Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition July 19, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 28

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Linden protest turns deadly

Four dead, two dozen injured See stories on pages 3 & 12

Flames engulf LINMINE Secretariat

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 19, 2012

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 3

Linden protest turns deadly...

Four dead, two dozen injured At least four persons were confirmed dead and several others were injured as Police opened fire in Linden on the first day of a planned five-day protest against electricity rate hikes.

In the wake of the deaths soldiers and police have been sent to the town in efforts to bring calm, Police headquarters said last evening.

Lindeners reacted angrily to the shootings and several buildings were set on fire, including the office of the ruling People’s Progressive Party and the Guyana Revenue Authority. Fires also broke out at the office of the Guyana Power and Light Company and the nearby office of Linden Mining Company (Linmine) and the Kara Kara bridge.

The Linmine Secretariat was burnt flat. The Guyana Fire Service could not reach the building because the road was blocked. The fire service however managed to save the GRA building and the office of the People’s Progressive Party.

But before all this happened, the utility companies turned off water and electricity to Wismar and Linden. Prime Minister Sam Hinds later described this as “plain thuggery upon captive consumers by a utility provider.”

“Nothing like this would have happened; they started killing people,” said a woman who saw one of the men drop dead behind her.

Police opened fire after tear-gas and pellets did not detract protestors from blocking the main bridge which connects the wards of Wismar and Mackenzie.

Three of the dead

Those confirmed dead are Ron Sommerset, Shemroy Bouyea, Lyndon Lewis, 38 and another man identified only by his last name Charles.

A female Lindener said that a policeman pointed a gun in her face as they demanded Lindeners get off the bridge. She said Lewis, one of the dead men, was being forced into a vehicle by the Police and he resisted and was moving away from the vehicle when he was shot in the back. When he dropped to the ground, he was shot in the face, the woman said.

Power supply was intermittent in the town during the day. Electricity is controlled by the government owned and controlled power company.

A fuel tanker was seen alight on the Wismar shore, while a truck and an excavator were set alight outside the GRA office at Linden.

The government on July 1 began implementing electricity rate hikes in the town which has traditionally benefitted from a subsidy.

Last year, the subsidy amounted to $3 billion.

Lindeners consume two to three times more electricity than other Guyanese pay, the government stated and insisted it could no longer afford to do so.

Region Ten Chairman Sharma Solomon, said that the government is being stubborn and refuses to understand the grounds under which Lindeners are rejecting the increased tariffs.

“It is not that Lindeners don’t want to pay; the issue is that they are unable to pay,” Solomon stated.

A European Union funded project had put the

unemployment rate in Linden at 70 percent. The town has an estimated 60, 000 people.

At the height of the protests, Solomon called on President Donald Ramotar and the leaders of Parliamentary political parties to urgently address unemployment and infrastructural development.

All businesses in the town were closed. Roads which lead to the country’s gold mines were also blocked. There was no public transport between Linden and the City all day. In fact, except for the protestors, there was nothing on the streets.

Offices were shut down; the

boats refused to cross the river.

Earlier in the day, Lindeners from all corners of the town came out to protest what they consider to be the vengeful act by Government to impose increased electricity tariffs.

Instead of retreating off the bridge as was probably expected by the police, the protestors advanced towards the police, and refused to back down.

In the end it was the police, who were forced to retreat and drive away, amidst taunts and jeers from the people.

Yesterday’s protest saw persons from every walk of life taking to the streets, including mothers who came out with their babies.

Several Pastors from across Linden also joined the procession, which instead of proceeding to the Toucan Call Centre at Kara Kara, held its ground on the bridge, effectively blocking traffic from both sides of the river.

Persons who had travelled from remote areas such as Mahdia were forced to disembark on the Wismar Shore and trek across the bridge to Mackenzie where they were forced to seek alternative means of getting to Georgetown and other places.

The protest yesterday was the most massive to date.

In his letter, the Region Ten Chairman called on President Ramotar, the Leader of the Opposition David Grainger and Alliance for

Khemraj Ramjattan to collectively address a range of issues with urgency.

These are: Infrastructural development; the mechanisms for the creation of jobs in the Region; the (Continued on page 12)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 19, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the 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

We must talk to each other There can be no substitute for dialogue and discussion.

All too often, however, there is confrontation because no one wants to consider an accommodation with the other because each considers his view the more important.

Sometimes, issues far removed from the situation would force dialogue and discussion. For example, the ruling People’s National Congress and the then opposition People’s Progressive Party were often at loggerheads. They would hold opposing views on issues of national development but they did come together when the government considered nationalization of the major assets of the country.

The opposition PPP said that it was giving critical support to the move. Many observers firmly believed that there had to be give and take with the government giving in to certain demands of the opposition and the opposition making significant demands.

As if history is repeating itself, Linden was one of the places that saw the government and the opposition uniting.

On that occasion the issue, as was mentioned, was the nationalization of the bauxite industry.

This year, Linden was again in the spotlight. It had nothing to do with nationalization. It had to do with a decision by the government to cut the electricity subsidy to the mining community. President Donald Ramotar did seek consultation with the main opposition. He invited the opposition leader to dialogue on the issue.

He had earlier met with the opposition leader to discuss the pension for the old age pensioners. The budget had allocated a marginal increase. The opposition was convinced that the government could have done better for the senior citizens. The government acceded and hiked the pension substantially.

They spoke again, this time on the cut in the subvention that would have ensured cheaper electricity for the people of Linden. Things get murky. The government said that the opposition leader agreed to the cut in subvention and the limited electricity hike. The government announced the hike and all hell broke loose.

The people insisted that they simply could not afford higher electricity rates because Linden was part of a depressed community. The people said that they had no jobs and that they simply did not have recourse to supplementary incomes.

When the government said that the opposition leader had agreed to the cut in subvention, a charge that the opposition leader subsequently denied, that seemed to be the end of the dialogue.

We are in no position to pass judgement. We do know that there should have been a continuation of the dialogue.

In the developed world no matter how acrimonious the opposite parties may get they talk.

They may campaign in the media and they may hurl bitter words at each other but at the end of the day they always talk. Guyana must be different. The affected Lindeners felt that they were not consulted and that no one was prepared to talk to them. They took to the streets and while many argue that they were peaceful, that they did refuse to heed calls by the police for them to desist from assembling, the police shot and killed four and injured two dozen. The reaction was swift. The people attempted to set fire to the head office of the People’s Progressive Party but the Guyana Fire Service saved the building.

They destroyed the Linmine Secretariat, set fire to some trucks, attempted to burn the bridge that links Mackenzie and Wismar and the building that houses the Guyana Revenue Authority.

Memories of what sparked Linden some five decades and spread to the rest of the country with deadly effect still linger in the minds of many. Linden was the tinder box.

Once more it is Linden but this time there is need for serious dialogue and discussion.

We do need to talk to each other.

Oil, gold and airport expansion across the Guianas DEAR EDITOR, Oil discovery, gold rush and airport expansion across the Guianas are making headlines these days. The Guianas are poised for an economic boom due to the discovery of oil along the maritime boundaries between Suriname and French Guiana, and major expansion of the gold and other mineral sectors across the Guianas.

Considering the future, the Guianas will need to modernize their airports.

Thus, the announcement that Suriname and Guyana will expand their airports makes sense. Guyana indeed needs a modern airport, and has contracted a Chinese Company, CHEC, to modernize the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at a cost of 150 million US dollars. Suriname also is in the process of modernizing the Johan Pengel International Airport (JAP) to the tune of an additional 70 million US dollars, following a recent 28 million upgrade According to Transportation Minister Pinas, the project, which was prepared during the previous administration, is insufficient to actually turn the airport into an international hub. “It is still too small for our purposes,” said Timothy Mendonça, policy adviser of the Airport Management

Authority, he added, “The plans cost much, but will yield much as well.”

Suriname wants to attract airlines with passengers from the Caribbean, South America and even Africa. The US$70 million will be used to construct a second runway on which planes can taxi thus alleviating the dependency on one runway which will allow the airport to accommodate more flights per day. This is also in line with international safety regulations. The departure and arrival lounges are currently apart from each other, but plans are to connect them by 2014 with air bridges, so passengers need not walk in the rain or sun anymore, Mendonça says. Lights will be placed on the departure side of the runway, and the platform will be expanded to accommodate more planes.

The fire department barracks will be moved to a more central location. Plans are to have the air bridges installed in 2014, before Suriname hosts the next Union of South American Countries (UNASUR) headsof-state meeting, while the additional work will be finished by 2015.

The Guyana airport modernization plans calls for a new terminal and an extension of the current runway to over 10,500 feet to accommodate aircraft such as the Boeing 747. The runway

at CJIA is 7,448 feet, and is the shortest in South America.

Hence, this extension is justifiable. But the public in Guyana demand to see what they are paying for and there is not yet a design out there for what Guyana will get for 150 million dollars.

Further, the spending of 150 million US dollars to upgrade CJIA should give Guyana an airport more appealing than that of Trinidad’s Piarco and Suriname’s JAP. Hence, Guyana should be looking to take away some traffic from Piarco where only 8 airlines now service Trinidad and Tobago.

However, Suriname is a step ahead in the game.

Paramaribo signed an open skies agreement with the United States last month.

Surinam Airways (SLM) now flies to Guyana and is looking to lease two Boeing 767-300 when the lease on their current Airbus 340 expires.

This will then allow SLM to commence service to Toronto, and New York, and will relieve the company of solely depending on one trans-Atlantic aircraft.

Interestingly, France has recently invited Surinam Airways to return to Cayenne after they revoked SLM’s license to allow for Air Caraïbes’ monopoly over the skies of Cayenne.

The discovery of large quantities of oil in French Guiana has brought many US companies and business people to Cayenne. But there are no direct flights from the US to French Guiana. This prevents easy travel, back and forth between the US and Cayenne. At the same time, Air Caraïbes is facing financial troubles. SLM is keen to return to Cayenne, but is in no rush.

Predicating an oil boom in French Guiana, SLM prefer an air agreement with Paris before it returns to Cayenne, and President Bouterse is adamant to make Paramaribo a hub in the region. His administration announced the additional 70 million dollar upgrade of JAP a few days ago. He also announced that a major energy venture with India, Trinidad and Tobago or the United States is in the process, and is central to Suriname executing some major economic projects to the tune of over 4 billion dollars in the next ten years.

Also, the bridge project between Suriname and Guyana is being actively perused by Bouterse.

Guyana will benefit from Suriname and French Guiana’s economic boom, and major investments in infrastructure will pay great dividends in the near future.

Ray Chickrie

DEAR EDITOR, Once upon a time, one of the first things I pored over in the Guyana media was Freddie Kissoon’s column.

But that was then; these days, after glimpsing at his column headlines, readers pretty much know what to expect, as his rant usually is a rendition and recapitulation of the same old tune; it’s like listening to a used-to-be good song on a scratched-up vinyl record.

The June 17, 2012 rendition was no different, except I got caught with dem out-of-this–world Philosophy big words. I’m not impressed, but must admit that the word “Prometheus” caught me so I read the column.

To my surprise, there was no connotation or innuendo of what the word meant in the column in question.

As a matter of fact, nowhere was the word mentioned! Is the word “Prometheus” a synonym for “Promotor”, or is it “Promise” – or perhaps

“Prose”?

Maybe “Promiscuous”!

What I found annoying in the column was not the failure of the prolific ex-U.G. lecturer to give the reader an idea of who or what “Prometheus” is, or his virtual bankruptcy to be balanced in his references and opinions.

It is not his penchant to twist facts, exaggerate or convolute the truth.

The sentence that irked me most was his mention of his wife making saltfish and “dholl” – more specifically – the last word in that sentence. (“Dal”, or “daal”, is a lentil, commonly known as “split peas”).

Mr. Kissoon and some others have ‘good’ reasons to be ashamed to be East Indians; (I have not read his latest column on the issue, neither the readers’ response to it).

However, I feel that one of the reasons the writer has mis-spelled (mispronounced) the word is that he is ashamed of the

East Indian utterances and elocution.

His ignorance on the correct sound of the word or his refusal to acquiesce to the correct accentuation could be a result of his growing up in Wortmanville.

Freddie, please… the word should be spelled and pronounced (phonated) “dal” (or more accurately for the Guyanese spelling “daal”! Not “dholl”, or “dhool”, or “dhall”, or “dol”; (the latter intonation is rather revolting, and makes me want to puke!)

The correct spelling and pronunciation, M r.

Kissoon, is ‘dal’ (or ‘daal’)!

I surely can empathize with the columnist for curtsying and knuckling under the word ‘daal’; it sounds too Indian, too ‘country type’, and too uneducated. So, he has to ‘Englishfy’ the word (“daal”) to fit in, and make it look less Indian so as to be acceptable to neighbours and acquaintances. Having lived

in Georgetown a short time, I was pressured to do the same, so I understand a bit, Freddie.

Please, Freddie, be ashamed for whatever reason you wish, but please, considering your assumed role as the consumate exemplified Guyanese hybrid, please spell and pronounce the food item as ‘daal’ (or ‘dal’)! And while we are at it, the half spherical Indian pot is not “kanary”; it is “karahee”!

I can hear Mr. Kissoon and his fans saying, “why be bogged down by the frivolousness of a mere pronunciation of a word?

There are more important issues to attend to such as corruption, crime, creed and greed”.

Though seemingly trivial, this concern is of particular concern as it is symptomatic of a greater problem with the Frederick Kissoons of the world.

Devanand Bhagwan Dehradun, UC, India

Pronunciation and the Frederick Kissoons of the world

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

Wrong to suggest unpublished research is useless DEAR EDITOR, Because it was easy to deduce who actually penned KN’s editorial of Sunday, July 8, titled “Higher Education at UG?”, and after I swept it aside with my response in KN July 10 (“Old views of universities are dangerously misleading”), a few colleagues warned me to expect a personal attack from the same writer of the editorial.

As predicted, the KN of July 17 published a letter supposedly authored by Mark London (titled “An embarrassment to anyone who has standards at UG”), who describes himself as a layman, but who remarkably knows both of the works of the American educator Ernest Boyer and the inner high workings of the Berbice campus. No marks for guessing who Mark really is.

An ego gone amok is not a pretty sight. And the fact that the letter writer hides his real name justifies also a description of him as intellectually spineless. How he flays about in his letter.

Anybody can cuss out and “buse”. But not all can conduct an informed analytical discussion. I suspect “Mr London” felt his self-awarded title of lone guru of higher education in Guyana was under threat.

Yet he could not challenge four of my basic positions in

response to the KN editorial.

First, that a modern university offers a range of services and products to a variety of customers, other than traditional research. As such, the criteria for judging a university (a multiversity) must be broadened.

Secondly, he agrees with the Boyer model of scholarship, which I used to underpin the position that a fair assessment of lecture staff must give proper weight to criteria other than the narrow measure of traditional research (the creation of new knowledge). UG lecturers teach, apply research, design curricula, engage in consultancies, serve on state boards, act as advisors, work in professional associations, etc.

Thirdly, he could not oppose my statement that any discussion of research in Guyana that fails to examine the demand side of the equation (the absence of a real market for research in Guyana) would be incomplete and misleading. Mr London is only unhappy that I didn’t discuss why in my short letter. I will fill him in soon enough. My point, however, stands.

And fourthly, he finds no objection to my view that many university stakeholders demand of it competent graduates. He claims by some stretch that the KN editorial

makes the very point. Fine. So, what’s his real beef? A difficulty to handle criticisms of his limited or incorrect views?

I must take time, however, to rebut his continued propaganda about research.

Mr London of Berbice dismisses Exhibit A in my previous letter as evidence of research activity at UG: namely, the whole days devoted to the presentation of staff research on UG Research Day. He abandons his earlier claim that UG does no research at all. He now argues that “valid research is made valid when it is published” and no such research exists at UG. This is nonsense on several fronts. For one, it wrong-headedly suggests that unpublished research is useless. On this score, I can only hope the cures found for plantain and banana diseases

by UG at Berbice (as announced by its Director Daizal Samad himself in KN July 10) are not considered “invalid” if no academic paper was published on the discovery of these cures.

Secondly, a research is “made valid” based solely on its internal design (its methodology, its theoretical framework, etc), not by its publication. What he should have said is that research is more respected or recognized when published.

DEAR EDITOR, I agree - generally, with the comments of the Alliance for Change (AFC), but they stop short of stating that such editorials could not have been written without the consent and political line coming from the PPP leadership.

Donald Ramotar, who is now the country’s President, the Minister of Information and the General Secretary of the “Marxist-Leninist” PPP, has made no public statement - unreservedly condemning this racist attack on our fellow sisters and brothers.

Marxists, (Ramotar claims to be), Muslims and Christians and all other philosophies in Guyana are totally against racism and discrimination, but yet Ramotar has kept silent about this outrageous onslaught on a significant section of our people.

Of course, all decent Guyanese in Guyana and abroad, will agree that this is outburst is “totally unacceptable and must stop”, immediately.

“The most shameless thing about this is that

taxpayers’ money is used in this enterprise; we are paying for the fomenting of division in our own society and for attacks on ourselves”, the AFC stated at their press conference.

The Working People’s Alliance, (WPA) led the attack on this vicious attempt to stir-up racial conflicts - at a time when we are building a major multiracial movement our country has not seen in modern times.

