Kaieteur News

Saturday Edition

Online readership yesterday 92,365

December 15, 2012 - Vol. 6 No. 47 - Price $80 kaieteurnews@yahoo.com Website:http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Gold reaches 400,000 ounces, and counting - rakes in a whopping US$700M

Banks DIH kicks off Mash in Xmas As Queen's College students make donation to Palms ...

One cries on finding long lost grandma

Kaieteur News

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Saturday December 15, 2012

As Queen's College students make donation to Palms ...

One cries on finding long lost grandma “Giving back involves a certain amount of giving up."

This is how the students of Queen's College felt after giving up their Christmas class party to spend some time with the residents of the Palms.

But it was not all giving.

One of the students got quite a surprise when she found out that one resident she was speaking to was her own grandmother whom she last saw when she was small.

It was a very emotional moment for her. She broke down in tears.

Yesterday, the students of Form '4 A' of Queen's College paid a visit to the Palms to

interact with the residents and to make a simple donation of toiletries.

Accompanied by their teacher, Tandina Williams, they visited Wards 3, 6, 7 and 8 where they spoke with some of the residents and wished them well for the Christmas.

The students of Form 4 A decided to visit the Palms after their form teacher spoke to them at Pastoral Care about the joys of giving. Many of them said that they enjoyed the experience and would make this an annual venture.

They also encouraged other students to give as it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Students of Queens College after the donation yesterday.

Parliamentary outreach - MPs visit Kwakwani With the aim of “bringing parliament to life for young people” the Tenth Parliament yesterday continued its ongoing outreach initiative but this time ventured into Region Ten. There were two teams; one team went into Linden

whilst the other visited Ituni and Kwakwani.

The team that visited Kwakwani and Ituni comprised Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, two Government representatives- Member of Parliament Manzoor Nadir,

Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn; Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Trevor Williams and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Members of Parliament Christopher Jones and Annette Ferguson.

The team visited Ituni Primary School, Kwakwani Nursery School and the Kwakwani Primary School.

The members also met with the Kwakwani basketball team and engaged a few adults in the community.

Youths of the community

greeted the delegation of people who “make the law.”

They expressed their ambitions and were encouraged to follow their dreams; some even expressed interest in becoming politicians “and lift my community.”

Teachers at the schools, on the other hand, used the opportunity to express concerns about issues affecting them, including the absence of an allowance.

They were promised that their concerns would be (continued on page 7)

Saturday December 15, 2012

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Kaieteur News

Gold reaches 400,000 ounces, and counting - rakes in a whopping US$700M

By Leonard Gildarie Gold mining this year has continued its shine for the country's economy and with two weeks left before 2013, declarations could rack up a bountiful US$700M. Authorities reported that as of yesterday, declarations broke the 400,000-ounce mark, the first time since 2006 when big producer Omai Gold Mines ceased operations.

It means that gold, buoyed by high world prices, would remain king as the largest export earner for the government coffers this year, all thanks to small and medium scale mining.

Figures from the first six months of 2012 indicated that gold earnings were 46 per cent of total exports, earning US$268M. Last year, miners were smiling all the way to the bank with declarations at December 31, 2011, topping the 350,000-ounce mark and prices at an all time high as the international bankers took to gold as the best bet.

Officially, only the Guyana Gold Board and a few dealers are permitted to buy gold.

The extractive sector had increasingly become so crucial to Guyana that the Donald Ramotar administration established a new ministry, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, to oversee what is literally turning out to be a gold mine.

The gold rush had come with casualties for other sectors, like forestry, as workers took their chance in the bush.

2,000-PLUS EXCAVATORS This year alone, more than 2,000 excavators were reportedly sold. Despite the $30M-$40M apiece price tag, the banks were only too happy to lend the money as the returns were flowing back in.

Yesterday, the Ministry which has responsibility for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), that regulates the extractive sector, made it clear that the performance of gold this year is a “moment to be proud of”.

During a press conference at the Ministry's

boardroom in the Office of the President compound, Minister Robert Persaud, said that the performance was significant especially as gold production dipped to 200,000 ounces after Omai left in 2006. Even at the height of Omai, earnings only managed to reach US$123M. The production now is mainly due to the activities of small and medium scale miners with the dealers responsible for the bulk of the purchases.

Also at the press conference yesterday were President of Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Patrick Harding, and his deputy, Azeem Baksh; Commissioner (ag) of the GGMC, Rickford Vieira, and General Manager (ag) of the Guyana Gold Board, Anantram Balram.

According to Persaud, the 403,000 ounces yesterday translated to around US$658M in earnings and would represent a milestone for the country and its mining community.

The minister said that GGMC, in its monitoring capacity, is not interested to be perceived as a “big, bad wolf” but was rather concerned over working with players in the sector to develop a vibrant one that would be around for a long time.

Guyana has been battling leakages of gold for years with a significant amount of gold not being declared and smuggled out to escape taxes. Brazil and Suriname are reportedly the destinations.

It is believed that up to 300,000 ounces of gold are not declared annually, taking a huge chunk of royalties and taxes from government coffers.

MERCURY GOODBYE? But authorities, straining to monitor vast terrains, remained challenged to drastically stamp out the problem. It is no secret that lower royalties and taxes in other jurisdictions like neighbouring Suriname are not helping at all.

According to Minister Persaud, that the long time problem of recovery of gold remains a major problem with the likelihood of every

Mining officials speaking to reporters on the gold performance. ounce mined, an equal amount is lost. This more has to do with the fact that mining is being done in traditional ways using m e r c u r y, a d a n g e r o u s chemical which is being phased out.

The good news is that some of the more established companies are making inroads into using alternative methods to improve gold recovery by up to 90 per cent, the officials said.

On the issue of mercury being phased out, Harding admitted that the sector is still mulling alternatives as any would prove an expensive venture for any small miner.

Still, there are measures that small miners can do to improve their recovery rates of the gold.

Meanwhile, the officials also admitted that banks may be a little too conservative and could play a greater role in assisting miners by financing equipment to help improve gold recovery. It was noted yesterday that while millions are doled out for expensive excavators, there is hesitancy to lend for new technologies.

Moves will soon be made to have local banks in a meeting to discuss the issue, the officials said.

On the issue of security, with a significant number of murders reported in the gold bush this year, the Minister said that increased patrols and collaborations are

constantly being addressed.

While Guyana does not have any large scale mines in operation at the moment,

there are several of them prospecting and production could start in 2014, it was disclosed.

Gold prices are expected to continue their upward trend, a cautious Minister Persaud said.

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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

Dawdling over meaningful projects Governments always talk about having the interest of people at heart. Whenever they undertake a development project they say that they are acting in the interest of the nation. The Guyana Government is no different. It has undertaken a host of projects all designed to move the country forward and to give the people a better life.

But some of these projects are undertaken at such a slow pace that one must ask whether the government actually is keen about development. For example, there is the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project. Everyone knows that hydroelectricity is crucial to this country which spends a significant portion of its earnings on fuel.

And most of this fuel goes to provide electricity which is crucial to every aspect of development. In fact, when the power sector was faced with collapse, many industries actually cut back on production because there was just not enough power to maintain the operation. The result is that collapse threatened until they resorted to self-generation.

Today, with fossil fuel becoming increasingly expensive the cost of production is also getting higher thus making local products less competitive. However, the government failed to recognize the importance of the Amaila Falls project because despite all the signposts, it went ahead and awarded the road construction contract to a man who was certainly no road contractor. US$15.4 million went down the drain.

But that project is not the only one that is crucial but on which the government declined to place the requisite emphasis. Another is the road link between coastal Guyana and Brazil, one of the industrial giants and the country with the fifth largest economy.

This road was first mooted more than sixty years ago.

There was an offer from Ford Motors to build the road on the condition that only Ford vehicles traverse it. Needless to say the then colonial government tossed the idea aside.

Since then there have been numerous attempts to have the road constructed. The government planned safaris along the trail that existed. A few years ago the government actually opened an all-weather road which serves as the link to the southernmost part of the country. Today, vehicles other than the trucks actually use the road which has become a major communication link between Georgetown and Lethem.

With that temporary communication link every major business in coastal Guyana has moved to establish large branches in Lethem.

The aim is to take advantage of the markets Brazil offers. Banks DIH has been attempting to enter the markets in those Brazilian communities close to Guyana for some time with limited success.

Similarly, there are those companies that offer services that would certainly make life for those in the border towns excited.

The Private Sector Commission has said that the industrial zone created by the government is all but taken over by Guyanese companies. All of them are waiting on the government to either construct or accept an offer to have a proper road constructed.

After all these years the government is dawdling perhaps lulled into a false sense of confidence. It is of the opinion that come what may the Brazilians would facilitate the construction of the road but this is not the case. Suriname is now lobbying the Brazilians because it is offering the deep water harbor that the Brazilians want.

Guyana had been talking about a deep water harbor for years and indeed, all it has done is talk. Not so long ago it discussed the idea with the Chinese but with the Chinese already involved in so many projects in Guyana the government may be feeling the edge of the coin. It does not want to overspend. But failure to construct the deep water harbor and attract the road from Brazil could be costly for generations to come.

Surely, the government would not want to be cursed by generations yet unborn for stalling the economic take off of this country. The road must be a reality. The deep water harbor which has been in the offing for nearly four decades must also be a reality.

In years to come we may condemn some of the constructions now being undertaken and with perfect hindsight may question why there is not the road to Brazil even as people saunter into the Marriott and the Skeldon sugar factory fails to achieve its potential.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

Will the Govt. and Opposition ever be able to accept constructive criticism in our national interest?

DEAR EDITOR, It is often said: “Politics is a dirty game.” This is true the world over. I am not a career politician; in fact, I’m not a politician at all. But my love of country causes me at times to express my opinion as a patriotic Guyanese, and this often puts me at odds with even close friends.

Politics in Guyana is so dirty, one can no longer ‘call a spade a spade’ without offending supporters of one political party or another. As the Roman tribune Messala warned Judah Ben-Hur in the epic movie classic Ben-Hur: “You’re either for me or against me.” So it is with politics in Guyana. If this attitude continues, politicians will never compromise for the good of our country, and government will find it increasingly difficult to reach a consensus on important policy issues with the opposition.

If a member of the opposition is supportive of a policy decision or a project proposed by the government, s/he cannot show their support for fear of being treated as an outcast by their own party. Is this the best way to serve our country? Is this honouring the oath politicians take as law makers and protectors of our constitution? Will the government and opposition parties ever be able to accept constructive criticism in our national interest?

In my last letter, “The onus is on President Ramotar to right this injustice and avoid tarnishing his

reputation”, I dared to express my opinion on what I still consider to be the unfair distribution of radio licences by the then Jagdeo Administration. Had Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop not been a recipient, this may not have been an issue.

On the day my letter was published, I received several phone calls from prominent Guyanese, some suggesting I had not done my research on the subject, while others argued that Dr. Ramroop was given a licence as a result of a court order. A few, however, applauded me for having the courage to denounce what many believe to be an injustice.

The way I see it, the PPP/ C Administration has a habit of shooting themselves in the foot. They’re often accused of corruption and cronyism.

And while the joint opposition had opportunities in seven nationally televised debates to produce hard evidence of corruption, they failed miserably to do so. Yet the accusation continues.

The same can be said of cronyism.

Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop is a highly controversial person in Guyana. He is a target of the opposition for what is perceived to be the preferential treatment he gets in obtaining very lucrative pharmaceutical contracts due to his close friendship with the former President, Bharrat Jagdeo. Although he may have well earned the rights to those contracts, it is the perception of cronyism that

stands out like a sore thumb.

Like it or not, perception matters when a country is as divided as ours.

Dr. Ramroop bought over VCT 28 television station that was once owned by Anthony ‘Tony’ Vieira and now operated as TVG. Along with the purchase, Dr. Ramroop inherited a court order in favour of ‘Tony’ Vieira that would allow VCT 28 to legally operate a radio station.

Considering the court order was never executed prior to the sale of VCT 28, and the new owner, Dr. Ramroop had changed the name of the television station to TVG, a grey area does exist to warrant some concern of legitimacy.

President Jagdeo must have known that when the announcement of the recipients of radio licences was published, all hell would break loose.

He could have avoided the perception of cronyism by approving radio licences to both legitimate media houses: Kaieteur News and Stabroek News that had applications pending a very long time, but took a deliberate decision not to do so. This feeds the perception of cronyism, as Dr. Ramroop happens to be his close friend. It also feeds the perception that Kaieteur News and to a lesser extent Stabroek News were being victimized for being so outspoken and critical against the PPP/C Administration.

To be fair, the independent media play an important role in keeping the

government accountable.

And despite the obvious bias in the reporting at times, they have both demonstrated a fairly high level of accountability and professionalism. So why deny them the same opportunity given to ‘Bobby’ Ramroop? Clearly, the stringent regulations that will be enforced to monitor content of these radio stations should be adequate to keep dissenting voices in check. As so often happens with the press, slander on the airwaves other than internet radios, are subject to lawsuits.

Despite the obvious opposition, President Ramotar must be credited for bringing a fair amount of transparency to a once ‘cloak and dagger’ administration.

Of equal importance, is the need for him to listen to that ‘voice of reason’ within his inner circle. A President needs good, solid advice in order to make informed decisions.

Guyana needs strong leadership to unite our main ethnicities and to keep the economy growing in peace and tranquility. The PPP/C Administration can ill afford to do anything that will be perceived by the opposition as corruption or cronyism.

The time, effort and resources that are usually required to counter these charges, can be best spent fulfilling a campaign pledge of a better Guyana for all.

“Cherish the friend who tells you a harsh truth, wanting ten times more to tell you a loving lie.”

Harry Gill

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

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

A golden opportunity for President Ramotar to demonstrate that he is truly different DEAR EDITOR, Recent press reports indicated that the highly controversial, former president of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, issued a number of radio licences, shortly before he left office. This revelation has sparked much public debate and attracted strong outrage by opposition parties and citizens, especially those who felt that President Jagdeo’s action directly discriminated against them.

Many Guyanese felt that Mr. Jagdeo’s presidency was shrouded in secret deals, corrupt practices in government, criminal activities, nepotism, cronyism, racism, and highly nefarious activities of all kinds.

There is a litany of cases which will seek to remind us of Mr. Jagdeo’s legacy, and if there was any doubt that

corruption, discrimination and victimization nestled in the Office of the President, during the dark times, the recent revelation of the ‘Jagdeo radio licences’ serves to remind us that there was no illusion.

What kind of excuse can Mr. Jagdeo proffer for engaging in this highly biased selective method of granting radio licences to his friends while denying many?

What is obvious is that some of those whose applications were denied had their application languishing on the desk of Mr. Jagdeo for many years, unlike his friends.

Further, some of these people were already established in the media business for years, in contrast to Jagdeo’s friends. These are blatant acts of grave abuses of power and the people must not let Mr. Jagdeo get away

What’s happened to the traditional ‘box hand’?

DEAR EDITOR, Once again we read about someone spiriting away other people’s ‘penny bank money’, just when contributors - presumably mainly people who can ill afford to lose it - were looking forward to their money in time for Christmas. Sadly, a trusted churchwoman was involved this time.

Many years ago, the penny bank was run mainly for primary school children, supervised by head teachers - the savings handed back to the children at Christmastime each year.

Money saved privately by adults was usually held by ‘box holders’, normally a neighbour or close friend trusted completely by contributors to what was known as a ‘box’, the modern financial term being ‘a pot’.

The number of savers was usually small, normally up to 12, to correspond with the number of months in the year and each contributor handed over

the same amount of money every month and took turns each month in getting back their total yearly contribution (‘box hand’) in one fell swoop, effectively the sum total in advance.

Sometimes box holders would keep ‘a small piece’ for themselves. Trouble arose only if one contributor absconded after collecting his/her share. It was a good way of saving for a special occasion, e.g. a wedding or a special celebration.

As primary school teachers, we had such a box scheme, and our contribution was $5.00 (five dollars) per month - an amount not to be sneezed at in those days. Sixty dollars could buy much then.

In January every year, the teachers wishing to continue would put their names down and indicate which month they would like to ‘draw’ their box hand.

I am curious to know whether people still ‘throw box’. And if not, why not.

Geralda Dennison

with yet another assault on them.

I have argued that these things only happen in societies where the leaders have no regard for the people, a people who they deem their subjects, who are incapable of recognizing right from wrong, or good from evil.

In the minds of Jagdeo and the PPP, the people are devoid of the intellectual capacity to identify and call them out on their wrongs, for them we are not to be feared, we are not to be bothered with, as we are mere mindless beings. How else can one

explain the brazenness in which they perpetuate these vulgar wrongs against the people?

Jagdeo expects that none will have the courage and ability to call him out on this unfair radio licence scandal, so days before he leaves office he rewards his friends.

The ball is in President Donald Ramotar’s court, it is for him to chart a new course, his campaign theme of ‘continuity’ will not be in his interest, as all of Guyana has experienced the wrath of the Jagdeo regime, and for him to claim that he is continuing in

the footsteps of his predecessor is preposterous and senseless.

One year has passed and President Ramotar seems comfortable to remain on the ‘Jagdeo Course’. He has an opportunity to demonstrate that he can chart his own course; that he understands that corruption eats away at the heart of the nation, that the people must be respected.

Yes, he has the opportunity to do right by the people. He must act!

This recent Jagdeo radio licence saga has presented President Ramotar a golden

opportunity to demonstrate that he is truly different. He can start by rescinding all the Jagdeo granted radio licences and reviewing the entire process used to grant those licences.

All this must be done to ensure that the process is fair and that those who meet the requirements and were standing in line are satisfied that the process was fair.

Failure to do this would be to leave us no alternative but to conclude that Ramotar is really running a Jagdeo administration.

Lurlene Nestor

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 15, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news Don’t we have a right to peace and Do not attack Freddie, Mr. Bisram, provide evidence of your claims comfort in our homes anymore?

DEAR EDITOR, This letter serves to give the attention to the authorities responsible for maintaining and safeguarding the rights of Guyanese.

