of the milk was harmful since it does not carry the prescribed quantity of ingredients in that specific quantity; however it was reiterated that the results of the test which were supposedly carried out did not match with what he was saying; hence the final decision was made based on the evidence produced to dismiss the case. Earlier this year the government department refused entry to a container of Sweetened Condense Milk from businessman, Looknauth Durbhiji and the matter was heard in the High Court. However, due to the lack of evidence surrounding the matter and inability of the Government Food and Drug Department to provide valid reasoning that the container was in breach of the Food and Drug Act, Acting Chief Justice at the time Yonette Cummings-Edwards dismissed the case. The leak of information ties into complaints by businessmen who are saying, that due to the incompetence of the staff and the inability of the labs to carry out tests on products, items which have expiry dates and are being seized, are causing them millions of dollars in losses which are not replaced by the government department. -By- Jarred Singh, Guyana Daily News.
FEATURE PAGE 3
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
Thursday, July 07, 2016
The wonders of the Cuban chef. Who is Johnny? Elienay Sanchez Bermudez or ‘Johnny’, as everyone knows him in the restaurant , ‘The Italian Grill’ on Sheriff Street, is a young free spirit that has become the soul of the place and the heart that keeps the business going. With the months going, he has been growing in fame with his delicious and exotic dishes, making the Italian Grill more like an international throne for good digestion. But what is his secret? We are here to answer all your questions and doubts. I was curious, so i wanted to meet this talented individual personally. Johnny is a Cuban National, a logical explanation for his authentic ‘sabor’ (flavor). His passion has always been the culinary art, but his professional roots come far from it. He is an Informatics Engineer, who graduated at the University of Habana Cuba nine years ago.“When you have a dream, you feel incomplete if you don’t go after it and at least try to fulfill it, so I did what I had to do, chances are there to be taken,” Johnny said. After graduating as an engineer, Johnny balanced working hours with classes at the “Federacion de Asosiacion Culinaria de la Republica de Cuba” (Culinary Federation and Association of the Cuban Republic), which is an internationally prestigious cuisine located at O’Reilly San Juan de Dios, Habana Vieja, the heart of Habana, Capital of Cuba. “The competition was tough, there were many that wanted to get a degree, and be some prestigious or recognized mean Gordon Ramsay anywhere they go. I was not only doing it for a paper that certified me as a savvy in the business, but because I like it and when you like something, you enjoy the growing process. It is a different sensation, you don’t feel the pressure, you enjoy the ride of it, every step of the way and when the race is finally over, you feel fulfilled.”Johnny successfully achieved the degree of Sous Chef. “Dominating the different flavors of the Center American, European and Asian cuisine is a must, and combining them then becomes an art,” he said. Why Guyana? “You see, this land is a land of opportunities, many don’t see it that way, but this place has ‘adopted’ me in a way that maybe no other place will. Friends also make a huge difference, I have a friends that are as close as family to me here. When you reach a certain degree of comfort, and your worries become secondary then why going away? I have a present and a future here, which is good enough.” Later that afternoon, as a season finale, I needed to put myself in the ultimate judge position. I told him, “Surprise me” and oh he did. Cuban cuisine is a genuine and sensual mixture of exotic flavors, adding fruits to a regular meal is normal. So he didn’t hesitate and came up to me with traditional Cuban meal which consisted in: ‘Arroz Congris’, wich is a kind of dry Cuban cook-up, ‘Yuka con mojo’, boiled Casaba with slightly fried garlic and onions, ‘Platano maduro Frito’, ripe fried plantain, tomatoes, cabbage and cucumber salad, accompanied with avocado slices, all topped in oil, vinegar and salt ‘ Mojo’, and finally a medium size well done beef stake, because beef for Cubans is the holy grail. At that particular point, I was sure that my afternoon was a success.-By- Rocio Perez, Guyana Daily News.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
Siblings to stand trial for cocaine possession Siblings, Shafaur Ali and Lazeena Imrazi today appeared before Magistrate Daley at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with having in their possession 9 kilograms of cocaine with intent to traffic. Their lawyer in a failed bail application told the court that “possession is a two fold something, the first part being knowledge and the second being control, none of whichneither of them had on the day.” He further argued that there were ten persons who were arrested in connection with the narcotics of which eight were released. Ali and Imrazi, who both pleaded not guilty to the charges on their last appearance to court were denied bail and saw their case being further adjourned until the July 12, where they will make an appearance for statements and the trial will commence on July 18.-ByJarred Singh, Guyana Daily News.
