Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Multi-million$$ taxi bill probe opens ‘can of worms’...

Car owners dispute figures, fear visit from the taxman The focus of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the whopping taxi bill incurred by the Ministry of Tourism has opened a can of worms, with taxi service operators named in the Auditor General’s Report denying receiving the exorbitant amounts stated.

They have all indicated that they will welcome an investigation since they are certain that the amounts they have received for their services to the Ministry have been grossly overstated.

But an official at the Ministry is maintaining that the audited figures presented are reflective of the correct

amounts paid to the various services contracted.

The Auditor General’s report stated that the Ministry spent in excess of $34M on transportation activities over a three-year period.

According to figures from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, in 2009, R and T Taxi Service received $7,471,000; Green Ice received $752,000 and Courtesy Transport received $5,538,000; a total of $13,761,000 to transport Ministry staffers for supposed work-related purposes.

In 2010, Indian Chief Taxi Service received $144,000, R

and T Taxi Service received $7,153,000 and Green Ice was paid $2,750,000; a total of $10,047,000 to again transport Ministry staff for workrelated matters.

Last year, for transporting purposes, Indian Chief received $5,089,000 from the Tourism Ministry; R and T Taxi Service received $3,046,000 and Green Ice received $2,979,000.

The publication of these figures solicited some concerned responses from the operators who are fearful that they will lead to undue charges from the Guyana Revenue Authority.

This newspaper received

a telephone call from one of the taxi service operators and this led to contact being made with the others who were named in the report.

While they did not wish to be identified with the claims they made to this newspaper for fear of losing their contracts, they were all unified that the figures stated did not match what they actually received.

One operator told this newspaper that his service has not even received onetenth of the amount stated by the Ministry.

“That amount of money is grossly overstated. Our service is not even being

used by the ministry. They need to investigate this,” the taxi service owner told Kaieteur News.

“We have signed for every cheque because we submit invoices,” he added.

Another service owner suggested that the Ministry’s figures are all mixed up since in one instance he received more than the stated amount while in the other, he claimed that the amount is exaggerated. “I want to know where they get this figure from. I coulda be a rich man if I de getting that money,” another businessman declared. Yet another taxi service owner stated that the Ministry had stopped using his service for awhile.

He said that he was surprised when he read an article in yesterday’s Kaieteur News, which highlighted the grilling of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce by the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly.

“I am surprised at these figures. They didn’t use us for most of last year. When I read the article, I checked my records for January and February last year and I found only $60, 000,” the owner of a popular Georgetown taxi service stated.

“If Khurshid (Sattaur) come to me, the ministry will have to say where they get this figure from; this is hurting business,” he added. The Manager of another service used by the Ministry informed Kaieteur

News that he pays his drivers by cheque and he has “everything to prove” the amount he has been receiving. He said that his service has severed relationship with the ministry early last year due to the irregular payments, which caused great frustration among his employees.

“They always got a problem with payment. If is not budget this and budget that, is something else,” he lamented.

But a source within the ministry is convinced that the service operators are not being truthful in their claims, “maybe out of fear that the taxman will visit them.”

This newspaper was reliably informed that the Ministry’s system is fully computerized and there is almost no room for skullduggery. “I find this laughable and we too will welcome an investigation,” the source said.

It was explained that when the operators present their invoices, the Ministry’s staff prepares their account which is sent to the Ministry of Finance, where the cheques are prepared and uplifted by the benefactors.

This is in addition to the fact that the figures presented were the subject of a complete audit by the office of the Auditor General.

“The Auditor General would have verified our figures and if there was any discrepancy, they would have picked it up,” the source stated.

5% increase an insult - Granger Opposition Leader David Granger has described the five percent increase for public servants as being an insult. Granger told media operatives yesterday that the increase is inadequate and suggested that the imposition is just to keep abreast of the inflation rate.

Granger emphasised that he is in full support of the public service workers and the union which represents them. He stated that the imposition of wages and conditions on public servant workers without the proper process of negotiation and bargaining is wrong.

The Opposition Leader opined that public service workers play a vital role in the development and growth of the country and their job security should be handled appropriately. He highlighted that the workers deserve a meaningful raise in salary since they and the Government are related in carrying out state business.

He noted that the workers are currently being treated unfairly by the Government while reminding that a rocky relationship has existed between the Government and the Guyana Public Service Union since 1999.

Granger called on the Government to have meaningful discourse with the union and to acknowledge the calculated figure that was indicated by the representatives. He said the Government must engage in collective bargaining and collective labour agreements. The incorrect approach towards the public service workers, he said, continues to contribute to the inefficiencies of the sectors.

Last month, the Government announced a five percent increase for public service workers. The increase to salaries and wages will be retroactive to January 1, 2012.

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Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Partnering development The evident abandonment by the World Trade Organization (WTO) of the Doha Development Round of negotiations highlights importance of the last Millennium Goal: for countries to enter into global partnerships for development. This imperative converges with the notion of complex interdependence adopted by the UN itself, which states that any actor’s action has reciprocal, consequential effects in the international system.

For instance, if one country like Guyana remains very poor, it affects not only its own population but also the international community, mostly in negative ways. Therefore, it makes sense that all countries should help each other to develop. However, most aid given to developing countries obeys the political priorities of the donors. In other words, the aid given follows the donor’s agenda.

In our country, for example, Chinese aid and concessional loans have been accompanied by a flood of Chinese traders.

Another example is that most environmental aid goes to our forested areas, even though there are other ecosystems in more need, such as our Atlantic coast. Donors often assume that their development processes and social realities are good and should be replicated elsewhere. It is common for Western donors to only fund organizations that fit Western models, which, frequently, do not take into account the local realities.

This occurs largely because the current model of economic development has found two new roles for civil society: one, it can replace and/or complement public services, and two, it can develop market functions. The political function is not addressed because, in many scholars’ views, the history has already achieved an end, to borrow Fukuyama’s words. This discourse, which encompasses the concept of “third sector,” does not, however, “address the material inequities that underpin civil society organizations or the role of such groups in alleviating poverty or reproducing patterns of social and economic hierarchy.”

Overall, such behaviour reflects donors’ overestimation of what Western history and culture has to offer to developing countries. This has been reflected in the common strategy of helping developing countries by giving money, without paying enough attention to where that money goes. Thus, much of the aid given was directed to friendly but ineffective projects. Nowadays, donors demand that local “partners” become self-sustainable, a euphemism that means they are required to raise their own funds. This has been an ongoing source of conflict. Projects that have been supported for years by foreign financial aid have had to adapt to this new reality. This is a reflection of the mainstream approach to the triad of state, civil society and market, which sees a free market as the fundamental principle of economic organization.

There are two main views of this triad. One, more radical, argues for a minimal state, while a moral order emerges from an unwilled and self-regulating social interaction. A second, which is commonly adopted by donor agencies, still grants to the market a central position, but recognizes that state and society must act to guarantee socially valued outcomes. This does not mean to say that the economic system cannot be funded on capital, or that the state should be interventionist. It does, however, mean that the state together with society should ensure a regulatory framework that not only fosters capital accumulation, but also minimizes the negative effects of the market on the natural environment and on the social fabric.

In this setting, civil society should monitor the transparency and accountability of the state. This alternative yet liberal view comprises a number of critiques of development. Especially those theories that argue that economic growth, urbanization, industrialization and the contemporary capitalist model are the only routes to economic development. This view of civil society, which tries to promote a more socially responsible capitalism, has not really taken root in Guyana.

Some partnerships have been established between private corporations and NGOs, which allow the corporations to improve their image and the NGOs to benefit from the corporation’s expertise. Despite the good relationship in some instances, there are others in which the meaning of “partnership” became blurred because donors wanted control over the NGOs agenda.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

Government should order mid-term review of Hope Canal project DEAR EDITOR, A few days ago we made a site visit to the Hope Canal Project to assess construction progress. What we observed with respect to project activities, quality control and the contractors’ abilities to organize and execute the work to complete their contracts on time was not very encouraging.

Work done on the Weir discharge structure across the sea defence indicates that only about 15 per cent of contract work has been completed to date, and based on the contractor’s performance thus far it is unlikely that the structure will be completed and become functional before 2014.

Excuses given such as the late delivery of materials, equipment failure and transportation difficulties all within his ambit are not severe contingencies to relieve the contractor of his contractual obligations to complete the Weir within the specified timeframe.

The timber piles driven show that many of them are out of plumb, drifting by as much as three feet. The northern row of driven perimeter steel sheet piling shows that some of them have listed eastwards by as much as 15 degrees, indicating that they have been driven with inadequate guide support and their toes have probably slipped out of the interlocking grooves.

The driven out-of-plumb timber piles may have been broken at the splices and

therefore their bearing capacity compromised.

The engineer responsible for observing materials and complete work to evaluate their compliance with the plans, specifications and design should have recognized these problems and instruct the contractor to take remedial measures to correct the sub-standard work.

The slippages (delays in construction progress) should have been reported to NDIA (the owner) at an earlier stage and a plan proposed by the contractor, agreed to and monitored to get the project back on track. The Minister of Agriculture/NDIA engineers during their recent visit to the site must have seen that the piles were being driven out of alignment.

Apparently they took no action to remedy the situation and continued to allow things to slide while the contractor went about his daily routine executing substandard work.

The design and supervision of construction of this structure raises many troubling questions. Design of the foundation requires some 520 timber piles 120 ft long. Of necessity the piles have to be spliced and the splicing of timber piles in general is never recommended because of the difficulty to keep the piles plumb and prevent cracking and splitting during driving.

The design should have been reviewed by an independent consultant to

check whether the structure was not over-designed, particularly the requirement for what appears to be an excessive number of piles to support the structure.

Prior to construction, test piles should have been driven and loaded to determine the length and number of piles required to adequately support the structure.

Experience of previously designed and built structures under similar soil conditions such as the seven-door Weir across the Abary River shows that timber piles were not necessary to support the structure since the soil at that elevation could safely support the imposed loads.

There are other features of the Weir design such as the elimination of gabion baskets upstream which would have made the structure more efficient and cost effective without compromising safety.

The canal is about 50 per cent completed and not 83 per cent as claimed. About 30 per cent of the canal remains to be dug and re-dug to final bed grade. Some 80 per cent of its embankments have to be raised to design elevation, compacted, trimmed, shaped and strengthened with geotextile fabric.

In some sections selected borrow fill may have to be used to replace unsuitable material.

Construction of the embankments between the Crown and Conservancy Dams is in a state of flux as the consultants/NDIA contemplate how the geo-

textile fabric stored outside the Hope Estate Office should be installed to achieve the design objectives. It is worth noting that during our visit the pegasse built eastern embankment of the canal about one kilometer north of the Head Regulator site was on fire, burning uncontrollably, and will probably compromise the geo-textile fabric if installed.

A major problem developing in the unfinished canal is weeds, which have taken over about 40 per cent of the canal’s waterway and it is estimated that within six months if no action is taken the entire waterway will be covered with weeds.

Their presence will severely restrict flow and negate the objective of discharging floodwater efficiently from the conservancy. Cost for their removal and continual maintenance will be an expensive exercise which NDIA is still to estimate and budget for.

The bushes growing profusely on the embankments will also have to be controlled by regular maintenance. Further, to keep the Weir functioning at peak performance after it is completed will require excavation of the foreshore and continually maintaining the channel to keep it clear.

This will be another additional costly work now awaiting consideration and execution.

Work on the Head Continued on page 7

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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

The political Permanent Secretary DEAR EDITOR, As is customary we do not read the Chronicle of propaganda, distortions and untruths but our friends and supporters continue to send us pertinent articles from that pitiful paper that they think deserve our attention.

We were sent one such article written by one Leslie Cadogan who claims to be the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health. Well if this Cadogan person is truly Permanent Secretary, then he would be knowledgeable enough to be aware that a Permanent Secretary is a “non-political chief executive of a government department” based on talent and performance.

In many cases, the term of a Permanent Secretary spans the term of office of many Ministers, even from different political parties. It is clear that this individual appears to be operating like a political poodle of the Jagdeo/

Ramotar cabal since his actions reveal a conviction to cash in whatever is left of his professionalism at the altar of political convenience.

Even the PPP members who function as Permanent Secretaries like Colin Croal (senior PYO leader and brother of Minister Robert Persaud), Nigel Dharamlall and Omar Shariff, would dare not violate the principled position of mixing their politics with their professional duty as a civil servant of the State.

But upon further investigation and enquiries from our friends in Guyana, we were advised that Mr. Cadogan was on the PPP slate as a candidate who contested the 2011 elections. This ought not to be but Mr. Cadagon and his PPP cabal seem to think that they are above the laws of Guyana.

Our common friends told us that this fellow allegedly said that from now onwards

DEAR EDITOR, It is with regret that I learnt of the passing of Hilbert Spence who I am told died at the age of 92. Too often patriotic Guyanese pass away without anyone knowing of the tremendous contribution the individual made to society.

I would not like this to happen to Hilbert. He was a former Minister of Trade in the first and last coalition Government between the People’s National Congress at the United Force in the midsixties. Hilbert came from the United Force.

Hilbert’s greatest contribution was geared towards the social and economic progress of Berbice. He was the President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development for quite a number of years, it was a turbulent time for private enterprise, but he kept the Berbice Chamber going.

I recall one conversation with him in the 1970s, about the need to change with the times. He said, “Ralph, the Berbice businessmen need to move away from the shopkeeper mentality to one of entrepreneurship.” He wanted the businessmen to move into manufacturing instead of selling imports.

He was a Manager of the

then Colonial Life Insurance Company in Berbice before he became Trade Minister.

Hilbert was visionary; one of his dreams was to convert the Esplanade in New Amsterdam into a major sports complex. He did succeed to an extent. During the mid sixties, the Esplanade on the New Amsterdam foreshore was converted to sports and race track.

There was horse racing, motor car, motor bike and cycle racing events. However due to the fact that it was in a low lying area, the area was prone to flooding. Looking at the Esplanade today, overrun by trees, one could hardly believe such events took place there.

He later became the General Manager of Guyana Wrefords in New Amterdam, then owned by the Government.

He was a community activist at heart, and was responsible for many social projects in New Amsterdam while being an active member of the Lions Club of New Amsterdam. He was a fixture at the Old Catholic Men’s Club (CMA) where he was fondly known as “Waro”.

I extend my deepest sympathy to his immediate and extended families.

Ralph Seeram

A tribute to Hilbert Spence, former Minister of Trade

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

he will be making public statements in defence of the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal in preparation for his weekly press conference as the newly minted HPS in waiting.

Well if he really wants to fill the shoes of one of the brightest men in the PPP, he must at least have the intellectual capability of Dr Luncheon since his public and alleged private declarations to date position him as a non-strategic political yard fowl.

If Mr. Cadagon wants to

replace Dr Luncheon, then his lame duck defence of the current Minister of Health is not a great start to that career.

We ask what is the track record of Dr Bheri Ramsarran? As head of the regional health system he lorded over the collapse of this system.

At the Suddie Hospital, for example, for months the operation theater collapsed under his watch and when it was refurbished, patients got electric shocks when they came into contact with the

walls. At the Berbice Hospitals, more mothers have died from childbirth under his watch than any other time in Guyana’s history.

The West Demerara Hospital was dubbed a “death zone” under the new Minister of health’s watch as a result of the deplorable condition patients and nurses had to exist under.

The emergency room is a dance hall, the lab is not working and the dispensary is an active execution chamber with live wires

dangling all over the patients waiting area.

To compound this matter at hand, the Guyanese public got a fine lecturing on the competency of the Minister of Public Service from this Cadogan person. Isn’t this the same Minister that successfully destroyed what is left of the public service by replacing tenured and competent professionals with contracted PPP incompetents?

Dr Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

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

Government mishandled SN breach of Intelligence Building

DEAR EDITOR, Regarding your news item on the police visit to SN office and the quizzing of its editor, the government made a terrible mistake in its handling of the breach of the “intelligence gathering security” building by the two SN reporters – with police visiting SN office and hauling in the reporters for questioning and with

government officials talking about it.

It gives an appearance of intimidation of wanting to silence the media. And SN itself gives an appearance that it was there to report or expose something “sinister”.

