Kaieteur News

Saturday Edition

Online readership yesterday 91,262

December 08, 2012 - Vol. 6 No. 46 - Price $80 kaieteurnews@yahoo.com Website:http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

NIS operating - GM tells in the redconsultation Top Cop serves recruits

US$10M cocaine Cabinet concerned over unearthed on city wharf stalled parliament

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2012

The new series

The New “RR” series is now in circulation

Presidential Advisor announces…

Cabinet grants no objection for more contracts

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f u r t h e r $40,060,400 is awarded for the Amaila Falls road. This money is being spent on the section for which the Works Ministry h a s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y.

According to Ms Teixeira this money may be going to a sub-contractor largely because of the need for equipment which may not be in the possession of the Works Ministry.

Presidential Advisor, Gail Teixeira yesterday, made this announcement as she reported that Cabinet has granted its no objection to a number of contracts.

Speaking at the weekly media briefing at the Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, she said that as a result, the Public Sector is to spend $103.8 million on the docking and repairing of the MV Barima.

Details of the extent of repairs were not readily

available.

The MV Barima is one of the oldest ferries operating in Guyana with its serving dating back to the more than 60 years ago.

Additionally, in the Public Works Sector, a total of $62.4 million is for the rehabilitation of miscellaneous roads in Region Three.

She stated that the sector is also spending $77,424,900 for the rehabilitation and maintenance of Roads in Region Nine, Sand Creek (Lot 2). Some $38.1 million is for the rehabilitation of miscellaneous road network at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara.

In the Health Sector, Teixeira announced that a total of $19,594,209 is for the procurement of BD vacutainer tubes for the region’s laboratories and US$509,840 is for the procurement of HIV, CAP and CTM reagent for the

Presidential Advisor, Gail Teixeira National Public Health Reference Laboratory.

Additionally, in the H e a l t h S e c t o r, G$119,529.74 is awarded for rapid test for the national AIDS Programme Secretariat.

In the Agriculture Sector, $15,027,000 is awarded for the upgrade of the coast guard base in Fort Island, Essequibo River and US$99,980 for the provision of consultancy services for the establishment of a Food Safety Authority in Guyana.

Top Cop serves recruits The Guyana Police Force held a Christmas luncheon for recruits in training at the Felix Austin Police College, yesterday, at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe.

They are usually served meals by the

Commissioner, Senior Officers and Training Staff. The recruits also entertained with a cultural programme comprising songs, dances, poems and skits during the Luncheon.

Saturday December 08, 2012

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Kaieteur News

Cabinet concerned over stalled Parliament I

By Abena Rockcliffe

n the absence of Dr Roger Luncheon, Presidential Adviser on Governance, Gail Teixeira, during yesterday's post Cabinet briefing expressed concern on behalf of the body about the halt in parliamentary progress due to opposition's quest for the removal of Clement Rohee as Minister of Home Affairs.

Teixeira spoke about Cabinet's worry over a number of Government B i l l s a n d t h e supplementary financial papers that will be coming up for the first reading at the December 17 sitting and a number of Bills that have been stacking up for that are waiting for second readings. Government has not been able to get to them due to the actions during the November 8 and November 22 sittings.

She said that the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill is another Bill that would be

heading to Parliament but not before consultation w i t h t h e j o i n t Parliamentary opposition-A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC). Draft copies of the Bill and the constitution of the Guyana Cricket Board are to `be circulated prior to its tabling.

Teixeira said that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Interim Management Committee (IMC) which is awaiting Clive Lloyd's return, will be convening a meeting early next week with the three Parliamentary parties for the purpose of examining the Bill and constitution.

This, she said, is in keeping with the agreement last February at the interParliamentary dialogue which stated that it is imperative to have a review o f t h e c r i c k e t administration.

According to the Member of Parliament, the deadline for ensuring the aforementioned was put in place prior to the recess; she

stated that it wasn't accomplished then “but we have now reached that point.”

Teixeira said that at the said meeting, it was also agreed that there was a need for a governance framework for the administration of cricket in Guyana and that that was critical.

The media was reminded that the IMC led

by Clive Lloyd has had a large and wide consultation which contributed to the bill and its content.

Teixeira, asked about a letter from the West Indies Cricket Board on a draft Bill, stated that objections to the decision to dissolve the existing Guyana Cricket Board and institute a new one was a proverbial storm in a teacup.

The seeming resentment to the amount of power being granted to the Minister in that Bill was a question of interpretation.

She contended that she did not agree that the Bill granted the Minister a role that was invasive.

She said that the constitution requires the

Guyana Cricket Board to have accountability and transparency and that it is usually a given that when a system is being completely revamped, other persons are put in place to do a job that was previously flawed.

Ms Teixeira said that the draughtsmen are “honourable people” who know the law. However, the role of the Minister in the draft Bill is open for discussion.

Teixeira also said that

there will be a minor but important amendment to the Customs Act that seeks to bring equity to the administration of the tax in relation to plastic beverage containers.

The current Act applies only to imported beverage containers and not to those that are locally manufactured.

H o w e v e r, p e r u s i n g charge applications at the Cariforum, Guyana is required to remove any form of discriminatory

treatment to regional goods; this amendment will bring Guyana into conformity with that obligation.

Meanwhile, the Telecommunications Bill is still not ready for parliament. Discussions continue between Digicel and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company. A schedule has been put in place. In keeping with that schedule, a meeting will be held on Monday 10 t h December.

Agricola man granted bail for robbery under arms

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n Agricola man who featured during the shooting death of his friend Shaquiel Grant was yesterday charged with robbery under arms when he appeared at the Providence Magistrate’s Court. The accused, Romel Bollers, appeared before Magistrate Leslie Sobers.

It is alleged that on Monday December 3, at Bagotstown, Georgetown, he robbed Amrita Bacchus of two cellular phones while armed with an ice pick. The accused pleaded not guilty.

The court was told that on the day in

question Bacchus arrived at her home and came out of her car when the accused approached her.

According to Police Prosecutor Shellon Daniels as the woman was about to enter her yard, Bollers allegedly placed the ice pick to her neck and took away her phones.

The matter was reported and the accused was subsequently pointed out to the police.

Bollers who was injured during an incident in Agricola where his friend Shaquiel Grant was shot dead, was granted bail in the sum of $100,000 and ordered to return to court on December 28.

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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

The silence is deafening The situation involving the Amaila Falls road project seems to be more frustrating than anything else. In the first instance there is precious little word on the project. The planned media tour of the road is still to take place. Indeed, the government made a lot about the road in the early stage of the project. The nation was not informed about the award of the contract until after it was done but there was a press conference subsequent to the fact.

The press conference was more about damage control because the government had been criticized for the secret manner in which it handles projects. The nation was not informed about the contract although the government said that notices were published.

Needless to say, the award of the contract was tantamount to a waste of public funds. The contractor was not known for his ability to construct any road, anywhere.

In this case the government was asking him to construct a road in the hinterland, part of which would be through virgin forest. It was also offering the contractor every available support.

There was the issue of the performance bond which an insurance company provided. As far as the government was concerned due diligence was not an issue. Then there was the rush to hide the importation of the equipment that the contractor was importing. Most of the equipment is nothing but scrap and actually answers the questions about the incestuous relationship between the government and the contractor.

That contract has since been rescinded and awarded to a number of local contractors, some of whom have actually built roads but none of this nature. The nation is still left to wonder about the seriousness of the government when it comes to projects. Accusations of pandering to political liaison abound. Instead of pursuing professional work, the government seems to be too busy rewarding political support instead.

The result is that a project that is this country’s largest investment is being sacrificed at the altar of political expediency. Meanwhile, the government is sweating silently because it is afraid of further criticisms of its approach to the establishment of a hydroelectric facility in Guyana. We know that the deadline for the completion has been pushed back at least four times to the point where the actual completion is now open ended.

At the same time, there is the question of accessing the money. The nation was led to believe that funding was a foregone conclusion. To date, neither the Chinese nor the Inter American Development Bank has released any funding for the project. The government has not seen it fit to tell the nation what is really going on.

This is not the only case of official silence. The project involving the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport runway and reconstruction of the terminal building is reportedly underway but from the look of things, nothing is happening. There is no mobilization of labour and certainly no mobilization of equipment for the project.

Then there is the Marriott project. Casually, the media found out that work has already started but there has also been a wall of silence.

There is the saying that when no information is available people speculate. While there have not yet been speculations, it is only a matter of time before people begin to wonder whether they would be saddled with money in the ground and nothing to show for it.

It has not escaped notice that there have been no reports on the progress of many projects. When the government expended record sums on the Skeldon Sugar factory the nation was kept in the dark about the true cost of the project.

This is still the case.

But what places this factory in the same category of the projects now being undertaken is the fact that despite its construction there was not the supporting infrastructure to make it a success. Enough cane is not being planted so the project is a virtual white elephant.

And the government still refuses to take the nation into its confidence so that difficult situations become easier to appreciate.

Saturday December 8, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

If the PPP does not honour the laws of Guyana, it will not honour an agreement with Guyanese DEAR EDITOR, The writer of the Peeping Tom article, “No moral basis for agreement to proceed,” was right to opt for a pseudonym instead of attaching his or her name to his/her absurd article.

First, the writer said that by undertaking through the passage of a no-confidence motion in the House of Assembly, the parliamentary opposition prejudged and violated the spirit of the agreement between the PPP government and representatives of Linden in the wake of the July 18 killings.

The truth is that the parliamentary opposition’s decision to pass a noconfidence motion against Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Clement Rohee, was not based solely on the Linden tragedy, but on a series of incidents related to the performance of the Guyana Police Force, which pointed to a failure by the minister to provide badly needed oversight policies to ensure the force operated as a professional and not a political entity.

And while the opposition is painfully aware that the minister serves at the pleasure of the President and is part of a system that allows collective decision-making to replace individual responsibility for policy implementation at cabinet level, the opposition has an obligation to the public to put the pressure on Mr. Rohee in order to get the government

to make the changes needed for the police force to be independent of political interference or control and function as a truly professional body.

Peeping Tom should know that in the wake of the 2002-2004 crime waves, then President Bharrat Jagdeo wrote a letter to the British government asking for help in reforming the police force.

When the British responded with a GY$160M grant for security sector reform, it reportedly offered, as part of the reform exercise, to station its personnel among Guyana’s police personnel.

But when the Jagdeo regime declared Guyana’s sovereignty will not be compromised, we did not fully understand until a letter from then British A m b a s s a d o r , M r. C a r l t o n W h e e l e r, explained that the issue of compromised sovereignty was related to the request of the British to use live ammunitions as part of a training exercise in Guyana’s hinterland, and that the exercise did take place sans the use of live ammunition.

The ensuing perception a m o n g many Guyanese observers was that the Jagdeo regime did not want the British police mingling with Guyana’s police or else the British would have detected that the problem with the force and crimes can be traced right to the government.

In fact, Mr. Rohee’s appointment to the present office was the result of his p r e d e c e s s o r , Ms. Gail Teixeira, publicly urging Guyanese to boycott businesses run by drug smugglers/dealers. At that time, the Jagdeo regime was downplaying knowledge of such activity or the players.

After all of that, the police force still remains unreformed and none the better when it comes to crime-fighting techniques or even crowd control and dispersion techniques, and the general perception is that the corrupt PPP regime prefers this scenario because it can then use the force as a political weapon.

Second, the writer said that the parliamentary opposition refused to allow the Commission of Inquiry (COI) to also look into how the protests leading to the shooting were organized and whether the manner of the organization of the protest contributed to the tragedy.

Obviously, the hope is to pin blame on the opposition and not the government. But how can the government escape culpability given President Donald Ramotar’s remarks made in October in Linden on the campaign trail?

He actually told the large gathering at Wismar that with the advent of the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project (AFHEP), government will reduce its subsidization of

electricity tariffs for Lindeners. Less than four months later, when the parliamentary opposition decided to implement cuts to the 2012 Budget cuts, the GPL, which has been hemorrhaging financially due to gross mismanagement and ongoing theft of services, was hit.

With the AFHEP not even off the drawing board, much less completed, the PPP regime then decided to retaliate against APNU for supporting the cuts by going after Lindeners (who voted overwhelmingly for APNU) and brought forward the date for the reduction of electricity subsidy to Linden to July 1, 2012.

No other community was hit with any form of reduced government subsidy or subvention like Linden, so if Peeping Tom really wanted the COI to determine the origin of the protests, all he or she had to do was go right to the Office of the President.

With the eventual passage of a Supplemental Budget that allowed GPL to obtain the funding that was cut earlier, the government postponed the July 1, 2012 deadline and to allow for a team to look into the power generation and electricity distribution issue in Linden.

Todate, Lindeners and Guyanese, in general, have no idea what is the status of that team, and nothing the government agreed to with the Linden representatives seems to Continued on page 5

Saturday December 8, 2012

Kaieteur News

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

Integrity of PPP/C - Riding the wave timber piles DEAR EDITOR, I have noticed in the print media, that there are concerns by independent Engineers on the integrity of timber piles for a project on the East Coast of Demerara, Guyana.

The integrity of splices for any pile type can be compromised during easy or hard driving conditions as a result of tensile or compressive stresses beyond threshold limits respectively.

Pile tips can be compromised during hard driving conditions.

I suggest the following; 1. A comprehensive geotechnical investigation to determine site-specific subsoil parameters 2.

Before the commencement of a piledriving program (assuming this foundation type is necessary), wave equation analyses of piles (WEAP) should be carried out to determine hammer suitability for driving piles for the site-specific conditions without compromising its integrity as well as a driveability analyses to ensure hammer size is adequate for attaining pile penetration.

This analysis is applicable to all pile-driving hammers including the drop hammers which are typically used for installation of timber piles in Guyana.

3. The conduct of dynamic pile testing (Pile Driving Analyser) or PDA, in accordance with the relevant American Society of Testing and Materials specification viz. ASTM D 4945-12 on a number of test piles as specified by the Geotechnical Engineer.

The PDA Test in real time will determine the stresses along the pile as well as the pile tip. For the spliced pile, the wave forms

allow for evaluation of the progressive failure of the splices if they occur and would also conclusively indicate if the stresses at the pile tip are excessive, i.e., if brooming is occurring.

For large scale projects, it may be prudent to test two or more pile types (concrete and timber) so informed decisions can be made from the test program.

4. During the PDA Test, the pile capacity is determined per blow penetration.

Because excess positive pore pressures will develop during pile-driving in the soft under to normally consolidated clays and/or s i l t s ( G u y a n a ’s c o a s t a l soil), the capacity of a pile at the time of driving will be significantly less than the long term pile capacity.

These pore pressures reduce the effective stress acting on the pile, thereby reducing the soil resistance to pile penetration, and thus the pile capacity at the time of driving.

As these pore pressures dissipate, the soil resistance acting on the pile increases as does the axial pile capacity.

This phenomenon is routinely called soil setup.

An allowance for an additional re-drive of 3ins penetration, about 2 to 3 weeks after installation, would provide the pile ultimate static capacity.

The above methodology is routinely used in the USA and Europe as well as by ourselves on most projects in Trinidad and the wider Caribbean to provide safe and economical designs, and effective quality control.

Andrew Budhram Engineer, Director, Geotech Associates Limited, Trinidad

If the PPP does not honour...

From page 4 have materialized.

I said it before and will say it again: the PPP is a coldhearted, bone-headed party that does not care about Guyana or Guyanese.

Everything it does is designed around its egocentric leaders who believe it is their divine right to rule and ruin Guyana, regardless of what anyone says or does. It has no respect for the laws of the land or Parliament and certainly does not feel obligated to respect even agreements it has reached with any person or party.

