Kaieteur News by GxMedia

Wednesday June 12, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

A lopsided view

DEAR EDITOR, The statement by Leader of the opposition, David Granger, that, ‘no impact has yet been seen from cuts to the 2013 budget’ is certainly descriptive of someone who is out- of-touch with reality or has a preference for willful ignorance. Granger ought to be familiar with the negative effects of the budget cuts to the society, given his 2011 elections promise of a better life for all Guyanese. An approximate forty-four (44) employees of the Government Information Services (GINA) have not received their salaries since the 2013 budget cuts by the combined opposition parties in parliament APNU and AFC.

Many of these, young enterprising Guyanese have family commitments and obligations to financial institutions to which they owe mortgages and installments on household items. Over the weekend, the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) announced a 26.7% percent increase in electricity rates for its consumers, directly related to the opposition budget cuts to GPL. There are many other negative impacts as a result of these opposition-imposed budget cuts, the loss of job opportunities for Guyanese, loss of increased revenues flow, loss of enhanced and modern infrastructure, loss of

opportunities for tourism expansion, among others. The prices of goods and services, most of which have a bearing on electricity would also skyrocket as businesses would be forced to meet their demands of increased electricity rates. It is rather unfortunate that Granger as opposition leader does not understand the negative effects of their reckless actions. In actuality, the opposition actions since the 2011 elections have been directed at frustrating the Government’s development initiatives, subverting democracy and unleashing its agenda of spite, hate and revenge. Kwame Mc Coy

INDEED THE PRESSURE IS MOUNTING DEAR EDITOR, I opened the Stabroek News for June 10,2013 and on page 3 the article is entitled “No impact seen yet from budget cuts” by David Granger. “Pressure mounts” Ramjattan Just the day before in the most of the daily papers “GPL calls for 26.7 % tariff increase. Since we burn fuel to generate power in Guyana and we do not produce our own, we are left at the mercy of the world market prices, which I must say fluctuates mostly upwards, so subsidy to GPL is required to prevent this increased charges from being passed on to the consumers. This of course led to the protests in Linden resulting in shooting deaths and a subsequent Commission of Enquiry which cost the government some $120M plus

compensation in addition to the buildings that have to be rebuilt together with the immeasurable loss of business in that community that resulted due to the blockage of the roadways for days. I was very interested in seeing what will happen between the combined opposition and the government with this one seat that the opposition have, since it was the first time in history in Guyana this had happened. Initially, it was good to see the certain Ministries got their budgeted amounts after proper explanations for the respective ministers. GPL of course did not get its “subsidy” and here we are now facing a 26.7 % increase. Is it to understand from all of this that the rest of Guyana is fully capable economically to

ABUSING PUBLIC FORUMS

DEAR EDITOR, It is a real tragedy how the government spokespersons put over very serious events to the public at large. Take the anti-Money Laundering Bill. The Attorney General does not make any references to the Government’s failure to present the Bill in Parliament in a timely way so that the document could be properly scrutinised and amendments made. Instead, he launches into the blame game and propaganda of an order that any primary school student can see through. It’s time this Government recognises when an issue is purely party affairs as distinct

from an issue that is national. The addresses at Babu John and at other Party functions are well and good to begin with. The PPP/C Government but those by the President to the nation should never include that as he is the president of all Guyana. It irks me to read statements issued by high Government functionaries that are an insult to an ordinary m a n ’s intelligence. I wish not to comment more but the Government must be made aware that they arm the opposition with bricks to do them harm. Slyvester James Annai, North Rupununi

foot this exorbitant increase, or do we need to do what Linden did, block roads and protest too, or is the opposition only concerned with the residence in the “depressed community” of Linden ? Since in my opinion the joint opposition has taken us (GPL Consumers) down this road to this troubling situation, i am very interested to know what the opposition plan is, since i, like so many others, can barely afford to pay charges at the current rates much less the increased amount or like many others, i may be forced to steal electricity too. I fully agree with mr Ramjattan’s statement “pressure mounts”, however it is being mounted on the people, no one else. Please clarify Doodnauth Ramnarine

We have learnt nothing

DEAR EDITOR, On Saturday 7th June, 2013 the Guyana Power and Light made a very inhumane and ridiculous announcement in the increase of electricity bills by a whopping 26.7%. Is the management of GPL serious? If the answer is no then this must be the joke of the century. This government has refused to give public servants no more than five per cent increase and now the GPL which is an arm of the Government is trying to saddle the Guyanese public with such an astronomical increase. Why is it that we should be paying for the gross incompetence or mismanagement by the hierarchy of the GPL? What

happened with public consultations? I think that it is about time that the opposition parties step up their game and start questioning the likes of Winston Brassington, Bharat Dindial, Ashiswar Deonarine etc and find out from them about the real and entire operations of the GPL. With or without Government’s subsidy we are still going to have long and recurring periods of blackout. People’s electrical equipments will still continue to be damaged and of course they will never be compensated. Yesterday when it was Linden and the Lindeners stood up and fought for what they believed in we felt that they were being

unreasonable in their quest but now that the shoe is on the other foot we think differently. Linden is just a small town but our population on the coastland is about 10 times more and if such a small group can come together and stand up for what they believe in then I think that we can do the same. However we must not resort to violence or blocked roads. Whatever course of action we deem fit it must be quiet and peaceful. It is about that we stand up against this gross advantage. Yesterday it was Linden now tomorrow it is Georgetown and I’m surprised that this Government learned nothing from the Linden fiasco. Randy Persaud

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday June 12, 2013

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

140,000 Guyanese immigrants in New York City DEAR EDITOR, With reference to your article initially reported in the NY Times captioned, “140,000 Guyanese immigrants in New York City,” we wish to comment on a few issues. There are more Guyanese living in the New York area, but they have not participated in the civic and political process as other groups have. They have one of the lowest participation rates in the Census and Community Surveys counts, and also in exercising their fundamental right and duty to vote, perhaps a residual fear they brought to America. Consequently, they have not assimilated as they should, and many still consider political and civic participation as either meaningless or morally wrong. It is little wonder that there is no Guyanese who has ever been elected to the City Council or State legislature. They may forever have to lament the fact that one of their own, Attorney Albert Baldeo came within an

unprecedented 500 votes, or 0.5% to win a State Senate seat in Queens and almost defeated a 20-year incumbent and then Chairman of the Queens Republican party Serf Maltese in 2006. A State senate district consists of over 325,000 constituents, and that would have given them political and economic recognition they need and deserve so badly in the USA, which caters only to those groups who position themselves on the political map. Unfortunately, while many ethnicities like Italians, Jews, Hispanic, Irish and African American communities shared and appreciated Baldeo’s visionary leadership and inspirational motivation to rise to such an unprecedented challenge by voting for a Guyanese immigrant, his countrymen should have embraced such an effort by coming out in proportionately greater numbers to take their community over the top. They may never get that chance again. Some never left the rum

shops to come out and vote, believing that such a goal was not achievable, while others remained selfish and narrow minded in sticking to an agenda of accumulating material wealth in the USA. Like what Mr. Totaram alluded to, some unfortunately just leaned back in their chairs and refused to, or discouraged others to get involved in a movement that did not offer them any personal benefits, instead of motivating other Guyanese of the significance of voting in a country where your only chance of empowerment comes through political recognition and acceptance of the kind that Albert Baldeo has led their fight for. There is nothing like proxy representation. You have to elect one of your own to get a meaningful voice. Totaram’s unfortunate stigmatization and categorization that “Guyanese in Richmond Hill at its fullest is curry and roti, chutney music and Indian music, short skirts and saris, men without a shirt, people

with their cups, vendors yelling, guys cursing, bars packed with young men drinking rum,” is a selfdefeating condemnation of a community that has given many people a lucrative living, but it is also symptomatic of a greater problem which resides within the myopic blindness of many of our Richmond Hill community, professional and business leaders. While these so called leaders give great financial and other support for other political candidates from other communities who offer them a financial or personal stake, they will reflexively oppose their own. This trait is ingrained historically in the plantation mentality, and will instinctively cause people to act as spoilers, and cause them to shamelessly parlay their dearth of vision, motivation or political will to empower those who have given them a comfortable living, but are less fortunate than themselves. In Guyanese parlance, it is uniquely classified as “the crab mentality.” Albert Baldeo won the District Leader ’s seat to

become the only elected Guyanese in the area’s history in 2010, but was targeted by the political establishment soon after with charges which stemmed not only from a witch hunt and selective prosecution, but were never brought before in City Council elections, nor against establishment candidates. Although embattled, Baldeo recently pushed the MTA to deliver on its promise to build what will be the only elevator serving Richmond Hill and its many elderly,

physically challenged and pregnant patrons--the very same train the NY Times writer Kirk Semple encourages readers to take to Richmond Hill. The difference is that, like with everything else, Baldeo will tell you that he would have had to fight 10 times harder to get benefits to the Richmond Hill neighborhood compared to other communities. Roger Singh Civil Rights and Justice Center (Queens Chapter)

WHAT’S THE CASE HERE? DEAR EDITOR; I note with amusement [sic] the pathetic attempt by Sundar Nauth in his letter to the editor in KN of June 4, 13, to put a racial slant to the actions of the APNU and the AFC towards Mr.Gocool Boodoo of the Guyana Elections Commision. I don’t see how the APNU/AFC saying that Mr.Boodoo is biased in favour of the PPP could be deemed as being racial. If this is so, then it means that the PPP is an Indian party and Mr.Boodoo is being Indian/racial in his bias towards a party of his etnicity. That being said, it shows that according to Nauth’s reasoning, he and the PPP are actually the racists. Isn’t this pathetic? GO FIGURE!!! Gordon Lewis St.Johns, Antigua.

Wednesday June 12, 2013

Kaieteur News

Marriott Hotel obstructs beam from lighthouse - Mariners have to utilise other navigational aids The beam from the 103foot Georgetown lighthouse is now undetectable to the north by mariners out at sea, owing to the Marriott Hotel that is being constructed nearby in Kingston. This was confirmed yesterday by Harbour Master, Volton Skeete, who said that mariners have been issued notices to alert them of the situation. The USA Navtex Coordinating Centre has also been notified. That international body is responsible for disseminating information to vessels operating in the Caribbean and Latin American by electronic means, informing those approaching Guyana that the light beam would not be detected because it is being obstructed. The beam emanating from

the Lighthouse is used as a navigational aid for mariners. Whenever the vessel is navigating too close to land, the red sector of the light is visible warning operators of the impending danger. And, when the vessel is at a safe distance away from shore, the white sector is visible. Skeete assured that in the absence of that navigational aid there are other aids operators of small vessels could utilise such as buoys, beacons, landmarks and conspicuous lights along the coastline. Meanwhile, large vessels operating in the area are equipped with modern navigational amenities such as electronic charts and Global Positioning Systems. Even as the Lighthouse beam is being blocked, negotiations are still ongoing

between the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Chinese firm, Shanghai Construction Group, constructing the hotel, to finalise details to house the light. Skeete did not give a definite date as to when the light would be affixed to the structure, but said that there is a foundation already in place for the revolving light. In addition, the batteries for the lights will have to also be secured to the roof of the structure. According to the Harbour Master, a team from MARAD, including himself, made a site visit Tuesday to assess the progress of works. He related that MARAD was knowledgeable from the inception of this project that the beam would have been obstructed.

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Khatami, reformists back Rohani in Iran presidential vote (Reuters) - Iranian reformists led by former President Mohammad Khatami have endorsed Hassan Rohani, the lone moderate contesting Friday’s election for the presidency, held by hardline Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the past eight years. Within Iran’s complex mix of clerical rulers and elected officials, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on big issues like Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme and its support for President Bashar alAssad in Syria’s civil war. ut the next president may at least change the style of Iran’s dealings with the world after fiery populist Ahmadinejad steps down in August. He will also be an

important adviser to Khamenei and take charge of trying to fix an economy battered by international sanctions, mismanagement and corruption. One conservative and the only reformist in the race have dropped out in the last two days, leaving four candidates ultra-loyal to Khamenei, one outsider, and Rohani, a moderate cleric. Khatami, who won two presidential election landslides in 1997 and 2001, threw his weight behind Rohani yesterday after Mohammad Reza Aref, the sole reformist candidate approved by Iran’s Guardian Council, withdrew on Monday night. Also yesterday, moderate former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was

barred from standing in Friday’s election, endorsed his close ally Rohani, according to Iranian media. “Rohani entered the race after consulting me. With all due respect to other candidates, I will vote for Rohani and consider him to be more suitable to steer the executive branch,” ISNA news agency quoted Rafsanjani as saying. Aref was seen as lacklustre and had little public following. The reformists’ backing of Rohani, a former chief nuclear negotiator known for his conciliatory approach, is an effort to attract the votes of those Iranians hoping for greater freedoms and an end to their country’s diplomatic isolation.

