Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition July 05, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 26

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Body buried after attempt to burn it failed Foulis shallow grave...

P. 7

- prime suspect, wife captured Ramotar hopes Ramkarran rescinds resignation P. 3

d e r u t p a Rec s r e n o s i r p

Release full report on NCN probe - AFC P. 18

P. 3

Oppositions’ omission from meetings regrettable - CJIA contractor P. 6

Come clean- Moses on CJIA contract Nagamootoo P. 17

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 05, 2012

Thursday July 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Mazaruni Prison escapees recaptured Two prisoners who had escaped from the Mazaruni Prison on Monday had their freedom cut short after three days, by members of the joint services.

The men, Sean Hopkinson and Carlton Sampson, were recaptured hours apart near Sherima, Essequibo River, about 23 miles from the prison.

The men had scaled the fence of the interior penitentiary and managed to remain at large for three days despite a massive manhunt which was launched hours after the escape by ranks from the Police Force and Army as well as prison authorities.

Police in a statement yesterday said that “about 11:30 hours yesterday, Seon Hopkinson was recaptured in a swampy area at Sherima, Essequibo River; while Carlton Sampson was later recaptured in the same area about 15:15 hours by the Joint Services.”

According to a source, yesterday morning , around 11:00am the two escapees were observed by the police at the Sherima crossing acting in a suspicious manner on board the pontoon which was about to cross over the Essequibo River to Sheribana.

The Police also recognized that the two were not processed as passing through the location and this caused them to approach the two to make queries of them as to why they had not reported to the law enforcement officials.

Hopkinson was immediately apprehended while Carlton Sampson made a dash from the lawmen by jumping into the Essequibo River and swam away.

He was subsequently caught in the nearby swampy area.

Both Seon Hopkinson and Carlton Sampson had escaped from the Mazaruni Prison on Monday, where they were serving sentences for Robbery under Arms and other offences.

Hopkinson, 29, of Blue Berry Hill, Wismar, is the socalled ‘Linden septic tank bandit’ who robbed three Banks DIH salesmen at gunpoint in 2010.

He fled after the robbery but was found hiding in a septic tank. He was serving concurrent three-year sentences for robbery under arms, unlawful possession of firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Carlton Sampson, 30, is said to be from Craig, East Bank Demerara. A police release also gave his address as Crane Old Road, West Coast Demerara.

In September, 2009, he escaped from the Golden Grove Police Station after assaulting a police constable.

At the time, he was a suspect in several armed robberies that were committed on East Bank Demerara.

A few days later, Sampson was shot in the left hip by police after being cornered in an abandoned house at Kaneville, East Bank Demerara. He was serving sentences for robbery under arms and escape from lawful custody.

A source at Bartica told this newspaper that the men were probably attempting to cross the Essequibo River to gain access to the getaway road that would have eventually led them to the bauxite mining town of Linden.

“They would have had water but food for three days is another story,” the source said.

There are suggestions that the poor meals being served to the inmates of the Mazaruni Prison may have motivated the two to escape.

A week ago, a prisoner there had contacted this newspaper claiming that the inmates are being given a daily fare of peas and rice and are being “inhumanely treated” as well.

“That is why dem decide to get away. They could no longer deal with that. The food in here is bad enough for anybody to want to

Wanted: Sherwin Bobb escape,” the prisoner said.

The prisoner revealed that the cooks would even serve them milk mixed with flour.

It was also alleged that crops cultivated by prisoners are being sold on Bartica as “pocket money” for some

warders.

“They look fresh. They lucky dey alive,” said a source at Bartica where the recaptured prisoners were initially taken.

And the Guyana Prison Service yesterday said in a statement that prisoners are currently secured at the Mazaruni Prison and will be prosecuted for escaping lawful custody.

“The Prisons Directorate and by extension the Ministry of Home Affairs would like to applaud the Joint Services’ search teams for their resilience, professionalism and patience exhibited in the pursuit and recapture of the two inmates.

“The circumstances leading to the escape would be fully investigated and appropriate security and disciplinary actions taken,”

the Prison Service statement said. In addition to serving out their sentences, the men will face additional penalties for the escape.

Meanwhile, the police have issued a bulletin for another escapee, Sherwin Bobb.

Bobb made good his escape just after midday last week Thursday by scaling the 15-foot fence on the eastern side of the prison compound.

This is despite the normal presence of armed police ranks around the perimeter of the fortified fence.

Prison officials had received a telephone call from a public-spirited individual on the outside that “a prisoner just jump the fence.” This newspaper understands that Bobb sustained cuts to his hands and other body parts from the razor wire at the top

of the fence.

The escapee was reportedly seen in Albouystown by a woman who could not help noticing that he was badly cut. She said that she called the authorities, but they ignored her.

Hours later, he was spotted in the West Demerara area, where he reportedly collected his two children who were born in Cayenne.

Police said that Bobb is 29 years old, brown in complexion and his last known address is Swan Street, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara.

According to the police anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Sherwin Bobb is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers: 226-1326, 225-8196, 225-6411, 911 or the nearest police station.

Ramotar hopes Ramkarran rescinds resignation President Donald Ramotar says the decision by Ralph Ramkarran to resign from the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was made in anger.

The President, who is also the PPP General Secretary, said Ramkarran made his decision “at the spur of the moment.” As a result, he said he hopes that when Ramkarran’s anger subsides he would return to the party which he served for five decades.

“We hope Mr Ramkarran would rescind his resignation,” Ramotar said in St Lucia.

Ramotar repeated his party’s position that Ramkarran did not quit because of any policy issue but because of being insulted by another party executive.

The PPP, on Monday, said it intends to engage Ramkarran “in further discussions with a view of reconciling the matter.”

Ramkarran, on Saturday, last, resigned from the party which he served for 50 years.

He was counted as one of the last remaining longstanding

Ralph Ramkarran stalwarts who dared to speak his mind on national issues, even though his views did not find favour with party elites at Freedom House.

Ramkarran tendered his one-line resignation after what the PPP described as a heated discussion at the Executive Committee Meeting on Friday.

The Party’s Executive said it hopes Ramkarran will reconsider his action “as there is no fundamental disagreement on any policy issue.”

The PPP related that Ramkarran felt insulted by the remarks of another member

and left the meeting before it concluded.

“The offending remark was withdrawn by the member and an apology was also offered,” the PPP stated.

The discussion at the time is believed to have centered on Ramkarran’s recent article in the party’s newspaper, Mirror, in which he stated that corruption was pervasive.

According to Ramkarran, a lawyer by profession, at a meeting of the party’s Executive Committee on Friday, there were concerns over the articles of corruption he has written. “…Disquiet was expressed about the confidentiality of discussions in my presence having regard to my recent article on corruption.”

“However, difficult it might be to link the two issues, the intensity of the

discussions were such that further participation in the activities of the PPP would be a challenge,” Ramkarran stated.

The party stated that fiery debates are not unusual in the Party, but “unfortunately this one led to a resignation.”

“The Party wishes to state that Cde Ramkarran is a long standing and highly respected member. He has made very valuable contributions to the Party and the country as a whole,” the PPP stated.

Ramkarran and his family have been around for decades in the party’s hierarchy.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 05, 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

A BRIGHTER DAY DAWNS There is a saying that before the storm there is calm.

Another saying goes that the darkest hour is just before the dawn. Guyana’s present situation can be likened to any of those sayings. Indeed the country is poised for economic take-off but this is overshadowed by some dark incidents, not least among them allegations of rampant corruption.

A few years ago these allegations never surfaced because people were more concerned with being victimized if they spoke; they feared losing jobs or being targeted by the police who appeared under the thumb of the administration.

Others were apathetic about the situation because they had managed to get into the loop. They had gained employment in sections of the government and had attracted a contract fee that boggled the mind.

For example, a foreigner who managed to gain employment in the department that was responsible for the One Laptop per Family project exposed a shocking waste of money paid to the favoured.

He said that he had barely opened his mouth to explain his qualification when he was offered what by any standard was a super salary. Had he been Guyanese he would have enjoyed the windfall and continued along with a blinkered view of the situation in which he had found himself. But he came from a land where such things are readily exposed and he knew that the fallout would have been disastrous.

He talked but that never changed anything. Then there was a woman who was accused of leaking information about a batch of laptops bought by Office of the President. Of course Office of the President denied acquiring any computer but the receipts exposed the lie. Once more the hub of the government was caught lying. A woman was sacked.

There came the elections and a new Head of State was plunged into unfamiliar territory. For one, he was asked to preside over a minority government. This was something new and his colleagues or the people whom he appointed to serve as Ministers began to behave as though they were still king of the hill and that they were the lords unto themselves and the nation.

The allegations of corruption continue and President Donald Ramotar must be in a quandary. He has already used his broom with some effect in two Government departments.

He has caused investigations to be mounted in others and the nation is looking on. They expect him to deal with and to root out the corruption that has become endemic.

Yet behind these dark clouds there are some promising things. For example, Guyana is poised to enter into the ranks of oil producing countries. Needless to say, with oil the country would have even more money at its disposal and therefore the likelihood of even greater corruption. With oil there are likely to be numerous major projects and with each project, unless the old dispensation changes, there are going to be acts of corruption such as kickbacks and naked bribery.

There is also the coming of hydroelectricity, the road link between Guyana and Brazil and of course, the expanded Cheddi Jagan International Airport. All of these projects would help remove Guyana from the ranks of the poverty stricken but there must be strict control. Guyana must not be allowed to go the way of Nigeria where the wealth of the country has been plundered by a few at the expense of the majority who would never believe that the country is actually rich.

Corruption would devour the richest country and there is the belief that corruption has prevented Guyana from moving up the scale in the measure of poor countries. The view is that no matter how much money pours into the country Guyana will remain poor since the money would be siphoned off.

However, there are signs that something is being done, albeit not enough because no one is being prosecuted so there is no deterrent. This is the silver lining and it could only get wider and brighter for the better of the country.

DEAR EDITOR, With the resignation by Mr. Ralph Ramkarran from the PPP after many years of dedication and commitment, I would like to publicly apologize to Mr. Ramkarran for the errors in my judgment of his political positions over the years.

I would also like to let the public understand that the “crocodile tears” which were expressed in the press by Moses Nagamootoo cannot cover up the facts that at the most critical moment in Ramkarran’s political career, at Freedom House in 1997, before the general elections, it was the terrible behaviour of Nagamootoo against Mr. Ramkarran, which lost him his chance to lead the PPP/Civic to victory.

The undermining of Ramkarran’s chances to lead the PPP/Civic also involved other persons who also undermined Ramkarran’s father, Boysie, years before when he was basically forced out of the PPP leadership , after serving my father loyally from the very beginning of his political career.

Ralph Ramkarran came from the very bowels of the working classes of Guyana and as was reported in the press, in a recent executive

meeting of the PPP, a member of the Executive insulted and abused him.

That was the last straw for him; I know who it is and I condemn that individual outright. Ramkarran was correct to talk of corruption and I have sent President Ramotar more than one letter over the last six months concerning this issue.

As recently as three weeks ago, at a big meeting of the candidates on the PPP/ Civic list of electors held at Red House, I as a candidate, called openly for those guilty of governmental corruption to be arrested and sent to jail!

Ralph Ramkarran is definitely royalty in the history of the working classes of this country because his father, Boysie Ramkarran, was one of the princes of the working class movement to the end of his life. I always loved and admired Boysie and I can tell anyone, anywhere and at anytime, that Boysie Ramkarran was the most loyal, but outspoken, comrade Jagan ever had!

My father always told me that Boysie was in his majesty in Parliament, witty and in total control of his facts gained over many years of representing and leading sections of Guyana’s working class. Boysie was there from

the beginning when the PPP was in its infancy, serving as Treasurer of the PPP Jagan led in 1953.

He served in every government Jagan led up to 1964. When Cheddi Jagan was imprisoned by the British in 1954, Boysie Ramkarran was also sent to Mazaruni prison after being restricted to his Bel Air home for almost a year. From 1957 to 1961, Boysie served in Jagan’s government as Minister of Communication and Works in a government of only five ministers.

In the period from 1961 to 1964, he was the Minister for Works and Hydraulics. Later, he headed GAWU from 1975 to 1985 to make it a powerful union dedicated to the sugar workers; union work for the benefit of the working class and work with which he was well acquainted as his thrust into politics came from his skills in the early days of union organizing in this country.

I will always remember Boysie Ramkarran as a man whom my father always treated as his equal and whom I never heard my father say anything negative about; Jagan always had a special feeling for Boysie and I know the whole story of his departure from the PPP

leadership, a departure President Cheddi always regretted.

On a personal note, Boysie Ramkarran helped our family greatly. When, in 1964 after being forced out of government, my father was really homeless and we had to rent a house on Camp Street, Boysie sold my father a piece of his land in Bel Air at a very low price so my father could finally own his own property.

Boysie Ramkarran was never corrupt and would never tolerate corruption and that is why he was a trusted and devoted comrade of Jagan.