So when Peeping Tom writes that there is no legal or moral basis for the agreement reached between the government and Lindeners to proceed, it is not for the excuses he or she cited; it is just the nature of the political beast called the PPP to do things its way.

But since pressure has always proven to be the only factor the PPP understands and respects, then the people of Guyana must continue pressuring the PPP regime until it does right

by Guyana and Guyanese and not Freedom House!

Emile Mervin

DEAR EDITOR, The PPP/C administration has completed one year since its re-election to office in general and regional elections held on November 28, 2011.

This is the first time in its political history that the PPP was elected to office without a majority of the seats in Parliament, a situation that has been exploited by the combined opposition to make life difficult for the PPP/C administration.

The PPP/C for the first time since the return of democracy on October 5,

1992, failed to obtain a majority in parliament by virtue of having polled less than 50% of the votes cast.

This however is not the first time that the PPP has failed to obtain a majority of votes in national elections.

In both the 1961 and 1964 elections, the PPP polled less than 50 % of the votes but was able to gain political office by virtue of the electoral model of first–past –the–post or the constituency model which in the elections of 1961 gave the PPP a parliamentary majority

of 57% of the seats, even though it only polled 47% of the votes cast.

It was that calculation that prompted the British Government to change the electoral system from the constituency model to that of proportional representation which saw the PPP manipulated out of power in what former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson dubbed a “ fiddled constitutional arrangement”.

The opposition has been attempting to create the impression that the PPP/C

administration is a “minority” government by virtue of not having a majority of the seats in Parliament, even though the combined opposition only has a mere one-seat majority in Parliament. They conveniently ignored the fact that the PPP has won a plurality, that is, it has obtained the single largest bloc of votes and therefore is legally and constitutionally the duly elected government of Guyana.

This practice of the party that won the plurality being Continued on page 7

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 8, 2012

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

Will the Chris Brown tax break be converted AFC’s proposals to one for the ordinary citizen? for budget unfair DEAR EDITOR, Prior to the cancellation of the Chris Brown show, the acting Minister of Tourism, Mr. Irfaan Ali, held a joint press conference with the Hits and Jam promotions, then promoters of the show and informed the public of how the Christmas package, which was apparently centered around this mega show, would be of tremendous value to the local economy.

The minister, in much excitement, asserted how the government would provide tax breaks for Chris Brown and other artistes associated with this, supposedly mega Christmas season affair. Over the past weeks we have learnt of, what appears to be a fall out between the local promoters and the Chris Brown management, hence a cancellation of this ‘mega show’.

I have paid keen attention to the local news since then, but have not seen the Minister appear to speak to the people of the possible demerits as a result of the cancellation of the show. Just like he boasted of the possible economic gains he claims the show would have brought to

Guyana, he also has a responsibility to report to the people of the specific calculated economic loss expected, as a result of the ‘no-show’.

This, for me, speaks to real accountability and respect for the people.

Personally, I do not expect that the Minister or the government even contemplated returning to the people on this issue, simply because, as the youngsters will say, “they don’t respect us like that”.

I do not believe that anyone took Irfaan Ali seriously when he boasted of this major tourism overhaul and economic upturn this Chris Brown show would have infused in the Guyana’s economy, none of us took him seriously. What we saw was him engaging in the usual PPP/C propaganda charade and trying to promote an event at which he planned to walk about touting himself the headmaster in charge.

We understand too clearly where the monies from these shows might end up, and how the expenses will be documented; probably eighty-five percent,

supposedly, for taxi service.

The last CARIFESTA passed more than four years ago and to date there appears to be no clear cut accounting, and the economic and cultural benefits to have been derived remains at large, and cannot be itemized nor described.

Since the Minister and the government seem to be able to calculate the intrinsic value to be had from granting tax breaks to these international artistes and promoters, they must be able to calculate the tremendous economic, social, psychological and moral value a nation gains when the majority of its people are respected by their leaders and are able to experience some economic comfort, even if it is just for a period.

I would therefore find it n a u s e a t i n g l y incomprehensible if the government fails to accept as a fact that, since its imposition, the Value Added Tax (VAT) has been more than a burden to ordinary Guyanese. In fact, many of the last campaign speeches by the then candidate, now president, Donald Ramotar, pointed to an understanding of that fact.

I believe that it is only fitting then, that the people get a tax break from VAT, especially during this festive season. It is no secret that many of our people, during this season, receive their largest collects from relatives or friends overseas.

These collects are not merely goodies or indulgences but in most instances are necessities for the family which they cannot afford all year round.

However, too often, many of those families can hardly find the money to pay to retrieve their barrels or boxes, due largely to the high cost attached.

In the circumstances, then, one would expect a conscionable, caring, understanding and sensitive government to be mindful of this situation and render some relief to its people. We might not be an international artiste or promoter who easily gains your favour, but at least we are people who also deserve to live! Can the ‘Chris Brown tax break be converted to a tax break for the ordinary citizen? Merry Christmas to all!

Lurlene Nestor

DEAR EDITOR, It was refreshing to find the AFC sending its proposals to the ruling PPP// C government for the 2013 budget as published in the Kaieteur News of December 2, 2012, titled “Budget preparation…AFC writes Finance Minister on areas of interest”. This is the way it should be and the AFC should be commended.

Among the requests is for the “reduction in the percentage of Value Added Tax (VAT), a decrease in Berbice Bridge rates, as well as a 10% raise in wages and salaries for public servants and increased old age pension” from the current $10,000 to $15,000. President Ramotar has already alluded to a revisiting of the Value Added Tax and it was the Opposition who commendably catalysed the increase from the original Jagdeo $7,500 to the present $10,000 - still a negligible sum.

However the AFC must explain why it has not championed any similar 10 percent wage increase for sugar workers, working in sun, rain, soot, reptiles and mud, of which the majority of

Berbicians who voted for them would also benefit.

Omission or deliberate policy?

Why no big fuss to reestablish and improve the New Amsterdam-Rosignol ferries for those who prefer a cheaper mode of travel, including students? How many Guyanese can afford motor vehicles in the punishing worldwide recession which has not done any good for those less fortunate?

So when “the party also proposed that vehicle duties and taxes be decreased, with zero-taxes on all electric cars” it tells a lot for whom they seemingly care more. In fact when “further the AFC recommended the restored subvention of Critchlow Labour College” one gets a clearer picture of its priorities.

If the AFC wants to make a significant difference it must reign in the war within itself, unless it has a method in its madness which the public is not privy. Its “request that the budget estimates be placed online” is however commendable and long overdue., Sultan Mohamed

Saturday December 8, 2012

Kaieteur News

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

Dave Brubeck has left his indelible iconic mark on jazz music DEAR EDITOR, Today lovers of jazz mourn the passing of a legendary jazz innovator, musician and band leader, Dave Brubeck. Gone at the ripe old age of 91, Dave has left his indelible iconic mark on jazz music, to be celebrated forever as a standard bearer

of the genre. A pianist of high renown, Dave Brubeck learnt the rules of music only to break them and test their boundaries, through his relentless experiments in tone and rhythm.

Because of his ability to boldly experiment with odd time signatures, improvised

PPP/C - Riding the ...

From page 5 required to form the government is by no means unique to Guyana. In the United Kingdom, the Labour Party, under the leadership of Gordon Brown, voluntarily conceded office to the Conservatives which won the plurality in the last election, even though by convention, as the incumbent party, it could have sought to form some kind of accommodation with the smaller parties in parliament.

The Conservatives eventually formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.

In the United States the Obama administration, despite having won the Presidency and consequently the Executive in the recent elections still have to contend with a Congress that is dominated by Republicans, even though the Democrats are still in control of the Senate.

Such political configurations as in the case of both Britain and the United States have made governance somewhat problematic, but one fails to detect the level of acrimony and bitterness that have characterized our body politic since the elections of November 28, 2011.

One of the first indications that the combined opposition parties were unwilling to engage the PPP/C in any meaningful consultation on the way forward, was its refusal to even entertain the thought of the PPP’s nomination of former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran as Speaker, even though Mr. Ramkarran had been recognized by all parties in the House as being fair and unbiased in the manner in which he managed the affairs of Parliament.

Instead, the combined opposition, using their one-seat m a j o r i t y, proceeded to take both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House. Out of sheer political vindictiveness, it unilaterally slashed billions of dollars from the 2012 Budget Estimates and then went on to move a noconfidence motion against

the Minister of Home Affairs over his alleged handling of the Linden protest action, even though a commission set up with opposition support preliminarily felt that the Minister was not directly responsible for the deaths of the three individuals.

The final report is expected early next year.

This is hardly the basis for any serious approach to consensus politics. The current dispensation requires political maturity and a capacity to rise above partisan politics in order to promote the overall good of the Guyanese society. Be that as it may, the year has been quite eventful, without any slowing down of the developmental momentum which the country has experienced over the years.

The economy is expected to show positive growth thanks to enhanced performance of sugar and rice, with the latter experiencing a record level of production this year.

The mining sector is also doing well, in particular, gold, which has shown significant improvements in production levels.

The social sectors, in particular education, health, housing and water, continue to see substantial progress, not to mention the government’s massive infrastructure programme which, cumulatively, is having a transformative effect on the quality of life of the Guyanese people.

President Donald Ramotar and his Cabinet must be commended for continuing the growth and development trajectory of the economy despite a harsh international environment and a less than supportive opposition.

As we approach the New Year, one can only hope that better sense will prevail and that the two o p p o s i t i o n parties in parliament would have some serious introspection on the harm, both actual and potential, that could be inflicted on this nation should such reckless behaviour continue in the period ahead.

Hydar Ally

counterpoints, polyrhythm and polytonality, he was able to establish a unique jazz sound that would be the signature of his career.

From the 9/8 Blue Rondo a La Turk to the 5/4 Take Five, Dave made many acquire the exotic taste of his genius.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet ranks among the greatest jazz bands of all time.

The jazz faithful will forever pay tribute to his virtuosity whenever they play or listen to Take Five.

Jazz has been around just over a hundred years. Dave

dying at 91 spent about 70 of those years immersed in the genre of jazz.

Therefore, much of the legacy of jazz so far belongs to Dave who has spent if not the longest time, an extraordinarily long time as a professional jazz musician, composer and band leader in the jazz genre.

Dave Brubeck will always be remembered as a musician committed to the advancement of the jazz art form. As a white musician rising to prominence in a genre dominated by

numerous black virtuosos, Dave will forever be remembered as the humble dedicated, professional he was, as he meticulously worked his way up the very musically competitive ladder of jazz music.

Becoming the first jazz musician to be featured on the cover of Time magazine, and the first jazz artiste to sell over a million copies of a jazz album in the 60s; highlights the genius of Dave Brubeck.

Dave understood the universal language of music.

In 1988, while playing for

Mikhail Gorbachev, at a dinner in Moscow hosted by the then-President Ronald Reagan for the Soviet leader, Dave said: “I can’t understand Russian, but I can understand body language,” this was after seeing the general secretary tapping his foot to the music he (Dave) played.

Rest In Peace Dave Brubeck. You introduced us to 5/4 time through your innovative compositions.

Your music will forever live on.

You have gone to Taking Five in heaven now.

Richard Francois

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2012

US$10M cocaine unearthed on city wharf Cocaine

The local Drug Enforcement Agencies seem to be close on the heels of drug traffickers. In less than 24 hours they have busted two large shipments, each worth more than US$10 million.

According to a statement from the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA), its Drug Enforcement Unit and its Goods Examination Unit unearthed a quantity of cocaine pellets worth approximately $2 billion. The drug was hidden between 1500 bags of fish food destined for China.

The GRA said that the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit has been called in and investigations are continuing.

Meanwhile, sources close to the investigation have revealed that the shipper was identified as Andre Bristol, of Garnett Street. The container was destined for Angel International Logistic Limited, Hong Kong.

The source said the cocaine weight some 230 kilograms (506 pounds). Two persons have since been detained to assist with investigations.

This recent bust follows

close on the heels of another bust which was made at a bond at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Timehri.

The cocaine, weighing some 21 kilograms was destined for a Canada location.

The drug was found hidden in drinking straws which were painted as macaroni noodles and which were hidden between a large shipment of macaroni noodles.

Only last week too CANU intercepted another shipment of cocaine which was found concealed in soap powder packets.

Three men, including two brothers, who were caught with parts of a pig in their yard, were on Wednesday placed on $20,000 bail each by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court.

They were charged with larceny of animals.

The men, Richard Rohit, 23, and Krishna Rohit, 18, both of Lot 10 Section B Cumberland, East Canje and

Elvis Cummings, 25, a hire car driver of Tucber Park, New Amsterdam are charged with stealing two boars valued at $120,000, property of Garfield Skeete.

Skeete lives at King Street, Cumberland, and rears a variety of livestock. On the day in question he released his stock, among them 16 pigs to graze. He stated that he checked on them regularly

during the morning.

Skeete, whose house was recently destroyed by fire, has to travel about a mile for lunch at a relative and return. He went to lunch around 11:30 hrs on the day in question. Upon his return about an hour later, two of his pigs were missing.

He, with help from other villagers, commenced a search for the missing animals, but came up empty handed. The following day he received certain information and entered a certain yard and was shocked when he found body parts of a pig.

When confronted the occupants stated that the remains were that of a goat.

An altercation ensued as the occupants armed themselves with cutlasses.

The police were contacted and the perpetrators were arrested and charged. A government veterinary officer (vet) was also contacted and confirmed that the remains were of a pig.

The men will have to return to court on Wednesday February 27, 2013.

Pig thieves caught with carcass said its goat meat

Saturday December 08, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

IS GEORGETOWN NEGLECTED? In 2009, the government spent close to $150 million repairing pumps for some of the major pumping stations in Georgetown. In the same year they spent millions repairing roads that were the responsibility of the City Hall.

In that same year also, the government signed an agreement with City Hall to provide the municipality with funds to the tune of $120m per year, payable in monthly tranches of $10 M. The Council would have control over the use of the funds for specified purposes and subject to the council reaching certain benchmark indicators.

Today there are persons who are trying to enjoin the

government the blame for the poor state of Georgetown. The claim is that while the management of the City is poor, Government has neglected to assist and wants City Hall to fail.

No government would want the capital to be in the state that it is in. And the present PPP administration has consistently over the years provided assistance to help City Hall. But no responsible government is going to any longer throw water down the drain by pouring more millions into the coffers of City Hall. Too much has been wasted on that body and no more should be given to it.

As the police continue their war on drug traffickers four persons from one family were on Friday nabbed by law enforcement officers.

According to information the police, acting on information, carried out surveillance of a known drug block in the Ankerville, Port Mourant area.

About 06:15h on Friday the police moved in on the house situated at Bisnauth or Church Street, Ankerville, Port Mourant.

Six persons were at home including three males and three females, two brothers, a

sister, a nephew and two nieces.

During the search the police unearthed 90 grams of cocaine which was found wrapped in foil paper and hidden among some sucker plants in the yard. Four of the occupants were arrested including three males and one female.

The men were identified as Haroon, his brother, Buddy, their sister, Carmen, and nephew, Akash were taken into custody and detained at the Whim Police station. The two young nieces were not arrested.

Police nab four in cocaine bust

Dem boys seh ...

Rob Earth bluffing again Corruption eats away at the foundation of people’s faith in government and undermines national security. The great Mahatma Gandhi seh suh.

Transparency International been watching Guyana fuh a long time and dem was reading de Waterfalls paper. When dem put out de report on how deep corruption is in Guyana dem didn’t shock anybody. And de government nah know that. De smallest child know that corruption rampant and will remain suh fuh a very long time.

This is because of de snake that sat at de helm. He lay de foundation fuh all this dishonesty tekking place in this land.