Kuru Kururu woman died of Riot police clash with antiG8 protesters in London multiple lacerations - suspect discharged from hospital

Shameer Ali and Shaneza Ramdat in happier times Shaneza Ramdat called “Reshma”, the 25-year-old woman who was murdered, allegedly by her reputed husband, on Saturday last at Kuru Kururu Squatting Area on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, died of multiple lacerations to the neck. This was determined by a Post Mortem Examination

(PME) which was conducted by Government Pathologist, Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on Monday. Meanwhile, the suspect, 40-year-old Shameer Ali of Better Hope on the East Coast of Demerara, has since been discharged from the hospital and is now in police

custody. Ali attempted suicide by cutting this throat, after he reportedly stabbed Ramdat to the neck and about the body. Kaieteur News was told that the murder may have stemmed from an argument the couple had over Ramdat’s alleged infidelity. Ramdat mothered two children from her first marriage, while Ali is the father of three. Their children remain in the care of their exes. They have no children together. Ali’s daughter, “Meno” had said that the news of her father’s actions has left her and her siblings puzzled, as the man has never been known to be violent. “For all the 20 years of my life, my father was always loving and caring. He never even hit me and my two other siblings. We still confused. I was so shocked when I get the call because I know my father, but still, I don’t know what happened yesterday (Saturday),” the young lady said. She added that about four years ago, her father walked out on her mother without giving any explanation, and that she never heard from him since. He subsequently moved in with his brother and sisterin-law, and started a relationship with Ramdat, whose lifeless body was discovered lying face down in the front yard of her brother ’s home in Kuru Kururu where the couple had been staying for the past three weeks. Meanwhile, Ramdat’s relatives and close friends maintain that apart from Ali, the woman was involved with no one else.

LONDON (Reuters) British riot police clashed with anti-capitalist protesters in running confrontations through th e s t r e e t s o f central London yesterday, arresting at least 32 people as activists targeted some of the world’s biggest companies before next week’s G8 summit. About 100 protesters gathered outside oil company BP Plc’s headquarters, while others chanted “war criminals” at the office of U.S. defence company Lockheed Martin Corp. and booed outside the offices of U.S.based bank Citi. In a roof-top drama caught on camera, one protester lunged towards officers on the top of a four-storey

building where activists had been holed up and was wrestled to the ground by police wearing abseiling ropes just inches from the roof’s unprotected edge. Police used chainsaws to break into the block in the Soho district where the StopG8 protest group had been staying before a “Carnival Against Capitalism” to coincide with the June 17-18 G8 meeting at a golf resort in Northern Ireland. Several hundred protesters - who had threatened to target major hedge funds, banks and natural resources companies - played cat and mouse with riot police sowing hours of traffic chaos in some of

London’s most fashionable streets. Around 100 protesters gathered outside a central London police station this evening shaking fists and shouting “let them go” and “fuck the police”, referring to activists detained earlier, blaring loud and angry hip hop music. “The G8 is just a front for the corporatocracy, for the kleptocrats. It is about making them more money and dividing up the world so they can all get richer,” said a protester at Piccadilly Circus who gave his name only as Silver Fox. “The G8 should be about ending all the wars - why don’t they give peace a chance for once?”

Immigration bill clears early test vote; Obama calls for action (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate voted yesterday to begin debate and amendments on a historic immigration bill, burying a procedural roadblock that opponents regularly use to delay or even kill legislation. With November’s election results indicating broad support for updating the country’s immigration laws, even some senators who have expressed opposition to the Senate bill voted to allow the debate to go ahead. By a vote of 82-15, the Senate cleared the way for the long-anticipated debate that could extend through June. Earlier yesterday, President Barack Obama

sought to inject momentum into the push for U.S. immigration reform. “If you genuinely believe we need to fix our broken immigration system, there’s no good reason to stand in the way of this bill,” Obama said at the White House just hours before the Senate staged its first vote on the measure. “If you’re serious about actually fixing the system, then this is the vehicle to do it,” he said. Obama, who won reelection last year thanks in part to strong support from Latino voters, has made immigration reform a top priority of his second term. He had not given a major

public address on the issue for some time, reflecting a White House strategy of not wanting to get in the way of the bipartisan bill’s progress in the Senate. Obama’s speech yesterday was the first major departure from that strategy. The Senate bill would authorize billions of dollars in new spending for enhanced border security and create new visa programs for highand low-skilled workers in addition to providing a pathway to citizenship for the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants many from Mexico and Central America - currently in the country.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday June 12, 2013

Fishermen demand concessions on fuel - Protest broken promises by Government, harassment by GEA The protest at the Meadow Bank Wharf

Seemingly an annual feature, fishermen yesterday staged a protest at the Meadow Bank Wharf making demands of having concessions on fuel and other necessities for fishing. Equipped with placards the men - mostly boat owners expressed their disgust of

continuously being ignored by Government whilst the operational costs of their businesses are increasing. Afraid that their operations may soon fold, they indicated that they are willing to moor their vessels alongside the wharf until Government meets

their demands. According to one owner, for years fishermen have been asking Government for concessions similar to those enjoyed by the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Processors, in terms of accessing cheap fuel. The

man related that the Trawler Association purchases fuel for $600 per gallon while owners of small vessels pay over $1,000 per gallon. Displaying a placard of the various expenses a fishing vessel incurs per trip, another boat owner related

Miner who alerted cops testifies From page 3 he does not live there. Chance said that while in the station, Harte instructed Greenidge that he shouldn't speak and let him do all the talking. The court was further told that Harte subsequently got a phone call on his mobile, and went outside the police station, he spent approximately five minutes outside and came back into the station. The man stated that he and Harte had a heated exchange which almost ended in a fight. He told the court that the argument was about Ramdass and the money. Chance further stated that he told the female police sergeant on duty that the matter was “life and death”, because he had packed some seventeen million dollars in a box and gave Ramdass, and he heard that the coast guard ranks took him with them. Chance went on to say that he was still inside of the station when he got a phone call, and passed on the information to the police sergeant. He said the sergeant instructed one of her ranks to go outside. The man said that he saw the rank come back with the number two accused, Devon Gordon, and a female who had two bags in her hands. The witness said it was the female sergeant who called the woman around the counter with the two bags and asked what she had inside of them. The sergeant, the witness said, instructed the woman to open the bags. At this point when the woman opened the bags the sergeant was shocked by the sight and shouted “watch money this girl got in this bag”. The sergeant, the witness

said, began to question the woman as to where she got the money from and she responded that she had gotten it from her brother who was a coast guard. Chance said he did not know the woman's name who had the bags, but could identify her once he saw her. The witness said he continued to tell the police sergeant that the money was packed in $500,000 parcels. The man said that the sergeant called him and showed him the money, and it was packed in the exact way. He said that there was $7.2 million in the bag which the woman was carrying. Chance said that he informed his boss, Ashim Baksh. He said that his boss along with the victim's brother came and they hired a boat. Chance recounted that they “run the water top” looking for Ramdass but did not locate him, this was 22:15hrs. The witness said that the search lasted for about three to four hours. Chance noted that the last time he saw Ramdass's body was when it was in a zipped bag. At this point, prosecutor Mursalin attempted to seek the court's admission to show a photo to the witness. However the defendants' lawyer Ms. Latchmie Rahamant, objected to this, stating that they did not know the origin of the photo, nor who developed it. The lawyer further stated that the Evidence Act, does not provide for this cause. The prosecutor made several case citations, but the judge ruled against the picture being shown. Under cross examination by defence counsel, the witness was questioned about several aspects of his statement. According to

the lawyer, the witness was trying to embellish his evidence which he gave yesterday compared to what he said in the magistrate's court. The issue of his timing with regard to him travelling from one part of Georgetown to collect the money and taking it to Parika was wrong, the lawyer said. She suggested to him, that it was “rush hour” and that he had taken longer, something which Chance denied. He explained that he did not take long since everything was waiting for him. The witness explained that he had left Station Street, Kitty, and went to Mohamed's Enterprise to uplift the money which was already packed. He said he uplifted $20 million and went to Church Street, then to Parika. The lawyer also brought up yesterday that it was the first time that the witness had stated that the victim was wearing “shades”. The witness said he could not recall that aspect of his evidence and the lawyer made an application for him to be shown his deposition. When shown the deposition, there was no record that he had stated that the victim was wearing a “shades”. The lawyer told Chance that he was making a deliberate attempt to alter certain aspects of his testimony, which the witness again denied. The witness was then posed with the question about him telling the court that the coast guard ranks said that they had taken Ramdass to Bonasika. At this point the witness was again shown his deposition, where he read out the part about the ranks saying that they were paid $12,000 by the victim, but there was no mention about them taking the man to

“Bonasika”. The other aspect of the witness's testimony which the lawyer questioned was how Chance identified the money. The witness had stated that he identified the money by how it was packed in $500,000 parcels. However the lawyer suggested that anyone could pack money in $500,000 parcels. This notion by the lawyer was not accepted by the witness, who maintained that one has to have “skills” adding that not everyone could see money and pack it, you could get “confused”. He admitted that the only means of him identifying the money was how it was packed. Under cross examination the witness maintained that he did not need to cross reference the money, because he was certain that the money was part of it. However Rahamat suggested to the witness that he was telling a “fairytale story” to the court and that he was fabricating it. The three accused Sherwin Harte, Delon Gordon, and Deon Greenidge -are charged with the August 2009 murder of Dwieve Kant Ramdass, which took place at Caiman Hole, East Bank Essequibo. The ex-army ranks were manning a Coast Guard RC 12 motor boat in the Essequibo River, when they allegedly confronted Ramdass in a boat at the Parika Stelling. They allegedly forced him into their boat and took him to another location in the river where they relieved him of $17M in cash, which he was carrying in a box to Bartica for his employer, who operated a gold and diamond business in the city.

that the cost of fuel is more than 50 percent of the total expense. About $600,000 is needed to send a fishing vessel out at sea and sometimes due to a poor catch that expense is not offset, he added. A captain explained that sometimes a vessel with a seven-man crew may spend 17 days out at sea and depending on the price of fish against the expense that is what the crew members are paid. Whenever the catch is small and the price for fish is low the workers are paid meagre sums. And, the owner may have to borrow money to equip the vessel for the next trip. Another boat owner recapped that last year fishermen protested outside the Office of the President and were given the opportunity to speak with President Donald Ramotar. There, several promises were made, but to date

they are yet to materialise. He said that one of the burning issues discussed then was the deplorable condition of the wharf, but through self-help boat owners repaired a significant section of the facility. However, around the wharf is yet to be dredged. The need to access cheap fuel and concessions on lead, nets, lube oil and other necessities for fishing was raised but nothing was done. Though, they were hoping for positive outcomes President Ramotar’s inaction did not surprise them because nothing was done by the Jagdeo administration with Robert Persaud serving as Agriculture Minister. The fishermen also accused the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) of not acting professionally. Displaying a placard “GEA is after small fishermen…GEA needs to be more professional,” one boat owner questioned what fishermen should do with the excess fuel purchased in Region One when they arrive in Georgetown. “When you go fishing in Region One and you buy fuel to return to town and the GEA come and check, they saying the fuel illegal and want to harass us. What do they want us to do? Should we place the fuel in buoys out at sea and go there when we ready to sail?” the man asked. The fishermen plan to take their protest to the Office of the President today where these concerns will be raised again. They promise to continue the struggle until their cries are heard.

Two more sent to High Court for Health Ministry Fire A prima facie case has been made out against two of the alleged arsonists in the July 2009 torching of the Ministry of Health main office in Brickdam. Colin Jones and Clayton Westford are accused of deliberately setting fire to the MOH headquarters in July of 2009. The duo made another appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday. Westford and Jones stood before Magistrate Judy Latchman. Attorney -at- Law, Michael Somersall is representing Westford. Somersall made a no case submission on behalf of the accused citing the lack of evidence from the fire department. He stated that at no time did any individual of the department participate in giving evidence. Somersall also pointed out that the proof to support the theory of arson was never tendered before the court. The lawyer also spoke of the fact that then Minister of Health, Leslie Ramsammy, in giving his evidence, stated that he was the last person to

leave the building, prior to which he had consumed hot and cold beverages. The Minister, he recounted, could not say what was used to prepare the beverages. Magistrate Latchman overruled the lawyer’s submission and stated that a prima facie case was made out against both defendants. She however deferred her final ruling until June 17. The blaze which destroyed the entire building at the Ministry of Health on July 16, 2009 was labeled as act of domestic terrorism by law enforcement authorities. The fire, believed to have been sparked by channa bombs, completely destroyed the Ministry of Health’s main building and an annexe at Brickdam in the wee hours of the aforementioned date. It devoured records, vehicles and a string of key divisions, which was a major blow to the health sector. Following the inferno, a bottle containing channa, combustion fuel and a wick was reportedly recovered from the crime scene.

