Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition August 30, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 34

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KN reporter blocked from entering Enmore p.

2

Packaging Plant …as GuySuCo refuses to come clean on operations

NO WAY! The two guards who denied the reporter access to the Enmore facility yesterday.

Slain taxi driver…

Wife denies victim owed money for cars p.

16

Guyanese extradited to Brazil arrested again by local cops p.

6

Giftland Mall assures Keith Burrowes No accreditation 2000 job opportunities appointed as p. for AFC’s Hughes asp. p.

3 6 upon completion Pres. Advisor Honorary Consul 12

Page 02

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

KN reporter blocked from entering Enmore Packaging Plant

T

he Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) yesterday blocked Kaieteur News from having a tour of the Enmore Packaging Plant, reversing an earlier commitment.

It was only on Tuesday that the Corporation acknowledged that the Packaging Plant accommodated a request by Kaieteur News for a visit two Saturdays ago “with an understanding that the newspaper will return on full resumption of operations.”

The Corporation announced in a press release Tuesday that the plant had resumed operations two Wednesdays ago.

Kaieteur News reporters decided to visit yesterday, but were met by two guards on duty who said that they were instructed not to let reporters in. Calls to the managers of the factory went unanswered.

When Kaieteur News visited the plant two Saturdays ago, it was closed to operations, as there was no sugar to package.

Managers Yudhisthir Persaud and Akbar Ally said that the plant was out of

operation because the sugar being produced at Enmore was meeting bulk export demands. No other reason was given.

The Corporation had admitted that the plant was out of operation and had been for the entire of the first crop up to the point Kaieteur News first visited a week and a half ago.

As access to the plant was blocked, Kaieteur News was unable to ascertain the claims by the Corporation that the plant was once again in operation.

GuySuCo was peeved by a Sunday Kaieteur News report which stated that the US$12.5M plant was sitting idle as the corporation sought to meet demands for bulk sugar.

When asked about the sensibility of having the plant sit idle, Mr. Ally told Kaieteur News that it was either GuySuCo lose the market for bulk sugar or lose the market for packaged sugar. In this case, he said, the Corporation chose to meet its demand for bulk sugar, and as a result there was no sugar to meet the market for packaged sugar.

M r. P e r s a u d a l s o

…as GuySuCo refuses to come clean on operations

Kaieteur News was unable to ascertain the claims by GuySuCo that the plant was once again in operation indicated to Kaieteur News that the packaged sugar does not bring in significantly more revenue than the bulk sugar.

In a press release, GuySuCo gave a different story to the one given by the managers about why the plant was not in operation. It said that grinding operations commenced at Enmore on July 31, 2012 and that during the period July 31 to August 18, erratic weather

conditions affected continuous cane supply to the factory, hence sugar production and “sugar flowthrough” on recently maintained equipment was r e d u c e d .

It said that factory equipment underwent significant maintenance work during the last out-ofcrop period and it is standard operating practice for a sugar plant of this nature to ensure that the first batches of sugar

be directed to bulk (bulk is intended for re-processing) after a maintenance period (especially a major one).

This period allows for operational “fine-tuning” and to guarantee product consistency for direct consumption sugar required for the packaging plant, GuySuCo stated.

The Corporation said that it is on this basis that managers advised that the plant has been focusing on bulk

production.

The Kaieteur News reporter who filed the story was accompanied by two other reporters. The managers never spoke of anything that GuySuCo mentioned regarding the reason why the plant was non-operational. The only reason given was that the sugar was being exported by bulk and they had no idea when they would receive orders to re-start the plant.

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 3

Mahaicony hit-and-run Keith Burrowes appointed suspect on $1.6M bail as Presidential Advisor on financial matters

The truck driver who reportedly failed to stop after his vehicle crushed Mahaica market vendor, Benjamin, last Saturday night, was granted bail to the tune of $1.6M by Magistrate Judy Latchman when he appeared before her on Tuesday at the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court.

Deonarine Jairam, 21, of De Hoop, Mahaica, is facing charges of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to render assistance and failing to stop after an accident. He is being represented by Attorney at Law Jailall Kissoon, who successfully argued for bail despite the strong objections of police prosecutor Corporal Cheryl Graham.

It is alleged that on Saturday last around 21:00 hours, Jairam was driving a truck at a fast rate when the vehicle struck down Benjamin - who was standing in the corner - after colliding with two other cars on the Mahaicony Public Road.

Instead of stopping, Jairam fled the scene and parked the truck in the owner’s yard.

Police, however, recovered a broken piece of a light shade at the accident scene, which they were subsequently able to match to the truck that Jairam was

- will volunteer his service

Dead: Benjamin

Dead: Harrichan Baliram

said to be driving on Saturday night.

They also found traces of blood on the truck.

Jairam subsequently turned himself in to police almost 24 hours after the accident.

Meanwhile, police are narrowing down their search for a silver grey Toyota AT 212 car, which was involved in another hit-and-run accident on Monday, which resulted in the death of pensioner Harrichan Baliram on the Hope Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

The pensioner, who resided at 14th Street, Foulis, E.C.D., was killed on the spot

after he was struck down from behind by the speeding car while he was cycling to work around 06:10 hours.

Eyewitnesses said that the occupants of the car fled the scene without stopping.

Again police recovered a broken mirror at the scene of the accident but the item bore no identification mark and investigators have had to dig deep to come up with a possible identification of the car.

A reliable police source on the East Coast of Demerara, without going into details, told this newspaper that investigators are “working on some information”.

Liberalisation of aviation industry soon to become reality - Luncheon The creation of more affordable, efficient and reliable air transport services to Guyana would soon be a reality when Government signs an agreement with the United States of America, enabling liberalisation of the aviation industry.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, during a post-

Cabinet press briefing yesterday related that the Open Skies Agreement provided by the United States applies to the international aviation industry and minimises Governments’ intervention in relation to passengers, cargo, and the combination of air transportscheduled services, chartered services and also

state-based flights.

“As you know currently each one of those is tightly regulated by inter-governmental and international agreements.

Open Skies Agreement with the United States is an opportunity that has been provided to Guyana to liberalise,” Dr. Luncheon said.

Pointing out that other (continued on page 16)

Chairman of the Guyana Chronicle’s Board of Directors Mr. Keith Burrowes has been named Presidential Advisor on Financial Matters. This disclosure was made yesterday by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.

According to Luncheon, President Donald Ramotar has issued instructions to that effect. Luncheon yesterday described Burrowes as “a man of many talents”.

Luncheon stated that Burrowes has assumed the additional responsibility without reducing his involvement in other issues, and would be working under pro bono terms and conditions strictly voluntarily. He will work directly with the President and

Office of the President.

Luncheon further asserted that Burrowes’ forte is in financial management, an area which he has had much exposure, and added that he currently chairs the board at Go-Invest among other institutions.

Recently, Burrowes, who is also the Chairman of the Implementation Committee, had written to Mr. Ganga Persaud, Minister of Local Government and to Junior Minister Mr. Norman Whittaker, recommending that charges be laid against the Mayor and City Council’s Town Clerk and City Treasurer.

The Ministry of Local Government made the disclosure that they had discovered that the Mayor and City Council owes

Keith Burrowes various entities over $1B. According to reports, the investigation was sparked by allegations against the Town Clerk and the Treasurer by the Auditor General’s office.

The probe soon became more detailed.

Missing OLPF laptops …

Investigations continuing Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon has disclosed that government has held a number of meetings with Project Manager of the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme Margo Boyce, to receive updates regarding the “theft” of over 100 laptops.

Last week, Luncheon disclosed that laptops bought under the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project had been stolen from the project’s Queenstown, Georgetown office, and the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police had been called in.

Yesterday Luncheon told

- Dr. Luncheon the media that they have gotten updates from the police. He explained that they were advised that the police investigations are continuing.

According to Luncheon, he expects that a formal comprehensive report willbesubmitted.

He noted that investigators have understandably declined to provide day by day reports on their work as “they have insisted that on completion of the investigation everything will be known”.

The OLPF programme is facilitating the distribution of 90,000 computers to poor

families.

Margo Boyce, who has been associated with the OLPF and has been working from the Office of the President, was appointed as Project Manager three Wednesdays ago.

Her appointment came five months after “tensions” forced out Sesh Sukhdeo, who had a similar contract at the Office of the President.

Page 4

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 30, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

A changed contract for the specialty hospital At least five major projects are underway in Guyana the Marriott Hotel, the extension of the Guyana Power and Light Company, the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the Amaila Falls road construction project and the construction of the specialty hospital.

Three of these are being undertaken by Chinese contractors, one by Guyanese, and the other by Indian contractors. Each of these projects was announced with a lot of fanfare. When the government announced that hydroelectricity was coming to Guyana the nation was happy. It had seen electricity costs rise astronomically and this increase was passed on to them.

To make matters worse, the generators began to fail and blackouts became a norm. Of course, blackouts hit hard during the days of the People’s National Congress. Things had reached the stage where there was the threat of total collapse. The nation lived on four hours of electricity per day. Slowly things changed.

More recently, the government began to install new engines and generators. Following the installation of a US$20 million generator Prime Minister Sam Hinds announced that blackouts were things of the past. But less than two years later the truth dawned; there was too much wrong with the system. Another system was installed, but even that proved inadequate. Blackouts are still a part of national life.

With this in mind, the nation welcomed the hydro project.

However things went wrong from the beginning. The government fiddled with the road contract, seeking to help a supporter and did. Today the nation is unaware of the state of the road, although the government has been pouring money into the project which remains a controversy.

However, the most controversial project seems to be the construction of the specialty hospital. When the then President, Bharrat Jagdeo, announced the establishment of the hospital, he spoke of the benefits. He said that the Indians would man the facility. Guyana’s role was to provide and prepare the lands on which the facility would be constructed.

The parliamentary opposition queried the investment on the land construction and actually cut the budgetary allocation. This caused some concern and led to accusations that the opposition was contra development. For their part, the opposition said that the explanation was not enough.

Now the issue at hand is the award of a tender to the contractor. We find this strange. If the hospital is an Indian facility being constructed in Guyana, then it is the responsibility of the Indians to procure their own contractor.

But this contract was awarded by our National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. We are hard pressed to understand this, since Guyana was supposed to have no role in this aspect of the programme. How this point missed the politicians is beyond reason. A check of early statements

by President Jagdeo would reveal that he had said that Guyana was only responsible for the land preparation.

This is what has everyone wondering when the situation changed; when the construction of the hospital became a responsibility of the Guyana Government. A company, Fedders Lloyd Corporation, is challenging the tender, and only because its bid was rejected. The company awarded the tender had worked in Guyana in the past. It constructed the Enmore sugar packaging plant.

The political opposition has reached the conclusion that this company, Surendra Engineering Corporation, had already left Guyana with a problem-plagued facility, and is incapable of constructing the specialty hospital.

This may very well be the case. This situation provides instant recall of the tender for the Amaila Falls hydro project road. Makeshwar ‘Fip’ Motilall, was found to have had no previous road construction experience. The result was that he could not complete the road and left the government with a deeper hole than there was at the beginning.

Now there is Surendra Engineering. Will this company begin constructing a facility only to have the project taken away?

Experience has shown that where there are preliminary queries the government should take heed. However, the culture of ignoring queries and challenges seems to be prevailing.

Fight against corruption should be top priority of any government DEAR EDITOR, I have been asked by several persons whether I believe that everything humanly possible is being done to stamp out corruption.

I will attempt an answer by pointing to ways how corruption becomes pervasive but will leave the conclusion to the reader.

No one can dispute that charges and allegations of corruption have gained prominence in the national consciousness in recent years, and have been no more apparent than in the central role they play in our politics now more than ever before.

Gabriel Lall has made a start, but we all must recognise how this social malady impinges the integrity of the public and private sectors creating the type of feeding frenzy unparalleled for media operatives who have been zealous in their investigations, and who have been placed in the same corner as political opponents out to discredit the government.

What seems to have been lost sight of is the fact that corruption is potentially the greatest threat to economic progress and should be placed as a priority item on

the country’s development agenda, through a nonpartisan approach.

U Myint (2000) writing on ‘Corruption: Causes, Consequences and Cures’ defined corruption as the use of public office for private gain, where an office bearer uses his official position, rank or status for his own personal benefit.

Myint identifies examples of corrupt behaviour as: (a) bribery, (b) extortion, (c) fraud, (d) embezzlement, (e) nepotism, (f) cronyism, (g) appropriation of public assets and property for private use, and (h) influence peddling.

The public official may be the sole operator in fraud and embezzlement schemes, but there must be two parties (giver and taker) to bribery, extortion and influence peddling arrangements.

Among the more prevalent two- (or more) party corrupt practices are government contracts where bribes play a significant role in who gets a contract, and the contract and subcontracts terms.

Bribes also play a major part in determining who gets to avoid ‘wasting time’ by avoiding bureaucratic sloth

and moving things along smoothly in the granting of licences, permits to conduct legal business.

Bribes also affect the revenue stream of the country in the amount of taxes, fees, dues, custom duties, and electricity and other public utility charges collected from business firms and private individuals.

Bribes have also been known to have been offered to gain access to arguably prestigious schools, acquire bogus medical status certificates, and ownership stakes in prime real estate ownership.

Furthermore, bribes have been known to provide incentives to regulatory authorities to refrain from taking action, and to look the other way, when private parties engage in activities that are in violation of existing laws, rules and regulations such as those relating to controlling pollution, preventing health hazards, or promoting public safety.

Bribes can also be an inducement to favour one party over another in legal and regulatory proceedings.

With all the attention currently being paid to charges and allegations of

corruption in high places it is not unlikely that those public officials on the lower rungs are escaping detection and sanction.

While there can be no moral justification for corruption high or low, it might be instructive to know the reasons proffered for these practices.

The lowly public servant might claim poor pay and working conditions etc.; but what excuse do those higher in the food chain have?

Myint argues that greed and not low pay or the need to their families living expenses of their families- is a main motivating factor, since these people are generally well-off and have a lot of privileges associated with their high office.

Other compulsions include the overarching desire to remain in office in an era of expensive elections campaigning.

Another factor may be a need to dispense favours, or create the type of enabling environment for corrupt practices to benefit political allies, colleagues and subordinates, and keep them cooperative and loyal.

Patrick E. Mentore

All Guyanese must reject Gardasil DEAR EDITOR, The World Health Organisation writes: Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and accounted for 7.6M deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008. The main types of cancer are: lung (1.37 million deaths); stomach (736,000); deaths), liver (695,000 deaths); colorectal (608,000 deaths); breast (458,000 deaths) and cervical cancer (275,000 deaths).

If one person meets an untimely death, we should all be concerned. However, we are forced to be comparative when more attention is paid to a gross number of 275,000 deaths than a gross number of 1.37 million, or a gross number of 736,000 or a gross number of 695,000, for example.

