Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday April 27, 2013

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

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US criticisms of radio licences, corruption…

Clean your house first, don’t lecture us- President Ramotar The ruling administration, upset over recent, stinging criticisms by the US Government on corruption and the controversial issuance of several radio licences, has reacted sharply with a message of its own.

On the comments contained in the ‘United States of America 2012 Human Rights Report’ released over the weekend, President Donald Ramotar was uncharacteristically harsh, telling the US to clean up its house first.

During a press conference at his Vlissengen Road office yesterday, Ramotar said that nobody has the right to lecture Guyana. “I don’t feel we should be lectured upon; I don’t think that anybody has the moral right to lecture upon us.”

He drew reference to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba, a detainment and interrogation facility of the US military, which recently saw several prisoners going on a hunger strike to protest abuse.

The Head of State admitted: “We do have issues (here). We have to try to work very hard to eradicate some of the weaknesses in our system.”

The President said that Guyana has taken steps to address some of the weaknesses in the system.

One of these is a move to tackle money laundering and possible financing of terrorism. The amendment Bill was recently tabled in the National Assembly and is designed to close current loopholes in the law.

President Donald Ramotar There have been accusations that countless buildings, businesses and other investments are financed from the proceeds of illegal business and crime.

However, there have not been many successful prosecutions or seizures of such by government.

Ramotar also pointed to the accusations that the US government has been taking prisoners to different countries and carrying out tortures such as ‘water boarding’. “…That don’t happen in Guyana. We don’t practice those types of things here in our country.”

He also spoke of the case of WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, who has been virtually held a prisoner in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for 11 months now.

Assange sought refuge there after publishing a number of leaked US documents on his website, WikiLeaks. Some of the publications included embarrassing secret cables

between US Ambassadors and the State Department.

Guyana was mentioned, too, in the cables.

“So I think we should all work to clean up our house to strengthen our systems and make these better because those who are making the statements are no paragon of virtue either.”

According to the US in the Human Rights report, the issuance of 11 radio licences under the administration of former President Bharrat Jagdeo “lacked transparency.”

In November 2011, the very month he was leaving the Office of the President, Jagdeo handed out ten radio licences to his friends with associates being granted 15 radio frequencies.

“In 2011 the government approved applications for 10 new radio stations, although the process was controversial, lacked transparency and contained further steps needed before

State auditors dispatched to Parika Stelling over alleged financial irregularities

The Parika Stelling Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, during a brief telephone interview with Kaieteur News yesterday, confirmed that State Auditors were dispatched to the Parika Stelling to look into reports of alleged financial irregularities.

Kaieteur News learnt that

a supervisor of the Stelling has disappeared along with some cash.

However, Sharma could not confirm this, stating that he had not yet received a feedback from the team that was sent to follow up the allegations.

Minister of Transport and

Public Works, Robeson Benn, said that he was not aware of any such scenario, and does not believe that it is true.

As of last evening, Kaieteur News was unable to make contact with Sharma to get the feedback from the team of auditors who were investigating the allegations.

the new stations could begin broadcasting,” the report on Human Rights Practices stated.

However, the report noted that the government influenced print and broadcast media and continued to exert heavy control over the content of the National Communications Network (television), giving Government spokespersons extended coverage, while limiting participation of opposition figures.

Two Fridays ago, two challenges were filed in the High Court against the granting of radio frequencies

by Jagdeo.

Broadcaster Enrico Woolford, the National Media and Publishing Company (publishers of Kaieteur News) and the Guyana Media Proprietors Association are asking that the High Court quash Jagdeo’s decision.

The US government also criticised the Guyana Government’s apparent ineffectiveness in implementing laws that provide for criminal penalties for corruption by public officials in the Human Rights Report.

The report stated that there remains widespread public perception of corruption involving officials at all levels, including the police and the judiciary.

“The World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators assessed that government corruption was a serious problem,” the report said.

The Guyana Police Force bore the brunt of the report’s assessment, which pointed to allegations of police officers being connected to the drug underworld.

When it comes to the Office of the Auditor General, the report was uncomplimentary.

The Office of the Auditor General scrutinizes the expenditure of public funds on behalf of Parliament and conducts financial audits of all publicly funded entities, including donor-funded entities, local government agencies and trade unions and reports to the National Assembly.

However, the US human rights report stated that the effectiveness of the office remained limited since the government may or may not act on the discrepancies

noted in its reports.

“Observers noted that recurring discrepancies were repeatedly highlighted in the reports without officials taking appropriate follow-up actions to investigate and resolve the discrepancies,” the report highlighted.

The 2001 constitution called for the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to monitor public procurement and ensure that authorities conduct the procurement of goods and services in a fair, transparent, competitive and cost-effective manner.

However, the government never constituted the PPC despite public criticism of the present system’s ineffectiveness in awarding government contracts in an equitable and transparent manner.

The report stated that under pressure from opposition parties in parliament, the government promised to establish the PPC

by June last year, but this has not yet materialized.

The US has an embassy in Guyana with thousands of Guyanese migrants living there. The US has also been a major donor to Guyana.

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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

Human trafficking and the protection Human trafficking has long been denied by the authorities here. The denial might have been based on the fact that as a hospitable people we have not been known to exploit others to the extent that the exploited were seen as slaves.

Indeed, we have had numerous cases of girls in particular job hunting and ending up in shops and entertainment parlours where they served as waitresses.

The employer was shrewd in that he used these women to advertise his ware, acting on the basis that sex sells.

However, it was not known that the employer would have these girls peddle their bodies on his premises.

But times have changed and with increasing competition people have been resorting to a variety of measures to stay one step ahead of the game. Today, not only do they use the girls to grab attention to the business, they are now having these girls offering sex on location.

And with the lure of money in the gold fields there seems to be no scarcity of these girls.

The traditional source of human flesh has been the hinterland communities but that was when the jobs were on offer on the coastland. Today those jobs are in the hinterland. Another feature is the age of some of these girls.

These businesses that trade in human flesh recruit the younger girls because it would seem that the younger the girl the more excited the male customer would be.

The government has set up a task force but this task force can only work on information; it is not equipped to make periodic visits to the locations from which the reports of human trafficking emanates. In the city, it did conduct raids which have to prosecutions. More recently, the head of a city night spot renowned for exhibiting female flesh appeared in court charged with human trafficking.

This raid did not uncover tip of the iceberg but it reinforced the insistent view in some quarters that human trafficking is rife in Guyana. About a decade ago the United States decided to threaten Guyana that unless it enacted legislation the country would be sanctioned.

The local leaders raised a hue and cry but they introduced the necessary legislation and ensured that Guyana enjoyed an improved ranking on the international scale. The United States was to issue yet another report a few years later because the local situation had not improved. Again there were denials but the investigators were at pains to point out that there were no prosecutions.

Recent events now reveal that human trafficking is more widespread that even the authorities wanted to believe.

The head of a local non-governmental organization went to a location in the Middle Mazaruni and rescued four girls, two of who were even below the age of consent. One was as young as 14.

The sorry state of affairs led to the arrest of a policeman who appeared to side with the people involved in human trafficking. Hopefully, other Government officials who seemed to be in cahoots with the human traffickers are prosecuted. They man the points of entry and are expected to prevent the suspicious movement of people in the hinterland.

However, recently they not only allowed underage girls to pass through but they also sought to protect the human trafficker. One is left to wonder at the extent to which they facilitate the human trafficking trade.

Globally, human trafficking is second only to the drug trade. In Guyana this may also be the case. What is shocking that those law enforcers who support the trade know that the victims are actually sex slaves. In one case a policeman was said to have been keeping money paid to these sex slaves.

Sadly, although the issue is now public knowledge there will always be these young girls who would present themselves to go to locations under the impression that they would suffer a different fate. Then again, where are the parents?

Saturday April 27, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

The AFC’s abstention was reasonable DEAR EDITOR, My good friend Ruel Johnson in his biting commentary titled “The AFC justifies the indefensible” is to be commended for publicly making his statement. It is an exercise of true citizenship which I would like to see more of from our scrutinising minds. It is what will urge on the forward movement of our democracy.

People must keep leaders on their toes. And leaders in response must, as best as possible, offer honest and legitimate explanations as to why what they did, was done.

Preliminarily, I want to say that not because the AFC gave notice of cuts to the Estimates it necessarily followed that these cuts were going to be prosecuted. As we indicated since last year, we will give the portfolio Minister an opportunity to offer explanations, give answers and rationalise his Estimates.

If at the end of this exercise the AFC Parliamentarians are not satisfied, then the indication will be given to the Honourable Speaker that the cut will be prosecuted as proposed in the Motion to Amend the Estimates.

This is always an agonizing and unpleasant moment in our lives as MPs. Sometimes we have disagreements among our seven, and this generally results in a decision to allow that specific Estimate to go through.

As regards the proposed cut to the Sports, Culture and Art Fund, we utilized and

remained consistent with this guiding procedure. We asked Minister Anthony certain questions, got answers, and were promised further information which we got the next afternoon.

From the answers given to our and APNU members’ questions, the AFC Parliamentarians were unanimously of the opinion that we should not prosecute our motion to cut. APNU felt differently and so it was put to the vote. We abstained knowing full well that it would mean the approval of that Estimate. In the same breath we could have voted yes if we wanted. We decided to abstain.

Because of limitations of time and background information in the hands of AFC members at the time of the questioning of the Minister, it is true that everything could not be asked of nor be procured from the Minister.

But rest assured that our constituents, like a Ruel Johnson, can furnish us with additional information which can be the basis for additional questions to the Minister at any later stage.

Suffice to say that it will always be a subjective call that will have to be made. Our call was to abstain and effectively allow an approval.

I only urge that this right of ours and its exercise will be understood and respected.

Just like I would have respected the call made by a Ruel Johnson, had he been the Parliamentarian, to cut.

And just like I understand and respect the APNU

members voting as they did.

A review of my notes on this item - as the issues were raised by AFC and APNU members, and from the responses given by the Minister – vindicate, in my opinion, that the decision taken by the AFC not to cut was a reasonable one in the circumstances. This must not be taken to mean that any other decision taken by others was unreasonable.

My notes before me and a recollection, now that my memory is engaged on this matter, informs me as follows: 1. Re Carifesta X and auditing of accounts of this event, the Ministry, he said, had supplied to the Auditor General the statements for the audit. Questions on the audit should be directed to the Auditor General.

2. On Carifesta XI, a National Committee is working on Guyana’s participation in Suriname.

Information can be obtained from Dr. James Rose, the Chairman of the Committee.

3. On the vexing question of the Caribbean Press and publication of the Guyanese classics, the Minister gave me the full list the next day as was requested which included the following publications: Ashley Anthony - The Mysterious Association and Virtu Gems, Churaumanie Bissundyal The Dumb and the Brave; Trevor Burnard - Hearing Slaves Speak ; A.J. Mc. R. Cameron (Anna Benjamin) The Berbice Uprising, 1763; Cedric Castello - Rasta Lyrics; David Dabydeen The Intended; Lynette

Dolphin, ed - One Hundred Folk Songs of Guyana; Fred D’Aguiar - Mama Dot; Maggie Harris - Selected Poems; Odeen Ishmael - The Guyana Story Vol. 1: From the Earliest Inhabitants to British Colonisation; Odeen Ishmael - The Guyana Story Vol. 2: From the Workers’ Struggle to the Quest for Independence; Ian McDonald - Mercy Ward, A Cloud of Witnesses, and A Love of Poetry; Mark McWatt- Interiors; Noel Menezes - The Portuguese of Guyana and British Policy towards British Guiana; Paloma Mohamed – Duenne; Elly Niland- Selected Poems; Petamber Persaud, ed Guyanese Short Stories and Anthology of Guyanese Contemporary Verse; Sasenarine Persaud Unclosed Entrances. Quite frankly, I was most impressed with this list.

4. On the issues surrounding the Guyana Prize for Literature, the Minister stated that the Guyana Prize for Literature requested $24.6 M, inclusive of Guyana Prize Awards – $12,545,790; Guyana Prize Caribbean Award - $7,413,380 and Developmental Workshops training for Local Writers $4,710,000. Developmental Workshops training for Local Writers were held by Pauline Melville on 29th November, 2012, by Janice Lowe Shinebourne on 18th to 20th February, 2013, by Ruel Johnson on the 27th & 29th January, 2013 and others are scheduled for later 2013.

5. Re question of the Continued on page 6

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

Transformational projects There is need for a conscious DEAR EDITOR, There are some projects that are transformational in nature and whose impact is felt throughout the corridors of time. One such project is the University of Guyana which in October this year will be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

University education today is accessible to all, once the requisite entry requirements are met. This however was not the case prior to the establishment of the University of Guyana.

Those were the days when only a privileged few could have had access to university education, which was limited only to those whose parents were rich or those fortunate to get scholarships.

The numbers, however, were extremely small and persons with university degrees were held in high esteem.

The term “doctor politics” came about as a result of the paucity of university graduates, some of whom used their university degrees as a vehicle to attain high political office.

It was no doubt this was the thinking that propelled the PPP government of the early

1960s to establish the University of Guyana. It is popular knowledge that the University of Guyana was the brainchild of the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan. In his book “The West on Trial” he recalled how difficult it was for his parents to get the money to send him abroad to study. His parents had to practically dispossess themselves of all the savings they accumulated just to provide him with an opportunity to study overseas.

As Dr. Jagan recalled in his book, the idea of overseas study did not come about as the fulfillment of any plan or ambition. For Dr. Jagan and his parents, it was simply outside of their financial means, not because Dr. Jagan was not bright or qualified enough, but because they were too poor to afford the cost of university education.

It was not that Dr. Jagan, after graduating from Queen’s College in 1953 did not dream of becoming a doctor. In fact, he was greatly influenced by the then district medical officer, Dr. Kennard, an Englishman whom he had greatly respected. But as he puts it, that was just wishful

thinking.

Becoming a doctor was in his words “purely accidental”. The fact was that he could not have found employment, despite being armed with Oxford and Cambridge Certificates which he obtained as a student of Queen’s College.

Those were the days when to obtain a teaching job one had to be a Christian. Many bright and educated nonChristians were forced to change their religion to become teachers.

Apart from teaching, the doors were practically closed in the public service for those on the lower rungs of the social ladder. One literally had to pull strings to get into the public service.

It was only after the search for a job in the Civil Service was practically exhausted that his father yielded to a suggestion from Dr. J B Singh, a legislator at the time, to send his son to study dentistry in the United States. “Jagan,” Dr. Singh said, “Why waste the boy’s time? Don’t worry with the civil service; send the boy to study.”

The matter was finally Continued on page 6

budget that caters for all

DEAR EDITOR, The 2013 budget debate presentations have certainly provided many opportunities for the Guyanese populace to hear and read the different agreements put forward by members of parliament.

Many, I say, from both sides of the floor, were very impressive. I must articulate, however, that despite many of the creditable arguments put forward, some were far from the true realities, that government so skillfully sugar-coated.

Their well decorated speeches with words that the people in our country who are mostly affected, ‘the grass root’ and ‘the poor’ cannot comprehend, I daresay have achieved in great degree of hiding the truth and realities from those people.

Of all of the presenters, I believe it would be an indictment on the people of Region 10 if a response to several comments made by Member of Parliament Neil Kumar during the budget presentations was not attended to. He asserted that Region Ten, which I would like to refer to as the revolutionary

community, has benefited from government’s bighearted nature and openhandedness.

One of his presented points; he stated that for the first time in the township there is a female town clerk since his party took control of government from 1992. With regard to this, the scholarly member should consider that what is equally true is that since then there have not been local government elections.

Though this might have seemed worthwhile for him to mention, I didn’t think it was a big deal, due to the fact that the town clerk’s position is not an appointed one, individuals would have to apply for the post and if they were successful they would have secured a job. I know this because I had applied for this post several years ago, but refused it because of the paltry salary it provided.

The well-read member went on at length to speak of enhancement works and investment projects that government has undertaken in the region, which I must say is out of sight and invisible

to the countless masses of unemployed residents, most of which are educated young people. His strong point of a ‘chicken shop’ (Church’s) selling fried chicken to the people, was far from satisfying.

The honourable member boasted that 12.5 million Euros was pumped into the Linden Economic Advancement Project (L.E.A.P) to aid the economic advancement of the community.

I daresay that might have been the intention of the project in its embryonic stage, but the true reality of L.E.A.P is that it has not leapt. The large sums of money that he described as being ‘pumped’ into the community is, I believe, a figment of his imagination, because no evidence of such is in existence . Those monies were probably pumped indeed, but I believe it was done somewhere else.

In the area of housing, he boasted the figure of 4,000 to reflect those in the township who acquire house lots which is an entitlement to all Continued on page 6

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Kaieteur News

Saturday April 27, 2013

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

GPL Board has underserved Guyanese DEAR EDITOR, In response to Prime Minister Samuel Hinds’ open letter in Kaieteur News to Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the AFC titled, “GPL is deserving of the allocations in the 2013 budget” we want the people to know that instead of revealing all the facts, the Prime Minister chooses to highlight his own facts and accuse the opposition of playing politics.

Mr. Hinds should be candid and tell the nation that GPL is one of the most inefficient and mismanaged state enterprises in the country, and for him to say that the prices charged by

GPL are among the lowest in the Caribbean is fiction.

It is time for the Prime Minister to tell GPL to reimburse the thousands of Guyanese who lost their fridges and other electrical appliances due to endless power outages and the voltage surges that often follow.

The Prime Minister of all persons should know that something is not right with the Board and the leadership at GPL. So for him to seek an extra $5 billion of the taxpayers’ money for GPL, but say nothing when its CEO and its board of directors rented generators at the same cost of

purchasing those generators is confused thinking and planning. But this is the reckless manner in which this administration spends taxpayers’ money.

GPL Leadership and the Board clearly are underserving the people of Guyana. The company has a very inefficient transmission and distribution system and this is the case even after some G$40 billion has been poured into it since 1992.

After more than 20 years of providing those billions to the ‘fat cats’ at GPL, there has been no let-up in the commercial theft and technical line losses which suck a significant percentage

There is need for a conscious...

From page 5 Guyanese, regardless of race, religion, status, political persuasion and most certainly regardless of one’s geographical location. The truth about this is that it is a birthright for al l Guyanese to acquire land.

The citizens/residents of Region 10 desire to build, but this is extremely difficult due to economic stagnation – the paucity of business activities to create jobs for the residents.

The knowledgeable member stated that the health sector has improved in the region with the construction of health centres and a stateof-the-art hospital.

I, with my limited knowledge and travel experience compared to the honorable member, am left to wonder, if a state-of-the-art

hospital is one without a mortuary, without specialists to deal with all medical situations, is one that is illequipped with the machinery and equipment to treat its patients, is one that always has a shortage of medication, except for aspirins. I don’t know, maybe it is!

