Kaieteur News

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Gov’t courts APNU on Amaila Falls The government on Tuesday evening courted the country’s main opposition coalition APNU on the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.

APNU has been clamouring for full disclosure on the project, but the government had argued that confidentiality issues prevent it from divulging information to the public.

As such, at Tuesday’s closed-door meeting, APNU was given those confidential documents and that party committed to studying them, Joseph Harmon told Kaieteur News. Harmon was in the meeting with Opposition Leader David Granger and President Donald Ramotar and his team.

Apart from Harmon, Granger took along other senior executives of APNU, including Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, Carl Greenidge and Lance Carberry.

Those included on the President’s team were Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon, Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni

Singh, Chairman of the Board of Guyana Power and Light, Winston Brassington and Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira.

In a previous meeting with the Alliance for Change (AFC), the President had expressed concern over the budget cut for the project.

Funding for the Amaila Falls project was included in the $19 billion slashed from the budget for the Low Carbon Development Strategy.

The party had assured the President that the AFC will support the project once it is approved by the due diligence study by the InterAmerican Development Bank.

The President expressed concern that lack of approval might send the wrong signal to the IDB, but the AFC did not agree.

APNU fell short of giving any commitments to the project, except that it would study the documents handed over by the government.

The government is eager to press ahead with the US$840m project at Amaila

Falls, deep in Guyana’s jungle. The road to the site is currently being built.

In this year’s budget, the opposition agreed to allow the government to spend $2.3 billion to complete the road.

The new projected date for the completion of the road is the end of the year, but the Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn could not say what the final cost of the road would be. Last year, $2.3 billion was used, but with that funding and what was approved for this year, there is no clear indication that that would be the final cost.

The original contract was for US$15.4 million, which was awarded to Makeshwar Fip Motilall by former President Bharrat Jagdeo.

According to Fip’s contract, the road should have been completed in December 2011.

Since Motilall was terminated in early 2012, several other contractors were hired to complete the road. Two of them have since been fired, namely Bovell and Pasha. Pasha’s contract,

which was for the final stretch of the 185 kilometers road, has now been handed to China Rail, the company that would build the power plant.

The completion of the road is seen as being necessary for the building of the plant.

The lead developer of the project is Sithe Global, part of the Blackstone Group.

Force; hence the charge of illegal possession of ammunition was instituted.

The Prosecution also contended that when the defendant discharged the live rounds, he had no plausible reason to do so. It was also brought to the attention of the court that the defendant damaged the bulletproof vest he was wearing. The vest was not damaged by the victim as he claimed.

Representing the policeman was Attorney at law, Lyndon Amsterdam, who explained that on the basis of several special reasons, his client who lives at 100 Murphy Street, Good Intent, West Bank Demerara, should be granted bail.

Amsterdam told the court that Dawson is a serving member of the Guyana Police Force and throughout investigation, he remained on the job without attempting to escape or interfere with the inquiry.

“It is illogical that my client would mix the rounds issued to him with those that

Ocquna Dawson weren’t and return them to the Guyana Police Force.”

Amsterdam added that if bail is refused, Dawson may be placed in an institution with people he may have

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) is expected to buy the electricity at US$100 million a year and there are fears that electricity bills would not come down as the government has been boasting.

The IMF had earlier urged that “careful consideration” be paid to the financial risks of the project.

Govt. blasts Caribbean Airlines over “outrageous” ticket prices Government yesterday blasted Caribbean Airlines for “outrageous” increases in ticket prices by Caribbean Airlines (CAL).

According to the Tourism Minister (ag), Irfaan Ali, the increases have been arbitrary.

“We are extremely dissatisfied with the arbitrary increases in prices for tickets.

In some cases a 50-minute flight to Trinidad and Tobago costs US$425,” Minister of Tourism, Industry and

Cop faces three charges, remanded Ocquna Dawson, a 27year-old constable attached to the Tactical Service Unit, was yesterday brought before the Georgetown Magistrates’ court where three charges were read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry.

The particulars of the charge stated that on February 18, on Waterloo Street at the “Globe Yard” the defendant discharged a loaded firearm with intent to injure Phillip Small.

The defendant was also charged with damage to property and with illegal possession of ammunition. To the allegations, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

According Police reports, the accused is a serving member of the police force.

Whilst performing duties, on a motorcycle, he entered the Globe Yard on Waterloo Street.

It was here that the defendant discharged three live rounds at Phillip Small, two of which hit him on his foot. The court heard that the defendant was issued 15 rounds of ammunition but after discharging three live rounds, he returned to the station with 14. The facts presented by the prosecution also indicated that the two live rounds found in the firearm were not issued by the

Sithe is looking for a 19 per cent return on its equity contribution.

The China Development Bank is expected to loan Guyana most of the money.

The Inter-American Development Bank is being asked to contribute $175M. The World Bank, which was first involved in the project has since dropped out.

arrested or given evidence against, thus exposing himself to the high possibility of being assaulted.

Chief Magistrate Beharry then asked the prosecution for the docket so that the facts can be perused. The matter was then stood down for a few hours.

When the Chief Magistrate returned, bail was refused.

The defendant kept his head bowed for most of the time as he sat in the prisoners dock after it was revealed that he was remanded.

When he was brought out of the court room, the defendant’s head was covered with a blue cotton jersey as relatives walked behind him crying and claiming that “he is innocent.”

The matter has been adjourned until June 21 for the filing of statements.

Commerce, Irfaan Ali stated.

He noted, too, that Caribbean Airlines position in the Guyana market should have been looked at from a corporate responsibility perspective and not an opportunity to rake in profits as a result of the high demand here. According to the Ministry, the Government of Guyana is working on securing other airlines to end the “monopolistic position” that now exists. The Ministry urged for a sense of corporate ethics and responsibility in the way business is done.

“We are well acquainted with the fact that the Trinidad market is not required to pay the increases demanded from the Guyanese market, and it has been proven that the Guyanese market is one of the strongest for Caribbean Airlines. In light of this, we believe that we should be treated as special customers; the least that we would want is to have equal and fair treatment on par with the Trinidad market,” Ali asserted.

Caribbean Airlines had

taken up the slack and added flights since the exit of EZjet last year and Delta’s earlier this year.

Government even announced its decision to grant CAL flag carrier status for Guyana.

“In light of this, the Guyana Government had pledged to work with the regional carrier to strengthen ties that would lead to stronger regional integration.

There were assurances from CAL that the airline was committed to “keeping the fare structure of Caribbean Airlines”, which would mean no additional increase in the cost of tickets.”

According to Minister Ali, the interest remains in ensuring that the tourism sector remains vibrant and to ensure that air transport does not become a hindrance to travel to and from Guyana.

CAL, owned by the Trinidad government, is reportedly facing financial problems, despite being heavily subsidized by that government.

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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

When secrecy can hurt

Guyana is fast becoming as secretive as some of the most closed societies in the world. Indeed, secrecy was the order of the day is those state-run societies where the state determined what was good for the people and where production was disposed of at the behest of the state.

The tenet was that the societies would be run according to the principle of ‘from each according to his want, to each according to his need’. It therefore meant that if a man produced more than he needed then that surplus would be controlled by the state. It would be given to those who appeared not to have the wherewithal to produce according to their needs.

Of course, there were immense failings here. People never produced to their optimum and most of the efforts were concentrated in the family. The state stagnated because the driving force of development—the profit motive—was missing.

In the end, communism collapsed and the grandiose principle of the richer supporting the poorer went through the window. The government took the society into its decision making processes and caused the people to have a say in whatever plan it conceived. Guyana seems to be caught in the time warp. Its people wake up in the mornings to be confronted by a brainwave of some government official. The society is then asked to make the brainwave work. If it fails then the fault rests with the people.

Guyana has been confronted with a series of bright ideas and all of them have landed the taxpayer into some financial difficulties. Such is the situation that in real democracies, the governments would have had to resign over what the people would have seen as a waste of their taxpaying dollars.

We start with the Skeldon Sugar Factory. This came into being because Guyana simply could not get out of sugar. For one, it represented the bulk of the political support of one of the major political parties in the land. To rid itself of sugar would have been, for that political party, to rid itself of a large political base.

So, the project became Guyana’s largest investment.

Three years later, this investment is still to provide the desired yield. Instead of lowering the cost of production the investment has seen the drastic lowering of the volume of production to levels unheard of even when the smaller sugar factories were struggling in the face of strikes and sabotage by disgruntled workers.

The government is less than candid about the state of affairs. It is mum on the rate of repayment of the loan to fashion this new sugar factory; it is mum on the declining labour force and it seems incapable of determining the root cause of the problems that affect the sugar factory.

Then there was the decision to reintroduce hydroelectric power to Guyana. This project was touted to be three times larger than the sugar investment. From the outset there were questions. The award of the contract was questionable and the time granted for the construction of the hydroelectric road was most inadequate as was the cost of the project.

For two years the nation was provided with various deadlines and when these were questioned the authorities made charges of anti-government and of pandering to the opposition. It turns out that the criticisms were justified and the government remains as secretive as ever. It is as if the projects have ground to a halt.

In any society where the government is using public funds, that government would feel beholden to the people to explain every delay, unless the government is a dictatorship.

There is so much that the nation needs to know and where the information is lacking then the political opposition acts. We have had cuts to the budget because the opposition argued that the government refused to adequately explain the need for the expenditure.

What is worrying is that the government is still steeped in the dictatorial mode even though the society has changed. Perhaps it is because we still use the same old politicians who are all steeped in the ways of secrecy.

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

Walter Rodney’s memories are upsetting DEAR EDITOR, I am advised: “use your anger to teach...it’s still a viable weapon,” – LM Assassins of the conversation they bury the voice they assassinate, in the beloved grave of the voice, never to be silent …

– Martin Carter The University of Warwick, Centre for Caribbean Studies, in England, conducts a yearly Walter Rodney Memorial Lecture Series with the hope of keeping Walter Rodney alive. The lines above introduce their website. What a challenge it must be for choosing the high profile Baroness Valerie Amos as keynote speaker in 2004!

(And if I could I would certainly admonish the Centre’s organizing committee for so doing even though the Baroness is a Warwick graduate. Should I feel proud because I was also born in Wakenaam?)

The little I know of the Baroness I’ve read on the internet: she is a Guyanese who, having left Guyana at age 9, has been living in the UK for approximately 48 years. I am not aware of her having any significant contact with her country of

birth during these years. She is best known for her work in local governments in the boroughs of Lambeth, Camden and Hackney, London, England, which she apparently acquitted with a measure of distinction. But she has become patronizing to Guyanese causes (?).

Well, why should I fancy someone who is a Baroness in the House of Lords? That’s contradictory to my belief. Historically, the Lords and Ladies (and Baronesses) have not been on the side of the colonial people (or of ordinary people in their homeland). In addition, why should I like someone who appears to “blindly” support Tony Blair – the warmonger and truth denier about Iraq! She replaced Clare Short as Minister in the Labour Government. (Clare Short strenuously opposed Tony Blair’s role on the Iraq invasion.) Then, of course, I am not privy to all the motives of the Memorial Lecture Series.

As a historian and political and social thinker, Walter Rodney himself would most decidedly shudder at this. In the past the Centre has invited Sir Shridath Ramphal as keynote speaker to commemorate Rodney. I

consider Rodney’s thinking and worldview in politics, philosophy, economics, and probably everything else as antithetical to those illustrious speakers aforementioned.

What can these speakers say in honor of the memory of Walter Rodney? Since their outlook is poles apart to that of Rodney it is unlikely that they could resonate his esteem. And if they do the honourable thing – in appreciation of him – that would be hypocritical. Mark Antony in Act III of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. “… Take thou what course thou wilt!” is my regretful refrain.

What does it matter if “you are the first Guyanese…” or if you are a high profile honoree of Her Majesty? Some have unadvisedly admired such people. But such blind adoration is acceptance without questioning. When we are blind to “certainty untroubled by empirical evidence, intellectual curiosity, or open debate” we lose all sense of our objectivity, rational assessment and clarity of ideas – particularly at this historical juncture when there is a crying need for critical analysis.

I would not liken such blindness to Samuel Johnson’s “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel” but it is such excessive obsession with chauvinism that clouds lateral thinking.

Even the radical and venerable politician, Janet Jagan, has proffered praise to Baroness Amos in presumed self-interested overtures to broker sympathetic favours from Blair’s government – either because she is Guyanese (albeit for nine years) or she has accomplished a first as a Black Guyanese woman Baroness.

We must not feel obliged to acquiesce to false patriotism in support of our fellow country-men and women unreservedly when in so doing we overlook the true thrust of the ideals of real patriots and when, as in the case of Walter Rodney, we quickly forget what he fought for and that he was killed (and who killed him) in the cause of liberty, justice and bread for all his country-men and women. At the bare minimum, we should be obliged to question those on whom such spotlight shines.

(Another kind of atavistic groveling – to surrender one’s self-respect Continued on page 7

DEAR EDITOR, June 13th is once again upon us and Walter Rodney’s name will parade the national spotlight in the usual fingerpointing, divisive, deification, reinvention and sanitization of his political life, and absent any serious action to make real the 2005 legislative vote to establish an Independent International Commission of Enquiry (IICE).

This yearly parade will be dutifully facilitated by the media, no question asked or accountability demanded, including the WPA’s role regarding Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham being a potential recipient of the OR Tambo Award; equally as the politicking that the WPA has betrayed Rodney with their convenient alliance with the ‘dreaded’ PNC in APNU; and the WPA will bask in the attention and another escape at being held to account.

