Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The need for extensive reforms For close to two decades there has been a growing consensus among Governments and independent experts that the existing monetary and financial arrangements need extensive reforms. Reform will enable the international economy to generate and sustain growth at a reasonable rate in a stable environment. There is also a greater appreciation about improving the quality of growth.

Since 1989 when Guyana signed onto the IMF/World Bank Economic Recovery Programme, we have been bombarded about maintaining monetary stability, macroeconomic discipline and efficiently working market mechanisms. These, we were told, were essential for survival and growth in the new world of globalisation.

We have discovered, to our chagrin, however, that while those goals might have been necessary, they are not sufficient. They have to be buttressed by sound policies that promote equity. In many countries, the quantum and quality of growth after the initial spurt as the economy was unshackled, produced severe distributional inequalities, high unemployment/underemployment and stagnating wages for both skilled and unskilled workers.

In many countries, the issues of poor governance, corruption and crime, has not helped, even though the International Financial Institutions have of recent, begun to take cognisance of these drags on economic performance.

However, they have neglected the kinks in the global financial markets that cry out for reform.

Overall, the key issues in global financial and monetary reform can be broadly categorised as the management of the global capital market, development finance for low-income countries, the exchange rate system and the role of special drawing rights. There are several factors which have great effect on our efforts to engender growth. In the management of the global capital market, this has been revolutionised by the elimination of capital controls by industrial countries and many developing countries, as well as the revolution in information and computer technologies.

The management of private capital flows is one of the critical issues of the international financial system.

Paradoxically, due to the fact that we never attracted any of the “hot money”, we have been spared the ravages that flowed from ultra-liberalisation as exemplified by the crises that hit the Mexican, East Asian, Russian, Argentine, and Brazilian economies. But since we have created one of the most open economies around, policy makers should be forewarned of the constraints on their autonomy in such an environment: they are reduced to the role of spectators as external funds surge in and out overnight.

In view of the fact that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pushed liberalisation of markets in the first place, some have suggested that the resources available to it should be sufficiently increased to enable it to help affected countries overcome speculative pressures on their balance of payments position.

On the need for development finance for low income countries, the joint IMF-World Bank Ministerial group – known as the Development Committee – has been considering issues connected with the provision of development assistance to low income countries.

Because of its own misguided over-exuberance during the seventies in intermediating the oil windfall funds, the IMF-World Bank threw out the baby with the bathwater on development funding.

In recent years, official development assistance has only achieved about one-third of the stated target percentage of GNP of rich industrial countries. Then, of course, there are the inevitable political strings attached in so many instances.

Additionally, the funds provided by the IMF, World Bank and regional development banks have their famous attached “conditionalities” which, when implemented, often have the effect of creating social upheavals.

Thursday December 18, 2014

Letters... Where your views make the news

Minister Benn would be well advised to ‘call it a day’ on the Amaila Falls access road DEAR EDITOR, In an recent interview given by Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn on the Amaila Falls access road, it was reported when he was asked about the rationale behind the millions still being spent on an access road for the proposed Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) which appears to be going nowhere he stated that the access road “is not a road

to nowhere but a road to everywhere since he believes it is the single most important infrastructure project needed for Guyana’s economic development”.

It is unfortunate that Minister Benn continues to dream of AFHP becoming a reality now or in the foreseeable future, as he has no idea where the money will come from to design and build it. Despite repeated

requests, the Gov’t has failed to release for public scrutiny feasibility studies claimed to show that AFHP is a viable project and together with the lack of transparency and other factors, investors have been wary to make any financial commitment for a costly project in a country which is politically unstable and is likely to be so for some time to come.

Despite this stark reality,

the PPP Gov’t continues to waste scarce public money to complete the Amaila Falls access road and bridges, which Minister Benn erroneously claims is substantially completed, since much work remains to be done on the bridge across the Kuribrong River and that segment of the road from the AFHP site to the Kuribrong River bridge. All these works (Continued on page 27)

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

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

BACK TO THE FUTURE IGNORING REALITIES DEAR EDITOR, In the early 1960s when Jock Campbell was Chairman of the Booker Empire, and devoted special interest to the sugar industry through the operations of Booker Sugar Estates in Guyana, he developed quite a cordial relationship with then Premier Cheddi Jagan.

It was a time of historic national demand for independence, so much so that there were already rumblings forecasting the nationalisation of the sugar industry – a matter that in fact was the topic of one or more conversations between Jock and Cheddi.

Clem Seecharan’s voluminous ‘Sweetening Bitter Sugar’ speaks comprehensively about the relationship which developed between the two socialists, albeit of different ilk. When the idea of parcelling out the industry’s cane lands into lots for small cane farming was raised by Cheddi, Jock temporised with a counter-offer to begin developing a small cane farming sub-sector within the industry.

Bookers Sugar Estates, as if in foresight, had already installed, a (peasant) cane farming community of 55 selected sugar workers (and families) at what is still known as Bellevue Cane Farmers Cooperative Society (West Bank Demerara), each with fifteen-acre lots, and space for kitchen gardens. It was an organised community with facilities for sports and other recreation.

So it was not too difficult for Bookers Sugar Estates, in collaboration with Demerara Company (Leonora and Diamond) to keep Jock’s word and establish a comprehensive programme co-funded together with the Royal Bank of Canada and Barclays Bank DC&O, to

promote small cane farming throughout all estates, except Blairmont.

As was to be expected, the arrangements were reinforced by the appropriate legislation, including the National Cane Farming Committee Act. Village and other farming groups were organised into legal entities – Cooperatives – in order to facilitate their access to the Cane Farming Development Fund.

There was meticulous estate supervision of, and ready technical assistance for, initial development, as well as crop maintenance.

Farmers of every type thrived in an industry in which all had hope for the future.

The latter was not to be however, and over the past decade industry–watchers would have noted and analysed its decline, and that of cane farming with it.

Indeed over the past two/three weeks there were letters in the press basically bemoaning the depreciating state of cane farming. Obviously, however, these publications went unnoticed by an AFC MP, who is a devotee of the late Cheddi Jagan, when on a recent TV programme he remarked on the current poor management of the sugar industry – a view with which no one could possibly disagree.

However, in an apparent burst of nostalgic optimism, the speaker proffered the view that one approach to rescuing the industry was to resort to his mentor’s conceptualisation of small cane farming.

What could those who listened, and know better, expect from this future Premier? But then again he may have been briefed by some GuySuCo official.

E.B. John

The ‘Fourth Estate’ - A sordid state of Distress DEAR SIR, I refer to Stabroek News in particular and those of the media fraternity in general who may be inclined to daily worship at the altar of political expediency and sensationalism. It is a foregone conclusion ‘truth’ will suffer.

‘Truth’ is sacrificed on the altar of ‘political intent’ as a means of influencing minds and achieving outcomes consistent with a concocted ‘reality.’ To do so, the so called ‘fourth estate’ erects windmills of quixotic proportions which they then proceed to attack with their pens of deception and rusty armor of hypocrisy.

The quixotic flight of fantasy gives flight to something else, something much more enduring than power - Truth! Trust!

Honesty! and Integrity.

It is in this context that I wish to address the allegations of an incident in Aishalton made by John Adams, allegedly an APNU activist, as publicized by Stabroek News.

On the day in question the Office of the Head Presidential Guard received a number of phone calls, some repeatedly, from various news agencies. An individual who stated that she was from Prime News called on three

occasions. She wanted to know about the allegation and Mr. Granger’s call for an investigation, the name of the Head Presidential Guard and how many security personnel comprised the President’s Security detail?

Two reporters from Stabroek News approached the Security at Bidford House and enquired about the whereabouts of Mr. Singh.

Having being told that I was not in, they ventured to Office of the President where they told the Security, they were sent over by the Security as Bidford House who told them Mr. Singh is at Office of the President! From the very start Stabroek News reporters began with subterfuge and deceit! Lies were to follow.

Stabroek News claimed it spoke to a Guard on Thursday after the newspaper was unable to

make contact with me. The Guard, according to Stabroek News is reported to have said Mr Adams was not slapped, but rather, ‘school boy tapped behind the head ‘ Stabroek News was setting the stage to give some credence to its concoction by inferring, if not slapped, Adams was in one way or another assaulted by Presidential Guards!

But here is the catch! Our Standard Operational Procedure dictates whenever ranks are out in the ‘fields’ the Team Leader communicates only with their Officer-in-Charge and or the Head Presidential Guard. NO one else! Therefore, no other individual in the Presidential Guard would have been privy to ANY information coming out of Aishalton!

Undeterred by its loss of (Continued on page 27)

DEAR EDITOR, There is a saying that none so blind as those who cannot see. There are so many people in our society who refuse to accept the truth, especially if that truth happens to be at variance with their political allegiance.

Take for instance the developments in Lethem where I recently visited.

There can be no doubt that the community has been transformed over the years, particularly since the new PPP/C administration was returned to power in the elections of October 5, 1992.

There are now two new banks, a growing industrial and commercial hub, due in part to the construction of the Takutu Bridge, and the upgrading of the Linden-Lethem trail, which allowed for much greater volume of traffic between the two neighbouring countries of Guyana and Brazil.

But developments and progress in Lethem are not limited to the changing physical infrastructure, important as these are for the overall development of the region. The growth and development of the banking system is one indication of the health of the economy. It measures the pulse beat of the region’s, and by extension, the country’s economy. In several of the more developed economies, including the United States, many banks are closing down, which is quite unlike Guyana where banks are opening up in several parts of the country where none existed before.

I recall visiting Lethem some years ago and there were no banks. There was a small IPED building operating out of an abandoned Guyana Stores building. There were just a handful of vehicles on the streets and the majority were government vehicles or owned by big companies.

All of that is changing, as

an increasing number of people are the proud owners of their own vehicles and other consumer durables.

Once a sleepy village, the community is now becoming a hive of activities.

There is no doubt that things are looking up in Lethem and for that matter the whole of Region. The full potential of the region is still to be fully realized, but this cannot happen overnight.

There are still a number of challenges to be overcome, but with the new emphasis placed on hinterland and Amerindian development, it is only a question of time before Lethem takes its rightful place as a commercial hub of the country and has its status upgraded to that of a city or town.

There are a number of bright spots. Our Amerindian children are doing much better at schools, thanks to the several interventions made by the PPP/C administration to upgrade the quality of education delivery in the region.

I recall when the PPP/C took power in 1992 there was only one secondary school in the whole of Region Nine, the St. Ignatius Secondary School. It was only a secondary school in name, as the school was only offering four or five subjects at the CXC level. What was more disgraceful was that all of the subjects offered were only at the Basic level, which in effect meant that even if the student were to be successful in all of the subjects offered by the school they still would not have satisfied the matriculation standards for admission to the University of Guyana or any other tertiary institution.

This was not only disgraceful but unfortunate, as the then PNC regime perpetuated a cycle of mediocrity and educational dysfunction in which skills for

development had to be sourced from the city or coastal regions, which often conflicts with the cultural mores and norms of the communities.

Today Amerindian communities have several professionals who have been trained as teachers, nurses, doctors and engineers, and who are making a significant contribution to their regions and to the country as a whole.

Lethem, like so many other hinterland communities, has been greatly transformed by the several policy initiatives of the PPP/C administration.

Much more could have been achieved were it not for the obstructionist tactics employed by the opposition parties to impede progress.

Of course several challenges to hinterland development still remain which resulted mainly from a past history of neglect and underdevelopment both by the colonial administration and which continued with the undemocratic and incompetent PNC regime.

Credit must be given to the PPP/C administration for putting the resources to upgrade the quality of life of hinterland and Amerindians.

The opposition would never give credit where it is due for obvious political reasons and will always try to down play these achievements or attribute them to other unconnected variables.

According to their twisted and convoluted logic, progress and development is taking place, but it is not the PPP/C administration that is the driving force behind these developments.

These are people who are prejudiced and biased against the PPP and the PPP/C government that they lacked any sense of objectivity or balance.

I conclude with my opening. None so blind as he who will not see.

Hydar Ally

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Kaieteur News

Judge gives girlfriend killer 83 years Any plans of spending Christmas outside the walls of the Georgetown Prisons, ended abruptly for Paul Anthony Lo-Hing yesterday after he was sentenced to serve 83 years in jail for the murder of his girlfriend, Shoala Gilgeous.

Lo Hing, a resident of South Sophia, was facing retrial for the murder before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed twelve member jury at the High Court in Georgetown.

Lo Hing’s last trial was conducted before Justice Diana Insanally; it ended in a hung jury hence the retrial.

According to the evidence provided in court, Lo Hing strangled Gilgeous during a heated argument at their Block ‘E’, South Sophia residence on August 6, 2012.

According to reports, the accused shared a turbulent one-year relationship with the victim before she was eventually killed. Gilgeous’s body was discovered by relatives who ventured into the apartment building in search of her.

Lo Hing was subsequently arrested and charged for the offence, but maintained that he was innocent of the crime.

During the trial, Lo-Hing was represented by Attorneyat- Law Keavon Bess. State Prosecutors Teshana Lake and Narissa Leander called six witnesses to the stand.

Among them were Monica Charles, Alain Gilgeous and Alana Gilgeous both relatives of the murdered Sophia woman, and Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh.

