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Kaieteur News
Monday December 10, 2012
Bandits brutally kill businessman The brutal murder 35-year old Annandale, East Coast Demerara businessman Kamal Ramsahoye called Vicky, early yesterday morning sent shockwaves through the relatively quiet community. Ramsahoye, who lived alone at his Annandale Market Road property, which houses his business, was found dead in the bottom flat of the building with multiple stab wounds around 07:30 hours by his brother Kumar. The businessman received a total of 10 stab wounds, three to his upper chest and seven to his back. Investigators are convinced that Ramsahoye was attacked by bandits who took away an undisclosed amount of cash and other valuables. Judging from the evidence of a ransacked bottom flat, detectives believe that Ramsahoye was brutally murdered during a fierce fight with his attackers. Cash, comprising small denomination notes were scattered on the floor, while a toy gun was recovered next
- stabbed 10 times
Dead: Kamall Ramsahoye to Ramsahoye’s body. Detectives are working on the theory that Ramsahoye was attacked shortly after he opened up his property and went into his yard through the back door, since there was no sign of forced entry. After committing the dastardly act, the killers scaled a tall fence enforced with razor wire and escaped but in the process leaving a trail of blood.
It is not too clear if the blood retrieved by crime scene experts, is that of one of the killers or from the victim which might have spilled on them. Kumar Ramsahoye, who lives a few hundred yards away from his brother told this newspaper that the young businessman who is separated from his wife would usually “come over in the morning for breakfast.” He said that when his brother did not come yesterday, he tried contacting him on his telephone but got no answer. Although Kumar did not sense that anything was amiss he decided to go across to see what had prevented his brother from coming over. “When me go over, de door been lef open. Me go in and see a pool of blood and he deh lie down,” Kumar Ramsahoye told this newspaper. He subsequently related the news to other relatives
who converged on the dead man’s house where they were mostly inconsolable. “I feel for me son because he was a hard working boy. Me want justice fuh me son, he was very kind and very good. Why?” cried Ramsahoye’s mother, Suroj, who fainted several times at the scene. None of the neighbours heard or saw anything, not even when the killers were scaling the fence. Mukhram Latchman, a neighbour to the south of Ramsahoye’s house, told members of the media that he got up early yesterday morning as usual to pray, when his daughter told him that a crowd had gathered in Ramsahoye’s yard. “When me come out and go over, den me hear dat de man get kill. Me nah hear nothing, nothing,” he claimed. He described his neighbor as “very good”. “I know dem since dem ah small
Ramsahoye’s wife Narda Sookram is overcome with grief as she arrives at the home of her dead husband. boy, he mother dem used to sell plantain and cassava in de market.” For Latchman, Ramsahoye’s death brought back memories of the dreaded period a few years ago when bandits routinely raided their village. He said that Ramsahoye’s
family had bought the property from another businessman who had become fed up with the constant attacks and fled Guyana. “Like me gat fuh tell me son leh he come and carry way me because is me and me (Continued on page 12)
A detective retrieves blood from the fence that the killers scaled to escape.
Relatives were inconsolable at the scene
Monday December 10, 2012
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news
The Communist style of Dictatorship is alive and well in Guyana DEAREDITOR, After reading Mr. Ramkarran’s lengthy analysis we have concluded that he has not addressed some of the more serious issues that have and continue to plague the PPP. One such issue is democracy. Does the PPP leadership truly believe in democracy or pretend to be? The PPP has not been a democratic entity since its creation and based on its internal election process, it does not intend to be. What we have is a party that is primitive and dictatorial but claims to believe in the democratic process. It is in this context that we have decided to address and bring clarity to this issue since Mr. Ramkarran has been very selective in his essay. In fact, we viewed his article as taking a middle ground approach. And to be honest, we see nothing wrong with his approach save and except for the fact that the full details were not expressed. As Guyana’s oldest political party, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has not changed a bit, it has remained primitive and dictatorial just as it was in the 1950s and 1960s. But in a landmark move in 2010, the People’s National Congress (PNC) which is almost as old as the PPP with identical structure has finally moved into a new phase in its long history. It has made amendments and a series of changes to the way it elects its leader for the first time since its inception in 1956 with unanimous support from its rank and file members. Key among them is the adoption of a one-man, onevote system for the party’s internal election, allowing its candidates for leader to travel across the country and address its members and not just delegates as had been done before. Another important decision ratified by the party was that the party leader will no longer have absolute power in the selection of election candidates. That will now be done by a screening committee. These are historic changes for a party which, in almost five decades has never before operated in an environment which allows all of its members an equal amount of representation in party matters. Prior to 2010, the PNC was just as primitive and dictatorial as the PPP in the selection of its leaders and its approach to policits. In this regard, the PPP has not changed and as such lagged far behind the PNC and the newly formed AFC in terms of democratic principles and freedom of expression. It has not made
any changes to its constitution or its by-laws to allow party members and delegates from across the ten regions of the country to select its leader. The PPP has maintained its old communist style of dictatorship in its selection of its leader by its Central Committee comprised of 35 senior members. How can the PPPites and the Jagdeoites claim that they support democracy when it is not practiced by the party in its internal selection process of its leaders? So whenever the Jagdeo/ Ramotar cabal traverses the country telling their supporters at secret bottom house meetings that if the PNC wins the election, it will become dictatorial, they are not only dishonest but are acting as hypocrites. The absence of a democratic process in the PPP has not brought the party on par with its main electoral rivals-AFC and the PNC. And its leader, Mr. Ramotar has not fully taken over the reins of leadership of the party and appeared to be presiding over a much divided political entity. So far, he is yet to put his own stamp/brand on the party or the presidency. Further, he has not developed any policy on his own to fight crime and corruption or improve the lives of the poor and the working class. All he has done is to continue Jagdeo’s policy which proves that he is a follower and not a leader. There is no doubt that the selection of Mr. Ramotar as the PPP presidential candidate by the Jagdeoites in 2011 will go down in history as one of the most ridiculous and sinister decisions for the party since its formation in the early 1950s. The Jagdeoites ignored Mr. Nagamootoo’s request to allow the rank and file members to elect the presidential candidate. Instead, they opted for the dictatorial path and in the process have selected Mr. Ramotar who was not even considered cabinet material by Cheddi and Janet Jagan and Jagdeo. Nothing in the constitution or the party structure has changed significantly since that day when it was formed over 60 years ago. This is the dark side of the PPP cabal that we are bringing to light for all to see. Their only interest is to stay in office and enrich themselves with the state resources. Power is their principal purpose. Rare is the PPP cabal wanting to serve or help the poor and the working class whom they have abandoned. The greater their hunger for power and
wealth, the less help the masses, especially the poor and the working class would receive from the cabal. The PPP cabal pretends to be the champions of democracy and freedom, but they have taken away much freedom from the people because the freer the people the less power the regime would have. The freedom the Jagdeo/ Ramotar cabal fears most is public opinion. They therefore hate the independent media such as Kaieteur News and Stabroek
News; and when the press does not flinch, their authoritarian tendencies quickly surface. The evidence is overwhelming. Over the last few years, the Jagdeo/ Ramotar regime tried to directly intimidate the media by denying the two major news papers government advertisements and ministers have constantly threatened the careers of journalists. President Jagdeo has led the charge when he called journalists “vultures” and asked the Attorney General to
upgrade the libel laws which some see as the Trojan horse for media control. He has also showed his distaste, hatred and bias for the media when he sued Kaieteur News columnist Freddie Kissoon, Editor Adam Harris and publisher Glenn Lall for libel. This is at the root of the totalitarianism that has destroyed hundreds of millions of lives in the course of human civilization; potential for which is alive in Guyana. This is a real danger here. Public opinion must be strong
to expose and end the political tribalism being practiced by the Jagdeo/Ramotar regime. Congratulations to Kaieteur News for standing up to the dictatorial PPP cabal. You have made it possible for the people of Guyana to redeem themselves from this brutal, wicked, corrupt, antidemocratic and anti-working class PPP cabal and become masters of their destiny. So keep the vigil. Watch out for the wolves. Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh
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Kaieteur News
Monday December 10, 2012
Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news
The enriched bullies and the Minister Contrary to national DEAR EDITOR, The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment told SN reporters (SN, December 8, 2012) that “…We are awaiting some more information and as I said a team will be in Curacao meeting with the relevant persons,” and added “I was told that the gold did not originate from Guyana,” The response shows no real urgency or determination by the Minister that he is ready to confront the core issue of illegal mining in the country. The Iranians and the government now shared the full knowledge about the pinpoint locations of the country’s vast mineral resources. The Government has failed to tell the electorate
what it is doing to protect the country’s mineral wealth, now that the knowledge it is being shared by a foreign country. Satellite technologies are available that can help to put an end to illegal mining and deforestation and to protect the country’s rich mineral resources. The investment costs using such technologies would be marginal, when compared to the doubling of revenue income that would be recovered, providing the Minister is genuinely committed to act to protect the future of the country. The wide gap between declared and illegal gold production would become marginal, and the well-oiled conveyor belt of illegal gold
smuggling and exporting could be halted and dismantled. The Minister could also try to emulate some of the steps adopted by the Brazilian Government. The Brazilians are using satellite imaging and deploying helicopters with armed officials to seek out and destroy illegal mining equipment and camps, in their battle to save the Amazonian rainforest, which they now come to regard as the lungs of the world. If the Minister continues to blandly treat gold smuggling as a one-off incident then the future of Guyana would become even bleaker. Displaced smugglers and illegal miners from across
porous borders would look to Guyana as their soft target for exploitation. Terrence Adams, Secretary to the GGDMA Secretary has confirmed that ‘Illegal mining is now endemic in the mining industry, with no end in sight,’ (SN, Nov 27, 2012) and that ‘illegal mining is creating an environment where only the bullies survive in mining, and the country suffers, If the gold mining industry is now being taken over and controlled by ‘illegal mining bullies’, then this effectively negates the role of Natural Resources and Environment Minister and to render it virtually useless and defunct. Mac Mahase
policy and the FPA, export of timber logs to Asia is thriving
DEAR EDITOR, The Forest Products Association (FPA) of Guyana is one of the oldest trade associations in the Caribbean, founded in 1944. Like the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), the FPA admits the Asian-owned timber companies as members. So it is unclear if statements coming from the FPA represent the Guyanese loggers and millers or the dues-paying Asians (‘Gold rush, concrete ‘fell’ forestry industry’, Stabroek News business section, 07 December 2012). The FPA statements about the forest sector being in hard times are not sustained by the data. In the nine months to September 2012, log exports totaled 66,270 m3 compared with 80,652 m3 in the same nine months of 2011. In 2012, 27,764 m3 (42 per cent) went to China and 35,024 m3 (53 per cent) to India, including a whopping 16,640 m3 to India in August 2012. These log exports represented 54 per cent of log production in the first six months of 2012 (the latest data published by the Guyana Forestry Commission), compared with 56 per cent in 2011. These data do not show that the forest sector is in the doldrums. Former FPA President Hilbertus Cort was reported as saying that the sector could not produce bankable proposals, and so was short of financial credit. But when the European Union offered development funds in Region 10 through LEAP/LEAF, it was Bai Shan Lin which secured US $ 10 million in EU funding for the mill at Coomacka Mines (‘Mixed reviews for LEAP -next two years seen as crucial for
