Kaieteur News

Monday Edition

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July 16, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 28

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Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Police vehicles auction racket ...

P. 3

Home Affairs attempted cover-up - whistleblower UN Health report highlights flaws in Guyana's

P. 18

maternal facilities Guyanese Muslims P. to resist 18

decriminalizing homosexual laws - CIOG

Granger fires back at rival Greenidge P. 3

With vandals running amok these days, no one is taking chances. With chain and padlock, residents of Atlantic Gardens ECD went to the extreme to protect their transformer and street lamp.

…as PNCR’s leadership race heats up

Page 02

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

Lamaha Park residents demand removal of - Deputy Mayor promises illegal scrap metal business to investigate It may not be as huge as the former Le Repentir dumpsite, but residents of Lamaha Park say that they are suffering similar environmental and health problems from an illegal scrap metal dealership, which is being operated by squatters in the residential community.

They have appealed to the authorities to put a halt to the problem before it escalates.

The scrap metal heap, some 20 feet high, is located on a Government/Council reserve at the entrance to Lamaha Park. Residents claimed that the culprits have been carting off material from their yards to facilitate their illegal operation.

Contacted last week, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green told Kaieteur News that she is unaware of the problem, but promised to send an inspector to investigate.

“I will send an inspector to see if it is on our reserve and if (the area) has been leased out to anyone.”

She speculated that a dealer might be using the reserve as a storage area until the metal is shipped overseas.

In a letter addressed to s e v e r a l o rg a n i z a t i o n s , including the Health Ministry, Ministry of Housing and the Police Traffic Department, the residents described the presence of the scrap metal heap as “a situation which has developed into a huge environmental, health, security and traffic safety problem.”

“This business entails the stockpiling of scrap metal which towers almost twenty five high. Dealers can be seen dropping off large quantities of discarded articles such as truck bodies, car bodies , washing machines , refrigerators , bed frames, wheel chairs, hospital examination beds and many more items too numerous to mention,” the letter stated.

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

Large sand trucks, often

A youth fetches scrap material to the heap

three at a time, are used to transport the material away from the site. The parking of these trucks, many times contribute to a traffic hazard, security risk and a danger to passersby which can be caused by falling debris.”

The residents also appealed to the Ministry of Labour and Human Services to investigate the situation,

since, according to them, “boys of school age are seen engaged in packing these trucks and moving among the material with no protective gear for this type of activity.”

“At the end of the packing exercise all unwanted material can be seen at the roadside where futile and rare attempts are made to burn

such material which in some cases ends up in the nearby trench or along the parapet.

“These huge infernos in most cases are lit at nights and give off toxic fumes. These fumes result in burning eyes, nose, throat and also cause headaches and respiratory distress. Some of the materials which are left on the road also contribute to

damaging tyres,” the residents said.

“This establishment is a major eye sore and an insult to the law abiding/ tax-paying residents of the Lamaha Park Community.”

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

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

Granger fires back at rival Greenidge …as PNCR’s leadership race heats up The Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) is gearing to host is 17th Biennial Congress is a matter of days and already the battle lines have been drawn deeply and the two major competitors for the post of leader of the party identified.

Carl Greenidge, the PNCR’s former Finance Minister has thrown some political jabs at his Parliamentary Opposition senior, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger saying that Granger cannot effectively deal with all that the demands of heading A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the PNCR require.

Granger has since fired back calling the consolidation of the roles of PNCR Leader as well APNU leader and Chairman of the coalition a most, “desirable” one.

Granger this past week held a press engagement to mark APNU’s one year milestone of the coalition, when he was grilled over the debates surrounding the upcoming PNCR’s Congress and the post he looks to contest.

Granger told journalists that “I feel it’s desirable because it’s the combination of three important functions in terms of advancing the agenda of APNU and the Opposition.”

Granger reminded that currently, through this Office as Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition, “we meet here every month as a parliamentary group and that is part of the function of the partnership.”

He was referring to the Hadfield Street Office of the Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition and in his bid to explain the complementary roles, reminded that “We also meet as the Executive council of the APNU.” The Brigadier (rtd) used the opportunity to remind also that, “I am appointed to the position of Leader of the Opposition, that is a Constitutional position and it is my view that the role of the PNCR inside APNU is an important one and the coordination of all three

Opposition Leader Brigadier (rtd), David Granger

Former PNCR Finance Minister, Carl Greenidge

positions will advance the work of the partnership.”

He was adamant that he doesn’t see a conflict; I see that the three roles are complementary.”

Granger drew reference to the primaries, and said that when he was elected Presidential Candidate of the PNCR, his name was submitted also to lead the Coalition as its Presidential Candidate “and I was so elected.…I see no conflict, I see that they are complementary.”

According to Granger, as far as the parties in the opposition are concerned, there is what they have established called the ‘Shadow Cabinet.’

“We have what is called a Shadow Cabinet and several persons constitute that Shadow Cabinet, so it is not a one man show.”

The coalition leader, who is also vying for the post of the leader of the PNCR reminds that under the APNU banner “I have 10 Shadow Ministers and they all have responsibility…the partnership has 26 members and all of them have responsibilities both in terms of portfolios and geographical areas…I am not running a show by myself.”

Carl Greenidge had argued that he is in no way questioning the ability of Granger to lead the coalition in Parliament, but insisted that it would be “too much on his plate,” to also assume the leadership role of the PNCR also.

Greenidge argues that the PNCR requires radical advances unique to the party and Granger simply would not be able to deliver.

According to Granger however, when it comes to leading the partnership, “I depend on technical support, on advice, administrative support from my colleagues in the partnership.”

The coalition leader argues that within the PNCR this will be no different.

He says that within the PNCR’s structure there are institutions as Leader of that Party it still would not be a one man show.

This will also happen in PNCR, said Granger who was adamant that” I will work with (continued on page 11)

Page 3

Police vehicles auction racket …

Home Affairs attempted cover-up - whistleblower The man who blew the whistle on the massive racket at the police vehicles auction said that it was Office of the President that initiated the investigation into the scheme and not the Ministry of Home Affairs as was reported in the media.

He also claimed that it was the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs who were dragging their feet on the issue and not the police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

The whistleblower came forward to set the record straight after reading a recent report in the press in which the Minister of Home Affairs chastised the police investigators for the way the matter was handled.

The Minister had accused the police OPR of foot dragging on the matter.

He also accused them of leaking the subsequent information to this newspaper for monetary rewards.

But the whistleblower who was a part of the auction said that he decided to speak out on the fraud that was taking place when it became clear that the perpetrators would stop at nothing to carry out their activity.

The businessman told this newspaper that although he had warned those who were carrying on the racket that he would blow their cover, they persisted nevertheless.

He first approached the Ministry of Home Affairs with a view to getting an audience with the Minister himself to highlight the malpractices at the auction.

But instead he was given the “royal runaround” by the Minister’s Secretary.

Frustrated, he sought the intervention of the media, Kaieteur News in particular, to

make the issue public.

In April, he had provided this newspaper with documentation that he had compiled about the fraudulent practices by those overseeing the auction and some participants.

However, the information was not immediately made public, since the authenticity of the information was being verified.

In the meantime, the frustrated whistleblower approached the Office of the President with his information and it was there that decisive action was taken.

“The Ministry did not initiate any investigation.

Instead Home Affairs tried to cover it up. I went to OP where action was finally taken,” the whistleblower declared.

His claim can be substantiated since, a few weeks after he had contacted this newspaper, police investigators did the same and requested copies of the documented information that it had received from the whistleblower.

In fact, the police had solicited other information that was at this newspaper’s disposal to facilitate their investigation.

“The police are not leaking any information to the Kaieteur News. I was the person who was in contact with the newspaper because I wanted to expose what was taking place. I personally gave Kaieteur News the information before the police investigation started. At least five persons gave statements in the matter,” the whistleblower said.

The uncovered racket centered on the misrepresentation of amounts paid for unserviceable police vehicles, with some of them

being sold for far less than the final bidding price.

Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, who are the facilitators of the auction, are being fingered in the alleged scam.

Kaieteur News understands that the scam involves the Ministry of Home Affairs staff, the auctioneer, a Police staff and an Auditor from the Audit office.

It is believed that the racket has been going on for a long time.

There are reports that one official who is fingered in the racket has four cars which were allegedly bought from the proceeds of the shady sales practices.

This newspaper understands that the said officer has been barred from proceeding on Annual Vacation Leave as investigators continue to probe his role in a racket.

News of the racket which appeared as the main headline of last Wednesday’s edition of the Kaieteur News incensed the Minister of Home Affairs who again waled into the police.

“The Ministry said that it is appalled at the extent to which some ranks within the Guyana Police Force would go to sell information about the Force in exchange for money or to sell information about the said Organization as a way of grinding an axe with their colleagues within the Force.

By divulging this matter to the Kaieteur News only, those disloyal ranks within the Force make it appear as if the Kaieteur News is an anti-corruption tribune and a paragon of virtue in Guyana,” the Ministry said.

Page 4

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

Editorial

Judge we must One of the debilitating features of modernity that has sadly taken strong roots in Guyana is the propensity of many among our elites, especially in the business and religious communities to suspend judgements on the depravities that are overwhelming our society from “on high”.

This has to cease if we are to ever progress. A few years ago, Roger Berkowitz, director of the Hannah Arendt Centre for Ethical and Political Thinking and Associate Professor of Political Studies and Human Rights at Bard College offered what we believe is a salutary perspective.

“We must face our unwillingness to judge. This fear of judgment is all too recognizable—the political thinker Hannah Arendt was writing about it in the middle of the last century. In her essays and books, Arendt gave voice to what she called the “fear of passing judgment, of naming names, and of fixing blame—especially, alas, upon people in power and high position.”

Pointing to many examples involving indicting the Nazis of her time, Arendt was struck by the “huge outcry the moment anyone fixes specific blame on some particular person instead of blaming all deeds or events on historical trends or dialectical movements.” Instead of judging the wrongdoers, the people judged those who had the temerity to judge.

At the root of our problem with judgment, is the undeniable victory of relativism over truth. Judgment requires, above all, what Kant called disinterestedness and what Arendt called enlarged mentality, seeing the question from another’s point of view.

While it is singular, judgment is not mere personal taste or preference. To judge is to speak the truth, a truth that must always appeal to a common sense beyond one’s own prejudices. At a time when tolerance trumps truth, judgment’s claim to the truth leaves it vulnerable to mockery and derision.

Our unwillingness to judge is also part and parcel of liberalism itself. To worry about our impact on our planet and expose corporate irresponsibility shows farsightedness.

But to hope that politicians will solve the problem while we drive our SUVs, swim in our heated pools, and run our air conditioners reflects a profound unwillingness to judge ourselves and those around us.

The rise of social science is yet another ground for our crisis of judgment. The more that social events and personal actions are understood to be calculable, predictable and manipulable through norms and rules identified by sociologists, economists and political scientists, the less responsible, people are for their actions. To say that someone commits a crime because he grew up poor with alcoholic parents or has a genetic predisposition to violence is to challenge the very assumption of personal responsibility that underlies judgment.

Finally, the retreat from judgment is a corollary of the overwhelming belief in equality that marks the modern era.

Judgment, as thinkers like Arendt and Friedrich Nietzsche remind us, presupposes pride, or what once was called the dignity of man. Only one who believes oneself right can judge another; thus judgment presupposes a certain authority and superiority. The judge must possess a feeling of distinction, what Nietzsche called a “pathos of difference,” in order to arrogate to himself or herself the right to judge.

Proffering reasons for one’s judgment—the mark of rational judgment in modern times—is a sure sign of weakness, an admission that one suffers from a feeling that he or she lacks the right to judge another.

From the fact of such a deeply ingrained distrust of judging, Arendt drew an essential lesson: namely, that morality in our times cannot be taken for granted. In the absence of judgment, and amidst doubt about the possibility of justice, she argued that we need to foster, support, and embolden morality.

To keep the idea of justice alive does not require curricula in ethics or a return of the catechism. Morality, as Immanuel Kant wrote ... cannot be taught through rules in a classroom.

Only by example can one be inspired to emulate moral action.

Examples, as Kant saw, “are the go-cart of judgment.””

Monday July 16, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

Key positions within Customs were given to selective ‘saints and elites’ DEAR EDITOR, Greetings! In the spirit of fairness it is incumbent upon the free press to which you are an advocator that all those aggrieved are given an opportunity to ventilate their views and rebut the many shenanigans of the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority.

These public stunts are designed to deceive the gullible, throw sand in the eyes of the unsuspecting and to heap praise upon himself and cohorts.

The stark reality is that the erstwhile and egocentric top officials have become aloof, power-drunk and authoritative. Instead of being servant of the people they have become lords of the land and have displayed all the characteristics of dictators and Little Caesars.

Instead of being the policy administrators, they micromanage the day-to-day operations of Departments within the GRA therefore, for any major scandal within the GRA, they should be held culpable and accountable.