Uneven playing Field at GRA; Jagdeo says govt has gone insane Opposition Leader, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, is of the view that the Guyana government has “gone completely insane,” referring to the decision to boost revenue collection at the expense of the manufacturing sector. “This is a desperate measure to bolster dwindling tax revenue. Rather than address the core reasons for the revenue shortfall which is the precipitous drop in economic activities in the country and the ineptitude in defining a way forward, the government has resorted to targeting the productive sectors of our economy,” the former President and Finance Minister said in a statement on Wednesday evening. The economist foresighted that the imposition of taxes and duties on manufacturing inputs would “have dire consequences for those companies and may result in the closure of some of them and the loss of thousands of jobs.” “I call on the government to immediately reverse this anti-manufacturing policy,” the former President said. The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has a tax system of across the board tariff on items entering the country and according to the excerpt from National Tariff of 2011, if imported goods or identical goods or similar imported goods are sold in Guyana in their condition as imported, the Customs Value of the imported goods, determined under this Paragraph, shall be based on the Unit Price at which the imported goods or identical or similar imported goods are sold in the greatest aggregate quantity, at or about the same time as the importation of the goods being valued. Low end products are allegedly being sold at a high cost because of the import duty. When this newspaper caught up with a popular city businessman who prefers to remain anonymous, he said “why is it we have to pay the same tariffs for inexpensive goods coming into the country and the same tariff for expensive goods? It is
creating unfair playing field for businesses like mine.” According to excerpt from the National Tariff of 2011, business owners in the city are calling on the GRA to review its tariff structure so as to allow even playing field, and as such boost the revenue collection of the country, at the same time making it affordable for low income earners to have more spending powers the business owners opted. It was also recommended that Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have the CARICOM ministerial Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) revise the list of products that Guyana would like to have a waiver of the Common External Tariff (CET). Some items when arriving in Guyana will attract the standard rate set out by CARICOM as well as VAT, whereas the same line item for another product may not attract VAT in Guyana. Only recently the Guyana Manufacturing and Service Association held a press conference where the GMSA raised is the lack of advance notice prior to the imposition of the duties on the raw material inputs from April 1, 2016.-By- Ronald Singh, Guyana Daily News.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
B A N K O F A M E R I C A S E V E R S T I E S W I T H G U YA N A Following recent revelations that Guyana is not being blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), foreign banks, particularly the Bank of America has cut ties with Guyana’s financial institutions amidst concerns of money laundering. This newspaper understands the Bank of America sent a notice to the Bank of Guyana indicating that it was severing its corresponding Banking with “indigenous banks” in Guyana. Governor General of the Bank of Guyana, Dr Gobind Ganga, has given the assurance that there was no need to worry about the new situation, since Guyana’s economy would not be impacted. He also stated that contrary to reports, the Bank of America was t h e o n l y corresponding bank that has cut ties with Guyana to date. He also said that Guyana is in talks with several other banks that were willing to form n e w corresponding b a n k i n g relationships with local fi n a n c i a l
institutions. “We have had other foreign banks that have shown interest in providing the kind of corresponding banking relationship to fill the void that the Bank of America is causing… These are banks from Europe and North America,” the Govenor said. He also noted that talks were ongoing and projected that the negotiations should come out shortly. “So, at this time, there is no cause for concern, because the banks do have corresponding relationships and they are seeking others. The Bank of Guyana is assisting these banks in finding new corresponding banking relationships,” said Dr. Ganga. At the recent summit of the 37th Regular Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, corresponding banking was on the agenda for discussion, and how it will affect small states of the region. Correspondent Banking Relationships (CBRs) exist between banks providing financial services (correspondent banks) and banks receiving those services (respondent banks). CBRs are fundamental to the efficient operation and resilience of the global financial system. They facilitate the re-allocation of capital, cross border payment systems and other services which are essential for international trade. CBRs also enable financial inclusion by providing to governments, corporations and ordinary citizens with access to a wide scope of globally networked financial services. In this way, they contribute immensely to the stability of the Caribbean’s economic, financial and social ecosystem.-By- Ronald Singh, Guyana Daily News.
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LOCAL PAGE 8
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
Duo charged with 2012 murder of truck driver Nankumar Ganesh called “roti” and Amernauth Bhopaul of Mahicony were jointly charged with the murder of Jades Huri Dass also known as Babyoo. The duo appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court and were remanded to prison. On April 17, 2012, Dass, who was a driver at a popular Trucking Service located on the East Coast of Demerara was murdered. Sources have told The Guyana Daily News that the mastermind is a woman was in custody. It is alleged that she put out a bounty on Dass, since she was his girlfriend at the time and she had thoughts that he was having an affair with another woman. However, reports indicate that the woman was having an affair with one of the alleged killers and did not want Dass to find out. Dass, who hailed from Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, was found dead on the roadside next to the truck he drove, with a gunshot wound to the head and injuries about his body.-By- Ronald Singh, Guyana Daily News.
Delay mars case of trio accused of throwing grenade at Kaieteur News Appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan were the three men accused of the grenade attack on Kaieteur News’ owner, Glen Lall, which occurred on June 4, 2016. The men Joneil Howard, 20, of Lot 322 Section ‘C’ Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara, Alfie Garraway, 36, of Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown; and Leroy Williams, 25, of Lot 11 Durban Backlands, Georgetown were again not allowed to plead to the charge. The prosecutor today revealed that investigations into the matter are still ongoing and statements are still to be prepared which would make it rather difficult at the moment to bring the men to justice. Attorney Glen Hanoman, who represents Alfie Garraway made an appeal for reconsideration of bail since he said it seems “like the matter will finally be ready five years from now before the High Court.” The Attorney who represented Leroy Williams made the same appeal on the grounds that the police objected to bail initially because of “the seriousness of the crime” but noted that the police are not treating the matter like it is one of seriousness. The Chief Magistrate after a minute of consideration denied the men bail and ordered that the file be complete and ready for inquiry on the set date. The men were ordered to return to court on July 15. It is alleged that on June 4 at the Kaieteur News
headquarters on Saffon Street, Charlestown Georgetown, the three men attempted to cause an explosion and damage to property by way of a grenade, which was tossed at the vehicle of Kaieteur News owner Glen Lall.-By- Jarred Singh, Guyana Daily News.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
Five men sentenced for robbery of Wakenaam family Five men appeared at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court, where they were sentenced for the armed robbery of the Danyeshur Family of Wakenaam, between late August and early September, 2013. Allan Dorsett and Jermain Williams were jailed for 36 months; Delwyn Croft, 40 months and Esau Lawrence, 26 months, while the sentence for Kyrun Khan was deferred to July 21, pending a probation report. The court heard that the men broke into the home of the family and robbed them of jewelry and cash at gunpoint and shot one of the family members.-ByJarred Singh, Guyana Daily News.
Wakenaam gunmen charged with murder of Zulfikar Namdar The five men who were sentenced in connection to the armed robbery of the Danyeshur Family of Wakenaam were further charged with the murder of Zulfikar Namdar on September 10, 2013 at his Meten-MeerZorg, West Coast Demerara home. Zulfikar was the son of Gulzar Namdar, who is a well-known member of the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG). The men, Allan Dorsett, Jermain Williams, Delwyn Croft, Esau Lawrence and Kyrun Khan will again appear in the court on July 21 for their sentencing. It is alleged that on September 10, 2013, the men raided the business of Namdar forcing the 27 year - old, Zulfikar to lay on the ground where they shot him several times about the body. They proceed to also assault the mother of the deceased and robbed the shop of an undisclosed amount of money.-By- Jarred Singh, Guyana Daily News.
LOCAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS CARICOM SIGNALS SOLID SUPPORT FOR JURIDICAL SETTLEMENT FOR VENEZUELA CLAIMS -GUYANA AND SURINAME TO WORK PAGE 12
Secretary-General to exercise urgently his authority under the 1966 Geneva Agreement for a choice of options that would bring the controversy to a definitive and judicious conclusion that would be beneficial not only to Guyana but the Caribbean Community as a whole.” President Granger credited CARICOM’s united stance for forcing Venezuela to rescind Decree 1.787 issued on May 26, 2015, which extended its maritime zone into the maritime space of many CARICOM states. However, that Decree was soon replaced by Decree 1.859 on July 7, 2015. Earlier in the day, President David Granger held a bilateral meeting with President of Suriname, H.E. Dési Bouterse on the margins of the Conference. Today’s meeting, which follows closely on the heels of a talks between the two leaders in Suriname last week to discuss areas of mutual interest and the strengthening of bilateral ties, was held to discuss strategies for the peaceful resolution of Venezuela’s territorial claim, which according to both Decrees does not just threaten the territorial integrity of large areas of Guyana’s sea and land space but also sea space in the exclusive economic zones of Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and other countries in the eastern Caribbean. Recognising that their economic zone is included in the area described in Decree 1 . 8 5 9 , S u r i n a m e ’s President has engaged the Guyanese Head of State to determine how the two countries can work together with CARICOM to bring a peaceful resolution to the issue. “Of course we have to look at the border situation with Venezuela and that we stay in line as good neighbours because a lot of countries of the Caribbean are affected by this Decree. We had sent an official note President David Granger responding to questions at the closing press conference of the 37th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean already but we had the Community (CARICOM). Also in photograph are Chairman of the Conference of the time to discuss this with Heads of Government and Prime Minister of Dominica, Honorable Roosevelt Skerrit and the [CARICOM] Heads Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Community, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. so what we wanted to do
Georgetown, Guyana – (July 7, 2016) The Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have taken a strong position in support of a juridical settlement for the peaceful resolution of the long standing claim on Guyana’s territory by Venezuela. President Granger, during the closing Press Conference of the 37th Regular Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of CARICOM at the Pegasus Hotel, last night said, “This conference was an iteration of Caribbean solidarity… CARICOM gave its support to Guyana’s demand that the matter be settled peacefully through a juridical process… The community stands united behind Guyana… We hope that by the time the United Nations’ Secretary-General demits office at the end of this year, we would have had information confirming that we are going to court to settle this long standing dispute that has affected us for the last 50 years.” CARICOM, in supporting a juridical settlement through the office of the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Kimoon, seemed to acknowledge in its Communiqué, issued at the close of the Heads of Government meeting, that a resolution would not only serve the interests of Guyana but also CARICOM, as this is a regional issue. It states in the Communiqué that CARICOM “signaled their full confidence in the
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
is to ask His Excellency Granger if we can put our heads together and address this matter for a few of our sister Caribbean states and especially for Suriname and Guyana,” President Bouterse told the media following the meeting. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge, who was also present at the meeting between the Guyana and Suriname Head of States, noted that it was Guyana at the 2015 Heads of Government meeting that brought it to the attention of the CARICOM leaders that Venezuela’s claim was not just a Guyana problem. He noted that it was at that time that Suriname indicated that it had already written to Venezuela on the matter of their sea space, which was included in Decree 1.859. The Minister said that the two countries are now exploring how they can work together to ensure a peaceful resolution to the matter. “A route to dealing with the border challenges has been identified… that can take us further and further away from a confrontation or conflictual resolution of the problem. That is what we want and in a sense that is what Suriname raised; the issue of trying to find a way forward that will avoid conflict and I am happy that they took that approach… The route starts with first recognising that you have common bilateral goals and interests. The two countries… [a] set of people with fairly common history and with resources that they can work with to exploit and if they don’t do that, they will find themselves both poor and both losing the synergy of having combined intellect, combined human resources and so forth,” The Foreign Minister said. While Decree 1.859 is in conflict with the established United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and could have been resolved using the set guidelines and rules therein, Venezuela has not signed or acceded to that Convention, though it maintains observer status.Article 15 of the Convention states that “Where the coasts of two States are opposite or adjacent to each other, neither of the two States is entitled, failing agreement between them to the contrary, to extend its territorial sea beyond the median line every point of which is equidistant from the nearest points on the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial seas of each of the two States is measured.”
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
JOINT PRESS RELEASE EU-GUYANA POLITICAL DIALOGUE The Fourth Round of European Union-Guyana Political Dialogue in the framework of Article 8 of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement took place on June 27, 2016 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana. The previous rounds of Political Dialogue between Guyana and the EU took place in 2009, 2010 and 2014. The objectives of the dialogue are to exchange information to foster mutual understanding and to facilitate the establishment of agreed priorities and shared agendas, in particular by recognising the existing links between the different aspects of the relations between the parties and the various areas of cooperation as laid down in the Cotonou Agreement. The Guyanese delegation was headed by the Hon. Carl B. Greenidge MP, Second Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and included Ambassador Audrey Jardine- Waddell, Director General (ag) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as other Senior Officials of the Ministry. The EU side was headed by the Ambassador of the European Union, Mr Jernej Videtič and included British High Commissioner Mr Greg Quinn, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Mr Lutz Görgens, Ambassador of the French Republic Mr. Michel Prom and Political Counsellor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr Maurice Pourchez.