The WPA reminded the nation of its long-standing multiracial politics, led by the slain internationally-known, working class leader, Professor Walter Rodney. His death anniversary was observed recently all over the world and in Guyana.

The entire Guyana Chronicle must be restructured in the ongoing democratizing process.

Like the Burnham regime, the PPP controls the State newspaper and media, using it as the propaganda arm of the party and the state reminding us of the paramountcy of the Party and State-vehemently

condemned by the Jagan PPP. The history of the PPP rule in Guyana over the last 15 years, in particular, has done to the African Guyanese what the dictator Burnham tried to do with the Indian Guyanese working people. The rich and educated Indians always benefited from both the PNC and the PPP. Both parties claim to be multi-racial, but have not been able to seriously cross the race barrier, as the original People’s Progressive Party did in the 1950s.

Today, Guyana needs the broadest possible multiracial coalition that includes the grass root members of the PPP and its disillusioned supporters.

The emergence of a new partnership - which is led by the APNU and AFC - must prepare the process for a conference for the formation of a National Unity Government (NUG), which will resolve all the underlying problems that our people face.

Jinnah Rahman (Mike)

Then thirdly, although he sounds like a man who would not only shift but run with the goalposts, I still would advise him to seek some facts on research output from UG Personnel Division. He would see that, while things are far from perfect, they are better than he would, for selfserving reasons, hope to find.

It was thought best in the past to ignore the wild attacks on UG at Turkeyen from the person who hides behind the cloak of Mark London. Maybe it’s now time to change approaches.

In conclusion, as I take it that the Kaieteur News does not place itself above taking advice, I wish to offer a bit.

No newspaper should allow its editorials (where a newspaper normally exerts its greatest impact on public opinion) to be hijacked by guest or ghost writers who exploit the opportunity to grind their own axes or to push their own pompous personal agendas. What was equally negligent on the part of KN was that the contents of the editorial directly flew in the face of the newspaper’s own extensive reporting on the recent standoff between the UG unions and the UG Council and on other developments at UG. Stay vigilant.

Sherwood Lowe

There is nothing to suggest any impropriety, or misuse of resources

DEAR EDITOR, A section of the media has repeated a most mischievous and inaccurate aspect of Mr. Ramon Gaskin’s report which referred to misuse of fuel by the Mayor.

I wish to make it abundantly clear that there can be no basis for this statement, except by an irrational person.

There is a procedure which has been in place for years, for the upliftment of fuel for the official vehicle assigned to the Mayor’s Office, essentially used by the Mayor.

The procedure is as follows: A gas order is prepared by the driver, signed by the Secretary; this order is taken to the Town Clerk for signature.

The driver then takes the

order form with the vehicle to the workshop in Princes Street, where the fuel (diesel) is put directly from the pump into the tank.

Over the years, I have had absolutely nothing to do with fuel, and only after reading the buzzard report by Mr. Gaskin did I seek detailed information as to the procedure as stated above.

After this report, I took the trouble to question the driver and also sought information from the agent (AINLIM) from whom the vehicle was purchased, as to what is the consumption of this particular vehicle.

I checked with the records and the driver and there is nothing to suggest any impropriety, or misuse of resources.

Hamilton Green, JP.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 19, 2012

Govt. mulls IMC for city management – Dr Luncheon Government is considering the installation of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to manage the affairs of the city, according to Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon, yesterday.

Cabinet also signaled its intention to have the municipality send three senior staffers of the Mayor and City Councillors of Georgetown (M&CC) on leave to facilitate criminal fraud investigations.

Government in recent years has been battling the M&CC over the state of Georgetown which it says has literally turned from being the “Garden City” to the garbage city.

M&CC, in its defence, has claimed that government was starving it from critical revenues by not approving an increase in rates and taxes.

No Local Government election has been held since the 90s with government still to table long-awaited new legislations that would clear the way for new polls.

A damning report by consultant Ramon Gaskin, a member of a special committee established by Government, recently spoke of failure and seemingly deliberate frustration by M&CC staffers to implement a number of measures to improve the running of the city. It also spoke of systematic corruption.

Speaking during the government’s weekly press briefing, Dr Luncheon made it clear that the municipality

Town Clerk, Yonette Pluck Council was considered by Cabinet… to be irrefutable.

The Cabinet was presented with arguments to

pursue with that course of action,” the official said yesterday.

He also claimed that Government has been receiving calls for an IMC from especially the business sector, taxpayers and organized labour.

Dr Luncheon made it clear, also, that the replacement of Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) across the country with IMCs was done in keeping with established procedures which included petitions being filed and inquiries being held.

Government had installed an IMC once, in 1993, to replace the M&CC prior to the holding of Local Government elections in 1994.

But there were strong objections when the

government attempted to do the same thing a second time and the matter died a natural death.

The Burrowes Commission was established in 2008 following several issues raised in the Auditor General’s Report of the same year. The Terms of Reference (ToR) required an investigation into the offices of the City Treasurer and Town Clerk; the procedures regarding regulation of staff loans and advances; irregularities in rate collection; municipal accounts in commercial banks; and restructuring of municipal departments and their operations.

Some 40 recommendations by the ‘Burrowes Report’ were said to have never been

implemented by the M&CC. Investigations have suggested, among other things, that around half of the 800 staffers of M&CC were believed to be phantom workers.

The commission began its work in September 2008 and concluded in May 2009.

It presented its report that same year.

Following the Commissioner’s Report, the Minister of Local Government established the Implementation Committee which was specifically mandated to implementing the recommendations made in the Burrowes Report.

The findings along with substantiated reports of corrupt practices within the M&CC were submitted to the Minister of Local Government, Ganga Persaud, by the Implementation Committee.

A taxi driver and a conductor were the second pair of witnesses to give evidence in an inquest into the death of 45-year-old Hilton Lazarus, the man who was killed in an explosion outside the Stabroek Market on January 5, 2011.

The matter which is being heard at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court is being presided over by Magistrate Judy Latchman. Taking part

in the matter are three civilians acting in the capacity of the jury.

A conductor, (name given) who plies the East Bank Demerara route was the first witness on the stand to testify to his whereabouts and actions on the day in question. The conductor said that on the day in question between the hours of 10:30 and 11:30 hours he was at the corner of Cornhill Street and

Brickdam when he heard a loud explosion.

The man said that he was about 30 feet away loading his minibus when the explosion occurred. As a result of that explosion, the conductor said he received injuries and had to seek medical attention for the two pellets that struck him in the leg and for the other that is lodged in his neck.

The bus operator said that on the morning of the incident he noticed someone sweeping the front of a stall which he knows to be owned by one “Bow Wow”. He said that he did not know the sweeper or his name but the court informed the witness

that his previous statement to the police differed from the information that he was now giving.

The conductor contended that he had never given the police such information.

The statement revealed that the conductor had reportedly told the police that the man sweeping the stall area was called ‘Yankee’. The conductor insisted that he never gave such information to the police as he did not know the person sweeping.

The court then had the statement shown to the witness and the jury.

(Continued on page 20)

- three senior officers to proceed on leave to facilitate fraud probe of Georgetown has long time ceased to work in the interest of taxpayers. It is now rife with a culture of corrupt practices and financial irregularities that have been chronicled in reports of the Auditor General, he said.

A Commission of Inquiry headed by Keith Burrowes confirmed allegations of wrongdoings with recommendations made to bring reverse to the city’s fortunes.

According to Dr Luncheon, the Cabinet of Ministers had urged a probe into the findings of the Ramon Gaskin report.

Government would now be moving to have three “targeted” senior officials proceed on leave to facilitate police investigations.

The three officers under fire at the M&CC are Town Clerk, Yonnette Pluck; City Treasurer, Andrew Meredith, and City Engineer, Gregory Erskine.

Dr Luncheon made it clear that government was prepared to release the Ramon Gaskin report which spells out details of corruption and how M&CC failed to implement critical measures that were recommended by the Commission of Inquiry.

“Cabinet reflected on the dissolution of the Council and its replacement by an IMC. The need for citizens to inquire into the debacle at the

Conductor, taxi driver testify in Stabroek Market explosion inquest

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

South Africa celebrates Mandela’s birthday Anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela celebrated his 94th birthday in “good” spirits yesterday as millions of South Africans joined in the global praise for the muchloved statesman.

Mandela, whose 1990 release from an apartheid prison put South Africa on the path to democracy and reconciliation, spent a quiet day with his close family in his home village of Qunu, where he has retired from public life.

“He is in good spirits and looking very well,” granddaughter Ndileka Mandela told AFP by phone from Qunu.

From the variety of his favourite dishes on offer for a birthday lunch that included tripe, corn samp and dumplings, Mandela chose fish and vegetables, said Ndileka.

His wife Grace Machel and ex-wife Winnie

Madikizela-Mandela, as well as his daughters were among those that had lunch with him.

He enjoyed the love and attention.

“He likes to have the buzz around him,” said Ndileka.

South Africa’s 12 million schoolchildren kicked off the day singing happy birthday to the anti-apartheid hero and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

At the request of his charitable foundation, July 18 is observed as Mandela Day, recognised by the United Nations as a global call to volunteer for good causes for 67 minutes — representing each year of Mandela’s life in active politics.

“As we celebrate his birthday, we remember that he fought for us in the struggle.

The struggle was to fight apartheid,” said 12-year-old Kgaugelo Masunhloane at Batsogile primary school in Soweto. (AFP)

Senate panel approves Russia trade, rights bill WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - The Senate Finance Committee yesterday unanimously approved a bill to ensure U.S. exporters share in the benefits of Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation but also to punish Russian officials for human rights violations.

The legislation still faces an uphill battle to be passed before U.S. elections in November because of concern over Russia’s ties to Syria and Iran that make it a politically difficult vote for some lawmakers.

But supporters hoped the committee’s strong bipartisan vote improved chances the full Senate and House of Representatives will consider the bill before U.S. lawmakers leave in two weeks for their month-long recess and Russia joins the WTO in August.

“If we miss that deadline, American farmers, ranchers and businesses will lose out

to the other 154 members of the WTO,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Democrat, said.

In addition, including new human rights legislation in the trade bill makes it unsavory to Moscow, which views those provisions as an intrusion in its affairs.

The Obama administration welcomed the committee’s vote on a combined trade and human rights bill, but it said its main priority was establishing “permanent normal trade relations,” or PNTR, by terminating a Cold War-era provision known as the JacksonVanik amendment.

That measure is at odds with WTO rules requiring members to give equal treatment to exports from all other members on an unconditional basis and is the reason that Congress is under pressure to pass the trade legislation.

Page 7

No sign of Assad after bomb kills kin, rebels close in BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - Mystery surrounded the whereabouts of Syrian President Bashar alAssad yesterday, a day after a bomber killed and wounded his security chiefs and rebels closed in on the centre of Damascus, vowing to “liberate” the capital.

The Syrian leader made no public appearance and no statement after a bomber killed his powerful brother-in-law, his defense minister and a top general.

By the early hours of Thursday, residents had reported no let-up in the heaviest fighting to hit the capital in a 16-month revolt against Assad’s rule.

The fighting came within sight of the presidential palace, near the security headquarters where the bomber struck a crisis meeting of defense and security chiefs.

Assad’s brother-in-law

Assef Shawkat, a top commander and one of the pillars of the Assad clan’s rule, was killed in the blast along with Defense Minister Daoud Rajha.

Another senior general also was killed and the heads of intelligence and the Interior Ministry were wounded, deeply damaging the security apparatus of the Assad family, which has ruled the country with an iron fist for four decades.

Intense clashes were reported in the capital’s central districts of Mezze and Kafar Souseh, while a police station in the Hajar al-Aswad district was in flames.

The army was shelling its own capital from the surrounding mountains as night fell. Government troops, having vowed retaliation for the assassination, fired machineguns into the city from helicopters.

A security source said the

bomber who struck inside the security headquarters was a bodyguard entrusted with protecting the closest members of Assad’s circle.

State television said it was a suicide bomber. Anti-Assad groups claimed responsibility.

Washington, which fears a spillover into neighboring states, said the situation seemed to be spinning out of control. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said “the decisive fight” was under way in Damascus.

The U.N. Security Council put off a scheduled vote on a Syria resolution and U.S. President Barack Obama phoned President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Assad’s main protector, to try to persuade Moscow to drop support for him.

“As we continue to pursue the political option the realities on the ground may have overtaken us, therefore I think the clock is ticking and

have we ... reached the point where the political option is too late?” King Abdullah of Jordan said in an interview with CNN. “I think we should continue to give politics its due, but if we haven’t already passed that window I think we are getting very close to it.”

LONDON (Reuters) British Prime Minister David Cameron said earlier today that he cannot see an end to the government’s austerity program while Britain tackles its huge budget deficit amid deteriorating economic conditions.

Cameron indicated that Britain’s program of spending cuts, initially planned to take five years, could last until 2020.

“This is a period for all countries, not just in Europe, but I think you will see it in America too, where we have to deal with our deficits and we have to have sustainable debts. I can’t see any time soon when ... the pressure will be off,” Cameron said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

When the Conservative/ Liberal Democratic coalition took power in 2010, it introduced an austerity program of increased spending cuts and tax increases that was intended to finish by 2015.

The program was

extended to 2017 late last year, however, and is expected to save the government about 110 billion pounds ($171.85 billion) in total.

“I don’t see a time when difficult spending choices are going to go away ... we are in a very difficult situation,” said Cameron.

Britain’s budget deficit peaked at over 156 billion pounds in 2009/10 or 11 percent of GDP. “I don’t deny for a minute that it is a lot tougher than the forecasters were expecting,” he said.

In a broad interview, covering, among other subjects, the economy, the coalition and the Olympic Games, Cameron said it had been a “very tough time to be in Government.”

Britain was hit hard by the 2007-2009 financial crisis and had to spend tens of billions to bailout major banks.

The recovery from the steep slump has been weak, with stuttered growth, soaring unemployment and a squeeze on living conditions and

household budgets for ordinary Britons.

“We’ve had one of the longest and deepest recessions for decades in Britain. It was an incredibly tough set of circumstances and it has proved very hard to get out of those situations,” he said.

On the issue of Europe,

Cameron said he did not believe that Britain should leave the EU and that he would never campaign for an “out” vote in any referendum.

He indicated that he would seek to negotiate a “new settlement” with Europe, which will be put to a referendum rather than offering an in-out vote.

Bashar al-Assad

What an admirable leader...

“Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.”-Nelson Mandela

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 19, 2012

Minister of Security mum on PNP members implicated in lotto scam

T&T loses $10B

KINGSTON, Jamaica — MINISTER of Security Peter Bunting, yesterday morning, declined to comment on the possibility of political fallout stemming from a raid on the homes of two People’s National Party (PNP) councillors by the Lotto Scam Task Force.

Addressing journalists yesterday morning at the Jamaica House press briefing, Bunting said that would he would comment only in the capacity of security minister.

“I know there may be questions to do with an operation by the antiscamming task force in St James yesterday morning but I will just say that we are not going to use this occasion to respond to any questions from a political perspective,” said the security minister.

“I think the only relevant statement I could make on that here is that the security forces know that no one in this society, regardless of their position or political affiliation, will get any

‘Task force has a free hand to operate’ political protection from this administration…and they have a free hand to conduct their investigations and operations and go wherever,” he added.

Bunting praised the anti-scamming task force, which started earlier this y e a r, for achieving ‘phenomenal success’ but added that lottery scamming could still cause severe damage to the country’s reputation.

“It [lotto scam] has done tremendous damage to our reputation internationally, it has the potential to impact our tourism product, our investments particularly in the ICT sector and therefore although the players involved may not individually arise to the level of kingpins, but collectively we’re seeing the lotto scamming as a threat to Jamaica,” Bunting commented.

At the same time Police Commissioner Owen

Ellington said that it would be inappropriate to state how long the PNP councillors arrested yesterday morning were on the radar of the task force.

“It has always been in the force’s intention to focus on the key players in the lottery scamming business,” said the Police Commissioner.

The task force, yesterday morning, raided the premises of two PNP councillors in St James, including the deputy mayor of Montego Bay, Michael Troupe.

During an operation at Granville in the parish, at the home of Troupe, councillor for the Granville division, the security forces reportedly seized about US$10,000 and close to $400,000, as well as an illegal firearm.

A simultaneous raid was also conducted at a premises in Cornwall Courts owned by Silvan Reid, councillor for the Salt Spring division.

Trinidad Guardian T&T’s revenue has declined by $10 billion over the last four years because of the global economic recession, says Finance Minister Larry Howai.

He said: “$10 billion is a huge sum, which could make a significant difference in this country if we had it but if you lose $10 billion in income in a short period of time, you have to do something with expenses to bring yourself back in line.

“We recognise we cannot do it right away and we have to phase ourselves in.”

Howai pointed out that gas and oil prices during the middle of the last decade were much higher than they were now. He said: “The gas price in the middle of the last decade was US$10 to US$12 per mmbtu (million metric

British thermal units) and it is now US$2 per mmbtu and oil in 2008 was US$140 a barrel and now it is about half of what it was then,” Howai was speaking to Joseph Remy, president of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions (Fitun), at the Ministry of Finance yesterday at a pre-budget consultation.

