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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
A defining moment and victory for the people The long delayed Local Government Elections (LGE) slated for Friday March 18, 2016, in nine towns and 62 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), will more than likely put an end to years of lawless behaviour by any administration. In 2006, President Bharrat Jagdeo told the nation that in the next five years, his Government would work towards the political, economic and social transformation of the country in which everyone would have equal access to resources, and benefit from the economic development and improvement in social conditions. It did not happen for the masses, only for relatives and friends of the PPP leadership. It was another empty promise by the PPP administration that was most deceptive. It became very clear to the citizens that the government had lacked the commitment to hold local government elections. The PPP totally disrespected the constitution and democracy. It was self-serving. After being in office for only six months, the new government has decided to hold local government elections to make sure that all local elected officials are accountable to the taxpayers and the voters. The NDCs and municipalities have had their fair share of corrupt practices, nepotism, and shoddy services. Many NDC members had wanted local government elections in order to hand over office to the younger generation, but the PPP would have none of it. That party had preferred to keep the malfunctioning local government system in place so that it could install Interim Management Committees (IMCs) dominated by those loyal to the party. The long delay in holding LGE meant that all the councilors and Mayors have remained unelected; some have either resigned, died, or migrated. Those who remained or succeeded them have become unaccountable, which was a sure route to nepotism and corruption. During the 2011 election campaign, PPP Presidential candidate, Donald Ramotar, had promised the people that if elected, his government would hold local government elections within six months of his presidency. He also promised that his administration would pass a Bill in Parliament to reform the system and provide more resources to the NDCs and the municipalities. Elected to office with a minority government, Mr. Ramotar stubbornly refused to sign into law the local government Bill passed by the majority opposition. Among other things, the Bill actually sought to correct the imbalance in the relationship between the central government and the local authorities. This was the sore point that led to the fundamental disagreements between the then opposition and the PPP administration on what that relationship should be. The PPP had preferred a relationship in which the central government, through the subject minister, would maintain absolute veto over local governments, particularly on financial matters. The parties in the current coalition government have opted for a more democratic relationship, whereby the power of the municipalities would be increased, and that of the subject minister would be decreased. This was one of several reasons that eventually forced the combined opposition to table the no-confidence motion in Parliament against the former government, which eventually led to fresh elections and the defeat of the PPP government. It is important to note, that the Local Government Bill, which was vetoed by President Ramotar, was one of the first pieces of legislation passed by the new parliament and assented to by President Granger. The opposition PPP had boycotted Parliament during consideration and passage of the Bill following its defeat at the polls in the last election. The Bill not only made changes to the system, but it laid out the conditions for the holding of local government elections. There was no valid justification for the lack of political commitment by the former administrations, and the consequent delay local Government elections for 18 years. It was shameful. The PPP cannot be proud of its record in office.
Friday December 11, 2015
Letters... Where your views make the news
This country has to treat teachers with a better pay system DEAR EDITOR, I wish to refer to an article published on April 18, 2015, filed under Kaieteur News captioned “ Granger plans to curb the exodus of teachers by increasing salaries, if elected”. At the time when this article was published, Mr. Granger was the presidential candidate for the APNU + AFC party. In the article it stated Granger was asked, “If your party is elected to serve the people of Guyana, what policies will your administration implement to ensure that teachers, and other key public servants are properly compensated and motivated to perform
their services?” In his response, the Coalition’s Presidential hopeful stated, “I have always been saying that, at this point in Guyana’s development, teachers should be the best paid public servants. The nurses didn’t like it, but we are not going to turn the education system around if we do not attract the best teachers.” Granger explained that this does not only apply to teachers at the primary and secondary level, but involves lecturers at the University of Guyana, Cyril Potter College of Education and other post-secondary educational institutions. He added, “We have to get the finest
Guyanese” to mould the minds of students. He went on to say that he has travelled the Caribbean, and has discovered that the teacher of the year award would usually go to Guyanese teachers, who migrated so that they can receive better salaries for the job ”… The teacher of the year in Barbados is Guyanese and it’s most likely the same in the Bahamas and Belize. Teachers have been fleeing Guyana because of the poor conditions and the only way we can retain them is by providing better conditions. But right now that is not happening…” Mr. Editor (Continued on page 31)
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Interesting angle in support of change in marijuana legislation DEAR EDITOR, “It is not necessary to believe in God to be a good person. In a way, the traditional notion of God is outdated. One can be spiritual but not religious. It is not necessary to go to church and give money- for many-nature can be a church. Some of the best people in history did not believe in God, while some of the worst deeds were done in his name”. Pope Francis. Source K.N (27.09.15). Editor, it was St. Paul, who was quoted as saying “Every man to his own order”! Therefore, if “Durdy” Butts, chooses to live his life as a Rasta, and consumes/utilizes “ganja” as his scared sacrament within the confines of his home and not publicly, indeed I consider this respectful to the Laws. Then this is true, in the words of St. Paul. Nevertheless, the ideals of four (4) consecutive Presidents (all deceased) of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana will be reviewed. Firstly, Forbes Burnham, more moderate with his sentencing - the longest six (6) months for large-scale
cultivation. Community service comprising of cleaning the Court and Police Station yards, along with a $1,500 fine was the order of the day, for small amounts. Price commodity $1,000 a pound. Most importantly there were no junkies/drug addicts, since the “lapdog of the devil, cocaine” was a virtual non-seller. Secondly, Desmond Hoyte, the worst of the Presidents- three (3) years in jail, even if it is a Ganja seed. Substantial increase in fines; eradication of the fields, and from here onward the sale of cocaine increased and so too was the junkie population. Since the sentencing for both commodities was the same, the latter became more profitable! Thirdly, Cheddi Jagan, the wisest, whose encouragement to most Indo-Guyanese cash crop, rice and sugar cane farmers. “Plant ganja”, of course this was advocated while he was in Opposition, to the farmers in the remote and far flung river rain areas, it got more money! In government, Cde.
Cheddi while addressing a plenary session of Caricom Heads, in relation to the ongoing dispute with the Latin American Chiquita Brand bananas, mostly the OECS member states said; “ To d a y i t s b a n a n a s , tomorrow it can be bauxite, rice or sugar, but extensive cultivation of marijuana, primarily for export, to the European and North American markets, can boost our collective economies significantly”! (Humorous). However, on a serious note; there was this dear and esteemed friend of the late Dr. Jagan, a Prime Minister, in the OECS, who on more than one occasion came to Guyana, to deliver a lecture at the Annual Cheddi Jagan Memorial, Lecture series. Today his country is the major supplier of “ganja”to almost the entire
OECS. With Janet Jagan, she remained steadfast, towards repealing the three (3) years jail sentencing. Editor, one is left to wonder of the four former Presidents, two being avowed communists, which by extension are atheists, that the latter two (2) did not believe in God, were more humane, along with Burnham, as it relates to a draconian law, of a three (3) years jail sentence. Desmond Hoyte a believer in God committed the worst deed in Guyana, in God’s name! Strange enough, does this fits into the Pope’s equation? We come now to Jamaica - the “Land of Wood and Water.” Jamaica, through extensive medical research, by a son of the soil, a renowned medical professor will see an interesting
Editorial note:
W
ill Mr. Sham Mannilall of Lot 43 Kilkenny Street, Queenstown Village, Essequibo, please contact Assistant Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine,at Eve Leary in connection with monies owed him by the police arising out of his published letter of complaint to KN
development. Come next year the pharmaceutical industry will benefit from the “Patented Magnificent Seven” all ganja based. Nasal sprays, rheumatic rubs et.al. Would the government of Guyana, prohibit the importation, in the absence of extensive research by the IAST? Or, would the services of Dr. Richard VanWest Charles, be sought as a pioneer, who utilized “black sage” in the experimental Herbal Toothpaste, out of GPC, towards local ganja research, for medical purposes? With “Jail Time being Waste Time” a fallacy in my opinion. Editor, this factor must be taken into serious consideration, since the “promotion of the Popcaan
show” was an insult to our intelligence. Whereby the signature tune and popular hit that was given maximum airtime was “Weed is my best Friend” in relation to the promotion of the artist for the concert? Did anyone with the relevant authority, order the non-playing of the song? Emphatically, no! So, one can perceive that duplicity exists at the highest level of decision making in our country. It would be interesting to know, if within the hallowed chambers of Parliament, if there is any member, who smokes, or smoked weed, or in the expanded ministerial portfolios/cabinet of the Coalition government. How many “ungodly” (Continued on page 31)
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
Global climate deal in sight though finance, timing gaps remain Reuters - The chairman of global climate talks in Paris said yesterday negotiators were on the cusp of an agreement, despite persistent differences on key issues dividing rich and developing countries in nearly two weeks of talks. “We want an agreement, we are extremely close to that goal,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told an evening session of delegates now in the grip of almost round-the-clock negotiations in a conference centre on the outskirts of Paris. “I think I will be in a position to give you a final text tomorrow.” Fabius has expressed a determined optimism throughout the summit in pursuit of an agreement that would establish a shared path among countries to cutting greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the earth. He unveiled a slightly trimmed 27-page draft text that removed some main points of contention. Most notably, the latest draft suggested a compromise on the once-for-
Xie Zhenhua (L), Special Representative for Climate Change of China, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon REUTERS/ STEPHANE MAHE midable divide over how ambitious the deal should be in trying to control the rise in the earth’s surface temperature. Many developing countries are pressing for a deal that aims to keep temperatures below a 1.5-degree Celsius (2.7-degree Fahrenheit) rise over pre-industrial levels. Many scientists say this level is required to avoid grievous disruptions in the climate. That target had been re-
sisted by wealthier countries, which have argued for a less ambitious but more attainable 2-degree Celsius limit, citing the huge costs and uncertain energy options of going further. The draft language said countries would commit to keeping temperature rises “well below 2 degrees Celsius” and “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees.”