The deceased Shoala Gilgeous Dr. Singh testified that a Post Mortem (PM) examination conducted on the victim determined the cause of death to be asphyxiation due to manual strangulation, which was compounded by blunt trauma.

On Tuesday, the victim’s brother, Alain Gilgeous, told the court that on the day his sister was murdered, he received a call from her boyfriend, informing him that he needed to come home and check on her.

The man said, he was subsequently told something had happened to his sister. He recalled that he lived in the apartment next door to his sister with the mother of his children, Monica Charles.

Gilgeous said that his sister and Lo-Hing were involved in frequent fights during their brief relationship.

The witness held firm that the accused had played a part in the death of his sister. Both Monica Charles and Alana Gilgeous recalled that the

victim was involved in a heated argument with her boyfriend, hours before she was found dead in her apartment.

The witnesses recalled that Gilgeous’s body was found in her apartment around 17:30h that day. They noted that relatives had received telephone calls from the boyfriend, who asked them to check on the woman.

The victim’s niece also testified in the matter. She said that she was the first person to discover her aunt’s body. She recalled that she entered the apartment where she found her aunt lying motionless on the floor.

Yesterday after a few hours of deliberation, the mixed panel of jurors returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

In his ruling, Justice Singh told Lo Hing that his sentence will start with a base of 60 years. The Judge added 10 years to the sentence for the cruel manner in which the woman met her demise, 10 years for evidence of an intention to kill and six years because the case was a domestic violence related matter.

Three years was taken off the sentence for the time which the accused spent in prison pending trial, bringing the sentence to 83 years. Lo Hing is expected to serve 50 in jail before he is eligible for parole.

Thursday December 18, 2014

U.S. begins diplomatic ties with Cuba after 50 years (Reuters) - The United States and Cuba agreed yesterday to restore diplomatic ties that Washington severed more than 50 years ago, and President Barack Obama called for an end to the long economic embargo against its old Cold War enemy.

After 18 months of secret talks, Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro agreed in a phone call on Tuesday on a breakthrough prisoner exchange, the opening of Embassies in each other’s countries, and an easing of some restrictions on commerce.

The two leaders made the announcement in simultaneous televised speeches. The Vatican and Canada facilitated the deal.

Obama’s call for an end to the economic embargo drew resistance from Republicans who will control both houses of Congress from January and who oppose normal relations with the communist-run island.

Obama said that he was ending what he called a rigid and outdated policy of isolating Cuba that had failed to achieve change on the island.

His administration’s policy shift includes an opening to more commerce in some areas, allowing use of U.S. credit and debit cards, increasing the amount of

US President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro money that can be sent to Cubans and allowing export of telecommunications devices and services.

RESTRICTIONS REMAIN Travel restrictions that make it hard for most Americans to visit will be eased, but the door will not yet be open for broad U.S. tourism on the Caribbean island.

His announcement also will not end the U.S. trade

WPA to host forum on Prorogation today The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) is inviting members of the public to a symposium on the prorogation of the Parliament and its aftermath. The symposium, which will begin at 16:00 hours, will also examine President Donald Ramotar’s announcement of

elections in 2015.

The venue will be the National Library.

The panel will comprise of Professor Clive Thomas who will speak on the degeneration of the criminal state; Member of Parliament, Mr. Carl Greenidge who will discuss the use of

prorogation as a political weapon and Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram. Ram is expected to speak on the legality or otherwise of prorogation, and its consequences.

Chairing the discussions will be Tabitha Sarabo-Halley.

embargo that has been in force for more than 50 years.

That is codified in legislation and needs congressional approval. Obama said he would seek that approval but will likely face a struggle.

Obama said the opening was made possible by Havana’s release of American Alan Gross, 65, who had been imprisoned in Cuba for five years. Gross’ case had been a major obstacle to improving relations.

Cuba is also releasing an intelligence agent who spied for the United States and was held for nearly 20 years, and the United States in return freed three Cuban intelligence agents held in the United States.

Cuba and the United States have been ideological foes since soon after the 1959 revolution that brought Raul Castro’s older brother, Fidel Castro, to power.

Washington broke diplomatic relations with Havana in 1961 as Cuba steered a leftist course that turned it into a close ally of the former Soviet Union on the island, which lies just 90 miles (140 km) south of Florida.

The hostilities were punctuated by crises over spies, refugees and the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962 that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. After the demise of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, Washington was increasingly alone in its efforts to squeeze Cuba. Raul Castro, who took over from Fidel Castro when his brother retired in 2008, has maintained a one-party political system.

CRITICS CHALLENGE OBAMA Obama said Cuba still (continued on page 24)

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Thursday December 18, 2014

Politician investigated for $500,000 gift Jamaica Gleaner - The Integrity Commission, the body set up to police the annual statutory declarations of politicians to ensure they conform to the provisions in the (Parliament) Integrity of Members Act, Tuesday revealed it investigated a gift of $500,000 given to a parliamentarian last year.

Justice Paul Harrison, chairman of the Integrity Commission, in a submission to a joint select committee examining the 2014 Integrity Commission Act, said the new statute should include a provision that prohibits parliamentarians from soliciting or accepting gifts.

“We believe that the bill should specifically prohibit the receipt of gifts by a parliamentarian or public officials,” declared Harrison, adding that these gifts should

Justice Paul Harrison be classified as “presumptively unlawful”.

Harrison, who did not disclose the name of the parliamentarian who was investigated for the $500,000 gift, said the commission asked for verification and received an affidavit from

someone who acknowledged providing the gift.

“It may well have been received with some degree of scepticism, but the fact is we asked about it and the person verified it,” Harrison said.

“We are just saying that it can create a danger if it is not addressed, and I think it should be addressed.”

The head of the Integrity Commission argued that the Staff Orders of the public service provide that officers in their official capacity are forbidden to solicit or accept gifts or gratuities for the performance or neglect of official duties and responsibilities.

He noted that a parliamentarian was not regarded as being in the public service as stated in Section 1 (6) of the Constitution of Jamaica.

Dipping into HSF would be last resort says Howai Trinidad Guardian Government has no intention to dip into the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) at this stage and might only look to this as a last resort if it has to address a particular situation, Finance Minister Larry Howai has assured.

He was speaking to reporters at Parliament yesterday after hints by the Prime Minister that withdrawals from the HSF might be necessary if the declining oil price situation does not improve soon.

She also said the Government might have to revise the 2015 budget.

OWTU head Ancel Roget, h o w e v e r, h a s u rg e d

Minister Larry Howai Government not to use the HSF “rainy day” fund which is currently US$5.5 billion Asked about it by the T&T Guardian Tuesday Howai, back from

overseas, however, said at this stage Government didn’t need to dip into the HSF. He added: “I still have to pull the date together and we will continue to monitor the situation to see where the numbers end up.

Some of this element of decline may be temporary and some more long-term.

As things start to stabilise we will understand where we will end up. “However, we normally make adjustments first and the HSF would be a last resort.

It is for only if you get to a particular situation that you have to address and we are not anywhere near that at this stage.”

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

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IN DEFENCE OF PRIVATE PROPERTY A country has to be governed by laws, not by policy, because policy can be subject to arbitrariness and caprice. No country should subject its citizens to arbitrariness and whim on the part of public officials, because to do so would run the risk of advantage being taken of citizens.

Policy cannot supersede law. The law is always paramount to policy and policy has to be consistent and subservient to the law. If the law allows certain actions, then policy cannot make prescriptions that override those laws.

One of the unfortunate things with the politicians in this country is that they seek to make policy which imposes conditions on citizens which are not backed by laws. This is the first step towards arbitrary rule.

The second step is when those who administer the law begin to believe that they make the law and therefore whatever they say or do has the force of law.

The common law has its roots. One of its main roots is the defence of private property. Indeed, there are some who hold to the view that the very reason why the

common law emerged was in order to protect private property.

This defence of private property goes to the heart of our legal system.

Without our legal system private property would be subject to the caprice of rulers and to the mercy of those with greater strength and force.

Indeed, if there was no common law, the State would have free rein in encroaching on the private property of others.

A person could be dispossessed of his or her property at the whim and fancy of another and not have any recourse.

The defence of private property therefore remains a key aspect of the common law, and by extension, of a country’s legal system. But by also granting constitutional protection against the arbitrary deprivation of property, the laws of most democracies have now placed the protection of property under the law, and in the case of Guyana it is under our supreme law that expressly protects individuals from being arbitrarily deprived of their property.

It is important, therefore,

Dem boys seh ...

Dem dream Brassington, Jagdeo and Ashni In life people got to dream and everybody has a dream.

Some dreams does frighten you—that is nightmare; some does mek you wake up happy—that is when you get wet dreams; and some does haunt you. That is when you thief people thing and you conscience pricking and depriving yuh of yuh night rest. You can’t sleep.

And dem boys ain’t talking ‘bout de ordinary thief man who does snatch chain, jump in people yard and carry dem draws from dem clothes line. Dem does sleep more sound than a baby and don’t even get a dream.

Some of dem who can’t sleep and got to count sheep whole night is Brassington, Jagdeo and Ashni.

Dem boys at de Waterfalls paper does sleep and dream like water baby when de night come.

That is how dem dream that dem same three sheep counters dead on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates.

Peter tell dem that if all you want pass in to Heaven ‘You must got something to do wid Christmas pun you.

Peter didn’t know de level of scampishness wid dem three.

Ashni fumbled through his pockets and sift out couple wad of money and a lighter. He try fuh bribe Peter, but Peter seh “nah.” Then he flick de lighter and seh ‘It represents a candle’.

‘You may pass through the pearly gates,’ Saint Peter said.

Jagdeo watch Brassington as he push he hand in he pocket and pull out a big bunch of keys wha he carry wid he from de Marriott. He shook them and said, ‘These are jingle bells.’

Saint Peter said, ‘You may pass through the pearly gates’.

Jagdeo started fuh search desperately in he pockets and couldn’t find nutten. After he didn’t feel nutten, he pull out all he pocket and finally see a pair of panties.

St. Peter looked at him with a raised eyebrow and asked, ‘And just what do those symbolize?’

“Is me own. I name Carol and these are Carols—Christmas Carols.”

Talk half and sing ‘Jingle Bells, Carol panty smells.’

that the State, and particularly our high-string public officials, be restrained from believing that they can dictate to a citizen how he or she should use what belongs to them.

It is the right of every citizen to determine what he or she wants to do with his or her property; be it a house, a piece of land or a vehicle.

Obviously this right, protected by the common law, is not absolute. It cannot be used for unlawful purposes or to deprive someone of his or her legally safeguarded rights.

But if I own a piece of property, the State has no role in telling me what I can

lawfully not do with it. They cannot for example tell me that if I own a vehicle then I cannot have my children drive that vehicle nor have my friends use that vehicle.

It is my property and once it is not used to commit a crime, then no one has any right to tell me what I can do or not do with it.

This is not just a polemical issue; it is not just a legal issue. It goes to the very heart of the relationship between a citizen and the State.

The State cannot and should not be allowed to encroach on the private spheres of citizens, because to do so would amount to tyranny. Public officials

therefore cannot, either through policy or otherwise, dictate to any citizen how his or her property should be used.

Once the State begins to encroach on the private property of others, when it assumes that it has such a right to tell a citizen what he or she should do with what he or she owns, then we are on the road to tyranny and anarchy.

The very legal architecture of the country is going to be threatened and the rights of citizens would become like common currency to be traded freely.

This is a fate that must be avoided in Guyana, especially

in the midst of those who feel that public office grants them a licence to prosecute personal agendas and settle personal scores.

If this threat is not contained, then every citizen big or small, rich and poor, powerful and weak is in grave danger.

The right to public property must be preserved in all its manifestations.

Education Minister awaits new Education Bill A parliamentary fracas which led to the proroguing of Parliament and the eventual announcing of early General Elections by President Donald Ramotar was in fact a factor that prevented the New Education Bill from gaining much needed attention.

This state of affairs was hinted to by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, when she hosted her end of year press conference, on Monday.

According to the Minister, while she is happy to report that the Bill was laid in the National Assembly earlier this year she is concerned that it is yet stalled.

The Bill which was tabled in June is one that is designed to replace an archaic Education Act which was first passed in 1876 and later amended in 1976.

“Unfortunately, that Bill got stuck in the Parliamentary fracas and has been unable to receive the attention of the Members of Parliament and any Special Select Committee that could have been set up,” said the Education Minister.

Once passed, the New Education Act will give keen attention to the rights of children and their responsibilities in the school system, as well as the rights and responsibilities of teachers, said Manickchand, as she spoke of the proposed Act also directing focus to the operations of Parent/Teacher Associations and the Ministry’s Departments.

“It will reconcile the

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand constitutional provision that allows for private schools to be opened and managed; and for people to attend private schools with our historic only public school system. The Bill is extremely important to address modern education

needs in Guyana; we look forward to the passage of that Bill.”

The Minister said that the Bill will serve to cater to things that “we did not know would be realities when we passed the last one in 1876.”

The Bill was crafted following consultations with stakeholders across the country, and seeks to reform the legal framework of education in Guyana, and provide an effective system of education related to the needs of the people.

And since Article 149H (1) of the Constitution mandates that every child is entitled to free primary and secondary education in schools owned or funded by the State, the Bill makes provision for such a realisation which is however subjected “to available resources of the State, and the availability of educational

facilities to all persons in Guyana.”

