Kaieteur News

Online readership yesterday 105,890

February 19, 2013 - Vol. 6 No. 08 - Price $80

Email: kaieteurnews@yahoo.com Online: http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Marriott Hotel is a

complete sellout

says Chris Ram

Teixeira says Marriott protest stinks of racism

Festival City gets help with ‘Community Centre' initiative

Canadian company introduces mercury free gold mining technology

B3 volunteers and Festival City residents yesterday at the worksite

Four-year-old watches Grandpa kill Guyanese granny in Brooklyn

Chinese station needs no licence to broadcast - opposition demands truth - Sam Hinds

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Third-day of Marriott Hotel protest…

Opposition dismisses claims that protest is a political issue

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is disclaiming utterances by President Donald Ramotar that the protest against the exclusion of Guyanese labourers in the construction phase of the Marriott Hotel in Guyana is political. This was disclosed yesterday by Ronald Backer, a member of APNU; during the third day of the ongoing protest in front the Marriott Hotel construction site, Kingston.

Backer disputed President

Donald Ramotar, who on Saturday, during a press conference at the Miami Hilton said that the issues relating to the Chinese workers constructing the Marriott Hotel are more of a political nature rather than a legitimate concern for Guyanese. The President had said “…that’s not the issue; in fact to me, when I look at the issue, I think it’s more like the opposition looking for an issue to try to make a fight.”

Backer, however, is

claiming that the protest is a national one, fighting for the rights which have been given away to the Chinese.

“We don’t care about the ethnic background of the workers; the real reason for this protest is because Guyanese were not employed, only Chinese; we want to know why they are sidelining the locals,” Backer lamented.

Shanghai Construction Group was awarded the contract to construct the Marriott Hotel in Guyana.

Winston Brassington, Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Hotel Inc. (AHI) claimed that Government got a reduction of US$9 million in the bid price from the construction company under the condition that it could have control over whom it hires. Brassington had said that the use of a mostly Chinese labour force to construct the hotel was just one of several conditionalities necessary for the facility’s efficient and

speedy construction.

The official also said that the issue of productivity and communication had been a cause for concern along with the lack of specialized skills needed for the tasks.

Social activist, Frederick Kissoon, who yesterday led the protesters chanting “No Guyanese… No Marriott”, “we intend to be here every day until the Chinese go away,” and “the Chinese taking the food out of the Guyanese mouth” said that

the protest will go on until Guyanese are hired.

“We will go on with this protest until Guyanese are hired and we are planning to step up this campaign by getting the youths involved,” Kissoon said. When asked whether the demonstrators will be losing out financially because of their everyday participation in the protest, he said, “It is a sacrifice they are making for the love of their country and they are walking the extra mile.”

DO YOU KNOW THAT JAGDEO’S BEST FRIEND IS THE ONLY PERSON IN GUYANA TO OWN THREE MEDIA HOUSES ...

Radio, Television and Newspaper?

Dr. Bobby Ramroop

1) Channel 28 now TVG 28 2) A radio station - 89.5FM 3) Guyana Times newspaper

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 3

Four-year-old watches Grandpa kill Guyanese granny in Brooklyn Brooklyn, US (New York Daily News) A churchgoing Brooklyn grandmother who migrated there, was nearly decapitated when her crazed husband killed her with a kitchen knife in front o f h e r f o u r - year-old grandson on Sunday, police and relatives said.

The victim, Hazel Robinson, 51, was attacked about 11:45hrs by her husband, Ian Robinson, in the home they shared on E. 102nd Street in Canarsie, relatives and police sources said.

Ian Robinson, 58, went berserk and stabbed her in the neck, partially severing her head, police sources said.

The victim’s grandson, who was in the home, watched the horrific attack.

“It was gruesome,” said Lydon Laing, Hazel Robinson’s brother.

“He witnessed everything. She wasn’t a bad person. He turned out to be,” said the victim’s brother, Arthur Laing, 60.

“God will take care of him.” Ian Robinson was charged with murder and

Police at the crime scene Sunday.

Dead granny: Hazel Robinson, 51 criminal possession of a weapon late Sunday night.

Police said he had no prior arrests and that there had been no previous reports of domestic abuse at the couple’s home.

“She is a very hardworking person, very Christian-like,” Laing said of his sister, still referring to her

in the present tense.

Hazel Robinson worked at the Salvation Army in the Bronx, he said.

The couple wed about 12 years ago in their native

Guyana.

Before Sunday, there were no signs of trouble in the marriage, relatives said.

Hazel Robinson had an adult son from a previous

relationship and a four-yearold grandson, relatives said.

She was a devoted parishioner at the Christian Cultural Centre in East New York, Brooklyn.

“She loved her family,” said the victim’s cousin Claire Hodge, 65.

“She was very concerned about her husband — she took good care of him.”

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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

There is a need for talk Each sitting of Parliament seems beset by partisan issues to the extent that more often than not, the work of Parliament is stalled. One gets the impression that the government insists that it be allowed to operate as though it has a parliamentary majority; the opposition knowing that it has a one-seat majority; is bent on having the government realize that control rests with the opposition.

For as long as parliamentary democracy existed the government held sway once it had a majority in parliament.

Bills presented by the government side were passed sometimes without any change, despite presentations by the opposition for changes or modifications.

The conclusion is that, parliament has always been a sharply divided institution. On occasions when there was a ‘free vote’ in parliament the wider society then became sharply divided, putting brothers against brothers and sisters against sisters. For the first time in the history of the country the opposition commands the majority in parliament and it would seem as though there is payback. Change does not come easy. The ruling party saw the old system as fostering conventions. In fact, it insisted that these conventions and norms and practices be allowed to continue.

It is this desire to see a continuation of the old systems and practices that has led to the sharp divisions in the country. The first budget to be presented by the Donald Ramotar administration saw something that never happened in the history of Independent Guyana. There was the budget presentation, aspects of which did not find favour with the political opposition. The parliamentary opposition voted to cut votes and started a new chapter in the country’s history.

The courts eventually ruled that the job of preparing the budget was the government’s. The parliamentary opposition, therefore, has no power to cut. It could vote against the entire budget but it cannot vote selectively.

This is not likely to happen again, given the court ruling but one gets the distinct impression that the parliamentary opposition is waiting to pounce on anything that appears out of line. With its power, the opposition is effectively stymieing certain moves by the government. There is a close eye on money and even the most innocuous request attracts the eagle eye of financial analysts who focus on government spending. And this is to be expected. In the run up to the November 2011 elections, there were numerous reports of corruption. Guyana slipped on the international ladder that measures corruption—it is called a corruption index. The opposition zeroed in on this and as the representative of the larger section of the society, decided to question every expenditure. Certainly to a government not accustomed to answering questions about its financial dealings this was bound to create rancour. This rancour continues to this day and has spread to other areas of the national assembly.

But this need not be. Human communication is one of the greatest gifts of mankind. There is no problem that cannot be resolved by way of dialogue. In the past, issues were negotiated beforehand between the political parties, so that when they were taken to parliament there was often easy passage.

Today, the government says that it is committed to dialogue with the opposition. It says that it has attempted to resolve many of the burning issues with the various opposition groups but that every time an agreement was reached the opposition would back away from that agreement. Indeed, there have been many instances of such action but these should not lead to any attempt to halt dialogue.

Donald Ramotar initiated what has become known as the Inter Party Parliamentary talks. For more than a year these have not gone anywhere.

The meetings have been sporadic. Somebody does not have a commitment to dialogue.

We are certain that if a serious attempt is made to talk to each other the confusion that prevails in the National Assembly would be a thing of the past. Leaders must lead and not spend their time trying on one upsmanship.

Tuesday February 19, 2013

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

The Marriott issue has dire implications for local human development DEAR EDITOR, It is incumbent upon the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) to make known its views to President Ramotar ’s comments regarding the building of the Marriott Hotel. To the president’s claim that the issues surrounding Chinese workers constructing the Hotel are more political in nature rather than a genuine concern for Guyanese, he is right on the first count and dead wrong on the second.

Politics, if managed correctly, is about people and people’s development, impacting their lives positively or negatively - from the womb to the tomb, and any government (executive and legislature) upholding this principle would strive to ensure their actions are informed for the people’s wellbeing, herein underpinning “genuine concern”.

And it is behind this principled understanding the GTUC highlights the duplicity and inconsistency in the president’s statements.

The jobs of the president and legislature, which also comprises the executive, are secured from the standpoint that such positions, according to the Guyana Constitution, should only go to Guyanese. Were this position different, the president and all holding these titled positions would have been fighting, tooth and nail, to secure their right to

play a role in the nation/ people’s development. And with the electorate/worker (past, present and potential/ future) having so elected them to safeguard and advance their wellbeing, it follows that they have a responsibility to ensure that the citizens’ rights are protected and defended at all times. And where they fail to uphold this respect, it is incumbent upon the people to fight to secure it.

It requires strength to admit an error and correct it.

The deliberate outsourcing of jobs to foreigners and outside the ambit of CSME Free Movement of Skills, on the backs of taxpayers, when Guyanese are equipped to do these jobs, speaks to an abuse of authority and demonstration of the lack of concern/respect for the people whose dollars are funding the lifestyle of their elected officials and who ultimately will be saddled with the burden of repaying these loans.

This action does not constitute genuine concerns for Guyanese and the president is found wanting in this regard.

Regurgitating Winston Brassington’s wishy-washy statement that the use of Chinese labour was a costsaving strategy has no merit when a government has foremost responsibility to its citizens to ensure they engage in productive activities, one of which is to guarantee their right and duty

to work. And as fate would have it, Brassington’s statement is exposed for what it is, as the media made known that the concession to the contractor for a lower cost is not reflected in their contract which was made public by the government.

Somebody is taking the workers for granted and Labour is not happy about it.

For no government operating on behalf of the people and with genuine concern for their wellbeing will tell them you are taking their tax dollars to engage in projects, but you will not give them first preference to work. Further, to hear the President/Chief Public Servant tell the people, who are paying him, that jobs are available in other sectors, when the government is using their monies, demonstrates contempt for his employers (the workers of this country).

There can be no development without a human face and in this instance, the right of Guyanese to be employed.

Guyanese must be given priority to any job that entails them having to foot the bill.

An employed labour force contributes to personal and national development by: 1) putting people to work; 2) reducing unemployment; 3) alleviating poverty; 4) allowing opportunities for self-sufficiency and its attendant dignity; 5) workers providing for theirs and the families’ needs; 6) money reinvested in the community

and Treasury via the workers’ purchasing power and taxes; and 7) reduction in dependency and anti-social behaviours.

Behind this backdrop the GTUC reiterates its call on the Legislature, both the Leader of Government’s business in the House and the Leader of the Opposition, to give leadership to this society by: 1. Having this contract examined in the National Assembly with due respect that any act on behalf of the people be consistent with the Constitution, and in this instance a premier focus being Article 22 which guarantees “the right and the duty to work,” and 2. Create legislation to protect Guyanese labour with foreign companies and ensuring foreign contractors know English, the nation’s official language.

Exploring this avenue will give voice and respect to the people’s wellbeing by hearing from their elected representatives and having them vote (yes or no) for ensuring at all times the guarantee and protection of Guyanese labour.

This is a serious matter for Labour since it has dire implications for local human development and the Legislature (supreme organ of democratic power) will be held accountable for acting on the People’s behalf.

Lincoln Lewis General Secretary GTUC

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

Libel is difficult to prove in the U.S. DEAR EDITOR, Regarding your news item “Guyana Times Slapped with Lawsuit in N.Y” (KN Feb 18), such “libelous suits” are hardly won in court and even if they are won, the Supreme Court tends to overturn most of them.

American courts grant almost absolute freedom of expression, much to the consternation of the aggrieved. It is almost impossible to win a libel case in the U.S. In order to win a libelous suit, the plaintiff has to show that the defendant (publication) knowingly published false or incorrect information.

In other words, the plaintiff has to prove that the defendant knew beforehand that the information it would publish was patently false and proceeded to publish it anyway (and deliberately so) to tarnish the good name of the plaintiff. And even when it is proven that a publication knowingly published false information, cases have been thrown out or plaintiff awarded just a dollar, because the publication claims it was done by accident or without malice.

Mr. Rickford Burke, who I believe is a lawyer, the plaintiff, ought to know about

tough American conditions on libel. He claims that Guyana Times published news (which I did not see) on him with exceptional maliciousness and a premeditated intent to assassinate his character.

The fact that Burke says Guyana Times published the article with malice and premeditation does not necessarily make it as such. Burke has to prove that Guyana Times knew ahead of its publication that the news on him was false and that he was the victim of an identity theft.

Informing the newspaper of the incorrect information after its publication is not proving that the paper was libelous.

The paper is in the clear on that point as anyone who studies constitutional law would concur.

Also, calling for a retraction and the paper’s refusal to honour the request does not make the paper guilty of libel. American courts have ruled that a publication does not necessarily have to recant incorrect information, although that would be the right and fair thing to do because Burke is a victim of circumstance, not of his own doing.

A matter of inclination and personal choice DEAR EDITOR, Examining the question of what makes human beings tick - motivation – is always an interesting exercise and I found this so when reading a recent letter about racism in your column.

Not having read the two letters referred to in that letter, I cannot express a view about them. However, my husband and I are always discussing the difference between the Afro and Indian communities in the UK, as we see them. The Guyana scene seems much the same.

We see the differences as cultural rather than racial. It is a tradition handed down.

‘Afros’ seem to prefer safe white collar career jobs, with assured pensions at the end of their working lives, while Indians are Business-orientated and prefer to ‘work for themselves’. I agree that “the black minibus driver is just as hardworking as the Indian”, but who owns the minibus?

In the UK, Indians are helped to attain their goals with the encouragement and assistance of the extended family. And they have a clever way of getting there. Many of the younger generation

start out by working in British-owned supermarkets, learning from the bottom up, and then move on - either setting up their own businesses or initially joining the family in theirs.

Many family-owned Asian groceries are run on a 24-hour basis, family members working in shifts. I once saw a programme where the head of one such outfit explained that the family helpers are not paid a wage or salary, they just help themselves from the till whenever they need to pay for something! They trust one another absolutely, because the family as a whole stand to benefit.

My husband has many friends from India and Pakistan and they all tell him that they could never spend their entire lives working for someone else. His Afro friends, at the same time, now ‘rest’ quietly at home, enjoying occupational pensions. A matter of inclination and personal choice.

I think we are all aware of “the beauty, energy, intelligence, sportsmanship, etc. of fellow Guyanese”; no praying is required.

Geralda Dennison

The KN news item also reports that Guyana Times is the subject of “double jeopardy” meaning a lawsuit in Guyana and one in N.Y. Anyone who studies basic American law would know that only one court would hear the matter.

When it is called for a hearing in Guyana (and is likely to be called there first), the Guyana Times’ lawyers would point out that a lawsuit is pending in N.Y and move for a dismissal.

The judge would first

have to determine jurisdiction since the alleged libel info was disseminated in N.Y. With the parent company being in Guyana, it would appear there is jurisdiction.

But in all likelihood, the Guyana judge (elementary law) would ask the plaintiff to drop one of the suits – unless they are two completely different lawsuits.

But they would seem to be related and rooted as one lawsuit. The defendant would probably ask that the Guyana suit be thrown out and opt for

the N.Y trial, because a N.Y judge is likely to dismiss the lawsuit as frivolous and without basis – no evidence has been presented that Guyana Times acted with premeditated intent to tarnish Burke’s name.

All other comments about the Guyana Government, Office of the President, etc. are political propaganda and have no bearing on the facts of the case.

If the case is called for a court appearance in N.Y first, the judge would ask that it be

consolidated or ask the plaintiff to choose which court (Guyana or N.Y) it prefers.

It can’t be two courts for the same case or double jeopardy as KN calls it.

There are precedents for such rulings involving several cases that were brought in Jordan, Israel, Brazil, etc. and in the U.S., involving the same lawsuits in multiple locations.

The American judge dismissed them or asked the plaintiff to drop one.

Vishnu Bisram

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 19, 2013

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

The $13 billion ICT Project is shaping up to be a wasted opportunity DEAR EDITOR, It boggles the judicious mind when in an environment with such a high unemployment rate, (estimated at 18%) Mr. Alexei Ramotar, can make the thoughtless assertion that the use of a local workforce is delaying the government-led fibre optic project. This is like a carpenter blaming his tools and not his own skills.

The ICT Cable project is

shaping up to be a huge wasted opportunity. By the time it is completed, the technology could very well be obsolete and the taxpayers will still be saddled with G$13 billion in debt. How can the president live with all the blatant corruption around him and do nothing about it?

The issue with the failure of this project has very little to do with Guyanese workers, but more to do with the

Project Manager who is clearly way out of his depth to influence designs, costs and processes to yield timely deliverables and greater improvement in capital productivity.

It is clear he does not know how, when and where to apply techniques to close this Project because of his lack of experience.