It should be noted that death from cervical cancer is listed as sixth in the statistics above, and it is almost fifty percent lower than breast cancer, and more than two times lower than liver cancer.

The latter observation is very significant especially for Guyana. At present there are certain pesticides being used in Guyana that are known to have adverse effects on a healthy liver of humans and animals. These pesticides are known carcinogens. Fruits are dipped in ripening agents

that when digested the result is a negative impact on the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and entire digestive system. Why is there no concern by the Minister of Health for the attacks on the vulnerable liver of Guyanese? We will elaborate on these issues at a later date.

If the health of the population is a priority, why is the Minister of Health not addressing lung cancer which is the deadliest of cancers?

Britain, the ex-colonial ruler of Guyana and the mentor of many Guyanese intellectuals, has banned the advertisement of cigarettes in retail places. Will Guyana follow suit? Why is open atmospheric burning of carcinogenic materials such as plastic bottles, plastic bags and foam utensils so

prevalent all around the city of Georgetown? Why is prevention of liver and stomach cancers not given priority, but instead the use of DDT, a proven Carcinogen, is being encouraged?

Guyanese parents are concerned that the Minister of Health has chosen to disrespect them, showing contempt for their love for their children. Parents listened with interest to the information prepared by the Minister of Health and his experts, and presented to them by way of the Government monopoly national broadcast media.

However, when parents wrote a letter respectfully requesting that the Minister of Health meet them and their representatives on regional

and the Government’s national televisions to seek clarification on many troubling issues relating to the Minister ’s Gardasil vaccine programme, the minister neither replied to the letter, nor did he or his representative meet with parents and their representatives.

It seems as if the poor families of Guyana have no cause for which the Minister of Health should be mindful of. Why is the Minister of Health so anxious to deposit the cervical cancer germ into the blood stream of young girls who are only just out of nursery? If neither pupils nor parents will benefit from such a high costing programme, then who is the real beneficiary financially from (Continued on page 5)

NCN online radio is dead DEAR EDITOR, The NCN online radio broadcasts have been ‘dead’ for weeks. The reports that I made to the technical staff have fallen on deaf ears.

One minute, the telephone provider was at fault; the other time it was technical difficulties.

Guyanese, especially those residing out of Guyana, depend heavily on the services of the NCN online radios of 98.1 FM and VOG. NCN has demonstrated little ability to ensure a smooth operation of this service.

There comments and frustrations left by hundreds of disappointed listeners on the online radio website express how people feel

since the loss of the service. The NCN staff should take them down since it’s very embarrassing to the company. Many of the comments are lewd in nature and NCN, the technical staff, even the country comes in for blows from frustrated and tired listeners.

NCN, despite making so much money and despite fighting for more, cannot yet put back the radio stations and upkeep them online…shameful indeed.

Can’t NCN and the Guyana government invest properly once and for all in a reliable NCN online radio stream? This is not good enough.

Leon Suseran

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

All Guyanese must reject... Passport office and the Berbice Bridge From page 4 the Gardasil vaccination programme? It is argued by the Minister of Health and his experts, that it is most urgent that Gardasil vaccine be administered to our young daughters, aged nine to thirteen years old, so as to pre-empt their promiscuity which would make them most vulnerable to cervical cancer.

According to the literature on cervical cancer, it cannot be transmitted by kissing, holding hands, petting, sitting on toilet seats, or from sharing utensils.

Cervical cancer is a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Since cervical cancer is an STD, parents are both concerned and confused in respect to why such a most expensive STD prevention programme is being introduced into Guyana, when a more superior STD prevention programme is already in place and functioning.

Does Gardasil protect the recipient of the vaccine against venereal disease, syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, or Chlamydia, the most common bacterial STD? We are able to state categorically that Gardasil does not protect against any of the mentioned STDs except four types of human papilloma virus (HPV).

However the HIV/AIDS programme does. Yes, the HIV/AIDS STD prevention programme is much more responsible, genuine, less costly, and more effective than Gardasil vaccine programme.

One may ask: What is the socio-physical effects mentioned? The HIV/AIDS programme makes the practice of “safe sex” a central behavior, if STD of HIV is to be prevented. In such programme, the use of a protective covering of the male genital (sexual organ) known by the generic name of condom, is emphasized and demanded. Guyanese are told that if there is no breakage of the condom during the act of sexual intercourse, then maximum safety is ensured. What is the message: directly or indirectly that the Minister of health is conveying the families? Is he saying that Gardasil vaccine gives the individual a choice of protection against STD? Is he saying that a female who has been given the Gardasil vaccine may have no need to use condoms? Is he saying that the Gardasil vaccine is sufficient to prevent the transmission of sexual diseases? If he should interject to say that Gardasil is not sufficient, but there is nothing that has a one hundred percent (100%) efficiency, then let him tell parents how he would rate condoms against Gardasil, in

the prevention of sexual transmitted diseases (STDs).

Whereas Gardasil is alleged to provide protection for a few (four) strains of cervical cancers, condoms has more than ninety-nine percent (99%) efficiency against STD including Cervical cancers.

Furthermore, condoms protects against all cervical cancers that are transmitted sexually. You cannot get a better performance in respect to cost effectiveness of the Condom Programme that is presently in operation in Guyana.

What logic then dictates the use in Guyana of Gardasil, a pharmaceutical creation which is touted as the most expensive vaccine to be introduced to date?

We are therefore stating categorically that the Gardasil vaccine programme as presented by the Minister of Health will lead to sexual recklessness (social effect), which will result in a side effect (physical effect), that would dwarf the present STD problems.

Indirectly or subliminally, the minds of our young women are being programmed to believe that they may be promiscuous and may indulge in unprotected sexual intercourse, for they have had their “jab.” The physical “side effect” of thinking that Gardasil is an adequate STD protection, is to be infected by syphilis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia and all the other STDs germs.

Parents would like to know whether women in the present House of Parliament were given Gardasil, and did any female experts who accompanied the Minister of Health on his pro-Gardasil programs, had their Gardasil vaccine shots?

It is also important for parents to know whether the female Head Mistresses and teachers of the schools of their children have had their Gardasil vaccine shots? If no female of the respective groups mentioned above had Gardasil and if there is no incident of cervical cancer within those collectives, then the less costly and the most effective programme would be one where adult females of the above mentioned collectives, explain to young females nationally, how to live without getting cervical cancer.

Such a programme is not as farfetched as some may think. In Colonial British Guiana the population, young and old, were introduced to films such as “Bob and Sally” and “Mom and Dad.” Such films taught to the dangers of STDs and their prevention. Youths need education!

In reality our children

need to be exposed to what I coined the ‘JET’ Factor: Jobs, Education, and Training.

The Gardasil programme is a cynical indictment of our education system. It is predicting that education will be failing those entrusted to it. The Minister of Health by way of Gardasil is saying to parents: There will be no jobs and training for your child when she leaves school, therefore she may have to survive by offering sexual favours; hence the vaccine.

I cannot stress enough that Gardasil is indirectly assuring our female children that they may be as reckless as they want, because their veins have been “STD proofed.” Gardasil is also saying to parents: It is cheaper and more convenient for the Government to give young girls Gardasil, than to give them jobs, education and training.

Parents are saying to the Minister of Health that the universal use of condoms in Guyana makes Gardasil vaccine unnecessary.

Parents are saying that there is a less costly STD program in place, and it is functioning.

Parents are demanding not a bleak future for their children, but a future where their children would have opportunity and not hope…where the “Jet Factor” (jobs, education and training) will be standard national policy.

Let the makers of Gardasil have hope of finding some other poor unfortunate community to dump their disease deliverer. Parents of Guyana will fight for opportunities for their daughters, and will protect the wellbeing of their children so that they may enjoy the opportunities.

All Guyanese must reject Gardasil, whether or not it is being offered in vaccine or oral form.

Penda Guyan

DEAR EDITOR, Berbicians are bitterly complaining about the long journey to Georgetown to the passport and motor vehicle offices. They complain that it takes two trips to the capital city to get these matters sorted.

Further, they alleged that unless one is not willing to bribe, the process can’t be expedited quickly and that they are intimidated not to do so.

They claim that these offices in New Amsterdam were closed as a measure to raise revenue for the Berbice Bridge.

The motor vehicle and passport offices are all in Georgetown, the capital, and people coming from Essequibo and Berbice spend

over four hours to get to the city. Berbicians have no choices but to patronize the Berbice Bridge which is good for the company.

Many are willing to pay an additional fee to get these documents on the same day since they live far from the capital, would come with their families. It is a time consuming and expensive exercise.

Such services exist in many countries across the world. And for those who claim that the pubic must wait more than a day to get these documents processed, they should investigate why those who are willing to offer a bribe can get their documents the said day.

Ray Chickrie

Road safety is everybody’s business DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) must express its alarm and concern at the number of road fatalities which have already occurred on the streets of our republic.

To date, Guyana has recorded 59 fatal accidents which have resulted in 62 persons being killed, inclusive of three children.

We need to remind ourselves that we as a nation continue to lose precious lives on our roadways. It is time we took this continuous loss of lives seriously and make a determined effort to further reduce the number of accidents on the road.

Let us remind ourselves also that in the past year there were 115 deaths on our roadsthis included pedestrians and children. We must try to put a human face on the far from acceptable statistics on the frequency of road accidents.

Too many families are left without a father or a mother; mothers are robbed of those they have brought into the world, fathers of their sons

and daughters. In the final analysis, significant numbers of accidents rob this nation of valuable resources, a situation which is harmful to its development.

We recognize that the police and the concerned authorities, through laws and education, are making a valiant attempt to bring some measure of order on our roads in order to reduce accidents and deaths. We commend them for this. But much more needs to be done. We know from the statistics that many deaths are caused by indiscipline, speeding, not adhering to the traffic laws and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol.

We must conclude from all this that there must be a stricter application of traffic regulations and greater

deterrence to the breaking of our traffic laws. The GNRSC is convinced that this can be done and is prepared to work with all Guyanese who wish to make our roadways safe.

In this regard, we believe the five C’s - Care, Caution, Courtesy, Consideration, and Common Sense can help to reduce accidents.

Finally, we make yet another plea to our drivers to use the roadways with care and for them to try at all times to avoid accidents.

Remember road safety is everybody’s business.

Nigel Erskine Chairman, GNRSC

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 30, 2012

Giftland Mall assures 2000 job opportunities upon completion - Eight-theatre Cineplex, 500-seat food court among features E m p l o y m e n t opportunities for 2,000 persons will be available after Giftland Mall opens its doors for business in February 2013 upon completion of all phases.

Managing Director, Roy Beepat, noted that the construction of phase one will cost at least G$4 billion. This will be provided by commercial banks and two investors.

The mall will incorporate international and indigenous aspects into its design and service offerings, and also serve as a tourist (both local and foreign) attraction. It is being constructed on six acres at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, adjacent to the CARICOM Headquarters.

The company acquired the land in September 2007.

One of the major features will be the inclusion of an eight-theatre Cineplex.

Currently no such facility exists in Guyana and given the resurgence of movie theatres in the Caribbean (St Lucia, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, amongst others) the time, according to Beepat, is opportune for the introduction of such facilities in Guyana, particularly the highly-populated Georgetown and surrounding areas.

The other significant addition to Guyanese entertainment will be a 500seat food court done in an open air courtyard setting which will offer a variety of local and international

cuisine in addition to franchises.

This area will not only be for dining, but also an entertainment hot-spot.

There will also be local live entertainment, ranging from poetry recital and drama to live music and plays.

Beepat noted that the intention and concept behind the food court/entertainment area is more one of cultural enrichment and enhancement rather than just retailing, and as such the design, landscaping and layout will reflect this.

Giftland Mall intends to supply its own electrical generators, water wells and sewerage systems, and a 3.5 acre parking lot, which might include a sheltered bus terminus, has been identified to facilitate approximately 500 vehicles.

It was emphasised that all of areas of the mall would make provision for disabled persons.

Giftland plans to close its Water Street operations upon completion of the massive facility.

Phase two is expected to include a multi-level car park, supermarket, hardware store, hotel, auditorium and casino.

Phase three will consist of multi-level shopping and offices with a connecting conveyor sky-walk between the car park and third wing.

According to Beepat, the Mall will provide many direct and indirect benefits to the economy and augment the infrastructural work being

A section of the Giftland Mall under construction. done by the Government.

Some of the benefits, he emphasised, include “employment opportunities for skilled, unskilled/semiskilled, professional, part-time

workers, University of Guyana students; the setting up of a Retailing/ Merchandising/Customer Service training centre in administrative offices to train

persons in the labour pool; an increase in Government revenue from taxes and VAT; significant opportunities for indigenous skilled workers to showcase their handicraft all

year round, and opportunities for many independent business and service providers to have a branch outside of the congested downtown business centre”.

Guyanese extradited to Brazil arrested again by local cops - Relatives bemoan “constant harassment” Relatives and concerned residents of Lethem said they are disgusted over the constant police harassment of Euclid Da Silva also known as Euclid Saigo.

This publication was told that Da Silva only returned to Guyana about two weeks ago after being released by law enforcement officials in neighbouring Brazil.

Back in August 2010, the man, who operated a business

in Hadfield Street, Georgetown, was arrested and handed over to Brazilian authorities by the local police.

It was claimed that he was wanted by the Brazilian authorities for unlawfully escaping from custody while serving a lengthy prison sentence.

However, according to Da Silva’s brother, Guy Saigo, his brother was released by Brazilian authorities without

being charged for any offence and was sent back to Guyana where he is a citizen. Da Silva’s brother told this publication that he was informed that his brother had been arrested early yesterday morning. When contacted, the man’s attorney, Peter Hugh, told this publication that he had been detained for ‘illegal entry’ to Guyana.

Residents of Lethem who heard of Da Silva’s arrest did

Euclid Da Silva not take the news lightly, and they too expressed disgust at the police action.

One resident who spoke with this publication said the police should direct their attention to the thousands of illegal Brazilians who work in Guyana without permits.

Residents said they will not rest until there is a proper explanation for Da Silva’s detention.

Back in 2010, Da Silva was arrested and subsequently released on $100,000 station bail.

Having learnt of the police’s intention to extradite Da Silva to Brazil, his lawyer had moved to the High Court to block the expulsion. However, despite a favourable ruling by Chief Justice Ian Chang, the local law enforcement authorities released Da Silva into the custody of the Brazilian Federal Police.

Further, while all this was being done, relatives had produced documentation which supports that Da Silva is a Guyana citizen by birth.

Up to press time yesterday, Da Silva was still being held at the Brickdam Police Station.

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Top U.S. trade official heads to Southeast Asia for talks WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk will discuss how the United States can deepen trade ties with fast-growing nations in Southeast Asia in talks this week in Cambodia, U.S. trade officials said.

