Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Monday March 11, 2013

Soesdyke sawmill drug bust…

CANU says it has strong case against suspects - file with DPP Two weeks after the second largest drug bust in Guyana’s history, Customs Anti- Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks are certain that there is a strong case against the suspects who were apprehended.

The bust occurred at a sawmill on the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway.

The matter, which involves the attempt to smuggle some 314 kilograms (692 pounds) of cocaine to Europe in hollowed out timber, in now engaging the attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who is expected to advise on the way forward.

Kaieteur News was told that sometime last week, “the very thick case file” was sent to the DPP. Investigations into the matter have reportedly been completed although it is still unclear who the real owner of the drug is.

CANU however believes that those apprehended are part of the circle, while the kingpins of the operation are yet to be identified.

According to a source, key foreign players would also have to be identified for there to be complete closure to the matter.

Three individuals were identified as being of major interest to the case; a Dutch national, Edgar Boesenach, of Coralita Avenue, Bel Air, a Guyanese, Raymond Ghani, local manager at the Soesdyke sawmill and a second Guyanese man was also identified.

They were all detained by CANU in the initial stages of the investigations.

And following reports that he assisted in transportation of the cocaine, a truck driver was also detained while a forklift operator who is alleged to have packed the drug-filled logs which were found in a container destined for the (Netherlands), was rearrested when his name was called by another suspect.

CANU sources said that the forklift operator appeared to have had fair knowledge about the operation, but had told anti-narcotics ranks less

Some of the recovered cocaine neatly packed in hollowed out timber than he actually knew.

Kaieteur News was told that all suspects were subsequently released on self bail but are required to report daily to CANU. Sources said that investigators had been eyeing the timber company implicated in the bust for some time, since there were

irregularities in the way they functioned.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) also said that CANU had suspicions about the scanning anomalies that were discovered and thus opted to drill one of the logs.

They said the Guyana Forestry Commission had

already given the containers which were on the wharf some clearance to be shipped, but the GRA insisted that the lumber be checked again.

The GFC however said that it too noticed irregularities about the Soesdyke-based timber company. In fact, two weeks prior to the drug bust, they

said that the sawmill was closed down, because the company allegedly engaged in four illegal shipments of timber.

Investigators however believed that insiders at government agencies played roles in allowing the drugs to pass on the other few suspected occasions.

Monday March 11, 2013

Kaieteur News

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APNU honours women GDF officers sue Chief of Female Members of Parliament from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) have called for a better life for Guyanese women as the world observed International Women’s Day on Friday last.

Speaking at a women’s rally hosted by the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM) at the Stabroek Market Square to honour the work and efforts of women nationwide, Ms. Annette Ferguson, a young Member of the National Assembly, called on the Minister of Health and the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic administration to improve health care for women.

Ms. Ferguson recalled the reports over the years of women dying during child’s birth, a high child mortality rate and of women sharing beds at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and other government health institutions.

Another Member of Parliament, Ms. Deborah Backer, who is also Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, called for greater security for our women. Ms. Backer re-emphasized APNU’s demand for Minister Clement Rohee’s resignation, reminding the crowd that the Minister is not competent to ensure the security of the country – a situation that leaves women and children vulnerable to crime, especially interpersonal violence.

Ms. Amna Ally, another APNU MP, told the rally that several women paved the way for women’s development in our country.

Ms. Ally pointed to names such as Jane Phillips-Gay, Viola Burnham and Urmia Johnson. She noted, too, that women have come a far way since Guyana’s Independence and continue to play major roles in the

Staff for annual bonus

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Deborah Backer

Opposition Leader David Granger and APNU Member of Parliament Amna Ally National Assembly, making specific mention of the current Deputy Speaker, Ms. Deborah Backer and her predecessor, Clarissa Riehl.

APNU’s Shadow Minister for Human Services and Social Protection, Ms. Volda Lawrence, reminded the rally that women are the backbone of society and are the ones who manage the economics of the home.

She said that the 2013 National Budget must make women’s jobs easier. She called on women to stand up for themselves with more action and less talk.

Friday’s rally concluded with an address by the Chairperson of the National Congress of Women (NCW), Ms. Cheryl Sampson. She spoke of the origin of International Women’s Day and called on all women to take their places in society and be strong supporters of our men and children.

The rally opened with greetings from the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the PNCR, David Granger, M.P., who pledged the Partnership’s struggle to give our nation’s women ‘a good life.’

Toddler critical after falling down stairs A four-year-old child is hospitalized at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after she accidently fell down the steps at her Lot 133 Patentia Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara (WBD) home.

Zaleema Mangar, a Patentia Nursery School student fell down the steps around 12:00hrs yesterday.

Mangar’s mother, Bibi told this publication that she was bathing her three children, age two, three and the injured toddler when the incident occurred.

“I was bathing them and she (Zaleema) tell me she feeling cold and she ask me to bathe her first and send her upstairs, so I bathe her and put her on the step and tell her to go upstairs,” the

The toddler’s mother at GPHC yesterday. terrified mother recalled.

She added that while bathing her two other children, “I hear a tumbling sound and then she start crying; so I rush out and pick her up and soak her skin and I take her upstairs. She tell me

that her head and hand hurting and I tell her that I will mix some sugar water for her but she tell me she don’t want it and that she wants to sleep.”

According to the mother, she allowed little Zaleema to go and sleep but when she returned two minutes later to give her a painkiller she found the four-year-old in an abnormal position and she was not fully responsive.

“I took her to Best Hospital (West Demerara Regional Hospital) and they said she has head injuries and they bring her here (GPHC).”

Up to press time yesterday, the child was receiving treatment at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit.

Four Senior Officers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have moved to the Courts against Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best over the non- payment of annual bonuses which were issued to soldiers by President Donald Ramotar last year.

A lawsuit was filed against the Defence Force Head after he allegedly denied Officers the bonus amounts from the government.

The motion was filed in the High Court to overturn Best’s decision to withhold the payments. It also requests that the Chief of Staff be directed to pay out the monies.

Kaieteur News understands that come next week, Commodore Best will make an appearance at the Supreme Court to explain why he should not be ordered to pay up the bonuses.

Last December, at the annual GDF Christmas luncheon, President Ramotar announced one month’s salary bonus for members of the army.

The Chief of Staff reportedly decided not to pay out any bonuses to soldiers or officers who may have or had any disciplinary matters taken against them.

Over 100 members of the GDF were said to have been affected by the decision.

Allegations surfaced that prior to the President’s announcement, a request was made via messaging system, where Commanding Officers were to identi f y a r m y staffers who had unfavourable issues within the Force and a list of names were to be submitted.

It is understood that the Chief of Staff has sought legal advice from the Chambers of the Attorney General.

Arguments have however been brewing over the powers held by the Chief of Staff.

Speaking to some retired officers, Kaieteur News was told that as the head of the GDF, Best reserves the right to determine what is best for his staffers. That is, if he (Best) is of the view that as punishment or disciplinary

Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best action, an officer’s bonus is withheld, he reserves the right to do so.

Other officers argued that since the President granted the bonus for soldiers, Best is not supposed to withhold any monies. In fact, the pay master should also be taken to court, Kaieteur News was told.