The consultative process with different stakeholders will end on July 31. Howai said there had been four years of budget deficits and he wanted to see a balanced budget in a few years.

He added: “We have run four years of deficits in T&T. I would like to get us back to a balanced budget at some stage. “Within the next three to five years, I would like us

to have a balanced budget. It does not mean you cannot be short from time-to-time because there will be years where you have a surplus.

“Having run four years of deficit, by the time you hit a seventh year of deficit, it is supposed to be in balance.”

Howai told Remy he wanted to expand the country’s economic pie. “To a large extent, in our discussions, I want to know what are some of the thoughts you may have on increasing revenue,” Howai said, “because if we increase revenue, we can better meet the needs we have.” Remy told Howai that Fitun had made “critical submissions” in the last two fiscal years but none was translated into action.

KINGSTON, Jamaica CMC - Jamaica has held talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a new lending agreement and Finance Minister Dr. Peter Phillips said that another round of discussions could be held early next week Phillips, who led a delegation to Washington for discussions also with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), said that the visit was to present an update on the macro economic developments in Jamaica, including the recently concluded budget exercise and “more importantly, to settle definitively on a

timetable to bring negotiations closer to an agreement and conclusion.

“It is important to note that these discussions follow upon the presentation of the Article IV consultations and the presentation to the Board which took place in May. That Report reflects no fundamental disagreement between the Fund staff and the government of Jamaica regarding the vulnerabilities faced by the Jamaican economy, nor the necessity or character of the reforms that will be required to deal with our situation,” Phillips told legislators.

He said the central

problem facing the Jamaican economy is the burden of the public debt which increases the island’s vulnerability to the unanticipated shocks and impedes economic growth.

“The focus of our discussions centred on the need, as the Fund sees it, for a clear demonstration that Jamaica was placed irrevocably on a path to achieving fiscal sustainability. Essentially, our discussion focused on the need for some clear agreement as to what prior actions were needed to provide such assurances and which set of actions remain for the conclusion of the programme.

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada - CMC - Parliament has approved legislation making it mandatory for nationals of other countries to first obtain permanent residence status before they can apply for citizenship in Grenada.

Previously, the law required that a foreign national reside in Grenada for seven years before citizenship can be obtained.

But the new law requires that permanent residence status must be obtained and the applicant resides in the island

for an additional two years.

Attorney General Rohan Phillip said that the law now requires that the applicant obtain that permanent residence status during the seven year period.

“It’s no longer a case of live here for seven years then apply for citizenship, the applicant will have no choice but to obtain permanent residence first, preferably within the seven year period, living here for two and then apply for citizenship.

“The seven years period

has not change, what has change is the mandatory requirement for permanent residence to obtain citizenship status. All applicants will still have to live here for seven years,” he told legislators.

The government said that anyone with permanent resident status will not be allowed the benefit of a citizen such as purchasing land; obtaining a passport or voting in a general election but would be allowed to reside and be employed without a work permit.However, in the area of voting there is an exception for persons from Commonwealth nations who according to the Constitution will be allowed to vote once there is evidence that they have resided in the island for 12 consecutive months.

Howai predicts deficit budget for five years

New regulations governing citizenship for Grenada

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

ALL RIGHTS ARE LIMITED A Partnership for Nation Unity (APNU) should not fall victim to the Alliance for Change (AFC) strategy of deflecting criticism from itself towards the partnership.

This is what the AFC is trying to do following a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee of parliament during which one of the AFC representatives was not there at the time a vote was taken.

The vote concerned the confirmation of appointments

within the Audit Office. The PPPC forced a vote in the absence of the AFC member and because it had the majority at the time, it secured a vote favouring the appointment.

APNU should not allow itself to be confused by the AFC. The APNU’s representative who presided over that meeting was not at fault. He acted in accordance with the Standing Orders.

It was unfortunate that the AFC representative was

late but this was no fault of either the PPPC or APNU. The AFC has tried to deflect blame onto APNU by claiming that the presiding official was misled by the PPP into believing that he did not have an initial vote. They argued that the standing orders provide for all members of the committee to have voting rights and that the rule that a presiding officer cannot vote relates to Select Committees as distinct from Standing Committees.

Dem boys seh...

Kwame go fuh start mischief Wha is play fuh li’l boy is dead fuh crappo. Dem got problems in Linden. People dead. Before Gee Nah mek peace it decide fuh pour gasoline pun fire. And is Kwame who decide to do that.

Is now dem boys know why de opposition cut de vote and mek nuff of dem ain’t get pay till now. One of dem see a photo wha somebody send by phone of how de Linmine Secretariat bun down. De people decide that was de PPP headquarters. It had to be that de Linmine Secretariat was de PPP headquarters.

People see de thing and dem decide that dem gun bun down Congress Place. Another man decide that he gun bun down Freedom House. And Khemraj and Moses sit back and laugh. Kwame smile because he know wha he do. He did expect promotion to assistant president because right now he does tell people that he is Lunch Man boss.

Is a good thing people know that de PPP building didn’t burn; that de fire service out

de fire. But Sam was vex. He didn’t worry bout de people who dead in Linden; he worried because some missionaries get stall up at de bridge and couldn’t get to de interior.

Now since when dem missionaries more important than de people. De same Sam and Bar Rat did expel a whole heap of missionaries from de country. Nobody didn’t get vex.

But dem boys remember was linden wheh some problem did start and bruck up de country years ago. Was Linden that kick Corbin hard in de elections before and is Linden that kick Donald this time. That is why dem boys seh that we got to treat Linden nice.

Any problem does put de brothers against one another and none of dem can live without one another. Everybody see it when dem had dem disturbance.

Talk half and don’t tek lead up from Kwame.

The issue of a distinction between a Select Committee and a Standing Committee is a red herring. It has no relevance to the issue of the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee exercising his right to vote.

The distinction that should concern APNU is that between the right to vote and the conditions governing the exercise of that right. It is very much like the right to vote. There is a right to vote but the exercise of that right requires registration.

Similarly there is a right of every member of the Public Accounts Committee to vote but that right is circumscribed. The right can only be exercised if there is an equal division: that if the votes for and the votes against the motion before the committee are equal.

It is only then that the Chairman can exercise his right to vote in order to break the deadlock.

In effect the Chairman has a right to vote but that right can only be exercised if there is a deadlock. There is therefore no need for any confusion on the part of APNU as to changes to the standing orders not being comprehensive.

There is nothing unusual about this provision which allows the Chairperson to have a casting vote only where there is a deadlock in the votes. This happens in

many organizations and the provision within the standing orders of parliament was not deliberate.

When the AFC and APNU combined to change the number of persons on various committees of parliament, they were well aware of the existing standing orders about voting and this is why they insisted on the numbers that they did so that there would not be gridlock.

In the case of the Public Accounts Committee, if all the representatives were present at that fateful meeting there would have been an equality of votes which would then activate the right of the Chairperson to break the deadlock. Thus no gridlock would ensue.

APNU should also not allow itself to be confounded by the debates about a conflict of interest. This issue could have been the basis for denying an appointment, but it cannot be for a confirmation. When it comes to confirmation other factors including performance are important. The conflict of interest could not have been

legitimately used to deny confirmation. Once the PAC was satisfied with the competence and performance of the individual concerned, they had to confirm in spite of any reservations about conflict of interest.

Undoubtedly there remains an issue concerning conflicts of interest within the Audit Office. But it seems as if those making these charges expect the government or parliament to do something about it. It is not for the government or parliament to do something about it. It is not for the government to do anything about it. It is for the Auditor General to address the issue in accordance with established practices.

As such, the government should not be answering about conflict of interest within an independent constitutional office. Nor should the parliament.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 19, 2012

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Paramountcy: Then and now In philosophy there is the concept of “substance and form.” The two are inseparable. Substance is the inherent totality of elements in an object. Form is structure of the elements.

The contents of an object can go through a myriad of variations but the substance remains the fundamental essence of its existence.

Whether we are talking about hard science or sociology, substance and form are fundamental categories.

In the social world, form can be very deceptive to the observer and one can easily

separate it from substance. It takes the application of a studious mind to recognize that the form is changing but not the substance. It is beyond a newspaper column to elaborate on the relationship between form and substance in social life.

For the purpose of this essay we will look at the process of the paramountcy of the party in Guyanese politics. We will skip any discussion on the historical origins of party paramountcy in the work of the Russian communist, Vladimir Lenin From 1976 onwards, the

organizations in Guyana opposed to the Government of the PNC accused it of practising paramountcy of the party. The accusation against the ruling party was that it elevated in importance the role of the PNC in Guyana over State institutions. In that year, the Working People’s Alliance was born, and together with the established main opposition party the PPP, the PNC Government came under intense and relentless pressure for its practise of party paramountcy.

If one should go back to the PPP publications of the seventies, including the Mirror and Thunder, one would find tons and tons of criticism of the paramountcy of the party. In the seventies, party paramountcy was particularly resented because right inside a national institution like the Ministry of National Development one would find an office of the PNC. That indeed was party paramountcy at work.

Do we have a Ministry in 2012 where one can find an office of the PPP? The answer is no. Here is where substance and form comes in. We don’t have a Ministry where the ruling party has an office but in a dangerous and depraved paradox, party paramountcy is more pronounced in the 21st century under the PPP than under President Burnham.

This is where one has to understand the priceless guide of the concept of substance and form.

Let’s begin with a personal experience. In 1999 Minister of Information, Moses Nagamootoo asked me to come and work as his media consultant with a view to doing some programmes on GTV (now known as NCN).

The object was to open up television to the average person so each can call in and bring the problems to the policy-makers.

Every Wednesday morning, Moses met with all seniors of the state media entities. I was asked to sit in.

After my first session, I asked Moses what was the Mirror reporter, Robert Persaud, doing at a meeting

for government officials. I was angry. I told Moses that paramountcy of the party was supposed to be over.

Moses intoned; “Freddie, right now, I am in so much trouble with Janet Jagan that I don’t have time for this.” At that meeting, I learnt that someone working at a high level at the Mirror was being paid by the Ministry of Information. This was in 1999.

The situation has remained unchanged since then.

Christopher Ram asked me to write that during the election campaign last year two very senior NCN officials were seconded to Freedom House to do party campaigning. Ram said he has the proof. Never under Presidents Burnham and Hoyte, did eight persons with party membership card sit on the Council of the University of Guyana. This is the case in 2012.

If party paramountcy was practised by the PNC Government under Mr. Burnham then under Mr. Jagdeo and at the moment, it is more than being practiced.

It takes the FORM (remember substance and form) of party ownership of Guyana.

Frederick Kissoon Under both Burnham and Hoyte, the NIS board was headed by a professional public servant. Since 1992, one of the PPP leaders, Dr Roger Luncheon, has held that post. Every major international consultancy in the Ministries that carries a foreign salary is coveted by PPP members. Every major PPP fund-raising activity in Georgetown is done on the lawns of the President’s residence which is state property. The State property of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre is now a party playground.

Twice there were wedding receptions at the International Convention Centre, held by married couples who were party members. Every REO holds a party card. The PNC once administered Guyana.

The PPP now owns it.

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Govt. crippled Unamco five years ago - Case In January 2007, when Unamco’s 15-year TSA forest lease expired, the then Minister responsible for forestry, Robert Persaud, took around 42 months to renew it.

The renewal, when it came was for a five-year period only and for a reduced size forest. It was tied to an additional US$5 Million investment in the company’s forest operations aimed mainly at replacing and upgrading equipment in the company’s logging division.

By the time the lease expired in 2007 Unamco had already invested in the region of $4 B, mainly on capital equipment including several machines for road building, forest operations, general transport, a tug and 1000 ton barge, a fixed sawmill, a new plymill etc.

In 1997 Unamco completed its initial 64km access road with 18 bridges from Kwakwani on the Berbice River to Marlissa at the northern boundary of its forest under the EPA and GFC guidelines. The north/south highway was inspected and declared open by the then President Samuel Hinds on December 4, 1997.

This access infrastructure was built over two years to

Hamley Case and PM Hinds at the opening of the Unamco road international standards by Guyanese and Malaysian engineers and other road construction personnel at a cost of well over US$10 M and then extended to 118 km southerly to Kuyuwini in the Unamco forest around 40 miles north of Apoteri with a total of 44 bridges and 79 culverts. The 64-mile concession road was maintained solely by Unamco and was also being used free of charge by six other timber operators in addition to

miners, chainsaw operators, hunters, bird watchers and other eco-tourists.

Once the 15-year, TSA expired Unamco ceased all forest, road maintenance, and sawmilling activity and over time laid off most of its personnel, keeping only its security employees. Most of the employees sent home were from Region Ten— Linden, Kwakwani, Ituni and the Berbice River areas.

During the three-year wait for the lease to be renewed

the Unamco forest assets were raided by mobile patrols of heavily armed, well organized men whose leader claimed they were empowered to plunder Unamco and if necessary kill at will. It was an unrelentless ravaging of the company’s assets.

Whole pieces of equipment, including graders and compactors, dump trucks, front end loaders, skidders and other earthmoving equipment were stolen. What could not be

driven away was cut up in the forest by a four-wheel truck mounted with an oxyacetylene cutting device and winch and sold as scrap.

At one stage the police stopped a truck laden with Unamco body parts.

The driver was arrested and the loot stored in a Region Ten police station as evidence. This evidence disappeared into thin air before any Court proceedings were held.

Spare parts, tyres and

tools were stolen from the company’s forest buildings.

Even roofing sheets were removed along with other fixtures and fittings. Simply put Unamco was systematically gutted of its capital assets.

While the rape of Unamco assets was going, on and even before it started Unamco management and owners held repeated meetings with the Minister for Forestry who assured that the renewal (Continued on page 22)

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Prime Minister offers no apology for killed Lindeners …expresses disappointment by blocked bridge, missionaries unable to travel to interior Prime Minister Samuel Hinds last evening issued an official statement in response to the unrest in Linden where police shot and killed four persons and injured dozens but the more than 1,200 word statement failed to mention this.

According to Hinds in his statement issued last evening, “I was filled with great disappointment and deep regret on being informed about the blocking of the Bridge across the Demerara River at Linden, this morning, in protest against the programme of reform of the provision of electricity in Linden.”

He did concede that he was upset to hear that LUSCSL turned off the electricity supply to the Wismar/Christianburg area and, hence, the water supply also and called it, “plain thuggery upon captive consumers by a utility provider.”

Hinds in his statement documented that, “I regret greatly that demonstrators have succeeded in blocking the Demerara Bridge, and that a number of enterprises and persons in Linden have suspended their normal businesses and getting on with their lives.”

The Prime Minister sought to explain his deep regret for “this setback to all the work that the Government has been doing in advocating Linden as a place in which to be, and a place in which to do business; advocating and working to realize Linden as a gateway to, and from, Region Nine, and northern Brazil…All that work is now compromised and set back.”

The Prime Minister lamented, “All this at a time when, for the first time since ever there was bauxite-drying and calcining operations in Linden, there is a stack from a calciner that is free of dust— the first time in which there is demonstration that Linden can be dust-free whilst the

bauxite operations are running.”

The Prime Minister in expressing his disgust with the action of the Lindeners yesterday said, “One of the earliest reports to Prime Minister about the blocking of the Mackenzie Bridge, was about someone from Lethem who had the job of taking some visiting missionaries, on an outreach assistance programme, to Lethem.”

The Prime Minister said that “the missionaries had landed at CJIA earlier in the morning, and were in a number of minibuses on the way to Lethem, through Linden, when they got word of the blocking of the Bridge, and were considering what they should do.”

Hinds in his statement urged “all those who are suffering losses by the wanton action of a dozen, or so, instigators, to consider taking them personally to court in order to seek compensatory damages.”

Hinds said that he regrets what several people of Linden have been made to believe of their condition and their treatment by the Government.

The Prime Minister declared that the new tariff structure has been structured, taking account of the call from opposition parties in Parliament that it be structured in such a way that the initial quantities of electricity taken, are heavily subsidized.

The Prime Minister added also that many things determine the material conditions at a location and further added that “Linden is no more depressed, no less depressed, no more prosperous, no less prosperous, than many other places in Guyana…I regret the action of those who have fomented the people, and urged the shutting down of Linden… This is harming all Guyana, in general, but the people of Linden, most of all.”

Thursday July 19, 2012

Government of Guyana Statement on the Linden situation The Government of Guyana sincerely regrets the loss of life and injuries as events took an unfortunate turn for the worse this evening in Linden. The Government extends condolences and sympathies to the families of those who suffered injuries and loss of life.

A full investigation of the events would be held as soon as sufficient calm is restored.

The APNU and the AFC cannot avoid blame for these unfortunate developments.

They organised and allowed their Members of Parliament (MPs), activists

and extremists to lead protest against a thoughtful and sensitive programme for the gradual reform of the provision of electricity to the Linden community to deteriorate to such a point of violence and destruction.

The government reiterates that the gradual increase in tariffs for Linden did not warrant such violent behaviour especially when the rest of Guyana is paying the full rates.

The government reaffirms the right of people to peaceful protest and one that is protected in our country, however, disorder and mayhem which threaten life

and property cannot be tolerated.

These activists joined a number of known extremists and agitators who seem to dedicate their lives to denigrating whatever this Government does and to erode the progress made in Guyana.