The government could have handled the matter differently without damaging its image as the promoter of a free press.

DEAR EDITOR, Rice farmers in the MMA district and probably other parts of the country are planting on lands rented from lessees.

These lands were leased to persons, some of whom know nothing about farming.

Some of these people do not reside in the country and this was done during the previous administration.

These lands should be taken back from these people because their leases did not say that they can rent them.

They should not be sitting at home and profiting from hard working people’s sweat.

The rightful occupiers should be the ones who are producing the bumber crops for which the Government is taking all the praise.

I do hope that the Government does the right thing by transferring those lands to the real rice farmers and go after the phonies who were robbing the revenue department for years.

Kenneth Singh

Government not listening to rice farmers

If security operations were breached, the government should not be involved in the investigation.

That is police business and government officials should not have publicly commented on a police investigation.

The building is supposed to be a guarded site if indeed it operates as an “intelligence unit” (whatever its operations and for whatever legitimate reasons the government has the unit).

The public and reporters don’t have access to any secure national security site anywhere in the world. People who enter and exit the intelligence gathering building should be vetted and only those with top clearance should have access to it.

The government claims the reporters lied to people at the site (that they got permission) in order to gain access to the building – for what reason the reporters were there we won’t know.

And it appears that the two reporters did in fact gain access to the building

suggesting that security was lax.

The place should have been more secured to prevent people from undermining the operations of the unit.

A reporter’s job is to use various “legitimate” means to obtain information. It is not unusual for reporters to lie or mislead gate keepers in order to obtain information – I am not suggesting that the SN reporters did in fact lie in order to gain information about the building. But the people at the site should have verified whether the reporters had legitimate business at the site, not walk away or go into hiding.

And whoever was present at the site should not have evaded the reporters but should have checked with “higher ups” whether the reporters can have access to the building and whether anyone gave them permission to visit the site.

The government would have been able to address the problem right then and there and it would not have led to a

police visit to SN or the questioning of Anand Persaud, Editor in Chief.

The way the government handled the situation a day after the event gives the impression that it is out to “intimidate” the newspaper.

The government erred.

Having committed a faux pas by allowing the reporters (by whatever means) through its own negligence and blunders to gain access to the building, the government could have quietly informed the Editor in Chief (EIC) that its reporters violated protocols at the site which was off limits to the media and the public.

The government could have quietly queried why the reporters were there without giving an appearance of intimating the paper.

Failing a satisfactory response, the government could have asked the publisher or EIC to make the reporters available for questioning.

It is not clear why the reporters or SN wanted

access to the building except to expose some kind of nefarious or illegal activities.

No doubt an investigation was needed into how the reportersmade their way in.

But the government has made a public spectacle of the investigation.

This one has gone wrong and it should never have happened.

Whatever government or police do, it should never come across that it is intimidating a free press or of wanting a “cover up” of any activity.

SN has done some fine investigative reports. I support and encourage it and the other media to carry out more investigations (without jeopardizing national security) to protect the public interest and its right to know of Government operations.

SN reporters were not at fault by gaining access to the intelligence building. The fault is that of the government — the place should have been more secured.

Vishnu Bisram

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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

Helping micro- and smallenterprise development in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, SN reported on 16 November that the LCDS project ‘Micro and small enterprise development and building alternative livelihoods for vulnerable groups’ will start in January (‘US$5M first phase of small business support project for launch in January’). Neither the LCDS nor the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) websites carry such announcement, and SN did not give the source of its information.

We do know that the 20day period for public comment on the proposal prepared for the GRIF by the InterAmerican Development Bank also closed on 16 November.

This IDB proposal, like others prepared by IDB or UNDP for the LCDS, fails to address stakeholder concerns about relevance and appropriate institutional placing; concerns which were raised at the concept note stage in September 2011. So IDB has had a year, and US$ 127,476 of GRIF money for project preparation, to improve its thinking but has failed to do so.

Norway has been remarkably tolerant in not attempting to re-define or clarify the odd collection of

brief ideas for projects which constitute former President Jagdeo’s Low Carbon Development Strategy. The undated revision of page 57 in the May 2010 version of the LCDS says that ‘Grants will be available for small and medium businesses who have viable business propositions for generating new low carbon employment and economic value.

This will include the provision of grant support for small sustainable mining operators, to assist in the development of commercially viable businesses. The grants will be administered through existing programmes for SMEs’; and six such programmes were then listed.

Perhaps the most peculiar feature of the IDB proposal is that it directly contradicts the LCDS. Paragraph 1.7 of the IDB proposal says that ‘By promoting investment in Low Carbon Sectors, people will be incentivized to stay out of sectors such as mining: thus, every job created in the Low Carbon Sectors would mean one less job in Carbon Emitting Sectors.

This, in turn, will contribute to the overall major goal of reducing carbon emissions in Guyana’.

Could the President’s OCC and the IDB make up

their mind? The LCDS does or does not support smallscale mining?

And who are the ‘vulnerable groups’, ‘vulnerable group businesses’ or ‘vulnerable persons’ mentioned in the LCDS and this IDB proposal?

There are no definitions of what ‘vulnerable’ means in this context. If there is concern about the welfare and livelihoods of small sustainable mine operators, the five per cent royalty and the two per cent tax on the 363,083 ounces of gold declared in 2011 would have contributed just short of US$40 million to the Consolidated Fund, using the year-average price of $1570 per ounce.

That is much more than the US$5 million spread over two years which is the budget of this IDB proposal.

How much of that royalty and tax was actually ploughed back into SME development by the Minister of Finance?

While the LCDS exemplified six micro-finance institutions (MFI) for the ‘existing programmes’, in paragraph 1.10 the IDB proposal seeks to deprecate them: ‘An analysis of the MFI in Guyana found that interest rates are much higher for MSE (medium and small

From page 4 Regulator is about 20 per cent completed and piling is expected to be finished early in the New Year.

It is unlikely that this structure will be completed and be functional before the end of 2013.

The road bridge appears to be progressing slowly with an untidy work site, improper storage of material/equipment and signs of a disorganized work plan.

Some of the pre-stress units being installed on the bridge show changes from the original design, and therefore certified test reports should

be available to confirm their strength requirements.

Those units on site awaiting installation should be properly stored to prevent excessive exposure to the elements which may very well compromise their strength requirements.

There can be no doubt that Dr Ramsammy, Minister of Agriculture, has been grossly misled that come June 2013 the Hope Canal Project will be completed and become functional.

To confirm our observations and to allay the public’s apprehension, he should initiate an

independent mid-term review of the Hope Canal Project to assess progress with respect to the implementation of project activities focusing on the project implementation plan, its progress in achieving project outcomes, expenditures and the disbursement schedule.

The review will show how skewed the NDIA/consulting engineers were regarding the timely completion of project works and their indifference to costs and the auxiliary works required to make the system functional.

Malcolm Alli Charles Sohan

Government should order ...

enterprises, better known as SMEs) (up to 35per cent on average) due to: (i) lack of competition; (ii) higher perceived risk; (iii) higher costs of administration; and (iv) poor credit worthiness’.

The Grameen Bank in South Asia flourishes in spite of similar issues. And SN has reported that ‘Regional commercial banks show growing confidence in SMEs’ (SN 30 November, 2012).

So what does the IDB propose instead of such vastly experienced MFI as the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED)? IDB would work through the Small Business Bureau (SBB), the secretariat of the Small Business Council (SBC).

These two entities in the Ministry of Tourism Industry and Commerce have been non-functional because of the absence of budget for the Small Business Development Fund, paragraph 1.16, so it would seem that the three staff of the SBB have had no work to do.

Given the reported increase in attention to SMEs by the commercial banks and given the expertise and experience of the MFIs in Guyana, what would the SBB do? Paragraphs 1.24 and 1.25 in the IDB proposal make the SBB the channel for GRIF funding, with the commercial banks and MFIs doing all the work to determine eligibility and arrange loans to which the SBB would give ‘subsequent approval’.

No criteria are listed for the SBB to give or withhold approval and it is unclear what a non-functioning and apparently inexperienced body could add usefully to the process.

However, paragraph 3.7, ‘To perform its duties, the SBB will hire additional staff . . . [and] Due to the additional responsibilities placed on the SBB staff in programme implementation, they will receive monetary and nonmonetary incentives based on program work completed outside their normal

responsibilities’.

But as they had had no budget to operate they had no previous responsibilities, and the parent Ministry has no recognizable expertise in this area.

In other words, like another GRIF project to fund institutional strengthening of the President’s Office of Climate Change, this looks like another scam to access GRIF money from distracted Norwegians. Yes, it would be good to make more credit and more technical support available to SMEs in Guyana, but why not use the alreadyprimed and interested commercial banks and experienced MFIs, as the LCDS document itself intended?

President Ramotar has acknowledged the existence of corruption in his administration. Here is a blatant example which can be nipped in the bud, an easy win for him to demonstrate that he means what he says.

Janette Bulkan

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

DON’T BLAME IT ON THE RAIN ANYMORE. BLAME IT ON THE GARBAGE In some countries you do not need an alarm clock to awaken you in the mornings.

The sound of the street cleaners sweeping and washing the roads reaches right in your bedroom and is enough to let you know that the morning has broken and it is time to rise and shine.

Guyanese do not know about street cleaners. The only time our streets get a good scrubbing is when nature unleashes a downpour and the showers wash the road surface.

But there used to be a time when municipal workers were out early in the mornings, trimming the parapets, and cleaning the drains. There used to be a time when you could actually see a drain without any water or without a piece of paper inside.

There used to be a time when the city was kept very clean; when municipal services to residents amounted to more than just weekly garbage collection; when the alleys and drains and canals used to be kept free of debris.

That was an inheritance of the British. But it all changed rapidly in the seventies as the city went literally to the dogs as a spendthrift government could not control its appetite for squandering public funds and a critical function called maintenance was sorely neglected.

The decline of Georgetown began a long time before the 1994 Local Government elections. But since that time things have

gotten from bad to worse. Things have not improved and are not likely to improve, and those who are in control have to assume responsibility for this sordid state of affairs.

The problem is that with local government elections likely early next year, it will take tremendous bravery for anyone to stand up and take responsibility. But doing that may in itself be political masterstroke and demonstrate to the electorate that there are courageous forces within the body politic who prepared to be held accountable.

Instead of this courageous act of admitting failure, what we have is political deflection, of trying to shift the blame. But of all places where the blame is being shifted it is to the people.

The people may have bad habits, but the people should not be blamed for the mismanagement of the affairs of the city.

Years ago, the flooding used to blamed on the road.

But ever since the city began to flood after the slightest drizzle, the blame has shifted to garbage and therefore implicitly to those who litter, the people.

We are being told that it is the garbage situation, not the lack of maintenance, not mismanagement, that has led to the flooding within Georgetown.

Georgetown has always had a garbage problem.

People have always littered

Dem boys seh...

De Rat does open he hand still Some rain fall and everybody complaining. All of a sudden people realize that Rob Earth did tek nuff money to dig drains suh that de water woulda run off de land. Well Rob Earth was digging something else. Dem boys wonder if he been near QC and whatever dem call flea get in he pants and cause he to dig. He certainly did not dig drains.

De result is that de water back up and people get some I on dem house but Rob earth get de benefit. He claim that while Bharrat collecting doctorate he gun collect paisa.

And while he collecting de people who responsible fuh boat collecting too. Dem vote nearly US$1 million fuh buy spare parts fuh some boat. That same money woulda buy bout four boat suh somebody got plans. De Hammer man?

Is a trend these days. Fuh one water well is nearly US$1 million. Hope Canal is US$15 million done spend and is another US$50 million might have to spend.

Money always got problem. It is de root of all evil and all troubles in man’s life.

De rat and de Bees mek that suh clear.

Some taxi driver deh in hot water and dem boys believe that dem gun talk de whole truth. Was nice when dem was getting de kickback.

De tax man gun mek dem talk de truth.

Already dem hollering that dem didn’t get all that money wha dem call in Parliament. If you hear million and when de Waterfalls paper bring out de story dem taxi man seh how dem nah collect all of that.

De big question is who collect wha? And Donald sit down and this happening. He got fuh open he eye. It look like if De Rat paste down Donald eye and it still paste down.

De same Rat use to shut he own eye and paste down he own mouth but he use to open he foot and he hand.

He does still open he hand up to now.

Talk half and open Donald eye.

impulsively. That is a reality that Georgetown has always faced and that is something that was known to those entrusted with taking care of the city. But all the garbage that is dumped in the drains would not have clogged up the drainage system if there was regular cleaning and maintenance.

The early morning municipal work gangs have disappeared from the city. The city fell apart because these gangs were disassembled. Junkies and the mentally ill are now the early risers.

Too many pen pushers are

employed and too little work gangs. The result is that the alleyways and drains are clogged up more with sludge and overgrowth than with Styrofoam boxes.

Every few years there is a big clean-up campaign and large contracts are awarded to contractors to de-silt the alleyways. If there was fortnightly maintenance as existed under the colonial government, there would have been no need for these large contracts.

After a few weeks, the situation returns to normal and is compounded by the

fact that major canals and outfalls have not been properly de-silted for years.

What passes for de-silting of these canals is merely the removal of weeds. The canals no longer have the capacity they used to have and therefore cannot flush out the outfalls which have become so silted that gravity flow is as slow as running molasses.

Asking residents to pick up garbage and clean-up their community is political deflection.

It will not solve anything other than shift blame from City Hall to the residents who have to elect a new council in the New Year.

What is needed is structured maintenance by dividing the city into small clusters and assigning work gangs that would clean regularly. The late Bunny Fernandes had developed a workable plan for this, but there were no resources for it to be implemented.

The resources can now be found, but going this route would expose the shortcomings of the past eighteen years. And with local government elections just around the corner, it is much easier to blame garbage.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

=== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ===

Thanks for the money, Mr. Corbin!

Two months ago, I got a call from Robert Corbin. Mr. Corbin contacted me to give me some good news. More than two years ago, the police had shot and killed a sixteenyear-old boy at Patentia. The incident happened outside the Patentia High School. A week of protest followed.

Mark Benschop, Dr. David Hinds and I decided we would take the protest to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Georgetown. We saw a Canter-truck passing on the road, stopped the driver and

offered him a job to take the school children to Georgetown. Outside the Ministry of Home Affairs, the police arrested the driver, charged him and seized his canter. Why seize the man’s property? It was his only source of income.

To look at this man’s face (he has one name, Manniram) was to gaze at the image of someone who had just lost a loved one. Manniram was at a complete loss as to what was going on. All he did was to take a professional job.

We spoke to a very senior police officer who confidentially told us that a Minister of Government had ordered the Commissioner, Henry Greene, to teach Manniram a lesson.

This was the “great,” “historic” party of Cheddi Jagan who keeps telling the Guyanese people that they are better than Burnham’s PNC. Then Opposition Leader, Robert Corbin, got involved.

He secured an order from the Chief Justice to release Manniram’s truck and the Attorney-General was sued for wrongful seizure of property.

The call from Mr. Corbin was to inform me that the court awarded Manniram $100,000, months ago, but the Government refused to deliver and he had to file additional papers to get the State to pay Manniram. He was successful.

Mr. Corbin has asked me to make sure Manniram accompanies him to collect his money. Manniram did so last week. I thank Mr. Corbin, but I believe it was disgraceful for the court to

award such a meagre sum.

During our conversation, Mr. Corbin told me that his memoirs will be out in a few months’ time. He said that he would have no objection to its mention here in my column.

This is going to be a big seller in Guyana. Guyanese cannot wait to hear what Robert Corbin has to say about a superabundance of sensitive, crucial and fascinating issues. Will Mr. Corbin’s account be truthful?

Forget about the Burnham period, the Hoyte interregnum, and Corbin’s years as Minister. What all Guyanese want to read about is Mr. Corbin’s tenure as Opposition Leader during the oligarchic journey of President Jagdeo’s runaway train.

Someone very high up in the PNC told a senior Guyanese media operative that there was a sustained dialogue between President Jagdeo and Mr. Corbin on power-sharing that failed.