It is truly disturbing to observe the number of letters and complaints appearing in the daily media regarding noise nuisance.

More and more persons are afflicted by this issue and ironically, it seems as though our cries are falling on deaf ears.

In particular, a “welding/ tyre shop” on the West Coast of Demerara is the source of unrelenting hammering, and noise emanating from a generator.

As if the constant banging and revving of the generator is not enough, the residence is a magnet for vehicles with blaring music.

These people have no respect for the residents in this area and their right to a quiet atmosphere.

It appears that the owners and workers at this location are now deaf and too damaged to even comprehend the agony which is faced by

residents on a daily basis.

I am sure that certain guidelines are in place for dealing with such activities, like soundproofing or operating at an industrial site instead or a residential one. How permission was granted to conduct such activities in an area where houses are close to each other is beyond me.

Legislation against noise nuisance should be enforced so that persons suffering can have some semblance of quiet in their environment.

Numerous complaints were made to the Police Stations (Den Amstel and Leonora), the N e i g h b o u r h o o d Democratic Council (NDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

S o f a r, t h e n o i s e continues with no ease whatsoever…Apparently, the noisemakers are above the law or the constant stream of complaints is not serious enough for the authorities to act on.

It is not just frustrating

and irritating, but very unhealthy for us to be exposed to this nuisance.

My elderly mother is presently sick and can get absolutely no rest in her home due to the incessant pounding.

Early in the morning to late in the evenings, even on weekends, the loud noise carries on. It is totally unfair for hardworking, law-abiding citizens to be persistently harassed by this issue.

The elderly, children and homeowners are forced to endure this abhorrent hammering and pounding without any satisfactory measures taken by those in charge to alleviate their anguish.

Don’t we have a right to peace and comfort in our homes anymore? When will this lawless and irresponsible behaviour stop?

I hope the authorities finally act on their duties to protect sufferers of this form of mental torture.

Fed-up victim of noise nuisance

DEAR EDITOR, I’ve read the numerous ‘polls’ put out by Vishnu Bisram over the years and the responding critics that seek clarification on him and the authenticity of his ‘polls’. Mr. Bisram has responded to Freddie Kissoon in full attack mode after Kissoon’s attempts to get some information to confirm the authenticity of the polls Bisram puts out.

It is very interesting that instead of answering the questions directly, as any reputable organization would do, he continues to make half statements and general inferences. Do not attack Freddie, provide evidence of your claims.

For example, when asked to provide the name of the school at which he works, instead of providing a name and number for his school, he lists a number of individuals who can attest to the fact that he is employed as a teacher with the NY public school system. That is tantamount to someone going for a job and when asked to provide proof of employment, they berate the interviewer for not accepting the word of a colleague who has worked with them. Providing a list of personal references does not prove where you are employed.

The next interesting factor about Mr. Bisram is that he cannot provide any clarification on his North America Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA). There are a number of associations in which educators from the

Diaspora associate and they go at length to get publicity and attract members. I have never heard of this association nor seen any of their work outside of the utterings of Mr. Bisram.

I have been a teacher with the NYC Department of Education for the last ten years and have been teaching in the same public school system that Bisram purports to be teaching. In this system, there is an outlook web email system, that automatically registers every employee with the Department of Education, whether you are schoolbased or not. If you need to look up any employee, you type their name in the search engine on the application and all their employment details are displayed.

Their name, school, school telephone number and title appear. I have done this repeatedly for Mr. Bisram and nothing shows.

For the past seven years I have been involved in the teachers’ union, both at my school level and the central level. As a part-time employee of the teachers’ union (United Federation of Teachers), I have access to every schoolbased employee of the Department of Education, and no one by the name of Vishnu Bisram is on that database.

A teacher in the NYC Dept. of Education is allowed ten days per year to be absent, and it has to be for justifiable reasons. These also include the days for which doctor’s notes have to be produced. How does Mr. Bisram explain all those days

that he is in Guyana? A teacher gets one year of approved sabbatical study after seven years of service.

Your courses have to be approved by the Superintendent and you cannot be gainfully employed during this sabbatical. Again, can Bisram explain his sabbatical and if he did polling during that period, then he was perpetuating a fraud on the department.

I have no intentions of entering into a spat with Mr. Bisram. He has put himself out as a public figure and makes pronouncements that can influence people’s daily lives, and therefore he deserves to be scrutinized like every public figure. Unless Mr. Bisram comes clean and answers the following questions directly, he will be seen as perpetuating a fraud on the Guyanese people.

1. What is the name and number of the school at which you teach?

2. What is the subject you teach and what is your New York State Education Department license?

3. What is the location of the head office of NACTA? 4. I am an educator who would like to join NACTA. Who are the executive members and what is the process for joining?

I make no hasty conclusions about Mr. Bisram, but to rely on the veracity of his polls and utterances he needs to prove that he is an individual of integrity.

Jerrick Rutherford East Orange, NJ

DEAR EDITOR, I was, as my daily routine, reading your newspaper before I go off to work.

In the process of doing so I happened to come across an article ‘Jagan justifies his employment at OP’.

I was somewhat amazed but more amused at the author’s arrogance and downright disdain for the average working class Guyanese who work hard every day to put a meal on their tables.

Don’t get me wrong, the right and honourable Cheddi Berret Jagan II, Esq., definely has a right to justify his employment, but the language used was quite abrasive, unprofessional and unbecoming of an unqualified

lawyer. From his narrative, the average man may get the impression that he is of some world renown - a well sought after professor who forsakes a brighter future in America to serve the lowly populace of Guyana. This may be so, which I do doubt, but that is not the way to announce yourself to the world.

After reading this unqualified lawyer’s letter I do have a few questions for him 1. How many job offers have you had in America that you walked away from to serve your country?

2.

What is the unemployment rate of unqualified lawyers like yourself in America?

3. What is the pass rate of

candidates in your ‘world hardest’ exam at the first attempt?

4 . We r e y o u i n t h e minority or the majority in failing at your first attempt?

In closing I will state that it is the arrogance of people like the honourable Cheddi Jagan II, Esq., that is responsible for many qualified Guyanese leaving.

Finally, I do wonder if his Majesty can help me in my application in renouncing my Guyanese citizenship.

I sent my application over a year ago and paid the required £100.00 but I am being given the royal push around. Please look into it for this former ‘disgusting Guyanese’ Dr. Mark Devonish MBBS Pgcert MEd ed MRCP (UK) Specialty Registrar Acute Medicine

Arrogance and downright disdain for the average working class Guyanese

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

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

Govt. ups rhetoric on “threat to Parliamentary democracy” The government is sticking to its claim that the opposition is using its majority to subvert Parliamentary democracy and has put several international bodies on notice.

Presidential Advisor, Gail Teixeira, yesterday said that the opposition is violating “sacred” Parliamentary norms and practices and she spoke of efforts to stifle the government’s business in Parliament.

She said that among the organisations that the government has taken its claim to are the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and its branches, the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Parliaments in the Caribbean, the Union of South American Nations and countries where Guyana has a diplomatic

presence.

The first time the government raised its claim was on August 23, at the Permanent Council of the OAS. The government claims that the subversion of parliamentary democracy in Guyana poses a serious and real threat to political stability.

The document that has b e e n c i r culated to the international community puts in chronological order “the attacks” launched by the political opposition immediately after the announcement of the November 28 polls.

The government framed its case within several incidents, such as the Linden disturbances during July and August, and the Agricola protests in October where there were “continuous attempts to have similar such road blockages in other areas.”

“These developments in the Guyana National Assembly over the last 11 months are at their least disturbing and worrying, however, they become more sinister when taken holistically with the consistent undermining and subversion of parliamentary democracy based on “the dictatorship of one” and repeated declarations of the “new dispensation” by the two opposition parties that their supporters are the majority and they must have their day,” the document which has been circulated states.

The document claims that most of the powers attributed to the government under the Constitution are being compromised by the opposition.

The government claims that it has made attempts to reason with the two opposition parties but these have proven futile.

Parliamentary outreach - MPs visit Kwakwani A scene from the visit

From page 2 related to responsible authorities and “would be sorted out.”

Other Kwakwani residents noted that the interest given to the community by Alliance For Change, Trevor Williams, but expressed that “more can be done for this community.”

They have residents that are willing but “we just need the support.”

“The initiative sprang

from the need to engage with and bring on board the “ordinary Guyanese, as MPs’ engage in Parliamentary business. It is through programmes like this that the National Assembly will be able to reconnect, to get in touch with daily encounters of our people, and help to shape the minds of our young people in a positive way,” said Parliament’s Public Relations Officer, Onika Walton.”

. ” T h i s programme is therefore serving as a platform to recommit MPs into a partnership with all Guyanese especially the school age youths to build a better life for all,” She added that the initiative seeks to help to build trust and confidence between the parliamentary parties, between the people and the legislature, and more generally, in the institutions of governance.

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Kaieteur News

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Saturday December 15, 2012

No deliberate efforts to 'drag out' liberalisation of telecoms sector There are no deliberate moves to delay the liberalisation of the local telecommunication sector since such a process is critical to Guyana's national development strategy. That was the view of Chief Whip of the ruling People's Progressive Party Civic, Ms Gail Teixeira, during the post Cabinet press briefing at Office of the President yesterday.

She was responding to reported calls by Digicel's Chief Executive Officer,

Gregory Dean, for a deadline to the liberalisation process of the sector.

For a number of years the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) has held the monopoly status in the sector even with Digicel's infiltration in 2006.

However, moves to discard the monopoly affair saw the crafting of Bills, the Telecommunications Bill and Public Utilities Commission Amendment Bill, to aid a reform of the sector allowing it to become

an open market. The Bills have however not been debated in the National Assembly since Prime Minister Samuel Hinds had indicated that there is need for more consultations between the two existing players.

Teixeira said, yesterday, “I think for all of us we would like to move this forward...This is holding back the issue of getting the legislative framework and being able to get consensus on all sides or comfort zones that everybody can live

- Teixeira with.” Teixeira asserted that Government does not necessarily have any intention or plan to drag the process out because “we do realise the issue of ensuring that we are all comfortable with the final result.”

Underscoring that the need for a deadline is understandable, Teixeira noted that if Digicel has in its corporate opinion a time schedule it would like to

propose, the Government is opened to receiving it.

“Let's sit and talk and agree to some kind of timeframe with all three partners. I assume that their announcement is an intention or desire and not an ultimatum or threat of any kind so I just take it that it is their best intention...this is what they want.”

According to Teixeira, moves to defer the two Telecommunications Bills were merely intended to allow further discussions with the telecommunications service providers. Last month, Government had engagements with both Digicel and GT&T. This past Monday there was a “lengthy and productive” meeting with G T & T, Te i x e i r a s a i d yesterday. Another meeting with GT&T is set for early January, she added.

In the interim Digicel has submitted in writing its comments on the Telecommunication Bill.

“We will then be going through those comments...We will be meeting back again with GT&T and we hope that we will be able to reach a

Ms Gail Teixeira, PPP/C Chief Whip consensus between all of the providers and the Government on this important area of Guyana's economy,” Teixeira intimated. The Telecommunications sector and its liberalisation or the process of de-monopolisation is a critical component of the national development agenda for Guyana, Teixeira said, adding that it is absolutely important and obviously when “we say de-monopolisation we are not talking about opening up the sector.”

The liberalisation of the sector, the Chief Whip disclosed, is aimed at not only allowing the two companies to function and flourish but any other companies that wish to enter into the Guyanese market in the area of telecommunications and the services related to the sector.

Nine year old struck by pickup truck in stable condition Farazad Khan, a nineyear-old, is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Pediatric ward after he was hit by a pickup truck yesterday at the corner of Broad and Ketley Streets.

Charlestown.

According to the child’s medical reports, he has suffered a “mild scalp swelling along the frontal region”, as well as a “small fracture of the posterior third of the right first rib”.

Eyewitnesses had told his publication that the child was making his way across Broad Street on the pedestrian crossing, when a speeding Canter truck bearing licence plate number GHH 9348 struck him.

Kaieteur News was also told that upon realizing that the boy was hit, the vehicle driver attempted to flee the scene. However, it was several donkey carts operators who confronted him, took away the keys to his vehicle, and summoned the police.

The child was then rushed to the hospital in an

Nine year-old Farazad Khan unconscious state where he was treated at the Accident and Emergency Unit before being transferred to the children’s ward.

The boy’s mother also told this publication that the police are awaiting the child’s discharge in order to obtain a statement from him.

In the mean time, she added that the driver of the vehicle was released from police custody on $50,000 bail.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

Guyanese should be on their knees tomorrow Guyana has had genuine international friends. And all of them have been socialist leaders. First in line has been Fidel Castro.

The Cuban Government has sent medical doctors and sports coaches to Guyana and has over the years offered hundreds of scholarships for our students to study in that country.

That country has had friendly ties with Guyana for over forty years. On the other hand, relations with Venezuela has not always been smooth sailing and in fact got progressively worse in the 1980s when the Venezuelans refused to renew the Protocol of Port of Spain which had shelved the territorial dispute for a period of ten years.

That led to a long period in which Guyana has to be wary of Venezuelan intentions about Guyana. And there were many anxious moments.

However since Hugo Chavez took over as President of Venezuela, there has been a dramatic improvement in relations between the countries. Guyana no longer has to fear Venezuelan aggression, at least not as long as Chavez remains alive.

Now that Hugo Chavez is fighting for his life, Guyanese should show their love for this champion of the working class by organizing vigils.

There are of course those within our midst who would like to see the back of Chavez.

One particular newspaper cannot accept the fact that

under Chavez, Guyana has established a completely new relationship with Venezuela and that under Chavez, Venezuela does not present a threat to this country.

Now that the Venezuelan leader is gravely sick, we can expect this newspaper to once again try to resurrect old fears as to what a postChavez Venezuela could mean and how unprepared Guyana is for that eventuality.

Instead of being obsessed with such negative thoughts, it would be much better if the entire nation joins hands and prays that this giant of South America lives because he has been such an inspiration on the continent and further afield.

The people of Venezuela are praying that their president will return home safely to them. All Guyana should join in doing the same because Chavez has been extremely good to Guyana.

Chavez has not tried to impede Guyana from developing the Essequibo Region.

In fact, the Hugo Chavez administration had broken with the policies of previous Venezuelan governments and has indicated that it will not oppose developments in the contested area as long as these developments are for the benefit of the people of Guyana.

This is a revolutionary declaration by the Venezuelan Head of State which has already allowed Guyana to

Dem boys seh...

De Bees gun follow Sonny soon De evil that men do will fall pun dem head. That is a saying that people does tek as joke but wasn’t joke fuh dem lawyer, magistrate and clerk in de court in New Amsterdam.

Dem boys hoping and praying that all dem thiefing and, scampish and cockish kantractahs gun end up dead under dem project. It ain’t good fuh call dead pun people but some of dem deserve more than that.

Tek fuh example de one who tek $35 million fuh renovate de magistrate court.

De project ain’t last one month and de roof fall in pun de magistrate head.

Dem lawyer who just as crooked as dem kantractah barely dodge and one of dem had de nerve fuh seh that de thing should fall pun de president and he entourage.

But Donald suspect that kak pass wid de project suh

he decide that he wouldn’t open de building. He cut good card because by now de bat sh—t would mek hair grow back pun he head instantly.

Is kak wuk like that mek de Rat don’t give some of dem certain wuk. He select a special kantractah fuh build he house. But he smart.

He doesn’t walk under he million-dollar chandelier.

He frighten it fall pun he head.

He didn’t buy that chandelier. He get it as a reward from de Chinee people and something deh inside fuh fall at de appropriate time and mess up he head and close he off.

Sonny done get close off.

Barbie and Brazzy and Irfaat, Rob Earth and some of de Bees gun follow he soon. De Heff Bee High tell dem boys suh.

Talk half and waif fuh dem close off one by one.

undertake massive plans for the Essequibo. Guyana has already drawn down on international resources under an arrangement with Norway and Venezuela has not issued even a whimper of protest.

Guyana is also part of the Petrocaribe arrangement but we are not totally dependent on that arrangement for our fuel needs. Guyana was very cautious about entering the Petrocaribe Initiative no doubt because of tremendous pressure from the United States. However, other Caribbean countries such as Jamaica and St Vincent are part of that arrangement and if Chavez

had lost the election last month to the opposition, those countries would have had real problems.

They too should be praying for Chavez.

But by far the greatest beneficiary of Chavez’s kindness has been our rice farmers. Venezuela offers very concessional terms for rice and purchases large amounts of the product from Guyana.

If there is a break in that arrangement, then the rice sector is likely to crash.

The concerns therefore are different from the past.

The concerns are no longer about intervention from Venezuela. The concerns are

about whether the tremendous trade and economic benefits that Guyana derives from Venezuela is going to be affected should Chavez be unable to continue in office.

Given the generosity of Hugo Chavez over the years, all Guyanese should join hands in praying for his recovery because had it not been for him it could not have been certain what benefits Guyana would have derived from its relations with Venezuela.

Tomorrow should be designated a Day of Prayer and Support for the Venezuelan leader. All

Guyana should be on their knees tomorrow praying for the recovery of Hugo Chavez.

Vigils should also be organized for his health.

Guyana needs him to survive. South America needs his Bolivarian Revolution to continue, and the socialist world needs for that process to be completed under his leadership.

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Kaieteur News

MUSE or AMUSE

Forty million dollars per room!

If I had a choice of Marriott or potable water in Georgetown, you know what I would choose! Guyanese spend millions of dollars on bottled water in this land of many waters. And the Government is spending billions of dollars on a hotel!

What is worse, the hotel is being built on the seashore when we should be thinking of going inland.

US$60 million will place this hotel among the most expensive hotels in the world on a cost per square foot; just as the cost per mW will place the Amaila hydroelectric project among the most expensive in the world.