Allowing protest to lead to such loss and damage of property and destruction through fires must be avoided and condemned.

The government will do all that is possible to protect the people and property in the Linden community from such irresponsible and reckless leadership.

Alliance for Change (AFC) statement on the situation in Linden The use of force, and more so of deadly force, against the residents of Linden has to be condemned. The AFC extends sympathy to the relatives who have been martyred for their just cause. This situation has been crying out for attention for several months now, and should never have been allowed to escalate to the point where the residents of Linden had to use extreme measures to gain the Government’s attention.

These killings have taken us to a tipping point of serious and widespread social and

civil unrest.

Therefore, the AFC calls on the Government to immediately instruct the security forces not to use any force whatsoever, or to do anything to inflame an already volatile situation, and for there to be an urgent meeting of the relevant stakeholders by noon tomorrow to find a safe, acceptable and peaceful solution to this crisis. Such a solution, it appears, is unlikely to be realised without the direct support and involvement of international agencies.

Four dead, two dozen...

From page 3 reintroduction of the Regional land selection committee; generation, distribution and payment for electricity; education; bauxite mining and its impact; forestry and its impact; agriculture; Wismar/ Mackenzie bridge; the national environmental tax; providing monies for the development of an Economic Plan for the region; road construction; and honouring Justice Chang’s 2008 ruling on television and radio licenses for Linden.

“The protracted delay in addressing the concerns of the citizens of Linden and Region Ten gives rise to the impression that this community is not on the national agenda,” Solomon stated.

He said the request for engagement is consistent with Articles 13, 38, 38A 77 and 149C of the Guyana Constitution, which expressly mandate citizens’ involvement in the management and decision-making processes that impact their well-being.

During yesterday, residents of Linden were involved in protest demonstrations against the rise in electricity tariff.

The Police version of the events was that at about 10:40h, approximately 450 persons marched from the Wismar Community Centre

A section of the protestors

Ground, and on reaching the Wismar/Mackenzie bridge they remained there, “blocking the bridge and preventing motor vehicles from crossing.”

Subsequently, the Police said, persons among the protestors which had grown to about 1,000 in number erected tents on the bridge and also placed derelict vehicles and logs across the bridge at several points.

The protestors remained on the bridge and refused to move despite efforts by the police under the Divisional Commander, the Police stated.

According to a statement, about 18:00 hrs, the Officerin-Charge of the police riot unit which had arrived on the scene warned the protestors to remove as they were

blocking the bridge and in breach of the law. They however continued to remain on the bridge while chanting that they will not remove and that they are not paying any increase in electricity tariff.

“The police again told the protestors that they were breaking the laws and that they should remove from the bridge, but they again refused and began hurling bottles, bricks and other missiles at the ranks of the police riot unit. At this stage the Officerin-Charge of the unit again told them that they were unlawful and read the warning proclamation to them,” the Police stated.

They said the protestors continued hurling missiles at the police and began advancing towards the ranks

and tear smoke grenades were used by the police in a further effort to remove the protestors.

Some of the protestors dispersed but a large number of persons still remained on the bridge and began setting fires on the bridge while continuing to chant and throw missiles towards the police, the statement added.

The Police said they discharged shotgun cartridges in the direction of the crowd resulting in a few persons being injured.

As at 22:30, the Police said they were unable to acquire sufficient information from the Mackenzie Hospital staff in order to verify the persons injured and the extent of their injuries as a hostile crowd gathered

outside of the Hospital.

The protestors removed from the Wismar/Mackenzie bridge and proceeded to block the Washer Pond Road, Mackenzie, and also set fire to the GRA building on Washer Pond Road. Personnel from the Guyana Fire Service responded but were prevented from going into action by a number of protestors who threw missiles at the ranks and their vehicle.

They were subsequently removed by the police and proceeded to the five-corner area at the junction of Sir David Rose Avenue, Mackenzie, Police stated.

The Wismar/Mackenzie bridge was cleared by the police who said they were maintaining a presence and traffic is now traversing the bridge.

“Roving groups of protestors have also destroyed a truck transporting fuel which was set alight at Wismar and damaged an excavator and have also set fires along the roadway at Half Mile and One Mile, Wismar,” the Police said.

Additional police ranks have been dispatched to the community to reinforce the ranks already on the ground.

The Joint Services said they will be patrolling the area and are appealing to residents to remain calm.

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Further improvements No evidence that police are paid for GPHC Maternity unit for information - Crime Chief The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) recently refurbished its operating theatre located in the maternity section to increase safe motherhood outcome. By this month-end the first surgery would be executed in the operating theatre.

According to Sister June Cato, Senior Department Supervisor, following discussions on maternal deaths at the country’s tertiary hospital, it was decided that the maternity section should have its own operating theatre. This will aid the time factor that is needed in saving lives, she added.

Cato emphasized that currently mothers who have to get cesarean section are operated on at the hospital’s main theatre, where other surgeries are done.

The hospital also wants to enhance mothers’ comfort by reducing the occurrence of two persons per bed. Cato said that for the year mothers were not required to share a bed.

She noted that the prenatal area has 27 beds and the postnatal area has 44 beds. For the year there was a 75 percent occupancy because of the strict monitoring of expectant mothers.

She explained that mothers are screened by the doctor before admission. As

GPHC maternity section

such they are either sent home, to the labour room or to the maternity ward.

In the case where babies are patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NCU) the mothers could leave the facility and visit their babies when necessary. This has reduced overcrowding in the postnatal department.

For instance, Amerindians referred from hinterland hospitals sometimes stay at the Amerindian Hostel maternity section and visit their babies in NCU. According to Cato, the

postnatal and prenatal bed areas are being extended. She stated that by the end of the week construction works to remove the washrooms from both areas and attach them to the exterior of the buildings will be completed.

It is anticipated that six beds will be added to the postnatal area. In the prenatal area there will be a prenatal ward, labour ward and birthing room. The prenatal ward will provide accommodation for persons who have high blood pressure and diabetes and need to be monitored.

Despite the ranting of Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, said that there is no evidence that police ranks are paid by the media for information.

However, he said that there is some concern that unauthorised provision of information is compromising many police investigations.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Persaud, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, said that should the police unearth evidence that police are being paid to provide information to media houses, there will be prosecutions.

“If we have evidence, we will prosecute those policemen. It’s a departmental breach and it may be a criminal breach if they obstruct investigations,” the Crime Chief said.

“We don’t have evidence, but overwhelming information and we’re seeing it appearing in the news.

We’re seeing things like ‘a police source’ being mentioned and the information that appears in the press, we know it comes from the police,” he added.

But how does this prove that the police are actually being paid for the information? Could it be that the police are willingly giving it to the media?

“We see no reason why they would willingly give the information. Because this is an investigation that is progressing normally, there is no skullduggery, no cover up, these are normal investigations,” Persaud explained.

He went further to admit that police ranks are easily compromised.

“Oh yes! We are prosecuting them all the time.

You check the courts and you see many cases of corruption, there are investigations going on right now…let us not go and push our heads in the sand,” the crime chief told the media.

“Corruption is a deliberate decision, it’s based on an individual’s personal values,” he added.

Earlier this week Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee went on the rampage accusing this newspaper of encouraging corruption by paying police ranks for information.

This was in response to an article in the Kaieteur News in which a ‘whistleblower’ accused the Ministry of attempting to cover up a racket that dealt with the auction of unserviceable police vehicles.

“It was a brazen attempt

by Kaieteur News to cover up for those who were involved in the wrong doing and those who are paid in exchange for information about the Guyana Police Force.

It is no secret that the Kaieteur News pays cash in exchange for information about happenings within the Force,” the Home Affairs Minister had declared.

“While the Kaieteur News wants people to believe it is fighting corruption, it is in fact encouraging corruption within the Force by offering “big bucks” in exchange for information about happenings within the Guyana Police Force.

“Try as desperately, cynically or cleverly as it may, every reader of the Kaieteur News knows that that newspaper offers cash for information about the Guyana Police Force.”

Reunion Gold discovers significant manganese deposit in Matthews Ridge

A sample of manganese at the headquarters of Reunion Manganese Inc. Matthews Ridge, Region One Reunion Gold Corporation has announced that their exploration activities at the Matthews Ridge, Region One, manganese project have shown significant deposits of the element.

The primary use of manganese ore is in production of alloys for steel making.

The company in a press release yesterday reported that it has completed a total of 45,351 meters of diamond drilling in 701 holes and 17,361 meters of reverse circulation drilling in 283 holes. The average length of all holes drilled so far is 64 meters. There are currently three diamond drill rigs working at the project.

The drilling company disclosed that the results to date continue to indicate an excellent correlation with trench intersections, confirming that mineralization persists regularly throughout the saprolite zone and continues as proto-ore (first in a series) in the fresh rock. The trenching and drilling

programmes are designed both to evaluate the previously mined areas and to define the extent and characteristics of known but unexplored mineralized zones. While trenches allow surface sampling and provide good structural information, the drilling programme aims at demonstrating the continuity of manganiferrous bodies at depth and their geometry. Drilling is being done to the saprolite-fresh rock interface.

The Company intends to define resources only in the saprolitic and detrital materials, which are amenable to simple earth-moving extraction.

Reunion Gold Corporation is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in the northwest region.

The Matthews Ridge Project consists of four Prospecting Licenses covering an area of 185 km2 located in the northwest.

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Passenger boat bursts into flames on Bartica foreshore

F

ire completely destroyed a w o o d e n passenger boat, “Good Will”, and its two 200hp Yamaha Outboard stern engines, yesterday, around 7:20 hours. The incident occurred at the Fourth Avenue Beach area in the vicinity of the Regatta pavilion.

The “Good Will” piloted by seasoned and well experienced Speed Boat Captain 44-year-old Rudolph Cameron a/k Bobby, of One and a Half Miles, Bartica -Potaro Road, had just docked into the fuel depot to refuel in preparation for its daily interior voyage.

Having done that, “Bobby” then instructed his assistant Bowman, Mark Cameron, to cast off, and attempted to start the engines.

Cameron said that he then heard an explosion, and on looking back to the stern, he then saw it engulfed in flames, and “Bobby” frantically trying to evade the flames. He and Bobby eventually jumped overboard for their own safety.

He said that they saw the burning boat drifting further out away from the beach area

with the currents of the falling tide. He said that they summoned the Bartica Fire Service whose members were eventually able to put out the fire.

Captain Bobby explained that he had just attempted to start the engines when the boat became engulfed in flames.

He sustained first degree burns to both legs below the knees and left arm below the elbow. He is hospitalised at the Bartica Public Hospital in a stable condition.

Mark Cameron was treated at the same institution for superficial burns to both his legs and left arm.

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City workers ordered to remove illegal scrap metal business from Lamaha Park

A youth fetches scrap material to the heap Georgetown Mayor, Hamilton Green, has ordered workers to remove the illegal scrap metal business affecting Lamaha Park residents. The Mayor disclosed this during a telephone interview with Kaieteur news on Tuesday.

The Mayor said that he is currently awaiting reports on the outcome of the situation.

Residents of Lamaha Park had recently stated that they are suffering from environmental and health problems due to the illegal scrap metal dealership, which is being operated by squatters in the residential community.

The people claimed that they had appealed to the authorities to put a halt to the problem before it escalates.

The scrap metal heap, some 20 feet high, is located on a Government/Council reserve at the entrance to Lamaha Park.

Residents claimed that the culprits have been carting

off material from their yards to facilitate their prohibited operation.

In letters addressed to several organizations the residents claimed, “The business entails the stockpiling of scrap metal which towers almost 25 feet high. Dealers can be seen dropping off large quantities of discarded articles such as truck bodies, car parts, washing machines , refrigerators , bed frames, wheel chairs, hospital examination beds and many more items too numerous to mention,” the letter stated.

Since the business began, residents have complained about disappearance of metal articles from their premises.

Large sand trucks, often three at a time, are used to transport the material away from the site. The parking of these trucks, many times would contribute to a traffic hazard, security risk and a danger to passersby which can be

caused by falling debris.

In addition, huge infernos that are lit at night in most cases give off toxic fumes that result in respiratory distress for some persons.

Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had promised to look into the problem, by sending an inspector to investigate.

The Deputy Mayor told Kaieteur News that a dealer might be using the reserve as a storage area until the metal is shipped overseas.

However, efforts made to contact the Deputy Mayor for a second remark were unsuccessful. The residents had earlier asserted that “This establishment is a major eye sore and an insult to the law abiding/ tax-paying citizens of the Lamaha Park Community.”

During a recent visit to the community, Kaieteur News observed some youths fetching scrap material to the heap on the reserve.

Lethem residents want Commissioner to investigate subordinates Police corruption and abuse are rife in Lethem Region Nine, as residents are appealing to the Acting Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell to intervene and launch an investigation into various malpractices by his subordinates at the Lethem Police Station.

Many residents were afraid to disclose their names and identities, however, according to a brave woman, Debra Mc Donald, of 79 Windmill Road, Lethem, one of the recent issues that was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, was when police from the Lethem Police Station decided to threaten her because she was vocal about their corrupt activities after being unfair to a young lad that was recently locked up after being beaten by police.

“Imagine a young boy on a bicycle was beaten and placed in the lock ups because the police claim he had weed on him, and when police find drugs on other people this same week, they take $200,000 and let the man go. The boy who was beaten has a kidney problem and is presently in the lock-ups.”

Adding that after she confronted the police with her claims, Miss Mc Donald said that a policeman told her that “he would set me up.”

“I don’t want police to plant anything in my home or on me because I live alone, and I want the authorities to know, so just in case anything happens to me they would understand what was the cause.”

The woman lamented that certain policemen feel as if

they have the right to do as they please without any sanctions.

“A Sergeant Hardy even told me that he don’t care who I go to or what I do, cause I can tell who I want and nothing won’t happen.”

“These policemen are being paid with tax dollars to serve and protect society, and if this is what the law abiding citizens have to endure while others are breaking the law and paying their way through, there needs to be new recruits in the Guyana Police Force”, Miss Mc Donald said.

The woman intends to visit the Eve Leary Headquarters where she will make a more formal and detailed statement about the issues plaguing the Lethem Police Station.

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Original investors, Govt. seek buyer for incomplete Cacique Palace There is currently a joint approach on the part of the Guyana Government, through its representative Keith Burrowes, and the original investors in the Cacique Palace and Banquet Hall.

The ‘sales team’ has for more than three years failed to secure a buyer willing to pay the US$5M being sought.

Attorney-at-Law Joseph Harmon, who serves as a director on the company incorporated for the construction of the hospitality facility, informed this publication that “I represent the owners of the Hotel and am the person authorized in Guyana to transact business on behalf of Cacique Palace and Banquet Hall Inc.” Harmon was adamant that the property was “never taken over from the investors.”

The Attorney General pointed out that the Government made available the $30M, through Burrowes to complete the construction of the Hotel.

He said, “The latest agreement between the Government of Guyana and the owners of the hotel was that upon the sale of the property the government would be repaid the sum of money as stated by

Burrowes.”

According to Harmon, Burrowes is the person appointed to oversee the expenditure of Government’s imports in the property and ultimately to guarantee its repayment and reminded that “presently there is a joint approach between Mr. Keith Burrowes as representing the Government of Guyana and myself as representing the owners of the property to secure a purchaser for the property.”

That edifice in question is located aback of the Princess International Hotel at Providence, East Bank Demerara, and was supposed to have been completed in time for Cricket World Cup 2007.

Burrowes had told this publication that there have been some offers forthcoming, but nothing close to what the Government is looking to secure.

According to the official, the offers that have been forthcoming are way below par.

He said that the proposals that the Guyana Government have been receiving range between US$1M and US$2M. Burrowes did confirm that the proposals have been coming from both local and overseas investors.

On the matter of special

18-year-old mother goes missing A one-year-old baby girl is crying bitterly ever since her teenage mother left their home last Friday afternoon and never returned.

Reports are that 18-yearold Althea Abrams of Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and her husband, Ken DeSouza, had an argument after which she walked out of their home and left her baby, Amblena, who recently celebrated her one year birthday.

DeSouza said when Abrams walked out of the house, he sent her little sister to call her back but by then, she had already entered a bus heading to Georgetown.

He said on the same night, he was told that Abrams visited one of his relatives, who put her in a taxi and sent her home, but she never returned.

“She went by my relative and told them that we had an argument and she walked out,” her husband said.

Kaieteur News understands that the 18-yearold mother visited her husband’s relatives and after retailing her “story” to them,

The incomplete Cacique Hotel and Banquet Hall on the market

Chief Justice rejects AG application for restoration of budget cuts

By Latoya Giles Chief Justice Ian Chang has rejected an ex-parte application by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, to have the full restoration of the budget funds. He has however allowed the Finance Minister Ashni Singh to seek to withdraw monies from the Consolidated Fund, as is necessary, for the functioning of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) which is a constitutional body.

The Chief Justice also ordered that the National Assembly should only approve or disapprove of the budget but not cut it.

According to Chang, the court has found that the act of the National Assembly in cutting or reducing the estimates of expenditure laid by the Minister of Finance under article 218 of the constitution was outside its constitutional remit.

To make budgetary cuts

was akin to rewriting a budget, something that is the responsibility of the Finance Minister and certainly not the responsibility of the opposition, the Chief Justice declared.