Kirk will join trade ministers from the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) at their annual meeting today and take part in the inaugural ASEAN-U.S. Business Summit focusing on innovation and the digital economy.

His trip is also likely to include a stopover in Vietnam.

The visit sends an important signal that President Barack Obama’s administration is following through on promises to increase economic engagement with the region, said Ernest Bower, an expert on Southeast Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“I think Kirk will be pushed to define what is the U.S. plan for economic engagement” in ASEAN, Bower said.

In recent years, the United States has been represented by Deputy Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis at the annual ASEAN trade ministers meeting.

The 10 nations of ASEAN include Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, which together represent the fourth-largest trading partner of the United States.

The United States is negotiating a regional free trade agreement, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), with 10 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including four from ASEAN: Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam.

But it lacks a robust vehicle to engage ASEAN as a region, unlike China, Japan and South Korea which are negotiating the so-called ASEAN+3 pact, Bower said.

Kirk should use the meeting to discuss ways to reinvigorate a forum known as the U.S.-ASEAN Trade and Investment, which has been “moribund” for years, he said.

Syria’s Assad acknowledges struggles in civil war BEIRUT (AP) — In a striking admission, President Bashar Assad said in an interview broadcast yesterday that his armed forces will need time to defeat the rebels and addressed the string of defections from his authoritarian regime.

The comments amounted to an acknowledgment that even though the opposition lacks the government’s tanks and airplanes, their tenacity and tactical creativity — combined with the military’s struggle to fight on multiple fronts — have yielded a stalemate that could prolong the civil war with many more dead.

Over the past few months, Syria’s military has increasingly been stretched thin fighting on multiple fronts against rebels seeking to oust Assad. His forces have been unable to quell the

rebellion as it spread to the capital, Damascus, with significant clashes that began in July and to Syria’s largest city, Aleppo, a few weeks later.

At the same time, the military is fighting smaller scale battles in a string of other cities and towns around the country.

With neither side making significant advances, the conflict is looking more like a war of attrition that could be very drawn out.

“We are fighting a regional and global war, so time is needed to win it,” Assad said in an interview with the pro-regime private TV station Dunya. “We are moving forward. The situation is practically better but it has not been decided yet. That takes time,” he told the station, which is majority owned by Rami Makhlouf, a cousin of Assad and one of Syria’s wealthiest men.

Page 7

UN chief hits host Iran over human rights TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The U.N. chief jolted his Iranian hosts for a nonaligned nations meeting yesterday by pointing out “serious concerns” in Tehran’s human rights record and urging cooperation with the world body to improve freedoms.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had signaled he would not shy away from criticism of Iran during his visit to the Nonaligned Movement gathering in Tehran, but the sharp comments appeared to catch

Iranian officials off guard just hours after his arrival.

“We have discussed how United Nations can work together with Iran to improve the human rights situation in Iran. We have our serious concerns on the human rights abuses and violations in this country,” he told a news conference as he sat next to Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, who frowned at the remarks.

Iran’s opposition groups had urged Ban to use his appearance in Tehran as a

platform to criticize Iran’s ruling system over its crackdowns on political dissent, including the house arrests of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi.

While in Tehran, Ban also could raise sensitive issues such as demands by U.N. nuclear inspectors for wider access to various sites, including a military base near Tehran suspected of being a proving ground for explosives experiments that could be used to test nuclear

triggers. Iran denies it seeks nuclear arms, but Western nations and allies fear Tehran’s uranium enrichment labs are moving close to warhead-grade material.

U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said in his talks, Ban expressed frustration that “little tangible progress” has been made in talks between Iran and world powers over Tehran’s nuclear program.

No date has been set to resume negotiations after several rounds over the past months.

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Kaieteur News

Buju Banton hires new lawyer MIAMI - (UPI) - Mississippi human-rights attorney Chokwe Lumumba says he has been hired to help overturn drug and gun convictions against Jamaican entertainer Buju Banton.

Banton was arrested in Florida in 2009 and found guilty by a jury in February of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense and using a telephone to facilitate a drugtrafficking offense.

He appealed the conviction as he began serving his 10-year prison sentence, but the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper said the U.S. Court of Appeal for the 11th Circuit denied Banton’s

bid for a new trial and granted prosecutors’ request to reinstate a conviction on a drug charge thrown out by the judge overseeing the earlier trial.

Lumumba told the Gleaner he is replacing Banton’s longtime attorney, David Oscar Markus.

“The district court threw [a firearm charge] out and appears to have good reason to throw it out from the decision I have read. And then the Court of Appeal put it back in on some very flimsy grounds, it appears to me,” Lumumba said.

Lumumba said he plans to meet with Banton in two weeks. He declined to comment on why the Grammy Award winner opted to change lawyers now.

Thursday August 30, 2012

T&T Prime Minister fires seven ministers since 2011 Trinidad Express COLLIN PARTAP may have been the latest minister to get axed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, but he was not the first.

In fact, just after two years in office, PersadBissessar has found grounds to strip six other ministers of their portfolios.

On May 10, 2011, the appointment of Government Senator and Minister of Planning, Restructuring and Gender Affairs, Mary King, was revoked by President George Maxwell Richards.

King’s dismissal came after Persad-Bissessar found evidence that implicated King in the inappropriate awarding of a $100,000 contract to a company, Ixanos, in which King’s family has an interest.

Persad-Bissessar was quoted as saying, “new evidence came to light following an investigation conducted into the matter by

the Attorney General Anand Ramlogan”.

In June 2011, PersadBissessar reshuffled her Cabinet removing three ministers — Therese Baptiste-Cornelis as Minister of Health, Rudrawatee Nan Gosine-Ramgoolam as Minister at the Ministry of Public Administration and Subhas Panday as Minister in the Ministry of National Security.

Both Baptiste-Cornelis and Gosine-Ramgoolam were former lecturers at the Lok Jack Graduate School of Business before entering the Cabinet in May 2010.

Following their removal as ministers, BaptisteCornelis and GosineRamgoolam accepted PersadBissessar’s offer to become this country’s consulsgeneral in Geneva, Switzerland and New York in the United States respectively.

Panday was replaced as the People’s Partnership Senate team leader by Senator Emmanuel George. He was also replaced as Minister in the Ministry of National Security by Partap, a person whom he mentored in law.

No reason was given for their removal from Cabinet, but following the 2011 reshuffle, Persad-Bissessar noted that “very few of my Ministers had the benefit of serving in Government and in Cabinet or had done so a long time ago”.

In the June 22 reshuffle, the Prime Minister again fired two ministers, namely, John Sandy who held the post of National Security Minster and Verna St Rose-Greaves who held the Gender portfolio.

Sandy was replaced by Jack Warner as National Security Minister while St Rose Greaves was replaced by former San Fernando mayor Marlene Coudray.

Opposition rejects PM Thomas claim of involvement to bring down his govt.

ST.GEORGE’S, Grenada CMC - The main opposition New National Party (NNP) yesterday dismissed charges made by Prime Minister Tillman Thomas that it had conspired with a government backbencher to bring a new vote of no confidence in his administration.

Former foreign affairs

minister Karl Hood filed the motion against Prime Minister Thomas last Friday, nearly two months after he resigned from the cabinet amidst lingering internal wrangling within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Thomas said the

NNP headed by former prime minister Dr. Keith Mitchell “unmistakably inspired” the motion.

“In the circumstances, this latest motion is a blatant act of disobedience and dishonour; it is highly unpatriotic, reckless, selfserving and disrespectful of the people of Grenada.

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

APNU’s EXCUSES ARE NOT IN ORDER One of the reasons advanced by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) for opting out of the “corruption debate series” hosted by the National Communications Network, was that a number of issues that they wanted discuss were not included.

APNU seems to be missing the purpose of the debate and the opportunity this presents to them. The present series is about corruption and addresses those controversies and institutions towards which the opposition had pointed accusatory fingers in the past.

The opposition had the opportunity to prove their case about corruption.

Instead they resorted to what they do best: make excuse after excuse. What we have for an opposition in Guyana is an excuse.

To opt out of the debate series because issues they proposed were not included is an undelivered excuse.

The excuse offered is a red herring. The present series is about corruption. As such discussing the crisis in Linden cannot be included in the present series, but will have to be part of another set of debates. So it makes no sense for APNU to be using this as a basis for ending their participation.

It is very much like someone complaining about not being invited to a party, but when they are invited they refuse to turn up and then claim that they did not attend because the food that was being served was not what they asked for. It is not

for the guest to determine the menu.

It is not for APNU to decide on the topics to be covered in the debate. APNU was invited to deal with a series of debates on controversies and institutions about which they had expressed concerns. They had also claimed in the past that they were not being given adequate exposure on the stateowned television station. Yet presented with the opportunity to make their case, they opted to only do so in one debate, and then said they would not be participating anymore.

So how is it that APNU did not have a problem with the first debate, but now have problems with the others? Is it that APNU cannot muster a case of corruption in relation to the Marriott-branded hotel or in relation to the airport project? Does APNU lack the ability to discuss corruption in relation to these two projects? How is it that the Alliance for Change (AFC) could have gone there and torn the government’s case to shreds?

Better was expected of APNU and their absence from the last two debates was not only inexcusable, but also an abdication of their duty as an opposition party to hold the government accountable.

That failure is being amplified by the position that the main opposition party is taking in relation to the construction of a specialty hospital. APNU seems to have jumped on the AFC’s bandwagon in criticizing the award of a contract to a specific firm from India.

The AFC’s position in

Dem boys seh ...

Uncle Donald proclaim Wakenaam a tourism island Town people always believe that country people stupid.

Uncle Donald pick up Toolsie and go to Wakenaam fuh a programme call Wakenaam Nite. Every night is Wakenaam Nite because de place black like de devil behind. De people got to live without lights fuh long period because de generator does wuk and stop.

Uncle Donald go to de island and mek speech. He talk how Wakenaam special, how de people now got airstrip. But everybody know that no plane ever land pun de strip and de only reason dem build de airstrip is because dem did vote money and no airstrip didn’t build.

De media talk and dem shame. Out of de blues dem build de airstrip but nobody ever talk ‘bout wheh de money come from. Anyhow Uncle Donald seh that Wakenaam is a tourist resort.

Dem boys want fuh know since when is a tourist resort when people busy running away. De island got more empty house than a condemn jail. De Waterfalls boss man even build a house there and that house empty.

Anyhow, Uncle Donald know that Wakenaam is a place wheh people want to go. He talk how people gun go to Kaieteur and when dem hungry dem gun go to Wakenaam fuh lunch and dinner. He got to be dreaming. Who want see Wakenaam?

Anyhow he claim how Toolsie born pun de island and that alone gun mek it a tourist resort. People gun visit to see cow and cow dung and pothole in road and blackout and mosquito. Dem gun tour de empty house and dem gun visit Toolsie birthplace. Is real bogus business.

Talk half and visit Wakenaam fuh vacation.

turn is not without its own intrigue. It is left to be seen whether all of those who had railed against conflict of interest in relation to appointments in the audit office, will question whether a similar situation exists in relation to the stance taken by the AFC on the specialty hospital. It is left to be seen.

The award of that contract should have been secondary to the more important issue of whether this hospital should be constructed in the first place.

This is a hospital that is being built with the support of taxpayers’ funds, which have now been sanctioned by the opposition parties by virtue of them approving the funds for the design of the hospital.

But why build such a hospital which will be a profitmaking institution, when the same funds could have been invested in upgrading public

hospitals to provide the same services either free of charge of at a significantly reduced cost?

This new hospital will put money into the hands of private health care providers.

It is unacceptable that taxpayers’ monies should be used for this purpose when there is the alternative of upgrading the existing public hospitals to provide the specialty services. In short, there is money to be made by the provision of these services and private health care specialists will cash in on the bonanza.

The opposition parties should never be seen as supporting this project that will only strengthen the hands of the new oligarchy in Guyana which is aligned to the ruling party.

Instead of therefore crying foul about which contractor should have

gotten the contract, the opposition should be debating the need for that type of hospital in Guyana.

It is also interesting that the opposition is crying foul about the award of a contract under a competitive process, yet is not using this very example to question why a similar process was not applied to the airport project.

The government of India is providing funding for a specialty hospital. As such, Indian companies competed for the award of the contract.

China granted a major loan for the expansion of our national airport. Was there a competitive process involved here? Or was the contractor simply selected by the government? And why was the process so secretive?

Regardless of what the government says, the airport contract was a secret contract, because the people

of Guyana were only made aware of it months after the signing, and only after a report was published in a Jamaican newspaper.

These are the issues on which one expected APNU to take the government to task.

Instead APNU seems to be fiddling.

Instead of going into the debates and setting the cat amongst the pigeons, by pointing out the obvious flaws of these major contracts which are the subject of the “corruption- debate series,” APNU is opting out of the discussions, and on the most spurious of grounds. We await their next excuse.

Illegal weapons accused freed of murder charge - Remains in jail on other matters A man who allegedly was caught with an illegal arsenal of guns in his possession in September 2010, including two AK 47 assault rifles, an Uzi automatic submachine gun and a double barrel shotgun, at Adelphi, East Canje, Berbice, was yesterday freed on a charge of murder, which was purportedly related to one of the high-powered weapons.

Timothy Sampson, 25, of 51 Adelphi New Scheme, had the case against him discharged by Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Whim Magistrate’s Court after she found that a prima facie case had not been established.

This was following a no case submission put forward by Attorney at Law Mursaline Bacchus.

Sampson was on trial for the murder of 47-year-old security guard Arjune Gobind, called Buddy, of 362 Bloomfield, Corentyne, Berbice. The incident allegedly occurred on May 17, 2010, during a daring robbery on the business premises of Surendra Ganesh and his wife Basanti Ganesh of No 36 Village, Wellington Park, Corentyne.

Rajendra Persaud, CEO of the Nand Persaud Group of Companies Limited, was also shot and injured in the melee.

The two men had gone to the premises after receiving word of the robbery, and were greeted by rapid gunfire, with one of the bullets striking Gobind in the forehead. He died on his way to the Port Mourant Hospital.

Mr. Bacchus in his written submissions stated that the prosecution had not made

out a prima facie case against his client under Section 65 of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act, Chapter 10:01, and asked that the accused be discharged.

The lawyer stated that the prosecution’s case was wholly based on circumstantial evidence, and “in these circumstances there is only one fact of circumstantial evidence - and that is taking the prosecution’s case at its highest - which is that the accused was found in possession of a gun

purportedly used to kill the deceased.”

The attorney mentioned that the relevant law in such a circumstance suggests that one such fact is not sufficient to make out a prima facie case.

“Moreso in this case where the gun was allegedly found in the possession of the accused in September 2010, when the offence of murder is alleged to have been committed on the 17th day of May 2010… four months before.”

He quoted numerous authorities to support his

submissions.

