Kaieteur News

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January 08, 2013 - Vol. 6 No. 02 - Price $80

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

2010 $1.2B New GPC contract…

Parliamentary c’ttee to review system Fire Service saves Ministry of Culture

Firefighters at the scene of the fire last night

Government spends $21B cut from budget …Opposition questions authority

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Government spends $21B cut from budget The government is spending money that the National Assembly did not approve and the opposition is not about to let the matter go easily. The opposition wants to know exactly how much money the House did not approve that has been spent, and it also wants to know to which agencies monies were “illegally” paid over. Those answers are expected to come this Thursday when the National Assembly meets.

Once the answers come in, the Opposition will make its next move, with Carl Greenidge of opposition coalition APNU citing a resort to disciplinary provisions of Parliament and even to the courts for a breach of the constitution.

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, is reported to have said, in delivering his 2012 Mid-Year Report, that he had restored the sums the House deleted from the 2012 Budget. Singh said that he was able to do so based on the fact that “the National Assembly was later deemed by the Courts of Guyana to have acted outside its constitutional remit in inflicting those cuts to the budget.”

The Opposition has argued that the government has been misinterpreting the decision of the Chief Justice, a decision which is in itself a preliminary one.

Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the seven-seat Alliance for Change (AFC), said that the use of the Funds is “criminal.”

The Chief Justice had ruled that the National Assembly can approve and disapprove of the budget, but not cut it. It is on that basis that the government said it had restored the $21 billion that was cut from the budget.

However, the opposition insists that the Minister is misreading the ruling of the Chief Justice.

The Chief Justice had denied the request of the Attorney General and denied the Minister of Finance the “liberty” to make advances/ withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund to restore the $21 billion 2012 budget cuts, except for the sum of $99M for the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC).

The Chief Justice said the reason for the funds going to the ERC is because it is a constitutional body and its funding is not subject to a vote of the National Assembly.

Accordingly, Ramjattan argues that except for the monies denied for the ERC, there are no funds cut from the budget that can be restored. He said that the only way that the money not budgeted for can be spent is if the need for it is “urgent and unforeseen.”

“They want to draw down the money and then come to us to approve it. That is criminal,” Ramjattan declared.

Dr. Roger Luncheon, the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, stated that “the $1 that was approved by the Opposition for the various Agencies was totally inconsistent with the constitutional provision as ruled by the Chief Justice;” and that, “no one lost their jobs.”

The National Assembly did not approve of finances for the Government Information Agency (GINA) and contract workers at the Office of the President, among others. But Dr Luncheon had stated that “Contingency Funds were approved and funds made available belatedly, but still available to meet the wages and salaries of the contract workers at Office of the President.”

To get the matter cleared

…Opposition questions authority up, Greenidge has a string of questions for the Finance Minister.

He wants the Minister to say whether monies cut from the Budget and not approved by the House have been restored to the Ministries. He has asked the Minister to answer what categories and

sums have been involved, the legal basis for such payments, and what advice was provided on this matter by the Attorney General.

Greenidge has also asked the Minister what section of the Chief Justice’s report/ decision suggests that either the Chief Justice or the

Ministry of Finance can restore cuts to the budget or that the Chief Justice can authorise the Ministry of Finance to make advances from the Consolidated Fund.

Greenidge argued that if indeed the minister has spent monies not approved of in the budget, he would be guilty of breaching the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.

2010 $1.2B New GPC contract…

Parliamentary committee to review system The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), with its mandate to review the annual Auditor General (AG)’s Report and public accounts, is set to question the Ministry of Heath on the measures it used to award a $1.2B contract in 2010 to the medical supply company, New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) Inc. Questions arose as the Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, stated in his report of 2010, that “a system of competitive bidding was not followed in the award of contracts to the New GPC totaling $1.252B.” The Ministry of Health is considered to have violated section 26 and 27 of the Procurement Act. The committee was supposed to have reviewed the Health Ministry’s 2010 spending as audited by the Auditor General, yesterday.

However, time did not permit, and the review has been postponed to next Monday.

However, the Ministry, in its written response to the auditor’s findings, reiterated its continued position that awarding contracts for medical supplies requires more consideration than reasonable pricing.

The Ministry stated, “It must be noted that the procurement of drugs and medical supplies does not necessarily place all the criteria in price, but also on quantity, service and availability. As such, it is safe to say the New GPC Inc. has comprehensively met these criteria.” Further, the Ministry stated that New GPC outshone the lower bidding company as it relates to the aforementioned requirements that the Ministry considers upon awarding contracts.

Also, the Ministry stated

that it has corrected its method “as per the recommendation of the audit office.”

“The Ministry publicly advertised for prequalification of suppliers for medicines and medical supplies in adherence to section 26 and 27 of the Procurement Act. The expression of the interest for bids was opened on November 23, 2010. An evaluation was done and award made by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).”

Come next Monday, Ministry officials will be made to tell the PAC “what action was taken to ensure continued compliance with the tender procedures,” as suggested by the Auditor General, along with further questions that committee members will wish to have answered.

Four Guyanese begin medical classes at new St. Lucia’s university

SHU President, Oma Sewhdat (third from left) and Academic Dean, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles (extreme right), are seen here with the four Guyanese students at St. Helen University in St. Lucia St. Helen University (SHU), based in St. Lucia, announced yesterday that it has launched its inaugural ‘Class of January 2013’ as planned. Oma Sewhdat, SHU President, said: “We are ready. We have a great facility; an innovative programme underpinned by leading edge technology; and a very highly qualified and

experienced team of faculty from the US, Canada, Africa and the Caribbean.

“We welcome our first cohort of students who come from the USA and the Caribbean, including four students from Guyana.”

Commenting on the students from Guyana, Sewhdat said, “It’s a great beginning for us. We have

four excellent students from Guyana. This is the start of a long relationship with the medical students and fraternity.” One of the students from Guyana received a full scholarship and the other three were rewarded partial scholarships for the first year. The application process carefully selected qualified students.

Tuesday January 08, 2013

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Kaieteur News

Corentyne resident killed at Hindu Mandir

T

he body of a security guard was discovered bound and gagged at the Iskcon Hari Krishna Mandir at Block 6 Williamsburg, Corentyne, Berbice.

The dead man has been identified as Jagdat Ramcharran, 61, called 'Ronald' a father of two of Bloomfield, Corentyne, Berbice.

A c c o r d i n g t o information, at around 03:00hrs, a worshipper who would visit the temple in the early morning to worship, arrived at the temple for his usual devotion.

Upon arriving he would usually be greeted by the watchman who would open the gate.

But when the man arrived no one came to greet him and the gate was locked. After making several calls and getting no response, he scaled the fence and to his horror he noticed the watchman lying on the ground with his hand and feet bound.

The man immediately left and sprinted to the home of a senior member of the temple.

Dead: Jagdat Ramcharran called 'Ronald'

The damaged grill at the door through which the bandits entered Tula Persaud Udit told the media that he was at home when the member came to his house and

informed him that there was a problem at the Temple. He said the man told him that “de watchman lie down and

he hand and foot tie up.�

Udit stated that he told the worshipper to go to the station while he immediately

made his way to the temple.

The temple was locked.

He then gained entry through a side gate which is usually tied.

Upon entering to he noticed the watchman's bound and motionless body on the porch in the temple.

The place was ransacked. He immediately left and made his way to the Rose Hall Police outpost where he joined the other member and reported the matter to the police.

The police arrived and

secured the premises. There was some blood on Ramcharran's body. His face was also swollen.

A bell, a pair of goldcoloured slippers, and a tape recorder were reportedly missing.

The prayer centre was in a mess. The thieves entered the premises by cutting and wrenching open a grilled w i n d o w. T h e y a l s o wrenched the door on the prayer centre.

Udit, who stated that he overlooks the security arrangements at the Mandir, said that Ramcharran was working with them for about three years.

He last spoke to him about 18:00hrs the previous afternoon when he had a meeting with him and two other guards who work at the Mandir, and they reported that all was well. Udit stated that the Mandir would assist with all funeral arrangements.

Jagdat Ramcharran leaves to mourn his wife, Devika, 58, and two children, aged 25 and 22.

The Mandir was burglarised a year ago.

No one has been arrested.

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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

Tackling suicide About a decade ago, psychiatrist Dr Frank Beckles commissioned a study on suicides in Guyana, perhaps the most comprehensive study ever done. The findings were not surprising since one would expect most suicides would use the chemical most available to them.

Indeed, most of the suicides occurred in Berbice where the major activity was agriculture and where one would find some of the most toxic chemicals. Gramoxone was found to be the drug of choice, and indeed it was readily available, since it was a weedicide on which farmers relied heavily.

There was a time when the most common pesticide was monocrotophus, closely followed by Malathion.

The then Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, organized a march in Berbice to sensitise people to suicides.

He also organized seminars, one of which was a trainer of trainers programme to teach people to recognize a potential suicide and to prevent the death.

These trainers of trainers were also supposed to work with the relatives of these individuals and even with those in whose families a suicide would have occurred. Whether this programme is working is unclear because not much if anything is being spoken about it.

Dr Beckles’s study further found that Region Three, particularly West Coast Demerara and East Bank Essequibo, were not far behind Berbice. Again the suicide relied mainly on the toxic substances. It also found that while most of those who took their own lives were alcoholics, a number of people infected with HIV sought, what for them was, the easy way out. The argument was that they could not live with the embarrassment and the possibility of rejection if their relatives became aware of their status.

The study further found that people of a certain age were more prone to commit suicide than older people, although older people with some disability that hampered their movement and caused them severe pain could be pushed to that ultimate level.

Last week, two very young people hanged themselves and caused consternation among their schoolmates. Why the girl hanged herself is still a mystery, but then it is said that some social workers met with the young boy in the absence of his parents and soon after he too hanged himself.

There are many things that need examination here. If indeed the social workers proceeded to interview him about a sensitive issue in the absence of his parents, then they should be sanctioned. There is a basic rule that stipulates that children should not be interviewed in the absence of their parents. Perhaps, given the nature of the country, where untrained people are often placed to do sensitive tasks, there is the possibility that a very unprofessional approach was adopted.

But the issue goes beyond these social workers. It is time teachers be trained to deal with social issues, especially at a time when young people in school are resorting to drastic measures. There was the Neesa Gopaul issue during which a girl cried out for help and while the teachers did the best they could, the social services did not respond in a manner that could have saved the life of a 16-year-old girl.

All too often there are signs, but unless one is trained to recognize the signs, unless one has communicating skills and unless one can relate to a suffering person, then there will always be these suicides.

A suicidal person is often a person who wants attention, but we often are too busy in our own little world that we cannot bring ourselves to share some of our time with the people who really need help. This attitude is extended to the home where today many parents simply cannot relate to their teenage children, with the result being harsh and frightening.

At the level of the state, one can safely conclude that Guyana was never prepared to deal with these major social issues. For a country with some 700,000 people there are a mere four psychiatrists and no more than six psychiatric nurses.

Unless the nation takes notice it is going to lose even more people by way of suicide, at a time when the roads and criminal activity already account for a sizeable number.

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

Bisram’s attempt to link the AFC to the PNC/APNU is deceitful DEAR EDITOR, Vishnu Bisram challenged my condemnation of the pathetic attempts by some PPP backers, Bisram included, to link the AFC to the PNC/APNU. It is pathetic simply because it has failed already when the PPP went all across Guyana during the last election trying to make this connection stick and still ended up with less than a majority.

The cat is out of the bag on this one. Fear politics will not work. Voters also realize the PPP did not try this madness in 2006 although both parties contested the election then because they won a majority. It is only now that the PPP has lost power in Parliament, its backers have resorted to this dirty racially divisive message.

The message of the ‘AFC and PNC ah wan’ is simple Indians should not vote for the AFC because it is in bed with the African dominated PNC and Indians will be voting for Africans if they vote for the AFC. That is the racial thrust of this message. It is sickening and dastardly.

It is not as if the PPP has become more democratic, less thieving, more transparent, less corrupt, more responsible, less incompetent and more humane.

As long as this remains the case, this kind of message has no legs to stand on when used on those PPP supporters who have left the PPP for its corruption, venality and ineptitude.

This mantra is a failed tactic and a gross miscalculation because it is rooted in race. Its

entire premise is to psychologically bully Indians back to the PPP as opposed to trying to win back those Indians who left with good governance, transparency, accountability and decency. The other part of the problem with this ridiculous message is it fails to understand demographic changes and how a racially provocative message can implode.

Indians are the fastest declining ethnic population.

Amerindians and Mixed Races are the fastest increasing.

Between now and 2016, the Indian population is in steady decline. By 2016, some of those votes the PPP seeks to recapture will disappear as will a politically significant percentage of the entire Indian vote.

Spreading a racially turbulent and disgusting message geared to recapture a very small and shrinking group while the repulsive proethnic nature of this message turns off massive numbers of vital crossover voters from the fastest growing ethnic groups (Mixed and Amerindian) is plain dumb political strategy.

The PPP’s Amerindian and Mixed Race support has dramatically shrunk from 2006 to 2011. I cannot see them returning to this brand of the PPP. In fact, I foresee the virtual disappearance of vital crossover voter support (Amerindian and Mixed Race) for the PPP in 2016, a devastating blow that could cost the PPP the presidency.

Only a bunch of shortsighted individuals (the PPP and PNC/APNU are filled

with them) will see political profit in gaining a shrinking few while losing a burgeoning many. Bisram’s attempt to paint the PPP’s attempt to unite with the PNC in the late 1970s and 1980s as necessary is flawed. The PPP’s leadership did this for power and only power and psychologically sabotaged its own supporters after incensing them for over 15 years on racial-political vitriol.

How Bisram equates a communist party joining forces with a dictatorship to create a one-party tyranny (PPP and PNC) alongside two democratically elected parties cooperating where necessary on vital issues such as corruption (PNC and AFC) in a multi-party democratic state, is beyond me.

When the AFC voted against the PNC and with the PPP in Parliament, was it still ‘wan’ with the PNC? If the AFC wins the presidency in the next election in a minority government, should the PPP refuse to vote in Parliament in conjunction with the PNC against the AFC when theAFC is clearly wrong on some policy? The interests of the country would be best served with the PPP and PNC voting against the AFC in that scenario.

My calling the PPP supporters hypocritical has nothing to do with the AFC. I am not a member of, nor do I support, the AFC. I support no political party in Guyana.

But I view the inaction and silence of PPP members and supporters to the dictatorship hijacking of their party by a handful of Jagdeoites as hypocritical, particularly

when these same individuals were vehemently opposed to dictatorship and hijacking of democracy under the PNC. These supporters and members took serious action by voting heavily against the PNC the first opportunity they got to do so. Yet they stoop while despots ride roughshod over their own party.

The fear-driven notion Cheddi Jagan and the PPP leadership has drilled into Indians that unity must be preserved at all costs is absolute hogwash. It was an attempt to accomplish exactly what has always happened and is happening today - seizure of the party by a few without rebellion from the membership and supporters. Burnham did the same thing under the PNC, but the PNC supporters and members have gone through several open battles leading to more democracy within the PNC than in the PPP. Alarmingly for the PPP and its members and supporters, I believe the PNC/ APNU was able for the first time since 2001 to secure in 2011 a decent share of crossover voters (Amerindians and Mixed Race).

That is a dangerous signal for PPP supporters. The leadership of their party has caused this damage and will continue to further the assault on the PPP. Racially trenchant and disuniting messages along with the excesses of the PPP leadership and the relentless cronyism that feeds their friends and families drive away crossover voters.

Future elections cannot be won without their healthy support.

M. Maxwell

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

A plethora of bizarre accusations DEAR EDITOR, “I must however commend Mr. Ralph Ramkarran for his effort to restructure the PPP, and if his advice is heeded it might just do the trick. But I doubt it will,” wrote Mr. Erin Brewster in a letter to the SN of 4-1-13 titled “Ramkarran misstated the ideological bent of the PPP”.

In Mr. Brewster’s nostalgic harkening back of the Marxist/socialist “Dr Jagan support for shared government (which he views as) a device to bring to an end the perpetual political instability that one party rule …inevitably bring(s), and (whereafter Mr. Ramkarran) supports his, (Dr Jagan’s subsequent) refusal, to join with the WPA in a government of national unity”, there can be no new revelation what really ails Mr. Brewster.

What substantially explains his blurting out that “they did not want any dealings with an African political leader – not after Burnham – and that is the plain truth” except, underlying painful exclusion and race preferences.

Again, race triumphs as the preeminent prequalifier.

But who owns it, by prescriptive rights?

This yearning for political power in a national government is logically and inevitably fleeting but not so within federalism.

How much receptivity can Mr. Brewster engender, by his adamant insistence that any evidence “that Dr Jagan ‘reached out to supporters, friends, and even critics in unorganized or organized groups’ to bring about a rapprochement with the PNC, is patently false”?

After these bizarre accusations, Mr. Brewster can reconsider in his sweet time and clarify whether “critical support” to the PNC was also false? Was Dr Clive Thomas the natural successor to Dr Rodney after

his assassination , (rather than Dr Rupert Roopnarine) compelling Dr Jagan to offer the 1992 PPP/C Prime Ministership to Dr Thomas, who refused it, making Mr. Sam Hinds Guyana’s Prime Minister? Who amongst the aforementioned is not proudly black and beautiful?

N o t e w o r t h y, i s M r.

Brewster analysis that the respected former Speaker has embarked on a m a k e o v e r o f t h e P P P, having found “that the old Marxist/socialist ideology of the Jagans is now outmoded and must be replaced by some social commitment to the people and a review of the party’s constitutional structure to give its members a greater sense of identity with the party and its leadership”.

B u t c o n t r a s t M r.

B r e w s t e r ’s s u b s e q u e n t celebration of a contradictory but equally firm opinion that “the PPP never had a Marxist/ socialist ideology, despite the ranting of the Jagans for the simple reason that it could never dream of nationalizing the private enterprises of its wealthy patrons.”

In other words if a “non Marxist/socialist PPP” were only to nationalize all its supporters’ private businesses it would only then be validating proof enough of its sworn ideology, according to Mr. Brewster’s Marxist expertise.

Hasn’t Mr. Brewster now consequently garbaged all the US and British plots to destabilize the 1960s PPP government which empowered both the PNC and UF? Mr. Brewster even asserts that “to claim that the PPP ‘has distinguished itself from the PNC and other parties by its history and struggles for independence and against PNC’s authoritarian rule’ is a fantasy”. His efforts to traction the PNC to ‘surpassing’ primus inter

DEAR EDITOR, Pope Benedict XVI must be commended for calling on world leaders to try to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. Using his annual New Year’s address at the Vatican he called on leaders to focus on “the increasing differences between those few who grow ever richer and the many who grow hopelessly poorer.”

These are words that resonate not only with Christians, but with progressive humanity the

world over. The Pope’s appeal for social justice is consistent with that of Guyana’s former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan who was a strong advocate for poverty reduction as embodied in his call for a New Global Human Order which recently gained the endorsement of the United Nations.

The time for action is now and the Pope’s call on world leaders to address the issue of poverty could not be more timely.

Hydar Ally

A timely call for action by the Pope

pares (first amongst equals) elevation is achieved by devaluing the evidence that “first, the PPP that led the struggle for independence had as much input from those who subsequently formed the PNC, and secondly I cannot remember a single incident where the official defiance (sic) of the authoritarian rule of the PNC was led by the PPP.” M r.

Brewster is convinced that “the credit for that goes to the WPA alone”. So who gets the

‘credit’ for their current ‘socialist’ PNC alliance?

Mr. Brewster of course laid no claim that everyone who left the PPP in 1955 consistently agitated for independence from British r u l e . I n f a c t M r. E u s i Kwayana boldly attacked Mr. Forbes Burnham and the PNC before the 1961 elections because of their support for the winner leading Guyana to independence. The PPP won and the PNC reneged.

Despite all Mr. Brewster’s

erratic flip flops between the PNC, WPA and UF, it is difficult to pinpoint Mr. Brewster’s actually loyalties, except to race. It is however his amazing measurement of “official defiance” to PNC rule which is incredulous.