If true, it raises questions of the PNC leadership because if there was such a sensitive situation, why did

other PNC leaders not know about it. Many PNC leaders told me they believe Mr. Corbin was involved in some confidential talks with Mr. Jagdeo, but the parameters of it they did not know about.

What about the internal arrangements inside the PNC? How did Mr. Corbin allow the PPP to penetrate and capture the leadership of the Guyana Labour Union?

In the same context, why weaken the PNC by removing some brand names in the organization like James Mc Allister, Aubrey Norton, Vincent A l e x a n d e r, D r. F a i t h Harding? Did Mr. Corbin not know that in ethnically divided Guyana, the PNC was bound to hemorrhage with the loss of such big names, thus weakening further the existence of PNC constituencies?

Mr. Corbin has to account for the loss of five seats in the 2006 elections. How did that happen and did he put it down to a loss of confidence

by African Guyanese in the PNC at the time?

Why did the third force

Frederick Kissoon talks in 2005 collapse? Is it true that Raphael Trotman wanted to be the presidential candidate and left the talks when that was not agreed to? Did Mr. C o r b i n t r y t o s a v e h is political career by his agreement to have APNU? This is going to be the curious part of the book for most readers.

If Corbin was not a spent force and if he didn’t accept that his era was over then why did he abstain from the 2011 election campaign?

Finally, why did the PNC sit by and allow for the horrible degeneracy of governance by Mr. Jagdeo that was far more depraved than when Mr. Corbin served in the government of the PNC under Forbes Burnham. A nation eagerly awaits this book.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Situation at N/A Hospital “back to normal” ...officials believe sewage system was sabotaged

The Maternity Ward cleaned and sanitized for occupancy yesterday

By Leon Suseran The situation at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital is back to normal. This is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA), Dr Vishwa Mahadeo MP. Two wards of Berbice’s main healthcare facility, the Male Surgical and Maternity, were badly affected by flooding from a malfunctioning sewage system since Sunday.

Patients were evacuated from those wards and moved to other safe areas within the hospital complex.

Yesterday, Kaieteur News was given a tour of the facility by Dr Mahadeo; Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Dr Artie Sharma and CEO of the N/A Hospital, Mr Alan Johnson. The two wards in question had been cleaned, sanitized and prepared for immediate occupancy by patients by

yesterday afternoon. The washroom facilities were also cleaned and sanitized.

“The system that is taking the water from the wards to the tanks was blocked up. We have cleaned it and cleared it up and things are back to normal. We have done the final cleaning and sterilization of the wards, so the patients will be moving in back by this (yesterday) afternoon,” he reiterated.

Mahadeo did not deny there was flooding.

“Yes, water overflowed and you had some water in the wards. We had some flooding and the truth of the matter remains that the staff did what they could have done for the benefit of the patients, taking into consideration the constraints… and we utilized empty spaces in the other wards—that’s the truth—and we still continued with delivering healthcare to patients, babies and

managing male patients who were moved, and although there were constraints, we still managed to do our work, and now that we have our space again, we will be able to do it better.”

It was pointed out that the sewage malfunction was suspected to be sabotage since a plethora of foreign objects was found stuffed into the sewage pipes. Dr Mahadeo stated that long plastic bags used to store sanitary cups were found with several ‘chubby’ bottles inside, stuffed into the pipes, blocking the flow of sewage.

The officials believe that these were intentional attempts to shut down the facility and render it useless to the public. Napkins, plastic bags, plastic bottles, sanitary napkins among other objects were found stuffed into the sewage pipes which further aggravated the volatile

The Male Surgical Ward in a state of readiness

situation.

“We have provision in the washroom—you can verify—containers provided by Pestex for the females to put in their napkins and waste-bins to collect other rubbish, so we are hoping with this experience, that the general public will cooperate with us and not throw things in the system that would block up the system.”

The hospital’s sewage system was designed by the Japanese firm, Kitano Construction (which built the hospital) and consists of an underground network of pipes.

Dr Mahadeo was regretful of the time it took to get the problem rectified but noted that due to the underground pipe system it was “a bit difficult to get it done in a short time”.

The CEO believes that if this trend continues whereby the system continues to be blocked by large objects, an

option is to run the sewage pipes above ground, but this, he noted, might affect movement.

The BRHA CEO stated that although it was a challenging situation, “we managed and the staff effectively managed to move patients around without really compromising the volume of patients.

They managed to move the patients into the different wards and I think that with the constraints, they did a good job. I want to thank them and I am hoping to have the cooperation of the patients, and users of the facility and of the staff to prevent any such occurrence again.”

Ye s t e r d a y, t o o , t h e Regional Chairman of Region 6 and the Regional Executive Officer were seen touring the facility and ensuring things were back to normal. Steps are being taken to deal with the outflows and “to see if we

Dr Vishwa Mahadeo can adapt something from t h e system to prevent a recurrence or to minimize the action of whatever might be happening, if we have such an occurrence again”.

“All the systems have been cleared and we are now trying to police the system better,” Dr Mahadeo said. He further stated that no patient was sent home by any doctor of the institution as a result of the flooding, save for three mothers who delivered babies and were discharged normally.

As for allegations about staff being forced to work under unhealthy conditions to clean up wards, he stated that the cleaning staff was involved in doing this and they were given all the necessary tools.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Family Commission relaunched - Censorship high on revamped agenda

Chairman, Reverend Kwame Gilbert, and Minister of Human Services, Ms Jennifer Webster, (fourth and fifth from left respectively) in the company of eight members of the Commission.

With censorship high on its agenda, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Monday relaunched a reinvigorated Family Commission at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown.

Headed by Member of Parliament, Reverend Kwame Gilbert, the Commission is poised to institute necessary

and possible censorship actions to anything it believes can be injurious or harmful to family life. The Commission’s performance will in fact be backed by the age-old Cinematograph and Video Act of 1912, as well as a new piece of legislation which makes provision for censorship to be brought to

any video production, printed material or any other item that can be considered harmful.

According to Reverend Gilbert, “We are going to be looking at the old piece of legislation to see where it can be amended to allow us as a Commission to provide censorship to the things that

we believe are harmful to family values in this nation.”

Among the areas likely to gain the attention of the Commission are: any video programmes, television programmes, music, published materials or any other thing or activity that the Commission deems as damaging to the society.

“We intend to be very vocal and active as a Commission on things that we believe are contributing to the eroding standards and values of our society...We believe that advocacy and involvement cut across every stratum; government and non-government agencies and every place that we as a Commission can have a voice that addresses anything that in some way affects family life and family values in our country,” Rev. Gilbert insisted.

The Family Commission was first

established in 1998 but was overshadowed by a number of other Commissions which have over the years helped to promote family life in Guyana.

The relaunched Commission was however appointed by Cabinet on July 1, 2012, and has met about eight times since with a view of deciding its specific mandate in response to the needs of the society. “As we move forward we may find it necessary to make some amendments and tweak some of the things that we are doing to ensure that it is relevant and impactful in addressing the needs of families in our country,” Rev. Gilbert disclosed. Moreover, the Commission will be guided by the four broad thematic areas of advocacy, public education, partnership building, as well as monitoring and evaluation.

In the area of advocacy, members of the Commission will examine existing legislation with

the hope of recommending reforms that could aid and support family life and the work of the revamped Commission.

Part of what it will seek to do over the coming weeks would be to examine some of the existing legislation with a view of determining if they can support, in critical ways, family life in Guyana. The Commission will also be tasked with looking at how legislation could be unfavourable to family life.

“As a Commission we are going to make proposals foramendments where we find legislation may be inimical and harmful to family life,” said Reverend Gilbert as he revealed that the newly installed body will also look to disseminate to the public the tenets of a Family Code.

The Family Code has already been approved by Cabinet and, according to (Continued on page 13)

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ordered an inquest into the death of high profile robbery accused Randy Morris, who was slain by police last June after a botched robbery. An official told this publication that the file was returned to the police this week.

Kaieteur News understands that Morris’ relatives had filed a complaint with the Police Complaints Authority regarding the circumstances under which he was killed.

A police source described Morris as “a criminal who had attacked a businesswoman and then shot at police with an unlicenced gun when the ranks attempted to

apprehend him”.

Morris was shot dead by police in late June following a high-speed chase that ended with the robbery suspect and an accomplice being cornered in an alleyway in Queenstown, Georgetown.

A police patrol had pursued the 32-year-old Morris after he had tried to rob a Bourda Market businesswoman and her husband.

Eyewitnesses said that the two persons had just closed their stall and were exiting the market when they were attacked by Morris who grabbed the woman’s bag, which reportedly contained over $500,000 in cash, including foreign currency.

He allegedly struck the woman with a firearm after she held onto her bag.

The woman’s husband, Kishore Sookra, a licenced firearm holder, shot at Morris but missed.

Morris fled the scene in a rented white Toyota Raum and was eventually cornered and shot dead. Police said that they recovered a .32 pistol.

At the time of his demise, Morris was reportedly out on bail totaling $2.8M for several offences. He was a prime suspect in numerous highprofile robberies. He was charged 20 times and arrested on numerous occasions for robbery under arms but was never convicted.

DPP orders inquest into Randy Morris’ death

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 13

NAPS releases preliminary national HIV testing results

Launching of National HIV Testing Initiative 2012: Delegates for the Region Three Beauty Pageant being tested Of the 3,969 persons tested in Region Four during the recent National testing drive a “negligible amount” were found to be HIVpositive. There were 28 persons who tested positive for HIV, which translated to a

mere one per cent of the total number of those tested to date.

The national testing drive which was scaled down this year in terms of the number of testing days spanned from November 29 to December 1.

Previous national testing activities were carried out over a minimum of five days.

According to preliminary information released by the Ministry of Health’s National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), the testing drive

Family Commission...

(From page 12) Rev. Gilbert, it is imperative that the public becomes familiarised with this feature which he believes could lend to the improvement of the institution of the family.

As it relates to Public Education, the Commission is set to develop a directory with existing resource agencies, and efforts will be made to ensure that that directory is available so that persons could know the agencies that are involved in family work. This move, Reverend Gilbert said, is premised on the need to publicise what such agencies are doing so as to ensure that persons know where to go in times of need.

“We want to ensure that there is no situation where people need help and they don’t know where to go as it relates to family life. That is a necessary element of the public education process.

People need to know where to go; what numbers to call; who they can contact.”

Added to this, he disclosed that the Commission will be working on advertising events to highlight the scope of its work in order to prevent ambiguity and confusion as to what it is mandated to do.

“We cannot solve all of the problems and it would be very necessary for us to be very clear on what are the problems that we can solve in our capacity,” he asserted.

Moreover, in its attempt to build partnership, the Commission is expected to network with Ministries, other government bodies, NonGovernmental Organisations, faith-based Organisations and other stakeholders. This collaboration, Rev. Gilbert said, is inevitable given the nature of the problems that are seen in the society which cannot be fixed in the same context in which they are

created. “It has to be fixed outside of that in the sense that we have to create a mindset change or a paradigm shift and therefore it requires a multi-stakeholder or a multisectoral approach to fix the problems.” Among the membership of the Commission are: Ms Trenetta Scott, Secretary; Ms Aleema Nasir, Ms Bibi Haseena Ganni, Mr Cyril Belgrave, Mr Charles Quintin, Dr Vindhya Persaud, Father Terrence Montrose, Pandit Rabindra Persaud, Ms Pamela Nauth, Reverend Patrick Findlay, Ms Sheran Harper, Sister Rajkumari Singh, Pastor Terry Thomas and Ms Yvonne Stephenson.

The Commission was glowingly endorsed by Father Francis Alleyne who anticipates that it would foster conversations through many channels and stakeholders tasked with dealing with concerns of the family.

which was conducted countrywide saw a total of 2,243 women and 1,726 men being tested in Region Four.

A total of 150 sites provided HIV testing and counseling services in all 10 Administrative Regions. The target set for 2012 was 15,000 and to date reports from 67 Testing Sites set up in Region Four have been collected and analyzed, according to NAPS. Region Four reportedly

represented 27 per cent of all persons tested.

On Friday November 16, 2012, the Ministry of Health launched its National HIV Testing Initiative which was characterized by a series of events coordinated by the AIDS Secretariat. The move was in fact set to coincide with the observance of World AIDS Day 2012 and in support of the 2011 UNAIDS Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS to achieve Zero New

Infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths by 2015.

The National Testing Initiative was launched with Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran being tested publicly along with Olympic runner, Winston George; Miss United Nations 2012, Soyini Fraser; Miss Guyana/ Universe 2012, Ruqayyah Boyer, and Miss Guyana Renaissance 2012, Dr. Vivienne Mitchell.

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Mackenzie High wins JOF Haynes debate for third year in a row Having battled to the bitter end to prove itself worthy of the title, the team from Mackenzie High School was yesterday able to claim a well deserved victory, defeating its arch rival Anna Regina Secondary School, in the 2012 JOF Haynes Memorial Inter-Secondary Schools debating competition at the National Cultural Centre This is the second time that the Region 10 School snatched the win from the grasp of the Region Two School, and the feat also represents its third consecutive win. Last year the verbal showdown was against Queen’s College and a year prior, Mackenzie High was able to secure the title after thrashing Anna Regina at the same venue that the competition was held yesterday. The Region Two School had comfortably held the title for a number of years before being dethroned by Mackenzie High.

However, yesterday’s victory did not come too easily as it took much deliberations on the part of the judges before the announcement was made, breaking the evident tension which had built up.

With the moot being ‘A technical/vocational education and training

(TVET) programme in secondary schools will significantly enhance Guyana’s economic growth’, Mackenzie High School as the defending champions were tasked with proposing while Anna Regina Secondary opposed.

The Competition kicked off shortly after 10:00 hours with Mackenzie High’s First speaker, Felicia Seon, who eloquently sought to establish how TVET could help to significantly enhance G u y a n a ’s economic growth. The second and third speakers ,Manouska Vyfhuis and Trishanna Layne, effectively did their part to help convince the panel of judges how a revamped school curriculum, which includes TVET programmes, could help to equip youths with the requisite skills to meet the demands of the labour force.

Though fluent and persuasive in their presentations, the Region 10 team failed in their quest to truly give clarity to the significant impact that TVET could have on the economy.

Anna Regina Secondary erred in like manner when it merely sought to distinguish its rate of significant economic growth as 50 per

The competing teams (Mackenzie High students at left) pose after the verbal clash yesterday. cent or more of the Gross Domestic Product.

Nevertheless, the Region Two team, led by a very articulate Zimeena Rasheed, who was ably supported by second and third speakers Twedale Marks and Tia Daman, sought to highlight that while TVET could have a crucial place in the education system, it certainly could not have a significant impact on its own. Together they sought to pinpoint existing shortcomings of the Education Ministry’s TVET programme and insisted that a feasibility study would have

to be undertaken to truly ascertain its possible impact.

The debating competition was moderated by accomplished educator, Mrs Ingrid Fung, and judged by a panel including Deputy Chief Education Officer, Ms Bibi Alli, Mr Parikhan Ram and Ms Lurine Meertins as the Chief Judge.

In presenting the judges’ observations and decision, Meertins highlighted the limitations of both teams and even took note of the fact that neither team included male members.

However, she did

commend them for their efforts which served to fully captivate the attention of the audience which was made up of mostly students, teachers, and regional and central education officials among other invitees. With a score of 797, the proposing Mackenzie High was able to claim the title but lost out on the Best Speaker accolade which was handed to Anna Regina’s First Speaker Zimeena Rasheed. Anna Regina Secondary gained 779 points for its efforts.

The winning school claimed for itself a new

computer, complete with peripheral devices, compliments of Metro Office Supplies, which has been supporting the decades-old competition for several years.

Each participating student was presented with a trophy and a $20,000 book voucher redeemable at Austin’s Book Store.

The national debating competition commenced in September as part of the 2012 Education Month of activities and saw the two participating schools remaining undefeated throughout the various rounds.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 15

Verdict looms as jury Fisherman loses foot prepares to deliberate in trawler mishap

Cyon Collier called ‘Picture Boy’ may know his fate tomorrow as the murder trial’s 12-member jury gets set for deliberations. The prosecution, headed by Senior State Counsel Judith Gildharie-Mursalin, yesterday presented the closing address before Justice Diana Insanally at the Supreme Court.