The Management system of the GRA needs to be revamped since all bottlenecks (impediments) can be found at the top since they have mal-administrated, desecrated and abused their positions. The unsavory practice of arbitrarily employing family and cronies and placing them in key

positions is unethical, malfeasant and a violation of established conventions that leads to nepotism, conflict of interest, collusion and favoritism. The son of one senior official is in and out of the GRA and enjoys the luxury of the GRA vehicles at taxpayers’ expense. Another relative of a senior GRA official was working in a Section that had the three hundred million dollars cashiers’ fraud. However he was shielded and sent to another location.

The hypocrisy is that the bosses are earning tax free dollars. George Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm” is so accurate in depicting what is occurring at the GRA. They demand respect but show none. Even though we are all employees of the State, Management is not in sync with workers and exerts fear, intimidation and other complexes with impunity. The GRA stinks.

The bosses claim to represent our interest but at the same time are withholding Officers’ overtime for unreasonable periods. This is unconscionable, exploitative and brutish since the GRA has already been paid for the work we did. The excuse that they have to check recheck then double check is ridiculous since they do not use the same method when collecting these payments.

The impression that was peddled was that only

Customs Officers are corrupt, so the Managerial and other key positions within the Customs operations were given to selective saints and elites from Inland Revenue and their cronies within the GRA but corruption is still rampant. The ploy is evidently to make us their ‘fall guys’ and the scapegoats whereas the real culprits who continue to besmirch the image of the GRA are protected and their corrupt practices are covered up.

They are also sent on all the overseas courses and seminars. Promotion is based on favouritism. We may be accused of being jealous but we see the hands of discrimination.

The heads of the Customs Administration are appointed based on their ability to be subservient.

Most often sucking-up attributes are preferred over professionalism and competence.

We are important only to shore up the bosses who may have degrees but lack the technical knowledge and “mambo”, hence; there is a lot of square pegs in round holes.

The Commissioner General had stated the need to rehire staff due to the lack of Officers with integrity but this is to say the least, totally disrespectful and disingenuous. Who is he trying to cumfuffle? Under this present Management

many competent and experienced Officers have been outcasted, made redundant, willfully and spitefully dismissed and those that could not take the nonsense simply resigned.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan in his book ‘The West on trial’ described certain rulers as “heartless brutes”; well they have been succeeded by many current administrators with similar characteristics. The Massa and Slave psychology still exists. The Enforcement Arm has become the epitome of lawlessness and perversions.

The Investigative arms; the Internal Affairs Division and the Internal Audit Division are heavily influenced and dictated by Management thus compromising their independence and do not adhere to the prescribed rules and procedures, whilst the Human Resource Division is toothless and functions as a rubber stamp. The Union has also abandoned us and is ineffective.

The primary goal of garnering revenue is to improve people’s lives, not to bring about impoverishments, sufferings and unhappiness or to denigrate us to lesser beings.

Customs Departments are internationally established institutions of great importance and relevance; therefore, it is dumb to destroy it.

Disgusted worker

The entire Editorial must be withdrawn in the form of an unqualified apology DEAR EDITOR, To remain silent about the Guyana Chronicle July 2, 2012 editorial “Opposition rampages to sow disunity in the country” is to be an accomplice to its bigotry. A media’s editorial reflects the views of its owners. And since the owners of the Chronicle are the People of Guyana, silence is not an option, especially if the view expressed is not consistent with the people’s collective desire and mandate.

Chronicle is owned by the people, benefits from state funding and their properties were purchased with the taxpayers’ moneys. As such the claim that Chronicle does not benefit from state funding cannot withstand scrutiny.

Our Constitution requires us to “Celebrate our cultural and racial diversity and strengthen our unity by eliminating any and every form of discrimination.” This is a principle and civic responsibility we must take seriously.

Amidst the outcries

against the editorial, the management of Chronicle on July 7 said “it should be noted, and appreciated, that the Chronicle newspaper cannot please all of its readership all of the time and unfortunately, the Editorial about which the demonstrators protested, even though well-intentioned and factually correct, was a regrettable slippage that does not represent set policy.” The Chronicle Board Chair on the said date released a statement that they “sincerely regret this article ever being published and wish to apologise to all the persons both locally and overseas who may have been offended or affected.”

Note- 1) One of the responsibilities of a Board is to ensure the adherence of the owners’ policy; and 2) one of the responsibilities of management is to implement the Board’s decisions. The policy of the state-owned and tax funded newspapers is usually honed and crystalise by the government of the day, on behalf of the

citizens it is elected to serve, consistent with the country’s universal policy (i.e. constitution).

Evidently, there is a disconnect between the Board and the Management, and moreso some of the newspaper’s owners whom rightly expect the Board to ensure adherence to the universal policy.

Consequently, answers ought to be forthcoming. For while on one hand the Board has purportedly apologised to the citizens for the Editorial’s content; on the other hand, the management maintains the Editorial is “factually correct,” and “apologise to those who, wrongly, think that the publication intended otherwise”.

When one is correct there is no need for an apology. And since the Chronicle insists its view is “factually correct,” it needs to provide the evidence to support this position. Juan Edghill too is asked to provide the evidence since he vouched for the article’s

accuracy. If the evidence is not forthcoming the entire Editorial must be withdrawn in the form of an unqualified apology to the citizens of this country. Further, the fact that the Chronicle on July 11 published other bigoted articles by Godfrey Skeete and Jason Abdulla, confirms the opinion that the Editorial reflects not only the author’s and management’s view but the government’s thinking also. For these three opinions (July 2 and July 11) are clearly designed to create and intensify wedge in this nation to pit races against each other based on falsehood.

What the July 11 letters sought to do is reinforce the July 2 Editorial in its repeat that “there are black youths being socialised to attack Indians.” To allow this through the Letter to Editor is an act of reinforcing Chronicle’s position by slipping in this opinion under the guise of allowing freedom of expression when no evidence is provided to Continued on page 5

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

It is the moral obligation of the PNC/R to spearhead the condemnation of such race hate

DEAR EDITOR, It is was with utter shock, dismay and disbelief that I read the comments attributed to PNC/R leader Mr. Robert Corbin in the July 12, 2012 issue of KN under the caption “Chronicle board to discuss action over racist editorial”.

Mr. Corbin is reported to have said that the APNU had deliberately stayed away from commenting from the issue and that the ruling PPP wanted to bait the party into getting into a political quarrel, and that “it resisted and was happy that civil society, social activists and the media have been the ones championing the campaign against the editorial” It further reported that Mr. Corbin believed that the issue is best served if it was not transformed into a PNC/R PPP/C issue. Mr. Corbin is also reported to have said that “we’re very happy the way that the issue has been frontally dealt with”. NEWS FLASH Mr. Corbin the African Guyanese that voted for your party are far from happy with the way the issue has been dealt with.

Mr. Editor, while it may seem that given the deluge of corruption, scandals, cronyism, favouritism, mismanagement, secret deals, discrimination, widespread tax evasion and avoidance,

high unemployment, lack of recreation facilities for the nation’s youth, and the inability of most Guyanese to feel that there is hope for the future, that our collective dissent should be directed to those in charge of managing the state’s affairs, and for allowing the current state of affairs, it is time that Africans hold their leaders to account for their leadership or lack thereof, particular on issues that are important to them.

It is difficult for me to fathom the PNC/R being happy taking the back seat while others speaking out on a direct assault on its constituents.

The issue of being baited really should not arise since the Chronicle Editorial in question was a direct racist assault on all African Guyanese.

This Editorial needs to be condemned by all right thinking Guyanese. It was the moral obligation of the PNC/ R as the leading opposition party to spearhead the condemnation and rebuttal of such race hate and fear mongering.

I fail to see how the PNC/ R contextualizes this editorial in a framework of being baited by the PPP, since the Editorial accused the opposition of socializing Africans to rob and murder Indian Guyanese.

Is the PNC/R leader telling African Guyanese that it is

beyond the competence of the PNC/R to provide a fitting response to this race hate, even if it was required to take the lead, and not fall into any “trap” that was being set?

Guess what Mr. Corbin, so what if you are being baited?

If you do not have the capability to respond to a direct attack upon your supporters from what should be an impartial national institution then you are not fit to represent African Guyanese.

Again I ask the question?

So what if you are baited? The substance of the Editorial still remains and a response was needed from you. You were required to lead the way in the condemnation of this assault. In this regard you have failed your constituents miserably.

I must confess however that this failure by the PNC/ R was not quite unexpected, as there has been so much lack of leadership from the PNC/R over the last seven years that no appropriate response to pressing national issues has become somewhat of a norm.

One suspects that the issue of race and race relations would have been confronted and that a national dialog would have been initiated after the testimony of Dr. Roger Luncheon in the

Bharrat Jagdeo vs Freddie Kissoon/Adam Harris/ Kaietuer News Libel case.

That such a dialogue has not been initiated by the PNC/R leads me to believe that some degree of cowardice with regard to the issue of race and race relations in Guyana exists on an institutional level within the throes of the PNC/ R. There cannot be a more opportune moment to bring to the fore the issue of race and race relations within Guyana. I am not for a moment advocating that the other issues that impact nation building such as corruption, crime, high unemployment, and the lack of opportunity for the nation’s youth should be given less preference, but the issue of race and race relations has to be dealt with.

After all, it is the opposition constituency that is most adversely affected by racism in this country. The PNC/R need not be afraid to face the issue of race for their supporters are living the ill effects of this evil, just ask the people of Linden, or Georgetown as a matter of fact.

Given the Olympic games are a just a couple of weeks away, one gets the impression that the PNC/R leader is trying to make a contest out of the race for the

The entire Editorial must be withdrawn...

From page 4 the effect. The right to freedom of expression comes with a corresponding responsibility to speak the truth.

This nation was formed and nurtured on racial bigotry and diversity. The strategy to eradicate bigotry and ensure respect and dignity for human diversity is enshrined in our Constitution, consistent with the Universal Declaration that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” Thus, where a government, its agents/supporters and those who remain silent to acts/ actions that judge persons based on physical characteristics rather than the content of their character, collectively they hinder the desire to advance racial harmony, peaceful coexistence and equitable development. They threaten the desire for nationhood- for who we are and ought to be as a people.

And for those conditioned to desecrate

themselves, or seek protection via mixed ancestry, to your peril you ignore such notions stripped you of your dignity, give fodder to others, including your extended families, to profile and discriminate against your children because of their inherent African bloodline.

Also, these desecrators communicate to the society that it is OK to cultivate apprehension towards them and their children- to judge/ fail them without being given a chance to prove. It denies opportunities of sharing and benefitting from each other’s cultural uniqueness and releasing our inherent beauty.

Nature itself offers insight to the benefits of this principle.

In the public space such bigotry shapes decisions and has implications for services provided by Africans to Indians and vice versa, sets the government’s policy to discriminate against citizens and their communities, and Africans being denied employment commensurate with their qualifications. It gives legitimacy/justification to police extrajudicial actions and vigilante justice under pretext that s/he is Black or

look Black and inherently a criminal. It adversely affects the education system and the relationship among children in the schools, how they see each other, their teachers, and learn from each other as they develop social skills and values that would prepare them for success in the world of work. It justifies acts/ actions to marginalise sections of the society since no law-abider will seek interaction with inherent criminals. And it also makes one race inherently good and the other inherently bad.

These are perceptions/ actions that universal declarations, international laws and conventions, and the Constitution seek to avoid and safeguard. This is the standard as a nation we must abide by.

Unfortunately, activism

by Lindeners for social and economic justice consistent with their constitutional rights is being dismissed by a ruthless government, with the enlistment of Chronicle, through racial profiling and demonisation of a people to deny them what is justly theirs. Note, this struggle is led by the 32-year old

Regional Chairman, Sharma Solomon, who falls in the category the Editorial seeks to criminalise. Further, approximately 70percent of this nation’s population comprises youths. And according to the Constitution “the future of Guyana belongs to its young people, who aspire to live in a safe society which respects their dignity, protects their rights, recognises their potential, listens to their voices, provides opportunities,…and encourages people of all races to live in harmony and peace…”

It therefore becomes the responsibility of each and every one of us to protect the future from bigotry. We have to teach the children well and let then lead the way, by showing them all the beauty they possess inside, and giving them a sense of pride to make it easier (Whitney Houston). No longer must silence be an option or a strategy. This at least we owe the younger generation.

This letter is also sent to the Chronicle newspaper and the Board Chair.

Lincoln Lewis

Gold Medal for Mediocrity in Leadership in Guyana. Most Guyanese already believe that the Champion of the Earth’s name had already been engraved onto the Gold Medal. But if Mr. Corbin continues at this rate he may sure be headed for a photo finish. I however have to admit, it would take a lot of doing to catch Mr. Jagdeo.

History will judge both Mr. Corbin and Mr. Jagdeo quite harshly.

Mr. Corbin may be able to nail down the silver medal were he to use the occasion of the upcoming PNC/R congress to, like the Champion of the Earth further delude himself with a grand party similar to Mr. Jagdeo’s day of appreciation. He would have the added advantage of not having to bus droves of people into the event.