The honourable member also took some time during his illustrious presentation to mention that it was under his government’s administration that this ‘revolutionary community’, Linden, for the first time was able to top the ‘common entrance’ examinations.

I found this expressed view very appalling, for it blatantly diminishes and disregards the diligent and hard working efforts of the teachers who would have laboured beyond the call of

duty to help all of these students to prepare for their examinations.

The conclusion that can be drawn from the presentation of the honourable member is that he is out of sync with the true reflection of the realities that exist in Region 10.

This budget that the honourable member and his colleagues so adamantly defend and support is one that will continue to enslave the majority of the masses.

We will be made tenants on our own soil.

We will have no strength, no power, and no control over our own destiny in the land of our birth. There is need for a conscious budget that caters for all Guyanese, the haves and the have nots.

Jemaine Figueira

of the revenue from the company as a hidden cost that just disappears into thin air.

Prior to 1992, the PPP had criticized the Burnham regime for the constant power blackouts and promised to fix the system within the first six months if elected to office.

After being in power for more than two decades, the PPP has done little or nothing to improve the system and reduce the power outages. As a matter of fact, it has gotten worse.

We have discovered that some G$8.5 billion is lost at GPL because of the aforementioned commercial

theft and technical line losses. Of that sum, a total of G$4.5 billion is lost as a result of the former. This has been happening for years now under the leadership of Mr. Brassington and the Jagdeo/ Ramotar administrations and so far nothing has been done to correct it.

How can any reasonable and rational government ask the opposition to approve an extra $5 billion when GPL continues to lose $8.5 billion in commercial theft and line losses?

It is time for the Board to go! This should be the primary focus of Prime

Minister Hinds. He should get rid of all the inept PPP cronies from GPL before asking the opposition to approve $5 billion more. The more money GPL gets from the taxpayers, the more blackouts will occur from this poorly run and mismanaged entity.

What GPL really needs is a team that is primarily focused at the highest level to cut the losses. This can only be done by shaving the commercial thieves off the national grid and axing its Chairman, CEO and the nonfunctioning board.

Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh

Transformational projects From page 5 settled when it was learnt that two of Dr. Jagan’s Queen’s College friends were about to go abroad to study dentistry in the USA. Unlike Dr. Jagan who came from a humble background, the parents of both of his friends were dentists and as such had the means of sending their children overseas to study. But for Dr. Jagan, the question was how to pay the university fees and upkeep himself while in the USA. I thought of highlighting these facts, because of what appeared to be a taken-for-granted approach to university education today in Guyana.

The University of Guyana is producing its own doctors, lawyers and other professionals which prior to the 1960s was only done at universities outside of

Guyana. In addition, hundreds of Guyanese have been trained as doctors overseas at no cost to themselves or their parents, thanks to generous scholarships from Cuba and some other countries, including India and China.

Most of these are from poor and ordinary family backgrounds who, were it not for these generous scholarship offerings, would have been unable to realize their academic potential.

There are countless Guyanese who are today the holders of University degrees and diplomas thanks to the vision of Dr. Cheddi Jagan and the PPP government of the 1960s. The University started out with a student roll of 179 and a staff of 9 full-time lecturers. Of significance is the fact that despite the

turbulence of the period, there was a good record of student attendance at lectures, practical classes and tutorials.

End-of-year examinations were held as planned and both internal and overseas examiners were highly impressed with the overall performance of the students and the high standards set by the teaching staff.

There can be no doubt that the University of Guyana has come a long way since those early years. The student population is now in the thousands and the numbers are increasing every year.

Guyana is almost selfsufficient when it comes to human resource development except for a few specialized fields such as medicine and engineering.

Hydar Ally

From page 4 legality of the Fund, his response was the Fund is correctly in the Estimates under the component dealing with Local Organization. Local Organization is classified in two groups, firstly, Government either under a statute or under a Cabinet instruction; and secondly, a duly recognized and/or incorporated Private Organization.

6. Re question of what the fund was used for in 2012, he said Interim Management Committee (Cricket) – $19.5 M; Professional Sports Services (Cuban Coaches) – $20.2M; Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition – $13.12M; Hosting of E.R. Braithwaite – $1.3M; 1823 Monument Site Development

–$ 28.31M; Guyana Prize for Literature – $17. 25M. 7. On the question of where the Fund’s $100M would be going towards in 2013, he proposed as follows: Additional Cuban Coaches – $13.35M; Visual Arts Competition – $20.12 M; 1763 Berbice Revolt 250th Anniversary –$ 20M; continuation of publication of Guyana Classics – $16.25M; Film – $ 9.25; Inter Guiana Cultural Festival – $8.0M; Carifesta XI – $13M. The murmur I got from Ramayya sitting behind me was: “Ram, we can’t cut anything deh!” There was a nod in agreement by the rest.

And so it was approved.

Khemraj Ramjattan AFC Member of Parliament

The AFC’s abstention was ...

A very dangerous message has been delivered to the people of Guyana.

If the independent media can be so spitefully cast aside for selfish pleasures, then the ordinary citizen - man, woman or child – has absolutely no chance.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

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IPI closely monitoring broadcast licensing allegations

By Scott Griffen The International Press Institute (IPI) last week presented its view to leading Guyana Government officials that criminal defamation laws are an affront to the values of a democratic society and should be repealed.

In a meeting with IPI delegates, Attorney General Anil Nandlall expressly agreed that journalists “should not go to jail for practising their craft,” and pledged to prepare a memo on the issue for the country’s cabinet.

Nandlall added: “I cannot see the utility of having something in the law that is not used,” indicating that no Guyanese journalist had been charged with criminal libel in recent times.

Additionally, Gail Teixeira, advisor on governance to Guyanese President Donald Ramotar, told the delegation that while she could not make a specific promise, the government was “not opposed to changing it [criminal libel law].”

“While we would have liked a more concrete commitment from the Guyanese government on the repeal of criminal defamation and though we anticipate that the process of repeal will take some time, I am satisfied that the country’s top officials generally agreed with our position,” said IPI Executive Director Alison Bethel

- Guyana govt. considers IPI argument against criminal libel McKenzie, who led the mission.

“I believe that the generous welcome and level of access we received are indicative that the current government is not averse to addressing press freedom shortcomings in Guyana.”

Bethel McKenzie emphasised that IPI stands ready to help the government expedite the repeal process, and highlighted the 2012 Declaration of Port of Spain, which calls on all Caribbean governments to abolish criminal libel and insult laws.

IPI also presented the Attorney General with a legal analysis of Guyana’s criminal libel law prepared by Dr. Tony Fargo, director of the Center for International Media Law and Policy Studies at Indiana University, a partner in IPI’s campaign to repeal criminal defamation in the Caribbean, which has already met significant success.

Wesley Gibbings, President of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers, IPI’s strategic partner in the region, added: “The ACM is thankful to the IPI team for the very productive mission conducted in Guyana last week, in collaboration with the Guyana Press Association under the guidance of ACM executive

member, Bert Wilkinson.

“I believe that this invaluable work will go a long way in helping us as a press freedom community to properly dissect the challenges we face and to fashion appropriate responses.”

Notably, the Guyanese opposition coalition, which currently holds a majority in the National Assembly, was broadly more supportive of repealing criminal libel. “You have my instant support,” Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) party, stated to the delegation.

The IPI delegation encountered two additional, significant issues during its visit to Guyana: widespread claims of media irresponsibility, and allegations of government discrimination in the awarding of radio and television licences.

Numerous Guyanese editors and journalists told IPI they consider the latter to be the most serious violation of press freedom in the country.

A number of media outlets — including broadcasters Capitol News and Prime News and print media Stabroek News and Kaieteur News — have not been granted

licenses, in some cases without explanation, for more than 16 years.

Some editors of those media, which are popularly referred to and/or demeaned as the “opposition press”, accused the government of purposely denying them broadcasting rights because of their perceived political position and their sometimes critical reporting on government issues.

“While IPI was previously aware of allegations that

partaken in a Medical Surveillance Programme hosted by your company?”

Witter asked the gathering.

And to break the silence that spread across the room, he said that not much people know of this.

He added that the number of persons injured while on duty would not only put a strain on the final output of that company, but it would also burden the health system

as well.

He urged that organizations and companies adhere to the various occupational safety laws, and that workers themselves remember to be vigilant, take safety measures while conducting risky tasks.

On Sunday, starting from 06:00hrs, there will be a safety health walk around the city in an effort to further promote safety health practices.

Guyana’s Attorney General, Anil Nandlall with I PI Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie; IPI North American Committee Chair John Yearwood; and IPI Press Freedom Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean, Scott Griffen.

Labour Ministry observes World Occupational Safety and Health Day 2013 A section of the attendees of the workshop yesterday

In observance of World Occupational Safety and Health Day on Sunday, the Ministry of Labour yesterday hosted an Occupational Safety and Health Fair at the Girl Guides Pavilion on Brickdam. This was done under the theme- “Prevention of Occupational Diseases”.

The fair also included a workshop which sought to explain that accidents don’t just happen, that they are

caused, and that “prevention is better than cure”.

Norris Witter, President of the Guyana Trade Union Congress, during the workshop, said that despite the fact that Guyana has one of the most comprehensive laws targeting the issue of o c c u p a t i o n a l d i s e a s e s, many companies do not entirely abide by these laws.

“Who here has ever

broadcast licences have been unfairly distributed in Guyana, our visit revealed the full depth and gravity of this issue,” Bethel McKenzie stated.

“It is unthinkable that the licence applications of certain media have been delayed or ignored for nearly two decades. This practice clearly clashes with international standards on broadcast rights. We call upon the newly constituted Broadcast Authority to immediately undertake a speedy, fair and independent review of any outstanding licence applications.”

Bethel McKenzie added that IPI, together with its regional and international partners, was now following the broadcast licensing debate in Guyana very closely.

During its visit, IPI delegates were repeatedly confronted with assertions that the Guyanese press, both state and private media, often failed to adhere to ethical standards. Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in particular, insisted to the delegation that the private media in Guyana tended toward “premeditated distortion” that “maximised the social problems in [Guyanese] society.”

On the other side of the political spectrum, Brigadier David Granger, chair of the Opposition A Partnership for

National Unity said he and his party had “frequently been defamed by the state press.”

Granger also noted that the state media was often the only source of news and information in Guyana’s sparsely populated interior.

The IPI mission to Guyana was led by Bethel McKenzie; John Yearwood, The Miami Herald’s world editor and IPI North American Committee chair; and Scott Griffen, IPI press freedom adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean.

IPI was joined by Bert Wilkinson, ACM executive member in Guyana, as well as representatives of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), including GPA President Gordon Moseley, Enrico Woolford, and Nazima Raghubir.

As part of the mission, Bethel McKenzie led a workshop for Guyanese journalists on investigative journalists techniques, an activity IPI plans to repeat in the near future.

Guyana was the second stop of IPI’s six-nation visit to the Caribbean, which began last Sunday in Antigua and Barbuda.

The delegation will also visit the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Curaçao. A comprehensive report on the state of press freedom in each country will follow.

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Saturday April 27, 2013

GuySuCo runs low on cash, salaried workers to be paid Monday The state-owned sugar company is facing a cash problem with salary payments for junior and senior workers postponed until next week.

The delay yesterday prompted a number of junior staffers of Wales Factory, West Bank Demerara, to take protest actions after being told that they will be paid late.

But union and other officials from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) have since assured that the affected workers will be paid

by Monday.

A senior GuySuCo official explained that the Corporation has been feeling a cash squeeze after international banks that finance sugar crops pulled out from the Caribbean, leaving Guyana affected.

With the estates across the country currently grinding, the situation has affected payments also.

Coupled with this, is the fact that the sugar shipments to Europe’s Tate and Lyle, Guyana’s biggest customer, has been delayed, again affecting payments to GuySuCo. “We are currently collecting monies from our local customers also. We are looking for next week to pay the staff.”

The GuySuCo official said

that the Corporation was forced to make a decision and had spoken to salaried junior and senior staffers to bear up a few days. They had agreed.

“We are surprised now to hear of this action but we want to assure them we are working hard to gather the cash.”

Kenneth Joseph, Head of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) whose members were the ones protesting yesterday, said he met with GuySuCo officials yesterday and that the assurance was given that they will be paid on Monday. NAACIE represents over 800 workers of GuySuCo, including clerical staffers, foremen and supervisors, lab technicians and boilers. More than 100 NAACIE members are affected at the Wales Estate.

According to Joseph, workers of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Unions are also affected.

Anthony Romain, a representative of NAACIE, who was with the handful of workers protesting at Wales yesterday, disclosed that the salaried workers are usually paid on the last Friday of every month.

“We have some women who don’t have any monies

Some of the unpaid sugar workers

to buy milk for their children.”

“Our sugar target for this crop is over 10,000 tonnes. As of today, we are at 83% completed with just 1,500 more to go. We need our money.”

GuySuCo has been facing

tough times in recent years with sugar falling from the top position a s b e i n g t h e biggest earner for the country. Staffing worries, coupled with adverse w e a t h e r, a n d u n d e rperformance at the new

Skeldon factory, has seen production plunging to a 20year low last year. Scores of workers have migrated away to other better paying jobs in the construction and gold sector.

Government has been

assisting GuySuCo with cash in recent years. Recently $1B was allocated for GuySuCo by the government in the national budget. It is part of this money- some $250M — that will be used to pay workers.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

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HOW TO MAKE EVERYONE A MILLIONAIRE The government should offer to every family in Guyana that is not yet a millionaire, the opportunity to join this bracket. Not everyone can become a millionaire but everyone should at least be offered the opportunity to become millionaires.

How can this be done?

Well for a start, the government should reclaim unutilized State lands and lease them out on the condition that they be worked for agricultural purposes, failing which they will be repossessed. There are idle state lands which have been leased to private persons and these persons are not working the lands.

In some cases the land has been abandoned. In other cases it is being rented out by the persons holding the lease to other farmers in a form of a feudal arrangement. All these lands that are not being utilized should be lawfully repossessed, broken up into viable units and given to small farmers so that they can benefit.

Agriculture is now a highly profitable enterprise.

Farmers are making good money these days be it through rice or cash crops and therefore it is important that if there are unutilized lands that large landowners are not working and these

lands are State lands, then these lands should be repossessed. The big rush now is however towards the gold fields and once again we have an inequitable whereby the vast majority of mining concessions are owned by a small band of individuals.

There are also many concessions which are being rented out and not being worked by their owners.

The large number of Brazilians in our gold industry attests to this fact. Most of them are working concessions which are owned by other individuals.

Foreign mining companies have also been given large concessions and in some instances there have been conflicts by locals who have encroached on the mining claims of the foreign companies.

Thousands of Guyanese are presently working in the mining districts and most of them are making good money which if they spend and invest wisely can guarantee them financial security.

Persons who were once dog poor have become millionaires because of the high prices that are being paid for gold.

It is necessary that as these prices remain high that as many Guyanese benefit from these high prices.

However the number of

Dem boys seh...

Donald tell Uncle Sam fuh tek a jump Donald tell de whole country that he is a big man and that he ain’t gun tek criticism from any and everybody. De man get vex because Uncle Sam tell he that Guyana human rights record ain’t good and that Donald got to do certain things to correct de situation.

Well de man get vex. He tell Uncle Sam that it ain’t got no right to talk down to Guyana. Is a case of pot telling skillet that he bottom black. But Donald ain’t stop there.

He tell Uncle Sam but it own human rights record—things like torture by waterboarding and de condition at Guantanamo. He seh that he ain’t frighten Uncle Sam because he don’t thief.

Was de same thing when Uncle Sam decide to squeeze Guyana pun human trafficking. Was Jagdeo then and he mek dem know that things like that don’t happen in Guyana.

De same Jagdeo did get vex when Uncle Sam tell he that dem can’t give he money fuh fight de drug trade because he wasn’t ketching anybody.

Donald seh de same thing to Uncle Sam and he ain’t going out of he way to help dem wid an office of de DEA. But some of dem who deh close to he get nervous because dem know that Uncle Sam does get vex at a flash.

Dem now wondering if when dem travel if somebody in Uncle Sam, like de Feds, gun put hand pun dem.

Dem boys know fuh sure that some of dem deserve.

Uncle Sam talk bout how nobody ain’t getting charge fuh corruption and how some of dem don’t even listen to de Auditor General. Dem boys know why nobody in Uncle Sam give Bharrat a doctorate. Although de man recognized in many countries Uncle Sam seh, “Not here.”

And while Donald cussing Uncle Sam, South Africa decide that it gun honour Burnham. He was one Donald cuss too. Dem boys waiting to hear wha he gun seh when Burnham daughter get de award.

Talk half and wait fuh de reaction.

concessions available are limited and since a small band of persons already own the majority of the concessions in the country, there should be some re-negotiations to ensure greater equality in the distribution of mining claims.

One way around this problem is to offer small claims to persons who are not millionaires. Instead of the present practice of granting a few claims via lottery in select areas, the government should each year identify two thousands small claims and run a lottery for these claims, subject to the condition that the beneficiaries work the concessions themselves.

In this way each year, the government would be giving

the opportunity to two thousand individuals to become millionaires. This is on top the other thousands that are already working concessions in the “backdam.”

Within five years, ten thousands small claims can be given out and this will transform the lives of the beneficiaries and their families, until the price of gold collapses as it inevitably will.

In the meantime, it is important that as many Guyanese as possible benefit from the present Gold Rush.

This rush unfortunately has unfortunately led to many problems within mining districts.

There is a great deal of

illegal activities taking place in the “backdam.” There are a great many socially undesirable activities taking place. What is needed is improved policing and monitoring of what goes on there.

There are many good intentioned groups and individuals who have taken action to stamp out illicit activities from within mining camps. But these wellintentioned actions must be done in a proper manner.

It is not recommended that any group without police powers should be allowed to barge into any mining camp so as to take action to either rescue or stamp out illegal activities.

If there is information that there are illegal activities taking place in a mining camp or if there is reasonable suspicion of such activities taking place, then a report should be made to the police.

For any group to be going into mining camps and making citizens’ arrest is unacceptable and far from heroic because this can open the floodgates to abuse.

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Saturday April 27, 2013

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Cultural stage is new addition to Indian Monument Garden Nestled in the heart of Georgetown is the Monument Garden now home to a grand edifice, a multi-million-dollar stage, built through generous contributions and hard work and dedication by the Indian Commemoration Trust (ICT).

The structure skillfully erected, brightly coloured and well illuminated will be left for future generations to understand the struggles their ancestors endured to provide a beautiful path for them.