Bacchus continued: “in a case of circumstantial evidence, where the primary facts are plainly open to a rational finding of innocence and equally lend themselves to a finding of guilt, the court must uphold a submission of no case to answer and resist any temptation to call for a defence, for in such a case, a finding of guilt can only be made by engaging in the merest guesswork between guilt and innocence. Such an approach is mandated by the (continued on page 18)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday August 30, 2012

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

President Ramotar and the poetic essence of history Many years ago, the current President of Guyana, in the letter pages of this newspaper, requested that I explain a statement in one of my columns which referred to the “poetic essence of history.” I replied informing Mr. Ramotar that I do not feel inclined to answer his question in a one-off way. I said I would explain what is meant by the poetic essence of history as part of an exchange with Ramotar, if he in turn would define some of the policies his PPP Government is engaged in.

Looking back now, I should have described for Mr. Ramotar what is the poetic essence of history (at the time Ramotar posed his

question, a Black American was not the US President but Nelson Mandela had created history, so Ramotar should have known what my statement connoted).

Does the president of Guyana know what the poetic essence of history is? My answer is no.

Because if he did, he would not have entered a year as the administrator of this country and done absolutely (yes, absolutely) nothing to make a part, a percentage, a section of or the population in general, feel that there will be positive changes and a good future is on the horizon.

Let me just push in a quick line on political theory before I address the issue of

the sad failure of Mr. Ramotar, and I mean this most sincerely when I say failure. From the Roman Empire onwards, up to this day, there is a law in power exercise that has had no exception in history.

Mr. Ramotar may be the exception. Rulers may leave some major political appointees when they come to power, but as a necessity, they create their own school of subordinates who will give shape and meaning to the leader’s vision. No one can tell me that there wasn’t national disappointment with Mr. Ramotar’s Cabinet and wider State appointees.

One of the devastating criticisms of Mr. Ramotar before the 2011 general

elections was that he never held down a full-time occupation in the public sector, even though he was in the hierarchy of the PPP when it came to power in 1992.

The only other stalwart in the PPP to face that accusation was Ralph Ramkarran. Ramkarran fired back detailing the public service he gave over the years administering the affairs of the National Assembly and his role in constitutional reform.

Mr. Ramotar, unlike Ramkarran, had no such defence.

APNU used the absence of an enduring full-time public sector contribution of Ramotar (he sat on the board of Guysuco which met quarterly) as an election strategy against Mr. Ramotar.

The theme was; “No place for

Donald.” APNU speakers argued that over twenty years the PPP had been in control of the State, yet it didn’t fit Donald Ramotar into any major public capacity.

Speaker after speaker told the APNU rallies that it was an absurdity to then ask the nation to offer the presidency to such a person.

Ramotar must have felt that he had to prove his critics wrong. One would like to think that he must have said that lack of experience does not necessarily undermine vision.

And it should not.

But in Ramotar’s case it has. If Donald Ramotar had known what the poetic essence of history was all about, he probably would have got the nation and the Guyanese Diaspora excited about the four years he has left. Sadly, the time has passed for Mr. Ramotar.

It is this columnist’s opinion that Mr. Ramotar is not going into the history books, and on his own volition, does not want to go.

For every day that passes, the time for history-creating passes Mr. Ramotar. But more than this; even if Mr. Ramotar lacks the capacity to create history, he can try and work with some people who can

Frederick Kissoon attempt to do so.

There are absolutely no signs that Mr. Ramotar is remotely interested in moving even inches away from the Guyana, the sad, tragic, poor, impoverished, corrupt, racially divided, politically disunited, infrastructurally rundown, confused, dirty Guyana that he met when he became its chief citizen.

He has spent almost a year at the top of the pyramid and some heavy luck has gone his way.

An advantage that the combined opposition got after the election, they have happily thrown away. This has made Mr. Ramotar more secure in his ordinariness.

This has prevented Mr. Ramotar from having headaches.

This will only serve to prolong the vacuum that Mr. Ramotar is content to live his presidential life in.

Thursday August 30, 2012

Page 11

Kaieteur News

'Teacher Cleo' is unbeaten on 104 ...still advocates for corporal punishment 104 year-old 'Teacher Cleo' is joined for a photo opportunity by Nurse Gloria Brandis

“Corporal punishment will not kill children; at times it is the only thing that can help to straighten some of them,” said Teacher Cleo as she prepared for the celebration of her life yesterday. It was in fact her 104th birth anniversary and she had modest plans to spend the day with a few dear friends and relatives who have remained close to her over the years.

With faculties all intact, the former Stewartville Congregational Church School student, and subsequent teacher, could not resist the urge to address the education system. She bitterly lamented the fact that some officials do not see it fit to utilise corporal punishment anymore.

satisfying.

“The children loved me so much, and I could've gotten them to do anything I wanted. As soon as I gave an order they complied. If they were not to do something and I appeared, suddenly everyone came to attention. I just had to give them that look, a mere gaze, and they knew what they had to do,” she recounted, as a wide smile engulfed her face.

Although she never married and bore no children, Teacher Cleo

“...I mean you are not going to kill them; you get the wild cane and you give them a little touch up and that is enough, but instead they want to completely cut it out.”

Born and raised in the village of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, she is fondly called 'Teacher Cleo' by all those whose lives she has touched in some way during her time as a tutor.

Her teaching career started when she was 20 years old, and though she could not remember the exact span in that profession, she is sure that it was “a number of years”.

The centenarian recalled during a very lucid conversation yesterday, that her teaching career was very

fondly claims to have several “borrowed children”. She currently resides with two of them - at 29 Stewartville Public Road, West Coast Demerara - in whose upbringing she played an integral role.

The highly respected senior citizen expressed her conviction that while youths must indulge in social activities, the best of those activities are those engaged in a religious setting. Though unable to attend church as much as she'd like, Teacher

Cleo is convinced that religion is a very important facet of life and should extend to the school system.

“This is very important.

At the school that I attended there were religious prayers every morning, midday and afternoon. If you are going to train children, give them the perfect training; it must be based on religion. Don't prevent them from going to church... this is important.

So teach them what religion is.”

She warned too that it is

crucial that adults ensure that their lives are examples for the young, insisting that “what you want to pass on, you have to show them.”

“Some people get out on the streets and do anything, and they don't care in whose presence. They use all kinds of language in front of adults. You couldn't use any indecent language in the presence of adults back in the day,” she reflected.

As such her advice to young people today is to “try to be respectable, work hard and if you have to do a task, do it in a timely manner and (continued on page 17)

Page 14

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Sophia woman was manually strangled A 23-year-old man is expected to be charged with the murder of his girlfriend after a post mortem examination revealed that the woman was strangled.

Police sources confirmed yesterday that Shoala Gilgeous died as a result of manual strangulation and blunt trauma to the head.

Relatives had discovered her lifeless body at around 17:30 hrs on Sunday at the woman's Block 'E', South Sophia home. They had reportedly received a telephone call from the boyfriend, who asked them to check on the woman.

A police press release had stated that at the time of the discovery the woman was frothing at the mouth.

Reports disclosed that Gilgeous and the suspect had a turbulent one-year relationship.

A female neighbour of the victim recalled hearing the couple arguing on Sunday.

However the woman said that she went out and when she returned, there were no sounds coming from the apartment, so she obviously assumed that the quarrel had ended.

Kaieteur News understands that during the argument, the victim's daughter went over to the neighbour's apartment.

However, when the child returned to her mother's and knocked on the door, the suspect reportedly claimed that Gilgeous was out.

According to the neighbour, she also called out for Gilgeous, and the boyfriend again said that she was not there.

“When I was leaving to go

Dead: Shoala Gilgeous out and do something I saw him padlocking the door, so I thought she went out or she gone at the station to make a report.”

The neighbour said she was not suspicious of anything, since this was a regular occurrence between the couple. However, later that day relatives allegedly received a call from the suspect who asked them to check on his girlfriend.

Alana Gilgeous, a sister of the victim, told Kaieteur News she received a call from the man who asked her to 'go check Shoala'.

“I ask what happen between you and Shoala and he said he ain't sure. He say they had a problem and she told him to move out, and he carried some clothes earlier and when he come back he reach she lying down on the floor stretch out in her room and she ain't responding, so he go away and he call me and my brother.”

Relatives found the apartment door unlocked.

They then entered and found Gilgeous lying motionless on the floor of her room.

$120,000 bail for car salesman on obstruction of justice charge A car salesman accused of trying to thwart the course of justice, by allegedly attempting to bribe a police witness, was yesterday placed on $120,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Hazel OctiveHamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.

Rameez Mohammed, 24, a resident of Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara, is accused of contacting Mohammed Ally and offering to pay all his expenses, so that Ally would in return withhold the truth from the police as it relates to how he got motor vehicle GJJ 9390, given that the vehicle is part of an investigation in an ongoing

matter. Mohammed was not required to plead to the charge. The incident allegedly occurred on August 23, last, which led to the defendant being arrested and placed on $50,000 station bail.

Mohammed's lawyer, Glenn Hanoman, requested that the court grant bail and stated that the charge against his client was misconceived, since the complainant in the matter is also under investigation.

The lawyer informed the court that his client works at B.M. Soat Auto Sales which is “the family business”. The prosecution did not oppose the bail application.

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Labourers to work at construction site Call: 2250188,225-6070

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Survival Shopping Complex, Sheriff Street needs male bond attendants and bag packers Call: 227-5286-90

One straight stitch operator, preferably from East Coast area, attractive salary. Call: 220-3304,675-7760

1 carnegie trained cook, age 18-45 Call: 614-4358

1-Accounts clerk, experience: VAT,NIS & PAYE Call: 614-4358 T.S.I, Eccles Industrial Site.

Reputable Taxi Service seeks dispatchers and contract cars Call: 6585402,670-8469,226-1542 Experienced excavator operator Call: 623-4242 Experienced Jet men for land dredge Call: 681-3801

1- Stores Clerk (male) Call: 614-4358 Office clerk, CXC English/ Mathematics, computer knowledge an asset. Call: 225-4492,225-9404

We refill HP cartridges for $1800 Call: 650-7699

Learn Spanish easy Call: 673-1232 VYC, IDCE/UG presents Business Development Training, in Marketing, Financing and Communication. Contact 227-1011-13 Register Now

Mahadoe’s Construction, reliable services for your building, contact Tony Tel 618-3523, 669-7376. For free estimates and plans.

Personal Tuition French, Spanish, English, all levels, reasonable fees Call: 2311214 (Jeff) after 3pm.

HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000 CALL: 694-9843, 227-2766 ONLINE SHOPPING – NO COMISSION, WEEKLY S H I P M E N T S , AFFORDABLE RATES, FREE PRIVATE MAILBOX, T E L # 2 3 1 - 5 7 8 9 , F R E I G H T L I N K EXPRESS@GMAIL.COM PASSPORT & VISA FORMS:USA, CANADA &UK, TEL:225-9030, (ONE MINUTE AWAY FROM PASSPORT OFFICE)

CAR RENTAL FABS RENTAL, cars & SUV rental, call: 600- 6890 or email fabsrental@yahoo.com Aidan’s car, pick up & canter rental Call: 698-7807 PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL, cars from $3500 per day. Call: 643-5122,6560087

Driver /salesman with clean lorry driving record, security guards. Call: 2664427 Experienced upholster to work in Trinidad. Ravi 868753-3582 or 356-2015

SERVICES Permanent &Visitors Visa Applications Professional Immigration Consultant Sabita - Room E-4 Maraj Building 225-6496/ 223-8115/662-6045.

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

Imperial College- Register Now. CXC 2013. Fulltime/ Lessons/Adults classes.

Excellent Results Call: 6835742, 227-7627

1- Cook (Georgetown Area) Call: 600-3838 Live in couple, husbandcaretaking, wife-domestic, good accommodation, high rates. Call: 227-1830

Princeton College, Forms 15, CXC adults classes for slow learners, reading classes for children Call: 6905008, 611-3793

Page 15

Live saxophone performance for weddings, dinners etc.

Call Junior : 621-4568,3282205 School bus service to and from school Call: 688-6566 Repairs to gas stoves, washing machines, electric stoves Call: 686-6209

Booths for rent in hair salon $6,000 weekly Call: 227-3273 or 696-3037 in Albert town Georgetown.

Rental of machines : Excavator, Roller & Bobcat Call: 220-5580, 621-4786 Apartments $50,000 monthly Call: 645-1208 Apartments for rent Call: 6450870 Office space South Rd $3500US, Town to country 627-7390,225-0843 DATING SERVICE Immediate link-Singles 18-80 yrs.Confidential: Tel: 2238237,648-6098. 8:30am-5:00pm Mon-Sun (Both phones same hours) NO TEXTING

FOR SALE Nars lipgloss, blush & eyeshadow, Elizabeth Arden eyeshadow (Single & Duo).

Tel: 669-8374.

Honda pressure washer, Dewalt grinder & camera, Makita & Dewalt drill (cord less) Call: 266-5831, 690-2174 (Marcia) Rosetta stone language software. Call: 695-7595 American Eagle T-Shirt men & women Call: 266-5831, 6902174 DVDs: Classic Indian & English, Olympics 2012, Usain Bolt, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates Call: 675-3489,6832714 Brandnew American made Crosely 10.5 cu ft Refridgerator for sale $75,000 Call: 697-5677 1 Husky compressor 150 PSI, 1.5HP $120,000, 1 LG 4 Burner gas stove $110,000 Call: 6945371 One 225 HP $1.1M & 150 HP $950,000, Yamaha outboard engines, many more small outboard engines available Call: 699-1711 Games for PS2 $900, PSP $900, Xbox 360 $2,600, PS3 $2,600 Call: 265-3231, 672-2566 New Generac 2700 PSI & Honda 3100 PSI Power pressure washer Call: 6148564, 680-0862 Massey Ferguson tractors model 188, Honda ATVS model 500,2012 Call: 6886274 or 691-3851 4 Ton portable puller craftman power tools, energy saver bulbs Call: 641-1127

VACANCY FOR RENT Taxi Base rental at a popular West Side Hotel Call: 6381627

FOR SALE One 15HP Yamaha (Long foot) Call: 689-5254, 643-0332

Hire Car Drivers wanted preferably from E.C.D Contact A-1 Taxi: 220-1000.

Yellow cars with drivers wanted Survival Shopping Complex, 173 Sheriff Street needs supervisors, evening cashiers and cleaners Call: 227-5286-90 Driver for party rental service, within the vicinity of Parka to V/Hoop, must be able to work flexible hours.