The court further found that the National Assembly even though it might have purported to do so did not perform its constitutional duty under article 222 when it allocated $1 to finance the ERC. It was noted that in “order to enable that constitutional entity and its secretariat to perform its constitutional functions the court will order the Ministry of Finance to allow all expenditures necessary from time to time for the maintenance of that entity and for the performance of its constitutional function to be charged directly upon the consolidated fund, until the national assembly determines a lump sum by way of subvention to meet such expenditures in

accordance with the constitution”.

The High Court case was brought by the government against the opposition regarding the cuts to the National Budget.

Attorney General Nandlall made an application to permit the Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh to withdraw from the Consolidated Fund, the sums of money originally budgeted for.

The court had given the opposition three weeks to prepare submissions on why the interim order applied for should not be granted to the government.

These arguments were presented in chambers.

The arguments were based on constitutional structure of the Guyana constitution and the doctrine of the separation of powers of the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary.

Nandlall put forward that each must have functional autonomy in the discharge of

their respective functions and the wherewithal to do so.

This would include the necessary finances to discharge those functions.

The argument also included the contention that the National Assembly rejected the Finance Minister’s estimates, and presented and passed its own estimates. The AG contended that the presentation of estimates to the Assembly is a function that resides exclusively with the executive, which the Assembly has the power to scrutinise, approve or disapprove, but not the power to reduce.

The Minister stated that the actions of the National Assembly have taken away that ability from the Executive, several other constitutional creations, and several other important executive creations, and bodies that were created by executive decisions.

From page 6 After the conductor’s information the jury only requested to know if the witness had read the statement he gave to the police before he signed it.

The man when asked by the court said he could read a little but he said he was frustrated by the whole matter and when the police took the statement at his home he did not read the document.

The conductor was then excused.

A taxi driver, (name given) who was at the time of the incident working in the interior was next in the witness box. The taxi driver told the court that on January 5, 2011 he returned to Georgetown from the interior about 8:00 the morning.

He said he had gone to town to check on a stall he owned located at the Mocha bus park, so he had parked his car near to the old Cooperative Bank before passing “Bow Wow’s” business place.

The taxi driver said that as he passed the establishment, a friend stopped him and they engaged in conversation. He continued that he and the friend were standing in front of the business place when the owner came over from Demico and ordered everyone to remove from his premises.

The driver said some people moved, some remained and that he was among those who stayed. A man, the driver said, began to sweep the front of the stall and as he did so, water

started to wet him so he along with his friend moved away from the stall.

Not too long after, the taxi driver said he heard an explosion and two pellets struck him in the left arm. The driver said he was taken to the Public Hospital by firemen and he received medical attention.

The taxi driver further said that he saw the man who was killed in the explosion while at the hospital. He said that the man was lying on a bed next to him with no eyes or nose and stuff sticking out of his face.

The jury wanted to know from the driver how he could have identified the man next to him as the same man who was sweeping the business place if he didn’t know who

he was. The witness replied that the doctors and others around were saying that he was the man blown up at the market.

After two more questions, one from the jury and one from the court, the witness was allowed to leave the witness box. The matter will be called again on July 27.

In early January last year, a hand grenade exploded in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market resulting in one death and several injuries. It is unsure how the grenade ended up at the location. It is however alleged that the deceased had the explosive in his hand when it went off.

It is still to be determined how the man reportedly obtained the destructive item.

Conductor, taxi driver testify in...

The missing mother she headed home. “From then to now, no one know where she is.”

“Althea your baby misses you and she needs her mother. From the day you have gone, our baby is grieving. Please return home.”

A missing person’s report has been made at the Grove Police Station. Anyone with information about the teen’s whereabouts is being asked to contact DeSouza on 6639987 or the nearest police station.

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Court orders one year probation after mother and daughter brawl

13 Chinese found working illegally at Imbaimadai

A mother and her 17-yearold daughter were yesterday placed on probation for one year when they faced Magistrate Hazel OctiveHamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for fighting with each other.

The woman, Jaclyn Christian, and her daughter, Anna-Stacie Christian, each faced charges of assault while the daughter was slapped with an additional charge of threatening language.

The court read that on the day in question the daughter used threatening language against her mother and assaulted her while they were at their North Ruimveldt home.

The mother was subsequently told that on the same day, at the same location, she assaulted her daughter. Both persons pleaded guilty to the charges.

Court prosecutor Simone Payne read that on the day in question the mother gave the 17-year-old $100 to go get some money from her aunt and take to the mother ’s workplace.

About 17:50 hours the prosecutor said, the mother who works as a security guard went home and asked the daughter why she had not collected the money from the aunt. The child, with an attitude, told the mother that she was sleeping.

The daughter was then going to give the mother the money she had received to go to the aunt when she hit the mother with the money in her face. The mother then told the child that her “eyes passed her” and she hit the child in return. The prosecutor said a scuffle ensued and the daughter afterward, threatened to poison the mother if she asked

her to cook again. It was the mother, the prosecutor continued, who went to the North Ruimveldt Police Station and made the report.

The daughter was then arrested and she in turn, made allegations against the mother.

When given a chance to speak, the mother told the court that on the day in question; her daughter told her that she needed something for a club that she had joined. The mother said she gave the child $100 to go to the aunt to collect some money and she was supposed to bring the money to her workplace where she would have given the child funds to buy what she needed.

The mother said that hours passed and the child never came. She said she even called the neighbours to make contact with the child but that never manifested. The woman said she went home the same evening and the child was not in the house but was over at the neighbour.

She continued that she then had one of the other children call the girl home, but when the 17-year-old came into the house, she had an attitude.

The mother said she asked the girl why she did not go for the money and in a loud and rude tone the child replied, “I was sleeping”. The mother said she then asked the girl to return the money she had given her to go to the aunt and the child took out the money and shoved it in her face causing the hundred dollar bill to hit her.

The mother said she told her daughter that she was rude and that her eyes passed her before giving the girl a lash. That she said resulted

in her 17-year-old daughter giving her one cuff to the temple which caused her to fall into a chair. The mother said the daughter then came over her and started to cuff her about the body. She said the child then drew for a bottle in an attempt to lash her with it.

The mother said she held on to the girl’s hair and managed to take away the bottle and put it down. She said the child still did not stop there because she tore down her working uniform and started to pull her outside of the house. While out there, the mother said her daughter drew for another bottle and she drew for a stick before the neighbours intervened.

The child was then chased out the yard by the neighbours and the mother made a report to the police station.

The court asked the child about her attitude towards her mother and although the mother said it was not the girl’s usual attitude; the child admitted that she would usually be rude to her mom.

The court placed interest in the mother taking charge of her home and asked whether she could control her daughter.

The court then saw it fit to have a probation officer intervene into the domestic matter. The mother and daughter were then placed on one year probation where they are expected to attend programmes and counseling sessions.

In the court, the daughter was told that her attitude towards her mother was very wrong. She was advised to make up with her guardian.

The mother and daughter hugged, and the child apologized to her mother.

Govt. crippled Unamco five...

From page 11 matter was in hand.

Normally it should take no more than three months to review and decide on a forest lease renewal but in Unamco’s case it took close to 42 months from the time the application for renewal was submitted to the Guyana Forestry Commission in August 2006.

During discussions with the Minister he let it be known that were he to agree to a lease extension it would be for a reduced forest area and not all the 237,000 acres covered by the original lease. At the time he stated that he wanted to allocate some of the Unamco forest to Region Te n forest associations.

He seemed to have little working knowledge of the timber business and zero experience so he was advised

of the financial realities of logging forest as remote as Unamco forest. He was told that the small R10 forest associations lacked the equipment and financial resources to even maintain the 40-mile access road with its 18 bridges and culverts not to mention over 30 miles of internal forest roads and bridges Unamco had carefully built over a five-year period.

Minister Persaud was even advised by Unamco that the R10 loggers would need significant and continuous government assistance to maintain the forest infrastructure and to eventually engage in valueadded production for export.

However, despite Unamco’s advice Government made no investment in maintaining, upgrading the Unamco road network with its many bridges and culverts.

It is not too late for Government to intervene on behalf of the hapless R10 logging associations but it will now be a more costly exercise.

After close to 42 months and by the time the Minister offered his five-year conditional lease renewal, the Malaysian investors had completely lost interest in Guyana.

Unamco’s sawmill which was operational until the forest lease expired is still at Jeep Landing, Kwakwani and can be purchased by Government for the R10 logging community as can the company’s US$30 Million Japanese plywood factory which was imported from Japan but never assembled.

Unamco was owned by Malaysians Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Dato Kanagalingam and Guyanese Hamley Case.

Government said that 13 Chinese working illegally at Imbaimadai, Region Seven, at a gold mining operation, have been ordered to return to the city to secure their documents.

Questions about the Chinese presence in the area were raised by residents recently during a media visit organized by Guyana Women Miners Organization earlier this week.

- GGMC insists mining operation legal operations in Imbaimadai under unclear circumstances.

GGMC said that it is disturbed at the comments and insisted that the area was allocated by auction to a Ramzan Ali. Some four mining permits were issued to Ali in August 2010.

GGMC claimed that all the equipment in the area are

According to GGMC, 50 blocks were issued in May, 2011, to miners at Imbaimadai when they protested saying that they knew that they were working at a “Closed Area”.

“Further, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission is in the final stages of organizing a lottery for Imbaimadai based on

The mining camp at Imbaimadai, Region 7, in which the Chinese were working.

According to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), yesterday, seven Chinese working on the operations had work permits and were attached to a company called Anjiya Mine Inc. In a report Tuesday in the Kaieteur News, it was stated that residents were of the opinion that the Chinese were taking over gold mining

registered to Ali. These include a wash plant, a Cat 320 Excavator and a 4' dredge which were all procured from China.

The “skilled” Chinese persons were there to operate the equipment in the operations.

“There is no Chinese take-over, since the Chinese are merely employees of the property holder.”

several requests from residents for additional lands for the purpose mining.”

GGMC insisted that there is no such “Chinese takeover” and that it will continue to engage all towards the sustainable exploitation of the country’s mineral and other natural resources through transparency and equal opportunities.

India’s film superstar, Rajesh Khanna, passes away at 69 He breathed his last in the presence of his ex-wife Dimple Kapadia, daughters Rinkie and Twinkle, son-inlaw Akshay Kumar, grand children and close relatives.

From the dizzying heights of fame to quiet shadows behind the arclights, Rajesh Khanna’s life had a theatrical sweep, almost like one of his films.

In an era long before this age of instant connect of mobile phones and internet, Rajesh Khanna was the man who sparked a frenzy never seen before and never since, not even by the likes of Amitabh Bachchan.

His very name spelt magic in the 1970s. He sparked hysteria, particularly amongst his legions of women fans, who would line the road for a glimpse, chant his name, cover his car with lipstick marks and even write him letters in blood. They got married to his photograph, cut their finger, let the blood flow and applied ‘sindoor’.

Truly, “O mere di ke chain”!

Kaka, as he was popularly known, was one of the highest paid actors of his time, his record of consecutive solo super hits still unbroken.

Who can forget the years between 1970-1979 when he starred in mega hits like “Safar”, “Kati Patang”, “Sachaa Jhutha”, “Aan Milo Sajna”, “Anand”, “Amar Prem” and “Mere Jeevan Saathi”. Ever the urbane, suave romantic who wooed like few others.

Glory and fame galore came his way with the two 1969 films “Aradhana” and “Do Raaste” where he teamed up with two of his best co-stars, Sharmila Tagore and Mumtaz, respectively. Both the films were super hits. Hindi film’s first superstar was born.

Between “Aradhana” in 1969 and “Prem Kahani” in 1975, Rajesh enjoyed god-like status.

It was all about charisma a certain something that went

beyond the art of acting. He had that unique way of delivering a dialogue, of crinkling his eyes and that interesting head tilt that were all his own - and designed to get fans swooning.

Describing the charm of Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh once said: “I got famous purely because I was working with Rajesh Khanna in ‘Anand’. People asked me questions like, ‘How is he to look at? What does he do?’”

The mega story had a small beginning in Amritsar. Born Jatin Arora on Dec 29, 1942, he was adopted and raised by foster parents. He went from being Jatin to Rajesh, thanks to his uncle who changed his name, when he decided to join films.

In 1965, the journey to filmdom started after he won the All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare. He made his debut with “Aakhri Khat” in 1966.

It was a fairly easy road to superstardom after that.

Thursday July 19, 2012

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Kaieteur News

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Live in/live out babysitter/ domestic. Call: 225-0188, 225-6070

1 Baby sitter to work in the interior Call:697-1513

EDUCATIONAL Princeton College Summer Classes,Primary/Secondary School,Students Age 618,CXC Adults Classes,Affordable Fees Call:690-5008,611-3793

PROPERTY FOR SALE 1-3 bedroom house,going business spot (newly renovate), Bloomfield Public Road,Berbice Call: 690-6520, 642-0110 Charlestown $ 12M,East Bank $12M, Albertown $30M, Section K $28M call Diana 227-2256, 626-9382 Property for sale at South Ruimveldt, Lamaha Spring Call:695-6090

Learn French from your car Call:673-1232 Learn Spanish Easy Call:6731232 Imperial College-Jan / June CXC 2013. Full time/Lessons /Adults classes. Payment packages & discounts available. Call: 683-5742, 2277627 DRESS MAKING 6 weeks course in designing and sewing Call Sharmie 2252598, 641-0784

American pool table 2770578

One experienced girl to work in Pawn Shop (Upstairs City Jewellers) Robb & Hink Street Call:686-3813,2320493 Experience roti/puri cooks, pastry makers, curry cooks, counter servers & cleaners.

Apply Hacks’s Halaal 5 Commerce Street.

Security/Watchman, call 225-6070,225-0188 Refrigeration A/C ,washer technician,231-0655,6838734 One industrial electrician, one electrical rewinder: 6925175, 263-5488 One experienced fitter/ machinist please call 6246391,222-2475 Excavator operators, mechanics & service men to work in the interior. Contact 226-9768, 629-0037

WANTED One Truck driver; $3,500 per day, call: 622-7933 Clerk – 22-years-old must be computer literate, attractive salary, call: 622-7933 Lorry drivers to work labourlorry at Enmore and L.B.I Estate. Call: 628-1756, 228-5655 East Coast GUYOIL (day & night) pump attendants, sales girls, Managers, house keepers, Office assistants call: 684-2838, 647-9313 Sales girl –Apply with written application , Rite Price, stall 13 Bourda Market Tel:2235324 Responsible hire car drivers call:231-7475 Domestic & Nanny, call: 6777123. Between: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Looking for bartender, cooks, sales representative, security/drivers, register now IKS Services Recruitment Company call:223-1719

John Dickinson Exercise Books (Large Quantity) wholesale only Call:6191105,622-3766 IBM Thinkpad laptops.

Brand new $75,000 Call: 6812111 1-DOOSAN EXCAVATOR, 1-290 DAYOU EXCAVATOR, IN E X C E L L E N T CONDITION, CAN BE INSPECTED AT ITABALLI CONTACT:223-5273-4.

1-50 Gallon, electric water heater (brand new) Call: 647-1773 Dell computers complete with 17 & 19 inch LCD from $50,000 Future Tech 231-2206 1 Bobcat & trailor Call:6460101 MF Tractors 390+265+265 FT End LDR Call: 2763855,613-1129 Hague W.C.D Dewalt Pressure Washer 4200 PSI Call:266-1784

Brandnew American made Crosely 10.5 cu ft Refridgerator for sale $75,000.697-5677

Taxi Drivers Call:2253234,614-8022

Live in domestic,must know to cook, salary $50,000 monthly, boarding & lodging free Call: 610-5043

Anchorseal Call:BR&T Paint Store 265-3541,695-4785 Champion pure breed rottweilers pups, parents imported, grandparents are International Champions from dog show Arena Call: 685-2584

One 15 Hp Yamaha long foot Call: 689-5254 or 643-0332

FOR SALE/RENT

One live in maid and live out Call:668-3985,253-3149,2643355-56

FOR SALE One Hilux Vigo (2011) New Call:231-5171,619-7134

TO LET Furnished executive two bedroom suite in Diamond.

Ideal for foreigners. Call:6092466 Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles. Call:6797139

Page 23

SERVICES Permanent &Visitors Visa Applications Professional Immigration Consultant Sabita - Room E-4 Maraj Building 225-6496/ 223-8115/662-6045.

We refill HP cartridges for $1800 Call: 650-7699 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call:2310655,683-8734 Omar Repairs, sales & spares, air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves.

