Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210

Editorial

A case of interagency bureaucracy Now we have the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) trading insults and accusations in the media, not unlike the airing of dirty laundry in a public space. The situation is certainly not helped by the fact that both government agencies are integral members of the inter-agency Task Force on Fuel Smuggling and Contraband chaired by the Minister of Home Affairs.

This unusual spat has its genesis in an alleged highpowered weapons attack on members of the GRA’s Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID) by suspected smugglers on July 16, last.

First of all it should be made clear to the public just how the task force is supposed to function. Arguably, such an arrangement would be expected to see significant levels of collaboration evidenced by the mutual sharing of information amongst members.

It would also be a reasonable expectation that the GPF possessing superior weapons in terms of caliber and capability, would be the body to which a partner turns when operations such as the one which was mounted are planned.

It is unhelpful and does the justifiable expectations of the citizenry more harm than is good for them to hear the sort of unsubstantiated allegation being thrown about like so much corn.

The current imbroglio is indicative of an arrangement where everyone is his own boss focused only on protecting their turf.

People seem to have forgotten that the positions and appointments they hold are just temporary arrangements.

One would have thought that coming under chair of the Ministry of Home Affairs, that coherent Standard Operational Procedures would inform the roll out of unified smuggling and contraband interdiction efforts.

This seems not to be the case because no one in authority has proffered an explanation as to why members of the LEID apparently went off on their own, only to be confronted by the unusual situation of heavy weaponry in the hands of suspected criminals bent on protecting their investment.

What seems to be sadly lacking in the interagency environment is an established joint doctrine to best achieve coordination between the task force entities. Furthermore, what should not be forgotten is the question of effective utilization of individual agencies’ core competencies, their basic organizational structures, and related factors particularly those which provide the foundations for sustainable relationships, or potential relationships.

The current face-off between the GPF and the GRA does not signify that a high degree of comfort exists in their working relationship. Maybe the subject minister might wish to make a pronouncement in his inimitable style to bring closure to an unpleasant episode. The better option would be the two heads, namely the Commissioner of Police, and the Commissioner General of the GRA, publicly reassuring citizens of their continuing collaboration in doing the people’s work. The fact remains that interagency coordination, essentially, is the interplay of multiple agencies with individual agendas.

It is not unlikely that the GRA operatives went ahead without their task force police partners because they might have felt that the sloth of bureaucracy in getting an operation off the ground would be counter-productive. In such a situation the decision would have been taken to utilize the available LEID resources going for the flexible, direct and responsive route which probably would have run counter to the police operational culture. Unity of effort can only be achieved through close, continuous interagency coordination and cooperation, which are the necessary elements to overcome confusion over objectives, inadequate structure or procedures, and bureaucratic and personal limitations.

In short, decisive action will follow a practical understanding of realities. Therefore what must be given prominence is the importance of information within the structure of interagency operations, since it provides a distinct advantage in the decision-making process.

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

THE COMMISSIONER GENERAL SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER DEAR EDITOR, The Commissioner General of Guyana Revenue Agency (GRA) long, tedious and supercilious letter in Kaieteur News titled: “My children were not given any special or peculiar treatment in terms of position, salary or status” clearly shows he is very upset and angry over the recent statement by APNU MP Joe Harmon.

He is not an unintelligent man but his contortions and attempts to strew red herrings on the issue has caused us to wonder whether he is not concealing something more rotten than appears on the surface. His attempt to explain himself has become more obscure and more tendentious.

His response in the first few paragraphs contained so many glaring contradictions that it is difficult to understand what its purpose really was.

Joe Harmon’s statement that “Family Affair exists at GRA” is dead on target but the Commissioner’s response that there has been no impropriety or conflict of interest is shallow to say the least. And for him to say that he had nothing to do with the hiring, promoting or determining the salary of his two sons, daughter, nephew and niece is absolutely ridiculous to the point that no one with a sound or rational mind would believe him.

Mr. Commissioner, please do not underestimate the intelligence of Guyanese and do not insult them because they are much smarter that you could ever think. Imagination is everything in life and Guyanese in general have a very broad imagination.

For you to threaten to reprimand the person or persons whom you think release the information clearly exposes

your high-handed approach to management. Let the truth be told.

As head of the GRA, you have not only full knowledge of who is being hired, their salary scale and promotion, but you also have a say in every decision that is made at GRA. Even though employing his two sons and daughter, niece and nephew seems to be the main thrust of his letter, the Commissioner ought to know that nepotism is alive and well at the GRA. He continues to lament in his extraordinary long diatribe that his actions were transparent and that he has done nothing wrong. Well he is wrong.

But he is not alone. Almost everyone in the regime has employed their spouses, children and relatives and is paying them super salaries as contract workers. Despite his denial, it is very (Continued on page 6)

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox I had two unfair and depressing Stop the references to race moments with David Granger

DEAR EDITOR, I have been reading about the negatives and positives of Mr. Granger’s leadership in the newspaper c o l u m n s . M o s t d i s a d v a n t a g e o u s l y, a majority of them come from people who live outside, hardly visit our country and miss out on the emotions Guyanese wear on their sleeves that tell you how they fell about their country’s institutions and their nation’s leaders I myself have written t w i c e o n M r. D a v i d Granger’s leadership. The first was my last Sunday column and now today’s column. Then I was quoted in Demerara Waves as offering an opinion on Aubrey Norton versus David Granger. In that interview I did give a straight forward choice. I offered an analytical opinion (if there is such a concept) on what I conceived to be a strength that Mr. Norton has over Mr. Granger I come to know about that deciding factor because I socialize with Norton. I am also involved in an organization that he belongs to so we do have moments of opportunities to discuss Guyana’s future. Also I have been involved in a number of protest movements with Norton. What this means is that I know what is in the head of Norton and the things he told me he would do as an opposition activist.

I hardly know Mr. Granger. I have never had a coffee break with him. I never had a ten minute talk with him. I never had the opportunity to hear him bare his soul to me in ways that Aubrey Norton has. I have had two moments on uneasiness with Mr. Granger and sadly there were disappointing and personally depressing The first was the first tripartite meeting in February 2012 between the AFC, APNU and the newly elected President, Donald Ramotar. This was weeks after my abrupt dismissal from UG with industrial action and protest that followed at UG. The first issue that was ventilated by Gerhard Ramsaroop and Khemraj Ramjattan at that meeting was my dismissal.

The three APNU delegates – Granger, Rupert Roopnarine and Debra Backer said not one word in

my defence or against what the PPP did to me. The AFC and the PPP exchanged heated words on my dismissal but APNU was just not interested.

The second occasion occurred during the unrest at UG. Mr. Granger came up and had a personal meeting with the two unions. Since then, the PPP’s hegemony at UG has grown stronger and the control has become tighter. Surely, as an analyst and political activist, I have to take these two circumstances into consideration when I assess Mr. Granger. My critics of this letter would be unfair to me to deny me that.

Surely I deserved a defence of my right to work at UG from the Opposition Leader Finally, and this is for the benefit of Mr. Granger and his supporters. Occasionally, but not infrequently, I am asked by African consciousness groups to speak at their community gathering in closed door sessions. The last one was Friday evening in the

Lodge/Wortmanville districts in South Georgetown. I am not at liberty to offer further details, because in penning this section of the letter, I did not consult these groups for permission to disclose details. But this I can tell Mr. Granger: there has been no exception at these groundings when question time comes up.

The frustration with Mr. Granger’s leadership is always there, more so last Friday with one of Guyana’s most prominent young African rights activists openly telling the forum that young Africans should now challenge the older PNC’s leaders for control of the party and he intends to do just that. Surely, Mr. Granger should not ignore these sentiments. I wish the PNC well this afternoon as they openly choose their leader in a democratic vote. Whoever wins has to be more confrontational with a governing regime that has just become completely insane Frederick Kissoon

DEAR EDITOR, Today I read your Dem Boys Seh article titled “Have faith, your cries will be answered,” and as usual was pleased with the way in which you continue to expose the excesses of the elected officials using a language all Guyanese could understand.

However, there is one area where you display a total disregard for all our citizens in your use of the inappropriate and unacceptable names (buck and coolie) to describe our ethnic diversity.

This intolerance of yours was articulated in a letter sent to you about six months ago

by my brother but it seems you never gave it a second thought.

You appeared quite comfortable in your missive by referring to some of us as “buck and coolie” but seemed to take a pause and then use “black” instead of that more damning “n**” word for which you would be pilloried from Guyana to Alaska.

As someone whose mother is Arawak, I know how it feels when this intolerance is excused as “he

knows when I call him “buck” I don’t mean any harm. We’re friends!”

Please don’t fool yourself because “buck” to me is not a term of endearment.

It is time to get past the name calling and focus instead on the excesses of our administrators and help to formulate a plan for the development of a more prosperous and tolerant society we all hope for.

Richard Correia Mabaruma.

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur M@ilbox

A thunderous silence on demands for NACTA Poll: Granger Preferred the passage of these amendments in PNC/R Leadership Contest

DEAR EDITOR, Government must be commended for establishing the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). This unit it is reported will be “dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of suspected financial transactions”.

The initiative to establish this agency within the Guyana Police Force forms part of Guyana’s obligation to comply with nonp a r l i a m e n t a r y recommendations as advanced by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) through its Mutual Evaluation Report of 2011.

A major criticism regarding the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is that it does not have the authority to arrest and prosecute individuals and organizations suspected of money laundering or

financing terrorism. This SOCU is now expected to perform this vital role.

This important development serves to remind us that the issue of the passage of the AntiMoney Laundering and the Countering of the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill (AML/CFT) is still very much alive and warrant our collective attention as citizens.

Since the announcement from FATF at the end of June that Guyana will be subjected to a targeted review and development of an Acton Plan to address identified deficiencies in its AML/CFT framework, there has been a thunderous silence on demands for the passage of the requisite legislative amendments.

THE Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will meet again on October 20 to consider and deliberate on the results of the targeted review process.

We as citizens, and the plethora of civil society

organizations, should not wait until a month or weeks before the review is scheduled to commence to be roused into frenzy and desperately implore our p a r l i a m e n t a r y representatives to pass the legislation. Instead, let us start to demand the passage of those bills now so as to receive a favourable review come October and save our nation any undesirable consequences for not remedying our AML/CFT deficiencies.

The passage of this Bill will test all our political policy makers resolve to begin a process of cooperation that will put Guyana first and would form the foundation of a more collective approach to governance.

Blue CAPS stands ready and committed to initiate a “Pass the Bill” campaign and we will also reach out to other civil society groups and partners to do so.

Clinton Urling Blue CAPS

DEAR EDITOR, The findings of an opinion poll conducted by NACTA (North American C a r i b b e a n Te a c h e r s Association) on the leadership contest of the People National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) show most party supporters prefer incumbent David Granger over challengers Aubrey Norton, Sharma Solomon and others. The poll finds that a divided opposition against Granger makes it a no contest for Granger to retain the leadership. The findings also reveal virtually no interest in the elections of nonsupporters of the PNC and limited interest (of just about half) of supporters of the PNC/R. The poll’s findings reveal almost everyone, supporters of all the parties, feels Granger will handily win reelection because of his control of the electoral machinery and through selection and accreditation of delegates who will vote to select the leader, Chairman and other executive posts.

Supporters of all political parties overwhelmingly feel Granger will win the leadership but they don’t think the election will be free and fair. A large majority feels the voting outcome will be manipulated to select a particular individual as leader. However, they say that even if the election is

free and fair, Granger will emerge victorious as they don’t view Norton or Solomon as viable alternatives who can lure people from across the racial divide to enable the PNC/R to win an election.

Some half of the population feels had Carl Greenidge contested the leadership post, and if the delegate selection were not manipulated, he could have given Granger a run for his money, perhaps even winning the leadership.

People also express the view that that if the elections were free and fair, Granger would face a stiff contest from Norton but will fall way short of victory. They don’t view Solomon as having a chance of being selected as leader making the contest a two candidates race.

The poll also finds widespread disenchantment with the leadership of the PNC among all ethnic groups, including among traditional PNC supporters.

There is very little support for the PNC among nontraditional supporters with the party struggling to gain traction among Indians and Amerindians, including those who have become disenchanted with the ruling PPP and AFC. The PNC is not viewed as a viable alternative for them because of its position on various bills.

The findings of the poll are obtained from interviews with hundreds of respondents

of various ethnicities and diverse demographics who are supporters of varied parties.

The poll was conducted by Vishnu Bisram for NACTA. Asked who they prefer as leader of the PNC/R, the overwhelming favorite among all national voters (not voting delegates) is Granger (53%) followed by Norton and Solomon (22%) and (10%) respectively.

Among PNC supporters, 46% say they prefer Granger followed by 28% for Norton and 13% for Solomon.

Almost everyone feels Granger will win re-election as PNC leader because of his control of the party m a c h i n e r y. T h e y a l s o Granger’s backed (affiliated) candidates will sweep the other executive posts as well because of the control and stacking of the delegate selection process.

Voters condemn the manner in which the executives of a party are chosen saying the process is manipulated. Almost every supporter of all the parties feel the membership of the PNC/R as well as the other parties should be empowered to choose the executive of a party instead of only a select few hand-picked delegates (often chosen based on loyalty to the incumbent leadership or a desired outcome) who follows instructions on how to vote.

Vishnu Bisram

THE COMMISSIONER GENERAL...

From page 4 clear that the Commissioner General’s children were given special and peculiar treatment in terms of position, salary and status.

The source of the confusion in the statement is not difficult to find. For he has made no attempt to dispel any perception of impropriety or conflict of interest on his part which shows that he was unable to dispel the truth. But there is more. The Commissioner General would also have to answer why, even after the issue was made public, he made no attempt to disclose the information. And for him to say that Mr. Harmon’s disclosure of the salaries of

his children could endanger their lives and is libelous is baseless and unfounded. You cannot bully or berate Joe Harmon; he is as tough as they come.

As a public servant, the Commissioner had an obligation to inform the public that he did not only employ one of his children, but three of them as well as his niece and nephew.

But he chose not to, instead, he was so contemptuous of the intelligence and common sense of the citizens as to seek to argue that the matter in all respects was transparent, legal and above board. It not only boggles our mind but it is bizarre to think

that someone of the Commissioner ’s status would even attempt to prove that no laws were broken or there has been no conflict of interest.

No, Mr. Commissioner; the people are not buying your AESOP-FABLES story and they are not going to let you get away with this one.

We believe that the reason this has become so controversial is that you are not candid with the public.

The fact that the Commissioner goes to extraordinary lengths to explain his actions proved that he is aware that his actions did not pass the smell test. If the people are to judge from his contortions and gyrations, he would receive an “F” grade because he has failed the openness, transparency and impartiality test.

Asquith Rose and Harish Singh.

Sunday July 27, 2014

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Sunday July 27, 2014

Israel extends Gaza ceasefire for 24 hours, Hamas rejects terms (Reuters) - Israel extended a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for another 24 hours, but Hamas, which dominates the coastal enclave, said it would only accept the truce if Israeli troops left the territory.

Israeli ministers had signaled that a comprehensive deal to end the 20-day conflict with Hamas and its allies, in which at least 1,050 Gazans - mostly civilians - have been killed, and 42 soldiers and three civilians in Israel have died, was remote.

“At the request of the United Nations, the cabinet has approved a humanitarian hiatus until today at 2400 (midnight local time, 1700 EST Sunday),” the official, who was not named, said in a statement after the cabinet session held in Tel Aviv had ended. “The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will act against any breach of the ceasefire.”

Yesterday, Gazans took advantage of the lull in fighting to recover their dead and stock up on food supplies, flooding into the streets after the ceasefire began at 8 a.m. (0100 EST) to discover scenes of massive destruction in some areas.

The positions of both Israel and Hamas regarding a long-lasting halt to hostilities have remained far apart.

Hamas wants an end to an Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza before agreeing to halt hostilities. Israeli officials said any ceasefire must allow the military to carry on hunting down the Hamas tunnel network that crisscrosses the Gaza border.

Israel says some of the tunnels reach into Israeli territory and are meant to carry out attacks on its citizens. Other underground passages serve as weapons caches and Hamas bunkers.

The IDF said it had uncovered four such tunnel shafts inside Gaza during the

truce on Saturday.

The Israeli official added that troops would continue to act against any breaches of the ceasefire, adding that the military would continue to act against the tunnels during the entire 24-hour period.

He said the cabinet would reconvene today to consider a continuation of the operation “until calm is restored to Israeli citizens for an extended period.”

The Gaza turmoil has stoked tensions amongst Palestinians in Arab East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Medics said eight Palestinians were killed on Friday in incidents near the West Bank cities of Nablus and Hebron - the sort of death toll reminiscent of previous uprisings against Israel’s prolonged military rule there.

DIPLOMATIC EFFORT On the diplomatic front, international efforts to bring an end to hostilities and secure a longer-lasting truce were being led by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Paris. Kerry, who has been

spearheading international efforts to end the fighting, arrived in Paris yesterday where he met the foreign ministers of France, Italy, Britain, Germany, Turkey and Qatar. “All of us call on the parties to extend the humanitarian ceasefire that is currently under way,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said after the meeting.

But an Israeli security cabinet minister, Gilad Erdan, said that a definitive deal looked remote, with no representatives from Israel, Egypt or the Palestinian Authority attending the Paris talks. The deputy leader of Islamic Jihad, a militant group allied to Hamas, said Egypt’s mediation efforts were still being considered but improvements were being sought and, in the meantime, the fight would go on.

“We are still open to the Egyptian initiative and there are hot contacts to improve it ... We are going to pursue the battle until the blockade is ended. The resistance carries our demands,” he said in a text message to reporters.

Turkish court orders arrest of 12 more police officers in wiretap probe A Turkish court yesterday ordered the formal arrest of 12 more police officers, including the former head of Istanbul’s intelligence unit, pending charges they may have illegally wiretapped Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, media said.

The detention of 115 police officers in overnight raids earlier this week ratcheted up a power struggle between Erdogan and his erstwhile ally, Fethullah Gulen, an influential Islamic scholar based in Pennsylvania, whose followers took up key posts in the police and judiciary

during Erdogan’s 11 years in power.

The alliance began to crumble in 2010 and spilled into the public in late 2013 when police arrested the sons of three cabinet ministers on corruption allegations and audio recordings of Erdogan, his family and ministers that allegedly depicted them committing wrongdoings were leaked on YouTube.

Fuat Ali Yilmazer, who oversaw intelligence for Istanbul police and is accused of forming and leading a criminal gang, was among those formally arrested, CNN Turk reported. Others are accused of illegal wiretapping, forging documents and espionage.Eight others were arrested on Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said the probe into wiretapping would likely reach the judiciary.

Erdogan, who is running for president in an Aug. 10 election, had promised a “witch hunt” against the “parallel state,” the name he gave Gulen’s followers in the bureaucracy. He has accused them of a litany of crimes, including organizing 2013 mass anti-government protests and using the corruption charges in an attempt topple him in a coup.

Sunday July 27, 2014

Dem boys seh...

Bobby de landlord of Guyana can tun landlady Monkey always know wha limb fuh jump on. That is an old saying. When de Pee Pee Pee decide to shy way all de people who can supply drugs fuh no reason whatsoever, dem know wha limb dem jump on. Dem jump pun Bobby limb.

Dem boys hear that he is de man fuh de Pee Pee Pee. When de party want anything, and dem boys mean anything, dem just got to whisper and Bobby is there cause he is de man.

But he wasn’t always de man. Somebody had to mek he de man and dem boys know is de man who resemble de devil responsible for Bobby being de man.

De Rat, who resemble de devil, give Bobby nuff thing.

Dem didn’t have moral and scruple and principle. Dem do wha dem want and when dem boys talk dem run to de court, crying how people b….. dem.

Dem eyes pass people. De Rat mek Bobby de Lord of de Land or Landlord of Guyana. He now own almost everything in Guyana. Dem boys hear that he plan fuh own Uncle Glenn and Uncle Adam house through de courts.

But dem boys got a message fuh he and all of dem. When Bobby move in dem house dem boys plan fuh lie down next to dem right pun de same bed. After de first night sleeping next to Uncle Adam and Uncle Glenn he gun tun Landlady of Guyana.

The Pee Pee Pee already give the okay to Landlord Ramroop, to not only sell dem billions of dollars in drugs, but to sell it at any price he feel. This is total eye-pass!

De way how dem went about giving Ramroop exclusive rights to sell drugs is like Guyana got 10 restaurant and dem force you to buy from only one.

You don’t have no other option and you got to eat de food whether it cook yesterday, de day before, last week or last month.