Also contained in the Bill are provisions for ensuring free education to all persons, and a component that speaks to quality education at all levels, both in public as well as private schools, and other educational institutions in Guyana.

The Bill is outfitted with a component to cater to the strengthening of the existing school management system, so that it allows for the maximum participation of parents and teachers in the management of schools.

The Bill, which also provides for the disciplining of children in the school environment, is being touted as a mechanism that contains measures that will “ensure for the benefit of children, enhancing their talents, (continued on page 21)

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Thursday December 18, 2014

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

A Hollywood scandal proves President Ramotar is a silly leader I was in the picket line on Tuesday outside the office of the Attorney-General demanding his removal.

Demonstrators were yelling all types of funny chants but one was so good that I stuck with that for the duration of the exercise. Demonstrators shouted out that President Ramotar ’s real name is REMOTE-TAR, meaning that someone other than the President himself is pressing the buttons of decisionmaking.

Things got funny when demonstrators, including this columnist, shouted out that it was Bharrat Jagdeo who has the remote control in his

hands. It was agreed by all in the picket line that we should give Mr. Ramotar a Christmas gift of a remote control bought from one of the stores owned by Mr. Jagdeo.

It was a hilarious way of saying that Mr. Ramotar was never and is not in control of the presidency.

If you take away all the ceremonial, inconsequential visits that Mr. Ramotar makes inside and outside Guyana, then Mr. Ramotar will not be in the news at all. On the contrary, many Ministers are constantly being quoted in the media for saying and doing things that have impacted on policy-making.

Mr. Ramotar is quickly becoming the silent President.

When asked by a reporter for his take on the report into corruption at NCN, Mr. Ramotar said that he didn’t anticipate the question. To date, he keeps avoiding an answer on when he will act on the report. But it was the Nandlall tape controversy that revealed the bankruptcy of Mr. Ramotar’s politics.

To date, Mr. Ramotar refuses to offer even a oneword reaction to the content of the tape. Two young leaders in his party have shown far more capacity to think and act than Mr. Ramotar himself. I will have more to say on the strong possibility of a PPP defeat at the polls in 2015 should Mr. Ramotar clinch the PPP’s presidential sloth. Surely, the PPP is on a high risk gamble with Mr. Ramotar much to the delight of the opposition parties.

Minister Manickchand has condemned Mr. Nandlall’s condescending views on women in the recording.

PPP

Parliamentarian, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, has done the same.

It means that both women accept that the tape exists and the voice was that of the Attorney-General.

A senior figure with a long history in the PPP, Mrs. Indra Chandarpal, who was a Minister, currently sits in Parliament, occupies a place on the PPP’s central committee and is the current Head of the Commission on Gender Equality, in her capacity as head of that body, has chastised Mr. Nandlall for his offensive remarks about a young female journalist.

The Commission, then, has acknowledged that it was Mr. Nandlall who was on the phone speaking to the journalist.

It means then that three highly placed PPP leaders have agreed with the wider society that Mr. Nandlall made the remarks that are attributed to him in that recording. The man who is the President of the country is still refusing to concede that the country’s administrative head of the legal profession,

the Attorney-General made dozens of horrible, dangerous and semi-civilized statements for which he should be dismissed and maybe charged by the police.

So apart from his continued reticence, Mr. Ramotar has sent the tape abroad to ascertain its authenticity.

Why then has he refused to castigate Mrs. Chandarpal, Dr. Persaud and Minister Manickchand for rushing to accept a recording that may not be a truthful document?

As President and Head of the PPP (despite Mr. Rohee’s position of GeneralSecretary), Mr. Rohee must know that Chandarpal, Manickchand and Persaud have not accepted their leader’s course of action in having the tape examined to determine its real existence.

Here is a story in the film industry that should make Mr. Ramotar look silly and perhaps idiotic. Two weeks ago the computers of Sony Pictures, a huge corporation in the US, was hacked and the e-mails of one of Hollywood’s

Frederick Kissoon top producers, Scott Rudin, and the co-chairman of Sony Pictures, Amy Pascal, were revealed. They had made racist remarks about President Obama.

They have since apologized to Obama and other eminent Americans who were the subject of their condescending comments.

Mr. Rudin and Ms. Pascal did not deny the identity of the e-mail senders.

They didn’t say let the emails be authenticated first because it may not be they who sent them. They thought it would have been asinine and stupid to deny their authorship. On the other hand, Mr. Ramotar is looking comical by refusing to accept the scientific nature of the recording.

Rudin and Pascal are sensible people. Mr. Ramotar is not such a person.

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 18, 2014

Local Cuban body welcomes GTU seeks 20 per cent lifting of embargo on Cuba increase for teachers

President of the Guyana Cuba Solidarity Movement (GCSM), Haleem Khan, has welcomed the move by the Obama administration to restore full diplomacy with Cuba. It also welcomed the release of U.S. contractor, Alan Gross, in exchange for three members of the Cuban Five.

The Cubans spent more than 15 years in American jails on spying charges.

Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino and Antonio Guerrero were released yesterday and flown back to their homeland — ending what their appeals lawyer called “an arduous experience.”

Khan said Cuba had requested a swap. Amnesty International and a United Nations group both said that they did not receive a fair trial.

Labanino, 51, and Guerrero, 56, received visits from family members while they were jailed, but Hernandez, 49, only saw his wife once because she was deported after his arrest, Khan noted.

Two other members of the

Haleem Khan Cuban Five — Rene and Fernando Gonzalez — were released in 2012.

All the men were arrested in 1998 and accused of belonging to a spy cabal called the Wasp Network that had infiltrated antiCastro exile groups in Florida.

The five were convicted in 2001, and Hernandez got two life sentences after being found guilty of conspiracy to murder.

The Cuban Five maintained

they never targeted the U.S. Government and that they were on a mission to monitor Miamibased terrorist groups plotting to attack Havana. Their convictions were criticized by the United Nations and Amnesty International.

At one point, the verdicts were overturned by a federal appeals panel that found the men did not get a fair trial in Miami, though the convictions were later reinstated. Hernandez, Labanino and Guerrero still had appeals pending when they were released.

Gross was arrested in December 2009 for smuggling satellite equipment to Cuba as part of a U.S. government prodemocracy programme. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

He had been in poor mental and physical health. Gross had been planning to end his life in the near future as a result of his imprisonment.

Last April he went on a hunger strike that lasted for nine days and only ended at the request of his mother, Evelyn Gross, who died in June.

- hopes to include other benefits in pay package negotiations Renewed salary renegotiations with Government in the New Year, will see the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) advocating for a 20 per cent pay increase across the board for public school teachers.

This is according to GTU President, Mark Lyte, who anticipates that negotiations with Government through the Ministry of Education will commence in the first quarter of 2015.

He said that the Union is hoping for another multi-year agreement with Government; the existing five-year agreement is slated to expire at the end of next year.

The agreement which was inked between Government and the GTU in 2011, was one designed to cater to a five per cent hike in teachers’ salaries at the beginning of each year for a period of five years.

But according to Lyte, the planned negotiations will not only address an increase in salaries, but also other benefits that the Union believes teachers should be entitled to from 2016.

“Our focus is not only on salary issues but also on nonsalary issues as well,” said Lyte who noted that the proposed package for teachers will include duty free concessions, allowances for head teachers and principals.

“We are also looking to include incentives for the lecturers at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), and the technical institutes because they are our members as well, and we

GTU President, Mark Lyte intend to bring them on board in terms of the benefits we expect them to have,” said the GTU President.

He said, “We are looking to put a complete package together that will help the Ministry focus on the welfare of our teachers.”

This move is imperative, Lyte said, since the Union is cognisant of the fact that the teaching profession has become very stressful, and that teachers should be properly compensated for their efforts.

Currently, the GTU is preparing a pay package proposal that will be presented at the time of negotiation with Government. But according to Lyte the GTU has no intention of making the decisions for the teachers without their input.

He noted, “We are allowing for the input from all levels of teachers. We are going on the ground through our various branches to hear what teachers would want us to

include in their pay package.”

GTU has 39 branches spread across the country and, according to Lyte, the Union is depending on branch representatives to provide feedback on the teachers’ input.

The status of such discussions was on Tuesday deliberated on when the Union held a General Council meeting at its Woolford Avenue, Georgetown, headquarters. And according to Lyte, at that meeting, a decision was made for the representatives of the various branches to provide the relevant information to the Union

by January 31, 2015, to submit all teachers’ suggestions.

At a recent press conference Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, noted that unlike other public servants, teachers will from next month be eligible for a pay increase, an undertaking that is premised on a multiple-year agreement forged with Government.

Manickchand, commenting on measures apace to help improve the livelihood of teachers, said, “I am happy to say that teachers, next year, will not have to wait until the end of the year or until further negotiations between their Union and the Government, to decide on what increases they will get.”

She noted that teachers will be entitled to an increase of five per cent of whatever they are earning as at December 31, 2014. “We know right now that this will happen for teachers in the (public) education system,” asserted Manickchand at her press conference.

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 21

SWAT training complete - Top Cop hopes unit will not have to be deployed Commissioner of Police (ag) Seelall Persaud announced that training under contracted overseas consultants for the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Unit has been completed.

He made the announcement yesterday during his address at the police force’s annual end of year awards ceremony.

According to Persaud, although the main training has been completed, the ranks will continue training in order to support new entrants to the unit, as well conduct practical and firearms training for other ranks of the Force.

To date the unit has not been engaged in any real exercise to assess their readiness for the purpose for which they are intended— to engage in high profile and potentially deadly criminal intervention.

But according to the Top Cop, there are conditions that control the deployment of the unit.

“So far that unit has never been deployed and I’ll be happy if I can come here next year and report that it has never been deployed. It means that, that serious security situation has not arisen in Guyana,” the Commissioner stated.

The establishment of the SWAT unit is one aspect of the force’s strategic plan which is aimed at developing a professional police force capable of adapting to modern trends of crime fighting.

Commissioner Persaud was also pleased to announce that the strategic plan is on track to meet the deadlines set for the execution of certain aspects within the first year of its implementation.

Logging company official accused of fraud A father of one appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennon yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was granted $75,000 bail on each of two fraudulent conversion charges.

It is alleged that Jagdesh Mangal, 27, on November 21, last, at Kerwin Street Ituni, Upper Berbice River was reportedly entrusted with $280,000 by Charlotte Wilson, on November 12, last, at Robb Street. He was also reportedly entrusted with the sum of $400,000 to purchase one M931- A1 transformer case for a motor lorry. He was accused of converting the said cash to his own use and benefits.

The accused was represented by Attorney-atLaw, Mohamed Zafar, who

requested reasonable bail for his client. The lawyer told the court that Mangal is married and a father of one minor, is President of Emerald Forest Incorporated with no previous brushes with the law.

He also said that Mangal has cooperated with the police throughout the investigation and strongly denies the allegations brought against him and does not think that the Prosecutor has enough evidence.

Police Prosecutor Dinero Jones offered no objections to bail. The matter was transferred to the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court for January 16. The November 12 offence that occurred at Robb Street will be heard before Magistrate Judy Latchman on January 8, 2015.

Education Minister awaits new Education Bill From page 9 mental and physical, and ensuring a rounded education in all schools.”

It also touches on the administration of the education system; categories of schools and the stages of education; the management of public educational institutions; employment of teachers; curriculum assessments of students, and even inspection and review of the education system.

Of note too, is the fact that the Bill entails a component that deals specifically with the delivery of education to

students with special needs.

It outlines that “the special education programme may take the form of an individual education plan tailored to suit the specific or individual needs of the student concerned.”

It also contains a clause that empowers the Minister of Education “to make provision for distance learning education programmes at pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary levels” and yet another that enables the Minister to make provision for continuing adult education programmes.”

This announcement comes a few weeks after the Ministry of Home Affairs had pointed to a lack of commitment on the part of the Guyana Police Force towards the strategic plan.

The Acting Commissioner told the gathering that this year has been a different year for the organization, since the strategic plan by itself would have seen structural and cultural changes taking place within the Guyana Police Force.

However, this state of affairs has brought with it some challenges and excitement, he said, while highlighting five priority areas that have been undertaken during this first phase of the plan.

Apart from the establishment of the SWAT unit, the other aspects that have been undertaken so far, include partnership building, the Cops and Faith initiative, a suicide hotline and electronic documentation.

According to Commissioner Persaud, in the area of partnership, the Force has benefitted from training to deal with domestic violence and sexual offences.

The training was done by trainers from the Pennsylvania State Police.

This was done through the Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee in his engagement with the local United States of America Embassy under the Caribbean

Basin Security Initiative.

Then there is the Cops and Faith Initiative, which he said has been a tremendous success.

Under this programme, juvenile first offenders of minor offences will be able to avoid custodial penalties as a result of the intervention of religious leaders, once all the parties agree to an amicable settlement.

“What has initially started out as a pilot (project) is now a countrywide solution,” the Commissioner (ag) said.

Persaud disclosed that the police force has also implemented a suicide hotline, which is aimed at enabling potential suicide victims, to interact with specially trained ranks who might be able to talk them out of the intended act.

“The objective here is to provide psychological relief to that person and change those suicidal intentions that may be occupying the mind at the time,” he said.

Another strategy objective that he described as a work in progress is the electronic documentation system, which is an information technology platform that the force is building to deal with personal records and stores.

