Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Defining moments Wednesday June 10, 2015 was a defining moment for Guyana, as Parliament convened for the first time since it was prorogued seven months ago by the former president on November 10, 2014.

The ceremonial opening of the 11th Parliament was the dawn of a new day for all Guyanese but more importantly, for democracy. It was the first sitting in over 10 months. The Parliament had met for the last time in August 2014 when it was revealed that $4.5 billion of taxpayers’ money had been spent without the approval of Parliament. This led to a flurry of vitriolic exchanges between an unconvinced opposition and portentous members of the former minority PPP government.

Whether right or wrong, some have argued that the exPresident felt compelled to prorogue the parliament due to systemic non-cooperation from the then opposition. The rest is history.

Unfortunately, the opening of the country’s 11th Parliament was boycotted by an angry PPP which has not only remained silent on its post-elections plans, but has also refused to submit the names of its Members of Parliament.

Despite the absence of the PPP, the proceedings went on as planned and there is fervent hope for a change to the rancorous and bitter debates that essentially sucked the life from the Tenth Parliament.

Following its defeat at the polls on May 11, the primary focus of the PPP has been to challenge the validity of the declared results. The party has already initiated legal action against GECOM and has called for the resignation of its Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, over alleged irregularities.

That is a chapter yet to unfold.

And then there have been the lingering questions about cooperation in relation to the Cummingsburg Accord between the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and its coalition ally, the Alliance for Change (AFC). Any existing rifts were not evident at the opening ceremony of Parliament. The parties are expected to work things out to the satisfaction of both.

In his address to a gathering of only government ministers and MPs, the Head of State praised the ministers and the members of Parliament as he outlined some of his coalition government’s major policies and programmes to the nation as expressed in its election manifesto.

He emphasised that his government would work nonstop to eradicate crime, disease, ignorance and poverty which were dubbed the enemies of the people and the state.

His policy agenda includes the creation of jobs for youths, better education and health care, an across the board increase in salaries/wages, improvement of the country’s infrastructure, creating better investment opportunities, reducing VAT and increasing old age pensions. The overall plan is to take the country forward.

But it is not all smooth sailing.

Recently, an even more pressing national problem has surfaced that would require the full and unequivocal cooperation of all, irrespective of political affiliation. It represents another defining moment. It is the 19th century territorial claim by neighbouring Venezuela. The Spanishspeaking nation seeks dominion over Guyana’s Essequibo and much more. It wants to access and exploit resources including oil in this nation’s territorial waters. This type of not-so-diplomatic hostility has been going on for years with no end in sight. It will be highly irresponsible if the new government does not call on the powers that be to settle this frustrating claim once and for all. Venezuela must be made aware, in no uncertain terms, of Guyana’s internationally recognized borders and its territory of 83,000 square miles.

The coalition government must openly seek the help needed to tell the administration in Caracas that enough is enough and that Guyanese will not yield to the unending aggression. Guyana cannot move forward unless its border dispute with Venezuela is settled. And Guyana needs desperately to move forward.

Friday June 12, 2015

Letters... Where your views make the news

Ms. Burton should acquaint herself with what took place between 1992 and 2015 DEAR EDITOR, Guess who the stork dropped off in Guyana just a few days ago – Ms. Gillian Burton.

Ms. Burton now realizes that all Guyanese are entitled to their human rights. It therefore means that this lady was not born before last week and so would not know of the oppression meted out to most Guyanese during the tenure of the PPP Government. Witch hunting, she calls it.

Pity we did not have Ms. Burton to speak on our behalf – those of us who

were herded out of employment and thrown out to pasture.

Anyhow, like all good school children, Ms. Burton should get real and acquaint herself with what took place between 1992 and 2015.

Only a few humans had rights in Guyana – rights to contracts, rights to the best paying jobs, rights to large parcels of land, rights to the big positions, rights to steal without being sanctioned and not to be left out – RIGHTS TO LIFE. Surely Ms. Burton was in Guyana

during the years of state sponsored executions. Is this lady a mother?

If she is, then she may pause and put herself in the shoes of the numerous mothers who cannot put closure to their sons’ deaths because they did not get to see their bodies. Corpus delecti!

Please spare us the drama of preaching - do as I say and not as I do.

Ms. Burton probably thought that she would be a sitting fat cat ad infinitum and not have to work a day for the rest of her life.

Shane R. Cameron

Many opportunities for expatriates to reintegrate into the Guyanese working culture DEAR EDITOR, When expatriates leave their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, it is not very often that they return to resettle in the country of their birth.

As they get older and become established, some plan their retirement by buying real estate somewhere warm but avoid Guyana.

Others stay where they have taken up residence and a small percentage look for opportunities to resettle in the homeland. Restarting a life in Guyana can be as simple as buying some land, building a home and living off of a North American pension amount.

For someone who wants to reintegrate into the Guyanese working environment, this is another matter.

It can be an exciting venture if properly thought out but expatriates need to be open minded.

Being brought up for decades in a French environment, I knew that integrating into the Guyanese working world would have its challenges.

But first for me, the political landscape would have to be stable and, for years, I did not feel right in leaving my new hometown.

Earlier this year, Yacoob Ally, a Guyanese businessman, invited me, some of his friends and family for breakfast in Toronto. Little did I know

that this invitation would change my way of thinking and open the door for a return to Guyana.

It was the APNU and AFC fundraiser, an activity coordinated by Dr. Vanwest Charles and attended by diverse professionals, investors and key business persons.

I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to listen to our soon to be President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo share their thoughts on the future of Guyana and their intentions for the betterment of the country. I was blown away how they embraced the idea of expatriates, including investors, returning to help develop their homeland.

Their speeches captivated my interest and encouraged me to investigate ways to support the new administration. This was the driving force that increased my passion to continue working in my homeland.

As I used my foreign working experience on projects during the past year, there was something that stayed at the forefront in my mind; understand and accommodate the Guyanese working culture.

An expatriate who feels that he/she is capable of just arriving and taking charge, because of work experience and academic background, is doomed for

failure. A cocky attitude of ‘knowing it all’ gets an expatriate nowhere and leads to an early exit and a ticket back to the last country of residence.

Like any new immigrant, this person has to prove himself through performance and by being flexible with his employees, team mates and clients.

Also, without embracing diversity, he will have limited success in the land of many waters.

The knowledge and skill sets that expatriates bring to Guyana are beneficial and value added to any organization and government agency.

The local workforce should understand that external work experience will assist Guyana to meet world standards and should facilitate their integration.

But expatriates must be receptive to being retrained and be proactive with learning about the local working environment.

They would also gain an advantage by doing research on the local products and services they wish to support, while investigating the competition.

There are many opportunities for expatriates to reintegrate into the Guyanese working culture and with the upcoming changes that I foresee, the future is bright.

Keith Hernandez, Toronto

Ricky Singh’s comments on confirmation of Chancellor and Chief Justice DEAR EDITOR, I read with interest the comment made by veteran Caribbean journalist, Guyanese born Ricky Singh, in which he praised the David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo administration for appointing a non-political person in Dr. Barton Scotland as Speaker of the National Assembly.

In the article under the caption ‘CHALLENGES FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT- pluses and minuses’, he made reference to the non confirmation of Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice Carl Singh and Ian Chang, although they have been acting for more than a dozen years. He stated that because of ethnicities, class, party politics and

religion, they were not confirmed because the opposition leaders. Desmond Hoyte, Robert Corbin and former opposition leader David Granger, failed to give support. In the same breath, Ricky pointed out that the new President Granger “having sorted out his first post-elections cabinet, chose to engage in a few initial “consultations” among them, crucially, with the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

It is not clear what the top Caribbean journalist meant by the last statement.

He should know that President Granger already disclosed that these two top and important positions should be advertised in the region inviting interested and qualified persons to apply. As an experienced

regional writer who received a honorary doctorate from the University of The West Indies for his outstanding contribution to the region should offer an opinion, but he chose not to take that route. It is not a secret that he has been a strong supporter of the PPP ever since he started his journalist career six decades ago.

Singh has been a columnist for Guyana Chronicle for decades, and also writes for several regional newspapers including Trinidad Express, Jamaica Observer, Barbados Nation.

He was the editor of the Caribbean Contact newspaper, and founder and President of the Caribbean Media Workers Association (CAMWORK) Oscar Ramjeet

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

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

The historiographical niceness of Dr. Jagan must stop DEAR EDITOR, I refer to a quotation from Dr. Henry Jeffrey in the June 8 issue of the Stabroek News. Jeffrey is quoted as saying, “More than most, Cheddi Jagan understood the need to unite the nation…he had both genuine and political interests in solving the problem ... and formed many community groups with broad ethnic membership in the hope of winning cross ethnic support.”

I want to be brutal in my attitude to this opinion of Jeffrey’s. It is pathetic, jejune, mocking nonsense.

Dr. Jeffrey pens some shockingly foolish statements that must irritate the historian and the political analyst whose research area, including a study of the PPP

in power, 1992 -2015. Here is just one example of my exasperation. He wrote in the SN of January 29, 2019 the following; “I do not believe that our country is in this condition because over the last half a century our politicians have been wicked and intended this kind of backwardness.”

Readers have to see my visage to see how angry I was at that silly observation.

I believe deep down in my analytical soul that the PPP’s intention to weaken UG was wicked and deliberately designed. The PPP Government, beginning with Dr. Jagan in 1992, set about to miniaturize UG. Of all the great leaders, I think Walter Rodney was the most genuine in the pursuit of ethnic reconciliation. The

historiographical niceness of Dr. Jagan must stop. I now return to a direct rebuttal of Jeffrey’s description of Jagan’s ethnic innocence President Jagan embarked on ethnic witchhunt and racial victimization on assumption to power in 1992. It has completely wiped out his legacy as a multi-racial politician. What occurred at the Foreign Service Ministry under Jagan was the most egregious manifestation of racist rampage in any government in our country’s history In my study, “Ethnic Power and Ideological Racism: Comparing presidencies in Guyana,” I traced the source of Jagdeo’s ethnic policies to the period of the Jagan presidency,

MOU with a foreign University has limited merits DEAR EDITOR, I have heard that the Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a foreign University. He stated that lecturers and students can go to this University to do a doctoral or other degree programs.

Before they can embark on this academic journey, they have to learn the language for a year. On graduating from this University, the students have to ensure that all their academic records are translated into English.

The students should also be aware that after spending several years in study, their degrees may or may not be accepted in certain English speaking countries.

This means that they can only find employment in specific countries. Vice Chancellor, you seem to have little or no confidence of your lectures with doctoral degrees at your Institution.

I do not know if lecturers leave, do you have individuals to replace them? You are also sending out messages to Guyanese and

foreigners that you are unable to offer doctoral programs. I am sure there are reputable English speaking Universities which will want to collaborate.

If you can make such connection, the University may be able to donate equipment for your laboratories.

With refurbished labs and equipments, our doctoral lecturers can supervise students doing researches that will be of benefits to the people of Guyana.

If you have facilities in place, academics from the Diaspora will readily come home to educate our youths They are reluctant because they are unsure of security and also unable to get a liveable wage. There is a new Government in our beloved Guyana.

This Government promises to make changes for the betterment of its citizens.

You should also make changes at the University, so that our youths can stay home and have an education that is acceptable in all parts of the world.

Sherlock Rawana

1992-1997. I believe Hoyte became implacably angry with President Jagan when he saw the ethnic directions Jagan was going into. This explains the post-election violence of 1997 and 2001 One of the defining moments in Hoyte’s post president career was the Rosinante Coop incident.

From thereon, Hoyte wanted to remove the PPP Government.

A Black Coop, the Rosinante, got an injunction from the High Court to stop the Jagan Government from evicting them. Jagan ignored the injunction.

The land was given over to an Indian farming group.

It remains one of the worst cases of ethnic insensitivity in this country Jagan virtually cleared the civil service and public sector of African seniors.

So convinced was Cheddi Jagan of the need to demobilize African political economy that he removed duty free cars for UG lecturers in 1995.

Tw o i n s t r u c t i v e moments of the Jagan presidency will live on in my

mind forever. On both occasions I spoke directly to him about how I felt. One was the removal of Malcolm Harripaul as the head of the Fraud Squad inside Customs and Excise. Harripaul’s dragnet hauled in countless Indian businessmen who were evading duties.

Harripaul didn’t understand that he had to employ an ethnic policy in his job. The businessmen went to President Jagan himself and Harripaul was fired J a g a n ’s s e c r e t a r y allowed me to speak to him.

These were his words when I asked for the recall of Harripaul. Jagan said in a laughing tone. “That man is crazy, he shoots from the

hip.” I spoke to President Jagan on the nonappointment of Professor Clive Thomas in 1993 as Vice-Chancellor of UG. Jagan said to me; “He must make an application like everyone else.”

With the same mouth, he was inviting Indians from the disapora to come to Guyana for state jobs. Jagan just didn’t want Thomas to work in any influential capacity in Guyana. I honestly believe that both Cheddi and Janet Jagan had a few racist bones in them. To overlook his role in ethnic cleansing in Guyana from 1992 is simply an act of indecency and dishonesty Frederick Kissoon

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

U.S. considering more military bases in Iraq

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey .

The United States is considering building more U.S. military bases in Iraq to drive back Islamic State militants in a move that may require a further increase in American forces, the top U.S. general said on Thursday.

