Kaieteur News

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August 07, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 32 - Price $80

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Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Govt. not ready to withdraw Linden tariff increases

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- Ramotar maintains “gradual” stance

Protests cripple interior minibus, truck operators - affected persons plead for concessions p. 18

Stranded interior transport operators in hammocks in which they have been sleeping under and between their trucks for the past three weeks at the National Stadium.

More millions being spent to modify Forensic Lab

- Original design did not cater for updated equipment - DNA testing would not be done immediately centre

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Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Manickchand cops humanitarian accolade

By Gary Eleazar tonight for doing something honoured “for her services This past weekend, the I have been privileged to and contributions to the New York Guyana Medical do…In recognizing me, I d e v e l o p m e n t o f k e y and Humanitarian Mission want to say that you really l e g i s l a t i o n f o r t h e (NYGM) held a special have recognized all the staff development of children’s r e c o g n i t i o n c e r e m o n y, members who you don’t see l i v e s a n d f o r h e r where Education Minster in the newspapers and you contributions and integrity in Priya Devi Manickchand don’t see on the TV that work executing her duties”. was bestowed with one of its behind the scenes. Without Manickchand is credited accolades. the workers at Human with successfully bringing to It was described as “long Services, the very dedicated the law books of the nation: in the making” since the w o r k e r s w h o a r e n o t the Protection of Children award gives recognition to celebrated, usually we could A c t , t h e A d o p t i o n o f the Minister for her work not have done the work.”

Children Act, the Status of during her tenure as Children Act, the Human Services and Childcare and “In recognizing me I want to say that Social Security Development you really have recognized all the staff Minister.

Services Act, the members who you don’t see in the Manickchand, Custody, Contact, in accepting the Guardianship and newspapers and you don’t see on honour, told those Maintenance Act, the TV that work behind the scenes.” gathered, inclusive the Childcare and of Cabinet Protection Agency colleagues, family and The Minister added that Act and the Sexual Offences staffers of the Human in her new post as Education Act. Services Ministry that it is Minister she is heartened to “Priya is undoubtedly an the “team” that deserves the be in the company of inspiration to us at NYGM, honour. “officers working night and as well as other groups and She explained that as she day thinking about what next the Guyanese people…We contemplated what to tell the we can do to make the lives are extremely grateful for audience she realized that of Guyanese better”. her support and she is being honoured for NYGM singled out the encouragement which are something that she feels Minister for special mention incalculable. As a token of “privileged to be doing.” as a result of several pieces our appreciation, we feel that M a n i c k c h a n d w a s of critical legislation she it is appropriate to award her adamant, however, that none managed to successfully with this citation.” of what she has been able to pilot through the National Those were the words of achieve over the years was Assembly.

NYGM’s Project done in isolation.

It was pointed out that the Administrator Holly Persaud “I am being honoured M i n i s t e r w a s b e i n g b e f o r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e

Education Minister Priya Manickchand (right) receives the plaque from NYGM Project Administrator Holly Persaud Minister with her recognition plaque.

Persaud reminded that d u r i n g t h e g r o u p ’s interaction with the Minister, “we could discern the fire in her eyes, and she always spoke passionately about the welfare of our children.”

Additionally, Manickchand is also

credited for the establishment of the Childcare and Protection Agency, expanding Legal Aid Services from being accessible in the capital city alone to six of ten regions, conducting a countrywide sexual violence campaign and passing a modern Sex Offences Act which

revolutionized the way such offences are viewed and treated in Guyana.

Minister Manickchand was also responsible for publishing the National Policy on Domestic Violence and establishing a Men’s Affairs Bureau to work along with the (continued on page 6)

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

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I will not be bullied by the ruling party - Speaker Trotman

By Gary Eleazar The Linden fallout has already triggered a successful ‘no-confidence motion’ against Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, but the Government has indicated that nothing compels adherence.

The ruling party has since indicated that it “stands solidly behind Rohee”, and denounced the recent “no confidence” motion which it says was improperly tabled and passed in the National Assembly.

During a Parliamentary debate this past week, Dr Vindiya Persaud, a Government MP, had intimated that the motion was improperly tabled, but she was quickly upbraided by Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman.

Trotman defended the tabling of the motion saying that to impute otherwise

would mean that he or the Clerk of the National Assembly caused the motion to be tabled improperly.

The Freedom House public missive said that “The recent passage of that motion of no confidence by the one seat combined opposition is a further testimony to the sad

also further testimony to the unreasonableness in the conduct of national issues being considered in Parliament.

“The Speaker, Trotman is showing great incompetence in that office.”

The ruling party argues that “Time and again, it has been mentioned by political

“The Govt. is obviously accustomed to railroading its way through the National Assembly. I can only imagine the pressure that was brought to bear against my predecessor.” deterioration that has taken place in the National Assembly, since the Speakership changed hands.”

The PPP is contending that the motion should not have been entertained in the first place and that its passage creates a further brazen unconstitutional occurrence in the National Assembly.

The party said that it is

parties, stakeholders and civic society that the power structure in Guyana is clearly demarcated by the Constitution.”

The party points to a hierarchy which places at the helm “The Executive/ Presidency” with the National Assembly and the Judiciary following respectively.

Govt. not ready to withdraw Linden tariff increases President Donald Ramotar has signaled government’s readiness to negotiate and gradually increase electricity tariffs in the town of Linden to bring the community on par with the rest of the country.

Ramotar’s stance is in opposition to the demand of Linden, which is entering week-three of its protests against the increases. On Sunday, Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon said the protest would not end until the increased electricity tariffs are withdrawn.

On July 18, residents of Linden began what was supposed to be a five-day protest against intended electricity tariff increases. On the first day of the protest, three men were shot dead by police and the President promised an independent investigation.

- Ramotar maintains “gradual” increase stance “I hope that a speedy end would be brought to the situation there (Linden) because of the fact that it is affecting the lives of the many Amerindian communities south of that area, but most of all it is impacting on the lives of the people in the Linden community,” he asserted at the opening of annual meeting of Amerindian leaders.

Defending Government’s decision to increase electricity rates in the community despite arguments of the need for economic improvement in Linden, he stressed that that argument could be applied to other parts of Guyana.

“If the people of St. Ignatius in the Rupununi area

have to pay for electricity it is only fair that all of us pay our fair share,” Ramotar stated.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the National Toshaos’ Conference, held at the International Conference Centre, Ramotar apologized to Amerindian leaders who experienced inconveniences travelling to Georgetown because of road blockades at Linden created by protesters.

Ramotar assured that the security forces have been (continued on page 16)

According to Freedom House, the pillars are independent “but have their roles spelt out in the Constitution.”

House Speaker Trotman has since fired back at the ruling party saying that “The government is obviously accustomed to railroading its way through the National Assembly… I can only imagine the pressure that was brought to bear against my predecessor.”

According to Trotman “A basic understanding, on the government’s part, of parliamentary practice and the majority’s inherent rights and responsibilities is obviously lacking.”

The Speaker was adamant that “I will not be bullied but will continue to apply the established practice and procedures to administer the affairs of the National Assembly…I will do so without “fear or favour, affection or ill will”.That was the solemn oath I took.”

Trotman says that if the Government side can demonstrate where Standing Orders are being violated, then the necessary adjustments will have to be made, “but otherwise, its members need to take the same advice given to the Opposition in the period 1992 to 2011, and that is to learn to live with the realities of the system and work with them.”

Responding to the charge by the PPP which alleges incompetence on the part of the Speaker, Trotman says that “even though I recognize that the Speaker’s position is a difficult and thankless one, I am buoyed by the expressions of confidence and support I receive from Members of Parliament and the public…I will not allow

Under Fire: Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee House Speaker, Raphael Trotman negativity to dissuade me from my task.”

The ruling party has charged that that event in recent times has shown that the combined opposition, which controls the National Assembly by one seat, has been misusing that institution and constantly colliding with democratic norms and practices.

According to the ruling party “The violent turmoil at Linden was organized and orchestrated by the opposition AFC, APNU and other extremists elements centered around the opposition’s insistence that Lindeners should not pay any increase in electricity charges.”

The party is adamant that “while holding this absurd stance, the same opposition had slashed the subsidy for the Guyana Power and Light by over $1B.” Freedom House is adamant that “it was because the opposition parties hijacked the protests, that peaceful demonstrators turned unruly, threatening a

breakdown of law and order in the Township…Three persons lost their lives as a result of this act.”

Freedom House serves as the Headquarters for the People’s Progressive Party, and is headed in all capacities

by Head of State Donald Ramotar, given that he is also the party’s General Secretary.

The party says that Rohee is being blamed for the shooting and “rather than wait for the agreed Commission of Inquiry to go into the matter, the opposition moved a motion of no confidence in the House, demanding that President Donald Ramotar relieve Clement Rohee of his duties…This demand preempts the Commission’s decision.

The PPP reiterates its full support of Clement Rohee and condemns the attacks by the opposition to tarnish the good name of the Minister of Home Affairs.”

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the 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

The Diaspora and Guyana The intense interest that people in the Diaspora show in Guyana is understandable, but at the same time something to cause raised eyebrows. For starters, there are those who send money (make remittances) to their relatives back home.

This, perhaps, is the most popular sign that people have a lot to think about when it comes to their homeland.

This is not common to Guyana, but given the size of the population, remittances are huge. According to figures released by the Inter-American Development Bank, two years ago Guyanese remitted some US$447 million.

But that is only the cash. The people in the Diaspora look for other ways of helping the country. Nurses would collect material that they believe is needed by the various medical institutions and post them. But for the most part, they would travel to Guyana on their vacation and deliver these things which are always well received by the Ministry of Health. And the travel is done at no cost to the government.

Just recently, some Guyanese amassed a number of doctors and specialists in the medical field to come to Guyana for what is now known as Guyana Watch. It is not that Guyana does not have doctors and specialists. It is not that the population is so large that the few doctors there are cannot attend to the population; it is not that there are no medical clinics for the people who live away from the capital.

Rather, it is a case that people sometimes refuse to travel to the medical facilities, either because they feel that the distance is too great or because they feel that they do not receive the kind of attention they need, or simply because they feel uncomfortable outside their district. The result is that medical missions like Guyana Watch attract huge crowds.

Schools also receive a lot of attention from the Diaspora.

Over the weekend in Canada, some former students and teachers of Queen’s College met in Scarborough to discuss situations at the school. They looked at funding scholarships, assisting the less fortunate, and this time around the possibility of boosting the teaching staff. Again, whatever assistance they give is done at no cost to the government.

Most of the people at the meeting have been visiting Guyana and going to the school to meet with the teachers there to get a grasp of the situation.

The casual observer would wonder at this interest when the very people had an opportunity to remain at home and do even more. The answer lies in the ability of the government to pay the kind of money that would allow people to give back.

This has long been a talking point. Everyone who has migrated insists that had the pay been what it should be then they would never have migrated. A small country like Guyana says that it would like to pay better salaries but that it simply does not have the money to do that and undertake development at the same time.

But is this really true? Recently, the Minister of Finance told parliament that there are contract employees who are paid very high salaries for doing things that are not important to national development.

There are about 40,000 teachers in the system. The head of the premier school receives a salary of about US$700 per month, the same as the head of some of the lower schools. But a spokesman for the government gets as much as three times that figure.

The then President Bharrat Jagdeo once said that the number of teachers is too great and any salary increase would bump up the spending by the public treasury. Yet education is something that one cannot toy with. Kaieteur News recently conducted a study of some of the contracts awarded by the government in the other sectors and found that many of these were so overpriced that the conclusion was that there was corruption in the planning and the award of these contracts.

One suggestion is that the people in the upper echelons of the school be offered contracts and paid the kind of money paid to those other contract employees. Indeed, the government has been known to import teachers and to pay them such sums.

After all, these very lowly paid teachers are being gobbled up overseas and after awhile these very teachers then begin to give some of their earnings back to their counterparts at home.

President Ramotar and corruption DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, I have been thinking for some time to write to you expressing some of my thoughts on your leadership style under the current political dispensation.

I have refrained from penning my name for obvious reasons. In order to be economical in space and time my observations are numbered but in no particular order.

I have known you a long time and can say without an iota of hesitation that you are a good person. You care for and listen to others. This is why many placed their hopes on you when you were running for the Presidency of our beloved country.

As a leader, both of the PPP and nation, you are less confrontational than many others. I believe you possess the good will and commitment, and you sincerely wish for national unity.

In spite of the above, you allow your indecisiveness to overshadow all your extraordinary qualities. If one is afraid to make mistakes one will not take action on anything. You have been in office already eight months but you are yet to make an imprint in anything. You have been and are still the General Secretary of the PPP, which has degenerated throughout the last decade.

In my opinion, your sense of self-preservation has surpassed your ability to lead and lead effectively.

With respect to your role as President of the country, I presume you will say that you are restricted by the oneseat majority of the combined opposition in parliament. Let me address this issue.

For 28 years, the PNC ruled this country in an arrogant and dictatorial manner, not to mention the rigged elections, etc. Any and everything proposed in Parliament by the PPP which was in opposition was disdainfully rejected by the ruling PNC. The PPP/C came to power in 1992 and the tables turned.

The PPP/C did exactly what the PNC used to do in Parliament.

The condescending manner of the PPP/C MPs and the arrogance with which they used their Parliamentary majority left a lot to be desired.