You also got to eat de food if it ain’t got salt, sugar pepper and you got to shut de f*** up. And pun top of that you got to pay whatever price de restaurant bill you.

Ramroop rich now. He mek dem boys remember de rich man who pass and see some poor people eating grass at de roadside. He stop and ask dem wha dem doing. Dem tell he that dem hungry and that dem poor and dem ain’t got money to buy food.

De rich man tell dem fuh come in his big fancy jeep. Dem tell he that dem neighbor poor too suh he tell dem to call fuh de neighbor too.

He pick up all of dem, carry dem at de Sanata complex and tell dem to eat, that de grass more young hay.

Talk half and wait to see when dem gun eat out of a shine metal bowl.

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Vieira advises broadcasters against paying $2.5M licence fee - Fee designed to favour NCN and Ramroop’s TVG28 Veteran television broadcaster Tony Vieira is of the opinion that television and radio broadcasters should not pay the exorbitant $2.5M annual licence fee imposed by Government since it was designed to “put” current small broadcasters out of business and act as a deterrent to new broadcasters with limited financing from entering the industry.

According to Vieira, the 1000 percent fee increase was done to favour the stateowned National Communications Network (NCN) and TVG 28 owned by Dr. Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop, best friend of former President Bharrat Jagdeo. Both of these are networks covering Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice.

His opinion is that the elimination of independent broadcasters through this oppressive fee structure would restrict freedom of expression on the airwaves.

Vieira referring to the

broadcasters who challenged the imposed fee in the High Court last year, said that they are dissatisfied with Chief Justice Ian Chang’s ruling. They have since launched another case questioning the legality of the authority itself.

He said Chang’s ruling did not address the inequity or the constitutional illegality of the $2.5 million fee, annually.

He added, “The CJ only ruled on an insignificant point regarding the timing and the Cabinet being involved in the imposition of the licence fee, which can easily be corrected by the Broadcast Authority.

“He did not address the fundamental violations of free speech and natural justice on which he was asked to rule. That leaves the broadcasters having to pay the fee from 2014 onwards.”

According to Vieira, the Broadcasting Act makes provision for the Guyana Broadcasting Authority charging a fee after

conducting polls, extensive market research and consultations. However, this was not done when the Cabinet, and not the Broadcast Authority, imposed the $2.5M fee.

He said that had the Authority done its market research in good faith, it would have discovered that the Guyana marketplace does not have the sort of advertising revenue to support this kind of high fee structure.

The fee structure highlighted the bad faith of the PPP. The communiqué between Jagdeo and Corbin made it clear that before a broadcast bill was presented to parliament, there would have been widespread consultations especially with the opposition. This never happened.

“If broadcasters are to

Tony Vieira pay the $2.5 million per annum, given their small revenue, their businesses would fold and this would be the vilest sort of violation to their freedom of speech rights enshrined in the constitution and any form of natural justice,” he said.

Continued on page 10

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Sunday July 27, 2014

PRESIDENT DEFENDS PLUGGING MORE $$$ INTO STRUGGLING GUYSUCO President Donald Ramotar has defended plugging billions of dollars more into the sugar industry despite revelations that it is unlikely to turn a profit anytime soon.

The state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is asking for billions more to finance a number of projects on its estates in Demerara and Berbice that will reduce dependency on manual labour and open up new lands for canes.

The industry has been failing to meet production targets in the last few years, sliding to a 23-year low last year of just below 190,000 tonnes.

Between last year and the present, some $10M has been plugged into the industry to help operating costs and the financing of key projects.

GuySuCo’s top officials admitted over a week ago before a Parliamentary oversight committee that its production costs, at around US$0.34 per pound of raw sugar, is almost double what it was selling for. By 2017, a

raft of initiatives and projects that will costs billions will only bring the cost to around US$0.25.

During a press conference at State House yesterday, the President was asked to justify more spending.

Making it clear that it is not the first time that GuySuCo has found itself in such a situation, the official pointed out that the industry is a “price taker, generally”, with prices fluctuating regularly.

GuySuCo, he insisted, has taken several steps to reduce costs and diversify its operations to help compensate for the low prices.

These include reducing the quota of raw sugar on the world market and increasing supplies to the regional markets with its packaged products.

As a matter of fact, the industry has seriously started looking at new streams of income, including building more co-generation power facilities at the factories that will use

Rose Hall Estate, East Berbice.

bagasse and other byproducts to produce power to be sold.

GuySuCo will also continue to explore producing ethanol fuel, moving from the current pilot project at the Albion estate, Berbice to another level.

There is also research being done to compress bagasse into bricks, to be used in place of wood at the factories, as well as in the use a cheaper bio-fertilizer.

Already, to cut costs, GuySuCo is releasing some of its cane lands to private farmers.

Ramotar does not believe that things are that bad that hope should be given up for the industry.

The President was also convinced that the sugar prices, which fell from over US$700 per tonne to under US$400 between December and February, will rise before the end the year.

GuySuCo is also exploring actively, the building of a sugar refinery with the regional market again to be targeted for the higher prices.

While things are “tough” for the industry, it would be worthy to continue lending support, he said.

Government has said that the answers to the industry, which directly employs around 16,000 persons, the largest employer in the country, are in mechanization and diversification.

Critics have been saying the problematic US$200M

Skeldon modernization project, which included a new factory, is to be blamed with a number of technical issues remaining despite only being commissioned five years ago.

GuySuCo owes US$170M in both short and long term debts to banks – both local and foreign, suppliers, the Guyana Revenue Authority, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund Committee (SILWFC).

The Skeldon expansion project is the most expensive project to date in Guyana.

Vieira advises...

From page 9 He explained that Demerara zone, which includes Georgetown, is a big and lucrative market. A broadcaster operating in this area has the opportunity to earn more than those operating in Essequibo and Berbice. However, the fee being charged across the board as it is does not take this into consideration, he stressed.

Vieira intimated that currently NCN and TVG are the only channels covering all three zones Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice. They are being charged the standard fee of $2.5 million per annum or three per cent of gross revenue.

But, since the income of the Berbice and Essequibo regions are so small and is such a burden to the broadcasters there, he is of the opinion that these network channels NCN and TVG, competing as they are with the smaller channels, should be required to pay $2.5 million for Demerara, $2.5M for Berbice and $2.5M for Essequibo.

According to Vieira, the Broadcasting Act was designed to make the broadcasting environment inequitable with the potential to remove the small broadcasters from the air. He said that it violates freedom of speech and reduces the number of ideas on air.

Sunday July 27, 2014

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Bartica residents blast Govt. for “lack of forward thinking” …demand apology from GPL CEO

Business owners, residents making their demands in front of GPL’s operating station.

By Zena Henry Barticians are furious over the constant, prolonged periods of blackout. They say that those in charge are not concerned about the hardships the people continue to face. The residents blasted the government for its lack of forward thinking.

They are convinced that no thought was put into the rapid growth of the community and the added pressure being placed on the

electricity facilities.

Barticians have called for an intervention, particularly, the provision of new machines to provide electricity to the whole of the community and the necessary training of technicians and other staff to efficiently manage the electricity facility.

They are also demanding an apology from the Guyana Power and Light‘s (GPL) Chief Executive Officer Bharat Dindyal, who they claimed disrespected Bartica and its residents during his visit last

Friday.

Yesterday the residents were taking advantage of the power being supplied for most of the day. Just the previous day the generators had collapsed, plunging the entire community into darkness for almost 12 hours.

But before nightfall Bartica was back in darkness, the generator had failed. This happened even as the residents were preparing for the summer regatta festivities which were scheduled to commence last evening.

But business owners are crying the loudest. Small shop owners, supermarket operators, restaurants, guest houses etc. are just some of the affected lot in Bartica.

“We have to be throwing out the meat because it spoiling. It freezing and defrost and freeze again. No one is buying the drinks because they are not cold,” Tracy, a grocery shop operator said.

She explained that she has been unable to order items such as meat for the last

month because of the blackouts. Her business hours had to be cut short.

Ava Abrahams who operates the Upper Level Restaurant and Bar told Kaieteur News that the blackout is a result of poor planning on the part of the electricity company.

She said that the authorities are explaining that the machines are unable to handle the load while the technical people cannot adequately deal with the problem.

She has purchased a generator which consumes about $10,000 worth of gas daily. This generator, she said, has to be taken to and from her home on a daily basis. Abrahams said she would have to be shifting her refrigerated items to where the current was available.

Kamal Persaud, a clothing

and cosmetics distributor explained that she operates in the community market but her business is suffering since she has to not only deal with illegal roadside vendors, but also must be out of the market before nightfall.

“The blackout only makes it worse.” She told the paper of having to lay off two of her six-member staff. The illegal vendors prevent persons from entering the market, now the blackout causes us to close shop early, she fumed.

Persaud and many other residents were vocal in their call for an apology from GPL’s CEO whom they alleged told Barticians that they do not like to work, and all they want to do is drive boat and mine.

Persaud said despite light bills going up; blackout or not, Dindyal claimed that the Continued on page 64

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Missing crew members…

Boat owner to identify body found in Suriname today The owner of ‘Ms. Seema,’ the abandoned fishing boat which was discovered on the foreshore at Whim, Corentyne Berbice without its crew members, left Guyana yesterday to identify the body found in Suriname.

Kaieteur News understands that less than a day after the boat was found, ranks from Suriname informed local police officers that a semi decomposed body had washed up on their foreshore.

The fishing boat which is owned by Beeram Persaud of Number 60 Vi l l a g e , Corentyne, Berbice, was supposed to return after 12 days with the captain Rajin, and crew members: Prakash, as well as Ramesh and Naresh Persaud, along with one other man, but did not.

However, at around 16:30 hrs last Thursday, the abandoned vessel was discovered on the foreshore at Whim, Corentyne, Berbice with the men’s clothing, hats and haversacks.

There was no seine, fish or anchor, leaving investigators to believe that it was another piracy attack.

However, the engine was intact along with the boat’s registration.

Asked whether the

body could have been one of the three missing fishermen who were reportedly kicked into Suriname’s water on July 8 last when pirates stripped their vessel, a source told Kaieteur News that based on the description they have received, that might not be the case.

“The body is not so decomposed, so it cannot be any of the fishermen from that attack,” Feroze Hack, the lone survivor from the July 8 piracy attack, alleged that at around 22:00 hrs that night three masked pirates stripped their fishing boat before attacking and kicking them overboard somewhere in Suriname.

He said that he survived the horrific attack by floating in the water. Hack said that he does not to know what happened to his crew members after the pirates drove their boat over them.

One week after the incident, the body of one of the fishermen, Andrew Gopie, washed up on the Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara foreshore.

Those still missing are Vinesh Drunarine of Uitvlugt, Raymond Gomes and Chandrapaul Jallim of RechtDoor-Zee, West Bank Demerara.

Sunday July 27, 2014

New GPC billion-dollar drug purchases...

Ramroop’s invoices contradict Govt’s defence Invoices supplied to a New York court by the Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop’s New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) have clearly contradicted the Guyana government’s defence of drug purchases from his company.

Members of Parliament and other pharmaceutical suppliers had raised concerns about the seeming exorbitant prices that the government was paying to the New GPC for drugs. Reports on the comments by the critics led to the pharmaceutical company taking legal action in the courts of New York, and in Guyana, against Kaieteur News.

Yesterday Head of State, Donald Ramotar, echoed the sentiments of Minister of Health, Bheri Ramsaran. They both tried to defend the purchases from New GPC, which has been supplying Government with drugs to the tune of billions of dollars for 15 years - since 1999 to be exact. After a press conference at State House, Ramotar told this publication yesterday that the items with high prices that were identified by Kaieteur News were insignificant to the

Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop

Head of State, Donald Ramotar

Minister of Health, Bheri Ramsaran

overall purchases made by the government. He said that these items were small in quantity and when one looks at the deal on the entire package, the overall transaction is more than satisfactory.

A similar explanation was given two years ago by Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsarran, when he too defended the drug purchases.

The government called a press conference in the wake of publications by Kaieteur News of the high prices charged by New GPC. Ramsarran had stated then that this media house had zeroed-in on items which it said were overpriced. He

said that these were insignificant since they were just a couple tubes of Ketoconazole cream.

However, invoices submitted to the New York court by Dr. Ramroop tell a contradictory story. They debunked the defence by President Ramotar and the Health Minister, Bheri Ramsaran.

New GPC had been asked to supply the invoices to the court. They made strenuous attempts to avoid doing so.

Their refusal prompted the judge, Justice Joan Kenney, to compel the company to provide the invoices. The lawyer for New GPC then asked the court that

the information be sealed.

This was to ensure that there were no public disclosures of the information contained in the invoices.The judge refused the request. She told the New GPC lawyer, Ray Beckerman, that as long as it involves taxpayers’ money, the public has a right to know.

One such invoice, dated 2011/09/30 revealed that the item Ketoconazole, which was identified by the Kaieteur News, amounted to the largest single item of the $59.2M contract; certainly not insignificant as the Government officials tried to suggest.

In fact, it is more than onethird of the total invoice price.

The invoice showed that there were 8,212 tubes of Ketoconazole at a price of $2,647 each. This works out to a total of $21.7M for that item alone. Kaieteur News through its agent sourced the same drug from an Indian company for $80 per tube.

Had the Ministry paid $80 per tube, it would have only cost taxpayers $656,960.

This meant that the Government paid $21M more for an order that could be sourced for $656,960. New GPC has now been selected to be the ONLY prequalified supplier of drugs to Government.

Continued on page 64

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 19

THE PNCR HAS TO STOP THE WINDOW DRESSING

T

he problems of the PNCR are of its own making.

These difficulties that the party now faces were not created by the PPP nor were they the handiwork of external forces.

The PNCR should not look for political scapegoats.

It should look towards itself and analyze its present state of affairs. The party is in bad shape, and this is no better exemplified by the unprecedented sight of empty chairs at the opening of its Biennial Congress.

The need for deep introspection is the most urgent task facing the party.

Not the need for a ‘One Nation’ strategy for Guyana.

This ‘One Nation’ strategy outlined in the party’s leader’s address to the present Congress of the party is just a label placed on an old discredited and outmoded idea that has become cliché. If the PNCR cannot hold its own party together, how can it become a credible advocate for national unity?

The PNCR has to stop bandying slogans around. It has to ensure that the party has direction and purpose. In order to do so, it has to define itself ideologically, because without this definition the party’s core values would amount to mere slogans, and its values cannot be translated into action.

The PNCR has to stop rebranding itself every few years. This is an attempt to present an image, a facade to the public. Instead of rebranding itself at the urgings of a self-serving business class and the party’s main financiers, the party needs to have a dispassionate examination of what it stands for and how what its stands for can be made relevant to the present times.

The PNCR can no longer rely on Cold War sympathies to bolster its finances. It can no longer use the PPP’s once leftist orientation as the basis to retain support both internally and amongst the world imperialist powers. It can no longer resort to electoral fiddling in order to gain political power. It can no longer align itself to bankrupt political and economic ideas. It is now no longer in power.

The PNCR has been out of power for more than 20 years. It has to reinvent itself in light of the passage of time, but this reinventing cannot be a superficial process, it must involve a deep process of introspection about the party’s past and a determination of what should be the core values.

The organizational confusion that the party now finds itself in is a product of its own lack of identity. Any party that does not know what its stands for cannot

stand up for anything. It will fall to pieces, as is now evident. The PNCR has no compass, because it has not clarified since the death of Forbes Burnham and the end of the Cold War, just where it stands on the ideological continuum. No one knows if the PNC is now left of centre or whether it has left its own centre. The party has leaders, but it is rudderless.

Its constant rebranding, first from a vanguard party to one that jumped into bed with the bourgeois class, then to a nebulous remaking as the PNCR, then to a cosmetic alliance with APNU, has only sown confusion rather than purposefulness and direction. The party’s supporters are now more confused as to if the party’s colours are the traditional ones or whether it is now green, which isAPNU’s colours.

The leap into APNU is all p a r t o f t h e p a r t y ’s rebranding. It is also part of its attempt to run from its past, rather than objectively facing its many failures that this past represented. It is useless to speak about restoring the glory years of the PNC, when for all intents and purposes those glory years - if they existed belonged to a different era.

The party should instead be attempting to create new and more glorious achievements.

The PNCR is too wrapped up in leadership

struggles. It needs to have a clear succession policy, so as to avoid Congress after Congress being overshadowed by leadership tussles. How can the party settle its internal differences and begin to address the many issues internal to the party that it needs address, when no one is clear as to who will be the next leader of the PNCR? If the present Congress

does anything of worth, it should be to identify once and for all a leader for the next ten years or, alternatively, a succession plan for the leadership of the party, so that the membership can have a clear idea of who will be at the helm in the medium term.

From here the party can move on to the more complex issues of deciding where and what it stands for

and how best it can play a continued role in the politics of Guyana. Otherwise, the PPP will rule Guyana forever.

Page 20

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 27, 2014

Ambitious youth introduces website to celebrate Guyanese

Damien Lewis, creator of Gtmemoirs

By Sharmain Grainger At first glance you just might run away with the belief that it is merely another entertainment website and not very different from those already in existence. But careful examination would reveal that www.Gtmemoirs.com is more than just a regular website highlighting issues of an entertainment nature, but rather, it zeroes in on the varying laudable potential of Guyanese.

Created by Damien Lewis, an ambitious 33year-old, Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara, resident, the website is one that has the potential to considerably evolve while at the same time ensuring that various endeavours of Guyanese personalities are not only known but respected the world over.

But why would a young man with limited resources embrace a passion that seeks to promote locals. The answer to that is rather simple, as according to Lewis, while he was obsessed with all things entertainment and was initially very much integrally involved in this arena, his limitations had in

fact prevented him from doing things just the way he thought was ideal.

With this recognition he simply decided to rethink his approach and instead saw the need to highlight those who had the wherewithal to do what he couldn’t.

After careful planning, complemented by his understanding of the Guyanese entertainment vibes, Lewis in 2009 decided to introduce Gtmemoirs.

During a recent interview with this publication, he

recalled that his vision for the website was crystallised as he offered his audio/visual expertise to the 2009 Guyana Fashion Weekend event.

“One of the things I noticed was that whenever we were tasked with doing, videos or flyers... not only with the Fashion Weekend Committee but throughout the country...everybody was using a foreign image; there was hardly a local image for a local event,” Lewis candidly reflected.

This understandably

resulted in him eagerly embracing the idea of setting-up a business that not only promoted the use of local images, but offered a quality that was second to none. “I started thinking why not start a company which w i l l e n c o u r a g e photographers to share their work with [event] promoters and organisers so that when you see a flyer for an event you see a Guyanese displayed instead of a foreigner,” Lewis intimated.

He related too that he was bothered by the fact that efforts were hardly ever made to ensure that following a grand event there were no recordings available in at least Digital

Versatile Disc (DVD) form.

Moreover, he saw an opportunity to remedy the prevailing situation. This saw him working behind the scenes, video recording events and ensuring that they were of a high quality and available for others to view at a later date too. For at least two years he was able to fulfil this dream.

He was even able to create a special Event Documentation Unit which catered specifically to photography and videography of each event he took on. Things were going well, perhaps a little too well, as before long what appeared to be a lucrative venture was soon taking a ‘nose dive’.

“I started thinking: what was I doing wrong? Why did it ‘nose dive’? Then I realised that a well established entity would basically speak to a promoter and say look we would do the job for a fraction of the price,” recalled Lewis.

“I would put together a crew of four or five persons and pay about $100,000 but still had to cater to equipment. The cost to do an entire event was about $300,000 and the other entity was charging promoters a mere $100,000 to do the same thing; I couldn’t compete with that,” Lewis said.

Maybe he could have accepted defeat with pride if his competitor’s end product

was of a high quality. But according to Lewis “it was as if they were shooting video just because they had a camera. There was no thought behind it.” Although unimpressed by his rival, he had no choice but to quietly remove himself from the scene. It simply was not feasible for him to follow his passion any longer.

Instead he resorted to taking on a few small jobs here and there. Several members of his team also branched off into similar fields, a development that Lewis said that he certainly wasn’t unhappy about since it meant there were a number of people, with similar passion as his, doing quality work in the entertainment world. He had long realised that “there was so much to be done and I certainly couldn’t do it all...”

But there were yet some persons whom he believed were not getting the recognition that they so deserved.

Lewis was soon considering a way forward that could help to highlight the work of the various deserving talents including local celebrities, sports personalities, among others; a move through which Gtmemoirs.com was born.

However, the evolution of Gtmemoirs.com will not only see the popular personalities gaining attention, as according to Lewis the simple down-toearth individuals will have a place to shine as well.

