Kaieteur News

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June 25, 2013 - Vol. 6 No. 26 - Price $80

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

Govt. admits inability to investigate money …suspicious transactions laundering reported to FIU filed away Trucks struggle to climb hill

Magistrate threatens police rank - ‘Indiscipline seems to be a pervading disease in the police force…’

Beaten woman gives Trucks using this access road at Church Hill, Mabaruma, must be equipped with winches that are attached to the utility poles to pull the trucks carrying fuel and food stuff into the region. Chung’s Global Contracting was earmarked to refurbish the road. However, that contract was cancelled

- also alleges rape

police

detailed statement

Govt. unlikely to pull contracts …police preparing to charge from security firm owner over stolen OLPF laptops

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Burnt technician’s APNU to meet with management hand further amputated -GPL Wants guarantee of “real” progress if subsidy is restored …was not employed by GPL - Metering Manager

A severely burnt Rayon Henry when he was being admitted to the GPHC

A

fter amputating a portion of Rayon Henry’s badly injured left hand, surgeons at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation had cause to further amputate the limb yesterday after it became swollen and infected.

The 29-year-old man, of Lot ‘N’ Bent Street, Wortmanville, sustained severe electrical burns after he came into contact with high-voltage wires while installing a pre-paid meter at th e H u b u , Eas t B an k Essequibo community last Tuesday.

According to reports, Henry was equipped with all his safety gear, including gloves, helmet and tool belt when he came into contact with the high-voltage wires; the ensuing sparks reportedly burned through his glove.

Following the surgery, y e s t e r d a y, t o f u r t h e r amputate the limb Henry has been re-admitted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the health facility and is listed as stable and responsive.

On Sunday, relatives of the injured man painstakingly noted that no GPL official has visited the injured technician who suffered second and third degree burns to his left hand, face and shoulders.

However, according to t h e G P L’ s M e t e r i n g

Manager, Parsram Persaud yesterday, the company is awaiting reports from an ongoing investigation into the matter.

Persaud further disclosed that Henry, the injured technician, was not on record as an employee or contractor of GPL, nor was he authorized by GPL to perform works on the company’s network.

The official said that only persons who are authorized by the company can perform such works although hired by a contractor.

According to the c o m p a n y ’s m e t e r i n g contract, all contractors must submit to GPL all personnel who will be executing works; for screening, clearance and approval by GPL prior to them commencing works.

The process involves assessment of skill level along with background checks.

Persaud stated that Henry was not approved, cleared or trained by GPL nor did he appear on GPL’s record of metering contractors.

In addition, metering contractors and their approved personnel are only authorized to carry out works on the low-voltage network. In doing so, they are required to follow the necessary safety rules and wear approved safety gears.

If, in a particular instance, high-voltage lines are in close proximity to the network a contractor is performing works to, he is required to stand down and report the situation to the metering office for it to be dealt with.

At this stage, persons who are trained, authorized and equipped to work with high voltage network will be sent out to address the matter.

According to GPL procedures, works involving high-voltage networks require that the lines are deenergized or disconnected before execution of works.

Additionally, the safety equipment used in performing works to highvoltage networks are highly insulated to efficiently withstand the high level voltage, equipment that Henry was not in possession of.

According to the Metering Manager, while investigations are ongoing, the works of the contractor with whom Henry was associated has been put on hold and may result in termination of his services due to the disastrous outcome of his actions which, in effect, were a breach of his contract with GPL.

T

he country’s main opposition party APNU is scheduled to meet with the management of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

The meeting is being facilitated by the government, APNU executive Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine announced yesterday.

He said that the request to meet with GPL management was made at a recent meeting with the government. He said that while discussions are taking place at the political level, it would make more sense if APNU were to meet with the managers at GPL. GPL has said that it would need $5 billion in subsidy cut by the opposition in this year’s budget in order to avoid asking for approval to increase electricity charges.

President Donald Ramotar has asked the company to put that proposal for increase tariffs on hold as his government tries to convince the opposition to restore the subsidy.

“We want to deal directly with the technicians and so on, who are responsible for the implementation of whatever project plans are on the table,” Dr. Roopnaraine said yesterday.

He said that while the government has

been providing the necessary information, there was little point to the government providing “mountains of documentation” since “unlike the government, we don’t have armies of experts and consultants.”

According to Dr. Roopnaraine, many of the documents require a level of technical and expert scrutiny that is not immediately available to the opposition.

He said that the Office of the Leader of the Opposition is run “on a next to nothing budget” so they don’t have the ability to engage the level of technical expertise that is at the disposal of the government.

“So it takes us more time to go through and call in people to contribute,” he stated.

He said that the meeting with GPL is important if the opposition were to “come to a logical and rational conclusion.”

Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine said that APNU wants to know why GPL has not made satisfactory progress in reducing commercial and technical losses. “…And what guarantee there is if the new tranche is released to them we’ll see some real progress like reduction of losses,” he stated.

Bandits relieve C’tyne man of $5.5M

T

wo bandits, one of whom was armed with a shotgun, allegedly robbed Zamin Zakeer, 43, of Albion, Corentyne of $ 5.5 M. The money belonged to Zakeer’s employer, D. Arjune, the proprietor of Arjune’s Poultry Enterprise located at Chesney, Corentyne.

A c c o r d i n g t o information, Zakeer was on his way to the bank to deposit the cash for his employer.

While along the Albion, Corentyne access road, which is a lonely area, a private car turned in front of Zakeer’s car, causing him to stop.

One of the occupants of the other car quickly exited the silver grey Allion motor car PRR 855 and pointed a gun to him. At the same time the other person came out

and sprayed something in his face, then chucked him out of his car.

The robbers then took the bag that contained the cash and the key to Zakeer’s car and made good their escape.

Zakeer claimed that after he got some relief from the burning sensation, he immediately made his way to the Albion Police Station and reported the robbery then

informed his employer.

The silver grey Allion was from a car rental of N u m b e r 6 0 Vi l l a g e , Corentyne. The operator of that car rental service is in police custody to assist in identifying the people who hired the car.

The car was found abandoned at Number 60 Vi l l a g e P u b l i c R o a d Corentyne.

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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 young girls go missing The Americans made a show of honouring Simona Broomes, head of the Guyana Women Miners Association for the role she has been playing in combating human trafficking. This is a global problem. In Mexico many households are mourning the disappearance of family members, particularly children. The story is the same with every family that is in this plight.

The children are on the streets either running an errand or heading to or from school when they disappear. There are private organisations set up by individuals who may have lost some relatives in this manner. Some have been lucky to find a few of the missing persons but for the greater part, the task is almost insurmountable.

Over the weekend an international news media focused on this aspect of human life. The stories were horrific. There were reports out of Singapore and Malaysia and Thailand.

Children have simply been snatched or traded to begin life as beggars or child prostitutes and even drug runners.

Again there have been groups searching for these children and just as is the case in Mexico there have been some successes but the vast majority simply disappear into thin air.

The authorities have found that these people are shipped across borders. In Guyana there are numerous reports of missing children, mainly young girls and there is the view that these people are trafficked. There were initial reports of some of these young persons being moved across the borders into Suriname and even Cayenne. And this could be understood because the borders are porous.

Just recently a case broke of some young Guyanese women being trafficked to Barbados where they served as dancers in clubs and as prostitutes. The Barbados police have smashed the ring and some people are before the courts.

We have not heard of cases of people being moved into Brazil and Venezuela although this should not be ruled out.

The vast majority of cases though are people who move into the gold mining areas either by the lure of large sums of money or of high paying jobs. Poverty is rampant in Guyana and young people always want material things.

These are the people who could be easily lured away from home. Hardly a day goes by without some seeking the service of the media to help locate a young person.

Many of these actually ran away from home with a friend on the promise of something lucrative. The reality was different and Ms Broomes has intervened to save some of these young women. She spoke of putting her life on the line to rescue four young girls, two of them below the age of consent.

The people who engage in trafficking these young girls do not see themselves as human traffickers. They talk of their investment in the girls and the need to make their money. The girls, for their part, are often used as slaves. They are paid a fraction of what they earn through the use of their bodies and they are given the barest minimum of shelter. As Ms Broomes found out, some of them are beaten. When her story aired the world took notice. This was happening in a country where the authorities denied that there was human trafficking.

Such was the denial that the government had to be pushed to enact legislation to deal with human trafficking.

But as the world knows, there could be all the legislation unless there is the wherewithal to support the legislation then the entire exercise is a waste of time. So we find that law enforcement officers permit underage girls to enter hinterland locations and to offer themselves as prostitutes.

These very officers refused to help Ms Broomes when she rescued four girls recently. At the same time the volume of prosecution does not reflect the extent of human trafficking. It is a pity that it would seem that only one woman is tackling this issue head on. There are government departments set up to deal with human trafficking but these appear not to be as effective as Ms Broomes. And the foreign powers have taken note.

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

Freddie Kissoon’s claims are attributes of counterfeit academics DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to the letter, “Freddie Kissoon replies to Minette B a c c h u s o n Wa l t e r R o d n e y ’s assassination” (KN, June 17, 2013). His several allegations against me without providing proof (valid evidence) of claims are attributes of counterfeit academics. These persons have no regard for the rigours and integrity of science and thrive on unscrupulous conduct which at times rebound to their detriment.

It is one thing to want to display importance, whitewash and reinvent self, but another to do it at the expense of an undeserving target. This time Kissoon picked the wrong person and (un)fortunately for him, the task becomes mine as I respond to him to also expose his being counterfeit. This wasn’t a task I sought; it was one he thrust upon me and one being executed without fear, favour or ill-will, and for as long as it takes.

Kissoon has a history he is disinclined to let go of and one that influenced a dishonourable discharge from his doctorial study that resulted in the Forbes Burnham government refusing to employ a dishonorable person to lecture in Guyana’s institution of highest learning. Kissoon was however fortunate under other administrations to be employed where he was given the opportunity to influence young and impressionable minds. Evaluating several of his writings and his particular response to me, I am thankful that I was not among them. If I were his student I would have been embarrassed at his lack of reasoning and scholastic integrity.

Kissoon says: “Ms. Bacchus falls into a category of very crude political and racial primitiveness that has no place in the world not only in Guyana.

She is the mirror image of her East Indian counterparts. Their binary is what destroyed Guyana and continues to devastate this lovely country with lovely people.” These are vicious statements that seek to malign me, position me as an extremist/xenophobic and on the fringe of society. They target me for alienation from the mainstream and any endeavour I seek to pursue. I do not take kindly to them and Kissoon must be man/academic enough to stand by his deductions and produce for the readership the proof (writing-public and/or email) to support the claims he makes against me. I dare him!

This counterfeit behaviour has seen him over the years making claims –as

recent as June 12, 2013- that there is “evidence” Burnham is responsible for Rodney’s death, yet he fails to produce any evidence to support his claim. Thus far, he has mustered a “copy of the Chronicle with the caption that screamed that the GDF denied Smith was ever a sergeant in the army” (June 17, 2013). This is idiocy. In the event he forgets, has no regard for, or never learnt, in science or court of law, evidence speaks to proof coming from testimony, documents, research, record, objects. And any smart person knows the “evidence” Kissoon presents here is ‘who said what’ and not who killed or is responsible for the death of whom.

This is why there must be support for an Independent International Commission of Enquiry (IICE), because in the absence of it, persons like Kissoon suffocate the society with their claim to ‘evidence.’ It is for said reason I made known in an email which Kissoon is probably privy to that: “If those who created career/relevance/sympathy out of the claim that Burnham killed Rodney don’t turn up voluntarily to give evidence before the IICE they should be subpoenaed, and if they fail to turn up they should be charged for Contempt, and if they turn and cannot provide credible evidence that Burnham killed Rodney then they should be charged for Public Mischief. It is hoped the fine includes prison time or community service. Right now Georgetown needs cleaning-up and community service must also include the use of the Chain Gang.”

Kissoon was among those I identified for such treatment and stand by my opinion!

And there will be no end to this counterfeit. Kissoon is outraged that I “wax lyrical on [Burnham’s] fantastic achievements” but he has not denied these achievements, or shown where any attribution was wrongly ascribed.

In his June 12 column (“The PNC: A revisionist note”) he has this to say: “Guyanese history has been unkind and unfair to Burnham. He was Guyana’s most nationalist and patriotic head of government.” Note the superlative “most”! He continues: “Mr. Burnham was a brilliant nationalist, a leader who cared for the poorer classes, a leader with a conscious understanding that colour and class were post-Independent Guyana’s enemies that must be confronted and he confronted them….In all fairness to him, had he lived longer, he would have continued his developmental thrust which was so admirable, frowned upon that part of

Guyana that had a colonial complex with white skin, and made sure the poorer classes remained satisfied.”

Readers must re-read Kissoon’s comments on Burnham and decide whether they are admiration and achievements, or condemnation and failure. However, when I engage in similar acknowledgement Kissoon takes umbrage. And if this offence is informed by a sense that he holds the monopoly on analysing political events or the key to our minds regarding Burnham, he is wrong and my mind will not be enslaved by him.

And to claim (June 17, 2013) that: “All she is doing by her unhistorical antics is to give latitude to those who see it as an obligation to expose Mr. Burnham’s involvement” is arrant nonsense. Kissoon claims knowledge to my writings and if this is to be believed he must know I want an enquiry into Rodney’s death. It is past time for the truth to be made known, myths exposed, and this society given a chance to heal and develop.

In his usual inconsistencies and lack of academic integrity, Kissoon goes on to say: “I close by emphasizing that to suddenly elevate Forbes Burnham as a good leader because the people who have inherited power after the PNC left government are worse than him is not clever recording of history. Guyanese current history is about the PPP exceeding the excesses of Burnham. What is so complex about this to understand?”

Nothing Freddie, if you can only understand credible comparison can only be made between what exists and what existed, and self-government in Guyana has only been the PPP and PNC, which follows logically a comparison can only be meaningfully made or relevant in said context.

And to the “brutal facts” in Errol Harry’s email that Kissoon claims were presented to me as “graphic evidence” of Burnham’s culpability, he must make them known, because the only graphic evidence and facts I’m aware of are the existence of an email by the identified author attempting to speak to the Burnham/Rodney issue and the only thing brutal about it is the tortuous reading. Also, I do not have to respond to/acknowledge Tacuma Ogunseye’s questions to David Granger because they do not constitute evidence of Burnham’s culpability and if Ogunseye, M.Maxwell and others think Burnham is, let them push for the IICE and provide the evidence or face the same treatment proposed for Kissoon!

Minette Bacchus

All dictators eventually get their comeuppance DEAR EDITOR, I read the recent column about p s y c h o l o g y a n d i n v i n c i b i l i t y.

Interesting. I liked the phrase ‘The psychology of dictatorship empowers autocratic leaders to think of invincibility’.

As Lord Acton said over a hundred years ago “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

As true today as it was then. I can support that statement, but all dictators eventually get their comeuppance.

While in the workforce in London, I saw

it close up and experienced it in a personal way. Colleagues were reluctant to complain or take their grievances to a higher level, because supervisors “could always hit back”: instead they left their cushy jobs.

In my case, placement officers decided to ignore staff rules and indeed the law of the land and did their own thing. When I decided to ‘walk’, the circumstances were investigated; the bubble burst, disciplinary action followed, and those involved lost their jobs - in the Government Service! In the

Department, I had built up a reputation for reliability, so that stood me in good stead - wherever they worked, Guyanese were known for their industriousness.

Since everything happens for a purpose, staff rules were enhanced and practices put in place to ensure that there was no repeat of that unhappy period.

Stay cool. As the Bard says (Hamlet): “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends ......” The world is in for a period of revolution and every dictatorship is vulnerable.

Geralda Dennison

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

Guyana Award from the FAO: Examine the Data DEAR EDITOR, I refer to a letter written

by Mr. Hydar Ally and entitled, ’Guyanese should get involved in the Grow More Food campaign,’ SN 6/ 19/13) in which he complements Guyanese farmers for increased food production, claiming that this has kept agricultural product prices relatively stable.

This rhetoric sounds good, but it does not match the data as published by the New GMC and the Bank of Guyana, which show that apart from rice, tomatoes, poultry and shrimp, agriculture output has been in a downward spiral for several years under the leadership of the PPP/C Government.

According to the information published in the Bank of Guyana 2012 Annual Report (Table 11-I), it is observed that only rice, tomatoes, poultry meat and shrimp have increased during the period 2000 to 2011.

Rice is up by 37.7 percent; tomatoes up by 392.1 percent; poultry meat by 117.3 percent; and shrimp by 14.5 percent.

