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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Government Failing To Curb Suriname Smuggling Local Business Hurting Many local businesses continue to complain about smuggling of goods from Suriname into Guyana. Several business owners said the ongoing smuggling will force them to close their businesses as one businessman said that he is tired of complaining to the Government and nothing is done to curb the high incidence of smuggling. The businessman made reference to the label of a one liter oil that clearly states that the product is imported by a Suriname company; however the same oil can be seen on the shelves of supermarkets in Guyana. According to the businessman, the custom duty for cooking oil is approximately 41%, therefore the smuggler evaded 41% of custom duty and taxes. “How can we compete with smuggler?” he further stated. Another prominent importer told the Guyana Daily News that since Cooking oil, Evaporated Milk, Condensed Milk and Sardines are duty free in Suriname, a lot of smugglers allegedly set up companies in Suriname, import the goods to Suriname, then smuggle the goods into Guyana, thus evading the custom duty and taxes. According to the businessman, the Government is losing billions of dollars in revenue and businesses are on the verge collapsing. The businessman further explained that the picture of this oil is testimonial of the smuggling; one of the pictures clearly shows that the oil was imported by a company in Suriname and the other picture shows the other oil was bottled for both Suriname and Guyana without English language label requirements. Several other business owners told the Guyana Daily news that they supported and voted for the coalition government thinking that they would listen to their cries and take the necessary steps to correct this situation; they are also very worried that the upcoming budget heavily depends on revenue and taxation from imports. Presently the imports are significantly low and should smuggling continue at this rate, the government could
ended up with a tremendous shortfall and a budget deficit. Smuggling of items from Suriname into Guyana could be costing the public treasury as much as $1 billion in lost revenue while the illegal cross-border entry of consumer goods manufactured in various other countries including India, China, Vietnam and countries in South America continue to render the playing field uneven for the many local importers.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
“Fat Fat Cats” – Opposition MP Describes Government Ministers As the national Budget reaches its third day of debate, both sides of the House continue to present their contribution and Parliamentary Opposition Member Collin Croal to the amusement of the National Assembly described the government side of the house as “Fat, fat cats.” Croal was at the time responding to comments from the government side about the previous administration being describe as “fat cats”. But alluding to the salary increase that the Government Ministers received when they first came in office, the MP said that the government “very early” and “very sneakily” gave themselves an increase. Croal said the government had describe the Opposition’s condemnation and comments to the 2017 budget as only “representing a small section of the population” but the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) MP is contending that these views are not only shared by the PPP. The Member of Parliament then listed several news article where prominent citizens, the business community and other sections of society condemned the budget. These articles included outcries from the Private Commission (PSC), Ram & Mcrae Accountant Firm, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners association (GGDMA), The Women Miner Organization (WMO) and C.E.O. of the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) among others. Croal, who is a former Permanent Secretary at the Local Government Ministry (now the Ministry of Communities) said that if you take away the PPP views and criticism “it’s all there if you want to say we (the Opposition) are being critical for critical sake.”
Parliamentary Opposition Member, Collin Croal
Two Arrested Following Marijuana Bust In Berbice A driver and an occupant of a motor car are in custody, after a search early this morning of the vehicle uncovered twenty nine (29) kilograms of compressed cannabis, at Number 5 Village, West Coast Berbice. According to police, they were acting on information and intercepted a vehicle which was said to be Georgetown-bound about 08:00h where the illegal substance concealed in its trunk was found. The suspects, both of whom hail from the East Coast of Demerara, are being processed for court.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
New Commission To Police Mining Sector- Trotman According to Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, poor staffing has challenged the regulatory body to effectively supervise the six mining districts for which it holds responsibility. According to a GINA report, the Minister was at the time speaking on the Budget in Focus program. The Minister noted that GGMC has set aside a great portion of its budget to improve mines management, safety and reclamation of land. Minister Trotman further noted that staff will also be recruited for the establishment of a unit of wardens. These wardens will “have powers of arrest, to stop illegal mining, to stop illegal trade of wildlife, to look into bad practices in the forest sector.” The Minister further stated that “We’re doing more training for mines safety; we got to train people in the correct procedure in setting up a mine…so that land doesn’t collapse. There is a lot of money there and that is where we will be putting our focus this year, streamlining those operations.” Budget 2017 has also made provisions for the development of the emerging oil and gas sector. The sum of $650M has been allocated to build capacity in various fields within the emerging oil and gas sector, the Minister noted. Minister Trotman said that responsibility for regulating the new sector will be removed from the GGMC and vested into a new commission. “We’re about to set up a regulatory commission….a standalone
commission that is going to comprise members of civil society, the parliamentary opposition and government,” the Minister explained. The budget projects gold declaration to reach 44,814 ounces while the overall mining sector is expected to grow by 35.7 percent at the end of 2016. “The industry is outperforming itself and predecessors…we’re doing better than we have ever done before,” Minister Trotman said.
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Teenager Dies In Diamond Accident Police are investigating a fatal accident which occurred about 19:00h. last evening on the Diamond Public Road, EBD, that resulted in the death of pedal cyclist Mark Mc Koy, 14 years, of Cinema Street, Diamond, EBD. Enquiries disclosed that Mini Bus number BVV 989 was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road, whilst the pedal cyclist was proceeding north on the western side of the road, towing a male on the handle of the cycle. It is alleged that the cyclist swerved in an eastern direction into the path of the mini bus, during which the pillion jumped off and the cyclist collided with the bus. As a result of the impact, the cyclist who fell into the road surface, was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre in an unconscious state and died soon afterwards whilst receiving treatment. The driver, 46 years of Kaneville, Grove EBD, who was given a breathalyzer test and recorded no blood alcohol, is in custody, assisting with the investigation.
Police Shot At In Werk-en-Rust Police ranks on foot patrol last night in Werk-en-Rust, were confronted by an identifiable male, who discharged his unlicensed firearm at them and escaped, dropping the weapon with ammunition in the process. Police reported that about 2300h, the ranks were inside of the four-entrance compound of the St. Phillips Anglican Church located at D’Urban and Smyth Streets, where several persons using the entrances to gain access to adjoining streets, have been victims of robberies, in the past. The suspect who was approaching from an opposite direction, on seeing the police whipped out a handgun and discharged a round at the ranks, who immediately returned fire. The suspect dropped his unlicensed .38 Special Revolver with three live matching rounds and a spent shell, scaled the fence and escaped.