He might want to add some gloss to the “celebration” and choose to invite a distinguished Guyanese. Given that Sir Sridath Ramphal allowed himself to be devalued in the eyes of the Guyanese people

by Mr. Jagdeo, Mr. Corbin’s handlers might do well to seek out someone else…..perhaps Dr. Compton Bourne. The presence of such a distinguished son of the soil would provide similar stimuli for Mr. Corbin’s ego as Sir Sridath did for the Champion of the Earth.

The comments of the Chronicle Board Chair has not escaped notice, his utterances on the Editorial deserve attention from the nation also.

It might be useful for your publication to verify with Mr. Keith Burrowes what exactly he meant when he stated “that the views expressed in the publication by no means represent the majority of shareholders, the Board nor the management and staff of the Chronicle”.

Mr. Burrowes should state exactly whose views the

Editorial represented. Further Mr. Editor, Mr. Burrowes is reported to have said that while understanding the frustration that has led to the protests, he finds it ironic that the very ones who are protesting have publicly said, that they don’t read the Guyana Chronicle, and that some double standard exists.

His comments suggest that people are protesting for the sake of protesting. These comments demonstrate that the apology and his offer to resign are not genuine and deserve to be published only in the fish wrap that he represents.

Guess what Mr. Burrowes, notwithstanding the Chronicle is a fish wrap that is read by yourself and perhaps your Board only; it is published daily with taxpayers dollars.

The Editorial was published both in the printed and online editions and was deeply offensive to a large section of the population.

That this fish wrap enjoys perhaps the lowest circulation of daily newspapers is of no relevance. Not only yourself, but the entire Board should resign and the Editor should be fired.

Guyanese have become accustomed to hearing nonsense from Mr. Juan Edghill and Mr. Clement Rohee, but to think that Mr. Burrowes has been holding himself out to be the answer to the woes at City Hall.

Guyana might want to consider a bid to host the Mediocre Olympics; we need not invite foreign participants. We have more than enough Participants here to rival the games to be held in London in two weeks.

George Williams

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Monday July 16, 2012

Ramotar’s Tax Review Committee Edghill accuses press of spreading never reviewed any taxes Controversial Chronicle editorial …

misinformation on his stance Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill yesterday accused the media of spreading misinformation regarding his comments on the recent controversial editorial that was published in the Guyana Chronicle.

And he restated his opinion that while he believes that the editorial could be considered “inflammatory”, and contains “strong opinion that probably should not have been published,” he does not believe that the editorial constituted a crime under the Racial Hostility Act. Edghill told Kaieteur News that when he made the comments, he was

could constitute a crime under the racial hostility act and I said it is strong language; probably language that I would not have used but it does not constitute a crime under the Racial Hostility Act. “What you are talking about is a reporting of speech and at the same time you are not inciting action against any particular group.

“It is a strong opinion that probably should not have been published. But in terms of what constitutes a crime under the Racial Hostility Act, in my considered opinion, serving on the Ethnic Relations Commission for eight years and based on

“It is a strong opinion that probably should not have been published…but in terms of what constitutes a crime under the Racial Hostility Act…I do not conclude that it constitutes a crime…” - Edghill responding to a question which was posed to him by Demerara Waves about the editorial.

He said that the question was based on a specific paragraph. According to him he was asked “if the article constituted a criminal offense under the racial hostility act.”

Edghill said that based on the paragraph which was read to him and his experience and opinion as former Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), the article did not represent a crime.

“The misinformation that has been in the press about my comments had to do with a specific paragraph that was read to me and the question was asked if the paragraph

the tools we would have used to judge such matters, I do not conclude that it constitutes a crime.”

“It may be bad in taste, maybe offensive, maybe hurt a lot of people and those apologies and statements have been made but remember that I was asked specifically whether the article constitutes a breach under the Racial Hostility Act. I read the whole article I think sufficiently enough has been said about it, I think the question we would have had said about it; I think the question that should be asked is what was the purpose of the article; was it contributing towards national

Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill unity; was it contributing towards social cohesion? If those answers are no, then it should not have been published; it could be considered inflammatory.”

Deeming it to be racist in content, political figures and social activists have voiced their disapproval of the editorial which was published in the state owned newspaper on July 3.

On Wednesday last, social activists took their exercise in front the Finance Ministry since according to them, Junior Finance Minister Edghill had indicated that the article was factual while there was no evidence to prove this.

The article accused the opposition “of socializing” African Guyanese youths to think that “Indians have robbed them so they feel that they have to wrest by force, even murder anything Indians have.”

The Chronicle has since published an apology by Keith Burrowes, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Reports are that freelance journalist Parvati PersaudEdwards, who penned the editorial, was relieved of her duties while the editor at the time, Rashid Osman, has been suspended.

But according at a source, the decision against Persaud was rescinded and she still writes for the Chronicle.

The much vaunted Tax Review Committee, which had been established by Head of State Donald Ramotar days after taking Office, has never actually gotten down to reviewing any taxes and the Committee has run into its first major hurdle.

This was confirmed recently by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, who told this publication that the work of the Committee is currently on hold until a replacement for one of its members is found.

He reported that Dr. Cyril Solomon, who was a serving member of the Committee, has since fallen ill and is currently overseas for medical treatment.

Dr. Luncheon says that the President is currently seeking a replacement for Dr. Solomon on that Committee, as it is highly unlikely he will be returning to the post.

It was at this point in time

that Dr. Luncheon disclosed that the Committee has not actually gotten down to reviewing any of the taxes in the country.

Dr. Luncheon said that up until the untimely illness of Dr. Solomon, the Committee had only been dealing with its “Terms of Reference.”

The other members of the Committee are Clifford Reis who is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Banks DIH Limited and Ronald Ali. The announcement of the formation of the Committee came a mere two weeks after Ramotar took Office.

He had indicated that the initiative stems from a commitment out of the party’s 2011 election manifesto.

At the time he had sought to explain that the government

is cognizant of the concerns raised by many Guyanese about the need to either revamp or improve the country’s taxation system, and was optimistic that when the review is complete, more progress will be derived.

“I hope that they will begin their work shortly…The terms of reference have also been completed and sent to them...,” President Ramotar said.

It is those terms of reference that the President had spoken of, that Dr. Luncheon said the Committee was working on, up to the time of Dr. Solomon’s illness.

Ramotar at the time had said that all of the resources which were necessary would be made available to the threeman Committee.

A security guard was among two persons who were shot under mysterious circumstances on Saturday night and early yesterday.

The guard, 35-year-old Chad Layne of South Ruimveldt, was wounded in the left arm after being attacked in Tacuba Street, East La Penitence.

The other man, identified as Sherwin Joseph, was shot in the right leg near the Sheriff Street seawall. Both men have been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Joseph told Kaieteur News that he was walking with a woman on the sea wall at around 22:00 hrs on Saturday when he noticed two young men sitting nearby.

He said that he walked past them and was surprised to see the same men, about an hour later, walk past him and his companion about three times.

“After they passed, they jump down and ask us what we doing so late out here and I ask him ‘who is you to ask’ and one of them identified himself as a police officer and I said I am a police officer also, and then he asked me where I stationed, but my friend started to laugh and tell them that I am not a police,” Joseph claimed.

Joseph said that the men told them that robberies often occur at the seawall.

According to Joseph, the men also claimed that they are patrolling the area to prevent robberies.

“He pretended to talk on the phone to find out if there is any police vehicle available and then ended the call and pulled out his gun and hold my friend while his friend braced me and searched me.”

Joseph claimed that the one who was unarmed burst his gold chain. He allegedly scuffled with his attacker and that was when the other man

shot him.

“My friend was screaming all the time and like they see people coming and they run away but they didn’t get the chain,” the 22-year-old said.

He was subsequently taken to the GPHC. Meanwhile, the security guard, Chad Layne from South Ruimveldt, claimed he and another man were standing at a corner at the back of the East La Penitence Police Station at around 02:30 hrs yesterday when someone approached him and started “shining a bright light in my face.” “I couldn’t see was who so I walk away and every time I turn back he still shining the light.”

Layne, who claimed that he is on a week’s sick leave, said that he bent to pick up a stone to defend himself when the other man fired two shots, one of which hit him on his left arm. Police were informed of the shootings but have made no arrests.

…replacement for ill committee member being sought - Dr Luncheon

Two shot under mysterious circumstances

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 7

Letters... Where your views make the news

Malaysian whistleblower alleges…

The Minister’s position on this issue appears to constitute an abuse of his powers

Udecott former chairman banks $$$ in Singapore

DEAR EDITOR, It was with some amusement, I listened to remarks by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Ganga Persaud, on a television newscast, on his reasoning for officers, at City Hall, fingered in recent fraud revelations to remain at their posts while the police investigate allegations of corruption and criminal acts implicating them.

His reasoning is that the Ministry cannot just assume that the officers involved would interfere with the process. Something is seriously wrong with that line of reasoning by a Minister of government, who, we assume, ought to know better.

The Council collects the taxes of property-owners. We depend on the actors there to be honest and prudent and give us value for money in the services they deliver to us.

But with allegedly corrupt officers in charge of the Council’s money, we can expect the poor and sometimes no services we have been getting from the Council to continue.

If those officers are implicated in the misappropriation of funds and other resources then they should not be left in charge of those resources.

More than that, the Minister’s line of reasoning is inconsi s t e n t w i t h t h e norms of such investigations and government’s actions in other entities with similar malpractices such as the

Ministry of Finance, Guyana Police Force, and National Communication Network.

Against that background, the situation at City Hall seems more like a big political game, to achieve some hidden agenda by the PPP/C, than any real investigation to deal with the corruption there.

Perhaps, it is an attempt to use those officers to continually embarrass the Council.

Perhaps, it is an approach to begin the mechanics to install an Interim Management Committee at City Hall. No one knows for sure but something is very wrong.

Notwithstanding, the Minister’s position on this issue appears to constitute an abuse of his powers. If the elective Council expressed discomfort with the three officers being in position during the investigation and requested that they be sent on leave to allow for transparency and accountability and thoroughness of the process then the Minister cannot ignore that concern without abusing his powers.

In fact, he has abused his powers by allowing the officers to remain on the job, at his instant, in the face of the very serious concern raised by the Mayor and City Council.

It remains to his shame that such an abnormality can be allowed at a time when there is a loud and agonizing public outcry against corruption which, like a cancer, is surfacing everywhere in our society.

The fact that the Minister

sent the matter to the police did not allay the fear of the Council of the presence of the trio on the job during the investigation. In any case, sending a matter to the police should not interfere with the normal administrative practices in dealing with such incidents of alleged corruption.

Given the positions they hold- the Town Clerk, City Engineer and the City Treasurer- the very presence of the officers on the job would serve as an impediment to any proper investigation.

They have access to certain documents that can provide evidence against them. Also, they can make it difficult for those carrying out the investigation to have access to relevant information.

Already, there is the suspicion by the Council’s System Analyst that the company’s information network is being tampered with (KN/ City Hall ‘Big Three’ spark more woes at p.

17 in the Thursday, July 12, 2012).

Also, those who may wish to come forward with information would be discouraged because they have to take instructions and even sanctions from the same bosses who are allegedly involved in corruption.

Finally, it sets a bad precedent for junior workers, who hear about all the wrongdoings but see the officers still holding their posts. They would be tempted to think that such behaviour is rewarded instead of punished.

Leroy Johnson

Calder and Sherrine Hart Trinidad Guardian - Millions of dollars allegedly belonging to the former executive chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott), Calder Hart, is reportedly stashed away at a bank in the world’s third-richest nation—Singapore. The information is the latest to be disclosed by a Malaysian whistleblower who spoke exclusively with Sunday Guardian under the condition of anonymity last week.

“The money from the Malaysian transaction was deposited both from the initial contract and the variation order,” the whistleblower said. He pointed out that a Malaysian official (named) was the party to facilitate the money transfer. Sunday Guardian learnt that the account was supposedly opened in a well-known bank (name revealed) in Singapore back in 2006, following a transaction with a Malaysian company to supply IT software to a number of state enterprises.

Among the state enterprises that were allegedly expected to undergo the upgrade were: • Ministry of Labour: $500,000 (TT) (to supply, install and commission computer software for the establishment of a conciliation information system) • Ministry of Education: $105,000 (TT) (to design, develop, implement and host a Web site and schoolnet (Internet) initiative pilot project) • Ministry of Public Administration: US$800,000 (TT) (to develop a business continuity plan for the public service) • Ministry of Trade and Industries: US$90,000 (business process management) • Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Ltd: US$506,000 (to develop a record management system) • Udecott: US$235,000 (business process management) Fresh documents have surfaced that allegedly link Hart’s wife Sherrine as being one of the key players to secure the contracts for the Malaysian firm. According to documents obtained by Sunday Guardian, the company VisionLink Technologies Ltd lists Sherrine as one of the directors of the company. The other director is listed as Ghislaine Agostini.

The business address for the company is also listed as No 6 De Lima Road, Cascade— the same address Hart and his family resided at before migrating to Florida, days after he resigned from Udecott in 2010. A copy of the agreement proposal titled The development of the Business Continuity Plan at the Ministry of Planning revealed that the Malaysian company was solely responsible for preparing the documentation submitted for the project.