Wednesday June 12, 2013

A person is supposed to have pride in themselves, their achievements, their family, their friends and most of all, in their country. In this regard, pride is a good thing. Sometimes, however, pride can be a bad thing. Being too proud can at times be the downfall of many. Not being willing to say sorry; not being willing to deal with an insult from someone we consider to be a lesser being; not being willing to say sorry, not being willing to ignore the ignorant, not being willing to compromise and treat others like human beings are all symptoms of a pride which can lead to our own downfall. Each time I drive on our roadways, I see how pride makes us lose our temper. I see situations where a vehicle may cause another to veer from its path and instead of the affected driver simply excusing the actions of the other, he instead lets off a mouthful of profanity. I have seen motorists

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curse out each other, and for no apparent reason other than somebody did somebody wrong. It is because of pride this happens, with neither side willing to let bygones be bygones, interested in winning a battle rather than solving a problem. I have seen situations where the powerful go after the weak, simply because their pride was hurt by something said, done or omitted by the weaker person. I have seen powerful people behave as if they are lords, and demand a level of respect which, if not forthcoming, results in a vicious campaign of harassment and victimization against the weak. The downfall of many a great person has been his or her pride. It is pride that sometimes drives people to violence. Each day you pick up the newspaper and you read stories of violence. Each day somebody dies because someone else could not

control his or her anger. And the reason that triggered that anger is because someone did something to offend another’s pride. Almost daily I pick up the newspaper and read about another unnatural death in our country. The cause is normally a quarrel between two persons. This quarrel leads to someone feeling that another should not be doing or saying something, leading to anger and eventually to violence and murder. If we can only learn in this country to suppress our pride there would be less violence in our country, and particularly in our homes and in our relationships with others. I have always emphasized that sometimes it is best when you are wrong to not react; when you are insulted to not respond, because your response invariably will be based on your feelings of hurt, and it is best to act out of compassion

Mandela remains in serious condition, govt. says JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Former South African President Nelson Mandela remained in serious but stable condition during his fourth day in the hospital yesterday for a recurring lung infection, while school children sang outside the 94-year-old icon’s home, expressing hope the former president would recover. A government statement said President Jacob Zuma was briefed by Mandela’s doctors late Monday and is satisfied they are doing all they can to improve his health. The

statement gave no additional details as to how Mandela is fairing other than to describe his condition as serious but stable. Mandela, the leader of South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement, spent 27 years in prison during white racist rule. He was freed in 1990, and then embarked on peacemaking efforts during the tense transition that saw the demise of the apartheid system and his own election as South Africa’s first black president in 1994. His admission to a hospital in

Pretoria, the capital, is Mandela’s fourth time being admitted to a hospital for treatment since December. His last discharge came April 6 after doctors diagnosed him with pneumonia and drained fluid from his lung area. Two of Mandela’s children visited the Johannesburg hospital. In what could be a sign of the seriousness of his condition, one of them was Zenani Mandela, South Africa’s ambassador to Argentina, the South African Press Association reported.

Dem boys seh...

Everybody hustling wid de light bill Thing fuh laugh does mek people cry. A young man get charge and just fuh keep out of jail he get he lawyer fuh tell de magistrate how he going to school. De magistrate know that de boy don’t go to school but he know that de magistrate didn’t know. De story buss out. Now dem boys seh that is de crookishness of some government Minister ketching on. When dem boys ask one Minister how he get de money fuh build a big house he claim how he grandfather did lef money in de ground fuh he and it grow till it get nuff. He is not de only one. Barbie claim how all he family who live overseas send money fuh he to buy de New Gee Pee See. When dem boys check dem see money come from NIS. That was he family money too. Now dem boys talking bout another crookishness. Customs House sell. Dem boys hear bout de selling a long time and dem ask Manny. De poor man seh that nobody

ain’t tell he nutten suh he ain’t buy it. Now dem boys hear that he is de one who buy de thing. Everything is done in secrecy in Guyana and that is wha dem boys can’t understand. De Customs House sale got to do in de dark because de money got to go to NICIL and help pay fuh de Marriott. That is why de li’l boy seh that he going to GTI when he can’t even pass by de school door. He seh that he got to lie like de government people. Is de same lying mek people can’t understand how GPL complaining that it ain’t got money. This is de same company that claim that it got to raise light bills even higher than it did plan to. That is big money. De same GPL can’t give workers 10 per cent but it want people pay if nearly 30 per cent. Wheh de money coming from? But then again, when people thiefing dem don’t care wheh de money come from. Talk half and watch de light bill.

and love rather than anger and hatred. The many incidents of domestic violence in Guyana are not going to abate unless we deal with the root causes of the violence. One suggestion which has been made is for countrywide anger management classes. But which target audience will these seminars meet? Will they reach down to those households which need it the most, and how will those households be identified? And would training persons how to deal with anger end the cycle of violence? What needs to be understood is not only how to deal with anger, but more importantly, why one becomes angry. I am sure that if a detailed assessment was done on cases of anger it will be found that the source of anger has to do with pride.

Page 9

Controlling our pride, learning to understand how to deal with situations which offend our pride, is therefore critical to understanding why there is so much violence within our society. It is terrible to see how lives are being destroyed in this country, because persons are seeking to get even rather than find a solution to a problem. Even if that solution entails someone having to give up ground, it is far better than having to assert one’s pride through destructive and violent actions. A good place to begin to control our pride is on our roadways. There is too much verbal abuse taking place on our roadways. If someone drives in a manner that is reckless, it would be much more helpful rather than cursing them out, if they can be advised in a friendly tone that what they are doing may

be injurious to others. Similarly, in the home, if someone does something wrong, it is better to allow the passion of the moment to subside before responding. It is also important before responding to question our feelings and to ask why it is that we are feeling the way we are feeling. If the answer to that is because our pride was offended, then it is the offended person rather than the offender who has the greater problem.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday June 12, 2013

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The PNC: A revisionist note I make four points before I begin this essay. I make these four conclusions unapologetically and will not apologize ever until I believe otherwise.First, Forbes Burnham deserves the Oliver Tambo Award. No one should dispute that. Secondly, the evidence is there and can be obtained that Mr. Burnham was involved in the assassination of Walter Rodney. Thirdly, Mr. Burnham’s reign was crudely authoritarian. No decent researcher could dispute that. Fourthly, Guyanese history

has been unkind and unfair to Burnham. He was Guyana’s most nationalist and patriotic head of government. There is no point lamenting the roads PNC did not take after 1968 when Mr. Burnham became the maximum leader. Three chasms sucked up the credibility of Burnham, one of which he had no control over. One – He should have asked for outside assistance to mediate the conflict between him – a post-war anticolonial fighter – and a postIndependence radical in the

form of Walter Rodney. Burnham should have turned to Africa or civil rights leaders in the US. Two- Burnham knew he had an opposition party, in the PPP, that was immensely strong, had resources and half of Guyana supported it. Brutal realpolitik ought to have instructed Burnham that he could not have afforded to play into the hands of Dr. Jagan. Burnham’s politics from 1968 until his death was incomprehensibly incompetent. He literally

created an enemy that he, Burnham, knew was bent on removing him. Whatever leverage Dr. Jagan got from Guyana and the world, it came compliments of the President of Guyana, Forbes Burnham. Three – I left this for the last because it explains number one and two. Mr. Burnham was a brilliant nationalist, a leader who cared for the poorer classes, a leader with a conscious understanding that colour and class were postIndependent Guyana’s enemies that must be confronted and he confronted them.

But Mr. Burnham, had he lived longer, would have become a despised tyrant, because he was essentially driven by the lust for power. Burnham believed that he was essentially a great man and that he wanted no limitation on power, thus the frightening 1980 Constitution. In all fairness to him, had he lived longer, he would have continued his developmental thrust which was so admirable, frowned upon that part of Guyana that had a colonial complex with white skin, and made sure the poorer classes remained satisfied. In his years of power (1964 or maybe for some including me, 1968 to 1985), Mr. Burnham did some great things which he has not been given credit for. But can you blame his racial and political opponents for demonizing him. They see that as their role. It was for the PNC and their constituencies to confront the decades of vilification by writing on the achievements of Burnham, the presidency of Desmond Hoyte, and the accomplishments of the PNC. It was for African scholars to do their iconoclastic research on Cheddi Jagan and show how immensely flawed he and his party were from 1956 onwards. You can count one book only – Tyrone Ferguson’s “To Survive Sensibly or to Court Heroic Death: Management of Guyana’s Political Economy, 1965 -1985"– that does a plausibly good job on Burnham. I constantly ask Hamilton Green why he hasn’t written another book as yet. During the 2011 election campaign, I asked Dr. VanWest Charles the same question. No PNC stalwart

Frederick Kissoon has written a book or his/her memoirs. Since they fell from power twenty one years ago, the PNC has done nothing to juxtapose their rule with the madness that characterized the reign of the Jagdeo presidency. The PNC has done nothing to educate Guyanese that their administration was far superior to Bharrat Jagdeo’s. And indeed it was. There were more moral obligations to Guyana demonstrated by the PNC Government from 1968 to 1992 than in the twelve years of Mr. Jagdeo’s tenure. Mr. Burnham would have arrested the criminals that have been welcomed in the corridors of power and are still there. Perhaps, more importantly, the PNC has let down its constituencies and the Guyanese people by a crazy, macabre resignation of their fate since they lost power in 1992. The PNC must be the world’s only opposition party that does not want to be in office. Aligned with this disposition is the fact that the PNC tolerates the most humiliating treatment of its constituencies by the Government that Dr. Jagan and the PPP never tolerated and never would have tolerated without a fight. Finally, the PNC shows signs of se l f -destruction when you think that there is no Aubrey Norton, Richard Van-West Charles, Vincent Alexander, James Mc Allister, etc. Now Faith Harding has left and may join the PPP.

GT&T takes Cellular Service to North Rupununi GT&T has again broken ground with the installation of a Cellular site in the Aranaputa Valley, North Rupununi District. The site which will be formally commissioned on Saturday (June 15), will serve Annai and its environs, and bridges that part of the corridor from Georgetown to Lethem.The over two thousand residents can now engage in many additional socio-economic activities enabled by GT&T’s mobile connectivity. Residents of the communities are high in praise for GT&T’s installation of the service, and reports indicate that they have already begun experiencing

the usefulness of the service by announcing their connectivity both locally and internationally. GT&T via release expressed its pleasure to again lead the cellular penetration into yet another remote part of Guyana. The company said that it is in the final stages of completing another cell site in the Region 8/ Region 9 area which will further boost service along the Georgetown to Lethem route. The company said that in September last year it took service to Orealla, the only indigenous community in Region 6 and plans are afoot to continue its mobile expansion.

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Kaieteur News

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AFC chides ‘super Works on Soesdyke/Linden Highway imminent salary syndrome’ for GuySuCo big wigs “You cannot throw bacon for the boys and bones to the workers,” was the response of Alliance for Change (AFC) Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, at the revelation that Chairman of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Raj Singh will be paid some $2.2M per month. Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, this past week disclosed that GuySuCo will be paying its top man, no more than £7,076 (G$2.2M) monthly. The AFC Vice Chairman during an interview with this publication yesterday rejected the notion and reminded that the company is currently, heavily dependent on government subsidy, but yet the “Donald Ramotar administration continues with its fat cat syndrome rewarding political operatives such as Raj Singh.” Nagamootoo said that the AFC is in no way opposed to appropriate remuneration for competent professionals and would also want to see expert investigations into the financial affairs of what he called a ‘failed state-owned corporation.’ According to Nagamootoo, just as it was unconscionable to be paying the company’s former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Errol Hanoman such an amount, it is equally reprehensible for the company to be paying its current Chairman a similar amount, when many times it cannot pay its workers. “We are of the view that this is a cash-strapped entity on its knees, living out of a beggar’s bowl held out to the taxpayers for bailouts in two consecutive years,” Nagamootoo said. He added that the position the company finds itself in is a poor example of “frugality and austerity” on the part of the administration. The AFC Vice Chairman said that all right-thinking Guyanese should come out in condemnation of the continued “super salary syndrome.” He said that this is even worse when placed in the context that Government had refused to pay a 10 per cent across the board increase to workers. “The fat cat syndrome in which the People’s Progressive Party Civic caught itself in order to butter its friends should be condemned.” Nagamootoo stressed that the AFC is not against paying appropriate salaries to people

Under the Ministry of Public Works, bids were opened for the repair of sections of Soesdyke/Linden Highway. The bids were opened yesterday by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance, Main Street. The Soesdyke/Linden Highway has over the years been deteriorating, and is a critical access road leading to the mining town of Linden, a gateway to the hinterland. Under the Ministry of Public Works’ ‘Road Improvement and Rehabilitation Programme’, this year some $735M has been allocated. The programme is part of a $5.9B project financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Government which started in 2009.