When Kaieteur News made contact with Commodore Best yesterday, he opted to remain silent on the issue.

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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

Costs of masculine crime Now that we have observed International Women’s Day and spoken out against violence against women, it might be time to look at the other side of the coin, so to speak. In “Open Democracy”, Cynthia Cockburn and Ann Oakley showed that, “Men are, by a huge margin, the sex responsible for violent, sexual and other serious crime.

The economic cost of this ‘masculine excess’ in delinquency is staggering - to say nothing of its emotional toll.” They asked, “Why is the social shaping of masculinity not an urgent policy issue?”

Why indeed. While the statistics they cite are drawn from Britain, just as with other statistics on specific crimes such as rape, our newspaper reports indicate that Guyana falls right in line. That fact alone is pregnant with import.

What follows are excerpts from the report and are intended to stimulate discussion and hopefully, a policy response.

“Anti-social acts that harm wellbeing – from speed driving to calculated murder - are overwhelmingly performed by men. The human and emotional costs of what we will call this ‘masculine excess’ in criminality are very great. But some of the economic and social costs to society can be estimated.

Government statistics and reports on crime pay much attention to the type of offence and to the victim of crime.

One has to dig deep among the many tables to find figures disaggregated to show sex of offender – yet when uncovered, the figures are startling. Take simple ‘criminality’: 85% found guilty of an indictable offence in the 12 months ending June 2012 were men. The more violent the crime, the more men predominate. Males were 88% of those found guilty of violence against the person, and more than 98% of those committing sexual offences.

Scale down to the mundane level of non-violent wrongdoing and the gender pattern, while less extreme, persists.

Take ‘theft and handling stolen goods’, a crime commonly attributed to women: men still predominate as 79% of offenders. Of the 21,645 ASBOs (anti-social behaviour orders) issued in 2011, 86% went to males. And the gendering of indiscipline is already there in school, where boys are four out of five of pupils receiving exclusion orders.

The Ministry of Justice estimates the average cost to society of handling incidents in the various different categories of crime. Up in the violent stratosphere where men are in the ninety-percents, a homicide case is said to incur a cost of £1.7 million; a sexual offence £36,952; a serious wounding £25,747. Down there in ‘theft’ (where women do their shop-lifting) the cost to society is a mere £763 per packet of panty-hose. (The Guyanese costs should be proportionately equivalent.) There are then the disparate costs of incarceration to be considered.

Year after year, we fail to connect the huge burden of masculine anti-social behaviour with the social and economic system of which it is part. Where is the search for reasons and remedies? Instead of joining the dots, and drawing a conclusion, we treat every piece of breaking news as a shocking new scandal; a special case.

We need to probe more deeply into why and how our culture produces men and boys with a propensity for antisocial and violent behaviour. It can’t be blamed on the Y chromosome. Genes have little effect unless and until they are activated by the growing individual’s social environment.

And our environment is an unhealthy, unequal society which not only allows a violence-prone masculinity to flourish but positively fosters it, in upbringing, schooling, sport, entertainment and media – to say nothing of military training. The male body is knowingly developed as a force of coercion. The ideal man is shaped as a character in whom the softer emotions are repressed, in favour of combativeness, risk-taking and a readiness for violence.

Femininity is produced in a complementary mode, contrasted with masculinity, but compliant in a system ruled by qualities and values deemed masculine. Everyone has a human interest in a radical transformation of gender relations.

And now.”

Monday March 11, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news Bisram’s derogative view that we should “move on” from the Linden tragedy is insufferable hypocrisy DEAR EDITOR, Your edition of March 8th carried a Vishnu Bisram letter in which he made the arrogant and partisan appeal for parliament and the public to “move on” from addressing the tragic July 18, 2012 shootings in Linden. Writing in response to the the COI report on the fatal shootings of three protestors in Linden, Bisram suggested that parliament, before it moves on, “may wish to consider sanctioning” its two members the report blames for failing to stop protestors from blocking bridges and using other universally recognized and accepted protest tactics that helped free India from colonialism, South Africa from Apartheid, and America from legalized racial segregation.

So Bisram shamelessly believes that our National Assembly should not discuss that the COI found the police responsible for the three fatalities or that the compensation recommended for the three fatalities is nothing but monetary insults and a total disregard for the value of human life or that the government must implement the COI’s recommendations.

Having made his own selfserving peace with an event that occurred less than a year ago, Bisram wants our nation’s intellectual and financial resources to be focused on worthier or other pertinent causes. Not so fast. This tragedy must be officially memorialized and is deserving of as much extended attention as any

other of our nation’s socioeconomic/political protests that resulted in injuries or deaths.

Bisram’s derogative view that our nation should “move on” from the eight-montho l d L i n d e n tragedy also turns out to be insufferable hypocrisy when it is contrasted with his inability to forget to agitate about the sufferings he claims he and his comrades endured during the PNC’s 28-year rule, which ended nearly 21 years ago.

Yes, world, Bisram wants our nation to “move on” from investigated and confirmed injustices that occurred less than one year ago even as he and the replacement PPP dictatorship continue to holler, inside and outside Parliament, about alleged injustices they suffered under the PNC at least 21 years ago.

And of one thing we can be sure: Bisram will never tell himself or the PPP and its supporters that it is time to “move on” from accusing the PNC of committing this or that injustice at least 21 years ago. Bisram’s attitude gives rise to questions I have rhetorically asked myself a million times: Why do some people believe that their sufferings (real or imagined) are worthier of being talked or written about more than the real or imagined sufferings of others? And why do those same people consider the shootings that occurred during

demonstrations under the 28year PNC “dictatorship” to be more reprehensible than the shootings that have occurred during similar demonstrations under the numerically-growing 21year ”replacement dictatorship” of the PPP? And why do they believe that the PNC’s government’s use of House of Israel thugs was more reprehensible than the admission by Roger Khan and members of his Phantom Squad that they worked for the PPP government? Editor, our nation will never rise to its full potential if we do not expose or challenge the attitudes and hypocrisies of groups and persons like Vishnu Bisram.

The PPP- and Bisrampeddled propaganda that more people have been injured or killed by gunfire during protests under the PNC does not stand up to factual scrutiny. That July 2012 Linden march increased the PPP record as the party under which the most persons have been injured or killed by gunfire during protests.

Despite all their claims about PNC atrocities during its 28-year rule, the PPP and Bisram can only name three persons who were killed during protests under the PNC: two male PPP activists were killed by the GDF in July of 1973 during a protest attempt to prevent the GDF from removing ballot boxes on the Corentyne and Father Bernard Darke, a Catholic priest, was stabbed to death

by PNC thugs in July of 1979 while he was taking photographs during a protest on Brickdam in Georgetown.

On the other hand, seven protestors have been killed and about 30 injured as a result of being shot by our security forces since the PPP came to power in 1992: one woman was killed in April of 2001; one man was killed in front of the Albion police station in June of 2001; two men were killed in front of a Berbice Anti-smuggling Squad office in Corentyne in August of 2001; and three persons were killed in Linden in July of 2012. This stark truth is one reason Bisram would like us to “move on”, and also why the PPP quickly released the COI report hoping that the country will “move on”.