Dem same organization report how Guyana is more corrupt than all dem country that surround a-wee. This anger de Bees, especially de King Bee and all he kavakamites. Dem put out statement; statement come from every corner of dem dutty mouth.

One of dem even challenge de report, but Rob Earth was de best. He decide fuh bluff. He call de people fuh come and wuk wid he in de bush. But dem boys want warn dem people.

He love to call bluff. He name should change to Bluffy.

When he was a Minister in a different Ministry he invite Chris de Ram fuh do a audit at de US$12.5 million packaging plant wha cost US$2 million.

When Chris de Ram tun up he tell de man how he is not de authority to authorize any audit.

When de Waterfalls paper question dem fake contract wha Bee Kay get, he Rob Earth call another bluff. He seh that he willing fuh carry all dem reporter fuh see de wuk, but dem got to meet 5 o’clock in de morning at he office.

Everybody tun up and he carry dem to Parika way down in a back dam. Then he lef dem and run away. Then he tun and tell de drivers fuh lef dem. To this day nobody know wha happen to that US$15 million contract.

Now you guess wha Rob Earth gun do wid dem people wha he invite fuh go peep corruption in de bush. Dem boys seh that if he don’t hang dem he gun give dem poison and lef dem fuh ….. Talk half and wait fuh another bluff.

It is very much like a parent giving more money to a child who then uses it to gamble.

There comes a time when the parent, as much as he loves that child, has to draw the line and refuse to give that child more money because to do so would be to feed the gambling habit of that child.

The government has obligations to the Council. It is required to pay its taxes and it does. It has on many occasions in the past been forced to intervene to help pay workers because City Hall had cash flow problems. It may very well have to do so again.

It has provided City Hall with garbage trucks only to find that months later they were parked. It has continued to repair roads. It has now thrown in its lot to help collect garbage and this past week it deployed hundreds of

workers in a three-day exercise to help clean the drains and canals around the city.

Yet we find persons editorializing about the lack of Government support. No responsible Government will continue to throw money away on City Hall.

It is not that the government wants City Hall.

The municipality has long failed. It had failed long before the present Council took over and in the interceding years since the last local government elections there has been no change.

Desmond Hoyte, the former President of Guyana, was forced to appoint someone to mobilize resources for the collection of rubbish in the City. He later expressed no-confidence in the Council.

So the government does not need to set out to fail the

Council. The Council has failed and should morally step aside. The opposition speaks about promoting accountability and the failure of policy, but they are not calling on the very-opposition supported council to resign.

In fact, it is resisting calls for an IMC to be appointed even though they themselves were part of precedent in appointing an IMC for Linden.

They do not wish to hold the Council accountable.

They are not calling for the Council to resign. And they are insisting that the Council should only be changed through local government elections and not by ministerial edict as was the case with the Linden municipality.

But perhaps Linden was a special case; it has always been treated as a special case.

The protests, therefore,

about the government allowing Georgetown to degenerate, rings hollow. The government would be acting irresponsibly if on top of the millions that are being spent to ensure that the infrastructure is maintained in the City, it should bail out this body which collects hundreds of millions of dollars each year in rates and taxes, yet cannot provide decent services to the residents.

No more money should be thrown at the Council because that money could be better used and should be better used for other purposes.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2012

GPSU rejects “arbitrary” 5% hike The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has rejected government’s five per cent increase to workers’ wages a n d salaries, yesterday issuing a one week ultimatum for parties to return to the negotiating table.

According to the union which represents public servants, failure by Government will have serious consequences for the labour relations environment of Guyana.

Last week, government announced a five per cent across-the-board increase for public servants.

The increase in salaries and wages will be

- warns of industrial action retroactive to January 1, 2012 for all public servants employed in ministries, departments not under ministerial control, regional administrations and those who are engaged on contracts “against positions reflected on the inventory of the traditional public service and also those who are contracted against positions that are not on the inventory of the traditional public service”.

GPSU described the increase as an “arbitrary determination and unlawful imposition” on public

sector worker ’s salaries and wages.

In recent years, Government has been announcing raises for public servants around Christmas time, much to the anger of GPSU which says tha t they are being sidelined in negotiations.

According to the union’s General Secretary (ag), Deborah Murphy, in the letter, GPSU and the Government of Guyana have a legally binding agreement for the avoidance and settlement of disputes.

“Further, your conduct is

also in conflict with the Government’s obligations under International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 151, Labour Relations in Public Services, which has been ratified by the Parliament of Guyana and is in force.

Hence the GPSU is demanding that you as the government’s representative act in good faith…”

The letter was also sent to President Donald Ramotar; Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; Director General of the International Labour Organisation, Guy Ryder;

Diwali Night armed robbery accused on $800,000 bail A man who is on four counts of robbery was on Wednesday placed on a total of $800,000 bail.

Asif Kowlessar, called Kasim, 32, of Lot 34 East Canefield, East Canje, Berbice on Wednesday appeared before Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo at the Reliance Magistrate’s court and pleaded not guilty to four charges of robbery under arms

committed on a family of four on Tuesday November 17, last.

The case for the prosecution is that on the night in question the accused in company with four others and while armed with two shotguns, two cutlasses and one iron bar, robbed former GBC employee and bank clerk Denise Bachan, her father, Richard Bachan, her mother Harmonie Bachan and one

John Hunt Gobin.

The court was told that around 21:10 hrs the family was in the process of lighting diyas when the men barged in and stuck them up. Denise was robbed of one gold bangle, one Blackberry cellphone, and one laptop computer, two computer speaker boxes, one digital camera, one gold foot chain, one ring with hearts, cocoa butter creams and a

quantity of perfumes.

Richard was robbed of one finger ring and a gold band to the value of $140,000. Harmonie was relieved of a finger ring valued $14,000 while Gobin had two finger rings taken away along with a wallet and $25,000.

Some of the items were allegedly found in the possession of the accused.

He is to return to court on February 6, 2013.

Permanent Secretary, Hydar Ally

GPSU’s President, Patrick Yarde

Minister of Labour, Dr. Nanda Gopaul; Minister of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer We s t f o r d ; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall; Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier (Retired) David Granger; General Secretary of Public Services International, Sister Rosa Pavanelli and Chief Labour Officer (ag) Charles Ogle.

“Wh a t is being manifested is portraying that the working class would be experiencing more of the same of what previously existed from the previous regimecontinued abusive practices, violations of ILO conventions, disregard for the laws of Guyana and non compliance with the terms of legally binding

collective agreements.”

GPSU said that its President, Patrick Yarde, and a number of its members attending the PSI 29th World Congress in Durban, South Africa, were acquainted with the “appalling details of this atrocity” on the evening of November 29th, 2012.

The issue was raised with PSI officials and GPSU received from affiliates in attendance, approximately 100 signatu r e s of solidarity.

G P S U s a i d that it is now moving to have its workers “stand united and firm in confrontation of this assault and to be in full preparedness to take appropriate action to have this conflict resolved in their favour, in the interest of their families…”

Saturday December 08, 2012

Kaieteur News

MUSE or AMUSE

Immigration TALK: Questions & Answers Immigration News For Our Community Attorney Gail S. Seeram Through this “Question & Answer” column, our goal is to answer your immigration questions. Many of you have questions on backlog time and eligibility – we seek to clarify these issues and more.

We appreciate your comments and questions. If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, please email: Gail@GailLaw.com.

Question #1: My child father got a green card. Can he file for my four-year-old son in Guyana and myself or does he have to wait until he is a U.S. Citizen? And if he can file for both of us what will the waiting period be like for us?

Answer #1: The child’s father, a green card holder, can file for his son and the waiting time is about two years. Also, he can file for you once you are legally married to him. The waiting time is also two years for a spouse of a green card holder. He must file two separate petitions.

Question #2: I am trying

to petition for my son in another country. His mother and I are not together and were never married. We still talk on the phone and I support him monetarily.

What support document do I send to immigration.

Answer #2: In response to your question, if you are a permanent resident or U.S. citizen then you can petition for your son. If your son is married then you must be a U.S. citizen to petition for him. Since you were never married to his mother, you will have to prove legitimacy when you file for your son. Legitimacy is more than just your name on the birth certificate.

Question #3: I was deported in 2004 for an aggravated felony. My sentence was 5 years. Can I ever apply for a waiver for the USA. I am alone here.

Answer #3: Yes, if a qualified family member files a sponsorship petition for you, then you may be eligible to file a waiver to seek re-entry into the U.S. You must prove extreme hardship to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative to win approval of the

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Dear Donald

Gail S. Seeram waiver. Note, for some aggravated felonies, there is a permanent ban from reentering the U.S. Question #4: I married a born US guy last November.

He filed for me and my son since November when he went back. They sent him two pieces of paperwork and he paid. Since February he did not get anymore. Do you know how long it takes for me to get an interview?

Answer #4: It sounds like your case is at the National Visa Center and the visa fees were paid. Once the petitioner (your husband) submits the affidavit of support, police clearance, biographical, and certified original civil documents, the file will be transferred to the Embassy for scheduling of an interview.

Usually, from start to finish, the processing time is one year.

Please give me some of your precious presidential time. I am not sure that you fully appreciate the schemes and circles around you; so I thought that I should drop you a line.

You see, if you’re not careful, then the circles around will become like that of a Camoudie – it will eventually encircle and squeeze you until you have nothing left.

You see, when you became President I was not unhappy. In fact, with you as President and a split parliament, I had thought that Guyana now has the best chance to move ahead. Alas, the partisan politics has taken over.

My dear Don, I understand some of your problems. You see, lots of Guyanese thought that you picked the wrong Cabinet.

People thought that you are weak to allow the same pack of inefficient and tainted characters to be around you.

But, I know the truth; I know that some of that blame is accrued to the opposition.

They created a period of unrest and uncertainty and so forced you to pick your Cabinet in a hurry and so the same old slate is your Cabinet.

Also, your predecessor forced you to accede to his demands to pick those people, so you fell into that trap and now you cannot get out of it.

Instead of a good cabinet, you got one weevil infested, rotten old basket to fetch water. If you are not careful that Cabinet will become a casket.

Look how much it has cost you. Everything that your predecessor handed you is mired in layers of undisclosed secrets that waste billions of taxpayers’ dollars – yet you are forced to make policy statements to defend those projects without thoroughly understanding the implications. You defend persons and projects that are actually detrimental to our development as a nation.

Look how you were misled with the cricket impasse – Who misled you? You are being hoodwinked with the Marriott –Who is the leading voice with that? The Amaila Falls deal, the Hope deal – and check within your heart – it is the same person or group of persons that keeps pushing you on these deals. When the bottom drops out on these projects, Dear Donald, you will be left holding the shame

and the disgrace because, by then, they would have distanced themselves from you.

Maybe you think that if you re-shuffle or fire anyone, you will look bad. But Dear Donald, by keeping them close to you, you look worse.

Remember the old adage “Show me your company and I will tell you who you are”?

Well, at present you are but a reflection of illogical schemes and deals. Look into your heart, Donald, and you will see. Let the revolutionary Donald stand up!

For your own legacy you need to start thinking affirmatively. Please forget politics and think about Guyana for a change.

If these issues were not as critical to our survival as a nation, I would have been amused at the jokers in the pack. I might have been otherwise amused at the loss of testicular fortitude as each day passes.

Unfortunately the court jesters have blinded the emperor into thinking that he wears a wonderful suit, but that suit is fabric made out of the sweat and blood of my fellow Guyanese. So I am not amused.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2012

NIS operating in the red

By Leon Suseran The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is operating at a deficit. It is paying out more benefits than contributions received on a monthly basis.

This is according to the General Manager of NIS, Mr. Terry Thomas. He was discussing the Eighth Actuarial Review during Public Consultation of the NIS at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC) on Wednesday.

“Our income has not been matching our expenditure…We have to do certain things to correct that so that we can have enough

- GM tells consultation income in order to pay all the benefits that we have rather than eating into the reserves that we have.”

The official added, “We are having an aging population and therefore, the rate of our outflow is much more than our inflow…there are less persons employed who are paying, so that’s why we have to increase the rate or get more persons to contribute to the scheme and investment income is also falling and therefore we are not getting lots of money from

investment”.

He stated, too, that the Eighth Actuarial Review is all about correcting the imbalance. This can be corrected “by increasing contribution rates; by having much better and fuller compliance by employers and selfemployed persons; by stalling or delaying the pension payments—that is – increasing the pensionable qualifying age and it can also be corrected by reducing the pension of those who come into the scheme now”.

The Review has made certain recommendations to be implemented to ensure the sustainability of the Scheme. There are 28 recommendations put forth by the Review on which members of the Berbice public were consulted.

Some of the recommendations include increasing contributions from 13 per cent to 15 per cent no later than January 2013; increase the wage ceiling to $200,000 per month; freeze pension increases for two years or

until the contribution rate is increased and finance improves; increase Maternity grant to at least $5,000, etc.

Thomas explained that the Law states that there are specific periods that there should be someone trained as an Actuary to look at probabilities, look at trends and to assess the ability of the Scheme to continue.

“So this actuary has come based on our requirements and he has looked at our scheme from all angles; our source of funds and the benefits, adequacy of the benefits, the coverage we provide and to see whether how we are now, with the existing rate, whether we can continue this same way and pay the same kinds of benefits we are paying to future generations.

It’s informing the public what the recommendations are and letting them know what we have to do to correct the situation and listen to their recommendations as well”.

Thomas added that Guyanese should be concerned about this review “because NIS impacts the life of almost everyone, whether you are a worker, pensioner, on maternity leave. It affects

you and that affects your contributions with the scheme and eligibility to pension and other benefits”.

One of the more popular recommendations to the Scheme by the review is that the pensionable age be increased from 60 to 65 “on a phased basis…and keep 60 as early pension age with reduced pension (six per cent lower per year) only if retired”.

And many Guyanese are concerned about this. The General Manager, however, added that this could happen very soon and is one of the measures proposed to save the Scheme from the current ‘deficit’ state it is in.

“It’s a possibility that raising the pensionable age can [happen] because this is one of the mechanisms we want to use. However...when this scheme started, the pensionable age was 65.

“We changed it along the way so we are hoping to go back to what it was when we started because persons are living longer and it’s important right now to correct the imbalance in the Scheme.

I t ’s b e t t e r y o u h a v e something that is viable than you have something that cannot sustain itself”.

There were consultations with the Labour Ministry, employers as well as the opposition political parties.

The Scheme will be having more consultations around the country.

After the consultations, he stated, “we feedback whatever recommendations they have made, once it is going to affect the situation, we are going to input that into the recommendations… because we have not yet decided what we are going to implement”.

The last stage is when the recommendations will go to the National Assembly for final approval. Thomas is hoping that they can get to Parliament “as quickly as possible because the recommendations are imminent and we have to make a decision.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NIS, Ms. Dianne Lewis- Baxter added that the public consultations are not the only avenues or means through which NIS can get feedback about the review.

Persons can e-mail or call the NIS offices to make suggestions “but the whole idea is to have maximum participation from members of the public”.

Saturday December 08, 2012

Kaieteur News

AG highlights Ministry of Agriculture irregularities The Auditor General has observed in his 2011 report that the Ministry of Agriculture continues to over expend amounts voted as subvention and capital provision for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority. According to the AG, the ministry spent a whopping $4.037B in 2011 with a further $2.809 being used for the current provision.

This action by the Ministry of Agriculture, according to the AG, has resulted in the failure to have related financial statements for the years 2005 to 2011 prepared and submitted for audit. The report explained that the NDIA is a separate legal entity which was created

by Act 8 of 2004. The entity is therefore supposed to maintain its own accounts records and is subject to separate reporting and audit.

It was noted that NDIA should have been in receipt of its subventions appropriated by parliaments.