I can tell anyone that if President Cheddi was alive today, he would have severely punished anyone who insulted and forced Boysie’s first son to resign from the PPP. As a candidate for the PPP/Civic slate in the 2011 elections, I, for the record, would like to state that the person(s) who added insult to injury against Ralph Ramkarran at the Executive PPP meeting last week, should be expelled from Jagan’s party immediately.

Ramkarran was correct in pinpointing corruption in Government circles.

Continued on page 5

Prem Misir’s utterances on NCN fiasco sufficient to justify budget cuts DEAR EDITOR, The KN headline titled; ‘Monies still unaccounted for at NCN’ dated 07/03/12 is a piece of reading that I recommend to all of Guyana, especially those who questioned the rationale behind the budget cuts initiated by the parliamentary opposition.

In this article it was reported that the Chairman of the Board of Directors at NCN, Dr. Prem Misir, admitted that it was the budget cuts which were responsible for the initial probe into possible financial irregularities into NCN’s financial activities when the company was taking stock of its accounts.

A direct quote from this article reads; “He did remind that it was the budget cuts that sparked the initial probe when NCN was taking stock of its accounts”.

Without attempting to dilute all the other critical information Misir disclosed to KN, I do believe that this particular, apparent, confession might be the most critical piece of information exposed to the public and

which should help to guide any reasonable political conversation with respect to the importance of the budget cuts.

The legitimate question to be asked now is whether or not the budget cuts, especially cuts to NCN’s budget, are justified?

I am sure that all rightthinking Guyanese would answer this question in the affirmative, as none of us would have preferred to have corruption persist while the ordinary workers and the people of Guyana suffer as a consequence of having the nation’s financial resources mismanaged, unaccounted for or siphoned off into personal accounts of company executives. I believe the staff of NCN, whom I believed have been coerced to protest these cuts, will now have a greater appreciation of why these cuts were necessary.

I congratulate KN for engaging Dr. Misir on this very important issue, and I thank Mr. Misir for being open about the obvious financial irregularities that

transpired at the National Communications Network (NCN).

It is hoped that the investigation goes beyond the NCN and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s Jingle & Song Competition, and that it extends to other aspects of the daily financial operation of this state entity.

According to Dr. Misir, “grey areas” being probed will inform any police involvement, it is therefore, hoped that all those “grey areas” will be exposed.

It is clear that the budget cuts were necessary and are critical to the strengthening of any kind of democracy of which we may boast. As seen in the NCN case, these cuts have the potential to occasion the kind of financial investigation into state entities to ensure that there is some level of accountability and transparency.

It would, therefore, be sensible and responsible for the government to change its unhelpful narrative regarding the budgets. It is time for the

PPP/C government to be more open and honest with the people. In light of Dr. Misir’s revelation, which hints at the value of the budget cuts, I wonder where are we going with this ‘budget cut court case’, is it really necessary?

And wouldn’t it hurt more than help the political situation?

I also wonder who is paying the government’s lawyers, in this case, is it the Guyanese taxpayers, who have themselves voted, through their representatives, in favour of these cuts?

So this looks like a case of the people paying lawyers to challenge their own action.

Isn’t something wrong here?

The last time I checked it was the parliamentary majority who voted for these cuts?

Very perplexing indeed!

The PPP/C government should be focused on how it can engage the parliamentary opposition with the hope of arriving at justifiable supplemental budget proposals which are able to gain the full support of the people.

Lurlene Nestor

Thursday July 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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

PPP members must fight for a constitutionallymandated General Congress in 2012

DEAR EDITOR, With Ralph Ramkarran gone from the PPP because of his stance on corruption, it is time PPP members and supporters look at internal corruption of the PPP’s constitution.

The PPP holds a general congress for its members every three years. The last one was held in 2008. The controlling force of the party, its 35-member Central Committee, is elected at these congresses.

The Central Committee from the 2008 Congress was dominated by Jagdeoites.

Jagdeo, his ministers and Office of the President staff comprised the majority of the PPP’s 2008 Central Committee. Since 2008, Janet Jagan, Moses Nagamootoo, Ralph Ramkarran and Dr. Moti Lall have either left the PPP or passed away. There could be more added to this list.

Therefore, the Central Committee was down to 31 members.

It would be interesting to know who was replaced, if anyone, to fill those slots. In any event, the PPP’s Central Committee elected in 2008 was dominated by persons for whom Bharat Jagdeo was their boss with hiring and firing power over them. What is worse is that since Donald Ramotar became President, more Central Committee members and Jagdeo loyalists were awarded positions of power. Some were given ministerial posts.

When the general congress for 2011 was suspended to enable the Jagdeoite-dominated Central Committee to handpick its own candidate for the

presidency, the PPP’s wider membership was discarded and rejected by the Central Committee. That decision means the Central Committee elected in 2008 will now have sit in power for an unprecedented six years until 2014. Having done it once, look for the power-drunk cabal controlling the PPP through the Central Committee to try to suspend the congress for 2014 again or even worse, to call a snap election before that constitutionally due congress just so their own handpicked candidate could be the party’s presidential candidate. For those reasons and given the oppressive presence of the Jagdeoites on the Central Committee, the PPP membership must commence a fight for democracy within its own party.

It must demand a general congress before the end of this year.

The departure of a stalwart like Ralph Ramkarran is conclusive evidence that there is a culture of gross disrespect, bullyism, dictatorship and arrogance that permeates the upper echelons of the party and its controlling inner circle. PPP members and supporters throughout Guyana should be ashamed that the PNC/APNU is practicing democracy while their own party is falling into totalitarianism. More than the shame is the jolting reality that the PNC’s embrace of greater transparency and internal democracy within its party has rejuvenated its base and enhanced its appeal with the wider voting public while corrupt despotism continues

An apology and...

From page 4 Mr. Jagdeo, our former President, obviously did not believe in the concept of “the buck stops here” as Mr. Sattaur of NCN was reinstated (with direct intervention by Mr. Jagdeo) after being suspended a few years ago. Now look and see what has transpired at NCN. Thank God that the opposition opposed subventions to that entity.

Let us all pray that President Ramotar is not like Jagdeo and proves that the buck stops at the desk of the President.

Again, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Ralph Ramkarran and his family for the comments I have made in the past, and I would like to congratulate him for the fire in his belly that he has found and which was put there by his father, an illustrious servant of the people of Guyana.

Boysie Ramkarran would have been proud of his son

in this pressing period in our political history, because without Boysie, Jagan would have been like a man without a right arm, just the way the PPP will be without Ralph Ramkarran.

Cheddi (Joey) Jagan (Jr.)

to sink the PPP. The PPP will continue to bleed votes as long as this corrupt group continues to hijack the party. It is time for the PPP membership to mount a struggle against the tyrants dominating them.

The PPP membership must insist on a general congress before the end of 2012 and must demand that the invitation process to the congress is not selective and fixed to enhance the value of political losers and

vagabonds.

I am of the view that the very security of the PPP’s primary constituency, Indian-Guyanese, depends on the radical internal change and democratization within the PPP. Without such transformation, the PPP will not find quality and non-corrupt leadership. Without good leadership, the PPP’s voting advantage will slowly disappear.

Guyana’s future is firmly one of minority government as no party

could conceivably win a majority for the forseeable future.

Weak leadership and the constant shame of corruption and wrongdoing cloaking the party will never convert minority government into majority government. It is only credible, quality and dynamic leadership that engineers change that could convert minority governments into majorities.

As long as the Jagdeoites continue to handpick

incompetents who are beholden to them as opposed to possessing changedirected qualities to fix the country, the PPP will see its invincibility erode. At some point, this group of Jagdeoites will take the PPP perilously close to losing power. I hope PPP members and supporters do not wait until then to fix this mess and to install democracy within their party.

M. Maxwell

DEAR EDITOR, As a teacher in the public school system in New York City, I have followed with great interest the ongoing debate on Corporal Punishment in Guyana’s Independent press, SN and KN. Mahendra Doraisam’s letter in KN (July 4th) titled, “CP is from a fossilized system” makes nice, neat, political and cultural arguments for Guyana to join the other states that have outlawed CP, but falls short of one important aspect: What do we put in its place?

Should we just follow other nations because it sounds culturally progressive?

Simply put, corporal punishment is a disciplinary tool that, if used wisely, sparingly – not abusively and follows the Education Ministry’s guidelines, will ensure a classroom environment where teaching and learning can take place.

Outlawing CP, I fear, will create an environment where all teaching and learning will grind to a halt. Rowdy classrooms and disruptive

students will create a situation where all will be deprived of a healthy learning environment. (Ask me. I work in a NYC classroom. Both Richmond HS and John Adams HS located in this Guyanese village in Queens, New York have closed down because of low student achievements. Go figure).

Am I arguing for the liberal and ready use of the cane whip? Flogging if the student gets 1 out 5 Math problems right? Of course not!

Retaining CP on the books, using it only in rare cases, namely for a category of well-defined disruptive behaviors will inculcate a (positive) fear in the minds of students – and cause them to behave appropriately and respect the rights of other students. In other words, the mere existence of this disciplinary tool – rather than the quick and abundant use of it - will elicit positive conduct and behaviors from students.

It is often said that CP is a poor man’s (read poor countries’) disciplinary tool. So let us look

at New York City. CP has been outlawed; replaced with a system of referrals and hearings etc. One writer in the New York Times, in a well researched article full of facts and statistics, said this system is costing the taxpayers millions of dollars each year (many teaching days lost by teachers going to hearings) - and it doesn’t work. Each year, the classroom environment gets worse than the previous year. Can Guyana (per capita income USD 3,000 a year) afford a system like this that will put a burden on the taxpayers, and for an alternative disciplinary system that has proven not to work?

At the end of the day, what

we need is a reasonably disciplined student body and a classroom that is conducive to learning and teaching. And, if an enlightened corporal punishment system - whose essence lies in its existence on the books rather than flogging at the drop of a hat – will produce the desirable classroom environment, let it be.

Finally let us avoid these loaded phrases: “CP is from a fossilized system”; “Govt. is advocating beating the kids”.

They emotionalize and do not contribute to a meaningful debate. We need facts, higher order reasoning and a disciplinary system that works.

Mike Persaud

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 05, 2012

CHEC regrets not meeting with Opposition parties - CJIA contractor The Chinese Company involved in the US$138M expansion project of the Timehri airport has apologized for omitting the country’s main opposition from recent meetings it held in Guyana to clear the air on corruption allegations.

Yesterday, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), in a released letter to A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) said it regretted not meeting with the Parliamentary opposition parties.

APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have been fiercely critical of the airport project since the controversial announcement that the Guyana Government was moving ahead with the project.

In recent times, there were reports that the World Bank had debarred CHEC and its parent company, China Communications and Construction Company (CCCC) from participating in any of its roads and bridged project for the next five years.

The Jamaican government is locked in a legal battle with its contract regulator over a US$600M highway project that it has with CHEC. Both APNU and AFC had demanded answers of the CJIA expansion project which was signed last November,

CJIA’s contractor, CHEC, during a press conference at the Pegasus Hotel last week days before former President Bharrat Jagdeo was due to end his two terms in office.

The signing of the US$138M contract only came to light in Guyana after the Jamaica press broke the story.

Government insisted that there was no secrecy and that CHEC’s regional headquarters in Jamaica inadvertently released the details before the Guyana Cabinet of Ministers could have been properly notified.

In recent weeks, CHEC which was hard pressed to clear the air, visited Guyana and held a series of meetings with the Ministry of Public Works and the Private Sector but had no interactions with the opposition AFC and APNU. It had denied the corruption charges and claimed that the incidents had mainly to do with isolated ones within its subsidiaries.

On Tuesday, Public Works Minister said that a

probe had cleared CHEC and as such, there is nothing stopping the project, Guyana’s second largest to date, from going forward.

CHEC personnel are already in the country doing groundwork for the project.

In the released letter to APNU’s Joseph Harmon yesterday, CHEC’s Regional Director, Zhongdong Tang, noted that the specific purpose of the visit was to meet with the Ministry of Works “to provide a brief on the issues that have been published in the media in recent weeks.”

Given the issues under discussion, the Chineseowned company was obliged to urgently answer all questions held by the government with a view of advancing the project.

“In the short visit we also met with members of the private sector and held a press conference to publicly answer questions about our company. We regret that we were unable to meet with the parliamentary opposition in Guyana and apologize for this omission.”

While not giving specifics, the company said

that it stands willing to meet on the project. “ We w o u l d l i k e t o assure A Partnership for National Unity that China Harbour recognizes the important role of the opposition and stands committed to engage its members on this project and on any other endeavors that we may pursue in Guyana.”

A missive has been directed to CHEC from the

Office of the Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition expressing anger at being snubbed by the Chinese company during its recent visit to Guyana.

The missive from David Granger’s Office said that, “A Partnership for National Unity being together with the Alliance for Change -the Majority in the National Assembly- takes umbrage at being ignored by your

company on its visit to Guyana to review a major infrastructure project as the CJIA expansion.”

Harmon, APNU’s Shadow Minister of Public Works, in the letter said that “a full engagement with us would have ensured a better understanding of the project that could have conditioned our support for it. As it is, we feel that a major opportunity has been missed.”

