Kaieteur News

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June 05, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 23 - Price $80

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

World Bank bans CJIA contractor Pg 2

‘Fip’ Motilall Amaila Falls road penalty ...

Pg 6

Hand-in-Hand yet to pay Govt Performance Bond

Burma road a disaster - attracts protest

Pg 6

Justice Chang commutes Murdered hairdresser’s four death sentences husband kills self Pg 6

Pg 3

Another wife slain, man drinks poison Pg 13

Page 02

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

World Bank bans CJIA contractor The parent company of the Chinese firm that was controversially awarded the US$150M deal by the Bharrat Jagdeo administration to rebuild the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) was banned by the World Bank three years ago for corruption, Jamaica authorities have said.

Jamaica's ContractorGeneral, Greg Christie, was yesterday quoted by the Jamaica Gleaner, as saying that China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) has been debarred since January 2009, by the World Bank, under the Bank's 'Fraud and Corruption Sanctioning Policy.'

CCCC is the parent company of China Harbour

“The World Bank Group has identified corruption as one of the single greatest obstacles to economic and social development in its member countries, inclusive of Jamaica.”

Engineering Company (CHEC) which was controversially awarded the contract to carry out massive expansion works on CJIA last November.

That contract was secretly inked in Jamaica and Guyanese only learnt of it after it was reported in newspapers there. The Guyana Government has heavily defended the airport deal saying that it will target markets from Asia and Africa for passengers.

Ye s t e r d a y, t h e independent Office of the

Contractor General (OCG) which is tasked with monitoring Government contracts in Jamaica issued a strongly worded statement.

The OCG said under the terms of the World Bank debarment, CCCC and “any firm directly or indirectly controlled by CCCC, has been declared ineligible to be awarded any World Bankfinanced contracts that are related to “roads and bridges”, during the period January 12, 2009 to January 1 2 , 2 0 1 7 .

It said that CHEC is a major

subsidiary of CCCC, and one of the two entities that is currently listed by CCCC as its “overseas business” as such the debarment automatically extends to CHEC. The World Bank Group has identified corruption as one of the single greatest obstacles to economic and social development in its member countries, inclusive of Jamaica.

However, the bank has been combating corruption and fraud in public sector contracting to prohibit its member countries from awarding World Bank financed contracts to any of the firms or individuals that the bank has sanctioned under its Fraud and C o r r u p t i o n P o l i c y.

Since 1999, more than 330 firms and individuals have been sanctioned and debarred by the Bank for engaging in fraud and

Jamaica's Contractor General, Greg Christie

corruption on World Bank financed projects.

The new information about CHEC's parent company is the latest controversy in relation to the Government of Jamaica's business dealings with the company, the Jamaican Gleaner report said.

In August 2009, CHEC was awarded a US$400 million contract, on a solesource basis, by the Government, to execute its Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme.

The loan agreement between the China Exim Bank, which financed $340 million of the contract sum, and the Government, was signed in February 2010. Both agreements were executed several months after CHEC had been debarred by the World Bank.

In commenting on the developments regarding the World Bank's debarment of CHEC, the Contractor General, Greg Christie, has raised the issue as to whether the Government, in its due diligence exercises, if any, had identified CHEC's debarred status and, if so,

what decisions were taken by it about the matter.

“Now that it is known that the World Bank, in the judicious application of its anti-fraud and anticorruption policies in public contracting, has had cause to sanction and to debar CCCC and CHEC from receiving Wo r l d B a n k f i n a n c e d contracts, the obvious question that now arises is whether this is something that the Government, as a matter of good, prudent and diligent business practice, intends to be guided by in the award of its own contracts that are financed from non-World Bank sources,” Christie said.

“The OCG, in keeping with its mandates under the law, has always been of the view that Jamaica's economic development must be pursued in a sustainable and responsible manner, and within an appropriate system of institutionalized independent checks and balances which will ensure p r o b i t y, t r a n s p a r e n c y, accountability and value for money in all Government commercial transactions,” he continued.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 3

Woman’s only son chopped Murdered hairdresser’s to death husband kills self Marlon Andrew Ramcharran, 18, was brutally chopped to death some time during the wee hours of Sunday morning, leaving his mother Geetawatie Ramgobin, 42, called Pamela, without her only son and sole breadwinner in the family of three. The other child, Naomi, is 13.

Ramcharran, a carpenter, lived with his mother and sister at their Lot 125 Tain Settlement, Corentyne home.

His lifeless body with chop wounds to his left side face, head and across his neck and back was found around 02:00hrs on Sunday along a street in Block C in the Tain new housing area near a minibus in front of a mechanic shop.

The woman told the media that around 19:00 hrs she asked her son to purchase food for them at Lucky Star Restaurant, in Portuguese Quarters. He returned around

- ingested poison, found in backdam with wounds

Marlon and his mother in happier times 20:00 hrs with the food and subsequently left to go to a wake house at Johns. She said that her son never retuned.

Around 02:00hrs Sunday, she said that she was awakened from her bed by her sister Swarsattie Gobin who told her that “Marlon get chop and was in front of Dust Till Dawn.” Gobin stated that Marlon’s two friends who

were with him had informed her of the unfortunate incident and she in turn went and informed her sister.

Ramgobin stated that she and her daughter hurried to the area. Her sister had already left for the scene, but when they arrived at the area they did not see anything.

She was later informed that (continued on page 6)

Guyana towering in suicide rates amongst Caribbean countries - WHO - Globally suicide accounts for one death every 40 seconds

By Rabindra Rooplall With the recent eruption of suicide cases in the media, members of a wide section of society are calling for the Ministry of Health and other relevant authorities to develop and implement strategies aimed at reducing and preventing the incidence of suicide in the country.

Guyana has by far the highest suicide rate among countries in the Caribbean, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO.) Guyana has also been listed in the top ten most suicidal countries, earning the ninth position which statistics reveal 45 suicides per 100,000 people. However, statistics show that of the more than 45 people who kill themselves, about one-fourth are women.

The Ministry of Health has also expressed concerns about the high incidence of suicide in the country, as statistics show Guyana is one of the leading causes of death among young people.

Suicide is recognised as a serious public health issue in

Guyana with between 150 and 200 deaths annually. Statistics from 2003 to 2007 period show that there were 946 reported suicides in Guyana.

The statistics indicate that suicide is the leading cause of death among young people 15-24 and the third leading cause of death among persons aged 25-44.

Suicide rates are consistently highest in Region Six followed by Region Two. Officials say ingestions of poisons and pesticides were the method used by most suicide victims. Hanging accounted for a significant number of deaths as well.

Statistics also show that Guyanese of East Indian descent were most likely to commit suicide.

According to International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), suicidal behaviour is a major public health problem across the world. Data from the WHO indicate that approximately one million people worldwide die by suicide each year.

The suicide organisation

noted that this corresponds to one death by suicide every 40 seconds. The number of lives lost each year through suicide exceeds the number of deaths due to homicide and war combined.

The IASP further revealed that suicide attempts and suicidal ideation are far more common; for example, the number of suicide attempts may be up to 20 times the number of deaths by suicide.

“But, suicide can be prevented. We ask that if you are despairing that you contact a crisis center. Many people have found that talking helps to alleviate painful suicidal thoughts and feelings,” IASP stated.

A recent study shows that support from friends and family may be the best protection from suicide and self-harm.

Kensley Thompson, the prime suspect in the murder of his wife, Rhonda Thompson, took his own life yesterday almost in the same fashion in which he allegedly killed his spouse.

Police said that the 35year-old carpenter and mason was found at around 06:45hrs yesterday at Hopetown Backdam, West Coast Berbice. He had reportedly slashed his throat and had also ingested a poisonous substance.

He was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he succumbed around 11:00 hrs.

According to the police, “acting on information, and with the assistance of publicspirited persons, the police arrested…Kingsley Thompson…who was a suspect in this matter, at Hopetown Backdam.

“Kingsley Thompson had some injuries that were believed to have been self-

inflicted. He was also suspected to have ingested a poisonous liquid. He was taken to the GPHC where he later succumbed.”

Thompson’s suicide occurred just a day after the body of his 32-year-old wife, cosmetologist and hairdresser Rhonda Thompson, was discovered by family members in a pool of blood at her Lot 6 Public Road home at Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice.

Rhonda Thompson’s body was reportedly found in the dining room of her residence. Police said that Thompson was found with a “gaping wound to her throat”. However, no murder weapon was found at the scene.

Reports suggest that the mother of one was slain when a little niece, who was with her, opened the door to let someone in. However, there are no reports of neighbours hearing or seeing anything suspicious.

At the time, police were

unable to locate the victim’s husband, Kensley Thompson, a carpenter and mason, who also drives a vehicle for a church in the community. Friends of the husband also tried unsuccessfully to reach the man on his mobile phone.

Close associates of the couple said that they had separated about three months ago, after Thompson learned that his wife was having an extramarital relationship.

This newspaper learnt that the couple was heard arguing on Saturday.

The woman had lived with an extended family in the home, including cousins and her son. It is unclear whether they were at home when the incident happened.

Rhonda Thompson, originally from Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, had operated the New Look Hair Salon and Cosmetology School at her residence. She leaves to mourn her 15- year- old son, Akeem.

Four-year-old runs in front of Canter truck A four-year-old boy is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), nursing severe bodily injuries, after he reportedly ran in front of a Canter truck at Grove, East Bank Demerara yesterday.

Jeremiah Halley, of lot 308 Samatta Point, Grove, East Bank Demerara was struck some time after 1pm in front of the village’s post office.

Yesterday, when Kaieteur News visited the hospital, doctors in the Accident and Emergency Unit (A&E) were battling to save the life of little Halley, while his father, James was waiting anxiously in the hospital’s waiting area for news on his son.

The senior Halley said that he was at work when he received a call from one of his friends, informing him that his son “get lick down by a Canter” and that he was at the Diamond Diagnosis Center.

He said that when he rushed to the hospital, doctors at the institute were preparing to transfer little Halley to the

The worried father, waiting patiently on information on his son’s condition Georgetown Public Hospital.

“When I was in the ambulance coming down with him he couldn’t talk. His neck, head, hands and feet were in bandage and he whole skin bruise,” the father claimed. The driver of the Canter truck is in police custody.

Page 4

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

A decision that attracts controversy The death penalty is still on the statutes. The courts still hand down the death sentence but the state no longer executes anyone. Some say that this is so because a group of lawyers had filed a motion in the courts based on a Human Rights convention entered into with the United Nations.

At the time the state was moving to execute some of the men who had been on Death Row for some time. Among them was Noel Thomas who had the warrant for his execution read to him twice. His co-conspirator, Abdul Saleem Yassin, subsequently died in prison, cheating the gallows.

Since then, the gallows have not been used. Perhaps Guyana was acceding to calls by the various Human Rights bodies seeking an abolition of the death penalty. These bodies all contend that the death penalty was inhumane and was not really a deterrent to serious offences. There were others who argued that the death penalty was state sanctioned murder and that the state would be equally as guilty as the sentenced convict.

The United States, one of the leaders in the world when it comes to monitoring human rights abuses, has been accused of some of the worst abuses but this has not prevented that country from dictating to others the way people should behave.

However, the United States allows each state to have its own laws. That is why some have abolished the death penalty but they have rigid sentencing. For example, judges in those jurisdictions can impose a sentence that would confine a man to prison for the rest of his natural life. The southern states have maintained the death penalty.

Guyana, caught in limbo, has not been executing anyone.

This had led to the international community to accuse the government of cruel and inhuman treatment by having someone on Death Row for an inordinately long time.

The courts do not impose sentences that forego parole.

That is why a life sentence in Guyana does not mean jail until death. Further, the courts are humane and therefore impose sentences that run concurrently, unless the crime is extremely serious. And this is rare. Now the courts have taken things a bit further.

It was not so long that the High Court began to grant bail to murder accused. Many people charged with murder were made to remain in prison for an inordinately long time.

There were cases of murder accused facing preliminary inquiries on no less than three occasions. Magistrates would demit office sometimes leaving unfinished cases behind.

If the unfinished case is a preliminary inquiry then the entire matter has to be restarted. Both the accused and the witnesses are inconvenienced. It was here that the court intervened. It granted bail to the murder accused who would have suffered an undue period of incarceration. The first time this happened there was a hue and cry; people had grown accustomed to the excesses of the courts.

Yesterday, Chief Justice Ian Chang heard a challenge by some death Row inmates. They had been on Death Row for as long as 20 years, awaiting their appointment with the hangman. Such a lengthy delay has been seen around the world as cruel and inhuman.

Two of them who had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment had their death warrants read to them on February 3, 2000. From the time the warrant was read they began preparing for the day when they would undertake a walk from which they would not return. They have been living under the shadow of the gallows ever since then.

The society may not be too happy that their sentences have been commuted. They committed some of the most heinous crimes and they should have paid. Some say that they have paid while others now say that they have not paid enough.

The jury is now out. Should these people be released immediately? Of course, the bulk of the society, the young people, are not aware of the crimes these people committed so they would not care less.

However, those who suffered the loss believe that there should have been an eye for an eye.

More than a conflict of interest, did Brassington breach his legal and fiduciary duties as a NICIL director?

DEAR EDITOR, The transaction Winston Brassington conducted for his brother, Jonathan Brassington, has prompted me to consult a few legal luminaries in the region, including a few who have appeared before the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Brassington’s case may be more than a conflict of interest. The issue is whether Winston Brassington also breached his legal and fiduciary duties as a director under the law.

Brassington’s legal and fiduciary duties as a director under the law in Guyana require him to (1) act honestly (2) act in good faith (3) act in the best interest of the company and (4) exercise reasonable care, diligence and skill. These duties as a NICIL director trump obligations to anyone else, including his brother.

NICIL has to come first as long as Winston Brassington served as director of NICIL. Any frank analysis of the facts strongly suggests NICIL and the people of Guyana came last in this transaction.

Winston Brassington was in a conflict of interest and his legal and fiduciary duties were on thin ice the moment he purchased those 50,000 shares for NICIL and then also bought 2.25 million shares for his brother, Jonathan Brassington.

A director’s decisionmaking process must always be in the best interest of the company, in good faith, and to the benefit the company.

Winston Brassington buying 50,000 shares for NICIL and Guyana, while buying 2.25 million shares for Jonathan Brassington, was not a transaction in the best interest of NICIL and Guyana.

Winston Brassington was obviously motivated by the reasonable belief and expectation of some profit, gain, benefit or advantage to NICIL by virtue of acquiring those 50,000 shares, which is why he bought them.

Once there was the belief, potential or the possibility of profit, gain, advantage or benefit to NICIL in this transaction, Winston Brassington legally and fiduciarially could not act for Jonathan Brassington.

Winston Brassington’s actions benefited Jonathan Brassington at the expense of NICIL and the Guyanese taxpayers.

Once Winston Brassington was aware of the shares on offer and had first option to buy those shares on NICIL’s behalf, Winston

Brassington had no choice but to buy those shares for NICIL and no one else.

To buy those 2.25 million shares for anyone else while buying only 50,000 for NICIL meant that the profit, gain, advantage and benefit Brassington saw in buying those same shares for NICIL went to another individual while NICIL loses that profit, advantage, gain or benefit.

When NICIL loses the people of Guyana lose.

Winston Brassington cannot act in a manner that undermines NICIL. He was bound by law to act in NICIL’s interest. Acting honestly and in good faith required Winston Brassington tell Jonathan Brassington that he cannot act for him.

Acting in good faith required Winston Brassington to buy those 2.25 million shares for NICIL so that NICIL and the Guyanese people get the benefit, profit, advantage and gain of those shares.

Instead, what Winston Brassington did was not only to acquire 2.25 million shares for his brother, but in doing so he weakened NICIL’s stake in the Trust Corporation from 10% to 4% while his brother’s stake increased from 0% to 30%.

Furthermore, NICIL went from being one of only two shareholders to one of at least three shareholders and ended up holding the lowest stake in the Trust Corporation.

Jonathan Brassington now enjoys more clout in the Trust Corporation than NICIL and its director, Winston Brassington. Hand-in-Hand must tell the Guyanese people whether Jonathan Brassington and NICIL obtained preferred shares in

this transaction.

When Brassington bought those shares for his brother, he enabled his brother to benefit from that potential profit, gain, benefit or advantage he calculated when he decided to buy the 50,000 shares for NICIL. That benefit to Jonathan Brassington came at the expense of NICIL and the Guyanese people.