The so-called ‘Marriott’ hotel at US$50million will cost an average of US$200,000 per room (leaving money aside for lobby, etc.) – that is 40 MILLION GUYANESE DOLLARS per room!

Assuming 65 per cent occupancy for 250 nights per year at US$150/night – the hotel will start to earn a return only AFTER 10 years. And that assumption is only on capital costs. It ignores operation and maintenance costs, franchise costs, electricity costs etc.

By adding opex, one will see diminishing returns – or rather increasing losses. Any

possible breakeven will only be seen in 15-20 years by which time the equipment and internal assets (other than the building) would have been fully depreciated three times around and require replacement. So why do it?

Why is the Government so persistent that this is the best thing to do for Guyana? The attitude is as if we must forget about job creation, forget about potable water, forget about a new bridge for the Demerara River, forget about the other important things for Guyana. The government behaves as though without this Hotel, Guyana will die!

One line of thought is that the project is being done to allow certain investors to come on board. But THAT is another story! After all, there is a lot of liquidity in the system and one can only use certain projects to turn over the liquidity. The investors will be ‘hidden’ to avoid any scrutiny and they will cloud the investor-ship with one or two ‘noble’ names who would have little choice but to invest.

But, the deal is sealed. The hotel will be there before the next election. The special private investors will also pool together for the other piece of the jigsaw, that is, the

casino. But that casino too, is another story and will have to be investigated separately and from the dimension of cash flows instead of investment and returns. Cash flows, of course, serve a different purpose.

And certain members of the Private Sector will continue to praise the project.

These are the very people who cannot discern any corruption in Guyana, yet they have, themselves, benefitted from the state of corruption in the country.

They have ‘acquired’ assets, positions and holdings so that their support will always be guaranteed.

But, the Guyanese public will not be fooled. We are waking up to reality, a reality beyond racial politics.

The PNC-r-APNU, the AFC and the PPP must realize that the People’s Power spoke during the last election and will speak again. We are looking on! We are taking note of these missed opportunities and wanton excesses. And, in this case we will be looking on as the rising seas and pounding waves give cause for a project to continue to drain our taxpayers’ dollars down the Atlantic, no pun intended.

Amused? Absolutely not!

Saturday December 15, 2012

Filaria tablet distribution staff still awaiting payment

Some of the disgruntled people who participated in the filaria programme.

Dozens of persons who worked with the Ministry of Health, ‘Final boot to big foot’ campaign are saying they are still to receive payment for their services.

The programme was funded by the Inter American Development Bank, and Pan American Health Organisation. It was executed through the Ministry of Health and the Guyana Water Inc. Over the past month or so, persons have been walking the streets of Georgetown distributing tablets to persons. Initially persons said they were told that they would have been paid $2,100 for each day they were involved in packaging the tablets. In addition they were promised between $2300 and $2500 for each day they distribute.

In addition, persons were promised a T-shirt, an umbrella and a bag. However when the distribution started in the first week of October the persons said they were told that the T-shirts were not ready.

Subsequent to the official start off date the persons participating in the programme were given their T-shirts and bags only. Some of the participants who turned up at the Palms yesterday for their monies said that every day they worked they were made to use their own money to get to their intended destination.

They were also forced to provide meals for themselves each day they worked.

Yesterday, at the Palms the participants said they were told that they will only be

receiving $700 for the distribution.

“This $700 that they are giving to us is just part of the money for the distribution and the rest they haven’t told us anything as yet” one participant told this publication.

Another participant said that they were told that a ‘Mr. Rohan’ of GWI was responsible for the other half of the distribution payment.

However, they now say that he has been very elusive since they started making enquires about their money.

Some persons said they worked as many as 28 days while others worked for 10, some 15 days.

“All we want is our money; we worked for it and in all fairness they should give us what we earned.”

Govt. ups rhetoric on “threat to Parliamentary democracy” The government is sticking to its claim that the opposition is using its majority to subvert Parliamentary democracy and has put several international bodies on notice.

Presidential Advisor, Gail Teixeira, yesterday said that the opposition is violating “sacred” Parliamentary norms and practices and she spoke of efforts to stifle the government’s business in Parliament.

She said that among the organisations that the government has taken its claim to are the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and its branches, the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Parliaments in the Caribbean, the Union of South American Nations and countries where Guyana has a diplomatic

presence.

The first time the government raised its claim was on August 23, at the Permanent Council of the OAS. The government claims that the subversion of parliamentary democracy in Guyana poses a serious and real threat to political stability.

The document that has been circulated to the international community puts in chronological order “the attacks” launched by the political opposition immediately after the announcement of the November 28 polls.

The government framed its case within several incidents, such as the Linden disturbances during July and August, and the Agricola protests in October where there were “continuous attempts to have similar such road blockages in other areas.”

“These developments in

the Guyana National Assembly over the last 11 months are at their least disturbing and worrying, however, they become more sinister when taken holistically with the consistent undermining and subversion of parliamentary democracy based on “the dictatorship of one” and repeated declarations of the “new dispensation” by the two opposition parties that their supporters are the majority and they must have their day,” the document which has been circulated states.

The document claims that most of the powers attributed to the government under the Constitution are being compromised by the opposition.

The government claims that it has made attempts to reason with the two opposition parties but these have proven futile.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Barama snags coveted timber legality certification Barama, Forestry officials and Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud, during the press conference at the Duke Lodge

G u y a n a ’s b a t t l e t o eradicate illegal logging has been given a major boost with one major company recently received a key certification.

Barama Company Limited, which controls 1.6 million hectares of natural forests, has undergone an international audit of its logging operations and has been issued with a Verified Legal Origin (VLO) certification.

The certification states that its timber originates from an area where the harvesting is legal, according to the originating country’s regulations.

With increasing pressure for countries with forests to protect their resources by harvesting in a verifiable, sustainable manner, Guyana would be more than glad for this development.

On Thursday, Barama and Government spoke of the development which would effectively allow international markets to not view Guyana

with suspicion as to whether the logs are being extracted in illegal manner.

During a presentation on the award of the VLO certification on Thursday at Duke Lodge, Kingston, Barama which is best known for its production of plywood, disclosed that the company’s certification was conducted

by Rainforest Alliance of the United States of America.

The company, which employs more than 1,000 persons and has been in Guyana for 21 years, was issued with the VLO certification on November 7, making it the largest single block of tropical forest in the world to be certified under such a scheme.

At the forum were the company’s executives, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, and officials of other agencies, including the Guyana Forestry Commission and Forest Products Association of Guyana.

According to Minister

Persaud, the timber company’s certification is testimony to the standards that have been ensured in the industry, and that it is another example of Guyana’s forests withstanding the scrutiny of independent and international monitoring.

“What we are seeing here is not the Government of Guyana saying its or our regulatory body…but what we see here represents the analysis; it represents the conclusion of independent international verifiers,” he said.

According to the Minister, Guyana’s forest industry is one in the world that has constantly undergone review from a number of external agencies from the United States and elsewhere to ensure its compliance with agreements ventured into bilaterally or at the multilateral level with regards to maintaining rate of deforestation and achieving the rate of sustainable forest management.

He said that in light of all

US$1.8 million contract to equip forensic lab The government has approved the award of a contract totaling US$1.8 million to equip the forensic laboratory.

Gail Teixeira, Advisor to the President, announced that the Cabinet has given its “no objection” to the award of the contract in 14 “lots”.

She said that the contract is for the supply, delivery and installation of the equipment together with training in the use of the equipment. The contract also includes the supply, delivery and installation of “laboratory furnishings”.

The price tag for the construction of the laboratory

is estimated at more than the $450 million price tag that was anticipated, given modifications which have to be done to accommodate modern equipment.

The modifications are being done on the advice of Cheryl Corbin, the Director of the Barbados Forensic Sciences Centre, who also tasked with providing the government with a list of equipment that would be needed to undertake essential services at the lab and to provide the specifications for those equipment.

The facility will contain a toxicology lab, an area for

analyzing trace evidence, a chemistry lab to test drugs and a serology lab to carry out blood tests.

The forensic lab is being built under the US$19.5 million Citizen Security Programme, which has a component for capacity building and modernization of the Guyana Police Force.

This component objective is to transform the Guyana Police Force from an incidentdriven, reactive institution to one that relies on the analysis of patterns, incidents and problems in order to understand the characteristics and causes of incidents.

that has been done to facilitate this environment of standards and sustainable forest management, it hurts when people are completely ignorant of the reality, rush in and make quick judgment of the system. “Anyone who says there is rampant illegal logging in Guyana is totally out of reality,” Minister Persaud said.

“The effort we have made…the work done by the GFC (Guyana Forestry Commission) …we are very confident…that the system we have in preventing illegal logging is robust and world class and can withstand any international test in this regards.”

According to Barama’s Head of Corporate Affairs and Forest Planning, Mohindra Chand, the VLO certification basically translates to the assurance that the company’s operation in keeping with international laws.

“As you would recognize, internationally the issue of illegal timber is a front-

burning issue, especially in the western world,” he said.

He said, “A lot of the customers in those regions have the concern that the timber being sourced might not be timber complying with their international law, it might be infringing on the social fabric of that country.

Therefore they want reassurance…about whether persons are being harmed, laws are being broken.

“The VLO gives that assurance to the customers that you are buying timber from a source that is compliant with all the requirements nationally and even meet international standards,” Chand said.

Barama’s Chief Executive Officer, Clement Ooi, said that the certification has extremely positive implications for the forestry sector, and the country as a whole.

He said that with the accomplishment, Guyana has again placed itself on the world map for having internationally accepted forest practices, and that this

has very positive impact for the country in light of its commitment to forest legality, sustainable forest management practices and its Low Carbon Development Strategy focus.

Ooi said that the company’s move to get certified was not market driven, but based on the company’s conviction of having its stakeholders and customers know that the company is operating at an internationally acceptable level.

A few years ago, in the face of rampant illegal logging, a number of timber companies were fined hundreds of millions of dollars.

With Guyana’s forest said to be one of the most untouched, Government has also been boasting that its deforestation rates remains among the lowest in the world. Guyana has been actively pushing to reduce wholesale exports of its logs, with emphasis placed on value-added.

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Saturday December 15, 2012

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Ramjattan touts rules to penalize Ministers …says Finance Minister flouting Parliamentary orders Rules are needed to penalize Government Ministers who refuse to comply with directions of the National Assembly, Khemraj Ramjattan, Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) said on Thursday.

Ramjattan said that Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, has not complied with a motion passed in the National Assembly calling for, among other things, an audit into the operations of NICIL, the government agency responsible for the sale and disposal of state assets, including lands.

That motion, which called for details of the sale of state assets and the criteria used in such sales, was passed on June 27, last.

In a new motion slated for debate on Monday, Ramjattan said that the process by which NICIL set up a company to build the US$60 million hotel project is illegal, and that all funds accrued by NICIL should be deposited into the Consolidated Fund.

In the face of the government ignoring motions passed by the opposition-led

National Assembly, Ramjattan said that new rules need to be created to hold Ministers accountable.

“We have to start creating new rules in the Parliament so that we can hold the Minister accountable,” Ramjattan declared, “and if it comes to that, to penalize them.”

He said that without such provisions the National Assembly would be rendered incompetent.

He said that in a case where there is “executive lawlessness” the opposition exists to hold the government accountable for its actions.

Ramjattan contends that in the case of the Marriott project, what the government is doing is unconstitutional since money from the public purse is being used to fund a project at the whims and fancies of the government.

He said that if the money from NICIL were paid into the Consolidated Fund, then any money spent on the Marriott would have required Parliamentary approval.

In the case of Marriott, NICIL, which itself is a private company, formed another private company –Atlantic

Hotels Incorporated – to build the Marriott using taxpayers money.

“What they are doing is perpetrating a scam,” Ramjattan declared.

In the new motion before the National Assembly, Ramjattan is calling for NICIL to pay into the Consolidated Fund all revenues and proceeds from the sale of all properties and shares of companies belonging to the State and vested in the name of NICIL during the period 1992 to 2012.

Further, the motion calls for no further expenditure to be incurred by NICIL or its subsidiary Atlantic Hotels Incorporated on the Marriott Hotel Project without the authorisation and approval of this National Assembly.

“When we pass that motion, all of NICIL’s monies as a command of National Assembly must go into Consolidated Fund,” Ramjattan declared.

While the government is pressing ahead with the Marriott hotel project, occupancy rates across the sector suggest that the project lacks viability.

The main hotels in the country are averaging occupancy rates of just over 50 percent.

Robert Badal, the owner of the Pegasus Hotel, which has been against the project mainly because he sees it as unfair competition, said that if the project was feasible, the private sector, including him, would have jumped at it.

The project puts taxpayers at risk of losing US$48 million plus escalation costs if the project fails.

The financial plan only has investors putting US$8 million in the project, with NICIL, the government’s investment arm putting US$21 million and another US$$21 million coming from a bank bond that industry sources believe has the backing of the government despite its denial.

In the arrangement with Republic Bank (Trinidad), taxpayers’ rights rank last to other investors.

The syndicated loan, as is the arrangement with Republic Bank, is one that is provided by a group of lenders and is structured, arranged and administered by one or several commercial

Khemraj Ramjattan banks or investment banks.

In this case, the loan is being administered by the Republic Bank but the government has not named the other lenders.

By agreeing to this type of loan arrangement, the government is agreeing for the investors who are part of the syndicate, to get back their investment first ahead of

any other investor in the project. So, if in a scenario where the project fails and the value of the property depreciates to a value below what the investors have plugged, then the investors will get back their money, and there would be nothing to return to NICIL, meaning that taxpayers’ dollars would go down the drain.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 15, 2012

Cotton Tree farmers lose millions from floods Cotton Tree, West Bank Berbice farmers are claiming losses into the millions of dollars owing to neglect from the authorities in draining their farmlands of excess water. More than a dozen farmers, on Wednesday, travelled to the city to air their concerns at the head office of the Alliance for Change. The party’s chairman, Nigel Hughes, had earlier in the weekend travelled to the community to see the losses first hand. Farmers claimed that they tried to get both the Region Five administration and the MMA Agricultural Development Association to pump water out of the land, but they were told that no pump was available.

Sahiboodeen Khan said that in the first place, the pump station at Cotton Tree was “locked off” due to repair works which they later found out about. He said that when farmers asked for a pump there was none available. He said that it was only recently that the pump station was reopened to let the water out.

But by then, he said, all of his crops were already destroyed. “This is not politics…This is about my livelihood, my daily bread,” Khan told reporters at a press conference hosted by the AFC yesterday. Another farmer, Gowkarran Seenarine, said that he has been farming crops such as watermelons

and squash for the past six years. He said that at least two times a year his farmland is flooded due to mismanagement by the authorities and no compensation is ever forthcoming. Young farmer, Krishna Rampersaud, who plants bora, sweet peppers and others crops with his father, was among those who travelled to Georgetown and had the same story to tell.

AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan said that it was a “lie” for the government to claim that the farmers were not compensated because of the budget cuts.

He said that no such monies came for approval in the House. Ramjattan said that he didn’t think any party in the National Assembly would have a problem with compensation for farmers.

Since the visit of the AFC Chairman to the village, farmers claim that activists of the ruling PPP started to swarm the area “like bees” questioning them why they took the AFC to the area and telling them not to attend the press conference. “They don’t help me. First thing we go to the region, they don’t have a pump,” Khan stated.

He said that activists of the ruling party have promised that they will “look after them” but the farmers say that they don’t have faith in such promises after years of flooding.

AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes and Cotton Tree farmers in Georgetown, Wednesday.

Announcement of new UGBC Director imminent

By Leon Suseran Now that a new ViceChancellor has been appointed at the University of Guyana (UG), the announcement of a new Director of the Berbice Campus is imminent.

Nigerian-born Dr. Jacob Opadeyi was officially named Vice Chancellor to the University of Guyana. The announcement came after a Council meeting at the University on Wednesday which saw the Trinidad-

based lecturer being approved at the level of the Council for the high-profile position. Dr. Opadeyi is not likely to take up the position until after January 1, 2013, because travel arrangements for himself and family would have to be worked out.

Perhaps the first and most important order of business for the new VC is to have his say in the UG Council’s choice for the senior managerial position at the Tain Campus. Mr. Philip Da

Silva was appointed acting Director by a letter dispatched

by Registrar, Vincent Alexander on October 31, 2012. This happened days before the 11th Convocation on November 17 last. Former Director, Professor Daizal Samad’s four-year contract came to an end on November 1, 2012. The UG Council has in excess of 22 members, with the government having the majority. There is a student representative, union representative, Government

appointees, opposition appointees as well as professional appointees from the various sectors in Guyana.

The UG Council is the highest decision- making body of the university and appoints the senior leaders such as Director of UGBC and Vice- Chancellor, among others. BKaieteur News understands that several persons have enlisted in the race for Director of the Berbice Campus.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

Scotia Bank decorates Pediatric Ward, spreads cheer to kids

Page 15

Public officers owe $10.1M in rental for Govt. Quarters

Government Flats at Main and New Market Streets Scotia Bank staff and the kids of the ward of the N/A Hospital The staff of the Bank of Nova Scotia in New Amsterdam recently visited the Pediatric Ward of the New Amsterdam Public Hospital and decorated the area for the little kids there. That gesture was in keeping with the Christmas spirit.

According to representative of the bank, Renee Rama, “Our aim was to decorate the children’s ward for the Christmas holidays

and for their upcoming Christmas party”. Christmas decorations were added to the wards and the inmates were given gifts, which staff contributed from funds raised through a cake- sale.

She added that the staff of BNS did a wonderful job decorating the ward with assistance from the doctors and nurses.

“We also gave children at the ward Christmas gifts

which they welcomed with a cheerful smile. In the end staff at the hospital thanked us for being there”.

Rama stated, too, that “this is an event that we want to undertake annually”.

Additionally, a Christmas party for children who participated in the bank’s literacy programme for 2012 is scheduled for today at the Salvation Army Youth Centre in the town.

Salaries late for Regional public servants Public Servants in Regions Five and Six have not yet been paid for this month. In December public servants are paid early.