Bids were also opened for the rehabilitation of Oranapai Towers, Wights Lane, Kingston.

AFC Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo with specialized skills but rather, is against “rewards for political operatives like Raj Singh at the head of GuySuCo.” Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, while addressing a media briefing on Monday at his party’s Headquarters, Freedom House, had said that Singh, who currently serves as Acting Chairman of GuySuCo’s Board of Directors, is “eminently qualified” to head the cashstrapped entity. The Finance Minister told media operatives that Singh would be paid no more than the equivalent of the most recent substantive Chief Executive Officer of the Company. That position was held by Errol Hanoman, who resigned from the post in 2010. His contract offered by the sugar company stated, “Your annual remuneration while working in Guyana (including salary and pension allowance) will be paid by GuySuCo in Sterling. “Your initial salary (net of income tax and other statutory deductions payable in Guyana) will be at a rate of £74,904 per annum, payable (continued on page 26)

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) received bids for the provision of security services in 2013.The bids were divided into ten lots.

Still in the security sector, the National Communications Network (NCN) received bids for the provision of security services.

The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), under the Ministry of Agriculture, opened bids for the construction of a building at Aishalton and one at Annai in Region nine.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday June 12, 2013

2012 budget cut court case…

Chief Justice to rule on way forward next week By Zena Henry Come next Wednesday, June 19, Chief Justice Ian Chang will decide on the way forward for the court proceedings in relation to the 2012 budget cuts; a matter that now has the Government and Opposition parties before the Supreme Court, arguing as to whether the cuts were legal. Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall on the last occasion had to file a statement of claim within five days to show the wrong committed by the Opposition when they made cuts to the 2012 budget. This was done, the AG said yesterday, in addition to an application that was made to have affidavits used in the interlocutory stage (interim of the actual trial) of the court matter used as evidence in the trial. In his argument, the AG stated that the matters raised are of pure law as facts. He said these factual issues as it relates to the powers of the Opposition in parliament, are not being disputed, but the

“narrow legal issue is whether the estimates presented by the Honourable Minister of Finance can be reduced by a motion moved by the opposition.” That being the issue, the AG believes that, “there is no need for us (parties before the court) to embark on a trial so to speak, by leading witnesses.” He asked that the affidavits which have been used at the interlocutory stage of the court matter be treated as evidence, “and the rules of court permit that to be done,” he continued. Citing from the rules of the High Court, the AG said it is allowed for the affidavit of persons to be taken so as to allow their information as evidence. He further cited under what circumstances this is allowed. But opposition representatives are at odds with the AG’s suggestion. One notion was that the government had brought the opposition and the Speaker of the National Assembly to court and they should make available all the witnesses the government

Lawyer for the Speaker of the National Assembly, Khemraj Ramjattan intends to call, so that the defence could have a chance to cross examine them. Apart from that, it was felt that the action brought by the AG is one where a case must be established with witnesses and not affidavits. A Partnership for National Unity representative, Basil Williams, feels that the AG’s application is seeking to hide his witnesses. He reiterated that the AG brought the action “and this kind of action is an action where you have to establish a case with witnesses.” Williams is in disagreement with Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon and

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Attorney for APNU, Basil Williams

other functionaries within the government not being able to take the witness box if the matter comes to that stage, and further feels that “paper evidence via an affidavit,” is not the way to go. In any event, he told the court, there is no cause pending. He submitted on behalf of his client that the matter should be struck out. He continued that there is no real controversy, dispute or live issue between the parties, “because the matter was overtaken when the government’s side adopted the budget cuts and passed the Appropriation Bill.” While citing from legal documentation, Williams read that an issue must be active or live so as to engage the

court. He charged that the 2012 budget cut matter is dead as the budget was passed, the President assented, and money was spent. The AG however raised the argument that for future reference a final ruling is necessary and he opposed the matter being struck out. He charged that the opposition was of the view that the interim ruling of the court was not binding and their current position is now, “irreconcilable with earlier views expressed.” He pointed out that the relevant steps can be taken if the CJ’s ruling is not in favour of the opposition; that is, to address the Court of Appeal or take it to a higher forum in their quest for a favourable

outcome. Attorney-at-law Khemraj Ramjattan, who is appearing for the Speaker of the National Assembly, was in support for the go-ahead of the court matter. He too believes that the outcome is necessary for future reference as it will declare - in this instance- the powers of the opposition as it relates to budget cutting. According to him, two primary issues exist in the matter; whether the Speaker of the National Assembly could be sued, “in view of the article that says no civil proceedings could be brought against members of Parliament,” and “whether there can be amendments to the budget as presented for the financial year 2012.” The larger significance of this ruling, he told the court, is whether the two issues are determinable and how they should be determined. Ramjattan also highlighted that if the court should feel that the budget cannot be amended or reduced, the matter shall be taken to the Court of Appeal and if they too so view it, the matter will then be taken to the Caribbean Court of Justice… and if they too feel that way, then the law must be respected, “as that then becomes the law and that is what will govern us.”

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Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday June 12, 2013

NGO supports inquiry-based Science at two Region Six primaries (From page 23)

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As sustained strategies are implemented by the Ministry of Education to bolster interest in the subject areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), recent collaborative moves saw Science being placed on the front-burner at schools in Regions Six. With funding from Exxon Mobil, Youth Challenge Guyana (YCG), a local NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO), was able to support the Ministry in a quest that saw 10 teachers and approximately 75 pupils of the Skeldon and All Saints primary schools being trained. The training, which was undertaken on May 23 last, saw YCG providing kits to enable training in the use of Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) with a view to enhancing the skills of teachers to teach as well as to increase access to instructional materials by students at the Grades Five and Six levels. Facilitated by the Education Ministry’s National Science Coordinator, Ms Petal Punalall-Jettoo, the IBSE Project is intended to use laboratory and household equipment to better teach and understand Science by doing practical activities. Approximately 400 students and 20 teachers, including those of the Peter’s Hall and Beterverwagting/ Triumph Primary Schools in Region Four, have also been identified to benefit from similar training, according to YCG officials. Minister of Education Priya Manickchand at a recent stakeholders’ forum at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), indicated that business as usual will have to be a thing of the past if the Ministry is to advance the STEM agenda. According to her, countries across the world are developing different avenues using strategies to interest their students in the

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Students of All Saints Primary School doing an activity on gravity

YCG’s Education Programme Manager, Germaine Watson, presenting kits to Ms Dollice Johnson, Head Teacher, Skeldon Primary School. STEM areas, even as moves are simultaneously made to retain and train them properly. “Why is that? It is because the world understands, after much study, that we have to advance in these areas if we are to develop and evolve in a civilised manner and at the rates that we are capable of?” the Minister asked. And according to her, the Ministry of Education is not unaware of the challenges that have surfaced as efforts are made to ascertain how to make the STEM areas more

attractive to students. “So we are committed as a State to honour our obligation to providing an environment where teachers can explore and be creative; where children could feel the freedom to be creative and innovative,” the Minister said The stakeholders’ forum saw the attendance of teachers, students and representation from a number of entities including the Guyana Energy Agency, Demerara Distillers Limited, Brass Aluminium and Cast

Iron Foundry, the University of Guyana and the Guyana Sugar Corporation. At the forum, too, Chief Education Officer Olato Sam alluded to the recently held Sagicor Visionary STEM Challenge which saw Guyana engaged in both national and regional competitions. And according to Sam, “the challenge brought out some of the best and brightest minds in our system, and we are certainly extremely proud of the output. It really holds well for the potential that exists here in this country in

relation to the STEM agenda.” Moreover, he said that efforts must be made to move to another stage in relation to building a strong sustainable base with regard to the STEM agenda. “That really is the key objective of this meeting. It is not just what would happen today, but ensuring that as a result of these engagements STEM and all related elements can be seen as one of the pillars in the educational structure that is sustained throughout the system,” Sam said. In fact, he noted that the education system has for some time now appreciated the fact that the STEM agenda has to start from the lowest level. As such, he said that it is imperative that individuals understand that as early as the nursery level, there are some fundamental conc e p t s t h a t can be imparted to young children. “As simple as the see-saw might be as a mechanism for play, there is quite a bit of Science there, and concepts can certainly be engrained at such a basic level so that all of our children can become scientific-thinking individuals and we really have to get to that point,” the Chief Education Officer said.

Suspect in Land of Canaan sawmill murder captured Police have finally captured the prime suspect in the murder of sawmill supervisor Kemraj Singh, who was found two weeks ago at a Land of Canaan sawmill with his throat cut and head bashed in. Kaieteur News understands that the suspect was arrested early yesterday morning at a West Bank Demerara residence after police were tipped off about his presence there. The arrest occurred three days after Kaieteur News published a photograph and description of the suspect.

Kaieteur News had spoken by phone to an individual who identified himself as the said suspect. The individual had proclaimed his innocence while admitting to knowing Singh. Police are working on the theory that the 26-year-old Singh was murdered because of his relationship with a 17year-old girl that the sawmill supervisor and another young man wanted to marry. The teen had eventually eloped with Singh. Singh had reportedly told some relatives that persons

had threatened to kill him before his scheduled wedding. Kaieteur News understands that on the night of May 27, a friend visited Singh at a shack, which is located at the Land of Canaan sawmill where the victim was employed. At the time, Singh was having dinner and he reportedly told the friend about his upcoming wedding. The friend reportedly left after Singh indicated that he wanted to rest. At around 14:50 hrs the following day Singh’s battered and mutilated remains were found on a bed in the shack. A bloody

Dead: Kemraj Singh hammer was found nearby, and a post mortem revealed that the victim was struck at least three times to the head with a heavy object.

Wednesday June 12, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Nine months later….

Linden still waiting for transmitter, dish The town of Linden is looking to up pressure on government to deliver on its promises, such as handing over a dish and transmitter, so it can get to start broadcasting when it is granted a licence. The government in an August 21,2012 agreement had promised to hand over the dish and transmitter to the town within two weeks, but a little more than nine months later, the representatives of the town are still to get the transmitter and dish. However, Region Ten Chairman Sharma Solomon said that the Region has taken possession of the area where the dish is located and facilities are being built to house the television station. The government has told representatives of the Region that the transmitter is not in a working condition. “If they knew that the transmitter wasn’t in operation then why did they say they were going to give

- Parliamentary debate to mount pressure on govt. to deliver us the transmitter? It is clear the intention was not to give us anything,” Solomon stated. He said that the Region is pressing for the operation of Channel 13 as part of the deal for the handing over of the transmitter. The matter is expected to come to the forefront in the National Assembly tomorrow in a motion tabled by Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon. Kissoon had helped shape the agreement with government as a way of ending protests in the town when three Lindeners were shot dead on the first day of protests against electricity rate hikes in the town. After the agreement was signed, Linden was told that it cannot be granted a radio

licence by the government but that it had to apply for a licence to broadcast like any other person interested in broadcasting. Representatives of the town had argued that that was not the agreement. However, they abided by the government’s request and have finalized persons who will form the Board of Trustees. These include Solomon himself. That application process has been somewhat delayed, Kissoon told Kaieteur News yesterday. “We have taken some time to gather all the documents and paperwork that was needed, but the application will go in shortly,” she said. This was confirmed by Solomon. The government had

argued that it would facilitate the granting of the licence in keeping with the law. And so, it said the town must follow the current law and apply to the National Broadcasting Authority. The Authority’s chairperson Bibi Shadick has said that the application would be fast tracked once it is submitted. Solomon said that as per the agreement, the Region will compile the necessary documents and hand it over to the government negotiators who will then facilitate the licencing process with the Broadcasting

Authority. Shortly before he stepped down, former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, issued licences to his close friends and party members in what has widely been described as biased distribution. Opposition parties in the National Assembly and private media operators have condemned the process in which the licences were issued and have called for them to be revoked. Lindeners also applied to the National Frequency Management Unit along with their broadcast plan and the technical specifications of the

installation, all of which were submitted by the end of August 2012. In a motion tabled in the National Assembly, Kissoon noted that “months after the signing of the Agreement many aspects of the Agreement have not been implemented, especially the commitment to return the dish and transmitter to the people of Linden….” She wants the National Assembly to call on Government to immediately adhere to its commitments and obligations under the written agreement of August 21,2012.