There was nothing that prevented NICIL from acquiring those 2.25 million shares ahead of Jonathan Brassington. NICIL had the capacity to buy those shares without blinking before Jonathan Brassington became aware of them.

NICIL is a multi-billiondollar company with hundreds of millions of cash at its disposal and the ability to borrow billions more if needed.

Winston Brassington simply could not act for Jonathan Brassington once he bought those 50,000 shares for NICIL. Winston Brassington’s actions not only benefited his brother but it weakened NICIL and the Guyanese nation’s interests by creating a disadvantage, loss, detriment and weakening of NICIL’s interest.

By no measure is this acting in the best interest of NICIL and the nation. It struggles to meet the test for good faith actions by a director.

There is little hint of reasonableness of diligence, skill and care in this transaction. No reasonable director who sees profit in buying shares in a company and possesses the first option to buy would surrender that advantage to another person or entity.

To do so, amounts to the

creation of a potential loss, disadvantage or detriment to the company and its shareholders, the Guyanese people.

It is difficult to comprehend how a foreigner who never sets foot in Guyana for the deal sees value in acquiring 2.25 million shares, while his brother who has intimate knowledge of the corporation selling those shares and has first right of refusal, simply cannot see that value.

How could Winston Brassington act as an agent in a transaction that he knows or ought to know created or would create a potential loss, disadvantage, detriment and weakening of NICIL’s interests while his family member benefits?

This smacks of reprehensibility of the highest nature, particularly when one considers that thousands of Guyanese have their life savings and assets staked in the Hand-in-Hand Trust Corporation and its parent company, which is its largest shareholder.

That a director of a public company tasked with handling the nation’s assets would surrender the ability to secure a potential profit, gain, advantage and benefit and also a bigger stake in an entity that holds the life savings, investments and assets of thousands of Guyanese taxpayers screams of insanity and raises legitimate issues of whether there has been a breach of legal and fiduciary duties.

One would think that a public company answerable to the Guyanese public would seize an opportunity for potential profit, gain, advantage and benefit in a (Continued on page 5)

Maybe that woman’s life has been saved DEAR EDITOR, I write in connection to the noise over the publishing of a photo of a woman being the subject of domestic violence.

Why is that such a problem? The Police, through a senior female police officer, have promised to zone in on the incidents of abuse.

All have been invited to be their sister’s keeper.

It amounts to - ‘if you see something, say something’.

If this husband chose to whip his wife in public, it means that he does not care who sees and who publishes. That he was taking advantage of this woman is what should be the cause for concern, not the fact that it was published.

One would think that the next move would be for the authorities to use the photo and take action against this wife beater. Or would it have been better to see a headline that this woman was murdered by her husband just

because she wanted to leave the relationship?

Maybe, KN has saved her life!

On the front page of another daily, I see ‘what’s inside’ - woman raped, killed and I also see woman murdered in Hopetown. Are these stories our preference for reading when we relax with our newspapers?

Yes, another young woman was murdered by her husband. Who knows if someone had known that she was being subjected to domestic violence and did not say anything?

Should we remain silent on these issues so we can get sensational/graphic headlines and photos of dead women? The current statistics of women being murdered begs the question - will there be any females left to bear children?

The next woman could be your mother, daughter, sister, aunt or friend. Do not say it cannot happen. It could.

Concerned woman

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

Corporal punishment is reprehensible and should be banned immediately DEAR EDITOR, Over the years, corporal punishment has been in accordance with the laws of Guyana and the exploitation of this situation is becoming very severe and threatening to our children.

Corporal punishment such as over-bench, beating in the palm of the hand and other physical abuse is reprehensible and should be banned immediately.

It is time to move away from the old, conventional wisdom that threatening and punishing a student will motivate them to achieve.

Instead, we should transition to 21st century programs like school-wide positive behaviour which encourages, rewards and breeds good behaviour from the beginning.

I am glad that corporal punishment is now seen as negative and should be banned… it should have been banned 40 or 50 years ago.

It is barbaric, uncivilized, an excuse to physically abuse children, and has never been shown to be effective at all in correcting behavior.

Instead, it causes children to suffer silently, and puts them under constant stress and anxiety. While the physical damage done to the body can be treated, the emotional and psychological effects can affect the child deeply.

Some parents and child tenders practice corporal punishment because of the belief that children do not grow to be well-mannered adults if they are not spanked or beaten when they make mistakes.

Some even say that abolishing corporal punishment is a Western-

centric concept that will cause havoc and lead to moral decay. Come on! We are living in the 21st century, children need discipline but they need to learn self-discipline through non-violent and non-humiliating ways.

Corporal punishment does not help a child to develop into an adult with self-discipline and respect for other people. Instead, it distorts sound judgment and creates anti-social behaviour.

It is said that violence breeds violence. The use of corporal punishment on children contributes to a perception from an early age that violence is an appropriate response to conflict resolution and unwanted behaviour.

It teaches them that it is acceptable for powerful persons to be violent towards the weak and to resolve conflicts through violence.

Any of you corporalpunishment promoters ever hear of “lead by example”?

What example are you setting when you make it clear that violence is your preferred solution for controlling behaviour?

You’re teaching those kids to use violence to affect the behaviour of those that they don’t agree with.

Violence with a stick, a bat, a gun, it’s all the same.

You’re teaching them to use whatever means they have necessary to physically punish those that they want to punish.

The escalating levels of gender violence, especially against women and children, are evidence of this archaic and despicable method of disciplining young people.

Children exposed to nonpeaceful ways of conflict

resolution often become perpetrators of gender violence in their adulthood.

Exposing children to violence can make them potential perpetrators of such vices later in life. As a country that promotes “no violence against women and children” we should tackle the cause from the roots.

Corporal punishment violates human rights, physical integrity and human dignity, as upheld by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children too have the right to be heard. But more often than not, society does not want to accord them the opportunity to do so.

This is because adults tend to think that children are incapable of reasoning and

hence cannot be consulted even on issues concerning them. Given a choice, children would prefer to be disciplined in non-violent and nonhumiliating ways.

Abolishing corporal punishment in schools by Government is not enough.

There is need for legislation to be implemented so as to protect children from violence and to promote human dignity and advance human rights. It should be noted that both corporal punishment and humiliating punishment are not only harmful to children but also violate children’s rights.

We are calling on all Guyanese to give children their rights in schools.

Neri Alli

More than a conflict of interest, did...

From page 4 private corporation that directly and indirectly holds the investments, holdings, assets and life savings of thousands of Guyanese.

NICIL and the Guyanese taxpayers trumped and should have trumped Jonathan Brassington.

Winston Brassington’s barefaced temerity to suggest that his brother who got those 2.25 million shares saved the Hand-in-Hand Trust Corporation which holds the entire life holdings of many Guyanese fails to admit that the Guyanese people through their public company, NICIL, had the money, opportunity

and clear chance to save their own investments and to make a profit, gain, benefit or advantage while doing so didn’t, because Winston Brassington seemingly failed to act in the best interest of NICIL. The passage of time does not matter. It is what NICIL and Winston Brassington did or failed to do that matters.

The very public and national nature of some of these issues is sufficient reason for Parliament to order an independent audit of NICIL and for NICIL’s books to be opened to comprehensive scrutiny.

M. Maxwell

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Justice Chang commutes ‘Fip’ Motilall Amaila Falls road penalty ... four death sentences Hand-in-Hand yet to pay Four death row inmates have had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment by Chief Justice Ian Chang.

They include Noel Thomas, who, along with Abdool Saleem Yassin, was sentenced to death in 1992 for the murder of Yassin’s younger brother, Abdool Kaleem Yassin. The younger Yassin was shot dead in his Riverstown, Essequibo home on March 19, 1987.

The elder brother had hatched the murder plot to get his hands on his brother’s inheritance. Thomas was implicated as the hit-man.

Abdool Saleem Yassin died in prison in 2002 from tuberculosis.

Thomas has been waging a legal fight to commute the sentence to life imprisonment. The alleged hit-man and his co-accused had successfully appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee, which recommended their immediate release from prison.

However, Guyana subsequently withdrew from the UN Optional Protocol on

Civil and Political Rights, then re-subscribed with a reservation preventing convicted murderers from appealing to the body.

Justice Chang’s ruling yesterday followed appeals

by Thomas’s lawyer, Nigel Hughes and Attorneys Jainarayan Singh and Ronald Burch-Smith, which stated that the men’s extended incarceration on Death Row amounted to inhumane treatment.

The other three death row inmates who had their sentences commuted are Lawrence Chan, who was sentenced to death in 1995, Rabindranauth Deo, Attorney Jainarayan Singh’s client, and Muntaz Ali, who was represented by Attorney-atlaw Burch-Smith.

Both Chan and Deo had their death warrants read to them on February 3, 2000.

Two other Death Row inmates Oral Hendricks and Ganga Deolall also had their warrants read to them on the same day. None was ever executed but lived under the shadow of the gallows all those years.

Woman’s only son ...

From page 3 her son’s body was at a spot in the new housing area. The woman stated that her sister had already left for the area, so she and her daughter headed to the area where she saw her son’s mutilated body.

She could not bear to see the body of her son lying face down with blood splattered all over. His father Surendra Ramcharran, called “Rajin” a hire car driver, who lives at another location, was informed and he notified the police who responded promptly.

The woman said that she knew of no problems her son

might have had with anyone and that his killing might have been a case of mistaken identity.

She said that she is a single parent, the children’s father did not take care of them .Marlon was the sole breadwinner and she worked as a domestic at various places. She is not too well and is uncertain how she and her daughter will now make out.

His friends who were with him had related that following a misunderstanding Marlon was chopped.

Two suspects are in custody and the police are hunting one other.

Govt Performance Bond

Chief Justice Ian Chang Muntaz Ali, and Terrence Sahadeo, were condemned to death for the 1985 murder of 18-year-old Roshana Kassim of Sheet Anchor, East Canje.

They had been convicted with Shireen Khan.

They have been in prison for over 27 years.

Shireen Khan died at the New Amsterdam Female Prison in December 2009. One other female remains on Death Row. Chan, who has been on death row since 1995, was charged, along with his brothers John and Godfrey Rodrigues, with the murders of Raphael Seecharran and Ramo.

In an appeal in November, 2010, Chan, through his attorneys, claimed that being under the threat of execution by hanging for such a long time was inhuman and /or degrading punishment and in breach of his fundamental rights as guaranteed by Article 141 of the Constitution of Guyana.

The accused also stated that he expected a decision of the United Nations Human Rights Committee dated October 31, 2005, to commute his sentence to life imprisonment, to be enforced by the state of Guyana.

The US$1.5M Performance Bond that the Government had laid claim to, in relation to Synergy Holdings Inc and Hand-inHand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Ltd is still to be paid.

Project Engineer Walter Willis told this publication when contacted that he has not be given the relevant clearance to make any pronouncements on the issue.

Subject Minister Robeson Benn while being unable to pronounce definitively on the matter, confirmed that the payment by the Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Ltd has not been effected as yet.

This money, which on the surface appears payable to the government, is not automatic upon claim, said a source close to the imbroglio.

The source has confirmed that Motilall’s performance bond expired on July 2011.

That bond was negotiated and broug h t i n t o f o r c e when the contract with Motilall was signed in January 2010, with a duration of eight months.

This means that for the latter half of last year, Synergy Holdings Inc. was operating with an expired bond, pursuant to its stipulations.

The bond did carry a stipulation that claims could be made for six months following its expiration.

Government did lay claims prior to this deadline, but according to a senior official close to the matter, “This doesn’t mean that the claim is automatically valid. All aspects of compliance have to be thoroughly checked.”

The source, knowledgeable on the issue of insurance, explained that Hand-in-Hand will have to conduct investigations on every aspect of the claim before it is accepted or rejected completely.

Reports that the government and Synergy Holdings Inc still have some balancing up to do to determine who owes whom, could also affect the outcome of the claim made by the government on the performance bond.

Motilall, following the announcement of the termination of the contract with Government, had claimed that he was owed in excess of US$1M. Subsequently, Head of State Donald Ramotar said that he was yet to ascertain who owes whom as it relates to the project, but suggested that Guyana had limited its exposure.

Winston Brassington, the Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), who has played an integral role in the project, subsequently in a pronouncement to clear the air on the termination of the contract said, “One important consideration that determined the contract being awarded to Synergy was based on Synergy having the lowest evaluated price.”

Contacted yesterday, Brassington said that he is no longer affiliated with the project and that the point man to contact would be the project Engineer, Walter Willis.

Hand-in-Hand had also issued a mobilization bond to Synergy Holdings, but this too expired.

Hand-in-Hand in its financial report for the company in 2010 had listed under Contingent Liability, the Amaila Falls Hydropower Road project.

In that report it was stated

that the Government of Guyana had granted to contractor, Synergy Holdings Inc., the authority to construct the road to Amaila Falls and the Transmission Line Clearing Project.

It said that on March 31, 2010, Hand-in-Hand on behalf of Synergy Holdings Inc., issued advance Mobilisation and Performance Bonds totaling US$1.54 million each.

“At the onset, these bonds were collaterized by a guarantee from WM Fogarty’s Ltd to the extent of US$500,000 for the initial fourmonth period.”

The Financial Report for Hand-in-Hand also said that the “Advance Mobilisation Bond which expired on November 18, 2010, has since been released by the Government of Guyana.”

It further states, “The Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Ltd remains responsible for the current performance bond, which is to be secured by counter guarantees in the form of: Escrow Account to the extent of US$500,000; Debenture on the machinery/ equipment for the difference.”

Hand-in-Hand in an official announcement following the termination of the contract had stated that “the position of an insurance company with regard to any insurance policy or claim is strictly confidential and would not be disclosed by the insurance company unless required by law or legal process.”

The insurance company had also stated that “If a claim is made under a performance bond, it goes through our claims verification and investigation process…This process is performed in respect of each and every claim regardless of size.”

Large claims are submitted to the Board of Directors of Hand-in Hand for its consideration.

“The Hand-in-Hand is very happy to settle any claim it is determined to be liable to pay.”

It took more than two years of intense media scrutiny and exposure coupled with the then imminent failure on the part of Motilall before the Government moved against him and terminated the contract.

When asked about due diligence at that time, the administration, in the person of Brassington, had told media operatives that this was left up to the institution that backed him with the bonds, namely Hand in Hand.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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U.S. targets senior al Qaeda leader, further strains Pakistan ties (Reuters) - A series of drone strikes over the weekend and a confrontation yesterday near the border town of Peshawar between U.S. diplomats and local police added new strains to already tense relations between the United States and Pakistan.

U.S. and Pakistani government sources said Abu Yahya al Libi, a senior Al Qaeda leader who had survived previous drone attacks, was a target of one of the latest strikes, which occurred early yesterday in North Waziristan.

U.S. government sources said they were unable to confirm Abu Yahya had been killed. But officials said he

was regarded as a very senior aide to al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri, and that his death would be a major blow to what remains of the central al Qaeda network founded by the late Osama bin Laden.

Abu Yahya is a Libyan militant who has appeared in al Qaeda promotional video messages and once escaped from a U.S.-run prison in Afghanistan.

According to reports from the region, which American government sources did not contest, U.S.-operated drones launched three attacks in tribal areas along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan between Saturday and yesterday.

Reports from Pakistan said nearly 30 people were killed during the sequence of strikes, including four suspected militants on Saturday, ten suspected militants on Sunday, and 15 people in the strike in which Abu Yahya was targeted.

There have been eight U.S. drone strikes on targets in Pakistan since President Barack Obama and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari attended a NATO summit in Chicago on May 21.

In a diplomatic rebuff reflecting the troubled state of relations between the two countries, Obama declined to meet separately with Zardari, but spoke to him for a few

minutes during a picturetaking session.

Meanwhile, sources close to the Pakistani government said that Pakistani police in the border town of Peshawar had detained three Americans, described as U.S. diplomats, and three Pakistanis. Also seized were two land cruisers and what local authorities claimed were illegal weapons.

A senior police official said the Americans were stopped as they were en route to Peshawar, having attended a meeting in the town of Malakand with the vice chancellor of a local university.

The official said police

had confiscated five M4 carbines and four 9mm pistols, along with 20 magazines of ammunition.

The American officials told police they were from the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar.

