Kaieteur News

Page 2

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Protest over irregular ferry service turns ugly…

Authorities ban Wakenaam truck driver from boarding MV Malali A protest by drivers over the irregular Parika to Wakenaam ferry service has taken an ugly turn, with authorities allegedly banning one of the drivers indefinitely from boarding the ferries.

The driver Mahendra Persaud, learnt that he had been blacklisted on Saturday, when a Transport and Harbours clerk barred him from boarding the MV Malali at Parika.

At the time, Persaud, who hails from Wakenaam, was preparing to be ferried back home with items that were laden on a Canter truck, GKK 5673, which he drives for his grandfather. He said that the items on the truck included perishables.

“The clerk in charge of Parika say that the General Manager say that I get ban and I can’t travel,” he said.

According to Persaud, one of his brothers then drove the truck onto the MV Malali, but was told by the clerk that he, too, had been banned

from using the service. When his brother refused to move the vehicle, a Transport and Harbours staff summoned the police, who had the vehicle removed and escorted the brother to the Parika Police Station. Ranks there reportedly threatened to lock the brother up and seize the vehicle, but he was eventually released.

Persaud said he was forced to leave the stillloaded vehicle near the Parika stelling over the weekend.

The family eventually hired a boat, reportedly at considerable cost, to take their goods to Wakenaam.

A senior police official confirmed yesterday that police had received instructions from Transport and Harbours officials to remove a Canter truck off the MV Malali.

“We got a call to get a Canter truck off the boat and we removed it.” The source said that he had received information that the driver

- order reportedly came from Govt. official had blocked other vehicles from boarding the vessel during a protest. He stressed that the police had no authority to impose such a ban.

Despite repeated attempts, Kaieteur News was unable to contact Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn for a comment, since he was reportedly out of town.

But Persaud and other relatives are pointing fingers at a senior government official for imposing the indefinite ban after he and several other truck drivers staged a protest at the Wakenaam Ferry stelling last Thursday over the irregular ferry service.

Passengers plying the Parika/Wakenaam route, particularly members of the business community, have voiced their concern over the

decision to have the ferries operate every other day, rather than daily.

Last Thursday, several drivers decided to stage a protest at the Wakenaam stelling by refusing to use the ferry service. “ O n T u e s d a y … e v e r y b o d y, including me, say we not travelling; we need a protest to let the Ministry know that we want the boat to go in the morning and come back in the afternoon,” Persaud said.

The young man said that he was first in line and had intended to board the MV Malali. However, the other drivers reportedly told Persaud that “we all together,” and he decided to park on the ramp and the ferry reportedly eventually left.

According to Persaud, at

around noon on Saturday, he drove to the Parika Stelling with the intention of travelling to Wakenaam when the Transport and Harbours clerk informed him that he had been banned from using the ferry.

He said he was forced to leave the vehicle, laden with cement, rice, construction material and also fruits, at Parika. The family eventually hired a boat to transport the items to Wakenaam.

Persaud is querying why he was singled him out, when several other drivers were involved in the protest. He alleged that on Saturday, he spoke, by phone, to a senior Government official who had reportedly issued the order.

Persaud said that he apologised to the official, but got no clear indication that he would be allowed to use the ferry service any time soon.

A female relative of the young man also said that the Government official, via a text message, confirmed that the Transport and Harbours

staffers were acting on his orders.

“I did not believe at first (that the official had issued the order) so I texted him (after not getting him on the phone) and he answered by text,” she said.

According to the woman, the Government official said that he had received reports that Persaud had blocked the ferry boarding area on three occasions, a claim the woman denies.

Earlier this month, several Wakenaam residents, particularly those in the business sector, lamented what they said appeared to be a new policy to have the ferry service operate every other day.

According to one resident, the last ferry had left the island on a Saturday, and would not be returning until Tuesday evening, leaving business owners who were planning on taking their produce off the island, stranded without notice.

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 3

Mystery fire destroys Duncan Street bond - family claims arson, received several threats from businessman

By Latoya Giles A Duncan Street family believes that arsonists who have been targeting them struck for a third time at around 07:30 hrs yesterday, razing their two-storey bond and leaving then with millions in losses.

The bond, located at Lot 34 Duncan Street, was stocked with groceries and flammable materials and the blaze spread too quickly for the owners to save anything.

Firefighters who arrived at the scene shortly after were hampered by a lack of water.

The building is owned by Mr. Gool Mohamed Bacchus, owner of the MFK store in Hadfield Street. Family members are claiming that there is a connection with this recent fire and threats that they have been receiving from a city businessman.

Mohamed Rahaman is the son of the property owner and lives with his spouse, children and other relatives next to the bond. He was one of the first people on the scene. He told Kaieteur News that a relative came to him at around 07:30 hrs and said that there was a fire next door.

Rahaman said he then saw that the bond was engulfed by thick black smoke and he rushed to the scene with a water hose in a futile attempt to extinguish the fire.

However his wife Indira, who was in the building next to the bond, shouted that he should exit the building since the fire had consumed an upper flat too.

Mr. Rahaman said he retreated from the flames and a fire tender came about 20 minutes later. Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle said that the fire service received a call at around 7:35hrs. He said that firefighters from Campbellville and Central Fire Stations responded.

According to Gentle, by then, the building was already engulfed in flames.

After seeing what they were faced with, the ranks sent out calls to other fire stations.

But he said that they soon exhausted their water supplies, which they had used on other buildings in the vicinity. They attempted to use water from nearby canals but aborted this attempt because of the silt. Kaieteur News was told that while there were hydrants nearby, it took an hour before the water pressure became adequate for fire-fighting purposes.

Gentle said that his staff “pulled out all of the stops,” and commended them for their efforts.

Gentle said that because of the nature of the fire, some of his ranks who were off duty had to be called in. He further noted that the building was laden with flammable items, which also made fire fighting difficult.

But he declined to speculate about how the blaze started until a thorough investigation is done.

A relative of the family said that this is the third major fire at one of their properties in recent months.

Relatives are of the strong belief that arson was the cause of yesterday’s fire, since they had been receiving threats from another city businessman.

Mr. Rahaman told Kaieteur News that his family started receiving threats soon after they purchased the MFK building on Hadfield Street (now G. Bacchus Enterprise) on Hadfield Street. Soon after payments were complete for the property, a mystery fire broke out there, he claimed.

That blaze destroyed millions of dollars in stocks which were contained in the ground floor, which housed a supermarket and the first floor that stored household appliances.

According to him, only the building was insured. The third fire happened at the family’s stall in the Bourda

Fire Fighters in action

Market. In that fire too, Rahaman said that they suffered millions in losses.

He alleged that after his family started to rebuild, the threats continued, with the individual allegedly threatening to kidnap his children and wife.

“He called us saying that he would kidnap the children because he knows what school they go to… and he knows my wife’s whereabouts” Rahaman told this newspaper.

According to him the family has about 20 reports at the Kitty and Brickdam police stations. The man went on to say that he has even provided the police with several telephone numbers and different information about the individual who had made the threats.

“Every time we report it they just take the report and never one day took him for questioning or anything…they just sit and wait until something major happened”, Rahaman stated.

He said as recently as last Friday night, someone had walked up to his security guard and tried to question him. However he said that the

guard did not entertain the person and they left.

Rahaman said that this recent fire will cause people to point fingers at his family, since “the first thing people say is that you’re burning the buildings to get the insurance”.

The man maintained that his family is one that was hard working and committed. But after yesterday’s misfortune, Rahaman said that the family is seriously considering migrating to the US, where they have citizenship.

“I just feel like packing up

and go” a frustrated Rahaman told Kaieteur News.

He further noted that he was not sure whether the insurance would cover for anything. Investigations are continuing.

(Additional reporting by Zena Henry)

Page 4

Kaieteur News

KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

Editorial

“Pressure”

Yesterday was “World Health Day” and the theme was “High Blood Pressure” or “hypertension”. In Guyana, most people refer to the condition as simply ‘pressure’. The shortened name inadvertently refers to one of the causes of hypertension - stress, which is also called ‘pressure’.

It is perhaps not a coincidence that more than threequarters of the cases of hypertension are estimated to exist in the developing nations where life is still often ‘nasty, brutish and short’. The abysmal living conditions cannot but produce stress and in turn, ‘pressure’.

Guyana, as the second poorest country in the hemisphere, has not been spared from experiencing the scourge of high blood pressure.

The medical teams that descend into the country ever so often and treat a wide cross-section of the poor in diverse locations routinely report that hypertension is the most common medical problem encountered. The official statistics confirm the numbers: last year it was reported that we have a 9% prevalence rate with some 64,000 cases in Guyana and 15,000 more added annually.

Extrapolating from those two statistics suggests what is actually the case: hypertension is one of the leading causes of death in Guyana caused by a non-communicable disease. It can also lead to cerebral, vascular and ischemic heart diseases, which are the leading causes of death here.

Hypertension is popularly dubbed the ‘silent killer’ because it does its insidious damage to various organs within the body - such as kidneys, heart, eyes etc - out of sight of the afflicted person, By the time one becomes aware of the condition, it has already become chronic.

The secret to controlling high blood pressure is, first and foremost, early detection. It normally kicks in after 50 years of age, signalling that the effects are cumulative and therefore avoidable if preventative measures are taken early enough. It should be a routine matter at all the primary health care centres for the blood pressure of patients to be checked and recorded on their charts.

Related to this, there should be an ongoing educational programme in the schools and in over the airwaves, (especially now that we will be having so many radio stations) about the causes and treatment for high blood pressure. Most people do not even know what is the ‘normal’ blood pressure, much less the difference between its components, systolic and diastolic pressures.

As it is, awareness that blood pressure can be controlled is also not very high in the country - especially among the poor where the prevalence is most likely higher.

The latter circumstance, as was mentioned, is caused by the stress on those individuals and by the lifestyles they adopt as they try to cope with the ‘pressures’ of just surviving. There is also their poor diet and lack of access to health facilities.

To wait for six hours to see a doctor is not ‘access’. The Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the WHO, is stressing this year, the relationship of a high salt intake with an increased possibility of developing hypertension.

They should introduce guidelines for salt content in the burgeoning American-style fast food outlets and Chinese restaurants springing up in every nook and cranny.

In addition to lowering salt intake, alcohol and cigarette consumption should also be avoided and a regular exercise regimen followed. As can be surmised, these are habits that must be inculcated very early in one’s life so that the vicissitudes of hypertension can be warded off.

From a treatment standpoint, while the medical clinics around the country do distribute medication to patients with chronic hypertension, the supply is frequently very erratic. Patients are often forced to purchase their own medication which of course, places another burden on the poor.

The supply chain has to be managed mush more stringently and it is hoped that the ‘state of the art’ medical warehouse opened by the government recently will assist distribution. But sadly, the dispensing of the drugs it is not done in conjunction with any sort of holistic programmed that includes the other steps suggested above. This must be rectified.

Monday April 08, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

An attack on one country in the Americas is an attack on all of this hemisphere DEAR EDITOR, It took Fidel Castro, now retired and out of the public view for quite some time, to come out and issue the strongest warning against North Korea’s increasing threats of a nuclear attack against its neighbour South Korea and the United States.

Perhaps there is no one better than Fidel, whose Cuban revolution was itself at the center of a missile crisis over half a century ago, to warn of the dangers of a nuclear attack.

One would have expected such a warning to come from the hemispheric Organization of American States (OAS) and from regional organizations such as CARICOM. OAS Secretary General Insulza did issue a statement on February 13, warning of the dangers of a North Korean nuclear test but the collective body has not held an emergency Permanent Council Meeting nor has CARICOM and other regional organizations issued any warning to the young upstart at the head of the North Korean regime to refrain from his ongoing threats, one of which claims that a nuclear missile is aimed at Austin, Texas.

While much of grandson Kim’s threats might just be attention getting grandstanding, this young “turk” must recognize that he can’t be raising tensions around the world.

The international community, as much as it may be giving him the attention he

wants, must itself threaten North Korea with decisive action if young Kim continues this reckless public conduct of threats to global peace and security.

China in particular must tell this “boy leader” that what he is doing is no “fun and games” and unless he desists from his lunatic behaviour he stands to bring about the destruction of North Korea.

CARICOM nations such as Guyana and Jamaica which enjoy long and close ties with both China and the DPRK must strongly register their concern about these threats aimed to our hemisphere.

They must let young Kim know that an attack on one country in the Americas would be considered an attack on all of this hemisphere.

President Obama and

America’s allies around the world must leave no stone unturned in protecting the people of the Americas from the worst possible consequences of a North Korean nuclear attack, should it ever take place.

One option for protecting the people of the Americas as well as those of South Korea would be to “take out” N o r t h K o r e a ’s n u c l e a r facilities once and for all while at the same time immobilizing their military capacity especially their ground force which is made up of millions of armed combatants.

This option should not be off the table...it may well be the best option for a secure and lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula.

The exercise of this option should also put Iran

and Pakistan on notice that the drums of war have begun beating for those who want to continue to pose a nuclear threat to this world.

Another important consideration, if not priority at this point for the Americas must be the reintroduction of Cuba into our hemispheric family....the lifting of its suspension from the OAS and normalization of Cuba/ US relations.

Our hemispheric unity should not preclude a plurality of outlook, it must pre-suppose it, for in the final analysis while we may have differences within the family, the family must be one against external threats and be unified in its action to defend the family members....the people of the Americas.

Wesley Kirton

It is time for leopards to change their stripes DEAR EDITOR, Why the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) continues to adopt a policy which hinges on confrontation and controversy, I don’t know.

Despite the fact that there is more than credible reasons to justify the sacking of the Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, the PPP/C continues to defy the will of the people and keep this controversial Minister in office, albeit a no confidence motion was passed against

him.

Today, Guyanese wake up with the PPP/C calling for the reappointment of former controversial GECOM official, Goocool Boodhoo, a man who has been a prime controversial figure in the nation’s National and Regional Elections.

Again, the National Budget attracts much controversy and lacks support of the Opposition because the government failed to involve the Parliamentary Opposition in

the process. If the PPP/C is serious about reaching across the aisle and arriving at consensus through collaboration, it would adopt a more responsible approach towards government.

The “we in charge” mentality has long been discharged with. Guyanese will have to determine whether the PPP/C government is able to change it stripes, or whether they will have to pressure it to change its stripes.

Lurlene Nestor

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 5

Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news

THESE TWO GROUPS CONTINUE TO REGARD EACH OTHER WITH UNEASINESS

DEAR EDITOR, Hydar Ally would be left to his own mutterings if he was nothing but a fringe PPP player. However, this is a man who is the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President where he earns a cool $550,064 every month, which is more than the Clerk of the Trinidad and Tobago Senate and Deputy Secretary to the T&T Cabinet.

He is a prominent member of a party (PPP) equally responsible with the PNC for the racial apartheid in this country.