The charade will continue with some continuing the exploitation of the divide and conquer strategy, vilification of the person/group (Burnham/PNC) they love to hate, the continued distortion

of our history, and the social/ political/academic/ sympathetic relevance secured from acting the part.

Conscious what is about to be said would be blasphemous to Rodney’s folks and those who benefit from the mangled use of his name and politics, the time has come where people must be prepared to dispassionately examine Rodney from a holistic angle, including truthfully exposing his politics, political activities, how he died, and whom (including him) may be responsible. And building on Dennis Wiggins’ approach to Burnham that “The actions of heads of state should be viewed in their totality not in isolation” (SN, May 10, 2013), similar treatment must be meted out to Rodney’s actions as a political leader/ potential head of state.

Understandably, Bro. Eusi Kwayana thinks Rodney had a right to life (SN, June 3, 2013), but this right to life cannot be looked at in isolation of Rodney’s belief in armed revolution, and the advice that “What you have

to do is win over a section of the army, and you have arms.

And you could also take away arms from the government [,]” followed by the admittance that “We were accumulating weapons… we were accumulating equipment of various kinds. A certain amount of that was coming from the, from the military” (respectively, world renowned CLR James, Jan. 30, 1981; and WPA co-leader Rupert Roopnaraine, SN, September 19, 2010).

Evidently the approach to taking power through the barrel of a gun would have denied the right to life to others, an action Rodney was willing to pursue. Or should it be believed that the right to life is guaranteed only to Rodney and those who partnered with him in said acts and not to others who would be so affected by said actions.

The WPA has to be careful that in their felt need to sanitize Rodney’s politics, albeit such happened in an era given to such actions, they do not make Rodney out as a hypocrite, self-serving and

supreme. It is also unfortunate that public reference of this aspect of Rodney’s politics not only saw a disclaimer from widow Patricia Rodney and family (SN, September 10, 2010) but Kwayana sees this “delighted many who have begun to cross-examine others.” Aren’t people allowed free-thinking on Rodney and why should such be reduced to being “delighted” and not the same thing Kwayana professes, i.e., “Challenges will be welcome as we must clear the air without polluting it [?]” (SN, June 3, 2013). Herein is another example of the WPA’s duplicity and arrogance.

In Kwayana’s “South African gov’t should have consulted Rodney family before deciding to confer Tambo Award” (SN, May 27, 2013) this designation to supremacy in the global political pantheon is given wherein it is argued Rodney’s family should have been consulted on matters relating to Burnham, even as the South African gov’t may never have done so in Continued on page 7

People must be prepared to dispassionately examine Rodney from a holistic angle

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

Letters... Where your views make the news

What would Freddie do were he in Opposition?

DEAR EDITOR, One for Freddie Kissoon.

An interesting article headed ‘The PNC: A revisionist note’ in a recent column.

In the closing paragraphs, the comment “....... the PNC has let down its constituencies and the Guyanese people by a crazy, macabre resignation of their fate since they lost power in 1992.

The PNC must be the world’s only opposition party that does not want to be in office” gripped my attention.

In political terms, I think the problem may be that the PNC is not as ‘strong’ as the PPP on many fronts, principally numerically and in ethnic identity. Class also

plays a part.

In Guyana an “East Indian” is an “E. I.” is an “E. I.”, whereas an African is not, generally, so regarded among themselves. Much depends on skin tone, or in Guyanese parlance ‘complexion’. On holiday recently, I was startled to hear a darkskinned negro chap describing his new girlfriend as a “nice, clear skin girl”.

In the 1980s, in London, I attended a function given in honour of a PNC bigwig. In bidding farewell, a darkskinned office bearer walked over to the sofa on which sat three ‘clear-skinned’ men and said laughingly “all the red men sitting together”. The men stared at him frostily and

silently - all old QC chaps.

In the 1990s, in London, I attended a welcome meeting for the late Dr Jagan. The PPP’s ‘Thunder ’ (?) was distributed free to every group of Indians as they entered the meeting hall, the leftovers were offered to nonIndians at the sale price as they left the meeting!

I think it is not that the Guyanese people are left to their fate but that the Opposition feels helpless to do anything about correcting the situation.

Strong, capable leadership is sorely needed and, until it is found, our people will just have to “cut and contrive”.

Geralda Dennison

DEAR EDITOR, I take this opportunity to openly congratulate all the pupils who have recently gotten their National Grade Six Assessment results. I urge them to continue to strive for higher achievements as they climb the educational ladder.

I was also happy to see and even hear the honourable minister of education announcing the results of the top 1% of pupils across the country.

She seemed quite ecstatic at those pupils’ performances as she announced those results.

However, from information provided, we learnt that 16,811 candidates were entered for this year’s examinations. Then it struck me! I wondered what happened to the results of the other 99% of pupils who also wrote the said examinations.

Don’t we deserve to hear something about them?

I don’t mean to have all those names published or announced but, at least we deserve to see some statistics to tell us how the country’s children performed at this crucial examination. Why is it that we are not hearing about all 16,811 pupils and we are

hearing only about the top pupils?

I am not telling the honourable minister what she should or should not do, but at least we need to see some figures that represent the entire country and not just the top pupils.

What we saw were the highest possible standardized scores in the four core subjects, as well as the total maximum marks possible, along with some other statistics that represent the country’s top performers. At least we need to see something like this: No. of pupils entered to write examination: No. of pupils present: Number of pupils passed: Number of pupils failed: % of pupils passed: % of pupils failed: It can also be done differently, but at least this would give us a broader picture of the results. I wonder if this is such a difficult task to do. Or is it a case where our children are performing so poorly that the honourable minister is afraid or ashamed to reveal the full statistics? Is it a deliberate plot that only the top pupils are made public to polish off our already

dysfunctional educational system?

From what I gathered, I understand that only about 10% of the total number of pupils was actually placed into top secondary schools across the country. I may be wrong. However, if the full figures are revealed, this may help to dispel all doubts. I challenge the honourable minister of education to give us the full statistics of this year’s results of the NGSA. As Guyanese parents and teachers, we deserve to see how our children are performing. I challenge you, comrade minister. Show us those figures.

J. Tekchand

Show us the full statistics of this year’s NGSA results

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Kaieteur News

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

People must be prepared to... How about compensation based personnel Gregory Smith’s refused to act on the 2005 IICE From page 4 on achieving realistic goals? bequeathing the award to account of what took place on supported by the PNC under others whom may also be accused, implicated or complicit in the deaths of others!

And this pronouncement is made even as Rodney’s family remains silent to the insurmountable wrongs and daily mismanagement that passes for governance in the country he is said to love.

Given this application isn’t it reasonable to conclude the absence of consultation with the Rodney family, along with their noted silence and historical projection of Rodney as Guyana’s ideal leader, tantamount to his satisfaction over the country’s state of affairs? Can the society ever expect the Rodney family and beneficiaries of Rodney’s cultivated image to rise above infantile and selective politics and grief and honestly give to jack his jacket?

And the arguments presented by me (SN, May 7, 2013) that the evidence to date does not point to Burnham’s culpability in Rodney’s death attracted a non-intellectual response from Freddie Kissoon (KN, May 9, 2013) who has not yet learnt the art to disagree without being disagreeable and is prone to be inconsistent in his arguments.

My observation was twisted by him to communicate that I “declared that there is evidence that President Forbes Burnham was not involved in the plot to murder Rodney.” And in spite of his visceral rants and protestations of who is a fool or cow, he failed to provide any shred of evidence to prove my observation incorrect, besides expecting belief because the oft repeated position of Burnham’s ‘guilt’ has been made by Tom, Dick and Harry and this makes it so!

One would expect that while the average person can escape providing evidence in making claims, this concept would find its rightful place and guardianship by those who were/are part of the academic community or believe in the course of justice.

Similarly, Tacuma Ogunseye (SN, May 7, 2013) challenges PNC leader David Granger’s reliance on army

June 13, 1980 via his book ‘Assassination Cry of a Failed Revolution: The Truth About Dr. Walter Rodney’ but expects that his pronouncement of Burnham’s guilt be accepted as the truth because he says so.

Jumping into the fray is M. Maxwell. Attempting to take swipes at me but tripped over self by first claiming, “Ultimately and unequivocally, a powerful national figure like Walter Rodney could not be killed in a closely controlled police state like the Burnhamdominated Guyana in 1980 without Burnham’s prior knowledge, or more to the point, involvement and endorsement. That is a fact.” (KN, May 25, 2013).

And ‘that is a fact’ only because Maxwell says so, the evidence was not provided to support it!

Then Maxwell made another sloppy claim in KN, June 1, 2013 that Burnham was an “accessory to the fact.” In both letters no attention was paid to the WPA’s admitted infiltration into the military even as rejection is made of Smith’s recount which Maxwell deemed as “ s a l a c i o u s l y fraudulent…infantile attempts at deceit in that book literally leaps off the page” to turn around and use the same book and agree with Smith that he was “flown to Kwakwani” after the incident!

(KN, June 1, 2013).

Neither Kissoon, Maxwell or Ogunseye, in as much as they pronounced Burnham’s culpability, has called for the establishment of the IICE to officially nail him, even as Granger called for the enquiry, knowing full well the PNC’s Founder Leader stands accused.

And this brings us to a critical point, where the WPA/ Rodneyites/Rodney’s family has/have over the years been changing their story and playing ‘hold me-loose me’ on Rodney’s death.

Having initially accused Burnham of culpability and outright condemned the work of the United Kingdom’s forensic experts brought by Burnham and the Court’s inquest held under Desmond Hoyte, they have ignored or

Robert Corbin’s leadership.

The initial excuse for not establishing the IICE was the timing would have interfered with the 2006 General Elections. This was followed by verbal trading matches among the Rodney family, WPA and PPP (SN, March 30, April 3 and 5, 2008) as to whom to blame for not proceeding. Then in 2012 the WPA called for a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” (T&RC) for disclosure on Rodney’s death claiming the “party is willing to speak about the events that preceded the assassination of co-leader Dr. Walter Rodney...with the goal of bringing the country together” (SN, June 14, 2012).

In 2013 Kwayana is calling for a “civilized Commission of Inquiry” (SN June 3, 2013).

The big question is why the hesitancy and back and forth? Is there mortification of the evidence that will be brought forth, including the Forensic Report kept in the State’s protection that the PNC has been accused of withholding; or is it felt a T&RC as against an IICE offers the needed protection/ immunity for the WPA’s political actions of the 1970s and 1980s and can aid in reducing public feelings of betrayal when the truths are made public - since the WPA was not the only one doing ‘bad things’ but the PNC and PPP were also guilty.

These are reasonable questions to ask and preliminary conclusions to arrive at. But suffice to say the WPA and allies must no longer be the sole/dominant determinant(s) in how the story about Rodney is written or told and the truths revealed; or allowed by themselves or with others to maintain the manufactured divisions. They have abused and squandered the trust the public placed in them, having projected themselves as the party of intellects and above reproach.

Minette Bacchus

DEAR EDITOR, The decisions made in Guyana, both by the Government and the Opposition, are often made with motives that support their own agenda. No one has the “ultimate truth” of what should happen or what should not happen.

Has anyone wondered why we have “imminently” qualified doctors in our health system, yet as patients, we often go to another doctor for a “second opinion”. This is a natural phenomenon.

Having listened to the Right Honourable Dr. Ashni Singh says that the proposed Executive Chairman of GuySuCo is “imminently” qualified, should fall in the same category referred to above.

What the Minister is telling us, is that this person has the ability, qualification, experience, and technical

know-how to turn GuySuCo around. Can the Minister then give us a few “bullet” points to justify his assertion? If he can do that, I would be willing to listen.

We then come to GPL. I read Christopher Ram’s recent comments, and as an Accountant, he has brought out some simple facts that any accountant should have known. I understand that the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Board are not accountants, but I would have thought that they would have at their disposal, “imminently” qualified accountants to advise them.

Accountants ought to be very professional in their recommendations to management.

I agree that Professionals need to be compensated adequately for the services they perform. However, in the case of GuySuCo and GPL, the

political appointment to the Board and Management seems to override every other consideration. I do not object to these appointments, but the bulk of their compensation should be based on the performance of the company. There should be realistic targets that should be achieved before the rest of the compensation is paid.

I suggest that the Government look at DDL and Banks DIH, and learn from these companies. Their executives have a base compensation package, and added to their base pay is additional compensation based on the achievement of their goals.

I believe that the executives of GuySuCo and GPL should have a substantial part of their compensation based on achieving realistic goals.

Charles Sugrim

From page 4 to former “colonial masters” – came from the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club when “[they] publicly offer congratulations” on an honoree’s “achievement of being awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) by [H]er Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.” – Stabroek News, October 25th 2004).

The anti-colonial freedomloving people of the world must be sickened in their grave!)

I personally find people like Baroness Valerie Amos, Sir Shridath Ramphal and others who accept honors from former “colonial masters” (the Queen symbolizing the remnant of a sordid past) rather distasteful and insulting. Why do our people still kowtow to an anachronism that has always been unfriendly to freedom loving colonial people?

And now I am left confused and befuddled as to the criteria for their selection and motive of the Centre, if any? One’s pride and sense of history, and self-

respect, sadly, are wearing thin.

If I sound nasty it is only because I am indignant and do feel strongly about this. I love and respect Walter Rodney.

I knew him personally. I admired (still do) his wisdom and his ability to make the complex uncomplicated, his moral strength and selflessness, his vision for unity of the Guyanese masses in a struggle for freedom and fair play.