Now, the balance in Parliament has shifted and we seem to expect that it will be business as usual. One cannot but notice that the combined Opposition is having a field day with “sweet revenge”.

As President of Guyana, you have the unique opportunity (in this new political configuration) of going down in history as the

man who has brought unity and harmony in this country.

And I have no doubt you would certainly like to see this come to fruition.

However, to achieve this goal, you have to be prepared to step on some toes. You cannot perpetually remain the “nice guy”. Here are some suggestions: Pay more attention to perceptions, for perceptions in many instances constitute a bigger force that propels people into action or nonaction.

You are still perceived as being in the shadow of former President Jagdeo, who in his last years as President managed to effectively isolate and aggravate a large section of the media, PPP members and ordinary people.

People’s lives are influenced not only by economics. If they perceive that they are being sidelined/ victimised because they differ in their views and opinions, they will eventually rebel in their own way. The one-seat minority is testimony to this.

The above point does not negate the influence of leaders on the masses, but it does make it easier, for example, for the opposition to pull dissatisfied PPP supporters into their ranks or at least provide an opportunity for the opposition to make inroads into PPP strongholds by instigating disgruntled PPP supporters to sit on the

fence. Votes were lost and this is a fact.

Let me come back to you being in the shadow of Jagdeo. The overwhelming majority of your Ministers come from the previous Cabinet. Only four are new, three of whom hold junior positions. Your rehiring of Navin Chandarpal only exposes your weakness as General Secretary of the PPP. You knew his dismissal from OP was wrong, yet you did not raise your voice at the appropriate forum.

In this new political context, you still surround yourself with PPP hardliners like Roger Luncheon and Gail Teixeira. Their mere presence at negotiations/talks with the opposition is intimidating.

If you sincerely wish to bring about unity in our country you ought to cultivate a team perceived to be moderates who will listen and work towards a win/win situation for all.

I am, by no means saying that you should sideline Luncheon and Teixeira. On the contrary, they have institutional memory and experience incomparable and invaluable. Just keep them away from the frontline.

Remember the power of perception.

It is unfortunate that some of your Ministers behave the same way like when the PPP/ C had majority in Parliament.

The level of arrogance is

pugnacious and repugnant. I am in no way justifying the behavior of the opposition.

You ought to meet with your MPs on a regular basis, providing guidance and sense of direction. At the moment, there seems to be disarray and discontent among your MPs. Mr. Granger is a military man. Therefore, he is observant and meticulous, and is an excellent strategist.

Give him credit where it’s due.

He took and is taking full advantage of individual and combined weaknesses within the PPP/C. Some of your Ministers have outlived their usefulness as Ministers. They cause more harm than good. Have the guts to replace them.

As General Secretary of the PPP, you ought to pay attention to the Civic. There is no longer a “civic” component of the government as envisaged initially. You have individuals who do not bring a constituency to the party. On top of that, some of them are extremely politically immature.

Decisions ministers make can have serious political implications/repercussions.

Both Ministries of Health and Education used to have two Ministers each. Now, they have one each. This is shortsightedness. A lean government ought not to (Continued on page 7)

Disdain by the PPP/C for the Linden killings DEAR EDITOR, I listened intently to the parliamentary debate on the no-confidence motion against Guyana’s Minister of Home Affairs and National Security Clement James Rohee.

I was dismayed and outraged that not one PPP Member of Parliament or Minister of Government found it within their heart to act humanly and condemn the wanton murder of the Linden protestors and the unjust shooting and wounding of about 20-plus others.

Their intransigence conjured up words like callousness and heartlessness, if not inhuman, in my mind. The ruling PPP’s approach to the debate on this serious matter of urgent public importance seemed tinged with an uncanny flippancy that projected a brutal disdain for those in despair. They seemed indifferent to the cowardly murder of the protestors and impervious to the plight of the people of Linden.

One MP within the PPP even boldly stated that it’s unfair for “the people” on the coastland to pay for the subsidized electricity for “the people” in Linden. This said MP was once a member of Jagdeo’s ethnocratic regime. She was appropriately called out by AFC’s MP, Moses Nagamootoo.

Perfidious expressions of sympathy punctuated the dismal presentations of the PPP’s MPs. Some, like Indra Chandarpal, seemed misguided and oblivious to the gravity of the murder of innocent lives by agents of the State. She invoked all sorts of foolishness and delved into irrelevant history.

Others said that the killings of the

protestors were because they had been warned to disperse but refused; as if it is justifiable to murder unarmed, innocent citizens who were exercising their inalienably and constitutional rights.

None of them see their government’s entry into the disgraceful graveyard of despotic states like Syria, Libya, Sudan, Russia and Yemen - regimes who also murdered their own citizens in the practice of democracy. And they also failed to contemplate that Rohee could be liable under the international criminal law for these atrocities.

I was made nauseous as I listened to these PPP ministers line up offering insincere sympathies and defending Clement Rohee. But they refused to condemn the killings in Parliament. Such depravity and disregard for human life is scandalous. It’s by their design injurious to national harmony.

I therefore call on Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Public Service Minister Dr. Jennifer Westford, Human Services Minister Jennifer Webster, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill, and Junior Local Government Minister, Norman Whittaker, to unequivocally condemn the killings of the Linden protestors.

We don’t want to hear anymore hollow supplications of sympathies. Keep those for the confessionary. Give us your unqualified condemnation!

No equivocations or vacillations.

Just a plain, old garden variety condemnation will suffice!

Rickford Burke

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

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

City Hall never ceases to amaze

DEAR SIR, The dynamics at City Hall never cease to amaze me. If it isn’t one thing it’s another.

Now, Minister of Local Government, Norman Whittaker has appointed a Carol Sooba, to the post of Town Clerk of Georgetown.

While the Minister has the authority to appoint a Town Clerk, it must be the case that there are certain standards and protocols which must be observed before such appointment are made.

One such protocol ought to be a general assessment of the available skills and competencies within the organisation, and selection of the best person to carry out the functions of that office.

After all, it is the most senior position in the City Council’s administration.

However, it does appear that, Carol Sooba was catapulted into the top position at City Hall by other considerations. It could affect the beliefs, assumptions, morale, behavior and actions of all the workers at the council.

But what about the Commission of Inquiry report which recommended that certain officers are relieved of their duties. Here is what it says: “The conclusive recommendations that both the Town Clerk’s and City Treasurer’s services should be terminated and the vacancies appropriately advertised, indicated recognition of the inadequacies of the current acting incumbents. The fact that both submitted willingly to the control of their respective superiors, and have been substantially influenced by the culture of mismanagement and malpractices, is precisely a reflection of the lack of the relevant technical skills., and therefore their inability to do the right thing-to the extent that they performed inadequately, even in the absence of the two substantive officers.”

“One of the concerns which surfaced during the Inquiry was the need for senior officers to understand as fully as possible the legal implications of the work they undertake, i.e. the basic

requirements as stated in Chapter 28:01.

The current capacity of the Legal Department does not appear to be disposed to contributing to such an awareness programme. Nor is it organized to deal authoritatively with continuing number of legal issues with which the Council is faced- staffed as it is with one (under-qualified) employee.

Consequently the Council resorts to outsourcing most of its legal work-a process which is facilitated mainly by the Council’s ‘Legal Officer’.

The cost to the Council is sufficiently high to require the latter to reflect on the cost benefit of employing its own fulltime legal staff, who can be more effectively directed, and who is likely to perform in a more expeditious manner than the outsourced legal advisor whose retainer fee is not necessarily tied to productivity. Additionally, such a skilled employee will serve the Council well as a mediator for settlements, thus reducing the incidence of litigation.

The employment of an Attorney-at-law offers the following advantages, amongst others: The Attorney’s loyalty will be solely to the Council and thus advice would be available if and when needed.

This could be of tremendous benefit to the Town Clerk in the execution of duties of that office which , at the same time, help reduce legal ‘mis-steps’ which result in litigation against the council.

In terms of cost, retainer fees to the several external attorneys would be drastically reduced as well as payments made on a case-bybasis.

The Attorney will be on hand to give Legal counsel in any negotiations involving the Council All contracts could be reviewed before execution at no additional cost to Council The Attorney could be proactive in supporting the Council in the collection of rates and taxes without appearing to be selective in prosecutions, towards personal financial gain (it is worthy of note here that fees of some of the Attorneys retained by the council

amount to 10% of the outstanding rates) There just may be opportunity to harness the seemingly wide-ranging powers of the Town Clerk by including in that officer’s conditions of service (as specific directions from Council which he must obey according to section 75 of the Act), that the legal correctness of certain actions must be pronounced upon by the resident Attorney, prior to implementation.

Our recommendation therefore is for the Legal Department of the M&CC to be upgraded to provide more substantive support to the Council, and in the process constrain the Town Clerk (and other officers) from taking certain actions, before prior advice and directions from the Department.”

Notwithstanding that, the very officers, who the Commission suggested should not be considered for appointment to senior positions were appointed, by the Ministry of Local Government.

Further, the officers who were sent off on leave were accused of inter alia not implementing the recommendations of the report while their very appointments seem to have

disregarded the recommendations of that very report. Neither the government nor the Council appears to be taking the report of the Commission seriously.

It is unfortunate because the report in all of its three volumes seems to be aiming at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the municipality and the improvement of the service delivery of the Council.

Yet, important recommendations by the Commission are disregarded by the Ministry and Council.

It is a serious contradiction that continues to confuse the public.

In the extant circumstances facing the municipality- lack of resources, poor image and reputation, allegations of corruption, lack of public trust and confidence and a host of other negatives- it is clear that something is very wrong with the decision made by the Minister.

Surely, the Council must have policies and rules for recruitment and promotion and that these should be carefully followed to facilitate fairness and justice in the organisation and to put in place the best persons that can manage the Council.

Aubrey James

Crime preventing measures

DEAR MR. EDITOR, I refer to your editorial on today’s date captioned ‘Crime and Response’ in which I support your view.

However, the problem of crime, not only in Guyana but throughout the region, stem from the lack of implementation of the three basic crime prevention measuresnamely situational, social and tertiary crime prevention. I agree with you that the police, not only in Guyana, appear to be lost in detecting, preventing and solving violent crime especially drug related.

The upsurge of crime can be reduced through the implementation of the three crime prevention measures I mentioned earlier. However, it is important that these measures must work together in order to be successful.

The force must have the necessary resources at its disposal to deal with the increase in the drug trade.

The state must make resources available to the police to have the necessary tools to prevent and detect the persons who are involved in the drug trade. It is important from a situational crime prevention strategy

Money spent on ad should have been used to clean the city DEAR SIR, Please refer to a feature which appeared in your Kaieteur News of Sunday, August 5, 2012, in which a number of photographs of piles of garbage were published in a full page advertisement. It was difficult for me to understand why anyone would want to publish such photographs.

Perhaps, to showcase the filth that now cover the “garden city” and to make the Mayor and City Councilors look bad and others, stated at the bottom of the advertisement, look good. Or perhaps, they are just naive.

Or perhaps, some group of persons wants to be seen as the ones who will save Georgetown.

The dirty condition of Georgetown is no secret.

Therefore, there is no need for anyone to go out of their way

to highlight it. Is this some kind of a joke? We are living in dirt and muck and people are happy to highlight that in the newspapers.

What we, the citizens of Georgetown, want to know is when the city will be cleaned by those who are in authority.

The Council has been saying that it does not have the money to do a massive cleanup.

Will the government give council the money to do that?

I would have thought that if the people who claimed they are fighting for the city were serious then they would have used the money spent on advertisement to begin to clean up Georgetown.

Come on let us stop playing politics with garbage.

Roy Smith

that what is needed is personnel, equipment and training. From the social side, we need the help of the business community in sponsoring various social programs in educating persons about the dangers of drugs. Furthermore, creating employment for the unemployed.

Finally, the courts have their role to play in reducing not only the drug trade but in reducing crime on a whole.

As you correctly stated, the increase in drugs appears that the drug lords find Guyana a very soft target.

They see security loop holes in which they took advantage of the weakness to pass the drugs through undetected.

It is important for the two security agencies, the police which control Immigration and Customs, to share information.

I would suggest that what is needed is for personnel from the two agencies be housed under one roof the do intelligence gathering and any information received can be passed on to the appropriate department for action. Finally, we need the assistance of our neighbours in the region and may be beyond to assist with the necessary intelligence.

The courts are overwhelmed with the number of cases that have to be adjudicated. However, we must not shower any blame on our legal system. There is a shortage in the number of (Continued on page 7)

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 07, 2012

US$$M Amaila Falls Road ...

Project behind schedule again, more extensions granted

By Gary Eleazar Region 10 continues to be blockaded, as residents have decided to stand their ground until their demands are met.

The administration has been lamenting dire consequences to dependent communities and projects.

One such dependent project which is now being threatened as a result of the blockades is the Amaila Falls Access Road.

This publication has learnt, however, that even before the Linden blockades, the road project had begun to experience problems once again as a result of incessant rainfall in the general location.

Following the termination of a US$15.4M contract that had initially been awarded to Makeswhar ‘Fip’ Motilall of Synergy Holdings Inc., several sections of the road had to be contracted out to different contractors.

Kaieteur News has learnt that every Contractor that had been awarded a section of the road has requested extensions and all have been granted.