Decreases have been seen in everything else. Cassava is down by 91.6 percent. The

data for coconuts, plantains, cereals and legumes are down by no less than 80 percent.

The total output for coffee, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, mango, limes and other citrus crops have declined by at least 60 percent.

Similarly, down by at least 20 percent are the output figures for pineapples, hot peppers, bora, and eggs.

Most of this shortfall has been covered by food imports that could boost food availability to deal with the issues of hunger, but it could distort production data, if not accurately recorded.

More troubling is sugar which we all know is in a death spiral since the firing of Booker Tate and the migration and retirement of senior technical staff. Since then, sugar output is at its lowest level for several decades.

The Skeldon factory and the packaging plants are not only ‘white elephants’, but these ill-advised investments are among the biggest financial and economic disasters in Guyana’s history.

The repayment of these debts will have to come from taxpayer funds and not from the sale of sugar.

Having read the letters and comments by Mr. Anthony Vieira, Mr. Earl John, Mr. Christopher Ram, Dr. Clive Thomas, Mr. Komal Chand and Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, one can intuitively get a picture of the GuySuCo chaos. This is further reinforced in the comments by Mr. Paul Bhim, CEO, and the missed opportunities to fix house by President Ramotar and former President Jagdeo.

Incidentally, Mr. Bhim’s comment that ‘the Company’s financial woes have prevented fertilizer from being purchased in a timely manner and as a result it doesn’t get used in a timely manner’ goes to one of the many productivity problems that include low yields and too many ratoons.

Applying fertilizers too late is similar to trying to put yeast in bread, after it is baked.

Management is out to lunch and the Board and policy makers are clueless.

There is no need for an executive Chairman, but the money should be used to ascertain whether or not GuySuCo is a financially and economically viable entity; and if it is not a viable entity, it is time to ascertain whether

it can be turned around; and if it cannot be turned around, then it is appropriate to set in motion an investigation on how best to use the assets in some other viable enterprise.

The inability of GuySuCo to meet its supply contracts for sugar to the EU, 190,000 tonnes this year, will see significant imports of sugar to meet domestic demand.

Now if corrections cannot be made, the famous phrase, “Not a cent more”, would be appropriate, for the Government must stop soaking the tax payer to fatten a dead bull, since it is now cheaper to import than produce sugar at current cost, plus government and EU subsidies.

Apart from the sugar woes, there are the losses in output from our permanent crops, including coconuts, oranges, grapefruits, limes, among others.

Rebuilding these agriculture activities as financial viable activities will require not only technology, but long-term financing that commercial banks do not provide. Some of these permanent crops are as old as our grandparents and should

be replaced.

The view by Mr. Ally that agriculture prices have been stable is not accurate. What would be accurate is that agriculture prices have been increasing.

The price data produced by the new Guyana Marketing Corporation show that prices have been increasing for several crops, including mangoes, cucumbers, coconuts, bananas, yam, cassava, pumpkins, pepper, pineapples, plantains, among a host of other crops and meat products.

Interestingly, in 2007 the Ministry was promoting a program with the four Pspumpkins, p e p p e r, pineapples and plantains (see SN Article (February 12, 2007, ‘Govt building more packaging facilities for export produce’).

Based on the evidence above, two points need to be made. First, on deceasing output and increasing prices for the four Ps, this program is certainly a failure that the Ministry should provide a detailed analysis on why it was a failure so that we could learn from the mistakes.

Second, on the subject of

tomatoes, the positive story is of increasing prices and increasing output.

This is a clear signal that output and prices are moving in the right direction; however, what is now needed is improved yields; and this is a task for the technical staff in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Finally, Mr. Ally applauds Guyana for reducing hunger and welcomes the recognition given by the FAO, United Nations on the data submitted by the Government of Guyana.

While it is laudable that Guyana got the Award, I am skeptical not about the FAO analysis, but of the submitted data used to support the analysis.

As everyone knows, the GIGO principle-Garbage in Garbage out-is a serious issue for any analysis.

If it is true that output is falling and we are not growing more food, it might be useful to examine the data compiled and used to make the submission to the FAO. We can all learn from such an exercise. The responsible Ministries should make this information available to the public.

C. Kenrick Hunte

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

Implementation date of new minimum age must be reviewed DEAR EDITOR, In addition to the views expressed by the Private Sector Commission in the Stabroek News of 19th June, 2013 with which there is absolute concurrence, considerations should also be given to: 1. Private security firms today are fraught with inadequate security personnel in a phenomenally consistent and continuous fashion.

A survey or consultations will reveal that these firms, by their very nature of existence and operations, attract overtime hours in great quantum.

Even those which promote eight-hour shifts to curtail the accumulation of too many overtime hours, find this extremely difficult in the light of the shortage of staff.

This shortage may be attributed to several factors, amongst which are ‘pull’ factors away from the vocation and the incapability of elements who apply for such jobs to satisfy the minimum requirements to perform.

2. Many firms have 12hour shifts in the main, and even recent Government bids specified such shifts in all cases.

The implications of these shifts cannot be escaped when security personnel work six days per week vis-àvis the 40 normal hours per

week declared by the Minister.

Even those who attempt the eight-hour shifts are captured by these implications, given the impact of shortages which affect them significantly.

The results are massive and unavoidable payments in overtime hours. Further, unlike some businesses, security provision does not ‘stand-down’.

It prevails for the entire week and on a 24-hour basis in most instances. These are stark realities which must be confronted and considered.

3. The wage rate for security guards, particularly, was increased by 40% in June of 2012. Firms were then forced to seek increases from clients to meet this demand.

Some failed to support these requests for varying reasons, others failed to adequately support, and some have only responded to these requests earlier in this year.

Nevertheless, at the expense of significant decreases in profit margins and with a view to maintaining jobs for their workers, these security providers rose to the occasion which led to security guards receiving wages today which average totals between $50,000 and $70,000 each month.

4. The increase mandated this year reflects another 44%, which will in turn necessitate once again, approaching clients for assistance to meet this new demand.

Failure to attract contributions from clients can lead to closure for some security providers; if not now, in the not too distant future.

Negotiations with clients will once again, and moreso now that many of these clients are faced with similar demands upon their budgets, take some degree of time to initiate and finalise.

5. Maybe if followed to the ‘letter’ with the present inevitable overtime available in security firms, the new wage will see to security officers earning far more than Policemen, Soldiers, Teachers, Nurses etc and down the road perhaps cause a drain from the National Security Force until this drain itself solves the problem of shortage in the security industry at the expense of the former.

Given all of the above, which afford better appreciation, the Minister of Labour should review his decision and amend the implementation date to afford reasonable time and space to accommodate this new demand upon security firms and other businesses.

It should be noted that there has been no disagreement with the new minimum wage thus far.

This should be seen as recognition and acknowledgement that the increase is a laudable move by the Minister. However, why the ‘rush’ to implement?

Why not invite consultations with security firms to afford better appreciation before pronouncing on the implementation date definitively.

Christopher Thompson, Director Security Operations, Sentinel Security Incorporated

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Where is ‘Dudus’ money?

- State fails to find millions in assets and cash allegedly amassed through drugs empire

Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke (Jamaica Gleaner) The government-owned Assets Recovery Agency (ARC) is yet to find any of the millions of dollars in assets which former Tivoli Gardens gangster Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke was supposed to have amassed over the years.

It is believed that Coke built up a multimillion-dollar empire through illegal means.

This prompted the ARC to go after his assets, and in January, the Supreme Court gave the ARC the green light to seize Coke’s assets, including those held by his company Presidential Click Promotions.

A Supreme Court judge had granted a request from the ARC for a default judgment to be entered against Coke after he did not respond to the suit to seize his assets.

But last week, Michael Hylton, QC, who is representing the ARC, disclosed that “no significant assets have been identified in his (Coke’s) name”.

The ARC had filed a claim in the Supreme Court in 2010 against Coke, his girlfriend Stephanie Gayle, and his late mother Patricia Halliburton. In addition, the claim was extended to Coke’s former business partner Justin O’Gilvie, his wife Maxine, and two of O’Gilvie’s companies.

However, in December last year, the ARC withdrew the claim against the others, leaving Coke as the sole defendant.

The Supreme Court then gave Gayle and Halliburton permission to pursue a suit against the Government because their assets were frozen for two years.

The ARC had filed a claim against Halliburton and Gayle, contending that the women were sheltering hundreds of millions of dollars in crime proceeds earned by Coke.

Attorney-at-law Chukwuemeka Cameron, who represented Gayle and Halliburton, told The Sunday Gleaner after the claim was withdrawn that the State withdrew its action because it could not prove its case of money laundering under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The assets belonging to O’Gilvie and his wife were also listed in the claim, but the Government also withdrew the claim against them because it could not prove a case of money laundering.

The ARC had contended that Coke was a shareholder and director in O’Gilvie’s companies, but O’Gilvie produced documents to prove that Coke had no connection with his companies.

The ARC obtained an order in 2010 freezing O’Gilvie’s assets and several motor vehicles were seized.

The vehicles were returned after the freezing order was lifted.

Attorney-at-law Paul Beswick, who is representing O’Gilvie, told The Sunday Gleaner that as a result of the freezing order, O’Gilvie lost a lot of revenue. Beswick said requests to the ARC to deal with certain businesses were not complied with.

The attorney said since the freezing order was lifted in December last year, O’Gilvie has filed a suit against the ARC seeking millions of dollars in damages.

Coke is now serving 23 years in prison in the United States (US) after he pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering.

The former strongman was wanted in the US to face narcotics and gun-running charges. He was on the run in Jamaica for several weeks until he was held in June 2010.

He waived his right to an extradition hearing and was flown to the US.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica (JIS) — Jamaica is to present its draft migration policy to the United Nations high level dialogue on international migration and development in October.

State minister in the ministry of foreign affairs and foreign trade, Arnaldo Brown, said the UN will be inviting Jamaica to explain the development of the policy.

He was addressing a session of the just concluded Jamaica Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay. Jamaica’s elaboration of an international migration and d e v e l o p m e n t p o l i c y, which includes a diaspora and development policy, is intended to improve the government’s capacity to monitor and manage

international migration in line with the country’s socioeconomic development priorities as outlined in Vision 2030 Jamaica.

The policy development initiative is being led by a consultant and the process is being funded by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

(Trinidad Guardian) Leader of the Congress of the People (COP) Prakash Ramadhar says the May 15 meeting between Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and Integrity Commission chairman Ken Gordon at Gordon’s residence was inappropriate.

The COP is a unit in the People’s Partnership Government. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan have already criticised Rowley and Gordon for the meeting, which was held five days before Rowley presented a motion of noconfidence in PersadBissessar for debate in the Parliament. Ramadhar said Sunday his party “continues to stand by the position that all holders of public office must uphold the highest standards of ethical

conduct.”

Ramadhar said the private meeting between Rowley and Gordon “was wholly inappropriate and its only effect would have been to render the commission, or at least its chairman, ineligible to conduct any investigation or subsequent proceedings arising out of it, into the matters raised by the Leader of the Opposition during the no-confidence debate.”

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Teen brothers stabbed to death by cell phone thieves ...they tried to help a friend

Jafar and Arshad Kadir (Trinidad Express) Two teenage brothers of Aranguez were stabbed to death Sunday as they attempted to defend a friend from cell phone thieves.

Arshad Kadir, 15, and Jafar Kadir, 17, both of Ward Lane, El Socorro Road, were stabbed at the Aranquez Savannah where they were playing a game of football with friends.

The boys are sons of Kaleel and Fazeela Kadir, owners of Bunty’s Muffler Service in El Socorro.

Another of the brothers’ friends, Kaleel Mohammed,

16, was stabbed in the chest, but survived.

The attack happened at around 6.30 p.m. when two men approached Imitiaz Boodoo, a friend of the brothers, and attempted to snatch his Samsung cell phone.

“The men appeared from nowhere, but the field had other persons jogging and playing football. Arshad saw first and ran to help, then Jafar went over.

A fight broke out on the field. One of the two men began to stab them”, said a close relative of the deceased,

who did not wish to be identified.

Arshad was stabbed in the groin area and Jafar was stabbed through the lungs and heart. The attackers escaped.

The three boys were rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex at Mount Hope.

Arshad and Jafar both died by 10.30 p.m.

Arshad attended Brataria Secondary Comprehensive School and Jafar attended San Juan Government Secondary School. The teens were buried yesterday.

T&T President names Integrity Commission members Jamaica to present migration policy

Ramadhar: Gordon, Rowley meeting inappropriate

(Trinidad Express) President Anthony Carmona yesterday issued a statement naming the four persons to be appointed members of the Integrity Commission.

The following is the statement Following the expiration of the term of office of four of the five members of the Integrity Commission, the President advises that the following four persons are to be appointed as members of the Integrity Commission: Justice Sebastian Ventour (retired), Mr. Seunarine Jokhoo, Mr. Deonarine Jaggernauth and Dr. ShellyAnne Lalchan.

Justice Sebastian Ventour (retired) has had a distinguished 34-year legal career. He was Senior Partner at the law firm of Fitzwilliam, Stone, Furness-Smith and Morgan and a Judge in the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago for 14 years.

He has also served at the Law Association of Trinidad

and Tobago, both as Secretary and as a Member of the Disciplinary Committee.

Justice Ventour (retired) currently lectures at the Hugh Wooding Law School, where he has taught for 22 years. He is married, with three children.

Mr. Seunarine Jokhoo is a returning member of the Integrity Commission, having previously been appointed to serve a three-year term on March 15, 2010. A chartered accountant, he has a 35-year history in the public service, from which he retired as Director of State Enterprises and Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

He also worked in the private sector as Financial Controller of Amar Holdings Limited, General Manager and Director of the Citrus Growers Association and Executive Chairman of National Fisheries Company Limited.

Mr. Jokhoo has chaired and served on numerous

boards. An avid farmer, he is married with four children.

Mr. Deonarine Jaggernauth has given 33 years of service to the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (Petrotrin), formerly TRINTOC and will be retiring in a few weeks.

A petroleum and environmental engineer by profession, Mr. Jaggernauth is a researcher who has published many papers and received several awards including the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Distinguished Member Award in 2005.

A part-time lecturer at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), he is also current Vice President of the TRINTOC Penal Credit Union. Mr. Jaggernauth is a lay-minister at the St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church.

The Oath of Office will be administered to the new members of the Commission soon.

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 9

THE FIGURES DO NOT LIE A call to be enlightened is not always a call for information or knowledge. It can represent a refusal to accept what is blatantly obvious but too unbelievable to accept.

Guyana is no longer the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere. Guyana was once regarded as a low income country, and second from the bottom rung when it came to being poor in the western hemisphere.

This was what Guyana, one of the jewels of Britain’s colonial empire, was reduced to by the time the PPPC came to power in 1992. Instead of glittering, Guyana found itself with stifling for economic oxygen and with a noose of debt hanging around its neck.

We were categorized as one of the world’s most highly indebted nations. But with the

help of a government which many still delude themselves into believing never would have been able to muster the capacity to administer the affairs of the State, having been in the political wilderness for the twenty eight years.

That prediction has been proven wrong. Not only has Guyana graduated from a low income country to a low middle income country but it is no longer on the second rung from the bottom when it comes to the western hemisphere.

There are many ways of measuring poor but in economic terms the most fundamental measure is per capita GDP. This is found by quantifying the total value of goods and services produced in an economy and divided that number by the

population.

In terms of per capita GDP, Guyana has now surpassed Nicaragua, Bolivia, Honduras and Haiti.

If the PPPC is allowed to continue its growthpromotion policies, within the next five years, Guyana will be ranked above Paraguay, El Salvador, Belize and Guatemala; and within ten years we will be less poor than Jamaica and Peru.

If one were to measure poverty by other indicators that incorporate human development indices, Guyana would today be ranked much higher. Whatever way you wish to look at it there has been significant economic progress in Guyana since assumed the reins of power in 1992.This is an indisputable reality of the degree of the progress that has been

Dem boys seh...

De opposition peeping into everything When dem boys wake up and see de newspaper talking how de opposition been to de Amaila Falls road dem realize that Donald ketch dem like how dem fisherman does ketch Cuffum or Gilbacker—wid a hook that got some sweetening at de end.

Of course is a long time de opposition was asking to see de project because is dem got to vote de money but wid Bharrat at de head dem couldn’t see it. Fuh one, dem woulda get an idea of how much money had to go to de project. That woulda cut up de runnings fuh nuff people. Fip woulda never collect fuh share wid some of dem who talk up de project.

But dem boys seh that Donald know that things tight wid de project and he need de support suh he carry in de opposition.