A day after the White House announced the deployment of 450 more U.S. troops to Iraq and a new training hub in Anbar province, Army General Martin Dempsey said the Pentagon was considering more sites in strategic areas such as the corridor from Baghdad to Tikrit and further north toward Mosul.

Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged these might require sending more U.S. troops, which already numbered

about 3,100 in Iraq before Wednesday’s announcement. His spokesman said American forces could also be moved from within Iraq to avoid troop increases.

“Our campaign is built upon establishing these ‘lily pads,’ if you will, that allow us to continue to encourage the Iraqi security forces forward,” Dempsey told reporters before landing in Naples, Italy.

U.S. President Barack Obama has said the troops would not engage in combat in Iraq, where the Pentagon has relied heavily on an air campaign that U.S. officials say has killed thousands of Islamic State fighters and eroded their capability.

While the 3,100 U.S. forces in Iraq are a far cry from

the peak of about 170,000 under President George W. Bush, the newly announced operations mark the first significant adjustment in Obama’s Iraqi strategy in months and follow gains by Islamic State insurgents who control a third each of Iraq and Syria.

Asked about Dempsey’s comments, White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told MSNBC, “if (Obama) gets a recommendation to have another facility like this, he’ll take a hard look at it.”

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters there were “no immediate or specific plans” to add new bases in Iraq.

Dempsey also renewed the possibility of deploying U.S. spotters alongside Iraqi forces to call in air strikes during a future offensive, but added, “we’re just not there yet.”

The possible future training sites, such as the hub at the Taqaddum military base about 15 miles (25 km) from Ramadi, were “just part of prudent planning,” he said.

“It’s very practical (planning), looking at geographic locations, road networks, airfields, places where we can actually establish these hubs,” Dempsey said.

Russia threatens ‘consequences’ if US deploys missiles in Europe Moscow (AFP) - Russia on Thursday warned the United States of consequences if it moves to deploy land-based missiles in Europe in contravention of a key Cold-War era arms control treaty. “It is clear that such actions would mean complete destruction by the American side of the regime of the treaty with all its attendant consequences,” the Russian foreign ministry said, referring to the 1987 INF treaty on intermediate-range and shorterrange missiles.

“We urge the United States to ensure the full implementation of the INF, (and) not to threaten the feasibility of this document,” the ministry said in a statement.

The two countries have accused each other of violating the treaty signed by US President Ronald Reagan

and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987.

US defence officials said last week Washington is considering a range of moves to counter Russia’s alleged violation of the treaty, including bolstering missile defences or deploying land-based missiles in Europe.

The INF agreement eliminated nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with intermediate range of 5005,500 kilometres (300-3,400 miles). The treaty marked the first time the superpowers had agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenals.

A US State Department report last week said Russia in 2014 “continued to be in violation of its obligations under the INF Treaty not to possess, produce, or flighttest a ground-launched cruise

missile (GLCM) with a range capability of 500 kilometres to 5,500 kilometres, or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles.”

The Russian foreign ministry said that statement was not “consistent with reality”, challenging the United States to provide firm evidence.

Moscow for its part took issue with Washington’s plans to deploy in Poland and Romania systems capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles. “Such deployment would directly contravene the INF treaty,” the foreign ministry said.

Ties between Russia and the United States sank to their post-Cold War lows after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine last year and supported Russian-speaking rebels fighting Kiev government forces.

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IS STRIPTEASE ILLEGAL? Prostitution is the world’s oldest profession. In Guyana, prostitution is illegal. Yet, I cannot recall in recent times anyone being hauled before the courts for prostitution.

If you interview the men and women involved in prostitution, they will say to you that they are not being forced to sell their bodies for money. No one, they will contend, is holding them against their will.

But while no one may be sending the prostitutes out there to do business, there may be economic pressures that are forcing both men and women into prostitution.

Admittedly there are some prostitutes who may be in the business because of the big

bucks that can be made. It has been reported that some prostitutes charge as much as $50,000 for a one-night stand.

Even those involved in the lower end of the market, it is said, can make about sixty thousand dollars in one night by going with multiple partners.

Prostitution is big business and the market is segmented and far more complicated than it would appear. This makes it difficult to combat. The vast majority of prostitutes do not have to stand by the road corners to solicit customers.

The majority of prostitutes actually go as paying customers to the various pubs, buy their own drinks, and look as if they are

normal patrons. But try to get friendly with them and they will tell you that their company costs money.

This is why even though prostitution is illegal, it is difficult to combat.

You would be surprised at some of the persons who are out there on the market and how innocent they seem.

No one is holding a gun to these prostitutes’ head and asking them to sell their bodies. But there is always an element of compulsion economic compulsion - that would push someone to sell their bodies for money. No person can truly say that they are not under duress when they are selling their bodies.

Prostitution is therefore

Gov’t to temper GRA’s power to grant concessions as it pleases In its quest to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and discipline, the new administration is going to temper the powers entrusted in the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to grant certain tax concessions as it pleases.

Specifically, Minister of State Joseph Harmon acknowledged that the agency is one that is up for a forensic audit, given its inability to effectively tackle tax evasion, one of the major driving forces of the underground economy.

He said that it is also felt that the power of the agency to grant concessions has to be reviewed to ensure that “these concessions awarded do not rob the country.”

Harmon opined that given loopholes in the

agency, there is a tendency for such to occur.

“If you grant everyone a duty free concession without ensuring they are entitled to it then it robs the country of revenue which could be spent on other things.”

Harmon also noted that Finance Minister Winston Jordan did a tour of the agency recently as part of his responsibilities.

He said that Jordan spoke with the staff there and informed the media that in due course, contracts of some persons will be reviewed and renewed where necessary.

Harmon added, “We have to look at the skill set and what we have in the country, so you can’t just send home everyone and then we don’t have anyone to do the job.

So it is going to be a very careful analysis of what needs to be done, what is the requirement for that particular entity and how we move forward.”

Harmon asserted that the APNU+AFC government has to ensure that certain systems work and individuals in organizations such as GRA “do not grant things which they don’t have the authority to do.”

He said that in the case where concessions are given, they must be reviewed at a higher level.

Asked if government is willing to make its systems work even if it means working along with people it had accused of malfeasance in office, Harmon answered, “Certainly not.”

(Kiana Wilburg)

Man gets nine months for simple larceny Devon Semple

A 35-year-old Werk-enRust resident was yesterday sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to two counts of simple larceny charges at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The court heard that between June 2nd and June 7th at Regent Street, Georgetown, Devon Semple stole three door mats, three laundry baskets and one umbrella valued at $18,150 property of Farzana Haniff.

When asked about the charges against him, the

defendant pleaded guilty, saying that he indeed stole the mats but he didn’t steal the baskets, and since he is

being blamed for the crime he is going to accept all the charges.

He further told Magistrate Annette Singh that, “you can give me whatever so I could go and cool out my head, I begging for a lil couple months man”.

The articles in the matter were never recovered.

The defendant was only recently released from prison.

something that needs to be combatted. But that is always easier said than done.

Soliciting, which is the basis upon which prosecution rests, is difficult to establish, especially in the case of high-end prostitutes who provide something akin to escort services.

But if prostitution is illegal, what about striptease?

If you expose your privates in public, even if it is because you had to take a pee by the road corner, you are liable to be charged for indecent exposure. Yet, in Guyana, there are so-called “private clubs” which are open to the public for a fee and in which there is nightly striptease dancing.

Is there a weakness in the law that prevents the authorities from taking action against these clubs? Is it legal and is there a lacuna in the law that allows these clubs to operate and get away with what they are doing.

This is something that needs to be addressed not just to protect the morals of

society, but also to protect the persons, both men and women, who flock to these private clubs, because they believe that what takes place there is legitimate entertainment.

Is it legal and is it entertainment or a disguised form of prostitution?

A public advisory should be issued on these strip joints. Let us not pretend that they do not exist. They do and

their activities are spreading.

There are not just private striptease clubs. Private parties are also now organized in which striptease is part of the offering.

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Kaieteur News

Friday June 12, 2015

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Atavistic return: The cry of being cheated out of power From earlier times, the PPP surrounded itself with myths that its leaders actually accepted as real facts. The early leaders of the PPP inculcated these fictions into the collective psyche of subsequent PPP mandarins and they too came to see fiction as fact.

The loss of power in the sixties has a special place in the PPP’s internal historiography. It goes something like this; the Americans and the British connived to remove the PPP from power. Since then there is no place inside the archives of the PPP for some graphic truths. The story of the American overthrow of Jagan is a far cry from the whole truth, if any truth at all. But why does it still exist?

It exists for the same

reason that Forbes Burnham has been presented as a tyrant who did nothing good for Guyana. The alternative has never been presented.

No one has written the positive side of Burnham.

No one has demolished in book form, the form of the victimology conspiracy hoisted upon successive generations of Guyanese by the PPP. As recent as last year, the PPP Government Ambassador to Kuwait, Odeen Ishmael, wrote a book reinforcing this victimology thing.

What the PPP did after 1964 was to use the story of the sixties to keep its constituencies loyal. Another weapon added to this proved a successful cocktail – the PNC’s rigged elections.

These two weapons took the

form of a song – “cheated out of power.” This symphony glued Indian supporters to the PPP. It wasn’t only political mischief when the PPP used that song every day in the just concluded election campaign, it was psychological normalcy. It was a mythological journey that took them to power in 1992 to which they held on for 23 years. When faced with the loss of office in May 2015, it was simply natural to sermonize Indian people with that evergreen melody - “we have always been cheated out of power.”

A song that was invented fifty years ago has become the strategy to retain the long hold the PPP has had over the East Indian mind.

This columnist is

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) — Prime ministers from across the region will be taking several critical decisions on the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), as well as a single position on several international negotiations when the heads of government conference is held in Barbados next month.

Minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, Senator Maxine McClean, noted during a recent press conference that 15 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government and the heads of five associated states and their delegations, totaling more than 150 persons, would deliberate over a number of issues related to the region.

According to McClean,

some of the discussions during the meeting will relate to climate change and sustainable development. She stated that on Thursday, July 2, there would be a high-level strategic dialogue on sustainable development.

This event will feature United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon and will be attended by CARICOM heads of government, representatives from the private sector and experts in the field.

“The purpose of the dialogue is to share with the United Nations secretarygeneral ideas and concerns about Caribbean development. This is particularly important now because later this year, there will be three important United Nations events on financing for development, climate change and human development. This provides CARICOM with an opportunity to have its voice heard at the highest level,” she explained.

The foreign affairs minister added that a number

of activities were scheduled to coincide with the conference. These include a seminar on the topic Barbadian Youth – An Integral Part of CARICOM’s Development, which will be held on Tuesday, June 16.

There will also be an inhouse CARICOM exhibition in the lobby of the BCC, as well as another display in the lobby of the ministry of foreign affairs and foreign trade. Additionally, the Division of Youth Affairs has arranged for a Youth Parliament debate on the same topic.

The conference will be preceded by a CARICOM 10k road race on Sunday, June 28, and will be officially opened on the evening of Thursday, July 2.

Barbados will assume chairmanship of CARICOM for the period July 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015. The theme for the period of chairmanship will be Vibrant Societies, Resilient Economies. The last heads of government conference to be held in Barbados was in 2007.

CARICOM summit to address critical issues

predicting that from now until the 2020 general elections, the PPP is going to tell every East Indian from every corner of Guyana, that they were cheated out of power in the 2015 elections and since the British toppled the Jagan Government in 1953, the PPP since has always been cheated out of power.

Can it work for the PPP up to 2020? It cannot if the coalition government knows the art of political planning.

The main fulcrum on which the PPP now stands in the eyes of its supporters is the victimology thing. This brings sympathy. But no one will continue to be sympathetic to a victim when evidence keeps pouring in that the victim was a cheat, liar, pervert and a thief.

The fifteen years of the Jagdeo/Ramotar kleptocracy is overflowing with financial crimes, the nature of which makes this cabal one of the most corrupt in the 21st

century. Former PPP ministers have huge wealth stored outside. It is stashed away in a labyrinth in which it will not be easy to find directions.

Assets are held under the names of family members and close relatives.

Except for the champion of dirt who hid most of his money in India, the stolen funds are in western banks and the Americans have the accounting skills to find it. If Dolly Khan is hiding money for the MBA man that he got from the Chinese, then Dolly has to tell the IRS in the US how she came to have so much millions when she lives modestly in Little Berbice in New York.

If the coalition government can maintain a steady exposure of the PPP’s stolen wealth, it will destroy the victimology panacea. If PPP supporters see one PPP leader after another going in front of the courts for the brazen theft of the money of

Frederick Kissoon Guyana, then the sympathy instinct will die.

It has to be consistent exposure that will weaken the credibility of the PPP. How did Satyra Gyaal manage to build a house in Pradoville 2 with a sale value of US$1 million?

How did Irfaan Ally come to own what he has in Leonora? He has to explain that to the GRA. It is not only the search for the loot that the new government must pursue, but also the sale of Guyana by the PPP. No party so corrupt can survive for long. Supporters’ sympathy will vanish overnight. It is up to the new government to expose the PPP or allow the PPP to keep playing that infamous song.

Dem boys seh...

Jagdeo and nuff of dem in hiding Yesterday, China send its ex-security chief Zhou Yongkang to jail fuh de rest of he life. He didn’t kill nobody. De son of a bitch do exactly wha some of dem bitches right here do before dem get vote out of office.