The extensions have been made as a result of the weather patterns that have been putting a hold on works, and according to reports, the

extensions only take into account days lost as a result of the weather.

It has been conceded that the project is again behind schedule and a conservative estimate, based on weather and other projections, now places the deadline at October month-end.

Those affected sections are “between two and six”, while the final section, “seven,” has encountered a plethora of separate difficulties, the latest being the Linden impasse. That contractor has only this past weekend been able to mobilise the equipment and have it transported to the worksite.

The scheduled departure date for the equipment to be taken to section seven of the access road was on July 18 the day Lindeners commenced their then ‘fiveday’ shutdown of the community.

Three persons were shot and killed during the demonstration, presumably by ranks of the Guyana Police Force, and the community has since been on a rigid lockdown.

Traditionally, as a result of its economic viability, the Linden route onto the Mabura roadway has been the

preferred avenue for transport, but as a result of the blockades in Linden, the contractor had to use the river route.

The equipment had to be trekked by river, first to Bartica, before making its way to the Amaila Falls site, with the works on that section finally being able to commence.

As it relates to ancillary supplies that the contractors on Sections Two to Six would require, this publication has been reliably informed that supplies are currently on reserves.

Fuel, food and other supplies have to be trekked in by river on an emergency basis, and according to reports, the situation is moving disturbingly towards “dire.”

It was in early June, last, that Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon announced that Cabinet had approved the contract for the final stretch of the Amaila Falls road.

“Public Works: For the construction of the Amaila Falls access road section seven, that’s the Kuribrong River bank to Amaila Falls.

This contract, he confirmed, was for $832.8M. The Access Road Project serves as a part of Guyana’s US$100M equity in the proposed US$840M Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP), which is currently on hold, as the country awaits word on a US$175M loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to complete the financing arrangements. That financial closure has since been pushed back to 2013, according to the Company contracted to undertake the project, Sithe Global.

The 165MW Hydroelectric Power Plant is slated to be built at the base of the Amaila Falls.

Funding for the project comes from a variety of sources including US$100M in equity from the Guyana

Government.

Guyana has already committed US$15.4M for the construction of the access road as part of the equity, with the remainder of the equity coming from the LCDS initiatives such as the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Norway for some US$250M The majority of the AFHEP funding (70 per cent) will be coming from the China Development Bank and the IDB. The IDB is being sought after for US$175M while China Development Bank will be providing some US$413.2M, and US$152.1M from Sithe Global, bringing the total project cost to US$840.3M. In terms of how the money will be used, the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) cost of the actual project will amount to some US$519.6M. The total capital costs for the project, according to the Sithe Global officials, will be US$652.5M, taking into consideration additional construction, development, start-up, as well as a contingency.

The remaining US$187.8M will go towards financing costs which include Interest during Construction (US$97.1M), Lenders Fee and Advisory Cost (US$34.9M), and Debt Political Risk Insurance (US$55.7M).

At a projected average tariff of US$101M, the plant is expected to rake in more than US$2B over the 20-year period on the Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) life of the project.

The plant is slated to last for at least 75 years.

Sithe Global has in the past indicated that it would be willing to incorporate the access road project into the larger project rather than lose on all of the gains made thus far. Sithe Global has reportedly invested s ome US$11.1M in the project.

Kwame McCoy likely to know fate today

Kwame McCoy Information and Press Liaison to the President Kwame McCoy, will today, more than likely, know the result of the criminal charge leveled against him by Clifton Stewart as Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry, presiding over the matter, previously indicated her intention to make a ruling in the matter.

McCoy is charged for reportedly assaulting and threatening Stewart on November 12 last year at D’Urban Street while performing poster-erecting duties for his political party.

According to the charge, McCoy allegedly used a firearm and struck Stewart across the head after they had a misunderstanding. The facts of the charge against the government official state that on the day in question, McCoy and others were placing on street light poles, photos of Presidential candidate at the time, Donald Ramotar.

Stewart, who is the supporter of another political party, confronted McCoy, who he said was at the time placing photos of his party’s candidate over that of Stewart’s party member.

Stewart reportedly spoke to McCoy about the photos and he became annoyed. The facts continued that an argument ensued between McCoy and the victim.

McCoy reportedly threatened Stewart by telling him “he is a marked man and he should watch his back.”

Stewart alleged that McCoy

even took pictures of him and that made him even more frightened so he attempted to leave the area.

The man said he was however followed by McCoy who continued to threaten him. Stewart claimed that McCoy later pulled out a silver gun and struck him across the head. The man said he immediately flagged a taxi and sought medical attention.

McCoy was charged in May last for the offence.

Prosecutor Lionel Harvey had led the case on behalf of Stewart. He provided two witnesses to the court including the victim. McCoy was later asked to lead the defence and he presented two police officers - one of whom he said had possession of his firearm which he indicated was lodged at Brickdam Police Station and the other, a rank whom he said escorted him on his duties as he erected posters.

At the trial, McCoy claimed that he never saw Stewart before the court hearing. Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos represented McCoy and he had put forward in his closing arguments that Stewart could have inflicted the wound himself.

McCoy’s witnesses could not check out his story. One officer said he never collected a gun from McCoy. The rank said he only saw McCoy’s weapon after it was lodged and McCoy had later returned to the police station to make enquiries about it.

The other rank said he never saw McCoy on the day in question and that escorting McCoy on his poster duties was far below his function.

Following this matter, McCoy is expected to face another criminal matter involving one Natalie Ross.

McCoy is accused of ‘hitting’ the woman with his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

It is alleged that McCoy was again erecting posters, but at Camp Street. He ended up in an argument with persons and that resulted in the accused allegedly hitting Ross. The woman had to overnight at the city hospital.

Manickchand cops humanitarian ...

From page 2 Women’s Affairs Bureau to counter ills people, especially women, face such as genderbased violence.

Manickchand, during her stint as Human Services Minister, a position she assumed and became the youngest Cabinet member at the time, also established the Women of Worth programme, which is a collaboration with a private bank to provide a micro-credit facility for low income earning single-parent women which features a collateral

free, low interest loans.

Tasked with addressing the psycho-social needs of victims of Trafficking in Persons, Manickchand has also implemented many policies that saw real change happen in the manner victims were treated and perpetrators dealt with.

Following the Regional and General Elections in 2011, newly-elected Head of State Donald Ramotar extended an invitation for Priya Manickchand to join his cabinet, this time to head and re-

form the Education Sector.

Manickchand, a mother of two, will celebrate her second wedding anniversary to Captain Bhageswhar Murli of the Guyana Defence Force tomorrow.

NYGM is a charitable nonprofit organisation incorporated in the state of New York.

Its mission is four-fold in nature - cultural, educational, medical and humanitarian and targets communities in New York, the Caribbean and Guyana, having been established some 14 years ago

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Letters... Where your views make the news

Mercury use vs. new technologies

DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) is reluctant to embrace any initiative that seeks to phase out or properly regulate the use of mercury, despite evidence that showed that it is not the best and most cost effective method used in the recovery and processing of gold.

It is acknowledged that gold mining provides a significant source of income for small and medium scale miners and moreover, a major contributor to the country’s GDP. Nevertheless, our miners use substantial amounts of mercury in an unsafe manner and environmentally hazardous conditions.

Mercury is generally handled by people with little or no awareness of its danger

and little or no training to minimise the risks associated with its use.

Inevitably, the application of mercury in the processing of gold leads to environmental degradation and ecosystem pollution which prevails decades after mining has ceased. Arguably, even low dosage of mercury poisoning causes neurological problems and has been proven to be dangerous for women of child bearing age. For this reason, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) initiated the small scale gold mining partnership in 2005. The overall goal of this project is to protect human health and the global environment from the release of mercury and its compounds by minimizing and, where feasible, ultimately

eliminating global, anthropogenic mercury releases to air, water and land.

Initially the project places stringent rule on the use of mercury, thereafter it forbids the use of mercury.

More importantly, gold produced without the use of mercury may be certified “green gold” since its processing is in keeping with sustainable development.

Our miners therefore must invest in new technologies such as gravity separation or concentration methods which ha v e t h e p o t e n t i a l t o eliminate the use mercury or the use of borax which has a higher gold recovery rate than mercury.

Come on miners, stop whining, embrace sustainable development, promote a “Green Guyana.”

Lelon Saul

Are you serious? What gun club?

DEAR SIR, It never fails to amaze me the amount of ignorance which abounds in our Dear Land of Guyana. Here it is. A man by the name of Tej Jadunauth, maybe rich (nouveau riche) man, actually putting pen to paper in one of our daily newspapers – the most popular one I would say – to come up with the incredibly asinine suggestion of the formation of gun clubs.

The more I read this article, the more I am convinced this person is trying his best to make our Dear Land of Guyana into a ‘killing field’

where those with the licensed firearms who belong to the proposed elite gun clubs manned by “accredited personnel” can shoot to kill at random whenever and wherever they feel entitled to do so, and get away with it.

But it must also be realized by this particular individual who has made the suggestion that wherever there is action, there will definitely be a reaction.

I, personally, consider this to be a deadly proposition and not worth pursuing. One has to consider the serious implications of such a suggestion.

Veronica

Crime preventing measures From page 5 judicial personnel to adjudicate court matters. This must be remedied quickly in order that persons who are brought before the court may be disposed of as quickly as possible in preventing the case from becoming stale which will lead to a disinterest in the virtual complainant. Tertiary crime prevention is the function of the court where they dispose justice according to the crime.

However, they cannot function if the laws are archaic.

I agree with you that offenders who are remanded for a very long time before their cases are heard usually

learn from other prisoners how to improve their skills in respect to crime. However, it’s the duty of the courts to ensure that justice is served.

The ‘social rehabilitation’ response to violence from criminologist, psychologist and sociologist - who theorise on crime are of the view that the social fabric of society is the cause of crime and they hold fast to certain social theories which they believe are the causes of crime. They have suggested many social remedies which they believe can reduce crime. Social crime prevention does assist in crime prevention. However,

for it to be successful companies need to do more within the community in which they operate. This could be in the form of sponsoring sports programmes, assisting the community in projects and granting scholarships to youths. The business community must embrace the community and be cognizant of its needs.

If the three crime prevention measures are working together, we will definitely see a reduction in crime. I must stress that crime will always be with us, we cannot totally eradicate it.

Morris Springer

President Ramotar and...

From page 4 achieved at the expense of efficiency and effectiveness.

You have one Minister running two ministries, which gives the impression that the PPP has a shortage of competent people.

You might not believe that there is pervasive corruption. But perception is strong that there is. How do you counter that perception?

Make an example of some found guilty of corruption or

under whose leadership corruption was allowed (knowingly or unknowingly) to happen.

Deal with incompetence in a decisive manner.

Mr. President, the time is ripe to forge a unity never experienced since independence. You have the space and the opportunity to do so. All you need is the courage to be decisive and not be afraid to make mistakes.

I hope I have not offended

you in any way. I have the greatest respect for you. I implore you to move beyond self-preservation, which in turn, will bring you your rightful place in history. I would want to believe that our future generations will read in our history books that Donald Ramotar was the man who rid our country of distrust and confrontation and created an environment for peace, unity and harmony.

Well Wisher

Page 7

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

How can one countermand something one does not know about?

It was surprising to access last Sunday’s internet edition of the Kaieteur News and read a letter from one of Guyana’s political elders, Mr. Eusi Kwayana.

In the past, Mr. Kwayana’s letters only appeared in the Stabroek News. For some unstated reason he never sent his many letters on local issues to the Kaieteur News. Last Sunday’s letter broke with that practice.

It made reference to the fatal shooting on July 18, last, of three persons in Linden. In that letter published last Sunday, Kwayana asked the strange question as to why the incumbent Minister of Home Affairs did not do what the former Minister of Home Affairs Balram Singh Rai was reportedly said to have done in 1962, that is, countermand a decision of the then Commissioner of Police who had allegedly given orders to open fire on protesters.

Whether this actual countermanding ever took place is of course dependent on the accuracy of the source of the transcript of the alleged conversation which is said to have occurred in 1962.

In the book “Against the Grain” the alleged conversation between the Commissioner and the then Minister of Home Affairs Rai, was detailed with surprising

precision. It is therefore suspected that the source of the alleged countermanding may have been attributable to Rai, the former Minister of Home Affairs in the PPP government of 1961.

The conversation allegedly went as follows: Rai: Commissioner! You are the Commissioner of Police?

Commissioner: “Yes” Rai: ”And I am the Commander in Chief?”

Commissioner: ”Yes” Rai: ”I am countermanding your order.”

Commissioner: “Very well, Sir?” Kwayana used the contents of this conversation to question why the present Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee did not countermand the decision to shoot at the protesters in Linden.

It is quite a ridiculous and irresponsible question, because there is no evidence available that the present Home Affairs Minister knew about a decision to shoot at the protesters.

Not even his harshest critics in Guyana, who have moved a motion of noconfidence in him in the parliament, have suggested that the present Minister of HomeAffairs knew that there was such an order given. So how can one countermand what one does not know about?

There is equally nothing

Dem boys seh ...

Brazzy running a cake shop at GPL Guyana is a land known for plenty water. Everywhere you tun is water. Mek it worse yet when de rain fall. If you want fuh go to Berbice, you got to cross de water. Same thing if you in G/T and want to go to West Dem or Essequibo, you got fuh cross water.