Gun Used to Open Fire On Police Patrol.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Second Core Home Owner Wins Case Against Government The Government had announced earlier this year that it will be taking steps to repossess house lots that were allocated some years ago, but remain unoccupied. Director of Operations of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Denise King-Tudor in March said that this process will be guided by a repossession policy. However in a High Court hearing between a Tuschen resident and the Attorney General of Guyana, Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards on Tuesday passed a ruling that stopped the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) from repossessing the land owned by Linda Persaud at Block 8, Plantation Tuschen, situated on the East Bank Essequibo. The application for the court order states that on December 03, 2015 agents of the CH&PA erected a signboard which reads “property of Central Housing and Planning Authority” on the woman’s property. The application stated that the act is unlawful and have breached Persaud’s fundamental right and freedom not to have her property compulsorily taken possession of without the prompt payment of adequate compensation as is guaranteed to her by Article 142 of the Constitution of Guyana; Persaud, who was represent by Attorney-at-law Mohabir Anil Nandlall, secured a Supreme Court order that prevent the CH&PA from possessing Persaud lands. The court ordered “that the taking of possession of and prevention of the Applicant (Persaud) from entering and occupying her property… by servants and/or agents of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, the Ministry of Housing or any other Officer of the State, are in violation of the Applicants fundamental rights and freedom as is guaranteed to her by Article 142 of the Constitution of Guyana” The court further ordered that taking of possession of any land from a person who holds a Certificate of Title on the ground that the Title holder has breached any term or condition contained in an Agreement of Sale in of the said land, more particularly, a condition which mandates the Title holder to be in occupation
of the land, is unlawful and breaches Article 142 of the Constitution of Guyana. Chief Justice Cummings-Edwards issued a Conservatory Order prohibiting the CH&PA from trying interfering with the Persaud’s lands.
Director of Operations of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Denise King-Tudor
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Farmers Urged To Diversify Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture George Jervis stated that farmers should explore aquaculture and the fishing industry, which has scope for expansion. “Don’t just put all your eggs in one basket. Branch out into other areas in agriculture in addition to what you are already doing. The fishing sector is a very successful sector and earns a lot of foreign exchange for Guyana. It is right up on the scale behind rice and sugar,” Mr. Jervis said. The Ministry of Agriculture will be conducting a series of countrywide consultations in keeping with guidelines outlined by the World Bank. In addition, Outreach Exercises will be implemented by Heads of the various Agriculture Departments and Technical officers to address issues at the regional level. The Food and Security Strategy consulatation programme is being funded by World Bank. The funds received from the grant will go towards target programs that foster agriculture development in Guyana. The programme has already commenced in Region two PomeroonSupenaam. The project would involve farmers receiving technical assistance, setting up of agriculture facilities such as shade, houses, planting material at affordable costs and the production of high nutrition crops. “The project will have a
tremendous impact on Guyana’s agriculture industry, Mr. Jervis said.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, George Jervis
Minister Harmon Says Opposition Trying To Vilify 2017 Budget The 2017 National budget is a comprehensive outline for the plans and proposals for the year, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon stated during the second day of the budget debates. The Minister’s comments came after calls by members of the Opposition for the withdrawal of the budget. According to the Minister, Members of the Opposition are “trying to vilify a well-crafted budget for a narrow political agenda, withdraw the budget is the call for a party whose numbers are dwindling.” Harmon pointed out that the budget provided almost $1B to implement a series of renewable energy and energy efficient products. He acknowledged the works by the now Opposition through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), however he pointed out that the LCDS had “a narrow vision of what Guyana’s potential is and therefore, we have to broaden it and therefore the green economy is that vehicle that we are using.” He said the Department of Environment which is actively pursuing the “Green Agenda” will ensure all agencies are involved. According to the Minister, the Department has been tasked with crafting a ‘green state development plan’ to achieve the green agenda. Harmon also pointed out that the plan will be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all Guyanese. Minister Harmon noted that a team from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is expected to be in Guyana from December 12 to 15, 2016 to engage stakeholders who will provide input in crafting the framework for the ‘Green Development Plan’. According to the Minister of State, the plan will create policies that will trigger innovation, enterprise, new markets, green jobs and competitiveness. The Minister pointed out that 8.5 percent of the country’s terrestrial area is committed to protected areas status. However, when compared to the rest of the Guiana shield, Guyana has one of the lowest proportions of protected area coverage. In order to achieve United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification target, Minister Harmon noted that almost two million hectares of land will be added to the national protected area system. This was a pledge made by President David Granger during a recent address at the United Nations. Minister Harmon said, “The conservation of these two million hectares represent a transformative moment in Guyana’s history, and it would not only preserve the country’s natural patrimony for future generations, but will also cement Guyana’s role as an international leader in finding green solutions for a sustainable world,” the Minister explained. Minister Harmon urged the Members of the Opposition to understand the reality of Guyana, adding that with the 2017 National Budget, the country will be a better place.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon
LOCAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS Petamber Persaud Appointed Chairman Of National Library PAGE 11
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Petamber Persaud, a Guyanese writer has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Library. According to reports, the other board members are: University of Guyana Librarian Gwyneth George; Archivist of the Guyana National Archives, Nadia Carter; Region Two Representative Mohini Ramlakhan; Region Six Representative Jagdeish Persaud; Region 10 Representative Jenny George-Parkinson; City Mayor Patricia ChaseGreene; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administration), Ministry of Education, Genevieve Blackman; Coordinator, Distance Education and Information Unit, National Centre for Education Resource Development, Pauline Stanford; Former Minister of Information and of the Public Service, Yvonne Harewood-Benn; and Working People’s Alliance member Lawrence Rodney. The appointees were approved by Cabinet recently.
Mixed Views About VAT On Medical Services The Budget 2017 announcement of the proposed 14% VAT on medical services and medical drugs has caused great controversy among the citizens of Guyana. Opposition Parliamentarian Dr. Frank Anthony stated that private hospitals will now be charging Guyanese 14% VAT on medical services and supplies. “I am totally at a loss to describe the level of callousness by this administration….For years we have been complying from what the WHO and PAHO wants, and now the new administration has reversed all that,” he during the budget debates in the National Assembly on Tuesday. However, Government Minister Valerie Patterson told the National Assembly that Government’s medical services and supplies will be free. She said persons who seek medical assistance at private institutions are the ones who will pay VAT. Guyana Daily News visited the patients and doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital to listen to their views as it relates to VAT being added to medical supplies and drugs. According to Patrick Narine, a patient at the Georgetown hospital, “It’s really not affordable, a system needs to be put in place, and they shouldn’t press the poor people. I think it’s a good thing for the business people to pay though.” According to the Doctor who decline to have his name published, “It’s going to affect everyone because the public hospital will have to pay for the drugs from suppliers and it’s not guarantee that it will be 14% VAT sometimes these suppliers charge more.” “It is right, they have to pay, no wastage, I agree, millions of dollars were wasted with the previous administration,” said Brain Quills. Danny Doris, a father of a patient at Georgetown hospital related that he believes it is very unreasonable to have citizens pay VAT on medical services and supplies.