This symbolism of the stage was related by Dr. Yesu Persaud, Chairman of ICT during his delivery at the commissioning ceremony yesterday. The programme opened with prayers from the three main religious groups in Guyana-- Hindu, Christian and Islam. The structure complements the bronze replica of the Whitby designed by Mr. B. K. Guru and also located in the Monument Garden. Last evening’s commissioning preceded the 175 th anniversary of Indian arrival on May 5.

The first East Indians to arrive in Guyana and in this hemisphere arrived in Highbury, Berbice on May 5, 1838 as indentured immigrants. Subsequently, the second batch of East Indians arrived in Demerara

Monument Gardens grand stage on the Whitby.

According to Dr. Persaud, this generation must be grateful for the contributions made by those East Indians and those who toiled to make Guyana a progressive country. As such, the stage is a tribute to East Indian ancestors.

The preparatory works for the stage and actual construction of the edifice

took some time and a lot of dedication. Continuous contributions would have to be made to upkeep the Monument Garden and its new landscape that is well laid out with two fountains, a guard hut and concrete path ways along the lawns.

He acknowledged the dedicated team who helped to make this project a reality.

Some of those who were

responsible for this work of art that will be enjoyed by coming generations were Messrs Pradeep Samtani, Sasenarine Sankar and Kelly Khalawan, Ms. Nadira Naraine, Mrs. Radica Sankar and Dr. Seeta Shah Roath.

In attendance at the ceremony were Georgetown Mayor, Hamilton Green; Town Clerk Carol Saboo, Indian High Commissioner to

Guyana, Puran Mal Meena; Alliance For Change Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, and Culture Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony.

Dr. Frank Anthony congratulated the ICT for accomplishing this grand task. He lauded the stage and by extension a truly cultural place for Guyanese. He reflected on the struggles of East Indians during

indentureship. He compared the cruelty meted out to Indenture immigrants to slavery which was endured

by Africans and marked with inhumanity.

At the Monument Garden a wall for remembering East Indians who made significant contributions was unveiled.

The ICT remembered Ayube Hamid Khan, a veteran Broadcaster; and the first East Indian to submit and have a published article in the media, Joseph Rahaman.

After a 112-day voyage, 244 immigrants arrived in Guyana on May 5, 1838, marking the official entry of Indians to Guyana, which was then known as British Guiana.

In 1987 earnest efforts were engaged to bring into being a Monument Garden as a commemorative site for the Indians who arrived in Guyana. In 1989, the spot was finally located- Camp Street.

It was overgrown with trees, bushes, brambles and thorns.

As part of its commemoration mandate, the ICT, last year commenced intensified efforts to revamp the Monument Garden location as part of preparatory work for the observance of the 175th anniversary of the arrival of East Indians to Guyana this year.

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Kaieteur News

Suriname nationals are welcome to access healthcare in Skeldon- Mahadeo ...Guyanese should not be turned away in Nickerie As Guyana and Suriname try to deepen ties, linking their two health sectors, many Surinamese and Guyanese are accessing health services in each country. This was revealed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA), Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, during the Guyana-Suriname simultaneous launch of Vaccination Week of the Americas 2013 at the border town of Corriverton on Monday.

Mahadeo and Surinamese Member of Parliament, Dr. Premdew Latchman, issued a joint call on the healthcare practitioners (nurses and doctors) in both countries to not turn away Surinamese or Guyanese who turn up for healthcare services in Corriverton or Nickerie.

A 15-minute trip across the Corentyne River using the ‘backtrack’ route would easily take a Guyanese or Surinamese into each other’s country.

Mahadeo said that many Surinamese access healthcare services at Skeldon Health Centre and Skeldon Hospital.

They are easily recognized by their accents.

Every single day “the Surinamese come here to see

the doctor and visit health centres. From the accent, you know they are not Guyanese,” he added.

Mahadeo added that the Surinamese would most often tell the doctors and nurses that they live in Corriverton and other parts of the Corentyne, for fear that if they say that the y are foreigners, they would be barred from a c c e s s i n g h e a l t h care services in Guyana.

He said this notion must stop.

“If they [Surinamese] are over here, they should be able to access healthcare and what we have to offer and when our Guyanese go there, [Suriname] they should be able to access care, freely and feel proud that I am Guyanese or I am a Surinamese, as the case might be”.

Meanwhile, as Guyana and the rest of the world continue to celebrate Vaccination Week 2013, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) repre s e n t a t i v e for vaccination in Guyana, Ms. Jennifer Sanwigo, of Wa s h i n g t o n , h a s s t a t e d that vaccination levels in Guyana and other countries must be maintained at high

levels to continue to prevent the morbidity and mortality rates.

She was speaking at the Guyana-Suriname simultaneous launch of Vaccination Week of the Americas (VWA) in Corriverton recently.

Ms. Sanwigo noted that vaccination coverage needs to be maintained in high levels in all places, and not just in big cities but also in rural areas, tiny villages. “It is our duty to find children”, she noted. VWA, she added, offers an opportunity to “reach the unreached”.

Vaccination at a universal scale has ensured the total eradication of small- pox, measles and polio, “achievements which were made possible by Ministries of Health, National Immunization Programmes, countless healthcare workers, families and communities”. Because of this, she stated, “our children can be protected from diseases that their parents once feared”.

Sanwigo said that Vaccination Week is celebrated in over 180 countries. “Countries have campaigns to reach more than 44 million people around the world.”

Saturday April 27, 2013

ImmigrationINFO Immigration News For Our Community Through this “Question & Answer” column, our goal is to answer your immigration questions. We appreciate your comments and questions. If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, please email: Gail@GailLaw.com.

Question #1: M y husband is a permanent resident in New York and will get citizenship this year. We got married in 2009 and he has filed for me. My priority date is December 13, 2009. I know the current visa bulletin for F2A category is November 2009. My question is, how long does it take for my interview to be scheduled if my priority date will become current in May? When is it estimated that I will be called for an interview?

Answer #1: Once the required documents were sent to the National Visa Center and the file has been approved, it will be sent to the U.S. Embassy. We normally see interviews within three months upon National Visa Center approval. But, once file is sent to Embassy, you can contact the Embassy.

Question #2: I have been in the US for the past seven months, have a job and am a green card holder. I have a girlfriend in Guyana and I would like to know if I can file for her now as a fiancée.

If, yes, what are the procedures and how long will it take?

Answer #2: As a green card holder you cannot sponsor a fiancée but you can sponsor a spouse. So, if you marry your girlfriend, then you can file a sponsorship petition for her. The backlog for visa processing is about three years for a spouse of a green card holder. Only a U.S. citizen can file for a fiancée.

Question #3: I want to apply for a visitor visa. What are the requirements?

Answer #3: Visit the U.S. Embassy-Georgetown webpage for information on requirements for tourist visa: h t t p : / / georgetown.usembassy.gov/ non-immigrant-visas.html Question #4: I am divorced from my wife and have two children to take care of. All three of us (myself and the two children aged 17 and 13 yrs) have ten- and five-year visitor visas r e s p e c t i v e l y. We h a v e visited the USA on a number of occasions.

Recently I became married to an American citizen. All the documents were done in the USA when we visited.

I would like to know if me and my children can remain in the USA and enjoy legal status (i.e. working and going to school) whilst our papers are in process because my

Gail Seeram wife has already filed documents to sponsor us to live in the USA. Answer #4: If your wife is a U.S. citizen and she processed the paperwork as if you were in the U.S. then you and children would obtain the green card in three months and can remain in the U.S. Remember, if you overstay in the U.S., even with a petition pending by your U.S. citizen spouse, you are considered illegal and can be deported.

Question #5: How do I apply for an H-IB green card visa?

What is the requirement?

Answer #5: H-1B is not a green card but a temporary work visa issued to a “specialty occupation”. An employer has to agree to file an H-1B petition for you.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday April 27, 2013

GEA sacks six more staff members

By Latoya Giles Six staff members from the Guyana Energy Agency have been fired after they reportedly failed lie detector tests which were taken several weeks ago. They include Hollyann France, Nksi Dalgetty, Hillon Chester, Jenelle Noble and Nikeshia Gordon, This newspaper was told that most of the staffers are stationed in Georgetown while one is from Linden.

This newspaper was told that the six staffers were called in to a meeting yesterday morning at the Agency’s Quamina Street location. At that meeting, they were told that their services were no longer required because they failed the polygraph tests that they were subjected to.

One of the dismissed employees, 20-year-old Jenelle Noble, said she is still shocked over her firing. The young woman said that she worked at the GEA for just over two years and in those years she never had any disciplinary issue with the agency and there was no complaint against her or the way she did her job.

She said she agreed to submit herself to the polygraph tests when the agency told her that she

needed to complete it. Still in shock, Noble said she could not believe that she would be fired over the lie detector tests since according to her she answered all of the questions truthfully.

The former Inspector said that the questions asked during the polygraph tests were not specific and had nothing to do with her job or the agency. “The questions were all very general and unrelated to my job,” she said.

France told Kaieteur News that the Chief Executive Officer, Mahendra Sharma, called each of the dismissed staff members for a meeting, individually, yesterday.

She said that she was told that she was being dismissed because she had failed a lie detector test. France said that the questions asked by the administrator for the test had nothing to do with the job.

Another staffer Nksi Dalgetty, told Kaieteur News that she does not understand why she was fired.

The ethnic composition of those dismissed did not escape the notice of commentators on the issue.

Just a few weeks ago, a number of other GEA employees were fired after they refused to subject

Some of the dismissed staffers yesterday

themselves to the voluntary tests. One of those dismissed is contemplating legal action since he said that he does not understand how he could have been fired for failing to undergo a test that was

voluntary. The Guyana Energy Agency has been very tight-lipped on the issue.

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) had lashed out at the GEA stating that the seniors in the

organizations should lead by example and subject themselves to lie detector tests. The GPSU from the inception had denounced polygraph testing as a method of maintaining worker

integrity.

GPSU Head, Patrick Yarde, had stated that the union is going to stick by workers because they firmly disbelieve in the use of polygraph testing. They also claimed bias in its application.

Yarde noted that the test is not foolproof and it’s an abuse of workers’ rights. It shows “bullyism” since these workers are not obligated to take the test.”

Yarde asserted that the test is supposed to be voluntary but according to the reports, workers are forced to sign forms saying that they volunteer to be tested. Polygraph testing cannot be forced on a worker especially when it was not an option to satisfy job application, he added. It is further discriminating, Yarde charged, when the test is not applied to everyone.

In a previous interview, Yarde had stated that the test was being used more opportunistically to expel unfavoured employees and not because employees are corrupt. He told this newspaper that to ensure integrity, testing must come from the top all the way down and those found guilty should immediately face the justice system.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 15

CJIA cuts aimed at staving off more indebtedness - AFC Moves by the parliamentary opposition to slash some $5.3 billion from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project is in fact a strategic tactic intended to save Guyana from more indebtedness.

This is the deduction of the Alliance for Change (AFC) whose members at a press conference, yesterday, sought to justify the cut to the expansion project which has been vehemently criticised by Government. It is the view of the AFC that the project is one that can ultimately jeopardise the future of the country Speaking at the Middle Street, Georgetown, Sidewalk Cafe, AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, said that while the party holds in high regard the comments of Chairman of the Board of Directors of CJIA, Ramesh Dookhoo, that cutting the allocation could, among other things, affect investors’ confidence in Guyana, this would not necessarily be the case.

According to Ramjattan if Government is allowed to proceed with the project Guyana could incur a debt that is tantamount to an additional $32 billion. He explained that once permitted the project would see Government gaining a loan of US$138 million from the China Exim Bank. “If the project is in accordance with the

feasibilities, we are not going to necessarily have the projects coming from all these things that they are speculating about – that we are going to be a platform for trips to Africa...and all of these airlines like Ezjet, RedJet and Delta are leaving this country.

“Why then jeopardise the future generation of Guyana with so much debt...That is the side that we saw and we must not allow simple facts like the Chinese came dangling dollars in front of you that you ran into it,” said Ramjattan in reference to Government’s explanation for taking on the expansion project.

Turning his attention to the company contracted to undertake the project, Ramjattan disclosed that there were allegations exposed in reports of the World Bank that it was involved in suspicious circumstances and corruption.

He insisted, “We have to be cautious with our monies and the Government must come clean.” He said that the parliamentary opposition was propelled into supporting the project last year since it was believed that the China Exim Bank has already secured the monies for Guyana, which in fact was not the case.

“It was one year after, November 2, 2012, that it was signed up...we had approved

that first tranche, mobilisation as they call it, when we hadn’t the monies, why did the Government do that?”

As such Ramjattan said that the party will continue to “hold our hands on that project because we do not see it benefiting the Guyanese people.”

In its attempt to cut the allocation to the CJIA expansion, the parliamentary opposition also effectively slashed other areas of the Public Works sector, which according to Ramjattan, can be easily remedied if Government comes almost forthwith with a supplementary request.

This move, he said, could allow for those projects

A visually impaired man of Adelphi Village, East Canje is now a patient in the New Amsterdam hospital in a critical condition suffering from myriad bee stings as a result of being attacked by a swarm of African bees.

Ameer Khan, the injured man, was attacked around 07:00 hrs on Friday as he was about to take a shower.

Residents of the village are appealing for help as the bees that are in some bushes in an abandoned piece of land have been attacking them over the past week.

Reporters who turned up to cover the incident had to abandon their mission and flee after coming under attack.

The injur e d m a n ’s mother Farida Khan stated that she had just finished bathing in the outside bathroom and her son was about to use the bath, when he was attacked.

His elder brother, Imran Khan, recounted his invalid brother’s horrifying ordeal.

He stated that his brother who is visually impaired was about to take a bath when he heard him holler. “Imran, Imran, bees biting me, bees biting me.”

He said that he ventured

attacked him, and on seeing the swarms over his brother.

He said that he grabbed a bottle of kerosene and threw it towards his brother, but it missed and landed next to his foot.

His brother was left lying on the ground. Neighbours who ventured outside had to retreat to their home as the swarming bees attacked.

According to a neighbour, Asha Rampersaud, she had to use her initiative to help the helpless invalid.

The woman stated that she cut her netting and a blind to make a suit. She also provided an overall which she would usually use whenever she goes to catch fish in the back dam.

Those she gave to two villagers along with some pairs of socks which the residents used as gloves. The villagers wrapped themselves properly and went to rescue the man.

The resident said that Ameer lay on the ground for over one and a half hours, before he was rescued.

The residents said that the rescuers had to douse Ameer with kerosene from head to toe.

resident said. The bees cover he whole body and all he had on was a skimpy shorts that he was about to bath in.

Ameer who was by then slipping in and out of consciousness was rushed to the New Amsterdam hospital where he was admitted.

According to reports his eyes were swollen shut and there were hundreds of stings on his body.

The residents were furious. They said that it was not the first time that bees had attacked people in the community and they have been complaining to the relevant authorities all to no avail. “We spoke to the NDC about the bees and the big bushes, but is the same thing,” one angry resident said.

The residents said that the bees live in the trunk of an old tree and would attack residents and animals from time to time.

A 91 year old resident, Charien Mangroo, who lives nearby stated that in her entire life she had never seen anything like that.

She is scared for her life and wants the relevant authorities to do something urgently about the situation.

From left: AFC’s David Patterson, Tevor Williams, Khemraj Ramjattan, Kathy Hughes and Moses Nagamootoo during yesterday’s press conference.

Bees send visually impaired man but quickly beat a “His entire head was to hospital outside, hasty retreat after the bees covered with bees” one

affected outside of the CJIA expansion, such as the construction of airstrips in the interior, to be paid off.

It is the belief of the AFC Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, that the expansion project was one which came into play through “political trickery” with the Government misrepresenting the project from the inception. “In good faith we didn’t want to stop what they considered to be a window of opportunity to get the airport extended...we are still in support of it if they rework the contract and say they want

G$10 billion to extend the airstrip we will do that, but we want commitment that they will negotiate for us to have new airlines to be able to work the Guyana route into the international boundaries.”

Adding her voice to the deliberation, AFC Executive Member, Kathy Hughes said that with the expansion project there should have been a relocation package, something that the AFC had alluded to early on. This, she noted, has not yet materialised to an extent that the Government had through the responsible Minister,

regarded those within the proximity of the airport, including the branch of the Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, as squatters.

But according to the Executive Member, there are several residents who have been asked to relocate to facilitate the project. While they are not only in possession of land titles, they have access to utility services. “Therefore some real approach to deal with these individuals, who must be relocated, must be part of any kind of package,” asserted Hughes.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday April 27, 2013

Man stabbed stepdaughter 21 times Fourteen-year-old Fenella Samuels’ killer stabbed her 21 times to practically every part of her body and prison officials confirmed yesterday that the suspect, Randolph Josiah, who is also her stepfather, was jailed once, and remanded twice for brutal attacks on other women.

The extent of the teen’s injuries was revealed during a post mortem yesterday.

The sight of the gaping wounds on the schoolgirl’s neck, chest, back and legs left even some veteran investigators horrified.

Kaieteur News was told that the wounds, reportedly inflicted with a large kitchen knife, damaged practically every vital organ.

“There was stab wound after stab wound; she was hacked to pieces; I got tired of counting,” a source who witnessed the postmortem

told Kaieteur News.

“The arteries in her neck were severed; her heart, liver and lungs were perforated.

This guy was crazy. This had to be (an act of) spite. This could not be just a guy quarreling over a (stolen) cell phone. This had to be a crime of passion.”

Josiah is likely to be charged on Monday. Prison officials have confirmed that he was previously incarcerated for three other brutal attacks on women. All the victims were reportedly stabbed.

Kaieteur News was told that the former Amelia’s Ward, Linden resident was jailed for ten years around 1991 for the attempted murder of a woman. He was also twice remanded, but later freed, after he allegedly stabbed two other women.

Samuels, a student of

- was jailed for attempted murder of one woman, remanded for wounding two others

Murder suspect Randolph Josiah

Murder victim Fenella Samuels

Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary, was stabbed to death around

20:00 hrs Wednesday during a quarrel with her stepfather,

who allegedly cornered her in a bedroom at the family’s home, located in the West Coast Demerara squatting area known as Plastic City.

Her mother, Donna Rose, was slashed on the left arm when she attempted to intervene. The wound required 15 stitches.

Josiah fled the scene but was apprehended Thursday night by residents who spotted him attempting to flag down passing vehicles on the Vreed-en-Hoop public road.

The slain girl’s mother alleged that her husband had become incensed and had begun to verbally abuse Fenella after the teen informed them that a boy had stolen her cell phone.

But she also said that the

girl’s stepfather became further incensed after his stepdaughter called him a murderer and accused him of previous abuse.

The woman told Kaieteur News on Thursday that while her spouse had hinted at his violent past, particularly during arguments, he had never physically abused her.