Thursday was said to be the official pay- date for the month.

Many teachers, nurses and police officers expecting their monies for the month were disappointed when they found out that no salaries were payable from the various Regional Administration offices. Kaieteur News was unable to verify if the

situation existed throughout the rest of the country.

However, Berbice teachers were upset and disappointed to have found out that no salaries would have been paid. Additionally, it was not certain when they would be paid.

The Regional Executive Officer was out of office at a Tender Board meeting.

Region Six Chairman, David Armogan, said that he was unaware of the matter.

The Region Five authorities were very guarded about the

matter of payments.

Region Five Chairman, Bindrabhan Bisnauth, was said to have stepped out of office.

But one source, who preferred to be unnamed, stated that “government announced an increase (for public servants) and they are still working on it because it was announced late.

“So what happened is that they had to do some checking and amendments [to the pay sheets]”.

While many Guyanese are scraping to pay monthly house rents or mortgages from their meager wages and salaries some public officers have been living free at Government flats and at taxpayers’ expense.

This disparity is highlighted in the Auditor General’s Report 2011. The accumulated amount owed by the public officers is $10.133M. According to the Audit Office, the rental register for Government flats managed by

the Public Works Ministry revealed that 10 officers owed arrears rental as at December 31, 2011.

The rental register for Government flats revealed that 20 flats were available at Echilibar Villas, of which 13 were occupied by public officers. There were also 12 double flats at Main and New Market Streets and 10 premises at other locations, which were occupied.

The Head of the Budget Agency accepted that it is true that the sum of $10.133M

is owed by tenants occupying Government Quarters. It was noted that the officers have been written to in order to settle their indebtedness and have assured that follow-up action will be pursued.

The Audit Office recommended that the Ministry take immediate action to ensure that all outstanding rents on government flats/premises are collected, while putting systems in place to ensure that rental is paid as or when it falls due.

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Judge overrules no case submission in Rosignol Murder

Immigration INFO: Immigration News For Our Community Questions & Answers Attorney Gail S. Seeram, Through this “Question & Answer” column, our goal is to answer your immigration questions. We appreciate your comments and questions.

If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, please email: Gail@GailLaw.com.

Question #2: I am 16 years of age. My aunt came to Guyana for my sister’s funeral and she wants me to go visit her for only two weeks in the USA. I want you to please help me. What can I do?

Am I too young for that?

Answer #2: There is no minimum age to apply for a visitor visa. You can apply at age 16.

Question #1: I applied in July of this year for a vacation visa but was denied. A friend of mine referred me to a Cruise Ship Company where I want to apply for a crewmember visa since I am enthusiastic when it comes to quality customer’s service. But I would like to know if having been denied a vacation visa, if this would affect my application for a Crewmember Visa to travel. Kindly advise me on this situation before I submit my application.

Answer #1: A visitor visa and crewmember visa are both non-immigrant visas so you will have to prove no intent to leave Guyana and emigrate abroad. You will have to show strong financial, property and family ties in Guyana.

Question #3: My in-laws filed a sponsorship petition for my family and me in October 20 0 6 , a n d m y parents did the same in January 2007. Both parties are permanent residents.

The questions are; what will be the outcome of that?

How long will it take for my sp onsorship to be processed?

Answer #3: F o r unmarried children (over age 21) of a permanent resident, visas are currently being issued for petitions filed on or before November 2004.

I assume you and your “wife” are not legally married and will process separately through each of your parents’ petitions since a permanent resident cannot petition for a married child.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Gail S. Seeram Question #4: If someone turned their green card in at Guyana Embassy can that person get back a green card?

Answer #4: Yes, they would have to be sponsored again by an eligible family member.

Question #5: My case is under F3 with priority date of 23 Aug 2003. It has been approved and pending at NVC to be current for visa.

However, my daddy passed away in June 2012 so I am not sure if my case is eligible for humanitarian reinstatement?

Answer #5: Yes, you can apply for humanitarian reinstatement. This is done in the U.S. It is not an automatic process and you have a high burden to prove why the authorities should reinstate the petition and substitute a sponsor.

The no case submission by the lawyer for the number two defendant in the Rosignol murder trial has been overruled by J u s t i c e Roxanne George Wiltshire.

Sean Benjamin, called “Blacka” or “Blackboy” of R o s i g n o l , We s t B a n k Berbice is on trial for the murder of Ian Adonis called “Safo” or “Iron” of Lot 30 Edward Street, Rosignol.

He allegedly killed Adonis on August 29, 2007 at Rosignol Village West Coast Berbice.

After listening to a r g u m e n t s by defence attorney Raymond Ally, in the absence of the jury, Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire ruled that there was sufficient evidence for the case to go to the jury.

The prosecution’s star witness, Leslyn Nightingale, had earlier implicated Benjamin in the murder.

After over ruling the no case submission, the judge told Benjamin of the three options he had. He opted to make an unsworn statement from the dock in which he denied having an altercation with the accused.

Benjamin told the court that on August 29, he went to a snackette at the stelling

where Jennifer Moriah works to make a purchase. “I asked to buy something. She told me there was nothing. I saw something in the glass case.”

The accused told the court that he and Moriah then got into an argument.

“She started to get into my face and I slapped her.”

He stated that he then left and went to his house which was on the said stelling.

He then stated that he saw a police van was coming.

“Jennifer stopped the police and made a complaint that I s l a p p e d h e r. I w a s arrested.”

He said that he and prosecution star witness, L e s l y n N i g htingale, are always in an argument and she made up her story, because he use to call her “Black Bird” and she always “promised to give him trouble.”

He said that on the said night he saw a bloodcovered Mark Massiah. He said that persons asked Massiah what was wrong with him and he only said that

“Safo” had robbed him and following an altercation he lashed him.

Benjamin ended his statement by saying that “at no time at all myself and Safo had any problems.

Nightingale, who had earlier given evidence for the Prosecution, claimed that she witnessed Benjamin hitting Adonis with a piece of wood.

She had told the court that she never spoke to Benjamin, but he would trouble her by calling her ‘Black Bird’ whenever he saw her.

The trial continues on Monday when both the prosecution whose case is being lead by attorney-at-law Prithina Kissoon and attorney Ally for the defence sum up their case.

Benjamin was on trial along with Mark Massiah called “Red Man” who was the number one accused.

Massiah was freed on Wednesday following no case submission by his attorney Charrandass Persaud on the grounds of self defence.

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Saturday December 15, 2012

Way cleared for UG’s US$10M science, technology project The government has announced that it has met all requirements set out by the World Bank to access funds to start the science and technology programme at the University of Guyana.

T h e Wo r l d B a n k i n August 2011 announced the approval of a US$10 million loan to finance the unprecedented science and technology support programme at the University of Guyana geared at supporting the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

However, the money had not been released since, owing to the government not meeting the requirements.

Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira announced, yesterday, that the government of Guyana has since complied with the requirements set out by the

Inter-American Development Bank, which is responsible for the disbursement of the funds, She said that a steering committee has been set up and the first tranche of the funds is set to be released for the project to now proceed.

The project’s goal is to revitalize the University’s science curriculum and support more applied research towards meeting the critical needs anticipated with the implementation of the LCDS. This is the first time that the Word Bank is supporting a tertiary education project of this kind in Guyana.

The domains of study relevant to the LCDS that the University has already identified as requiring development, include GIS and Remote Sensing; Climate Change and Climate Modeling; Hydrology (Water

What the Central Bank Governor really said Kaieteur News article titled, “Globe trust depositors unlikely to receive another payout” inadvertently stated that Bank of Guyana’s Governor, Lawrence Williams, said that the Accountant General will have to prepare a report on the financial transactions surrounding Globe Trust’s liquidation. The Governor in fact stated that at the end of the payout period,

the Bank will transfer any uncollected/unclaimed funds to the Accountant General. Persons claiming any of the transferred funds would have to apply to the Accountant General for payment. The Bank/Liquidator is required to file a report with the Court on the liquidation operation and accounts.

We apologise for misrepresenting the Governor and the Bank.

Resource Management); Ground Water Management; Alternative Energy; Agriculture Resources Management; Sustainable Forestry; Natural Resources Management; Food and Nutrition Te c h n o l o g y ; and Biodiversity Inventory and DNA Analysis.

Some of the funding will go towards improving

laboratory and building infrastructure at four faculties in a total of 14 buildings.

Four science and technology faculties are to benefit.

These are Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental and Earth Sciences, Natural Science and Technology. The labs will be fitted with scientific equipment to enable the

delivery of practical science education and research and also establish a campus wide internet network.

Th e f u n d s w i l l a l s o b o o s t the ability of the University to manage, monitor and evaluate the project, and plan future phases of it s strategic plan.

The Wo r l d Bank estimates that an estimated

6,300 students and faculty members will benefit from this project.

The US$10 million credit will be carried out over a period of five years and is provided by the World Bank’s fund for the poorest, the International Development Association (IDA). The University will have 20 years to repay the loan.

12 aeronautical engineering students graduate

The gathering yesterday Through hard work and dedication, 12 students of the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School (AWHWAES) successfully completed their training, which qualifies them as aeronautical engineers.

The 14th graduation ceremony was held yesterday at the Wings Aviation Ltd. Hangar, Ogle Airport, East

Coast Demerara.

The graduates are Dillon Dhanraj, Kadeem Elcock,Andre Freeman, Drexel Marcus, Jonathan Marcus, Damien Munroe, Cleveroy Patrick, Paul Ramlall, Balkrishna Ramsook, Mark Ricknauth, Jennel Shannon and Fidel Vasconcelllos.

According to the Executive Manager of AWHWAES, Nalini Chanderban, every year there

are graduates who would have spent three years in training, “graduating to do rodeo-license exam. So every year we would have a Third Year leaving and a new year starting.”

Kaieteur News understands that AWHWAES teaches the basics to students during a threeyear course after which they would move on to get their license to be an air craft

maintenance engineer at the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority.

Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, who was a little late for another meeting, encouraged the graduates to practise their skills. They will gain experience and be able to make further developments in the aircraft sector which will eventually help develop the country.

Saturday December 15, 2012

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CARICOM wants ACP grouping to build new relationship outside Europe MALABO, Equatorial Guinea - CMC - St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony says the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) grouping must begin to shape a new relationship independent of an existing one with Europe.

Addressing the seventh ACP Summit here in the quaint city of Malabo, Anthony, who is also the chairman of the 15-member regional integration grouping, CARICOM, said the “the travails in Europe and the new EU development policy should be viewed not just as causes of concern, but as a wakeup call to the ACP family that the time has come to look at ourselves and shape our future independent of a relationship with Europe”.

ACP countries have in the past expressed concern at the new EU policy titled “Agenda for Change” that is aimed at allocating resources mainly to countries falling within the least developed category, at the expense of the more affluent middle-income nations. The ACP summit, which ended yesterday, is being held under the theme “The Future of the ACP Group in a Changing World: Challenges and Opportunities” and the organisers say it is a milestone for the 79-member bloc, which includes 40 least developed countries (LDCs) and 36 Small Island Developing

States (SIDS).

Tracing the process that in 1972 led to ACP countries pooling their resources in successfully negotiating the Lome Convention with Europe, Anthony reminded delegates of the powers they have in uniting to deal with issues confronting the grouping.

“The unification at that time added a new dimension to the quest of the Third World for economic justice through international action.

The unity forged in those irons must now come to the fore as we look at options in the face of new EU development policy.

“We must therefore fix our sights beyond Europe and remember the wider purposes for which the ACP group exists. At this time of economic distress worldwide we must look beyond our boundaries for ways in which our unity can make a difference to solution and work among ourselves and with other developing countries to bring hope to our people,” Anthony said.

The CARICOM chairman said that ACP countries face an international environment that is contrary and occasionally hostile to their objectives for sustainable development.

He said this external volatility and pressure mandates the organization to strengthen its association and relations with each other.

Dr. Kenny Anthony He said there is a general feeling that the introduction of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and consequential division along regional lines of the ACP group shook that solidarity.

“There are other equally disquieting undercurrents such as the issues of differentiation and graduation that target the economic vitality and the future development of some vulnerable member states.

“If ever the ACP must speak boldly with one voice and with shared conviction it is now,” Anthony said, adding that the Malabo gathering should be a call to reaffirm ACP unity and solidarity, thereby sending a message to the international community that the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group is here to stay.

Meanwhile, outgoing

Popularity of Caribbean island soars after gay wedding ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) — A speck of an island in the Dutch Caribbean has become increasingly popular with gay couples after legislators legalised same-sex marriages in a region still openly hostile to gays and lesbians. Two men were recently married in Saba, marking the first ceremony of its kind in the region and setting off a frenzy of calls from gay couples in other Dutch Caribbean islands seeking to marry, said Julietta Woods with Saba’s Civil Registry office. “People keep calling me every second,” she said by telephone this week.

As part of the Netherlands Kingdom, the islands of Saba, Bonaire and St Eustatius have to recognise same-sex marriages. While Bonaire and St Eustatius have balked at the idea of legalising such unions, the idea has been

embraced in Saba, long considered a gay-friendly destination. “We’ve seen it as a human rights issue,” said Saba council member Carl Buncamper, who is openly gay. “It is important to give the partners equal rights when it comes to inheritance and other benefits.”

Dozens of gay couples cheered Saba’s unprecedented step, noting that gays often face taunts, threats and even death elsewhere in the Caribbean, with many islands enforcing so-called buggery laws implemented in colonial times.

Some islands also have tried to amend their constitution to establish that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

While Saba currently stands alone in approving same-sex marriages, Bonaire and St Eustatius are expected

to follow.

The Netherlands, which in 2001 became the first country in the world to approve same-sex marriages, is giving those islands more time to adopt the same law amid local opposition. The Netherlands has said local governments should use the time to help communities get used to the idea of gay marriage.The other Dutch Caribbean islands of St Maarten, Curacao and Aruba have to recognise same-sex marriages but don’t have to legalise them because they have a more autonomous relationship with the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, the nearby French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe are expected to soon debate the issue as France prepares to vote early next year on whether to legalise same-sex marriages.

ACP president John Dramani Mahama is urging member countries to continue pursuing the urgent task of implementing economic and political policies which would help transform economies and give some hope for development of its peoples.

The Ghanaian leader said there was need to train the ACP population in relevant technologies and harness their knowledge on agriculture and raw materials for their own sustenance through south-south cooperation. “These must be implemented by sound microeconomic policies within an environment which guarantees the rule of law, respect for human rights and good governance of our people,” he told delegates.

Mahama said it was imperative for there to be an examination of the ACP grouping in order to identify inherent weaknesses in its operations.

“We must re-strategize with boldness and vision if we are to overcome the current

challenges and make the ACP more relevant and effective as a vehicle for achieving solidarity and eradicating poverty,” he said, adding that if the ACP was going to survive the critical challenges there was urgent need to review the organization’s institutional mechanism for handling contemporary developments such as terrorism, climate change and energy issues.

“We also need to focus on the emergence of regional organizations in the three ACP regions and their relationship with the EU, in addition to opportunities opened up by the emerging economic powers (BRICS), potentials of south-south and Triangular Cooperation and Creation of an ACP-wide freetrade area (FTA).” The Ghanaian leader regretted the fact that negotiations for an EPA with EU remain a major stumbling block as the parties were still a long way from reaching an agreement.

“We believe that deadlines set for the EPAs are

unfortunate since they will adversely impact the economies and trade systems of member states. “We also believe that the insistence on outright liberalization and discontinuation of customs revenue collection required by the EPAs undermine a major source of revenue which is so critical to the development of many countries.”

The outgoing ACP President also expressed concern that the EPAs in their present form appear to undermine rather than promote regional economic integration. However he argued that Europe and the ACP were bound together by ties of history, culture and geopolitics and trade and economic linkages will remain interlocked for the foreseeable future.

“Sooner or later we will have to reach a trade agreement with Europe. This agreement should be reached in harmony, in fairness, in the spirit of mutual agreement and partnership,” he added.

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Saturday December 15, 2012

CARICOM to launch EPA review as ACP countries continue to express reservations MALABO, Equatorial Guinea - CMC - The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping says it will launch a review of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) it signed with the European Union in 2008 as members of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries continue to express concerns about the initiative.

CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque, said the regional grouping, which together with the Dominican Republic signed the EPA under the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) grouping, will begin a five year review of the EPA amid ongoing protest from African and Pacific countries over the proposal and timeline for implementation.

CARICOM has already signed on to the EPA agreement with Europe and concerns about the trade and development deal have echoed throughout the 7th summit of the ACP heads climaxing yesterday.

“One of the things that we are looking forward to is the five year review…to see how it’s doing. What has been the impact not

Irwin La Rocque just on trade but the whole impact on development because this is supposed to be a trade and development agreement,” said La Rocque, a member of a small Caribbean delegation attending the summit.

“We are looking forward to that. Already we have begun some preliminary steps in that direction and we hope sometime in 2013 to launch this review. This is going to be a critical issue for us to see what has been the impact on our development of the Caribbean”.

The five year review was built into the CARIFORUMEPA agreement of which a deadline of 2014 was set by the European Commission for the finalization of those negotiations. However, the European parliament has since extended the deadline to January 2016. The African Union (AU) has still not signed on.

“It is our ardent hope that both the EU Council and the Commission will be persuaded to change their hard-line position. A contract that is signed under duress cannot have the force of law,” said ACP Secretary General Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas.

“We believe that the best agreement that we can reach with Europe is one that is based on a spirit of mutual understanding and trust, devoid of any form of coercion”.

ACP leaders, including the Prime Minister of Ghana, John Mahama, have been commenting on the decision

by CARICOM to signed the EPA, an issue of lingering contention between the 79 nation bloc and the EU. Both Chambas and Mahama say CARICOM is still struggling with how best

to implement its own EPA. “We believe that deadlines set for the EPAs are unfortunate since they will adversely impact the economies and trade systems of our nations,” said Prime Minister Mahama.