It was Alexei Ramotar who said publicly in September

2011 that the cable would be tested in two weeks; it is now close to two years and no deliverables. It was Alexei Ramotar who said in February 2012 that testing of the cables will re-commence; one year has passed and again no results. So why should we believe Alexei Ramotar today?

He has established a track record of – “failure to deliver” and then has the gall to blame

the workers. This is the standard line of defence from the Stalinist playbook; they will blame everyone else but themselves. We have seen time and again where this regime has been placing square pegs in round holes and expect to get the job done correctly. This could only happen if they believe in miracles.

At least we can walk away with some modicum of truth from Dr Luncheon, when in September 2012, he revealed that there was “difficulty with the fibre optic cable”.

Regardless of this blunder, the taxpayers are still saddled with G$13 billion in debt. For what?

But in true Stalinist style of passing the buck, today we hear from none other than Alexei Ramotar that it is the fault of the Guyanese workers

why he has failed. But why did he hide the truth from the people; which remains - he is operating above his skill set.

This is a Project for a seasoned IT Project Professional who has the experience, knowledge and core skills to succeed.

Was it the 19th century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli who spoke of “Lies, damned lies, and statistics?” The nation is faced here with a damned lie that Guyanese workers are the cause for the failure of this ICT Cable Project and a new debt of G$13 billion and we shall not accept it.

How on earth can this type of gross incompetence from top to bottom in the ranks of the PPP, develop Guyana?

Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh

DEAR EDITOR, I read with interest the BBC story involving the German Education Minister who was forced to resign from her post after she was found guilty of plagiarism. Not only was she forced to resign her post but she was eventually stripped of her doctorate by her University.

And, not so long ago, another high-ranking Government Minister in Germany resigned after it was established that he plagiarized large parts of his doctoral thesis.

Plagiarism is a serious academic offence and constitutes a case of intellectual dishonesty thro u g h the unacknowledged borrowing of other people’s ideas and writings. Students, especially those at the tertiary level, should avoid the tendency to copy other people’s works and present them as something original. One of the hallmarks of good scholarship is originality of ideas and the ability to challenge basic assumptions of man and society, and come up with new and fresh perspectives.

Every year, thanks to the University of Guyana,

hundreds of Guyanese graduate with university degrees and diplomas are thrown into the labour market, unlike what obtained during our colonial past when only a privileged few were provided with the opportunity to study overseas at the degree level.

Those were the days of “doctor” politics when a university degree was seen as a status symbol and one of the criteria for high office, including political office.

This year will mark fifty years since the establishment of the University of Guyana, quite a significant milestone.

Thousands of Guyanese have since graduated from the University of Guyana and have at varying periods assumed leadership positions in government and the private sector.

It also should be noted if only for the records that the University of Guyana was established by the PPP Government in 1963 and was the brainchild of the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan. There were some who, mainly out of narrow partisan considerations, opposed the establishment of the university which was dubbed “Jagan Night School.”

Hydar Ally

Plagiarism is a serious academic offence

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

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St Margaret’s Primary launches investigation into pupil’s death ...as family members look for closure A post mortem examination conducted at the Woodlands Hospital on the remains of eight-year-old St Margaret’s Primary pupil, Joshua Orin Hubbard, yesterday revealed that blunt trauma to his neck was a significant contributing factor to his death.

According to the autopsy report, cerebral haemorrhage, which is bleeding around or within the brain itself, was the condition leading directly to death which was brought on by a fractured spine.

It is believed that the Grade Three Pupil sustained the fatal injury when he was pushed to the ground by a fellow pupil while at school on the afternoon of Thursday, February 14, 2013.

There are reports that the pupil who pushed him was first pushed by another before colliding with Joshua.

However all such allegations were yesterday emphatically dispelled by the school’s Head Teacher, Ms Georgiana Lewis, who said that not only was the incident not reported to the school on the day in question but that she was not even made aware of it until after the death of the child.

She added that on the day of the incident she was at an all-day workshop at the Cyril Potter College of Education.

She said that she only returned to normal school yesterday since she had been engaged in other warranted duties.

Lewis however disclosed that an investigation into the matter has been officially launched by the school. “I don’t have all the answers and I will not respond to anything until I know what really happened.”

She was adamant that had the child been seriously injured at school someone, even the parent, would have known that something was amiss early on. She said too that one pupil claimed to have seen the incident.

However, father of the deceased child, Orin Hubbard, argued yesterday that his son had suffered no injury before or after the incident at his school on Valentine’s Day. He believes that his son’s demise was a direct result of an attack by a school bully.

There are reports that the attacking pupil, also in Grade Three, had targeted Joshua in order to relieve him of a rose he (Joshua) had purchased for his mother, Annette Roxanne Hubbard, for Valentine’s Day. This version of the incident was corroborated by the senior Hubbard who while speaking to this publication yesterday said that his son

The dead child’s father, Orin Hubbard and aunt Ms Ann DeRouche

Shamaine Nurse (right) and Shemeka Hubbard await answers about their brother’s death. had not spent his allowance for the day in order to fulfil the loving gesture.

According to the man who is employed as a driver at the Windjammer Hotel he was on the day of the incident a bit late in picking up his son from school. He recalled that he dropped him off as usual in the morning but was tasked with transporting food at Parliament buildings the same afternoon since his employer is contracted to prepare meals for each parliamentary sitting.

“I couldn’t come and wait for him because I had food to deliver so after I deliver then I called him to see where he was and told him I am on my way.”

The man said that the first thing he observed when he picked up his son was that he had a rose that was damaged and immediately enquired about it. At this point the man said that his son informed him that another pupil had pushed him down for the rose.

Recognising the importance of the rose, Hubbard said that he helped his son to fix the rose but failed to ask him the name of the pupil who pushed him.

According to the man because of the late hour that he arrived for his son he was not able to report the incident to the school. The man recalled though that when he dropped his son home he played as though all was normal, did his home work and prepared his school books for the following day.

He then ate his dinner, took a bath and brushed his teeth, his father informed, even as he recounted that the child had also related the incident to his mother. “He told her too how this boy pushed him down at school but he didn’t say that he was feeling any pain...”

The man said that after making a drop at the airport he returned home around

02:00 hours the following day.

“When I reached home I hear my son hollering. I never hear me son holler so hard...never; he was crying for he head and belly and we decide to rub him with Limacol.”

The man said that both he and his wife prayed for the child and shortly after his eyes started to “turn-up.”

Assuming that the child was experiencing a seizure, the man said that he placed a finger into his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue.

The child’s condition did not improve and this led to the man requesting the assistance of one of his daughter ’s, Shameka Hubbard, who tested the child for a pulse and found none.

It was at this point the man said that he rushed the

child to the Woodland’s Hospital for medical attention where he was pronounced dead around 03:00 hours.

According to the man, he has since been advised to report the incident to the Alberttown Police Station to have the matter investigated.

According to the dead child’s eldest sister, Shamaine Nurse, while the intent is not to have anybody arrested or charged there is need for other parents to be aware of what transpired and more care and caution be taken in the school environment.

“We just need to know what happened...that is all we are trying to find out and nobody is telling us the facts,” complained Nurse.

The child’s aunt, Ms Ann DeRouche, who was also at the school, said that although nothing can be done to

change the outcome of the incident, she was, as at yesterday morning dissatisfied with the response that was forthcoming from the school.

She said that Joshua had on occasions informed one of his cousins that one of his classmates would usually bully him while at school but the teacher had never given heed to numerous complaints.

“The head teacher is not giving us any good response about this matter; it’s as if she is just trying to shade something...she is just negative,” DeRouche added.

Yesterday the head teacher met with the parents and pupils who were reportedly involved in the unfortunate incident. There are reports that she was also engaged in a meeting with officials from the Education

Dead: Joshua Hubbard Ministry.

Joshua who is the last of four children is expected to be buried on Friday. He was described by relatives as a very loving and jovial child who did not deserve such an abrupt halt to his life.

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Govt. retracts on CCTV broadcasting…

Chinese station needs no licence to broadcast - opposition demands truth Facing tough questions, Government yesterday made an about turn, retracting earlier statements and insisting that China Central Television (CCTV) does not need a licence to operate in Guyana; because it is utilizing a channel assigned to the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN).

According to Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, NCN is merely relaying a feed.

But the Parliamentary opposition, Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), both dismissed the explanations as being from a totally “confused” government that is now seeking to correct a gross mistake.

Since the Chinese stateowned television started to broadcast less than two weeks ago on Channel 27/ Cable 78, the whole issue of the granting of television and radio licences has sparked a hot debate with questions especially over the procedures followed.

With the formation of statutory Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) recently, that body has been requesting fresh applications to be submitted.

Previously, the National Frequency and Management Unit (NFMU) would grant application for frequencies.

With a number of applicants facing a further delay in the processing, the entire issue

has been sharply drawn into the spotlight.

Initially, Government said that the licence was as a result of an agreement done way back before the Jagdeo presidency.

However, government later said it was checking back its record to determine what transpired in the lead up to CCTV taking the air.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, had suggested that the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) would have handled the transaction.

Yesterday, in explaining CCTV’s presence in Guyana, Hinds acknowledged that questions were posed in the National Assembly by AFC Member of Parliament, Cathy Hughes, recently on licensing and were to be answered by Thursday. He also noted that APNU’s Joe Harmon had attempted to raise similar questions, but was disallowed by the Speaker as it was thought they were similar to Hughes’s.

He also made reference to statements of media personality, Kit Nascimento, who has been speaking and writing about the dangerous precedent being set and about Government breaking its own laws.

No licence “Well, Kit can put his concerns to rest: they arise from incorrect assumptions,” the PM said.

“CCTV has no licence to

PM Sam Hinds CCTV needs no licence to broadcast in Guyana, s ays PM Sam Hinds.

APNU’s Joe Harmon

AFC’s Cathy Hughes

broadcast in Guyana. The licensed broadcaster, National Communications Network (NCN) Inc., is relaying CCTV programmes for 18 hours or more, on one of its assigned channels. This

situation is very much similar to that which obtained when Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) programmes used to be relayed on one of the terrestrial television channels in Guyana. “ Hinds made it clear that when TBN-relayed broadcast programmes were discontinued, it was not on the basis of TBN being a foreign programme, but rather over a dispute over who had the rights to the television channel.

He said that CCTV is not broadcasting in Guyana – “it is not licensed and needs no licence. NCN is relaying a feed from CCTV, as other TV stations relay satellite-feeds of their choice, including CNNI, BBC, NBC, CBS, and CCTV…” The PM also argued that many are not aware that NCN for a number of years, has been airing CCTV content, in addition to CNN, BBC, NBC, CBS, HBO, Al Jazeera, and Russian programmes. It is a fact also that CCTV programmes are available on various cable packages in the U.S.A. and in most countries in the world.

“I, therefore, hope that it is now clear that CCTV is not, in itself, a licensed operator in Guyana.

CCTV

programmes are no more foreign propaganda than any other foreign-originated programmes relayed in Guyana, whether direct to a home-receiver from a satellite, like DIREC-TV or FOX, or a re-broadcast by a licensed, terrestrial (on-the-ground) broadcaster.”

The official said that the issue of CCTV coming here came up during discussions of the Guyana-China Joint Commission.

“This mutual desire was eventually formalized in an Agreement between the Governments of Guyana and China, in 2004. Under that agreement, China Radio and Television Corporation (CCTV) provides, to NCN, receiving and transmitting facilities which then become the property of NCN, after which, in negotiations on specific terms, NCN would rebroadcast specific programmes of CCTV over one of its (NCN’S) assigned channels.”

Hinds said it is a business arrangement of NCN, not unlike the arrangement under which TBN was relayed in Guyana.

“At that time, Channel 29/ Cable 80 was earmarked to NCN for part-use in rebroadcasting CCTV programmes, but when the Learning Channel came along in early 2011, NCN began utilizing that previously earmarked Channel for the Learning Channel.

Consequently, in 2012, when the re-broadcasts were to begin, Channel 27/Cable 78 was instead assigned as a substitute.” But both Harmon and Hughes were dismissive of the “excuse” by the PM. Suspending NCN “This is clearly a defence by the government in damage control mode and clearly shows an inept administration which has been unable to properly

handle the affairs of this government.”

Harmon said that his APNU was standing by the statements of Dr. Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, who recently said that instructions were given for NFMU to issue a frequency.

The MP also said that his recent questions to the National Assembly which were disallowed were based on the Broadcast Act which said that licencees have to be Guyanese or CARICOM citizens.

Regarding the statements by the PM that the CCTV deal was a business one with NCN, Harmon was convinced that the statements of government are clearly confusing as the entity does not have the authority to grant frequencies…rather that is the job of the NFMU. The MP said his party is now studying the issue to determine whether NCN as a licence holder may have breached the broadcast regulations.

“We will be moving to even have NCN’s licence suspended if it is found that they breached the Broadcast Act by giving out this channel.” According to AFC’s Hughes, from what Government is saying, it is clear that it gave itself three channels. “I am horrified that the state took it to grant itself three channels. The fact is, when NCN was allocated the channels, the conditions would have made it clear what they were for.”

She too said that the government’s story kept changing.

First, it was NCN’s head, Michael Gordon, who said that the entity’s responsibility to CCTV had to do with sanitary and maintenance.

“Now we are hearing that they are broadcasting.

What is the truth? We have Transport Minister Benn, Mr. Gordon, the Prime Minister, and Dr. Luncheon all saying different things…what is the truth?”

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 9

THE CONSTITUTION OF GUYANA IS NOT A PPP CREATION It is true that the PPPC has described the present Constitution of Guyana as one of the most advanced in the Caribbean by virtue of the many provisions that allow for greater political inclusiveness.

However, this inclusiveness does not go as far as power sharing in the sense that the opposition parties now want. It must be recalled that at the time of the Herdmanston Accord which led to the reforms of the Constitution, the then opposition leader, Mr. Desmond Hoyte was not yet a convert of power-sharing.

The provision within the present Constitution allows for greater oversight by parliament, for certain appointments to require consultations with the opposition leader and others for there to be agreement.

The amendments also allowed for the establishment of a number of previously non- existent commissions.

The powers of the Executive President were also pared.

The Constitution now allows for a no-confidence motion to trigger the dissolution of parliament without the President having the option of dissolving parliament before any such motion is heard. Some of the powers of the President have been reduced.

A number of other changes were enacted to the 1980 Constitution. These have allowed the PPPC to claim that the present Constitution is one of the most progressive in the Caribbean. However, the fact that the PPPC can make such a boast does not in any event make the Constitution of Guyana a PPP Constitution.

No Sir! It does not!

The Burnham touch is still very much in evident. What we have is not a PPP constitution but an amended 1980 Constitution whose skeletal features are still very much Burnhamite in nature.

The Executive presidency has not been dismantled. The provision that was part of the 1980 Constitution that allows the party with the most votes to secure the Presidency still remains intact. The powers of the President though pared remain powerful. The Head of State is still Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

The present Constitution is not a PPP Constitution because the PPP did not have its own way with the Constitutional Reform Process; it had to deal with the PNCR and with the other forces.

The PPP did not recreate a new Constitution. The reform process, instead, involved amendments to the 1980 Constitution,

Dem boys seh...

Foreigners better than local workers Every politician, when dem tek de taxpayers’ money and travel overseas fuh sport or because dem bored, does try fuh let people believe that dem doing de country a favour. If dem go to New York, dem does meet wid Guyanese who live over there.

If dem go to Canada, is de same thing and if dem go to de islands is de same tune dem singing. Come home because de country needs you.

Burnham used to do it and Hoyte continue. Papa Cheddi do de same thing and then Bharrat start fuh sing de same song. Dem boys hear when de lady Carolyn go to de Islands and tell dem Guyanese to come home because Guyana got wuk fuh dem.

One man pack up he bag and come home wid he trowel, he measuring tape, he seal, he float and all he mason tools. He didn’t know that Carolyn was telling he to come home to protest outside de Marriott.

De man come home but he couldn’t get no wuk because nuff foreigners come home. When he talk de Labour people tell he that he miss out by a pinch, that de last people who come and get de wuk travel all de way from China.

De other morning de man pack up he tools and before he wife wake he tun up at de Marriott. He couldn’t go in suh he start to protest. This time Carolyn gone to Haiti fuh beg more Guyanese to come home.

De man write a letter demanding he airfare fuh go back and is then de trouble start. Couple Minister announce that Guyanese lazy and how dem Chinese people seh that if dem employ Guyanese de wuk gun tek a year and a day.

But is when a Minister seh that all dem local contractor would hire foreigners if dem get a chance dem and all would employ sheer foreigners. That is de greatest eyepass; that is wha dem boys seh.

Now that Guyanese know that dem can’t get wuk all of dem going to dem embassy fuh get a visa. Is now Guyana gun empty.

Talk half and watch how de passport office gun full up again.

amendments that were significant but not deep or sweeping enough to dislodge the backbone of the 1980 document.

As such, the present Constitution cannot be labeled a PPP Constitution.

The PPP did not have the freedom to remake the Constitution as Burnham had in 1980.