Linden scheme,’ Stabroek News, 18 June 2007; ‘Coomacka aka ‘’The Mines’, Stabroek News, 02 December 2012). Bai Shan Lin is partowned by the transnational Beijing Uni-Construction Company (BUCC) which is itself part-owned by the Government of China which supplies capital to BUCC. There is no public record that the FPA or GMSA has protested about unfair competition from the publicly-subsidized Bai Shan Lin; which employed the said Hilbertus Cort. The historical record is that at least some of the Guyanese-owned companies in the FPA have received lowcost loans and credit from international agencies precisely to enable recapitalisation and modernization. And see also the standing offers of investment incentives for the forest sector on the website of GO-Invest. If those promised incentives are not actually available, because of personality-based or politically based interference by government agencies, then the forest sector companies should use the members of the National Assembly to raise Parliamentary Questions with the relevant Ministers. It is legitimate to complain long and loudly that the PPP/ C administration has failed to implement the national policies for in-country processing and adding-value to forest outputs, in spite of promises in the election manifestos of 2006 and 2011, and has instead allowed a boom in illegal forest harvesting and log exports. It does not seem legitimate to complain about lack of financial capital when that has been offered but not taken up. Janette Bulkan
Monday December 10, 2012
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news
Ms. Teixeira dismisses Guyana Corruption Report: Is she Correct? DEAREDITOR, Pronouncements made by Governance Advisor Gail Teixeira on corruption are indeed interesting, having dismissed the ranking on corruption in Guyana by Transparency International (TI). Specifically, Ms. Teixeira asserts that because TI conducts a non-empirical survey, their work cannot be trusted. While her position seems a reasonable one, everyone knows that to obtain empirical evidence on corruption is almost impossible, especially when there are poor accounting systems in a cash driven economy; when there are information problems and compromised oversight functions; when there are high tax rates, bureaucratic delays and underpaid public officials; and when there is illegal wealth accumulation without tax compliance. These are all precursors to corruption, indicating that if Guyana has any of these concerns, then corruption exists. Incidentally, corruption exists in many, if not all, countries. It is a problem both of degree and of kind, and it is as old as civilization itself. Corruption could be different from one location to the next and the degree to which it may manifest itself depends on the personalities, policies and penalties in different countries. Consequently, for anyone to give the impression that it does not exist, such a person is removed from reality. It should be noted also that corruption goes together with ‘cover-up’. One does not exist without the other, for if you have corruption you
must have a ‘cover-up’, in order to keep things in the dark and away from public scrutiny. For this reason cases of corruption can be difficult to prove beyond some legal threshold or standard. Typically, corruption involves transactions that are not easily detectable. Usually, there are no w r i t t e n contracts; and even if they are, these contracts are not enforceable, or those who have a public responsibility to enforce the law may not want to enforce them. A consequence of corruption is that it spawns an extensive underground economy and legitimate businesses that obey the rules and pay taxes are forced out of existence because of unfair competition. For example, money laundering and efforts aimed to make drug money clean could be invested in a ‘front activity’ that provides goods and services at cheaper prices than tax paying businesses. And is it not interesting that Ms. Teixeira once said that Guyanese should boycott businesses run by drug dealers and their cohorts? Did her singular pronouncement have any empirical evidence? Was anyone named, charged or found guilty in the Courts of Guyana? The record would show that nothing was done about the drug person or persons who Ms. Teixeira identified without naming them; and had she remained as Minister of Home Affairs, I am confident she would have executed a clean-up. But this course of action was not
pursued as she was removed without reason from the Ministry where she could have made a difference. Consequently, the outcome of her pronouncement was that no follow up was undertaken by her successor. Is this a cover-up, is this corruption or both? What is your considered opinion? Meanwhile, paying bribes to gatekeepers in order to bypass the rules for paying taxes at ports of entry and exit are events that are not unheard of. President Ramotar recently lamented such a case in relation to the gold smuggling matter in Curacao. Awarding public
projects through compromised tendering and poor selection criteria that result in shoddy work (contacts for roads, wharfs, school construction and books, among others) and no penalties enforced are examples that are not unfamiliar to Guyanese. Unexplained wealth that appears as if someone has found a magic lamp with wishes of endless money and wealth are usually symptomatic of corruption and ‘cover-up’ as such persons cannot explain their wealth and do not have tax compliance certificates associated with their income
and wealth accumulation. So how do you deal with corruption and cover-up? We need strong public institutions (police, audit department and firms, Courts).We need laws and rules that promote the p u b l i c i n t e r e s t s u c h as whistle blower protection and professional investigative reporting as observed so many years ago in the Watergate Scandal that terminated President Nixon’s tenure in office (http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Wa t e r g a t e _ s c a n d a l ) . President Donald Ramotar has spoken out against corruption, but no action has
been taken so far. We await his lead on this issue. Finally, corruption is like the wind. We do not see the wind, but we know it exists, as it rustles through the leaves on a tree. We know the wind exists because of the effects of Sandy on the environment; and we know the wind exists because it caresses our faces as we stroll along the seawall when the tide is up. But there is one caveat: while we cannot control the wind, we certainly can control corruption, for it is man-made. Take concrete action President Ramotar, you need to clean house. C. Kenrick Hunte
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Kaieteur News
Monday December 10, 2012
Monday December 10, 2012
Kaieteur News
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TIME FOR A CABINET RESHUFFLE They say that you should not hit a man when he is down. But sometimes when a man is down, it is the best time to consider his future. Mr. Roger Forbes
Luncheon is at present recovering from a fall. This is not the first time in recent years that he has taken ill and therefore questions are bound to be asked about how
Dem boys seh
Thiefing is de thing Nuff things happening and all of dem bad. Some people gun have a bad Christmas. Tek four of dem who decide that dem gun mek money by tekking people own. Dem plan a robbery but dem didn’t know that de police gun deh round de corner and people like drink dem likker late when is Saturday. De police ketch all of dem. Three of dem get shoot. De problem is that dem ain’t gun be in hospital fuh at least get home food fuh Christmas. Dem gun join de set who go in de people house pun de East Bank pretending that dem was weeder man. Dem boys seh that all this happening because de government create conditions fuh people fuh thief. Dem give dem friends money and de other people who don’t have any decide that dem got to get. But wha got dem boys worried is that dem ain’t tackling dem kavackamites
with de real money. Then dem got de set who try fuh ship cocaine. Dem ain’t robbing anybody but people still locking dem up. De things that got people worried is how far crime come. Is like all dem bandits playing follow de leader. When was de other government, drugs was scarce and when people try fuh thief de penalty was severe. But since this king Bee tek over and didn’t do nutten when people start fuh thief, then everybody decide fuh thief. Now de world got Guyana as a nation of thieves and dem have countries that trying to keep out Guyanese. Imagine people dying and Guyanese trying to get visa to travel and de Americans telling dem right off de bat that dem don’t have enough ties. But things gun change if only Donald step up to de plate. Talk half and pray fuh change.
long he can continue with the heavy workload that he is carrying. It is time for consideration to be given to identifying his successor. In Venezuela, Hugo Chavez has taken the bold decision to announce a successor after a reoccurrence of his cancer condition. In the case of Dr. Roger Luncheon, he will most definitely make a full recovery but his recent illness has raised concerns about whether he should continue with his present workload. The man is obviously overworked. He is the Head of the Presidential Secretary, Cabinet Secretary and the Press Secretary. He is also the Head of the Defense Board and the Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme. This is all too much for one man. It also does not make for effective governance when all of these important offices are being held by one man. If for each one of those positions, there was an effective point-person with Mr. Luncheon effecting overall responsibility; that would have been different. But Mr. Luncheon is clearly the point person for each of these positions. Given his recent illness, the President has to consider
forking out some of those responsibilities to other parties. There should be someone else assuming the position of Cabinet Secretary. The ideal choice could perhaps be Gail Texeira. There should be someone else as Press Secretary. Since there is already a Press Coordinator, that person, Kellawan Lall, can assume that role. It will be a controversial choice but since the man is already working in the sector, why not simply make him Press Secretary and ease the workload on Mr. Luncheon? As for the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, this position is akin to the Chief of Staff of the President and therefore there would be the need to have a trusted person in this position. Prime Minister Sam Hinds who is not likely to be on the PPPC’s slate for the next elections can be chosen to undertake this task. He can hold forth while someone else is trained. A head should also be found for the National Insurance Scheme and one name that springs to mind is Mr. Manzoor Nadir. This would leave Mr. Luncheon to concentrate on his position as Head of the Defense Board, a quite substantive responsibility. It would be unfair of the President to labour Mr.
Luncheon, given his illness, with all the responsibilities that he formerly undertook. Sometimes, it is hard for persons to accept that they need to give up certain positions. And it is even harder for a President to have to remove responsibilities from a trusted comrade. Given the years of their association and friendship, it is sometimes difficult to let go of someone who has been faithful and dedicated. And making that decision is not easy. And this will be one of the difficult decisions that the President will have to consider, and it will be hard for him to do so because of personal loyalties and friendship. It is the same thing with other party officials who are serving in the government. Some of them are frail and feeble and need to avoid placing the President in a position where he is forced to ask them to step aside. Of their own volition, they should recognize that they are becoming of limited value to the government and they should ask to be recused. Those persons know who they are and they should do the right thing because it will ensure that new blood comes into the government, something that is needed if the PPP is to plan for the future.
This perhaps is therefore an opportune time for the President to consider a Cabinet reshuffle. Elections will certainly be held within the next two years. We are dealing with a highly tempestuous opposition and therefore early elections are inevitable. However, a number of persons are not going to be on the PPPC’s slate for the next elections and even if they do, they are not likely to become ministers. It is time for these persons to be let go so that new blood can be injected. The PPPC needs new blood. It now has the opportunity to identify new blood and provide those persons with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the work of government so that when the time comes for them to assume high office, they will be prepared. The President therefore should actively consider reducing some of the responsibilities of some of his top officials. Also, those who have lost their physical or intellectual agility should give way and allow new blood to be introduced.
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Kaieteur News
Spate of Drug busts…
Police on top of things, don’t expect retaliation - Crime Chief (ag) Assistant Commissioner Law Enforcement, and Acting Crime Chief, Winston Cosbert, yesterday pronounced that the Guyana Police Force is “on top of the situation” and ranks will continue to keep a sharp eye out, in the wake of several major drug busts. Further, asked about any anticipated retaliation from those who lost millions and in the case of the most recent interception, billions, Cosbert asserted that there isn’t a history of police being targeted as a result of the drugs being intercepted “and judging from that history, we don’t expect any retaliation.” However, there have been a few instances of execution style killings of civilians following major drug busts in Guyana. Cosbert then noted that the police are committed to investigating each case of drug bust and said that those found to be involved “will definitely be brought to justice.” Pointing to the innovative methods being used to export cocaine, the Officer said that those ways aren’t necessarily “fresh new ways. They have
Acting Crime Chief Winston Cosbert been used before and the police know this. That is why we can keep an eye out.” Assistant Commissioner Cosbert however noted that the methods are being “taken up a notch”. Officials of the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) drug enforcement unit recently discovered over $2B worth of cocaine among 1500 bags of fish food destined for China. On the same day, another, 90g of cocaine wrapped in foil paper and hidden among plants was also discovered at Port Mourant, Corentyne,
Berbice. Three men and a woman have been arrested and taken into police custody to assist with investigations. Thursday last, four persons were held, after antinarcotics police at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), found almost 20kg of cocaine stuffed in drinking straws. Authorities revealed that the aforementioned was intended for Sunset Products located in Ontario, Canada. Four persons have also been arrested. Even before that, Customs Anti Narcotics Unit officials found over $150M worth of cocaine concealed in a shipment of soap powder destined for Nigeria. Dennis Jones of South Ruimveldt was jailed for that shipment. Also, local authorities have managed to arrest, charge and convict another man for a shipment of cocaine which was found by Malaysian authorities concealed in coconut milk that originated from Guyana. Officials have told this newspaper that the spate in drug busts within recent times, have put a significant dent in the local drugs trade.