He was allegedly killed by a regime in a cruel and dastardly manner. Brings to my mind Martin Carter: “If you see a smile of bitterness on my mouth // You must not think some joke amuses me // It is only the fury of my heart changing to fire.” Somehow I feel the Walter Rodney Memorial Lecture Series is a desecration of the man.Yet, I hope that it may be a springboard for renewed deliberation and thus really keep the spirit of Walter alive. Let’s us also hope that we use opportunities like these to visit the issue of historical revisionism and recognize our heroes who really challenged the ignominious status quo then and

paid with their very lives.

We must always question revisionism now, which is becoming pervasive in the Guyanese society in the remaking of LFSB. Indeed, where are Rodney’s erstwhile friends, colleagues and comrades-inarms? A few have ostensibly cohabited with and are sleeping comfortably with the ‘enemy’; some are silent, in denial, others remaking history. Why? Is there ideological bait-and-switch? Is it because there is a new ‘enemy’ – that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend?” Is it because “the mouth is muzzled by the food it eats…”?

Walter once said: “For a small nation, Guyana has produced a discouragingly large number of lackeys and stooges who hide in the shadow…” How apropos!

Let us sincerely remember and celebrate a true Guyanese and international martyr and hero for all time.

G. Girdhari New York City

Walter Rodney’s memories...

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Kaieteur News

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

Bouterse sends two Ministers packing - One for giving government contract to family, other another for stalling land distribution Two senior ministers in the Desi Bouterse administration have resigned as the administration of that Surinamese government announced sweeping changes.

Public Works Minister, Ramon Abrahams has resigned for reportedly non performance, the De Ware Tijd newspaper reported yesterday. He has had some successes. The road to Albina was one of the biggest successes under his supervision.

But Abraham was a big failure in many other fields and

could not live up to the expectations the BouterseAmeerali administration had created. Works on the Waterkant, Paramaribo’s promenade to which the entire nation is emotionally attached, cannot seem to be completed. The site is important for tourism.

Abrahams even diverted funds intended for the construction of a dike in Commewijne to the project. The uncertainty of the Commewijne project caused a political dispute with District Commissioner Ingrid Karta-Bink and major concerns among Commewijne residents.

The OW Minister also has much more to answer for. Urban development could not keep up with Paramaribo extensive growth due to a booming economy. In the three years at the helm, Abrahams could not present a vision on development of the city. “He limited himself to repairing roads and placing speed bumps. Traffic safety did not improve and the number of fatal traffic accidents kept rising,” the De Ware Tijd report said.

The cancelled bridge at Carolina and the plans for the bridge across the Corantijn

2003 Cabinet complained of persons lobbying for contracts …Former President Bharrat Jagdeo wanted role preserved - AFC

The 2003 Cabinet had complained that it was uncomfortable with persons lobbying for contracts and as such, unanimously voted to have its role removed from the process and having it entrusted to the Public Procurement Commission.

This is according to Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, who at the time of the passage of the 2003 Procurement Act had been a Member of Parliament on the Government benches.

Ramjattan yesterday, at a party press engagement held at the Sidewalk Café, told members of the media that almost all of the then Cabinet Members, “were saying that they were being lobbied by people to get contracts and that they don’t like the idea that they have to deal with it at Cabinet level. They would prefer an independent body to do it.”

The AFC Leader said that it is for this reason that while Parliament was being held at the Ocean View Convention Centre, at the time it was unanimously approved that with the Public Procurement Commission there would be a phasing out of Cabinet in matters of procurement.

“To come now at this late stage and claim that because of socioeconomic determination that Cabinet must have a hand is total rubbish…All of those issued were deliberated at Freedom House and Parliament.”

Ramjattan believes that it is deception on the part of the government to now come and say that “they never intended that way…that they want control of a process.”

The AFC Leader contended that across the Caribbean, Europe and even in the United States of

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan America, the role of the Executive in the award of contracts has been removed.

He said that where the Executive will come into play is at the stage of the execution of the Contract in that it will ensure that they are implementing and executed to the required specifications.

Ramjattan said that as much as there are some good arguments being proffered in relation to the role of Cabinet in the award process, “we are not impressed…We will ask that the Public Procurement Commission be the body, rather than Cabinet.”

The AFC Leader said that among the voices in support of the role of Cabinet being removed from that process during the 2003 deliberations included the then Finance Minister Sasenarine Kowlessar, the Minister with then responsibility for Housing and Water Shaik Baksh, as well as then Agriculture Minister Reepu Daman Persaud.

“Let them come and deny it now…We would not have passed that Act had it not

been them (Cabinet) consenting to it,” said Ramjattan.

The AFC Leader was emphatic that the only person in opposition to not having the Cabinet’s role preserved was the then President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Ramjattan said that Jagdeo was vehemently against the move to the point that he had told the legal draftsman, “that he would not like it to be done that way.”

Ramjattan recalled that the then Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, had said if the legal draftsman would not do it, then him (Ramkarran), along then Attorney General Doodnauth Singh and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Finance Spokesperson Winston Murray would.

Alliance for Change Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo who was also at the time of the passage of the Procurement Act a member of the ruling party, yesterday in his remarks told media operatives that even prior to the 2003 deliberations, “there was always a jitter in relation to contract and the award of contract.”

He reminded that the PPP went on the platform of being a “lean and clean government.”

Contracts and procurement had always been like ‘flies being attracted to sugar,’ and he explained that Cabinet’s role in the awarding and policing of contract had always been a bone of contention.

He asked why Guyana would want to be the only country to want to have its Cabinet involved in the procurement process as well as the policing of the contracts issued.

River were major debacles, which cost the state millions of Euros. Abrahams managed to foil what could have been President Bouterse’s most ambitious projects.

Mounting criticism on Abrahams’ Ministry did not cease. Middle-class citizens fumed over the department stores and warehouses erected in residential areas. Private land development projects were useless and citizens suffered long flooding after the slightest rain shower.

Two months ago permanent secretary Lloyd Kotzebue admitted that he was powerless against the excessive building frenzy and the Public Works Ministry was quite corrupt.

Abrahams had no clean image too. He was barely in office when he ordered the renovation of his office. The contractor was his son-in-law. Pimping his car drew heavy criticism from the opposition. A firm owned by him and his children was allowed to supply his ministry with ICT products, while his daughter got part of the contract for renovation of the presidential palace.

In Parliament, Abrahams was almost untouchable. He managed to duck all accusations on his policy to award contracts to firms affiliated to him or his family. Attacks by VHP legislators Mahinder Jogi and Asiskumar Gajadien were useless because somehow

Public Works Minister, Ramon Abrahams

Forestry Ministry, Ginmardo Kromosoeto

Abrahams always managed to come out unscathed.

Also gone is Forestry Minister, Ginmardo Kromosoeto.

He was considered one of the best Ministers on Zonal Planning since the Ministry was officially created in 2005. Environmental organizations were happy with the minister because he was always open to find a solution to their problems and he was a man who was always in the field.

But it has been land distribution issues that cost him his job. Former Minister Michael Jong Tjien Fa (Pertjajah Luhur) created the first mess, and none of his successors has been able to do better. Kromosoeto is the latest victim of this politically laden job.

Obstruction and sabotage by remaining Nieuw Front

officials continued to block land distribution. The problems at RGB were a major obstacle in Bouterse’s housing plans. With barely two years to go, Bouterse will not be able to produce the promised 8,000 houses.

Kromosoeto created a lot of enemies even in his own political circles. He refused to issue land to friends and sympathizers and his advice that they should follow normal procedure set some bad blood. Pressured by his political party, he has no other choice than to resign.

Reportedly, a total of nine ministers have now been replaced by Bouterse, a former military strongman, who won the Presidency in July 2010.

GPL technical, commercial losses almost $4B each year ...increased line losses a result of higher generation - Bharat Dindyal The AFC believes that with effective management Guyana Power and Light (GPL) would have been able to save almost $4B per year in technical and commercial losses.

Alliance for Change (AFC), Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, during a press briefing yesterday, said that his party does not believe that the power company has been doing anything substantial to curb losses, including electricity theft and line losses.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the power company, Bharat Dindyal, has said that the matter is technical in nature and that the political opposition has been spouting political arguments.

Dindyal told this publication that when the current administration took office in 1992 the first order of business was to focus on power generation and to fix almost the entire system given its decrepit state.

Generation plants at

Garden of Eden and in Kingston among others had to be replaced in order to ensure adequate power generation.

This, he said, was an ongoing process up until 2009 when the company was sold and according to Dindyal the expatriate management at the time undertook no investment in either power generation or loss reduction. He said that in 2003 when the current management resumed control of the company the focus had to be placed again on power generation as a priority.

According to Dindyal it was only in 2010 when the power company embarked on loss reduction. This he said is being done through the US$42M Chinese Project.

Responding to the fact that line losses have over the past five years increased from some 11.4 per cent to 14.6 per cent, the CEO opined that this is logical given that there has been increased generation being forced through the same distribution network.

“Of course the losses will go up,” said Dindyal, adding that in order to effectively curb the losses the company still needs to invest another US$60M. The CEO said that even as the opposition carps on the monies the company loses through technical and commercial losses, included in the money it cut from the budget was the very money being used to tackle the issue of losses in the system.

The US$42M project, Dindyal said, is just about 70 per cent complete.

Ramjattan yesterday told media operatives that 17 per cent of losses by the power company is as a result of electricity theft and amounts to some $2.4B each year.

The line losses that Dindyal conceded has worsened as a result of the increased power generation, if eliminated could save the company some $1.4B, according to Ramjattan.

The AFC Leader is Continued on page 22

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

“Where exactly does a man live?” Is it where you sleep at nights?

I know of some men who sleep at a different house every other night. So where exactly do they live?

Most men spend the majority of working days outside of the home? So can we say that we live at home or do we live at the factory, on the farm or in the office?

Where do you live? Is your home really were you live, or it is someplace where you spend some time eating, sleeping and spending a few waking hours with the family.

If life is more than sleeping, eating and spending time with the family; if it is also about work, education and play, can we truly say that we live in our homes?

Little Johnny and Susie, each five years old, decided to get married. So Little Johnny went to Susie’s dad to ask for her hand in marriage.

“Where will you live?” asked Susie’s dad, thinking this was cute.

“Well,” said Little Johnny,

“I figured I could just move into Susie’s room. It’s plenty big for both of us.”

“And how will you live?”

“I get $5 a week allowance and Susie gets $5 a week allowance. That should be enough.”

Getting exasperated since Little Johnny seemed to know all the answers, Susie’s dad asked, “And what if little ones come along?”

“Well,” said Little Johnny, “we’ve been lucky so far.”

Once you have identified a place that you can call home, the next step is to know the address.

A fire department once received a call from an excited man. “Help me, my house is on fire!!”

The fireman says, “Where do you live?”

The man replies, “I am too excited, I can’t tell you the exact address.”

The fireman asks, “How do you expect us to get there?”

The man replies, “What do you mean ‘how’? The big red truck.”

Regardless of where you live

A 22-year-old woman was reportedly chopped to death late yesterday after ending up in the path of a propeller in a gold mining district in Region Seven.

Dead is Raquel Joseph, said to be from Old Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

A team from the Guyana Civil Aviations Authority is expected to fly into the area this morning to check to start investigation into the incident.

According to a government statement, the authority reported that there has been an incident

involving a small aircraft, a Cessna 172, and a woman on the ground at Ekereku bottom, Region Seven.

That person has died, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn reported.

He said officials from the GCCA will travel into the area at first light to conduct an investigation into the incident.

The Guyana Police Force, in a separate statement reported that around 17:40hrs, Joseph was killed when she ended up in the path of the propeller of the singleengine Cessna that had just

know your address.

One night, two police officers saw this old woman staggering down the street. On stopping her they could tell she had had far too much to drink, and instead of taking her to jail they decided to just drive her home.

As they drove through the streets they kept asking the woman where she lived, all she would say as she stroked one of the officer’s arms was “You’re Passionate”. They drove awhile longer and asked again, again the same response as she stroked his arm “You’re Passionate”.

The officers were getting a little upset so they stopped the car and said to the woman, “Look we have driven around this City for two hours and you still haven’t told us where you live.

She replied I kept trying to tell you: “You’re Passin’ It!” Some people usually walk with a small folder in which they write down personal details such as their blood-type, a contact person in case of an emergency, and their address. This is helpful in some respects since should you have an accident, there is information for your family to be

Woman loses head to plane propeller

landed at the Ekereku Airstrip.

Unconfirmed reports said that aircraft, bearing registration number 8R-JIL belongs to a Brazilian.

It would be the second deadly plane incident in two months.

On April 13, two passengers including the pilot were killed after a twin-engine Piper Azteca suffered apparent mechanical problems and crashed into a Sparendaam home.

The plane was on a technical survey mission for the Amaila Falls Access Road.

Dem boys seh...

King Bobby talk at last Long before Bobby Ramroop come public that he buy de franchise fuh de Guyana team dem boys get de wink and dem talk. Bobby get shock because he couldn’t know how de story come out.

Now this is a man who own radio, newspaper, TV and even cable and he couldn’t put out he own news before anybody else. Dem boys seh that he had a reason. He had to wait till he partner come up wid he share of de money because is a question of trust.

Now if Bobby talk before he friend put in he money then he coulda cut out de friend and he alone would enjoy all de sweet from de franchise. That is why he wait till de friend land before he sign de deal. De man now claim how he gun name he franchise Limacol.

Is true that Limacol been in existence fuh ninety years but Bobby didn’t own de

company then. He was still trying to scrape up money to buy it. But if he seh that he own it all de time, who can blame he?

Khurshid should ask he fuh de taxes but he an all frighten he own shadow and if Jagdeo pass by and he shadow deh pun de ground near Khurshid is fever and ague from fright.

Imagine dem boys hear that de Customs building sell.