Zhou was found guilty of bribery, corruption and abuse of power. He get caught wid US$14.5 billion. De government tek all.

Does this story ring a bell right here at home? Dem boys seh fuh sure Jagdeo was de most powerful man and he share almost everything and anything wid he best friend.

Dem boys believe dem worth four time wha Zhou get ketch wid. Time will tell fuh dis two very soon.

De Shaat scamp get diarrhea when he hear that dem find de $10 billion that was tuck away. Brassington did know bout it and he know bout more.

De Chinee man, fuh save he life from facing de firing squad, plead guilty, beg de court, give out all de secret and let out more information on others. Then he apologise to de whole country.

Because he co-operate de state give him life in jail.

This set here in Guyana got to decide whether dem gun talk willingly or wait till dem facing de firing squad fuh start talk like

de Chinee man.

Soulja Bai done seh once you guilty don’t come close to him.

Dem boys not seeing Jagdeo, Donald, Irfaat, Rob de Earth, Brassington, de Shaat scamp and others. When dem boys check and find out, de people hiding indoors. Dem not even coming out fuh join in de protest outside GECOM and parliament.

When dem boys ask Donald why he wasn’t at parliament fuh de protest, he tell dem he had a urgent meeting at Sleep Out wid de Chat-3.

Dem boys seh that who ain’t hiding, quitting. Dem was very confuse when Burrowes call de media and tell dem that he quit. When de paper write wha he seh, de next day de man call back de paper and seh he nah quit; how he quit hold. De reporter was confused and ask him to explain quit hold. He hang up de phone.

Later in de day de newspaper get a call from Li’l Joe telling dem that Burrowes don’t have to have he work on quit hold. He just quit Burrowes. He went on to say that de hydroclave wha Burrowes didn’t know how much it cost now under investigation. That might send him to his grave.

Talk half and hope that there can be no more confusion.

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 11

No need for debate Success Elementary pupil is tops NGSA... over difference in public/private schools performances - Education Minister The performances yielded by public and private schools at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) whereby “the private schools appear to outstrip the public schools” have led to an attempt to create a dichotomy or even a sense of rivalry.

This assertion was yesterday made by Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, as he delivered remarks at the unveiling of the 2015 NGSA results at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).

According to the Minister, the observed difference in performances could be attributed to a range of selective practices employed by the private schools. But according to him, “our position at the Ministry is that these are all our children and we do not need to get into a debate about the public/private schools, especially given the fact that the reverse is evident at the secondary level in relations to CSEC where the numbers are different.”

The Minister is however convinced that there is more that can be done to improve the performances of pupils in the public school system.

He continued by sharing his conviction yesterday that the work of the Education Ministry “is by far the most important work that there is to be done in Guyana.”

According to Dr Roopnaraine, he wholeheartedly shares the view of President David Granger that “we can find all the oil in the world and dig all the gold we can find in the earth, but if we don’t educate our citizens we will go nowhere.”

In further highlighting the important work of the Ministry, Dr. Roopnaraine expressed appreciation for the efforts demonstrated, even as he vocalised his commitment to ensuring that teachers in the public school system have the best facilities and are amply rewarded in relation to their salaries.

“We want to lift the level of teaching, counselling and all other dimensions of our school. This is the task that I have set myself, and it is something I can only do with your fullest cooperation,” Dr Roopnaraine told education staffers yesterday.

Turning his attention to the 15,225 pupils who sat the NGSA this year, the Minister

Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine observed that the figure is down from the average 16,000 plus pupils who are assessed annually. In fact, he disclosed that the overall numbers at both nursery and primary levels have been dropping.

He conveyed yesterday that his Chief Planning Officer has predicted that there will be a decrease in the overall number of students enrolled in schools nationally based on the Census data.

The Minister is also prepared to direct some much needed attention to a decline in the performance of English.

He pointed out that while the performances in Mathematics, Science and Social Studies showed improvement, English Language was not as complimentary.

An analysis slated to be conducted by the Ministry is expected to reflect this state of affairs.

“This matter is being addressed both in relation to interventions at the primary level and we have to target improved English Language performances in relation to more effective assessment strategies as well,” said the Education Minister.

Moreover, he disclosed that as it relates to the Grade Two, Four and Six Assessments, his Ministry is consulting with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to build capacity to ensure that Guyana has in place a basis that can effectively gauge where pupils are academically both at a national and regional level.

“My ambition in this (Continued on page 12)

From page 3 well,” said an elated Isabella Hussain, who also attended the Academy of Excellence.

She too was tuned in to the televised press conference on Channel 11. “I was watching it on television and I was shocked...I jumped for joy.”

She singled out Head Teacher of her school, Ms Latchmin Gopaul, class teacher Ms Chandinie, and her parents as the most helpful to her. Remaining focused on her school work was also a major factor, said the 11year-old of Back Street, North Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara.

And she is confident that hard work will help to eventually fulfil her ambition of becoming a heart surgeon.

She is anxious to attend Queen's College with her friend Shreya.

AFEEFAH LONDON (#6 – 525 MARKS) Meanwhile, 11-year -old Afeefah London, who didn't expect to be in the top 10 of the country, thanked her mother especially for ensuring that she did well.

Her mom, Debra London, a teacher at Success Elementary, was elated at the news that her daughter was among the country's top achievers.

The beaming mother thanked Allah for her daughter's success. “We are not rich, so I try my best to ensure that she had a good education… But I can't take the credit for myself because she is very quiet but self motivated and hardworking… I am very happy for her that she did well,” said the senior London.

TRAVIS ISAACS (#6 – 525 MARKS) Eleven-year-old Travis Isaacs was not too surprised when learnt of his performance. This was because he had worked hard and hoped for the very best.

The pupil of All Saints Primary with his 525 marks placed sixth along with four others.

His desire was always to attend Queen's College, and that will be a reality when the new school year begins in September.

Isaacs is thankful for the support he received during his studies - naming his friends, parents, teachers and God as his main supporters.

But according to the aspiring architect it was not all about books as he was able to find time to play and listen to music.

His parents and teachers are proud of his achievement which translates to him being

the top performing candidate in Region Six.

BHEDESH PERSAUD (#6 – 525 MARKS) The New Guyana School managed to have two of the country's top students, with Bhedesh Persaud performing the best. The Industry, East Coast Demerara resident, related that his routine required him studying vigorously at home and in school whenever he had free time.

“I stayed up late at night to put in that extra piece of revision,” said the 11 year-old.

Moving on, Persaud intends on attending “the best school in Guyana”, Queen's College, and has dreams of becoming a scientist. He was overjoyed at his achievement and thanked his teachers for teaching him diligence and dedication to his studies. He said he was motivated by last year's top student (Jorrell DeSantos), “I told myself that if he could do it I could do it too,” said a smiling Persaud.

REANNA MC CURCHIN (#6 - 525 MARKS) At St Margaret's Primary, excitement was in the air, but no one was more excited and relieved than 11-year-old Reanna Mc Curchin.

“I was just hoping and praying that I'd do well,” the aspiring lawyer said. She explained that she had studied extremely hard and went to extra lessons, but nonetheless found time to help her then pregnant mother as much as possible. Above all, she said, prayer was key and, after thanking God first, she thanked her parents and teachers. Though she attained Queen's College, Mc Curchin said she wants to transfer to The Bishops' High School in fifth form.

“I will be studying much harder for the future so that I'd do well for the CSEC exams,” she said excitedly.

TIMUR SINGH

(#6 - 525 MARKS) Excitement was also evident on the face of 11-yearold Timur Singh. The St Gabriel's Primary pupil explained that he was “overjoyed” at his results.

“I heard the news while listening to the TV and when I heard my name get called I just went, 'yaaaay!'” Singh said. He thanked his parents, teachers and friends for the support and added that to prepare, he had studied very hard and would stay up late almost every night.

The aspiring microbiologist shared that he actually believed that he would have received The Bishops' High School. Of course, his actual results pleased him more than what he had expected.

NICHOLETTE GOUVEIA (#11 - 524 MARKS) Nicholette Gouveia, also of St Gabriel's, was also noticeably pleased with her high position.

“I'm really excited about all of this, though I did expect that I would do well,” the 11year-old admitted. She explained that she had worked really hard, studied non-stop, and also had to sacrifice a lot of her favourite things.

“I heard the news from my mother; I was at home and she called me and she was just so overjoyed,” a smiling Gouveia said. She thanked her family and all of the teachers at her school. The aspiring doctor added, “I'd also like to thank God because without him, all of this would not be possible.”

ISMAAEEL BACCHUS (#11 - 524 MARKS) For 11-year-old Ismaaeel Bacchus, anything less than what he achieved would have come as a surprise to him. The ISA Islamic pupil admitted, “I expected I would've done well, but I honestly thought I would've done a little bit better.” Nonetheless, Bacchus said he felt “very good and

extremely happy” with the news.

He thanked his mother, brother and sister for their assistance while sharing that he wants to be a scholar in his religion, Islam.

SERENA PERSAUD (#11 – 524 MARKS) At Marian Academy, Serena Persaud's excitement came after one of her teachers revealed to her the great news of her of achievement.

The 11-year-old said that she was glad to have achieved such high marks, as many people were counting on her.

She related that her routine included her staying behind in school for an extra hour to revise.

“After that, when I got home I would take a little break and then get back to studying,” she said. Persaud added that she would study a little more before bed. Persaud has plans to continue her studies at Marian, rather than attend Queen's College, and is hoping to become a doctor when she's grown up. Above all she thanked God, her parents and teachers who invested time helping her.

GIANNI CARPENTERS (#11 – 524 MARKS) Joining the New Guyana School's high achievers was Gianni Carpenters, who felt “amazing” to have his hard work and late nights of studying pay off in his grades. According to the 12- year-old he had a strict study routine from Sunday to Thursday.

His motivation was the success of past students, who “got the chance to meet ministers” because of their results. Gianni wants to become the President of Guyana.

ROXANNA SINGH (#11 – 524 MARKS) Also placed in the 11th position is Roxanna Singh.

The Enterprise Primary was not available for an interview.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Shot ex-cop still battling for his life Ex-policeman Ravi Outar who was shot four times in an apparent execution on Wednesday night remains in a critical but stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

The 29-year-old Outar was transferred from the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was first admitted because of the severity of his condition.

Outar, a former cop during the crime wave of the early 2000s, had been running a bar for the past several years. He was sitting outside his business place at 143 Second Street, Rose Hall, Berbice when a lone gunman walked up to him and pumped four bullets into his body.

According to reports after Outar was shot, his wife Meshell noticed a lone gunman calmly walking out of their sports bar and boarding a waiting car, in which he escaped.

Neighbours who heard the

gunshots, rushed to the scene only to see the badly wounded Outar lying on the ground with blood pouring from his wounds.

He was then rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he is now battling for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The wounded bar owner’s father, Kumar Outar, told Kaieteur News that he was informed that the bullets bruised his son’s lungs and heart, while another is lodged near his spine.

“Doctors trying with he…He talking lil bit,” Kumar Outar said.

Kaieteur News understands that the injured Outar recognized his shooter and has told police who he is.

Outar is no stranger to bullet wounds, having survived an execution attempt while serving as a policeman way back in 2002.

On that occasion, he was shot in his foot when gunmen from the village of Buxton attacked the patrol vehicle that he was driving in the Coldingen area.

Constable Alleyne was killed while Constable Cruickshank and Corporal Geness (now Chief Inspector Geness) were wounded.The patrol vehicle was later set on fire by the gunmen.

Meanwhile, a Kuru-Kuru, Soesdyke Linden Highway resident is also in the hospital’s ICU fighting for his life after he was shot by his stepson following an argument.

Kaieteur News understands that the shooting occurred about 19:45hrs on Wednesday, after Samuel Wilson, 38, tried to scold his stepson about his unbecoming behaviour. The youth became enraged by the scolding and opted to shoot Wilson with his own firearm.

It is unclear how the teen had gotten hold of the weapon.

After pumping bullets into Wilson’s body, the teen then made good his escape and is yet to be arrested. A 9mm. Taurus pistol with 11 rounds has been recovered by the police.

Friday June 12, 2015

Shot: Ravi Outar

Samuel Wilson with his wife

No need for debate over difference...

From page 11 frankly is to make Guyana the country that everyone else admires,” said the Minister.

According to him, over the past four years there has been evidence to suggest that there has

been a wider national spread of the pupils earning places at the six nationally allocated institutions.

While this trend indicates greater equity a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y, D r Roopnaraine reiterated that there is still need for more to be done to improve performances.

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 13

NGSA 2015 results…

New Board approved Region Nine is most for GO-Invest improved district

By Kiana Wilburg

The new government seems determined to rejuvenate the “seemingly lethargic” Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), as Minister of State Joseph Harmon disclosed yesterday that Cabinet has granted the permission for the appointment of a new board for the entity.

Harmon made this statement at government’s first post-Cabinet briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency.

GO-Invest is a government agency which provides advice and concessions, when necessary, to investors who are looking for the best way to start a business in Guyana.

It also enables entrepreneurs from around the globe to tap into the wealth of trade and investment opportunities available in the country.

Harmon told members of the media that the life of the GO-Invest board came to an end in 2014 and the company is now operating without one.