He did sound the warning to CHEC that “as representative of the people we will continue to carefully scrutinize this project and any other project of such scale and magnitude as it relates to infrastructural works in Guyana.”

The expansion of the airport includes extension of the main runway by another 1,000 metres, a larger terminal building, passenger bridges and increased security, government say.

PSC to meet on Mahadeo’s Chairmanship Former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), Yog Mahadeo, who was recently elected Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) could lose his position if the PSC board that is set to meet next week Tuesday decides to relieve him of the Chairmanship.

Reports reveal that the PSC received numerous queries from members of the private sector regarding Mahadeo’s position as Chairman.

Mahadeo had noted during a recent press conference that GT&T had no objection to him representing the telephone company at the PSC. The former GT&T CEO,

Yog Mahadeo hours after being elected as Chairman of the PSC on June 28, resigned from GT&T following an internal audit at the company.

This resulted in Mahadeo’s Chairmanship of the PSC coming under

scrutiny. However, the PSC will determine whether there are grounds for Mahadeo to be removed as chair.

During a press conference at the Pegasus Hotel, Friday, Mahadeo disclosed that he will remain for a few weeks to hand over.

“Currently; the GT&T board has advised me that there has been some lapse of internal control. Since this has happened under my watch, and since I have always held true to my principles, I have taken the decision to step down from my role at the company and to resign from any post at GT&T,” Mahadeo stated.

Payments to several promoters, suppliers and (Continued on page 17)

Thursday July 05, 2012

Foulis shallow grave….

A Foulis, East Coast Demerara man has provided police investigators with details of how he tried to burn the body of 51-year-old Gangaram Bharat before burying it in a shallow grave in his 14th Street backyard.

The man, Joel Persaud, was captured yesterday afternoon at Hampshire, Corentyne where he and his wife had fled on Tuesday, a day before the decomposing body of Bharat was pulled from a three-foot deep grave.

Persaud confessed to bludgeoning Bharat with a sledgehammer following a row over alcohol. He was apprehended when he tried to collect $30,000 from his mother to enable him to flee to neighbouring Suriname.

Kaieteur News understands that the suspect had contacted his mother and requested that she bring the money to Berbice where he and his wife were hiding out.

But instead of taking the money to her son, the woman contacted the police and a plan was hatched to capture him.

Accompanied by police

Kaieteur News

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Body buried after attempt to burn it failed ranks the woman travelled to the Corentyne where she identified her son and his wife who were waiting patiently for the cash.

He told investigators that on Friday night he and Bharat were indeed imbibing with other neighbours who eventually left them and went home.

Persaud told investigators that some time around 01:30 hours on Saturday, he became tired and wanted to retire to bed but Bharat would not let him since the alcohol was not finished.

The suspect said that he got angry and threw away the remaining liquor and this led to an ugly confrontation between him and Bharat.

During the confrontation, Persaud allegedly picked up a sledgehammer and struck Bharat on his head.

A post mortem examination performed on Bharat’s body yesterday revealed that he died as a result of a fractured skull.

Persaud, according to a reliable source, confessed that he panicked and tried to dispose of Bharat’s body by burning it.

But when this failed, he decided to dig a shallow grave in the hope of concealing the dead man’s body to cover up

Gangaram Bharat the murder.

However, his plans unraveled when Bharat’s sister, Eunice Joe-Samuels, came looking for him and he was reported missing.

Joe-Samuels told this newspaper that on Saturday, she received a telephone call from her brother’s tenant, who informed her that he did not come home the previous night.

She said that after the tenants continued to call her repeatedly, she decided to leave her home and go to Foulis to investigate.

She made a missing person report at the Enmore Police Outpost after learning that he was last seen drinking in 14th Street.

She returned to the area every day after that, all the while making enquiries about her missing brother.

“Me so confuse, me deh up down, up down ah search all over de place, all over Dazzell Scheme me deh search,” the dead man’s sister said.

According to JoeSamuels, the owner of the house where her brother’s body was found began acting strangely after he learnt that she was looking for Bharat.

Neighbours said that the man and his wife were seen leaving the house on Monday with packed suitcases.

She said that her suspicions grew and on Wednesday she returned to the Enmore police with a view of getting a rank to accompany her to search the tightly locked up property in question.

Her suspicions reached fever pitch when upon entering the yard, she saw her brother’s hat in an abandoned car that was parked there.

She and the two police ranks eventually went to the back of the yard where they were hit with a pungent smell.

They then stumbled upon a pile of sand and mud which was covered with pieces of old wood and plastic and they

immediately sensed that it was a shallow grave.

After sending JoeSamuels outside, the ranks commenced digging and soon enough they came upon the body.

“At first we butt up with de foot and when we dig more we see like dey buss open he belly. He guts been outside,” a source told this newspaper.

Such was the state of the body that it took police several hours to p u l l i t f r o m the grave without damaging it.

Yesterday, neighbours saw the police return to the house with the heavily shackled Persaud and left clutching a sledgehammer which they were told is the murder weapon.

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Kaieteur News

Corruption, is like a disease, it eats away the foundation of people’s faith in govt. It undermines the Stability and Security of Nations.

Thursday July 05, 2012

Leaders committed to CARICOM CASTRIES,StLucia-CMC - Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders began their 33rd annual summit yesterday bemoaning their failure to implement agreements reached in the past and worried over the continued impact the global economic and financial crisis is having on their respective countries.

In addition, the opening ceremony provided an opportunity for the leaders to

Host Prime Minister and incoming CARICOM Chairman, Dr. Kenny Anthony, said despite the many challenges facing the regional integration at the moment “our people need not feel forlorn” adding at the same time, the region cannot afford its citizens “ to grow cynical and quip a defeatist “c’est la vie in the casualty of perception” He told the opening ceremony that a day had been set aside during the three-day

“This latest situation is added to the fact that the flows of development assistance to CARICOM countries have been decreasing and at least in the short term will continue to do so.

“This is due to the global contraction in bilateral aid arising from the problems in the Eurozone and the relative shift of the financial resources of the IFIs to economic rescue and stabilisation of European economies among other

Portia Simpson-Miller (right), Prime Minister of Jamaica delivers remarks at the Twenty-Second Meeting of the Prime Ministerial SubCommittee on External Trade Negotiations. CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque listens with intent, left, Tuesday. again reiterate their commitment to the regional integration movement, underscoring the fact that without CARICOM, such an organisation would have to be invented.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller used the occasion to dispel reports that Kingstown was contemplating leaving the 15-nation bloc amid concerns that it was being unfairly treated, particular in its trading relations with Trinidad and Tobago.

“I want to underscore Jamaica’s commitment to regionalism as a core principle of our foreign policy and external trade policy.

“Jamaica will continue to publicly reiterate the importance of regional integration movement to the attainment of our national development goals and for the advancement of our region as a whole,” she said, acknowledging nonetheless that “the regional concept remains a work in process”.

She told her regional colleagues that if CARICOM was not around “it would have to be invented” adding that it was now important to bring the general population into the whole CARICOM movement.

She also urged that CARICOM consider allowing all categories of workers move freely across the region under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

summit for the leaders to meet in caucus for “frank discourse” on CARICOM. “We need to talk with each other. I have therefore arranged our agenda to devote an entire day to a caucus of heads, initially alone, and later with our officials.

I believe we must take time to share our hopes, dreams and aspirations for our beloved though enigmatic region.

“We must start again by reestablishing the political chemistry that bound us together. We need to re-affirm our common future, our common faith,” he said, adding “we cannot afford to leave the winds of progress uncaught when they blow.

“The gales and harmattans of global politics and economics mean that we must be willing to venture through waters unchartered.

We must be enterprising, yet perspective and willing to put into our common cloud the store of knowledge and expertise held throughout our states,” he said.

In his address, the CARICOM Secretary General Irwin La Rocque, said CARICOM Community was also worried that the region could be further impacted by the decision of the European Union to graduate some of the regional countries thereby making it harder for them to obtain concessionary funding.

reasons”.

LaRocque said that in such an atmosphere, it is not surprising “that there would be those who would seek to strike out against the multilateralism and cast it as a contributor to the challenges of their individual nations”.

LaRocque said that it is for this reason also that the region should create a competitive society and raise economic growth rates and sustain them in the medium and long term.

He again reiterated that CARICOM was alive despite the many challenges, telling the audience the meeting here “is a further opportunity to explore avenues for collective action aimed at guiding the Community safely through these rough times and to chart the way forward to a sustainable future”.

“This is a time for more integration, for it is through acting in concert that we can both survive and prosper and provide the people of our Community with opportunities to improve their lives,” LaRocque said, adding “that is the objective that we set for ourselves and that is the objective that we must accomplish”.

During the three-hour opening ceremony, former Trinidad and Tobago government minister Dr. Kamaludinn Mohammed was conferred with CARICOM’s highest award, The Order of the Caribbean Community.

Thursday July 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Government and the opposition need to sign codes of conduct Kaieteur News is not looking for any awards. But God knows, the contribution of this newspaper over the past year in exposing wrongdoing in government has far surpassed the efforts of the opposition parties combined since 1992.

What Glenn Lall and Adam Harris have achieved in the past year alone, the opposition parties have not been able to match for twenty years. This is simply phenomenal. Kaieteur News has been brave, courageous and outstanding.

The force behind these efforts has been its publisher Glenn Lall. And it would be true to say that it is only because of his fearlessness that this newspaper has become a crusader against corruption within our society and particularly within government. No other paper comes near; no other political

party compares and one has to ask what have these parties been doing in this country all this time and why have they not been able to expose corruption like Glenn Lall and Adam Harris have been able to do.

This is not the first time that corruption has become a national concern. And it will not be the last time.

Corruption has always been a sore point.

It was Walter Rodney who highlighted the link between corruption at the official level and the corruption within the rest of the society. That assessment is still relevant today and this is why something needs to be done and done quickly to restore greater public confidence in the work of the government.

It is no longer just the case of the government identifying new scapegoats to show the rest of the country that they

are serious about corruption.

The public is not going to be satisfied with half measures.

They are not going to be content with anything short of a serious attempt at restoring public confidence in the work of the administration.

And this is something that Donald Ramotar has to understand. It matters not whether he thinks there is pervasive corruption within the government. What matters is that the populace out there feels that things have gone too far and that it is time that the government be revamped to give it a cleaner image.

The first step in that process is the government to demonstrate that it does not need to be pushed before it acts. Too often it is the case in the past that unless the government’s back was against the wall, they did very

Dem boys seh...

Dr Rammie paving de way fuh thief Dem have an old saying, ‘When chicken hawk miss chicken he does carry grass’.

That is wha happen wid Dr Rammie. When he been at de drugs Ministry he nevah use to worry bout licence. He nevah seh a word. He mouth nevah open fuh even mention licensing mechanism. De money used to flow.

Couple days ago, through he own mouthpiece he talk how he nah satisfy wid de licencing mechanism fuh de fishing people. In short he want put de mechanism in place de same way he put mechanism in place when he been at health.

Hundreds of billions of dollars use to flow through he hand like when li’l pickney drink Epsom salts. This system that he put in place fuh control de purchase of drugs use to full only a few people pockets till dem run over.

Uncle Donald move he

and put he in Agri wheh de money ain’t deh so much.

And is deh he talking bout a new system fuh fish. Dem boys seh that he done from drugs and he gone to fish.

He mean fuh grab at anything. Nutten must pass.

Dem boys notice that he pick up a style wha Rob Earth use to use fuh full people pocket He holler El Nino.

El Nino deh round all de time but dem boys seh that he setting de stage suh when a li’l flood come he can holler fuh nuff money. Rob Earth use to do de same thing wid La Nina. He tek money fuh dig drain but none nah did. He start fuh build koker and Jagdeo know bout all de strategy dem use.

Dem boys seh that don’t be surprise if Dr Rammie start mekking koker overnight. Rob Earth did mek one wheh dem didn’t even have water much less a canal.

Dem same people wha does get dem contract fuh build koker and dig canal, build sea defence fuh prepare fuh El Nino don’t pay tax. Dem does mek $20-$30 billion when de year come and dem tax records does show chicken feed. One of dem pay $4 million. Another one who mek not suh much billion pay $200,000 in tax.

These is de kantractors who people never believe when dem boys talk that dem wasn’t contractors.

Dem boys seh that dem got some lawyers, and senior ones too. One of dem like sue newspapers fuh dem scamps.

Y’all know who dem boys talking about. He pay $2.3 million. And he alone mek couple hundred million. He name mek people always thinking bout de Chase wha Prakash get from de Pee Pee Pee. Talk half and chase de other half

little about corruption.

No one expects the government to go on a witchhunt. But certainly, it needs to take steps to ensure that the public is satisfied with the steps they are taking to root out official corruption and particularly, corruption at the very top.

One way of doing this, would be to ask all Ministers of the government to subscribe to a code of conduct in so far as corruption is concerned. This code can be extended to situations in which the personal interests of ministers may conflict with their professional responsibilities.

Many persons are going to be cynical about such a suggestion because they will argue that swearing or signing a piece of paper without any legal enforceability amounts to window dressing and means little.