Dem hear that is Mannie buy it but when dem ask Mannie de man seh that he ain’t even get invite to tender. When dem boys check dem ain’t even put out an advertisement. Dem boys seh that when Bobby buy de Guyana franchise dem didn’t put out an advertisement, too.

Bobby story come out. Perhaps is he buy de Customs building too.

Talk half and watch out fuh King Ramroop again.

contacted. On the other hand, should you lose that folder some stranger can have access to your personal details.

I once knew a case where a woman got into an accident and a bystander decided to call the ambulance. The operator asked for the location of the accident.

The caller said it was in Urquhart Street. The operator said, “Can you spell that for me?”

After a long pause the caller said, “How about if I drag her over to Main Street and you pick her up there?”

Once you are home and know your address, you must next know how to get there?

A policeman pulled an inebriated driver over after he had been driving the wrong way on a one-way street.

Cop: Do you know where you were going?

The driver said, “No, but wherever it is, it must be bad because all the cars were leaving.”

Knowing where is home, knowing the address, knowing how to spell that address and knowing how to find one’s way home is however not all. Where you live must be a special place, somewhere that you can enjoy even if it is on a deserted island.

A man found himself swept up on the shore of an island with no people, no supplies, nothing but bananas and coconuts. So for the next four months he ate bananas, drank coconut juice, longed for his old life, and fixed his gaze on the sea, hoping to spot a rescue ship.

One day, as he was lying on the beach, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. It was a rowboat, and in it was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. She rowed up to him.

In disbelief, he asked her:

Page 9

“Where did you come from?

How did you get here?” “I rowed from the other side of the island,” she said. “I landed here when my cruise ship sank.”

“Amazing,” he said, “I didn’t know anyone else had survived.

How many of you are there? You were really lucky to have a rowboat wash up with you.”

“It’s only me,” she said, “and the rowboat didn’t wash up; nothing did.”

He was confused, “Then how did you get the rowboat?”

“Oh, simple,” replied the woman. “I made it out of raw material that I found on the island.”

“But, but, that’s impossible,” stuttered the man. “You had no tools or hardware — how did you manage?”

“Oh, that was no problem,” the woman said.

“On the south side of the island, there is a very unusual stratum of exposed alluvial rock. I found that if I fired it to a certain temperature in my kiln, it melted into forgeable ductile iron. I used that for tools, and used the tools to make the hardware. But enough of that. Where do you live?”

Sheepishly, the man confessed that he had been sleeping on the beach the whole time.

“Well, let’s row over to my place, then,” she said.

After a few minutes of rowing, she docked the boat at a small wharf. As the man looked onto shore, he nearly fell out of the boat. Before him was a stone walk leading to an exquisite bungalow painted in blue and white.

While the woman tied up the

rowboat with an expertly woven hemp rope, the man could only stare ahead, dumbstruck.

As they walked into the house, she said casually, “It’s not much, but I call it home.

Sit down, please; would you like to have a drink?”

“No, no, thank you,” he said, still dazed. “I can’t take any more coconut juice.”

“It’s not coconut juice,” the woman replied. “I have a still. How about a pina colada?”

Trying to hide his continued amazement, the man accepted, and they sat down on her couch to talk.

After they had exchanged their stories, the woman announced, “I’m going to slip into something more comfortable.

When she returned, the woman greeted him wearing nothing but vines – strategically positioned. She beckoned for him to sit down next to her.

“Tell me,” she began suggestively, slithering closer to him, “We’ve been out here for a very long time. You’ve been lonely. There’s something I’m sure you really feel like doing right now, something you’ve been longing for all these months?

You know….”

She stared into his eyes.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing: “You mean…,” he replied, “I can check my e-mail from here?”

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Kaieteur News

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

=== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ===

Will Sam Hinds preside at today’s Rodney anniversary?

Today is the death anniversary of Guyanese hero, Walter Rodney, who was killed on this day in 1980.

Episodically the WPA observes the event always presided over by two women, Joycelyn Dow and Danuta Radzik. These are two intriguing personalities. They are never ever seen in any other WPA activities other than the death anniversary.

WPA officials say they are not members of the party and the women themselves openly say they are not members. But come June 13, they preside over the anniversary. Prime Minister Sam Hinds often appears as their guest. At one time, Prime Minister Hinds got entangled in a controversy with the WPA in which he publicly said that Walter Rodney’s family had requested a postponement of the inquiry into his murder.

The WPA leadership was enraged and denied Hinds’ claim. You would have thought that this faux pas by Hinds would have brought ostracization of the PM by the WPA but it didn’t.

The next year, Sam was there on June 13 where he played it again. Sam continues to play it again every year on June 13. Walter Rodney moves in his grave every time Sam plays it. One year, I became so angry that I went up to the podium after Sam spoke and denounced him.

I pointed to the WPA’s incongruity of having Hinds speak at a death anniversary of Walter Rodney. I made the point that Hinds was a spokesperson for and a defender of an oppressive system that Walter would have fought against.

Dow and Radzik were in no mood to tolerate me.

Radzik got on the platform and in turn denounced me. Then a gentleman took the mike, further denounced me and praised then President Bharrat Jagdeo as a democrat.

There were applauses after he spoke.

Who were these people that the WPA had invited?

Who or what had the WPA become? Guyana is indeed a confusing country. Poor me!

There were no claps for me after my presentation. But months later, I ran into Stanley Humphrey of Linden, a founding member of the WPA at a symposium at the TUC Stanley came up to me and said, “Freddie, Freddie, maan, ah really like wuh yuh seh at de anniversary. Yuh right, maan.” I turned to him and said but I didn’t hear anyone clapping for me but they cheered for the speaker who praised Jagdeo.”

With a silly grin on his face, Stanley couldn’t respond, he went quiet.

Stanley is still my friend and he knows nothing personal is intended by these words on him. Three years later, both Dow and Radzik became

consultants to President Jagdeo on his LCDS circus and sat next to him on the plane to Copenhagen to attend a global conference on climate change. Dow and Radzik are still consultants at OP on the LCDS farce.

So if you are reading this column in the morning hours, your guess is as good as mine if Sam Hinds will be the guest speaker at today’s event.

What is predictable is if Dow and Radzik are in charge then Hinds will be there. My friends in the WPA like Tacuma Ogunseye and David Hinds will be there, of course, but I know they are not the

Despite price shocks The price of gold fell by as much as $38 in trade Friday last crashing through the US$1,400 an ounce level and causing renewed mayhem among gold mining stocks worldwide.

Despite this volatility however, local miners say they will not lose their nerves.

They are bent on “hanging in there”; on working towards the 2013 target of 460,000 ounces, all the while hoping that prices will at least stabilize or even hopefully, start climbing again.

Gold was trading yesterday on the London Daily fix at US$1,377 per ounce in the morning with a slight increase to US$1,382 in the afternoon.

persons who would have presided over the invitation list.

Of course I am going and if Hinds speaks, I will take up the mike unless I am stopped of course. And if I am stopped I would expect some support from my friends in the WPA. But suppose there is no event this year given the macabre direction in which the WPA has gone since the results of the 2011 elections. First there is David’s open criticism of some behavioural mistakes of APNU. Then Tacuma has publicly challenged David Granger on his denial of Burnham’s involvement in

Walter Rodney’s death.

There is the feeling in many quarters that Rupert Roopnaraine is chummy with the regime. Folks in Linden told me that during the negotiations with the regime after the death of the three protestors during the electricity protest last year, Roopnaraine would remain in the office at OP after the discussions ended and spend hours talking with Gail Teixeira. Roopnaraine and Teixeira run things on the UG Council.

In a debate that is still raging about Burnham’s involvement in Rodney’s

Frederick Kissoon death, there is no statement even a terse one line comment from the WPA. Tacuma penned his personal opinion which he stated was not the WPA’s position. So did Eusi Kwayana. If the Rodney family asked the South African Government to cancel the Tambo Award for Burnham, the family must want to know why the WPA is so silent.

Local gold miners remain optimistic about their prospects A recurring question in the minds of many industry “insiders” is how low can the gold price go without breaking a project; without making gold mining unprofitable?

The view is that, for small and medium level miners the breaking point is likely to be if or when the price drops to US$1200 per ounce.

Some small and medium scale miners may reach breaking point even earlier, since they are faced with higher costs operating due to the remoteness of their operations.

Miners who are likely to be hard hit before others are those who invested heavily in expensive earth moving equipment during high gold

prices in 2011 and 2012.

Some large scale miners, with their potential for economies of scale, can remain profitable until the price falls to US$1000 an ounce. Then they will have to close down their operations, sources inside the industry say.

President of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Patrick Harding, yesterday said that members are not going to speculate about the future too much because there is nothing they can do about the prices anyhow.

He stressed that local miners have to remain focused on improving efficiencies in existing operations.

“They can get by quite decently if they can raise the rate of recovery of gold from the sluice boxes from the current average of 45 to 50% to 70 to 80%,”he said.

He said that equipment for gravity concentration processes such as shaking tables and for flotation processing are available to

increase recovery rates, but miners would have to be happy about the balance between the costs and benefits of such equipment.

They also have to try to keep operating costs down by cooperating and collaborating with each other in such activities as the movement of goods and fuel.

“They might find it more economical to pool resources in these activities and thereby benefit from reduced costs at the individual level,” he said.

Harding said that local miners remain optimistic that the industry will survive.

“We faced harder times than these and we survived,” he said.

He however stressed the importance of all miners maintaining a low cost base and improving recovery rates, rather t h a n w i s h i n g o r hoping that prices will stabilize or start climbing again, or not fall even further.

“If we get this right our operations will remain sustainable regardless of the price environment,” he said.

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

Cabinet to decide on fuel Lions Club installs concessions for fishing vessels new president Ramotar, Dr. Ramsammy meet fishermen, protest aborted

The newly installed members of the Lions Club of Georgetown (Stabroek) The Lions Club of Georgetown (Stabroek) on Friday installed a new board of directors for the fiscal year 2013-2014. The occasion was a dinner held at the Regency Suites Hotel.

The new board of the club which was installed by Lion Steve Backer, and the charge delivered by Lion

Thomas Pinkerton, now has a new President Odessa De Barros. The vice presidents are Horace Mosley, Hemaj Seelall, and Chandra Bridgewater.

Also appointed were Secretary Sarojinie Rajaram; Treasurer Juliet Robertson; Tail Twister Hall and Lion Tamer Roxanne Lucky.

In her feature address, De Barros said that she has learned that in order to achieve goals, there must be a need of honesty and willingness. She also said that during her reign she plans to take “Lionism” to a new level.

“It is with great delight that I accept the new position as president.”

Flashback: Fishermen protesting at the Meadow Bank Wharf Boat owners are now optimistic that in the near future they will be granted concessions on fuel. The concession will ease the high operational cost they incur per fishing trip.

Cabinet is also expected to soon review a proposal for the granting of concessions on fuel for small fishing vessels.

The f i s h e r m e n ’s optimism resulted from a meeting between a group of seven fishermen and President Donald Ramotar and Agriculture Minister D r. L e s l i e Ramsammy, yesterday. The men requested concessions on fuel, which they said, is more than 50 percent of their operational cost per trip.

That meeting, held at the Office of the President, aborted a planned protest by the fishermen, who were disgruntled with continuous broken promises by Government and what they claimed to be harassment by the Guyana Energy Agency.

The fishermen went to Office of the President with the intention of continuing their protest actions but were pleased that Ramotar decided

to meet with them. On Tuesday, fishermen armed with placards demanded concessions on fuel, lead, net, lube oil and other necessities for the fishing industry. They had threatened to moor their vessels along the Meadow Bank wharf until Government met their demands.

Boat owners believed that it is unfair that the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Processors is accessing cheap fuel while small fishing vessels were not enjoying similar privileges.

The Trawler Association purchases fuel for $600 per gallon while owners of small vessels pay over $1,000 per gallon fuel.

According to a fisherman, although the meeting with the President only focused on concessions on fuel, the men are pleased with the expected outcome. The fishermen have signaled their intention of hiring a lawyer to represent their interests.

“I believe the President when he said he will look into the matter. He seems genuine about the matter and now we want to see action. The President said he will speak

to the Prime Minister (Samuel Hinds) and GEA head,” the man said.

Following instructions from Ramotar the group met with Denzil Roberts, Chief Fisheries Officer; Ministry of Agriculture, where they provided details for a proposal for fuel concessions, method of accessing and control mechanisms.

According to a fisherman, during the meeting with President Ramotar the main concern raised was the management of the fuel so that it would not be resold. As such, the men provided Roberts with their suggestions.

Roberts said that with the pointers from the men he will be preparing a proposal which will be submitted to Dr. Ramsammy. That document is expected to be forwarded to Cabinet for attention and action.

Responding to a query as to why this step was not taken years ago, he said that while the matter is known, the fishermen had never presented the Ministry with clear measures that they are prepared to take.

A Guyana Power and Light employee, Steve Allen, was forced to abort an emergency operation at Reliance because he was attacked by a raging resident on Sunday night. The incident occurred at 21:00hrs.

Allen is still shaken and is fearful that a repeat of the incident may occur.

Allen said that the Reliance resident, Sewall Loll a/k “Scott”, forced him down the Utility pole after threatening to ram the pole with a tractor while Allen was

still on it.

“I had to race down the pole because the man who was under the influence of alcohol was pursuing me with his tractor.”

Allen said had it not been for the intervention of Lall’s sons, he could have been seriously hurt or even killed.

The young employee, who is attached to the Emergency Unit Crew, said that due to the provocation of the Reliance resident works to restore electricity to

residents in that area had to be forcefully aborted.

Allen was at the time attending to a transformer, which is in close proximity to Lall’s home.