Is plenty of it. De water just like money. It gat to be that Guyana gat plenty. How else you could explain that government asking for over five billion fuh build another power plant. Dem bring out one last year September and dem now asking for more money to build another plant.

Dem boys want fuh know if Brazzy dem running Guyana like a cake shop. How come he didn’t know last year that he gun need more than US$25M fuh build another one? He was the one that tell dem boys that he hoping that before 2015 when Amaila Falls project come, that Guyana ain’t gun need no more engine.

Well, Brazzy, this is 2012, jus’ one year later and yuh ain’t only asking for one million but five billion.

Dem boys want to remind Brazzy and he kava ka mites that Guyana is not a cake shop.

When yuh running a country, yuh must have a plan. If not, yuh in de wrang business. Well, it ain’t look like getting the money gun be any cake walk because dem odder side people in Parliament gat hard questions.

Is de same planning dem boys was wondering ‘bout when the rat pack and de bees was shaping up fuh build de Marriott. Brazzy, De Rat, Babbie, Bayah and de rest wasn’t planning dat de Harbour Bridge gun start sink. Now everybody watchin dem wid four eye.

Dem boys want to tell all ah dem crookish ones, especially de Rat and Brazzy, that dem know how de thief dem thinking.

So don’t slip up, dey got pumpkin jumpsuit fuh every man jack. Talk half and plan fuh listen de odder half.

in the public domain to even suggest that such an order was ever given. So why ask such an absurd question?

If Kwayana’s reference to 1962 is for the purposes of comparing how one minister in 1962 dealt with the police, as against how the incumbent minister dealt with the present force, the example is off-mark.

Such a comparison depends on context. The context in which the alleged countermanding took place in 1962 was different from those of July 18, last.

Kwayana notes that in 1962 there was no shooting at protesters. He noted that five alleged looters and a bystander were killed, but no

protesters. He did not mention whether he felt the protests in 1962 were violent.

In 1962, there were violent protests in the city. There was rioting and arson. From reports in the media, these elements were not present prior to the shooting in Linden on July 18, last.

During the violent protests in Georgetown in 1962, a senior superintendent of police was killed and two others wounded.

In Against the Grain, it was said that when Rai was going to lunch he saw a group of protesters outside of parliament acting in a hostile manner. Later, it was said, Rai was told by the Commissioner of Police that

the protesters were planning to storm parliament buildings.

It was during this conversation that Rai had reportedly learnt that the then top cop had given orders to fire on the protesters. These were the alleged circumstances of the alleged and still unsubstantiated conversation between Rai and then Commissioner.

So if the conversation did take place in 1962, it took place in a context in which the then Home Affairs minister had knowledge of a decision to fire at protesters in the context of violent protests. There is no indication that the present Home Affairs minister had such knowledge, or in the

absence of violent protests, could have anticipated that there would have been a confrontation between the police and the protesters on the Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge.

The issue of who shot the protesters in Linden, whether live rounds were used, who knew and who did not know, will have to be determined during the ongoing police probe or the Commission of Inquiry into the shootings.

Kwayana in the meantime seems to have made up his mind about the answers to some of these questions.

No rush to condemn GuySuCo arrangements for overseas boss - Industry in dire straits, requires drastic remedies - Nigel Hughes

By Gary Eleazar If it is a case where the best talent required to rescue the ailing Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) cannot be located locally, then resorting to overseas personnel cannot be ruled out.

This is the opinion of newly-elected Chairman of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, who has weighed in with his personal view on the recent Parliamentary revelation by Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy as it relates to arrangements in place for GuySuCo’s Board Chairman.

The information was made available to Parliament as a result of a request by Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, who holds the shadow Agriculture portfolio for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

Dr. Ramsammy had informed the House that GuySuCo buys a return ticket every month for its Chairman,

Alliance for Change (AFC) Chairman Nigel Hughes Dr Rajendra Singh, who is based in New Jersey. The Agriculture Minister said that Dr. Singh is flown into Guyana every month, on an economy class ticket, and his hotel accommodation and other expenses are met by GuySuCo.

Hughes, in weighing in on the matter, opined that “GuySuCo is in such dire straits, if it is that the Chairman can only be recruited from overseas and has to be flown in on a monthly basis, then justification would be evident in the performance of the industry”.

Hughes stressed that the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the cashstrapped entity has to be operating within specific guidelines and deadlines. He said that the company is at a point where practicing fiscal responsibility and bringing back the company to economic viability has to be of utmost importance.

Unaware of all the factors that have led to the recruitment of and arrangements for Dr Singh, Hughes noted that he would be unable to say if it is exorbitant or not.

At the time of the revelation by Dr Ramsammy in parliament last Thursday,

Opposition Parliamentarian Volda Lawrence had sought to inquire whether there are qualified persons residing in Guyana who could do the job, stressing that Dr. Singh has been on the board for many years.

As such Ramsammy retorted that President Donald Ramotar is slated to name a new board to oversee the operations of GuySuCo by the end of the year.

The Corporation’s biggest headache is the Skeldon Estate, which was commissioned in August 2009 at a cost of US$181 million, but has failed to live up to expectations.

Originally, GuySuCo had put US$70 million into the project, according to Minister Ramsammy. Now, the Corporation is looking to spend US$8 million to fix various faults at the estate.

Opposition parties had called for the board of GuySuCo to be replaced with professionals so the industry could be better managed.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 07, 2012

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The end of history in Guyana: A theory If you are not familiar with philosophy and do not keep abreast with the latest publications in the academic world, here is a brief introduction to a book published in 1992. It catapulted the publication and its author into international fame. Francis Fukuyama in the “The End of History,” using the philosophy of the 18th century German genius, Georg Hegel, argues that with the collapse of world communism in 1990, society’s ideological evolution has

come to an end.

With the triumph of liberal democracy, history’s creation of ideologies has come to its climax. There is no more ideological idea about government and political forms beyond liberal democracy. We will still have theories about man and woman and society, but in the area of ideological offerings on how political economy must be shaped, that has come to an end.

The strength and weaknesses of Fukuyama’s book need not detain us here.

I have used his title to describe what I believe will be the end of authoritarian rule in Guyana with the closure of PPP Government.

I advance the point that when the PPP goes, Guyana would have witnessed the end of dictatorial governance. It is premised on the concept that from colonial rule onwards, authoritarian government as a dialectical process has climaxed with the PPP. What lies beyond the PPP will take Guyana into the future of either greatness or a reclamation of its respected

self, as was known throughout the world in the fifties.

My premise is that we are nearing the exhaustion of colonial dictatorship which logically transferred itself onto the post-colonial inheritors which found expression in the nationalist movement of the PNC and PPP. Perhaps the most graphic examples of this is the competition for power in the PNC, the rise of Nigel Hughes as a Rodneyite figure, a newer political culture in a third party, the AFC and the slow re-birth of the WPA under the leadership of another Rodneyite, David Hinds.

At the time of writing, the WPA will be having its first public meeting in 12 years. If the PNC should come back in power, it will not be as the inheritor of colonial oligarchy.

We will see a more humane and less autocratic PNC, especially under its new leaders. If the AFC should come to office, it is doubtful that Nigel Hughes and others like Gerhard Ramsaroop, David Patterson, Michael

Carrington will shape a government that bears any resemblance to the postcolonial leaders of the PNC of the seventies and eighties, and even the Hoyte period and the PPP from 1992 onwards.

It is not possible to predict the specific shape post-PPP Guyana will take, but dialectically, with the increasing pressure on the PPP, we are coming to the end of cruel, inhumane, inhuman, uncaring, corrupt, incestuous, lawless, immoral, depraved, racist, and antiworking class governance as we saw and are currently seeing under the PPP Government. Two grey areas in my theory that I anticipate in my critiques is if Cheddi Jagan was alive would he have interrupted the authoritarian trend and didn’t Hoyte do just that?

The answer is no. Hoyte did not meet the test of the end of history. He may have been decent as a human being and not tyrannical at all like Forbes Burnham and Bharrat Jagdeo, but Hoyte was far from the Obama-type character that Guyana needed. He certainly walked away from democratic pathways that could have seen the end of history. Space does not help us here. Suffice it to say that his rejection of the WPA was his tragic undoing.

Cheddi Jagan would not

Frederick Kissoon have gone in a direction that was different from the unpleasant things his protégés are currently doing.

It was the French philosopher, Jean Paul Sartre, who instructed us that the individual plays an equal, dialectical role as the broad social forces that propel him/ her to act and one suspects that Cheddi Jagan would never have become a Bharrat Jagdeo.

Nevertheless, he would have submitted to the forces of authoritarianism, because he was part of a dialectical working out of colonial oligarchy.

There is sufficient evidence of this under a Jagan Government from 1957 to 1964. One thing is certain about Cheddi Jagan if he had lived longer; he would have been comfortable playing the race card. It is anyone’s guess when the rule of the PPP will disintegrate or if a weakened PPP will lead to a new general election, which if free and fair, will see the loss of power by the PPP. But I believe Guyana is on the verge of the end of colonial autocracy.

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 11

PNCR to compile written works of Burnham for students' benefits - as party acknowledges founder-leader via memorial

By Abena Rockcliffe Former leader of the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR), Robert Corbin yesterday pledged his services to the current leader of the party David Granger towards the compilation of works and speeches done by the late Head of State Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham.

The commitment was made at a memorial ceremony held at the National Congress of W o m e n ( N C W ) Headquarters, Public Road Kitty, acknowledging and celebrating the life of the country's first Executive President.

That ceremony marked the second of its kind for the day.

Ye s t e r d a y m o r n i n g , executive members of the PNCR also met at the mausoleum in the Botanical Gardens, where Burnham's remains are located, to pay homage through the laying of floral tributes.

In the afternoon, even though threatened by dark clouds, Corbin presented an in-depth speech about the life of the “father of the party.”

He fondly acknowledged the National Service and other similar initiatives by Burnham.

Corbin made reference to several other remembrance days that saw presentations upon the life of Burnham, however, “after August 6, those presentations are not readily available for our students of history”.

Having made that assertion, Corbin asked for a pledge that by August 6 next year, “all these presentations and similar ones of worth” are complied in a single chronicle that will be available to students.

The former PNC leader

said that with the publication skills of Granger “such a project could be a reality.”

He then used the opportunity, his first public speaking since congress, to congratulate Granger on his win.

“In painful reminiscence of an evening shadow lurk, a kaleidoscope of memories hurries across a faded screen of life as a weary warrior hopes vainly for another sun to rise, but the bugle is sounded the struggle is ended… a day is done. Victor or vanquished, tomorrow's laurels are pinned on the mirror diary of today,” said Corbin as he recalled the work of Burnham.

Granger in his remarks said that the party is indebted to its Founder-Leader for his “visionary leadership, his astute statesmanship and his watchful guardianship of our young nation for over two decades from 1964 to 1985.”

He made mention of Burnham's initiatives in culture; economic empowerment; education; governance; housing; infrastructure development; international relations; integration of the Caribbean; territorial integrity; national defence; social protection and public security.

“We remember him as an attentive mayor of our capital city; an articulate attorney; an astute legislator; an erudite debater; a prudent Prime Minister; a tireless trade union leader; a passionate Caribbeanist, internationalist and nationalist and a courageous warrior against colonialism, imperialism and racism.”

Granger added that it must be remembered the many challenges faced by Burnham, who led the country to Independence, on

assuming office at the age of 41 years.

“His was the task of d e c o l o n i z i n g s o c i e t y, mobilizing the masses, o rg a n i z i n g t h e p u b l i c services, planning the defence of the young state and repairing a fractured nation which had been wounded by the weapons of race war.”

Forbes Burnham died on August 6, 1985 during the process of a “minor” operation at the Georgetown Hospital.

PNCR Central Executive member Deni Rayman pays her respects

Page 14

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Woodley Park 'shallow grave' murder suspect nabbed

By Leon Suseran Five police officers swooped down on the Bath Settlement home of a 20year-old man around 14:30 hrs on Sunday and placed him under arrest for the murder and rape of 14-yearold Basmattie 'Manda' Moonsammy of Woodley Park Village, West Berbice.

Up to press time yesterday, the suspect was still in custody at the Fort Wellington Police Station assisting with investigations into the girl's gruesome murder.

Moonsammy had been missing from her home over a week ago and it was rice farmers in the area who made the discovery of her smelling, exposed corpse buried in mud in a shallow grave in the backdam area on Saturday morning.

Continuous rain had made the body become visible from its burial in the shallow grave.

The girl's body was buried face down in the grave and was discovered with a black brassiere and a skirt. Her underwear was pulled down to her knees.

Her neck was also tied with a long piece of shirt fabric.

According to reports, the teen was reported missing two Sundays ago, however, seeing that it was a regular occurrence (constantly getting away from home), nobody thought it strange.

Reports further indicate that the girl had a boyfriend (the suspect) who was previously held for a murder and rape which occurred three years ago in the area. He was later acquitted of all charges for lack of evidence and

witnesses.

TENSE SCENE The scene was tense when Kaieteur News returned to West Berbice yesterday. The autopsy on Moonsammy's body was performed early in the morning in New Amsterdam and a funeral service was held just before midday. The emotional farewell saw scores of persons attending to pay their last respects to the Woodley Park schoolgirl.