A code of conduct for Government Ministers means a great deal. Foremost it means that the Ministers of the government are giving their word publicly to act in a certain way and if they fall short of these standards, then there is a basis on which the President can fire them.

People have been calling on our elected Presidents to fire Ministers for a long time but they have never had at their disposal a sworn code of conduct to press their case.

If however, Ministers of the government are obligated to swear to a code of conduct, there will be at the disposal of the public, such an instrument.

The opposition parliamentarians should also devise their own code of conduct. They are at present developing all manner of irrelevant motions and draft Bills, so there should be no lack of skill in developing a code of conduct to guide their own actions inside and outside of parliament.

The code for these

opposition parliamentarians needs to insist that they will not use their positions as either politicians or parliamentarians for personal gain.

But more importantly, the code should incorporate provisions that would deal with the issue of their professional interests conflicting with their responsibilities as parliamentarian. It should, for example, make provisions as to how opposition parliamentarians should deal with conflicts of interest and potential conflicts of interest, especially as these relate to instances where their professional interests influence how they vote on matters before the National Assembly or the position that

their parties take inside and outside of parliament.

The opposition will find itself with a credibility problem if when criticizing the government of ignoring possible conflicts of interest, the opposition itself is found to be guilty of the same thing.

And so they too need to sign their own codes of conduct Kaieteur News can only expose and condemn. It is not its job to bring public pressure on any party, be it the ruling party or an opposition party. It is for those parties to press for changes through a code of conduct for Ministers and parliamentarians. This would be a good beginning.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 05, 2012

=== The Freddie Kissoon column === When a nation cannot rise above the prevailing ethos of mediocrity, it will fail to take its place in the modern scheme of things. When a society cannot judge between the simple wrongs and rights of its citizens, it will fail to produce productive minds.

When a country elevates the aridness of its inhabitants to levels of moral greatness, it will confuse fundamental values with ornamental banalities.

What is lost in such a phantasmagoria of nihilism is the meaning of history.

Without history, there can be no civilized discourse.

Learning then consists of fiction and fiction replaces culture. When a people forget its memory then civilization itself is lost.

I was stunned when I read the panegyrics extolling the virtues of Mr. Ralph Ramkarran in the swirling controversy between him and his party that he served over forty years. I thought of the apology he got from the PPP that Moses Nagamootoo didn’t receive. In fact, Nagamootoo was visited with ostracization. Ralph is being asked to come back.

Immediately the scholar senses there is analysis to be done. Why would a Stalinist party evict Moses Nagamootoo and retain Ralph Ramkarran when both offered their resignation? Should we replace academic analysis with Shakespearian references?

In the theater of the absurd, bodies are dropping all over Ralph pointing him to

the original gate, begging him for re-entry into the kingdom.

Serpents still frown upon Moses Nagamootoo as the lyrics of the Eagles’ great song, “Hotel California” drown out the plea of the AFC calling on Ralph to enter a new Elysium.

Enough of Shakespeare!

Why the fuss about Ralph Ramkarran when cascading memories besmirch the historical fabric that Mr. Ramkarran once wore.

Individual can confuse fact with fiction; a national cannot afford that kind of psychic masturbation. Its vulgarity is bound to destroy the integrity of the collective wisdom that once accrued from the struggles of the past.

When memory becomes convenient, a nation loses its capacity for moral and

spiritual redemption.

Mr. Ramkarran wrote one of the most innocent assessments of corruption in the 20-year old Government of the party that he has been with at the leadership level since the fruits of power was laid at the table of Freedom House since 1992.

The scholar acquainted with Mr. Ramkarran’s party use of power could be rude to him by suggesting that his corruption column was not even mild but poor and lacked scholarly integrity. It was a dissertation in which the intensity and ubiquity of corruption was virtually ignored.

A jejune look at corruption under the PPP Government by Mr. Ramkarran has transformed him into an overnight hero.

But faded memory can be recollected like how remnants of a portrait can be pieced together and come to alive again.

I got a libel suit from the gentleman and thanks to my friendship with Khemraj

Ramjattan it was dropped.

Mr. Ramkarran wrote my apology for me without my editor (Nills Campbell) informing me. Mr. Ramkarran then asked Kaieteur News to pay $5 million compensation.

I complained to Glenn Lall on his return to the country about what Campbell did. I will always remember the principled position, Mr. Lall took.

In my presence he said to Campbell; “Why didn’t you let Freddie write the apology and send it to Ramkarran for approval?” I will never forget those words. I was made to look like a fool in that apology and up to this day, I resent Campbell for what he did to me.

This was my introduction to Ralph Ramkarran. Anger pieced me when I got the libel papers because all I could see was irony. I was sued for an article that in fact was high in praise of Mr. Ramkarran. All the offending part asked was how Mr. Ramkarran could have participated in an evil meeting.

Frederick Kissoon That was in 1999. Since then I never heard a single word of condemnation from Mr. Ramkarran on what the PPP Government was doing to the Guyanese people. Mr. Ramkarran did not come forth, only Nagamootoo, when President Jagdeo accused Ramjattan of taking information to the US Embassy.

In 2010, in a letter in the Stabroek News Mr. Ramkarran accused me of stealing books from libraries in different countries where I lived. I didn’t sue for libel. Of course I did steal books but not the amount that Mr. Ramkarran accused me of.

Thursday July 05, 2012

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 05, 2012

Motorcyclist dies after slamming into abandoned truck

S

cores of residents living at Hope Village, East Bank Demerara, lined the roadway yesterday to view the body of 53-year-old Godwin Adolph, aka “Papa” hours after the man’s motorcycle slammed into the back of a disused lorry.

Reports are that Adolph was riding his motorcycle heading towards Timehri when he crashed. This was around 06:30 hrs yesterday.

According to an eyewitness, she was in her yard when she noticed the man on his motorcycle approaching a nearby lumber yard.

The lorry into which his motocycle slammed was stationary at the front of the yard. She told Kaieteur News that Adolph was not riding at a fast pace but ended up slamming into the back of the old lorry. He never got up.

“All I saw is that he was riding coming and lash into the back of this deserted, old truck here. It didn’t have any car coming to him. It wasn’t to say he overtake because no other vehicle was on the road. I don’t know if he fall asleep or get heart attack or stroke on the bike and that caused him to end up like this,” said the young woman.

An employee of the lumber yard stated that he became aware of the situation upon his arrival at work. The man was known to some of the villagers who would see him frequently passing on the road almost at the same time as that when the incident took place.

Though he did not witness the incident, the man did say that persons were of

- hours after discharge from hospital the opinion that Adolph fell asleep on the motorcycle.

“We don’t really know what happened but when me and others came here this morning we see this unfortunate incident. Some think he was speeding but the people who saw the accident said he wasn’t so the only other thing we think, is that he fall asleep. It wasn’t raining, dark or anything to have blurred his vision,” he said.

When Kaieteur News arrived at the scene, there were no police ranks present, and this caused a commotion among some villagers. They explained that they had telephoned the police since the incident occurred.

Another villager said that a police rank did visit the scene, however; he spent less than two minutes there and went into a nearby shop where he spent a long time.

Over two hours had passed and the body was still on the grass.

Meanwhile, at the man’s residence at lot 7 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, yesterday afternoon, Adolph’s wife and family members were being consoled by church members.

The distraught wife stated that she last saw her husband of 13 years when she left for work early that morning. Her husband was home.

She became aware of his demise later in the day when two members of her church visited her to “break the news”.

“Two brothers came and

wanted to speak with me and like they didn’t know how to tell me about it. They finally told me he was in an accident and I learnt he was no longer alive. He was a nice, loving man. You can ask all the neighbours and church friends, they are all here.”

Kaieteur News was further told that Adolph was admitted to the hospital on Friday, last, to undergo surgery.

He was supposed to be released yesterday; however, he had an early release and arrived at his home on Tuesday night.

According to his wife, Adolph told her that he was going to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) early yesterday to treat an abscess he had on his side.

He returned home shortly after. “He said the line there was too long and would go to the Diamond Hospital for dressing. He also asked me for $5,000 so that he could get something done for a brother from our church. I really don’t know what he was doing up that side where the accident occurred,” she added.

This newspaper understands that Adolph was self employed. He was a former employee of the Humphrey’s Bakery.

He leaves to mourn his wife and seven children.

Some of the dead man’s neighbours and his family were upset at the fact that there was an old lorry parked on the roadway.

They feel that this should not have been so and that law

The body of 53-year-old Godwin Adolph, aka “Papa” lies under the truck enforcement officers should look into the matter.

“I don’t know why people have parked trailers and trucks on the roadways

but it will never change.

These things especially lorry/ truck don’t have lights or anything to reflect and should not be there. If that

parked truck wasn’t there then my husband would still have been alive today,” the wife lamented.

(Kristen Macklingam)

Ramotar calls for increased trade with South America - wants CARICOM states to share overseas missions to reduce costs

From L-R: Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh; President. Donald Ramotar, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.

G

u y a n a ’ s President Donald Ramotar has called for an increase in trade between Caribbean neighbours as a means to reduce the impact of global economic crisis.

Addressing the opening session of the 33rd Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Saint Lucia, Ramotar also called for the sharing of overseas diplomatic missions to help reduce the costs of establishing and maintaining them.

The Guyanese leader, in his inaugural message to that forum, also zeroed in on climate change, the international economic environment, food security,

and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as top issues that need addressing.

The Castries, St Lucia forum, has taken heightened importance especially amidst an escalating war between Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica over an almost US$1B trade deficit.

Also to be discussed is the future of the 15-member trade bloc especially in context of a report it commissioned last year which found that the body needs urgent restructuring or it could face collapse in three years.

Stressing that Guyana remains committed to the regional integration process of CARICOM, President Ramotar underscored climate change as one of the (Continued on page 19)

Thursday July 05, 2012

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Thursday July 05, 2012

Inaugural Auto and Trade Show dubbed a success

P

atrons came out in their thousands to be part of the inaugural Auto and Trade Show over the weekend. The venue was the Rose Hall Estate Community Centre ground.

Despite overnight rainfalls and several changes to the initial programme of events the activity was dubbed a great success.

The event, which was one of the first of its kind ever promoted in Berbice, was done in three phases.

The earlier segment (11:00 hrs) saw the Auto and Trade Show, the later evening segment was the Car and Bike Show. The Chutney Concert also provided entertainment to patrons who came from all walks of life.

Several agencies

participated in the trade show and displayed the wide range of automobiles they have in stock. The activity which went way into the night saw a number of vehicles on display.

Among the agencies in attendance were Pan American Auto Sales, Danzies Auto Sales, Asheik and Sons Auto Sales, Trans Pacific Auto Sales, Ramchand’s Auto Body, Mara and Sons Motor Cycle Store , A. Ally and Sons General store, Ainlim Motor Cycles, Jialing , Marics Honda, Roger Greenidge Refrigeration and Auto Air Condition Technician.

The banks were also there, among them Republic and Demerara Banks. The Insurance companies on show were Hand in Hand Insurance, Demerara Mutual

Life Fire and Motor Insurance. Beverage companies, Banks DIH, DDL and Ansa Mc Al Trading were among the retail and other traders in attendance.

In the car and bike show segment, several customized vehicles were put on display with participants coming from various parts of Guyana including New Amsterdam, Skeldon and other parts of Corentyne, West Coast Berbice and Georgetown.

In the end after keen competition and inspection by the panel of judges several prizes were awarded.

In the category for the best customised vehicle, the winner was Ramchand’s Auto Body Shop of Good Hoop, East Coast Demerara.

His prize was one return

The winning car with Angel of War artwork.

airline ticket to New York, compliments of Caribbean Airlines.

The prize for the Best Car was won by Williams Trucking of Georgetown.

The best lighted vehicle category was won by A. Ally and Sons. The prize in the Best Bus/Jeep category was won by Omar Amar aka ‘Sadam’ who displayed a Wrangler.

There was a category for the VIP vehicles and that was awarded to Peter Lewis Construction of

Williamsburg, Corentyne who displayed a BMW Convertible Sports Car. In the bike category, the best Customised bike prize was won by Wayne Reid aka ‘Quarters’ of New Amsterdam while the cleanest bike was won by Kean Phillips also of New Amsterdam. No judging was done in the Music Category.

The winners were presented with their prizes during the show. They received prizes and trophies compliments of a number of

sponsors, including Banks DIH Limited, DDL, Ansa Mcal Trading, A. Ally and Sons and Caribbean Airlines among others.

One lucky patron also copped a gate prize of one return ticket to Miami, or New York compliments of Caribbean Airlines.

The next major event on the Chamber’s calendar is the Corporate Business in Sports T/10 2012 Tournament in September and the Canje Nite Expo in October 2012.

Telephone wires save house as tree falls Members of the Guyana Fire Service and the City Council last evening responded to a call for help from residents of Campbellville, after an old tree fell on a home aback of the GuyOil gas station on Sheriff Street.

Fortunately, none of the five occupants of the house was at home at the time of the incident which, according to an official at the City Council, occurred around 15:00hrs.

According to an eyewitness, it was several phone wires that “broke the fall of the tree”.