Things tight wid GPL too suh he order dem to talk to one another. He want de money wha de opposition cut. In fact, is Brazzy want de

money because he is de one who get all of dem in de boat. Is he tell dem that Fip coulda do de hydro road; is he who tell dem that de first Kingston power station woulda end all blackout; and is he who tell Jagdeo to buy a second hand generator from Suriname for de local power sector.

De people charge more fuh de second hand generator than Guyana woulda pay for a new one but of course that is how de money use to move around.

Dem boys want to know if de opposition gun peep inside de bond fuh de security firm.

Kanhai had a good thing going. He had a good business buying and selling. De only thing is that he was buying thiefing thing and selling de same thiefing thing.

De opposition got a chance fuh really peep and check.

Talk half and watch de money trail.

achieved in Guyana and it is verifiable by recourse to the available statistics which can now be ground with the click of a mouse.

But it will take more than that to convince some people that Guyana is now in much better economic shape than the days when pone, cassava flour and rice cake were the dominant staples for breakfast.

It will take much more than statistics to also convince many that while our national debt is increasing relative to a few years ago, our ability to service this debt is more than ten times better than it was

during that period when nine out of every ten dollars collected could not cover scheduled debt servicing.

The excuse of course was that this was not a problem because while scheduled debt servicing was high, the country was not paying its full scheduled debt servicing.

It was this type of hyperbole that got us into the debt mess in the first place.

Because we were unable to pay, the unpaid debt servicing became capitalized and ended up making Guyana qualify as one of the highly indebted poor countries of the world.

Guyana in fact is no longer considered a highly indebted poor country. If the PPPC never does anything else for Guyana, it should be thanked for digging us out of two deep holes: the debt trap and the infamy of once being classified as the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere.

Cadet Officer charge with killing fish vendor - DUI Police Cadet Officer, James Tappin, was yesterday charged with driving under the influence. He appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s court. Presiding over the case was Magistrate Alex Moore.

To the particulars of the charge read to him by Magistrate Alex Moore, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution is contending that a breathalyzer test carried out on the defendant on June 2, found that he was under the influence of alcohol whilst driving his motor car.

This was after he was involved in an accident which occurred around 4:30 hours

on the Better Hope Public Road.

Police statements revealed that the Cadet Officer was driving his car along the roadway when it allegedly hit a seventy-oneyear old fish vendor of Better Hope, Chanderjit Sanichar

who was attempting to cross the road. Sanichar was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Tappin was subsequently placed on $10,000 bail and is due to return to court on July 15.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 18, 2013

=== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ===

Now you see me, now you don’t!

The Government invited APNU and the AFC to visit road construction at the Amaila Falls. They went.

They came back and had some positive things to say about the progress. How strategic this move was by an opposition that Guyanese feel have done little to stop the continuation of bad governance?

The question is why the Falls project? After this visit where is next? Could it be Marriott? Then the airport extension; then the road programme all over Guyana?

What comes out of all of this?

The answer is nothing because Guyana’s problem is a winner- take-all system where ethnicity and power are the driving factors.

If you are going to secure a stable future where people feel that their country has sustenance for them, then democratic transition is the answer.

Democratic transition does not have to involve power-sharing. The term denotes the movement from winner-take all politics to the exercise of power where the pie is distributed in legal ways within a decent system that dispel anger, pessimism and hopeless.

The PPP since 1992 has practised exclusionary government. It is not Frederick Kissoon who says that. The Sunday Stabroek News editorial took wide swipes at the 1992 Jagan Government, accusing it of removing public servants if refused to live it and of putting party hacks as their

replacements.

The Jagdeo oligarchy removed any remnants of responsible, decent government left by Burnham, Hoyte and the two Jagans.

Nothing has changed since Mr. Jagdeo’s recklessly depraved venture into elected dictatorship. The departure set by Mr. Ramotar can only cause the two opposition parties to lose credibility and support.

Ramotar’s game can be referred to as piecemeal politics. Ramotar opens up the sections of the house where he wants the opposition to see the modest furniture. But he locks away the compartments where the resplendence, opulence and decadence are.

The visiting opposition needs to see the entire structure from ceiling to basement including the wine cellar where the expensive stuff that cost more than the UG budget is stashed away.

The opposition has to operate within a realpolitik framework that is relentless.

Only in that way can they serve Guyana.

When known critics condemn the opposition for silly politics, they are disliked but there are times when the opposition appears foolish in the eyes of people. It must be told when it is being outsmarted by the PPP. Why go to the Falls road outside of a realpolitik blueprint?

What both opposition parties need to do is to draft such a paper. The AFC came close to that when it told the

Government we are not supporting your antilaundering Bill unless some bad governance practices are dissolved. The AFC rightly asked for the delivery of the Procurement Commission among other conditionalities.

This is practical politics. You do not give your adversary a gift without a quid pro quo.

And you do that because this is what your constituencies want. Your supporters would endorse your gift-giving if they see their party receiving something in return.

The story of horrific and horrible governance has gone beyond imagination in this land. The opposition has to engage the PPP within a

good governance package. It has to attach a long list of conditionalities whenever the Government reaches out on a specific project. The Amaila Falls road is a good example of when not to travel.

One suspects that the opposition has misread the minds of the Guyanese people. Both the AFC and APNU believe that if invited to examine the Marriott documents and they demand that other doors be opened, the public will accuse them of selfish politics because the Government is willing to be accountable but they make unreasonable demands.

If it so happens that the AFC and APNU think like

this, then they are wrong. In every instance, if they put demands in response to specific invitations, the Guyanese people will support them. If the AFC and APNU had said they weren’t going to see the Falls road unless the President assents to Bill, open the books of NICIl, restructure the management of NCN, give Linden its television license, intervene in the Berbice fare structure, stop dismissing public servants based on lie detector tests etc, the people of Guyana would support them.

The opposition is looking foolish with the Government’s now you see me, now you don’t politics.

Frederick Kissoon The cancer of bad governance must be confronted in fundamentally radical ways.

The system of total violations not specific areas must be on the agenda of the AFC and APNU. Any other road is fraught with selfdestructive danger for the opposition.

New GPC pre-qualified to supply drugs for three years The New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) had been qualified to supply drugs to the Ministry of Health for a period of three years between 2010 and 2013.

This disclosure came from Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, who said that the Ministry is currently gearing to invite suppliers to be prequalified for another period in the future.

“As I understand it the New GPC won the right to supply drugs to the government through what is called a pre-qualification process and that was for three years,” he said at a press

conference at Freedom House.

As a result, New GPC continues to be the supplier of drugs, said Bishop Edghill.

He said that the renewed arrangements for procurement of drugs is being undertaken by the Ministry of Health and the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board to put in place a new process to invite prequalification of suppliers.

Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII) is the parent company for New GPC both of which are owned by Dr. Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop and have been the

subject of a range of criticisms regarding its finances and financial arrangements with the Guyana Government.

This past week, the Alliance for Change (AFC) renewed criticism of the practice of sole sourcing drugs from new GPC. The party leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, had accused the Minister of Health of dodging questions on the matter and as a result he said that such questions will be posed at the parliamentary level when the House convenes.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Shadow Minster of Health, Dr. George Norton, had also leveled claims against the ability and capacity of the New GPC to supply the quality and quantity of drugs required.

“We are still in the situation where health centres are without their quota of basic drugs. We are encountering piles of expired drugs during our examinations…Patients are not getting the prescribed drugs at the public health facilities, they have to purchase them from private pharmaceutical agencies,” he said.

According to Dr. Norton, other local companies should be given the opportunity to bid for the supply of drugs to public health facilities.

And on Sunday, former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, in a scathing attack on the party, leveled claims of corruption against those closely affiliated with the party.

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, called the comments by Ramkarran “damning” but said that the party has not as a collective addressed the matter and will issue a formal response in due course.

Ramkarran, in accusing the party, had said that “since the last elections several revelations have emerged of corrupt, and even potentially criminal activities by persons currently or previously associated with the PPP and who have friends in the leadership or access thereto…Corruption has become so pervasive that it is no longer possible to keep the evidence away from the press and the police.”

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 11

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Piracy on the Corentyne River a worrying situation - Region 6 Chairman Region Six Chairman, David Armogan, has expressed concern over the piracy situation along the Corentyne River. He sees it as “a worrying situation.”

He said that the ‘B’ Division Police had explained why they do not go too in depth in their investigative measures to find and bring the perpetrators of hijackings to justice.

So as it appears, he noted,

the Surinamese police are the ones who are tasked with getting to the bottom of these crimes.

More recently, the bodies of two fishermen, who were tortured and tossed overboard by pirates in Suriname waters on June 12, 2013, were recovered two days later and buried immediately because they were in an advanced stage of decomposition.

Dead were the captain of the hijacked boat, Nazim ‘Fineman’ Shakim, 28, of Lot 17 ‘A’ Belvedere, Corentyne and “Counsellor” (only name given) of Annandale, East Coast Demerara.

Armogan believes that what has to happen is that Guyana has to work closer with the Surinamese authorities. “Our police force here has to work closer, so we too can have some amount of

presence on the river, rather than depend solely on Suriname’s armed forces to patrol the river.”

He noted, too, that there was talk to equip the fishermen with radios, “but unfortunately that idea has not come to fruition as yet and I hope that something can be done very quickly….”

Another idea that was touted, he explained, was to issue firearms to fishermen to

Cop in “Globe Yard shooting” gets bail from Chief Justice A constable who was remanded for allegedly shooting a man without plausible reason and for being in possession of illegal ammunition was on Friday last granted bail by Chief Justice Ian Chang.

When the charges were first read to him by the Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court, Dawson pleaded not guilty.

On February 18, on Waterloo Street at the “Globe Yard” the defendant discharged a loaded firearm with intent to injure Phillip Small and was found with illegal ammunition in his possession.

The accused is also charged with damage to property.

When the appeal was made before Chief Justice Ian Chang, the defendant was granted $100,000 bail for the discharging of a loaded firearm, $75,000 bail for the illegal possession of firearm and $50,000 bail for damage to property.

Court documents revealed that on the said date, the defendant who is a serving member of the Guyana Police Force, whilst performing duties, entered the Globe Yard on Waterloo Street.

It is alleged that Dawson discharged three live rounds at Phillip Small, two of which hit him on his foot.

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 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 and that he and not the victim as he claimed, damaged the bulletproof vest he was wearing.

Attorney at law, Lyndon Amsterdam who rose in the constable’s defence, 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 weren’t and return them to the Guyana Police Force.”

Dawson’s matter was transferred to the court of Magistrate Judy Latchman and trial is expected to begin on July 18.

take with them when they go out to sea. He stated that the idea is still being negotiated with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Ministry of Home Affairs as well as the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op Society.

“I don’t know if that will solve the problem because we have also seen that where people have guns, the criminals take them away from the people and so get more arms…But if it is one thing that can help the fishermen…we need to fast track and look at it very quickly.”

He is calling for a “speedier intervention to resolve the problems that these people are facing.”

Armogan noted the piracy continuing unabated in Corentyne R i v e r “ a n d i t ’s a v e r y worrying situation and it is having a very serious impact on the fishing industry in that a lot of them are afraid to go out with their boats especially at nights to do fishing and if this situation is not brought to some amount of control, I think the fishing industry in this region will suffer some blows.

David Permaul He noted that the government has a duty to protect the people, but that there is a major problem.

Guyanese fishermen are operating in Suriname waters.

“A lot of licences that they acquire to do fishing are from the Surinamese authorities, so a lot of these crimes are happening on those Suriname waters.” He stated that it is a difficult situation to control. “When we want to investigate our law does not permit it—because it is out of the jurisdiction. The crime is often committed in the vicinity of the Surinamese jurisdiction.”

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Government admits inability to investigate Money Laundering …suspicious transactions reported to FIU filed away

Minister of legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall (left) along with Junior Finance Minister Bishop Juan Edghill (right) and PPP Executive Secretary Zulfikar Mustapha Government officials have for the first time conceded a woeful inability to investigate money laundering in Guyana.

Yesterday, two Ministers added that ‘suspicious transactions’ that are reported to the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Ministry of Finance, are merely filed and stored for ‘future use.’

Attorney General and Minster of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall and Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, addressing media operatives while at the party’s headquarters,’ Freedom House, on Robb Street, said that there are a lot of powers vested in a number of institutions locally to investigate money laundering.

Asked about Guyana’s ability to investigate Money Laundering, Minister Nandlall told media operatives, “Whether we

have the capacity to investigate or exercise those powers is a different matter.”

He explained that the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act that came into force in 2009, is based on a special model.

“Money laundering legislation is not the ordinary type of legislation; they invest in authorities named in the legislation a tremendous plenitude of powers and investigative capacity.”

He said that while there are powers vested in the various institutions such as the Guyana Police Force and the Director of Public Prosecutions, “Guyana like many countries in Caribbean do not have much of what it takes to investigate these matters.”

He suggested that equipping the relevant agencies with the requisite

resources is a tremendous task.

“Guyana,” he said, “is not singular in its inability to find all the financial resources that are necessary to make this body fully operational.”

The Minister added that at the level of the administration it is committed “to do that which is necessary.”

He drew reference to a recent workshop spearheaded under the auspices of the British High Commission that dealt with the confiscation of proceeds of crime under the money laundering legislation.

That workshop was held to launch “a guide” on the confiscation of such proceeds.

It was attended by several high ranking officials of the Guyana Police Force, staffers of the Director of Public Prosecutions and by the

Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, among others.

According to Nandlall, placing the country in a position to adequately deal with the investigations of money laundering is an ongoing process and pointed to the amendments currently before the Special Parliamentary Select Committee as a part of that process.

He said that the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce (CFATF) is quite aware of the status of Guyana and points to the fact that there was a high level delegation in Guyana earlier this year.

He said too that for close to two years now Guyana has been submitting semi-annual reports to CFATF. “We are on continuous examination and assessment,” said Nandlall who added that it is as a result of this ongoing assessment

that Guyana was handed a number of recommendations that were presented in the form of the current legislative amendments.

“They (CFATF) are aware and we are aware, but what is important is the will on the part of Government to execute the mandate under the legislation.”

Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill who was asked about the current status of Financial Intelligence Unit under the Ministry of Finance and the status of “suspicious transactions,” said that the unit will have to be upgraded in terms of capacity.

He said that derived from the fact that Government is looking to amend the principal legislation is that there is a realization “that other things need to be done.”

According to Bishop Edghill, there will have to be an increase in the staffing strength of the unit, as well as have greater financial allocations provided.

This, he said, has to be taken into the context of “how

we envisage the gravity and level of money laundering, we can’t just speculate that it is so rampant.”

Regarding the suspicious reports submitted to the FIU, Bishop Edghill said that it is collected, stored and “they have the necessary framework for the sharing of the information for further action.”

The Financial Intelligence Unit of Guyana is an autonomous body responsible for requesting, receiving, analyzing and disseminating of suspicious transactio n r e p o r t s a n d other information relating t o m o n e y laundering, terrorist financing or the proceeds of crime.

It was established and operates within the ambit of the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 and its Regulations.

Its mandate is to facilitate the detection, prevention and deterrence of money laundering and financing of terrorist activity in Guyana.

Man jailed for beating wife Another man who decided that his wife was a punching bag has been punished for his actions. He had dealt the woman a licking following a misunderstanding between the two.

The man Suresh Ramphal, 46, of Doctor Bush, Albion, Corentyne, Berbice a father of nine, is accused of beating his wife, Sheonitree Sheomber, called Anita, on Wednesday June 19, last, at their home.

He appeared before Magistrate Roby Benn on

Friday at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court and pleaded guilty to the charge of assault.

Prosecutor, Sergeant Phillip Sheriff, told the court that on the day in question, the man returned home and met his wife lying in a hammock. After a while an argument ensued and he proceeded to beat the woman about her body, in the interim throwing her to the ground where the beating continued with a piece of wire.

The matter was reported

and he was arrested and charged.

In court he pleaded for leniency. He told the Magistrate, “Me and she got problems and me son beat me.” However prosecutor Sheriff informed the court that he was previously charged with a similar offence.

The Magistrate ordered that he pay a fine of $10,000 with an alternative of two weeks in jail.

Ramlall immediately informed the court that he has no money and was jailed.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Government unlikely to pull contracts from security firm …police preparing to charge owner over stolen OLPF laptops Investigators are expected to lay charges shortly against the owner of Strategic Action Security Limited, a prominent security firm, after millions of dollars of suspected stolen items were found in his Queenstown property last week.

Among them were laptops confirmed stolen last August from the Queenstown office of the government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF).