The Pakistanis traveling with them were described as consulate security personnel.

U.S. OFFICIALS QUICKLYFREED Officials in the region said the U.S. officials were quickly freed; the status of their Pakistani colleagues was not immediately clear.

In Washington, U.S. government sources said they had little information on the incident.

Initial indications were that the

Fighting at Tripoli airport, gunmen surround planes (Reuters) - Clashes broke out between rival Libyan militias at Tripoli’s international airport yesterday after gunmen drove armed pickup trucks onto the tarmac and surrounded planes, forcing the airport to cancel flights.

In a fresh challenge to the interim government’s weak authority, members of the alAwfea Brigade occupied the airport for several hours demanding the release of their leader whom they said was being held by Tripoli’s security forces.

An Italian passenger who was due to fly out and later arrived at a Tripoli hotel described the situation as chaotic.

“There were about 200 of them who came into the airport, they were armed. We were waiting to board our flight and we could hear noises, people shouting,” he said.

Leaders of militias which became part of the government’s official security forces after the war which ousted Muammar Gaddafi said they had intervened to stop the fighting, in which they said 10 people were injured, without government leadership.

G o v e r n m e n t spokespeople were not available for comment much of the day but later said the situation had been resolved.

“The airport will resume operation within 24 hours. I heard there were some injured,” government spokesman Nasser al-Manee told a late night press conference, without giving a number of those wounded in the clashes.

Weeks before a planned election, Libya’s new rulers are struggling to assert control over an array of former fighters who still refuse to lay down their arms after last year’s war.

Airport officials negotiate with members of al-Awfea militia on the tarmac of Tripoli international airport (REUTERS/Reuters TV)

STAND OFF AND NEGOTIATIONS In a dramatic move, 60-to70 armed militia vehicles from the al-Awfea Brigade ambushed the airport’s tarmac from adjacent open fields. Surrounding the planes, the militiamen forced some passengers off the planes, a brigade fighter said.

A member of the Awfea militia, which came from the city of Tarhouna, 80 km southeast of Tripoli, said the militia believed their leader, Colonel Abu Oegeila alHebshi, had been detained by

the Tripoli Security Committee on Sunday night.

“We are protesting his kidnapping by coming to this airport,” Anas Amara said.

“We have one tank outside the airport and our cars are surrounding the airplanes so they don’t fly.”

Violence later broke out when militia groups from Tripoli and the mountain town of Zintan arrived to try to get the Awfea militia to leave the airport.

Hakim Buhagir, leader of a Tripoli brigade, said they persuaded the Awfea fighters

to hand over their weapons.

“We negotiated with them and promised them we would help find their leader within three days and they were convinced,” he said. “We let them go after confiscating their heavy weapons and drafting a list of their names.”

NO GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION By nightfall former fighter brigades had helped to restore calm, but the airport remained non-operational.

Eleven planes including Austrian Airlines and Alitalia aircraft stood vacant on the

tarmac, and more than 30 pickup trucks fitted with antiaircraft weapons stood idle nearby, securing the location.

Fighters smoked and chatted near their cars, swinging their Kalashnikovs over their shoulders and sometimes firing anti-aircraft rounds into the air in celebration.

“The revolutionaries of Libya freed the airport today, not the government,” Essam al-Gatous, leader of one brigade, said.

Yesterday’s violence is the latest in a series of incidents as the North African country prepares for its first free polls for a national assembly since last year’s war.

Disgruntled former fighters have held regular protests that at times have turned violent. Last month, one person was killed and several were wounded when militiamen protesting outside the prime minister’s office started shooting.

In November, about 100 Libyans surrounded a Tunisian passenger aircraft at Tripoli’s Mitiga airport, delaying its takeoff in an antigovernment protest.

Americans involved were diplomatic security officers who work for the State Department.

The department’s diplomatic security bureau had no immediate comment.

The latest incidents occurred as Pakistani officials stepped up public criticism of U.S. drone attacks. Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemns” American drone strikes which it described as “illegal attacks” on Pakistani sovereignty.

The Pakistan government says the CIA drone campaign fuels anti-American sentiment in the country, and is counterproductive because of collateral damage.

U.S. officials, however, say such strikes by the remotely piloted aircraft are highly effective against militants and are an important weapon in this kind of war.

“The United States is conducting, and will continue to conduct, the counterterrorism operations it needs to protect the U.S. and its interests,” said one American official.

“The real threats to Pakistan’s sovereignty are the al-Qaeda terrorists who are living within their borders and planning attacks on Pakistan, their neighbors, and the West.”

U.S. officials repeatedly have expressed Washington’s concerns about Pakistani authorities’ reluctance to crack down on militants operating on their territory. They have also complained about alleged collaboration or support provided to militants by Pakistan’s principal intelligence agency, the Inter Services Intelligence directorate (ISI).

The drone attack yesterday allegedly targeted a militant hideout in the Hesokhel village of the North Waziristan tribal region.

Unmanned drones also struck targets in South Waziristan on Saturday on Sunday.

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Tuesday June 05, 2012

Polls point to Chavez election victory

New task force targets criminals, crooked officials

CARACAS, Venezuela (ACN) — Most opinion polls carried out in Venezuela indicate that incumbent President Hugo Chavez will win the October 7 presidential elections by a substantial majority of votes.

Journalist and former vice-president Jose Vicente Rangel told Venezuelan television that the voting intentions for Chavez reached

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez 54.8 percent in May, while opposition candidate Henrique Carpriles only got 26.3 percent, according to a poll by the Venezuela’s Data Analysis Institute (Ivad), PL news agency reported.

The analyst explained that the people’s trust in the head of state was as high as 64.5 percent and their approval evaluation reached 75.7 percent.

“These figures reveal that Chavez has 28.5 percent

advantage over Carpriles,” said Rangel.

Chavez’s position is being consolidated, while the opposition is heading to a resounding defeat, said the journalist, who noted that a major problem facing the Venezuelan opposition is its disregard of the fact that the people have changed, and now hold values quite different from those maintained in right-wing circles.

(Jamaica Observer) Security Minister Peter Bunting yesterday morning launched the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Task Force, an initiative targeting the major players of Jamaica’s criminal networks and crooked officials.

The task force will identify, investigate and prosecute crooks, and crime facilitators such as lawyers, bankers, and other public officials.

Unlike other anti-corruption initiatives, MOCA will specifically focus on taking the profit out of crime, said Bunting.

“Targeting these top bosses and their

facilitators is a most effective way of degrading criminal networks, seizing their assets, and undermining their power, which ultimately allows the network to be permanently dismantled,” said Bunting.

MOCA will include representatives from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Defence Force, the Financial Investigation Division, the Taxpayer Audit and Assessment Department, among others.

Yesterday’s morning’s launch was held at the Police Officers’ Club on Hope Road, St Andrew.

Action plan to tackle chronic diseases KINGSTON, Jamaica – Officials from 14 Caribbean countries have agreed on a regional action plan aimed at reducing premature death from chronic diseases as part of a global initiative to reduce deaths by 25 per cent by 2025.

A statement issued by the

organisers of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition yesterday said that the conference held in Jamaica late last month agreed on a Caribbean Civil Society Action Plan, 2012-2016 which will be used as a roadmap for Caribbean civil society

NIS AGONY (Barbados Nation) Self-employed people who do not contribute to the National Insurance Scheme are the biggest concern for the National Insurance Department.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Dr Esther ByerSuckoo, who made the comment, said she was concerned about the low level of compliance among the self-employed group, which spanned professions.

She told the DAILY NATION after the 45th anniversary service for the NIS at the River Road New Testament Church Sunday: “It’s self-employed people at the top and at the bottom. It’s your doctors, lawyers, engineers; it’s your gardeners, seamstresses, hairdressers – its right across the board.

“People whose deductions are not taken out naturally from their wages, the onus is on them [to pay]. So a lot of people either forget to do it, aren’t aware that they should, aren’t aware that National Insurance can provide benefits for them as well,” she stated.

contribution to the effort to significantly reduce death from chronic diseases in the region.

“The plan calls on civil society to enhance communication, build capacity, undertake advocacy and apply mobile health initiatives in the Caribbean as its contribution to the achievement of targets as set out in the Political Declaration arising out of the United Nations High Level meeting on chronic diseases, 2011, and subsequently.”

“The reduction in sickness and death from chronic diseases requires the contribution and involvement of all sectors of society working towards the common goal of 25 per cent reduction of premature death from chronic diseases by the year 2025, said Professor Trevor Hassell, Chairman and President of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

(CMC)

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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THE GREENING OF OUR SOCIETY Guyana is flying a green banner and it has nothing to do with the colours of APNU or the Mayor of Georgetown. The support given to last Sunday’s Green Walk is but a confirmation that in Guyana there is solid support for protection and preservation of our national environment and that this support is moral and economic.

Guyana’s decision to move towards a green economy is based almost totally on economic considerations. The price of oil has forced countries like Guyana to look towards not just more efficient energy technologies but also to seek alternative sources of energy.

But even if there were no economic incentives for moving towards a green society, there is

solid support within the country and therefore even if the economics do not support the creation of a green economy it makes sense still for Guyana to pursue this approach because not all political decisions should be based on market considerations.

If for example, citizens were required to pay for health care in Guyana, a great many persons would die. Education is generally free from nursery to secondary and if citizens had to pay then many would not benefit from having a sound education. In the end society as a whole will suffer.

It is the same thing when it comes to the health of the environment. Guyanese have generally tended to crowd together in towns and villages.

They have constructed homes near to major roadways. Pollution was hardly a problem but with the number of vehicles today, many persons are trying to move their homes as far away from main roadways as possible. It shows a developing environmental consciousness.

For years now, Guyanese are not drinking the water that flows through the taps. They are buying bottled water. This shows they are concerned with contamination of their water supply. The seashores are packed with people on weekends because this is the time that people have to go out and enjoy the fresh air. It shows here again an appreciation of healthy outdoors.

A great many people are now

paying attention to their physical surroundings, trying to keep their yards looking nice so that they can enjoy the outdoors even in their own residences.

This too is a sign of environmental consciousness.

Economics still however play an important part in the movement towards a green economy. The switch to energysaving bulbs, replacing old incandescent lamps in many homes, is not about the environment. It is not about citizens making a contribution towards reducing the burning of fossil fuels in power generators.

It is really a means to reduce their electricity bills.

The decision of the government to build a hydroelectric plant is also aimed

Kwame McCoy leads defence against Clifton Stewart The criminal matter against Information and Press Liaison to the President, Kwame McCoy, was lengthened yesterday when the government official opted to call witnesses in the assault matter involving Clifton Stewart.

The trial is being conducted by Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Yesterday’s hearing was set for ruling but when the defendant was required to lead the defence in the matter, Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos who is representing McCoy requested to have certain information presented

to the court.

Before this, Mc Coy gave a lengthy speech in his defence against the allegations of threatening language and assault reportedly committed against Stewart. Mc Coy was given three options; he could have taken the witness stand and give a sworn statement, stand outside the witness box and give an unsworn statement or he could have elected to remain silent.

McCoy chose to give an unsworn statement and commenced a speech on what he said was a trail of political concoctions, lies and theatrics.

He could not be cross examined.

Dem boys seh ...

Brazzy is a scamp and a con just like dem Chinee Marriott nah even deh in de pipeline yet. Dem nah even get none investor and Brazzy done tek out de money. He suh determine fuh use de people money fuh build de Marriott and casino fuh he and Jagdeo kavakamites that he done tek out de money—US$19.5 million from de slush fund.

Brazzy is a scamp. Dem boys ask, ‘Brazzy why yu tek out de money from de fund?’ He tek out de money and de project ain’t even ready. ‘How much more yu tek out that de people of de country ain’t know bout, and wheh yu got am?’

Brazzy and Jagdeo treat de people money like if it belong to dem Mooma, dem wife and dem sissy, and dem buddy if dem got. “Ah yu wan?’

Brazzy and Jagdeo learn from dem Chinee. Ah dem corrupt de whole bunch of kavakamites. Dem Chinee teach Jagdeo and Bobby how fuh got nuff company. One recently form name Olive Branch. Dem get that name from somebody close to Uncle Donald. Dem boys know all de rest of company wha dem register and create in all kind of name fuh hide dem hassets and other property.

China Harbour teach dem. Jagdeo do a lot of scampish deal wid dem Chinee. All gun come out very soon. Jamaica and Trinidad already skin up all dem Chinee company.

De big company got four C. Dem four Cs got a ton of other small Cs. Dem got Chu Chu Chu and Chee Chee Chee just like how we got Ba Ba Bee and Bra Bra Zee, and Jag Jag Gee. Dem Chinee main logo pun dem web site seh ‘We are building a connected world’. Dem boys seh that fuh get a world like that you got to have connection. And everybody know that connection start from de top.

Talk half and connect de other half.

He used most of his words to defend his political position and blasted the police saying that he being before the court was testimony of the investigative weakness of the Guyana Police Force, in that, one could make false allegations for political gain and without thorough investigations, one could be charged.

McCoy alleged that prior to the allegations made against him, he had never seen Stewart. He said that even if he remembered seeing Stewart it would have been for a short period and not in a situation of confrontation to warrant an assault, threatening language or threatening behaviour.

McCoy continued that a tail of concoctions, lies and theatrics was what he has been enduring throughout his political life. He said due to his political affiliation he has been viewed by the likes of the victim and the group whose deed he is carrying out as a “house slave” and a traitor to black Guyanese.

Mc Coy spoke briefly about the day in question making no mention of a confrontation between Stewart and himself. He spoke of police intervention in him carrying out his duties at D’Urban Street on the day in question and according to his statement; at no point was there a run in with the virtual complainant.

The government official further made reference to the alleged gun used. McCoy said that documented evidence would show that long before the allegations against him; his firearm had been lodged with the police in the firearm registry department at Brickdam.

McCoy reiterated that throughout his young political life he had endured similar episodes of allegations

which were proven to be false.

McCoy closed by saying that he is innocent and has wasted months of court appointments because of political considerations.

De Santos on the last occasion had called for the document that would have stated the lodging of Mc Coy’s gun at the police station to be presented in court. He withdrew that application when the prosecution closed its case, but after McCoy’s defence yesterday, the lawyer again called for the evidence to be presented.

The documents are expected to be presented on the next occasion. The defence is also expected to present witnesses in the alleged incident. The case will be called again on June 15.

to reducing the cost of electricity.

But even if the overall cost of producing hydroelectricity is higher than what exists now, it may still make sense to proceed with hydroelectricity since this is a non- polluting source of energy and last Sunday’s Green Walk shows increasing numbers of Guyanese are becoming concerned about the health and environmental aspects of this country’s development.

The government has to tap into this development without ignoring the value of market incentives in individual choices.

When a consumer switches to energy saving bulbs in their homes, this will save them money and at the same time protect the environment.

When a farmer pursues organic farming, he is giving up the benefits that fertilizers would bring. But he knows that despite his organic crops being higher priced, there are many local consumers who are out there looking for produce that are grown without the use of chemicals.

And there is a large external market for organically grown crops. So the farmer is being provided with economic incentives to move towards the use of organic cultivation while contributing to the reduction in the use of chemicals. The importation of these chemicals represents a cost to both the economy and to the farmer.

Citizens should not always be looking at government to provide them with incentives to make “green” decisions that is to switch to more environmentally friendly goods and services.

Citizens should factor in those benefits on which a dollar value cannot always be placed.

Right now, some good things

are happening on the consumer side. Many bakeries are now using paper bags rather than plastic bags and they are doing this without being provided with an economic incentive. It is for the public to take this to another level and to demand that as many businesses as possible switch to paper bags where these can be used.

Certainly when you go into a store to buy a shirt or a pair of trousers, there is hardly a need for you to be given a plastic bag.

A paper envelope-type bag will work just fine and there should be no need for economic incentives. When some persons choose toilet tissue that is wrapped in paper rather than plastic, they can discourage the use of plastic wrappers.

Raw food will still require the use of plastic but cooked foods such as those served by restaurants can be placed in a container and wrapped in a paper bag. In this manner Guyana can reduce the use of plastic bags and move towards more biodegradable materials.

But in the end it boils down to the consumer making the right choices. For the sake of a few dollars, some consumers may care little about the effects of their purchases on the environment.