Petamber Persaud “It’s very hard to know that you’re a Guyanese then you have to live this type of stress, what will happen to the poor people. I am sure many people will die early especially pensioners, you give so much and then they take so much from you. They want more money on water, electricity and now medical supplies oh my God. I honestly think it’s over for the poorer class, how will they exist when they do such a thing like that.” According to a patient who declined to publish her name, “It very sicken, how could the ordinary man be expected to pay 14% plus everything related. One would think that introducing VAT will give way to better services but the services are very poor. I will always say the people of Guyana voted for what they want so they get what they deserve.” In the midst of the budget 2017 d e b a t e VAT continues to be a controversial issue.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Bahamas Minister Backtracks On $2 Billion Chinese Project By Sloan Smith Nassau Guardian Staff Reporter NASSAU, Bahamas -- Bahamas minister of agriculture and marine resources, Alfred Gray, said on Monday that his October letter to Bahamas ambassador to China, Paul Andy Gomez, giving him the green light to further pursue a $2.1 billion ChinaBahamas agri-fisheries project in Andros has been rescinded. While a guest on local radio, Gray was asked whether he has rescinded the letter. He responded, “Yes, through the foreign ministry, the letter was rescinded and he was advised not to go forward with any proposition or discussions as it relates to the letter.” The action came amid great public uproar over the matter, which was revealed in a Nassau Guardian article on November 1. Gray said the letter was rescinded on the advice of the Cabinet. While on the show, the minister repeatedly accused The Nassau Guardian of having a political agenda, insisting this newspaper was targeting him to advance an agenda. He suggested that is why the story on the proposal was written in the first place. But he said he does not read The Guardian. Gray admitted that he supported the initiative to discuss the ideas Gomez had put to him in order to see what would come out of the discussion. In the letter, he called the proposal “progressive”. The proposal called for the incorporation of 100 companies to be owned 50-50 by Bahamians and Chinese for the project, which would involve fishing in Bahamian waters and farming on Andros. Each company would have been granted 100 acres of leased Andros farmland with an opportunity to access 100 additional acres. Prime Minister Perry Christie declared in Parliament last month that the initiative was a no go. His statement came during a fiery exchange with Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn. Christie said if such a plan came before Cabinet it would be “rejected outright”. “We are fundamentally opposed to foreign fishermen in Bahamian waters, and that is why Bahamian fishermen today are saying this is the best year they have had in many a year because of the defense force being able to protect our waters,”
Christie said. “We are not going to compromise, and no discussion will lead to a conclusion that this government would have contemplated or agreed for that to happen. “But a minister in association with anyone could explore opportunities for The Bahamas, but he has to bring that as a proposal to his colleagues who have to make a determination as to whether they will agree. “... The government of The Bahamas did not agree to any such proposition, did not consider any such proposition, it did not come before the government as a proposal, and it would not have reached the government because it would have been rejected outright. “We do not do that in The Bahamas; we do not do it.” Gray weighed in on the debate nearing the end, indicating Christie’s take on the issue was the final say. “... I don’t know what we need to say here that they have not said for us and, Mr Speaker, I hope that not for this group in here, but for the Bahamian people, the words of our prime minister ought to be a final position,” Gray said. “There is nothing discussed; there is nothing to be discussed; there is nothing to be agreed and so it cannot and will not happen, bottom line. They are his words and I adopt them.” (Caribbean News Now!)
Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Alfred Gray
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Dispute Over Selection Of Judges Halts Election Challenges In Haiti PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti -- The Departmental Electoral presidential election. He requested that the ballots be tabulated Litigation Office (BCED) in Haiti was unable to hear arguments on Monday as planned from lawyers in election challenges brought by three of the losing candidates in last month’s presidential poll, Fanmi Lavalas, LAPEH and Pitit Desalin. Instead, the lawyers of the three losing candidates stood together and denounced a technical flaw in the selection of judges in violation of Article 17 of the Electoral Decree, forcing, after numerous strained and tense exchanges, the president of BCED Wally Desance to postpone the hearings to Wednesday, HaitiLibre reported. The incident occurred when Desance called three judges (Merlan Bélabre, Martel JeanClaude and Fritzner Duclair) to sit. The lawyers for the protesters asserted with one voice that lawyers and judges to sit on the electoral court must be chosen by drawing, from lists provided by the Port-au-Prince bar for lawyers and the dean of the court for judges. Evelt Fanfan, the lawyer representing Jean Charles Moïse (Pitit Dessalin), stressed that it is impossible to trust judges chosen by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) to hear a case in which a decision of the CEP is challenged. André Michel, representing Jude Célestin announced that he would summon the CEP to provide the complete list of judges given to him by the dean of the court. What are the demands of the losing candidates? The lawyers representing Jude Célestin (Osner Fevry, André Michel and Helton Harold Désinor), who claim that the elections of November 20 include numerous irregularities and massive fraud, have called for a thorough check of the count sheets, the authentication of the numbers and of national identification cards and of lists of "émargement" corresponding to the recorded ballots at the Vote Tabulation Centers (CTV) and validated by the CEP. The law firm of Evelt Fanfan, representing Jean Charles Moïse, who came third in the poll, has challenged all the preliminary results of the
again and also requires the verification of the numbers of national identification cards in areas reputed for massive fraud, such as the Nippes, the West, the South and the South-East. The Pitit Desalin candidate claimed that he should be in second place according to the copies of the official voters lists (Procès Verbaux, PV) published on the CEP website, apparently overlooking that not all the PVs are valid. The law firm of Gervais Charles, representing Fanmi Lavalas, whose candidate Maryse Narcisse insisted throughout her campaign, supported by former president Jean Bertrand Aristide, that she would win the elections in the first round, has demanded the verification of more than 74% of the ballots that do not conform, according to the law firm, to the provisions of the electoral decree in its article 158.1. (Caribbean News Now!)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Panama Papers Have Had Historic Global Effects And The Impacts Keep Coming By Will Fitzgibbon and Emilia Díaz-Struck WASHINGTON, USA (ICIJ) -- On April 7, 14 large blue letters quietly disappeared from the outer walls of an office building in an exclusive neighborhood in northern San Salvador. One by one, the letters came down from the blue and beige stucco walls, leaving behind faint traces of the name of the law firm that had been working there just days before: M-O-S-S-A-CK-F-O-N-S-E-C-A Employees of the El Salvador branch of Mossack Fonseca, the Panama-headquartered law firm whose leaked files have formed the basis of thousands of news reports exposing the secrets of the offshore financial industry, claimed it was a scheduled relocation. Salvadoran authorities suspected something else was going on. Just the day before, they had announced an investigation into citizens who had done business with the law firm. They worried that evidence might be destroyed. So the afternoon after the signage vanished, policemen -- some hooded in black balaclavas, wearing soccer jerseys and with handguns holstered at their waists -- swept through Mossack Fonseca’s workplace. Salvadoran police and the country’s General Prosecutor seized 20 computers. Authorities live-tweeted the action as officers invaded the law office. The raid of Mossack Fonseca’s El Salvador office was one of hundreds of official reactions to Panama Papers -- a mix of investigations, fines, high-profile resignations, police raids, arrests, national legal reforms and international conclaves. Government officials and activists expect the developments to continue for years to come as outrage fueled by Panama Papers revelations drives politicians and citizens alike to bring light to a shadowy financial system that, for decades, has resisted reform. Since the Panama Papers broke in early April, hundreds of journalists from dozens of countries who collaborated on the investigation have published more than 4,700 news stories based on Mossack Fonseca, the globe-spanning law firm that has created hard-to-trace shell companies for corporations, politicians and fraudsters. The responses to the Panama Papers revelations began immediately after the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung and more than 100 other media partners began releasing their first stories at 2:00 pm US Eastern Daylight Time April 3. #PanamaPapers became the No. 1 topic on Twitter. Thousands of protestors marched in streets in every continent except Antarctica. Throngs threw cultured yogurt in Iceland and rocks in Pakistan. As a result, at least 150 inquiries, audits or investigations have been announced by police, customs, financial crime and mafia prosecutors, judges and courts, tax authorities, parliaments and corporate reviews in 79 countries around the world, according to global media reports and official statements. Thousands of taxpayers and companies are under investigation. Legislatures from Ireland to Mongolia to Panama have rushed through laws to strengthen weaknesses pinpointed by the media partnership’s reporting. Governments have already reported recouping tens of millions of dollars in taxes on previously undeclared funds. Across four continents, police have raided warehouses, offices and homes. Government officials in three countries have resigned, including a prime minister and an energy and industry minister. Business executives and attorneys are behind bars awaiting criminal trials in the Middle East, Europe and Latin America. In El Salvador, where authorities raided Mossack Fonseca’s office, no criminal charges have been filed, but investigations continue. The reaction hasn’t ended since the initial wave of responses in April. Panama Papers has produced an almost daily drumbeat of regulatory or legislative moves, follow-up news stories and calls by politicians and activists for more investigation and more action. In May, the US Treasury and Justice Departments proposed a series of new laws and rules that would make it easier for law enforcement authorities and financial regulators to track dirty money inside and outside the United States. Treasury officials, for example, proposed creating a national corporate ownership registry that could be used by investigators to