Intellectual fabrications and revisions from the Hydar Allys must be countered and vehemently so. Ally’s diatribe titled “Race relations in Guyana” (KN, March 21, 2013) is more shoddy revisionist posturing from the PPP. Like many of his ilk, Ally avoids candid and honest addressing of the deep-seated racial problems of this country, choosing to exercise intellectual derangement rather than truth. He cunningly concludes that because there is some social intermixing of the races, Guyana is not an ethnically polarized nation or that “race has never been a serious problem in Guyana”.

This is hogwash.

Particularly so when the antics of the PPP in the last elections raised the racial temperature in this nation to bitter heights. Race has always been a problem in Guyana. The Indian-African race conflict defines our

landscape because these two groups collectively represented 73.65% of the entire population, as per the 2002 census, and they continue to tussle in herculean fashion along racial lines.

Ally tried to hoodwink us by attempting to conflate some social mixing among the races to mean significant social mixing, non-superficial or deep social mixing or frequent or regular social contact when there are many issues with sub-issues involved here.

Any study of Guyana in the past 20 years of PPP rule would unequivocally indicate social interaction/ contact between Indians and Africans is the lowest for all inter-racial social interactions among different ethnicities in Guyana and this relates to not only proportional volume but also intensity and frequency.

These two groups (Indians and Africans) continue to regard each other with uneasiness and this continues to be manifested socially. No wonder the PNC and PPP could continue with these boorish antics and still retain significant electoral support.

That same study would reveal inter-racial social interactions and mixing has increased among non-Indian and non-African ethnicities and further, between Indians and Africans and other ethnicities (Amerindians and Mixed predominantly) but not with each other.

For the majority of Indians and Africans, social mixing or even meaningful relationships has not become anything more than a minority exercise.

If one is to properly measure the Mixed Race population, the strength of its increase since 1980 when it was 11.16% of the entire population to 2002 when it was 16.73% most likely lies not in more African-Indian miscegenation, marriages and relationships (the ultimate test of inter-racial contact) but in greater miscegenation among non-African and nonIndian ethnicities and also between Indians and Africans with other racial groups (Mixed and Amerindian) but not with each other.

The striking evidence would reveal a continuing Indian-African social divide that continues to strafe this country.

The social interaction argument usually posited by the deniers, revisionists and biased polemicists is a fraudulent one that attempts to portray a superficial level of social interaction as completely and utterly definitive of what they and only they see as the lack of racial tension, ethnic polarity or the existence of a race problem.

This is insidious reasoning. This approach fails to contemplate something fundamental to the exegesis of the race problem in Guyana; power. The race problem in Guyana is most pervasive and becomes most

ugly when it comes to the fight for power.

We all know that real power in Guyana’s failed system is political. Hydar Ally and his cohorts refuse to examine this angle because it is the filthy underbelly of racism and the escalation of ethno-politics in Guyana and we saw it just as recently as the 2011 election. In the heat of election season, we get ethnic entrepreneurs whipping up their ethnic constituencies into a frenzy while pillorying the other ethnic group for political gain.

This is where racism destroys this country every five years and we never recover from it. Coupled with the ethno-biased handouts that occur when one race’s political group gains power, this further raises the racial temperature in the country.

When limited resources are so callously stolen and corrupted away to a particular ethnic group, it deepens racial resentment.

To try to bury this disturbing reality of political racism and race politics in Guyana behind the social synergy curtain is

Frankenstein-like deceit. We have a rural sprawl of ethnic garrisons living side by side but never mixing.

Even in the cities, these ethnic enclaves exist. 90% of the entire population lives along a habitable coast of 250 kms. Of that number, 498,005 are Africans and Indians living along that same 250 km stretch of coast in a population density that is 1992 per square km. Yet they hardly interact or mix meaningfully.

This dynamic suits the rabble-rousers at Freedom House and Congress Place but it absolutely devastates this country’s economic potential. The PNC did nothing and now the PPP has done absolutely nothing to right race relations in this country.

We have a big bad bloody race problem in Guyana. It is serious. It is killing us and our potential as a nation every single day. Finally, while Cheddi Jagan may not have been a racist personally, he certainly had no problem playing the race card for political gain. Nothing will change this fact.

The PPP is evidence of this truth. Further, the PPP destabilized itself in the sixties just as much as it was undermined. It was its own biggest enemy.

Its hardheadedness, lack of tact, intractability and poor political acumen caused it to squander power from 1957 to 1964 even when it knew it could not win a PR election.

Cheddi Jagan and his communist claptrap victimized the PPP and its supporters by putting them at the mercy of the real powers in Guyana who held the reins to do what they wanted to do; the West.

Enough of this victimhood eulogy.

How long will the PPP acolytes like Hydar Ally tell Indians they are eternal victims of the PNC without admitting to the gross miscalculations, errors and pitfalls the PPP made to help to create the PNC dictatorship?

Forbes Burnham outsmarted and outplayed Cheddi Jagan.

Cheddi Jagan helped to deliver Burnham. And that is the truth.

M. Maxwell

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

The Berbice Bridge has become very profitable for the rich DEAR EDITOR, Since the PPP regime is not prepared to tell the truth to the people of Guyana, then we will do so. It is about the naked discrimination against those crossing the Berbice River Bridge vs crossing the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

For the past two years, the Jagdeo/Ramotar Cabal has ignored the pleas of Berbicians to reduce the extremely high toll on the Berbice River Bridge.

The toll amount of G$2,200 to cross the bridge is among the most expensive tolls in the United States and elsewhere. It is a total shame that this PPP regime has saddled Guyanese, especially the people of Berbice with such a huge toll. It is an extra tax burden that the masses who are struggling to make ends meet cannot afford.

The Minister of Transport, Mr. Robeson Benn revealed in the Guyana Parliament in February 2013 that his Government has “no plans to reduce the tolls on the Berbice Bridge.” What an oppressive, selfish and antiworking class statement from a Minister of the new corrupt

bourgeoisie PPP regime. The Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal has revealed themselves as the fighters and defenders of the rich and the oppressors of the defenseless poor and downtrodden.

As a justification for this reckless statement from the Minister, he claimed that “school children have the options to use a ferry service that the Government operates between Rosignol and New Amsterdam.”

Clearly, Robeson Benn’s heartless, inconsiderate and big-headed statement shows that he has no respect for the youths of Guyana, not even for our school children.

The truth is that it takes more than 40 minutes for the ferry to cross the Berbice River from Rosignol to New Amsterdam while crossing the Berbice Bridge takes less than 7 minutes. Would the Minister do this to his children?

It costs a school child G$800 per day to cross the bridge, so the children of poor families have to opt to save money and in the process burn precious time crossing the river by the

sluggish ferry rather than using their valuable time to do their homework or engage in sports as a form of recreation. The Minister prefers that the children be exposed to the touts at the stelling, many of whom are felons, pedophiles and drug pushers.

We call on the owners of the Bridge – (New Building Society, Beharry Family, Bobby Ramroop family and Demerara Distillers Limited, among others) to lobby the Government for a subvention so that the toll can be less repressive.

This Bridge continues to reap millions in profits for the owners and as the rich in Guyana, they have a national duty to serve the people also by asking for a little less for themselves, all paid for by the poor people who have to cross the bridge.

In the past, Jagdeo said at a public PPP rally in 2001 that he promised to “keep the toll charges low” but as Proverbs 12:22 says, “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord.” Some 260,000 vehicles traversed the Berbice Bridge per year earning the

company some G$945 million per year based on some figures we saw. This year the Berbice Bridge Company is expected to take in over G$1 billion from the Guyanese people.

It costs G$8billion to build this Bridge but this company in 8 years will harvest all their capital back and for the remaining 12 years, all they will be receiving is profits which will run up to some G$11 billion.

That is a 140% return on their investment; not bad for the owners of the Bridge many of whom are best buddies of Jagdeo.

These heartless investors should at least cut their profits to 50% and this will allow for the tolls to drop to G$1,000 per car and minibus.

Shame on the heartless and anti-poor PPP regime and their business buddies for inflicting such financial pain on Berbicians, who are the primary users of the bridge.

There is no relief for the poor and the downtrodden in Guyana as long as this PPP regime remains in power.

Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh

Government agencies and their ignorance of laws of the land DEAR EDITOR, A SN’s report on a meeting at Kako on 18 March informed that the Ministers for Amerindian Affairs and Natural Resources and Environment were invited by the Kako Village Council but did not accept (SN 23 March, “Our last refuge” – Kako battling to protect river from miners).

Instead, they sent representatives who, if reported accurately, were remarkable for their ignorance of the laws of the land and the resources of the government agencies.

The Ministries and agencies can hardly be unaware of the evidence submitted in the protests about mining on Amerindian titled and customary lands, which have been heard recently by the Committee of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD).

The failure of the Government agencies to send well-briefed representatives is disrespectful and contemptuous of Amerindian rights under national and international laws.

Kako is protesting about the influx of miners into the water catchment above the village, and the consequent

likelihood of pollution by miners who do not comply with the environmental Mining Regulations 2005.

Kako correctly pointed out the Amerindian right to ‘quiet enjoyment’ of their customary lands which is written into Article 111 of the Mining Act 1989. Kako is also entitled to a clean environment, through Article 36 of the National Constitution 1980/2003.

The Environmental Protection Act 1996 is explicit in Article 11 and Schedule 4, item 9 that ‘the extraction and conversion of mineral resources’ needs an environmental permit subsequent to an environmental impact assessment. Note that this Act does not allow a prospective miner to argue that the mining operation would not significantly affect the environment; that argument could be raised only for issues not listed in Schedule 4.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Indigenous Peoples Commission (IPC), Autry Haynes, was thus wrong to tell the people of Kako that ‘for small and medium scale mining, an Environmental Impact Assessment is not required.’

The CEO appeared to forget

that one role for the IPC is to ‘promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples’ (Article 212T (a) of the National Constitution).

It was also incorrect for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to have told Kako in July 2012 that ‘the agency had satisfied itself that mining would have no harmful effects on the environment’. GGMC has no right to make such a declaration; that is a function of the EPA, and in any case, such a declaration is contrary to the EP Act as stated above; as well as being patently absurd in respect of the hydraulic mining which is used in Guyana.

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) thus appears to be in grave error to have issued licences for small- and medium-scale mining in areas of Amerindian customary rights – because that would infringe their ‘quiet enjoyment’. It is also an error to have issued licences without prior Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Permits from the Environmental Protection Agency.

It is extraordinary that an unnamed GGMC official told the Kako meeting that GGMC maps did not indicate titled lands. GGMC has had this

information since at least 1997 through the Guyana Integrated Natural Resources Information System (GINRIS) and at least some of the maps available from GGMC do indeed show the Amerindian titled Village Lands.

Kako people are thus entirely within their constitutional rights to resist the issue of mining concessions over their communally titled and customary lands, and to demand the cancellation of all such concessions that have been issued to date without their agreement.

The Government of Guyana has repeatedly assured the Norwegians, among others, that Guyana implements the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), which is contained in the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, endorsed by Guyana in 2007.

Kako people could reasonably expect questions to be raised on their behalf

by MPs in the National Assembly and in the Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, and the relevant Ministers called to account for the incorrect statements and licences issued by their officials.

Janette Bulkan

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 7

Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news

Too many broken promises from the PPP regime DEAR EDITOR, The PPP has been in power for the past 20 years and despite their constant criticism of the Burnham government, this regime is the worst regime ever to rule Guyana. Today, Guyana has become the disgrace of the Caribbean region and that disgrace has now accentuated in the last decade under the Jagdeo/ Ramotar regime.

The only thing the Jagdeo/Ramotar administration has mastered in their more than twelve years in power is that they have become world class “cuss birds,” evil, vindictive, plunderers of the Treasury for selfenrichment, contempt for the constitution and absolute disrespect for the rule of law and the people of Guyana.

To expose the deceitful personal agendas of these misfits, the General Secretary of the PPP said in a newspaper article of March 11, 2010 that “the party [PPP] is working towards the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission”.

The General Secretary of the PPP who is now the holder of the most powerful office in the land, promised the people that his party [PPP} will soon be “shortlisting names to be submitted for consideration for the Commission.”

It has been three years now and the PPP has not submitted any names and has done very little work to support the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission.

If an ordinary person had promised such and did what was done by the PPP, in common parlance they would have been deemed a liar, a custodian of falsehood and a purveyor of deceit and deception.

Needless to say we are dealing with a cabal that has lost all their senses, their ability to reason and govern this nation and they have broken their promises to the people.

I want all Guyanese irrespective of their party affiliation to know that a party that breaks its promises to them cannot be trusted to govern this nation.

In 2012, not only did President Ramotar broke several of his promises to you, the people, but also ministers after ministers have done so on numerous occasions.

These people are so selfish and corrupt that they would do only what would yield them personal gains and this means ignoring the wishes of the people. I encourage the Guyanese

public to listen and read the major news papers, especially Kaieteur News and pass judgment on this group of charlatans and their nefarious acts. The time has come for all Guyanese to say publicly to the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal that “enough is enough.”

In May 2012, a Government Minister, in response to Ms. Deborah Backer in Parliament said the Public Procurement Commission would be established by the end of June 2012.

Another broken promise, and coming from this particular minister it is no surprise to us because her response was staged since this is not her portfolio!

However, it is prudent for the Minister to maintain her integrity and come forward and tell the people the real reasons for the delay and not to indulge in propaganda which others in the party have and continue to do.

This is one way for her to maintain her credibility which at the moment is at the lowest level just like several others in the cabal. How can the Minister be trusted to negotiate on behalf of Guyana with foreign governments when her honesty, integrity and credibility are in doubt at home?

Why this Public Procurement Commission is so important? Since the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal came to office, close to G$40 billion per year is leaked from the Budget from legitimate activities into corrupt private pockets.

The Public Procurement Commission will be a constitutional Commission independent of the PPP control to ensure that the Guyanese people secure the best value for their money on all public procurements.

That is G$40 billion a year that the PPP can re-direct towards paying the workers decent living wages and provide a substantial increase to pensioners rather that the meager $12.500 per month.

How could the administration justify paying our senior citizens such a skimpy amount but has agreed to pay the former president the lucrative amount of $3 million per month? I have no choice but to conclude that the cabal does not care a damn about the youths, the poor and the working class and our senior citizens whom they have abandoned a long time ago.

A government that cannot take care of the most vulnerable in society— seniors and the extremely young—must be condemned.

A government that does not govern in the interest of all is

unfit to govern. A government that uses the state resources for selfenrichment should not only be voted out of office but also charges of alleged theft should be instituted against its members.

A government that acts vindictive, spiteful and cussdown its citizens is not only reckless but has taken the people for granted. A government that is corrupt cannot be trusted with the taxpayers’ money.

These are the trademarks of the current leaders of this anti-working class regime.

Their vile acts have not only resulted in Guyana becoming a disgrace to its neighbours in the Caribbean but they have also stifled human development and economic growth.

This anti-working class regime is more interested in building Taj Mahals for their princelings than they are about raising the workers’ wages.