But as we are seeing today, there are growing numbers of Guyanese who want a better Guyana, a greener country and they are prepared even if it costs a few dollars more to contribute towards the emergence of a green society.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 05, 2012

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Since Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa The cry over this entire country is that the results of the general elections will change politics and power in Guyana. As a corollary, one hopes that the election phenomenon will change all of us, all organizations, all Guyana. Why should the results change the PPP, as a political party, and the government it administers only?

I read the other day that Mr. Mike Mc Cormack, commenting on the budget cuts, said that since 1980 the Guyana Human Rights

Association (GHRA) was monitoring national elections.

Long before that, Mr. McCormack was the head of the GHRA. As it now stands, Mr. Mc Cormack has been at the helm of this entity for over thirty years with his wife holding an executive the position for the same amount of years. By what reason would the membership retain their head for over thirty years?

I don’t care if Mr. Mc Cormack reacts angrily to this but when I look back on my own life and age, this Mc

Cormack thing appears as a national farce.

I was a brash uneducated youth when he became the head of the GHRA, look at the decades that have passed and he is still there. When I heard that Mr. Mc Cormack had taken up a more than passing interest in rugby, I assumed that the GHRA would now have new leadership. I was wrong.

This position of mine is simply analytical. As a person so long in an office gets older, energy and passion go, and the organization loses its vibrancy.

The GHRA is a caricature for a human rights group. It does nothing, hardly do people hear about it and hardly people seek its help.

Ask this writer, Mark

Benschop, people in the AFC like Gerhard Ramsaroop, journalists like Dale Andrews, in each week people seek help for human rights abuses.

I have no doubt the editor of this paper gets his fair share of assistance requests.

People just don’t bother to look in the direction of the GHRA. I really would like to know in whose name is the GHRA head office in.

I did a column on the longevity of the headship of Guyana Olympic Association and I will now return to it. Mr. Juman-Yassin is about to chalk up twenty years as the President.

The General-Secretary, Ivor O Brien, has more than thirty years service in that capacity. This is absolute nonsense.

There must be term limits in the constitutions for all organizations in this country.

Guyana may be short of rocket scientist and neurosurgeons but it is overflowing with educated people who know about sports. And what about our sports journalists? Can they pen a comment on the eternal roles inside the Guyana Olympic Association?

It is the same with our

trade unions. Look around and you will see that some of our unions are headed by people who are in those positions since Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. I remember Komal Chand taking up the headship of GAWU around the same time McCormack went to the helm of the GHRA. Both are still there.

In the Guyana Public Service Union, the constitution was amended to allow the General-Secretary to run without term limits. This was indeed a return to primitive days.

I was one of the persons who helped to draft the constitution for the University of Guyana Workers’ Union.

My request was not only must there be term limits for the chairman but the vicechairman too and executive members cannot serve indefinitely. I don’t know what the status is with the management committee of the resuscitated Theatre Guild but I hope there are term limits there.

I hope the same for the newly formed Transparency International (Guyana chapter).

Frederick Kissoon Vincent Alexander said publicly there should be only two terms for the leader of the PNC and he is right. I hope the PNC adopts that at its congress in July.

I know that the Alliance for Change is having its conference soon and I would urge its members to demand that there must be term limits for the leader, chairman, and general-secretary. The danger is just too g r e a t when persons can go on to head an organization for twenty, thirty, or even forty years.

This is unacceptable to the human spirit. It is a vexation to the soul.

The most horrifying danger is that the incumbent can use those centuries of power to virtually control and own the entity. This is what Burnham in the PNC and Jagan in the PPP did. Guyana was destroyed in the process.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Burma road a disaster - attracts protest Truckers and residents of the rice milling community of Burma, Mahaicony have vowed to intensify their protest action to press home their demands for a proper road.

The protest actions commenced yesterday after a number of trucks laden with tons of rice got stuck in a deplorable section of the road, effectively halting the smooth operations of the Saj Rice Mill.

The situation has reached crisis stage, especially since demands for a better road have been brushed aside for years. The truckers and

residents are not satisfied with the work done by a contractor, Joe Bacchus who is paid millions of dollars annually to repair the threemile stretch of road and are calling for his removal.

In fact they are demanding that a completely new road be built, since they are convinced that the Regional Five authorities are being penny wise and pound foolish.

“This road is so bad that we fastening, breaking up we truck, we taking one and a half hour on five miles of road. We hear that they spending millions

maintaining this road; we don’t know how much money, but they always say they spending a lot of money when they repairing it,” said Ganesh one of the truck owners whose vehicle was stuck in the road.

He blamed the engineer who is responsible for the road works which he called substandard.

When this newspaper arrived at Burma, the road appeared to be relatively good at the beginning, but after less than a mile, it becomes deplorable.

Near the rice mill, at least three truck loaded with rice were stuck in a slushy section which was obviously made impassable by the

recent rains.

A truckload of what appeared to be loam was dumped nearby with a view to filling the holes that were left by the trucks when they were removed from the slush.

“If rain fall here, is slush.

De thing need crusher run, it need brick. Is heavy duty vehicle does use this road,” Ganesh said. Another truck owner, Davenand Ramdin, whose trucks were also affected, told this newspaper that he would sometimes use his vehicles to fill some of the holes.

He said that around 04:00 hours yesterday his trucks were loaded with rice to take to the Muneshwer’s

Wharf and the drivers were negotiating their way out when they became stuck.

He explained that his trucks previously suffered extensive damages as a result of the road.

“This road just patching all de time, sub-standard patching. This morning we decide fuh do a lil protest because we talk to de regional chairman and he just promising we,” Ramdin told Kaieteur News.

For his actions he was locked up and then released on $10,000 station bail.

“I fighting fuh me rights, fuh me truck and I fighting fuh de people of Mahaicony Burma Road,” Ramdim said.

He recalled that his

brother Deonarine Ramdin died on the said road while transporting a transformer a few years ago.

“I lost me brother because of the condition of the road and me can lose me trucks dem,” Ramdin said.

Kaieteur News understands that the Region Five administration has given an undertaking to tender for the urgent road works by weekend and work to repair it once and for all will commence soon after.

But the residents are adamant that the present road contractor should be barred from bidding on the project.

“Dis road like ah one milking cow. De contractor a bid de lowest fuh get de wuk and den he giving we cock wuk,” another trucker said.

Regional Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National Unity, Jennifer Wade, who was at the scene explained that mere patching the road will not work, since it is a market to farm road that is used by heavy machinery.

“You don’t wait until things happen to do things.

You got to come into the area, talk to the people on the ground to know exactly what they need and work with that. It’s very frustrating and I’m sorry for the farmers in this area.” Wade said that the Saj Mill did not even get the amount of paddy that was projected for this present crop because trucks refused to transport the commodity through the Burma Road.

She also claimed that the amount of money budgeted for the maintenance of the road is inadequate.

“This road don’t need patching; this road needs a complete overhaul , they must do it over.”

Japhett Williams another resident said that more than a year ago, the previous Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud had visited the road with the former regional chairman and promised road repairs.

“Budget pass, money pass and the road deh de same way. De new chairman wha come now say budget cut mek dis road can’t repair,” Williams said.

However, a truck driver was electrocuted on the road on March 30, before the budget cuts Yesterday, it took the truckers several hours to get help from some heavy duty machinery to haul their trucks out.

The residents said that despite threats to arrest them, they will do whatever it takes within the law to ensure that they get some kind of relief.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Page 13

Kaieteur News

Another wife slain, man drinks poison Mere hours after a woman was brutally slain by her husband in Berbice, police on the East Bank of Essequibo were dealing with a similar case. A mother of four was early yesterday morning clubbed to death by her paramour who is currently clinging to life after ingesting a poisonous substance.

The dead woman was identified as 37-year-old Mohini Gobin, of Mora, East Bank Essequibo. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the Leonora Cottage Hospital.

According to reports the woman was clubbed to the head with a piece of metal pipe some time around 07:30 hours yesterday at Silver Beach, Roden Rust, some five miles south of Parika.

Her attacker is said to be her reputed husband, 38 year-old Ramesh Sattaur who worked and lived at a boat landing in Silver Beach.

Sattaur's employer Mr. Anthony Cleo Da Silva, who spoke with this publication said that around 07:00 hours, the woman arrived at the worksite asking for Sattaur.

The blood spattered store room where Mohini Gobin was found.

Dead: Mohini Gobin

Ramesh Sattaur

“Well she came in but she was in a haste so I asked her what was the matter and she told me how Ramesh take away she cell phone. I told her girl go home don't pick no story, “.

Nevertheless, Da Silva said, the woman proceeded to the back of the compound where Sattaur has his living quarters.

“By that time I went into my house and I heard the couple quarrelling about the phone and she kept telling him she wanted the phone and then the argument turn to her having an affair with a police

man.”

According to Da Silva again he begged the woman to leave the premises after he realized that the argument was getting too heated.

“It can't be more than 20 seconds after I hear somebody moaning like if in distress so I came outside and I see Ramesh walking away. I come downstairs and I look at the store room and I see the woman foot sticking outside the storeroom and she was lying on her back, in a pool of blood.”

He said that he saw

Ramesh with a metal pipe in his hand. “He is a stout fellow and she is small. He had to swing the pipe with all his might”.

“Then I noticed Ramesh with a whole gallon bottle gramozone and he start drinking, so I holler on him and threaten to beat him and he put it down while I try to help the lady. I made him lie on the ground. When I turn around again a worker holler that Ramesh drinking the gramozone again. He was still drinking from the bottle when I turn around.”

Da Silva said that while he was assisting his other employees in getting the woman into a car for the hospital he saw Ramesh running away.

According to Da Silva, Rajesh who was drenched in

the poison began running and screaming hysterically around the compound.

“This boy run, jump into a pond and we thought that was the end of him, then he surfaced, came out of the pond, run in the farm and start running up the beach.”

Not long after Da Silva said the police arrived and arrested Ramesh but after seeing his condition he was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. Further this publication was told that the injured woman succumbed to her injury before arriving at the hospital for medical attention. The police have since located and removed the murder weapon and the remainder of the poison.

Meanwhile, a source close to the couple related

that the couple survived a very rocky relationship for the past ten years. This publication was told that most of the couple's quarrels were about infidelity on Gobin's part. Gobin is survived by four children from a previous relationship.

Up to press time yesterday Sattaur was still being treated at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, under police guard.

On Sunday evening Ronda Thompson, a hairdresser was found in a pool of blood in her living room at Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice with her throat slit. Her husband was found early yesterday morning with what is believed to be self inflicted wounds to his neck and body.

He later succumbed.

Page 14

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Senior police officers undergo training for leadership role As the Guyana Police Force continues its modernisation, it was time for the senior officers to undergo training for greater efficiency and effectiveness, yesterday.

Twelve officers from the Guyana Police Force from Superintendent to Senior Superintendent, along with one each from the sister discipline services commenced a four-week programme, which is being undertaken in collaboration with the University of Guyana.

The objectives of the programme which was revived after several years of lapse, are to improve the professional competence of the participants; to upgrade their knowledge in the art of leadership, techniques of human behaviour , strategic management and the skills of communication.

It also aims to upgrade the participants' competence in effective writing and to enable them to appreciate their role in the context of legal framework pertaining to Guyana.

The succession plan of the Guyana Police Force is also being considered.

The Force Training Officer Assistant Commissioner (rtd) Clinton Conway in his brief remarks noted that as the society changes, the role of the police will become very critical.

And that is why the facilitators will include Ministers of the government, opposition politicians and university lecturers.

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee who delivered the feature address, expressed appreciation that the training programme targeted the senior ranks of the Force.

He said that it is good to note that the critical; stakeholders such as ministers of the government and other politicians will be involved.

Rohee reassured that his Ministry will continue to provide support to ensure that the training programme for seniors continues.

The Minister said that he is confident that at the end of

The participants pose for a photo with Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Force Training Officer Clinton Conway. the training the officers, some of whom are presently serving as Divisional Commanders, will be well equipped to take the organization forward.

Newly promoted Deputy Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, noted that in the Guyana Police Force it is a requirement that training is continuous.

However, he pointed out that it is expected that self learning will also take place, with officers and other ranks seeking to improve their knowledge for their personal

benefit and that of the country they serve.

He acknowledged the continued partnership between the Force and the University of Guyana.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

WANTED Guards for Land of Canaan location, accommodation available Call: 676-6700 Wanted to buy, Washiba Squares & Logs. Call Jettoo’s Lumberyard & Sawmill @ 261-5041 or 2615042 Office Clerk, CXC English/ mathematics. 225-0188, 2256070

Kaieteur News

CAR RENTAL Progressive auto rental, cars from $4,000 per day. Call: 6435122, 656-0087, www.progressiveautorental.com Al’s Car & Pick-up Rental.

Call: 698-7807 Premio, 110 Corolla. Call: 6797139

Live-in attractive waitress.

Tel# 228-5129 East Coast Guyoil pump attendants wanted (day and night), wash man, office assistant & sales girls. 6842838, 602-5031 Taxi drivers (yellow) Tel: 2253234 Tailors @ B. Paul Tailoring Establishment, 14 Lombard St. Tel: 223-8266, 680-8046

EDUCATIONAL Imperial College – CXC Jan/ June 2013 exam. Day/ Evening classes, flexible hours. Contact 227-7627, 683-5742 Learn to speak Spanish in 1 month. Call: 673-1232 Princeton College. CXC Adults/Students. Slow learner classes. Day & Evening. January/May June 2013. 690-5008, 611-3793

1- Male cleaner. Apply Technical Services Inc., Eccles 18-23 Industrial Site EBDem. (2) Attractive waitresses.

Call: 233-5481, 5450 Urgently needed, live-in waitresses to work in Bar. Attractive salary offer. Tel# 259-0574 Male tool room clerk, computer literate. Apply Technical Services Inc. 1823 Eccles Industrial Site EBDem Call: 614-4358 Cashiers, porters, drivers and salesman. Lot10 Vlissengen Rd. Survival Wholesale Bond.

One experienced hire car driver Contact Mrs. Z.Marques at 11 Thomas St. Kitty Tel: 226-7948, 646-6000 Live in domestic Mon-Sat, no cooking, no washing Call: 639-7700 One experienced driver.

Apply Hack’s Halaal Restaurant, 5 Commerce St. Sales girls. 10 Bent and Camp Streets. Apply in person with written application. 227-7182.

We refill HP cartridges for $1,800. Call:650-7699 Visa and Immigration forms prepared for Canada, USA and UK. Also Passport forms. Call 626-9857

ONLINE SHOPPING NO COMMISSION, WEEKLY S H I P M E N T S , AFFORDABLE RATES, FREE PRIVATE MAILBOX. TEL: 231-5789.

FREIGHTLINKEXPRESS@ GMAIL.COM WE FILL OUT PASSPORT & VISA FORMS: USA, UK & CANADA. TEL: 231-5789 Electrical installation domestic & commercial maintenance & repairs also AC installation , estimates , call Marlon Tel: 216-0934,626-6298 or 669-8992 HOUSEHOLD PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000 Call: 694-9843

Porters; male & female, to work in Grocery Shop, Stabroek Market. Call: 2269800 Contract cars. Must be in Hire & Yellow. Base free. $3500 weekly. Call 660-9977

US & Canada VISA application services. Call 643-6630. Family discounts available.

Repairs, sales & spares, air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & Stoves.

Ultra Cool: 225-9032, 647-2943

1 Dispatcher, Classic Ride Taxi Service, EBD Call: 2335227 Experience Interior drivers Call Paul : 592-646-6730,592225-1939

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

WANTED Garden maintenance crew, no education needed. Neatness & hardworking is a must,1830 years Tel: 648-1821 7:45am -5pm Salesperson + plant maintenance staff for #1 Plant Shop,70 Sheriff Street. Secondary education a must. Tel: 648-1821 Live-in/Live-out babysitter/ clerk/domestic. 225-0188/ 225-6070 Domestic help. Call 225-2598 Two (2) experience block makers, Super concrete blocks, Eccles Industrial Estate Tel: 233-5517 1 mechanic to work in the interior. 688-4905 Skilled Lathe Operator.

Excellent rates. Tel: 22-71830 1 kitchen assistant/cook to cook for family in the interior.