Editor, our people should never, in deference to Bisram or anyone else, abandon their tradition of protests or their right to talk about the injuries or deaths that result from protests. From the days of slavery to these days of the replacement PPP dictatorship, the protest has been an effective liberating or messaging tool of the e n s l a v e d , the disenfranchised, and the marginalized.

But it has been viewed with suspicion and dread by dictators and their cohorts, who are well aware that a peaceful protest march can quickly change into a violent revolt for justice.

Thus the often unprovoked, aggressive, Continued on page 5

Monday March 11, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

Still no action by the Labour Ministry on the Paradise MultiPurpose Cooperative Society DEAR EDITOR, I felt a brief sense of relief when I read of Minister Gopaul’s stated determination to root out corruption in cooperatives.

The relief was brief because reality reminded me that the Paradise Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society’s situation has remained unresolved after years of being under the control of the Chief Cooperatives Development Officer (CCDO), and in spite of the sterling efforts by Patrick E. Mentore to have the subject minister reign in his subordinate and return the Society to its members.

The minister’s strong statement about the enrichment of a few is particularly relevant to Paradise with respect to illegal sale and disposal of what in effect state lands under the

umbrella of a cooperative body. I would like the CCDO to tell the nation how many Paradise members have benefitted from exposure to training in cooperatives at the Kuru Kuru Cooperative College or at any other institution for the development of Paradise.

What is of interest is that despite the minister being informed that Paradise has not received an audited report, held an annual general meeting, or elected office bearers while under the personal management of Mr. Abdul-Jabbar since 2003; and despite the minister being sent a petition by fifty-two members expressing a loss of confidence in Abdul-Jabbar no positive action has been taken by the Labour Ministry.

Is this not an indication that (as Carmen Grandison

opined) the minister may not be in full control of his ministry?

I think that it is an insult to people’s intelligence to expect the public at large to passively accept what seems to be an obvious attempt at preserving the status quo after all the effort by progressive members in the community.

This leaves me to conclude that if the Guyana Public Service was not an influential body the Lamaha Garden issue would not have been addressed. I am prepared to back any form of legal action that the members are willing to take to ensure that the audit reports from 2003 are presented as well as all details of financial transactions from that period onwards.

Gervais Sansulotte

A small tribute to three good men DEAR EDITOR, I refer to three letters in your paper. “Remembering Adeshena,” Jan, 21, 13, “Wendell George was an outstanding freedom fighter,” March 8, 13 and “Former Region Three Chairman, Pariag Sukhai served humanity,” March 10, 13.

Adeshena and Wendell were relatively unknown WPA activists who made significant contributions to the post-colonial struggle for human rights in our country and who died recently. I did not know of the death and funeral of Wendell. I really regret this. I gave the grave side eulogy for Adeshina and was in anger. He was a simple, modest man who didn’t care about race and ethnicity but was concerned about freedom and justice in his country.

He belonged to a fantastic young group in the WPA that helped to weaken the PNC dictatorship. The list includes Sase Omo, Tacuma Ogunseye, David Hinds, Nkofi (deceased), Nigel Westmas, John Williams (deceased), Osaze, Mobotu, Todd, Haslyn Cadogan, Karen De Souza, Victor Kerstin, Derek Gravesande among others (an apology if I left out some names. These were African young men (Nigel and Karen are of mixed race, Victor is Amerindian)) who fought an African led government where race was never a factor in their emotions, sentiments, thinking and attitudes My anger stemmed from the fact that Adeshina fought for free and fair elections and democracy in his country and died in semi-poverty. He was

not from the ruling party so he couldn’t easily get a house-lot or a secure job. I was raging with anger as I delivered that eulogy because Adeshina deserved better. The history of people like Adeshina (he from ASCRIA into the WPA) needs to be written just as Wendell I didn’t know Wendell George was dead until I read about it in a letter in this newspaper by Paul Tennassee. I met Wendell in the WPA in the seventies and we immediately struck up a friendship.

He also sold goods to my mother-in-law’s supermarket at the time. He was a small trader. His lifelong friend was Brother Bissoon from Grove.

Together they were a formidable combination. Two persons with boundless energy.

Wendell was a staunch brother in the struggle during the reign of the PNC’s autocracy. One of the top qualities of Wendell is that he was not intimidated by name and position. He would speak his mind and would refuse to be silenced. After the demise of the PNC Government of which he made a significant contribution, he gravitated towards the Rickey Singh syndrome and that alienated me from him He became a quiet supporter of the PPP Government and it had to do with the fact that he couldn’t accept a role for the PNC in a national government. That was unfortunate in that no matter how you disliked the PNC as Wendell did, the facts of the PPP Government being

worse could not have missed the eyes and minds of any decent human being. But when all was said and done he was a very decent human unlike a few from the WPA who gave Jageo critical support and have benefited from his largesse and still do from their relationship with the PPP Government.

Though a quiet supporter of the PPP Government, I doubt that Wendell would have joined them. To Adeshena and Wendell, I say thanks for the moments of friendship.

Thanks for the joy and emotions we shared as brothers in the struggle. But most of all, thanks for fighting for our country. I will always remember your contributions.

The time is not right to honour you for your selflessness because forces are at work that will fight us in our struggle to do that.

But a time will come when people like you Adeshena and Wendell and your colleagues Brian Rodway, Josh Ramsammy and others will have your bravery written on the pages of this country’s history.

Once again, Adeshena and Wendell thanks for the memories.

Goodbye!

Finally I read in the Sunday Stabroek that former Region Three Chairman, Pariag Sukhai has died. I knew Pariag a long time ago. I met him through Boyo Ramsaroop when I was in the Guyana East German Friendship Society.

If there was a decent PPP member I have met it was Pariag. I remember working with him selling German

Who remembers the “unsung heroes” of those historic days?

DEAR EDITOR, Upon opening the press this morning, I learnt of the passing of Mr Pariag Sukhai, former MP and Regional Chairman, Region Three, West Demerara.

Memories came flooding back to me as I recall the near dustbin history that awaited some of our PPP heroes of yesteryear.

In the lead up on the preparations to the PPP’s List of Candidates for the historic 1992 General and Regional Elections, the party’s General Secretary, Dr Jagan had presented his list to the Central Committee for ratification. That list was supposed to contain sixtyfive names but low and beholld it only contained fiftythree names.

From the PYO ranks there were only two names, Rohan Singh and Khemraj Ramjattan. My name was significantly absent. This shocked and stultified me as I was reassured in my home previously by Moses Nagamootoo and Khelawan Lall ,they both being ExCo party leaders. that my name was prominent on the List.

This list before the CC was

Jagan’s A-Team and if your name was not on it you were a byes keeper (second weekeeper behind the real keeper and a role reserved for the 12 th and 13th man) .

Moses who was sitting next to me during these deliberations told me that the next name he would nominate would be mine. I told him to desist from nominating my name as I would decline and walk out. The next name Moses nominated was Niel Kumar making him the fiftyfourth name on the list.