They are quite satisfied with paying a sugar worker the meager amount of G$47,000 a month, but at the same time paying a Presidential Advisor the huge

amount of G$989,000 a month, provides a very lucrative Pension Package of G$3 million a month to Jagdeo, and is currently paying the first son G$3 million a month to manage one of their PONZI Projects.

This cabal is more interested in giving radio/TV licenses to their friends, relatives and their party than to share them out equitably among those who are qualified.

They are more interested in placing their cronies in positions for which they do not have the necessary

qualifications and experience.

The cabal is more interested in giving contracts to Chinese companies that have refused to hire Guyanese workers.

No hope for the people.

The time has come for some serious decision-making. As an example, the Public Procurement Commission should be established and some of the sticky fingers princelings should be made an example and we can start with the NDIA and NCN. The time has come for change in Guyana and it must start at the top.

Name withheld

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 9

Speak no ill of the dead, until….

When a man dies, his family, friends and associates are thrust into deep state of grief. If that death is sudden, then the grief is mingled with shock.

It is a sad time for the grieving family, a most difficult period, one that requires some adjustment. It is inconsiderate and unkind to in the midst of someone grieving to add to their pain and anguish by making comments of the dead that are insensitive and unsuited to the occasion.

Yet it seems that there are persons who delight in using the death of someone, often whom they never knew or have ever met as the occasion to cast negative and insensitive comments about that person. This seems to be profusion of such comments on blogs and other social media.

Those who make these painful comments often do so because the deceased person may have belonged to a political party of their disliking. They choose the immediate hours after the death of someone to bare the hatred and bitterness in their hearts and they do so freely because they enjoy the

license to assault the memory of the departed and a time when they should spare the grieving family the disparaging and dishonorable comments.

Those who lash out at the dead even before they are interred do not represent the collective conscience of society; they never have.

They are a minute and insignificant minority.

However because of use of the social media their comments now have extensive reach. It is unregulated and uncontrolled. The grieving families and those sympathizing with them are not insulated from the illtimed and ill-meaning vilification of the dead which only adds to their pain.

The social media has become a free –for all in the name of free expression. It shows the dangers to which free expression can be out.

But even free expression has its limitations of a legal and moral nature.

And of the moral intonations is the need to be sensitive to those in mourning. There is a time and place for everything and being critical of the dead

Burnt toddler remains in ICU Little Jabarri Stanford who was severely burnt on Saturday afternoon last, remains a patient of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Doctors have said that there is not much more that they can do for the burnt child, as he sustained burns to most of his body.

Kaieteur News yesterday met with Rehanna Jones, the mother of four who, along with her children lost all of their belongings in the fire which engulfed their one bedroom house located on the reserve of ‘D’ Field Sophia.

The fire was believed to have been caused by the woman’s seven year old son, who, along with another child from the neighbourhood, was lighting paper in the bedroom.

“Me daughter said that me son, and another li’l boy did lighting paper in the bedroom, and that she kept hollering on them to stop.”

The distraught woman added that when she confronted her son, he told her that the paper was not alight when he left the bedroom where little Jabarri was asleep.

According to a neighbour, shortly after the incident, she was home in ‘D’

Field Sophia when she heard a commotion from the back house at around 16:00hrs, and decided to go see what was happening.

The woman said that she was making her way over the narrow bridge which leads to the back house, when her neighbour’s eldest child came running to her, screaming that their house was on fire, and that Jabarri was sleeping inside.

The neighbour added that an alarm was raised, and everyone in the area gathered to extinguish the fire, after which they were able to go in for the child.

“When we go in, poor Jabarri was screaming away.

The mattress did paste up on he skin. He whole body did look crack up. We had to peel off some of the mattress pon he before we take he to the hospital,” the woman said.

The neighbour further told this publication that the mother would repeatedly scold the seven-year-old for playing with matches.

“She does warn he and beat he steady for the same thing. One time neighbours did even call police pon she for beating the li’l boy, but he hard of hearing. He didn’t listen…now look wha happen,” the woman said.

should always be sensitive to the feelings of those who are grieving.

Every individual and more especially those whose actions have been felt in a public way, are subject to public scrutiny. The lives of public figures must be examined both as source of inspiration to others as well as for the lessons- both positive and negative- the lives impart.

The immediate period before someone is either interred or cremated is however, by an unwritten convention, a time to speak no ill of the dead. It is the

occasion to celebrate the good and meaningful things that their lives represented.

This is done not out of sensitivity to the grieving family members. However, by refraining from negative judgments about the individual before their physical remains are disposed of, it allows the family of the deceased that needed respite of not having comments which may add to their anguish.

There is no hard and fast rule as to when the bombardment of the person’s memory should commence.

Sensitivity to the family

should however be the guiding norm. The unwritten rule is to speak no ill of the dead until interment or cremation.

Unfortunately, the social media do not have much respect for such conventions and some very disturbing comments have been known to be made and are likely to continue to be made about persons in the immediate wake of their death.

It would be imprudent to regulate such negative comments because this could be abused to the extent of curtailing free expression.

This is why apart from the

legal restraints that exist- and which prohibit free comment that libels, promote ethnic hatred and incite violencethere will always be a need for an ethical dimension, unwritten rules that should guide public and private speech during the period following the death of someone.

Speak no ill of the dead, until their bones are interred or turned to ash! Respect the feelings of the grieving family!

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

“Put back the tower in Pradoville” Leave the playground for our children - Plaisance residents tell Edghill

By Abena Rockcliffe Angry outbursts, loud singing and attempts to “negotiate” characterized the state of affairs yesterday at the Plaisance Community Centre where Junior Finance Minister Bishop J u a n Edghill attempted to keep a meeting.

About 300 residents both young and old turned out with their placards to meet with the Minister. However, from all indications, the residents only wanted to hear that the tower would not be placed on their ground, and since that wasn’t the announcement, not much productivity came out of the meeting and it was soon aborted.

Last week, there were indications that the EGovernance transmission tower, would have been sited somewhere else. But at the

last post Cabinet briefing, Dr. Roger Luncheon announced that the government has no intention to change its mind.

Initially when Edghill tried to conduct his meeting, he was persistently interrupted by residents that were adamant that the tower “isn’t going here.” They made clear their support towards the EGovernance project but stood firm in the position that the tower must be placed somewhere else.

Several said that the tower should be erected in “Pradoville where it was before.”

It was announced yesterday that a letter was sent to the Region Four Regional Chairman’s office earlier this year. But immediately after that announcement, the Regional Chairman Clement Charlotte stood and informed the gathering that he only

received the letter on Saturday last.

When the gathering initially became noisy Edghill stood and said that “If we keep doing the same thing and expect different results, that means we are crazy”.

At that instant, Aubrey Norton was successful in his attempt to control the crowd.

But then the Bishop told the gathering that he respects his fellow countrymen. So again the crowd erupted, this time asking him if he was there in his capacity of a government official or as a Plaisance resident; to which he responded that he was there as a Cabinet member, the Minister in charge of projects around the country and as a Plaisance man.

But that did not go down too well with the “true” Plaisance people.

As he pleaded for a hearing, the Minister told the

Placards that the residents stuck on Edghill’s vehicle

people that he wasn’t there for a fight or a confrontation, but wanted to help them to understand “reality” and wanted to stop the communication through the media.

He announced that it wasn’t the government’s intention to disrespect the people of Plaisance and said that if its actions suggested such, he asked that the people accept that that wasn’t the motive.

To this, the crowd responded, shouting “you lie.”

The Bishop then proceeded to acknowledge that what the government attempted to do yesterday should have been done from the inception.

He said, however, that the government “simply” intended to use state facilities to facilitate the E governance programme. After making such a pronouncement, the gathering became uncontrollable as the Plaisance residents contended that the ground doesn’t belong to the government.

The peeved residents asked the Minister why the “yo yo” behavior; as in why the government made it seem as if the decision to erect the tower on that soil was rescinded then “Luncheon, went again and talk nonsense.”

To that the Bishop responded that the government at no point instructed that works be halted.

“When the engineers left, they left because of their own reasons, the government didn’t instruct them to do so.”

Those utterances were the source of another uproar and Edghill proceeded to call for responsible behavior so that a “solution” could have

been met.

At that point, some of the residents suggested that Edghill “put it in you yard or Jagdeo yard; he got nuff property all over de place this is we only home.”

Edghill then expressed regret that the letter had reached the Regional Chairman so late. But the residents were not appeased and became even more incensed.

Aubrey Norton once again managed to calm the crowd, but then asked Edghill: “Is the government willing to go elsewhere with the tower?” To that the Junior Minister responded that the government is willing to do so if there is a technically feasible suggestion.

Norton then queried why the Plaisance ground was technically feasible as opposed to where it was before (in ‘Pradoville’).

Edghill then delivered what the villagers dubbed a “lame excuse,” saying that the land where the tower was located, has been allocated for the house of the Caricom Secretary General. The villagers then asked if one man, “a foreigner at that”, is more important than an entire community.

Former Attorney General Barnard DeSantos, who is a resident of Plaisance, asked the Minister who owned the land. Edghill responded that the land belongs to the Interim Management Committee (IMC.) But De Santos said that the land is the property of the Plaisance community.

He informed the Minister that the land was given to the community by the Bookers Sugar Company. He explained that it was handed over so long that when GuySuCo came into being the ground was not one of the assets it

inherited “even though they tried.”

Social Activist and Newspaper columnist Freddie Kissoon publicly announced that the Minister was misleading the people when he suggested that the land upon which the home of the Caricom Secretary General will be erected is not negotiable. Kissoon said that it is not written in stone where the Secretary General must live.

He also noted that a new housing scheme is being built right behind Caricom.

“He can go live there and there are many other villages in close proximity where the Secretary General can go.”

Other concerns by the more mature residents were that “When they (the children) don’t have anywhere to play they will get time to do idle things and yall gon kill them out” and that “it is a start of the government taking away everything we own.”

They explained their hurt saying that Luncheon’s actions suggested that “we don’t really care. We are going to do what we want and yall got to live with it.”

Edghill also said that Luncheon’s words were that the E governance programme will not be hijacked. But residents retorted that “yall hijacked we land, you can’t impose on people like that.

And why they sent you, you is a ‘pyam pyam’ (unimportant) PPP member.”

The Minister told a section of the people that they will feel neglected if the government decides not to erect the tower and they don’t benefit.

But the warning fell on deaf ears as some of the villagers sang the song made popular by the Tradewinds “Not a blade a grass.”

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Four dead after ‘bush truck’ topples - several injured Four persons were killed and several others injured when a ‘bush truck’ travelling uphill along the Barama main road overturned several times, hurling some of its occupants down a 67-foot valley.

The dead have been identified are Richard Doobay, 33, of Riverstown; Pamela Solomon, of ‘B’ Field Sophia; Aubrey Evans and George Persaud, 31, of Lot 77 Angoy’s Avenue Corentyne.

The driver of the truck, who managed to jump out vehicle, sustained injuries and was transported out of the area, along with other injured passengers, with the assistance of an ambulance assigned to the Barama Timber Company Limited.

The injured included Norlando Brown, 20, of Sister’s Village,Wales, West Bank Demerara; Benedict Leonard, of Cordina Ida, West Coast Demerara; Michael Brown, of Corriverton, Berbice; Kavita Kingling, of Wales, West Bank Demerara; Andre Abel, of Mahaicony; Deroy Sealy of Sister’s Village; Kavita Clankein, 19, of Patentia, West Bank Demerara; Michael Cater, 28, and Arvin Narine.

Detectives from the Anna Regina Police Station assisted in transporting the

dead out of the area. Arvin Doobay, of Riverstown, and Brain Singh, of Bartica were among the survivors.

Five of the grime-covered survivors were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Of the lot, Carter and Clankein were most seriously injured, although they were able to communicate with persons around.

Kaieteur News was told that several of the victims were pinned beneath the mangled truck, and a dragline, from the Barama Timber Company, had to be used to hoist the vehicle off the bodies.

Unconfirmed reports said that more than a dozen persons were in the truck and most of those seriously injured were asleep when the vehicle overturned. Some of the passengers reportedly jumped out of the truck as it rolled backwards while others were flung from the vehicle.

Survivors said that around 23:00hours on Saturday, the truck, GNN 8941, was heading uphill when they heard grating sounds, which indicated that the driver was experiencing mechanical difficulties.

One survivor, 48-year-old Wayne Lake of La Grange, West Coast Demerara, said

that the truck stalled and started to topple down-hill.

He said some passengers jumped out the back of the truck, but soon, the vehicle ended up in a clump of bushes, before, “toppling over in slow motion.”

Carter said he just remembered the truck going down the hill and afterward, being flung from the vehicle.

He said the next thing he felt was a ‘heavy object’ on his stomach. As tears streamed down his face, Carter said that since he was rescued from the wreck he had been travelling and had not received medical attention.

Clankein, who complained of stomach pains, said she was awake at the time but was unable to get out of the truck before it overturned.

The young woman said she was heading into the interior, but could not remember much about the accident since everything happened so quickly.

Vanetta Bowling, the reputed wife of victim George Persaud, said that she received the news of her husband’s death at around 03:00 hrs yesterday.

“A girl call and say that how George dead. Dem ain’t really say nothing else, but he only left Saturday fuh go in the bush with this man he does wuk wid, but this is the first time he gone in dey with this dredge operator.”

Kavita Clankien being wheeled into the hospital

The damaged ‘bush truck’ “Me aint get much details but I hear how that when the truck turn over some people went sleeping and dem that wake up jump off de truck.”

“Persaud’s neighbour, Michael Carter, was also a

passenger. He reportedly suffered a broken hip and shoulder. The driver of the truck, identified as Keon James, is reportedly in police custody. Sources identified the owner of the vehicle as

Wayne Blake.

Kaieteur News was told that the passengers were heading for an area known as Sulphur Rose, in the Cuyuni District, when the accident occurred.

Michael Carter is wheeled into the hospital

Norlando Brown to the fore and Droy Sealy still shaken

Andre Abel recaps the accident to the media

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Miners urge speedy resolution to controversial Marudi dispute

Members of the RMA during a recent meeting with Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud.

The Rupununi Miners Association (RMA), fighting for their right to work the gold rich Marudi mining district, is accusing the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) of undermining their cause.

The association, which is scheduled to meet with Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud today, believes that the two entities are trying to stymie progress already made with a view to reaching an amicable to the volatile solution at Marudi, Region Nine.

Over a month ago, the miners were forcibly evicted from their mining camps in the controversial mining area and have been threatened with charges by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.

Then the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association chipped in and objected to a proposal by the Ministry of Natural Resources for a lottery system for the miners.

The Rupununi Miners Association is presently battling to have its members resume their alluvial work on the disputed property, for which a foreign mining firm Romanex was granted mining

rights.

According to the RMA, the GGDMA’s objection to the proposed lottery system is contradictory, since the same body had been fighting for the rights of “illegal miners” in the district some time back.