688-4905 Dredge workers Tel: 6232728,618-1967,667-5717 1 Carnegie trained cook 2035yrs Call: 614-4358 1- Small engine mechanic,1handyman Call: 2332408,233-2631 General domestic age 2535yrs Call: 233-5450

Service and repairs to gasstoves, deep fryers, washing machines, electrical stoves Call: 686-6209 We repair fridge, freezer, AC ,washer, dryer Call: 231-0655, 683-8734 Omar.

Page 15

PROPERTY FOR SALE 1 three bedroom house Prashad Nagar, asking price $29M neg. Call: 227-2563, 684-2115 East Bank $12M. Newtown $30M. Queenstown $35M. East Coast $16M. Diana 2272256, 626-9382 House & land, Diamond, E.B.D. Tel: 677-3472 Property for sale at EnmoreFoulis. Contact 2550584 or 696-3186

FOR SALE 6 brand new in box IPod touch. 8GB $60,000, 32GB $75,000. Price neg. Contact: 686-5004 GPS Map 76, Garmin System.

600-0036 or 223-1719 Brand new American made Crosely 10.5 cu ft Refrigerator for sale $75,000.

626-4452/697-5677 Going cheap, foreign used Perkins Engines, pressure & clutch plates, hydraulic pumps. 661-3043

House at Friendship, double lot Neg. Tel: 270-4149,6478595

1 Tundra, 1 Perkins engine & Welder 400 amps. Call: 6605462, 611-5114

PPP series Alteza, fully loaded. Tel: 677-7666, 6107666

Spares for washer, microwaves, fridges, stovetimers, gear boxes, pumps, etc. Contact 225-9032, 647-2943

Two (2) Nissan Titan; year 2004. LE and SE model; new tires $3.5M and $3.7M, price neg. Contact 681-3300.

Games for PSP $900, PS2 $900, XBox 360 $2600, PS3 $2600, XBox, Wii. Junior 6722566, 265-3231

Toyota RAUM, black, fully loaded, never register year 2000 Call: 269-0432,686-0323

SALON Make up courses, artist trained & certified in Trinidad: 660-5257,647-1773 Qualify yourself in Cosmetology or nails, make up, Register, Limited spaces.

Call Abby: 216-1950, 6197603, 666-5241 Seeta & Soma Salon.

Specialists in perming, relaxing, styling, manicure, pedicure, etc. Tel: 618-6346/ 644-7142 Cosmetology courses Call: 225-6026,682-2604

Corrugated Zinc sheet @ 40% off. Local Lumber @ 25% off. Pine Lumber @ 10% off. Zack’s Lumber. Tel# 2267054.

One ERF hauler and 45FT trailer in contact Call: 6534455 Pallet Wrap & Plastic Film.

Tel: 231-8819 Big blow out sale at Lot 29 Croal Street Enterprise, kids shoes $200 and lots more.

Call:664-2209

Property Lot8 Smyth Street (opposite License Office) Contact owner directly 6531015,665-1452

Millennia Travel Service Agency, City Mall 6688000,669-0700. For all your travel arrangements.

DATING SERVICE Immediate link-Singles 1880yrs. Confidential: Tel: 2238237,648-6098. (No -text) 8:30am-5:00pm Mon-Sun (Both phones same hours).

International Tow Truck with flat aluminum bed; takes two vehicles. Call: 639-3900, 619-5400

(2)60-180 Leyland DAF I working condition Call: 6281756,228-5655

Hello, the doctor is back!!

Have your gas stove repaired and serviced. Tel: 601-0595, 220-4073, 220-5785

Corporate Advocates, we buy,sell& rent properties, for sale :6 bedrooms ,for rent :1&2 bedroom apartments Tel: 650-6231

Corolla Wagon, excellent condition Tel: 677-7666,6107666

1 2004 Honda Civic AT, music, excellent condition.

PMM series. One year in taxi, $1,750,000. Contact 6505567

Bulah Enterprise Inc. seeks interior charter Call: 592-6466730,5692-225-1939

Do you need? Excavator operator, project manager, security officer, driver Call IKS Services 223-1719

1 White Toyota Runx/Allex $2.1M neg. Fully loaded. Tel: 227-0568, 691-4897

South $10M, Kitty $25M, Newtown $18M, Alberttown $21M,Church street $39M Call Diana 227-2256,626-9382

5 Acres fully developed farm Pearl, EBD,16000 chicken pens capacity, bearing fruit trees. Call: 689-9991, 2275362.

Mining exploration, professional recruitment and business support services www.iksservices.com Tel: 223-1719

VEHICLES FOR SALE Just arrived: Allion and Premio, tel: 624-2000, 622-1610

3 Ton freezer ante, unregistered Call: 617-2891 First Class Auto. Allion, Premio, NZE, Fielder, AT212, Carina & Raum. Tel# 6098188, 602-6307 Two door Jeep with Toyota engine open/ closed back manual, cheap Call: 2690432,686-0323 GMC Tw truck, scrap 720 Nissan pick up,one industrial lathe Call Richard 609-7675,233-2614,610-2506 1 RZ minibus in excellent condition Call: 675-3093 2002 Toyota RAV 4 $3.7 Neg., fully loaded,2000 Toyota VITZ $1.9 Neg. ,PNN series Tel: 276-0229,641-0909

Complete floristry equipment & supplies, variety of paints, office chairs, one electric stove (GE) Call: 623-1575

3 ton enclosed & open back canter, unregistered. 6172891 Toyota Prado, 2004 Prado, 2005 Mark II GX110, 2005 Tundra. All fully loaded.

Excellent condition. Call: 600-5759

Brand new Blackberry Torch 9800, under $100,000. Call: 676-7443

Hummer H2 Sut Model 22" rims, DVD sound system Call: 639-7700

New Blackberry Torch (Slider) $80,000. Accessories included. Buy 2 or more & receive a discount. 680-1722

One EP 71 Starlet Auto, 1 Toyota Ceres, 212, 192, RZ minibus. 1- 2 seater Go Cart.

Tel: 644-5096, 697-1453.

Pine lumber for sale @ River View Wood products Inc. Address: 164-165 Friendship EBD Call: 266-0296,639-2577

1 Toyota RUNX gold, PMM, bodykit, AC, music, fully loaded, year 2001 asking price $2.3 Call: 615-4317

Electric threadmill, no reasonable offer refused Tel: 662-7398,621-2453

15" Collection speakers 1600 watts, one complete stage, size 24ftx20ft Call: 644-3390 or 667-7511

Leading Auto, unregistered Allion, Premio, Runx, Fielder, Raum,212, Verossa Call: 6777666,610-7666

Cricket bowling machine with automatic feeder and balls. Priced at $1.2Million for quick sale Call: 689-0305

Laptop & desktop computers very cheap HP, Dell, Toshiba, IBM, Sony etc. Call: 253-3426,692-4736

Jags Auto: Spacio, Premio, Wagon. Cheapest. Call: 6167635

DRESSMAKING Working uniforms and more.

Made within 48 hours. Call Sharmela 225-2598, 641-0784.

FOR SALE Large Land in Bagotville, WB. Great for Greenhouse farming. 600-0036 or 223-1719 NARS lipgloss, eyeshadow & Clinique Chubby Stick. Tel: 669-8374.

Pitbull pups Tel:225-6137

(Continued on page 20)

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Parliamentary Committee of Privileges merely recommends to Full House …Deborah Backer, Irfaan Ali cases still unresolved - Gail Teixeira The Parliamentary Committee of Privileges which is the arm of the House responsible for addressing matters of discipline of members can only make recommendations to the Full House.

This is according to Government’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, who has been a feature in the National Assembly for more than two decades and arguably one of the most knowledgeable local Parliamentarians on its Standing Orders.

The Parliamentary Standing Orders are the official rules of the House dictating procedure.

This publication at the time of speaking with Teixeira, was seeking clarification on the Parliamentary avenues available to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in

relation to the most recent furore erupting over statements made by Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.

APNU’s Executive Member with responsibility for the Sugar Industry, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine had this past week declared that should it be established that the Agriculture Minister did in fact mislead the Parliament of Guyana, then there are mechanisms available to deal with him.

He said that APNU is currently preparing an indepth dossier of the concerns, related directly to the sugar industry and its officials.

Dr. Roopnaraine said that the party has zeroed in on what appears to be misleading statements to the Parliament.

But according to Teixeira,

Gail Teixeira

Deborah Backer

Irfaan Ali

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

the Parliamentary mechanisms available to APNU in relation disciplining any member of the House, remain limited.

She explained that at first, a case has to be made against the Member of Parliament.

This is done by way of a

motion presented to the Speaker of the House where the arguments for and against commitment to the Committee of Privileges are made.

The Speaker of the House then decides whether a prima facie case has been made and would rule on whether the particular offending MP should be committed to face what has been described as a ‘Parliamentary Court’.

Even at this level, Teixeira said, the alternatives are still

limited, given that when the case is heard, the Committee would only make a recommendation to the House.

She did point out that the case of completely removing a Member of Parliament cannot be addressed at that level, given that it is the leader of each side of the House who would have to deem no confidence in the Member and have the seat declared empty.

The veteran

Parliamentarian added that there are two cases that had been sent to the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges and are yet to be resolved.

The then Speaker of the House Ralph Ramkarran had committed both People’s National Congress Reform Member Deborah Backer and Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali to appear before the Committees for alleged breaches of Parliamentary privileges.

Both matters were never resolved and the ninth Parliament has since been dissolved, in the process, debarring any further probe by the Parliamentary Committee.

Gunmen in Muslim garb rob 80-yr-old Moulvi Gunmen dressed in Muslim grabs yesterday tricked an Eccles, East Bank Demerara religious leader and escaped with millions in cash and jewelry. The incident occurred around 14:30 hrs at Eccles Old Road.

According to reports, an 80-year-old religious leader, who asked not to be named, was at home with his caretaker when four men dressed in Muslim clothing “from head to toe” and appeared to be in their late 20s entered the property.

The caretaker said that the men called and when she peeped out from the verandah, they told her that they have a package for the religious leader but he has to sign to uplift it.

“After they tell me that he has to sign for it, he come down and open the door and is turn back, he turn back to get a pen when one of them come in and hold the gun to him,” the caretaker claimed.

She explained that the men demanded cash and jewelry from him but because he (80-year-old) is suffering from hearing impairment, he did not respond to them. That reportedly angered the men who demanded that the caretaker lie on the floor, even as they pointed their weapon at her and stripped her of her gold jewelry.

Upon observing this, the religious leader, fearing for his caretaker’s life took the men to the upper flat and showed them the safe.

“I don’t keep money home but I was leaving the country next week so I leave like about $500,000 home and the rest was jewelry,” the 80-year-old man claimed.

He added that he has been living at the property for over 50 years and nothing like yesterday’s incident ever happened.

The caretaker told Kaieteur News that “when they get the money and jewelry, one

of them told another one to go start the car. The other three waited for couple minutes and then they run out.”

She added that she strongly believes that someone within the neighbourhood is responsible for yesterday’s incident, since neither she nor the religious leader had ever seen the bandits.

Police were present at the property dusting for fingerprints. Sources revealed that detectives are of the view that the men fled to a neighbouring village, Bagotstown.

(Romila Boodram)

Young Lindeners on the road to Entrepreneurship The Guyana Youth Business Trust yesterday hosted a Loan Disbursement Ceremony in honour of nine youth entrepreneurs from Linden.

The entity saw the young entrepreneurs benefiting from start- up finance under the ‘’Mentoring Model to Develop Young Entrepreneurs Project.”

“These young persons will be receiving financing to establish their own businesses in areas of Agriculture, Educational Services, and Manufacturing among others.”

The ceremony was hosted at the Institute of Private Enterprise Development’s Linden Office, Republic Drive, Linden.

The Guyana Youth Business Trust is a Non Governmental Organisation targeting youngsters with a view to facilitate empowerment through training and financing.

The grouping offers an integrated package of Entrepreneurial Development Training, Business Mentoring, Business Monitoring and Startup Financing in various areas of business.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 17

Guyanese charged in deadly Berbice Bridge employees Toronto mall shooting Tourism Authority five-year development plan…

benefit from training

The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) in order to enhance the hospitality sector recently held a one-day training seminar for 34 employees of the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI) including toll clerks, radio operators, cleaners, supervisors, accountants, among others.

The two-part sessions comprised sections dealing directly with customer service, but more importantly, the participants were reminded of the importance of the bridge in creating linkages and contributing to Guyana’s economy.

The participants will be presented with certificates at a later date.

GTA Director, Indranauth Haralsingh, noted that in recognition of the importance of tourism as a ‘people to people’ industry, it becomes imperative to maintain human resource development, as a priority.

“It is part of our five-year tourism development plan

and strategy to improve hospitality skills and standards. GTA builds capacity as part of our mandate as we recognize that tourism has a lot of potential,” he stated.

He noted, too, that the staff members of the Berbice Bridge also play an important role in the overall presentation of the country’s tourism product.

“Of every ten persons that arrive at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, five cross the Berbice Bridge, so staff is important because they interface with these persons; they need to understand the importance and value of customers and the role they play in delivering, not just customer service, but quality customer service,” Haralsingh explained.

The interactive sessions saw Haralsingh expounding on the value of customer service and the need for those who are delivering the service to be serious about

performing an “excellent” job.

“You need to treat customers the way you want to be treated, particularly the front line staff,” he stressed.

In addition, the BBCI staff was enlightened on the rewards of maintaining a positive attitude and remaining committed to excellent service delivery, which, the GTA Director noted, makes all the service difference.

The training seminar included details of customer expectations, steps to follow and tools to employ. These tools will ultimately lead to customer satisfaction.

The trainees were also reminded of the importance of proper telephone etiquette and were encouraged by the facilitator to demonstrate their ability to deliver and to encourage feedback from their customers.

The GTA had already conducted several Customer Service training sessions for Air Services Limited (ASL) Staff earlier this year.

Senior TSU ranks on self bail for shooting APNU supporters Two senior officers of the Guyana Police Force were yesterday arraigned on charges that stemmed from the December 2011 shooting of APNU supporters who marched in the area of Winter Place and Louisa Row without required permission.

Superintendent of Police Lyndon Alves and Assistant Superintendent of Police Errol Watts were charged with inflecting grievous bodily harm to Member of Parliament, Joan Baveghens, Attorneyat-law James Bond, retired Brigadier Edward Collins, 75year-old Sarah Johnson and William Thomas Dalgetty. The matter occurred on December 6 where it is alleged that the ranks shot rubber bullets at the lot of APNU supporters.

Alves pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry. He was said to be the

senior officer on the ground when the incident occurred.

Watts was absent from court.

Attorney- at-law Llewellyn John presented himself on behalf of the victims, while Vic Puran represented the officers.

Puran said that the defendant is a senior officer of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) four ranks below Commissioner. He continued that the rank has an unblemished record. Puran requested that the police case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice on the issue.

He also requested that the matters be heard jointly since they stemmed from the same incident.

The policeman was released on self bail and he will make another court appearance on June 6. Watts is expected to answer his

Ramdatt Dasratt, a 41year-old Better Success man is currently a patient at the Suddie Public Hospital.

He is in the Intensive Care Unit after he was struck down by a sports utility vehicle, not far from his residence.

Dasratt lives alone.

According to reports, the

incident occurred around 7pm, Sunday evening after Dasratt who was intoxicated, exited a yard with a bicycle he was riding.

He fell and having picked himself up, was back on the bicycle when he was hit by the vehicle, which was proceeding south on the Better Success Public Road.

- protestors get new date

Man injured in road accident

charges on that date.

Persons who were charged for the alleged illegal procession that sparked the shooting which occurred between Winter Place and Louisa Row also heard their matter which was called before the Chief Magistrate.

Police prosecutor Lionel Harvey said that in light of the cross charges which were laid against the TSU ranks, the police case file had been sent to the DPP for advice by orders of his superiors. The Sergeant said that he is yet to receive the file.

The prosecutor requested a short date for the continuance of the matter and in the meantime that would facilitate the police retrieval of the case file.

Former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Edward Collins; APNU Executive David Hinds; and Fitzroy Corlette; made their appearance in court. The other defendants Clifton Newman, Winston Greaves, Bruce Whatley, Adrianna Joseph, Keyno Henry, Hamilton Holder, Adrianna Moses and Casey Duncan were absent.

The defendants were ordered to return to court on June 6. They are also urged to make an appearance on the next occasion.

Police, EMS and Firefighters rush 13-year-old Connor Stevenson to an ambulance as they exit the Eaton Centre on Saturday.