Monday December 10, 2012
President Ramotar checks on Marriott hotel construction
President Donald Ramotar, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh and Head of the Privatisation Unit and Executive Director of the National Industrial Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington being updated on the ongoing works on the Marriott Hotel
Ongoing construction works at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown. President Donald Ramotar yesterday made a spot check on the ongoing construction works on the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown. This is the Head of State’s first visit to the site since construction works started and in a brief comment, he said, “a lot has been accomplished already; the contour of a beautiful edifice is taking shape.”
In late 2011, former President Bharrat Jagdeo officially turned the sod for the construction of this over US $50M investment which will see Guyana being home to a major international brand. The project will also create hundreds of jobs in the construction phase, and beyond when it becomes operational, and significantly raise the standards of the h o s p i t a l i t y
industry.,,Completion and start of commer c i a l operations of this 160-room hotel and entertainment complex is expected by February 2014. Recently, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and the Guyana Tourism Authority, major players of the sector, expressed their support for the Marriott project. (GINA)
Monday December 10, 2012
Kaieteur News
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Three Berbice bandits wounded in three hour shootout with cops
Police ranks operating in the East Canje, Berbice area yesterday came in for high praise after they shot and captured three would be bandits who had made several attempts to rob a family in that area. According to information, the men who were waiting to rob a residence in Betsy Ground, Canje, when they were confronted by the police, are all now patients of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. They have been identified as Deodat Seecharran called ‘Popcorn’, 20, of Edinburgh Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice, who was shot to his left side buttocks; Zafir Abdul, 22, of Adelphi Housing Scheme, Canje, who was shot to his left side hip; and Keshwar Harrinarine, 31 of Fyrish, Corentyne, who is nursing a wound to his right side buttocks. The police in a statement on the matter said that about 01:00 hours yesterday, three men attempted to break into the home of Guysuco Field Foreman Rajesh Parsram, at Betsy Ground, Canje, Berbice. According to the police, Parsram was aroused by the sounds being made and raised an alarm forcing the three men to run away, discharging a round in the direction of the house as they did so. The Community Policing Group in the area was alerted and the ranks mobilized themselves in search of the men while the police were also informed. The police responded quickly to the report received and while approaching the area on foot, they came under
- residents praise police for swift action fire from the bandits, who were in the compound of a Mandir in the vicinity. The police returned fire, but the men managed to escape from the compound and headed in the direction of the backdam. Back-up ranks were summoned and the police continued their pursuit of the men who were caught up in the Betsy Ground Cemetery and they again opened fire on the police. The police returned fire, injuring all three men in the process. The police said they recovered a number of shotgun pellets from the residence of Rajesh Parsram and a shotgun barrel along with an empty 12 gauge shotgun casing at the cemetery. Meanwhile reports out of the area suggest that the men were earlier in the night seen staking out Parsram’s house, which he occupies with his wife and two children. This publication was told that the men were waiting for Parsram, who would normally come home from work at around 00:30 hrs after working the 4-12 shift. However the men’s first attempt was frustrated after the area was still heavily populated when Parsram arrived home. However at around 01:15 hours, the men made another attempt to enter the house after opening a window on the lower flat of the building. However they were again scared off after occupants woke up. At this point, the police were informed of the
situation and a Patrol from Reliance Police Station was immediately dispatched to the area. Upon arrival they were greeted by gun fire from the fleeing bandits in a side street from the house where they attempted to attack. The police took cover and returned fire, as they called for back-up. Two more units arrived promptly with a Patrol from Central police station and a CID Unit. Gunshots resonated throughout the Central East Canje area as the gun battle led police through four villages (through Betsy Ground, Goed Bananen Land, Adelphi and Reliance and Rose Hall) and finally to the cemetery. The police, after cordoning off the area, were able to corner the men in the St Patrick’s burial ground in Plantation Rose Hall Canje next to the Rose Hall Estate. The entire area was cordoned off and the fleeing bandits were engaged in a three-hour exchan g e o f gunfire with the police ranks. After the ordeal which led the bandits and the police into the back lands, the police came out on top. Three of the bandits were shot and wounded and taken to the New Amsterdam hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Hospital under guard. The police also intercepted a car that was
The three wounded bandits being prepared to be brought to the city in an ambulance. suspected to be the getaway vehicle-HC 1390, which was being driven by Parmanand Joseph of Johns Corentyne, Berbice. He is in custody. In the meantime, residents were high in praise for the work of the policemen involved. This publication was told
that the Village Council Chairman visited the station to congratulate and commend the police. The residents are also calling on the authorities to reward the cops for the prompt and efficient work and for taking one of the notorious gangs off the
streets. At the New Amsterdam Hospital, relatives of the injured men were weeping and denying statements by visitors to the institution that the men were in the process of trying to commit a robbery when they were pursued and shot.
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Kaieteur News
Phones, marijuana, sharp instruments unearthed in Prison search
Monday December 10, 2012
AG Report 2011…
Amerindian Affairs breaches obligations to NIS - Did not follow procurement procedure, poor record keeping
A section of the cordoned off Camp Street Prison A joint services search of the Camp Street Prison, yesterday unearthed sharp instruments, cellular phones, money and marijuana, according to Prison sources. Joint services ranks converged on the central prison that houses remand and convicted prisoners, placing several roadblocks around the facility. It was disclosed that the
search was initiated after one inmate in solitary confinement Tyrone Rowe called “Cobra” attacked a prison-warden, Principle Officer “Charles” who was carrying out searches in the said block. According to reports, the inmate Rowe, who was already in handcuffs and shackles, pulled out a knife and another sharp instrument
called a “Jukka” to prevent the officer from entering his cell. This resulted in the officer receiving minor injuries when he along with other prison wardens tried to subdue the inmate. This prompted the Joint Service intervention to search the facility for more illegal items. The death row division was also searched.
From all indications, companies in the Private Sector are not the only defaulters when it comes to keeping their obligations to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). The Auditor General’s Report 2011 revealed that 11 employees of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs were without NIS numbers, as at December 31, 2011. The report further disclosed that one of the officers has been employed with the Ministry since 2002. This revelation comes at a time when NIS is in financial trouble and insufficient contributions are being cited as one of the main reasons for the entity’s plight. General Manager of NIS, Mr. Terry Thomas at a recently held consultation, stated, “Our income has not been matching our expenditure…We have to do certain things to correct that so that we can have enough 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. Investment income is also falling and therefore we are not getting lots of money from investment.” According to the Audit Office report, “It should be emphasized that nonregistration with the National Insurance Scheme has implications for social security and other benefits for the employees, therefore steps should be taken to have the employees registered without delay.” The report also revealed that an examination of personal files for new employees for the period under review showed that pertinent information relating to payment of salary for 23 officers could not be ascertained. As a result, the accuracy and validity of the amounts paid to the officers could not be verified. The Ministry was also found in breach of the procurement procedure, by the Audit Office during 2011. The report stated, “Over the financial period, a sum of
$4.792M was expended on dietary supplies for the Amerindian Hostel and the Students Dormitory, Liliendaal. However, there was no evidence that tender procedures were followed in the procurement of the goods.” The Head of the Budgetary Agency merely accepted that this breach as an oversight and assured that the Ministry will adhere to the procurement regulations. Meanwhile, the sum of $6.465M was expended on repairs and replacement of spare parts to vehicles operated by the Ministry. However, historical records were not maintained as required to capture the related maintenance costs of vehicles owned and operated by the Ministry. As such, the Ministry was unable to monitor the individual cost of repairs and to determine whether it was economical to retain or dispose of certain vehicles. In response, the Head of the Budget Agency said that historical records for vehicles were maintained but were not updated.
Bandits brutally kill... (From page 2) daughter alone live,” Latchman said. Meanwhile the dead man’s wife Narda Sookram turned up about two hours after the discovery of her husband’s body. She had initially declined to speak to the media and was subsequently questioned by the police.
Later yesterday afternoon she told Kaieteur News that she and Ramsahoye got married in April this year but they became estranged following several interventions by his family members. She said that yesterday, she was awakened by a call from one of her husband’s employees who told her
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood
“come now, now; somebody go in de house and kill Vicky.” “That is what wake me up,” Sookram said. She said that she immediately travelled from her residence in Tuschen on the East Bank of Essequibo to Annandale but did not go into the house because “I was scared” Late yesterday afternoon, police combed a section of Annandale with the aim of picking up clues as to who might have been the perpetrators.
Monday December 10, 2012
‘Lady Hilda’... Some know her from her appearances on the karaoke circuit, others for her insightful poetry, but Norma James wants to be mainly remembered as a humanitarian and a guardian of the elderly, the destitute, the abandoned, and the downtrodden. Ms. James, popularly known as ‘Lady Hilda’, has spent the past 10 years taking care of inmates at the East La Penitence Night Shelter. To others, this is merely a job and a chore; to her, it’s a labour of love. “Lots of destitute people come here; some are very sick and bedridden; they are the ones who are mostly abandoned by their families. They are from all races; they are young, old and middleaged; they are from the highest to the lowest (in society); what you could call a ‘cook-up with all the obstacles.” “My hours at work (at the Night Shelter) are all hours and every hour. I go even when I am not on duty.” The dedicated Night Shelter orderly says that her concern for the less fortunate is linked to two factors; one good, the other traumatic. “I grew up with grandparents who taught me
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A decade of caring for the destitute all the good qualities of life. I was loved and well taken care of. I also had a mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. She was extremely difficult to deal with. So, I had practical experience. “I feel that the elderly are not respected and cared for as they should be and I am happy to do what I can to help.” Before this, she was one of the early city vendors, plying her trade in the Stabroek Market area. Even then, she would reach out to the mentally ill and the homeless. Around 2007, she began working as an orderly at the Ministry of Human Services Night Shelter, located in Arapaima Street, East La Penitence. When patients from the Shelter were transferred to the Palms, ‘Lady Hilda’ also began doing voluntary service there. “I used to do voluntary service there until the Administrator died. I commend the staff at the Palms for the work that they do.” In 2007 and later in 2011, determined to enhance her knowledge and ensure that she gave her patients the best professional care, Ms. James took two courses through the
Feeding one of her patients American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) in Geriatric Care.
“I can take care of persons under a bottom house or in the most
Ms. Norma James, popularly known as ‘Lady Hilda’ tends to a visually impaired inmate sophisticated hospital. I take care of no less than six bedridden patients a day…from
cancer to blindness to Alzheimer’s disease. Many of (Continued on page 27)
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Tobagonians question multi-million $$$ house of Minority Leader Trinidad Express Questions are being raised by Tobagonians over a multimillion dollar house recently built for cash by Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Minority Leader Ashworth Jack and on lands for which he has no deed. Tobagonians are alleging that the two-storey house, which comprises eight rooms, complete with a 25ft by 12ft swimming pool, and a gazebo at Hillsborough, Mt St George was a “gift” to Jack from a construction firm in Trinidad which has secured several million-dollar contracts from the People’s Partnership government. But Jack, whose party the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) forms a key part of the ruling coalition government, has dismissed this notion. “I am not handto-mouth,” he said. “No construction firm from Trinidad built my home for free for me.” He was speaking to the Sunday Express from Tobago last Thursday. Jack, the Assemblyman for the Patience Hill/Moriah/ Mason Hall area, is the main challenger to incumbent THA Chief Secretary Dr Orville London in the January 21, 2013 THA elections. London faces political scrutiny and possibly legal
investigations over the controversial $134 million Milshirv Complex, brokered through a Build, Own, Lease, Transfer (BOLT) arrangement. Jack admitted that the six acres of land on which his house was completed were not “fully” his. “The final transfer of the land is being completed right now,” he said, adding that the land belongs to Tobago businessman Allan Warner. This was confirmed by Warner, who explained that Jack had made an initial down payment of TT$100,000 on the TT$1 million dollar parcel of land some 12 years ago, and two subsequent monthly payments totaling TT$20,000. In total, the TOP leader has paid TT$120,000. This means he owes a balance of TT$880,000 on the land on which his palatial residence now stands. The house was started in late 2010 after the People’s Partnership came into power and was completed in 2011. Warner also confirmed that Jack told him about one month ago, that the transfer would be settled soon. Responding to queries about funding for his home without taking a loan from a bank, Jack said his brother, who owns CJ Construction, constructed his home.