Her badly decomposed remains were later interred at the Bath Cemetery.

Her mother was not composed enough to speak and had to be put to rest by family and friends. Her brother Dyal said that Moonsammy and the suspect shared a relationship and regularly walked around in the village.

The family was not pleased that the police at Fort Wellington had held the dead girl's brother for nearly a day at the station in connection with the incident. “Why didn't they go and find the real rapists and murderers?” vented one frustrated family member.

The suspect's parents, meanwhile, vouched deeply for his innocence and even filed a report at the Complaint's Desk in New Amsterdam's Central Police Station for what they said was a beating their son received on Sunday from an officer (name given), whom they claimed was intoxicated, shortly before the suspect was arrested.

The man's mother noted that the cops stormed the house and asked for her son.

“He did get on his boxers because he did just done work and come home,” she related.

The police asked him to put on his clothes. The woman alleged that one of the officers then hit him and

Basmattie 'Manda' Moonsammy

ransacked the entire bedroom located in the lower flat of the building.

“The officer then kicked him in his private and hit him on his back,” she claimed.

The suspect was then

accosted to the station where he was placed in the lockups. The parents denied that the suspect and Moonsammy shared a relationship.

“She don't live this side, (continued on page 17)

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

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2 Ranch hands, to work in the Abary Creek roping on horse back. Call: 232- 3295, 623- 4495 1 lumber yard labourer Call: 226-3736 WANTED URGENTLY..!! 1 Industrial electrician, 1 electrical rewinder to rewind motors Call: 692-5175, 263-5488

Male security guard & camp attendant to clean to work in the interior Call : 231-3159 Dear Gold Investment welder fabricator to work in the interior Call: 231-3159 Porter, canter driver, ½ day maid, carpenter, mason to work in the w.c.d Call: 6848231 Experience security, porters & drivers Call: 223-5273, 2235274 2 Experience salesgirls & 1 handyman, 23 Lombard Street Werk-en-Rust Georgetown Call: 227-8529, 626-8003 Driver/Salesman with clean Lorry Driving Record Call: 266-4427 One cow minder, aged 40 & over, between Clonbrook Unity area Call: 623-3231, 259-0953, 225-3198 Live in/ Live out Babysitter/ Domestic Call: 225-0188, 225-6070 Security/ Watchman Call: 225-6070, 225-0188

20X40 Two flat concrete building @ Kitty. Price $22M Negotiable to be seen Call: 668-9512, 223-2570 Bel Air Park $55M Negotiable Call: 619-4682 Bent Street $18M, Albertown $37M, Kitty $45M, Atlantic Garden $36M Diana 2272256, 626-9382

1 Pool Table, call: 669-9927

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman & Sons Driving School, First Federation Building Call: 225-4858, 6445166, 622-2872, 615-0964 Prudential Learning ‘’ Training to Pass’’ automatic also stick/manual Call: 6424827, 661-5028. We ‘re # 1.

TO LET Wash bay and canteen 15 Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo. Call: 680-4990, 277-3033

Sales persons wanted Call: 225-6631 (For Details)

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General male receptionist shift work able body- Hilton Crest International Hotel Call: 223-6284

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Please contact: 641-4952 Racing Jet ski for sale with trailer, twin Carburetor price negotiable Call : 694-8735 Dell Computers, Price Negotiable Call: 680-4276 Puppies- Pekinese mix with Tibetian terrior Call: 6238811, 227-0945 Portable A/C $45,500, Treadmill $32,500, 26’’ stand fan $19,500, Xbox360 $45,500 Call: 639-7114, 674-5625

One experience hauler driver.

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One Briggs & Stratton Generator 5000W $160,000, One Onan Generator 2400W $60,000 Call: 216-3287, 6517566

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1 male sales clerk, 1 porter Call: 225-2313

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1 Bobcat & trailor Call:6460101

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For Professional Massages Call Nicole 612-7209

WANTED

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LAND FOR SALE

MASSAGE

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Brandnew American made Crosely 10.5 cu ft Refridgerator for sale $75,000. #697-5677

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FOR SALE 1 225 KVA Generator, 1 Hiace Canter, Premio, 3 light towers, car batteries Call:624-2000

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Used Play Station 2 games, X-Box, 1 remotes $30,000 each Call: 652-6894

Albertown US$650, Regent Street US$650, Nandy Park US$1,500, Campbellville US$1000 Diana 227-2256, 626-9382

Draglines-little giant 371 engine, Ruston 10RB (Spares), Tractor-Massy Ferguson, bikes CG 125 Call: 694-1440, 697-1698

Page 15

FOR SALE

One 15 HP Yamaha (long foot), Call: 689-5254, 643-0332

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We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call:2310655,683-8734 Omar

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One ERF Hauler & 40 foot trawler Call: 653-4455 Moulders, multirip saws, resaws, cross cut saw and genset Call Rodney 616-5595 (New) Air Brush Compressor for sale Call: 666-5276 Trally to accommodate bobcat & excavator 8’’10’’ x 17 - 5’’ Call: 644-8610, 688-0240.

Rotor- NZE, IST, Runx, $6000, Sterring end-IST, 170, $2000, Liner- NZE, IST, Allion $3,500 Call: 654-6394 5 A transmission O Ring seal wholesale $5000 Call: 6546394

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Pitbulls, vaccinated & dewormed Call: 223-9725, 667-0338 Gold smeller, driver shaft 136’’ x 3 ½ ‘’ , saws, generators, pressure washer, compressors Call: 694-1440, 697-1698

FOR SALE New Blackberry (S), Bold 4 (9900) $95,000, Bold 3 (9780) $75,000, Torch (9800) $80,000. All original accessories included Call: 680-1722 (Continued on page 20)

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Ramotar concerned about mismanagement in Amerindian villages

Students from Santa Mission present President Ramotar with a hammock as a token of appreciation.

President Donald Ramotar says that there are complaints of mismanagement taking place in various Amerindian communities, and work must be done through the support of the government and regional authorities in strengthening management systems.

His remarks were made at the opening of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) meeting which was held at the International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara yesterday.

The event was held under the theme: “Establishing Strategic Approaches and Alliances for Sustaining

Amerindian Development”.

Some 160 leaders, including all Toshaos and Senior Councillors, 12 Community Development Officers (CDOs) and Regional Officials, are attending the five-day seminar.

Also in attendance were government officials, including the Amerindian Affairs Minister and members of the diplomatic corps.

Ramotar said the opposition has stymied several programmes that would enhance the quality of life of many persons, and Thursday when Parliament convenes, the sincerity of the opposition would be known pertaining to the development

of Amerindians and wider society.

Adding that Amerindians are known for their resilience and ability to adapt, President Ramotar said they are continuously striving for a better life given constant change from what life was 30 years ago.

“We should take an example from the way of life of the Amerindian people to be flexible and change with the times, and to take into consideration many of the changes happening in the world; government by itself does not have all the resources to give everyone everything they need at the (continued on page 17)

Govt. not ready to withdraw ...

From page 3 asked to help (clear the blockages) so that persons could have unimpeded access through the community allowing business and life to carry on.

Speaking on good leadership, governance, and strengthening management systems in villages, Ramotar said that the freedom Guyanese now enjoy as a people is under some pressure. He encouraged that everyone must play their part in defending democracy and freedom in Guyana.

He stressed, “Long gone are the days when we could manage through lies, deceit, mischief, vindictiveness, being wicked, thuggery, bullyism and violence… those things must be rejected by all. I am committed to ensure that Guyana does not return to undemocratic, unlawful, unconstitutional, and unstableness in our

society.”

Because Government and local private sector do not possess resources to give everyone everything they need at the same time, it is necessary to build partnership and alliances with foreigners, he said.

Reflecting on the earlier part of his political career where he engaged in numerous protests and demonstrations, Ramotar noted that protests and demonstrations must have an objective and be executed in a manner that does not jeopardize the lives of people in any other part of the country.

“Demonstrations and protests should not automatically mean violence and should never degenerate into a situation where people are extorted to walk on a public road, where economic life is affected - businesses are being threatened, and

look at the long term of what can happen in some places,” he said.

He added, “Look at what will happen - the possibilities of people coming to invest here and demand increased political insurance… demand of all kind of things that can make our country uncompetitive with the rest of the world.”

According to Ramotar, leaders must be conscious of all these things while protecting the rights of people and ensuring that the atmosphere is conducive to investment by the State or private sector.

“We have constantly been working to provide unbiased holistic leadership to our people through good governance and laws. We have to be a law-governed society. Look around the world when law breaks down. We need you to respect (the) laws of the country,” Ramotar said.

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Amerindian communities to start benefiting from $360M development Development of sustainable economic ventures to create opportunities in Amerindian communities will become a reality as Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh will soon sign the disbursement agreement for the flow of the Guyana REDD Investment Fund (GRIF).

The Guyana REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Investment Fund –GRIF, was established in October 2010 as the mechanism through which Low Carbon Development Strategy projects will be funded.

According to President Donald Ramotar yesterday at

the opening ceremony of the National Toshaos’ Conference, Dr. Singh, during the course of the conference, will ink the agreement for the implementation of the Amerindian Development Fund agreement with the United Nations Development Programme.

The conference is scheduled for five days.

These developmental projects which include agriculture and tourism are outlined in Community Development Plans crafted by villagers.

“This Government is vigorously pursuing and implementing the Community Development Plan (CDPs) for

all our villages. This is extremely important to us,” he said.

According to Ramotar, the agreement will see Amerindian communities benefiting from approximately $360M over a period. “The CDPs have been developed by villages and will result in tremendous transformation of village economies from their current levels of vulnerability to greater viabilities and sustainability,” he added.

Ramotar asserted that villagers could continue to develop their traditional type of work and agriculture.

However, in modern times, development needs to be done in a sustainable manner.

Ramotar concerned ...

From page 16 same time.”

Underscoring that there is universal primary health care in all of the Amerindian villages, the head of state said this was non-existent two decades ago.

He added that the government is looking to provide a secondary education for all Amerindian students in the next four years.

Ramotar declared that every year, hinterland students are continuing to excel, and the government must provide a wholesome environment for the full realization of their potential.

“I want to assure the Amerindian people that we will build more schools… thirteen secondary schools with dormitories have been built so far.

Hopefully we will soon begin construction of another secondary school at Kato to house more than 500 students to satisfy the educational needs,” Ramotar stated.

In addition, he said government continues to subsidize regional and tertiary health care, noting that there is still room for improvement.

He pointed out that life expectancy among Amerindians has increased by 20 percent, the President also highlighted that there has been an incredible reduction in infant mortality and death due to contagious diseases such as diarrhea and tuberculosis, but especially those related to malnutrition and undernourishment.

Ramotar said health and education being provided to the hinterland residents are centered on the overall development of the country.

He added that there is an agreement with the European Union to build a hydro-power plant which would also supply electricity for the schools and for other projects The President emphasised that every hinterland student will continue to receive school uniforms.

Noting that partnership and alliances must be built, he said there is need to develop and improve capacity within the country.

It was noted that the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs would be dealing with any other shortcomings throughout the NTC confab.

Outgoing Chairperson of

National Toshaos Council, Yvonne Pearson, encouraged her fellow Amerindian leaders to embrace the theme of the conference and praised Government’s support of the forum that allows Amerindian leaders to meet in one location to discuss the way forward for their communities. On this note, Pearson challenged attendees to develop strategic plans and create alliances to enhance village life.

Pearson pointed out that development cannot occur in isolation, and as such, the forum facilities the building of bridges and narrowing of gaps.

Challenging those who say the rights of Amerindian people are not respected, Pearson pointed out that the hosting of the conference is evidence that Amerindians are indeed respected. She noted that in Guyana, free, prior and informed consent is not just a concept, but is actually enjoyed by Amerindians.

Pearson stated that although much has been achieved in Amerindian communities, leaders should not relax since the journey to development has just begun.

Woodley Park 'shallow grave' ...

From page 14 she lives at Number 11 (Woodley Park). They never had a relationship-- nothing, nothing, nothing-- that girl is not a sensible girl-- she walks all over the place,” said the mother. “She got away from the orphanage when they sent her to school...why they didn't put all that in the newspapers?”

“A murder story happened four years ago and that story done--- and just so how they came and arrested my son, just so they come and arrested him on Sunday”, the father said. “So anything happening now, they coming and

hold him...this girl is a walkabout girl, why don't they investigate where she stays-she goes to different people place and if you hear what time she does go out and come in,” the man claimed.

ALIBI The suspect's parents vouched for their son by saying that they can account for his whereabouts last week.

“My son was home...he works with his father, fishing in Rosignol and planting garden, and my house was full and me son was here doing the work with me. We are Christians, we are telling the truth, we don't speak lies. He

punish three years… innocent, and now they want to punish him again. It's advantage.

I am not going to take this again!” the woman exclaimed as she broke down in tears.

“If I had money yesterday (Sunday), I would have taken a lawyer. That lawyer knows her whereabouts…even he said that the girl walks 12, 1, 2 in the morning, going home, all over the place, with drugs people,” she stated.

“My son is innocent! He was home at that time!” she said. Police are continuing to grill the suspect, while post mortem results have not been released as yet.

Page 17

Who is delaying the police promotions?