Toronto, Canada (metronews.ca/news) -The man arrested and charged in the Eaton Centre shooting was a young father wrapped up in gang violence, his Guyanese-born father said.

Christopher Husbands, 23, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder after he turned himself into police early yesterday morning.

Police believe that a 23year-old man in hospital in critical condition, with bullet wounds to his neck and chest may have had gang ties.

The dead man, 24-yearold Ahmed Hassan, was known to police, authorities said. He is the city’s 21st homicide of the year.

He died instantly when the gunman opened fire around 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

A 13-year-old boy visiting from Port Hope remained in critical condition with a gunshot wound to his head but was improving, police said Sunday.

Four others injured by gunshots were treated and released from hospital.

A seventh person, a pregnant woman apparently knocked over in the panic, spent the night at St. Michael’s Hospital when she went into labour, but the pains stopped and she was released Sunday.

Toronto police said yesterday that Husbands had been previously charged with an unrelated offence and was under house arrest.

Police said the shooting was not gang-related, but that there were personal factors involved, despite previous statements at least one of the victims had known gang associations.

“Our investigation continues to suggest this is a

targeted shooting and not a random act of violence against the public,” Det. Sgt. Brian Borg, the lead homicide investigator, said at a news conference, yesterday.

“I do not believe this to be a gang-related shooting,” he added.

But Husbands, who was born in Guyana and immigrated to Toronto in 2000, was involved in gang activity, the Star has learned.

Burchell Husbands, the accused father, found out about his son’s involvement in the Eaton Centre shooting shortly after midnight Monday, he said. Burchell Husbands said he’s terrified his family will face retaliation from opposing gang members — though he couldn’t identify who that might be.

“Right now the whole family’s scared,” he said. “We don’t know who’s going to come here just now.”

Burchell Husbands said that he’s often the last to know when his son gets in trouble. His son doesn’t live with him and hasn’t since he was 18 and moved out of the family home in Regent Park.

Christopher Husbands, the second youngest of four siblings, followed his father to Toronto. Burchell Husbands came in 1993.

At the time of the shooting Christopher Husbands was living alone in the King and Bathurst Streets area, his father said.

Christopher has a fiveyear-old daughter with an exgirlfriend, his father said. He said he’s not sure if they know yet about his son’s arrest.

Burchell Husbands said that as a child his son was quiet and happy and got along well with his siblings.

In Toronto, he went to Lord Dufferin Public School then high school in the area.

That’s when things went downhill, Burchell Husbands said.

“When he reached a certain age … he started problems,” he said.

At 15 or 16 years old, he started getting in fights at school and was known to police for possession of marijuana.

“He was in and out of trouble,” Burchell Husbands said. “I tried to beg him to keep out of trouble.”

He dropped out of high school and started running with gangs in Regent Park, Husbands said — though he was not sure which gang.

Two months ago, Christopher Husbands survived what his father believed was a gang attack by six people when he was stabbed more than 20 times.

Burchell Husbands said he last saw his son in May, when he came to visit.

Burchell Husbands moved out of Regent Park two years ago and is married with three kids. Christopher’s mother is back in Guyana, Husbands said.

“We get along,” Husbands said of his relationship with his son. “He still comes around and visits.”

When asked what he’d want the public to know about his son, there was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

“He was a good guy coming up,” he said. “He was good.” “Gang changed everything,” he said quietly.

The mall, closed since police evacuated thousands who abandoned bags and food in their rush to safety, re-opened this morning.

Motorists forced to leave their vehicles in the centre parking lot will also be able to retrieve them today, police said.

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Lawyer files assault charges against Regional Chairman’s wife Charrandass Persaud, Attorney-at-Law of Canefield, Canje has moved to the courts and has filed assault charges against Shabana Mustapha, wife of the former Region Six Chairman, Zulfikar Mustapha. The duo will appear at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for the first hearing.

Persaud is alleging that Mustapha was the woman who slapped him in front of hundreds gathered in the crowd at a Diwali programme held on October 24, 2011 at the Canje Welfare Ground.

Persaud was perturbed over the political sentiments being echoed by the various speakers at the event and, apparently, shouted to the speakers on the stage to stop spewing political garbage at a religious event.

Mr Persaud said that he became irate after Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, was on the stage urging the crowd to “vote PPP” and saying, “I bring you greetings from the President and incoming President, Donald Ramotar”.

“Right away, he went on to talk about the good things

Defendant: Shabana Mustapha

Attorney-at-law Charrandass Persaud

the PPP is doing and even asked the people to give them another term in office,” Persaud told Kaieteur News.

Persaud said that he became angry and shouted out to Dr Singh on stage.

“Don’t talk politics; talk religion’, and this lady beside me cuff me in my face. It wasn’t a cuff that hurt.”

“Right away, he cut his speech off and I walked away”.

He said that another man might have retaliated against the woman but he walked quietly away. He said that it was the wife of the former Chairman who

performedtheact.ThethenRegion Six Chairman had refuted all of Persaud’s claims when contacted by this newspaper.

Persaud noted that the police have since refused to charge Mustapha since “she was the Chairman’s wife” but now she is the ex- chairman’s wife.

On Wednesday, Attorney-at-Law Kumar Dorasami will represent Persaud while Mustapha will be represented by Adrian Anamayah. Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo will preside over the proceedings.

Quartet walks free from robbery charges

Four men previously charged with three counts of robbery under arms and one count of possession of ammunition were freed on Wednesday by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court, East Canje.

Raymond Fraser, 19, of Reliance, Canje and Zakeer Mohamed were represented

by Attorney- at- Law, Charrandass Persaud, while Deon Fraser, 22; and Michael Fraser, 25, of Adelphi Canje were represented by Michael

Baird. Detective Roberto Figueria prosecuted the case.

It was alleged that on June 8, 2008, they robbed Paul Budhu, an overseas- based resident of US$810 and a wedding band worth $40,000.

They were also accused of robbing Anawattie Devi Singh of jewelry valued $112,000 and her husband, Ganesh Premchand of a chain worth $20,000 and $40,000 in cash.

Caution statements were thrown out for all of the defendants; hence the police

case was dented. The claim was that the robbers were masked so the witnesses for prosecution could not identify any one.

As for the ammunition charges, those were previously dismissed. A nocase submission after the prosecution closed its case was upheld on Wednesday.

When the Magistrate read the verdict, there were shouts of relief and joy from the Fraser brothers, “Four years, since 2008! Thank God!” Mohamed was very quiet.

D’Urban Street murder accused remanded A man was yesterday remanded to jail after making an appearance before Magistrate Hazel OctiveHamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Anthony Morrison was accused of murdering D’Urban Street resident, Donna Thomas.

The police stated that between May 25 and May 27 at D’Urban and Cross Street Werk-en-Rust, Morrison murdered the 49-year-old woman. He was not required to plead to the capital offence of murder.

Morrison is expected back in court on June 29.

An autopsy conducted on Thomas, a former employee of Professional Guard Service

(PGS) proved that she died from manual strangulation and also suffered blunt trauma to the head. Some of the bones in the woman’s neck were broken. She also had a broken thumb.

It is alleged that the woman was killed by a drug addicted boyfriend who requested money from her. It is believed that the woman was killed when she refused to give up her money.

The victim was found dead in her apartment on Saturday last. It was reported that some of the woman’s colleagues had visited the premises and observed that the front door was slightly open.

After calling and getting

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Prosecution closes case in Doobay murder PI Following the testimony of Inspector Joel David, police prosecutor Deputy Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh closed prosecution arguments during the preliminary inquiry into the death of Shewraney Doobay, the wife of prominent physician, Dr. Ramsundar Doobay.

The matter is being heard before Magistrate Hazel Octive- Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Attorney-at-law Vic Puran is representing one of the accused, Shakir Mohamed, of Lot 127 Latchuni Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara. The lawyer had previously made submissions based on the admissibility of statements provided in the pre- trial matter.

Yesterday Karimbaksh provided the court with

authorities that would support the acceptability of the statements. The court subsequently admitted the prosecution’s evidence. The police later closed his case.

Puran in reply, contended that his client had no case to answer.

He spoke on the issue of the admissibility of the statements and the authorities that supported it. He said that the decision of admissibility was not a matter for the prosecution based on their strategies, but it was a matter for the court.

Puran even suggested a voir dire trial in relation to the statements, and made mention of outcomes if the prosecution were to object to the voir dire.

Karimbaksh will reply to Puran’s submission when the matter is called again.

Mohamed was said to be the accomplice of Mark Singh, resident of Prince

William Street, Plaisance, and the nephew of the 58-year-old victim. Singh is now deceased.

He succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital after suffering from what the hospital and prison sources said was a severe case of asthma. He was the number one accused who reportedly played a significant role in the woman’s death.

Dr. Doobay, Head of Internal Medicine at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) and another relative were the ones who reportedly discovered the woman’s body.

Mrs. Doobay was found lying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor of the twostorey home she and her husband occupied. Reports were that the woman had been struck repeatedly in the head with a blunt instrument which caused her demise.

Suspected pirates captured after Pomeroon attack

- CGX, Repsol helicopters called in for rescue Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn during a media briefing on Sunday at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Stabroek, informed them that swift action by the authorities led to the capture of a vessel and crew who purportedly took part in pirate activities.

“Between 09:-09:30 hrs, (Sunday) morning, the Maritime Administration started receiving reports that a vessel was in pursuit of another on the Essequibo Coast, along the Pomeroon River…They believed they were being attacked…They were informed that if we did not hear from them they would have been in trouble,” Minister Benn said.

He added that the vessel named 'SAPNA', was runaground by its crew since it could not outrun the vessel pursuing it…the vessel which was said to be pursuing it,

came alongside the abandoned vessel and removed materials such as fish and fuel.

“The Maritime police routed the police in the areaboth from Anna Regina and Charity who routed boats out…the authorities have been able to recover both the vessel which was under attack and the vessel which was alleged to have committed the act, with their crews…they are both at Charity Police Station, assisting police with investigations,” the Public Works Minister said.

Benn said that the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was activated, which in turn contacted the army's coastguard, the Commissioner of Police, the divisional commander, and CGX and Repsol which assisted readily by making available two helicopters for the law enforcement authority to visit

the location and provide technical support.

“We are happy to have results within four to five hours of the incident in terms of people being brought to safety and apprehended…we want to remind the mariners and fisher folk to keep contact with the light house and law enforcement bodies, when they see situations arising that cause them to feel threatened, so that they can solicit help,” Benn said.

Director of Maritime Safety, Stephen Thomas, said that the said crew of the fishing vessel positively identified the crew and vessel of their pursuers, which led to the capture of the presumed pirate vessel.

“Police are currently taking statements from all the persons and are conducting their investigations,” Thomas said.

Vergenoegen rape/murder ...

Police seeking close relatives before post mortem examination

Anthony Morrison no answer, they entered the apartment and saw Thomas motionless on her bed with marks of violence on her body.

The police have not yet been able to determine the cause of death of Indira Narine whose decomposing body was found in her home.

According to a source close to the investigation they have not been able to locate a close relative of the woman; as such they have delayed the post mortem with the hope of a family member coming forward.

Meanwhile, a source close to the investigation has revealed that the woman’s

daughter up to press time yesterday was still in the care of the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

On Saturday, the decomposing and semi nude body of Narine was found in her Post Office Street, Vergenoegen home. The woman was last seen about a week ago after telling neighbours that she was sick.

After she was not seen around the community for a week a friend decided to go

check on her when the discovery was made. The woman’s mentally and physically challenged 14-year-old daughter was also found in the house with the rotting corpse.

The teen was immediately removed from the house. The child managed to relate to persons that her mother was raped.

This was subsequently confirmed by medical officials at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

The Abigail Column Husband against wife’s sleepover with new friend

DEARABIGAIL, My wife and I have been together for seven years, married for four. We have a wonderful two-year-old son.

We got together while we were in high school. Neither of us ever had many close friends or much of a social life.

But all of a sudden, my wife has become a social butterfly.

I hardly see her without her best friend, ‘Sherry.’ In the past three weeks, I’ve had

exactly one meal with my family without Sherry present.

Now my wife wants to stay overnight at Sherry’s house. I’ve told her that I don’t mind having Sherry around occasionally, but not all the time, and I don’t agree with this staying overnight business. I trust my wife, but she should sleep at home.

Every time I mention my feelings, she gets angry and says I’m jealous and don’t want her to have any friends, or she closes up tight and won’t speak to me for days.

I love my wife, but I married her, not Sherry. I want her to have friends and have

fun, but am I wrong to expect her home at a reasonable hour, and to let me know where she’s going?

Home Alone Dear Home Alone, Married women do not make a habit of sleeping over at a girlfriend’s house unless there are problems in the marriage - and it sounds as if there may be. Couples that get together in high school can sometimes feel they’ve missed out, and Sherry appears to provide excitement. Your wife owes you complete honesty. Insist on it.

Tuesday June 05, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): A surprise visitor who has travelled some distance to see you will take you by surprise. A long journey will be scheduled soon and the consequences could transform your life. ****************************** TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): Evidence comes to light that proves someone has been deceiving you. A person you thought of as a friend is not to be trusted and they no longer have a part to play in your life. ****************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): It would be a shame to let a small incident or misunderstanding ruin a good relationship. Emotions are high and things could be said in the heat of the moment that will be instantly regretted. ****************************** CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Small, fairly unimportant diversions could upset the smooth running of your day to day affairs; does this really matter? If you find yourself getting annoyed with things that shouldn’t aggravate you, consider why you are feeling so wound up. ****************************** LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): The more you are able to put your imagination into your work the more satisfying the day will be. An explosive burst of creative energy will see you coming up with ideas on how to improve day to day routines. ****************************** VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): You feel confused with the behaviour of a relative and they can’t understand you.

Blame it on the generation gap or differences between the sexes but views and ideas differ a lot; it is almost impossible to compromise.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): It may lead nowhere but you will enjoy experimenting with new ideas and dabbling in new interests. You have no real sense of purpose and this will prevent you from doing anything positive today but you will be having fun. ****************************** SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): If you don’t often treat yourself to life’s little pleasures, it is time to pamper yourself now. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune but it would do you good to arrange a fun break. ****************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): It might seem as if you have psychic ability to foresee trends in your professional life. You are simply assessing the likely outcome of a selection of practices by comparing them with past experiences. ****************************** CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): You may have had no intention of pursuing a special dream; circumstances see to it that you do just this!

Sometimes the best opportunities come when you are least expecting it. If you are typical of your sign you prefer not to make spontaneous decisions. ****************************** AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): You are keen to further your ambitions or expand your personal interests. You feel motivated to advance your lifestyle and yet you have no idea where to begin or how to go about it. ****************************** PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): New business contacts and unfamiliar places present you with the most exciting possibilities now. Progress in a personal ambition is likely or you could get that long awaited promotion.