The PPP did not have a two-thirds majority to amend the Constitution in the way it may have wanted, not that it may have wanted to touch certain of the highly criticized provisions of the 1980 document.

Burnham, on the other hand, was able to table a new Constitution which was drafted by a Constituent Assembly that was the product of a fraudulent referendum. Burnham thus had his own way with the 1980 Constitution which made

him the supreme Emperor of Guyana.

This 1980 Constitution satisfied Burnham’s ambitions for absolute power.

It also created a number of organs that were consistent with a socialist political system modeled after the Cuban system and a presidency that was patterned after the Presidency of Zambia.

The PNCR was never, in the Constitutional Reform Process, going to give the PPP a blank cheque to dismantle the foundations of the Constitution that was created by its founder-leader Forbes Burnham.

It was not going to delete some of the socialist rights such as the right to work.

Incidentally there is now the right to leisure.

To dismantle these social and economic rights would have been an insult to Forbes

Burnham. The PNCR was never going to hand to the Constitutional Reform Process its support to dismantle the constitutional framework that was the handiwork of Forbes Burnham.

Yeah, the PPP is comfortable with the new Constitution. The party was, in fact, very comfortable with the powers of the Presidency of the 1980 document to the point of arguing that the PPP holding these powers was not the same as the PNC holding them.

The PPP lacked a twothirds majority in parliament to change the 1980 Constitution. The demands of economic reconstruction were so great that they had not the time to delve into contemplating a referendum so that they could gain the majority to change the Constitution. Constitutional

reform was never their priority until the Herdmanston Accord.

The PPP is now accusing the opposition of resorting to a simple parliamentary majority to change the Constitution.

The Constitution is quite explicit on how certain Articles of the Constitution are to be amended and it would be unlawful for the President to assent to any amendment however progressive it is, if that amendment, is not carried by a requisite majority as dictated by the Constitution.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 19, 2013

=== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ===

When dishonesty makes you sick In 2006, an academic from India, Suresh Pillai, came to Guyana to research the East Indians in Guyana. The result was a monograph titled, “Silenced Majority.” Pillai wrote in his conclusion on page 104, “In Guyana, most of the major private sector business (sic) is controlled and administered by Portuguese, Chinese and Europeans. Indians control is restricted to some visible areas such as petty trading…”

On page 105, the last page, Pillai boldly asserted in the opening paragraph that; “Indo-Guyanese do not have an effective voice in Guyana.”

This is not just scholarly dishonesty.

This is downright dishonesty of the worst kind. “Silenced Majority” is one of the most racist assessments ever to come out of this country. As an academic, it is in the interest of history to discuss the paper but I was so sickened so I will confine myself with a broad, brief description. The entire body of the research is the painting of violence by African Guyanese against Indians out of the instinctive desire of African Guyanese to rid Guyana of Indians.

I chose to bring up a discussion of Pillai’s paper

because last week in Parliament, Juan Edghill proclaimed that certain opposition politicians tried to undermine the independence of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). The ERC was never independent. It was most shamelessly a stooge of centralized power.

The Pillai research was one of the most egregious examples of the ERC not only remaining silent on racism that emanated from the halls of government but actually encouraged it through its association with Pillai when he was in Guyana in 2006.

The ERC refused to review Pillai’s research findings

(which were blatantly fictional) because at the time Pillai was a guest of the Office of the President.

Pillai, who is a very close friend of David Dabydeen, was facilitated in his research by the Government of Guyana. While in Guyana, he had the benefit of the words of Ravi Dev on ethnic relations. Pillai also spoke at length with Prem Misir. It was with a government vehicle that he was transported to Annandale to interview what he termed “Indian victims of African violence.”

I guess all Guyanese would know who accompanied Pillai to

Annandale – the Americanbased Guyanese school teacher who spends all his time going around the world saying he is doing polls instead of teaching – So was he ever a teacher?

The ERC did not want to touch Pillai’s racist propaganda because the ERC knew that while in Guyana, Pillai was the honoured guest of the princes at Freedom House. What was sickening to note was that after completion of his paper, Pillai circulated draft copies to members of the government and their so-called academics and none saw it fit to correct his bizarre, immoral pronouncements on the ethnic content in the ownership of private businesses in Guyana.

They did not want to because it suited their racial agenda.

What was most diabolic was that at the time, the ERC was prepared to confront Kean Gibson on her book, “The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana” (which is far a more scholarly work than Pillai’s) I disagreed at the time with her Hindu conspiracy theory inside the PPP because it overlooked the role of non-Hindus in the PPP who were just as vicious and powerful as the Hindus in the PPP. I believe research would show that the most repressive, Stalinist and irrational powerhouses in the PPP past and present were non-Hindus. While she was alive, Mrs Jagan together with Clinton Collymore, Gail Teixeira, Feroze Mohamed, Roger Luncheon, Clement

Frederick Kissoon Rohee, Bheri Ramsaran (not a practicing Hindu) among others were the persons who made decisions that affected the totality of everything in Guyana.

In fact, the most powerful Hindu personality in the PPP from the seventies until 1999 was the least influential and did not throw his weight around or even try to shape party and governmental policies – Reepu Daman Persaud.

Persaud was simply never interested in the more complex issues of party politics and governmental directions.

Such was his nature. My contention in reviewing Gibson’s book was that her emphasis on an anti-African Hindu conspiracy in the PPP had obfuscated the real evil people in the PPP. For me this was a scholarly fault. It would have been best if Gibson had stuck to the binary of ethnic preference and ethnic discrimination which is the methodology I used in my monograph, “Ethnic Power and Ideological Racism: Comparing Presidencies in Guyanese history,” and which forms the basis of my defence in Jagdeo’s libel against me. As for Gibson’s adumbration that Hindu religious texts are racist, I have no problem with that.

Pomeroon accident boat captain for April 8 PI The case involving Hytilall Ramandahin, the Pomeroon boat river accident driver, has been fixed for March 4. The witness failed to attend court yesterday.

Magistrate Sunil Scarce reminded 58-year-old Hytilall Ramandahin that the court was not inclined to start the Preliminary Inquiry into his matter until April 8. He added that Ramandahin can seek his own representation by hiring a lawyer.

Latch Dindyal, who represented Ramandahin on both previous occasions, requested that his name be withdrawn from the matter, since the Region Two Administration has since appointed an attorney to represent Ramandahin.

After being in custody for the stipulated 72 hours, Ramandahin was released on $20.000 station bail.

On December 18, last, Ramandahin, of Adams Creek, Upper Pomeroon River, while piloting a boat belonging to the Region Two Administration allegedly caused the deaths of Harrinarine Bhagwandeen the other boat captain; ,Zelda Rodrigues, Shawn Anthony, Rajkumar Singh, Amerita Singh, 10, and Vincent Singh, 42.

In a release, the police stated that six of the seven persons that were traveling to Siriki in Bhagwandeen’s boat died as a result of a collision with Ramandahin’s vessel.

The lone survivor in the Pomeroon boat accident, Ornan Rodrigues, is in his uncle’s care. Lythe said that the 12-year-old is complaining of pains in his head. Arrangements are in place to take him to the city to undergo a head scan.

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Tourism Ministry launches Float Parade Costume Band The Tourism Ministry launched its Mashramani Float Parade Costume Band yesterday at the National Exhibition Centre (Main Auditorium), Sophia.

The Tourism Ministry is taking the Mashramani Celebrations up a notch by hosting a Pre Mash Street Jam -”Masharama” on Friday.

Mashramani 2013 will be celebrated under the theme ‘Reflecting Creativity, Embracing Diversity’.

Minister of Tourism (ag) Irfaan Ali said the tourism products will show the rich and diversified culture of Guyanese. He said the nature-based tourism product and architectural history will be represented in the Tourism Ministry’s float.

“Our float will showcase the blended strength of our tourism products, and to build a brand around it, so it will be able to take off next year…we have also added another feature to the Ministry of Tourism, because we believe we must have a number of activities surrounding Mashramani.”

Explaining the reason for the street jam, Minister in

charge of the sector, Irfaan Ali, explained that the event was conceptualized as part of the plan to attract more persons for the upcoming

Mashramani celebrations and to magnify the significance of the occasion.

With the overall aim of making this year’s event an

even more exciting and memorable one, the Ministry is currently finalizing arrangements to host a Brazilian Samba Band, slated

Approximately 1:30 hrs Monday morning fire destroyed a section of the newly renovated Moleson Creek Police Outpost.

Fire tenders from Skeldon Fire Station received a call from an unknown person and

responded promptly, thus preventing total destruction of the building.

Sources revealed that the fire is suspected to be of electrical origin since it started as soon as current was restored after an outage early

Sunday night. The fire started from the refrigerator.

The Moleson Creek Police Outpost is situated a stone’s throw away from the Canawaima Ferry Terminal from which MV Canawaima transports people to

neighbouring Suriname. The compound also has four houses used as dwelling quarters for authorities of the ferry service.

The blaze damaged the ceiling and cracked the walls of the building.

The Tourism Ministry’s Mashramani Float Parade Costume Band.

Fire destroys police station

to rouse revelers with live stage performances on the eve of Mashramani.

This massive ‘street fete’ will be staged in the vicinity

of the Housing Ministry, on Brickdam, and will include performances from Soca Monarch Finalists, as they prepare the masses to usher in the 43rd Republic Anniversary the following day. Spectators will also get a sneak peek of popular Band Costumes.

On the big day, the Ministry will then lead a parade of 100-strong to compete in the medium category float competition; this will be followed by the Brazilian Samba Group with an anticipated 1000 party followers accompanying them to the National Park.

According to Minister Ali, the Ministry’s plans for this year ’s Mashramani Celebrations are centered on meeting the needs of all visitors, particularly those from neighbouring countries and exposing visitors to Guyana’s diverse culture.

“This will be utilized as the vehicle through which we can attract an average of 400 tourists. We are working with the state of Roraima in Brazil and tourism agencies within the State to promote and sell packages,” Ali explained.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Marriott Hotel is a complete sellout – Christopher Ram The former Bharrat Jagdeo government handed the Chinese firm a Marriott Hotel project that essentially sold Guyana and its soul, chartered accountant and attorney, Christopher Ram, has said. “…The contract for the construction of the so-called Marriott Hotel involves selling out Guyana and its soul,” Ram wrote in his Business Week column of the Stabroek News. The deal smacks of contempt and lawlessness, he added.

Ram described the project as a “scheme” that was conceived by Jagdeo after one of his friends failed to buy the Pegasus Hotel. The deal to build the Marriott was facilitated by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, and Chief Executive Officer of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington, he said.

Ram grouped the Marriott deal in the same bracket as other projects in which public assets were sold under very questionable circumstances and to questionable people.

Ram pointed to illegal concessions granted to Jagdeo’s best friend Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop, the award of large swathes of forest to Vaitarna of India, and

Winston Brassington

Christoher Ram

Bharrat Jagdeo

the secret transaction to borrow billions of dollars from the Chinese to build a new airport.

He said that the Marriott project resembles the misdeeds of the Queens Atlantic mess, and the wrong doings of the Vaitarna and airport expansion transactions.

Ram pointed to the role of Brassington, the sole director of Atlantic Hotel Inc (AHI) and Ms Marcia NadirSharma, the company’s corporate secretary and inhouse attorney.

AHI is an offshoot of NICIL which was created specially to build the Marriott.

“It is their hands and signatures that adorn many of

the Marriott documents in which Guyana has relinquished sovereignty to the Chinese,” Ram declared of Brassington and NadirSharma. Ram pointed out that it is Brassington who signed every agreement with the Chinese company, Shanghai Construction Company, through its Trinidad and Tobago subsidiary, for the construction of the hotel.

In an October 1, 2011 correspondence Brassington sent to SCG, the Chinese company was asked to agree to a Design-Build Contract for the precise sum of US$50,918,112.89.

The Chinese company signed a document saying that it had submitted a tender of US$65 million based on an

original design; but that the amount was considerably above the $41 million budgeted cost for the

construction.

SCG was allowed to modify its bid, lowering the cost by US$14 million in exchange for several bargains. As a result, Ram suggested that the Chinese company is exempted from paying all taxes; that it brings in any workers it wants.

Further, he said that Brassington agreed that the Chinese company would not have to hand in an Advance Payment and that it be shielded from arrangements for Claims, Disputes and Arbitrations. “The result is a complete sell-out of every principle that served Guyana’s interest, an agreement that was re-written

by SCG for SCG. And Mr Brassington agreed,” Ram declared. In return, he said all SCG was required to do was assist AHI to secure funding for the project of US$30 million. So far, the government has handed the Chinese company $2 billion in taxpayers’ money, and is yet to say who the investors are, if any. The government is also refusing to disclose any study which shows the project to be feasible. Industry sources have claimed that there is no justification for building a project of this magnitude, with politicians arguing that the money would have been best spent on badly needed projects.

Senior citizen remanded on murder charge

Donald Mopp, a 70-yearold man was yesterday placed before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry on an allegation of murder.

Mopp , of Tucville, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court charged with the murder of 33-year- old Winsel Robert Edwards. The charge read that on February 15 at Tucville, Georgetown, Mopp murdered Edwards.

The elderly man was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

The prosecution stated that the accused and the deceased were known to each other, and that on the day in question the two were consuming alcoholic beverages at “Stretchy’s Shop” in Tucville. The men were calling each other names and the accused became highly annoyed.

The teasing intensified and the accused left the shop.

He returned some time later

with a knife and stabbed the man in his chest.

Winsel Roger Edwards, also called “Buck” of 320 SelfHelp Square, East Ruimveldt, was reportedly stabbed once in the vicinity of his heart. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Edwards was employed at a bicycle repair shop up until the time of his death.

Newspaper reports stated that the elderly man walked up to Edwards, hugged him and stabbed him. Mopp was later taken into police custody. He will reappear in court on March 8 for his next court hearing.

New York (NorthJersey.com) - A New York woman is claiming in a federal lawsuit that Englewood Cliffs police ignored her report of being held in a borough couple’s home as a sex slave for a decade, starting when she was a teenager.

Bibi Khan, formerly known as Theresa Williams, filed the suit in December, saying police failed to investigate her complaint after they arrested her in December 2010 on charges of extorting money from the widow of the man she accused of sexual abuse.

Khan’s lawsuit names the borough, its Police Department and nine members of the force, including Chief Michael Cioffi.

Cioffi said of the suit: “Anyone can accuse anyone of anything. The fact of the matter is: Prove it.” He expressed frustration that he could not comment on the details of the litigation.

Khan pleaded guilty to lesser charges in June 2011 and served four months in jail before being released on parole. Her attorney, Moses Rambarran, said another lawyer had persuaded her to admit to a crime she didn’t commit. “The simple straightforward, meaningful look at the evidence would have exonerated her and would have exposed a decade-long child enslavement and sexual abuse in the pristine community of Englewood Cliffs,” Rambarran said in a statement.

Khan, an immigrant from

Guyana who began living with the couple when she was 14, is now facing deportation, Rambarran said.

In December 2010, Cioffi told the media that Khan (then Williams) and an accomplice had gone to an elderly woman’s home and threatened to release compromising audio and video of a family member if the woman didn’t hand over $500,000.

According to the lawsuit, the woman’s husband had sexually abused Khan since she began living with them.

Rambarran said the husband made a deathbed confession and handed over videotapes of sexual liaisons to Khan. Shortly afterward, the attorney said, Khan was wrongly accused of extortion.

Murder accused Donald Mopp

Guyanese woman sues Jersey police for ignoring sex slavery

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Teixeira says Marriott protest stinks of racism

“right” of investors to bring in their workers.

In the case of the Marriott, the government has failed to attract any investors, and has been using taxpayers’ money to fund the construction of the hotel.

Teixeira said that the PPP government is working class, and that means protecting local and foreign workers.

But she said that in the negotiations to bring in workers, this is discussed in terms of what categories of workers are available locally. The company still has to “justify each case.”

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, speaking at the same press conference, also weighed in on the issue, saying that with hundreds of thousands of Guyanese working in all parts of the world, Guyana cannot “afford” to take the kind of position as the protest against the Marriott.

“We have always been a hospitable country and one that has had an open and friendly immigration policy,” Teixeira stated.

But the statement of Teixeira was not met kindly by Joseph Harmon, a Member of

Parliament for A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) who said it is clear that the government is attempting to “swing” the issue into a racist one. “What is clear, and that is what we have been saying, is that the government did a bad deal on Marriott.

This entire deal needs reviewing. It is wrong and atrocious to put a spin on it this way.”

The construction of the Marriott hotel without any Guyanese workers is an “atrocity” that must be stopped, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) declared last week.

The TUC said that the Marriott construction contract violates the constitution which guarantees Guyanese the right to work.

“The constitution says that you have a right to work; you can’t go and sign an agreement and say you are giving away my right to work in this country to somebody else,” the GTUC stated.

In late 2011, former President Bharrat Jagdeo officially turned the sod for the construction of the hotel with the promise that the project would create

hundreds of jobs in the construction phase, and beyond, when it becomes operational.