I swore quietly there and then that I will continue to fullfill my role as Party Organiser for Greater Georgetown up to the General Elections and to depart thereafter. I would stop being a Public Speaker on thre Party’s platform or to volunteer for any duties outside of my very low pay multi purpose role as Party Organiser . I stayed committed to this self made pledge to the end.

In fact that presentation of the Cheddi Jagan fiftythree names on his A-Team list was the final act, the end for me in the PPP. After the elections I

tendered four resignations and Donald, by now the new General Secretary of the PPP, asked me to stay on for the Municipal Elections. I eventually did not wait that long.

However, discussions continued of the compilation of the remaining names to complete the full list of sixtyfive names for the PPP/C List for 1992.

I recall the nomination of the name Ann Wishart out of Barbados, who had apparently given an undertaking to Cheddi Jagan that she would stand as one of his candidates for the upcoming Elections. Jamet Jagan was furious that she had not to date presented herself and therefore should no be nominated. Of course Janet has her say and and her day.

Finally, only two places remained on the list and I observed to Moses Nagamootoo that two party stalwarts, Pariag Sukhai and Pandit NBoodram Mahadeo, both representing Mass Organisations, GAPA and RPA were absent from the list and if this was the Continued on page 6

Bisram’s derogative view that we....

From page 4 and deadly responses from rulers whose knowledge of history and own anti-colonial struggles should have informed them that revolts or protests against injustice are best quelled by the dispensing of justice rather than by the dispensing of violence. For the plain truth is that the will to oppress will always be overcome by the will to be free of oppression.

So the people of Linden and their representatives in parliament should have their peaceful say whenever, wherever, and for as long as it takes the replacement PPP dictatorship to implement all the recommendations of the commission.

Yes, unlike Mr. Bisram who suggests that

the government should merely ”consider implementing the COI recommendations”, they should set the implementation of the recommendations as a precondition for any return to normalcy in Linden or any other part of Guyana.

After all, Guyanese have every natural right to march for their rights, without fear of being unjustifiably gunned down in the streets.

And they must not allow themselves be deterred by the subterfuges and hypocrisies of enablers of the replacement dictatorship or by the idle fulminations of delirious speakers at Babu John or any other place.

Lionel Lowe

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Kaieteur News

Monday March 11, 2013

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

We must take initiatives to help stem the growth of gang violence in Kitty DEAR EDITOR, I just read news articles about the existence of what appears to be a murderous gang of young people operating out of, and apparently resident in Kitty, my village (now Greater Georgetown) of birth.

This is very disturbing news as I have always been of the view that, despite having its share of anti-social activity, Kitty maintained some pride of place as a community in which good neighborliness prevails.

The article to which I refer is one of many which reported on the death of one Mr. Isles at the hands of some minor-aged youths who allegedly beat him with pieces of wood and other weapons of murderous destruction.

The news reports suggest that there is still some level of good neighborliness in Kitty as some residents went to Mr. Isles’ assistance, albeit only after the murderous thugs had seemingly accomplished their dastardly mission. So

amidst the challenges of dealing with the violence of this gang of youths there is also hope as there remain public spirited Kittitians who are willing to be their brothers’ keepers.

We who are from Kitty, whether by birth or by residence as should all citizens, must strongly condemn this violence and more importantly take initiatives to help stem the growth of gang violence in that community. I am sure my fellow Kittitians will join me in extending deepest sympathy to Mr. Ailes’ wife and children and offering any material support they may need at this time.

I am hereby requesting every peace loving Kittitian to join with me in designing and/or contributing to some already existing program in Guyana which would address the issue of youth gangs in Kitty and seek to find solutions to this problem. I have already spoken to a good friend, Commander Russell Permaul, a Guyanese from Albouystown, who

recently retired after 35 years of service to law enforcement in the US and who served for five years as the head of the GRAEAT Program-Gang Resistance Education and Training for the southeastern US, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and he has agreed to visit Guyana to help look at this gang problem in Kitty.

He has worked extensively on this issue including the design of the curriculum for training in schools in the US and its Caribbean territories.

I will soon write to President Donald Ramotar and Minister Rohee seeking the government’s collaboration in this visit and for their support of this effort to look at the gang problem perhaps not only in Kitty but further afield.

I hope others would join in this effort by providing any information, ideas/ suggestions they may have about addressing the problems of youth gangs in Kitty.

Wesley Kirton

The AFC must avoid being perceived as a satellite of either the PNC or PPP DEAR EDITOR, The Alliance for Change (AFC) will certainly win more seats in the next General Elections but it has to avoid being perceived or seen by the population as a satellite of either the PNC or PPP. The Liberal Democrats of the UK after joining the Conservatives is now set to lose political ground to the Conservatives.

Clearly the people have now bundled them in the same boat with the Conservatives and advanced the argument in their mind that a vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for the Conservatives; so why vote Liberal Democrat, who not Conservative? Thus the Liberal Democrats will lose their political relevance.

There are many lessons to learn from this experience by the AFC. With this in mind many thinkers had called for the AFC in 2011 to set up a system with the APNU, with clear rules.

This system should have been managed by two plenipotentiary – one from the AFC and one from APNU to ensure that the vision, mission and principles of the AFC remain intact. From where I sit, I would like to see

the AFC as a party that is separate and distinct from the APNU. The whole idea behind this thought was that the APNU and AFC should cooperate on a Parliamentary agenda on the issues that will bring betterment to the wellbeing of the people but politically they are very different - one is an Afrocentric party that pander to tribal politics while one is a revolutionary party that does not see race but class as its political agenda.

Clearly that has not happened and now in the “do-little Parliament” there is massive confusion on what is being done by either the AFC or the APNU. From where I sit it look like a public tug-of-war, all to the benefit of the PPP. Can we expect better from the PPP, they are losing support every day and thus are desperate?

The PPP has used promises of “Judge-ship” to pay off top officials in Parliament to add more seeds of confusion on the ROHEEGATES scandal leading to the AFC now being seen as pulling against the APNU to the deep concern of AfroGuyanese people since many were preparing to jump the APNU ship into the AFC as a

result of the sterling political work of Nigel Hughes over the last 12 months. His letter to the people of Linden offering his free service to them is an example of the pull factor of this man in the AfroGuyanese community.

But the PPP has learnt well from the British – divide and rule and the small minds in the majority opposition continue to sell out their people for a few pieces of silver. From now onward certain top officials in Parliament will get all praise from the PPP as they retire to the promised job of a Judgeship.

Ramjattan and Team were conned from day one and continue to be conned by these sheep in wolf clothing.

They claim to want to progress the AFC mission but as a result of their political opportunism, they are on a road to break up that party because their political ambitions remain unfulfilled.

I voted for the AFC in 2011 and I will either vote for them again or stay at home at the next election but that decision clearly depends on them getting their act together in Parliament on the many issues adversely affecting the people.

Nicole McKay

Who remembers the...

From page 5 manner in which Cheddi and the PPP was repaying these stalwarts. I recall Pandit Boodram Mahadeo visiting our home in Joanna, BBP to conduct District Committee meetings of the RPA along with my father and several othersi I suggested to Moses that at least they could be given recognition with their names shouls be nominated on the list but that they didn’ t have to be named as MP afterwards.