“We also believe that the insistence on outright liberalization and discontinuation of customs revenue collection required by the EPAs, undermine a major source of revenue which is so critical to the development of many of our countries”.

But La Rocque said CARICOM has been making steady progress on the implementation of the E PA , a d d i n g t h a t t h e decision by regional leaders to setup an Office of Trade Negotiations, years ago, has paid off.

“We planned well in advance and we are very much aware that some of our colleague countries have some difficulties.

“They also can learn from some of what we have done.

Some of the mistakes we have made in the negotiations and some of the positive things that we have got out of it,” said La Rocque.

Jamaica confiscates over US$200,000 from airline passenger Jamaica Gleaner - Jamaica customs officials have confiscated more than US$200,000 or approximately J$18.5 million from a Jamaican national who attempted to clear customs through the ‘nothing to declare’ channel.

Customs officials say the seizure was made at the Sangster International Airport, St James, on Monday. The money discovered was concealed in his luggage.

This is the second major seizure by Jamaica Customs in recent times. In September, customs officials confiscated •313,500 or approximately J$37.6 million at the Norman Manley International Airport.

The money was taken from a foreign national.

“Our success rate of seizure has been significant,” Commissioner of Customs Major Richard Reese told The Gleaner while adding, “I want people to know that it is not business as usual.”

In Monday’s incident, customs officials said the Jamaican national, who had arrived on a flight from New York, made a false declaration by indicating on the customs

Richard Reese declaration form that he did not possess money exceeding US$10,000.

Jamaica Customs notes that making a false declaration is a breach of the Customs Act. The department also said the trafficking of money over US$10,000, or its equivalent, through the airport should be declared, after which a form must be completed outlining proof of funds with the requisite evidence to substantiate said claim.

Reese told The Gleaner Thursday that if the man contests the seizure, “he will have prove to the court how he got the money”.

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T&T ministers slam Jamaica newspaper over editorial Trinidad Express - The Jamaica Observer newspaper owes Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the people of this country an apology.

This was the position Thursday of Government Ministers Dr Suruj Rambachan and Dr Roodal Moonilal who told the Express that the newspaper’s editorial was an attack on the Government and the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

National Security Minister Jack Warner has also described the editorial as an attack on the government.

The Jamaica Observer on Tuesday published an editorial entitled “The more important issue is abuse of substance”.

The editorial took note of former government minister Verna St Rose Greaves’ allegation that the Prime Minister had an issue which

was interpreted to be a substance abuse problem — which Persad-Bissessar refuted.

The editorial stated that the abuse of substance in the form of “ethnic stocking” was a greater problem in this country.

“The real problem in the energy-rich republic is not substance abuse, but the abuse of substance. By that we mean the abuse of the substance of government business because of the ethnic stocking of public offices and the widespread perception of corruption,” stated the editorial.

“Notwithstanding Minister Jack Warner, the current Government of Trinidad and Tobago has systematically practised ethnic stocking; rewarding individuals with positions even though they (are) not qualified, either by

professional training or by pertinent transferable work experience,” it added.

The editorial stated that there was need for this country to conduct a parliamentary review of appointees to local and overseas posts.

This country’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Rev Dr Iva Gloudon, also issued a statement to the newspaper on Wednesday expressing disappointment and regret over the editorial.

The Express obtained a copy of Gloudon’s statement which was sent to the Jamaica Observer which read: “As the High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago to Jamaica, let me first respectfully say that in my experience, there are times when shouting across the Caribbean Sea does not help a cause. I must, therefore, use this opportunity to say, softly,

Private sector must play godfather role, says Phillips

Finance Minister Peter Phillips (left) with Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) President Christopher Zacca at a PSOJ luncheon Thursday.

Jamaica Observer Minister of Finance Peter Phillips says established private sector interests can increase the country’s productivity through mentoring small businesses.

It’s part of the dynamic participation of the private sector needed to achieve the tenets of the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), said the finance minister.

Speaking to members of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) at a luncheon Thursday, Phillips advised the group to expand its membership by grooming new recruits.

“There is going to be a special emphasis on the facilitation of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs),” he said, noting that SMEs have the capacity to

create a siginificant number of jobs.

The minister added that Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) will play key roles in major infrastructure projects, which are expected to drive investment and job creation.

Jamaica’s viability would be greatly enhanced through partnerships that provide “productive employment for the 15 per cent unemployed,” he said.

The challenges posed by the “467,000 individuals who are neither employed nor looking for work”, must also be dealt with, he said, while assuring the stakeholders of the Government’s willingness to provide the necessary policy frameworks.

“I am aware that the goals

of the ERP can only be achieved by a government that becomes more accountable and more efficient,” he said.

Phillips said the government is committed to improving financial management and creating a more flexible, efficient and transparent administration.

The minister’s pronouncements came amid calls by PSOJ president Christopher Zacca for “bold action” to spur progress in the economy. “The private sector wants to be a part of the solution and not the problem,” Zacca said, noting that its membership “is running out of patience” with “the lack of bold moves” from the government to spur economic growth.

that it is with regret and disappointment that I read the Jamaica Observer’s editorial of Tuesday 11, November, 2012 “The Abuse of Substance”.

“My main concern is that so much of what was said lacked, among other things, respect and an overall understanding of the complexity of Governance in the Caribbean. When logic and empirical evidence are not presented one often resorts to generalisations which can become inflammatory.”

She added that after two years in Jamaica, she has experienced enough to know “that the views expressed in this editorial hardly reflect the sentiment of the Government or the people of Jamaica. Our two countries remain strategic to the ideals of Caribbean unity and integration.

“Pointing the proverbial finger at each other is not the answer. We must respect each other. We must be sensitive to each Most importantly, institutions such as yours must be used to inform, educate and examine our countries and our region in

ways that, in the end, would bring about the cohesiveness that is necessary for us to make significant impact in the current and future global environment,” stated Gloudon.

In an interview with the Express, Rambachan stated: “What happened is extremely unfortunate, I think a fairminded newspaper and a fairminded board of directors of that newspaper would seek to find the truth which is quite opposite to what they wrote and in that context I think they should apologise to the honourable Prime Minister and the people of this country.”

Rambachan said, “It was very unfortunate that the newspaper has chosen to write an editorial that lacks facts and truth and goes further to attack a democratically-elected Government that has the constitutional majority.”

Rambachan stressed that the Persad-Bissessar-led Government fully respects the people’s right to fair and full employment.

He noted it was this Government that established the Equal Opportunity

Commission, adding that the election victory in 2010 signalled that the People’s Partnership was able to attract all religious persuasions and ethnicities.

“We recognise that there are elements in this country who are not in favour with this Government and on a daily basis these elements stir issues to create a psychology of instability in the country, hoping that it would stick and they are using their Caribbean contacts in order to carry out their dirty work,” said Rambachan.

“Fortunately they have all failed and they will continue to fail because at the end of the day people will judge us by our quality of delivery and our fair and equitable governance,” he added.

Moonilal, who is acting as Foreign Affairs Minister for Winston Dookeran who is attending a conference in Ecuador, told the Express that he endorses Rambachan’s statements and the statement issued by Gloudon.

“I agree that the Jamaica Observer owes the Prime Minister and the people an apology,” said Moonilal.

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U.S., rebels urge gloomy Moscow to help oust Assad BEIRUT (Reuters) Syria’s rebel leadership and the United States seized on Russian pessimism over President Bashar al-Assad’s future to urge Moscow to help push its ally into ceding power and end the battles closing in around his capital.

“We want to commend the Russian government for finally waking up to the reality and acknowledging that the regime’s days are numbered,” the U.S. State Department spokeswoman said after a senior Kremlin envoy conceded publicly yesterday that Assad’s opponents could win the 20-month-old civil war.

“The question now is, will the Russian government join those of us in the international community who are working with the opposition to try to have a smooth democratic transition?”

U.S. spokeswoman Victoria Nuland added in Washington.

In Marrakech, where his new coalition won recognition from other international powers as the legitimate leadership of Syria,

Demonstrators hold a placard during a protest against Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, after Friday prayers in Kafranbel near Idlib yesterday.

REUTERS/Raed Al-Fares/Shaam News Network/Handout rebel political leader Mouaz al-Khatib said he believed Russia, ally and arms supplier to the Assad dynasty since Soviet times, was looking for ways out of its support for a lost cause.

“I believe that the Russians have woken up and are sensing that they have implicated themselves with this regime, but they don’t know how to get out,” alKhatib told Reuters. He held

them “particularly responsible” for helping Assad with arms but said Moscow need not “lose everything” in Syria if it changed tack.

Under President Vladimir Putin, wary since last year’s Libyan war of what Russia sees as a Western drive to use the United Nations to overthrow national leaders it dislikes, Russia has blocked U.N. efforts to squeeze

Assad, who has also had strong support from his longtime sponsor Iran.

But Mikhail Bogdanov, a deputy foreign minister and the Kremlin’s special envoy for Middle East affairs, was quoted as saying in Moscow: “One must look the facts in the face.”

“Unfortunately, the victory of the Syrian opposition cannot be ruled out.”

The Syrian government, he said, was

“losing control of more and more territory” and Moscow was preparing to evacuate Russian citizens if necessary.

Nuland said Bogdanov’s comments demonstrated that Moscow now “sees the writing on the wall” on Syria and said Russia should now rally behind U.N. efforts to prevent a wider bloodbath.

“They can withdraw any residual support for the Assad regime, whether it is material support (or) financial support,” she said. “They can also help us to identify people who might be willing, inside of Syria, to work on a transitional structure.”

International envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who has met Russian and U.S. officials twice in the past week, is seeking a solution based on an agreement reached in Geneva in June that called for the creation of a transitional government in Syria.

But Russia has repeated warnings that recognition of al-Khatib’s coalition, notably by the United States, is undermining diplomacy, and rejected U.S. contentions that the Geneva agreement sent a clear message that Assad should step down.

Nuland said the Brahimi meetings could lay the framework for a political structure to follow Assad: “We’ve said all along to the Russians that we are concerned that the longer that this goes on, and the longer it takes us to get to an alternative political path for Syria, the only path is going to be the military one and that is just going to bring more violence.

“We all ought to be working together.”

Bogdanov, whose government has suggested that Assad himself should be allowed to see through a transition he has promised, suggested the rebels and their allies were set on a military solution and he gave little hint of detente with Washington.

“The fighting will become even more intense and (Syria) will lose tens of thousands and, perhaps, hundreds of thousands of civilians,” Bogdanov was quoted as saying. “If such a price for the removal of the president seems acceptable to you, what can we do? We, of course, consider it absolutely unacceptable.”

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Islamists clash with opponents Russia retaliates against U.S. rights legislation ahead of Egypt vote

Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood chant pro-Mursi slogans during a rally at Rabaa El Adaweya Mosque square in Cairo yesterday. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh CAIRO (Reuters) Stone-throwing supporters and opponents of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi clashed in the Egyptian city of Alexandria yesterday ahead of a referendum on a new constitution that has divided the Arab world’s most populous nation.

Dozens of activists fought with clubs and swords, witnesses said, and a number of cars were set alight on the streets of Egypt’s second biggest city on the eve of a vote that Mursi hopes will bring an end to the country’s worsening political crisis. Scuffles started near

a mosque in Alexandria when opposition members handing out flyers clashed with Mursi supporters.

In Cairo, flag-waving proMursi Islamists staged a final rally yesterday before the referendum, but the gathering outside one of the capital’s main mosques was peaceful.

MOSCOW (Reuters) Russia moved closer yesterday to adopting a law barring entry to Americans who violate human rights, the same day U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law a rights-linked trade bill Moscow finds objectionable.

The tit-for-tat response came in a near-unanimous vote in the State Duma - the first of three votes before the bill goes to the upper house hours before Obama signed the U.S. legislation into law.

The U.S. legislation is known as the Magnitsky Act after Sergei Magnitsky, an anti-corruption lawyer whose death in a Moscow jail in 2009 caused an international outcry.

It will require the United States to refuse visas for Russians accused of human rights violations and freeze any assets they hold in the United States.

Only two deputies in the 450-seat Duma voted against Russia’s retaliatory bill, which would deny visas to Americans who violate the rights of Russians abroad, as

well as seizing their assets and preventing them from doing business in Russia.

In debate peppered with belligerent speeches reminiscent of Cold War rhetoric, all four parties backed the bill - a rare display in a chamber where the Communists and Just Russia frequently vote against Kremlin-controlled United Russia.

“We will answer in kind,” said Vladimir Vasiliyev, the senior lawmaker for United Russia, which holds a majority in the Duma. “The saddest thing is that ... the hawks (in the United States), Cold War hawks, have again won out.”

“The Magnitsky Act is just an excuse to meddle in our internal affairs,” said Just Russia deputy Alexander Tarnavsky.

The spat may make it harder for the two nations to halt a downward drift in relations, which had improved after Obama launched a “reset” of ties in 2009.

The former Cold War foes

Have clashed over the Syria conflict and U.S. criticism of the Kremlin’s treatment of political opponents, particularly after President Vladimir Putin’s return to the Kremlin in May. Putin signaled on Thursday that he wants to limit the damage from the dispute, saying that Russia’s response to the bill must not be “excessive”.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich echoed that message yesterday.

He warned that “what goes around comes around” and said U.S. lawmakers seemed to want “to sacrifice the capital that has been built up in Russian-American relations”, but also suggested the response would be measured.

“We value our strategic interaction with the United States, and for this reason the reaction even to such an unfriendly step should be proportionate,” Lukashevich told journalists at a weekly briefing.

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U.N. agency sees deal soon to check Iran nuclear work VIENNA (Reuters) - The United Nations nuclear agency expects to reach a deal with Iran next month enabling it to investigate whether the Islamic state has carried out atomic bomb research, the chief U.N. inspector said after returning from Tehran yesterday.

Even though the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) failed to gain requested access to the Parchin military complex during Thursday’s visit to the Iranian capital, IAEA

delegation head Herman Nackaerts said progress had been made.

“We had good meetings,” Nackaerts, deputy director general of the U.N. watchdog, told reporters at Vienna airport.

World powers seeking to resolve a decade-old dispute over Iran’s atomic activity and avert the threat of a new Middle East war closely watched the IAEA-Iran talks for any indication of Iranian readiness to finally start addressing their concerns.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department sounded a cautious note, saying Iran had repeatedly raised obstacles to real progress.

“While we do commend the IAEA for its efforts, we’re disappointed that Iran did not grant access to the Parchin site which Iran has been sanitizing in advance of reengaging with the IAEA,” State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said.

“We understand there’s going to be a meeting in January between the two

sides and we hope that Iran starts the immediate, substantive cooperation that is long overdue.”

U.S. ally Israel - believed to have the Middle East’s only nuclear arsenal - has threatened military action if diplomacy and economic sanctions intended to halt Iran’s uranium enrichment work do not resolve the standoff.

The IAEA and Iran, which denies Western allegations it is seeking to develop a capability to assemble nuclear

weapons, will meet again on January 16, Nackaerts said.

“We expect to finalize the structured approach and start implementing it then shortly after that,” he said, referring to a framework agreement on how to tackle the IAEA’s suspicions about possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear program.

Nackaerts did not give details on what had been achieved.

But one stumbling block in previous, fruitless meetings was Iran’s request for access to intelligence documents at the basis of the IAEA’s concerns that Iran has conducted past, and possibly still ongoing, experiments relevant for atomic arms.

Another bone of contention has been Iran’s insistence that each specific area of the investigation should be declared closed once the IAEA’s questions had been settled, while the U.N. agency wants to be able to return to the issue if needed.

The IAEA had said after talks in May it expected a deal soon, but that failed to

materialize.

“We have now had so many false starts that there are grounds to be skeptical,” said Shashank Joshi, a senior fellow and Middle East specialist at the Royal United Services Institute.

Western diplomats, who often accused Iran of stonewalling and playing for time, want Iran to engage in substance on the IAEA’s long-stalled inquiry and immediately give it access to sites, officials and documents it needs.

“There will likely be many in Washington and Israel skeptical that this ... is anything but a delaying tactic on Iran’s part,” said Miles Pomper, senior research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

Iran says its nuclear program is a peaceful bid to generate electricity. But its refusal to curb activity which can have civilian and military purposes, and lack of openness with the IAEA, have drawn increasingly tough Western sanctions.

With Chavez sidelined, opposition tests strength in Venezuela polls CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuelans vote for state governors tomorrow in an election that will decide if the opposition stays united behind youthful leader Henrique Capriles amid signs that President Hugo Chavez’s cancer could force him to step down.

Capriles, the governor of Miranda state, lost to Chavez in the October presidential election but won 45 percent of the vote and is seen as the most likely candidate if Chavez is unable to stay in power and a new election is called.

Before that, however, he must defeat a challenge from a heavyweight Chavez protégé in Miranda, the country’s second-most populous state, to maintain his support among oftenquarreling opposition parties.

Defeat for Capriles could prompt several opposition leaders to push their own claims to be the national opposition nominee at the next election. Any new fractures in the opposition would weaken its chances of victory.

“There are no automatic candidacies,” cautioned Pedro Benitez of Democratic Action, one of the 20 or so politically diverse groups that make up the opposition coalition.

The opposition has seven of the country’s 23 state governorships and is hoping

to at least retain those tomorrow.

Campaigning has been completely overshadowed by Chavez’s cancer operation in Cuba on Tuesday, his fourth in the last 18 months.

Officials have given grave assessments of the 58-yearold socialist leader’s condition following the complex six-hour surgery. On Thursday they said doctors had to use “corrective measures” to stop unexpected bleeding that was a result of the procedure, but that his condition had since improved.

The overall showing of the opposition tomorrow will be an important indicator of its capacity to mobilize voters just two months after Capriles, a wiry and sports-loving lawyer by profession, was beaten by Chavez in October.

The headline race is in Miranda, where the government is trying to oust Capriles from the governor’s office by backing Elias Jaua, a well-funded former vice president who was once a stone-throwing student radical.