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 11, 2015
Eight agencies illegally transferred billions to NICIL Criminal charges should be laid against Ministers, agents – auditor Chartered Accountant Anand Goolsarran has found that eight state agencies illegally transferred monies to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). He recorded this conclusion in his forensic audit report on the entity. This information came to the forefront after Goolsarran’s request to the company’s CEO, Winston Brassington, for further information on other sources of funding for NICIL. Brassington indicated to Goolsarran that during the period 2007 to 2012, amounts totaling $7.320 billion were received from various government agencies to effect payment for works undertaken on behalf of the Government. The agencies are Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Guyana National Cooperative Bank (GNCB), Guyana Water Authority (GWA), Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), Ministry of Labour, National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU), Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Agriculture. According to the forensic audit report, GGMC transferred $3.8B for hinterland road works and then another $300M for Carifesta X. GNCB transferred $1B for the Marriott Hotel and
$150M for Cricket World Cup. Meanwhile GFC and GWA transferred $300M and $353M respectively towards the construction of the Marriott Hotel. A total of $170.5M was transferred from the Public Works Ministry to the Berbice River Bridge, while the Labour Ministry transferred $679M to the Lot 44 High Street Building. GFC also transferred $300M for the Cricket World Cup along with NMFU’s $200M. $110M was also transferred from the account of the Agriculture Ministry for the Hope Canal Project. Goolsarran noted, “In his (Brassington’s) correspondence to me, the Executive Director stated that in general, NICIL served as an Agent or Project Executing Agency for the Government of Guyana on various projects, and that ‘funds from other agencies were typically transferred by cabinet decision’. These were recorded in NICIL’s books as amounts due.” The Chartered Accountant said that when disbursements were made, the amounts were correspondingly adjusted until the balances were reduced to zero. He said that in other words, there was no recording of the transactions as expenditure in the books of NICIL. He
NICIL CEO, Winston Brassington said that Brassington also explained that there were cases where NICIL would make payments on behalf of the Government and reimbursements would be received later. “The Executive Director, however, did not satisfactorily explain the rationale for the choice of NICIL to carry out what is essentially a paymaster function that is typically associated with the operations of the Treasury Department of the Ministry of Finance. In addition, NICIL’s involvement in relation to these transactions is inconsistent with its core mandate of “subscribing for,
taking or otherwise acquiring and holding shares, stocks, debentures or other securities of any company, co-operative society or body corporate”. NICIL was therefore functioning as a “parallel” Treasury,” Goolsarran said. The former Auditor General said that NICIL as well as the named agencies ought to have been aware of the requirement for all public expenditure to be sanctioned by Parliament through the National Budget, as provided for byArticle 217(3) of the Constitution. That article states that “No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund other than the Consolidated Fund unless the issue of those moneys has been authorized by or under an Act of Parliament.” He said that the financial resources of the GGMC and GFC constitute public funds. With this in mind, Goolsarran emphasized that neither the GGMC Act, the GFC Act or any other Act permits the transfer of funds to any other entity. Goolsarran contended that this cross-transfer of funds
among State institutions to meet public expenditure undermines authority of Parliament to approve such expenditure. In addition, since the expenditure was not included in the National Estimates, he said that it was not reflected in the Public Accounts of Guyana, thereby resulting in a significant under-reporting of expenditure. Goolsarran said that NICIL and the above entities were therefore complicit in the violation of Article 217(3) of the Constitution and cannot escape culpability, notwithstanding that the Cabinet and/or the Prime Minister sanctioned these arrangements. “Indeed, neither the Cabinet nor the Prime Minister is exempt from liability for the failure to adhere to this fundamental constitutional requirement on public financial management,” added the Chartered Accountant. As regards central government activities, Goolsarran said that a Ministry/Department can transfer by way of an “interdepartmental warrant” a bud-
getary allocation to the competent Ministry/Department to undertake the works on its behalf. “For example, when the Audit Office had to undertake some rehabilitation works to its compound, the related amount allocated was transferred to the Ministry of Public Works to undertake the works on its behalf. The transfer was recorded in the books of the Audit Office as expenditure to be substantiated later by the relevant supporting documents from the Ministry of Public Works attesting to the satisfactory completion of the works. However, cross-transfers among State agencies to meet public expenditure are not permissible because of accounts,” he said. Having regard to this, among other findings contained in his report, Goolsarran recommended that moves be made to institute criminal and/ or disciplinary actions against all those responsible for the interception of State revenues totaling $26.858 billion in violation of Articles 216 of the (Continued on page 32)
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Abandoned High St. building…
Ashni Singh orders secrecy on NICIL spending When it comes to the construction of the property on which the former Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) once stood at Lot 44 High Street, a forensic audit report found that NICIL’s negligence resulted in some $350M in taxpayers’ money being wasted. According to a forensic audit report by Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran, the contract for the building was awarded in 2007, but to this day the building remains substantially incomplete. Goolsarran said that the building was abandoned, and the structure was expected to be torn down because the floors were not constructed to the required specifications. As the “Project Executing Unit”, the former Auditor General said that NICIL’s role was to ensure that the works were executed according to the agreed specifications, and the entity had again failed to discharge its responsibility for this project, “resulting in some $350 million of taxpayers’ funds being wasted”. On this basis, he proceeded to document the history of the matter, along with
…as $350M wasted through negligence - Audit report other glaring irregularities. The forensic audit report stated that according to a Cabinet decision dated March 13, 2007, the contract for the construction of Government offices at 44 High Street, for the Ministry of Labour and the Guyana Forestry Commission, was to be awarded to Kishan Bacchus General Contractors. It noted that negotiations were to be concluded with the contractor to ensure that the price did not go above $300 million. To do this, he was instructed to exclude the cost of electrical and air-conditioning of $190 million. This was jointly agreed to by the Ministry of Labour and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). Goolsarran said that the GFC was to meet the cost of the construction, while NICIL was to finance the rest. In addition, the Ministry of Labour was required to coun-
tersign all contracts relating to the works, while NICIL was responsible for implementing the construction. At the same time, he said that the land was to be vested in NICIL. The Chartered Accountant said that at NICIL’s board meeting of August 16, 2007, the Executive Director, Winston Brassington, informed the Board that the handing over of the site took place earlier in the day. The minutes recorded the former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh as having agreed that, “there should be no press release, as this might draw attention to NICIL’s spending when ideally it should have been the expense of central government.” Goolsarran said that this was quite an extraordinary comment coming from Dr. Singh, and was also a clear acknowledgement of the improper use of NICIL’s funds.
The Chartered Accountant said, “Five years later, there was an amended Cabinet decision dated July 6, 2012 which approved of: the transfer by sale of the property at 44 High Street to the Geology and Mines Commission at a purchase price of $100 million; all moneys received by NICIL from Central Government less relevant expenses paid by NICIL up to September 30, 2012 to be reimbursed to the Consolidated Fund; and NICIL being authorised to do all acts necessary to implement Cabinet’s decision.” He continued, “According to the schedule of payments provided by NICIL, amounts totaling $346.017 million were expended, leaving a balance of $333.417 million still held in the accounts of NICIL. Of the amount expended, $224.993 million relates to payments to the contractor,
while $27.781 million was paid for engineering supervision.” Goolsarran added, “The construction of the building has since been aborted. The minutes of NICIL’s board meeting of March 12, 2010, recorded, “In the absence of bonds, KBC (Kishan Bacchus General Contractors) owes $51 million after the 9th valuation. It was set out by (Ashni Singh) that we should identify $51 million of work and have him complete those aspects...” The Chartered Accountant said that it is evident that the Ministry of Labour and NICIL failed to ensure that the contractor executed a valid performance bond, against which recoveries could been made for any overpayment as well as defective and incomplete work performed. He said that the Minister’s statement to allocate work to the value of the contractor’s indebtedness appears reckless, considering that the project was aborted because of defective work performed, and any additional work would be a further waste of taxpayers’ funds. Goolsarran said that it is not clear whether
such additional works were performed. He said that NICIL commented that the contractor had presented a CLICO bond. However, on the appointment of a judicial manager during the CLICO downfall, all business and insurance coverage was terminated or suspended. Goolsarran asserted, “The role of the engineering supervisor also needs to be called into question. According to the minutes of NICIL’s board meeting of April 26, 2007, the Executive Director was requested to provide examples of work done by the consultant, to which he responded that he knew that the consultant had done work before but could not specify.” “He then stated that the firm was doing some work for Oldendorff Carriers in New Amsterdam and that he had not heard of “any good or bad reviews”. At the said meeting, the HPS (Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon) expressed doubts about the ability of the consultant to supervise the work of the contractor considering that “KBC needs strong (Continued on page 12)
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 11, 2015
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
GPL will cause APNU-AFC to lose the 2020 elections One of the tragic mistakes the PPP made, was its refusal to read the Riot Act to state institutions, state employers and state employees who contemptuously and cond e scendingly mistreated, misused and humiliated the hapless, helpless people of this land. I had a terrible experience with GPL on Tuesday morn-
ing that left my wife and daughter traumatized. But let’s digress briefly with reference to the former PPP regime. I doubt Sam Hinds, with the portfolio for GPL, ever called an emergency meeting of GPL staff despite millions of complaints - to warn them that they cannot mistreat customers. I believe the PPP Govern-
ment never castigated the GPL staff for unprofessional behaviour, thus, GPL’s attitude never changed under the PPP. The PPP never bothered, because it couldn’t lose general elections. There is a creeping suspicion that the leadership of APNU+AFC thinks that the PPP days are over, and that the coalition will now be the people to win elections
permanently. So GPL, GWI, the police etc., will never see the anger of President Granger and Prime Minister Nagamootoo On Tuesday morning, I came back from walking my dog in the National Park, only to find the GPL disconnection crew at my gate. My wife would not have coped well if she had to do the explanation without me. Had I arrived minutes later, my electricity supply would have been suspended. I explained that I didn’t receive a December bill, and I know the due date for payment is always the first day of the month, and GPL disconnects seven days after the due date. It meant therefore that if you add seven days to December 1, it will bring you up to December 8. But how could
they cut on December 8 when you have until midnight on December 8 to pay? It means that preparation of the documentation to disconnect will take place on December 9, and the crew will visit you on December 9. But they came the morning of December 8 to cut. Fortunately I paid Paysure before the seven days deadline. This means that had they waited until December 9, they would have seen the Paysure transmission, but they prepared their documentation before the seven days were up. The crew was reasonable, polite and nice. They agreed that the disconnection documentation was drawn up while I still had time to pay. This happened to a customer that was never in arrears and, who for decades, always paid
Dem boys seh...
Jagdeo kuffufle de Creatah Jagdeo, that scamp, think he smart. He call a press conference two days ago and refuse to invite Prime News, de Waterfalls paper, de Big Market paper and Uncle Adam. He get a wink that dem boys uncover another secret deal he did wid Ed Ahmad and that dem woulda question him. Dem boys hear he and Ed did plan to build a 150room hotel and casino. He was to be a partner. But Ed get lock up in de States so everything collapse. That cause a setback to that scamp, Jagdeo and that is how de bogusfunded Marriott came into play. Jagdeo had Brassington lying through he teeth, he eye, he mouth and he ears and this was a man who use to go to Brickdam Cathedral every day. If Brassington was de Pope dem boys seh that Jagdeo woulda get credit fuh mekking de pope into a scamp. Ed Ahmad see de land one day and tell Jagdeo dem could do de deal which is to build a hotel. De next day Jagdeo tek way de land from PSU; he survey de land, he prepare a plan, file de plan, certify de plan and all this in one day. De same night dem finalise and sign up de agreement. At 12:01 de next morning dem call Ed and tell him to come across to State House; de deal done. That speed wid which dis deal was done mean one of two things; is either we have very efficient public servants or we have clever thieves which dem boys seh could be both—clever public servant thieves. Had Jagdeo and he kavakamites been in power or if he did get another term de entire army compound wid de souljas, men and women, woulda gone to Ed Ahmad. He woulda mek a mess of Bee Kay across de road. But dem boys seh de Creatah don’t sleep. Dem religious leaders seh He does see and know everything. But dem boys believe that even de Creatah don’t know how much money Jagdeo, Babbie, Brazzy and de rest of dem got plus de scampishness dem got up dem sleeve. Talk half and thank de Creatah fuh putting Soulja Bai wheh Jagdeo use to sit down.
Frederick Kissoon his GPL bills on time. This hurt my wife and she took it badly. It was now time to complain to GPL. You cannot get through to GPL. After two hours of trying, my wife’s frustration began to affect her. She told me to put down the phone. The General Manager for customers’ service is impossible to access. His direct line is 226-8325. After two hours I got through to the disconnection department, but the gentleman told me he cannot give me the name of the supervisor. I threatened to expose him in the media. He then told me it was Ms. Khemraj. Getting Ms. Khemraj is impossible. She wasn’t there. Half an hour after I got her, she put me on hold, and my cell phone credit was going to waste. My wife told me to hang up. I did. Through a friend I got the extension of the manager for customers’ service. His name is Lanceford Cummings. His extension is 1514. Mr. Cummings has the quietest tone of voice for any human being I have spoken with, but Lanceford Cummings is mean-spirited. I told him I didn’t get a bill. He replied that absence of a bill should not prevent you from carrying out your obligation to pay GPL. I explained that they came to cut before the seven days grace period was up. He said the seven days period is not a legal requirement for GPL to follow. I asked how GPL could send bills through an unreliable Post Office Corporation. He added that any change in that method is for the policy-makers. That was it. That was Lanceford Cummings. This is GPL for you. This is Guyana for you. I watched the maudlin expression on the face of my daughter and wife. I knew I made the tragic mistake of returning to Guyana after studies abroad. My wife turned her back on top jobs in Canada to follow me to this outdoor latrine pit of a country. She topped her class at university and won the Chemical Institute of Canada Award. Her university had secured employment with top Canadian corporations, but she followed an idealistic fool and philosophical pessimist like me back to Guyana. She and I will regret that tragedy for the rest of our lives.
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
Chairman’s position does not require contact with investors
Following the outrage generated by revelations that Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Clinton Williams, spent $4M on food and drinks in 18 months, a release from the GGMC justified the expenditure by stating that the bills were “necessary” because he interfaced with internal and external stakeholders. However, the Chairmen of several Government entities have pointed out that meeting with potential investors was not one of their regular duties. Chairman of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Claude Housty, said that he and his board of directors are just engaged in policy-making activities. He explained that his board advises and recommends actions to the Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder. On the other hand, he pointed out that executive authority rests with the General Manager, at present Nizam Hassan. However, Housty stated that if necessary, he could have those meetings with investors.