It was the season of the self-preservation and selfperpetuation of Cheddi’s ‘Arm Chair Generals and Corporal’s Guard’. Every man

for himself and the devil take the hindmost!

Moses duly got to his feet and nominated, unopposed Pandit Boodram Mahadeo and Pariag Sukhai, in that order, making them the sixtyfourth and sixty-fifth nominations on the PPP/C List of nominations for the 1992 elections, and in so doing saving them from the dustbin of PPP history.

Today we have all manner of boys giving reminiscences and recollections. Speak not ill of the dead they say!

Who remembers the “unsung heroes” of those historic days?

Lionel Peters

A small tribute to...

From page 5 magazines for the Friendship Society and got to know him better. This was a fine, decent politician that anyone would have liked If ever there was a human being that because of his personality structure was incapable of being an authoritarian person is was Pariag.

He always came across as too quiet for politics and someone who would never harm a fly. I lost contact with him after the PPP came to power but years later turned up at his office when he was the Region 3 Chairman to make representation on behalf of a worker.

He was delighted to see. His treatment was as if I was his buddy pal. Such was the nature of the man. Rest in peace, my brother. You did your part for your country Frederick Kissoon

Monday March 11, 2013

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Monday March 11, 2013

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Brazilian Ambassador to look into Marudi beating

From left: Errol Prince, Varnverona Prince, Ranaldo Prince and Larenzo Prince, in the background is Otilla Pereira

Brazilians living in Guyana, who were the subject of a merciless beating by local police ranks two Saturdays ago, are slated to meet with the Brazilian Amb a s s a d o r today.

Kaieteur News was made to understand that, in light, of no apparent justice being served, Brazilian authorities intend to take the matter up with the Guyana government.

Tw o S a t u r d a y s a g o , photos and video footage began surfacing with police ranks beating persons in the Marudi trail.

The persons, all civilians, are part of a group of miners who are protesting what they are calling their unlawful removal from a mining claim that is registered to a Canadian mining concern, Romanex Guyana Explorations Limited.

The police ranks were accompanied by officials from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to clear several the “illegal” miners from the Marudi mining district.

About 300 local miners

have been operating approximately 22 dredges in the area for the past 10 years when the Canadian firm appeared to have neglected it.

Victims of the police brutality included a Brazilian woman Varverona Prince, 43 and her 10- year-old son Ranaldo Prince Even though video footage shows persons trying to shield the two from the brunt of the licks dished out by police ranks, the lad still suffered injuries and was taken to the Aishalton Hospital.

At that location, young Prince was examined by a medex and was transferred to the Lethem Hospital where he was seen by a medical professional.

The lad’s left leg is currently in cast and his family was advised that he sustained a “severe” fracture.

BRUMELL’S “INVESTIGATION” The immediate Sunday after the civilians were brutalized, the story was featured in this newspaper and on that day calls were

made to the acting top cop, Leroy Brumell, who had expressed anger and promised a full investigation and the ranks would have been brought to justice.

“I have ordered the Commander of F Division to conduct an inquiry. I want a proper investigation. I can’t let that go down the drain…We know who the ranks are. They are coming out tomorrow (which would have been last week Monday). I told the Commander that I want an investigation and that we will take action, I can assure you,” the Top Cop had stated.

Brumell had claimed that he was particularly concerned about reports that a child was among those assaulted.

However, this newspaper understands that the ranks involved in the beating are still at that location “operating as usual.”

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment had also signaled that their entity would do its own investigation. But information on how that is coming along hasn’t surfaced as yet.

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Monday March 11, 2013

Pensioner alleges rip-off by herbalist

By Leon Suseran Pensioner Deolaria Guyanand, 61, of Number 19 Village, Corentyne, was initially asked to dole out nearly a million dollars to a popular self-proclaimed Herbalist for arthritis treatment.

The amount was quickly reduced to $240,000 after which he was given a plethora of liquid concoction of herbs which in the end brought no relief from his pains.

In fact, he stated that his condition was becoming worse and he claimed that he and his wife were deceived by the herbalist.

Guyanand stated that he saw the herbalist’s live callin programme on the television and decided to visit the clinic in December 2012.

He said that he was suffering from arthritis in his two legs, “so me go, and she tell me that I have to take a course [of treatment] and I asked her (how much) and she said $700,000 but I told her I can’t manage that, and that I will take a bit (of the treatment).”

He said that the herbalist then recommended a six-

week treatment costing $240,000, which Guyanand immediately paid.

He later began using the herbs and bottled concoctions but his condition did not change.

In fact, the pains were

me this time,” Guyanand stated.

His wife told Kaieteur News that he is a pensioner and that the situation took a big toll on them financially since they paid a lot of money to the self-proclaimed

“...and I had to start throwing them away…[they were] smelling like sheep urine - we can’t use them - they smell like septic tank water - like when cow[s] urine, so [much] they are stinking in the bottles.” getting worse.

“Sore and other lesions started to appear on my skin, especially my back.”

Guyanand stopped attending the clinic but his son, Aatrie and wife, Bhagwattie returned to the clinic to relate their dissatisfaction with the treatment and to demand a refund of the money they had paid.

“She (the herbalist) asked my son to let me go back and she would treat me for six weeks for free, but I didn’t go back because she might kill

herbalist.

She added that the most she would pay for her husband’s treatment at a popular Corentyne private doctor is $6,000. “She is a scamp...not me alone she scamp—plenty persons”.

“I asked her how she can take all that money from my husband and she told me that that is her price…so I told her that cannot be her price because my husband is a pensioner, but she told me that she cannot refund any money,” Bhagwattie stated.

“When he drinking all the liquids and herbs, I got to give the man tablets and lime because his pressure going up more and I told her that this is not fair…and I told her my husband was not feeling any better,” the woman added.

Additionally, the liquid herbal concoctions in one liter water bottles, started to give off an ominous smell “and I had to start throwing them away…(they were) smelling like sheep urine—we can’t use them—they smell like septic tank water—like when cow(s) urine, so (much) they are stinking in the bottles.”

Also, an ointment which was prescribed for ringworm on Guyanand’s skin has caused the infection to spread to other parts of the body and his skin is becoming reddish in colour.

“I am urging people not to believe in these people because just how my husband lose his money, just so they can lose theirs the same way.”

It should be noted that the herbalist in question was arrested in 2011 after a 61year-old woman collapsed

Guyanand with the tablets and bottled herbal liquids which are all part of the treatment. and died while undergoing treatment for tuberculosis at Smith’s Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara home.

Julie Mohabir, of St. Stephen’s Street, Charlestown, passed away, shortly after ingesting an herbal concoction that the herbalist had given her.

The Ministry of Health was also involved in investigating that particular death.

The Guyana Association for Alternative Medicine has also distanced itself from past screw-ups involving the popular self-proclaimed herbalist.

Cabinet approves US$464,212 for three garbage trucks At a post-Cabinet media briefing Thursday last, Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon disclosed that at Cabinet’s March 6 statutory meeting, no objection was given for the Local Government Ministry to

expend US$464,212 to procure three garbage vehicles, in addition to 18 other contracts.

The other contracts are in the areas of agriculture, housing and infrastructure.