But she did say that her daughter had complained about her stepfather’s behaviour about three years ago when the family was staying at Linden.

She said that after receiving the complaints, she had sent her daughter to live with other relatives.

Even some of Josiah’s close relatives had not expressed surprise when they heard that he was implicated in a murder.

“I was not surprised. I would not put it above him,” one relative said.

Students urged to take lead in tackling waste pollution Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Robert Persaud, charged “young people to take the lead role in ensuring the city’s garbage disposal issue is adequately resolved.”

He was addressing them at a time when Guyana joined the rest of the globe to observe the 43rd anniversary of International Earth Day, on Monday at St. Rose’s High School, Georgetown.

“We often hear the overused cliché that young people are our future but I would like to add to that statement, because young people are also agents of change. Young people have a soft power of influence; utilize that power to persuade others and bring about change.”

The Minister highlighted the importance of having healthy environmental practices etched within the school curriculum.

“In Guyana we have always prided ourselves as a nation and as a people, for taking decisive steps, not only nationally but at a global level in ensuring that our earth is respected and treated in a

manner that its resources and capacity will be available to future generations.”

The celebration also marked the first anniversary of the Guyana Shines project, which seeks to encourage and mobilise citizens and communities to maintain a healthy environment by addressing the litter problem and restoring Georgetown to its former splendor as the garden city of the Caribbean.

This programme was initiated on Earth Day last year, through collaborative efforts of diplomatic and civil society. It included students, teachers and legislative stakeholders.

United States Ambassador to Guyana, D. Brent Hardt, commended students, teachers, community residents and volunteers for their support, dedication and concern for the litter problem.

He also lauded staff, students and parents of Marian Academy, who joined forces with Guyana Shines, in a special effort to construct a recycling shed in which plastic bottles are now stored, instead of in the school house.

“The US ambassador said that the Guyana Shines project has also reached out to 62 schools across Georgetown, increasing awareness and educating students on the harmful effects of littering and pollution. He urged that Guyana seize this moment for real transformation.

Among the guest speakers, was Suzanne Mc Rae of Conservation International, who told the students to do their part in solving the waste problem.

“Don’t be part of the problem be part of the solution,” “Don’t be a bystander and let litter happen, but hold yourself and your fellow citizens responsible,” “Several stores in Guyana now offer reusable bags; as a consumer you can opt to use environmentally friendly products that are biodegradable,” Mc Rae added Charge D’ Affaires Joachim Jakobsen listed the available recycling options.

“Every time we visit schools we leave a list of options and contacts for recycling…. Banks DIH

Minister Robert Persaud, Deputy British Commissioner, Michael Kearney, Canadian High Commissioner, David Devine, US Ambassador Brent Hardt and students and teachers of St. Rose’s High school. accepts small brown and green bottles for recycling and they offer a small sum of money in return; Caribbean containers will take copy paper and cardboard and provide small bins to schools

and workplaces. Netram and Sons collects plastic bottles for recycling” A booklet was also presented to St Rose’s High School.

The volume features

details on the impact of littering. World Earth Day was initiated on April 22, 1970, with persons contesting for clean air, clean water and initiation of the endangered species acts.

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Resolution to rice troubles hinges on Guyana, Venezuela inking sale agreement Troubles facing the rice industry may soon be over as Guyana hopes to sign and seal the deal with Venezuela for the exportation of high quality rice and paddy to the Spanish State, the first week in May. The delay in inking the deal weeks ago resulted in trucks filled with tons of paddy waiting in long lines to dry at mills, millers running out of money to purchase additional paddy, and the slow outflow of rice and paddy from mills.

Farmers have been protesting the long lines, price being offered and even the presence of paddy bugs among crops.

According to Dharamkumar Seeraj, General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (GRPA), this unwanted situation is a temporary industry problem that would be resolved without long term effects on the rice industry.

However, temporary measures are being put in place to cushion the effects of the large sums of monies expended by millers and farmers during this crop which hauled in the largest volume of rice to be harvested.

Seeraj said that the

Association spoke with Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, to access $500M that was allocated in the 2013 Budget to help farmers. This money would be paid to the millers who will pay identified farmers. The money earned from the export would be reimbursed to the Ministry.

Recently, during meetings, farmers were asked to fill out forms. The responses on the forms would help to determine the extent to which farmers are affected and how assistance would be given in terms of planting materials and fertilizers.

He said that GRPA would also approach commercial banks to which farmers are indebted and request the rescheduling of loans and even write off interest on loans. This is not a unique measure Government is taking.

Providing a background as to what led to the current problem in the rice industry, Seeraj said that Guyana was expected to sign the contract for the delivery of rice and paddy with Venezuela weeks ago. The Spanish State is the largest and most lucrative market for Guyana rice and

GRPA Executive (L to R) Bretnold Maynard, Bashir, Dharamkumar Seeraj and Leeka Rambrich paddy.

With the passing of President Hugo Chavez, signing of the contract stalled until after the election of a new President for Venezuela.

Chavez’s handpicked successor Nicolas Maduro’s was elected as Venezuela’s new President.

Maduro’s Cabinet would soon be sworn in following which the agreement would be signed.

Seeraj said that Venezuela is offering US$520 ton per paddy and US$800 per ton rice of high quality products.

Not to sacrifice this high price in the agreement, Guyana was not enticed at the beginning of the harvesting season to

export its products to Europe for US$605 per rice and US$512 per paddy. The European market is still willing to take Guyana’s rice and paddy but has reduced its prices.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s rice and paddy exports to Jamaica, Guyana’s largest rice market in CARICOM has been slow.

According to General Manager of Guyana Rice Development Board, Jagnarine Singh, who was at the press conference held at Red House but not part of the panel, in response to a question about seeking other markets stressed on how good the prices are that

Venezuela offers Guyana.

He said that Guyana prefers to sell rice and paddy to the market with the best price.

According to Seeraj, the possibility of Guyana receiving a medium term contract—- possibly with five year-span-— has not been ruled out. He noted that at the beginning of negotiations the farmers had wanted a fiveyear contract but that was not offered.

The annual agreement with Venezuela does not usually interfere with the harvesting of the rice crop. He explained that agreement is normally crafted in December of the previous year; rice is cultivated early

in the year and the signed contract would be ready for the harvesting season.

According to Seeraj, only 70 percent of the rice crop has been harvested thus far. The remaining 30 percent, though not threatened by the paddy bug infestation because of maturity, could be affected by heavy rainfall.

GRPA’s President Leeka Rambrich, Vice Chairman Bretnold Maynard, and Executive Member Bashir who were also meeting the press, painted a bleak picture of how farmers are affected, especially with their livelihood on the line, and are hoping that the situation will be resolved quickly.

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T&T: Warner resigns from Parliament PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - - CMC – Former national security minister Austin “Jack” Warner yesterday dismissed an opposition motion that sought to take Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar to task over her continued support for the former global football executive, insisting that his private affairs had nothing to do with the activities of the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

“The motion is to embarrass the prime minister,” said an emotional Warner, adding “at the end of the day, I have nothing to say...my

private activities are mine”.

“I breached no law in Trinidad and Tobago, not a single law,” Warner said, insisting that “every criticism, every allegation against me has been in the public domain for the last 20 years”.

Warner, 70, who resigned from his Cabinet post over the last weekend and announced his resignation from the Parliament on Friday, dismissed suggestions that FIFA, the world governing body of which he was once served as vice president for nearly two decades, was a mafia establishment.

“I want to apologise for

him saying FIFA is a mafia,” Warner said to desk thumping from his government colleague legislators, insisting “FIFA business has nothing to do with the business of the state”.

Earlier, Opposition Leader, Dr. Keith Rowley, said the report of the CONCACAF Integrity Committee, headed by prominent Barbadian jurist Sir David Simmons, highlighted what had been in the public domain for several years regarding the activities of the former government minister.

In its report, released in Panama last weekend, the

Venezuela: Opposition to boycott vote audit CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles announced last Thursday that his movement will boycott an audit of election results and push the government to hold a new presidential ballot.

He said the opposition would not participate in the audit because the National Electoral Council did not meet its demand for an examination of registers containing voters’ signatures and fingerprints.

Capriles said the opposition would go to the Supreme Court to challenge the results of the April 14 presidential vote, which was narrowly won by Hugo Chavez’s political heir, Nicolas Maduro.

The electoral council, which is dominated by Chavista loyalists, announced last week that it would allow an audit of 46 percent of the vote not already audited. It said it would compare vote tallies from each machine with individual vote receipts from that machine.

“We consider this to be a joke,” said Capriles, who contends the election was stolen from him.

Henrique Capriles “If we don’t have access to the registers, we are not going to participate,” he said.

Capriles said he was not optimistic that the Supreme Court, which also is packed with allies of the late Chavez, would overturn the election result.

“This is a fight for the truth,” he said. “This fight is not over.”

Earlier, Capriles had called on the council to allow his team to also examine registers containing voters’ signatures and fingerprints. It would be impossible for the opposition’s technicians to pinpoint irregularities without access to the

registers, he said.

Allies of Capriles have received 3,200 complaints of irregularities — all by progovernment forces.

Opposition politician Diego Scharifker said a complete audit would reduce tensions on both sides of Venezuela’s political divide.

“The country wants to end the election chapter, but with the truth,” Scharifker, a former student leader, said in an email sent to The Associated Press.

As Capriles sought to pressure the council, Maduro’s allies threatened to prosecute him over violence that erupted after the vote.

Iris Varela, an official responsible for overseeing Venezuela’s penitentiary system, suggested that Capriles would soon be behind bars. “We are preparing a cell for you because you must pay for your crimes,” Varela said.

Capriles vehemently denies responsibility for isolated acts of violence committed by some of his supporters. On numerous occasions since his narrow election defeat, Capriles has said he’s leading “a peaceful struggle” to force the council to agree to a complete audit.

CONCACAF Integrity Committee slammed as “fraudulent in their management” the conduct of the soccer confederation’s affairs by Warner, who headed the body for 20 years, and American Chuck Blazer, who served as general secretary.

Neither Warner nor Blazer cooperated with the investigation.

But in a statement, Warner described the report as “baseless and malicious” and repeated his position on Friday saying that only three pages of the 114 report dealt with him.

“I have never been involved in any corrupt activity in FIFA or CONCACAF,” Warner said.

Rowley told legislators that the Prime Minister, whom he said had preferred to pay a state visit to Canada rather than remain home and defend the motion, had also failed to adequately deal with the image of a country that had produced many prominent people.

“We did not have to shirk,” he said when the

names of those international prominent people were linked to Trinidad and Tobago.

But he said that has not been the case with Warner, adding that he was disappointed at the refusual of Prime Minister Persad Bissessar to “act expeditiously” in safeguarding the image of the oil rich twin island republic.

He said Warner even acted as Prime Minister and that his business brought into question the standard and value of all of the people in Trinidad and Tobago.

Rowley said that the response of Warner to all the overwhelming evidence against him “has always been one of bland dismissal, outrage and bombast.

“We can’t be encouraged to accept that yesterday was yesterday,” he said, in reference to recent public remarks by Warner, adding “when you put him in the cabinet you knew he was crooked as a corkscrew”.

Rowley he was also calling on the government to submit a copy of the CONCACAF report to the

Austin “Jack” Warner police and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) given the fact that public funds had been made available to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF).”I was duped,” Rowley said, noting that he had been part of the government in 2006 that had provided millions of dollars to the TTFA. “I accepted the state of play until I saw a lawsuit going through the courts where persons could not account for funds given to the TTFA,” he told legislators.

As he did less than 24 Continued on page 20

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Government defends immigration policy NASSAU (TNG) — Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said Thursday he had no prior knowledge immigration officials were going to pick up an American worker at Atlantis on Tuesday for questioning over her right to work in the country.The woman, who trains marine mammals at the property, was escorted off the job and taken to the department for questioning.

She was later released after immigration officials realized they made a mistake in bringing her in, Director of Immigration William Pratt said.

The incident prompted more concerns that the government’s new immigration policy is too aggressive.

Mitchell said he is not consulted about the enforcement of the country’s immigration laws and if he was, his critics would accuse him of politically directing the Department of Immigration.

He said he was informed about the Atlantis situation around noon on Tuesday, after the incident occurred.

Fred Mitchell “The principals at Atlantis sent me e-mail communications about the matter,” Mitchell said.

“It was then referred to the director. As far as I am aware the matter was satisfactorily resolved. I have therefore no further comment on that aspect of this matter.”

Mitchell said the country’s rules for foreign workers are clear cut and must be adhered to.

“Immigration is a law enforcement agency,” he said.

“There are rules that

apply. All non-national employees in The Bahamas must be the holders of work permits to be gainfully employed in The Bahamas and they ought to have it in their possession as evidence of the lawful right to be in The Bahamas. That is the law.”

Pratt said on Tuesday that the woman had her work permit application refused in February, but he said the denial was appealed.

He said a complaint was made to the department that the woman was “informing persons that she was a visitor”. He said officers from the department then picked her up for questioning, not knowing that her matter was under appeal.

Mitchell also defended the government’s announced changes to its work permit policy as necessary to protect Bahamian jobs and urged critics not to give in to “hysteria” over the issue.

“It is regrettable that on occasions the execution of policy causes some confusion,” he said.

“This appears to be the net explanation for the compendium of

circumstances that unfolded at the Atlantis property yesterday. The conspiracy theorists should not go into overdrive on this.

“The detractors of the policy of the government would be wise again to revert to rationality and not hysteria to deal with what is a reasonable and necessary policy to defend Bahamian jobs.”

In March, Mitchell announced that the government plans to cease issuing work permits for maids, housekeepers and laborers within a year.

President and Managing Director at Atlantis George Markantonis said officials at the hotel are “very concerned” by the impending policy change.

He said the current foreign staff complement at the hotel is “critical” to Paradise Island’s success.

St. Anne’s Member of Parliament Hubert Chipman, who is also the shadow minister of immigration, said the Christie administration’s plan was “excessively aggressive”. (Caribseek News)

Cocaine found on Caribbean Airlines flight PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – CMC - Caribbean Airlines (CAL) yesterday confirmed that a quantity of cocaine was found on one of its planes that was due to depart for the United States.

It said that the cocaine was found in the cargo section and placed among chilli peppers on flight 480 bound for Florida. “I can confirm some drugs were found,” CAL communications manager Clint Williams told reporters, adding that it was discovered during the routine check of the airline. Media reports said that while the name and address of the person to whom the package was being sent had not been disclosed, authorities was seeking a man in relation to the discovery.

The quantity of cocaine and the street value have not been disclosed.

T&T: Warner resigns...

From page 19 hours at a public meeting in his Chaguanas West constituency on Thursday night, Warner again outlined the “good deeds” he had done for the country as a member of FIFA and CONCACAF, blasting the opposition inspired motion ‘as a waste of time”.

He told legislators that he had failed to meet with the CONCACAF Integrity Committee because he had

not been paid his US$90,000 pension by FIFA. “Those who resigned before me and those who resigned after me, they got their pension and I ain’t asking them,” he said.

“I ain’t talking to you (Sir David) at all. Give me my pension and I will sing if they want,” he said, noting “how could you have an inquiry without speaking to a CONCACAF president who served for 20 years...”.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

Opposition Leader proposes new mechanism for investments KINGSTON, Jamaica CMC – Opposition Leader Andrew Holness has recommended that the Jamaica government create a new mechanism to facilitate investments in the country while not violating established procurement requirements.

In his contribution to the J$521 billion (One Jamaica dollar = US$0.01 cents) tax free budget presented by Finance Minister Dr. Peter Phillips last week, Holness suggested that the government should bring to parliament a strategic investment policy or a law surrounding strategic investments that would exempt them from the regular approval process.

He said under the proposed new mechanism, once the government declares a strategic objective, debated and agreed in Parliament, any proposal meeting those previously declared parameters and interests should be given a fast track to approval.

Holness, a former prime minister, said that would rid the government of the

Andrew Holness present situation in which it is “at war with itself in trying to fast track investment”.

He said the new provisions would relieve such investments of “the perceived obstacle of anticorruption scrutiny” while preserving the integrity of the procurement process.

Provisions would be made, however, to ensure that after the process is concluded “and the investment is either accepted or rejected”, the Contractor General would have the right to review

the process “and take action or recommend action for prosecution if a breach were detected,” he said According to Holness, the recommended changes would take care of the concern that “proprietary information in investment proposals would be exposed and the investor would lose the competitive edge”.

The leader of the main opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has also proposed that the Portia Simpson Miller administration divests itself of some entities including children’s homes, the Cocoa Industry Board and all maintenance services and transport departments, noting this would save the country more than J$4 billion annually in operating costs and management salaries.

Holness is also suggesting that the local economy has become harder under the present government, and holding up two basket of groceries in his hand, said prices had increased significantly between December 2011 when the JLP lost the election and April 2013.

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Paulwell pins final hopes for Petrojam on Maduro

Phillip Paulwell Jamaica Gleaner -The local oil refinery Petrojam, which has served Jamaica for a generation, should be shut down unless negotiations with the new Venezuelan government result in expansion plans, according to Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell.

The plant expansion has been delayed for eight years.

“In relation to Petrojam, this is a project that is well delayed. If Petrojam is not upgraded and expanded, we will have to shut it down. It is as simple as that,” Paulwell said at a press briefing at the

Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday in Kingston.

“So we are awaiting the settling in of the new government and we were promised that as soon as that occurs, there will be a very important meeting with the players.”

Petrojam, the company, was incorporated 31 years ago. Government owns 51 per cent of the plant and Venezuela has the remaining 49 per cent since 2006.

Petrojam is projected to earn US$21.2 million net profit for this fiscal year ending April 2014 on US$1.9 billion of revenues. The capital expenditure for the year is projected at US$26.9 million.

Nicolás Maduro Moros was elected as the president of Venezuela last week. He served as vice-president and the minister of foreign affairs under Hugo Chávez, who died in March from cancer.

The refinery upgrade project, originally slated for 2005 with completion in 2010, was part of a memorandum of understanding between then Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and the late

Venezuela President Hugo Chávez.

The project was stalled in 2009 under the Bruce Golding administration after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reportedly blocked it when estimates for the project doubled to US$1.3 billion.

Plan to save millions In January 2013, Paulwell indicated that the IMF warmed up to the project after he informed them that the island could save some US$200 million annually in fuel costs from the project.

Paulwell also paid tribute to Venezuela for its concessionary oil arrangement called PetroCaribe, which allows the island and select Caribbean countries to repay the full cost of oil over a protracted time frame at a one per cent interest rate.

At a Gleaner Editors’ Forum last year, then financial secretary Dr Wesley Hughes estimated that the discontinuation of the PetroCaribe arrangement could result in a US$600 million per year impact on the country’s balance of payments.