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- interfacing with clients mandate of GM, other execs Chairman of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Dr. Maurice Odle, said that he does not interface with clients, but handles policy matters. He made it clear that the ones who deal with the dayto-day management of NICIL would be responsible for such matters. Former Chairman of the Guyana Gold Board, Dr. Gobind Ganga, said that while the question of the Chairman interfacing with investors depends on the circumstances, he noted that in normal cases, it is the board that makes policy decisions. Last week, documents were made public detailing how almost $4M in entertainment expenses was spent over an 18-month period by Williams, since taking up his position at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) last year. According to figures detailing the expenses between January 2014 and up to just before the elections in May
NICIL Chairman, Dr. Maurice Odle
Former Gold Board Chairman, Dr. Gobind Ganga
2015, he spent $3,984,948 in three restaurants – Silhouette Restaurant (JR Enterprise) in Kitty; 704 Sports Bar on Lamaha Street, Alberttown, and Brasil Churrascari and Pizzaria, Alexander Street, Lacytown. The figures are raising eyebrows. For example, in
February last year, over $650,000 was spent on meals and beverages at the 704 Sports Bar. There was no explanation. Earlier in 2014, some investors from Trinidad met at Silhouette. The bill came up to $311,163. It appeared that the then Minister of Natural
Resources, Robert Persaud, was present at the meeting, according to the details. In May 2014, over $100,000 was spent in dinner alone. There was a buffet dinner at Silhouette in October for $568,397. That same month, another one was held with the bill amounting to $420,297. None of the Silhouette Restaurant bills were below $15,000. The entertainment expenses last year alone charged to GGMC was $3,142,862. This year, just before the elections, more than $840,000 was spent on food and drinks. In April, meals supplied for a particular occasion was almost $200,000 with more than $100,000 spent for dinner one day in February. GGMC is already under fire for its management of the country’s mining and other natural resources, excluding forestry. A number of reports had
GGMC Chairman Clinton Williams pointed fingers at possible wrongdoing, staff shortages and discrimination with miners and lands. Miners themselves have been complaining about GGMC’s monitoring of the mining camps. Williams had ordered an investigation and led a vote of no confidence against the GGMC Commissioner, Rickford Vieira, and others. Vieira, according to a source in the GGMC, had sought to restrict the spending by Williams. This happened after the elections which led to a change in the administration. Vieira is currently on administrative leave.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 11, 2015
Guyanese gets US$759,000 Jagdeo secretly transferred... judgment against Delta …for cocaine planted in luggage US (New York Daily News) - A Brooklyn jury ordered Delta Airlines to pay US$759,000 in damages to a security guard who was arrested after a nefarious baggage handler planted cocaine in his suitcase. “I must give praise and thanks to God!”, a beaming Roger Levans said outside Brooklyn Federal Court yesterday, after the jury deliberated only two hours and found the airline was negligent. When he was stopped in Kennedy Airport back in January 2011 after a Delta flight from Guyana, Levans told Customs officers he was bringing back “cooked rabbit.” He was arrested after officers found three bricks of cocaine alongside the food in his suitcase. The security guard spent one day in jail and was booted from his job at Yankees Stadium. But while Levans was free on bail, the feds determined that his bag was indeed tampered with after he had checked his luggage. A corrupt baggage handler apparently tied a ribbon to the suitcase containing the illicit drugs so it would be recognized by an accomplice in New York City, according to court papers. Levans’ security guard licence was eventually restored, but he did not get back his gig at Yankees Stadium. Instead, his employer assigned him to a lower-paying post at a construction site. “In all my life, I never had a handcuff on my wrist or spent a day in jail until this happened,” Levans said. “It was an ordeal.” The food he was bringing back to his family was seized and never returned. “The rabbit got away,” he said.
Roger Levans
Delta’s Lawyer Michael Crowley had argued to the jury that the airline was not responsible for whoever put the drugs in Levans’ bag. He said the airline will appeal the verdict. “When you go on a plane, passengers play by the rules to ensure it is safe, but Delta was trying to say it didn’t have to play by the rules,” said Levans’ Lawyer Caitlin McNaughton.
From page 3 and investigations are all but a smokescreen. The transaction reeks of corruption, the official stated. As a matter of fact, it was discussed Tuesday by the Cabinet. The lease itself along with the applications would show the high interest that Jagdeo and his government paid to the transaction and the speed in which it was processed. On May 22, 2008, Ahmad through a company called Generation Complex Inc. applied for the land--bout 2.311 acres at Plantation Thomas Lands. It was approved and a cadastral survey was executed by May 29- five days later. It was registered that same day with Ahmad signing the lease on May 30. “We can call it administrative efficiency…we can probably call it that, but we in Guyana know that there is no way that the sequence of events can be completed in seven days and for a lease to be issued by May 30. The lease allowed for Ahmad to buy the land for just about $50M once he has spent about US$30M of the US$75M investment he committed to. “In effect it is a sort of back door arrangement whereby the company was granted a lease within seven days and given option of purchasing land without the normal processes when it comes to purchasing lands,”
Harmon yesterday. “So when Mr Jagdeo speaks …about corruption… to bring the evidence…here it is…” Harmon said that from indications, following the speed of the transaction, it appeared Ahmad saw a piece, was able to get a lease in seven days along with the necessary permission, in an area that is specifically set aside for recreational purposes. “The lands along the area are for that… you have clubs, you have sports facilities…” Questioned about what was so illegal about the transaction, Harmon insisted that one has to take into account that when conducting a survey, notice has to be served to the surrounding land owners. This is to allow for objections to the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission. “…If you are serving notice on the same day of sur-
vey, something is very wrong with that. Survey same day, issue notice same day, prepare plan same day, certify same day… you call that a one-day plan, and something is legally wrong with that,” the Minister pointed out. The transaction would be among a number of deals done under the PPP/C government that have been questioned. Many of the details only came to light afterwards and through documents that surfaced. The PPP/C administration lost its 20-year grip on power for the first time in May, following early general elections. The sports ground deal would also call to mind the secret sale of the Sanata complex at Industrial Site, by Jagdeo, to his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi 'Bobby' Ramroop. The deal is being investigated by the new government.
Ashni Singh orders... From page 9 supervision as even the Minister of Amerindian Affairs seems to have problems with works done”. “The HPS then indicated that he would discuss the matter with the President.” The former Auditor General said that at its meeting of May 14, 2007, the Board discussed the progress of the works at 44 High Street. He said that the minutes recorded that the former Head of the Presidential Secretariat undertook to raise the issue with the President again, following
the former President’s request to have the Tender Board issue an opinion on the “integrity” of hiring the consultant without tender. “It is not clear why the consultant was not selected on the basis of competitive tendering and who initiated arrangements for his hiring. Whatever the outcome of the meeting with the President, the consultant was retained to supervise the work of the contractor. The end result is that some $350 million of public resources has been wasted.”
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
FATF names Guyana as “risky” diamond trader Guyana has been named as a risky diamond trading country. The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) said that it is alerting diamond companies to a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) notice which identifies Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Myanmar as countries which pose a significant risk. This, the centre states, will require enhanced customer due diligence when trading with them. It was further asserted that diamond companies have been requested to take into account the specific risks linked to the following countries when making their customer risk assessment: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guyana, Iraq, Lao PDR, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Syria, Uganda and Yemen. Part of the text of the AWDC announcement follows below: “FATF issues caution for trade with Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Myanmar. Registered diamond companies should apply enhanced customer due diligence measures when their customers are domiciled, located in, or have any other
links to one of the following three countries: Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Myanmar. On 23 October 2015, the Financial Action Task Force identified three countries that still pose a significant risk to the international financial system due to their lack of comprehensive anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism (AML/ CFT) regime. The FATF requires countermeasures to be taken for: Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Myanmar. This means that diamond companies should implement additional investigative measures for these countries above and beyond those that Belgian AML legislation requires.” The FATF is the global
regulator of the anti-money laundering regulations and other measures that are designed to help stop dirty money from funding terrorist activities. It was only this year that Guyana managed, after much internal wrangling and a change of Government, to introduce laws that will bring it in line with the rest of the world when it comes to tackling monies from illegal activities from being washed clean in the banking and other financial systems. Guyana still has to put in place a number of measures, including more capacity to monitor, but has managed to stave off sanctions. It has long been known that diamonds, especially from Africa, have been funding wars and terrorist activities.
Page 13
School of Medicine curriculum... (From page 8) too,” said Dr. Cummings. According to him, regaining the international accreditation status is more than merely completing the on- going selfstudy. The self-study is being done even as students and members of the public are seeking answers as to when the process to regain accreditation will be completed. But the process is much more than merely a selfstudy, said Dr. Cummings. There is also need for physical resources to be put in place. But according to the Dean, putting in place some of the physical resources is far beyond the financial capacity of the University. “We need all the stakeholders to understand that the Medical School is a national institution that needs a total national effort for it to regain its accreditation so that the nation can continue to benefit,” asserted Dr. Cummings. Although he was able to point out that the majority of
the work is currently on the curriculum of the programmes offered by the School of Medicine, he noted, the shortcomings include the facilities to support the medical programmes at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and at the School of Medicine. “They have facilities that are not adequate to deliver the kind of curriculum that CAAM-HP wants...these have to be addressed and to do this we need the support,” Dr. Cummings insisted. But according to him, “some people believe that accreditation is just like going and paint a house, where you go and buy 10 gallons of paint and then paint the house and then it is finished. But it is actually a lot more than that...it is an exercise that will take the minimum of 12 to 18 months to recover...it is a very long exercise,” the Dean insisted. He pointed out that while the self-study could be completed and submitted to CAAM-HP by early next year, three months after, that the
body is likely to visit the University to assess measures that have been implemented. “If we submit (the completed self-study) in January or February and they come three months after that, that will put us in May when they will come to visit...after that they have one month to write their report and that could put us in June, then we have to wait for a meeting to be called, then at that meeting they will make a decision and that meeting could be in July or August,” Dr. Cummings said. According to him, “the longer we take to put things in place, the longer it will take for us to get it.” The accreditation process requires that the School of Medicine have in place 144 standards that are divided in seven areas. These include proper anatomy laboratory, certain amenities such as a students’ common room and library, state-of-the-art classrooms complete with multi-media equipment and even an improved building.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 11, 2015
Gunmen beat, rob Meten-Meer-Zorg businessman - threatened to kill 5-yr-old boy A businessman is now left traumatized and counting his losses after two armed men invaded his Meten– Meer–Zorg, West Coast Demerara home. The robbery occurred at approximately 03:00 hrs on Wednesday, and according to 41–year–old Ravindra Persaud, the masked men gained entry by removing louvre window panes in his bathroom. He said that the noise woke him up and upon checking, he came face to face with the gunmen, who pointed their weapons at him, demanding cash and jewellery. He said that the men also gun-butted him and cuffed him about his body. The
bandits took away the businessman’s cell phone and a bicycle, leaving behind the bicycle that they came with. Persaud owns and operates ‘Ravo’s Pool Shop, Grocery and Beer Garden’ which is located at his premises. He has been operating this establishment for the past 15 years. Persaud said that he gave the gunmen just over $40,000 and told them that he did not have any jewellery. However, upon hearing that, one of the men placed a gun to the head of his five– year–old son and threatened to kill him. The bandit also fired a shot, while inside the house, leaving a gaping hole in the wall.
Ravindra Persaud “…And he ask fuh gold and me tell am me nah got no gold. And he put the gun pon da li’l bai head and seh if me na give him the gold, he guh shoot the li’l bai. So me tell am shoot me, nah shoot the li’l bai, and me start beg he and thing,” the traumatized
The premises where the robbery occurred businessman told this publication. A neighbour who heard
the screams at the house thought someone had died, and rushed over to render
assistance; however she was greeted by the bandits, who badly assaulted her.
Beacon Foundation celebrates 30 years in existence The Directors of the Beacon Foundation have announced that they will be celebrating 30 years of existence, since the entity’s founding in 1985. They have also received tax exemption status from the Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green. This is according to a statement from the foundation. The tax exemption was the subject of a court case brought against the organisation by the previous
Town Clerk for the nonpayment of taxes, it was noted that the case was recently withdrawn. It was also noted, that the foundation had previously obtained similar taxexemption status from the Guyana Revenue Authority which enabled the entity to use all the profits from its food catering operations to fund many charitable programmes over the years, as well as pay the wages of up to 100 employees.
The foundation prides itself as perhaps, being the only totally self-sustaining charitable organization in the Caribbean. The statement continued that the foundation was involved in many successful ventures in the past such as, providing daily meals for up to 100 street dwellers, involvement in diverse projects such as well-drilling in the North West District; handicraft courses for Amerindian women; an emergency feeding programme for Rupununi school children; remedial education for street children; a refurbished pediatric ward in Georgetown; and peanut (Continued on page 28)
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 11, 2015
Beacon Foundation celebrates... I had no role in the allocation of (From page 14) and rice cultivation programmes in the Rupununi. Beacon’s directors are currently considering two educational initiatives that would benefit school children in the Rupununi. While the foundation has ceased its snackette and catering operations, it was pointed out that the entity’s main charitable activities will continue. “The organization’s School Feeding Programme has continued through the years, with the Ann’s Grove Primary School programme having reached twentyseven years in existence. With some assistance from the private sector, over 200 children in different schools continue to benefit from this
initiative on school days”, the release noted. The Foundation’s primary focus, the release stated, is “The Beacon Hospice”, which observed its 27th year of operation earlier this year. The hospice provides care for over 80 cancer patients who receive attention in their own homes by three full-time nurses, two of whom were trained at the foremost hospice in the United Kingdom under the supervision of Hospice Director, Dr Rohan Jabour. The nurses provide medication, nursing care and advice free of charge. They also visit patients as far as Wismar, East Bank Essequibo, and the Corentyne River. “The Hospice’s regimen of treatment results in almost
every cancer patient dying without pain. The Hospice service is located in the Guyenterprise Building at Irving and Lance Gibbs Streets, Queenstown, Georgetown, and can be contacted at 657-9968 and 614-7475. “Proceeds from the sale of Beacon Foundation’s Carmichael Street property, will be used to finance the Hospice and other charitable programmes for years to come. Nevertheless donations from well-wishers are always welcome”, the release stated. The Beacon Foundation was initiated by Doreen de Caires and Clairmont Lye, who continue to serve as directors. Patrick De Groot is the current president, with Vickram Oditt and Dr. Rohan Jabour as additional directors. The foundation stated that its directors take their corporate and charitable responsibilities seriously, and have had the organization’s accounts audited up to 2014. They all serve on a pro-bono basis.