Monday March 11, 2013

There is “Courage the cowardly dog” and then there is “sand” which also means “courage”, “stamina” or “perseverance”.

One example, which comes from Mark Twain, is, “She had more sand in her than any girl I ever see; in my opinion she was just full of sand.”

Many of us who grew up in the rural villages of Trinidad which are mainly populated by people of East Indian descent and then went to city schools or moved to towns in the oil industry where the racial balance is different, had an especially hard time.

The impact of indentured Indian immigration on the employment prospects of the freed African slaves, and the British policy of divide and conquer, stirred up racial animosity that still survives and, some would say, thrives today in the politics of Trinidad and Tobago. What is called the “N” word was more common even among people of African descent and to be called an “Old N…” by people of African descent was the ultimate stigma assigned to those who were “ignorant” or forever guilty of uncouth behavior.

The term was not applied only to people of African descent and since I was neither couth nor cute being a badly-behaved and foulmouthed brat when out of the view and earshot of my parents, it was not long before I was permanently labelled an “Old N…” by the people in the town of Siparia. We had left the sugar-cane and ricefields of the village of Carapichaima for the oil-town of Siparia where my father tried to combine truck-driving with selling and consuming alcohol. They were not a particularly auspicious combination.

In my case, the honour of being an “Old N…” was bestowed on me by my newly-found friends in the community of “Cassava Alley” later known as “Peyton Place” after the Grace Metalious book and movie which dealt, as WIKIPEDIA says, with incest, abortion, adultery, lust and murder. To that list we added stealing, assault, battery, gambling and various other petty crimes and misdemeanours including harbouring people

Kaieteur News

who were wanted by the police. Our reputation in the village was therefore not unwarranted. In fact, the Captain of our cricket and football team boasted, “All my convictions are for wounding.”

In the US our community of Peyton Place consisting of a huge tract of small buildings in various states of disrepair marked by tracks in the sand, would be considered to be “on the wrong side of the tracks”. In Siparia we were on the wrong side of the Savannah or, as we called it, the “sand-vannah.” Some geological quirk had made Siparia a zone of sand surrounded by the sticky, black clay we called “sappatay” dirt with some areas of red clay interspersed.

There is the story of Miss Popelee, a shrewd old Indian woman, who suggested to us that a piece of unused land that she had could make a good cricket ground if cleared.

When the boys had got rid of the bush and went to fetch the red clay which was used throughout Trinidad for cricket pitches, Miss Popelee declared angrily, “Corn can’t grow on red dirt!” And so, “a-maize-ingly” ended our field of dreams.

On the other side of the Savannah from us was the town. I had come to Siparia or “Sand City” from the ironically named “Picadilly” E.C. School in East Dry River or the wrong side of the Portof-Spain tracks (“behind the bridge” as the area is known).

Going to the school there was an education that helped me survive my early days in Siparia. Later, I was the only person from Peyton Place to have got a Higher School Certificate (Advanced Levels) and ended up teaching English, History and Geography in the neighbourhood High School.

I was almost the same age as some of my students.

Because I lived nearby I became, by default, the school’s sports “master” and my duties included coaching and managing football, cricket, athletics and, because none of the female teachers were sportspeople, netball.

One of the girls on the team is now Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad who later married another student, Gregory

Bissessar.

In thinking about those days I realize how much Siparia did for both of us. It was a place where eventually people accepted you for yourself. You had to have sand in the Sand City. It was a constant fight for recognition and respect and had to be earned.

Acceptability was the only reward and it was always hardfought. The young people in the school, even though it was a Presbyterian or denominational school, were of many different races, religions and hues. While the rest of Trinidad is still a

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tossed salad, the school was a true melting pot. I no longer involve myself in politics but I continue to see in the personality of the Prime Minister the ethos of the town I still think of as home.

Kamla’s mother ran a bar which my father and then my friends and I frequented. This common touch, pragmatism and the ability to translate as well as transcend the environment is something that we could only have got from Siparia.

Netball is a rough sport and recently when my younger daughter, Jasmine, who runs, swims and plays

basketball, had to take part in an inter-house netball match in her Antiguan school, she found that out. She came home with scratches complaining of being cuffed, shoved and bounced as well.

We had some tough girls on our Siparia team and even tougher ones on the opposing teams and I thought the slimly built child would have given up. She had come from Penal, a predominantly East Indian community, but in Siparia she

had got sand in her shoes, craw and veins. She never gave up and actually delighted in the rough-andtumble. Clearly, had I been astute enough, I would have realized that she was destined for a successful career in politics. *Tony Deyal was last seen repeating a Margaret Thatcher one-liner: “If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn’t swim.”

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Year of Statistics 2013…

Statistics a tool of daily life - Chief Statistician The Objective of the ‘Year of Statistics 2013’ is to promote Statistics, both as an enhanced source of knowledge as well as a comfortable and practical tool in our everyday lives; this is according to Chief Statistician of the Bureau of Statistics, Lennox Benjamin.

He said that statistics must no longer be something abstract to most or viewed as something so hard to grasp and understand.

“It affects us in our everyday lives from weather forecasts, to predicting areas for high crime activity, to emergency preparedness,” Benjamin explained.

“Proficiency in statistics provides the art of telling a story with numerical data and thus will always be a big plus for our media practitioners.

Early exposure to and comfort

with Statistics among our school-age population has to be one of the major activities of the Year of Statistics.”

Adding that there can be no greater incentive for Statistics as a career, Benjamin said when in this era of continued global economic slowdown, marked by both loss of/and difficulty in obtaining jobs, is over, the global statistical community has forecast that the demand for statisticians and data analysts is expected to increase by 4.4 million jobs worldwide in the years ahead.

“The optimistic forecast for career opportunities in Statistics is great, so those following us in the field of Statistics will be the first level of beneficiaries right here in our region and by extension through their advocacies,

Monday March 11, 2013

Auto dealer, women nabbed in $13M ganja bust A popular auto dealer and two women remain in custody following the seizure on Saturday of an estimated $13M in compressed marijuana during an early morning raid at a Norton Street, Lodge property.

Police said that they found the 72 kilogrammes of marijuana stashed in the trunks of two unregistered vehicles at the property.

The auto dealer, along with his reputed wife

Chief Statistician of the Bureau of Statistics, Lennox Benjamin their own households, the education system, and our societies at large within this region will be the ultimate beneficiaries,” he declared.

Importantly, whereas the World Statistics Day was organized and celebrated under the sponsorship of the United Nations Statistical Division, and driven by the national Statistical Offices throughout the World, Benjamin said that there needs to be a sustained momentum for the global spread and embracing statistics by all levels.

World Statistics Day is held at an interval of every five years; the next such Commemoration being due in October 2015.

and another woman, were subsequently detained and indications are that they will be charged. A source said that the businessman had initially told police that he had knowledge of the marijuana but has since changed his statement.

Kaieteur News understands that the auto dealer was charged with drug trafficking some years ago but was not convicted.

Man dumped at GPHC after suffering electrical burns A 43-year-old carpenter who suffered electrical burns while working on a city building last Tuesday is furious that his employers appeared to have abandoned him.