The Fourth Round of European Union-Guyana Political Dialogue in the framework of Article 8 of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement took place on June 27, 2016 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana. The previous rounds of Political Dialogue between Guyana and the EU took place in 2009, 2010 and 2014. The objectives of the dialogue are to exchange information to foster mutual understanding and to facilitate the establishment of agreed priorities and shared agendas, in particular by recognising the existing links between the different aspects of the relations between the parties and the various areas of cooperation as laid down in the Cotonou Agreement. The Guyanese delegation was headed by the Hon. Carl B. Greenidge MP, Second Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and included Ambassador Audrey Jardine- Waddell, Director General (ag) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as other Senior Officials of the Ministry. The EU side was headed by the Ambassador of the European Union, Mr Jernej Videtič and included British High Commissioner Mr Greg Quinn, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Mr Lutz Görgens, Ambassador of the French Republic Mr. Michel Prom and Political Counsellor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr Maurice Pourchez.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
Suspected Venezuelan gang terrorizing residents at Guyana’s border A suspected gang of Spanish speaking bandits has been terrorizing residents of the village of Arau, in Region 7, located at the border with Venezuela. Locals alleged that the gang has been crossing the border committing robberies and extortion in the area. “Police from Kaikan visited the area, so the people left. The day before yesterday, a patrol of GDF (Guyana Defence Force) ranks and Police went into the area and these people were taunting the Guyanese police and soldiers with their big weaponry, because they’re on the Venezuela side of the border. When the police reached the location; the popular name of the location is Mango Landing – there were reports that these people were shortly before on Guyana’s shore with high powered weapons and grenades, walking in the area,” one villager shared with the news source. The villager, who asked not to be identified, said that the gang is part of a “Venezuelan Syndicato”. “All the shops, all business people and miners in the area must pay them an amount of gold every week or every other week for protection. They are saying they can protect the people and the irony of this thing is that there is a major National Guard Outpost about 15 minutes up river [on the Venezuelan side of the border] from where these people are. They move up and down on Venezuela shore parading high powered weapons and grenades,” the villager said. When contacted, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum stated that “Based on our records, we got one report of a gun robbery in Mango Landing and according to the victims they are saying five persons. They know for sure that one is a Guyanese National and the other four they were speaking Spanish and they described them as being fair-skinned. To them, they are assuming or concluding that these persons might have been Venezuelans, but the matter is still under investigation.” It was later confirmed by Guyana Defence Force Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips that a joint operation was carried by the police force concerning the matter. “There was a reported
incident and we did send a patrol to accompany the police,” Brigadier Philips stated. The actions of Venezuelan gangs has been increasing since last year July, Director of the Organized Crime Observatory, Luis Cedeño. The sociologist said there are at least 10 mega-gangs currently operating in Venezuela, a product of prison culture transferred from jails to poor neighborhoods. Mega-gangs dates back to 2012, when the National Pacification Plan was established during the Hugo Chávez administration. The government’s plan was to have criminals give up their life of crime in exchange for work in the agriculture industry. “This dangerous groups are defined by the number men in it, and the firepower they possess. Each mega-gang is comprised of at least 60 members, and are known to carry AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, as well as explosives, ”Mr. Cedeno said.-By- Rocio Perez, Guyana Daily News.
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REGIONAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS Jamaica scrapping visa requirements for Latin American visitors PAGE 18
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Wednesday July 6, 2016 – Jamaica plans to do away with visa requirements for several Latin American countries, to woo more visitors from that region. And Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says travellers from Poland and a few other European countries will also get that luxury as well. Following a meeting with tourism industry players and stakeholders on Monday, he said the Latin American countries of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru would be targeted for visa exemptions. “The necessary work is being done to facilitate Latin American visitors coming into Jamaica, and we believe that we will be
Thursday, July 07, 2016
able to entice even more of them by making it easier to travel,” Minister Bartlett said. “Of the millions of Latin Americans that took overseas trips in 2014, we find that we should be getting a bigger piece of the pie. In terms of our geographical location and the nature of our tourism product, we should be able to effectively compete in this market.” The lion’s share of the Latin American travellers to the Caribbean goes to Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Over 24,000 Brazilians went to Aruba, while 9,300 went to The Bahamas in 2014. Only 2,925 visited Jamaica, while over 5,000 visited Barbados. “More than 23,000 Colombians visited Aruba versus just 4,100 who came to Jamaica, while 12,000 Argentineans went to Aruba, compared to just over 4,000 that came to Jamaica. The point is that we can do better out of Latin America and we must do better,” the Tourism Minister said. Bartlett pointed out that Asia is the fastest growing region in the world with the Japanese showing signs of having an affinity for the Caribbean. “What we are seeing is that the Japanese, Chinese and Indians are emerging as a huge part of the Asian market, thus creating a big opportunity for Jamaica,” he said. “I was recently in Japan and what I can tell you is that the Japanese are ready to come back to the Caribbean. They are ready to travel again and we have to position ourselves to capitalize.”(Caribbean360)
REGIONAL PAGE 20
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
Thursday, July 07, 2016
Mom, baby found in death embrace: Cops suspect murder/suicide
T
he decomposing bodies of Anika Gabriel and her baby were found on a bed at their South Oropouche home by the baby’s father yesterday morning. Three and a half month old Sydney was embraced in her mother’s arm as they lay on the bed in what police suspect was a murder/suicide. “Why, she do this,” cried Wayne Phillander, 42, the baby’s father, who made the horrible discovery after a foul stench and the buzzing sound of flies coming from inside the family’s small wooden house caused him to peep through a window. When the police arrived at the Ralph Narine Trace house they had to break open the front door because it was locked. Police said there appeared to be no signs of forced entry. The house, a ten by ten structure, has no electricity or running water. Gabriel, 30, who has six other children from previous relationships, left Phillander’s home in Rousillac shortly after the baby was born on March 22 and moved into the house at South Oropouche. As tears ran down his checks at his Rumstill Avenue home yesterday, a barely audible Phillander said he initially thought the stench was an animal carcass under a tarpaulin near the house.Saying it never crossed his mind that the smell was the decaying bodies of his baby girl and her mother, he said, “I don’t know why she do this. She could ah leave the child with me.” Phillander, who has a 21-year-old son from a previous relationship, said he had been in a rocky relationship with Gabriel for about five to eight years, during which time they had broken up several times.Three weeks ago, he claimed Gabriel made a false report to the police that he had kicked and choked her. He said he was charged and granted $100,000 bail by a Siparia magistrate. He said Gabriel also took out a restraining order against him. Phillander said he would send his brother with milk and pampers for the baby, since the order prevented him from seeing his daughter. He claimed Gabriel, who was not working, subsequently apologised to him for making the false report against him. Recalling his last conversation with Gabriel on Thursday, he said she asked him for a $10