The RMA, in support of the lottery, pointed out that 95 percent of the miners operating in the Marudi area are from Region Nine.

They are claiming that since the Minister had seen their plight and had proposed the lottery system, the GGMC and the GGDMA should be the last to oppose the proposal.

“The Minister had delegated responsibility to a GGMC official, Mr. Donald Singh to put things in place for the special mining lottery for the Marudi miners.

Subsequently the RMA was given 25 special mining forms. We contacted Mr. Singh on Wednesday last and he told us that the lottery will be held in the third week of this month, but there is no set date,” a member of the RMA told this newspaper.

However the association noted that there appears to be some sinister move to deprive the members of the RMA the chance to continue working at Marudi.

The RMA said that they were given 25 special forms

that would have guaranteed their members access to the lands outside of the open lottery.

They claimed that contrary to the agreement they had with Minister Persaud, the GGMC is proposing to have an open lottery where other miners outside of the Rupununi District could benefit more than the people of Region Nine.

The RMA believes that the GGMC and the GGDMA are fighting against the small miners while turning a blind eye to the big companies.

“The GGMC should look at the Romanex company and the Mulgravian ventures to see if they have been fulfilling the requirements of the agreements they signed,” the RMA said in a statement.

“Why is it that the majority of mining lands is owned a few foreign companies and small miners’ lands are taken away and given to the big miners,” the body added.

It is calling on the minister of natural resources to implement the decisions that were agreed to during their previous meetings.

“We are calling on the Minister to settle the Marudi issues once and for all so that there can be a return to normalcy in Region Nine,” the RMA stated.

Bandits nabbed hours later with victim’s ID card Two men who successfully robbed an East Canje businessman on Saturday night apparently forgot to dispose of evidence that would link them to the crime.

The men were caught by police hours later with the

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

victim’s identification and other incriminating documents.

Police in a statement said that about 23:00 hours on Saturday, four men, two of whom were armed with shotguns, attacked businessman Muniram Harricharran, 55, as he was in the process of closing his business place at Palmyra, East Canje.

They took away G$35,000, US$60 and Cdn$25, his National Identification card and a bag with other

documents and escaped.

However, at about 02:00 hours yesterday, ranks of a mobile police patrol saw two men riding bicycles along the roadway at No. 2 Village, Canje, and stopped and searched them.

The businessman’s National Identification card and other documents in his name were found in their possession.

The men have been arrested and are in police custody assisting with the investigations.

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 15

Course of the mummery The boss told the youthful employee, “Rob, you’ve been with the company for a year. You started off in the post room, one week later you were promoted to a sales position, and one month after that you were promoted to district manager of the sales department.

Just four short months later, you were promoted to vice-chairman. Now it’s time for me to retire, and I want you to take over the company. What do you say to that?” “Thanks,” said the employee. “Thanks?” the boss replied. “Is that all you can say?” “I suppose not,” the employee said. “Thanks, Dad.” “Nepotism” which comes from the Latin word for nephew (nepotis) is favouritism granted to family members regardless of merit.

In the Middle Ages the word came into vogue to describe the behavior of the Popes of the Catholic Church who supposedly had no children but had many “nephews” both real and ascribed who were preferred for the most prestigious and lucrative

posts.

Recently, I read an article in the New York Times about nepotism as a way of life in India. It described, as well, the role that mothers play, “The Indian cricket star Yuvraj Singh is more often photographed with his mother than with pretty girls.

In any other country it would be unusual to see a young sports star photographed so often with his mama. Rahul Dravid, one of the most revered cricketers, once dated a top actress, but he married the girl his mother picked. The great chess player Viswanathan Anand also married a girl his parents chose.”

We know that the Caribbean is a matriarchal society and many a man got into trouble, some into jail, because somebody “cuss” their mother.

However, if you look at the headlines in many newspapers, not only in the region but internationally, it seems that mothers are increasingly getting deeply involved in politics and government. Trinidad is the worst. A look at recent

headlines clearly illustrates the extent to which the mothers of politicians, even some who are no longer with us, have got involved in almost every aspect of the most sensitive matters. The Speaker of the House (Speaker mum on De Lima ‘blank’), the Head of the Police Service Commission (PSC head mum on Jack conflict), The Prime Minister (T&T PM mum on Jack Warner FBI probe), and there was the predicament in which the former Prime Minister found himself (Manning mum on church). In Manning’s case it got even more confusing when his son got involved (Brian Manning mum on New Year party) since Brian Manning’s mom, or Patrick Manning’s wife was also a Minister of Government!

Trinidad and Tobago is not alone. In Jamaica, the Prime Minister’s also seems to be involved (Portia mum on IMF ‘plan B’). Clearly, Plan A having failed, it was time to call in the heavy artillery which, of course, means Mum. Public Defender, Earl Witter, has no excuse (Witter

mum on Tivoli report). In Barbados, the Prime Minister seems to have the best solution for the CLICO mess (PM mum on Clico). In Israel, there was the anomalous claim that a male leader, Israel’s former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, “Stays Mum.” Actually, the word “mum” meaning to be silent outdates “mum” as mother but even so, and even though corporations are persons under the law, my imagination boggled but not my credulity when I saw the headline “CAL mum on alleged bankruptcy).

Worse, when I read the officialese (Language characteristic of official documents or statements, especially when obscure, pretentiously wordy, or excessively formal) from the Corporate Communications Manager of Caribbean Airlines (CAL), the normally unpretentious Clint Williams, I knew that the situation was serious enough to warrant the bigwigs trying to hedge. Hear this, “We prefer not to discuss any specific aspect of the report that we have seen in the media at this time.” And this, “CAL is currently in a

stabilisation and transformation initiative and our short- and medium-term goals will see us rationalising cost and driving revenues towards more self-sustaining and profitable operation...the initiative has been developed with full partnership from the board and personnel from the Ministry of Finance,” Williams added. This too, “And at this time we prefer not to comment on specifics of the internal activities, simply to say that the industry demands greater operational productivity and we are moving in that direction.”

This is not just beating around the bush (be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information equivocate, palter, prevaricate, tergiversate) but is more like the intact and uncastrated male of the bos Taurus species (pure bull).

Poor Clint! Perhaps the Corporation should not have responded (Mum’s the word)

or have some Director’s plainspeaking mum speak the truth.

But in the politics of the region, especially in Trinidad, the land of blackouts, there seems to be a blackout on that commodity as well. It was always scarce at the highest corporate and political levels but now it is virtually nonexistent.

Australians would consider it as scare as a rocking horse’s faecal matter.

There is a word for all of this.

It is “mummery” or “a pretentious or hypocritical show or ceremony.”

Whenever “mum” shows up in the news headlines it is all “mummery” which like all other mummeries, lingers on.

In fact, the recalcitrant and callous CAL is the worst airline in living mummery. *Tony Deyal was last seen saying that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in trouble (PM mum on possible Chinese hackers) but maybe she just had a bad cough.

Page 16

Kaieteur News

PPP stalwart Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud dies People Progressive Party Stalwart, Former Government Minister and Presidential Advisor Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud has passed away.

Persaud who was 77, died at the Georgetown Hospital’s Caribbean Heart Institute yesterday morning.

According to reports Persaud was undergoing treatment, since had fallen ill early Saturday. Kaieteur News was told that he was taken to the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital but later transferred to the GPHC for further tests and assessment at the Caribbean Heart Institute.

Persaud was one of the longest serving politicians in Guyana. He served as Agriculture Minister, then Minister of Parliamentary Affairs under the Peoples Progressive Party Government and was a Member of Parliament for some 41 years.

Only last year Speaker of

Reepu Daman Persaud the National Assembly Raphael Trotman had paid homage to Persaud. He was celebrated and honored by the Full House for his service as a Member of the Parliament of Guyana.

APNU Member of Parliament and Historian Dr. Rupert Roopnarine said then that Persaud will always be

remembered as a diligent and committed politician and religious leader who loved his country.

Reepu Daman Persaud formed the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and worked over the years as a politician, patriot and religious leader according to close friends.

In 1996, Persaud received Guyana’s second highest National Award, The Order of Roraima.

He would later form a Foundation in his name as part of an education drive.

Only last week the PPP/C lost another long serving member. Reverend Dr. Dale Bisnauth, a former Minister of Education and Labour, Human Services and Social Security, succumbed from a heart ailment.

At the time, the 76-year old was a patient at the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI), having been admitted there mere hours before.

Monday April 08, 2013

Mother of slain US doctor wants cops to question close relative

Mrs. Kungel grieving over her son’s casket at the funeral The mother of slain US Army physician Dr. Max Kungel is calling on the police to question a close female relative of hers about her son’s gruesome murder.

She believes that this will help police to know who riddled him with bullets and dumped his body in the Number 72 Village Corentyne rice-field backlands last month.

Kungel’s cousin, 28year- old Omesh Thakurdin was arrested a few days after the murder but he committed suicide in the Number 51 Police Station lock- ups by hanging himself. Police have not arrested anyone else. But has the murder been solved?

The victim’s mother, Gopattie ‘Lovelyn’ Kungel, doesn’t believe so.

It is apparent that the family has a widening rift that seems to be escalating, among Kungel’s mother and other close relatives.

Kungel’s mother, who returned to New York shortly after his funeral two weeks ago, telephoned Kaieteur News over the weekend and expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of investigation. She insists that the police should detain and interrogate a woman and man, whom she identified, since she claims they know what happened on the night of March 17, when her son was slain.

“They [the police] need to arrest her…they know what happened!”

Kungel also claimed that Dr. Kungel and the individuals she suspects met on the night before the murder. She is speculating that her son may have been drugged before being slain.

“He [Kungel] worked hard to get where he is and they used him to get what they want…I want justice for my son…I am begging you!”

“Even if I have to come back [to Guyana], I want justice!”

Greed, she believes, is the primary motive behind the physician’s murder. The woman stated that she has since sent letters to the Police Commissioner and Home Affairs Minister expressing her suspicions.

While she was in Guyana, she showed Kaieteur News a signed Will and Testimony from Dr. Kungel, which he prepared in December 2004, requesting that his body be handed over to the School of Medical and Science of Learning Proposal, Drexel University in USA for scientific studies and research, and insurance monies from which he requested be donated to charity.

PROPERTY DISPUTE? The mother stated that the Lot 199 Number 72 Village property belonged to her late husband, who passed away

Dr. Max Kungel two years ago and that Dr. Kungel had wanted the property, for which she has all the necessary Land Transport and documents.

The family believes the entire murder was planned and orchestrated. “This was planned for him…these persons knew everything, when he came out, where he would have gone, how much money he got, what paper work was doing—the paper work that said that he was taking care of the property”.

Two U.S. Army officers from the Southern Command were present at the funeral two weeks ago. One of Kungel’s nephews, Raju, pleaded for justice.

“The person who did this to my uncle will be found! In Islam, no one can pay for another person’s crime”, he stated. Kungel’s uncle, Victor, also called on the authorities to find the murder or murderers.

Dr. Kungel left Guyana in 1986. He studied in the Philippines after which he returned to the U.S and worked in numerous hospitals. He joined the U.S. Army in 2003 and became a Captain in North Carolina.

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 17

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Immigration bill expected China warns against “troublemaking” on Korean peninsula this week, senators say WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - A bill to overhaul the immigration system would likely be completed by the end of this week, two senior senators said yesterday.

Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York said that senators in the bipartisan “Group of Eight” have resolved all major issues in a pending deal and that their staffs are putting the bill into legislative language.

“All of us have said that they’ll be no deal until the eight of us agree to a big, specific bill, but hopefully we can get that done by the end of the week,” he said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” program.

“There have been kerfuffles along the way, but each one of those thus far has been settled,” said Schumer, a member of the group, which has four Democrats and four Republicans.

All eight members must then review the legislative language, he said.

The U.S. Chamber of

Charles Schumer Commerce, the biggest U.S. business group, and the AFL-CIO, the largest labor federation, reached an elusive agreement on a guest-worker program late last month, clearing the way for the writing of a full bill.

The legislation will include an earned pathway to U.S. citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, bolstered border security and ways for business to meet the need for both highskilled and low-skilled workers.

Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, appearing with Schumer, agreed that a bill would be ready soon and said the legislation would address the needs of both business and labor with a guest-worker program.

“We need to have a path to citizenship, and we need to have secure borders ....

And we also have to have a robust guest-worker program so people will not hire someone who is here illegally,” McCain said.

A bipartisan group from the Republican-led House of Representatives is working on its own version of immigration reform.

If the Senate and House bills pass their respective chambers, they would have to be reconciled before a final version is voted on and then sent to President Barack Obama for signing into law.

The Gang of Eight in the Democratic-led Senate had initially planned to have a bill by the end of March.

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - China warned against “troublemaking” on its doorstep, in an apparent rebuke to North Korea, and the United States said it was postponing a missile test to help calm high tension on the divided Korean peninsula.

The North, led by 30-yearold Kim Jong-un, has been issuing vitriolic threats of war against the United States and U.S.-backed South Korea since the United Nations imposed sanctions in response to its third nuclear weapon test in February.

Pyongyang’s anger appears heightened by U.S.South Korean joint military exercises. But most analysts say it has no intention of starting a conflict that would bring its own destruction and instead is out to wring concessions from a nervous international community.

The North told diplomats late last week to consider leaving Pyongyang because of the tension, but embassies appeared to view the appeal as more rhetoric and staff have stayed put.

South Korea said it was ready for any kind of action that the North’s unpredictable leaders might make - including a possible missile launch - by Wednesday, after which the North said it could not guarantee diplomats’ safety.

China, North Korea’s sole financial and diplomatic backer, has shown growing irritation with Pyongyang’s warnings of nuclear war.

Xi Jinping Chinese President Xi Jinping, addressing a forum on the southern island of Hainan, did not name North Korea but said no country “should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gain”. Stability in Asia, he said, “faces new challenges, as hot spot issues keep emerging and both traditional and non-traditional security threats exist”.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed similar frustration in a statement late on Saturday, relating a telephone conversation with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“We oppose provocative words and actions from any party in the region and do not allow trouble making on China’s doorstep,” Wang said, according to a ministry statement on its website.

Yesterday, the ministry expressed “grave concern” at rising tension and said China had asked North Korea

to “ensure the safety of Chinese diplomats in North Korea, in accordance with the Vienna Convention and international laws and norms”.

China’s embassy, it said, was “understood” to be operating normally in Pyongyang.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, addressing the Hainan forum, said avoiding conflict on the peninsula was vital. “There, any aggression is a threat to the interests of every country in the region,” she said.

British Foreign Minister William Hague said North Korea’s nuclear ambitions had to be taken seriously.

Interviewed by Sky News, he said the international response “should also be very clear, very united and calm at all times because it’s important not to feed that frenetic rhetoric that we’ve seen over the last few weeks”.

Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry offered to mediate, saying it was “always willing to help find a solution, if this is the wish of the parties, such as hosting meetings between them”.