“We are committed to making Chavez happy by showing him that Miranda was liberated from fascism and is being run by a socialist, by his son, which is what I am,” Jaua told a rally.

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Guyanese students feature at Regional Youth Conference

Caribbean students during a break Dozens of students from secondary schools in ten Caribbean countries met in Barbados to participate in a two-day conference to promote witness participation in the judicial system. The No Witness, No Justice/CBSI Youth Network Conference was hosted over two days from December 3, last, by the United States Embassy to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

The U.S. Embassy in Guyana nominated two students and one teacher from Marian Academy to take part in the conference. A statement from the embassy said that it will continue to

work with the school to spread awareness on this issue throughout secondary schools in Guyana.

At the No Witness, No Justice/CBSI Youth Network Conference, students participated in training which emphasized the importance of participation in the justice system and how to use social media to build support for broader participation.

Equipped with embassydonated iPads, students practised taking effective photos, making compelling videos and using social media to promote the cause of justice and witness participation.

In the “No Witness, No Justice” module, Embassy Criminal Justice Advisor, Daniel Suter; St. Vincent and the Grenadine’s Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, Colin John; and Crown Counsel Giovanni James of St. Lucia, and Clement Joseph of Dominica gave students hands-on, practical advice about the justice system and the critical role of witnesses.

The students donned their black robes as the legal luminaries took them through two mock trials so they could put what they had learned into practice.

Speaking to the group of

One of the ‘No Justice’ Sessions students, U.S. Ambassador to Barbados Larry L. Palmer urged them to stand firm in the face of pressure to do wrong.

“Young people like you can face a lot of pressure to do the wrong thing or to cover up for those who are committing crimes. This pressure comes from all around you – it comes from your peers and even older people who should know better.”

Barbados Attorney General, Adriel Braithwaite, whose office has partnered with the Embassy and the National Task Force on Crime Prevention on the conference,

reinforced this message, noting that sometimes young people are reluctant to cooperate with the police.

Braithwaite told participants: “If your justice system does not work, then your way of life as you know it goes to naught. Ordinary men and women, boys and girls have to be willing to put their hands up and do the right thing if they are witnesses to a crime.”

On Thursday, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana D. Brent Hardt met with the Marian Academy students and teacher to hear about their experience at the No Witness, No Justice/CBSI

Youth Network Conference and to discuss their plans to share their knowledge with other students in Guyana.

A representative from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and a Community Police Officer joined the meeting to offer guidance on real life scenarios in Guyana’s justice system.

The No Witness, No Justice program forms part of a larger initiative – the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, or CBSI. CBSI forms an essential part of Hemispheric U.S. security strategy focused on citizen safety.

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Saturday December 15, 2012

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55 hrs. Sign On 09:00 hrs. Power Ranger Samurai 10:00 hrs. Supah Ninjas 11:00 hrs. Saved by the Bell 12:00 hrs. Prime News 12:30 hrs. Saved By the Bell 13:00 hrs. Movie: Fugitive at 17 15:00 hrs. Move: Taken in Broad Daylight 17:00 hrs. The Baptist Hour 18:00 hrs. World News 18:30 hrs. Nightly News 19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements

Kaieteur News

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

08:30 hrs - Cartoons 09:30 hrs - Living the Life 10:00 hrs - Camille’s Institute Presentation 10:30 hrs - Children Movie: Donald Duck’s Xmas Favorites 12:30 hrs - National Geographic: Maya Underworld Real Doomsday 13:00 hrs - All About Christmas…

13:30 hrs - Documentary: Citizen Security 14:00 hrs - National Geographic: Monster jellyfish

Saturday December 15, 2012 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You’re ready for nearly anything today and if something really exciting doesn’t happen, you might be willing to stir up a bit of trouble just for the fun of it.

Paradoxically, the closer you get to taking action, the more you feel that you should be careful.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Clever Mercury trines innovative Uranus in your 7th House of Partners, indicating that working with others doesn’t have to impede your progress.

The encouragement you now receive from an exciting relationship also reminds you that reaching your goal is not enough.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) It may be difficult to settle down now, for your thoughts are running amok and leading you on wild goose chases all over the place. Instead of trying to solve the mysteries of the universe today, it might be smarter to concentrate on what’s directly in front of you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Be bold and take a chance by demonstrating your willingness to do a job differently today, even if your unconventional approach makes you less efficient.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your key planet Mercury is receiving unexpected instructions from electric Uranus today, enticing you to engage in edgy conversations that you might otherwise avoid.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) The Moon in your 7th House of Others highlights intense interactions, but you might bring more passion to the situation than someone else can handle. However, avoiding discussions is not a viable option.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) It can be challenging to follow through on your obligations because you have so many jobs you must do today. Mischievous Mercury trines irrepressible Uranus in your 9th House of Faraway Places, tempting you to daydream, instead.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) A fiery trine between interactive Mercury and radical Uranus today can prompt you to react before looking at a situation through your reliable analytical filter.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) A new project may have recently grabbed your attention, and now you’re tempted to jump ahead before building a strong foundation.

Your plans might be quite sound, but you still need to slow down or you will get too far ahead of everyone else.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may feel deeply connected to your own needs, and this could make you difficult to get along with today.

On the surface you demonstrate your readiness to work closely with others, yet your dissatisfaction is more transparent than you think.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Your key planet Uranus normally encourages you to behave unconventionally, but today it’s logical Mercury that fills you with more ideas than you can express.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your eagerness to share an original idea is the greatest gift you can give someone today. Your selfconfidence could appear contrived at first, but others will realize that you have plenty of practical logic to back up your point of view.

15:00 hrs - Spotlight on Christmas 16:00 hrs - Christmas Melodies 16:30 hrs - Alabama Trading Music break 17:00 hrs - Birthdays & other Greetings 17:15 hrs - Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30 hrs - Sitcom 18:00 hrs - Searching the Scriptures with Devi 18:30 hrs - Cabinet Briefing 19:00 hrs - Apex Forum (Live) 20:15 hrs - MTV music break 20:30 hrs - Indian Movie: Ajab Prem Ki Ghazalo Kahani 23:00 hrs - English Movie: Paul Sign off

Guides are subjected to change without notice

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President’s Beer winners receive prizes

T

hey have been the team to beat over the past twelve months winning three tournaments in the process and yesterday afternoon at the Banks DIH Sports Club, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were duly rewarded for an outstanding year after receiving the first prize of $500,000 for capturing the President’s Beer Cup. The soldiers had defeated Sunburst Camptown in the final to grab the top prize, while Fruta Conquerors beat Santos to claim third place.

Sunburst Camptown took home $250,000 for the runner-up spot, while Fruta Conquerors received $150,000 and Santos $100,000.

Three teams the GDF, Sunburst Camptown and Fruta Conquerors were represented at the ceremony.

In attendance at the occasion were top executives of sponsor Banks DIH including Marketing Director George McDonald, Marketing Executive Carlton Joao, Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste, Banks Beer Brand Manager Brian Choo-Hen, PRO Troy Peters and Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart in addition to members of the GFA Vice-President of Competitions Mark Phillips, General Secretary Christopher Matthias, Treasurer Dexter Schultz and Assistant Secretary Treasurer Charmine Wade.

Phillips in his remarks thanked the Company for always being on the side of the GFA, adding that they are in the twilight of the 2012 season and all lovers of the sport are hereby invited to part a part of the Banks Beer Cup which opens tomorrow at the GCC ground.

Marketing Director George McDonald (right) and Marketing Executive Carlton Joao (left) pose with executives of the GFA and club representatives shortly after the completion of the presentation ceremony yesterday.

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Tour de France: Yorkshire to host start of 2014 race BBC Sport - Leeds will host the start of the 2014 Tour de France. The Tour heads through Yorkshire on 5 and 6 July, before moving south for a third stage, finishing in London.

The race last visited the

UK in 2007, when London hosted a prologue ahead of a road stage from the capital to Canterbury, attracting twomillion spectators.

Yorkshire beat off the challenge of bids from Florence and Edinburgh to

Bush Lot United Turf Club expresses appreciation The executives and members and the Bush Lot United Turf Club has taken the opportunity to extend heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors, the members of the public and the various media houses in Guyana who contributed in one way or the other in making their one day horserace meet which was held on Sunday 9th December at the Club’s Entity Sea View Park, Bush Lot West Coast, Berbice a success.

The members of the management Committee would like to say a big thank you to Banks DIH Limited, Mr. Inshan Bacchus for spearheading the construction of the newly constructed grand stand and

official box. Mohammed ‘Nanko’ Shariff Business Enterprise and Shariff Racing Stable, Dennis De Roop General Contracting Services and Simple Royal racing stables, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and racing stables, Rommel Jagroop Construction and Racing Stables.

Also others including Mr Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall Bourda Market, Ashrafally Supermarket and Racing Stable, Innovative Construction, Buddy Shivraj and company Limited, Good Wood Racing Service Phagoo General Store, Lenny Singh and Family, Balram Singh and family, Survival Supermarket,

host the prestigious event.

However, Edinburgh remains in the running to host the Grand Depart at a future date.

It will be the fourth time the Tour has visited Britain after previous visits in 1974 and 1994.

Shano Business establishment, Jap Auto sales, Francis “Chico” Chichester and family, Lakeram ‘Buddy’ Sukdeo Younas Construction and Racing Stables, attorney at law Bernard Da Silva and family, Subs and Salads agency, Regency Suites, Speedy Auto and Sales, RRT Enterprise among others including all the members of the Bush Lot United Turf Club.

According to coordinator Mr Lakeram Sukdeo, the club which was resuscitated just over a year ago, has seen tremendous improvements over the year including the construction of a new grandstand, the relaying of the track, construction of a new paddock, scale house, new rails, running water and toilet and bar facilities among other amenities.

Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, hosted the 2010 Grand Depart, while the 2012 race started in Liege in Belgium and next year’s 100th race will begin in Corsica.

Full details of the route will be announced at a news conference in Leeds and Paris on 17 January.

Leeds will host a festival of cycling and the arts to coincide with the arrival of the Tour.

British Cycling president Brian Cookson said: “Like every other cycling fan, I am thrilled the world’s biggest bike race is coming back to this country.

“The huge numbers who turned out to support the 2007 Grand Depart and the London 2012 road races show the passion we have for cycling. “I’m sure Yorkshire will give the 2014 Tour de France a welcome which will stand out in the race’s rich history.”

Berbice Under-19 and Under-21 teams to clash on Wednesday December 19 The Berbice Cricket Board via its Special Events Committee and its junior selection committee has started early preparation for the 2013 Inter-county season.

The Berbice Cricket Board would be hosting a 50-overs match at the Albion Community Centre on Wednesday 19th December, 2012 between the Berbice Under-19 and Berbice Under21 teams.

Chairman of the Berbice Cricket Board Special Events Committee, Hilbert Foster, stated that the match is part of a continuing effort to keep the players active and also to give the selectors a view of

the players as they prepare for the 2013 season. The Under-19 team would be led by national Under-19 skipper Shawn Pereira with Gudakesh Motie Kanhai as his deputy and would include players like Shimron Hetmyer, Shailendra Shameer, Arif Chan and Sharaz Ramcharran. The Under-21 team would be captained by Joemal La Fleur with Dominique Rikhi as his vice captain.

All players are asked to report to the Albion ground on Wednesday 19th December, 2012 at 08.00 hours with white clothes and cricket gears.

Teams: - Under-21: Kandasammy Surujnarine,

Brentnol Woolford, Dominique Rikhi (VC), Veerapen Permaul, Danishwani Persaud, Joemal La Fleur (c), Clinton Pestano, Andy Mohan (wk), Boughnarine Persaud, Clavern Beresford, Wagar Hassan, Kevin Ramdeen and Loyydel Lewis.

Under-19: - Shimron Hetmyer, Leon Andrews, Quacy Mc Pherson, Parmanand Narine, Sharaz Ramcharran, Arif Chan, Devin Baldeo, Hakeem Hinds (wk), Shawn Pereira (C), Gudakesh Motie Kanhai (VC), Shailendra Shameer, Avinash Wajid, Romario Shepherd, Nial Smith and Martin Singh.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

23rd Kashif & Shanghai Tournament...

Amelia’s Ward United, the ‘Pride of Linden’

Amelia’s Ward Trio (from left) Travis Waterton (Captain), Odel Allicock (Goalkeeper) and Quacy Johnson is expected to lead the team’s charge for glory in the tournament.

For the very first time in the existence of the Kashif and Shanghai Tournament, no matches will be played in Linden – the place where it all begun – but one team; the Amelia’s Ward United, is hoping to carry the mining community on their shoulders, to put a smile on the faces of the disheartened people of the area. The 23rd Kashif and Shanghai Football tournament will officially kick off tomorrow with Amelia’s wards facing Mill Ballers of Bartica in opening encounter of the double header that will also see Bakewell Buxton Stars facing Pele.

“Presently, we are more than ready to compete and better our performance from last year,” said Coach Sean Warner, reflecting on his team’s 4th place finish in the previous edition of the tournament.

“I honestly have a good feeling about this bunch of players because we still have the same core of players from last year with an addition of about four more joining the team from Topp XX, and we have been getting good results. Presently we are 3rd

in the National League, only losing one game, so the guys are all eager to perform,” Warner said.

Bakewell Topp XX were known for being the most decorated team in the tournament, winning on five of the seven times they featured in the finals.

However, this year, the team will not be part of the event and several players from the club made an exodus to various teams in Linden, with Amelia’s Ward landing some of the most talented.

“We have our captain Travis ‘Chicken’ Whatterton , who I must say has been great for this team, but then from Topp XX we have Midfielder Quacy Johnson and Crandon and those guys coming over and adding some depth to the team, so we are solid,” Warner added.

Asked if the team will be capitalizing on the four guest player per side rule, he added, “We have the slot open but we haven’t really sought out a player exactly, but we have the space for addition. See, our team is really home grown and played well just like this last year and got success

though we didn’t win, but this time around I think we have a better team to go all the way”.

Warner praised the fact that his team has been playing in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Super League, making them more than tournament ready. He also added that the Toyota Alex being up for the tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) can add to the level of competition expected in the tournament.

“It’s long overdue because players put a lot into getting ready for these tournaments and I’m glad they can be rewarded like this.

Also, I think you will see them pushing themselves some more to play hard for more than 90 minutes, so this tournament should see a higher level of play” said the Amelia’s Ward Coach.

A visit to the Linden Foundation Secondary School play-field in Amelia’s Ward saw the team going through their paces with Warner and his able and certified Assistant Lincoln Zephyr who will be working with the team for the tournament.

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Hughes shines as Australia reach 299-4 HOBART (Reuters) - Phil Hughes made a solid 86 on his return to test cricket before Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey took up the running and steered Australia to 299 for four at close of play on the first day of the first test against Sri Lanka yesterday.

Hughes was the only batsmen to fall in the final session, lasting only a couple of overs after lunch before being bowled through the gate by Chanaka Welegedera,

giving the Sri Lankan seamer his third wicket of the day.

Clarke, who had made 70 not out, and Hussey, unbeaten on 37, batted through the remainder of the day and if the evidence of their prolific partnerships in the recent series against South Africa is anything to go by, will take some shifting.

“Overall, 299 for four puts the ball in our court,” said Hughes. “I thought we were outstanding today. It really gives us momentum going

into tomorrow.”

Sri Lanka’s bowlers, dubbed this week as the worst pace attack ever to tour Australia by former test bowler Rodney Hogg, made life uncomfortable for the batsmen at times but struggled for any real penetration under cloudy skies at Bellerive Oval. “I think we showed we can put Australia under pressure and hopefully the bowlers will be fresh in the morning and we can get them out for less than

100 additional runs,” said Welegedera, who finished with 3-99 on his return after nine months out injured.

Clarke, who passed 1,400 runs for the year, has now put on 731 runs in partnerships with Hussey in the last four tests and will be looking to plunder a few more on Saturday despite taking a couple of painful knocks to his legs. Yesterday, however, belonged to Hughes. The lefthander was recalled to the side on the back of good

domestic form following the retirement of Ricky Ponting at the end of the series against the Proteas. The 24-year-old reached his fourth test half century with a square drive for three runs and then initially accelerated towards a century, most notably with an ugly but effective slog for six off spinner Rangana Herath.

CALAMITOUS RUNOUT On the ground where his second spell as a test batsman ended amid questions about his technique after two failures against New Zealand last year, Hughes scored eight fours and one six in his 166ball knock before Welegedera struck with a superb ball. “It was nice to get a few,” he said. “It would have been nice to get a few more and get into three figures.”

Australia had lost openers Ed Cowan (four) and David Warner in the opening session, the latter run out for 57 on the stroke of lunch after a calamitous misunderstanding with Hughes. Shane Watson, dropping down to fourth in the batting order to allow Hughes to come in at number

three, followed them to the pavilion for 30 shortly before tea, the victim of an exceptional diving catch in the slips by skipper Mahela Jayawardene.

That was a second wicket for Welegedera and a measure of redemption for the bowler after he had Hughes caught behind for 77 only for the umpire to call a no ball.

Welegedera had also made the early breakthrough for the tourists when Cowan tried to pull a short delivery only for the ball to catch him high on the bat and carry to mid-on where Shaminda Eranga took a simple catch.

It could have been even better for the Sri Lankans, who were only centimetres away from the perfect start to the morning after Clarke had won the toss and elected to bat.

Cowan edged the second delivery of the day from Nuwan Kulasekara to the slips but Angelo Mathews was just unable to get his hands to it, despite an athletic dive.

Scores: Australia 4 for 299 (Hughes 86, Clarke 70*, Warner 57, Welegedara 3-99) v Sri Lanka.

Fifa refuses to back Lionel Messi or Godfrey Chitalu for goal record

Lionel Messi (left) and Godfrey Chitalu.

BBC Sport - Fifa has refused to get involved in the debate about who holds the world record for scoring the most goals in a year.