Ultra Cool:225-9032, 647-2943 Repairs to gas stoves, blenders, washing machines, electric stoves Call:686-6209 HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000 CALL:694-9843

Toyota Mark 2 PJJ Series Call Owner 644-6608

DATING SERVICE Immediate link-Single 18-80 yrs. Confidential: Tel: 2238237,648-6098. 8:30am5:00pm Mon-Sun (Both phones same hours) NO TEXTING

FOR SALE Live meat birds Call:650-4421

40x30 space in Georgetown call:613-0448

1 Crown Amp Macro Tech 5000 2VZ,1 RMX QSC 1450 Call: 614-1398

CAR RENTAL Progressive auto rental, cars from $4,000 per day. Call: 6435122, 656-0087, www.progressiveautorental.com Premio,110Corolla.Call:679-7139

Kia sportage 2002 cow milage $2M, Call Gary :2750028 Foreign use engines 55-332 Cummings, 6 Bt call Anil:615-3023

Nissan Wingroad Wagon,Toyota Runx 6122522, 645-5893 Must be sold, 170 Toyota Carona PGG series, call:2160757 1-F-150 Year (2002), Six cylinder engine (milage 36000), fully loaded, excellent condition. Call: 690-6520, 642-0110 Just arrived: Allion and Premio, tel: 624-2000, 6221610

V8 Titan 2005 4 wheel drive automatic $3.5M Call Gary :275-0028

Spares for washer, microwaves, fridges, stovetimers, gear boxes, pumps , etc. contact 225-9032, 6472943

1 Toyota Spacio PNN Series Call: 662-5036,685-7264

Saudia key cutting & lock repair. Mon Repos market E.C.D, call: 627-9153, 6765213

16.5 cubic feet Fridgedaire refridgerator $165,000 negotiable perfect condition Call:685-5004

Soman & Sons Driving School,First Federation Building Call:225-4858,6445166,622-2872,615-0964

1 Toyota Pick up V6. Call: 642-4779

1 Spacio (Unregistered) new model,fully loaded $2.5M,1 Premio (Dark Grey) Unregistered $3M Call:6210956, 641-0795

Diamond $80,000,Albertown US$750,Campbellville US$1250,Nandy Park US$1800 call Diana,2272256,626-9382

LEARN TO DRIVE

Unregistered 2005 Raum $2,400,000,1999 Raum $1,950,000,2005 Tacoma Isuzu Truck $2,400,000 solid Deff pickup Call:227-1737

PLUMB RIGHT..!! Get your domestic plumbing installations and repairs done without hassle Call: 668-2319

Earth delivery to spot also bobcat & excavator rentals 626-7127

One ice-cream dispenser, price $200,000 negotiable Call: 673-1232

Toyota Hilux pick-up, solid DEF, 4X4 long base, diesel, excellent condition Call: 6230243

Unregistered Premio, Allion, Allex, AT 212, Spacio Call: 609-8188,638-3045

Custom printed paper cups Call:231-8819,613-5645

Toyota Starlet EP71 Call: 624-7155

1 Enclosed canter,$1,050,000 negotiable,diesel engine 2 ton,good working condition Call:223-1599,641-5720

Done to any kind satellite dishes,Amazonous FTA Boxes, CW800S, AZEVOL receivers call:609-7363, 6837167

1-10 RB Dragline, 1-240 Massay Ferguson Tractor Call:687-6174 New 5 Speed Drill Press,4 ton portable puller kit, energy saver bulbs. Call: 641-1127

VEHICLES FOR SALE 2007 Toyota Ractis $2.7M,2004 Mazda RX8 $2.8M,Never Registered Call:617-2891

Large bobcat skid steer 3000 lbs capacity $3.8M Call Gary 275-0028 Cement Mixer ,just imported, one small Canadian made electrical cement mixer, price US$900, call John:225-2455

1-AT 170 Toyota Corona (full light) automatic, fully powered, CD, mags, alarm.

Price $750,000 Call Rocky 621-5902 1-Toyota RZ Longbase (EFI) hardly used, manual, immaculate condition, price $1.7M (Neg.) Call Rocky 621-5902 , 225-1400 Unregistered Spacio $2.4M,Fielder $2.3M,Cami $2.3M Call:641-1127

192 for sale 900 neg,call: 6687436

Two unregistered vehicles 4x4 2005 Nissan Titan $3.5M, 2006 Toyota Tacoma V6 VTI $3.9M Call:662- 1396, 678-0573

Honda gas tank along with starting cord assemble, call: 627-7835

Toyota Corolla EA 110 1998 good condition, $1 million, call: Nir 610-4977

Ducklings ( French & Peeking ), call:658-0497

Toyota Premio and IST, low mileage, never registered.

Call:269-0432, 686-0323

Honda pressure washers, call:614-8564 Games for PS2 $900, PSP $ 900, PS3 $2600, Xbox 360 $ 2600, call:672-2566, 265-3231

Toyota Sequoia in good condition. Call:Kampta 305969-5475 (Continued on page 20)

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 19, 2012

Absenting teachers hindered quality NGSA results - Region Six officials No Berbician placed among the top performers at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) causing people to seek answers for what is seen as the region’s poor performance in these exams. During a press conference recently, Region Six Chairman David Armogan and Regional Education Officer, Shafiran Bhajan, said that while it is difficult to pin point a singular reason for this, they however said that the teachers and “more so” the parents are to be blamed.

Parents, the officials said, are not paying enough attention to their children’s education.

Poor-performing schools, Armogan said, are being put under the microscope of the Department of Education.

“We are going to increase supervision of these schools; we will be paying more attention to low- achieving schools to bring them in line

with what they used to do before”. Many schools, particularly a few primary schools in Berbice, have dropped back in terms of performances. One such school is the Fort Ordnance School in Sheet Anchor, which performed exceedingly well several years ago, but this is not the case today.

He noted that there are some schools that do not warrant many checks “because they can work on their own, develop systems on their own and perform on their own”.

The school system, Armogan revealed, has its own problems. “Teachers might not be performing at the level required”. Even though the government has been trying to offer remedial classes during the holiday period, students are not coming to take these classes, “which means that it’s a

Region Six top performers with the Region 6 Education Officer and Chairman question of interest of parents and students too; everybody has to share the blame”.

Armogan said that they have to go back to the drawing board and get the Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) more involved and to work “to make sure they know what is happening to their children”.

Many of the schools, the officials said, are not completing the syllabuses on

time, “and they are not paying enough attention to the students who are writing these exams”, said Armogan.

“If some schools can do well, I do not see why the others can’t do well. I think it is a question of full commitment of teachers and the children and more so the parents”.

Bhajan said that classroom work has been heavily affected by teacherabsence, whether on specified leave or to attend classes at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UBGC).

While it is good that teachers are furthering their studies at UGBC and becoming better qualified, “for the past decade, we would have had between 70 and 80 teachers per year attending university for 45 per cent of the instructional time, sometimes for two days per

week”.

This, she said, would impact on the curriculum, “because even though another teacher may try (to fill that absent teacher’s gap) or another teacher...you would find gaps”. This situation may have impacted this year’s poor NGSA results.

“We have had more trained teachers and we see quality; equity in the system, so it has its plus and negative”.

It was later revealed that the teacher-absenteeism was mostly affecting the primary school system. Secondary teachers are only released to attend UGBC, when they don’t have to teach classes in their schools, so there is minimal loss there.

In the primary school system, there is one teacher for the entire class, whereas in the secondary schools,

there are different teachers.

Students, she said, would attend school and find teachers are not there. “ While she could not deny that these kinds of absences were not unauthorized absences, “they are there”.

It is a major concern, she said. She noted that the CPCE teachers’ exams, this year, took place during the same time as the schools’ annual promotional exams. This was a critical time for teachers to be in school to administer the exams, mark and record the marks, “so these activities were highly compromised” due to the teachers having to go write their CPCE exams.

The officials also stated that the Education Department in New Amsterdam is not authorized to give transfers to students who have just received their NGSA results.

The Department of Education has been “flooded” with parents seeking transfers, but Armogan made it clear that “we are not authorized to transfer students with low marks to schools with higher marks”.

Lateral transfers can be done, but only the Minister of Education can perform other kinds of transfers and she, too, has pronounced that she will not do those types of transfers, “so students will have to take up their positions, whichever schools they are allocated”.

“If you have low marks and want to go to a highachieving school, you should have done better to go there,” Armogan stated.

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 25

Remigrants contemplate leaving Guyana Two on trial for Berbice fireman’s murder after $3M flood losses in chicken farm More than a week after flood waters destroyed over 6,000 chickens at the Number 57 Village farm, re-migrants Bibi Hussain and her husband, Rasheed, say they are being given the ‘royal runaround’ and empty promises by the relevant authorities with regards to compensation of some sort.

They are contemplating whether to remain in Guyana or leave.

Efforts to contact Livestock Officer, Garfield Maharally, proved futile.

Another Livestock Officer, Dharmendranauth Ramnauth, said that he could not speak to a reporter and could be disciplined for doing so.

Several areas along the Upper Corentyne area were under water last Sunday, with Numbers 51-62 Villages being the hardest hit areas.

Residents found the flooding strange, since heavier rains had pounded the area before but no such flooding was experienced.

Sources have said that the areas under water could have been as a result of negligence on the part of the local authority, since the sluice was opened too late.

Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Abdool Ghannie, while denying the claim, did say that the sluice was opened “half an hour late” but could not have caused all that flooding. He added that he was informed that a “tornado” had passed through the Corentyne River and had swept up the water in the affected areas.

Residents say that he is talking “garbage”.

The Hussains have estimated a loss of over $3M. Mrs. Hussain was feverishly trying to raise awareness of the matter during all of last week but was only getting promises. She said that she spoke with Garfield Maharally, a Livestock Officer, who promised to visit the farm “and to overlook what happened”.

She was informed by one

The Hussains standing in front of their inundated chicken farm two Sundays ago of the workers on her farm that an individual did visit the farm and measured the pens and took photos. “While he (Garfield) was with me on the phone, another guy, Ramnauth, said that he was in charge of Garfield and that he was going to write up a letter for me to take to the Ministry of Agriculture”.

The woman said that the individuals did give her their cell phone numbers should she need further advice and information. “I never get back to them; and there was no response”.

She said that she spoke with former Region Six Chairman, Zulfikar Mustapha, and explained the problem. “He told me to get a letter from the NDC Chairman Ghannie and when I called Ghannie, he told me that when he went to my farm, he saw no dead chickens”.

Hussain said that she explained to him that she had to clean up the dead chickens or they would have created a health hazard. She said that Ghannie was unreasonable if he expected to turn up at the farm days after the flooding and see the dead chickens.

“He said I am giving him a hard time but I told him, “no” and he said he cannot give me a letter to take to the Agriculture Ministry because he did not see any dead chicken”.

Mrs Hussain is convinced she is being fooled. “So far, I don’t think they want to help with anything. I don’t know who is this Ramnauth; I don’t know where he lives...but Garfield told me he lives somewhere on the Corentyne, but he [Ramnauth] said he is the one who is in charge of Garfield...I never met them just talked to them on the phone”.

The woman said that she is not leaving the matter hanging. “I am going to go out for them because it can’t happen like that...it’s not our fault— rain fell heavier than that, which everybody knows— there is a blockage somewhere, either coming from the sluice and we heard

the Number 52 and 65 kokers were closed...So why didn’t they go and do their work — open the sluice on time?”

“There is something fishy out there because it’s either they didn’t do the right work and they are trying to blame it on the rain, but no matter how hard that rain fall, there is never, ever a flooding at the back there”, she argued.

Mrs Hussain believes their efforts will in the end be futile, from what she has heard from other farmers and their experiences. Farmers end up getting back nothing from the government.

The Hussains said that since the flooding, they have not been able to restart operations since the ground in the pen is still soggy and messy “you can’t even get in the pen”.

“I don’t feel like staying in Guyana anymore, because it’s like, you are right and you are wrong, too.”

The Preliminary Inquiry into the murder of fireman, Delon Collins, 22, of Lot 84 Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam, has begun in the Whim Magistrate court in Berbice, before Magistrate Fabio Azore.

On trial for murder are Sohan Busgith, 23, of Limlair Village, Corentyne, and Hallman Hunte, of Alness, Corentyne, Berbice. They are accused of murdering Collins on Saturday December 24, last. The case for the prosecution is that on the day in question about 23:15 hours Collins and his fiancée, Probation and Welfare Officer Nadine Crawford, 32, and her three children had just returned from a Christmas Eve shopping spree in Rose Hall Town.

Collins was driving the woman’s car, PMM 6332, at the time. They had just entered the woman’s yard at Alness, Corentyne, Berbice, when they were confronted by four armed men. The men

reportedly opened fire at close range hitting Collins in his chest before escaping with a quantity of jewelry and $62,000. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Port Mourant Hospital.

The police had issued a wanted bulletin for Busgith who was later captured in Suriname.

Hunte, who says he is a cattle farmer, was also injured when he was allegedly shot on Christmas morning. The man had told the media that he was shot by three men who were dressed in “black clothing”.

He was subsequently hospitalized at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Hunte was arrested some time after and taken to the police station where an ID parade was held and he was picked out.

Hunte is being represented by attorney -at-law, Ramesh Rajkumar. When the trial commenced on Wednesday, Crawford took the stand and gave her evidence in chief. The case will continue on August 6.

RDC driver held after accident with pedal cyclist A driver assigned to the Region Two Administration is in police custody, after he hit a pedal cyclist Tuesday night.

According to reports, the driver, Nankishore, was said to be under the influence of alcohol when he hit the pedal cyclist and drove away without failing to render assistance to the man.

The matter was reported to the Anna Regina Police Station and traffic officers

subsequently launched an investigation, which led to Nankishore’s apprehension.

Meanwhile, Kowshal Narine, a/k “Piggy”, of Hampton Court was remanded to prison, by Magistrate Leron Daly, after he allegedly damaged another driver’s car, on Sunday at Hampton Court.

Narine was charged with disorderly behaviour and damage to property.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 19, 2012

Relatives of Guyanese students Police to stake out bars studying in Cuba worry about safety to capture drunk drivers

Relatives of Guyanese students studying in Cuba are now getting worried about their safety since the outbreak of Cholera in the communist island. What is more worrying however is that the relatives are not sure when the students will be brought home, especially those who have completed their five-year tenure and are due to return home for the oneyear internship.

The students, most of them in their final year have completed the theoretical part of their study and want to return home, either for their much sought after holiday or to do their final year (Internship) as is customary at home.

But they seem to have been abandoned by the Guyana Government.

They have been languishing in Cuba since the term ended almost one month ago. Efforts by their relatives in Guyana have been met with the usual red tape and royal run around.

In 2006 the batch of medical students and their parents attended an orientation ceremony on the Lawns of State House where they were addressed by former President Bharrat Jagdeo with respect to the plans that he had for them upon their return.

Now the students and their parents are saying that almost six years later they are beginning to question if they must take the former President’s word with a pinch of salt and are wondering what happened to all the

rosy plans. They say that students are unable to collect their passports to travel home for vacation from their respective faculties.

According to the relatives, the students told them that Faculty officials say that the embassy has instructed them not to give out any passports. “When they contacted the embassy they were told that they have to wait on a decision from Guyana as to whether they will be doing their final year in Cuba or in Guyana” said one parent. However, it has been the practice in most cases that students do their final year in Guyana.

The term ended on June 30, last, and most of the students from the other countries have returned home. It is understood that there is not enough space to rotate 300 students and some students will go while others will have to stay in Cuba. The relatives say that if that is true, then their loved ones will end up losing on their holiday since intern year begins on August 20.

The parents, who are anxious to be reunited with their relatives, contacted the Public Service Ministry in Guyana regarding the issue. However, they were met with pessimism and were told that the students should contact the students’ affairs officer in Cuba, Dr. Leslyn Campbell.

When contacted Dr Campbell’s response was that she is awaiting word from Guyana.

Drug bust getaway driver nabbed Dexter Pires, the man who was said to be at the wheel of the getaway car which was detained on Monday November 14, 2011, and in which 10.1 kilos of Cocaine was found, has been nabbed and is on trial.

Pires, 39, of Tucville, Georgetown was said to be the driver of motor car PMM

9535 which was allegedly heading to Suriname. He reportedly tried to get away from the cops at Moleson Creek, Upper Corentyne, but subsequently crashed at Line Path, Corentyne.

On November 14, about 10:30hrs, ranks on patrol allegedly stopped the vehicle with Pires, the only occupant at the time. He however drove away. The police pursued the vehicle which crashed at Line Path, Skeldon. Pires then escaped. The motor car was taken to the Springlands Police Station where a search of the vehicle unearthed a total of 10.1 kilograms of cocaine concealed beneath the front fender and the back bumper of the car.

Pires was nabbed after investigators got word of his

location and conducted a sting operation at a location on the East Coast. The man, when arrested, had tried to conceal his identity. He had grown long hair and was wearing a beard. At the time of his arrest he also denied that he was Dexter Pires.

He is on trial at the Springlands Magistrate court, before Magistrate Krisendat Persaud. He is being represented by Attorney at law Glen Hanoman.

Two men, Tito Sancho, 28, and Winston Wade, 29, both of New Amsterdam, Berbice, were recently freed in connection with the same matter. They were charged with being in Possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Motorists who are bent on driving after consuming alcohol, had better start thinking twice as the Guyana Police Force plans to stake out night spots and bars with the intention of cracking down on drunk driving.

The warning was announced by Commissioner of Police (Acting) while addressing ranks at the Force’s Anniversary Awards Ceremony yesterday at the Tactical Services Unit Drill Square.

Although the Commissioner acknowledged that the road fatality figure so far for this year is way below that for the corresponding period last year, he referred to several factors which continue to contribute to deaths on the roads.

One of these factors is drunk driving.

So far the road fatality figure stands at 43 compared with 62 deaths last year.

“I am hoping that there will be a time that at this time of the year we will have no fatal accidents, no deaths,” Brumell said.

