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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
AN ‘EMPTY BARRELS’ EXERCISE? The Constitution of Guyana, like most others, affords duly registered citizens an opportunity every five years to choose candidates to represent them in Parliament. In that august House, the role of the government is to make and pass laws, while the official function of the opposition is to oppose and check the actions of the government. Therefore, the first order of consideration is whether the candidates possess the character and competence to serve the national interest - scrutinize debate and approve new laws - and be an effective Member of Parliament (MP). These constitute the key decisions to be made when national voting is conducted, and should not be taken lightly. For the past four days, the 2015 budget debate has duly taken centre stage, but the rancorous behaviour of some of the Members has not been encouraging and to many, somewhat disrespectful. The barbs from both sides of the House have been particularly withering. One hopes that the business of the country will be genuinely and effectively dealt with when all is said and done. After all, Parliament is the chamber where the public interest should be at the heart of decision-making - which must be conducted sensibly and fairly. It is considered an honourable chamber, and many of those who sit in that chamber want to be perceived as honourable, but the bitterness among MPs during this particular debate so far, has assured the citizenry that their affairs are not necessarily in honourable hands. The tasks of Parliament are formidable and require a team of principled, qualified and responsible citizens at the helm to guide the ship of state. It is therefore insulting for constituents to just be exposed to the bombardment of insults and spurious accusations every time Parliament meets. The people need serious representation. The people need meaningful action. The government, we suppose, is within its right to criticize the PPP for its poor performance, its deficiencies, incompetence, malfeasance, and refusal to deal condignly with corrupt practices. It is true that the opposition could, and in most cases should rebut the charges made against them by the government, and convince the people about its performance and stewardship. For much needed balance, the PPP must clearly define its vision and indicate its plans for the country. It must also diagnose the problems and articulate feasible proposals for addressing them. But all the above, needs to be done in a civil manner. When it was highlighted that the PPP had falsely claimed the present government had fired 2,000 CSOs in June, when in fact they were essentially terminated by the PPP in April, prior to the elections, the responses were gratuitously vitriolic. The issue was not dealt with coherently. Several PPP MPs admonished the Finance Minister for failing to make provisions in the budget for the huge trade deficit that is unsustainable, and a dwindling GDP. We could have learnt so much more from both sides if everyone’s ego hadn’t got the better of them. The best was saved for the last. There was thunderous applause, heckling and insults as the Minister of Public Security rose to speak. He berated the PPP for misleading the nation on a number of issues. And as he outlined his plans to fight crime, he was mocked and booed by some opposition MPs who called for his resignation, after just three months, due to the
Friday August 21, 2015
Letters... Where your views make the news
Children are being trafficked at Port Kaituma DEAREDITOR In Port Kaituma, they say, it’s the gold and the money that talks. A person can buy anything, and I mean anything, once you have gold and money. When a person has gold and money that causes officials to turn the other way to trafficking in persons. I know what I’m about to say is extremely harsh, critical, controversial and most people in our society don’t want to hear it. But it’s the truth; it’s a fact that some people in our country don’t want to hear that 10 years old Amerindian girls in Port Kaituma are being trafficked because it’s not their children. Editor, most people reading this letter who live in Georgetown would deny and wouldn’t believe this is happening in our society because Port Kaituma is so far away from Georgetown. In Port Kaituma, men can do whatever they like to underage girls. And the sad part is that some of the people in Port Kaituma are aware it’s happening. I was there three
days, only and I saw it. It’s not a secret; it’s not being done only in the dark but in the light, too. Until I saw it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it was happening. It’s difficult for me to imagine some mothers forcing their underage innocent girls to sell themselves to grown men for gold and money. A n d i t ’s e v e n m o r e unimaginable for me to comprehend how a community is aware of it happening and says and do nothing about it. I’m not sure which one is worst: the mothers trafficking their daughters or a community turning a blind eye and remaining silent.Editor, I didn’t go to Port Kaituma to look for sex trafficking. I went to Port Kaituma to visit Jonestown, a dark place in our nation history. I went to Jonestown to see where over 900 Americans died. What happened in 1978 at Jonestown was horrible and tragic, but what I witnessed presently happening at Port Kaituma is also tragic and horrifying.At Port Kaituma,
there is no movement to protect the little girls from sex trafficking. The girls are being destroyed physically, emotionally and sexually to get gold and money. Who is remembering them during their suffering and struggle? Who is caring for them? Who is providing f o r t h e m ? Editor, I’ve been in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I’ve witnessed horrific, terrifying and frightening things so I’m not a person who gets shocked and heartbroken easily. However, watching underage girls being taken advantage of sexually just because they’re poor breaks my heart. How can men take advantage of little girls like this? And how can we as a community watch it happen and remain silent? Aren’t we suppose to be our brothers and sisters keeper? Do we not have a moral obligation to protect these girls? What if they were our daughters would we have remained silent? Editor, what I witnessed in Port Kaituma, would remain forever etched within me. Wherever life takes me,
a part of me would always remain in that Port Kaituma. I saw many little girls on a truck going in the mining fields; I saw them with their rucksack, so cumbersome, so heavy. I saw them and an immense tenderness sweeps over me. Never will their innocent smiles fade from my soul. Never will their glances cease to sear me. Editor, recently President Granger promised to strengthen law enforcement in indigenous communities and bringing an end to the exploitation of people particularly in trafficking in person (TIP). In order to eradicate TIP, the president has to make some changes at the top. President Granger was elected on promises to root out corruption, but trafficking in person is still raging. Trafficking in person is a form of corruption. And to eliminate TIP, President Granger should replace the head of the police force with a new leader carefully vetted and selected on the basis of merit and not seniority. Anthony Pantlitz
The PPPC seems to be trying to distract Gov’t from proceeding with what it has promised to DEAR EDITOR, The PPP Civic had an opportunity to establish what they considered the best way forward for Guyana over the last 23 years. However, in the last General Elections the electorate voted for a change and as a result we have a new Government. It is my view that this new Government should be given an opportunity to establish and pass the principals and objectives it promised the electorate if it were put in power.
However, whenever I look at the daily newscasts, every time the Secretary for the PPP Civil holds a press conference I get the impression that everything this new Government attempts to do is wrong, and that the only persons who know what is right for the people of Guyana is the PPP Civic. Sometimes the views expressed are so ridiculous that one would attribute them to an uneducated or literate. For example, the Secretary has expressed that he is in
support of a Commission of enquiry for the Death of the Minister of Agriculture who was murdered during the Jagdeo Administration. The reason given that the (the Secretary) knows is former Minister of Home Affairs states that the Police know who did the killing. I consider the statement to be absolutely disrespectful to the intelligence of the people of Guyana. What the PPPC seems to be doing is trying to create obstacles so as to distract the present Government from
proceeding with what it has promised to do and engage in all these matters raised. So at the end of this New Government’s term nothing much would be achieved. I am not saying that this present Government ought not to take cognizance of what the PPPC is saying and doing. But at the same time please do not allow yourself to be diverted by falling into the trap the PPPC is constantly designing. Jonas M. Coddett Attorney-at-Law
This private car owner flouts the law DEAR EDITOR, Failure by the police in Region #2 to enforce the law for infractions is responsible for the escalation of lawlessness in the district. Presently, there is a
private car owner presumptuously operating his vehicle for hire with this man being an absolute nuisance. While the police are cognisant of the serious risks that are involved for
unacceptably high rate of homicides. The Minister also taunted his opponents and reminded them that fighting crime is everyone’s responsibility - it cannot be left entirely to the government or law enforcement agencies. A fair enough fight, but once again the important messages got lost in the din. It has been a most boisterous budget debate so far. Let’s hope it’s not an ‘empty barrels’ exercise.
commuters to use a private car for hire, they seem not to be interested or concerned about the illegality, for reasons best known to them but obviously linked to malfeasance when it is incumbent upon them to ensure that there is a level playing field. Personally, repeated reports were made against the man, but no action was ever taken against him and he continues to do so with
impunity. Ever so often, the police keep telling me that he would be charged and placed before the court, but this was never done. In my humble opinion, justice was never designed to be a one sided affair and what is needed at all times is for the police to do their job in an impartial and professional manner to gain the respect and support of the community. Ghirdharry Singh
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
The scrub should not There is widespread support for a be worn out and about Government of National Unity
DEAR EDITOR, I refer with some degree of concern but in profound agreement to the recent article by Sister Colline Hicks (Kaieteur News, August 19, 2015) regarding cross infection due to nurses wearing scrubs inside and outside the hospital environment. Being of Guyanese descent, and a British trained Registered Nurse (S.R.N.), Midwife ( S.C.M), and Psychiatric nurse ( R.M.N.), I vividly recall the prevailing conditions regarding the wearing of our nursing uniforms while in training in England. It was forbidden under the threat of training discontinuation to wear uniforms outside of the hospital. In addition the uniform was protected by an apron which served as a protective agent. For those nurses who lived outside of the hospital premises they wore a coat or cape supplied by the hospital but nevertheless they were governed by the same existing rules, and forced to change into uniform once at the hospital and change back into civvies before going home. During this selfsame period the hospital was also totally responsible for the laundering of uniforms for all personnel, which was a quintessential part of the steps being taken towards infection control and patient safety. This was all being
done way back then when certain bacteria and organisms were not properly identified. Pray tell me when did the physical image of the Guyanese nursing profession change? From current reports the change was quite dramatic, for gone are the starched striped uniforms and distinctive nursing caps, giving way to colored and patterned s c r u b s . S a d l y, t h e professional level is just not there. During my youthful years in Guyana a nurse was a pleasure to look at in her starched uniform and cap, the latter sometimes visible in a plastic bag hanging over her handle bar. Currently, in North America the wearing of scrubs have also given rise to some degree of confusion within the hospital environment, as an array of other ancillary hospital staff have also adopted that garb, which have caused patients to guess who had arrived to take their temperature and who to clean the toilet. There should be a call (make that a recall), loud, sustained and clear for the adoption of the traditional known nurses’ uniform. The voice of nurse Hicks should not be the sole sound heard in the seeming healthcare wilderness, for it should be a done deal that nurses not be allowed to wear their scrubs, as the majority of scrubs currently
worn in health care facilities are equivalent to street clothes in terms of infection control. It is not what nurses bring into the hospitals but what they bring out, as bacteria and drug resistant germs could be carried out of the hospital and spread to wherever the scrub wearing staff goes. For example, the scrub can contain Clostridium difficile better known as C. diff, a wellknown bacteria that wreaks havoc and can cause violent and debilitating diarrhea. Perhaps this bacterium is continent specific with no travelling privileges. Hopefully, it is not pointless at this juncture to pose the question as to what part is being played by InfectionControl Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital, as I failed to see any mention or reference to this agency in the said article. Infection control and hospital epidemiology are interconnected topublic health, and as a partof infection control hospital staff should not attend to diseased patients and then walk out of the hospital still clad in the clothes they wore on the ward. Conducted research has shown that31) (continued on page
DEAR EDITOR, The findings of an opinion poll conducted by the North American C a r i b b e a n Te a c h e r s Association reveal widespread support for a government of “national unity” comprising all the parties represented in the national assembly. The population says unity is needed in light of “the threat” posed by neighboring Ve n e z u e l a a n d t h e divisiveness arising out of the general elections, the outcome of which has been in dispute over allegations of rigging and foreign intervention. A large majority of the population does not feel the new coalition government has been successful at uniting the races, and as such, they think a government of national unity is needed to help bring the races together for healing.The survey was conducted by Dr. Vishnu Bisram last week interviewing 430 voters that reflected the demographic composition of the population.Asked if they think the coalition government has been successful at uniting the races, only 11% said yes with
virtually no PPP or AFC supporter in that category. Respondents feel the country is more divided than ever in its history because of the recently concluded election and the firing of state workers on account of ethnic and political affiliation. Queried whether the government can unite the country against Venezuelan’s threat, 69% said yes. However, a large majority feel the government has not made a serious effort to unite the country on the issue. Most PPP supporters feel national unity against Ve n e z u e l a ’s c l a i m o f Guyanese territory is being u n d e r m i n e d b y government’s policy of victimization, witchhunting, and termination of workers based on political and racial affiliation. In Essequibo, virtually no one is supportive of Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territory and few expressed an interest in acquiring the Venezuelan national identity card recently proposed by Caracas or of Essequibo being a province of Venezuelan as enunciated by the Venezuelan government. But Essequibians are grateful to Venezuela for helping
them “get food” in contraband trading during the period of banned foods under the PNC dictatorship. However, they say that Venezuela is not an asset to them now because of its current financial problems; they note many Guyanese in Venezuela cross the border to acquire goods to take back to their families, a reversal of what took place during the period of the PNC dictatorship. A taxi driver position and endorsement on the coast betrays peoples’ self interest: “Venezuela can’t help us in Essequibo though we will get cheap gasoline; we will have to help Venezuela”. But when asked “if things were to get rough in Guyana and conditions are good in Venezuela”, whether they will want to be part of Venezuela, most said “yes” – indicating that economic self interest trumps national interest and national unity on issues. Asked if there should be a government of national unity, only 9% are opposed. But almost everyone feels there will not be a government of national unity because politicians are only (Continued to page 31)
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Former USVI governor arrested on embezzlement charges
John deJongh ST THOMAS, USVI — The former governor of the US Virgin Islands was arrested Tuesday morning on two felony counts of alleged financial improprieties in relation to widely publicized security improvements on his house in 2007. John deJongh was arrested by USVI authorities on charges of embezzling public funds and failing to use public funds for their intended purpose, in violation of Title 14, Section 1662 and 1663 of the Virgin Islands Code, attorney general nominee Claude Walker stated. “Today, August 18, 2015, I announce the arrests of the former governor of the Virgin
Islands, John P. deJongh, Jr., and Julito Frances, former director of the Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority,” Walker told reporters at a brief press conference “This morning both men were advised of their constitutional rights before a Superior Court magistrate in the St Thomas district. Both men were arrested on two counts: embezzlement of public monies and neglecting to pay over public monies in violation of the Virgin Islands criminal code,” Walker said. “We allege that on or about April 2007 through January 2009 both men, being public officers, acted in concert in the process of conversion of public monies for
private use and executed several government contracts to convert $490,000.25 of Virgin Islands government highway funds to fund improvements to the private residence of former governor John deJongh Jr., without authority of law,” Walker said. Both charges are punishable by fines of up to $10,000 and up to ten years in prison, or both. If convicted, neither man would be eligible to run for public office in the US Virgin Islands, Walker said. “We allege that on or about April 2007 through January 2009, both men — being public offices — acted in concert in the process of conversion of public monies for private use and executed several government contracts to convert $490,000.25 of Virgin Islands government highway funds to fund improvements to the private residence of former governor DeJongh without authority of law,” Walker outlined. “These funds, however, were specifically earmarked by the Virgin Islands legislature … to repair public roads. Both men will be arraigned in approximately two weeks. As always, we remind the public that any person accused of any crime is innocent until proven guilty.” (Caribbean 360)
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Kaieteur News
PNM launches its election manifesto Trinidad Express - The Peoples National Movement (PNM) launched its manifesto for the 2015 general elections at the Hyatt Regency, Port-ofSpain yesterday. PNM political leader, Dr Keith Rowley, said the manifesto theme was “Restore, Rebuild, Represent”. PNM candidate for Diego Martin North East, Colm Imbert, delivered a detailed presentation of the manifesto. Imbert said, among the initiatives, the PNM will increase the annual personal allowance from $60,000 to $72,000. He said Value Added Tax (VAT) will be reduced from
15 per cent to 12.5 per cent. The PNM will design and introduce a retiree benefits progranmme, initiate the process for free island-wide public broadband wireless network and increase the stipends for On-The-Job trainees. Imbert said the PNM will also remove immigration forms at ports for citizens and re-introduce ten-year passports. He said a PNM Government would introduce a Code of Conduct for parliamentarians with “serious penalties.” The PNM will engage the Criminal Justice System stakeholders to re-engineer
the structure to provide an efficient and legitimate criminal justice system as the foundation for crime prevention, law enforcement and the protection of human rights. “Introduce common sense, evidence-based, cost effective policies in the justice system,” Imbert said. He said, as priority, the PNM will complete the San Fernando to Point Fortin Highway in a manner that best serves the national interest and the interest of all affected parties and stakeholders. Imbert said construction would begin on the San Fernando to Mayaro Freeway, Wallerfield to Manzanilla Highway, a ring road around Sangre Grande, a ring road around Chaguanas and the Port of Spain to Chaguaramas Causeway or Highway. He said the PNM would construct a new first class road to Toco and a new fast ferry port in Toco, thus providing a faster alternative sea route to and from Tobago from east Trinidad and opening up the entire northeast region of Trinidad for new industrial, residential and commercial development.