Contents of the proposal stated, “We also hereby acknowledge and confirm that if the request for proposal submission is to be successful, the project shall be awarded directly to the (Malaysian company removed) and/or its nominees and all subsequent contracts in relation to the abovementioned project shall be between the ministry and the company or its nominees.”

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Kaieteur News

St Lucia passes VAT Act, sticks to October 1 date CASTRIES, St. Lucia CMC - Despite reservations among lawmakers about business readiness, operational costs and timing, the St. Lucia Senate has passed the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act, keeping the legislation on course for the revised October 1 implementation date.

With the law’s assent by Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy, St Lucia will become the last member state in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) single market but Montserrat to introduce the sales tax that is intended to replace a raft of taxes and duties. St Lucia’s VAT is to be levied at 15 per cent on goods and services and at eight per cent in hotels.

There were calls from two independent senators – a doctor and a hotelier – for a further delay in VAT, and government Senator Debra

Tobierre, a business owner in the south, admitted that all of her questions on the indirect tax were yet to be answered.

The independent senators, Dr. Stephen King and Berthia Parle, said they would have preferred to see a delay in the full implementation of VAT to give businesses more time to prepare.

Dr King, a former chief medical officer, suggested a “testing period” of up to three months and a “forgiving period” of at least one month “before going live”.

But he argued for the use of VAT revenue to avert “a major crisis” in the country’s health services and to encourage better nutrition among St Lucians.

He said that operation of the new hospital to be completed by year end and a reconstructed St. Judes Hospital in the south would require an additional 50 million

Dame Pearlette Louisy EC dollars (18.5 million US dollars). Senator Parle, a veteran hotel executive, acknowledged that no member of the formal business community was opposed to the VAT. The value added tax or general consumption tax is now common across CARICOM.

Monday July 16, 2012

20,000 endangered sea turtle eggs crushed in Trinidad The Epoch Times Thousands of endangered sea turtle eggs were crushed by heavy machinery on the Caribbean island of Trinidad.

Eggs belonging to leatherback sea turtles, which are considered a critically endangered species, fell victim to bulldozers and excavators over the weekend, according to the Papa Bois Conservation group’s Facebook page.

The group called the deaths “unnecessary” and blamed the incident on a “lack of leadership” and not on the operators of the equipment themselves.

The group published photos showing what appear to be broken eggshells on the beach near heavy machinery.

“Unfortunately the engineers in charge bulldozed a far greater portion of beach than necessary, and they did destroy many viable nests,” the group said. The workers who inadvertently destroyed the eggs were attempting to divert the nearby Grand Riviere.

“They were told to divert a river, and that’s what they did. Who are to blame are those ‘higher up,’ not one of whom was on site to make sure the works were done with

as little damage as possible,” the group added.

A member of the Grand Riviere Environmental Organisation, Sherwin Reyz, told The Associated Press that as many as 20,000 eggs were crushed, eaten by vultures, or consumed by stray dogs that congregated on the beach to eat the remains.

The Papa Bois Conservation group said that the beach in Trinidad is the most den s e l y p o p u l a t e d leatherback hatching area in the world, and it is unknown how severely the incident will affect the species’ population.

6-month travel fix Barbados Nation CARICOM officials were caught by surprise when Prime Minister Freundel Stuart reported a week ago that Barbados had not yet implemented a free movement measure agreed to five years ago.

Free movement specialist in the Bridgetown-based CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Unit, Stephen McAndrew, told the SUNDAY SUN that a Barbadian official had reported last year that the country had fully

implemented the six-month entry for CARICOM nationals unanimously agreed by Heads of Government in 2007.

He said while Barbados would not face any penalties from the 15-member regional bloc for misreporting, “conflict could arise” if CARICOM nationals insisted on being granted the time.

Speaking at the close of the 33rd Regular Meeting Of The Conference Of Heads of Government in St Lucia earlier this month, Stuart said his administration was looking to

Freundel Stuart give the automatic stay full effect, subject to security and other considerations.

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

The radical in the legislative assembly in the 1940’s Guyana has had many persons with claims to be champions of the working class. But there is only one who can lay claim to being the radical of Guyana‘s workers and its supreme working class hero.

Cheddi Jagan is not just the champion of the working class of Guyana; he is the ultimate radical of the western hemisphere. Long before Jacobo Arbenz was removed by a military coup, long before Salvador Allende was toppled in a military coup, long before Fidel Castro led his revolution, Guyana had its own radical, its own champion of the working class. He was named Cheddi Jagan.

He was the ultimate radical. He had no time or stomach for the reformist

tendencies which other leaders of the Caribbean were prepared to pursue after the end of the Second World War. He saw the pitfalls of that approach, pitfalls which were equally known to the leaders of the English speaking Caribbean. But those leaders lacked the courage and radicalism of a Cheddi Jagan and this is what set him apart from everyone else.

He understood the limitations of trying to change the system. Unlike so many of the other leaders of the Caribbean and unlike many local political leaders, he was not prepared to follow an approach that would frustrate him achieving tangible benefits to the working class.

In the 1940’s and 50’s, he took the radicalism from fields and streets into the

Dem boys seh

Some people ain’t got no shame Other thing does always full people eye. Dem boys talk bout de fancy boat that somebody see and dem decide that dem gun buy one fuh de police suh when dem got to go and sport dem got a boat fuh go up de river.

Is a good thing de boat never really wuk because time like now certain Ministers woulda either dead by drowning because dem like drink and do stupidness.

Some police woulda deh in de same boat in more ways than one. Henry de Yellow decide that he wasn’t part of de action and he mek that clear.

He seh that he didn’t buy no boat. In any case even if he did buy de boat he couldn’t fit inside. And if he did fit de boat woulda sink.

Dem got other thing that full people eye. All of dem Minister see movie and all of dem want to live like de people in de States.

That is why dem full dem pocket and build dem fancy house. One house

was suh fancy that Janet Jagan, before she dead, go till to de house and refuse to go inside fuh de opening.

She seh that she shame at wha she was seeing.

But if she shame dem got some people ain’t got no shame. Dem boys hear bout a certain man who wukking at Caricom. This man pick up wid a lady and he find out that she got a dollar put up.

This man borrow every day. He borrow fuh help build a house; he borrow fuh buy car and he don’t want pay back. De lady know that she can tell Bar Rat but she also know that he gun want borrow too. She don’t want tell Uncle Donald because he gun bring it up at de Caricom summit.

Dem boys seh that she might go to court because is nuff money. But dem boys seh that she only salvation is to tek de house and de car because de man ain’t gun pay back because he bruck.

Talk half and try fuh find de other half.

Legislative Assembly. He, more than anyone else in that Assembly, pressed for independence even when he was fighting a losing battle.

Thus any review of that period and any review of Guyana’s legislative history in its formative years would have to credit Cheddi Jagan for his role in fighting for the political and social liberation of this country.

It does not matter when he is designated Father of the Nation. It does not even matter if Forbes Burnham is given that title over him. They were once pals and their breakup must have bothered them deeply.

It was Cheddi who gave Burnham his political break and Cheddi never envied Burnham for leading Guyana to independence even though Burnham once opposed this happening under Jagan. So if it pleases those he mentored, give Burnham the title of Father of the Nation.

But do not trample upon history by trying to write Cheddi Jagan out of the history books. And do not especially try to write him out of that very period when Burnham was not here and when Cheddi stood headabove everyone else; when he was the ultimate radical of the Region.

You cannot discuss the Legislative Assembly of Guyana after 1940 and not give recognition to Cheddi

Jagan. It is unpardonable for anyone to try to diminish Cheddi’s standing in Guyana legislative history. But to write him out of our history with the claim of deconstructing the myth of father of the nation is a slap in the face of history.

Even Desmond Hoyte who when he was President said he was dedicating himself towards ensuring that Cheddi never returned to power was gracious enough to acknowledge that Cheddi’s place in Guyanese history was assured.

There is so much that we can learn from Guyana’s legislative politics after the end of the Second World War. It is therefore highly unfortunate that instead of dealing with the two main threads of political activism that was evident during that period, that so much attention was paid towards arguing that all workers are the fathers and mothers of the nation.

There is a need for the PPP to begin to correct that revisionism which is aimed at erasing the role of Guyana’s radical working class champion during that period.

If every working class person were either a father or

mother of the nation, then we had in those days a working class where everyone was a hero or heroine. And by extension therefore it means that all workers were complicit in the split which divided the working class. Even the imperialists did not attempt this sort of revisionism.

So by writing Cheddi out of history we are not

celebrating working class glories; we are indicting them for the greatest failure in our country’s history, one which we have not yet overcome.

New Hope security guard murder…

Victim had expressed fear about colleague An old grudge may be the motive behind the recent murder of 58 year-old Ishri Holadar at New Hope East Bank Demerara.

A source close to the investigation has revealed that prior to his death, Holadar had expressed his concern to several associates about one of his colleagues.

This publication was told that the police have received a statement to this effect. Reports are that Holadar had told his friends that if anything bad happened to him, one of his colleagues should be held responsible.

Initial reports are that Holadar and another guard were working when four men invaded the KRS Construction CO. and Equipment Rental, New Hope East Bank Demerara and attacked the two men.

The other guard had claimed the men beat them, tied them up and burglarized the place.

However, Holadar’s family said that they were suspicious from the beginning about the report.

One of Holadar’s colleagues was detained but was subsequently released.

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Kaieteur News

Monday July 16, 2012

Tragedy continues to befall young gold-seekers The price of gold continues to climb on the world market and it’s no different in Guyana, hence the rush to Guyana’s interior for a better standard of living by many young men and even women.

But very few stop to think of the risk involved, which includes, the high incidence of robberies, freak accidents and murders.

And in recent months, death has found many.

Helena Smith lost her son just over a month ago in a boat accident in the Puruni. He was seeking a better living not only for his children but for his nieces and nephew whom he took care of.

Smith’s son, George Bowman, was one of two persons who perished after a boat in which they were travelling in capsized in the Puruni River. His death has

affected his family both emotionally and financially.

Smith said her son not only provided for her and his children but also for his sister’s children. She is left to look after her grandchildren who are all of school age.

Speaking of her son’s life before venturing into the interior Smith said her son did construction work and when the work ‘slowed down’ he drove a minibus to keep the money flowing.

“He would go to Trinidad and work and come back here and I was begging him to go back to Trinidad but some friend tell he about the bush and the money so he decided to go.”

This was not George’s first time in Guyana’s interior but it was definitely his last time. Last Father ’s Day, George, along with several other miners, came out to the

‘landing’ to celebrate.

They were returning to their worksite when the boat capsized. Smith remained hopeful that her son, who was a strong swimmer, would be found alive after being informed of the incident.

However, some three days later her son’s body was found along with the body of another man who was identified as Devon Codagon.

Smith said since her son’s death his employer never made an attempt to offer assistance to her family. In wake of this the woman said she hopes the regulatory bodies and the relevant stakeholders in the mining sector will be looking at putting some mechanism in place that will protect persons and their families even after death. Smith explained that her son’s employer never made any effort to contact her; hence she was forced to seek the intervention of the police. She alleged that it was only after the intervention of the police that her son’s employer finally decided to

DEAD: George Bowman

DEAD: Devon Cadogan

DEAD: Floyd Matthis

assist with funeral expenses.

Smith added that the man had also promised to assist George’s children but to date nothing has been forthcoming as her calls to his phone have all gone unanswered.

“Too many young men continue to lose their lives in the bush and sometimes it is only because of the kindness of the employee the family end up getting something but in most cases the employee do nothing,” Hence Smith suggested that persons venturing into the interior should seek to protect themselves and family.

“I think that these people should start entering into

written agreement with the people they go to work with.

It must clearly state what they will be working for as in how much money and something should be stated about benefit in the event of an accident.”

Over the past two months there have been at least six reported deaths in the interior.

On June 23, two miners were killed and a cook seriously injured after a branch from a tree fell on their mining camp. A man identified as Antonio also called Mathurin, was killed on the spot, while Clive McDonald of Mon Gripper Hill, Bartica died while being transported out of the mining district. The camp’s cook, 29-year-old Alicia Fiedtkou of Linden,

was also injured. On Saturday June 16, a mechanic from Golden Grove East Coast Demerara, Floyd Mathis went for a swim at Bamboo landing, North West District. He went under the water and never resurfaced. The man’s body was recovered a week later.

On Sunday June 17, George Bowman and Devon Cadogan died after a boat they were travelling in capsized.

Also on June 26, Ryan Junior Bristol,26, who was set alight by one of his work colleagues in Mahdia succumbed to his injures.

According to reports, the man was sleeping in his hammock when his colleague ‘tripped out’ and attacked him.

Monday July 16, 2012

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Kaieteur News

$.16M for a bottle of rum

Angostura celebrates T&T's 50th anniversary EXPENSIVE TASTE: The 500ml decanter of "Legacy by Angostura".

(Reprinted from the Trinidad Express) Local producer Angostura says it has created the world's most expensive blend of rum, "Legacy by Angostura" to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence of Trinidad and Tobago.

One bottle of the luxury blend will be auctioned for charity on August 4 in Port of Spain, the company said in a statement Thursday.