“This will enable management decisions at the click of a button.”

This system will be further enhanced by assistance from

COP (ag) Seelall Persaud (left) and his Personal Assistant make their way to yesterday’s award ceremony. the Guyana Defence Force in terms of ordinance software, which will track seizures of property by the police at the station level.

“We had the case at Leonora where we had to charge a rank for stealing monies that had been collected legitimately, and converting that money into his own use. This system will allow us to prevent those

Driver accused of stealing $8.9M from Mining firm Former driver of Safi and Sameria Eldorado Mining Company, Darren Schultz was placed on $150,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday after pleading not guilty to a break and enter and larceny charge.

It is alleged that Schultz between August 17 and August 18 at Kwakwani, Upper Berbice River, broke and entered the storeroom of

Safi Samarai El Dorado Mining Company and stealing a grease pump, four pairs truck cap shocks, six pairs of Caterpillar head lamps, nine fuel pump elements, two truck computer boxes, eight welding rods and other items.

Schultz was represented

by Attorney-at-Law Konyo Sandiford Thompson, who made a bail application stating

that surveillance footage revealed that her client was not part of any break and enter. She said that Schultz was standing by his decision that he is not guilty and is willing to comply with any conditions that the court sets.

The matter was transferred has been transferred to the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court for December 19.

Govt. worried about legal action ...

From page 13 under Administrative Services; some $22B from Ministry of Finance; $1.1B from Ministry of Amerindian Affairs' Development Fund; $6.78B from Ministry of Public Works capital work and $1.3B from the Ministry of Health's Regional and Clinical.

APNU wants the court to declare that Government unlawfully spent or authorized the spending of monies despite its disapprovals.

Minister Singh had admitted that some $4.5B had been spent for the period ended June 16, 2014, “in breach of Articles 217 and 219 (2) of the Constitution and the decisions of the National Assembly to disapprove these Programmes,” court documents highlighted.

Among several other things, APNU wants the court to order also that the spending was “unconstitutional, ultra vires, null and void, unreasonable and in breach of

the doctrine of the separation of powers”.

Government had gone to court last year and based on a ruling by the Chief Justice had interpreted it to mean that Parliament could not cut or disapprove the National Budget.

The Opposition has objected to this notion saying that the architects of the Constitution catered for cutting when it was written that the National Budget has to come before the House.

activities from occurring,” Persaud explained.

The Commissioner (ag) did not fail to mention the incidence of high profile crimes that have been taking place throughout the country. This gives the impression of another crime wave.

However, he pointed out that in most cases persons are apprehended and charged within a week or two by the commission of these crimes.

This he attributed to intelligence training of his ranks and inter-agency collaboration.

According to Persaud, Joint Services collaboration is probably at its highest today with the removal of a lot of red tape that had been hindrances.

“Something happens, the network among agencies kicks in…so persons get arrested, information pertaining to crime occurring are fed into the right places and action is being taken,” Persaud stated.

According to Persaud, to date there has been a decrease in violent crimes, although murders and armed robberies have been a concern.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

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ACCOMODATION SIGNATURE INN: Luxury Suites & Apartments. Free Wi-Fi & Breakfast; AC & Self Contained Rooms @ 83 Laluni Street Queenstown.

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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 662-6045

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PEN PAL Indian Male is seeking female – Call: 665-3246 (no texting)

Thursday December 18, 2014

LEGAL NOTICE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA COUNTY OF DEMERARA In the Georgetown Magisterial District Magistrate's Court Holden at Georgetown , within the said District.

(CIVIL JURISDICTION) In the matter of Music and Dancing Licences Act, Chapter 23:03 -andIn the matter of an Application by Koreen Kay Thomas on Behalf of NADIA SPORTS BAR AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF APPLICATION FOR AN ANNUAL MUSIC AND DANCE LICENCE: I, Koreen Kay Thomas of lot27 Public Road Providence East Bank Demerara being duly sworn make oath and says as follows:1.That I am the applicant herein.

2.That I am the Proprietor of NADIA SPORTS BAR and as such I am duly authorized to make and swear to this affidavit on my behalf.

3.That I have filed an application for a new of Music arid Dancing Licences to be granted to me under the provisions of the music and dancing Licences Act, Chapter 23:03 in respect of the NADIA SPORTS BAR of 27 Public Road Providence East Bank Demerara.

4.That the particulars contained in my application are to the best of my Knowledge, beliefs and are true and correct.

5.AND FURTHER I SAY NOT. .......................

DECLARANT Sworn to at Georgetown, Demerara,This day of December, 2014 BEFORE ME A COMMISSIONER OF OAHTHS TO AFFIDAVITS APPLICATION FOR ANNUAL MUSIC AND DANCE TO KEEPA PLACE FOR PUBLIC DANCING, SINGING OF MUSIC, OR OTHER ENTERTAINMENT PERSUANT TO SECTION 4.OF THE MUSIC AND DANCINGLICENCINGACT 23:23 In the Magistrate's Court of the Georgetown Magisterial District Held at Georgetown.

APPLICATION is hereby made by Koreen Kay Thomas on Behalf of NADIA SPORTS Bar for a new licence to keep or use the place hereinafter describe for public Entertainment for the like kind pursuant to the above named Act for one year from day of January, 2015 to 31st December, 2015. The particulars of the application are: Sunday-Saturday 9:00 hrs to 2:00 am.

1.The name and address of the applicant 2.The situation and description of the Land which the house, room garden or other place is located: 3.The dimension of the house, room or place it is proposed to keep or use for all or any of the purposes aforesaid. 48 by 38 ft 4. The number of doors, exits and nature of Appliances for

the prevention of fighting fires: (1) Door, (2) Extinguishers, (3) Fire Buckets 5. The means for illuminating the place: Electricity 6. The maximum number of persons it is proposed To accommodate in the place: 50 7. The distance between Place in respect of which the licence is sought, and the nearest place. In respect whereof a licence for the like purpose is in existence - A few buildings away 8. The distance between the place in respect of which Victory Baptiste Church; One corner away, Providence Primary School, 3/4 Mile away from place of business the licence is sought and the nearest school, church, licence part spirit shop, hospital or other institutions sick.

9. Whether the place has even been previously licence for the purpose of the above named Act or whether for the like purpose has ever been refused in respect such place.

No 10. Whether the applicant has even been convicted of any offence against the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act, The Spirit Act or-Music and Dance Act - No

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Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Fishmonger charged with wake house murder The man who is accused stabbing his uncle in law to death at a wake house has been remanded to jail.

Latchman Samaroo, 26, a fishmonger and father of five (including a nine-day old infant ) of Lot 45 Bacchus Street, Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, was on Wednesday remanded to jail by Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus when he appeared before her at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court to answer the charge of murder.

Samaroo allegedly murdered his uncle, Surujpaul Ramnarine, 51, of Blairmont Village, West Bank Berbice on Saturday December 13, last, at Rosignol.

Ramnarine was allegedly stabbed in the vicinity of his chest around 12:10 hrs on Saturday morning. The

Dead: Surujpaul Ramnarine

Remanded: Latchman Samaroo

stabbing stemmed from an ongoing family feud.

The incident took place at a wake which was being held for Ramnarine’s mother at Rosignol Village, West Bank Berbice. The woman had recently passed away.

Information gathered revealed that the suspect who lived where the incident happened and the deceased were embroiled in an argument earlier in relation to family issues and the death of the woman.

The man who was armed with a knife had earlier threatened to harm Ramnarine if he continued with his behaviour.

After the argument continued, the man allegedly stabbed Ramnarine in the region of the stomach. He then made good his escape.

The wounded man staggered into the yard. He subsequently collapsed and was picked up and rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

On Monday, Samaroo gave himself up by walking into the Blairmont Police Station.

The matter has been transferred to the Blairmont Magistrate Court where it is expected to continue on December 22.

HABOUR BRIDGE HICCUP CAUSES TRAFFIC BACK UP

An extremely long line of traffic that was backed up as far as Ruimveldt was the result of a Habour Bridge malfunction that delayed scores of commuters, many of whom were making the trip to the other side of the overpass to the West Coast of Demerara.

Traffic that had to pass the turn off to the bridge also got caught in the back up.

The hiccup was unforeseen, bridge authorities said, as they explained that the issue was related to a broken bridge part which buckled under the weight of a truck. Rawleston Adams, General Manager of the more than a mile long bridge, told this newspaper last evening that two connecting posts at junctions 17 and 18 of the crossing were

the cause of the misfortune.

He told the publication that around 18:00hours last evening he received a call from his staffers saying that there had been a malfunction.

He added that a team was mobilized to address the problem and this was done, but in a temporary capacity.

Early this morning, workers are expected to commence comprehensive

Traffic moved slowly minutes after the affected section of the bridge was tended to

work on the affected part of the bridge and it is hoped that repairs will be completed soon enough to prevent another delay during rush-hour traffic.

However, traffic had backed up as far as Ruimveldt; at the Banks corner. By 19:30hours traffic was moving slowly and traffic ranks were seen at different intervals of the traffic line.

They were trying to maintain order, especially those vehicles moving along the south bound four-lane highway. As the pace of traffic picked up, the lane on the eastern half of the highway, for north bound traffic was opened, allowing a speedy dissolution of the backed up traffic.

WANTED One night shift supervisor at shell Providence E.B.D, Submit application to shellramsburg@gmail.com Girls to work as waitresses in bar – Tel:256-4096 Jet + Marack men to work in the interior – Call: 694-2310 One able bodied male to work in a Hardware store Call: 231-2029; 219-4533 One porter to work on beverage canter – Call:2223927; 649-9876

Traffic heading south occupies one of north bound lanes

Need ladies to sort goods; apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown Stabroek.

(From page 22)

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

Exercise equipment: Treadmill, cardio, bicycle, infant bed, swing & high chair – Call:600-1329 One farm for sale – Call: 2653586 2 German shepherd, puppies, eight weeks, fully vaccinated, mother black & father white Contact: 626-0953 Complete Snapper Boats for sale – Excellent Condition – Contact: 648-6815; 641-4506 Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 PICK YOUR PIG! CHOOSE YOUR SIZEAND WE WILL HAVE IT READY! CALL: 266-2711 OR 609-4594 400lb 5 inch Catguts seine for sale – Contact: 220-7655; 6959860; 698-8998

PROPERTY FOR SALE Six acres prime roadside land and metal workshop in Corriverton, can be sold with or without workshop.

Call: 626-6245 One unfinished house in West Minister - $4.5M- Call: 661-0618, 601-3469 (size: 20X47) One house & land in hope low land, E.C.D, one house & land in Bloomfield Berbice Call: 689-5254; 256-0504 2 STORIED 3 BEDROOMS CONCRETE & WOODEN PROPERTY ON LARGE LAND 300FTX40FT, IN BERBICE, NEAR CANJE BRIDGE. CALL MAX: 6098132, 672-8569 One 3 bedroom house between 3rd & 4th Ave. Diamond – Call: 645-6498 2-Storey concrete house, virtual 2 units, 55 section ‘B’ Non Pariel, E.C.D Quick Sale Call: 651-8901

Two AT192 for sale – Call Shawn Bishop on: 699-9381 or 691-9835 Grand Yard Sales @ 19 Garnett Street, C/Ville, Floral, gifts, herbal, clothes & craft – 50% off all items Call: 225-2681, 684-5868 Evinrude outboard engine (new) 3-15HP; Can-am ATV 4X4 500cc; Sea Doo Jet-Ski 1500cc with trailer - Tel: 6003171; 648-3171 Bush radio system, great for remote areas, salon equipment, projector – Call: 600-0036; 223-1719 WANTED Live in couple: husband for driving & Wife for domestic & Arc/Acetylene welder – Tel: 227-1830 One live in domestic must know to cook Indian Dishes 25-50yrs; salary - $60,000 monthly- Tel: 610-5043 Looking for two working females/students to share furnished 3 bedroom house in Well Street North Ruimveldt – Call: 685-3971 Bartender & waitress wanted @ Chilly’s Bar; apply in person.

One receptionist/secretary, experienced required. Send application & CV to 48 High Street, Werk-En-Rust, G/ Town.

TO LET One upper flat 2 bedroom concrete apartment at Grove New Housing Scheme (First Bridge) - $45,000 per month Call: 642-1956 LARGE 2 BEDROOM APARTMENT, LARGE VERANDAH, PARKING FOR 2 VEHICLES @ LAMAHA GARDENS $80,000 MONTHLY – CALL: 609-8132/ 6728569 (MAX) Newly constructed 2 bedrooms apartment in safe environment – W.C.D- Call: 698-6496 Queenstown: newly constructed office space, air conditioned, washroom & kitchenette included. 500sqft $80,000Tel: 600-3171; 648-3171 WANTED Experienced matured salesperson @ Courtney Boutique, Stall “A” Bourda Market – Call: 227-2407 Female janitors, between ages 25-40 years – Call:2258066 Female worker needed, 3 CXC subject or sound secondary school education- Call: 612-1607

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Security officer to spend Christmas in jail A security officer, James Mc Calman, employed by RK Security Services was remanded on a damage to property charge yesterday morning. The charge, read by Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, stated that between January 1, 2010 and December 11, 2014, McCalman unlawfully and maliciously damaged 16 glass windows property of the Human Rights Association valued $116,000.