Friday August 21, 2015
PM defends milliondollar ‘mercy” grant Trinidad Express - Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar has defended the proposal of a $5,000 mercy grant to the 200 employees affected following a fire at Hearty Foods Supermarket Arima saying never before have so many people been left jobless at one time in such a disaster in this country. Persad-Bissessar dismissed claims that the grant is a means of trying to buy votes for next month’s general election. Persad-Bissessar was questioned about the proposed grant following the People’s Partnership’s political meeting held in Arima on Wednesday night. “I think they deserve it. There have been other fires but not so many persons being affected,” PersadBissessar said. Persad-Bissessar said since taking office in 2010 her detractors have always claimed her acts of kindness have a sinister motive behind them. “Everything we have done over the past five years they accuse us of trying to buy votes. “I am in the business of
meeting the needs of people and that is what that (the proposed mercy grant) is about. “It is a gesture of sympathy, we have s e e n other fires but not so many persons at one time being left jobless,” PersadBissessar said. Persad-Bissessar told of the proposals to assist the affected employees as she addressed the crowd in Arima “As I am in Arima tonight I want to share my own concerns and sympathies for those 200 who lost their jobs because of the fire that took place,” Persad-Bissessar said. Cabinet is today expected to discuss the issuance of a “one-off $5,000 grant” to the 200 employees left jobless as a result of an early morning fire at Hearty Foods Supermarket in Tobago on Tuesday, Persad-Bissessar said. An inter-ministerial committee will also be charged with the responsibility of finding new employment for those affected by the fire, she said. The crowd applauded and cheered when Persad-
Kamla PersadBissessar Bissessar announced both proposals. “I am saying that we are a government that cares. “We will continue to care. You know they ask us many times what separates the opposition from us, this say it is the same old, some people say old khaki pants but you know and I know that there are tremendous differences with the opposition and the People’s Partnership,” she said.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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PEOPLE EXPECT BETTER! The Budget debates are a three-week-long exercise. Between the reading of the Budget speech and the commencement of the debate, there is a one-week intermission. This week is used to give all and sundry the opportunity to study the Budget. It gives the opposition a chance to develop their assessment and it gives the government side the chance to assemble their policies and arguments in favour of the Budget. The first week after this intermission is devoted towards the debate on the
Budget. One week, in fact, is far too short, given the number of speakers. There have been complaints about the time allotted to opposition members, and the new government could have been more flexible and supported extensions. They should open themselves to criticism and not do what was done to them when they were in opposition. Even if it means limiting the number of speakers, each presenter should be given the minimum of half an hour with one 15-minute extension. Fifteen minutes is much too
short to develop the sort of arguments that have to be made in these debates. The debate on the Budgets is followed by the work of the Committee of Supply. This is limited to seven days, bringing the total time for the whole process to three weeks. When you have a fivemonth window to spend 221 billion dollars, three weeks can be a long time. It also takes up a lot of time. This, however, does not justify the motion that was moved to reduce the time for the consideration of the estimates from seven days to
Since the removal of the Berbice Anti Smuggling Squad (BASS), the Guyana Revenue Authority and the police have made a number of interceptions at the various backtrack crossings on the Corentyne River. One such interception was made on Sunday, last, when 37-year-old Leroy Hinds of Amelia’s Ward was nabbed with a shotgun in his possession.
According to information, at around 16:00 hrs on the day in question, law enforcement officials were conducting checks on a number of persons who had just arrived by boat at a backtrack crossing at the Number 78 Foreshore. Hinds, who was among the passengers, was checked, and a disassembled 32 Gauge shotgun was found in a bag he was carrying. He could not
produce a receipt for the weapon. Hinds was arrested and taken to the Springlands police station where he was subsequently charged. He appeared in the Springlands Magistrate’s court on Tuesday before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh and pleaded guilty. He was remanded to jail until the following day, when he was sentenced to two years in jail.
Shotgun smuggler jailed for two years
three days. This should never happen. It sends the wrong signal about the government’s commitment to transparency and confirms the worst fears of the supporters of the opposition about the lack of democracy. The coalition had promised that things would be different. They promised openness and transparency. What they have done via this motion is to shoot down those commitments and disgrace themselves. The government should show that it is different from the PPP and allow the full period for the consideration of the estimates. There should be no hurry-up Budget and no hurry- up process of trying to have the debates ended earlier. The electorate that voted for the coalition is going to be very disappointed. They are going to be disappointed that the opposition can score valid points about the lack of openness by the new
government. There is already a great deal of disappointment over the performance of the new government so far. Admittedly people had too much expectations of the new government. They felt that things would have changed rapidly. The government now seems unable to deliver what the people presumed would have been immediate change. The talk around the country is that there has been no change, just exchange. But some people prefer the exchange without the change. It matters more which parties are in power than what is done while in power. So the government knows that no matter what is done, it will enjoy significant support. It carries with it a great deal of goodwill. That goodwill is going to evaporate, however, if the government does not keep its promises to the people. The honeymoon is over.
People want to see openness and transparency. They want to see the estimates of expenditure subject to rigorous scrutiny. There is nothing to hide and therefore there should be no reason for limiting the time for consideration of the estimates. Openness and transparency come at a price. The extension of the consideration of the estimates of expenditure to seven days is one price that has to be paid. If the government wants three days for consideration of the estimates, it should extend the hours of the sitting of the National Assembly to compensate for the two days that are lost. This would be a reasonable compromise.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 21, 2015
== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
Bharrat Jagdeo enters the realm of propaganda madness They say if you tell a lie often it will come to be accepted as truth. That can only happen, of course, if the lies go unchallenged. There are sufficient researchers in the employ of the government to confront the ocean of blatant lies by the PPP that will fill the air in Parliament. The propaganda will come with tsunami force. If not exposed, people can believe the Jagdeo cabal. Mr. Jagdeo is quoted as saying that the APNU-AFC administration has started out on the wrong footing. Jagdeo contends that the Minister of Business should not be the chairman of GO-Invest, because he is the Minister in
charge of GO-Invest. Jagdeo went on to say that under his presidency, he appointed a technical head of GO-Invest. Do the people of Guyana know who the technical head of GO-Invest during the reign of Bharrat Jagdeo was? Brace yourself for Jagdeo’s entry into the kingdom of propaganda madness. It was Kellawan Lall. I knew Mr. Lall when we were young. At that time, he lived at the residence of the Jagans. I may be wrong and if I am I apologize, but I don’t think in those days Mr. Lall had the required five CXC with the required English and Mathematics subjects. He went to Cuba on those short
ideological study programmes that most PPP second and third tier leaders were sent on. Lall worked at the PPP’s newspaper, the Mirror. That was his employment when the PPP came to power in 1992. What the APNU-AFC parliamentarians need to do is ask Mr. Jagdeo what was technical in the Lall chairmanship of GO-Invest. What the press should do is ask Jagdeo to explain the criterion for Lall’s technical appointment at GO-Invest. Now interestingly, when Lall held the GO-Invest chairmanship, he was President Jagdeo’s employee at the Office of the President.
I doubt Mr. Jagdeo is familiar with the philosophical concepts of “form” and “content.” “Content is also referred to as “substance.” “Substance” remains constant and can take many forms. Mr. Jagdeo’s appointment of Lall at GOInvest is a classical example of the difference between form and content. Mr. Jagdeo is right. The Minister of Finance during Jagdeo’s presidency was not the chairman of GO-Invest, but it was a Jagdeo underling that Jagdeo was boss of. Lall existed in name only. The real boss of GO-Invest was President Jagdeo. Without being insulting to Kellawan Lall, there was nothing technical about his role at GO-Invest, he was not a technically trained man and he was not independent of Mr. Jagdeo while he, Lall, was chairman of GO-Invest There is a mountain of propagandistic depravities and blatant lies like the technical chairman of GOInvest that the Parliament and the people of Guyana can expect from not only Jagdeo, but many of the troglodytes who controlled power under the PPP rule from 1992. One must at all times remember that people like
Rohee, Teixeira and Luncheon have been shaping policies and making appointments for twentythree years. All three were Senior Cabinet members since 1992. It follows then that these three persons would hardly be in a position to criticize any member of a new government that has been in existence for a mere three months, but they will. Take ethnic motive behind termination of employment. This has now become a sermon of the PPP. But is the PPP in any moral position to even speak just one word about that? How Caricom remained silent on what took place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Customs and Excise after 1992 remains a mystery. If ever the term ethnic cleansing in employment was applicable to the West Indies, it was under the Cheddi Jagan regime after 1992. There was the comical but real life situation in which African Guyanese were dismissed from a certain Guyana embassy and a lady by the name of Singh was retained. It came as a psychological jolt when on meeting Ms. Singh, the ethnic cleanser saw that she was African-Guyanese.
Frederick Kissoon Of course she was removed shortly after. Every depravity, immorality, debauchery, illegality committed by the twenty-three year-old hegemony of the PPP Government, when exposed by the new APNU-AFC administration and the media, will be met with the automatic response – “I don’t know anything about that.” Mr. Jagdeo used those identical words when asked about the transformers that provide electricity to his Pradoville 2 home. One of the most horrendous acts of this 23year-old machine was Bibi Shadick’s appointment as Pro-Chancellor of UG. Of course, no one from the PPP leadership knows how she got there.
Dem boys seh...
Who seh that Jagdeo want talk? De Pee Pee Pee mekking nuff noise fuh Jagdeo talk. De people who sitting in parliament fuh de Pee Pee Pee vex, because somebody trying to avoid de stalling. But dem boys want to know since when Jagdeo want to talk. When he was president he never want to talk in Guyana, except when he want to lie about something. He still to talk about wheh he mansion come from; he ain’t explain wheh Ernie Ross get $120 million to buy he first house. If as president he hold twelve press conference he hold nuff. He never use to talk when he leffing de country almost every week. De only time people hear bout he visit to de Middle East was when de Kuwait caliph tun he back because he try to enter the country without an invitation. De other day he sit in parliament and he didn’t want to talk bout de three transformer he got fuh he house alone. When he try to heckle de Adams boy, one lady tell him fuh talk bout dem transformers, and he get quiet as a mouse. Fuh two days straight he get a chance
fuh talk and he shut he mouth. De first day was when Rum Jattan threaten him wid jail. But if he want to talk he can talk about so many things. He can talk bout he foundation that another BJ transfer to him. Dem boys want to know wha he swap or if is bribe he collect. He can also talk about why he push Donald and tell de party how Donald lose de parliamentary majority and then lose de election, when is he go out and chase people away from de polls. Donald had a chance to silence him, but he keep him and pay de penalty. Dem boys want he, Jagdeo, tell de story. If he want to talk he must talk about who and he been to some European country wheh two first class ticket cost $7 million. He must talk how Ashni was he Finance Minister but is he, Jagdeo, who use to go out of de country fuh any meeting on financial planning. He can get nuff time to talk, but if only he promise to really talk and talk de truth. Talk half, and wait fuh Jagdeo talk…wait lang.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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GuyOil sold $44B fuel in 2013 - remained single biggest distributor Guyana imported 1.3M barrels of oil in 2013 from mainly Venezuela under the PetroCaribe arrangements. During that year, high acquisition costs, aggressive competition and low margins proved the going was tough for the state-owned Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil). The situation would have expected to increase significantly this year when oil prices fell from US$135 per barrel then to now just over US$40. GuyOil was also taking oil from Trinidad. It owns seven service stations and has 36 dealer-controlled ones across the country with its price at the pumps below its privately-run competitors. In the Chairman’s Report, Dr Keshav Mangal, disclosed that the acquisition prices for refined petroleum products fluctuated between US$80 and US$135 per barrel that
year, averaging US$120. In addition to Venezuela, GuyOil also sourced fuel from Trinidad. Sales in 2013 were $44.34B compared to $44.13B in 2012, an increase of $0.21B. In terms of volume sales, GuyOil sold 1,322,907 barrels compared to 1,334,910 in 2012, a decrease of 12,003. GuyOil’s gross profits in 2013 added up to $2.857B compared to $3.264B in 2012, a decrease of $0.407B or 12.47 percent. Net profit after tax was $0.474B compared to $0.951B in 2012, a decrease of $0.477B or 50.17 percent. According to the Chairman, while the sales volume and sales revenue in 2013 and 2012 were similar, the gross profit and net profit were significantly lower than in 2012. The low gross profit is explained by the very small margin the company traded at,
while the low net after tax profit resulted because the company was required to provide Corporation Tax at two percent of turnover instead of 40 percent of net profit. “Had the company provided Corporation Tax at 40 percent of net profit, total taxation for 2013 would have been $550,513,448 compared to $886,801,100 provided for at two percent of the turnover,” the Chairman said in his report. The report was recently laid in the National Assembly. In 2013, GuyOil said it spent almost $590M to expand. The projects included the erection of an AVJET Fuel Handling Facility at the Providence Terminal and similar one, in another phase, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Modernization of the Regent Street service station started in 2013 with plans in
the year to expand the Providence Service station to increase fuel storage capacity and bigger space for vehicles. An interim dividend of
As the Government of Guyana begins to crack down on illegal immigration, yet another group of intended visitors has been refused entry. Five nationals of the Dominican Republic arrived in Guyana a few days ago via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Timehri, and four of them were sent back to their homeland after they failed to meet the requirements for entry into the country. Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Dale Alves, told Kaieteur News that the immigrants had arrived in Guyana and were not in possession of visas. He added that the individuals had no relatives and/or friends to receive them, and were unable to state where they were going. Alves also stressed that they had insufficient funds. He said as a result of all of the above, they were refused entry and subsequently sent
back to their country of origin. On the contrary, David Jacobis, who claimed to be a friend of the individuals, has since lambasted two immigration officers, whose names he provided, for being unethical while executing their duties. Jacobis recalled that he was waiting for about 45 minutes at the CJIA to “pick up” his friends. However his long wait was certainly in vain when he was informed that only one of them could have gained entry into the country. He related that he became aware of this from the said individual that was allowed entry. As a result of this, Jacobis, said that he, “immediately approached the security officer and I give her my name. She then told me to go in arrival (area). I saw the four girls on the waiting bench, so I then asked (Immigration Officer) what is the problem? Why the girls aint come through as yet? She
then said they did not fulfill her requirements. “So I then asked her what is her requirement? She then said ‘I don’t have to discuss that with you.’” Jacobis said that at that point he again enquired from the officer what the requirements were, but she declined to answer him. He said that he explained to the officer that the individuals had already made reservations at a city hotel for accommodation. According to the man, his friends who were denied entry had sufficient documentation in their possession. He emphasized that the officer insisted in deporting his friends. “I was waiting in her face for her to help me out. She said they are already waiting to be deported and she can’t do anything about it, no matter who talk.” Further, the frustrated man claimed that the officer threatened to place him in custody, “she went over to the
departure section, so I ask her wha really going on. And she (the officer) said ‘leh I tell you something, de next time you come in my face yuh gone see wha I gon do. I gone throw you in de (police) outpost.” Jacobis alleged that another officer (name provided) asked him if the girls are going to Bartica to “pick fare.” Within the last few months there have been several cases where foreign nationals illegally entered Guyana. Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes, found 29 foreign nationals living under suspicious circumstances from various locations, when she raided Bartica. 11 later faced charges of illegal entry and overstaying their time. Broomes remarked that there has been a trend of women being recruited from the Dominican Republic, but it had gone unnoticed by officials in the past.