To achieve this, the Acting Commissioner said, members of the public will have to work along with the Police Traffic Department, since many of the persons who have died on the roads, contributed to their own demise by either drunk driving, speeding or other careless behaviour, such as using their cellular phones while driving.

Brumell said that the return to staking out bars will be nothing new to the police.

The acting commissioner told the gathering that included other senior officers and special invitees, that the initial move had angered the public so much so that even the business community cried out for police

- over 1300 ranks receive monetary rewards for the Force’s anniversary

Businessman Cobeer Persaud presents a monetary award to a police rank for outstanding work that led to the neutralizing of a well known criminal. harassment.

“But I think that we will have to start going back to that…We should target some of those major spots and put the police to work there, so as soon as the persons finish imbibing and they come out, we just stop them and test them. Let’s do it,” the Acting Commissioner said.

The initiative is expected to be put into operation immediately.

“If we do it, I’m sure this weekend we will not have any deaths; believe me,” Brumell assured.

Ironically, the announcement came on the anniversary of the deaths of five persons who were killed when a speeding minibus crashed on Homestretch Avenue.

The Acting Commissioner’s comments appear to have gone down well with most of the persons who were gathered to see several ranks and civilians

rewarded for their outstanding contribution to law enforcement for the past six months.

In all, 1317 ranks were monetarily rewarded, while 61 community policing and 67 individual certificates were presented.

Businessman Cobeer Persaud (Anand) made a personal donation to two ranks who were instrumental in the detention and shooting of a well known criminal suspect through the city.

Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner urged his ranks to be prepared for criticism, which he said is nothing new to the 173-yearold Guyana Police Force.

And to this end he took up a challenge to go on private television to defend the policies of the organisation.

“I’ve written to Mr. Sharma to tell him that a police team will be on his programme next week to deal with any issues that persons want to come with, and whatever he wants to come with, we’ll deal with it,” the Acting Commissioner of police emphasized.

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Britain may call in more...

From page 22 from serving in Afghanistan where Cameron was on a visit on Wednesday - to take the armed forces contribution to 17,000 personnel.

“Let’s be clear, if G4S don’t fulfill their contract we will go after them for the money to make sure that they help pay for the military personnel that have been brought in,” Cameron said.

HORSES, COWS, GOATS AND CHICKENS The latest victim of London’s roads and rail network was the Olympic opening ceremony which has been trimmed to avoid a possible late-night stampede for trains and buses home, officials and media reports said.

A daredevil stunt bike

performance was cancelled following rehearsals, with some reports suggesting the event was removed over fears that security checkpoints would be unable to cope with a rush of more than 60,000 spectators.

Due to be watched by a global television audience of a billion people, the July 27 extravaganza will attempt to recreate scenes from Britain’s idyllic countryside and includes a cast of 10,000 performers, 12 horses, three cows, two goats and 10 chickens.

“We need to make sure the show comes in on time, to make sure spectators can get home on public transport,” a spokesman for London 2012 said.

But officials at the

stadium itself denied any link to security and transport fears.

“This is like any other piece of film that you would make,” said Jackie BrockDoyle, director of communications for Games organizers LOCOG. [nL4E8II3GJ] “Things end up on the cutting room floor. Also, a huge amount of the rehearsals have been done in the pouring rain so it is a matter of tightening. It’s not cutting big chunks.

Britain is keen to soothe security fears in a city where suicide bombers killed 52 people in bombings on the public transport system the day after London was awarded the Games, in July 2005.

Thursday July 19, 2012 ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Focus your efforts on details, and keep to yourself in order to finish your work. Do not blow situations out of proportion. You will find it easy finalizing personal papers if you make an effort.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) You'll only hurt your lover if you don't. Your changing philosophies may lead you into new circles and open doors that will give you a unique outlook on life. Your emotional partner will push the right buttons today.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Escapist tendencies may lead to overindulgence. You should regain some of your self esteem if you get involved in organizational functions. Children will keep you busy.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) This will not be the day to have minor surgery. Travel for business or pleasure. Put your energy into learning new skills or picking up valuable information.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Your best efforts will come through investments concerning your home. There's lots to be done and if you meet your deadline you'll be in your boss's good books. Opportunities to travel will develop through peers.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) You may find yourself in a predicament with family members.

Focus your efforts on your work. You don't want to give anyone fuel for the fire.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You should get out and enjoy social events where you are likely to meet new potential mates; however, don't over spend.

You should be setting up interviews or sending out your resume today. Someone you live with is ready to play emotional games.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Discord could be unnerving.

You can make the most headway if you put in some overtime. Resist the temptation to gamble. Risks will not be profitable.

SAGIT (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Moneymaking ventures may just turn your life around. Realize that you don't have to do everything yourself. Make plans to meet again in the near future.

CAPRI (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Do your own thing without drawing attention to it. You will be in the mood for entertainment. Any intimate relationships with colleagues will lead to gossip that could easily affect your position.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) You will tend to overeat today.

Your mate will appreciate your honesty. Don't let your emotional partner upset you today.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Romantic encounters will be full of excitement.

Relationships have not been the best for you lately and it's left you somewhat gun shy.

Try not to lend or borrow money today.

Page 27

Letter to the Sports Editor...

DEAREDITOR, “Why do people go to the extent to cheat to win sporting events?”

Audio English.net Dictionary definition of cheating is stated as: The noun cheating has 1 sense: - A deception for profit to yourself - an act of deceiving.

The adjective cheating has 2 senses - (we will deal with the one that is in keeping with the topic) - Violating accepted standards of rule unsportsmanlike, unsporting, cheating, foul, dirty etc.

In all my years of being associated with football in Guyana (and that is a long time) I have not seen so much of disqualification in a football tournament as was going on in the Digicel School Football Tournament.

Teams play overage player, team play player who has not attended school since last year, team plays player who is working and the list goes on and on.

Mr Editor, and do you know who is the culprit, the TEACHER, the same person who thousands of parents entrust their children for the majority of

their youthful life to charter a future. Can you imagine what transpires in the class room, I shudder to even think of it.

What can motivate a teacher/ coach to go to that extent to violate the rules to win a trophy and some medals? How will the children react when they hear that they play a game win it and then they lose it because of a teacher/coach breaching the rules. One of the issues that are mind boggling is that many of these same children are aware of the rules that are being broken and because Sir condones it they go along with it. Are we guiding these children along the correct path?

A player who turns 20 this year turns up at a ground to play all clad in school pants, school shirt and even haversack, and the competition is U18 and the teacher and the Digicel rep is having a heated discussion with regards to the player eligibility. A Senior High School is disqualified for playing an overaged player and this school should always be the beacon of excellence. Another school is down about 8 nil and

they had protested the winning team had an over-age player in their mist and to crown it off they too put on an over-age player, the end result, both teams disqualified. Mr Editor the list goes on and on.

It is my view that the Ministry of Education should get involve and discipline those teachers who seriously violate the competition rules, Minister Priya Manichand and CEO Olato Sam please take note.

All the world is watching at Guyana to see how we treat these serious infractions, we can’t let this end just like this because others will try in the future.

The organisers should debar the school (what a pity) for the next 2 tournaments, people got to know football (sports) is serious business and cheats must be eliminated. Every time such negative news hits the press, football is being maligned and sponsors hold back their dollars.

Will Rogers once said; “Live your life so that you would not be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.”

Concerned Football Official

Guyana succumb to USA 82-25 From page 20 the quarter.

The remaining two quarters saw the Americans adding a total of 46 goals as Guyana scored 11 more to conclude the game as the losers, 82-25.

Speaking with Coach Lavern Thomas-Fraser on the team after the game, this publication was made to understand that team have to adjust their game in order to come out victorious in the tournament and one key ingredient necessary to do so is retaining ball possession in the game. “They need to work at retaining possession of the ball as much as possible and to do this we need to capitalize on the fact that the umpires are not hurrying their calls in terms of the minutes of time you keep the ball.”

Indicating the challenges the coach added the players

had to be reminded far too often on the adjustment of the game, “We have been accustomed that you must pass the ball in three seconds but somehow the three seconds we play at home is a lot shorter. So we have been finding it a real challenge to make the adjustments.”

She continued, “This could have been seen in the first half of the game where the players were taking their time and by time the second half they kind of fell back into their normal role, so they had to be reminded ever so often that we are trying to work at something different.”

Page 28

Kaieteur News

(From page 15)

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Thursday July 19, 2012

Tour de France: Evans loses Tour crown in the Pyrenees as Voeckler wins stage (Reuters) - Defending champion Cadel Evans bowed to the heat and the four Pyrenean climbs on the 16th stage of the Tour de France to surrender his crown on Wednesday.

“It’s over for the Tour victory,” admitted his BMC team manager Jim Ochowicz at the end of the 197-km ride from Pau, won by Frenchman Thomas Voeckler.

Evans, the first Australian to win the world’s leading cycling race a year ago, lost ground on the final Aspin and Peyresourde climbs to finish nearly 12 minutes behind the day’s winner and nearly five behind Tour leader Bradley Wiggins.

Overall, he now lies seventh, 8:06 behind the Briton, far too wide a gap to bridge before the finish in Paris on Sunday.

Evans started struggling in the first-category Aspin pass, 50 kms from the finish, and was helped by French team mate Amael Moinard while his team director John Lelangue gave American Tejay Van Garderen the goahead to tend to his best young climber’s white jersey.

The Peyresroude pass,

Thomas Voeckler

final podium already looks almost settled.

The Tour leader, helped by second-placed team mate Chris Froome, rode most of the finale with Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali, who launched two timid attacks that the two Britons easily quashed.

“We were comfortable; I don’t think he was really going anywhere,” said Froome, who trails Wiggins by 2:05 overall while Nibali is third, 2:23 adrift.

“Tomorrow is a hilltop finish so I definitely expect some fireworks there,” he

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Fourth overall last year, the Frenchman was not even certain to ride the Tour this year after injuring his knee two weeks before the start in Liege.

He raised his arms in Luchon ahead of two of his former breakaway companions, Denmark’s Chris Anker Sorensen and Spain’s Gorka Izaguirre.

The stage started without Luxembourg’s Frank Schleck, third overall in 2011, who was ruled out of the race by his RadioShack-Nissan team after failing a dope test for a diuretic.

Guyana succumb to USA 82-25

overlooking the spa town of Bagneres de Luchon, was even more painful for the Australian, a shadow of last year’s winner in the scorching heat.

“I don’t think it’s possible to be on the podium anymore.

But there are still two of us in the top 10 and the white jersey to defend,” said Van Garderen, who now sits a spot above his leader in sixth place.

TIMID ATTACKS Even though Wiggins’s rivals still have a 143.5-km mountain stage on Thursday to try to topple the Briton, the

By Juanita Hooper in Trinidad and Tobago Guyana’s National Netballers last evening went down fighting to the United States of America (USA) netball team, this time 82-25 in the American Federation of Netball Association (AFNA) at the Jean Pierre Complex, Port-of-Spain.

Camille Henry of the USA looped in 18 goals for her team, while R. Davis-Francis netted one in the first quarter

wickets at an average of 8.13. Trinidad and Tobago's Bryan Charles also took 8 wickets but came in at number three on the list with an average of 10.88.

Gudakesh Moti-Kanhai (Guyana) and Jamaica's Fabian Allen were 4th and 5th respectively, both having taken 7 wickets apiece.

Jamaica won the inaugural tournament after finishing on 29.5 points well ahead of hosts Trinidad and Tobago who placed second on 23.5 points.

Top Ten Under 17 Batsmen (aggregate runs + average) 1. Keone George (Windward Islands) – 217 – 72.33 2. Tristan Coleman (Jamaica) – 182 – 45.5 3. Taignarine Chanderpaul (Guyana) – 170 – 42.5 4. Brian Christmas (Trinidad & Tobago) – 158 – 39.75 5. Shimron Hetmeyer (Guyana) – 157 – 39.25 6. Lee Germon Gaskin (Barbados) – 144 – 36 7. Gidron Pope (Windward Islands) – 133 – 33.25 8. Jeremy Solozano (Trinidad & Tobago) – 131 – 32.75 9. Saeed Williams (Leeward Islands) – 107 – 26.75 10. Jameel Stuart (Barba-

dos) – 100 – 33.33 Top Ten Under 17 Bowlers (aggregate wickets + average) 1. Jerome Jones (Barbados) – 14 – 10.21 2. Steven Sankar (Guyana) – 8 – 8.13 3. Bryan Charles (Trinidad & Tobago) – 8 – 10.88 4. Gudakesh Moti Kanhai (Guyana) – 7 – 7.57 5. Fabien Allen (Jamaica) – 7 – 9.00 6. Al Small (Trinidad & Tobago) – 7 – 13 .57 7. Kevon Williams (Jamaica) – 7 – 15.57 8. Craig Phillip (Windward Islands) – 7 – 16.42 9. Jesse Bootan (Trinidad & Tobago) – 6 – 12.16 10. Shane Venner (Leeward Islands) – 6 – 20.66 Most Valuable Players Keone George – Windward Islands & Overall Jerome Jones – Barbados Taignarine Chanderpaul – Guyana Fabian Allen – Jamaica Shavon Moore – Leeward Islands Al Small – Trinidad and Tobago Final Points Standing 1. Jamaica 29.5 2. Trinidad & Tobago 23.5 3. Windward Islands 18 4. Barbados 18 5. Guyana 15.5 6. Leeward Islands 4.5

- Coach says retaining ball possession is a weak area for Guyana

George and young Windies...

From back page top five run getters.

Former West Indies opener Stuart Williams' son, Saeed, took the ninth position on the runs chart with 107 runs at an average of 26.75.

West Indies Under-19 fast bowler Jerome Jones led the bowlers with 14 wickets at an average of 10.21. Jones the Barbadian left arm fast bowler departed the Caribbean yesterday with the West Indies Under 19 team for Australia to compete in the ICC Under 19 World Cup which starts on August 11th.

Guyana's Steven Sankar took the number two spot on the bowling chart with 8

added.

The stage laurels went to Voeckler for the second time in this edition.

The Frenchman, winner of the 10th stage, dropped a 38man breakaway group on the four mountains to take over the King of the Mountains jersey.

“Today, I took it climb after climb. It was like riding four races. I’ve been riding in these mountains since I was 19, I know every inch of these climbs,” said Voeckler, who had won one of his three previous Tour stage victories in Bagneres de Luchon.

to take an early 13 points lead against the Guyanese who had 6 points. Angeline McCarthy netted 5 goals out of her 8 attempts, while Simonica Fanfair scored 1 from her 3 attempts (score 196).

The Americans extended the lead by 17 points in the second quarter when Henry

credited her team 17 goals from a 19 shooting attempt.

Guyana’s McCarthy entered 6 goals to the account which was not competitive with the Americans. Fanfair following the footsteps of her team mate, managing to score 2 from her 4 attempts. The score was now 36-14 at the end of Continued on page 19

From page 21 cautioned, this prediction is based only on mathematics.

It does not take into account the emergence of exceptional runners such as Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, who currently holds the record with 9.58sec.

“It’s impossible for anybody to predict the magnitude of the freakiness of athletic talent,” said Noubary. “Bolt, it turns out, is a perfect example as he combines the mechanical advantages of taller men’s bodies with the fast-twitch (muscle) fibres of smaller Men.” Noubary also calculated that the long-jump record of 8.95m held by Mike Powell of the United States for the past 21 years, is likely to be broken only around 2040. Powell’s exploit came nearly 23 years after Bob Beamon’s own 8.90m record buster in the 1968 Mexico City Games.

“Yes, we can predict limits,” added Haake, though these would “probably not” be reached within five or 10 years. “In 50 years we will be very, very close.”

Sometimes what makes the difference is not genes but technology, like the full-body swimsuits that saw an unprecedented 25 records broken in 2008 and 47 in 2009, before they were banned.

Mark Denny, a mathematician from Stanford

University, said in a 2008 report that race speeds in greyhounds and thoroughbreds had not increased in 40 to 60 years despite the availability of top breeding animals and performance-boosting drugs.

There are also those who believe that records will always continue to be broken, if only by the thinnest slivers of hundredths of a second.

“Imagine if it were ever decided to measure in the thousandths,” said Ian Ritchie of Brock University’s department of human kinetics in Canada, adding that predictions of limits are nothing new. Before Britain’s Roger Bannister ran the mile (1.6 kilometres) in under four minutes in 1954, “many assumed that it was a theoretical impossibility” — some apparently predicted a human’s lungs would simply burst.

The current record for a mile is 3:43.13.

If there is an absolute limit to the Men’s 100m sprint, many expect it to lie years away, and observers predict an exciting Olympics for London starting on July 27.

“The top 25 average coming into 2012 is already consistently below 10sec so expect fast performances and extreme rivalry,” said Haake, just weeks after Bolt was beaten in a 100m trial by his training partner, Yohan Blake.

Records will level...

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Basketball summer Clinic on in Berbice Young and aspiring Basketball players in Berbice have a chance to learn the game and improve their skills over the holiday period when the Berbice Basketball Association (BBA) organize their annual basketball summer camp for youngsters in the East Berbice area.

The session got started on Monday and is expected to end on the Friday July 27, lasting for a period of two weeks. Sessions are being held Monday to Friday from 9am to 12 pm at the Vryman’s Erven Basketball court and are open to both males and females.