Kim, the third member of his dynasty to rule North Korea, is thought to have spent several years in Switzerland being educated under a pseudonym. He took over in December 2011 after the death of his father Kim Jongil, who confronted South Korea and the United States throughout his 17-year rule.

Portugal to cut spending after court ruling

LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal’s government will cut spending to meet targets agreed with its lenders after a court overturned key austerity measures, Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho said yesterday.

Passos Coelho said in a televised address Friday’s Constitutional Court ruling posed “serious obstacles and risks” this year and next, but reaffirmed his commitment to the fiscal and economic adjustment program under an EU/IMF bailout.

“The government is committed to all the objectives of the program,” he said, ruling out further tax hikes but saying it was vital to avoid a second rescue and that he had told ministers to cut spending.

The court on Friday rejected four out of nine contested austerity measures in this year’s budget, including cuts to holiday bonuses for pensioners and public servants and reductions in sickness leave and unemployment benefits.

Analysts expect Portugal to be able to agree replacement measures with the European Union and International Monetary Fund to make up for the court ruling, which could cost it between 900 million and 1.3 billion euros. The entire package of austerity measures included in the 2013 budget is worth

about 5 billion euros. The largest tax hikes in living memory were mostly upheld by the court. The court’s decision came before an informal meeting of euro zone finance ministers this week in Dublin expected to approve extensions of rescue loan maturities for Portugal and Ireland.

Passos Coelho acknowledged that the ruling weakened Portugal’s stance at the meeting, but said he told Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar to do all he could to protect the country’s interests there and achieve an extension.

The government says the extension is essential for Lisbon’s successful exit from the bailout program in 2014.

Lisbon has to cut the budget deficit to 5.5 percent of gross domestic product this year from 6.4 percent in 2012, when it missed the goal but was still lauded by lenders for its efforts. The lenders have eased Portugal’s deficit goals twice since the rescue was agreed, recognizing consolidation efforts.

Portugal returned to the bond market for the first time since its 2011 bailout in January, selling debt due in 2017, and has been preparing a longer-maturity bond issue.

Analysts say the court ruling may now delay the new issue.

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Pakistan’s Musharraf can run for parliament ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s former military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf was given approval yesterday to run for parliament next month, a victory for him in what has otherwise been a bumpy return to the country after more than four years in self-imposed exile.

Musharraf, who seized power in a military coup in 1999 but was forced to step down nearly a decade later, was greeted last month by only a couple thousand people at the airport in the southern city of Karachi when his plane landed from Dubai. The lackluster welcome was a sign, many analysts say, of how little support Musharraf has in his homeland.

Days after his arrival, an angry lawyer threw a shoe at Musharraf inside a court building in Karachi as he made his way to a courtroom to face a series of legal charges against him, including ones related to the 2007 assassination of former President Benazir Bhutto.

Musharraf has avoided arrest because he arranged bail before he arrived, which is allowed in Pakistan’s legal system.

On Monday, the Supreme

Court is scheduled to hear a petition alleging Musharraf committed treason while in office by sacking the chief justice and suspending the constitution. He also faces death threats from the Pakistani Taliban, who hate the former leader because of his alliance with the United States to fight Islamic militants while in office.

Amid this political turbulence, Musharraf likely was relieved when election officials yesterday authorized him to run for parliament in a remote northern district of the country. An aide to the former military strongman, Rashid Qureshi, said officials in Chitral, near the Afghan border, accepted Musharraf’s nomination papers.

Musharraf is popular in Chitral because he directed development money there while in office and oversaw the completion of an important tunnel that connects the remote, mountainous area to the rest of the country.

Musharraf’s nomination was rejected in two other parts of the country and is still pending in the capital, Islamabad.

Pakistan’s political system allows candidates to run for more than

Pervez Musharraf one seat at a time.

Pakistani Election Commission officials could not be reached for comment to explain why Musharraf is being allowed to run in one constituency after being rejected in others. The criteria that are used to determine whether someone is eligible to run for office are supposed to be uniform across the country.

Judge Syed Ikramullah rejected Musharraf ’s candidacy in an area of Karachi after the former leader failed to appear before the court to respond to objections raised by his opponents. His attorney,

Shafiq Ahmad, appeared and told the court that Musharraf would appeal the rejection of his candidacy.

His nomination also was rejected in the district of Kasur in central Punjab province. Opponents have filed objections against Musharraf, alleging he violated the constitution by overthrowing an elected government in 1999 and committing other offenses.

The May 11 election is historic because it will mark the first transition between two democratically elected governments in the 65-year history of Pakistan, a country that has experienced three military coups and constant political instability. The impact of Musharraf’s party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, in the election is expected to be minimal because of the perceived lack of support for the former ruler in the country.

The former military strongman stepped down from power in 2008 following the threat of impeachment by Pakistan’s main political parties. He left the country shortly thereafter and returned on March 24.

Page 19

China confident it can control bird flu outbreak (Reuters) - China is confident it can control an outbreak of a new strain of bird flu, a senior Chinese health official said yesterday as the World Health Organization (WHO) said there had now been 21 human cases of the H7N9 flu with six deaths.

China has said it is mobilising resources nationwide to combat the new strain, monitoring hundreds of close contacts of confirmed cases and culling tens of thousands of birds where traces of the virus were found.

“We are confident we can effectively control it (H7N9),” the head of China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission Li Bin told Reuters on the sidelines of a World Health Organization-backed event in Beijing.

Li did not elaborate, but she is the most senior Chinese health official yet to publicly comment on the subject.

In an update from its headquarters in Geneva, the WHO said more than 530 close contacts of the 21 people now listed as confirmed cases are being closely monitored for any signs of similar disease.

“At this time there is no evidence of ongoing human-tohuman transmission,” it said.

The bird flu outbreak has caused global concern and some Chinese internet users and newspapers have questioned why it took so long for the government to announce the new cases, especially as two of the victims fell ill in February.

The government has said it needed time to correctly identify the virus.

The WHO’s representative to China, Dr. Michael O’Leary, repeated that no evidence of transmission between humans has been found and praised China for its efforts to determine the source of the virus.

“I’m very impressed with the action of the laboratories in this regard,” O’Leary said at a World Health Day event in the Chinese capital.

Page 20

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Russia needs active civil society, Merkel tells Putin

Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel

(Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Germany yesterday to protests over his human rights and democracy record and a warning from German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Russia needed an active civil society to flourish.

Putin’s visit to Germany and the Netherlands, Moscow’s biggest trade partners in Europe, was supposed to focus on trade

but comes at awkward time just weeks after a wave of state inspections of foreignfunded non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Russia, much criticised abroad.

In her address at the opening of an industrial fair spotlighting Russian business, Merkel told Putin Russia was propped by its raw material deposits and huge investment in

infrastructure but Germany could help it in its aims to innovate and diversify.

“We believe this can happen most successfully when there is an active civil society,” she said.

“We must intensify these discussion, develop our ideas, and we must give the NGOs, who we know as a motor for innovation, a good chance in Russia,” she added to strong applause.

Germany and the Netherlands need Russia for energy and as a market for exports ranging from Volkswagen Touaregs to tulips, but are uneasy about the influence its oil and gas give it and about Putin’s treatment of opponents and activists in his new Kremlin term.

Merkel had come under pressure at home to voice her concerns to Putin, not only on the inspections of NGOs, but also on their differences over Syria’s civil war and Russian criticism of the German-orchestrated financial bailout of Cyprus.

Her talks with Putin would include “controversial subjects” she told reporters on the sidelines of the fair.

In his address to the trade fair Putin focused on Russia’s economic strength, noting, “despite global disarray and

the global financial crisis, our country has continued to develop positively.”

Outside hundreds of protesters gathered, many carrying Syrian flags, others wearing devil masks or waving images of Putin dressed in a prisoner’s stripped uniform. “Stop political terror,” read one banner.

In an earlier interview with German broadcaster ARD, Putin had dismissed criticism of the NGO inspections and said they would not cast a shadow over the visit, echoing his repeated rejection of Western worries about his domestic policies.

Putin - a former Soviet KGB officer who was stationed in East Germany, where Merkel grew up - has accused Western states of using NGOs to spy on Russia and influence politics.

He said in the interview that Russians have a right to know which NGOs are foreign-funded “and for what purposes”.

He sent warmer signals on economic issues, expressing confidence in the euro and toning down criticism of the Cyprus bailout by saying he hoped more money would flow into Russia as a result.

Britain’s Labour says welfare should be linked to contributions (Reuters) - Britain’s opposition Labour Party is set to overhaul its welfare policies to link state help to individual contributions, countering charges by the governing Conservatives that it is soft on benefit scroungers.

Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show yesterday, Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said people in work should go to the top of social housing waiting lists and the unemployed should take up job offers or lose benefits after two years. Labour’s proposals, which mark a break from the principle that certain social benefits are universal, came days after the government started overhauling a welfare system that costs 200 billion pounds ($300 billion) a year.

A YouGov poll for The Sun on Sunday showed 67 percent of voters think the welfare system does not work and needs urgent reform. The issue is set to play a major part in the next election due in 2015.

Labour’s welfare policies would be fairer and founded on ensuring a supply of well-paying jobs for all, providing stronger incentives to seek employment, Harman said.

“Work should pay. Secondly, there should be an obligation to take work,” she said. “There should be support through a contributory principle, for people putting in to the system as well as taking out.”

Under welfare caps and cuts coming into effect this month, households will not be able to claim more than 26,000 pounds each year in welfare. This comes as the government tries to eliminate its underlying budget deficit by the 2016-17 fiscal year, from 6.8 percent of gross domestic product in the current financial year.

Labour’s move came after Chancellor George Osborne on Thursday upped the temperature of the debate on welfare by saying a man jailed for life for killing six of his children in a fire was the “vile product” of the benefits system.

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Private sector called on to Suriname’s former rebel leader to run for president help save the Caribbean Sea PA R A M A R I B O , Suriname – CMC - Former rebel leader Ronnie Brunswijk has announced that he will be making a bid for the presidency in the 2015 election.

Brunswijk made the announcement following Saturday night’s performance by American rapper Rick Ross. The show was organized by Brunswijk’s promotions company Romeo Bravo.

The show was preceded by controversy as two local pastors called on parents not to send their children and on the Government to revoke Rick Ross’ visa, because the rapper supposedly worshipped Satan and promoted violence against women.

However, despite the controversy, Brunswijk took full advantage of the opportunity to launch his next move.

After throwing US$100 bills into the crowd, he announced that he will be his party’s candidate for president during the next elections and will strive to make the country’s poor rich.

Ronnie Brunswijk “If the bank is coming for your house, call me. If you need a few hundred dollars, call me,” he told the cheering audience. Rick Ross told them Brunswijk would make a good president and advised them to give him their votes.

Brunswijk , 52, was a soldier in the mid-80s when he waged a rebellion against then army leader and current president, Desi Bouterse. He entered politics in the late 90s and joined forces with his former foe, Bouterse in the Mega Combination coalition, which formed the current

Government after the 2010 elections.

Brunswijk, who owns several gold mining operations, is popular with the young in the marginalized Maroon community where he built the Ronny Brunswijk stadium in the village Moengo in District Marowijne where he lives. He also finances the local football club Moengotapu.

The politician is also known for his aggressive antics. He was banned by local football association SVB for threatening referees and players of rival clubs and made the news when he slapped a utility company employee who wanted to measure his water consumption and when he maltreated a Chinese shop owner who demanded payment for an overdue bill.

A few years ago footage of him beating up an opposing MP during a parliamentary meeting went viral on the Internet.

Brunswijk was also sentenced in absentia by a court in the Netherlands for involvement in drug trafficking.

Boost in arrivals expected on completion of international airport NEW YORK - CMC – St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Cecil “Ces” McKie believes the tourism sector will get a significant boost once work is completed on the Argyle International Airport.

McKie, on a stop-over in New York from Taiwan, told the Caribbean Media Corporation that the ministry anticipates between 190,000 and 250,000 tourist arrivals by air annually within the first two years of the airport’s completion.

Currently, the country gets, on average, 80,000 visitors annually via air transportation, he said.

Despite the need for more funds to complete the largest

capital project in the nation’s history, McKie said construction is “progressing on schedule,” with the terminal building expected to be completed by the end of the year and “the strip and other amenities will be completed early next year the latest.”

“I am very confident that will be realized,” said the tourism minister, referring to the US$80 million still needed.

He said nationals in the Diaspora are noticeably “more excited and more vocal than those at home” about the international airport, primarily because “people outside are more familiar with the hassles of getting home.

As construction of the international airport

progresses, McKie noted that even opposition legislators are now support the project.

“We’re beginning to see a difference, whereas, the opposition was playing politics, there are clear and visible signs (of support),” he said.

At a town hall meeting in Brooklyn, NY, last month, Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace expressed concern about construction of the airport satisfying international standards.

But Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has assured Vincentians that international standards are being maintained according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines.

WASHINGTON, April CMC – As the World Ocean Council (WOC) gets ready to host the Save our Seas conference (SOS) 2013, the Washington-based Institute for Caribbean Studies (ICS) has issued a call for private sector leadership in securing the future of the Caribbean Sea. “SOS 2013 is an unparalleled, world-class gathering of the diverse ocean business community. It sets the agenda for ensuring responsible industry operations,” said Dr. Claire Nelson, ICS’ Jamaican-born president.

“We envision bringing together tourism, yachting, fishing, cruise-shipping, ocean data management, oil/ gas, mining – everyone to engage private sector leaders in securing a sustainable

future for our Caribbean Sea,” she added.

She said SOS 2013, which takes place here, from April 2224, is “a unique, global, multiindustry ocean leadership event.”

The Global Ocean Commission brings together international leaders in an independent body to analyze the main challenges and threats to the high seas, recommend solutions for addressing them, and in 2014, provide recommendations to the United Nations and other institutions and processes that can implement change.

“Given the dire straits facing the Caribbean Sea, the window of opportunity to ensure a living sea is closing,” the Sustainable Caribbean Sea Futures Initiative includes as a key priority, the goal of ensuring a multi-

industry coalition to advance responsible use of the Caribbean Sea,” she said.

The Sustainable Caribbean Sea Futures Initiative is a partnership with The Futures Forum and the Development Foresight Institute based in Jamaica.

Last year, the ICS launched the Sustainable Caribbean Sea Futures Initiative “to develop an intersectoral, international leadership alliance to secure a living future for the Caribbean Sea,” Nelson said.

This year, she said the issue takes on “new momentum” as ICS engages with the WOC to mobilize Caribbean participation, especially by the private sector, “which stands to gain immense benefits from the successful outcomes of the venture.”

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Final submissions to be heard Opposition holds big rally in in Shanique Myrie case Venezuela government stronghold

Venezuela’s opposition leader and presidential candidate Henrique Capriles (C) greets supporters during a campaign rally in the state of Tachira Saturday. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuela’s opposition candidate Henrique Capriles called tens of thousands of supporters onto the streets of the government’s stronghold in downtown Caracas yesterday, in a show of strength a week before he faces Nicolas Maduro in a presidential vote.