Collier is being tried for the 2006 murder of Victoria, East Coast Demerara residents Ray Walcott called ‘Sugar’ and his brother Carl Andrews called ‘Alo’. Collier reportedly used an AK-47 rifle to take the men’s life.

On Monday, Defence Counsel Lyndon Amsterdam presented a five -hour- long closing argument as to why his client should be found innocent of the murder charge laid against him in October 2006. While several witnesses testified on behalf of the prosecution, Amsterdam focused his attention on the prosecution reportedly having no evidence against Collier.

He argued that the bulk of the prosecution’s evidence had no warrant, while seeking to discredit and devalue the testimony of the police.

Amsterdam also sought to make invalid the evidence presented by civilians, those in particular who claimed to have had direct contact with Collier on the day of the alleged offence.

In reply, the state, in an almost two-hour address, said yesterday that adequate evidence existed to get a conviction for the accused.

Prosecutor Gildharie-

Cyon Collier called ‘Picture Boy’ Mursalin highlighted various aspects of the evidence, which according to her, needed to be viewed meticulously.

The jury was urged to scrutinize in reflection, the evidence of the police officers who took the witness box, statements given by the accused, the evidence of those who were present during the incident and those to whom Collier reportedly confessed.

The prosecutor, in reply to accusations by Amsterdam on inconsistent police evidence, noted that none of the officers or the civilian witnesses was discredited.

She pointed out that it is simple human nature that one person should remember more than the other in relation to the incident, while pointing out that the policemen’s evidence did not conflict.

The defence stated that the police had fabricated the statement against Collier and had beaten him to sign the document. The prosecution however said that the police

could not have created a story against Collier since they,like the rest of the community, were not aware of any issue between the deceased and the accused which would have led to murder.

In relation to civilian witnesses, Gildharie-Mursalin lingered on the value of their testimony. She related that the witnesses were known to Collier and as far as the evidence showed, they had no conflict with the accused, thus giving them no purpose to concoct lies against him.

The accused, she said, committed the act without a mask, which made it easy for him to be identified. She described the crime as being a “brazen, barefaced” act.

The statements, she said, were given voluntarily by the accused and in those documents, Collier reportedly confessed that, “They wrong me so they had to dead.”

Collier listened attentively, with his eyes fixed on the prosecutor. In her final statement, Gildharie-Mursalin asked the jury to be “like horses with eyes covered from the distracting activities that happen to their sides”.

She asked them to blank out the varying distractions of the case and focus ahead on the evidence provided.

The court is expected to sum up the case on Thursday and then the jury will head to deliberate.

They shall remain there until a verdict is reached, that is, if the decision does not take more than a day. The case itself has taken 22 days but jurors have heard 10 days of evidence.

GYSM blasts Educ.

Ministry over QC issue

The Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM) yesterday expressed disgust at the length of time it is taking officials to rectify the socalled flea infestation at Queen’s College, saying that the delay indicates the gravity of the situation at the school, and further proves that the students were attending classes in hazardous conditions for a “very long time.”

Malika Ramsey, Executive member of GYSM cited reports that the infestation was as a result of stray animals that invaded the school and “took up residence.” With that being pointed out, Ramsey said that the assertion of Chief Education Officer Olato Sam that “animals usually dwell where there is garbage” is not only disappointing but offers cause for concern.

“Does Mr. Sam believe

GYSM Executive Malika Ramsey that this excuse is a reasonable one? Why is there prolonged garbage pile-up at a school? Is this how we protect our youths and prepare them for the future?

If this practice is allowed and accepted at Queen’s College, one must wonder how many more schools there are across our nation where garbage pile-ups are accepted as a norm. How up to date is

maintenance of our school grounds and how effective and efficient is security at these institutions?”

Ramsey said that the situation at hand, “unfortunately”, reminds the GYSM Executive of the disastrous state of affairs at President’s College a few years ago.

“Why is the Ministry of Education failing to preserve and protect institutions that have produced some of our best citizens?” she asked.

Ramsey noted that the GYSM is appealing to the Health and Education Ministries to collaborate to ensure that the situation at Queen’s College is rectified quickly, and to ensure that the environs for schools nationwide are hazard-free and suitable for learning.

“Proper disposable facilities must be put in place, to avoid possible health crises.”

Medical personnel lift the wounded seaman into the ambulance at the New Amsterdam Ferry Stelling.

A fisherman had a part of his leg cut off after being involved in an accident whilst working on a trawler in the Atlantic Ocean yesterday.

Dwayne Nelson, 28, a seaman from North Ruimveldt, Greater Georgetown, who was employed as a Deckhand with the Pritipaul Singh Investments Limited, was among a crew working aboard the fishing vessel Maria Sue some 25 miles from the mouth of the Berbice River when tragedy struck.

According to information received by this newspaper, the men had cast their net and

were in the process of pulling in a catch when Nelson’s foot got caught in the winch which was being used to pull up the seine. His right foot from the shin down was severed as a result. Help was requested from the bauxite shipping firm Oldendorf Carriers, which has operations at the mouth of the Berbice River and a boat with police and other personnel was dispatched to the trawler to collect the badly wounded Nelson. The boat with the injured fisherman eventually returned to the New Amsterdam Stelling where an

ambulance was waiting to transport him to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Officials from the fishing company have not yet issued a statement on the matter.

On June 19, 2010, fire aboard the Captain Lloyd 97 resulted in the death of a crewman, 19-year old Orlon Munroe, while the captain Delbert Williams went missing and has been given up as dead. Yesterday’s incident is similar to one in 2009 when another fisherman, Russell Cornelius lost both of his legs while working on another company’s trawler.

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Wednesday December 05, 2012

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Independent engineers call for urgent...

(From page 3) the contractor goes about his daily routine executing substandard work.”

Alli and Sohan especially noted the design and supervision of construction of the outfall sluice which has raised many troubling questions.

Design of the foundation requires some 520 timber piles 120 ft long.

“The design should have been reviewed by an independent consultant to check whether the structure was not over-designed, particularly the requirement for what appears to be an excessive number of piles to support the structure. Prior to construction, test piles should have been driven and loaded to determine the length and number of piles required to adequately support the structure.”

The two engineers argued that experience of previously designed and built structures under similar soil conditions such as the seven-door Weir across the Abary River shows that timber piles were not necessary to support the structure since the soil at that elevation could safely support the imposed loads.

Regarding the actual canal, the engineers disputed reports that it was 83% com-

plete and said that it was more like 50%.

Canal only 30% “About 30% of the canal remains to be dug and re-dug to final bed grade. Some 80% of its embankments have to be raised to design elevation, compacted, trimmed, shaped and strengthened with geotextile fabric. In some sections, selected borrow fill may have to be used to replace unsuitable material.”

The engineers, in the letter to the editor, noted that during their visit, a part of the eastern embankment was on fire, burning uncontrollably, and will probably compromise the geo-textile fabric if installed. Geo-textile is a mesh used to strengthen the embankment for the new canal.

A major problem developing in the unfinished canal, the two found, is weeds which have taken over about 40% of the canal’s waterway.

They believe that within six months if no action is taken the entire waterway will be covered with weeds, if left unchecked.

“Their presence will severely restrict flow and negate the objective of discharging floodwater efficiently from the conservancy. Cost for their removal and continual maintenance will be an expensive

The growth of weeds in the Canal will prove a major challenge exercise which NDIA is still to estimate and budget for.”

The bushes growing profusely on the embankments will also have to be controlled by regular maintenance.

Work on the Head Regulator, which will control the flow of water from the EDWC to the new canal, is only about 20% completed and piling is expected to be finished early in the new year. “It is unlikely that this structure will be completed and be functional be-

fore the end of 2013.”

Where the canal meets the East Coast Demerara road and where a bridge is being built, the work there appears to be progressing slowly with an “untidy work site, improper storage of material/equipment and signs of a disorganized work plan”.

The two engineers insisted that the Agriculture Minister has been grossly misled that come June 2013, the Hope Canal Project will be

completed and become functional.

“To confirm our observations and to allay the public’s apprehension, he should initiate an independent mid-term review of the Hope Canal Project to assess progress with respect to the implementation of project activities focusing on the project implementation plan, its progress in achieving project outcomes, expenditures and the disbursement schedule.”

The review, Alli and Sohan were convinced, will show how skewed the NDIA/ consulting engineers were regarding the timely completion of project works and their indifference to costs and the auxiliary works required to make the system functional.

Yesterday, a copy of the letter was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture to address the points raised. A staffer promised to have the minister address the pertinent issues.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Trinidad CLICO probe to continue Jamaica wants heightened debate on cybercrimes legislation

Trinidad Guardian - Sir Anthony Colman, chairman of the CLICO/Hindu Credit Union (HCU) commission of enquiry, has shot down Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard’s application to suspend the inquiry or change the way it is conducted. “My decision is that the enquiry will continue,” Colman said at Monday’s sitting at the Winsure Building, Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain.

“We are at the stage where no changes shall be made in the way it is conducted and I shall not make recommendations to the President, or anybody else, on whether the terms of reference should be changed. “I will give my reasons in writing at a later stage,” Colman said, dismissing an application by Gaspard’s attorney, British Queen’s Counsel Edward Jenkins and a lengthy plea by Queen’s Counsel Andrew Mitchell, attorney representing former CL Financial chairman Lawrence Duprey.

Jenkins appeared before the commission at the start of the sitting and asked Colman for a private sitting away from the media. He said a story in Monday’s Newsday stating he would appear at the inquiry to represent Gaspard caused him anxiety. Recalling the leak of Duprey’s witness statement to the Express, he said he did not know how the Newsday found out he was in the country and said that told about the confidentiality of information at the inquiry.

Colman acceded to Jenkins’ request and sent the media out of the courtroom and heard him in private.

Gaspard’s application is related to his concern over the

Sir Anthony Colman consequences of a criminal probe into CLICO and HCU that started at the beginning of last month. Gaspard also wrote to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan asking him to advise President George Maxwell Richards to suspend the commission.

Ramlogan refused his request and Gaspard has warned him if he did not advise Richards immediately, the conclusion may be drawn that the AG was abdicating his duty to preserve the integrity of the administration of justice in this case. Gaspard said if the inquiry continued, it was likely to delay any prosecution and jeopardise the police investigation.

The DPP also wrote to Colman expressing concern that publicity on the case could stop a credible prosecution in the CLICO and HCU matters. At the resumption of the sitting after midday, Mitchell spent a long time trying to persuade Colman to suspend the inquiry or change its focus to only recommending regulatory and statutory reform.

Colman, after saying he would continue the inquiry,

and with the same terms of reference, noted Mitchell’s position was that the matter had resolved itself into a procedural issue over whether Duprey should be obligated to give evidence.

Duprey has indicated his willingness to do so but has also said it would impact his fair-trial rights, Colman said.

Based on his rights, Duprey could go so far as to decline to give evidence and the same thing applied to Monteil, he added. However, he has concluded that no changes should be made to the terms of reference at this stage, nor should he ask the President to make such changes.

Former Clico Investment Bank (CIB) president Richard Trotman appeared before the commission in the afternoon session but announced his desire not to give evidence.

Trotman said he was anxious and disquieted by what had transpired in the morning and asked to be recused from answering questions. He said he would seek advice on the matter.

Colman told him he was a very important witness and that he wanted to find out as much as he could from him and asked commission counsel, Peter Carter, QC, if that was a viable way forward.

Carter suggested a list of questions could be prepared for Trotman by Wednesday afternoon which he could answer in writing. Colman said Trotman could answer all, some or none.

The inquiry was postponed to a day to be fixed since Trotman was scheduled to give evidence today and arrangements have to be made to have another witness replace him.

Committee of Parliament to review the Cybercrimes Act. “I anticipate that the review will start before the end of the financial year. I can’t give a specific timeline as to when we will complete it, because it depends on how quickly the Committee works,

but it is something that we are pushing ahead with, and we are committed to ensuring that the issues of online security are given priority and treated as a matter of national security,” he said.

The Cybercrimes Act, (Continued on page 21)

Bahamas takes over chairmanship of CONSLE Julian Robinson KINGSTON, Jamaica – CMC - The Jamaica government says it increased efforts will be made to speed up parliamentary debate on the Cybercrimes Act. Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM), Julian Robinson, said that a proposal will be made to House Leader, Phillip Paulwell and his Opposition counterpart, Delroy Chuck, for the establishment of a Joint Select

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC - Bahamas National Security Minister Dr. Bernard J. Nottage has taken over the chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council of Ministers for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE).

He replaces Antigua and Barbuda’s National Security Minister Dr. Errol Cort who held the position for the last three years.

Caribbean security ministers have attended the 13th CONSOLE meeting on Monday and will participate

in the Third CaribbeanUnited States Security Cooperation Dialogue, a part of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) that begins here on Wednesday.

On Monday, the ministers discussed the reestablishment of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Office in the Region as well as the regional crime and security strategy as well as the implementation of the CARICOM Social Development and Crime Prevention Action Plan.

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Wednesday December 05, 2012

Environmentalist outlines conditions for ending hunger strike P O RT- O F - S PA I N , Trinidad – CMC Environmentalist Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh yesterday said he is prepared to end his 20day old hunger strike over the construction of a highway in south Trinidad on certain conditions even as a prominent attorney called on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have him arrested on a charge of attempted suicide.

“I am optimistic once there is a good outcome which accepts our submissions, we will end this act,” Kublalsingh said.

The 53-year -old environmentalist and his Highway Re-route Movement (HRM) have been objecting to the construction of the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the TT$7.2 billion (One TT dollar =US$0.16 cents) highway linking San Fernando to Point Fortin in the south.

They contend that the construction would destroy the environment in the area as well as uproot many

families that have resided on the lands there for many years.

On Monday night Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, speaking at a public meeting of the United National Congress (UNC), the biggest partner in the four-party coalition People’s Partnership government, called on the University of the West Indies (UWI) lecturer to reconsider his hunger strike in light of the outcome of the meeting between Works Minister Emmanuel George and the Joint Consultative Council (JCC).

George said documents on the project would be made available to the JCC that had given an undertaking them and to produce a report within 60 days for consideration by the stateowned National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (NIDCO).

But in a statement, the HRM said while it is grateful to the various civil society organisations, the authorities must indicate clearly that “no

construction work should begin in the Debe to Mon Desir highway including the interchanges whilst the committee meets”.

It also wants a cost benefit analysis report, a social impact assessment report and a hydrology report to form part of the terms of reference of the committee, adding if the committee does “not have the competence to undertake these reports they should be undertaken by competent bodies.

“The terms of reference should include the provision that oral and written submissions be made to the committee by the HRM as well as other members of the Mon Desir to Debe communities,” the HRM said, adding that it will end its action “once we have written confirmation that these requests are honoured in writing”.

Kublalsingh, who also read the HRM statement to reporters said that he is convinced that the meeting process between the groups

Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh speaking to reporters yesterday would continue and he expects further communication on the final decision.

“We expect further outcome of this process before we terminate our action here,” he said, wrapped in warm clothing as he continues his refusal to accept maintenance intravenous fluids until the matter is resolved.

“I expect within two to three days this action should be finished,” he said, adding that he felt strong enough to survive till then.

Meanwhile, prominent criminal lawyer, Israel Khan has called on the DPP, Roger Gaspard to have the environmentalist arrested on attempted suicide charges.

“As a criminal attorney and a member of the Inner Bar I am calling on the Director of Public Prosecutions to immediately instruct the police to arrest Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh for the criminal offence of attempted suicide.

“I am also calling upon the DPP to have Kublalsingh’s wife, parents and siblings

arrested and charged for aiding and abetting the common law offence of attempted suicide. It appears that Kublalsingh has a death wish and the DPP must not abdicate his responsibility by ignoring the commission of a criminal offence.”

Khan, who has already written Prime Minister Persad Bissessar urging her not to meet with Kublalsingh, said the environmentalist should be taken to a medical institution where he would be treated to save his life.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Opposition accuses govt. of selling state properties to meet financial obligations ST GEORGE’S, Grenada CMC - The main opposition New National Party (NNP) has accused the Grenada government of selling off state properties and illegally borrowing funds from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) to meet the salaries of public servants.