He said that given this situation, Business Minster Dominic Gaskin made an application for an interim board to be appointed for the purpose of guiding and directing policies for the agency over the next six months until a permanent board is appointed.

Harmon said that Cabinet subsequently gave its approval for the interim board to be appointed.

He said that it will comprise persons from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Private Sector Commission, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Business, and individuals in the Diaspora.

Gaskin was also approved

by Cabinet to appoint persons to the board as he sees fit and based on the realities of Guyana.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment is Keith Burrowes.

Earlier this week, Burrowes had called the media indicating that he is going to step down from the agency, saying that he has had it with the unwarranted

Keith Burrowes criticisms from some quarters.

Burrowes then made an about turn, choosing instead to put his decision to leave the agency on pause.

But considering the new board to be appointed, his future at the company is now shrouded in uncertainty.

In an interview with this newspaper on Sunday last, he had said that his decision to hit the road was made primarily on comments circulating in the media that he is perceived as a “political appointee of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).”

Business Minister Gaskin is also reported as saying that there is the perception of crucial problems plaguing the entity and he is determined to rectify these, even if it means reshuffling senior management.

Burrowes had said that he agrees with the Minister’s comments and as such, would “do the good thing by stepping down.”

“I am happy that the new government has taken this position that there will also be no more political interference and political appointments in GO-Invest. But I would like to say that we are an organization that carries out its work regarding promoting investments in Guyana. We do our work.”

But Burrowes took offence to some of the statements made recently by some members of the PSC during a recent meeting with President David Granger.

“I keep hearing them (PSC members) say how they want to see GO-Invest revamped, but I have some questions for them. Why they never prepared a list of suggestions to give to the government as to how the agency can be

developed instead of merely casting stones? These statements uttered by the socalled PSC come from a few recycled persons or all their members?” said Burrowes.

Burrowes also held a position as a Board Member of the cash-strapped Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). But due to years of poor management, he, among others, was forced to tender his resignation.

While he sat at the helm of the investment company, he was also accused of failing to keep proper documents on the number of concessions the entity was able to facilitate. There have also been several cases where major investments were steered away from the agency due to political interference.

In a previous interview with Kaieteur News, Burrowes said that the company was kept in the dark in relation to many foreign investments in Guyana.

Mr Harmon had spoken to the issue of political interference when his party was in opposition.

He had said, “We are aware that in the past there were instances where Ministers tried to interfere by giving directions of a political nature to businesses seeking to invest in Guyana.”

“This needs to change, because it will not foster a healthy environment for which investors need to feel safe. We hope that the support for institutional strengthening of the agency will follow the appointment of Mr. Burrowes as he seeks to energize GO-Invest, so that it becomes what it was intended to be— a one-stop shop for investors in Guyana.”

Minister Gaskin expressed that he had conducted some preliminary discussions with Burrowes recently and he is hoping to make moves to strengthening the entity. He said that he wants to bring an end to the political interference which took place under the previous administration.

Gaskin said that he has a number of plans in store for the agency but is intent on regularizing the manner in which business is done in Guyana, and ensuring that investment opportunities are available to all and benefits granted as the law so allows.

By Desilon Daniels As the results of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) were disclosed yesterday, data has shown that Region Nine is the most improved district out of the 11 areas under review. The region was also the only Hinterland one to appear in the top 1% of the country’s students.

During a brief press conference held yesterday, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Olato Sam explained that after analyses were conducted, Region nine was revealed to be the most improved amongst the ten administrative regions and Georgetown.

“Region 9 is the most improved region in the country with a 6% increase, which was noted in the performance of candidates acquiring 50% and more in all subject areas,” Sam said.

The improvement pushed the region into the top 1% of the country’s best performers.

However, the other Hinterland regions of 1, 7 and 8 did not fare as well; these regions were the only ones to not be represented in the top 1%.

According to data provided, while region nine was the only Hinterland region to appear on the top 1% list, only one of its students managed this feat.

This student was the region’s best performer with 516 marks and was the awarded The Bishops’ High School.

For region 1, the top student received 512 marks and was awarded St. Stanislaus College; the tenth best performing student earned 478 marks and was awarded North West Secondary.

For region 7, the top student received 505 marks and was awarded St. Rose’s High, while the tenth best performing student earned 474 marks and was awarded Three Miles Secondary.

Further, for region 8 the top student received 478 marks and was awarded Mahdia Secondary while the tenth best performing student earned 439 marks and was awarded Paramakatoi Secondary.

Interestingly, in regions 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11 (Georgetown) the tenth best performing students all earned higher marks than the top students from regions 1, 7 and 8.

According to Sam, 166 students made up the top 1%.

Out of this number, 72 were males while 94 were females.

Though the CEO was unable to provide a gender breakdown, he said that the trend for the top 1% would indicate that the females are continuing to outperform the males in all subject areas.

Last year, a similar trend was noted in the top 1%.

Chief Education Officer Olato Sam Then, 168 students made up the top 1% and, out of this figure, 89 were females while 79 were males.

Additionally, the highest mark attained for the top 166 students was 530 marks, while the lowest was 515 marks. The highest attainable mark for this year’s NGSA was 535 marks (Mathematics – 138, English – 132, Social Studies – 132, and Science – 133).

With regards to overall subject performances, there was an increase noted in Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, Sam said. He added that a slight decrease was noted in English Language.

The CEO was unable to provide a breakdown on how students performed overall.

When questioned on the (Continued on page 14)

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Agricola man remanded on intent to murder, armed robbery charges Curtis Vanconcellos was arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, yesterday, in relation to a robbery that occurred last Saturday, at Grove, which left one of his accomplices dead.

Vanconcellos, 21, of 52 Remus Street, Agricola, stood calmly in the dock, clad in an orange shirt.

He appeared wounded since several bandages were seen around his neck. His right arm was in a cast and was held up by a white sling that was placed around his neck.

Particulars of the first charge alleged that on June 6, at Grove, East Bank Demerara, Vanconcellos discharged a loaded firearm at Neezam Khan, with the intent to murder him.

It was further alleged that on the day in question, at the same location, the defendant along with others, armed with a gun robbed Khan of one gold chain valued $200,000 and a finger ring worth $500,000.

The defendant was not required to plead to the charges after they were read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

He was remanded to prison until June 30.

Police Corporal, Bharrat Mangru, in relating the facts, told the court that the robbery

Curtis Vanconcellos occurred around 14:00hrs on the day in question. He said that the victim and some colleagues were standing in front of a snackette when four men rode up on CG motorcycles. He added that one of the men pointed a handgun at Khan and relieved him of the items. Khan was subsequently shot to the left arm by one of the men.

After he was shot, Khan whipped out his licenced firearm and discharged several rounds hitting the defendant on the neck and arm. However, one of his accomplices was fatally shot.

Vanconcellos tried to escape but was later found lying not too far from the crime scene.

He was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre,

Armed bandits leave...

(From page 6) cash. “One of the safes was not in use so they would have been very disappointed. We did not have much cash in the other.”

While they were leaving, the masked men picked up a laptop that was next to the window.

“We had several more

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

laptops in the office but it is clear that they did not come for the small stuff.”

The men left the tied up security guard in the corner.

He managed to free his legs and a few minutes later, a security team that was making routine checks in the area, heard his calls for help.

He had suffered injuries to his hands and head.

According to the official, the company has since provided copies of the tape to the police, who turned up hours later, because the Timehri Police Station had no vehicles.

where he was treated.

Attorney, Dexter Todd, who represented Vanconcellos, argued that there are disputes, as it relates to the police’s facts and investigation.

He explained that his client was the rider of a CG motorcycle that was parked at the head of Diamond, East Bamk Demerara. Upon hearing the gunshot, the attorney said that the defendant attempted to ride away.

As his submission intensified, Todd contested that no firearm was found in his client’s possession.

Further, he contended that a ballistic test was never conducted on the defendant to confirm that there was gunpowder residue on him.

Todd explained that the only evidence the police is using to link his client to the allegation, is the fact that he was picked out on an identification (ID) parade. But he informed the court that he has every intention of challenging the ID parade.

Corporal Mangru objected to bail citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. He also pointed out the penalty attached to the offence and that a firearm was allegedly used.

Mangru also noted that there is a likelihood that the defendant may not return to court to stand trial if granted his pre-trial liberty.

The robbery, which took place last Saturday, left one bandit dead and Vanconcellos nursing gunshot wounds to the neck and right arm. The dead bandit has since been identified as 18 year-old Michael Grant of Agricola.

According to reports, businessman, Neezam Khan, and some colleagues were reportedly outside the snackette of which Khan is the proprietor, when four young men on two motorcycles rode up. One of the men, armed with a handgun, held up the businessman, relieved him of his jewellery and shot him in his left arm.

However, this newspaper understands that before the bandits could have escaped with the loot, Khan opened fired on them.

Friday June 12, 2015

US helping new Govt. ready for oil production The ExxonMobil drill ship that recently struck what appears to be a significant amount of oil offshore Guyana.

Guyana is continuing to ready itself for oil production, with the US playing a major role in assistance.

According to a Government statement yesterday, Minister of Governance and National Patrimony within the Ministry of the Presidency, Raphael Trotman, recently attended a series of high level meetings in Washington D.C on Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative (EGCI).

Trotman, a former Speaker of the National Assembly, has responsibilities for the natural resources sector under the month-old coalition David Granger-led Government.

According to the Government, the EGCI is a US Department of State-led, US inter-agency effort, to provide a wide range of technical and capacity building assistance to the host governments of select countries that are on the verge of becoming the world’s next generation of oil and gas producers.

The countries receiving EGCI assistance have worldclass hydrocarbon resource potential and are expected to receive sizable, near term financial windfalls from the development of their oil and gas resources, the statement explained.

Recently, Guyana received news that an oil exploration well drilled offshore Georgetown by USowned ExxonMobil, has unearthed significant evidence that a reserve is there that can be commercially tapped. It has been news that

Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman Guyana waited for years now, as its neighbours have wells that are being exploited. At least two offshore attempts have failed in recent years.

But there have been concerns over the country’s readiness.

According to Government yesterday, EGCI’s core objective is to help such countries establish the capacity to manage their oil and gas resources responsibly.

Although EGCI’s goals are country-specific in nature, the programme broadly tries to ensure sound and transparent energy sector governance for the benefit of national economic

development, the statement explained.

Managed by the Bureau of Energy Resources at the State Department, EGCI works in four areas of capacity building that include the technical understanding of the resource through applying the most appropriate technologies.

“Financial issues that establish responsible systems and procedures for managing revenues derived from the sector. Establish and ensuring that national laws and regulations are consistent with international best practices and understanding mitigating measures that would protect the environment and people from the impacts of resource exploitation.”

During the meetings, Minister Trotman was “able to have fruitful discussions on issues such as Offshore and Regulatory overview, Lease Sale Planning, Company Bonding, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Analysis and Review of Exploration and Production Plans,” Government said.

Additionally, the meeting facilitated a networking link that will be pivotal as Guyana advances its activities in the Oil and Gas sector.

Region Nine is most...

(From page 13) overall performance in each subject area, Sam indicated that the exam was not a “pass or fail one”. Instead, he said, it was a placement exam.

In previous years, the Ministry of Education would reveal the percentage of students who achieved more than 50% and more before calculating the overall “pass” rate in each subject. Nonetheless, all students are awarded a secondary institute, regardless of their achieved marks.

In 2014, the country had recorded pass rates of 31.52% in Mathematics, 51.92% in English Language, 43.75% in Science, while the results for Social Studies had remained on par with 2013.

This year’s results are a composition of the National Grade Two Assessment in 2011 and the National Grade Four Assessment in 2013 along with this year’s National Grade Six Assessment written on April 1 and 2.

The 2015 NGSA saw 15,225 candidates writing the exam.

Last year, the Education Ministry had recorded 15,227 candidates.

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

One more sitting for Rodney CoI - report must be submitted in a month

Flashback: From left: Trinidad-based Senior Counsel, Seenauth Jairam; Chairman, Barbadian Queen’s Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham, and Jamaican Queen’s Counsel, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown.

Government will allow the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to have one last sitting with the body mandated to submit it findings within a month.

According to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, the new Government continues to hold the view that the more than $300M spent so far on the inquiry was not well spent.

The idea now is to allow the body to wrap up its work and for staffers to be paid. A number of them have not been paid since March and cannot legally be paid until the Government extends the life of the CoI. Harmon disclosed yesterday that the Cabinet agreed for the life to be extended on Tuesday.

Government is unlikely to go after some questionable spending for the CoI, including payment of over $16M for public relations work, to a reporter.

The new administration had viewed the establishment of the CoI as a clear attempt to besmirch the name of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), a major component of the A Partnership For National

Unity, which now forms the coalition Government.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has been blaming the PNCR of engineering the death of Dr. Rodney in June 1980. Rodney had been a rising star in the political arena while the PNCR was in power.

Yesterday, Harmon made it clear that some of the monies spent on the CoI should not have been expended.

“We are basically taking a position that we will bring it to an end with one final sitting.”

The previous administration spent over $325M on the inquiry.

Chairing the CoI is Barbadian Queen’s Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham, with the other members being Guyana-born, Trinidad-based Senior Counsel, Seenauth Jairam and Jamaican Queen’s Counsel, Jacqueline SamuelsBrown.

On June 13, 1980, Rodney, a scholar, social activist and founder of Working People’s Alliance (WPA) was killed when a device exploded in his car that was parked near the Camp Street Jail.