As it relates to the area of payroll, the AG has noted that the sum of $221,469 including deductions totaling $55,232 was overpaid to an officer.

The sum of $33,756 was recovered however, but there was a balance of $187,713 in another instance.

Similarly, in 2010, there were another two instances where there were overpayments of salaries totaling $149,857 including deductions amounting to $52,453 to one officer. At the time of reporting the sum of $47, 271 was recovered leaving a balance of $101, 583.

It was further noted that the Ministry again in 2009 overpaid four staffers $1.855M. The Ministry managed to clear up amounts totaling $1.013M, leaving a balance of $842,242. The Ministry in response to this aspect said that it had sent reminders to the four staffers, but the persons had not followed up on their obligations.

Moreover it was noted that ever since the introduction of the Integrated Financial Management and Accounting System, in 2004, the Ministry was urged that cash payments of salaries be minimized and that a phased approach be taken towards including all employees under the bank deposit system as stipulated by the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry is yet to observe this procedure, since there were still giving cash payments which were considerably high.

It was noted that in 2011 December, the Ministry used the prohibited method to pay 88 employees cash payments totaling $11.549M. Another irregularity raised in the report was the fact that the Ministry spent $326.063M in fuel, but only $22.993M was represented as overpayments on four accounts. Some $52.766 was related to under payments for suppliers.

diverted to Richard Ishmael Secondary School, and the school hours being adjusted for both sets of students.

Students and teachers of Richard Ishmael Secondary were currently operating from 07:30h – 12:15 hours while students and teachers of Queen’s College were accommodated between the hours of 12:30 and 16:30 hours Monday through Friday.

This shift system was being touted as a means to help reduce the loss of school

hours.

Nonetheless, as of Monday, both the students of Richard Ishmael Secondary School and Queen’s College can go back to their normal school hours. Meanwhile, the press statement added that the students and teachers of QC will have an extended term which would now end on December 21, 2012.

“The Queen’s College’s Speech Day will now be held on December 19, 2012,” the release said.

Students to return to QC on Monday

Classes resume Monday at Queen’s College

Students, teachers, and stakeholders of Queen’s College are to return to their rightful classrooms on Monday. This is according to a Ministry of Education press release which stated that the fleas have been fully exterminated. During the time of the flea infestation, a shift system was instituted following advice from both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture.

This saw the operations of Queen’s College being

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2012

No chicken shortage for this Christmas season Major players in the poultry industry are confident that there will be no shortage of chicken on the local market for the Christmas season. Chicken producers usually look forward to December which sees the highest consumption of chicken.

According to a large scale chicken producer, poultry rearers were recently told that based on hatching eggs being imported; Guyana would not be experiencing a shortage on the local market. It takes three weeks for the eggs to hatch and six weeks to rear chickens. As such chickens for the season are already on the ground.

He noted that for the year his company produced about eight million chickens and during this month about 130,000 chickens will be produced weekly.

The producer said that it is unlikely that his company would increase its price for Christmas. The price for chicken may drop early next year since the price of soya meal an important ingredient for chicken feed has been reduced.

He said that a shipment of soya meal is slated to arrive in Guyana one week before Christmas. As such, the next crop of chicken is expected to

cost less depending on the market. The producer said that the price for chicken is usually determined by the cost of ingredients for feed and market demand.

The impact of both was felt throughout the year with the price of chicken reaching as high as $400 per pound.

Some large companies were able to keep their prices down while some small producers enjoyed the price increase but faced high feed prices.

But, all was not well in the industry with high mortality rates of chicks early in 2012.

This caused many small farmers to either pull out of the market or reduce their production significantly.

The increasing demand for poultry in the gold mining industry further reduced the availability of chickens on the coastland where the bulk of the population resides.

According to the large scale producer, the demand for chicken in the gold mining industry was overwhelming this year. He opined that owing to the presence of electricity in mining camps, miners are not depending primarily on pickled meats but are opting for chicken.

While, chicken is being transported from the coastland to satisfy miners in the hinterland some small

farmers are claiming that chicken is being smuggled into Guyana from neighbouring countries.

The reportedly smuggled chickens that are integrated into the local market are larger and cheaper posing unfair competition to small scale farmers. Farmers are worried that they may be unable to make a profit during this

- Chicken price expected to fall early next year Christmas season owing to the availability of the cheap chicken. One producer opined that the ‘smuggled’ chickens are coming from North America into neighbouring countries and then crossover into Guyana.

If Guyana were to produce

chicken cheap it will need to produce feed locally, the producer said.

He added that corn cultivation would be conducive in the Interior Savannah since sandy soil does not have sufficient nutrients for the corn.

However, this operation will be machine intensive and require large investments.

In addition, the paving of the Linden to Lethem Road would be pertinent to the operations to ensure unhindered, timely and cheap transport of the produce.

No shortage of poultry this Christmas

Saturday December 08, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2012

Murder accused found guilty Dwayne Jordan, who axed his reputed wife, Claudeene Rampersaud, to death back in 2007, was found guilty of murder by jurors at the Supreme Court yesterday.

The 12-member jury retired at 11:40 am and returned with the verdict at 14:30 hours. At the summing up of Justice Navindra Singh, defence counsel Nigel Hughes asked that the accused be able to make a plea of mitigation given the recent 2010 amendment that death penalty is no longer mandatory.Hughes then referred to the recent case of Lennox Boyce in Barbados, where the Caribbean Court of

Justice found that the death penalty was no longer constitutional.

Justice Singh ordered that the final submission on the issue be scheduled f o r n e x t M o n d a y. T h e accused was charged in 2007 for axing his wife Claudeene to death in an abandoned home they shared.

Several witnesses testified. They included Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, police investigators, family members and friends of the deceased Reports are that when the accused was found in a clump of bushes not far from where the dead woman’s body had been found, he remained silent on whether he knew how his wife got injured.

Claudeene Rampersaud had been found dead with chop wounds, a punctured abdomen and cut tendons in a nearby clump of bushes.

Jordan had sustained injuries, including a gash from which his gut protruded and cut tendons, which he has blamed on one ‘Bow-foot”. He however remained silent when asked to explain how his wife had met her death.

Witness Ryan Lewis, called “Bow foot”, in his testimony explained that Claudeene Rampersaud was his sister–in-law, who once lived at 24 Back Street, Den Amstel with one Dwayne Jordan.

He said that on Thursday,

June 14, 2007, he and his reputed wife, Shellon Payne, were passing along Back Street about 10.30 p.m. when “we heard screams.

“We were about 15 feet from the house, and I called out to Claudeene, but there was no answer. I went into the yard, climbed the front stairs and knocked open the door.

“Then the accused started to fire chops with a hatchet which was in his right hand. He also had a knife in his left hand, and was attacking me and Shellon. I was injured on my left forehead and right middle finger, and got two stabs in my upper back.

“By that time, Shellon was also injured on the left side of her face.

I grabbed the accused and we started a fight and rolled downstairs. Still fighting the accused in the yard, I started to feel weak, so I bore the accused and run out of the yard. Some distance away, I lost consciousness.

“I regained consciousness at the West Demerara Hospital later that night. I spent six days in hospital.”

Cross-examined by Mr. Hughes, the witness said he did not know why the woman had screamed, and that he was sure it was Dwayne Jordan who had attacked him.

He answered, “I did not go into the house; I was on the landing when the accused started to fire chops.

Corentyne accident victim dies ...police prosecutor still in custody Troy ‘Lil Man’ Liverpool, 38, of 22 Queen Street, Courtland Village, Corentyne, who was struck down by a police prosecutor’s car on Monday evening died early yesterday morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The 38- year- old cane harvester was struck from behind while walking with the mother of his child on the Fyrish Public Road. He was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition.

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 officer has been placed under close arrest and his car, a black Toyota NZE (PMM831), has been impounded at the Central Poli c e S t a t i o n , N e w Amsterdam.

Grant was reportedly

Dead: Troy Liverpool forced to take the injured L i v e r p o o l t o the New Amsterdam Hospital before he was taken into police custody.

Now that the victim has died, charges are expected to be laid against Inspector Michael Grant, who up to press time yesterday was still under close- arrest.

Kaieteur News was informed, too, that Shaundell Simpson, the mother of Liverpool’s child, who witnessed the accident, will be giving a statement to the police to be used in the investigations and the prosecution’s case against Grant.

Saturday December 08, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Two West Berbice residents face murder trial in Berbice High Court Mark Exteen Massiah, called “Red Man” and Sean Benjamin, called “Blacka” or “Blackboy”, both of Rosignol, are in the High Court facing trial for murder.

The trial which began on Tuesday in the Berbice High Court before Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire and a mixed jury, continued on Wednesday.

The two are charged with the murder of Ian Adonis, called “Safo” or “Iron” of Lot 30 Edward Street, Rosignol.

The victim was 41 at the time.

When the matter began, prosecutor Attorney at law Prithina Kissoon highlighted to the jury some of their expectations. The state also called three witnesses, Carol Nicholson, the reputed wife of the deceased, Leslyn Nightingale, who is the eyewitness and police detective Denish Baichu.

First to take the witness stand was Nicholson, who stated that she had been living with the deceased for more than nine years.

On the night of August 29, 2007 she was at home with her daughter between 11:00 hours and 11:30 hours when she

heard someone calling. She and her daughter eventually ventured out on the road in search of her reputed husband. They eventually found Adonis’ motionless body on the street.

She said that she ran to his sister Sharon’s residence some distance away. The police were eventually summoned and the body was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where Adonis was pronounced dead.

Next on the witness stand was Nightingale who told the court that on the fateful night she was working at a restaurant in Rosignol.

She said that she left her work place at 23:00 hrs, and then walked across to the bus park on her way home. She said on her way home she saw Benjamin and Adonis under a shed at Benjamin’s home. She knew Benjamin, but they were not friends and never spoke to him but he would speak to her calling her ‘Black Bird. ’ She described how she heard the men arguing over weed and saw ‘Black Boy’ hit Adonis on his head, Adonis fell. Adonis then got up and

tried to run. The witness told the court that she witnessed ‘Black Boy’ repeatedly hitting Adonis.

Under cross examination

by Defense Attorney Raymond Ali, Nightingale said that the men were arguing over money too.

The woman told the court that Black Boy saw her and told her that “if you say anything what happen tonight” he would kill her.

She said that subsequently one ‘Ashook’ passed and enquired of Black Boy what happened. Shortly after one woman called Jenny, passed and also asked what happened but got no answer.

She continued that she went home and went to bed and only got up when her cousin, Kim, came home.

After they discussed the matter they decided to tell Adonis’ sister, Sharon, what transpired.

Detective Constable Baichu then took the stand and related to the court the role he played during the investigation. He stated that he visited the scene and saw the victim lying on the

Leaving court, Mark Exteen Massiah on the left and Sean Benjamin on the right. ground. At the scene he said he observed a wound over the right eye. A piece of wood and a knife were found at the scene. He accompanied the body to the Fort Wellington Hospital where it was pronounced dead on arrival.

The two accused were

subsequently arrested along with others.

Benjamin was arrested later the same night in the vicinity of the Rosignol Ferry Stelling while Messiah was arrested a few days later at Mahaica.

The police rank witnessed

the Post Mortem examination.

The cause of death was given as hemorrhaging and a fractured skull. Relatives found Adonis, a father of six, covered face down in a pool of blood in a street a short distance from his home.

The matter is continuing.

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Saturday December 08, 2012

Collecting child support money a “three days running” - frustrated mothers Single mothers who depend on every dime to provide their children with fulfilling Christmases say that this year will be more difficult, since collecting child support payments from the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court has become an unbearable hassle.

They describe the process of collecting their children’s entitlement and an additional source of income for making their holidays great, as an intolerable two, sometimes three-day worry.

One woman said that “single mothers got to take one whole day off from work just so that we can stand in the line at the court to sign for we cheques. Then after waiting there for hours, we does have to go back the next day to collect the cheques.

“Most of the time, by the time we get it, the bank does be closed and we does have to take time off from work again, to go to the Bank of Guyana and cash the

cheques”.

Several of the women who came from various parts of the country to collect the monies from the Magistrates’ Court at Middle Street on Tuesday, last, complained about the inconvenience.

Kaieteur News understands that the “two days of running” started after another fraud pertaining to the child support funds was unearthed last September.

The women are pleading with those in authority to change the uncomfortable procedure, since only hardworking single mothers are suffering.

“We are poor women struggling to do everything we can to make our children happy, and if doing what we doing now ain’t hard enough, we getting more and more worries,” one mother said.

She noted that she was already warned last month about taking two consecutive days off from work every month. “If I get fired what will

happen then? Will them extremely slow workers here at the court be blamed for that?” the woman queried.

The women argued that the situation is such because the staffers who are handling the child support monies are “incapable, and slow”.

“Is not like is anything hard. All we does got to get is signatures. And that does take them a whole day. This thing could be made easy on we if only these people had feelings and if they de doing what the people money paying them to do. We does be so stressed out worrying about we two days pay that we losing out and these people in here don’t care. Anybody could even go in and see when the girl signing the cheque how long she does take. Like is a masterpiece work of art,” one of the women said.

Another lamented that she was not even aware of the new two-day procedure and had gone to the court with just a one- way

A small group of women during their wait in the compound of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court Thursday transportation fare. She explained that she was then forced to beg the other women there for the return fare.

“Them other women didn’t have much, but them pool li’l bit, li’l bit and I got to go home. I drink water to sleep that night. I had to buy textbooks for my child the day before, and I didn’t get paid yet, so I didn’t have any money. I was waiting for my child’s father to send money.

I had to send my daughter for dinner at my mother’s house,” the woman complained.

“This is Christmas time.

We got children looking to us for something nice. My daughter almost finish High School and she never went to a school party before. I was hoping to make everything perfect for she last one, but if this continues I gon can’t do that.

“Imagine if I tek another day off to come here and then I get send home from work, what gon happen then?” another woman asked.

Another woman claimed that she had been waiting at the court for many hours with her less-than-a-month-old baby. She noted that she was still experiencing post partum pains, but since she had no money at home and other children to take care of, she had to “struggle” and take the

baby with her.

The woman told this newspaper that she had been waiting for many hours just to give her signature so that she can go back the following day (yesterday) to uplift her cheque.

“They told me that I got to come back tomorrow. Now if I don’t come back my children will have to starve, and if I do, they gon got to stay home from school. And now is test time. The least that these people could’ve done was inform people of this ridiculous new process,” the lady said.

Single mothers who d e p e n d o n their ‘child support’, are now calling on the relevant authorities to look into the situation.

“If this continues our children won’t have the Christmas that we want them to have. So all of we here begging those on the throne to help us. We fighting every day to provide food for our children, and all we want right now, is money to give them something to remember. It also unfair that their fathers working to provide for them, and the children can’t get their money in time.

Saturday December 08, 2012

Renowned Guyanese novelist, Jan Carew, dead at 92 Jan Carew

R

e n o w n e d Guyanese-born novelist, Jan Rynveld Carew, has died, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport yesterday said.

A playwright and educator also, Jan Carew wrote landmark novels among them ‘Black Midas’ and ‘Wild Coast’ – set – in Guyana, the Caribbean, Europe and elsewhere.

Carew, born September 24, 1920 at Agricola, East Bank Demerara, wrote for children, for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and for the British and Caribbean Pan Africanist Movement.

Carew was described as “the Gentle Revolutionary” for his work in promoting Black activism alongside such stalwarts as W.E.B. DuBois, Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, Cheikh Anta Diop, Kwame Nkrumah and his fellow G u y a n e s e , I v a n Va n Sertima, to name just a few.

According to the Ministry, the Guyanese intellectual must also be regarded as a citizen of the world living and producing work from bases in some ten countries across the globe.