Ashworth Jack “My house was constructed by my brother Curtis Jack of CJ Construction, a company I have worked with for years. “And for all those who are asking questions, I work four jobs to build my house…my family has three businesses, one of which is AJ Rentals, which deals with the rentals of any and everything and also a store called ‘Splurge City’ which sells accessories. I also work as a project manager in Trinidad,” he said, but refused to name the firm for which he works. “ …In short, I make money,” he added. While there are those who put the value of his new home in the vicinity of TT$4
million, Jack said it was built at a cost of TT$2 million. Contributing to the cutting down of costs, Jack said he did all the plumbing and electrical works himself. “I do all the plumbing and electrical work…we don’t pay for that. All I paid my brother was a salary,” he said. Declaring that the processes surrounding the construction of his palatial residence were above board, Jack said that as far back as 2008 he declared to the Integrity Commission the presence of materials for the house. Saying that he loved to plant, the TOP leader also admitted that one source of his income was from pumpkin and cucumber sales. “At one time, before I started building on the land I used to plant pumpkin and cucumber on that land, so while it is a source of income, it’s not the only source,” he said. He admitted that at one time when he worked at the THA it was difficult to build his home but explained: “That changed when I got a job as a project manager with a company in Trinidad.” Speaking elatedly about his new home, Jack, a father of two daughters, one of whom is studying medicine while the other is pursuing business studies, said his
home was not built in the traditional square but circular style. “It has four bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, dining room, library, swimming pool and gazebo. I make no apology for building my family a nice home,” he said. Jack said like most Tobagonians, he plants all his seasonings, and vegetables adding, “I plant every banana and every dasheen that I eat…My favourite meal is dasheen and salt fish or steamed fish. “I am not a steak and lobster kind of person. I make no apology for that. I have two children, two girls, and whenever they come home on weekends, they work in the family businesses.” Jack reiterated, “As I said, I have a job as project manager, I work hard that is how my family live, we all help each other. I do not want to call the names of the companies for which I work.” He said having lost his mother when he was just three months old and his father when he was just 15 months old, “I promised myself that no matter what, I will never make my children go through the same experiences that I faced.” “Did I tell you that I am also a promoter?” he asked, further pointing out that he holds several jobs.
Jack also distanced himself from those who spent money in bars rather than securing their families’ well being. Asked whether he had secured bank loans to finance his home, Jack said he had not. “I receive a salary of TT$35,000 a month as a project manager, and I entered an arrangement to pay the entire salary towards the materials to construct of my home.” He also added that while most of the material came from Trinidad, some of it was bought from a hardware in Bacolet. “I am not hand to mouth,” he said. “I don’t have a care what people say,” he said, adding that the architectural design for his home was done in 2000. Having moved into the home about two months ago, Jack boasted that every room in the house had a spectacular view of the sea. Jack, who faces a tough battle in his constituency from the People’s National Movement’s candidate Sheldon Cunningham, believes that astute management of his finances enabled him to build a multimillion-dollar house without facing the banks and put him in good stead to run the affairs of the THA.
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Hugo Chavez suffers cancer again, names potential heir
Nicolas Maduro
Hugo Chavez
CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez returned to Cuba yesterday for more surgery after a recurrence of cancer led him to name a successor for the first time in case the disease ends his 14-year dominance of the OPEC nation. Throngs of shocked supporters gathered in squares across the South American country to pray for and show solidarity with the 58-year-old socialist leader, who was re-elected for a new six-year term in October.
In his first public acknowledgement that his illness could force him to step down, Chavez said his vice president and foreign minister, Nicolas Maduro, would take over if he is incapacitated, and urged supporters to vote for him if an election is held. “With God’s will, like on the previous occasions, we will come out victorious,” Chavez said late Saturday from the presidential palace alongside ashen-faced ministers. His departure from office,
either before or after the scheduled January 10 start of his new term, would trigger an election within 30 days. It would mark the end of an era for the Latin American left, depriving it of one of its most acerbic voices and Washington’s loudest critic in the region. A clutch of Latin American and Caribbean neighbors, from Cuba and Nicaragua to Bolivia and Ecuador, depend on Chavez’s oil-financed generosity to bolster their fragile economies. Cuba has been the biggest beneficiary with Chavez’s government shipping about 115,000 barrels of oil per day to the communist-led island on preferential terms. An unruly transition from Chavez’s highly centralized rule also could raise the specter of political instability in Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest crude oil reserves. Allies lack Chavez’s charisma and may struggle to control his unwieldy coalition of military and leftist leaders. Among them, though, Maduro - a 50-year-old,
Women react as they gather at Simon Bolivar square in support of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela, yesterday. mustachioed former bus driver and union leader - is widely viewed as the most popular among Venezuelans, thanks to his affable manner, humble background and close relationship with Chavez. While his humble roots appeal to the president’s working class supporters, Maduro’s six years as Chavez’s foreign minister have boosted his profile with the leaders of China, Russia and other world powers. He has an easygoing style but also is a firm believer in Chavez’s socialist policies and has often led fierce criticism of the United States. Speculation about Chavez’s health had grown during a three-week absence from public view that culminated in his latest trip for medical tests in Cuba. He has undergone three cancer operations and had two tumors removed there since June 2011. He had twice claimed to be cured, only for the cancer to return. Chavez arrived in Venezuela on Friday after the latest tests, and is due to have the operation in Cuba in the next few days. Venezuela’s National Assembly held a special session yesterday to approve his trip, a formality required whenever the president travels overseas for more than five days. Chavez said he had rejected the advice of his medical team to have the surgery sooner, on Friday or this weekend, telling them he needed to fly back to Venezuela to seek that permission. “I decided to come, making an additional effort, in truth, because the pain is not insignificant,” Chavez said in his televised address, which was also shown live in
Cuba. His return to Cuba may mark the start of another lengthy period of silence from government officials, combined with furious rumors over what political changes might be in store and what Chavez’s actual condition is. He has never revealed what type of cancer he has, saying only that it was in the pelvic area. He said on Saturday that the latest recurrence was in the same region. Opposition leaders wished Chavez well but criticized him for excessive secrecy and not using local healthcare. “They said he was cured ... Venezuela has the right to know the truth,” one leader, Julio Borges, told the assembly. Chavez has been receiving treatment at Havana’s Cimeq hospital as a guest of his close friend and political mentor, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. He is guaranteed tight security and privacy on the communist-led Caribbean island. The usually loquacious Venezuelan leader had sharply cut back appearances since winning the October 7 election, saying the campaign and radiation therapy had left him exhausted. Venezuela’s constitution stipulates a new election if Chavez leaves office, unless it is in the last two years of his six-year term, when his vice president would take over. Publicly naming long-time ally Maduro was a surprise. “He is a complete revolutionary, a man of great experience despite his youth, with great dedication and capacity for work,” Chavez said.
Maduro may win less support from the military wing of the Socialist Party, which controls many top government posts. His naming sidelines Diosdado Cabello, who heads Congress and is a former army comrade of Chavez. Perhaps fearing infighting, Chavez urged unity again and again in his comments. “I never argue with Chavez’s instructions, I obey them,” Cabello told state TV afterward. “I am at the service of the vice president, at the service of the fatherland.” If a new election were needed, the opposition could be in its best position to win since Chavez took power in 1999. Many voters have ignored the failings of Chavez’s government because of their intense emotional connection to him. Henrique Capriles, a state governor, lost to Chavez in the October election, winning 44 percent support and a record 6.5 million votes for the opposition. He has broad support in opposition ranks and could run for president again. Although past polls have shown Capriles is more popular than any of Chavez’s allies - including Maduro - the vice president will benefit from his boss’s personal blessing. Venezuela’s widely traded bonds are likely to soar when markets open on Monday on bets that Chavez’s renewed illness will lead to a more market-friendly government. Chavez’s cancer saga has once again distracted attention from major national issues like state elections in a week, a possible devaluation of the bolivar currency, and a proposed amnesty for jailed and exiled political foes.
Monday December 10, 2012
Kaieteur News
Michael Misick’s capture good for the Caribbean Jamaica Observer editorial - We won’t presume to know whether Mr. Michael Misick, the former premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), is guilty or innocent of the corruption charges being laid against him. But we are pleased that he will have his day in court. In our view, his capture in Brazil bodes well for the Caribbean and Caribbean tourism, because while he remained at large, the allegations of corruption continued to stain the hardearned reputation of the region and cast doubt on the good names of people who had to be associated with Mr. Misick in his capacity as premier of the TCI. Mr. Misick has been on the run after stepping down as premier in 2009, following Britain’s decision to take temporary control of the local Government. He is accused of corruption, misusing public money, and profiting from the sale of state-owned land to developers. On Friday last week, Mr. Misick was held by Interpol in Brazil on an international warrant, according to news reports out of Providenciales. Arrangements are being made to extradite him to the Turks and Caicos at the behest of the British authorities who own the heavily tourismdependent Caribbean island chain. Although maintaining his innocence and charging that he was being politically
victimised by the British, Mr. Misick did himself no favours by fleeing the Turks and Caicos Islands, even if it was, as he claimed, to seek political asylum. At various points he was alleged to be in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and now Brazil. It is to be noted that no country had so far granted him that asylum. It is usually hard to convince anyone that one is innocent of a charge while running and hiding. By giving him his day in court, the people of the TCI, the members of his Progressive National Party and tourism officials across the region will be afforded some closure in what has been a very sad affair. Mr. Misick, who was first elected premier in 2003 and then re-elected in 2007, started out as a bright star in the Caribbean constellation. But stories of his lavish lifestyle, which included his own plane and public disputes with his Hollywood ex-wife Lisa-Raye McCoy, followed by allegations of corruption, began to cause discomfort among his Caribbean colleagues. Last year, a worldwide freeze on Mr. Misick’s assets was ordered by British Special Prosecutor Helen Garlick, covering bank accounts held in the Turks and Caicos Islands and overseas, his personal residence in Providenciales, parcels of land throughout the
Michael Misick country, two condominiums, a cinema in Providenciales and several credit cards. Mr. Misick got very little support from Caribbean governments when in March this year he announced that he had gone into hiding and had sought asylum from criminal prosecution by Britain in an unnamed country. He denied that he was on the run and said he was, instead, being targeted unfairly by the UK Government. Mr. Misick also charged that his family had become targets, as had former Cabinet ministers and their families and developers who supported his Progressive National Party during his tenure as premier. Now he will have his chance to prove his innocence and to demonstrate if any of his allegations are true.