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French Socialists call for tougher stance on Merkel PARIS (Reuters) France’s ruling Socialist Party is pressing President Francois Hollande to toughen his stance towards a German counterpart it describes as “self-centered”, arguing that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s pro-austerity policies are hurting Europe.

The message - spelled out in a 21-page document to be presented at a party brainstorming conference in June - added to growing criticism of Berlin from across the Rhine after Socialist National Assembly speaker Claude Bartolone this week raised the prospect of a “confrontation” with Merkel.

The rhetoric follows a French appeal for an extra year to bring its public deficit below 3 percent of economic output in line with European targets, as rising unemployment keeps Europe’s no. 2 economy in the doldrums.

“The friendship between France and Germany is not a friendship between France and the European policy of Chancellor Merkel,” read the document, which has been

endorsed by the Socialist Party but could still be tweaked before its June meeting on Europe.

Criticizing current European policies as an “unholy alliance between the Thatcherite tone” of Britain’s prime minister and the “selfcentered instransigence” of Chancellor Merkel, the document urges France to speak out against austerity.

A source in Hollande’s office said the document represented only the party, but did not dispute its central message. “There is a line in the text saying the friendship between France and Germany does not only mean Mrs Merkel’s policies,” the source said. “Friendship lets us criticize her policies, that’s what one needs to understand from this document”.

Cooperation between France and Germany has long provided the main motor for decision making in the European Union, but a debt crisis has strained those ties in the past year as ideologically opposed leaders have disagreed on points of economic policy.

between equal partners.

But Assembly speaker Bartolone, the third most senior member of government, said the friendliness was overstated.

Hollande “calls this ‘friendly tension’. For me, it’s tension, period, and, if needed, a confrontation,” Bartolone told the influential center-left daily Le Monde.

“France must be able to fight against the European Right’s point of view ...

Austerity alone could condemn the beautiful idea that is Europe rather than save it,” he added.

Hollande must rely on a solid Socialist majority in parliament to pass structural reforms this year, including overhauls of the jobless and

pension systems. But a small camp of dissidents is growing, threatening his Senate majority.

As many in southern Europe complain that austerity has gone too far, the European Central Bank this week rebuffed suggestions the bloc should ease up, and German Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann called on France to follow the rules.

Yet advocates of easing the pace of austerity, long confined in France to hard-left parliamentarians, gained a nod this week from European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso who noted that austerity no longer had popular support.

France’s European Affairs Minister Thierry Repentin told the weekly Journal du Dimanche that Paris was not making any secret of there being a difference of opinion over austerity.

The presidential source said: “This is a very strong document which backs (Hollande’s) policies in general: growth, re-launching Europe and solidarity are at the heart of it.”

(Reuters) - NATO member Turkey signed up yesterday to became a “dialogue partner” of a security bloc dominated by China and Russia, and declared that its destiny is in Asia.

“This is really a historic day for us,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in Kazakhstan’s commercial capital Almaty after signing a memorandum of understanding with Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretary General Dmitry Mezentsev.

“Now, with this choice, Turkey is declaring that our destiny is the same as the

destiny of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries.”

China, Russia and four Central Asian nations Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan formed the SCO in 2001 as a regional security bloc to fight threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from neighbouring Afghanistan.

Since then, Central Asia’s former imperial master Russia has watched with unease China’s economic expansion in the resource-rich region, with Beijing investing billions of dollars in oil and gas and issuing large loans to local governments. Turkey has

displayed interest in closer ties with the SCO at a time when it is upset by the slow progress of accession talks with the European Union.

Ankara began talks on joining the EU in 2005 but has only completed one of the 35 policy areas, or “chapters”, every candidate must conclude to be allowed entry due to disagreements largely over the divided island of Cyprus.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has called Turkey’s wait to join the bloc “unforgivable” and has accused Brussels of not being a fair or genuine negotiating partner.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and French President Francois Hollande arrive for a dinner with representatives of the European Round Table of Industrialists at the Chancellery in Berlin. REUTERS/Johannes Eisele/Pool Hollande was critical of Merkel’s insistence on budget consolidation while he was running for president last year, but has adopted a more conciliatory tone since becoming president.

He often describes France’s ties with EU paymaster Germany as defined by “friendly tension”

Turkey becomes partner of China, Russia-led security bloc

Death toll in Bangladesh collapse passes 300 SAVAR, Bangladesh (AP) — With time running out to save workers still trapped in a collapsed garment factory building, rescuers dug through mangled metal and concrete yesterday and found more survivors — but also more corpses that pushed the death toll past 300.

Wailing, angry relatives fought with police who held them back from the wrecked, eight-story Rana Plaza building, as search-andrescue operations went on more than two days after the

structure crumbled.

Amid the cries for help and the smell of decaying bodies, the rescue of 18-yearold Mussamat Anna came at a high cost: Emergency crews cut off the garment worker’s mangled right hand to pull her free from the debris Thursday night. “First a machine fell over my hand, and I was crushed under the debris. ...

Then the roof collapsed over me,” she told an Associated Press cameraman from a hospital bed yesterday.

More than 40 survivors were found late yesterday

evening on some floors of the Rana Plaza, said fire service inspector Shafiqul Islam, who searched the building.

Through holes in the structure, he gave them water and juice packs to combat dehydration in the stifling heat and humidity.

“They are alive, they are trapped, but most of them are safe. We need to cut through debris and walls to bring them out,” Islam said.

By last night, more than 80 survivors had been rescued, according to officials at a command center.

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Obama: Chemical weapons use in Syria would be “game changer” WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama warned President Bashar al-Assad yesterday that any use of chemical weapons in Syria’s civil war would be a “game changer” but cautioned that intelligence assessments that such weapons had been deployed were still preliminary.

Speaking a day after the White House said for the first time that Assad’s government had likely used chemical weapons on a small scale, Obama talked tough while appealing for patience as he sought to fend off pressure at home and abroad for a swift U.S. response.

Saying that confirmation was still needed to provide conclusive proof, Obama stopped short of declaring that Assad had crossed a “red line” he had warned earlier would unleash unspecified consequences, widely interpreted to include possible U.S. military intervention.

“Horrific as it is when mortars are being fired on civilians and people are being indiscriminately killed, to use potential weapons of mass destruction on civilian

populations crosses another line with respect to international norms and international law,” Obama told reporters at the White House as he met with Jordan’s King Abdullah. “That is going to be a game changer. We have to act prudently,” he said.

“We have to make these assessments deliberately. But I think all of us ... recognize how we cannot stand by and permit the systematic use of weapons like chemical weapons on civilian populations.”

Obama said the chemical weapons threat had added “increased urgency” in the Syrian crisis but cautioned that it would time to sort things out.

In a shift from a White House assessment just days earlier, U.S. officials said on Thursday the intelligence community believed with “varying degrees of confidence” that the chemical nerve agent sarin was used

by Assad’s forces against rebel fighters.

The administration insisted, however, that Obama needed definitive proof before he would take action, making clear it he was mindful of the lessons of the

Zivko Budimir

Zivko Budimir, a president of the Bosniak-Croat Federation, the president of the region’s commission of pardons Hidajet Halilovic, and at least 17 other officials were arrested yesterday.

A spokesman for the Bosnian prosecutor’s office, Boris Grubesic, confirmed the arrests. He said members of the group were suspected of “abuse of office, illegal intermediation, receiving and giving bribes, organized crime and drug trafficking.”

He made clear that not all members of the group were suspected of all of the crimes.

Police had earlier searched Budimir’s presidential office and several other government buildings.

Bosnia is one of the world’s most over-governed countries and has four more presidents — one for the Serb-run region and a threeperson presidency linking the country’s two parts.

It is considered one of the most corruption-prone countries in Europe, partly due to the complex administrative framework but also because of the deep ethnic and political divisions remaining since the country’s 1992-95 war.

President arrested in Bosnia corruption crackdown

SARAJEVO, BosniaHerzegovina (AP) — Bosnian police yesterday arrested one of the country’s presidents along with 18 other people as part of a corruption investigation in one of the country’s two main sections, a spokesman for the prosecution said.

The nation of BosniaHerzegovina consists of the Serb-run Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation. Both are highly independent, and each has its own president, government and parliament.

start of the Iraq war more than a decade ago.

Then, the George W. Bush administration used inaccurate intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq in pursuit of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that turned out not to exist.

While some more hawkish U.S. lawmakers have called for a U.S. military response, several leading congressional voices called for a calmer approach yesterday after U.S.

Secretary of State John Kerry briefed them.

“This is not Libya,” said Nancy Pelosi, the senior Democrat in the House of Representatives.

“The Syrians have anti-aircraft capability that make going in there much more challenging.”

White House spokesman Jay Carney said yesterday the United States was continuing to study evidence and would not set a deadline for

corroborating reports.

“We are continuing to work to build on the assessments made by the intelligence community, that the degrees of confidence here are varying, that this is not an airtight case,” he said.

In response to a question, Carney said Obama would consider a range of options including - but not exclusive to - military force, should it be determined that Syria has used chemical weapons.

President Barack Obama

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Kaieteur News

Saturday April 27, 2013

Egyptian Islamist urges fast Italian government could be passage of disputed law on judges settled today – sources (Reuters) - Italian prime minister-designate Enrico Letta could announce a new government today and spell out its programme early next week, political sources said yesterday, while outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti said he did not expect to be a minister.

Letta, deputy leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, has been in discussions to iron out remaining differences with Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PDL) party following an initial round of talks on Thursday.

After two months of political stalemate following an inconclusive general election in February, Letta is under pressure to move quickly and form a government capable of leading Italy out of recession.

In a series of lengthy meetings, he conferred with President Giorgio Napolitano, Monti and PDL national coordinator Angelino Alfano.

Monti said in an evening television interview that he advised Letta not to put frontline politicians from any party in key cabinet posts in

Enrico Letta order to reduce potential tensions. He said this meant he himself would be excluded.

“I don’t believe I will be in the cabinet and I have not requested to be,” he told TV channel La7.

Several political sources close to Letta said he expected to announce his cabinet on today and take tomorrow to prepare an initial speech to parliament on Monday, which would be followed by confidence votes in the two houses of parliament.

The horse-trading around

the formation of a new government represents a cooling of post-election hostilities and few politicians or commentators doubt the government will be formed.

Yet big problems remain, including securing the lasting support of Letta’s own divided party and ensuring cohesion in a cabinet of long-time adversaries.

One potential stumbling block is the PDL’s demand for the abolition and repayment of a housing tax introduced last year by Monti’s technocrat government.

Scrapping the tax for 2013 and repaying last year’s contribution would blow an 8 billion euro $10.40 billion (6.7 billion pounds) hole in this year’s budget plans and create further problems for medium-term finances in the years ahead.

In an interview with Italian newspapers yesterday, Berlusconi expressed optimism that a solution could be found but, in a sign that problems remained, politicians on both sides avoided public comment on how talks were progressing.

CAIRO (Reuters) Egypt’s Islamist-dominated parliament must move quickly to adopt judicial reforms that have sparked a revolt by judges, the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm argued yesterday.

The proposed reforms, which would get rid of more than 3,000 judges by lowering the retirement age, have widened the rift between President Mohamed Mursi’s government and a judiciary seen by its critics as a last bastion of the old regime that was toppled in the 2011 revolution.

Essam el-Erian, a member of parliament from the Freedom and Justice Party which dominates the chamber, said in a Facebook post that passage of a new law defining the powers of the judiciary should not be delayed.

Judges have slammed the Islamist-led parliament for attempting to pass the changes, put forward by the moderate Islamist Wasat Party. But Erian said the upper house had the legislative

Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi (C) stands after laying a wreath during his visit to the tomb of former President Anwar al-Sadat and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the commemoration of Sinai Liberation Day REUTERS/Egyptian Presidency/Handout authority to do so, in consultation with the judiciary.

The lower chamber of parliament was dissolved last year by a court ruling, thrusting the upper house into the position of passing legislation, although the opposition has questioned its right to do this.

New elections were

postponed by a court ruling, and Mursi has said they could be held in October.

A senior official of Egypt’s biggest hardline Islamist party yesterday rejected the reforms under consideration.

Abdullah Badran of the Nour Party wrote on Facebook that the constitution required greater consultation with the judiciary in changing the law.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Businessman granted bail on Court awards judgment for Muslim attempted murder charge Cleric who was “wrongfully” detained Yesterday, businessman Rodney Raghubansee, who was earlier in the week charged with two counts of attempted murder, was able to secure bail.

When the matter was called again at the Providence Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty, the Police Prosecutor, Shellon Daniels, reported that both victims in the matter have been discharged from the hospital.

However the Prosecutor further related that one of the men, Courtney Persaud, still has a bullet lodged in his shoulder and will be requiring surgery some time soon.

The businessman was made to lodge his passport with the court and was placed on $300,000 bail on each matter.

On Tuesday, 35-year-old Raghubansee was charged with the attempting to murder Courtney Persaud and Ralph Paul. The charges were indictable and Raghubansee was not required to plead.

It is alleged that on Saturday April 20, he maliciously wounded Courtney Persaud called ‘Chuck Kai’ with intent to commit murder.

It is also alleged that on the same day he maliciously wounded Ralph Paul called ‘Backoo’ with intent to murder him.

The prosecution’s facts are that on the day in question Eton Tularam Lobin had a function at his home Lot X Block 5, Land of Canaan.

At some point during the function which was attended by many, the accused, who is

a licenced firearm holder, and his worker Khemraj Singh, turned up at the function.

The court was told that the men went to the location to make inquires about a suspected theft at Raghubansee’s sawmill. The accused and the host of the function were in a conversation which eventually led to an argument, resulting in the accused discharging two rounds from his firearm hitting Persaud and Paul.

However, Police Prosecutor Shellon Daniels objected to bail for the accused on his first appearance as both virtual complainants were still hospitalized.

Raghubansee will make his next court appearance on May 17.

Scotia Bank donates computer to Canje Secondary School

Branch Manager, Mr. Jones (L) hands over the system to PTA members The Bank of Nova Scotia, New Amsterdam branch, recently donated a computer system to the Parent- Teacher Association (PTA) of the Canje Secondary School (CSS) in Berbice. The initiative was taken after a request by the PTA to the commercial bank. Assistant Manager of the Bank, Mohamed Azim, said that the computer system will be used by the PTA body, teachers and also students of the school, “if they need to type correspondences or anything that would benefit the school”.

“At Scotiabank, we believe that a part of our responsibility as corporate citizens is to give back to the community, especially in the fields of education and sports and we felt that the donation of a computer would greatly assist the kids and PTA in the form of better accountability.”

The computer was handed over by Branch

Manager, Vibert Jones, to PTA President, Byron Forde during a simple ceremony.

And as Occupation, Health and Safety Week looms, the bank has prepared a special corner in its building where safety gear is being displayed as well as literature, “to better educate people working

with industries about how they can be able to protect themselves”.

Azim said, too, that each staff member plans to take turns next week to ask customers to visit the section in the bank and share pertinent information with them about occupation, health and safety on the job.

Lone bandit stabs Chinese nationals Two Chinese Nationals were robbed of some $190,000 in cash and stabbed by a single unidentified bandit, Thursday evening last.

Police have since launched an investigation into the matter.

According to information Jian Cong Yang, 53, a businessman and his wife, Xae Kuan, 51, of Lot 1, Anna Regina, were in their shop when the lone bandit entered the shop and proceeded to attack them with a knife.

Reports stated that the incident occurred around 20:00hrs, Thursday. The couple sustained stab wounds to their shoulders, hands and backs, after the bandit held them captive while parading with a knife.

The couple subsequently visited the Suddie Public Hospital where they were treated and sent away.

Chief Justice Ian Chang has granted judgment in favour of Muslim Cleric Akbar Muhammad and Phillip Simon. Simon was arrested in May 2011, while looking for lawyers to represent Nation of Islam’s Abdul Akbar Muhammad, who had been detained on drug trafficking and terrorism allegations. At the time, Muhammad was in Guyana to lecture in Buxton on the slave trade.

The Chief Justice in his ruling granted judgment in the sum of $250,000 for Abdul Akbar Muhammad, for his wrongful detention, which the CJ stated was unconstitutional. Further judgment was granted in the

sum of $40,000 for Simon.

However attorney for the duo Nigel Hughes has signaled his disapproval with the judgment. The lawyer told Kaieteur News that he will be appealing the matter.

Muhammad, Guyanaborn Canadian citizen, Phillip Simon and Tyrone Seymour were all arrested last month on suspicion that they were linked to terrorists acts and drug trafficking. The trio was released without charge one day after their detention.

Minister Muhammad was arrested at the Princess Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara while Simon was arrested a short distance from the Criminal Investigations

Department, Eve Leary. East Coast Demerara resident, Tyrone Seymour, was arrested as he was about to carry something for Simon and Muhammad to eat.

Minister Akbar Muhammad is an International Representative for the Nation of Islam. He has offices and residences in Accra, Ghana, and the United States.

He has travelled extensively around the world, mainly in North, West and South Africa. He lectures to civic organizations, students and business leaders about the advantages of doing business and travelling in Africa and the Caribbean.

Sully gone as new CGX partner takes charge Canadian oil exploration firm, CGX Energy Inc., continuing with a major shakeup, has accepted the resignation of Kerry Sully, former President and Chief Executive Officer.

The cash-strapped company failed to find oil in commercial quantities last year on its Corentyne concessions offshore Guyana and Suriname in another partnership attempt in waters off Georgetown. It ended up owing huge sums for operating expenses to Repsol Exploración S.A, its partners.

CGX has since announced a financial deal with Pacific Rubiales on March 25 which saw the new management dropping several executives.

CGX yesterday said that a new board of directors

include Serafino Iacono, CoChairman and director of Pacific Rubiales; Ronald Pantin, Chief Executive Officer and director of Pacific Rubiales, and Dennis Mills, a director of Pacific Rubiales.

Resignations from the CGX board include Kerry Sully, Denis Clement and Adrian Jackson. Guyaneseborn Suresh Narine, John Cullen and Dennis Pieters will remain on the Board. Iacono and Narine will each serve as Co-Chairman of the company.

Dewi Jones has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer and Michael Galego has been appointed General Counsel and Secretary.

Sully, John Clarke, Vice President, Corporate Development, and Michael Stockinger, Chief Operating Officer resigned effective

April 26, 2013.

CGX has also announced that Pacific Rubiales would effectively control 74.6 per cent of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of the company.

CGX will use US$15,332,469 to pay off Repsol Exploración S.A. (“Repsol”), Tullow Guyana B.V. and YPF S.A. its partners for the Georgetown well.

Another US$2M will be used to pay off officers, directors, employees and consultants who are no longer with the company and to fund expenditures related to future oil and gas exploration activities and for general corporate purposes.