pull back the veil of secrecy in Delaware, Nevada and other states that allow shell companies created within their borders to hide their owners’ identities and activities. Justice officials’ proposals include measures that would make it easier for prosecutors to force foreign banks to turn over records of their account holders and to use classified information in “kleptocracy” investigations involving high-ranking foreign officials. A fact sheet from the White House said Panama Papers “has brought the issues of illicit financial activity and tax evasion into the spotlight. The Panama Papers underscore the importance of the efforts the United States has taken domestically, and the efforts we have undertaken with our international partners, to address these shared challenges.” In October, Ron Wyden, a Democratic senator from Oregon and ranking member of the US Senate Finance Committee, wrote to the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service to demand information on what, if anything, the agencies had gathered from the Panama Papers database that had been made public by ICIJ and its media partners. “News reports surrounding the release of the ‘Panama Papers’ highlighted the opaque dealings of anonymous shell companies around the world,” Wyden wrote, noting his concern about the use of offshore companies “as vehicles for tax evasion or possible money laundering.” In November, Europol, Europe’s law enforcement agency, revealed that it had found 3,469 probable matches between the Panama Papers database and information in its own files about organized crime, tax fraud and other criminality. Out of those matches, 116 related to Europol’s project on Islamic terrorism, codenamed Hydra. “The main point here is that we can link companies from the Panama Papers leak not only with economic crimes like money laundering,” said Europol’s head of financial intelligence, Simon Riondet, “but also with terrorism, Russian OCGs [Organized Crime Groups], drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal immigration, [and] cybercrime.” Two world leaders, in Argentina and Pakistan, remain ensnared in public scandals and ongoing probes related to the Panama Papers. In Argentina, a federal prosecutor is examining President Mauricio Macri’s directorship of a Bahamian company that he had failed to include in public financial disclosures when he was mayor of Buenos Aires. Pakistan’s Supreme Court is currently hearing a petition brought by the political opposition against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose children owned real estate in London through companies created by Mossack Fonseca, documents in the Panama Papers show. The opposition has accused the prime minister of failing to disclose the family’s offshore connections and of laundering money abroad to pay for the properties. Sharif and his family deny any wrongdoing. “Panama Papers certainly rocked the transparency world,” said Porter McConnell, director of the Washington DC-based Financial Transparency Coalition. “The sheer size of the investigation, coupled with the number of high-profile individuals implicated, helped keep the issue of hidden company ownership on the agenda. No government wants to be the next Panama.” (Caribbean News Now!)
The wall outside Mossack Fonseca's El Salvador office shows the remnants of the law firm's sign. Photo: Víctor Peña / El Faro
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Trinidad And Tobago Among Latin America And Caribbean C o u n t r i e s W i t h I mWASHINGTON, p r o v i nDecg6, CMCE d– A u cation Systems new study has found that while students throughout Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) continue to be among the lowest achievers on international learning assessments, countries like Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, and Trinidad and Tobago have joined the list of rapidly-improving education systems. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) evaluates, every three years, what 15-year-old students know and can do in science, reading, and mathematics. The PISA 2015 results show that Trinidad and Tobago is the only Caribbean country among the 10 LAC countries that participated in the evaluation. The others are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay. In the global science rankings of the 72 participating countries and economies led by Singapore (1), Chile heads the list of countries from the region at number 44. Uruguay (47) is next, followed by Trinidad and Tobago (53), Costa Rica (55), Colombia (57) Mexico (58), Brazil (63), and Peru (64). The Dominican Republic concludes the global science ranking. Half the students in the region are low performers in PISA, which means that they do not possess the essential knowledge and abilities to actively participate in society. Of the eight million 15-year-old students from participating countries, 5.4 million did not achieve the most basic proficiency level. “We know that the region has great room for growth” said Emiliana Vegas, Chief of the Education Division at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). “But it fills us with hope to see these first results of the efforts made by governments, families, and students,” Vegas added.” While the region continues to improve its performance on the assessments at a relatively rapid rate, it must accelerate its progress to match the growth rates of OECD countries. Peru, Colombia, and Trinidad and Tobago are among the 10 countries with the fastest rates of improvement in science. Peru also demonstrates consistent improvement in mathematics and reading. Between the last two editions of PISA (2012 to 2015), Peru, Colombia, and Uruguay have been among the countries that improved most quickly, each showing progress equivalent to half a year of schooling. PISA 2015 also showed that participation in the assessment grew throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, granting greater weight to the results from the region. Not only has the number of participating countries from the region increased, but, within each country, the number of students in the education system who took the test also grew. This demonstrates greater inclusion and highlights the commitment of the region to improve education quality, the IDB noted. (Antigua Observer)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Caribbean SIDS Receive Support In Building Capacit y To Produce SDG Indicators PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Countries in the sub-region are set to constraints in the Caribbean that could affect the production of data meet to identify a set of core indicators, from among the global indicators for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that the Caribbean would regard as essential to produce. This meeting, which is taking place in Port of Spain, Trinidad, from 6-9 December 2016, is jointly organized by the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Unit of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) sub-regional headquarters for the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. The SDGs are a set of 17 global goals adopted by the UN General Assembly just over a year ago. The goals, among others, are aimed at ending poverty, promoting decent work and economic growth, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity for all as part of a sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years and over 200 global indicators have been identified for use in monitoring progress in the implementation of the goals and the attainment of the targets. Due to data challenges in the Caribbean, the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians has called for the identification of a subset of these indicators to allow for sustainable monitoring of the goals in the sub-region. This subset will focus on regional and national priorities as well as SIDS priorities as contained in the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway Outcome document. The SAMOA Pathway outlines the key challenges faces by SDIS and the means of addressing them, through focused attention on sustainable development in view of their unique and particular vulnerabilities. Through this meeting, ECLAC is partnering with DESA and the CARICOM Secretariat in identifying capacity
for the SDG indicators and the technical assistance that would be required to enable countries conduct their follow up and review of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Participants at this meeting will include representatives of national statistical offices, government ministries and agencies responsible for planning, sustainable development and the environment, the CARICOM Secretariat, and representatives of UN agencies. (Caribbean News Now!)