By Dale Andrews The delay in announcing this year’s police promotions may not be the fault of the Guyana Police Force’s administration, after all.

Top officials of the Force have indicated to this newspaper that they have completed their aspect of the process and it is now left up to the Police Service Commission to do its part.

Police promotions are traditionally due at the beginning of each year, however last year it was delayed and subsequently announced during the Force’s anniversary month of July.

Earlier this year Acting Commissioner Leroy Brumell had assured that the same arrangement would have obtained this year.

But the month of July has come and gone and the anxiety level within the Force has reached fever pitch.

The Commissioner of Police is responsible for the promotion of ranks up to the level of Sergeant, while the PSC takes care of the upper level of the Force.

This newspaper understands that the junior promotions are already finalised and it is the senior level, which falls under the PSC (chaired by Denis Morgan), that is delaying the process.

However, according to one senior officer, there is no reason why the junior promotions cannot be announced, pending the finalizing of the senior promotions.

But from all indications,

- Home Affairs Minister, Police Service Commission tightlipped those responsible for the senior ranks promotions are not too keen on providing reasons for the delay.

When this newspaper contacted the PSC Chairman yesterday, a staffer at his office informed that he was on another telephone call. A few minutes later when a reporter from this newspaper called back and identified himself, the response was that he was in a meeting and was not available for comment.

This newspaper also contacted Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee on his mobile phone, but upon hearing the name of the reporter, the Minister promptly terminated the call.

There are reports that the Minister may have once again usurped the role of the Chairman of the Police Service Commission with regards to the promotion of police ranks.

According to two reliable police sources, the Home Affairs Minister had insisted that he “must see the list.”

“He did it last year. He is behaving as if he is the Commissioner and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission,” one official told this newspaper.

This position has reportedly not gone down well with members of the Commission as well as senior police officers.

Sometime last year, former Commissioner of Police

Henry Greene had warned officers that the Minister had indicated a desire for his Ministry to be an integral part of the promotion process.

The former Top Cop had confided that the Home Affairs Minister had hinted that a representative of the Ministry be present on the Police Promotion Board when they are making their recommendations to the Police Service Commission.

The Commissioner of Police is the Chairman of the Police Promotion Board that makes recommendations to the PSC and the proposal by the Minister did not go down well with many police officers and members of the PSC. “It is not surprising that the promotions are delayed, because there seem to be some issues between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police Service Commission,” a top police official said.

This is not the first time there are reports of the Home Affairs Minister positioning himself to directly influence the operational decisionmaking within the Guyana Police Force.

The only promotions in the Guyana Police Force that occurred this year were those of Assistant Commissioner Leroy Brumell and Seelall Persaud, who were both elevated to Deputy Commissioners by President Donald Ramotar.

City Mall settles insurance claims for costly Regent Street fire Less than a week after a disastrous fire on Regent Street gutted four buildings, an insurance settlement has been reached for damage to the City Mall.

A statement from Raj Singh Insurance Brokers did not immediately give details as to the amount of settlement, but said that City Mall and Assuria General Inc. yesterday managed to settle the claim.

City Mall, which is located at the corners of Regent and Camp Streets, sustained damage to the eastern walls of the building, following the early morning fire last week Tuesday.

“It is always the hope that no one has to be faced with this type of disaster no matter how great or small”, the broker said yesterday in its release.

“Both the client and the brokers are extremely pleased at the swiftness and

efficiency that the Insurer executed the settlement of this claim and trust that this should be the benchmark for which valid claims are settled that do not have any complications.”

According to the statement, Assuria, through Raj Singh Insurance Brokers and Risk Management Consultants Inc., has officially paid its maximum portion of the claim.

The fire last week left millions of dollars in damage and losses and one businessman dead.

Ramdat Sheoprasad, 64, owner of Indra’s Fashion which was also destroyed, collapsed upon seeing the fire

and was pronounced dead minutes later at a city hospital.

Firemen were able to rescue four Chinese nationals who were trapped in one of the burning buildings. They sustained minor bruises and burns about their bodies.

T h e inferno began around 05:15 hrs and investigations have revealed that the blaze started aback of one of the buildings where the Chinese were living and working.

Among the businesses destroyed were Boyo’s Fashion, Indra’s Fashion, Lucky Dollar and several other clothing stores owned

by Chinese nationals.

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Linden protests cripple interior minibus, truck operators - affected persons plead for concessions

Loaded trucks stranded at the Stadium Mini-bus operators and the owners of trucks taking goods to mines and interior communities are now becoming agitated at the ongoing protest in the town of Linden and want an audience with the authorities so they can go back to business.

The operators must pass through Linden to get to Regions Seven, Eight and Nine, but with the roads blocked for three weeks now, they are stuck on both sides of the town.

Since the protests began, operators have been “squatting” at the parking lot of the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara. The men have tied hammocks between trucks to sleep at nights, but when it rains, they find escape in the truck cabins.

They cook at the parking lot as they keep guard of the trucks laden with fuel and goods.

The operators say that they were prepared to endure what was supposed to be a five-day protest. However, they say they can no longer bear up.

“We have no problems with the people of Linden and we don’t want to get into the reason for their protest, all we want is to be able to carry out our business, even if on a limited basis,” said Marlon Joseph of Takutu Holdings.

He said that he is already one-month behind on his loan repayment.

John Peters, who has been a minibus driver to Mahdia for the past seven years, said that he could no longer afford not to work.

“We understand that

Linden has its problems, but we have to live too,” he said.

Naresh Ramkissoon, who has two trucks, also expressed his frustration of losing considerable business

Suspect reportedly claiming self defence court this week.

The suspect, identified as Clive Knights, was nabbed on Sunday when ranks stopped a minibus at Yarrowkabra, on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. Kaieteur News understands that one of the ranks recognized Knights as being the individual that police have been searching for in connection with Whyte’s murder. However,

To press for a resumption of normalcy in the transportation route through Linden, the operators staged a protest at the Office of the President yesterday afternoon.

Later, they met with Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources Robert Persaud.

According to Smith, the Minister informed them that the security forces have been ordered by the President to clear the road and that they would be afforded security protection as they seek to pass through the town.

Interior transport operators protest at Office of the President

Murder of insurance executive …

The prime suspect in the murder of insurance executive Bert Whyte is reportedly claiming self-defence in the murder of the Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara resident.

Kaieteur News understands that the suspect has admitted to killing 45year-old Whyte while giving what he claimed was a motive for the brutal attack.

He is likely to appear in

while racking up expenses as his trucks are stalled and his workers have nowhere to go.

Roger Smith, who lives in Mahdia, said that it is unfair that Linden minibuses and

other transport is allowed to go to a certain point in Linden, taking in much needed supplies.

However, he said that this is not the case for far-flung communities which depend on them to receive rations which are now running out causing a hike in prices for key commodities.

The operators are looking to meet with Region Ten chairman Sharma Solomon in hopes of working out a compromise. Some suggest that they be allowed to pass between two to four days a week.

the suspect allegedly claimed that he was ‘Troy David,’ but eventually admitted to his true identity.Knights had worked as a security guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital, while Whyte was employed there as Personnel Manager.

Whyte was stabbed to death on May 14, last, while sitting in his car in the Tiger Bay area.

Checks of Whyte’s movements revealed that he had picked up his niece from a private school in the city, hours before his death.

Reports indicate that the suspect was driving while Whyte, a Manager at Guyana and Trinidad Mutual Life Insurance Company Limited, was in the front passenger seat.

An eyewitness reportedly later saw Whyte struggling with another man in the vehicle. Although wounded, the victim managed to exit the vehicle and run into Main Street before collapsing outside of a restaurant and bar.

Grenade lobbed at N/A business Police were up to late last evening trying to determine why a fragmentation grenade was lobbed at a business premises at Main and Kent Streets in New Amsterdam.

The building, which is owned by Turhan Harris, houses a fast food establishment named Chester’s. Harris also operates a boutique and Money Gram outlet as well as an internet cafe at the same location.

According to reports, which were still sketchy up to press time. Police rushed to the popular business place at around 10:00 hrs after

receiving an anonymous call that a bomb was planted on the location. A search was conducted and the ranks involved came up emptyhanded. However, Harris subsequently received a call that a bomb was planted at his house. He then called the police.

The lawmen returned to the location and conducted another search during which the grenade was found on the verandah. The area was immediately cordoned off and the police bomb squad was

Law enforcement officers outside the premises

summoned from Georgetown.

They arrived and defused the device.

Harris who is an active cyclist has been targeted over the years. His parents’ home was targeted some time ago with gunshots being fired, while a car was set afire in the same yard. An employee of his, transporting money from his premises to the bank, was robbed of a substantial sum a few months ago while a close associate was attacked, beaten and received threats around the same time.

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Linden Chairman speaks out on PSC

By Latoya Giles Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon said yesterday that while the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is encouraged to work with the government and the Region 10 administration to find solutions to the Region 10 crisis, the Commission

cannot just ‘parachute’ into the present negotiations.

“The (PSC) cannot expect to parachute into negotiations that have been ongoing and it must recognize that it is not acceptable for it to join the negotiations without the involvement of the trade union movement and other

“It cannot expect to parachute into negotiations.” civil society actors,” Solomon said yesterday.

He explained that it was apposite to note that the Region 10 administration has from the inception consulted and involved the religious

Tuesday August 07, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): You might regret turning down an opportunity for the sake of a loved one’s feelings.

Maybe they object to an offer that gives you the chance to travel or they aren’t happy because you’re working with someone they don’t approve of. ****************************** TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): Proving that you are capable of a special job, assignment or commission could be harder than you think. Prepare yourself for battle! ****************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): Make room in your life for new ideas to be expressed and this could lead to an exciting fresh start later in the week. ****************************** CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Does it feel as if you always have to fit your schedule around another person? And they can’t see why you sometimes find this difficult? ****************************** LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): Hold back before cementing a professional association or financial deal and consider the motivations behind this act. If, for instance, it is purely inspired by material gain, what happens if the rewards being promised don’t materialise? ****************************** VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): Don’t lose sight of your own dreams even if you find you’re spending more time supporting everyone else with theirs.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Especially if your love life isn’t all you want it to be, you might be inclined to give in to temptation. Consider your partner’s reaction, however, should they discover your little indiscretion. ****************************** SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): You’re full of ideas and keen to spring into action.

But one or two things are holding you back. Not everyone feels the same way you do and if you won’t listen to their points of view, they can make it awkward for you. ****************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): Hold on to your temper, especially if an older person who can’t understand your methods looks set to destroy all your hard work. It is unlikely this will happen. ****************************** CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): Someone who holds a special corner of your heart might say or do something that seems out of character. ****************************** AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): You might reluctantly admit to the need to make some changes to a private project that hasn’t turned out as you anticipated. ****************************** PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): Are you making the most of the chances that come your way to enhance your circle of friends?

If so, mixing with newcomers will help increase your interest and participation in group projects.

community and other civil society organizations of Linden in the struggle to have government withdraw the announced July 1st increase in electricity rates.

He said that it was also critical to point out that what began as a struggle against the increase in the cost of electricity has taken on a totally new dimension with the July 18th murder of three unarmed Lindeners. Solomon further noted that if the PSC really wanted to help they could play a meaningful role in helping to bring those who committed the murders to justice.

“Let me reiterate our position that we believe there is a role for the PSC in the struggle for the withdrawal of the increase in electricity tariffs in Linden and for justice for the martyred three, however, we need to sit and work out the mechanisms and to identify and involve all relevant civil society organizations,” Solomon stressed.

Moreover, he described the PSC’s recent public statement on the Linden issues as disturbing. He said that it was more disappointing to learn of another release where it was reported that they had grave concern at the lack of notification by the chairman, with respect to the request from President Ramotar for the inclusion of the stakeholders from Linden.

According to the Region

10 chairman, it is clear that the PSC’s objective is in conflict with the people of Linden. He said “at no time did President Donald Ramotar make any statement to me or the Region Ten delegation as claimed by the PSC”.

Secondly, he stated, it was after being aware of the PSC’s presence for the meeting of Tuesday, July 31st, the Region 10 delegation posited to the President’s delegation that if the PSC is included in these talks then other stakeholders such as the trade unions and the religious community should also be involved.

He said prior to and during the current protest, regional stakeholders have been engaged in developing a programme and strategy for their social and economic benefit.

Solomon further asserted that while respecting the views of every stakeholder, internal and external to the region, it is he, as chairman, who is ultimately accountable to the citizens of the region.

“On the issue of the establishment of a Technical Committee and the

participants to be involved, this will be consistent with the region’s mandate to address the plight of the citizens. Further, the RDC is foremost beholden to the region’s citizens to represent (articulate) and advance their interests based on their input,” Solomon posited.

He reiterated that no one should lose sight of the fact that the current impasse between Central Government and Region Ten is one where the residents are demanding the respect for their constitutional right to self determination - social, economic and political.

“We are where we are today because the people have said ‘enough is enough’….the people are demanding a beginning of involvement in decisionmaking that impacts their lives, including the matter on Linden’s electricity and the concomitant tariff structure,” Solomon stressed.

He urged the PSC to pay heed to this trigger point and should the body desire involvement in bringing about resolution; let it be in keeping with the respect the community is fighting to secure.