Carifesta X funds - Dharamlall Amidst recent claims that he had management oversight of spending and procurements for Carifesta X, Nigel Dharamlall, who served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Carifesta Secretariat, says that this is simply untrue. “There were a few Directors for Carifesta; there was the CEO, the Artistic Director and Logistic Director. We all reported to the Permanent Secretary.” Dharamlall was at the time responding to an article published in this newspaper which saw Dr. Paloma Mohamed stating that the CEO, was the one responsible for the allocation and disbursement of funds. Dr. Mohamed, said Dharamlall, reported to the Permanent Secretary through him, “So inevitably she did not know what my roles were. As I was CEO, she would think that I had financial control, but I did not. I was aware of what was taking place, but I had no say in who got paid and what they got paid.” Dharamlall said that he only began to work with the secretariat from mid-March to mid- September 2010, after being awarded a six-month contract. He stated that at the time of him becoming CEO, there was already a secretariat in place, along with logistics and artistic directors. As such, expenditures were said to have been executed before
he began work at the secretariat. “In so far as I am aware, the financial arrangements for Carifesta were handled by the Ministry directly. I had absolutely no say in how money was spent or who it was given to,” Dharamlall said. His responsibility, he explained, was to ensure that activities were executed properly. “A lot of the infrastructure work that had to be done was done at the ministerial level—work such as (preparation of) National Park and Camp Ayanganna. Physical things were overseen by a technical team which at the time was overseen by Mr. Walter Willis. My job was to facilitate the execution of the festival.” Inevitably, he said, he holds responsibility as he was the CEO, but “I can’t tell you things I don’t know about. I know we had to execute contracts for transportation and I know the logistics director would engage providers - I wouldn’t approve, but I would recommend payments to the PS…Procurement was done by the Ministry. Everything had to be sent through the tender board.” Previous Minister of Culture, Dr Frank Anthony confirmed Dharamlall’s claim of not being responsible for the procurement, allocation and disbursement of monies.
This, he said, was the responsibility of the now deceased P.S. of the Ministry at the time, Keith Booker. When asked what his response to the Carifesta Audit findings was, Anthony stated that he could not give one at the moment as he has not seen it. Dharamlall said that he often feels sorry for those who have not been paid. “I know that these people did work, but it’s up to the Ministry to pay them.” He added that he sometimes feels bad as “people think I was solely responsible for these things, but when I came to Carifesta I had a mandate, and according to the mandate, that’s what I did.” He stated that in the interest of ensuring accountability and transparency, which is necessary, he is happy that the audit has been done. He added that based on “what I am reading in the media, I think that the Ministry got value for their money. I don’t think there was any level of corruption or monies given away.” When it was pointed out that there were several instances of unaccounted monies and inflated cash book entries, Dharamlall said that he was never aware of that. “You would never find my signature on any of those books.”
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 29
Govt. reviews increased benefits for cops Government is studying a number of measures that could see increase benefits for police and soldiers killed in the line of duty. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, made the announcement yesterday, after disclosing that Government has approved $1M in payments for the children and immediate family of 26-year-old Antonio Dawson, a policeman who was stabbed to death on September 18th last at Houston, East Bank Demerara. His attacker killed himself during the incident. Dawson is survived by
‌as $1M payment approved for family of policeman killed in Houston
Antonio Dawson: $1M for slain cop’s family two children, Crystol and Nikel, ages 5 and 2,
respectively, their mother Amanda Cosbert, and parents, Neville and Yvonne Dawson. The children will be receiving $800,000 with the parents being given $200,000. According to Harmon, a $20,000 monthly payment will be made to the children until the $800,000 is liquidated. The parents will be paid the full sum of $100,000 each. According to Minister Harmon, the issue of benefits
Government is mulling measures that will see increased benefits for families of fallen cops and soldiers.
to fallen soldiers and cops was discussed on Tuesday, during the weekly Cabinet of Ministers’ meeting. It was recognized that measures are needed to take care of the families of policemen and soldiers killed on duty.
Harmon noted, the payment was as a result of a decision taken by Government since 2002 and has continued over the years. Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, who has responsibilities for the police force, has been tasked with reviewing the situation in light of the fact, that the National Insurance Scheme and the Dependents
Pension Fund are not enough to cover families and loved ones. Indeed, there have been growing calls for increased benefits, insurance and other measures that will cushion the impact from the loss of a breadwinner. More than 60 cops were killed since the beginning of the 20th Century, according to the police force.
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Kaieteur News
VACANCY Plant Shop Sales Clerk: Hardworking, literate, punctual workers, Work experience an asset. Contact: 648-1821 SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Graphic Designing: Brochures, Funeral Programs, Printing Ads, Business Cards, etc. emAgination: 648-7606 or email: anil_naraine@yahoo.com Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@ y a h o o . c o m . Call: 2256496, 662-6045 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 2310655; 683-8734. Omar Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezersCall:629-4946 or 225-4822 Professional Pressure washing & water tank cleaning services, for all your home & business exterior cleaning call: 696-5424 CAKES MADE BY ORDER: SPONGE, BLACK, FRUIT & ICING, BIRTHDAYS, CHRISTMAS ETC-CALL CLAUDETTE: 611-8698; 685-4449 Floor sanding & Lacquering House plans, Estimate & painting, boat for Santa Mission Tours –Call: 6504362 REPAIRS & SPARE, FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C, WASHERS, STOVES – CONTACT NICK: 6831312, 627-3206 Building Contractor, house plan, general home maintenance, free estimatesCall: 216-0671; 622-0267; 6928464
WANTED Wanted experienced taxi drivers and dispatchers@ Princess Hotel ProvidenceTel: 616-5419, 256-7075 Live in or live out domestic must know to cook Salary $70,000-$80,000 monthly – Call: 610-5043 Damage batteries in any quantity, best price offeredCall: 696-5728, 656-2783, 6225941, 648-9395, 223-1111 Cooks to work in Trinidad, must be experienced in Indian and English dishes- Call Selwyn in Trinidad- 001-868680-2083 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 OFFICE CLERK NEEDED: MUST HAVE COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE, CXC IN MATH, ENGLISH, ACCOUNTINGAND OFFICE WORK EXPERIENCE. CALL: 231-8529; 231-8344 BOND WORKER/ PARTTIME DRIVER. MONDAY TO SATURDAY, OVER 21 AND WITH POLICE CLEARANCE. CALL: 231-8529; 231-8344 WANTED TO BUY ONE 580C HYMAC EXCAVATOR CONTACT 223-5273/4 2 Skilled Mason to plaster a building for $2,000 – Call: 6762524
Experienced cocktail bartender, apply in person @ Tajoe’s Bar, 12 Public Road Pouderoyen W.B.D –Call: 604-0204, 264-0041 Assistant Kitchen attendant, waitress –Contact Sheikor or Donald: 227-1131; 646-4138; 661-8548 Business Opportunity: School Cafeteria for lease in Diamond, must have experienced running a Cafeteria – Email: sevosawh@gmail.com Vacancies exist for cashiers and sales staff. Apply in person with written application at Nirva Supermarket - call: 227-5771 Cashier 6am-3pm & 3pm12pm. Submit application to Shell Station Providence EBD, shellramsburg @gmail.com One office clerk to work at a Welding, Fabrication and Machinery EstablishmentCall: 254-0611 Desk staff (male), ages 2545yrs- Tel: 225-0198 Full & Part time & Seasonal, local & international work available, training provided $5,000 plus daily – Call: 6221957/ 233-6517, www.jobfairworldwide.com Porters, Ripsaw, Re- saw, and wood mizer operator @ Eccles Industrial Site E.B.D –Call Richard: 609-7675; 6741705; 233-2614 1 Welder; apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown, Ferry Stelling.
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM
Labourer and cleaner-Tel: 695-0007 Waitress & 1 cook to prepare cutters (live in) @ R&V Sports Bar, Coverden E.B.D $18,000 weekly. Call / Whatsapp: 661-8802
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/WWW. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494 Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 SERVICES New and used parts for all types refrigerators, air conditioners, microwaves, stoves, washers etc.- call: 233-2008/ 613-8800 FOR SALE/RENT American Pools table-Call: 277-0578
LAND FOR SALE Providence Scheme 115ftX81ft located on a Cul de Sac close to Bai Shan Lin -$8.2M negotiable –Call: 6014163; 223-0719 Luxury gated community with pool, mall, swipe entry/ exit, underground irrigation. Contact: 609-0783 Providence house lots, size 50ftX100ft -$7M –Call: 6002031; 233-5535
Friday December 11, 2015
SALON -Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal, Mabelline. -Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257 Become a certified waxing specialist, master techniques in Bikini & Brazilian waxing both male/female-Call: 6967337 for details.
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. One 2011 Honda ATV Bike, only used for prospecting, air cool. One Model M Bush Truck with Winch Call: 6882597 One 30" Four burner gas stove with oven –Call: 6130836 or 259-0953
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Julieann’s Apartment Rentals: fully furnished apartments with aircondition & Wi-Fi -$9,000 daily - Call: 226-5336; 6926595; 616-4686 Apartment for rent in Nandy Park- Call: 227-5194 House in Bel-Air Gardens; 4 bedrooms with all modern convenience. No agents! Call: 231-7839 working hours. House in Bel-Air Park: 3 bedrooms upstairs/ downstairs, all modern conveniences -$1,600US monthly. Call: 231-7839 working hours 1-3 Bedrooms apartment, top flat front & back verandah, parking space @ Austin Street-Call: 592-628-7953
CONTROLLERS FOR PS3, ALSO WORKS WITH PS2, ONLY $9,000, CALL MAX: 609-8132; 672-8569 OR CLAUDETTE: 685-4449; 611-8698 Four Mercedes Benz tyres and rims (18inches, 5 holes) –Call: 646-3427; 699-7874 AMERICAN BULLY DOGS, REMYLINE & GOTTILINECONTACT HARRY: 6100 0 6 8 / 2 2 0 - 7 9 3 3 , WHATSAPP: 667-4845 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games & applications. Delivery also – Call: 672-2566; 265-3232 One property in Nandy Park and one complete dredge for sale- Call: 642-3808, 644-7207 Hobart Bread Mixer for sale $3.4M, in good condition with accessories, price negotiable –Call: 696-9399 TIBETAN TERRIORS (FLUFFY) PUPS- CALL: 222-7891; 609-9202 Concrete Stall @ Bourda – Call: 692-7888, 610-0227 One Daihatsu Bego/RushContact: 691-1161
3 Bedrooms for rent @ Lot 3 Norton Street Lousia RowCall: 682-9021
Pure bred pit-bull pups for sale –Contact Lisa: 697-8867
One two bedrooms flat @ East Bank Demerara-$40,000 –Call: 666-5114
Dairy Cow, breeding goat, ram & ewe –Call: 699-1069; 226-1322
2 Storey @ Robb Street Building, top flat furnished, 3 bedrooms apartment for living/office/storage, bottom flat for business-Call: 2272454 Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel:659-3865; 629-2424, 227-2993 TO LET 2 BEDROOMS FULLY FURNISHEDAPARTMENT, IN ECCLES (FOR OVERSEAS VISITORS) US$30 DAILY. CALL MAX: 609-8132; 672-8569 One two bedroom house-Call Joy: 218-1285; 649-9059 Newly constructed 2 bedrooms apartment in a safe & healthy environment –Call: 698-6496; 622-6512
VEHICLE FOR SALE Toyota Noah & Voxy, Fully loaded, never registered, ‘G’ Series -$1.7M. Call: 617-2891 One Honda CRV, immaculate condition –price $1,650,000- Call: 626-2884 Nissan Titan 2004 model, GSS series, in immaculate condition - Call: 629-4392, 220-7958 Toyota Hilux extra cab with tray cover 2.5L full service history. Duty paid. Unregistered$6M negotiable- Tel:266-5282 1 Toyota Corolla Fielder PMM series in good condition. New tyres. $1.3MTel: 266-5282 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154 Honda Accord 2003, Tan Leather, TV, CD, Radio, DVD, 36,000KM, like now – Call: 689-1194 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, 212, IST, Fielder, Spacio- Call: 6523820/ 665-4529 One Axela Mazda -$1.550 negotiable, one Nissan Titan, one Audi A4; all vehicles in excellent condition-Call: 6653038; 226-4356 1-Ford 8210 Tractor; selling as parts, 1-330BL Excavator Truck with Winch, GRR Series. Call: 600-3518 Unregistered Fielder Wagon, fully loaded, rims, camera, bodykit, HID, dark interiorCall: 617-5536 2-Unregistered Toyota Tacoma, Colour –light blue & dark blue, step, crash bar, bed covering, alarm-Call: 695-6461, 639-7758 For Sale: Model M winch, dump, 5 Speed, rough body $3M or best offer –Call: 266-5647
TOURS Suriname Old years into new- exciting fireworks, shopping, site-seeing & tours (Dec 30th- Jan 3rd). Call: 665-5171, 639-2663 PEN PAL American Indian Male is seeking female, age 32plus, no texting –call: 679-9646 LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
ACCOMODATION Saturdays & Sundays after lunch @ Inner Retreat Hotel Parika: Bar-B-Que & games: pools, darts, table tennis etc – Phone: 260-4504. Inner Retreat Hotel Restaurant & Bar, Retreat Road Parika. Indoor /Outdoor bar in Picturesque setting – Phone: 260-4504; 685-6934 Continued on page 31
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
City Hall takes Christmas to the Merriman Mall The Christmas buzz on the Merriman Mall in the children’s play area.