Tel # 638-1627 Be part of our world class customer care team . Phone: 220-0401-3 or email: recruitmentguyana@ qualfon.com One trainee/refrigeration technician Call: 231-0655,6838734 1 Male cook for interior, 1 gardener, 1 whole day domestic Call: 667-5717 or 650-4761

Pallet jacks 2.5 ton, power tools, car mats, car seat covers etc wholesale & retail Call: 614-8564, 680-0862

1 225 KVA Generator, 1 Hiace Canter, Premio, 3 light towers, car batteries Call:624-2000 Dell computers complete with 17&19 inch LCD from $50,000 Future Tech 2312206 One horse & cart Call: 6504421 Toyota Starlet EP71 Call:6482075 Imported Umbrellas 10ft & 12ft Call: 645-0870 1 42’’LCD TV $165,000, 1 LG Fridge bottom freezer $165,000 Call: 694-5371 1 Gas stove $45,000, 1 bed frame $15,000 Call: 615-7132 Foreign use engines 55 DAF 332 cummings 6BT, Ideal for dredge Call: 615-3023 16" Bore pump, rice field type. Utility four wheel trailer Call: 227-1830 Male enhancer Viagra $4,000, 4 in pack Call: 638-1627 Sale!! Sale !! Jettoo’s Lumber yard & Sawmill, Coverden Public Road EBD, B & C Grade lumber. Price negotiable..

Call: 261-5041, 261-5042 17 INCH RIMS & TYRES (USED) CALL: 622-0108 RABBITS FOR SALE CALL: 600-0814 One Cargo vessel in working condition, 450 tons Call: 774-5463 or 678-6024 1 400lb Ice machine, 2 polar freezers, 1 complete music set Call: 609-8260, 690-1864

New Sony 1-7 DVD/CD duplicator $100,000, used laptops $80,000 Tel: 2341473,621-7497

Household items, LG Refrigerator, LG stereo set, LG DVD Player & other items Call: 221-2737

Granite, various colors, size 2x8 with backsplash, generators & cement mixers Call: 223-0943 Mon-Fri 9am4pm

275 Massey Ferguson tractor $2.8M, Four 3 dish plows stools, Scaffle $500,000 Call Julie @ 6699891

19Ft Bass tracker, boat with trailer in excellent condition Call: 223-0943 Mon-Fri 9am4pm

Leading Technology, Toshiba Laptop-wholesale & retail Call:648-6600

Trally to accommodate bobcat & excavator 8’’-10’’x175’’ Call: 644-8610, 688-0240 12000 BTU A/C , stoves Call: 675-3093 Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles Call: 6797139 Xbox 360 controllers, games Call: 639-7114,674-5625 Spares for washer, microwaves, fridges, stove timers, gear boxes, pumps etc Call: 225-9032, 647-2943

MASSAGE American style massage service Call: 609-4036 FOR SALE / RENT American Pool Table Call: 277-0578 (Continued on page 20)

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 30, 2012

Yet another hit-and-run …

Slain taxi driver…

Unidentified man hit by Wife denies victim owed money for cars pickup, run over by car The wife of slain taxi driver 25-year-old Sean De Freitas Sookdeo is furious at reports that her dead husband had owed persons for cars.

Speaking to Kaieteur News last night, Alicia Sookdeo stated that while her husband did have debts for clothing he took while running a boutique, she did not believe that that was the reason for his execution.

Sean Sookdeo’s bulletriddled body was discovered at Thomas Lands early Tuesday morning, in what appears to be a deliberate and well-planned execution.

Although they have almost ruled out robbery, police have not yet come up with a definitive motive for the killing. However, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud is quoted as telling another section of the media that Sookdeo had allegedly owed several persons advances for vehicles.

According to the report, Deputy Commissioner Persaud said that investigators have learnt that about one month ago, a man had called the dead man’s wife, demanding a vehicle or money, and had made threatening remarks.

However, Alicia Sookdeo was adamant that her husband did not owe anyone but the bank for his vehicle.

The report also stated that investigators have learnt that the now dead man had owed amounts of G$500,000 and G$300,000.

While the dead man’s wife acknowledged the sums owed, she explained that they were as a result of their

Sean De Freitas Sookdeo boutique business running bankrupt in May this year.

“But the people we owe are not that type that would kill him like that,” she said.

“The rent we had to pay for our boutique was very high and then we got robbed.

When we gave up the store my husband started working taxi to support me and our daughter.

My husband was a sweet, peaceful, kind and hardworking man,” Alicia Sookdeo told Kaieteur News.

According to the woman, her husband, who recently returned from the United States of America, was planning to return there with the aim of importing clothing to restart his business.

She said that she and her daughter were scheduled to depart for Trinidad on Tuesday and while her husband was not travelling with them he was planning to join them a few days later.

“He was sending us on

Liberalisation of ...

From page 3 CARICOM countries such as Barbados have already concluded the Open Skies Agreement with the United States, Dr. Luncheon said the accord would, “…allow airlines to agree with destinations in countries that do agree to land other than where they are under prescription, under rules and regulations, right now forced to land. So, it is possible under Open Skies, Guyana could indeed, once it meets the standards, have landing rights other than at Timehri,

and for flights originating from Guyana to land at places other than New York or Miami.”

The draft agreement was submitted to Cabinet for perusal and would be taken

by Transport Minister, Robeson Benn for execution.

He stated that Guyana did not have any objections to the draft agreement, and it is anticipated that soon Benn would be inviting the attention of Guyanese and the media, and particularly the operators in the aviation sector to the execution of that agreement.

a vacation,” the woman stated.

Sookdeo’s body bore gunshot wounds to the head, hands and abdomen and according to reliable police sources close to the investigation, the victim, who hailed from Block CC Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara, appeared to have been tortured also. The source said that there were what appeared to be burns to his neck and abdomen.

A police source on the East Coast of Demerara told Kaieteur News that Sookdeo is known to them, although he has never been charged with any criminal offence.

For his mother, Sandra Sookdeo, and other relatives, the month of August will forever bear significance since it is also in this month that they lost another close relative under similar circumstances.

Six years ago, her brother, Mark Maikoo, was among the five Kaieteur News pressmen who were senselessly slaughtered by a marauding gang at the company’s Eccles, East Bank Demerara location.

Sandra Sookdeo had a message for her son’s killer or killers.

“Whoever did this to my son, let them realize that God is watching and the way that they killed him was not right.

Their turn is coming.”

Police are trying to ascertain the identity of a man who died on the spot early yesterday morning after he was struck by a pickup truck and subsequently run over by a trailing car.

The victim, a short, squatty individual of East Indian descent, appeared to be a destitute in his midthirties. The man had no form of identification on his person.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the accident occurred around 02:30 hours on Saffon Street, Charlestown.

A security guard employed at a nearby establishment told this publication that the incident occurred in a matter of minutes. The man said he was in his guard hut from where he heard a loud bang.

He related that a guard from another location ran over and informed him that someone had been struck by a vehicle.

“I heard a loud noise, like a bang, but I say must be a cow or something get knock.

But then me friend run to me and tell me ‘watch a man just get knock down.’”

The man said he left his post and went to the roadside where he observed the victim’s mangled body lying on the thoroughfare. The security guard said his friend related to him that the victim was struck by a speeding pick-up.

He recounted that the

victim was lying in one lane while he and other persons tried to signal the passing traffic to take notice of the injured man on the street. He said a car that was leaving the city, was heading straight for the injured man, and someone indicated for the driver to take the other lane to avoid the victim.

However an oncoming vehicle forced the driver to swerve back into his lane and the victim was run over and dragged a short distance from where he was originally lying.

The guard said that he was told by his friend that the driver of the pickup was speeding, and continued with the same pace after hitting the victim.

“Me friend ent get to see the licence number cause he said it was too dark, but he seh de same speed de pickup jam de man wid, is de same speed it continue wid.”

He told this publication that the victim received serious injuries and looked “mash up” since several bones were protruding from various parts of his body. Both of the man’s arms appeared broken, while his left side was “torn away” and there were large lacerations on his legs.

An ambulance arrived some time later and the occupants checked the injured man’s pulse. It was determined that he was already dead. The body was

left on the parapet until members of the Lyken Funeral Parlour collected it around 05:00 hours, the guard told Kaieteur News.

The other guard said that he did not see when the man was struck but noticed an open back, dark-coloured pick-up speeding away from the scene.

The man said a shed in the compound where he guards was blocking his view, but after going onto the road, he saw someone lying on the street.

“I hear de blam, but I thought was a cow or some dog, because I know dem thing does deh all over de place, but when I look…I see is a human being.”

He said when he approached the injured man, he was still alive, but his breathing was “light”. He added that the man was not moving because he was seriously injured. “He whole left side de open and he foot de crush, it had large cuts and bones dem de showing.”

The man added that a taxi driver heading to the airport with a foreigner ran over the injured man when he swerved from an oncoming vehicle. He said he gave a statement to the police about what he saw but was surprised to know that the taxi driver was still in custody up to late yesterday afternoon.

Up to press time, staffers at Lyken said that the body was still unidentified.

Linden shooting deaths…

Ballistics expert to arrive when commission of inquiry begins - AFC In seeking further international assistance in gathering evidence against the perpetrato r s o f t h e recent Linden shooting deaths, the Alliance for Change (AFC) is currently in possession of a letter of authorization from the Ministry of Home Affairs, for a ballistic expert to visit Guyana while being granted a work permit.

The AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes yesterday at the party’s weekly press conference said the party will be advising the ballistic expert to visit in sufficient proximity to the commencement of the commission of inquiry, thus

enabling him to testify before the commission, rather than have the professional visit twice.

“As soon as we know when the commission of inquiry will be available we will try and have him come at that time.”

The AFC Chairman expressed disappointment that an original request had not been granted - although it was long before the police conducted their own ballistic tests - to have an independent ballistics expert observe the process.

The arrangement, he said, had been frustrated by the government, which had to authorize a work permit, and that took until August 24.

“The issues of that are the integrity of the evidence and the chain of custody of evidence between the evidence extracted from either the deceased or injured, and what happened to them

between that period of when the police forensic ballistics expert conducted their examination, and of course what happened since then, because we have no assurance that what would be provided to the ballistic expert when he arrives here is consistent with what was retrieved from the deceased or the injured.”

He underscored that the AFC intends to work with Region 10 in participating in an independent effort to rebuild and improve the region, until it becomes a destination for investments and later a model community for independent economic survival and sustainability by the citizens of Linden.

“We believe that the tragic events on 18 July 2012 have provided an opportunity for the people of Linden to be able to start a new life, in which they are going to be less dependent

on the state, and of course, pursue a more independent economic future so that investments in the community can be made primarily by Lindeners who have gone overseas, and i n t e r n a l l y, ” Hughes asserted.

The AFC had already hired Trinidad-based Pathologist, Professor Hubert Daisley, to view the autopsies on the victims.

After the post mortem examinations, Professor Daisley told reporters that bronze fragments were removed from the bodies of two of the slain men, who were shot in the region of the heart.

He said that the fragments suggested that one weapon was used to kill the two victims. The third victim was shot in the back.

The pathologist surmised that bronze-tipped rounds were used and that the weapon was a handgun.

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Rosignol fishermen still missing Mahendra Ompertab’s wife and children

Missing: Mahendra Ompertab It has been 12 days since boat owner Mahendra Ompertab called Rubber, 29, and his brother-in-law Kanhai Madramootoo called Johnny, 41, both of whom are attached to the Rosignol Fishermen’s Coop Society, left their base in a small vessel fitted with a 40hp engine for a journey which does not last for more than 12 hours.

They left their 318 McRae Street, Rosignol Village, West Bank Berbice home at a regularly scheduled time on Saturday August 18th and were expected to return during the course of the night.

They never returned.

While fishing, two days ago (on August 28), fishermen attached to the same Coop Society discovered a quantity of equipment at sea.

They brought the articles ashore and it was confirmed that they belong to the two missing men.

Kaieteur News understands from the Coop Society that the articles were found in water approximately ten fathoms (18.3 metres/ 60 ft) in depth in the Berbice River, in proximity to the Abary area. The fishermen believe that the boat used by the two men may have sunk somewhere close to where the articles were found, due to the impact of pulling the fishing

lines.

This publication attempted to make contact with the family of the missing men.

Madramootoo’s wife, Gaitree, their 20-year-old son and 9-yearold daughter were not at home, but speaking with Ompertab’s wife, Debbie, who was by her mother with her three children Esha, 9, Haafizah, 7, and Hafeeze, 4, the woman said she is still living on hope that her husband is alive.

She described him as “a very loving person and the sole breadwinner of the family”. “He is very hard working and loves his children a lot, and that makes it very difficult for me, since our four year old son still says his daddy gone to work and will come home.”

Debbie said that she is staying with her mother

presently and is being supported by her family members and the Muslim society.

When asked if she had given up now that his fishing equipment had been found, she replied in the negative, saying that she would “give it some more time” because her brother Johnny is a fisherman since the age of ten and her husband started fishing since he was in his teens, and they are experienced seamen. She says she has been married for the past ten years.

Kaieteur News understands that this is not the first time that these two fishermen have been missing at sea, but not for such a long period. On several occasions they were warned of taking their small boat out into the deep waters.

'Teacher Cleo' is unbeaten on 104 From page 11 do it well.”

Professing to have been a hard worker during her youthful days, Teacher Cleo said that there was no household chore that was off-limits. This trait, she claims, was adopted from her mother, Priscilla Louisa Braithwaite, who was a laundress by profession. Her father was Samuel Braithwaite, and Teacher Cleo remembers him as very talkative and proud of his biblical name.

Her parents' union produced three daughters, of whom Teacher Cleo was the eldest, and is the lone survivor. She arrived, a spritely first-born, on August 29, 1908.

Though she migrated to the United States for a brief period, she opted to return to

her homeland, and said even though she is not able to walk now, she is satisfied with her life. At the age of 100, Teacher Cleo suffered a fall which left her with a broken hip. She was required to undergo a hip replacement surgery and is now confined to a wheelchair.

According to Nurse Gloria Brandis, aside from her hip injury, Teacher Cleo remains in good health. Nurse Brandis has been caring for the elderly woman for a few years and claimed that “she has no high blood pressure, no sugar...the only thing is that she has a little arthritis in the joints.”

She remarked too that while she has in the past attended to nonagenarian (a person in their nineties) never before had she been privileged

to attend to such a vibrant centenarian - with a hearty appetite and who seems contented with her life.

“She doesn't complain about anything. She just has a relaxed disposition about everything,” Nurse Brandis asserted. Teacher Cleo's favourite dishes are pepperpot and cook-up-rice and she is an avid reader of religious texts and publications on good hygiene. She on occasions takes time-out to watch television and to read the daily newspapers - without the use of spectacles. Spectacles, she contends, cause the words to become blurred, suggesting that her eyes are way better.

“She can read the finest print without glasses,” Nurse Brandis added in agreement.

Page 17

Specialty Hospital contract raises more questions on Govt. corruption - AFC The Alliance For Change (AFC) has blasted the Government’s decision to award a US$18M contract to Surendra Engineering Corporation, and says it reeks of corruption.

This notion was expressed by AFC Member of Parliament Trevor Williams at the party’s weekly press briefing yesterday.