Page 20

(From page 15)

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday August 07, 2012

Got to Go from Jumbo Jet stable takes top honours at Kennard Meet Shariff and Crawford stables also outstanding

By Samuel Whyte Despite the inclement weather and the soft conditions, the Kennard Memorial Turf Club successfully staged its Post Emancipation Horserace Meet on Sunday, at the club’s entity Bush Lot, Corentyne in Berbice.

At the end of the day, Jumbo Jet Stable returned to form coming out on top after Got to Go with Trinidadian Razack in the stirrups won the feature ‘B’ class event and the hefty $1.5M first prize along with the Carib Beer Trophy At the start of the race, the ten horses broke even and stayed tightly bunched until they hit the back straights when the battle for position at the front commenced, with the lead changing hands a number of times as Dubai Duchess, Got to Go and Marathon Man, all in contention for the lead.

As they turned for home, the front runners were still having a battle for the top spot, but Got to Go urged on

by Razack took the lead and even the fast finishing Technology had to settle for second as Got to Go quickened inside the final furlong to go past the post first with Marathon Man and Dubai Duchess filling in the minor positions in the 1Mile event.

However, some owners were upset that the distance was changed without notification.

Settle In Seattle of the Sharif racing circle and ridden

by Jamaican Brian Blake showed who is boss with another victory as it whipped the field for an easy gate to pole win to take the $500,000 winners’ money and trophy in the Three year old event for Guyana and West Indies bred horses, beating Serenity, Rosetta and Come Dance with me in the 7 furlong event.

The F class event sponsored by DDL was as exciting as it could get with Dubai Duchess with Blake on board being awarded the $400,000 top money and trophy over stable mate Swing Easy with Colin Ross

as the horses of the Shariff Racing Stable actually crossing the finishing line together. The animals distancing themselves from the field early for another gate to Pole win from Work Force and Captain Crook.

Princess Alicia of the Jumbo Jet stable with Trinidadian Stephen on the mount led stable mates, It’s My Turn and Gypsy Jet in a clean sweep in the race for Guyana and West Indies bred Two year old horses as it ran away with the $400,000 top prize and trophy over 6F. Bridal Stone corner of the Marcel Crawford stable with Winston Appadhu riding took the $320, 000 and trophy on offer in a gate to pole victory as it won the G class history making event with Celebrating Love, Gold Romance and Prado Gold all being given a dead heat for second place. The race for Two year old Guyana bred Horses was won by Party Time, ridden by R Drepaul ahead of Silent Night, She So Special and Summer Breeze.

The H and lower race was won by Third World of the Quinn Stable, with Yap Drepaul again piloting the animal, from Sir Balagie, Quincy my Darling and Wicked Intention. The win was worth $240,000 over 6 F. Mona Lisa scored a second victory for horses of the Crawford stable when it cantered to a gate to pole victory in the ‘I’ class 6F race and took home the $200,000 first prize and trophy ahead of Pick Pocket, Silver Kid and Hard Running.

Prince Bayaya of the Veroza Stable withYap Drepaul riding won theKand lower event from stable mate Smartie Light with Lucky Gamble and Windy Killer over 5F. The top individual prizes on offer compliments of Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall, Bourda Market went to Jockey Winston Appadhu ahead of Brian Blake and Yap Drepaul, while the Jumbo Jet Stables ran away with the top stable accolade.

Over 70 horses took part in the day’s activity which had close to $8M on offer.

DDL Berbice representative Mr D Bowandin presents the winning El Dorado Trophy to Zahir Shariff for Dubai Duchess win in the F class event.

Visiting Inverhaugh Cricket Club make donation to LGC

Lusignan Golf Club President Jerome Khan and Secretary David Mohamed accept the donation from Inverhaugh Team Captain Bart Singh and Tour Manager Fazal Karim.

Members of the visiting Inverhaugh Cricket Club made a donation of cash and golf accessories to the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) when they visited the Course at Lusignan Village to compete against local golfers in a feature match recently.

The donation included balls, gloves, caps and shirts, while a monetary donation was made towards the development of the Club’s youth programme.

President of the LGC Jerome Khan accepted the donation on behalf of the Club and thanked the members of Inverhaugh Cricket Club for their timely contribution.

Khan gave a brief history of golfing in Guyana and brought the visitors up to date on plans for the LGC. Inverhaugh captain Bart Singh and tour manager Fazal Karim expressed gratitude to LGC for accommodating them in a round of golf and were loud in praise to Vice President Kishun Bacchus and Secretary David Mohamed for coordinating the programme.

Despite the inclement weather the match attracted 30 players with Fazal Karim, Kishun Bacchus and Fazil Haniff all finishing on net 76.

Players from both teams were later presented with lunches sponsored by KB Homes.

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Russia’s Zaripova wins women’s steeplechase LONDON (Reuters) - World champion Yuliya Zaripova won the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase at the London Olympics on Monday, becoming just the second champion in the event.

The 26-year-old Russian led from the start at a rainy Olympic Stadium and stormed across the finish line well clear of the field in a personal best time of nine minutes 6.72 seconds.

Habiba Ghribi of Tunisia won silver in 9:08.37, a national record, and Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa took bronze in 9:09.84.

Defending champion Gulnara Galkina of Russia, who won gold in the event’s first appearance at the Olympics four years ago, pulled up injured and failed to finish.

Russia's Yulia Zaripova .

REUTERS LUCY NICHOLSON

Olympics cycling: Jason Kenny takes sprint cycling gold BBC - Britain’s Jason Kenny added individual sprint gold to his Olympic team title on another glorious night for Team GB on the track. The 24-year-old was in imperious form to beat French world champion Gregory Bauge 2-0 in the final.

Australia’s Shane Perkins beat Njisane Nicholas Phillip of Trinidad to bronze.

Kenny took silver behind Sir Chris Hoy at the Beijing Games, but was preferred to him under the one-rider-pernation rule introduced for the 2012 Games.

His triumph takes Great Britain’s medal tally in the London Velodrome to five golds and a bronze from seven events over the past

five days. Hoy tweeted immediately after Kenny’s victory: “I know I said I was off Twitter until after tomorrow, but that was PHENOMENAL by Jason Kenny. So happy and proud of him, well deserved, mate.”

The Bolton-born rider lost 2-0 to Bauge at the World Championships in Melbourne in April, but hopes were high he could reverse that result after he recorded the fastest time in Saturday’s qualifier.

Kenny, who teamed up with Hoy and Philip Hindes to start Britain’s gold medal success on the track on Thursday, came through a semi-final with Phillip, the surprise package of these

Games, to set up another showdown with Bauge.

Bauge, 27, has actually won the last five world titles, but lost his 2011 crown to Kenny after being given a backdated suspension for doping offences.

Following Kenny’s success, Team GB will hope to add to their medal tally today when three more events will be decided on the final evening of competition.

Victoria Pendleton defends her women’s individual sprint title, Hoy goes in search of a sixth Olympic gold medal when he does likewise in the keirin and Laura Trott bids for her second success of these Games in the omnium.

Judoka Nicholas Delpopolo tests positive for cannabis Judoka Nicholas Delpopolo has been expelled from London 2012 after he failed a drugs test and admitted he had unwittingly eaten marijuana-laced food.

The 23-year-old American had finished seventh in the men’s -73kg competition.

Delpopolo was disqualified by the International Olympic Committee after they discovered metabolites of cannabis in a urine sample taken on 30 July.

He insisted he had not known the food contained the banned substance but that was not deemed a sufficient defence.

Delpopolo was tested after he lost to Mongolian Nyam-Ochir Sainjargal in the repechage stage at the ExCel Arena.

The IOC’s ruling dictated that his name should be struck from the judo records in London and the International Judo Federation

Nicholas Delpopolo should consider issuing any further punishments available in their rulebook.

Delpopolo had waived his

right to a hearing in the case and is due to return home to the United States on 7 August. According to the IOC, the Serbian-born judoka “indicated that he was embarrassed by this mistake”.

He has apologised to the United States Olympic Committee and his teammates.

More than 1,000 blood and urine tests have been carried out at the state-of-theart testing facility built especially for the Games in Essex.

The IOC confirmed that four other athletes had returned positive samples so far during the current Olympics.

Suhr wins women’s pole vault gold LONDON (Reuters) American Jennifer Suhr won the women’s pole vault gold at the London Olympics on Monday with a height of 4.75

metres.

Yarisley Silva of Cuba won silver and twice former champion Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia the bronze.

Page 21

Brazilians back from brink, U.S. out of beach volleyball LONDON (Reuters) Beach volleyball world champions Emanuel Rego and Alison Cerutti of Brazil saved a match point against a Polish pair in their men’s Olympic quarter-final on Monday before winning a thrilling deciding set for Emanuel to stay on course for a second gold.

In the semi-final, they will face Latvia’s Martins Plavins and Janis Smedins, who upset Americans Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb in three sets, ending U.S. participation in the men’s event at an unexpectedly early stage. The Brazilians had a tougher time against Grzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel than they had since the start of the Olympic tournament, much to the delight of the 15,000 fans packed into the stunning Horse Guards Parade venue.

“It was a fantastic game.

Both teams never gave up.

The energy coming from the stands, 15,000 people yelling for both teams, it was amazing. It was a great feeling.

And I think we and Poland did a spectacular show tonight,” said Emanuel.

The world champions won the first set 21-17 but lost the second 21-16. In the third set, which in theory is played

Brazil’s Alison and Emanuel celebrate winning their men’s quarterfinals beach volleyball match against Poland’s Prudel and Fijalek REUTERS/MARCELO DEL POZO to 15 points, the teams both delivered dramatic spikes, saves and dives to stay level almost until the end.

The Poles had a match point but the Brazilians saved it. Then they had a match point but the Poles saved that. With the crowd roaring, the Brazilians battled to obtain a second match point, which they won to seal the set and the match by 17-15.

The following quarterfinal, the Latvian-American clash, initially looked like it would go according to plan

Belarusian Ostapchuk wins women’s shot put LONDON (Reuters) Belarusian Nadzeya Ostapchuk finally turned the tables on New Zealand’s Valerie Adams to win gold in the Olympic women’s shot put competition on Monday.

Reigning Olympic champion Adams had come out on top in their last nine encounters but Beijing bronze medallist Ostapchuk produced launched a third-

round throw of 21.36 metres to claim her country’s first athletics gold of the Games.

Adams, who beat Ostapchuk to the top of the podium at last year’s world championships, could manage only 20.70 metres in her third round and looked tearful at the end as Ostapchuk set off on her victory lap of honour.

Russia’s Evgeniia Kolodko produced a personal

Equestrian: Britain win team show jumping gold (Reuters) - Britain won team show jumping gold on Monday after a tie-breaking jump-off with silver medalists the Netherlands while Saudi Arabia captured a bronze.

It was Britain’s first gold in jumping since 1952 and a first-ever team medal for the Saudis. Rider Khaled Al Eid

won an individual bronze for jumping in the Sydney Games.

Victory was assured after three clear rounds for Britain in the jump-off, led off by veteran and hot individual gold prospect Nick Skelton, who has yet to have a fence down in three days of competition.

Skelton heaped praise on

with Gibb and Rosenthal taking the first set 21-19. But the Latvians won the second set 21-18 and the third 15-11.

Gibb and Rosenthal, who had been on imperious form all year in the run-up to the Games, had been considered strong contenders for a medal. They were carrying American hopes in the men’s event after compatriots and defending Olympic champions Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser were knocked out by an Italian pair in the round-of-16. best of 20.48 metres on her sixth throw to snatch the bronze from China’s Lijiao Gong.

“I’m very happy at this moment,” Ostapchuk told reporters. “It’s my third Olympic Games and it’s a long way to get to this gold medal.”

Adams said she had just “not felt right”. “It just didn’t come together,” she told reporters. “I put my heart out there trying... it’s life, it’s sport. It’s her day you know, good for her.

“I’m very disappointed with how it was but I’m happy with winning a medal for New Zealand.” horse Big Star.

“He has everything you need in a horse - he’s got all the scope, he’s super careful, he’s brave, he has an intelligent head on him, he’s good to ride,” he said before the jump-off.

Saudi Arabia, anchored by a strong showing from Prince Abdullah al Saud, finished with a score of 13 faults, ahead of stalwarts Switzerland and Sweden and defending Olympic team champions the United States.

Italian athlete dropped after doping test (Reuters) - An unnamed Italian athlete in an unnamed sport has been excluded from the London Games after failing a doping test, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said on Monday. A CONI statement said the body

had received “an adverse result from an antidoping test previously arranged by the World Anti-Doping Agency”.

The statement said the athlete had not yet arrived in London.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 07, 2012

WICB showers winning GTTA names senior team for Windies side with praise Caribbean Championships St. John’s, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board has hailed the West Indies team following their victory over the visiting New Zealand team in the Digicel Test Series.

The Windies swept the two-match Digicel Test Series, following a nine-wicket win in the first Digicel Test in Antigua, and a five-wicket victory in the second Digicel Test, which ended on Sunday at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

West Indies were equally dominant in the preceding Digicel International Twenty20 Series, winning both matches, and followed up a 4-1 triumph in the Digicel One-day International Series.

Dr. Julian Hunte, president of the WICB, issued a congratulatory message to the team, praising them for their commitment throughout the series.

“On behalf of the WICB and the people of the West Indies, I want to congratulate the West Indies team after their impressive performances against New Zealand in the recent Digicel Series,” he said.