Page 31
Trio on assault charges granted bail Yesterday, three men appeared before City Magistrate Faith McGusty and pleaded not guilty to charges of assault. It is alleged that Quincy Trotman, 26, of 169 Caneview Avenue unlawfully wounded Nikita Lawson in the vicinity of Roxanne Burnham Gardens. Trotman was also slapped with another charge. Particulars of that charge alleged that on December 9, at Rasville, Roxanne Burnham Garden, he maliciously damaged one partial denture valued at $1,000 belonging to Andrew Lawson. It is also alleged that Lawson, 43, a mason, of 84 Roxanne Burnham and Ashby Angelo, 35, a security officer, of 46 Roxanne Burnham, assaulted each other. The as-
sault allegedly stemmed from a disagreement they had over Nikita Lawson. The men, who were not represented, pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Trotman explained that he has no knowledge of the incident and pleaded with the Magistrate to grant him reasonable bail. The Magistrate placed Lawson and Angelo on $10,000 bail each, while Trotman was placed on $25,000 bail for both offences. Lawson, in his defence, stated that he was verbally molested by Angelo on many occasions. He explained that on many occasions, Angelo would hurl insulting remarks at him. He added that he be-
From page 30
PROPERTY FOR SALE
Quincy Trotman came annoyed and retaliated on the day in question. According to Lawson, Pedestrians saw the altercation and alerted the police, who came and apprehended them. The three men will next appear in court on January 12.
Labourer fined for stealing mats
As activities to usher in the festive season heighten, City Hall is not being outdone. On Wednesday evening, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green flipped the switch to officially light up the first City Hall Christmas tree on the Merriman’s Mall. The event featured much high energy and festive steel pan music. It was staged on the Merriman’s Mall between New Garden and Oronoque Streets on what is now dubbed “The Children Safe Space”. Scores of children, parents and other family members were in attendance and obviously enjoyed the musical and other entertainment offerings. Among those expressing gratitude for the move made by City Hall to bring life to
the normally desolate section of the city, was promoter Brian ‘Straighty’ Nobrega. He lauded the efforts of City Hall and expressed heartfelt gratitude that “it is obvious that Georgetown is on the move in the right direction and this tree lighting has surely got the children in the Christmas mood. The merriment was obvious from the prancing and dancing of the many children present. “City Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis said the tree lighting is an addition to the aesthetics of the location and will surely create the atmosphere for children to feel the Christmas spirit of happiness. This is just the beginning of better Christmases to come.” The play area was created and began operation just over a month ago.
Interesting angle... From page 5 acts are being committed daily, which our society continues to ignore, in defiance of Biblical condemnation? Speaking of the Bible, “his eyes were flaming red, and the smoke that proceeded from his nostrils, the cloud was for a covering and the flame for a light”! Lester Sealey
Two men accused of stealing mats from Kissoon’s Furniture Store, were yesterday arraigned before City Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer a charge of simple larceny. One of them was fined after admitting to the offence, while the other was released on bail, after denying involvement in the crime. Appearing in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, were Marvin Agard, 20, of Queen Street, South Cummingsburg and Selwyn Gill, 48, of 63 North East La Penitence, Georgetown. They are accused of breaking into Kissoon’s Furniture Store Outlet and stealing four mats valued at $2,600—property of Hemraj Kissoon. The incident allegedly occurred on December 5, at Main Street, Georgetown. Gill pleaded guilty to the charge and told the Magistrate that he saw the mats on the ground and picked them
up. He claimed that he never broke into the outlet and merely showed the mats to Agard, after he saw him passing on Main Street. He was fined $20,000 with an alternative of four weeks imprisonment. Agard, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was represented by Attorney Paul Fung-a- Fat. The lawyer requested that his client be granted bail because he has no knowledge of the incident. Fung-a-Fat explained that on the day in question, his client was at an empty lot next to the business place, when he heard shots being fired. He pointed out that Gill told the presidential guard who was firing the shots that his client did not steal anything. Agard was granted bail to the tune of $10,000 and ordered to return to court on January 6, before Magistrate Annette Singh. Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones informed the
been over 180 days now since the new government took office and yet still it can be questioned, where are the better conditions to retain teachers? Why is it that teachers were given an increase in salary with effect from July 1? Did the teachers start working from July 1 this year? Apart from that, the increase can’t even buy a shoe for the teacher. This isn’t about politics, this isn’t about race. This is about giving our teachers what they really deserve. I have seen teachers fixing their chairs like puzzles in the morning before he/she sits to mark
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Marvin Agard court that on the date in question, the presidential guard was performing duties when he saw the men in the compound with the articles in their hands. Jones related that an alarm was raised and the police were summoned to apprehend the men. According to the prosecutor, the men gained access to the premises by cutting a large whole in a tarpaulin.
This country has to treat... From page 4 those are the words of President David Granger. The President said that “teachers would be the best paid public servants “, I wonder which year in the future he was referring to. The salary that a trained teacher works for cannot maintain one person muchless a family. Was this a false promise? The President said “Teachers have been fleeing Guyana because of the poor conditions”, I agree with him fully. He further stated that “the only way we can retain them is by providing better conditions “. It’s
Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461.
the register. Is this really a good working condition to retain our teachers? Certainly not! I humbly request the President along with the Minister of Education to visit the schools in Berbice particularly the East Bank schools and see the poor conditions that teachers work under. Also, I wish to implore these Government officials to deliver to the teachers so that they can be retained and they will continue to mould the nation’s children. Primary School Teacher ( Name supplied)
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School of Medicine curriculum being reviewed ...in quest to regain int’l accreditation status “It’s a lot of hard work,” said Dean of the Faculty of H e a l t h S c i e n c e s , D r. Emanuel Cummings, yesterday when asked about the progress being made to regain the international accreditation status of the University of Guyana (UG)’s School of Medicine. The loss of accreditation has affected both the Medicine and Dentistry programme offered by the University. This means the degrees are not valid outside of Guyana without the
holders of the degree first sitting and passing the Caribbean Association of Medical Councils’ examination. Currently the University is undertaking a self-study as part of the requisite measures to regain accreditation as recommended by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). CAAM-HP is the regional accreditation body. But according to Dr. Cummings, while the
mandatory efforts are being made by the School of Medicine to retain the accreditation status, there is still need for other stakeholders to aid the process. Currently the focus is on a review of the School of Medicine’s curriculum which, according to Dr. Cummings, represents 60 per cent of the problem that resulted in the loss of the accreditation. “I am doing all that I can as the Dean (and) the staff of the School of Medicine are working hard too, but the University belongs to the Government and the people of Guyana, so other key stakeholders have to do their part (Continued on page 13)
Friday December 11, 2015
Eight agencies illegally transferred... (From page 8) Constitution and the related sections of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMA). He noted that disciplinary action is provided for under the following sections of the FMA Act: (a) Section 48 — Misuse of public moneys; (b) Section 49 — Liability for loss of public moneys; and (c) Section 85 — Liability of an official. Goolsarran also called for the institution of criminal and/ or disciplinary actions against all those responsible for violating Article 217 of the Constitution by causing expenditure to be incurred out of State resources without parliamentary approval. He said that charges are in order for all those responsible for ignoring National Assembly Resolution No. 32 of 17 De-
cember, 2012, requiring NICIL to pay over to the Consolidated Fund “all revenues and proceeds from the sale of all State properties, except for those necessary administrative costs for maintaining and running its operations annually.” The Chartered Accountant called for NICIL to be liquidated and for the appointment of a Receiver to oversee the liquidation process. He said, too, that Government should re-activate the Privatisation Unit as a department of the Ministry of Finance to manage the Government’s residual investments after liquidation proceedings have concluded. In this regard, he noted that the existing staff of NICIL could be transferred to the Ministry of Finance. Goolsarran also recom-
mended for his report to be forwarded to the State Assets Recovery Unit with a view to recovering any State assets/ properties that might have been improperly and illegally transferred to third parties. He believes that there should be a further independent audit to examine in detail transactions over the last six years, given that the scope of his report covered the period 2001 to May 2015. “In addition, considering the hostile, arrogant and demeaning response to my preliminary draft report as well as certain restrictions placed on this audit, it would be desirable for the Executive Director and the Deputy Executive Director to proceed on leave to facilitate the transaction audit,” Goolsarran added. He noted that Government may wish to consider whether it wishes to retain the services of the Executive Director and the Deputy Executive Director in light of the findings and conclusions contained in the report.
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Friday December 11, 2015
Islamic State oil is going to Assad, some to Turkey …U.S. official says Reuters - Islamic State militants are engaged in oil trading worth as much as $40 million (£26 million) a month with significant volumes sold to the government of President Bashar al-Assad and some finding its way across the border into Turkey, senior U.S. Treasury official Adam Szubin said yesterday. “ISIL is selling a great deal of oil to the Assad regime,” Szubin, acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence with the U.S. Treasury, said at Chatham House in London. “The two are trying to slaughter each other and they are still engaged in millions and millions of dollars of trade.” “The volumes we are talking about and the amounts of
Adam Szubin money we are talking about are very sizeable,” said Szubin. Szubin said the “far greater amount” of Islamic State oil ends up under Assad’s control while some is consumed internally in Is-
lamic State areas but some ends up in Kurdish regions and Turkey. “Some is coming across the border into Turkey,” Szubin said. Islamic State militants have made more than $500 million from black market oil sales and looted up to $1 billion from bank vaults in Syria and Iraq, he said in prepared remarks. “Our sense is that ISIL is taking its profits basically at the wellhead and so while you do have ISIL oil ending up in a variety of different places that’s not really the pressure we want when it comes to stemming the flow of funding - it really comes down to taking down their infrastructure,” he said.
Swiss see ‘terrorist threat’ in Geneva, hunt for suspects
County of Geneva police officers check a car outside Cointrin airport in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy Reuters - The Swiss city of Geneva raised its alert level yesterday and said it was looking for suspects who, according to national officials, had possible links to terrorism. A security guard at the United Nations’ European headquarters told Reuters that Swiss authorities were searching for four men believed to be in or near the city. Another guard said the U.N. compound was on maximum alert, and Geneva prosecutors said they were investigating the preparation of criminal acts. Separately, the Swiss attorney-general said it opened an a criminal inquiry on the basis of a “terrorist threat in Geneva” against unknown persons suspected of belong-
ing to a criminal organisation and of violating the ban on al-Qaeda or Islamic State operating in the country. The Geneva daily Le Temps reported that a friend of Salah Abdeslam, the latter wanted in connection with the deadly Paris attacks on Nov. 13, was in a van spotted by Geneva police on Tuesday after a tip from French authorities that the two men in the car were strongly suspected of ties to radical Islam. The van, which had Belgian plates, crossed the border into France, the paper said. Geneva officials could not confirm the report. Swiss federal police in the capital Berne said they had passed on information about people with possible links to
terrorism, but were not connecting them to Islamist militant attacks in Paris last month in which 130 people were killed. Earlier, the newspaper Le Matin said a Belgian-registered car that drove through a police check prompted police to examine a photograph of four suspected Islamist militants provided by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. The paper said it had obtained a document describing the men as “armed and dangerous”. Two sources confirmed that the CIA had provided the photo, which shows the four bearded men seated, with their faces blurred but index fingers raised in the air. A CIA spokesman in Washington declined to comment.