Obviously Dr Walter Rodney’s extermination can only be a badge of PNC credibility - because his “official defiance” was dramatically sanctioned how else but by “a sharper steel” PNC style.

No doubt in all which Mr.

Brewster and Mr. Ramkarran both pursue they have their cheerleaders. Any ongoing verbal debate is certainly always preferable than easy resort to acrimonious violence. Once racial antagonisms are aroused even legislation cannot quickly correct it. The British, Americans and others still have a strong influence on what occurs in Guyana.

Whose fault is it that we are unable to define our own destinies amongst ourselves?

Sultan Mohamed

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Tuesday January 08, 2013

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

These letters arrested my attention Georgetown could be a delightful, green DEAR EDITOR, Two recent letters arrested my attention. First, Dr. Peter Flaherty’s. His very descriptive letter of Guyana, from a visitor’s point of view, ends with the hope that “.....When I return in a year’s time I may see the positives accentuated and the negatives diminished......”

Optimism at the max.

Guyanese in the Diaspora have had this hope for the past 30 years at least. With a change of Government in 1992, there was a short period of buoyancy and pronounced improvement.

T h e n , u n e x p e c t e d l y, our respected political grandee was no more, and we lost the plot.

In the late 1990s, a holidaymaker and one-time ‘stalwart’ of the former party in power, told me that

her family decided to move abroad some years previously, because “they would not listen” to what the rank and file of the party had to say - the people who actually did the groundwork to get them there.

That seems to be the trouble with the present lot: they appear to care not about the little people.

Or, it may be a case of square pegs in round holes.

But, as the saying goes, “The longest day has an end”.

Next, Mr Bisram’s letter - about readers not needing to know writers’ identities.

I am of the view that if a writer has nothing to hide, then come clean.

Indeed, “People may write under anonymous names because they may be a whistleblower or don’t wish to put their job or

family on the line or some other justifiable reason”. It seems to me that such people could always request that their names be withheld and the letters published only on that understanding.

It is not pleasant to be called names, or to be ridiculed or insulted by persons unknown, in letters, comment columns, blogs, etc., intended for public consumption.

When I was sniped at in derogatory terms in one forum, I stopped contributing to that particular publication.

As I pointed out to the Editor, it often takes much effort on the part of contributors to get things d o w n o n p a p e r, a n d savagely rubbishing those efforts is mean and unworthy of others whose opinions differ. Disagree politely.

Decency and fair play should be the watchword of those in the business of publishing.

Otherwise, disrespect for the individual takes over. And there is usually a price to pay.

Geralda Dennison

paradise in a few short months, but…

DEAR EDITOR, The task to dispose of the tons of waste (garbage) generated in the City and its environment is massive. Any caring really concerned Government would do all within its competence to help.

Unhappily, we see the opposite.

In a recent public statement, followed by a letter to our Head of State, I undertook not to be over critical but rather allow the state some opportunity to cooperate with the City.

However, I merely seek to correct the wrong impression given by both Ministers of Local Government to wit, Hon Ganga Persaud and Hon Mr. Norman Whittaker.

First, the Honourable Minister’s statements were critical of the fact that we had seven garbage trucks idle – Yes, first these vehicles were in a sense foisted on us – they are not new and carried technical features that make it difficult for our workshop to maintain, because we were not able to upgrade both equipment and the mechanics.

Second, the landfill facility at Haags Bosch, instead of extending its operational period for the holidays did the harmful, stupid opposite, that is, to reduce the hours of operations, rather senseless, if not wicked act at a time of the year when we generate more than double the normal waste.

Next in violation of protocol, the Honourable Minister summoned and discussed this critical issue with the acting Town Clerk he appointed, and staff, all completely unknown to the Mayor and Councillors.

So for whatever reason a decision was made to not extend the working hours hence the awful piles of waste, we have nowhere else to dispose of garbage even if collected.

Had the Mayor been asked to offer an opinion or even consulted, he would have argued that whatever may be the circumstances, we must extend the operational period at the landfill facility for the Holidays. As he would have reminded the Hon.

Ministers, Haags Bosch receives garbage from areas outside of Georgetown, so why as was suggested, should Georgetown bear any additional cost of a longer operational period.

But the most sinister aspect of all this, is the clear evidence that the Ministers continue micro managing the City through key senior officers, who they then dismiss when these officers do (corrupt acts) what they perceive the bigger ones are doing.

I said it before, but as the year opens if the State bosses would only allow this Mayor a free hand to deal with staff – mobilize resources, and cut the red tape, Georgetown could be a delightful, green paradise in a few short months.

But as we note from the Government media today – the administration is now seeking to blame the elected Mayor and Councillors for the ills in the City, and are now suggesting some new method to manage Georgetown.

Hamilton Green, J.P.,

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Contractor of West Dem. nursery school abandons job Residents of a West Bank Demerara community will have to wait a while longer for a badly-needed nursery school after a contractor reportedly abandoned the work.

The $8.5M contract for a new nursery school at La Parfaite Harmonie was supposed to have been completed in time for the beginning of the new school term, yesterday.

However, two weeks ago after witnessing months of non-activity, the Region Three administration terminated the contract.

The job was reportedly given to Fyffe Building and Contracting Works, the same contractor involved in the construction of the $69M National Insurance Scheme branch in Corriverton, Berbice. The construction of that branch was an

embarrassment to the previous administration because of its high, unjustifiable costs.

A senior official of Region Three said that the Regional Executive Officer ended the contract two weeks ago, after failing to persuade the contractor to complete the work. The work has now been

given to another contractor and construction is to resume soon.

The nursery school, reportedly with 500 students, is currently squatting in the $60M La Parfaite Harmonie Primary School, which was commissioned in late 2011.

This has led to severe congestion.

Police seek amorous taxi driver …man wanted for attempted rape An Essequibo taxi driver is on the run, according to the police, after he allegedly lured a 17-year-old girl into a secluded neighbourhood on the Essequibo Coast and attempted to rape her.

The man has four previous allegations of rape against him. Police said they are eager to hear the taxi driver’s version of what transpired last Sunday evening.

On Sunday, the man was said to be transporting several passengers, including the teen.

According to further reports, after discharging each

individual passenger to their destination on the Essequibo Coast, the 17-year-old was said to be the last passenger remaining in the taxi driver’s car. But before the teenager was taken to relatives, with whom she was vacationing, she was taken to a secluded back street in Charity.

The report added that the teenager forcefully warded off the driver. She later told her relatives what transpired and a complaint was lodged with the police. The teenager is said to be from a riverain community. Police continue to pursue the taxi driver.

Work has stalled on a new nursery school for La Parfaite Harmonie after the contractor reportedly disappeared.

Residents have been wondering what was happening with the stalled project. The construction is still without its roof, doors, windows and other fixtures.

The contractor reportedly took an advance for mobilization.

The project fell under the region’s jurisdiction because

it is below the $9M limit.

Any project valued above that has to be handled by the Central Government and awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.

Government has been complaining about the limited number of private contractors it has available.

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Tuesday January 08, 2013

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT ALLOW A SOLID WASTE TRANSFER STATION IN THE CITY Georgetown is a small city.

It may loom large in some person’s estimation but relatively speaking, Georgetown is a puny municipality.

The argument that such a small geographic space needs a solid waste transfer station is unconvincing. If there is a problem with the opening and the turnaround time for refuse trucks at the landfill site at Eccles, this needs to be addressed but to use the problems of disposing garbage at the landfill as the pretext for having a waste transfer site in the city, given what was experienced with the landfill at Le Repentir cemetery, should be rejected.

There is no need for anymore garbage to be stored in the city. Eccles is a few miles out of Georgetown and if the city’s garbage cannot be efficiently disposed of at this facility, then that issue has to be addressed.

To have another eyesore, to endanger the lives of the citizens with another storage dump in the city, will not pass muster and should not be entertained.

It is hoped that this idea of a transfer station is not being used to become the basis for private companies being allotted land which is under the management of City Hall.

Municipalities do not own lands. Local authorities may manage lands, but all lands belong to the State, and the government should make it

clear that all State lands and reserves should be kept free, including being free of being used as a storage transfer facility, another way of saying a temporary dumping ground.

Once garbage is collected it should be dumped. The government should not allow any transfer facility in the city, because this means the same garbage has to be collected twice and the need for such facilities can become the pretext for deals between the Council and private businesses.

City Hall is not a corporation. Our local government system has not yet so evolved and will perhaps never so evolve, because municipalities are likely to remain too small to be converted into public corporations.

Since City Hall is not a corporation, it does not enjoy autonomy in terms of land use. The usage of land in the city has to conform to the directives of the local government ministry.

It is heartening, therefore, that the government has taken firm steps to stamp out the unauthorized leasing out of State land and has also passed laws to ensure that prescriptive rights can no longer be claimed for State land.

If the City Council has a proposal which it supports, and if this proposal concerns the use State property by private companies, it should obtain clearance from the government before entering

Dem boys seh...

Bar Bee didn’t enjoy Christmas Nuff people come home fuh de Christmas and all ah dem claim how is one of de best Christmas dem ever had. One man cook he pork and roast beef and pack dem in he suitcase and travel to Guyana. How dem dogs leh he pass is a mystery.

When dem boys ask he why he do that, he claim that de last time he come home he family tell he how pork and beef too dear so he had to mek do wid sheer veggie food.

But de truth is that de five per cent that De Donald pay out help fuh mek de Christmas good. Nobody didn’t raise dem price pun de goods and de rain didn’t fall heavy. Banks and DDL keep de likka cheap and then dem had de football.

Even de Bees had a good time. One of dem chase after a young girl whole night and when de girl decide that she ain’t able run no more and sit down wid de man he start fuh sleep at de table.

Brazzy end up talking but nobody didn’t hear, because he talk to a reporter who don’t have an avenue fuh write wha he hear.

Bar Bee did plan to travel fuh de holidays, but when he hear that people getting pick up and carry to jail, he decide fuh stay home because he ent sure wha dem people singin’ up suh. Dem boys want to know how he gun go top side fuh that lawsuit he file.

And that is only de start. De parliament got some good question fuh he answer bout de money he get from Leslie fuh dem drugs. Dem boys already writing questions fuh de people ask he in parliament and he know. That is why he didn’t have a good Christmas. He spend most of de time using toilet paper.

Talk half and watch Bar Bee for 2013.

into any arrangement.

And the government should be extremely cautious about granting any permission for more dumpsites - temporary or otherwise - in the city.

There are environmental concerns involv e d i n creating such dumpsites and therefore even before the matter is referred for approval to the government, City Hall has to ensure that an environmental permit has been granted by the Environmental Protection Agency, be it for a garbage

transfer station or for a crematorium.

Those are things which have public health concerns and should ideally not be located in an area close to residences. In fact, it is time that a policy is developed in relation to industrial concerns near to residential areas.

It was shocking to have witnessed a few days ago, a GPL boiler belching smoke through its chimney at the Kingston Plant.

That plant is located not far away from where an international hotel is to be

located. What will the guests think of Guyana when they see a major industrial facility being located just up the road from where they are staying?

But worst of all is that there are residential properties just across the road from the power station.

Imagine the impact over the years of those emissions on the health of nearby residents.

Guyana has to move away from such practices. You cannot have things like crematoriums, landfills, solid waste storage stations and

factories in close proximity to residences. Those things should not be happening, and is all the more reason why before the government sanctions any solid waste transfer station or crematorium in the city, a thorough environmental impact assessment must be undertaken.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

=== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ===

The last year was characterized by constant confrontations between a Parliament that felt that a combined opposition won a majority in a free election in a world where the dominant philosophy is that legal votes entitles an organization to have legitimate power, and a presidency that refused to concede that Parliament is a source of power.

If the year started with an opposition-controlled

parliament that caused a huge wave of optimism to flow, then 2012 can be referred to as the Year of the Crash, meaning that our expectations just crashed down to earth.

One of the beliefs I have about life is that if you choose voluntarily to embrace a life process, then you must do so because you want to do it.

Outside of being coerced, there is no excuse for not performing.

It is either insanity or opportunism, or both, that

WHO IS THIS MAN? The police are seeking the assistance of the public in identifying this man whose body was found at Mowasi Backdam, Mahdia, on New Year’s Day. According to the police, the victim, who is only known as Torres, is of Amerindian ethnicity and appears to be in his mid 30s.

The body, which was found face down in a drum, is now lying at the Mahdia Hospital mortuary The police are asking anyone with information that may lead to the identification of the deceased to contact the police on telephone numbers

226-1333, 225-2722, 225-6411, 225-2227, 911 or the nearest police station

you opted to become a doctor but shied away from the tasks because you hate the sight of blood.

There is no way one’s attitude in this context can be excused. It is the same with politicians.

If you are going into politics and Parliament in a country where democracy is barely in existence, then you must know a nation’s eyes are on you and a nation’s hopes are with you. It means then that you must know what are the endeavours involved.

The opposition was disappointing in 2012. APNU has been the least performer of the two (the other being the AFC). In an entire calendar year the opposition didn’t give the Guyanese people much to cheer about. On the contrary, the opposition in Parliament may have practiced their own “don’t give a damn attitude” that they accused the Government of.

A graphic example is the motion approved by the House removing the barricades around Parliament.

Not only do the makers of the motion walk/drive into Parliament and see the cordons still standing, but

Commander Vyphuis in my presence told the Opposition Leader that the Speaker of the House approved the maintenance of the barricades for security reasons. If true, it is plain opportunism, deception and duplicity.

Critics of the opposition performance have focused their disappointment mostly on David Granger. Little attention has been paid to two parliamentary figures who certainly dashed the hopes of the Guyanese people in 2012.

To date only two AFC supporters, Dr. Asquith Rose and Sasenarine Singh have publicly criticized Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine for his ongoing political dialogue with Gail Teixeira. And social activist Jinnah Rahaman has circulated an email showing some annoyance with Dr. Roopnaraine. The other disappointment is the AFC leading stalwart, Speaker Raphael Trotman.

In a small society there are no secrets. The talk among political activists and political watchers and media friends of mine is the ongoing political dialogue between Roopnaraine and Teixeira.

The Roopnaraine/Teixeira duo are the main point persons in the University Council with the fantastic break in trade union tradition, where a member of a State board representing the official opposition is now part of the team that negotiates with the unions.

It is unheard of in industrial relations practices, maybe worldwide. The nation will be curious to know how Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine is going to reject the demands of the unions when those demands would find favour with the entire population.

And if he agrees, where is he going to find the resources from, because he does not represent the State but the Opposition in the UG Council.

As an analyst I find Dr. Roopnaraine’s choice of this particular PPP leader to cooperate with amazing.

I have been around longer than Roopnaraine on the political scene and it is my deep, sincere belief that Ms. Gail Teixeira has an ingrained authoritarian philosophy whose opposition to APNU/ AFC requests will be inflexible.

I support Dr. Roopnaraine trying to engage the PPP, but

Frederick Kissoon it must have produced some benefits to the nation in 2012.

It has not.

Speaker Trotman is yet to respond to two controversial public statements. One is that he agreed to the maintenance of the barricades and what GINA quotes him as saying; “I think the nation felt the pains…effects of the cuts (2012 Budget) and for me it was quite painful.”

This is an AFC executive speaking about the cuts done by his own party. Finally, in response to a request by me that I would like the AFC to demand an impartial investigation as to why my contract was terminated at UG - the Speaker responded to me to say he agrees but an inquiry is not necessary because everyone knows what they did to me. Well thanks, Mr. Trotman but…

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Several orphanages benefit from Guyana Goldfields’ $20M holiday donation

Representatives of the various organizations that benefitted from GGI’s $20M donation On December 28, last year, at least 12 orphanages benefited from a $20M donation by the Guyana Goldfields Inc. The children-centered recipient groups that were selected were the Berbice Anjuman Orphanage, Caria Caria Development Council, Centre of Learning and Afrocentric Orientation, International Vedanta University, Joshua House, Linden Centre for the Disabled, Red Cross Children Convalescent Home, Ruimveldt Children’s Home and Care Centre, Santa Rosa Secondary Parents Teacher Association, Saraswati Vidya Niketan Schools and Welfare Committee of St John Baptist R.C Church.

According to the organization, the initiative comes from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Department, with its Manager, Ms. Ayaana Caldeira, making the donation.

With the development Initiative, the organization said, it is expectation that the donations to each group would provide a sustainable difference in each of the children whose lives are affected.

It was highlighted that each group is unique in the work that they are carrying out but are all alike with regards to providing benefits to Guyanese children. “Our CSR department is planning on remaining in contact with each group throughout the year.”

The Guyana Goldfields Inc Chief Executive Officer, Mr. John Patrick Sheridan, in his address to the gathering, said that in preparation for the New Year, the future leaders of Guyana - the country’s children - were being kept in mind.

CEO of the Guyana-based Canadian company said, “We take seriously our commitment to the sustainable development of

this country through our various corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives that we have taken part in for over the last 16 years.”

“This particular initiative is one of our largest yet, demonstrating that as we continue to expand, the more we are willing and able to continue to contribute to the development of this country, in this case with one child at a time.

“This initiative was put in place to assist with each group’s particular needs. For example, our support to the Caria Caria Development Council is to provide an improved playfield area for continuous community events centered on the children of their community,” Sheridan highlighted.

The CEO said that the company sees itself as innovators of CSR-related initiatives, and hopes that their move will set a path for other companies to follow.

Tuesday January 08, 2013

New Telecoms law for Parliament Thursday New legislation for the telecommunications sector is back on the table for Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly. It had been deferred last week.

The new law is aimed at breaking the so-called telephone monopoly held by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, GT&T. The Bill is to provide for the establishment of the Telecommunications Agency “and for a regular, coordinated, open and competitive telecommunications sector.”

The legislation was slated for debate last week but was deferred to allow the government to carry out further consultations.

Digicel Guyana, which credits itself with bringing down the cost of handsets and slashing by half, local rates in its six years of operations here, has argued that its ability to generate a better profit is stymied by the telecommunications monopoly. The company has especially been prevented from offering international services. Inbound and

outbound calls through Digicel’s network are routed through GT&T, since the company is the only one with an international licence in the telecommunications sector.

Digicel has forever complained about its inability to operate the way it wants, and the only gateway is legislation.

The legislation was due for the last Parliament, but was subsequently pulled by the government. Soon after, the two companies engaged in a public debate about who was responsible, with Digicel accusing GT&T of threatening legal action if the law went through. GT&T rubbished the accusation.

Digicel has argued that businesses should thrive on merit and through competing vigorously, “not by sitting on a guaranteed monopoly for two decades that grants it significant advantages over other operators.” The company had said that the decision by the government to stall the legislation meant that international calling rates remained high. Recently, the

government said that there is no deliberate move to delay the liberalisation of the local telecommunication sector, since such a process is critical to the country’s national development strategy.

The Bill could have gone to Parliament earlier, but the government decided to hold off allowing for further consultations with Digicel and GT&T. The Bill calls for a number of changes in the policies and operations of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which regulates rates, and as such an Amendment to the PUC Act is also due for passage in the House on Thursday.

The new legal framework created is “characterized by transparency and nondiscrimination in the issuance and monitoring of licenses and authorizations to use the spectrum, seamless interconnection and access between and among telecommunications networks and services and price regulation where required to ensure competition and protect consumers.”

Doctors working on 18year-old Fernando Fredericks’s left foot are being forced to amputate the remaining toe because of two broken bones, the teen’s mother related. The surgery is scheduled for today. Fredericks lost four toes from his left foot on Boxing Day. He was standing alongside a bush shed at the Anna Regina Car Park when a utility pole belonging to Guyana Power and Light fell during a freak

storm. It was shortly after 02:00 hours.

He was a patient at the Suddie Public Hospital until last week when his mother, Anita Fredericks, took her son’s discharge and transferred him to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Doctors at the GPHC have since reversed what was a rapidly deteriorating situation.

Fernando Fredericks, of Maria’s Lodge, is an excavator operator.

Reports of the incident

were made to both the police station at Anna Regina and to members of the Guyana Power and Light.

A letter was recently delivered to senior officers of GPL but no response has been had as yet, Mrs. Fredericks added. Anita Fredericks, who said that her son would be out of work for the next year, is lobbying for some form of financial compensation for her son’s injury.