“I want to capture everyday people – the bus driver...pull him in and have an interview with him and just put his story out there,” Lewis said. He noted that while this may not be appealing to all individuals, the primary intent is to “give people, especially the youths, somebody local to look up to...This is to help p e o p l e g a i n inspiration...because we don’t have too many people to look up to today. We have to celebrate our own,” added a passionate Lewis.

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 23

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

The PNC has turned out to be a most bizarre creature Whoever becomes the head of the PNC this afternoon, it will not matter, because that person will have to face the rising chagrin of an enormous number of people in Guyana, as to why the PNC is allowing the PPP Government to do the unjust, mean and horrible things to Guyana without responding in a no-nonsense manner.

That criticism sooner or later is going to kill the PNC if the PNC does not react. For many people in this nation, the great PNC has become something that is weird, strange and bizarre.

Let us look at human nature, and I mean the main trend in human nature since civilization began. A prosecutor asked a judge to teach you a lesson because as a policeman you should not have taken a bribe. He asked for the maximum jail term and the judge agreed.

You served your time, lost your job, pension and maybe a big part of your life. Later down the road, the very prosecutor took a bribe to hide evidence.

What will be your attitude towards this man? Human nature will kick in. You will want him to be given the harshest treatment possible.

And that is human nature as we know it, since civilization began.

After 1968 when the PNC took over completely the reins of government until the 1992 elections, the PPP crucified the PNC. The PPP literally drove the PNC out of office, with even a giant like Hoyte suffering in the process.

Since 1992, the PNC has stood helplessly and looked on as the PPP virtually destroyed Guyana.

Every depraved, undemocratic, immoral, racially-oriented, incestuous, corrupt act of the PNC Government has been exceeded by the PPP in billions of ways that are sickening, insane and maybe bordering on the uncivilized.

What this country has become under the leadership of Mr. Jagdeo, and for three years under Mr. Ramotar, puts Guyana as one of the most abominable and miasmic

oligarchic systems since World War II. Young men and women since 1999 have used their position of political power to amass stupendous wealth which they don’t hide but flaunt ostentatiously.

The level of victimization along race and class lines since 1999 makes Mr. Burnham a shining star in post-colonial politics.

Poverty as we see today never existed in the horrendous ways we see under the PPP Government.

The state as a toy in the hands of political families and their extended networks of relatives and friends is a social morbidity that would never have taken place, even if the PNC had remained in power for the next one thousand years.

What is taking place in Guyana can only be described by one word in the sense that the great German philosopher, Hannah Arendt used it – evil. As an academic trained in history and philosophy at three universities and as a political activist all my life, the evil that

is taking place here appears in my psyche and soul as nothing more than something that goes beyond imagination.

It is not that the PPP tyranny is episodic, situational, reactive. The PPP’s authoritarian train has been in runaway mode since the 2001 elections. The PPP’s political brutalities, corrupt transactions and social depravities have been relentless and ubiquitous.

In 2014, Guyana stands deeper in social filth than when it was enveloped in political and social abomination from 1978 onwards. The difference with 1978-1985 and 2001-2014 is that in the first period, the opposition was energized, energetic, and unyielding with the Burnham Government. In the second period, there is no

opposition to the insanities of twenty-two years of PPP rule.

There is absolutely no way, an opposition party should accept this atrophy since 1999. And no opposition in the smallest of countries with the smallest of populations would accept this except the PNC. The PNC was bound to suffer significant levels of alienation from its huge base of support, because the normal mind cannot accept an opposition party being so passive in the face of dictatorship. It doesn’t happen in the real world.

The PNC, more than any other political party, in the arena of politics today in the world, has a historic duty to its supporters and the Guyanese people to seek a confrontation with the PPP, because it was the PPP that

Frederick Kissoon harassed and removed the PNC Government for undemocratic behaviour.

Today, the PPP’s semicivilized behaviour is of the kind the likes of which this country has never seen in colonial times and under Forbes Burnham. In other words, history and morality compel the PNC to say to the PPP, we will not permit you to do the very things you accused us of and removed us for, therefore we have a historic and moral duty to stop you. But the PNC ain’t stopping anything.

Page 24

Book Review Review:: Critic: Dr. Glenville Ashby Dalton Yap tells a rueful tale of dashed ambition, duplicity and the instinctive will to survive, at any cost.

A Jamaican national with strong ties to his Chinese roots, Yap paints his own portrait – that of a driven man, almost obsessed with success at the workplace. A former employee of Jamaica Citizens Bank, Yap is derailed, the fall guy of a cover-up involving banking irregularities, negligence, malfeasance and conspiracy to defraud.

The plot thickens, and so too does the cloud of suspicion, as fingers point to Yap, to the consternation of family and friends.

Yap narrates his woes with raw intensity, as he initially wilts under scrutiny and obvious embarrassment.

His irascibility, his pain, his withdrawal take a toll on his wife and kids. To garner greater literary impact, Yap uses the first person recollections of his wife and

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 27, 2014

A Jamaican’s daring struggle for justice Book: A Matter of Conduct: The True Story of a Man Who Battled the Bank and Won by Dalton Yap with Alex Lee children. The emotional turmoil at home is near palpable.

“I was his little star,” his daughter reflects, but his predicament caused a frightening uneasiness. “I was only ten when I met another side of my father…”

Yap is consumed by rage, but redirects it, standing his ground, determined to fight back.

He proves an unyielding fighter, ever willing to confront his adversaries, even at the highest judicial level. But A Matter of Conduct transcends court battles and legal intrigues.

Rather, it is an account that spirals down the slippery slope of Social Darwinism.

Yap is facing a seemingly insurmountable battle, but he is unswerving, unearthing a resourcefulness that borders on primal, atavistic and selfserving.

This is the crux of “Conduct.” It is an inexorable lesson of the will to survive.

“Two years is a long time to wait for your life to return to you,” Yap notes.

Amid the incredulity of his situation, Yap inveighs against his tormentors.

Surely, they rot of deceit. But Yap is no choir boy either.

Asking a friend to risk his career by securing computer data under the shroud of

darkness, is questionable.

Long on his emotional agony, he appears cavalier in potentially leading his friend into dangerous, uncharted waters.

Yap states otherwise: “Before this I had never known what it was like to impose on others…but I was now learning that sometimes you need to hold your hand up and ask. You just have to muscle up and fight back.” He immediately adds: ‘I would, on one other occasion benefit from the information coming from within the bank’s walls.”

Conniving? Then again, a drowning man will grasp at straws.

Yap’s narration forms a matrix of interesting plots. On the surface, avarice stares at you, unflinching, as though lifted from that popular TV feature, “American Greed.”

On a subcutaneous level, it is axiomatic, an extolment of the importance of family support in the face of disaster.

Despite his prodigious legal team, it is his family that saves him from the depths of despair and emotional irreparability.

For those who have cracked, living a blighted existence, one must ask: “How many could have been saved if others had only lent an ear?” Yap well understands this.

Professional counselling at the behest of his sister proves helpful. He is advised to compartmentalise his problems, an approach that eases his insomnia. Of his family, he writes: “The test that brought me to my knees also brought me more knowledge…It armed me with the unshakable certainty that my family will remain intact no matter the obstacle….”

Admirably, he refers to his siblings as his coaches, his life jackets, and his voice.

In many ways, A Matter of Conduct inadvertently raises nagging sociological questions.

Indeed, its message is lucid and loud: A wholesome family, privilege and access to resources, unfortunately enjoyed by a minority in every society, are a bulwark against injustice.

Deservedly, Yap triumphs, winning an undisclosed settlement against his former employer, after having his case adjudicated before the Privy Council.

The brewing tension, as his fate is decided by the contents of a brown envelop, is well captured. Yap makes full use of cadence and tone in every word. “… I shook as I snatched it (the envelope) from him,” referring to his lawyer. “My mouth went dry as I pulled out the contents.”

Yap has since moved on, obviously bruised and less trusting. Yet, he remains thankful and optimistic in the innate goodness of human nature. “I honour my commitments as I always have, and truly believe that our initial instinct is to do right by one another,” he muses, but immediately adds, “…now I look more closely into the soul of a person standing before me. I listen more carefully and ask more questions.”

A befitting philosophy

from a man, duped by human wretchedness, but saved by human kindness.

F e e d b a c k : glenvilleashby@gmail.com/ Follow me on Twitter@glenvilleashby A Matter of Conduct: The True Story of a Man Who Battled the Bank and Won

by Dalton Yap with Alex Lee Sasy Sunflower Books, Ottawa ON, Canada ISBN 978-0-9869413-44 Available: Amazon.com Rating: Recommended

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 25

MY COLUMN

The case of Sattaur’s children An issue that became a talking point last week involved the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority. Someone disclosed that the Commissioner General, Khurshid Sattaur had employed within the Guyana Revenue Authority, two of his sons, a daughter, a nephew and a niece.

Not only was this fact disclosed. Whoever provided the information also revealed the salaries that these employees received. It is here that things get interesting. For one, the Commissioner General said that the information about the salary should have been kept secret given the criminal elements who wait to pounce on those whom they suspect have money.

And of course, I got the blame for exposing these young people to risk. I exposed their salary and therefore people would opt to attack these children, because at all times they would have money in their pockets.

Perhaps the criminals would kidnap them.

I did not agree with that conclusion since I happen to know that while people would

like to keep their salaries private, such information is often public knowledge. On numerous occasions when reporters had a problem with people whom they felt were not properly employed, they would disclose the salary to make their point.

I remember when it became public knowledge that Kobe Frimpong, who was on contract to the Office of the President, was earning US$15,000 a month. Some people did force their way into his empty house, but that was because an opportunity presented itself. The act had nothing to do with the salary.

The real issue here is whether the Commissioner General should have employed his children.

Traditionally, to avoid any contention of nepotism, there was a marked reluctance on the part of the authorities to employ two or more of a household in the same department. I recall that the Ministry of Education always avoided employing a husband and wife in the same school.

If by chance they both happened to be working there before they got married, then after marriage one had to be

transferred. There were some exceptions in the case of nurses, members of the police force and a few other entities.

The reason was that these people would work in different departments, provided these were not in the same building.

In this case there were mitigating factors. For one, the Commissioner’s children are British citizens who happened to qualify themselves in Guyana. They saw themselves as Guyanese, did not want to live in England, and felt themselves qualified to be employed anywhere.

One of them sought employment within the Caricom Secretariat and was not even granted the courtesy of a reply to an application. Mr Sattaur knew that his children were qualified and since there were vacancies he saw no reason to prevent them from applying. But the society would wonder whether his influence would not have had something to do with their employment, regardless of which board processed the application.

Yet there are issues that I was made aware of. For one, someone in the GRA came

into the spotlight for having property and assets that belied his earnings. This then sparked an investigation.

Reports are that having been called to explain his wealth, the individual counterattacked with information on the children of the Commissioner General.

I have been one of the anti-corruption advocates, so by no stretch of imagination would I support the individual who released the information.

He or she had to know about the children’s employment long before he or she blew the whistle. For the person to scream as soon as the hammer fell, is nothing unlike a case of a criminal squealing on a partner because he has been caught.

I am not certain about the state of the investigation, but I do know that if it has been called off, I would be among the first to say that the Commissioner General is condoning corruption within his agency. I am certain that there are more people who should be investigated and this should be done in the interest of the country.

But I must revisit the issue of the Commissioner

General’s children. Indeed, every parent wants the best for his children and employing them is not legally wrong. But there is the question of morality. Will the parent visit his children with the same sanction usually reserved for wrongdoers?

In this case, one of the sons actually signed the letter to the GRA employee to be investigated and this proved an immense source of annoyance, hence the retaliation.

Then there is the question of available skills in the country. I cannot say that the children were employed ahead of similarly qualified people or to the exclusion of anyone, even slightly less qualified. I do know that they were said to have worked their way up the ranks.

Having been around for a long time, I cannot support the situation. It might have been better to “pull strings” and get them employed elsewhere. Regardless of how satisfying it is to know where your children are, it is always better to avoid unwarranted accusations. But this is Guyana and the situation would soon blow away. Life

Adam Harris will go on.

And the ugly nature of the state media had to see the criticism of the situation in racial terms. Someone claimed that the media picked on them because they are children of Indian ancestry. That conclusion pushed me to obscenity.

Something is moral or immoral, right or wrong. One’s ethnicity has nothing to do with this.

This is the paper that concludes that black men are thieves for the greater part when thieves of Indian ancestry are equally prominent. I dare say I have seen no comments about the pirates who are keen to snuff out Indian lives.

Page 26

Guyana is facing a human development crisis as a result of the PPPC’s chronic maladministration. Public protests have become the visible and voluble expressions of resistance against the PPPC’s mismanagement of public health, public security, public works and public schools.

Guyana, in the new millennium, has become more unsafe and more unstable than ever before, owing to the high rate of crime and the low quality of life.

According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2014 – Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience – Guyana has been ranked 121st out of 187 countries.

Guyana is a corrupt country. The Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2013, ranked us 136th out of 177 countries – 121 places behind Barbados. Growth is hampered by extensive

Kaieteur News

corruption and lack of economic and employment opportunities.

Guyana is an unequal society.

The PPPC administration’s attitudes and policies are harming social cohesion, undermining our sense of solidarity, impoverishing a large section of the population, alienating the hinterland regions and gradually creating ‘two nations’ instead of cementing One Nation.

Guyana’s population is in decline. Guyanese were shocked to learn that the nation’s population, according to preliminary results from the Report on the Guyana Population and Housing Census 2012, had fallen.

The results of the 2011 general and regional elections opened opportunities for real political, social and economic change. A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change together polled 175,051 votes and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), 166,235 votes. These results

gave the combined opposition a majority of one seat in the National Assembly.

The PPPC, rather than pursue a consensual policy of “inclusionary democracy” and cooperation with the opposition as prescribed in the Constitution, adopted a posture of confrontation. That approach, as you know, has failed. The fact is that Guyana is in a state of crisis. The governance crisis has been aggravated by the PPPC’s reluctance to acknowledge its minority status in the National Assembly and to join the majority in the movement towards establishing a government of national unity.

The President’s refusal to assent to certain bills passed by the Assembly has stuck like a bone in the throat of the Opposition. The Minister of Finance’s management of the nation’s finances has been a major source of political contention.

President Donald Ramotar took a great leap backwards at the 30th

Congress of the People’s Progressive Party on 2nd August 2013 at Port Mourant.

His vituperative tirade was a threat to the prospect of inclusionary democracy and a menace to the project for national unity.

He had the opportunity at the PPP’s first congress in five years to drop his party’s time-worn, winner-takes-all approach and adopt an inclusionary approach to governance. He lost it. He went instead on an unapologetic and uncompromising offensive against the Opposition in the National Assembly and the independent media.

The President’s ‘feral blast’ against the National Assembly, suggests that he has not comprehended the concept of cooperation. He did not seize the opportunity to encourage party members to pursue a more collaborative approach with the parliamentary majority for the good of the nation.

T h e President characterised the National Assembly as “a wound on the body politic of our nation…that is festering and reopening every time a sensible, moral and costed development project is stalled

Sunday July 27, 2014

because the Opposition wants to hold back progress, or the cheap publicity, or promoting agendas inimical to our people.”

The PPPC has been struggling to diminish the authority of the National Assembly. It has challenged the Assembly’s legitimate decisions in the High Court.

It has failed to assent to bills.

It has spent money that was not approved by the Assembly. It has refused to adopt and implement the Assembly’s resolutions. It has deployed the state media as a weapon to wage war against the Opposition.

President Ramotar precipitated this crisis. He declared publicly, since 13th June 2012, that he had no intention of supporting any bill piloted by the Opposition.

He said, “That is not the function of the opposition.

They must respect what is their role…I am making it very clear that I will not assent to any bill that they carry unless it is with the full agreement of the executive and the full involvement of the executive.”

This is not democracy at all. It is autocracy.

Our ‘One Nation’ approach could be the main

means of combining the talents of a wider constituency and of creating the conditions for social cooperation and economic progress. The three-fold purpose of such a project would be to reach a broad consensus on the goals of national development, to establish a sustainable institutional architecture and to create effective policy instruments for the achievement of our common objectives.

Our One Nation project shows how our policy programme will be relevant to people’s everyday experiences and expectations. Our resilient and resourceful people and communities are eager to play their part in rebuilding our country as One Nation.

Our One Nation project will be the basis for major sections of society – including the government; political opposition; trade unions; private sector and civil society – to come together to seek agreement on a broad national programme to move our country forward.

We can become ‘One Nation’ – one in which cooperation prevails over confrontation and national integration over communal disintegration.

Sunday July 27, 2014

SUNDAY SPECIAL US$30M VOTED FOR GUYSUCO BAILOUT REFLECTS OPPOSITION’S INCOMPETENCE – FORMER APNU MP After A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Shadow Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine confessed that the $6B voted for the bailout of the Guyana Sugar Corporation was a mistake, a former APNU Parliamentarian has lashed out at the politician.

“This mistake reflects the incompetence of the Opposition.”

Jaipaul Sharma said that the political opposition was forewarned about the economic peril that would follow from the “Skeldon catastrophe”. APNU was also told that the change of its board and mechanization of the sugar industry would not solve the problems it is constantly faced with.

Sharma commended Anthony Vieira, whom he said has been an “exceptional advisor” on agricultural matters to APNU. “The Opposition was very much aware that the continued support for this bailout would not have made any sense in the end. They went ahead and they voted for the money for GuySuCo because it was a politically sensitive matter.

Now what has become of that decision? Today, we are made aware that the sugar company owes over US$170M in debt and Roopnaraine who is supposed to be the Shadow Minister of Agriculture is saying that that was a mistake? A $6B mistake? They should be held responsible for that money that was wasted because it did not make a difference. GuySuCo now wants more money.”

JAGDEO’S PENSION AMONG HIGHEST IN THE REGION At least one regional economy that vastly outstrips Guyana’s pays its former Head of State a smaller pension than what Guyana pays its former Head of State.

Jamaica has an economy of US$15B but pays its former Prime Ministers, roughly US$3,500 per month as pension, while the other benefits are capped. This is not the case in Guyana.

Under Jamaica’s laws, the Prime Minister when leaving office is entitled to benefits such as a gardener, a chauffeur, secretary, security and a maid but no more than one of these.

Kaieteur News

Trinidad and Tobago, which has an economy of US$24B as against Guyana’s US$2.8B pays its former Prime Ministers US$8,000.

Even the medical benefits are prescribed with caps.

The United States of America, with an economy worth in excess of US$16 trillion dollars will pay President Barack Obama, US$16,800 dollars a month in pension and provide Secret Service protection, and reimbursements for staff, travel, mail, and office expenses.

Guyana with an economy of US$2.8B pays its former Head of State, US$6,000 per month.

MONDAY EDITION JILTED MAN BUTCHERS GAY SEX WORKERS, KILLS SELF A 31-year-old former security guard ran amok in the city shortly after midnight Sunday, butchering two popular male sex workers before dousing himself with petrol and setting himself alight.

Jason John Samuels, 27, also known as “Jada”, of Lot 104 Lamaha Street, was stabbed to death in a section of Leopold Street that is a popular area for transgender men, while Carlyle Sinclair, 23, also known as “Tyra”, was found dead in Lombard Street, with several stab wounds about the body.

Police identified the killer as 31-year-old Samuel Bristol, of Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, who succumbed in the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Burn Care Unit, after setting himself alight.

Reports suggest that Bristol vented his rage on the two transgender men after being jilted by a male sex worker with whom he had an almost five-year relationship.

NO CONFIDENCE MOTION… GECOM SIGNALS INTENTION TO PREPARE FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS Two days after the Alliance for Change delivered a letter to President Donald Ramotar expressing its intent to table a No Confidence Motion against the Government, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has put out a public notice signaling that it is preparing for General Elections.

According to the notice, which was published in Sunday’s edition of the Guyana Chronicle, GECOM stated its intention to prepare the preliminary list for the elections given its powers under the National Registration Act.

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The notice, which was signed by GECOM’s chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, outlined that in pursuance of the powers conferred on the Elections Commission by sections 14 of the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08, the Commissioner of Registration is directed by the Commission to prepare a preliminary list.

The preliminary list is taken from the central register established under section nine (1) of the National Registration Act. The list contains entries, records of the full names, addresses, occupations and serial numbers of registration records of every person, who is qualified for registration with reference to October 31, 2014, as an elector for elections to the National Assembly and the Regional Democratic Council.

TUESDAY EDITION WHERE ARE THE $800M PUMPS? …MINISTER SINGS NEW TUNE There is more mystery now over the whereabouts of several pumps that Government was supposed to have purchased from an Indian contractor.