GuyOil imported 1.3M barrels of oil from mainly Venezuela in 2013, racking up $44B in sales.
Four Dominican Republic citizens refused entry
$950M was declared by directors and paid on June 28, 2013. In 2013, GuyOil as a single company commanded 29 percent of the fuel market, selling 1,310,576 million barrels. Privately-owned service stations, however, stayed on top selling an accumulative 1,483,969 barrels. In 2012, GuyOil had tied with these controlling 31 percent of the market. According to the annual report, while Sol did better than Rubis in 2012, selling 1,118,412 barrels as against
497,542 for the latter, the gap has been closing. In 2013, Sol sold 959,006 barrels controlling 22 percent of the market while Rubis was 16 percent with 712,559 barrels. GuyOil is currently facing a major shakeup with a new Board of Directors named, chaired by Lance Carberry, a long-time board member. Its Managing Director, Badrie Persaud, was sent on leave in early July amidst a scandal where persons were unauthorisedly collecting fuel but the bills were sent to a number of ministries.
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Kaieteur News
Man remanded for allegedly discharging firearm at rival City Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan remanded a Tucville resident to prison yesterday after he was slapped with a criminal charge. Seon Anderson, 20, of Lot 17 Tucville, Georgetown is accused of discharging a loaded firearm at Desmond McPherson with intent to murder him on July 30. Anderson denied the charge after it was read to him in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, and will make his next appearance on September 7, before Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Police Corporal Deniro Jones presented the prosecution’s case and did not provide the court with any facts about what transpired on the day in question. During the court hearing, the defendant had to be asked on numerous occasions by the court orderly to remain silent, after he began professing his innocence. When the Magistrate granted him permission to address the court, he explained that he was in Suriname at the time of the shooting. He said that the police visited his home two days
ago and informed him that he was wanted for questioning. Anderson recalled that he was placed in custody and the charge was subsequently instituted against him. He pointed out that three other individuals were also arrested. The defendant claimed that “money pass at the station”. In explaining this, he claimed that lawmen at the police station accepted bribes for his incarceration. But things abruptly took a different turn when Anderson claimed that a recent selfconfessed death squad member might have shot McPherson. “It mussy (name of person) shoot him. Is PNC running things now not PPP”, he exhaled. He stressed that he is frustrated by the situation and begged the Magistrate to grant him bail. However, his cries went unheard and he was ordered held. Further, he told the court, “A lot of people in prison want to kill me. Last time I went in jail I had to be in a part called the ‘bricks’.” In addition, Anderson asserted that the virtual complainant is a “hitman”, who had shot his brother a few years back. But according to him, the matter which was before the court has been dismissed.
Friday August 21, 2015
Guyanese woman deported after serving time for family feud murder The United States of America on Wednesday deported the first member of a Guyanese family that was convicted for the 2010 murder of their countryman, Ganesh Ramgoolam, in Schenectady, New York. Angelene Priya Davis, formerly Angelene Parbhudial, who received a five-year sentence for her role in the shooting death of Ramgoolam, was returned with permission of the Guyana government and was accompanied by U.S. deportation officers. Parbhudial had married a United States citizen in an attempt to defeat deportation, but it failed. She was ordered deported by an immigration judge at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York. On February 20, 2010, Ramgoolam, a bus mechanic, was ambushed and gunned down outside 935 Maple Avenue, an act that prosecutors say marked a violent end to a feud between two groups of Guyanese. Prosecutors say Ramgoolam was at a party and got involved in a heated conversation on the phone between the Parbhudials and their perceived enemies. He and a friend drove to the Parbuhdial’s house only to be surrounded. Ramgoolam, who died at the scene, was felled by
bullets fired from a .22 caliber gun as he stood in a driveway. “You left him dead on the cold ground, face down. Why? You have destroyed so many lives because of your ignorant actions,” Uneesa Ally, the dead man’s widow had declared in a New York courtroom during the sentencing of her husband’s killers in 2011. Dhanashar “Tony” Persaud, who was said to be the shooter, received 18 years to life behind bars as part of a negotiated plea. “You intentionally executed him. I think of him falling to the floor. Did he yell? Did he cry? Or did he even have any time for that?” Ally had screamed at Persaud, who hung his head and teared up in the courtroom. Three of Persaud’s accomplices, siblings Vishan “Anthony” Parbhudial, then 23, and the now 25-yearold Angelene Parbhudial, who are his cousins, and her boyfriend, Richard Baliraj of Queens, were sentenced separately. Baliraj received 10 years because prosecutors say he fired one round from his AK-47 assault rifle that missed the victim while Vi s h a n and Angelene Parbhudial were sentenced to seven and five years respectively. Vishan had a shotgun, but never pulled the trigger and Angelene was armed with a bat, prosecutors said. The defendants’ varying sentences for gang assault were based on the threat level they posed to the victim.
On the day of their sentencing, everyone except Angelene Parbhudial apologised and expressed regret to the family of the deceased. Persaud, who had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, expressed remorse and said he regretted killing Ramgoolam. “When I thought I was doing the right thing, I was only making a bad decision,” he said, adding he hopes others don’t make the same mistake he did. “My actions caused a lot of hurt.” Judge Karen Drago described the Parbhudial family as “dysfunctional” and expanded on Ally’s remarks about the ignorance of the plotters. “Not only was it ignorant, it was absolutely barbaric, a shootout on a city street, laying in wait and then to corner him off to make sure you get the job done,” she said. The four defendants were ordered to share in paying back the $4,400 funeral cost and will be on probation for several years after they are released from prison. They all face deportation to their native Guyana and in Baliraj’s case, Trinidad and Tobago, because they are not U.S. citizens. Another Parbhudial sibling, Adrian, 25, was convicted of numerous criminal charges, the most serious of which was attempted aggravated murder for the shooting of two cops. Their mother Omawattie Parbhudial had also pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Govt. blasted for reducing debate time on budget estimates - Opposition deems it “the slaughter of democracy”
By Kiana Wilburg Never in the history of the National Assembly have the estimates of the budget been debated in three days. The rules of the House allow for such deliberations to last a maximum of seven days. But Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo believes that the current members of the House are quite competent and would not require such a long time. Before the continuation of the debate over the 2015 budget yesterday, Nagamootoo moved a motion to have the estimates of what has been described as the largest budget ever, to be debated within three days. This motion instantly threw the House into a state of confusion. The Opposition’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira stood immediately to reject the motion, stressing that Standing Order 73.1 says that there shall be a maximum of seven days for the deliberations. Teixeira said, “Mr. Speaker you are a new kid on the block and debates on the estimates have taken place from up to five to seven days when we were in government and we will not support this motion for the time for the deliberations to be reduced to three days.” The Opposition Chief Whip also bemoaned the fact that the common courtesy was not even extended to her by the Government’s Chief Whip, Amna Ally, for a discussion on the motion to
Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira be done, as normal protocol would dictate. Teixeira stressed that reducing the deliberations to three days is unacceptable and the opposition will oppose it. A few minutes were taken for the Clerk of the National Assembly , Sherlock Isaacs, to consult with the House Speaker on the said matter during which time, Nagamootoo asked to take the floor to respond to Teixeira. The seasoned lawyer told the Speaker that while Standing Order 73.1 may stipulate that there is a maximum of seven days, it does not state that there
should be a minimum time for the deliberations. “A maximum of seven days does not mean we can’t set a minimum if the House wants to,” the Prime Minister added. But Teixeira quickly retorted that protocol must be observed. She said that the 2015 budget contains the renaming of some ministries and the addition of new ones. The politician noted that opposition members would not only have to peruse the allocations for these agencies, but also for the ten administrative regions. “All of this will double up our work. We have never tried to prevent the other members when they were in opposition of the time they needed. This is unacceptable. It is trickery. I am asking you (Speaker) to declare this motion out of order. Let the schedule for deliberations be approved according to the norms and practices of this house,” the Opposition Chief whip
appealed. But Teixeira was disappointed by the Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland’s decision. He said, “It seems to me that Text 73. 1 speaks of the maximum time and not the minimum time, and I find no fault with the motion presented.” When it was put to a vote, the opposition was obviously outnumbered and the motion was subsequently passed. This led to the Opposition orally demonstrating its anger as its members hurled insults at the government members. From every direction on the western side of the House, members shouted, “This is the transparency and accountability you speak of?” “This is bullyism!” “Where is the democracy?” The House was then called to order by the Speaker and the debates on the budget commenced. But the
Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo topic would raise its ugly head once again during the presentation of PPP Parliamentarian, Vindhya Persaud. An impassioned Persaud told the Government that she is disappointed in the request for reducing the time for the opposition to scrutinize the estimates. “Mr. Speaker, they don’t want to face our questions? Where is the democracy? I
feel disheartened if this is how we will proceed in these early stages. God help us if this is how we are starting.” A team of opposition members later held a press conference in Committee room two of the Parliament to speak once more on the matter among other pressing issues. The team emphasized that the government’s motion represents “the slaughter of democracy.”
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 21, 2015
Stalled rice shipments to Venezuela…
Local millers take matters into their own hands By Jarryl Bryan There has been no communication from Venezuelan rice officials as to when shipments from Guyana can resume, and with the joint arrangement slated to officially end in November, local millers have taken matters into their own hands and are dealing with the tens of tonnes of rice and paddy originally destined for Venezuela. The 125,000 tonnes (90,000 tonnes of paddy and 35,000 tonnes of rice), which the Government had ordered millers to repossess and have sold after Venezuela issued a directive to Guyana to hold on shipments of rice, has since been reduced through the efforts of the millers. This is according to Deputy General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Madanlall Ramraj, who
revealed that the Venezuelan authorities are still experiencing logistical problems. He explained that there were still hundreds of containers of rice on the Venezuelan wharf, which had to be moved to various destinations for distribution. The large amount of rice being shipped to Venezuela, outside of the shipping schedule, is reported to have led to the country’s directive to halt shipments coming from Guyana as of July 10. Ramraj indicated that since this happened, efforts have been made to find temporary markets for the rice left here. These overtures have gone out to the Panama and the French markets, among others. However the Deputy GM noted that with the French market, this was not a permanent solution but rather a one-off measure, created by
the necessity of the situation. With the rice that remained in Guyana but was packaged for Venezuela, he stated that millers are still taking their rice back in order to sell to other markets. Asked about a definite amount of containers remaining, however, Ramraj could not say. He explained that the rate at which the shipments were being moved prevented a definite determination. In terms of marketing, Ramraj stated that millers have also been out of the country seeking individual markets, and should these endeavours see at least 10,000-15,000 tonnes taken off of the country’s hands that would make an impact. Providing the current figures, Ramraj stated that for the year so far, exports have been capped at 326,278 tonnes, as of last week Friday (August 14). Some 254,690 tonnes of rice were exported up to the corresponding period last year. On July 11 it was reported that Venezuela had issued a directive for Guyana to cease all paddy and rice shipments to the country with immediate
Rice being loaded for shipment
effect, four months before the PetroCaribe agreement/ contract was scheduled to come to an end. Venezuela’s decision regarding the rice deal had come at a time when it was claiming sovereignty over Guyana’s territorial waters off of the Essequibo Coast. Subsequently, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder had sought to assuage
concerns, stating that Venezuela had only instructed Guyana to ‘slow down’ shipments to the oilproducing country and return to the original shipping patterns. The Minister had provided assurances that the deal was not in jeopardy and that shipments had actually overwhelmed the Venezuelan rice officials, necessitating
the directive. Despite this, millers were instructed late last month to take back their rice and sell it to other markets, a directive that drew heavy criticism from millers, as the rice was already in the possession of the GRDB. Millers have also had to incur expenses associated with the moving and repackaging process.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Govt. orders inquiry of TIP cases in mining districts
Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes and Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, meeting with members of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation at Committees Room, Parliament Building. Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, yesterday afternoon convened a followup meeting with members of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) to discuss the progress made on the issues that they had raised at an earlier meeting with President David Granger last month. Based on discussions at the initial meeting, Minister Trotman disclosed that he has been mandated by President Granger to set up a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the issue of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in mining districts. This is currently being done in collaboration with the Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, a release from the Ministry of
the Presidency said yesterday. Trotman also announced that a group of lawyers has already begun drafting the Terms of Reference (TORs) for the Commission. “As you all know better than me, mining has a lot of evils and ills associated with it. The one that bothers me the most is trafficking of young children. Trafficking by itself is bad, but it really bothers me to know that young people are put in that situation,” the Minister said. The organisation had requested membership on the Guyana Gold Board and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC); they currently only have observer status.