South Korea: Talks with North scrapped over negotiators SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The Koreas’ first high-level talks in years have been scrapped because of a stalemate over who will lead each delegation, South Korea said yesterday, a day before they were to begin. The cancellation is a blow to tentative hopes that the rivals were about to improve ties following years of rising hostility. North Korea said it wasn’t sending its officials to Seoul for the two-day meeting that was to begin today because the South had changed the head of its delegation, Kim

Hyung-suk, a spokesman for Seoul ’s Unification Ministry, told reporters in a briefing. The ministry is in charge of North Korea matters. There had been hope that the talks on reviving two high-profile economic cooperation projects would allow the countries to move past a relationship marred by recent North Korean threats of nuclear war and South Korean vows of counterstrikes. But the collapse over what’s essentially a protocol matter is testament to the difficulty

the countries have in finding common ground. South Korea had originally wanted a ministerlevel meeting between the top officials responsible for interKorean affairs, but Pyongyang wouldn’t commit to that. The last minister-level meeting between the Koreas occurred in 2007. When Seoul told Pyongyang yesterday that it was sending a lower-level official than it had initially proposed in preparatory talks, North Korea said it would consider that a “provocation,” Kim said.

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whose margin of error was 2.2 percent. The poll was conducted by research company MDA Pesquisa on behalf of the National Confederation of Transport (CNT). Brazilians are less optimistic that employment, income and public security levels will improve in the next six months and most expected health and education not to improve or worsen as the economy sputters after years of rapid growth, the survey said. Two-thirds of respondents said inflation

AFC chides ‘super ... From page 11 on a monthly basis. Your pension allowance will be paid with salary at the rate of £9,942 per annum.” The Finance Minister was grilled on the ability of Singh to run the Corporation. He responded, “He is eminently

qualified and has worked in sugar for a number of years at senior levels.” Dr Singh added that the Acting Chairman of the Board of Directors has worked in areas relevant to the management of large organizations, similar to that of GuySuCo.

was having a moderate to high impact on their income as the government struggles to rein in price increases which recently hit the upper limit of its inflation target. “It’s inflation that is weighing most,” Clesio Andrade, head of the CNT, said in a news conference in Brasilia yesterday. “People perceive rising prices and the impact on their income,” he said. Rousseff ’s personal approval rating slipped to 74 percent from 76 last year, with her still-high marks attributed to a tough stance on corruption and a close relationship with popular predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also from the PT or Workers’ Party. Rousseff, a trained economist and former leftwing guerrilla tortured and imprisoned during military rule, is widely expected to run in elections in late 2014. She

Wednesday June 12, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) You are interested in helping others today. Teaching or helping others to be more original when it comes to words or thoughts is a good thing. There are many practical ideas available to you, especially related to your job or skills. TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21)You could be most persuasive with others and eloquent in speech and communication. The initiative is yours and you will find positive results will develop from your actions. GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You may find yourself having a difference of opinion with others this tuesday. You could be going against tradition if you become too independent for group approval. This could actually slow your progress. CANCER (June 22-July 22) Throwing caution to the wind, you could ignore whatever responsibilities you have this tuesday, and pursue a particular objective. Your animal-like instincts come in handy when it comes to big business. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) This is a very lucky day for making plans or decisions and finding your way through just about any problem you may discover. You will be feeling successful and able to cope with whatever comes across your path today. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) You may find yourself having emotional differences with someone at work today. A report with facts may help you to prove your point without having to spend time in argument.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You may find yourself having emotional differences with someone at work today. A report with facts may help you to prove your point without having to spend time in argument. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) A rebellious streak could affect your career now--careful. Your sense of independence may tend to kick over the apple cart and upset everything. This is a time of learning and achievements. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 Dec. 21) There is an emphasis on communication, expression of ideas and the connections that unite. Something new has your attention today and this could mean a new boss as much as it could mean a new piece of equipment or even a new job. CAPRICORN (Dec 22.Jan. 20) You say what you mean this tuesday. You are right when it comes to questions of feelings--you may be most interested in matters of psychology, different cultures and history. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) You are a terrific businessperson and you exhibit your ability to get past the surface of things and separate the things that have real worth. Ideas are in the air. Tap into that universal mind through some quiet meditation during a break time. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) This is a time of good fortune. Good surprises are plentiful. Situations are almost perfect and it is easy to see which path is the one to take. The challenge comes when you work to keep your concentration strong.

would still be re-elected in the first round with 52.8 percent of votes if elections were held now, the poll showed. While maintaining policies that have pulled millions out of poverty in the world’s seventh-largest economy, Rousseff ’s government has struggled to tackle the underlying structural problems that are dogging economic growth and feeding inflation. GDP grew just 0.9 percent in 2012 and a 0.6 percent in the first quarter of 2013, Brazil’s statistics agency showed, while the export-led economy’s trade surplus

flipped to a $6.2 billion deficit in the first four months of 2013. Last week, Standard & Poor ’s downgraded its outlook for Brazil’s foreign currency debt rating to “negative” from “stable”, citing deteriorating budget fundamentals and slow growth that could weaken the country’s ability to pay its debt. Rousseff’s administration says the economy is beginning to pick up however, with private investment on the rise and falling debt to GDP levels. The government expects growth

of around 3 percent this year while financial markets see a lower rate around 2.53 percent. The CNT poll was similar to another by the Datafolha polling agency published on Saturday which showed 57 percent of Brazilians rated Rousseff ’s presidency “good” or “excellent,” down from 65 percent in its prior poll. The government’s own private polls have also shown its popularity is slipping, chiefly due to concerns inflation is hitting people’s spending power, local daily newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported last week.

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Public Procurement Commission...

Govt ‘declining to submit’ names PAC aborts deliberation By Gary Eleazar Government is looking to not submit to the Public Accounts Committee, any names as nominees to sit on the Public Procurement Commission, and has now taken a stance where it is seeking to justify why it should not. This is according to Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Carl Greenidge, who yesterday in a brief telephone interview with this publication, confirmed that Presidential Advisor and PPP/C Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, is seeking to justify this position of the government at the Parliamentary level. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) met on Monday last and Greenidge told this publication that Teixeira appeared before the committee and sought to argue for the right of the Executive and its role in the issuance and procurement of public contracts. He said that Teixeira told the PAC that government does not believe that the Committee has any rights over fiscal matters. Teixeira this past week informed the PAC that government was looking to preserve the role of Cabinet in relation to public procurement and contracts. Greenidge opined that any changes in the framework would have to be undertaken through an amendment of the Public

PAC Chairman, Carl Greenidge Procurement Act of 2003.According to the PAC Chairman, however, “It is inconceivable to believe that the opposition would be looking to formalise any abuses by Government. He said that the Government already exercises excessive power and abuses the procurement system. He explained that the Opposition will not be formalising any such abuses by removing the necessary section of the legislation that would remove the role of Cabinet in the issuance of public contracts. A week ago, Attorney General and Minister of L e g a l Aff a i r s , A n i l Nandlall, during a media engagement at Freedom House, sought to justify publicly, why the role of Cabinet should be preserved in the process. He had at the time indicated that Cabinet is currently preparing a detailed

response to calls for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission in the current legal framework. The Executive, he stressed, bears responsibility to the electorate, and 99 per cent of infrastructural works undertaken in Guyana is linked directly to the public procurement process. “If Cabinet is to be held responsible for the expenditure of funds, then it inevitably must have a role,” the Attorney General argued. The Procurement Act 2003 states, “…upon its establishment, the Public Procurement Commission, shall review annually the Cabinet’s threshold for review of procurements, with the objective of increasing that threshold over time so as to promote the goal of progressively phasing out Cabinet involvement and decentralising the procurement process.” The Procurement Act further st a t e s d e f i n i t i v e l y, that C a b i n e t ’s i n v o l v e m e n t “shall cease upon the constitution of the Public P r ocurement Commission” except in relation to pending matters at the time. In recent weeks, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have ramped up calls for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission under the existing legislation.

over nominees - Meeting ends in disagreement By Abena Rockcliffe The weekly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting, held on Monday last, ended in disagreement as members who sit on the body in representation of the opposition, rejected “frivolous” excuses put forward by members representing the government with regards to the nominees for the Public Procurement Commission. In light of this, Kaieteur News has learnt that uncertainty lurks as it relates to the way forward with the setting up of the Commission. The agenda for Monday’s meeting included the consideration of the nominees. However, that proceeding was halted. Reports are that when the consideration process started, and government representatives were asked for their nominees, Advisor to the President, Gail Teixeira, told the committee that there are much more important issues that need to be addressed. She told the Committee that there were several issues discussed at the level of the tripartite meetings that the other Members of Parliament from the joint parliamentary opposition—A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)

Bel Air heist trial nears conclusion The trial in which seven persons have been accused of robbing businessman Malcolm Panday is nearing its conclusion. The incident took place at Panday’s Bel Air Park home in July 2011. Bandits had escaped with $7 million following a brazen midmorning attack. The persons accused of executing the crime are

Panday’s mother in law, Chandrada Rampersaud, her nephew, Hardat Kumar, along with his associates, Jermaine Mitchell, Rayon Jones, Aubrey Simon and Rabindranauth Seemangal. Seemangal is currently serving a prison sentence of eight years having admitted to the charges. He later became the prosecution’s

chief witness, after he was sentenced. The case is being prosecuted by Attorneys Glenn Hanoman and Bernard De Santos, SC. It was called up before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday, but was adjourned until tomorrow, when police witnesses will be summoned to the stand. This newspaper was reliably informed that a setback occurred due to the death of Attorney at Law, Randolph Kirton. Kirton was representing one of the

accused men, Rayon Jones. He died several months ago following a period of prolonged illness. Jones consequently retained the services of another lawyer, George Thomas, who requested that prosecution witnesses be recalled to the stand to give evidence on Jones’s behalf. Four Police witnesses have since been summoned, two of whom, have already given their portion of evidence. On the next date, the other two witnesses will be allowed to testify.

Govt. PAC rep, Gail Teixeira

AFC’s Trevor Williams and Alliance For Change (AFC)—aren’t aware of. Her suggestion was that those matters be discussed instead of nominees for the Public Procurement Commission. However, APNU representatives Jaipaul Sharma and Keith Scott, AFC representative Trevor Williams and Committee Chairman Carl Greenidge, all rejected Teixeira’s suggestion. In an interview with Kaieteur News, Williams said that the stalled submission of the names for “such an important entity, cannot be taken easily” and that the public should be cognizant. Williams said that the PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/ Civic) is finding every excuse to not submit its nominees and the AFC finds it unacceptable. “The Procurement Commission is a transparent body; why not put forward your nominees?” Williams told Kaieteur News that he fails to see the relevance of issues discussed at the level of the tripartite meetings, to the PAC. “Our job is to receive and review and we are answerable to the National Assembly. The MP added that he views Teixeira’s utterances as just another smokescreen to avoid dealing with what is important to Guyana for accountability and transparency. Williams opined that “there are few things that are more important than accountability and transparency, the people always need to know”.

He told Kaieteur News that the AFC views the move by the government as setting a dangerous precedent. When contacted, PAC chairman, Carl Greenidge said that the Committee’s next move has not yet been decided. He pointed out that the committee was mandated by the National Assembly to consider the nominees, and he thinks that the next best thing is for the PAC to return to the House with the desired developments. He said that the PAC’s mandate was quite specific and the body is “committed to acting in the best interest of Guyana”. Chairman Carl Greenidge also pointed out that it is possible for the PAC to move on with the names that it has at its disposal. “So our move is to be decided, but we can either proceed or report to the House what is going on.” He too said that Teixeira’s reasoning yesterday was “totally irrelevant.” Greenidge said that it is clear the government is not willing to submit its nominees because it hasn’t been assured that Cabinet will maintain its role in the process of approving or disapproving contacts. As it currently stands, after tenders are submitted to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, it is sent to Cabinet. That body then decides on who will be granted government contracts. With the implementation of the Procurement Commission, that system will be adjusted and Cabinet will no longer hold that extent of control on the awarding of contracts.