The Ministry also notes Carew’s earlier political and philosophical forays culminating perhaps, in his 1964 piece, “Moscow Is Not My Mecca”.

It is recorded that C a r e w ’s n u m e r o u s academic works – research papers, reviews theses and assays – reflected his

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determination to re-examine and present alternatives to the Westernised “traditional historiographies and prevailing historical models of the conquest of the Americans”.

Carew’s works, along with Van Sertima’s, are scholarly evidence of Guyanese contributions to the Third World mental reorientation.

“The ministry therefore offers condolences to the Carew family and all his international colleagues in the literary and academic world.

“The Guyanese Wanderer” (2007) must be continuing his life’s work at a higher level.”

There were no immediate details by the Ministry on the death of Carew.

At the age of 17, he left Guyana for the United States, where he studied at Howard University and Western Reserve University (1944-8), the predecessor of Case Western Reserve University. He also went to Charles University in Prague (1948–50) and the Sorbonne in Paris.

He has taught at the University of London, Princeton, Rutgers, Illinois We s l e y a n , H a m p s h i r e College, Northwestern and Lincoln Universities.

Jan Carew has lived in Holland, Mexico, England, France, Spain, Ghana, Canada and the United States. In England, he acted with Sir Laurence Olivier and edited the Kensington Post.

Taxi owners may expose Permanent Secretary to further grilling Government's Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, who is currently performing the duties of Cabinet Secretary yesterday said that there is possibility that the Permanent Secretary for the Tourism Ministry will be called back to answer several questions relating to irregularities raised in the Auditor General's 2011 report.

Teixeira was questioned about the fact that the service owners for the taxis deny being paid the amounts which were highlighted in the Auditor General report.

On Monday last, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Willet Hamilton, was grilled by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee about why the Ministry spent $13M in 2009; and $10M in 2010 over the use of taxi services for staffers.

Teixeira told Kaieteur News yesterday that once the owners come forward with the information and their documentation, the matter will be raised at the PAC meeting. Teixeira maintained that it was a serious matter and there must be accountability.

Shadow Minister for Public Works, Attorney at Law, Joe Harmon, had commented on the matter and noted that the PAC meeting has exposed that there is a “loose arrangement” within the Ministry of Tourism and some other Ministries.

According to Harmon, there should be a greater degree of accountability and a proper system of procurement. “It's far too much money to be used for taxis…there must be a system of accountability for Government Ministries,” Harmon told Kaieteur News.

According to Harmon, it is important for the PS to note that he is accountable, since he was the one who was called before the PAC. He said that APNU has been talking about the issue of the PSs' within the Ministries being accountable. Harmon said that it is the PS who has to hold the Minister in “check”.

He said that he hopes that more serious and stringent measures are put in place to ensure that monies are not wasted on frivolous things.

Harmon further noted that this serves as notice to other Permanent Secretaries that they are accountable and they should stand up within their respected Ministries.

The Auditor General's report stated that the Ministry spent a whopping $11.1 million on transportation activities. 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 of Tourism staffers for supposed work related purposes.

In 2010, Indian Chief Ta x i S ervice received $144,000, R and T Taxi Service received $7,153,000; while Green Ice was paid $2,750,000; a total of $10,047,000 to again transport Ministry staff for work related 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.

However, all of the owners for the services have denied that they were paid these sums.

The owners are calling for a better audit.

Kaieteur News

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Saturday December 08, 2012

AG highlights Ministry of Agriculture irregularities The Auditor General has observed in his 2011 report that the Ministry of Agriculture continues to over expend amounts voted as subvention and capital provision for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority. According to the AG, the ministry spent a whopping $4.037B in 2011 with a further $2.809 being used for the current provision.

This action by the Ministry of Agriculture, according to the AG, has resulted in the failure to have related financial statements for the years 2005 to 2011

prepared and submitted for audit. The report explained that the NDIA is a separate legal entity which was created by Act 8 of 2004. The entity is therefore supposed to maintain its own accounts records and is subject to separate reporting and audit.

It was noted that NDIA should have been in receipt of its subventions appropriated by parliaments.

As it relates to the area of payroll, the AG has noted that the sum of $221,469 including deductions totaling $55,232 was overpaid to an officer. The sum of $33,756 was

recovered however, but there was a balance of $187,713 in another instance.

Similarly, in 2010, there were another two instances where there were overpayments of salaries totaling $149,857 including deductions amounting to $52,453 to one officer. At the time of reporting the sum of $47, 271 was recovered leaving a balance of $101, 583.

It was further noted that the Ministry again in 2009 overpaid four staffers $1.855M. The Ministry managed to clear up amounts totaling $1.013M, leaving a

balance of $842,242. The Ministry in response to this aspect said that it had sent reminders to the four staffers, but the persons had not followed up on their obligations.

Moreover it was noted that ever since the introduction of the Integrated Financial Management and Accounting System, in 2004, the Ministry was urged that cash payments of salaries be minimized and that a phased approach be taken towards including all employees under the bank deposit system as stipulated by the

Ministry of Finance. The Ministry is yet to observe this procedure, since there were still giving cash payments which were considerably high.

It was noted that in 2011 December, the Ministry used the prohibited method to pay 88 employees cash payments

totaling $11.549M. Another irregularity raised in the report was the fact that the Ministry spent $326.063M in fuel, but only $22.993M was represented as overpayments on four accounts. Some $52.766 was related to under payments for suppliers.

Elderly man goes missing from home - family seeking public’s assistance to find him The children of 79years-old Vibert Wilfred Solomon also known as ‘Stove man’ and ‘Buggy’ are now in a state of panic. He has been missing five days.

According to the man’s daughter, she awoke around 04:00 hours only to find the front door to her Lot 11 Cemetery Road Railway L i n e , Tr i u m p h h o m e sprawled open, and her father missing.

Solomon’s family told Kaieteur News that he has a tendency of leaving home without informing his family; however, he would always be spotted by a relative or friend and taken back home.

This family says that it has never taken them this long to locate the former military man.

The man who is said to be an active individual is dark in complexion and is about 5 feet, 4 inches.

Solomon was last seen wearing a long sleeved blue and white shirt and short khaki pants and a brown hat.

Missing: 79-years-old Vibert Wilfred Solomon As of last evening, the man’s family was informed that Solomon was somewhere in the vicinity of Lusignan.

The children and relatives of Solomon are s e e k i n g t h e p u b l i c ’s assistance to find him.

Anyone knowing his whereabouts is asked to make contact with his family on telephone numbers-6872657, 684-2150, 629-8502, 601-0595, or the nearest police station.

Robbery accused found with drugs A man, who was with another when they robbed a New Amsterdam resident and was subsequently captured and found with a quantity of drugs in his pocket, has been remanded to jail.

Chris Persaud, 19, of Overton Dam Angoy’s Avenue who was being sought in connection with an armed robbery was on Thursday remanded to jail by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo when he appeared before her at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court on the two charges. On Sunday, last, Chris Persaud and his accomplice, Ron Whyte, 23, of 43 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam allegedly robbed Russhel Williams of one cell phone valued $35,000. The court was told

that Williams was on Strand when the two men rode up on separate bicycles.

Persaud allegedly pulled out a knife from his pants waist and stuck up the accused. They then allegedly took Williams’ cell phone and rode away.

An alarm was raised and public spirited citizens chased after the men whom they recognized. The police were contacted and the perpetrators were subsequently arrested at various locations in NewAmsterdam.

When P e r s a u d w a s searched, he was found with 15 grams of marijuana in his left side pants pocket.

Whyte was granted $40,000 bail while Persaud was remanded to jail. They will have to return to court on December 11, 2012.

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Kaieteur News

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Regional airline unveils new business plan ST. JOHN’S, Antigua CMC - The Antigua-based regional airline, LIAT, yesterday unveiled a new business plan it said would help reverse an EC$43 million (One EC Dollar = US0.37 cents) loss last year while projecting a two per cent profit in 2013.

Recently appointed chief executive officer Ian Brunton

told a regional news conference here that the airline is expected to record EC$23 million in losses at the end of this year.

“The projections show strong revenues and significant bottom line improvement. LIAT is projected to reverse its current losses and record a profit of EC$7 million in 2013

and by 2017, profits in excess of EC$40 million are projected,” said Brunton, who noted that since 2009, the airline has had to deal with high fuel costs and lower passenger traffic that has seriously affected its finances. In 2010, LIAT, whose principal shareholders are the governments of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,

OAS proposes US$100m fund for court on human rights

José Miguel Insulza WASHINGTON D.C., United States – CMC - The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, has proposed to the Permanent Council of the institution the creation of a capital fund with US$100 million to finance the operation of the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CorteIDH).

Insulza said the funds should come from a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Andean Development

Corporation.

“If we really want to increase the financial resources for the Commission and the Court, it can be achieved with a substantial increase to the Oliver Jackman Voluntary Capital Fund,” said the Secretary General of the OAS in a special meeting of the Council Thursday.

The Council has continued the discussion of proposals from Member States on the “The Oliver Jackman Voluntary Capital Fund to Finance the InterAmerican Human Rights System (ISHR)”, which was created by the Permanent Council in December 2007, and currently holds US$152,000, Insulza said.

The leader of the OAS said with current resources, both organizations are far from having sufficient means to meet the number of cases that occur annually, which has led to a significant delay in their tasks.

In his proposal, Insulza said that the loan would be paid “by the OAS Member States with partial payments,

over 20 years -or another termand with contributions proportional to the quotas paid to the hemispheric organization.”

The capital fund, he added, would be “allocated proportionately to the Commission and the Court to make viable in the short and medium term the contents of the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan of the IACHR, and the 20102015 Guidelines of the InterAmerican Court.”

The OAS leader said his proposal “does not replace any of the other contributions that are given to the two organizations, either from the regular budget of the OAS, or from the voluntary contributions of Member States or Observers for specific projects.”

The OAS said Insulza’s proposal was well received by the Permanent Council, where most of the ambassadors welcomed the initiative, notwithstanding that the regular procedure involves consulting their respective foreign ministries.

Ramlogan’s response was issued, days after St RoseGreaves was quoted as saying in an exclusive Sunday Guardian report the Prime Minister was not in charge of the People’s Partnership Government. He said St Rose-Greaves’ “attack, months after she was fired, underscores the revengeful and spiteful nature of it.”

Ramlogan said the timing of her comments raised three questions: • Why did St RoseGreaves remain silent about these imaginary problems when she was comfortably ensconced as a member of the Cabinet at the behest of the Prime Minister?

• Why did she not resign and go public then?

• Could it be because the Prime Minister stood beside her in the face of intense

criticism over her handling of the disastrous Cheryl Miller affair?

Ramlogan said PersadBissessar was second to none as a leader in T&T. The AG also dismissed the former minister’s claims of a personal nature about Persad-Bissessar. He said: “There is no truth to the defamatory allegations about her (Persad-Bissessar’s) personal life. She is certainly not the subject of blackmail by any government minister.” He said Persad-Bissessar, as the country’s first female Prime Minister, “has been subject to extraordinary scrutiny. Her personal life has been under intense scrutiny as many search for faults. “The public microscope has focused on the cost of her private residence, her relationship with her sister, her clothes and even her shoes.”

Ministers defend PM on accusations of substance abuse

Anand Ramlogan Trinidad Guardian Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thursday hit back at Verna St Rose-Greaves for what he said was her “vindictive, vicious and vile attack” on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados, recorded losses of EC$20.2 million, which increased to EC$43 million in 2011 “largely driven by higher fuel costs combined with lower passenger olumes”.

He told reporters that the overall costs have been reduced by 10 per cent since 2011, despite the higher fuel costs, adding “the decrease year over year was mainly attributed to a reduction in both headcount and fleet size.

“Brunton said that the major cause of losses for the regional airline is also the “high cost base, mainly driven by very high aircraft maintenance costs as well as by significantly high employee costs.

“LIAT’s fleet assets are at an age range where maintenance care is very cost intensive, both in parts and labour to keep them serviceable.

“But worse, the management of these aging assets may not have been the most optimum in the past,” Brunton said, adding that over use results in “inevitable breakdowns and groundings to effect essential

maintenance both routine and non routine.

“This causes schedule disruptions which are often very costly,” he added.

Brunton said that while LIAT’s market can be described “as relatively wide”, they are also “very thin since many of the islands have a population that is less than 100,000 persons.

“These realities have significant implications for LIAT’s operating costs.

LIAT’s aging fleet requires constant maintenance attention and is a significant contributor to poor on time performance and customer service”.

Brunton said that over the last few years, LIAT have seen a gradual reduction in competition on most of its markets, predicting that by March 2013, American Eagle, a significant competitor “will finally pull out”.

Brunton said that the new business plan “puts LIAT in a position to take the opportunities presented by these gaps in the market and increase its revenue base in a cost effective manner”.

Brunton addressing the high cost of airfare in the

Ian Brunton region, defended the position of the regional airline, noting that taxes account for nearly 50 per cent of the cost of regional fares.

“We administer 66 taxes,” he said coupled with thin and fragmented markets, limited economies of scale, and high fuel costs as the main drivers for the high regional airfares.

“LIAT currently generates annual revenues of EC300-350 million. This revenue, like most airlines, has significant peaks and troughs. Our peak volumes are in the summer months with smaller peaks at Easter and Christmas,” Brunton said, reiterating that the airline would be reviewing some of the routes on which it operates because of poor returns.

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Saturday December 8, 2012

Protesters surge around Egypt’s presidential palace CAIRO (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Egyptian protesters surged around the presidential palace yesterday and the opposition rejected President Mohamed Mursi’s call for dialogue to end a crisis that has polarized the nation and sparked deadly clashes.

The Islamist leader ’s deputy said he could delay a December 15 referendum on a constitution that liberals opposed, although the concession only partly meets a list of opposition demands that include scrapping a decree that expanded Mursi’s powers.

“The people want the downfall of the regime” and “Leave, leave,” crowds chanted after bursting through barbed wire barricades and climbing on tanks guarding the palace of Egypt’s first freely elected president.

Their slogans echoed those used in a popular revolt that toppled Mursi’s predecessor Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

Vice President Mahmoud Mekky said in a statement sent to local media that the president was prepared to postpone the referendum if that could be done without

Egyptians abroad until Wednesday, instead of today as planned. It did not say whether this would affect the timing of voting in Egypt.

Ahmed Said, leader of the

liberal Free Egyptians Party, told Reuters that delaying expatriate voting was made to seem like a concession but would not change the opposition’s stance.

He said the core opposition demand was to freeze Mursi’s decree and “to reconsider the formation and structure of the constituent assembly”, not simply to postpone the referendum.

The opposition organized marches converging on the palace which elite Republican Guard units had ringed with tanks and barbed wire on Thursday after violence between supporters and opponents of Mursi killed seven people and wounded 350.

Islamists, who had obeyed a military order for demonstrators to leave the palace environs, hold funerals today at Cairo’s alAzhar mosque for six Mursi partisans who were among the dead. “With our blood and souls, we sacrifice to Islam,” they chanted.In a speech late on Thursday,

Mursi had refused to retract his November 22 decree or cancel the referendum on the constitution, but offered talks on the way forward after the referendum.

The National Salvation Front, the main opposition coalition, said it would not join the dialogue. The Front’s coordinator, Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel peace laureate, dismissed the offer as “arm-twisting and imposition of a fait accompli”.

Murad Ali, spokesman of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), said opposition reactions were sad: “What exit to this crisis do they have other than dialogue?” he asked.

Mursi’s decree giving himself extra powers sparked the worst political crisis since he took office in June and set off renewed unrest that is dimming Egypt’s hopes of stability and economic recovery after nearly two years of turmoil following the overthrow of Mubarak, a military-backed strongman.

WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - The United States granted 180-day waivers on Iran sanctions to China, India and seven other countries yesterday in exchange for those nations cutting purchases of oil from the Islamic Republic.

President Barack Obama’s administration has now renewed waivers for all 20 of Iran’s major oil buyers, after granting them to Japan and 10 EU countries in September.

Yesterday’s action was the second renewal for all 20 after Obama signed the sanctions into law a year ago.

The sanctions aim to choke funding to Iran’s

nuclear program, which the West suspects is enriching uranium to levels that could be used in weapons. Tehran says the program is for civilian purposes.

“The United States and the international community remain committed to maintaining pressure on the Iranian regime until it fully addresses concerns about its nuclear program,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement.

Clinton also granted waivers, known as “exceptions,” yesterday to South Korea, South Africa, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

Iran’s oil exports have fallen 50 percent this year in the face of U.S. and EU sanctions. In September and October, the latest months for which data were available, Iran’s crude production fell by 1 million barrels per day, compared with the same time last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Clinton said Iran should take “concrete actions” to satisfy the international community through negotiations with the U.N. Security Council members plus Germany “or face increasing isolation and pressure.”

Protesters against Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi celebrate after peacefully breaking past barbed wire barricades guarding the presidential palace in Cairo yesterday. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany legal challenge.

The dialogue meeting was expected to go ahead on Saturday in the absence of most opposition factions.

“Tomorrow everything will be on the table,” a presidential source said of the talks.

The opposition has demanded that Mursi rescind a November 22 decree giving

himself wide powers and delay the vote set for December 15 on a constitution drafted by an Islamist-led assembly which they say fails to meet the aspirations of all Egyptians.

The state news agency reported that the election committee had postponed the start of voting for

U.S. extends waivers on Iran sanctions to China, India, seven others

Factories show UK economy on verge of shrinking again (Reuters) - British industrial production unexpectedly fell in October after factory output posted its biggest drop since June, reinforcing fears that the economy will shrink again at the end of this year.

It combined with weak trade data earlier in the week to cast doubt on lingering government hopes of an export-led recovery.

Britain has suffered two recessions in the past four years, the last one ending barely three months ago, at least partly thanks to a boost from the Olympics.

Chancellor George

Osborne warned this week of far slower economic growth ahead than previously thought, and official forecasts signalled another contraction in the final quarter of this year.

In yesterday’s figures, manufacturing output dropped 1.3 percent in October after stagnating in September and was 2.1 percent lower than a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics said.

The broader measure of industrial output, which accounts for over 15 percent of Britain’s gross domestic product, also fell both on the month and the year in

October, after oil and gas extraction posted the sharpest yearly fall since records began in 1998. “Very disappointing, triple dip here we come,” said Alan Clarke, economist at Scotiabank. “Manufacturing was diabolical. Sadly, I think there is not a lot to suggest that it is temporary. Survey data has been fairly downbeat.”

Industrial output, which includes energy production and mining as well as manufacturing, fell 0.8 percent on the month, confounding forecasts for a rise, after a 2.1 percent decline in September.

Saturday December 8, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Zimbabwe president talks Berlusconi party says it will not push Italy into chaos of purging corruption

Robert Mugabe HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s president said he would fire government ministers accused of soliciting for bribes in a bid to purge corruption from his party as loyalists met at a convention to map out a winning election strategy to end a conflict-ridden fouryear-old coalition.

President Robert Mugabe said in the state media yesterday the convention in the provincial city of Gweru should prepare for a convincing victory “that will leave no room for doubt.” The longtime leader has said he wants elections in March, a target that doesn’t seem realistic.

A year after violent and

inconclusive elections in 2008, Mugabe formed a coalition government with then opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who’s now prime minister. They’ve agreed on little since then and the government remains split along party lines.

Mugabe, 88, has been endorsed as his ZANU-PF party’s presidential candidate and is expected to face Tsvangirai in the upcoming polls.

Speaking in the local Shona language yesterday, Mugabe said he has received complaints from former South African president Thabo Mbeki that ministers from his party are soliciting for bribes from South African investors looking to do business in Zimbabwe. He told delegates that they must not be scared to report on ministers involved in corruption because to not do so would mean “you are hiding corruption.”

The convention is being held in a new $6.5 million conference hall. The expenditure was criticized by some Mugabe opponents, coming at a time when at least 1.6 million Zimbabweans, according to the United Nations, need food aid.

Organizers of the convention say the center was built to

Boehner says Obama pushing country toward “fiscal cliff” WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - Republican House Speaker John Boehner accused U.S. President Barack Obama of pushing the country toward the “fiscal cliff” yesterday and of wasting another week without making progress in talks.

With three weeks left before a combination of steep tax hikes and deep spending cuts kicks in unless Congress intervenes, Boehner said the administration had adopted a “my way or the highway” approach and was engaging in reckless talk about going over the cliff.

“This isn’t a progress report because there is no progress to report,” Boehner told reporters at the Capitol.

“The president has adopted a deliberate strategy to slowwalk our economy right to the edge of the fiscal cliff.”

The bleak report from Boehner prolongs the economic uncertainty surrounding the cliff, which has already riled markets, slowed down business

decisions and disrupted the budgeting processes for government at all levels across the country.

Obama has called for extending the tax cuts set to expire on December 31 for middle-class taxpayers but letting them rise for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. Boehner and Republicans oppose his plan, preferring to find new revenues by closing loopholes and reducing deductions.

Boehner characterized as “reckless talk” Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s comment this week that the administration was prepared to go over the cliff if tax rates for the wealthiest were not increased. The downbeat assessment was in line with what Boehner has offered for weeks as the two sides hold their ground on Obama’s call for raising tax rates and Republican calls for cuts in entitlements like the Medicare and Medicaid healthcare programs for seniors and the poor.

“show that ZANU-PF is here and will be there in the future.”

Opposition leaders have accused Mugabe and his party of using proceeds from the nation’s eastern diamond fields to fund a parallel government amid fears the money will be used to influence the elections by buying votes and funding violence and intimidation against those who oppose Mugabe’s rule. A recent report by a Canadian-based diamond watchdog,

(Reuters) - Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right People of Freedom party pledged yesterday not to trigger a disorderly crisis that could alarm financial markets as Italy began to look forward to an election in the first few months of next year.

People of Freedom (PDL) secretary Angelino Alfano told parliament that the party’s withdrawal of support from Prime Minister Mario Monti in two confidence votes on Thursday had shown its disapproval without bringing down the

government.

“Yesterday we did not give a vote of no confidence because we consider the experience of the Monti government has come to an end but we don’t want to send the institutions and the country into chaos,” Alfano said.

The PDL is expected to allow budget measures in the so-called Stability Law to pass when it comes before parliament for final approval some time before Christmas, ensuring that deficit reduction goals are maintained and the budget is

approved.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said in a statement he would meet Monti as soon as possible to discuss the implications of the PDL’s decision after he spoke to party leaders yesterday.

Napolitano, who is responsible for calling an election which must take place no later than April, said he believed a “constructive and correct path” could be found in the interests of the country and its international image.

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Saturday December 8, 2012

Hamas leader ends long exile, visits Gaza Strip GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal ended decades of exile yesterday with a triumphal first ever visit to the Gaza Strip that underscored the Islamist group’s growing confidence following its latest conflict with Israel.

After passing through the Egyptian border crossing, Meshaal knelt and touched the ground with his forehead, offering up a prayer of thanks.

He was then greeted in the warm December sun by dozens of Palestinian officials from an array of factions.

Thousands of supporters lined the streets, which were decked in green Hamas flags, as he drove through the coastal enclave, boisterous resistance songs blasting from loudspeakers and gun shots ringing out in welcome as his motorcade reached the city.

Meshaal will spend barely 48 hours in the territory and attend a mass rally today that has been billed as both a commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of Hamas and a “victory” celebration following the November fighting.

Israel rejects Hamas’s

assertion that it won the eight-day conflagration, which left 170 Palestinians and six Israelis dead and was ended by an Egyptianbrokered ceasefire.

Meshaal said his arrival in Gaza was like a rebirth that followed on from his natural birth in the nearby West Bank in 1956 and a second that was his narrow escape in 1997 from an Israeli assassination squad wielding a poisoned needle.

“I pray to God that my fourth birth will come the day we liberate Palestine,” he said, clearly moved by his reception, with uniformed police breaking ranks to try and kiss his hand.

“Today is Gaza. Tomorrow will be Ramallah and after that Jerusalem then Haifa and Jaffa,” he said. Ramallah is in the West Bank, while the latter cities, which have large Arab populations, are in modernday Israel.

He later visited the home of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who was assassinated by Israel in 2004, as well as that of Ahmed AlJaabari, the group’s military commander, who was killed in a similar air strike last month.

Hamas denied seeking

Khaled Meshaal Israeli guarantees that Meshaal would not be targeted in Gaza and massive security was laid on, with guntoting, black-masked guards from the Hamas military wing patrolling the streets in opentopped trucks and motorbikes.

“This is the most beautiful day in my life,” said 27-yearold policeman, Mohammed Abed. “I kissed him on the head.”

Meshaal, 56, had been widely understood not to have set foot in the

Palestinian territories since he left his native West Bank with his family aged 11.

However in his speech he indicated he had returned there for a visit as a teenager 37 years ago.

Hamas has ruled the tiny Gaza Strip and its 1.7 million population since 2007, when it won a brief civil war with its secular rivals Fatah, which still controls the occupied West Bank. Israel had pulled troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005.

The two main Palestinian factions have tried, often with little enthusiasm, to patch up their differences. Meshaal vowed to push for unity which is longed for by ordinary Palestinians.

“This is a promise from the leadership of Hamas. We will press ahead with reconciliation to end divisions and to stand united against the Zionist occupation,” he said on Friday.

The Palestinian movement’s founding charter calls for the destruction of Israel but its leaders have at times indicated a willingness to negotiate a prolonged truce in return for a withdrawal to the lines established ahead of the 1967 war, when Israel seized East Jerusalem, Gaza

and the West Bank.

Hamas continues to say that it will not recognize the Jewish state officially, and it is viewed as a terrorist group

by Israel, the United States and most Western governments.

By contrast, the Westernbacked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he wants a permanent peace deal based on 1967 lines. Sidelined during the Gaza fighting, Abbas regained the spotlight last week when he secured de-facto statehood recognition for the Palestinians at the U.N. General Assembly.

Meshaal ran Hamas from exile in Syria from 2004 until January this year when he quit Damascus because of Iranian-backed President Bashar al-Assad’s war against Sunni Muslim rebels, whose religion and politics are closer to those of the Palestinians. He now divides his time between Qatar and Cairo. His abrupt departure from Syria initially weakened his position within Hamas: ties with Damascus and Tehran had made him important, but with those links damaged or broken, rivals based within Gaza had started to assert their authority.

However, he regained the initiative in last month’s rocket war with Israel, working closely with Egypt to secure the truce, and although he says he plans to step down soon, few in the Gaza Strip expect him to follow through on that pledge.

In a show of unity, Hamas’s Gaza prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh, stuck close to Meshaal’s side throughout the day.

Israeli media have barely mentioned the exile leader’s return. Israeli officials say their week of round-the-clock bombing raids in November had not only killed military chief Jaabari, but also severely depleted Hamas’s weapons stockpile.

“They can dance in the streets as much as they like, but their leaders know what damage was inflicted,” said a senior Israeli official in Jerusalem, who declined to be named.

However, the conflict clearly boosted Hamas’s political standing in the region, winning it the support of Sunni regional powers, such as Qatar, Turkey and Egypt. All dispatched senior delegations to Gaza in a rare and public display of solidarity.

Canada approves China, Malaysia energy company takeovers OTTAWA (Reuters) Canada yesterday approved CNOOC Ltd’s landmark $15.1 billion bid for Nexen Inc, but said it would block virtually all new attempts by foreign state-owned enterprises to buy assets in the oil sands.

Separately, Canada approved a C$5.2 billion ($5.3 billion) bid by Malaysian firm Petronas for energy firm Progress Energy Corp. The federal Industry Ministry weighed both bids to see if they amounted to a net benefit to Canada.

The CNOOC bid was hugely controversial in Canada and raised rare open discord inside the ruling Conservative Party, where some legislators opposed the idea of foreign state-owned enterprises - particularly those from China - buying Canadian energy firms.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the two approvals announced yesterday marked the end of a trend for the rightof-center pro-business Conservatives.

“Foreign state control of oil sands development has reached the point at which further such foreign state control would not be of net benefit to Canada,” he told reporters.

Stephen Harper “Therefore, going forward, the minister (of industry) will find the acquisition of control of a Canadian oil sands business by a foreign state-owned enterprise to be of net benefit only in an exceptional circumstance.”

Ottawa introduced new rules imposing tough conditions on state-owned enterprises seeking to invest anywhere in the Canadian economy.

The strict new approach will raise questions about how Canada can raise the C$650 billion investment it says it needs in the natural resources

sector in the next decade alone. Ministers say much of the money will have to come from abroad and China is an obvious source.

Harper said Canada was particularly concerned by two factors: the influence that foreign state-owned enterprises could have on Canadian industry and the influence that the country where the enterprise came from had over that enterprise.

In future, he said, stateowned enterprises seeking to invest in the economy would have to show adherence to free market principles and address the fact that they are susceptible to state influence.

Harper went to China in February to promote the idea of the Asian country buying Canadian oil and also made clear Canada was open for business.

But given the unhappiness in his own party, he took a tougher-thanexpected approach.

“To be blunt, Canadians have not spent years reducing the ownership of sectors of the economy by our own governments, only to see them bought and controlled by foreign governments instead,” Harper said.

Saturday December 8, 2012

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55 hrs. Sign On 09:00 hrs. Power Ranger Samurai 10:00 hrs. Supah Ninjas 11:00 hrs. Saved by the Bell 12:00 hrs. Prime News 12:30 hrs. Saved By the Bell 13:00 hrs. Movie: Too Late to Say Goodbye 15:00 hrs. Move: A Date with Darkness 17:00 hrs. The Baptist Hour 18:00 hrs. World News 18:30 hrs. Nightly News 19:00 hrs. Greetings and

Kaieteur News

Announcements 20:00 hrs. Issues of the People (Live) 21:00 hrs. DTV’s Christmas Spectacular 00:00 hrs. Sign Off MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 Sign on 06:30 hrs - Peace Love & Harmony (live) 07:00 hrs - Dabi’s bhajan Hour 07:30 hrs - Times of Refreshing (live) 08:00 hrs - Full Life Broadcast

with Pastor Findlay 08:30 hrs - Cartoons 09:30 hrs - Living the Life 10:00 hrs - Camille’s Institute Presentation 10:30 hrs - Children Movie: Sofia: Once upon a Princess 12:30 hrs - National Geographic: Test Your Brain 2 13:30 hrs - Cartoons 14:00 hrs - National Geographic: I’m an animal 15:00 hrs - Spotlight on Christmas 16:00 hrs - Christmas

Melodies 16:30 hrs - Alabama Trading Music break 17:00 hrs - Birthdays & other Greetings 17:15 hrs - Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30 hrs - Sitcom 18:00 hrs - Searching the Scriptures with Devi 18:30 hrs - Cabinet Briefing 19:00 hrs - Apex Forum (Live) 20:15 hrs - MTV music break 20:30 hrs - Indian Movie: Dil Hai Tumhaara 23:00 hrs - English Movie: Hachiko Sign off

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Saturday December 8, 2012 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Good intentions at work are not enough to get you through a busy day; you must make a plan and stick with it.

Paradoxically, you need to trust your intuition when circumstances dictate a strategic change.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You don’t want to do things today in the same manner as you did them before.

In fact, you’re interested in trying a new approach to nearly any activity you start now.