Acting leader Nicolas Maduro has vowed to continue the hard-line socialism of his late boss, Hugo Chavez, if he wins the election on April 14. Maduro was holding a giant rally yesterday in rural Apure state, on the border with Colombia.

More often seen filled with the red flags and T-shirts of Chavez’s loyal supporters, the historic Bolivar Avenue in the center of the capital was packed with opposition supporters decked out in the blue, yellow and red of Capriles’ campaign.

“Today we will make our capital overflow with happiness and hope. Let’s go!” Capriles, the 40-year-old governor of Miranda state, said on Twitter.

Despite the opposition leader’s optimism, opinion polls give the 50-year-old Maduro a lead of more than

10 percentage points.

Both candidates are touring the South American country during a lightning, 10-day campaign ahead of next Sunday’s vote, which was triggered by Chavez’s death from cancer on March 5.

It has been a bitter run-up to the election, characterized by deeply personal attacks leveled at each other by Maduro and Capriles, and by accusations of dirty tricks by both sides.

The race took a somewhat surreal turn on Saturday when Maduro said a centuries-old curse would fall on the heads of those who do not vote for him. Maduro, 50, was a bus driver and union leader who rose to become Chavez’s foreign minister and then vice president. At his rallies, he frequently refers to Chavez in adoring terms and plays a video from December where the former president endorsed Maduro as his successor.

“He taught us the supreme value of loyalty.

With loyalty, everything is possible,” Maduro told cheering supporters in Apure on Sunday. “Betrayal only brings defeats and curses.”

Capriles, who is

predicting a late proopposition surge as sympathy wears off after Chavez’s death, is vowing to install a Brazilian-style administration of free-market economics with strong social welfare policies.

Capriles mocks Maduro as a bad imitation of Chavez. He says Maduro’s track record during the late president’s sickness and since his death has wrought disaster on Venezuelans through a currency devaluation and price rises.

“This country is broken. I like Capriles ... the other one is immature. He just wants to be a copy of Chavez,” said Gisela Quijada, a 68-year-old nurse attending the opposition rally.

“Chavez was a leader for them, I can’t deny it. But he (Maduro) has nothing in his head. If Capriles doesn’t win, we’ll keep on fighting for him.

But we’re sure he’s going to win!”

The election will decide not only the future of “Chavismo” socialism, but also control of the world’s biggest oil reserves and economic aid to left-leaning nations across Latin America and the Caribbean from Cuba to Ecuador.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – CMC - The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will hear final submissions in the Shanique Myrie case when the court sits at its headquarters in Port of Spain today and tomorrow.

The Trinidad-based CCJ will hear testimony in the case brought by Myrie, 25, who alleged that when she travelled to Barbados on March 14, 2011 she was discriminated against because of her nationality, subjected to a body cavity search, detained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day.

Myrie wants the CCJ to determine, under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the minimum standard of treatment applicable to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) citizens moving

within the region.

She asserted that the treatment she received at the hands of the Barbadian officials ran contrary to her entitlements provided under the treaty and obtained permission from the Government of Jamaica to approach the CCJ directly on the matter.

Myrie, through her attorneys informed the Court that she could not afford to bring her witnesses to the seat of the court in Port of Spain for the hearing and as a result was unable to adequately present her case.

The CCJ explored the use of videoconferencing technology to take the evidence of the witnesses but after consulting with attorneys it was decided that the evidence should be given in person. This resulted in the

Shanique Myrie court sitting in Jamaica.

The historic sitting commenced in Jamaica in March to hear evidence from witnesses there. The Court then moved to Barbados to hear the evidence of the witnesses of the Defendant.

Colombian FARC leader Catatumbo joins peace talks in Havana BOGOTA (Reuters) Colombian rebel leader Pablo Catatumbo has joined the team of FARC negotiators hammering out a peace deal in Havana, a move that could help the Marxist group garner more support from lowranking guerrillas to end the country’s five-decade conflict.

Catatumbo, who is sought by the United States for drug trafficking, went to Havana with other members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to reinforce the negotiating team, the rebel group said in a statement yesterday.

“Colombia’s destiny cannot be war ... let’s move forward with the fight for peace and social justice,” the statement said.

Government negotiators and FARC leaders have been meeting since November to reach a deal that would end a conflict that has killed tens of thousands since it began in 1964. When talks started, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he hoped there would be an agreement within a year.

Pablo Catatumbo The statement did not say if Catatumbo will replace someone else at the FARC’s negotiating team.

Some observers believe the FARC team does not represent the entire group, which many say has become fractured and unable to communicate following a 10year military offensive that has killed top commanders and pushed the guerrillas into remote areas.

Despite being at its weakest in decades, the FARC still has some 8,000 troops and has stepped up attacks in recent months against oil and mining

installations.

Catatumbo, whose real name is Jorge Torres Victoria, is one of the FARC’s sevenmember leadership group known as the Secretariat. He heads a strong FARC unit in Southern Colombia involved in attacks and clashes with the army almost on a daily basis.

The government and the FARC are discussing rural development and land reform, the first issues on a five-point agenda, with the aim of addressing the root of the conflict - the South American country’s long history of social inequality and land ownership concentrated in the hands of a few.

The FARC has repeatedly said that the government’s refusal to engage in a bilateral ceasefire during the negotiations could undermine the peace process.

But the two sides in March said they had made enough progress that they asked the U.N. office in Colombia to start preparing for a public forum on their next agenda ite m , t h e FARC’s future political participation.

The FARC first took up arms in the 1960s as a Marxist group struggling against inequality but later turned to kidnapping and cocainetrafficking to finance itself.

The group is popular in rural areas where hospitals and schools are scarce and many people feel they are not benefiting from the economic boom that city-dwellers are enjoying.

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 23

AG complimented by Obama has Jamaican roots KAMALA Harris, California’s top prosecutor who President Barack Obama last week complimented on her good looks, sparking a brief controversy, has a Jamaican connection.

She is the daughter of Stanford University-based Jamaican professor and economist Donald Harris, who a few years ago was commissioned to assist the Planning Institute of Jamaica in devising ways to grow the Jamaican economy.

At the time of her election in 2010, then Prime Minister Bruce Golding congratulated Harris, saying, “This is indeed a proud moment for Jamaica as we celebrate with another powerful daughter whose roots originate from our soil.”

Harris is the first woman and first minority elected to the post. Last Thursday, during a fund-raiser for his Democratic Party in the Golden State, Obama described Harris as “by far the best-looking attorney general in the country”.

His slip-of-the-tongue came after he lauded Harris as brilliant, dedicated and tough as he introduced her at the event.

“She is exactly what you’d want in anybody who is administering the law, and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake. She also happens to be by far the bestlooking attorney general in the country,” he said.

But Obama’s comment touched off a firestorm of debate in the political world, with some commentators taking the president to task for reducing a professional woman to her physical appearance and others suggesting that it’s just fine to flatter a pretty woman.

On his return to Washington, DC on Thursday night, Obama called Harris and apologised to her. “The president did speak with Attorney General Harris last night after he came back from his trip, and he called her to apologise for the distraction created by his comments,” spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Friday. “They are old friends and good friends, and he did not want in any way to diminish the attorney general’s professional accomplishments.”

Carney noted that Obama’s “best looking”

remark about Harris came after the series of comments that praised her effectiveness as a prosecutor, but critics said the president’s conduct was nevertheless inappropriate.

“It’s not a compliment.

And for a president who has become a cultural model for many of his supporters in so many other ways, the example he’s setting here is disgraceful,” said Jonathan Chait of New York Magazine.

However, Chait’s view was not shared by many Americans who regarded what Obama said as a harmless comment.

One such person was celebrity Liza Minnelli who, during a discussion on NBC’s Today show on Friday, asked: “He can’t say she’s pretty?”

She added: “When this lovely woman gets up in the morning and looks in the mirror and puts on her makeup and does her hair, don’t you think she wants to be attractive and wants to be thought of as attractive?

She’s not doing that for no reason.” Harris, too, has not been offended by the president’s comment.

“The attorney general and the president have been

In this February 16, 2012 file photo President Barack Obama walks with California Attorney General Kamala Harris and California Lt Gov Gavin Newsom, after arriving at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco. (PHOTO: AP) friends for many years,” her Communications Director Gil Duran said in a statement.

“They had a great conversation yesterday and she strongly supports him.”

Obama’s comment came on the same day that saw his wife, Michelle, also forced to

backtrack during an interview in which she termed herself a “busy, single mother”.

The first lady ran into trouble when speaking to a CBS News affiliate in Vermont about the strains of being a working parent.

“Believe me, as a busy

single mother,” she said, before correcting herself.

“I shouldn’t say single.

As a busy mother. Sometimes, you know, when you’ve got a husband who is president, it can feel a little single. But he’s there.”

— AFP and Observer

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE A SILENT KILLER Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, in a message to mark World Health Day 2013 yesterday, has called high blood pressure, the focus of this year’s theme, a “silent killer”.

World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948.

Each year a theme is selected

for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world. The theme for 2013 is high blood pressure.

The Minister urged all Guyanese to get blood pressure checks once per month “and to exercise at least thirty minutes per day and to drastically reduce or avoid the use of common salt, refined sugars and

sugary beverages, fatty foods and fight the silent killer—fight hypertension— join your health centre”.

Dr. Ramsaran spoke especially to the men, “because we know men are not making use of our health care facilities—they do not think it is macho”.

He said that it [high blood pressure] is a global health threat.

- Dr. Ramsaran on World Health Day Hypertension contributes significantly to the burden of diseases: kidney failure, heart diseases, stroke, etc, leading to disability or death.

Cardiovascular diseases, along with diabetes, cancer and chronic pulmonary diseases contribute the bulk of noncommunicable diseases that humanity suffers currently.

“The burdens of these diseases have been raised to epidemic levels”, Dr. Ramsaran stated. These diseases now threaten to overwhelm the burdens of the local and global health sector.

Forty per cent of adults aged 25 and over have high blood pressure or hypertension.

He stated that all must join forces to reduce hypertension and its impact.

“Hypertension is a silent killer, and though it affects one in more than three adults and worldwide, it remains largely hidden.

Many people do not know that they have high blood pressure, because it does not cause symptoms”.

He stated that it is important since many

Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran Guyanese believe that high blood pressure is accompanied by pains in the back of the neck. “As a result, it leads to more than 9 million deaths every year including half of deaths that lead to stroke”.

Hypertension, he added, is preventable and treatable.

The Ministry of Health, he noted, is taking aggressive steps “with additional budgetary allocations and expended some $17B in health care in 2012”.

In 2013, he stated, $19.2B has been provided for, a

significant portion which will go towards to fight hypertension, educational materials to enlighten the citizenry and healthcare providers and “of course, to buy large volumes of drugs to fight hypertension”.

Over $2.3B has been allocated for the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of health care infrastructure.

No research has ever been carried out as to the consumption habits of Guyanese on fast- foods, sugary foods or salty foods, the bulk of which contribute to the growing epidemic under this year’s World Health Day theme.

Every day in Guyana, new eateries and fast food joints spring up, giving Guyanese a greater variety of foods and dishes, many of which are believed to be unhealthy for the consuming public, health wise.

While it is the number one cause of deaths in Guyana, there have not been readily available statistics as to the number of deaths in Guyana caused by high blood pressure and cardio vascular diseases.

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): If your recent dreams have been unclear, don't waste any of your brain power freaking out about it.

There is no need to solve every puzzle they present, because they are not literal warnings of what is about to happen in your life! ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): There will be a strong connection between you and someone very surprising today. They will come out with an observation about you that is right on the mark, and the conversation that ensues proves the two of you have a lot of common goals. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): There is a growing imbalance between your heart and head and it's necessary for you to deal with it today.

You have been feeling a lot more than thinking, which could cause a misunderstanding if you're not careful. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Sure, you may be forced to deal with a past failure today, but you can fix what needs to be fixed as long as you have confidence in yourself. ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Now that you've made a tough decision, your day will feel effortless. Green lights, warm smiles and a wide open road greet you everywhere you go today. Things are clearer. ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept.

22): You have an easy attitude about life today, and you'll have a good time just shooting the breeze with your friends -- so try not to have a very elaborate or ambitious

schedule. ********************* LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): You should just relax and try to enjoy watching the world go by today -- resist the urge to dive into the rat race.

Life from the sidelines can be just as beautiful as life in the heat of the action can be. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 Nov. 21): Getting a friend to join you on your latest plan might be difficult, but it will be worth all the effort it takes. ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 21): What happened to that famous 'can do' attitude of yours? Today you can try to get it back by asking friends to give you a few words of encouragement. .********************* CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 Jan. 19): Cast a critical eye on all your relationships today -- at work, in your family and definitely in your romantic sphere. There's nothing necessarily wrong, but you do need to check in and make sure that you're doing your part to keep the lines of communication wide open. ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 Feb. 18): It's going to be an easy breezy day for you -most of your hard choices are behind you, you're in a wonderful mood, and any workload you've been assigned will be pretty darn simple to complete in no time. ********************* PISCE S ( F e b . 1 9 March 20): Some surprising news will make even the most level-headed people around you turn into temperamental children. Luckily, their transformation will come off as incredibly amusing to you.

Page 25

MTV Channel 14/Cable 65 05:30H Dharan Kai Awaz- The Voice of Dharma 06:00H Islamic Perspective 06:30H The Diary 07:00H DAY BREAK (live) 08:00H Dabi’s Musical Hour 08:30H Avon Video & DVD music hour 09:00H Current affairs 09:15H Top Notch Music Break 09:30H Caribbean Temptation music break 10:00H Amanda’s music break 10:30H Future Vision Music Break 11:00H Comfort Sleep

Musical 11:30H Salvation Message with Pastor Kelvin 11:45H CNN News 12:00H Village Talk: 12:30H The Young and The Restless 13:30H Days of our lives 14:00H General Hospital 15:00H Katie Couric Show 16:00H The Bold and the Beautiful 16:30H Cartoons 17:00H Birthdays & other Greetings

17:15H Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30H Sitcom 18:00H Aracari Resort Hour 19:00H CNN News 19:30H News Update 20:30H Getting it Right 21:30H Sports Watch with Jaden Samuels 22:30H Sitcom 23:00H News Update 23:30H English Movie: Worth Winning Sign Off

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Aspiring forensic scientist pays tribute to literacy programme

Aspiring forensic scientist Wenceslaus Washington At 20 years old, Wenceslaus Washington is an aspiring forensic scientist and a final year student at the University of Guyana, pursuing a degree in Biology.

Although Washington is focused and dedicated to realizing his goal of becoming a forensic scientist, he says that he may not have made it, had it not been for the fundamental teaching he obtained from the literacy programme, provided by the Rotary Club of Georgetown.

For Washington, growing up in a developing community such as Section C South Turkeyen (Sophia) was “no walk in the park,” but he explained how having

“strangers come into the neighbourhood and volunteer their time, energies and resources,” benefited him and other underprivileged youngsters.