CGX is a Canada-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration of oil in the Guyana-Suriname Basin.

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Saturday April 27, 2013

Court option to restore budget cuts not ruled out- President Government is prepared to go to court again to restore a $31.4B slashed from 2013 national budget, President Donald Ramotar said yesterday.

After almost a month of debates, the National Assembly on Wednesday evening passed an amended budget of $174B, down from the $208.8B originally proposed by Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh.

Yesterday, the Head of State, during a press conference at the Office of the President, was puzzled that only the combined Opposition, which has a oneseat majority, seemed to be against the budget.

Immediately following the passage of the amended budget, the President convened a meeting with stakeholders who supported the budget in its entirety.

The cuts do not “augur well” for the image of Guyana and will affect several investments designed to lift Guyana. Ramotar called on the Opposition to reverse its position as the options are very much likely going to the courts again.

Last year, a controversial ruling following a court case filed by government, saw the administration restoring almost $20B slashed from the

The recent parliamentary sitting.

National Budget.

The cuts will affect the Amaila Falls hydro project which is geared to reduce electricity costs and attract industries like processing, the official said.

He also bemoaned opportunities to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) to have budget talks but were affected by one issue or the

other.

The Opposition even supported the projects last year yet turned around and slashed them this time round.

The projects included a Specialty Hospital in Turkeyen, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and several interior airstrips, he noted.

Regarding the Specialty Hospital which is being funded by a US$19M loan

from India, the President was convinced it is an important project to lift the quality of health care in Guyana as it will make complicated surgeries more affordable and even develop “health tourism” in Guyana. There is a large diaspora of Guyanese who are without health insurance and serve as potential clients.

The US$150M CJIA expansion is another excellent project that can open up Guyana as a hub between the north and south hemisphere because of the country’s strategic location.

Regarding the interior airstrips, Ramotar was puzzled over the cuts as these serve as critical links to remote

communities and reducing the budget will have implications for businesses and issues like emergency evacuations.

On Wednesday evening $19B was cut from the allocation for the Low Carbon Development Strategy.

The opposition argued that the money has not yet been a p p r o v e d b y t h e I n t e r - A m e r i c a n Development Bank, but once it is approved, the government can return to the National Assembly and ask for approval.

The second largest cut was $5.6 billion under the Ministry of Public Works.

The Opposition had only intended to cut $5.3 billion for

the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion plan, citing lack of transparency. However, owing to a mistake, the Opposition had no choice but to cut funding for the airport expansion plan and other transport projects, including for hinterland airstrips, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ogle Airport.

The third largest cut was $5.2 billion in subsidies for the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated. The other cuts were $1.25 billion for the Specialty Hospital on the grounds that there was a lack of transparency, and a total of $217.1 million from the Government Information Agency and the state-run TV and radio NCN, under the grounds that the entities were only pushing propaganda and shutting out Opposition voices.

The Opposition had argued that a budget that could have satisfied all could have been presented if the government was truly committed to consultation.

Yesterday, the President said he is fully committed to any process that will ensure Guyana’s development and will open the door to the Opposition for continuing talks.

Asked about the possibilities of the cuts being restored via the presentation of a supplementary budget, Ramotar found it strange that the Opposition would support any such measures...”Why cut it in the first place?” he asked.

Man remanded to prison for stealing Nissan Titan vehicle A man who told the court that he borrowed his boss’ vehicle to take a drive and get some drinks has been remanded to prison after being charged with simple larceny.

The defendant, 32-yearold Wayne Barker, of Lot 22 Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara, made his appearance at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, before Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty.

B a r k e r i s a ccused of stealing a Nissan Titan worth $3.5 million, the property of Ramchand Netram.

It is alleged that on April 24, last at Friendship, East Bank Demerara he stole the vehicle, GMM 2766 property of Ramchand Netram.

To the charge the accused pleaded not guilty.

The court was told that on the day in question Netram parked his vehicle at his scrap metal site located at Friendship, East Bank Demerara but left the keys in the vehicle. Upon his return the vehicle was not at the location hence a report was made and an all station message was sent out.

Sometime later, Barker,

who is employed by Netram was intercepted with the vehicle in the vicinity of Bank of Guyana.

When asked why he left the location with the vehicle he told the court that he merely wanted to go take a drink and a drive.

Police Prosecutor Shellon Daniels objected to bail.

The court was also informed that Barker was only recently released from prison having served a six month sentence for break and enter and larceny.

He will return to court on May17th.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Hururu residents offer counter proposals to Rusal Residents of Hururu, late Thursday afternoon, removed the huge logs that they had placed across the road to stop Rusal from using the main thoroughfare, which had recently become a source of contention between the two.

This course of action was taken, after a meeting between senior officials of the company, the Toshao, Winsbert Benjamin, the Permanent Secretary, Chairman of Region Ten Sharma Solomon, and representatives from the Ministry of Amerindian affairs.

Benjamin told residents in a meeting immediately after, that Rusal’s position was that the blockades must be removed before any negotiations could be entertained.

That position was initially rejected by residents, but after a few reasoned that if Rusal did not hold up their end of the bargain, the blockades could always be replaced, they relented.

The logs were subsequently removed just before nightfall.

Barriers across the river, which had blocked the company’s pontoons from barging bauxite, were removed late Tuesday evening.

After the logs were removed, representatives of Hururu, including Toshao, Winsbert Benjamin, met with senior officials of Rusal to inform them that the blockades had been removed and present the community’s proposal, to the company.

The proposal stipulated that $6 million be paid monthly to the community for the company’s utilization of the Hururu road to get to its mining operations.

It also mandated that

A Rusal patrol boat

residents be granted access to truck their logs from the concessions, and that alternative roads be constructed by Rusal for use by residents.

Because Hururu does not have potable water, it was further proposed that five wells be drilled to benefit the entire community.

The awarding of special prizes by the company to outstanding students in the community was also proposed.

Residents of Hururu had begun their protest action on Sunday last by blocking both the road and the river after word got out that councillors were preparing to sign an agreement which was reached between the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

According to the agreement, the village would receive $3.7mil for the lease of 320 acres of land by Rusal.

It was further stated that the community would be given two weeks to remove all logs which were ready for ramping and removal.

But before all the logs could be removed the road leading to the concession was closed off by Rusal, who had

reportedly promised to pay for the ramping of said logs.

However that was not done and a new road was subsequently constructed by Rusal. That road covered the logs.

Subsequent attempts by residents to retrieve the logs, yielded logs that were reportedly unmarketable.

On a recent tour of Hururu by two Region Ten Councillors who sought to determine the difficulties being faced by residents, it was observed that millions of dollars worth of logs were destroyed by Rusal, during the clearing of their mining site.

Some of the logs were reportedly covered by overburden while some were burnt.

It was also observed that residents were unable to market logs that were still on the roadway because they had been denied access by Rusal.

Apart from the aforementioned issues, residents were also advocating that the community receive free electricity, or at least at a much cheaper rate.

Most of the money that Hururu currently receives

Five years jail for getaway artist Chetram Singh, 28, called “Roy” of Betsy Ground, East Canje, Berbice, a known felon who was described as a nuisance and a kleptomaniac by the prosecution, has been sentenced to five years in jail.

Singh, a deportee and a getaway artist who escaped from police custody on two occasions, was sent to jail on a break and enter charge with intent to commit a felony.

He was before the court on a number of charges and on Wednesday was jailed by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo when he appeared before her at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court and was found guilty on the matter.

Singh was accused of breaking and entering the grocery shop of Maurice Sookraj with intent to commit a felony on October 3, last at

Chetram Singh Betsy Ground, East Canje, Berbice.

The court was told that Sookraj had secured his premises around 19:00 hrs the

day before and retired to bed.

On Wednesday morning he was aroused around 01:30hrs by a strange noise coming from the lower flat of his twostorey premises.

Upon peeping outside, he noticed Singh whom he knew well, with a crew bar ripping the boards from the walls of his home which houses a grocery shop. Sookraj armed himself with his firearm and discharged three rounds at the bandit who managed to escape leaving his cap and his housebreaking implements behind.

Singh, who was on bail and was on the run, was not attending court and therefore had his bail escheated.

He was nabbed by police on another matter and taken to court.

He was recently released from prison.

A stalled Rusal bauxite barge

from Rusal reportedly goes towards the payment for electricity supplied to the community.

Region Ten Chairman, Sharma Solomon, in addressing the electricity issue, and the signing of the agreement said, “There are some things that the company is asking for. Maybe they can have that sorted out, but on the electricity issue and the signing of the agreement the village council should not leave that to be advised by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

“We can get a lawyer, or two or three Amerindian lawyers to come in and help them with putting the agreement togetherfinalising its wording...You need somebody that when you sign on the dotted lines

could ensure that a document could be taken to a court of law to hold any party accountable.”

He added, “There is something called line loss, and if you don’t have a technical person to give input you may be paying for 100 percent electricity of which 30 to 40 percent is lost during line loss because of bad wiring.”

Solomon promised to help residents get the necessary technical support to deal with these problems.

As regards the other issues he said, “We had this experience in Linden; we don’t want a repeat of this, where people have to be blocking up roads so that they can live good, it happened only a few weeks ago in Ituni, it happened in Moblissa, we

don’t want that, so it means collectively as a region we have to work to make things better, nobody in Linden is more important than people in Hururu, because you also have needs and concerns and we have to fix and satisfy them.

“So only collectively we can see results, divided you can’t get anything...keep this alive so that if you don’t get what you want you know what you have to do,” He said that residents had every right to ensure that any arrangement between the community and investors are of mutual benefit to both parties, and that the Region and the people of Linden, stand solidly behind the residents of Hururu, in the position that they have taken.

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Kaieteur News

MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 06:00hrs - Living Word presentation 06:30hrs - Peace Love & Harmony (live) 07:00hrs - Dabi’s bhajan Hour 07:30hrs - Times of Refreshing (live) 08:00hrs - Full Life Broadcast with Pastor Findlay 08:30hrs - News Update 09:30hrs - Living the Life 10:00hrs - Youth Excel 10:30hrs - Children Movie: Alice in

Wonderland 12:00hrs - Movie: Charlie Toy Story 14:00hrs - National Geographic: Africa Weird Animals 15:00hrs - Payless variety Show 16:00hrs - Sitcom 16:30hrs - Alabama Trading Music break 17:00hrs - Birthdays & other Greetings 17:15hrs - Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30hrs - Sitcom 18:00hrs - Searching the

Saturday April 27, 2013

Scriptures with Devi 18:30hrs - Cabinet Briefing 19:00hrs - Apex Forum (Live) 20:15hrs - MTV music break 20:30hrs - Indian Movie: I hate Love Stories 22:00hrs - English Movie: Riddick

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55 hrs. Sign On 09:00 hrs. Back at the Barnyard 10:00 hrs. Smart Guy 11:30 hrs. Prime News 12:00 hrs. Movie: Past Obsessions 14:00 hrs. Movie: Her Best Friend’s Husband

16:00 hrs. Law & Order: SVU 17:00 hrs. The Baptist Hour 18:00 hrs. World News 18:30 hrs. Nightly News 19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00 hrs. Alliance on the Move (Live) 21:00 hrs. Indian Movie 00:00 hrs. Sign Off

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Saturday April 27, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): Your positive attitude overcomes a persistent obstacle that was in your way.

Unfortunately, this wave of optimism may not bring the specific results quickly enough for you, so be patient if you’re not making much progress today.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20): You may be feeling uneasy now, and even a bit restless.

Although you can usually make the best of any situation, you might lose interest in the dreams of your future if your fantasies aren’t supported by the present circumstances.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20): Your perspective on a personal issue might be very different from someone close to you today. Paradoxically, you’re both probably working with identical sets of information.

But don’t get discouraged about this disagreement ... honest discussion may prove fruitful now.

CANCER (June 21–July 22): You may have big ideas about routine work today, so it’s crucial to maintain a realistic perspective on life.

Open your heart and widen your vision to ease the tension on a specific situation.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22): Today can be an ideal day to fall in love with a helpful person or you may be attracted to an optimistic spiritual teaching. Either way, your fantasies could transform into reality now, but you need to give your dreams a creative nudge forward.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): Today’s confident Sagittarius Moon encourages you to think in a holistic manner without having to take extreme measures. Still, this is unlike your normal tendency to focus on the details and create a concrete plan. You might work yourself into an anxious state as your mind jumps back and forth from the very big to the very little.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): You might feel a bit scattered today with the changeable Moon visiting your 3rd House of Communications. There’s so much happening everywhere you turn that interactions may be distracting. Fortunately, they can also be fun. Don’t waste energy attempting to quiet the day down to a comfortable level.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): You can use today’s optimistic Sagittarius Moon to better your personal finances as she visits your 2nd House of Money. Fortunately, you have the necessary courage now to face issues that you have previously put off.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): Your shifting moods could get the best of you now that the evocative Moon is back in your sign. However, you can also learn a very important lesson today if you are willing to stop running around and simply delve into your heart.

CAPRICORN(Dec.22–Jan.19): You are often the most sensible person around because you keep your feet planted on the ground while planning how to reach the top of the mountain. However, today you may be looking for an escape route as the intensity of your fantasies increases.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): Your positive attitude prevents you from losing perspective as you gracefully handle nearly all problems that surface now. Optimism may abound, but it isn’t only about you.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20): You may be approached by a co-worker for your advice or help today, yet your plan might not go as you imagine even if you have the best of intentions. Listen carefully to what others expect from you.

Don’t promise more than you can deliver just to avoid conflict.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Rafael Nadal faces two matches in a day after Barcelona win

Sliding through Rafael Nadal during competition in Barcelona (EPA) BBC Sport - Rafael Nadal eased into the Barcelona Open quarter-finals with a 7-6 6-2 win over Frenchman Benoit Paire in their delayed third-round match on Friday.

With rain washing out play on Thursday, the Spaniard had to wait an extra day to celebrate his 36th consecutive win at the tournament.

The 26-year-old now faces unseeded Albert Ramos, who beat Japan’s Kei Nishikori in straight sets.

The match is expected to take place on Friday, though more rain is forecast.

Two matches in a day may test Nadal, who continues to recover from the knee injury that saw him miss nine months of action.

But Nadal showed no sign of discomfort as he disposed of Paire, 24, in their first ever

meeting.

Despite dropping the first game, he broke back and won the tiebreak 7-2 before a routine second set sealed a win.

After losing his eight-year unbeaten run at the Monte Carlo Masters with defeat by Novak Djokovic on 21 April, he is hoping to keep his eight-year run at Barcelona intact.

He has won every Barcelona Open since 2005 apart from 2010, when he withdrew citing fatigue.

“Today is going to be a long day and it was good to win in two sets after a bad start,” said Nadal.

“We are taking things step by step and this afternoon’s opponent is going to be at a very high level so let’s see if I can play better than this morning.”

Saturday April 27, 2013

ELLIOTT DETERMINED TO RESUME CAREER KINGSTON, JAMAICA - National cricketer Yannick Elliott said he is “recuperating quicker than expected” following hospitalisation due to a stroke he suffered almost four weeks ago. The 26-yearold all-rounder, who has begun light bowling routines at his local outfit Melbourne Cricket Club, expressed optimism that with time, he will be able to return to competitive action.

“It (the recovery) has been good. I’m recuperating quicker than expected and I can move about freely now. I just need to get the cricketing skills as part of the therapy so that the brain can recall what to do,” he told the Jamaica Observer during the ISSA/ GraceKennedy all-island play-off cricket match at Melbourne on Wednesday.

“I’m confident because it all starts in the brain and once the brain is positive I can do anything. I’m not 100 per cent sure I’ll be coming back very shortly, (but) there is no doubt of me coming back...I’m very confident and positive,” said the former Norman Manley High student. Elliott was admitted to the Kingston Public Hospital after initially complaining of not feeling well one evening after cricket practice. He also developed complications to the left side of his body, which included limited use of his left arm.

The young all-rounder was treated for stroke, and according to him, doctors said a migraine could have precipitated it.

“There could be many things that could have caused the stroke. I’m a troubled person with migraine headache. The migraine gave me a clot in my head which triggered the stroke, they (the doctors) said. I’m supposed to do a MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Yannick Elliott scan this weekend to see if the clot is dissolving,” he revealed. A stroke or brain attack occurs when a blood clot interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain. Elliott said he was grateful for the “incredible support” he is receiving from family members, close friends and the Melbourne fraternity during a “challenging” recovery process.

He smiled as he described the struggle he had in attempting to execute his right-arm offspin bowling during a recent session.

“I tried bowling a ball the other day and it is nothing like I am used to do. The (left) hand is not coming up (during the bowling follow through) so I guess I need to get more into the cricket and get things co-ordinating again,” he said.

“Otherwise I’m recovering well,” Elliott reiterated. Elliott has played three 50-overs and two Twenty20 matches for Jamaica and snared 2-49 in this season’s Regional Super50 win over the Leeward Islands at Sabina Park.

Injured Samuels returns to Jamaica

Marlon Samuels' (left) appearances for Pune Warriors this season have been fleeting © BCCI ESPNcricinfo - Pune Warriors have suffered a setback with West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels returning to Jamaica to recover from a groin strain and to be with his mother, who broke her knee. Samuels is likely to miss the rest of Warriors’ IPL campaign, with the franchise languishing near the bottom of the league. Samuels, one of Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Year announced earlier this month, played only two matches, scoring eight runs and taking one wicket. He remained with Warriors for a while but the groin injury failed to improve, so Samuels requested the management to release him so that he could be with his mother in hospital.

“The groin injury was taking time to heal, but after he received news about his mom having her knee plate fractured, he became restless and asked if he could head back home,” Abhijit Sarkar, Warriors’

spokesperson, told ESPNcricinfo. He confirmed the franchise would not seek a replacement for Samuels. According to Sarkar, Samuels could return if he recovered from injury and Warriors made the knockouts. After returning from a two-year ICC ban, Samuels’ resurgence was dramatic: he was West Indies’ best batsman on the tour of England in 2012.

He was the Man of the Match in the 2012 World Twenty20 final, which West Indies won, and had come to the IPL after recovering from a facial injury suffered during the Big Bash.

Samuels’ absence added to Warriors’ problems this IPL season. They have lost their last three matches - Chris Gayle demoralised them by smashing Twenty20 records in Bangalore - and have only two wins after eight games. Warriors are currently above lastplaced Delhi Daredevils, their next opponent at the IPL’s newest venue - Raipur - on Sunday.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

All set for the Mohabir Baljeet Sukhpaul (Beto) Memorial 20/ 20 cricket competition The Skeldon Community Centre on the Upper Corentyne will come alive tomorrow when the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) runs off the inaugural Mohabir Baljeet Sukhpaul (Beto) Memorial 20/ 20 cricket competition, which is sponsored by Mr. Swarendra Sukhpaul (Suren) and Mr. Rajendra Sukhpaul, sons of the late Mohabir Baljeet Sukhpaul of the Sukhpaul Business Enterprise with businesses throughout Berbice.