“This was a wonderful way to bring the season of international matches in the Caribbean to a climax. The

Dr. Julian Hunte team outplayed the New Zealanders, and gave cogent evidence about what is possible, when they work hard, remain committed, and stay focussed.”

Hunte said: “We are also heartened by the team’s advance in the ICC Test World Rankings, albeit a minor leap ahead of the Black Caps to No.7 in the World.

“If the team continues on the trajectory that it has shown in this series and in previous matches, particularly over the last 18 months, we believe that sooner rather than later that West Indies cricket will be restored to a place among the top echelons of the game.”

Hunte said the WICB

acknowledged that several players made advances in the Player Rankings during the series.

He noted that fast bowler Kemar Roach grabbed 12 wickets in the series and is now tied for the most wickets in Tests this calendar year with Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

“Special congratulations to Kemar for winning the Digicel Man-of-the-Series award,” said Hunte.

“Kemar has been an outstanding performer for West Indies this year, having put the disappointment of last year behind him. He has become the undisputed leader of the bowling attack and we look forward to him making more major contributions in the future.”

Hunte said: “We must however, recognise that several other players made pivotal contributions to the series victory and it was a total team effort.

“Whenever the occasion required someone to step up, someone did, and this augurs well for our future, as it suggests that we are building the kind of depth in the team to make it competitive over the next few years.”

Nigel Bryan

Chelsea Edghill

Trenace Lowe

The Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) has named representative male and female teams to the 54th Senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championships, which will be held during August 22-26 at the Pabellón de Tenis de Mesa del Parque del Este, Santo Domingo.

The squad team includes: Men: Nigel Bryan, Paul Meusa, Joel Alleyne, Paul David and Edinho Lewis,

Denzel Hopkinson (standby).

Women: Trenace Lowe, Chelsea Edghill, Judy-Ann Blake, Natalie Cummings and Akecia Nedd (standby).

Nigel Bryan will also be representing Guyana in the 21-Years-and-Under Men’s Division where he gained a bronze medal when the Championships were held in Guyana last year. Trenace Lowe will be playing in the 21Years-and-Under Female

category where she won silver at last year’s Championships.

The veterans selected to represent Guyana at these Championships are Colin France (silver medalist 2011 Caribbean Championships), Desiree Lancaster (former 5time national champion and defending gold medalist Caribbean Championships), Raynor Anderson, Patrick triumph and Xeniah Goliah.

Enthusiasm high as local footballers depart for CFU U-20 World Cup Qualifiers

Guyana’s U-20 Jaguars to compete in CFU WCQ in St. Vincent Face T&T tomorrow in opener, Suriname also in the group Guyana’s Under-20 Jaguars left these shores yesterday for St. Vincent & the Grenadines where they will compete in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) leg of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qualifying competition.

Under the guidance of Bryan ‘Joe Boy’ Joseph, the young Guyanese ball weavers will be led by Treyon Bobb, Daniel Wilson, Pernell Schultz, Les Charles Critchlow and Andre Hector in search of victory in the first instance against old rivals Trinidad and Tobago tomorrow at Victoria Park, Kingstown kicking off at 17:30hrs.

The feature game brings

together home team St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Suriname.

Bobb, Wilson, Critchlow and Schultz have all rubbed shoulders with the Senior National team ‘Golden Jaguars and will be the leading players for the young Guyanese side which will be aiming to improve on the showing of their Under-17 counterparts who competed in the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at that level last week. T&T won the Group, playing unbeaten.

The Guyanese will next play the home team on Friday in the main game at 19:30hrs before closing out Group action on Sunday against

Suriname from 17:30hrs.

Team Guyana: Jamaal Booker, Joshua Brown, Les Charles Critchlow, Jeffery Perriea, Aloysius Edwards, Nickel Fraser, Darius Frank, Jamaal Harvey, Pernell Shultz, Ashley Harding, Andre Hector, Beneakaman Smartt, Romario James, Treyon Bobb, Jermine Junor, Emmitt Leacock, Daniel Wilson, Malcolm Wilson.

Management: Bryan Joseph (Head Coach), Joseph Wilson (Coach), Herbert Mc Pherson (Assistant Coach), Anson Ambrose (Trainer), Andrew Hazel (Goalkeeper Coach), Volda Cordis (Physio), Eton Moses (Manager).

Romano James

Daniel Wilson

Joseph Wilson

Guyanese footballers suffered a setback less than one month ago when the U17 squad that participated in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) World Cup Qualifiers returned home empty handed after losing key encounters.

A national U-20 squad will attempt to make amends after leaving these shores for St Vincent and the Grenadines yesterday morning for a similar tournament and assistant coach, Joseph Wilson is confident that the local ball weavers would do

Guyana proud.

Captained by Daniel Wilson, a competent midfielder, the players convened at the Don Caries Hotel, Public Road Kitty, Sunday afternoon for final briefing sessions and will departed that location early yesterday morning for their overseas mission.

The team is managed by Eton Moses and will be coached

by Brian Joseph with assistance from Joseph Wilson.

Mr. Joseph was attending to other matters away from the camp Sunday and in his absence Mr. Wilson exuded confidence in his charges. He said that his boys are prepared for tough encounters starting with the match against Trinidad and Tobago tomorrow, Wednesday August 8.

Consequently, the players will once again be in action on Friday 10th against archrivals, Suriname and then

again on Saturday 12th when they wrap up the tour against St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Mr. Wilson said that the players are experienced and singled out mid fielder, Treyon Bobb who is currently a member of the professional unit, Caledonia AIA of Trinidad and Tobago. Mr. Wilson further said that Bobb is currently playing in the CONCACAF Champion League in Seattle USA but would join the team in the Caribbean Island.

Pernel Schultz, another reputable mid fielder also came in for special mention and the assistant coach believes that he has the potential to make a distinct impact to Guyana’s fortunes.

Guyana is competing in Group 4 along with Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname.

The two top teams will advance to the next round.

9th Seven Seas cycling set for Saturday and Hazina Barret (12-14 Boys For the ninth year in succession, Geddes Grant Girls) are the defending at National Park and (Guyana) Limited, through its champions in their respective Seven Seas range of products, will sponsor this weekend’s 11-race programme at the inner circuit of the National Park.

The Hassan Mohamedorganised event will pedal off

at 09:00 hours on Saturday with the country’s best riders set to compete for top honours.

The gruelling 35-lap School Boys and Invitational race is the feature with

Lindener Mark Lewis set to defend his title. He won last year’s event in a time of one hour, 16 minutes, 41.91 seconds (01h: 16m: 41.91s).

Junior Niles (Veterans U50), Mario King (Uprights)

categories. There will also be races for BMX and Juveniles riders. Product Specialist at Geddes Grant, Karren Cornell, and other staff members will be on hand to distribute the prizes at the conclusion.

Tuesday August 07, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

All systems in place as Georgetown Cricket Association stages U-19 tournament by the deceased Persaud,” said Mr. Harper.

Ms McNichol also added her complimentary voice to the sponsors and said that she envisaged an action packed tournament. “Our organization is always delighted when members of the corporate community render assistance for our

David Persaud hands over the sponsorship cheque to Assistant Treasurer, Paul Parasram, in the presence of his two children and GCA officials

T

he development o f y o u n g cricketers is in good hands and this sentiment could not be more strongly exemplified when the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) in collaboration with David Persaud Investments Ltd stages a U-19, 100 overs cricket tournament at several venues countrywide.

Activities are tentatively set to get underway on Tuesday August 17 next, but the organizers revealed that this would only be possible if favourable weather prevails.

Otherwise, changes to this arrangement would be announced. The competition would be staged at several venues with the central one being the Everest Cricket Club (ECC) ground.

Several members of the o rg a n i z i n g c o m m i t t e e hosted a press conference in the pavilion of the ECC yesterday to brief the media of issues relating to the competition. It was at this forum that the organizers unveiled a new format,

geared to provide entertainment as well as prepare the young cricketers for the arduous requirements of the sport later on.

Among those appearing at the media brief were President of the GCA, Roger Harper, CEO of David Persaud Investments Ltd, David Persaud, Secretary of the Georgetown Cricket Association, Deborah McNichol, Captain of the ECC, Paul Parasram, Assistant Treasurer, Harry Parmesar and Competition Chairman, Shaun Messiah.

The proceedings were chaired by Mark Harper.

Mr. Persaud explained that cricket is in his genes, thanks to his late father and founder member of David Persaud Investments Ltd, an avid sportsman who had successfully captained the Everest cricket team during the late sixties and early seventies. The younger Persaud said that he had played with Roger Harper during his (Harper) embryonic years at Queen’s College Secondary School

programmes and I would like to extend our gratitude to Mr. Persaud,” she said.

Kaieteur Sport would be following ball by ball action of the competition but more i m p o r t a n t l y, p r o v i d e clarifications and explanations of the new format of the competition. The participating teams are: Group A—Everest

Cricket Club, Malteenoes Sports Club, Transport (A), Ace Warriors, Saint Stanislaus College, Transport (B) and Gandhi Youth Organization.

Group B – Georgetown Cricket Club, Queen’s College, Third Class, Demerara Cricket Club (B), GNIC and Demerara Cricket Club (B).

Nathalie Gibson is a champion but it was the former West Indies player that had progressed to the Test level.

He also endorsed the high level of confidence of his executives in the organizing skills of Mr. Harper.

An avid lawn tennis player, the younger Persaud revealed the pivotal reason for acquiescing to sponsorship of the tournament. “My company is fully committed to the development of sports and this has always been our corporate philosophy,” exhorted Mr. Persaud.

President of the GCA, Roger Harper, was extremely delighted by the kind gesture and told his benefactor just that. He also said that the tournament was organized with the development of the youths in mind. The GCA President further said that the sponsor’s father nurtured deep seated ambitions for youth development, which juxtaposed with the current philosophies. “We hope to run the tournament on par with the high standards set

A

s a teenager growing up she had a lot of combats at home with the boys and her brother. Realizing the aggression and belligerence, her brother persuaded her to join a karate club (YMCA), “I used to do a lot of fighting at home with the boys and my brother.”

Gibson who made no hesitation of following the quest is now Guyana’s Pan American and World Cup champion.

The thirty-three years old fighter who started her career at age eleven won gold at the recent 2012 World Cup International Karate Daigaku Championship in Toronto, Canada last July.

The former Dolphin Community High School and Guyana Technical Institute (GTI) student revealed that she dedicated six months of training to achieve her gold medal at the World Cup. Gibson, who was proud of her teammates who participated and represented Guyana in the Championship as well, indicated that her hard work was produced without a Coach, “I do not have a Coach that trains me; technically I am my tutor. I do a lot of research on the internet, especially YouTube to learn new things and develop myself.”

Gibson explained that her earlier rounds in the Championship was like a walk in the park before she came across her opponent in the final who was a tough cookie, “The final was tough. The girl was a great opponent and she had the moves.”

The only way Guyana’s World Cup champion was able to brush off her opponent

Nathalie Gibson with her World Cup gold medal.

was when she made great use of her speed, “I kept focus and applied my speed and succeeded in getting my gold medal.”

The athlete is now focusing on the Caribbean Championship which is set for St. Vincent. Gibson earned a silver medal last year at that Championship.

The committed athlete, who is also an instructor for athletes at YMCA, is hoping to have a personal sponsor as she continues with her career.

Interested personals can contact her on 664-8040. (Juanita Hooper)

t r o Sp

Sanchez storms to Grenada’s James wins 400m hurdles gold men’s 400m gold

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ONDON (Reuters) - Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic proved that age is no barrier to track success when he stormed to a second men’s Olympic 400 metres hurdles gold medal on Monday, eight years after winning in Athens.

The 34-year-old, twice a world champion who was unbeaten in 43 successive races between 2001 and 2004, clocked 47.63 seconds to take victory. Sanchez, running in

reflective sunglasses from lane seven, made a strong start, ran a steady bend and had enough left in the tank in the home straight to hold off fast-closing American Michael Tinsley who secured silver in 47.91. Puerto Rico’s Javier Culson (48.10), the fastest man this year, took bronze.

American Angelo Taylor, bidding for a third 400 hurdles gold after triumphs in Sydney and Beijing, was fifth, just behind world champion Dai Greene of Britain.

Got to Go from Jumbo Jet stable takes top honours at Kennard Meet P. 20

Shariff and Crawford stables also outstanding

Action in the feature B class event with Got to Go of the Jumbo Jet Stable on the rails ahead of Technology and the others as fans encroach the track.

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ONDON (Reuters) - Grenada’s world champion Kirani James stormed home to take gold in the men’s 400 metres at the London Olympics on Monday.

James won with a time of 43.94 seconds, ahead of the Dominican Republic’s Luguelin Santos and Lalonde Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago, who took silver and bronze respectively. James, 19, looked in control of the race from the start, surging home half a second ahead of world junior champion Santos.

The United States, winners of the last seven Olympic men’s 400 metres titles, did not have a representative in the final for the first time.

It was the first ever Olympic medal for Grenada, the Spice Isle, and indeed the colour was the best, gold. James said he focused on the race and executed according to plan.

He will now look ahead to a few other meets during the year and his studies in the United States.

Mona Lisa with Appadhu on the rails on its way to a resounding victory in the I class event.

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