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55hrs. Sign On 09:00hrs. Live! With Kelly 10:00hrs. The A-Team 11:00hrs. The View 12:00hrs. Prime News 12:30hrs. The Young and the Restless 13:30hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 14:00hrs. The Talk 15:00hrs. Boy Meets World 16:00hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00hrs. The Wayans Brothers 18:00hrs. World News 18:30hrs. Awakening 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00hrs. Alliance on the Move 21:00hrs. DTV’s Summer Movie Fest 23:00hrs. Sign Off NCN CHANNEL 11 02:00 – NCN Late Edition(R/B) 02:30 – Late Nite with GINA 03:00 – Movie 05:00 – Inspiration 05:30 – Newtown Gospel 06:00 – NCN Late Edition(R/B) 06:30 – Farming Today (R/B) 07:00 – Guyana Today 08:00 – GWI Alert (R/B) 08:30 – Pulse Beat(R/B) 09:00 – Revelation & Power 09:30 – Cartoons 10:00 – CCTV 11:00 – History 12:00 – CNN 12:30 – NCN Newsbreak 12:35 – Feature 13:05 – Movie 15:30 – Rise & Be Healed 16:00 – Feel the Beat (R/B) 17:00 – Anderson 18:00 – NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30 – Pulse Beat 19:00 – Al Jazeera 19:30 – Homestretch Magazine 20:00 – 3d/daily millions/ play de dream/lotto draw 20:05 – Your Health the Nations Wealth 21:05 – XI Interface 21:35 – Feature 22:05 – NCN News Late Edition 22:30 – Caribbean Newsline 23:00 – Movie NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 05:00h - Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 05:15h - Meditation 05:30h - Quran This Morning 06:00h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Hanuman

Bhajans 06:15h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Hanuman Bhajans 06:30h - Muneshwar Limited Presents Hanuman Bhajans 06:45h - Double Standard Taxi Presents Hanuman Bhajans 07:00h - RRT Enterprise Presents Hanuman Bhajans 07:15h - M & M Fast Food Presents Raja Yoga Discourses 07:30h - Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc Presents Hanuman Bhajans 07:45h - The Family of The Late Leila & David Persaud Presents Hanuman Bhajans 08:00h - Timehri Maha Kali Shakti Devi Mandir Presents Hanuman Bhajans 08:15h - NTN This Morning Live with Reyaz Husein 09:30h - Indian Soap Yahaan Mein Ghar Ghar Kheli 10:00h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 10:30h - Indian Soap Pavitra Rishta 11:00h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 11:30h - Indian Soap - Punar Vivaah 12:00h - DVD Movie:-

KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA (Eng: Sub:) *ing Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Amitabh Bachchan & Preity Zinta 15:15h - Sitcom FRINGE Season 1 Episode 2 16:00h - Investigation Discovery 16:45h - Dying Tears 17:15h - World’s Hindi Teaching by Sanskar Bharati International 17:30h - Ganesh Parts Presents - BHAGAVAD GITA ( Discourses in English) Serial 17:45h - Birthday Greetings / Deaths Announcement & In Memoriam 18:00h - TBA 19:00h - DECOR & GIFT GALLERY Live With Joel Ghansham 20:00h - Square Talk Live with Kwame McCoy 21:00h - Indian Soap Yahaan Mein Ghar Ghar Kheli 21:30h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 22:00h - Indian Soap Pavitra Rishta 22:30h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 23:00h - Sign off with the Gayatri Mantra

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Page 20

Kaieteur News

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Furnished studio apartment (third floor) Call: 233-2770

VACANCY Male Sales Clerk. Hand written application. Perfume Dazzle, 137 Regent St., Lacytown, G/Town.

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The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport/ National Sports Commission launched its Annual Days of Interaction at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground on Sunday last.

The activity was highly successful as hundreds of athletes, officials and spectators converged at the venue and were involved in a number of sports disciplines including Softball Cricket (male and female), Volleyball, Basketball, Football, Circle Tennis and Dominoes.

Amongst the hundreds of athletes, officials and supporters were Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Hon. Mr. Alli Baksh, Regional Chairman, Mr. Parmanand Persaud, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Mr. Alfred King, Director of Sport, Mr. Neil Kumar among other regional

officials.

Remarks were made by Mr. Parmanand Persaud who welcomed all the officials and athletes, Mr. Alfred King, Mr. Neil Kumar and Hon. Minister Alli Baksh who declared the proceedings open.

They were common in the call for the use of sport for Unity, Peace and Healthy Lifestyle.

At the Closing Ceremony presentations of trophies were made to the winning individuals and teams. Sports gears were also presented to communities to ensure the continuance and development of sports in the region.

RESULTS Softball Cricket Male - Sixteen teams participated. In the final Essequibo Technical Institute came up against Guyana School of Agriculture and won by 10 wickets.

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Tuesday June 05, 2012

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From back page this mandate for other notable pugilists. He briefly reminisced on that historic night in February 2001 when Lewis knocked out American boxer, James Page, to take the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight belt. He said he was honoured to have attended the forum as a reporter and was overwhelmed with the opportunity.

Lewis added his voice to the cause and urged all

sports enthusiasts to attend the tournament even as he implored the boxers to fight hard.

Other comments were also delivered by GABA Vice President, Eustace Cuffy and Tournament organizer, Terrence Poole.

Both administrators were loud in praise for the initiative as well as DDL’s input.

This weekend’s activity commences at 17:00hrs on both nights and will conclude under floodlights.

Female - Three teams were involved. Essequibo Technical Institute met Charity in the finals. Charity came out victorious by 8 wickets.

Football - Eight teams participated. In the finals Queenstown defeated Police by one goal to nil.

Basketball - Of the four teams participating Suddie and Henrietta played in the final. Henrietta crushed Suddie by 15 points to 4.

Circle Tennis - Three teams participated. In a keenly contested match Charity overwhelmed Pomona.

Dominoes - Eleven teams were involved. In the finals the winning team was Anna Regina Fire Station with 79 points and in second position was Reliance with 73 points.

Volleyball - Eight teams participated. Charity came against Henrietta and defeated them 2 sets to 1.

Too early to call says...

From back page in these conditions before, and the challenge we posted to England in the first Test [at Lord’s] especially. “You look at the way we bowled on the third day [in the second Test] at Trent Bridge, getting eight wickets for 169 runs was excellent – but to challenge the No.1 team in the World you have to deliver that excellence more consistently – and that’s where we’ve been falling down.”

Gibson also played down England’s decision to rest James Anderson for the Test.

“If they rest six players and we win, it’s still West Indies vs England and we don’t really care how many people they rest,” he said.

“The more the merrier for us.

They have other priorities and I suppose you can see that, but we’ll play anybody they put on the park.”

Gibson warned his play-

ers that they should not rejoice that Anderson has been sidelined for the Test.

“We haven’t made any substantial runs as a batting side for people to be resting on their laurels,” he said. “We still have batsmen that have to prove they can play cricket in these conditions, so they still need to work very hard to ensure they are in the right frame of mind.”

Gibson concluded: “Steven Finn has had a very good stint in Test cricket since he’s come on board, Graham Onions made his debut against West Indies in 2009 and got five wickets at Lord’s, so England are fortunate to have such a good array of fast bowlers to choose from at the moment.

“Whoever they bring in it will still be tough, but we’re trying to salvage some pride, and 2-1 would sound far better than 3-0.”

Diamond, Kwakwani through to Super...

From back page 10 points for the team that had an offensive meltdown in the second half after a reasonably good start to the must-win game for them.

Lowe got things going with back-to-back threepointers for Alberttown that kept his team in tact on the offensive end.

Conversely, while they resorted to shooting at a high percentage, Diamond worked the ball inside to ‘big men’ Slater and Horace Hodges.

Slater finished a mega baseline two-handed dunk off a feed from nippy national guard, Rodwell Fortune to put Diamond up 10-8 in the first quarter.

Lowe then answered with his third three-pointer of the quarter to give Alberttown their first lead of the game.

But offensive sustenance was obviously an issue for Alberttown as Diamond took off on a 7-0 run after returning ball inside to substitute forward, Mark Richards, but nevertheless, the first quarter ended 17-15 with Diamond ahead and looking much more

at ease.

Christopher DeHaart opened the second period with a three-point jumper that gave an Alberttown team that lacked enough scorers their second, and what would eventually become their only other lead in the game.

Fortune’s fast-break lay-up quickly switched the lead.

However, five possessions without conversion ensued for Diamond as Alberttown also struggled to finish easy chances at the other end. Four scoreless minutes elapsed before Roberts broke jinx with a three-pointer that got Diamond going again offensively.

Slater jump shots and intimidating figures of Richards and Hodges clogged up the paint on defence, forcing turnovers and quick-breaks for Fortune. Diamond were on an offensive run that sealed the first half 36-22, which quickly became 40-22 at the start of the third period.

Lowe nailed his fourth jumper from beyond the arc but Diamond went relentless on offence with Travis ‘Cook-

Up’ Foster putting the ball high off the glass, and Rodrigues landing a threepointer to give the East Bank of Demerara-based team a 4928 lead.

Alberttown would have probably thought of a comeback, but that would have taken the effort of Dwayne Wade and Lebron James, who were at the same time hauling the Miami Heat back into the fourth game of the NBA Eastern Conference Final against Boston. Sadly, there was no Wade or James for Alberttown in the crucial game.

The writings were on the wall for Alberttown as Diamond unleashed a savage offensive attack in the last quarter that emotionally devastated the opposing Alphonso. The Alberttown Coach could not watch the brutal destruction of his defence and he took it out on the referees.

However, there will not be anymore chances presented to Alphonso for outbursts as his team will now watch the remainder of the tournament from the bleachers of the

Sports Hall.

In the first game, Kwakwani secured its place among the last eight teams with an 85-73 triumph against East/West Ruimveldt, which was their second win in as many games. Kwakwani played their second consecutive game after also winning Saturday night.

Dominique Douglas had 24 points, four rebounds and four steals, while Shelroy Thomas scored 22 points, four rebounds and a mammoth nine steals. Raul Gordon scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the team that makes up with speed what they lack in size.

For East/West Ruimveldt, Owan Walton scored 27 points and grabbed 20 rebounds with Warren Oudkerk scoring 14 and Jason Cort 10 points. The NCBL continues tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with BV/Melanie taking on New Amsterdam in the first game and South Ruimveldt coming up against Lodge/Meadowbrook who are already through to the Super Eight.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Celtics pull even with Sharapova struggles to French Heat in overtime thriller Open victory PARIS (AP) She gingerly flexed her right wrist, pulled on her ponytail in frustration, argued with the umpire and left the court with remnants of a big, orange blob of clay pasted to the back of her soaking shirt.

Yes, Maria Sharapova had to get down in the dirt for her latest French Open win, but her quest to complete the career Grand Slam is still alive.

After breezing through her first three matches, second-seeded Sharapova got stymied as much by her opponent as her own shaky play, to say nothing of the windy, damp conditions Monday at Roland Garros.

She persevered in a 6-4, 67 (5), 6-2 victory over 44thranked Klara Zakopalova in a match that took 3 hours, 11 minutes.

That was 16 minutes longer than her first three matches combined. The 13 games she lost against Zakopalova were eight more than Sharapova dropped against her first three opponents combined.

While Sharapova advanced, defending champion Li Na, the No. 7 seed, disintegrated in a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 loss to qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan, a doubles specialist who matched her deepest trip into a Grand Slam.

It means the French Open will crown a first-time champion this year on the women’s side; Li was the last former titlist left.

Sharapova left with no such regrets, though her three-plus hours on the court were anything but easy.

She had three chances to serve out the match. When she double-faulted to blow the third one, the crowd whistled - and not in a nice way. After changing ends, she broke Zakopalova - the 21st break of serve in a match that was wrapped up, somewhat fittingly, with a second serve that tumbled weakly into the net.

Sharapova gave the crowd a nice wave when it was over, but there was indifference and even a few hoots and boos as she walked off. She committed 53 unforced errors and stopped play a handful of times to bicker with the umpire, including during the secondset tiebreaker when she called a ball out, causing Zakopalova to stop playing, then lost the point after the umpire came down and pointed at the spot on the sideline where the ball had hit.

She ended up losing that

Maria Sharapova

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Li Na

set, then spent many of the breaks during the third set holding onto her right wrist.

She said she jammed it, probably trying to return a body serve from Zakopalova.

If the wrist is OK, Sharapova will head into the quarterfinals staring at draw that looks even better than when the day began.

With Li gone, the only other top-eight seed remaining was No. 4 Petra Kvitova, who had a match later Monday.

Sharapova’s next match will be against the winner of the fourth-round matchup between No. 23 Kaia Kanepi vs. 88th-ranked Arantxa Rus, which is the only match she cares about at this point.

In the men’s draw, fifthseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France returned to Court Phillipe-Chatrier to finish his fourth-round match against No. 18 Stanislas Wawrinka that had been suspended because of darkness the night

before. Leading 4-2 in the fifth set, Tsonga quickly dropped a service break, but rebounded to win the last two games. Final score: 6-4, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 3-6, 6-4 and next up is a quarterfinal matchup against No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Other winners Monday included 12th-seeded Nicolas Almagro, who defeated No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 64, 6-4, 6-4.

Another Spaniard, sixthseeded David Ferrer, wiped out No. 20 Marcel Granollers 6-3, 6-2, 6-0. Ferrer has dropped only 25 games en route to the quarterfinals.

Like Tsonga, Juan Martin del Potro returned to finish his match Monday.

The No. 9 seed won the fourth set to close a victory over No. 7 Tomas Berdych, 76 (6), 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Del Potro will play Roger Federer in the quarterfinals.

He is 2-11 against Federer, with one of the two wins in the 2009 U.S. Open final.

(Reuters) - Miami guard Dwyane Wade missed a three-point shot at the buzzer in overtime, allowing the Boston Celtics to see off the Heat 93-91 on Sunday and level the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series at 2-2.

Boston lead by as many as 18 points in the first half but Miami almost clawed their way to an unlikely win on shot-making by LeBron James and smothering defense lead by Wade that took the Celtics out of their rhythm.

“Our execution in the first half was flawless, but we were unorganized the whole second half,” said Boston coach Doc Rivers. “Miami got into our air space and took us out of everything. Their defensive energy took over.”

James’ three-point basket with 37 seconds to play in regulation sent the contest into overtime, before the league Most Valuable Player fouled out with about two minutes left in the extra session.

“In overtime, when you lose one of your big options ... we were just trying to survive,” said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. “It was a heck of a (second) half, but it certainly wasn’t a heck of a game. You have to be collectively willing to get into the pit and get your hands dirty. In the second half we really got into the grind, into the fight.”

Paul Pierce top scored for Boston with 23 points before being benched in overtime after a sixth foul. “It was like chess. They took our queen

Miami Heat forward LeBron James, right, shoots against Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo (9) and forward Paul Pierce (34) and then we took their queen,” Boston guard Ray Allen said of the early departures of Pierce and James.

Veteran Celtics center Kevin Garnett added 17 points and 14 rebounds - 11 of them defensive.

“Kevin’s our best defender.

That’s not a secret. He’s our best communicator, he’s our best defensive rebounder. He does it all,” Celtics guard Rajon Rondo said of his team mate.

It was Rondo, though, who steadied the side after Pierce’s exit, posting the team’s final three points to

finish with 15 for the game and 15 assists.

James led the Heat with 29 points. Wade had 20 points and chipped in with what Spoelstra termed “ferocious” defence.

Each team has now won twice on their home court. The action returns to Miami for Game Five today.

“We look forward to going back home to our own fans,” said James. “We’ve just got to come out with a sense of urgency ... this is what the post-season is all about.”

US men’s team plays scoreless draw against Canada TORONTO (AP) The U.S. men’s team played a scoreless draw against Canada on Sunday night, failing to convert a couple of strong chances in its third exhibition in eight days.

Clarence Goodson tried a header off a free kick during stoppage time, but Canada goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld knocked the ball over the bar. Goodson also missed a close opportunity early on, shooting wide to the left.

The U.S. stretched its unbeaten streak against its northern neighbors to 15 games in its first game in Canada since Roy Wegerle had two goals in a 3-0 victory in World Cup qualifying on Nov. 9, 1997, in Vancouver. It holds a 13-8-10 advantage in the series.

Canada, which was seeking its first win against the U.S. since a 2-0 victory in Vancouver on April 2, 1985, also had a strong chance during stoppage time, but substitute Simeon Jackson failed to connect after collecting a pass from Dwayne De Rosario.

While the U.S. team has been busy lately, the Canadians played together for the first

time since a 3-1 loss to Armenia in February.

The Americans beat Scotland 5-1 on May 26, then lost to Brazil 4-1 on Wednesday.

Klinsmann had both Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey in the starting lineup on Sunday for the first time since he took over last July, and the U.S. controlled most of the early action. Jermaine Jones’ shot was blocked in the second minute and Goodson missed about a minute later.

But the Canadians settled in and began to do some attacking of their own. De Rosario shot wide right in the ninth minute.

Hirschfield and U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard were both tested in the first half.

Hirschfeld tipped a shot from Edgar Castillo over the bar in the 15th minute, and Howard denied Tosaint Ricketts eight minutes later.

Nik Ledgerwood put the ball into the top left corner of the U.S. goal in the 34th minute but it was waved off because of a foul by a Canadian player in the 18-yard box.

De Rosario said he was not told by the referee what happened on the disallowed goal.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Bravo working hard for strong finish Leicester, England – West Indies batsman Darren Bravo said he was working hard to eliminate some of the mis-steps that have dogged him and finish the three-Test series against England strongly.

This followed a typically flambuoyant 66 from Bravo against Leicestershire on the first day of the Windies’ twoday, tour match on Saturday at Grace Road.