Questioned about the pumps Monday, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy changed his tune, telling a Parliamentary committee on Natural Resources that a Patentia pump station does not have one of the pumps that was supplied by Surendra Engineering.

Rather, it is another pump that was supplied and installed by contractor, Harrichand Tulsi, in a project that cost $265M. The cost of the pump was included in that price, the Minister told reporters after the Parliamentary session Monday.

But the Minister’s explanation contradicts what would have been reported all along and even from what the official himself has been saying.

Last November, Ramsammy told Kaieteur News that the pumps are currently being installed at Patentia; Bagotstown; Number 19 in Berbice; Windsor Forest; Pine Grove; Mahaicony; East Coast Demerara, and Albion, Corentyne, Berbice.

The Minister had said that one is being shipped to Lima on the Essequibo Coast.

He further indicated that pumps at Canje, Rose Hall, Bengal, Crabwood Creek, and Black Bush Polder have been completed and are working.

Different officials from the

Ministry have been giving contradicting locations of the pumps and the stations at different times. Earlier this year, Kaieteur News observed what appeared to be a Surendra pump on a truck at the Patentia location. It is unclear where that one went.

DEADLINE FOR $3.6B HOPE CANAL EXTENDED YETAGAIN…COURTNEY BENN GRANTED ANOTHER CHANCE OVER DELAYED SLUICE WORKS Government has decided to keep working with Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited on a critical phase of the delayed $3.6B Hope Canal project. On Monday, it announced that yet another deadline has been set.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and his team of officials, said that the project is looking for completion in another seven weeks – by the end of September.

The project has been facing one delay after another with the Minister, earlier this month, indicating that a meeting was set to be held with the contractor to decide on the way forward. Issues of penalties and even a possible pulling of the contract had not been ruled out.

Government decided not to pull the project from Courtney Benn after considerations that finding another contractor will take time and cause the entire project to go further over budget.

WEDNESDAY EDITION AMEND LAWS TO HALT ABUSES BY BIG FOREIGN COMPANIES – DR. ROOPNARAINE Large foreign companies seem to have a “calculated approach” when it comes to Guyana’s mining and forestry sectors.

Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Shadow Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, asserts that some foreign businesses would attach themselves to some local investors who would have worked tirelessly to acquire benefits and concessions, pretending it would seem, to be just a harmless partnering foreign investor.

But the hidden motive is to eventually take over the business and expand.

From his observations, Dr. Roopnaraine who is a member of the Natural Resources Sectoral Committee of the Parliament deems this to be abusive behaviour by “big foreign companies.” He said that consultations will be made with the Minister of Natural Resources and the

Environment, Robert Persaud, to make the “necessary amendments” to the relevant Acts so that this behaviour can be curbed.

Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine said that this is just one of the unresolved issues coming out of last week’s Committee meeting.

18TH BIENNIAL CONGRESS… SOLOMON, NORTON CHALLENGE GRANGER FOR PNCR LEADERSHIP Under the theme “PNCR (People’s National Congress Reform) for National Unity, Good Governance and Development,” the Party hosts its Congress this weekend that will either end in the appointment of a new leader or the reelection of the incumbent.

This marks the 18th Biennial Congress of the Party, which commenced Friday and concludes today (Sunday).

This publication was made to understand that more than 1,000 delegates and observers from across the country as well as the North American and UK Regions will be participating.

Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon, and long time Party member Aubrey Norton will be for the first time contesting for the party leadership. The two will be running against the current (Continued on page 43)

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China will cast a huge shadow as Japan meets...

From page 21 like China, Japan has been pledging large regional aid and investment packages to Africa and Southeast Asia, the value of which are US$43 billion and US$20 billion, respectively.

It is unlikely that transactions of such sizes will be extended to all of the LAC countries.

The LAC nations are a low priority for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which provided only US$450 million to the entire region in 2012.

This means that the CARICOM countries got

only a fraction of that total.

It would be worth drawing that reality to Prime Minister Abe's attention, even as CARICOM leaders describe the plight of their economies and the restricted space in which they operate because of rules made by institutions in which Japan has a powerful voice.

The face-to-face meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister offers a golden opportunity to remind him that his country has enjoyed a sizeable trade surplus with CARICOM countries for many years – a trade surplus that is greater than the amount of official

development assistance Japan provides.

The value of the trade surplus may not be huge in Japanese terms, but it is large for CARICOM states.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e meeting with Mr Abe also provides a chance to lever support from Japan in critical areas such as: providing help to address debt (many of the CARICOM countries now have a debt-to-GDP ratio of over 60%); active support in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Financial Action Task Force for compensation for the

high costs that result from compliance with their rules; financing for Climate Change adaptation; advocacy in the IMF and Wo r l d B a n k t o m a k e CARICOM states eligible

for concessionary loans; and more Japanese investment in renewable energy and infrastructure.

Over all these discussions, of course, China casts a long shadow.

(The writer is a Consultant, Senior Fellow at London University and former Caribbean diplomat) Responses and previous commentaries at: www.sirronadsanders.com

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Sunday July 27, 2014

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) Hypothyroidism is a medical condition in which the thyroid gland is affected.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland that lies in front of the windpipe (trachea), just below the voice box (larynx). The thyroid gland uses iodine

from food to make two thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). The thyroid gland stores these hormones and releases them as they are needed. These hormones help to regulate the body’s metabolic rate as well as

heart and digestive function, muscle control, brain development and bone maintenance.

In hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) your thyroid gland does n’t produce enough of the above mentioned important hormones.

As a result patient may experience sings and symptom of a underactive gland. Women, especially those older than age 60, are more likely to have hypothyroidism. In hypothyroidism the normal balance of chemical reactions in your body are disturbed. It seldom causes symptoms in the early stages, but, over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a number of health problems, such as obesity, joint pain, infertility and heart disease.

There are many signs and symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland and may vary depending on the level of hormone deficiency. The problems that a hypothyroid patient may have tend to develop slowly over a

number of years.

Initially, you may barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and weight gain, or you may simply attribute them to getting older or some medical illness. But as your metabolism continues to s l o w, t h e s i g n s a n d symptoms are more obvious.

Hypothyroidism signs and symptom may include: · Fatigue · Increased sensitivity to cold · Constipation · Dry skin · Unexplained weight gain · Puffy face · Hoarseness · Muscle weakness · Elevated blood cholesterol level · Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness · Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints · Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods · Thinning hair · Slowed heart rate · Depression · Impaired memory Once hypothyroidism is not treated the signs and

symptoms can gradually become more severe.

Constant stimulation of your thyroid gland to release more hormones may lead to an enlarged thyroid (goiter). In addition, you may become more forgetful, your thought processes may slow, or you may feel depressed.

Myxedema is an advance state of hypothyroidism and when it occurs it can be lifethreatening. Signs and symptoms include low blood pressure, decreased breathing, decreased body t e m p e r a t u r e , unresponsiveness and even coma. In extreme cases, myxedema can be fatal.

There is good news for those suffering from hypothyroidism. Thyroid function tests are available to diagnose hypothyroidism, and treatment of hypothyroidism with synthetic thyroid hormone is usually simple, safe and effective once you and your doctor find the right dose for you.

Please feel free to send an email to kumarsukhraj@

Dr. Kumar Sukhraj yahoo.com or call 6228032 for further enquiry and discussion on the topic.

Patient education plays an important in the diagnosis and management of their illness. Please look forward for a continuation of the discussion on health issues in the next publication.

Reference D a r i o M . To r r e , Geoffrey C. Lamb, Jerome Van Ruiswyk: Kochar’s Clinical Medicine for Students. pp.402-403: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Fifth edition (2008)

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Reflections on growing up in a racial...

From page 35 wrath of some Hindu deity.

Suddenly, what I felt was a certain accident, took on troubling and racist undertones. But resignedly, we left the matter in God's hands.

Interestingly, a few years ago I read a book written by a colonial magistrate from England in the 19th century.

(I can't recall the name of the book or the author) But a sizeable part of it dealt with the vicissitudes of life in then British Guiana. The author was particularly keen on recalling incidents in which the criminal acts carried out by perpetrators seem, in hindsight, to have a distinct correlation to many of the very assumptions and prejudices we express today about our races.

Then, like now, it was mostly Blacks and East Indians who were charged with offences ranging from simple larceny to premeditated murder at its most brutal. In this context, most Afro-Guyanese were indeed portrayed as quarrelsome and aggressive, while many Indo-Guyanese were depicted as scheming and cruel. But behaviour traits tend to overlap, and it would be imprudent to imagine that other ethnicities – Portuguese, Chinese, Amerindian and European, were all model citizens.

Lawlessness is part of human nature.

Presumptions and prejudices don't go away easily. These phenomena are ingrained in the minds and hearts of multitudes of

individuals worldwide, from Guyana to Guam, to Greenland. But things will change. That's my opinion and my optimism; looking through slightly rose-tinted glasses, I see my own version of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World emerging from the ashes of racial intolerance and bigotry. And the champions of this paradigm shift are, CHILDREN!

Next week I'll introduce you to some children, ordinary, or extraordinary, including a Guyanese, a South African, a German and a Japanese. They are what some are calling Indigo children, which may just be a New Age name for seriously-gifted potential world-changers, from the autistic to the artistic to the prodigious. As for their race – what race?

A gutted building in the Water Street fire– A '60s symbol of racial and political intolerance in Guyana (Farmersboys.com photo)

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How to apply for a houselot, ‘turn-key...

From page 38 the land. One of the main conditions is that the allottee is not to sell until after 10 years.

There have been many reports of Powers of Attorney being used by other persons to gain “ownership” of the lands and properties built.

The CH&PA has been waging a war on this and a number of cases are being handled by its legal arm, as it is illegal. The Ministry has even offered, I am told, to have the new “owners” of the house lot, pay the market price in an effort to ensure regularization.

'TURN-KEY' In the case of the government's 'turn-key' homes – which range between $4.6M to $14M – the applications are similar. Upon an

application being handed in, an assessment will be done to determine the eligibility of the applicant to acquire these. Unless they have the cash, they are referred to the lending agency to obtain mortgage financing. The successful allottee will inspect the home and enter into an agreement of sale and sign papers for the title/transport. These will later be forwarded to the bank. The applicant will also have to submit a letter of satisfaction to the bank. Upon the completion of its own process, the lending institution will forward a cheque to CH&PA for the 'turn-key' home.

That's all for this week, and as usual, please feel free to drop me your comments at gildarie@yahoo.com.

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From page 27 leader, David Granger.

For the post of party Chairman, Solomon and Norton along with Basil Williams will be contesting.

Williams is the present Chairman.

And as Volda Lawrence, George Norton, Sharma Solomon and Stanley Paul contest for Vice chair positions, Ronald Bulkan and Clement Corlette are the only two in the race for the designation of Treasurer.

Bulkan is the current Treasurer and Lawrence and Norton are the two Vice Chairs.

Kaieteur News understands that 91 persons have accepted nominations for the Central Executive Committee.

This was made known Tuesday morning by Central Committee Member Cheryl Sampson at a press conference hosted by General Secretary Oscar Clarke at Congress Place.

THURSDAY EDITION GOVT. PICKS NEW GPC FOR US MILLION$$$ DRUG PURCHASES Cabinet has once again promoted New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC), as the nation’s sole pre-qualified supplier of drugs to the Government.

The announcement of the pre-qualification status for New GPC was made Wednesday by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, at his post Cabinet press briefing.

New GPC is owned by Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop who happens to be the best friend of former President, Bharrat Jagdeo. That company has been supplying the bulk of the drugs to Government for the past 15 years, ever since it was

Kaieteur News

Guilty: Aubrey Simon

Guilty: Hardat Kumar

acquired by Ramroop in 1999.

Asked whether the decision to award New GPC was not tantamount to sole sourcing, given that the company would be the only one to get drug contracts, Dr. Luncheon disagreed.

He said that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) picked New GPC from among seven companies that applied to be pre-qualified.

“Our result was that there is only one company that satisfied those requirements as far as NPTAB was concerned, and that was brought to Cabinet,” Luncheon explained. When asked if the criteria used to prequalify a company were not biased in favour of New GPC, Luncheon said, “The criterion is biased in favour of safety.” He explained, “I don’t want to convey that safety is the only criterion but safety is important.”

He drew reference to concerns related to counterfeit drugs.

were also found guilty in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Almost three years ago, on July 12, 2011, six persons were arrested in connection to the $7M robbery committed at Malcolm Panday’s residence in BelAir. Reports are that on that day armed bandits invaded Panday’s home and terrorised his wife and two sons at gunpoint. The family members including the then two and four year old sons were bound. The bandits had secured over $7million in cash and articles before leading the police on a hot chase. The ranks eventually cornered the getaway car.

MOTHER-IN-LAW,FOUR OTHERSFOUNDGUILTYIN $7M ROBBERY The mother-in-law of a businessman, Malcolm Panday, acting in concert with four other accomplices to stage a daring armed robbery on Panday’s family was found guilty Wednesday. Her accomplices

FRIDAY EDITION PARLIAMENT TO PROBE FINANCE MINISTER’S EXCESS SPENDING - GOVT. MULLS OPTIONS Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, has ruled that the spending of $4.5B by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh without the approval of the National Assembly has raised sufficiently serious questions to be inquired into by the Committee of Privileges.

The Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, has since responded, saying that it is for the courts to decide on constitutional matters and not a Committee of Parliament.

Sunday July 27, 2014

Guilty: Jermaine Mitchell Nandlall who has responded to the Speaker’s ruling on his social media ‘facebook’ page says that the Article of the Constitution that the Finance Minister is relying on regarding the expenditure is an exception to the section that primarily deals with expenditure from the Consolidated Fund.

Nandlall, in response to the ruling by the Speaker, says that while he is bound to be guided by Trotman’s decision, “I do not consider myself restrained from expressing a view on the ruling, even a critical and outspoken one.”

TOTAL POWER SHUTDOWN IN BARTICA AS LAST ENGINE FAILS BARTICA, REGION SEVEN, WAS IN DARKNESS THURSDAY NIGHTAS THE REMAINING ENGINE SERVING THE COMMUNITY WENT DOWN. According to the stateowned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), as of 18:15 hrs Thursday, a failed turbo charger caused the No. 9 Caterpillar generating engine to go offline.

This means that until repairs are done to that engine, the area will remain without power.

“Consequent of this, all of Bartica is without electricity at present.

A team comprising MACORP and GPL personnel is currently working to assess the damage, replace the damaged turbo charger and restore power at earliest,” the power company said.

The power situation in that community - considered a key gateway into logging and mining districts – sparked protests over two days this week after outages that began over two weeks ago.

According to Bharat Dindyal, Chief Executive Officer of GPL, “The current Bartica power plant can only accommodate three generators and that is the number we have there right now. The problems being experienced are being attended to by MACORP and GPL in tandem.”

The power company announced that it is working to install three 2-MW Heavy Fuel

Guilty: Chandrada Rampersaud (Inset) as she left the courtroom Oil-fired power stations at Bartica to help deal with the problems.

SATURDAYEDITION NO HAPPINESS LIVINGINA DIVIDED,BACKWARDAND CORRUPTCOUNTRYGRANGERTELLS CONGRESS The oxymoron ‘bitter sweet’ is what characterized the atmosphere Friday at Congress Place as hundreds gathered for the opening ceremony of the 18th Biennial Delegates’ Congress of the People’s National Congress Reform.

Even though most of the attendees took up seating inside, small pockets of people gathered at different points in the compound conversing on issues relating to the event. But nevertheless, the show went on.

The event is being held under the theme “PNCR For National Unity, Good Governance and Development.”

Aubrey Norton, who is running for party leadership, spent most of his time outside while Sharma Solomon sat inside with the Linden delegation.

Incumbent leader, David Granger delivered his speech in his capacity as is traditional at the event.

The politician centered his address on the dream of Guyana being “one nation” as the motto suggests.

He said that his party remains committed to making the motto a reality, but noted that “We cannot become One Nation if we are divided.”

He told the gathering that his

mission is to lead the PNCR and APNU into the next elections and establish a government of national unity.

Among other things, Granger said that the PNCR will continue the struggle to ensure that Municipal and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils which have been damaged or dismantled by the PPP are restored.

He said that the Party will continue to battle against poverty, to establish working people’s economic independence and to improve their livelihood.

As he pointed out all that is wrong with the country, Granger said that Guyana is definitely in a crisis.

He said that the PPPC’s dismal 21-year record has ensured that Guyana remains an unequal and poor society in which a few people enjoy an extremely high income while most endure an extremely small income. He said that four out of ten Guyanese are classified as poor of which three are considered to be extremely poor. Granger said that Guyana is most definitely a corrupt country. He cited the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2013, which ranked Guyana 136th out of 177 countries – 121 places behind Barbados.

Granger said that growth is hampered by extensive corruption and lack of economic and employment opportunities.

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The Rose-ringed Parakeet From page 41 sustaining population in Ankara, Turkey (concentrated in parks), Tunis, Tunisia, and Tripoli in L i b y a , Te h r a n , I r a n (concentrated in the north side of the city).

It is also found throughout Lebanon, Israel, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman. There are a small number of escaped birds in

Australia.

The European populations became established during the mid to late 20th century from introduced and escaped birds. There are two main population centres in Britain: the largest is based around London.

It has been suggested that feral parrots could endanger populations of native British

birds, and that the Roseringed Parakeet could even be culled as a result.

A major agricultural pest in locations such as India, as of 2011 the Rose-ringed Parakeet population is growing rapidly but is generally limited to urban areas in southern England where their preferred diet of seed, nut, fruits, and berries are available in suburban

gardens and bird feeders.

In the Netherlands, the feral population in the four largest urban areas (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and especially in The Hague) has been estimated at 10,000 birds in 2010, almost double the number of birds estimated in 2004. There also exists a feral population in Belgium, with as many as 5,000 pairs

Sunday July 27, 2014 estimated in Brussels. Other populations are found around Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Lisbon.

The specimens in these naturalized populations often represent intra-specific hybrids, originally between varying numbers – according to locality – of the subspecies manillensis, borealis, and/or (to a lesser extent) krameri along with some inter-specific hybrids with naturalized Psittacula eupatria (Alexandrine Parakeet).

However, in some parts of South Asia – from where the Rose-ringed Parakeets originated – populations of these birds are decreasing due to trapping for the pet trade.

Despite some people's attempts to revive their population by freeing these birds from local markets, the Rose-ringed Parakeet's population has dropped drastically in many areas of the Indian subcontinent.

(Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

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>> Eid Messages <<

From Madame Deolatchmee Ramotar, First Lady I greet with overflowing happiness and embrace with deep affection the members of the Muslim community on Eid Ul Fitr 2014. This occasion officially marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan and cessation of fasting and other acts of abstinence that were voluntarily undertaken by adherents of Islam during the Holy Month.

It is now time to break the fast and in so doing, celebrate the special blessings and spiritual fortitude attained during Ramadan. In this way Eid Ul Fitr represents a joyful celebration of spiritual renewal.

The joyfulness of the celebrations of Eid Ul Fitr is underscored by the acknowledgement that happiness is not a self centered or selfish virtue. It is meant to be shared and shared with others,

particularly those who are poor and in need. Therefore in as much as there is a great deal of festivity associated with Eid- Ul- Fitr the celebrations are tempered by acts of charity.

Guyanese are amongst the most generous people in the world. Our hearts are quickly softened by the sight of those in need. It is therefore my hope that on this Eid Ul Fitr 2014, we will all find a special place in our hearts to remember those who are experiencing difficult and unfortunate circumstances. Let us do all that we can to help them.

I trust that as we all join with our Muslim Brothers and Sisters in celebrating the end of the holy Month that we would all look around and identify someone who is in need and to help that person in whatever way we can. May we all have a happy, blessed and kindhearted Eid- Ul- Fitr!

From the United States embassy The U.S Embassy in Georgetown wishes to extend Eid-ul-Fitr greetings to all Muslims in Guyana and around the world as they mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

We c o n g r a t u l a t e a l l Muslims on their intense devotion, reflection, service and spiritual rejuvenation achieved during the month of Ramadan.

One of the many common bonds between our two countries is respect and appreciation of religious freedom and tolerance. Our countries are comprised of people of all races and religions, and it is that diversity that makes us strong as we address challenges of the 21st century.

As President Obama has said, Eid is part of a great tapestry of America's many traditions As Muslims worldwide recommit themselves to honour their faith by reaching out to the less fortunate through everyday acts of faith, kindness, charity, service, tolerance,

and selflessness, we also encourage all to share in the spirit of Eid and to embrace these values which are so important in cultivating cooperation, promoting c r o s s - c u l t u r a l understanding and sustaining humanity.