He was not required to plead as the matter was deemed indictable. However the prosecutor requested that it be tried summarily.

When the charge was reread to him, McCalman

pleaded not guilty. However he was eager to explain himself but the Magistrate advised that he would be able to do so on the next occasion.

The accused told the court that he is 44 years old and resides at 1269 Golden Grove, West Demerara but more recently he has been staying at a Men’s Night Shelter. He also said that although he is employed with Roshan Khan as a security officer he is also a selfemployed businessman.

Prosecutor Aduni Inns said that she objected to bail due to the fact that this is an ongoing investigation. The accused was remanded until January 6.

Ramotar hails Obama’s gesture to Cuba

James Mc Calman

GPL US$42M transmission lines ...

From page 16 year. Prime Minister, Sam Hinds, who has the portfolio for the energy sector, noted that the commissioning of the IDP initiative meant an historic day for electricity in Guyana, with the country moving from an outdated system struggling to cope to a modern one.

However, Hinds remained critical of continuing outages and the attitude of some staffers and contractors. He denied that Guyana's tariffs are outrageous and urged for GPL to bring down losses to around eight percent- the lev-

els of Barbados.

Hinds admitted that while GPL is not where Government and the people want it to be, it would take enormous spending to make it on par with other Caribbean territories.

In fact, it may mean almost double the number of transformers in place and even smart meters to help reduce theft. He was “totally embarrassed” with the level of theft by some consumers especially in the southern and western parts of the city.

Hinds also criticized recent statements of Opposition Member of Parliament, Joseph

Thursday December 18, 2014

Harmon, who had slammed the seemingly high tariffs of GPL. Rather, Harmon should concentrate in helping to reduce theft in these critical areas, Hinds said.

The US$42M Chinesefunded project was one of the most significant in terms of investments in recent times for the country's electricity system, officials say. GPL had long said that losses could be reduced significantly if there is a total revamp of transmission and distribution system.

The project also included the construction of 26 new 13.8kv distribution outlets, which would have addressed the age-old problem of circuits being overloaded.

Part of the transmission line included a fibre optic cable to link the sub-stations and a sophisticated SCADA (Supervisory, Control and Data Acquisition) system to facilitate the monitoring, control and protection of the entire system.

The latest move by the United States of America’s President, Barack Obama, to establish formal relations with Cuba has been welcomed by President Donald Ramotar who described it as “a major step forward in the right direction”.

President Ramotar told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that it was the culmination of struggles against the Cuban blockade, which began decades ago, one which few leaders dared to oppose.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan, even though Guyana was still a colony, was one who voiced his support for the Cuban Government and its people and moved to break the blockade, the President noted.

“He traded with Cuba, with rice and sugar, and

timber”. It was the struggle of the People’s Progressive Party, along with other progressive regional forces.

That led to four Caribbean countries, formally recognising Cuba in 1972.

“This was a very important step towards breaking the isolation of Cuba in the region”.

Cuba and the United Sates must be congratulated for the steps being taken at present, the President said, as it was “long overdue, but better late than never”.

The change in the US’s stance will be important to the region too as the Caribbean nation has contributed a great deal to human resource development within the region, in all the countries of the region and Latin America, President Ramotar emphasised.

He said that Cuba has helped to train people so that Guyana could have the technical skills, “so this is a victory for the hemisphere, Latin America and the Caribbean”.

The US and Cuba have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations and open economic and travel ties, marking a historic shift in U.S. policy toward the communist island after a half-century of enmity dating back to the Cold War, American officials said Wednesday.

The announcement came amid a series of sudden confidence-building measures between the longtime foes, including the release of American prisoner Alan Gross and a U.S. spy held in Cuba and the freeing of three Cubans jailed in the U.S (GINA)

Municipal Markets to facilitate late shopping following two-day strike Stallholders who lost business as a result of a two-day strike that saw city markets and other municipal arms being closed, will have an opportunity to make up for lost cash.

The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has allowed extra time for late shopping on the days leading up to Christmas.

The M&CC said that from yesterday to December 20, the markets will be open until 18:00hours. On December 21, stalls will be opened until 17:00hours while from December 22 to Christmas Eve Day they will be open until 20:00hours.

Steps were being taken to resolve the matter when a

large number of staffers from the Guyana Local Government Officers Union went on strike after the M&CC failed to approve five percent increases for the union members who make up clerical, professional and administrative staffers.

The Guyana Local Government Officers Union said that the M&CC was against the workers increases; it said that the increase should be in line with increases for the Councillors.

GLGOU said, however, that the Council has a labour agreement with the union and workers increases could not be tied with Councillors' increases because their increases were at the governmental level.

During an Extra-Ordinary meeting on Tuesday between officials of the Council and the Ministry of Labour a decision was taken to approve the five percent increase for striking workers, whose action had caused the shutdown.

It was understood that amidst the confusion, the Clerk of Markets facilitated a number of the vendors, to remove perishable items they may have had in their stalls.

Approximately 30 stall holders gathered outside Office of the President on Tuesday to highlight their dissatisfaction at being held hostage by two entities that seemed at the time, unable to iron out their differences.

U.S. begins diplomatic ties with ...

From page 6 needed to enact economic reforms and uphold human rights among other changes, but he said it was time for a new approach.

Americans are largely open to establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba, according to a Reuters/ Ipsos poll of more than 31,000 adults conducted between July and October. Around one-fifth of those surveyed said they opposed such a move, while 43 percent said the United States should restore relations with Cuba and around 37 percent said they were unsure.

Critics said Cuba should not be rewarded, having yet to change, and the path to completely normal ties is strewn with obstacles, in particular lifting the embargo that the White House said

Obama would like to see dismantled by the time he leaves office in 2017.

Although a growing number of U.S. lawmakers favour more normal ties, those lawmakers are still mostly Democrats, and after big midterm election gains in November, Republicans will control both houses of Congress in the New Year.

Senator Marco Rubio, a Cuban American Republican, will be incoming chair of a key Senate Foreign Relations panel and said he was committed to doing all he could to “unravel” the plan.

Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, both set to hold senior foreign policy positions, said the policy shift reflected “America and the values it stands for in retreat and decline.”

Whatever the criticism at

home, Obama’s move was made with the political liberty of a president who, midway through his second term, no longer faces an electorate.

CUBAN AMERICANS SPLIT News of the changes rippled fast through the 1.5 million-strong Cuban American community in the United States, hailed by some who are keen to see closer ties with the island and condemned by others.

Older Cubans who left the island soon after the revolution have remained opposed to ties with either Castro brother in power.

Younger Cubans, who left more recently or were born in the United States, have shown more interest in warmer relations.

“It’s amazing,” said Hugo

Cancio, who arrived in Miami in the 1980 Mariel boatlift and runs a magazine with offices in Miami and Havana. “This is a new beginning, a dream come true for the 11.2 million Cubans in Cuba, and I think it will provoke a change of mentality here too in this community.”

In Havana, stunned Cubans celebrated the news, although some were sceptical that the long years of animosity really would end.

In one student demonstration on a busy Havana street corner, about 100 people shut off traffic while motorists honked their horns.

Neighbours peered out from their balconies, joining in the cheers.

“I have waited for this day since I can remember,” said taxi driver Jorge Reymond, wiping away tears.

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 18, 2014

Russia invites North Korea leader for May visit (Reuters) - Russia has invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to attend a May ceremony marking the end of World War Two, in what would be Kim’s first foreign visit since taking the helm of the reclusive state in 2011, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun daily said on Wednesday.

Kim would probably meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, as North Korea backs Russia in the Ukraine crisis and Moscow needs P y o n g y a n g ’s cooperation in boosting natural gas exports to South Korea, the paper said, quoting unnamed diplomatic sources.

But it was unclear at the moment if Kim would accept the invitation, the Asahi said.

North Korea is seeking closer ties with Russia as it faces international criticism over accusations of human rights abuses and its nuclear program.

Putin held talks with Kim’s personal envoy last month and called for deeper ties with North Korea to improve regional security.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said North Korea was ready

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves to workers during a visit to the Pyongyang to resume stalled international talks on its nuclear program.

North Korea, South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United

States began talks in 2003 to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons, but they were suspended after Pyongyang tested nuclear devices in 2006 and 2009.

Oldest U.S. black college on verge of financial collapse (Reuters) - The nation’s oldest black college, Cheyney University, one of Pennsylvania’s 14 state-run universities, is on the verge of a financial meltdown that threatens its ability to continue operating, a state official said on Wednesday.

Cheyney’s student body has shrunk by two-thirds, to about 1,000, since its 1983 peak, and its four-year graduation rate is just 9 percent. A quarter of students never receive a degree, and student loan defaults are high.

“Cheyney is in dire, dire, dire straits,” the state’s auditor general, Eugene DePasquale, said. The university has had a deficit for four of the last five years, growing to a cumulative $12.3 million shortfall as of June 30, 2013.

Cheyney’s fiscal problems - students who are unable to repay debt and increasing pension costs were exacerbated by cutbacks in state higher education funding.

DePasquale called upon the State System of Higher Education - the governing body for the state-owned universities - and the legislature to help Cheyney find a way out of “a vicious, destructive cycle” in which declining enrollment and state funding leads to less money for investments that could attract much-needed students.

Cheyney, located in the Philadelphia suburb of the same name, was founded in 1837 after Quaker philanthropist Richard Humphreys bequeathed part of his estate to build a school to educate descendents of the African race, according to the university’s website.

Its alumni include journalist Ed Bradley, state and U.S. elected officials, several National Football League players, a U.S. ambassador to South Africa, and Robert Bogle, chief executive of The Philadelphia Tribune.

Cheyney “has done many good things since 1837,”

interim university president Frank Pogue said in a statement. “We are doing many good things today, and we will do many good things in the coming years.”

The university has begun to shrink its workforce by 23 percent and to cut offices’ discretionary spending in half, DePasquale’s audit said.

School officials are planning more aggressive recruitment and will try to improve student retention and graduation rates. They hope to present a new policy to be implemented in January.

A c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y, states have cut higher education spending, especially as they struggled to recover from the 2007-2009 recession.

From fiscal 2003 through 2012, state funding fell by 12 percent while median tuition rose 55 percent across all public colleges, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said in a report published Tuesday.

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 27

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

A whitewashed picture of the state of culture and the arts in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, If I may, I’d like to add my two cents to the recent exchange between Freddie Kissoon and Dr. Ian McDonald. I fear McDonald might have missed the essential point of Kissoon’s original letter when he responded repeating his sterling literary credentials.

It is not that the academic was challenging the man of letters with regard to the geographical boundaries of his reputation as a man of letters but the social, and perhaps moral, limitations of his interventions into the reality of life and politics in Guyana.

While Freddie Kissoon is right in that Dr. McDonald has not really engaged in commentary on the state of public life, the case can also be made for a studied reticence on the state of the

arts as well, not just from McDonald, but from most of the people prominent in the arts in Guyana.

Specific to the issue of where the papers were donated, Dr. McDonald’s decision to donate his papers to UWI isn’t simply an endorsement of the superior facilities available in Trinidad, but an implicit indictment of Guyana’s failure to adequately preserve its heritage, archival or otherwise.

If Dr. McDonald genuinely believed that archival preservation efforts here were in any way commendable, he could have left some of his papers here at UG, the entity under which aegis he was awarded three Guyana Prizes (which no doubt helped to establish his reputation as a man of letters), and donated some to UWI

the entity that awarded him.

We have a situation where leading figures in the arts have been content to lend their glow to Minister of Culture, Dr. Frank Anthony at public event after public event, but who have refused to point out his incompetence when it comes to larger issues of cultural policy and cultural management, or even to specific issues like the Caribbean Press.

Contrary to Dr. McDonald’s intimation that progress has been made, the National Archives have had no significant improvement despite billions of dollars being sunk into the Ministry of Culture under Anthony’s tenure. The Sports and Arts Fund designed ostensibly to provide support of independent groups continues to be improperly constituted with the money

being ‘awarded’ to Ministry projects. The National Museum is in a state of increasing dereliction, even as the Ministry curiously launched a questionable digitization project a few months ago.

Four years after its existence, the Caribbean Press is yet to have a functional board of any kind and the Minister is yet to explain a great many things with regard to expenditure and management. People are still unpaid for CARIFESTA 2008 participation and the selection process for representation at cultural festivals remains mired in nepotism and discrimination. Earlier this year, Anthony held a ‘consultation’ on creative industries with an overseasbased consultant with a promise to move the process forward within weeks – to this

The ‘Fourth Estate’- A sordid state...

From page 5 decency, Stabroek News, crudely plowed along. It took a nasty swipe at the ‘kind of security’ offered the President because I allegedly told them, “The ranks had not returned from Region Nine”. Then they went on to state, “and he subsequently had not been able to speak to them.”

What could be clearer than this? I am stating honestly and factually that the men had not returned, therefore they could not have been paraded before me.

They were not present before me so that I could have systematically dealt with the issue! Now I ask you the general, intelligent, reading public, how does this translate to the “Presidential Guard Service has no means of communicating with its men in the field,” as stated by Stabroek News?

The fact is that the ranks never reported any such incident as alleged by teacher Adams whose story was taken up by Stabroek News and leader of the PNC/APNU Mr. Granger who called for an investigation. They were not aware of any such furor over in Georgetown! And I suspect, it is simply because it never happened!