Unfortunately, your co-workers and friends might not be so eager to support your uncharacteristic rebellious nature.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may be so bored at work today that you check out for the weekend early. However, even if you’ve already escaped in your mind, you might have to stick around anyhow until it’s actually time to leave.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your friends may be counting on you now and expecting you to join up with them later. Although you might be looking forward to enjoyable social activities, you currently have to buckle down and finish your work before making your escape.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) The Moon’s entry into your sign today shifts your attention from the rational world toward a more subjective perspective. But you’re not satisfied with the status quo now and could be motivated to take up a new course of study that involves a deepening curiosity in some unexplored area of art, psychology or metaphysics.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) If you think that you’ve been missing a significant piece of information, today might be the right day to do some serious research. Messenger Mercury joins the karmic Lunar North Node in your sign, indicating the heightened importance of communication.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You might be unsure of your current destination, but a lack of clarity today won’t stop you from continuing on a road to somewhere. Even if you start off without a map, you’ll be able to better see where you’re going as the day progresses.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Today’s timing may be frustrating because you have high hopes about accomplishing a lot at work. However, the day gets off to a slow beginning, making it harder to finish what you start.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You might start the day with your head in the clouds of your imagination. But your impractical approach to the day begins to shift as the changeable Moon enters your 3rd House of Immediate Environment. Don’t be overly concerned about sticking to your plans.

It’s hard to keep your feet on the ground today, even if you have very practical goals at first. Hopefully, you can fulfill most of your obligations before you lose focus because you won’t want to look back once your key planet Uranus tempts you to cut loose.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) It’s challenging to concentrate this morning, making it harder to complete whatever you start.

However, your mind sharpens midday, enabling you to successfully revisit a mentally challenging task.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You might struggle to pay attention to your everyday affairs today because your imagination is running wild. Instead of perceiving things as they are, you can envision them as you wish them to be.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

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India v England: Tourists dominate third Test in Kolkata England tightened their grip on the third Test against India, although Alastair Cook missed out on a double century on day three in Kolkata. Cook was run out in bizarre fashion on 190 as he moved to avoid Virat Kohli’s throw before making his ground.

The captain had earlier shared a stand of 173 with Jonathan Trott (87), while Kevin Pietersen added a belligerent 54. And, with Matt Prior and Graeme Swann adding an unbroken stand of 56, England closed on 509-6, a lead of 193.

The late flurry pushed

England towards a position from which they can earn a 21 lead in the four-match series and potentially secure a first victory in India since 1985.

The swift progress of the seventh-wicket pair was also in contrast to the rest of the day, as India’s bowlers stuck to their task well to prevent the tourists accelerating away in the opening two sessions.

However, on a pitch that remains good for batting despite increasing signs of turn and uneven bounce, wickets were usually only the result of batsman error and England will want further runs to be added by Prior on the

fourth morning to feel confident of not facing a tricky final-innings chase.

The wicketkeeper was characteristically busy at the crease to punish a tiring India attack, building on the platform set by Cook and Trott earlier in the day. With England resuming on 216-1, the second-wicket pair made steady progress through the morning session, seeing off the new ball in the process.

Cook, who had scored an England record 23rd Test century on day two, was less fluent on his return and was reprieved on 152 when Ishant Sharma put down the simplest

Jonathan Trott

of return catches.

Trott had struggled in the first two Tests of the series but showed more authority than his captain, driving in front of square on both sides of the wicket and regularly sweeping the spinners.

It was, however, the Warwickshire man who was first to go, getting a thick edge when left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha found some sharp turn, with wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni taking a good catch.

With India seemingly now out of ideas on how to dismiss Cook as he approached 550 runs for the series, the home side eventually removed the visiting skipper in the most unusual way. Returning to the non-striker’s end as Kohli fielded off Pietersen at square leg, Cook took action to avoid a shy at the stumps before grounding his bat.

However, the throw hit directly with Cook still short of the crease and, after the umpires consulted, he was given run out for the first time in his first-class career. That was Pietersen’s cue to accelerate either side of tea -

dancing to strike Ojha for a straight six before the break and hitting the same bowler for three successive fours afterwards. Ian Bell tried to match his partner’s intent, but was caught behind wafting at Sharma, with Pietersen then falling lbw as he attempted to sweep Ravichandran Ashwin.

After Samit Patel’s breezy 33 was ended by an edge to slip off Ojha, India may have had

hopes of running through an England tail elongated by the absence of Stuart Broad.

But Prior, sweeping and cutting, raced to 40 in a 46ball stay that included an imperious pull for a maximum off Sharma. And, in tandem with Swann, he took advantage of some weary bowling to push England’s lead towards 200. (BBC Sport)

(From page 29) legal suit pending against Mayweather for casting similar aspersions in his direction, has stayed out of the argument, preferring to say: ‘Marquez is going to see the old PacMan, the one who knocks people out.’

That is something Pacquiao has not done since a late stoppage of Miguel Cotto three years ago, but he is conscious that it might be wise for him

to take the result out of the judges’ hands this time.

There are whispers, also, that Pacquiao, with all his distractions as a Philippines congressman, singer, broadcaster and philanthropist, may be losing focus.

Since a loss to Marquez would probably kill a dream fight against Mayweather, we must hope not.

Roach says: ‘After all the fuss at the previous fights

we’re not likely to get the decision so I’ve told Manny he had better knock this guy out and have done with him.’

Logic suggests 12 more desperately close rounds but the PacMan has made a habit of confounding reason and I expect he can do so again. If I am right then the only counting that matters will come, after all, from a Nevadan. Namely Kenny Bayless, the referee.

(Mail Online)

I must KO Marquez...

Saturday December 08, 2012

Kaieteur News

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I must KO Marquez! Pacquiao fears judges’ revenge if fight No 4 goes all the way An English judge has been called by the state of Nevada to help resolve, once and for all, the most festering dispute in world sport.

John Keane, a veteran boxing referee from Wellingborough, will be one of the three people at ringside here tonight charged with bringing in a verdict between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez which is beyond dispute.

So angry have been the controversies surrounding the first three fights between these two men that the Nevada State Athletic Commission has broken its long-standing protocol of only appointing judges from within its own jurisdiction.

This concession has been forced on them by the heated claims by Marquez that he was robbed by the draw and two narrow victories awarded to Pacquiao thus far.

Nevada is not only giving Keane the distinction of becoming the first foreign judge at a big fight in Sin City in modern times but is also drafting in respected New

Jersey official Steve Weisfeld.

But while this has been welcomed as a progressive move, the identity of the solitary Nevada judge is still provoking something of an uproar.

Not because Adalaide Byrd is a woman in what is still a male-dominated world but because some of her scoring in the past has been idiosyncratic, to say the least.

Most notably in British eyes, she was the dissenting judge in Joe Calzaghe’s splitdecision win over Bernard Hopkins.

One factor in her selection is that the majority of Nevada’s leading judges have been involved in one or other of the three previous battles, and Marquez would not accept any of those this time.

The confidence in Keane’s British sense of fair play is absolute, with promoter Bob Arum saying: ‘John is a top-class official and he will do an excellent job.’

However, it is not impossible that Marquez’s

insistence on a fresh and internationally balanced set of judges may work against him.

The protests surrounding the previous battles would have put enormous pressure on all-Nevada judges to bend over backwards in the Mexican’s favour tonight.

But that is not how an issue like this should be decided, even though there is no world title on the line.

Among the matters at stake in the MGM Grand Garden Arena are Pacquiao’s legacy as one of the great pound-forpound boxers in the world and the prospect of a $200million showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jnr to confirm which of them is the No 1 man of this era.

The negative, counterpunching style of Marquez, which presents the southpaw Pacquiao such a particular problem to solve, has clouded the picture.

So, too, has the difficulty of judging their fights. Yet while there has to be sympathy for Marquez in his going so close, the Mexican protests have been

Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez meet for a fourth time on Saturday. (AP) exaggerated.

Pacquiao had him down three times in the first fight and I was not alone in scoring the Filipino as the winner by at least one round in their two subsequent clashes.

And now the latest scandal to plague boxing is invading the build-up to Pacquiao-Marquez IV. Marquez, 39, has undergone a dramatic change in body shape, developing

visibly greater muscularity.

Not until his third fight with Pacquiao, a year ago, did he become a full-blown welterweight.

This has happened since he hired as his conditioning coach one Angel Heredia, who admitted supplying disgraced American Olympians Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery with steroids and has been banned from contact with the

US track and field team.

Heredia makes no attempt to deny his past involvement with doping but insists he now works only with approved supplements.

Marquez protests his innocence but Heredia is threatening to sue Pacquiao’s coach, Freddie Roach, for pointing the finger at his weight gain.

Pacquiao, who still has a (Continued on page 28)

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Saturday December 08, 2012

McCullum takes over as New Zealand Captain Brendon McCullum has been appointed New Zealand’s Captain in all three formats after Ross Taylor declined an offer to stay on as leader of the Test side in a split-captaincy scenario.

Taylor has also chosen to make himself unavailable for the upcoming tour of South Africa, although New Zealand are hopeful he will be back in the side for the home series against England early next year.

The confirmation of the change came at a press conference in Auckland on Friday morning where David White, the New Zealand Cricket CEO, said he regretted the way the captaincy debate had played out in the public spotlight.

McCullum, who has previously led New Zealand in eight ODIs and 12 Twenty20s, will become the country’s 28th Test captain when the series against South Africa begins on January 2 in Cape Town.

There had been much speculation this week about the future of Taylor since the squad returned from Sri Lanka despite their

Brendon McCullum impressive series-leveling victory in Colombo. In that match Taylor, who took over as Captain in 2011 after being preferred to McCullum for the role, scored 142 in the first innings, but it was one of few highlights in a disappointing year for New Zealand, whose only other victory came in the first Test of the year against Zimbabwe.

They lost Test series against South Africa, West Indies and India before the draw in Sri Lanka while they have slipped to ninth in the one-day rankings below Bangladesh. They were also knocked out in the Super Eights of the World

Twenty20. It was after the review of that tournament, as well as the tours of India and Sri Lanka, that the coach Mike Hesson recommended splitting the captaincy.

“Mike Hesson proposed a split captaincy that was endorsed by me as CEO and agreed by the board,” White said.

“The original recommendation was for Ross Taylor to be retained as Test captain and Brendon McCullum to be short-form captain. We regret that Ross Taylor has declined the opportunity, therefore Brendon McCullum has been appointed as Black Caps captain for all three forms of the game.

“I met with Ross ... for about three hours yesterday and we considered a number of different options. One of them was ... for him to go to South Africa and even just play the Test matches if he wanted to do that. But he thought about it long and hard and he said that he would like a break and to spend time with his family and we’ve agreed with that and we respect that. It’s not ideal and we would be a stronger team

with Ross Taylor in it.”

Despite the change in captaincy, White said he did not believe Taylor had lost the support of his players. “I don’t believe he lost the dressing room,” White said.

“He is well respected.”

Hesson, who took over from John Wright as New Zealand’s coach in July, said he wanted Taylor to stay on as Test captain and his main concern was that the leadership in all three formats was a lot for

anyone to take on.

Hesson said split captaincy had worked for other countries and he believed McCullum would have been the best man for the job in the shorter formats.

(ESPNCRICINFO)

Mayo’s 23 lead Mavericks past skidding Suns 97-94 Phoenix (AP) - Fans were guaranteed a good time or their money back at the Phoenix Suns’ game against Dallas. They were not guaranteed a victory, and they didn’t get one - just another failed Phoenix comeback.

A tough, fall-away 21footer by O.J. Mayo proved to be the difference as the Mavericks handed the Suns their fifth loss in a row, 97-94 on Thursday night. It was a nice bounce-back for a Dallas team beaten by 22 by the Clippers in Los Angeles 24 hours earlier, the Mavericks’ fourth loss in five games.

Mayo scored 23 points, including that go-ahead jumper with 35 seconds to go.

Brandan Wright and Darren Collison scored 16 apiece for Dallas. Wright’s total was a season high. Chris Kaman added 15 points.

Markieff Morris had 15 points and a career-best 17 rebounds for the Suns, who rallied from 15 down in the third quarter to tie it in the final minute. Kaman (sprained ankle) and Shawn Marion

(strained right groin) left the game with injuries for Dallas, as did P.J. Tucker (sprained knee) and Jermaine O’Neal (eye) for Phoenix.

The game was played on ‘’money-back guarantee night,’’ when those who bought a ticket could get their money back if they didn’t have a good time. The Suns said it was the first promotion of its kind in the NBA. It was the first game back for Phoenix after a 1-5 road trip that included a strong game at Memphis, where the Suns led by 16 before losing in overtime. One of those losses was a 40-point blowout in Detroit. The others all went down to the wire.

Morris’ 3-pointer cut Dallas’ lead to 87-85 with a minute to go, then Shannon Brown stole Collison’s pass and was fouled. Brown made two free throws with 48.5 seconds left to tie it at 87.

But with Sebastian Telfair guarding him closely, Mayo knocked down the tough shot to put the Mavericks back ahead for good.

Dragic, who scored 15 points but shot only 5 of 14, missed an open driving layup that would have tied it.

Dallas sealed it with eight free throws in the final 19.3 seconds - four by Collison and four by Vince Carter.

Trailing 44-40 at halftime, the Mavericks ran past Phoenix 23-4 to start the third quarter, opening a 63-48 lead with 3:50 to go in the period.

Mayo sank his third 3-pointer of the night - in four tries and Wright, who had not played in three of the previous four games, made consecutive baskets, on a dunk and a layup, to cap the outburst.

Phoenix missed 13 of its first 14 shots in the quarter and went 7 minutes without a field goal. Dragic and Tucker hit 3s to bring the Suns out of their funk enough to cut the lead to 69-62 after three. Jared Dudley opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer, then Telfair’s layup cut it to 71-67.

Consecutive baskets by Wright boosted the lead to 81-71 with 5:40 to play.

The Philip George Legacy Basketball Tournament for First and Third Divisions teams has reached the semifinal stage with matches slated for today and tomorrow, at the Burnham Court on Middle Street.

In today’s matches, Pacesetters collide with Buxton United in a 3rd Division contest and that will be followed by the clash

between Pacesetters and Ravens in the First Division.

Those matches will be preceded by an Under-12 game featuring Plaisance and Pacesetters.

Tomorrow’s matches will see Colts going up against Pepsi Sonics in a 3rd Division encounter and that will be followed by Republic Bank Nets against Pepsi Sonics in a 1st Division clash.

The winner of the 1st

Division will receive $100,000 and a trophy, while the runner-up takes away $50,000 and a trophy.

The 3rd Division winner receives $35,000 and a trophy while the winner collects $15,000 and a trophy. Among the major sponsors are Giftland OfficeMax, R&R, Nigel Hinds Financial Services and Gizmos and Gadgets.

Philip George Legacy B’ball reaches semi-final stage

Saturday December 08, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Battle tested Leopold Street starts as underdogs against Back Circle This is what this evening’s finals of the Guinness ‘Greatest of de Streets’ Competition could look like at the National Park.

-Third place playoff should be a scorcher

By Rawle Welch Battle tested Leopold Street even after withstanding three close encounters where they won two in penalty shootouts and the other, a narrow 1-0 triumph over a star-studded West Front Road are still being seen as the underdogs when they face defending champions Back Circle in tonight’s final of the Banks DIH-sponsored ‘Guinness Greatest of de Streets’, at the National Park.

The West Georgetownbased unit defied all the odds to make it to the championship round, knocking out a strong Albouystown ‘A’ side, before doing the same to Hope Street of Tiger Bay, two teams that were highly favoured to defeat them.