The administration said that while it cannot legally terminate the state contracts awarded to the company, current legal troubles could affect whether new security contracts are awarded in the future.

Both Attorney General Anil Nandlall, and Junior Finance Minister, Juan Edghill, made it clear yesterday that the termination of any of Strategic Action’s contracts is not likely to happen anytime soon.

According to Nandlall, the appropriate response now has to come from the police, who are charged with investigating crimes. He also said that the Constitution provides that an accused be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The AG insisted that Government does not want to convey the impression that it is supporting any wrongdoings. At the same time, the administration would be placing itself in an awkward

Police vehicles at the Laluni Street, Queenstown, office of Strategic Action during the raid last Wednesday. legal position by taking preemptive actions at this time.

Minister Edghill went further, pointing out that the security firm won the contract under established procurement process.

However, the Minister said, any future contract might be affected as the security firm will have to disclose as part of the bidding process, any current legal troubles or other litigations. The bids are assessed on the merits of the answers.

Police officials yesterday called for persons, especially

on the West Bank of Demerara area, who may have lost stuff during burglaries, to check with La Grange Police Station to see whether some of the items may be theirs.

According to police sources close to the investigation, investigators want to ensure that they build an airtight case against the security official.

Police arrested Richard Kanhai, the main principal of Strategic Action Security Limited, last Wednesday evening following a raid on the Laluni Street, Queenstown office of the security firm. The company

reportedly has a number of contracts with Government to provide security services to state properties, especially in Region Two. Reports are that a police team, comprising ranks from the city and West Demerara area, raided the Queenstown property after receiving information that stolen items were sold to someone there.

Apparently, several homes on West Demerara were broken into during a spate of burglaries. A number of persons arrested for the burglaries fingered the security company’s official as the buyer.

However, at the Queenstown property, police got the surprise of their lives after stumbling on several flat screen TVs and reportedly laptops marked with the OLPF logo stashed in a separate building. Also found were a plough and reportedly a power supply bearing

markings of the Ministry of Health.

A police Canter truck removed the items from another property in the Laluni Street compound and arrested Kanhai and a number of others. The items were all recovered from a back building in the yard that was heavily secured.

More than 100 of the laptops had disappeared from the OLPF’s Queenstown bond last August. Although no one was arrested, several staffers of the OLPF were placed under lie detector tests. But there were no signs of the missing laptops until about seven or eight were found last week at the security firm’s premises.

The laptops are reportedly part of the 90,000 that government is distributing, over a three year period to poor families.

AIR-TIGHT CASE According to police sources yesterday, they are working hard to ensure that they gather all evidence and tie up loose ends in order to prosecute the case.

Over the weekend the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM), an arm of the Opposition’s A Partnership For National

Richard Kanhai Unity (APNU) demanded that Government withdraw all state contracts awarded to Strategic Action Security.

According to Christopher Jones, Chairman of GYSM, the pulling of the contracts would prove if indeed President Donald Ramotar is serious about stamping out corruption.

Jones said that Strategic Action Security receives about 90 percent of state contracts, to the tune of millions of dollars, to secure Government buildings, including schools and hospitals.

“When we were reviewing 2013 estimates in the Committee of Supply it was observed by Members of Parliament that Strategic Action Security provides security for almost all Government buildings under every Ministry. This situation is not new, this also happened under the Ninth Parliament, I am told,” Jones stated.

Barima couple, infant airdashed to city with burns A young couple and an infant were air-dashed to the city yesterday with burns following a mishap at Black Water, Barima, North West District.

Hospital sources identified the victims as 17year-old Sherri David; Kevin Savoury, 30, and five-month-

old Karissa.

According to reports, a nephew of the couple was lighting a fire when he accidentally poured gasoline on the flames. The couple and their baby were burned in the ensuing explosion, with the mother being the most severely injured.

They are being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Kaieteur News

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APNU wants key agreements on hydro project …hopes for more openness after road tour T

h e c o u n t r y ’s major opposition coalition bloc, APNU, says that it would be requiring key project documents on the Amaila Falls hydro project and on the road being built to the Falls.

After repeated requests, the government last weekend facilitated a visit by APNU and the other opposition Parliamentary party, AFC, to various sections of the road being built to Amaila Falls.

According to APNU, the government was willing to provide adequate answers to questions asked, but more information would be required.

“This engagement is a good beginning in what we hope will set the standard for openness in the provision of timely and critical information relating to projects which affect this nation,” said Joseph Harmon, a leading executive of APNU. Ronald Bulkan, another executive of APNU who was on the tour, said that the agreement with China Railway to build the actual hydro power plant to the cost of US$506 million, would be asked for by APNU. The main opposition party would also be interested in seeing the Power Purchase Agreement with the Guyana Power and Light Company, which will reveal if indeed electricity costs would go down.

For the construction of the hydro plant, APNU said that it would be interested in seeing the extent to which locals would be employed on the project.

This concern has arisen from the fact that the leader of the Amerindian Village of Kaburi, through which the road passes, asked China Rail about employment of his people in Section Seven of the road, but was told that the time frame for the project would not make that possible.

Harmon said that is what the village leader told them, but that the Minster of Public Wo r k s R o b e s o n B e n n suggested that there were other ways that the village could benefit from the overall project.

Harmon said that he was not sure if the position taken

by China Rail was the final position of the company on the road project.

But for the larger hydro project, he declared that local labour must be involved and if not that the contract should be

renegotiated.

“This is not grant money we are talking about here.

This is a loan which we are taking and we are requiring the people of this country, we, our children, and our children’s children to be paying that back.

“So there must some benefit which must accrue to the Guyanese people up front,” Harmon stated.

China Development Bank and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) are lined up as the key financiers of the hydro project.

Financing for the project hinges on a due diligence being currently done by the IDB and the satisfaction of certain conditions established by the Chinese bank, Harmon stated.

During last weekend’s visit, the opposition came to the consensus that the cost for building the road to Amaila Falls could double and that the year-end deadline to complete could very well be missed.

Completion of the road is one of the key benchmarks that have to be met for the government to secure financing for the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, which it says will provide cheap power to spur development and make it lighter on the pockets of ordinary electricity consumers.

Harmon said that China Rail’s contract to complete Section Seven of the road is US$8.5 million. This adds to the US$6.2 million which was given to the first contractor – Fip Motilall, the man who was awarded the entire project by the government of former President Bharrat Jagdeo.

The entire project should have cost US$15.4 million,

An artist’s impression of the completed Amaila Hydro Power Plant. according to the original contract given to Motilall.

When Motilall buckled under the weight of the project, he was fired by the current Donald Ramotar government. The project was then put in the hands of various contractors to complete the seven sections of the road.

Pasha Engineering was awarded Section Seven of the road, which is a 48.8 kilometre stretch from the Kuribrong River to Amaila Falls. He too failed on the project, but not before he was already given US$1.5 million, Harmon stated.

So, at this point, the cost

of building Section Seven alone is now estimated to cost US$11.2 million.

As a result, Harmon suggested that the original contract sum of US$15.4 million cannot be the figure envisioned at this time, and he put a rough estimate of the final cost to be almost US$30 million.

In 2012, the government put the total cost of the project at $3.92 billion and of that sum requested $2.35 billion. This was approved by the National Assembly.

Of the amount granted, the government said $2 billion was actually spent.

This year, the

government curiously revised the total project cost for the road at $5.23 billion and requested a further $2.35 billion, which was again approved by the National Assembly.

In the original contract, Motilall was required to cut the path for the transmission line which will take the power from Amaila Falls to the various distribution points. Harmon said the new contracts to the various

contractors does not make provision for cutting this path for the transmission line, adding further uncertainty to the cost of the entire project.

He said that Sithe Global, the developers of the hydro project, would be responsible for cutting the transmission line.

Of the sections of the road that are behind schedule, Section Seven is the more uphill task, suggested Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, another senior executive of APNU who was on the site Saturday.

In this section alone, Harmon says 58 bridges have to be built, including one across the Kuribrong River.

He said that all the contractors on the project have underestimated the scope and nature of the works and they face massive hurdles in meeting the December 30 deadline to complete the work.

According to Harmon, the contractors face the problem of frequent rainfall, and in cases where there is good weather, there is insufficient equipment to accelerate work.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 17

Page 18

Kaieteur News

There is no urgent national security threat - Police Officers

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee

- accuses Home Affairs Minister of creating fear

By Dale Andrews Some Assistant Commissioners of the Guyana Police Force are convinced that Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, is creating fear in the society to justify his decision to arbitrarily curtail their annual vacation leave.

The officers are adamant

that from the standpoint of the main law enforcement and intelligence agency in Guyana, there is no evidence of a security threat that would necessitate them giving up half their leave for a third straight year.

The Minister, responding to concerns expressed by the officers over what they described as him taking

civilian oversight of the Guyana Police Force too far, had stated that fear over the country’s peace and good order is what has caused him to manage how senior police officers go on leave.

“It is to be noted that the current political and public order climate needs to be monitored closely as threats to the maintenance of peace

and good order in Guyana continue to be made by the political opposition.

“This is demonstrated by their support for the call made by Mr. Mark Benschop to ‘begin finding ways to shut the country down, either by blocking all roads, highways, bridges, airports’, in his protest against the proposed increase in

electricity rates,” Rohee said in a statement last week.

H o w e v e r t h i s explanation only served to infuriate the officers who now believe that the Minister had no intention of returning their situation to normal, following the 2011 general elections.

Rohee agreed that senior officers of the Guyana Police Force are indeed eligible for 42 days Annual Vacation Leave.

“There must be a high level of proficiency and response capability within the Force in case of any eventuality, since given the experiences at Linden and Agricola, the political opposition cannot be deemed trustworthy in so far as the maintenance of peace and good order in Guyana is concerned,” Rohee charged.

The group of concerned Assistant Commissioners stated that all other ranks are being granted their full leave, including those who have accumulated leave.

All of this is despite the Minister saying that there is a threat of instability.

Some senior officers who spoke to this newspaper yesterday, refusing to be identified out of fear of victimization said that the explanation proffered by the Minister “cannot hold water”.

“Many people are saying that we are hiding behind anonymity, but all of us know what the minister is capable of doing. He has done it before,” the Assistant Commissioner added.

They explained that there are adequate provisions and guidelines to allow for the smooth running of the Guyana Police Force at all times, even when a crisis occurs and senior officers are on leave.

Kaieteur News was told that all officers are reminded in their leave letter that should the need arise, they can be recalled from their vacation whether it is being spent overseas or locally.

“So there is no need for

the Minister to say that, use the excuse of pending threats to justify curtailing our leave. We have had critical situations in the past and we never had a deferral of part of our leave for three years,” one officer explained.

There is no mention of the officers being paid in lieu of the deferred leave and according to one Assistant Commissioner this poses a problem when the time comes for them to retire from the Force.

In many cases officers had racked up hundreds of days in leave and end up remaining on the Force strength even after they have retired.

Another area of concern for the officers is the Minister’s insinuation that Assistant Commissioners are the only ranks capable of carrying out command and other senior duties.

The Minister had declared in his statement that consideration must be given to maintaining adequate levels of command in the Guyana Police Force at all times.

“Is he saying that if an Assistant Commissioner is on his full leave, a Senior Superintendent cannot function as a Commander?” one officer asked.

Another officer explained that what is happening now is counterproductive to the succession planning of the Guyana Police Force, since the Commanders’ deputies are not being given the opportunity to function in the command position for extended periods, so that a proper assessment of their capabilities can be made.

“This same Deputy will someday be promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner but we are not preparing him for the position. This is a situation that has been created in the force for quite some time now and that is why there is so much inefficiency in the organization,” a former senior police officer opined.

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 19

UG staff to protest until demands are met - Accuses Vice Chancellor of taking decisions not in the best interest of institution.

By Rabindra Rooplall With chants of “No money, no work,” the staff of the University of Guyana (UG) yesterday continued their protest to address what t h e y c a l l t h e mismanagement of the tertiary institution.

Issues raised in the protest ranged from staff not being able to access drinking water because of no petty cash, to non-payments of all deductions for social security, credit union, pension, income tax and insurance deductions.

Some of the placards read: “Dear God please step down and save UG,” “Union Power No Dictator,” “Here Lies University of Guyana Born-1963; Died yesterday RIP,” “ If you are here for the Money Go home,” “To help UG is to help all our children,” “To educate is to liberate for nation building,” and “Workers power versus dictatorship.”

The staff at the institution plans to strike all week and if necessary, shut the institution down until some semblance of respect for the staff members is met, beginning with their salaries being paid on time.

“The University doesn’t have money; it doesn’t even have money to run its departments. There are some

departments that don’t even have water. Not even a leaky roof is fixed because no funds are available to purchase basic materials.

Even repairs to computers and purchase of ink and paper cannot be done because of lack of funding,” staff lamented.

Underscoring that the stores have been depleted of supplies, staff members noted that until the University’s Vice Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi approves such transactions then funds are released. However, since the Nigeria-born naturalised national of Trinidad and Tobago was appointed Vice Chancellor in December 2012 and began operation in February 2013 he has mismanaged his portfolio.

“All the university does is hustle to pay us and our benefits like the NIS and other benefits are not dealt with and paid over. It is such a bad situation that the person acting in the accountant position is even afraid to make basic decisions,” another staff noted. The staff further explained that their perspectives are not even being solicited in finding solutions to the challenges for the institution although many persons have valuable opinions.

“The Vice Chancellor even wants to close down the

Workers with placards showing their disapproval of the present conditions at the university.

Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) because of claims that the sector is not making any money. This is being contemplated without even speaking with respective staff to seek better options or to inquire if the accounts have been properly audited.

Rash decisions are being made without logical solutions.”

According to other staff, the authorities are claiming that inflation is being kept at bay and calls for increased salaries are undue. The University is an autonomous body but unfortunately the staff source of income is being derived from the Government. The fees of the institution have not been raised which would be one way of ensuring the budget is

balanced, but the heavy reliance on Government, forces systems to work against each other.

“Only recently we had to change the fiscal and academic year to accommodate the government year because of fiscal inflows,” one staff member noted. “We have serious financial problems in spending and gaining income.”

The staff further accused t h e U n i v e r s i t y ’s Vi c e Chancellor of taking decisions not in the best interest of the institution.

“He has not succeeded in pushing the government into more funding for the university, not even gaining support of the council which needs to support his decisions.”

“People turn up at the

credit union and could not get a loan. If you get sick and go to NIS, people are not getting benefits along with other agencies with claims being made by staff.”

The staff underscored that stray dogs on occasions even attack workers. There are other unsatisfactory conditions that the workers’ unions plan to take up with the relevant authorities pertaining to the Occupational Health and Safety assessment.

The University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU) and Senior Staff

Association, (UGSSA), together, plan to take legal action on behalf of their members.

Vi c e C h a n c e l l o r Professor Jacob Opadeyi was not in the country to give a comment on measures being taken to ensure workers are paid on time.

Nevertheless, reports disclosed that on average $60 million is provided monthly to the university.

However, this is inadequate since more funding is needed to pay part-time lecturers, retirees, staff taking study leave and gratuities.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Den Amstel koker fails to close, floods low lying areas A

faulty koker which failed to close after a high tide which lashed the coast of Dem Amstel resulted in some low lying areas being flooded by sea water.

According to residents, about 2:00 hours yesterday, they were awakened by the rushing sound of water which quickly began to fill their homes.

When Kaieteur News visited the community, many residents were seen cleaning their houses. When further checks were made at the Dem Amstel koker, workers were seen trying to close the koker door.

Claudette Lyken of Sidney Isaacs Avenue which is a few meters away from the Den Amstel koker, said that the water began rushing into the gutters and nearby drains before it rushed into the yards.

Lyken added that koker attendants were immediately summoned to the site.

“The water began to run down the stream. We here a

little high and people start get up and we go over and help them bail water and put up them things up,” Lyken explained.

She added that workers at the pump worked in the dark tiredly trying to close the koker which was not going all the way down.

The woman said that the sea defence is undermined adding that the residents fear that it might one day break away and sweep the entire community in the sea.

Leroy James, of lot 35 Back Street, Den Amstel, said that his home, business and small scale farm came under flood resulting in a 20pound turkey dying.

James added that around 3:00 am he went to the washroom and discovered that the entire house was standing in more than a foot of water. He said that he immediately began to release his goats and other animals that were not able to find higher grounds like the chickens.

“This thing could have been worse. We living in

Men working on trying to close the koker

Guyana, we got to expect flood but we could prevent these things from happening; all (the koker) needs is regular maintenance”, James said.