Allen explained that during the attack by the resident, he was in the company of two other employees, driver, Ravi, and his Foreman, Moussa Khan. A report was lodged with the police, while another was filtered to the Superintendent of the Emergency Unit.

Angry resident forces GPL staff down power pole

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Annandale pensioner No triangular love affair, affirms found in nearby trench mother of slain Albion woman

The trench where Ramsaywak (inset) allegedly drowned Family members of a 73year-old security guard are pondering what may have happened. He was fished out of a trench at Annandale after he failed to return home yesterday morning.

Dead is Ramsaywak, also known as Bado Boy, 73, of lot 43 Annandale West, East Coast Demerara who was a security guard at the Lusignan Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and a father of six.

According to an eyewitness, Jainarine Baldeo, about 10:00 hrs yesterday, scores of persons gathered at a trench on the Annandale Public Road where pieces of clothing were seen hanging from the bridge.

“The people dem was like

he family members and village people because them start crying and when me and them boys ask them wuh happen dem seh the brother missing,” Baldeo said.

He said that a few m i n u t e s l a t e r, a l a rg e r crowd then approached the trench again this time with search men. “The men them start jump in the trench one by one and start looking about like if they looking for something and then one a dem shout “him deh down here. Alyuh help!”

Baldeo added that the fragile body of Ramsaywak was retrieved from the trench and taken away by the Lyken’s Funeral Parlour.

Meanwhile, at Ramsaywak’s home, his

daughter Surajay Ramsaywak, told this publication that her father had left home around 5:30 pm on Tuesday heading to work.

She added that around 10:30 hrs yesterday a man came and told her that Ramsaywak’s clothing was hanging from the bridge.

“When we went out there we saw the clothing so I called me brother because he does normally go there and drink and then come home; but he said he never went there so I go to the police station to make a report,” Surajay Ramsaywak said.

She added that a few minutes after the report was made, she received a phone call which confirmed the worst.

Armed bandit robs furniture store Police are now on the lookout for an armed bandit who pretended to be a potential buyer to a sales clerk and walked away with more than $50,000, following a robbery at a newly opened furniture store.

According to the sales clerk, around 10:50 am yesterday, a man walked into the Bibi’s Furniture Store on

Saffon Street and enquired about a sofa which was in the show room. he shaken woman added that the man then asked about payment plans before he pulled out a knife and requested that she take him to the cash register.

“He told me to go and open the register and he took out the money and he tek off

me chain and tell me if I say anything or raise an alarm he gon kill me,” the woman said.

She added that the man then walked up to Bacchus’ Drugs Store where he jumped onto a CG motorcycle and rode off.

The store remained closed after the incident as police continue their investigations.

From centre page modernized, in the area being equipped with modern technology and refurbishing of their buildings.

Brumell noted too, that with the training of police officers in the field of Information Technology, which is critical, the gap between the public and ranks will gradually be narrowed.

Some $200M, he said, was budgeted for the Guyana Police Force. “No amount of training is invaluable.”

Computer consultant and member of the Zara Reality Holdings, Naresh Singh, said that while many similar state of the art centres were estab-

lished in various parts of Guyana, by his company, five centres were also established in North America.

Singh explained that the Centre while it is being housed in the building of the Richard Faikall College, at Suddie, will prepare police officers to effectively address cyber crime. Singh added that the pilot programme with the engagement of the private sector can help to play an integral part in the growth of the national economy.

Five fifth form students from various Essequibo Secondary Schools were already interviewed and will receive

training in IT Education in preparation for the upcoming Caribbean Examination Council’s Examinations, through the training school.

Region Two Vice Chairman, Vishnu Samaroo, who was also present at the ceremony noted, that while information technology is vital the programmes would have a lot of spin off benefits.

Also in attendance were Deputy Commissioner, Balram Persaud, Commander of “G” Division, Dale Alves, Director of Public Prosecution, Shalimar Ali Hack, students, teachers, businessmen and other senior police officers.

Richard Faikall College gets...

The mother of slain housewife, Geeta ‘Diane’ Bhishundial, has come out to say that her daughter was not involved in a triangular love affair. Khemranie Bhishundial, denied that Diane was having an extra marital affair which is highly believed to have led to her being allegedly strangled by her husband two Sunday nights ago.

“My son-in-law never tell us that he wife was cheating.

She was a number one daughter—a number one sister and number one mother and a number one wife too”, she stated.

The woman went as far to claim that Diane, her husband, Prabhudyal ‘Ramesh’ Tarachand and Bryan Luke, all used to go out together on social visits.

“I don’t know what happened to him—who inspired him or whatever he turned out to be—he was a very good son-in-law and he never mentioned to me that his wife was having an affair—and is the boy that getting the bad name—he, his wife and three kids used to go with that boy to S p r e a d y ’s C h u r c h ’s , Demico—eat ice cream, drive about and suddenly it was a triangular love affair when he, too, was having fun in his car?”

The lifeless body of Geeta ‘Diane’ Bhishundial was discovered by her sister, Vashti, on a bed in the living room at her (Geeta’s) Lot 57 High Reef, Albion, Corentyne home.

Not too far away, too, in the same room, hanging and in an unconscious state, was the woman’s husband, Prabhudyal ‘Ramesh’ Tarachand, 34, a carpenter attached to the Albion Estate.

The couple was married for the past seven years. A post mortem performed yesterday at New Amsterdam Hospital concluded that the woman died of strangulation.

Tarachand’s brother, Muniram Tarachand, told Kaieteur News that Diane was “caught red- handed in Luke’s house” sometime in April, by her relatives. “The mother-in-law is saying that she never had knowledge of an affair, and this same mother-in-law got a brotherin-law who is a pandit-and all of them go to a house in Hampshire and catch the man and women there red- handed on more than one occasion.”

Meanwhile, a few residents of High Reef, Albion spoke with Kaieteur News solicited financial assistance from other villagers to assist with the legal fee for Tarachand’s case in court. His brother, Muniram Tarachand also blasted what he called “sloppy police

Muniram Tarachand

Khemranie Bhishundial

investigations.”

“I can’t understand they are investigating a murder and they collect the three persons who were in the house - the sweet man, the wife and he, and just couple hours after they release the sweet man.

This is a sloppy investigation and the police need to be more thorough.

“We are not pleased with this. We don’t know— maybe somebody take bribe somewhere and this is why they are sinking my brother.”

A d d i t i o n a l l y, the villagers are accusing the suspect, who was released, of having several brushes with the law in the past, including being deported from the United States…”

He knocked down a man and child on the bicycle, the man died and the child crippled.

He is being investigated for a murder at Albion - a senior citizen’s murder and he was being charged for

robbery under arms at Pompey’s outlet…he has a string of offences that he committed so he is a criminal and he destroying people’s lives.”

Another resident said that the police did not penalize Luke for breaching the ban that was imposed upon him by the police at Albion in April after a major confrontation involving Diane, Ramesh and himself.

“That man got ban to keep so much yards away from this woman and when the incident took place he was here and then he walked away free from the law!”

“That got to show somebody is collecting money somewhere, somebody taking a bribe.

Look how much crimes he committed and he ended up at the station…and the police know this,” said Muniram.

Tarachand was charged with the crime and will return to court shortly.

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Kaieteur News

Drug dealer fined $7.2M, jailed for three years Another man who was caught with a bag containing eight kilograms of compressed marijuana back in February 2013, has been jailed for three years and fined a total of $7.2M in Berbice. The fine represented three times the street value of the illicit substance.

The man, Wayne Lindie, 37, called “Wayne”, of Glasgow Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice received the penalty from Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo when he appeared before her at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.

He was found guilty on the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Sergeant Phillip Sheriff told the court that on Monday February 11, between 10:00 hrs and 11:00 hrs, police were on mobile patrol in the Stanleytown area when they noticed a man hurrying down a lonely dam in the vicinity of the New Amsterdam Tannery.

The man had a black garbage bag slung over his shoulder. The police pursued the man, and eventually stopped and searched him.

The cops found a number of large parcels inside the bag.

The parcels which were suspected to contain leaves, seeds and stems of the marijuana plant were seized and Lindie and the items were taken into custody at the Central Police station. The items were tested and weighed and found to be 8KG of compressed marijuana.

He had pleaded not guilty.

He was found guilty on Tuesday.

Lindie was represented by Attorney at law Ryan Crawford. The defence had submitted that on the day in question the accused was by his sister’s house which is located in the same area. The police subsequently came and called him out of the yard and showed him a bag between some bushes on a vacant plot of land not too far away.

He was questioned about the bag to which he denied knowledge. However the police insisted that it was his and he was arrested and charged.

Lindie, who told the court that he is a father of five, begged for mercy stating that it was the first time he had been charged for anything and that he was the sole bread winner for his family.

Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out. - Stephen Covey

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

GDF paratroopers display skills at graduation - jump tower, parachute storage facility should be constructed - Commanding Officer

Acting Chief of Staff Colonel Bruce Lovell (Centre) with other GDF officials and the graduates.

By Rabindra Rooplall With three blows to the chest to signify strength and willpower while affixing the “para-wing,” ten Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers graduated from the basic paratroopers course at Air Corps, Timehri yesterday.

For the first time at the closing ceremony, relatives of the graduates were invited to the ceremony, each paratrooper had a relative pound his chest to “nail down” the badge which shows their transition.

The 10 graduates were Anthony Lyttle, Anthony Alder, Delon Lynch, Mervin Morris, Cornelius Messiah, Travis Pole, Joel Fraser, Timeon McPherson, Selwyn Williams and Neil Pike.

The soldiers on graduation were equipped with the core skills necessary to effectively execute basic paratrooping on any mission within a Special Forces team.

Acting Chief of Staff Colonel Bruce Lovell, Inspector General Colonel Mark Phillips, Colonel George Lewis, Commanding Officer Training Corps, Colonel Khemraj Persaud; Director of Specialist Arms Institute Lieutenant Colonel Terry Benn, Major Courtney Mendonza, and Major Orin English were the senior GDF officials who officiated at the graduation ceremony. There were also foreign instructors from Brazil. Then there were the special invitees.

Dressed in green jumpsuits the 10 graduates and 15 other qualified paratroopers took part in the Military static line jump from 1000 feet in the air. In addition there were several soldiers who are a part of the “Harpy Eagle free fall club” dressed in slim black and white parachutes.

Major Sheldon Howell

explained that the static line jump parachutes are low opening chutes used for forced entry into battle and are deployed with the use of a static line which is attached to the aircraft.

However, the free fall parachutes are high altitude high open or low open parachutes that are deployed after skydiving for several thousand feet above the ground. This type of chute is used for precision jumping onto smaller drop zones.

Major Howell also shared the advent history of paratrooping. He further explained that by joining the prefix para which means defense against and the French word chute which means fall it was put together to describe the parachutes’ function. “In other words, the literal meaning is that which protects against falls.”

Displays by paratroopers

have been done in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad, Howell said, but Guyana is the only country in the English Caribbean that has the capacity to conduct airborne operations.

Officer commanding the basic paratroopers’ course for 2013, Lieutenant Avinash Deonarine, said the exercise commenced on May 3, 2013 and concluded yesterday.

He said the five-week course catered for 10 students from the 31 Special Forces squadron. They were all successful.

Underscoring the strength of the course, Deonarine said the physical and mental development was noted. However, the most notable weakness was the lack of good time appreciation.

He recommended a jump tower and a parachute storage facility be constructed at squadron headquarters.

Several paratroopers landing after their Military static line jump

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

Man pleads guilty then Six homeless after changes plea in high court another Sophia fire A man who had sex with a girl under the age of 15 years of age, back in 2009 and had pleaded guilty on Monday to two counts of carnal knowledge in the Berbice High Court before Justice Dawn Gregory, has now changed his plea to not guilty.

Marvin Bassoo, 26, of Bush Lot, Corentyne, Berbice, who is charged with having carnal knowledge of the girl reappeared in court on Wednesday when he was expected to be sentenced.

He was unrepresented when he first appeared on Monday. On Wednesday he was represented by Attorney at law Ryan Crawford and he changed his plea to not guilty. Bassoo who was out on $150,000 bail then had his bail increased to $200,000.

Attorney at law Crawford in his address to the court, made an oral application for the withdrawal of his client’s guilty plea. Citing a number of authorities to back his

Marvin Bassoo submission when such an application was done before, he told the court that his client did not fully understand the seriousness of his plea and what a conviction would mean.

State prosecutor Diana Kowlesar, in her response stated that the accused had pleaded guilty and it was time for sentencing, however a

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.

withdrawal at this time is for the court to decide. She also submitted that the accused had full knowledge of what took place on Monday when he pleaded guilty. He did indicate to the court that he fully understood what his guilty plea meant.

Justice Dawn Gregory in her address to the court stated that after the accused entered his guilty plea he did indicate that he understood what the implications were.

Attorney Crawford in response stated, that it was only after the accused had pleaded guilty that he sought legal counsel. It was then that the implication of his guilty plea was explained to him and his family.

After some deliberation the lawyer stated that his client would like to have a full trial. Justice Gregory then ruled that in interest of justice it will be advisable that he be tried before another panel.

It is understood that the man who was 22 at the time of the offence and the girl who was 14 at the time lived next to each other. They were involved in a relationship between the dates mentioned.

What is left of the home Six persons are now homeless after a fire of unknown origin ripped through their home at ‘A’ Field Sophia in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

The fire which started about 1:30 am on Tuesday

quickly ravaged the home leaving a trail of debris and the family unable to save anything.

Nigel Crossman, who was at the scene of the fire, said that the fire service responded late. “Lucky thing the family

dem done come out because is a wood house and you know how they don’t take any time to burn.