Injured Essequibo teen to lose remaining toe

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday January 08, 2013

Man with amputated hand gives ‘Church View’ thief his version of chopping incident placed on $50,000 bail “…a story has three sides: the truth, lie and the cochore side.”

Leon Duke shows the chop he sustained in his head and his amputated hand A 52-year-old man who is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital

Corporation (GPHC) nursing several chops about his body and an amputated right hand

says he did not throw acid on his nephew.

The man, Leon Duke, of Prashad Nagar, Georgetown said that 33-year-old Trevor Duke, who is also hospitalised at the GPHC with burns about this body, attacked him, and was about to kill him.

“I don’t know who throw acid on him but I didn’t throw anything on him; he attacked me. He also attacked many people with a knife so I don’t know if one of those persons throw anything on him,” the older Duke claimed.

Yesterday, when Kaieteur News arrived at the hospital, the man was hesitant to speak.

He claimed that he suffered from a stroke and cannot remember certain things, but when he was asked to clear his side of the story, he quickly replied, “a story has three sides: the truth, lie and the cochore side.”

According to the wounded Duke, the problem started over some water and brand name clothes that he had given to his nephew.

“I ask him to pump some water on Wednesday and that

is what started everything. He get vex and start behaving arrogant, so I asked him back for the clothes I had given him and he say that I embarrassed him in front of his friends. He come home (Thursday) and choke me,” the man claimed.

He said that on the day of the attack, he was at Section ‘K’, Campbellville, when he saw his nephew hiding in the bushes with a cutlass.

“I ask he wha’ he doing there and he run out and attack me.

I was down on the ground, helpless. He chopped off my right hand above the wrist and he chopped me in the head,” the older Duke related.

Kaieteur News was unable to talk with the younger Duke, but was told that the older man was racing towards him with a steel rod to attack him.

“The big man was running Trevor with the steel rod and he try to juk he, but he miss, so he (Trevor) pull out he cutlass and chop he,” a source claimed.

Both men are under police guard at the hospital. The younger Duke is in a stable condition.

Deochand Phillips Court r e g u l a r, Deochand Phillips, called ‘Deo’, 49, of no fixed place of abode was yesterday placed on $50,000 bail by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo when he appeared before her at the New Amsterdam M a g i s t r a t e ’s C o u r t a n d pleaded not guilty to the charge of break and enter and larceny committed on Colin Edgar.

According to

prosecutor Orin Joseph, last Saturday, January 5, Phillips broke into Room 19 o f t h e C h u r c h Vi e w International Hotel, at Main and King Streets, New Amsterdam, and stole $94,000 in local currency belonging to Edgar.

Joseph told the court that Edgar and his wife had booked into the hotel and had occupied the said room.

During the night, Phillips who was described as a regular and a nuisance, broke into the room and removed the money which the man had in a pocket.

Phillips was caught as he made a second attempt to enter the room during the morning hours.

Philips during the hearing told the court that he resides at 105 Woodley Park, West Coast Berbice.

He will have to return to court on January 28, for statements and fixtures.

Investigations are continuing into the matter as Phillips had implicated the hotel’s security guard, whom he had stated sent him to break into the room.

The money was recovered.

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Guyana to be featured at international travel shows early in 2013 Two representatives from “Adventure Life”, Ms. Julia Dimon and Mr. Matthew Rutherford, have journeyed to Guyana for the first time, to capture the essence of the destination and to connect with the people.

Dimon, a Travel Writer and TV Travel Host, has visited more than 80 countries across the globe. She will speak of her experiences in Guyana when she appears on the New York Times Travel Show, and LA Times Travel Show, this month and in February.

Ms. Dimon has also secured a commitment from Outside TV (an extension of Outside Magazine) and the Travel Channel to feature the destination, in addition to the promise of a write-up of the destination in an MSNBC article.

Alluding to the importance of this exposure, the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Irfaan Ali said, “Adventure Life is here and we are working with Wilderness Explorers to facilitate the trip. This

programme has a wide viewership and it forms part of our strategy this year to attract more film/ documentary crews and travel writers to the destination.”

He noted, too, that this is an important aspect of the Ministry’s strategy and focus to ensure that the destination brand is presented to the wider travelling market and by the most influential operators in the market.

Welcoming the duo, the Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Indranauth Haralsingh, also expounded on the benefits of such exposure and pointed to the magnitude of the destination awareness that will be generated.

“We hope this is the beginning of an ongoing relationship where other writers can come to Guyana, as we work in partnership with other operators. We can get great exposure and leverage from these publications and platforms.

As part of our Communication and PR

Ms. Julia Dimon and her co-worker Mr. Matthew Rutherford meeting with the GTA Director, Indranauth Haralsingh Strategy, we will continue to embrace and support such activities. If we want maximum exposure, we have to be presented on the international scene,” he stated.

According to Haralsingh, this venture was made possible through collaboration between the GTA and Wilderness Explorers, who will serve as the official Tour Guide of the visitors while they are in Guyana and with support from the management of

Anna Catherina suicide teen buried

…..family awaits contact from welfare entities Even as the 16-year-old Anna Catherina teen who took his own life last Friday was being laid to rest, relatives of the deceased said that they are still awaiting a visit or a call from welfare officials, specifically those whom the family believes sparked the child’s suicidal act after an unannounced visit in the absence of his parents.

The family of Safraz Sattaur, a former student of the Stewartville Secondary School, was in tears yesterday as they said farewell. What was even more overbearing ,young Sattaur’s grandmother, Rahala Sattaur said, was that no one from the system had contacted the family. “No one never come see we; nobody never call to see what is the matter,” the senior Sattaur said. “Dis child burying today and nobody ain’t come yet. Dem never even say who come to de child de day he die.”

A weeping Sattaur said that her grandson’s body was being kept at her home for viewing, and would then go to his parents home where he lived at Lot 38 Fourth Street, Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, before being interred at the area cemetery.

“If anyone look at dis child in dis coffin, dem heart would break,” the grandmother lamented.

“I want answers,” she continued.

Safraz Sattaur’s parents,

the grandmother said, are trying their best to cope with the tragedy, but for closure and understanding, they said they need to know who came to the child and questioned him. The woman said that after her grandson has been buried she plans to take the matter further by visiting the relevant authorities and agencies. She said that she needs to know what happened to her grandson as the family recalled that the child was recovering from an earlier tragedy. On December 18, last, 15-year-old Natasha Nazamudeen committed suicide. According to reports, the girl, who also attended Stewartville Secondary, hanged herself. It was alleged that young Sattaur and Nazamudeen had developed a close relationship.

Following Nazamudeen’s death, the family said that young Sattaur had become depressed and distraught. He had however started to recover, the family claimed, as he once again became active and began doing the things he appreciated.

Last Friday, the Sattaurs said, the boy’s parents had ventured to the city to conduct business, leaving the teen home alone. Neighbours claimed that during the afternoon hours, a van carrying persons claiming to be welfare officers visited the home and questioned him.

They alleged that the boy

was physically shaken after he was questioned and even as the neighbours tried comforting him, they said he still seemed fearful. Later reports noted that the officials who visited young Sattaur were welfare officers from the education department. The neighbours told the Sattaurs about the visitors and alleged that the child had stated that threats were made to him in connection to Nazamudeen’s suicide.

That very afternoon, Safraz Sattaur was found by his parents hanging by a sheet in his bedroom.

Both education officials and Child Protection Agency (CPA) officials have however told Kaieteur News that investigations have been launched into the circumstances surrounding both the teens’ death. Head of CPA, Ann Greene, said that both cases are somewhat of a criminal matter and the police are being given space to carrying out their investigations. Depending on the outcome of such investigations, the agency head said further steps, if needed, will be taken. Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam, told Kaieteur News that the Ministry has also started focusing on the matter. He said checks are being made to ascertain what actually took place last Friday. “It is too early to say when the investigations might be completed, but the necessary steps are being taken,” Sam assured.

Iwokrama, Surama and Rewa. Through their customized itinerary, the travel writers will be able to maximize on the experiences over the next eight days as they visit several areas across the country, including Rewa, Surama, Iwokrama, Atta Lodge and several sites in Georgetown.

Both representatives expressed excitement and great expectation over all the possibilities that awaited them as they embark on their journey to explore Guyana.

“For me it seems like an emerging destination, it seems as though you are interested

in promoting eco tourism and that is my main interest. I think the pristine environment is the main attraction. I would love to see a Jaguar, that would be one of my highlights,” Travel enthusiast, Julia Dimon said.

From surviving the night in the forest to navigating the city streets, the duo was assured of an exciting, exhilarating experience as they begin their “Amazon Adventure”.

‘Adventure Life’ is an adventure travel company that provides custom and small group tours in Latin America and small-ship cruises throughout the world.

They offer over 100 different

itineraries in South America and Central America, and hundreds of small-ship cruises to less conventional destinations such as Africa, the Arctic, Antarctica and Alaska.

Their focus is nature, cultural, and active travel.

They apply ecotourism principles to their tour and cruise programs. Since their founding in 1999, over 24,000 clients have traveled with the company.

This media Familiarization Trip (FAM) forms part of GTA’s strategy to promote and brand the destination and to intensify awareness efforts in key target markets.

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Tuesday January 08, 2013

More police support, new safe houses to help bolster domestic violence fight The quest to have matters of domestic violence addressed in a more efficient manner may very well require support from ranks of the Police Force who are furnished with professional social services capabilities.

This view was vocalised yesterday by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Ms Jennifer Webster, when she hosted a press conference to highlight the achievements of last year and the plans for this year for the Social Services Ministry.

A c c o r d i n g t o the Minister, while there are regulations in place to deal with domestic violence, a Domestic Violence Oversight Committee has since been created. It is tasked with making recommendations on how parts of the law should be implemented.

The body may soon have to act on recommendations which have emanated from a number of national conversations on genderbased violence held last year.

“Some of the

Ms Jennifer Webster recommendations coming from that Committee are for us to perhaps look at having an arm of the Police Force that has more professional social services personnel who can address those reports in a more timely manner, and also the length of time it takes for these matters to be investigated,” said the Minister.

She said that there have

been recommendations calling for medical reports in such matters to be dealt with entirely by a dedicated department.

In the interim, though, the Minister stressed that domestic violence will remain a criminal offence. Efforts will continually be made to ensure that those guilty of such offences are charged.

However, she noted that there have been calls during national conversations for the review of certain parts of the existing legislation.

“Through the Oversight Committee I will certainly take on board the recommendations and have it addressed at the level of the Attorney General.”

Moreover, Minister Webster underscored that there is a possibility that there will be some amendments on the implementations of certain aspects of the existing law.

A total of 17 national conversations were held during the past year addressing the issue of gender-based violence, a

move which followed an official launch of the activity last June. Conversations, in this regard were held in eight administrative Regions (One, Three, Four, Five, Six, Eight, Nine and Ten), with responses being solicited from both adults and youths.

It is the expectation of the Minister that consultations in this regard will continue this year.

“During the first quarter we hope to conclude conversations in Regions Two and Seven and to have a National Action Plan finalised so that it could be taken to Cabinet, and later it would become a public document,” Minister Webster stated.

SAFE HOUSE FOR REGION THREE “Given the whole issue of domestic violence, and violence in our society, it is my wish for 2013 that we would have a society where there are less reported cases of violence...I think we all would look forward to something like that,” she added.

However, such an accomplishment could only be realised, she noted, if a collective effort is made towards such a goal. She

pointed to the fact that some of the salient issues that were raised during national conversations were that some abused women are still of the view that they have no hope and therefore in many cases opt to return to abusive relationships. “ We h a v e t o c h a n g e that by providing more safe houses for our victims,” said the Minister as she revealed plans for the construction of a safe house in Region Three.

Already there is private funding available for this project, she said.

She added that efforts are being made to expand the services provided by the Ministry to ensure that within the communities “we are able to work with persons who are affected to provide them with anger management (sessions) and to look at a preventative strategy.”

According to the M i n i s t e r, a n u m b e r o f persons are calling for support in their communities in terms of the establishment of counselling centres.

She said that these represent one of the areas that the Ministry has already been working on in the quest

to expand its social services.

This measure could see social services officers mediating in prevailing domestic violence situations in the society.

“This is between two persons and I think trying to help them to resolve their differences is one of the key areas.

It is perhaps also important for everyone in the society to understand that domestic violence is not only the Government’s problem; it is a problem that everyone should understand that they must be committed to. If you know of someone who is being abused you should report it.”

The Minister intimated, yesterday, that some of the fatal cases of domestic violence which occurred last year, came as a result of failure to report the matter. Some members of the communities were well aware and did nothing, she added.

Another part of the Ministry’s preventative strategy, the Minister disclosed, is a plan to work along with secondary school teachers so that they could help to identify children within the school system who might already be victims of abuse and violence.

School gang delinquency needs multi-sectoral approach - Chief Education Officer

By Rabindra Rooplall A multi-sectoral approach is needed to address the issue of gang-related delinquency in schools, according to Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam. He said that during a recent meeting it was noted that there is need to expand the role of guidance counsellors in the school system.

“The work that guidance counsellors have done to date has certainly borne fruit, and we have seen the impact in particular schools they have been posted at, and we want to expand that.”

Underscoring that the issues of student behaviour have to be addressed nationally, the Chief Education Officer said the Ministry of Education alone cannot face the challenge and be successful.

He explained that such issues require parental involvement and partnerships with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, and in some instances the Ministry of Home Affairs, to assist the Education Ministry in doing

Chief Education Officer Olato Sam a range of things necessary to address the issue of gangrelated delinquency in schools.

It was further disclosed that the Education Ministry has a mentorship programme in schools in various regions that is helping students receive more of the professional guidance that they need to have a positive

school experience.

“We want to expand that significantly, so more students can access that mentorship that they need.

The school welfare unit is constantly advertising and recruiting persons.”

Experts say that the breakdown of the family and poor parenting are identified as two of the chief contributors to the formation of youth gangs and gangrelated activities.

“We need to topple the myth that gangs are families,” one welfare officer noted.

“Gangs are not families and cannot substitute for the supportive environment provided by a good family.”

Further, it was pointed out that the issues of gangs in school are not only limited to Guyana, and that the Ministry has been in consultations with other agencies with the aim of combating the issue.

“We have been working with a number of schools, teaching children how to deal with abuse, and our teachers on how to recognize it.

We also have systems in place for social workers, welfare officers and parents.”

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

- Caribbean Airlines commanded 61% of market share

By Leonard Gildarie The Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC), racked up revenue earnings of over $1B last year…a 46 per cent increase over 2011, all thanks to additional aircraft landings and an increase in passengers.

Income for 2012 amounted to $1,094M as compared to $748M collected in 2011.

The figures were released last week by the Ministry of Public Works during a review of the 2012 performances of its agencies.

According to Chief Executive Officer of CJIAC, Ramesh Ghir, the substantial areas of increase included advertising, concessions and rentals, passenger service charges and aeronautical revenue.

There were 4,630 international aircraft movements in 2012 as compared to 3,908 in 2011; an increase of 18 per cent.

“This $346M or 46 per cent increase was as a result

CJIA’s CEO, Ramesh Ghir of additional rental/ concession fees and passenger service charges.

Of the income collected, $424M was transferred to the Consolidated Fund. This is 33 per cent more than the $319M that was transferred in 2011.”

The official, during the briefing at the Ministry’s headquarters in Kingston, noted that most of the

additional income will be reinvested into the airport towards the improvement of its current facilities.

There was an increase of 13 per cent passenger arrivals for 2012. The Immigration Division processed 267,652 passengers for the year 2012, as compared to the 236,344 processed in 2011. Total passenger movement for 2012 amounted to 543,435 or 15 per cent more than that of 2011.

However, last year, CJIA’s business of cargo fell.

Imported cargo amounted to 2,233 tons, representing a 33 per cent decrease over the previous year.

“Exports amounted to 1,845 tons or a 13 per cent decrease from that in 2011.

Please note that there were significant increases of 16 per cent and 40 per cent respectively, on imported and exported cargo, in 2011 when compared to 2010.”

Expansion Meanwhile, regarding the planned US$150M airport expansion, Ghir disclosed that

Former Mayor’s wife succumbs following vicious robbery at home Former Rose Hall Town Mayor, William Hendrax, called ‘Papee’, 81, and his family, and residents of Rose Hall Town are now in deep shock and mourning following the death of Hendrax’s 79-year-old wife, Veronica Hendrax, called ‘Aunty Veron’.

The couple who lived at Williamsburg, Corentyne, Berbice, was badly beaten and robbed by bandits who broke into their home on December 23. The woman had suffered two bouts of stroke since the attack and was hospitalised ever since the incident.

According to information the couple was at home when three bandits broke and entered their home around 01:30 hrs. They were brutally beaten and an undisclosed amount of cash and jewellery was stolen during the 30minute ordeal.

After the bandits left, the woman telephoned her daughter who works at the Albion Estate. The daughter immediately rushed to her parents’ residence where she found them in a battered state.

A report was made to the police and the couple was rushed to hospital.

The couple’s son, Errol Hendrax, an overseas-based Guyanese who flew into the country after the incident, expressed fear for his parents’ life and disappointment that no one was arrested. He stated that the incident has severely shaken up the family.

Dead: Veronica Hendrax He hoped that his mother would have pulled through.

He left the country on Sunday last.

Mrs. Hendrax, who died around 08:15 hrs yesterday in the New Amsterdam Hospital , was first hospitalised at St. Joseph Mercy in Georgetown where she spent four days.

She was transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital where she succumbed.

Neighbours stated that they were unaware of the burglary on the fateful night,

since they heard nothing.

According to the family, “the police have not charged anyone as yet, but according to a source they have upped their investigations and are working on a few leads.”

Mr. Hendrax, a member of the PPP, was Mayor of Rose Hall Town during the 2000s and was the last mayor of the town until the municipal body was replaced by an IMC. The former mayor is recuperating and is being comforted by relatives and friends.

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work on the preliminary designs has already commenced, and actual construction is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2013. The contract period is 32 months.

The airport expansion project will entail the construction of a new terminal building measuring 14,000 square metres. The new terminal building will include eight passenger boarding bridges, two elevators, closed circuit televisions and ‘departures’ control systems.

The expansion will also involve extending the main runway by 3,500 feet to a final length of 10,500 feet, capable of accommodating the larger, wide-body Boeing 747-400 aircraft. There will be nine international parking positions including a dedicated position for cargo aircraft.

The project will be funded by the Government of China through its EXIM Bank. The total project is expected to cost US$150M. However, CHEC will be executing works to the value of US$138M. During the past year, CJIA said that it saw significant developments in terms of activities with flights.

Caribbean Airlines launched a direct service, BW527, from JFK, New York, to CJIA on February 10, 2012.

Additionally, a direct service to Toronto, Canada was also added in December 2012.

Late last year, Government granted Caribbean Airlines the country’s flagship carrier status.

CAL’s market share According to Ghir, CAL commanded an authoritative 61 per cent market share with 1,594 flights and almost 305,000 passengers moved.

These direct flights are being operated using the Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

Suriname Airways commenced a roundtrip service on the ParamariboGeorgetown-Miami route twice weekly with its 126-seat B737-300 aircraft during April 2012. More than 6,500 passengers were flown with 148 flights conducted.

Also flying was Delta which flew 228 flights and moved 71,513 passengers.

Delta managed to control 15 per cent of the market share.

According to the airport executive, last year, the airport lost two airlines due to economic reasons. “REDjet

Airlines had all flights suspended from the 17th March and to date they have not indicated whether they may resume. Refunds to passengers has since commenced for tickets purchased.”

EZjet Airlines had its operations suspended due to similar reasons experienced by REDjet.

This suspension of flights took effect from the November 9. “From all indications this Airline may not be able resume services in the near future.” Redjet conducted 316 flights, moving 47,306 passengers with a 15 per cent market share.

EZjet was almost similar with 253 flights; a 13 per cent market share and flying 63,689 passengers.