The man, Roland Razack, 43 of Lot 13 Norton Street, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was reportedly “dumped” at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by his employer, after he sustained burns to his body while working on a four-storey building in the vicinity of the Bourda Market.

Yesterday from his hospital bed, Razack related that he was at the top of the four-storey building collecting steel rods from his colleagues at the bottom and second flat of the building.

“Me and another man were at the top, and another man was at the bottom of the building pushing up the steel and the guy at the second floor was pushing it up too,” Razack explained, adding that the steel rods were long and as the breeze blew, it swayed in different direction.

He added, “the man at the bottom push up four steel rods tied together and because the breeze was blowing hard, it leaned and jam the joint on GPL’s wire and when I hold it, my whole hand burn and so.”

Razack is nursing burns to his chest, feet and left hand.

“The doctor says I can’t work for four months because of the injuries and I have a wife and daughter to maintain.”

The injured Razack He explained that since he was dumped at GPHC, no one from his work place visited him to enquire about his health. “They have to compensate me because I wouldn’t be able to work for four months.”

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Health teams focusing on human waste disposal, hygiene The Ministry of Health has been monitoring reports an outbreak of gastroenteritis in the North West District, Region One and has taken aggressive steps to address the emerging situation.

Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran said the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud was instructed to look into the matter and he has effectively done that using the established methods and network of epidemiologists, doctors, nurses and community workers while at the same time working with non-Ministry of Health agencies which are just as important to the multi-

sectoral approach to such as outbreak.

“As we learnt a few days ago reports started to emerge of groups of people falling ill and certain actions undertaken…even the most well-oiled and efficiently functioning response, as has been mounted by the Ministry of Health, will need time to come to final conclusions but notwithstanding that certain concrete public health interventions have already been taken even before the media became aware of the situation,” Minister Ramsaran pointed out.

He explained that certain public health interventions

– in wake of reports of gastro in Region One were well on the way in keeping with standard operational procedures and how things are done by the Ministry of Health to confront and mitigate treats to public health right across the country.

The Ministry is also extending its hand to the Ministry of Education, Guyana Defence Force and other groups in this effort.

Dr. Persaud noted that the reported cases were observed through the surveillance information which is collected on a weekly basis. That report

Cashew nuts stock diminishing

Cleopatra displays products produced by Helping Hands Women’s Group of St. Ignatius.

The diminishing stock of cashew nuts in the Rupununi Savannah, Region Nine, has members of the Helping Hands Women’s Group of St. Ignatius worrying about their livelihoods. Members of the group are convinced that the harsh weather conditions in the Savannah within recent years contribute to the diminishing stock.

They are hoping that the National Agricultural Research Institute would investigate this phenomenon; and find possible remedies or innovations to help the cashew nut trees adjust to the environmental change.

This was revealed by Kim, a member of Helping Hands Women’s Group, during an interview with this publication on Friday at the Guyana International Conference Centre.

There, Kim and another member, Cleopatra exhibited some of their products including packaged cashew nuts at the observation of I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo m e n ’s Day 2013 symposium.

Although, the group with 10 active members is involved in cassareep

production, their primary products are made from nuts.

Value is added to the cashew nuts by processing it and the finished products are placed in neatly labeled packets.

Previously, about 22,000 pounds of cashew nuts were available but now only about 2,000 to 3,000 pounds are reaped per crop.

According to Kim, the trees blossom, the fruits are born but they soon dry and fall off the branches before they are ready for reaping.

Helping Hands Women’s Group is also involved in making peanut butter. They were the first group to get

involved in peanut butter production within the district.

They purchase peanuts thus providing a market for farmers. The group is aiming to purchase 10,000 pounds of peanuts but so far they have acquired only 8,000 pounds.

Kim noted that before the mechanization of their production process, they used to grind the peanuts manually. However, it is quite costly since they have to pay staff and purchase gas.

Finding markets for their products is difficult. The group needs a fair-minded distributor in Georgetown to help market their products.

indicated that there were increases from since the second week of January where at least one child died due to severe dehydration.

Dr. Persaud explained that a post mortem was done on that child and some samples were taken, and at the same time the Ministry dispatched a preliminary team including persons from the Regional Health Services, Surveillance Unit, and local Environmental Health Officers and Regional Health Officer.

During that visit samples were collected both from the patient and water supply including the river and wells in the area. Dr. Persaud disclosed that the samples indicate that the water was contaminated with E.coli which is an organism that is usually expelled in faeces.

“As a matter of fact the results coming out of Food and Drugs indicate …that the waters are severely contaminated,” he emphasised.

A second team was dispatched on Friday morning including newly appointed epidemiologist, Dr. Morris Edwards who is tasked with assessing the situation further. Once the source of the

contamination has been identified, efforts will focus on addressing that with support from the Regional Administration.

The team has been encouraging steps such as boiling of water and using bleach in water for household purposes.

Subsequently, a second child who presented with severe dehydration also succumbed, however the investigation of the samples are still being conducted to determine what strain of bacteria is causing the illness. Other people in the community have also

reported cases of diarrhoea.

Dr.Persaud noted that the stocks at the health facilities were replenished in a visit to the area last Thursday. The team will also be interfacing with the community to apprise them of the situation and get them involved in the response to avoid any further incidents. Thus far the daily reports from the community have indicated a reduction in cases.

The CMO indicated that there is some concern about the strain of the organism since about two years ago there was a similar outbreak and it was identified to be a pathogenic type of e.coli however it is not cholera like organism. (GINA)

Man shot during altercation Police were last night investigating the shooting of youth in Callender Street, Albouystown.

The victim, who identified himself as Jamal Mc Neil, 22, of Victory Valley, Wismar, was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation at around 22:15 hrs with a gunshot wound to the pelvic area. The bullet reportedly exited his left buttock.

Kaieteur News understands that the wounded man alleged that he was speaking with a woman when he was shot by one of two men who approached him.

He was taken to the GPHC by a friend and was still being treated in the Accident and Emergency Unit at press time.

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Brazilian leftist Rousseff distances herself from Chavez SAO PAULO (Reuters) By leaving Venezuela under the cover of night and skipping a funeral ceremony for its late leader Hugo Chavez last week, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was once again trying to chart out a more moderate brand of leftism and send a clear signal to investors and diplomats.

Rousseff began a delicate dance of mourning while also keeping a certain distance from Chavez’s legacy just hours after his death last week Tuesday. In a speech, she expressed admiration for the socialist leader but also pointedly added that Brazil “did not entirely agree” with many of his hardline policies.

Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have over the past 10 years espoused a more pragmatic, business-friendly set of policies than Chavez, who was well-known for lashing out at Washington, expropriating companies and intimidating his political rivals.

Those close to Lula and Rousseff say they genuinely admired Chavez and his compassion for the poor, and both were emotionally devastated by his death from cancer at age 58.

However, both Brazilians also took numerous opportunities during the week to politely highlight disagreements with him which officials said was a carefully crafted campaign to draw a distinction between

Dilma Rousseff Brazil and Venezuela in the eyes of the international community and business leaders.

“The simple message is: ‘We’re different,’” one Brazilian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

“Yes, we respect many things he did, and there is a shared cause. ... But Brazil is not the same as Venezuela.”