It is in that spirit that we hosted an iftar at my residence, and through our Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) we have donated shoes, clothing, and equipment to the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG). The HAP is also working with the CIOG on a medical outreach program in Tuschen, Region Three, in August.

We will continue to reach out to the Islamic community to find ways to improve the lives of all Guyanese people.

During this festive period of renewal, we join in sharing your optimism for a brighter future and we wish you a joyous and blessed Eid ul-Fitr.

Eid Mubarak!

U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Bryan Hunt

Page 57

Cautious GBTI says many miners leaving

-worried over rice dependence on Venezuelan market

GBTI says that the rice industry is too dependent on the Venezuelan market.

One of the country's biggest banks has expressed worry over the poor performance of a number of key industries, including gold.

The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited (GBTI), according to a published statement of its unaudited financial statements for the first half ending June 30, said that the global economic recovery has gradually improved over the past six months and with it, the strengthening of the US dollar.

“The impact of this for us, however, is the loss of gold as a hedge against economic uncertainty because the price of gold remains relatively low on the world market.”

According to GBTI, the current low price of gold comes at a time when the economy has been boosted by record production of gold in the last couple years.

Starting in the second half of 2013 and into 2014, “gold miners found their profits squeezed to the point where many miners exited the sector either permanently or t e m p o r a r i l y, ” s a i d Chairman, Robin Stoby.

Last year, gold prices plunged from a US$1900 high to US$1200, leaving miners in the lurch. Many of them had taken loans or bought equipment on hire purchase.

But it is not gold alone that the bank is jittery about.

“Our sugar sector continues to underperform in the face of numerous challenges and our rice sector continues to be too heavily dependent on the Venezuelan market. The cost of energy remains high and this makes our light manufacturing sector uncompetitive vis-a-vis our Caribbean counterparts.”

GBTI was also critical of the country's governance framework which consists of a minority government that has been unable to pass the much needed AntiMoney Laundering/ Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Legislation.

“As no compromise seems to be forthcoming, this is causing apprehension among the business community,” the bank

disclosed. GBTI said that for the banking sector, the failure to resolve this issue is causing increased delays and difficulties in carrying out international payments on behalf of customers.

“We have continued with our plans for opening branches in unbanked or under-banked areas of our country albeit in a more cost effective way. Our Bartica Branch should be opened in September 2014 and we

have completed the construction of our building in Port Kaituma and now offer our services from there.”

GBTI also said that it has taken a more conservative approach to lending this year. This has seen the rate of growth of its loan portfolio slow down.

The bank was, however able to record an after-taxprofit of $1.1B for the six months.

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 59

Healthy lifestyle changes - a crucial path to preventing heart...

From page 8 in his Diamond, East Bank Demerara, home. Taking care of his health was not merely an option, it was imperative.

While recognising that inserting a stent could help to remove the blockages, Dr Carpen was not too keen on performing such a procedure on the young man. Instead he recommended medications to help dissipate the blockages.

Gangaram has been on medication for the past month and, according to him, the attending Cardiologist is optimistic that the blockages will all be gone within a threemonth period.

But in addition to medication, Gangaram recalled being warned by the Cardiologist to ensure that he spared no effort to ensure that he only consume healthy foods and exercise regularly.

He recalled how the doctor “made it clear to me that if you smoke one or 10 cigarettes the amount of damage that cigarettes do to your body, there is no medication in the world that could cure it...

“Medications can help to ease some of the complications but nothing can fully cure it besides surgery,” Gangaram said that he was told.

As far as possible, the young man, an accountant at Kaieteur News for almost 15 years, has been doing his part to raise awareness about heart disease even as he does

everything within his power to live a more healthy life.

And this is especially crucial, Gangaram said, since preventing heart complications might prove to be economically wise.

Addressing these conditions could require millions of dollars, a cost that many people may not be able to afford.

HEART ATTACK EXPLAINED Heart attack, which is brought on by Acute Coronary Syndrome is characterised by any number of symptoms. Statistics from the local Health Ministry suggest that coronary heart disease is the second leading cause of death as at 2012.

And according to Dr Carpen such complications can fall within the categories of symptomatic (showing symptoms) or asymptomatic, the latter occurring without symptoms that affect quality of life or daily activities.

The Cardiologist said, “If you do angiograms or other invasive studies on the population you will find that the majority of people have some type of coronary disease (the most common form of heart disease) but it does not affect them all.”

The majority of these people, he noted, are subjected to changes that are brought on by high cholesterol, diet and genetic predisposition. However, other factors that can influence coronary artery

disease are diabetes, hypertension and smoking, Dr Carpen said.

“It isn’t every coronary artery disease process that requires major intervention or does it mean that all of these patients will go on to develop heart attacks.”

Symptoms, according to the Cardiologist, can manifest with chronic but stable angina (a pain that comes from the heart) usually prompted by some level of exercise or physical activity. There are however, some people who experience what Dr Carpen described as the “classic chest pain”. And the classic chest pain, he disclosed, has been described as “this tightness or heaviness in the middle of the chest which can sometimes be crushing.”

Although a significant number of patients complain of burning, Dr Carpen explained that there are others who experience what is called the “angina equivalent”.

Persons may also experience palpitations in association with increased sweating, nausea and even vomiting, he added.

PREVENTION And there are a number of risk factors for heart attack, aside from the lack of exercise and diet that are modifiable, according to Dr Carpen. The Cardiologist said that persons can also take control of habits such as

cigarette smoking that can serve to help prevent the health challenge.

Although alcohol consumption doesn’t contribute to coronary heart disease it however has been linked to the development of hypertension which leads to arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).

Added to this, he alluded to the fact that certain ethnicities are more prone to

coronary heart disease and hence this too is not a modifiable risk factor.

He noted that other factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol issues while they can be controlled may not be enough to prevent complications. “Sometimes even with the best control and with everything being on target, you still might have some risk, albeit, not as high

as if these conditions were controlled,” Dr Carpen outlined.

But according to him, although there are personal measures that can be taken to address heart related conditions, there is also a great need for persons to seek early medical attention when they have discomforting symptoms, since early attention could mean the prevention of a fatal complication.

Page 60

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 27, 2014

Jamaica is committed to transparency and accountability, says Security Minister Jamaica Gleaner National Security Minister Peter Bunting has sought to assure that Jamaica is committed to transparency and accountability, and the investigation of all allegations of abuses by the security forces.

In a statement Friday, Bunting stated that Government has taken a number of steps to improve the Jamaica Constabulary Force. He cited as examples the introduction of a revised Use of Force policy within the JCF, and the work of the Anti-Corruption Branch, which investigates allegations of police corruption and misconduct.

The declaration comes after international human rights group, Amnesty International Friday criticised the Government for the lack of information on human rights violations which led to Jamaica’s international partners

withdrawing support to the certain units within the JCF. The suspension came over concerns about extrajudicial killings by members of the security forces.

Eleven cops have been brought before the court by the Independent C o m m i s s i o n o n Investigations as it probes a so-called death squad in Clarendon.

However, the national security minister said it would be highly improper, prejudicial, and an abuse of process to disclose information on matters which are currently being investigated by an independent body, and matters which are before the courts.

Bunting further pointed out that as with any other investigation and enquiry, reports will be released publicly once the work of investigators is complete.

LIFE SPORT MADNESS Trinidad Guardian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has referred the damning report of the Life Sport audit—including alleged fraud, theft, questionable payment and other criminal activities—to the Police Commissioner, Director of Public Prosecutions, Integrity Commission and the head of the Public Service.

Immediately terminating the programme yesterday because of the deep irregularities, PersadBissessar told the Parliament, “For those who really sought to improve their lives and positively benefit from this programme, I am sorry that this had to happen.”She announced, “I have accepted the recommendations of the audit committee and the Attorney General has been instructed to turn the report over to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Commissioner of Police to investigate, detain and prosecute those guilty to the fullest extent of the law.

“Given the fact that the Central Audit Committee has raised the possibility of complicity by ministry officials, the report will be sent to the Integrity Commission and the head of the Public Service for further

investigation, consideration and action.” PersadBissessar delivered a statement on the issue ahead of continuation of debate on an Opposition PNM motion on the controversial programme. The motion sought to censure Sport Minister Anil Roberts for the programme.

Following concerns about alleged criminal infiltration into and irregularities in Life Sport, on May 24 Persad-Bissessar ordered the audit, removing Life Sport from Roberts’ Sport portfolio and placing it u n d e r G a r y G r i ff i t h ’s National Security Ministry.

Both ministers were present for the PM’s statement yesterday. Persad-Bissessar said the report revealed a number of problems.

She said these included procurement breaches, a deviation from the mandates of Cabinet, the involvement of some people in criminal activities, fraud by suppliers, theft of equipment, breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act and poor control and monitoring by ministry officers.

“The Audit Committee also raised questions regarding possible complicity by officers of the m i n i s t r y, g i v e n t h e widespread nature of the breaches,” she added.

Page 62

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 27, 2014

Nepotism, denials and guilt by association

By Ralph Seeram I am interviewing my boss' son or daughter for a position in the organization.

Sure they are qualified for the job, so do the other candidates, but I must remember who signs my paycheck and controls my upward mobility in the organization.

Besides they must have discussed this with daddy before coming for the interview, so if daddy is aware they are applying for the position, he must have some expectations. Besides, who am I to deny the boss' kids a promotion?

Mr. Khurshid Sattaur, Commissioner General of the GRA, wrote a long letter in defence of the GRA employing five of his relatives, three of his children, a nephew and a niece. Mr. Sattaur should have kept quiet instead of delving into a long rambling if not threatening defense justifying the employment of five relatives at the GRA. First of all, NEPOTISM is NEPOTISM. You can't explain it away; call it any other name it is still nepotism. You have five of your relatives working for

you at taxpayers' expense.

That is NEPOTISM. It's not a question of whether they are qualified for the job or not.

In any jurisdiction here in the United States, as a public servant he would have been FIRED. The least sign of impropriety would have been enough to have him fired. He would not have been afforded any space in any newspaper for his foolish defense.

He talks of his children being endangered because their high salary has been exposed. I did not know public servants' salaries paid

by Guyanese taxpayers are supposed to be secret.

Then he delves into veiled threats of legal action and what some may consider implied blackmail.

Part of his letter reads “…if anything detrimental befalls my children… I do not want to reveal anything I know of this Honorable person's WORTH (Joseph Harmon) … (he) can pay any damage the court will be asked to award.”

What arrogance! What he is essentially saying is, “You exposed my children's salaries so they could be attacked by criminals, and if

this happens, as Tax Chief I know from your income tax returns you submitted to my department, I know what you are worth. This is the kind of arrogance that has been emanating from this administration. Sattaur accused Harmon of …choosing to gain political mileage.

When it comes to cheap political mileage, the PPP has a monopoly on it. This week the PPP propaganda machine was busy accusing APNU leader David Granger of associating with criminals, all because at a public forum someone took a photograph of him with a criminal (who was killed in an attempted robbery) in the background.

Talk of “pot calling kettle black”. Now it's guilt by association. So let me see, if I take a picture with Clement Rohee, does that make me dumb and stupid? Taking a picture with Priya Manickchand does not make me ill mannered, uncouth and rude? Taking a picture with Bharrat Jagdeo (incidentally I did) does that make me a cuss down artist.

I suppose if I take a picture with Roger Luncheon, that makes me a master of double speak and subterfuge. What if I take a

picture with Carol Sooba?

Well I am not going there.

Suffice to say I have been told by female admirers that I am a handsome guy. You get the point.

This week also we heard of the opposition pressing for criminal charges against Finance Minister Singh.

There has been back and forth about the interpretation of the constitution giving him the right to spend taxpayers' dollars without Parliamentary approval.

Cutting out all the legalese and adopting a commonsense approach, if you ask parliament to spend money on a project and

Parliament says no, but you still spent it, why bring it to Parliament anyway? What the Finance Minister is saying is he can spend taxpayers' millions or in this case, billions of dollars, which way he wants and to hell with Parliament.

This is the kind of arrogance emanating from this PPP administration. I certainly don't think that was the spirit of the Constitution, giving Singh authority to spend taxpayers' dollars as he liked.

Here again if he was in a US jurisdiction he would have found himself in prison garbs, and he can still face

prison time if the PPP loses power.

There are many in the PPP hoping that the PPP retains power come next election, if not many face prison time for the way they spend taxpayers' money - as if it were their personal fortunes. Then you have Mr. sue me Nandlall running “interference” to the courts to justify this behavior. He might be buying time for these illegalities, but the day of reckoning will surely come.

Ralph Seeram can be reach at email: ralph365@hotmail.com and Facebook.

Ramotar opens Tenth ...

From page 58 my diet. I took time off to taste the cereals and I can tell you, that it was comparable to any rice cereals I have had anywhere in the world.”

This is a new product that can flood the markets in Guyana, earning more foreign exchange for Guyana. Five-minute rice, too, can be made, “for our women-folk or particularly for those employed and do not have to spend hours and hours in the kitchen preparing food. They can do this very, very quickly in using this kind of technology.”

The possibilities, he added, are enormous, “and we are investing in the human capital to create the human skills to manage and to develop these new technologies.”

The housing programme in Guyana has become a model for the Caribbean, President Ramotar said.

During the Heads of Government meeting in Antigua, he said, “the Antiguan Prime Minister has been sending people here to look at the models we have

used to house our people; the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines came here to look at the model that we have so that he can help to solve the housing problems in those societies.”

Housing model and 'obstacles' Guyana has moved from an area where there was “shortage of housing to becoming an example for others in different areas.” But he mentioned the “obstacles” in the way.

President Ramotar talked about the battle in the Parliament with the AntiMoney Laundering Bill, “a deliberate ploy by those who harbour the idea that they can make things bad in our country...and they can make things better for themselves, politically.”

He said that the opposition are prepared to sacrifice the welfare of the ordinary man “in the hope that they can make some political gains and benefits....the same people who took our country which was the most developed country in the Caribbean in

1964 and made it the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere...the same people, who in the 1960's, when they were in the opposition, were promising people free milk and cassava, but destroyed the country in the process.”

He also spoke about the opposition's lack of support for the Speciality Hospital and Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project, as well as the new Cheddi Jagan Airport and the Marriott Hotel.

“Therefore, I want to say to you that these are obstacles, those we, togetheryou and I- that we can overcome-- we need your support; we need your understanding...”

Also delivering remarks were Mr. Jhagroo and Dr. Leslie Chin of Demerara Bank Limited. The event runs until July 28 and over eighty companies are participating.

After declaring the event opened, Ramotar and the other officials began the tour of the booths, among of the first which was the Guyana Sugar Corporation's (GuySuCo).

Sunday July 27, 2014

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

Spares for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 PVC Ceiling Panels (USA Standards), all-purpose joint compound, T h o m p s o n ’s c o n c r e t e water proofer – Tel: 6148564; 639-3675; 680-0862 New American made Wener, aluminum ladder: 17 feet$28,000; 24 feet- $38,000, 32 feet- $55,000 – Tel: 609-7257, 602-5794 View Sonic Projectors & computer monitor - Sizes: 17inches – 27inches (new) – Contact: 623-4919; 646-7768 Need body parts and accessories for Tacoma, Tundra, & Titan? – Contact: Eddie’s Auto Parts : 2272835; 227-5381 Complete door with lock & hinges, panel door, awning windows framing, car rims – Call: 226-3736 Canadian rebuilt Perkins Duetz engine, Lincoln generator welder, model M with winch, 320 excavator – Call: 691-2921 1-Caterpillar 226B skidsteer loader, 1-Caterpillar mini excavator- Contact # 2604988 or 650-0402 One double stall with overhead storage in Stabroek Market – Call: 6197925 (can be inspected) 1 Power PRO Audio System, 2- 1500 Amplifier, 1- 600 Amplifier, Double CD, Mixer, 18" Speakers etc, selling Cheap – Tel:698-7304 Metal Scaffolding with planks – Contact: 332-5426; 603-0000; 628-8008 3 Stalls in La Penitence Market- Can be sold in Single’s, also 1 double door freezer & 2 glass coolers – Contact Ameer: 695-5815

Kaieteur News

FOR SALE Tools, Snapon air compressor, Dewalt & Jack Hammer, Stanley air, computer electrical, Michael Kors bags (original) – Contact: 646-2133; 220-6722 American Bully purely bred pups for sale, razor edge bloodline – Contact Harry: 667-4845 or 220-7933 One stall at Stabroek Market with groceries on 45x26 – two flat concrete house- Tel: 6791151; 629-2381 at La Grange Public Road, W.B.D School and work uniforms @ Roxie’s Fashion, 301 Church Street ( 4 buildings before Bonny’s Supermarket)

Pool table, water tank &pump, table & chairs, freezer, owner leaving country – Contact: 695-4256

Exist for 2 barbers and two hairdressers, must have their own clients- Contact: 6278277 or 669-6110 Experienced Male/Female Bar attendant, experienced Chef/Cook & one domestic @ Cotton Club, lot 44 Public Road Kitty – Tel: 231-1908; 231-1912 Two men to work in poultry farm in the Interior – Contact: 627-6416 Work from home earn $5,000$20,000 daily- Call: 233-6517, jobfairworldwide.com Call 612-3777 & 662-0681 for a mature driver of car, van, lorry & hire cars, between 8hrs & 17hrs.

Maytag 2000 series glass door dryer - $195,000, GE stainless steel glass top electric stoves - $195,000 – Tel: 664-0366; 231-5930

Live in housekeeper to care for infant -35-45yrs old – Tel: 697-8797

Vacancy exists for qualified Grade 9-12 teachers, in Diamond. Send resume to davidsukhdeo@gmail.com

1 Whirlpool fridge –ice maker & water dispenser - $199, 000, 1- 19" Flat Screen TV/PC/ Security monitor led - $42,000 – Tel: 664-0366; 231-5930 Dressed and mill cut lumber: Kabukalli, silverballi, greenheart, crab wood etc – Call: 688-6579 60FT Antenna (Mass) (Cost 1 Million) For Radio, TV, With Cables, Brackets, Sky-light “Make Offer” Accepted 2273939, 621-4000 Garden Earth & builders waste our service also includes Bobcat rental, excavating, clearing & leveling - Call: 616-0617, 6633285 Cheap earth delivered to spot E.C.D, E.B.D, W.B.D - Call: 627-9977, 698-0182 12GPM UV system for sale $240,000, brand new, orzanator available, float sensors– Cell:697-6798

MASSAGE The Gents Spa: Beautiful qualified masseuses, new attendants from Cuba & Trinidad, drinks available – Tel: 657- 5979

LEARN TO DANCE Learn Latin/Oldies Dancing in 1 Day! @ National Park Tarmac, August 3rd, 1:305:30, $2,000 per person – Call: 612-6475; 629-8842

Drivers/salesman and porters. Contact Vegetarian Gardens – 227-7714

Dell/HP computers with 17,” 19"& 20,” LCD screens from $55,000, laptops from $55,000. Contact Future Tech: 231-2206 Yamaha Rigdid, 7125 Watts generator - $299,000, roper (whirlpool) washer - $120,000, Roper dryer- $120,000.

Contact: 664-0366; 231-5930

MERCURY 99.99% PURE ELEMENTALLAB GRADE QUALITY, NOT CHINESE! BEST PRICE! – CALL: 592648-5281 Games for PS2, PS3, XBOX360, WII, consoles also available – Call: 6722566, 265-3231

VACANCY 24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl, office assistant & handyman- Call: 670-8893/684-2838 Front Desk attendant, Hotel attendant & Bell Person Contact Hick’s Ville Hotel Tel: 227-7714

TO LET Bel-Air (Two bedrooms furnished apartment US750), unfurnished two bedrooms apartment @ Campbellville - $70,000 – Contact: 227-2256; 626-9382 1-2 bedroom flat cottage @ Lot 526, 11th Street Paradise Housing Scheme, E.C.D $40,000 monthly & 1 month security – Tel: 614-1723; 6942398 One ranch type house at lot #361 ‘A’ Section Field #12, South Sophia- Contact: 6690008 Two bedroom house top or bottom flat to let at Mc Doom EBD- Tel:233-0044, 682-3988 Furnished and unfurnished two bedrooms apartment & rooms in Eccles, for short or long term – Tel: 690-6494; 225-3234 1 Bedroom with toilet & bath - $25,000 @ Vreed-En-Hoop, 2 Storey 3 bedroom, toilet & bath, fence grill - $55,000 – Tel: 685-7566 TAXI SERVICES GR TAXI: 225-7878; 2271982 or 219-5000

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Page 63

SALON

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad.