From left: Anya Thomas, Economic Affairs Officer at UNDESA, Abdullahi Abdulkadri, Coordinator, Statistics and Social Development Unit at ECLAC Caribbean, and Marva Williams, Assistant Director of Statistics, Central Statistical Office Trinidad and Tobago
REGIONAL PAGE 20
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Government Recommits To Social Partnership Accord KINGSTON, Jamaica, Dec 6, CMC – The Jamaica government will on Wednesday sign a new social partnership that Prime Minister Andrew Holness said underscores his administration’s commitment to the Partnership for a Prosperous Jamaica (PFPJ). The last agreement was signed in 2013 and expired on July 31. Holness, who is the PFPJ Chairman said ‘“the government understands the importance of building partnerships and we are committed to having genuine exchanges towards building stronger partnerships”. He met recently with stakeholders in the PFPJ and said the government is committed to expanding and strengthening the PFPJ’s capacity to ensure it becomes a permanent institution in the Jamaican society. “We are not merely interested in having a conversation; we want that conversation to result in meaningful action and that meaningful action will often require additional support,” he said, adding that the idea of consensus building around national priorities cannot be the sole responsibility of the government. But he acknowledged that the process must be built on public trust and genuine understanding of national priorities and that PFJF should operate as the umbrella group that will interact with other social partnerships such as EPOCH and the Economic Growth Council, to determine the national priorities. The Prime Minister said he was pleased with the wide cross section of representation, which shows a great commitment to Jamaica. He also noted that the government is operating with an open arms policy and welcomes the involvement of the opposition. Partnership for a Prosperous Jamaica, formerly Partnership for Jamaica was established in 2010, comprising representatives from civil society, private sector, trade unions and the state. (Antigua Observer)
REGIONAL PAGE 21
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
6.2 MAGNITUDE EATHQUAKE HITS TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO According to the Seismic Research Center (SRC) at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) the Earthquake occurred at 5:42 pmlocal time and it was at a depth of 29 kilometers. The Earthquake stirred panic among the population. Guyana Daily News Contacted Narine Hohenkirk a resident of Scarborough in Tobago and she related that the Earthquake was felt very heavy there ,she further stated that she was at home in her bed at the time that the Earthquake occurred and she felt her bed shaking. “It was unlike any earthquake experience, my house swayed and rattle, times like this I miss my country Guyana. I am safe though, Thank God almighty’’. Citizens took immediately to social media site Facebook to state that the shake –up was the worst most of them had ever felt. The Earthquake was given as LATITUDE: 11.04N and Longitude: 60.70w, with an origin depth of 29 kilometers, with its center closer to Scarborough Tobago Here are some helpful earthquake terms: Seismic wave: Seismic waves pass through the Earth and ware most often the result of an earthquake, sometimes from an explosion. Seismic waves are also continually excited by the pounding of ocean waves and the wind. Intensity: Describes the level of shaking during an earthquake. Magnitude: This is a measure of the strength of an earthquake and is related to the amount of energy released. Hypocentre/Focus: This is the area within the crust where rocks ruptured and released their stored energy in an earthquake. Epicentre: This is the point on the earth’s surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus. The epicenter is usually the location of greatest damage According to US National Geographic “Earthquakes are a common occurrence, rumbling below Earth's surface thousands of times every day. But major earthquakes are less common. Here are some things to do to prepare for an earthquake and what to do once the ground starts shaking”. Safety Tips ·
Have an earthquake readiness plan.
· Consult a professional to learn how to make your home sturdier, such as bolting bookcases to wall studs, installing strong latches on cupboards, and strapping the water heater to wall studs. · Locate a place in each room of the house that you can go to in case of an earthquake. It should be a spot where nothing is likely to fall on you.
· Keep a supply of canned food, an up-to-date first aid kit, 3 gallons (11.4 liters) of water per person, dust masks and goggles, and a working battery-operated radio and flashlights. ·
Know how to turn off your gas and water mains.
If Shaking Begins ·
Drop down; take cover under a desk or table and hold on.
· Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you're sure it's safe to exit. · you.
Stay away from bookcases or furniture that can fall on
· Stay away from windows. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake. · If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow. · If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground. · If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 23
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Aleppo Battle: Syria Rebels 'Withdraw From Old City’ Syrian rebels have left the last areas they held in Aleppo's old city, while calling for a five-day truce to allow the evacuation of civilians. Activist monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the pull-back in Syria's second city came after days of heavy fighting. State media confirmed the military had taken over the whole of the old city. Government forces now control about 75% of eastern Aleppo, held by the rebels for the past four years. The rebels, who had been left with just a spit of land north-east of the citadel after recent government advances, abandoned it by Wednesday morning, retreating to territory they still hold further south. In a separate development, Syrian state news agency Sana reported that several Israeli missiles struck the Mazzeh military air base outside the capital Damascus overnight, causing a fire but no casualties. 'Great danger' Tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped in the last of the rebel-held districts. One resident said those districts were now heavily crowded and there were fears that people faced being captured, detained and tortured to death. "I know people who literally did nothing, they just kept doing nothing for four, five years, they just wanted to stay in their homes and now they are being arrested by the regime," Wissam, a teacher and activist said. Food supplies are exhausted and there are no functioning hospitals after months of heavy bombardment. The BBC's Lyse Doucet in Aleppo says officials there are preparing for another exodus, as families try to flee under fire in an extremely dire situation. The SOHR said remaining rebel-held areas in the south-east of the city came under heavy artillery fire overnight. At least 15 people were killed in government bombardments on Tuesday, it added. Plea for ceasefire A statement by the rebel Aleppo Leadership Council said civilians were in great danger, and it would support any initiative to ease their suffering. "Civilians should be either protected or evacuated to a safe area where they will not be under the mercy of [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad and his henchmen," it said. It proposed: An immediate five-day humanitarian ceasefire Evacuation of about 500 cases requiring
emergency treatment under UN supervision Evacuation of civilians to the northern Aleppo countryside Negotiations on the future of the city The US, Britain, France, Canada, Germany and Italy again on Wednesday called jointly for an immediate ceasefire to allow the UN "to get humanitarian assistance to people in eastern Aleppo". The Syrian government has ruled out any further truces in Aleppo, and Russia and China on Monday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on a weeklong ceasefire. French President Francois Hollande responded to the veto by accusing Russia of "systematic obstruction" which "bolsters the regime of Bashar al-Assad in its destructive drive which is harming the defenceless civilian population". In a conference call on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described all the remaining rebels in eastern Aleppo as "terrorists", saying that they had united around the jihadist group formerly known as al-Nusra Front. Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry reported that a Russian military adviser in Syria had been killed by rebel artillery fire. Col Ruslan Galitsky died of his wounds several days after the attack, on a residential area of government-held western Aleppo, it said. (BBC)