Trotman told the group that once he is supplied with the name of a nominee he will ensure that this is done. Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes, who represented the Ministry at the meeting, spoke of the planned establishment of a database of women in the mining sector. “This was welcomed by the group, since they had made this recommendation several years ago. Additionally, it was announced that the Government will be reopening the Gold Board office in Bartica.” On the issue of deplorable roads in mining communities, Minister Trotman explained that the Finance Minister has
removed this responsibility from the GGMC and placed it back under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. The GWMO will be meeting with the Minister of Public Infrastructure, where this matter will be further discussed. Minister Broomes also informed the women that the Government will be hosting a symposium, which will engage small and mediumscale miners at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. “This forum is likely to be held at the end of September or early October. It will address some of the burning issues such as landlordism which plagues small and mediumscale miners and ultimately results in a reduction in gold declaration.”
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Another jail sentence for phone thief A convicted thief, who has an eye for popular brands of cell phones, was once again jailed - this time for two years after he pleaded guilty to a charge of simple larceny, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Repeat offender, Jermaine Sealey, 26, of Victoria Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, armed with a knife robbed taxi driver, Timothy Yorrick of a BlackBerry cellphone, a phone casing and $5,000 cash- all totaling $55,000. When asked by Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan if he had anything to say, Sealey replied in the negative. The court was told that Sealey habitually borrows phones from persons to place phone calls and makes off with them. He has a nine-month conviction on his rap sheet, for an offence of similar nature. On July 30, at Orange Walk Bourda, he borrowed Sealey’s phone and pulled another one of his tactics. He managed to make good his escape on foot, but little did he know that someone would have put an end to his dishonest practice. That someone turned out to be another taxi driver, who had knowledge about the incident. From all indications, Sealey had intentions of doing the same with this taxi driver. He boarded the man’s car but was driven into the compound of the Alberttown Station, where he was handed over to the police. Police Prosecutor Corporal Deniro Jones’ facts stated that on the day in question, around 16:00hrs, Sealey joined the victim’s motorcar and requested to be taken to Bourda Market. Jones explained that on arrival, Sealey asked the victim to borrow his phone to make a call. This was when Sealey pulled out a knife and placed it to the victim’s ribs, demanding him to hand over his valuables. The prosecutor added that the victim became scared and the convict removed $5,000 cash from the car and made good his escape. Jones related that on August 18, the defendant joined another motorcar. He said that the driver acting on information took the defendant to the station, where he was questioned and placed in custody. Jones added that the victim subsequently arrived at the station, positively identified Sealey, and the charge was instituted.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 21, 2015
Guyana prepares for yacht rally in E’bo River Minister of Tourism, Cathy Hughes, accompanied by Immediate Past President of THAG, Kit Nascimento, represented Guyana on Sunday at a seminar for the Nereid’s Yachting Rally 2015, held at Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago. The seminar was held to brief members of the international yachting community on the rally. The event, which is now in its third year, is scheduled to leave Trinidad and Tobago on September 4th for Guyana (the Essequibo River), and will conclude in St. Laurent du Maroni , French Guiana, via Suriname October 4th. Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of the Arts and Multiculturalism, Dr. Lincoln Douglas, welcomed Minister Hughes, the Guyana and French Guiana delegations, and addressed the approximately 50 cruisers from some 25 yachts attending the rally. Minister Hughes said her Government very much looks
forward to officially hosting the rally on its arrival in Guyana on September 11th at Hurakabra River Resort, located close to Bartica where the yachts will be anchored until September 17th. On that day the rally will depart for the Maroni River. The Minister, according to the Tourism Ministry, said she welcomed the opportunity to speak with the sailors and to encourage their participation in the rally. She emphasized the fact that already, with the support of the rally, yachting was a niche tourism attraction for Guyana and that her Government recognizes it as an important area of potential development and growth. The Minister noted that the Essequibo River provided a selection of beautiful and safe anchorages for visiting yachts and that Guyana has ensured that its Customs, Immigration and health clearance arrangements for
Tourism Minister, Cathy Hughes, with yachters in Trinidad. They are expected in Guyana next month.
yachts were amongst the easiest and most convenient
in the Caribbean. According to
the
statement, “Minister Hughes and Nascimento, in their respective video presentations, shared Guyana’s exciting and varied tourism attractions, including the spectacular Kaieteur F a l l s , t h e R u p u n u ni Savannahs and heritage
buildings of the capital city, Georgetown”. The Minister noted, in particular, that Guyana is becoming one of the most popular birding destinations in the hemisphere, with over 800 varieties of birds to be seen.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 29
Carpenter distressed over son’s disappearance Fifty-six-year-old Jagmohan Bissessar of Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, simply didn’t have the will to work yesterday. He has been depressed ever since learning of the disappearance of his 32-yearold son, Omkar Narine Bissessar. His emotional state is compounded by his belief that police on the West Coast of Demerara seem uninterested in the case. According to the man whose trade is carpentry, Omkar Narine Bissessar, who is the second of his three children, reportedly went missing between August 6 and 7, last. He however learnt of this on the afternoon of August 8, from his daughterin-law, Shanti, who shared a domicile with his son at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. The man said that his son’s wife, whom he wedded about six months ago, informed him by way of telephone that she and his son had “a li’l misunderstanding” on August 6, and she left the home and returned the following day. Bissessar said that the woman claimed that when she returned she saw blood in the house. She also claimed she saw blood on a shirt that his son was believed to have been wearing when she left the home. He however noted that the woman never told him of the nature of the
- Police say case under active investigation
Distressed father: Jagmohan Bissessar misunderstanding she had with his son, neither did she say where she went during which time his son went missing. “She nah say if dem fight or nothing but she just say she left the house,” said the evidently troubled man yesterday as he related that the woman insisted that she has not seen his son since. He recalled being told by Shanti that she reported the matter to the Leonora Police Station after seeing the blood, but was advised by a rank to “wash down the blood.” The woman, according to Bissessar, said that no police rank took a statement from her, neither visited the home. “She got to be a mad woman…who gonna just wash out blood when somebody missing and the police ain’t come,”
questioned the man, who stressed that “me and she had a big quarrel on the phone about that.” Concerned by the utterances of his daughter-inlaw, Bissessar said that he started calling his son’s mobile phone but he got a voicemail recording. The following day (Sunday August 9), the man said that he, accompanied by his eldest son, headed to the East Bank Essequibo home of his son. There was not much to be seen, as according to him, no blood stains were visible. The woman was also unable to show them the bloodied shirt that belonged to his son. “Me son ask she where the bloody shirt deh and she say in the backyard, he look and no shirt there. He ask she again about the shirt and she say how she wash it and it on the line, but no clothes was on the line. Then she say how she throw it overboard,” recalled an upset Bissessar. The man said that he and his son searched the entire house, yard and the neighborhood for his missing son to no avail. He disclosed that he also questioned a neighbour who reportedly had an issue with his son but made no headway in learning of his son’s
whereabouts. “Something fishy with this whole thing,” the man said, as he recalled heading to the Police Station to make a missing person’s report. Both Bissessar and his son gave statements based on what his daughter-in-law related to them. According to him, the neighbour also visited the station and gave a statement insisting that he had nothing to do with the man’s disappearance. But Bissessar is worried that nothing is being done about his son’s disappearance. He is convinced that something sinister has happened to his son. “We searched for days…we search hospital; every missing person or unidentified dead person we checking on and nothing so far,” said the distraught man who noted that his search for his son even reached Suriname, where his son’s former wife resides. The man has three children (twin girls and one boy believed to be nine and 14 respectively) with his former wife, who had resided with him and his current wife before they were removed from the home recently by Child Services, according to
Missing: Omkar Narine Bissessar with his children a few years ago.
Bissessar. He intimated that his son started to have a lot of “problems” within the past six months. “I believe somebody knows what happen and I just want to know the truth,” the man pleaded yesterday. “I don’t know who else to turn to,” said Bissessar almost in tears. He is appealing to the Commissioner of Police and the Home Affairs Minister to take interest in his son’s case
in the hope that he will be able to determine what really led to his disappearance. However, when this publication contacted the Leonora Police Station yesterday, an officer there stated that the matter is one that is under active investigation. The officer also disclosed that a statement was taken from the missing man’s wife, but divulged nothing further.
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Kaieteur News
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Boys to work in the interior – Building or Renovating? For salary -$80,000 – Call: 674quality services at affordable 1761 or 661-8673 cost - Contact: 592-682-9935 or email: Female to work in the interior creativeconstructionservice salary - $80,000- Call: 674-1761 or 661-8673 15@gmail.com. Armed Security guard must Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana have experienced with Passport application. Graphics weapon, need application and design, Advertisement. Tel: 626- police clearance.Call:231-8344 for interview. 7040; 265-4535. We buy land in farm, PARTY DECORATING: Herstelling, Eccles & Parfaite balloon creation, back drops Harmonie –Call: 611-7223; etc. for weddings, birthdays, 604-2207 anniversary etc. Make your event extra special! Tel Experienced Drivers with minibus and hire car license Maya: 642-6664 – Call: 645-0025 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES,AIR-CONDITIONERS, Domestic maid @ DiamondWASHINGMACHINES,TVS, Contact 626-8003/227-8529 MICROWAVES,FREEZERS- Contract Cars & Drivers Call: CALL:629-4946 OR 225-4822 227-1720, 227-1721 or 660REPAIRS & SPARE, 6102 FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C, 1 Live in Domestic Salary WASHERS, STOVES - $50,000 – Please Call: 674CONTACT NICK: 683- 1767 1312, 627-3206 One live in domestic must Floor sanding & lacquering know to cook-age 25-35yrshouse plans, estimate & $70,000 monthly – Call: 610painting –Call: 650-4362 5043 Mahadeo Construction for all construction, carpentry, masonry, pluming, painting etc. Free estimates and plan Contact # 669-7376 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar Need a reliable driver to take your children to school and pick up from school- Call Mike at 678-0852 24HRS Shutter/Door repairsCall Luk’s: 677-4695, 2230998, beat/match quotations for shutters and awnings from others.
Waitress must possess secondary education, 9-4pm - $60,000 monthly Call: 2224890 One experienced welder/ fabricator, preferably from Sheriff Street to Lusignan E.C.D- Tel: 222-3844 Live in made/assistant salesgirl, E.C.D- Call: 6035416; 644-9802
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 One bedroom apartment vacant now, working couple, no kids –Call: 611-3064 1-Business -$25,000 per month, 2-one bedroom @ Anna Catherina, 1-One bedroom @ Windsor Forest, new houses immediately-Call I.Alli:276-08818 2 Properties @ Bel-Air Park all convenience , furnished US-1800 & 4 bedrooms unfurnished US2,200, newly renovated –Tel:231-7839 (working hours) One (1) -3 bedrooms house for rent at Diamond New Scheme, 3rd Avenue-Tel: 623-2795 2 bedroom apartments with kitchen, bath, camera, grill, fenced, secured yard, Vreeden-Hoop – $20,000-Call: 6825230; 628-9596 Furnished 3 bedrooms flat house @ Supply E.B.D $80,000- Call: 648-5149/678-3826 Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar, also 1 live in housekeeper. Tel:659-3865; 629-2424, 227-2993
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVEAUTORENTAL: CARS & SUV FOR RENTAL$4,000 & UPPER DAY-CALL: 643-5122, 219-3900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL @YAHOO.COM ACCOMODATION Specials on room! Free breakfast, Wi-Fi luxuriously & comfortably @ Signature Inn, 82 Laluni Street, Georgetown –Tel: 226-2145; 227-5037 FOR SALE/RENT American pool tables –Call: 277-0578
Jacqueline Sookram, Cocoa Stix Spa & Salon- Tel:6928633. Specialised in facial, pedicure, manicure & massage. Salon & Spa @ Aracari Resort! Available Now: Hollywood herbal skin whitening cream, scrub & sun block. Phone: 264-3312 or 6003927
DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up- Call: 690-6494
PROPERTY FOR SALE VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Mazda Axela, PTT series, low mileage, e x c e l l e n t condition -owner migrating Tel: 649-0956 2001 Toyota Tundra Sports 4 Door, loaded, -$1.9M, and 2005 Tacoma 4Door -$2.3 M. Just arrived from Canada-Tel: 682-5230; 628-9596 NZE Car -$1.5M –Tel: 6880448; 658-3517 2013 Mercedes C250 turbo AMG coupe, retractable glass top, mileage 15K, alcantara leather interior, brush aluminum acc- Call: 650-5136 1-Toyota 4WD extra cab, pickup LH drive –price $1.2M negotiable –Tel: 6688431 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Fielder, Carina 212, Bluebird –Call: 652-3820; 6654529 Going Cheap! A15 Allion in excellent condition. Alarm, AC, Stero etc- asking $1.65Contact: Call: 679-9383
Unregistered 2004 IST$1.9M, 2003 Premio -$2.2M, 2006 Allion -$2.3M, 2005 Fielder -$2.35M-Call:6093650, 226-8953 Unregistered : 2006 Auris $2.5M, 2003 Spacio -$2.1M, 2001 Carina - $1.9M, 2007 Dualis -$4.6M- Call: 6093650, 226-8953 One new model Toyota Axio, unregistered rims, TV, Back Camera, Fogs lights, etc-Call: 612-6215 2004 PMM Lexus IS200, 2,000cc, leather- 53,725KM $2.4M negotiable –Call: 6474800 PJJ Toyota Harries Suv 3,000cc, fully loaded, perfect engine-$2.5M negotiableCall: 647-4800 2000 Freightliner hauler, C-12 Engine –Tel: 609-7257; 6899041 1 Toyota Raum, Excellent condition - $1M negotiable & 1 Toyota IST, AC, music, rims -$1.3M –Contact: 685-7728
3 Bedrooms upper flat apartment at Lot 29 Station Street Kitty – Call: 692-2583
BMW 320i, Toyota AT212, AT192, IST, EP-71 Starlet, 4 Runner, Canter, Honda 600 RR –Tel:644-5096; 697-1453
Newly renovated one bedroom apartment in Herstelling –Tel: 265-2171, 690-6353
Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461. Republic Park Phase 1, 4 bedrooms, 48M, negotibale Call:645-2580, 609-6516 House for sale @ Lot 180 Block 8 Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, Price $25M negotiable –Call: 266-0309; 626-6555 Property for sale, business place at Kuru kururu, New Town on High Way- Call: 2616282 or 676-4787 Pearl: Well built 1,995 SF concrete building on 58X165 lot, formerly used at meeting halls-$10.5M-Tel: 649-1670
One Toyota Raum old model PPP Series, excellent condition with alarm & Rims, price- $1M-Contact: 653-0120 2 Toyota 212 Yellow Cab, Excellent condition –Tel: 2235615
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. One 928F Caterpillar Wheel Loader- Contact # 650-0402/ 260-4988 Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc Call: 225-9032, 647-2943 One welding machine- Call: 687-7725 1 Complete music set (qsc amps, drive rack, bass boxes etc), Yamaha 6000 watts generator. Tel: 623-2923
2 Storey 45x35 concrete Large Red snapper fishing property, lower flat boat 66ft, with 85 traps, all incomplete. Land 65x120 @ licenses working, 3yrs old – Diamond N/S 5th Call: 674-3735; 652-8970 Avenue,E.B.D- Call: 629-4017 Marine Parts, inboard engines, gear box, shaft, One 3 bedrooms 2 storey propellers, gland, all concrete house @ 8 Street electronics, etc –Call: 674Foulis H/Scheme –Call: 256- 3735/ 652-8970 3360 or 685-8485 Quality pine cupboard doors –Contact: 621-1278 Universal Vehicle reverse cameras - $9,000, HID kits with 8,000K bulbs -$13,000Contact: 664-8660, 638-1388
In Stock @ First Class Auto: 08 Premio, Allion, Runx, Axio, Bluebird, Sienta, Fielder, Rush –Tel: 609-8188, 638-3045
1 Newly executive style house in Eccles with 3 bedrooms, open plan kitchen etc – Call: 624-8555 between 9am-7pm
One four bedroom property with all amenities for sale/ rental on roadside in Bougainvillea Park, EBD- Tel: 616-7635
Friday August 21, 2015
EDUCATION Simpli Royal School of Beauty – Pamela Dillon: 6654565; 225-2303. Hair, Skin, Nail Technology, easy payments. Computerized Accounting Courses: Quickbooks, Peachtree, POS, FREE Job Training MicroGraphics -264305
One Honda D15-B Engine & Transmission –Contact: 6458518 for info Galvanized nail platesContact: 645-8518 1 Cummins 6BTA Engine, 1 Bedford ‘M’ Truck-Call: 6248311 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games & applications. Delivery also – Call: 672-2566; 265-3232
All Stars Educational Institute: Evening & fulltime, Primary/CXC: Science & Business, Phonics & Reading (all ages)-Call: 642-5576; 6806319 Rising star Pre K Nursery School, Cummings St Alberttown, Guyana & USA curriculum, enrollment ongoing, small class sizeCall: 690-9378
LAND FOR SALE Luxury Gated CommunityMall, Pool, intelligent security system, well, solar. Selling @ 6USD per Sq.ft – Call: 609-0783
Didn’t Well for CXC 2015: We Can Help Join Now- $2,500 per subject: MicroGraphics 15 Acres land situated at Vreed-En-Hoop: 264-3057 Naamryck East Bank Essequibo-Call: 655-9227 Register Now! 6 Weeks Course Pedicure & Manicure 100FTX50FT Diary, high –Tel: 618-8536 or 696-2295 income fenced, newly land fill –Call: 611-7223 or 604Big Discount for 2015 CXC 2207 students, 9 Course Diploma In, Computer Studies - Parfait Harmonie -$1.5M & $30,000.00-MicroGraphics: 2.8M Corner lot Main Road. Kuru Kururu 100ftX200ft264-3057 $1.8M, New Herstelling Spanish Classes!!! Learn $3.5M- Call: 611-7223; 604Spanish in 3 Months: 2207 Introductory, Intermediate, Advance, children creative- 1 Land at Parfaite HarmonieSaturday –Tel: 673-8605. $1.4M – Call: 676-0190 Register Now!!! Continued on page 31
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 31
Suicide Prevention Help Line gets computer boost The operations of the Inter-Agency Suicide Prevention Help Line which was launched by the Guyana Police Force on August 06, 2015, were yesterday given a boost through the donation of a complete desktop computer by the Managementofthe Innovative Mining Company of Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown. The Inter-Agency Suicide Prevention Help Line is based at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, and is in operation on a 24-hour basis. It is an avenue through which depressed persons, or their relatives or friends, can call with a view to the affected person receiving psychological assistance by way of counseling.The InteAgency Suicide Prevention
From page 30
LEARN TO DRIVE
Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud receives the computer from Innovative Mining Company Official Mohini Heera. They are flanked by members of the Help Line’s Steering Committee. Help Line can be accessed through the following telephone numbers: 22 3 0818, 223-0009 and 223-0001; Mobile: 600-7896 or 623-4444.