phone card which he sent for her. He said he was missing his daughter, so he asked Gabriel to spend the entire day with Sydney yesterday and she agreed. Recalling the gruesome discovery, Phillander, a labourer at the Siparia Regional Corporation, said after work he passed by the house. “When I gone I smelling some thing stink and it had sour flies. Well I say is a dog drag something under the tarpaulin. The house was lock up, I don’t have a key for there.” Phillander said he also thought Gabriel, who was not answering her phone, was not home. “I find it funny I hearing one set of flies in the house.” He said he went to the back of the house, climbed up on a brick, peeped through a louvre and pulled the curtain. “All I see is she (Gabriel) swell up. I could not see the child. When I see that I know is death. I come to spend the day with my child, not to see death.” He said the police told him Gabriel was lying on her right side and hugging Sydney against her body with the other hand. A mosquito net was over them. Phillander said Gabriel was quiet person, but she had a bad temper. He recalled that while she was pregnant she picked up a cutlass and begged him to kill the baby inside her. However, after the baby was born he said she never exhibited any kind of hostility or violence towards the baby. “I never think she would ah do something like this. I don’t know why she do this and the child innocent. Better she did call me and say come and take the child. I real love my daughter.” Phillander said he had planned to christen his daughter later this month. He said three of Gabriel’s children live with their father and the three others live with Gabriel’s adopted sister. He said built he the house Gabriel was living in, but the structure was incomplete. Despite this, he said Gabriel moved into the house with his daughter and refused to leave. Also expressing shock over the incident was Phillander’s father Rudolph, who said Gabriel could have left the baby with them to care. Rudolph, a father of 15 and grandfather of 20, said he had only seen Sydney twice since she was born. Last August, the decomposing body of Gabriel’s mother, Jenelle, 43, was found in a shack at Agard
Road, Point Fortin. An autopsy found she died from natural causes. Some of Gabriel’s relatives in Rousillac said they were not close to her and could provide no information about her. When T&T Guardian visited the scene yesterday, the closest neighbour to Gabriel said he did not know her because she kept to herself. Investigators from Oropouche Police Station and Homicide Bureau visited the area and the house was cordoned off. A district medical officer viewed the bodies and ordered their removal. The autopsies are expected to be performed today at the Forensic Sciences Centre, St James, to determine the cause of death. Investigations are continuing. Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, an autopsy is expected to be conducted today on the body of two-year-old Diana Maraj. Baby Diana was last seen alive on Monday around 11 pm when she was put to sleep by relatives at her Guaico Tamana, Sangre Grande home. However, she was discovered unresponsive in her bed on Tuesday around 5 am. Relatives immediately notified the EHS, who arrived and took her to the Sangre Grande Hospital. Sangre Grande p o l i c e a r e c o n t i n u i n g investigations.(Guardian)
Sydney Gabriel
REGIONAL PAGE 22
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
N E W S T . L U C I A P M B A C K I N L E G A L T R O U B L E CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Wednesday July 6, 2016 – Allegations of breach Council for the unlawful purpose of a campaign and political event for of trust and misfeasance in public office have come back to haunt St. his personal and the political benefit of his political party, the UWP. The money had been raised by the government of St. Lucia, from Taiwan, for specific community projects. It was also alleged that Chastanet knew or ought to have known or was recklessly indifferent to the fact that the conduct in question was unlawful and that as a consequence, he acted in a manner that amounted to a breach of his fiduciary duties as a minister of Government, bad faith and/or misfeasance in public office. It was further alleged that Cazaubon, as Chairman of the Council, abdicated his authority and acted in breach of his fiduciary duties when he acted on Chastanet’s request, instruction or direction and gave instructions to pay, or caused the Council to pay, public funds for the unlawful purpose of meeting expenses of a campaign and political event. In a judgment delivered on Monday, the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal held that High Court judge, Justice Belle, made an error in striking out the application against Chastanet without first having a substantial hearing with evidence on the merits. PRIME MINISTER ALLEN CHASTANET FACES ALLEGATIONS OF BREACH OF TRUST AND MISFEASANCE IN PUBLIC “The remedy of striking out is a nuclear option and should only be OFFICE. utilized in cases where the pleadings are incurably bad…The learned judge went too far and made several findings of fact on matters that were not before him for determination,” the court said. Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet. Just over a year after a High The Court of Appeal therefore sent the case back to the Supreme Court Court judge threw out the claim against Chastanet, the Eastern to be heard by a different judge. Caribbean Court of Appeal has reinstated it. In a statement following the judgment, the St. Lucia Labour Party, It was on December 10, 2013, that several allegations were made in a which was in power when the claim was made against Chastanet, claim filed by the Attorney General against Chastanet, as a former welcomed the ruling, saying that the case had always only been about government minister, and Chairman of the Soufriere Town Council, “safeguarding public funds, the issue of good governance, the fiduciary Kenneth Cazaubon. Chief among the allegations were that Chastanet, obligation of public officers, especially ministers to treat with public while a minister of Government and a candidate for the United Workers funds in a proper manner and the abuse of office by public officials Party (UWP) requested, advised, received, permitted or acquiesced in including ministers".(Caribbean360) the expenditure of the sum of EC$38,119 (US$) of public funds of the
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 24
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
Baghdad bombing death toll rises to 281
I
raqi officials have again raised the figure for the number of people killed in Sunday's suicide bombing in Baghdad. The health ministry said 281 were now known to have died in the attack, which targeted a shopping complex in the mainly Shia Muslim Karrada district. The previous death toll, announced by the ministry on Tuesday, was 250. The jihadist group Islamic State (IS) has said it was behind the bombing, the deadliest in the country since the 2003 US-led invasion. IS militants overran large parts of northern and western Iraq two years ago, but government forces have since regained much of the territory. In response to the battlefield setbacks, including the recent loss of the western city of Falluja, the militants have stepped up their attacks on civilians. In Sunday's bombing, an explosives-laden lorry blew up outside a crowded, three-storey shopping centre where people had been enjoying a night out after breaking their daily fast for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. On Thursday, the health ministry raised the death toll from the attack after more of those registered as missing were identified as dead, spokesman Ahmed al-Rudaini told the Reuters news agency. Hospital and police officials told the Associated Press that the death toll might rise as human remains were still being recovered from the blast site. More than 200 people were wounded in the attack, 23 of whom are still in hospital. The bombing has sparked widespread anger among Iraqis, some of whom have accused the government of failing to protect them. When Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited the bombing site, people threw stones and shoes at his convoy and called him a "thief". On Tuesday, Interior Minister Mohammed al-Ghabban offered his resignation to Mr Abadi, conceding that the bomber had managed to pass through several security checkpoints on its way from the eastern province of Diyala to central Baghdad. Mr Ghabban blamed a lack of communication between the multiple forces in charge of security, and called for the interior ministry to be given overall responsibility.