The area around the citadel has been in rebel hands for the last four years(AFP)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 24
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Pakistan International Airways Flight Crashes In North A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight with more than 40 people on board has crashed in the north of the country. Flight PK-661 "lost contact with the control tower on its way from Chitral to Islamabad", the airline said in a statement. The army has recovered at least 21 bodies from the crash site, a military statement said. The national carrier has been accused of safety failures in the past. The plane came down in the Havelian area, about 70km (43 miles) north of Islamabad. It took off from Chitral at about 10:00GMT (15:00 local time), losing contact 90 minutes later, shortly before it was due to arrive at its destination, local media report. A famous former pop singer turned Islamic preacher, Junaid Jamshed, and his wife were on the flight's passenger list, according to leading private news channel GEO TV. Pakistani TV images showed a trail of wreckage engulfed in flames on a mountain slope. The army has dispatched troops and helicopters to the location, national
broadcaster Radio Pakistan reports. Former cricketer turned leading Pakistani opposition politician, Imran Khan, tweeted his condolences: The last major crash involving a PIA aircraft, in 2006, left 44 people dead. (BBC)
Pictures from the site show wreckage burning on the hillside(EPA)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 26
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Donald Trump Is Time Magazine's Person Of The Year US President-elect Donald Trump has been named Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2016. The property tycoon was awarded the title following his unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton in November's presidential election. Mr Trump told NBC's Today show shortly after the announcement it was a "great honour" which "meant a lot" to him. He was chosen from a shortlist that included Mrs Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The former leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage, was also on the list for his role in the successful campaign for Britain to leave the European Union. Mrs Clinton came second in the selection, Time's managing editor Nancy Gibbs said, adding that the choice of Mr Trump was "straightforward". Time said the president-elect had redrawn America's political rules. The magazine invites readers to vote on who they think has earned the title, but the final decision is made by editors. Others considered included goldmedal winning US gymnast Simone Biles, singer Beyonce Knowles and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Previous winners In being named Time's Person of the Year for 2016, Mr Trump joins an illustrious list of the great and the not-alwaysso-good. It is perhaps not a surprise he was chosen - Time traditionally picks the president-elect, and it has been more than two decades since the last exception was made. But who else has graced the front cover over the years? Pope Francis In 2013, the world's first pontiff from the Americas was chosen as Person of the Year. Argentinean Jorge Mario Bergoglio had become Pope Francis in March of that year, and had already made his mark, rejecting the glittering trappings of the role to focus on the poorest in society. Vladimir Putin In 2007, the title went to a man who Mr Trump has repeatedly said he admires: Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, whether Time Magazine admires Mr Putin is less clear. “TIME's Person of the Year is not and never has been an honour. It is not an endorsement," it wrote in an editorial explaining the decision that year. "It is not a popularity contest. At its best, it is a clear-eyed recognition of the world as it is and of the most powerful individuals and
forces shaping that world - for better or for worse." Martin Luther King The civil rights activist was named Person of the Year in 1963 - the same year he stood at the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his acclaimed "I Have a Dream" speech. He was the first African American to grace the cover, and publically said later he saw it not simply as a personal victory, but a victory for the civil rights movement. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize the following year. Adolf Hitler If there was ever a recipient to prove the claim that Person of the Year was not an “honour", it was the choice for 1938. Among other things, 1938 was the year Adolf Hitler "had stolen Austria before the eyes of a horrified and apparently impotent world". But it is the closing line which is perhaps the most chilling: "To those who watched the closing events of the year it seemed more than probable that the Man of 1938 may make 1939 a year to be remembered." Wallis Simpson The first woman to be named what had been until then the "Man of the Year" was Wallis Simpson, the divorcee who had almost brought the British monarchy crashing to the ground. She is still one of the few women to grace the cover alone. Others include Queen Elizabeth II, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. (BBC)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 27
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Deadly Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Hits Aceh In Indonesia An earthquake off Indonesia's northern Aceh province has killed at least 97 people, say local military officials. The magnitude 6.5 quake struck just off the north-east coast of Sumatra island, where dozens of buildings have collapsed and many people are feared trapped under rubble. "So far, 97 people have been killed and the number keeps growing," Aceh military chief Tatang Sulaiman said in a live TV interview. Hundreds of people have been injured. In 2004, a huge undersea quake off the coast of Aceh caused a tsunami that killed more than 160,000 people in Indonesia alone. There was no tsunami after Wednesday's tremor, which the US Geological Survey said struck just offshore at 05:03 local time (22:03 GMT Tuesday) at a depth of 8km. A spokesman for Indonesia's national disaster agency said more than 200 shops and homes had been destroyed, along with 14 mosques. A hospital and school were also badly damaged. "We estimate the number of casualties will continue to rise as some of the residents are still likely [to be] under the rubble of the buildings. The search and rescue operation is still underway," said Sutopo Nugroho, who also said thousands of rescuers, including soldiers, had been deployed. Maj Gen Tatang Sulaiman said four people had been rescued alive from the rubble and he believed there might be four or five more still buried, though he did not say whether they were alive. "Hopefully we would be able to finish the evacuation from the rubble before sunset," he said. Said Mulyadi, deputy district chief of Pidie Jaya, the region hit hardest by the quake, told the BBC's Indonesian service earlier in the day that the death toll was likely to rise. He also told the AFP news agency that several children were among the dead and that local hospitals had been overwhelmed. Heavy equipment is being used to search for survivors, but Puteh
Manaf, head of the local disaster management agency, told the BBC's Mehulika Sitepu that more people were needed to help because some staff were busy helping their own families. Pidie Jaya is along the north coast of Aceh, and has a population of about 150,000. It is about 110 km (68 miles) from the provincial capital of Banda Aceh. The quake shook Banda Aceh and prompted many people across the region to flee their homes. Many are said to be reluctant to go back indoors, amid a number of aftershocks. Musman Aziz, who lives in Meureudu, another affected town, told AP news agency: "It was very bad, the tremors felt even stronger than (the) 2004 earthquake... I was so scared the tsunami was coming." Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim. The island of Sumatra has been hit by several earthquakes this year. (BBC)