According to Ghir, it is the intention this year to not only commence the massive airport expansion project but conduct a full-scale emergency exercise and rehabilitate the ‘departures’ washrooms. It is also the intention to revise the airport emergency plan and security programme and increase the security complement beyond 70 ranks.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 19

HEATED BATTLE

Dr Keith Rowley

- PNM alliance talk, racist accusations in THA election build-up (T&T Express) The People’s National Movement (PNM) went into full election battle gear Sunday, with political leader Dr Keith Rowley speaking of a possible alliance with Tobago heavyweight Hochoy Charles and former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj to run the country.

Rowley was speaking before a large crowd at Market Square in Scarborough where the PNM presented its 12-member slate for the January 21 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election.

He told the lively crowd: “I hear them saying that the PNM is financing Hochoy Charles to split votes, but let me tell you this, I have been in opposition to Hochoy Charles since 1980...if there is any Tobagonian who deserves the name Tobagonian, is Hochoy Charles. If Kamla could get together with Jack to ruin this country, I can get together with Ramesh Maharaj and Hochoy Charles to run this country.”

Rowley was responding to claims by Tobago Organisation of the People leader Ashworth Jack that the PNM was financing Charles, a former THA chief secretary under the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) government, to split the TOP votes.

Rowley, who was ushered onto the platform with confetti and flag-waving, also put Tobagonians on notice that the PNM will not be rushed

to support any legislation for internal self-government for the island as he criticised the “indecent haste” of the People’s Partnership Government to bring a bill to the Parliament this week.

“I would have liked to stay longer with you, but tomorrow morning I have to head back to Trinidad. It is a high point of vulgarity, lack of class, and crassness that washes this country when you see a Government calling the Parliament to session to lay in the Parliament a bill to give Tobago internal selfgovernment in the height of an election.

“As Opposition Leader, I have no idea what the Government is going to lay in the House,” he said.

Rowley further lambasted the Government as he asked the crowd of supporters, “Should we have expected from this Government a little bit of decency and courtesy?”

He chastised the TOP leader and his team for treating with the issue of internal self-government as a joke.

He warned that it is a “serious matter”, adding that in any country, any move to amend the Constitution was “serious business”.

“In some places wars are fought, wounds never heal.”

Rowley chided the Prime Minister and the “heinous Anand Ramlogan and Christlyn Moore, who came from under a stone somewhere” for attempting to pull wool over Tobagonians’

Public sector wage dispute spurs IMF warning in St Lucia CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) – The St Lucia government says while it is anxious to bring closure to the wage and salary negotiations involving public servants it is not going to endorse salaries that would further affect the economic situation in the country and force the island into the clutches of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In a nationwide radio and television broadcast on Sunday night, Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony, who is also the Finance Minister, said the crux of the issue that faces the government is the ability to meet the demands of its 9,500 workers for increases in their wages by 15 per cent, spread over three years.

Public sector trade unions have rejected an offer of zero-

per cent increase and a onetime payment of EC$1,000 and have called on the intervention of the Prime Minister to reach an amicable solution.

Anthony said the current proposal by the trade unions would increase the government wage bill by an estimated EC$55 million annually while the back pay associated with this proposal would cost about EC$40 million, “leading to a worsening of the current deficit of close to EC$100 million for this financial year.

“It also means that for every ensuing year, Government would have to borrow an extra EC$55 million just to meet the increase. This is clearly a path that a responsible government should not take.”

eyes on this issue, while they undermine the process of discussion.

“She (Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar) comes here as the giver of gifts, saying she is going to give you this gift of selfgovernment, but selfgovernment is progression, it is a civilised process, not an election gimmick from the TOP. “I see something in the newspapers, they talking about powers to make laws and even before we have a chance to see what they are talking about, they (the Government) is saying that Rowley and the PNM must vote for it, but under no pushing will we enact any legislation that concerns the business of the people of Tobago,” he said.

Rowley warned Tobagonians to beware of the UNC brand of politics, saying that when the Partnership Government came into office, they fired thousands of persons with no regard for the Public Service Act. He posed several question to PNM supporters, about whether they were consulted by the Partnership on issues such as a Federation arrangement with the Central Government.

“Have you ever heard more madness?”

The PNM leader said he was extremely proud of the calibre of the 12 candidates chosen to contest the THA

election and promised that the PNM will protect Tobago.

“Have no fear people of Tobago, you will get the protection of the PNM. We are what stands between you and disaster,” he assured.

Rowley accused Ashworth Jack and National Security Minister Jack Warner of taking a deliberate decision to smear incumbent Chief Secretary Orville London, but said when they failed to do so with the Milshirv deal, they were now spying into his bank account to see how much money he has.

Calling Warner a disgraced FIFA official, Rowley slammed the Prime Minister ’s silence on allegations of wrongdoing by the TOP leader in the building of his multi-million-dollar mansion at Mt St George, as he reiterated his call to Tobagonians not to be fooled by “food in their mouth and money in their pockets”.

“They took a deliberate decision to smear Orville London and rather as PM to

stand up against what Ashworth Jack represents, she says that’s not important….

Honing in on Election Day, Rowley admonished supporters, telling them that it is “all well and good to to mash up de place today, but you must remember your purpose for being here. You are supporting a body of candidates being presented here today, and I must remind you that elections are won on election day”.

He congratulated the young candidates as he told them: “As political leader I say we have made our contribution , but it is for the young people that we have invested in the last decade, step forward and take responsibility.

Rowley urged voters: “Do not vote for a cell phone, vote to represent your upbringing, your honesty and integrity.”

He said he was at the launch simply to support the candidates, support the party in Tobago and added that

while the PNM had given Tobago the autonomy to run their affairs, “We stand behind behind you.”

Rowley reminded Tobagonians about the lack of integrity of the Partnership Government in the handling of the anti-gang legislation, and the controversial Clause 34. “...and she has the gall to come to Tobago and say that this indecency must go unnoticed. Tobagonians, has anybody ever so insulted you in Tobago?”

He called on Tobagonians “to vote to send a message to Kamla and Ashworth Jack that we are decent people and we will not accept that. Dip your finger in the ink right down to your elbow and send that message to them”.

During the presentations of candidates, several political calpysoes punctuated the launch, which started as a rally from Scarborough Port to Market Square.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Simpson Miller says Gov’t committed to improving lives of Jamaicans (Jamaica Observer) Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller on Sunday reiterated Government’s commitment to improving macroeconomics stability and economic growth, identifying the areas as most important to social protection.

“Our mission of uplifting the Jamaican people and working toward economic independence was challenged during the past year by the slippage of the Jamaican dollar,” said Simpson Miller, in a national broadcast, apparently in response to mounting criticism about the administration’s performance since it took over office in 2012.

“The Net International Reserves also dipped, but not our reserve of courage, determination and resilience in the face of the international economic environment and domestic challenges. Yet, our confidence in the Jamaican

people has never been stronger,” said Miller, admitting that her administration’s record for the past year “has not been perfect”.

In that regard, said Miller, the administration will be moving expediently with the much-anticipated tax, public sector, and pension reforms.

Improving the country’s macroeconomic stability is not just a requirement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement, said Miller, it is also a means of improving the country’s underdevelopment, she said.

In the meantime, Miller, downplaying harsh media criticism in recent times, announced several economic initiatives, including the development of the Gordon Cay Container Transshipment Hub, and a container terminal and logistics centre at Fort Augusta.

Come 2013, many

Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller Jamaicans will be able to find employment by way of the construction of a US $610-million North-South link of Highway 2000 being undertaken by the China Harbour Engineering Company, said Simpson Miller, who also promised an injection of some US$200 million in capital expenditure in tourism. There will also be a thrust in Russian and Latin American markets, she said.

In addition, the Development Bank of Jamaica has earmarked some US$20 million for on-lending

to investors of finance and to support the construction of information and communication technology facilities. This has the potential to create some 10,000 new jobs, she said.

At the same time, according to the prime minister, the Jamaica Public Service Company is slated to spend over US $630 million in a power plant and renewable energy projects.

For agriculture, many plans are afoot, the prime minister said.

“We will create eight agroparks through public private/ private partnerships. This will occupy over 8,000 acres of land and the project will be completed over the next three years,” she said. “The agro-parks will go a significant way to deepening linkages in the economy, increasing domestic food production and help to reduce our one-billion US dollar food import bill.”She made specific mention of the sugar industry, noting that 385 houses have been constructed for sugar workers, primarily in Westmoreland, St Thomas, Trelawny and Clarendon. The Government has also rehabilitated 66 kilometres of roads in sugar-dependent areas at a cost of $765 million, she said, and that 13 projects, valued at $213 million were implemented to upgrade sport

facilities in sugar-dependent areas, namely in St Thomas, St Catherine, Hanover, St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Clarendon, and Trelawny.

The prime minister also urged teachers to be resilient, noting that 600 schools are slated to benefit from “master teacher” classes, which will be broadcast to the schools.

In addition, she said that 500 basic schools will be merged with primary schools come September, and that construction has already started on 50 basic schools in conjunction with the Food for the Poor. All of the approximately 230,000 student beneficiaries on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) will receive breakfast supplements starting this year, said Miller.

According to the prime minister, more than 180 houses were constructed and handed over to victims of Hurricane Sandy, which lashed the island in October.

Five thousand persons received cheques ranging from $30,000 to $60,000; while $200 million was provided to assist farmers. Twenty million dollars was also given to fish farmers who had lost fishing pots and other equipment during the hurricane.

Meanwhile, the prime

minister said that the Government has spent some $2.2 billion on islandwide road repairs and on projects including river training, repairing bridges and cleaning gullies.

Prime Minister Miller said that last year the Government reduced National Housing Trust interest rates, better enabling persons earning under $10,000 monthly to own a home. That move was in tandem with the awarding of home grants valued at $1.2 million each to low-income contributors and the disabled.

The Government also launched a First Step Homes initiative, which is also geared at bolstering home ownership in the island.

Miller also said she was impressed with the number of persons who benefited from the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP).

“The JEEP programme surpassed our original phaseone target of 5,000 persons, and employed over 17,000 persons by July of last year,” she said. “Some six billion dollars have been allocated to Phase Two of JEEP which is expected to employ over 40,000 persons. We have also partnered with the private sector to launch the Jamaica Employ Programme, aimed at creating more productive jobs for Jamaicans.”

(CMC) Barbados says it has signed an avoidance of double taxation agreement with the Republic of San Marino as well the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.

A government statement said that the agreement was signed in New York last month and formalises the bilateral agreement which was initialled in July 2012.

Barbados Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Joseph Goddard and Permanent

Representative of the Republic of San Marino, Ambassador Daniele Bodini signed the accord.

Goddard said Barbados had succeeded in developing a strong, well-regulated international business and financial services sector and was pleased to add San Marino to its growing treaty network.

He stated the agreement would enhance the investment frameworks of both countries thereby facilitating trade and

providing investors with more investment options.

Bodini welcomed the signing noting that he hoped it would promote the strengthening of the relationship between Barbados and San Marino to the mutual benefit of both countries.

He noted that as small states with economies heavily dependent on tourism and financial services, Barbados and San Marino had much in common.

Barbados and San Marino sign double taxation agreement

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Gov’t may speed up single agency to replace OCG

(L-R) HOLNESS... wants Government to withdraw court action against OCG. ATKINSON... expects OCG matter to be addressed by Cabinet today. DAVIES... referred to creation of single agency in response to Opposition leader’s proposal.

(Jamaica Observer) The Government could step up efforts to create a single anticorruption commission this year, following its latest confrontation with the Office of the Contractor General (OCG).

Minister of Transport, Works and Housing Dr Omar Davies last week referred to the proposed creation of the single agency in a radio interview, in response to a proposal from Opposition Leader Andrew Holness, for the Government to withdraw its court action against the OCG and introduce legislation redefining its powers.

Minister of Justice Senator Mark Golding had indicated Government’s intention to study proposals for a single anti-corruption commission (ACC) in March.

Since then he has named a committee, headed by Justice Karl Harrison, and including Shirley Miller, Professor Trevor Munroe and Maurice Bailey, to consult with relevant stakeholders in formulating a report on the optimal design for institutional and legislative anti-corruption arrangements.

The proposal seemed to have won the support of former Contractor General Greg Christie, who — in response to a request from the committee for his cooperation, in June — not only welcomed it, but pointed out that, it was first formally advanced by him in March 2010.

Christie had suggested that at minimum, the commission should merge the functions of the Parliamentary Integrity Commission, the Corruption Prevention Commission, and the OCG, and vesting in them full criminal investigation, arrest, detention, and prosecutorial powers in respect of all corruption-related matters.

He also itemised some 26 remedial recommendations which, he said, he had formally submitted, during his tenure as Contractor General, to the Executive and

Legislative arms of the state, “but in respect of which little or no satisfactory actions have yet been taken.

“It is my considered and respectful view that any reform of the current legislative regime, which involves the Commission of the Contractor General, inclusive of the proposed ACC, should also address the r e f e r e n c e d recommendations,” Christie said.

However, the Government did not formally respond to last Wednesday’s announcement by the OCG that it had asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to pursue criminal charges against members of the Cabinet for failing to comply with its “lawful statutory requisitions”, relating to its investigations into and its monitoring of, at least, four major projects being pursued by the government.

Information minister, Senator Sandrea Falconer, who is currently off the island, referred the Jamaica Observer to Attorney General Patrick Atkinson, but the AG said that he had no instructions from the Cabinet to address the issue publicly.

However, both ministers indicated that the matter should be addressed at today’s meeting of the Cabinet, after which a response is expected.

But Holness, in his

statement, said that the Opposition was concerned at the deteriorating relationship between the Government and the OCG. He said that the situation was untenable “and leading to extreme positions without any sign of a resolution and undermines the integrity of our anticorruption system.

“It is untidy and reflects poorly on us internationally, for the Government to ask the courts to limit the powers of scrutiny of its own anticorruption agency,” the Opposition leader said.

He called on the Government to withdraw its actions in the courts against the OCG, and take to Parliament the legislation it sees fit to redefine the powers of the OCG. He also urged the Cabinet to collaborate with the Opposition in creating a policy on strategic investment and development.

“We believe that this will bring a final resolution to the current impasse and reestablish the integrity of our anti-corruption system for the benefit of the people of Jamaica,” Holness said.

Generation 2000 (G2K), the young professional arm of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), also issued a statement congratulating the OCG “on its bold and courageous move”.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Five accused in India rape case appear in court (Reuters) - Five men accused of raping and murdering an Indian student were read the charges in a near-empty courtroom yesterday after the judge cleared out lawyers for bickering over whether the men deserved a defence.

The 23-year-old physiotherapy student died two weeks after being gangraped and beaten on a moving bus in New Delhi, then thrown bleeding onto the street. Protests followed, along with a fierce public debate over police failure to stem rampant violence against women.

With popular anger simmering against the five men and a teenager accused in the case, most lawyers in the district where the trial will be held refuse to represent them.

Before the men arrived for a pre-trial hearing yesterday, heckling broke out in a chamber packed with jostling lawyers, journalists and members of the public after two of the lawyers, Manohar Lal Sharma and V. K. Anand, offered to defend the men.

“We are living in a modern

brought them from Tihar jail and walking, their faces covered, through a metal detector into the South Delhi court building.

The court was across the street from the cinema where the victim watched a film before she was attacked on her way home.

Aggarwal gave the men copies of the charges, which include murder, rape and abduction, a prosecutor in the case told Reuters.

Police have conducted extensive interrogations and say they have recorded confessions, even though the men have no lawyers.

If the men, most of them from a slum neighborhood, cannot arrange a defense, the

court will offer them legal aid before the trial begins.

Two of them, Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta, have offered to give evidence against the others - Mukesh Kumar, Ram Singh and Akshay Thakura - possibly in return for a lighter sentence.

Mohan, describing what he called a heinous crime, said: “The five accused persons deserve no less than the death penalty.”

The case has sharpened long-standing anger against the government and police for a perceived failure to protect women.

A male friend who was assaulted with the woman on December 16 said on Friday that passers-by left her unclothed and bleeding in the street for almost an hour and that, when police arrived, they spent a long time arguing about where to take them.

The woman lived for two weeks after her attack, dying in a Singapore hospital where she had been taken for treatment.

FAST-TRACK COURT Aggarwal said the next hearing would be on January 10. The case is due to move later to another, fast-track court set up since the woman was attacked to help reduce a backlog of sex crime cases in Delhi. Legal experts say the lack of representation for the five men may give grounds for appeal if they are found guilty.

Convictions in similar cases have often been overturned

years later.

Some legal experts have also warned that previous attempts to fast-track justice in India in some cases led to imperfect convictions that were later challenged.

The sixth member of the group alleged to have lured the student and a male friend into the private bus is under 18 and will be tried in a separate juvenile court.

The government is aiming to lower the age at which teenagers can be tried as adults, acknowledging public anger that the boy will face a maximum three-year sentence.

The victim was identified by a British newspaper at the weekend but Reuters has opted not to name her.

Indian law generally prohibits the identification of victims of sex crimes. The law is intended to protect victims’ privacy and keep them out of the glare of media in a country where the social stigma associated with rape can be devastating.

The dead woman’s father repeated yesterday that he wanted her identified and said he would be happy to release a photograph of her.

“We don’t want to hide her identity. There is no reason for that. The only condition is it should not be misused,” he told Reuters.

He said he was confident the trial would be quick and reiterated a call that the perpetrators be hanged.

(Reuters) - A group of 10 mortgage servicers agreed yesterday to pay a total of $8.5 billion to end a U.S. government-mandated caseby-case review of housing crisis foreclosures in an acknowledgement the program had proven too cumbersome and expensive.

Roughly 3.8 million borrowers whose homes were in foreclosure within the time frame of the review will receive cash compensation ranging from hundreds of dollars up to $125,000, depending on the type of errors they experienced, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said.

The reviews followed the “robo-signing” scandal that emerged in 2010 involving allegations banks pursued faulty foreclosures by using defective or fraudulent documents.

Bank of America Corp, Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Case & Co, Wells Fargo & Co, MetLife Bank, and five others

will pay $3.3 billion directly to eligible borrowers, and $5.2 billion in loan modifications and forgiveness, regulators said. The OCC and the Federal Reserve Board said they accepted the agreement to get relief to consumers more quickly than through the reviews.

In April 2011, the government required the servicers to review foreclosure actions from 2009 and 2010 to determine whether borrowers had been unlawfully foreclosed on or suffered some other financial harm due to errors in the foreclosure process.

Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry said in a statement: “It has become clear that carrying the process through to its conclusion would divert money away from the impacted homeowners and also needlessly delay the dispensation of compensation to affected borrowers.” The agreement

announced Monday resolves matters left unsettled by a $25 billion deal that the top five servicers reached last February with the Justice Department, housing authorities and state attorneys general to end an investigation into foreclosure practices including robosigning. Those authorities had taken a broad approach to dealing with allegations of robo-signed documents and faulty foreclosures, while the bank regulators had initially opted for the more targeted, individual reviews.

Bank of America said it supports the new approach “because it expands the number of borrowers who will receive payment, speeds the delivery of those payments, and will provide support for homeowners still struggling to make payments.”

MetLife said it was fully cooperating with the OCC review process and said its portion of the settlement was $37 million.

A police bus - believed to be carrying the accused men - arrives at the Saket District Court in Delhi. (AFP) society,” declared Lal Sharma, defending his decision. “We all are educated. Every accused, including those in brutal offences like this, has the legal right ... to defend themselves.”

One woman lawyer prodded V. K. Anand in the chest, saying: “I’ll see how you can represent the accused.”

Unable to restore order,

presiding magistrate Namrita Aggarwal ordered everyone to leave except the prosecution, and set police to guard the entrance.

She said the trial would now be held behind closed doors because of the sensitivity of the case.

FACES COVERED Reuters video images showed the men stepping out of a blue police van that

U.S. banks to pay $8.5 billion to end foreclosure reviews

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Obama picks Hagel for defence, Brennan for CIA (Reuters) - President Barack Obama yesterday nominated former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as his next defence secretary and counterterrorism adviser John Brennan to head the CIA, potentially setting up a Senate confirmation battle on two fronts and establishing a tough tone to start his second term.

Mindful of the concerns about both Hagel and Brennan on Capitol Hill, Obama spoke at length about each in a White House ceremony, then turned over the microphone to outgoing Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and acting CIA Director Mike Morell to provide testimonials about their chosen replacements.