Following the incident,

Walter Rodney there was speculation that the event was set up by the then Prime Minister and Leader of the PNC, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. It was an accusation that the party has always denied.

On June 13, 2013, the Ramotar administration announced that it had approved the establishment of the CoI following a request from the Rodney family.

Page 27

Clerk insists appointments are legal Clash over Technocrats...

- Opposition calls for judicial review Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs insists that the swearing-in of three APNU+AFC Members of Parliament (MPs) as technocrat ministers on Wednesday was perfectly legal.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) however maintains that the appointments of Keith Scott, Minister within the Ministry of Communities; Sydney Allicock, Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix, as technocrats is unconstitutional.

To support its position, the PPP contended via a statement that Articles 103 (3) and 105 of the Constitution and laws pronouncing on the eligibility of appointment of Technocratic Ministers do not confer Technocratic status on these three persons already sworn in by President David Granger as Ministers.

The Party pointed that Allicock is listed on the APNU+AFC Geographic List of Candidates for Region 9 at number 1; but stressed that the APNU+AFC Coalition did not win the geographic seat for that Region. It said that Felix and Scott are listed on the APNU+AFC National Top Up list of Candidates at numbers 24 and 46 respectively.

“These views of the PPP have been shared with the Parliament Office. The PPP is urging that the Constitution and relevant laws be respected and calls on the Clerk of the National

Assembly not to administer the Oath as Member of Parliament to these three persons,” the party had urged.

In his defence, the Clerk of the National Assembly told the media yesterday via a statement that a closer examination of the said Articles, 103 (3) and 105 of the Constitution would reveal that they do not adequately define a non-elected Member.

He said that based on the Representation of the People Act (Cap 1:03), and, in accordance with practice, an elected Member can be safely defined as a person whose name was extracted from the list of candidates and declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to be an MP. Isaacs said that, in his view, a person who is on the list (presented by the contesting Parties on Nomination Day) and whose name was not extracted and declared by GECOM to be an elected Member, can be appointed a non-elected Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary in accordance with Article 104 (3) of the Constitution.

He added, “Precedent has also been established on this matter in the Ninth and Tenth Parliaments in the case of Mr. Ralph Ramkarran who was on the PPP’s list of candidates in 2006 and subsequently became a non-elected Speaker of the National Assembly. In addition, Mr. Raphael Trotman was on the Alliance For Change (AFC)’s list of candidates in 2011 and

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs was also a non-elected Speaker.’ Isaacs stressed that as Clerk of the National Assembly, he will continue to do his job professionally and in accordance with the laws of Guyana.

The PPP however did not seem to be satisfied with the Clerk’s response to its concerns. Through another statement later yesterday, they said that Isaacs’ advice has only worsened the situation.

The Opposition deemed his advice to be “clearly unsound, since as is known, unextracted lists members are still recognized as elected members of the House and can be extracted and appointed as elected Members of Parliament at any time during the five-year term of the Parliament.”

The PPP said that it is clear that the drafters of the constitution intended to have different criteria for the designation of other elected or eligible to be elected Members of Parliament. The party called for a judicial review of the matter.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Friday June 12, 2015

Second maternal death in one month…

Husband outraged by decision to operate on wife without consent The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has recorded yet another maternal death. Dead is 41year-old, Carol Bollers, of Festival City, South Ruimveldt.

The mother of two, who was less than five months’ pregnant, was admitted to the hospital on Monday.

According to a press release issued by the institution’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Sabatini Daniels, the woman died on Wednesday.

The release stated that the woman had visited the Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit of the GPHC, complaining of abdominal pain.

The woman’s husband, Robert Greaves, said that on Monday, he went home from a business errand around 3:00pm and found his wife “covered up and cloaked up by the backdoor” of their home. When he enquired about the reason for her being in that position, she told him that she was feeling

Robert Greaves cold and that sitting in the sun felt comfortable.

The man said, not taking it for anything, he left home and returned around 18:30hrs, this time only to find his wife dressed and rolling on the floor in excruciating pain. He immediately rushed her to the GPHC, A&E Unit where she was admitted.

He recalled the last time he spoke to his wife was in the A&E area where she was taking oxygen. Considering

the fact that the couple had two young children at home, he left the hospital to attend to them.

The following morning (Tuesday), around 9:00am, when he returned to the hospital, he was not able to see her, and was told that the doctors were attending to her.

Sometime before lunch that day he returned to the hospital and was told that his wife was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Immediately he began questioning why she was there. It was not until that query that he was told his wife had undergone a surgery to remove her uterus. According to him, the doctors claimed that the woman was bleeding profusely and the surgery was to stop the bleeding, however, the bleeding did not cease.

In tears, the man reminisced on seeing his wife lying “like a dead woman” with tubes attached to her.

He said that the doctors had told him that she appeared lifeless because

they had to “paralyze her due to the profuse bleeding.”

The man has since expressed his displeasure at the hospital’s decision to operate on his wife without his permission.

“Is just so you does cut people family without permission? They called me early Wednesday morning to tell me she passed away…

Why couldn’t they have called me the same way to seek my permission to cut her…I would have gone down there immediately” lamented Greaves as he wept bitterly.

He described his reputed wife as a “very loving woman” whom he loved dearly.

Greaves is adamant that the hospital is responsible for his wife’s death and he has also accused the practitioners of being untruthful to him in relation to the time in which his wife passed away. “I carried a woman good with just a back pain and by the time I turn my back she dead… They kill my wife, they kill her. Since Tuesday, she

Dead: Carol Bollers died and they didn’t declare her dead till Wednesday” were the words of Greaves, as he continued to break down in tears.

The man opined that the number of maternal deaths and medical deaths due to the negligence and malpractice of health practitioners are unbecoming in Guyana and it must end. He has signaled his intentions to take the necessary actions to get justice for his wife.

The press release by the GPHC had stated that while

the woman was admitted, she was treated for spontaneous ruptured membrane. The hospital has expressed its condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased mother. A Post Mortem examination is to be performed today.

Just last month the hospital had recorded a maternal death. Twenty yearold Yonette Williams-Grey passed away after a C-section on May 10, last.

The results from the post mortem which was performed

by Dr. Nehaul Singh, at GPHC, revealed that the young mother had died from compound lung distress and hypertension (high blood pressure).

The first-time mother, who was 37 weeks pregnant, was transferred to GPHC from the Suddie Hospital after doctors had performed emergency operation on her.

According to initial reports, the woman’s medical condition was compounded by poor attendance by nurses at the Oscar Joseph Hospital at Charity.

Functions of Tourism, Business Ministries discussed with senior staff Permanent Secretary Derrick Cummings yesterday met with senior officers of the Ministries of Tourism and Business, where he urged the staff to put aside their political sentiments and professionally execute the mandate of the respective agencies.

The meeting, held at the Tourism Ministry’s South Road Office, sought to discuss budgeting and what is likely to be the functions, roles, and demands of the ministries.

“Once you sign on to perform the duty within the

ministry, you are automatically part of the implementation of the government’s policy.

Regardless of what political sentiments one may have, the interest of the Government ought to be conducted,” Cummings told the staff.

He explained that the ministry is on the verge of finalising the reconfiguration of how the Ministries of Tourism and Business will operate. Cummings pointed out that these agencies will function with their respective Permanent Secretaries and other support staff.

However, while some things are very clear, others are still to be finalised, regarding some agencies and departments as to where they will be placed within the respective ministries. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), Consumer and Competition Affairs and the National Exhibition Centre are awaiting placement.

The Commerce, Industrial Development and Guyana Office for Investment will be fall under the purview of the Ministry of Business, while the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Arthur Chung International Convention Centre (ACICC) will be under Tourism.

The Permanent Secretary also sought to clear the air on reports accusing the Ministry of massive lay-off of staff, and which targets a certain ethnic group.

Cummings explained that that Ministry would have issued a statement on the matter, referring to a driver, who was asked to take his leave, because the tool he used to execute his job was out of commission for two weeks.

Cummings reported that the driver is back on the job.

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Billions missing from PetroCaribe Fund Billions of dollars are missing from the PetroCaribe Fund, an account that was created to pay for oil taken under concessional terms from neighbouring Venezuela.

The situation has left the Government scrambling to now find US$15M ($3B) to pay rice farmers and millers who have been supplying Venezuela under a rice-for-oil deal.

In a bombshell announcement questioning where the money has gone, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, yesterday blamed the situation on a “casual” and “callous” administration of the fund by the previous Government under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C).

The “fund is almost bankrupt”…there is just nothing in it, he said.

The coalition Government is now swiftly moving to revamp the management of the rice industry to ensure new markets are found and the situation regularized.

PetroCaribe is an oil

- Govt. scrambles to find US$15M for rice farmers, millers

alliance with a number of Caribbean states and Venezuela to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment.

The alliance was launched almost a decade ago in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela.

Under the agreement, Guyana was required to establish the PetroCaribe Fund, pay part of the money for oil upfront and the rest over a number of years at a minimal interest rate.

In October 2009, Guyana signed a special trade

agreement with that neighbouring country to supply paddy and rice valued at US$18M. To pay the rice farmers and millers participating in the programme, the Government of Guyana is authorized to deduct monies from the fund and disburse through the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).

There are restrictions how the money can be withdrawn from the PetroCaribe Fund.

According to Harmon, while the PPP/C Government

President welcomes UK's support...

From page 26 2015, issued Decree No. 1.787 extending Venezuela's claim to Guyana's waters which include the exploration site of ExxonMobil.

It has become increasingly clear that Venezuela intends to put Guyana under pressure and stymie its development by its unfriendly actions.”

The president then called on all states, particularly the United Kingdom during the regime of which the territorial issue arose and was resolved peacefully by international arbitral tribunal, to demonstrate solidarity with Guyana, “and to condemn the use, or threat of the use,

of force in the settlement of international disputes.”

Before proposing a toast on his country's behalf, UK High Commissioner Gregory Quinn noted the difference that a few weeks had made in the local political landscape, and reiterated that the recently concluded elections were free and fair.

He said that the important thing now is to move forward, “for us all to help develop and grow Guyana in the way its peoples want, and its people desire”.

He reiterated that the UK stands ready to help with that process. “We are a friend of Guyana. There are no doubt challenges (and) much work

to be done in many areas”.

He listed the example of abuse against women which continues to be a concern for him, describing this as unacceptable and disgraceful. He added that it should bring shame on those who perpetrate it and that, “It has no place in a modern democratic Guyana”.

High Commissioner Quinn commended the new government for its work on reconciliation and national unity, urging that everyone work for this common goal.

He added that those who work “so tirelessly and passionately for that independence would join him in seeking that unity”.

has reportedly spent about US$15M from the fund for the construction of the Hope Canal, and a few other projects, there should been money there.

It is unclear why farmers and millers were not paid for rice and paddy supplied.

Many of them have been asking for payments. The new administration now has to find about US$15M for shipments to be made shortly with nothing much left in the account.

This year’s rice and paddy deal is estimated to worth US$113M. It is no fault of the farmers and millers, the Minister said.

It has everything to do with the way that the previous administration managed that fund.

But the bad news for the rice industry just does not stop there. By October or November, there will thousands of tonnes of paddy and rice left on stock with no markets because of record production.

The current markets in the US, Venezuela, Trinidad and Jamaica, among other places,

will not be able to take off the surplus.

The special subcommittee, comprising stakeholders from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the farmers association and GRDB, will specifically be exploring new markets, something that the country has not been able to do with much success in recent times.

Minister Harmon also hinted of a major shakeup in the industry as far as its management is concerned. He said that a “governance mechanism” is being examined to ensure transparency in the appointment of boards and various entities within the rice industry, As a matter of fact, the Minister of Finance found the cupboard bare when he got it.

The situation of the almost bankrupt account will have implications on the repayment time to Venezuela, Harmon said.

“In my view, there was a serious mismanagement of the fund.”

The minister could not immediately say the amount of money that is missing, but he said it is in the billions.

Guyana’s fuel bill alone for the Guyana Power and Light Inc, was around US$100M per annum.

That bill will of course be much more.

Asked about the future of the rice deal in light of the tensions with Venezuela, Harmon said that it is assured as talks are ongoing between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the counterpart agency in the neighbouring country.

The Minister stressed that the Government, as promised during its campaign, will strive to adhere to an administration that is transparent; is following international best practices and will put protective systems in place.

“There is much work in the coming months to regularize what has gone wrong,” Harmon said.

The fund would have been under the Ministry of Finance and regulated by the Bank of Guyana.

Page 30

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Lowest prices guaranteed Call: 602-4396, 693-3320

Kaieteur News

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Licensed custom-brokerCall: 660-9478

Contract cars and driversCall: 231-0002, 231-0316, 2310006

REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, AIRCONDITIONERS, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES, FREEZERS - CALL:6294946 OR 225-4822

Eden Bar & Lounge in Garden of Eden, E.B.D. Looking for experienced bartenders & waitressesCall for appointment 694-6247

We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar:2310655,683-8734 FOR SALE/RENT For Sale: Rush, household items: TV, etc. For Rent: house. Tel: 628-7884

Truck drivers, security guard, office staff: 5 CXC subjects minimum & computer literate, to work in Georgetown - Tel: 218-5105 Salesgirls and porters, apply to Best Buy Food Supplies, at 1E Dennis & Middleton Street, Campbellville with written application.