Mr Abadi accepted the minister's resignation on Wednesday, an official in his office told the AFP news a g e n c y, a l t h o u g h t h e r e w a s n o o ffi c i a l announcement.(BBC)
The bomber targeted a crowded shopping centre where people were enjoying a night out(AFP)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
F R A N C E T E L E C O M S U I C I D E S : P R O S E C U T O R C A L L S F O R B U L LY I N G T R I A L After a lengthy inquiry into a wave of suicides at France Telecom, the Paris prosecutor has recommended that its former chief executive and other key figures are put on trial for bullying. At least 19 people are known to taken their lives in 2008 and 2009 as the company cut thousands of jobs. Judicial sources say the company and ex-boss Didier Lombard are suspected of using a policy of unsettling staff to speed up job losses. France Telecom became Orange in 2013. It will now be up to an examining judge to decide whether or not to order a trial. But if it goes ahead it would be the first trial in France for bullying (moral harassment) of such a large company. As well as the former CEO, other figures could also face trial including his right-hand man Louis-Pierre Wenes, human resources head Olivier Barberot and four other directors. What went wrong at France Telecom In 2006, Mr Lombard announced
Officials say 19 people took their lives at France Telecom in 2008 and 2009 (GETTY IMAGES)
plans to cut 22,000 jobs and move another 14,000 workers, as France Telecom pushed for greater efficiency in the wake of privatisation two years earlier. According to an internal document cited by French media, he told a high-level meeting that he would "do it one way or another, through the window or through the door". In submissions made late last month, the Paris prosecutor accuses France Telecom of enacting a policy in 2007 that resulted in unsettling workers and creating a "professional climate that provoked anxiety" at the time of a "delicate restructuring" of the company, a judicial source told AFP news agency. The true number of suicides involving staff is unclear, but 60 people are thought to have taken their lives over a threeyear period, and unions say as many as 35 died in 2008 and 2009. Officials speak of 19 deaths during the two years, 12 attempted suicides and eight other cases involving depression or related illnesses. Were the job cuts to blame? Although the suicide rate at France Telecom was similar to the national average, many of those who died left notes blaming pressure from management. Mr Lombard accepted the restructuring upset employees but he has rejected the idea that it led to people taking their own lives. France Telecom, and later Orange, has been beset by tragedy since 2007: In 2009, a woman aged 32 took her own life at work in Paris A woman tried to kill herself in the eastern city of Metz on learning that she was about to be transferred for the third time in a year A man was found dead at home, after apparently writing a letter blaming his job In 2011 a worker aged 57 tried to kill himself as he arrived at work near Bordeaux The spate of work-related deaths was not confined to France Telecom. In 2007, car-maker Renault was investigated after three workers took their own lives. Under French law, anyone who harasses another with repeated actions with the aim or the effect of degrading working conditions is liable to a year in jail and a fine of €15,000 ($16,500; £12,800).(BBC)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 28
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
TONY BLAIR SAYS WORLD IS BETTER AS A RESULT OF IRAQ WAR Tony Blair says the world would be "in a worse position" had he not taken the decision to invade Iraq. The former PM said despite the "terrible consequences", removing Saddam Hussein "moved with the grain" of what was to come in the region. He also said it would be "far better" if he had challenged intelligence on Iraq's weapons in the run-up to war. The official inquiry into the 2003 war was strongly critical of Mr Blair's government and UK military chiefs. Sir John Chilcot's report, published on Wednesday, said Mr Blair had overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, sent ill-prepared troops into battle and had "wholly inadequate" plans for the aftermath of the conflict. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Blair insisted that although mistakes had been made, the decision to join the US-led invasion had been the right one. And he hit back at claims he had secretly committed the UK to help US President George W Bush topple Saddam Hussein and then overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of mass destruction to sell the war to the public and MPs. 'Flawed' intelligence In a December 2001 memo, among more than 30 such notes released with the Chilcot report, Mr Blair said to Mr Bush that he would be "with you, whatever", before setting out some of the conditions he believed the US would need to meet to attract support, including seeking UN authorisation. Mr Blair told Today he had not "made some irrevocable decision to go to war" at that point. "We were giving the United States a very clear commitment that we would be alongside them in dealing with this issue," he said. The Chilcot report said Saddam Hussein had posed "no imminent threat" at the time of the invasion, which had been launched on the basis of "flawed" intelligence. It also found that warnings about the increased risk of terrorist activity and regional instability had not been shared with the public and MPs. The inquiry's chairman, Sir John Chilcot, said Mr Blair and his ministers should not have accepted
the intelligence reports on Saddam's weapons at face value. Mr Blair said he had relied on these reports, but acknowledged: "It would have been far better to have challenged them more clearly." 'Struggle' He added: "It wasn't that I wanted to believe it. I did believe it, and one of the reasons for that was because Saddam Hussein had used these weapons against his own people." The former prime minister said he understood "all the criticisms" of the invasion, but said: "When I look at it today I think still that we moved with where the grain of the future is going to be in these countries and this region." Mr Blair told interviewer John Humphrys people would not accept that he meant his regret over mistakes in the Iraq War until he disowned the decision to join the US coalition to topple Saddam Hussein. But he said: "I don't believe this struggle was in vain." He added: "I can regret the mistakes and I can regret many things about it - but I genuinely believe not just that we acted out of good motives and I did what I did out of good faith, but I sincerely believe that we would be in a worse position if we hadn't acted that way.
I may be completely wrong about that." He argued that had Saddam Hussein been left in power, "he would have gone back to his [weapons of mass destruction] programmes again". And if he had been in power during the Arab Spring in 2011, "I believe he would have tried to keep power" in the way that Syria's President, Bashar alAssad, had done. Instead, Mr Blair said, Iraq had a government "accepted as legitimate, the product of an election".