Four teams will participate in the one day cricket competition which will involve the four zone winners in the Upper Corentyne 40 overs competition now being played.

The teams down to take part are No48 Challengers, No70 MYO, No71 and Skeldon Community Centre (SCC).

Action is expected to bowl off at 09:00 hrs with play in the first semifinal with SCC coming up against No 70 MYO, while the second semifinal will see No71 challenging No48 challengers for a place in the final.

The Trophies and sponsorship cheque to the tune of $155,000 was recently handed over to the UCCA by the sponsors at a simple ceremony at Sukhpaul’s Gas Station in Corriverton.

The Upper Corentyne area covers teams from No.45 to Crabwood Creek areas.

The winner will receive $20,000 and a trophy, runner up $10,000 and a trophy. There will also be trophies for manof-the-match in all the games.

All proceeds from activity including gates, drinks and food rights will go towards the development of cricket in the Upper Corentyne Area.

(Samuel Whyte)

Universal DVD T20 for First Division teams in Berbice continues tomorrow Weather permitting; the Universal DVD sponsored T20 cricket competition for first division teams in Berbice continues this weekend with matches tomorrow.

GROUP B: ROUND 3: Universal DVD Young Warriors vs Edinburgh at Cumberland from 09:00hrs Universal DVD Young Warriors vs West Berbice at Cumberland from 13:30hrs GROUPA: ROUND 3: Albion CC vs Blairmont at Albion from 09:00hrs Port Mourant Karibee Rice vs RHT Gizmos and Gadgets at Port Mourant from 09:00hrs Albion CC vs Police at Albion from 13:30hrs Port Mourant Karibee Rice vs Cotton Tree at Port Mourant from 13:30hrs

Berbice River Bridge Knockout 50-Over First Division Cricket continues today The first ever Berbice River Bridge sponsored 50-Over Knockout First Division Cricket Competition for teams in Berbice continues with second round matches today, Saturday April 27 with four scheduled matches.

All matches are schedule to start at 09:30hrs weather permitting.

The fixtures: Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets will face Cotton Tree Die Hard at Rose Hall Town ground; Albion CC will come up against Blairmont CC at Albion; Port Mourant Karibee Rice battle West Berbice at Port Mourant and Skeldon CC take on Universal DVD Young Warriors at Skeldon.

Counter sledging...

From page 37 may not get going all the time but when they do they can make up for all the losses.”

There was no T20 cricket in Richards’ time but had he had a chance, he said, “In this format the best batsmen should play the most overs. I would have liked to open the batting, but would not take the first ball for sure. I like to take a look from the other end.”

Page 31

I honestly think double century was possible: Chris Gayle Hindustan Times - I’d like to thank all my well-wishers and fans for their complimentary words following my knock against Pune. You should know there’s nothing I enjoy more than entertaining you, and you have my word that I’ll continue looking to do that till the end of my career. Was getting to 200 a possibility? I honestly think it was possible.

Looking back, given the rate at which I was going, I suppose I could have got there. Of course, it depended on things falling into place.

But all said and done, I’ll gladly settle for 175 not out.

It’s funny in a way because when rain interrupted play in the second over, I remember sitting in a corner talking to Ravi Rampaul. I was telling him that the pitch was one serious batting wicket.

In the few balls I had faced before the sky opened up, I felt really good about how nicely the ball was coming on to the bat, and I told Ravi we needed to get at least 180 runs on that wicket.

At that point at least, I never imagined I would come so close to getting that many runs myself.

STAYING CALM Many feel I make it look so easy. Well, there’s no substitute for the hard yards you’ve got to put in. A bit of talent is obviously a plus, but there’s a strong reason why they say ‘practice makes perfect’.

Also, having played over 10 years of international cricket has helped me accumulate a lot of experience, which certainly

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Chris Gayle shares a light moment with Pune Warriors’ player Yuvraj Singh during T20 match at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. (Sanjeev Verma/HT) comes in handy on days like Tuesday. I’ve realised that as you keep playing, you never stop discovering new things about yourself.

So, it’s really a continuous learning process. One of the key things I learnt very early on is the importance of training my mind to be calm when I’m out in the middle.

Keeping your feet firmly on the ground helps you best assess what is happening around you.

It’s certainly not easy to avoid being swept away by a rush of blood, which is exactly why it is an art I have consciously worked hard at mastering; and it’s helped me a great deal.

HARD WORK Now, what is it that Jamaicans do right to produce world beaters?

We’re hard workers, plain and simple. People only see what you do on the day of a match; what they don’t see is the vast amount of effort that is put in behind the scenes.

Trust me, we work our butts off.

One question I am often asked is what advice would I give children who want to

grow up to be like Gayle.

My answer will always be that kids need to become themselves when they grow up. What works for me will not necessarily work for them.

You need to know what you want from life and keep climbing that mountain in order to get there; it’s achievable.

AAG SENIOR C/ SHIPS POSTPONED The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has announced that the National Senior Championships that was scheduled for tomorrow at the Guyana Defence Force Base Camp Ayangana Ground, Thomas Lands has been postponed until further notice owed the inclement weather this week.

The AAG release said that a new date for the Championships, which will feature Guyana’s best senior athletes, will be announced at a later date.

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Saturday April 27, 2013

Herschelle Gibbs latest CPL signing BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - South African top-order batting powerhouse Herschelle Gibbs, the first man in history to hit six sixes in a single over in international cricket, has become the latest player to sign up for this year’s Caribbean Premier league (CPL).

Gibbs achieved the feat in the Caribbean, in St Kitts during the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, when he dispatched Netherlands legspinner Daan van Bunge over the ropes six times in a row.

And while four other players* - including Barbados and West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers – have done it before or since in professional cricket, Gibbs was the first man to hit six sixes on the international stage.

It is part of a hugely impressive cricketing career that the right-hander, now 39, will bring to the CPL table, having represented teams all over the world, including being part of the Deccan Chargers squad that won the Indian Premier League in 2009.

Speaking to the CPL Organisers, Herschelle’s enthusiasm was obvious, “I am really looking forward to playing in the first CPL. I love the Caribbean and have great memories of touring there.

The people are lovely and although each nation is different, they all have that same warmth and charm that makes everyone want to go there. Many of the West Indies players have become my friends over the years and playing alongside them in their home countries will really be special.”

Gibbs joins fellow international stars Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist from Australia, New Zealand’s Ross Taylor and Pakistan Twenty20 International (T20I) captain Mohammad Hafeez as confirmed big-name signings for the inaugural franchise-based tournament that will take place across six countries in July and August.

Also confirmed are six West Indies franchise players – Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy and Marlon Samuels.

Despite some speculation in the press the announcement of which players will be playing for which countries, this information is still to be announced by the CPL. So as with the others the country Gibbs will be playing for is not confirmed.

Gibbs’ international career spans 15 years and includes 90 Tests, 248 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 23 T20Is. He has 35 hundreds for his country, 21 of them coming in ODIs – the most by a South African player.

Two of those hundreds came in the Caribbean in the 2001 ODI series against the West Indies, with 104 in Antigua and 107 in Barbados.

Gibbs toured the West Indies three times with the South Africa senior squad, in 2001, 2005 and for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup when South Africa lost to eventual champions Australia in the semi-final in St Lucia.

He totalled 342 runs in that tournament at an average of 57.00, including four fifties and a highest score of 72 from

Herschelle Gibbs

only 40 deliveries in that record-breaking innings against the Dutch.

Gibbs has played a total of 164 Twenty20 matches around the world, most recently for the Perth Scorchers in Australia and for the Titans in his home country.

Gibbs helped the Australian franchise to successive appearances in the final of the Big Bash League in 2011 and 2012 and also played for the Scorchers in last year’s Champions League Twenty20 tournament in South Africa.

With a career strike-rate of

124.03 runs per hundred balls in the shortest form of the game he is a huge threat to any bowling attack and has one Twenty20 hundred to his credit, an unbeaten 101 from only 53 balls for English county Yorkshire against Northamptonshire in 2010.

Gibbs is also an electric fielder in any position but especially inside the fielding circle with superb agility and a devastating and deadlyaccurate throwing arm.

Further details and announcements concerning the CPL, including news of further confirmed players for the tournament, will be made

in due course and the player draft will take place on 24 May. A total of 90 players will be contracted to play in the CPL. Each of the six Franchise teams will be comprised of 15 players.

All teams are required to have a minimum number of local players from that their particular franchise country.

At least four of them must be under the age of 23, and teams can also field a maximum of four international players. The remainder of the team must consist of regional and/or local players.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 33

NBA playoff scores: Grizzlies, Bulls get big wins; Heat go up 3-0 The 2013 NBA playoff action on Thursday night featured some stellar play from Zach Randolph, Carlos Boozer and Ray Allen, as the Grizzlies, Bulls and Heat all claimed important wins. Here’s a rundown of everything that happened in the NBA on Thursday.

Grizzlies 94, Clippers 82 | L.A. leads series 2-1 In the first two games of the series, Zach Randolph scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds combined. On Thursday night in Game 3 he stepped up his game and posted a game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds as Memphis secured their first win of the series.

When Randolph plays well the Grizzlies are a different squad, and team blog Grizzly Bear Blues hit on his transformation in the game recap: Z-Bo had a bit of a coming out party tonight for the first time in the 2013 NBA Playoffs. He looked like an indomitable force from the start of the game, posting 13 points in the first quarter. Randolph also played very well against Griffin defensively, and only 2 of Griffin’s 10 first quarter points came with Randolph guarding him. Over the course of the game, it looked like Z-Bo has finally figured out how to guard Griffin, which is to give him space and not let him spin around you for an easy dunk, so that’s promising for the rest of the series.

The pace of the game favored Memphis, as things slowed down in the half court and

both teams shot under 39 percent from the field. L.A. guards struggled to control the game, which played right into the hands of Tony Allen, Marc Gasol and company. Steve Perrin of Clips Nation noted in his recap that Chris Paul recorded more turnovers (five) than assists (four) for only the 10th time in 591 career games, and no other player in the backcourt stepped up to fill the void: Paul (4-11), Chauncey Billups (3-8), Jamal Crawford (3-10) and Eric Bledsoe (0-4) combined to make just 10 shots in 33 tries.

With Paul slogging through perhaps the worst playoff performance of his career, the Clippers might still have made a game of this had Bledsoe come into the game as his usual Grizzlyslayer persona. Instead he scored zero points, missing each of his shots in disturbing fashion.

There’s also a huge difference in 38.8 percent shooting with five offensive rebounds (the Clippers) and 38.8 percent shooting with 17 offensive rebounds (the Grizzlies); all those extra possessions actually made the Grizzlies offensive night fairly efficient, despite the poor shooting.

The Grizzlies played Game 3 within their comfort zone, and if they can replicate that in the next game we could be headed for another seven-game series between these two teams.

Game 4 is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in Memphis.

E’BO CAN GO ALL THE WAY - MANAGER MOHAMED

Nazeer Mohamed Manager of the Essequibo U-19 team Nazeer Mohamed feels that his team has what it takes to win the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)\Guyana Trinidad Mutual Fire and Life Insurance Companies (GTM) U-19 three day and one day tournaments.

Persistent rain forced the Authorities to postpone both tournaments.

Speaking with Kaieteur Sport yesterday, Mohamed said his players are disappointed that the competitions were put on hold. “We got a good start in the 3 day tournament at Wales against Demerara but we can’t control the rain, the guys were doing well but then the rain came, so we have to wait,” stated Mohamed.

Demerara were 36-3 after 15 overs before rain put an end to the contest.

Mohamed stated that his

team is a balanced one; “There are a number of talented players in the team who can handle themselves in any given situation.

Ricardo Adams is a gifted cricketer and it will be interesting to see how bowlers operate against him, especially if he gets going.

Kemo Paul, Parmesh Parshotam, Mark Gonsalves and Herry Green are some of the players to look forward to in this tournament,” he said.

He indicated that the players need to play as a unit.

“To be successful you must play as a team, the players must support each other and stick to the game plan and as long as they play to the best of their ability Essequibo can go all the way,” informed Mohamed.

He said that Essequibo has a number of talented youngsters and if the business community can support cricket in the area they can produce more national players at all levels, making reference to Ronsford Beaton.

Caricom Rice Mill T\20 cricket in North E’bo

Lima overcome Charity to secure place in final four Lima got the better of Charity by 17 runs to cement their place in the semifinal of the Caricom Rice Mill Twenty\20 cricket competition in North Essequibo.

In the final preliminary round game played last Sunday at Lima, the host posted 177-6 off their allocation of 20 overs, batting first. Shivnandan Madholall stroked two fours and seven sixes in a top score of 65, while Subash Maipaul supported with 33 (4x4) and M. Bahadur 20 (1x4, 1x6).

Keisho Rooplall captured 223 and Iglesias Van Sluytman 2-37.

Charity in reply managed 160-7 in 20 overs. Rooplall was their leading batsman with 54 (6x4, 1x6), while Hassan Rahim and Wayne Fernandes made 18 and 17 respectively. M. Bahadur was the pick of the bowlers with 4-27.

Lima now joins Walton Hall, Gunners and Devonshire Castle in the semifinals which are expected to be played tomorrow.

Carlos Boozer goes in for a layup

Bulls 79, Nets 76 | Chicago leads series 2-1 The Bulls have never had a problem with winning ugly under Tom Thibodeau, and in Game 3 against the Nets they came through with another grind-it-out win. Brooklyn jumped out to a 17-5 lead in the first quarter, but then Deron Williams lost his groove and the Nets quickly fell off their pace. Chicago responded by mounting a quick 14-5 run to take a 19-17 lead, and from there they built up a big lead as Brooklyn’s offense completely collapsed.

The Blog-a-Bull game recap summarized Brooklyn’s failures well: Over about a 13-minute stretch from midway through the first quarter to midway through the second, the Nets went 1-of-25 from the field and were outscored 28-4. Much credit obviously goes to the Bulls’ defence, which was swarming all over the place, but the Nets were much to blame as well. Their shot selection was terrible and it’s simply hard to run effective offence against a defence as good as the Bulls when there are so many offensive zeros on the floor. Again, just embarrassing.

The Bulls decided to make things hard on themselves down the stretch, because it seems that nothing can truly be easy for Chicago this season. They failed to score on a shot from the field in the final 5:47 of the game, and had to wait for C.J. Watson to airball a three in the final seconds to claim victory. The important thing is that they gained a 2-1 advantage in the series with another home game yet to come this weekend. Somehow, the Bulls are in a terrific position. All hail

Thibs.

Game 4 of the series is set for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday in Chicago.

Heat 104, Bucks 91 | Miami leads series 3-0 Just as Ray Allen passed Reggie Miller for the all-time NBA record in playoff threepointers made on Thursday night, LeBron James and the Miami Heat pushed past the Milwaukee Bucks as if they were frozen in time to snatch an authoritative 3-0 series lead.

Allen finished with a game-high 23 points on 8-14 shooting in his playoff homecoming to Milwaukee, while LeBron James continued his stellar play and posted 22 points on 9-14 shooting, six assists and five rebounds.

The Bucks kept things close enough to get the home crowd engaged early, but Miami ripped off a huge second-half run to cement their stranglehold on the series. Jake McCormick of Brew Hoop summed up the 213 Heat run succinctly in the Game 3 recap: 21-3. Here’s that run we all expected, yet never saw coming. It included a three and a half minute stretch at the end of the third quarter where the Bucks committed four turnovers and failed to even attempt a shot until Brandon Jennings heaved one in desperation at the buzzer. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis struggled to score efficiently, as they combined for 23 points on 7-24 shooting. J.J. Redick only played 17 minutes on the night, but he made the most of his time and put in 11 points on 4-7 shooting, including 3-6 accuracy on threes.

Page 34

GSCL 12/12 Championships...

The Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) organized 12/12 championships, will conclude at the Everest Cricket Club ground tomorrow, with the playing of the semifinals and finals from 10:00hrs.

Regal XI, Speedboat, Memorex XI and Trophy Stall, have all secured the rights to compete in the semifinals, following their domination over their group opponents.

Speedboat XI defeated Recharge XI and Farm XI to book a meeting with Group C winners Regal XI, who mauled Bartica Challengers and Cotton Field Wild Oats last Sunday.

Group A winners Memorex who defeated both Herstelling and Smith’s XI in their preliminary round

Kaieteur News

Action concludes at Everest tomorrow …raffle for charity will be drawn encounters, will face Trophy Stall who topped Group D, with victories over Universal DVD Titans and Hillfoot Vipers in the second semifinal.

To date, Speedboat XI’s Greg Singh who has so far scored the lone century in the tournament, Regal XI’s Patrick Rooplall and Memorex’s Shimron Hetmyer have all placed themselves in contention for the Man-ofthe-Series prize.

Singh scored 126 and 51 in his team’s opening games, Hetmyer a national Under-19 opener slammed an unbeaten 82 and 72 for Memorex, while Rooplall missed being the second batsman to chalk up a century by one run, with his

unbeaten 99.

As an added attraction to the hundreds of spectators who are expected to witness the action free of cost, there will be a raffle at $100 a ticket and carries a first prize of one Daewoo double door refrigerator.

The second to fifth place prizes for the raffle, which will be drawn on the final day of the tournament, are threepiece living room suite, 32" LCD Sony Bravia television set, Royal four-burner gas stove and a G-shock mountain bicycle respectively, with all proceeds from the raffle going to charity.

Dilo Enterprise, DC Promotions, Five Star Minerals, El Dorado Trading and Ryan and Reuben Mahadeo (all out of Bartica), Star Party Rentals, Regal Stationery and Computer Supplies, Romain Car Wash, Bank of Baroda, Ravi Sarwan and Trophy Stall are some of the sponsors on board with this tournament.

Saturday April 27, 2013

ROACH REPLACES BEST FOR SEMI-FINAL

Bridgetown, Barbados Kemar Roach replaces his injured West Indies teammate and fellow fast bowler as the only change to the Barbados 13-man squad for the WICB first-class semifinal match against Windward Islands at Windsor Park in Dominica, May 2 to 5.

Best has a right ankle injury which he sustained in the last first-class match against Trinidad & Tobago at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-ofSpain when Barbados romped to victory by ten wickets in roughly one day and twoand-a-half sessions on April 11.

The squad is scheduled to leave for Roseau on April 29.