Attractive live in waitressCall:327-0252/674-4665

CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 2193900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/WWW. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security - Tel: 698-7807

SALON

VEHICLE FOR SALE

PROPERTY FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257

1 L-Touring Wagon, excellent condition - A.C Alarm & Remote start, flair kit, CD player, 16" mags, price -$1.3M - Tel: 626-2884

Residential lots ad houses for sale at Eccles, E.B.D $7.5M. Tel:592-227-2913 or 689-3033

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

WANTED 1 Maid, 40years and older to work in SurinameContact: (+597) 322-5442; (+597) 651-6666

1 General domestic to take care of guest house in Interior. Must know how to cook- Tel: 231-0363 1 Live- in domestic, salary $50,000- Call: 688-5409, 6741767 Female assistant for interior.

Salary $80,000 monthly- Call: 674-1767, 688-5409, 664-5199 Maid/ cleaner- apply at Wieting & Richter Ltd. (1)Mechanic to work in the interior.

Must have knowledge with perkins engine Call: 611-4495, 629-0037

Friday June 12, 2015

LAND FOR SALE Commercial lots available at Eccles E.B.D $14M - Tel:592227-2913 or 592-689-3033 50 Acres titled farm land @ The Belle, Upper Dem, River Front -reasonable offer accepted, serious enquiries only! - Tel: 695-3493 Prime land in Corriverton 1.3 acres roadside land suitable for Gas station, hotel, Shopping mall etc.- Call: 6266245, 335-3347 Parfaite Harmonie $1.3M, $1.5M. Tushen $1.6M. We buy all low income landsCall: 689-3339, 611-7223, 2231443 Luxury gated communitypool, mall, swipe card entry, underground irrigation.

Selling @ $6USD per sq.ftCall: 609-0783

Star Cars Auto Sales: In Stock, Premio, Vitz, Bluebird, IST, Alteeza, Benz C200, Spacio - Tel: 679-3140 Toyota Hilux 5L Manual $2.350M negotiable –Tel: 684-1776; 617-8188

Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997

One Toyota Allion 2004 Model & 1 new & unregistered Mazda Axela, excellent condition -Tel: 649-0956 2004 Spacio -$2M 2008 Fielder (new shape) -$2.5M unregistered –Tel: 617-2891

Property at Agriculture road $15 million negotiable- Tel: 612-2522

We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma - Call: 680-3154

Property for sale at Covent Garden, E.B.D- Call: 265-3586

Sale! 2007, 2008 Allion $3.3M, Bluebird Sylphy $2.6M, fully loaded Belta $2.6M, Tacoma 4x4 $3.8MTel: 639-7101

Concrete house for sale in Eccles new scheme $35 million neg- Call: 611-1018, 622-0722

XBOX One, XBOX 360, PS2, PS3, PSP and Nintendo DS system, plastic barrels $6,000-Call: 603-8643; 6217497; 649-3277

Property @ Lot 63 West Ruimveldt, Estate Housing Scheme Georgetown – Contact Mark: 618-9744

Sony PlayStation 4 (brand new factory sealed) $100,000.

Offer valid while stocks last - Contact: 693-4777

2 STOREY 2 BEDROOMS HOUSE ON LARGE LAND 300’X40’ CLOSE TO MAIN ROAD, CANJE BRIDGE, BERBICE. $11M- CALL: 609-8132, 672-8569

10 Acres of land roadside at Kuru Kururu for business.

Cheap price- Call: 601-3369

Honda Accord 2003: 31,000KM, 2L, leather interior, touch screen TV, DVD, 6 CD changer & radioCall: 689-1194 Massey Ferguson 399 Contact: 601-9903

Toyota Rav4 2012 model, 4WD in very good condition. Low mileage, alarm system installed - Call: 665-5509 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms - Call: 680-3154

Property at Kersaint Park LBI, price $13M negotiable Contact: 664-1865; 698-5713

CANTER DRIVER AND SALESMAN, SECURITY GUARDS FOR LAND OF CANAAN, E.B.D BUSINESS. POLICE CLEARANCE REQUIRED. 676-6700 We buy land in Eccles, Herstelling & Parfaite Harmonie, Uitvlught & Tuschen. Legal fees paidCall: 611-7223, 689-3339, 2231443 1 female to work in snackette & bar. Must know to cookCall: 647-7432/ 223-5798

One Noah registered in BTT series, never used. Reasonable price- Call:698-8617 Fantasy Auto Sales: 38 Alexander Street Kitty. Get $100,000 discount on perorders- Tel: 611-1833 Fantasy Auto Sales: Nissan X-Trail 2008 $5,450,000, Mitsubishi RVR 2010 $5,600,000. Both fully loadedCall: 611-1833 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Spacio, Fielder, Bluebird, Carina 212, ISTCall: 652-3820, 665-4529

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1 RZ EFI minibus. BKK 7634Call: 226-9530, 651-2274

Carpenter and mason- Call: 668-9863, 675-6136, 602-9469

FOR SALE/RENT

1 farm worker & 1 clerk- Call: 265-3586

RZ minibus EFI in working condition- Call: 677-7580 3 Storey established business at 220 south roadCall: 601-3369

Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Pure breed pitbull puppies 7 weeks- Call: 661-1715 or 6692434 Roxie’s fashion sale on black leotards, tights, dance shoes, dance costume dresses etc.- Call: 227-8538 Electronic and battery operated snow cone machines- Call: 266-2711, 609-4594 One two stroke 90 Yamaha outboard, one 14ft aluminum boat, one 25 Yamaha 4 stroke outboard – Contact: 601-1138

1 farm, 2 boats and engine.

Also 1 sound system (3m)Call:265-3586 Full breed German shepherd puppies, black & brownCall: 682-5664

1 beige Toyota spacio 2003 model. PMM series. Lady driven in excellent condition.

1st owner- Call: 628-5828 WANTED

Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games & applications. Delivery also.

Call: 672-2566; 265-3232

Property for sale, Grove $18M neg. Tel: 625-5461.

FOR SALE IN CENTRAL GEORGETOWN: SPACIOUS HOUSE IN DESIRABLE BEL-AIR, NEWHAVENRESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. CALL: 647-8851 169 Thomas St. Kitty, double lot, vacant possession ideal for business or commercial purposes – Call Zeena: 2203348; 611-8222

Toyota Prado, Price$4.4M Neg. Call: 643-2403

LEARN TO DRIVE

Transported concrete property for sale at Lot 458 Block “8” Mon Repos, E.C.D, Top flat 2 bedrooms, bottom flat 2 bedrooms $20M. Tel: 625-1514

FOR SALE

1 Ford econoline van (left hand drive) in excellent condition. Sale price $2.2 million - Contact: Ms. Rooplall 233-3512

Stainless steel 16 cu.ft fridge, 40" Sony TV & other household items - Call: 6185641

52" LED light bar for bush trucks & 4x4 pickups. 300 watts & 12/24 volts- Call: 601-4640

One customize Honda motorcycle 150cc. price $140,000- Call: 691-1794

One complete music system Tel: 699-5790, 221-2817

Pile driving hammers, weight 3 and 4 tons, 6 cylinder Leyland engine, 10 tons double steel wheeled roller Call: 275-0538; 693-7105 D4H CAT bulldozer, Leyland DAF 55 Tipper truck, 20 lengths- plastic sheet piles– Contact: 275-0538; 693-7105 Pneumatic roller – 9 wheels, 2,500 GLS, steel tank, 2,000 GLS, steel tank , 428 CAT Back-Hoe Call: 275-0538; 6937105 German shepherd pupsContact: 615-0513

Ingersol rand compressor, mig/ark welder, roneo desk, generator steel cage, bottling machines, 220 motors essences freezerCall: 225-8183 Short foot mix breed puppies Call: 611-2497 PS3 with games $35,000, 32 inch flat-screen TV $48,000Call: 664-7014 3 plastic injection mould machines in excellent condition. Sale price $8 million for all 3- Contact: Ms.Rooplall 233-3512 Continued on page 31

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Letters... Where your views make the news

We have to approach the natural world with respect and stewardship DEAR EDITOR, On June 10, 2015, the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Mr David Granger, addressed members and other dignitaries at, the opening session of the Guyana’s 11TH Parliament.

We feel compelled to mention His Excellency’s remarks on the urgent need for a green economy for Guyana. Among the many important points he made were: the responsible and sensible exploitation of our natural resources, a new energy policy, and a strategy to preserve the integrity of the natural environment.

Nature matters but we are messing it up with our push for development.

We have to step back, reflect and approach the natural world with respect, stewardship and responsibility knowing that our very existence depends entirely upon it.

For years, Echo has been making the call for environmental ethics, accountability and responsibility particularly among those who are engaged in mining and other allied operations, in the extractive sector of our country.

The numerous accidents and incidents which continue to occur in that sector, the unnecessary deaths attributed to poor practices, total disregard for safety and the health of the environment and the inability of the

appropriate agencies to enforce the laws and other things that should help to regulate that sector.

The destruction of the environment, the ecology and the negative effects of all of this upon the public health of local communities actively demonstrate the need for the government to move swiftly to take appropriate measures and to put in place systems to protect and keep our environment.

The unsustainable mining practices could never improve our economy in the long term (no matter how high the price of gold and diamonds), and would surely affect the future of other generations.

Indeed, his comments and promise about a new energy policy is in keeping with the new global environmental spirit and mood to discover and harness renewable sources of energy: The sun, wind and water could be harvested to power our industries, sustain our economy and secure our wider society. In Guyana, we have an abundant supply of water: oceans, rivers, seas, lakes, streams flowing through almost every region of this beautiful land of ours.

Yet, we remain a people solely and worryingly dependant on fossil fuel. The emphasis of our education appears to be misplaced.

Instead of training our people in fields of geotechnical engineering,

natural sciences, Agricultural Sciences, and allied technologies we tend to focus on the social sciences and get involved in telemarketing arrangements.

Not that anything is wrong with the social sciences; they are extremely vital to the health and security of a nation; but in nation building education and training must be tailored to meet the development needs of the nation.

It is known, that our vast resources and wealth is in Agriculture, mining of precious minerals, in our forests, and renewable energy. So the President’s words are indeed precious to our ears, and relevant to the new Guyana.

Again, His Excellency’s pronouncements on a strategy to preserve the natural environment are cardinal and, in fact, fundamental to the sustainable development and growth of our economy.

Good environmental governance has to be a main component of such a strategy. This must include strict enforceable legislations with very serious sanctions that would serve as a deterrent. This of course must be supported by institutions and bodies, with the competencies and capacities to protect our environment.

Then the issue of solid waste remains a sore one, not only in the city but throughout Guyana. One

Let us hope the ‘children’ decide to act responsibly DEAR EDITOR, I would not describe the PPP/C’s not turning up in Parliament as “childish” - this would imply a certain element of innocence. I would prefer to describe such action as “puerile and idiotic”.

Have these politicians, chosen by their supporters to represent them in Parliament, considered the serious

implications? In my layman’s mind, given the recently trumpeted oil potential in Guyana’s territorial waters, I see hesitation from mighty America in committing itself to investing heavily in oil production programmes.

Instead they might support Venezuela in their claim to the oil-bearing waters and try to help them in whatever way

they could to seize their prey.

The American President recently announced he was willing to ‘do business’ with China. Given China’s strong presence in Guyana, the message should be clear.Astable, functioning Government is important to investors. Let us hope the ‘children’ decide to act responsibly - soon.

Geralda D.

Digicel has rebated me with my Megabytes and additional credit DEAR EDITOR, With reference to a letter written by yours truly entitled “Digicel needs to stop exploiting its customers,” which was printed in your newspaper’s letter column on June 10, 2015, I wish to state that Digicel has rebated me with my megabytes.

Additionally I was provided with credits due to the frustration experienced

during the period. I am most grateful that Digicel would have recognized their error and has vouched to revisit the service and make the necessary changes as it sees fit. I must also mention that Digicel’s customer care unit had been very courteous to me during the period.

Notwithstanding the above, I have recognized that no matter how excellent your

service as a company may be, hiccups are expected but the manner in which you deal with the hiccups will define your company.

Digicel has dealt with my issue very professionally and courteously of course after is was published in your newspaper. Let us continue to support the bigger better network.

Ganesh Mahipaul

sanitary landfill site nearly eight miles from the city of Georgetown; not holding area or facility; not continuous environmental and public health education programme and an abundance of nonbiodegradable materials all facilitate mini dump sites in every ward of the city. The landfill site is very defective and needs urgent attention.

Efficient collection is a challenge to the city and the indiscipline of some citizens signals the need for greater enforcement of compliance to our litter laws.

Then we have the proposal for the extension of the Airport, the continuous never ending construction of the roadways and other public infrastructure without the appropriate tests and assessments to determine their impact on the ecology of the environment.

For example, we still do not know the impact of the construction of roads on the East Bank and the East Coast on the ecology and general health of those and contiguous areas.

Indeed, it is time for us to collectively work for a green Guyana.

Royston King Executive Director ECHO

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From page 30

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Kaieteur News

EU announces new funding for the Caribbean BRUSSELS, Germany (CMC) - The European Union (EU) yesterday signed a US$390 million regional funding programme with the Caribbean, more than doubling funds that were available in previous years.

The programme, designed with CARIFORUM, establishes jointly agreed priorities for bi-regional cooperation.