It was widely reported that Lionel Messi’s 86th goal of 2012, which he scored on Sunday, surpassed a mark set

by Germany’s Gerd Mueller 40 years ago. But the Zambian Football Association claimed Godfrey Chitalu had scored 107 goals for club and country in 1972. Fifa does not keep domestic records, so “it’s not an official Fifa record”, spokesman Alex Stone told BBC Sport.

The world governing body said that, given it only maintains statistics for the international competitions it

runs, it is not possibly to ratify records from club football around the world.

“We don’t have a database which details every football game played in every country from around the world since day one of their formation,” Stone said.

“It’s certainly nothing to do with bias - if we can confirm records from our tournaments we like doing that. “It’s the sort of data fans and the media like to see.”

Stone confirmed that Fifa has not recognised Messi as holding the record. “It’s a record where someone in the media obviously collected statistics from somewhere and noticed Messi was about to pass that record.”

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James Anderson helps tourists take control BBC Sport - James Anderson took three wickets to put England in control after day two of the final Test against India in Nagpur.

The paceman bowled both Virender Sehwag (0) and Sachin Tendulkar (2) and had Gautam Gambhir (37) caught behind. Off-spinner Graeme Swann dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara (26) as India closed on 87-4, still 243 runs behind England, who lead the series 2-1.

Joe Root scored a patient 73 and Graeme Swann smashed 56 to help England to 330 all out on a slow, low wicket.

Having reached that score from their overnight total of 199-5, England’s bowlers were in an ideal position to apply some pressure on the

Sachin Tendulkar was bowled through the gate by James Anderson (BCCI) Indian batsmen. And, like so many other times before in this series, the home side duly crumbled.

The pitch offered little

seam, swing or spin for the Indian bowling, but as soon as Anderson got the new ball in his hand he immediately had India in trouble. First he

Burrell lashes Boyz’ shambolic display

- JFF boss scolds mediocre Jamaican senior players Jamaica Observer - DEEP BAY, Antigua — JFF boss Captain Horace Burrell did not mince words when he lashed the performance of the Reggae Boyz in the ongoing CFU Caribbean Championship.

“I’m disappointed. I’m livid. I have never seen such shambolic football and there is no excuse for it... the players must take responsibility,” Burrell told the Jamaica Observer after Jamaica were eliminated from the tournament with a 1-0 defeat against Cuba on Wednesday night. The JFF president targeted the localbased players, many of whom failed to measure up in a tournament they had the opportunity to make theirs.

“They did not show the quality and it’s just an embarrassment to me and the country to come to a tournament like this and play so badly... many of these local-based players have been calling out for the opportunity and they got it and now they blew it,” an impassioned Burrell said.

He said going forward, the role of the overseas professionals will become even more important as the Boyz begin their final push for a place in Brazil 2014, which starts with an away match at high altitude against Mexico on February 6, next year.

“It’s obvious that we have to continue to draw on the experience and quality of our players plying their trade overseas and it’s clear that we

Captain Horace Burrell have to focus on the established talent to take us forward.

“This is not to suggest that we are closing the door on any local player showing the aptitude, but based on what was on display here, it makes you wonder if the local Premier League is churning out the quality,” an obviously disappointed Burrell said. He said only one local-based player impressed throughout the three games where Jamaica lost 2-1 to French Guiana, 0-1 to Cuba and between that labouring to a 0-0 draw with group winners Martinique.

“That young man showed that the country is capable of producing quality, the way in which he applied himself in that central defensive role showed that in him is a future prospect for Jamaica... it would be the greatest feeling for me if I could say the same for all the others, but sadly I can’t,” Burrell lamented. The CONCACAF executive

committee member said even a second-rate Jamaica team should be able to come to the Caribbean tournament and shine, which makes the experience even more painful when one looks at the calibre within the 23-man squad of MLS players and those playing on continental Europe. “At our stage of football development, even a ‘B’ team should be able to come and do much better than what we have... what we saw has made us the shame and laughing stock of the Caribbean,” Burrell stated.

The visionary behind all of Jamaica’s World Cup appearances at varying levels said he has ordered the chairman of the JFF Technical and Development Committee, Howard McIntosh, to do a post-mortem of the tournament and for a report to be prepared for presentation to the board of directors in short order.

Having not qualified for the final four here, the Boyz effectively squandered an opportunity to be at the confederation’s premier competition, the CONCACAF Gold Cup to be played in the USA next summer. “Having qualified for the final round of the World Cup qualifiers and not being in the Gold Cup is not an easy one to swallow. But the show must go on and we have to now look at getting friendly matches and to possibly do some tours to get the team together as often as possible,” Burrell ended.

got one to come back in and bowl Sehwag, then he returned later in the evening session to nip one back into Tendulkar.

Finally, he got one to shape away from Gambhir, who went for an expansive cover drive and got a faint edge behind to Matt Prior.

However Anderson will also be grateful for the intervention of Swann after he broke up a promising 58-run partnership between Gambhir and Pujara to hand England the momentum.

It was a superb, diving catch by Ian Bell that brought about the end of Pujara’s innings, but the batsman will be disappointed after replays showed the ball may not have hit his glove on the way to short leg.

Swann’s wicket capped a superb individual day for the off-spinner, who scored his first Test half-century since 2009 in typically belligerent style. He came to the crease after Prior had played down the wrong line to Ravichandran Ashwin - the wicketkeeper being bowled for a valuable 57 to end a

potentially match-changing 103-run partnership with debutant Root - and Tim Bresnan was pinned in front

by Ishant Sharma for a second-ball duck.

Root continued where he left off on the first day, as he showed a solid defence while keeping the scoreboard moving. He looked assured and confident from the first ball of the day and his gritty knock was complemented by Swann’s strokeplay - the Nottinghamshire man hitting six fours and two sixes in his breezy innings.

Root was eventually out to a leading edge, caught and bowled by leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, while Swann was trapped in front while sweeping as he attempted to plunder some late runs.

Anderson made just four before he also fell victim to Chawla (4-69), but it was the Lancashire man’s bowling which changed the complexion of the match and tipped it in favour of England.

Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni remained unbeaten at the close of play, but they have plenty to do to help deny

James Anderson England a first Test series victory in India since 1984-85.

Scores: India 87 for 4 (Kohli 11*, Dhoni 8*, Anderson 3-24) trail England 330 (Pietersen 73, Root 73, Prior 57, Swann 56, Chawla 4-69) by 243 runs.

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Kaieteur News

Windies Women inspired after watching legends in Fire In Babylon

Merissa Aguilleira

Bridgetown, Barbados – The members of the West Indies Women team have been challenged to adopt a fearless approach when they tackle opponents in their next two assignments and beyond. That call came from captain Merissa Aguilleira, who threw out the challenge after she and team-mates held a team-building session based on the documentary Fire In Babylon.

The film featured the allconquering West Indies team of the 1970s and 1980s – and focussed on the careers of several giants of the game, who brought glory to the West Indies and dominated opponents all over the world.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Among those interviewed were Clive Lloyd, one of the game’s greatest leaders; Viv Richards, the batting master; other batting greats Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes; along with fast bowling legends Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Andy Roberts.

Aguilleira said: “What struck me the most about the West Indies team was how fearless they were. They went onto the field with the belief that they could win, that they could beat anyone on any day no matter the conditions.

That’s supreme self-belief and self-confidence. I would like to see us thinking that way...be fearless and never

surrender.

“That’s something we will try to cultivate. It’s a really admirable quality in any sportsperson. We are working as a team and we have that belief in ourselves and in each other. The movie was a real eye-opener for all of us and gave some amazing insight into what it means to represent the West Indies cricket and the people.

Aguilleria added: “This was the first time we watched the movie as a group. We were able to discuss and share ideas. Watching the movie, I felt so proud to be a West Indian. It reminded me of what how much cricket means to everyone in the region. We have to aim to continue the tradition that they established. The message was that no matter what obstacles came in their way, they stuck together and conquered the cricket world.”

The captain was speaking on the final day of the West Indies women’s camp at the

Sagicor High Performance Centre. The West Indies Selection Panel invited the region’s best 18 players to assemble for a month, where they worked to improve their skills and fitness levels. They also participated in several seminars on team-building, anti-corruption, nutrition and self-development.

The Windies are preparing for a seven-match series against South Africa from January 7 to 20. Matches will be played in St Kitts, Dominica and St Lucia. After that they jet off to Mumbai, India for the ICC Women’s World Cup from January 31 to April 17.

“One thing was clear from

watching the movie. Fitness played a key part in the success of the West Indies team,” said Aguilleira, who celebrates her 27th birthday today. “They were super fit and that is another element of the game that we are working on getting better at. We work on our core fitness as well as our strength and conditioning. We play a lot of limited-overs cricket and that extra fitness gives you the drive to push on and take it to the next level.”

Aguilleira was first selected for the West Indies team in 2008 as the wicketkeeper and in that time she has matured to become a

respected leader as well. She has won matches for West Indies with her batting and has been very reliable behind the stumps.

She holds the West Indies records for the most dismissals in One-Day Internationals and Twenty/20 Internationals.

Speaking of her favourite section of Fire In Babylon, she said: “For me, one of the best parts was seeing Malcolm Marshall playing with a broken hand in a Test match. That was awesome. He came out to bat and later on bowled as well, and took wickets. That’s truly amazing and would inspire anyone.”

Atkinson lands historic silver at worlds

Women’s 50m breastroke winner Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania (centre) is flanked by silver medallist Alia Atkinson of Jamaica (right) and bronze medallist Sarah Karsoulis of Australia at the FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships. (Photo: AFP) Jamaica Observer - ALIA Atkinson notched silver in the Women’s 50m breaststroke yesterday in Istanbul, Turkey, to give Jamaica its first-ever medal at the FINA World Swimming Short Course Championships.

Atkinson clocked 29.67 seconds to effectively secure her place as one of the five fastest women of all time in the sprint breaststroke.

Fifteen-year-old Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte clinched gold when, for the third consecutive time, she set another championship record, clocking 29.44 seconds, the second fastest time in history. Australian

Sarah Katsoulis claimed bronze with 29.94.

The Lithuanian’s time is all the more impressive as American Jessica Hardy posted her world record 28.80 on November 15, 2009 in a techsuit, which was banned domestically in the United States. In fact, Hardy’s world record is not recognised as an American record.

Twenty-four-year-old Atkinson, turning her attention to the semi-finals of the 100m individual medley, set another national record when she won in 58.94 seconds, the second fastest time in the world this year after Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, who swam 58.83 at the

European Short Course Championships last month.

A Pan American Games silver medallist and multiple gold medallist at the Central American and Caribbean Games, Atkinson lowered her previous national mark of 59.96 set last month at the Canada Cup in Ontario.

China’s Jing Zhao was second in 59.12, with Lithuanian teen sensation Meilutyte third in 59.15. The final of the 100m medley takes place today. Atkinson will also compete in the heats of the 100m breaststroke today.

Her 16-year-old compatriot, Timothy Wynter, will also compete today in the 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly.

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Kim IL Sung defeat Number 68 Turn Team to lift Upper Corentyne 20-Overs Tournament

Safraz Gafoor hands over trophy and cash to the captain of Kim IL Sung Named after a famous world leader, Kim IL Sung defeated No. 68 Turn Team by 6 wickets at the Skeldon Community Centre lift the Championship tile for the first ever Berbice Cricket Board Upper Corentyne 20-Overs Tournament. Playing in front of a large crowd, Kim IL Sung totally outplayed a No. 68 Turn Team who seemed overwhelmed by the atmosphere of playing in their first ever final.

Batting first No. 68 were restricted to 109 for 8 of their allotted 20 overs with Viendra Gooniah topscoring with an attractive 35 with two sixes and a boundary, Hemnauth Ramsaroop 20 and Dianand Gooniah 16. Bowling for Kim IL Sung, offspinner Phillips claimed five wickets for 24 runs from his allotted four overs. In response Kim IL

Sung were given a solid opening partnership of 75 in 13 overs from openers Clavern Beresford and Julian Moore before Moore was dismissed for 22 (1x6,1x4) but Beresford took his team home with a responsible 55 not out (5x4) as they achieved victory at 111 for 4 in 17.2 overs.

Bowling for No. 68 Turn team, Toolaram Persaud took 3 wickets for 10 runs from 3 overs.

Earlier in the day, No. 70 M.Y.O Cricket Club defeated No. 69 Red Rose by 27 runs to clinch the 3rd prize. Batting first No. 70 M.Y.O Cricket Club chalked up 129 for 7 off 20 overs with M. Azal 41 and Abdool Ghannie 32 being the principal scorers. No. 69 Red Rose in reply could only manage 92 for 8 when their 20 overs were completed as

Jammel Azal 3 for 15 and Shatir Khan 2 for 10 bowled well for No. 70 M.Y.O Cricket club.

At the presentation ceremony Berbice Cricket Board Treasurer Anil Beharry hailed the tournament as a huge success and expressed his pleasure at the huge crowd which attended the finals. The Berbice Cricket Board as part of its developmental programme has undertaken to host tournaments for teams in each sub-zone and this has proven to be very successful. Beharry expressed gratitude to the sponsors of the tournament Safraz Photo and Video Store, Palace Liquor Restaurant & Taxi Service, Larry Car Service and T. Persaud (Rado) Business Enterprise.

Former President of the Berbice Cricket Board,

Cabinet agreed Guyana Cricket Administration Bill be shared with opposition - Texiera

Presidential Advisor, Gail Texiera, at a recent cabinet press briefing said that they had agreed that the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill should be shared with opposition parties in advance, and the Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony convened a meeting of the Parliamentary parties to examine same, which was held on Wednesday last.

In response to AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan recent statement in the press, she said he wasn’t at the meeting.

“Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, the Attorney General Anil

Nandalall, Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony and members of the IMC were at the meeting, I understand they went through the Bill clause by clause and there were a number of proposed amendments to be made to it.”

“At this point the Attorney General and the Minister of Sport will apprise the Government and the President of the proposed Amendments that they have agreed to, so that we will make

a decision on the bill, whether it will be tabled on December 17th or whether due to further discussions we would hold it for the 20th or a later date,” she added.

Ramjattan had earlier said that the Government wants to control the affairs of the game in Guyana and he is happy with the attitude of the West Indies Cricket Board in relation to the bill.

He is of the opinion that not only the GCB and the county boards be corporatized but the clubs and sub associations that fall under them as well.

Winning team of Upper Corentyne 20-Over Cricket Tournament - Kim IL Sung Malcolm Peters, stated that he was impressed by the standard of play in the finals and urged the teams to cooperate with the Berbice Cricket Board as the Board was doing unmatched work in

developing cricket in the ancient county. Sponsor Safraz Gafoor praised the Berbice Cricket Board for organising an excellent and highly successful tournament and pledged to sponsor a

bigger and better tournament next year. All of the teams received trophies and cash prizes, while Beresford was adjudged Best Batsman and Phillips won the Best Bowler and Man of the Finals awards.

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Saturday December 15, 2012

West Bank Demerara Gold Inc. sponsors Uitvlugt Warriors FC The Uitvlugt Warriors Football Club is sporting many smiling faces with Santa Claus paying the entity a timely and well received visit.

Yesterday, West Bank Demerara Gold Inc. (WBDGI) handed over a complete set of uniforms to the club which is the first part of what is anticipated to be a long term relationship towards the holistic development of the West Demerara based club.

Showering praise on London based company was Vice President Osmond McKend who accepted the donation from Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company, Fedor Vstousky. Also attending the simple but significant presentation were GFF President (ag) Franklin Wilson and Logistics Manager of WBDGI, Raj Persaud.

McKend stated that the President, Executive and members of the club are all very grateful to WBDGI for agreeing to come on board with the donation at a time when the club is striving to

ensure that it is well equipped to take care of the needs of its members.

“Uitvlugt has been one of the dominant clubs on the West Demerara over the years and we have produced a number of players that have given yeomen service to this country. We have had this year alone, players in the National Under-17, 20 and senior teams and we will continue to build on this very encouraging development.”

McKend reminded that young Golden Jaguar Treyon Bobb is also a member of his club and has done himself and country proud.

Vstousky in his remarks informed that his company has been doing business in Guyana since 2009 and they are committed to playing their part in the development of sports in Guyana and in this instance, football.

“We have been doing lots of work in the interior, Region 1 and recently in the community of Baramita, we invested millions in developing a football field and

CFO of West Bank Demerara Gold Inc. Fedor Vstousky (2nd left) hands over one of the uniform tops to Vice President of Uitvlugt Warriors FC Osmond McKend in the presence of Franklin Wilson (2nd right) and Raj Persaud.

also in association with the Guyana Football Federation made donations of sports and other equipment to that community. We will continue to make such tangible investments in building the

human resource which is vital to real overall development.”

Wilson in his remarks complimented WBDGI for their continued investment in the development of the sport and challenged Uitvlugt Warriors to ensure that they secure the continued relationship with the entity for the all-round progress of the club.

“Uitvlugt has been doing

well this year at the association and national levels. You have made to the GFF Super League which attracts the top clubs in Guyana and have been holding your own. Yo u need to build on this and grow from strength to strength by focusing on your youth departments.”

Persaud in brief remarks,

echoed the comments made earlier by his CFO and reiterated that they are proud to be a part of Uitvlugt while wishing them the best for the Super League and other tournaments.

The club received 18 pairs of complete uniforms including two sets of goalkeeper ’s uniforms along with one set of shin pads.

Corinthians calm before Chelsea storm

YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) Corinthians sharp-shooter Paolo Guerrero has predicted the Brazilian side will lift the Club World Cup if they play their own style of against Chelsea in tomorrow’s final.

The Peruvian, who headed the winner in an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Egypt’s AlAhly in their semi-final in Japan, said European champions Chelsea were vulnerable.

“Everyone knows Chelsea is one of the world’s great teams,” Guerrero told reporters in Yokohama on Friday. “It is a final everyone in Brazil, every Corinthians fan is waiting for.

“We know it will be very difficult because they have different training, a different game,” added the former Hamburg forward.