James added that his worst fear is if the koker problems are not rectified

A flooded room in one home at Den Amstel and another catastrophe occurs; the situation could be worse than what has already happened.

The shaken man also noted that his kitchen garden was inundated with the sea

water. He also fears for an epidemic due to the fact that many residents who were flooded used latrines.

Another resident who was at a shop explained that in 2005 a pump which was installed in the area to pump out flood water was removed recently and sent to another location.

Elsa Stoby, of lot 19 New Housing Scheme, Den Amstel, said that her entire house was under water but luckily none of her appliances was damaged because they were on pallets.

Stoby added that the water “swirled” in and within two minutes it had already made its way into the home.

Although it had been suggested that the flooding was caused by the faulty koker door and the undermined sea defence, some residents were adamant on blaming the staffers responsible for opening and closing the koker doors for the

inundation.

According to one resident, while he sought information about the flooding, he was informed by the Village Chairman George Nedd that “a piece of wood got stuck in the koker and it was unable to fully shutdown”.

The man added that when he prolonged the questioning, the Chairman disclosed that the staffers “woke up late” and therefore closed the koker late.

According to his report, by the time the staffers arrived, the area was already submerged with sea water.

The concerned resident added that the situation had occurred last week but the flooding was not so severe.

This was just one of many residents who complained that the village chairman was aware of the constant flooding. He said that many community meetings were held to highlight the issues raised but to no avail.

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Ex-Coast Guard ranks murder trial...

A

s s i s t a n t Superintendent of Police, Trevor Reid, was another witness who testified that he had arrested the mother of Deon Greenidge, with a bag containing a large quantity of money. Deon Greenidge, Sherwin Hart and Devon Gordon are all charged with the 2009 murder of Bartica gold miner Dwieve Kant

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Detective testifies to finding $5.5M in La Penitence house

Ramdass. The matter is currently being heard before Justice Franklyn Holder at the Suddie High Court.

The three accused are being represented by attorney at law Latchmie Rahamat. Senior Prosecutor Judith Gildharie- Mursalin is representing the state.

Reid in his evidence in chief told the court that he is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department.

According to the witness on August 20, 2009 he had travelled to La Grange Police Station where he interviewed Sherwin Hart’s brother Shawn Ageday, and Leroy Lloyd.

According to Reid the two were arrested after the police found large sums of money in their possession.

He said that he later went to the Leonora Police Station where he spoke to Deputy

Superintendent of Police, Terrace Paul.

Reid said that he then went to East La Penitence.

The witness further told the court that once he arrived at Lot 166 Middle Road, La Penitence he spoke to one Yvonne Beckles.

Reid said that the allegation was put to the woman, who is the mother of Deon Greenidge. The woman, according to the

witness, left and went into the home and brought out a bag. He said that at the top of the bag was a jersey covering it. Once it was removed, Reid told the court that bag was filled with money. The woman was later taken to the Criminal Investigation Department, along with Greenidge.

He said that the money was marked and he had also caused it to be photographed. A count of the money revealed that it was some $5.5M. The cash was lodged with the police but was later handed over to the owner.

Under cross examination by the defence lawyer Reid denied the suggestion that any of the men were beaten in his presence or by him.

The lawyer also questioned Reid about whether he had checked the serial number for the money. The witness admitted that he never checked the serial numbers.

The two Privates and a Lance Corporal were manning the Coast Guard RC 12 motor boat in the Essequibo River, when they allegedly confronted Ramdass in a boat at the Parika Stelling.

The former soldiers took Ramdass allegedly into their boat and transported him to another location in the river where they relieved him of $17M in cash which he was carrying in a box to Bartica for his employer, who operated a gold and diamond business in the city. The trial continues today.

Cops release slain soldier’s lover

P

olice appear to be no closer to finding how Guyana Defence Force Lance Corporal Akini Sampson ended up with a fractured skull in a locked house.

Investigators had been focusing on a woman who was said to be the slain s o l d i e r ’s l o v e r, a f t e r receiving reports that Sampson and the woman’s husband had at least three recent altercations over her.

But they were forced to release her from custody on Thursday after finding nothing to link her to his death. Kaieteur News understands that the woman

denied being married and police have failed to locate the alleged husband.

Some of Sampson’s relatives had claimed that the woman was seen entering his house last week Wednesday, which is the last day that he was seen alive.

Sampson was found lying face-down in his bed around 01:00 hrs last week Friday.

A post mortem revealed that he had been struck twice in the head and had suffered a fractured skull. Death was due to shock and haemorrhage. Investigators believe that he knew his killer and may have let the individual in.

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Beaten woman gives police detailed statement

R

obeson Benn Jr who has been accused of raping and violently beating his 27 year old ex- girlfriend at her apartment in the wee hours of Sunday morning, has now claimed that he was invited into the woman’s home and that the intercourse was consensual.

The police have received a detailed statement from the woman who stated that she was violently beaten and raped by the young man.

The woman gave her statement to the police yesterday in the presence of attorney Nigel Hughes. She was also examined by a doctor who has since forwarded his report to the police. Kaieteur News was told that the young man has also given a statement to the police in which he claims that he was invited into the home by the young woman.

It is unclear what he has said in regard to the injuries the woman sustained. When Kaieteur News visited the woman on Sunday, her face was swollen, her eyes were bloodshot and she was crying out for pain in her head.

…ALSO ALLEGES RAPE Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell announced on Sunday night that he has launched an investigation into the alleged assault of the 27-year-old woman by Benn. The commissioner said that any report of this nature was a serious one and would not be taken lightly by the police.

The alleged victim said that Benn who was brandishing a gun, repeatedly punched her in the face and stomach after forcing his way into her home at around 04:00 hrs on Sunday. The man, according to the woman, sexually assaulted her.

But in his statement to the police, Robeson Benn Jr denied that any gun was involved.

Bruises were clearly visible on the woman’s face and upper body, and her eyes were bloodshot when she spoke to media operatives at her home on Sunday. The woman had severed a relationship with the official’s son and had made several reports that he had

physically abused her.

The woman said that she was in bed when she heard a knock on the door. She said that she was expecting a relative who was spending time with her, so she opened t h e d o o r, o n l y t o b e confronted by her exboyfriend.

The woman said she immediately tried to shut the door but the younger Benn forced his way in.

She said that after she

kept insisting that he leave, Benn became annoyed and began punching her to her face and about the body, leaving her entire face swollen and her upper body badly bruised. Things escalated and he allegedly sexually assaulted her. The woman estimated that her ordeal lasted about 20 minutes before her exboyfriend left.

Afterwards the injured woman said that she

contacted close friends who took her to the Alberttown Police Station. However, officers there told her that she should make a report at the Brickdam Police Station.

She alleged that when she attempted to file her complaint with an officer, the rank, whom she identified, left to go into a room and never came outside. “We were waiting there for about an hour and a half and no one came to me

so I left”.

According to the woman, she then returned home. She alleged that her attacker then called to find out how she was doing. “He called me later in the morning asking if I was ok and I hung up the phone.” The woman has shown this newspaper the call records.

Later in the afternoon friends again encouraged her to get a medical report and return to the police station.

She said she then went to the Georgetown Public Hospital. The woman had (Continued on page 25)

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 25

Food safety imperative to local and regional development - PAHO “

Unsafe food practices are quite common and can be easily pointed out in the local market places especially considering the way meat is handled and stored,” said Dr Sandra Vokaty, Veterinary Public Health Advisor to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

She was speaking during a workshop to strengthen the Caribbean countries’ capacity to regulate food safety.

Dr Vokaty maintained that refrigeration is imperative to eliminating and preventing harmful bacteria from contaminating eatables such as meat and fish.

She insisted that what is most important than enforcing food safety policies is prevention of unhealthy food practices.

“Doing things properly all along so that you prevent food outbreak and people from getting sick…

Laboratory inspection and policing are is very basis to ensure this.”

Food safety, she says, is essential to growth and sustenance of the tourism industry in Guyana and the Caribbean.

“Food safety is a very important element to tourism, because if tourists inquire and find that there has been an outbreak or something in a particular place or country they might not actually go there.”

“The needs are different in different countries; countries that export food have different needs to countries that import e v e r y t h i n g … H o w e v e r, public health committees need to mobilise to ensure that goods and meat on s h e l v e s i n t h e

supermarkets and abattoir or expired or unsafe in any way.”

T h e PA H O H e a l t h advisor is advocating that “there shouldn’t be higher standard for exported goods than that which is supplied to the local market places.”

Local food safety expert, Dr Mark Pierre, pointed out the importance of workshops and training for development of the food safety network in Guyana.

“We have developed at a certain level but we still have ground to cover. We have developed a quite efficient traceability study. We are doing a lot of work on the laws of Guyana but in the meantime, we have to continue training people as policing places a big part in terms of ensuring compliance.”

Dr Pierre said that while there is local task force in place, “we need to double the manpower.”

The three-day workshop got underway at the Grand Coastal Inn. The initiative was put on

by Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and Health Canada in association with the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday.

Participants included officers from food safety services units from seven Caribbean countries and Guyana. They came from among the administrative staff from the Ministry of Health and Agriculture Ministry or parallel organisations.

The workshop incorporated various aspects of food safety, technical training, a discussion on microbiological food hazards and an effective food safety system.

Beaten woman gives...

From page 23 spoken to Kaieteur News in April about a similar beating she had allegedly received at the hands of Benn. . She had stated that the relationship started in July 2012 and the abuse started soon after.

She said that she still stayed in the relationship, even though friends warned her not to.

The woman was beaten severely last October and had to be taken to a private City hospital for medical

treatment. According to her she was required to take a CT scan. Less than a month later, the woman said she suffered a more severe beating.

At the time, she was in the early stages of pregnancy and was beaten so severely that she miscarried.

That incident happened at her home.

She said that she stabbed him once in self defence.

That matter was reported, but her attacker never pressed charges.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Four homeless after UGSSA awards failing Princes Street fire grade to Vice Chancellor

The scorched exterior of the structure A fire of unknown origin in the wee hours of Friday morning damaged a twostorey house in Princes Street, Lodge.

According to a source, about 3:30 hours the house located at Lot 46 Princes Street, Lodge, thick smoke was seen billowing from the building before occupants were evacuated from the premises.

The source added that it took a while for fire tenders

to respond but they were able to save the wooden and concrete structure from total destruction.

Pamela Singh, who resided at the top flat of the home, said that she was awakened by the smell of something burning. She said that it was coming from a hole in the floor.

She added that when further inspections were made she realized her entire house was in smoke and decided to

wake up the three other persons. The distraught woman further stated “I living here for 30 years and to know that everything you work for in this life was gone in 15 minutes”.

Singh added that she constantly contacted the fire service but she was unable reach them. She added that when she finally got them they arrived promptly.

She estimates her loss to be in the millions.

Magistrate threatens police rank -‘Indiscipline seems to be a pervading disease in the police force…’

Magistrate Alex Moore who is presiding over the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court threatened to detain “the next officer that sends a rude message. They will suffer severely for their insubordination and indiscipline.”

A number of cases were thrown out by the Magistrate yesterday because the court prosecutor could not locate the case file. She could not say also whether statements were available in the cases three months after the matters would have been called.

However, one case of particular interest did cause a ranking officer to be reprimanded by Magistrate Moore.

The Magistrate said, “I need to have a meeting with the ranks. I am tired of the indiscipline and fall backs. If I really deal with this matter there will be a lot of demotions. Indiscipline seems to be a pervading disease in the police force and I will continue to cite and arrest these issues as they affect me. I am not going to tolerate disrespect.”

Fuelling the Magistrate’s response was a matter

involving a defendant that was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

The prosecution was not in possession of the file. This then prompted the Magistrate to inquire about who brought the file before the court.

When inquiries were made by one of the court officers and the clerk, it was alleged that Lance Corporal Hercules expressed in a rude manner,, “I am in at Turkeyen I ain’t assigned to that.”

Upon hearing the rude response, the Magistrate ordered to see the ranking officer.

Corporal Hercules appeared before the court in the company of Assistant Superintendant and Sub divisional Officer, Ms. Robinson.

“There is a docket before me with no statement. The file is here and the defendant is not present. Attorney at Law Patrice Henry has been waiting here for a long time.

When an officer and clerk called you to inquire about the file in relation to these very questions, you sent a rude message to me.

“You sent a message

stating that you’re at Turkeyen and you can’t come because you ain’t dealing with the matter. The lawyer was asked to be at the court for 10 am and no prisoner is here and the prosecution doesn’t even have their copy of the file. What do you have to say about these allegations?” asked Magistrate Moore.

Hercules replied, “I told the officer and clerk that I am not assigned to the matter. I was instructed by Inspector Harper who is attending a seminar to take it to the court and that is it.”

The Magistrate then said before the court, “If that was explained then we would not have had this issue. Now I know who to direct my questions to. I have been saying time and again to ranking officers, take your time and present your work properly. “It is too often that officers waste the time of veteran seniors like Mr. Nigel Hughes and I am going to start detaining the faulted ranks for wasting the court’s time.”

After two hours of waiting, the defendant was finally brought before the court.

A failing grade has been awarded to recently appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Jacob Opadeyi, by the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA), for his inability to function in a crisis situation.

According to President of the Association, Dr. Pat Francis, although the Vice Chancellor is well qualified and has been bestowed with the reputation of raising funds at institutions he had previously been associated with, the situation at the local university is very different.

“I think that he has functioned in well run situations in the past but this situation at UG is totally different. It is crisis upon crisis; our politics is different and the whole structure of the university and its relationship to all of our stakeholders is very different to what I believe he has grown accustomed to.

Therefore at this point the Union is giving him an ‘F’.”

Dr. Francis, who along with other union executives was at the time sharing concerns about the state of the university at an emergency press conference at the University’s Turkeyen Campus Friday last, is optimistic that “he could recover.”

Alluding to the ever growing financial crisis of the tertiary institution, the UGSSA President made reference to a revolving student loan fund which was established by Government

several years ago.

Although designed to accrue interest to aid the functioning of the university, she noted that this has not been the case since a lot of students have not been repaying their loans.

However, the financial challenge should not be one placed on the shoulders of the university as according to Dr. Francis, “this (students’ loan) Unit only sits at the University but is not part of the University’s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n responsibility...”

She explained that “somehow or the other in the accounting done in the budget, it is placed in there as though it is, but it really is not...so the university finds itself where it is underfunded for many years.”

This plight remains, according to her, despite the fact that the Students’ Loan system was put in place to alleviate the very problem that exists.

“We have been going into debt little by little; even our pension, the Actuary had determined several years ago that significant money should have gone into taking us out of a hole but we headed to some kind of bad situation...They have never honoured that, so over the years the debt has grown until we are in this terrible state,” Dr. Francis lamented.

It was this development, according to her, that had prompted the government itself to start questioning the

UGSSA President, Dr. Pat Francis efficiency of the university’s operation. She expressed her belief that “at this point regardless of what the auditors find the debt that has been built up over the years has to be written off.”

This is necessary, Dr. Francis noted, if Government “really wants to give this Vice Chancellor a chance. They will have to write off that debt and then they will have to put money into this university at various levels.”

According to the UGSSA President it was her belief that Government would have already seen the importance of plugging money into a pool that would allow the university to invest into activities which would have by now yielded income.

“None of this has happened so we are going forward creating more and more debt...”

US$5M Micro and Small Enterprise Development

First tranche of resources to be released shortly – Ali Persons or groups interested in establishing micro and small businesses would soon be apprised of how to access financing under Government’s US$5M Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) Development project.

This is according to Tourism and Trade Minister, Irfaan Ali, who said that with the conclusion of some institutional arrangements, the first tranche of resources would be made available for the expansion and development of small businesses.

Ali said that the Small Business Bureau is in operation and the Small Business Council, which is the board, has been created.

However, neither the location of the bureau nor the criteria for accessing financing under the project was revealed to media operatives at the press conference.

According to Ali, such details would be disclosed at a public forum and via advertisements in the newspapers, shortly.

He said that the Ministry is currently in discussions with a company that wants to expand the apiculture industry in the hinterland region. “That company is not only looking at buying up all the honey available, but increasing our production capacity by financing small farmers in getting into the business and then buying up back all the honey produced from these honey farms,” Ali added. Last year April, when Government’s plan to launch this programme was introduced, Ali said that the investment fund would operate somewhat like the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Women of Worth (WOW) programme.

“If we look at Kwakwani

as an area that we are going to develop a poultry industry and we have resources through this Fund to finance and to help 10 small farmers each doing 1,000 chickens… you are talking about 10,000 chickens. We would bring them together as a small group so whilst they are small they can compete at another level.”