Call: 660-5257, 647-1773 Summer Special: Earn a certificate in cosmetology, wig designs or nails alone, limited spaces - Call Abby: 619-7603, 666-5241

2006 Blue Nissan Titan.

Fully Loaded GSS Series.

Contact: 604-6108.

Natural beauty salon & spa: Grove Market Street EBD Tele:265-4138,652-5800 specialized in everything for women.

AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms - Call: 680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash. Also parts available & 30 seater buses; extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154

Two storey concrete house on a corner lot, land 4079.6 Sq.ft @ Christiani Street, North Ruimveldt, G/Town$40M Neg. Contact: 600-0831

First Class Auto: 2006 Premio, 2006 Allion, 2004 Spacio, IST, Axela, Fielder, Rush – Call: 609-8188; 6383045

Property for sale, Double lot at Ruimzeight, W.C.D – Call: 629-1532; 664-7326

New Toyota Noah, 2 Televisions, reverse camera, rims, low mileage – Tel: 6292619, 663-2700. Owner leaving country, best offer accepted.

Toyota AT212, AT192, AT170, L-Touring Wagon, AE110 Corolla, Raum, IST, FunCargo, Yamaha R1 1000cc – Tel: 644-5096; 6971453 Smart Choice Auto Sales: unregistered old & new model Spacio, 212, Voxy, BlueBird – Call: 652-3820/ 665-4529 NZE Fielder Wagon PNN Series - $1.6M negotiable – Tel: 646-8748 1 AE91 PGG Series, good working condition, $325,000 negotiable – Tel:638-1345; 267-1514 Tractor Massey Ferguson (Canada) MF135- $1.3M, MF165-$1.9M, MF265$2.1M, MF285-$2.5M Pickup - $1.7M – Call: 682-5230/ 628-9596

1 – 2storey wooden & Concrete house with 5 bedrooms upper flat & lower flat 4 apartments located@ Shell Road, kitty - $34M – Tel:642-7898 House located @ Republic Gardens - $45M, Atlantic Gardens - $80M, Enterprise $75M. Tel: 223-8479/ 6473768. www.spaceseek.gy House located @ Foulis $75M, Oceanic Ville - $75MTel: 223-8479/ 647-3768. www.spaceseek.gy Houses located @ Nandy Park - $45M, Diamond- $31M & La Parfaite Harmonie $20M. Tel: 223-8479/ 6473768. www.spaceseek.gy Brand new 2 storey house in Republic Gardens - $55M, negotiable – Call: 600-6464 1-2 Storey House &1 Flat house both for $33 Million, prime location, 1-3 storey building with business - $80M – Call: 6864899 or 684-3718 Property @ GoodHope, E.C.D - Tel:621-1722 Section A, 274 Great Diamond, E.B.D, 56’X40’ building on 111’ by 60’ land. $21 Million – Tel: 233-2546, 233-5859 Three Bedrooms, 2 storey house & land, @ Guyhoc Main Road, $15M negotiable – Tel:264-2154 Two storey concrete house (26X45 ft), 4 bedrooms, 3 washrooms, grilled with electronic security @ Granville Park, Beterverwagting- Tel: 6726169 One 2 Storey house & land for sale 25X58 on the West Bank Demerara - $15MContact:622-1782; 658-5803 2 Storey wood & concrete, 3 self-contained apartments, concrete garage, yard, fence @ Shell Road E.B.D – Price negotiable – Tel: 658-5452 LAND FOR SALE One Transported Lot # 2004 Tuschen Housing Scheme.

Tel: 665-8445

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Permanent & Visitors Vi s a Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 2256496, 662-6045 Repairs, sales & spares, air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. Ultra Cool, call: 225-9032,647-2943 Repairs to Fridge, Freezer, AC, Washers, Stoves: Call 683-1312, 627-3206 (Nick) We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar: 2310655,683-8734 Computerise your business or get support for Peachtree, ETC. including payroll, Semitron Business Services semitrongy@outlook.com 227-7950 Repairs to refrigerators, gas stoves, washing machines, A/C units – Call Lindon: 6411086, 694-2202, 227-8907 BrianMoe@642-3543; Computer Technician; FB:Brian.Moe.165; Home and office visits at your comfort!!

2004 Toyota Spacio- Back & front camera, TV/DVD/ CD, unregistered - $2.2M – Tel: 617-2891 Mitsubishi Car EVO 2 magrims, DVD/CD, air brush – Tel: 626-2095.

Mazda Axela Hatchback, mint condition- $2.1M neg.

Tel: 688-1694 Prado Land Cruiser, automatic, PHH series, $6.8M. Tel: 233-2546, 6885554 2010 Toyota Noah, 13,000Km, smart edition, PSS series, $6.8M – Tel: 233-2546, 6885554

CAR RENTAL Dolly’s Car Rental - Call: 225-7126/ 226-3693 dollys autorental@yahoo.com/ www.dolly sautorental.com

Toyota RAV 4 PMM Series, mint condition. Tel: 602-6986

ProgressiveAuto Rental: Cars & SUV for rental- $4,000 & up per day- Call: 643-5122, 219-3900 ,Email:pro_ autorental @yahoo.com Wings Car Rental- Call:6906494/ BBM pin: 24E17558 Aidan’s Car Rental, Canter & Pickup- Call: 698-7807

Toyota Will VS duty free $1.15M negotiable or duty paid $2.3M negotiable, Corolla AE100 Sprinter $725,000 neg. Contact:6563944

1600 CC Toyota Sprinter AE100- Contact:645-0240 or 629-3814

(Continued on page 64)

Page 64

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 27, 2014

Ramroop’s invoices...

(From page 63)

VEHICLE FOR SALE Premio – PPP Series - $2.2M and unregistered - $2.450M, negotiable, Spacio PRR $1.8M – Tel:697-0294; 6049591

WANTED Over edge and straight stitch operator to work at Garment Factory – Call: 2222541 Monday – Friday Salesgirl/boys and porters apply in person, to Avinash Water Street 8:30 to 4:30 Looking for two or three bedroom apartment anywhere in Georgetown – Call: 698-5103 One live in maid must know to cook – Tel: 669-6030 Experienced minibus and hire car drivers also dispatchers, for transportation service Call: 645-0025 Minibus driver to work relief on Sundays, must be living in Georgetown – Tel: 6761286 Husband & Wife to take care of farm land – Tel:623-2728 Any amount of scrap metal to buy – Tel:618-1967; 6232728; 698-4321 or 629-2912 We buy all house lots in La Parafaite Harmonie, Schoonard, Eccles & anywhere else – Tel: 6 75-7292 We buy previously used green heart wood from demolished building in Central Georgetown area – Tel: 653-4797 Handy boys to work live in accommodation and meals are free- Tel:228-5655; 6281756 Lorry drivers to work labour lorry at Enmore Estate – Tel:228-5655; 628-1756

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Recently Renovated 2 bedroom apartment with modern facilities @ Herstelling, must see! – Tel:265-2171; 665-9077 Executive houses & apartments, Queenstown US$1,800, Bel-Air Springs US$2,500, Shamrock Gardens - US$1,800- Tel: 2238479/ 647-3768. www.spaceseek.gy Houses & apartments: One bedroom @ Kitty - $40,000, Bel-Air Park - US$2,500-Tel: 223-8479/ 647-3768. www.spaceseek.gy Houses & Apartments: Durban Backlands US$4,000, Ogle- US$1,200— Tel: 223-8479/ 647-3768. www.spaceseek.gy Three bedrooms bottom flat for rent at Lot 123 Regent Road Bourda – Call: 226-9582 1-2 Storey house with workshop space ( mechanic welding) in Bartica, also 1 land for sale - $11.5M neg.

Contact:685-2707 3 Bedrooms apartment for rent @ Alberttown area - $75,000 monthly- No parking! Two month’s Security – Contact:613-7555; 225-5606

Attractive live in waitresses – Tel: 228-5129 or 604-8277 Furnished and unfurnished Experienced cashiers, apartment/house in healthy counter clerks, roti/puri & safe environment – Call: cooks, kitchen assistant. 698-6496 Apply in person @ Hacks Spacious apartment to rent Halaal, 5 Commerce St. from August 1st, Kitchen, living room, bedroom, toilet & Two salesgirl - $18,000 per bath, cool atmosphere – Call: week, must know to prepare 674-5779 standard rated bills- Call: 223-9677 Lodge apartments Carpenters, Masons, Painters ( V l i s s i n g e n / D u r b a n ) : & apply @ Guyana Variety, Unfurnished, one bedroom Lot 32 Cummings Street $50,000 monthly (for visitors), furnished bachelor Alberttown – Tel: 227-3939 - $500US monthly: 677-9638 Domestic (maid), no cooking One lower flat 3 bedroom salary – (32,000 - $40,000) apartment with carport and monthly .Apply Guyana surrounded by cameras at Variety Store 38 Cummings Section ‘D’ Non Pareil E.C.D St, Albertown.

– Tel: 654-0533 Professional seamstress- One spacious 2 bedroom must be able to measure and bottom flat (unfurnished, cut- Salary: $150,000 per grilled, mesh, parking) in month Roxie’s Fashion: 622- Atlantic Gardens – Contact: 4386 & 696-4397 622-4746; 220-0959. Price: $60,000.gy One handyman/gardener, age:30-50yrs old, preferably Hair Salon and shop for rent living on the E.B.D – in Mon-Repos – Tel:220-7315 or 626-0020 Contact:648-3817

One Toyota Rav4, new model, AC, CD, Chrome rims, PMM Series, excellent condition – Price $2.6M. Tel: 671-0813

FOR RENT Fully furnished 1 & 2 bedroom apartments located in Georgetown, for long & short term rentalContact:692-6306, 610-6101 for more info.

VACANCY Exists for a maid to work Monday- Friday, 9am- 4pm.

Attractive salary offeredCall:226-1324

From page 14 With New GPC alone selected to supply government with drugs to the tune of billions of dollars, there will be no ‘competitive pricing’ but Head of State, Ramotar, said that this is a matter that would have to be sorted when the pre-qualification process is repeated.

That would be three years from now. What this means is that the New GPC will for the next three years sell drugs to VEHICLE FOR SALE

1 Suzuki 4 door car/van (Jeep) Automatic, Fully Powered with A/C, hardly used – Price:$1M Contact Rocky: 621-5902/ 225-1400

Toyota Extra Cab (unregistered) manual (5 speed) fully loaded 4x4 (V6) price $2.9M – Contact:6215902/225-1400

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government at whatever price it chooses.

Ramotar was yesterday asked why the criteria for the selection of suppliers were not amended to ensure that at least two companies were pre-qualified so that there could be competition in pricing. The President responded by saying that with lowering the standards of the criteria, there is a risk attached and pointed to the fact that there is a lot of concern over some types of drugs being supplied.

Ramotar said, “The thing we have to do is encourage broader participation…get more people to apply.”

But on this occasion there were seven applications for prequalification.

Confronted with the fact that at least one company, Ansa McAl, has protested the decision saying that the company has met all of the criteria, the President said that he has observed the concern raised and that the company has a right to appeal.

He said that once the complaint is lodged it will be addressed by the Tender Board.

According to the President, the decision was not made by Cabinet.

“This is purely a technical thing,” according to Ramotar who said that it was an evaluation team at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) which assessed the companies based on the set criteria.

Bartica residents...

From page 13 money collected from the community cannot pay for the electricity provided. But residents are not convinced.

Persaud said no business would continue to operate at a deficit and Bartica is a booming community which the government neglected.

Bartica’s Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford, said that the community has expanded and the GPL generators are too old. They frequently breakdown.

Currently, one engine is operating and according to GPL personnel there is no room for expanding the facility.

Previously, it was decided that a location would be sought for support machinery but residents objected to the area chosen for environmental reasons.

They demanded new equipment since the support machinery was only for a period.

Electricity failure seems to be an epidemic across the country with mining areas such as Mahdia among others, still complaining for energy.

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Healthy lifestyle changes - a crucial path to preventing heart attack

By Sharmain Grainger Although it might have been his father dying from a heart attack last year, coupled with his own health scare that helped to effect lifestyle changes, Jaishema Gangaram is hopeful that his mere words would be enough to prompt a similar change among other young people.

The 35-year-old man since earlier this year has not only adopted an improved diet, but also exercise. Keen avoidance of cigarette smoke and alcohol has become a way of life for him. Gangaram related to me that he is on a mission to ensure, as far as possible, that he does not die prematurely, at least not due to any heart complications.

Although he grew up hearing of persons suffering

and even dying from heart related issues he couldn’t be bothered by such matters.

After all, no one close to him was dealing with such health challenges.

Today he is however convinced that had there been more awareness on heart conditions back in the day his father may have avoided altogether being listed among the heart disease statistics.

Gangaram recalled that his father, a rice farmer, was often too busy in the fields to eat on time. So when he would suffer ‘sticking’ pains to his chest he would easily conclude that it was caused by ‘wind’ accumulated in his stomach. His father knew just the answer for such situations – a concoction, which once swallowed, produced a few

Jaishema Gangaram is fighting any potential heart attack.

CHI’s Resident Cardiologist, Dr Mahendra Carpen explains the functions of the heart. belches after which the discomfort was eased to a point that his father believed that it was completely addressed. This was a regular challenge Gangaram’s father faced.

But little did his father know that his arteries were gradually being blocked. He would however learn this until he was in his mid-fifties. By this time he had several blockages, an enlarged heart and diabetes was in full effect.

All this was uncovered when Gangaram’s father

became severely ill and was forced to seek medical attention. He was diagnosed with advanced coronary heart disease about five years ago.

His diet was seen as a primary reason for his condition. There was hardly anything that could have been done locally to remedy his too many complications.

By last October he succumbed to his ailment at the age of 62.

According to Gangaram his father’s death was certainly not in vain. This was in spite of the fact that the pre-condition of his father’s demise hadn’t immediately registered to him.

It was a few months after his father ’s death that Gangaram started to experience some ‘sticking’

chest pains, similar to what his father had experienced.

He recalled that he had suffered identical pains about a year prior but hadn’t worried too much about them then.

Not wanting to again take the discomfort for granted, Gangaram decided to visit a doctor, a pastime that was not easily embraced by the men in his family. At a private hospital he underwent a number of tests including an echocardiogram which is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart.

There was nothing glaringly wrong with Gangaram’s heart and so he was more than reluctant when he was asked to undergo an angiogram which allows the inside of the heart

to be examined.

“I refused to do the angiogram because I just started thinking this was a waste of money...They were not finding anything wrong with me and yet they wanted to do more things.”

In addition to the ‘sticking’ pain that seem to run from his chest to his back, he started to experience numbness to his feet and even face.

Gangaram eventually made the decision to visit the same doctor who had diagnosed his father with heart disease. What the doctor found prompted him to refer the young man immediately to the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) for further advanced cardiac attention by Resident Cardiologist, Dr Mahendra Carpen.

At CHI, which is situated in the compound of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Gangaram was again required to undergo an echocardiogram which was able to pick up consistent irregular heartbeats, suggesting that something was amiss. An angiogram was again recommended.

“I ended up doing the angiogram and it was proven that there were two (arteries) blockages.”

By this time he was a husband and father of two, and the primary breadwinner (Continued on page 59)

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Russia criticizes EU sanctions, raps U.S. over Ukraine role Reuters) - Russia reacted angrily on Saturday to additional sanctions imposed by the European Union over Moscow’s role in the Ukraine crisis, saying they would hamper cooperation on security issues and undermine the fight against terrorism and organized crime.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry also accused the United States, which has already imposed its own sanctions against Moscow, of contributing to the conflict in Ukraine through its support for the pro-Western government in Kiev.

The 28-nation EU reached an outline agreement on Friday to impose the first economic sanctions on Russia over its behavior in Ukraine but scaled back their scope to exclude technology for the crucial gas sector.

The EU also imposed travel bans and asset freezes on the chiefs of Russia’s FSB security service and foreign intelligence service and a number of other top Russian officials, saying they had helped shape Russian government policy that threatened Ukraine’s sovereignty and national integrity.

“The additional sanction list is direct evidence that the EU countries have set a course for fully scaling down cooperation with Russia over the issues of international and regional security,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “(This) includes the fight against the proliferation of weapon of mass destruction, terrorism, organized crime and other new challenges and dangers.”

The EU had already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on dozens of senior Russian officials over Russia’s annexation in March of Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and its support for separatists battling Kiev’s forces in eastern Ukraine.

The decision to move toward targeting sectors of Russia’s economy came after last week’s downing of a Malaysian MH17 airliner, killing 298 people, in an area of eastern Ukraine held by the Russian-backed separatists.

The United States and other Western countries accuse the separatists of downing the plane with a surface-to-air missile supplied

by Russia. The separatists deny shooting down the plane and Russia says it has provided no such weapons.

Moscow has suggested

Kiev’s forces are to blame for the crash.

On Saturday, Britain’s Foreign Office accused Russia of making “contradictory, mutually exclusive claims” in blaming Ukraine for the tragedy and said it was “highly likely” the separatists had brought it down with a Russiansupplied missile.

“SLANDER CAMPAIGN” In a second statement on Saturday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Washington shared responsibility for the crisis.

“The United States continues to push Kiev into the forceful repression of (Ukraine’s) Russian-speaking population’s discontent.

There is one conclusion - the Obama administration has some responsibility both for the internal conflict in Ukraine and its severe consequences,” the ministry said. Foreign Minister FrankWalter Steinmeier of Germany, Europe’s largest economy which also has strong trade ties with Russia, spoke out strongly in favor of the new EU sanctions against Moscow in an interview published on Saturday.

“After the death of 300 innocent people in the MH17 crash and the disrespectful roaming around the crash site of marauding soldiers, the behavior of Russia leaves us no other choice.” he told Germany’s Sueddeutsche

Zeitung newspaper.

“We remain true to our course: cleverly calibrated and mutually agreed measures to raise the pressure and toward a willingness to have serious talks with Russia,” he said in the interview, conducted on Friday.

German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel told the Spiegel weekly in comments due to be published on Sunday that the sanctions should above all hit Russia’s oligarchs, arguing that the country’s political system rested on them. “We must freeze their (bank) accounts in European capitals and deny them the ability to travel,” Gabriel said.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he would hold talks in the Netherlands next Wednesday with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte on how to secure full access for international investigators to the site of the plane crash.

“This will require the cooperation of those in control of the crash site and the Ukrainian armed forces,” he said.

The separatists remain in control of the area where the plane came down. A total of 193 Dutch nationals and 43 Malaysians were among the victims aboard MH-17, which had been flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Venezuela ex-general awaits U.S. extradition bid in Aruba jail Reuters) - A retired Venezuelan general wanted in the United States over drugtrafficking accusations remained in jail on the Caribbean island of Aruba over the weekend awaiting a formal extradition request, his lawyer said on Saturday.

Hugo Carvajal, head of military intelligence from 2004 to 2008 during the presidency of the late Hugo Chavez, was arrested on Wednesday after flying to the semiautonomous island that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Venezuela’s socialist government is calling the detention of Carvajal at Washington’s behest an illegal “kidnapping” and has threatened reprisals if he is not released. Critics say the case could lift the lid on what opposition politicians allege are years of official

connivance in the illegal drug trade and aid to Colombian guerrillas.

The U.S. government put Carvajal on a blacklist in 2008, accusing him of protecting cocaine shipments from seizure by Venezuela anti-narcotics authorities and providing weapons and shelter to Colombia’s FARC rebels on the border. An Aruba court on Friday rejected a claim of diplomatic immunity by Carvajal, whose nomination to the post of consul on the island had not been accepted

by Dutch authorities, media in Venezuela and Aruba said.

“He has been moved to prison and extra security has been placed there,” his lawyer, Chris Lejuez, told Reuters by telephone from the island just off Venezuela’s coast. “The United States has 60 days to present its case for extradition.”

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“Representation, Intellectual Property and Nationality!”

Last Sunday, for German Formula 1 Grand Prix at Hockenheim, Nico Rosberg, born in Germany to former Formula 1 World Champion Keke ‘Flying Finn’ Rosberg, planned to wear a helmet depicting FIFA’s World Cup Trophy.

Here was a German, driving his “home” car, a super-fast Mercedes, in his “home” Grand Prix, trying to celebrate his foot-balling compatriots’ victory in Brazil.

What is wrong with this picture? It is illegal, known as “Ambush Marketing”!

Expectedly, referencing Intellectual Property Laws, FIFA screamed loudly that Rosberg must not use “their” property, a picture of “their”

World Cup on his helmet, unless he wanted to break laws, though he could, and did, use indicative four stars, for Germany’s four World Cup wins, and German flag.