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Sluggish Brazil economy erodes Rousseff’s popularity BRASILIA (Reuters) Growing pessimism over Brazil’s sluggish economic performance and rising inflation are starting to eat into President Dilma Rousseff ’s still-high popularity ratings, an opinion poll showed yesterday, the second in a week to show that trend. About 54 percent of 2,000 Brazilians surveyed this month rated Rousseff ’s government as either “great” or “good,” slipping from 57 percent in July 2012, according to the survey whose margin of error was 2.2 percent. The poll was conducted by research company MDA Pesquisa on behalf of the National Confederation of Transport (CNT). Brazilians are less optimistic that employment, income and public security levels will improve in the next six months and most expected health and education not to improve or worsen as the economy sputters after years of rapid growth, the survey said. Two-thirds of respondents said inflation was having a moderate to high impact on their income as the government struggles to rein in price increases which recently hit the upper limit of its inflation target.

“It’s inflation that is weighing most,” Clesio Andrade, head of the CNT, said in a news conference in Brasilia yesterday. “People perceive rising prices and the impact on their income,” he said. Rousseff ’s personal approval rating slipped to 74 percent from 76 last year, with her still-high marks attributed to a tough stance on corruption and a close relationship with popular predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also from the PT or Workers’ Party. Rousseff, a trained economist and former leftwing guerrilla tortured and imprisoned during military rule, is widely expected to run in elections in late 2014. She would still be re-elected in the first round with 52.8 percent of votes if elections were held now, the poll showed. While maintaining policies that have pulled millions out of poverty in the world’s seventh-largest economy, Rousseff ’s government has struggled to tackle the underlying structural problems that are dogging economic growth and feeding inflation. GDP grew just 0.9 percent in 2012 and a 0.6 percent in the first quarter of 2013, Brazil’s statistics agency

showed, while the export-led economy’s trade surplus flipped to a $6.2 billion deficit in the first four months of 2013. Last week, Standard & Poor ’s downgraded its outlook for Brazil’s foreign currency debt rating to “negative” from “stable”, citing deteriorating budget fundamentals and slow growth that could weaken the country’s ability to pay its debt. Rousseff’s administration says the economy is beginning to pick up however, with private investment on the rise and falling debt to GDP levels. The government expects growth of around 3 percent this year while financial markets see a lower rate around 2.53 percent. The CNT poll was similar to another by the Datafolha polling agency published on Saturday which showed 57 percent of Brazilians rated Rousseff ’s presidency “good” or “excellent,” down from 65 percent in its prior poll. The government’s own private polls have also shown its popularity is slipping, chiefly due to concerns inflation is hitting people’s spending power, local daily newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported last week.

Law expert gives opinion on holding referendum to join CCJ CASTRIES, St. Lucia CMC – A Caribbean law expert is cautioning against putting matters related to the future of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the hands of the public through a referendum. Professor Rosemary Antoine, who specialises in labour and off shore law at the University of the West Indies (UWI), says such an approach could pose many dangers. While she welcomed the recent ruling by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal that St. Lucia does not require a referendum before the CCJ, Professor Antoine said that one such danger involved people voting along party lines which might not produce a true reflection on the issue. “Very often in terms of a referendum what happens is that it becomes politicized and you forget what the real issue is. I can give you some concrete examples, St. Vincent had a referendum and it became polarized on political grounds, and the people

failed the implement the CCJ in 2009. “But my favourite example is in The Bahamas some years ago where there was a referendum to correct a provision in the Constitution which was discriminatory against women. It said that a woman if she married her husband did not get citizenship, however a man could get it. “This ought to have been a simple issue where the man in the street would normally have agreed that it discriminated against women lets change it, but instead it became political, and to make matters worse the government lost the election. “Similarly there were issues in Europe where a referendum was seen as a protest vote against either a government or parliament as the case would be and not the issues,” she added. The St. Lucia government had gone to the courts here to determine whether there was an error in the Constitution that would allow for certain amendments to proceed with before joining the CCJ. “To put it simply, the question to be settled was whether governments could

proceed with becoming a part of the CCJ simply by obtaining a two thirds House support or that matter should be brought to a referendum where the people could decide for themselves,” Senior Council Anthony Astaphan told reporters. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal said that the Constitution clearly “contemplates and provides the freedom to St. Lucia to establish a court in common with other states or countries”. Further, the court ruled that St. Lucia was empowered to enter into such an agreement on its own and the relevant Bill would not be subject to a referendum. Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General Irwin LaRocque has welcomed the ruling noting that the sub-regional court has set the course for the continuation of St. Lucia’s road to judicial independence as well as point the way for other countries with similar provisions in their constitutions.

Wednesday June 12, 2013

Kaieteur News

Russia would consider asylum for U.S. cyber leaker MOSCOW (Reuters) Russia would consider granting asylum to the American who has exposed top-secret U.S. surveillance programs, if he were to ask for it, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said yesterday. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stopped short of saying Moscow would accept Edward Snowden, but pro-Kremlin lawmakers spoke out in favor of the idea, tapping into a lingering Cold War rivalry with the United States and a vein of antiAmerican sentiment Putin has often encouraged. “Promising Snowden asylum, Moscow takes upon itself the defense of people persecuted for political reasons,” Alexei Pushkov, chairman of the international affairs committee in the lower house of parliament, said on Twitter. “There will be hysteria in the United States. They recognize this as their right alone,” he said. Putin and other Russian officials have often accused the United States of hypocrisy, saying it tries to impose standards of human rights, freedom and democracy on other nations while falling far short of them itself. “This is an ideological catastrophe for the United States,” Pushkov said, referring to Snowden’s leaks about National Security Agency surveillance programs. Snowden, who provided the information for reports that revealed broad monitoring of phone call and Internet data by the NSA, fled to Hong Kong and has said he hopes that Iceland might

Edward Snowden grant him asylum. Putin said the methods revealed by Snowden were widespread and were justified “in the circumstances of the struggle against international terrorism”, but that they must be applied legally and not behind the public’s back. “In Russia, for instance, one cannot listen to a telephone conversation without the proper permission from a court,” Putin told state-run Englishlanguage channel RT. He was not asked about the asylum issue. Snowden is not known to have mentioned the possibility of asylum in Russia, where the government taps the phones of opposition members and keeps close tabs on social networks, but Peskov was quoted in Russian daily Kommersant as saying Moscow was open to such an approach. Asked by Reuters whether Russia would be inclined to grant a request from Snowden, Peskov said: “It is impossible (to say) now.

No one has applied yet. If he says: I request (political asylum), then we will consider it.” Accused by the West of curtailing democracy and civil liberties over 13 years in power, Putin has missed few chances to champion public figures who challenge Western governments, and to portray Washington as an overzealous global policeman. He has pursued warm ties with U.S. foes such as the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, and this year granted Russian citizenship to Gerard Depardieu after the French actor abandoned his homeland to escape high taxes. In 2010, the Kremlin suggested Wikileaks founder Julian Assange should be nominated for a Nobel prize. “By tapping telephones and conducting surveillance on the Internet, the U.S. security services have violated the laws of their own country. In this sense Snowden, like Assange, is a rights defender,” member of parliament Pushkov tweeted. Russia recently began criticizing the United States in annual reports on the state of human rights around the world - fighting back for the drubbing Russia gets in yearly rights reports by the U.S. State Department. In another pointed intervention, Putin offered on Friday to send Russian troops to the Golan Heights buffer zone between Israel and Syria, after Austria said it would withdraw from a U.N. peacekeeping force. His proposal went down badly in the West because of Russia’s support for the Syrian government.

The ministry is in charge of North Korea matters. There had been hope that the talks on reviving two high-profile economic cooperation projects would allow the countries to move past a relationship marred by recent North Korean threats of nuclear war and South Korean vows of counterstrikes. But the collapse over what’s essentially a protocol matter is testament to the difficulty the countries have in finding common ground. South Korea had originally wanted a ministerlevel meeting between the top officials responsible for interKorean affairs, but

Pyongyang wouldn’t commit to that. The last minister-level meeting between the Koreas occurred in 2007. When Seoul told Pyongyang yesterday that it was sending a lower-level official than it had initially proposed in preparatory talks, North Korea said it would consider that a “provocation,” Kim said. The cancellation of talks arises partly from misunderstandings that the sides have about who is equivalent to whom in power between their largely different political systems, Koh Yuhwan, a North Korea scholar at Seoul’s Dongguk University, said.

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GPL dishonest about $7.6B loss – Chris Ram The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) may have been premature in its announcements to introduce a hefty 26.7% increase in its tariffs, with the regulator yesterday saying it has not yet received an official request. GPL’s announcement has also been greeted by criticism, with the Opposition parties calling for a probe of the power company, and claiming the move was a political one to force a reversal of the $5.2B cutback in April to a government assistance programme. Utility companies in Guyana are regulated by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and any proposed increases in tariffs must first be approved by the body before implementation. PUC Chairman Justice Prem Persaud yesterday said that no applications for increases have been received as yet. Utility companies like GPL, Guyana Water Inc. and the telephone companies, are mandated by law to submit financial and other requirements periodically to PUC. Over the weekend, GPL in announcing the increases, which it hopes to soon become effective, said it has submitted its Final Return Certificate (FRC) to the PUC. “The new rates have not taken effect, but the GPL Board is actively engaged in planning its implementation,” a statement from GPL said over the weekend. On Monday, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) joined with the Alliance for Change (AFC) to reject the increase. As a matter of fact, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan made it clear that his party is prepared to appear before any PUC hearing on increases to address the issue. GPL said that initial figures are indicating a massive $7.6B loss last year as a result of fuel increases. GPL also said that the $5.2B budget cut is hurting them. According to Justice Persaud, any public hearing for a tariff increase will have to follow a process, including an application. According to APNU, GPL’s own admission that it is losing more than 31% of the power that it generates is alarming. Technical losses are

…says board, management should be sent packing …has no application in PUC to increase tariffs

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds listed at 14% and commercial losses at 17%. Dismissed “Anywhere else in the world (where there is) a corporation with this type of track record, the board and top-tier management would be dismissed. Instead, the government of Guyana sought in the national budget to give GPL a whopping $5.2B, without demanding reorganization or a turnaround plan.” APNU is convinced that the announcement is a conspiracy between the PPP/ C administration and GPL to “punish the people of Guyana” for the power company’s “failures. “The tactic is clear to all that this government intends to link this proposed rate increase with the 2013 Budget cuts.” The coalition warned that it is an attempt to provoke unrest. “APNU will not stand idly by and allow this burden on the backs of the Guyanese people. APNU calls for the removal of the entire board of GPL and total managerial overhaul of this mismanaged corporation.” Yesterday also, business columnist and accountant, Christopher Ram, joined calls for a full probe without delay at the state-owned power company. Ram, in a letter to the editor said that GPL in late April said it needed a 17% increase in tariffs because of

Christopher Ram the $5.2B budget cuts. Yet, in May it submitted documents to PUC saying 26.7% is needed. “Around April 22 last, the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) announced it was seeking a 17% tariff increase because of the $5.2B budget cut by the National Assembly. Yet only three weeks later, on May 15, the governmentowned utility submitted to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) what is called a Final Return Certificate (FRC) which it claims allows it to increase tariffs by an even higher percentage - 26.7% effective May, 2013,” Ram said. Dishonest? Ram also claimed that GPL’s figures on its losses of $7.6B last year are incorrect. “Contrary to what whichever accountants loosely might have said, GPL did not lose $7.6 B in 2012. It lost $4.872B, but is now playing around with a book entry of $2.795B of Deferred Tax which any accountant ought to know is not a recurring charge. Dishonestly it seems, the company is using this charge to come close to the figure of $7.750B which it is asking the PUC to approve.” Ram said that it appears

to have e s c a p e d t h e attention of the company and its independent accountants that if the 26.7% rate increase is approved, the Deferred Tax entry ought not to have been made in the first place. Ram also argued that GPL is relying on a licence signed between the Government and CDC, under which CDC as an investor was guaranteed a minimum rate of return. “By its reliance on the Licence, GPL is effectively demanding increased returns on every dollar injected in the company by the Government. What makes such a reliance more absurd and illogical is that the licence is effectively between the Government and the Government.” Ram noted that indications are that GPL is only getting revenue from 68% of its production. “It needs to explain why with the highest paid management team in Guyana (the CEO alone receives $4M per month), it cannot drastically increase that percentage and therefore earn more revenue, or at least reduce its costly losses. GPL’s licence imposes on the company a duty to reduce losses but after several years and billions of dollars it has been unable to do so. It is commercial lunacy for the company to believe that it can increase charges by 26.7% without any impact on demand,” Ram wrote. The accountant argued that “the PUC, the Government and the public can no longer allow the company to operate with a failed model and incompetent management under an inappropriate licence. A full enquiry into this company needed to have been held a long time now and meaningful action taken to address systemic policy, technical, managerial, human resources

and regulatory issues. We see what the delay has cost us. We cannot afford any further delay”. Long overdue On Monday, Energy Minister, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in justifying the proposed increase, said it is coming after five years of no adjustment during which time oil prices had risen by about 60 percent. The cost of oil constitutes about 80 percent of the cost of providing electricity. Speaking on a programme on the National Communications Network (NCN), the Prime Minister said that GPL has been foregoing the increase in tariffs that it ought to have been receiving. The company has calculated over $20B of foregone income. The Prime Minister said that while this increase will be very demanding on people, the adjustment should have been coming in smaller steps of about five percent per

annum. He said the annual government subsidy has been meeting a lot of the shortfall in the income required by the company. It has been part of the Government’s efforts to ensure that customers are not made to bear the burden of the high cost. He said that there has been a lot of pressure on GPL to reduce technical losses; however, this would require si g n i f i c a n t investments. In preparation for the Amaila Falls Hydropower Plant, many studies have been conducted, and one of the consulting groups retained by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) noted that GPL needs an investment of US$250M to bring its networks up to the required levels. This investment, it was emphasized, is not within the company’s reach at this time. “We have been giving great consideration to the issue of electricity tariffs, but costs eventually have to be met. Our hope was that we could somehow manage until Amaila came along,” the Prime Minister said.