'Destroyed reputation' Humphrys suggested some people thought Mr Blair was deluded. "Why don't they just say they disagree?" the former prime minister replied. Following the publication of Sir John's report, Mr Blair held a two-hour press conference in which he apologised to the families of those killed in the Iraq War, accepting that they will never "forget or forgive him".He said he felt sorrow and regret beyond what "people may ever know" at the loss of life. Shadow health secretary Diane Abbott told Today Mr Blair had "destroyed his own reputation". She said his Labour government had done some "amazing things", but "their reputation has bled to death in the sands of Iraq". A spokesman for some of the families of the 179 British service personnel and civilians killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2009 said their loved ones had died "unnecessarily and without just cause and purpose". The spokesman said all options were being considered, including asking those responsible for the failures identified in the report to "answer for their actions in the courts if such process is found to be viable". Prime Minister David Cameron, who voted for war in 2003, told MPs it was important to "really learn the lessons for the future" and to improve the workings of government and how it treats legal advice. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has told the RUSI Air Power Conference that he has set up a team within the Ministry of Defence to see if there should be any more changes to the way it buys military equipment. He said the Chilcot report was "crystal clear" there were MOD failings early in the Iraq War and while there had been significant changes, he wanted to digest the report to make sure lessons had been learned.Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - who voted against military action apologised on behalf of the party. He said the report proved the Iraq War had been an "act of military aggression launched on a false pretext", something he said which has "long been regarded as illegal by the overwhelming weight of international opinion".(BBC)
RECIPE PAGE 30
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
RECIPE OF THE DAY: BANANA BREAD
.Ingredients 2 large firm and ripe bananas ½ cup sugar 2 cups flour ¼ cup COCAMAR* cooking oil 1 oz baking powder ¼ oz baking soda 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon lime juice ½ cup chopped nuts (optional) 1 egg (optional) ¼ cup MILKO* instant full cream milk (solution)
Preparation Preheat oven to 300°F. Wash, peel, and mash bananas adding 1 teaspoon lime juice (to prevent darkening). Combine bananas with all other ingredients mixing well. Pour into greased 2 lb loaf pan and bake until done (about 50 minutes). *Imported and distributed by SUPERFOODS
PINEAPPLE AND THYME ICED TEA Ingredients 8 DELISH TEA BAGS* 2 sprig fresh thyme ½ fresh pineapple Directions Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add the tea bags and thyme. Let steep, stirring twice, for 4 minutes. Discard the tea bags and let the tea cool. Discard the thyme from the iced tea concentrate and stir in the pineapple and 4 cups cold water. Serve over ice with additional thyme, if desired.
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HOROSCOPE PAGE 32
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
Daily Horoscope Be sure to take time for old friends or relatives you don't get to see that often. Your hypnotic eyes will capture the hearts of those who interest you. You will make new friends through physical activities.
Don't expect anything for nothing and you won't be disappointed. Try to stay calm and do the best you can. Relatives may not be telling you the whole truth about a family situation.
You may be emotional and quick to judge others. Mishaps due to preoccupation will be upsetting. Sign up for courses that will bring you more skills.
Your dramatic approach to life has probably gotten to your mate. Bring work home if it will help you get caught up. It's time to get yourself back on track.
Residential moves should be considered carefully. You need more time to think this whole situation through. You can make positive changes in your home.
You can make changes to your living quarters, but not everyone will be pleased with your efforts. Not the best day for business trips. Try not to get into disputes that will lead to estrangements.
You will feel compelled to do some traveling. It's time to consider putting money into long-term investments. Your health may have suffered due to neglect or abuse.
You may be emotional if you allow your lover to take advantage of your good nature. Take a look at the possibilities of starting a small part time business with friends or relatives. Use some diplomacy to get your point across delicately.
You are exceptional at presenting your ideas. Chances are you split up the last time because you didn't really want to make a commitment. Don't trust a deal that looks too good, or a lover who appears to have it all. You may have taken on a little too much, but you will enjoy every minute of it. Visit friends or relatives you don't get to see very often. Someone left a real mess for you to sift through.
This may not be your day if you are overly melodramatic and unnerving everyone around you. Do not reveal personal information to those you feel may be untrustworthy. They may cost you dearly. Problems with in-laws may cause friction in your personal relationship. A passionate party for two might be just the remedy. You will be a bit of a spendthrift today.
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2016
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PAGE 36
Bolt days away from full fitness French sports publication L´Équipe is reporting that world record holder Usain Bolt will be fine in about 10 days. Bolt, the six-time Olympic gold medalist, suffered what was believed to be a Grade 1 hamstring tear while competing at the National Championships in Kingston last weekend. He was granted medical exemption and withdrew from competition for the remainder of the championships. He departed the island on Monday for Europe to visit Dr Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, who examined him in Switzerland. According to L´Équipe, Dr Müller-Wohlfahrt diagnosed that the sprint king suffered a slight elongation. An elongation occurs when the muscle fibres are stretched, not torn, and should heal within days with the appropriate treatment. Once healed, Bolt will be able to resume competition without fear that the muscle has been compromised. He underwent further tests in Munich where he will also begin the healing process and is expected to be there until the end of the week. Bolt is scheduled to compete again on July 22 in the 200 metres at the Diamond League meeting in London.(SportMax)
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Friday, July 01, 2016
PAGE 38
Historic WICB Women’s tournament b o w l s o f f T h u r s d a y History will be created Thursday when all six territorial boards of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will be represented for the first time ever in the Regional Women’s Tournament which opens in Guyana. For the first time ever, Leeward Islands will field a squad in a regional women’s tournament and Windward Islands will play as a single unit alongside defending champions Barbados, five-time winners Jamaica, multi-time champions Trinidad & Tobago and hosts Guyana. This will be the second change to the
format for the Regional Women’s Tournament in as many seasons. Previously, the competition took the form of an eight-team league with no Leeward Islands and the four nations that form the Windward Islands played as individual teams. Last year, the Windward Islands played in two groups, North and South, along with the Barbadians, Jamaicans, T&T and Guyana. “We want to welcome Leeward Islands