The government has said that it bargained with the Chinese contractor to lower its construction cost by US$9 million in exchange for freedom to choose its own workers, and so the Chinese workers were brought in.

The government also argued that employing a Chinese workforce was a better guarantee for construction at the rate the company would want.

According to the Guyana Trades Unions Congress, this is the same as saying that Guyanese workers are lazy and it also gives the Chinese company the go ahead to employ foreign workers and flout the labour laws of this country.

The g o v e r n m e n t ’s claim that the language barrier was one of the reasons the Chinese firm hired Chinese workers makes no sense to the Trades Union Congress. It said that any contract entered into force should have the criteria of language compatibility to cater for the Guyanese workforce, so there should be no excuse for shutting out local labour.

The only money so far being put into the Marriott project has come out of the public coffers, some $2 billion of it has already been handed over to the contractors and there is no sign of the investors the government talks about.

Private investors are expected to contribute US$27 million, but even the low end of the operations is posing a headache since the government is busy trying to prove that the project is feasible.

Repeated advertisements for investors in the restaurant, casino and nightclub have had no takers.

A 47-year-old bike repairman was shot in the right thigh around 20:00 hrs yesterday, allegedly during an altercation with a policeman in the notorious ‘Globe Yard’ in Waterloo Street.

Police said that Philip Small, called ‘Skinny’, of Lot 283 Waterloo Street, was wounded when he attacked a Tactical Services Unit rank, but close friends of the wounded man are disputing this claim.

According to police sources, two TSU ranks on motorcycles were patrolling near waterloo Street when they observed a man acting suspiciously. They alleged

that the man then entered the ‘Globe Yard’ and the policemen decided to follow him.

The police claim that when the ranks entered the yard, Small attempted to prevent one of the policemen from apprehending the man they were about to question.

It is alleged that a scuffle ensued between Small and one of the policemen, during which the repairman attempted to stab the rank with a pair of scissors.

However, fortunately for the rank, the scissors did not pierce the policeman’s bulletproof vest.

The police sources claim

that the rank then shot Small in the right thigh. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where his condition was listed as stable.

Disputing the police version of events, two Waterloo Street residents claimed that the police ranks entered the yard, went directly to Small, and one of them then shot him.

They claimed that the ranks then proceeded to kick the wounded man after he had collapsed.

They said that many police ranks are familiar with Small, since he has often repaired their motorcycles.

…says not enough workers here to complete projects The protest against the Marriott Hotel project smells “stink of racism,” Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira said yesterday.

Guyana has never seen the level “of what I call racism against a particular ethnic group and a particular nationality in this country,” Teixeira said at a press conference by the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

The government has sought to justify the importation of Chinese workers to build the Marriott Hotel, saying that enough skilled workers were not available here and that the Chinese labour was thought more suited to complete the project in the time the Chinese contractor wants.

Teixeira, speaking at the PPP’s Freedom House Headquarters, yesterday, said that even Guyanese contractors have been complaining of not having a reliable number of semi-skilled workers, such as masons, plumbers, painters and electricians.

She said that having nonGuyanese workers on

projects here is nothing new.

She pointed to the start of operations by the Barama Company Limited, when mainly Asian workers were employed.

However, before it went into operation Barama employed a number of Guyanese, first to construct the residences and the factory, then to harvest the logs and later to work in the factory.

In building the cricket stadium at Providence, she said that Indian workers were brought in under agreements with India which was financing the loan.

Again there were Guyanese to aid in the construction and to work on the ground and surroundings.

Teixeira said that the construction of the Guyana International Conference Centre and the Skeldon Sugar Estate were also done with a mostly foreign labour force.

“You’re behaving as if this is the first time,” she declared yesterday. However, in every case there was Guyanese labour from the inception.

Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira whispers to Attorney General Anil Nandlall at a press conference yesterday.

She said that currently in Guyana, there are Canadian, Russian and even Guyanese companies who employ foreigners. None has a 100 per cent foreign labour force.

She said that in signing bilateral agreements, foreign governments would ask for the employment of their workers, and in the case of investors, they will request to bring a certain number of workers and the government goes through with it.

She said that it is the

Cops shoot bike repairman in Globe Yard

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 15

Guyanese woman’s body UNICEF supporting Govt washes up on NY beach to address gang violence The decomposed body of a Guyanese woman identified as Marisha Cheong, who resided in Jamaica, New York, was washed ashore on a beach at Breezy Point, Queens New York on Saturday evening last.

Kaieteur News understands that Cheong, 24, who was last seen on December 19, was found clad in the same clothes she was wearing at the time of her disappearance.

The beach on which the Guyana-born woman was found, is located some 15 miles from where she lived with her reputed husband identified, as L.J Balkaran.

State Authorities had told US media operatives that there were signs of trauma on Cheong’s body, but the decomposition was so advanced that it isn’t clear if it indicates foul play.

Kaieteur News understands that Cheong’s hands may have been bound when she went into the water.

The cause of death remains a mystery, and officials say it could take several weeks for the medical examiner to make a determination.

Cheong’s disappearance touched off months of searching and her family and friends insisted that she hadn’t just run away.

The young woman had gone missing following an argument with her reputed husband who had told relatives that they had an

Marisha Cheong argument. She was never seen or heard from since then.

The reputed husband also told New York media that he had a text argument t he same day she went missing but he had nothing to do with her disappearance.

Balkaran said that he was supposed to pick her up at a Forest Hills subway station on December 19, but she never showed up.

However, word is that Balkaran was taken into custody as the investigation has now become a homicide probe.

The suspect is said to be a delivery truck driver who freelanced in the film industry.

The relatives said that the deceased had been making moves to sever ties with the now suspect.

Bibi Khan, mother of the deceased, had told CBS2 News in New York that the family had ‘no Christmas, no

New Year as they prayed for her safe return.

Khan said that she spoke with her daughter on a daily basis and is devastated that her daughter has been found dead.

A Facebook page had been set up to help find Cheong and a US$5000 reward was offered for her safe return.

Authorities had been looking for leads outside the area, but Cheong’s remains were found just offshore over the weekend.

Cheong’s mother Bibi said, “I’m heartbroken. I don’t want to believe it’s true.”

Khan said she identified clothing and jewelry that belonged to her daughter on Saturday night.

As Khan now tries to figure out what happened to her daughter, she says she’s haunted by a text message she received right before her daughter’s disappearance. “‘Mom I’m fine I just need a little time to think.’ She don’t usually talk like that; she usually says mommy,” Khan told Aiello last month.

Jenny Persaud, the best friend of the deceased, told US media that it wasn’t like her friend to just disappear.

“She would never put us through that.”

Also, she said that usually Cheong would call her but on the day of her disappearance, “she just text, which is really odd.”

Cheong would have been celebrating her 25 th birth anniversary on March 14.

The incidence of violence, particularly among youths in the school system, has taken on unprecedented proportions, and there is an urgent need for this state of affairs to be addressed.

At least this is according to the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF’)s Guyana and Suriname Representative, Dr Suleiman Braimoh, who during an interview with this publication, expressed concern about the development.

However, he cautioned that the situation of gang violence for instance in schools is certainly not one that exists in isolation.

According to him it is part of a whole context of violence in general which encompasses domestic violence, violence in the streets and other types of prevailing forms of violence in the society.

However, since UNICEF’s operates with the interest of children in mind, Dr Braimoh said that the UN body is very keen in directing support to help Government address issues of violence as it relates to children and their existence.

“That is what we are really doing...At this point in time we are carrying out assessments to really develop stronger understanding of the whole issue to be able to support the Government,” said Dr Braimoh.

He said that UNICEF has

Dr Suleiman Braimoh been working with the Ministry of Education even as he noted that “it is not just an education thing. We are working with the Ministry of Education and we are working with the Ministry of Human Services too.”

He explained that what has been happening in recent times “given the fact that this is really something that is taking on unprecedented proportions...is that we are developing stronger and better understanding of the social origin or the whole social complex surrounding the origin of violence, and based on that we are designing programmes to support the Government’s

effort,” said the UNICEF Representative.

According to former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan in a World report on Violence Against Children, violence cuts across boundaries of geography, race, class, religion and culture and is known to occur in homes, schools and streets; in places of work and entertainment, and in care and detention centres.

Perpetrators, he said, could include parents, family members, teachers, caretakers, law enforcement authorities and other children.

He added too, that some children are particularly vulnerable because of gender, race, ethnic origin, disability or social status. And no country, according to him, is immune, whether rich or poor.

Moreover, the consequences of violence can be devastating. Above all, it can result in early death.

But even children who survive must cope with terrible physical and emotional scars. “Indeed, violence places at risk not only their health, but also their ability to learn and grow into adults who can create sound families and communities.”

Violence against children is thus a major threat to global development and the efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals, said Annan who added that “we will not achieve universal primary education unless children are safe in school.”

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Festival City gets help with ‘Community Centre’ initiative -some $10M being spent Habitat for Humanity and Builders Beyond Borders have joined forces with the Festival City Youth and Parent Group, to help build a much-needed community centre.

According to Chairman, Richard Taylor, youths in the community needed somewhere they can use for recreational purposes.

He said that they started that with the intention of bringing the community back to its former glory.

Festival City was the founding community where “Carifesta” was launched.

Taylor said that they garnered support from Habitat for Humanity. From there they linked them with B3, who are planning to come to Guyana to help with several projects.

He said that they were successful and were chosen as one of the communities that B3 would help. He said that Habitat for Humanity will do the foundation and B3 will do the building at a cost of about $10M. He added that the community centre is just one phase of the development plan for the community. He said that there are plans for a basketball tarmac and football field to be added to the massive land space behind the community centre.

Yesterday at the worksite, the foundation was complete; several columns for the building were up. Works were already being started on the

walls for the building.

One of the volunteers from B3, Caroline Cannon, 16, who is from Connecticut, told Kaieteur News that she was extremely happy to be working with the project. This would be Ms Cannon’s third year as a volunteer. Cannon said that it gives her much pride when she volunteers with people around the world.

B3 began in 1993 as a small group of 29 students known as Kingdom Builders led by Jeri and John Skinner.

By 2001, the organization became known officially as Builders Beyond Borders, receiving its 501 (c) (3) not for profit status the following year.

At this time, the organization, with its newly formed Board of Directors, made the decision to focus on both local and global community service projects.

In 2007, the Skinners retired from B3 after seeing it grow to include more than 300 students from 20 area high schools.

Today, B3 continues to work locally and globally contributing over 20,000 hours of service each year through its student and adult efforts.

Builders Beyond Borders has worked with communities to build much needed projects in Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, and Tobago.

B3 volunteers and festival city residents yesterday at the worksite

$100,000 bail for drug possession accused Vernon Shincroft, of Lot 122 Uitvlugt Pasture, West Coast Demerara, has been charged with possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking and being in possession of utensil used for smoking cocaine.

He appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The allegation is that on Friday last the accused had 12 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

He is also accused of having a utensil used for smoking cocaine. Shincroft admitted to both offences.

However, the man explained that he only had three grams of the illegal

substance in his possession.

He also told the court that some extra drugs were found in a nearby gutter when police conducted a raid in the area.

“I had three grams of weed on me but when de police carry me at the station dey say that I had 12 grams, but I see when dey de find some in the gutter and they ain’t got nobody to pin it on so dey say is me own.”

Shincroft further told the court that he had been previously charged for possession of illegal substances but that the matter was dismissed. The prosecution did not object to bail.

The defendant is scheduled to return to court on March 12.

The group of B3 volunteers yesterday

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Canadian company introduces mercury-free gold mining technology

This large part of the apparatus removes larger unwanted materials In Guyana’s quest to become a “greener” economy, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, yesterday welcomed the introduction of new technology which abandons the use of the harmful element, mercury, in the gold mining sector.

With the help of Canadian firm, Mulgravisan Ventures (Guyana) Inc., this might very well be possible as the company’s Chief Operations Officer; Vern Matkovich promoted a three-piece machinery that separates unwanted materials from the precious metal.

Matkovich said that his company had brought the New Zealand-originated machinery to be used by the firm in Guyana. He said that he felt that the technology would be applicable to local mining since the machine “offers an efficient way of recovering gold and also offers a mining method that doesn’t involve the use of mercury.”

Matkovich described the apparatus as a screening plant. The first part of the machine, he said, washes, tumbles and removes the oversized material which is a key part of the recovery process. The second part he said is cleaning up the material without the use of mercury.

“The system reduces the size and bulk of the

concentrate to a point where you have a small amount which still has impurities in it but is able to be handled on the smaller machine.” The last part of the apparatus further separates the impurities and by the end of the process pure gold is recovered.

Matkovich also highlighted that the apparatus would manage 50 cubic metres per hour and is available in various sizes to suit the need of the miner and the terrain. The machine was valued at a “couple hundred thousand US dollars,” but pricing could be worked around, Matkovich encouraged.

He added that the various parts of the machinery could be used at any stage; which means that a miner could continue to recover gold using the current recovery method, but could choose to stick in any piece of the apparatus to function at certain stages of the process.

Minister Persaud said that he is pleased with the company’s initiative and endorses the mercury free technology. “We have seen overtime the responsible use of mercury in mining, but we believe that we can have greater levels of efficiency recovery and at the same time have a closer eye and over view of the environment in the direction of being mercury free.” He said that it is always welcoming when miners and companies invest towards

mercury free mining methods.

He further asserted that the decision is left with miners who will decide what is best for them.

He said, “We are not saying you should go with a particular brand, but rather to look at what is cost effective, what’s good for the environment and what makes good mining and business sense.”

Since the machine has been used in other parts of the world and its introducer has ample experience with it, Persaud said that he believes that it would do well for the mining sector and he hopes that the company would roll out their initiative expeditiously.

Apart from that, the Minister registered his commitment to considering incentives for miners who move toward mercury free technology.

He said numerous discussions with individual miners and concerned organizations have already taken place and there would be continuance in that direction.

Guyana has been for some time seeking to do away with the use of mercury citing its adverse effect on the environment and threat posed to human health. Last year Minister Persaud highlighted Government’s recognition of the environmental and human health risks of mercury and pollution to the environment

The second piece removes smaller fragments

Matkovich shows Minister Persaud the last piece of equipment which produces pure gold and was seeking to phase out its use.

International pressure played a major part in Government moving toward the doing away of mercury because it is toxic to both humans and the environment.

There had been rejection of the move by especially small miners as gold prices continued to reach record levels. Mercury is the easiest way to extract gold.

The mercury ravages the nervous system of miners and their families. It also travels thousands of miles in the atmosphere and moves up the food chain through fish.

The number of persons killed or disabled by mercury is impossible to determine, experts had stated. But tests on miners in Guyana, Indonesia, the Philippines, Colombia, Zimbabwe,

Tanzania and Brazil found mercury levels up to 50 times above World Health Organization limits, according to a 2006 U.N. report.

Symptoms such as

reduced motor skills, fatigue and weight loss are routine at mining sites, the U.N. said.

Gold shop owners also breathe the mercury vapour they burn off.

25,000 bail for threatening language defendant Brian Mattinson was placed on $25,000 bail after he was accused of using threatening language against his brother, Mark Mattinson. According to the charge, Mattinson threatened to chop his brother in the head after they had an argument last Sunday. Mattinson pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His brother told the court that he, Brian, is in the habit of verbally abusing and threatening his family members.

“Dis boy need to learn he lesson. We try wid he but he always threatening she “.

The prosecution made no objection to bail but asked that the defendant be placed on a bond to keep the peace.

Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry released the defendant on bail. He was also placed on bond to keep the peace. Failure to observe the bond can result in imprisonment.

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59 MURDERS IN 48 DAYS

Stabbed to death: 23year-old Ronald Nurse (Trinidad Express) Killers went on a rampage last weekend, snuffing out the lives of seven men between Friday night and late Sunday evening.

The latest killing spree has pushed the murder toll for the year so far to 59 in 48 days, according to an Express tally.

Six of those killed have been identified as Kevin “Stumpy” Thomas, 28; Terry Gill, 29; Ronald Nurse, 23; Brent Delcon, 31; Marlon Bradshaw, 41; and Sherman Toussaint, 27.

The seventh man remained unidentified up to press time last night.

Two of the killings took place in Longdenville, two more occurred along St Paul Street, East Dry River, Port of Spain, while the others were in Arima, Maloney and Cocorite.

In the first incident, police said Thomas, of Upper Quarry Street, Diego Martin, was at the car park of an apartment complex along St Paul Street around 7.45 p.m. on Friday when residents reported

hearing the sound of gunfire.

A team of officers from the Port of Spain Criminal Investigations Department (CID), led by ASP Ajith Persad along with Sgt Henry and Cpl Budrie, visited the scene and found Thomas dead.

A motive for his killing has not been determined.

Not more than 15 minutes later, Central Division officers responded to a shooting incident along Lamont Street, Longdenville.

At the time, Gill was at home with his wife when he heard someone knocking on the front door, said police.

He proceeded to open the door, after which a man pulled out a gun and shot him five times to the chest.