Knowing fines from lawsuits, though he could afford them, Nico Rosberg preferred less stress, removing the World Cup pictures from his helmet. Ironically, he won the race!

What would have happened if Brazilian Football Confederation; CBF; seeing gazillions worldwide wearing that yellow shirt at World Cup 2014, with numbers, names and logos, were to decree that “Brazil” shirts were “their” Intellectual Property and could not be so worn? Papa!

But long gone are days when anyone can use anything, in sports, with any logo or brand-name they see fit, to denote whatever they like!

T&T’s Minister of Sport Anil Roberts’ position, logic and reasoning are correct; that Caribbean Premier League’s “Red Steel” should not, legally, use “Trinidad & Tobago” in its name, as that moniker is unique and reserved, at least nowadays, for Trinidad & Tobago’s indigenous representative teams. What is the difference between “T&T Red Steel” and “T&T Red Force?”

Easy! The latter was composed only of indigenous T&T personnel,

Sunday July 27, 2014 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): Uptight is the word for today, Aries. At some point you might find yourself the center of attention. While you normally might not mind, now it could make you a bit nervous. ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): You're likely to want to be left alone with your own thoughts today. Relaxing with a good book might be at the top of your agenda, Taurus, and you aren't liable to want to be interrupted. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Worries over money could have you edgier than usual, Gemini. While you may be doing well, you still could be insecure and think your funds might not stretch far enough. Try to consider the situation objectively. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): You probably crave solitude, Cancer. Even though you may have committed to attending a party or two, now you find the idea irritating. ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Although you're normally a sociable person who feels most comfortable in the company of others, Leo, today you might rather be alone.

You could feel a little under the weather or be stressed from job-related worries. ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept.

22): You tend to enjoy solitude, Virgo, and today you might feel more reclusive than usual. You could be invited to go out with friends but not feel like accepting.

You might even feel a little irritated by them.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Today there might be tension in the air with no discernible cause, Libra. Family members could seem preoccupied with problems they can't quite define. Your natural inclination might be to try to cheer them up, but it probably won't work. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 Nov. 21): You could get some mysterious phone calls today, Scorpio, like wrong numbers or hang-ups. ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): Confusion over money matters might come up for you today, Sagittarius.

You may need to check your records in order to shed light on some past transactions.

Don't panic. .********************* CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 Jan. 19): Someone close to you might seem more preoccupied than usual, Capricorn, and perhaps a bit difficult to deal with. Don't take this personally. It has little if anything to do with you. He or she doesn't want to share their troubles. ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 Feb. 18): Today you might be feeling a bit tense, Aquarius, and you probably won't understand why. The secret? ********************* PISCES (Feb. 19 March 20): You probably aren't going to feel much like socializing today, Pisces, though friends might want you to go out. Your patience has worn a bit thin and you could get annoyed at incidents that normally wouldn't bother you.

but according to some, the two teams are the same! Eh? What?

BTW, is “T&T” copyrighted?

Dwayne Bravo, same guy batting in 2013 when WI screwed up Champions Trophy’s effort v South Africa for a semi-final place, by misunderstanding obvious Duckworth-Lewis notations, is definitely T&T’s property, but there was nothing intellectual or intelligent about his imbecilic response to the Minister!

Also, per geographic and demographic Caribbean, WICB has, thankfully, correctly dis-approved Director of Cricket Richard Pybus’ proposed dissection of regional teams; “player transfers.”

Clearly, Pybus is ignorant of the fact that West Indies is made up of absolutely independent, singular nations; countries; not counties like Middlesex, from which, as Coach, he quit in 2006, after authoritatively managing Middlesex’s demotion into 2nd Division in English County Cricket!

Do these folks know nothing else anything except maybe cricket? Eons ago, while preparing for WI Under19 1971 Tournament, Berkley Gaskin, late Guyana and WI cricketer, former WI manager, asked one of Guyana’s team, not me, as to how he came to be wearing a West Indies cap.

“Did you earn that cap, young man?” asked Gaskin.

Ambitious, nonplussed and embarrassed, my team-mate removed it immediately!

If Berkley Gaskin was alive today, he would probably die of shock on seeing truck drivers, stevedores, garbagefolks, maxi-taxi operators all wearing WI-logoed paraphernalia everywhere!

Sir Wes Hall, as Barbadian as “Cockspur Rum”, coaching in Trinidad & Tobago late 1960’s, Rohan Kanhai, coaching there too, and David Holford, attending University of West Indies (St. Augustine), all represented T&T in regional 1st-class, four-day matches.

Super-imposing then to now, I could have ended up in jail, as my warm-up shoes, not those special ones used for proper games; “Whitings” from Australia or “Masons” from UK; but my warmuppers, were by “Adidas,” while my fitted t-shirts; no uniformed track-suits then; were by “Nike” and “Le Coq Sportif”! I could even have cheated, like some international batsmen continue to do, by taking better, sometimes hand-made bats from specific bat-makers, removing those bat-makers’

logos, brands and stickers, then replacing them with logos, brands and stickers of companies that the players are contracted to!

Why bother so much, since showing off the World Cup on a helmet or using “Trinidad & Tobago” for teams must help with event or country recognition, right?

This is a two-edged sword! Name recognition, even if illegal, is priceless, remembering that mantra: “All publicity, even if bad, is good!” But sport is no longer games, just big business and branding!

Do you recall the deafening silence when telecommunications giant “Digicel” replaced parallel company “Cable & Wireless” in sponsoring WI series?

Neither wanted to even hear the other’s name!

These days, by the Minister’s description, Sir Wes would never have played for T&T, as Sir Wes never had a T&T passport, his ‘qualification’ being only that he had lived there for three months!

I did not have a T&T

Colin E. H. Croft says: passport either when late captain Michael “Joey” Carew propositioned me to play in T&T’s 1975/6 team while I was studying navigation there!

If Guyana, Barbados, St. Lucia etc. allow their countries’ names to be used in CPL team names, all well and good, up to them, probably useful too, but they do defy Intellectual Property Laws, whatever anyone thinks.

What is the big thing anyway? This is the world of the Caribbean. No-one really cares about anything, while anyone can do anything without remorse. Just ask the police in any Caribbean country! Enjoy!

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Sunday July 27, 2014

Guyana Amazon Warriors win another Horseracing Authority confirms last over thriller as Beaton on target Goring’s sacking at recent meeting The Guyana Amazon Warriors took it to the death yet again as Ronsford Beaton got it right this time around with a superb last over with the Barbados Tridents needing 9 runs for victory in that over at the Kensington oval in Barbados yesterday.

Beaton, who’s inexperience saw Darren Bravo hitting him for six off the last ball to hand the Trinidad Red Steel a sensational victory on Thursday last, made amends as he choked century maker Dwayne Smith and Jonathan Carter in the end as the over yielded only four runs chasing 11 and the Warriors took a 7 run victory and moved back to the second spot in the points table.

Chasing 174 for victory,

the Tridents looked well set to win this game at one point but were restrained in the last three overs by excellent bowling by the Warriors led

by Beaton.

Smith, 104 not out, and Shoaib Malik 50, looked set to take the Tridents home, but after Malik was run out by Lendl Simmons for his 39-ball half century and Beaton bowled Kieron Pollard for a duck, then he (Beaton) ran out Jeevan Mendis for 1 at 158 for 4 in the 18th over bowled by him, it was anybody’s game.

Kishmar Santokie bowled the 19th over and it yielded 5 runs and it was down to the last with 11 to get and Beaton to bowl. Four runs came from the over as Beaton bowled full including a few Yorkers and the Warriors bench were

on their feet after the penultimate ball was a dot ball with 8 runs needed for the win.

The Guyana side had earlier scored a competitive 173 for 5 after looking like they were going to go over or near 200. But the loss of Simmons for a 40-ball 64 (5x4, 4x6) and a few quick wickets pegged them back. Martin Guptill 55 not out and Mohammad Hafeez 30 off 10 brought back the score on track. Smith was named manof-the-match for his century, but the man of the moment was Ronsford Beaton for that excellent last over.

Scores: Amazon Warriors 173 for 5 (20 overs) Simmons 64, Guptill 55* beat Barbados Tridents 166 for 4 (20 overs) Smith 104*, Malik 50 by 7 runs.

Regional U-19 three-day tournament

Baldeo (4-29), spins Guyana to 1st day honours against W/Wards

By Sean Devers Guyana were 44 without loss from 11 overs replying to the 139 made by the Windward Islands when play on the truncated opening day of their second round Regional under-19 threeday was halted due to bad light at 17:41 hrs at Everest yesterday.

The West Indies under-19 pair of left-handers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shemron Hetymer, both First-Class players, build a solid foundation with positive stroke-play in fading light with the explosive Hetymer rattling off three brutal boundaries before the more watchful Chanderpaul, got going with a fluent back foot punch off pacer Sherman Lewis through cover for four and followed it up with an effortless push back past the ankles of a bemused Lewis for another four.

By the close Hetymer was unbeaten on 26 and Chanderpaul, the son of the region’s most capped Test player Shiv Chanderpaul, on 17.

Earlier, the off-spin pair of Balchand Baldeo (4-29) and Sharaz Ramcharran (2-23) had conspired to share six wickets between them as only Ryan John with 27 reached 25 for the Windwards.

On a morning blessed with

glorious sunshine the contest did not start until after lunch due a damp spot inside the 30-yard area and the unavailability of lunch.

This was no fault of the catering service contracted since they were told that lunch would be taken at noon and no official contacted them to inform of the time change.

When play finally got on the way with a strong breeze from the Atlantic Ocean sweeping across the ground, Guyana won the toss and asked the Windwards to bat on a straw colored track which offered early turn for the spinners.

By Tea, a combination of good bowling and a couple of injudicious shots resulted in six wickets tumbling in the session and 103 runs being scored in 150 minutes on the heavy outfield.

Vincentian Gidron Pope, the cousin of ex-Windwards Keeper Uzza Pope added 27 with Melvin Gordon before Baldeo removed both openers to leave the score on 32-2. Both batsmen wasted good starts with Pope making 13 and Gordon getting to 14 before the off-spinner struck a double blow.

Tonis Simon (2) cut a ball that bounced to point off Ramcharran

without addition to the score before Skipper Roland Cato and his deputy Kershaskie Jno Lewis brought up the 50 for the Islanders.

However, the Grenadian pair was soon separated when legspinner Steven Sankar induced Jno Lewis (12) to edge a catch to wicketkeeper Kemol Savory at 55-4. Cato, one of five players back from last year’s tournament in St Kitts, soon departed eight runs later when he was removed by off-spinner Daimon Waldron as the Windwards slipped to 635.

Wicketkeeper, Grenadian Anson Latchman and John joined forces to stage a recovery with a sensible 40-run sixth wicket stand to take their team to 103 before Baldeo had Latchman (22) caught behind, minutes before the break.

In the final session John was removed by Baldeo for a solid 27 at 116-7, while Sherman Lewis was run out for 15 at 138-9 and Kemo Paul clean bowled last man Craig Phillip for a duck to end the innings at 16:41 hrs before Chanderpaul and Hetymer completed a good day at the office for the South Americans.

Today is the second day and play is scheduled to commence at 09:30 hrs to make up for the time lost yesterday.

Leewards rout Jamaica on...

From page 73 seemed set for a huge score, he nicked one behind from Louis. Louis then uprooted the stumps of Parchment leaving the Jamaicans tottering at 83-5.

Mansingh played with a straight bat and added 33 for the sixth wicket with Ramaal Lewis (07), but threw his wicket

away, hitting a full toss from Martina to mid wicket. The rest of the batting failed to offer support as Therone Bussee and Mrinal Wadwha backed up with a wicket apiece.

In reply Leewards were 5-0 after facing four overs when bad light stop play at 17:37hrs with West and Powell on two each.

In a release from President of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA), Vic Oditt, it was informed that the organisation concluded its adjourned meeting on July 13, 2014, with a quorum present.

The following motions were approved: 1.

The suspension of the Secretary, Ms Z. Goring and the appointment of Mr C. Ramnauth as Secretary (ag) until the next AGM, were

ratified. 2. The decision by the previous executive that the GHRA must grant approval for race meetings to be run off before the Guyana Police Force and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant permissions to Clubs is rescinded with immediate effect, since it is not the role of GHRA to limit race meetings, but to encourage more race meetings.

3.

The Deed of Registration of GHRA is to be reviewed by two (2) learned attorneys, who will propose amendments for the inclusion of representatives of all stakeholders (clubs, owners, trainers, jockeys and grooms) as full members of GHRA. 4. GHRA to set up an official Facebook page. The next executive meeting is scheduled for August 16, 2014 at Bush Lot United Turf Club.

Red Steel hand Tallawahs first loss ESPNcricinfo - Opening batsman Evin Lewis’ belligerent assault paved the way for a 13-run win for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel over the Jamaica Tallawahs at a vibrant Queen’s Park Oval yesterday. Lewis’ 72 off 43 balls left the Tallawahs stunned in the field and resulted in their first loss on the season while the Red Steel moved past the Tallawahs on the CPL points table with their fourth win of CPL 2014.

After Chris Gayle won the toss and elected to field first, Kevin O’Brien got the Red Steel innings off to a brisk start with three fours and two sixes to bring the Red Steel to 40 for 0 after four overs. Andre Russell pulled things back in the field for the Tallawahs with a double-strike in the sixth over, cleaning up O’Brien for 32 with a yorker before dismissing Ross Taylor first ball courtesy of a well-timed leaping effort by Rusty Theron at mid-off that resulted in a one-handed catch to make it 45 for 2.

After eight overs, Lewis had yet to hit a boundary and sat on 8 off 20 balls but erupted in the ninth, targeting Gayle’s offspin for two fours and a six. Gayle remained in the crosshairs to start the 11th when Lewis launched him for back-toback sixes over long-off. The captain replaced himself with Vettori to start the 13th for some left-arm spin but the result wasn’t much different with Lewis tonking three sixes in the over, two playing with the

Evin Lewis struck eight sixes in his 72 for the Red Steel © LatinContent/Getty Images turn over midwicket followed by another back over Vettori’s head.

Theron eventually claimed Lewis in the 15th but not before he had hit eight of the Red Steel’s 15 sixes. Three more came in the final over from Dwayne Bravo and Jason Scantlebury-Searles to boost Red Steel’s total to 183 for 5.

The Tallawahs got off to a methodical start in the chase with Gayle’s half-century anchoring the innings. They comfortably reached the

halfway mark at 82 for 1 but a few overs later O’Brien’s spell turned the match back in the Red Steel’s favor. He struck four balls after his arrival in the 12th over, inducing a skied chance to cover to remove Jermaine Blackwood for 28.

After Gayle smashed O’Brien over extra cover for six two balls into the 15th, he tried repeating the shot but a miscued drive was claimed by Taylor a yard inside the boundary. Adam Voges crossed to get on strike for the following delivery but quickly joined Gayle in the pavilion when he produced a leading edge back to O’Brien to leave the score 121 for 4 after 15.

O’Brien pushed Lewis out of the way for the Man-of-the-Match award by trapping Owais Shah on the back foot with an offcutter at the start of the 17th and finished with figures of 4 for 22 in three overs.

The Tallawahs entered the final over needing 33 to win and Carlton Baugh was run out trying to steal a bye off the first ball to mathematically clinch the win for the Red Steel. Russell smacked sixes off the final three balls of the match to make the result appear more flattering for the Tallawahs but the day was dominated by the Red Steel behind Lewis and O’Brien’s impressive performances.

Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel 183 for 5 (Lewis 72, Russell 2-23) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 170 for 6 (Gayle 60, O’Brien 4-22) by 13 runs.

Regional U-19 three-day cricket

T&T fight back after Williams snatch 7-61 Barbados wasted a fantastic effort from Chad Williams, who captured 761 to be trailing by 178 with six first innings wickets standing when the opening day of their second round Regional under-19 threeday against Trinidad & Tobago ended yesterday at

the National Stadium at Providence.

When bails were lifted the Bajans were wobbling on the ropes at 21- 4 r e p l y i n g T & T ’s 1 9 9 having already lost Lee Germon Gaskin, Dikembe Wi l s o n and Akil Greenidge for ducks to be three wickets for no run before Anderson Phillip removed Jafari Toppin for

four as opening bowlers Phillip and Justin Joseph put the lads from the Twin Island Republic in charge on an easy paced track.

Earlier, fine 79 from Te v i n J a d o o , 3 6 f r o m Jemeel Maniram, 23 from Brandon Jaggernauth and 22 from Brian Christmas had led T&T’s fight with the bat as Chad Williams had figures of 25.2-7-61-7.

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 71 Captain of the Waramadong team, Gerald Isaacs and his men engage the media in discussions following their victory

Digicel Secondary School Football Championships

Waramadong survive scare to clinch victory on penalties over Beterverwagting

By Michael Benjamin A grueling tussle between Beterverwagting Secondary School (BSS) and their counterparts from Waramadong (WSS) for a spot in the finals of the Digicel Schools’ Football Championships scheduled for the Providence Stadium, August 3 next, went all the way down to penalty kicks before the latter education institution prevailed when one of two semi-finals encounter concluded at the Beterverwagting Community Centre Ground Friday afternoon.

The teams battled for all of ninety minutes during which time Waramadong Secondary netted through Deon Rodrigues (19th) and Uriah King (72nd), while BSS rebounded with two late strikes off the boots of Paul Kingston (75th) and Okema Hoppie (83rd) that equalized the situation and forced the two teams into a penalty shootout where the WSS prevailed 4-3.

WSS will now go on to play defending champions, Wi s m a r / C h r i s t i a n b u r g Multilateral after that team prevailed in the other semifinal encounter played simultaneously at the Burnham Park, New Amsterdam.

W S S s t a r t e d aggressively with their strike force of Donovan Francis and Shane Luckie sending in two power shots, but one went wide while the BSS custodian scooped up the other.

Indeed WSS started as the favourites but their opponents remained unfazed and matched their aggression with several raids to the Waramadong goal.

WSS received a golden opportunity to surge ahead after the BSS custodian was drawn out of his comfort zone to hold on to a loose ball. The ensuing kick by star striker, Miles Alberts sped past the goalie but slammed

into the goalpost and allowed the BSS custodian to save some face. Deon Rodrigues made amends shortly afterwards when he latched on to a rebound from a free kick to send his team into the ascendency.

The Waramadong boys displayed acute ball distribution skills but while they faltered somewhat in this department, the BSS unit demonstrated staunch tenacity that kept their opponents busy and restricted the halftime score to just one goal.

The BSS started the second session in urgency and Phillip Liverpool collected a pass on the right flank and astutely steered the ball to the opposition’s goal before sending in a powerful right foot kick which was a mite misjudged and sped down the left side of the goalpost.

The Beterverwagting team made another raid just afterwards but the WSS goalie and captain, Gerald Isaacs, averted a possible goal after advancing and grabbing hold of the ball.

Thereafter, the battle for possession took a different twist with the Waramadong team demonstrating acute skills while the BSS unit displayed matching determination.

Waramadong’s second success came from a wonderful header by King from a free kick at a sharp angle of the BSS goal.

Three minutes later Kingston narrowed the lead for the BSS after his team was awarded an indirect free kick, taken very near to the penalty spot. Inspired by the goal, the BSS players upped the ante and Okema Hoppie’s effort moments before the final whistle zipped past the Waramadong goalie to equalize the situation and send the two teams to a penalty shootout where Waramadong prevailed.

Agricola and Herstelling...

From page 73 scheduled during the week.

Meanwhile, the Stag Beer senior League will resume today at the same venue with a double header. Diamond United will open against Timehri Panthers with the feature attraction which is anticipated to be a thriller, between Agricola Red Triangle and Grove Hi Tech.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 27, 2014

Fireworks anticipate at Port Mourant Turf Club today With all systems in place for the long awaited Champion of Champion horserace meet set for today at the Port Mourant Turf Club, Corentyne Berbice an explosive day of racing is anticipated. The

meet is organized by the PMTC in collaboration with Horse Owners in Guyana has so far seen over 85 entries.

Seven races are listed for the day and over $7M in cash and other incentives are up

for grabs. The venue and track is in good condition and most of the top horses in the country have entered to participate.

Meanwhile, more sponsors have come on board

with the latest being businessman Mohammed Rahim he joins others that include Beverage Giants Banks DIH Limited, Inshan Bacchus Business Enterprise and Trucking Service,

Digicel, Jumbo Jet, Romell Jagroop, Toolsie Persaud, Buffalo Energy Drink, Chris Jagdeo Construction and Taljit Depot among others.