The man explained that had it not been for

those telephone wires, the impact of the tree onto the house would have been more severe, resulting in more damages, especially since the wooden structure is very old.

“If wasn’t for them phone lines, that tree would’ve hit that house more hard. The phone wires break the fall,” the man said. The man further lamented that “the tree fall right across the passageway and people could’ve been passing or something. Luckily nobody didn’t went there”.

Kaieteur News was unable to speak to the occupants of the home.

Thursday July 05, 2012

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Page 15

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(Continued on page 20)

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Page 16

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 05, 2012

N/A Lion’s Club conducts Airport squatters move to defy eviction 51st handing- over ceremony A section Timehri north

L to R: N/A Lion’s Club veterans: Norman Semple, Samuel Monah, Theresa Lewis, Shabir Hussain and Jenny Conway Residents of Timehri north said to be squatting on lands belonging to Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation, have sent a lawyer’s letter to the company rejecting its eviction notices.

Pressures for their removal come at a time when Government has contracted a Chinese firm, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to rebuild the airport and extend the runway.

However, removal from the area is not an option for the squatters. In fact, they did not dismantle their structures within the one-month time span given to them to relocate.

Nonetheless, soil testing works to facilitate the airport expansion are being executed.

According to Daniel Fraser, Chairman of the Timehri (North) Community Development Council (TNCDC), the community comprising over 30 shops and in excess of 300 houses is not

Daniel Fraser within the airport flight zone.

He added that Timehri north should not be the targeted area since it is parallel to the airport. He was unable to confirm some residents’ claims that they had leased their lands from Guyana Lands and Survey Commission.

Fraser said that Philomena Sahoye-Shury, a Ministry of Housing official, had visited the area and had informed residents of the

possibility of regularizing the area. Fraser said that the occupants of Timehri North once lived at Base Road. They were forcefully removed from that area and placed at Timehri North.

According to Transport Minister, Robeson Benn, during a press conference on Wednesday, “There is a map of the airport property as inherited at the time the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission was doing an assessment of the property boundaries and occupancies.

I believe that there were only five or six so-called squatters on the property.”

He added that no squatter who has been protesting and decrying their removal in the media presented the Ministry with a certificate of title, a lease document or transport with respect to the airport lands, which were demarcated on maps done on the airport.

However, Fraser believes that the occupants have a right to the lands. As such, the Council consulted a lawyer. A letter rejecting the notices has been issued to the airport and nothing has happened since.

The Lion’s Club of New Amsterdam held its 51st Installation and Handingover ceremony on Saturday at the Lion’s Den in Vryman’s Erven. The Club recently elected new members, including a new President, for the fiscal year 2012-2013.

For outgoing President, Ms Therysa Lewis, it was a bitter- sweet moment.

In her final address to the gathering, which included Lions from across Guyana, businessmen and women and Guyana Prison Service officials, she noted that the past year has made her realise how hardworking her fellow club members were in executing their tasks.

“I want to acknowledge that you have all played your parts in making this club a happier and more productive place”.

She noted that she took pride in ensuring that the club’s projects and responsibilities were maintained on a daily basis by a group of smiling cheerful individuals “who choose to be happy”.

Orientation sessions will commence later this month for Directors. Touching on Service Activities under her

tenure, she noted that the club’s signature project, the eye-glass recycling centre continued to operate weekly.

A Lion’s bus- shed at North Road, New Amsterdam was furbished and this service serves schoolchildren as well as the public, she said. The Lion’s waiting shed at the New Amsterdam Post Office has been refurbished also for the senior citizens whenever they go to uplift their pensions.

Lewis added that 20 students, aged six to 12 benefited from Phonics, Basic Math and English during the club’s annual Summer School programme in August. School uniforms and other school requisites were distributed to the less fortunate children in the town.

Two joint eye-care projects with the East Canje Lion’s Club were carried out in Edinburgh and Canje. Joint medical clinics from the N/A Town Day Secretariat as well as with the Council of Friends of New Amsterdam (COFONA) were held at the Lion’s Den last October.

One wheel chair, 60 food hampers at Christmas and a Christmas party were among the presentations for the past year.

Three blood pressure and diabetic clinics were also held during Therysa Lewis’s tenure outside the Banks DIH outlet.

The nutritional enhancement programme continued throughout the year, providing a hot, nutritious meal for 60 needy primary school children.

In his Inaugural Speech as President of the N/A Lion’s Club, Samuel Singh, outlined plans for his tenure. These include several fund- raising activities to help with the club’s mission and other activities for the 2012- 2013 period.

“Proceeds from these activities will go towards helping the less-fortunate and helping out the elderly with a Christmas hamper, and also help us to build a fence on the right hand of our property (the den)”. He urged the business community in the town to get involved too.

The new N/A Lion’s Club Board of Directors 2012-2013 is made up of: President: Mr Samuel Singh; Immediate Past President, Therysa Lewis; First Vice President, Georgina Hoosley; Second Vice President, Yvette Kertzious; Third Vice President, Donna Austin; Secretary, Mellena Lewis; Treasurer Pamela Simon; and First Year Directors, Ramesh Maraj, Leila Clarke- Daniels and Norma Chesney; Second Year Directors, Jennifer Conway, Marlyin La Rose and Sabrina Grant- Charles; while the Tamer is Hazetta Julian and Tail Twister, Lion Winston Henry.

Thursday July 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 17

Chronicle editorial Come clean on airport contract - AFC riles Catholic body The Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) of the Roman Catholic Church has expressed its objection at the Guyana Chronicle’s Editorial of July 3, last, titled: “Opposition rampages to sow disunity in the country.”

“The contents of this editorial crossed by no small measure the acceptable lines of responsible opinion, choosing instead to use thinly disguised inflammatory language,” the commission said.

According to a published Report on the Ethnic Relations Commission’s website, there are provisions in the Racial Hostility Act, of the laws of Guyana for preventing conduct tending to excite or attempting to excite hostility or ill-will against any section of the public or against any person on the grounds of their or his race. This includes by written (including printed) matter, the commission noted.

“The JPC believes that the reckless posture taken in the editorial represents a patent ethnic appeal and could

encourage incitement. In a plural society with a continuing history of delicately poised race relations, such comments from any source are not in the best interests of nation building.”

“Instead, they sow the seeds of distrust, antagonism, and reciprocal hatreds.

Words used in the editorial seek to castigate another race and in fact is condemnatory of one race to convey a particular message.”

The JPC called on the Guyana Chronicle “and all media houses” to exercise greater responsibility in putting forward opinion pieces in terms of the positions taken and how they are presented to the reading public.

“There is no justification for any such statements, appeals, or positions, at any time from any source. Rather, the emphasis should be-and could-be more appropriately focused on the struggle for consensus and harmony that has eluded us for so long.”

The Alliance for Change (AFC) is insisting that the government comes clean on the US$138M contract to expand the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

AFC Parliamentarian, Moses Nagamootoo, said that the party is not against the Chinese contractor or the involvement of any Chinese firm in infrastructural projects here.

Nagamootoo said that the party has no evidence that the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC) is involved in corruption. What the AFC is concerned about is the manner in which the project was handed to CHEC. “Whoever comes to invest in Guyana, it must be the first call of duty of our public officials, our government, to observe the law.

If it did observe the law in this matter, it would have behaved lawlessly,” Nagamootoo stated.

He said the AFC has noted the publicity blitz by CHEC seeking to establish its reputation, but he said that the bigger concern is if the project contract was signed in a transparent manner.

According to Nagamootoo, the

PSC to meet on Mahadeo’s...

From page 6 marketing agencies have been blocked by GT&T in recent weeks to facilitate the audit. Several persons doing business with GT&T have also been questioned.

In the past 18 months, GT&T spent up to $1B on popular promotions including the Jingle and Song Competition, Ten/10 Softball, Gospel Concert, Colorfest and Feel The Beat, among others.

According to the outgoing CEO, in 2011 revenue grew, with the company hooking up 15,000

new mobile subscribers.

Some 16,000 new DSL connections were also made.

GT&T, in a statement from Paul Bowersock, a member of the Board of Directors, on Friday said that the audit found that the actions of some individuals have been inconsistent with the company’s high ethical standards regarding internal business practices and conflicts of interest.

“Accordingly, the Board has decided it is in the best interest of the company to make some changes in personnel. The board has

replaced our CFO, Royston Rachpaul, and three additional staff reporting to him.”

Guyana had 20 per cent shares in GT&T, shares that it has now sold to an Asian company. The rest is owned

by Atlantic Tele Network, a US-based company.

Former CEO, Major General (rtd) Joe Singh has now been named Chairman of GT&T and will assume the role of acting CEO. Former CEO, Sonita Jagan, will now be acting as the new Chief Financial Officer in place of Royston Rachpaul.

government’s explanation that a Chinese official came to the Caribbean with a bag of money that was too good to refuse, is not enough.

“It is good to accept money especially if it is done on very cheap and concessionary terms, but the other thing is we have an obligation to our society and to our law to ensure that due process is observed,” Nagamootoo stated.

He said that what the AFC was concerned about is the “surreptitious” manner in which the contract was signed. Guyanese only knew of it when it was announced in the Jamaican press.

“It shows contempt for our people,” Nagamootoo suggested.

Two days ago, Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn, cleared CHEC of any corrupt practices and said the project was going ahead.

The AFC believes that the government has to do much more than just say there was no wrongdoing. Nagamootoo insisted that the government has to properly explain why it

Moses Nagamootoo did not go to tender for the project and why it refuses to recall the contract and do what it ought to have done in the first place, that is open for bids.

Tuesday, Minister Benn said the entire process leading to the signing of the contract in November last year is above board and falls within the laws of Guyana.

He said that the price tag was arrived at after “torrid” negotiations and “back and forth” meetings between CHEC, officials of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA); engineers and

administrators of the Public Works Ministry and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

“It was not like this came out of a hat or something.”

In November, days before the November 28 General and Regional Elections and before President Bharrat Jagdeo stepped down, Guyana learnt through the Jamaica press that Guyana had signed the contract with CHEC to rebuild the CJIA, complete with a new terminal and longer runway.

CHEC conducted its feasibility study and made the proposal to Government. It was when the Chinese Government held a special forum in Trinidad last year that Guyana managed to single out financing.

Benn claimed that the Chinese contractor inadvertently released details of the signing without Cabinet of Ministers being officially informed in Guyana.

He also insisted that sole tendering, the method by which CHEC was awarded the contract, is not illegal and allowed for in law.

Son remanded for attempting to murder father A son was yesterday remanded to jail after he reportedly attempted to end his father’s life. Thirty-nine-year-old Imo Fox, of 73 Brickdam, Georgetown reportedly attempted to kill Cyril Fox. The charge said that at Brickdam the accused inflicted harm upon the senior Fox. From all indications the Fox family had secured the services of Attorney-at-law Mortimer Codett who later confirmed that he told Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton that he was appearing on behalf of the Fox family.

The accused however fired the lawyer and said that he did not request the legal aid services.

The man opted to represent himself after claiming that Codett representing him and the victim was a conflict of interest. The court ordered the lawyer to withdraw himself on request of the accused.

Fox later addressed the court on the question of bail. He was not requested to plead

to the indictable charge but requested bail in a reasonable sum. The man said that he is a wildlife exporter and a business operator. He also said that he resided at the same location as the victim but was willing to remove himself and take up residence on East Coast Demerara.

The prosecution however requested that the defendant be remanded since the victim was still hospitalized. The police said that the victim was housed at the Intensive Care Unit of the Public hospital.

It is alleged that the senior Fox received several stab wounds about the body and that his intestines were reportedly protruding. The younger Fox also showed the court lacerations on his wrist which required stitches.

He indicated that there had been a misunderstanding between himself and his dad and injuries resulted from them clashing. He was denied bail. Fox will return to court on July 24.

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 05, 2012

Release full report on NCN probe - AFC The Alliance for Change (AFC) is calling for the release of the full report into investigations of financial irregularity at the stateowned national radio and television station.

“We believe that anyone suspected of skimming the cream off the milk jug must be thoroughly investigated,” AFC Parliamentarian Cathy Hughes stated.

She believes that those senior officials of the company found guilty should be made to face the full brunt of the law. But Hughes suspects that there is an ongoing cover up to shield those officials from such action.

However, Hughes stopped short of calling for the Police to visit the doors of Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur and Martin Goolsarran.

Sattaur, the Chief Executive Officer, has resigned and Senior Manager Martin Goolsarran has been suspended for eight weeks

without pay.

Hughes, the woman in the AFC who has been gunning after the books at the National Communications Network (NCN), said that as a public company, it must declare the full details of the investigation.

With this not yet available, she was hesitant in making an outright call for Sattaur and Goolsarran to be handed over to the Police.

“I would like to first see the report. I don’t think we can necessarily jump to a decision. If there is criminal negligence and if there is a criminal situation here, then the Police must do what they do,” she stated.

Goolsarran had admitted to accepting a cheque written in his name from GT&T. For Hughes, this is a case of fraudulent conversion.

“It is not good enough to say that the CEO has resigned and that a senior manager was suspended.