According to Ali, a large segment of Guyana’s business landscape comprises small businesses and Government wants to advance them as far as possible. A few months ago, Government signed a nonreimbursable agreement under the Guyana Redd+ Investment Fund (GRIF) to access US$5M for the development of small and micro enterprises with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as its partner entity.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

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2000 Tundra 4×4 3.4L V6 excellent condition: black with off-road package- call: 651-6050 Toyota Hilux pickup, extra cab 2L engine $3.2M- Call: 264-2682/649-0707 Lexus, Pitbull never registered- Call:655-0800/ 263-5300 1997 Ford F350 Canter truck: 14 feet enclosed box with glass case & food warmersCall:641-4708/ 612-9999

New 2013 Isuzu: D-Max single & double cabsCall:691-0234 Cheapest- Premio, Spacio, Hilux, Stick Gear Buses- Call: 616-7635 Toyota Fielder (2004): PMM series: Excellent condition: Silver blue exterior/ dark cloth interior: $2.5M negotiable- Call:266-5283 1 Toyota Tacoma 4x2 – 1997; $1.6 million; not registered Phone:265-2103, 611-0674 U n r e g i s t e r e d To y o t a Sienta 7 seats: 1500cc- Call: 617-5536

Ivico Truck with Hyab $3.5M, Toyota Hilux $2.2M: Prices negotiable- Call:6097803

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Tuesday June 25, 2013

1 RZ Toyota EFI, HH series: Good working condition: Price $775,000 (negotiable): Small Canter $325,000: Working condition- Call:6906327 Toyota Hilux 4×4, A/C, auto, leather seats, 3RZ engine: Asking $2.7M- Call:225-0398/ 623-1299/ 658-5097 1 Model M bush Truck 4x4 with winch GRR series Tele:226-9492 or 226-9485 office hours 1 Toyota Raum (Black) with body kit, rims, low mileage, first owner, late PKK Price:$1.4M negotiable call: 628-8799

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Tuesday June 18, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 29

ALBERT BALDEO TO FILE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TO DISMISS ALL CHARGES District Leader, Community activist and attorney Albert Baldeo will file several motions to dismiss the entire indictment filed against him.

His lawyers, Clayman and Rosenberg, expect Federal Judge Paul A. Crotty to carefully review the many legal arguments advanced and dismiss all charges filed against Mr. Baldeo.

This action follows what many legal experts call “an overreach by federal prosecutors, engaging in a crusade that was vindictive and discriminatory. The bedrock of the prosecution’s case is based solely on a handful of contradictory witnesses, all of whom were coerced to change their statements by the government, after being coerced into signing non prosecution agreements.

There is not a shred of independent or reliable evidence against Mr. Baldeo.”

In motions to dismiss to be filed and heard in federal court, Baldeo’s lawyers have advanced various legal arguments urging the Judge to toss the charges out. Some motions will address the fact that the Baldeo campaign had withdrawn its application to receive matching funds and had not received any public dollars, that Baldeo was being targeted and selectively prosecuted, that the prosecution’s theory is based on speculation, bias, conjecture, and a misunderstanding and misapplication of the archaic campaign finance laws, that they had crossed the bounds of proprietary in bringing the charges and that they had no venue or jurisdiction to institute them in Manhattan.

Other arguments call for dismissal of the charges based on the law that Baldeo should never have been prosecuted, and that establishment candidates who had committed more

Albert Baldeo egregious violations, only had to pay fines in administrative proceedings before the Campaign Finance Board, and not suffer criminal actions.

The Daily News previously reported that a group of community leaders has called the Baldeo charges a “witch hunt, and sends the wrong message to minorities that they will be vilified and

destroyed if they run for office.”

These charges are unprecedented in City Council campaigns, and have never been brought before in federal court.

In a recent press release, the group stated, “It is a regrettable American tragedy that District Leader Albert Baldeo, his family and his community are forced to pay a political price for their laudable convictions and efforts in trying to bring about long overdue attention, resources and recognition to their district.

This capricious action violates our time honored right to run for public office, the corresponding rights of our constituents to vote for candidates of their choice and the very foundations of democracy our nation was built on. Accordingly, we implore fair minded citizens, good government groups and others to condemn and remedy this grave injustice.”

Basic Needs readies for next round of projects

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The roundtable, which takes place at the Ministry of Education Board Room, is expected to act as a precursor for further discussions at the actual launch workshop on Thursday and Friday, at the Roraima Duke Lodge.

BNTF is a grant-funded programme of CDB, a key instrument for addressing poverty reduction by providing access to basic infrastructure and services such as water and sanitation in rural and urban communities in 10 participating countries (Guyana, Belize, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the

Turks and Caicos Islands).

The initiative was launched in 1979 by CDB with financial assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). To date, there have been six replenishments of the BNTF. In February, CDB signed a US$40M loan agreement, one of which is for the seventh cycle of the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) or BNTF-7, and the other for the bank’s fourth roads project.

The BNTF agreement was valued US$6.154M. In the education sector, the BNTF has constructed two new technical and vocational centres at Mahaica and Leonora while CDB has funded several road projects.

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The Mabaruma Hospital is one of the Basic Needs projects According to Darran Newman Belgrave, BNTF Portfolio Manager, “The partners who participate in the event are mindful of the need for increased coverage, improved drinking water quality and improve sanitation and hygiene practices.

We are hoping to use this forum to strengthen our collective focus and commitments, and unite our interests as CDB launches the 7th cycle of BNTF in Guyana.”

Participants are expected to come from the relevant Government ministries, development financing partners, United Nations agencies, NGOs and the private sector.

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The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is to facilitate a roundtable discussion tomorrow on water supply and sanitation in Georgetown.

This event, which will help to set the course for future collaboration in water and sanitation, is part of activities to launch the seventh cycle of CDB’s Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) in Guyana.

The main objective of the roundtable, according to CDB yesterday, is to allow stakeholders in the water supply and sanitation sector to come together to discuss the relevant issues facing the sector and how CDB, through BNTF, can be a more strategic partner in the forward agenda.

(From page 29)

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Page 30

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 18, 2013

GUYSUCO’s Board facing the afflictions

By An Observer As a concerned and empathetic employee of the Guyana Sugar Corporation for over 20 years I wish to address some of the criticisms that have been thrown the way of the Board of Directors.

Firstly I must admit my own personal disgust with the recent spate of disparagements leveled at the Corporation and more specifically at the Corporation’s Board.

I also wish to use this medium to remind our critics of some of the measures which the current Board in itself has put in place as well as how heartily and conscientiously they have been working to do their outmost best in the fight to revive our Sugar Industry.

No one needs to be reminded of the sugar industry’s significance and importance - having existed for more than 300 years the sugar industry still remains a significant player in the national economy retaining the position of being the largest single employer in the Caribbean – providing direct employment to a range of between 17,000 to approximately 18,500 workers and perhaps even with more profound worth the indirect employment to more than 150,000 Guyanese.

Surely we can only fathom the extent to which this constant caustic derailing

and belittlement through letters to Editors and other means can affect these individuals and the corporation’s management and staff.

After careful scrutiny of the direct “battering” on GUYSUCOs management – its Board in particular - I can most out rightly conclude that not only are these arguments grossly exaggerated but they are blatantly questioning of the capabilities of the management which comes off as belittling and demoralizing in most cases and scenarios that have arisen in our press.

On the criticism that there is no agriculturalist on the Board, this is not true, the Board currently has two serving agriculturalists.

Additionally, the Board is supported in its decisionmaking in this area, by a team of several agricultural specialists and other technical staff and agencies both locally overseas.

It seems that some critics want to have a board made up of only agriculturalists. If this is the standard practice when composing a Board than it follows that a Brewery Company would have a board comprising of only qualified Brewers. There is no wisdom in this opinion.

Are these persons aware that any state company’s Board is appointed by the highest office in the land? Do they care that to question the

- It’s really not “Walking on Sunshine” integrity of officials of a staterun entity by extension defies the good judgment of the country’s highest authority?

Then why then is there persistence in vilification and subjugation? When will this end?

I will begin my argument by highlighting the biggest issue the corporation has at the moment and in all truthfulness they have had for some time now - the issue of production decline so often written about in the press – which has also been compounded by financial problems as well as what I can call sub-standard practices in the general working arena of the company.

Most of the general public would not know this, but it is the current Board that enacted the immediate move towards mechanization that has been so necessary to complement the decline in worker-attendance and to certain levels guarantee increase in the tonnes of cane provided to the factories of the different estates.

Additionally the return to practices of the past – one of which is flood fallow – is being resuscitated and certainly will become more visible during the Second Crop of this year. This is an immediate guarantee for improved yields based on

analysis and consultations which have been conducted in the past and current.

On the factory side - the Board which has the mandate of setting out Policies and direction on the way forward – has constantly involved their technical staff – both locally and regionally – in improving the output of our processing units.

Not to mention the extensive training to which various levels of staff are exposed to ensure that our levels of maintenance of the equipment are upheld and the need for foreign consultants becomes diminishing.

During the Out-of-Crop season, long awaited upgrades and systems to guarantee improvements would be carried out, this again an initiative taken by the board. One which has

been in combination with improved procurement practices has certainly in my opinion, has had significant savings.

In the area of finance, the board and management have taken appropriate measures in dealing with defaulters which has in turn resulted in savings.

Further, hundreds of millions of dollars pass through the corporation yearly particularly in the area of procurement.

The Board has recognized that to some extent the old procurement policies were outdated and to my understanding revised the Procurement Policy after a series of consultations access the industry. The newly developed Procurement Plan which assures of a tight rein on unnecessary spending is currently being implemented.

In fact, some board

members have confidently argued that this change resulted in savings of more than $500M during 2012 (projecting to save $1B in 2013), a direct mandate from the Board to the management through the new Procurement Policy.

I myself have seen the amount of work put into this new Procurement Plan and strategy, the work done by some board members on this new procedure has gone beyond what I think is a board member’s duty. Extensive man-hour and outreach sessions have been conducted in ensuring that the best and optimum practices will be put in place to guarantee the best for Guysuco in regards to purchasing.

I’m glad to say that the new plan has been implemented and from all indications it’s proving to be as fruitful as envisaged.

Thirty trained as Peer Educators

UG concerns gaining attention of Parliamentary parties A call for the review of the governance structures and statutes at the University of Guyana has been made by the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA).

This is according to Vice President of the Association, Dr. Melissa Ifill, during a recent press conference at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus on Friday.

She said that the union has started a process whereby it has engaged the parliamentary parties by filing a petition which appeals for the review with a particular view to addressing the deficiencies in the composition and the functioning of the University’s Council.

“That process is proceeding apace,” said Dr. Ifill even as she alluded to political interference through the very Council. “It is something that we have addressed in the petition to Parliament...it is one of the elements to the petition to Parliament that there is excessive political interference in the functioning and operation of the university,” she added.

In fact this is nothing new,

UGSSA Vice President, Dr. Melissa Ifill according to Dr. Ifill, since this state of affairs has always been the case because “the way in which the Council is compromised and composed it gives a lot of authority to the standing Minister of Education to appoint members of that Council.”

Dr. Ifill disclosed too that oftentimes the Union has observed that over the years that the Minister appoints those who are politically aligned and who are in support of his/her political agenda.

This, as a result, has led to and encouraged political interference in the functioning of the University since the Council has excessive powers as it relates to finances and appointments.

Dr. Ifill said that the Union, on February last, met with the Parliamentary Committee where it made an oral presentation. The union has since had its lawyers prepare a written presentation which will be submitted to the Committee and according to Dr. Ifill, “We are going to be continuing that process asking essentially for a bipartisan approach to resolving the problems at the University of Guyana.”

The University, the UGSSA Vice President asserted, is a national and critical resource and therefore it is essential that “all hands come on deck to rescue this place.”

“If you were to use your cameras I don’t think you would find any campus in any part of the world, no matter how poor that country might be, in the state like this University and so it needs to be urgently rescued.”

Participants at the completion of the Three Day Peer Educator Training with GBCHA Facilitators, Schemel Patrick and Tina Camera.

The Guyana Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBCHA), through a USAID grant, raises awareness of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the workplace and beyond through workplace peer education programmes.

For the year, the GBCHA has reached 30 peer educators from 12-member organizations.

The organizations reached were Banks DIH Ltd, Cara Lodge, Scotiabank, Guyana Lottery Company Limited, Edward B. Beharry & Company Ltd, Hand-In- Hand Group of Companies, Guyana Revenue Authority, National Milling Company of Guyana, Pegasus Hotel Guyana, Guyana Forestry Commission, Guyana National Shipping Corporation Ltd and Sterling Products Limited. Three trainings were held over a three- day period.

The grant supports the work of the GBCHA to meet adults where they spend most of their time, the workplace.

This project helps participants to understand gender norms and other issues related to gender based violence.

Participants are also informed of where to turn to for help and anger management and conflict resolution skills.

“Workplace Education Programmes facilitate an increase in knowledge which creates a shift in attitudes related to GBV. This change will contribute to the prevention of violence and the reduction of GBV with victims as well as perpetrators being equipped to notice early signs of GBV, learn methods and strategies to counter abusive behaviour, and relevant references to seek help and deal with these issues effectively.” Schemel Patrick,

Membership Services Officer and Facilitator said.

Peer educators are committed to disseminating information in their workplaces and communities in an effort to reduce the prevalence of GBV in Guyana.

Ms. Patrick further stated that GBV is one of Guyana’s most prevailing social issues and that both men and women alike are unaware of healthy alternatives to abuse in order to prevent the cycle of violence, thus the GBCHA uses the successful method of workplace education developed in the HIV response to scale up the response to GBV awareness and prevention.

The GBCHA would like to thank USAID, Help and Shelter and Cara Lodge for their support. The next Peer Educator Training would be held in July.

Tuesday June 18, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Berlusconi gets seven-year jail South Africans resigned over ‘critical’ Mandela sentence on sex charges (Reuters) - Silvio Berlusconi was handed a seven-year jail sentence on Monday for abuse of office and paying for sex with a minor, adding to the complications facing Italy’s fragile left-right government.

The former prime minister will not have to serve any jail time before he has exhausted an appeals process that could take years, but the conviction angered members of his centre-right party who questioned whether he should continue to support the coalition.

The 76-year-old media tycoon expressed outrage at the verdict which he said was politically motivated.

“An incredible sentence has been issued of a violence never seen or heard of before, to try to eliminate me from the political life of this country,” Berlusconi said in a statement.

“Yet again I intend to resist against this persecution because I am absolutely innocent and I don’t want in any way to abandon my battle to make Italy a country that is truly free and just.”

Berlusconi’s lawyers announced they would appeal against the ruling that also banned him from holding public office. Berlusconi was found guilty of paying for sex with former teenage nightclub dancer Karima El Mahroug, better known under her stage name “Ruby the Heartstealer”, during “bunga bunga” sex parties at his palatial home near Milan.

The panel of three women judges also convicted him of abuse of office by arranging

Silvio Berlusconi to have El Mahroug released from police custody when she was held in a separate theft case.

The verdict closes a twoyear trial that has mesmerized Italy with its accounts of wild sex parties at the billionaire’s villa outside Milan while he was premier in 2010.

Several members of Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PDL) party have urged him to withdraw his backing for the government of centre-left Prime Minister Enrico Letta, which needs the PDL’s support.

“It’s disgusting, a disgrace,” one of his most faithful lieutenants, senior party official Daniela Santanche, told reporters in front of the Milan court.

She said the ruling would not impact the functioning of the government, but other Berlusconi allies were less conciliatory.

“It is absurd to think that

the current government can continue to work calmly while the leader of one of the parties backing it is being massacred politically,” said PDL senator Sandro Bondi.

Letta’s Democratic Party (PD), which was dealt its own blow yesterday by the resignation of Equal Opportunities and Sports Minister Josefa Idem over a tax evasion scandal, said the Berlusconi verdict should be respected and called on the PDL to show restraint.

Berlusconi says the purported sex parties were elegant dinners where the female guests performed “burlesque” shows. El Mahroug denied having sex with Berlusconi.

In the verdict, the judges said around 30 witnesses in the case, including Deputy Foreign Minister Bruno Archi, should be investigated for perjury for their testimony in favor of Berlusconi.

In May 2010, the thenprime minister called a Milan police station to instruct officials to release El Mahroug, who was being held on suspicion of stealing a 3,000 euro ($3,900)bracelet.

A Brazilian prostitute who lived with El Mahroug had called the premier on his mobile phone to tell him she had been arrested, prosecutors said.