PM admits: Highway issue the toughest challenge
Trinidad Guardian - Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has admitted that objections to the construction of the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the $7 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension Project has been her biggest challenge this year. Persad-Bissessar said so in an interview following her annual Children’s Christmas Gift Presentation at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima Saturday. Persad-Bissessar said she felt “the recent issue with the highway was a major challenge but it came at midterm.” She said it was during the midterm that “you do find a Government maybe less popular at the start but we have another half of our term to go.”Environmentalist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh staged a three-week hunger strike outside the PM’s Office in St Clair, demanding that an independent technical review be done on the segment of the highway.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar Government last week met with the Joint Consultative Council and other civil groups and agreed that a technical review be done by a committee to be chaired by Independent Senator James Armstrong. It has two months to complete its report
and make recommendations. Persad-Bissessar said now that the Government had “crossed that bridge of a very troubling and emotional issue, while making the hard decision for the development of our country, I think I am well on my way to a greater second half of my term.” The PM said her ministers have now settled down into government and will do better in the coming months and years. “So the regret is I wish I could do more. I wish we could bring the crime down,” the PM insisted. She said, however, that she was only human. Thousands of children, ranging from babies to teenagers, were presented with gifts during the event for constituents from eastern constituencies. Today she hosts a similar event for constituencies in western Trinidad at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
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UWI introduces job shadowing for students Jamaica Gleaner - The Placement and Career Services at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona has partnered with 20 private-sector companies in a new Job Shadowing Experience Programme (JSEP), intended to initially help 500 students make better career choices and get exposure to the world of work. Manager of the UWI Office of Placement and Career Services, Ms Merrit Henry, said the programme is based on the need for second and final year students to have “real life exposure to the world of work in preparation for employment.” JSEP is being developed in collaboration with major private and public sector organizations, the UWI Alumni Association and the Office of Placement and Career Services and is expected to run from November 2012 to March 2013. Companies currently on board include the University itself, Jamaica Money Market Brokers, Bank of Nova Scotia, National Commercial Bank, Fujitsu Limited, Caribbean Cement Company Limited, Institute of Jamaica, the Planning Institute of Jamaica, and Liguanea Family Dental with more set to accept students as of January 2013, the Placement and Career Services said. Selected to participate in the programme will be 200 students from the Faculty of Social Sciences, 150 from the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences and 150 from the Faculty of Humanities and Education.
Henry said that for the companies involved, hosting job shadows – students – “is a chance to make a difference in the workforce of the future without making a major time or financial commitment.” Managers may also discover new skills and talents in the process, she added. JSEP will build on job preparation programmes routinely done by the Office of Placement Services including career expositions, world of work seminars, mock interviews, career counselling and summer employment programmes. According to Henry, “job shadowing is a workplace experience option where students learn about a job by walking through the work day as a shadow to a competent worker.” She further explained that “it is a temporary, unpaid exposure to the workplace in an occupational area of interest to the student. Students witness first-hand the work environment, employability and occupational skills in practice, the value of professional training and potential career options.” Job shadowing may be undertaken using just a few hours of a day, an entire day or a couple of days in an organization. “During this period of time, the assignee (student) is expected to observe and ask questions about what they (workers) do,” Henry said, adding that students can learn what is required for different jobs and careers and see which ones they are interested in pursuing.
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‘Chinese officials must declare their assets’ Arabs offer Palestinians Beijing - Officials will think twice before pocketing bribes if their assets are made public, said a state-run Chinese news agency which recalled that during the Ming Dynasty, Chinese officials convicted of taking bribes were skinned alive in public. Xinhua said last week in a commentary “Time to publicly disclose officials’ assets” that public interest in the financial status of government officials has been renewed by a series of recent scandals. Netizens have demonstrated the failure of the country’s asset declaration system as most
government officials’ assets are still kept secret from the public, it said. Without extensive public supervision, “the asset declaration system is a tiger without teeth”. The commentary said it was found that Cai Bin, a south China official nicknamed “Uncle House” by netizens, owns 22 properties. The official told his superiors that he owned only two. “If their assets are made public, officials will think twice before making false asset declarations and pocketing bribes, particularly at a time when public anger
regarding corruption is widespread and vociferous,” it said. Yu Zhengsheng, now a member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the party’s top decision-making body, has promised to make his financial status public, if required. The newly-elected CPC leadership has made clear its resolution to combat corruption. The commentary said: “Seven hundred years ago, during the Ming Dynasty, Chinese officials convicted of taking bribes were skinned
alive in public. But even severe penalties like those failed to deter greedy and reckless officials; the ‘national disease’ of corruption contributed significantly to the fall of the dynasty.” “Having tried out different remedies, China is just one step away from a cure that has been proven effective in countries the world over: the public disclosure of government officials’ assets. “Such disclosures are a critical step in the country’s fight against corruption and must be implemented,” it added.
$100 million a month “financial safety net” DOHA (Reuters) - Arab states agreed to provide the Palestinian Authority with a $100 million monthly “financial safety net” to help President Mahmoud Abbas’s government cope with an economic crisis after the United Nations granted de facto statehood to Palestine. Israel has responded to the November 29 U.N. vote by ordering 3,000 Jewish settler homes be built in the occupied West Bank and announced it would hold back payments of customs duties it collects on behalf of the Palestinians to pay an outstanding electricity bill. In a statement yesterday after a meeting in Doha, Arab foreign ministers called for the immediate implementation of a resolution passed at an Arab summit in Baghdad in March, which called for the provision of a $100 million monthly safety net. The statement did not give details of how the money would be paid or who would pay, but Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby said a mechanism has been agreed. “The mechanism is that the chair of the committee (Qatar) and the secretarygeneral will contact each country with the exact amount they have to pay,” Elaraby told Reuters after the meeting. “I said I want an answer in 15 days,” he added. Israel and the United States opposed the U.N. General Assembly’s upgrade of the Palestinians’ status to “non-member state”, saying Abbas should instead resume peace talks that collapsed in 2010 over Israeli settlement-building. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund said in September that a gathering crisis in the Palestinian economy would worsen unless foreign funding increased and Israel eased long-standing curbs on development. In a separate report, the World Bank also forecast a $1.5 billion Palestinian budget deficit for 2012, with donor funds expected to cover only
Mahmoud Abbas $1.14 billion of this shortfall. Last Thursday, the Palestinian cabinet said at a meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah that $240 million were needed every month to meet demands arising from the Israeli decision to stop customs revenues transfers and the failure of donors to transfer previously pledged funds. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank and receives most of its aid from the United States, the European Union and Arab states. But over the past several years there has been a shortfall in aid coming from Arab states resulting in the PA being unable to pay salaries to its 153,000 civil servants on time on several occasions. The administration has yet to pay November salaries following Israel’s decision to withhold money transfers. The Arab ministers also called for convening of a donors’ conference to discuss ways to support the Palestinian people in the West Bank and discuss reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. Qatar ’s ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, pledged $400 million to help develop Gaza during a visit there in October. But recent fighting between Gaza’s Hamas rulers and Israel has caused further destruction to the territory, requiring more funds for reconstruction.
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U.S. and Russia still back Syria settlement: UN envoy BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S. and Russian officials have given their commitment to a political solution for the deepening Syrian conflict, a United Nations envoy said yesterday, but Moscow dismissed speculation it was preparing for President Bashar al-Assad’s exit. With rebels now fighting on the doorsteps of Damascus, Assad’s forces kept up their now daily artillery strikes and air raids on eastern suburbs as well as some rebel-held districts on the capital’s outskirts. U.N. special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met the U.S. and Russian deputy foreign ministers in Geneva for the second session of tripartite talks in less than a week, apparently in response to rising violence that now threatens to engulf Damascus. “All three parties reaffirmed their common assessment that the situation in Syria was bad and getting worse,” a statement from Brahimi said. “They stressed that a political process to end the crisis in Syria was necessary and still possible.”
Notwithstanding his comments, commitment to a political process could be at risk. Western officials were among those who helped rebels to create a unified chain of command at the weekend, and Washington is expected to recognize the opposition as the sole representative of the Syrian people next week. Russia, Syria’s main arms supplier, insisted its position on Assad had not softened and it was not negotiating on the future of the president, whose family has ruled Syria for 42 years. “We are not holding any talks on the fate of Assad,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass news agency in Moscow. “All attempts to present the situation rather differently are shady.” Several countries are believed to be supplying both sides in the conflict, with Iran bankrolling Assad’s war efforts while its regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Qatar arm the rebels. Brahimi said the talks aimed to find a solution based on last June’s Geneva
Declaration, which called for a transitional government. This proposal originally foundered over different interpretations of that transition; Washington said Assad could not play a role but Russia insisted that his fate should not be decided outside Syria. Syria’s 20-month-old uprising, which began as peaceful protests but has descended into civil war, has become increasingly bloody with over 40,000 people killed. The rebels have gained momentum in recent weeks, capturing a series of military sites across the country often with the help of radical Islamists. However, some activists believe the opposition is still far from toppling Assad, whose army has largely held together and who has many heavy weapons. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported army shelling and clashes across the country on Sunday, with 60 counted dead before evening. Death tolls have averaged at around 100 per day in recent weeks.
Lakhdar Brahimi In the north, the radical Islamist group Jabhat alNusra, linked to Al Qaeda in Iraq, led other rebels in seizing on Sunday a regimental command center in Aleppo province, which borders Turkey. The British-based Observatory, which has a network of activists across the country, said the centre’s commander fled along with 140 soldiers. Five troops soldiers were captured. Western powers have become increasingly alarmed
by the role of groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra, which Washington is considering putting on its terrorist list. Radical groups have gained increasing popularity and influence despite their small numbers. The seasoned fighters they attract from Syria and abroad have increased the effectiveness of their attacks. Some rebels and residents feel the militants are more disciplined than other rebels, drawing fewer charges of looting and kidnapping. Damascus has become a focal point of battles over the past week, as rebels effectively shut the international airport by clashing with Assad’s forces near there. Foreign flights have been suspended and residents say the airport road is closed. Rebels who have called their campaign “Operation Opening the Road to Damascus”, uploaded video on Sunday that showed heavy gunbattles and explosions rocking several rural towns around the capital. The video also showed rebels firing a fully
functioning tank which they had captured from the army. But there is no clear winner yet in a battle where neither side seems to have advanced. The Syrian army has claimed many successes around the capital, airing footage on state television of soldiers raiding parts of the rebel stronghold of Deraya. “Our noble forces in Deraya have destroyed some of the terrorist dens used by al Qaeda terrorists to store weapons and other criminal tools,” said a report on Syria TV, which usually refers to rebels as terrorists. “Many terrorists were killed.” Still, rebel gains have helped drive a surge of diplomatic efforts among Gulf Arab states and the West to support the opposition and its newly-formed umbrella group, the Syrian National Coalition. The move may be encouraging defections. Nine judges defected in a YouTube video published on Sunday. Such videos, however, are difficult to verify as the Syrian government has restricted media access in the country.