Gill’s wife, together with neighbours, rushed him to Chaguanas Health Facility, but by the time they arrived he was already dead.

Investigators said they have since classified his death as drug-related as Gill had been arrested several times for possession of narcotics.

In the incident which took place in Arima, police said Delcon, of Seyjagat Trace,

- Seven killed over weekend Cocorite Road, was walking along the road close to his home around 7.30 p.m. on Saturday when he was approached by a gunman.

The assailant, police said, opened fire, hitting him several times about the body before escaping.

Delcon’s wife found her husband lying along the roadway with bullet wounds about the body. He was taken to Arima District Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Three hours later, at 11.30 p.m., Bradshaw, of Swan Lane, Maloney, was in the process of opening a door to enter his home when a black car pulled up close by and the occupants opened fire on him, said investigators.

Bradshaw was hit to the upper body and died on the spot. The gunmen then sped away.

Detectives said they did

not have a clear motive for either killing.

Like Gill, Nurse lived at Lamont Street, Longdenville.

Officers said at around 3.45 a.m. Sunday, he was stabbed to death following a fight at Traxx Bar on Railway Road, Chaguanas.

After the fight, police said, Nurse walked out the bar and was confronted by the man who by that time had armed himself with a knife.

The man ran up to Nurse and stabbed him several times about the body.

Nurse ran a short distance toward Chaguanas Police Station but collapsed and died along the roadway.

A team of officers arrived on the scene, while another team, led by Snr Supt Deodath Dulalchan and Supt Johnny Abraham, went in search of the suspect and later found him at the home

of a friend in Montrose, Chaguanas.

The knife believed to have been used in the attack was also recovered, said police.

Officers said they were unable to say if Nurse’s killing was linked to Gill’s.

And Sunday evening, officers from both the Western and Port of Spain divisions responded to separate murders in Cocorite and the East Dry River.

Shortly before 5 p.m., Sherman Toussaint, of Harding Place, Cocorite, was shot dead close to his home.

Residents reported hearing five loud explosions before finding Toussaint lying dead along the roadway.

Around the same time, Port of Spain detectives were called to St Paul Street, where they found the body of a man whose identity was not immediately available.

He was shot multiple times about the body.

US AG meets with Caribbean leaders in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — US Attorney General Eric Holder discussed regional crime with Caribbean leaders yesterday during a summit in Haiti.

Holder talked with the leaders of mostly Englishspeaking Caribbean countries about crime problems, efforts to curb weapons and drug trafficking and a need to alert countries in the region about imminent deportations at the conference of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), held at a hotel in the Haitian capital.

Hundreds of thousands of people from Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico and other nations

have been deported to homelands they barely know since the US Congress mandated in 1996 that every non-citizen sentenced to a year or more in prison be booted from the country upon release.

“With regard to deportees, I think what we need to do is make sure that we give as much notice as we possibly can before people are to be released and deported from the United States,” Holder told reporters.

“As we increase the more general capacity, law enforcement capacity, security capacity of the

nations of Caricom, they will be in a much better position to deal with these deportees from the United States.”

Holder also met privately with Haiti’s President Michel Martelly, who assumed the chair of the Caricom group in January and will hold the title for six months.

It’s the first time Haiti has hosted a Caricom conference.

The gathering ends Tuesday afternoon.

Holder flew yesterday afternoon to Thomas, Virgin Islands, where he is to meet with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the US Virgin Islands.

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PSOJ warns of massive job losses waiver caps imposed by the proposed IMF agreement,” said the group in a release on the weekend.

“Unless modified, this proposed tax treatment will likely force the shut-down of critical Jamaican industries and cause thousands of Jamaican workers to lose their jobs,” said the release.

The PSOJ release did not specify the raw material input or the industries it said would be affected.

But yesterday, Jamaica

Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association President Brian Pengelley (Jamaica Observer) The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) is calling on the Government to immediately review and make changes to aspects of its new tax regime, which it said could

do more harm than good to the economy.

“The PSOJ is urging the Government to immediately review and change its tax treatment of certain raw material inputs under the new

Gonsalves accuses Opposition of economic sabotage KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) – Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has accused the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) of joining with foreigners to undermine economic development in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Gonsalves made the claims in a radio programme on Sunday after he told listeners of an encounter he had with two journalists from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) while aboard an aircraft in Barbados.

Gonsalves said the journalists told him they have

three witnesses who would testify that resort developer Dave Ames came into his office “with a briefcase of money and then left without it”.

Gonsalves denied having received money from Ames, whose company, Harlequin, is the subject of an investigation by the BBC programme, “Panorama”.

Paul Kenyon, one of the journalists, told CMC on Sunday that they had failed to secure an interview with Gonsalves during their fourday visit to St Vincent last week.

Manufacturers’ Association President Brian Pengelley told the Jamaica Observer that those raw materials included molasses and sugar, the importation of which the Government is now proposing to tax. According to Pengelley, the proposal will devastate Jamaica’s critical rum and beverage industries.

On Tuesday, the Government announced the new $16.4-billion tax measure, which it hopes will increase the country’s revenue, as part

of the requirement to secure a loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The measure includes increases in property and education taxes, some customs duties, as well as on taxes levied against lottery winnings and telephone calls.

Last week Thursday, Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips told reporters at a press conference that he did not foresee a review of the new tax measures, which, since its announcement, has

been decried by the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party, business sector groups and members of the public alike.

The PSOJ added in its weekend release: “The organisation is renewing calls for the introduction and implementation of a growth plan for Jamaica, post the IMF deal. This is necessary in order to counter the recessionary impact that will come with the newly signed agreement.”

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Venezuela’s Chavez makes surprise return from Cuba (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez made a surprise return from Cuba yesterday, more than two months after surgery for cancer that has jeopardized his 14-year rule of the South American OPEC nation.

The middle-of-the-night homecoming implies some medical improvement - at least enough to handle a flight of several hours - and will again fire up supporters with hope that the socialist leader could return to active rule.

Yet there was no new information on Chavez’s health nor images of his arrival, and aides say the 58year-old’s condition remains “complex.”

Chavez could be returning to govern behind the scenes, or may be hoping to ease political tensions in Venezuela and smooth a transition to Vice President Nicolas Maduro.

Chavez has urged voters to back Maduro should he have to stand down and a new presidential election be held.

“We have returned to the Venezuelan fatherland. Thank you, my God! Thank you, my

beloved people! We will continue the treatment here,” Chavez said on Twitter after flying in.

Maduro said Chavez arrived at about 2:30 a.m.

(0700 GMT) from Havana and was taken to a military hospital in Caracas.

Until photos were published of him on Friday, the president had not been seen by the public since a sixhour operation in Cuba on December 11.

“I remain attached to Christ and trusting in my nurses and doctors,” Chavez also tweeted. “Onwards to victory forever! We will live and we will conquer!”

The messages were his first direct communication with the outside world since he went to Cuba in December.

His return thrilled supporters in the country of 29 million people, where his common touch and heavy spending on welfare policies have made him an idol to many of the poor.

“It’s fabulous news, the best thing possible,” Chavez’s cousin, Guillermo Frias, told Reuters from the president’s

rural birthplace in Barinas state. “Venezuela was waiting for him, everyone wants to see him. Welcome home!

Thank God he’s back!”

FIREWORKS MARK RETURN Fireworks were launched in some Caracas neighborhoods as loyal “Chavistas” celebrated. Top government officials were jubilant, with the information minister singing “He’s back, he’s back!” live on state TV. Chavez’s latest surgery was his fourth in just 18 months since the disease was detected in mid-2011. He also has undergone weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and the government has emphasized that his condition remains delicate.

“It’s a complex, difficult situation, but Chavez is fighting for his life,” Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said at the weekend. A euphoric crowd gathered outside the hospital where Chavez was taken, chanting slogans and dancing. Officials urged them to respect the peace of patients at the facility, where

A smiling Chavez flanked by his daughters.

a huge banner of Chavez’s face gazes out over a hillside shanty town.

Congressional leader Diosdado Cabello said the president was comfortable at the hospital. “We’re fixing all the details there so he lacks absolutely nothing,” he said.

In the first images since his latest surgery, officials published photos on Friday showing a smiling Chavez lying in a hospital bed, reading a newspaper and flanked by his daughters.

The government said he was breathing through a tracheal tube and struggling

to speak.

One woman, who told state TV she was a nurse, said he had arrived walking and without a wheelchair or visible tubes.

After winning re-election in October - and wrongly declaring himself cured Chavez was too ill to attend his inauguration ceremony in January. Enraging his foes, the Supreme Court ruled that he remained president and could be sworn in later.

That could take place soon at the military hospital.

“Now the president is back, there can be no doubt

about the democratic institutions working in Venezuela,” said Information Minister Ernesto Villegas.

“There were some who dreamed of unseating Chavez and the revolution, but here we always said Chavez is the president elected and reelected by the will of the Venezuelan people.”

Chavez’s condition means there is a little chance he could quickly return to his old routine of thundering oratory, hours-long talk shows and casual chats in the street with supporters.

(Continued on page 25)

At least 13 wounded in South African mine fight: police (Reuters) - At least 13 workers were wounded by rubber bullets or machetes in fighting at a mine in South Africa yesterday in the first major mine violence this year after deadly strife in the sector in 2012.

Police said the bloodshed at the Anglo American Platinum mine was provoked by a dispute between the established National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the growing Association for Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) over access to a mine office.

The membership turf war between the rival unions has rocked the country, which has the world’s largest known reserves of platinum. It has dented investor confidence and slowed growth as production has fallen.

Police said the violence started when four likely NUM workers on special leave tried to occupy the union office at the mine in the Rustenburg region, about 120 km (70 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.

About 1,000 suspected AMCU workers gathered to

force them out.

“The alleged NUM members survived by running for their lives,” police spokesman Thulani Ngubane said in a statement.

The mine’s security guards used rubber bullets to disperse the rival union members. The 13 have been admitted to hospital and there were no fatalities, police said.

Anglo American Platinum, or Amplats, the world’s largest platinum producer, said: “A total of nine employees were injured when rubber bullets were fired by Anglo American Platinum security personnel.”

TROUBLED MINES More than 50 people were killed in labour strife last year, including 34 shot dead by police at Lonmin’s Marikana mine in August - the deadliest single security incident in South Africa since apartheid ended in 1994.

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress has tried to reassure investors the strife is not undermining Africa’s largest economy, which had its

sovereign credit rating downgraded by Fitch last month due in part to the labor problems.

Amplats this month reported its first-ever annual loss, battered by six weeks of violent strikes last year, soaring costs and flagging platinum prices.

The company, which is 80 percent owned by mining giant Anglo American, has announced a drastic costcutting plan that risks sparking more labor unrest.

Amplats plans to cut 14,000 jobs, mothball two South African mines and sell another to right its ailing business. While a turnaround at Amplats is critical for the fortunes of its underperforming parent, unions have promised to fight any cutbacks.

Amplats is the third worstperforming stock on Johannesburg’s benchmark Top-40 index over the last 12 months, down nearly 21 percent.

Its shares closed down nearly 5 percent yesterday in trading in Johannesburg.

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Ecuador’s re-elected Correa vows media and land reforms (Reuters) - Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa vowed yesterday to press ahead with laws to control the media and redistribute land to the poor as he looks to deepen his socialist revolution after a resounding re-election victory.

Correa, a pugnacious 49year-old economist, trounced his nearest rival by more than 30 percentage points on Sunday to win a new fouryear term. He has already been in power for six years, winning broad support with ambitious social spending programs. His re-election triumph could set him up to become Latin America’s most outspoken critic of Washington as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is struggling to overcome cancer.

But Correa will have to balance his desire for an agenda similar to Chavez’s radical socialism with a need for pragmatic negotiations with foreign investors to raise Ecuador’s oil production and spur the mining industry.

He focused on his socialist reforms yesterday, saying he’d push through legislation that has been

blocked by opposition leaders in Congress.

“The first thing we’ll do is to push through key laws that have been left to wither as a way of hurting Correa, but this has actually hurt the country,” Correa said in an interview with regional television network Telesur.

Those include a proposed land redistribution drive to give terrain deemed unproductive to poor peasants and setting up a showdown with large banana and flower producers, much the way Chavez took on Venezuelan ranchers during a decade-long land expropriation campaign.

Correa’s plan to create a state watchdog group to determine if media have published inappropriate content also echoes Chavez’s controls over television and cable broadcasters, and would extend Correa’s vitriolic fight with opposition media.

In addition, Ecuadoreans voted for a new Congress on Sunday and Correa said he expected his ruling Alianza Pais to win a majority. That would help speed his efforts to pass the

proposed legislation.

But he is also expected to pass a new mining law that would ease investment terms as a way of helping close a deal with Canada’s Kinross to develop a large gold reserve.

That will be a major test of his ability to offer investment security while ensuring the state keeps a large portion of revenue.

The vice-president of Kinross in Ecuador, Dominic Channer, said that “good progress” had been made in the negotiations.

“Kinross ... understands that the government plans to send mining and tax reforms to the National Assembly.

These reforms should provide improvements to investor security and an improved economic balance for mining projects,” Channer told Reuters.

With almost three-fourths of votes counted by Monday afternoon, Correa had 57 percent support compared with 23 percent for conservative candidate Guillermo Lasso.

The election established Lasso, a former banker from the coastal city of Guayaquil,

as the face of the opposition.

Six other candidates trailed way behind.

Lasso has called Correa a dangerous authoritarian who has curbed media freedom and controlled state institutions.

Even some supporters disapprove of Correa’s tempestuous outbursts, fights with media and bullying of adversaries SOCIALISTALLIANCE His re-election puts him in line to be the de facto leader of the leftist ALBA group of Latin American nations that push state-driven economic policies and oppose freemarket reforms promoted by Washington.

Chavez made a surprise return to Venezuela yesterday after two months of cancer treatment in Cuba, but his health is delicate and it is unclear if he will be able to stay in power and continue being the region’s leftist standard bearer.

The continued success of Latin American socialism will depend on strong commodities prices that underpin generous social spending, and Correa needs foreign investment to ensure

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa

state coffers remain full during his next four-year term.

Ecuador has been locked out of capital markets since a 2008 debt default on $3.2 billion in bonds, and Correa’s government has taken an aggressive stance with oil companies to squeeze more revenue from their operations.

Correa’s recent statements show that although he wants to maintain many of his radical policies, he also wants to soften his reputation as an anticapitalist crusader within investing circles.

“The advantages of our country for foreign investment are political

stability, a strong macroeconomic performance ... and important stimulus to new private investment,” he said last week while hosting the emir of gas-rich Qatar.

Correa’s government is also in talks with China to secure funding for the $12.5 billion Pacifico refinery, which would allow Ecuador to save up to $5 billion a year in fuel imports.

“We can’t be beggars sitting on a sack of gold,” is a catch phrase Correa has used in recent months to argue that Ecuador needs to attract oil investments and expand a mining industry that has barely begun to tap its gold and copper reserves.

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TIME TO REFER SYRIAN WAR CRIMES TO ICC: U.N. INQUIRY Member of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Carla del Ponte

(Reuters) - United Nations investigators said yesterday that Syrian leaders they had identified as suspected war criminals should face the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The investigators urged the U.N. Security Council to “act urgently to ensure accountability” for violations, including murder and torture, committed by both sides in an uprising and civil war that has killed about 70,000 people since March 2011.

“Now really it’s time ... We have a permanent court, the International Criminal Court, who would be ready to take this case,” Carla del Ponte, a former ICC chief prosecutor who joined the U.N. team in September, told a news briefing in Geneva.

But because Syria is not party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, the only way the court can investigate the situation is if it receives a referral from the Security

Council. Russia, Assad’s long-standing ally and a permanent veto-wielding member of the council, has opposed such a move.

“We cannot decide. But we pressure the international community to decide because it’s time to act,” del Ponte said.

Brazilian expert Paulo Pinheiro, who leads the U.N. inquiry set up in 2011, said: “We are in very close dialogue with all the five permanent members and with all the members of the Security Council, but we don’t have the key that will open the path to cooperation inside the Security Council.”

His team of some two dozen experts is tracing the chain of command in Syria to establish criminal responsibility and build a case for eventual prosecution.

“Of course we were able to identify high-level perpetrators,” del Ponte said, adding that these were people

“in command responsibility...deciding, organizing, planning and aiding and abetting the commission of crimes”.

She said it was urgent for the Hague-based war crimes tribunal to take up cases of “very high officials”, but did not identify them, in line with the inquiry’s practice.

“We have crimes committed against children, rape and sexual violence. We have grave concerns. That is also one reason why an international body of justice must act because it is terrible.”

Del Ponte, who tried former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia on war crimes charges, said the ICC prosecutor would need to deepen the investigation on Syria before an indictment could be prepared.

Karen Koning AbuZayd, an American member of the U.N. team, told Reuters it had information pointing to “people who have given instructions and are responsible for government

policy, people who are in the leadership of the military, for example”.