It can also be reached via Email: guyagency@ yahoo.com; B B M: 2BE55649 or 2BE56020; T w i t t e r :
@guyanaagency; Whatsapp: 600-7896 or 6234444 or Facebook: Guyana Interagency Suicide Prevention Help Line.
The police must focus on The scrub should not... all errant road users
DEAR EDITOR, It seems to me that the strategy currently employed by the GPF to address road deaths leaves much to be desired and will not curb the problem. The GPF is not looking at the problem in a holistic way because they are focused only on one class of road user. The motorist is not the only class of road user. There is the pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, horse carts, and all of these users affect the road conditions, hence only focusing on the motorist will not solve the problem. In Guyana, the law as it applies for non-motorist road users are not being enforced.
This is totally unfair. All countries have specified rules for each class of road user and these rules must be applied evenly. There is also the question of jay-walking, using cell phones when walking and not paying attention to road conditions; children under age 15 using roads unsupervised, not adhering to light signals, not using the pedestrian crossing etc. These are some of the errant road practices that must be taken into consideration before we pass judgment on the appropriate course of enforcement. Enough is enough the law must be applied to all errant road users. Rafeek Ferouz
There is widespread... From page 5 interested in self-interests and self-preservation not the peoples’ interest. Most people feel the coalition is only offering lip service in its call for national unity because
its policy of racial and political victimization and discrimination betrays any genuine position of “a government of national unity”. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram
From page 5 scrubs become contaminated quickly and collect bacteria, but not much is known as regards whether going outside the hospital post-contamination can cause transmission to other people. Experts have cautioned however that the absence of evidence should not be construed as meaning there is no risk. In a study conducted at a hospital in Connecticut solely to gauge the part clothing plays in the spread of MRSA ( methicillin - resistant staphylococcus aureus), it was found that 70% of the time the bacteria would be on the clothes of the worker even in the absence of any actual form of physical contact. In 2011 the Canadian Medical Journal reported that an Ottawa based hospital had declared: “Hospital staff are required to don their scrubs and lab coats whenever they enter the hospital, and take them off when they leave, even for a quick trip to the convenience store.
This strengthens the quality of patients’ interactions with staff, improves infection control, and ensures that The Ottawa Hospital will continue to portray a professional image. “The CMA Journal added: “Such safety concerns appear justified in the wake of studies that have demonstrated that hospital attire may place patients at risk of infections.“Over the past decade, research has shown that C. difficile and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), two common culprits behind hospital-acquired infections, may be transmitted to patients via lab coats and nurses’ uniforms. For the patients’ sake in Guyana evenif a silver bullet has not been found, common sense should prevail, and plainly put the scrub should not be worn out and about. Returning to old school may be a viable rule. Yvonne Sam. R.N. S.C.M. R.M.N. B.Sc.N. M.Ed.
Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
TO LET FOR OVERSEAS VISITORS: FULLY FURNISHED 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS (FRIDGE, STOVE, MICROWAVE, ETC) US $40 DAILY –TEL: 609-8132/672-8569 (MAX) FOR SALE German Shepherd pups. Tel: 619-6086, 699-7077
VACANCY Porters & Carpenters to work in Coveden E.B.D. Apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling. Plant Shop Sales Clerk: Literate, hard-working, pleasant, team player, 18-28 yrs @ Huston & Sheriff Street. Call: 648-1821 1 Bond clerk / dispatcher send application to 16 Mudlot Kingston #223-5273/ 4Nursery school teacher, posses education certificates in CESEC, Skill, Talent. Onsite job draining & support provided-Call: 690-9378 2 Accounts clerk with Grades 1 & 2 in Maths & English. Apply at Technical Services, Eccles Industrial Site, E.B.D. Accounts Clerk send application to rtilak@adamantiumholdings.c om Live in maid must know to cook- Call: 231-0363 One Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician – Call: 231-0655 Salesperson full & part time, must have at least 1yrs real estate experience –Call: 6090783 1 Female domestic maid must be able to prepare vegetarian meals. Apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling Live in house keeper 3545yrs, long term employment –Call: 697-8797 Eden Bar and Lounge @ Garden of Eden, E.B.D. Vacancy exist for one waitresses-Call: 694-6247 from 11am-7pm Bartenders & Waitress for Sports bar in V/HoopContact: 684-5688 for more info Confidential Cabs have vacancy for a experienced dispatcher-Call: 231-4000 or 231-8601 Carnegie trained assistant chef/cook. Call: 225-7933 or visit us at 173 Sheriff Street Male Supervisor for housekeeping Dept. Male Security guard –Call:2250198 or 233 South Raod Lacytown. Security officers wanted by security company-Contact: 672-1920
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 21, 2015
Tsipras resigns, paving way for snap Greek election Reuters - Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras resigned yesterday, hoping to strengthen his hold on power in snap elections after seven months in office in which he fought Greece’s creditors for a better bailout deal but had to cave in. Tsipras submitted his resignation to President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and asked for the earliest possible election date. Government officials said the aim was to hold the election on Sept. 20, with Tsipras seeking to crush a rebellion in his leftist Syriza party and seal public support for the bailout programme, Greece’s third since 2010, that he negotiated. “I will go the president of the republic shortly to submit my resignation, as well as the resignation of my government,” Tsipras said in a televised address before he met Pavlopoulos. Faced with a near collapse of the Greek financial system which threatened the country’s future in the euro, Tsipras was forced to accept the creditors’ demands for yet more austerity and economic reform - the very policies he had promised to scrap when he was elected in January. “I want to be honest with you. We did not achieve the agreement we expected before the January elections,” he told the Greek people. “I feel the deep ethical and political responsibility to put to your judgement all I have done, successes and failures.” His decision deepens political uncertainty on the day Greece began receiving funds under its 86 billion-euro (62 billion pounds) bailout programme, five years after a previous government took the first bailout from the euro zone and IMF. But a snap election should
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras leaves his office at Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, yesterday. Reuters/Stoyan Nenov allow Tsipras to capitalise on his popularity with voters before the toughest parts of the latest programme including further pension cuts, more value-added tax increases and a “solidarity” tax on incomes - begin to bite. This may allow him to return to power in a stronger position without anti-bailout rebels in Syriza to slow him down. Tsipras had long been expected to s e e k e a r l y elections in the autumn. But he was forced to move quickly after nearly a third of Syriza lawmakers refused to back the programme in parliament last week, robbing him of his majority. A leading rebel, Syriza lawmaker Dimitris Stratoulis, hinted that his faction might split formally from the party, declaring a “political and
social front which will be antiausterity, democratic and patriotic”. “It will have as a goal to cancel the previous two bailout agreements and the third bailout agreement that the current government voted for, and to replace them with a policy of growth,” he said. Greece’s complex constitution has special stipulations for holding elections less than 12 months after the previous vote, meaning the president should first give major opposition parties three days each to try to form a government. Conservative leader Vangelis Meimarakis said he would have a go, although the arithmetic of the current parliament means his New Democracy party has little chance of pulling a coalition together.
Sudan’s Bashir offers rebels two-month ceasefire, sets date for dialogue Reuters - Sudanese President Omar Hassan alBashir yesterday proposed a two-month ceasefire with rebels fighting to overthrow his government and set a date for a new meeting in a national reconciliation process that collapsed in January. Bashir also repeated his offer of amnesty for rebels who agreed to put down their arms and join the national dialogue between the government and opposition parties. The renewed dialogue will take place on Oct. 10, he said at a meeting to plan the future
of the process with the handful of parties that will participate. Eighteen of the 21 opposition parties that had initially agreed to participate in the dialogue at its inception in early 2014 pulled out this January, leaving the future of the reconciliation process in question. “We announce our readiness for a ceasefire for the two months until the dialogue...to ensure the success of dialogue,” said Bashir, who was reelected with 94 percent of the vote this April in an election largely
boycotted by the opposition. The armed groups could not immediately be reached for comment on the ceasefire or amnesty but the rebels have rejected previous amnesty offers. Sudan’s government has faced a rebellion in its Darfur region since 2003 and a separate but linked insurgency in Blue Nile and South Kordofan since the secession of South Sudan in 2011. The government has rebuffed opposition and rebel demands to link political negotiations with peace talks.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 33
‘Fight’ erupts in House…
Jagdeo, Nagamootoo vie for speaking spots Jagdeo” agenda which it has brought to the honourable House. A press conference was later held by members of the PPP in Committee Room Two of the Parliament to register their disappointment in the government’s behaviour. Former Minister of Tourism, Irfaan Ali who chaired the briefing, was the first to inform the media that the action is not merely simplistic but a slap in the face of democracy. Teixeira then proceeded to relate to the media a disappointing discovery she made after receiving the speaking order for the Members of Parliament today. “Last night (Wednesday night) I went to speak with the
Speaker and the Clerk about what was emerging since Monday where the government Chief Whip, Amna Ally stated that the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, would not be the penultimate speaker and that he be constrained by the time frame of 45 minutes …we had an argument and I made it clear that the Opposition Leader of Guyana is always the penultimate speaker and the Minister of Finance Minister closes it.” The politician continued, “The Prime Minster speaks before the Opposition Leader so the order of the speakers is: Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and then Finance Minister.” Teixeira said that she even went to the House Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland to express
his accomplice, fled into the backlands. Sookchand said that he ran outside to assist his wife, but she had managed to run to her brother’s residence, approximately 100 yards away. Robert Kendall, the slain woman’s brother, stated that he was not home at the time, but according to information from his wife, the woman, who was injured at that time, ran into the yard and leaned on the front step panting. She then leaned on a parked car in the yard where she collapsed. She was immediately rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. She bore a gunshot wound to the left side of her face. Meanwhile, the dead woman’s husband stated that nothing was stolen from the home. According to neighbours, the police
responded within 15 minutes. Mr. Sookchand said that the family was brutalised and robbed back in 2013. Meanwhile, while media operatives were at the scene, an anonymous call was reportedly made to the home, with the caller stating “don’t call my name in anything,” before hanging up. Twenty-one women have now been slain for the year. The murder also follows a recent rash of brutal home invasions. Last Sunday, bandits chopped fish vendors Abdool and Neerranie Kadir in their yard at Number Two Village, West Coast Berbice, before fleeing with a few pieces of jewellery. On August 1, a young bandit battered 77-year-old Danrasie ‘Carmen’ Ganesh to death in her home at Montrose, East Coast Demerara, before making off with the woman’s jewellery and pension.