Squad: Kirk Edwards

Kemar Roach will be back in action for Barbados, replacing the injured Tino Best for Barbados’s 4Day semi-final. (Windies Cricket) (captain), Sulieman Benn, Rashidi Boucher, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Javon Searles,

Kevin Stoute.

Management: Hartley Reid (manager), Henderson Springer (coach), Jacqueline King (physic), Rodney Ashby (analyst), Shannon Lashley (trainer).

GBBC Guyana Fight Night...

Shawn ‘The Sniper’ Cox out to prove he’s better than (Kurt) Bess The positive spinoff of the Guyana Fight Night boxing cards was effectively highlighted when Clive Atwell and Venezuelan, Rafael Hernandez squared off over 12 rounds for the World Boxing Council Caribbean Boxing Federation ( W B C C A B O F E ) featherweight title just over two weeks ago. Atwell, who had been active in several ProAm boxing cards, has improved immensely and is now perched to make an international transition for more lucrative titles.

Several other boxers will continue their march for similar accolades when the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) presents the 28th edition of the programme which once again attempts to enhance the fortunes of young pugilists and prepare them for the transition to the international stage.

Shawn Cox

Kurt Bess

The venue has been shifted to the Sophia Exhibition Centre and the card is slated for May 31st next.

Shawn ‘The Sniper’ Cox has devastated several Guyanese pugilists including Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite and Kwesi ‘Lightening Struck Assassin’ Jones and has been officially conferred with citizenship status. He returns

to oppose Kurt Bess in a 10 rounds non-title heavyweight shindig and Bess has since vowed to avenge an earlier loss to his nemesis; that bout is the main attraction on the card.

Barbadian based Guyanese, Revlon Lake recently lost out to Clive Atwell for the local lightweight title. He will now oppose Trinidadian based Guyanese, Dexter Gonsalves over 12 rounds for the jnr/ middleweight belt.

Middleweight, Romeo Norville, will make his professional debut in a 4 rounder against Eversley Browne, while Laured Stewart will also engage in his first professional bout against Anton Greene in a 4 rounds welterweight affair.

The organizers are currently putting the modalities in place for the card and already they are predicting an action packed night of intense exchanges of blows.

EBDCA\Good Wood U-19 tourney...

Combined United beat Ruimveldt by 1 wicket Combined Untied defeated Ruimveldt by 1 wicket when action in the East Bank Cricket Association\ Good Wood Racing Service U-19 40-over cricket competition continued recently.

At Diamond, Ruimveldt batted first and were bowled out for 100 in 23.1 overs. S. Bovell made 22 and J. Mootoo 14 as S. Pooran grabbed 6-31 off 7.1 overs.

Combined United found the going tough in reply but eventually reached home in 22 overs for the loss of 9 wickets finishing on 101. R. Daniel led with 34, while J. Ramroop chipped in with 17 and A. Kallicharran 15; A. Ally claimed 4 wickets while S. Ramlall took 2 for Ruimveldt.

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 35

MUSCLE INVASION: Mr. Barbados 2011 Stevenson Belle is Guest Poser - GABF Novice & Int. C/ships set for May 12 @ Theater Guild

By Franklin Wilson Last year, the Guyana Amateur Body Building & Fitness Federation (GABBFF) Novice & Intermediate competitions held under the theme: ‘Muscle Madness’ served up quality competition in a sold out venue, the Theatre Guild, Kingston.

This year, the venue remains the same but this year’s theme is: ‘Muscle Invasion’.

According to the GABBFF, this year ’s competition promises even more excitement with a number of new and promising athletes expected to invade the city from Berbice, East Bank Demerara, East Coast Demerara, West Bank Demerara and Linden.

The City athletes will be in for a tough time as the others are coming with a mission to take both the Novice and Intermediate Overall titles away from the City. The federation has also disclosed that a new category - Flyweight (Under 132lbs) – will be

introduced.

Fans can look forward to quality physiques gracing the stage as athletes have been hard at training over the past few months seeking to whip their bodies into pristine shape and condition.

The opportunity to showcase their hard work on stage with the aim of out flexing their opponents to gain the nod of the judges in the various categories will be the night of Sunday May 1 2 .Apart from the new Flyweight (Under-132lbs) category the others are as follows: Junior Under 21 years-old, Bantamweight (Under-143lbs), Welterweight (144lbs-154lbs), Lightweight (155lbs-165lbs), Light Middleweight (166 - 176lbs), Heavyweight (177lbs & Over), Over-35 and Masters Over-40.

The ladies will compete in the Miss Fitness Open and Miss Physique.

Showtime will be 19:00hrs and admission will be $1500.

BAJAN GUEST POSER The federation, in an effort to ensure fans and lovers of the sport enjoy a splendid evening have confirmed that they have secured a Guest Poser in the form of Mr. Barbados 2011, Stevenson Belle.

Belle, a compact and balanced athlete made history in the Land of the Flying Fish {Barbados} in 2011 when he became the first athlete to hold two t i t l e s i n t h e same year, winning Mr. Bridgetown and Mr. Barbados titles in 2011 and this was done after only two years of competition.

One year earlier, 2010, he had won the Barbados Amateur Body Building and Fitness Federation, Mr. Novice competition.

Meanwhile, winner of the GABBFF’s 2012 Mr. Novice title was Donnel Perry of Buddy’s Gym while Eybo Orford of Total Fitness Gym, East Bank Demerara who had placed 2nd in the Bantamweight category to

Matthias resigns from GFA post President of the Guyana Football Federation Christopher Matthias tendered his resignation as General Secretary of the Georgetown Football Association via a letter that was copied to General Secretary of the

GFF Noel Adonis, President of the GFA Vernon Burnett and the entire executive, member clubs and the Georgetown Football Referees Association. The full text of the letter could be seen below.

Donnell Perry (left) and Eybo Orford

Perry returned later in the evening to be crowned Mr. Intermediate King.

The Miss Physique (open) crown went to Nadina Taharally of Interline Fitness

Gym while her club mate Sharon Lee won the Miss Body Fitness (open) title.

Page 36

Kaieteur News

Regional 4 day cricket...

Jamaica take first innings points Jamaica grabbed first innings points from the Combined Campuses and Colleges when their West Indies Cricket Board Regional 4

Smooth Feet football on tomorrow Mark Cliff and renowned former national footballer, Devon Millington has combined to host the Smooth Feet Five-a-Side Football competition tomorrow, promising lots of entertainment at the East Ruimveldt Community Centre Ground.

Action at the facility, which is also known as California Square will commence at 10am the press release from the organisers said yesterday. According to the document, the entrance fee per team stands at $5,000 with over $100,000 up for grabs in total prize money.

In addition, the organisers indicated that they have procured the services of Stereo Sonics as well as Fusion Audio for the entertainment aspect of the competition. The venture is an inaugural one and patrons were asked to support the activity in East Ruimveldt.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

day rescheduled preliminary round game continued yesterday at Sabina Park.

Earlier, Jamaica resumed on their overnight score of 62-4 and declared on 238-9.

Overnight batsmen Andre McCarthy and Jermain Blackwood took the score to 80 before Blackwood was leg before to Sealy for 12.

David Bernard then joined McCarhty and revived the Jamaicans innings somewhat with a sixth wicket stand of 72.

However Nekoli Parris got the break through when he McCarhty caught for 46 at 150. Bernard (22) and Carlton Baugh Jnr saw their team to lunch at 154.

After the interval the host lost Baugh for 10 at 158-7. Nikita Miller and Merchant then stretched the lead with a ninth wicket stand of 80 before Merchant went for 14. Miller was left unbeaten on 26 and Cotterell 4 when the declaration came. Sealy was the pick of the bowlers with 4 wickets.

With a deficit of 88 CCC closed the second day on 94-4.

CCC began their second innings positively with Devon Thomas and Anthony Alleyne adding 65 for the opening stand before Bernard had Thomas leg before for 35.

Miller then sent Alleyne packing for 39 as the CCC slipped to 83-2 in the 20th over. CCC then lost Williams (02) and Parris (07) just before the close.

Bernard and Miller are the wicket takers so far for the home team.

The game continues today.

Saturday April 27, 2013

‘Screw’ Richmond Memorial Schools Football Competition

New Silvercity draw with C/burg/Wismar to stay atop The battle of the remaining unbeaten teams Christianburg/Wismar and New Silvercity failed to produce a positive result when they clashed recently in this year’s Edward ‘Screw’ Richmond Memorial Schools Football Competition, at the Wisburg ground.

According to a release from the Organisers, the encounter lived up to all the hype and expectations as the two teams regarded as the best treated the fans to a solid display despite the difficult conditions on the ground.

However, after the 70 minutes, both sides could not get the ball past their respective custodians in an effort to grasp that vital goal and the game ended in a goalless stalemate.

Nevertheless, the points’ race remains the same with New Silvercity leading the table on 16 points and C/Burg Wismar Secondary second on 14. Both teams remain undefeated at this point of the tournament. The tournament continues on Tuesday 30th

April, with two more matches, at the Wisburg Ground.

In the opening game, Harmony Secondary goes up against Wisburg Secondary, while in the feature clash, Mackenzie High and Linden Technical Institute go head to head.

Kick off time is 14:30 hrs.

Meanwhile, in results of other matches played: Game 1 Christianburg-Wismar Secondary School inflicted a 5-0 drubbing on Mackenzie High School Scorers Marmarlique Davidson (C.W.S.S.) – 13th Min., 25th Min. Yannick Simon (C.W.S.S.) – 19th Min., 29th Min. Anthony Layne (C.W.S.S.) – 30th Min. Game 2 Marcia Craig’s Educational Institute suffered a 1-5 defeat at the hands of Wisburg Secondary School Scorers Devon Miller (W.S.S.) – 11th Min. Mark Hope (W.S.S.) –

Marmarlique Davidson 20th Min. Tshekedi Whitehead (W.S.S.) – 28th Min., 65th Min. Trevon Castang (W.S.S.) – 40th Min. Tevin Thompson (M.C.E.I.) – 69th Min. The race for the Comfort Zone Taxi Service Most Goalscorer award is interesting with C/BurgWismar ’s Marmarlique Davidson moving within 1 of Harmony Secondary’s double hat-trick scorer Kurd Johnson, who leads all scorers with 7 goals from 5 games.

Rising Sun Horserace meet postponed to next Sunday May 5th due to inclement weather The sudden change in the weather pattern has started to take its toll on a few outdoor activities and one such event affected is Horseracing.

The inclement weather and a few unforeseen circumstances have forced the authorities to reschedule the Rising Sun Turf Club horserace meet set for tomorrow, Sunday April 28th

at the Rising Sun Turf Club to Next Sunday May 5th at the same venue weather permitting. Over 80 of the country’s top racehorses have taken entry for the meet at the Rising Sun Turf Club, Arima Park, West Coast Berbice.Eight races are listed on the day’s card, while over $6.5M in cash and trophies are up for the taking.

GASP Scrabble Open Championships slated for this Sunday Scrabble players will engage in fierce competition when the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP) stages the GASP Open Championship at the Malteenoes Sports Club, Thomas Lands this Sunday, April 28. Once again Abigail McDonald will be keen to retain her form and cart off the spoils with the likes of Moen Gafoor, James Krakowsky and Leon Belony among others looking to provide stern challenges. Wayne Cave has also shown remarkable improvement and has clinched the prize for the best player outside of the top ten rankings. In the last championship he had won that prize and also ascended the podium after placing 3rd overall.

Cave will be out to replicate that feat even as he eyes the overall championship. The competition commences at the usual 10:00hrs with registration starting at 09:45hrs. Players are reminded that all who arrive on or before the completion of the registration period will receive a $200 registration discount thus paying $500; those arriving afterwards pay $700. The competition will be sponsored by the association and promises attractive prizes for the top three finishers.

The event is dubbed as a sprint classic because none of the races are over 1400M. The list of event on the day’s programmes remains – The C and lower 1400M showdown which has a winning purse of $700,000.

The race for three year Guyana and West Indies Bred animals over 1400M for a winning purse of $400,000.

The event for E and D and lower maiden animals has a winning take of $400,000 over 1100M. The race for F and lower horses over 1400M for a top prize of $350,000, the G class and lower 1400M race for a winner’s take of $340,000.

There are also races for horses classified G3 and lower, ‘I’ and lower and J and lower.

Interested person can contact Fazal Habibulla on Telephone No 232-0232 or 6577010, Inshanally Habibulla on tel No 623-4495 or 2323295, or Donald or Zaleena Lawrie on telephone no 2254530or 2254565 for any additional information.

The race will be run under the rules of the Rising Sun Turf Club. Race time is 12:30 hrs. (Samuel Whyte)

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 37

Gayle chooses Windies over Counter sledging through performance - Richards Somerset SOMERSET, ENGLAND - West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has told Somerset he is willing to play in their Twenty20 campaign if it fits around his international schedule.

Gayle had agreed a contract to be the county’s overseas player for 2012.

However, the move fell through after the 33-yearold made himself available for the West Indies summer tour.

County chairman Andy Nash told BBC Somerset: “He’s openly saying he would offer Somerset first refusal on his services in the shorter format.”

Gayle has scored 8,442 runs in one-day internationals and only this week hit the fastest hundred in cricket history as well as the highest score - 175 not out - in Twenty20 cricket while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

He had agreed to spend the summer with Somerset in

Chris Gayle

January 2012, during a period where he had fallen out with the West Indies Cricket Board and had not played for his country since 2011.

But Gayle and West Indies officials resolved their differences, prompting the batsman to back out of his deal with Somerset so he could be considered for international duty.

The county opted against taking legal action against the Windies opener - a decision which Nash believes has worked in their favour.

“We could dig in and look

to go down the legal route but thankfully good sense prevailed and we decided to take the longer term view,” said Nash.

“He very generously reciprocated by declaring himself a member of the Somerset family. That was a happy ending.”

West Indies are due to play in England in the ICC Champions Trophy in June, before taking part in a triangular tournament on home soil.

That competition, which includes India and Sri Lanka, runs until 9 July.

UCI go on the attack after latest accusations by USADA

Lance Armstrong walks back to his car after running at Mount Royal park with fans in Montreal August 29, 2012. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi PARIS (Reuters) Cycling’s world governing body hit back at the US AntiDoping Agency on Friday after being accused by USADA president Travis Tygart of failing to deal with the consequences of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

Armstrong was banned for life and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles by the International Cycling Union (UCI) in October after USADA found that he had taken performance enhancing drugs throughout his career.

The USADA report into Armstrong’s doping also alleged that the UCI had not

done everything in their power to catch the former rider, who later admitted to cheating.

The UCI pledged to look into the past and set up an independent commission to investigate the allegations, only to disband it weeks later in favor of a broader “truth and reconciliation process” that has yet to start. Speaking before a French Senate committee investigating doping on Thursday, Tygart, the man behind Armstrong’s fall, repeated the accusations and said that the UCI was trying to “play a stall game”.

In reply to Tygart, the UCI said on Friday that USADA

and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) were also to blame for the dismantling of the independent commission.

“It’s all very well Mr Tygart talking about cooperation, but let’s not forget that the Independent Commission was only disbanded because of USADA’s and WADA’s point-blank refusal to cooperate with it,” the UCI said in a statement.

“Simply, the UCI was left with no choice but to close it down; it made no sense to go forward without the participation of these two bodies.” The Swiss-based body also suggested others had been to blame for the failure to catch Armstrong sooner.

“One can only assume that their refusal to cooperate with the Independent Commission was due to their fear that their own shortcomings would be exposed,” the statement said.

“After all, USADA and WADA also tested Armstrong over many years and also failed to catch him.

It was only with the benefit of the US Federal Investigation that USADA was finally able to gain evidence of Armstrong’s doping.”

ESPNcricinfo - Viv Richards, the former West Indies captain who is also the Delhi Daredevils ambassador, has said it’s important to be confrontational in cricket against sledging and “bullying” tactics, but through performance.

When faced with a situation where a player is “standing at the crease with guys swearing at you, telling you all sorts of things about your parenthood…if you’ve got good substance, your presence at the crease will be enough,” Richards was quoted as saying in Times of India. “You have got to think you are the man, having your chest and chin up and never taking a backward step. One has to try and exhibit what batsmanship is all about.

When you score a hundred, it’s going to hurt a bowler more than anything else.

“There are times you have to be confrontational. There are some bullies in cricket and nobody should be allowed to bully anyone. For me, if you confront me, I’ll finish the

Viv Richards (right) Nobody should be allowed to bully anyone © BCCI confrontation myself.”

Richards praised Chris Gayle for his destructive batting, the most recent example being his unbeaten 175 against Pune Warriors, but said even Gayle “plays the bluff” sometimes when he builds an innings gradually.

“Gayle realises that being destructive as he is, there is a need to dash all the time.

Sometimes he takes his time to play his way in and makes up for it later. I am sure Gayle

plays the bluff a few times.

“While he’s there in the middle the fielders are sweating all the time, wondering when he is going to just go. I believe it’s like stopping at a traffic light when it gets to green you have the chance to put the foot on the pedal.”

Richards said he would always have a player like Virender Sehwag in his side.

“They (players like Sehwag) (Continued on page 31)

Page 38

Kaieteur News

Saturday April 27, 2013

Saturday April 27, 2013

Kaieteur News

WDEI Circle Tennis SubAssociation sponsor successful GASA Inter Club Meet The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) recently hosted a successful Inter-Club Meet that was sponsored by the West Demerara /Essequibo Islands Circle Tennis SubAssociation (WDEICTSA) and held at the Colgrain Pool, Camp Street, April 11 – 14, 2013.

The four-day competition was held to observe the birth anniversary of former President of Guyana, Hugh Desmond Hoyte and the Commemoration Committee set up for that purpose also collaborated along with Mr. Mark Walkes to ensure the success of the event that was well accepted by the clubs and athletes.

First to third place swimmers in each age-group will be rewarded today at a simple presentation ceremony that will take place at Colgrain Pool from 16:30hrs.

The most valuable swimmers as determined by the Hy-Tek Age-Group Points System will also be rewarded

Niall Roberts

Sarah King

Athena Gaskin

Naomi King

according GASA as will the first to third place athletes for each race.

Following are the first to third place finishers in each age-group.

Page 39

t r o Sp

= GBBC GUYANA FIGHT NIGHT =

MUSCLE INVASION:

Shawn ‘The Sniper’ Cox out to Mr. Barbados 2011 prove he’s better than (Kurt) Bess Stevenson Belle is Guest Poser GABF Novice & Int. C/ships set for May 12 @ Theater Guild

Shawn Cox

Herschelle Gibbs latest CPL signing

kurt bess Stevenson Belle

Herschelle Gibbs

NBA playoffs: Grizzlies, Bulls

get big wins; Heat go up 3-0

Carlos Boozer goes in for a layup

KKR snap losing run with easy win

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