NCN is a state owned

company and was receiving millions of dollar. We have a right to know and to be given full details,” Hughes stated.

The AFC engineered a complete slashing of NCN’s annual subvention in this year’s budget, when it was revealed that the company raked in some $500 millions in profit last year. President Donald Ramotar, who is also the Minister of Information, launched an investigation, which led to the revelations of financial irregularity.

“We need to know the scale of any misappropriation and whoever is culpable needs to be dealt with as the law provides,” Hughes declared.

AFC Parliamentarian Moses Nagamootoo said what is obscene about the whole matter is that Sattaur was very boisterous in the streets protesting against the withholding, and has just caught himself in the eye of the storm.

“If you have pilfering and

Lumumba to return to court on July 25 Presidential Advisor on Empowerment, Odinga Lumumba, will return to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on July 25 for the continuation of the alleged assault and provoking the peace charge brought against him by Onika Beckles, a woman he allegedly assaulted at a polling station during the 2011 General Elections.

The matter was first called before Magistrate Judy Latchman on June 20. It was alleged that on November 28, last, at polling station 413441B, Lot 455 Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt, Lumumba reportedly assaulted Beckles

to cause her actual bodily harm. He was also charged with provoking the peace.

To the charges the defendant pleaded not guilty.

He was represented by Attorney at law Neil Boston.

The lawyer provided the defendant’s particulars and requested that his client be sent on his own recognizance.

The application was granted and the government official was sent away on self bail.

Beckles after appearing before Magistrate Hazel Octive Hamilton of Court Five was placed on $25 bail when the prosecution had no objections to bail. She was

Fuzzy Sattaur

Martin Goolsarran

Cathy Hughes

malfeasance... we are entitled to know how long it has been going on; we are entitled to know the size of the mess...,” Nagamootoo told reporters yesterday.

The AFC also wants NCN to say how much money it collected for the flurry of advertisements by the ruling PPP during the elections campaign. The party wants to know who paid over the money and to whom it was paid. It also wants evidence of which accounts the money went into.

Hughes stated that the AFC is discussing how best

to address the matter.

Two days ago, Dr Prem Misir, who led the investigation, said the probe was centered “only” on allegations of financial irregularities surrounding NCN and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s Jingle and Song Competition. He told Kaieteur News that even so, several other deficiencies at NCN were uncovered and he conceded that “there are still some grey areas.”

Dr. Misir said that while there were intimations for police involvement earlier in the

probe, the company would like to verify, internally, what had transpired, before calling in the police, and reminded that at present some money is still to be accounted for.

He was speaking to a payment made to NCN by GT&T. It is unclear where the money is, he said.

The AFC now feels fully vindicated for taking “the bold and unprecedented step” to cut the allocations for NCN that were presented in the 2012 National Budget.

“The people of Guyana now see it was the right thing to do,” Hughes stated.

Digicel expands service in region seven

Odinga Lumumba represented by Attorney at law Nigel Hughes.

In early January, the Director of Public Prosecutions recommended that Lumumba and Beckles be charged with separate offences that stemmed from their altercation on Elections Day, last year November.

It is alleged that Beckles prevented a political party candidate from entering the Polling Station where she presided. It is further alleged that the officer was forced to call the police to the Polling Station after Lumumba verbally abused her and shoved her against a wall.

Digicel, one of Guyana’s leading mobile communications providers in Guyana, continues to deliver on its promise to provide state-of-the-art communication services to unserved communities.

Yesterday, the company announced the launch of its service in one of Guyana’s main mining hubs - Omai, in Region Seven. The launch of mobile communications coverage in Omai brings Digicel’s coverage in the populated communities of Region Seven to over 70 percent. Work is ongoing to provide additional coverage in the region, within the next three months.

Digicel Guyana’s Chief Executive Officer, Gregory Dean, said, “Digicel is committed to the creation of important communication links in Guyana’s interior communities, which contribute to the overall growth and development of the country. We are also very pleased to be the first company to launch mobile service in Omai.”

“The suggestion to provide service in Omai, was first made by Prime Minister, Samuel A.A. Hinds, during the launch of Digicel’s service at 58-miles (Peter and Ruth Restaurant), on the Linden-Lethem Road, about 30 miles from Mabura, last October.

“A team was sent into the area to evaluate possibilities and now, residents of Omai and surrounding areas can be instantly connected for purposes of business and also socially with family and friends,” Dean said.

Upon learning of Digicel’s launch in Omai, Prime Minister Samuel A.A. Hinds said, “I am exceedingly pleased that Digicel took up my offer so that call service is now available in the Omai area. When the open-pit reserves at Omai were exhausted, there was a call to utilize, and to build upon, existing infrastructure that might be of service to others.

“I told Digicel that there was an abandoned radio-mast which was available for the establishment of call service in the area. At the time, there was some activity by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and small miners, and the area showed potential as a transit-point to Kaburi, 14-miles, and Issano.”

Other communities in Region Seven, with Digicel coverage, include Bartica and 58-miles.

“Our Omai site is fully solar-powered.

Even as we continue to expand our network, we are also ensuring that we contribute towards the protection of the environment,” Dean concluded.

Thursday July 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Ramotar calls for increased...

The Abigail Column His first marriage has her haunted

DEARABIGAIL, I’ve been in a relationship for the past nine months with a man I love and have a great friendship with. He is kind, interesting, and great fun to be with, but I feel an imbalance in the relationship because of our pasts and responsibilities.

He had a short-lived marriage that created a child and ended in divorce nearly two years ago (before we met). I’m not a parent and don’t have an ex-spouse. I

drive myself crazy thinking about the fact that he has an ex-wife — someone he made vows to, someone he once held at night, someone who bore his firstborn.

I know he is serious about our relationship and would like to get married. I would be on the same page if I weren’t so concerned about the emotional reaction I have every time I think about his ex-wife and the fact that everything in our marriage would be an exciting new adventure for me and a rerun for him. I know our relationship is very different from the one they had and that he is not living in the past.

How can I get over it and stop

resenting being second’’?

Unbalanced

“the

Dear Unbalanced, You are getting in your own way — and seemingly looking with a spyglass for something to muck this up.

You make a false assumption that everything in your marriage, for him, would be a rerun.

Every remarriage is different from the previous one. I’m not sure whether insecurity or overromanticism is guiding your thinking, but you have to get a realistic grasp of mature thinking. A lot of great husbands have ex-wives.

Thursday July 05, 2012 ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Get busy putting your place in order. Resist the temptation to gamble. Risks will not be profitable. Be sure to think twice before you say something that might hurt your partner's feelings.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) You can make financial deals, but it may be best if you're not using your own cash. Someone you care about may let you down or criticize your methods.

Contracts will not be as lucrative as you think.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) This might not be a day for hasty decisions. Club memberships or donations could be expensive and prove unnecessary. Check into art objects or precious stones.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) A better diet, exercise, or a change to a relaxed atmosphere could be ways to soothe your nerves. This might not be a day for hasty decisions. Social events will be plentiful.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) The key to feeling good about yourself will be to do something about it. Focus on using your creative abilities in other ways. Don't overload your plate.

SAGIT (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Do not give your heart to someone who may not live up to your standards. Be courteous if you wish to avoid major delays. Refuse to get involved in idle chatter; it will only make you look bad.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Jealousy may get in the way of a good relationship. There's lots to be done and if you meet your deadline you'll be in your boss's good books. Travel should be on your agenda.

CAPRI (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Relatives may not be telling you the whole truth about a family situation. Relatives will be cordial. Wait and get all the information before consulting your boss.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Try to concentrate on research and acquiring information that will be of value in your chosen field. You can learn a great deal if you listen to those who are older or more experienced. You could be misinterpreted if you're not careful.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) You can make some money if you get involved in a conservative financial prospect that is presented to you. Stand up for your rights. Take time to look at any outdated papers or possible investments.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Your involvement in interest groups may bring you popularity. Problems with relatives and friends could surface. Make changes that will heighten your appeal.

Page 19

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You can stabilize your personal relationship if you're willing to communicate honestly. You're intuitive today; however, this attribute could get you in trouble if you tactlessly say what you think.

From page 12 more direct threat especially to Caribbean countries.

“It is imperative that our region continues to leverage our extreme exposure to climate change in forging and advocating a common position on the matter.”

It is essential that an agreement is reached this year on the new and additional sources of financing for a climate change fund, and that a REDD-plus window be established to reduce deforestation and incentivize forest conservation and sustainable forest management.

While the region has no control over what is happening on the international scene, the region should challenge itself to not have to react to situations, but ensure that preventative measures are put in place.

South America trade “We must as a region, be more earnest in our efforts to define a development agenda that is responsive to the evolving global circumstances we face and the domestic realities of our smallness and our vulnerabilities.”

While CARICOM states should not forsake its strong relations with Europe, the US and Canada, it may be a wise idea to eye South America for increase trade.

“The global economy is undergoing rapid structural changes including the fact that growth is driven today by new and emerging centres of economic activity. These include countries that are geographically proximate to ours such as Brazil and with which we have historically strong relations such as China.

“Our region must respond to these realities by developing closer ties with these countries and also by exploring new frontiers of opportunity for beneficial bilateral relations.”

On the issue of food security, Ramotar warned the CARICOM leaders that the volatility of food prices throughout the world has seen many economically strong countries are moving into lesser developed states and buying large tracts of

land in response to their own food security challenges.

“Our Region is diverse. It has many varied products and much under-developed potentials. We know that our food import bill is huge, even though we have most of the resources to guarantee our own food supply.

“The more than $3B that leaves our Region every year could be put to productive use within our Region to improve our peoples’ lives.”

He was critical of the efforts by the region to reduce this US$3B bill.

“We have to become more self-sufficient.”

CCJ ACCEPTANCE Ramotar also focused on free movement of the Caribbean nationals within member states, an initiative which is still to be fully implemented.

“With greater political will and purpose we can make this happen. If we are to survive and prosper, we must make this happen.”

He called for the more acceptance of the regional court,

the Caribbean Court of Justice. “Let us muster the political will to ensure that the intended jurisdictional boundaries of the Caribbean Court of Justice are realized.

To do otherwise would be consciously or unconsciously fostering doubt in our abilities. This is not the time for that; it is a time to take these steps confidently.”

The Guyana President also blasted the state of the region’s cricket. According to Ramotar, the game has now fostered self-interest and even greed.

“Some administrators of the sport seem not to care about the importance of this institution but more about perpetuating themselves at any cost. Governments have invested millions of dollars in building facilities to enhance the game and to promote the growth of the sport. However, today we face the abomination - key matches are now being taken out of the Region while some of our territories are deliberately deprived.”

Page 20

Kaieteur News

(From page 15)

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Thursday July 5, 2012

GFF/EDFA U13 League to kick off on Saturday @ BV Gr. Junior football at the Under-13 level is expected to make a welcome return to the East Coast of Demerara on Saturday morning when the Guyana Football Federation / East Demerara Football Association Under-13 League gets underway at the BV Ground.

Ten clubs in the association have registered to compete and have been placed into two groups, A and B, with games scheduled for the BV and Buxton Grounds on Saturday and Sunday.

Teams placed in group A are Buxton United, Melanie, Mahaica Determinators,

- ten teams to compete for supremacy; Sunday games @ Buxton Youth Developers, BV and Ann’s Grove United; these teams will play at the Buxton Ground.

Group B games which will be contested at the BV Ground will see competition among Black Water, Plaisance, Bakewell Buxton Stars and Victoria Kings.

Games will be played for a duration of one hour, two equal halves of 30 minutes with each player, according to the competition rules, being allowed to play a minimum of 10 minutes. Substitutions will be rolling and a subbed player can only re-enter the game if

all the other subs are used.

Only players born on or after January 1, 1999 will be eligible to play. Teams guilty of playing any over age player will forfeit the game to the opposing team and will also be penalized by the organisers.

Competition will get underway on Saturday with Group B matches at the BV Ground from 10:00hrs. Black Water will come up against Plaisance to be followed by the main game of the day between Bakewell Buxton Stars and Victoria Kings.

Action will switch to the Buxton Ground on Sunday morning where three Group A games are scheduled.

Kicking off at 09:00hrs, Buxton United will match skills with Melanie, Mahaica Determinations will then throw down the gauntlet to Youth Developers, while the final game of the day brings together BV and Ann’s Grove.

A win is worth two points while a draw will attract one point.

Any team giving up a walkover will see the other team gaining two points and two goals as their reward.

36th NSC Annual Teach Them Young Cycle Coaching Programme starts July 9 The 36th edition of the annual Teach Them Young Cycling Coaching Programme organized by the National Sports Commission is set to commence on Monday July 9, 2012 at the venue it has been held at since its inception, the Inner Circuit of the National Park.

National Coach Hassan Mohamed MS who has been the backbone of the programme will once again be at the helm imparting the requisite knowledge and basics of the sport to the young and upcoming

cyclists.

Sessions will be held from Monday’s to Friday’s between 09:00 and 11:30hrs daily during the eight (8) weeks programme which is opened to all school boys and girls, beginners and all interested in learning the fine arts of the sport; admission is free.