-Govt. accused of bringing anti-Jagdeo agenda to Parliament By Kiana Wilburg The coalition administration is already known for bringing a “fresh approach” to the 2015 budget as well as the system of government. But it is apparently trying to do things differently even in the National Assembly. The Budget 2015 speeches by Parliamentarians are expected to wrap up today with the deliberations over the estimates scheduled for next week. As is tradition, the Finance Minister is the last speaker today with the Opposition Leader being the second-to-last presenter. Preceding him would be the Prime Minister. Therefore, should this age
old custom of the House be followed then Former President Bharrat Jagdeo will be speaking just before Finance Minister Winston Jordan wraps things up. But the Government does not agree with this. In fact, it wants Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo to be the second to last speaker. The issue caused Opposition’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, to approach House Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland to rectify the matter which goes against the traditions of the National Assembly. But up to press time, this matter was unresolved. It has forced members of the Opposition to deduce that the government simply has an “Anti-
Berbice woman shot dead during attempted robbery
A lone gunman shot 56year-old cash crop farmer Pamela Kendall dead at Number 45 Village, Berbice, shortly after 18.00 hrs yesterday. Kendall was shot in the face shortly after she had entered the back door of the family’s home, located near the Number 45 Village Public Road. She collapsed in her brother’s yard, located a few houses away, and died at the Skeldon Hospital. The killer reportedly had at least one accomplice, but the two fled empty-handed. Kaieteur News understands that the attack occurred during a power failure. The bizarre attack has pushed the country’s homicide rate to 100. The woman’s husband, Deoram Sookchand, an NDC worker, said he was having a bath downstairs and his wife was about to close the back door when he heard a single gunshot, and his wife’s
Pamela Kendall screams. According to Sookchand, he began to scream to alert the neighbours while one of the alleged bandits armed with a gun ran upstairs. Within minutes the intruder returned downstairs and he, along with
her concern about this looming development. To her dismay, the Opposition Chief Whip said that Ally yesterday presented to her the list of speakers which revealed that the Prime Minister instead of Jagdeo is the second to last speaker. “We made it clear to Dr. Scotland that we will not accept the parliamentary convention being flouted,” Teixeira added. She emphasized that since 1992, the PPP has never shown disrespect to those who served as opposition leaders, whether it was the late former President Desmond Hoyte, Robert Corbin or current President David Granger. She said, too, that there were instances when Hoyte and Corbin spoke for two hours and Granger spoke for 45 minutes. Teixeira said that those persons were never constrained by a time limit. “This is a slap in the face and an attempt to muzzle the opposition and show disrespect to Jagdeo.” The Opposition Chief
Whip said that the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs has been asked to do the necessary research to determine if she or Ally is correct in their respective positions. Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall said that the matter represents the rapid dismantling of laws and traditions. PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee also added his voice to the issue stating that it is clear that an “anti-Jagdeo agenda has been taken to parliament.” He added, “There is certainly an anti-Jagdeo agenda that is playing out in Parliament. I don’t think we are strangers to this agenda, and it is rather unfortunate that it is taken to a place like the Parliament …This anti-Jagdeo agenda is playing out in the court, in the Parliament, the public domain and even in the media. When will this end?” Rohee said that he hopes that the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. is paying attention to this matter.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 21, 2015
Enterprise businessman robbed Police probe nears conclusion by recently released convict Alleged $500M PSM fraud…
- Westford again absent from Nat’l Budget debate Investigators are expected to soon wrap up their probe into a massive $500M-plus fraud at the Public Service Ministry. The file could be completed as early as today or Monday after which it will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice. The disclosures were made yesterday by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, while updating this newspaper on the status of the investigations. Government recently disclosed that the fraud, originally reported to the police as $120M, had gone past $500M. The police, whom the matter had been handed over to, had dispatched a special team to the Ministry of the Presidency to examine records of the payments. Several staffers as well as former Minister of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Westford and her ex-assistant, Margaret Cummings, were questioned during the probe. Minister of State, Joseph
Harmon, had explained that it was noticed that monies missing from the Public Service Ministry, which was under the control of the Office of the President during the previous administration, tallied up to $120M. However, going back to 2012, it was determined that more than $500M was withdrawn from the accounts of the ministry. The monies were transferred from the Office of the President and were to be used for training of workers in the various regions. However, there was no evidence that the regions were in receipt. Two weeks ago, former Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford and her ex-assistant, Margaret Cummings, were questioned by police and released on bail. Police sleuths would have wanted to know what role, if any, the two played in the withdrawals. It was only recently that both of the women appeared in court charged with the ille-
gal transfer of eight vehicles belonging to the state. They were placed on a total of $2M in bail. Several persons from the Public Service Ministry who are involved in preparing documents for payments have been questioned. Westford is also reportedly being investigated for a recreational vehicle (RV) that was brought into the country but the correct tax was not paid. Westford, sitting in the Opposition benches now, was set to make a presentation on the National Budget last Wednesday but left the Parliament before. Yesterday, again she was a no show with Speaker of the House, Dr. Barton Scotland, announcing that she has requested leave of absence for the day and that has been granted. The new administration has said that it is investigating a number of irregularities at state agencies including the Guyana Oil Company and the Guyana Power and Light Inc.
Former President Jimmy Carter to be treated for brain cancer Reuters - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said yesterday that his cancer has spread to his brain and he will start radiation treatment for it later in the day, adding that his fate was “in the hands of God.” Carter, 90, held a news conference on his condition barely a week after announcing he had undergone surgery for liver cancer. Appearing calm and lucid, the former president said he will cut back dramatically on his schedule to receive treatment every three weeks after doctors detected four “very small spots” of melanoma on his brain. Carter served as president from 1977 to 1981 and became active in humanitarian causes and monitoring elections after leaving office. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His one term in the White House was defined by national economic struggles and the embarrassing Iran hostage crisis. Asked yesterday if he had any regrets, Carter said he wished he had sent one more helicopter in the failed attempt to rescue the Iran hostages, adding that he would have been re-elected had the effort succeeded. Republican Ronald Reagan defeated Carter, a Democrat, in the 1980 presidential race.In a break from tradition, Carter chose to deliver the news about his ill-
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter ness to the media himself. He arrived at the news conference at the nonprofit Carter Center in Atlanta walking normally, smiling and wearing blue jeans. “I am perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” Carter said, noting his deep Christian faith. “Now I feel this is in the hands of God.” He said he was pleased that he did not become angry or despaired. “I am ready for anything and looking forward to a new adventure,” Carter added. “I have had an exciting and venturous and gratifying existence.” Earlier this month, doctors removed about one tenth of his liver. A biopsy revealed it was a melanoma, a form of
skin cancer that is believed to have originated elsewhere in his body and spread to the liver, he explained.He announced at that time that his prognosis was excellent, though he was rearranging his schedule to receive treatment at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta.It was shortly after the liver surgery that doctors found the spots of melanoma on his brain, Carter said yesterday.The cancer was “likely to show up in other places in my body” he said, without addressing whether doctors had told him how long he could expect to live.Initially after receiving the brain cancer diagnosis, Carter said, “I thought I had just a few weeks left,” but he added that he remained “hopeful.”
Police on the East Coast of Demerara are on the hunt for a bandit who masterminded a robbery on an Enterprise businessman who is well known. The bandit, whose name was given as ‘Mervin’ or ‘Buckman’, along with two other men held up businessman Hardat Kishore and his employees at his grocery store on Lincoln Street, Enterprise, and robbed them of cash and other valuables totaling in excess of $1M around 17: 50 hours on Wednesday. The ordeal lasted for about 15 minutes during which Kishore was gunbutted several times, resulting in him sustaining injuries to his face.It was the second time within two years that the businessman was robbed, and Wednesday’s incident has left him in a state of frustration, especially since the main perpetrator is someone he is very familiar with, an individual who lives in the adjoining village of Bare Roots. Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, Kishore recalled that it was about ten minutes to six o’clock Wednesday afternoon and he was about to close his business when he saw two strange men coming into the premises. He said that from the men’s appearance, he became a bit suspicious and asked his two employees if they had ever seen them before. The men were unfamiliar to the employees. Nevertheless he entertained the two strange men who requested to purchase a bag of chicken feed. The men were aware that Kishore would have to open the gate at the side of the store to deliver the feed. At the time the businessman did not know that the bandit who is known to him had secreted himself in a position where he could not see him. Since he was closing up at the time, Kishore told one of his employees to sell the men “quickly”. According to the businessman, as soon as his employee opened the gate to deliver the bag of feed, the “familiar” bandit, with gun in hand, pounced on him. Kishore said that he was doing his checking off at the time and when he looked up, “a man got a gun to me head, ‘Mervin’.” While ‘Mervin’ was holding the businessman at gunpoint, his two accomplices, one of whom was carrying a cutlass, were each controlling an employee. “He say, ‘don’t move. Whey de f…ing money deh?’
Hardat Kishore indicates where the bandit gun butted him during Wednesday’s robbery. ah tell he look de money deh hey. Mervin was high, like he smoke…was not liquor because I would’a smell it. When he tek de money he say, ‘dat nah all. Whey de gun? You got a long gun. Whey it deh?’” the businessman recalled. The gun the bandit was referring to happens to belong to the businessman’s brother who presently resides overseas. It is lodged with the police. “Me tell he me nah gat gun...de gun ah me buddy one, and me tell he ‘you know he deh overseas’.” But the bandit began tumbling up the furniture, insisting that the businessman tell him where the gun was. The bandit then turned his attention to the businessman’s brief case which contained another set of cash and some other important documents. “Me had stock money…money I had to use to buy stocks; I had about $250,000 in phone cards, he tell de other one, ‘collect duh’ then he say ‘whey mo deh?’ and he start fuh pull out all the drawers. I had to tell that that was all I had,” the businessman explained. He said that while demanding the cash the bandit with the gun kept hitting him in his head. “Me get two buss head and a boungee,” Kishore stated. He said that the bandits also fetched away a bucket of coins. They then took him and
his employees to the front of the shop and then made good their escape in a waiting silver grey Toyota. The businessman told this newspaper that from all indications, someone who had managed to observe what was taking place must have contacted the police, since the lawmen arrived on the scene within minutes of the robbery. But by then the bandits had disappeared. “By the time I call the police station, they tell me that the police were already there. They collect me and we made a spin for the bandits, but the car de done gone,” the businessman said. Kishore and his family have had his fair share of bandit attacks. Apart from being robbed twice, Kishore and his family had to endure the heartrending kidnapping of his nephew, Vivekanand Nandalall, which occurred at the beginning of the 20022008 crime wave. “I feel like me want come off dis business…me ain’t know wha fuh seh. Like it ain’t worth it,” Kishore said. He stated that he is very surprised that someone who is so well known to him would carry out such a brazen attack on him. “Me never expect dat from he...and knowing dat like from small me know he. Me used to tek he to school sometimes, when me had bus. Me know he’s a known character, but me nah expect dem fuh do dat to me,” Kishore stated.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
As refugee crisis worsens, Merkel and Hollande want EU to move faster
French President Francois Hollande looks at German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she leaves the Elysee Palace in Paris, France. Reuters/Philippe Wojazer Reuters - Germany and France will press the European Union to move faster and with more unity to deal with the worsening refugee crisis, amid complaints from Germany that it is shouldering too big a burden. Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande will meet in Berlin on Monday to discuss how to speed up relief for thousands of migrants, many of whom risk dangerous sea voyages to reach southern Europe before making their way across the continent. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told a news conference yesterday with his French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve that the EU must move more quickly as migrant numbers across the EU have surged in recent months. “It’s unacceptable for European institutions to continue working at the pace they are currently operating at,” said de Maiziere, one day after he said Germany will receive a record 800,000 refugees and asylum-seekers this year. De Maiziere said he and Cazeneuve agree Italy and Greece need considerable EU help to set up “waiting areas”
for newly arrived refugees. Countries bordering the EU will also need EU support to counter smugglers as well address the causes of mass migration, he said. “It’s obvious that Italy and Greece will need help and that will cost a relatively large amount of EU money,” said de Maiziere, a close ally of Merkel, who earlier yesterday complained Germany has taken in 40 percent of the EU’s refugees. “That is too many for the long run,” he told German TV. De Maiziere told the news conference that the EU Commission needs to apply far more pressure on countries outside the EU, especially those seeking to join the EU in the Balkans, to take back refugees failing to qualify for asylum. Merkel, who called it “extremely unsatisfying” that Germany is taking in a disproportionate numbers, said earlier this week that the EU urgently needs to come up with joint policies in the face of the worsening humanitarian crisis. She said the issue would become more pressing for Europe than the euro zone crisis. “We need a common
European asylum policy,” she said. Britain said yesterday it will contribute 10 million euros to increased French humanitarian assistance and a fast-track asylum process for thousands of migrants camped in Calais in the hope of crossing the Channel. The measures were announced by British Home Secretary Theresa May and Bernard Cazeneuve during a joint visit to the northern French port city of Calais. In Istanbul, the head of Turkey’s relief efforts Fuat Oktay told Reuters that Europe does not grasp the magnitude of Syria’s refugee crisis and should open its borders to shoulder a responsibility Turkey has been bearing alone. Tens of thousands of migrants are arriving in Italy and Greece each week. Germany has become a magnet for refugees fleeing war, violence and poverty in Asia, Africa and the Middle East as 218,221 people arrived seeking asylum in the first six months. That led Germany to raise its full-year forecast to 800,000 from the original January forecast of 300,000 and May’s 450,000.
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea fired dozens of artillery rounds toward North Korea yesterday after the North shelled across the border to protest against antiPyongyang propaganda broadcasts by Seoul - the first exchange of fire in 10 months. North Korea did not return fire but warned Seoul in a letter that it would take military action if the South did not stop the loudspeaker broadcasts along the border within 48 hours, the
South’s Defense Ministry said. In a separate letter, Pyongyang said it was willing to offer an opening to resolve the conflict even though it considers the broadcasts a declaration of war, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said. A South Korean military official said the broadcasts would continue. Seoul began blasting anti-North Korean propaganda from loudspeakers on the border
on Aug.10, resuming a tactic that both sides had halted in 2004. South Korea said the North had fired one antiaircraft shell followed by multiple shells from a direct fire weapon yesterday. South Korea’s military, which said it fired dozens of artillery rounds in response, raised its alert status to the highest level. Both countries said there were no casualties or damage in their territory.