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Jadeja, Dhawan take India into semi-final Four years ago, almost to the day, in the same city of London, Ravindra Jadeja was a hare caught in the headlights. He could neither get out nor hit out, and his 25 off 35 in that Twenty20 match against England - India were knocked out of that World T20 - earned him what seemed like a lifetime of ridicule. He wasn’t supposed to succeed at international cricket. He did. He wasn’t supposed to succeed outside Asia at least. He has, for now. When Jadeja was introduced in this Champions Trophy match, West Indies had marched to 92 for 1 in 17 overs, and Johnson C h a r l e s , an awkward batsman to deal with, was timing everything he hit. He had carted Bhuvneshwar Kumar, deflected Umesh Yadav and lofted Virat Kohli and even R Ashwin. India were staring at a big total, but Jadeja twirled that ball like he does his new ‘tache. Some turned and some didn’t; most of them were headed for the stumps, but at different speeds; five of them got wickets, two lbws and one bowled; West Indies went from 102 for 1 to 182 for 9, and India into the semi-final of the Champions Trophy. West Indies now need to beat South Africa to progress; Pakistan were knocked out. The target of 234 - thanks to Jadeja and despite Darren Sammy’s 56 off 35 towards the end, proved no inconvenience for India whose openers were almost in a contest to outdo each other’s attractive shots. Their 101-run stand was the first time since 2007 that India had put up back-toback hundred openings outside Asia. Rohit Sharma might have fallen for 52 off 56, but Shikhar Dhawan went on to score his third century in his last three international innings, all reached at a strike rate of 100 or more. India won with 10.5 overs to spare. It didn’t start off that easy after they put West Indies in. Johnson Charles, who scored 60 off 55, was an irritant for India, who had managed to get past Chris Gayle before he Team Group A New Zealand England Australia Sri Lanka Group B India South Africa West Indies Pakistan

Dinesh Karthik could do any real damage. Charles is not a pretty batsman. Nor is he a rhythm player. Form and run of play don’t matter much to him. Once he starts hitting them sweetly, though, he can find unusual spaces on a field of play. He is a man you want out early, and as his stats suggest it hasn’t been difficult to get him out early. However, until today whenever he had reached 50, he had crossed 100. Charles was already 50 when Jadeja came on to bowl. That included a burst from 6 off 17 to 30 off 26 in six boundaries in the ninth, 10th and 11th over. After that, he didn’t let Ashwin and Kohli the latter bowled before Jadeja - settle at all. On came Jadeja, and bowled a maiden to Darren Bravo. On the face of it, there was nothing special about that over: just accurate and quick spin bowling. In Jadeja’s next, Charles tried to sweep him hard. He connected, but Jadeja had square leg positioned at the right spot. The next ball was quick, went with the arm, and Charles played all across it. Gone. Trademark Jadeja dismissal. Charles should have known better. Now Jadeja began to employ the vice grip, bowling quick, at the stumps, not knowing himself which will turn and which won’t. Ishant Sharma - match figures of 10-1-43-1 was an able ally at the other end. He bowled short of a length on a dry pitch, and slipped in a maiden with the unsure

Marlon Samuels. In the next over, Jadeja got another dart on target, but the umpire saw an inside edge. Jadeja insisted on a review, convinced MS Dhoni, and found out that the ball had hit the pad first, and plumb in front. Dhoni returned the favour in Jadeja’s next over when he went down the leg side to superbly catch a deflection from Ramnaresh Sarwan. It wasn’t the best delivery Jadeja had bowled, but West Indies had nonetheless gone from 102 for 1 to 109 for 4. Darren Bravo now got stuck even as Dwayne Bravo batted industriously leading up to the Powerplay. Darren Bravo finally threw it away just before the Powerplay as he danced down to Ashwin and was stumped for 35 off 83. After India got lucky with Dwayne Barvo’s wicket, others lost their heads and their wickets. Not Sammy. He lifted that bat high, and began to swing. He had to do a fair bit of farming of the strike because Kemar Roach had joined him with 4.3 overs still to go. He rearranged some analyses, hit four sixes and five fours, and without any tangible contribution from Roach, added 51 for the last wicket. This total was supposed to give West Indies hope. Dhawan and Rohit were to dash that hope soon. From the moment Rohit cut Roach for four in the first over and Dhawan drive Ravi Rampaul through cover for another in the fourth, the match was going only one way. West Indies were either too short or too full, the openers matched each other stroke for stroke, and the only matter of uncertainty towards the end was whether Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik would get to their personal milestones. Dhawan was 96, Karthik was 47, and India needed six when Bravo bowled short. Dhawan upper-cut it over third man, took off the helmet, stood with his arms aloft, and then played out five dots to let Karthik get to fifty in the next over. Karthik did so with a drive over extra cover.

NRR

PTS

1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1

0 0 0 0

+1.048 +0.960 -0.960 -1.048

2 2 0 0

2 2 2 2

2 1 1 0

0 0 0 0

0 1 1 2

0 0 0 0

+0.979 +0.410 -0.086 -1.108

4 2 2 0

Wednesday June 12, 2013

Carwyn Holland is Guyana’s First SAMBO Instructor Boxing Promoter Carwyn Holland has added a new accolade to his growing repertoire. For the last three years, Holland has been busy honing his skills away from the boxing business. He has been engaged in other forms of combat sports such as WadoRyu Karate and most recently Combat SAMBO, which is a modern martial art and self-defence system developed in the Soviet Union. Holland successfully completed the International Certification Course for Sport and Combat SAMBO Instructors administered by the International Amateur SAMBO Federation with headquarters in Switzerland. SAMBO the acronym which means “selfdefence without a weapon” in Russian, harmoniously incorporates lots of elements such as Japanese judo, “jiu-jitsu”, Armenian Koch, Georgian Chidaoba, Moldovan Trinta, Tatar Koras, Uzbek Kurash, Mongolian Khapsagay and Azerbaijani Gulesh. Dr. Andrew Moshanov, the Head of Development for Federation International Amateur de Sambo (FIAS), recently conducted the workshop with the purpose of

developing the sport worldwide with particular interest in the Caribbean. Holland intends to develop a five-year plan to see the sport introduced and spread all across Guyana since it is expected to be the next Olympic Sport and Guyana is rich with talent. He stated that SAMBO is the ideal self-defence art for those working in the security services, in particular the Police Force as it will reduce the use of extreme force when dealing with civilians. SAMBO he says is also geared toward the overall development of a person and is not only useful in self-defence, but also in situations where a person may need to brace themselves from falling. Holland noted that over the next few months SAMBO will be introduced to martial arts clubs and he will be paying much emphasis on the FIAS base programme “How to Fall Safely”. Holland recently qualified to represent Guyana at the Upcoming Pan Am Games in Panama but subsequently injured his back and will not be able to compete. He is however expected to be at the Pan Am Games in an official capacity and has since selected Paul Ignatius of the Harpy Eagles Club to take his place.

Australia coast past Jordan

Australia’s players celebrate another goal. Australia’s old guard fired up their hopes of reaching the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ finals with a 4-0 defeat of Jordan yesterday. Veterans Mark Bresciano, Tim Cahill and skipper Lucas Neill all scored to steer the Socceroos into the automatic second qualifying spot in Asia Group B. Victory over last-placed Iraq next Tuesday in Sydney will ensure Australia avoid the play-off lottery for a ticket to Brazil. The 30-somethings hit the first two goals but it was youngster Robbie Kruse who created both chances from the right wing before sealing the points with an eyecatching strike of his own. Neill joined the party with the fourth after 84 minutes when, from a corner, he nodded home his first international goal in 91 appearances to add to celebrations among the

43,785 crowd. The opening spell had however been tense until ‘keeper Amer Shafia denied Brett Holman from inside the box after 14 minutes. Bresciano blazed the rebound high and wide, but barely a minute later he made no mistake with his second chance of the night, connecting with Kruse’s short cross to stab in from six yards out. Kruse had danced clear of the defence when the referee played the advantage and overruled the linesman’s flag for a foul. Jordan froze momentarily, allowing Bresciano to claim his 13th goal for his country. The winger was the danger man and Khalil Bani Ateyah was booked for bringing down the rampant Kruse before Cahill had a penalty shout turned down when he went over in the box

after 26 minutes. Jordan enjoyed plenty of possession but lacked a cutting edge. Ahmed Hayel picked up a loose ball and fired a fine shot just wide after 27 minutes. As half-time approached, midfielder Holman was bowled over 25 yards out by Anas Bani Yaseen. Bresciano stepped up again and Shafia did well to hold the low, swerving shot. But the second half was nearly all one-way traffic and when Cahill powerfully headed home Kruse’s cross after 60 minutes, the result looked secure. Jordan, who started the game tied with Australia in third place on seven points, tried to push forward but only further exposed their defence. With another flowing breakaway, Kruse cut in from the right, nutmegged a defender inside the box and drove home after 76 minutes.

Wednesday June 12, 2013

Kaieteur News

CONCACAF Congratulates Sonia Bien-Aime for her FIFA Exco Com. Co-opted position Miami - The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football has congratulated Sonia BienAime for being voted into the FIFA Executive Committee in a co-opted position. Bien-Aime was welcomed into the highest ranks of soccer’s governing body on Friday, May 31 at the 63rd FIFA Congress in Mauritius. “To watch a member of our Confederation rise to a FIFA Executive Committee position is always gratifying,” said Jeffery Webb, President of CONCACAF. “However being able to witness history unfolding as someone like Sonia Bien-Aime is recognized by the global football family is unique. We want to congratulate Sonia for her career-long achievements and offer her the full support of the Confederation as she embarks on this new stage in her football career.” Bien-Aime joined the FIFA Executive Committee along with two other women: Burundi Football Association President Lydia Nseker, who is a full FIFA Executive Committee member, and Asian Football Confederation Vice President Moya Dodd, who also has co-opted status.

Sonia Bien-Aime

CONCACAF Announces Participants for Inaugural Under-15 Championship Miami The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) on Monday announced the competitors and details of the inaugural CONCACAF Under-15 Championship, to be held in the Cayman Islands from August 14-25. Twenty-two nations from across the region will participate in the tournament, an initiative of CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb with a view towards strengthening the game at the youth levels among all of the Confederation’s members. “We are proud to host such an impressive number of our member associations for this inaugural under-15

- initiative to Develop Youth Football tournament, which will give the Confederation’s younger stars the chance to demonstrate their talents on a larger pan-regional stage,” said President Webb. “It is our belief that supporting youth football by every possible means is fundamental to the widespread development of our sport across the region and the world. Through this tournament we hope to take an important further step towards assuring substantial opportunity for all of our Confederation’s youth.” Participating teams in the inaugural Under-15 event come from across the

Caribbean and Central America, and include Aruba, the Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Maarten, St. Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago, and the US Virgin Islands. The competition will take place in three venues on Grand Cayman, with teams set to be divided into various groups. The top sides will qualify to a knockout round which will yield the regional champion at this level.