The signing took place at the EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit and the EU-CARIFORUM High Level Event Wednesday.

“The EU and the Caribbean have strong historic, econ o m i c a n d c u l t u r a l ties, based on common values.

With this new funding, we want to further strengthen our common efforts towards more inclusive and sustainable development and prosperity

and will continue to stand by the side of the Caribbean people to continue to develop our excellent, mutually beneficial partnership based on respect and common values, “said Vice-President of the Commission Federica Mogherini According to Neven Mimica, the Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, with the signing of the regional programme, resources can be mobilized for the implementation of joint priorities.

The funds are part of an overall package of the European Union’s support of Latin America and the Caribbean The funding for the Caribbean region will address the challenges in three main areas already identified as priorities in the 2012 Joint Caribbean-EU Partnership strat-

egy.

The main objectives include improving regional resilience to impacts of climate change and natural disasters and crime and security.

The European Development Fund (EDF) is the main instrument for EU aid for development cooperation with the African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries (ACP) and is funded with contributions from the EU Member States.

St. Lucia government under more pressure to tell all about Taiwan embassy

St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony (centre), St. Lucia’s Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation Alva Baptiste (left) and Taiwan’s Foreign Minister David Lin toast to the opening of the embassy. (Photo: Focus Taiwan News Channel) CASTRIES, St. Lucia The main opposition party is demanding answers surrounding “the mysteries” surrounding the opening of an embassy in Taiwan last week.

St. Lucia’s embassy in Taiwan, the Carib-bean country’s first in Asia, was opened Tuesday in an effort to strengthen bilateral ties, the government said.

Taiwan and St. Lucia have maintained close cooperation in public health, education, infrastruc-ture and culture since the two countries resumed diplomatic relations in 2007.

But the United Workers Party (UWP) said in a statement that the Dr. Kenny Anthony government had not seen it fit to provide the an-

swer to several questions every St Lucian needed.

“It is about time that all citizens of this country know who is the appointed Ambassador to the Republic of China on Taiwan. It is also about time that the citizens know what it will cost us annually for this new decision,” it said.

“Such important details and decisions are taken by this SLP [St. Lucia Labour Party] government and kept well away from the official Opposition in the Parliament of St. Lucia, and from the people of this country at a time when cries of shortages of basic of medical supplies are being reported among other things. On behalf of the people of St. Lucia, we demand answers!”

Union representing public sector workers says wage negotiations nearing end The Gleaner - Vice-president of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) Helene Davis White says it’s likely that the union will conclude its wage negotiations with the government when they next meet.

Davis White says the union, which represents over 40,000 public sector workers,

Federica Mogherini

The UWP is not the only opposition party to ask questions about the embassy.

Earlier this month, the Lucian People’s Movement (LPM), which described the move as “baffling” and called for public disclosure on the costs associated with the opening.

St. Lucia’s Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation Alva Baptiste said at the opening ceremony that the embassy would be tasked with promoting foreign investment in St. Lucia, Baptiste said.

He said the government was in the process of appointing an ambassador, who will arrive in Taiwan “soon”, but he did not disclose a name or date of the individual’s arrival.

Friday June 12, 2015

has already taken the government’s offer to some of its senior members.

She says while the members have rejected the seven per cent increase being offered by the government, the union has signed off on 30 of the 33 wage claims agreed with the government.

Davis White says the

other points on the wage claim now on the table surpasses the seven per cent increase that the government is offering.

The JCTU vice-president also says special emphasis was placed on lower income public sector workers in securing these cash and non cash benefits.

PM: The “Run-off” bill is dead...until Trinidad Express - Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar made a surprise showing yesterday’s postCabinet press briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, to diffuse talk that Government had a plan to pass the run-off provision of the Constitutional Amendment Bill in Parliament today.

Persad-Bissessar also suggested that a date for the general election could be announced at the sitting of Parliament today.

The Prime Minister said it had become imperative that she speak on the issue of the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which is on the Order Paper for today’s sitting, because there were some who were stilling concerns, and creating anxiety.

Today’s sitting is expected to be the last, as Parliament is due to expire midnight Wednesday. The Opposition MPs are boycotting Parliament over the suspension of Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.

The Constitutional Amendment Bill had been the subject of public consultations with a Commission led

by Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar producing a report and an addendum to the report with

Kamla Persad-Bissessar recommendations for constitutional reform.

Last year, Government brought to the Parliament three aspects of the Bill, dealing with the two term limit for prime ministers, the power to recall a Parliamentarian in certain circumstances, and what came to be known as the “runoff bill”. The run-off provision was meant to ensure a Parliamentarian was elected by majority vote of over 50 per cent but this has been rejected by many in civil society and the Opposition.

Persad-Bissessar said

there was no intend to rush the Bill through Parliament “so let me put that to rest”.

She said government did not want to be seen as been dictatorial and pushing things down the throats of citizens. She said that having listened to civil society, it was more prudent to allow for more consultations.

She said the provisions of the Bill would become an election campaign issue, and the Peoples Partnership would take it forward it its second term in office, if the coalition won.

JLP engages Diaspora, multilaterals KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has been making contacts with the Jamaican Diaspora which, according to Opposition Leader Andrew Holness, will enable the party to “hit the ground running”, once it becomes government.

“We have done quite a bit of work, quite a bit of networking, so that when we become government we can hit the road running, in terms of getting those investments for growth,” Holness told a press briefing on his weeklong visit to the United Kingston and the United States, at his office in Kingston, Wednesday.

The Opposition leader spent six days in the UK, during which he participated in a

Andrew Holness number events designed to facilitate discussion about Jamaica’s economy. These included the JN Outlook for the Future debates in London and Birmingham, involving members of Jamaica’s Diaspora in the UK and fo-

cusing on the economy.

He also spent two days in Washington DC, during which he met with hundreds of Jamaicans in the Diaspora to discuss key issues, including the economy.

Holness told the briefing that the visit to Washington also involved meetings with multilateral organisations involved with the Jamaican economy. These discussions involved representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the US State Department.

He said that one of the important points discussed with the multilaterals was the issue of growth in the Jamaican economy.

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

IMF quits Greek talks; EU tells Tsipras to stop gambling

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras listens to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (R) during a meeting at the EU Council in Brussels The International Monetary Fund dramatically raised the stakes in Greece’s stalled debt talks on Thursday, announcing that its delegation had left negotiations in Brussels and flown home because of major differences with Athens.

The surprise IMF move came as the European Union told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to stop gambling with his cash-strapped country’s future and take the crucial decisions needed to avert a devastating default.

A Greek source told Reuters that the entire Greek delegation that had been negotiating a cash-for-reform deal had also left for home on Thursday, citing continuing disagreements.

“There are major differences between us in most key areas,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in Washingt o n . “There has been no progress in narrowing these differences recently and thus we are well away from an agreement.”

Greece needs a deal to unlock aid before the end of the month when it is otherwise set to default on a 1.6 billion euro (1 billion pounds) repayment to the Washington-based IMF. That could trigger capital controls and possibly push Greece out of the euro zone, with unpredictable consequences for financial markets and the European economy.

Rice said the sticking

points remained pensions, taxes and financing. The IMF technical team had returned to the United States but remained “fully engaged” with Athens.

European stocks fell after the IMF comments.

Athens stood by its assertions of recent days that all is not lost. “The Greek delegation, as agreed, is ready to intensify deliberations in order to conclude a deal soon, even in the coming days,” spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis said.

GAME OVER? One official close to the negotiations also cautioned against excessive pessimism, saying the IMF team’s departure represented a break in the talks rather than a breaking off.

IMF experts sit in the “Brussels Group” of technical officials which has been on the sidelines in recent days as the politicians bargained.

This suggested there was little point in their staying in Brussels, although they appeared ready to return at short notice if need be.

However, European Council President Donald Tusk delivered an unprecedentedly forthright message to Greece’s radical anti-austerity government after four months of bitter negotiations.

“There is no more time for gambling. The day is coming, I’m afraid, that someone says that the game is over,” he told

a news conference after chairing an EU-Latin America summit that was dominated by intense talks with Tsipras on the sidelines.

“It is very obvious that we need decisions, not negotiations,” Tusk said, adding that Athens needed to be “more realistic”.

Tsipras held two hours of talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, but neither side reported any breakthrough.

“Come in the torture room,” Juncker told Tsipras at the start of their meeting.

EU officials later described the talks as a “last attempt” to reach a debt deal.

Asked about concerns for the process raised by the departure of IMF and Greek negotiators, and EU diplomat said: “If the process was working properly the president would not have had to have a meeting with Tsipras today.”

Tsipras told reporters he had worked on bridging the remaining differences on fiscal and financing issues. “We are working to assure an agreement which will ensure that Greece will recover with social cohesion and viable public debts,” he said.

Tusk’s admonition reinforced warnings by German Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann and EU Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici that time was running out to avert a Greek state bankruptcy and possible exit from the euro zone.

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Friday June 12, 2015

Klinsmann sets U.S. on path to higher goals DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) After stunning away wins over two European superpowers, U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann’s “get-tough” policy of taking on the world’s best appears to be vindicated as his side can look to the next World Cup without an inferiority complex. The U.S. came from behind twice in the last five days to beat the Netherlands 4-3 last Friday and then World Cup winners Germany 2-1 on Wednesday.

“Now you suddenly face Germany or Holland or Switzerland in the World Cup and there’s no fear any more,” Klinsmann told Reuters.

The former Germany striker has gone out of his way to schedule friendlies against difficult opponents in order to raise his team’s game and hopes the tough compe-

tition will help at next month’s Gold Cup. “There’s still respect for the big teams. You always have respect. But there’s not too much respect anymore,” he said.

“I think psychologically it was really important for our players to see that we can play against top teams like Netherlands and Germany. We’re not coming to Europe just to defend. We’re here to take a game to them and see what happens.”

Klinsmann, who coached Germany from 2004 to 2006 before taking over the U.S. job in 2011, knows it is a perilous business to fill the calendar with matches against the very best as poor results could give ammunition to critics.

“The only way to get better is to play against the better teams,” he said in an inter-

view in Duesseldorf. “Going against big teams on a regular basis is valuable in helping the players understand what it takes to go eye-to-eye against the best.”

Klinsmann, who sang both the U.S. and Germany national anthems before the match in Cologne, faced some criticism after his team suffered 3-2 losses against Denmark and Chile.

The merits of friendlies are relative. To some they matter a lot; to others they are next to meaningless.

For Klinsmann the experience is precious while results are secondary.

“The information you get out of these games is so valuable that it’s definitely worth taking the risks of not getting results,” said Klinsmann, whose team have a 3-1-1 record this year against five

teams ranked in FIFA’s top 20.

LOFTY GOAL Klinsmann has set a lofty goal of reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and Americans hope to one day win it. Many might have laughed at that once. But not any more.

The U.S. have now beaten Germany in two of their last three matches over the last three years but lost the one that mattered most in last year’s World Cup, 1-0. Both advanced from the “Group of Death” but the U.S. were eliminated by Belgium.

“When I look back at the World Cup, I think we had too much respect for Germany and maybe even for Belgium,” he said.

Klinsmann said tough matches gave Americans a chance to feel the pressure,

Coaches Joachim Loew of Germany and Juergen Klinsmann (L) of the U.S. chat before their international friendly soccer match in Cologne, Germany June 10, 2015. (Reuters/Ina Fassbender) something the North American-based players might not experience as regularly as his European-based players.

He said his players are in good form ahead of the Gold Cup which the U.S. co-host

with Canada.

“We feel well-prepared but it’s going to be tricky because we’ll most likely be playing against very defensive minded teams, especially in the group phase,” he said.

Attorney general says...

Friday June 12th 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may be in a difficult position, Aries, as a critical part of a pending decision.

Your first reaction may be to throw up your hands and leave the decision to someone else.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Your self-esteem should be strong these days, Taurus, helping you build more confidence in yourself every day.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A ray of sunshine is likely to shine on you, Gemini. Things may have been cloudy lately, making it harder for you to maintain a positive disposition.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Recent hesitation on your part may have suddenly put you in a bind, Cancer. It may feel like you've reached gridlock and your choices are limited.

You can no longer get a solid handle on things.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Life may seem like a great train ride, Libra. You have your own little compartment that you're striving to keep comfortable and neat.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You need to learn an important lesson in followthrough, Scorpio. As you strive for perfection, you may get the feeling that nothing is ever fully completed.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Be careful about being driven so strongly that you fail to take into consideration the changing environment, Sagittarius. Things have probably changed quite a bit since you first set out on this mission.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may be hit with some extreme circumstances that cause you to feel uneasy about continuing along your path, Capricorn. Use this jolt as a reminder that nothing is set in stone.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) There are powerful forces operating now, Leo. Whether you realize it or not, you have tremendous control over the direction of these energies.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You may feel like you're on a road to adventure and excited about the frontiers you're encountering.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Keeping your sights set on one goal is useful as you concentrate all your energy toward that one thing. At the same time, you may be losing perspective on what's going on around you.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) There's a tremendously sensitive side to your personality that's tender and extremely vulnerable, Pisces.

Be careful about putting too much of yourself out there now.

(From page 36) have done all that we can to ensure that Mr Warner makes himself available when the time comes.”

Warner, a politically powerful lawmaker and millionaire, has to present himself to police twice a week under his bail terms.