“Corinthians have a lot of quality too and we have to play our own game.”

Corinthians won the first edition of the FIFA tournament in 2000 but Chelsea, who comfortably beat Mexico’s Monterrey 3-1 on Thursday, will start as favourites.

They also became the South American Libertadores Cup’s first unbeaten winners since 1978 this year, conceding just four goals in 14 matches, so will be no pushovers for Chelsea. “We know it will be a tough game,” said Guerrero. “But we know that finding the net and playing our type of game will get us the world title. “We have a lot of ways of changing tactics so it will be difficult for Chelsea too.”

A clash of styles in Sunday’s final should make for a more absorbing encounter than in recent years, European sides having rolled to

victory in the last five finals. “It is two different styles,” agreed Guerrero, one of several danger men Chelsea will have to keep a close eye on to avoid an ambush. “Corinthians press well and play neat football. Chelsea play well and they have very fast players but possibly they’re weaker pressing opponents.

With our speed we can take advantage.”

After taking four games to register a victory under interim manager Rafael Benitez, Chelsea have tightened up in defence and have been looking to press higher up the pitch.

Three wins in a row, scoring 12 goals in the process, have given Chelsea fans unhappy at Benitez’s appointment after last month’s sacking of Roberto Di Matteo reason for optimism.

“To win the way we won was very important,” said Spanish playmaker Juan Mata, who scored Chelsea’s opening goal against Monterrey.

“We came here to win the trophy and become the world champions. We have been focused on scoring more goals and this has given us real confidence for the final.”

The Corinthians players, expected to be cheered on by at least 15,000 fans who made the trip from Brazil, looked relaxed at training on Friday despite the pressure on them.

“This is a very important moment for my career to win a world title,” said Guerrero.

“Every player dreams of a final like this against a great European team like Chelsea. “That’s why I have absolute concentration now and I’m calm about Sunday.”

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Anthony inspires surging Knicks to big win over Lakers NEW YORK (Reuters) Adding more hope to their dream of a long-awaited return to the NBA winner’s circle, the New York Knicks enjoyed a role reversal night against the once-mighty Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

Raining down threepointers and playing tight defense in sticking to their new formula for success, Carmelo Anthony and his team mates beat the struggling Lakers 116-107, easing to victory after building a 26point lead in the second quarter. Anthony scored 30 points in just 23 minutes, sinking 3-of-4 from beyond the arc before being sidelined with a left ankle sprain after crashing to the floor on a drive to the basket.

Despite cooling off in the second half, New York shot 12-of-25 from long-range and 53.2 percent overall with Raymond Felton scoring 19 points and Tyson Chandler chiming in with 18 as the

Knicks improved to 9-0 at home. Reveling in their best start to a season in more than 15 years, the Garden crowd serenaded Anthony with chants of “MVP, MVP” and fans could not be blamed for thinking this season could bring the Knicks their first NBA crown in 40 years.

They also mocked a Lakers franchise, winners of 16 NBA titles, including five since the 1999-2000 season, that look lost under new coach Mike D’Antoni, who left the Knicks job towards the end of last season.

“We were clicking on all cylinders,” said Knicks coach Mike Woodson, who categorized Anthony’s injury as a slight sprain. “I tip my hat to our guys because our key guy goes out and other guys came in and stepped up and played.”

New York improved their Eastern Conference-best record to 17-5 against Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and the hapless Lakers, losers of

four in a row and mired in 12th place in the West at 9-14.

KNICKS TRANSFORMED Bryant paced the Lakers with 31 points, shooting just 10-of-24 from the field.

D’Antoni said the Lakers still had a lot to work on, with new players mixed into the lineup and injuries to key players including Steve Nash and Pau Gasol.

“Carmelo was unbelievable in the first quarter. He did an unbelievable job,” D’Antoni said of Anthony, who missed only one of nine shots in the first 12 minutes. “We just have a lot of things to keep working on.” The Knicks have undergone a transformation, not unlike the recent remodeling of the venerable Garden. They returned only six players from their postseason roster of a year ago, and two of them - Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert - have yet to suit up this season due to injury.

A crew of well-seasoned

GTA Interschool Tennis 10s Competition on today at CASH

Some of the participants from a previous Tennis 10s programme pose for a photo op.

Aspiring tennis players from various primary schools will get a chance to compete against each other today when the Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) organises its Tennis 10s competition, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

This event which is scheduled twice per year will be held between 09:00hrs and 12:30hrs and features round robin competition using the red balls in mini courts. The Tennis 10s programme was developed by the ITF during 2002 as an element of their ‘Play and Stay’ initiative which is geared to increase the level of participation and speed of development through the use of softer balls that are red, orange and green

and an increased number of competitions.

The GTA has been supporting this initiative locally since 2006 with coaches visiting primary schools monthly to assist PE teachers with the coordination of in-school competitions that lead up to this event.

Nine teams are expected to participate in the Boys and Girls Under 10 categories and they are Marian Academy, St. Pius Primary, Enterprise Primary, West Ruimveldt Primary, St. Agnes Primary, New Guyana School, Mae’s Under 12, Park Players Tennis Club and Non-Pareil Tennis Club.

The competition format focuses on development and

gives each player maximum opportunities at competing.

The event is used to pinpoint talented juniors who can be fast tracked for development through joining tennis clubs or by being selected to the junior tennis squad which is coached by Shelly DalyRamdyhan.

The junior squad forms the core from which players are selected to represent Guyana regionally.

National Junior Coordinator and Coach of the Tennis 10s programme, DalyRamdyhan in comments said that she was heartened by the efforts made by primary school PE teachers to keep the initiative alive in the schools and expects a good turnout for the competition.

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony

old timers including Jason Kidd (39), Rasheed Wallace (38), Kurt Thomas (40) and NBA rookie Pablo Prigioni of Argentina (35) have blended in and tightened up New York’s approach to the game.

Coming into Thursday’s game, the Knicks led the league in fewest turnovers and had made 252 three-

pointers, 48 more than the second-best Houston Rockets.

Against the Lakers, the efficient Knicks turned the ball over just six times versus 13 miscues by Los Angeles.

The Knicks have a slew of quality victories in their hot start, including two wins against defending champions

Miami Heat and another over 2011 champions Dallas Mavericks.

A n t h o n y, a v e r a g i n g 27.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists, was c o n s i d e r e d d a y - t o - d a y, Woodson said, soothing worries that New York’s blistering start would soon be slowed.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 15, 2012

Many gains promised as sports betting come to Guyana Locally, sports pundits have nurtured the urge to cast their wagers on high priced boxing matches, football events and other such matches that are televised worldwide, triggering heated debate.

The Mayweather/ Pacquiao bout has been the cause for much speculation and following the sensational victory registered by Juan Manuel Marquez over the latter pugilist, many are ruing the missed opportunity to have cast their wagers.

This will soon be a thing of the past following the launching of SUPERBET, an entity that offers pundits the opportunity to place bets on regional and international games.

Currently, there are three active agents with locations at Courtyard Mall, Robb Street Georgetown, Double M Sports Bar and Café, East Street, South Cummingsburg and Deals General Store, Broad Street. The entity also boasts a customized gaming Center at Lot 2 Sandy Babb

Street Kitty.

Yesterday morning, media representatives and other stakeholders were summoned to the Cara Inn, Quamina Street, South Cummingsburg, where the entity was officially launched and General Manager, Martin Subero, who also doubles as the Operations Director, was very upbeat about the project. He said that the entity is operated by Guiana Holding Inc, a member of the Pasha Gaming Group with operations in Uganda, Cyprus

and Belgium. He also said that his organization will offer the opportunity to place bets on the results of regional and international games such as cricket, football, lawn tennis and basketball among others.

Mr. Subero intimated that the bets are so structured as to give players an affordable, simpler, reliable and fun way to win. The company plans to increase its portfolio of games and betting variables as time progresses. Quizzed on the volume of research done to establish the viability of the project on the local market, Mr. Subero admitted that a scientific research process was not conducted but based on random surveys, he is assured that the initiative will gel. He was further asked of the possibility of affecting certain sections of society that might view gambling as immoral. “We do not foresee problems; yes it is gambling but the Guyanese society is one where people of different

orientations and beliefs could still coexist,” he asserted.

Of more importance is the fact that the entity provides employment for 12 nationals and Mr. Subero said that 96 percent of revenue garnered will be channeled into the local economy. He said that the staff is purely Guyanese and the entity is licensed through the Guyana Revenue Authority.

The General Manger further disclosed that though his entity focuses on gambling he is mindful of match fixing issues and is somewhat reluctant to extend his services to local sports events. He disclosed that SUPERBET has hired only local staff and is managed by a strong Guyanese team dedicated to delivering a transparent, secure and fun experience for all players.

“The thing that makes SUPERBET a unique entity is mostly because betting is a game of skill that allows

Martin Subero players to use their knowledge of sport to improve his chances of winning,” he maintains.

Meanwhile, SUPERBET offers an excellent package to its agents and provides free equipment, installation and technical support, backed with marketing and merchandising activities.

Individuals interested in becoming an agent may visit the company’s office at Lot 2 Sandy Babb Street, Kitty or call the customer service lines (600 5656 or 600 5757).

Saturday December 15, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 39

Ravens aim to devour Nets

By Edison Jefford The bird raven, from which local basketball club, Ravens, has taken its name, is omnivorous that in Latin means “all eating” or “to devour”, which is exactly what the club has done with its lesser opponents time and time again on the basketball landscape of Guyana.

One of the fundamental differences between Ravens and its long-time nemesis, Pacesetters is the fact that Ravens do not slacken their game against underdog teams; you can expect

Pacesetters to drop a few games against lesser opponents, but not Ravens.

On Sunday, there will be no Ravens versus Pacesetters clash for a Division I title in Georgetown, as basketball pundits and enthusiast are so used to seeing, rather, it will be Ravens taking on the Republic Bank Nets in what can become a lopsided contest.

Ravens hardly ever make mistakes against opponents they know they can advantage with what is clear evidence of superior depth

Akeem Kanhai

Ryan Stephney

Rodwell Fortune

Ryan Gullen

and skill. Its only opponent is sometimes the psychology that tells the team it will win

even if they goof around somewhat. But even if it errs, Ravens has ensured over the past years that it is in contention of titles few and many with no exceptions allowed. Nets face its biggest challenge since becoming a Division I component and playing in its first championship game.

Just as Nets defeated Pacesetters, Ravens did not spare the number two ranked Georgetown Club when they met in the semis of the Phillip George Legacy Basketball Championship; the dynamic means that there is an emergence of new forces in

local basketball.

Ravens are a seriously deep team with an interesting mixture of vast experience and youthful skill that makes them excellent in transition offense. The speed of Ryan ‘Cocaine’ Stephney, Stephon ‘Penny’ Henry, Rodwell ‘Kobe’ Fortune, and Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai will be the consistent bother for Nets throughout the title game.

Stephney, Kanhai, and the jump-shooting forwards, Ryan Gullen and Jermaine Slater became the 2012 Mackeson Smooth Moves 3on-3 Basketball Challenge champs approximately two

Benn guides Rising Star to T\20 title in Bartica

A fine allround performance by Festus Benn guided Rising Star to a fighting 11run victory over East Bank Essequibo in the final of the Hopkinson Mining Challengers Twenty\20 competition which was contested recently in Bartica.

Rising Star were largely indebted to Benn who hit a run a ball 60 to guide them to 115-5 off their allocation of overs after they decided to bat first at the Community Centre ground.

Trevor Benn and off spinner Jason Heyliger took 2 wickets each for the visitors.

East Bank in reply lost wickets at regular intervals and fell for 104 in 18 overs. Balbinder Shivpersaud top scored with 25 as Benn, Jerome Basdeo and Cort Welcome picked up 2 wickets apiece for the winners who collected

$200,000. The runner up team received $75,000.

In the semi finals which were contested earlier at the said venue, Rising Star overcame All Star of Wakenaam by 26 runs. Rising Star batted first and scored 155-6 in 20 overs before restricting All Star for 129-9 off their allocation of overs.

And in the second semifinal, Hopkinson Mining Challengers went down to East Bank by 39 runs. East Bank took first strike and piled up 205-9 in 20 overs. The Challengers were bowled out for 166 in 18 overs in reply.

The competition was sponsored by Mohamed’s Enterprise, Ryan and Reuben Enterprise, El Dorado Trading and Dave Scott Filling station. It was played as part of Hopkinson Mining Challengers SC 2nd anniversary celebrations.

LABA Malta Supreme Christmas Basketball C/ship continues tonight

Kings look to extend their winning streak against Bulls, Royals play Flames The rollicking action in the Malta Supreme Christmas Magnificent Seven Christmas Basketball Championship will change gears this weekend and overflow into the new week as teams will battle today, tomorrow and next Monday in what should help indicate the settling down of teams wanting to advance into the final four from the lot of seven.

The Mackenzie Sports Club is the venue for this evening’s first double header, which will see matches slated for the next three days, as fans may take full advantage of being allowed in free compliments of sponsors Banks DIH. Action tips off with Victory Valley Royals taking on Block 22 Flames at 7:30pm and the second game is between the unbeaten Kashif and Shanghai Kings who face the recent championship BOSAI Open Challenge winners, Half Mile Bulls.

This game will be the main

attraction since fans will remember that Bulls beat Kings when the two sides met in the BOSAI championship and Kings with a perfect start will want to maintain that record straight through to the final if possible.

Bulls are the new kids on the block and would like to get their act going from jump ball since they are a hungry lot.

However, their dependency on the shooting skills of captain Michael Turner and Keon Cameron and to a lesser extent centre Shane Lewis and shooting guard Sean Easton, could very well work against this experienced Kings lineup.

The Kings have shown they are back to their dominant best even without their big centre Jason Alonzo and once their players led by the wily Steve Neils (Jr.), Marvin Hartman, Orin Rose all in the back court and up front the likes of Abdulla Hamid and Omally Sampson, they can surely take

early control of their opponents. But Bulls were the team to beat in the last tournament and this time around they must prove their worth as champions against a championship team in Kings.

The other match should be one where Flames are seeking to remain in the competition by winning after two losses. They face a Royals side which would want also to be among the contenders with a win following their one win and one loss record going into this match tonight. Tomorrow the competition continues at the same MSC venue where at 7:00pm Retrieve Raiders oppose Wismar Pistons and at 9:00pm Kings and Amelia’s Ward Jets take their unbeaten record on the line.

Monday’s matches are those rescheduled from last Sunday and were affected by a power outage in the town with the first game continuing in the second half with Bulls leading Block 22 Flames 3323 and the other will see Victory Valley Royals and Wismar Pistons in action..

months ago defeating teams from across Guyana to win $1M in cash as the top prize.

The point is Ravens is more than savage in devouring opponents; it’s a savvy and knowledgeable outfit that former national point guard, Darcel Harris competently coaches. It’s no surprise that in order for Nets to claim its first Division I title, it must beat the best team in the country. Whether, or not, it possess the arsenal to do so is yet to be seen. What is certain is that Ravens would be no ordinary bird Sunday night. It will seek to escape the Nets in a manner that closes the year with the public and personal assurance that they are the best team in Georgetown and by extension Guyana’s 83,000 square miles.

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K&S football extravaganza set for grand opening I Lucrative prizes and gifts on offer

f one should pass on Irving Street, obliquely opposite S u r v i v a l Supermarket where the K&S head office is situated, he/she would easily mistake that building for a modern day store on Regent Street.

This conclusion could be drawn based on the display of a 2200CC Toyota Alex motorcar surrounded by a set of motorcycles and BMX bicycles. Then there are many food hampers that transforms the venue into a supermarket.

These items are not for sale but are actually the many prizes that are up on offer for footballers participating in the 23rd edition of the Kashif and Shanghai football extravaganza and patrons attending the fixtures.

Activities are scheduled to get underway tomorrow afternoon at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground and conclude on January 1 next at the National Stadium, Providence. In between, matches would be played at venues countrywide.

The motorcar was donated by the management of the Beharry’s Group of Company and was recently handed over by Chairman, Anand Beharry, in the presence of Vice Chairman, Suresh Beharry and Sales Manager, Jan Veerwey.

That presentation was followed by another, this time by officials of Victoria’s Fashions, Church and Light

Streets, of 8 BMX bicycles, to be given to the Most Valuable Player in each of the eight teams vying for top honours in the inaugural Chico Junior U-13 Round Robin Football Lien tournament, also scheduled to get underway from December 22-January 1.

Those bicycles were also on display.

The motorcycles can be won by patrons who are asked to retain their ticket stubs for a draw during the proceedings. There will be a similar prize for all of the games.

The K&S principals were in an expansive mood and yesterday morning added more goodies to the extensive list after the management of Survival Supermarket donated several food hampers which will be given to another set of lucky patrons attending the various fixtures.

Supervisor of the donating entity, Priya Tiwari, handed over the gift to Director of the K&S group, Kashif Muhammad.

She offered best wishes on behalf of the management of her firm. Mr. Muhammad extended gratitude to his benefactor while intimating that his organization aims to make the tournament entertaining and interactive.

Mr. Muhammad said that his group will seek to interact with its traditional supporters by staging matches in those communities. He mentioned such villages as Uitvlugt,

Priya Tiwari (centre) hands over the hampers to Aubrey Major (jnr) and Jamie Lee (extreme left & right respectively) at the K&S Irving Street office yesterday morning.

Aubrey Major (Jnr) and Jamie Lee Curtis stand amongst the MVP’s motor car and other gate prizes that could be won by patrons.

Beterverwagting and Buxton. He admitted that the organizers were forced to omit the Buxton Community Centre Ground from its itinerary for a few

tournaments through circumstances beyond their control. “We are pleased to reinstate that community into our fold,” said Mr. Muhammad.

Activities get underway tomorrow afternoon at 17:30 hrs at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) where the rituals associated with the opening ceremony would

be performed before the opening game between Buxton Stars and Pele FC. The finals will be held at the National Stadium, Providence.

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