Fedders Lloyd Corporation Ltd of India, the lowest bidder for the contract to build the country’s specialty hospital, was passed over in favour of Surendra Engineering, in a bidding process that was dogged with uncertainty about what exactly is being constructed.

Williams said it is disgusting that once again the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government can engage a company with no experience for the award of a multi-million-dollar contract.

Making a comparison and reference to Makeshwar ‘Fip’ Motilall and the road contract for the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, Williams said it seems the government has a propensity for awarding billion-dollar contracts to companies with no related experience in the field.

Underscoring that the company in question, Surendra Engineering, has a track record of failure and bad engineering, Williams said it is also important to note that Surendra Engineering has been black-listed by GuySuCo, for providing defective equipment for the

Enmore Sugar Factory. In addition, he said, a Commission of Inquiry into the death of a GuySuCo employee found that negligence by Surendra Engineering contributed to the incident.

Surendra Engineering Corporation Limited, built the US$12.5 million Enmore Packaging Plant, and also had a US$4 million contract for the supply of 14 drainage pumps for use by the Ministry of Agriculture.

“There are many questions hanging over this ‘relationship’ between the PPPC government and Surendra Engineering.

How can a spare-parts supplier who cannot even get that job right, get a contract to design, build and equip a specialty hospital? It is mindboggling,” the AFC parliamentarian questioned.

Adding that while financing of the project will be provided by the EXIM Bank of India, Williams said Guyanese, “need to take note of the shenanigans of the PPP/C government as at the end of the day, it is the Guyanese taxpayer who will have to repay the loan”.

He pointed out that the AFC will be looking to discuss the issue with the Indian High Commission in Guyana.

When questions were raised of a conflict of interest on the part of lawyer for Fedders-Lloyd, Khemraj Ramjattan, AFC chairman Nigel Hughes noted that personalities should not be

AFC MP Trevor Williams dwelled on since the issue and the facts must be looked at.

“Where is the conflict?

There is nothing stopping Mr. Ramjattan from representing any company, since the fact is that there has been a breach of the public tender documents.

Government invited people to tender for this project…if his client is awarded the contract I would assume and hope that it is after a very transparent process of retendering where every person who has been invited to tender submits, and the process of evaluation of those tenders is transparent.

If his client is successful it means that his client has fulfilled the criteria by the tender board, and that is not a reflection of Mr. Ramjattan, he is only an advocate on behalf of the company,” Hughes asserted.

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 30, 2012

Road Safety Council Caribbean Wellness Month launched Renee Franklin expresses concern (left) and Roubinder Rambanam at over fatalities yesterday’s launching - GPF stats show reduction over same period last year The Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) has expressed its concern over the number of fatalities which have occurred so far for the year.

According to a statement from the GNRSC, to date in 2012, there has been a total of 59 fatal accidents resulting in 62 deaths. Of this figure, three are children.

However, statistics from the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department reveal that from January 1 to yesterday, there has been 60 fatal accidents resulting in 63 deaths.

For the same period last year, the Department’s records show that 73 fatal accidents occurred, resulting in 79 deaths, inclusive of eight children.

Chairman of the GNRSC, Nigel Erskine, in a statement said that citizens need to remind themselves that as a nation we continue to lose precious lives on our roadways.

“It is time we take this continuous loss of lives seriously and make a determined effort to further reduce the number of accidents on the road.

Citizens must try to put a human face on the far from acceptable statistics on the frequency of road accidents.

“Too many families are left without a father or a mother; mothers are robbed of those they have brought into the world, fathers of their sons and daughters… in the final analysis significant numbers of accidents rob this nation of valuable resources, a situation which is harmful to its development.”

Erskine acknowledged the fact that “the Police and the concerned authorities, through laws and education, are making a valiant attempt to bring some measure of order on our roads in order to reduce accidents and deaths”.

While these agencies were commended for their efforts, it was noted that much more needs to be done.

“We know from the statistics that many deaths are caused by indiscipline, speeding, not adhering to the traffic laws, and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol.

It must be concluded from all this that there must be a stricter application of traffic regulations and greater deterrence to the breaking of our traffic laws.

The GNRSC is convinced that this can be done and is prepared to work with all Guyanese who wish to make our roadways safe.”

Search heightens for Ombudsman The Office of the Ombudsman may not be empty for long as President Donald Ramotar and Leader of the Opposition, David Granger, have been discussing this pertinent matter.

According to Dr. Roger Luncheon, Granger has approached the President regarding the appointment of the Ombudsman.

He related that the kind of information provided such as terms and conditions and accommodation gives the impression that the search is being heightened for the Ombudsman.

“I want to believe that mutual efforts are indeed paying off and that the President and the leader of the Opposition, with whom he is statutorily obliged to consult on a number of these appointments, that indeed a very useful basis for that consultation is being put in place,” Dr.

Luncheon said.

Recently, leader of Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan said that the President is acting unconstitutionally.

He stressed that the nonappointment of the Ombudsman makes a mockery of the democracy of Guyana’s Constitution.

He had pointed out that annually a budgetary allocation is made for the Office of the Ombudsman, but its substantive office remains empty.

“We can only row and make statements and that we have been doing.

A number of persons have talked on this matter. At the budget debates, a number of speakers indicated that they have been taking moneys out of the budget for the Office of the Ombudsman.

We have a number of persons being paid as staff, but no Ombudsman,” Ramjattan said.

More importance is being placed on promoting healthy lifestyles throughout the world, under the theme “Love that Body: Love Life, Stay Healthy, Live Long,” and quite appropriately “Caribbean Wellness Month 2012” was launched at the Ministry of Health, Brickdam yesterday.

This year, the speakers were Ms. Renee Franklin, Senior Project Officer of Health Sector Development at CARICOM and Mr. Roubinder Rambanam, a manager at the Ministry of Health.

Caribbean Wellness Day will be celebrated on September 8 throughout the region. On the occasion, the various territories will showcase national and community level activities to promote healthy living and encourage residents to develop good health practices.

Illegal weapons ...

From page 9 principle that, in cases of circumstantial evidence, the inference of guilt must be the only rational inference which can be drawn from the primary facts”.

“Your Worship I remind you that you are not a mere notetaker. You are constrained to make a finding as to whether or not a prima facie case is made out. The function of committal proceedings is to ensure that no one shall stand trial unless a prima facie case has been made out.” After summing upthe evidence the magistrate dismissed the case Sampson however remains in jail, having being sentenced to two years (in 2011) on a gun and ammunition charge. He is also facing five charges in relation to the aforementioned arsenal.

He was jailed for being in possession of arms and ammunition after pleading guilty to the charges which stated that on Thursday June 9, 2005, at Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice he had in his possession one .32 semi-automatic pistol and one .32 live round of ammunition without being the holder of the relevant licences.

Meanwhile, the pending charges are that on Tuesday, May 21, 2010, at around 22:00 hrs at Adelphi Village, Sampson had in his possession two AK 47 assault rifles, one UZI submachine gun and one double barrel shotgun without being the holder of a licence.

He was also charged with being illegally in possession of ammunition, and on the same date, with trying to prevent lawful apprehension by biting police constables Gladwin James and Darrel Ramsey.

Those matters are continuing. (Samuel Whyte)

Among the activities planned for that day will be the introduction of smokefree environments to provide opportunities and safe spaces for physical activity and healthy eating.

According to Ms. Franklin, the whole idea of the Caribbean Wellness Day is to promote the need for a simple lifestyle, to increase physical activities, encourage persons to quit smoking, and to

reduce the harmful use of alcohol.

On Wellness Day, persons will be educated on chronic diseases.

Franklin said that alcohol, tobacco, poor diet and harmful use of alcohol are the reasons for the four leading causes of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Wellness Day in Guyana

will start off with a walk, which commences from 06:15hrs at the CARICOM headquarters and will conclude at the National Park where there will be an aerobic session for those who participated in the walk.

Following that exercise, the Minister of Health and representatives from CARICOM will declare open Wellness Week, which is slated for September 16-21.

Guyana gets extension to implement IHR-recommended capacity Having signed unto the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s International Health Regulation (IHR) of 2005, the local Ministry of Health was this year expected to be in a better position to ensure that its surveillance capacity is at its optimum.

However, more work is yet to be done in this regard, as according to Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud, “we have gotten an extension to develop all our systems and capacities. In fact WHO has given us an extension up to 2014 to comply with all of the requirements”.

With the support of WHO, some 194 countries have been implementing global rules to enhance national, regional and global public health security through the IHR. Key milestones for the countries had included the assessment of their surveillance and response capacities and the development and implementation of plans of action to ensure these core capacities are functioning by 2012.

Presently, the local Health Ministry is working with all its ports of entries to ensure that they are IHR-compliant, meaning they must have basic sanitary control measures in place. These ports, Dr Persaud explained, must be able to respond to events in terms of providing some protection to aircraft or vessels entering Guyana’s

Dr Shamdeo Persaud territory with infectious goods, persons or other items. In essence, the CMO noted that the onus is on the health system to ensure that there are measures in place to contain such situations so that infections are not transmitted to the wider population.

Attempts to build stronger surveillance systems locally are seriously afoot, in the face of a number of health threats existing in the Region, among them cholera. Even the threat of the emergence of various flu strains must be carefully monitored, Dr Persaud said, as he revealed that the Pan American Health Organisation and the World Health Organisation are looking carefully at the situation in Mexico and other health situations in South

East Asia. Cuba earlier this year had reported an outbreak of Cholera, with Mexico expressing immense concern about its own safety.

Mexico’s Health Ministry had by extension issued a sanitary alert, calling on airport employees to strengthen controls on travellers from Cuba and carefully review the sanitary documentation of each flight.

In fact concerns have left PAHO and WHO closely looking at the different viruses that seem to be spreading very rapidly, particularly among birds, since according to Dr Persaud, “this is always an area that we have to pay more attention to.”

In Guyana there are currently two defined periods of influenza and the CMO stated that, “even though we’re just about going out of the first we do expect that we will see another upsurge again later on this year.” The two influenza periods are usually during the first quarter of the year and sometime towards June-July.

Diarrhoea which is also a concern is currently at its low season, Dr Persaud said.

Diarrhoeal seasons are normally recorded during March-April and again around the period NovemberDecember.

“These are the kinds of patterns that we’ve noticed over the last five years or so,” the CMO noted, as he amplified the Ministry’s surveillance scope.

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Yohan Blake aims to surprise in Zurich Diamond League meet

Yohan Blake

BBC Sport - Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake hopes to spring another surprise when he competes in the 100m at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich today.

He ran the joint-third fastest time in 100m history in Lausanne last week - only Usain Bolt has run faster. “I hope everything goes to plan,” Blake, 22, told the BBC. “I won’t give you a time, I’m a man of surprises.”

Blake, who won silver in both the 100m and 200m at the

Thursday August 30, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): A memory prompts you to take a more rational approach to an upsetting situation. In the past, you tended to act before you thought. Now you’re seeing the benefit of mulling over plans before putting them into practice. *********************************** TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): People have accused you of being stubborn and set in your ways. You have a golden opportunity to change that perception today. Reaching out to an offbeat neighbour will teach you a valuable lesson. *********************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): Pursuing an unusual career path feels stimulating and challenging. You’ve never been the type to rest on your laurels. Whenever you reach a certain level of achievement, you feel compelled to move to higher ground. *********************************** CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): You can salvage a depressing work environment by adding cosy touches to your surroundings.

Family photographs, thriving plants, and soft lighting can soothe your nerves and boost your productivity. *********************************** LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): A creative breakthrough is imminent, provided you discuss your ideas with anyone who will listen. An innocent remark will help you see this project in a whole new light. *********************************** VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): Alove of nature could prompt you to transform a drab outdoor spot into the Garden of Eden.This project is a perfect expression of all you hold dear. Certain friends will think you’re wasting valuable time, money and energy, especially if you’re not working on your own property.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Normally, you’re content to take the middle ground in the interests of preserving harmony. Today you have very strong opinions about sex, death and money. Don’t hesitate to speak your mind to a neighbour or close relative. *********************************** SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): You’re incredibly resourceful when it comes to making and saving money.

Keeping a low profile helps you to avoid temptation. Resist going out to expensive restaurants with friends, and avoid going window-shopping to fill time. *********************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): You’re a virtual miracle worker when it comes to rallying the troops. Take this opportunity to uplift and encourage people who are engaged in a seemingly endless project. Under your guidance, the team could finish the project in record time. *********************************** CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): Trust your sixth sense, especially when it comes to advancing your career. An authority figure admires your humble attitude, and may reward you for it in the near future. *********************************** AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): Your leadership qualities come out in full force today, when you prompt certain members of the group to work harder. Some people need gentle encouragement, while others require stern lectures. *********************************** PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): A strong drive to succeed could prompt you to draw upon hidden resources.

Normally, you are hesitant to express your creativity at work. Today you won’t be able to resist adding an artistic flair to an important project.

Olympics, heads a field of 15 gold medallists from London 2012. But the world champion will not compete against Bolt after the pair decided not to compete against each other for the remainder of the season. Bolt plans to run over 200m at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium.

Blake, who entered the season with a 9.82 best from Zurich last year and twice ran 9.75 this year before his 9.69 in Lausanne, will race against Tyson Gay and Ryan Bailey of the United States.

Six-time Olympic champion Bolt, meanwhile, clocked a 19.58 meeting record in Lausanne and will face countrymen Warren Weir, the Olympic bronze medallist over the distance, and Jason Young.

“I’m just going out there to compete,” said Bolt. “It’s the end of the season and I’m not as young as I used to be.

“One thing my coach told me is that if you push your body all year, every year, it will deteriorate quickly so if I take my time, I can make my career last. I will just try to relax and go out there and do my best for my fans.”

Elsewhere, David Rudisha, who smashed the 800m world record in London on his way to gold, will compete in his only post-

Kingston Grass-roots U13 Football...

From page 20 continued success.

“I just would love people to know that we do not do this for money. We just love to see the youths of Guyana stay positive and use soccer or sport as a vehicle keep them on a straight path and have core values in Life. We would love for cooperate Guyana to support and grow this Vision in positive way,” Forrester explained. The coordinator for this year’s Tournament is Dennis ‘Chow’ Hunte.

Olympic outing of the season.

Amd the Kenyan, who has not returned home since his triumph, is confident of another fast time. “I wanted to stay focused because when I go home there will be distractions and celebrations and I might forget my training,” Rudisha told BBC Sport. “So I have stayed in Europe to finish the season and then I will go and celebrate.

“We were happy that everything went as planned [in London]. The weather was beautiful and that was a good thing because sometimes I’m affected with weather when it’s cold and rain.

“I think we are still sticking with our plan and we are looking for another fast race here in Zurich.”

British high jumper Robbie Grabarz arrives in Zurich holding the lead in the

Diamond League series. The Olympic bronze medallist, who set a new personal best in Lausanne, goes up against Jesse Williams of the United States and co-bronze medallist Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar.