The inquiry’s third roster of suspects, building on lists drawn up in the past year, remains secret. It will be entrusted to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay upon expiry of its mandate at the end of March, the report said.

Pillay, a former ICC judge, said on Saturday Assad should be investigated for war crimes, and called for outside action on Syria, including possible military intervention.

Pinheiro said the investigators would not speak publicly about “numbers, names or levels” of suspects.

SEVEN MASSACRES IDENTIFIED The investigators’ latest report, covering the six months to mid-January, was based on 445 interviews conducted abroad with victims and witnesses, as they have not been allowed into Syria.

“We identified seven massacres during the period,

five on the government side, two on the armed opponents’ side. We need to enter the sites to be able to confirm elements of proof that we have,” del Ponte said.

The U.N. report said the ICC was the appropriate institution for the fight against impunity in Syria. “As an established, broadly supported structure, it could immediately initiate investigations against authors of serious crimes in Syria.”

Government forces have carried out shelling and air strikes across Syria including Aleppo, Damascus, Deraa, Homs and Idlib, the 131-page report said, citing corroborating satellite images.

“Government forces and affiliated militias have committed extra-judicial executions, breaching international human rights law. This conduct also constitutes the war crime of murder. Where murder was committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population, with knowledge of that attack, it is a crime

against humanity,” the report said.

Those forces have targeted bakery queues and funeral processions to spread “terror among the civilian population”.

Rebels fighting to topple Assad have also committed war crimes including murder, torture, hostage-taking and using children under age 15 in hostilities, the U.N. report said.

“They continue to endanger the civilian population by positioning military objectives inside civilian areas” and rebel snipers had caused “considerable civilian casualties”, it said.

George Sabra, a vice president of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, asked about the U.N. report, told Reuters at a conference in Stockholm: “We condemn all kind of crimes, regardless who did it.

“We can’t ignore that some mistakes have been made and maybe still happen right now. But nobody also can ignore that the most criminal file is that of the regime.”

Venezuela’s Chavez makes surprise...

From page 23 “Should he not be able to execute the duties of office, the Venezuelan Constitution requires an election to select a new president,” said U.S. State Department spokesman William Ostick.

CUBA‘BREATHING

EASIER’ Chavez’s pre-dawn return was a typical surprise move for the former soldier whose rule has combined constant political theatrics with radical anti-U.S. speeches, tough treatment of opponents and lavish spending of oil revenue

on the poor.

Critics have decried the secrecy over his health, and some want a formal declaration that he is no longer fit to rule. That would trigger a new election within 30 days, probably pitting Maduro against opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

Chavez’s lengthy stay in Cuba had fuelled a long-held opposition accusation that Venezuela’s government was being manipulated and directed from Havana. Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is a political mentor and father figure to Chavez, and the older man visited him regularly in the hospital.

“I’m pleased you have been able to return to the piece of ... soil you love so much and the fraternal people who give you so much support,” he wrote to Chavez in a letter published by Cuba’s government on Monday.

“You have learned a lot about life, Hugo, in those tough days of suffering and sacrifice,” Castro said, urging continued discretion over the president’s condition to thwart “fascists” intent on

toppling him.

A senior diplomatic source in the region said Cuban officials would be breathing more easily after Chavez’s departure, partly because the political costs to Cuba were starting to mount as many wondered who was running Venezuela. Maduro also was being hurt ahead of any new election, the source said, as Capriles increasingly accused the vice president and other officials of lying about their boss’s condition.

Maduro, 50, a former bus driver, is Chavez’s heir apparent and would be favourite to win a close vote if he stepped down. Chavez’s return eclipses debate over a recent devaluation of the local bolivar currency. It has been highly unpopular with Venezuelans and opposition politicians have sought to present it as evidence of economic incompetence by the government.

Capriles welcomed Chavez back but pointedly said he hoped it would mean a return to order in the government and attention to the daily problems of Venezuelans.

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Police take large band prize, North Ruimveldt Multilateral takes school prize

Students of North Ruimvedlt performing their winning tune

The Guyana Police force during their winning performance Metallic symphonies rang out at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Sunday evening as Republic Bank hosted another successful year of its National Mashramani Pan-ORama Steel Band Competition.

In the most anticipated events, the Guyana Police Force reigned supreme in the large band category; North Ruimveldt Multilateral School took away the title from reigning champs, Queens College, in the school band category and St. Andrews Kirk Steel Orchestra snatched the championship from its only rival, Central Assembly of God Steel Orchestra.

The night’s event commenced with warm welcomes from bank officials and Minister of Culture Youth and Sports, Dr, Frank Anthony, who encouraged Republic Bank to continue its venture. He charged that through the competition, the relationship with the bank and the Ministry continues to grow.

He said that every year proceeds of the event go towards the purchase of steel pans for a school. And this year, he was delighted to say, proceeds would go to the Tagora Secondary School in Berbice.

In the first performances, winner of the junior solo competition, Detroy Dey delivered a wonderful performance that earned him a ground shaking standing ovation. He was fearless in his deliverance of his piece, Allegro, a piece that was recited by all performers in that category. Michael Smith Junior was second with 226 points, Akeem Mohamed had 211 and Don Johnson was fourth with 199.

The duet segment had the packed arena on the edge of their seats. The crowd

screamed for more as they watched the team work and coordinated efforts of the duos. Clayton Daniels and Ray Sparman took first prize for their performance of “O Beautiful Guyana,” which earned them 248 points.

When Javier Marks and Jamal Johnson came on they too did their thing when they recited “Pan and me.” For that piece they earned 229 points and walked away second place winners, while Akeem Mohamed and Don Johnson took third spot with their rendition of the gospel hymn, “Jesu Joy of man’s desire.”

Again the Central Assembly of God Steel Orchestra gave a grand performance nothing short but adding much to their performance as they did last year. The band was a youth dominated group and did they have energy, in delivering a power packed performance of “To God be the Glory.”

The little ones stole the show when they bubbled going low when the tune went low and “shadowing” when the sounds went high.

The piece was also performed by the St. Andrews Kirk Steel Orchestra and they too had the crowd going. It was obviously enough to earn them the first spot.

The programme was then slowed when the senior soloist sought to declare what precision, originality and maturity on the pans really mean. Their independent pieces would register their skills, abilities and experiences in the art form.

Ray Sparman stole the first place spot when he played classically Pan Wave, a fusion of varying symphonies.

The crowd paid keen attention to his beat; his

rhythm had a continuous flow that throughout his performance, heads continued to bob and feet continued to tap.

Michael Smith Junior, took second place for his piece, “China Town.” He too had a rhythm that was undeniable for its continued flow. Clayton Daniels was in third place with “Pan for Life” and Omari Austin came after with “Glander.”

The intermission after this night’s first half of the event was well deserved, because the crowd had to get pumped for the meat of night, the big bands and school competition. Last year’s school champions, Queens College had to settle for third when they were smashed by an energy filled, melody booming flow from the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School.

And with instructor, Sir Mars, there was never a dull moment since he had the crowd on its feet with his antics. The schools had to perform their take of “To serve my country” and they each “brought it” with their performances.

Bishop’s High School came in second place.

The Guyana Police Force was definitely craving the title of large band champions. It was as if they smelt it in the air. They saw that the crown was within their reach and as soon as they touched centre stage they started to grab.

In their piece “Discipline is love” the nation’s security force delivered a smooth, continuous flow that could easily be described as the performance of the night.

Their melody was level and their accuracy was right on cue, truly a listening pleasure.

Parkside was also on cue with their performance, and that earned them second

Panwave doing their thing spot. They played “Mr. Rooster” by Dave Martins and the Tradewinds. Ras Kamo Williams put together a magnificent piece for the

Ministry of Youth and Sport Steel Orchestra called “Pan down de Road.”

They were very fluent in their presentation and like

many of the other bands; their melodies had a continuous flow and hype which also earned them standing ovations.

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Tuesday February 19, 2013

Disabled persons in Berbice plead for more government support Disabled persons in the Berbice area received treats and gifts from Dr. Faith Harding recently. Awareness was also created about persons with disabilities in Guyana. Calls were made to the government, particularly the Regional Administration of Region Six to keep these persons in mind when constructing new buildings around the region.

The event was planned by fitness enthusiast and disability persons advocate, Eli Hazel.

Dr. Faith Harding, speaking to the disabled persons, said that it was a joy to “help people who are not as able as we think or determine that they should be”.

“Many of us are disabled in so many ways. Those who may not be seeing or have full hearing—auditory skills – are special in some other way and I am happy that today we can demonstrate to all of us and to the rest of Berbice that in helping others with their disability or particular weakness where they don’t have the strongest skills, we must look out for them.

“We must give them the

sight that they don’t have; we must give them the voice that they don’t have; we must give them the legs that they don’t have”.

She added that it is important that each and every person regardless of race, colour and creed, has a voice in our society. “I endorse that today. I came to join you to encourage you to make the best of your lives.”

Attorney-at-Law Ryan Crawford, who also attended the awareness event, said that he does not see the resources being used for the disabled people in Berbice.

“As a lawyer, I do have some anger, especially when I see new Government buildings that are being built without any accessibility for disabled people—insensitive behaviour from our regular citizens.

“I have spent most of my life away and when you live overseas, you see that disabled people are treated just as equal as anyone else; but when I come back here to my own country, I don’t see that sort of behaviour from the regular people.”

Crawford hopes that the issue is put in the forefront of

national life and respect be given to people with disability.

Hazel, who earlier that day, conducted a disabled persons walk through New Amsterdam, called on the government to be more receptive to people with disability.

President of the Disabled People’s Network in Region Six, Dawn Benjamin, said that the organization meets at the New Amsterdam Special Needs School for meetings.

She noted that the group has a lot of plans but is experiencing a lot of hiccups.

Sometimes meetings have to be held outside whenever the head teacher of the school is not there; and it is difficult, especially when it rains.

“We made several representations to the Regional Chairman. We were promised a plot of land and they have us to and fro—we have nowhere directly to keep our meetings or do things that we have in mind to do.”

President of the newlyestablished Society for the Blind in Berbice, Patricia Bourne, said that it is with great concern “that sometimes persons who are

A disabled person in all smiles as Dr. Harding hands over a hamper blind –the society around us ignore us and pretend that we are not there; act as though we are insignificant, we are nobody –but I want them to know that we are special...we didn’t buy these diseases; we didn’t buy these sickness; and it could be handed down to anybody...as long as you are going through life’s channel, anything can

happen—we didn’t ask for it but it came to us through sickness or we inherited it through family. “ She wants the public to reach out to persons with disability. “We need their help and cooperation”. Even the religious bodies don’t pay keen attention to us—they are too busy getting up to heaven to look down to

somebody who is having a disability,” Bourne lamented.

She thanked the N/A Lion’s Club for allowing the group to use the building for meetings.

“We do not have a building of our own where we can go and keep our meetings.”

Hampers were presented to each disabled person.

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Lake Mainstay Resort hosts Annual Mash Regatta Fury

A section of the crowd at last Sunday’s Regatta Fury

The Lake Mainstay Resort located in Region Two had over the weekend, held its third annual Mash Jet Ski and Regatta Fury.

According to Director of the resort, Wilfred Jagnarine, the event is a thriving one that he hopes will become big in the coming years.

Although its attendance was just a couple hundred persons and the races did not have many participants, the event could still be deemed a success. The races were very entertaining, and the after party was hyped.

The day’s activities which were complemented by good weather, commenced on Sunday around 11 a.m. with a 40 horse power (hp) boat race.

This saw about three racers competing for the grand prize of $40,000 and a trophy.

Loknauth Jagarnauth managed to outdo his rivalsLennox Baharally and Clint

Gonsalves.

This was followed by the ‘1100 CC Plus’ Jet Ski race which saw Keiron Da Silva defeating his sole competitor, Neil Gonsalves, and winning $25,000 and a trophy.

The races were dominated in participation by Gonsalves and the Baharally families respectively.

The Baharally family won three of the four 15 hp races.

Kelvin Manning won one of the races.

There were two female races of this kind, and Nalini Baharally won both. She was followed by Sarswattie Persaud and Madonna Thakoor in the two separate races.

The other Jet Ski race saw Jerro Parks winning the first prize of $25,000 and a trophy.

He was followed by Henry Da Silva.

Loknauth Jagarnauth was named the winner of the most

exciting race of the day- the 40 hp boat race. He won a trophy and a cash prize of $40,000. Coming in second position was Clint Gonsalves.

There were also two canoe races- (Male and Female).

Melissa and Nalini Jagarnauth won for the female leg, while Sanjeev Ramdeen and Vinod Persaud outshone their male competitors.

The races were followed by an after party on the beach, which saw electrifying performances from local artistes, Jumo “Rubber waist” Primo who had the night before retained his Soca Monarch title; the talented Big Red; five time Chutney winner Haresh Singh and Chutney Monarch 2013, Young Bill Rogers.

Mr. Jagnarine told media operatives yesterday that the Lake Mainstay Resort that he has many plans to upgrade the already beautiful Resort.

Artiste, Big Red engaging a member of the audience in her exhilarating performance

The females of the Canoe race paddling to the starting point

The race steward signaling the end of the race, just as a racer crosses the finish line

Tuesday February 19, 2013

NCN CHANNEL 11 03:00 hrs – Movie 05:00 hrs – Inspiration 05:30 hrs – Newtown Gospel 06:00 hrs – NCN Late Edition(R/B) 06:30 hrs – Kala Milan 07:00 hrs – Guyana Today 08:00 hrs – Feature 08:30 hrs – Pulse Beat(R/B) 09:00 hrs – Cartoons 10:00 hrs – Documentary 11:00 hrs – History 12:00 hrs – CNN 12:30 hrs – NCN Newsbreak 12:35 hrs – Movie 14:30 hrs – Rise & Be Healed

Kaieteur News

16:00 hrs – NCN Newsbreak 16:05 hrs – Feature 17:00 hrs – Anderson 18:00 hrs – NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30 hrs – Close Up 19:00 hrs – Al Jazeera 20:00 hrs – 3d/daily millions/ play de dream/lotto draw 20:05 hrs – NCN Newsbreak 20:10 hrs – Feature 21:05 hrs – XI Interface 21:35 hrs – GINA Presents 22:05 hrs – NCN News Late Edition 22:35 hrs – Caribbean Newsline

23:00 hrs – Movie DTV CHANNEL 8 07:55 hrs. Sign On 08:00 hrs. DTV’s Festival of Biblical Movies for the Lenten Season: “Abraham” 11:00 hrs. Roseanne 12:00 hrs. The View 13:00 hrs. Prime News 13:30 hrs. The Young and the Restless 14:30 hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 15:00 hrs. The Talk 16:00 hrs. Criminal Minds 18:00 hrs. Awakening

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Tuesday February 19, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your day may be full of distracting noise with the chatty Gemini Moon occupying your 3rd House of Immediate Environment.

Fortunately, you’re capable of pulling brilliant solutions out of thin air now.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) A combination of fact and fiction keeps you on edge today, even if you try to keep these two worlds distinct.

Your judgment isn’t impaired; it’s just that the current circumstances can be quite complicated now, making it nearly impossible to wrap your mind around the truth.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your feelings change rapidly now that the emotional Moon is in your sign. However, wide mood swings may be more frustrating for everyone else than for you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may become obsessed with a brilliant new idea that comes to you today.

Although you might believe that you stumbled on to something quite ingenious, you won’t really know until you attempt to put your plan into action.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You appear to have the support of others today, but it’s difficult to tell how loyal your new followers might be in a crisis. You would like to get a handle on a situation that is eluding your control because of everyone e l s e ’s tenuous involvement.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Interactions with friends may be very beneficial today, especially if you are precise about expressing exactly what you need.

Unfortunately, you can really mess things up if you are too selfish in your behavior.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your careful choice of words can hide deep feelings that you want to keep private today. However, you may be convinced to reveal your inner secrets if you are fortunate enough to connect with someone you respect.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You continue to develop your work skills now as you strive for self-determination.

The good news is that even the simplest of thoughts can be utilized as the basis of your new foundation.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You could have trouble assuming authority if you haven’t earned your respect the old-fashioned way, yet you might try to play the role of a superhero, anyhow.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It’s challenging to hold your current position between past memories and future goals. Nevertheless, it’s a crucial part of your strategy now. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel as you start from the beginning.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You’re not likely to be satisfied by resting on past accomplishments now, because the Gemini Moon’s presence in your 10th House of Status prompts you to demonstrate your cleverness at work.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You may feel anxious as you try to keep your emotions in check. It’s tough to make progress today because you’re so curious that you are distracted by one thing after another.

18:30 hrs. World News 19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00 hrs. Alliance on the Move 21:00 hrs. NCIS 22:00 hrs. NCIS: Los Angeles (New Episode) 23:00 hrs. Vegas (New Episode) 00:00 hrs. Sign Off

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Big turnout touted for Mackeson JCA set to back Cameron Super16 Street Football for WICB top job Jamaal Douglas

A large turnout is anticipated at the hard-court in Amelia’s Ward on Sunday when the Mackeson Super16 Street Football tournament commences on the day that the Mining Town will also hosts its Mashramani celebrations, giving patrons more reason to support.