Women into the fold and are looking forward to them playing a valuable role in the expansion of the women’s game in the region,” said Josina Luke, WICB project officer for women’s cricket. “We have spent the last year working with the Leeward Islands in the development of this squad, following a decision by our directors to have them involved this year, so this is another step towards strengthening the base of the women’s game in the region and expanding our talent pool.” Luke said the banding together of the talents of the Windward’s Women helps the WICB to streamline its tournaments and bring greater competitiveness to the overall women’s game. The ultimate aim, she said, is to create a stronger West Indies Women’s team with a view to winning more global titles. The Leewards will be led by Antiguan pacer Shawnisha Hector and their squad includes Saneldo Willett, daughter of former Wes t Indies off-s pinner, Elquemedo Willett, whose sons Tonito and Akito have also played at the regional level. The Windwards will be captained by West Indies Women’s leg-spinner Afy Fletcher and her deputy is opener Juliana Nero, who has also played for the Windies Women. They lead a list of regulars like Yasmine St. Ange, Akeira
Peters and Roylin Cooper that form the core of the squad. The Windwards squad also includes 15-year-olds Holly Charles and Qiana Joseph who were involved in a WICB Emerging Women’s Players camp a few weeks ago in Barbados, and helped the Windwards Under-19 girls’ team reach the final of their regional age group tournament, where they lost to hosts Trinidad & Tobago. This year, the tournament will comprise Super50, which takes centre stage over the next 10 days, and Twenty20 competitions against the backdrop of strong performances from the West Indies Women’s team over the past year in both formats, culminating in the lifting of the ICC Women’s World T20 title earlier this year in India. In the opening round of the Super50, Barbados, again led by West Indies Women’s leg-spin all-rounder Shaquana Quintyne, open their title defense against arch-rivals Trinidad & Tobago, who will be led by Merissa Aguilleira. Leewards will have a rough baptism against Jamaica, led by West Indies Women’s World T20-winning captain and World-rated all-rounder Stafanie Taylor, at Everest, and Windwards meet Guyana, captained by Windies Women’s fast-medium bowler, Tremayne Smartt, at Enterprise. Each of the teams will play the other once in a round-robin competition, featuring five rounds of 50 overs-a-side matches – with the two teams accumulating, the most points qualifying for the final to determine the w i n n e r o n S u n d a y, J u l y 1 7 , a t Everest.(SportMax)
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PAGE 40
‘Poor track’ forces Bailey out of Antigua and Barbuda Olympic trials Veteran Antiguan sprinter Daniel Bailey will not compete at this weekend’s national championships because of the poor condition of the track. President of the Antigua & Barbuda Athletics Association (ABAA), Everton Cornelius said recently that the championships were in danger of being cancelled because of the poor condition
of the track. Bailey, who was fo,urth at the IAAF World Championships in 2009 but who has been plagued by injury in recent years, is aiming to remain healthy for the Olympic Games in Rio next month. He said Coach Glen Mills, who prepares world-record holder Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake, the two fastest men in history, has advised him not to compete on the uncertified and inadequate turf at the YASCO Sports Complex where the July 9-10 Nationals will be held. “Well, one race is all it takes whether you are training on it or not,” Bailey said. “It also depends on the athlete so it’s not only about constant training (on the track) because the emphasis
you are going to use in training you are not going to use when you compete … everything is different.” He is also advising his compatriot Miguel Francis to do the same. Francis is among the fastest men in the world over 200 metres this season by virtue of his 19.88-second run at the Racer’s Grand Prix in Jamaica on June 11. “Miguel has a hip problem and every time he runs it comes out of place and for me, I don’t think it’s the best decision for him to run on the track four weeks before the Olympic Games,” Bailey said. “He has nothing to prove; he has already qualified. The track is not certified, the track is not good … if he wants to run then so be it. He can take his chances and God be with him.”(SportMax)
T&T's Aubrey David excited over MLS spell
Trinidad and Tobago international Aubrey David is looking forward to an upcoming spell in the MLS after securing a loan move from Costa Rican champion club Deportivo Saprissa. David will join the MLS club for a six-month loan spell. “I am happy about the move to Dallas, I thank God for this opportunity. It’s another opportunity to showcase my talent on the MLS level similar to what many players from Trinidad and Tobago have done already,” David told the T&T Newsday. “I’m more excited about playing in the same league as my fellow teammates like Joevin, Molino, Cato and Mekeil. They have all been doing well and I hope I can follow their success and achieve something on a similar scale, been doing well, and I hope I can do as well as them also.” David will join fellow countrymen Cordell Cato, Kevin Molino, Mekeil Williams and Joevin Jones as a few of the regulars in the TT team that are currently plying their trade in the MLS.(SportMax)
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Friday, July 01, 2016
PAGE 42
Aries Merritt: His sister’s kidney will take him back to the Olympics The 31 – year - old American athlete is one of the higher rated runners in the world, holding a world record in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 12.80 s set on September 7, 2012, winning the gold medal in the Olympics of that Year. After fi n i s h i n g 6 t h i n t h e Wo r l d Championship in athletics –Men 110 meters hurdles in 2013, he started feeling dizzy and weak. Following the competition he was diagnosed with a collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Rare congenital kidney disease, this one was complicated by an infection called parvovirus B19, which can suppress the production of red blood cells and cause severe anemia, as he was told at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix where he was assisted. Dr. Leslie F. Thomas, the kidney specialist who treated Merritt said that his kidney had minimal function, and as the diseased progressed his kidneys would have shut down
completely, needing dialysis or transplant. As it was detected on a treatable stage, Merritt followed treatment, and it paid off for the time being. In 2015 he went back to the tracks, reaching 3rd in the USATF Outdoor Championships and bronze in August 28 on the 110m hurdles of the World Championship. The progression of the diseased continued, forcing Merritt to take drastic measures. “Walking up a flight of stairs at his apartment in Phoenix felt like I ran three miles, all out,” Merritt said. “Your kidneys look like death,” Merritt remembers Dr. Thomas said to him. In June 2015, Merrit said a transplant became his only option. He needed a donor, a compatible one, and the hope was right there in front of his eyes. His elder sister LaToya Hubbard of 38 years old was the answer. “I wanted to get away from hospitals, I need to go to Rio. If I can run, I need to be able to defend
my title. I need to make a way out of no way. I just wasn’t going to give up that easily,” he said. The matter was previously addressed between the siblings, so when the moment of truth came ‘Toya’ as he calls her, didn’t hesitate. “Are you still serious about giving me the kidney?” Hubbard remembered her brother asking. “Yeah, of course,” she replied. “What are you talking about?” “It was more like, wow, what can I do to help my brother? I just decided to do what I could do.” The surgery was schedule for September 01. This one went smoothly and Merritt resumed training seven weeks later, but due to complications he needed of a second interventions, slowing down his recovery and training sessions for the Olympics. He will assist the international event under the supervision of qualified personal. Keeping his kidneys hydrated is a must and staying away from the Zika a demand. “This one really takes it. It’s incredible that somebody who has a kidney transplant is doing what he’s doing,”Dr. Thomas said. “It is important to strive for another gold medal, he said, and to show “everyone around the world your story and your struggle.” “He has a part of me,” Hubbard said. “He has something that is helping him, like he has the best kidney in the world right now.”-By- Rocio Perez, Guyana Daily News.
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