Rescuers are searching through the debris for people feared trapped(AFP)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 29
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Man Arrested Over Threats To Brexit Case's Gina Miller A man has been arrested over alleged threats against Gina Miller, the woman behind the Brexit legal challenge. Met Police officers arrested the man, 55, in Swindon on Monday on suspicion of racially-aggravated malicious communications, police said. He was taken to a Wiltshire police station and later released on bail. Officers from the Met's anti-cyber crime Falcon Unit also issued a "cease and desist" notice on 3 December to a 38-year-old man from Fife, Scotland. The Metropolitan Police said the Swindon man was held over threats made online from 3 November onwards. 'Prerogative powers' argument Gina Miller, an investment fund manager and philanthropist, is the lead claimant in the legal fight to get Parliament to vote on whether the UK can start the process of leaving the EU. She and her fellow claimants - including hairdresser Deir Dos Santos and the crowd-funded People's Challenge group - won their case at the High Court in November. The government's appeal against this ruling is currently being heard at the Supreme Court in London. Government laywers argue that they do not need the approval of MPs to start Brexit and can instead begin the process using "prerogative powers", a remnant of the era of all-powerful kings and queens. Ms Miller and her co-claimants disagree, saying Parliament should first scrutinise the details of Brexit "how we leave, how they're going to negotiate, the directions of travel the government will take". Speaking outside court after her High Court victory on 3 December, she said: "You can't talk about getting back a sovereign Parliament and being in control
but at the same time then bypass it," she said. "It is about any government, any prime minister, in the future being able to take away people's rights without consulting Parliament. That isn't a democracy, that is verging on dictatorship." 'Most-hated woman' The debate around whether Parliamentary approval is needed to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty has been highly-charged, like the EU referendum campaign itself. At the start of Supreme Court proceedings, its president, Lord Neuberger, warned "legal powers" existed to deal with anyone making threats and abuse towards members of the public involved in the case. Ms Miller has told the BBC her role in the case had made her "apparently the most-hated woman in Britain". (BBC)
Gina Miller brought the Brexit legal case(GETTY IMAGES)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 30
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Thailand Investigates BBC Over King Maha Vajiralongkorn Profile The BBC could be prosecuted in Thailand if a profile it published of the new king is found in breach of lese majeste laws, the prime minister has said. "As they have an office in Thailand and Thai reporters work there they must be prosecuted when they violate Thai law," Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters. The BBC Thai-language website published the article last week after King Maha Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne. The BBC has yet to be told if formal charges have been laid against it. "BBC Thai was established to bring impartial, independent and accurate news to a country where the media faces restrictions, and we are confident that this article adheres to the BBC's editorial principles," a BBC spokesperson said. Police have visited the BBC's Bangkok office as part of their investigation. It began after complaints about the article - which was published in the UK and has since been blocked online in Thailand - by royalists who accuse the BBC of defaming the king. At the weekend, an opponent of Thailand's military-backed government was arrested after sharing the profile on his Facebook page. He is thought to be the first person charged with defaming the monarchy since the new king succeeded his father. Human rights groups accuse the military-backed government of using the royal defamation law as a way of cracking down on opponents. King The monarchy is accorded enormous Vajiralongkorn's father, the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, died on 13 respect in Thailand(REUTERS) October at the age of 88 after seven decades on the throne. (BBC)
CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 32
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
VACANCY
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PAGE 33
A Day Like Today If you are a fan of sports, baseball in particular you have probably heard of the ‘Los Angeles Dodgers’. And if that is the case, is impossible not to know its main figure Mr. Yasiel Puig Valdés. This ‘nutealla’ toned baseball player is turning 26- yearsold today, and I am more than happy to celebrate on his name. Puig, was born the 7th of December 1990, in the beautiful city of Cienfuegos. The so called ‘Southern Pearl’ of Cuba. He is the elder children of Omar and Maritza Puig. Growing up, Puig was an energetic child. Staying indoors was the biggest punishment for this vivid small human, he needed to feel the sun on his face, the wind on his cheeks and the sand on his feet. After school, you could often see him wearing short shorts and a mesh shirt running up and down his street, playing marbles, whipping top, hide and seek, ‘carriola’ or baseball. Yasiel had a spark, a glitter that could be seen from the distance. He wouldn’t only have fun with the games, he was competitive and analytic, especially with baseball. This young man fervent energy and aptitude for sports had to be exploited.At the age of nine he was admitted in the EIDE (Escuela de Iniciacion Deportiva Escolar) or by its translation in English, Sports Initiation School. The EIDE was one of the most prestigious educational institution of the State. It balanced education and sports. Place where the best athletes of the south were crafted. Puig was building a bright future. Since his insertion in the junior baseball team, Puig gave signs of his potential. He would throw a ball from the center field with the precision of an archer aiming to his pray, or catch a ‘batted ball in flight’ without blinking. He was quite something and his trainers knew it. At the age of 12 he has named captain of his selection. A responsibility that despite to his short age, he handle with quite an elegance. It was at the beginning of the 2003-04 academic year when I first saw him. I joined the Under 14 basketball team, and Puig happened to be one of my classmates. The classes were distributed depending on the training session of every sport. Basketball, Baseball, Hokey and Fencing used to train in the morning, receiving the classes in the afternoon. A classroom filled with teenage athletes could be visualized as loud and messy, but in the EIDE discipline and manners were taught almost as a military doctrine to be followed. A rude students with low grades, no matter how good he/she was in a determined discipline, was automatically expelled from the institution. Puig was quiet but fun, mischievous but smart. The kind of student that despite driving his teachers crazy, would reward them at the end of the academic year with good grades. After graduating from the EIDE, every athlete had to join the ESPA (Escuela de Superacion Para Atletas) or Superation School for Athletes. This was the last step on your formation. With a record of an outstanding trajectory in local tournaments and national championships, Puig had the doors of the Cuban League Baseball Club open. He played for the Cuban national baseball
team in the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship, winning a bronze medal. Followed by the 2008-09 Cuban National Series, were he played as a fielder for the Cienfuegos team. He also participated in the 2009–10 Cuban National Series, and in the 2011 World Port Tournament. Puig had built a reputation, and now he was noticed by international coaches. The year 2012, was the last time the Island would see him play in the Latino American National Stadium. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Puig on June 28th, 2012, to a seven-year deal worth $42 million. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut the 3rd of June, 2013. Becoming one of the top professional baseball players in North America and an acclaimed public figure. Source: http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/32574/yasielpuig
Cuban professional baseball right fielder, Yasiel Puig Valdés.