But they lose everything,” Crossman said Efforts made to contact the family were futile.

Under the theme “Reclaiming your inheritance” the men’s department of the First Assemblies of God Church (Wortmanville) will host the annual men’s conference called “Iman Talk”.

According to Pastor Raphael Jackman, the twoday conference which opens this week is mainly to “help men rediscover themselves” and also bringing men back to the order in which God ordained.

Jackman believed that when men are brought back into the order of God. “Families benefit, communities benefit and the nation as a whole benefits.”

The pastor who looks over the men’s fellowship of the church said that the team

is expecting more than 1000 men to be present; mostly from the younger generation.

“Once the men come out we will find space for them,” Jackman said.

“Men that are scared about what is happening in the church, we are saying to them this is not about getting you into a church environment.

It is more like inviting men to come into the Kingdom of God. So if a man understands that he is a king, priest and a prophet, he will come to receive the instruction that comes from Jesus Christ.”

He added that there is an admission fee of $1000 which would go as a contribution to the men’s association.

When asked about the

upcoming Father ’s Day celebration, Jackman said that it is the appropriate season.

“This is the intent to prime men for them to understand their role /as fathers and everything else”.

In sending a message to men all over Guyana, Jackman said, “Know your God, know your purpose, fulfill your purpose and worship your God.” President of the men’s ministry department, Wesley Adams, said that the sole purpose is to bring men back to the place where they are ordained to be.”

Adams believes that when men are brought back into their true purpose, women, children and the communities will “feel safe”.

First Assemblies men’s fellowship to host conference today

GPL technical, commercial ...

From page 18 adamant that on the issue of GPL, “Government is now giving it the spin.”

He maintains that when GPL made a loss of in excess of $9B in the past two years, it was taxpayers that plugged $12.5B into the power company.

“What they do with it, we are not hearing proper explanations for it and even when some are given we find it questionable,” said Ramjattan.

The AFC Leader reminded also that for this year, taxpayers have already

contributed to the power company through the National Budget, $5B, while the opposition withheld the additional $5.2B in lieu of the relevant explanations, documentations and activities targeting efficiency.

He said that when this is provided the money would be provided.

The AFC Leader further charged that government has been pressing for the average citizenry to switch to prepaid meters and it too should follow suit.

According to Ramjattan, more than $6B has been

approved in the budget for the payment of electricity fees by government for its various buildings under its control.

“The Government bill for all its ministries is $6.1B…pay up the $6.1B to GPL so it could do its work, why it only want consumers to be prepaid.”

Ramjattan said that should the government pay its electricity bill in the prepaid fashion, “that alone can avoid the 26.7 per cent increase that they are suggesting, because they are saying that our cut of $5.2B is what is causing that.”

Page 24

Kaieteur News

ThursdayJune 13, 2013

ISRAELI PM WARNS OF ANOTHER HOLOCAUST FROM IRAN Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

(AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kicked off a two-day visit to Poland, which Germany’s Nazis occupied during World War II and where they committed the worst crimes ever against the Jewish people, with a stern warning about a potential Holocaust from Iran.

Netanyahu said yesterday the upcoming “socalled” Iranian presidential

election will “change nothing” in the Islamic republic’s quest for nuclear weapons and that the regime will continue to pursue a bomb aimed at destroying Israel. Iran insists its uranium enrichment program has only peaceful goals.

Iran’s election overseers have approved a list of wouldbe hopefuls, most of them loyalists favored by both the theocracy and the military,

and any future president will likely side with the supreme leadership’s nuclear aspirations.

“This is a regime that is building nuclear weapons with the expressed purpose to annihilate Israel’s 6 million Jews,” he said, alluding to the number of Jews killed by the Nazis during World War II. “We will not allow this to happen. We will never allow another Holocaust.”

Israel considers Iran its greatest threat because of its support of Islamic militant groups, its arsenal of longrange missiles and primarily its advanced nuclear program.

Netanyahu’s comments in Warsaw carried added significance since they came a day before he travels to the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz in southern Poland, where he is to inaugurate a new pavilion meant to educate visitors about the Holocaust and the Nazi Germany’s quest to exterminate the Jewish people.

Netanyahu and a team of five ministers met with their Polish counterparts and discussed security in Israel’s neighborhood, including the stalled peace talks with the Palestinians, the conflict in Syria and a series of bilateral issues such as Poland’s possible purchase of Israeli armaments. Israel has been urging Poland, as a member of the European Union, to declare the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

Speaking alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Netanyahu contrasted the painful Jewish history of the past in Poland with the current strong relations between Poland and Israel.

“The histories of our peoples are intertwined over thousands of years, in great achievement and also in great tragedy,” Netanyahu, whose father was born in Warsaw, said. “We are both shaped by our past and we are both focusing together on shaping our future.”

Tusk concurred, saying “we speak a common language with Israel.”

The Germans carried out the Holocaust to a large extent in occupied Poland, because it had Europe’s largest Jewish population and it was at the heart of a railway network that allowed the Nazis to easily transport Jews there from elsewhere in Europe. Many Israeli leaders are children of Holocaust survivors and Israel has the world’s largest population of survivors.

In recent years, Poland has become one of the friendliest states to Israel.

Auschwitz remains the most vivid symbol of the cruelty of Nazi Germany’s genocide of World War II. The world marks its International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27, to coincide with the date of Auschwitz’s liberation in 1945. The new exhibit Netanyahu will inaugurate will, for the first time, present Auschwitz in the larger context of the Nazis’ systematic attempt to exterminate Europe’s Jews.

More than 1 million Jews died in Auschwitz and the adjacent Birkenau death camp in gas chambers or from starvation, disease and forced labor. AuschwitzBirkenau was the most notorious of a system of death camps that Nazi Germany built and operated in Poland.

Netanyahu also has an emotional connection to the Holocaust, or Shoah, although he has faced criticism for citing it frequently in the context of current events, notably regarding the potential nuclear threat from Iran. For years, Netanyahu has used his annual address on Israel’s Holocaust remembrance day to caution about the danger of a nuclear Iran and vowing that “never again” will the Jews be powerless to defend themselves.

“Shoah warnings have taken over the political and military discourse,” Haaretz editor Aluf Benn wrote last week. “The stronger Israel becomes diplomatically, militarily and economically, the more fearful its leaders and military commanders have become, and the process reached its peak in Netanyahu’s time.”

Netanyahu remains undeterred by the critics, insisting the intentions of the Iranians are just as murderous of those that existed in World War II. “We will never forget the victims of the Holocaust, we will never forget the ultimate crime against humanity,” he said yesterday. “And we will never forget our obligation to prevent this from ever happening again.”

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 25

FORMER BARBADOS PM TO DELIVER LECTURE ON NATION BUILDING IN THE BAHAMAS The Bahamas Weekly - Former Prime Minister of Barbados the Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur will give a Distinguished Lecture at The Bahamas at 40 Independence Conference at The College of The Bahamas this week on “The Philosophy of Nation Building”, one of the anticipated highlights of the international gathering of academics, researchers, scholars and activists.

Mr. Arthur, who led the Barbados Labour Party for 17 years, is the longest serving Prime Minister of Barbados (September 1994January 2008). He is scheduled to address the Luncheon Lecture on Friday, June 14th – the final day of the Conference – in the Dining Hall of the University of the West Indies at COB’s Culinary and Hospitality Management Institute, Thompson Boulevard.

Faculty at The College of The Bahamas have been planning this historic Conference since last year, aimed at examining pivotal issues; investigating challenges and discussing contemporary social, cultural, economic and political issues that have emerged since 1973.

The Conference will also provide the platform to explore future prospects for nation building and

development.

Co-chair of the Conference Planning Committee Dr. Christopher Curry, head of the History, Religion and Philosophy Department in the School of Social Sciences at The College, explained that the process of nation building in the Caribbean cannot be examined without considering the long and tortuous legacy of colonialism in the region.

“No place in the world had a longer experience with colonialism— whether British, French, Dutch or Spanish—than the Caribbean islands. This very fact has not been lost on founding fathers of the region’s Anglophone nations.

Owen Arthur, the longest serving Prime Minister of Barbados, offers particular insight on the charting of nation building for Caribbean countries. Indeed, he comes from an island-nation with a long history of British colonial entanglement, dating back to 1627,” Dr. Curry noted.

He further posited that Mr. Arthur understands the issues facing Caribbean nations as they attempt to fashion a new kind of relationship with foreign states outside the region.

“As both politician and academician, Mr. Arthur blends pragmatism with theory, providing

a deeper understanding of how Caribbean nation-state building requires new kinds of initiatives in a world of globalization and transnationalism. Like many leaders before him, Mr. Arthur recognizes the paradoxes of the philosophy of nation building in the region,” Dr. Curry added.

A critical analysis of how nation building has evolved in the Caribbean region and the challenges which must be overcome is a primary consideration in bolstering resiliency and overcoming the demands of a dynamic, global age.

According to Professor of Sociology at The College and member of the Conference Planning Committee, Dr. Nicolette Bethel, Mr. Arthur’s experience as an economist and political leader will provide a timely perspective, particularly as The Bahamas observes its 40th anniversary of independence.

“What nation states need to be doing is learning how to govern themselves in a globalised world and Barbados has done a really good job and reinvented itself in the 21st century. Owen Arthur was central to that process. He is an economist and he understands the global economy,” Dr. Bethel said.

The Planning Committee will

archive Mr. Arthur’s address (in both print and audio format) in The College’s virtual library making it accessible to a broad, international audience.

Mr. Arthur ’s career as a professional economist began in Jamaica in 1973 where he served in the Department of Management, the National Planning Agency, as Director of Economics at the Jamaica Bauxite Institute and on the Board of Directors of the Jamaica Scientific Council. Returning to Barbados in 1981, he served as Chief Project Analyst in the Ministry of Finance and Planning; as a Research Fellow at the UWI’s Institute of Social and Economics; on the Board of Directors of the Central Bank and the Barbados Industrial Development Corporation; and as Chairman of the Barbados Agricultural Development Corporation.

His contribution to public life through politics started with being a Senator in 1983 and in his 1984 election to the House of Assembly where he is its longest serving member. He became Leader of the Opposition in 1993, thereafter leading the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to a record three straight postelection victories in 1994, 1999 and

Owen Arthur 2003, during this time he was Minister of Finance and Minister of Economic Affairs for nearly nine years. His second stint as Leader of the Opposition started on October 18, 2010 and concluded on February 25, 2013.

The Bahamas at 40 Independence Conference, will be held June 12th - 14th, 2013 at The College’s Oakes Field Campus in collaboration with the Government of The Bahamas and the InterAmerican Development Bank. Other sponsors for the event are the Ministry of Tourism, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company and Colina.

The opening ceremony was held yesterday,at 6:00p.m. in The College’s Performing Arts Centre.

Prime Minister Perry Christie is scheduled to deliver the keynote address.

Page 26

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Kaieteur News

Page 27

::: LETTER TO THE SPORTS EDITOR :::

The Demerara Cricket Board administration perceived conundrum DEAR EDITOR, It really pains me to witness the continued abuse of power and blatant manipulation of others by this bunch of disgruntled administrators who have very close political affiliations.

Only recently, we witnessed the feeble attempt of its newest recruit, Rayman Williams, the brother of Ronald Williams, with the clear intention of influencing and manipulating the decisions of the Select Committee (SC) of Parliament, currently deliberating on the CricketAdministration Bill of Guyana.

The Select Committee started out looking at the GCB administration but seems to have now been side tracked towards investigating the DCB crisis as well as it should.

The sooner the Select Committee realizes that they are facing a manufactured

crisis in cricket, the quicker this matter could be resolved.

The genesis of this problem was created by the group of disgruntled administrators who were attempting to mount a hostile takeover of the GCB after holding the reins of power at the DCB level for the period leading up to the GCB AGM in 2011. The problems multiplied when Mr Bissoondyal lost power at the DCB level in 2011 and therefore could not guarantee his ascension to the GCB by using his votes at the DCB. This is the crux of the manufactured crisis and is where the Select Committee needs to pay attention if they are serious about arriving at a proper resolution to this situation. This matter cannot be resolved with an imposed political or legislative instrument but by an honest and concerted attempt to

examine all the facts independently, in a fair and transparent manner.

There is an absolute necessity for the SC to examine all the facts surrounding the holding of 2 separate AGMs of the DCB in 2011. This is where the solution lies! There is a multiplicity of evidentiary material available that can aid any independent inquiry into the surrounding circumstances leading up to these AGMs in January 2011 but for reasons only known to some, these facts and information are being deliberately ignored.

There is a CD and approved Minutes from the Executive Committee meeting ordered by the CJ held on January 17th 2011. At that meeting, all arrangements for the AGM were decided upon by a specially passed Resolution and the Wales

Thursday June 13, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): You’re eager to start a creative project today since the expressive Leo Moon fires up inventive Uranus in your sign. Thankfully, you can see potential trouble ahead and may try to moderate your wild enthusiasm before things get out of hand.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20): A close friend might expect you to put your personal priorities aside so you can play a more active role when guiding your family or friends.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20): A heartfelt gesture seems like an insignificant move on your part now, yet it still could be of major importance to someone else.

CANCER (June 21–July 22): You continue to improve your strategy today, preparing to make your big move. You have been waiting for just the right time, but there’s still something that’s beyond your reach.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22): The Moon’s current visit to your extroverted sign can turn this into a very social day.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): You may be quite effective in the execution of your chores as you work behind the scenes. However, you still might say something that causes others to stop and take notice of you today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): Nearly everything seems to be growing more confusing these days, especially with respect to love and relationships.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): You are not meant to sit around the house today or take it easy at work. Kicking up your heels sounds good, but you’ll be able to enjoy yourself more if you fulfill your job responsibilities first.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): Exploring with a friend might sound like a lot of fun today, yet you can push beyond familiar territory pretty quickly.