In the women’s events, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter, who were first and second in the 100m final in London, will renew their rivalry over the same distance in Zurich. The field also includes 200m Olympic champion Allyson Felix and Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria.

In the 400m, the top four finishers from London will compete with gold medallist Sanya Richards-Ross lining up alongside silver medallist Christine Ohuruogu and bronze medallist DeeDee Trotter as well as Olympic 400m hurdles champion Natalya Antyukh.

Page 20

(From page 15)

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Kaieteur News

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Thursday August 30, 2012

Marcos Trading supports RBC Team to Bigi Bergi 4-Stage Road Race One of Guyana’s leading cyclist’s, Alonzo Greaves will be spearheading Roraima Bikers Club (RBC) Team at the annual Bigi Bergi Four-Stage Road Race set for this weekend in Suriname.

Greaves, who won stage four last year and also placed second in stage 2 is one of five (5) riders selected by the Club for this year’s event which pedals off Friday. The other members of the team are Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton, Alex Mendes, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams and Mario King.

Manager is Club President Brian Allen, while Marlon Humphrey is the Assistant Manager.

Marcos Trading of North Road is one of several companies that have supported the club in its efforts to compete in Suriname. The other entities are Ansa Mc al Trading and Caribbean International Distributors Inc. This team is expected to hold its own against teams from French Guiana (defending champions for the last 2 years), Curacao, Holland, BVI, Suriname, USA, and others.

Linden and Team Cocoas will also be represented in Suriname. While the other two teams left yesterday, Linden, led by Senior National

Road Race Champion Orville Hinds will leave today.

Race Programme Friday August – 14:00hrs 95km Profile – Flat and fast with minor rolling inclines Race time approx 2.75 hrs Saturday September 1 – 9:00hrs- 105km Profile –Flat and fast with minor rolling inclines Race time approx 3.5 hrs Sunday September 2 – 7:30hrs – 10 km TIME TRIAL Profile – Flat and fast Race time approx 20 minutes Sunday September 2 – 14:30hr- 90km (6 laps) Profile – Flat and fast Race time approx. 2 hrs

Kingston Grass-roots U-13 Football set for Thirst Park Saturday A bigger and better tournament is being promised by chief Organiser and President of the Kingston Grass-roots Soccer Academy, US-based Junior Forrester when the second Annual oneday U-13 Football Championship kicks off at Thirst Park on Saturday.

Forrester stated that there will be an increase from 9 teams to twelve in this year’s competition and also he has received support from his job (POP DISPLAY in the USA) which gave him time off, Banks DIH, DIGICEL, Humphrey’s Bakery, Capital News, Trophy Stall, Toucan Industries, LG Fashion, Donna’s Shop and Proper Attire Store.

Forrester who arrived in

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the country last Friday is excited about providing an outlet for the young footballers to showcase their skill once again and indicated that refreshments and snacks will be provided for the players during the event.

Among the Individual Prizes that will be up for grabs are; MVP of the Tournament, Best Goalkeeper, Best Defender and the Top Goal scorer. The winning team will walk away with the Championship trophy and Gold Medals, while the runners-up will receive a trophy and Silver Medals. The 3rd placed side will get Bronze Medals and a trophy. All the

trophies and medals were provided by Banks DIH, DIGICEL and Trophy Stall.

Defending inaugural Champions Santos and runners-up Pele will once again be the top teams among the contenders.

The rest of the pack include Conquerors, Camptown, GFC, Western Tigers and last year’s 3rd placed winner and host Grassroots Soccer Academy.

According to Forrester the event has the potential to expand and reach more areas but emphasized his commitment to making the annual Tournament a (Continued on page 19)

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Top American Isner wins in US Guyana win 8 medals including 2 gold at Open first round NEW YORK (AP) — His match tightening up, John Isner still had the tiebreaker.

The top-ranked American man at the U.S. Open needed nearly 3 hours to win a fourset match in the first round yestreday. Isner, seeded ninth, outlasted Xavier Malisse of Belgium 6-3, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6 (9).

He’s now 37-13 in tiebreakers this year.

This one ended in eerily similar fashion to his victory in the Winston-Salem final Saturday. At 9-9 in a tiebreaker in the last set then, Tomas Berdych had a chance for a winner, but his forehand hit the net cord and bounced out, giving Isner match point.

Malisse pushed an easy backhand volley into the net at 9-9 to hand Isner match point.

The 57th-ranked Malisse argued with fans and the chair umpire on multiple occasions during the match.

Victoria Azarenka looks quite comfortable so far on the hard courts at Flushing Meadows. She’s the world’s top-ranked player and the Australian Open champ, but Azarenka has never advanced past the fourth round at the U.S. Open.

No hint of her past struggles in her first two matches this year, though.

Azarenka beat qualifier Kirsten Flipkens 6-2, 6-2 in 65 minutes in the second round. ‘’I don’t feel like I have to prove something,’’ Azarenka said.

She hasn’t made it beyond the third round as a top-10 seed in each of the last three years. In 2010, she collapsed on court after hitting her head before her second-round match. Last year, seeded fourth, she had the bad luck of drawing 28thseeded Serena Williams in the third.

So far in 2012, she’s lost just five games through her first two matches. Next up is 28th-seeded Zheng Jie of China, who beat Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3, 6-1.

It was another quick, predictable result in a tournament with few upsets or even nail-biters yet.

David Ferrer opened his tournament with a result befitting a top-four seed.

Ranked fifth, Ferrer moved up a spot because fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal is out with knee problems. Ferrer beat 34th-ranked Kevin Anderson of South Africa 64, 6-2, 7-6 (3).

It was potentially a tough first-round matchup for Ferrer: Anderson made the

Caribbean Badminton Championships

John Isner third round at Flushing Meadows each of the last two years. But Ferrer was in control throughout, facing just three break points - all in the third set - and saving all of them.

One surprise yesterday: American wild card Mallory Burdette is through to the third round in her Grand Slam debut. The 252nd-ranked Stanford All-American beat No. 69 Lucie Hradecka 6-2, 64. A 21-year-old from Georgia, Burdette was this year’s NCAA singles runner-up to teammate Nicole Gibbs.

She figured that loss cost her the only chance of making the Open, but she got in as the American woman who earned the most points on the USTA Pro Circuit this summer.

Now her next opponent could be Maria Sharapova.

In other women’s second-

round matches, fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova swept Alize Cornet 6-4, 6-3, 15th-seeded Lucie Safarova beat Aleksandra Wozniak 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, and 19th-seeded Nadia Petrova defeated Simona Halep 6-1, 6-1. American Varvara Lepchenko, seeded 31st, advanced with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Anastasia Rodionova.

In a men’s first-round match, Brian Baker of the U.S. continued his strong 2012, defeating Jan Hajek 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Eighth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic rallied from down two sets to beat 129th-ranked Guillaume Rufin 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in 3 hours, 37 minutes.

Other top players on the court late yesterday included the third-seeded Sharapova and Andy Murray, along with three-time champ Kim Clijsters.

Floodlights among early winners in GFSCA Nationwide Male, Female Softball cricket Matches in the GFSCA Softball Tournament sponsored by Mike’s Pharmacy, Ariel Enterprise, Trophy Stall, Survival, Ramchand Auto Spares, Motor Trend, and Petama Enterprise, commenced on Sunday August 26 at the Cyril Potter College ground.

Floodlights were among the early winners in the round.

Results are as follows: Floodlights def. Front Liners Masters by 4 wickets.

Front Liners Masters 119 all out. Floodlights 121 for 7; Richard Persaud 39.

Trophy Stall B def.

Challengers by 6 wickets.

Challengers 55 all out in 12.5 overs; Rennie Khan 4 for 9.

Trophy Stall B 56 for 4 in 9.4 overs.

Farm def. Success Warriors by 35 runs. Farm 126 for 7 off 15 overs. A. Sookdeo 46. K. Singh 3 for 27. Success 91 all out in 12 overs. S. Seeraj 27. R. Reid 6 for 8.

L.B.I. Top Gun def.

Accomplishment by 2 wickets. Accomplishment 59 all out. N. Khan 4 for 12. L.B.I. Top Gun 60 for 8. T. Mangroo 3 for 20.

Regal Champs def. Fazal Kayume Angels by 19 runs.

Regal 101 for 1 in 10 overs.

Gangadai Singh 57 not out.

Paula Williamson 33 not out.

Fazal Kayume 82 all out.

Amanda Mahadeo 3 for 15.

Paula Williamson and Vanneta Chunu 2 wickets each.

4R Lioness def. Fazal Kayume Angels by 63 runs.

4R Lioness 11 in 10 overs.

Roshanna Harper 34. Fazal Kayume 48 off 9.1 overs.

Monique Benn 3 for 8. Ruth George 2 for 3.

Regal Champs def. Lady Jaguars by 8 wickets. Lady Jaguars 51 all out. Regal Champs 57 for 2. Gangadai Singh 36 not out. Amanda Roberts 2 for 15.

4R Lioness def. Lady Jaguars by 50 runs. 4R Lioness 96 for 5 in 10 overs.

Roshanna Harper 30. Lady Jaguars 43. Shyon Goodluck 5 for 12. Oma Mohabir 3 for 15.

At the DCC ground, Queenstown: Regal Masters def. Dynamic Security Force by 6 wickets. Dynamic Security Force 135 all out in 24 overs. S. Ali 39. Lance Adams 3 for 21. Regal 136 for

5 off 16.3 overs. Troy Kippings 63 not out. S. Ramesh 3 for 45.

Shortman X1 def. P & P Vipers by 9 wickets. P & P Vipers 106 all out in 13.3 overs.

Shaeed Abdool 5 for 15.

Shortman X1 107 for 1 in 10.3 overs. Romel Singh 36.

Contact persons for the competition are: Wayne Jones (Demerara) at 650-1790, Khalid Baksh (Essequibo) at 618-1905, Ray Ashraf Jahoor (East Berbice) at 626-4956 and Robby Saywack (West Berbice/Mahaicony) at 6600049.

Rick Powers to host presentation on officiating at Swim Meets The National Aquatic Centre will be a hive of activity this Saturday when Mr. Rick Powers will be hosting a brief presentation on Officiating at Swim Meets for all potential Meet Officials and parents.

An invitation is also extended to anyone who would like to be a part of the activity. Following the conclusion of the presentation, a minicompetition for all swimmers capable of swimming the four strokes will take place.

The schedule will be as follows:

9:00 - 11:30am - FINA Rules; Officials’ duties 11:00 - Swimmers warm-up 12:00 - Mini-meet “Pentathlon” The Pentathlon will be as follows: Age-groups - 10-&Under; 11-12; 13-&-Over Events - 50m Butterfly, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Freestyle, 100m Individual Medley (i.e.

25m of each stroke) Prizes - One Goodwill 2012 Water-bottle for the male and female winner of each agegroup.

Guyana secured a total eight medals at the just concluded Caribbean Badminton Championships (CAREBACO) in Dominican Republic over last weekend.

The 8 medals included 2Gold, 1-Silver & 5 Bronze as the Guyanese turned in a commendable showing at these championships.

Winning medals were: Priyanna Ramdhani – with gold in the singles, gold in the doubles and silver in the mixed doubles. Narayan Ramdhani took bronze singles, bronze – doubles; Cindy Sookwah took bronze - doubles, bronze – mixed doubles and Omari Joseph bronze – doubles.

Seven countries took part in the event, namely: Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname, Puerto Rico, & Dominican Republic.

The following results on

Day four are as follows: Under-15 Boys Doubles Semi-Finals: Narayan Ramdhani & Omari Joseph lost to Cesar Brito & Argenis Marinez of Dominican Republic: 21-11, 21-14 Under-13 Mixed Doubles Semi-Finals: Cindy Sookwah & Reid Rhys of Jamaica lost to Danny German & Yasiris Rodrigues of Dominican Republic: 21-11, 21-8 Under-11 Mixed Doubles Finals: Priyanna Ramdhani &Adam Taylor of Jamaica lost to Zane Reid & Shezelle Mctyson of Jamaica: 22-20, 21-17 Under-11 Girls Singles Finals: Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Shezelle Mctyson of Jamaica: 21-14, 21-11. The presentation of prizes was done just after the last final.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

England test captain Strauss retires from cricket

Golden Jaguars getting in shape ahead of WCQ Guyana’s senior national football team ‘Golden Jaguars’ are currently in preparation mode for their crucial away and home fixture against El Salvador in the FIFA 2014 World Cup Qualifying competition on September 7th and 11th respectively.

This pair of matches will define their destiny and potential progress from Group B. With Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz currently absent due to engagements with his Trinidad & Tobago Pro League team (TTPL), Caledonia AIA in the ongoing CONCACAF Champions League. The team is under guidance of Assistant Coach Wayne Dover, for the camp which commenced on Sunday.

A 16-member local based squad, strikers Anthony “Awo” Abrams and Vurlon Mills, veteran mid-fielder Kayode McKinnon, Konata Manning, wingers Dwain Jacobs and Dwight Peters are amongst some of the more established players presently encamped.

The locals have been keenly focused on fitness work in the morning’s at the Body Max Gym under the supervision of Brazilian Trainer Americo Falopa, who the players have enjoyed

working with, while the tactical work in the afternoons are conducted at the Police Sports Club Ground led by Dover.

Dover highlighted that some of local based players in the camp who have been involved in the National Under-17 and 20 squads are getting a great opportunity to get au fait with the senior national coaching staff at this stage, so as the get better appreciation of what is required at this level, should they one day make the step up given that the Caribbean Cup is just a few weeks away.

The Golden Jaguars will continue their gym and tactical sessions until Saturday. United States based midfielder Nick Millington and Swedish based Canadian defender Jamaal Smith, who made their first appearance for the national team during the August 15th friendly against Bolivia, are also expected to join the squad this week.

Before heading off to El Salvador, the official final 20man squad will be named and they will go into camp at a location that is yet to be decided.

Guyana squad in camp: Richard Reynolds, Richie Richards, Kayode McKinnon, Dwain Jacobs,

Kester Jacobs, Dwight Peters, Philbert Moffat, Vurlon Mills, Konata Manning, Clive Andries, Anthony Benfield, Anthony Abrams, Andrew Murray, Pernell Schultz, Daniel Wilson, Dellon Young.

C o a c h Wa y n e Dover, Trainer: Americo Falopa, General Manager: Rawle Adams, Assistant M a n a g e r : M a r k Xavier, Equipment Manager: Trevor Burnett, Physio: Debita Harripersaud, Goal-keeping coach: Andrew Hazel.

GCA’s Brain Street Under-15 cricket...