Japan sign off with win to end Iraq’s World Cup bid Reuters - Asian champions Japan finished their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Iraq in Doha on Tuesday that ended the West Asian nation’s slim hopes of joining them in Brazil. Iraq enjoyed plenty of possession and created lots of chances in the searing Qatari heat but could not find a way through and Japan made them pay with an 89th minute goal on the counter from Shinji Okazaki. The result leaves Japan on 17 points from their eight games with Iraq bottom on five ahead of their eighth and final fixture away to Australia next week. Iraq knew only victory in front of a handful of fans in their temporary home ground in Qatar would be enough to keep their hopes of claiming a top three finish and a chance of reaching Brazil alive. The Japanese, who sealed top spot in Group B last week with a point at home to Australia, rested first teamers Keisuke Honda, Ryoichi Maeda and Maya Yoshida for the fixture with an eye on their Confederations Cup opener against Brazil on Saturday in Brasilia. Despite the absentees, the Japanese came close to the first goal with striker Mike

Havenaar narrowly missing with a glancing header in the 32nd minute and Yasuyuki Konno blazing over a good opportunity from close range four minutes later. The game was then stopped for the first of two water breaks with the temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius in the country which will host the 2022 World Cup finals. Iraq, 2007 Asian champions, were better suited to the heat and wrestled control of the match in the second period with captain Younis Mahmoud looking dangerous in attack. Forward Alaa Abdul-Zahra wasted a good chance to give Iraq the lead in the 69th minute after he took advantage of some careless Japanese defending but he fired his shot over the bar. Iraq’s hopes of finding the necessary win were then hurt by two quick yellow cards that led to Alaa’s dismissal in the 82 minute after he received the second for kicking an opponent in the face when attempting an overhead kick. Despite being reduced to 10 men, Iraq piled forward in the closing stages but Japan caught them on a swift counter with midfielder Yasuhito Endo selflessly squaring the ball for Okazaki to slide home a winner in the final minute.

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CPL Signs 1st Franchise PARTNERSHIP DEAL With just over seven weeks to go until the inaugural Caribbean Premier League kicks off, CPL Ltd are pleased to announce the signing of its first franchise agreement on behalf of Guyana. The franchisee is well known Guyanese businessman Dr. Ranjisingh ’Bobby’ Ramroop, owner of the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC). The final agreement with Dr. Ramroop was signed just yesterday in Guyana with CPL officials. This announcement comes hot on the heels of the recent selection of the new Franchise based teams that took place on Wednesday, 5 June in Mobay. Headquartered in Guyana, New GPC Inc. has been operating for ninety years and is the Caribbean’s oldest and largest pharmaceutical

manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals, over-thecounter cosmetics preparations and veterinary products of the highest quality. Dr. Ramroop was very excited about what is to come as the new owner of the Guyana franchise. “The CPL is just what we needed in the Caribbean and in Guyana. This tournament and my companies’ investment will help to develop cricket talent and also stimulate economies across the region,” said Ramroop. ”We are elated to be part of this inaugural year and look forward to the growth and development of CPL which we believe will be the envy of the cricketing world.” Guyana’s franchise players are West Indian Sunil Narine and Pakistan player Mohammed Hafeez, they are joined by players drafted on

Wednesday - Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, James Franklin, Chris Barnwell, Martin Guptil, Krishmar Santokie, William Perkins, Steven Jacobs, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith , Narsingh Deonarine and Veerasammy. Permaul. “We are thrilled to have Dr Ramroop and his group of companies as part of the CPL,” said Damien O’Donohoe, CPL CEO. “It is clear that he understands our vision and what we want to achieve. We appreciate the enthusiasm he brings and we believe that Team Guyana will benefit greatly from his support.” The inaugural Caribbean Premier League starts on July 30 in Barbados and concludes on August 24 in Trinidad. The matches in Guyana take place July 31 and August 2 and 4.

Woods, Garcia don’t connect beyond handshake

Sergio Garcia, left, and Tiger Woods shake hands on the driving range during practice for the U.S. Open ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) Unable to arrange a private meeting, Sergio Garcia left Tiger Woods a note in his locker Tuesday at the U.S. Open with hopes of moving on from his racially charged comment and getting back to playing golf. ‘’I did leave him a note - a handwritten note,’’ Garcia said. ‘’And hopefully, he can take a look at it. It’s a big week and I understand that it’s difficult to meet up and stuff. So hopefully, I’ll be able to do it. If not, at least he has read the note and he’s happy with that.’’ The note presumably was an apology - Garcia said it would be up to Woods to share the contents. It was the latest - and perhaps final - chapter in a messy feud that ended badly for the Spaniard when he jokingly said at awards dinner

in England that he would invite Woods over for dinner during the U.S. Open. ‘’We will serve fried chicken,’’ Garcia said. He apologized to Woods and everyone he offended in a news conference the next day and said he left a message for Woods through his agent. Garcia approached him on the practice range Monday at Merion for a handshake, and little more. ‘’We didn’t discuss anything,’’ Woods said. ‘’Just came up and said, ‘Hi,’ and that was it.’’ Asked if Garcia apologized, Woods said, ‘’No. It’s already done. We’ve already gone through it all. It’s time for the U.S. Open, and we tee it up in two days.’’ That handshake might be their only meeting this week. Garcia said the range on Monday was not the right

time to apologize to Woods, but that the world’s No. 1 player was gone when Garcia was done practicing, and the opening day of U.S. Open practice was delayed three times by rain. They are on opposite sides of the draw - Garcia plays Thursday morning and Friday afternoon, Woods tees off Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Unless they are near each other on the leaderboard on the weekend, they might not see each other again. And there is some question whether Woods will even see the note. Woods rarely goes into the locker room at the majors, except for the Masters. Through the years, his locker has been filled with requests for him to autograph various items, and outside vendors try to leave messages for him.

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Bolt to run 200m at Oslo Diamond League Shelly Ann, VCB, Jeter missing from women’s 100m KINGSTON, Jamaica Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt will lead three other Jamaicans into competition at the Oslo Diamond League meet tomorrow. Bolt is down to run the 200 metres, as is Marvin Anderson, while Sherri-Ann Brooks (100m) and Kimberly Williams (triple jump) are the other two local athletes included on the meet’s provisional list. Bolt will be running the longer sprint for the first time this season after suffering a slight hamstring injury in late May. He will be looking to return to form after losing to American Justin Gatlin in the 100m last week and with Jamaica’s Senior National Trials set for next weekend. Meanwhile, Anderson has a season’s best of 21.04 seconds, the slowest of all

competitors in the field, which includes the consistent Churandy Martina and Jaysuma Saidy Ndure who both have sub-20 seconds personal bests. The women’s 100m is less attractive than previous Diamond League meets this season with two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, 100m World champion Carmelita Jeter and former 100m World champion Veronica-Campbell-Brown all missing. However, the race should still be exciting with the Ivory Coast’s rising star Murielle Ahoure, who last week defeated Olympic and many time World Champion Allyson Felix in the 200m. Sherri-Ann Brooks, who has a season’s best of 11.22 seconds, will have to run hard to get the better of the more

S. Sreesanth deeply and going into the materials placed before the court, this court finds that there is no sufficient material on record to establish that there is a nexus of accused with the organised crime syndicate.” Another Rajasthan Royals cricketer, Ajit Chandila, and six others had not applied for bail. Delhi Police invoked the MCOCA against the accused as they were allegedly facilitating the illegal acts of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel. Besides the 19 who were granted bail by the court, six others are now in judicial custody till June 18 while one of the alleged bookies,

Do-or-die for Australia in trans-Tasman clash

Usain Bolt favoured Ahoure, Mariya Ryemen of Ukraine and France’s Myriam Soumare. Kimberly Williams, who jumped a wind-assisted 14.78 metres earlier this month, will match up against the world’s best yet again when she competes against Colombia’s Caterine Ibaguen and World champion Olha Saladukha who both have season bests over 14.80 metres. (Jamaica Observer)

Bail granted to Sreesanth, 18 others

New Delhi, (IANS) - A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to suspended cricketer S. Sreesanth, his Rajasthan Royals teammate Ankeet Chavan and 17 bookies who were booked under the provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the IPL spot fixing scandal. Additional Session Judge Vinay Kumar Khanna granted bail to the accused on a personal bond of Rs.50,000 each with one surety of the like amount. The court said granting bail to accused indicted police for slapping stringent provisions of MCOCA and that there was no prima facie evidence to try them under the act. “There is no reason for believing that the accused are guilty under the MCOCA at this stage.” It added: “There is prima facie no sufficient material against the accused to establish their nexus with organised crime syndicate”. The others who were granted bail include Jiju Janardhan, Chandresh Patel and Tinku Mandi among others. The court said: “There are allegations of betting by bookies and fixing by players for benefiting the syndicate. After probing into the matter

Wednesday June 12, 2013

Ramesh Vyas, is in police custody till June 18. Delhi Police have so far arrested 26 people, including Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates, in connection with the case. Police failed to satisfy the court and place on record evidence to justify their decision to book the accused under MCOCA for being involved in organised crime syndicate operated by Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel. The court’s remarks came after the police told it that the investigating agency would not be in a position to place before it the documents and evidence before June 18 as the probe was in an initial stage. “It will be misuse of provisions of MCOCA, so you will have to give relevant documents. If you have booked them under MCOCA, it means you must be having proper sanction and sufficient evidence against each of them,” the judge said. The judge also said the accused persons are not “habitual offenders” and have clean antecedents and they are not likely to flee from justice. It also directed the accused to submit their passports before it and asked them not go out of India without its prior permission.

Australia’s batsmen folded meekly against England and will need to put up a much better show against New Zealand to survive in the tournament. (Getty Images) At the last Champions Trophy, Australia beat New Zealand in the final to secure their second consecutive title. This year, the two teams meet with Australia’s tournament all but on the line. A loss in their opening match against England has left the Australians vulnerable and should they lose to New Zealand, they would not only have to beat Sri Lanka next Monday but they would also need England to lose their remaining two matches to have any hope of scraping through to the semi-finals. Even then, it would come down to net run-rate. Should New Zealand win their progression is not certain, although it would take a similarly intricate series of results for them to miss out to England and Sri Lanka on net run-rate. An Australian victory would keep things fairly even throughout the group. However, the Australians will need to overcome New Zealand without their captain Michael Clarke, who has been ruled out due to a back injury that has plagued him since he arrived in England. The more significant long-term worry will be his availability for the Ashes which follow after. David Warner is a real concern as well, having scored ducks in the two warm-up matches, followed by 9 against England. New Zealand’s cordon will be well advised to be on high alert early in Warner’s innings, given the way he has been slashing and edging of late. New Zealand also have an injury concern around a senior player, with Daniel Vettori likely to miss out having had a saline injection

in his troublesome left Achilles tendon. “You only have to look at him. He’s limping and is a bit ginger walking around the field,” the New Zealand fast bowler, Kyle Mills, said on Monday. “He’s been doing it since his teenage years at this level and his body is tired. He shows tremendous toughness and hopefully he can rise to the occasion for these next games to get us over the line. He looked jovial getting his toast and cereal at breakfast this morning, but there’s obviously a lot of discomfort.” Less than five years ago, Luke Ronchi made his debut for Australia against West Indies. During that series he scored a 22-ball half-century, the fourth fastest ODI fifty by an Australia player. Now he is about to line up against his former country for the first time, having qualified for his birth nation of New Zealand earlier this year. Ronchi’s initial forays into the New Zealand side have brought few runs, but against familiar Australian bowlers, he will be keen to prove that he can be a longterm force at the top of the order. Since George Bailey made

his ODI debut in March last year, only Ian Bell and Tillakaratne Dilshan have scored more one-day international runs than his 819 at an average of 45.50. During the one-day series in England last year, Bailey was the one shining light in Australia’s batting order and again during their loss to Alastair Cook’s men on Saturday he was the top scorer with 55. Bailey is a capable standin captain and a reliable presence in the middle order, but he needs significantly greater support if Australia are to progress to the next stage of this tournament. If Vettori is put on ice, New Zealand would likely bring in Colin Munro or Grant Elliott, although Elliott’s availability would also depend on how well he has recovered from a calf injury. Clarke will again miss out, but Australia have a few backup options in the batting department, unless they want to give Glenn Maxwell a go in place of fellow allrounder Mitchell Marsh. Xavier Doherty might also come under consideration, although the potential for rain on Wednesday could discourage the selectors from bringing him in.

Joseph’s 27-team Dominoes on this Saturday President of the Georgetown Dominoes Association Faye Joseph will be hosting a Dominoes competition commencing on Saturday at Gaulin Place, South Ruimveldt. Twenty-seven teams are expected to compete with the winner set to collect $150,000. Second place attracts $75,000 while third place is valued $35,000. The final will be played on Sunday at the said venue. The entrance fee is $9,000 with only one re-entry being facilitated.