NNP leader and former prime minister Dr Keith Mitchell told supporters at a public meeting in Crochu on the island’s east coast Sunday that the Tillman Thomas administration had taken EC$14 million (One EC dollar =US$0.37 cents) from the NIS to meet its financial obligations to public workers.

“The Mt Hartman Plant area, one of the most lucrative properties in the country owned by the government, they sold it my friend to pay salaries. On Friday that went through. I have seen the copies myself,” Mitchell said, warning that there were other state-owned properties to be sold to ease the government’s financial woes.

“They are selling everything. You are hearing that they sell the rest of the shares in GRENLEC (Grenada Electricity Company). You are hearing they are selling the rest of the shares in Cable and Wireless and in in the Grenada Breweries. Well let me tell you

all of those shares were sold as of a few weeks ago,” Mitchell said, as he again appealed to Prime Minister Thomas to reconvene Parliament so that the issues could be debated.

“Tillman Thomas must understand that these properties are not his own.

These (belong) to the people.

He has no right to sell those properties without the people of the country involved, and without parliament.

“And because they selling and not putting it out on the public for sale, they are taking what they get because they desperate for money,” he said, adding “this country is being

CARICOM fund links with Qatar govt.

AMBASSADOR LORNE McDONNOUGH (left), the CARICOM Development Fund’s chief executive officer, meeting with Ahmed Bin Abdullah Bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud, Qatar’s deputy prime minister and minister of state for the council of ministers, in Qatar.

Barbados Nation - A FIRST STEP has been taken towards collaboration between the Government of Qatar and the Barbados-based CARICOM Development Fund (CDF).

Preliminary discussions concerning such a relationship, including support for CDF activities, were held recently between CDF’s chief executive officer Ambassador Lorne McDonnough and Ahmed Bin Abdullah Bin Zaid AlMahmoud, Qatar’s deputy prime minister and minister of state for the council of ministers.

During the meeting, Ambassador McDonnough delivered a letter of introduction from the chairman of the Conference Of Heads Of Governments Of The Caribbean Community, Prime Minister Dr Kenny

Anthony of St Lucia.

The CDF addresses disparities among CARICOM member states that result from the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and

Economy (CSME) and focuses on disbursing concessionary loans and grants, preferably for small to medium-sized projects with a short implementation period.

Authorities swoop down on a weight loss clinic Barbados Nation Authorities moved in on a weight loss clinic Monday and took possession of packages of drugs and documents for analysis.

Police and health officials swooped down on the SureWay clinic at Emperor’s Court, Worthing, Christ Church, after receiving a distress telephone call from an employee.

Three employees were taken into police custody for

questioning.

Director of the Barbados Drug Service Maryam Hinds, who was on the scene with a team of officials, told the DAILY NATION: “We have been monitoring this clinic for some time now.”

Monday night Minister of Health Donville Inniss reported that the ministry had received complaints about the operations at SureWay, which opened its office in Barbados a year ago.

destroyed by a bunch of bandits”.

Mitchell also accused the government of seeking to inflate their public service with their “friends” and that they have also agreed to give public servants an increase in salaries.

“In other words when NNP get there it would have to pay the bill,” he said, adding that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is committing the country to long term expenses without parliamentary approval or oversight.

“You know how you call that. It’s a scorched earth policy. That is the mindset of the bandits that now exist in government,” he told supporters.

The Grenada government was unable to pay public servants their salaries in August on time and said it regretted the delay “but wishes to assure all public workers that they will be

paid”.

Parliament was prorogued earlier this year as the government faced the prospect of having to debate a second motion of no confidence within a two month period.

Ever since it won the 2008 general election ousting the NNP from office after 13 unbroken years, the NDC has been plagued with infighting resulting in the dismissal or resignation of several government ministers.

Dr Keith Mitchell A new party, the National United Front (NUF), comprising former members of the NDC, was launched here last week and it said it would contest the 2013 poll.

Jamaica wants heightened...

(From page 19) which has sanctions for the misuse of computer systems or data and which facilitates the investigation and prosecution of such crimes, was passed in 2010.

Provision was also made for the Act to be reviewed biannually.

Robinson said the review is important in this new age and the rapid advance of

computer technology.

“We have to ensure that the provisions [that are in place] allow our security forces and our prosecutors to be able to deal with persons effectively, who commit cybercrimes and that they protect our individuals and our assets against persons who may want to perpetrate such crimes,” he said.

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Wednesday December 05, 2012

Obama firm on tax rates amid Republican infighting WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - President Barack Obama dangled the possibility yesterday of lowering tax rates in 2013 with a broad U.S. tax code revamp, but he stood firm on insisting rates for the wealthiest must rise as part of a deal to avert the “fiscal cliff,” a series of budget cuts and tax increases that will begin taking effect on December 31 unless Congress acts.

Congressional Republicans, looking at yet another poll showing most Americans would blame them for going off the cliff, showed more signs of internal stress over how far to go in compromising with Obama’s demands on tax rates.

Outside official Washington, concern mounted about how and

when - not to mention if - the politicians might put their disagreements behind them in the short time remaining.

Worry about the fiscal cliff is hurting the economy.

The manufacturing sector contracted in November and posted its weakest performance in three years, a report showed on Monday.

Companies taking part in the survey said uncertainty over the negotiations in Washington was a factor.

Economists warn that unless a deal is reached, the economy could be thrown back into recession.

A bi-partisan delegation of governors met with Obama and congressional leaders and fretted about their own state budgets, roughly 30 percent derived from federal money.

U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L, facing camera) meets with members of the National Governors Association (NGA) Executive Committee in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, yesterday. REUTERS/Larry Downing Members of the governors’ group, led by Democrat Jack Markell of Delaware and Republican Mary Fallin of Oklahoma, pointedly noted in comments outside the White House that they were able to work together despite party

differences.

After meeting with the governors, the president pressed his agenda in an interview with Bloomberg Television. He reiterated his openness to unspecified reforms in entitlement programs such as Medicare, the government health insurance plan for seniors.

He repeated that as part of any deal, low tax rates on 98 percent of taxpayers should be extended, but that taxes on the top 2 percent should rise. “Let’s let those go up,” Obama said, referring to a “down payment” for future negotiations.

“And then let’s set up a process with a time certain, at

the end of 2013 or the fall of 2013, where we work on tax reform, we look at what loopholes and deductions both Democrats and Republicans are willing to close, and it’s possible that we may be able to lower rates by broadening the base at that point.”

In a written offer made Monday by House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and signed by the House Republican leadership, Republicans continued to reject increases in tax rates.

But they said they would consider $800 billion in revenue increases from overhauling the tax code,

along with spending cuts and entitlement revisions, as part of a deficit reduction deal.

That amount, which Boehner informally accepted during previous debt-ceiling negotiations in 2011, is not nearly enough for Obama.

But it is too much for U.S. Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina and a number of other conservatives who have built their political reputation around a low-tax philosophy.

“Speaker Boehner’s $800 billion tax hike will destroy American jobs and allow politicians in Washington to spend even more,” DeMint said in a statement on Tuesday.

(Reuters) - European Union states struggled to agree yesterday on a common response to Israel’s plans to expand settlements in the West Bank, highlighting the divisions within the bloc over how to tackle the PalestinianIsraeli conflict.

At a meeting in Brussels, ambassadors responsible for security issues discussed the possibility of all 27 EU states writing to Tel Aviv to express their displeasure or calling in Israeli a m b a s s a d o rs for consultations, as five EU countries have already done.

No formal decisions were taken during the meeting and the issue will be discussed further on Friday, EU diplomats told Reuters. But it remains possible that language censoring Israel could be included in a statement to be issued by EU foreign ministers after a meeting on December 10 in Brussels, they said.

“We have agreed on a recommendation so it is not obligatory,” one EU diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Divisions in Europe over the Palestinian-Israeli conflict were highlighted last week when the bloc’s 27 governments failed to find a common position on the United Nations General Assembly vote on a de facto recognition of a of state of Palestine.

Fourteen European governments backed the Palestinians’ successful bid for a status upgrade at the U.N., but 12 abstained and one, the Czech Republic, voted against it.

The EU has repeatedly spoken out against Israeli settlements on land that the Palestinians want for their state, saying they hinder peace efforts and undermine the chances of creating a state of Palestine.

But some governments are wary of pushing the Israeli government too hard and hurting EU ambitions to build up its credentials as a power broker in the Middle East and bolster its voice on the diplomatic stage.

The EU is the biggest foreign aid donor to the Palestinians, providing them around 300 million euros (244 million pounds) a year from the EU budget.

Individual governments add a similar amount in addition to that, with the funds spent on direct budget support, refugees and Palestinian institutionbuilding.

EU officials argue that European support to Palestinian state-building efforts in the West Bank, and other policies, were an important ingredient of international efforts to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

EU considers response to Israeli settlement building plans

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Powerful typhoon kills at least 74 in Philippines MANILA, Philippines (AP) — At least 43 villagers and soldiers drowned in a southern Philippine town yesterday when torrents of water dumped by a powerful typhoon cascaded down a mountain, engulfing emergency shelters and an army truck, officials said. The deaths raised the toll from one of the strongest storms to hit the country this year to at least 74.

Gov. Arturo Uy said rain from Typhoon Bopha accumulated atop a mountain and then burst down on Andap village in New Bataan town in hard-hit Compostela Valley province. The victims included villagers who had fled from their homes to a school and village hall, which were then swamped by the flash flood. An army truck carrying soldiers and villagers was washed away, according to Uy and army officials.

“They thought that they were already secure in a safe area, but they didn’t know the torrents of water would go their way,” Uy told DZBB radio.

He said the confirmed death toll in the town was likely to rise because several other bodies could not immediately be retrieved from floodwaters strewn with

Residents walk back to their homes after Typhoon Bopha made landfall in Compostela Valley in southeastern Philippines yesterday. (AP Photo/Karlos Manlupig) huge logs and debris.

Bopha slammed into Davao Oriental province region at dawn, its ferocious winds ripping roofs from homes and its 500-kilometer (310-mile) -wide rain band flooding low-lying farmland.

The storm, packing winds of 140 kilometers (87 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 170 kph (106 mph), toppled trees, triggered landslides and sent flash floods surging across

the region’s mountains and valleys.

Two entire provinces lost power and more than 100 domestic flights were canceled. About 60,000 people fled to emergency shelters.

Twenty-three people drowned or were pinned by fallen trees or collapsed houses in Davao Oriental province’s coastal town of Cateel, which had the most

Rio arrests 63 police in corruption crackdown RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Investigators in Rio de Janeiro arrested 63 police officers and 11 alleged drug traffickers yesterday after a year-long bribery probe and ongoing efforts to stamp out police corruption ahead of the World Cup in 2014 and Summer Olympics in 2016.

The arrests, part of a crackdown on Rio’s historically violent and corrupt state police force, follow an investigation into bribes that drug dealers allegedly paid to police officers so they could operate without interference.

The arrests were centered around Duque de Caxias, one of the crime-ridden suburbs that make up the gritty outskirts of the coastal metropolis.

The officers and others arrested were charged with crimes including drug trafficking, corruption and kidnapping. The activities, state police officials said, were carried out in the favelas, or slums, north of central Rio. Officials have gone to great lengths to clean up Rio and the surrounding state of

the same name before the international sporting events, which are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors. But the violence, corruption and drug trade that have plagued Brazil’s secondbiggest city thrive in all but the few neighborhoods where the events will take place.

Combined with construction delays, missed budgets and a stagnant Brazilian economy, security concerns add to growing uncertainty ahead of the competitions. Yesterday, officials at the International Olympic Committee reminded Rio that “time is ticking” ahead of the games.

State officials, however, pointed to yesterday’s arrests as progress on the security front.

Dubbed “Operation Purification,” the probe and arrests reflect the ongoing effort to curb unruly elements of a police force with ties to the criminals they are supposed to pursue.

“It’s important that we cut into our own flesh so the institution can earn legitimacy,” said Mariano

Beltrame, Rio’s state security secretary.

Erir Ribeiro, commander of the police force, added: “We can no longer accept the humiliation of deviant conduct practiced by a few.”

Following Tuesday’s detentions, officials fired the commander of the police battalion where the arrested officers were deployed.

Because of low salaries compared to much of the private sector, police often turn to crime. In addition to collusion with drug gangs and other criminals, some Rio police run the infamous “militias” that control vast swaths of the state and illegal activities ranging from extortion to murder to unlicensed public transport.

Tuesday’s arrests came on the same day that another officer, a state police corporal, went on trial for the killing last year of Patricia Acioli, a Rio judge known for her work investigating militias. As the trial got under way, the corporal, who helped investigators build their case, gave a dramatic confession and said he deserved to be punished.

deaths after New Bataan, Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon Malanyaon told the ABSCBN TV network, citing police reports.

Some towns in the province were so battered that no roofs remained on buildings, Malanyaon said.

The other deaths

included three children who were buried by a wall of mud and boulders that plunged down a mountain in Marapat village, also in Compostela Valley.

Their bodies were wrapped in blankets by their grieving relatives and placed on a stage in a basketball court.

“The only thing we could do was to save ourselves. It was too late for us to rescue them,” said Valentin Pabilana, who survived the landslide.

In Davao Oriental, a poor agricultural and gold-mining province about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) southeast of Manila, an elderly woman was killed when her house was struck by a falling tree, said Benito Ramos, who heads the government’s disasterresponse agency.

The other victims either drowned or were hit by trees, he said, adding that the death toll was expected to rise.

While some 20 typhoons and storms normally lash the archipelago nation annually, the southern provinces battered by Bopha are unaccustomed to fierce

typhoons, which normally hit the northern and central Philippines.

A rare storm last December killed more than 1,200 people and left many more homeless and traumatized, including in Cagayan de Oro city, where church bells pealed relentlessly on Tuesday to warn residents to scramble to safety as a major river started to swell.

Officials were taking no chances this year, and President Benigno Aquino III appealed on national TV on Monday for people in Bopha’s path to move to safety and take storm warnings seriously.

In Compostela Valley, authorities halted mining operations and ordered villagers to evacuate to prevent a repeat of deadly losses from landslides and the collapse of mine tunnels in previous storms.

Bopha, a Cambodian word for flower or a girl, is the 16th weather disturbance to hit the Philippines this year.

Forecasters say at least one more storm may strike the country before Christmas.

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Wednesday December 05, 2012

NATO warns Syria not to use chemical weapons BRUSSELS/BEIRUT (Reuters) - NATO told Syrian President Bashar al-Assad yesterday that any use of chemical weapons in his fight against encroaching rebel forces would be met by an immediate international response.

The warning from NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen came as U.S. government sources said Washington had information that Syria was making what could be seen as preparations to use its chemical arsenal.

Syrian forces meanwhile

bombarded rebel districts near Damas c u s i n a sustained counter-attack to stem rebel gains around Assad’s power base as the insurgency may be entering a decisive phase.

International concern over Syria’s intentions has been heightened by reports that its chemical weapons have been moved and could be prepared for use.

“The possible use of chemical weapons would be completely unacceptable for the whole international community and if anybody

resorts to these terrible weapons I would expect an immediate reaction from the international community,” Rasmussen told reporters at the start of a meeting of alliance foreign ministers in Brussels.

The chemical threat made it urgent for the alliance to send Patriot anti-missile missiles to Turkey, Rasmussen said.

The French Foreign Ministry referred to “possible movements on military bases storing chemical weapons in Syria” and said the

international community would react if they were used.

Britain has told the Syrian government that any use of chemical weapons would have “serious consequences”, Foreign Secretary William Hague said.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday t o l d Assad not to use chemical weapons, without saying how the United States might respond. The Foreign Ministry in Damascus said it would never use such weapons against Syrians.

Protest at Egypt president’s palace turns violent

Protesters chant slogans in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, yesterday. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) CAIRO (AP) — A protest by at least 100,000 Egyptians outside the presidential palace in Cairo turned violent yesterday as tensions grew over Islamist President Mohammed Morsi’s seizure of nearly unrestricted powers and a draft constitution hurriedly adopted by his allies.

Crowds around the capital and in the coastal city of Alexandria were still swelling several hours after nightfall.