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Friday December 11, 2015
ULP wins fourth consecutive election in St Vincent and the Grenadines KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Dr Ralph Gonsalves will serve as prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines after leading his Unity Labour Party (ULP) to a fourth consecutive election victory. But predictions of a landslide victory in Wednesday’s election did not come to pass. The ULP won with the same one-seat majority it took in the last election, with eight of the seats in the 15-seat Parliament. The other seven went to the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Arnhim Eustace. Both party leaders won their seats, along with Gonsalves’ son, Camillo Gonsalves, who contested an election for the first time and defeated the NDP’s Linton Lewis, who is the opposition party’s chairman. He got 3,124 votes to Lewis’ 2,521 votes in the East St. George constituency. However, the ULP has called for a recount in two constituencies won by the NDP – North Leeward and South Leeward. In South Leeward, the NDP’s Nigel Stephenson kept his seat, winning 119 votes more than the ULP’s Jomo Thomas who secured 2,619 votes; while in North Leeward, the NDP’s Roland
Dr Ralph Gonsalves Matthews got 2,259 votes, beating newcomer Carlos James of the ULP by just 7 votes. “We are looking into various issues in North Leeward and South Leeward and we are also calling for an immediate recount to ensure that all the votes are counted in those constituencies. There are more rejected ballots than the margin and those ballots should be examined closely to determine the intent of the voters,” Gonsalves said. The prime minister said he was humbled by the victory. “I am humbled and honoured that the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines embraced our bold vision for the future and rejected the politics of hate,” he said.
“We ask Vincentians to celebrate this victory in peace and maturity. Now is the time to come together as one nation to address our developmental challenges and move forward to uplift our nation and its people.” Election Day featured allegations of fraud, levelled by the NDP even before the polls had closed. The opposition party said there were many irregularities including illegal voting, and two different sets of voters lists. Also contesting the election but making no real impact were the Democratic Republican Party (DRP) and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Green Party (SVGP). (Caribbean360)
U.S. warns that if Venezuela ends PetroCaribe, it can’t step in WASHINGTON - If the newly elected Venezuelan National Assembly votes to cancel that country’s programme of subsidized oil sales to Caribbean and Central American nations, the United States will not be able to substitute U.S. oil for Venezuelan oil, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said that the U.S. might be able to provide some “resources” to the 17 countries that would be affected by the disappearance of the programme, known as PetroCaribe, which began under the late President Hugo Chávez. But providing oil would be unlikely, forcing the countries that receive the subsidized petroleum from Venezuela now to find their supplies at world prices. “They have benefited substantially from PetroCaribe,” Rhodes said. “We’re not going to be able to simply substitute American oil for Venezuelan oil. But what we have looked at is what is their energy secu-
Ben Rhodes rity?” Rhodes’ comments on Venezuela were part of a larger conversation about security in which he said that bombastic comments by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump about Muslims were playing into the hands of the Islamic State. “It has a devastating effect on our effort to counter ISIL’s narrative,” said Rhodes, who argued that such com-
ments help the Islamic State’s recruiting efforts by enforcing its claim that the West is at war with Islam. Venezuela’s political opposition won a super-majority of the National Assembly in voting Sunday, its first electoral victory since Chávez came to power 17 years ago. The overwhelming margin – winning 112 of the 167 seats in Congress – will give the opposition vast power to overturn decisions made by the government of current President Nicolás Maduro, Chávez’s handpicked successor and a frequent critic of the United States. Whether the opposition will target the subsidy programme, however, is unclear. Opposition leaders long have criticized the programme, which estimates say has cost Venezuela $50 billion in reduced oil earnings over the last decade. Last year, the country cut oil shipments to PetroCaribe nations to 200,000 barrels per day from twice that in 2012, according to a Barclays Bank analysis. (Miami Herald)
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
Indian economy suffers $3 billion loss from recent floods - Aon Benfield Reuters - India suffered a $3 billion loss to its economy from severe rainfall and flooding in November and early December, reinsurance broker Aon Benfield said in its monthly report on global catastrophes. “New economic developments in Asia are taking place in flood plains and marsh lands with scant attention to drainage, thus increasing runoff and flooding,” Adityam Krovvidi, head of impact forecasting, Asia Pacific, at Aon Benfield, said in a statement. “The 100-year rainfall event in Chennai exposed the inherent weakness of the onedimensional nature of this economic pursuit.”
Aon Benfield India’s General Insurance Corporation reported insurance claims of around $300 million, Aon Benfield added, indicating low insurance penetration in India.
Venezuela Congress taps Lopez judge as ombudsman, outraging foes Reuters - Venezuela’s outgoing National Assembly yesterday tapped a judge who is hated by the opposition for jailing politician Leopoldo Lopez as the next human rights ombudsman in the increasingly hostile aftermath of legislative elections. Judge Susana Barreiros in September ruled Lopez had masterminded anti-government riots that erupted last year, and condemned him to nearly 14 years in prison. The opposition, which deems the U.S.-educated activist an innocent scapegoat of a dictatorial government, decried Barreiros’ appointment to the post of state rights watchdog. “To propose Susana Barreiros is an offence,” said opposition legislator Hermes Garcia. “She is profoundly questioned for her ethical and moral behaviour. This moribund National Assembly has turned its back on the people.” Venezuela’s opposition won a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly as of January, when its priority is
an amnesty law for jailed politicians including Lopez. The opposition could try to remove Barreiros in the New Year but it would a complicated process involving the Supreme Court. Presaging a political showdown, President Nicolas Maduro has warned he will veto an amnesty law, and his Socialist Party aims to appoint over a dozen Supreme Court judges before rivals take the legislature. The broadly unpopular Maduro has also lashed out at former government supporters who turned against him as an exhausting economic crisis, including food shortages and indomitable inflation, pummels the OPEC country. On TV this week, he even threatened to scale back a flagship government housing project for low-income families. “I wanted to build 500,000 houses next year. But now I’m doubting that. I asked for your support and you didn’t give it to me,” he said, also warning that the oppositionled Congress will cut spending on welfare.
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China, Russia fail to stop U.N. meeting on rights in North Korea Reuters - China, Russia, Venezuela and Angola failed yesterday to stop the United Nations Security Council from holding its second meeting on human rights in North Korea, which has been accused by a U.N. inquiry of abuses comparable to Naziera atrocities. China called a vote to stop the meeting, but lost nine to four. Nigeria and Chad abstained. Nine votes are needed to win a procedural vote and the five permanent members - China, Russia, the United States, Britain and France - cannot use their vetoes. It was the first time a pro-
cedural vote has been held on an item already on the council’s agenda, according to think-tank Security Council Report. The United States, France, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia, New Zealand, Chile, Spain and Britain voted to hold the meeting. “The Security Council is not the place to address human rights, nor should it politicize the issue,” said China’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Wang Min. “The human rights situation of the DPRK (North Korea) does not constitute a threat to international peace and security.” The 15-member council
added the situation in North Korea - including human rights - to its agenda and held its first meeting on the issue a year ago, despite objections at the time by China, a firm ally of North Korea, and Russia. Previously, the council’s discussion of North Korea was limited to its nuclear weapons program. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday claimed his country had developed a hydrogen bomb, but outside experts were sceptical. North Korean diplomats did not attend yesterday’s Security Council meeting. “The international com-
munity has a collective responsibility to protect the population of the DPRK, and to consider the wider implications of the reported grave human rights situation for the stability of the region,” Jeffrey Feltman, U.N. political affairs chief, told the council. The 193-member U.N. General Assembly has urged the U.N. Security Council to consider referring North Korea to the International Criminal Court after a U.N. Commission of Inquiry detailed wide-ranging abuses in the impoverished Asian state. China is likely to veto such a move, diplomats said.
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Scorpions, Jaguars feature in key fifth round match ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Resur g e n t Jamaica Scorpions and leaders Guyana Jaguars meet for a historic, key clash in the fifth round of the WICB Professional Cricket League Regional 4-Day Tournament, starting today. Matches between the Scorpions and the Jaguars over the years have been very competitive – and similar can be expected from t h i s contest at Sabina Park, where both teams have clear intent to win and make a big push for the title before the long break for Christmas, New Year’s and the NAGICO Super50. The match will also hold historical significance, as Jacqueline Williams will become the first female umpire to ever officiate in the Regional 4-Day Tournament. Williams from the western Jamaica community of Ashton in the parish of Westmoreland will stand in the middle with international umpire Peter Nero. The 39-year-old is being
groomed by the WICB with an eye to possible selection on the international panel for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 in England and Wales. At the same time, the two front-runners will keep a very keen eye on developments between Barbados Pride and Leeward Islands Hurricanes, and the other contest between Windward I s l a n d s Vo l c a n o e s a n d Trinidad & Tobago Red Force. In Kingston, Jamaica: The hosts have won their last three matches, following an opening round defeat against the Pride, and currently trail the Jags by 20 points in the standings. They will want to cut the deficit substantially to slow the roll of the table leaders in the hope of keeping the Tournament alive. The visitors have been unbeaten in all four of their matches this season. Such an impressive record and healthy lead in the standings will inspire them further to move out of reach of the rest of the competition –
including their hosts, as they make a push to enter the break with back-toback titles firmly within their reach. Tagenarine Chanderpaul has been brought into the Jaguars line-up for the first time this season to replace opener Shimron Hetmyer, so that there is a possibility of the rare sight of him and his father, veteran left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul batting together. Hetmyer has departed for Grenada, where he will join members of the West Indies Under-19 squad preparing for the ICC Youth World Cup in Bangladesh early next year. The other matches will see The Volcanoes and the Red Force locked in a battle at the Beausejour Cricket Ground to re-ignite their campaigns, after they started the season with much promise, but have lacked consistency. And the Pride will be looking for their second straight victory in a bid to keep the pressure up under the two front-runners, when they face the Hurricanes on home soil at Kensington Oval.
IOC to start...
(From page 33) money laundering. With athletics and soccer both Olympic sports they are eligible for Olympic contributions at the end of each Games. About $519 million was distributed among the 26 sports after the London 2012 Games. Games organizers receive well over one billion dollars from the IOC to help organize the Games while NOCs receive further funds. Bach said ongoing scandals at FIFA were damaging for all sports organizations, even those not involved in scandals. ”I think it is obvious many sports organizations are concerned because many people do not make this distinction. They generalize,” Bach said. “That is why we are concerned and why so many other sports organizations are concerned and continue to be concerned if these procedures are dragging on and on and you have from week to week other bad news coming up.” (Reuters)
Friday December 11, 2015
Banks/WDFA/Josiah Memorial KO kicks off today The Banks, West Demerara Football Association (WDFA), Josiah Memorial knock-out competition is set to kick off today at the Den Amstel Community ground. Eight clubs will be battling for a top prize o f $500,000 while the losing finalist will pocket 300,000. There is also a third
and fourth place prize of $200,000 and $100,000 at stake. According to the WDFA, this year’s tournament caters not only to football but will also include the promotion of sports and its values in schools, education and the Guyana Police Force. Today’s matches will see
Uitvlugt Warriors taking on Bagotsville in the opening game at 18:30hrs followed by a clash between Pouderoyen and Eagles at 20:30hrs. On Sunday at the same venue, opening action brings together Young Achievers and Stewartville followed by Den Amstel opposing Beavers/Wales United.
U.S. downs Haiti, returns to CU20W semis SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – The United States (2W-1D-0L, 7 points, GD+11) will face host and Group A runner-up Honduras in the semifinals of the 2015 CONCACACF Under-20 Women’s Championship after it earned a 6-0 victory over Haiti (1W-0D-2L, 3 points) on Wednesday at the Estadio Internacional Sampedrana. The result lifted the Americans into first place in Group B on goal difference over Mexico (2W-1D-0L, 7 points, GD+7), which defeated Panama (0W-0D-3L, 0 points), 2-0, earlier in the day. A meeting with Group A winner Canada – the only team to go a perfect 3W-0D-0L in the group stage — awaits the Tricolor in the final four. Both semifinals will be played to-
day. Once again, Mallory Pugh led the way for the three-time defending champion, netting twice to take her first in the tournament scoring chart with five goals. Jessie Scarpa, who had three goals against Panama on Monday, contributed a goal and a pair of assists. Shortly after teammate Sabrina Flores left the game with an apparent knee injury, Savannah De Melo opened the scoring in the 16th minute, collecting a Parker Roberts pass and bursting into the right side of the box to beat goalkeeper Jonie Gabriel from 15-yards out. Pugh then struck for the next two to make it 3-0. The Real Colorado standout rounded Gabriel off a Jessie
Scarpa feed in the 35th minute and rolled Ashley Sanchez’s long-distance header into the back of the net from the top of the box nine minutes later. The outstanding Scarpa put the game out of reach for all intents and purposes three minutes after the break. Sanchez found the 19year-old forward out on the right. Following a neat move to free herself for space, Scarpa fired a right-footer from 19-yards out into the upper net. Two minutes later, Scarpa’s cross along the ground from the right found Tierna Davidson for an easy tap-in at the left post. Ella Stevens punctuated the scoreline, slotting in at the right post as DeMelo’s diagonal cross slipped through the Haitian box. (CONCACAF)
Friday December 11, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You must find the balance between taking care of your needs and being considerate of others. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Once you have your feelings under control, you can be more expansive in other parts of your life. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Instead of directing all your energy outward and dominating the conversation with your ideas, consider listening. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Things will be moving more in your favor as the day wears on. An easygoing, sensitive energy dominates the atmosphere.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Don't get too hooked on the free spirit that may dominate the morning hours. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may feel you're coming to a dramatic emotional climax regarding an issue that you take personally. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Be careful of letting your erratic, willful nature dominate the scene. Go with the flow and be more sensitive to the people around you. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may be scolded for something you failed to take care of properly. There's a wonderfully expansive feeling to the day that you should capitalize on.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may feel like you're spinning your wheels today, especially as the end of the day draws near.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) The beginning of the day may start out boisterous and easygoing.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You're in a good position to make a major breakthrough. Your sensitivity works to your advantage. It gives you insight into things that others miss.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) The more organized and grounded you are, the more room there is for expansion and growth in all the different parts of your world.