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Kaieteur News
Monday December 10, 2012
Egypt’s opposition rejects constitutional referendum CAIRO (Reuters) Egypt’s main opposition coalition rejected yesterday Islamist President Mohamed Mursi’s plan for a constitutional referendum this week, saying it risked dragging the country into “violent confrontation”. Mursi’s decision on Saturday to retract a decree awarding himself wide powers failed to placate opponents who accused him of plunging Egypt deeper into crisis by refusing to postpone the vote on a constitution shaped by Islamists. “We are against this process from start to finish,” Hussein Abdel Ghani, spokesman of the National Salvation Front, told a news conference, calling for more street protests on Tuesday. The Front’s main leaders - Nobel peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, former Foreign Minister Amr Moussa and leftist Hamdeen Sabahy - did not attend the event. Hundreds of protesters milled around Mursi’s palace, despite tanks, barbed wire and other barriers installed last week after clashes
between Islamists and their rivals killed seven people. “Holding a referendum now in the absence of security reflects haste and an absence of a sense of responsibility on the part of the regime, which risks pushing the country towards violent confrontation,” a statement from the Front said. The Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled Mursi from obscurity to power, urged the opposition to accept the referendum’s verdict. Islamists say the vote will seal a democratic transition that began when a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak 22 months ago after three decades of militarybacked one-man rule. Their liberal, leftist and Christian adversaries say the document being fast-tracked through could threaten freedoms and fails to embrace the diversity of Egypt’s 83 million people. Mursi had given some ground on Saturday when he annulled the fiercely contested decree issued on November 22 that gave him extra powers and shielded his decisions from judicial
review. But some measures taken under the decree remain in force and the president has insisted the referendum go ahead on December 15. Liberal opposition leader Ahmed Said earlier described the race to a referendum as an “act of war” against Egyptians. Egypt is torn between Islamists, who were suppressed for decades, and their rivals, who fear religious conservatives want to squeeze out other voices and restrict social freedoms. Many Egyptians just crave stability and economic recovery. Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghozlan said the scrapping of Mursi’s decree had removed any reason for controversy. “We ask others to announce their acceptance of the referendum result,” he said on the group’s Facebook page, asking whether the opposition would accept “the basics of democracy”. The cancellation of Mursi’s decree, announced after a “national dialogue” on
Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi (C) attends a meeting with Egypt’s Vice President Mahmoud Mekky (L) with other politicians and heads of parties at the presidential palace in Cairo. REUTERS/Egyptian Presidency/Handout Saturday boycotted by almost all the president’s critics, has not bridged a deep political divide. Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, a technocrat with Islamist leanings, said the referendum was the best test of opinion. “The people are the makers of the future as long as they have the freedom to resort to the ballot box in a democratic, free and fair vote,” he said in a cabinet statement. But opposition factions, uncertain of their ability to vote down the constitution against the Islamists’ organizational muscle, want the document redrafted before any vote. “A constitution without consensus can’t go to a referendum,” said Hermes Fawzi, 28, a protester outside the palace. “It’s not logical that just one part of society makes the constitution.” Egypt tipped into turmoil
after Mursi grabbed powers to stop any court action aimed at hindering the transition. An assembly led by the Brotherhood and other Islamists then swiftly approved the constitution it had spent six months drafting. Opponents, including minority Christians, had already quit the assembly in dismay, saying their voices were being ignored. After the dialogue hosted by Mursi, a spokesman announced that the president had issued a new decree whose first article “cancels the constitutional declaration” of November 22. He said the referendum could not be delayed for legal reasons. The decree ignited more than two weeks of sometimes violent protests and counterrallies in Egypt. Mursi’s foes have chanted for his downfall. Islamists fear a plot
to oust the most populous Arab nation’s first freelyelected leader. Islamists reckon they can win the referendum and, once the new constitution is in place, a parliamentary election about two months later. The Islamist-led lower house elected this year was dissolved after a few months by a court order. Investors appeared relieved after Mursi rescinded his decree, sending Egyptian stocks 4.4 percent higher on Sunday. Markets are awaiting approval of a $4.8 billion IMF loan later this month designed to support the budget and economic reforms. The military, which led Egypt’s transition for 16 turbulent months after Mubarak fell, told feuding factions on Saturday that only dialogue could avert “catastrophe”. But a military source said these remarks did not herald an army takeover.
Barack Obama and John Boehner meet to discuss fiscal cliff President Barack Obama and the leader of the Republicans in the House of Representatives have met in the latest attempt to break the stalemate in the fiscal crisis negotiations that could propel the US back into recession if no deal is secured by 1 January. John Boehner, the house speaker, joined the president at the White House in a private meeting that had not been disclosed to the media in advance. After the event, the two political leaders remained tight-lipped over the nature of their conversation, which was their first since the Republicans produced their counter proposals on the “fiscal cliff” a week ago. The two parties remain separated by a large practical and ideological gulf in their approaches to taxes and spending cuts. Obama has demanded increases in the tax rate for the top 2% of earners, arguing that he has an electoral mandate to drive that through following the November presidential election. But the Republicans are resisting, offering instead $800bn of extra revenue by closing tax
loopholes and deductions. They also want to see a more radical attack on entitlement programmes such as social security and Medicaid than the Democratic party is prepared to contemplate. The fact that the two men met at all, and that they were clearly keen to have the fact known, is an indication of the political high stakes that are being played in the fiscal cliff game of poker. Neither side wants to concede ground on the main negotiating points, mindful that if they do so they will have to face the angry reaction of their own party members, but nor can either political leader be seen to be negligent in trying to avoid an automatic package of $600bn of spending cuts and tax rises that could prove deeply unpopular with voters. Earlier yesterday Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, urged the Democrats and Republicans to try to find a comprehensive deal to the crisis that would involve a balance of spending cuts and tax rises. Speaking on CNN, she warned Washington that failure to act would hurt America more than anywhere else.
Monday December 10, 2012
DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55hrs. Sign On 09:00hrs. GMA 10:00hrs. Live! With Kelly and Michael 11:00hrs. The Ricki Lake Show 12:00hrs. The View 13:00hrs. World News 13:30hrs. The Young and the Restless 14:30hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 15:00hrs. The Talk 16:00hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00hrs. MacGyver 18:00hrs. World News 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00hrs. Channel 8 News 21:00hrs. DTV’s Christmas Spectacular
Kaieteur News
23:00hrs. Hawaii Five-0 (New Episode) 00:00hrs. Sign Off NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 05:00h - Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 05:15h - Meditation 05:30h - Queenstown Masjid Presents Quran This Morning 06:00h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Shiva Bhajans 06:15h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Shiva Bhajans 06:30h - Muneshwar Limited Presents Shiva Bhajans 06:45h - Double Standard Taxi Presents Shiva Bhajans 07:00h - RRT Enterprise Presents Shiva Bhajans 07:15h - M & M Snackette
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Monday December 10, 2012 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): You're going to be dealing with some fragile egos today, which could end up being quite tiresome for you. ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Someone in your social circle or on your team at work thinks that they deserve something you have -- but they are failing to remember how much work and effort you put into earning it. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): However you feel is how you feel, so don't try to hide it. If other people are uncomfortable with your anger, your happiness, or whatever emotion you're exhibiting, that is just too bad for them. You're not a robot, so why should you act like one? ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): You are always smart enough to be careful in business deals, but how careful have you been in romantic negotiations? Past pain could have been caused by careless generosity, so if you want to prevent yourself from getting hurt again in the future, go slower. ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Ironically, a big ego has usually been inflated to that super-sized volume because someone is hiding an insecurity or two. So when you encounter a self-centered braggart today, keep that in mind. ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): You can't analyze the unseen, so if you are wringing your hands over a mysterious situation, stop it! Trying to figure out what is motivating other people is a waste of your time. You can ask them questions until the cows
come home, but right now they might not be in a position to tell you anything. ********************* LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Shallow conversation is fine for the line at the coffee shop or a particularly long elevator ride, but all in all, it's not your speed -- especially not today. You have too much wit and charm to just skim the surface with other people. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 Nov. 21): Your vision for the future is sharper than ever, which might be causing you to feel antsy about how you're going to get to the next stop on your journey. ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 21): One of your most recent dreams included some confusing visions that left you scratching your head the next day. Do you think that these visions hold instructions to finding happiness? .********************* CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 Jan. 19): You might be keeping yourself somewhat detached from the people who care about you most right now -- are you sure you're not pushing them away? ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 Feb. 18): It's okay if things are easy for you from time to time -- in other words, don't feel guilty if a task or test that stressed out a friend was as easy as a walk in the park for you. ********************* PISCE S ( F e b . 1 9 March 20): Don't get involved with stuff you are unsure of right now, even (or especially!) if you think it will get you the cool kids' approval.
Viivaah 12:00h - Gina News 12:15h - DVD Movie:BHARASHTACHAR (Eng: Sub:) *ing Mithun Chakraborty & Rekha 14:30h - DVD Movie:- RISE OF THE GUARDIANS 16:00h - Drying Tears Live with Pastor Edson 16:30h - Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2012 17:45h - Ganesh Parts Presents - BHAGAVAD GITA ( Discourses in English) Serial 18:15h - Birthday Greetings / Anniversary / Congratulations / Death Announcements & In Memoriam 18:30h - HARE KRISHNA TODAY 19:00h - Ricks & Sari Presents Bed Time Songs Live with Joel 20:00h - THE HOT SEAT Live with host Mr. Ossie Roger 21:00h - Headline News 21:30h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 22:00h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 22:30h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta 23:00h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 23:30h -.Sign Off MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 06:00h Islamic Perspective 06:30h The Diary 07:00h DAY BREAK ( live) 08:00h Dabi’s Musical Hour 08:30h Avon Video & DVD
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music hour 09:00h Current affairs 09:15h Top Notch Music Break 09:30h Caribbean Temptation music break 10:00h Amanda’s music break 10:30h BBC World News 11:00h Salvation Message with Pastor Kelvin 11:15h National Geographic 12:00h The View 13:00h Village Talk 13: 30h The Young and The Restless 14:30h Days of our lives 15:00h General Hospital 16:00h The Bold and the
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Kaieteur News
Land grabbing in City continues - Benn - Public Works stops illegal construction on road reserves
Illegal land clearing exercise on Mandela Avenue road reserve halted The Public Works Ministry on Saturday thwarted attempts by unknown person(s) to carryout construction works on road reserves along Mandela Avenue, where there are plans to extend the existing thoroughfare into four lanes. According to Public Works Engineer, Sunil Ganesh, shortly after 10:00 am, it was observed that construction works, primarily land clearing, was ongoing on the road reserves. The illegal construction was halted and the team did not reveal who instructed the illegal works. Ganesh opined that works probably commenced Friday since no works were observed on Thursday. On site were heavy duty equipment and building materials including steel and sand, he added.
According to Transport and Hydraulics Minister, Robeson Benn, the grabbing of land in the City continues to hinder development. He suggested that Saturday’s land clearing on the reserve was probably being done to access large land space behind the area. Benn related that City Hall is well aware of Government’s plan to develop that area, which is located south of the National Gymnasium. About five years ago, a development plan was done and it included the construction of a minimart, parking area and a playground, he said. He stressed that while Government is seeking to develop the area in a systematic way, it appears that over time, lands have been given out along Mandela Avenue in an unexplained manner.
According to the Minister, those encumbering the road reserves will have to vacate to facilitate the fourlane expansion from Sheriff Street to Industrial Site. Encumbrances of state and city reserves and the erection of several huge buildings around Georgetown are oftentimes raised at the Mayor and City Council’s Statutory Meetings, with some Councilors expressing awe as to how the structures appear and who are responsible for them. Hazy responses from Senior Officials usually anger Councilors who had called for an investigation into the City Engineer’s Department. That investigation did not materialize but the City Engineer, Gregory Erskine was sent on leave with other officials following fraud allegations at City Hall.