The large turnout signaled sustained momentum for the opposition, which brought out at least 200,000 protesters to Cairo’s Tahrir Square a week ago and a comparable number on Friday.

They are demanding the Morsi rescind decrees that placed him above judicial oversight.

In a brief outburst, police fired tear gas to stop protesters approaching the palace in the capital’s Heliopolis district.

Morsi was in the palace conducting business as usual while the protesters gathered outside. But he left for home through a back door when the crowds “grew bigger,” according to a presidential official who spoke on condition of anonymity

because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

The official said Morsi left on the advice of security officials at the palace and to head off “possible dangers” and to calm protesters.

Morsi’s spokesman, however, said the president left the palace at the end of his work schedule through the door he routinely uses.

The violence erupted when protesters pushed aside a barricade topped with barbed wire several hundred yards from the palace walls.

Police fired tear gas, and then retreated.

With that barricade removed, protesters moved closer to the palace’s walls, with police apparently choosing not to try and push the crowds back.

Soon afterwards, police abandoned the rest of the barricades, allowing the crowds to surge ahead to the walls of the palace complex.

But there were no attempts to storm the palace, guarded inside by the army’s Republican Guard.

The brief outburst of violence left 18 people injured, none seriously, according to the official MENA news agency.

UK downplays economic sanctions against Israel LONDON (AP) — British Foreign Secretary William Hague has downplayed the possibility of European economic sanctions against Israel for its latest settlement-building plans, saying there is “no enthusiasm around the European Union” for such measures.

Asked in Parliament about whether Britain would put some economic muscle behind its condemnations of Israel, Hague said that imposing sanctions is not the U.K.’s approach. He added he

does not believe “there would be anywhere near a consensus” on the issue in Europe.

Hague said yesterday that Britain will continue to try to bring both sides back into peace talks, and consider what further diplomatic steps European countries can take if Israeli settlement building continues.

Israel on Monday rejected American and European condemnations over its plans to build thousands of new homes in West Bank settlements.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 0500h -Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 0510h - Meditation 0530h - Queenstown Masjid Presents Quran This Morning 0600h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Ram Bhajans 0615h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Ram Bhajans 0630h - Muneshwar Limited Presents Ram Bhajans

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Wednesday December 5, 2012 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may be feeling more positive now about what you are doing with your life. It’s as if you’re awakening from a sound sleep just as the lights are switched on. However, there is no need to overreact.

If you work yourself up into a flurry of activity, you might have to retreat so that you don’t go over the edge.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Being aware of the conflict between two facets of your own personality today doesn’t mean you are able to arrive at a clear answer. The more you try to hold on to the status quo, the more difficult it is to make your choice.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You can dance circles around everyone today because you feel as if you’re at the top of your game. Others may think you are quite charming and witty, but you might lose your advantage if you overplay your hand. Don’t act too sure of yourself or your plans could backfire pretty quickly.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Opening your heart to someone at work today may have you worrying about the appropriateness of your actions, especially if the situation makes you uncomfortable.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) It’s time to explore your emotions and show others what you want now that the Moon is back in your sign.

However, you could be treading on dangerous ground if your motives are completely selfish.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) What others don’t say now can grab your attention today, as if the unspoken words have more power because they are kept secret. This may manifest through a simple misunderstanding if you make a false assumption.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Good friends come to your rescue today, whether it’s just for an enjoyable escape or a more meaningful interaction to share your feelings. If there is nothing already on your calendar, make something happen by getting on the phone and connecting with your social network.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You’re likely to reveal more of yourself than you intend today, yet you still can act professionally at work now that the Moon is in your 10th House of Public Status. Maintaining your composure is probably a good idea, for your job should come first at this time.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You might be feeling upbeat about what’s happening, but don’t bury significant information just so you can have a better time today. It’s not that you will necessarily lean toward denial; it’s just things may not be quite as clear as you prefer.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may be working harder than ever since you realize that it’s time to make a significant commitment to your career now — especially if you are to succeed. But your nagging fear of failure could just be the surface of a deeper issue.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Although everything might seem to be going well now, a difficult interaction with someone at work could catch you off guard. If you’re feeling uncertain about your responsibilities, ask your boss for clarification.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You may be asked to work in service now without receiving the recognition you deserve.

This lack of attention could bring up familiar issues that make you uncomfortable. It’s not that you don’t want to be a team player, nor are you trying to avoid your job.

1130h - Indian Soap - Punar Vivaah 1200h - Gina News 1215h - DVD Movie:NAKSHA (Eng: Sub:) *ing Sunny Deol, Sameera Reddy, Vivek Oberoi & Jackie Shroff 1415h - THUNDERBALL *ing Sean Connery 1630h - Drying Tears Live with Pastor Edson 1730h - Kingdom Agenda Hosted by Bishop Dr. J. Edgehill 1800h - Ganesh Parts Presents - BHAGAVAD GITA ( Discourses in English) Serial 1815h - Birthday Greetings / Deaths Announcement & In Memoriam 1830h - Hare Krishna Today 1900h - Music Fantasia with Asif Nawaz 2000h - Ashmins Presents DANCE WITH ME with Joel 2100h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 2130h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 2200h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta 2230h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 2330h - Cricket:- 3RD TEST INDIA vs ENGLAND DAY 2 DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55 hrs. Sign On 09:00 hrs. GMA 10:00 hrs. Live! With Kelly and Michael 11:00 hrs. The Ricki Lake Show 12:00 hrs. The View 13:00 hrs. Prime News 13:30 hrs. The Young and the Restless 14:30 hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 15:00 hrs. The Talk 16:00 hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00 hrs. MacGyver 18:00 hrs. World News 18:30 hrs. Nightly News 19:30 hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00 hrs. Channel 8 News 20:30 hrs. DTV’s Christmas Spectacular 22:00 hrs. Criminal Minds (New Episode) 23:00 hrs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (New Episode) 00:00 hrs. Sign Off MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 Sign on 06:00 hrs - Islamic Perspective 06:30 hrs - CNN News

Page 25

07:00 hrs - DAYBREAK – Live 08:00 hrs - Dabi’s musical 08:30 hrs - Avon DVD Musical 09:00 hrs - Current Affairs 09:15 hrs - Top Notch Music Break 09:30 hrs - Caribbean Temptation Music Mix 10:00 hrs - Amanda’s Costume jewellery musical 10:30 hrs - BBC World News 11:00 hrs - National Geographic 12:00 hrs - The View 13:00 hrs - Village Talk 13:30 hrs - The Young and The Restless 14:30 hrs - Days of Our lives 15:00 hrs - General Hospital 16:00 hrs - The Bold and The Beautiful 16:30 hrs - Cartoons 17:00 hrs - Birthday and other greetings 17:15 hrs - Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30 hrs - Sitcom 18:00 hrs - Aracari Resort Hour 19:00 hrs - Update on Boxing Day lime 19:30 hrs - News Update 20:30 hrs - DJ Stress Update 23:30 hrs - Musical Waves 22:00 hrs - Indian Movie: Vastu Shasua

23:00 hrs - News Update 23:00 hrs - Indian Movie: Vastu Shasua continues Sign Off NCN CHANNEL 11 04:30 hrs - Third ODI 08:00 hrs - Cricket Info and Quiz 08:30 hrs - Shopping Time 08:45 hrs - Third ODI Continued 12:15 hrs - Feature 12:30 hrs - NCN Newsbreak 12:35 hrs - Focus on GRA (r/ b) 13:00 hrs - Beauty of Christmas 14:05 hrs - African Moves (r/ b) 15:00 hrs - Feature 16:00 hrs - Cartoons 17:00 hrs - Anderson 18:00 hrs - NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30 hrs - Oral Traditions 19:00 hrs - The Big PrizeCourts 19:30 hrs - GWI Alert 20:00 hrs - 3d/daily millions/ play de dream/lotto draw 20:10 hrs - Feature 20:35 hrs - Feature 21:05 hrs - NCN Sports Magazine 22:05 hrs - NCN News Late Edition 22:35 hrs - Caribbean Newsline 23:00 hrs - Movie

Guides are subjected to change without notice

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

$167M bid submitted for spares for T&HD vessels Under the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), four bids were opened yesterday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), for the acquisition of spares for vessels. The bids were opened at the Ministry of Finance, Main Street.

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) received bids for the preparation of video and audio documentary on sustainable energy lighting and fittings. With an engineer’s estimate of $3,000,000 the bids are:

Bids for the supply and delivery of surgical instruments for the Ministry of Health were also opened.

The Ministry of Education received bids for the rehabilitation of the I.T Laboratory of the Mon Repos Primary School. With an engineer’s estimate of $3,954,621 the bids were:

Bids for the rehabilitation of the I.T Laboratory for the Grove Primary School were also received. With an engineer’s estimate of $3,976,115 the bids were:

Bids were submitted for the rehabilitation of the I.T Laboratory for the Graham’s Hall Primary. With an engineer’s estimate of $7,191,035, the three bids were:

Bids for the rehabilitation of the I.T Laboratory for the Enterprise Primary were also received

by NPTAB. With an engineer’s estimate of $3,365,505 the bids:

Four bids were submitted for the rehabilitation of the I.T Laboratory for the West Ruimveldt Primary. With an engineer’s estimate of $1,353,700 the bids were:

The rehabilitation of the I.T Laboratory for the Friendship Primary School attracted two bids. With an engineer’s estimate of $4,512,750 the bids were:

And two bids were also received for the rehabilitation of the fence at the Ministry of Finance, Urquhart Street. The engineer’s estimate was $3,269,501 and the bids were:

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Man critical after struck Court Orderly caught with by police prosecutor’s car “settlement” money A 38-year-old cane harvester is in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was struck down on Monday night on the Fyrish Public Road in Berbice.

Troy Liverpool, called ‘Lil Man,’ of 22 Queen Street, Courtland Village, Corentyne, was reportedly struck from behind while walking with the mother of his child.

Relatives allege that the driver, identified as Inspector Michael Grant, who is also prosecutor on the Upper Corentyne, attempted to drive away but was stopped by angry onlookers, who forced him to return to the scene.

The rank has been placed under close arrest and his car, a black Toyota NZE (PMM831), has been impounded at the Central Police Station, New Amsterdam.

Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell last night described the incident as “a very serious matter.”

Brumell said that the prosecutor will be removed from the court pending the outcome of the investigation.

The top cop said that he understands that the rank was given a breathalyzer test but that the equipment malfunctioned. He said he

- rank under close arrest

The critically injured Troy Liverpool was also informed that Liverpool was struck from behind.

“This is a serious matter and as long as you commit yourself you have to face the c o n s e q u e n c e s , ” Commissioner Brumell asserted.

Ann Crandon, the injured man’s aunt, said that she was informed that the reputed wife was walking in front of him when she heard a loud sound.

The reputed wife alleged that she turned around and saw Liverpool “pitch in the air and fall back on the road.”

The aunt said she was informed that the driver who struck Liverpool drove some 50 feet away from the scene before persons who had

witnessed the accident stopped him.

He was reportedly forced to take the injured Liverpool to the New Amsterdam Hospital. He was then taken into police custody.

Owing to the severity of his injuries, Liverpool was then transferred to the Georgetown Hospital.

Irate relatives who converged at the Central Police Station on Monday night said that they asked investigators to conduct a breathalyzer test on the rank who had struck down Liverpool. One relative claimed that ranks ordered them to leave the station compound and wait on the road.

Grove man charged with Edun Farms employee’s murder A Grove resident has been charged with the murder of 57-year-old Aga Khan, the Edun Poultry Farms employee who was shot and killed during a robbery in early November.

Mahindra Bishundial called ‘Tyrone’ of 265 Third Street Grove, made an appearance yesterday at the Providence Court before Magistrate Leslie Sobers. Bishundial is charged with murdering Khan in the course of and in furtherance of robbery.

The indictable charge further stated that the incident occurred on Tuesday November 6, at Busby Dam, Craig, East Bank Demerara.

The accused was not required to enter a plea.

Bishundial was represented by attorney-atlaw Mark Waldron who informed the court that his client was beaten severely by the police. The lawyer was advised by the Magistrate to take up that aspect of the matter with the Police Complaints Authority.

The accused was remanded and will make his next court appearance on December 17.

On November 6, last,

Aga Khan, of 20 Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara, was shot at close range in the right side of his neck after he reportedly handed over a bag containing a quantity of cash to one of four robbers.

The father of three was pronounced dead at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

Khan and two porters, Mervin Marcus and Ken Ross, were all employed by the Edun Poultry Farms & Hatchery, located a stone’s throw from where the robbery took place.

The wounded porter, Mervin Marcus, was shot in his right shoulder.

A police release on the matter had stated that Khan was attacked by four men, one of whom was armed

with a handgun and others with knives. Khan was driving motor lorry GJJ 2806 owned by Edun Poultry Farms, east along Busby Dam, when the men walked into the path of the vehicle causing the driver to stop. One of the men then approached Khan and demanded cash. He was shot to his neck in the process.

One of the suspects then approached Marvin Marcus who was in the cab with Ken Ross of Brickery Road, Craig, EBD. Marcus was shot to his shoulder before handing over money to the men who then escaped.

Three men were arrested in connection with the matter, however, only Bishundial has been charged.

The refusal to hand back money given to him as an inducement to settle a court matter has landed a Police Constable in hot water.

The Constable, who acted as the Orderly at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, was placed under close arrest after the money was found in his possession.

The police in a statement said that following a sting operation yesterday, the Constable was caught in possession of money he had accepted from a male defendant as inducement to settle a matter of domestic violence which was before the Court.

According to the police when the matter was called in Court, the Virtual Complainant did not offer any evidence against the defendant and consequently the matter was dismissed.

Recognizing that under the circumstances there was no need for the assistance of the police rank, the man asked back for his money, which was refused.

The matter was reported to the police and the subsequent response resulted in the money being found in the possession of the rank.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Man City miss out on Europa League spot BBC Sport - Manchester City missed out on a Europa League place after ending their miserable Champions League campaign with a defeat by Borussia Dortmund.

Ajax’s defeat by Real Madrid meant City would have finished third in Group D had they beaten the German champions. But Dortmund posed the greater threat, forcing a series of saves from Joe Hart before Julian Schieber slid in to score from Jakub Blaszczykowski’s cross.

City crash out of Europe without a win in any of their six group games.

Their haul of three points is a meagre return given the vast resources at Roberto Mancini’s disposal, and is the lowest by an English club in the 20-year history of the competition.

City become the first Premier League side not to manage a single group win, and missing out on the consolation prize of the Europa League means their seeding is likely to drop further when they return to Europe next season.

On this evidence, a vast improvement is required if they are to make any impact.

If it had not been for some superb saves by Hart, City would have lost by an even greater margin to a depleted Dortmund side without many of their stars.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were already through as group winners so the onus was on the visitors to chase victory, especially with Ajax behind early on in Madrid.

But Mancini’s men created little in the first 45 minutes, and their only effort on goal was a bouncing shot

by Edin Dzeko that Roman Weidenfeller pushed round his post.

Carlos Tevez worked hard and covered a lot of ground but, without the injured David Silva, City were lacking a spark in attack.

Dortmund also began slowly before creating a host of chances either side of halftime.

Hart, City’s hero when they snatched a point against Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium in October, came to their rescue before the break when he got his fingertips to

Julian Schieber slid in to put Borussia Dortmund one up. (AP)

a Marco Reus drive and dived to keep out Ivan Perisic’s curling shot.

The home side went closer still when Mats Hummels was just unable to turn in an inviting free-kick from Blaszczykowski, who came on for Marco Reus at the interval.

Edin Dzeko headed

straight at Weidenfeller as City tried to respond but the chances kept coming for Dortmund, with Hart tipping a swerving Perisic volley over the bar and reacting well to beat away Kevin Grosskreutz’s fierce strike.

So it was no surprise when they took the lead just before the hour mark, Schieber gratefully gobbling up Blaszczykowski’s delightful low cross.

The scorer almost added

a second soon after when Hart kept out his chip and City’s response was muted at best, despite the best efforts of Tevez.

The Argentine striker and his compatriot Sergio Aguero forced smart saves from Weidenfeller but Hart remained the busier g o a l k e e p e r, s t o p p i n g a Robert Lewandowski effort with his face.