With only 20 500ml bespoke decanters available worldwide, the bottle is valued at EU20,000 (about TT$160,000).

"Like all exceptional blends of spirits, the production of this rum involves just as much art as science and has been a labour of love for the Angostura Master Blenders who have fifty years experience between them.

The project has taken six years of meticulous work with seven of the brand's most rare and precious rums making the final recipe," Angostura said.

The youngest rum is 17 years old and all of the rums in the blend have been aged in once used 200 litre American Oak bourbon casks on site at Angostura's distillery in Laventille.

Robert Wong, chief executive of Angostura said Thursday, "Complex, smooth and aromatic, "Legacy by Angostura" is the ultimate expression of Angostura rum.

We set out to create the greatest sipping rum ever produced and we believe we have achieved something that is both unique and unequalled. Once these 20 bottles have been sold, no more of this liquid will be available, so it's a truly

unique opportunity for a few select individuals."

The average drink of "Legacy by Angostura" will set the customer back EU$1,400.

"Not only is the rum of the highest standard in the world, the decanter, stopper and presentation box are also unique collectors' items.

Angostura has engaged Asprey of London, jeweller to the Prince of Wales, to develop the

twenty limited edition decanters, which each took over 56 hours to complete using ten different master craftsman," Angostura said.

The auction will be held on August 4 at 9 p.m. during Angostura's gala dinner and dance at the Hyatt Regency (Trinidad) in Port of Spain.

Attendance is by invitation only and a donation of $1,000 is required to secure a place, the company said.

Page 12

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

A section of the vandalized High Court fence

Scrap metal scavengers stealing historic High Court fence

S

crap metal scavengers in the city seem to be familiar with the old Keith Lynn song, “A little piece at a time.”

That's exactly the way the thieves have been carting off sections of the historic fencing around the hallowed High Court.

This has not escaped the

eyes of some legal professionals.

Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall yesterday expressed deep concern over the case of the disappearing fence.

According to the Minister, the High Court Registrar is responsible as the Chief Executive Officer for the day to day running of

the court. He said this includes the management of its assets.

Nandlall told Kaieteur News that the court compound has 24 hour security watch, courtesy of ranks from the Guyana Police Force.

He said that this occurrence should not be happening because of the

consistent police presence.

The Attorney General said that he has expressed his concern to the Registrar and hopes that it is addressed speedily.

Other senior officials of the High Court are also upset that the original fencing was being destroyed for “scrap metal”.

One senior official told

Kaieteur News that more emphasis needs to be placed on securing the nation's history.

According to the official, persons who are entrusted to maintain these historic sites should definitely pay more interest to them.

“Whenever you go around the Caribbean or

elsewhere persons take pride in their history…their buildings and monuments are well kept” the official stated.

Efforts yesterday to contact the persons in charge proved futile.

Chief Justice Ian Chang had stated that he had seen the damaged fence and had raised the issue.

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

City Council finally cuts down trees threatening woman's home

T

he Mayor and City Council has finally made good on its promise to Sandra Garraway to cut down the huge and decaying palm trees near her North East La Penitence home.

The visibly happy Garraway said that she can now sleep better knowing that the agency kept its promise and finally cleared the area that once threatened her safety.

“The excavator came early Thursday morning and cleared the whole area. I'm real happy about it.”

Ms. Garraway noted that even the neighbours are happy about the area being cleared since some of them had also suffered losses due to the big “hovering” trees.

But she is now faced with the issue of being compensated for the damage done to her house when one of the trees fell on it. The woman is claiming over

$400,000 in damages and wants City Council to reimburse her.

Last week the woman said that she took an es timated cos t of the damages to City Council but was told that Council does not have money to repay her.

She said that she was later told by a councillor that a report has been submitted and a cheque should be approved soon.

Garraway said that she will return again sometime this week while adding that she needs the money to have her house refurbished.

“I need the money to fix up my place properly my home still not safe all my windows are shattered.”

It was about three weeks ago that one of the trees came crashing down on the woman's home as she slept.

It broke a part of her back fence, damaged her roof, crushed a washing machine and shattered windows.

Granger fires back at rival Greenidge From page 3 those institutions.”

Granger reminded that within the PNCR’s structure “we have congress which is the supreme authority,” for the internal arrangements of the party.

He drew reference also to the fact that at the Congress such as the one that will be held from July 26 to July 29, delegates from all over the country will converge at the party’s headquarters at Congress Place “and they express their views and take decisions.”

He spoke too of the fact that the PNCR also boasts a General Council which “meets between congresses and people are very vocal.”

Granger spoke too of the fact that within the PNCR’s internal structure “we have a Central Executive and we have a Constitution which people respect.”

He insisted that “there are systems and institutions which function” within the party.

The Opposition Leader, who from all appearances seems intent on securing the leadership post of the PNCR, says that, “As far as I am

concerned the system has been working…The PNCR is 55 years old this year, our institutions do work and people respect those institutions.”

Volda Lawrence is the lone female given the nod of approval from the various party groups when nominations closed recently.

Robert Corbin currently still holds the post of Leader of the PNCR but he has already indicated an unwillingness to continue at the helm of the party.

Corbin says that he will be contesting a post on the Central Executive of the party. Both Greenidge and Granger have competed against each other in recent months.

Granger won that race and this time around things have already begun to heat up, with Greenidge receiving strong support from PNCR big wigs such as Aubrey Norton.

Norton had served as a Member in the House in the 9th Parliament but did not make the cut among the APNU Parliamentarians despite playing a pivotal role in securing votes in Linden.

Page 13

Sandra Garraway points to the cleared area

Page 14

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

Furniture shortage likely to hit Berbice schools again

S

ome teachers and students from Berbice schools will be without furniture when the September school term begins.

This was revealed by the Regional officials during a recent press conference in the Region 6 Boardroom.

Region Six Education Officer, Mrs. Shafiran Bhajan, revealed that in F e b r u a r y, a r e g i o n a l

- vandalism by students blamed inventory was carried out as requested by Minister Priya Manickchand.

She said that the current allocation for furniture in Region Six stands at $14M, but this sum is not enough, particularly for furniture for teaching staff.

The region is making 400 chairs for teachers this year,

“but we need more tables for them and 400 might not be adequate and we need more type- A and C desks and benches”.

When asked how significant the shortfall will be, Bhajan said that she does not believe it will be a 'crisis'.

Provisions will be put in place to repair the broken

Destroyed and broken furniture in a classroom at the Tagore Secondary in Berbice furniture.

But when asked why there always seems to be a furniture shortage in Region Six, the officials said that students are destroying the desks and benches.

In light of this, Region 6 Chairman David Armogan appealed to parents to ensure that their children desist from damaging the furniture.

The officials said that the contractors are building strong furniture and the Works Department has been checking the items to ensure quality.

Bhajan placed the blame mainly on secondary schools students, particularly those who are about to leave school.

She urged that some system be put in place by head-teachers to repair broken furniture, even though the region is on a campaign to collect damaged furniture for repairs.

“We have got a lot of furniture that has been destroyed by the school system”, she revealed.

Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Imran Ally, stated too that teachers and school administrators “often give up on the levels of supervision” especially when the school term is nearly over.

“The annual budget estimates always go towards replacing what we would

have had.

It seems as if you are not making any advances in terms of actually maintaining your quantum of furniture”, he stated.

He recommended that there be a closer collaboration between the school, education department and RDC “because the government can't keep investing in furniture and then we are having the irresponsible behaviour, not only on behalf of students, but also in terms of lack of supervision where head-teachers and teachers generally need to do more.”

During a recent visit to (continued on page 15)

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 15

DOZE WERE THE DAYS When it comes to sleep apnea and other sleep disorders I am a snore-house of knowledge. What was a gentle fluttering noise emanating musically from my olfactory organs when I was in my prime (if, as my children argue, there ever was such a time) eventually and over the years became the melodic phrase that the Calypsonian, Atilla the Hun, used to describe the arrival of the Graf Zeppelin in Trinidad in 1934 – “a rumbling and a tumbling in the atmosphere.”

I started to feel extremely sorry for my wife and children and sorrier for myself. My son Zubin’s first attempt at performance art was imitating my snoring. I woke up sometimes startled hearing myself snore and wondering how come the weather forecasters had not warned us about a thunderstorm.

There are times I could feel but not smell my wife’s fear as she shook me awake thinking that I had stopped breathing permanently. I used to tease my father about his snoring and then thought with both of us going at it at the same time we had a two-snory house.

At first I thought it was natural to snore after a hard day’s work and it was not worth losing sleep over. I made the usual jokes of snoring friends saying, “That was a Husqvarna if ever there was one” or “You know they have a power-saw brand called ‘Earthquake’? Well you

just swallowed one.”

Once long ago at University in Canada I was a teaching assistant in a communication course and we had a retreat before the start of the term at a posh resort in the lakes area of Kingston, Ontario.

One of the lecturers, Mel, was put in a room in an annex far from the main building. Yet, some of the guests complained. Brian, another of the lecturers, quipped, “Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone.”

I was lucky nobody had told that to Indranie so she stuck with me despite my snoring reaching levels that are supposedly enough to shatter eardrums and leave listeners deaf. One of my friends said that because of his constant snoring his wife gets up and goes to sleep in their son’s bed – even though the son is 28 and lives four miles away.

Another man complained that his wife woke him abruptly while he was snoring yesterday and he had to remonstrate quite vociferously with her. “For goodness sake woman,” he said, grabbing the steering wheel, “Are you trying to kill us?”

When men are among other men and one is a snorer there is a way of getting some temporary respite. Some cricketers were forced to bunk two to a room and nobody

wanted to room with one of them, let’s call him D, because he snored so loudly. They decided it wasn’t fair to make one of them stay with him the whole time, so the manager agreed to let them take turns.

The first cricketer slept with D and at breakfast-time the next morning his hair was a mess and his eyes were all bloodshot. They said, “Man, what happened to you?” He said, “D snored so loudly, I just sat up and watched him all night.” The next night it was a different player’s turn.

In the morning, same thing— hair all standing up, eyes all blood-shot. They said, “Man, what happened to you? You look awful!” He said, “Man, that D shakes the roof. I watched him all night.”

The third night was Frank’s turn. Frank was a big burly fast bowler. The next morning he came to breakfast smiling and bright eyed. The others couldn’t believe it!

They asked, “Man, what happened?” He said, “Well, we got ready for bed. I went and tucked D into bed and kissed him good night. He sat up and watched ME all night long.”

Women have it harder.

They say that the reason the Black Widow spider kills their males after mating is to stop the snoring before it starts. I decided to put an end to the torture my family undergoes and took a sleep test in Trinidad a few weeks ago. It confirmed that my snoring

Furniture shortage likely to hit Berbice ...

From page 14 two classrooms at the Tagore Memorial Secondary School at Number 64 Village, Corentyne, Kaieteur News observed several pieces of broken and destroyed furniture. The chalkboards in the filthy- looking classrooms were also destroyed.

Bhajan added that the

clarion call by the Minister and Chief Education Officer is for Region 6 to emulate other regions, particularly in curbing absenteeism and lateness among teaching staff.

Bhajan said that “for the first time in Region 6”, teachers are being disciplined by the Teaching Service Commission. Some are being trans-

ferred while others are being put on immediate suspension for attendance and punctuality issues. “This is the way other regions have been going-- not to perpetrate sloth in the system.”

She also bemoaned the shortage of Schools Welfare Officers (SWO's), but pledged that this will be rectified.

can wake the dead and return them to their old haunts with murderous intent, and that there were times I was not getting all the oxygen I needed.

Also, I was not getting enough sleep and woke up tired. To make life better for all concerned (and longer for me or so they say) I bought a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine which increases the air pressure in your throat so your airway does not collapse when you breathe in.

The problem is that you have to wear a mask- some cover your entire face and some cover your nose. I got one that covers my nose only and despite being offered

some sleeping tablets to help me adjust to the mask the first few days, I refused and decided I could handle it.

After some fitful sleep trying to keep the air from getting into my eyes and squashing the tubing, I fell asleep smiling at the thought of calling my wife and telling her that while I was in bed I had got tangled up with a bunch of hose and was breathing heavily from the pressure.

I don’t know what woke me up but I ended up facing the mirror on the clothes closet and in the dim light I saw this google-eyed masked creature. Feeling that I was being strangled I let out a long

scream…which never materialized and my breath going out and the air coming in made me cough and gasp.

Then trying to run while tangled in the bed-sheet almost caused me to strangle myself with the hose and the electric cord. I could hear the coroner, “This man was always a combination of contradictions. He respired and expired at the same time.” *Tony Deyal was last seen talking about the security guard who went to the doctor for help with his snoring. He complained, “Doc, you know how many jobs I lost because of it!”

Kuru Kururu sand truck fatal accident…

Defendant asks for new date to make final payment to family As the Kuru Kururu sand truck fatal accident case continues to wind down the defendant in the matter has requested some more time to make his final payment to bring the case to an end.

The case was called again on Friday last at the Providence Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Leslie Sobers. Sahid Ali initially had agreed to pay the family $2.5 M to bring an end to the matter.