Obama urged the Senate to move quickly in confirming Hagel, a military veteran who served in Vietnam, and Brennan, who spent 25 years at the CIA. “I hope that the Senate

U.S. President Barack Obama (C) announces his nominees for new U.S. Secretary of Defence former Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (L) and new CIA director White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan (R) at the White House in Washington January 7, 2013. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque will act on these confirmations of leaders transitions out and D e m o c r a t i c - c o n t r o l l e d promptly. When it comes to another transitions in. So we Senate, Hagel and Brennan national security, we don’t need to get moving quickly would fill out a national like to leave a lot of gaps on this,” Obama said. security team that Obama is between the time that one set If confirmed by the building for his second term

Berlusconi withdraws as candidate to win electoral pact

(Reuters) - Silvio Berlusconi withdrew as candidate for Italy’s premiership yesterday as the price of a pact with the devolutionist Northern League that could prevent the formation of a stable government after next month’s election.

Berlusconi has been striving for weeks to seal the deal with his estranged former allies to strengthen the center-right bloc, under a strategy to stymie the centerleft government that is expected to emerge from the election on February 24-25.

The League had previously refused a pact because of rank-and-file opposition to the scandalplagued Berlusconi being candidate for prime minister.

The media magnate was driven from office a year ago at the height of Italy’s economic crisis after he was

charged with having sex with an under-age prostitute.

League leader Roberto Maroni confirmed the coalition pact, telling a news conference it “says explicitly that the candidate for prime minister will not be Silvio Berlusconi”.

“Silvio Berlusconi accepted the request not to stand as prime minister,” he said.

Earlier, in an interview on the Italian radio station RTL, Berlusconi had left the issue of the premiership in a future center-right government open. He said he would prefer to be the economy minister and that most likely Angelino Alfano, secretary of his People of Freedom (PDL) party, would be the prime ministerial candidate.

Berlusconi wanted the alliance with the League to increase his chance of Continued on page 24

in office. He has already nominated Democratic Senator John Kerry as his secretary of state to replace the well-regarded Hillary Clinton.

Hagel clearly faces the toughest fight.

While senators are normally inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to someone from their ranks, this was not the case with Hagel, a maverick former senator from Nebraska.

As Hagel’s name was floated for the post in recent weeks, many Republicans and some Democrats reacted with alarm, expressing deep concerns about past statements the moderate Republican has made. He has offered controversial views on key U.S. ally Israel, once complaining about the power of “the Jewish lobby” in Washington and urging direct talks with Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

Past remarks seen as

disparaging to gays have drawn the ire of gay rights groups. A group called the Log Cabin Republicans published a full-page ad in The Washington Post that attacked “Chuck Hagel’s record on gay rights.”

Obama could also face opposition from human rights groups over his choice of Brennan, a CIA veteran who withdrew from consideration for the spy agency’s top job in 2008 after questions were raised about his views on “enhanced interrogation techniques” - which are widely considered to be torture - that were used on terrorism suspects during the Bush administration.

Brennan would succeed retired General David Petraeus, who resigned in November after he was brought down by a sex scandal that involved an extramarital affair with his biographer.

center in Manchester. British authorities conducted daylight raids on the suspects’ homes after Britain’s most senior counterterrorism official was photographed openly carrying details about the operation.

British authorities said they found large quantities of flour and oil in the suspects’ homes, as well as highlighted surveillance photographs of public areas in Manchester and a map of the city center.

Naseer and the other suspects were never charged, but British and U.S. authorities said Naseer was part of a broader al Qaeda cell bent on staging attacks in the United States and Scandinavia.

Naseer was indicted in Brooklyn federal court in

2010, along with Medunjanin and other individuals alleged to be linked through a multinational al Qaeda conspiracy.

U.S. prosecutors said Naseer and Zazi coordinated their plans through emails to the same Pakistan-based al Qaeda facilitator, “Ahmad,” using similar code words to discuss explosives and the timing of their respective plots.

Naseer was re-arrested by British authorities in 2010 after a U.S. warrant was issued.

He fought extradition, saying he feared he could be sent from the U.S. to Pakistan and subjected there to torture. Naseer’s appeal was rejected last month by the European Court of Human Rights, paving the way for him to stand trial in the United States.

Extradited al Qaeda suspect pleads not guilty in U.S. court (Reuters) - A Pakistani man accused of taking part in an international al Qaeda plot to attack targets in the United States and Europe pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges during his first U.S. court appearance yesterday in New York.

Abid Naseer, 26, was extradited on Thursday from Britain to Brooklyn, New York.

He is facing up to life in prison on charges including providing material support to al Qaeda and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction in connection with an alleged plot to bomb a city center in Manchester, England.

The charges against Naseer are also connected to an alleged al Qaeda plot in 2009 to bomb the subway system in New York City, U.S.

prosecutors said. Two men, Najibullah Zazi and Zarein Ahmedzay, have pleaded guilty to planning the attacks and a third man, Adis Medunjanin, was sentenced to life in prison after his conviction last year for taking part in the plot.

During a brief court appearance in Brooklyn federal court, Naseer, wearing a bright blue t-shirt and black sneakers, pleaded not guilty to the charges through his court-appointed lawyer.

The judge ordered Naseer to be held in detention without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 7.

Naseer is one of a dozen men, mostly students from Pakistan, who were arrested in Britain in 2009 on suspicion of plotting to bomb a city

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Syrians brush off Assad speech as fighting rages (Reuters) - Fighting raged across Syria yesterday with clashes reported just a few miles from where President Bashar al-Assad had unveiled a “peace plan” that Syrians on both sides said would do nothing to end a 21month-old uprising.

Hours after Assad addressed cheering loyalists at the Damascus Opera House on Sunday in his first public speech in months, fighting erupted near the road to the city’s international airport, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The opposition-linked group said artillery hit the district of Aqraba, 3 miles from the Opera House. Fighting continued all night and into yesterday around the capital, as well as in the northern provinces of Idlib and Aleppo, it said.

In central Syria, the towns of Taybet Imam and Halfaya were bombarded with aerial strikes and artillery, said Abu Faisal, an activist speaking over the internet from Taybet Imam.

“Every four to five

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad (C) waves to his supporters after speaking at the Opera House in Damascus January 6, 2013, in this handout photograph released by Syria’s national news agency SANA. REUTERS/Sana minutes, we hear the burst from a rocket. We cannot get any wounded out because we are essentially under siege by the shelling,” he said, adding that many civilians had fled. Taybet Imam sits on an entrance to Syria’s main north-south highway, close to the central city of Hama.

The government restricts access by international media and the accounts could not be verified.

Damascus residents said Assad’s speech, which offered no concessions to his foes, was met with celebratory gunfire in proAssad neighborhoods.

But even there, some saw no sign peace was closer: a loyalist resident of southern Damascus reached by internet said the speech was eloquent but empty.

“It sounded more like gloating than making promises,” said the woman, who gave only her first name, Aliaa. “I agree with the ideas but words are really just words until he takes some action.

He needs to do something. But even so, everything he suggests now, it is too late, the rebels aren’t going to stop.”

In the once-affluent district of Mezzeh, scene of several bomb attacks, an Assad critic said people had more pressing concerns than

CABINET MEETING Syria’s Prime Minister Wael al-Halki called yesterday for a special cabinet meeting to implement the “national program announced by President Bashar al-Assad Sunday to solve the crisis in

Syria”, the state news agency SANA said.

George Sabra, vice president of the opposition National Coalition, said the putative peace plan “did not even deserve to be called an initiative”.

“We should see it rather as a declaration that he will continue his war against the Syrian people,” he told Reuters.

The United States, Britain and Turkey have all dismissed the speech and France used similar language on Monday. “Bashar alAssad’s speech is further evidence of just how far he has cut himself off from reality in order to justify his repression of the Syrian people,” French Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said.

Assad’s ally Iran defended the speech as offering a “comprehensive political process”. “This plan rejects violence and terrorism and any foreign interference,” Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said.

There was no immediate response from Moscow, which has acted as Assad’s main protector on the diplomatic stage. Russian state offices were quiet for the Orthodox Christmas holiday.

Syrian state television played up the speech, showing footage of convoys of cars driving through main streets in Damascus. People waving the Syrian flag leaned out of car windows and some braved the cold and rain to walk alongside.

Under Italy’s muchcriticized electoral law, Bersani is expected to win a comfortable majority in the lower house.

DEAL But in the Senate the distribution of seats is decided on a regional basis and the populous northern regions led by Lombardy return more senators.

By allying with the League in its northern strongholds, Berlusconi hopes to be able to destabilize a center-left government in parliament.

The League wants strict controls on immigration and favors giving more power and autonomy to Italy’s 20 regions.

It wants more tax revenue to go directly to the regions, saying the rich north is picking up the tab for a south it brands as corrupt and economically backward.

Berlusconi said that under the deal the PDL would support Maroni as candidate for president of Lombardy in

The former prime minister is awaiting a verdict expected soon in the trial in which he is accused of paying an underage prostitute.

Weakened by the scandal, he was forced out of office and replaced by Monti in November 2011 when Italy tottered on the edge of a Greek-style debt crisis.

He has become notorious for almost daily changes of position, which Monti called “bewildering” when he entered the electoral campaign in December.

Berlusconi’s party backed Monti’s technocrat government for a year before precipitating its fall by withdrawing support last month.

Berlusconi previously suggested Monti could lead the center-right but, since the former European Commissioner sided with centrists, has launched vitriolic daily attacks on him especially for his introduction of a widely hated property tax.

a TV speech. “Here, no one cares about this speech. They care about food and electricity.”

Another said few people had watched the speech and that Assad’s crackdown would not stop: “Military operations will continue in full swing, and he is staying.”

France, the United States, Britain and Turkey all said Assad’s speech, his first to an audience since June last year, showed he had lost touch with reality after unrest that the United Nations says has killed 60,000 people.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Assad yesterday of “directing state terrorism”.

The plan described by the Syrian leader as a new peace initiative proposed an army ceasefire only after rebels halt their operations and summoned Syrians to mobilize for a war to defend the state against “a puppet made by the West”.

The United Nations said Secretary-General Ban Kimoon was disappointed that Assad’s speech rejected the idea of a transitional government to pave the way to new elections - a central plank of a peace plan promoted by international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.

Berlusconi withdraws as candidate to win...

15 percent, the poll indicated. regional elections.

From page 23 winning enough seats in the upper house, or Senate, to make it hard for the next government to pass laws.

Berlusconi said he would remain head of the PDL and the coalition. “It will be the head of the coalition who would indicate who will be the prime ministerial candidate if we win,” said Berlusconi, who had previously insisted he himself would be the candidate.

Maroni said he liked Alfano but the League’s own candidate for premier would be Giulio Tremonti, who was economy minister in Berlusconi’s last government.

The center-left led by Pier Luigi Bersani has been ahead in opinion polls for months.

The latest survey, published on Sunday, suggested it would win between 38 and 39 percent.

A PDL-League alliance could pull in about 28 percent of the vote, with a centrist alliance under outgoing premier Mario Monti on 14-

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 25

Slight drop in serious crimes last year One hundred and thirtyseven (137) people, including 24 women, were murdered last year, police statistics for last year revealed, even though there was an overall one percent decrease in serious crimes.

The figure for murders which were recorded in 2012 compared with 130 murders during 2011, represented a five per cent increase. Further, of the 137 murders, 62 were of the disorderly type, 11 were committed during armed robberies, 24 were domestic related and nine were execution type. The other 31 are so far undetermined.

It was noted that of the 24 murdered women, 16 were related to domestic violence.

In 2011, women accounted 21 of the murders.

According to the police, the total number of reports of serious crimes made during 2012 was 3,777 compared to 3,823 in 2011. Some of the offences monitored were murder, robbery under arms, robbery with violence, larceny from the person, break and enter and larceny, burglary, rape and kidnapping.

In 2012, there was major increase in robbery under arms. The figure went up by 21 per cent, with 1,065 reports for 2012 compared to 879 in 2011.

According to the police, the statistics indicate an increase of 16 per cent in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms, and a 30 per cent increase in armed robberies where

- Police stats reveal instruments other than firearms were used by the perpetrators.

It was noted that while the police force continues to make efforts to grapple with robberies, police patrols along with community assistance, especially through community policing groups and neighbourhood police personnel, have resulted in significant decreases in the offences of larceny from the person by 21 per cent, burglary by 18 per cent, and break and enter and larceny by 10%.

A total of 111 firearms were recovered by the police during 2012; comprising 28 pistols, 39 revolvers, 31

Missing GEA employee…

Cops release ‘prime suspect’ Unable to link him to the disappearance of LeVoy Taljit, investigators yesterday finally released a man described as the prime suspect, even though they still believe he has information about the GEA employee’s fate.

Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell told Kaieteur News that the man had been in custody for 72 hours. Police are convinced that the 32year-old man, who is a close friend of Taljit’s, has withheld vital information from them about the missing man’s whereabouts.

His release came after detectives, acting on information, conducted fruitless searches Sunday and yesterday in the Yarrowkabra area.

The police team was reportedly told that Taljit was alive but was tied to a tree close to the area where his vehicle had been found. The ranks searched until nightfall

Sunday and early yesterday, without finding a trace of the missing man.

Police sources conceded yesterday that they are not optimistic of finding Taljit alive.

Yesterday, a relative of Taljit’s said that the family is convinced that he would not have disappeared on his own volition without contacting them. “He’s not that kind of person. We are just praying every day…he doesn’t deserve that,” the relative said.

Asked whether tracker dogs were used to scour the Soesdyke/Linden backlands for Taljit, Police Commissioner Brumell said that he believed that the dogs were used.

According to Brumell, the Force has four dog handlers.

However, some police sources have said that the tracking capability of the canines is limited.

Taljit, 25, was reported

Teen in armed robbery denied bail Jermaine Daly, 19, of Agricola, East Bank Demerara was yesterday refused bail when he faced Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry on an allegation of robbery.

On December 17, last, at Agricola, Daly and others allegedly robbed Andy Beaton of an American Eagle hat, $39,000 in local currency and an LG cellular phone.

At the time, Daly was said to be armed with a gun. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Police Prosecutor Burgett Grant told the court that the plaintiff was robbed by a gang of men on bicycles. The

victim had been walking in the vicinity of the Agricola Public Road when the suspects rode up on bicycles, pointed the gun at him, and demanded the articles mentioned in the charge. The items were valued at $71,000.

On January 4, last, the accused was apprehended by the police. He was placed on an identification parade and was positively identified by the complainant.

Daly was then charged and placed before the court. The prosecutor objected to bail based on the nature of the offence. The accused was remanded until January 25.

Missing: LeVoy Taljit missing over two weeks ago.

His Toyota Raum, PNN 8315, was subsequently found in a trail at Yarrowkabra.

Investigators revealed that someone had used the missing man’s mobile phone.

They subsequently detained the Yarrowkabra resident who is said to be a close associate of Taljit’s.

According to police sources, the suspect alleged that Taljit had given him his cell phone and bank card.

The man allegedly withdrew some $50,000 from the missing man’s account.

The suspect had reportedly told police that Taljit visited his home around the time of his disappearance.

He claimed that the GEA employee had a bag of money and had asked him to stash the Toyota Raum. He also claimed that Taljit left in another vehicle.

Taljit, who is of Amerindian and East Indian descent, was last seen wearing a burgundycoloured Tee shirt and faded blue jeans. Persons with information are asked to make contact with 226-0433, 2267336, 666-4012 or the nearest police station.

shotguns and 13 rifles. Also last year, 80 kilograms 586 grams of cocaine were seized during police operations, resulting in 115 cases being made, with a total of 124 persons charged. A total of 131,927 kilograms 909 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) were seized/destroyed, from which 493 cases were made and 540 persons charged.

DEPORTEES… According to the police in 2012, a total of 750 Guyanese nationals were deported. The involuntary remigrants came from the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Trinidad, Barbados, French Guiana, Suriname, St. Maarten, Curacao, France, Antigua, Jamaica, Holland, Costa Rica, and Spain.

Countries such as the USA (158), Canada (112), Trinidad (128), Barbados (82), and Suriname (234) recorded the highest numbers. The major reasons were for drugrelated and other criminal offences, illegal entry, overstaying time, and denial of refugee status.

In relation to traffic, there

has been a four per cent reduction in road fatalities for 2012 in comparison to 2011, with 110 fatalities in 2012 compared to 115 during the previous year.

The 110 road deaths last year is the lowest figure recorded in 43 years. Thirtyfour (34) pedestrians lost their lives on the roads during 2012. In addition, 18 pedal cyclists, 19 motor cyclists and 20 drivers of motor vehicles also lost their lives.

The highest number of road deaths for last year occurred in “A” Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara) where 41 persons lost their lives in 38 fatal accidents. The ‘black spots’ in relation to these accidents were mainly along Lamaha Street, Norton Street, Durban Street, Nelson Mandela Avenue, and between Houston and Eccles as well as Supply and Soesdyke on the East Bank of Demerara.

Speeding continued to be a major contributing factor to fatal accidents, causing 78 of the 102 fatal accidents during 2012. According to statistics, the other contributory elements were driving under the influence, distracted or inattentive drivers, and the

non-compliance with traffic signals.

Traffic enforcement by the police in 2012 resulted in a total of 69,653 cases being made against errant motorists; of this total, 14,877 cases were for speeding.

Last year also continued to see reductions in relation to the other categories of traffic accidents – serious, minor and damage.

During the past year, in addition to its traffic education programme which includes traffic lectures to schools, enforcement operations by the Police Traffic Department have for the most part focused on speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, defective vehicles, unlicenced drivers, inconsiderate driving, reckless and negligent driving, safety belts, cell phone use while operating vehicles, overloaded minibuses and minibus route transgressions.

It was noted that more attention will be paid to outstanding traffic tickets, illegible number plates, parking violations and general moving violations, which have the potential of developing into more serious problems.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Mother seeks justice for son who was beaten to death On December 15, last Anthony Biswah bade farewell to his family and left for a brief sojourn in the interior with a couple of neighbours from a notorious Albouystown family.

It was the first time in the ‘bush’ for Biswah. He was scheduled to return home after 20 days.

But the next time his relatives saw him on January 3, last, he was in the Bartica Hospital with a badly swollen face battling for his life.

A day later he succumbed, but not before he related a harrowing tale of being badly beaten by

the very persons who took him into the interior.

Now his mother, Padminie Biswah, is crying out for justice, which appears to be far away, judging from the response she has been receiving from the police to whom she reported the matter.

Speaking with this newspaper yesterday, Biswah’s sister, Emily, recalled that she received a telephone call from him on December 30.

She said that her brother revealed that he was in some kind of trouble with the persons he was working with.

“The signal was poor, so I couldn’t hear him properly,”

Emily Biswah told Kaieteur News. A few days later, one of Biswah’s girlfriends, whose father also works in the interior, received word that he was in the Bartica Hospital.

She immediately relayed this information to his mother and other relatives.

Biswah’s two sisters hurriedly travelled to Bartica on January 2, where they found Biswah in a critical state.

“When we see he, he was delirious,” Emily Biswah recalled. However, the badly injured man reportedly described what had led to him being hospitalised.

“He saying how Orlando

Dead: Anthony Biswah

beat he with a gun,” Biswah’s sister said. According to the woman, her brother managed to relate that a few days earlier, the men had accused him of stealing four pennyweights of raw gold, an accusation he had denied.

She said that her brother’s employers became angry and attacked him with a gun but he managed to run away and hide in the nearby bushes for two days.

Hunger and thirst caused him to give up and he returned to the camp where he was promptly set upon by his employers who allegedly inflicted a severe beating on him.

Emily Biswah told this newspaper that she learnt that when her brother appeared to have been seriously injured his assailants rushed him to the Bartica Hospital where they told doctors that he had ingested poison. “When we see he, he whole face swell up and he eye black and blue.

He tongue buss up and he lip buss up and he deh like he mad; like he ain’t know nobody. But he keep calling Orlando name,” Emily Biswah

recalled.

So severe were his injuries that doctors at the Bartica Hospital prepared him to be transfe r r e d t o t h e Georgetown Hospital for better treatment. However, Biswah never made it; he died the following day, January 4.