Puig debut in the MLB
PAGE 35
Sending Off Could Be Coming To Cricket The MCC World Cricket committee has recommended umpires be given powers to eject players from matches for "serious disciplinary breaches". A desire for more "in-match punishment" has led the MCC World Cricket committee to recommend that umpires be permitted to send players off. The committee raised concerns over a lack of in-match punishment for poor behaviour, which is presently dealt with retrospectively, though captains have the option to ask a player to leave the field. A statement released following a two-day meeting in Mumbai, which was attended by International Cricket Committee chief executive David Richardson, read: "Subject to approval by the main MCC Committee, the new code of the Laws of Cricket will include a stipulation that umpires can remove a player from the field for the following: - Threatening an umpire, - Physically assaulting another player, umpire, official or spectator; - Any other act of violence on the field of play. "The World Cricket committee believes that the game must now include a mechanism to deal with the worst disciplinary offences during the match, and not subsequent to it as is presently the case. "If approved, the ability to send a player off would therefore come into effect at all levels of the game from 1st October 2017." The 12-person panel was split on the possibility of introducing four-day Test matches and hopes to hear thoughts from those involved in the game before returning to the issue during its next meeting in July. The committee reaffirmed its belief that Twenty20 cricket should feature at the Olympic Games in order to help the growth of the sport. "With the prospect of applying to become a participating sport for 2024 still on the table, the committee encourages the ICC to work as hard as possible to see the game introduced to the Olympics," the statement added. "The committee is encouraged to hear that a strategy is being written by ICC to look at the development of the game in both the US and China, but believes that the single most effective way cricket can grow around the world is by being included in the Olympics. "The committee therefore asks all members of the ICC to work together to present its case for inclusion to the IOC [International Olympic Committee]." Among the committees other recommendations were to implement limitations on bat edges and depths and an amendment that would permit catches and stumpings "after the ball has struck a fielder's worn helmet". (SportsMax)
McBryde Handed Wales Reins As Howley Takes Lions Role With head coach Warren Gatland and interim boss Rob Howley involved with the Lions, Robin McBryde will take charge of Wales' tour in 2017. Robin McBryde will lead Wales on their tour to the Pacific Islands next year. Forwards coach McBryde has been entrusted with the position after interim boss Rob Howley was appointed to Warren Gatland's backroom staff for the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. Howley only took over senior responsibilities from Gatland in September but will not be present for a Welsh tour that includes matches against Tonga and Samoa. McBryde will now take charge of Wales for the third time in June, having previously covered for Gatland and Howley in 2009 and 2013 when they were involved with the Lions. Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Martyn Phillips, who hopes to bolster coaching resources for the tour, said: "Rob Howley joins Warren Gatland's British and
Irish Lions coaching team with our best wishes, as the Lions embark upon one of the toughest and most high-profile campaigns in the world game. "Both coaches can only benefit from the coaching experiences available to them and, in turn, we know the Wales national squad set-up will be able to reap the rewards of that experience upon their return to us. "We have a clear strategy in Welsh rugby, with coaching and coach development a central priority at all levels of the game. "It will be of huge benefit to Welsh rugby in the long term that, within a small window during their coaching careers, we are able to provide significant development opportunities for Warren, Rob and Robin. "We are also at an advanced stage in discussions with a number of other individuals about the summer tour and hope to be in a position to confirm the full make-up of the management team next week." McBryde added: "The tour is an exciting opportunity for the squad, it is always an honour to represent your country and to do so overseas carries with it extra responsibility. "We will be facing two passionate rugby nations and it will be a huge challenge for the players, but an opportunity for them to show what they are able to do in the red jersey. "For me it is another exciting opportunity to lead the team. It is something I have thoroughly enjoyed in the past and I'm really looking forward to doing it again at the end of the season. "As is natural in a Lions year, we will inevitably have some senior players missing, but our focus will very much be on discovering future potential alongside maintaining current standards and, hopefully, coming away with two good performances and wins." (SportsMax)
PAGE 36
Aubameyang's Mum: He Always Spoke About Madrid, Never Barcelona Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang without him. "He's a quality player. All players would love to always spoke about Real Madrid as a child, never Barcelona, according to his mother. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's mother says her son has harboured dreams of playing for Real Madrid since childhood. The Borussia Dortmund star has a contract at Signal Iduna Park until 2020, but has spoken in the past of a desire to one day play for the Santiago Bernabeu outďŹ t. He has also been linked with Barcelona, but if it came down to a choice between the two Spanish giants, Aubameyang's mum Margarita Crespo says there would be no contest. "He promised his grandfather that he would play for Real Madrid and since he was a little boy he spoke about Madrid and never about Barcelona," she is quoted as saying by AS. "My family have always been Real Madrid and I would like to see him in white. "A move to Madrid would be lovely, but at the moment he is doing well at Dortmund and we will have to see what happens." Dortmund visit Madrid on Wednesday knowing even a draw would see them hold on to top spot in Champions League Group F. Speaking ahead of that clash, Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel said: "Aubameyang is a great player. He makes the side better, he makes me better and we can't achieve our objectives
play in the best sides in the world, and one of those clubs is Real Madrid. "It's always a pressure to play at the Santiago Bernabeu and he likes pressure and it often brings the best out in him." Aubameyang has scored 98 goals in 161 appearances for Dortmund. (SportsMax)
MLS MVP Villa Has No Interest In Premier League Move A move to the Premier League is not on the radar of New York City FC striker and MLS MVP David Villa. MLS MVP David Villa says a move to the Premier League is not something that he will consider at this stage of his career. New York City FC striker Villa saw off competition from Bradley Wright-Phillips and Sacha Kljestan of rivals New York Red Bulls to collect the prestigious honour after a season in which he scored 23 goals in 33 appearances. The former Spain international, 35, was asked about the possibility of playing in English football, with the likes of Thierry Henry, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane having all enjoyed loan spells in the Premier League while playing in MLS. But the ex-Barcelona forward is only concentrating on his career in New York. "I had the opportunity in the past, it is not in my plans. I like a lot the Premier League, I watch it all the time and I am excited by every game in the Premier League," he told Sky Sports. "It is one of the best leagues in the world. I had the opportunity to go there, but now it's not in my thinking now. I feel good at New York City FC and I am still here." Villa also spoke of his pride at being recognised as MVP and is delighted to have achieved one of the main objectives he set when moving to America. "I'm very proud to represent New York City FC and to receive this award," he said. "It's a big day for me because this is one of the things I said I
wanted to do when I came here two years ago. "This is an important day in my career – this is an important moment for me. This award is for the best player in this amazing league which has many quality players so this is a very happy and proud day for me." (SportsMax)
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Knicks President Jackson Says Marijuana Use Part Of NBA Culture we either have to accommodate or ďŹ gure out another way to
Phil Jackson believes the NBA will never be able to legislate marijuana out of the game because it part of the league's lifestyle. Having previously admitted to using marijuana during his playing days, New York Knicks president Phil Jackson said the drug is part of the NBA culture despite efforts to spot it. While playing for the Knicks, Jackson missed the entire 1969-70 season because of his back injury, and he used medical marijuana to treat the pain. That came as no surprise on Tuesday but what raised some eyebrows was Jackson saying the NBA will never be able to legislate marijuana out of the game because it has become part of the league's lifestyle. After Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr admitted to using marijuana while dealing with chronic back pain, Jackson told the CBS Sports Network: "The year that I was off I was smoking marijuana during that period of time. I think it was a distraction for me as much as a pain reliever. "But I never thought of it as ultimately a pain medication for that type of situation. "We have tried to stop [marijuana use] in the NBA. I don't think we have been able to stop it. I think it still goes on and is still a part of the culture in the NBA. "It is something that
deal with it." (SportsMax)