“I was among the first batch of students who joined the Rotary club’s literacy programme back in 1997, the programme did not merely give us an opportunity to learn to read, spell and be better at grammar or vocabulary, it gave us a prospect of those living outside our community to mentor us, being a positive influence and guideline to us nurturing us at the base of our lives in many ways.”

Washington reminisced on other aspects of the project, which he says helped him to become a rounded individual.

“I can remember that my first visit to the National Museum was made possible through organizers and my teachers of the literacy programme because we would go on tours at certain intervals of the course, I can also recall that one year we had entered the children’s Mashramani costume competition where we placed third under a specified group, there are so many other heartwarming memories that I can point to in which we

Students of the programme surrounded by teachers and members of the Rotary Club. were exposed to via this programme.”

Washington said that after he graduated from the programme, he went on to write the Secondary School Entrance Examinations where he earned a spot at the Brickdam Secondary School.

There he wrote Caribbean Secondary Education Certification (CSEC) and gained 12 passes, including a double award in Agricultural Science.

The hopeful forensic expert is currently seeking an international scholarship in the field. Upon successful completion of the four year University programme, the striving youngster will acquire his Bachelors of Science (BSC.) degree in biology.

Washington hopes that the scholarship will aid in him in becoming one of Guyana’s first forensic scientist, which he says is a childhood dream.

His fascination for forensic science began as a child through television shows such as CSI Miami and NCIS. “Growing up I would watch these shows, and seeing how these investigators work to solve cases never ceased to amaze and captivate me.’

Now that he‘s older, Washington says that it’s the reality of his county’s own plight that burdens him. “My current concern is the growing number of unsolved cases of murders that go on to become cold case files”.

Washington pointed to the “Sheema Mangar case

which has been dragging on for years now and the Lindo Creek massacre, where our country lost tremendous revenue sending samples of evidence overseas for testing”.

“The relatives in these cases were not able find closure while precious revenue and time were lost sending samples overseas as the cases went unsolved.”

Washington’s mother, Marva Moses, is proud of her children’s achievement as she says that it was not easy for her as a single mother to provide for five children.

“I work as security officer and I would not have enough time to sit behind my children to do school work with them so often, so the programme has been really helpful to me because all my children have attended and have their success stories …..I am grateful for the programme what they have done and continue to do.”

Moses says that the Georgetown Rotary Club also has a number of other outreach programmes which

benefit the whole community.

“They have medical outreaches where dentists and eye care specialists come into the area to cater to the children’s health and at Christmas time they share out food hampers to the students and give the children goodies, toys and prizes which is really to motivate them to do even better it’s a really inspiring group project.”

Moses encourages others to take advantage of the initiative as she sees it as a blessing to parents with economic and time constraints.

She moreover urged society to become involved such programmes.

“Although the programme has been in existence for more than a decade, more can be done to expand and enhance its outreach but it’s the lack of space, human, and financial resources that limits the project… I believe if more persons become involved then the possibilities are endless.”

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Police crack down N/A Lions Club nutrition programme on pornographic continues to aid needy children movie sales The police on last Friday seized hundreds of pornographic DVDS from itinerant vendors during a major crack down.

The police in a press release over the weekend stated that searches were conducted in the Stabroek Market, Bourda Market, Water Street and the Vendors’ Arcade areas during which three men were found selling pornographic videos. Some 189 pornographic video recordings have been seized and the three men were arrested. Charges will be instituted soon.

The move however has sparked diverse reactions from vendors and consumers.

In an interview with Kaieteur News, a vendor of the Stabroek area expressed that the action taken by the police “was nothing but bare ignorance and victimization.

“One of them does come steady to we like undercover brother and buy out the Caribbean blues; like he head ain’t good.”

He explained that not being able to not sell the

videos that are in high demand will certainly hinder their progress.

Four vendors explained that the local, Caribbean and American pornographic videos are usually in demand.

He claimed that they make approximately $70,000 to $80,000 within two to three days on the sale of porn.

But some concerned citizens welcomed the crackdown. They claimed that some of the very vendors sell the sexually explicit videos to school girls and boys.

They were only disappointed that the officers waited only now to serve the correct action on the vendors and refuse to believe that it is only a week or two ago the police would have been informed of this issue which is one that needs serious attention.

They further implored that the officers should not only restrict their interest in alleviating the issue in the popular Stabroek and Waterloo areas but rather to other areas where the issue is also prevalent.

We cannot determine our destiny, but we do have a choice of a philosophy that will influence the direction of our life.

N/A Lion’s Club members with students of the St. Therese’s Primary during one of the feeding sessions The New Amsterdam Lion’s Club’s Nutritional Enhancement Programme is continuing to make a difference in the lives of school children in Berbice.

Over sixty students of the St Therese’s Primary School received a hot meal and books last week. As part of the club’s fifty-first year in Guyana, a new school is

targeted each month and school children benefit from a hot meal as well as educational books. Lion Leila Clarke- Daniels stated that this is the second signature project of the club this year. ”The programme is done monthly in all the primary schools in New Amsterdam”, she added. “We have also distributed to them little story

books based on our International [Lions] President’s theme, ‘literacy, we would like to join with him in encouraging our students to read and read exclusively and also to help them to spell”.

The next school to benefit from the initiative will be the Overwinning Primary School.

Mrs. Clarke- Daniels also thanked an anonymous donor, to the Nutritional Enhancement Programme,” who would usually give us a monetary contribution towards this activity”. She is also encouraging the public “to join us, because this initiative is basically ours, but if we can get help from the public, we would like to see more being done for these students.

We know what a hot lunch and full belly can do, and if there are others who can join us—we would like to see— twice monthly that we can bring lunch to the kids”, she related.

Other activities of the club in the near future, she revealed, will include Past District’s Governor Month.

Lion Leila stated that there are currently six Past District Governors in District 60-A, “who we would like to congratulate”.

The position, she stated, is a very big position and they [the Governors] are in charge of the Districts of Suriname, Trinidad and Guyana “and we congratulate them for a job well done. “We also plan to continue our eye- glass clinic and do tree planting at school and we have a number of other educational materials that we plan to take to the Stanleytown Community Library and N/A Prisons”.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Competition

Scolari off the mark as Neymar Silver Bullets, $100 Car, TLC double leads rout in friendly Russians latest teams to register wins Silver Bullets, $100 Car and TLC Russians were the latest teams to register wins as play in the Linden segment of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Competition continued on Saturday evening at the Amelia’s Ward Bus Park.

In the first encounter of the night, $100 Car defeated Top Class 1-0 thanks to a solitary strike from Delroy Thompson in the 20th minute of play.

In the second game of the evening, Exodus and Amazing played to an exciting 3-3 draw.

On target for Exodus were

Abasi Blount (4TH), Sam McKenzie (9TH) and Gavin Daw (16TH), while Adrian Kyte (9th and 17th) and Dexter Garraway (18th) responded for Amazing.

Wisroc and Half Mile / One Mile played to a 0-0 stalemate, before Classic Six inflicted a 2-0 win over Pokerburg with Mario Batson’s (14th and 17th) brace, being the only goals in the match.

Attackers and Hard Knocks then played to a 1-1 draw with Kyon Smith (7th) and Oswald Benjamin (12th) netting one goal apiece for the respective teams.

Silver Bullets then beat Street Vibes 2-0 thanks to goals from Tony Gilbert (4th) and Nigel Bennett (8th).

Unique Unknowns and Silent Assassins failed to have p l a y e r s e n t e r t h e scoresheet as they played to a 0-0 tie and in the final game of the night TLC Russians continued their fine run with a comfortable 20 triumph over Rough and Rugged.

Travis Waterton (5th) and Shawn Daniels (17th) were the men on target for the winners.

Meanwhile, the points standing are as follows:

Neymar scored two goals as Brazil beat Bolivia 4-0 (AP) Daily Mail - Neymar scored two goals as Brazil beat Bolovia 4-0 in a friendly to give Luiz Felipe Scolari his

first win since returning as national team manager.

Brazil fielded a strong team captained by

Ronaldinho and Bolivia were no match for them in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Leandro Damião opened the scoring as early as the third minute after getting on the end of a cross from Jean.

Neymar then got in on the act as he found the target twice to extend Brazil’s lead to 3-0 before half-time.

Former Milan striker Alexandre Pato came off the bench in the second half and Brazil competed their rout when Leandro scored his second goal in injury time.

Brazil’s last round of fixtures saw them draw 2-2 against Italy before being held to a 1-1 draw by Russia at Stamford Bridge.

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Punjab begin season with commanding win ESPNcricinfo - Kings XI Punjab’s accurate seam bowling was complemented by an all-round fielding display as they raced to an eight-wicket win over Pune Warriors in Pune. It was the first time Punjab had begun an IPL season with a victory and they took just 12.2 overs to chase the target and hand the home side their second successive loss.

Two run-outs and Gurkeerat Singh’s spectacular catch were the highlights as Kings XI took control of the game from the first over. The four-man seam attack hardly gave the Warriors batsman a chance on a pitch that perhaps misled them into batting first.

Manish Pandey’s hesitant prod started Warriors’ slide and they struggled in the Powerplay overs. T Suman, who replaced the injured Yuvraj Singh, added 20 for the second wicket with Robin Uthappa, but both fell trying to push the run-rate. Suman skied Azhar Mahmood while Uthappa’s charge to the legspinner Piyush Chawla was poorly judged.

Mandeep Singh then ran out Marlon Samuels with a terrific throw running in from the deep midwicket boundary, and Chawla later ran out Rahul Sharma with a direct hit from long-off, off the last ball of the innings.

Parvinder Awana was a force among the quicks. After a good first over he bowled the best ball of the game, which took Angelo Mathews’ outside edge. Warriors were 38 for 5 at the end of the 10th over, and the game had slipped away from them.

Kings XI’s accurate bowling made the difference,

but the first-match energy from the fielders left Warriors batsman stranded at either end for long patches. The highlight in the field came in the 14th over, via a jawdropping catch. Ross Taylor ’s trademark pull towards long leg was intercepted by Gurkeerat, who dived full length to his right and caught the ball after it had passed him and held on to it after crashing to earth.

Had Mitchell Marsh and Abhishek Nayar not added 25 for the seventh wicket, Warriors would have had to defend fewer than the 99 they got in the end.

Kings XI captain Adam Gilchrist took fourteen runs off the first over of the chase.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was hit for two straight fours and a flicked six, but Gilchrist fell soon after to a catch at deep

Manan Vohra played an eye-catching innings on IPL debut.

(BCCI)

Monday April 08, 2013

SUNRISERS CLINCH SUPER OVER VICTORY

square-leg.

Then it was the turn of little known Manan Vohra to make a spectacle of his IPL debut. The No. 3 batsman smashed four out of five fours in the fourth over bowled by Ashok Dinda. There were nice shots on the offside before the youngster brought out a swivel-pull to finish the over. He then drilled Mathews to the straight boundary to make it five fours in as many balls.

Warriors were poor in the field too. Dinda dropped Mandeep Singh at mid-on before Taylor dropped Vohra at slip. Mandeep and Vohra added 58 for the second wicket with the debutant making 43 off 28 balls.

Scores: Kings XI Punjab 100 for 2 (Vohra 43*) beat Pune Warriors 99 for 9 (Mahmood 2-19) by 8 wickets.

Cameron White slugs one to the boundary. (BCCI) ESPNcricinfo - Sunrisers Hyderabad rode on the power of Dale Steyn’s experience to pick up their second consecutive win, this one over Royal Challengers Bangalore, after the game had gone into Twenty20 cricket’s sudden death - the Super Over. Steyn had to defend 20 runs, thanks to Cameron White’s two blazing hits off Vinay Kumar, and came out on top as Royal Challengers fell five runs short.

The teams had fought tooth and nail throughout the forty overs in front of a noisy crowd in Hyderabad.

Defending seven, Vinay bowled an impressive 20th over for the second game in a row - conceding only six - but could not repeat the performance in the tiebreaker.

He was Virat Kohli’s go-to man after he had defended 10 runs off the last over against Mumbai Indians.

The seesaw battle began with Sunrisers staying on top as they restricted the strong Royal Challengers’ batting line-up to 130 for 8 in 20 overs.

What would have happened to the Royal Challengers’ innings without Kohli and Moises Henriques was hard to say. The pair contributed 90 to the total.

After Chris Gayle fell dramatically to part-timer Hanuma Vihari’s first ball in IPL cricket, and Tillakaratne Dilshan was bowled by Ishant Sharma, Kohli had to resurrect the innings. Karun Nair helped him a little by

adding 20 for the third wicket, before Kohli and Henriques put on 43 for the fourth. Kohli then fell to a return catch by Ashish Reddy in the 14th over; he had struck the only six of the innings in his 44-ball 46.

Henriques’ 44 came off 40 balls with five boundaries, and his innings held it together for Royal Challengers towards the finish. He was the seventh batsman out, at the start of

the final over bowled by Ishant, who finished with 3 for 27. It was a performance in contrast to the night Dale Steyn had, having finished with 1 for 37 in four overs.

The Sunrisers’ chase was held together by newcomer Vihari’s unbeaten 44 off 46 balls but he never took the game away from Royal Challengers. He would have expected someone like his captain Kumar Sangakkara to take the lead but the Sri Lankan batsman made just 16.

The game boiled down to such a finish because of a 23run stand for the seventh wicket between Vihari and Ashish Reddy.

When Reddy joined Vihari in the 17th over, Sunrisers needed 30 off 23 balls. Vinay, who had just heroically run out Amit Mishra, was smashed for 14 in the 18th over, with Reddy slamming a straight six and a slog-swept four. Murali Kartik had to keep Royal Challengers in the game and he gave away seven runs in the penultimate over before Vinay forced the tie.

White and Thisara Perera were Sunrisers’ choice for the Super Over, and they outdid Royal Challengers’ Gayle and Kohli.

Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 130 for 8 (Kohli 46, Ishant 3-27) tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad 130 for 7 (Vihari 44*, Henriques 2-14).

Result - Sunrisers Hyderabad won the Super Over.

Vinay Kumar conceded 20 in the Super Over, after limiting Sunrisers to six in the 20th over of the match. (BCCI)

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 31

U.S-based Lindeners continue support for LABA 9th Annual Secondary Schools c/ship - event bounces off next Monday

Ms. Yvonne Alphonso handing over the 1st Place Euron Equipment Trophy to LABA president Haslyn Graham while also in picture are the many other individual and team trophies and replicas.

Local marksmen getting ready for British team’s visit

Paul Slowe Local rifle shooters have stepped up preparation for the visit here by a Great Britain Team later this month along with the defence of their West Indies Fullbore Shooting championships billed for next month in Barbados.

The local marksmen have been training every weekend for the past two months as they gear up to host the Great Britain team from April 29th at the Timehri Rifle ranges.

Yesterday they were involved in a Recorded Shoot over 300, 500 and 600 yard ranges.