The dead man’s mother said that the matter was reported to the police at Eve Leary but according to her, the police said that they would have to await the post mortem examination before taking any action.

“We told them what he told us before he died,” the woman stated.

Padminie Biswah told this newspaper that a post mortem examination, which w a s d o n e y e s t e r d a y, revealed that her son had a swollen brain as a result of blunt trauma to the head.

She said that since her son’s demise, she has not contacted any of the persons who had taken him into the interior.

“Dem people ignorant, but we want the police to do they wuk; we want justice,” Padminie Biswah declared.

High attendance as schools reopens Chief Educ. Officer - New mandate for submission of SBAs The Education Ministry has now mandated a deadline for all School-Based Assessments (SBA) for fifth form students preparing for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

Chief Education Officer Olato Sam who was checking the turnout rate of students as schools reopened yesterday, said that by this month end, fifth form students must complete their SBAs, while February, March and April will be used for revision in preparation for the CSEC exams.

“We want all our students, across the board, to really commit themselves and make a resolution that their attendance and punctuality will be of the highest.

We can’t get the level of output we desire unless our students and teachers are there on time, and regularly early… and do the work that is expected of them,” the Chief Education Officer noted.

Alluding to the fact that the school visits were also promoted to ensure

compliance by school authorities, Sam said that checks were made on school infrastructure and the condition of the surroundings.

“There was one particular instance in Region Ten where due to asbestos removal the compound is being sanitized… at Watooka Primary.

The school is due to reopen on Thursday.”

Underscoring that the Education Ministry wants to improve the performance at CSEC, Sam said that parents should encourage their children to adhere to the stringent timetable that is in place, while encouraging students to constantly revise.

At the primary level there is also a higher level of literacy programme being plugged into the system. He said this year all of the indicators are being used coming out of the assessments to improve students’ performance rates, which will generally result in better exam results.

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Hit and run accused Six confirmed TIP cases before the further remanded courts – Human Services Minister The man accused of last Thursday’s hit-andrun accident has been further remanded to prison.

Once more Sewdat Ramlall, 48, of Kersaint Park, La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry y e s t e r d a y, a c c u s e d o f causing the death of Rodwell Brummell on December 20, 2012.

Brummell was struck around 21:00 hrs on the aforementioned date, at the corner of Lamaha and Carmichael Streets.

Ramlall was reportedly driving PGG 2758 on Lamaha Street when he hit Brummell, who was with his girlfriend.

The young man, a resident of Montgomery Richard Hill, Linden, was reportedly hurled into the air and fell on the ground before the vehicle ran over him. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Ramlall was arrested last week Thursday

afternoon at his home and the car seized from a ‘bottom-house’ bodywork shop at Lusignan.

At the initial hearing, Ramlall pleaded not guilty to several charges related to the road death He is accused of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to report the accident within 24 hours to a police station, failing to stop the vehicle immediately after the accident, and failing to render assistance.

At y e s t e r d a y ’s hearing, Attorney at Law Adrian Thompson made a renewed application for bail. Thompson claimed that his client’s job is at stake, and he is the sole bread winner of his home where he has three children.

According to the lawyer, the victim had been on the roadway in a manner causing his own demise. The accused, he said, was poorly advised and as a result acted in an unlikely manner.

However the Chief Magistrate ordered that Ramlall remain behind bars until January 18.

Of the32 reported cases of Trafficking in Persons (TIP), a mere six were confirmed by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security last year. At least this is according to the Minister with responsibility for the M i n i s t r y, M s J e n n i f e r Webster, during a press conference yesterday.

The Minister’s claims come days after her colleague, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, told another press conference that there were no reported cases of TIP in Amerindian communities.

H o w e v e r, M i n i s t e r We b s t e r w a s n o t i n a position yesterday to tell media operatives where the confirmed cases of TIP occurred last year.

She did note that following investigations six cases were confirmed and they are currently before the Magistrates’ Court.

These cases were in Regions Three and Four and not in the Amerindian communities.

The Minister was at pains to tell reporters, “Our Government is committed

to ensuring that we do not have a lot of cases of trafficking in persons and we will aggressively, this year, undertake various methods.”

A c c o r d i n g t o h e r, once there are reported cases of TIP, every effort will be made to investigate them in detail, since it is the intention of Government to have those culpable be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

However, based on the reported instances of TIP, the Minister is convinced that the numbers are not significant, considering the size of the population.

“We are a small society and it is insignificant...I know there are all these groups who speak about TIP, but I would still say that it is still small in proportion to the size of the population.”

She emphasised the need to draw a clear distinction between incidents of TIP and prostitution, even as she sought to explain that some of the cases that have been reported as TIP were in fact cases of prostitution,

where women were actually above the age of consent.

T I P, a c c o r d i n g t o M i n i s t e r We b s t e r, i s regarded a horrible crime and “I think it is about the w o r l d ’s s e c o n d l a rg e s t (worst) crime after drug trafficking.”

Webster said that the Ministry has in place a Counter TIP Unit, complete with a Hotline to allow for callers to report suspected cases.

This operation is backed b y a Ta s k F o r c e w h i c h works in collaboration with the Ministries of Amerindian Affairs, Natural Resources and Home Affairs.

In fact, the Minister r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e Ta s k Force will soon issue a detailed report on the state of TIP in Guyana.

As part of its mandate, the Human Services Ministry is responsible for providing victims with support, according to the law.

And during the course of last year, the Minister said that the Ministry worked with all victims, providing them with counselling and other

support. Two of the victims were offered additional assistance to enrol in training institutions, so as to ensure that they did not return to activities that constitute TIP, Minister We b s t e r said. “ We continue to work throughout our communities; we have been doing a number of training programmes too.”

During the latter part of l a s t y e a r, t h e H u m a n Services Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) spearheaded training programmes aimed at sensitising focal points on how to deal with the TIP situation.

T h e M i n i s t r y, M s .

We b s t e r s a i d , h a s b e e n able to identify a number of persons as focal points in various Regions, who were able to benefit from the recent training sessions.

Such efforts, according to h e r, w i l l b e s u s t a i n e d countrywide and there is also a plan to beef-up staff countrywide, even as the collaboration between the involved Ministries intensifies.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday January 08, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Attempting to convince others to follow your plan today seems as impossible as herding cats. It may not matter how amazing your idea is or how articulate you are at selling it.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You could spend too much time seeking a hidden meaning that actually isn’t to be found today.

Meanwhile, a problem may arise because of your lack of concern over a financial matter.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Think twice about the positive effect you could have on someone very close to you before responding to his or her emotional disclosure today.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You have some fantastic ideas about what you can accomplish today, but your expectations may be too unrealistic to meet.

Thankfully, you could correct the situation before you get in over your head by recognizing your current tendency to bite off more than you can chew.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You’re experiencing alternating waves of optimism and pessimism today as you are caught between expansive Jupiter and restrictive Saturn.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You could be the biggest obstacle to your own happiness today if you expect too much from a close friend or family member.

You’re not necessarily inclined to make specific demands, yet you believe that everyone should do their part.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your best-laid plans may quickly unravel today, especially if you’re holding the reins of control too tightly. Making many minor adjustments throughout the day is a more practical approach than trying to stick to a strategy that just isn’t working.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You might be feeling smug about your financial condition today, whether or not your confidence is actually based on reality.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You grow moodier with the reactive Moon back in your sign, yet you’re not particularly interested in pursuing self-reflection now.

You don’t need to make any excuses; there really could be too much happening in your outer world to journey inward.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) It’s difficult to keep your mind from going around in circles as you think about all the loose ends that you need to tie up.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You have great expectations for the workweek, especially if there are opportunities for social networking. However, it’s crucial to take all the variables into account today because others might not share your idea of what constitutes a productive time.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Stand up tall and demonstrate your special style of leadership today. But rather than telling your friends, family or coworkers what to do, you can truly inspire and motivate others if you lead by example now.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Iron man Djokovic bids to extend Melbourne Park supremacy MELBOURNE (Reuters) Defending champion Novak Djokovic returns to the Australian Open seeking his third consecutive trophy at Melbourne Park, where memories of last year’s gutwrenching final against Rafa Nadal still linger around Rod Laver Arena’s blue centre court.

Last year ’s recordbreaking epic of five punishing hours and 53 minutes secured Djokovic his fifth grand slam title while establishing the 25-year-old as tennis’s indisputable iron man.

The marathon match would also serve as a portent for the year ahead for the steely-eyed Serb, who came under siege from his ‘Big Four’ rivals but emerged from an attritional season with his world number one ranking intact.

If 2011 was the year Djokovic soared into the stratosphere on the back of three grand slam titles and an astonishing 41-match winning streak, he as brought gently back to Earth in 2012.

After winning his third Australian Open, Djokovic would add no further major titles last year, with the spoils shared by Rafa Nadal, Roger

Federer and Andy Murray.

Federer, who shattered Djokovic’s Wimbledon defence in the semi-final on the way to his 17th major crown, would even prise the number one ranking away from the Serb before losing it again less than four months later.

Djokovic would taste further disappointment with a semi-final loss to Briton Murray at the London Olympics, where he was also upset by Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro in the bronze medal match.

Murray, a good friend off the court, would later quash Djokovic’s U.S. Open title defence in a gruelling five-set final. Rather than sulk in the shadows with the spotlight trained elsewhere, Djokovic responded by thrashing a succession of opponents to win his next tournament at the China Open.

He then exacted partial revenge for his U.S. Open defeat by edging Murray for the Shanghai Masters title.

INCREDIBLE 2011 Federer’s failure to defend his Paris Masters title effectively handed the number one ranking back to

Djokovic, but there was little debate over whether the Serb had earned it, as he stormed to victory in the seasonending ATP Tour Finals.

The straight-sets win in the final over Federer gave him his sixth title for the season and was all the more impressive amid worries about his seriously ill father.

“I didn’t really know how I would follow up after my incredible 2011, but I believed that I have to use the time where I’m playing the best tennis of my life,” Djokovic said after winning his careerbest 75th match of the year.

“It was a fantastic year, where I’ve had to face a lot of difficulties off the court as well.”

Djokovic suffered a shock loss to young Australian Bernard Tomic when still jetlagged at the team-based Hopman Cup in Perth last week, and was involved in a freak injury scare when a hoarding holding back autograph-hunters toppled and struck him in the knee.

He has otherwise enjoyed a sound lead-in to the year’s first grand slam, winning an exhibition tournament in Abu

Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return to Fernando Verdasco of Spain during their men’s singles match at the Hopman Cup tennis tournament in Perth January 5, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer

Dhabi, and helping guide Serbia to within one victory of the team-based Hopman Cup title.

Few would dare discount him at Melbourne Park, where he has reigned supreme for two years and enjoys a boisterous reception from the host city’s prominent Serbian community.

There will also be no fear of a rematch with Nadal, the man who drove Djokovic to the brink of physical and

mental exhaustion in the final, with the Spaniard pulling out after a virus stalled his recovery from a long-term knee injury.

The Rod Laver Arena crowd can look forward to further moments of pure theatre from Djokovic, however, who muttered prayers to the heavens in the final throes of the Nadal classic before celebrating victory by tearing his shirt off his chest and roaring like a

man possessed.

“I love the Australian Open. That court brings back the best memories of my career,” Djokovic, who won his maiden grand slam title at Melbourne Park in 2008, said at the Hopman Cup. “Obviously I know I can work on a few more things and adjustments to get it to the best possible level.

“But I am where I aim to be, where I want to be in this moment.”

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or ahead of Ronaldo & Iniesta Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi has been awarded the Ballon d’Or for a fourth year running.

Messi, 25, hit 91 goals during 2012 and beat club team-mate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid’s Ronaldo to the trophy.

Despite his goals, the Catalan giants failed to win either the Spanish league title or Champions League last year. Abby Wambach won the women’s award and

Vicente del Bosque the coach accolade, while the team of the year was made up only of players from Spain’s La Liga.

Messi was announced as the winner of the Ballon d’Or, the award given to the world’s best player, during a ceremony held in Zurich on Monday. He was part of a three-man shortlist for the prize, which is voted for by journalists, and national coaches and captains, alongside midfielder Iniesta

and forward Ronaldo.

He becomes the first player to win four consecutive Ballons d’Or, breaking the record he jointly held with former France international, and current Uefa president, Michel Platini.

“To tell you the truth this is really quite unbelievable,” said the Argentine. “The fourth award that I have had is just too great for words. “I would like to recognise my other colleagues from

Barcelona. Andres, it has been great to train and play alongside you.

“I would also like to recognise all of my friends in the Argentina national team, everyone that has worked with me, coaches and staff and my family and my friends.

Also my wife and my son.

Thank you.”

Messi - who polled 41.6% of the votes, with Ronaldo taking 23.68% and Iniesta 10.91% - was favourite to win

Lionel Messi with his Ballon d’Or award. (AFP)

after surpassing Germany striker Gerd Mueller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar year from 1972. He netted 79 goals for Barcelona, plus another 12 for Argentina, in 69 games for club and country.

But Real Madrid clinched the Primera Division with a nine-point winning margin over their arch rivals, who were eliminated in the Champions League semifinals by eventual winners Chelsea.

Messi also featured in the team of the year, which was made up of 10 players from Barca and Real Madrid plus Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao.

USA forward Wambach was named women’s world player of the year, the first American to win the award since Mia Hamm in 2002.

Del Bosque and Pia Sundhage collected the men’s and women’s coaching gongs for their work with Spain and USA respectively.

Real boss Jose Mourinho

and Pep Guardiola, who left Barca in May to take a year’s sabbatical from the game, finished behind Del Bosque.

At a news conference before the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Guardiola confirmed he plans to return to management next season.

The Spaniard, 41, stepped down after winning 14 trophies in four years, including two Champions League crowns and three La Liga titles. “I will return [next season] because I am young, but I have been living the kind of life that I wanted and one that my family also deserved,” said Guardiola, who has relocated to New York with his wife and children.

The Puskas Award for goal of the year went to Fenerbahce’s Slovakian striker Miroslav Stoch for his strike against Genclerbirligi in March. Franz Beckenbauer received the Fifa Presidential Award and Uzbekistan won the fair play accolade for their disciplinary record.

No result in T&T, Jamaica CT20 opening match PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – The opening match of the Caribbean Twenty20 competition between Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica at Queen’s Park Oval Sunday ended with no result due to rain.

Rain intervened after just eight balls of the Jamaica innings with the visitors on five without loss.

Jamaica earlier restricted the defending champions to 128 for nine. Dwayne Bravo top scored with 30.

Scores: T&T 128 for nine off 20 overs; Dwayne Bravo 30, Denesh Ramdin 19; Krishmar Santokie 2-17, David Bernard 2-24: JAMAICA: five without loss.

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 33

Hinds ride away with season opening Benjamin Cycle road race Lindener Orville Hinds made sure that his more than 100 miles trip to Berbice to participate in the Wilber Benjamin 30-mile cycle road race was not in vain as he defied the odds to defeat his more season campaigners to take top honours when the event was held on Sunday.

The race began at Fyrish village on The Corentyne in front of the newly opened Benjamin Sports Store, where 27 eager cyclist from various parts of Guyana pedal off in the quest to start the cycling season on a winning note.

Riding for the Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycle Club (LBFCC) Hinds was able to surprise his opponents as he held off a strong challenge from seasoned campaigner Raymond Newton as the two battled towards the line to win in a time of 1:04:32.

The race was fast paced throughout as all the riders showed early form, with the youthful Berbicians trying to defend their turf and the visitors looking to conquer.

Several attempts were made by various riders or bunch to break away but none were

successful in getting away for too long as they were quickly swallowed in by the chasing pack.

As the cyclist got on their journey it was envisage that it would have been a grueling event as Newton was quickly off his seat, but was followed by the youthful Flying Ace duo of Dwight Holder and then Ray Millington as they held him at bay.

Michael Anthony soon came into the picture and tried to take the lead but was joined by the inform Millington as the two went wheel for wheel in a race for the first sprint point prize with Anthony edging home.

Akeem Arthur showed his intention as he came up to join the leaders. The battle continued with a few cyclist moving up into the leading pack and some dropping back with a seven man bunch of Hinds, Newton, Millington, Akeem Wilkinson, Rawle Leal, Rastaff O’Selmo and Arthur grinding it out for the early advantage as they approached the turn back point at Nand Persaud Rice Mills at Number 37 Village.

Orville Hinds raises his hands in celebration as he crosses the finishing line ahead of the rest of the field.

The return journey was even more testing as the race picked up speed with the riders now warm and being assisted by the strong wind now on their backs.

There were no quarters given and none asked as the men rode at a fast clip. The last few miles saw the cyclists breaking suddenly in their effort to surprise each other.

However none were successful.

It took a last gasp sprint to separate the seven man bunch with Hinds showing superior sprinting power to take the event from the veteran Newton. Arthur came

Coaches expected a ‘cracker’ of a finish in CT20 opener

Junior Bennett

David Williams

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad – Both coaches involved in Sunday’s rain-hit Caribbean T20 opening contest felt they had a good chance of pulling off a victory.

The match was abandoned after heavy showers interrupted the second half at Queen’s Park Oval. Trinidad and Tobago made 128-9 off 20 overs and Jamaica reached 5-0 off 1.2 overs before the rain came and ended the night’s entertainment for a crowd of over 15,000. David Williams, Head Coach of defending champs Trinidad and Tobago, said: “It was going to be a cracker. On that pitch, in those conditions, we felt we could defend our score.

“We felt we were about 15 runs short of the target we were originally looking for, but we knew we had the bowling to restrict Jamaica. It was looking like a tight finish in the making. We felt it would go down to the wire, but we were confident of winning,” added the former T&T and West Indies wicket-keeper.

Junior Bennett, Jamaica’s longstanding coach, was also confident his players could pull off what would have been a surprise win against the twotime defending champions.

“We bowled and fielded well and that was the ideal start we were looking for in this tournament. There was a lot of energy from the fielders and this helped to back up

from good bowling from start to finish.

“Chasing a score of sixand-a-half per over was ideal for us. We knew we didn’t have to take any undue risks when we batted so we could pace our innings. We didn’t come away with a victory, but this match was a good start for us.”

The home team won the toss and batted first, but met a slow pitch and heavy outfield. They faced eight overs of dot balls and only managed to clear the boundary on two occasions.

Dwayne Bravo showed the value of his experience as he worked the balls into the gaps to reach a topscore of 30 off 27 balls.

Krishmar Santokie was again Jamaica’s best bowler with 2-17 off four overs to move to 35 wickets and maintain his record as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament.

The Caribbean T20 continues at Queen’s Park Oval on Monday with two matches. Barbados face Leeward Islands at 4 pm while 2010 champions Guyana take on Combined Campuses and Colleges at 8 pm.

home third ahead of Leal fourth, Millington fifth, with Wilkinson sixth and O’Selmo seventh.

Holder led the second bunch home in eight position with Seaborne Fernandes ninth and Wasim Hassnu tenth.

The first six finishers received prizes along with 10th position. Before the start of the race Benjamin had promised that whoever finished 10th would receive a barrel of goodies from

Canada. In the junior category Arthur came home first ahead of Leal. Marica Dick continued her dominance on the distaff side with a comfortable victory with second place Cristal Lambert trailing some distance behind.

The eight sprint point prizes up for grabs saw Newton and Millington taking two and Wilkinson, O’Selmo, Leal and Anthony collected one each.

Some riders from the host Flying Ace Cycle Club were

also recognised for their outstanding performance and received special commendations. Five were selected namely Marica Dick, Odrel Ross, Andrew Hicks, Romella and Diancy Crawford.

Benjamin and his brother Gary also took part in the race.

Benjamin promised to make the event an annual affair with bigger and better prizes in the future.

The race was coordinated by coach Randolph Roberts. (Samuel Whyte)

Page 34

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Buoyant Barbados crush wayward Leewards PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Barbados made light work of Leeward Islands, romping to an emphatic ninewicket win to send an early warning in the 2013 edition of the Caribbean Twenty20 here yesterday.