DCC’A’, Transport to clash in final tomorrow DCC ‘A’ and Transport will clash in the final of the Brain Street under-15 cricket competition after winning their respective semi-finals yesterday and will now go head to head in the competition’s finale on tomorrow at GYO. In the first semi-final Transport Sports Club beat Gandhi Youth Organisation by 106 runs at the GYO ground while host DCC’A’ got the better of Queens College by 233 runs.

Scores in the semi-finals: SEMI-FINAL 1: Transport SC batting first made 256 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs.

Joshua Ram made 91 runs, Reon Wilson made 44, Reon Sumir 42 and Ewart Samuels 25.

Bowling for Gandhi YO: Gopaul Ramgobin had figures of 5 overs, 0 maidens, 22 runs, 2 wickets. Navindra Seeraj 10 -0-57-2.

Gandhi YO in response made 150 runs for 9 wickets

Thursday August 30, 2012

Clitus Johnson

Joshua Ram

in 50 overs. Dwayne DeBarros made 39 runs & Mark Hamilton 18 not out.

Bowling for Transport SC: Reon Sumir had figures of 10 overs, 3 maidens, 23 runs 3 wickets & Travis Marcellino – 10—1-28-2.

SEMI-FINAL 2: Demerara CC “A” batting first made 271 runs for 9 wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Clitus Johnson made 71 runs, Kemo Paul made 60 and Tevin Imlack 24.

Bowling for Queen’s

College: Shemar Britton had figures of 4 overs, 0 maidens, 35 runs, 2 wickets. Ryan Fung – 9 – 0-53-2 and Joyadev Mana – 10-0-48-2.

Queen’s College in reply were dismissed for 38 runs in 18.3 overs. Zachary Hamer made 14 runs.

Bowling for Demerara CC “A”: Travis Persaud had figures of 3.3 overs, 0 maidens, 4 runs 3 wickets.

Calton Jacques – 5-1-12-3 & Devon Crandon – 6-2-15-2.

(Reuters) - England captain Andrew Strauss, who oversaw back-to-back Ashes wins over Australia and took the team to the top of the test rankings, announced his retirement from professional cricket on Wednesday.

Strauss, appointed in 2009, will be replaced by one-day skipper Alastair Cook. “It’s a very tough decision to make. For me, the drive to it all was my form with the bat and in truth I haven’t batted well for a long period of time now,” the 35-year-old opener told a news conference at Lord’s.

“For a captain to perform his role properly, it’s important that you’re not a passenger in the side but also that people aren’t speculating whether you should be in the side or not.

“It hasn’t been something that’s occurred overnight it’s a gradual feeling that has grown over the last six or 12 months and certainly in the last few weeks has become more apparent that this is the right time. “I’d very much like to go out on my own terms with my head held high,” added Strauss.

His decision was the climax of a difficult few weeks during which England batsman Kevin Pietersen was dropped for the third and final test against South Africa after sending what the player conceded were ‘provocative’ text messages about his team mates and management to opposition players.

Strauss was adamant the controversy had not had an impact on his decision to quit.

‘DIFFICULT SITUATION’ “I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I first spoke to (England coach) Andy (Flower) about it before the Kevin Pietersen incident reared its head. It hasn’t been a consideration at all,” said Strauss, who captained England for 50 tests, winning 24.

“I was pretty sure I was going to make this decision before the Kevin Pietersen situation arose. What happened, I didn’t feel undermined me in the eyes of the team in anyway. It was a difficult situation to deal with but not in terms of making me less more or less keen to lead the side forward.”

England lost the series 2-0 and with it their number one ranking to the South Africans.

The final test was Strauss’s 100th but the lefthander, who made 21 test centuries during his career, did not enjoy a successful series,

Andrew Strauss

averaging only 17.83 runs against the Proteas, with a highest score of 37.

Cook, who is leading England against the South Africans in a one-day series, will take charge of the test side for the tour of India which begins in November.

“I’m incredibly proud to be sitting here as captain of England. It’s a huge honour for me,” said Cook, sitting alongside his former skipper.

“Obviously I’ve got huge boots to fill. Strauss has done an incredible job. It was a sad dressing room yesterday when we found out.”

During his time in charge, Strauss led England to Ashes wins in 2009 and 2010/11 as well as the top of the test rankings following last year’s 4-0 series whitewash at home to India.

But since then England have lost six tests, including three in a row to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates this year, won three and drawn two.

South-African born Strauss, who also played county cricket for Middlesex, made his England debut against New Zealand in 2004, scoring 112 but said the Ashes win in Australia had been the highlight of his career. “For me personally, lifting the urn in Australia was the highlight and it was always going to take a huge amount to beat that. I’m very proud to lead England to number one in the rankings.

From a personal batting perspective, there was the 100 on debut, Ashes 100s, World Cup 100s.

“There’ve been lots of great moments and some tough ones as well but I go out with absolutely no regrets. I’ve achieved far more than I ever thought I was going to.”

El Salvador announce squad for World Cup Qualifiers El Salvador has announced their training squad for the upcoming home, Group B, 2014 World Cup Qualifiers against Guyana with the first game on next Friday, September 7th in their capital city of San Salvador.

According to a press release from the Salvadoran Football Association, the Spanish speaking side currently ranked 64th in the world has called up 29 players in preparation for the Golden Jaguars visit.

This game will be played at the almost 40,000 seater Estadio Cuscatlan colloquially referred to as “La Catedral del Espectaculo” which is largest stadia in Central America.

This 29-man contingent selected by La Selecta includes some of their more notable players. Captain and midfielder Dennis Alas, the most capped player in El Salvador’s history; Alfred Pacheco who scored during El Salvador’s 2-1 qualifier defeat against Mexico in June and defender Steve Purdy from Major League Soccer (MLS) team, Portland Timbers.

The most notable absentee however is 24 year-old playmaker Rodolfo Zelaya. La Selecta’s star player who was the joint second leading goal scorer during the 2011

CONCACAF Gold Cup, is still recovering from a knee-injury that he suffered last year. It has so far kept him out of El Salvador’s previous engagements in this group.

The Central American’s most recent fixtures were three matches in the United States versus famous Italian Serie A Club side AS Roma, Guatemala and Jamaica. The results of these games saw them losing to Roma and Jamaica 2-1 and 2-0, while triumphing over Guatemala 1-0.

Mexican born Juan Castillo is El Salvador’s new coach following the resignation of Uruguay’s Ruben Israel after a year in charge.

The squad: Dagoberto Portillo, Benji Villalobos, Carlos Romeo Moneagudo, Dennis Alas, Isidro Gutierrez, Osael Romero, Elder Figueroa, Alexander Larin, Ramon Alfredo Sanchez, Eliseo Quintanilla, Nelson Bonilla, Christian Castillo, Alfredo Pacheco, Darwin Cerén, Steven Francis Purdy, Victor Turcios, Herbert Sosa, Mark Lester Blanco, Jaime Alas, Rafael Burgos, Milton Molina, Ricardo Ulloa, Xabier Garcia, Jonathan Aguila Joya, Derby Carillo, Cuellar Yimi, Irving Valdez, Julio Martinez, Omar Mejia.

Thursday August 30, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Wilbur Hope Memorial Inter Who will join Baird and School football tournament to James for S/A U-23 Games? be played in New Amsterdam T

The Wilbur Hope trophy (inset) that will be contested for and the pavilion that was donated last year.

T

he inaugural Wilbur Hope Memorial Inter Secondary School football tournament is slated to get kicking on Monday September 17.

The competition, which is being organised by former N.A.M.S student and US Army Soldier Kevin Leroy Henry, will cater for Secondary schools in the New Amsterdam Canje area and according to Henry the tournament has been in the making for the past two years.

Back home on holiday, the former top New Amsterdam and Berbice sportsman stated that he is making full use of the opportunity to get the tournament up and running. He stated that he and Hope were good friends and since Hope’s demise he always wanted to do something in memory of his one time pal.

The former New Amsterdam resident stated that by organizing the activity it also gives him an opportunity to give back to the community that has given him so much.

He hopes to make the tournament an annual affair and plans to make it bigger and better as time goes by. He said he is trying to get the business community to come on board which will be of much benefit to the community at large and especially the youths.

The late Wilbur Hope popular known as ‘Hopey’ a former resident of Tucber Park suffered from an acute heart condition and died in 2001 at the Young Age of 33.

He was an ardent sportman who participated in numerous sporting activities including Football, both hard and softball Cricket, Athletics, Basketball, Table Tennis and Volleyball during his heyday, went on to represent Guyana in football and Athletics.

A former student of the Berbice High School, he also contributed tremendously in sports, community and youth development.

After sickness slowed him down he turned to management, officiating and coaching all with fabulous success.

His relatives last year handed over a Pavilion which was constructed in the Tucber Park ball field in honour and memory of his 10th death anniversary to the people of the Tucber Park Community. A father of two, Hope subsequently migrated and continued in the same vein overseas until he succumbed to his illness.

While some details of the tournament is still being worked on, it has been agreed that each of the schools will be given a different uniform to participate in the tournament which will include tops and gloves for the goalkeepers. (Samuel Whyte)

he 2012 South American U-23 Championships, which is slated for Sao Paulo, Brazil, is just three weeks away and Guyanese athletes from various clubs across the country are currently preparing for the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Youth and Under-23 Trials that were postponed two weeks ago to seek qualification for the games.

The trials, which will field a senior invitational competition as well, will get underway this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary after being postponed from August 18 and 19 to accommodate the athletes from Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Club, one of the biggest clubs in the country that were engaged in work duties out of town.

Two athletes, Stephan James (local) and Kadecia Baird (overseas-based) have already qualified for the Games from the Barcelona IAAF World Youth Games last month in the 400 meters.

Both athletes have the junior 400 meters record.

The events for the meet a r e a s f o l l o w : 100m,200m,400m,800m,15 00m,3000m,5000m,10,000

Events 100m 200m 400m 800m 1500m 3000m/10000m 5000m Long Jump Triple Jump High Jump Discus Shot Putt Javelin

Stephan James Kadecia Baird m,long jump, shot putt, discus, javelin.

Field event athletes will be given three trials as the implemented weights will be used for the throws for the respective age categories.

Participants in the Youth (U-18) category will be allowed to compete in only one event over 200 meters,

the U-23 category, two events and Senior (Open Women and Men) three events.

All athletes must wear the official number which was issued to them from the athletics association on their chest during their events or they will be barred from participating.

QUALIFYING STANDARDS: Youth (U-18) Under-23 Females Males Females Males 11.80 10.70 11.50 10.50 24.50 22.00 23.80 21.30 57.90 49.00 54.20 47.00 2:14 1:54.30 2:10.00 1:50.00 4:50 4:10 4:38 3:50 10:15 8:60 36:50 31:50 NIL NIL 17:49 14:30 5.59m 7.20m 5.74m 7.62m 12m 14.15m 12.30m 16.02m 1.63m 1.90m 1.70m 2.09m 40.50m 48.10m 38.09m 50.20m 12.90m 16.50m 12.93m 17.30m 41.10m 60.20m 42.15m 63.42m

t r o Sp

Windwards pip Guyana for title due to bonus points T

h e Wi n d w a r d Islands captured the 2012 West Indies Cricket Board Under19 One-Day championship in Barbados yesterday after beating the Leeward Islands by six wickets in the seventh and final round of matches.

On a dramatic day at the famous international venue, Kensington Oval, the Windward Islands used the bonus Pace Points rule to telling effect, earning 4.5 to add to the mandatory six points for a win as they ended on 35.0 points to upstage pre-series leaders Guyana who had completed

their fixtures on Monday with 34.0 points.

The only other title contenders, Jamaica, had their desperate chances ‘washed away’ after early morning rain left the outfield wet at Bayfield in the eastern parish of St. Philip and eventually led to a no-decision without a ball bowled against last year’s champions Barbados, who were the new three-day winners.

Wet conditions also resulted in the same outcome in the other match between ICC Americas and Trinidad & Tobago at Pine Basin.

The Leeward Islands, who won the toss, were bowled out for 144 in 44.3 overs with all but one of the wickets going to either fast or medium-pace bowlers.

Then spurred by an

FINAL STANDINGS Tabulate under: M-matches, W-won, L-lost, NR-noresult, PP-Pace points, MP-match points, TP-total points.

TEAMS M W L NR PP MP TP Windward Islands 6 3 1 2 13 22 35.0 Guyana 6 4 0 2 6 28 34.0 Jamaica 6 3 1 2 7.5 20 27.5 Barbados 6 2 2 2 7.5 14 21.5 Trinidad & Tobago 6 1 2 3 3.5 10 13.5 ICC Americas 6 0 3 3 9.5 4 13.5 Leeward Islands 6 0 4 2 4 4 8.0 NB: 6 Points are awarded for a win; 2 points for a nodecision; 0.5 points for each wicket taken by pacers or medium-pacers.

Windward Islands celebrate their capture of the WICB Under-19 50-over tournament at Kensington Oval.

unbeaten 60 off 72 balls with P o i n t s : W i n d w a r d 12.53 p.m. without a ball B a r b a d i a n R y a n five fours and one six from Islands 10.5, Leeward bowled because of a wet Willoughby.

Ta r r y c k G a b r i e l , t h e Islands 1. outfield caused by early Barbados v Jamaica.

Windward Islands At Bayfield: morning rain. It followed Points: Barbados 2, triumphed in 36.1 overs to No-decision. Match four inspections by umpires Jamaica 2. spark celebrations. officially abandoned at Colin Alfred of Guyana and BYE: Guyana.

Summarised scores: At Pine Basin: No-decision. Match officially abandoned at 1.25 p.m. because of wet conditions. The umpires were Leslie Reifer jr of P. 21 Barbados and Christopher Taylor of Jamaica. Colin Bowen was the match referee.

ICC Americas v Trinidad P. & Tobago.

Points: Americas 2, 20 Trinidad & Tobago 2.

At Kensington Oval: Windward Islands beat Leeward Islands by six wickets.

Leeward Islands 144 all out (44.3 overs) (Ashawn Hodge 21, Tristan Hanley 19, Alzarri Joseph 15, Darren Hobson 12, Diamond Parris 10; Gidron Pope 2-22, Ray Jordan 2-26, Preston McSween 2-33, Kenneth Dember 1-2, Shermon Lewis 1-12, Shaquille Browne 115, Keone George 1-29).

Windward Islands 1484 (36.1 overs) (Tarryck Gabriel 60 not out - 72 balls, 5 fours, 1 six; Gidron Pope 27, Jerlani Robinson 17, Junior Henry 10; Alzarri Manager of Marcos Trading Nicholas Members of team Guyana display their medals won at Joseph 1-13, Shevon Moore DeAbreu (right) presents the contribution the championships, along with coach Gokarn Ramdhani.

1-29, Tristan Hanley 1-33). to RBC President Brian Allen.

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Marcos Trading supports RBC Team to Bigi Bergi 4-Stage Road Race

Guyana win 8 medals including 2 gold at C’bean Badminton C/ships