Contacted yesterday, Mackeson Brand Manager, Jamaal Douglas, told Kaieteur Sport that all the necessary systems are being put in place for a grand opening on Sunday and stated he remains in regular contact with the organisers from Amelia’s Ward Football Club.

“I am expecting a big opening on Sunday because as you know this is a pilot programme to spot new football talent in Linden. I am hoping that the communities come out and support their

team because that could help the team win,” Douglas said. The Mackeson boss believes that the tournament is a good initiative for Linden and wants it to be embraced as an annual event.

He said that based on the response there will be proposal to expand the competition in the future to include more teams and communities.

“Mackeson is about ‘Smooth’, and if all goes smoothly in this competition, you never know, you could see a mega street football competition in the future for Linden,” Douglas said, adding that he has confidence in the quality of sport delivered in Linden.

Patrons will have an opportunity to coordinate the Mashramani celebrations with the tournament that goes

down in the night following the road-march procession.

Amelia’s Ward FC VP, Patrick Dey is among the coordinators of the competition.

Eight of the 16 teams will advance to the quarterfinals in the knockout competition that will shift to the Mackenzie Sports Club hardcourt for the quarterfinals on February 27. The semi-final and final will be held on March 2 also at the Mackenzie hard-court.

The top team will walk away with $250,000 and trophy; second place will pocket $150,000 and trophy; third place $100,000 and trophy and fourth place $40,000 and trophy.

In addition, there will be lots of interactive promotions to get the fans involved where there will be giveaways on game nights. The Most Valuable Player will also receive prizes.

The 16 teams competing in the tournament include Hard Knocks, Hot Skull, Bosai, Retrieve Unknown, Top Class, Silver Bullets, 100 Dollar Cars, Hard Knocks II, Young Sports, Phoenix, Team 25, We is de Boss, Eldorado, Retrieve Well Knowns, Young Ballers and New Era Russians.

GFF mourns the loss of Colin Edwards The football fraternity in Guyana was plunged into a state of mourning on Saturday following the passing of young and talented Golden Jaguars Goalkeeper, Colin Edwards.

The 21-year-old Edwards passed away at the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital following a motorcycle accident which occurred about one week and a half ago on Norton Street.

When contacted, Guyana Football Federation President (ag) Franklin Wilson expressed shock at the passing of Edwards whom he described as a budding and bright star with the world ahead of him in the game of football.

“I knew Edwards as a young player, while covering football games around the city. He was a constant fixture on the Fruta Conquerors FC team and was gradually emerging as one of the leading goalkeepers at the national level.

While he was quiet and unassuming on the streets, he was a fierce competitor on the

field of play and a dedicated and hard worker.”

Having played for Guyana in the Parbo Bier Cup in Suriname and also travelling with the Golden Jaguars during the 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign in 2012, Edwards was steadily building up a formidable reputation as a certainty between the uprights for Guyana at the senior level.

He subsequently played three games for Guyana (French Guiana, Panama, Guadeloupe) and also had a short stint at Caledonia AIA, a Pro League Club in Trinidad and Tobago.

The loss of a young and promising player will certainly pose a challenge for us at the national and club level but we are heartened from the fact that he was a positive individual who was always willing to do what was expected of him and that his life and attitude can serve as an example for others.

“To his mom Dawn Abrams, one of the most ardent and faithful supporters of the game, his brother

Colin Edwards Anthony Abrams one of our leading strikers and the entire family, I would like to extend on behalf of the GFF, affiliates and members, sincere condolences on such a tragic loss. During his short career, he was certainly an inspiration to others and will live on in our memories.”

Edwards is the third national player to have died in less than a month following the passing of Winston De Haarte and former Guyana Football Association President, Professor Aubrey Fitz Ronald Bishop who was also buried on Saturday last, the day that Edwards died.

May his soul rest in peace.

Jamaica Observer - THE board members of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) are scheduled to meet today and discuss, among other things, whether they will be supporting their compatriot Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron to be the next president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Cameron, a vice-president since 2007, is gearing up to battle incumbent Dr Julian Hunte at the WICB elections set for March 27 and already it seems a done deal that the Jamaican will have his country’s backing.

“He (Cameron) has advised he will be challenging and we will have a board meeting on Tuesday and discuss and get feedback from the members. I do get the impression that the JCA in general is willing to support Dave, but after that meeting we will take a formal position,” said JCA honorary secretary Fritz Harris on Saturday.

There had been previous reports that Hunte, 72, planned to hand over the reins

to his understudy, but information reaching the Jamaica Observer is that the St Lucian head honcho had a change of heart and tried to negotiate an arrangement allowing him to remain as president before stepping down in two years.

A relaxed-looking Cameron made it clear he is not about to delay his move for the top spot when the Observer caught up with him at last week’s launch of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in Barbados.

“I am running for the West Indies Cricket Board presidency and I believe that I have the (support of) majority of the directors of the board to be the next president,” said the 42-yearold.

With nominations set to close on February 22, West Indies legend Clive Lloyd has also been reported as being interested in running.

However, a source close to the WICB told this newspaper that it is “highly unlikely that any territorial

Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron board will nominate Lloyd”, given the former regional captain’s role in the controversial impasse involving the Guyana Cricket Board. Hunte, who has served three terms as president, is also unlikely to find many friends among the Jamaican board after being at the helm during a period of strained relations between the regional body and the JCA. Interestingly, Cameron, Hunte and Lloyd were all present during the colourful CPL inauguration at the upscale Sandy Lane Country Club.

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Tuesday February 19, 2013

Milo Schools Under-20 Football Competition...

Tutorial, South Ruimveldt, Bishop’s High in winners’ row

Action in one of the games in the Milo Under-20 Schools Football Tournament which continued on Sunday, at the Ministry of Education ground.

Tutorial High, South Ruimveldt and Bishop’s High were the latest teams to register wins when the Milo Schools Under-20 Football Competition continued on Sunday, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

In the opening game of the day, Tutorial High inflicted a crushing 5-0 triumph over St. John’s College with Teshawn Rodney (7 th and 68 th) and Steve Staunton (54th and 75th) slamming in a brace each, while Alstaar Walker added the other.

In the day’s second

encounter, South Ruimveldt cruised to a comfortable 3-1 win over Cummings Lodge with Steffon Enoe (18th and 48th) hitting in a double, while Jermaine Beckles solitary strike completed their tally.

Asward Washington (57th) pulled one back for Cummings Lodge.

And in the day’s feature clash, Bishop’s High Shamal Lewis’ (7th) minute effort from the penalty spot prove to be the decisive factor in their mouth watering battle against Queen’s College.

Tutorial High School 5 v/s St John’s College 0 Tutorial High School

Teshawn Rodney 7th & 68th min Alstaar Walker 13th Steve Stunton 54th & 75th min Game 2 South Ruimveldt Secondary 3 v/s Cummings Lodge Secondary 1 South Ruimveldt Secondary Jermaine Beckles 14th min Steffon Enoe 18th & 48th min Cummings Lodge Secondary Asward Washington 57th min Game 3 Bishop’s High School 1 v/s Queens College 0 Bishop’s High School Shamal Lewis 7th min

Scotia Bank/DDL continues...

From page 39 organizers are also scheduled to visit Region 6 for a coaching course at the New Amsterdam Prison Sports Club, New Amsterdam, today and tomorrow before traveling to Linden for a similar course at the Wisburg Secondary School on Thursday 21 and Friday 22.

Similar exercises will also be conducted in Berbice today and Thursday.

During this time there will be donations of equipment to the schools including coaching DVDs, course booklets, footballs, carrying bag, football pumps and needles among other paraphernalia. The initiative

has been of immense benefit to local players and after the completion of last year’s programme an all star female team was placed on a 6 months continuous training session. Consequently, that team participated in an U-21 female football competition and defeated two established teams out of Berbice and West Demerara.

Further, the benefits of the programme was underlined when some of the participants were selected to represent Guyana in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) World Cup U-17 Qualifiers; the National U-17 squad won the group play off in Guyana and proceeded

to Jamaica for the next round.

Organizers will also stage a referees’ training course for students who may find this beneficial in the imminent CXC Exams slated for Monday March 4, 5, and 6 in Region 4, 6 and 10.

Plans are also being finalized for a goal keeping coaching clinic to be facilitated by USA based coach, Mark Woseley on Sunday February 24. The respective area coordinators are - Lawrence Griffith (Georgetown), Colin Bowry (New Amsterdam) and Rollin Tappin (Linden). USA certified coach, Stanley Harmon, will also act as facilitator.

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Kaieteur News

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Trophy Stall / WDFA U-17 League...

Hunte in the race for another term as President of the WICB Eagles 4 Young Achievers

0; Den Amstel 5 Beavers 0

Clive Lloyd

Dave Cameron

Julian Hunte

There have been talks that current President Julian Hunte is considering another term at the head of the West Indies Cricket Board. Hunte is favoured to win the election but the word is that at least three countries are supporting the current Vice President Jamaican Dave Cameron who is also running for the post.

It is also rumored that a former executive of the West Indies Players Association is campaigning for former captain Guyanese Clive Lloyd to be the President.

Cricket circles stated that had Lloyd not gotten involved with the IMC, he stood a very good chance of

being elected. However it was reported in the Barbados Nation Newspaper that the IMC is dissolved and the GCB is back in control of cricket in Guyana. If this is true then Mr. Lloyd may very well seek the nomination for this important position at the helm of the WICB with the blessings of the Guyana Cricket Board.

In an invited comment Hon. Secretary of the Guyana cricket Board Anand Sanasie said Mr. Lloyd did not make a formal request to the Board, to be nominated. Sanasie also stated that if he does, his request will be put to the executive committee of the GCB. He however opined that

the WICB articles provide that you must have a seconder for the nomination to move forward and in the present situation it may be difficult to obtain, with two other candidates in the race who started campaigning a long time ago and have incumbency on their side.

Many feel that with the West Indies team performing creditably, the Launching of the Caribbean Premier League and the Sagicor Performance Centre coming on stream, the members may very well maintain the status quo in WICB administration.

The WICB Annual General Meeting is slated for 27th March, 2013.

Singh retained as President of Everest Cricket Club

The Executive members of the Everest Cricket Club after the meeting.

President Singh is sitting in the center while 1st vice president Stephen Lewis is on his left and Secretary Oncar Ramroop is on his right.

Rajesh Singh was re-elected unopposed as President of the Everest Cricket Club when the body held its Annual General meeting on Saturday evening at the club’s pavilion.

Every member from the previous executive retained their position unopposed.

The full executive reads Stephen Lewis 1st Vice President, Oncar Ramroop 2nd Vice President, Caramchand Rambarran Secretary, Shameer Shahib Assistant Secretary, Royston Rachpaul Treasurer, Anthony Rampersaud Assistant Treasurer and Paul Parsram Club Captain.

The committee members are Ramjit Singh, Harry Yenkana, Manichan Rai and Karamchand Jaikaran.

Speaking after the elections Singh thanked the members for showing confidence in him

and urged the executive to keep the club flag flying high. He said 2012 was a good year and is looking forward for a better 2013. He informed that 2014 will mark 100 years for the club and the executive will organize a number of events to mark the milestone.

Singh stated that softball cricket that the club organizes every Friday night is on the rise and they will install permanent lights at the ground. “We are looking forward to support from the public to offset the expenses, the club have a regular Friday lunch so we will be grateful for assistance,” added Singh.

He said he is looking forward to support from the executive and members to improve the club in every way possible. Singh also indicated that plans are in the making to upgrade the lawn tennis court.

Eagles of Stewartville recorded their third win in as many matches when play in the Trophy Stall sponsored West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) Under17 League continued at the Den Amstel Community centre Ground on Saturday last.

Eagles soared to a commanding 4-0 win over Young Achievers of Pouderoyen with Den Amstel taking care of business against Beavers, wrapping up victory 5-0.

Coming off the back of a resounding upset win over Uitvlugt Warriors and having defeated Bagotsville / Nismes in their opening fixture, Eagles kept their winning attitude intact with another authoritative win.

Jevane Eastman opened proceedings in the 16th minute and while Young Achievers did their best to keep Eagles at bay, also trying to get in one of their own, Eagles’ Jason Carroll doubled the advantage in the 27th

minute.

Before the half time break the game was put way beyond the reach of Young Achievers when Travis Bagot netted in the 42nd minute. Young Achievers performed better in the second half which saw Eagles hitting the network only once, 9 minutes to full time, Mervin Frank doing the honours in the 81st minute to seal their third consecutive win. They remain at the top of the points table with 9.

In the other game contested, home team Den Amstel hammered Beavers 50 on the heels of a double from Paul Miggins in the 60th and 72nd minute. Alista Lynch broke the deadlock in the 36th minute and from thereon in Den Amstel never looked back.

Omari Haynes was on target in the 80th minute with the deal being sealed six minutes later when Aubrey Greene hit the network.

Action will continue on Saturday.

Page 36

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 19, 2013

James Krakowsky overcomes intense challenge to win GASP Open Scrabble tournament James Krakowsky turned in a masterful ‘come from behind’ performance to register an impeccable 6 points and a positive spread of 712 to cart off the honours when the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP) hosted their Open Championship at the Malteenoes Sports Complex Thomas lands, Sunday afternoon last.

Moen Gafoor sealed off the second place after amassing 4 points and a positive spread of 427 while former national champion, Fred Collins, forfeited the inaugural sitting after arriving late but rebounded to amass a similar amount of points as Gafoor but with a lower positive spread of 182.

Enterprise Scrabble Club representative, Anand Mohabir, retained his consistency and also finished on 4 points but a lower positive spread of 161.

He sealed off the 4 th position and also won the prize for the best player outside the top ten.

Krakowsky dominated the morning session and started the final sitting on 5 points and a positive of 693.

He was matched against Chichester for the final game with the latter player having amassed 4 points and a positive of 472.

Chichester had earlier surrendered to Leon Belony by a massive 356 spread but a win against Krakowsky would have seen him redeeming himself and possibly clinching the top spot.

The versatile Chichester threw his all into the game and had Krakowsky with his back to the wall at a clear 76 points lead when the bag was exhausted.

Somehow, Krakowsky managed to pull the proverbial ‘rabbit out of the hat’ and in a last gaps effort, scored a bingo after hooking ‘renames’ at the front of ‘cart.’

Not only did he score 78 points but an extra 5 after Chichester ill-advisedly challenged ‘scart’ much to his detriment; Krakowsky

sneaked past his score by 19 points.

Gafoor’s victims were Maurice Munru (62), Orlando Michael (26), Grace Hercules (117) and Leon Belony (342).

He dropped games to Fred Collins (101) and Anand Mohabir (19).

The latter player also defeated Kevin Williams (152), Kamta Ramnarine (20) and Belony (16) but lost to Collins (23) and Robert Williams (23).

President of GASP, Leon Belony, lauded the players for the keen rivalry and envisaged that the standard of the sport will reach unprecedented heights providing the players continue to apply themselves.

He also congratulated Mohabir for his consistency and urged the players to continue attending practice sessions at the same venue but on Thursday evenings from 19:00hrs.

The winners received trophies and other prizes donated by Serious Off

Krakowsky (3rd left) is flanked by Collins (right) and Gafoor (left) while Mohabir and Ramsoondar is at extreme left and right respectively.

Roader of Premnaranjan Place, Prashad Nagar and the Chief Finance Officer of that firm, Gavin Ramsoondar,

visited the venue to hand over the prizes to the respective winners.

He joined in

congratulating the winners even as he pledged support to the organizers for future tournaments.

Rising Sun/ Banks DIH Mashramani horserace meet...

Banks DIH, Jumbo Jet and Shariff once again pour in hefty sponsorship This weekend the Rising Sun Turf Club at Arima Park, West Coast Berbice will the place to be when the Rising Sun Turf Club in collaboration with Banks DIH Limited stages their annual grand one day Mashramani horserace meet at the clubs racetrack at West Coast Berbice. Seven races are listed on the day’s card which has prize monies totaling over $6M in cash, trophies and other goodies.

So far over 60 racehorses have been entered for the day’s action with all the major stables entering horses for the grand event.

The brigade will once again be led by the Jumbo Jet entourage with multiple entries along with the likes of Shariff, Elcock, Crawford, Habibulla, Jagdeo, Ashrafally, Simple Royal, Night Eyes, Crawford/ Persaud, Sooklall and Sookdeo racing stables among others looking to feature prominently on the day.

The sponsorship list has also being enhanced considerably with a bevy of other sponsors jumping on board to be a part of the day’s action. Once again the Jumbo Jet connections is playing a leading role along with Inshan Bacchus Business Enterprise, Rohit Lumber yard, Kris Jagdeo Construction and Simple Royal Racing Stables among others joining the likes of Banks DIH Limited, Shariff Business Enterprise and Racing Stable, Colin Elcock Racing Stables,

Chester Fry Chicken of Bush Lot West Coast Berbice, Habla Meat Centre, Romel Jagroop Construction, Abary and Rising Sun Cattle ranches and Trophy Stall of Bourda Market.