Tensions rise as North and South Korea exchange artillery fire
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>>> Letter to the Sports Editor <<<
Linden frustrated at delay in implementation of cricket (Act) law DEAR EDITORS, I refer to an article in the Stabroek News of Tuesday 28th July 2015 headlined “Roopnarine promises to work with WICB to find a solution”, and wish to make the following comments: 1. While the Government, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) have decided to meet, why are the stakeholders of Guyana Cricket namely: Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA), the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) and the Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA) are continually being ignored. This is the basis of problems since the controversy surrounding the GCB’s election into office and they seem to not represent
the majority members of the cricket fraternity. 2. The Cricket Administration Act 2012 (CAA) evolved from a country-wide consultation process that utilized contributions from all cricket stakeholders throughout Guyana including the GCB, BCB, GCA, ECCB, UDCA, WDCA and EBCA, and yes the WICB and was not imposed on anyone. One must remember that legislation was recommended as a permanent solution to our cricket crisis by Chief Justice (Ag) Ian Chang and the Bill was subjected to twenty (20) meetings of the Parliamentary Select Committee representing all stakeholders, and comprising at least four (4) highly respected lawyers. There was total consensus on the part of all
parties at the Parliamentary Select Committee level to pass the Bill. There was no opposition when the Bill was passed into law. It is misleading for the President of the WICB and Director Anand Sanasie to say that the CAA was imposed on the members. The present Government was the Opposition during the process of the CAA and it fully supported the Bill. We now expect that the Government will ensure that the Bill is implemented in order to resolve the cricket crisis. The members of the UDCA and in particular the residents of Linden are anxious to see this Act implemented now that the glimmer of hope provided by the Act for our youngsters seem to be fading fast with each passing day as national
Friday August 21, 2015 ARIES (MAR. 21APRIL 20) Don't hesitate to voice your ideas and opinions. You can make new connections if you play your cards right. TAURUS (APR. 21MAY 21) Later in the week your boss will pat you on the back for a job well done. Opportunities for advancement at work are apparent. GEMINI (MAY 22JUNE 21) You will easily blow situations out of proportion. Go with the flow and don't let the unsettled atmosphere get on your nerves. CANCER (JUNE 22JULY 22) You should get into programs that will enhance your appearance and help you to be the best that you can. Set aside any decisions regarding your personal life today. LEO (JULY 23-AUG 22) You can develop your creative talents if you take the time to practice your art. Your temper could be short if someone criticizes your efforts. VIRGO (AUG. 23 SEPT. 23) You can't do everything on your own. Don't let your mate stop you from attending an event that could be most important. Difficulties with your mate may lead to isolation.
LIBRA (SEPT. 24 -OCT. 23) Property investments will payoff. Look into intellectual and physical games that will test your abilities. You can make successful moves. SCORPIO (OCT. 24 NOV. 22) You will have a great deal of insight when dealing with others. Social get-together will bring you in contact with intelligent new friends. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 -DEC. 21) Children's needs could be more costly than you anticipated. Business trips will be more productive than trying to fight the red tape facing you. CAPRICORN (DEC 22.- JAN. 20) You may want to make changes in your home environment. Emotional matters may not be easy for you to handle. AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 FEB. 19) If you're feeling uncertain, spend some time alone and reevaluate your motives as well as your needs. You will have some wonderful ideas that should bring you extra money. PISCES (FEB. 20-MAR. 20) You may attract attention if you get out socially. Watch for empty promises that may give you false hope. Plan a day of enjoyment with them.
cricket teams, junior and senior, male and female, are being selected without any consideration for youngsters from Linden. This is an injustice and is totally unacceptable. The CAA will restore democracy and order, accountability and integrity to our woeful cricket climate so let’s implement this Act now. We cannot continue to prepare our young cricketers within the present climate of discrimination. With regards to the WICB town hall meeting, this could only be described as a flop. It was quite evident from the start that WICB President Dave Cameron came to hoodwink the Government into supporting his friends on the GCB instead of listening to the constituent members of Guyana’s Cricket. His entire demeanor was one of talking down to the participants by telling them that he had not come to solve Guyana’s cricket problems and that they will have to do that themselves. He also said that the problems cannot be resolved in the courts, totally oblivious of the fact that his local representatives were instrumental in self-servingly having the cricket matters locked up in court by injunction of the principal members in our cricket viz: Berbice Cricket Board, Georgetown Cricket Association, East Coast Cricket Board, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Parliament, the AttorneyGeneral, the Minister of Sport and the Cricket Ombudsman. The entire Town Hall meeting was stage-managed and did not provide the climate for interactive discussions that could have made it meaningful. It became a question and answer charade that was not helpful and was truly disappointing to all who attended as the WICB President failed to answer the questions addressed to him in relation to the crisis in Guyana Cricket. It is important to note that for the 2 ½ hours of that Town Hall cricket meeting, not one of the 120 odd attendees spoke in favour or in support of the GCB. The one and only support for the GCB came from President Dave Cameron himself; and that probably tells the whole tale of the complicity on the part of the WICB in the wrong-doings and shenanigans of the GCB. Mr. Cameron refused to
answer the question from the floor relating to why the WICB refused to investigate the serious and welldocumented charges of questionable elections and financial irregularities of the GCB. On the other hand it was indeed surprising to see that the media was very lax in the coverage of this event. After a week there was limited reporting and nothing at all on the picketing exercise that expressed the concerns of young persons associated with our cricket.
As I said before the entire Town Hall event seemed to be orchestrated for the benefit of misleading the Guyanese people including the Government. Certainly it did nothing to bring us any nearer to resolving our Cricket crisis. In my opinion only free and fair elections through implementation of the CAA would. Marvin Burns Resident of Linden & Executive Member of The Upper Demerara Cricket Association
Shawn XI overcome Die Hard brothers Shawn XI defeated Die Hard Brothers by 19 runs when the Forbes Burnham Memorial 10/10 knockout softball competition commenced on Sunday on the Essequibo Coast. Shawn XI took first strike and managed 107-8 off their allotted overs. Ganesh
Mangal struck 31 and Thakur Shamlall 22. Yadesh Seemangal claimed 3-15 and Deodat Dindyal 3-16. Die Hard were restricted for 88-9 in 10 overs in reply. Harry Trotman made 12 and Dindyal 11; Shamlall snared 3-15 for the winners.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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GT Beer/Petra Organisation Futsal Tournament
Chess players prime up for LFS Burnham Fans in for a real FIDE Rated memorial chess this weekend treat tonight
After witnessing an opening night of rivetting action on Tuesday, the eight teams scheduled to play tonight will no doubt be aiming to continue the trend by giving fans a real treat tonight when action in the GT Beer/Petra Organisation Futsal Tournament resumes, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, starting from 19:00 hrs. In the first encounter, West Side Showstoppers will battle Sophia and this game should set the tone for a night of fireworks, especially since it will be a battle for bragging rights between the visiting West Demerara side and the Georgetown-based unit. Dexroy Adams, Marvin Josiah and Nathan Allicock should lead the charge for victory for Showstoppers, while the prolific Dwayne Lowe is expected to be the main worry for the Showstoppers backline. The next game will see Bent Street collide with Beterverwagting (BV) and once again this clash is anticipated to be a humdinger. Daniel Wilson, Shevane Seaforth and Sheldon Holder are expected to be the central characters in orchestrating a win for Bent Street, while BV’s quest for full points should centre on the performances of Delroy Deen and Quacy Price. The next encounter is a battle between former
national streetball champion Queen Street of Tiger Bay and Festival City and choosing a winner is proving to be a difficult task. Queen Street has looked a shell of themselves since losing the services of their talisman Deon Alfred, who now ply’s his trade with Sparta Boss, but they still have some very good players so underestimating them could backfire for any opponent. Festival City seem to be strong on paper with the likes of Stellon David, Solomon Austin, Dwayne Lawrence and Eon Alleyne in their lineup, but will it be enough firepower to stave off a team that is hungry to reclaim its prominence is the question that will be answered tonight. In the final game of the night, West Front Road (Gold is Money) tackle Broad Street and the former should start as favourites to win. Hubert and Michael Pedro along with Michael Oie have long been the key players in their line-up, while Broad Street usually rely on Jimmy Gravesande to direct their pursuit for victory. At stake is $500,000 and the championship trophy for the winning team, while the second, third and fourth place finishers receive $250,000, $125,000 and $75,000 respectively.
Spirited bouts anticipated... From page 43 support and conveyed such sentiments to his benefactor. “It is indeed comforting to note that the officials of the DDL continue to demonstrate confidence in our ability to organize tournaments towards the development of our young boxers and they continue to render support,” said Mr. Poole. He also said that the tournament has been of immense benefit and many boxers have since graduated to the advanced level. He then implored the continued support of his benefactors while disclosing that more than 40 boxers are expected to participate.
Boxers from the top gyms will battle for the championship trophy including those from the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF), Harpy Eagles Boxing gym (HEBG), Young Achievers (YA), Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym (ALBG), the recently commissioned Ann’s Grove Boxing Gym and the Linden based Carryl Boxing Gym (CBG) among others. The weigh in will be at the tournament venue at 10:00hrs on fight day, while the first punch will be thrown at 13:00hrs. The organizers said that the duration of the tournament will depend on the number of entrants.
Pistorius parole ruling... From page 340 is due to start in November. Pistorius, who had his lower legs amputated as a baby, was expected on release to be mostly confined to the home of his uncle, Arnold, a high-walled mansion in the leafy Pretoria
suburb of Waterkloof. Pistorius was once considered one of the ultimate symbols of triumph over adversity, fighting authorities to become the first amputee to compete against ablebodied athletes at the Olympics.
Fresh from his victory in the just concluded James Bond Chess Invitational (JBCI) tournament at Congress Place Sophia, FIDE (World Chess Federation) Instructor, Wendell Meusa, will hope to replicate his performance when the People’s National Congress/ Reform in conjunction with the Guyana Chess Federation stage the Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham Memorial Chess Tournament at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue tomorrow afternoon starting at 14:00hrs, one hour after the conclusion of the registration process. The tournament will attract top junior and senior players and if one should judge from the intense rivalry witnessed at the JBCI, a tough battle for championship honours is envisaged. Further, this is a
rated tournament and all of the contenders will be keen to aim for improved ratings. Seven rounds will be contested on the first day and thereafter activities will continue on Sunday. The competition, which will be played under the Swiss format and will comprise seven rounds, will wrap up with the final two days of action next week Saturday and Sunday. Meusa will remember that he had suffered a loss to Roy Sharma and he would be wary of this fact. Cleveland Hutson has also demonstrated great aptitude and will be anxious to claim the top prize after his sterling performance in the last tournament; he had accumulated 5 points after surrendering games to Muesa and Sharma. Dr. Maria Thomas is a fierce competitor but only
managed to seal off the 5th place in the JBCI. She will fancy her chances at securing a better placing this time around. Add other competent players the likes of veteran player, Errol Tiwari, Davion Mars, Owen Mickle and newly minted, James Bond and a fierce battle is envisaged. The tournament has been sanctioned by the local governing body, the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), and its president Irshad Mohamed said each player will have a time control of one hour, 30 minutes. Mr. Mohamed said that he feels especially grateful to the late executive President, Forbes Burnham, an ardent chess player, who had donated a building for the offices of the Guyana Chess Federation. That edifice has since
been repossessed when the former government had taken office. Meanwhile, the top eight players will earn automatic entry to the national championship which is scheduled to get underway soon. F u r t h e r, M r. Mohamed disclosed that the junior category will be significant, as it will also be used by the GCF as they gauge for selection into the national junior championship later this year. Further, cash prizes and trophies will be at stake and Mr. Mohamed said that he anticipates four days of intense competition. Entrance fee for senior players is $1,000, while juniors will pay half that amount. Interested players may register at the venue on Saturday or by calling Mr. Mohamed on 664-1650.
Defiant Smith puts Australia in control LONDON (Reuters) Steve Smith made a brave unbeaten 78 to lift Australia to 287 for three on the first day of the fifth and final test against England at The Oval on Thursday. The touring side, 3-1 down in the series and bidding for a consolation victory after losing the Ashes, made a solid start after losing the toss with David Warner scoring 85 and Chris Rogers 43. England, however, removed both openers and captain Michael Clarke for 15 to expose the fragile Australian middle order before Smith batted with calm authority in a partnership with Adam Voges that put their side in control of the match. Voges will resume on 47 not out and Australia will look to build a large total to put England under pressure in their bid to win four home Ashes tests in a series for the first time. Rogers, playing his last test, and Warner had adopted a risk-free strategy in overcast conditions with memories of their collapse to 60 all out on the first morning of the last test fresh in their minds. They scored only 19 runs in the first hour and the first boundary came in the 15th over, the pair trying hard to lay a platform for their team after England regained the Ashes last week in Nottingham. Australia took lunch on 82 for no wicket and the openers increased the scoring
rate after the interval. They looked in control until Rogers was surprised by a lifting ball from Mark Wood, edging a catch to first slip which Alastair Cook took at the second attempt to end a stand of 110.
Warner, closing in on his first century of the series, pushed forward to spinner Moeen Ali and nicked the ball to Adam Lyth at slip, swishing his bat in frustration before trudging off. Clarke was given a
standing ovation by the crowd and a guard of honour by the England players as he walked out to bat in his 115th and final test. Scores: Australia 287 for 3 (Smith 78*, Voges 47*) v England.
Berbice Cricket Umpires Association to hold umpiring seminar tomorrow Berbice Cricket Umpires Association (BCUA) will host a one day Cricket Umpiring Seminar tomorrow at the Port Mourant Cricket Club from 09.30 hours. Invitations have been extended all practicing Umpires in Berbice and two representatives from each of the following
eleven senior clubs in Berbice to participate in this event. The clubs are: Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, Albion CC, Port Mourant CC, Blairmont CC, West Berbice CC, Tucber Park CC, Young Warriors CC, Skeldon CC, Police CC, Edinburgh CC and Upper Corentyne CC.
Serena returns to form as... From page 45 play my game and be consistent and stay focused,” Williams, who improved to 44-2 in 2015, said in a courtside interview. The American will meet Karin Knapp in the third round after the Italian advanced with a 6-4 6-1 win over Russia’s Daria Gavrilova. Williams is skipping next week’s Connecticut Open in order to prepare for the U.S. Open, where she will look to earn her fifth consecutive grand slam singles title and fourth of 2015. “There’s definitely a lot of pressure... I would like to win the Open, probably more than anyone else,” she said. “Whether I do or not, I’m going to try win it this year or next year and just keep going for that. So, it’s not the end of
the world.” KVITOVA, BOUCHARD BEATEN In the evening session, Azarenka continued her dominance of Wozniacki when she eased past the fifth seed 6-0 6-4. Though ranked well below her opponent due to an extended injury layoff, it was the fifth consecutive straight sets victory for the world number 21 from Belarus over the Dane. Wozniacki had her chances in the second set but frittered away 10 of 11 break points, while Azarenka converted two of her four chances. The Dane, who has fallen at the first hurdle against three different opponents the past three weeks, has been granted a wild card entry into next week’s Connecticut
Open in an effort to find some form before heading to the U.S. Open. Fourth seed Petra Kvitova also bowed out, the Czech beaten 7-5 4-6 6-2 by Caroline Garcia, of France, leaving the women’s event with just two of the top five seeds still standing. Garcia will meet 14th seed Elina Svitolina in the next round after the Ukrainian edged out the slumping Eugenie Bouchard 7-6 (6) 7-5 as the Canadian’s woeful season continued. In earlier action, Romanian third seed Simona Halep beat Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 7-5 5-7 6-4 while Czech seventh seed Lucie Safarova advanced with a 6-4 7-5 win over American wild card Coco Vandeweghe.