The programme which started back in 1977 has developed as the main production hub of the sport in Guyana and continues to be the main pillar for local cycling.

The quest to be known as the top senior team on the East Coast of Demerara will begin in earnest on Saturday when the Ansa McAl / Stag Beer sponsored League gets underway with double header games at the BV and Buxton Grounds.

Ansa McAl renewed their commitment towards the continued development of the game on the East Coast corridor and has upped the ante having announced that they will be adopting the BV Ground as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, more reason for East Coast

Jeffrey determined...

From page 23 necessary changes to guarantee its competitiveness.

He also related that they haven't been able to take advantage of the new rule change which now affords teams the scope to reduce the weights on the cars and make them faster, informing that time will not permit them to make the adjustment, but is still confident of doing well.

The local speedster urged all Guyana to make it a date to be at the Circuit on Sunday to see the country's best go up against each other for motor racing supremacy. He ex-

tended heartfelt thanks to sponsors Automotive Art, Doosan, Infab and Shivo Auto Body for their valuable assistance during his preparations for this event.

Meanwhile, stiff competition is expected in all the other categories including the Superbikes, go-karts, 125cc, Groups 2A and B and 3 as well as the novices.

Twenty races are carded for the day and the price of admission is adults $1500, while children and vehicles are free.

The first race is set for 08:30 hrs.

Hassan Mohamed

football fans to celebrate.

But for now on field action will get cracking on Saturday at the BV Ground when Ann’s Grove and Golden Stars sets the pace for the rest of the season.

This encounter is expected to be keen as both teams will be aiming to get their account off on a winning note.

Feature play on Saturday brings together Vi c t o r i a Kings and

Mahaica Determinators, another match that is anticipated to be entertaining.

On Sunday, action will move to the Buxton Ground for two more matches. BV and home team Buxton United will clash in feature play with the curtain raiser between another home team, Bakewell Buxton Stars and Plaisance.

All matches will be played at 14:00 and 16:00hrs respectively.

Guyana U-17 record...

From page 23 23, Nicholas Walters 22, Kevon Williams 20 not out; Al Small 5.3-0-15-4, Justin Joseph 7-2-15-2.

Trinidad & Tobago 110 all out off 47 overs: Bryan Charles 17, Jeron Maniram 15; Michael Hurst 5-0-13-2, Fabien Allen 10-1-17-2.

Windward Islands v Barbados Venue: Plymouth, Tobago Toss: Windward Islands won the toss and elected to

bat Result: Windward Islands won by 58 runs Windward Islands 281-7 off 50 overs: Gidron Pope 95, Keone George 63, Taryck Gabriel 53; Jerome Jones 100-32-4, Demar Thorne 8-1-542.

Barbados 194 all out off 34.4 overs: Jameel Stuart 61, Jerome Jones 36, Lee-Germon Gaskin 35; Preston McSween 7.4-1-20-3, Deron Hypolite 70-26-3.

Thursday July 5, 2012

Kaieteur News

Federer to face Djokovic in Wimbledon semifinals WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic closed out his latest Wimbledon win with an ace, then threw a fist and let loose a primal scream.

Bring on Roger Federer.

They’ll meet at Wimbledon for the first time tomorrow.

Federer earned a record 32nd Grand Slam semifinal berth and moved closer to a record-tying seventh Wimbledon title Wednesday, beating Mikhail Youzhny, 61, 6-2, 6-2. Minutes later on

Roger Federer an adjacent court, defending champion Djokovic finished off Florian Mayer, 6-4, 6-1, 64.

Federer has a 14-12 edge against the top-ranked Djokovic. They’ve met in Grand Slam semifinals five times the past two years, with Djokovic winning four of those matches.

They’ve never played each other on grass.

Fifth-seeded Jo-Wilfried

Tsonga advanced to the semifinals for the second year in a row by beating first-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2. The 27-yearold Tsonga is seeking his first major title.

Andy Murray produced a superb fightback to grind down David Ferrer and reach a fourth successive Wimbledon semi-final. The Scot battled from a set and a break down to come through 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in three hours and 52 minutes on Centre Court.

Murray, seeded four, took revenge on the seventh seed, who had beaten him in the quarter-finals of the French Open. Murray will continue his bid for a maiden Grand Slam title against fifth seed JoWilfried Tsonga tomorrow.

With two-time champion Rafael Nadal eliminated last week from one half of the draw, the Federer-Djokovic winner will be a big favorite Sunday against a first-time Wimbledon finalist.

Federer had been tied with Jimmy Connors for the most major semifinals. He reached the final four at Wimbledon for the first time since 2009, when he won the title for the sixth time.

Against the No. 26-seeded Youzhny, Federer showed no sign of the back ailment that prompted him to seek treatment during the first set of his previous match. In the second game, he converted his fifth break-point chance and pulled away from there. ‘’My back is holding up,’’

Federer said. ‘’I could focus on tennis again.’’

The Centre Court audience included Prince William and wife Kate, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Rod Laver, all sitting in the Royal Box. ‘’I think it helps when royalty shows up, and other legends of the game come and see me play,’’ Federer said. ‘’It’s inspiring.’’

A brief rain delay couldn’t slow Federer, and neither could Youzhny, who seemed pleased at times just to win a point. Late in the first set, when the Russian hit a running scoop forehand cross-court for a winner, he raised both arms and grinned as the crowd roared.

Early in the final set, a desperate Youzhny looked up to the royal box and asked for help from Agassi, who laughed.

Youzhny then double-faulted to lose the game.

Djokovic, playing on Court 1, had just a little more difficulty in the quarterfinals than Federer.

The Serb lost his serve for the only time in the fifth game but immediately broke back.

Serving at 4-all, he fell behind love-40 but erased all three break points, then broke to take the set and the lead for good.

Mayer, seeded 31st, did his best to stay in the match with his unorthodox style. He dug out a between-the-legs volley during one rally. In a subsequent scrambling sequence, he had to dive to hit a spectacular backhand volley before rising to put away another backhand volley.

But Djokovic dominated with his aggressive play, hitting 50 winners to 14 for Mayer.

Clinical Jammers escape...

From page 22 layup against Mouktar Fawehinmi to give Guyana a two-point lead. However, Stokes as if he was looking through straw, barley spotted the net and landed a big shot from beyond the arc.

Gullen answered back with a three-pointer, continuing an entertaining and intense exchange of offense and defence. To say the game was shaping to be a thriller would have been an understatement. Guyana was playing ball, so was the D.C. Jammers.

Guyana finished two inside plays to lead 37-32 at halftime. Guyana’s dunk champion, Tyrone Hamid and D.C. Jammers’ Kevan Creppy then treated to the crowd to a dunk exhibition before it was business as usual with the start of the penultimate period of regulation time.

The Jammers went inside to Lancelot Loncke and Farley, who got them early

results. McKenzie finished a fast-break layup to level the scores at 43 for the fourth time. Guyana battled to a 4743 lead with Burnett finishing a left-handed layup after right-faking the defence.

Both teams exchanged points, before four freethrows from Ifill broke the deadlock, but Gillis lit up the net from beyond the arc and Fortune finished a lay-up to tie the game 56-56 near the end of the third quarter that ended 59-58 in favour of the D.C. Jammers.

Guyana’s crunch-time game went on vacation in the final period as D.C. Jammers languished in its backyard with a 9-2 run after Flegler nailed a big shot from downtown. Guyana returned to its intense defence and it hauled them to within four of the Jammers.

Throughout the game, the combination of Fortune and Stephon ‘Penny’ Henry seemed likely to bring home

the bacon down the stretch, but Coaches, Mark Agard and Andrew Hercules opted to install Shelroy Thomas and Dave Causway to start the last period.

It did not work and somehow helped D.C. Jammers recover some lost momentum.

Down 68-71 mid-way through the final period, Akeem Kanhai missed three free-throw attempts that would have tied the game.

D.C. Jammers made them pay when Gordon Klaiber stepped back behind the arc and downed a dagger that ensured his team remain in command.

Guyana tried relentlessly to catch the Jammers, but it was not to be as the fundamentally sound team made good on every attempt to secure the win. Guyana should know the necessary steps to be taken for forward development following this tour.

Page 21

Tour de France: Mark Cavendish crashes as Andre Greipel wins Mark Cavendish was denied the chance of a second stage win in this year’s Tour de France when he fell in a crash 2.6km from the end of the fourth stage.

The 214.5km stage from Abbeville to Rouen was won

by German Andre Greipel in a sprint finish. Despite being shaken by his fall, Britain’s Cavendish was able to get back on his bike and finish the stage.

The overall standings were unaffected with Fabian Cancellara leading Briton Bradley Wiggins by seven seconds.

World road race champion Cavendish demonstrated that his sprinting prowess remains undiminished by winning the second stage on Monday despite not having the support of his team who are focused on helping Wiggins win the yellow jersey. The Manxman, who came fourth in the stage’s intermediate sprint, was well placed inside 3km to launch a bid for his 22nd Tour stage victory, but he fell off his bike after failing to avoid a pile-up.

The Team Sky rider, who is aiming to win gold in the Olympic road race in a few weeks time, looked shaken after hitting the deck but got back on his bike to finish the stage and remain in the race.

Bernhard Eisel, who is supporting Cavendish, also fell in the crash, but managed to cross the line around four minutes after the winner.

Team Sky team principal Dave Brailsford said he expects them both to start the 196.5km fifth stage from

Island Mist Water 40-mile cycle road race Dwight Holder in a time of one hour, 58 minutes was once again in winner’s row when he rode away from his opponents to win another cycle road race in Berbice.

This time he soaked his opponents to claim victory in the Guyana Beverage Company/Flying Ace Cycle Club inaugural Island Mist Water 40-mile road race on Monday.

Fresh from his recent victory in the Banks DIH Aqua Water cycling event recently he held off a spirited challenge from another promising rider Elijah Brijjader to win in a driving finish.

The event which started from in front of the Guyana Beverage Company Berbice outlet at Palmyra, proceed to Bush Lot on the Corentyne before returning to the starting line for the finish.

The race got off to a late

Lotto-Belisol Team rider Andre Greipel of Germany holds up his arm as he wins the fourth stage.

Rouen to Saint-Quentin.

“Sprinters crash, that’s part and parcel of the job,” said Brailsford. “When you hit the ground that fast it always shakes you up.

“The adrenaline’s still running through the system so we’ll see how they are later.

“Bernie got quite a big gash above his eye, which was quite nasty. He’s having stitches - that will be sore.

Mark’s more superficial.”

Greipel, a former teammate of Cavendish, had no such problems as the German was led out perfectly by his Lotto team, who had done much of the work in the peloton, to out-sprint Italian Alessandro Petacchi.

It was the German’s first win of the Tour and second of his career, following his victory in the 10th stage last year, and his 14th win of the year.

Tom Veelers of the Netherlands took third with Slovakian Peter Sagan, who

won the first and third stages, in fifth to retain the green points jersey. Sagan leads the sprint classification on 147 points, 61 clear of Cavendish in fourth.

Cancellara, who has led the general classification since winning the opening prologue, retains the yellow jersey after narrowly avoiding the pile-up and safely crossing the line.

Japanese Yukiya Arashiro of Europcar and French pair David Moncoutie and Anthon Delaplace launched an audacious break within minutes of the start and held a lead of nearly nine minutes at one point. But the trio were reeled in within a few kilometres of the finish, and though a handful of riders including Samuel Dumoulin, Sylvain Chavanel and Wouter Poels - broke out of the pack in a breakaway of their own, the peloton soon swallowed them up to set up a bunch sprint finish.

Holder wins again start due to heavy and persistent rain fall in the ancient county. However when the riders were sent on their way there was keen competition throughout the journey with all of the risers looking for the opportunity for the break and a chance to be crowned the first Aqua Mist winner. In the end it was the superior sprinting power of Holder that prevailed.

Brian Harris rode home third with Neil Reece again faltering to finish fourth as Roy Millington, Rohan Persaud rounded out the top six.

Brijjader was also the winner in the junior category with Brian Harris and Johan Crawford occupying the other two spots. Marica Dick took care of business in the female category.

Andre Hicks won from Adriel Ross and Sherwin Parks in the juveniles’

category while Syborne Fernandes took home the veterans prize. Aaron Hicks and Deance Welch were the winners in the respective BMX boys and girls under12 category.

At the presentation ceremony that followed, Managing Director Robert Selman, who travelled to Berbice to be a part of the activity, told the gathering that this gesture is a small way of giving back to the community especially in the field of sport. He stated that based on the turnout of riders the company will again sponsor the programme next year and hoped that it will be open for cyclists countrywide.

The event was coordinated by Coach Randolph Roberts who thanked the Guyana Beverage Company for its support.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 5, 2012

Clinical Jammers escape again

By Edison Jefford The Washington D.C. Jammers will leave Guyana knowing that there is a bunch of guys who actually take the sport seriously in this part of the world. Guys who, given some fundamental training and exposure, could become as good as any on the planet.

For the second time, Guyana out-played D.C. Jammers for three quarters and withered down the stretch when their resolve was needed the most; when they needed to hit open looks and make free-throws, their game seemingly abandoned them.