“Any person with the level of resources that Mr Warner has would be considered a flight risk, and that is why the arrest took place and his passport was surrendered,” said Nicholas, who said his office had been cooperating with the US investigation for two years.

He said the extradition case against Warner, who denies the charges against him, could take years.

Warner, 72, is accused of taking a $10-million bribe to help South Africa win the contest to host the 2010 World Cup, among other charges.

Since his indictment, he has waged a mass media campaign in Trinidad and Tobago to proclaim his innocence.

After Warner threatened to unleash an “avalanche” of dirty secrets about world football governing body FIFA, British comedian John Oliver took to the Trinidadian airwaves Tuesday to encourage him to do just that.

“I am begging you, release everything, because, why the hell not? It’s not like you are not already potentially in a lot of trouble,” Oliver said in a paid five-minute spot on TV6, one of the same outlets Warner has used to stage his defence.

He urged him to follow the

example of Chuck Blazer, the US football executive who was also indicted in the sting and agreed to cooperate with investigators.

“You have as many delicious secrets as he does, and you owe it to the whole world

to tell us,” said Oliver, host of satirical news show Last Week Tonight on US channel HBO. “For once in your life, Mr. Warner, don’t think about yourself, think about everyone else,” he said.

Friday June 12, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Drug testers swoop down on Reggae Boyz ...Team doctor assures process went smoothly ANTOFAGASTA, Chile — Two doctors from the CONMEBOL Medical Commission Anti-doping department visited the Reggae Boyz team hotel here at the Terrado Suites Wednesday to conduct six out-of-competition drug testing.

The officers, led by Dr Hug Hugo Martinez and including Dr Gonzalo Gaiero, arrived at the team’s base around 9:00 am where they contacted the team’s management before executing their tests.

The six players, who were randomly selected, included Joel Grant, Kemar Lawrence, Wes Morgan, Daniel Gordon, Dwayne Miller and Deshorn Brown.

“This was a part of the mandatory out-of-competition drug testing,” revealed Dr Derrick McDowell, who heads the Reggae Boyz medi-

cal team here.

“We are going to have mandatory in-competition and out-of-competition testing, where we will have blood testing and urine testing, and this morning was specifically blood testing,” he added.

“We are going to have mandatory in-competition and out-of-competition testing, where we will have blood testing and urine testing, and this morning was specifically blood testing,” he added.

“They randomly chose six of the players and included in the six was Je-Vaughn Watson, who is not yet here.

So a letter had to be presented as to why he is not here because a missed test is considered a failed test, and that was produced.

“Instead of him (Watson), they selected Joel Grant and everything went as expected.

There were no hitches, the

players made their self declarations, the declaration forms were presented and everything went well without a problem,” noted Dr McDowell.

The testing procedure took about an hour. As part of the protocol, two players will be chosen randomly at 75 minutes into each game, and they will have urine testing done and possibly blood testing as well. The doping control officers can also decide to visit training sessions or the team hotel to conduct testing as well.

And in an update of the physical readiness of the players, Dr McDowell told the Jamaica Observer that “everything is fine, the clinical part of the medical is completed though we still have some testing to be done, but everybody is fit and ready to go”.

Jamaica’s Dr Derrick McDowell (left) in discussion with Dr Hugo Martinez (centre), while Dr Gonzalo Gaiero completes paperwork at the Terrado Suites Hotel, here in Antofagasta, Chile, Wednesday.

(PHOTOS: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

Fabregas gives experimental Spain win over Costa Rica LEON (Reuters) Cesc Fabregas struck the winner as an experimental Spain side came from behind to beat Costa Rica 2-1 in a friendly on Thursday ahead of their Euro 2016 qualifier with Belarus.

Johan Venegas surprised Spain by giving the visitors the lead in Leon after five minutes but Paco Alcacer equalised two minutes later with a clinical finish.

Costa Rica continued to pose a threat on the break but Fabregas slotted in from close range after 29 minutes and Spain had chances to secure a more comfortable win after the break.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique came on in the second half to whistles from a section of Real Madrid fans in the crowd who were angry at the way he poked fun at their team during celebrations after the Catalan side’s treble win this season.

He thanked Colombian singer Kevin Roldan who performed at a birthday party for Cristiano R o n a l d o t h a t created controversy at Real as it followed a heavy La Liga defeat by Atletico Madrid.

Spain now turn their attention to the Euro 2016 Group C qualifier in Belarus on Sunday. They have 12 points from five games behind Slovakia who lead the way three points ahead.

Vicente del Bosque’s Spain side, who have won the

Easy day at the office for Boyz after friendly win Jamaica Observer ANTOFAGASTA, Chile — The Reggae Boyz enjoyed an easy ride at the Parque Juan Lopez Wednesday afternoon, as the day’s programme was geared towards rest and recovery from the previous day’s exertions against local club side Cobreloa FC. After warm-up, the Boyz played a game of handball on a small side of the field and that was followed by a slightly different game where the ball was caught with the hands but passed with the feet.

Head coach Winfried Schaefer then had some players engaged in shooting drills, while others practised

long passes, as others like Darren Mattocks used the opportunity to get in some halffield sprints under the guidance of physical trainer Andre Waugh.

The Boyz are expected to intensify their programme today ahead of Saturday’s opening Group B contest against defending champions Uruguay at the Estadio Regional Calvo y Bascunan at 2:00 pm (Jamaica time).

The Copa America Chile 2015 tournament kicked off yesterday with the host nation facing Ecuador in Group A inside the 48,000-plus capacity Estadio Nacional in Santiago.

Spain’s Cesc Fabregas (C) celebrates a goal with his teammates during their international friendly soccer match against Costa Ricas at the Reino de Leon stadium in Leon, northern Spain, June 11, 2015. (Reuters/Eloy Alonso) last two Euros, are aiming to bounce back after losing their World Cup crown last year in Brazil where went out in the group stage.

NEW BLOOD Aleix Vidal made his debut as Del Bosque continued to bring in new blood and rebuild the Spain team following the retirement of key players like midfielders Xavi and Xabi Alonso.

There was a lack of understanding in defence,

though, as Costa Rica took the lead with their first real attack.

Striker Joel Campbell was given plenty of space on the left wing and he rolled a pass to Venegas who fired home.

Alcacer quickly brought Spain level, beating the offside trap and then finishing expertly past keeper Keylor Navas.

Spain had most possession and Fabregas put them in front as he made no mis-

take after a miscued shot from Nolito fell to him.

In the second half Navas made excellent saves from Sergio Ramos and Santi Cazorla and Spain defender Marc Bartra blazed over from close range.

“I was happy with my performance and that of the team,” Bartra told reporters.

“I don’t agree with the whistles (for Pique) as he gives his all for Barca and the national team.”

Jamaica’s Romeo Parkes (right) seems to get the better of his Cobreloa FC opponent in a practice match at the Parque Juan Lopez in Antofagasta, Chile on Tuesday. Jamaica won 2-0. (PHOTOS: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

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Kaieteur News

Friday June 12, 2015

Benn, Taylor claim the night as cricket salutes excellence

Stafanie Taylor (left) receives her award from Lady Allen at the WIPA/WICB Annual Players’ Awards Ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday night.

(PHOTOS: BRYAN CUMMINGS) Jamaica Observer - JAMAICAN Stafanie Taylor and Barbadian Sulieman Benn were the toast of the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA)/ West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Annual Players’ Awards Ceremony as they were named the region’s male and female players of the year.

The event, hosted jointly by both entities for the third year, awarded cricketers who have performed exceptionally well at both the regional and international levels during the year of 2014.

Among the 12 awards handed out were two lifetime achievement awards, which saw Chetram Singh and Renford Pinnock being honoured by the WICB and WIPA, respectively. The event took place in exquisite settings in the Grand Jamaica Suite at the Jamaica Pegasus on Tuesday.

Taylor has been a major figure in the West Indies women’s team since her de-

but in 2008, which has now resulted in her winning this prestigious award for the seventh-consecutive time.

The 23-year-old, who was nominated alongside Trinidad & Tobago’s Anisa Mohammed and Barbadians Kycia Knight and Deandra Dottin, recollected the year that was as she revelled in the accolade.

“Last year was pretty simple. I started out with the national team in the regional tournament where we retained our title, and everything else went well from there. This award means a lot to me because it shows that over the years I have been working really hard and the determination and goal in mind is bearing fruit,” said the allrounder, who was also the first West Indian to win the ICC Female Cricketer of the Year award in 2011.

Meanwhile, Benn, the slow left-arm orthodox spinner who was nominated in four categories, was winning

the award for the first time.

However, the 33-year-old was not on hand and the award was collected on his behalf by compatriot Jason Holder.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Denesh Ramdin and Samuel Badree were named West Indies one-day and Twenty20 players of the year, respectively, while young Barbadian Kraigg Brathwaite copped the award for Test player of the year.

Jermaine Blackwood upstaged countryman Sheldon Cotterell and Keon Peters of the Windward Island to be named emerging player of the year. Blackwood has figured prominently in the regional squad throughout last year after getting his Test career off to an aggressive start with a first ball six against New Zealand.

Another Jamaican, Shacaya Thomas, was named first-class four-day player of the year, while Lendl Simmons of Trinidad & Tobago and Dwayne Smith of Barbados copped the Caribbean Twenty20 and Limited Overs players of the year awards, respectively.

The first-class team of the year award went to Barbados, with Guyana being named the Under-19 team of the year.

Shimran Hetmyer of Guyana took the Under-19 player of the year award, while Ronnie Goddard was specially recognised as the outstanding performer for WIPA in the community initiative.

The ‘Sirs Club’ was another special award on the night, which was created to honour those who have contributed significantly to the establishment of West Indies cricket. Those honoured were Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Wesley Hall, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Richard Richardson and Sir Curtly Ambrose.

Attorney general says Jack has slim chance of fleeing Trinidad PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP) — Ex-FIFA Vice President Jack Warner has slim chances of fleeing his native Trinidad and Tobago, where he is fighting the US bid to extradite him on corruption charges, the country’s attorney general said Wednesday.

Warner, who was arrested after the United States indicted him and 13 other football officials and marketing executives in a sweeping corruption investigation, is currently free on $40,000 bail pending extradition hearings.

Trinidadian Attorney General Garvin Nicholas said

Jack Warner the country had taken measures to prevent him from flee-

ing, tightening the net already around him since the United States had Interpol put Warner on its most wanted list and issued an international red alert.

“We certainly made it a lot more difficult for him to escape or to leave the country, and with the Americans taking the further step of issuing the red warrant it means that every country is now alerted should he attempt to enter another country,” Nicholas told journalists.

“Together with the American authorities I think we (Continued on page 34)

(From left) Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Curtly Ambrose, Sir Wesley Hall and Sir Richard Richardson pose with their special awards.

I knew World Cup axe was coming - Dwayne Bravo ESPNcricinfo - West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo has revealed that his exclusion from the squad for the World Cup did not come as a surprise, and he and Kieron Pollard were expecting the axe - which he called a “big joke” - from the West Indies Cricket Board selection panel, headed by Clive Lloyd.

He also said the team management was prepared to lose the World Cup before it started and instead build for the next tournament.

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Bravo said the pair “laughed” when Lloyd sat down the pair in Cape Town in January to explain the reasons he felt they were not fit to be part of the World Cup squad.

“We actually laughed when he said it to us. To be honest, we knew it was coming. We know the type of people in charge of our cricket are actually mature enough to make sensible decisions and the right decisions for the benefit of cricket,” Bravo said.

“If we had got selected we actually would have been surprised.

We expected it. There was nothing that shocked us.

“The explanation that they gave us was too many allrounders or they want to try young players, whatever the case might be… Kieron Pollard is 27, I am 31. Also as far as our form was concerned, as I said, the last 12 months I had been West Indies’ best player.

So to be left out with those explanations, obviously, all we could have done is laugh.

It was a big joke.”

Bravo has endured a tough time in the last eight months since he led West

Dwayne Bravo on the World Cup squad: “If we had got selected we actually would have been surprised. We expected it. There was nothing that shocked us.” © AFP Indies’ player boycott on their India tour, during which the team abandoned the series mid-way over a contracts dispute involving the WICB and the players. Subsequently, Bravo was axed as ODI captain and dropped from the World Cup squad despite being one of the top performers in the team in the preceding 12 months before the selection. In January, he announced his Test retirement at the age of 31.

Citing West Indies’ poor performance at the World Cup as a shame, Bravo said that the management had gone into the tournament prepared to lose, even as a more senior group had worked for the tournament for three years.

“Another World Cup come, finish. They (were) happy with their decision.

They were prepared not to win this World Cup,” he said.

“It is a shame that before the World Cup even started, they were already prepared to lose and look forward to building

for the next World Cup, whereas in the last three years we were building for this World Cup. But it is all water under the bridge now. I am not someone to hold on to anything.”

The allrounder finished as the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2015 but said that the performance was not meant to prove a point and he still considers himself “one of the better allrounders in the region”.

Bravo welcomed West Indies head coach Phil Simmons’ move to keep the Test team’s doors open for IPL returnees, including Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell. Bravo said that he was not currently open to the idea of returning to Test cricket.

“No. There is a lot more that needs to be changed in order for me to even think of coming back into Test cricket.

At the moment I am happy with my decision and I don’t see it changing anytime soon unless something drastic changes.”