Or, if teacher Adams was indeed assaulted, it was by someone in the crowd who took umbrage to his ‘disrespect’ for the President.

Apparently he was too inebriated or full of himself as an APNU representative, to understand that unlike him, the two hundred odd citizens in attendance at the meeting were genuinely interested in what His Excellency, the President had to say.

When interviewed the Officer and ranks denied

having any knowledge of the allegations made by teacher Adams. They did admit however, there was one individual who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, had a beer bottle in his hand and was shouting questions at the President.

Noticing the individual’s demeanor and the fact that he was armed with a potential missile, two ranks positioned themselves closer to him.

Even though our responsibility is to neutralize or eliminate any threat to the life of the President in any geographical location by all and any means necessary, regardless of which ruling party he or she may come from, there was NO verbal or physical contact with the individual.

And this is simply because at the time, even though he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, he was more of a nuisance, than a threat.

Therefore, there was no need for verbal or physical intervention which does not translate to not being prepared to neutralize or intervene.

The two ranks in question are over six feet tall. They collectively weigh over four hundred pounds. They are Martial Arts specialists trained in unarmed combat – combat karate, mixed martial arts - crowd psychology and self-awareness. In fact they are trainers!

Together they have over twenty-eight years of experience in the Presidential Guard. Between them, they have over ten subjects at the CXC. I leave it to you, the general readers to draw your own conclusion. Had anyone of them indeed slapped

teacher Adams, where he would have been today?

Lastly, at the conclusion of any Presidential engagement, our security protocol is not to distance ourselves from the President, but in fact converge around.

Even if a Presidential Guard was tempted to follow and slap teacher Adams silly, he would have been violating that protocol, teacher Adam’s rights as a citizen of this country and endangering the life of the President.

All of this translates to working against the intentions of the President’s visit in Region Nine. It cannot and it will not happen under my watch.

Attempting to paint the Presidential Guard with a political tar brush therefore will not pass muster. Each year around this time when police promotion comes around I am

reminded of the price I paid for my independence of thoughts, principles and forthrightness. But because of my ability to differentiate between the role I am playing as Head Presidential Guard Service and who I really am, I have stayed the course professionally.

Neither my role nor who I am would allow me to be a Crocodile in Arapaima’s skin.

The Presidential Guard Service will always have the highest respect for the rights of ALL citizens of Guyana.

We are professionals.

Rohan Singh Head of the Presidential Guard

date there has been no follow up, with complete silence from the Ministry.

Most recently, the Umana Yana, a national monument which should not only have been under strict fire hazard protocols, but insured against fire, burnt down with no clearcut plan for reconstruction. If anything, this was an indictment of policy on the part of government’s regard for heritage but not a single senior person in the arts commented.

Anthony’s incompetence and lack of accountability in general continue to go unacknowledged by persons who have placed themselves

as gatekeepers for culture, who will smile and shake his hand for the cameras, but who refuse to comment on the absence of a national cultural policy or to even advocate for the presence of one. All that does is to give a whitewashed picture of the state of culture and the arts in Guyana.

I understand Mr. Kissoon’s frustration but if it is that prominent writers and artists do not have the courage to comment upon the state of arts and culture, it is highly unlikely that they will do the same for wider society.

Ruel Johnson Janus Cultural Policy Initiative

Minister Benn would...

From page 4 and much more are required to be completed as per design to make the road functional and this is unlikely to be so before early 2016, provided funding could be assured to complete the works.

Maintenance of a roadway (which is not bitumen sealed) as well as its drains, culverts and bridges located in the hot, humid tropics with over 100 ins of rainfall annually will be very costly to maintain, and Minister Benn should state what the estimated maintenance cost for this access road will be and how it will be paid for, since the Gov’t has had serious financial difficulties maintaining coastal roads as well as the Linden - Lethem fair weather road/trail and its appurtenances.

Minister Benn would be well advised to cease work on the access road and ‘call it a

day’ as continued investment on a ‘white elephant’ cannot be justified.

The money now being spent on a road which will not serve its intended purpose any time soon will be better utilized on upgrading other hinterland roads urgently needed for Guyana’s economic development and the opening of trade with its large and prosperous neighbour - Brazil.

Alternatively, the Gov’t should be exploring other sources for electricity, as recently the American Investment Banking Firm - Lazard stated that the cost of power in the United States from solar is 7.2 US cents/kwh, gas (for steam generation) 6.6 US cents/kwh and from wind turbines 3.7 US cents/kwh. Electricity from these sources continues to fall as production efficiency improves.

Charles Sohan

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 18, 2014

Obama to free 8 Politician investigated nonviolent drug offenders for $500,000 gift

President Barack Obama will shorten the sentences of eight prisoners serving time for nonviolent drug crimes and pardon 12 ex-convicts, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

The act of presidential clemency is traditional around Christmastime, but Obama’s action is part of his administration’s broader push to roll back harsh mandatory drug sentences that imprisoned people for decades for nonviolent drug crimes.

The “tough on crime” drug laws contributed to America’s record of locking up a larger share of its population than any other nation in the world.

Recently, judges have been given more flexibility around mandatory minimums, and in 2010 Congress narrowed the disparity that

sent crack dealers to prison for a hundred times longer than cocaine dealers.

But those who were incarcerated under the old laws remained there, prompting the Justice Department to announce in April that nonviolent offenders could apply for clemency through a special initiative called “Clemency Project 2014.” Thousands of prisoners have done so, and an outside group of nonprofit lawyers is currently vetting the applications. An administration official said the president will most likely grant more commutations of this kind as the applications begin to land on the pardon attorney’s desk.

Barbara Scrivner, who was serving 30 years for her minor role in her drug-dealer husband’s meth ring, is among the eight prisoners

whose sentences were commuted by the president on Wednesday.

The subject of a Yahoo News feature last April, Scrivner said that two of her previous clemency applications were denied by the pardon attorney’s office in 2005 and 2011, though even the judge who sentenced her unequivocally supported her petition. Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder reformed the pardon attorney’s office in April, replacing Ronald Rodgers, who had been criticized for knee-jerk rejections of petitions, with Deborah Leff, an advocacyminded attorney, to lead the office. One of the factors Leff may be giving less weight to is remorse in petitions. In the past, prisoners were required to show unqualified contrition to get a second look from the pardon attorney.

Jamaica Gleaner - The Integrity Commission, the body set up to police the annual statutory declarations of politicians to ensure they conform to the provisions in the (Parliament) Integrity of Members Act, Tuesday revealed it investigated a gift of $500,000 given to a parliamentarian last year.

Justice Paul Harrison, chairman of the Integrity Commission, in a submission to a joint select committee examining the 2014 Integrity Commission Act, said the new statute should include a provision that prohibits parliamentarians from soliciting or accepting gifts.

“We believe that the bill should specifically prohibit the receipt of gifts by a parliamentarian or public officials,” declared Harrison, adding that these gifts should be classified as “presumptively unlawful”.

Harrison, who did not disclose the name of the parliamentarian who was investigated for the $500,000 gift, said the commission asked for verification and received an affidavit from someone who acknowledged providing the gift.

“It may well have been

Justice Paul Harrison received with some degree of scepticism, but the fact is we asked about it and the person verified it,” Harrison said.

“We are just saying that it can create a danger if it is not addressed, and I think it should be addressed.”

The head of the Integrity Commission argued that the Staff Orders of the public service provide that officers in their official capacity are forbidden to solicit or accept gifts or gratuities for the performance or neglect of official duties and responsibilities.

He noted that a parliamentarian was not regarded as being in the public

service as stated in Section 1 (6) of the Constitution of Jamaica.

“There is an anomaly here.

There is no reason why public officers should be under this restriction and politicians are not,” Harrison reasoned.

During Tuesday’s deliberations in Gordon House, some members of the committee expressed reservations about the proposal.

Opposition MP Derrick Smith, who has been in representational politics since 1983, cautioned against accepting Harrison’s recommendation.

According to Smith, for a practising MP to conform strictly to Harrison’s proposal was “quite a challenge”.

“For those of us who have to be on the road on a regular basis and deal with daily situations and friends can over time assist by covering the cost of support staff, it’s just not practical to walk away from that type of assistance if y o u want to manage a constituency in an appropriate way,” Smith argued.

Government Senator K.D. Knight argued that such a provision in the proposed law would be difficult to monitor and that the Government should look to the Corruption Prevention Act to remedy the situation.

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

PSP, MOE, MCYS U-17 School’s F/Ball...

Semi-finals spots booked Tutorial High School will face St George’s High School, while North Ruimveldt Multilateral battle Queenstown Community High in tomorrow’s semi-final of the Premier Sports Promotions, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport under17 School’s Football tournament at Ministry of Education ground.

Played in rain, on a wet and slippery ground which had puddles of water on it, four second half goals led Tutorial to a 4-1 drubbing over St Mary’s in yesterday’s opening game.

After a goalless first half, Mario Padmore opened the account in the 48th minute before Terrence Shepherd equalized in 59th minute.

David Coates then beat Goalkeeper Larriheo Eastman twice in the space of 10 minutes before Zion Gray closed off the game in the 73rd minute when he too found the back of the nets.

In the second game which was played in bright sunshine on a ground that was still soggy, Lodge thought they has scored from a free kick early in the match only to see the linesman’s flag raised to signal ‘off-side’ and the goal did not count.

Although Lodge looked the slightly better team collectively, Queenstown looked the fitter unit especially since the teams had to kick the ball harder due soft ground.

When it seemed as if neither team would score in the first 40 minutes the talented Kelsie ‘Neymar’ Benjamin collected a true ball from

the left side and dribbled a defender with lots of flair. With only the advancing Keeper to beat, Benjamin did so with consummate ease before embarking on his an exaggerated celebration which climaxed with him ‘high fiving’ his Coach and teammates on the Bench.

The goal gave Queenstown the lead in the 33rd minute.

In the second half both teams counterattacked furiously and both sides wasted some clears shots on Goal as the tempo picked up. Benjamin led the raids on the Lodge Goal but although he exhibited some dazzling maneuvers he was often guilty of keeping to ball too long as he sacrificed not passing the ball to his screaming teammates for personal glory. But at just 15 and already a senior team player at Santos, he is certainly one for the future.

The ‘final-four’ stage of the 16-team tournament has arguably the best four teams involved in what will be 90-minute games.

Tutorial advanced by beating East Ruimveldt and St Mary’s, while St George’s qualified by getting the better of Bishop’s High after being awarded a walkover against Dolphin Secondary.

Multi hammered Richard Ishmael and St Stanislaus to earn a place in tomorrow’s second semi-final and will face-off with Queenstown Secondary who defeated St John’s and Lodge in the previous encounters.

(Sean Devers)

Thursday December 18, 2014 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You should be on cloud nine today, Aries. As evening sets in, however, things might get a little too heavy for your comfort.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Lie low during the day and try not to get caught up in the frivolous verbiage that dominates the waking hours.

After sundown, feel free to speak your mind.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Let your fun-loving nature come out to play today. As the day progresses, the clouds are likely to move in.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your thoughts may be scattered and frantic early in the day, but things should settle down by evening.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Communicate your feelings early in the day, because by evening you might feel too restricted to want to socialize with anyone.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Things will get much easier and more controlled as the day progresses. People's superficial attitudes and idle chatter will give way to more realistic and deep-seated conversations as the evening hours draw near.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct.

22) Today may be a rough day in which you find it hard to make a decision about anything.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You might find it hard to connect with anyone on a deep and meaningful level today, so just free yourself and have a good time.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Get the party started early in the day. You may be running from task to task, but this is OK. You have the ability to get a lot done by multitasking and keeping things light.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Bring your thoughts down to earth, especially later tonight. You may be flipflopping through the day like a fish out of water, but suddenly things start to fall into place at sundown.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) The earlier portion of the day is apt to flow much more smoothly than the later part.

You should get things solidified right off the bat, if possible.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) This may be a frenzied day for you, Pisces, but it's likely to settle down as evening sets in.

Page 29

New Technical Director to be...

From page 30 land to the GFF before the project can start,” said Urling.

He explained that they are also engaging the Government for another project called the Challenger project adding that Guyana is one of those countries that qualify for this project. “Georgetown and Linden are the areas indentified for this scheme in 2015 where artificial turfs will be built once the land is acquired. “Each project will cost around US$500,000 once we meet the requirements.

The NSC has already been scouting the ground and three possible areas have been indentified, we just need to make a decision and get the sign off. One that’s done we will go ahead,” he stated.

Urling said that they have

Banks DIH Limited gets on board...

From page 29 entities among others.

The other events listed are the Co-feature 1600M event for 3 year old Guyana and the West Indies bred horses for the tantalizing $1M and trophy.

The two year old event for West Indies Bred horses is for a winner’s take of $600,000 and trophy over 1200M. The E class and lower 1500M event also has a $600,000 winner’s take and trophy. The G1 and lower 1200M race fetches the winner $500,000 and trophy.

The two year old event for Guyana bred horses has a $300,000 price tag and trophy over 1200M. The H1 and lower 1200M race has a winning pocket of $250,000 and trophy. The ‘I3’ and lower 1200M event has a pole position taking of $200,000 and trophy. The J3 and lower 1200M race for the winning pocket of $150,000 and trophy.