As a result, the D.C. Jammers comfortably secured an 85-74 points’ win in the much-anticipated grudge rematch at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Tuesday night, owed greatly to the clinical and often lethal nature of the team in crunch-time, pressure situations.

Point Guard, Glen Stokes, who plays internationally in the Dutch Division I League, was just too good for the Guyanese. He remained one of the major reasons the Jammers kept winning games; he had 21 points, eight of which came in the fourth

- end tour unbeaten quarter, to lead the team to an unbeaten run on the 2012 tour.

The D.C. Jammers convert, Andrew ‘Mr. Dunk’ Ifill scored 11 points amid the full wrath of Guyanese, who booed him every time his hands were placed on the ball.

Enthusiasts felt that Ifill should have been in a Guyana uniform instead.

High flying forward, Steffon Farley also had 11 points for the Jammers.

Rodwell ‘Kobe’ Fortune extended his big-game temperament, as he had done at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships last year, with 19 points for Guyana.

Forward, Ryan Gullen had 14 points to continue his offensive improvement.

The up-tempo defensive and offensive start of the game electrified the Sports Hall with local guard, Travis Burnett taking on Stokes and vice versa in an aggressive contest that forced the referees to intervene on several occasions.

Fortune hit a big threepointer to level the scores at 10 apiece before Steffon Gillis nailed from downtown and

Fortune again from beyond the arc to give Guyana a 1613 lead at the end of the first quarter. The momentum was clearly in Guyana’s favour.

Shane Webster finished an inside move to ensure Guyana continue with its advantage, but then Ifill found the bottom of the net from three-point range before Joseph Flegler basically ran a clinic for all those who were interested in how to dismantle a zone defence.

Flegler drew four defenders driving to the basket then dished a no-look pass to Kerron McKenzie for an open three-point look that he made to level the scores again at 20 apiece. The fundamentally sound play literally brought the house down in the second period.

Royston Siland then finished a layup inside and Fortune completed a jumper, but McKenzie and Stokes answered with shots from downtown. The Jammers would not let up even as Henry raced to tie the game yet another time at 28 points with a fast-break play.

With five minutes left before halftime, Fortune completed a one-on-one Continued on page 21

Outstanding members of the D.C. Jammers in the collage

Guyana’s President lashes out at WICB Administrators President of the Republic of Guyana, His Excellency, Donald Ramotar, yesterday lashed out at Administrators of cricket in the West Indies during the opening Ceremony of the Thirty Third Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in St Lucia.

The Regional four-day cricket standard is arguably at an all-time low and the West Indies team, the longest surviving West Indian institution is struggling at the Test level after playing its first ever Test match in 1928 and Ramotar, in his first term of his four-year sojourn as Guyanese leader, hammered the cricket officials for what he feels, they seeming to care about more about perpetuating themselves at any cost than the importance of this institution.

Ramotar also spoke about the taking of key matches outside of the Region by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) which has been given the responsibility by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to aid in the development cricket in the Americas.

The two T20 Internationals between West Indies and New Zealand were played in Florida last Saturday and Sunday before the 50-over series begins today in Jamaica.

“As has been acknowledged before, strong regional institutions are indispensable to the success of our regional integration process and to the integrity of our regional identity. How can we, half a century into our lives as independent nations, be content with reposing in Judges far removed from our regional and domestic realities, the right to be final arbiters in our justice system?

Let us muster the political will to ensure that the intended jurisdictional boundaries of the Caribbean Court of Justice are realized. To do otherwise would be consciously or unconsciously fostering doubt in our abilities. This is not the time for that; it is a time to take these steps confidently,” Ramotar told the gathering.

“This brings me to that other great Caribbean institution – West Indies Cricket. It is more than just a

Peeved key matches taken out of the region

President Donald Ramotar game to us; it is the essence of regional pride and accomplishment even if those days might sometimes feel bygone, it has been the source of many serious academic and social works, the most famous being “Beyond the Boundary” by C L R James,” the Guyana President said.

Speaking in the home Island of the WICB President, Dr. Julian Hunte and its CEO Dr Earnest Hillaire, Ramotar reminded that Cricket is one of the first truly regional institutions that have fostered the confidence that we can successfully integrate.

Dr Julian Hunte “It (cricket) has given us heroes and role models and is perhaps the best emblem we have of our regional identity. I know much has changed over time including the huge amounts of money involved in the sport.

It has fostered self-interest and even greed. Some administrators of the sport seem not to care about the importance of this institution but more about perpetuating themselves at any cost,” Ramotar added.

This year the West Indies versus Australia Test match scheduled for the Providence Stadium in Guyana was moved after a dispute involving the

Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the Guyana Government installed IMC (set up to oversea the running of cricket in Guyana for a six-month period due to allegations against the GCB) had attracted the attention of the WICB. “Governments have invested millions of dollars in building facilities to enhance the game and to promote the growth of the sport. However, today we face the abomination - key matches are now being taken out of the Region while some of our territories are deliberately deprived. This must be of great concern to us. West Indies Cricket is not the private property of some administrators but it is a regional public good,” the Guyanese politician lamented.

“We, while recognizing and respecting the autonomy of the sport, cannot be oblivious to the problems in the administration of the game. We therefore call for the full implementation of the recommendations of the Patterson Commission,” Ramotar continued during his presentation yesterday.

Hunte said recently that the majority of recommendations in the Patterson Report

(Governance Report) have been embraced by the Board – and have either been or are being implemented.

The WICB President had said this fact is consistently overlooked, despite it being stated publicly and in meetings with CARICOM’s Prime Ministerial Sub Committee on Cricket. Reporting to the latter organisation last November 12th, the WICB had pointed out that action had been or was being taken on “approximately 47 of the 65 recommendations”.

These include commissioning a management audit by a private firm; establishing the basis for implementing a cricket academy at UWI, Cave Hill; securing commitment from Antigua & Barbuda, Guyana, Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago to set up satellite academies; establishing an umpires elite panel; agreeing a new comprehensive Memorandum of Agreement with the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA); fully integrating women’s cricket into the WICB structure, and committing US$4 million from its 2009 budget towards development.

Thursday July 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Jeffrey determined to do better come Sunday GMR&SC 'Race of Champions' Meet

He is the reigning champion of the Group 4 category, but so far this year, he hasn't been able to duplicate the scorching performances of last year and Kevin Jeffrey in an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport disclosed how determined he is to produce a better performance on Sunday when the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club stages its 'Race of Champions' Meet, at the South Dakota Circuit.

Jeffrey, who has been consistent over the past two

(Flashback) Guyana's Kevin Jeffrey and his team enjoys the moment after capturing a race at a previous Meet.

years narrowly losing the Caribbean title to Jamaican maestro David 'King' Summerbell in 2010, has had a disappointing season so far despite his claim that his Mitsubishi Evolution VIII has been competitive, but a bit unreliable, a development he is steadfastly addressing ahead of this weekend's showdown against the best local drivers including the rejuvenated Mark Vieira and the aging, but canny Andrew King among others.

Speaking via telephone, Jeffrey, who admitted that

they are behind schedule in terms of testing, however, assured that they will be ready come race day and all Guyana could expect a frantic battle among the top drivers in the category for supremacy Commenting on some of the problems that beset the car at the last Race Meet, Jeffrey said the Team had decided to change the fuel they normally use and did so, but unfortunately after gaining a position after a few laps in one of the races, the fuel hose burst and caused him to drop out of the race.

Guyana U-17 record another victory, behind Jamaica on points table Guyana defeated the Leeward Islands by 163 runs to move second behind Jamaica on the points table when action in the WICB Under-17 cricket Tournament continued in Trinidad and Tobago.

Shimron Hetmeyer (79), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (79), Bernard Bailey 3-16 and Gudakesh Motie 4-37 were the standouts for the Guyanese as they won handsomely.

Jamaica beat T&T and Windward Islands defeated Barbados in the other games.

The Points Standing show after Round 3: Jamaica

on 14.5; Guyana 14.0; Windwards 9.5; T&T 9.0; Barbados 5.0; Leewards 0.5.

In results from the games played yesterday: Leeward Islands v Guyana Venue: Bon Accord, Tobago Toss: Guyana won the toss and elected to bat first Result: Guyana won by 163 runs Guyana 250-7 off 50 overs: Shimron Hetmeyer 79, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 79; Asham Hodge 6-0-15-3.

Leeward Islands 87 all out off 27.5 overs: Saeed Williams 19, Marc Gokarran

Shimron Hetmeyer 16; Keone George 3-0-17-1, Bernard Bailey 6.5-0-16-3, Gudakesh Motie 9-1-37-4.

Trinidad & Tobago v Jamaica

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Gudakesh Motie

Venue: Shaw Park, Tobago Toss: Trinidad and Tobago won the toss and elected to bowl

Result: Jamaica won by 18 runs Jamaica 128 all out off 45.3 overs: Mark Parchment Continued on page 20

“We had made up quite a few positions in the race and was doing well until the fuel hose burst which caused me to have to opt out of the race after being well positioned,�

Jeffrey informed.

Jeffrey revealed that even though they haven't yet had the opportunity to test the reliability of the car, he is optimistic that it will perform reliable since they've been able to make the Continued on page 20

t r o Sp

Kiwis seek to rebound Jamaica Observer NEW Zealand batsman Martin Guptill is expecting an improved showing from the visitors in the One-Day International (T20) series against West Indies, which starts tomorrow at Sabina Park in Kingston.

After arriving in the island on Monday evening, New Zealand had their first practice session at Sabina Park yesterday, and the opener told the local media the team is anxious to "right the wrongs" after a sub-par showing in the Twenty20 (T20) series loss to the West Indies in Lauderhill, Florida last weekend.

"We are expecting to compete. We got a good side here and we believe that we have an opportunity to right the wrongs that happened (in Florida)... We didn't really step up as well as we should h a v e . We h a v e t h e opportunity now to rectify that in this One-Day series and hopefully put in good showings," Guptill said.

Captained by 21-yearold batsman Kane Williamson while regular skipper Ross Taylor is sidelined for approximately two weeks with a shoulder injury, the Black Caps' bowling attack will be keen on containing the

Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition Despite falling behind as early as the 4th minute when Johnson Jack pierced the defence and goalkeeper with a rasping shot from about 25 metres out, Annandale have only themselves to blame after squandering a plethora of chances to succumb to a 31 defeat at the hands of Bygeval in yesterday's final of the East Coast Zone of this year's Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition, at Beterverwagting Community Centre ground.

They now move on to play East Bank champions Friendship in the final of the Region 4 Zone on Saturday at Grove.

Annandale suffered a setback very early when Jack netted, but had a few opportunities of their own to level the proceedings and failed to do so.

They, however, got the equaliser through Demetry Clarke, who received a long cross from the right side raced forward into the penalty area, before unleashing a stinging rightfooter past the advancing goalkeeper. That goal came in the 37th minute.

Bouyed after gaining the leveler, Annandale dominated possession over the next few minutes and should have gone ahead, but

thunderous batting threat posed by the likes of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo.

Playing in the Caribbean, where the pitches are likely to be similar to the surface found in Florida and again favour West Indies offspinner Sunil Narine and wrist-spinner Samuel Badree, the visitors' batsmen also have their hands full.

Though without Taylor and Brendon McCullum, the 25-year-old Guptill suggested that other batsmen including left-hander Daniel Flynn, opener Rob Nicol and new recruit Dean Brownlie will have to step in to offset

the absence of the experienced pair.

"Without Brendon and Ross in the side we lose a bit of experience, but the other guys are in the squad for a reason and can step up when required. We really know what we need to do to rectify what we did in the Twenty20s and play a lot better so hopefully, the batsmen, bowlers and everyone in the squad are on board," said New Zealand's top-ranked T20 batsman, while adding, "we haven't been together as a team for a couple of months.

Hopefully, being together again will get everyone back on their feet.�

Kane Williamson Darren Sammy

Bygeval crowned East Coast Zone champs

poor work up front nullified their chances.

They were made to pay for their mistakes and it was one such blunder that accounted for Bygeval's next goal which came on the stroke of half time when a long ball from inside Bygevals' half floated ominously towards goalkeeper Onix Rodney and he bizarrely misjudged his attempt to collect the ball and it bounced over his head and landed into the back of the goal. In the second period, Annandale made a few substitutions and created many opportunities to score, but once again pathetic finishing kept Bygeval in the ascendancy.

Chances came in numbers, but the Annandale forwards just could not find the back of the net and with time running out, they decided to over compensate, pushing more players up front and paid the price as Samuel Charles, who had been a thorn in their flesh all afternoon, duly got his reward for a good display. He received a pass from the back, took on two defenders, and dribbled them, before swiveling and hammering a shot past the diving goalkeeper. It was a beautiful goal that deserved the end result.

ABOVE: East Coast Zone champions Bygeval Secondary School pose for Kaieteur Sport following their win over Annandale Secondary yesterday.

BELOW: Bygeval marksmen (from left)Johnson Jack, Kelvin James and Samuel Charles pose for a photo op yesterday.

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