In the end City went out meekly. They had known

before kick-off they could progress no further in the Champions League and this lethargic performance was an appropriate way to end a hugely disappointing campaign.

A far better display will be needed when the Premier League champions return to domestic action on Sunday in what promises to be a pivotal clash with title rivals Manchester United.

Is Neymar’s reverse flick pass his most brazen piece of showboating to date?

Neymar scored two, made one and them turned on the style (Latin Content Getty Images) Daily Mail - We’ve become accustomed to more than a hint of flair from the brilliant Brazilian Neymar, but his latest stunt may just top the lot. While certainly not the most spectacular moment of his fledgling career, the casual nature of the star’s reverse flick takes showboating to a whole new level.

With the clock ticking

down in Santos’ league match with lowly Palmeiras - and, in fact, of the season - Neymar strolled towards his opponent.

In truth, those in green had little interest in trying to nip the ball off the end the 20-year-old’s toe, probably through fear of embarrassment.

But as they waited, Neymar, who had already scored two and made one to

put his team in a commanding position, rolled the ball up and off his left shin and then, with the outside of his right boot, sent a 20-yard pass right into the path of a team-mate.

Some would say a thunderous top-corner strike would give the move a perfect ending, but we can’t help but think the woefully inept effort that followed was far more enjoyable.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Arsenal fall to defeat at Olympiakos Arsenal’s poor run of form continued as they wasted the chance to finish top of Champions League Group B with defeat by Olympiakos in Athens.

A Gunners side featuring seven changes started well and Tomas Rosicky slotted them ahead shortly before half-time. But Olympiakos equalised through a closerange finish by Giannis Maniatis and took a deserved lead thanks to Kostas Mitroglou’s curling strike.

Arsenal had already qualified for the last 16 but came second in the pool. That means they could face the likes of Barcelona, Paris SaintGermain or Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.

While they will be pleased to have reached the knockout stage for the 13th consecutive season, the Gunners have now won just four of their last 13 matches in all competitions.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s visit of West Brom in the Premier League, where Arsenal sit 10th with only 21 points from 15 games.

This was the third time in four years they have lost at Olympiakos in their final group game, and the manner

of their surrender should concern manager Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman and his side complained bitterly about the award of a corner that led to the equaliser, but in truth an average Olympiakos team punished Arsenal for another poor defensive show.

It looked so different early on as the Gunners, away from their domestic troubles, played with a relative lack of pressure. Wenger started Marouane Chamakh, Francis Coquelin and Sebastien Squillaci, with 20-year-old Jernade Meade given his full debut at left-back and five teenagers named on the substitutes’ bench.

The alterations seemed to give Arsenal the freshness they needed and their 4-3-3 formation posed a reasonable attacking threat. Gervinho, Chamakh and Alex OxladeChamberlain all had early chances before Aaron Ramsey miscued from a fine position.

As is so often the problem, though, they looked vulnerable at the back Thomas Vermaelen intercepted a Djamel Abdoun cross and Pablo Contreras saw a header cleared off the

Olympiakos players celebrate a goal (AP) line by Rosicky. It was a period of dominance for Olympiakos, but Arsenal held firm and then pushed forward again - and their reward arrived.

Gervinho advanced to the byline and played a pinpoint cut-back for Rosicky to clip an impressive first-time finish.

It was Rosicky’s first goal since 6 March but would be the Czech’s last contribution as he was replaced by Andrey

GFF Super League

Five matches carded for Sunday Following the postponement of all the matches last week Sunday in the Guyana Football Federation Super League due to rain, five matches will be contested this Sunday at three venues.

The BV ground on the East Coast of Demerara will see one game contested from 15:30hrs with the home team, Date Sun 03:02:13 Warriors “ “ “ “ Wed 06:02:13 Sun 10:02:13 Ward “ “ Wed 13:06:13 Sun 17:06:13 “ “ “ Utd

Time 15:30 hrs

BV Triumph United entertaining Western Tigers, the game was originally fixed for the GFC ground.

Up at the Buxton Community Centre ground, a double header is on with the opening fixture from 13:30hrs featuring defending champions Alpha United against Upper Demerara’s Milerock. The main attraction pits home team Buxton United Sports Club against another Linden side, Amelia’s Ward United from 15:30hrs.

And over at the Uitvlugt Community Centre ground, West Coast Demerara, opening action brings together Den Amstel Porknockers and The Ancient County’s Rosignol United from 13:30hrs with the afternoon’s main event between Uitvlugt Warriors and city side, Pele.

Meanwhile, the recommencement of the first round of matches in eth two round league is set for February 3, 2013.

Remaining First Round Fixture 2013 Venue Teams Blairmont BCC Rosignol United vs Uitvlugt

13:30 hrs 15:30 hrs 18:00 hrs 20:00 hrs TBA 13:30 hrs

BV “ GFC “ TBN Uitvlugt

Buxton United vs Milerock BVTU vs Den Amstel Porknockers Pele vs Amelia’s Ward Alpha United vs Western Tigers Milerock vs Amelia’s Ward Den Amstel Porknockers vs Amelia’s

15:30 hrs 15:30 hrs 19:00 hrs 15:30 hrs 19:00 hrs 13:30 hrs 15:30 hrs

“ Uitvlugt Warriors vs BV/TU Blairmont BCC Rosignol Utd vs Alpha Utd GFC Alpha United vs Amelia’s Ward Blairmont BCC Rosignol United vs BV/TU GFC Pele vs BK Western Tigers Uitvlugt Uitvlugt Warriors vs Buxton United “ Den Amstel Porknockers vs Alpha

Arshavin at half-time.

Arshavin missed two clear chances and that appeared to give the hosts and their noisy supporters renewed energy.

Then came the moment of controversy as Machado’s header hit the post and went behind, only for a corner to be awarded for an apparent

touch by the diving Wojciech Szczesny.

Following the resultant set-piece, Abdoun’s centre was headed against Squillaci and fell to Maniatis, who forced the ball home.

Olympiakos were now in complete control and, moments after Rafik Djebbour somehow nodded wide, they

struck again.

Manager Leonardo Jardim replaced Abdoun with Mitroglou scorer of Olympiakos’s goal at Emirates Stadium - and with almost his first touch the striker curled a brilliant finish past Szczesny.

That would prove the winner as Arsenal failed to muster a response.

Page 30

Kaieteur News

IOC tells Rio organizers “time is ticking”

IOC spokesman Mark Adams LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) - Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics organizers were told on Tuesday they needed to push ahead with their preparations because time was an issue, the International Olympic Committee said.

Rio has not finalized its budget for the Olympics as well as the venues for several sports, including rugby, hockey and golf.

Rio organizers said last month the Sao Januario Stadium, home of soccer club Vasco da Gama, had missed the October 31 deadline and

they would therefore revisit plans for the Joao Havelange Stadium to host the rugby sevens tournament instead.

“Our message remains there is time but time is ticking.

They (Rio organizers) need to carry on attacking this one with all vigor,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters.

Brazil is also hosting the 2014 World Cup and organizers for that event have also been urged to speed up preparations by world soccer ’s governing body FIFA. Adams said the IOC Executive Board also asked organizers about the state of the country’s economy with new figures showing lower than expected growth.

Brazil’s economy posted extremely disappointing growth in the third quarter, piling pressure on President Dilma Rousseff to make deeper structural reforms and adding to fears that the global slowdown is hurting big emerging markets.

The economy grew just 0.6 percent from the second quarter, government statistics

agency IBGE said on Friday.

Rio, which was awarded the Games in 2009, is the first South American city to be picked to host the Olympics.

“Everything is on the way and on time,” Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman told reporters after his presentation to the IOC. “The budget will be ready next year.

We are in a comfortable, good situation. We are in a very good road.”

Nuzman also praised a decision by Rousseff to veto parts of a controversial royalties bill that pits Brazil’s oil-producing states against the rest of the country in a battle over future oil wealth.

Seeking a compromise on perhaps the most divisive issues to arise during her nearly two-year-old presidency, Rousseff vetoed clauses that would slash income for Brazil’s main oil states, including Rio de Janeiro.

“We have a fantastic decision from our president,” Nuzman told reporters. “It gives Rio the recognition of the rights it has.”

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Frankie Dettori failed drug test: Verdict awaited A verdict is due to be announced on Wednesday after French racing stewards met to discuss Frankie Dettori’s failed drugs test.

The jockey, 41, tested positive for a banned substance at Longchamp racecourse on 16 September.

He was suspended on 21 November pending Tu e s d a y ’s d i s c i p l i n a r y hearing by French racing authority France Galop.

The British-based Italian could face a ban of several months. Any suspension is likely to apply worldwide. The substance has not been disclosed, although Dettori’s solicitor said it was not a performanceenhancing drug.

Dettori was not present as France Galop stewards met for 40 minutes on Tuesday morning.

Afterwards, Dettori’s solicitor Christopher StewartMoore said: “We had a sympathetic hearing.

“We are told there will be no announcement until tomorrow and, out of respect for the decision-making process, we will say nothing until then.”

He said no further hearings would be required.

A medical commission considered the case on 20

Frankie Dettori November and referred it to the disciplinary stewards. Dettori, who would not expect to be riding in France at this time of year, answered questions via a conference call at the first hearing.

The jockey has not spoken about the case publicly since the positive test was revealed on 13 November. Stewart-Moore has said Dettori accepted the conclusions of the medical commission “without reservation”.

Dettori gave a positive test at a Sunday meeting which was a day of major trials for October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meeting.

The jockey had four rides at Longchamp that day.

Dettori rode Marco

Botti’s Joshua Tree to third in the Qatar Prix Foy, while the John Hammond-trained Sarah Lynx trailed home last in the Prix Vermeille.

He was then beaten by a head into second on the Godolphin-trained Farhh in the Prix du Moulin and was third on stablemate Willing Foe in the Prix Gladiateur.

France Galop said two urine and three breath tests were carried out on 16 September and that jockeys should expect to be tested at least once a year.

Spokesman Julien Pescatore, said: “Frankie Dettori was not targeted. On average we test around five jockeys a day, and on big days we test 15.”

In October, three-time champion jockey Dettori announced he was to split with Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation after an 18-year association and go freelance from 2013.

Dettori, who rode all seven winners on the card at Ascot in September 1996, has won 14 British Classics, including the Epsom Derby on Authorized in 2007.

He is also a three-time winner of France’s prestigious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, on Lammtarra in 1995, Sakhee in 2001 and Marienbard the following year.

Gibson looks for Windies to improve From back page bulk of the runs and batted for most of the overs,” he said.

“The all-rounders in the middle and lower order, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy and Andre Russell, were then able to make contributions at the backend.

“But the foundations were laid by the top order and we have not laid any foundations for any significant totals in the first two games here, so if everybody does their job, execute the game plan and the batsmen take more responsibility, then I believe we will be alright.”

The West Indies training session scheduled for Tuesday at the National Cricket Academy Ground in Mirpur had to be cancelled.

This followed the management of the team being informed the previous day that there was likely to be a general strike in the Bangladesh capital.

Gibson said the players had been anxious to get back into the nets and try to put

right some of the things they had discussed into practice.

“We did not have that opportunity, so we may arrive at the venue a little earlier [on Wednesday], so that the players can get into the nets and get some work done before the match,” he said.

“But some of the players have been in Bangladesh for a long time. It’s been a long tour for the players that were involved in the Test series, so sometimes a rest is as good as getting back into the nets.

“For the players that arrived for the limited-overs matches only, we hope that they have acclimatised and can get their heads around playing better than we have so far.”

The players were restricted on Tuesday to gym sessions at the team hotel with Strength & Conditioning Coach Hector Martinez and strategic planning meetings in between periods of recovery.

G i b s o n s a i d We s t Indies could make improvements in all three disciplines of the game and hoped to see this from his

side. “We have to make one more run than them, so it means that our batsmen have to be a little bit more determined than they have been to stay there, be a little bit more conscientious about the way they build their innings, and executing their roles for the team,” he said.

“I think it comes down now to people looking at themselves because we haven’t become a bad side overnight and, from my perspective as coach, it’s not all gloom and doom either.”

He said: “It’s just disappointing that we have not been able to string together a good batting display so far with the quality batting that we have from the top all the way through to the middle order.

“Hopefully, the batsmen will take the responsibility for the bulk of the runs and try to bat most of the overs. To be dismissed, like we were in the second ODI – with 19 overs remaining – is very disappointing. Everybody is disappointed and so hopefully the guys will put it right.”

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Humphrey’s Bakery/Gordon Gilhuys supports K&S Football extravaganza The administrators of the K&S football organization are adamant that this year’s tournament will be the best ever and are working feverishly to ensure that all of the details are attended to.

The input of corporate Guyana has been the oxygen of the tournament over the years and continues to be so.

To date, members of the business community have thrown their full weight behind the tournament and this is reflected in the increased prizes offered to the participating clubs, coaches and individual players, by the organizers.

Yesterday afternoon, the K&S principals, Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammad, were the recipients of additional support when George Humphrey of Humphrey’s Bakery and Farm Supplies (HBFS), Ketley Street Charlestown, and Attorneyat-Law, Gordon Gilhuys added their ‘two-bit’ to the

success of the tournament.

The ceremony took place at Humphrey’s Bakery and Farm Supplies where the gifts exchanged hands. Mr. Humphrey acknowledged his involvement ever since the inauguration of the tournament and expressed delight at once again being afforded the opportunity to assist.

He said that his company is noted for its quality service and products and its association with the impending tournament is an extrapolation of these principals.

Mr. Gilhuys echoed those sentiments saying that even though he is no longer the President of the Western Tigers Football Club his interests are still rooted in the development of the sport. He wished the organizers well and urged the public to support the tournament which has, over the years, provided top class holiday entertainment for sports

Mr. Major (centre) gratefully accepts two envelopes from Mr. Gilhuys and Mr. Humphrey (left & right respectively) at the latter individual’s office yesterday afternoon. loving Guyanese.

Activities kick off on December 16 and culminate on January 1 and will be played at venues

countrywide. Players will be vying for a top prize of four million dollars with the team finishing second going home with one million dollars. The

third and fourth places will cart off $750,000 and $ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 r e s p e c t i v e l y, while the Most Valuable Player will win a luxury

motor car as against the motorcycle put up over the years. That prize will be given to the best coach among the lot.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 33

Three to be charged over Fourteen Eritrean footballers disappear in Uganda Dutch football linesman death BBC Sport - Prosecutors in the Netherlands say they will charge three players in connection with the death of a linesman in a Sunday league football match.

The two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old will face broad charges in connection with the death of Richard Nieuwenhuizen. The three remain in custody ahead of their court appearance on Thursday.

The prosecutor’s office said the investigation was continuing and witnesses were still being questioned.

Mr Nieuwenhuizen had been running the line for his s o n ’s team, Buitenboys. After the

match he was attacked by members of the opposition, the Amsterdam club Nieuw Sloten. He collapsed hours after the assault, fell into a coma and died in hospital on Monday.

The Dutch Football Association has cancelled all amateur matches for the coming weekend as a mark of respect for Mr Nieuwenhuizen. A minute’s silence will be observed at professional games.

The assault has been widely condemned in the Netherlands. Sports Minister Edith Schippers, the Dutch FA and the coach of the country’s most famous club,

Ajax, have expressed disbelief and outrage.

And Sepp Blatter, the president of the world governing body, Fifa, has written to the president of the Dutch FA to express his “sadness and distress”.

“Football is a mirror of society and sadly, the same ills that afflict society - in this case violence - also manifest themselves in our game,” Mr Blatter added.

Nieuw Sloten said it intended to ban for life the players found to be responsible, that it had pulled their team from the league and temporarily suspended all its operations as a club.

KAMPALA (Reuters) - At least 14 members of the Eritrea football squad have disappeared in Uganda while playing in a regional tournament and may eventually claim asylum, Ugandan officials said yesterday.

Eritrea is one of the world’s most secretive states ruled by a reclusive president.

This year United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay accused the Asmara government of meting out summary executions, torture and detaining thousands of political prisoners.

In July last year 13 members of an Eritrean football club sought asylum

in Tanzania while 12 members of the national squad disappeared in Kenya in 2009 after competing in a regional tournament.