They routed the lowly Leewards for a paltry 87 off 17.3 overs and then breezed to their target off just 8.2 overs at Queen’s Park Oval, registering the first outright win of the tournament after rain forced a no-result in Sunday’s curtain raiser.

The contest was reduced to 18 overs per side after wet conditions, resulting from all-day rain, delayed the start by an hour and 20 minutes.

Opener Justin Brathwaite stroked a flamboyant 42 off a mere 16 balls on national debut while captain and West Indies pinch-hitter Dwayne Smith finished on 36 not out from 21 balls.

The pair put on an exhilarating 65 for the first wicket off just 27 balls, a partnership that left the Leewards shell-shocked and erased any hope they may

Tino Best was Man-of-the-Match for his four wickets. have had of a come-frombehind win.

Earlier, only Derbyshire professional Chesney Hughes showed any commitment with a top score of 30, as the Leewards collapsed at the hands of West Indies fast bowler who claimed four for 26.

The right-armer Best struck with the first ball of the

innings when his Windies teammate Kieran Powell illadvisedly pulled a short ball to Ashley Nurse in the deep.

After limping to 15 for one in the fifth over, the Leewards lost Javia Liburd for eight to a catch at fine leg off seamer Smith and things grew worse in the next over when captain Sylvester Joseph, in his first regional game in nearly four

years, top-edged seamer Carlos Brathwaite for wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich to complete a fine running catch.

When 19-year-old Rahkeem Cornwall holed out in the deep off off-spinner Nurse to leave the Leewards on 36 for four, Hughes came to their rescue with a brief cameo.

The left-hander faced just 23 balls and smashed four fours and two sixes, providing the only resistance to the Barbadian onslaught.

He cracked two successive leg-side boundaries off Carlos Brathwaite in the eighth over, the bowler’s fourth, before twice clearing the ropes with Ryan Hinds in the left-arm

spinner’s only over which cost 13 runs.

Hughes and Devon Thomas (7) put on 33 off 29 balls for the fifth wicket before both fell with the score on 69, sparking another collapse which saw the last six wickets crash for 18 runs, as Best and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (2-9) destroyed the innings.

The left-handed Justin Brathwaite then gave Barbados a flying start, pummelling two fours and two sixes off the second over of the innings sent down by seamer Kelbert Walters and which cost 22 runs.

Smith joined the fray in the very next over, clearing mid-wicket with leg-spinner Anthony Martin before hammering two leg-side

boundaries in an over worth 14 runs.

Overall, Brathwaite counted three fours and four sixes while Smith tallied four fours and two sixes.

They ambushed Cornwall in his first over that went for 21 runs. Brathwaite carted the first two deliveries for sixes square on the onside before Smith lofted the final ball over mid-wicket for another maximum.

By the time the Leewards finally collared Brathwaite via a leg-side catch off offspinner Justin Athanaze, Barbados were already in sight of an easy win.

Scores: Leeward Islands 87 (17.3/18 ov); Barbados 91/1 (8.2/18 ov) - Barbados won by 9 wickets (with 58 balls remaining).

GCB OFFERS SOME CLARITY...

From page originally intended purpose and thus totally unacceptable to its membership.

The GCB would like to thank the former President, Mr. Bharat Jagdeo, for bringing most of the parties together in the crafting of a constitution for the GCB. This mediation process took place during the months of October and November 2012 and there was agreement to almost 95% of a complete document with just a few sticking points remaining. We understand that this was supposed to be the job of the IMC, but the GCB was never consulted by the IMC during ‘its work’, yet the final document was 90% produced by the GCB and not the IMC. Lo and behold, without complete agreement on all sides with a final constitution, the GCB noticed that a Bill was recently laid in Parliament purportedly to control the administration of cricket in Guyana and which said document included a constitution for the GCB. As the leading stakeholder in such an important Act, the GCB would like to state quite categorically that this body was never consulted on the crafting of any legislation aimed at the administration of cricket in Guyana and, as such, cannot endorse nor support such a document. It is unheard of that the leading stakeholder in a proposed legislation was never consulted.

In addition, the description of the proposed legislation by the Sports Minister in his article seems to be diametrically different from the one that was sent to

the WICB. There seems to have been numerous changes and the WICB has already recorded their comments with the one presented to them and this Board fully endorses its parent body’s position on this matter.

The Sports Minister had also misrepresented that the proposed legislation sent to the WICB was similar to the Trinidad Act that corporatized the Trinidad Cricket Board.

This situation is totally unacceptable!! We call on the Honorable Minister to come clean on this matter. The Minister should not expect the Joint Opposition or the Select Committee of Parliament to clean up this situation created by him.

Finally, the GCB remains very concerned with the absence of regional and international matches coming to our shores. Since there are so many international venues now available in our region, the usual process adopted by the WICB has always been for the individual territories to all have a chance for the hosting of these matches whilst presenting their case and a budget for same.

This process is usually conducted months in advance of the actual tournaments and matches as there are a lot of arrangements and logistics that have to be dealt with by the WICB. We have already applied to this Minister for the use of the Stadium for these matches that are scheduled to be held in 2013 so that we can negotiate with the WICB but have not received the courtesy of a response.

The Minister needs to understand that irrespective of which administration is in

charge of cricket in Guyana at the time we would not get any international matches if we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot.

Basically, we will not be eligible for the allocation of matches if we cannot guarantee our venue to the WICB. Mr. Frank Anthony’s act of making the National Stadium unavailable for regional and international cricket is the sole reason we will have none in 2013.

This process needs the cooperation of the Government with the GCB. Further, the Minister is on record of writing the WICB directly threatening to influence other governments to withhold the uses of their facilities from the WICB. This very volatile and acrimonious environment has done very little to bring cricket to the cricket starved nation of Guyana.

We have already lost out on the hosting of any Regional matches for 2013 and the home advantage for the other regional tournaments (Super 50 & the 4 day tournament).

The WICB is currently looking at the venues for international cricket during 2013 and we are already not featured in the first half of the year. These actions by the Minister against the GCB and WICB are the only reason that regional and international cricket has been removed from Guyana.

Should he continue down this path then the WICB will have no alternative but to move their cricket to the other territories where governmental assistance is in abundance.

Anand Sanasie

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Chelsea rule out Lampard contract extension

Chelsea’s Frank Lampard celebrates scoring against Everton during their English Premier League soccer match at Goodison Park in Liverpool, northern England December 30, 2012.

REUTERS/Phil Noble LONDON (Reuters) Chelsea have told Frank Lampard’s agent that the England midfielder will not be offered a new contract with the European champions at the end of the Premier League season, media reported on Monday.

“Chelsea executives told Frank in Japan during the Club World Cup, then again reconfirmed with me after the Everton victory, that in no circumstances will he be offered a new contract at the club,” Lampard’s agent Steve Kutner told the Daily Mirror.

“Nothing since has changed in any respect.”

Lampard, 34, scored both goals against Everton in a 2-1 league win at the end of December and Chelsea fans have chanted ‘Sign him up’ throughout recent matches.

He became Chelsea’s joint second highest goal-scorer of all time on Saturday when he converted a penalty in a 5-1 FA Cup third round victory at Southampton.

The goal put him on 193 career goals for the West London club, level with Kerry Dixon and behind Bobby Tambling who scored 202 between 1959 and 1970.

Lampard joined Chelsea in 2001 and his contract runs out at the end of the season in June.

The club’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich appears set on him going, however. Lampard said after the Everton game that there had been no talk about a new contract over the past few weeks.

He could now be tempted to see out his career in the United States, following the example set by former England captain David Beckham at the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Lazio charged over alleged racist chants and Spurs in dock too Fans of Italian Club Lazio during the match.

Italian club Lazio have been charged by Uefa over the alleged racist behaviour of their fans in the Europa League game against Tottenham on 22 November.

Uefa has also started proceedings against the Serie A side on other charges including “throwing of missiles and/or fireworks by their supporters”.

In addition, Uefa has begun proceedings against Spurs for “charges related to

crowd disturbances”.

The cases will be discussed by Uefa’s disciplinary body on 24 January.

The alleged incidents occurred during the 0-0 Europa League draw between the two sides in Rome on 22 November.

After the game Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas said Uefa “had to act” over chants from the crowd.

Spurs, the Football Association and Lazio all

strongly condemned the fans who allegedly chanted antiSemitic songs during the game, which came 24 hours after a brutal knife attack on Tottenham fans in the Italian capital.

In October, Lazio were fined £32,500 following racist chanting at White Hart Lane in September, when Tottenham trio Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend were reportedly subjected to monkey chants.

Page 35

Silvio Berlusconi says Sepp Blatter wrong about walk-off over racism AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has hit back at Fifa chief Sepp Blatter after the world football boss said players who were racially abused during matches should not leave the pitch.

Milan’s players walked off during a friendly after KevinPrince Boateng was subjected to racist abuse by fans of fellow Italian side Pro Patria. Berlusconi told radio station RTL: “I am of the opposite view [to Blatter].

“I thanked and congratulated my players for their decision to leave the field.” AC Milan’s players

Silvio Berlusconi carried anti-racism messages on their shirts prior to Sunday’s league win against Siena. And former Italy

president Berlusconi continued: “This is an uncivilised problem that needs to be stopped, people should not allow these things to happen. “It’s not only about the behaviour of players in the game, but of the public, and everyone needs to avoid giving Italy a negative image.”

Former Tottenham and Portsmouth player Boateng picked up the match-ball midway through the first half of Thursday’s friendly and kicked it towards the crowd after reacting to abuse from a section of the fans.

Kaieteur Sport apologises to Calvin Simon Snr. In our Sunday January 6 Edition, Kaieteur Sport carried a story on young Calvin Simon Jnr on Page 60 entitled, “RHTY&SC makes reality, 10 year-old Calvin Simon’s New Year’s wish”. The article, based on information which was provided by the RHTY&SC, stated, “At the tender age of five, Calvin Shemar Simon of Rosignol watched on in horror as his father murdered his beloved mother Travlyn Kingston, ever since, life has never

been the same for the bright eyed youngster who has been cared for by his grandmother, Roleen Alexander.” However, it was brought to our attention that it was Calvin’s Stepfather who had murdered his mother on the ill-fated day and not his father Calvin Simon Snr. We regret this mistake and offer a full apology to Calvin Snr for this error and for any embarrassment it may have caused. Again our humble apology.

Page 36

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Scrabble Association deserves ‘high five’ after an intense year of activities Despite her continued credible display of word forming skills and her vast knowledge of unconventional words, National scrabble champion, Abigail McDonald would be the first to admit that the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP) enjoyed a remarkable year.

To begin with,

competitions are more intense following several implemented initiatives by the executives to improve the lot of its members.

Maybe, the most significant milestone was the successful staging of the long overdue Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the election of office bearers following several failed

attempts due to the absence of a quorum.

When the meeting was eventually staged late last year, top seed, Leon Belony was elected to the helm with several other top seeds the likes of Abigail McDonald, Fred Collins, Prudence Edwards and Moen Gafoor among others, elected into the executive body.

Shortly after acceding to the helm, Belony and his executives organized a fund raising tournament and donated the registration fees to two orphanages, the St John’s Bosco Boy’s Orphanage and the St Ann’s Girl’s Home.

Gasp members also made donations and the GASP matched the total and

Leon Belony

Abigail McDonald

eventually, the two orphanages received more than $60,000 along with toiletries and other items which were handed over at a simple ceremony at the tournament venue after the activities had concluded.

But the AGM and the fund raiser would pale in comparison to the Tri-Nation tournament between Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados which the players from the ‘Land of the Hummingbird’ won. Guyana started off on solid footing, defeating defending champions, Trinidad and Tobago on the first of the three days tournament but faltered on the second day after Barbados inflicted a drubbing on them that virtually dampened their hopes of winning the championships for the first time since it started.

For the record, Trinidad and Tobago had regrouped after a day of rest and returned to defeat Barbados and retain the coveted accolade.

The outstanding player of that tournament was Orlet Bullock, a St Vincentian who represented Barbados. He had earlier suffered a humiliating loss to former

Caribbean champion, Fred Collins in the team championships but returned to defeat his nemesis, who incidentally was the reigning individual champion, and claimed the Caribbean Individual Scrabble crown after turning in an impressive display, amassing an impeccable 8 points with a positive spread of 1081. His predecessor could only manage 5 ½ points with a positive spread of 231.

While the other positions were inconsequential, Davraj Deonarine a relatively new player from the Enterprise Scrabble Club was singled out for worthy mention after amassing 5 points from possible 8.

Once again, the input of Corporate Guyana stood out when Mr. Gafoor extended heartfelt gratitude for their contribution which amounted to more than US$6000.

The year is less than one month old and already the new executives are planning the yearly itinerary.

Foremost in their mind would be the acquisition of the Tri-Nation trophy but they will have to wait for the next edition of that tournament sometime next year.

Wiltshire 58th Birth Anniversary Dominoes - Joseph, Jerome guide B6 to victory in opening round Faye Joseph and Sharon Crawford marked 16 games each to guide B6 to victory in the opening round of the Mark Wiltshire 58th Birth Anniversary Dominoes competition which got underway last Sunday at Transport Sports Club.

TNT placed second with 71 games, while Turning Point finished third on 64.

Sean Morgan scored 16 for TNT and Colin Mc Ewan 17 for Turning Point. The competition continued last evening at Dynasty.

Faye Joseph

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 37

::: Letter to the Editor :::

Nuggets survive Kobe GCB OFFERS SOME fireworks to ice Lakers

CLARITY TO THE SPORTS MINISTER

DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) notes the Sports Minister’s wishes in the Guyana Chronicle of December 28th 2012 in his article headlined ‘We don’t wish to run the cricket’.

We are not sure if this is a reference to his past actions with the operations of the GCB or his New Year’s resolution for 2013 as the substance of the article and his actions are quite contradictory.

Like its parent bodies, the WICB & the ICC, the GCB has continued to categorically state its strong objection to the involvement of the Government in the administration of cricket in Guyana or for that matter in any other cricket playing country around the world.

The ICC has given its members a moratorium up to June 2013 to get their houses in order before they take strong measures similar to FIFA against any such members.

This information has been provided to the Sports Minister on more than one occasion but he has chosen to ignore same.

This Government is fully aware of this rule of the ICC and FIFA, the worldwide governing bodies for cricket and football respectively.

Presently, FIFA has a zero tolerance with government interference in the sport of football, whilst ICC’s position is more of a cautious and transient mode for the next few months.

The WICB has been pellucidly clear in all of its communications and negotiations with this Government and CARICOM during the past year and the GCB has also clearly stated this position ever since the Minister’s initiation of an IMC and his alleged disbanding of the GCB. For the records, we wish to reiterate that both the GCB and the WICB never opposed the formation of an IMC to serve in an advisory role to the GCB, in fact we openly welcomed same and fully agreed to the CARICOM/WICB/GOG brokered agreement which the Minister refused to sign after days of negotiations with these august bodies.

In this said article, the Honorable Minister also reminded us that the esteemed IMC head, Clive Lloyd, publicly stated “his body’s unwillingness to take over the administration of the game”. The GCB finds this statement most troubling and contradictory for both the Minister & Mr. Lloyd to be reiterating. It is public knowledge that the IMC has been selecting teams for WICB regional tournaments and arranging practice matches for his squad during the past year clearly acting upon instructions of his employer, the Sports Minister and the Government of Guyana and creating unnecessary confusion in the minds of the players.

Mr. Lloyd also responds to the media when he is questioned about the recent selection of the T20 squad for training that he has to consult with the President about this matter even though he was employed as the Advisor to the President on sports. This then begs the following questions: · What work was completed by the IMC after more than a year of its appointment? · What advices, if any, have this Committee or its Head provided to the President during his employment on cricket. · Has the GOG conducted a review of Mr. Lloyd’s employment during his period of employment and assessed whether they have

obtained value for our tax dollars? · Is the GOG still paying Mr. Lloyd for his services whilst spinning same as Mr. Lloyd’s commitment and loyalty to this country? · How much did this appointment cost the taxpayers of this country? · Are there any other members of the IMC that are being paid? The taxpayers would like to know how much money was spent or will be spent on the IMC during its tenure. · How much taxpayers’ dollars has the Minister spent on legal fees to persecute the GCB and its officers? · Where is the National Sports Policy produced

by Canadian consultant Dr. Hick, and financed by the UNDP, after consultations with all the sporting entities in Guyana? Did this document not find favour with the Minister?

It should be pointed out that the GCB is always willing to sit and deal with any issues that is affecting any of its member Boards and in this regard has appointed a Special subcommittee to deal with the issues surrounding the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) since this is where the problem at the GCB originated. This Special subcommittee has been holding regular meetings during the holidays and reviewing all the historical documents and videos of the events that led to this state of affairs in this member Board. In accordance with the constitution of the DCB, this Subcommittee has already scheduled the AGM to be held in the month of January 2013 and plans to oversee this important event in strict accordance with its rules and constitution.

We are constantly mind boggled by the shifting positions of this Minister and his Government. He started out disbanding the GCB supposedly on the advices obiter dicta by the acting CJ that the GCB was a legal nonentity, while totally ignoring the very orbiter dicta advices that the Berbice, Essequibo and Demerara Cricket Boards and all of their subsidiaries are also legal nonentities.

We have been at pains to explain to all and sundry what the CJ meant by this statement.

This does not render the GCB as an illegal entity since it is an organization that has existed for decades and has been governed and operated by its rules and constitution like several other sporting and non-sporting organizations such as: the GFF, GABA, GHF, GTTA, PPP/C, PNC/R, WPA and AFC. Mr. Lloyd himself was a product of this supposedly illegal outfit, the GCB. What was needed at this juncture was for the Government to introduce legislation into Parliament that would simply make them legal entities thus allowing them to be able to sue and to be sued. This is what the TT government did with its national cricket board, corporatize it by an Act of Parliament, without any mention of any Minister whatsoever in that 2 or 3 page Act. St Kitts & Nevis also has a similar Act for its Olympic Committee that essentially corporatizes the entity so that it is now recognized by law in that country to sue and be sued, own property and enter into contracts, as a legal entity. At this point it appears as though the Minister of Sports Frank Anthony intends to legislate a constitution for the GCB that is out of sync with its (Continued on page --)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Steve Nash (L) and Kobe Bryant walk on the court during the final minute of their loss to the Denver Nuggets during an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles January 6, 2013. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Denver Nuggets dropped the stumbling Los Angeles Lakers further into the doldrums on Sunday with a 112-105 win despite some fourth-quarter fireworks from Kobe Bryant.

Ty Lawson scored 21 points and 10 assists and Danilo Gallinari hit five of his 20 in the final seconds to kill the Lakers’ rally and send them to a third successive defeat. The Lakers (15-18) left with more than their pride bruised, Pau Gasol exiting the contest in the fourth quarter after having his nose bloodied by an elbow from JaVale McGee. Center Dwight Howard also aggravated a right shoulder injury and will

undergo scans on Monday.

“It’s a great win for us but I’m not going to inflate it,” Nuggets coach George Karl told reporters. “I told the team before the game I don’t remember the last time we won in here in the regular season.”

Bryant did his best to rescue Los Angeles again by scoring 18 of his 29 points in the final quarter but the Lakers fell just short in front of a frustrated home crowd.

Los Angeles trailed by 10 midway through the fourth, although they fought back as Bryant twice made threepointers to pull them within three in the final minute.

Gallinari drained a three of his own to halt the comeback with 13 seconds remaining and Denver (20-16) made four

straight free throws to ice the game for their third win in four.

The Nuggets scored 60 points in the paint to punish Los Angeles inside. Howard put in a solid shift, recording 14 points and 26 rebounds in the loss but his injury will cause concern.

The Lakers have now lost four of five and are tumbling down the standings under new coach Mike D’Antoni and his star-studded roster.

Tempers flared as Steve Nash and Gasol were both assessed rare technical fouls.

“I think because of our record probably the pressure is building,” admitted D’Antoni, whose team is currently out of the playoff picture. “But so be it. We have to overcome it.”

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Sri Lanka undone by inconsistency - Ford ESPNCricinfo - Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford said his side had positives to take from a 3-0 drubbing in Australia, but had ultimately been undone by inconsistency, after Australia completed the whitewash with a five-wicket win in Sydney.