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
Female Beach volleyballers outclassed in Uruguay Coach calls for immediate implementation of structured programme for development Following the return of Guyana’s two female teams that participated in the South American Beach Confederation Tournament in Uruguay, Head Coach Ian Wills in giving his perspective of the team’s performance said that while they fought gallantly, they were totally outclassed against opponents who were far better prepared in the format. According to Wills, “It is becoming glaringly clearer that local volleyball needs some sort of restructuring and a properly documented and well thought out plan to improve the quality and standard of the game locally, before we can even begin to set sights on competing in the high classed South American Confederation in which we find ourselves. This fact becomes clearer every time we compete in any international tournament, be it males, females or youths.” He added that the ladies performance was another manifestation of our weakness, the female national teams that wrapped up their campaign in the South American Beach Confederation Tournament were easily brushed aside by seasoned teams from Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia and host Uruguay. Wills in shedding some light on the vast difference in the level of preparedness and training between the Guyanese girls and the local federation to that of their South American compatriots, in a discussion with players
from Bolivia, the weakest team in this group apart from Guyana, they pointed out that after realising their deficiency in the beach aspect of the game, their federation made a conscious effort to focus and expose their players to beach volleyball some 30 years ago. Guyana on the other hand is now talking about constructing proper courts and playing facilities for beach volleyball. In commenting on the teams’ performance, Wills said on the opening day of competition, both teams started off shakily and it was reflected in the scores as they lost all their games in straight sets and never even managed to score beyond 8 points in the sets that went to 21. Most difficult for the ladies was the transition to moving in the thick, loosy sand used in proper beach courts when all the exposure and training they had was on nothing compared to the ones they played on. He, however, stated that because of Subrina Munroe (Guyanese and West Indies cricketer) and Odile Broomes better fitness levels, they found it a bit easier to adjust to the resistance of the sand and managed to play some competitive points. Days two and three provided no better results as the score lines were practically the same, but after their initial exposure and getting over their nerves, both teams showed glimpses of competitiveness.
According to Wills, a Beach Academy needs to be created where the federation must start focussing on players as young as 9 and 10 years old, the age he believes is perfect to start teaching players proper volleyball techniques, while allowing them enough time to develop in the game so they can begin to be competitive internationally in their mid to late teens. The Head Coach also believes that local coaches need the opportunity to advance their knowledge of coaching beach volleyball and proper volleyball techniques as a whole since he is of the opinion that despite Guyana’s production of players (especially the males) who can compete at the international level, the difference comes from the absence or insufficient technical foundation. Wills said he is hoping that the federation wastes little or no time in launching a properly structured programme through engagement of the national coach Levi Nedd and other senior local coaches geared towards a long term development plan for local volleyball. From Group A, Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay have qualified for the next round where they will compete with the top three qualifiers from Group B, all vying for the one remaining spot left available to the South American Confederation as Brazil has already qualified as host country.
IOC to start audits for sports bodies over Olympic money The International Olympic Committee wants to make sure the billions of dollars of cash distributed to stakeholders for the development of sport is being used appropriately and will ask for audits of every major contribution handed out, IOC President Thomas Bach said yesterday. ”What we want to achieve is that this money which is coming from sport is going to sport and that the decisions on who is benefiting at the end from these contributions are being taken with respect to rules of good governance,” Bach told reporters at the end of an IOC Executive Board meeting. The IOC, concerned with the ongoing scandals engulfing soccer’s world governing body FIFA and the interna-
Thomas Bach tional athletics federation (IAAF), is eager to make sure major payments to international sports federations, national Olympic Committees (NOCs) and Games organizing committees is accountable.
Bach said the auditing would be conducted by an independent organization and would start for the year 2016 for every major contribution by the IOC. He said the move was a further step by the IOC to boost good governance for both the organization and its partners. FIFA and the IAAF are facing investigations of corruption involving senior officials, with the crisis eroding the organizations’ credibility. Several senior FIFA officials are among the 41 people arrested in connection to a corruption and racketeering probe while the former head of the IAAF Lamine Diack is also under formal investigation in France for allegations of corruption and (Continued on page 32)
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GSSF Christmas Archery Extravaganza set for weekend Archery Guyana, a discipline under the Guyana Sport Shooting Fede r a t i o n (GSSF), announced that plans are on stream to host their final archery event for 2015. The group will put on their “Christmas Archery Extravaganza 2015” this weekend at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue. Members of the GSSF present at the indoor facility will be able to try the Federation’s member made PVC Olympic-styled Bows that were fabricated with the assistance of World Archery Americas through their Archery Development Seminar that was held in Guyana a few m o n t h s ago by Top Columbian Archer Mr. Diego Torres. New members in attendance will be able to obtain instructional training and in order to practice the art with a bias towards Indoor Olympic Style shooting in this upcoming Archery Extravaganza. GSSF President, Ms.
Indoor Archery being done at the National Gymnasium Vidushi Persaud reported that the Board of Directors is planning a rigorous Calendar for the New Year that will include regularly scheduled shooting sessions for this Olympic sport. The 2016 calendar will include both indoor and outdoor Archery seminars, safety instructions, practice sessions, extensive training and a series of competitions all using the Federation’s PVC bows, arrows, targets and other resources. In this regard, Persaud extended thanks to the Government of Guyana, Ministry of Education, Department of Sport and the National Sports Commission for the support they have given to the de-
velopment of this sport in 2015. She also indicated that under the Archery Guyana tag the GSSF will be taking the sport to various communities around Guyana in an effort to tap into skilled archers in these areas. Some locations air marked for Archery sessions are the National Gymnasium, the Leonora Synthetic Track, the Providence National Stadium and the Carifesta Sports Club ground. For more information on Archery Guyana and the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation, interested persons can visit the w e b s i t e www.GuyanaSportShooting.com.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 11, 2015
GTT / Limacol Round Robin / KO Football Tournament
Organisers urge stakeholders to ensure football is played at all cost; Winners receive prizes By Rawle Welch Winners of the recently concluded GTT / Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition received their prizes, during a simple ceremony which was conducted on Wednesday evening, at Brandsville Hotel on Pike Street, Prashad Nagar. In attendance at the occasion were sponsors representatives including GTT’s PRO Alison Parker and New GPC Finance Director Dwayne Lovell, who both made brief remarks. Parker in her presentation congratulated the teams for answering the call at short notice to participate in the tournament and producing a quality brand of football throughout the duration of the event. The GTT PRO also extended congratulations to the Petra Organisation who according to her not only exhibited determination and discipline in staging the tournament, but had delivered as well, a testimony to their organisational acumen as well as their commitment to the development of the sport. Parker, who was part of the earlier deliberations when the Organisation approached the Company for its assistance recalled the persistence of the principals to get the entity on board which she said in the end paid off. According to her, the general feedback was all positive and had she the power to pull the financial strings she would have no hesitation in committing to the venture next year. Lovell in his remarks offered congratulations to all the teams and the associations that permitted their teams to
GTT’s PRO Alison Parker (4th right) hands over the wining trophy to Milerock FC Captain in the presence of Limacol’s Finance Director Dwayne Lovell (on his immediate right) and other prize winners on Wednesday. participate in the tournament and echoed similar sentiments to Parker in relation to the general staging of the competition. He added that the positive reaction has given them cause to commit to support in the future. Guyana Football Federation’s Communications Officer Rawle Toney, who too made remarks first congratulated the winning teams and the Petra Organisation for a well run tournament, informing that the governing body had paid close attention to its staging and was encouraged by the organisational ability of the entity. He said it was the GFF’s policy to be willing to work with organisations that were committed to assisting in the development of the game. He added that from the GFF’s standpoint, the tournament surpassed all expectations
and that they were generally heartened by the fact that the associations themselves collaborated to make it happen. Toney closed by stating that they intend to continue to work with the organisation in the future. Meanwhile, Petra Organisation Director Troy Mendonca in his address thanked all the teams and the three associations that heeded to their call to release the teams, promising to do all in their power to make it an annual event. He, however, made a stirring plea to the current administrators of the sport to do all that is necessary to keep the game playing and even cited instances when off field scenarios threatened to stop the game playing, but failed to do s o . Mendonca gave as examples the political and economic unrest that threatened to de-
Sinclair double drives Canada women past Mexico NATAL, Brazil – Christine Sinclair netted a brace and Canada earned a 3-0 win over Mexico in the first match of the 2015 Torneio Internacional de Natal de Futebol Feminino on Wednesday at the Arenas das Dunas. The pair of goals put Sinclair one away from tying former United States legend Mia Hamm (158 goals) as the second all-time scorer in women’s football history. Another American superstar — Abby Wambach – has tallied a record 184 times. Sinclair opened the scoring with a strike off a long pass
Christine Sinclair from Kadeisha Buchanan in the 13th minute and doubled the lead six minutes later courtesy of a Rhian Wilkinson cross. Canada completed the scoreline in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, when Nichelle Prince popped a Mexican deflection into the
net for her second goal in four international appearances. Three Canadian teenagers — Gabrielle Carle (17), Deanne Rose (16) and Kennedy Faulknor (16) — were handed their first caps by head coach John Herdman, while Jessie Fleming (17) won her 19th, having debuted at the same competition two years ago. Canada returns to action Sunday against CONCACAF rival Trinidad & Tobago, which – without many of its regulars who played a friendly yesterday against the U.S. — fell 11-0 to Brazil. The tournament host will meet Mexico the same day. (CONCACAF)
rail the last World Cup in Brazil and more recently the mess that the world governing body FIFA has found itself in, but football is still being played at every level. Milerock who won the tournament after defeating Victoria Kings in a penalty shootout walked away with $500,000 and the winning tro-
phy, while the Kings received $250,000 and a trophy. Topp XX ended third and they collected $125,000 and a trophy, while Winners Connection that finished fourth took away $75,000 and a trophy. Meanwhile, Milerock almost swept the individual awards with Clarence Huggings being voted the
Most Valuable Player of the Tournament and he received $40,000, while his Coach Brian Joseph collected $25,000 as Best Coach; Milerock’s hero Martin Leacock was voted the Best Goalkeeper and he took home $25,000, the same as New Amsterdam United Adrian Adams, who won the Highest Goal Scorer award.
GCB/BANKS DIH/DIGICEL NSSCL…
Charlestown, Anna Regina Multilateral and Aurora into Zone Finals
Charlestown Secondary, Anna Regina Multilateral and Aurora Secondary all won their respective semi-final match-ups to move into the Zone finals of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) National Secondary School Cricket League (NSSCL) sponsored Digicel and Bank’s DIH under their Coco Cola and Rainforest Water brands. Tucville advanced to the South Georgetown Zone final while Anna Regina and Aurora also won their semi-finals to qualify for the Essequibo Coast Zone finals. In the South Georgetown Zone which was contested at the GNIC ground; Tucville won the toss and decided to bat first. They could only get to 98-8 when their 20 overs were completed. Only Rondave Noel and Godfrey Phillip offered any resistance with 25 and 21, respectively. Bowling for Charlestown, Qumar Torrington had excellent figures of 4-16 from 4 overs. Charlestown then made light work of their target, finishing the game with a six in the 16th over to book their place in the final. Torrington showed his all-
Bhomesh Ramahin round ability by stroking 26 not out. In the first match of the Essequibo Coast Zone, Anna Regina Multilateral crushed Eight of May Secondary by 146 runs at the Imman Bacchus ground. Batting first, Anna Regina Multilateral blasted their way to 191-7 in their 20 overs. Kushal Hemraj hit 47 (4x4), Bomesh Ramdahin contributed 34. Bowling for Eight of May, Romeo Vanslygtman had 2-9. In reply, Eight of May folded for a paltry 45 in 10.3 overs. Kurt Williams was outstanding with the ball snar-
ing 6-20 off 5 overs. He was well supported by Ranesh Persaud with 4-14 as Anna Regina Multilateral only used two bowlers. The second match was played at the New Opportunity Corp ground where Aurora had the better of Johanna Cecelia by 111 runs. Taking first strike after winning the toss, Aurora amassed 171-5 in just 20 overs as national Under-15 batsman Orlando Jailall struck an entertaining 56 (6x4 1x6), Davendra Mohan backed up with 38 and Shamar Dusraj 35. In reply, Johanna Cecelia never threatened Aurora’s target and were all sent back for 60 in 15.4 overs. Bowling for the Aurora, Ravendra Anouge displayed excellent control grabbing 4-7 while there were two wickets each for Roel Latchman and Orson Gibson. Charlestown will now face Lodge in the South Georgetown Zone final on a date to be announced while Aurora and Anna Regina Multilateral will square off against each other in the Essequibo Coast final set for today.
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 11, 2015
Boxing Hall of Fame launch rescheduled The scheduled launch of Guyana’s first boxing Hall of Fame, at the Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym (ALBG) last Wednesday afternoon, experienced minor hitches and forced the organizers to reschedule the ceremony for next Saturday, December 19. Nevertheless, the man behind the project, former National and Continental of Americas welterweight champion, Michael Benjamin, said that the few hiccups were minimal and has since been corrected. Several boxing affiliates along with members of the media had convened at the ALBG and while they were disappointed by the turn of events, they had a sneak preview of the portraits on display and were also briefed of the plans to highlight and preserve the history of the sport and the achievements s of its participants. President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control, Peter Abdool, was among those in attendance and he said that he is Impressed. Mr. Abdool feels that the project will support the objectives of his organization. Already he is projecting and has committed to assist in whatever way necessary. Meanwhile, Mr. Benjamin explained that the facility was conceptualized approximately two years ago while he engaged businessman and boxing enthusiast, Maurice Pyle. The latter individual bemoaned the absence of such an entity while pointing out that the activity and achievements of boxers of yesteryear were rendered inconsequential. Together, Benjamin and Pyle decided to work assiduously towards the realization of the facility. The project is costly but once again the input of members of the corporate community was sought and they did not baulk. Several of these entities and individuals have responded and contributed handsomely to the project including Ramchands’s Auto Sales, Claude Raphael’s Real Estate, German’s Restaurant, Dr. Max Hanoman, Abdool and Abdool’s Insurance Brokers, Eddy Grant, Oasis Waters, Joe Harmon, John Fernandes Ltd, Brydens and Brydens, Modern Optical, Ansa McAl and Kaieteur News. Those boxers that will feature in the first phase of the project include the late former Commonwealth champion, Andrew Murray, another deceased pugilist, former WBA welterweight champion, Andrew ‘Sixheads’ Lewis, former world champions, Gary StClair, Vivian Harris, and Wayne Braithwaite among others. The three women that have attained world champion status, Gwendolyn O’Neil, Pamela London and Shondel Alfred will also be featured. Over the next few months the project will encompass other notable affiliates the likes of referees, judges, past presidents and promoters among others. “Each of these groups comprise individuals that have made a difference and deserves to be among the top achievers,” Benjamin opined. Guyanese boxers have won Commonwealth, CABOFE, Fecarbox and Latin America and world titles. Benjamin feels that such data should be made available for the benefit of those pugilists currently blazing the trail, if only to enhance their knowledge and act as motivational factors. He also opined that boxing pundits may also find such a facility useful for historical data.
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
Ravens edge Colts in GABA League Jermaine Slater finished a lay-up just before the expiration of regular time to give Ravens an 87-85 win over Colts Wednesday night when Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) League continued at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. With 15 seconds left on the game clock and the scores tied at 85, Slater, after excellent clock management, sealed the win from the paint. Forward, Tyrone Hamid top scored with 23 points while guard, Ryan Stephney had 22 points for Ravens. Forward Ryan Gullen and Slater had 13 and 10 points respectively. For Colts, guard, Shelroy Thomas recorded a game-high 25 points while guard, Dave Causway supported with 21 points. Centre, Shane Webster and Kurt English had 14 points each for Colts as well. Causway had turned over the ball to create the dramatic conclusion with 15
possession with 28 seconds remaining in regulation time and the score unchanged only for an errant pass from Causway seal their fate. Ravens had led 43-33 at halftime and again 67-60 at the end of the third period. One of the highlights of the game was a monstrous dunk from Kester Gomes off a missed Slater put-back.
Tyrone Hamid seconds left in the game. Colts had erased a seven point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to get back into the game. With 4:20 remaining, the game was levelled at 78-78. However, Slater restored Ravens lead, scoring seven points in the period to take 85-81 advantage with less than a minute remaining. But Colts again squared the game 85-85 with Webster adding four points to advance the cause of Colts. Colts acquired
Preparations commence for CFU Futsal tourney Under the guidance of Technical Director Claude Bolton and former National Coach Denzil Thompson, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) held its first day of tryout for the National Futsal Team selection. Guyana will participate at the January 22 – 26 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Futsal Tournament in Cuba and some of the top Futsal players who were shortlisted by the GFF, attended the first trial session held at the National Gymnasium to be evaluated by the GFF’s Technical Team. The trial which will conclude tomorrow will see successful participants being asked to join a mini-camp early next month where the final squad selection will be made. Guyana has been placed in Group ‘A’ along with Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Haiti while Group ‘B’ comprise host Cuba, St Maarten, Costa Rica and Guadeloupe. The top two teams from each group will advance to the CONCACAF Futsal Championship. The 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship will be held in Costa Rica in May. Same as previous editions, the tournament acts as the CONCACAF qualifiers for the FIFA Futsal W o r l d C u p . The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia as the C O N C A C A F representatives. Guyana last participated at the CFU Futsal To u r n a m e n t i n 2 0 0 8 , finishing fourth behind winners and host Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti (second place) and Suriname (third place).
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 11, 2015
Voges, Marsh dominate limp West Indies At 10am on a greenish pitch, Jason Holder lost the toss but didn’t mind that Steven Smith chose to bat. “Hopefully we can exploit the conditions as best as possible and get into their middle order,” he said. By 12.30pm they had done so; Australia were 3 for 121 and wobbling. It turned out getting through that middle order was the hard part, for by 6pm Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh had cruised to centuries, had a
triple-hundred partnership, and Australia were 3 for 438. The only consolation for Holder was that he hadn’t sent Australia in, though he said he would have done so if given the chance. Apart from one crowded hour when they claimed all three of their wickets - the hour leading up to lunch - West Indies were lacklustre. And such was their awful over rate that Holder declined the new ball late in the day so his part-time
spinners could race through a few overs. It was quantity, not quality, and they still fell one over short. Perhaps only in outer space could Voges and Marsh have been surrounded by less pressure than they were by the close o f p l a y. S t i l l , t h e i r contributions should not be under-valued. They came together before lunch with Australia in danger of being embarrassed. But Voges especially
turned that on its head in the second session, moving to a run-a-ball century, his third in Test cricket. He had solid support from Marsh, who scored slower but also raised his third Test hundred. At stumps, Voges was on 174 and Marsh had 139, and their partnership of 317 was Australia’s third-highest of all time against West Indies, for any wicket. Australia’s run rate had hovered above five an over nearly all day, and only as they blocked out
the final few overs before stumps did it dip down into the high fours. Boundaries flowed for most of the day as West Indies served up half-volley after half-volley. Rarely has the term “attack” been more inapt for a Test bowling group. The 50th boundary of the day came when Denesh Ramdin failed to grasp a Kemar Roach delivery that dipped on him in the 79th over of the day and it ran away for four byes. It rather summed up a day of utter disappointment for West Indies, who also faced the prospect of possibly being without Shannon Gabriel, the only fast bowler to take a wicket. Gabriel bowled only 10 overs for the day before leaving the field to have scans on a troublesome left ankle. Amongst it all, Voges and Marsh piled on the runs. Voges made the West Indians pay for too often straying onto his stumps, scoring heavily through the leg side. He moved briskly to a 55-ball half-century and turned that into a 100-ball hundred, his second Test ton against West Indies, who by stumps had dismissed him only once in Test cricket for an aggregate of 341 runs. It was his second century of the home summer after he posted 119 against New Zealand in Perth. Marsh spent the second half of the Perth Test wondering if he would be the beneficiary of Usman Khawaja’s hamstring injury and on his recall helped Australia to victory in Adelaide with 49 in the chase. But he knew that he needed a big score to justify the faith of the selectors and he could hardly have asked for a better opportunity; he faced two dot balls before lunch then came out after the break to face Jomel Warrican with three men back on the boundary. Marsh was content to let Voges drive the partnership but he certainly played his part. His cover-driving
especially was exquisite, and more than half of his 12 boundaries came through that region. His century came with a pull through leg for four off Roach. He had taken 50 more balls than Voges to reach triple figures but it mattered little. Finally, more than four years after he scored a century on Test debut in Sri Lanka, Marsh had made a Test hundred at home. He had come to the crease with West Indies apparently having the momentum, having got rid of Joe Burns and then A u s t r a l i a ’s t w o b e s t batsmen, Steven Smith and David Warner. The first hour had brought 75 runs, 64 of which came in boundaries, as the bowlers struggled to find the right lengths against Burns and Warner, and when Gabriel nipped one back in to bowl Burns for 33 it was completely against the run of play. Warrican, chosen for his second Test ahead of the more established legspinner Devendra Bishoo, claimed his first wicket when he slowed his pace and turned one enough to catch the edge of Smith’s bat; he was well taken at slip by Jermaine Blackwood for 10. But Warner remained at the crease and was a significant danger, having raced to a 40-ball halfcentury that featured 10 boundaries. However, in the last over before lunch Warner tickled a catch down leg side off Warrican and was caught by Ramdin for 64 off 61 balls. Ramdin had earlier put down Warner on 4 when he dived low to his left in an attempt to snaffle an edge off the bowling of Roach. Holder may have thought that when Ramdin rectified the error by taking Warner before lunch, West Indies might run through Australia. In fact, the middle order was about to exploit them. Australia 3 for 438 (Voges 174*, S Marsh 139*) v We s t I n d i e s (ESPNcricinfo)
Friday December 11, 2015
Kaieteur News
Zone Champions, North Georgetown Primary.
Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket
North Georgetown Primary is Zone Champ N o r t h G e o rg e t o w n Primary defeated St Margaret’s Primary by 5 wickets to win the North Georgetown Zone of the GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket. Playing at the Racquet C e n t r e o n Wo o l f o r d Avenue, St Margaret’s Primary won the toss and elected to bat first. They lost a wicket in the very first over and never recovered,
limping to 66-7 in 14 overs. None of their batsmen reached double figures as the North Georgetown Primary bowlers kept a tight rein on proceedings. Shaquel Jones claimed 2 - 5 . I n r e p l y, N o r t h Georgetown Primary led by a composed unbeaten 29 from Nigel Lowe got to their target in the 10th over, losing 5 wickets in the process.
Malta Supreme/LABA Christmas Tourney
Bulls recover to beat Jets 54-50; Royals trounce Falcons 89-44 Half Mile Bulls recovered after losing steam in the second and third quarters of play to come away with a thrilling 54-50 win over the Amelia’s Ward Jets, while the Victory Valley Royals chalked up another win by hammering Bankers Trust Falcons 89-44 when the Malta Supreme / Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) Christmas championship continued at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court on Wednesday night. National players Terron Welch with the game high 20 points and Michael turner with 15 were the principal scorers for the Bulls who led at the end of the first quarter 11-10 but trailed at half time 28-21. When the third quarter ended they were adrift 3137, before they rallied to win 54-50 behind the combined efforts of Welch and Turner. The principal contributors for the Jets were Parrish Cadogan with 14 points and
national player, Orin Rose who had 10. Royals took full control of their clash with Bankers Trust Falcons with scores of 27-7, 49-21 and 68-30 before romping home, 8944. Leading Royals was national player Haorld Adams who poured in a tournament high 34 points; Marlon Pollydore tipped in 14, Akeem powers 11 and Nevin Glen 10. Thornton Wilson and Lawrence Simon were the best shots for the losing Falcons with 15 and 14 points respectively. Preliminary round play continues with another double header tonight as Block 2 Flames take on Falcons, both teams seeking their first win. The feature game at 21:00hrs pits Bulls and the Royals. Tomorrow night two games will be played, the first game at 19:00hrs brings together Jets and Flames with the main event featuring Raiders and Royals.
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Female Beach volleyballers outclassed in Uruguay Coach calls for immediate implementation of structured programme for development
Voges, Marsh dominate limp West Indies Scorpions, Jaguars feature IOC to start audits for sports bodies over Olympic money in key fifth round match
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