“It was very important for me to spend some time in the middle,” he said. “I was happy with my performance, but disappointed with the way it ended.

“I have been working hard in the nets, trying to get my foot closer to the ball more, and I feel I executed it really nicely [in this innings] and hopefully I can continue from here.”

He added: “I think I have gotten used to the conditions more. But it’s now a matter of me capitalising on the starts that I get. “I got a few starts

Darren Bravo

in the two Tests, but I wasn’t able to carry on. We have one more Test to play, so hopefully I can make use of whatever start I get and end the series on a high.”

Bravo and compatriot Adrian Barath added 111 for the third wicket to rescue West Indies from early strife against Leicestershire.

Barath was unbeaten on 53 when bad light stopped play, and both batsmen looked in fine touch.

Bravo felt it was an encouraging sign that the Windies top-order could overcome their struggles in the Tests against England, although opener Kieran Powell and vice-captain Kirk Edwards fell cheaply.

“The top of the innings has been giving us some problems and I thought Barath and I played really well,” said Bravo. “We were communicating really nicely with each other and helped out each other, which was very important. It was nice to

see Adrian capitalise on a good start and hopefully he could carry on.”

He said: “Most of us are not accustomed to these conditions, but it is very important for us to believe in ourselves and our ability.

Hopefully, we can learn from our mistakes and improve as quickly as possible – and I believe we are learning each and every single day, and I am sure we will come good.

“We are a bit inexperienced at the top, but thankfully we have the likes of Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to hold things up in the middle, when things don’t go according to plan at the top, so it is just us sticking together as a team, helping each other out, and I am sure we will benefit from it in the long run.”

The tour match is a prelude to the third and final Test against England, starting this coming Thursday at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Worthwhile donation but Berbice Boxing Officials beseech added assistance Despite being a relatively new institution, the Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym (PRBG), is regarded as one of the leading institutions in Berbice and it came as no surprise when officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs recently visited that organization and donated more than $300,000 worth of boxing equipment towards the continued development of the pugilists of that entity.

The function was held at the Ministry of Sports Annex building, New Amsterdam, and was orchestrated through its Citizen Security Programme under the auspices of the regional administration and funded by the International Development Bank (IDB).

Items consisted of skipping ropes, boxing gloves, head guards, punching bags, mitts, wrapping bandages, mouth guards and a speed ball complete with the rack among other equipment.

Several important officials witnessed the ceremony including Regional Chairman, David Permaul Armogan, Berbice parliamentary representative, Dr. Vishwanauth Mahadeo and Regional Sport representative, Eli Hazel.

Dr. Mahadeo lauded the work of administrators while noting the tangibility of their efforts. He noted that the boxers utilizing the services of the institution were gainfully occupied and likely

Dr. Visha Mahadeo handind over the equiptment to the gym while offocials from the Ministry of Sport look on to stay out of trouble. ”Their involvement in illegal activity could be counter-productive and the PRBG could negate such behaviour and guide them on the right path,” exhorted the parliamentary representative.

Founder and coach of the PRBG, Orlando ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers was grateful for the gift and expressed deep gratitude to his benefactors. “Our boxers intend to reward you by winning their respective bouts,” he assured.

The coach also drew attention to the successes of three of his best charges, Richard and Joel Williamson

and Jamal Eastman, all remarkable talent emerging from his gym.

Rogers subsequently relayed the pain and disappointment experienced

by Berbicians following the omission of Richard Wi l l i a m s o n t o t h e j u s t concluded Olympic Box off in Brazil.

He underlined the fact that most of his charges are from depressed and poverty stricken communities in Berbice yet rose from those unfortunate situations to stake a place among other law abiding citizens.

He further called on the authorities to demonstrate a

keener sense of nationalism and extend support to the youths by supporting their educational endeavours, and in other cases, providing jobs for those youth that are out of work.

Resurfacing works on MSC Ground commence - Compliments of Ansa Mc Al under Stag Beer The much-anticipated resurfacing works on the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Ground turf has commenced and is scheduled to move apace according to reports emanating from Linden.

Ansa McAl Limited is funding the project to the tune of $3M, which is the last known figure of the Stag Beer countrywide promotion, under which the project has benefited.

The regional and local distributors had launched a ‘Renovate Your Field’ promotion under Stag Beer last year with a special souvenir beer for the Kashif and Shanghai tournament.

The community that amasses the most pounds of Stag Beer caps was deemed the winner.

Linden outnumbered other participating communities and thus won the renovation grant.

Chicken’s Stag Bar in Linden was the designated outlet for the purchase of the beer and retrieval of caps, and was instrumental in ensuring that the Mining Town came out on top.

The new surface at the MSC Ground is expected to benefit a number of sports events, including the calendar President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic that Ansa McAl also sponsors.

Ansa McAl has already contributed to the development of the Mackenzie Sports Club, building dressing rooms aback the basketball court during the Mackeson Smooth Moves three-on-three basketball tournament.

Because of the uncertain weather pattern, it is not clear exactly when the extensive works will be completed, but the requisite officials are expected to make a formal release soon.

Sports Ministry congratulates Guyana Rugby team The Ministry of Sports has sent a congratulatory message to the successful Guyana Rugby team on their advancing to the next stage of the regional World Cup qualifying tournament.

The Guyana team pounded Trinidad 20-0 in a must win game last Saturday at the National Stadium, Providence. The full text of the message is: “On behalf of the entire sporting Community of the nation, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport offers its fullest congratulations to the Guyana Rugby team which demolished the Trinidad Calypso Warriors, 20 – nil, in the final of the South Caribbean Rugby World Cup Qualifiers on Saturday at the National Stadium, Providence.

The games aptly epitomized what a sense of mission and determination, combined with skills, strategy

and training could accomplish. The Guyanese know that Saturday’s game was a must win proposition, with failure never being an option. That they dominated nearly every aspect of the game was testimony to the results of full fitness, utilization of experience which then resulted in tries and penalties galore.”

“The Ministry is pleased and satisfied to have played its supportive role in the recent past and perhaps even this victory is proof of what public private enterprise could achieve.”

“The Ruggers, now imbued with added confidence, must carry on to defend and to score in their finals. Onto victory against the best from the North Caribbean. Let the Golden Arrowhead from the Green Land of Guyana continue to fly victoriously.”

“Congrats again on behalf of all Guyana.”

The Inter-Ministry/Corporation Football continues today at Thirst Park The Inter-Ministry/ Corporation seven-a side Football competition continues today at the Banks DIH ground Thirst Park with GNSC taking on G&S Electrical in the opening match

from 18:00hrs.

The Ministry of Public Works play Guyana Lottery Company, Ministry of Education play GPC, GNIC oppose GWI and Banks DIH battle GPL in the other first

round games billed for this evening. The first round of the tournament concludes on June 16 before the knock-out stage of the competition is scheduled to commence on June 19.

Tuesday June 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Bryan, Lowe among the major spoils again

N

igel Bryan and Trenace Lowe were again the top players among the corps of local table tennis players when they won the Men’s and Women’s Singles titles respectively at the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) Independence Table Tennis Tournament.

Bryan met his nemesis from the National Championships final last year, Paul Meusa and eased to an 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 and 11-6 victory in straight sets while Lowe was forced to dig deep against her rival, Jody-Ann Blake, eventually taking an 11-4, 11-9, 11-5, 511, 11-13 and 14-12 win on Sunday at the National Gymnasium.

In the other final that was played on the closing day of the tournament, Lowe thrashed the heir of male table tennis supremacy, Bryan 12-10, 11-9 and 11-9

- win Independence TT Singles titles

Respective prize winners of the NSC Independence Table Tennis Tournament pose for a photo opportunity Sunday afternoon at the National Gymnasium. in the Under-21 Open final.

On the day before, Stefan Corlette beat Sunil Logan 11-8, 11-3 and 11-5 and Chelsea Edghill won 11-7,

11-5 and 11-5 against Akeicia Nedd in the U-18 finals. At the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, President of the Guyana

Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Henry Greene, congratulated the NSC for delivering a well-organised tournament. According to a

GTTA release, Greene said he was pleased with the discipline and dedication of the young players.

He added that he is

looking forward to sending a team to Jamaica to compete in the Caribbean Mini/PreC a d e t Ta b l e Te n n i s Championship scheduled for July 20-25. In addition, he noted that Edghill qualified for the Latin American Table Tennis Championship set for July 10-15 in Mexico.

Dr. Pradeep Balram, GTTA Vice-President, stated that he was overwhelmed with the amount of participants in the tournament, which totaled 288 players from areas including Linden, Bartica and Berbice. According to him, this effort shows that table tennis is expanding and rising.

GTTA Public Relations Officer, Patrick Triumph mentioned that the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dr. Frank Anthony and Director of Sport, Neil Kumar asked to be excused from the Closing Ceremony because of other engagements.

All set for National Cycling C/Ships

By Sean Devers President of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Cheryl Thompson says that everything is in place for this year’s National Cycling Championships on June 23 & 24, adding that never before in the history of the competition has so many (81) participants registered.

The race is being held from the Linden/ Soesdyke Junction to Amelia’s Ward in Linden and Thompson said that all six clubs affiliated to the GCF (4 in G/Town, 1 in Berbice and 1 in Linden) are participating. The event will be used as criteria for International selection and the Caribbean Junior Championships in the Dominican Republic in August.

On June 23 the time trials will be held before the actual race wheels off the next day.

The action is scheduled to commence at 08:00hrs on both days in four categories (Seniors, Juniors/Juveniles, Veterans and Females) and Thompson said overseas based cyclists have been invited to compete.

Speaking from her Camp Road Office, the GCF Head informed that among the overseas based riders expected to compete is Claire Fraser who lives in England.

Randolph Roberts, the Coach of the Flying Ace

Coach Roberts donates medals Cycle Club from Berbice, yesterday donated six medals (3 for males and 3 for females) to Thompson yesterday for the event which will see the winners in each category also collecting a winner’s Jersey.

Thompson said she was pleased with the way local cycling is going although she thinks the Federation needs to work a bit more as a unit to find ways to ‘hold’ some of the senior riders in Guyana, adding that as with most other things it ‘boils down’ to finance.

Dwayne Gibbs and Godfrey Pollydore are among the top local riders who migrated while many more talented riders are lost to Guyana at the senior level.

Thompson, who took over from Hector Edwards in 2010 to begin her fouryear term as President, said that while financial support can always be better, she was heartened by the support for the sport from Government and corporate Guyana.

“The interest for cycling in Guyana is very good. We have 41 events carded for 2012 with races on each month. We have a lot of Juniors and Juveniles involved with the cream of the crop coming from Linden.

Thompson says Digicel has also offered sponsorship of Alonzo Williams who along with Geron Williams are Guyana’s wild Cards for the 2012 London Olympics.

The Federation will know by next month if the Guyanese Cyclists will be involved in the mega event in England.

Thompson said that the GCF has accepted an invitation to send riders to the 50th anniversary of the Trinidad and Tobago Classic 12-stage Road race which is

considered the ‘Tour de France’ of the Caribbean and revealed that the Trinidadians will pay for the meals and accommodation of the Guyanese cyclists.

It was also disclosed that the Federation has shortlisted 11 Junior Riders for the Junior Championships with Flying Ace’s 18-yearold Marica Dick being the lone female among the lot.

Carlton Wheelers’ Raynauth Jeffery who was the best Junior competitor in last month’s three-stage race, is also among the 11 chosen.

Flying Ace Cycle Coach Randolph Roberts hands over the medals for the National Cycling C/Ships to GCF President Cheryl Thompson at Thompson’s Office yesterday.

t r o Sp DDL, GABA partner inaugural Andrew Lewis U-16 boxing tournament this weekend

Deputy PS Steve Ninvalle (centre) makes a point during the brief to announce another phase of the DDL/GABA partnership. Also in photo are (from left) Eustace Cuffy, DDL’s Alexis Langhorne, Andrew ‘Sixhead’Lewis and Terrence Poole.

T

he fortunes of local amateur boxers have recently suffered a setback following the failure of several of the country’s top pugilists at the Brazil Box Off, a prerequisite to the impending London Olympics later this year.

Following an assessment of the situation, the executives of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) decided to place more emphasis on the development of the nursery if only to give local pugilists a realistic opportunity of procuring the coveted gold medal in future tournaments of this nature.

It was with this objective in mind that the executive of GABA and those of the Demerara Distillers Ltd joined efforts and resources to stage several boxing cards that allow the Simon Pures of the sport to hone their skill.

Activities will be conducted under the Pepsi brand when the above organizations stage the first of three

such tournaments starting this Saturday June 9 and conclude one day later.

Several of these pugilists will compete for honours in the inaugural Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis/DDL U16 boxing tournament on the tarmac situated on the northern end of the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis Boxing Gym, Independence Boulevard.

Ye s t e r d a y m o r n i n g , m e d i a operatives joined the President and other executives of the GABA at a specially convened press conference in the boardroom of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and were updated on the intricacies of the initiative among other boxing related issues. Sales Manager of the DDL, Alexis Langhorne was also in attendance to hand over the sponsorship package to local boxing officials.

She explained that the relationship between her company and the GABA dates back to April 24 when her

executives acquiesced to the deal. She said that the programme is geared towards the well being of young amateur boxers and to provide them with an opportunity of participating in organized activity. Ms Langhorne pointed out that for most of the boxers the sport is a lifeline that will not only provide the path to professionalism but will also provide gainful entertainment.

“On behalf of the DDL and its Pepsi brand I would like to wish the boxers well even as I encourage the public to come out in its numbers to support the youngsters,” beseeched the DDL manager.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ninvalle said that his executives are currently mulling the idea of initiating tournaments in honour of past stalwarts. He reminded that the GABA has already dedicated a tournament in honour of Michael Parris, Guyana’s lone Olympics medalist and was intent on fulfilling (Continued on page 20)

Diamond, Kwakwani through to Super Eight

Too early to call says Gibson Leicester, England – Ottis Gibson said on Sunday it was too early to make decisions about the composition of the West Indies side for the third and final Test against England, starting on Thursday at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

The Windies coach was speaking after rain severely scuppered his team’s plans for vital match practice and a chance to assess a few reserve players.

Not a ball was bowled on the final day of the two-day tour match against Leicestershire at Grace Road, where the visitors were to resume on 150 for three in their first innings.

“You can practise as much as you want in the nets, but it’s time spent in the middle that is invaluable for batsmen and for bowlers,” said Gibson. “For the likes of [Assad] Fudadin and [Narsingh] Deonarine, who haven’t had any cricket yet, it’s a tough call.”

He added: “It’s one we’ll have to make when we get to Edgbaston and look at the pitch and decide what sort of make-up of the team we want to go in with. ”If it’s worth the risk – it will be tough on

Ottis Gibson the guy who hasn’t played any cricket to go and play in these conditions, but we have a squad of 15 and all 15 should expect to play.”

Despite the setback, Gibson said West Indies would continue to hard work to be ready to challenge England again in the final Test.

“When you look at how much good stuff we’ve done in the Test matches, one session, or sometimes 1 ½ sessions of poor decisionmaking by batsmen, or sometimes by the bowlers, have cost us at crucial times,” he said.

“You look at the amount of people that haven’t played (Continued on page 20)

Resurfacing works on MSC Ground commence - Compliments of Ansa Mc Al under Stag Beer

By Edison Jefford Diamond/McDoom and Pg. Kwakwani became the latest 22 teams to advance to the Super Eight round of the National Community Basketball League (NCBL) after comfortably disposing Dominique Douglas Shelroy Thomas of respective oppositions Sunday night at the Cliff was subjected to in the game.

Anderson Sports Hall.

Diamond were merciless; Diamond McDoom blew Kwesi Roberts scored 17 out Alberttown/Bourda 86- points while Jermaine Slater 46 to end the latter ’s had 12 points and 11 campaign in the contest that r e b o u n d s w i t h R y a n sparked many emotional Stephney adding 11 points, outbursts from Alberttown’s 12 rebounds and five steals.

Coach, Derek Alphonso, Jacob Lowe scored 12 who forced the referees to points, nine of which came interrupt the game to caution in the first quarter, and him on several occasions. grabbed seven ‘boards’ Resurfacing of the MSC Ground turf has commenced compliments Alphonso just could not while Yannick Wade scored Ryan Stephney of Ansa Mc Al under Stag Beer. (GuyMine.com photo) take the pounding his team (Continued on page 20) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210