Rodgers Mulindwa, a spokesman for the Federation of Ugandan Football Associations (FUFA), told Reuters the players had not been seen since early Sunday.

“It’s true, some of the Eritrean players have disappeared. They’ve not been seen at their hotel since early yesterday and it’s very unfortunate,” Mulindwa said.

Police spokesman Ibn Sekundi put the number of missing squad members at 18 but said the team’s management had informed

them the players were simply “checking on relatives”.

Eritrea were taking part in the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) competition. Eritrea last played on Friday, losing 2-0 to Rwanda.

Moses Watasa, from Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) which is responsible for processing asylum applications, said the Eritrean players had not made contact.

“As of now we haven’t had any contact with them so we don’t know their whereabouts, but it’s possible they might want to seek asylum later,” he said.

WICB receives and accepts Kokkinariou’s ban for blood Guyana CT20 Squad from GCB doping doubled on appeal ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board has received and accepted the following Guyana Squad for the Caribbean T20 as provided by the Guyana Cricket Board: Guyana CT20 Squad: Veerasammy Permaul – Captain, Christopher Barnwell – Vice Captain, Ronsford Beaton, Devendra Bishoo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Derwin Christian, Royston Crandon, Narsingh Deonarine, Jonathan Foo, Trevon Griffith, Steven Jacobs, Leon Johnson, Rajiv Ivan and Ramnaresh Sarwan.

The other squads received and accepted by the WICB are as follows: Barbados: Sulieman Benn, Tino Best, Carlos Brathwaite, Justin Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Rolston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Kyle Mayers, Ashley Nurse, Javon Scantlebury-Searles, Dwayne Smith. *The BCA has not yet named a Captain and Vice Captain.

Jamaica: Tamar Lambert (Captain), David Bernard Jr. (Vice Captain) Nkrumah Bonner, Odean Brown, John Campbell, Sheldon Cotterell, Yannick Elliott, Danza Hyatt, Andre McCarthy, Jamie Merchant, Nikita Miller, Andre Russell, Krishmar Santokie, Aldane Thomas.

Leeward Islands: Sylvester Joseph (Captain), Kieron Powell (Vice Captain), Justin Athanaze, Shane Burton, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Chesney Hughes, Javia Liburd, Anthony Martin, Lyndel Richardson, Garvin Tonge, Devon Thomas, Kelbert Walters, Tonito Willett.

Trinidad and Tobago: Denesh Ramdin (Captain), Darren Bravo (Vice Captain), Samuel Badree, Dwayne Bravo, Kevon Cooper, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Yannick Ottley, Evin Lewis, William Perkins, Kieron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul, Lendl Simmons.

Windward Islands: Darren Sammy (Captain), Miles Bascombe, Tade Carmichael,

Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Lyndon James, Delorn Johnson, Keddy Lesporis, Garey Mathurin, Kenroy Peters, Nelon Pascal, Liam Sebastien, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith.

The Combined Campuses and Colleges squad is to be submitted now that all the Territorial Board have named their respective squads. The CCC squad is usually named only after the Territorial Boards have named their squads.

ATHENS (Reuters) Greek distance runner Irini Kokkinariou was banned for four years on Tuesday for blood doping after athletics officials won an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had appealed to the CAS to increase a two-year ban imposed by Greek officials after Kokkinariou, 31, was found guilty of blood doping

in July, based on an abnormal biological passport, or blood profile, between 2009 and 2011.

The CAS agreed with the IAAF that there were aggravating circumstances which merited an increased ban, saying Kokkinariou’s blood profile was “conclusive evidence of the repeated use of blood doping over a protracted period of time as well as her engagement in a carefully planned doping scheme”.

The ban will run from October 27 last year, the date of Kokkinariou’s provisional suspension, and her results would be scratched for the affected period, officials said.

The Greek Athletics Federation (SEGAS) was ordered by the CAS to pay the costs of the appeal.

Kokkinariou finished last in her heat of the 3,000m steeplechase at last year’s world championships in Daegu.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

26 karate students graded at Linden & Albion

Students at the Albion Karate Examinations with Senseis Amir Khouri & Hazrat Ali. Following a grading session on November 25 in which 87 karatekas were graded at the YMCA Thomas Lands by Sensei Amir Khouri for Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai, another batch was graded at Linden and at Albion when affiliated clubs of the Association do Shotokan Karate - Guyana held grading exercises on December 1 and 2.

Sensei Amir Khouri travelled to The Mining Town of Linden on December

1 to conduct Karate examinations for 11 Linden students. Sensei Khouri also travelled to the Ancient County of Berbice the next day to examine 15 Berbice Karatekas at the Albion Community Centre Ground.

The results are as follows:Kyu promotions for Linden 2 students promoted to Yellow Belt (8kyu) 1 student promoted to Orange Belt (7kyu) 2 students promoted to

Green Belt (6kyu) 1 student promoted to Blue Belt (5kyu) 2 students promoted to Purple Belt (4kyu) 2 students promoted to Brown Belt (3kyu) 1 student promoted to Brown Belt (1kyu) Outstanding among the KYU Grades were: Mark Davis who skipped yellow belt to Orange Belt, and Coburn Robertson who skipped Purple belt to Brown belt.

Kyu promotions for Berbice

5 students promoted to Yellow Belt (8kyu) 1 student promoted to Orange Belt (7kyu) 2 students promoted to Blue Belt (5kyu) 4 students promoted to Purple Belt (4kyu) 2 students promoted to Brown Belt (3kyu) 1 student promoted to Brown Belt (1kyu) The association extended thanks to the parents, students and all those who helped to make the exam a success.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Mercury Track and Field Club preparing Athletes for busy 2013 The Mercury Track and Field Club, which is based in Georgetown, are currently preparing their Athletes for a busy 2013. The club is presently using the Guyana Teachers Union and Ministry of Education grounds to train its members from Monday to Friday starting from 16:00 hours.

Head coach, Christopher Gaskin said they are focusing on the 2013 Carifta Games and other competitions. He stated that they are currently doing off season work which will last until February.

“I am pleased with the progress shown, myself along with the other coaches are working very hard to improve their strengths and weaknesses, and get them to focus towards the 2016 Olympics”.

The other coaches involved in preparing the Athletes are Carlotta Rodney, Orin Sheppard, Wendell Lambert (middle and long distance), Jennifer Hall (strength) and Wendy Doris (field).

Ms. Rodney told Kaieteur Sport that she is proud of their achievements in 2012 and is confident they will better their performances in 2013. She said that for the Athletes to continue training they have to maintain a certain level where there studies are concerned.

“They are training very hard and we (coaches) ensure that they not only focus on training but their studies as well, we would check their report cards at the end of the

school term, we want them to balance their education with the training”.

Some of the Athletes represented their Districts in the recently concluded School’s Track and Field Championships where they performed creditably. North Georgetown’s Kevin Abbensetts won Gold in the Boys U-18 100 and Silver in the 200 meters, Triple Jump, Long Jump and 4x100 open relay. Tirana Mitchell of South Georgetown copped Gold in the Girls 100 and 200 meters, she ran a career best 12.3 seconds in the 100 erasing the old record of 12.5. She was also part of the team that took Gold in the open 4x100 meters Relay. Kwesi Blair of East Bank Demerara took the second podium spot in the Boys U-16 800 meters.

Another member of the club, Rennick Burnette of West Berbice grabbed silver in the 100 and 200 meters U20, while Ebony Nelson of East Georgetown won the 100 meter Girls U-20 and placed second in the 200 and 400 events in the same division.

She also took silver in the Long Jump and was a member of theU-18 4x400 meters relay team that took bronze.

She stated that she is training very hard to bring glory to her country and thanked her sponsors. She is being sponsored by Hillary Davidson, Neil Henry and Ronald Thorn while Davidson, Henry, Thorn and along with Collin Ming are supporting Mitchell.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

Ryan Crawford Turf Club and Sports Facility expresses appreciation The Management Committee of the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club & Sports Facilities at Alness Corentyne has taken the opportunity to extend heartfelt gratitude to all the sponsors and the various media houses in Guyana who contributed in making their one day horserace meet at the Clubs Entity, Alness Corentyne, Berbice, last Sunday a success.

Among them are Banks DIH Limited, Attorney at Law Rajendra Poonai, Delmur Company Ltd, Dequan Shipping & Trading Incorporated, Attorney at Law Abiola Wong-Inniss, Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall Bourda market, Cush Construction, Dennis DeRoop Simple Royal racing stables, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Fazal Yunas General Construction, Mohammed “Nankoo” Shariff Business Enterprise, Buddy Sookdeo, Sankar Auto Works, Forestry & Technical Consulting Services, Palace De Leon.

Serious Roadsters, Stretch De Dollar Shopping Mall and Supermarket, Chen Singh, Good Wood Racing service, Sterling Products Limited, Mike’s Pharmacy, Two Brothers Gas station, the Crawford and Elcock Families, Dr Dwight Waldron, Bobby Misir, Bobby Vaughn, Mrs. R Poonai, Francis “Chico” Chichester & Friends, Zinzy Goring, Loressa Mohabir, workers of The Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports facilities, among others and the various media houses.

Wednesday December 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

FIFA should not run commercial side of the game - Champagne PARIS (Reuters) - FIFA’s former director of international relations Jerome Champagne has suggested that those at the head of the world governing body should not also be involved in the commercial side of the sport.

Frenchman Champagne, who left FIFA two years ago, has been tipped to run for the presidency.

Asked by France Football magazine how FIFA could become more democratic, he said: “Those who rule FIFA should not be in a position where they are accused of conflict of interest.

“To get there, it would be appropriate to...create a subsidiary company that would look after the commercial deals.”

In January, Champagne circulated a 20,000-word report to each of FIFA’s 208 member associations that

Jerome Champagne (R), FIFA’s director for international relations, attend a meeting with Kuwaiti Clubs in Kuwait February 9, 2008.

REUTERS/Tariq AlAli examined how many of soccer current ills had developed.

It suggested improvements to the game and changes at the top.

Warne open to Ashes return (Reuters) - Former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne believes he still has the ability to play at the highest level and will consider coming out of retirement to play in next year’s Ashes series if asked by captain Michael Clarke.

“If your best friend says, ‘Mate, I want you to seriously consider making a commitment to Australian cricket and coming back out of retirement’, (to) make myself available for selection, that’s a different scenario,’’ Warne, 43, told the Herald-Sun newspaper in Melbourne.

“Especially with back-to-back Ashes coming up next year, it could be a 12-month thing where you take three spinners with you and say, ‘Righto, work with these spinners and see how you go for 12 months.’ That’s a different kettle of fish.

“I’m definitely not asking for Michael Clarke to come out and say that - that’s a different scenario.

“You asked me if I think I could still play international cricket if I wanted to just turn up, do my bowling and if the first Test match was in three weeks, do you think I could play, (then) I’d have no hesitation in saying yes and I think I’d do pretty well.”

Warne, who retired from international cricket in 2007, is the second highest test wicket-taker ever with 708 dismissals. He was named as one of the Wisden almanac’s best

five cricketers of the 20th century.

“From a purely bowling perspective, I don’t think my form would be the concern, it’s just the time and actually making that commitment again,” he said.

“For me it’s not a matter of whether I could do it or not - I have absolutely no doubt if I wanted to commit to try to make a comeback and go through grade cricket, first-class cricket and try to get selected...that I could do it.”

Shane Warne

Page 35

India under pressure amid pitch spin Cricinfo - It has been a strange old few days between Test matches. Much of the talk has been about an 83year-old groundsman and the 22 yards he is in charge of.

MS Dhoni wants another pitch with spin and bounce qualities that brought his side’s downfall in Mumbai and predictions for the surface have seemingly covered all bases.

England, meanwhile, have sat back, enjoyed a few days off in Mumbai, done some charity work and worked hard in getting a key fast bowler fit.

The two results in this series - India’s nine-wicket win and England’s ten-wicket success - were of such convincing margins in opposite directions that it makes it difficult to really know where each team sits against each other. Yet such was the turnaround performed by England last week that the prospect of a first series win in India since 1984-85 is now a realistic ambition.

A link between the two results is that they have been achieved with a small collection of outstanding performances. In Ahmedabad it was largely Virender Sehwag, Cheteshwar Pujara and Pragyan Ojha. In Mumbai the matchwinners were Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann. While some individuals have been outstanding, both teams have also carried a number of players.

For England, pressure will be on the Warwickshire pair of Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell (should the latter return) to supplement Cook and Pietersen. Then, of course, there is Sachin Tendulkar.

Nobody really knows what he is thinking about the future it is all rumour and hearsay but the bottom line is that he has averaged 22.83 this year.

It’s an intriguing subplot in a fascinating series.

Virat Kohli is the latest golden boy of Indian cricket.

His form over the last 12 months has been outstanding, but after two lean Tests it will be interesting to see how he responds.

While there was not much he could do about the ripper from Graeme Swann that dismissed him in the first Test, he played two poor shots in Mumbai, the second a horrid, inexplicable, miscuing of a full toss to mid-off. There is no doubting his talent; he will score thousands of runs, but right now perhaps he needs a little more circumspection.

So far in this series the only sign of proper pace bowling has been from Umesh Yadav who is now injured. Steven Finn is more than capable of matching him and if, as seems likely, he is recalled he will also have three weeks of pent-up frustration to unleash.

That can be a doubleedged sword, though, and as part of a two-man pace attack he will have to ensure he does not spray the ball around.

Still, if there is any bounce in the pitch Finn will be able to find it.

There are a couple of issues in the India camp.

Harbhajan Singh is suffering from flu and did not train on Tuesday, but the likelihood was a return to two quicks so it should be a straight swap for Ishant Sharma.

Yuvraj Singh took a blow on the hand during training, but the early indications were that it was not too serious.

There has been debate about his place in the side, however with a return to two frontline quicks and two frontline spinners, Yuvraj’s part-time option could be useful.

There are two changes likely for England despite victory in Mumbai. Finn is fully recovered from his thigh strain, and all indications are that he will replace the struggling Stuart Broad as the visitors attempt to spice up

Monty Panesar will hope there is bounce in the Eden Gardens pitch.

(Getty Images) their pace attack. Bell, meanwhile, has returned from paternity leave, and is likely to replace Jonny Bairstow although there is a chance both could play and Samit Patel miss out.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS The pitches have filled plenty of column inches in this series. The only certainty seems to be that it remains 22 yards long. “I don’t think there will be much help for the spinners initially,” Dhoni said.

Perhaps more significantly is the location of this match.

Kolkata is much further east and the daylight hours are short. Play will start at 9am, and both teams have agreed to use floodlights if needed although the forecast is for plenty of sunshine.

Johnny ‘Overseas’ Barnwell organizes 5-a-side penalty shootout Inter-Class Softball Cricket Competition Sports Organizer, Johnny ‘Overseas’ Barnwell will join forces with administrators of the South Turkeyen Sports Committee to stage a 5-a-side penalty shootout and Small Goal Football competition for street teams this Sunday, December 9 at the Cultural

Centre Tarmac, Mandela and Homestretch Avenue Georgetown.

The tournament will attract teams from A, B, C, and D Fields, Sophia, Tiger Bay, North Sophia, East Ruimveldt and Vryheid’s Lust among others.

Once again, Trophy

Stall of Bourda Market has acquiesced to a sponsorship package with Melbourne Inn also donating trophies. Several corporate entities and individuals have donated cash prizes including Attorneys at Law, Roysdale Forde and Basil Williams, Ken Phillips of Antarctic, Maintenance and Repairs and Leader of the Opposition, David Granger.

Mr. Barnwell will be kept busy and would also make his organizational skills available to the success of the Queens College Secondary School Inter-Class Softball Cricket Competition for those students in the 1st and 2nd Forms. That tournament concludes on Saturday when the semi-finals and the finals would be staged at the National Park.

The action commences at 09:00hrs with four matches; 1A Boys and Girls will oppose their respective counterparts of 1B followed by 2C Boys and Girls opposing their respective counterparts of 2D. The teams for the finals

will be decided based on the winners of those matches.

Trophies for this tournament are donated by Trophy Stall of Bourda Market, P&P Insurance and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood.