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Kaieteur News
Friday December 14, 2012
EZjet boss faces 60 years in jail for $20M fraud - stranded passengers asked not to try to cash cheques…accounts empty
Facing lengthy jail time: EZjet boss, Sonny Ramdeo Hours after his arrest Wednesday morning, founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EZjet Air Services, Sonny Austin Ramdeo, appeared before a New York court, accused of stealing US$20M from a hospital chain over a sevenyear period. Some of the monies he is accused of stealing were said to be used to finance the operations of EZjet, a chartered airline that he started up last year December, according to prosecutors. He remains in jail in New York without bail. Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI); Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRSCID); and Christopher B. Dennis, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), investigated the fraud and charged Ramdeo, 35, with wire fraud. They charged him with a US$20 million federal payroll tax fraud scheme. The Federal agents said that Ramdeo kept the money paid by Promise and Success Healthcare to his private company, PayServ, for his personal use. Ramdeo is expected to be removed to the Southern District of Florida on these charges. The federal agents had signaled their intention to arrest him in early November. He immediately went into hiding, but gave the impression through his local country manager, Rosalinda Rasul, that he was communicating with the Feds.
He even returned as Chief Executive Officer having resigned when the first accusation of theft surfaced through a writ filed by Promise Healthcare, accusing him of stealing US$5.4 million. Ramdeo, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced late Wednesday, will soon be taken to Florida, another state in the US, to face trial for the charges which were instituted on December 6, all linked to Promise Healthcare. A former resident of Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, the 35-year-old Ramdeo faces up to 60 years in jail on three counts of wire fraud, with a mandatory fine of US$250,000. He could also be fined twice the amount of money he stole or twice the sum his victim lost. Yesterday, Country Manager of EZjet’s Guyana operations, Rosalinda Rasul, admitted that Ramdeo was on the run from the time the Feds declared an interest in him. The details emerging now speak of a man who closely
controlled the troubled lowcost carrier even while hiding from the FBI. He managed to fool staffers into believing that everything was alright. He would only answer emails. Nobody seemed to have known where he was. CORNERED Investigators cornered Ramdeo in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday night even as he was in a Skype conference call with Rasul in Guyana and his henchman, Richard Lee, in New York. He was immediately arrested and placed before a judge in a federal court in the Eastern District of New York. Court documents released by the Feds explained that Ramdeo was employed as the Director of Payroll of Promise Healthcare Inc. and Success Healthcare LLC, which in total, operated 17 hospitals across the US. He was responsible for the payments of bi-weekly wages and related payroll taxes for more than 3,500 employees of the companies. According to the indictment, as early as
September 3, 2010, and continuing through on or about October 12, 2012, at Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, in the Southern District of Florida, and elsewhere, Ramdeo devised a scheme to defraud the hospitals by stealing the payroll taxes. He did this by establishing a company called Payserv Tax Inc. which he claimed, using false emails, was a subsidiary of Ceridian Corporation, a well known company that once did payroll services for the hospitals. It was based on this claim that the hospitals trusted him and Payserv with millions of dollars. Using this authority, he routinely transferred money from the hospitals to his Payserv accounts. CONSPIRACY The indictment also said that Ramdeo, in November 2011, incorporated EZjet and l a t e r, without authorization, transferred the money from Payserv to
It wasn’t me! Country manager, Rosalinda Rasul the accounts of EZjet. This was for expenses including airplane and crew rental, fuel, food, ground crew and air terminal costs. Ramdeo was charged with three counts. He was accused on December 8, 2011, of transferring $45,000 from Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles L.P. to the Payserv account at PNC Bank. Another charge was that on July 11, 2012, he transferred US$318,696.19 from Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles The last charge was that on October 9, 2012, he also authorized a transaction of US$100,828.42 to be wired from the Promise Hospital of Ascension Inc. account at TD Bank to the Payserv Tax, (Continued on page 8)
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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
Let’s learn Portuguese Earlier this week, in our editorial “The Southern Connection”, we elaborated on the opportunities for development available to us if we were to satisfy the Brazilian need for a northern outlet to the Atlantic. But even if closer linkages were not being pushed by Brazil, there would still be large avenues through which we would be benefitted by our contiguity to the world power of our south. Right up there is the Brazilian need to be able to communicate in English, the de-facto ‘universal’ language for communication in the globalised world. In Japan, for instance, every high school teaches English. Brazil has not followed suit, so a host of private schools have sprung up to cater to this urge to learn English. Many of the wealthier Brazilians send their children to the US to learn English. We can provide them with a total English immersion also right here in Guyana, providing thousands of jobs in teaching, and in servicing the housing and lodging that would be needed. But first we will have to work on our ‘own” language skills. We have been very fortunate that after all the humiliations and tribulations of our colonial past, we have been left with English as our official language. Unfortunately for many of us, Standard English is almost a second language, since we generally communicate with each other through our “Creole” language. Our passes (or lack thereof) at the CSEC in English Language reflect our lack of facility in this key resource, which could give us such a head-start over so many others in the world. Our educational system has recognised this major shortcoming and several policy measures have been already been put into place to improve our English performance. However, there is another area where the Education mandarins have been continuing to go with the old flow and in the process are leaving us in the backwaters of the evolving global synergy. And this is in the area of “foreign” languages. We agree that not because English has become so dominant we must ignore other languages. Spanish was introduced after independence as a second language into our secondary schools. This was a positive step since it recognised the geographical reality that so many of our neighbours speak Spanish. The global world begins at our doorstep and while it may be theoretically possible to trade with any country in the world, one would expect that our neighbours should be our starting point. However in Queen’s College, Bishops’ and the other elite high schools in our capital, in addition to Spanish, French has continued to be a compulsory foreign language. And this, we believe, should be changed. After all, there was a time when those same elite schools insisted that to be “educated” one had to grasp the essentials of Latin, but we have dropped that dead language without skipping a beat. The burdens of learning Latin had come to outweigh the benefits in the new world order. And so we believe for French at this time. We suggest that just as we introduced Spanish because it facilitated communication with so many of our neighbours, we ought to jettison French and introduce Portuguese. Knowledge of Portuguese, combined with a greater facility in English, would enable us to service the English Language schools for the Brazilian students. It will, also, immediately open up the vista of vast call centres that could service the products of the Brazilian multinationals. The fibre optic cable, which has already landed from Brazil, will make the physical infrastructural demands quite easy to meet. Then again, if we are to take full advantage of the increased land and air transportation integration project in motion, we must have a core of translators proficient in Portuguese to deal with the paperwork and other bureaucratic demands of foreign trade. Our administration and every political party in the country agree on exploiting the advantages offered by Brazil. So why don’t we try to make that developmental option an exercisable option by having our young people learn to communicate in Portuguese?
Friday December 14, 2012
Letters... Where your views make the news
Jagan justifies his employment at OP DEAR EDITOR, This serves as my official response to a letter published in Kaieteur News on Wednesday, December 12, 2012, under the name “Disgusted Guyanese,” attempting, albeit unproductively, to call into question my qualifications. Although I would have loved the opportunity to address the actual author, it seems that this person is so lacking in mettle that he/she decided to remain anonymous—I wonder why! I shall thus address this response to the “Disgusting Guyanese” who wrote it. First and foremost, it is easily verifiable that at no time have I ever held myself out to be fully licensed and certified to practise law in Guyana or the United States. This fact can be attested to by anyone with whom I have communicated in professional, business, social or friendly contexts and settings. I have always made this clear to anyone and so, “Disgusting Guyanese,” your recital of the obvious is indeed frivolous and serves only to illustrate your own lack of fulfillment with your meager “qualifications.” Next, with regards to my signing of newspaper letters with the suffix “Esq.” and your questioning thereof; it is obvious you have not thoroughly researched U.S. case law on this point. Specifically, the use of the term “Esq.” by those who have graduated as an attorney but have not been fully licensed to practice law is not, in and of itself,
sufficient grounds to hold such person as engaging in the unauthorized practice of law, without a more overt act of holding themselves out to be fully licensed to practice law or representing a client in legal matters—overt actions which I have never performed. So, “Disgusting Guyanese,” your weak attempt to attach any such unauthorized practice of law to me by my signing of “Esq.” is futile, groundless and reflective of jealousy, which is a weak emotion you must yourself overcome. “Disgusting Guyanese” even points out that in an online discussion on Stabroek News that I myself stated that I am not fully licensed to practise law. So my fellow Guyanese, on the one hand, “Disgusting Guyanese” recites clear evidence that I have previously stated I am not fully licensed to practise law, however, on the other hand, he/she continuously states that I have held myself out to be fully licensed. How can this contradiction stand? Is it any wonder that this “person” did not state his or her true identity? I must now take an opportunity to pause and reflect briefly upon the demonstrated apparent obsession that “Disgusting Guyanese” has with me. To be honest, I think it’s rather cute, even lovable, that “Disgusting Guyanese” thinks about me so often, to the point where it entirely consumes his/her every fabric of being.
I must thank you for so diligently keeping abreast with my achievements; after all, every idol must indeed have his/her worshippers! Yes, “Disgusting Guyanese,” it was rather unfortunate that I did not pass the February 2012 New York Bar Exam, but, Cheddi Berret Jagan II came back harder and stronger than ever, passing what is regarded by every rational scholar, as the hardest examination in the entire world—without taking a preparatory class and while working a full-time job! While you are correct, “Disgusting Guyanese,” that passing the NY Bar Exam does not make me a fully licensed attorney, I should remind you that “merely” passing, outweighs every single thing you have ever accomplished in your life, even on a cumulative basis. You should understand, that my achievements and qualifications speak for themselves and are worthy of substantial envious salivation from juniors such as yourself—your feelings, sentiments and thoughts on my indisputable qualifications do not affect my self-worth whatsoever—I know what I have achieved and I am confident, given your anonymity, that it vastly dwarfs your own “feats.” Upon graduating as an attorney, albeit not fully licensed, from Florida International University in the U.S. and achieving my Juris Doctor Degree, I immediately returned home to Guyana to carry on the work of the greatest Guyanese that ever lived, Dr. and Mrs. Cheddi
Berret Jagan. I always planned on returning to the U.S. to take the final steps of becoming fully licensed— steps which, as you point out, I have been pursuing. My fellow Guyanese, “Disgusting Guyanese” stated that “one finds that [my] academic and professional qualifications cannot possibly justify [my] employment at the Office of the President.” How can this be so? While “Disgusting Guyanese” ‘adjusts the facts’, here are ‘just the facts’ : (1) I graduated in the top 10 of a U.S. American Bar Association accredited law school; (2) I was selected to the Law Dean’s List three times for exceptional performance (3) I received the highly coveted, most prestigious law degree offered in the U.S. (J.D.); (4) I studied law in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Barbados; (4) I was selected to the mock trial Board of Advocates by way of competition among nearly 50 fellow law students; and most importantly, (5) I passed the NY Bar Exam. We live at a time when many of our bright Guyanese go abroad, become highly specialized and educated, and then never return home to Guyana. And when, as I, a vastly qualified individual returns home to share his knowledge, training and expertise in expectant culmination of making Guyana a better place, ingrates, maggots and mental-midgets baselessly attempt to call into question such qualifications. Continued on page 6
Friday December 14, 2012
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
The enumerators misrepresented the situation DEAR EDITOR, We have read, with some concern, an article published in your edition of December 9 captioned “Census enumerators get shortchanged.” During the training for the 2012 Population and Housing Census the Enumerators were given clearly documented guidelines that would govern their receipt of remuneration for the field exercise. The document, titled ‘Financial and General Guidelines for 2012 Population & Housing Census’ had as its aims (1) To assist the Field Staff involved in the execution of the Census in understanding the financial procedures for payments and other related matters and (2)To facilitate timely and efficient payments to Field Staff. In addition, the document outlined the payment method and the breakdown of payments based on the verification of submitted questionnaires. The payment schedule included (1) Retainer Fee - Half ($14,000) to be paid after the completion and submission of the field work to their respective supervisors and the balance payable after checking of completed work and
certification by Supervisors and (2) Payment for completed questionnaires will be effected after checking of the work and certification of same by the Supervisors. At present work is still being submitted to the Census Office for final verification of the amount of work completed by each Enumerator and the Regional Census Coordinators themselves are also doing their respective checks before giving clearance for Enumerators to be paid both the second part of their retainer fee as well as the other fees for each properly completed and certified questionnaire. The checking and certification is necessary as a quality control measure to ensure that enumerators have actually visited residents and properly recorded their responses to the questions. In fact, during the Press Briefing hosted by the Bureau in October, the media representatives themselves had queried what were the procedures in place by the Bureau to ensure that enumerators would be paid for work actually done and if the Bureau had any systems in place to verify that
DEAR EDITOR, Corruption is evil. It becomes a greater evil when “explanations” are proffered by persons who should instead be ferreting out the perpetrators. It is a truism that corruption is a phenomenon the world over. But that should not be a justification on which we excuse away corruption in Guyana. One manifestation of corruption in Guyana is in the execution of and payment for public contracts. I have been on record more than once on substandard/ incomplete work by contractors for which payments were made in advance.
The front page expose by Kaieteur News of poor work at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court must have caused considerable embarrassment to some and begs for immediate attention by all in the decision making process. I have always lamented that the “Lowest Bidder” practice is dangerous. “You pay peanuts, you get monkeys”. Isn’t it time that defaulting Contractors be made public examples? After all, it is public money which goes to pay for these contracts. Please, let us confront corruption with a will! Taajnauth Jadunauth
DEAR EDITOR, Reference is hereby made to Freddie Kissoon’s column in a Sunday edition in which in referring to a certain former Permanent Secretary, he asked “ Whey he get duh money from “ for a swimming pool. The pool was constructed shortly after this individual manipulated the tendering and selection process for the
construction of a large building which resulted in the contract being awarded to his close friend. It was a well orchestrated devious plan whereby this individual was one of the conspirators in the trumped up charges against the former CEO of this Company who was a stumbling block to corruption and irregular practices. D Jones.
Excusing away corruption
A disclosure
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Martin Luther King, Jr.
households were actually visited as claimed and the respective information accurately recorded. Thus in cases where there are concerns about a submitted questionnaire a process for review, including the possibility of contacting the resident for information, is activated. All of these checks and certifications are necessary to ensure the Bureau gets value for money, no different from the kinds of checks that any person purchasing a service would
undertake before paying for same. More importantly, the ultimate intention of these checks is to ensure the accuracy of the Census. In this regard, persons living in Guyana are urged to confirm that they have been counted by confirming with members of their household that the home was visited and information taken. If your home was not visited please contact us on our hotlines: 227-3377 or 227-0480 to make any appointment for your household.
It is unfortunate that enumerators, though already aware of the payment process, choose to present this to the media in a manner that suggests wrongdoing on the part of the officers managing the Census. We wish to remind enumerators of the process which was documented in detail and distributed during training. We ask that they await the completion of the certification exercise for their payments. We further encourage
Enumerators to refrain from threatening conduct when enquiring about the payments. We are grateful for your continued interest in Census 2012 and for ensuring that the information is available to your readers. We stand by our commitment to provide you with the accurate information to be included in your publication as soon as possible after a request is made. Lennox Benjamin Census Officer
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 14, 2012
Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Don’t belittle the healthcare providers DEAR EDITOR, May 12 is Designated Nurses Day annually; I personally feel that on graduation, all nurses and nursing assistants should be applauded and congratulated because they supplement a valuable resource in the provision of Healthcare. Just recently, on December 2012 a batch graduated and I would like to pay tribute to them and all who have served in this profession over the years. Florence Nightingale
arguably initiated the nursing movement in Europe. Since that time, thousands of women and men have chosen to devote their working lives to nursing. There is no longer any doubt that as the care provider closest to the inpatient, the outpatient and the patient attending health centres throughout Guyana, the nurse, patient care assistant and nursing assistant are now an integral part of the professional health care team and not just glorified boilers
of water, removers of stitches, appliers of band-aids and bandages, or those ordered to pass this or pass that. As nurses they have carved out for themselves and accepted the responsibilities of true professionals; they have demanded the right to be treated as such, and in fact it has become increasingly clear that they rightfully refuse to accept anything less. As a consequence, healthcare institutions are increasingly being forced to
discard long held assumptions- including the one that nurses are ineligible to raise their immediate families without giving up their careers; this is now being accommodated. Policies giving nurses more input into patient assessment and appropriate care are rapidly being developed and widely implemented. In the not too distant future one can reasonably forecast that nurses will be provided access to legal education and
legal counsel. Finally, based on respect and trust, systems have also been implemented to encourage nurses to enter into frank discussions regarding concerns about total patient care without antagonism, fear of threats or repercussions from physicians and other health professionals.
Nurses in Guyana have for decades served their employers, their patients and their communities well. This letter takes the opportunity to thank and acknowledge Guyana’s nurses, an increasingly valuable resource in the provision of healthcare. George L. Munroe CEO (R’td) GPHC
DEAR EDITOR, Emile Mervin’s letter in Kaieteur News, December 11, 2012 titled, “Those denied radio licence should file a class action lawsuit for being discriminated against.” His proposition is commendable and will be effective in a normal, functional democratic society. As is the case with so many worrisome issues we face, Guyana is not the normal ‘Democratic Society’. To begin, our Courts are overburdened and slothful. With the tedium of likely appeals by the State, we can be talking about many months, if not years. It is my considered opinion that only two parallel options are available in order to save Guyana. These are prayers and a revolutionary approach to deal with our many social and political challenges, arrogance and corruption.
Have we noticed that even subordinates who operate out of high places display a level of disdain for ordinary folks? So, we should ask our religious bodies to pray fervently for Divine help. Next, advise those who have applied for radio licence to set up their equipment to start transmission for the benefit of our people, to allow us to hear both sides of the story. It is my considered view that only this course of action will bring this stubborn and disrespectful administration to its senses, to remind it that when asked thirteen months ago, the majority said “We have no faith in you” the People’s Progressive Party. Guyana now needs take the struggle to the next level by getting in a revolutionary mode-starting with civil disobedience. Truly we are left with no other choice. Hamilton Green
From page 4 I ask you “Disgusting Guyanese,” to please point out anyone who has amassed such esteemed and respected qualifications that would be better suited to be employed within the Office of the President. Are there any other U.S. trained Juris Doctors in Guyana that I don’t know about? Moreover, what are your own “qualifications” which would justify your right to judge or assess me? I wish to leave “Disgusting Guyanese” with something to ponder, especially in the context of his multiple references to my salary. “Disgusting Guyanese,” I am a U.S. trained attorney who has just passed the NY Bar Exam—do you honestly believe that if money was my foremost interest, I would have ever returned to
Guyana? Do you not realize that the salary I am paid at Office of the President is a mere fraction of what I could earn in the U.S. right now without being a fully licensed attorney? Come on “Disgusting Guyanese”—Get Real and while you’re at it, get a life! I returned home to carry on my grandparents’ work and to assist the Government of Guyana in making our nation better for all of our Guyanese brothers and sisters—clearly money was never what brought me home. So, “Disgusting Guyanese,” I implore you to continue “googling” my name and looking out for the many more subsequent achievements that are coming my way. Enjoy—I know I will. Cheddi Berret Jagan II, Esq.
Try civil disobedience
Jagan justifies his employment...
Friday December 14, 2012
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Freddie Kissoon should conduct his own polls DEAR EDITOR, I write in response to Mr. Freddie Kissoon’s missive (KN Nov 24). After being provided the information umpteen times, Kissoon stated he would still like to know about my employment and academic employment. Reputable individuals like Mahadeo Persaud and Baytoram Ramharack, both of whom taught with me at the same building, penned letters of my employment as did Mr. Annan Boodram, who I often met at union meetings (as leader of the union in my building of about 135 members). Several others like Vassan Ramracha, Lionel Peters, Ravi Dev, etc. penned similar notations confirming my employment. Stabroek News published my work site through which Mr. Kissoon penned a query to the principal of my school and received affirmation of my job status. It would seem that Kissoon has an insidious agenda or something is not quite right in his frame of thought. He should follow Annan Boodram’s advice. Mr. Kissoon contends that SN has allowed me “too
much latitude without demanding answers about my status in the US”. My status in the US is very legitimate and has nothing to do with my writings or my polling. Contrary to what Mr. Kissoon penned some time ago, putting down IndoGuyanese, not all IndoGuyanese live in basement apartments in the Bronx and not all are illegal (nothing wrong with being a basement dweller as I was told Kissoon himself was a basement dweller in Canada. Contrary to what Kissoon stated, the status and existence of NACTA was laid out in the media umpteen times and addressed by Vassan Ramracha, Annan Boodram, myself and others. Yet Kissoon simply refused to accept those statements of affirmation. Kissoon stated that he has collected releases of NACTA polls over a ten-year period. I applaud him for the dedication and commitment shown in ardently following the NACTA polls conducted in various societies. He also stated he has been keeping track of my frequent travels
overseas and contends it is not possible for any academic to travel so often. I thank Freddie for the interest shown in my travels. I hope he is not jealous. I can arrange for Mr. Kissoon to travel every month. All he needs to do is prove I am not a teacher and I will buy monthly tickets for him and his wife to travel every month to whatever destination they choose including for hotels, meals, sightseeing, etc. If Mr. Kissoon cannot prove I am not a teacher, can he do same for me? I love to travel and have been doing so over many years with grants, scholarships, etc. studying and writing on various societies. It is possible to travel every month while working as a teacher or academic in New York. Please note, Freddie that I once was granted a paid sabbatical (given to senior teachers based on years of experience) and traveled to the Philippines, Morocco, Indonesia, etc. conducting research on multi-ethnic societies. The N.Y school year has many breaks which I use to
travel to educate myself (as a travel writer and researcher) about other societies – something Mr. Kissoon, who was an academic, was and still is deficient. Mr. Boodram previously explained the practicality of an NYC educator working in the classroom and traveling. Mr. Kissoon refuses to accept Boodram’s explanation stating “no school operates that way”. Kissoon states that he has “no respect for my socalled scholarship”. Why then is he collecting my writings and why is he so obsessed with my work, polls and travels? No one can accuse me of distortion, misinformation and misunderstanding of social science concepts, etc. No publisher or editor of a newspaper has ever accused me of being dishonest or lying. The same cannot be said of Kissoon. Kissoon is right in stating that I perambulate around the world. But he fails to mention that I do so to promote Guyana (out of my own expenses) and to lobby for assistance for my homeland so people like Freddie can
become a beneficiary. Kissoon knows I spent two decades in the struggle (traveling quite a lot at my own expenses) to liberate Guyana from the yoke of the dictatorship so Freddie can have freedom to attack me and denigrate Indo-Guyanese (as Bronx basement dwellers) in his KN columns. Kissoon is obsessed and engrossed with my job. My employment has nothing to do with my activities relating to Guyana, the liberation struggle or the community where I live or the Guyanese (Caribbean, Indian) diaspora or polling. Kissoon penned that he asked a New York Times reporter to conduct research on my job and the reporter came up empty. He said he also did his own research and found that “I am not employed as a teacher anywhere in the world”. Bravo! Well done Freddie! You will get a prize of free monthly travel if you can provide the proof. Kissoon stated he feels I am a real estate agent because of some joke Dr. Ravi Dev played on him. If Freddie can provide proof of my real estate
license, I will give him my home immediately. Any competent researcher would be able to find out if a person is a teacher, real estate agent, a college graduate, universities attended if you know how to do your research. I worked several years as an assistant to the librarians at CCNY, NYU and CUNY Grad School before becoming a full time teacher. I master the field of research and could find information on anyone’s degree and academic position long before the internet was invented. Vassan Ramracha and Baytoram Ramharack can attest to my library skills because they also worked at the CCNY library with me. I note that at one time, Kissoon was totally against the papers publishing my polls. One positive aspect of his position is SN and KN should publish the polls but under my own name and not NACTA’s. Suddenly, Kissoon accepts my right to write and disseminate info. Thanks, Fred, for giving the media permission to publish my polls. Vishnu Bisram
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 14, 2012
Angry passengers storm EZjet again While the Chief Executive Officer of EZjet is in custody in the United States, staffers at the airline’s Guyana office had a hard time calming a group of irate passengers demanding repayment for services that were never provided. According to those present, yesterday was supposed to be the day the airline would have refunded them their travel fare. Instead, they said they were paraded as fools, having been told by the airline’s employees to make lines to receive numbers to be served. They said another staffer later collected names and contact numbers, and subsequent to that, passengers were told that “the Ministry has the money and they would be contacting persons for reimbursements”. That however, did not seat well with the angry group who bluntly indicated their refusal to adhere to any more of the company’s excuses.
“We thought they giving us numbers so one by one we can get we money. Now they saying de Ministry get we money…Which Ministry?” a woman shouted. Numerous persons argued that they had visited the office on previous days and were told that on December 13 repayments would be made. When Kaieteur News arrived, the hallways were packed, which is more than could be said for the airline’s office. Passengers screamed and threatened violence if they did not get their money “today (yesterday)” Many of them had cited the dishonesty of the firm, claiming that they were being pushed around. One woman said she travelled from the US to reclaim her money noting that had the airline been frank and said they could not return the money, she “would have knocked my stomach and accepted”. Instead, she said
her husband was told that she, the ticket’s purchaser, had to collect the money, and he could not do so on her behalf. The woman said now that she is in Guyana they are giving her a different story. “I’m not hearing it. I want my money. Apart from what I buy from them, I had to pay additional money to fly to Guyana and now they telling me what!” Another woman said she wanted her money that was paid to EZjet and the additional sum that was paid to Caribbean Airlines for her return home. A man charged that he is owed over $400,000 since he bought tickets for his whole family. His trip was made all the way from Berbice, like several others who wanted the media to hear their stories. The police were later called in and this enraged the passengers even more. Coupled with that, the insensitive approach of what appeared to be a senior
A section of the irate crowd at the airline’s office staffer, swinging in her chair while she spoke to the crowd, caused expletives to go her way. She tried to get the media out of the office, citing that what she had to say did not concern the media. The people were however adamant that the media remain. They charged that they had no concern with the
police since, “When the airline was collecting their money, they did not call the police.” To the end, the Ministry of Works was identified as “holding the airline’s money”. Even though the staffers refused to talk to the media, passengers said they were
told that the airline had paid a bond to the Government in case anything went wrong, and it was them (the Ministry) who would repay the money. The passengers were told that nothing could be done for them at this time, and one by one they reluctantly left the fallen airline’s office.
EZjet boss faces ... From page 2 Inc. account at PNC Bank. The name EZjet and Sonny Ramdeo Inc. account at PNC Bank. The name EZjet and Sonny Ramdeo became well known in Guyana over the past year after the low-cost charter started flying the New York to Georgetown route in December last year. There were immediately questions about the source of financing and his mysterious investors. The Guyana Government said that EZjet and Ramdeo passed inspection and that the US and other territories had conducted similar due diligence. Ramdeo flew to Guyana earlier this year with a management team and during a press conference, insisted that it was his own money, taken from savings, his pension and stock options and mortgage, that was financing the charter. He also denied that former President Bharrat Jagdeo and Jagdeo’s close friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, who manages Queens Atlantic Inc, had shares in EZjet. In early November, EZjet had its licence revoked by the US Department of Transportation after Swift Air, an Arizona-based aircraft company, complained that the low-cost charter owed them a significant sum of money. Guyana, Trinidad and Toronto, Canada followed suit. Workers walked out of the New York office not long after leaving passengers unsure how they would get back hundreds of thousands of US dollars.
HIDING Earlier this week, EZjet criticized Government over its decision to grant Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flag carrier status, and vowed to return to full operations by Easter next year. EZjet said that it has found investors. It had made no secret that it may have been interested in the status which allows an airline a number of lucrative concessions in the host country. Yesterday, the country manager, Rosalinda Rasul said that stranded Guyanese passengers who descended on the offices yesterday, could be owed as much as $50M, with over 300 of them to be refunded. The company’s Georgetown office had issued cheques to a number of stranded Guyanese passengers with a pay date of December 14. Yesterday, she begged stranded passengers in Guyana not to take those cheques to the bank as there is no money in the EZjet accounts. She said that Government is now handling refunds. Government is holding US$200,000 ($40M) in a passengers’ security deposit for EZjet. Yesterday, Rasul distanced herself from the Ramdeo arrest, making it clear that she was not aware of any suspicious monies in EZjet’s accounts in Guyana. She is unaware of the status of the bank accounts of EZjet in the US. Only Ramdeo knew about all of the company’s finances. The official was unclear what would happen to the passengers in New York who were left stranded.
Friday December 14, 2012
Kaieteur News
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POLITICS IS FUN IN GUYANA… AND FUNNY TOO! Guyana is the best country in the world. The level of political humour found here is unmatched anywhere else in the world. Two recent events illustrate how funny politics can be in Guyana and why it is such an enjoyable pastime for many. The first was a statement made by an official of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, to the effect that permission was not given to the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) for the use of the National Stadium by the players selected to represent Guyana at next month’s regional 20/20 cricket tournament. The second statement of humour was made by the m a i n o p p o s i t i o n p a r t y, complaining over the Government Information Agency (GINA)’s language and opinion. In short, it is concerned about the language used by GINA and its opinions. This is another way of saying that it has problems with the sort of bias shown by GINA. Why would it have an issue with the opinion of GINA? What else does the opposition expect? GINA is the government information agency and it is expected to be one-sided. Its job is to promote the business of the government, not to be balanced. Since when does the opposition expect GINA to be balanced? The complaint by the opposition is so funny
that it should make international headlines as one of the most comical statements ever made. In should be recalled that GINA was one of the agencies which was subject to Budget cuts by the opposition. When this happened the government was quick to point out the absurdity of the opposition’s justification, because the job of a government information agency is to be partial to the government. Now that the opposition is confirming that GINA is biased, it means that GINA is being effective in its job and therefore should expect the opposition to, in next year’s budget, restore the amounts that were cut. But politics in Guyana got funnier when there was a reaction to a question raised by someone connected to the government-appointed Interim Management Committee. The official wanted to know how come the Guyana Cricket Boardselected team was utilizing a government facility to train the players selected. This was a logical question, because it is known that the Guyana government does not recognize the Guyana Cricket Board and has been trying to impose its will on the management of local cricket. Therefore the question was asked as to how the government, which does not recognize the GCB, could give permission for a GCB team to
Dem boys seh...
Sonny Ass-tin in jail Sonny sleeping in a pumpkin jumpsuit pun a cot. He deh in a room more small than somebody toilet and he crying hard hard. He is a clear case of moon does run till day ketch am. When de Feds call he, he duck and hide. Thanksgiving come and he still ducking, but dem boys seh that he like talk. He couldn’t help going pun Skype and de Feds was watching. When dem pick he up he beg dem fuh keep it a secret, because he know de Waterfalls boss man did tell he that he gun go to jail. He remember that de Waterfalls boss man find out that he didn’t have two cents to watch two bug wine. And is now dem boys know he whole name. Dem always know Sonny but dem didn’t know Ass-tin was he second name. Now he Ass in pickle and he heading to jail. Was Auntie Dora who was waiting fuh he, but it look like if she want Sonny Ass she got
to travel to Florida to try de case and that ain’t likely. This was a man who thief and claim how is he money. He just like some of dem in Guyana who does thief people money and claim how is dem own. Sonny tell de people how de money was he pension. Well dem boys seh that pension is fuh old folks and indeed, when Sonny come out of jail he gun be real old. De people he thief from only miss US$5.4 million. De Feds find out that he thief US$20 million. He didn’t even try to pay he mortgage. Dem boys seh that some of dem Minister in de Government like thief man because when de Waterfalls paper talk bout Sonny Asstin, de man wid de hammer get vex wid de Waterfalls paper. Well he can’t save Sonny and he certainly can’t save some of dem who heading to wheh Sonny deh. Talk half and don’t feel sorry fuh Sonny Ass.
use the National Stadium, and more so considering that the government’s IMC had also named its own team. The We s t Indies Cricket Board has, however, not allowed the government to run roughshod over one of its affiliates and has refused to budge from its position that it recognizes only the Guyana Cricket Board, and will not countenance government interference. The GCB is not illegal as is being misrepresented. The Courts have ruled that the GCB has no legal personality. This simply means that it
cannot sue in its own name or be sued, but this lack of legal personality does not delegitimize the GCB. The government of Guyana, which is peddling the line that the court deemed the GCB as illegal, has since found itself in a serious dilemma. It knows that if it does not allow the team that was selected by the GCB and a c c e p t e d b y t h e We s t Indies Board to participate in next m o n t h ’s competition to utilize national facilities for training purposes, there will be a huge public
outcry that the government is subverting the team’s chances in that tournament. The players will also be angry, since they know that if they win this tournament, they will go to the lucrative Champions League later next year. Some of the players are also hoping to use this tournament to impress the West Indies selectors. So there is a lot at stake for the team and the players. On the other hand, the government cannot be seen to be giving recognition to the GCB. When the question was
therefore asked as to what was the GCB team was doing training at the National Stadium, the authorities had to find an explanation, and they found the most comical of reasons to justify their actions. They said that permission was not given to the GCB, but to the players. So whose team do the players represent?
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=== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ===
Savage Street in a savage land Day by day, little by little, the ordinary John Public, the poor and the powerless are giving up on the preservation of their inherent rights in Guyana. Whatever they are entitled to by virtue of being citizens, they are surrendering it to the wealthy classes. The question is, does the wealthy class contribute more
than the working people or to put it another way, aren’t the rich and the ordinary entitled to the ownership of Guyana? My column for Thursday, September 20, reported on an incident outside of Steve’s Jewellery Store in relation to parking. I forgot to mention that my friend, Vincent Alexander, from UG, witnessed the encounter.
I was prevented from parking on the grassy parapet in front of the store even though I wasn’t blocking the entrance and there were seven more vacant parking slots available because it was early in the morning. I refused to move; I summoned the police. The owner said that he spent money to concrete the space. My reply was, “then he owns the parapet.” The police told him that such expenditure did not give him the right to possess the parapet and exclude others. The police specifically told him that the entrance was not blocked and there is available space for customers, so I was not infringing on his business. Before I leave this aspect of the discussion, I need to remind readers that I was on the public parapet. I was involved in an uncannily identical incident last Tuesday on Sheriff Street. It took place outside the Maharaj Restaurant right next door to Survival Supermarket. Before a description of this second occurrence let us visit some places – Caricom Secretariat, International
Convention Centre, National Aquatic Centre and Buddy’s Pool Hall. I live next to the first one, and very near to two of the others. All four of these places have parking facilities on their property itself. Take Buddy’s Pool Hall. On the private property of this business is customer parking. Then there is the trench, then the parapet that touches Sheriff Street. You can’t go into Buddy’s Pool Hall’s customer facility and stop your car and go shopping. But you can certainly do so near to the business place on the parapet without blocking the entrance. Caricom, the Convention Centre and the Aquatic Centre all have inside parking so you can leave your car on the railway embankment near to these places and just wander off. On Tuesday morning, I left my car on the parapet that touches Sheriff Street in front of the Maharaj Restaurant. This business place has facility on its property for its customers, plus a concrete placement over the trench. I had no idea that the owner would stop you even if you are on the parapet. The guard
did that and I refused to move. A man came out and suggested I leave. I don’t know if he was the manager or owner. I refused and told him I would comply with the police request so he should call the police. He in turn told me I should bring the police. I did just that. I drove to Kitty Police Station, saw three ranks in a patrol jeep and they accompanied me. The police in my presence told him that the parapet was state property (the words the police used). He agreed and said I could remain there. This is a new trend where huge business places are hogging large chunks of public property. Last month, I refused the guard’s request to move my car outside of Hand In Hand Insurance Company, even though I was on North Road itself. Again I called the police. The police chose not to evict me. Do you know Hand In Hand touches four streets – Robb Street, Avenue of the Republic, North Road and Savage Street? And the company occupies all four streets for their own parking? In Savage Street, there is
Frederick Kissoon a private employee facility where the employees enter and leave on Savage Street, but Hand In Hand preserves that section and uses North Road to enter and exit and put two barriers blocking citizens from parking on North Road. I told the guard and the police that was wrong. Let the employees enter and exit from Savage Street. I removed the two barriers and I left my car there and went to the Post Office. The guard was conciliatory, but I still brought the police. I want Hand In Hand to know that they are not going to stop me from parking on North Road which belongs to all Guyanese I urge other citizens to stand up for their rights. Guyana belongs to all of us.
Friday December 14, 2012
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Digicel calls for ‘end date’ to liberalisation process
Digicel CEO Mr. Gregory Dean and Public Relations Officer Shonnet Moore at the company’s end-of-year press conference yesterday “We would like liberalisation yesterday, but whether the delay is deliberate or not, I’m not sure that that is a question for Digicel,” said Chief Executive Officer of Digicel Guyana, Mr. Gregory Dean. He was at the time
responding to questions from the media at the company’s end-of-year press conference at its Barrack and Fort Streets, Kingston, Georgetown, headquarters, which was intended to highlight the company’s successes and
challenges over the past year. “The critical thing at this juncture is an end date for the whole process, which will allow the players in the market to have some certainty as to when liberalisation will happen and be able to plan
accordingly.” Liberalisation, according to Dean, continues to be the main challenge faced by the company even as he alluded to the recent move by Government to engage a period of negotiation with the players within the telecommunication sector. The move came after a decision by Government last month to push Bills relating to the transformation of the telecommunication sector further down the parliamentary agenda. In fact when Prime Minister Samuel Hinds was called upon to move the second reading of the Bills, he requested that Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman, allow for both the Telecommunications and Public Utilities Commission (Amendment) Bills be deferred. This move, he explained to the National Assembly, is to allow for meetings with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and Digicel Guyana. The two companies are currently the only two entities providing
telephone services locally. Once the Telecommunications Bill, which was first tabled in the National Assembly last year August, is made into law it will effectively ensure that no company is able to monopolise the sector. Moreover, it will cater to not only an open communication sector but also one that is liberalised and competitive. According to Dean, Digicel has already responded to the draft legislation that was made available by Government and “our position remains the same...we still believe, in terms of a liberalised market, an opportunity should be given to all players so that they can compete; so that we can see exactly what competition can bring in the sector.” “We don’t believe that we should go from one extreme of a monopoly to a heavily regulated (sector) where you don’t give operators a chance to compete and to drive innovation and development through competition.” Further still, Dean said
Cigarette manufacturers in the region will soon be forced to print health warnings covering almost half of its display area, CARICOM announced Wednesday. The CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), the trade arm of the 15-member Caribbean regional body which met for two days in Guyana this week, at its Thirty-Fifth Meeting, made an historic decision by adopting the Regional Standard for the Labeling of Retail Packages of Tobacco Products as presented by the CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ). All member states present at the meeting voted in favour of the new measures, CARICOM said. “CARICOM member states have now taken a major
step in meeting a significant obligation under Article 11 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to which most member states are signatories and which entered into force in February 2005.” According to Article 11, countries which are a party to the Convention, within a period of three years after entry into force, have to adopt and implement effective measures to ensure tobacco packages are labeled according to guidelines developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) FCTC Secretariat. “The Convention calls for parties to, among other requirements, implement rotating health warnings on tobacco packaging that covers at least 30 per cent ideally 50 per cent - of the display areas, which may
that Digicel believes that all of the players in the market should be subjected to all the same terms and conditions, even as he underscored that when the relevant legislation is enacted it should not give preference or priority to any one party. According to Dean, too, Digicel has been involved in various consultative engagements over the past two or three years, but “nothing much” as it relates to the legislation has changed. “Most of the legislation that we have seen, whether it is from the Alliance for Change (AFC), the Government, or the revised Government legislation...they are broadly in line with each other; we haven’t seen much change.” Dean said that although there were assurances that there will be liberalisation, he is convinced that the key thing is to have a timetable because “without a timetable we are pretty much back at square one, where we are talking about we don’t have an end date in mind.”
Up to 50% of cigarette packets must display health warnings - CARICOM
New CARICOM regulations will mandate cigarette packages sold in the region to have health warnings covering up to 50% of the display area. include pictures or pictograms,” CARICOM said in its statement. “In adopting the Regional Standard on Tobacco Labeling, CARICOM countries would have met this important obligation. In so doing, CARICOM Member States have also met the related obligation under the Port-of-Spain Declaration (2007) on Non– Communicable Diseases.” CARICOM said that all manufacturers, importers, retailers and other entities engaged in the production and or trade of tobacco products within any member state of CARICOM need to comply with the regional standards.
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UG Council defends VC choice ...insists selection process was transparent
Dr. Prem Misir (fourth from right) and Vincent Alexander (to Dr. Misir’s immediate right) are flanked by UG Council members.
Concerted efforts were made yesterday to defend the selection and approval of Nigerian-born, Dr Jacob Opadeyi for the position of Vice Chancellor (VC) at the University of Guyana. At a press conference held at the University’s Turkeyen Campus Education Lecture Theatre, Pro Chancellor Dr. Prem Misir and Registrar Mr. Vincent Alexander, backed by members of the Council’s Sub Committee, which was tasked with selecting the best candidate for the post, were frank in their responses as they sought to clear the air on any concerns relating to the Council’s choice for VC. Among the Council members in attendance
yesterday were Private Sector Representative, Mr. Samuel Goolsaran; Education Ministry Representative, Mrs. Melcita Bovell; Academic Board Representative, Mr. Phillip Da Silva; UG Student Society Representative, Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul and politicians Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and Ms. Gail Teixeira. Teixeira, in responding to questions from the media, firmly insisted that the decision to choose Dr. Opadeyi was in fact a unanimous one by the SubCommittee, which was subsequently sent to and approved by the Council on Wednesday. According to Teixeira, the
process prior to the selection allowed each candidate to show their strengths and weaknesses and in the final cut, the Sub-Committee determined that Dr. Opadeyi was the best candidate for the University. He is the holder of a Ph.D in Surveying and Engineering and an Executive Masters in Business Administration. Teixeira said that not only are Dr. Opadeyi’s qualifications laudable, but his understanding of management is equally praiseworthy. She explained that the position of VC is a management undertaking, adding that the role of Dr. Opadeyi will in fact be that of “Chief Executive Officer of the University of Guyana. This is
$2.5M in fuel unaccounted for at Bartica Police Station - Sergeant busted, Barrack Room labourer being investigated The Guyana Police Force has launched an internal investigation into a discrepancy, totaling $2.5M, in fuel purchases by the Bartica Police Station. The discrepancy was unearthed about a month ago, but the Force had been silent on the matter. Under investigation are a Sergeant, and a Barrack Room labourer, who also acts as a coxswain, both attached to the Bartica Police Station. The Sergeant has since been relieved of his command of the station and is now serving at the Tactical Services Unit, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary. But the hammer may not fall on these two only, since there are reports that investigators are looking to find out to what extent the
lack of proper supervision from senior officers contributed to the present situation. This newspaper was reliably informed that the labourer, who operates the police boat at Bartica, would collect fuel for the vessel from a petrol station in the district. However, he would normally collect more than he is authorized to, ignorant of the fact that there is an established quota of fuel for the station. It must have been that the extra-fuel bill became so high over a period of months that caused eyebrows to be raised. Concerns were raised and it was discovered that the labourer was collecting extra fuel which was charged to the police.
According to information received by this newspaper, this smacks of supervisory irregularities, since a senior officer should have been aware of what was taking place before it reached such alarming proportions. Normally, an officer in charge of the Bartica Police Station would contact the supplier and authorize the amount of fuel to be collected, but in the case of the labourer and the boat, this was not done, leading investigators to believe that there was also some amount of collusion. Reliable sources have indicated that criminal charges are likely to be instituted upon completion of the investigation by the police’s Office of Professional Responsibility.
the person that we felt was most competent for the University of Guyana at this time and I think the underlying issue, or the most important issue, is that this was a decision that was unanimously taken both at the sub-committee and at the Council.” Adding his view of the selection process, Dr. Roopnaraine said that the new VC was chosen from a list of shortlisted candidates who are all highly qualified academics with the potential to bring to the university a lot of expertise. In addition to Dr. Opadeyi, who is currently a serving professor at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Professors Rory Fraser, Muniram Budhu and Jaipaul Singh, were shortlisted for the position. According to Dr. Roopnaraine, several other outstanding applicants
showed interest in the university, despite the fact that there is a great deal of work to be done to transform it to an acceptable state. “We really need to deal with wide-ranging reforms and wide-ranging assessments of our present governance, structure, curricula, operations of the faculties...all of these things need to be done, and we believe that in selecting Professor Opadeyi, what we have done is gone for the person we believe has the energy, the openness, the innovation and so on, and that I believe gave him the edge over the other candidates.” In fact Dr. Roopnaraine said that he was very surprised by the calibre of all the applicants for the position, given what is being offered by the university and the magnitude of work that has to be undertaken. “It was very encouraging to us, and given the amount of work to be done here at the institution, we believed that whoever we chose will have the support of the entire campus.” Dr. Roopnaraine stressed that a crucial role that now sits on the shoulders of the Council, having selected the VC, is to unite the campus behind Dr. Opadeyi, since without that, the institution will continue to stumble. Speaking to the transparency of the process, Pro Chancellor Misir related that approximately one year ago the University articulated and initiated a policy that now requires the advertisement of its statutory officers, including Vice Chancellor, Bursar, Registrar and Director of the Berbice Campus, whenever their contracts expire. In each instance, he explained, the incumbent is treated as an applicant if he or she expresses an interest in continuing in the post.
Dr. Jacob Opadeyi With this in mind and given Professor Lawrence Carrington’s intimation of not being desirous of being considered for a new contract, the University earlier this year invited applications for the VC position, Dr. Misir disclosed. In response to the advertisement which was carried internationally, regionally and locally, 18 applications were received. In order to choose the best suited candidate, Dr. Misir said that the University’s Council established an elaborate process in keeping with best practices. “This process included the establishment of criteria for shortlisting, the actual shortlisting, a menu of interviewing activities and a recommendation and approval process,” the Pro Chancellor disclosed, adding that all of these stages were reported on and approved by the Council. The selection of Dr. Opadeyi for VC was approved on Wednesday at the level of Council, paving the way for an official announcement yesterday. Dr. Opadeyi has since consented to the offer. He is expected to shortly engage officials at UG in relation to his association and the terms and conditions under which he will be contracted, Dr. Misir disclosed.
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GPHC reinstates nurses just as GPSU threatens “civil disobedience” By Zena Henry The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) yesterday afternoon threatened “civil disobedience” if public service workers cannot be protected by the rule of law. Union President Patrick Yarde said that pressure would be intensified if senior persons within the system “continue to work arbitrarily against public service workers”. Yarde was speaking directly to what he called a “crude” response from the head of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in relation to calls for a meeting to discuss the dismissal of two nurses and
GPSU President Patrick Yarde the suspension of another. The Union’s intended action was however effectively nullified when the
GPHC Board of Directors later in the day announced, via press release, the reinstatement of the three nurses. It was indicated that the Board met yesterday “in relation to the action taken against (3) nurses in the matter concerning the larceny of five (5) vials of Morphine injections from the institution”. It was stated that the disciplinary letters were rescinded and the nurses will be advised that their act is violation of hospital protocol for ordering, storage and use of narcotics “of which they are aware”. The hospital further noted that the matter would be referred to the Nursing Council.
Yarde during the GPSU’s press conference had accused Chief Executive Officer of GPHC, Michael Khan of “ignoring calls to hold a meeting” with the body slated to represent the hospital staff. He charged that the CEO did not follow procedure in disciplining the nurses, by denying them the opportunity to a fair hearing and union representation. Chairman of the hospital branch and GPSU member, Kemton Alexander, had told media operatives that on August 21 this year, a letter was received from the hospital CEO, informing them that five ampoules of morphine injection were
missing from the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit. The CEO also penned that the police had been called in to conduct investigations. The union, Alexander said, responded in support of the hospital’s position but to date, there had been no update on the police investigations. Instead, in what GPSU called “an unethical and unprofessional and deceitful act”, the nurses were served with dismissal letters on December 3. The situation had prompted the start of a picket exercise outside the hospital. This was in resistance to the “high handed approach by the hospital management to arbitrarily dismiss and suspend the nurses without giving them a fair hearing,” Alexander noted. In a letter that was subsequently dispatched by
GPSU to the hospital CEO, Alexander said it was noted the union’s concern and displeasure with the procedure adopted by management which did not conform to, “natural justice.” The concern, he had related, was centered on the nurses not being given a hearing and the representation of the workers’ recognized union. Yarde however emphasized that that the dismissal was in the first place disturbing since the matter of information sharing was discussed in hospitalunion meetings as a bilateral engagement. The hospital management, he claimed, waited until he was out of the country to make the arbitrary dismissal. He had noted that if a meeting was not called within five days, strike action would be considered.
Slain businessman cremated - cops still to test blood samples
Murdered Annandale businessman Kamal Ramsahoye was cremated yesterday, with police still to apprehend his killers or ascertain whether his death is the result of a robbery or other motive. The 35-year-old man was cremated at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara. Ramsahoye, who lived alone at his Annandale Market Road property, which houses his business, was found dead in the bottom flat of the building with multiple stab wounds at around 07:30 hrs last Sunday. The flat was ransacked and it is believed that the killers fled with cash and other valuables. However, Kaieteur News understands that police are still unsure whether robbery was the primary motive. The victim was stabbed seven times in the back and twice in the chest, and one source suggested that the brutality of the attack might indicate that the motive might have been revenge. Detectives are working on the theory that Ramsahoye was attacked shortly after he opened up his property and went into his yard through the back door, since there was no sign of forced entry. There is speculation that the victim knew his attackers. After killing Ramsahoye, the killers apparently scaled a high fence enforced with razor wire and escaped, but in the process left a trail of blood. A police source said that while Crime Scene personnel took samples of the blood, those are still to be tested to ascertain whether it came from the killers. The businessman’s body
Kamal Ramsahoye was found by his brother, Kumar Ramsahoye, who lives a few houses away. The brother said that his sibling, who is separated from his wife, would usually “come over in the morning for breakfast.” He said that when Kamal did not come over on Sunday, he tried contacting him on his telephone but got no answer. The sibling said that he decided to visit his brother and found the back door to the bottom flat open and Kamal lying in a pool of blood in the house. None of the neighbours recalled seeing anyone enter or leave the businessman’s premises. The dead man’s wife, Narda Sookram, turned up about two hours after the discovery of her husband’s body. She told Kaieteur News that she and Ramsahoye married last April but they became estranged following several interventions by his relatives.
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Murder accused freed after Boy, 9, struck by pickup truck five years behind bars
Mark Massiah (left) thanks his attorney Charrandass Persaud After more than five years in jail for a crime which he admitted he had committed, but had done so in selfdefence to save his life, 44year-old murder accused Mark Exteen Massiah called ‘Red man’ was on Wednesday freed of the capital offence in the Berbice
High Court following a no case submission made by his lawyer Charrandass Persaud. Massiah stood before Justice Roxanne GeorgeWiltshire and a mixed jury. Justice George-Wiltshire upheld the no case submission made by Massiah’s attorney and
directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty of murder. Massiah was on trial with Sean Benjamin called ‘Blacka’ or ‘Black boy’, of Rosignol, for the murder of Ian Adonis called ‘Safo’ or ‘Iron”’ of 30 Edward Street, Rosignol on August 29, 2007, at Rosignol , West Coast Berbice. After legal arguments and the testimony of retired police detective sergeant Winston Gravesande, who was the lead investigator in the matter, Dr. Vivekanand Brijmohan, who conducted the post mortem examination, took the stand and gave the cause of death as cerebral hemorrhage and a fractured skull. The defence then opted to present their no case submission in the absence of the jury. Attorney Persaud put forward the case that it was the deceased who was the aggressor. He said the man had entered a shack where Massiah was staying and attacked him with a knife and took away his money. The lawyer said that two other times during the night the man attacked his client forcing him (Massiah) to defend himself.
There were no eyewitnesses and the prosecution’s star witness, Leslyn Nightingale, did not implicate Massiah in the murder. It was the accused himself who admitted to the crime, but stated that it was committed in self-defence. After legal arguments by both Prosecutor Prithina Kissoon and Defence Counsel Persaud, the Judge concurred with the defence. When the matter was adjourned, attorney for Sean Benjamin, Raymond Ali, was arguing his case for a no case submission. The matter is continuing. After being freed Massiah told the media that he was a ‘Jack of all trades’ including being a seaman and he lived in various parts of Guyana. He said that he has been converted to Christianity and is a full-fledged Seventh Day Adventist, having being converted while being in jail. He stated that he always had faith in God that he would be freed. The father of two stated that he is not too sure where he would stay, but will be seeking out his family and would be preaching God’s word to all parts that he traverses.
Nine –year-old Farzad Khan, is now a patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation after being struck by a pickup truck shortly after lunch yesterday at Broad and Ketley Streets, Charlestown. According to eyewitnesses, the child was making his way across Broad Street on a pedestrian crossing, when a speeding pick-up slammed into him.
Kaieteur News was also told that upon realizing that he hit the boy, the driver of the vehicle attempted to flee the scene. However, several donkey cart operators confronted him, took away the keys to his vehicle, and summoned the police. The child was then rushed to the hospital in an unconscious state. As of last evening the boy was said to be in a stable condition.
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Concerned sugar-producing countries want more EU help - Warn about quota shortfall
Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett Sugar-producing nations, affected by Europe’s decision to fully open its markets after 2015, want more financial help in face of growing hardship. Financial assistance has been significantly reduced by the European Union (EU) and those countries could face the very real possibility of not meeting quotas. Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who is attending the Ministerial Meeting of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group in Equatorial Guinea, on Tuesday reported to the ACP Ministerial Council on the deliberations of the 4th ACP Ministerial Committee on Sugar. Minister RodriguesBirkett chaired the latter Committee on the 10th December 2012 in the absence of her colleague from Mauritius. According to the Minister, the Committee discussed the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform and the devastating impact which the abolition of
EU sugar quotas and increased duty-free imports from third countries from 1st October 2015 would have on ACP sugar-producing countries. “Most studies conducted so far point to the fact that the abolition of the EU quotas will result in market volatility and uncertainty resulting inter alia from the link between domestic prices and world market prices. The European Commission’s own impact study predicts a 45 percent fall in prices compared to the market prices reported in September 2012,” the Minister said in her report. Another study concludes that ACP countries stand to lose 850M Euros over the period 2019/2020. “Such a situation would jeopardise ACP countries’ efforts and investments to render their industries more competitive and call into question the coherence of EU policies in the fields of agriculture, trade and development. Indeed, most if not all ACP countries would be unable to supply the EU market if prices were to fall to such low levels.” The Ministers agreed that it was important to ascertain that the traditional supply needs to remain at 2.5 million and that border measures such as an appropriate tariff be maintained to protect the value of ACP preferential access. It was also agreed to oppose calls for an increase in the current EU quotas. The Ministers mandated the Sugar Sub-Committee to scale
Sugar-producing countries want more help from EU to assist in the fallout from price cuts up its discussions with the EU Parliament and Council. According to Minister Rodrigues-Birkett, the Ministers expressed concern that the EU financial assistance to help sugarproducing countries prepare for the freeing up of the market in 2015 had been scaled down for 2012 and 2013. The matter will be followed up with the European Commission, “as a decrease in allocations would make the adaptation process unsustainable and difficult. Similarly, there was need to ensure that the Commission promptly re-allocates any unutilised funds. Some delegations also complained about the unilateral manner in which the EU delegation in their
Corentyne farmers call for new pumps after severe flooding Angry Berbice farmers are calling on government for two new pumps after severe flooding recently. At a council meeting of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, the issue was raised. According to the Chamber in a release yesterday, its members are “angry and upset at the seemingly casual, irresponsible and lackadaisical approach by the authorities that caused farmers to lose approximately 600 acres of rice in Region 6, mainly in the front lands from No. 51 to Alness.” In some instances, entire crops were lost. In other areas, the yields were affected, the main reason being the non-operable pumps at Black Bush Polder and Manarabissi. This resulted in a totally inadequate supply of water to the above areas, the Chamber said.
“It was only after agitated farmers gathered at the Ministry of Agriculture that the President (Donald Ramotar) intervened and two of the pumps were put into operation after repairs were effected.” In a rice-producing area highly dependent on water, it is “callous” that the pumps were allowed to deteriorate, the statement noted. “At present, about 22,000 acres of front lands on the Corentyne, from No. 51 to Alness, are undergoing rice cultivation. The Chamber is therefore recommending two new units for Black Bush Polder and one for Manarabissi.” The Chamber has also blasted the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) over the blackout situation there. “On GPL, members expressed outrage at the appalling power situation in Berbice with, seemingly, no solution in sight. Not a day
goes by without blackouts. We are asking GPL to take whatever steps necessary to ensure a smooth and continuous power supply at this important time of the year for businesses, residents and visitors to Berbice.” The Berbice business group also said that its members had attended a recent meeting with the police top brass in the county and expressed satisfaction as well as commended the Commander for presenting a comprehensive plan for law enforcement in the entire Berbice, especially during the Christmas season. “We are optimistic that the Police will be effective and keep crime to a minimum, but we also urge the business community and all residents and visitors to take the utmost precaution during this period.”
respective countries was selecting projects.” The ACP Secretariat was requested to initiate discussions with the European Commission on ways and means in which new products could be financed. The ACP Ministers also want the EU to consider funding more sugar research programmes after 2014. Minister Rodrigues-
Birkett’s report from the ACP Ministerial Committee on Sugar was accepted by the ACP Council of Ministers. G u y a n a ’s sugar industry has been taking a beating in recent years as production declined and workers migrated to other sectors. Even a multimillion-dollar state-of-theart factory at Skeldon, Berbice and a sugar
packaging plant in Enmore, have failed to significantly jump-start the industry which directly employs at least 16,000 persons. Sugar has also dropped from being one of the biggest earners. Several estates had to be closed as part of a consolidation programme to reduce costs. Large swaths of land were also sold for housing.
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Italy’s Monti faces pressure to run in election ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti faced increasing pressure yesterday to stand as a candidate in next year’s election after Silvio Berlusconi’s surprise offer to drop his bid for a fifth term as premier. At a meeting of the European People’s Party in Brussels, an umbrella group of centre-right parties, Berlusconi repeated the offer to stand aside if Monti agreed to run against the centre-left, who are tipped to win the election. Monti’s attendance at the meeting alongside Berlusconi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel came as a surprise to many as he was not on the guest list or agenda. Monti was brought in a year ago to head a technocrat government to save Italy from financial crisis, but opinion polls suggest he would have little chance of winning an election if he were to run as a candidate. He would also face many hurdles within the centerright, which is highly
fragmented and includes his most entrenched critic, the Northern League. “There were a lot of expressions of support for a Monti candidacy,” a member of the European parliament told Reuters. “But Monti didn’t resolve the dilemma.” Berlusconi center-right People of Freedom (PD) party withdrew support from Mont’s government in parliament last week, prompting him to resign. On Saturday, Berlusconi declared he would lead the PD into an election expected early next year. With memories fresh of the financial crisis which prompted the end of Berlusconi government last year, his mooted return to frontline politics alarmed Italy’s European partners and rattled financial markets. The media magnate’s call for Monti to stand has aroused skepticism in Italy because it came only two days after he had blamed Italy’s deep recession on austerity policies he said had been dictated to Monti by Germany and the European Central
Bank. Opinion polls suggest Berlusconi has no real chance of winning the election, and markets have calmed. In an auction of three-year bonds yesterday the Treasury paid the lowest borrowing costs since late 2010. Monti is widely credited with restoring Italy’s international credibility after the scandal-plagued Berlusconi era and he has given no clear indication of his intentions. He has said only that he would like to continue playing a role in influencing ideas. Asked about Berlusconi’s offer ahead of a European Union summit in Brussels, Monti said it was neither the time nor place to respond. He said he was committed to leading the government in the brief time remaining before the 2013 budget is approved and he resigns - probably before Christmas. Berlusconi latest volteface increases the likelihood that he will pull out of the election. He has been struggling to hold his People of Freedom party (PD) together.
Friday December 14, 2012
Egyptian factions stage final rallies before referendum
Anti-Mursi protesters shout slogans at Tahrir Square in Cairo December 12, 2012. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah CAIRO (Reuters) Supporters and opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi stage final rallies today before a divisive referendum on a new constitution championed by the Islamist leader as a way out of the worst crisis since the fall of Hosni Mubarak. Cairo and other cities have seen a series of often violent demonstrations over the past three weeks since Mursi assumed sweeping new powers to push through the constitution, which he sees as a vital element of Egypt’s transition to democracy. At least eight people have died and hundreds have been injured and a leading opposition figure warned of more blood on the streets during the voting tomorrow
and next on a draft the opposition says is too Islamist. The referendum asks Egyptians to accept or reject a basic law that has to be in place before national elections can be held early next year - an event many hope can steer t h e A r a b w o r l d ’s m o s t populous nation towards stability. To bolster support for the constitution, the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled Mursi to power in June’s presidential election, will assemble at a mosque not far from the president’s palace in Cairo. A little later in the day, the liberal, secular and Christian opposition will rally in favor of a vote against the basic law outside the palace and in
Tahrir Square, symbolic center of the revolt that toppled Mubarak in 2011. “During the referendum, I believe there will be blood and a lot of antagonism, so it is not right to hold a referendum,” Ahmed Said of the National Salvation Front told Reuters. Despite the opposition push for a “no” vote, the measure is expected to pass given the well-organized M u s l i m B r o t h e r h o o d ’s record of winning elections since the fall of Mubarak. Many Egyptians, tired of turmoil, may simply fall in line. The first round of voting on Saturday will take place in Cairo and other major cities and could presage the overall result if it is a fairly solid “yes” as many expect.
WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - The United States stepped up pressure on Iran yesterday over its nuclear program, imposing sanctions on seven companies and five individuals, including Iran’s atomic energy chief. The U.S. Treasury Department said the action would bar those companies and individuals from doing business with U.S. firms or citizens, and freeze any assets they have in the United States. Among those sanctioned is Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization and a survivor of an assassination attempt that Iranian officials have blamed on Israel. At least four scientists associated with Iran’s nuclear program have been killed since 2010; Abbasi-Davani
was wounded. Iran has accused Israel and the United States of plotting the killings to set back its nuclear program. Washington has denied any U.S. role and Israel has declined to comment. Foreign banks that handle transactions for the companies and individuals listed by the Treasury could also lose their access to the U.S. banking system under the U.S. sanctions regime. “The U.S. will target those involved in Iran’s illicit enrichment activities. The entire world has made it clear that these activities are unacceptable,” Treasury Undersecretary David Cohen said in a statement. The United States has said Tehran’s nuclear program is aimed at acquiring atomic weapons, a charge Iran has
repeatedly denied. The Treasury said the newly announced sanctions were aimed at targeting the international procurement operations of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the Iran Centrifuge Technology Company and Iran’s uranium enrichment program. Besides Abbasi-Davani, the individuals targeted by the sanctions were Seyed Jaber Safdari, Morteza Ahmadali Behzad, Amir Hossein Rahimyar and Mohammad Reza Rezvanianzadeh. The companies placed under sanctions were Pouya Control, Iran Pooya, Aria Nikan Marine Industry, Faratech, Neda Industrial Group, Tarh O Palayesh and Towlid Abzar Boreshi Iran.
U.S. imposes sanctions on Iran’s nuclear energy chief
Friday December 14, 2012
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Venezuela’s Chavez suffers complications after surgery CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez suffered bleeding after a sixhour cancer operation in Cuba, the government said yesterday, adding to a stream of somber news about the ailing president’s condition. Chavez’s health has worsened dramatically since he won re-election two months ago, casting doubt on the future of his “21st century socialism” project, which won him huge support among the poor but infuriated adversaries who call him a fledgling dictator.Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said doctors used “corrective measures” to stop the bleeding that resulted from the 58-year-old Chavez’s cancer surgery on Tuesday. It was his fourth operation since mid-2011. He claimed he was cured earlier this year, and was able to campaign for the election in October, but now appears to be fighting for his life again. “This process of recovery will take time because of the complexity of the operation,” Villegas said in a broadcast on national television, adding that Chavez’s condition had
improved. “The patient is in a progressive and favorable recovery of normal vital signs.” He did not provide further details. The ashen faces of cabinet ministers and somber tone of their terse official statements since Tuesday’s surgery appear to suggest top government officials are preparing for the worst. The president has refused to divulge the details of the cancer diagnosed in June last year. He has had four operations since then. He won re-election by a big margin in October and is due to start a new six-year term on January 10. According to the constitution, if he is unable to do so or steps down after starting a new term, an election must be held within 30 days. On Saturday, Chavez anointed Vice President Nicolas Maduro as his heir apparent in case he had to step down - the first time since he took office in 1999 that he has named a successor. The 50-year-old Maduro, a former union organizer and
loyal Chavez disciple who is seen as a pragmatic moderate, would be the ruling party’s candidate. Venezuelans held vigils and gathered in plazas to pray for the president’s swift return. State TV launched a spot that opens with Chavez’s voice thundering “I am no longer myself, I am the people,” followed by Venezuelans of all ages telling the camera: “I am Chavez.” Another shows short clips of him singing folk songs with supporters and reciting poetry. One rally for a “Chavista” candidate at Sunday’s regional elections kicked off with a recording of the president singing the national anthem. The Information Ministry published a document with the words “Loyalty to Chavez - The fatherland is safe” over a picture of Chavez and Maduro sitting below a painting of liberation hero Simon Bolivar. Chavez is shown holding an ornate golden replica of Bolivar’s sword. Senior government officials have begun
Sheikh Nasef, the Muslim imam of the Mosque of Managua, speaks during a mass to pray for the health of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez in Managua Wednesday. REUTERS/Oswaldo Rivas cautiously preparing people for the reality that Chavez may not survive. “At the same time as we pray, we should be ready to turn our sadness and pain into a force that can mobilize the people,” Aristobulo Isturiz, a top ally of the president, told a rally of redclad supporters. Even if he dies, Chavez is likely to cast a long shadow over Venezuela’s political landscape for years - not unlike Argentine leader Juan Peron, whose 1950s populism
Embattled McKeeva Bush says he will not step down
McKeeva Bush KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) The leader of the Cayman
Islands says he has done nothing wrong and will not be stepping down. Premier McKeeva Bush made the brief statement yesterday, two days after he was arrested by the British territory’s police on suspicion of corruption. Bush has been granted bail until early February as police investigate allegations that he misused his government credit card and abused his office by importing explosive devices without valid permits. There has been a growing call for Bush to resign since his Tuesday arrest.
- He is to give UCC address, receive degree He is also accused of importing explosive devices without valid permits. Bush also announced that was traveling to Jamaica to receive an honorary doctorate and give an address at a Kingston university today. The University College of the Caribbean had previously said his appearance would have to be postponed. Bush will still give the main address at The University College of the Caribbean’s (UCC) graduation today, the
institution confirmed. Recent media reports said Bush who was arrested on suspicion of corruption, would be replaced by the university’s Chancellor Dr Herbert Thompson. Confirmation of Bush’s attendance came late Wednesday, UCC’s Communications Advisor, Kerrian Lee said. She added that Bush would also receive the announced honorary degree. About 100 UCC students will graduate tomorrow.
is still the ideological foundation of the country’s dominant political party. Elections shortly after the Venezuelan leader’s death could create an awkward scenario for the opposition. Campaigning on day-to-day concerns such as crime and inflation would be difficult in such an emotionally charged atmosphere. The implications of Chavez’s illness go far beyond Venezuela. Regional allies, most notably Cuba, have for years relied on him for subsidized oil and fuel shipments. It could also slow the resurgence of the left in Latin America and weaken a global “anti-imperialist” alliance stretching as far as Syria and Iran that has sought to undermine the influence of the United States. Energy companies are keenly watching events and hope that a change in government will lead to greater access to the country’s vast crude oil reserves - the world’s largest. Years of combative state takeovers have alienated major oil companies. Investors who pack their portfolios with Venezuelan bonds, among the highest-
yielding and most widely traded emerging market debt, are hoping for more fiscal responsibility after a year of blowout campaign spending. Venezuela’s opposition has begun discussing which candidate they might field in a new presidential election. Henrique Capriles, a state governor who lost to Chavez in October but galvanized the opposition with a nationwide house-to-house campaign tour, is the obvious choice to face Maduro. But he may not be able to count on the support of all the 20 or so parties that make up the opposition’s coalition, some of which are anxious to field their own candidate. “There are no automatic candidacies,” said Pedro Benitez of the opposition party Democratic Action. The opposition hopes to retain its seven state governorships out of 23. The key will be whether Capriles can win re-election on Sunday as governor of Miranda state, where he faces a challenge from Elias Jaua, a Chavez protégé and former vice president. If Capriles loses, half a dozen opposition figures could emerge as possible candidates for a new presidential election.
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Pan Caribbean shakes up sugar market, AIJCFA cries foul Jamaica Gleaner Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke recently joined with cane farmers in bashing the business practices of Pan Caribbean Sugar Company (PCSC), whose operations appear to diverge from traditional commercial arrangements. The Chinese firm has reportedly cancelled prepayments on the crop and instituted a different system for the distribution of a key input, fertiliser. Clarke, who is a cane farmer, also charged that PCSC lacks transparency, noting, for example, that the company failed to advise farmers that it fetched a lower price for its sugar than the figure negotiated by the industry-affiliated marketing agent. The All-Island Jamaica Cane Farmers Association (AIJCFA), however, is more immediately concerned about access to inputs and how that might be affected by PCSC’s apparent shift from standard industry practices. The issues, accompanied by heated rhetoric, were central in the discussions at the association’s annual meeting in Kingston recently. The farmers and Pan Caribbean Sugar are now haggling over access to fertiliser and the quality of the product imported by Pan Caribbean Sugar and the
Pan Caribbean Sugar Company (PCSC) was officially granted agency status in May, this year, allowing the company to independently market the sugar it produces in Jamaica. Seen at the ceremony in St. Andrew on May 8 are He Francis, chief executive officer of PCSC (left); Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Roger Clarke. In the background is permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry. – File connected issue relating to prepayment for canes supplied to factories. The AIJCFA is not sure it trusts the fertiliser supplied by PCSC. “What is being imported as blends is not even the blend that we use in the majority,” said AIJCFA chairman, Allan Rickards. Pan Caribbean imports the 20-0-30 and 16-18-0 Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium (NPK) blends to
make the 18-9-15 NPK formulation. However, the farmers generally use the 16-9-18 NPK formulation, Rickards said, adding that they also have no way of verifying that they are receiving the right inputs. “Maybe the fertiliser needs to be certified by the Bureau of Standards and the weedicide by the Pest Control Authority,” said John Plummer, a member of the
AIJCFA executive and a cane farmer supplying cane to Monymusk in Clarendon. Pan Caribbean Sugar is a new player in the Jamaican market, which it entered in 2009 when its parent, COMPLANT, acquired Frome, Monymusk and Bernard Lodge factories from the Jamaica government. The acquisition finalised government’s privatisation of its six factories. Traditionally, the
arrangement between factories is that their contracted farmers may access loans from factories for up to 80 per cent the value of cane they are expected to deliver in the next crop season, at 5.0 per cent interest, said Rickards. Farmers would then use the proceeds to acquire inputs. PCSC recently got approval to import its own fertiliser and, by extension, to supply input to cane farmers attached to their factories, Rickards added. This resulted in the Chinese company discontinuing the loan scheme at its three factories, leaving farmers with the option to either purchase out of cash flows or use the Chinese imported blends, Rickards told the meeting. Rickards acknowledged that the Chinese operators are considering a new loan programmme, which would give farmers the option to procure their own fertiliser, but he remained critical of the company’s management.
“We do not appreciate the way He does business. In this country, if they are going to have a relationship with us, He must learn to come straight,” said the AIJCFA president, referring to PCSC chief executive officer, He Francis. “He needs to deal fairly with the farmers and come straight with them,” Rickards said. The PCSC chief executive officer was reached by Wednesday Business, but declined comment on any of the issues raised. Rickards said of the 5,000 tonnes of fertiliser brought in by the PCSC so far, only 1,000 tonnes is of the 16-9-18 NPK blend that farmers generally use. The Chinese-imported fertiliser is not available for sale on the retail market, said the chairman of the AIJCFA. “They have written to the Ministry (of Agriculture) for permission to sell,” said Rickards. “The Government has not refused their application, the Government is actually considering it,” he said.
Magistrate denies bail in baby-biting case ...Accused father sent for psychiatric tests Trinidad Guardian - The 24-year-old cable television technician who was charged with biting a child has been remanded to the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital, where he will undergo a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. The recommendation was made by a senior doctor at the Portof-Spain General Hospital on Tuesday. Accepting the recommendation Wednesday, Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar also ordered that the accused be kept in a secure area at the hospital during his incarceration until December 27. Jermour Noel of Poinsettia Drive, Coconut Drive, Morvant, was unresponsive when he appeared before AyersCaesar in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Court. Clad in black pants and a black and grey shirt, Noel remained silent with his eyes downcast as the magistrate read the charge that on December 9 at Smith Place, Calgary Hill, Port-of-Spain, Noel caused grievous bodily harm to a child unnamed, the daughter of Tineka Henry, with intent to do grievous
bodily harm. Noel was not called upon to enter a plea as the charge was laid indictably. PC Roopnarine Sankar of the Besson Street Police Station laid the charge. The matter was stood down at 9.39 am so Noel’s family could find his lawyer, Vitti FurlongeKelly, who told the court before the charge was read that he intended to apply for his client to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Furlonge-Kelly also requested the magistrate to order a blood analysis to be carried out on Noel, as he stressed there was “a direct correlation between the nutrients of the body and one’s mental stability.” Objecting to Noel’s being granted bail, Lochan urged the magistrate to consider the nature of the offence and the fact that a child had been severely harmed during the incident. The court was later told the baby had undergone surgery on Sunday and was up to yesterday, resting in a stable condition at the Paediatric Ward, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.
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Drive to get more local products in hotels
(L-R) MCNEILL... we want to get visitors to spend more, and for us to keep more of that in Jamaica. PENGELLEY... we will share information with the tourism sector about the products that are made here Jamaica Observer Government is expected to announce an initiative early next year as part of its thrust to ensure more local products are used in Jamaica’s hotels and attractions, Tourism Minister Dr Wykeham
McNeill has disclosed. Speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Monday, McNeill said his ministry has been meeting with stakeholders in the tourism sector, as well as in the agriculture and
manufacturing sectors, and that a proposed plan will go to Cabinet soon. “One of the things we are looking at as a priority is to get the visitors to spend more, and for us to keep more of that in Jamaica,” Dr McNeill
said. He added that he felt strongly about determining “how we can get more of the value of the produce consumed in the hotels produced here in Jamaica”. Dr McNeill said there has been a series of meetings involving the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, the Jamaica Manufacturers Association (JMA) and the Tourism Ministry with the aim of getting more locally made products into the hotels and attractions. One such meeting at the Terra Nova Hotel in St Andrew on Tuesday, involving senior managers in the hotel sector and the JMA, attracted a lot of interest. Addressing the meeting, Dr McNeil noted that one in every four jobs in Jamaica can be attributed directly or indirectly to tourism, and challenged the manufacturers to set about closing the import substitution gap of $1.7 billion. “There is some perception that the manufacturing sector does not have the capacity to meet the demand of the tourism sector in terms of quantity, quality and price. On the other
hand, there is a perception that tourism only wants to purchase overseas. Let us prove this wrong” Dr McNeil challenged the large turnout of manufacturers and hospitality figures. He asked permanent secretary in the Tourism Ministry, Jennifer Griffith, to lead the process of data gathering and information dissemination required to drive the process
forward. He also requested chief executive officer of Grace Kennedy Don Wehby, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association Evelyn Smith, and well-known financial analyst Ralston Hyman to assist him in increasing linkages between tourism and the manufacturing, agriculture, entertainment and transportation sectors.
Barbados Nation - The controversial Prevention Of Corruption Bill 2012 has gone too far and threatens to discourage people from making a worthy contribution to public life, says Senator Geoffrey Cave. Comparing it to similar legislation in Britain where the scrutiny involved was “nothing like the level of intrusion here”, Cave said Supreme Court judges, Independent senators and even members of school boards would fall under unprecedented scrutiny and be on the list of those
required to declare their assets which, in his view, was unnecessary. “We’re casting a net here trying to catch sharks and what is going to happen is that nice animals like porpoises are all going to get caught in the net, and the result is they’re going to leave the Atlantic and go and serve in the Pacific,” he told Wednesday’s pre-lunch sitting of the Senate. The Independent senator said not only was the detail required of public officers excessive but it was “a form of undeserved punishment”.
Barbados anti-corruption bill has gone too far – senator
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Banking deal boosts EU leaders in fighting crisis BRUSSELS (Reuters) European governments clinched a landmark deal on bank supervision and approved long-delayed aid to Greece yesterday, trumpeting the agreements as signs the bloc is getting a grip on its problems after three years of deep crisis. Leaders meeting in Brussels for their sixth and final summit of 2012 faced warnings about complacency however, as they gear up for a tough new year that will see Italian and German voters go to the polls, and may bring a full bailout of Spain. EU finance ministers agreed after marathon overnight talks to create a single banking supervisor for the euro zone and like-minded countries. The 27 leaders were set to give their stamp of approval at a summit that opened in a mood of optimism. The release of nearly 50 billion euros in fresh aid for Greece, the heavily indebted state where the crisis began in 2009, averted a catastrophic default and the risk of a Greek exit from the currency zone. “Since the summer, we have made a lot of progress in our efforts to overcome the immediate crisis in the euro zone,” European Council
President Herman Van Rompuy told the leaders as he opened the summit. “The worst is now behind us but of course much still needs to be done.” At the summit, held days after the EU received its Nobel Prize in Oslo, leaders were to discuss closer fiscal integration in the currency union, a drive that some officials worry has lost momentum since ECB President Mario Draghi calmed markets by pledging in July to do “whatever it takes” to save the euro. European officials acknowledge privately that bolder steps towards closer integration of the single currency area will be on hold until after a German general election next September. After a hectic year of crisis management, during which Greece had a close brush with the euro zone exit, the bloc appears to be heading into 2013 on a positive note. ECB President Mario Draghi hailed the deal on banking supervision, the first stage towards a banking union with more pooled sovereignty, as an important step towards a stable economic and monetary union. German Chancellor Angela
Merkel, Europe’s most powerful leader, said the agreement would boost trust and confidence in the euro zone. And Olli Rehn, the EU commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, said “Cassandras” who had predicted disaster for the euro and a Greek exit had been proven wrong. But there is little time to relax. The next stages of banking union - creating a resolution fund for winding up troubled banks and coordinating deposit guarantees to protect savers - will be fought over even harder. And then there will be political and financial hurdles to negotiate through the year. “The fact that the situation in the financial markets is now better than before should not be seen by the governments as a way to procrastinate,” European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters. Much of southern Europe faces another year of grinding recession with record unemployment and deepening poverty that will tear at the fabric of wounded societies and may push governments’ efforts to reduce deficits further off course.
President Barack Obama Conrad’s assessment. “I started pretty optimistic about this that we could get this done well before the holidays, but I don’t feel that way anymore,” Brady said. “It seems to me a decision’s been made perhaps by the White House already to take us off this fiscal cliff.” Conservative Republican Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina said the economy had already been damaged by the uncertainty caused by the deadlock. “We can’t fix it Christmas Eve and expect it all to bounce back in
January,” he said yesterday on CBS. Sharp differences remained between congressional Republicans and the White House in talks to avert the cliff, and negotiators warned the showdown could drag on past Christmas. Both sides refused to give any ground in public, with the main sticking point being the expiring tax cuts, which Obama wants extended for all but high earners and Boehner wants extended for everyone. Polling shows strong support for Obama’s position. According to a Wall Street Journal/NBC survey released late Wednesday, three-quarters of Americans say they would accept raising taxes on the wealthy to avoid the cliff. Among Republicans, some 61 percent say they would accept tax increases on high earners. An ABC NewsWashington Post poll released Tuesday indicted that nearly half of Americans approve of Obama’s handling of the negotiations versus the quarter of respondents who approved of Boehner’s.
Republicans losing public opinion wars in “fiscal cliff” talks
WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - Negotiations are expected to continue on the “fiscal cliff” with Republicans at a growing public opinion disadvantage and approval ratings for President Barack Obama rising to levels not seen since the killing of Osama bin Laden. Senior Democratic Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota said on MSNBC late Wednesday that he thought Obama and House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner were edging closer to a deal. He added that he hoped something will be announced next week to avert the steep tax hikes and budget cuts set for the start of 2013. “I believe that they will have a framework agreement,” Conrad said. “I believe they’ll have it early next week. And I believe it will secure the votes in both the Senate and the House. We may miss some on the wings, but I think the center will hold.” Republican Representative Kevin Brady of Texas, in a Fox Business News interview Wednesday evening, disagreed with
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Rice withdraws as secretary of state candidate, citing tough Senate battle WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a close confidante of President Barack Obama, withdrew her name from consideration as secretary of state yesterday in the face of what promised to be a difficult Senate confirmation battle. Rice has drawn heavy fire from Republicans for remarks she made in the aftermath of a September 11 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, in which fourAmericans were killed, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. “I am highly honored to be considered by you for appointment as secretary of state,” Rice said in a letter to Obama. “I am fully confident that I could serve our country ably and effectively in that role. However, if nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly.” Rice’s decision increases the odds that Obama will turn to another top candidate for the position, Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the 2004 Democratic presidential
Susan Rice nominee, to replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she steps down early next year. An announcement of Obama’s national security team could come as early as next week. Officials say Obama is giving serious consideration to nominating former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as his secretary of defense to replace the current secretary, Leon Panetta. One option discussed by White House officials is having Obama appoint Rice as his national security adviser, a position that does not require Senate confirmation. However, there has been no indication that the current national security adviser, Tom Donilon, is leaving.
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Russia says Assad losing control, rebels could win MOSCOW/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels are gaining ground and might win, Russia’s Middle East envoy said yesterday, in the starkest such admission from a major ally of President Bashar al-Assad in 20 months of conflict. “One must look the facts in the face,” Russia’s staterun RIA quoted Mikhail Bogdanov as saying. “Unfortunately, the victory of the Syrian opposition cannot be ruled out.” Bogdanov, a deputy foreign minister and the Kremlin’s special envoy for Middle East affairs, said the Syrian government was “losing control of more and more territory” and Moscow was preparing to evacuate Russian citizens if necessary. Syria has relied on war planes and helicopters to bombard rebel districts but Damascus denied accusations by U.S. and NATO officials that it had fired Scud missiles in recent days.
The foreign ministry said the long-range missiles were not used against “terrorist groups,” a term it uses for the rebels, who now hold an almost continuous arc of territory from the east to the southwest of Damascus. The head of NATO said he thought Assad’s government was nearing collapse and the new leader of Syria’s opposition told Reuters the people of Syria no longer needed international forces to protect them. “The horrific conditions which the Syrian people endured prompted them to call on the international community for military intervention at various times,” said Mouaz al-Khatib, a preacher who heads Syria’s National Coalition. “Now the Syrian people have nothing to lose. They handled their problems by themselves. They no longer need international forces to protect them,” he added in the interview on Wednesday night, accusing the
international community of slumbering while Syrians were killed. He did not specify whether by intervention he meant a no-fly zone that rebels have been demanding for month, a ground invasion which the opposition has warned against - or arms. He said the opposition would consider any proposal from Assad to surrender power and leave the country, but would not give any assurances until it saw a firm proposal. In the latest blow to the government, a car bomb killed at least 16 men, women and children in Qatana, a town about 25 km (15 miles) southwest of Damascus where many soldiers live, activists and state media said. The explosion occurred in a residential area for soldiers in Qatana, which is near several army bases, said Rami Abdelrahman, head of the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. He put the death toll as 17,
including seven children and two women. State news agency SANA said 16 people had died. State television showed soldiers walking by a partly collapsed building, with rubble and twisted metal on the road. The progovernment Al-Ikhbariya TV said a second car bomb in the Damascus suburb of alJadideh killed eight, most of them women and children. Apart from gaining territory in the outskirts of Damascus in recent weeks, rebels have also made hitand-run attacks or set off bombs within the capital, often targeting state security buildings or areas seen as loyal to Assad, such as Jaramana, where twin bombs killed 34 people in November. The Pakistani Foreign Office said security concerns had prompted it to withdraw the ambassador and all Pakistani staff from the embassy in the central suburb of East Mezzeh, a couple miles from the Interior Ministry.
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DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55 hrs. Sign On 09:00 hrs. GMA 10:00 hrs. Live! With Kelly and Michael 11:00 hrs. The Ricki Lake Show 12:00 hrs. The View 13:00 hrs. Prime News 13:30 hrs. The Young and the Restless 14:30 hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 15:00 hrs. The Talk 16:00 hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00 hrs. MacGyver 18:00 hrs. World News 19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements
20:00 hrs. Channel 8 News 20:30 hrs. DTV’s Christmas Spectacular 22:00 hrs. The Vampire Diaries (New Episode) 22:42 hrs. Beauty and the Beast (New Episode) 00:05 hrs. Sign Off MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 Sign on 06:00 hrs - Islamic perspective 06:30 hrs - News Update 07:00 hrs - DAYBREAK – (live) 08:00 hrs - Dabi’s Variety music break 08:30 hrs - Avon Video &
DVD 09:00 hrs - BBC World News 09:15 hrs - Top Notch music Break 09:30 hrs - Caribbean temptation Music Mix 10:00 hrs - Amanda’s Costume jewellery Musical 10:30 hrs - BBC World New 11:00 hrs - National Geographic 12:00 hrs - The View 13:00 hrs - Village Talk 13:30 hrs - The Young and the Restless 14:30 hrs - Days of Our Lives 15:00 hrs - General Hospital 16:00 hrs - The Bold and the
Beautiful 16:30 hrs - Cartoons 17:00 hrs - Birthdays and other greetings 17:15 hrs - Death Announcement/ In Memoriam 17:30 hrs - Sitcom 18:00 hrs - Charran’s Radiator Video Hits 18:30 hrs - Kingdom Voice 19:00 hrs - Soul Melodies 19:30 hrs - News Update 20:30 hrs - Clear Water Music Hour 21:30 hrs - Music request Hour 22:30 hrs - Sitcom 23:00 hrs - News Update 23:30 hrs - English Movie: Ernest Saves Christmas Sign off
Guides are subjected to change without notice
Friday December 14, 2012 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) The Sagittarius New Moon activates your 9th House of Future Vision, opening your mind to all the possibilities ahead. But no matter what you imagine, the next few days will likely unfold differently than you expect. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You might make a tactical error if you’re moving too fast today, so take your time when dealing with an important issue. The big-thinking Sagittarius New Moon falls in your 8th House of Deep Sharing, inspiring you to be radically honest in your relationships. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) The independent Sagittarius New Moon is in your 7th House of Others, where it can stress a variety of partnerships. Even an intimate relationship that seems stable should be given additional attention now to revitalize it. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may have high hopes about accomplishing a lot today, but unrealistic work goals could set you up for discouragement as the visionary Sagittarius New Moon lands in your 6th House of Employment. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your most creative ideas can carry you beyond your expectations as long as you’re having fun while the outgoing Sagittarius New Moon is in your 5th House of Play. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today’s Sagittarius New Moon in your 4th House of Security offers a fresh start with respect to home and family issues. However, you must be sure that your current direction is consistent with your longterm goals.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) The Sagittarius New Moon excites your 3rd House of Immediate Environment, prompting you to feel as if your schedule is spinning out of control because you have so many commitments. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may find your core values being called into question as today’s Sagittarius New Moon falls in your 2nd House of Self-Esteem. Although someone else’s actions could trigger issues that raise your concern, there’s a chance that others might actually be following your lead. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Your life is continuing to transform and today’s New Moon in your sign is your ticket into the next stage of ongoing personal growth. The opportunities that are presented to you now should be received as messages directly from the heart of the cosmos. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Unanticipated events might throw you for a loop today, but the practical facts are ultimately more important than your idealistic visions. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) The Sagittarius New Moon occurs in your 11th House of Long-Term Goals today, leading you into the future by shining the light of awareness on to your hopes. Thankfully, you’re being guided now by your own inspiring thoughts. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your career objectives are shifting today as the Sagittarius New Moon stimulates your 10th House of Status. Even if you’re eager for the upcoming changes to start, don’t overdo your reaction to what’s happening.
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GCF stages National Schools’ C/ship The executive of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) continue to implement initiatives towards the development of the sport and following closely on the heels of the just concluded junior championships will stage the annual National Schools’ Chess Championship on Sunday December 16 and 17 at the Carifesta Sports Complex, Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown. Queens College Secondary School are the defending champions and will attempt to overcome several other schools from Georgetown, East and West Demerara, Berbice, Linden and Bartica. The tournament is now in its fifth consecutive year and Director of Sport, Neil Kumar, congratulated the organizers even as he pledged his unequivocal support towards its success while attributing its longevity to the tireless efforts and influence of Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Frank Anthony. “The (chess) Federation has come a long way since the resuscitation of the game and ever since the sport has experienced a phenomenal growth,” said Mr. Kumar. “It
Chaitram Choonilall (left) hands over the cheque to GCF’s Visnu Rampersaud. is one of the growing sports in the country and the Federation has our unflinching support,” exhorted the Director of Sports moments before Sports Organizer of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Chaitram Choonilall, handed over the sponsorship cheque to Secretary of the GCF, Visnu Rampersaud. Meanwhile registration begins at 09:00hrs on the morning of the tournament
and activities will commence one hour later. Participants are asked to be attired in their school uniforms during both days of the event. Participation is free and players with chess sets from their respective schools are encouraged to bring them along. Those schools still interested in participating may contact Vishnu Rampersaud (628-8267), Irshad Mohamad (664-1650) or Shiv Nandalall (225-8270).
WICB and Verus International announce Pro T20 league - huge financial injection, strengthening of game & retainer contracts promised
St. John’s, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board announces that it has concluded an agreement with Barbados-based Verus International to launch a professional franchise-based Twenty20 league in the Caribbean starting in 2013. The league will provide financial benefits for participating players with the majority of players being West Indian. In addition, as part of the arrangement, WICB will receive annual funding for new retainer contracts for regional players (above and beyond the 20 Central Annual Retainer Contracts currently offered by the WICB). President of the WICB, Dr. Julian Hunte commented: “The West Indies Cricket Board is elated to announce the league, which will bring a host of benefits to players and West Indies Cricket in general.”
“A significant number of players at the regional level will benefit through greater financial stability both from playing in the league and from year-round retainer contracts while having an international platform on which to showcase their skills and talent,” Dr. Hunte added. “Most importantly is that the league will bring a huge financial injection into the Caribbean and create significant job opportunities across the region in a wide cross section of sectors,” Dr. Hunte outlined. Chairman and CEO of Verus International, Mr. Ajmal Khan stated: “We are absolutely delighted to partner with the WICB to launch the Twenty20 league and contribute to the historic tradition and success of West Indian cricket. We believe that the recently won ICC World Twenty20 is a testament to
the quality and excitement of West Indies cricket. We intend to utilize the Twenty20 league to further develop and strengthen West Indies cricket by expanding the global fan base as well as the number of West Indian cricketers under regional retainer contracts. We look forward to showcasing the talent and beauty of the Caribbean.” The league is expected to comprise of up to six privately owned Caribbean city-based teams. All matches in the league will be televised throughout the Caribbean and across the globe, allowing for wide exposure of participating players. Verus will host a media conference early next week in Barbados to provide more information on the league.
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Kaieteur News
Woodpecker Products Badminton Junior Christmas Singles tourney
Badminton winners and top performers in a jolly mood after the competition concluded.
T
he Woodpecker Products Annual Badminton Junior Christmas Singles competition concluded on Wednesday last at the Queens College Badminton Courts bringing the curtains down on the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) season for 2012 which has been described as very successful both n a t i o n a l l y a n d internationally. Matches were played off in both the Under-19 Boys & Girls Singles semis and finals. Narayan Ramdhani and Greer Jackson were crowned respective female
and male winners while the runner-ups were Jonathan Mangra and Priyanna Ramdhani. The third places went to Omari Joseph, Jonathan Persaud, Ambika Ramraj and Nadine Jairam. The presentation is scheduled for next week and the GBA is expressing thanks to Woodpecker Products for making the tournament possible once again. following are the results of matches played: Boys Singles QuarterFinals Narayan Ramdhani defeated Ajave Singh: 21-6, 21-6
Boys Singles Semi-Finals: Jonathan Mangra defeated Jonathan Persaud: 21-9, 1821, 21-15 Narayan Ramdhani defeated Omari Joseph: 21-4, 21-8 Girls Singles Semi-Finals Greer Jackson defeated Ambika Ramraj: 21-14, 2113 Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Nadine Jairam: 218, 21-8 Boys Singles Finals Narayan Ramdhani defeated Jonathan Mangra: 21-9, 216 Girls Singles Finals Greer Jackson defeated Priyanna Ramdhani: 21-19, 21-14
England fight back on a dicey pitch Nagpur: On a pitch the consistency of chapped heels in winter England caved in to their own carelessness against an opposition desperately seeking a series-equalizing win, and then fought back later with a classical display of Test match batting. This was only the first day of the final Test at Jamtha, but the wicket – willfully parched and deprived of moisture by the curator – looked nothing like a first-day track. Cracks snaked about like miniature furrows on the martian surface; turn was forthcoming early; and the only bounce on offer was of the uneven kind. India had opted for a four-strong spin attack comprising Pragyan Ojha, R. Ashwin, Piyush Chawla and debutant Ravindra Jadeja. But more than turn it was folly that did most of the batsmen in - while one can be said to have been undone by a poor decision. Except for the 86-run third-wicket stand between Kevin Pietersen (73) and Jonathan Trott (44), and the 60-run alliance late on the evening between debutant Joe Root and wicketkeeper Matt Prior, England suffered
Kevin Pietersen from playing one shot too many. They were on a laborious 199-5 in 97 overs at close, having lost two wickets each in the first two sessions, and one - Pietersen’s - in the last. The going - aside from the rapid over-rate - was painfully slow and at stumps the search was still on for a figure that would represent an ideal first innings total on this alreadydesiccated track. A rapid over rate ensured 97 in the day and for India Ishant Sharma and Jadeja were the pick of the bowlers. Ishant bowled with pace at the start of the innings and got the early breakthroughs, while Jadeja marked his debut with 25 overs of left-arm spin and KP’s prized scalp. It was a travesty that MS Dhoni grossly underbowled R. Ashwin on a track that kept so low. The Chennai off-spinner was used for just 13 on the first day. (Yahoo Sports)
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Flex Night Inc. says thanks WICB & Digicel host Grassroots to its main sponsors Cricket Fun Day across the region Digicel PRO Shonette Moore receives the gift from Donald Sinclair
On Wednesday afternoon, the Directors of Flex Night Incorporated, in a simple ceremony, expressed their appreciation to their main sponsors Banks DIH and Digicel for coming on board in support of the 2012 Flex Night International and Health and Fitness Expo. Managing Director of Flex Night Incorporated, Donald Sinclair, presented Flex Night
souvenir bags to Miss Shonette Moore, PRO of Digicel, and to Mr. Clayton McKenzie, Brand Manager, Non-Alcoholic Malts at Banks DIH. Sinclair thanked both companies for their association with Flex Night Inc. and expressed the hope that the relationship with the two companies would strengthen in the future. In accepting the souvenir bag
on behalf of Digicel, PRO Miss Shonette Moore thanked Flex Night Inc. for approaching Digicel and looked forward to further collaboration in 2013. Mr. Clayton McKenzie expressed his satisfaction with the way the event unfolded and was looking forward to a continued engagement with Flex Night Incorporated.
St John’s, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board and Digicel will collaborate to host a series of action-packed Grassroots Cricket Fun Day across the region this weekend. Forty-five matches will be played by the Digicel Grassroots Cricketers in 11 territories across the region on Saturday December 15th and Sunday December 16th. Matches will also be played on Monday December 17th in the British Virgin Islands and December 22nd in Jamaica. Over 2000 Grassroots Cricketers are expected to compete during the fun filled matches, displaying their skills and talents to coaches, family and fans. Digicel Group Director of Marketing Operations, Kieran Foley, said: “Digicel is committed to the development of cricket – not just at the top level but also at grassroots which is integral to the ongoing success of the sport. The Digicel/WICB Grassroots Programme gives aspiring young cricketers the opportunity not only to develop their skills and ability, but also to learn the critical attributes required to become a successful cricketer. The
Grassroots Cricket Fun Day gives young players valuable experience in a real life match setting and encourages the community to come out and support the young players – while enjoying a day filled with fun, excitement and a good game of cricket.” WICB Project Officer for Grassroots Cricket, Fawwaz Baksh commented: “Grassroots Cricket has helped to revitalize interest in cricket at the youth level in a significant way. The programme provides free gear and expert coaching from WICB certified coaches on a weekly basis. The young players are extremely excited to participate in the programme as it gives them an opportunity to both compete and learn in a fun and exciting environment.” “The young cricketers are
extremely excited about participating in the Fun Day this weekend and we expect them to thoroughly enjoy the activities while providing entertainment and fun for the fans who will come out to be part of the action,” Baksh added. The Grassroots programme has achieved some major successes, most notably being that a significant number of the national team players who participate in the WICB Regional Under-15 and Under-17 Tournaments have come through the Programme. In the near future we expect that all the national players at the youth level will come through the Grassroots Cricket Programme,” Baksh outlined. WICB Digicel Grassroots Cricket commenced in 2010 and caters to young cricketers between the ages of 12 and 17 years. The programme is split into two sections – the 12 to Under-15 year old section and the 15 to 17 year old section. Digicel Grassroots Cricket is run throughout the region on a weekly basis with the young cricketers receiving free gear and expert coaching from WICB certified coaches.
CS&TC prepare for season closing race on Sunday Race walkers will cap this year’s activities when the Cavaliers Sports and Tour Club (CS&TC) presents a 10K event, fittingly dubbed ‘Last Lap Race Walk’ on Sunday December 16 next. Led by the nation’s most prolific race walker, Rudolph Mitchell, competitors will convene at Trevor Harry’s Photo Studio, Back Road Soesdyke at 06:30hrs, proceed around the Soesdyke community, and return to the place of origin. The athletes would be competing for trophies, medals and other prizes donated by corporate Guyana. Later in the day, the CSTC will host its annual Christmas party for children and senior citizens. Meanwhile, the executive committee of the CS&TC is satisfied with their accomplishments over the past year and coordinator, Ms. Olga Harry said that this is in spite of the many challenges faced including a paucity of adequate sponsorship.
Rudolph Mitchell Ms. Harry singled out those corporate entities and individuals that supported their activities including Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford, MP, Dr. Jose L DaSilva, (Managing Director, Modern Optical Service), Commissioner General, Guyana Revenue Authority, Mr. Khursid Sattaur, and Dr. Lionel Da Silva of Da Silva’s House of Optics.
“Had it not been for their sterling contributions the sport would have declined completely,” said Ms. Harry. The Public Relations Officer boasted that despite the challenges faced, her organization has been able to successfully stage more than thirty events countrywide. The CS&TC’s Coordinator further said that her executives have a lot in store over the coming year and envisages similar successes. She intimated that some of these plans encompass the broadening of the awareness of the sport. She also said that one of the ploys being currently considered is the staging of races locally as well as training sessions in all ten regions of the country, participating in overseas events and engaging in exchange programmes with overseas teams among other events. “We are now mulling our involvement at the impending Brazil Olympiad,” she further disclosed.
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Warriors slip past Heat 97-95
Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) defends Miami Heats’ Dwyane Wade Miami (AP) - The Golden State Warriors used a savvy play by a rookie and took advantage of a defensive breakdown to surprise the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Draymond Green, a secondround draft pick out of Michigan State, made a layup
with 0.9 seconds left give the Warriors a 97-75 win over the Heat. The Heat left him open under the basket as there was miscommunication between Ray Allen and Shane Battier. Klay Thompson tied a season high with 27 points to
lead the Warriors, who have won five straight. LeBron James led Miami with 31 points as he reached the 20point mark for the 25th consecutive game, the longest current streak in the NBA. After the game, James talked to Green to congratulate him. Jack dribbled the ball at the top of the key for the Warriors on the final possession as the clock ticked down before finding Green open underneath the basket. Green caught the pass in midair and made the basket as Battier was late in coverage. James’ jumper from the baseline banged off the rim giving Golden State the win as Miami lost for just the second time in 12 home games and did not score in the final 3:18.David Lee scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Jack added 20 points off the bench for the Warriors. Wednesday’s victory over the NBA champs adds to their best start since 1991-92 improving to 15-7 and 9-4 on the road. Golden State took a 77-74 lead into the fourth quarter after leading for most of the third.
Williams’ 3 at buzzer lifts Jazz over Spurs 99-96
Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap (24) defends against San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) Salt Lake City (AP) - Mo Williams had just missed from 3-point range with 9.9 seconds left and the game tied against Western Conference nemesis San Antonio. Instead of getting grief from his coach, Williams got another green light Williams hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Utah Jazz to a 99-96 victory Wednesday night that snapped the Spurs’ five-game winning streak. Now Utah players believe in their team, having knocked off the Lakers in Los Angeles on Sunday and a Spurs team that swept them out of the playoffs last season. It was the first time since 1997 that
the Jazz beat both in back-toback games. Paul Millsap led Utah with 24 points and 12 rebounds, Al Jefferson scored 21 and reserve Gordon Hayward added 19. The Jazz trailed by eight with a little more than 4 minutes remaining. Williams’ winning shot was his only 3pointer of the night and he finished with eight points on 3-for-9 shooting. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Williams was able to get off the final shot because of a ‘’huge’’ defensive error by Danny Green when the Jazz inbounded the ball with 6.7 seconds left. After draining
the shot, Williams looked up to make sure there was no time left then took off running toward the other end of the court only to be mobbed by teammates. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker each scored 22 points to lead the Spurs, who swept the Jazz out of the playoffs in the first round and had won 11 of the last 12 meetings. Green’s 19-footer gave the Spurs a 96-94 lead and Millsap tied it with 40 seconds left. While Duncan and Parker have been key for the Spurs, who entered Wednesday with an 11-2 road record, neither could make the shot at the end. Both missed long outside shots in the final 75 seconds as the Jazz improved to 9-1 at home. Williams hit the last shot but gave his teammates plenty of credit, especially Hayward, who took on guarding Parker the last four minutes. Before the game, Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin was excited for the matchup, especially after losing the first meeting 110-100 in San Antonio on Nov. 3. Utah has had time to learn Corbin’s system since then and time for its new acquisitions - Mo Williams (trade), Marvin Williams (trade) and Randy Foye (free agent) - to settle in. (Yahoo Sports)
After hitting a 3 to tie the game at 87, James gave the Heat their first lead since early in the third with a turnaround 18-footer with 6:39 left for an 89-87 advantage. The teams played a one-possession game over the next four minutes before Lee knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game at 95 with 1:54 left. The score was still tied at 95 with under a minute remaining. Allen had a chance to give the Heat a lead with 46 seconds left. Lee followed by missing a driving layup. Battier’s miss from the corner with 12 seconds left gave the Warriors an opportunity in the closing seconds. The Heat received a scare in the second quarter when Lee sent James to the floor
with a flagrant foul sending James to the floor on his back. James popped up quickly, but spent the next couple of minutes stretching out his right shoulder before knocking down the free throw and hitting a shot on the ensuing possession for a 4743 lead. Moments later, Dwyane Wade was poked in the eye by Thompson while trying to fight through a screen. With Wade’s head down, Chris Bosh ran into Wade knocking him to a floor. After staying down on the floor, Wade eventually got to his feet and went to the locker room holding the back of his neck with 3:11 left in the half. Thompson helped the Warriors take a 53-52 lead into
halftime by scoring 21 points including five 3-pointers. Thompson scored 14 points in the second quarter, including 11 in a four-minute span. Wade returned for the second half and opened the scoring with a dunk. Both teams got off to a good start offensively, but it was defensive efforts by both teams which sparked the first highlight of the game. After Stephen Curry picked off a pass by James, Wade returned the favor deflecting Curry’s pass and ran toward the sideline saving the ball with an around-the-back pass to Mario Chalmers. Chalmers then found James, who tipped a pass to Wade for a layup and a 23-22 lead.
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Star bat Dottin has eyes on Number 1 batting spot Bridgetown, Barbados – Deandra Dottin is on a mission to become the number one batter in women’s cricket. The hard-hitting right-hander believes she has it in her to be the world’s best and wants to prove it. Dottin is presently part of the West Indies 18-member squad going through a month of intense training at the Sagicor High Performance
Centre in Barbados. They are gearing up for the sevenmatch series against South Africa next month as well as the ICC Women’s World Cup in Mumbai, India from January 31 to February 17. “I want to be number one ... I know I can be the number one. But it will require lots of hard work and I know I’m fully capable of achieving this goal. I’ve put in a month of hard
work here and will look to push on. It’s a long-term goal which I have set myself. I know I won’t suddenly ‘jump up’ and be in the number one position. What I ultimately want to do is get runs consistently for the team and lead us to more wins, in both ODIs and T20s,” Dottin said. “The camp has been great. For me, it came along at the perfect time. I was able to
Friday December 14, 2012
Deandra Dottin
do a lot of work on my batting, settle down and concentrate hard on my game. I have been guilty in the past of going for some ‘big shots’, so my aim in the camp was to bat for long periods and build an innings. I have the power when the time is right.” Dottin added: “Also, to have the team together for a month – out of competition – was really good. Normally we
only get together close to tours, but this time around we were able to come together as a group and share ideas and create a vision and plan for the team as we move forward to face South Africa and for the World Cup.” At this stage, Dottin is some distance away from the top spot. The latest ICC rankings have her at Number 9. The other West Indian in the Top 10 is Stafanie Taylor – at Number 2 in batting and Number 1 among the allrounders. The South Africa Series bowls off at Warner Park in St Kitts with two ODIs on January 7 and 9 while Windsor Park in Dominica will host the other three ODIs on January 12, 13 and 15. Two back-to-back T20s will be played at the Beausejour Cricket Ground under lights on January 19 and 20. Both matches will be broadcast live on ESPN throughout the Caribbean and in select markets across the globe. Dottin has a liking for the South African attack and the Warner Park ground. Two years ago she created history when she smashed a monumental 112 not out in the ICC World T20 tournament. The 21-year-old reached her century off just off 38 balls – a world record for the fastest century by a man or woman in a T20 International. “Warner Park has a special place in my heart. I will always remember that day, those moments when I set the record. It was also against
South Africa, so now I will get the chance to play against the same team at the same ground where I played my best innings. “I won’t be targeting any particular bowler or go chasing another record. I will play it as it comes and look to build an innings. For me, it’s about playing smart cricket and trying to help the West Indies win more matches. We are a good team. We want to show the world how good we are.” FULL TRAINING SQUAD: Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Juliana Nero, June Ogle, Amanda Samaroo, Shakera Selman, Tremayne Smartt, Shaquana Quintyne, Stafanie Taylor. West Indies v South Africa Schedule - Monday, Jan 7: 1st One-Day International – Warner Park (9:30am); Wednesday, Jan 9: 2nd One-Day International – Warner Park (9:30am); Saturday, Jan 12: 3rd One-Day International – Windsor Park (9:30am); Sunday, Jan 13: 4th One-Day International – Windsor Park (9:30am); Tuesday, Jan 15: 5th One-Day International – Windsor Park (9:30am); Saturday, Jan 19: 1st T20I – Beausejour Cricket Ground (4pm); Sunday, Jan 20: 2nd T20I – Beausejour Cricket Ground (4pm).
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Cuba in, Jamaica out of CONCACAF Gold Cup North Sound, Antigua Cuba defeated Jamaica 1-0 on Wednesday at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, eliminating the two-time defending champion from the Caribbean Cup. The result clinched a second-place finish behind Martinique in Group B for the Lions of the Caribbean, who advance to the tournament’s knockout phase and also qualify for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup. It was a stunning turn of events for the Reggae Boyz. After all, in October, it became the lone Caribbean side to progress to the hexagonal round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, posting a memorable 2-1 victory over the United States along the way. Jamaica had reached the quarterfinals in three of the last five Gold Cups and has a Caribbean-record eight appearances in the confederation’s biennial championship. Though there is disappointment in the Jamaican camp, joy abounds
in a Cuban squad that relied on timely scoring and a stingy defense to earn a seventh trip to the Gold Cup. Following a 1-0 loss in its opener to Martinique, Cuba registered single-goal triumphs over French Guyana (2-1) and, of course, Jamaica. A closely contested first half saw both Cuba and Jamaica create some chances. The difference, though, came in the 57th minute, when Alianni Urgelles volleyed home from just inside the 18yard box to give his team a lead it would never surrender. Jamaica was captained by 1998 World Cup veteran Ricardo Gardner, 34, who tried mightily to inspire the Reggae Boyz to victory. Forwards Darren Mattocks and Ryan Johnson were dangerous throughout, but the Cuban backline held firm and simply waited to counterattack when necessary. Midfielder Ariel Martinez was spectacular for Cuba, dictating pace and pulling the strings like a true maestro. He was in position to grab a deserved
Cuba on the offensive against the Reggae Boyz
goal himself in the 70th minute, but fell just inside the six-yard box after beating a defender. Shortly after, Jamaican
Mayweather: I feel bad for Manny... $100m superfight must wait until September now
May the fourth be with you: Floyd Mayweather has confirmed his return to the ring will take place on May 4. Floyd Mayweather Jnr has not ruled out facing Manny Pacquiao in boxing’s first $100million superfight but only after the battered Filipino has at least one warmup bout. Pacquiao was knocked out cold by the brutal right hand of Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas last Saturday, a result which looked to end hopes of the 33-year-old facing Mayweather. But the fiveweight world champion insists he remains interested in fighting his pound-forpound rival, if terms can be agreed. ‘Pacquiao’s focus should be on trying to take a vacation, get his mind right, and get a few tune-up fights so he can bounce back,’
Mayweather told Fight Hype. ‘I feel bad for him. There’s a difference in the ways you can get knocked out. See, when a guy gets knocked out and he can get up, they sit him on his stool, rub his back and he goes home to ice himself. ‘But when you gotta wake a guy up with smelling salts and got a concussion and he gotta go to hospital overnight, that’s crucial. I mean, that’s close to death. ‘When I offered Manny Pacquiao $40m, I told him I would wire him $20m up front, just agree to the guaranteed $40m. ‘He told me [he wanted] 50/50 and then hopped off the phone.’ Mayweather will return to action on May 4 at the MGM
Grand, his first bout since serving two months of an 87day prison sentence for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He also revealed he is considering hiring his father, Floyd Snr, as his trainer after his uncle Roger took ill. The pair have a fractured relationship and Floyd Jnr ejected his dad from his gym last year before his fight with Victor Ortiz. ‘We don’t really know what the future holds for Floyd Mayweather as far as who’s gonna be the trainer, but I’m leaning towards my father at this particular time,’ he added. ‘My dad has to realise that I’m an adult. I just want my dad to accept and respect me as an adult. I think my dad still looks at me as his 10-yearold son.’ Mayweather will also fight on September 14 and while no opponents have been announced for either date, names in the frame include Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Robert Guerrero. The 35-year-old, who remains undefeated after 43 fights, and holds the WBC welterweight and WBA (Super) light-middleweight world titles, concluded: ‘I don’t know who my team has scouted but whoever it is, it’s going to be an exciting show. ‘I can’t wait. I’m looking to go out there and perform and look well for my fans.’ (Mail Online)
Tramaine Stewart sped down the left flank and fired a shot from an acute angle that went agonizingly close. The 24year-old could only shake his head in disbelief. Despite throwing
everything into the attack, Jamaica found roadblocks in the form of Cuban goalkeeper Odelin Molina and a defense organized capably by Jorge Corrales. The semifinal pairings are
set from which a new Caribbean champion by will crowned. Yesterday, Group A winner Haiti met Cuba while Martinique opposed eight-time champion Trinidad & Tobago.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 14, 2012
FIFA Club World Cup - Chelsea ease into final Chelsea marked their Club World Cup debut with a comfortable victory over Mexican side Monterrey to secure their place in Sunday’s final. Juan Mata put Rafael Benitez’s side ahead in the 17th minute, sweeping home from inside the area. Fernando Torres’s deflected goal just after the break made it 2-0 before Monterrey’s Darvin Chavez turned Mata’s cross into his own net soon after. Aldo de Nigris curled in a consolation for Monterrey in stoppage time. Chelsea will play Brazilian side Corinthians, who beat Al Ahly of Egypt 1-0 in the other semi-final. Monterrey, meanwhile, face Al Ahly in the third place play-off. The victory was rarely in doubt for Chelsea against a Monterrey side who showed plenty of endeavour but lacked bite in the final third. One of the main positives for the European champions was the performance of defender David Luiz, who was employed as a makeshift midfielder to fill the void left by the injured Oriol Romeu. The Brazilian was
revelling in his new role from the outset and he was the first to threaten inside the opening 10 minutes, firing over from outside the box. Luiz then played a smart through ball for Eden Hazard down the left, but the Belgium international bent his shot just wide of the far post. Branislav Ivanovic should have done better soon after when he stabbed wide from a corner, but the expected Chelsea goal duly arrived with just over quarterof-an-hour gone. A delightful move carved open the Monterrey defence as Oscar’s backheel found Ashley Cole on the left side of the area and the full-back squared a pass for the unmarked Mata, who swept a left-footed finish into the net. Monterrey’s best chance of the half came in the 26th minute when Jesus Manuel Corona got the better of Cesar Azpilicueta and delivered a cross into the area but, fortunately for Chelsea, De Nigris directed his header over the bar. The Mexican side had a couple more promising moments before the break but
Number Juan, Chelsea took the lead on 17 minutes through Juan Mata's low drive their hopes of causing an upset were ended less than five minutes into the second half as Chelsea added two quick goals. First, Hazard superbly beat a defender for pace on the left before feeding a pass to Torres inside the area and his hugely deflected shot looped into
the back of the net. And as Monterrey were still recovering from that setback Chelsea increased their advantage. Torres bent a pass behind the Mexican side’s defence for Mata, whose ball back across goal was turned into his own net by Chavez. With the win safe, Chelsea
took their foot off the pedal and allowed Monterrey to enjoy more possession and they had a couple of half chances as game headed towards full time. Petr Cech was called into a rare moment of action as he got down to save Cesar Delgado’s weak effort from distance, before De Nigris lashed an effort
high over the Czech keeper’s goal. But De Nigris was rewarded for a hardworking performance by snatching a consolation for Monterrey in stoppage time as he was played in inside the area and he confidently fired beyond Cech. (BBC Sport)
Friday December 14, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 37
Nets face biggest challenge Sunday night By Edison Jefford Republic Bank Nets has to literally play out of its mind Sunday night if it will have any chance of defeating the number one ranked club in Georgetown, and probably Guyana, Ravens, for the Phillip George Legacy Basketball Championship. This is new territory for Nets that defeated the other top three ranked teams in Georgetown, Pepsi Sonics and Pacesetters on its way to its first championship game. The first step toward any competitiveness will be to address its obvious limitations. One, Nets is traditionally
much slower than Ravens in transition offense. The quickness of Ryan ‘Cocaine’ Stephney, Stephon ‘Penny’ Henry, Rodwell ‘Kobe’ Fortune, and Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai will be a consistent bother for the bigger Nets. Because of that fact, Nets has to switch up its defence a bit to include probably Antoine Austin and Darian Lewis as starters along with Pelham Doris. It is a risk, but without risks, Nets will not beat Ravens, which is a seriously deep team with vast experience. Austin is quick and Lewis is strong, qualities that Nets cannot take for granted
Sunday night. The Republic Bank-sponsored club has to integrate those qualities among its slower forwards, Fabian Johnson, Mortimer Williams and Drumson McCullay. It is easy to suggest that Nets will want to play toward its base, to include Johnson, Williams and McCullay consistently on the floor. The danger in that is the consistent threat of Ravens’ guards, who will easily run past the trio both in transition and set offenses. Therefore, the first limitation for Nets is its defence. Ravens will know that Nets has a defensive issue and will want to exploit them. They will figure the
National team warm up T20 with consecutive victories Derwin Christain pull pacer Clinton Pestano through mid wicket.
The Guyana team preparing for the 2013 Caribbean Twenty20 tournament defeated a Rest XI by 31 runs and 6 wickets respectively in two warm up matches yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The national team took first strike and posted 158-6 off their allocation of overs. Openers Trevon Griffith and Derwin Christian added 18 before Griffith was caught off Keon Joseph for 10. Christian was then joined by Ramnaresh Sarwan and the pair put together 54 for the second wicket stand. Christian was then dismissed for 26 after facing 32 balls hitting two fours and one six. Sarwan and Narsingh Deonarine then put together 57 for the third wicket partnership before Sarwan was caught of Raj Nanan for a top score of 39 which came off 38 balls and was laced with four and two sixes while Deonarine faced 23 balls, hitting for one four and two sixes.
Vice Captain Christopher Barnwell chipped in with a robust 32 which came off 12 balls and contained three fours and two sixes to ensure his team reached a respectable total. Nanan ended with 2-24 while Andre Stoll, Kellon Carmichael and Joseph had one each. The Rest in reply lost Robin Bacchus cheaply when he was caught off pacer Ronsford Beaton with the score on 10. Shemroy Barrington and Assad Fudadin took the fight to the opposition adding 44 for the second wicket before Paul Wintz removed Fudadin for 22 (1x4 2x6). Barrington and Gajanand Singh came together and featured in a third wicket stand of 59 but their efforts were way below the asking rate as the Rest XI finished on 127-3 in 20 overs. Barrington was bowled by Devendra Bishoo in the closing stages for 53 (1x4 2x6) which came off 52 balls while Singh was left unbeaten on 28 (1x4 1x6) off 28 balls. Beaton,
Bishoo and Wintz were the wicket takers for the victors. In the second match, the Rest XI batted first and were restricted to 93-9 in 20 overs despite a fighting third wicket stand of 31 between Singh and Fudadin (08). Devendra Bishoo (2-10), Leon Johnson (2-23) and Royston Crandon (2-25) bowled with good control and variation as only Singh with a 22-ball top score of 33 (1x4 2x6), Chanderpaul Hemraj 19, Anthony Bramble and Robin Bacchus with 12 each offering resistance. Trevon Griffith then smashed two fours and three sixes on his way to a top score of 55 as the national team reached their target off 14.4 overs ending on 95-4 in reply. His innings lasted for 41 balls. Stephen Jacobs supported with 20 (1x4) while Joseph, Dillon Heyliger, Kellon Carmichael and Robin Bacchus took one wicket each for the Rest XI. The teams will meet again today in another match at the said venue.
easiest way to do so is to increase tempo and minutes for Stephney, Henry, Fortune and Kanhai. Ravens will totally ignore that it is smaller than Nets; because of its depth, it will try to beat Nets with speed. Nets has to ensure that its possessions count; the best bet is to work the ball on the inside and hope for results from McCullay, Johnson and Williams. Again, thinking outside the box, here is a tip for the underdog Nets: Williams should play inside opposed to taking so many perimeter shots that he is accustomed; for his height, he can have an advantage banging his body inside. Nets has to take these risks to win. Finally, there is the insideout threat of Jermaine Slater and Ryan Gullen. To say that this was a defining year for both players would be an understatement; apart from their aggression in the paint, the duo has added a jump shot component to their game that makes them very versatile and difficult to defend. Nets seem outclassed in
every department, but changing up its starting five, upping minutes for some players while dropping some players’ minutes, thinking every quarter through innovatively, defence and taking chances could make them competitive and perhaps given them their first Division I title.
Drumson McCullay
WDCB U-19 Persaud bowls CI to consecutive wins National Under-17 player Akshaya Persaud grabbed 7 wickets for one run off 5.2 overs as Cornelia Ida trounced Canal No. 2 by 48 runs when play in the West Demerara Cricket Board (WDCB) Under-19 40-over competition continued Sunday last. Home team, Cornelia Ida batted first and were bowled out for 90 in 26.3 overs. Avinash Dhaniram led with 22 (3x4) as Jagdesh Ramlakhan claimed 4-12. The visitors were skittled out for 42 in 18.2 overs in reply. Meanwhile, on Saturday
at the same venue, Cornelia Ida defeated Cris Ambassadors by 37 runs. The host took first strike and managed 96 before being bowled out in 24.3 overs. Dhaniram Samaroo was the only batsman touching double figures with 19; Kenton Boyce took 3-13 and Kevin Paul 3-14. Cris Ambassadors in response were sent packing for 59 in 20 overs. Juwan Dickenson made 18; Persaud bagged 46 and Richie Loaknauth 3-16 for the winners. The game was reduced to 30 overs due to rain.
t r o Sp Kwakwani Strikers enter main draw; Ann’s Grove advance in prelim. phase
I
f what was witnessed on Wednesday evening is early indication of the excitement and quality that this year’s Banks Beer /Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Knockout Cup has in store for fans then obviously the place to be on Sunday is the world famous GCC ground when the tournament officially opens with a double header. Playing in the preliminary phase of the competition to determine which two teams will advance to join the fourteen others that will compete in the Cup for prize money totalling in excess of $9million Kwakwani Strikers produced a dazzling come from behind performance to boot out the youthful Eagles United 3-2, before a fair-sized crowd, at the GFC ground. They are now assured of a place in the ‘real’ competition, while another Region 10 team Botofago became the second team from the community to exit after suffering defeat at the hands of East Coast Demerara-based side Ann’s Grove All Stars by a 1-0 margin. In the feature clash, the young and exciting Eagles United unit made up of a
number of players that participated in the Digicel Schools Competition gradually found their rhythm after a slow start and placed the more experienced Kwakwani Strikers on the defensive through some enchanting mid-field play and threatening shots on goal. They took the lead in the 33rd minute of play when Alistair Johnson fired in from a corner and that lead lasted to the break. On the resumption, Eagles United continued to run own the Kwakwani backline, but missed chances were the order of the day and that they were made to rue in the 83rd minute when Norville Adrian netted his first of a brace. Regulation time ended with both teams deadlocked at 1-1 and 30 minutes of extra time was the next step taken. Six minutes after the start, Clive Nobrega gave Eagles United the ascendancy once again, but it was evident that the youngsters were tiring after their relentless assault against their much more seasoned counterparts who somehow managed to weather the onslaught and got the equaliser
Action in the clash between Eagles United and Kwakwani Strikers, at the GFC ground.
through Adrian in the 114th minute of play. It was clear by now that the resilience of the Kwakwani Strikers team had taken its toll on the opposition and another lazy attempt to clear a corner only resulted in the ball landing at the feet of Joshawn Thom, who lashed in from close range sending their supporters into frenzy. They held on for the next four minutes to advance to the main draw. Ann’s Grove made it to the next round of the preliminary phase after being led to victory by a solitary strike
from Wayne Rogers in the 32nd minute in their enciunter with Botofago who fought courageously, but lacked the potency upfront to threaten the opposition backline. The ‘real deal’ of the tournament commences this Sunday with the Opening Ceremony when all the teams are expected to be present and that will be followed by a double header involving Sunburst Camptown versus Houston Stars from 18:00 hrs and Fruta Conquerors opposing Flamingo at 20:00 hrs.
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