An impressive amount horses have also lined up to do battle for a stake of the days hefty prizes with the likes of Score’s Even, Settle In Seattle, Sleeping In town, Grande De Roja, the Message, The Bailiff, Got To Go, California Strike, Mission King, Home Bush Baby, Renia Del Cafe, Better than Gold, Swing Easy, Fresh Again, Silent Night, Easy To win, Night Crescendo, Traditional man, Savion, The Gump, Treacle, Storm In a tea Cup, Silent Lizzy, Serenity, Third World, Strom In a Tea a cup, Joyful Victory, Intriguing Account, Fairy Landing, Feels Like Gold, Diamond Dazzling, Work Force , Marathon man, Dream Girl, Stormy Lass, Super Bowl, Mona Lisa, I Want Revenge and Monsoon among others all set a rearing to go for the gold.

The feature event is for B and lower animals over 1400M with a sumptuous $1M and the Banks DIH trophy up for the takings.

The other events listed on the day’s card are - The three year old event for animals bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies which has a winning prize of $400,000 and trophy over 1400M. The F Class 1400M

event has a pole position takings of $340,000 and trophy; The three year old race for Guyana bred and born horses with a winners take of $300,000 and trophy also over 1400M. The G and lower showdown will also see the top animal running away with $300,000 and trophy in another 1400M encounter.

The ‘I’ class horses will gallop over 1100M for a winners take of $200,000 and trophy. The other event on the days’ programme is for horses classified J and lower and will see the winner receiving $150,000 and trophy.

Businessman Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall in Bourda Market as usual is on board with sponsorship for the individual prizes which includes the champion jockey, champion trainer and champion stable trophies among others.

The meet will be held under the rules of the Rising Sun Turf Club and Bugle time is 13:00 hrs. Entries closed on Sunday 17th of February.

Last minute enquiries can be made by making contact with Fazal Habibulla at Chester Fry at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice on Telephone No 232-0232 or 648-6522, 6577010, or Inshanally Habibulla on tel No 623-4495, and 623-5453 or 232-3295, Donald or Zaleena Lawrie on telephone nos 225-4530 or 225-4565. Race time is 13.00 hrs. Proceeds go towards charity. (Samuel Whyte)

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

Bounty One-Day Hockey Championships...

GCC men and women sweep top honours

GCC’s Orland Semple scores a beauty in their clash against Hikers Cadets.

Bounty GCC romped to victory in an unbeaten display of high quality hockey throughout the Bounty OneDay Championships which was played on Sunday, at the Providence Stadium. Having taken apart the young energetic Hikers Cadets in their pool round clash by a 42 margin, Bounty GCC showed their consistency, winning the final 4-3 in their second match of the day against the Cadets.

The dynamic duo of Orland Semple and Kevin Spencer each found the back of the net in the opening two minutes of the final, stunning the voluminous Hikers supporters to silence. Just as the game seemed to slip from grasp of the Cadets, top junior strikers Aroydy Brandford and Michael Harding brought the crowd to its feet by equalising through two goals in the 8th and 10th minute.

GCC’s full back Dwayne Scott, however, completed an overlapping run with a bullet of a shot that left goalkeeper Jason Hoyte with no chance for a save to give GCC the 3-2 lead at the half.

The second half saw more thrilling hockey as GCC pulled further ahead in the 21st minute through a second goal by Spencer while Brandford added his second a minute later for the Cadets.

The final whistle brought jubilation to the Bourda camp as GCC held on to win 4-3.

The Antonio’s Grille ladies final was an even more competitive tie as it took a penalty shootout to separate the GCC Tigers from rivals Spice after a 1-1 draw in full time.

The two teams also met earlier in the pool round when the Tigers managed to steamroll their less experienced opponents 5-1.

Although Gabriella Xavier got the Tigers off to a blistering start by slipping an early goal past goalkeeper

Natalie Hing in the opening minute, Samantha Fernandes equalised with the only other goal of the match in the 18th minute to see the scores level at 1-1 at full time.

In the ensuing penalty shootout, Hing got the better of Xavier who misfired during the first penalty attempt for the Tigers.

Fernandes then made good on her penalty to give Spice the lead. However that

would be the final Spice goal of the afternoon while Tigers Ulrica Sutherland and Kerensa Fernandes made it a 3-2 victory for the Tigers with their double penalty strikes.

Thirteen year old Shania Riley of Spice, who scored three goals during the tournament, received the Most Promising Player Award for females, while Omar Hopkinson of Old Fort received it for the males.

Richards, Zaman win GNRA Precision Pistol shoot Gordon Richards and Philip Zaman were on target in the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) handgun section first Precision Pistol competition for 2013 last Saturday at the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) range at Eve Leary.

Richards won in the 9mm category with 189 points, beating into second position Murtland Smith who recorded 185 with 7 Vs. Third place went to smallbore captain Dale Hing who also recorded 185 points with three Vs. 9mm pistol category was shot from 5metres and 10metres.

The .22 category for beginners and novices was won by Zaman who beat into second place Randolph Scott.

The beginners and novices shot and five and seven metres ranges.

This shoot saw the participation of several seasoned shooters including former captain Ryan McKinnon, Dr. Johan DaSilva, David Dharry and Ray Beharry as well as female shooters Vidushi Persaud, Edol Castello and Candacy Frank who participated in the 9mm category.

Meanwhile, Troy Peters was returned as Public Relations Officer when the Executive Council held its first meeting following the GNRA Annual General Meeting three weeks ago.

Peters has served in that capacity for a number of years.

Unique Entertainment / Banks Premium Beer Futsal Tournament...

Rain forces Organisers to postpone semi-finals A consistent downpour forced the Organisers of the Unique Entertainment / Banks Premium Beer Futsal Tournament to cancel the semi-finals and final which was to be played on Sunday evening, at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hardcourt.

According to a release from the Organisers, the new

date for the semi-finals has been set for Thursday, February 21, while the final will be played on March 1, at the same venue.

In the matchups, New Era Russians takes on Silverbullets and that will be followed by the clash between Hard Knocks 1 versus Top Class.

Page 37

Page 38

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Alpha thrash Pele; Santos breeze past NA United as quarterfinals duels conclude Expert dribbling, stiff tackles and many instances of roughhouse tactics - the game was riddled with all of these and a little more when Pele FC faced off with Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United in a quarterfinal match when action in the Fruta Conquerors One Love Classic knockout football tournament resumed at the Tucville Ground Sunday evening last.

In the end, the aggression of Manasseh Primo (40th min) supported by the adroitness of Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson (45th), won out, leading Pele FC to a 2-0

victory and a semi-final berth in the tournament.

Santos FC were also in winner’s row and clinched a decisive 3-0 victory over New Amsterdam United (NAU) and earned the other semifinal spot on offer due to successes of the boots of Ryan Seals (72nd), Odel Williams (75th) and Vassel Cantzelaar (85th).

‘The Hammers’ fielded two players that once played for the opposition in Travis ‘Zorro’ Grant and Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson but while Alpha regarded this development as their ace in

Dwight Peters (right) attempts to dribble the ball past a Pele player in the heat of the action

the hole, Pele coach, Cary Jacques remained unperturbed while placing his confidence in mid field players, Konata Manning and Mark Jahlan. Pele also fielded other competent players like Calvin Shepherd Okeny Fraser and Keoma Gravesande.

Shepherd seemed set to endorse his coach’s confidence when he thundered down the left wing just after the game commenced and peppered the Alpha custodian with a ferocious kick. The latter player was up to the task and

smoothly collected the offering. Manning also tested the goalkeeper early in the game with a powerful shot just outside the box but once again the Alpha goalie proved his usefulness between the uprights and averted any disaster. It was around this time that the floodlights dimmed and the technicians spent a little over 30 minutes to fix the problem.

Upon resumption, Pele’s strike force, led by Konata Manning upped the ante and kept the ball in Alpha’s territory albeit without success. Thereafter, the exchanges were fierce as both teams battled valiantly for dominance. Richardson then broke away after dribbling past the Pele defence and earned a free kick after he was improperly checked in stride.

Once again, Pele custodian proved his worth, punching the ball back into play.

Meanwhile, Dwight Peters, who had been kept quiet on the left flank, was fed a dolly of a pass, spun and raced to the goal only to be improperly intercepted by one of Pele’s defenders and merited a penalty. Pele’s custodian, Devon Charles,

warmed the hearts of his fans when he plunged to his right and averted a disaster. The celebrations were short-lived as shortly afterwards Primo launched an attack and broke the deadlock for Pele.

‘Jackie Chan’ almost emulated Primo’s feat just afterwards but botched the opportunity with a strike straight into the goal keeper’s hands. The dapper striker made amends less than five minutes later when he dribbled past Pele’s defence and pushed the ball to the right to send his team 2 nil up.

That goal was the last in the game even though there were many opportunities that would have changed the dynamics but both teams were guilty of blotches.

Santos players expertly distributed the ball in the early stages that kept the New Amsterdam team working overtime. Devon James managed to intercept one of the passes and sped to Santos’ goal but was alone with the ‘keeper’ when he lost his composure and tapped the ball into the custodian’s grasp.

The first goal came after a

goal scrimmage that drew the NAU custodian out of his berth for Ryan Seals to score.

Three minutes later, Odel Williams weaved his way past the NAU defence and tucked the ball to the right of the advancing custodian. Vassel Cantzelar sealed the issue for Santos when he scored off of a penalty after his teammate, Odel Williams, was fouled in the box. That success proved decisive as it held to the final whistle.

The chaff has been separated from the wheat and two other teams will walk the plank when two semifinal matches are played tomorrow night. In the feature attraction starting at 20:00hrs, Fruta Conquerors will battle Santos FC shortly after Alpha United tackles the Guyana Defense Force at 18:00hrs.

The respective winners will clash on February 24 while the losers will battle in the third place playoff. The top team receives the championship trophy and the $1.2M first prize, while the runners-up pocket half that amount. The third and fourth place finishers receive $400,000 and $200,000 respectively.

Barbados beat Guyana by 93 runs Barbados defeated Guyana by 93 runs as the second round of the West Indies Cricket Board 4 day tournament concluded yesterday. Set 378 for victory at the Kensington Oval, Guyana resumed on their overnight score of 94-1 with Rajendra Chandrika on 40 and Leon Johnson on 39.

The visitors were put on the back foot early in the

day’s play when they lost Chandrika who failed to add to his score and Johnson for 40. Guyana progressed to 1736 at lunch but were eventually bowled out for 284.

Mohamed top scored with 58 not out, while Stephen Jacobs made 51 and Derwin Christian 37.

Ashley Nurse, Christopher Jordan and Miguel Cummins grabbed 3 wickets

each for Barbados who a l o n g w i t h Wi n d w a r d s picked up maximum points after the conclusion of the second round.

Kirk Edwards was named man of the match. Windwards thrashed Trinidad and Tobago by ten wickets at Arnos Vale inside three days.

Scores: Barbados 367 and 235-7 decl. Guyana 225 and 284.

Tuesday February 19, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 39

Scotia Bank/DDL continues sponsorship of U15 School Football Programme Shrewd thinking, dedication and commitment are important variables towards the success of any sports initiative but unfortunately, could dwindle to naught in the absence of adequate funding.

Undoubtedly, hard cash is the oxygen of any credible sports programme, a fact that has seeped into the psyche of local sports administrators.

The administrators of the Guyana Sports Development Foundation (GSDF), being cognizant of this, had approached administrators of the Scotia Bank and the Demerara Distillers Ltd, and those administrators, in turn, have acquiesced to tangible inputs to facilitate the successful staging of the 2013 Scotiabank/Pepsi U15 School Football Programme and yesterday morning, representatives of those institutions officially handed over similar cheques to the tune M$1.9 each to the organizers when the programme was launched yesterday morning at the

Ministry of Education Sports Complex, Carifesta Avenue.

DDL Marketing Executive, Alexis Langhorne reiterated her company’s commitment towards the development of the sport even as she wished the organizers well. Her sentiments were echoed by Marketing Representative (Scotia Bank), Jennifer Cipriani who underpinned the focus of the programme as developmental to youths. She stressed that the aim of the initiative was centered on the all round development of young people.

Mr. Lindlie Langhorne represented the Ministry of Education and expounded on the need to move past the station of passive thinking.

“Unless thinkers think and doers do, progress would just be another word in our vocabulary,” he said while extending gratitude to the major sponsors for supporting the programme.

President of the Guyana Football Federation ag (GFF), Franklyn Wilson feels that the

GFF President, Franklyn Wilson (2nd right) displays the sponsorship cheque with John Yates (2nd left), with assistance from Alexis Langhorne (3rd right), Jennifer Cipriani (extreme left) and Lindlie Langhorne (extreme right). The others are participants of the course venture is commendable and is the catalyst to the revival of the sport in the schools while GSDF Local Administrative Coordinator, John Yates said that he feel indebted to the sponsors for their integral input. He also voiced the hope that next year’s programme attracts a

larger cheque which in turn will facilitate a more-broad based programme.

Organizing Secretary (GSDF), Andrea Fredericks delivered the vote of thanks and heaped praises on coordinator, Lawrence ‘Sparrow’ Griffith whose exemplary input has been

responsible for the timely launching of the programme.

This marks the 3rd year of activities and 48 teams from 24 schools will vie for honours after the GSDF have decided to expand the programme, drafting in participants from New Amsterdam and Linden.

Twelve schools will be drawn from Georgetown while Linden and Berbice will field 6 teams each.

Activities got underway yesterday with a coaching course for Physical Education teachers in Georgetown at the venue of the launch and (Continued on page 34)

t r o Sp Stag Beer West Side Mash KO C/ship...

Jacobs fires Slingerz FC to debut win; Den Amstel clips Eagles 7–2 T

he inaugural Stag Beer West Side Mashramani knock-out competition kicked off in style on Sunday evening with the recently formed Slingerz FC recording a hard fought debut win while home team Den Amstel clipped Eagles FC wings 7-2.

Slingerz, boasting a number of former national players and the new kid on the West Dem bloc was made to work hard for their 1-0 win over Beavers in the feature clash of the evening witnessed by a colourful and appreciative crowd that made their presence felt when the home team was in action.

On field action commenced following the official opening ceremony which saw the tournament being kicked off by Digicel’s Marketing Director, Jacqueline James.

Slingerz controlled the position and pace of the game, playing a more systematic brand of football in their official game but Beavers, a long standing member of the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) didn’t let the big names on the field deter them from trying to breach the Slingerz defense third, marshaled by Kester Jacobs and Ryan Crandon.

Not many chances were created

by Beavers in the first half with Ronson Williams in goal for the new team having a trouble free night as the eventual losers basically collapsed deep defensively; Dwayne Jacobs led the Slingerz FC attack and he missed several chances to put his team ahead early in the piece.

The scores were 0-0 at the end

Digicel Marketing Director Jacqueline James and GFF President Franklin Wilson while meeting the players from the Den Amstel Football club prior to the start of their game against Eagles of the first half but Slingerz fell a man short after their attacking midfielder Shavane Seaforth drew his second yellow card and as a result was given marching orders.

However, Slingerz played better in the second stanza and seemed more purposeful in their offense which started with Jacobs’ header from a corner hitting the cross bar.

They continued their attack on goal but Beavers remained resolute in defense up until 3 minutes to regulation time Jacobs used a few Cristiano Ronaldo imitated stepover dribbles to evade two defenders before unleashing a rocket like left foot shot just outside the 18 yard box to give his side the eventual game winner.

Though the team would move on to play on March 1, their win

was uninspiring according to their Coach Gordon Braithwaite who bashed his side’s approach to the game. Thanks to a Hat-trick from Travis Hartman coupled with a double from Gavin Graham and one each from Jeffery Pereira and Colin Wellington, Den Amstel banged their way past Eagles FC of Stewartville, 7 – 2.

Marvin Frank who scored in the 18th minute and Stephon Griffith (48th minute) were the two goal scores for Eagles.

Meanwhile, James whose company Digicel is one of the major sponsors of the tournament pledged their continued commitment to the sport on the West Demerara, adding that they are happy to be part of the event which serves as an important catalyst for its development.

Dwayne Jacobs is about to fire in the eventual game winner for Slingerz against Beavers Her words were echoed by President (ag) of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Franklin Wilson who himself once served as President of the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA).

Wilson reminisced on the days of the Sweet-16 football tournament which was run during his tenure at the helm on the ‘West Side’ and stated that the event has the potential to supersede all expectations. He lauded Slingerz

FC for organising the tournament to announce their presence in the sport and charged the participating teams to be disciplined and display a high level of camaraderie.

Also offering remarks was WDFA Vice President Christine Schmidt. The tournament will continue on Friday February 22 at the Tuschen Community Ground when Seawall tackle Stewartville in opening play at 18:00hrs; the night capper featuring Uitvlugt Warriors and Young Achievers.

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