However, in Court Friday Ali was expected to make a final payment of $300,000 but did not come up with the money. The man also indicated to the court that he had to seek the services of a new lawyer, Sase Gunraj. Ali has asked for August 6 to make the final payment to the family of the deceased.

Some of the victim’s children have indicated that they are unhappy with the sum being offered.

Ali has been charged with causing the death of 58-yearold Ronville Roberts. It is alleged that the security guard from Kuru Kururu was cycling along the Soesdyke/ Linden highway near his home around 08:15 hrs on January 25, when Sahid Ali, who was driving motor lorry GLL 319, reversed and crushed him.

The prosecution also alleged that the 29-year-old accused drove off, leaving the injured Roberts on the roadway. He reportedly abandoned the truck about four miles from the scene.

Sahid Ali was subsequently identified and charged with causing death by dangerous driving and failing to render assistance.

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Tackling domestic violence…

UG professor touts setting up of Special Victims Unit

By Leon Suseran If Guyana is to make any headway in dealing with the scourge of domestic violence, it has to be tackled in more innovative and creative ways. This is the view of University of Guyana Berbice Campus head, Professor Daizal R. Samad.

Professor Samad noted that dozens of seminars, workshops, conferences, candle-light vigils have been held on the issue, and while this is laudable, it is not enough.

“Dozens have been hosted at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus in the last two and one half years since I became Director.

These events were put on by various women’s groups, NGO’s, religious and social groups from within and without the country. I attended almost all of them, and spoke at many”.

“But one wonders if any of it made any difference at all. There is still domestic violence; and it is there with the kind of frequency that should alarm us all as citizens of Guyana”, he stated.

“I suppose this is why I have grown impatient with these exercises: that they seem to be ineffective. One of the reasons may be that we end up in a talk shop where we speak to each other and speak to the converted”.

Another reason, he stated, is that these seminartype events veer between abstract academic talk on one hand, and self-dramatizing story-telling of individual suffering in such a way that concrete steps are not taken.

“I am not saying that they are useless and must stop.

Not at all. They should and must continue, and they must be supported”, but they need to take “a different form”.

“A week ago, one of my neighbors punched his wife in the face. It was a thud of fist in flesh in the quiet mid-afternoon in R o s e H a l l To w n . T h e following sound was a muffled cry as she sat in the hammock in a posture of defeat and hurt. The husband hovered, still aggressive, over the sobbing woman. Then his posture changed to one of apology and comfort. I was sitting with a friend, and he was visibly upset, tempted, I think to go across and administer a sound thrashing upon the man”.

The debate about this issue, he said, is important since it demonstrates that some kind of academic thought is there. What does he therefore recommend?

“Short TV programs may be one way.

Three people: a victim, a law enforcement official and a qualified social worker, for instance. With a moderator who is prepared to ask tough but empathetic questions.

Once per week at predetermined times”.

But he added that we also need to do the research and ask questions like: Why does this happen? Where does it happen? Under what conditions (economic, behavioral, alcohol-induced temper)?

With what frequency? With what repetition? With what consequences (to the perpetrator, the victim, the children)? What is the role of the social worker and how effective are they? What are the roles of law enforcement (police and prosecutors)?

What are the steps that must be taken in the event of domestic violence? What provisions are in place for

victims of domestic violence and child abuse?

“I would suggest that a special unit be created in the Guyana Police Force—a Special Victims Unit of specially trained policemen and policewomen. I would also suggest the establishment of fully supported Transition Houses (to my knowledge, there is only one in operation in Berbice, in New Amsterdam— and that gets no state funding.

There is one being built by a religious organization in Port Mourant). Of course, we need better training for the cops and for prosecutors so that there can be no escape for perpetrators. Also, UG needs to have more hands-on training for people doing degrees in Social Work (and every other discipline, for that matter)”.

Prof Samad said that it seems that Guyana, as a whole, has lost restraint.

“We resort to violent language and violent behavior at any small thing. You simply have to read and listen to see and hear it, the loudness, the a g g r e s s i o n . We l a c k composure and selfcontrol not only in our homes but also at our job places and in public. Loud and aggressive behavior is the norm now. And we will continue to be this way if there continues to be little or no consequence for our lack of self-control”.

The UGBC Director stated that the noises that we hear coming from public events and from vehicles— noise that people call music—are part of this disease. He added, too, that the noise around us today is so great that “even the birds have fled”.

Monday July 16, 2012

NDC at Lethem dissolved The Ireng Sawariwau, Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in Lethem, Region Nine has been dissolved.

This was reportedly done last week by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, following a hearing on the council’s functions.

According to the NDC’s former Chairman, Terrence Boston, the same Ministry during May last, said that persons were petitioning against the Council, stating that it was not doing sufficient work. As such, Boston said a two-member committee was formed to carry out a hearing on the issue.

However, Boston said that such a petition was not known to him, and that the council had never received any complaints about its operation from anyone.

- Chairman says reasons frivolous The man further claimed that the four to five persons who spoke on behalf of the council were not even official representatives, while the issues raised were frivolous.

Boston was annoyed at the fact that the senior representatives from the body which overlooks the NDC, (the Regional Democratic Council (RDC)), did not say anything on their behalf.

Despite being the Chairman of the NDC, Boston told Kaieteur News that he was not given a chance to speak. He noted that even though the council was never given the authority to collect rates and taxes from residents, its employees were forced to make do with the annual $3M government subvention for their salaries

as well as works in the community.

“We did so much. We even built our own NCD office building”.

He added that the works of the NDC have improved the community.

“The council does regular road works; markets, community park restoration and other maintenance. We were the ones who initiated the garbage collection process. And we do garbage collection every day. Even if we have one worker to do it, we do it.”

The former chairman also said that persons even protested against the closing of the NDC during the hearing earlier this year.

The council will be replaced with an interim management committee.

Banks DIH donates books to Stanleytown library Banks DIH Limited has donated several books to the newly commissioned Stanleytown library in New Amsterdam. The presentation was done at a simple ceremony held at the Library’s office at Lot 39 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Training manager of the beverage company, Henry Lewis, himself a Berbician, described the occasion as a nostalgic moment for him in that it also gave him the opportunity to make a contribution to the town’s development. Banks DIH, he said, views the contribution as part of its social and corporate responsibility and its policy of giving back to the community from which it garners a lot of support.

Speaking about the donation of the books Lewis

noted that the company was providing books to its staff in an effort to encourage them to read when the Berbice branch manager, Mr. Reginald Matthews, made representation on behalf of the library for some books.

He said that the request was timely in that the company was in the process of establishing a library at its Thirst Park headquarters and so he has been begging for books.

“I begged to the extent that I got 250 cartoons of books, and I knew right away that it was in excess of that which I could have used.” So the donation for Berbice came in handy.

In accepting the gifts, retired headmaster and member of the Board of Management of the Library, Bertie Carter thanked Banks DIH for coming on board with such a timely donation. In assisting in such an area of the library and reading, the company is showing their allround patriotism and true cooperativeness. Carter

noted that the library which was established in February 2011 with one room and 1200 books has grown and now has two rooms with over 12,000 books. According to Carter, they have been doing satisfactory since its establishment with over 400 members most of them school children. The retired educationist, while also making a call for more books, appealed for other business entities to come on board and assist.

The library was founded by re-migrant Sidney Taite, who returned to his homeland after several years overseas.

It is being run by volunteers while several businesses within the town assist by paying for electricity and rental of the building The library also has a number of computers and provides information technology classes even during the August holidays.

Also in attendance was Banks DIH Limited Berbice sales manager Joshua Torrezao.

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 0500h - Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 0515h - Meditation 0530h - Queenstown Masjid Presents Quran This Morning 0600h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Shiva Bhajans 0615h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Shiva Bhajans 0630h - Muneshwar Limited Presents Shiva Bhajans 0645h - Double Standard Taxi Presents Shiva Bhajans 0700h - RRT Enterprise Presents Shiva Bhajans 0715h - M & M Snackette Presents Raja Yoga Discourses 0730h - Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc Presents Shiva

Bhajans 0745h - The Family of The Late Leila & David Persaud Presents Shiva Bhajans 0800h - Timehri Maha Kali Shakti Devi Mandir Presents Shiva Bhajans 0815h - NTN This Morning Live with Reyaz Husein 0930h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 1000h - Indian Soap - Yahaan Mein 1030h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 1100h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta 1130h - Indian Soap - Punar Vivah 1200h - DVD Movie:DAMINI (Eng: Sub:) *ing Rishi Kapoor, Meenakshi, Aamir Khan &

Sunny Deol 1500h - FRINGE 1600h - Drying Tears Live with Pastor Edson 1630h - Devotional Time 1700h - Cartoons 1745h - Ganesh Parts Presents - BHAGAVAD GITA ( Discourses in English) - Serial 1815h - Birthday Greetings / Anniversary / Congratulations / Death Announcements & In Memoriam 1830h - HARE KRISHNA TODAY 1900h - Ricks & Sari Presents Bed Time Songs Live with Joel 2000h - Health in Focus 2030h - Indian Soap - Yahaan Mein 2200h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke

Monday July 16, 2012 23)

Invite friends over. Romance can develop; however, it will most probably be shortlived. You can help them with difficult projects.

Deal with the needs of children a n d g e t i n t o groups that deal with self awareness. Try not to hurt your partner's feelings.

Look into the cost factor, but don't try to get backing yet.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- may Sudden romantic encounters are quite likely, but discretion will be a must. Don't be too quick to judge. Investments will cost more than you anticipated.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Don't rely on others to handle the workload. Your mate may not have been honest with you. Be careful not to take on other people's problems. You may find yourself in a financial bind.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Don't let your partner get away with spending too much of your money. Don't trust coworkers with important or personal information. You will impress new friends and acquaintances with your intellectual wit.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You may want to tell someone how you really feel.

People you live with will not be terribly happy with you regardless of what you do today. Your charm will be captivating.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Problems with colleagues are likely. Finish projects that have been hanging over your head. You'll look guilty if you don't lay your cards on the table.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 Dec. 21) You may want to stay in the background today. Your fight for those less fortunate is not likely to end in sweet victory. Your tendency to overreact could get you into trouble.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.Jan. 20) Travel could be in order.

Trouble could be brewing at home. You need to make your environment a better place, with more comforts and a better entertainment center.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) You won't be well received by superiors or by your spouse. Go on business trips if at all possible. Refrain from arguing with your mate.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept.

23) It may not be the best time to socialize with clients or colleagues today. Secret affairs will only lead to heartache. Trips, educational pursuits, or projects that could lead to new outlooks should be on your agenda.

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55 hrs. Sign On 09:00 hrs. Live! With Kelly 10:00 hrs. House 11:00 hrs. The View 12:00 hrs. World News 12:30 hrs. The Young and the Restless 13:30 hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 14:00 hrs. The Talk 15:00 hrs. Boy Meets World 16:00 hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00 hrs. MacGyver 18:00 hrs. World News 18:30 hrs. Nightly News 19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00 hrs. Channel 8 News 20:30 hrs. The Cosby Show 21:00 hrs. DTV’s Summer Movie Fest 23:00 hrs. Sign Off

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct.

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20)

21)

2230h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta 2300h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 2330h -.Sign off with the Gayantri Mantra

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Learn some new skills that will increase your income.

For best results get out of the office and do your job en route. Your ability to charm others will bring added popularity.

MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 06:00 Islamic Perspective 06:30 The Diary 07:00 DAY BREAK ( live) 08:00 Dabi’s Musical Hour 08:30 Avon Video & DVD Musical Melodies

Page 17

09:00 Current Affairs 09:15 Top Notch Music Break 09:30 Caribbean Temptation music break 10:00 Amanda’s music break 10:30 Double day Music break 11:00 H. Persaud music hour 11:30 Salvation Message with Pastor Kelvin 11:45 The View 12:00 Current Affairs 12 30 The Young and The Restless 13:30 Days of our lives 14:00 Good Afternoon America

15:00 General Hospital 16:00 The Bold and the Beautiful 17:00 Birthdays & other Greetings 17:15 Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30 Sitcom: Friends 18:00 Aracari Resort Hour 19:00 Fire fest Update 19:30 News Update 20:30 Getting it Right 21:30 English Movie: Hijacked 23:00 News Update 23:30 English movie: Hijacked continues Sign Off

Page 18

(From page 19)

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VACANCY Cashiers, cooks, waitress, kitchen assistant, handyman and security.

Call: 218-5120 Vacancy exist for porters, drivers, office clerks. Apply Lot 10 Vlissengen Road.

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Kaieteur News

Monday July 16, 2012

UN Health report highlights flaws in Guyana’s maternal facilities A report compiled by the United Nations and the Ministry of Health Guyana reveals that Guyana has an inadequate number of Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Assessment (EmONC) facilities.

The EmONC report was formulated for the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund and the Bureau of Statistics. The report focused on 2010.

According to the report the adequate amount of EmONC facilities is a standard five per every 500,000 population and that will not work for Guyana. It was noted that the minimum would not work because of the country’s topography.

The report stressed that with a population of more than 751, 233; there should be at least eight EmONC facilities, at least two of which should be comprehensive.