CAPRICORN(Dec.22–Jan.19): Take a few steps back from all the distractions in your life now and concentrate on the details of just one project. You will be aptly rewarded if you can successfully change one small thing instead of trying to turn your whole life upside down to no avail. weeks.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): It’s not enough to consider ways to increase your physical activity now; instead, you need to stop talking, get out there and do it.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20): You are tempted to make a big deal about what you want to accomplish at work, but it’s really not necessary to draw any further attention to yourself today.

AGM, where Raj Singh was elected was the bona fide AGM of the DCB. These facts and documentation have all been laid over to Parliament and the Courts and only requires the appropriate consideration. It would be totally unconstitutional for the SC to arrive at a conclusion or decision outside of the legal parameters of the DCB rules.

The SC has to face its task head on and tackle the hard issues; Avoid making political decisions and legislative impositions as those would only lead to more litigation in the corridors of the courts and our cricket will continue to suffer.

It is now 4 years since cricket administration is being held to ransom by this disgruntled bunch and it is barely chugging along because the power grabbers are not allowing the legally elected administrators to function freely. This could be political suicide for the political masters that are lording over this process.

Another very serious issue that the SC cannot ignore is that there are quite a few legal matters surrounding these issues pending in the Courts. There is the matter which will be finally heard (today) on June 12th 2013 in the Court of Appeal regarding the GOG’s decision to disband the GCB in December 2011. This matter had already journeyed to the CCJ. There is the other matter wherein the undersigned had obtained an injunction against Bissoondyal and his bunch preventing them from masquerading as the DCB. There is another matter against the legally elected Officers of the Upper Demerara Cricket Association initiated by 2 unknown persons. These matters are all still pending in the judicial system and it would be foolhardy for the legislative branch to pronounce on them whilst

they are still Sub Judice.

The SC should appoint an independent Commission to investigate the DCB situation in Parliament and put a close to this chapter of government

involvement in sports once and for all. It just has not worked.

The Select Committee needs to tread cautiously!

K. Mangal

Berbice names team for GCB U-17 inter county tourney - Competition bowls off on Friday Defending champions, Berbice have named their squad for the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) U-17 50 over inter county tournament which is expected to commence on Friday.

The team will be led by the talented Shimron Hetymer and includes Balchand Baldeo, Leon Andrews, Brandon Persaud and Narendra Permaul. Daniel Lewis is the vice captain.

The team reads; Shimron Hetmyer (Capt.), Balchand Baldeo, Leon Andrews, Brandon Persaud, Deon Esau, Adrian Singh, Permanand Ramdhan, Daniel Lewis (vice captain), Ritish Omroa, Narendra Permaul, Suraj Dookna, Kassim Khan, Grisean Grant, Kevindra

Persaud. The Manager is Leslie Solomon and the Coach is Andre Percival.

The Standbys are Mohan Deodatt, Davin Moriah, Jadell Jackman and Robindranauth Roopchand.

In the first round, Essequibo will take on Demerara before they face Berbice in Round two on Saturday. The competition climaxes on Sunday with Demerara and Berbice doing battle. All the matches will be played at Everest Cricket Club ground from 10:00 hours each day.

This tournament will be used to select the national U17 team which has to be submitted later this month for the West Indies Cricket Board regional competition.

Page 28

(From page 26)

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Kaieteur News

CPL matches remain at US Open 2013: Tiger Woods favourite as Merion braced for rain Sabina Park despite lights BBC Sport - The 113th US Open gets under way at Merion near Philadelphia today with thunderstorms and high winds forecast to hamper the first round.

The iconic East course was hit by heavy rain on Monday and organisers are braced for up to three inches more. “It depends on what hits or how unlucky we are,” said event chief Mike Davis.

Tiger Woods is the favourite to secure a first major title since 2008 and will play with 2011 champion Rory McIlroy and Masters winner Adam Scott.

Merion is hosting the US Open for the fifth time in its history but the first since 1981, after which it was thought to be too short for the modern game and the expanding infrastructure needed at a major tournament.

At 6,996 yards, Merion is the first US Open venue under 7,000 yards since Shinnecock Hills in 2004. Its unique blend of short and long holes, narrow fairways, thick rough and challenging greens offer its main defence, requiring precision off the tee and an in-form wedge game.

Some fear the short layout, softened by rain, could see the tournamentrecord round of 63 threatened, but Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell disagrees.

“I think they’re underestimating it,” said the 2010 US Open champion.

“I think there’s 10 or 11 holes on this course that are as tough as any US Open I’ve seen. The last five holes, I can’t think of a tougher finish at a US Open.”

Woods, the 14-time major champion, has won four times this season and had a controversial near-miss at the Masters when he was penalised two shots for an illegal drop, finishing tied fourth.

The 37-year-old could join the list of famous winners at Merion which includes Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Lee Trevino, but Woods suffered an aberration in the recent Memorial tournament to end tied 65th and is not getting carried away.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” said the American, whose last major win came five years ago when he clinched the US Open on a broken leg at Torrey Pines.

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A number of residents on the island of Wakenaam have voiced their concern about the fencing of the Wakenaam Community Centre ground (WCCG).

Residents recently told Kaieteur Sport that based on information from the ground committee, only two sides of the ground will be fenced.

They however stated that instead of fencing the facility, the outfield should be upgraded as well as the bridge and the street leading to the ground.

Residents also fear that cricketers and people who use the ground for other recreational activities will not be given ample opportunity to practice there once the fence is completed. They also want to know what systems will be put in place for cricket clubs to access the venue for net sessions.

The residents pointed out that the fence will reduce the size of the ground since the boundaries will have to be

“I just enter events to win and that’s it, whether there’s a lot of people following or there’s nobody out there.

That’s why I played as a junior, all the way through to now is just to try to kick everyone’s butt. That to me is the rush. That’s the fun.

That’s the thrill.”

World number two McIlroy won the first of his two majors with a record 16 under par in a rain-softened US Open at Congressional in 2011, but is winless this season and missed the cut at Wentworth at the end of last month.

“It feels very close, I’m driving the ball well and my iron play’s great and if I put it all together I feel like I can have a great week,” said the 22-year-old.

McDowell, who was tied second behind Webb Simpson at Olympic Club last year, has won twice this term, sandwiched by two missed cuts, and is talked of as another likely contender.

American world number four Matt Kuchar is the only other player, along with Woods and McDowell, to have won more than once this season.

pulled in somewhat and its capacity will also be reduced.

Members of some of the clubs noted that balls will take longer to be retrieved when it goes over the fence and they will be at a disadvantage since time will be wasted when more than one games are fixed for the venue.

The project is being undertaken by the Wakenaam Neighbourhood Democratic Council and when contacted an official from the council informed that they are fencing the venue for its safety and protection from animals grazing in the vicinity that could cause damage, but the residents indicated that there is no dire need for it. They noted that they feel the fencing is to benefit the activities of the Wakenaam Night Committee.

The Wakenaam Community Centre ground, which hosted a number of Inter County matches, is situated in the village of Good Success.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Matches scheduled for Jamaica’s Sabina Park in the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will still be played there despite the collapse of a deal to install floodlights at the popular Caribbean venue in time for the tournament, organisers have announced.

Tournament officials say they have tweaked the schedule in order to accommodate the Jamaica matches which will be played over four days in midAugust.

The deal collapsed about three weeks after Jamaica cricket officials announced a partnership to install lights at Sabina Park between Sabina Park Holdings, the entity which manages the venue and Consolidated Energy Partners (CEP), the intended financier and contractor for the project.

“It is unfortunate that Sabina Park was unable to secure its lights in time for the CPL but we have done what we can to ensure that Team Jamaica fans will not miss out on home matches or be excluded from the CPL excitement,” said CPL CEO Damien O’ Donohoe.

“Sabina Park is an important ground in the history of West Indies cricket, and a popular venue for fans

so we felt it was vital to keep the matches at this ground.”

The Jamaica matches will now take place on Thursday, August 15 at 2:00 pm (Jamaica vs Guyana), Saturday, August 17 featuring a doubleheader at 10:00 am (St Lucia vs Trinidad & Tobago) and 2:00 pm (Jamaica vs Barbados), and Sunday, August 18 at 2:00 pm (Jamaica vs Trinidad & Tobago).

CPL officials say they are aware of the challenge of drawing large crowds as a result of the new dates and times.But event director Rhonda Kelly says there will be added entertainment at Sabina Park.

“Each match will open with live performances by popular local artistes, and there will also be a performance during the match break,” said Kelly.

“Of course we’ll have a DJ and iron band and all the elements of a cricket match that Sabina is known for. We’ll also have stilt walkers and face painting for fans to show their team pride and lots of giveaways and promotions.”

The first-ever Caribbean Premier League begins on Tuesday, July 30 in Barbados, and concludes with semi-final and final matches played in Trinidad.

BCB/Universal DVD t20 Berbice cricket

Surujnarine, Foo & MotieKanhai lead Albion to consecutive wins

Kandasammy Surujnarine The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) took advantage of an improvement in the weather last weekend with Albion recording two emphatic victories in the Universal DVD T20 First Division Cricket Competition.

Impressive batting by former national under-19 opener, Kandasammy Surujnarine, incisive bowling by national under-19 left arm spinner Gudakesh MotieKanhai and a useful all-round effort by National player

Jonathan Foo led the way for Albion.

In the first game at Albion, the host beat Blairmont by 57 runs after winning the toss and making a challenging 152 for 5 with Surujnarine top scoring with a classy 60 (7x4).

Veerapen Permaul made 24 and Foo supported with 20.

Bowling for Blairmont, Derek Narine Lalsa took 2 for 29.

In reply, Blairmont were restricted to 95 for 3 in their allotted 20 overs. Lalsa resisted with 27 with West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo taking 2 for 17.

In the second game at the same venue, Police were shot out for a paltry 51. MotieKanhai took 4 for 10 and Foo 3 for 13.

In reply, the home team raced to 52 for 1 off 5.3overs with Foo returning to blast an unbeaten 31 with four fours and a six.

The competition is scheduled to continue this weekend, weather permitting.

Thursday June 13, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Testing times for West Indies as AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND Steyn likely to be fit for final game ABANDONED AFTER RAIN ESPNcricinfo - South Africa’s hopes of reaching the Champions Trophy semifinals received a boost with the news that pace spearhead Dale Steyn is likely to be fit for their virtual quarter-final against West Indies tomorrow, June 14. Given their poor record in knockout matches, South Africa will look to the experience of their best bowler to help them win.

Yesterday, Steyn bowled at full pace for the first time since straining his side in last Monday’s warm-up match against Pakistan at The Oval.

He missed South Africa’s first two matches of the tournament while undergoing rest and rehabilitation, which has so far gone according to plan.

“Dale is progressing quite well. He came through his net session today without any discomfort,” Mohammed Moosajee, South Africa’s team manager, who is also a doctor, said. “We will watch him overnight to see if he wakes up with any stiffness.

If he comes through tomorrow’s practice then he should be available.”

If Steyn is fit, South Africa will have something of a selection dilemma. Their three seamers - Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Chris Morris and Ryan McLaren - performed admirably against Pakistan. If the team management’s hand was forced, Morris would probably be culled purely because of his inexperience.

Morris understands that, and promised that if he was benched, South Africa, could be assured of having a “bloody good 12th man,” in him, similar to what Steyn was

BCB/Berbice River Bridge 50over KO cricket The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) was able to play off two matches in the Berbice River Bridge 50-over knockout first division cricket competition for teams in the ancient county.

A brilliant half-century by national middle order batsman Jonathan Foo led Albion to a massive 108-run victory over Blairmont Community Center while a destructive spell of 6 wickets for 44 runs off 9 overs from Steffon Adams failed to save West Berbice from defeat by Port Mourant Karibee Rice.

At Albion, the host won the toss and made 189 all out in 48.3 overs of their allotted 50 overs with Foo leading the way with a well composed 61.

He was supported by 16 year old David Latchaya who

against Pakistan. Not only did he carry on refreshments for his team-mates, he also regularly relayed instructions.

“He was loving it. There was a stage where he threw a bit of abuse at one of the batsmen. That’s Dale’s character,” Morris revealed.

“He was brilliant. He kept reminding us, ‘There’s a runout coming’. He kept encouraging us. He’s a ball of energy.”

Steyn’s involvement is the embodiment of what South Africa have called their team culture since Kirsten took over two years ago. It centres on inclusiveness and knowledge sharing, and with South Africa at a crunch stage of a major tournament, Steyn could provide plenty of the latter.

“Gary has placed a lot of emphasis on the reserve guys playing a massive part.

Having Dale run out there with ideas and options is massively important. He has played with and against a lot of these guys for a number of years so the information and the guidance he offers is invaluable,” Russell Domingo, Kirsten’s successor and the current assistant coach, said. “The guys feed off Dale. He is a mentor, a great leader of the bowling unit, and he is just a good bloke, so guys enjoy getting advice from him.”

For that reason, should Steyn be declared fit, it is far more likely that South Africa will play all four seamers and leave out one of their specialist spinners, as they did in the first match against India in Cardiff. Left-arm

spinners Robin Peterson and Aaron Phangiso played alongside JP Duminy in Birmingham on a pitch that took turn, but South Africa are not expecting similar conditions at Sophia Gardens, despite the role spinners have played in the competition thus far.