The National shooting championships will fire off Sunday coming and continue the following weekend with the shooters battling over the 300, 500, 600, 900 and 1000 yards ranges.

The marksmen currently

Lennox Braithwaite

Mahendra Persaud in training are defending Caribbean champion Lennox Braithwaite, Ransford Goodluck, Ryan Sampson, Dylan Fields, Richard Fields, Claude Duguid, Dane Blair, Everard Nelson, Lt. Col. Terrance Stuart, Charles Dean

and ACP retired Paul Slowe.

National captain Mahendra Persaud has been sidelined due to an injury but is expected to resume training shortly.

Several United Statesbased competitors are also expected to join the Guyana contingent in Barbados.

The British shooters are due in Guyana on April 28 for a series of matches against the Guyanese at the Timehri ranges.

The two teams will then travel to Barbados for the West Indies Fullbore championships and the Australia Cup to be hosted by the Barbadians. Guyana are the regional shooting champions having won both the long and short ranges titles at home last October.

Apart from Guyana, the regional tournament will attract Antigua/Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

Several members of the Guyana team are likely to be included in the West Indies team to compete in the at Australia Cup International Tournament to be held simultaneously in Barbados next month with the British, Canada, United States competing in the prestigious tournament to be hosted for the first time in the Caribbean.

Guyanese Paul Slowe has already been named captain of the West Indies team for the International tournament.

Several overseasbased Guyanese have continued their support towards the successful s t a g i n g o f t h i s y e a r ’s Linden Secondary Schools Under-19 basketball championship which is set to start in one week’s time in the Mining Town of Linden.

The latest support for the tournament which is in its ninth year and will be organized by the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) has seen the arrival of all the trophies, replicas and medals for the prestigious championship, which starts on April 15 and concludes on May 1, at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

Sister of United Statesbased former National Women’s basketball Coach Linden ‘Sancho’ Alphonso, Ms Yvonne Alphonso, last Saturday presented the various trophies for the championship to president of LABA Haslyn Graham.

The LABA president

Haslyn Graham offered his thanks for the continued sponsorship which has come from Lindeners who now reside in the United States and are now giving back to the sport, and placing emphasis on the younger generation of players. He said the association acknowledges this gesture and is pleased to have taken over the staging of this very important tournament in keeping with the association’s focus on youth development.

He noted also the efforts of some local sponsors who have come on board, especially Two Brothers Gas Station and Slingerz Family out of West Demerara who have at the last moment given funding for the uniforms to be worn by the players during the championships; after the United States- based sponsors did not come on board this year.

The sponsors who are based in the United States onboard now; are for the 1st Place Trophy which is

provided by Euron Equipment Repairs out of N e w Yo r k , w h o a l s o donated all the replicas for the winning team.

Other trophies which are on offer are the 2nd Place and replicas which were received, compliments of Marlon Josiah, the 3rd Place Trophy and replicas from Orin Louison and fourth place trophy and replicas by Lennox Allicock also based in the United States of America.

In addition there are individual trophies for the Leading Scorer of the tournament, Most Steals for the Final, Most Assists in the final, Most Rebounds in the Final and the Most Points in the Final which were all donated

by Maxie Stephens.

The Most Valuable Player Trophy for the winning team in the Final and the Most Valuable Player on the losing side were donated by Linden Alphonso.

Players to be eligible for this tournament must be born after December 31, 1994.

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Colts trample Ravens in big upset FINESSE! Colts’ guard, Sheldon Thomas weaves pass Ravens’ defenders, Akeem Kanhai and Jermaine Slater to finish a lay-up Saturday night on the Burnham Basketball Court in the GABA League.

By Edison Jefford Colts literally trampled Ravens Saturday night on the Burnham Basketball Court to continue its ascendancy in the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) League, and officially help Ravens relinquish its position as the number one club.

Colts beat Ravens 61-51 to improve to a 4-2 win/loss record in the ongoing Division I League as Ravens slipped to its second loss for a 3-2 record that will ensure Ravens does not retain its place as the number one club in Georgetown.

It was a total team effort from Colts with guard, Shelroy Thomas top scoring with 15 points, all of which came in the last half; his brother Sheldon Thomas and Dave Causway scored 12 points each, while forward Nicko Fraser had 11 points.

For the first time in quite some time, Ravens had one player in double figures with Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai scoring 10 points. Guards, Stephon Henry, Jason Cort and forward, Ryan Gullen all had nine points for the descending Ravens.

It was an even contest throughout the first half.

Gullen drilled a baseline turnaround jumper that help Ravens to within one of Colts 22 points late in the second quarter. The low production from Ravens offence was testament to Colts excellent defence.

Colts forced two straight turnovers that led to a 25-21 lead with two minutes left before half time, but Kanhai

finished an And1 lay-up to narrow Colts advantage as Ravens battled to tie the game 27-27 at the halftime break.

The second half was the Shelroy Thomas show. The guard was unstoppable in the backcourt of the crucial contest for both teams.

Thomas did not play in the first half, and drilled a huge three-point jumper for his first points of the game that announced his presence.

Ryan Stephney answered back with a penetration, but Colts’ speed and defensive pressure that continued from first half forced another two stops.

Thomas beat Stephney off a one-step dribble for a lay-up that gave Colts a 41-33 lead midway through the third quarter that ended 43-37 in favour of Colts.

Thomas dropped 11 of his 15 points in that quarter. Colts took a 10-pt lead 49-39 after a reverse from Thomas, who had taken over the team’s offence. Ravens could not convert its open looks to points against a stifling Colts defence.

Colts took a 52-44 points lead with four minutes left, then a 6-2 run that included three drives from Thomas and Causway gave Colts 58-47 lead with two minutes left in game. Ravens visibly gave up the fight, allowing Colts the 10-point victory.

“We are in a slump; we said we will get licks before the game and we have a lot more licks to get, we are not training and playing as a team, we have a lot of egos in this team,” Ravens player and administrator, Seriah Clarke

told Kaieteur Sport after the game.

Ravens has been one of the top clubs in Georgetown for decades, and their second straight loss to teams considered to be minnows will ensure that their ranking drop. Ravens had lost to Pepsi Sonics in another crucial encounter last week.

In the other Division I game of the night, Plaisance Guardians beat Panthers 5147 with Ron Campbell scoring 24 points. Haslyn Hooper scored 14 points for Panthers with Olatunde Griffith putting up 10 points.

Trinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters continued its unbeaten run in the Division III version of the League with a 77-52 win against West Side Jammers.

Jude Weekes had 26 while Rayon Cummings had 24 points; Tariq Cave had 10 points. Quince Gibson scored 17 points for West Side with Samuel Hollingsworth adding 14 points.

Page 33

Two Brothers Gas Station, Slingerz family make timely donation for Linden schools b/ball With time running out for the staging of the ninth annual Linden Secondary Schools Under-19 basketball championship set to begin next Monday(April 15), Two Brothers Gas Station and Slingerz Family have given a timely boost towards ensuring the successful staging of the tournament this year.

Unlike over the past eight years when uniforms for all the competing schools were obtained from sponsors in the United States of America, the new organisers of this prestigious championship, the Linden Amateur Basketball Association was unable to have that sponsorship continued due to circumstances beyond their control.

With the tournament set to start in April and end on May 1, the planners were tasked with first ensuring that the six competing schools continue to have their playing gear as this was looked forward to by the teams and continue the tradition set over the years by the previous organizers for eight years, the Victory Valley Royals basketball club, with another worthwhile championship.

In times of need the LABA sought the assistance of Two Brothers Gas Station and the Slingerz Family who teamed to fund the six sets of uniforms for the schools contesting the championship.

The schools this year are the defending champions Linden Technical Institute, Mackenzie High, Linden Foundation Secondary, New Silvercity Secondary, Wisburg and Christianburg Secondary Schools.

Receiving the cheque to fund the six sets of uniforms which will be sourced locally were Organising Secretary of the LABA Ashton Angel (Jr.) and Secretary Joseph Chapman when they visited the Two Brothers Gas Station Main Office on the West Demerara.

Making the donation was Treasurer of Silngerz FC and Manager of Two Brothers Gas Station Aswel Mohabir who was happy to be associated with the tournament which focuses on the development of players at the school level.

He wished the LABA every success in this new venture as the Organising Secretary Ashton Angel (Jr.) thanked them for the donation what he said was a ‘stitch in time’.

Angel noted that it was significant that a sponsor from out of town has joined the LABA, from as far West Demerara, and hopes that the sponsors who were approached in Linden would find it necessary to give whatever support they can for the betterment of the game among the youths.

The LABA continues to plan for this tournament and has already contacted the Region Ten Education Department where the go ahead was given for the schools to participate.

Players must be born after December 31, 1994 to be eligible to participate according to Secretary Joseph Chapman.

The championship will last for ten playing days and the venue is the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court. The relevant school representatives are asked to contact either Organising Secretary Ashton Angel (Jr.) on 644-6657 or 444-2712 or Secretary Joseph Chapman on 621-1643 for further information.

The Association also plans to have the launching of the tournament early in the new week.

Receiving the cheque from Treasurer of Slingerz FC and Manager of Two Brothers Gas Station Aswel Mohabir (right), is Organising Secretary of the LABA Ashton Angel (Jr.) while Secretary Joseph Chapman looks on.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

Monday April 08, 2013

CAT MESSIAH ON MISSION TO THE TOP

Cat Messiah romps to an easy victory in the last meet at Port Mourant.

Cat Messiah is certainly not a timid ‘pussy cat’ that is housed up in some attic somewhere.

No, this is one of the up and coming racehorses in the racing arena in Guyana and according to

owner Gansham Singh as long as things go according to plan, the animal will soon be the talk of the town and the animal to beat.

Singh is a proud man and he sees no reasons why his plans will not

come through. He says he has all the ingredients to make the animal the number one in the racing circle.

A three year old locally bred animal that was born right at his farm and stable and No6, Singh

said that he always had it that the animal will be a beater and although he had some setbacks earlier at the Two year stage, he was not perturbed. According to Singh the horse suffered a few problems then (two year old) and never raced.

He never had any qualms about it because he knew when the horse came out he wanted it to hit the track running and leave mouths ajar. To care a horse for three year is no easy walk he asserted.

The animal was in winner’s row in its last race meet when it took care of business in the J class race.

Incidentally it entered the racing arena this year and in only its third outing Cat Messiah was a class above the rest.

It ran and excellent race looking in ripping form as it registered its first victory in the horseracing circle in Guyana.

Classified J2 and running in the JK and L class category with a weight of 117 pounds, with the experienced Jamaican Jockey Andron Findley on the mount, the animal was unstoppable and it whipped the field for a convicting victory running the last 50 meters unchallenged.

In so doing it took away the $200,000 and trophy in the 1200M event from a much more experience and recognised field of horses.

According to Singh it is definitely the start of the horses’ climb to the top and it will be looking to continue its winning ways next Sunday April 14th at the BLUTC one day horserace meet.

As a man who has been around horses for a while, Singh should know what he is talking about. With the right kind of training and food which includes a number of different mixtures and the right exercise Cat Messiah can reach the top.

The racehorse trains at the Norman Sigh Turf Club at Silver Park, West Coast, Berbice and the Bush Lot United Turf Club and according to the owner its training regiment depends on where it has to race and the type of races it will be involved in.

Apart from competing in the JK and L class events the animal is set to campaign in the three year old category, especially among the locally bred horses.

When told that there are some very good local three year olds around, the owner stated that the anticipated clashed would be mouth watering and he cannot wait for the opportunity to whip the bigger boys and with a man like Findley in the stirrups he doesn’t see why Cat Messiah cannot purr its way to the top and bring redemption to his stable. (Samuel Whyte)

Monday April 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

WICB Regional Super50 Tourney

Miller last ball six gives Jamaica victory over Guyana Guyana out of tournament

Stephen Jacobs gather runs on the on side.

By Zaheer Mohamed Nikita Miller smashed the final delivery of Jamaica innings bowled by Narsingh Deonarine over wide long for a maximum to hand his team a 2 wicket victory over host Guyana in the West Indies Cricket Board Regional Super 50 tournament last evening at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, thus sending the host crashing out of this year’s competition.

Jamaica needed six runs form the final over but Deonarine conceded only 3 from five deliveries but Miller silenced the small but vocal crowd with his last ball heroics.

Chasing 191, Jamaica were reduced to 67 for 5 with purposeful bowling by the Guyanese. Xavier Marshall was taken by Devendra Bishoo off Stephen Jacobs off the second delivery in the first over with the score on 1.

Hyatt then drove pacer Ronsford Beaton to the cover boundary before he was put down by Deonarine at first slip off Bishoo. Hyatt and Nkrumah Bonner took Jamaica to 52 when Bishoo trapped Bonner leg before for 23 in the 21st over. Skipper Veerasammy Permaul then disturbed the stumps of

Andre McCarthy (00) as Jamaica slipped to 53-3.

Pacer Ronsford Beaton, who once again impressed with his pace and bounce, then reduced the Jamaicans to 69-5 when he had Hyatt (24) and Tamar Lambert (08) caught behind in the space of two runs. Carlton Baugh (40) and Jermaine Blackwood (26) added 58 for the sixth wicket as Jamaica fought back. Paul Wintz who delivered 6 wides in his spell then uprooted the stumps of Blackwood at 125.

Jamaica then lost Baugh for 42, David Barnard 09 before Miller who ended unbeaten on 22 and Andrew Richardson with 15 not out took them home.

Beaton finished with 3-47 off 10 overs, while Permaul had 2-20 from 10; Jacobs, Wintz and Bishoo claimed 1 each. Earlier, the game was reduced to 49 overs after rain interrupted during the Guyanese innings.

Skipper Veerasammy Permaul was flawless at the toss and elected to bat first.

Openers Anthony Bramble and Trevon Griffith found the going tough against Richardson and Sheldon Cotterell who maintained a consistent line and length as Guyana only managed 15 from the first seven overs.

Dave Bernard Jr was brought into the attack and continued to keep the Guyanese openers at bay before removing them both.

He first bowled Griffith (08) then had Bramble (31) leg before at 49-2. However Assad Fudadin and Leon Johnson added 54 valuable runs for the third wicket with Johnson raising the 100 runmark with a boundary off Cotterell through mid wicket before Fudadin was caught behind for 31 off Cotterell, one run later Johnson was caught off Bonner for 26 who also removed Deonarine for 09 at 114-5. The host then slipped to 118-6 when Rajiv Ivan was dismissed for (01).

Steven Jacobs and Veerasammy Permaul, who surprisingly came in ahead of Wintz, scored 24 each and put on 45 for the seventh wicket before they were both dislodged along with Devendra Bishoo (11). Paul Wintz and Ronsford Beaton were left not out on three and eight respectively as Guyana managed 190-9.

Dave Bernard Jr, who bowled with good control and variation, grabbed 4-24, while spinner Nkruma Bonner ended with three for 23; Cotterell and Nikita Miller had one wicket apiece.

Page 35