Monday December 10, 2012
GNBS warns Consumers not to be duped by fancy advertising The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has warned that shoppers should not be duped by all the advertising strategies employed by business to sell their products. The GNBS said that for the Christmas season, shoppers will be bombarded with information and or misinformation as the business community intensifies its advertising efforts, and as such they should seriously consider after sale service. The Standards Bureau noted that this should be an important factor for consumers shopping electrical appliances. GNBS Public Relations Officer, Lloyd David explained that the Bureau monitors 20 categories of commodities which include electrical appliances. As such, Inspectors of the Bureau examine these appliances at the ports of entry and warehouses to ensure that they comply with established labeling requirements and the requisite quality marks are affixed to them. He said certification or quality marks assure buyers that the appliances were tested by an independent third party certification body in the country of export and they are fit for the purpose intended. Adding that consumers should take into consideration some guidelines when buying electrical appliances, David stressed that they should analyze their needs: who will be using the appliance, how often it will be used, where it will be placed in the home etc. and choose accordingly. For pricing, he said
consumers should expect to pay more for brand name appliances, added features and performance and possible workmanship if not adequately covered by a warranty. Some additional gadgets may give the appliance a better look but may be unnecessary for the customers’ needs. Additionally he said, for electrical requirements, consumers should ensure that the appliance has the correct voltage (110 or 220 volts). “If you purchase any high voltage appliance, you must have a higher voltage electrical line installed. You may require the services of an electrician…. Ensure the appliance has the right cycle (50 Hz, 60 Hz or 50/60 HZ), which may vary depending on the area you live…Remember to check to ensure that the watts can be accommodated in your home. (Note that higher watts may result in better performance but will require more energy),” he explained. Additional tips for consumers include: In the case of appliances, customers must consider the size of the item and its capacity. They must ensure that the item can fit into the space available at
your home. (2) Take into account your family’s immediate and future needs. (3)Take into consideration the frequent changes in technology which may render an appliance obsolete or out dated. (4) Buy from stores that offer warranties, good prepurchasing advice and adequate after sale services. Make sure you know who is responsible for services and repairs –the dealer or manufacturer. (5) Look beyond sales and bargain prices and think quality. A quality appliance may cost just a bit more but will last a lot longer. (6) If you are buying your appliances on hire purchase, make sure you understand the details of your hire purchase agreement. Read the fine print. (7)When you’re buying a new appliance, it makes good sense to choose the model that uses the least energy while meeting your needs. It helps the environment and it can save you money too. (8) Ensure that the appliance purchased is working at the store before taking it home. (9) Handle appliances with care; do not misuse them. In addition, consumers should not try to install or do any work that should be done by a qualified electrician.
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Kaieteur News
Monday December 10, 2012
Water and security issues plague Parfaite Harmonie residents Irate residents of Phase Two Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara vented their frustrations on Saturday at what they said is a total lack of concern by authorities for persons living in that community. The small crowd in an early morning community meeting yesterday called on authorities to rectify, “ongoing water and security issues” plaguing the semideveloped community. They complained that for weeks they received no potable water and when it finally did come, the residents argued that it was of poor quality; even unhealthy for bathing or laundry purposes. The residents are also furious over the lack of security measures set out for the community. As a result they cited the extremely high incidence of robberies and house breakins, while complaining of the usual occurrence of cattle attacks. The situation, residents said, is so grave that they had called two community meetings to discuss the issue. When Kaieteur News visited the location, a handful of residents had remained after completing their second gathering in 24hours. Muneshwar Narine, who spoke on behalf of the residents, said it is unacceptable; the excuses people get from the water authorities. According to him, when contacted, water authorities blame the inconsistent water flow on the electricity company saying that inconsistent electricity affects the flow of water. The crowd however lashed out, that the electricity issue is not their concern
since every month they receive a water bill that must be paid or face disconnection. They stated that they are heavily dependent on rainfall. “If the rain don’t fall, we deh in de sauce,” one woman said. “We have to ensure that we get this rain water or we can’t do anything.” “Apart from that,” another woman interjected, “the water is oily and dirty.” Another woman, who identified herself as a teacher and a single parent, said she would have to go in another street to a friend to ask for water since she has no black tank for storage. Another resident claimed she has three children with her smallest being a few months old. She pointed out that water is a necessity to care for her children. “How these people expect us to dwell without proper water,” she questioned. “The Housing Minister claimed to install a $57M pump and almost a year now and we still can’t get no water,” the persons argued. The residents of Phase Two, Parfaite Harmonie are also calling for the authorities to look into their security needs. They s aid that since the community is still developing, thick vegetation is prevalent and the area is a haven for criminals. “There are constant break-ins in the community,” the residents highlighted. The teacher said, two nights ago her house was broken into and what thieves did not take a week- earlier in another break-in, they took the second time. To aid the thieves, the residents added, is the non existence of street lamps. “When it is night, you can’t
Some of the residents at the early morning meeting
A section of the developing Phase Two Parfaite Hamonie community even tell if someone is standing three feet away from you, you have to come really close to notice that someone is in front of you. That is how dark this area is,” the teacher explained. Leon Matthews, another
resident, invited the authorities to visit the community to get a first hand feel of their plight. Other residents called for authorities to intervene in the cow grazing activities of farmers who claim that the
community is a pasture. “It is no longer a pasture, it is a housing scheme and we paid for our land,” the people argued. They said they are always under threat by the large number of cows. One
woman said she had to jump into a trench, while another said she had to jump over the trench to escape the cows. One man is now using crotches they said, after an unfortunate encounter with cows.
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Kaieteur News
Monday December 10, 2012
Unity\Lancaster honours Chanderpaul By Zaheer Mohamed The Unity \ Lancaster Sports Club yesterday honoured West Indies middle order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul with a simple ceremony at the Unity\ Lancaster cricket ground yesterday. The club unveiled a sign board featuring Chanderpaul and will also kick start a cricket Academy in January 2013. Cricket commentator Naim Chan spoke of Chanderpaul’s achievement in the game. Chanderpaul in his remarks thanked the organisers and said he appreciated the fact that his village acknowledged his contribution towards the game over the years, he also said they supported him from the beginning of his career. Speaking of the academy, Chanderpaul, who recently reclaimed the number one spot in test batting rankings, said it is a great opportunity for young boys and girls to acquire the relevant cricket skills and improve their
education. “Cricket and Education go hand in hand, we are here not only to develop our cricket skills; we have to develop better citizens. This would come about through hard work, dedication and determination”. Chanderpaul also stated that this is just a start. “We have to build on this, we need proper coaches, good role models, teachers and major participation from the community and government. The sports ministry should play a very active role in nurturing the development of this academy, we can use this facility to keep the youngsters off the street, and help them with their development”, added Chanderpaul. The star batsman further stated that the academy will provide development programmes for individuals, groups and teams and address skill development, fitness and relaxation techniques.
Barnwell collects the winning trophy from Chanderpaul.
He also told the gathering that the academy will structure coaching programmes, matches, tournaments and interaction with the local players. The academy is being named the Shivnarine Chanderpaul Cricket Academy. Meanwhile, the club also commissioned the Chetram Singh pavilion during the ceremony. Singh is a former president of the Guyana Cricket Board and hails from Unity village. After the ceremony, Tiger’s XI went down to the national Twenty\20 team by 21 runs in a specially arranged T\20 match. The national team batted first in front of a large crowd and mustered 223-7. Ramnaresh Sarwan top scored with 54 (6x4,2x6), and got support from Christopher Barnwell 49 (4x4,3x6), Trevon Griffith 25 (2x4,2x6), Jonathan Foo 23 (3x6) and Dillon Heyliger 19 not out. Amir Khan, Keith Saroop and Dellon Ross grabbed 2 wickets each. Tiger’s XI in response scored 202 before they were bowled out in 19.3 overs. Krishna Arjune led with 65(5x4,4x6) while Chanderpaul Hemraj supported with 36(3x4,3x6) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul 30 (2x4,2x6). Leg spinner Devendra Bishoo took 2-28 and Trevon Griffith had 2-15. Amir Khan received the award for being the best bowler, while Arjune took the best batsman trophy. Sarwan was given the man of the match prize and Captain of the victorious team Barnwell collected the winning trophy. In an invited comment after the match, Chanderpaul told Kaieteur Sport that Guyana has a very good chance of winning the 2013 regional T\20 tournament. “We have guys who are capable to put a decent total on the board
National team beat Tiger’s XI in feature T\20
The sign board featuring Chanderpaul and the bowlers are good enough to defend it, if we play to our true potential we
will win the competition”, stated Chanderpaul. When quizzed about him reclaiming
the number one spot, he said it is a result of the hard work he has put in over the years.
BOYZ STUNNED! French Guiana clip Cup holders 2-1 in Antigua Jamaica Observer - ST JOHN’S, Antigua — It was not the start that they hoped for, but the reality is that football can be a cruel sport. And that proved true last night when defending champions Jamaica crashed to a shock defeat to French Guiana in their opening CFU Caribbean Championship at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Saturday night despite looking the more dominant team for the most part. The Reggae Boyz, ranked No 50 by FIFA and the only Caribbean team in the final round of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament, went behind in the 19th minute through an own-goal, but signalled they could still win the game when Tramaine Stewart popped up three minutes later to level the playing field. But only three minutes after the interval, the Frenchspeaking team secured their “unexpected win” over the celebrated kings of the Caribbean when Rudy Evens did the clean-up job. The result means Jamaica are at the bottom of Group B with Cuba without a point, after the latter lost 0-1 to another French-speaking country, Martinique, in the other game. From the first kick-off, Jamaica possessed the ball for three unbroken minutes, tasting every inch of the pitch in the process and gave French Guiana their first touch following a weak shot
from Stewart angling out right. In minute number five, the French men had a sniff of the Jamaican goal when their captain Jean Claude Darchville unleashed a rasping shot from 20 yards out, but Jamaican goalie Dwayne Miller was wide awake and parried for a recovering Andrae Campbell to mop up. As the Jamaicans continued their eye-catching passing game, a nice giveand-go between Jermaine Hue and Campbell looked promising, but the latter’s cross inside failed to land kindly for Keammar Daley in the 16th minute. And against the run of play, the Boyz found themselves behind when a long ball found the bustling Darchville, who gained a clear run on goal before crossing to Gary Pigree, whose final effort was helped across the line by a back-tracking Jamaican defender for an owngoal in the 19th. Unfazed by the French Guiana goal, Jamaica quickly regrouped and went on the hunt for the equaliser. They found it three minutes later when Stewart rammed home from what appeared a difficult angle to give goalkeeper Laurent Pecthy no chance. On 45 minutes, the dangerous Darchville took aim at Miller once again with a thunderous free kick from 25 yards, but the Syrianska player was up in all his glory to tip over the horizontal. Well, whatever was said
by the respective coaches in the dressing room at halftime, it were the French Guiana players who responded quicker as they jumped into the lead for a second time in the 48th when Evens’ low shot from angled position took a deflection to beat Miller. With French Guiana obviously boosted by the lead an d t h e s c e n t o f victory in the air, their respect for the Jamaicans slowly dwindled as they attacked with more regularity and confidence. In a turn of attacking direction in 72nd minute, substitute Omar Cummings fancied his chance from way out, but the ‘keeper was not going to be left out of the action and kept his team in the game with a fine save. Five minutes later, Jamaica looked a lively bunch as they moved in on goal with Darren Mattocks, Stewart and Cummings leading the charge, with the veteran Ricardo Gardner not far behind. The latter also had a shot blocked from not far out. Jamaica next face Martinique today in a mustwin contest, while French Guiana take on Cuba at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. Action continued yesterday in Group A where leaders Dominican Republic battled Haiti and hosts Antigua and Barbuda took on Trinidad and Tobago at the Antigua Recreation Ground.