The top Jockey along with the runner up, the top stable and champion trainer will all be presented with trophies and other incentives compliments of the organizers.

The event will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority.

Interested persons still have time to contact Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063 or 2320633), Kris Jagdeo (624-6123; 322-0369), Rajendra (Jim –Jo) 618-7278, Ramnauth 337-5311, Romel Jagroop (624-1798) and Sancho 690-0569. Race time is 12:30hrs.

The coordinator is Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) Mohamed. Race time is 12:30hrs.

activated the Women’s Football Committee of the GFF. “There is a women’s association which is a member of the GFF, then we have the Women’s Football Committee (WFC) which is the decision making committee. A lot of emphasis will be placed in this area and FIFA has committed lots of resources towards all aspects of Women’s football,” he indicated.

Urling said that they will focus on the grassroots programme and will be reaching out to communities where football is not being played regularly. Stewart May is the Chairman of the WFC. He told the media that Guyana is set to play Barbados in a friendly in January 2015 and the composition of the team is yet to be decided.

He stated that the Men’s and Women’s U-23 teams will take part in the CONCAAF Olym-

pic qualifiers with the Men’s being played in 2015 and the Women’s in 2016.

Guyana have also registered for the World Cup qualifiers and based on a proposal that CONCAAF would have submitted to FIFA, the qualifiers might begin around June 2015. “The proposal is still to be approved by FIFA and Guyana is placed in the second round based on their ranking as of August 2014,”he informed. Urling stated that they are in the process of registering two of the top local clubs - Guyana Defence Force and Alpha United - for the CFU championships and they have approved the Kashif and Shanghai competition for the period March 6 to April 5, 2015 adding that all tournaments should be sanctioned by the GFF and their referees will not officiate in tournaments not sanctioned.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 18, 2014

Four rounds confirmed for SEABOARD MARINE CMRC 2015 The Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) will be fought out over four rounds for the first

time in 2015. Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago will each host a round of the premier regional

championship, with Seaboard Marine confirmed as title sponsor for the sixth year.

Just days after a landmark

weekend for regional motor sport, during which two-man teams from the four host countries faced one another

in the inaugural ROC Caribbean (December 13) at the Race Of Champions staged at Bushy Park Barbados, the Caribbean Motor Racing Association (CMRA) announced next year’s dates.

Ray Rahaman, Chairman of the CMRA Management Committee, which administers the CMRC’s sporting and technical regulations, said: “We are motivated by the success of the restructured 2014 series, with revised regulations that allowed for the most subscribed and competitive race car and driver participation on our regional racetracks to date.

“Regional motor racing can only become more exciting in 2015 when we stage a four-round series, and with additional emphasis on all the classes that will support Group 4, as we spread the net wider and include more competitors.”

Seaboard Marine’s Vice President, Caribbean Division, Stephen Bell said: “We are very pleased to continue our sponsorship of

The Trinidad & Tobago Automobile Sports Association (TTASA) returned to the Championship for the first time in eight years as a host club in 2014, after motor sport enthusiasts from across the island joined forces to restore the Wallerfield circuit to a useable condition.

TTASA President Robert Amar said: “As the Caribbean solidifies the Championship and new infrastructure in the sport becomes available, we anticipate sponsors will be attracted to support the CMRC, which will soon become the region’s premier motor racing event.”

After missing out on hosting the CMRC last year for the first time since 2008, because the redevelopment of Bushy Park was already under way, Barbados staged the opening round of the 2014 series earlier than usual in July. Bushy Park Motor Sports Inc (BPMSI) Chairman Sean Maloney explained: “The Barbados round has traditionally been in late August or early September, and we are pleased to move

the CMRC and are looking forward to working with the Caribbean Motor Racing Association to enhance the appeal of the series and to foster great camaraderie among Caribbean peoples.”

The Championship will kick off in Jamaica over the weekend of February 28/ March 1, which is earlier than usual – in recent years, CMRC has started in May - with Trinidad & Tobago hosting round two on June 20/21; the third round will be in Barbados on September 12/ 13, with the decider in Guyana, on November 14/15.

Not only does the curtainraiser move to an earlier date, but also away from Dover Raceway to a new venue, the Jamwest Speedway, as part of a huge launch of Jamaica’s 2015 motor sport season, the International SpeedWest Weekend. Charles Chen, Chairman of the Jamaica Race Drivers’ Club (JRDC), the CMRA affiliate in Jamaica, said: “Having missed the chance to host a round of the CMRC in 2014, we’re excited about this new venture. We recognise that the success of the CMRC is important and that it will always drive the best out of us and therefore improve the quality of our sport locally.”

back, as this year’s date meant some clashes with other island activities, which impacted on our event.”

The only date in the calendar to remain in the same slot is the traditional season finale at the South Dakota Circuit. Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) President John Carpenter commented: “Each year, our motor racing season builds towards the Final Showdown of the CMRC, which always provides close and spectacular racing. As the winners of both the Country Championship and Group 4 Drivers title in 2014, we look forward to welcoming the cream of regional drivers to settle next year’s competition.”

Further details of the sporting and technical regulations of the 2015 CMRC will be announced in the coming weeks.

SEABOARD MARINE CARIBBEAN MOTOR RACING C/SHIP 2015 February 28/March 1 round 1, Jamwest, Jamaica June 20/21 - round 2, Wallerfield, Trinidad & Tobago September 12/13 - round 3, Bushy Park Barbados November 14/15 - round 4, South Dakota, Guyana

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 31

South Africa v West Indies, 1st Test, Centurion, 1st day...

Raptors represent the East Coast in Mackeson 3x3 Final

AMLA AND DE VILLIERS FLAY WEST INDIES ESPNcricinfo - When a third wicket fell in 15 balls during the morning session, possibilities for the opening day at Centurion abounded but the final outcome involved two very common sights: Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers with hundreds to their name.

The pair came together on 57 for 3 following the loss of three wickets for no runs either side of drinks as West Indies briefly found their venom and they were not separated for the rest of the day. There was added significance in both hundreds, for Amla it was his first Test as captain on home soil and for de Villiers it marked 10 years to the day since he made his Test debut against England, at Port Elizabeth - a match that also marked the first appearance for Dale Steyn.

Their stand at the close was worth a fourth-wicket South Africa record 283 in 75 overs - 115 runs coming between lunch and tea - the run rate highlighting both the counter-attacking nature of the batting and also the number of scoring opportunities offered by the West Indies attack.

Only Kemar Roach ended in credit, his first spell have been an exacting six overs worth 2 for 16, but there was the worrying sight of him hobbling off the field five balls into his 16th over with what appeared to be an ankle injury. With Roach off the ground, the day ended with the dispiriting sight of Sulieman Benn, Marlon Samuels and Kraigg Braithwaite going through overs of spin with the old ball.

De Villiers was first to the three figures, his 20th hundred in Tests, from 138 balls and Amla followed a short while later from 161

deliveries, his first century against West Indies which leaves only Zimbabwe for him to tick off. Both had a stroke of fortune; one a slice of outrageous luck and the other a sloppy mistake by West Indies in the field.

The first significant moment came shortly after lunch when Amla was on 25 and Roach beat the edge with another wicked legcutter, the ball clipped the off stump but the bails refused to fall to the ground. Later, there was a selfinduced error when de Villiers was 63, Benn could not collect a throw at the stumps with the batsmen well short of his ground.

De Villiers struck two sixes, advancing at Benn and Samuels, but neither batsman had to go out of their way to keep the scoring rate high with most overs offering a scoring opportunity. Still, the driving from both was, as ever, a joy to behold. Jerome Taylor - who was the biggest let down for West Indies regularly offered up width, and Sheldon Cottrell managed just three maidens between them in 35 overs.

West Indies were playing their first international since the contracts dispute which led them to withdrawing from the India series in October and they did not seem in gear for a Test series. Play was delayed by half an hour due to early morning rain and the skies remained heavy as Denesh Ramdin and Amla emerged for the toss. It was no surprise when Ramdin was quick to insert South Africa. But the West Indies quicks did not get the memo regarding conditions and could not find a consistent line and length in the early exchanges: the first 10 overs brought nine boundaries, six to Alviro Petersen and three to Dean Elgar.

Goalkeepers’ performances...

From page 28 no doubt will be looking to make amends for their subdued displays when it really mattered.

On the other hand, West Ruimveldt who battled courageously to beat previously unbeaten F.E. Pollard will be counting on Nikita Prince to steer them to victory. It should be just as entertaining as the final as bragging rights could be at stake in this encounter.

Two other matches will be played starting with F.E. Pollard going up against

Tucville for seventh place, while North Georgetown battle South Ruimveldt.

Kick off time is 14:00 hrs.

THE FIXTURES ARE AS FOLLOWS: 14:00 hrs F.E Pollard v/s Tucville- 7th and 8th place playoff 14:45 hrs North Georgetown v/s South Ruimveldt- 5th and 6th place playoff 15:30 hrs West Ruimveldt v/ s Enterprise- 3rd and 4th place playoff 16:15 hrs Stella Maris v/s St. Stephen’s- Final.

Roach, surprisingly, was not given the new ball and by the time he came into the attack South Africa already had 44 on the board in nine overs. He brought menace and consistency to the attack, started to build up some pressure and was rewarded with Petersen’s edge with a delivery which straightened and went to first slip. The message was starting to reach the West Indies bowlers and Cottrell’s second spell began to offer a doublepronged threat as the runs dried up.

While Petersen received a decent delivery to end his stay, that could not be said for Elgar who helped a short, wide offering from Cottrell to gully - an awful waste for a batsman in conditions when a good ball is never far away.

Cottrell, the former soldier, who used to stand guard at Sabina Park before turning his hand to fast bowling, gave a salute as Samuels held the chance. West Indies were buoyed and a few moments later were ecstatic when Roach’s probing line found Faf du Plessis’ outside edge his first Test duck in his 29th innings - and the third wicket fell with the score on 57.

It was an opening for West Indies but they were not good enough to force through it. Whether they get another opportunity, in this match or even the series, remains to be seen.

-Den Amstel brings West Coast pride

Raptors’ forward, Sherlan Legall splits defenders in the paint for an easy lay-up in the prelims of the tournament two weeks ago in Plaisance.

TRS Raptors, based in Melanie out of the Melanie Patriots Basketball Club, will represent the East Coast tomorrow night in the Mackeson ‘King of the Rim’ 3x3 Basketball Super Eight Final after topping the East Coast zone of the competition.

Centre/forwards, Sherlan Legall, who is a beast in the paint and a prolific scorer, will lead the team along with Ashton Adams. Shooting guard, Floyd Arthur and

Rayburn Bowman will complete the East Coast-based quartet tomorrow night.

The team’s strategy is simple: they rotate the ball inside first to their big men looking for the easy opening; if it’s not there, Arthur takes the jumper. The team will come up against the best of the best from Georgetown, Linden and the West Coast.

Den Amstel ‘A’ will represent the West Coast with shooting guard, Michael

Clarke its main scorer. Colin Benn, Rondel Hutson and Severn Austin complete the West Coast-based team in the final after topping their zone last week.

The Mackeson ‘King of the Rim’ 3x3 Basketball Competition culminates tomorrow night at 7pm at California Square, East Ruimveldt with eight teams from four zones battling for a $500,000 first place prize and $300,000 second place purse.

IPA backs KMTC Boxing Day meet Fans can expect an exciting day of activities when the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) stages a Boxing Day horserace meet at their Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice. Yesterday the club received the backing of the International Pharmaceutical Agency Group of Companies under its Clear Water brand at the entity’s headquarters in Camp Street.

The Company’s Chief Executive Officer Lloyd Singh handed over the first place trophy and prize money of $150,000 for the J3 event to President of the Club, former Chancellor Justice Cecil Kennard.

Singh stated that they have been supporting the sport for over 12 years and that his company is pleased with the progress made by KMTC. “Horseracing has made a significant stride and one can safely say that Mr. Kennard

IPA CEO Lloyd Singh (left) presents the trophy to KMTC head Cecil Kennard in the presence of manager Bowhan Balkaran. has played an important role in its development,” said Singh who also urged the community of Berbice and other entities to support the event. Kennard thanked IPA and guaranteed the company that their support will play an important role towards the

success of the meet.

Eight races are carded for the day with the main affair being the A1 and Lower which carries a top prize of $1,000,000.

Registration closes on December 20, and no late entries will be accepted.

Horses can be entered through Roopnarine Matadial on 325-3192, Ivan Dipnarine on 331-0316, Cecil Kennard on 623-7609, 225-4818 or 2261399, Dennis DeRoop on 3253301 or 609-9143 and Fazil Habibula on 657-7010.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 18, 2014

ROSS INSPIRES Goalkeepers’ performances could play key NOC YOUTHS MoH/Health 2000Inc/MoE/Ansa McAl Girls Schools Football Competition...

Already with the Courts Pee Wee Boys title in their collection, Stella Maris girls will no doubt be going all out to make it a double in the same year when they face St. Stephen’s as the curtains come down on the inaugural Ministry of Health / Health 2000Inc / Ministry of Education / Ansa McAl Girls Schools Football Competition today, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

The Woolford Avenuebased side survived a penalty shootout against West Ruimveldt after their encounter ended in a nil-all stalemate, but will be aiming to settle the score this time around in regulation time.