Berlusconi’s lawyers have said he made the call to avoid a diplomatic incident because he believed that El Mahroug, who is actually Moroccan, was the grand-daughter of Hosni Mubarak, then the Egyptian president.

Immigration bill passes key test vote in U.S. Senate (Reuters) An immigration bill endorsed by President Barack Obama easily cleared an important test yesterday when the Senate backed new border security steps seen as essential to the legislation’s fate.

The border security amendment cleared a procedural hurdle by attracting more than the 60 votes needed, leaving opponents of the bill with few remaining opportunities for killing or further delaying passage of the legislation this week.

The bipartisan legislation would bring the biggest changes to U.S. immigration law since 1986, granting legal status to millions of undocumented foreigners who also would be put on a

13-year path to citizenship.

Last week, a small group of senators reached a deal on strengthening border security requirements of the bill by authorizing the hiring of 20,000 more law enforcement agents over the next 10 years and buying hightech equipment to help stop illegal crossings at the U.S. border with Mexico.

The amendment, which is likely to be approved later this week now that the procedural block has been swept away, also calls for finishing construction of 700 miles of border fence.

The steps were designed to attract more support for the bill from Republicans, who have been concerned that a “pathway to citizenship” for 11 million illegal immigrants would spark a new wave of

unauthorized border crossings.

Republican Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota acknowledged that some members of his party in the House of Representatives have called for a more incremental approach to immigration reform than the Senate’s comprehensive bill offered.

Hoeven helped write the border security amendment that could propel the immigration bill to a large bipartisan victory in the Senate later this week.

But Hoeven said, “We have tried to come up with something that is bipartisan so that it can move in the House.

Hopefully it (the amendment) will encourage them to move forward.”

(Reuters) - South Africans adopted a mood of sombre resignation on Monday to the inevitability of saying goodbye to former president Nelson Mandela after the 94year-old anti-apartheid leader’s condition in hospital deteriorated to critical.

Madiba, as he is affectionately known, is revered among most of South Africa’s 53 million people as the architect of the 1994 transition to multi-racial democracy after three centuries of white domination.

However, his latest hospitalization - his fourth in six months - has reinforced a realization that the father of the post-apartheid “Rainbow Nation” will not be around forever.

President Jacob Zuma, who visited Mandela late on Sunday with African National Congress (ANC) Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, reflected the national mood when he told a news conference that Mandela remained critical.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela “All of us in the country must accept that Madiba is now old. As he ages, his health will trouble him,” Zuma said, declining to give specific details about Mandela’s medical condition or other information from his hospital visit.

“Given the hour, he was already asleep. We saw him, looked at him and then we had a bit of a discussion with the doctors and his wife,” Zuma said. “I don’t think I’m a position to give further

details. I’m not a doctor.”

U.S. President Barack Obama is due to visit South Africa this week as part of a three-country Africa tour but Zuma said Mandela’s worsening state of health should not affect the trip.

“Nothing is going to stop the visit because Madiba is sick,” Zuma said.

Mandela’s daughter Makaziwe said the family was taking each day as it came and enjoying as much time as possible with a man who, to them, is simply a father, grandfather or greatgrandfather.

“He is at peace with himself,” she told CNN. “He has given so much to the world. I believe he is at peace.”

M a n d e l a ’ s deterioration this weekend, two weeks after being admitted in a serious but stable condition with a lung infection, has caused a perceptible switch in mood from prayers for recovery to preparations for a fond farewell.

Brazil’s Rousseff proposes political reform to quell protests

(Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff yesterday proposed a popular referendum to embark on a sweeping political reform in response to the country’s largest public protests in 20 years.

Rousseff called for a public vote to eventually amend Brazil’s constitution as she sought to seize the momentum in a national debate set off by two weeks of increasingly disruptive demonstrations.

The president also laid out an agenda to cut taxes on public transportation costs, accelerate investment in hospitals and crack down on political corruption - recurring concerns raised by Brazil’s nameless, leaderless protest movement.

“The streets are telling us that the country wants quality public services, more

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff effective measures to combat corruption ... and responsive political representation,” Rousseff said in remarks to a meeting of governors and mayors.

While vowing to crackdown on a violent minority that has looted stores and vandalized government

buildings, Rousseff praised the democratic spirit of most protesters and framed her agenda as addressing their concerns.

Still, a sluggish economy has left Rousseff with little room to maneuver the federal budget and protesters are unlikely to see rapid improvements in their daily lives. A constitutional reform by referendum could take years as the government must arrange a public vote and compose a constitutional committee to debate the overhaul of Brazil’s representative democracy.

Rousseff proposed an additional 50 billion reais ($22 billion) of investments to address the complaints about public transport that first set off the protests that have shaken markets and threatened her enduring popularity.

U.S. presses Russia on Snowden (Reuters) - The United States yesterday increased pressure on Russia to hand over Edward Snowden, the American charged with disclosing secret U.S. surveillance programs, and said it believed he was still in Moscow despite reports he was leaving for Cuba.

Earlier Snowden, until recently a contractor with the

U.S. National Security Agency, had been expected to fly to Havana from Moscow, perhaps on the way to Ecuador, but he was not seen on the plane and Russian officials declined to say where he was.

The U.S. State Department said diplomats and Justice Department officials were engaged in

discussions with Russia, suggesting they were looking for a deal to secure his return.

Snowden flew to Moscow after being allowed to leave Hong K o n g o n S u n d a y, e v e n though Washington had asked the Chinese territory to detain him pending his possible extradition on espionage charges.

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Tuesday June 25, 2013

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WEIR, FRASER-PRYCE WIN 200M IN IMPRESSIVE STYLE Jamaica Observer SPREADING his arms wide as he neared the finish line, Warren Weir’s posture said it all.

But he voiced it after his spectacular new personal best in winning the men’s 200m in 19.79 seconds as the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships ended in a blaze of glory at the National Stadium last evening. “This was no fluke, this one is for real,” he said.

The men’s 200m had promised to be the highlight of the four-day meet and it did not disappoint, as Weir, the Olympic Games bronze medallist, in the absence of Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake, took the event in a big way.

Nickel Ashmeade was second in 20.06 seconds, with

Warren Weir

Jason Livermore, who made the team to the Moscow World Championships in the 4x100m relay, taking third and cementing his place, running 20.13 seconds.

Running in lane six, Weir came off the curve in front and never trailed, despite a late surge from Ashmeade, as he maintained his form and spread his arms in triumph

Tuesday June 25, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): A problem at home that has been lurking around in the background could shift to the forefront today. You may feel as if you are being prompted to say something, even if you prefer to remain neutral now.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20): Worrying about something you should have said to a close friend or associate stirs up unresolved feelings today.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20): You may feel as if you’re in over your head today, but you are also clever enough to outwit even the toughest opponent. However, there’s no time to waste on hopes tied to blind optimism.

CANCER (June 21–July 22): You can feel the pressure to say more than you want to now. However, you’re still trying to resist the need to jump into the flow. The more others push, the more you resist their efforts.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22): Even if your patience has reached its limit, you still may try to balance your needs with what others want now. You might feel resentful if someone is standing between you and your potential enjoyment.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): Several planets visiting your 11th House of Friends connect you socially on a deeper emotional level now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): You’re often inclined to keep your opinions to yourself to maintain the peace.

However, someone may push your emotional buttons today and provoke you to say more than is necessary.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): Although several planets comfort you while they are visiting emotional Cancer now, your words may seem more confrontational today than you intend.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): Your window of opportunity is closing and you could lose your chance to say what’s on your mind if you don’t initiate an overdue conversation soon.

CAPRICORN(Dec.22–Jan.19): You may be obsessing about a friend or partner today, whether or not the relationship has a viable future. You might choose to withdraw now because retreating from nonessential interactions could be healthy in the long run.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): You might be holding out for a better deal today, but it’s still wise to reconsider your demands and be open to negotiation.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20): Although you might attempt to go quietly about your business today, frustration levels could build to a breaking point because you believe that someone isn’t being totally honest with you.

three strides from the line.

Weir then told reporters that he wanted to send a message that his 2012 season was no fluke, as he warned “Jamaica and the rest of the world” to take notice.

Olympic silver medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who skipped the 100m as she has a bye to the World Championships, sent a message with a world leading 22.13 seconds to win the women’s race and said she just “came out to execute and was not that interested in times”.

MVP runners swept the top three places in the event as Sherone Simpson was second in 22.55 seconds, and Anniesha McLaughlin made it to back-to-back World Championships teams when she placed third in 22.58 seconds.

The fourth day was arguably the best in terms of quality performances, as the 400m finals and women’s triple jump produced quality results.

There’s a new guard in the men’s 400m, with the top three all making the team to a senior global meet for the first time in an individual capacity.

Javere Bell, who left Racers Track Club last year to stay with coach Bertland Cameron, won his first national senior title, running a new personal best, his second this year, 45.08 seconds, holding off Calabar High schoolboy school boy Javon Francis, who also ran a personal best 45.24 seconds, with Akheem Gauntlet third in 45.48 seconds.

Omar Johnson was fourth ahead of Edino Steel, while Olympian Rushane McDonald, who went out hard, faltered in the home stretch and placed sixth.

In the women’s 400m final, Novlene Williams-Mills used all her experience to hold off Stephenie Ann McPherson with a resurgent Patricia Hall taking third.

Williams-Mills, who said she started training late this season, about six months ago due to a myriad of medical

problems, clocked a season’s best 50.01 seconds, as McPherson ran yet another personal best (50.28 seconds), and Hall, who was a semi-finalists in the 400m at the IAAF World Indoors last year, ran 51.13 seconds to hold off Anastacia Leroy.

Williams-Mills said performing in front of her family and friends always lifted her and yesterday’s win “felt so much different” after battling with injuries all year.

“This was such a difficult year, I am just grateful to be here and running well.”

Williams-Mills praised the younger McPherson, whom she said, “pushed me to a fast time today and I have watched her all season and she runs with so much heart and soul”.

McPherson told the Jamaica Observer she had issues with her spikes twice in the race, but was thankful to be on her first national team and headed to Moscow.

“I am just going back to training now and do what I have to do as I aim to be in the finals at the World Championships.”

ICC must never betray...

From page 30 the Caribbean, for a triangular tournament against Sri Lanka and West Indies, they could have changed the flight. The first game is not until the 28th.

If there were not enough stewards, employ some. If they had no bar staff, close the bars. If the ICC officials had to get back to London for a meeting, then play the game without them. Tell them the result later.

If it rains for a week then you cannot do much about it.

But by not including a reserve day, the administrators lost touch with the millions of fans who keep the game alive.

They must never do so again.

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Tuesday June 25, 2013

Essequibian thrilled with Madhoo takes time out from holiday to national U-17 selection win Singles and Doubles Tournaments Hemchandra presents cricket gears to Parmesh Parsotam recently.

Being selected to play for Guyana in the Regional under-17 cricket Tournament which commences on June 30 and runs to July 8, Essequibo’s under-17 opener Parmesh Parsotan says he is one step closer in realizing his dream of playing for the West Indies.

The 16-year-old righthanded batsman received the news of his selection for his country last week and is scheduled to travel with the rest of the 14-man squad on Saturday to Tobago. Tobago is a part of the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago and will host this year’s tournament.

One of five Essequibians to be selected to represent Guyana in the 2013 Regional U-17 competition, Parsotam who hails from the village of Affiance on the Essequibo Coast, started playing cricket at the Affiance Cricket club as a 10-year-old and displayed consistent diligence as an allrounder. His talent was

nurtured by Hemchandra, who is in charge of the youngsters at the Affiance club.

Hemchandra indicated that the Affiance Cricket club is in existence for decades and the club is sustained by donations from the Region Two Administration and Non-Governmental Organizations.

According to Hemchandra the club was formed in the interests of young men in the area to help discourage them from social ills, such as drug-use.

Young Parsotam plays cricket most of the time, especially on weekends and after School. Parsotam batting ability was additionally recognized after he recently played against Berbice, at the Everest Ground. The talented lad batted through the innings in an unbeaten 40 for Essequibo in a losing effort.

Parsotam, a former student of the Anna Regina Secondary School, is

awaiting his Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) results. The aspiring cricketer wrote ten subjects but has ambitions to pursue cricket as his career.

“I love cricket and I see myself being a professional cricketer in the future.” The teenager confidently disclosed.

Parsotam said his intention is to remain focused in scoring runs for his team.

He said he gets the support to continue fulfilling his dreams from his parents.

The eldest of four siblings, his cricket idol is Indian batting sensation Sachin Tendulkar, who made his Test debut as a 16-yearold. (Yannason Duncan)

Former multiple-times national champion Norman Madhoo showed his class after playing unbeaten last Friday when the Guyana Darts Association staged the Peter Baker-sponsored Tournaments, at Clerico House, Waterloo and Quamina Streets.

In the Draw Doubles, Madhoo partnering with Anthony Bissoondyal, eliminated the combination of Sudeshpersaud Fitzgerald/ Bryan James in the semifinals, before capturing the final from Luis RamirezMerlano/Lallchand Rambahrose.

Rambahrose/RamirezMerlano had defeated Mark Persaud/Anil Lachman in their semi-final clash.

The Ladies Singles was won by Rosetta Hiralall from Shaundell Hyles, who registered an upset over Hemwattie Amyan in their semi-final encounter. Hiralall progressed to the final at the expense of Mary Correia.

In the Men’s Singles Ramirez-Merlano gained a walk over from Anil Lachhman at the quarter-final stage only to meet Norman Madhoo, who eliminated him en route to the final.

Colin France, the other finalist had some close games which he won 2/1 from Andrew Balchand in their quarter-final scrap and

Double champion of the Peter Baker-sponsored Darts Tournaments Norman Madhoo (right) poses with Doubles partner Anthony Bissoondyal and Ladies champion Rosetta Hiralall at the presentation ceremony.

Lallchand Rambahrose in the semi-final.

In the final, France proved no match for the in-form

Madhoo, succumbing 3/0 to give the former national champion an exciting holiday gift.

GCUC RAFFLE DRAWN Following are the results of the Guyana Cricket Umpires Council (GCUC) raffle which was drawn on June 22 at Bush Lot, West Coast, Berbice.

The proceeds from the raffle will go towards offsetting expenses for the GCUC team that will be attending the West Indies Cricket Umpires and Scorers

Association convention in Trinidad.

Sheet number 1510 won the first prize, while 2398 copped the second prize, 1621 took third prize; the fourth and fifth awards went to 2367 and 2179 respectively.

The consolation prizes were won by sheet number 220, 335, 1021, 1384, 2113, 2654, 145, 40, 3379 and 666.

UPSET WIN FATHER’S DAY DOMINOES COMPETITION IN WEST BERBICE

Smythfield Rockers continue winning ways in Mackeson Basketball Smythfield Rockers basketball Club of New Amsterdam continued their winning ways in the ongoing Mackeson Top Six first division Basketball competition organised by the Berbice Basketball Association (BBA) and sponsored by beverage giants Ansa McAl Guyana Limited being played at the Vryman’s Erven Basketball Court in New Amsterdam.

The Smythfield Rockers made light work of Rose Hall Town Jammers by whipping them 61-41 in the latest game played last Sunday.

Rockers started slowly and were in the ascendancy by only one point 13-12 at the

end of the first quarter. They picked up pace in the second quarter and led 24-18 at half time. However, things changed after the half time period with the Rockers seizing control for their easy win by 20 points.

Michael Bowel poured in a game high 20 points with Andre Shako 14 and Jamal Felix 13 supporting well.

The Rockers are now on nine points from three games and are assured of a place in the semifinals. Jammers remain winless after two matches.

The competition has at stake $80,000 for the winner and $20,000 for the second placed team among other incentives. (Samuel Whyte)

Members of the victorious Upset team display their prizes with sports organiser Johnny Barnwell.

Upset Dominoes team of Belladrum marked 82 games to win the Hot Shots sponsored Father’s Day Dominoes competition which

was contested recently at Guinness Bar Mahaicony.

Royals of Bush lot took second place with 77 games, while Hot Shots came third

with 69.

The top three teams received trophies and medals co m p l i m e n t s o f Trophy Stall Bourda

M a r k e t a n d Melbourne Inn. The competition was o rg a n i s e d b y A u b r e y Fraser.

Tuesday June 25, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Courts join Caribbean Premier Gay cops sprint double at US Championships League as official partner

Courts, the largest furniture, appliance and electrical retailer in the Caribbean, has joined the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as an official partner, and plans to engage fans to bring the CPL excitement home.

Courts currently operates 80+ stores in 10 Caribbean countries – Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, St. Lucia and Trinidad – and will be using these locations to sell tickets to CPL matches.