Monday December 10, 2012
Kaieteur News
Brief stutter before England take 2-1 lead
Ian Bell saw England through after an early wobble (BCCI) Cricinfo - It took England 55 minutes of intense drama but they achieved victory without major damage. They got the last Indian wicket for eight runs added to India’s overnight lead of 32, but their top order batted with a bit of complacence and a bit of nerves to be reduced to 8 for 3 before Ian Bell and Nick Compton eased the situation with sensible batting. This is the first time since 1999-2000 that India have been beaten in backto-back home Tests. England began the day with a three-over old ball. R Ashwin, who batted well for his
overnight 83, refused singles twice off the first four balls of the first over, bowled by Steve Finn, but when the field came up he pierced it for boundaries off the last two balls. James Anderson, though, tickled Pragyan Ojha’s off bail with the fourth ball he bowled. Ashwin came back to bowl his hat-trick ball, which Alastair Cook took a single off. However, in the same over, Cook tried to loft Ashwin over long-off and was stumped only for the second time in his career. Pragyan Ojha built pressure from the other end with maidens. He got Jonathan Trott plumb lbw with a ball that didn’t turn. Kevin Pietersen soon edged Ashwin to MS Dhoni, and the 33 remaining runs felt like 99. However, Ashwin released the pressure with a full toss - an attempted carrom ball - to Bell, who flicked it away for four through midwicket. How symbolic then that the lack of patience eased England’s nerves. Bell hit two more pretty boundaries, and Compton remained solid, showing no hurry whatsoever to get off the park. Along the way, the two ran well and exposed once again the poor fielding of the tired Indian players. Bell finished it off with a push to square leg, pumped the fist for a second, kicking off scenes of jubilation in the dressing room. The England players soon went on a victory lap to acknowledge the great support they get from their fans in foreign lands, and India were left with a lot of soul-searching. Scores: England 523 (Cook 190, Trott 87, Trott 57, Pietersen 54, Ojha 4-142) and 41 for 3 (Bell 28*, Ashwin 2-31) beat India 316 (Tendulkar 76, Gambhir 60, Dhoni 52, Panesar 4-90, Anderson 3-89) and 239 for 9 (Ashwin 91*, Anderson 3-38, Finn 3-45, Swann 2-70) by seven wickets.
Lionel Messi of Barcelona sets new goal-scoring record BBC Sport - Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has set the record for most goals in a calendar year by scoring his 86th goal of 2012. The 25-year-old Argentine overhauled Gerd Mueller’s tally of 85 - set in 1972 - to set a new benchmark which includes goals for club and country. Messi set the new record with two goals in a 2-1 win over Real Betis on Sunday. He fired in an angled shot after 16 minutes to equal the German’s record before adding a second with a low drive in the 25th minute to set the new mark. Three-time World Player of the Year Messi’s attempt to break Mueller’s record looked set to falter after he was carried off on a stretcher during Barcelona’s Champions League group game draw with Benfica on Wednesday. The forward feared he had seen the “last ball I’d touch for a long time because of the pain” but the injury to his left knee was not as bad as he thought and he started against Betis.
Lionel Messi Messi’s path to the record has included 74 goals for Barcelona and 12 for Argentina in 66 games. He still has two league matches and one King’s Cup tie to add to his tally before the end of the year. “I always say the same, it’s nice for what it means but the victory is more important as it maintains our lead over the other teams,” the modest Messi told Spanish TV station Canal Plus afterwards. “My goal when the year began was to try to achieve
everything again, with the team, in the league, the (King’s) Cup, the Champions League. I always start with that idea in mind.” Mueller scored 72 for Bayern Munich and 13 for West Germany when he set the previous benchmark in 1972 and was 27 at the time. Messi is now favourite to claim a fourth Fifa world player of the year award after making the three-man shortlist which also includes Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo. “Messi will be the player to win the most Ballons d’Or in history,” said former Barcelona player and manager as well as Dutch legend Johann Cruyff. “He will win five, six, seven. He is incomparable. He’s in a different league.” Messi is already Barcelona’s all-time record goalscorer but was equal with Cesar Rodriguez on 192 at the top of the club’s leading league scoring list before his goals against Betis moved him clear at the top of that as well.
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Van Persie breaches City fortress... From page 32 Ferdinand was struck by an object thrown from the City fans and suffered a cut to his face. LOW SHOT Rooney put United ahead after a 16th-minute counterattack ended with him scuffing a shot low into the corner. It was not the sweetest connection but made the 27-year-old the youngest player to reach 150 Premier League goals, a feat only managed by Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer, Robbie Fowler, Andy Cole and Frank Lampard. Rooney made it 2-0 in the 29th minute with a cool finish after fine link-up play between Rafael and Antonio Valencia. It was clinical by United and City, who had also lost centre back and skipper Vincent Kompany to injury, appeared deflated. Mancini lost patience with striker Mario Balotelli seven minutes into the second half, replacing him with former United striker
Carlos Tevez. While Balotelli went off to stew in the dressing room, the game suddenly changed in the space of a minute on the hour. Ashley Young was wrongly judged offside as he slotted into an empty net after Van Persie’s shot hit the woodwork and City immediately went down the other end where Tevez showed great composure to set up Toure to fire past David De Gea. Belief flooded back into the City ranks and Zabaleta’s thumping finish made it 2-2 in the 86th minute and even raised home hopes of an unlikely victory. Van Persie had other ideas, however, and stepped up in stoppage time to fire a free kick past Hart with the aid of a slight deflection off Samir Nasri. Tottenham were heading for a fourth consecutive league win that would have cemented their place in the top four when Clint Dempsey
opened the scoring at Goodison Park with 15 minutes left. Everton, beaten only twice in the league this season, equalised with a header from former Tottenham player Steven Pienaar before Jelavic poked home the winner. Liverpool were without Luis Suarez, their only genuine striker for the trip to West Ham, but proved they can prosper without the Uruguayan. Johnson’s piledriver put Liverpool ahead in the 11th minute but West Ham were in front by halftime through a Mark Noble penalty and a Steven Gerrard own goal. Cole’s composed finish levelled matters after 76 minutes before Jonjo Shelvey, another player who learned his trade at West Ham, went through on goal with 10 minutes left and forced James Collins into the game’s second own goal.
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Andrew Wong carts off motorcycle after winning Grass Track Race Meet
In the above photo, an elated Mr. Wong (right) displays the motorcycle he received from Mr. Rasul at the GMR&SC clubhouse yesterday afternoon. Several weeks of competitive motorcycle Grass Track racing at venues countrywide culminated with Andrew Wong emerging victorious when the final stage of the Grass Track Race Meet concluded at the Cane Grove Neighborhood Democratic Council Ground yesterday afternoon. The event was sponsored by El Dorado Trading, under the management of Bobby Rasul. For his efforts Mr. Wong
carted off the 2012 model of a 125CC Yamaha, 2-stroke motorcycle after defeating a field of 5 other racers including Andy Rajkarran, Vassie Barry, Peter Toolsie and Jerry DaSilva. Mr. Wong collected his winnings yesterday afternoon and paraded it at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sport s Club (GMR&SC), Albert Street, yesterday afternoon, mere hours after he had completed the final stage of
the race. Over the weeks of activity, the riders competed at several venues including the Good Fortuin Community Centre Ground WCD, the Cane Grove Community Centre Ground ECD, Mahaica Community Centre Ground ECD, Hampton Court Essequibo and the Cane Grove Neighborhood Democratic Council Ground. The competitors were required to compete over 10 laps at each of the meets.
Van Persie breaches City fortress, Everton beat Spurs LONDON (Reuters) Manchester United put down a huge marker in the Premier League title race as Robin Van Persie’s late free kick sealed a dramatic 3-2 Premier League derby victory at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium fortress on Sunday. City had fought like tigers to fight back after Wayne Rooney’s first-half double but goals from Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta proved in vain as Van Persie marked his first Manchester derby with the stoppage-time strike that took United six points clear of their opponents at the top. Everton also scored twice in added time to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at Goodison Park, Nikica Jelavic’s decisive goal sending Everton back into the top four. West Ham United were haunted by former players as Glen Johnson and Joe Cole scored in Liverpool’s 3-2 victory at Upton Park as the Merseyside club moved into
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (centre) celebrates his first goal against Manchester City with Robin Van Persie (right) and Ashley Young. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh the top half of the table for the first time this season. United’s victory made up for the two league defeats they suffered against City last season when Roberto Mancini’s side won the title
for the first time since 1968. However, it was marred by an ugly incident immediately after Van Persie’s deflected free kick had beaten Joe Hart when a celebrating Rio Continued on page 31
Monday December 10, 2012
Kaieteur News
Guyana Association of Scrabble Players donate to two orphanages after successful fund raiser Two charitable organizations, St Ann’s Girls’ Orphanage of Thomas Street Georgetown and the St John’s Bosco of Plaisance ECD, yesterday afternoon collected more than $60,000 cash, toiletries and other items accrued from the proceeds of a fund raising event and scrabble tournament staged under the auspices of the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP), at the Malteenoes Sports Club, Thomas Lands, yesterday afternoon. Dubbed ‘Scrabblers Give Back’ the event consisted of a tournament, where the proceeds from the registration fees were matched by the GASP executives and augmented by further contributions of the GASP membership. The GASP executive was also the recipient of a substantial donation after one of the Directors of the Kashif and Shanghai organization, Kashif Muhammad, who journeyed to the venue shortly after the tournament, had concluded and donated a cheque of an undisclosed amount. Consequently, Matron of the St Ann’s Girls Orphanage,
Kashif Muhammad hands over his contribution to Mr. Belony at the tournament venue. Sheila Profitt, journeyed to the Malteenoes Sports Club and collected the gift on behalf of her organization, while Sister Denise Lyttle of the Sisters of Mercy Institution, collected on behalf of the St John’s Bosco. The event was organized by the recently elected executive members of GASP, under the patronage of President, Leon Belony and received support from the entire membership. The cash and other items donated to the above mentioned charitable
organizations were accrued from the sum total of the $1,000 per player, garnered from registration fees of a tournament simultaneously played with the occasion. This sum was matched by the GASP executive committee and further enhanced by personal donations from individual members. Meanwhile, Ms Profitt and Ms Lyttle both expressed gratitude to the GASP officials and assured them that the gift would go a far way towards their charges’ comfort.
Ferdinand left bloodied by missile from crowd
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - The sight of blood trickling down the face of Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand after being hit by a coin thrown by a Manchester City fan marred his side’s 3-2 victory in a dramatic Premier League derby on Sunday. Ferdinand was celebrating Robin van Persie’s stoppage time winner when he clutched his face and moved away with blood seeping from a wound near his eye. The incident at City’s Etihad Stadium, and another soon after when a fan ran on to the pitch apparently to confront Ferdinand, detracted from a match full of raw passion and skill. United manager Alex Ferguson said a spate of recent crowd problems was becoming a cause for concern. “It’s unfortunate that a City fan runs on and coins are thrown,” he told the BBC. “That shouldn’t happen. The same thing happened at Chelsea, which was masked by all the other things. We
Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand (right) is helped from the pitch by teammate Robin van Persie. REUTERS/Phil Noble could have done without that.” Referring to the incident at Stamford Bridge in October when a steward was injured by Chelsea fans when United celebrated an equally dramatic win, the Scot added: “At Chelsea, We had half a seat thrown on the pitch, coins, lighters, and nothing done about it. It’s a problem.” A City spokesman said CCTV footage of the incident was being reviewed and the
club issued a statement. “We apologise to Rio. We condemn the actions of the individual concerned. We will support the police with any investigation and hopefully identify the person as soon as possible,” it said. Ferdinand attempted to make light of the incident later on Twitter, saying: “Whoever threw that coin, what a shot! Can’t believe it was a copper 2p... could have at least been a £1 coin!”
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