The feature D and lower event with a first prize of $1M

and trophy over one mile had seen the addition of the newly imported Fashion For Long of The Jumbo Jet stale being added to the already impressive lineup of horses schedule to race for the lucrative prize. Among the others set to go are Red and L o v e l y, G o t t o G o , Milwaukee Bliss, Do Nut Prince, Jack Is My Style, Young Elite and Africanist.

The rest of the programme with some of the horses entered to participate are -The event for 3yrs old Guyana and West Indies Bred horses maiden horses for a winning take of $500,000 over 1500M; Unsettled, Release The Beast, Today Is MY Day, Royal Empire, Quiet Dancer, Time to Dance and Settling Jet are in the running. The E3 and lower event with a first prize of $500,000 and trophy over 1200M will see the likes of Princess Alisha, The Message, Home Bush Baby, It’s MY Turn, Mission King, Captain Crook, Fresh Again and Right To Rule battling.

The G1 and lower event has a full list of entries that included Traditional man, Rosetta, Battle Hymn, Bridal Stone Corner, Another Jet, Joyful Victory, Feels Like Gold, Quiet Storm, She SO special, Isabella, War Craft, and Marathon Man, . The winner will take away $400,000 and trophy over 1200M. Two year old Guyana and West Indies Bred horses have It’s My Choice, Strom Bird, Keep on Singing, Danger in the Park and Midnight Blue competing for a $300,000 first prize over 1000M. Famous Pride, Affinity, I want Revenge, De Gump, Mary Ann and I Got Another, are among those entered in the ‘I’ and lower 1200M race for the winning pocket of $250,000 and trophy.

The J1 and lower event has the likes of Prince Bayaya, Royal Intention, Little McGyver, Quincy, Silver Kid, Prxie Fire among others racing for a winning prize of $200,000 and trophy over 1200M. Outstanding individual performers including top Jockey, trainer and stable will be presented with trophies compliments of the organisers.

The races will be run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA).

Contact can be made with Mohammed Shariff on 611-0684, Chanu Ramkissoon- 6249063, or Kris Jagdeo (624-6123; 3220369), Rajendra Jagdeo 6187278 and Ramnauth 3375311 for any additional details. (Samuel Whyte)

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Gregory Gaskin Memorial Berbice Sports Awards

Vijai Rahim and Shemaine Campbelle are the best

Awardees poses with officials of Sentinel Security Company following the presentation.

National and Regional Powerlifting champion Vijai Rahim and West Indies Female cricketer Shemaine Campbelle were named Berbice male and female Sports Persons when the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) hosted the 2nd Annual Gregory Gaskin Memorial Berbice Sports Awards at the St. Francis Training Centre on Thursday last.

The Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) received the Sports Association of the Year accolade, while Cycling Coach Randolph Roberts copped the prestigious Sport Personality of the Year prize.

Mr. Chris Thompson, Sentinel Director of operations, informed the large gathering that his company was pleased to partner with the successful RHTY&SC to honour the late Gregory Gaskin, who was the CEO of Cops Security Ltd. Gaskin, the son of late West Indies Test player Bertley

Gaskin and the late Minister of Education Winifred Gaskin, was a strong believer in sports and a practicing motor bike racer.

Thompson stated that Mrs. Noreen Gaskin, widow of the late Gregory Gaskin is also a strong believer in sports which can be used as an avenue to keep youths off the road. She expressed the hope that the Berbice Sports Award would become the top awards in Guyana. Secretary/CEO of the RHTY&SC Hilbert Foster stated that the main aims of the Gregory Gaskin Memorial Award are to recognize and honour outstanding Berbicians who performed well in sports during the calendar year; to promote sports as a safe avenue for youths and to identify positive role models for youths to emulate.

Foster, the 2011 National Sport Personality Awardee, urged the awardees to maintain the high standard they have set

themselves and to be positive role models to every youth in Berbice as the Ancient County needs its youths to be molded correctly.

He expressed gratitude to Mrs. Noreen Gaskin and the Management of Sentinel Security for their sponsorship of the awards.

Rahim, in 2013 copped Bronze, Silver and Gold medals while representing Guyana overseas and was named best lifter at the National Powerlifting Championship held in November 2013. Campbelle, in 2013 became the first Guyanese Female Cricketer to score an international century and was also named National Sportswoman for 2013 by the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Flying Ace Cycle Club Coach, Randolph Roberts organised numerous cycling events in 2013 while keeping the sport at a high and competitive level in Berbice.

The Berbice Volleyball

Association had a highly successful 2013 with the hosting of several tournaments at all levels whilst also organizing numerous developmental programmes to promote the game in the County.

President of the BVA Gregory Rambarran praised the RHTY&SC for its foresight of hosting the awards and pledged on behalf of the awardees that they will uphold their standards and keep the flag of Berbice flying high in the future.

Each of the awardees received a plaque, medal and trophy along with a collection of gifts from the club.

The awards programme was organised by the cricket teams of the RHTY&SC: Farfan and Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under19 and Intermediate, Metro Female and Gizmos and Gadgets Under-21 and First Division.

Leewards rout Jamaica on day one

By Zaheer Mohamed Led by steady bowling from skipper Jeremiah Louis (3-18), Shaquille Martina (328) and Colin Archibald (2-24) Leeward Islands bowled out Jamaica for 117 in 38.4 overs when their second round game of the Regional U-19 3-Day tournament got under way yesterday. Romaine Morris (29), Abijai Mansingh (22) and Mark Parchment (21) were the only batsmen that offered any resistance as the Jamaicans were bowled out in the final session at Demerara Cricket Club. When play finally got going at 13:30hrs due rain, Leeward Islands showed that their decision to insert the Jamaicans on a moist pitch was the correct one when Jeremiah

Louis bowled Leroy Lugg (05) in the eight over. Ramone Francis (09) flashed at left arm pacer Archibald and was taken in the slips before Odean Mc Catty (07) was trapped LBW to off spinner Shaquille Martina leaving the score at 26-3. Parchment and Morris led the Jamaicans fight back with a fourth wicket stand of 51. Parchment took boundaries off Archibald while Morris got off the mark with an exquisite off drive for four off Martina.

The left handed Morris, who wasted little time is dispatching the bad balls, then struck Martina for a maximum and drove him through the covers. But just as when he (Continued on page 66)

Abijai Mansingh hits through the offside

Page 73

Legend Classic Basketball tournament set to bounce off today in Berbice The Legend Classic B as k etb all to u r n amen t organized by sports enthusiast Vibert â&#x20AC;&#x153;Town Manâ&#x20AC;? Garrett, which was previously postponed, is set to ounce off today. The tournament which is for teams in both East and West Berbice will see matches being played in both areas.

Six teams are set to participate in the competition which will culminate during next month. The six teams which have been divided into two groups are: Group A Jammers of Rose Hall Town Corentyne, Fyrish Black Sharks also of Corentyne and East Canje Knights of East Canje.

Group B - Smythfield Rockers, Ithaca Hardliners of West Berbice and New

Amsterdam Warriors.

In the opening encounter today - Fyrish Black Sharks will match skills against Rose Hall Town Jammers in a group A encounter at the Fyrish Basketball Court.

The competition will continue next Sunday with a Group B encounter with Ithaca Hardliners of West Berbice being at home to Smythfield Jammers.

The winning team is set to receive $20,000 while the runner up will collect $15,000.

Incentives will also be available for outstanding players.

The competition will be played on a round robin basis at the group stages with the top two teams in each group emerging o contest the semifinals. The winners will meet in the final.

CULT / EBFA U-17 League

Agricola and Herstelling battle to 3-3 draw After a long break due to rain, football on the East Bank of Demerara made a welcome return yesterday with play in the CULT Under-17 league at the Grove Community Centre ground.

The lone game of the afternoon produced a thrilling draw between Agricola Red Triangle and Herstelling. The opening game never m a t e r i a l i z e d , Ti m e h r i Panthers who were down to face Kuru Kururu Warriors did not show up, handing the Warriors full points without breaking a sweat.

Both Agricola and Herstelling, featuring National Under-17 goalie Quazim Yusuf, just back from the Dominican Republic in their line-up started cautiously, but it was neighbors Agricola that eased into the lead with the game just four minutes old.

Nehemiah Gomes hit the ball past Yusuf which slowly hit the back of the nets.

Herstelling though being the youngest club in the EBFA have shown great character ever since coming on the scene and again they stepped up to the plate.

Like he has done in the past at both the Under-17 and senior levels, forward Seon Alfred upped the ante for his team and was the difference between losing and winning for Herstelling. Alfred blasted in all three goals for his side, the equalizer coming in the

22nd minute, on an assist from Ricky Debidyal.

With five minutes to the break, Agricola retook the lead through an Owen June effort. Neither side relented on being offensive minded much to the delight of their supporters.

As the game progressed, it looked more and more likely that Agricola were going to walk away with full points but the nippy Alfred who posed problems for the Agricola defence constantly, had different ideas.

He drew his team level yet again in the 74th minute the end result of another fine effort. And for the first time in the game, Herstelling took the lead via the penalty route, Alfred again doing the honours in the 76th minute.

Sensing now that they were in with a good chance of taking full points coming back twice, the Herstelling lads turned up the heat but Agricola returned in like manner with the fans enjoying the end to end action.

With the game now 80 minutes old, Agricola were rewarded a penalty and they made no mistake in evening things up, Dakhamin Matthews burying the ball to the right of Yusuf to ensure that both teams share the spoils.

With the school season out, matches in this competition would be (Continued on page 71)

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 27, 2014

TCL/RHTY&SC Cricket Academy deemed a Success Anderson named top cricketer The 16th annual Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) Cricket Academy sponsored by Trinidad Cements Ltd (TCL) ended on a successful note on Thursday last with dozens of youths commended during a simple presentation at the St. Francis Community Developers Training Centre.

Berbice Under-15 Captain Kevelon Anderson was named cricketer-of-theacademy, while the other major awardees were Most Disciplined Player (Brent Lee Fraser), Most Committed (Sequan Cox), Best Batsman (Junior Sinclair), Best Bowler (Keith Simpson), Best Female (S. Grimmond) and Most Promising Player (Sampson Lewis).

Marketing Manager of TCL (Guy) Ltd Mr. Eric Whaul, in remarks at the closing, praised the RHTY&SC for hosting another successful academy under his company’s brand and stated that TCL was satisfied that its investment was meaningful. Whaul, who described himself as a strong cricket fan, urged the young players to follow in the footsteps of his role models Alvin Kallicharran and Roy Fredricks.

He also issued a challenge to cricket administrators in Guyana to make sure that

there is an improvement in the standard of local cricket pitches as it was affecting the quality of the game.

Whaul disclosed that TCL was opened to continuing the sponsorship of the academy as it strongly believes in the development of youths.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster in giving a comprehensive report on the academy, hailed it as a major success and even predicted that more national players would be produced by the club in the near future as a result of this investment.

The participants were under the supervision of Coaches Winston Smith and Delbert Hicks and Berbice senior Inter County player, Eon Hooper. Foster stated that the players received special coaching to improve their bowling, batting, wicket-keeping and fielding skills, while special emphasis was p l a c e d o n i m p roving physical fitness.

The cricketers, both male and female were also exposed to several power point presentations on topics such as HIV/AIDS, peer pressure, bio-mechanics, importance of discipline, importance of education, role of a sport ambassador and history of cricket.

Foster also urged the

The TCL/RHTY&SC Academy Top Performers pictured with TCL’s Eric Whaul and Cricket Coaches. young cricketers to develop a love for the game and to nurture a formula of discipline, dedication, hard work and faith in the God they serve.

Success, on the cricket field, Foster stated, can only be achieved by total dedication and discipline and he challenged the attentive

players to listen to adhere to the advice of former players and positive role models.

Head coach Winston Smith stated that he was quite impressed with the rich pool of talent at the academy and urged the attendees to put into practice on a daily basis what they have learnt over the past two weeks.

He

challenged them to practice hard and to widen their knowledge of the game by doing a lot of research. Office Manager and Head of the Club’s Cricket Development Committee, Moonish Singh, stated that the club would be using most of the new talent to form its Under-15 team for 2015 and to

develop a nursery. The eight top awardees received a collection of educational materials while every member of the cricket academy received a school bag under the RHTY&SC Pro-Education programme which seeks to assist students to stay in school and obtain an educational background.

RHTY&SC cricket teams host Ansa McAl Awards of Excellence “It is very important that we honour heroes in their lifetime, so that they would know that their services were appreciated.” Those were the words of long serving Secretary/CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club Hilbert Foster in his remarks at the presentation ceremony of the Ansa McAl Awards of Excellence. The awards, which was first held last year, is organised by the cricket teams of the club and recognizes outstanding Berbicians for their contribution to the Ancient County in the fields of sports, education and community development.

Foster, who has served as Secretary/CEO of the country’s leading youth and sports organisation since 2001, stated that the main objectives of the Ansa McAl Awards of Excellence initiative are to honour Berbicians for their outstanding contribution and to provide role models to

youths so that they can strive to emulate. He stressed the importance of honouring heroes while expressing disappointment that the national awards programme have seemingly ceased.

Foster noted that the three awardees: Pastor Karmanand Ramash, Levi Nedd and Jacqueline Johnson all worked beyond the call of duty to make a positive difference in the lives of youths, the elderly and less fortunate. Pastor Ramash came in for special mention from Foster, who noted that despite him being differentlyable visually, he has been an inspirational teacher and mentor to thousands of students at the Sheet Anchor Primary school for decades and noted that heroes like him must be recognized and honoured. Ramash received the Ansa McAl award of Excellence for Education; National Volleyball Coach Levi Nedd copped the award for Sports, while President of the

Pastor Ramash, Jacqueline Johnson and Levi Nedd, recognized Mibikuri Community Developers, Jacqueline Johnson received the award f o r C o m m u n i t y Development.

Nedd, who is the Berbice and National Volleyball Coach, was honoured for his outstanding role in promoting the game in Berbice, while Johnson was honoured for her community work in the Black Bush Polder area where she has touched and changed the lives of many youths and lessfortunate. Foster urged the awardees to continue their outstanding work and to share their vast experience with the younger generation so that they can be inspired to follow in their footsteps.

Marketing Assistant of Ansa McAl (Berbice branch) Ms. Alicia Anderson stated that their delight in being associated with the Awards of Excellence programme and also the

Alicia Anderson of Ansa McAl with two of the awardees and the son of Mr. Levi Nedd.

RHTY&SC which has always represented Ansa McAl’s brand, well. Ms. Anderson offered congratulations to the three awardees, highlighting that her company is aware of its corporate responsibility and has in the past, invested heavily in sports, culture,

youth development and education.

The awardees all expressed gratitude to the club and Ansa McAl for recognizing their contributions towards the development of Berbice.

They also congratulated

the RHTY&SC for its outstanding work among youths, the elderly and less fortunate.

Each of the awardees received an Award of Excellence trophy, medal and plaque along with a special Ansa McAl Hamper.

Sunday July 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 75

Lewis Hamilton out of Hungarian GP qualifying after his car caught fire BBC Sport - Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes suffered a major blow as his car caught fire in qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Briton had not set a time when he came into the pits with the rear of his car in flames and will start from the back for the second race in succession.

Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg took pole and, barring problems, will extend his 14point title lead today.

It is the sixth straight qualifying session in which Hamilton has been denied a shot at pole. Sebastian Vettel took second place after a muchimproved performance in the Red Bull, with Williams’Valtteri Bottas in third. “The engine just died,” said Hamilton. “I thought I’m right next to the pit entry, so I’ll roll back and at least get them to fix it. And then I looked in my mirrors and it was on fire.”

At last weekend’s German Grand Prix, Hamilton fought up from 20th on the grid to finish

Lewis Hamilton (left) watches as Track marshalls put out the fire on the car. (Getty Images)

third behind Rosberg and Bottas following a brake failure in qualifying. But overtaking is much more difficult at the tight and twisty Hungaroring than it is at Hockenheim, so Hamilton faces a long afternoon trying to make up ground.

Rosberg, by contrast, can

expect another comfortable race as long as he converts his pole position into a lead at the first corner. Mercedes said Hamilton had suffered a fuel leak.

“I would prefer to be out there battling with Lewis and that would give me the maximum adrenaline rush,” said Rosberg of

GT&T renders support as national chess team leaves for Olympiad in Norway Senior chess champion, Wendell Meusa, will lead a powerful delegation of 5 players when the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) fields a team to Norway for the 41st Chess Olympiad, August 1-15 next. The team is expected to depart Guyana on Tuesday for Suriname then on to Amsterdam for connection to Tromso, Norway.

Consequently, officials of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company have acquiesced to a sponsorship package and last Friday afternoon, Marketing Officer (GT&T), Carla Richards, presented a cheque to the Treasurer of the Guyana Chess Federation, George Vaughn, at the company’s head office in Brickdam.

Shortly after handing over the gift, Ms Richards conveyed best wishes of her executives and wished the players well. Mr. Vaughn expressed gratitude on behalf of the Chess Federation saying that the cheque was timely and would help to defray the expenses associated with the team’s participation.

The other members of the team are Junior Champion Haifeng Su, his

Ms. Carla Richards presents the sponsorship cheque to Mr George Vaughn at a simple ceremony at her Brickdam office. p r e d e c e s s o r, A n t h o n y Drayton, Ronuel Greenidge, Maria Thomas, and former senior champion, Taffin Khan. Meusa will double as player/coach.

With more than 150 participating countries, the Chess Olympiad is the world’s third largest sporting event. An estimated 600 million people play chess worldwide and Norway is home to the world’s best c h e s s p l a y e r, M a g n u s Carlsen. A total of 1500

chess players will arrive in Tromsø to participate in the Chess Olympiad. Further, and unlike Guyana, where chess has not been regarded as a spectator’s sport, more than 100 million unique internet spectators will get an opportunity to view the proceedings through the Olympiads Internet Portal.

A 14-day cultural event is also planned for the period of the tournament and will be staged in collaboration with the Chess Olympiad.

his team-mate’s misfortune.

It is the sixth successive race in which Hamilton has suffered problems in qualifying of one kind or another and he has not started from pole position since the Spanish Grand Prix in early May. In Monaco, he failed to get in his final lap when Rosberg went off the track ahead of him, causing yellow caution flags to be waved and in Canada and Austria, Hamilton made mistakes on his qualifying runs.

At Silverstone, he misjudged a drying track and was knocked down from first to sixth by other drivers when he failed to do a final lap, although he did go on to win the race.

Hamilton had been keen to reverse his qualifying form and

take pole and a victory at a track on which he has won four times in seven races and go into the four-week summer break having cut his deficit to Rosberg.

There was a dramatic beginning to the final top 10 shoot-out when rain started to fall just before the start of the session.

All the drivers went out on slick dry-weather tyres. Rosberg was first out and was caught out by the amount of water on the track and ran wide at the first corner but managed to rejoin the track.

M c L a r e n ’s K e v i n Magnussen, in the car right behind him, was not so lucky. The Dane locked up and smashed into the tyre barrier, forcing officials to stop the session for 10

minutes while repairs were made to the safety facilities.

When the session resumed, the leading positions changed consistently as the drivers swapped fastest times on slick tyres on the drying lap.

Rosberg ended up 0.486secs quicker than Vettel, who was 0.15secs ahead of Bottas.

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo starts fourth ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, Williams’s Felipe Massa and the second McLaren of Jenson Button.

Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne was eighth ahead of F o r c e I n d i a ’s N i c o H u l k e n b e rg , w i t h t h e unfortunate Magnussen 10th, although the Dane will start from the pit lane following a chassis and gearbox change.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen was the victim of a terrible mis-judgement by his team.

They decided to not go out for a second run in the first part of qualifying with either car.

But while Alonso progressed comfortably, Raikkonen was 0.7secs slower than his team-mate and he was pipped in the final seconds by the Ferrariengined Marussia of Jules Bianchi. Raikkonen will start 17th.

t r o p S Guyana Amazon Warriors win another last over thriller as Beaton on target P.70

Ronsford Beaton (right) and Martin Guptill featured in yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action. (CPL T20 Ltd.2014) Lendl Simmons made another half century. (CPL T20 Ltd.2014)

CULT / EBFA U-17 League

Regional U-19 three-day tournament

Agricola and Herstelling battle to 3-3 draw P.73

Baldeo (4-29), spins Guyana to 1st day honours against W/Wards

Windward Islands skipper Ronald Cato cuts at yesterday at Everest.

Herstellingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seon Alfred in control against Agricola Red Triangle.

Balchand Baldeo

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