Kirk Fraser, president of the Berbice Basketball Association (BBA), is the coordinator and will be assisted by a number of other persons including some

senior basketball players in Berbice. Fraser had stated that the purpose of the clinic is to rekindle the interest in Basketball in the Berbice area which has been on the decline, especially among the youngsters. Another reason he stated is to help keep the youngsters off the streets and gainfully occupied during the holiday period. Keeping them occupied, “…will help to instill disciple into the youngsters, and teach them about team work at an early age,” he stated.

During the sessions the participants will look at some of the social ills in society today, including School drop outs, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, Drug Abuse and delinquency.

During the sessions the youngsters are expected to be

taught the basics of basketball which include passing, shooting, dribbling, intercepting among other moves.

F o r m e r National Volleyball stalwart and Basketball player, overseas based Charles “Wheels” Henry, is also expected to be a part of the sessions as he imparts his vast knowledge to the youngsters. Henry is also expected to make a donation of balls and other equipment to the participants.

Before the end of the sessions the youths will be involved in some community activities in and around the town of New Amsterdam.

Certificates are also expected to be issued to the successful participants.

(Samuel Whyte)

“Linsanity” ends New York run as NBA sensation heads to Houston (Reuters) - Basketball sensation Jeremy Lin’s brief but spectacular run in the Big Apple is over. Now the question is whether “Linsanity” can play as well in Texas.

The National Basketball Association player, a Taiwanese-American who shot from obscurity in February to spark a fan frenzy from Broadway to Beijing, is no longer a member of the New York Knicks.

The team declined to match Lin’s three-year, $25.1 million offer from the Houston Rockets before midnight on Tuesday, clearing the way for the Harvard-educated point guard to head to the Lone Star State.

For seven weeks this past winter, Lin’s electrifying and often unselfish play created a fan and media frenzy. New York tabloids and others dubbed the phenomenon as “Linsanity,” “Linspirational,” “Linflation” and Lin as “Mr. Lincredible” and “Super Lintendo.”

Attending Knicks games at New York’s Madison Square Garden meant you ran with “The Lin Crowd.”

For all the fanfare, though, Lin only started 25 games — averaging 18.2 points and 7.7 assists a game — and a knee injury in late March sidelined him for the rest of the season.

But the brevity of his time on the court didn’t dent his popularity.

At the end of the 2012 regular season, the NBA counted U.S. sales of Lin’s No. 17 Knicks jersey as second only to Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose.

Sales of Knicks merchandise also jumped to second place in the

league, behind the Bulls.

Last week, Lin won an ESPN “ESPYAward” from sports fans as the best breakthrough athlete of the year. Two NBA teams had previously given up on Lin before his opportunity with the Knicks.

Sports business experts said the Lin marketing phenomenon will be put to a serious test when he left New York City, the NBA’s biggest market and a global media “Lintropolis.”

“Houston is a good market, but it doesn’t have the history of the Knicks,” said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College in Massachusetts, who has written more than a dozen books about sports business.

The New York area’s nearly 20 million people outnumbers Houston’s population by more than 3 to 1. That alone should lead to a drop in sales, Zimbalist said.

Lin’s health is another issue. He had knee surgery in the off season.

“Is he durable? Can he play 80 games, 40 minutes per game? No one knows,” said Michael Cramer, director of the Texas Program in Sports and Media at the University of Texas at Austin.

RISKS FOR KNICKS, ROCKETS Still, he should remain popular in Asia, particularly since Houston has an existing positive association for NBA fans in China, said Robert Boland, the academic chair of New York University’s Tisch Center and a former sports agent.

The legacy forged by Yao Ming, the towering center

from Shanghai who was the Rockets’ most notable player for the better part of a decade, means Houston’s brand may be as strong as New York’s overseas, he said. Lin also played briefly with the Chinese Basketball Association’s Dongguan Leopards in the summer of 2011, winning MVP honors in the three-game tournament.

Opting not to re-sign Lin could pose a risk for the Knicks as well.

After he exploded onto the scene in February, the team’s TV ratings rose to season highs, according to the MSG Network, and Knicks ticket prices on re-sale markets also saw hefty double-digit gains, according to TiqIQ, which tracks ticket sales on markets like eBay and StubHub. As of Tuesday, an online petition by Knicks fans wanting the team to re-sign Lin had more than 12,000 signatures.

Boland doesn’t think it will have a great effect. “The Knicks, from a managerial standpoint, are showing great restraint and focusing on a basketball level,” he said.

“They’ll survive,” agreed Cramer, adding that Lin’s new contract was big enough to make an argument that the Knicks had made a smart business move.

“Houston faces most of the risk, if he proves to be a good, not great, player, and they pay him like a great player,” Boland said.

Houston should get a bump in name recognition and ticket sales, said Cramer, who added that it was too early to say whether Lin would be worth his salary.

Page 29

Preparations moving apace for biggest ‘street ball’ contest

By Edison Jefford There is absolutely no doubt that when the best ‘street-ballers’ from all across Guyana lace their sneakers for the Mackeson Smooth Moves 3-on-3 Basketball Challenge, they will do so against a backdrop of pristine preparations that have been ongoing for some time.

Yesterday, Mackeson Brand Manager at Ansa McAl, Jamaal Douglas, told Kaieteur Sport that he and the Ansa McAl team have been doing lots of work within communities across Guyana aimed at ensuring that both players and patrons are satisfied with their preparations.

Douglas said that the community visits were more or less system checks to verify the standard of playing venues and what needs to be put in place to host the event.

He said that the visits created additional awareness with the grassroots work they have done.

“We have been and we will be in all parts of the country with this tournament.

It is clear that we have the support of communities from our visits, we are looking to see the facilities they have as this tournament also have a community development aspect,” Douglas said.

The Mackeson Brand Manager indicated that the derelict courts in playing communities that will have to be spruced up will get the necessary corporate input; “other areas that need to be firm are being looked at ahead of the event for enhancement,” Douglas added.

He informed that with the support of the governing body for basketball in

PARIS, France (AFP) — The motto of the Olympics — “Faster, Higher, Stronger” — paints a picture of relentless athletic record-breaking.

But some scientists say sporting records are starting to flatline and one day will become near impossible to beat without drugs, gene splicing or futuristic technology.

The Men’s long-jump world record was set in 1991, the Men’s pole vault record remains unbroken since 1994 and short-distance swimming’s achievements have actually reversed since the drag-reducing bodysuit was banned in 2010.

“In all sports, what you see is a levelling off,” says Steve Haake, director of

- Registration opens at outlets across Guyana

Jamaal Douglas Guyana, the challenge is expected to go deeper into the ‘streets’ this time with Ansa McAl extending the event to virgin basketball-playing communities that did not participate last year.

Those communities include Den Amstel, Uitvlugt and Enmore among others that will witness for the first time, the hippest ‘street-ball’ tournament in Guyana with the biggest cash prize at any of the playing levels. The Mackeson 3-on-3 contest offers $1M winner-take-all.

“This is all a means of developing basketball in Guyana from the grassroots level which is where talent really starts. This is giving players who normally don’t get an opportunity to shine on what can be called the ‘big stage’, a chance to prove their skills,” Douglas continued.

“We believe that basketball needs such and input right now to recreate interest. Basketball needs such help and we will be providing that,” he noted, adding that teams coming out

of communities are expected to be fully backed by those communities as is usually the case.

All in all, Douglas believes that the stage is being set to surpass the hype, buzz and enthusiasm it created last year. He said that registration has officially commenced nationwide at some specific locations whether it be sports bars, barbershops, supermarkets or the Ansa McAl Headquarters at Beterverwagting on the East Coast of Demerara.

The locations for registration will be published in the newspapers. With six Mackeson caps and the registration form being the entry criteria, teams comprising four players will have a chance to cash in on the ‘milli’. The games will be played for 15 minutes–7½ minutes per half–with a 30second timeout in each half.

A team must consist of four players, with none being under 18 years. The rules of the tournament will be reinforced. If any of the competing teams are found guilty of breaching the rules penalties that amount to a disqualification from the tournament could be the result.

The 3-on-3 format is an established International Basketball Federation (FIBA) format.

The rules for the format include the fact that each basket from beyond the arc (three-point line) will usually count as two points while other buckets count as one point. The first team to reach 21 points will before the 15minutes time expires will be declared the winner.

... ‘Men’s 100m can only have top time of 9.4’ Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre for Sports Engineering Research.

Records continue to be broken in many sports, but the margins are getting smaller and smaller, he explained.

Geoffroy Berthelot with the INSEP sports institute in Paris looked at a history of Olympic records since the modern Games began in 1896.

He calculates that athletes have reached 99 per cent of what is possible within the limits of natural human physiology.

By 2027, half of all 147 sporting events studied will have reached their estimated limits and will not be improved

upon by more than 0.05 per cent after that, according to Berthelot’s mathematical estimate.

“Sports performances are reaching a physiological plateau,” he said.

Reza Noubary of Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania projects that the Men’s 100-metre sprint, seen as the benchmark measure of human acceleration and speed, can only have a top time of 9.4 seconds.

The “data suggests that human speed increases are decelerating and will eventually stop completely,” said Noubary. But, he Continued on page 20

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 19, 2012

Barbados sink Guyana DOCOL on board Inter112-13 in AFNA Championship Market Futsal Tournament

By Juanita Hooper in Trinidad and Tobago Guyana National Netball team could not have prevented another downfall on the fourth day of the American Federation of Netball Association (AFNA) Championship Tuesday

Bajans after acquiring valuable learning experiences from their previous matches against experienced teams especially Jamaica and Trinidad.

Angeline McCarthy was not the only scorer for Guyana this time, she was

Not even a jump from Simonica Fanfair, could have not stopped Barbados towering shooter, Laurel Browne’s shot. evening on court two at the Trinidad and Tobago Jean Pierre Complex, Port-of-Spain.

Barbados overpowered the Guyanese players by a score-line of 112-13.

They Guyanese could not have prevented the majority of the back to back goals that their opponents fashioned despite taking a more aggressive approach to the

accompanied by Shonette Estwick and Simonica Fanfair who netted a total of one and four goals respectively to compliment McCarthy’s eight.

The Bajans dominated in the first quarter of the match, netting 31 goals from their attempted 34 shots; goals shooter Laurel Browne credited her team with 27

goals from 28 shots as Ricah Holder netted 4 from six.

Angeline McCarthy successfully netted all three of her attempts to end the quarter on 31-4 score-line.

The second quarter saw Guyana putting in one goal, compliments of McCarthy who attempted two shots.

Estwick also attempted one but was unable to score.

The Bajans score at the end of the second quarter was now 58-4. Netting in the second quarter was Browne, 20 and Holder 7.

The winners in the third quarter continued to take advantage of Guyana, making more long range and high passes to get the ball into the goal scoring circle.

The passes which were far out of the reach of Guyana saw Shonica Wharton and Nikita Piggott, fresh legs on the court crediting the winning account with 16 and 9 goals each. The score was now 83-10 in their favour.

McCarthy (2) and Fanfair (4) collectively scored 6 goals in the third quarter for Guyana.

The final quarter, which featured one of the Guyanese players getting injured, saw the winning team shooting in a total of 29 goals from 32 attempts to overpower Guyana’s young team.

Guyana was also conquered by Saint Lucia on day two by 87-17.

Guyana will be engaging Canada on Friday evening at the Jean Pierre Complex.

Britain may call in more troops to police Games

(Reuters) - Britain may have to call up yet more soldiers to police the Olympic

Games, the government said on Wednesday, after a failed private sector recruitment

West Indies name provisional squad for ICC World Twenty20 St. John’s, Antigua – West Indies yesterday named the following provisional 30-member squad for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 to be staged in Sri Lanka in September.

Nikita Miller Squad Sunil Narine Samuel Badree Kieron Pollard Christopher Barnwell Kieran Powell Carlton Baugh Jr Denesh Ramdin Sulieman Benn Ravi Rampaul Tino Best Kemar Roach Devendra Bishoo Andre Russell Nkrumah Bonner Darren Sammy Carlos Brathwaite Marlon Samuels Darren Bravo Krishmar Santokie Dwayne Bravo Shane Shillingford Johnson Charles Lendl Simmons Fidel Edwards Dwayne Smith Chris Gayle Devon Thomas Danza Hyatt Garey Mathurin West Indies have been drawn with Australia and Ireland in Group-B of the competition. The squad will be trimmed to a final 15 players next month.

drive left an embarrassing hole in security and dashed London’s dreams of a spotless showcase.

The security fiasco and doubts over the ability of London’s strained transport system to handle a swarm of visitors have overshadowed an event which the government still hopes will give recession-hit Britain something to celebrate.

The omens did not look good as athletes from across the world poured into London this week, some tweeting frustration with transport delays amidst a media storm over security fears.

The glitch came after security firm G4S said it could not deliver a promised 10,400 security guards to watch over the venues, exposing the government to accusations of poor planning.

To fill the gap, the defense ministry called up an extra 3,500 troops - many just back Continued on page 19

Sales and Marketing Manager of Demerara Oxygen Company Ltd. (DOCOL) Gopienauth Sowdajar speaking with this newspaper

extravaganza, the increasing successful exploits of the ‘Golden Jaguars’ as examples of the game’s positive move up the sports index.

could also be used to form stronger chains between the participants and suppliers and that could then present them with the opportunity to

Sales and Marketing Manager of DOCOL Gopienauth Sowdajar (right) hands over the cheque for an undisclosed sum to Co-ordinator O’neil Durant yesterday at the Company’s Head Office in Eccles. shortly after presenting a cheque for an undisclosed sum to Co-ordinator of the Inter-Market Indoor Futsal Tournament O’Neil Durant, acknowledged that the sport of football is fast becoming a ‘big’ sport in Guyana.

Sowdajar, who conducted the presentation at the Company’s Head Office in Eccles, said football over the recent past has been evolving as a major sport in Guyana and pointed to the success of the Kashif & Shanghai annual

Commenting on the Inter-Market Competition, Sowdajar noted that the event will be able to capture the common folks, adding that by doing so it provides an opportunity for the participants and supporters to build a stronger relationship not only in the sports realm, but on the business front as well.

According to the DOCOL Manager, the aim in addition to creating friendly rivalry

discuss the possibility of obtaining better prices for their commodities that may perhaps benefit the consumer.

Durant in his response thanked DOCOL for supporting the event and promised to deliver a quality competition that will meet the satisfaction of the entity.

The competition will see some twenty (20) markets all across the country compete at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Min of Sports/NSC cricket camp opens Monday at Enterprise The Sports Ministry and National Sports Commission (NSC) have collaborated with National Female Cricket Coach Latchman Yadram to host an under-17 cricket camp at the Enterprise Community Centre from next Monday to Friday July 27.

Yadram said session will run from 08:30hrs to 12 noon each day adding that Director of Sport Neil Kumar is expected to declare the camp open on Monday from 10:00hrs. The camp is open to both boys and girls and snacks will be provided for the participants who will be taught a number of different topics and take part in two cricket matches once the weather is kind to them.

Yadram said he is catering for about 50-60 students mainly from the secondary schools on the East Coast of Demerara where he conducted coaching sessions.

“In 2010 we had 56

registered students while last year no camp was held because I was on National duty with the Guyana female team in Barbados.

Cricket is still very important as a unifying factor and in addition to cricket topics several other topics that aids in the development of young people will be taught during the week long camp,” Yadram disclosed.

The Basics of cricket will be taught by Yadram with assistance from coaches Daniel Richmond and Herman

Persaud, while Gervy C. Harry of the NSC will conduct sessions on Leadership and Discipline with Jowhirlall Jilall doing sessions on wicketkeeping and scoring.

In the non-cricket topics, a ministry of Health personnel will teach classes on Food and Nutrition, while HIV/AIDS, Road Safety and table tennis sessions will also be conducted.

For more information interested persons can contact Yadram on telephone number 229-6286.

GDA looking for young draughts players The Guyana Draughts Association (GDA) is looking for youths and children who can play draughts in preparation for a tournament between Guyana and Suriname in August in Guyana.

Interested persons can contact the Association’s President Jairam on telephone number 614-6671.

Jairam stated that these youngsters will also be given an opportunity to tour Suriname next year.

Thursday July 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 31

t r o Sp Preparations moving apace for Pg biggest 'street ball' contest 21 -Registration opens at outlets across Guyana

George and young Windies quick Jones top Under-17 batting and bowling St John's, Antigua – Windward Islands batsman Keone George topped the batting charts in the recently concluded West Indies Cricket Board inaugural Under 17 Tournament played in Tobago.

George, a right handed top order batsman tallied 217 runs at an outstanding average of 72.3. A Grenadian, George led Tristan Coleman of Jamaica by 35 runs. Coleman accumulated 182 runs at an average of 45.5.

George, who plays for the club in his native Grenada which is coached by former West Indies wicketkeeper Junior Murray, was adjudged the Most Va l u a b l e P l a y e r f o r Windward Islands and the tournament's MVP as well.

Taignarine Chanderpaul, son of West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, was third on the runs list with 170 runs at an average of 42.5. Brian Christmas (Trinidad and Tobago) and Guyana's Shimron

Hetemeyer completed the Continued on page 20

Taignarine Chanderpaul

Keone George of Windwards receives his Most Valuable Player trophy ( Ashley Allen photos)

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