In addition, CPL will have the opportunity to reach out to the Caribbean diaspora, whose members are expected to travel to the region for the inaugural tournament, through Courts’ North American locations in Brooklyn and Queens, New York.

“CPL’s partnership with Courts is a very strategic and beneficial one to both parties, and we are thrilled about the possibilities that exist for us from a marketing perspective,” said CPL CEO Damien O’ Donohoe.

“Combining our advertising and marketing programmes with that of Courts will heighten the awareness of CPL across the region, and increase fan support, which will put people in the stands at matches and customers in the aisles of Courts.”

Courts has distinguished itself as a pioneer in the field of prize promotions, and is renowned for its attractive and flashy advertising campaigns, appealing prizes and creative advertising.

Commenting on the Courts partnership, Mario Guerrero, CEO of Unicomer Caribbean, parent company of Courts,

said; “We are excited about supporting and investing in this thrilling sporting event.

Courts has been an integral part of the Caribbean community for well over fifty years and we are proud to play a major role in this tournament that will showcase the region’s exceptional sporting and entertainment talents to the international world.”

Courts promises customers and fans consumer activations that will take them to the edge of the excitement at all the matches.

The inaugural Caribbean Premiere League, sponsored

by Digicel, begins on Tuesday July 30 with 24 matches played across 6 Caribbean countries: Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.

Bolt, Racers TC out of Ostrava meet OSTRAVA, Czech Republic (CMC) — World record holder and Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt and his Racers Track Club will not compete in the 52nd Ostrava Golden Spike, an IAAF World Challenge here on Thursday.

Bolt and his teammates were scheduled to compete in the 4x100m relay at the Vitkovice City Stadium, but have withdrawn as a team.

“I want to apologise to my

fans in Ostrava, but this year I will not be coming to the Golden Spike meeting.

Instead, I will stay in Jamaica with my coach for an extra week to focus on training before coming to Europe,” according to a statement from the Olympic champion.

“I can assure you I will try my best to be back in 2014 on June 17 (53rd edition) in an individual event. Thank you for your usual great support.”

Bolt, a regular to the

Czech meet and who participated in IAAF World Challenge in 2006 and every year since 2008, was to compete there for the seventh time with his fellow Racers’ teammates.

However, a host of track and field stars are listed to compete, including world and Olympic 400m champion Kirani James of Grenada and former world 100m champion Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis.

Trophy Stall Volleyball competition shifted to next Sunday, June 30th The Berbice Volleyball Association has rescheduled the third Annual Trophy Stall Volleyball competition for teams in Berbice that was originally set for last Sunday, June 23rd, next Sunday, June 30th at the Guysuco Training Centre Courts in Port Mourant (PMTC) beginning at 9:30 hrs.

The BVA regrets any inconvenience caused and will like to assure volleyball teams/clubs that the sponsor, Mr. Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall in Bourda Market has been briefed and will be in attendance next Sunday for the staging of the tournament.

The competition will be played on a “round-robin” basis and is expected to

attract teams from the following clubs PMTC, Port Mourant Jaguars, Albion Sports Complex, Falcons of Canje, UnionRenaissance Sports Club of #53 Village, Vikings of Blairmont and 3Doors Strikers of D’Edward as well as a team from the Berbice Under-19 Squad.

Trophies will be presented to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place male teams and to the 1st and 2nd placed female teams. Prizes will also be presented to the MVP in both categories as well as to the best setter, best spiker, best server, best defence, best blocker and best libero.

A very high standard of Volleyball is anticipated as players will also be vying for places in the BVA Senior Squad.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AFP) — Tyson Gay flew to the year’s fastest 200m of 19.74 seconds at the US athletics championships yesterday to set himself up for a World Championships sprint double challenge.

Gay, who notched the season’s fastest 100m on Friday with a victory in 9.75, again demonstrated he is fit and ready to challenge six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt at the World Championships in Moscow August 1018. The 200m time by Gay eclipsed the 19.79 clocked by Bolt in Oslo on June 13 as the fastest in the world this year.

Gay powered through the curve and held on for the victory at Drake Stadium, with Isiah Young second in 19.86 and Curtis Mitchell third in 19.99.

Gay’s run followed his 100m victory on Friday and was further evidence that the 30year-old sprinter is healthy after a series of injuries that dogged him in the wake of his 2007 world gold treble.

Veteran Wallace Spearmon, a former World Championships bronze and silver medallist, couldn’t book his Moscow berth, finishing

Tyson Gay (Getty Images)

fourth in 20.10.

US collegiate champion Kimberlyn Duncan pulled off an upset in the women’s 200m, winning in a wind-aided 21.80 while reigning Olympic champion Allyson Felix was second in 21.85.

That was good enough to ensure Felix will get a chance to regain the world title she surrendered in Daegu in 2011, after winning three straight world golds in 2005, 2007 and 2009. Jeneba Tarmoh was third in 22.15.

::: Letter to the Sports Editor :::

Raj Singh must be held accountable for the chaos in our cricket DEAR EDITOR, After my previous letter it was my intention to ignore Mr. Raj Singh’s feeble attempt to present himself as the pious cricket administrator who is the victim of some sinister plot by all except his cronies and the illegal Guyana Cricket Board and Demerara Cricket Board.

He deliberately evaded my question as to why he is so interested in pursuing a cricket administration agenda, when nothing in his track records supports his dubious involvement at any level except for the burning desire to be inserted at the top of the cricket administrative ladder at all costs.

In this regard I challenge Raj Singh to prove any of the following: 1. That he has ever participated as a player of any organised cricket match at any level.

2. That he has produced, or assisted in the development of a single young cricketer, at any level.

3. That he has at some time or some place initiated cricket programmes or activities to enhance or promote the sport of cricket within any area for which he purports to be responsible especially with regard to East Bank Cricket Association. He should tell the public how many of the ten (10) grounds on the East Bank of Demerara are or have been cricket operational for the past five (5) years.

Also with regard to Upper Demerara Cricket Association (Linden) he should tell the

public how many of the grounds and clubs in Linden he has assisted in the development of their players and facilities. Also, how many delegates from Upper Demerara have ever voted at the AGM of East Bank Demerara over the last ten years; or how many delegates from East Bank have ever voted at the Upper Demerara elections.

4. How could you effectively execute the administration of cricket in Demerara, when you reside in the United States of America?

It is obvious that you have some special personal reason other than that expressed in your rather evasive and long-winded whining characterised by a penchant, an inherent propensity, to mislead the public.

1. Raj Singh says that I work with Raphael’s Real Estate. I do not.

2. Raj Singh is alleged to have presented a forged document to the Select Committee of Parliament and the police are now conducting investigations.

3. Raj Singh stated in his presentation to the Parliamentary Select Committee that he was a member of the Committee that drafted the original Demerara Cricket Board Constitution in 1991 in order to give authenticity to his distortions. I call on Raj Singh to tell the public who were the other committee members, which club or organisation he represented on that DCB Constitution

Committee? I know for a fact that Raj Singh was not on that Committee as I have written evidence to that effect.

It is noteworthy to mention that Mr. Raj Singh continues to say that Mr. Bissoondyal Singh is responsible for the sad state of our cricket but conveniently ignores the fact that in 2003 the very same situation occurred when he, Raj Singh along with Anand Sanasie, Gopaul Singh and others illegally ousted Mr. Harnarine Tiwari from the Presidency of the West Demerara Cricket Association en route to the Demerara Cricket Board’s Presidency.

This is where the courts involvement in our cricket began and has continued to the present time.

It is instructive that neither Mr. Bissoondyal Singh nor Mr. Roger Harper was around during that sordid period of cricket administration.

Raj Singh and his cronies have used their dubious contacts to hijack the Demerara Cricket Board and the Guyana Cricket Board for their own personal reasons while ostracising the efficient and proven cricket administrators. However, all is not lost for good always prevails over evil and as the police are presently involved in the investigations the truth will soon emerge and their illegal regime will crumble.

Their reign of lawlessness and barefaced illegality will soon be over.

Winston. G. Boston

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 25, 2013

SHOCKER! Nadal bounced Waramadong retain Regional early at Wimbledon again 2013 Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Championship

title after defeating Bartica

Following their impressive 6-0 triumph over Three Miles, Waramadong produced another masterclass performance to eliminate Bartica and retain their regional title as play in the 2013 Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Championship continued on Sunday, at the Bartica Secondary School ground.

The Waramadong team used another double from striker Kevon Richmond to dent the hopes of host Bartica who they defeated 5-2 to advance to the national playoffs.

Richmond scored his double in the 18th and 32nd minutes of play, while Fernando Hunter’s 74th minute goal, Henton Browne’s 84th minute penalty kick and an own goal completed Waramadong’s tally. Bartica got their goals off the boots of Captain Nicolas Collison, who netted his brace in the 37th and 47th minutes of play.

Played in soggy conditions, the defending champions looked at home from the start of play and dictated pace of the game in spite of playing against a team that had large and vociferous support.

Collison tried desperately to keep his team in the hunt for a victory, but his pair, the second of which made the contest an even one, was all in vain.

The defending champions who placed third in the inaugural tournament two years ago and finished one place better last year, displayed admirable organization against a team that exhibited clear intent on individual glory and showmanship.

Hunter had the opportunity to give his team the lead in the 3rd minute of play, but his shot was well

- advance to national playoffs saved by goalkeeper Shane Luke, while at the other end of the pitch, Waramadong’s custodian Gerald Isaacs effected a brilliant save in mid air, from a well executed corner taken by Brian Joseph to keep the proceedings level.

As the players adjusted to the conditions, Waramadong’s frontline which included Richmond, Hunter and Whazir Bascombe, heroes of their opening game, tested the resilience of the Bartica backline with some stinging shots.

Collison working in tandem with Shaquille Chisholm tried desperately to slice open their opponent’s defence, but the visitors’ wall remained firm.

Jasee Morris, Henton Browne, Jonathan George and Brendon Francis defensive prowess was a joy to watch as they time and again snuffed out half chances created by Collison and Chisholm.

From a goal mouth scrimmage, which saw Bascombe’s shot rebound off the chest of Luke and into the path of a lurking Richmond, who fired a screamer past the goalkeeper to open their account.

Bouyed by their success, Waramadong orchestrated a relentless attack on the opposition in search of more goals, while Bartica looked hungry as well with Collison and company engineering a few counterattacks.

However, those threats failed to level the score and Richmond added another which gave his team a 2-0 cushion, before Collison pulled one back three minutes later, compliments of a

penalty after being brought down in the box by Morris.

The half saw Waramadong holding on to a slim 2-1 lead.

A resurgent looking Bartica lineup took the field for the second half, replacing Luke with Godfrey Norton and two minutes into the half, Collison made the contest an even one, when he beat Isaacs with a curling shot from just outside the box delivered from the left side.

His goal woke up his teammates, who believed they were in with a chance of dethroning the champions, and they proceeded on some dangerous incursions into the Waramadong penalty area, but the visitors held steady.

However, it was Waramadong, showing the pedigree of champions took it to the next level and regained the initiative in the final 15 minutes of the game, netting three times, much to the disappointment of the partisan crowd.

Hunter scored first, before Browne shook the net with a powerful shot taken from the penalty spot 10 minutes later and that was followed by an own goal seconds before the whistle sounded.

Meanwhile, West Demerara received a walkover from Endeavour in a fixture that was to be played at Den Amstel ground.

The competition continues today with La Grange taking on Patentia at Wales Community Centre; Mahaicony Secondary colliding with Mahaicony Technical Institute at Mahaicony ground; Annandale tackling Institute of Business Education at BV ground a n d Vr y m e n ’s E r v e n engaging Manchester at All Saints ground. All matches start at 15:30 hrs.

- Federer, Sharapova advance WIMBLEDON, England — Rafael Nadal is out of Wimbledon early for the second year in a row.

Nadal, playing his first match since winning the French Open, was outplayed, outserved and ultimately ousted by Steve Darcis of Belgium, ranked No. 135 in the world, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (10-8), 64. “That’s the sport and sometimes you play well and have the chance to win and sometimes you play worse and the opponent plays well and you lose,” Nadal said. “I tried my best out there in every moment and it was not possible for me this afternoon and that’s all.”

Roger Feder and Maria Sharapova enjoyed safe passage to the next round in their respective matches.

It’s the first first-round loss in a major for the twotime Wimbledon champion, who was 34-0 entering the match. Last year Nadal lost in the second round to Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic and then was out for the rest of the year with a knee injury.

Nadal clearly was not at his best on Monday, not moving particularly well and struggling with what looked to be a sore knee. Nadal deflected questions about his health, saying “today is not the time to talk about this.”

It was only the third loss

of the year for Nadal, who was 43-2 and on a 22-match winning streak entering Wimbledon. Nadal had reached the final of all nine events he had entered in 2013.

Darcis is the lowestranked player to defeat Nadal at a Grand Slam event. He is the lowest-ranked player to defeat Nadal at any event since Sweden’s Joachim Johansson (No. 690) at 2006 Stockholm.

Brazil’s Gustavo Kuerten was the last reigning Roland Garros champion to lose in the first round of Wimbledon in 1997. When told that this match was being called a real shocker, Darcis told a TV interviewer, “I think the same.”

“Rafa Nadal didn’t play his best tennis today,” the 29year-old Belgian said. “The first match on grass is always difficult. It’s his first one. Of course, it’s a big win. I tried to come to the net as soon as I could, not play too far from the baseline. I think it worked pretty good today.”

Coming into the tournament, Nadal’s status as the No. 5 seed was drawing much of the attention. He would potentially have had to face seven-time champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals.

“So much for that Roger vs. Rafa,” American John

Isner said when told that Nadal was on the verge of losing. Nadal trailed No. 107 Chris Guccione 6-5 in the first set at 2007 Sydney before retiring.

Also Monday: •Seven-time champion Federer had no troubling, rolling over Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 in 68 minutes.

•British favorite Andy Murray also had an easy time, defeating Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

•Maria Sharapova had a tough first set but survived a test from Kristina Mladenovic of France 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

•2011 champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic needed three sets, but she advanced, 6-1, 5-7, 64 vs. CoCo Vandeweghe of the USA. •Teenager Monica Puig of Puerto Rico upset the No. 5 seed on the women’s side, Sara Errani of Italy, 6-3, 6-2.

•Second-seeded Victoria Azarenka overcame a right knee injury from a scary fall beating Maria Joao Koehler of Portugal 6-1, 6-2.

•Two American women advanced, No. 17 Sloane Stephens and Christina McHale. Both took out compatriots.

McHale defeated Alexa Glatch 6-4, 6-4, and Stephens defeated a weary Jamie Hampton 6-3, 6-3. Hampton lost in the final Sunday at Eastbourne.

Jairam topples Simon at Draughts Winner Jairam (centre) with Carlton Simon (right) and Floyd Cumberbatch.

Roraima Bikers Club, Namilco to stage 10th Annual CARICOM Day ‘wheat-up’ Classic Roraima Bikers Club and sponsors Namilco have again teamed to stage the 10th Annual CARICOM Day ‘wheat-up’ Cycling Classic on Sunday July 1at the seawall bandstand circuit from 9:00am.

The Programme of events will see events for: Juniors / Category - 5 laps Categories 1-3 - 5 laps Veterans Over-40yrs - 5 laps Veterans over 50yrs - 5 laps Win and out (open) - 8 laps 12-14YRS/Juveniles - 3 laps Females - 5 laps

Team Time Trials - 6 laps BMX (6-9yrs) - 1 lap BMX (10-14yrs) - 2 laps Mountain Bikes (open) - 5 laps WHEAT-UP CLASSIC (open) - 30 laps Attractive cash prizes for the first to 3rd place finishers in the first 11 races with the feature Wheat Up classic 30-laps seeing cash prizes & trophies for the first 6 finishers along with 15 sprint prizes at $1,000 each on offer.

The respective 2012 defending champions are Robin Persaud, Raynauth Jeffrey, Talim Shaw, Hazina Barrett and M. Deroche.

Jairam defeated Carlton Simon to win the Marlon Harris and Gentle Elias sponsored Draughts competition which was contested last Sunday at the National Gymnasium on the 100 square boards. Jairam scored 12 points while Simon managed 10. Floyd Cumberbatch mustered 7 points to scrape home for a close third ahead of Mark Brathwaite who claimed

fourth. Former champion Khemraj Pooranlall ended in the cellar position. The top three players received trophies.

Speaking at a simple ceremony, President of the Guyana Draughts Association, Jairam, thanked the sponsors and said that the will now be seeking sponsorship for the National Championship games in September.