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Friday August 21, 2015
Lady Jags to tackle St Kitts Pistorius parole ruling could take and Nevis in Olympic Qualifier four months: South African govt. Guyana’s senior National Women’s football team – the Lady Jags – will begin their quest to 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil today, August 21, when they come up against St Kitts and Nevis at the Estadio Panamericano in San Cristóbal Dominican Republic. Guyana is drawn in Group Four in the Caribbean Zone of the 2015 Women’s Olympic Qualifiers, playing against the hosts and Cuba. Having seen success against both countries in 2010, Guyana will now look to replicate their performance today against St Kitts and Cuba on August 23. Group One will be hosted by Puerto Rico and fields Aruba, Puerto Rico, Haiti and Grenada. Group Two features St Lucia, Antigua & Barbuda, the Cayman Islands and Trinidad & Tobago, to be staged in Trinidad & Tobago. The Group Three games will be played in Suriname and the teams in this group are Dominica Republic, Dominica and Jamaica. While the tournament has an age limit of Under-23 for men born on or after January 1, 1993, there is no age ceiling for the Women’s Qualifiers. Three teams will advance from the female category into the CONCACAF Women’s Summer Olympic Tournament for 2016. The Mark Rodrigues coached squad arrived on the Spanish speaking Island on
Wednesday focusing their attention on getting out of Group Four and advance further in the qualifier to become the first team from Guyana to play at the Olympic Games. Goalkeeper Ruth George is the lone locally based player selected with Rodrigues turning to players from his historic 2010 Gold Cup squad and from his 2012 U-20 group who are from the US, Canada and the UK. Ashley Rodrigues will wear the captain’s band and will have the De Souza sisters Kayla and Briana, along with Ashlee Savona, Calaigh Copeland, Otesha Charles, Mariam El-Masri, Olivia Gonsalves, Alison Heydorn, Kailey Leila, Chantal Lynch, Kelly Pelz-Butler, Brittany Persaud, Leah-Marie Ramalho, Justine Rodrigues, Martyne Alphonso, Derienne Busby and Chante Sandiford. As compared to the first time the girls were grouped, Coach Rodrigues said he was excited to have a wide pool of players to select from, with a few higher level identified players still not in attendance that may be available for later rounds pending Guyana’s advancement. According to Rodrigues, “This is a much more experienced squad than 2010, but we must remember that other countries have also been developing their female players, while also reaching
out to their Diasporas for higher level players, so we do not know what to expect from our competition until game day.” The women’s Head Coach is of the opinion that along with his staff, their focus is what Guyana will put on the field with the intention and hope of dictating the game. The Head Coach says that he welcomes the high expectation of the team, noting “The team has embraced the fact that everyone’s expectations are based on our achievements in 2010 and rightfully so. It was a great, historical achievement for Guyana Football.” He added however, “While it’s great to reflect and rejoice on the past and the legacies created and set back then, we must now first and foremost remain focused on what we have to do on August 21 and 23, and that is to win our group to advance.” The Squad: Ashley Rodrigues (Captain) Kayla De Souza, Briana De Souza, Ashlee Savona, Calaigh Copeland, Otesha Charles, Mariam El-Masri, Olivia Gonsalves, Alison Heydorn, Kailey Leila, Chantal Lynch, Kelly Pelz-Butler, Brittany Persaud, Leah-Marie Ramalho, Justine Rodrigues, Martyne Alphonso, Derienne Busby, Ruth George and Chante Sandiford.
South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius (C) is escorted to a police van after his sentencing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria October 21, 2014. (Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko/Files) CAPE TOWN (Reuters) South Africa’s parole review board has up to four months to conclude its decision on when Oscar Pistorius can be released from prison, a Justice Ministry spokesman said on Thursday. Paralympic gold medalist Pistorius, 28, was due to be released into house arrest on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend, model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day 2013. Justice Minister Michael Masutha, however, on Wednesday blocked his proposed release because he said the decision was made without legal basis, an intervention the Pistorius family said left them “shocked and disappointed”. Masutha said the parole board had wrongly taken a
decision to release Pistorius on parole before the athlete had served a sixth of his sentence, as required by law. “The review board has four months in which to conclude the matter,” Justice Ministry spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga told Reuters. “The minister cannot determine how they deal with the review as he merely referred the matter and leaves it to them to deal with it independently.” A Pistorius family spokeswoman denied reports that the athlete’s family was planning to challenge the justice ministry’s intervention in court. “No decisions have been taken, and the family will take their time to calmly consider the way forward,” Anneliese Burgess said in a statement. Pistorius, nicknamed “Blade Runner” because of
the carbon-fiber prosthetics he used during his career on the track, admitted killing Steenkamp by firing four shots through the locked door of a toilet cubicle, saying he believed an intruder was hiding behind it. Judge Thokozile Masipa said during sentencing the state had failed to convince her of Pistorius’ intent to kill when he fired. Prosecutors filed an appeal this week asking for the verdict of culpable homicide, equivalent to manslaughter, changed to murder because they argue Pistorius must have known when he fired that the person behind the door could be killed. If convicted of murder, Pistorius will likely be given a custodial sentence of at least 15 years. The appeal hearing (Continued on page 39)
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 41
Giftland Sports Maxx presents gear to Boyce/ Jefford top athletes
G
iftland Sports Maxx, located in Giftland Mall at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara presented the promised gear to the Men’s 800m and Women’s 1500m winners from the Boyce & Jefford Track and Field Classic VI yesterday under its Under Armour and Asics brands respectively. Kevin Bayley won the Under Armour Men’s 800m and Andrea Foster won the Asics Women’s 1500m sponsored by Giftland Sports Maxx. Both races carried a US$500 total purse with $250 going to the winner, $150 to second place, and $100 to the third place finisher. In addition, the Store outfitted the winners from both races with
respective apparel to the value of $50,000 each. The apparel for the athletes included running gear, training gear and sneakers. The arrangement is expected to be a long-term one as Giftland Mall’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ian Ramdeo signalled intentions for an extensive relationship. Two outstanding athletes, one male and one female from the Boyce & Jefford Classic will also b e n e f i t f r o m G i f t l a n d ’s Ambassador Programme for a p e r i o d o f o n e y e a r. T h e programme will ensure that airfare to compete overseas, apparel, supplements and other training to improve their academia and general performance are funded.
Giftland’s Marketing Assistant, Breeanka West (second, left) presents the gear to Kevin Bayley yesterday at the Liliendaal Mall yesterday while Boyce/Jefford Classic, Colin Boyce (right) and Edison Jefford share the moment. Andrea Foster is currently at the World Championships in China.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 21, 2015
TNT capture Dion Electra SC conducts successful Carter Dominoes title work Shop with Fyzabad SS
Captain of the victorious TNT team Ryan Boodhoo (center) accepts the first placed prize from Timothy Fisher of Serenity Restaurant and bar in the presence of Dion Carter. TNT were crowned champions of the Dion Carter Birth Anniversary Dominoes competition when the final was contested on Monday night last at Serenity Restaurant and bar, Durban Street. In one of the most keenly contested final of recent times, TNT marked 76 games to edge Rugged with 74 and Golden Masters 71. The final sitting commenced with TNT on 61, Rugged and Golden Masters on 59 each, but the TNT players masterly
Members of the Fyzabad Secondary School and Electra Sports Club after the work shop maneuvered the proceedings to come out victorious. Trevor Smith led the scoring for the winners with 17 games, while Kanhai Samaroo scored 16. Tony Smith and Gilbert Mendonca were Ruggedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading players with 15 and 14 games receptively. The competition was sponsored by Don and Andre Purdssy, Beck Lumber Yard, 704 Sports bar, Stag Beer and Faye Joseph among others.
Electra Sports Club of East Bank Demerara recently hosted Fyzabad Secondary School football team for a one day work shop at Diamond. Members of both teams were tutored on health, safety and Nutrition. The clinic was facilitated by Shannon Crawford, Devika Gobin and Nazia Persaud. After the programme participants were
engaged in several outdoor activities. Electra SC coach Gobin told Kaieteur Sport that they were pleased to host such an event, adding that the participants have benefited tremendously. She expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Education with responsibility for Sport and Diamond fire Chief and cricket umpire Crawford for their input.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 43
Spirited bouts anticipated as DDL renews support for U-16 boxing championships
T
he curtains have recently been drawn on the Novices Boxing Championships which has been rechristened to honour Guyana’s inaugural boxing world champion, Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis and the organizers have dubbed the tournament a success. Those organizers are moving full speed ahead with their itinerary and have promised the usual slugfests when they stage the 3rd edition of the DDL Pepsi/Gatorade U-16 boxing championships scheduled for Saturday August 29 at the Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym (ALBG), Independence Boulevard. That tournament has been christened the ‘Michael Parris U-16 Boxing Championship in honour of Guyana’s lone medalist at the Olympics Games. “This is but a small token in recognition of the valuable contributions of our boxing stalwarts,” pronounced President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle. He further stated that former Commonwealth Lightweight Champion, Lennox Blackmore has been identified as the patron of the Intermediate Boxing Championship which will be staged soon. The GBA boss said that the aim of the initiative is to create a wider awareness of the contributions of past pugilists while spiking the ambitions of contemporary boxers to emulate or even surpass those achievements. Mr. Ninvalle said that the DDL is the only sponsor that has stuck with his organization through thick and thin and he expressed gratitude to those officials while lauding such commitment. The GBA President said that his executive have agreed to honour past boxing stalwarts by dedicating the tournaments in their honour. Over the years the tournament has been the catalyst to the advancement of many of the Simon Pures and many of them are now elevated to higher categories. The organizers
are confident that the young boxers will continue to b en ef it an d y es ter d ay morning Mr. Ninvalle entertained executive of the DDL, Larry Wills, to officially launch the impending tournament. Mr. Wills expressed pleasure on behalf of the DDL and assured Mr. Ninvalle that his organization is committed to the development of the young boxers. He said that the DDL has noted the rapid development of the pugilists over the years since the inauguration of the championship and is committed to the development of the youths. “We are indeed pleased by the way this tournament is being executed as well as the benefits derived by the boxers and will continue to render support,” assured Mr. Wills. Te c h n i c a l D i r e c t o r, Terence Poole, was also grateful to have received the (Continued on page 39)
Head of the referee/judges committee, Romona Agard accepts the sponsorship cheque from Mr. Wills in the presence of Mr. Ninvalle (3rd left) and other GBA officials.
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Kaieteur News
Friday August 21, 2015
UG Trojans suffer heavy Wiltshire/Gold loss at University Games Crush Dominoes The University of Guyana (UG) Basketball Team, UG Trojans suffered a heavy loss Wednesday night against hosts, Panama at the University Games, despite some heroic efforts from Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai. UG Trojans lost 49-72 in their second game of the Panama tour. Kanhai led with 16 points in a game the Guyanese squandered after taking a 17-11 lead after the first quarter. The meltdown occurred in the second period. Panama outscored Guyana 28-5 to take a 39-22 lead into the halftime break. The host increased their advantage in the third period with 22 points, restricting the Trojans to 13 points to enter the final quarter with a 61-35 lead and the game all but over. Guyana managed to outscore Panama in the last period, but the 26-point lead proved too much to overhaul in the end. On Tuesday, Trojans went down 39-63 to Guatemala in the opening game of the tournament with Emmanuel Archibald top scoring with 16 and Kanhai adding 13 points in the game. Guyana again had the early lead 20-10 a g a i n s t G u a t e m a l a . H o w e v e r, t h e
set for Sunday
M
Akeem Kanhai
Guatemalans restricted the Guyanese to just nine points in another dreadful second quarter to go into the halftime break down only 22-29, and back in the game. The third period was even worse for the Guyanese, as they scored four points compared to 21 for the Guatemalans. At the end of the third period Guatemala was up 4333 before going on to further outscore the Guyanese 20-6 in the final period.
ark Wiltshire and Gold Crush team will be hosting a dominoes competition dubbed ‘Sunday in the Country’ on August 23 at Whitee Bar, Best Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara. Participants will battle in King and Queen Dominoes as well as a pool competition; the entrance fee is $1000. Action gets underway at 14:00hrs. There will also be a 20/20 competition on the said day. For more information teams can contact Wiltshire on 665-5855.
Mark Wiltshire displays the first place trophy.
King’s Cup to conclude tomorrow at Thirst Park
Safraz Esau
T
he finals of the King’s softball Cup will be played tomorrow at Thirst Park starting at 13:30 hrs. In the semi finals of the open category, Speed Boat will take on Regal while Wolf’s Warriors will battle Herstelling at 14:30 hrs. In
the over-35 category Shallim XI will match skills with Berbice from 15:30 hrs after which Regal will take on the losing team in the eliminator. Both finals will be played under lights. Meanwhile, Regal overcame Farm by four wickets in their final
preliminary round game played on Sunday at Everest. Batting first, Farm were sent packing for 82 with Ricky Sergeant scoring 38; Safraz Esau picked up two wickets. Regal replied with 84-6 in 8.4 overs. Esau scored 20 and Sachin Singh 14; Patrick Khan claimed 2-24.
Friday August 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Serena returns to form as Bolt back in form, ready Wozniacki slumps again to defend sprint titles Serena Williams. (Aaron DosterUSA TODAY)
(Reuters) Serena Williams put herself back on the winning track in the American’s final warm-up event before the U.S. Open with a 7-5 6-3 win over Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in her opening match at the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday. The defending champion enjoyed a successful return to Cincinnati but Carolina Wozniacki, who Williams beat in the final at Flushing Meadows last year, continued her poor build-up for New York with a straight sets loss to Victoria Azarenka. Williams prevailed in 90 minutes and
showed none of the uncharacteristic struggles that dogged her during last week’s semi-final loss to Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic in Toronto. The world number one, who will aim for a rare sweep of the four grand slam events at the Aug. 31-Sept. 13 U.S. Open, broke Pironkova’s serve once in each set and then sealed victory in style with her 15th ace of the second round match. “There wasn’t anything really tactical in particular for me today, I always just try to (Continued on page 39)
Jamaica Observer BEIJING, China – Just two days before defending his 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay titles at the World Championship in Beijing, Usain Bolt has indicated that he is back to the form that saw him conquer the sprint world in the last seven years. “The training is good, everything will come together. The coach is happy and once he is happy, I know I am in good nick. So I am ready to go,” he told more than 300 journalists at a Puma/JAAA press conference on Thursday. Bolt was quizzed about his readiness to take on American Justin Gatlin who has been in tremendous form all season. “[All] I need to do right now is to execute. I haven’t gotten any more race but if I keep running through the rounds, I will get my body to run up to speed so I will be alright,” he added. Bolt, a notorious slow
Usain Bolt (file photo)
starter, revealed to the world that his start has improved significantly. “We have worked on that and in my last stop start session yesterday
(Wednesday), coach was smiling. So thumbs up to me. But I am happy with the way everything has been going, so I am happy with that,” he added.
t r o Sp
Lady Jags to tackle St Kitts & Nevis in Olympic Qualifier
Some members of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lady Jagsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; while heading to the Dominican Republic.
Spirited bouts anticipated as DDL renews support for U-16 boxing c/ships
Bolt back in form, ready to defend sprint titles
GT Beer/Petra Organisation Futsal Tournament...
Fans in for a real treat tonight
Part of the action on opening night of the GT Beer/Petra Organisation Futsal Tournament being played at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
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