Previously in the series, Sri Lanka had been close to achieving a draw in Hobart, where they were bowled out with only 10.4 overs remaining until stumps on day five, but had also sunk to their third-heaviest defeat in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

The visitors could not dominate Australia throughout the series, and also conceded substantial first-innings deficits in each match. The batsmen could only muster one score in excess of 300, and only once batted out a session without losing a wicket.

Sri Lanka were also sloppy in the field, particularly in Melbourne where five chances went down in Australia’s innings,

and did not sustain pressure on Australia with the ball.

Their poor use of the DRS also contributed to their failure.

“We’ve got to look at ourselves and accept there were areas where we were short and consistency is an important thing,” Ford said.

“There were periods when we were every bit as good as the Australians, but we weren’t able to sustain that.

We had the odd session every now and then when we set ourselves back quite badly.”

Ford said Sri Lanka were encouraged by their performance in Sydney, particularly as their batting in the last Test was driven largely by contributions from the side’s young batsmen.

Twenty three-year-old Lahiru Thirimanne’s 91 was the highest score in the first innings, while Dimuth Karunaratne, 24, top-scored in the second innings with 85.

Dinesh Chandimal, 23, then helped his side recover from a middle-order collapse, as he batted with the tail to take Sri Lanka’s lead to 140. He made 62 not out, having forged a

41-run partnership with Nuwan Pradeep for the last wicket.

“A couple of the young guys who have been given opportunities have shown that they can play at this level.

What I was happy with on the final day was the pride and the passion and the way they went out and fought. A lot of people didn’t feel the Test would continue for as long as it did.

A chap like Nuwan Pradeep going out and handling some nasty pace he wasn’t equipped to handle he really showed some character, along with young Chandimal. The boys certainly never gave up in the field until the last run was scored.

“I think what’s been positive is that the young batsmen have handled their time out of the side so well.

They’ve kept working on their game and kept talking about how they will be absolutely ready when they do get their chance. Attitude is just so important in a touring group. They’ve

Dimuth Karunaratne plays an attacking stroke (Getty Images)

showed the perfect attitude and when the chance has come their way, they’ve really grabbed it.”

Ford also defended Thilan Samaraweera’s shot selection, after the batsman had perished in the second dig to a top-edged swipe across the line to Nathan

Lyon, off the third ball of his innings. Samaraweera had struggled for form throughout the series, and made 79 in six innings.

“That’s the nature of the game. We see highly experienced players make decisions that don’t work on the particular day. Looking at

the bigger picture, what was disappointing for me, and I said it after the press conference, is that we could have perhaps squeezed out a few more runs in that first innings. And we could have squeezed out a few more in the second innings as well.”

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 39

“Luis Suarez should not confess Robert Williams Memorial handball” - Brendan Rodgers Dominoes commences tomorrow

Suarez scores at Mansfield after controlling the ball with his hand (getty Images) Brendan Rodgers said it was not up to Luis Suarez to admit to handling the ball when he scored Liverpool’s second in the 2-1 FA Cup win over Mansfield.

Stags players protested to the officials after the ball struck the substitute’s hand and went in. When asked whether Suarez should have owned up, the Liverpool manager told ESPN: “It’s not Luis’s job to do that.

“It’s not been deliberate as it’s pushed up and hit his hand. It’s up to the officials to decide that.”

The former Swansea boss added: “There’s no doubt it was handball, but the referee and the officials ruled it wasn’t deliberate.

“I spoke to the fourth official when it was given because I couldn’t see and he

said it was [handball] so I can only assume they thought it wasn’t deliberate.

“So obviously it was unfortunate for Mansfield and lucky for us that we got the goal.”

Rodgers was pleased with the performance of new signing Daniel Sturridge, who scored seven minutes into his debut to give the Premier League side the lead.

The 23-year-old, who signed from Chelsea this week, was replaced by fellow forward Suarez early in the second half.

“Danny Sturridge is a goalscorer but he is nowhere near fully fit,” said the Anfield manager. “He will get opportunities, and he is quick and powerful.

“Luis Suarez and Danny Sturridge can play together, there is no problem with that.

You want to fit in good players and build a competitive group. We want to bring in players that are multi-functional.”

Blue Square Bet Premier side Mansfield went close to scoring through Matt Green, Chris Clements, Anthony Howell and Louis Briscoe before Green finally found the back of the net with 11 minutes of normal time remaining.

They pressed for an equaliser but could not make another breakthrough as Liverpool booked a fourthround tie at Oldham. “I’m proud of my boys, I thought they were a different level [during the] second half. I thought we stood off them and let them play in the first half,” Stags boss Paul Cox told ESPN. “We’ve done well against one of the best teams.

We’ve a lot of positives to take out of it.”

Cox also refused to criticise Suarez for the handball. “I’d like to give the benefit of the doubt and say it was a reaction. He’s a goalscorer and I think goalscorers put the ball in the net anyway,” he added.

When asked whether he felt cheated, Cox said: “No I don’t. For me to come out and say something like that I think would be quite cheap.

“If it had gone in the other end and one of our players had done it I think we’d have accepted it.”

Broadening the awareness...

From page -valuable funds as had Loris Nathoo, a frontline player and businessmen whose entity, The Red Cherry, sponsored the ladder tournament where players won more than five million dollars in gifts and cash prizes.

Banks DIH Ltd was also on board and sponsored a one day Junior Rapid Chess tournament in Bartica last July under the Malta Supreme label.

Administrators continued working towards the development of the young players and travelled to Linden for a one day tournament shortly before venturing over at the West Coast Demerara Secondary School, Pouderoyen for another junior tournament.

Local players also enjoyed international competition after National Senior Chess Champion, Taffin Khan and a team of competent players, including proficient senior player, Maria Thomas and her junior

counterpart, Anthony Drayton, participated in the 3rd Umada Cup chess tournament in Paramaribo, Suriname, October 3 last. The two tiered tournament consisted of the Challenger and Open categories and both segments were contested over 9 rounds with the local trio only contesting for honours in the Challenger Cup. Another noteworthy feat was the staging of competitions in rural communities with a championship late last year in Berbice.

The Federation also planned a one day tournament in Linden in March that was well received

by those affiliates.

Meanwhile, President, Shiv Nandalall said that his executives plan to continue the developmental works over the coming months. He pointed out that they had held a workshop in July that introduced interested persons to the vagaries of the sport.

Mr. Nandalall said that his executives aim to continue in this vein even as they implement innovative means of enhancing the fortunes of the players.

He said that he plans to concentrate on tournaments in the rural communities.

“2012 was good but we plan to make 2013 even better,” exhorted Mr. Nandalall.

The Robert Williams Memorial 10 zone Dominoes competition will kick start tomorrow at Transport Sports Club. Entrance Fee is $6,000.

The winners will take away $250,000 and a trophy while the runner up will receive $100,000 and a trophy. The third and fourth place teams will collect $40,000 and a trophy and $20,000 respectively. The most valuable player in the finals will be rewarded with $10,000.

According the organizer, Orin Joseph who is also the president of the Georgetown Dominoes Association, the competition will be played on

Orin Joseph an 2 in 1 out basis with the top three teams from the preliminary round going through to the final and will

also receive $6,000. He also stated the management of each venue will be given an award. Joseph also told Kaieteur Sport that Williams was keen domino player and fan and always wanted to see the sport reach a higher level.

He added that Williams was a founder member of the GDA. The competition will be played in memory of the late Robert Williams who was a former Mayor of Georgetown, President of the GDA and member of the Blue Bird Domino team. Sponsors willing to get on board can contact Joseph on 685-6123 or Mark Wiltshire on 680-4888.

GHRA meeting set for Sunday The Guyana Horse Racing Authority will be holding a meeting on Sunday 13th of January, 2013 at 11:00 am at the Grand Stand of Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club, Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne. According to a release from the IMC each club is entitled to send three representatives and every effort should be made to ensure that each Turf Club is represented at the meeting. The release also indicated that important matters affecting the

sport will be discussed and each club should be in a position to present their proposed racing dates for 2013, so that owners and trainers can be informed early of the racing dates approved.

The agenda reads as follows: 1. Welcome and Opening remarks.

2. Election of Office Bearers for 2013.

3. Fixing of Racing Dates.

4. Review of Classification list 5. Any Other Business.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 08, 2013

GFF Super League providing the relevant platform for success When it kicked off three years ago under the FIFA sponsored “Win in CONCACAF with CONCACAF” initiative, it was a welcome league seen as the platform for local players to take their game to the next level; and to date, it is being proven that that is exactly the case.

The Guyana Football Federation Super League is now a direct investment by the local governing body which will continue to give the requisite exposure that is needed for the players.

Presently, the league is on a first round break and involves eight (8) of the best clubs in Guyana including defending champions Alpha United, Western Tigers, Pele, Amelia’s Ward United, Milerock, Rosignol United, Den Amstel, Uitvlugt Warriors, Buxton United Sports Club and BV Triumph United.

Already, some of the less rated clubs, or seemingly so, have recorded some upsets in the 2012/2013 edition of the league notably, debutants Uitvlugt Warriors defeating Alpha United and Milerock.

BV taking care of Amelia’s Ward, while Buxton and Den Amstel have also turned in sterling performances to date.

It is expected that clubs will up their preparation game ahead of the re-start set for February 3.

What is exciting is the fact that a number of young players have already shown that they have what it takes to go all the way and what is now needed is the coaching and administrative support to hone and polish that talent in setting the groundwork for the next level.

The senior players that are a part of their respective team’s roster have blended well with the younger players to date.

So it is by no fluke that the likes of new Kashif &

Shanghai Champions Buxton United Sports Club, Amelia’s Ward United, BV Triumph United and Den Amstel performed well in the year end knock-out competition.

Some of the venues that have hosted matches have also proven that with the necessary investment they can become prime spots for the sport in the various associations; Buxton Community Centre already proving that it is one such.

Uitvlugt and Blairmont have also hosted matches.

Commenting on the importance of the Super League, Technical Development Officer (TDO) of the Guyana Football Federation, Lyndon France said that it is likened to a mountain or a hill; pointing out that when you reach to the top, the stone up there is where it’s at because of the support it has from the others that are under it.

“So the aim of the super league is to create that group

that is at the top, the pinnacle; so its means that the development structure would have to be there with the lower leagues comparing to most countries in Europe, England has about five to seven divisions that are professional to if you want to call it semi pro where players receive a certain amount of money to play and so on.

“I think Guyana’s effort to put together the super league is definitely a step in the right direction in that it encourages competition and develops if you want to call it the pyramid where you build and build and people will strive to be at the top.”

France believes that this kind of approach will also be an incentive for clubs to strive and aim high where they will know that they can only be among the best if they are able to reach a certain level of fitness as well as administrative, tactical and mental competence.

“So you are bound to find that clubs will grow as they would have the kind of personnel who can, as Arsène Wenger says it’s like putting the roof on the player.”

The GFF TDO alluded to the fact that over the year’s clubs and players would just turn up and play in tournaments pointing out that no real emphasis was being placed on pre-season training, the importance of

maximizing playing games. He noted that the national league is the first tournament in Guyana where clubs will be required to play eighteen (18) or more games at the highest level.

“I’m hoping that more teams can come in as it develops which will expand the number of games that you have to play because it is important that you have the number of playing and training hours and the quality of competition.”

Qualified and competent personnel to train and develop players is also a requirement whereby they will help them {players} to understand proper nutrition as well as their role (s) in the team.

Generally France opines that the national league raises the bar which is necessary for the sport and overall development.

“You have to take your game to the other level and be able to keep it there to compete in the national league. So it means that the association leagues are also vital which is important for the growth of Guyana’s football.”

It was noted that the 2012 / 2013 GFF Super League started with clubs much fitter and prepared for on field action.

“The competition is very keen, the rate at which games are played means that the

Lyndon France players are fitter to be playing at that level of intensity for 90 minutes, it augurs well for the game and Guyana’s football. The hope is that the resources are there to further expand it. Maybe pretty soon, we have another league just below the national league, if the national league is 12 teams the league below is 24 teams and only from the league below you get into the national league and still have the association league.”

While there is need for improvement in the areas of nutrition, medical and administration, France is of the view that the area of Referring can also improve.

“You will never be able to stop referees from making mistakes, its normal and they are human but you just hope that when it happens it does not have tremendous bearing on the game. So again I would say the national league is very important to the health and future of football in Guyana.”

Crawford retains DCU and SA presidency

President of the DCU and SA Shannon Crawford (left) with other executive members of the Association.

Shannon Crawford was re elected President of the Demerara Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association when the body held its Annual General Meeting and elections last Sunday at Police Sports Club, Eve Leary.

Nigel Duguid will serve as the Vice President, while Nolan Hawke was retained as

Secretary. The Treasurer is Eddie Nichols and Arleigh Rutherford the Assistant Secretary Treasurer. Heuvel Cunha was elected Public Relations Officer, while the committee members are Hortence Isaacs, Colin Stuart, Delvin Austin and Ms. Kenalyn Baker.

Speaking after the

elections, Crawford said he will work towards strengthening the various sub associations including Upper Demerara and stressed the need for a fund raiser.

Meanwhile, Colin Stuart, a former West Indies fast bowler, thanked the members for electing him on the executive.

Tuesday January 08, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 41

Ravens win second title in two weeks

By Edison Jefford Same script, slightly different cast, but same result; Ravens won its second title in two weeks at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Sunday night against the same opponent, Nets, who sacked coach Rundell Ramsey, hoping that its fortune would have changed.

It didn’t, and the result was a 61-52 points’ win for Ravens that handed the team Albert Bentick Championship trophy exactly two weeks after it lifted the Phillip George Legacy tournament title from Nets in a much closer game that was won in overtime.

Ramsey had led the Republic Bank-sponsored Nets to its first Division I title match two weeks ago, but did not get the honour of doing so in a second Division I final appearance. He watched from the bleachers as Nets again failed to win an elusive title.

Guard/Forward, Akeem Kanhai scored 20 points for Ravens with shooting guard, Ryan Stephney adding 10

points and forward, Jermaine Slater eight points. Forward, Drumson McCulley had 13 points for Nets with Mortimer Williams scoring 12 points.

Nets had defeated Pacesetters the night before for the second time in a major competition to get to Sunday night’s final, while Ravens had beaten Colts in the fourteam playoffs among the best teams coming out of the Phillip George tournament.

The game started evenly with Nets taking a 6-2 lead as Ravens went small, starting with guards Stephney, Stephon ‘Penny’ Henry and Rodwell ‘Kobe’ Fortune against the bigger Nets that went with forwards, McCulley, Williams and Fabian Johnson upfront.

Stephney got Ravens offence going with a 15-foot fade-away jumper then penetrated for a layup to give them some momentum as the quarter closed 12-9 in favour of Ravens, which extended its lead to 16-9, continuing its run in the second quarter.

Darian Lewis responded for Nets with back-to-back

layups, but Ryan Gullen’s baseline jumper ensured that Ravens held on to a 20-15 advantage five minutes before halftime. McCulley went to work with an And1 finish that cut the deficit to two points.

The Guyana Defence Force player then laid one off the glass after cutting baseline to equalise with three minutes left in the game.

Lewis gave Nets a one-point lead, its first since the initial period, from the free-throw line before McCulley went to work again.

Another strong drive from McCulley extended Nets’ lead before veteran guard, Frank Bell nailed a jumper to cap a 10-0 run that put the team up 25-20 with two minutes to play before halftime.

Nets went up 28-22, but five unanswered points from the Ravens, including a threepointer from Kanhai, ensured that it went to the break only down one point.

Nets went back to its ‘big men’ to start the second half, completely locking up the lane for Ravens, which gave the

Broadening the awareness of the sport - Chess Executives intensifies focus on rural communities this year

GCF President Shiv Nandalall (left) collects sponsorship from Trophy Stall’s Ramesh Sunich during last year.

While administrators of the more high profiled disciplines bemoan the absence of corporate and other funding towards the effective promotion of their respective disciplines and by extension, their affiliates, administrators of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) have worked assiduously over the past year to improve the lot of their charges. Now, as the year begins, and with the development of the sport foremost in their minds, those executives plan to intensify

their efforts, focusing on programmes and tournaments in the rural communities.

A wise man once advocated that the happiest people are not those who have everything but who make everything of what they have.

And so it was that the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) has adhered to this principle over the just concluded year and despite its inability to accrue gate receipts, has made credible strides. The GCF is currently

headed by businessman, Shiv Nandalall, who took over the reins from Errol Tiwari after the latter individual resigned due to ill health.

At the time of his ascendency, Mr. Nandalall, a FIDE rated player, was fortunate to have inherited an entity blessed with players of his ilk the likes of National Champion, Taffin Khan, David Khan, Ryan Singh, Loris Nathoo, and Ranuel Greenidge. Several other players have also earned partial FIDA ratings including Anthony Drayton and Maria Thomas. These feats may seem inconsequential to the uninitiated but the chess administrators will experience a sense of pride and satisfaction after examining the fortunes of the sport over the year and making comparisons of about two years ago.

The unselfish input of the sponsors cannot be ignored and kudus are in order for beverage giants, Demerara Distillers Ltd, an ever present entity in the successful promotions of the GCF tournaments. Proprietor of Trophy Stall, Ramesh Sunich, also supported the executives’ drive to improve the fortunes of the sport with (Continued on page --)

Ravens in celebratory mode swarm Albert Bentick (centre) and their championship trophy after winning their second title in two weeks at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. team a defensive advantage.

However, Nets could not convert offensively, which allowed Ravens to regain a 3230 lead with a baseline jumper from Stephney four minutes into the third quarter.

Kanhai made the sprinkling of spectators at the Sports Hall erupt into loud cheers when he drove off a fast break, faked three

defenders in the air and released an underarm layup.

It was showtime at its best as the scores drew level again at 38 points with two minutes left in the third quarter.

Henry landed a big threepointer to help Ravens go up 41-38 as they finished well again, going up 45-40 after the penultimate period. Ravens then took a 51-40 lead,

capping a 13-2 run in five minutes. Slater threw down a one-handed dunk after Stephney’s layup cleaned the rim to ensure that Ravens’ second half dominance was well established.

They went on to take their second title in two weeks and extend their bourgeoning record in the sport locally as perhaps the top team in Guyana.

t r o Sp

Guyana win nail biter against CCC P

ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Guyana have done it once again, snatching victory from the jaws of what seemed like a defeat in the end of what started as an easy chase in the third game of the Caribbean Twenty20 at Queen’s Park Oval here yesterday.

CCC had it. They did, but they just couldn’t believe their fortunes in the end. A no-ball from Jason Holder off the penultimate ball and suddenly Guyana need 7 runs from 2 balls.

Skipper Veersammy Permaul clubbed a six and Devendra Bishoo was well home off the last ball running the winning run.

Combined Campuses and Colleges, sent in to bat by Guyana, scored 159-3 from their 20 overs.

Chadwick Walton hammered 99 not out, Kyle Corbin 25 and Raymon Reifer 21 led their batting. Devendra Bishoo with 1-25 was the pick of the Guyanese bowlers.

Narsingh Deonarine In reply, Guyana lost Trevon Griffith early with the score on 12.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 38, and Ramnaresh Sarwan began to up the tempo as they chased down the target, a mix up saw Sarwan being run out for 8

with the score on 29 in the fifth over.

Narsingh Deonarine scored 57 as he was the mainstay of the innings as only Royston Crandon (10) reached double figures of the other batsmen. Several wickets fell in quick succession leaving Permaul and Bishoo to get 12 runs in the final over and they eventually did after some drama; Herald celebrations from the Guyana camp.

The action continues today with two more games in Trinidad. Barbados face Jamaica in the first match, while CCC will hope for better fortunes when they face the home team Trinidad in the second match. Guyana are in action again on Thursday when they take on Barbados.

Scores: CCC 159 for three off 20 overs (Chadwick Walton 99 not out, Kyle Corbin 25, Raymon Reifer 21; Devendra Bishoo 1-25); GUYANA 160-8 off 20 overs (Chanderpaul 38, Deonarine 57; Reifer 4wkts, Holder2 wkts) Result: Guyana win by 2 wkts.

Chadwick Walton

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