“There was only one facility, West Demerara Regional Hospital that

qualified as a basic EmONC facility. This facility could readily be upgraded to a comprehensive facility with the addition of caesarean section.”

Also noted in the report was that the availability and distribution of appropriately trained staff must be taken into consideration.

The report further stated that every person providing maternal and neonatal care must be suitably qualified. It was also noted that all health care providers should be exposed to every training opportunity that is being provided. Record keeping and maintenance of registers continue to pose a problem and should be improved, according to the report.

It was further stated that it is, however, recognized that certain services can in fact be provided by mid-level personnel with proper training for assisted vaginal delivery, manual removal of placenta and vacuum aspiration of retained

products, which are all elements of emergency obstetric care.”

Legal provisions must be put in place to accommodate task shifting and suitable recognition should be given for the added responsibility.

The report posited that training should be given in the area of newborn complications, especially that of asphyxia.

The report for the first time looked at the national baseline information on the availability, use and quality of obstetric and newborn care services as recommended by the United Nations family including the World Health Organization.

The report provides critical evidence to guide planning, implementation, monitoring and evolution of maternal and newborn services which are provided at the National and Regional levels. The report focused on the year 2010.

Guyana was identified as one of the countries in the Americas with the highest

maternal mortality by the UN system in 1990. The country has made significant progress through government’s commitment and UN support but these gains are still fragile and need to be sustained.

The Ministry of Health also recognizes that Maternal Mortality is not only a health but a development issue and therefore the response must move beyond the MOH and toward an inter-sectoral approach for ultimate results.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Bheri Ramsarran yesterday said that although the report highlighted several weak spots of the system, the Ministry has made significant strides since 2010, when the report was done.

He noted that there are many programmes the Ministry is currently embarking on which would ensure that quality healthcare is given.

The Health Minister said that the report is the baseline to illustrate where Guyana has

come from in the past to where it is currently.

According to him, the report did not fully reflect the referral system.

He said that the Ministry might not have centres of excellence in every report, and this report could not have reflected that because this was in 2010. The changes have been implemented, but even at that time, we had a strong referral system that cost money.

The Minister further noted that he was in no way criticising the report, but it was a dated report which gives a reflection from where the Ministry has come from.

It was recommended that a policy decision must be taken within the public system to mandate the use of partograph.

In doing so the type of partograph must be indicated and all facilities must be provided with blank forms, the management protocols and the training of relevant staff carried.

Guyanese Muslims to resist decriminalizing Homosexual laws The Muslim Community will continue to resist any decriminalization of homosexual laws and practices locally.

This is according to President of the Central Islamic Organization (CIOG) Fazal Feroze, which represents a large section of the Guyanese Muslim population.

According to the CIOG President, while he has not been presented with any formal proposal from the Guyana Government as it relates to amending the Laws, he is aware of a promised consultation on the matter.

He said that he is cognizant of the fact that Guyana has signed on to several international

conventions that would speak on the matter of homosexuality and the death penalty among others.

According to Feroze, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CIOG had been informed sometime back of a promised consultation on the matters at hand. He was quick to point out that while the Muslim Community will speak out against any such proposal he cannot make any more definitive statements yet.

Feroze told this publication yesterday that at present the CIOG is not aware of the “full ramifications of what is being proposed.”

According to the CIOG head, while the Muslim

- CIOG

Community would not support such homosexual postures, it will not discriminate.

He says that the Islamic teachings would not allow the community to discriminate.

In seeking to expand on his position despite not being in possession of the full implications of what is being proposed, he said that any such changes to the legislation would have to be accompanied by a public education campaign.

He said that the Muslim community would be opposed to persons going to schools teaching children

that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality.

Feroze reminded also of the previous instance in 2003 when the Government had made similar intimations.

According to Feroze, should the administration pass a law where a legal union between two men or women is condoned then a Muslim Marriage Officer could be found in breach of the law for refusing to partake in such practice.

“We still don’t know the full ramifications,” said Feroze, who added also that on the issue of the death penalty, Islamic law does provide for interpretations.

He said that he is fully cognizant of the fact that Guyana is not an Islamic State

and reminded that the Muslim community will wait and see what proposals are being made by the Guyana Government.

There has been intimation on the part of the administration, to commence some sort of consultation process with a view to soliciting the views of Guyanese on the matters.

The United Nations has over the years been pressuring the country to repeal its homosexuality laws as well as the death penalty provisions. Human Services and Social Security Minister, Jenifer Webster says that the matter will be dealt with at the level of a Special Parliamentary Select Committee.

Monday July 16, 2012

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Page 19

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Page 20

Kaieteur News

Garcia upsets Khan to claim WBA title

Danny Garcia (right) throws a punch at Amir Khan Garcia during their title fight.

AFP - WBC champ Danny Garcia added the WBA light welterweight belt to his collection with a stunning fourth-round upset of Britain’s Amir Khan in a unification title fight.

American Garcia, of Philadelphia, knocked Khan down three times with the end coming with 32 seconds left

in the fourth round when referee Kenny Bayless stopped the bout on Saturday.

Garcia, who already had the WBC title, now has 24 wins and no losses. He kept his perfect record intact by surviving the first two rounds before using a perfectly-timed left

Weary Central Mackenzie...

From back page scare when Thomas landed some big threes.

However, the effort was not enough to beat the talented Central Mackenzie that contended with Travis ‘Blurr’ Burnett, Ryan Stephney, Jermaine Slater, Horace Hodges, Rodwell Fortune and Mark Richards from Diamond/McDoom in a major showdown last night.

hook late in the third round that caught Khan flush on the right ear.

Khan, of Great Britain, suffered just the third loss of his career. He managed to get up from the third-round knockdown and barely finished the round but he never fully recovered from that devastating left hook to the side of the head.

Khan (26-3, 18 KOs) got knocked down twice more in the fourth round which had turned into a slugfest with both fighters trading heavy shots in the center of the ring.

The second knockdown came when Garcia’s punch glanced off the top of Khan’s head, leading to an eight count.

Garcia (24-0, 15 KOs) got the better of the exchanges in the fourth, hitting Khan consistently with left hooks and counter shots, finishing him off with a straight right hand that sent Khan stumbling across the ring.

When Bayless stepped in to stop the fight, the 25-yearold Khan protested and tried to duck under the referee’s arm. This was Khan’s eighth title fight.

Garcia, 24, was coming off a 12-round unanimous decision over Erik Morales four months ago.

Monday July 16, 2012

David Haye defeats Dereck Chisora with fifth-round knockout Haye floored Chisora with a brutal left-hook, right-hand combination in the fifth.

BBC Sport - David Haye defeated Dereck Chisora with a fifth-round knockout in an enthralling contest at Upton Park.

Haye floored Chisora with a brutal left-hook, right-hand combination in the fifth.

Chisora just managed to climb to his feet but after three right hooks and two lefts from Haye the fight was over.

Earlier, Chisora had controversially rocked British rival Haye with a punch after the bell had sounded in the third round.

The victory will now open up the possibility of a fight against WBC world heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko - who Haye has

been calling out for over two years. On a possible fight with Klitschko, Haye said: “I’ve sent out a very scary message. I’ll be surprised if Vitali Klitschko wants to fight me after that. He will no doubt try to fight some chump nobody has ever heard of and then retire to be a politician.”

For Haye this was redemption following his comprehensive defeat to Wladimir Klitschko last year.

Haye retired following that defeat but was tempted to make a return to the ring after he was involved in an ugly brawl with Chisora at a news conference in Munich in February 2012.

That set up a widely-

Serena Williams to face Coco Vandeweghe in Stanford final Wimbledon champion Serena Williams advanced to the Stanford Classic final after she swept aside Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 6-1 6-2.

The 14-time Grand Slam champion will meet fellow American Coco Vandeweghe, who made her first WTA final after beating Yanina Wickmayer 6-2 3-6 6-2. Williams struggled with serve but was still too good for the world number 43.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Heather Watson, 20, made the doubles final with partner Marina Erakovic.

The British number one and New Zealander Erakovic beat third seeds Natalie Grandin and Vladimira Uhlirova 7-5 6-7 (6/ 8) 10-7 in just over two hours.

And they will now face top seeds Jarmila Gajdosova and Vania King in the final.

In contrast to her performance at Wimbledon, Williams managed to get only 38% of her first serves in but she broke Cirstea four times in the match and only faced one break point, which she easily fought off.

Cirstea, meanwhile, committed 32 unforced errors.

Greaves pedals to top spot...

From page 23 competitors completed their course on the upward journey at No. 63 Village.

Bentley’s performance was solid as he won 6 of the 8 Prime Prizes with one each to Greaves and Leal.

Following Leal to the line in the junior category was Akeem Arthur and Michael Anthony in that order.

Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton won the Veteran category ahead of Shameer Baksh and Kennard Lovell in that order.

Walter Isaacs emerged as the best in the Over-60 category while in the female / under-14 race combined J. Heywood took the top spot ahead of Marica Dick.

Two special prizes were awarded to 13-year-old competitors Alfie Sonoram and Andrew Hicks.

Forty riders faced starter’s orders.

hyped grudge match and in front of 30,000 fans at a rainsoaked Upton Park this fight lived up to its billing.

Chisora entered the ring hooded and masked to the theme music from Gladiator as the rain pelted down while Haye as ever looked relaxed and focussed. And it was Chisora who landed the first clean punch of the fight a solid left hook that rattled the chin of Haye. But Haye, wearing trainers, was in the mood to fight and he easily won the opening three rounds before the first moment of controversy.

As the bell sounded Haye was caught with two cheap shots from Chisora, the second - a huge left - rocked Haye as he stumbled back to his stool. It served only as motivation for Haye and after lining up Chisora in the fourth, he finally caught up with his man.

A huge left-right combination in the final minute of the fifth floored Chisora who bravely climbed to his feet. It took five more brutal punches for Haye to finish the fight - all of which Chisora took flush - with the end coming just in time for the bell. Again Chisora climbed to his feet, but he was in no condition to box on and the contest was ended by referee Luis Pabon. Haye said: “Chisora has one of the best chins I’ve hit. I was hitting him with shots that would normally put people away but he kept coming.

“I didn’t give him much respect before the fight but that is the way boxing is. He gave me a lot harder night than I anticipated. “This is the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced in my life. This was one of the best British boxing matches in recent years.”

Chisora said: “That was a great fight, I got caught, I don’t know what with, but it was a great shot. This is boxing - there has to be one winner, I will come back.”

Monday July 16, 2012

Kaieteur News

Malta Supreme HRC Bodybuilding & Fitness Show

Fitness walk to be held on Sunday July 22 FLASHBACK!!! Participants at the HRC Fitness Walk in 2010 moving down Thomas Lands led

by Hugh Ross at right.

The Hugh Ross Classic Committee has announced that they will continue the tradition of hosting a Fitness walk ahead of Guyana’s premier Body Building & Fitness Show set for July 28, 2012 at the National Cultural Centre.

This year’s walk which is expected to attract a

number of high ranking officials apart from many entities will be as usual, be graced with the presence of Hugh Ross himself who said he is looking forward to being a part of the walk.

The route of the walk which will commence at the National Park - East along Thomas Lands, North into J.B

The 14th stage of the Tour de France was marred by a series of punctures, caused by tacks thrown on to the road, on the final climb of the day.

Race leader Bradley Wiggins temporarily called a halt to competitive racing after defending champion Cadel Evans was among those to suffer a puncture.

Wiggins, who still leads by more than two minutes, slowed the pace to allow Evans to return to the group.

Spain’s Luis-Leon Sanchez, who was involved in a breakaway, won the stage.

However, the day’s drama was unfolding back at the summit of the Mur de Peguere, a Pyreneean mountain which was making its debut as a climb in the Tour. Race official JeanFrancois Pescheux confirmed: “The nails were mainly thrown on the ground around 200m from the summit. “It was obviously done on purpose. We have the tacks but we don’t know who spread them. They are imbeciles.”

However, he was quick to praise the actions of Wiggins.

“Sky showed they are for fair play,” he added. “They saw that something had happened

and they slowed the peloton so that things could come together for the ride to the finish.”

Tour etiquette dictates that rivals do not take advantage of another rider’s misfortune and, as soon as he realised what was happening, Team Sky’s lead rider called for a truce. “I thought it was the honourable thing to do,” said 32-year-old Wiggins who is aiming to become the first British rider to win the race.

“Nobody wants to benefit from someone else’s misfortune.”

Wiggins, who was spending a British record seventh day in the yellow jersey, conceded though that the riders are powerless to stop such actions. “It’s something we can’t control,” said Wiggins, who was hit by a flare on Saturday. “There’s nothing stopping more of that sort of stuff happening.

It’s sad. These are the type of things we have to put up with as cyclists. “I think people take that for granted sometimes, just how close they can get to us. If that happened in a football stadium, or wherever, you’d be arrested, CCTV. “But we’re out there, quite vulnerable at times, very close to the public on climbs. We’re

Singh Highway, West into Carifesta Avenue, South into Camp Street, East into Lamaha Street, North into Albert Street to end at the starting point.