“Everyone expected the ball to swing a bit more than it has. Maybe because of the cold conditions, the ball hasn’t done as much as we thought,” Domingo said. “I know they are saying this is quite a dry June, so that’s showing in the wickets. The spinners are in the game big time.

“It’s been a while since South Africa played three spinners so I’d say it has been a bit surprising that the ball hasn’t done more in the first 20 overs. But this wicket lends itself to a little bit more pace and bounce than Birmingham, and with the overhead conditions around, the ball might do something.

The wicket might be a little bit sportier.”

With South Africa hopeful their seamers will come into the game more, they will have to decide which spinner to leave out. Despite Phangiso bowling his full quota of 10 overs against Pakistan, as opposed to Robin Peterson’s four, it appears Phangiso will carry drinks. “Robbie is a big wicket-taker, a big-game player, and has contributed in every aspect: batting, bowling, fielding,” Domingo said, while also confirming Peterson is not carrying any niggles, and had not bowled his quota for tactical reasons only.

BBC Sport - New Zealand and Australia took a point apiece as their Champions Trophy Group A match was abandoned because of rain.

Having left out David Warner because of an incident in the early hours of Sunday, Australia made 2438 as Adam Voges struck 71 and George Bailey 55.

New Zealand were 51-2 when rain arrived after 15 overs, five overs short of the amount needed for a result.

It means England will qualify for the semi-finals if they beat Sri Lanka at The Oval on Thursday.

The abandonment favours New Zealand, who beat Sri Lanka on Sunday, rather more than Australia, who were well placed in this contest after losing their opening Group A match to England.

It was yet another difficult day for Mickey Arthur’s team ahead of the Ashes series which begins on 10 July.

Captain Michael Clarke remained in London having treatment on a long-standing back injury, and there was further disruption to the squad - this time self-inflicted - as details emerged of Warner’s alleged “unprovoked attack” on England batsman Joe Root in a Birmingham bar, which resulted in the Australia opener being placed on 12thman duties.

This followed the 26-yearold’s recent fine for comments made on Twitter, and four members of the squad being disciplined over “Homeworkgate” during the 4-0 whitewash in India this year.

Their run of ill fortune briefly abated when Australia

Foo’s fifty and Adams’ six-wicket haul highlight latest round made 32 and Test spinner Devindra Bishoo (28).

For Blairmont, Derek Narine Lalsa took 3 wickets for 32 runs. He was supported

by Devindra Singh and Shabbir Baksh with 2 for 14 and 2 for 40 respectively.

Blairmont were dismissed for 81 in reply with only Demerara based Chris Patadin offering any resistance with 17.

Bishoo took 3 for 15 and Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai 2 for 10. Balchan Baldeo and Foo took two wickets apiece.

At Port Mourant, the host whipped West Berbice by 4 wickets with 22 overs to spare.

The visitors won the toss and elected to take first strike after they arrived late causing the reduction of overs to 43 per side.

The Region 5 team made a

disappointing 113 in 31.2 overs. B. Nurse saved some face with the topscore of 30, while extras contributed a healthy 29. Demerara based Leg spinner Troy Gonsalves took 3 wickets for 36 runs off 9 overs and former Essequibo senior left arm spinner Robert Moore 3 for 41 off 9 overs.

Medium pacer Yougnarine Harrinarine supported with 2 wickets.

In reply, Port Mourant Karibee Rice raced to 115 for 6 off 21 overs with another import, the hard hitting Andrew Lyght Jnr top scoring a 38-ball 49 with five fours and a six.

Off spinner Steffon Adams bowled brilliantly to take 6 wickets for 44 runs off 9 overs in a losing cause.

Both teams are through to

Jonathan Foo the semifinals with Albion to host arch rivals Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets and Universal DVD Young Warriors to host Port Mourant Karibee Rice on dates to be announced shortly.

won the toss but soon returned as two wickets fell in the first 19 balls. Shane Watson edged to wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, the New Zealand-born former Australia player, to give Mitchell McClenaghan the first of four wickets.

Phil Hughes was run out for a duck by a Martin Guptill direct hit after hesitation between the batsmen, and Daniel Vettori bowled tidily with great variations of flight and pace to concede just 23 runs in 10 overs, despite a troublesome Achilles that left him hobbling in the field.

Stand-in Australia skipper Bailey played with an effectiveness that was particularly commendable given the trying circumstances surrounding his team.

Unspectacular both in shot selection and demeanour, Bailey calmly restored order in a partnership of 64 with Matthew Wade and then 77 in 16 overs with the purposeful Voges.

In his 18th ODI, 33-yearold Voges - yet to play a Test and not part of the Ashes squad - struck the ball crisply in a 76-ball innings that ended in the 44th over when he

drove a McClenaghan full toss to short extra-cover.

Glenn Maxwell added an enterprising unbeaten 29, featuring the only two sixes of the innings, both of which came in the penultimate over, bowled by spinner Kane Williamson. It took Australia to a total that had been overhauled only three times in 20 previous ODIs at the ground.

With the floodlights on in the increasing gloom, New Zealand’s task became more difficult when Guptill sliced Clint McKay to point in the fourth over and Ronchi - who played two ODIs for Australia in 2008 but who now has only 45 runs in five innings for the Kiwis - steered the same bowler to gully. But rain intervened and the match was finally called off at 18:23 BST, meaning reigning champions Australia must beat Sri Lanka in their final match on Monday to have any chance of continuing their defence of the trophy.

Today Group A action will see England vs Sri Lanka at The Oval.

Result: Match abandoned Australia 243 for 8 (Voges 71, Bailey 55, McClenaghan 465) v New Zealand 51 for 2.

Trophy Stall/BVA Volleyball Comp. set for June 23 Volleyball Clubs in Berbice will be back in action on Sunday June 23 when the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) stages the third annual Trophy Stall Inter-Club competition at the Albion Sports Complex Court.

Set to be played using the ‘round- robin’ format, the best teams in the Ancient County will serve against each other which will include national champions Port Mourant Training Centre (PMTC) and they are expected to field more than one team.

The others are Port Mourant Jaguars, Albion Sports Complex, UnionRenaissance Sports Club of No.53 Village, Falcons of Canje, Vikings of Blairmont and Three Doors Strikers of D’Edward.

A high standard of volleyball is anticipated as players will be vying for selection to the BVA Senior Squad. The competition is open to both male and female teams with the top three in each category to receive trophies and other incentives. There will also be trophies and medals for the Best Spiker, Blocker, Server, Defence, Setter and Best Libero.

Sponsor, Mr. Ramesh Sunich, Managing Director of the Trophy Stall said that his continued partnership with the BVA is aimed at the promotion and development of the sport in Berbice.

Last year’s competition was won by PMTC 1 who will be looking for a repeat performance this year.

(Samuel Whyte)

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 13, 2013

BHS to take the pride and joy of Berbice to national Pepsi Inter school football finals The history making Berbice High School (BHS) boys and girls U-15 football teams, which recently won both their segments of the Berbice leg of the Pepsi/ Scotia Bank U-15 Inter Secondary School Football competition, will be looking to create more history when they don their football uniforms and travel to the capitol city to oppose their Georgetown and Linden counterparts in the final segment of the National Pepsi/ Scotia Bank U-15 tournament on Sunday 16th (father’s day) June at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown.

BHS had created history by winning both the boys and girls competitions in the New Amsterdam/Canje segment of the tournament, being the first in the country to have accomplished such a feat.

The competition, which is in its third year, is being played for the first time

outside of Georgetown with Linden and Berbice being included for the first time. The BHS units had dominated their opponents in the Berbice finals which were played recently at the All Saints Scott Church Ground; Demolishing New Amsterdam Multilateral School (NAMS) 3-0 in the boys segment and needling Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) 1-0 in the girls’ match.

The winners were presented with the respective accolades by competition coordinator Lawrence “Sparrow” Griffith at a simple ceremony in Berbice.

According to coordinator Griffith the other teams to qualify in the competition are from Georgetown Charlestown and Lodge Secondary among the males and Tutorial Academy Secondary School (TASS) among the females. From Linden the two schools are Mackenzie High School and

The winning BHS boys and girls teams pose with their teachers after receiving their accolades from coordinator Lawrence “Sparrow” Griffith.

Wisrock Secondary for the females, with BHS shouldering the responsible with both representative teams from the Ancient County.

Griffith stated that the male matches which will

Heat look to rebound in Game 4 today after Spurs bury them in Game 3 SAN ANTONIO — The Miami Heat kept saying it didn’t matter, that LeBron James affects the game in different ways and this sudden disappearance of his scoring wasn’t the ominous sign that it may have seemed to be.

They were wrong.

With James struggling again to impose his will, the defending champion Heat lost Game 3 to the San Antonio Spurs 113-77 at AT&T Center Tuesday night and now trail 2-1 in the NBA Finals. They did it with threepointers, setting an NBA Finals record with 16 in the game. And they did it with an extended run, finishing the game on a 69-33 tear after a tie at 44.

As such, the odds of the Spurs winning the fifth title they so desire turned in their favor yet again: In Finals in which the first two games are split, the Game 3 winner has gone on to win it all 12 out of 13 times. Game 4 is in San Antonio today and fan can expect a battle as the Spurs look to win at home and go ahead, while the Heat will have other ideas.

James, who had two points at the half when the Spurs led 50-44, missed 11 of his first 13 shots and finished with less than 20 points for the third consecutive game for the first time since the Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 that haunted him so. The Spurs

are the ones haunting him now — again.

“We didn’t do anything right tonight,” James said.

“We can’t play like that on either side of the floor if we want to win.”

The Spurs broke open a close game, tied at 44, with a 69-33 run. And it wasn’t Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, or Manu Ginobili at center stage, but role players like Gary Neal, Kawhi Leonard, and Danny Green. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, or Manu Ginobili at center stage but role players Gary Neal, Kawhi Leonard, and Danny Green.

Neal, who had scored in double-digits four times in 16 playoff games, finished with 24 points and hit six threepointers.

Leonard was spectacular in defending James and added 14 points. Green had 27 points and hit seven of nine three-pointers.

Just once all season had he scored less than 20 points in consecutive games, and it didn’t happen in the playoffs until the Finals. It happened just five times in the regular season and twice in 16 playoff games before they faced the Spurs. He was 14-for-33 coming in and shot 7-for-21 in Game 3.

For all the talk about how the Heat haven’t lost consecutive games since Jan. 10, it wasn’t as if the Spurs weren’t a resilient bunch too.

Barring a three-game losing streak to end the regular season that had everything to

do with their lack of health, they had lost consecutive games once since Dec. 18.

They were 35-6 at home during the regular season.

Duncan wasted no time in setting the Spurs’ tone at the start, attacking Udonis Haslem in the lane for the sort of bucket that had been so tough to come by in Game 2.

He kept it going nearly six minutes later, roaring past James in the lane for a dunk that came off of a Parker penetration pass and put them up 11-4. In between, they kept the Heat to just two of nine shooting while Bosh’s latest futile stretch came in the form of his one of five start from the field.

The Heat eventually responded, and early aggressiveness from Wade going to the rim sparked his eight-point first quarter as the Spurs led 24-20 entering the second. It was a good sign for the home team, as they had won one of the previous eight quarters in these Finals coming in (the Heat won five, and the teams tied twice).

But it wouldn’t have lasted until halftime if not for Neal, whose 14 points before the break were about as unexpected as the notion that James would have just two on 2-for-8 shooting in that same span.

The Spurs pulled away yet again midway through the third quarter, and it had everything to do with Duncan’s desire.

involve four schools will be played on a knock out basis, while the three female will engage each other in a round robin encounter.

The day’s action will get kicking at 09:00hrs with BHS opposing TASS in a female

match. The next game will be a male encounter between BHS and Charlestown Secondary which will be followed by a match between TASS and Wisburg Secondary. The next game will see Lodge Secondary

playing Mackenzie Secondary in a male match, while BHS girls will match skills with Wisburg Secondary in a female game.

The male final will follow.

Lodge are the male defending champion. (Samuel Whyte)

Gardner for Musclemania Universe C/ships this month end

Sylvan Gardner

Professional bodybuilder Sylvan Gardner is set to compete at the Musclemania Universe Championships set for the Miami Beach Resort on June 28-29, 2013.

The Five time Central American & Caribbean Bantamweight Gold medalist has been undergoing intense training ever since last October, upping the ante in the past three months in order to ensure that he is in the best shape ever in order to win this time around, his fourth try.

Gardner, who won his Pro Card in 2008 in New York, says he is aiming to be a bit heavier this time around given the competitiveness of the athletes at this level.

“The aim is to definitely be bigger; my training regime has been tailored to ensure that I weigh in at around 156 pounds for this competition. At the moment I am tipping the scales at 164 pounds. The last time at this completion in 2011, I weighed in at 150 pounds”.

Over 500 athletes will be competing at the Musclemania Universe Championships which began back in 1991 as bodybuilding’s first and only tour of world class level staged competitions.

Early on, Musclemania took a bold and challenging step forward by declaring that this exciting event would become a natural event.

It would soon become America’s most popular natural bodybuilding competition.

The following categories will be contested: Open Men - Lightweight – Up to 155 lbs. Middleweight – Up to 175 lbs. Light heavyweight – Up to 195 lbs. Heavyweight – Over 195 lbs.

Junior Men (22 years of age & younger) – Lightweight – Heavyweight.

Women will compete in one division as will the Masters (Over 40 Years of Age). The Professional Division will be Prequalified Only.

The respective weight classes will be determined at the show following registration.

In relation to sponsorship, Gardner said that he has written to a number of entities requesting their assistance and is awaiting responses from them which he hopes would be shortly since is scheduled to leave Guyana on June 26 for Miami. (F. Wilson)