Known as the ‘giant killers’ in this year’s competition, the team is now one victory away from claiming what will be a well deserved title should they manage to pull off another major upset against a team that has also shown quality and resilience throughout their reign as champions.

Leopold Street will pin their hopes on the performances of former ‘Golden Jaguars’ midfielder Konata Manning, former junior standout Omallo Williams, Roger Bourne, A. Sookhoo and Hugh Argyle to lead them to victory.

On the other hand, Back Circle need no introduction to the fans, having represented Guyana at the highest level of the format in the Caribbean Challenge Tournament held here earlier this year, losing in the final to a team from St. Vincent.

The champs this year has not looked as invincible as last year, but they are an experienced unit and know how to get the job done on the big occasion. They survived a nerve racking penalty shootout against counterparts East Front Road, before prevailing 13-12 in their quarter-final encounter, while escaping with a slim 1-0 win over Broad Street ‘B’ in the semi-finals.

Andy Duke, Dexter Bentick, Vincent Thomas, Wayne Wilson and Leon Murray will have to be in flawless form to ensure that

the contest is decided in regulation time since the opposition has been riding their luck expertly so far in the competition.

Up for grabs is $600,000 for the winning team plus a trophy, while the losing finalist takes home $300,000 and a trophy, 3rd place winner $200,000 and 4th place finisher $100,000.

The third place playoff is between West Front Road and Broad Street ‘B’ and this

Lester Peters U-15 football

Fruta Conquerors ‘A’ tackle Northern Rangers in final Fruta Conquerors ‘A’ will tackle Northern Rangers for championship honours while South Georgetown will oppose the Georgetown Football Club when the finals and third place playoff of the Lester Peters Under-15 football tournament get underway at the Tucville Ground tomorrow afternoon starting at 14:00hrs. The feature attraction gets underway at 16:00hrs.

If the action in the early stages of the tournament is anything to go by, then football lovers could visit the venue in anticipation of two scorchers.

In the main event, Fruta ‘A’ will start off as the favourites with such names as Randy Layne and Ryan Blackman, two dependable strikers with a propensity for goals.

Presently, Layne is leading the goal scorer and had been most devastating especially in the game against Flamingo where he netted 5 times to lead his team to a 13-

0 victory.

He will also depend on the likes of Colin Waterman, Jaleel Hamilton and Delroy Holligan.

Northern Rangers is no pushover and they also will be posing a formidable lineup in strikers Joshua Williams and Keith Caines. Collis Best and Andrew Holder are expected to shore up the

defense.

Meanwhile, Fruta Conquerors earned the right to play for the championship after defeating the Georgetown Football Club, 3-0 while Northern Rangers inflicted a 3-2 defeat on South Georgetown via penalties after regulation and extra time failed to separate the teams.

Kings play Raiders; Bulls bounce...

(From page 33) But the Raiders have shown depth in their squad which should be running the ball against the Kings. Their top players have been Sheldron Noel, national player Neil Marks who has not been in the best of touch due to injury, young Omar Sam and Alexander Rose who comes off the bench with energy.

The Raiders have won both their recent encounters

against the Kings, 48-45 and 48-44 in the recent BOSAI tournament after losing to the Kings 51-39 in the 2012 Trophy Stall championship.

Meanwhile, tomorrow at the same venue, Block 22 Flames oppose Bulls in the first game and Royals tackle Pistons in the feature.

Admission to these preliminary round matches is free compliments of Banks DIH Limited.

affair promises to be another fascinating clash which could go either way.

West Front Road will once again be depending on the services of the Pedro clan Michael and Hubert along with support from Randolph Wagner to bolster their

chances of winning, while the Gravesande brothers Jimmy and Rocky, Daniel Favourite and Kevin Griffith will be looking to make up for the disappointment of not being in the final.

One thing is certain, all four teams will be bringing

their fan base with them and the atmosphere is anticipated to be electric. In the exhibition segment, Upper Level will collide with Guinness Bar for the top prize, while Clippers Barber Shop takes on GT Masters for third place. Action kicks off at 20:00 hrs.

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2012

Crandon confident Guyana can do well in Regional T20

Narsingh Deonarine bats in the nets yesterday

By Zaheer Mohamed Coach of the Guyana senior Twenty20 team Esaun Crandon is confident that they can go all the way in the 2013 Regional tournament which starts in January. He was speaking to this newspaper after a practice session

Leon Johnson prepares to receive a delivery in the nets yesterday afternoon at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

He said the team is a balanced one which has a mixture of youth and experience. He stated that the players are responding well to the training.

“I am happy with the intensity level shown by the players, the team spirit is high

and the guys are in excellent shape and we are hoping to do Guyana proud.”

Manager of the team Alvin Johnson said they are fully focused on the game and he is pleased with the turn out.

“All the players selected are here with the exception of Stephen Jacobs who is studying in Barbados but will

Essequibian Dillon Heyliger plays off the back foot during yesterday’s nets session join the team on January 12; Captain Veerasammy Permaul who is with the West Indies team in Bangladesh and Assad Fudadin who is ill but is expected to start training with the team from today.”

He informed that there are minor injuries to Leon Johnson and pacer Ronsford Beaton. The Manager also told Kaieteur Sport that it is good to have Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan in the squad.

“Sarwan is focused and determined to do well, he is committed and looked in good nick.” He also expects leg spinner Devendra Bishoo to play an important role in the team.

“Bishoo is working very hard to improve his game, we all know he is a match winner and can handle any given

situation on any given day.”

Johnson said he is happy the National Stadium has been made available to the team and thanked Everest Cricket Club for allowing them to use their facilities. He said that two practice matches will be played under lights at the Stadium and they are hoping to get a few more games before they depart for the tournament. He further stated that only the players from Berbice and Essequibo are staying at the Chetram Singh Center of Excellence.

“The players will commence gym training at Buddy’s Gym while the pool training will take place at Colgrane starting next week,” added Johnson.

In an invited comment middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan said they are looking forward to the

tournament. He believes that Guyana’s chances of winning the tournament are very good. “We always do well in Twenty20 and are hoping to continue, a few brilliant performances from the players can determine the outcome of a match in this version.”

Sarwan also stated that the team that plays better cricket on the day will be victorious. Practice sessions continue tomorrow at the Stadium. The team will break camp on December 23, before regrouping four days later.

Among the Coaches assisting in preparing the team are Orin Bailey and Gavin Nedd. Guyana will play Combine Campuses and Colleges in their first match on January 7, 2013 at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad.

Upper Corentyne 2nd div. 20 over...

No. 68 Turn Team & Kim IL Sung play final tomorrow at Skeldon No. 68 Turn Team and Kim IL Sung of Corriverton will meet in the final of the inaugural Upper Corentyne Second Division 20 Over cricket competition after they both won their respective semi finals recently.

The final is fixed for the Skeldon Community Centre ground and is scheduled to start at 13.00 hours.

In their semi final played at the No. 70 Ground: No. 68 Turn Team defeated No. 70 MYO by 50 runs.

No. 68 Turn team batting first made 159 for 7; Hemnauth Ramsaroop fell one run short of a century lashing 6 fours and 9 sixes, Dianand Gooniah made 35.

Bowling for No. 70 MYO Mohamed Azardeen took 4 for 21 and Jameel Azad 2 for

Hemnauth Ramsaroop 29. No. 70 MYO were bowled out for 109 in 18.2 overs; Niazi Khan 27 and Manouram Vincent 26 were the leading run gethers.

Bowling for No. 68 Turn Team Videsh Sooknanan took 5 for 29 from 3.2 overs.

In the other semi final at No. 69: Kim IL Sung got past No. 69 Red Rose by 3 wickets.

Red Rose made 134 for 7 in their 20 overs; Parasram Chaitram led with 43* and Tariq Chaitram 20.

Bowling for Kim IL Sung Faoud Bacchus took 2 for 15, Amzan Appalsammy 2 for 20 and Jermain Reid 2 for 38.

Kim IL Sung responded with 138 for 7 in 19.2 overs; Clavern Beresford 38, Amzan Appalsammy 21 and Rabindra Singh 20 were the main contributors. Azad Mohamed grabbed 3 for 27.

The two semi final losers, No. 70 M.Y.O and No. 69 Red Rose will be play in the third-place game, the opener of the double header from 09:00hrs at the Skeldon ground.

Saturday December 08, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 33

Sammy leads WI to series-leveling win Dhaka, Bangladesh – A timely, all-round intervention from Darren Sammy dragged West Indies to a 75-run victory in the fourth One-day International against Bangladesh on Friday here, drawing them level in the fivematch series.

The Windies captain, batting at eight, struck five fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 60 from 62 balls, dragging his side to a respectable 211 for nine from their allocation of 50 overs, after they were put in to bat on a damp Sher-e-Bangla Stadium pitch.

Sammy made himself a shoo-in for the Man-of-theMatch award, when he returned to gain appreciable bounce and movement from the surface with the new ball to further silence a crowd of 24,725, knocking over the Bangladeshi top order, snaring 3-28 from eight overs, as the hosts were bowled out for 136.

Dwayne Smith formalised the victory for the visitors with 95 balls remaining, when Sammy held a catch at gully to dismiss last man Abdur Razzak for three.

Smith ended with 2-7 from 2.1 overs, Kemar Roach grabbed 2-29 from eight overs and Veerasammy Permaul took 2-35 from eight overs, as Mahmudullah gathered the top score of 56 not out from 78 balls for Bangladesh, whose captain Mushfiqur Rahim made 27 and was the only other batsman to pass 20.

The result meant that the series is now level 2-2, after Bangladesh won the first ODI by seven wickets last Fiday at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in the south-western city of Khulna, where they also won the second ODI by 160 runs two days later.

West Indies fought back to win the third ODI by four wickets this past Wednesday here – and both sides now

look forward to clinch the series when the final ODI is contested on Saturday at this venue.

The Windies batting again struggled and the Caribbean side stumbled to 102 for six in the 32nd over until Sammy came to the crease and rescued them, putting on 43 for the seventh wicket with Darren Bravo.

The left-handed Bravo made 34 from 61 balls before he gave a tame return catch to off-spinner Sohag Gazi in the 43rd over.

Sammy continued to lead the fight, after Gazi dropped him on 30 at deep mid-wicket off Mashrafe Mortaza in the 46th over, giving his side a welcomed boost, collecting most of the 36 runs they accumulated in the final three overs.

Sammy, sharing the new ball with Roach, then undermined Bangladesh’s brittle top-order with two wickets in his first over – the

Malta Supreme Christmas B’ball

Kings play Raiders; Bulls bounce against Royals tonight

Omar Sam

Steve Neils Jnr

The long standing rivalry between the number one ranked club in Linden, Kashif and Shanghai Kings and a resurgent Retrieve Raiders will come to the fore this evening while the battle among the west sides Victory Valley Royals and Half Mile Bulls is sure to grasp the attention of fans when the Malta Supreme Christmas basketball championship continues at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court.

More-so, the fact that major sponsor Banks DIH has freed up the gates as part of the sponsorship to the organisers the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA), b’ball lovers are expected to come out in their numbers ahead of the opening match-up at 19:30hrs between the Royals and the Bulls.

This encounter features two sides which have split their recent clashes, Royals having won their match against Bulls when the two played in the Trophy Stall tournament 87-44 and the Bulls coming back to take the recent match-up in the BOSAI championship, 69-48.

And while both clubs have lost their opening matches in this tourney, one may think that the Bulls after winning the recent BOSAI Open Challenge tournament are favoured to get past the Royals. However, the Royals have refocused for this tournament and will be no pushovers; they will be led by former national Alwyn Wilson and past junior national Stephen Couchman and the likelihood of their top player Chris Williams, the junior national forward joining with

junior national Marlon Pollydore to boost their attack.

With this the Bulls are sure to be truly tested after their impressive showing, recently. At the same time the Bulls remain a contending team with their best players being Michael Turner and Keon Cameron who will do the bulk of their scoring.

Support will come from Sean Easton.

The second game at 21:30hrs should even be more interesting when the Kings face the Raiders. The Kings have shown glimpses of their former dominance but without centre Jason Alonzo are still to rekindle that flame.

The experienced national duo of Steve Neils Jr. and Marvin Hartman along with former national player Abdulla Hamid hold the key to their success this evening.

However, with national junior player Orin Rose going through a bad patch they have been limited in their output even with the presence of Omally Sampson.

Taking that into consideration the Raiders, despite losing national forward Dwayne Roberts on indefinite suspension, could pose some problems. If the impact of Alonzo is equal to that of Roberts’ absence then the battle will be well and truly on.

(Continued on page 29)

Veersammy Permaul second of the innings – when he held a return catch to remove Anamul Haque for one and had Naeem Islam caught low down at second slip by Bravo for a first-ball duck.

Roach followed up, striking twice in the following over, when he bowled the dangerous Tamim Iqbal for

one and had Nasir Hossain caught behind for two three deliveries later.

Sammy sunk the Bangladeshis to 13 for five in the sixth over, when he had Mominul Haque caught at square leg for one before Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur added 74 for the sixth wicket to add some backbone to the

Darren Sammy home team’s batting.

Off-spinner Sunil Narine made the breakthrough, when he had Mushfiqur stumped in a flash by wicketkeeper Devon Thomas in the 22nd over before Permaul and Smith worked their way through the lower order.

Today is the 5th and final game. (WICB)

t r o Sp European Fitness Queen, Gisa ter Haar to feature at Flex Night International tonight Here to showcase her talent!

Ms. Gisa ter Haar poses with Mr. Venderzeijden last evening.

G

uyanese of all walks of life are expected to grace the National Cultural Centre (NCC) when the Flex Night Incorporated presents Flex Night International starting at 19:00hrs. But even before that activity gets underway, the group will host a Fitness Expo in the lobby of the NCC starting at 13:00hrs.

Last evening, officials of Flex Night Inc. hosted a Welcome Cocktail and interactive session at the offices of Demerara Mutual Conference Room, Scotia Bank Building, Robb Street, Georgetown where several bigwigs in the bodybuilding arena merged mere hours after arriving in the country.

Those gracing the event were President of the Suriname Bodybuilding and Weightlifting Association, Mukesh Kanhai, President of the Guyana Amateur Body Building and Fitness Federation (GABBFF), Keavon Bess, bodybuilding and fitness coach, Rinus Venderzeijden and Fitness Queen of Europe, Gisa ter Haar.

Mr. Venderzeijden will facilitate in a seminar that underlines the benefits of fitness and nutrition, tomorrow at the Herdmanston Lodge from 10:00hrs. He said that he is concerned that Guyanese are not taking special care with their diet and he will endeavor to impart valuable tips that could foster the relevant changes. He will also touch on training techniques.

Ms. ter Haar will also speak on food and nutrition with a specific focus on the incorporation of food, training and lifestyles

for the complete individual. Sporting a well honed body, Ms. ter Haar said that after child bearing activities most women develop a misconception about exercising and place all the emphasis on domestic chores while neglecting their bodies.

She said that she will be discussing the vagaries of this issue with an objective of changing these beliefs.

“We will also focus on men’s role in fostering the relevant changes in the women’s attitude,” said Ms ter Haar. On stage action tonight will however see athletes from Guyana and Suriname battling for individual and country glory when the curtains are drawn for the Flex Night International competition.

Fans can look forward to exciting competition among the males with the Surinamese represented by four of their top competitors, fresh off their senior national champions and included in their line-up is Mr. Suriname 2012.

They will also be represented by a number of fans who have made the trip to support their own.

Guyanese will be satisfied that they will be well represented by the cream of the crop locally with a few tested, tried and proven competitors making a return to the stage.

The female best legs and bikini competitions will also set the night alight with a number of first timers set to grace the cultural centre stage with their presence.

An entertaining night is anticipated.

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