Whilst the male competitors will be seeking to outmuscle each other on the night of the finals – July 28 – the

female category will not require competitors to be m u s c u l a r, j u s t t o n e d , symmetrical, and athletic in appearance and exuding femininity.

These females will also be required to do the four quarter turns apart from posing in two piece swim wear.

Page 21

Inter Market football receives more sponsorship Stiff rivalry and skillful football is anticipated when twenty teams from Lethem, Mahdia and Bartica among other regions battle for supremacy when the Stabroek Warriors Sports Club presents the 2nd edition of the Inter-Market/ Municipality Futsal tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Saturday July 28 next.

Already, the corporate community has rendered support towards a successful tournament and only last week, Managing Director of Trophy Stall of Bourda Market and Hadi’s Mall in the Camp Street Mall, Ramesh Sunich, has thrown in his ‘two bits’ and donated over four trophies for the teams that occupy the first four places.

Coordinator of the

tournament, O’Neil Durant visited the Bourda Market business place last Friday morning where Mr. Sunich handed over the respective prizes. The businessman applauded Durant for the initiative and said that he was pleased to be associated with the tournament. “The fact that Trophy Stall is situated in the Bourda Market is enough to garner our support and we are happy to be of service,” said Mr. Sunich.

Mr. Durant expressed gratitude to his benefactor even as he beseeched other members of the corporate community to render similar support. He assured that all of the teams are preparing for the tournament and qualitative and fans could expect action packed encounters.

Tour de France: Bradley Wiggins halts stage 14 amid sabotage

Luis-Leon Sanchez just the riders at the end of the day and we’re there to be shot at, literally.”

Wiggins, Froome, Evans and Vincenzo Nibali, the four riders in contention to win this year’s race, all reached the summit together but BMC rider Evans immediately jumped off his bike and removed his damaged back wheel.

However, the Australian’s support car was struggling to get up the narrow mountain road which was lined with thousands of spectators and

his first team-mate who could offer support, Britain’s Steven Cummings, also had a rear wheel puncture.

Evans waited for more than one minute for assistance and then suffered two more punctures on the descent. George Hincapie, Evans’s BMC team-mate, who is riding in a record 17th Tour de France, said: “There was something on the road. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Any thoughts that Evans would lose significant time in the race though were tempered by the actions of Wiggins, who also had to change his own bike on the descent, although it is unclear whether he too suffered a puncture.

Evans acknowledged the sportsmanship of Wiggins as the peloton crossed the line more than 18 minutes after race winner Sanchez.

Rabobank rider Sanchez escaped from a group of five others, which included green points jersey leader Peter Sagan, with 11km of the 191km race from Limoux to Foix remaining and he held his form to complete the fourth Tour de France stage win of his career.

Today’s stage 15 is a largely flat 159km ride from Samatan to Pau.

Mr. Sunich (right) hands over one of the trophies to Mr. Durant (left) at the Trophy Stall last week.

Jorge Lorenzo wins at Mugello to extend lead BBC Sport - Jorge Lorenzo recorded a comfortable win at Mugello to increase his lead at the top of the MotoGP standings.

The Spaniard passed Dani Pedrosa to lead into the first turn and was then able to cruise away for a commanding fifth win of the season. Andrea Dovizioso was third, with reigning champion Casey Stoner down in eighth after running off the circuit.

British rider Cal Crutchlow was sixth after losing a race-long duel with Valentino Rossi.

Lorenzo - who won the championship in 2010 - now holds a 19-point lead over Pedrosa, with Stoner another 18 points further back in third place. Pedrosa started the race from pole position but once Lorenzo passed him up the inside into turn one, the Yamaha rider was able to ease away. He set a new lap record in the process as he cruised to victory, and was even able to wave to the crowd in celebration with half a lap

remaining.

Crutchlow and Rossi who could be team-mates at Ducati next season - were fighting for sixth place for most of the race but both were able to pass Nicky Hayden on the final lap after he was shoved wide by Stefan Bradl, who finished fourth.

Stoner - who crashed out on the final lap of the German Grand Prix last weekend again had problems, running wide on lap 10 and rejoining the race back in 10th place.

He was able to fight back into eighth but now faces a tough fight to defend his title before he retires at the end of the year.

The weekend is not over though, as most of the top teams are staying on at Mugello to test today.

In the Moto3 race, Maverick Vinales pipped 16year-old Romano Fenati on the line to win, while Andrea Iannone won the Moto2 race with British rider Bradley Smith fourth.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

NZ search for consolation

Kane Williamson needs to be among the runs West Indies have come out on top in this series, a progression after drawing their previous ODI assignment at home, against Australia earlier this year. A 3-1 lead, an inform Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, an impressive return for Tino Best and Sunil Narine’s continued success augur well for the upcoming Test series for the hosts.

New Zealand will be seeing a lot of Narine in the Tests, and their repeated struggles to read him will remain a worry. He’s been economical and picked up wickets, and should he play the final ODI, it presents another opportunity for New Zealand’s batsmen to find some form against him. Overall, there has been significant improvement from New

Zealand in the last two ODIs; they didn’t look like beating West Indies before then, and a consolation win ahead of the Tests will ensure that improvement continues.

As far as international series are concerned, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have been a saving grace for West Indies and New Zealand. The only series wins for each in both Tests and ODIs for more than two years, have come against the world’s two bottom-ranked sides. The last time either team won an ODI series against a Test-playing nation other than Bangladesh or Zimbabwe was in 2009; apply the same criteria for Test series, West Indies had their previous success in 2008-09 and New Zealand in 2005-06. So the win in the current ODI series is at least a step in the right direction for the home team.

Watch out for...

It’s still early days for Johnson Charles but in his brief career so far at the top of the order for West Indies, he’s managed to get starts before losing his wicket. A cursory glance at his figures in international cricket shows 20s and 30s but no half-century. This series has been no different, and a half-century continues to elude him.

For someone who led the national side before the arrival of Ross Taylor on this tour, Kane Williamson has had a below-par series, with just one half-century and a run of poor scores. He will be relied upon heavily in the middle order in Tests and needs to hit form.

Tim Southee lifted his performance in the previous ODI, and being among the quicker of New Zealand’s bowlers with the ability to move the ball around, he’ll be one of their bowling hopes for the Test series.

It remains to be seen if West Indies rest a few of their players, given the ODI is a dead rubber.

For New Zealand BJ Watling was ruled out of the fourth ODI due to a leg injury.

Steyn determined to star in scary movie

AFP – South Africa paceman Dale Steyn, officially the world’s best bowler, wants to scare the living daylights out of England when the sides clash in the first Test next week.

“I’m trying to be the fastest bowler South Africa has when we walk out on to the field - that’s my job,” he said. “I think there’s times when I can bowl as quick as anybody in the world, but I just want to take wickets - and I want to scare the shit out of people.”

The first Test, which starts on Thursday at The Oval, pits England, ranked the world’s top team, against South Africa, who are third in the standings behind Australia. Steyn wants to overturn that current order and is ready to let the England batsmen have a double-barrelled assault — with the ball and the verbals.

“I try and let the ball do most of the talking,” he said.

“However, I am a fast bowler and with that comes a responsibility of saying a word or two, and sometimes getting in a guy’s face. “It can not only send shivers down the opposition’s spine but it also gets your team up

and bouncing around.

“When a captain sees a bowler really getting at a batter, it forces the team to go along with him in the battle.”

Steyn may be judged on how his wickets tally measures up to that of rival seamer James Anderson who broke his thumb with a fierce drive in the second Test four years ago. Steyn had earlier hit Anderson with a bouncer.

“I remember hitting him on the head; I remember good things like that,” he said.

“He’s a good bloke too, actually; he’s not a bad guy. “I honestly couldn’t give ... anything about what Jimmy says to me. I’m probably going to try and do exactly the same thing.

“Once I step over that white line I become the bowler.

“When I’m sitting down here I’m obviously another guy. I probably wouldn’t be saying the same things if you did an interview with me out in the middle after I’d taken a wicket. There would be a couple more beeps in it. “I think that’s what happens when guys walk across the line - they become cricketers, warriors, fighters ... then when they’re sitting around

Dale Steyn the table they have to say the nicer things.

Monday July 16, 2012

Three and a half hour battle highlights Saturday’s GBTI Tennis action Highlighting Saturday’s matches at the GBTI Tennis was an epic three and a half hour win for Andre Erskine over Berbician Mario Niamatalli who saved 9 match points during the course of the game.

The match started off with Erskine breaking Niamatalli’s serve early to go ahead but never being able to secure a lead as Niamatalli returned the favour to keep the match tied up until 5-5 before Erskine finally claimed the set 7-5.

E r s k i n e ’s aggressive play in the second set saw him going ahead 5-3 and 40-0 with three match points and the match seemed all but finished for Niamatalli.

This was not the case as he fought back to break Erskine’s serve to 4-5. As was the trend in the game, Erskine again went ahead and secured another 3 match points as Niamatalli went down 0-40.

He was again unable to close out and the match was tied up at 5-5 and eventually went to a tie-break which Niamatalli secured 7-2 to force the deciding set.

A similar trend followed in the final set where a 5-2 lead was established and despite playing some good shots, Erskine’s c a u t i o u s p l a y allowed Niamatalli to save another 3 match points at 5-2 and 40-0 before N i a m a t a l l i ’s o w n s e r v e faltered and he lost the set 63. Erskine will play Sandeep Chand in his second round encounter.

In Ladies Doubles action, junior pair Krystal Sukra / Nicola Ramdyhan outgunned Berbicians Carol Humphrey and Celeste Bradford in straight sets 6-1 6-3 in their round robin encounter. The other team in the category comprises Thi Fernandes/ Aruna Ramrattan.

In the junior categories

Andre Erskine (left) and Mario Niamatalli after the match. there were easy wins for 11 yr old Afruica Gentle, Nicola Ramdyhan and Benedict Sukra, while in the Novices Category there were impressive wins for Victor Demchenko, Celeste Bradford, Anthony Sookram, Seweon Mc Garrell, Vini Aaron and Aubrey Dewart in their one set encounters.

In the lone Mixed Doubles match Grace McCalman/ Nicholas Glasgow easily defeated Alfred Mentore/ Onage Ghanie 6-1 6-2 in their first round match. The tournament continues daily with matches from 5:00 PM GBTI Open Results - Day 3 Saturday 14th July Men’s Singles Andre Erskine def Mario Niamatali 7-5 6-7 (7-2) 6-3 Ladies Doubles Krystal Sukra/Nicola Ramdhyan def Carol Humphrey/Celeste Bradford 6-1 6-3 Men’s 45 Singles Steve David-Longe def Rawle Sue Ho 6-3 6-0 Mixed Doubles Godfrey Lowden/Carol Humphrey def

George/George by W/O Men’s Doubles Ronald Murray/Rawle Sue-Ho def Viraj Judgeo/Kris Judgeo by W/O Mixed Doubles Nicholas Glasgow/Grace McCalman def Alfred Mentore/Onage Ghanie 6-1 6-2 Girls 18 Singles Afruica Gentle def Aneesa Grandison 6-2 6-0 Girls 18 Singles Nicola Ramdyhan def Delecia George 6-0 6-0 Boy’s 18 Singles Benedict Sukra def Khalid Gobin 6-1 6-1 Novices Category Celeste Bradford def Ryan Cumberbatch 6- 4 Seweon McGarrell def Gavin Ramsoondar 6-2 Vini Aaron def Onage Ghani 6-1 Aubrey Dewart def Iqbal Mohamed 6-1 Anthony Sookram def Suzanna Wharton 6-0 Victor Demchenko def Rohandev Persaud 6-0 Kishon Gorakh def Afraz Mohamed by W/O

All medallists to be drugs tested at Olympics London 2012 will see the biggest anti-doping operation in the history of the Olympic Games.

Half of all the competitors are to be tested for drugs, with 150 scientists set to take 6,000 samples between now and the end of the Paralympic Games.

Every competitor who wins a medal will also be tested.

Team GB’s Phillips Idowu, Beth Tweddle, David Weir, Graham Edmunds and Marlon Devonish are fronting a campaign

highlighting the anti-doping programme.

Sprinter Devonish won an Olympic gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2004 Athens Games.

He said: “Winning an Olympic medal is the best feeling in the world and as an athlete it’s so important to know that anyone who stands on the podium has got there through their own hard work and dedication, not by doping.”

Team GB sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar will compete in

London after the British Olympic Association’s policy of punishing drug cheats with lifetime bans was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

More than 1,000 people will staff the anti-doping laboratory, with up to 400 samples tested every day for more than 240 prohibited substances.

Double gold medalwinning Paralympic swimmer Edmunds was part of the winning 4x100m freestyle relay teams in Athens and Beijing.

“Winning medals is like

an addiction,” he said. “Once you have one, you want another.

“It’s my biggest motivation. And knowing you’ve reached the podium because of all the hard work you’ve put in - nine sessions a week, two hours each session, three gym sessions a week for four years - is the greatest feeling.

“I’m confident that everything possible is being done to catch drug cheats at London 2012 and that makes these Games really special.”