St. Stephen’s, who many felt had the tougher opponent in their semi-final clash when they faced the previously unbeaten Enterprise must be feeling confident after that engagement and they will be hoping that another penalty shootout does not factor in to the eventual outcome.

They had beaten Enterprise in a penalty shootout after coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw in regulation period.

It was a real determined

role in today’s final

(FLASHBACK)- Part of the action in the inaugural Ministry of Health / Health 2000Inc / Ministry of Education / Ansa McAl Girls Schools Football Competition which concludes today. display, especially when one considered that they were beaten 2-0 by the same team in the round robin stage.

The two teams seem to be equally matched in both the defensive and offensive departments, but how well their respective goalkeepers perform could determine the outcome of game.

What is known is that both teams seem to relish shooting the spot kicks as

was evidenced in their quarter and semi finals matchups so the thing about nerves is never going to be an issue with these sides.

In the playoff for third place, both Enterprise and West Ruimveldt should feel hard done by their respective losses in the semi-finals and it will be difficult for them to pick up themselves and produce the kind of performances that typified

their campaign throughout the competition.

They were without doubt among the most consistent teams every weekend and their disappointment was reflected in the tears that flowed following their exits from the championship game.

Enterprise has two of the most lethal strikers in the tournament in Aliyah Alleyne and Alliana George and they (Continued on page 27)

Guyana Junior Hockey players continue good showing in T&T Guyana’s national junior men’s team continued their good showing during their five day developmental tour of Trinidad. After defeating Paragon Hockey Club 2-1, on the Monday evening, the Guyanese came up against a Trinidad national junior selection on Tuesday afternoon. The game started with Guyanese setting a low press and Trinidad having the lion’s share of possession.

After a period of sustained pressure by the Trinidadians the Guyanese defence conceded a penalty corner when the ball struck one of their defender’s feet in the D. Trinidad’s senior national player Jordon Reynos converted the penalty corner with a powerful drag flick into the bottom left of the goal to give his side the early lead.

The Guyanese responded 5 minutes later when Ato Greene finished a left side attack which featured three Guyanese juggling the ball in the air along the side line before it was centered for Greene to tap in on the last post. Trinidad seemed to up the tempo in the third quarter,

forcing Guyana to scrabble and defend deep in their quarter. Wave upon wave of Trinidadian attacks were met by some desperate defending from the Guyanese, who also seemed to have luck on their side during the quarter. The fourth quarter started with the Guyanese finding their second wind and with Trinidad pressing for victory, the Guyanese team defence created several turnovers which led to swift counter attacks at the other end.

Their persistence paid off when captain Mark Sargeant deflected a Leon Bacchus drag flick from head height down into the goal, to give his team the lead. The Guyanese then dropped off to soak up the Trinidadian pressure and nearly scored again when Aroydy Branford sent a diving reverse shot to the Trinidadian goal. The resulting save started a lighting fast Trinidadian counter attack and it looked like a sure goal when senior national striker Tariq Marcano evaded 3 defenders and pulled the ball on to his reverse before unleashing a powerful tomahawk shot, but

Guyana’s goalkeeper Medroy Scotland came out sliding to snuff his shot. That save proved to be the final act of the game, which gave Guyana the victory 2-1.

The team went through some light training yesterday

morning, followed by a defensive skills session conducted by Trinidad & Tobago senior national Darren Cowie. The team will oppose Trinidad’s junior squad two more times before returning home on Friday.

Hugh Ross (left) and Dr Frank Anthony (right) during the visit to NOC last week.

Guyana champion bodybuilder, Hugh Ross on Friday last accompanied by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport to the Essequibo Coast used the opportunity to share his life story with the inmates at the New Opportunity Corps to inspire them, telling them that all things are possible.

Ross shared in essence with the inmates how he pursued his varying goals with a sense of persistence and determination amidst challenges. He told the inmates to remain focused and

to have an objective.

Ross further urged them not to become complacent and strive for success. He reinforced the principle of discipline and determination.

Guyana’s world champion muscleman also took the opportunity to interact with the youngsters during the annual Christmas luncheon.

Also accompanying Anthony and Ross was Permanent Secretary, Alfred King. The event was held at the Institution’s Mess Hall at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast.

Everest Cricket Club makes donation to Bless the Children’s Home The Everest Cricket Club which is in its 100 th year, yesterday made a charitable donation to the Bless the Children’s Home.

The organisation currently houses 27 children between the ages of 5-16 years old and is located at Industry, East Coast Demerara. The cheque of an undisclosed amount was handed over to the Director of the home, Surujnauth Surujpal by the club’s president, Stephen Lewis at a simple ceremony held at the club’s pavilion.

Prior to handing over the cheque, Lewis said the club recognises the need to give back to the community and to assist the less fortunate

especially during the festive season.

“We at the Everest Cricket Club have, this year, included in our agenda benevolence.

To this end, we have been reaching out to groups and organizations we consider in need and have been making our contributions.

Earlier we partnered with Grant a Dream to host the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre at a fun day. And so we make this monetary contribution to the Bless the Children’s Home and we hope that it will significantly assist their needs,” Lewis added.

He expressed gratitude to the many donors and members of the club for their assistance.

Surujpaul

President of the Everest Cricket Club, Stephen Lewis (left) hands over the cheque to Director of the Home, Surujnauth Surujpaul. thanked the club for the timely contribution, and said it will

certainly be used for its intended purpose.

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 33

Banks DIH Limited gets on board forGuyana Cup Rematch Horserace meet $10M up for grabs, over 80 horses entered so far

By Samuel Whyte Beverage giants Banks DIH Limited has confirmed their sponsorship deal with the organizers for the much anticipated Guyana Cup rematch $10M horserace meet set for Sunday 21st December at the Port Mourant Turf Club, Corentyne Berbice.

On Wednesday, the beverage company through one of its managers presented a cheque to coordinator of the meet Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) Mohamed junior and assistant organizer and race commentator Campton Sancho at the company’s headquarters at Thirst Park.

Nine exciting races are listed for the day and the last count with the organizers showed that over 80 entries have been received so far.

With all major preparations completed at Port Mourant Turf Club, an exhilarating, exciting and action packed day of racing is anticipated.

Once again the best racehorses, outside of Score’s Even which has been barred, have been assembled for the featured D1 and lower event for the $1.5M winner’s purse and the Guyana Cup rematch trophy compliments of Banks DIH Limited over 1600M. Guyana Cup champion CP Got Even will be looking

for another big pay day, but will have to contend with the likes of the inform Treacle, Grande De Roja Red and Lovely, Got To Go, Jack Is My Style, California Strike, Princess She Not, Settle In Seattle, Curfew Tower and Plum Plum who are all expected to pose stiff challenges for the lucrative pay day.

Among the others assembled to race are Unsettled, Release the Beast, Shooting Star, Storm Bird, Just call Me Boss It’s My Choice, Damascus Dream, Battle Hymn, Gold D Kova, Miss Lewinsky, Bridal Stone Corner, Right To Rule, Joyful Victory, She Running Hard, Royal Empire, Midnight Blues, Quiet Dancer, Monsoon, Settling Jet, Mary Ann, War Craft, Easy To Win, Party Time, Royal Cash, Savion, Swift Way, Speed Vision, Smarty Light and Sunday Silence and the newly imported Big Man Boss and Spit Fire among others.

Top Trinidad jockey Nobel Abrego will be a show along with fellow Tr i n i d a d i a n s N i c h o l a s Patrick, Prayven Badrie, and Keran Razack along with Jamaicans Brian Blake, Andron Findley and Jockey Malcolm among others.

Beharry Group of Companies has also joined the list of sponsors which includes Rommel Jagroop

Construction, K.P. Jagdeo and Sons Construction, Mohammed ‘Nankoo’ Shariff Business Entity, Inshan Bacchus Trucking Service and Business (Continued on page 29)

A Banks DIH Rep presents the cheque to coordinator Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) Mohamed junior (right) and assistant organizer and race commentator Campton Sancho

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 18, 2014

New Technical Director to be appointed shortly - Normalisation Committee

By Zaheer Mohamed The appointment of the new Technical Director (TD) of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will be made in early January; this announcement was made yesterday at a press conference held by the Normalisation Committee (NC) at the GFF office to update the media of several developments. Speaking at the forum, chairman of the NC, Clinton Urling, said they recently conducted interviews with an impressive bunch of individuals. “Folks from Romania, Canada, USA, England and Guyana applied and the announcement as to the successful candidate will be made in the first week in January 2015. The TD will be a highly qualified professional and will reside in Guyana. He will be responsible for coordinating Guyana’s entire technical football programme,” he

The recently accredited referees (standing) display their certificates with members of the Normalisation Committee. added. Urling is also the new chairman of the Referees Committee and the vice chairman is Trevor Beckles. Kareem Jones a former accountant of at Guyana Water Inc was appointed the director of finance.

The NC also briefed the media on plans for 2015, presented certificates and m a d e m o n e t a r y contributions to the Guyanese accredited 2015

FIFA international referees and assistant referees for their accomplishments.

The lone female referee is Maurice Skeete while others are Sherwin Moore, Sherwin Johnson, Trevor P o r t e r , Ve n t o n M a r s (referees), Kevin Steven, Kleon Lindey and Lenval Peart (assistant referees).

Urling congratulated the referees on their achievements especially Skeete who joined the

referees fraternity in 2009 and was nominated by GFF in 2013; she was accepted and accredited by FIFA in 2014 as an international referee.

Skeete participated in various CONCAAF and CFU female tournaments in 2014.

In relation to the GFF constitutional reform, Urling stated that the process is tentatively set for early February. “A committee of not more than 15 members will undertake this

assignment and it will last for two days. FIFA will spearhead this process and all member associations’ constitution will have to be reformed to mirror that of the GFF,” he pointed out.

The Goal Project is high on the agenda for 2015. The chairman informed that recently they had two meetings with Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony to discuss the possibility in acquiring a lease to execute

the goal project. “The Ministry has a preference at the field track facility at Leonora. There is a Memorandum of Understanding with representatives from the NC and Ministry trying to iron out the finer points in terms of singing off a final agreement where the Government would have to commit either a long term lease or a donation of the (Continued on page 29)

Thursday December 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Stag Super XV1 Football Tournament...

CLUBS PRESENTED with $50,000 cheques

T

he sixteen clubs participating in the inaugural Stag Super XV1 Football Tournament which is being played among three of the affiliates of the Guyana Football Federation each received a cheque for $50,000 each compliments of main sponsor, Ansa McAl. Handing over the monies to each club, Ansa McAl Public Relations Officer Ms. Darshanie Yussuf stated that the organizing football associations, Berbice, East Demerara and East Bank made the request as part of the sponsorship package to assist the clubs in their preparations for the tournament.

“We had no hesitation in acquiescing to the request since we understand what it takes to get one’s self in order for a high level competition. We at Ansa McAl have been partnering and sponsoring some of the

associations’ tournaments over the years and we are aware of what it takes to prepare.”

Yussuf also mentioned that they are pleased to be supporting the development of the game in the three areas and that the tournament which kicked off on Sunday last at the #5 ground West Coast Berbice has brought together the best clubs from the three associations.

The associations collectively expressed gratitude to Yussuf and Ansa McAl for their largesse, noting that every dollar will be spent for its intended purpose.

Already advancing to the quarter finals are two B e r b i c e c l u b s , Monedderlust and Cougars who defeated Golden Stars and Soesdyke Falcons by 2-1 and 3-0 margins respectively.

The quest for more quarter final berths will continue tomorrow when

Ansa McAl PRO Ms. Darshanie Yussuf (centre front row) poses with representatives of the clubs after handing over the cheques at the #5 ground. Also in pic is Stag Beer Brand Manager John Maikoo who is at left of Yussuf. action will switch to the Grove Playfield, East Bank Demerara. Agricola Red Triangle will come up against Ann’s Grove in opening play at 18:00hrs with the main event pitting Grove Hi Tech and BV Triumph United.

The winner of the tournament will be rewarded with a cheque for 1.5 million dollars; a second prize of $500,000 is at stake, while the winner of the third place game will collect $300,000 and the loser, $100,000.

Haslington Sparta United Sports and Culture Club to stage 2-DAY activity The Haslington Sparta United Sports and Culture Club will on December 27 and 28 at the Haslington Community Centre Ground stage two days of sports and culture activities beginning from 10:00am each day.

Organised by Ras Aaron Blackman, the event will see footballers in action on the opening day in 7-a-side competition for cash prizes and trophies, while the feature game pits Sparta United against Golden Stars for the Michael Sancho trophy.

The second day will feature Under-13, 15, 17 football involving East Coast Demerara teams in a

Aaron Blackman 5-a-side knockout tourney, and a 6-over tapeball cricket competition featuring teams from Enmore, Haslington, Golden Grove, Melanie, Paradise and Non Pariel batting for cash and trophies.

The women of the East

Coast villages are encouraged to come out and participate in several cultural activities, circle tennis, athletics, football and cricket. From 6:00pm on both evenings a group of talented youngsters will be involved in drama, song, dance and poetry renditions.

Funds raised from the event will go towards purchasing sports gear for the club.

Meanwhile, the Sparta SC will hold a general meeting on Sunday December 21 from 10:00am at the Haslington Playfield.

A wide range of topics including the upcoming event will be discussed.

t r o Sp

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Hashim Amla goes through the off side.

(Associated Press)

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