Such a message could bolster Brazil’s reputation as a leader among the Latin American governments that in recent years have embraced its more moderate leftism, marrying robust social policies with free-market principles such as strong property rights. Diplomats in Washington and Europe were also watching carefully at a time when Brazil is seeking more global influence and a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Rousseff and Lula did travel to Caracas last

Thursday and joined a long line of well-wishers who visited Chavez’s casket.

Rousseff also offered acting President Nicolas Maduro non-financial assistance in coming months if he wins an election to succeed Chavez, an official said. The offer included technicians from Brazil’s vaunted “My House, My Life” public housing program to help work on similar projects in Venezuela.

Nonetheless, both Rousseff and Lula departed Venezuela prior to a funeral ceremony on Friday that was attended by dignitaries from more than 30 countries, including some polarizing figures such as Cuban President Raul Castro and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Unlike Lula, who was close with Ahmadinejad, Rousseff has mostly avoided contact with the Iranian president since she took office in 2011 as her government has more firmly emphasized democracy and human rights in its relationships abroad.

A member of the Brazilian delegation sent a tweet on Friday shortly before sunrise saying their plane had just landed back in Brasilia.

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez was also absent from Friday’s ceremony, although she attributed her early return to Buenos Aires to health reasons.

Over 100 ship passengers fall ill after Caribbean cruise FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – CMC – A major cruise line says more than 100 passengers aboard an 11-day cruise to the Caribbean fell ill with a bad gastrointestinal virus.

On Saturday, Royal Caribbean announced that at least 105 of the 2,000 guests, as well as three crew members, fell victim to what was believed to be a norovirus, a common but potent virus that is typically transmitted by contamination in food or water.

The cruise line said the 915-foot vessel Vision of the Seas returned to port here on Friday after the 11-day voyage to St Kitts, Barbados, Grenada and Aruba.

Royal Caribbean said while at sea, crew members scrubbed the ship as soon as they realised passengers were

getting sick.

“At Royal Caribbean International, we have high health standards for all our guests and crew. During the sailing, we conduct enhanced cleaning onboard the ship, to help prevent the spread of the illness,” the statement said.

Royal Caribbean said those who got sick were given over-the-counter medication during the trip, and most responded well to the treatment.

The outbreak marks another troubling incident for the cruise industry after a spate of upsetting incidents in recent weeks.

Last month, engines on the company’s Carnival Triumph broke down, stranding the ship and its more than 3,000 passengers for five days off the coast of Mexico with no electricity or

plumbing and little food.

In another episode in February, an 18-year-old high school senior from upstate New York died aboard a Carnival Cruise Lines ship while on vacation with his family. Authorities are still investigating his cause of death.

Last December, 194 passengers and 11 crew members aboard the luxury cruise ship Queen Mary 2 were sickened suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea.

The Atlanta, Georgiabased US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported a total of 16 outbreaks on cruise ships last year, up from 14 the year before. In January 2012, the Costa Concordia, also operated by Carnival Corp, ran aground off the Italian coast, killing 32 passengers.

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Falklands votes in sovereignty referendum rejected by Argentina STANLEY, Falkland Islands (Reuters) - Residents of the Falkland Islands started voting yesterday in a sovereignty referendum that seeks to counter Argentina’s increasingly assertive claim over the British-ruled territory.

Diplomatic tension between Britain and Argentina has flared up after more than three decades since they went to war over the South Atlantic archipelago, and that has unsettled some of the roughly 2,500 islanders.

With patriotic feelings running high, Falklands-born and long-term residents will cast ballots in the two-day referendum in which they will be asked whether they want to stay a British Overseas Territory.

Officials are expected to announce the result at about 8 p.m. after polls close on Monday.

An overwhelming “yes” vote is likely, prompting Argentina to dismiss the referendum as a meaningless publicity stunt. A high turnout is expected, however, as islanders embrace it as a chance to make their voices heard.

“We hope the undecideds, or the uninformeds, or those countries that might otherwise be prepared to give the nod to Argentina’s sovereignty claim might have pause for thought after the referendum,” said John Fowler, deputy editor of the islands’ weekly newspaper, the Penguin News.

“This is an attempt to say ‘hang on a minute, there’s another side to the story’.”

People queued to vote at the town hall in the quiet island capital of Stanley, where referendum posters bearing the slogan “Our Islands, Our Choice” adorned front windows. The post office produced a line of official stamps to mark the occasion.

In distant islands and farflung sheep farms, ballot papers were being flown and driven in by mobile polling stations.

“For me, this referendum is extremely important because I have no wish to be part of Argentina,” said Rob McGill, 67, who runs a guesthouse in isolated Carcass Island and voted by post.

“I consider myself a Falkland Islander, but my ancestors came from Britain,” he said.

Some islanders are the

A Falkland Islander gestures as he casts his vote at the Town Hall polling station in Stanley, yesterday. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci descendants of British settlers who arrived eight or nine generations ago and the Falklands retain an unmistakably British character despite a sizeable community of immigrants from Chile and Saint Helena.

Residents say fiery remarks by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez and her foreign minister, Hector Timerman, have galvanized patriotic sentiment on the islands, which lie nearly 8,000 miles from London and just a 75-minute flight away from southern Argentina.

Tensions have risen with the discovery of commercially viable oil resources in the Falklands basin and by Fernandez’s persistent demands f o r Britain to hold sovereignty talks over the Malvinas, as t he islands are called in Spanish.

London says it will only agree to negotiations if the islanders want them, which they show no sign of doing.

Timerman said last month the referendum had the “spirit of a public-relations campaign” and the foreign ministry accused Britain of pursuing “irresponsible initiatives in bad faith.”

“This new British attempt to manipulate the Malvinas issue through a vote by the population that it implanted is forcefully rejected by Argentina,” a ministry statement said, citing broad Latin American support for Argentina’s position.

Argentina says the sovereignty dispute can only be decided between London and Buenos Aires.

Argentina has claimed the islands since 1833, saying it inherited them from the Spanish on independence

and that Britain expelled an Argentine population.

The sovereignty claim is a constant in Argentine foreign policy, but there have been moments of detente since former dictator Leopoldo Galtieri sent troops to land in the Falklands in April 1982, drawing a swift response from former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

A 10-week war, which killed about 650 Argentines and 255 Britons and ended when Argentina surrendered, is widely remembered in Argentina as a humiliating mistake by the brutal and discredited dictatorship ruling at the time.

No one in Argentina advocates another attempt to take the islands by force, but some analysts say the current tough strategy may prove counterproductive by antagonizing islanders.

“Until Argentina is able to persuade the Falkland Islanders to accept some form of Argentine sovereignty over the islands, Argentina’s efforts to reclaim them will be an exercise in futility,” said Mark Jones, chair of political science at Houston-based Rice University.

In the islands, where plans for oil production to start in 2017 could further boost the flourishing local economy, most residents are determined to maintain the status quo.

“Our best-case scenario is for them to drop their claim and realize that we are a people, we are a country and we do exist,” said Gavin Short, one of the Falklands assembly’s eight elected members.

Asked if he thought that might happen, he said: “Not in my lifetime.”

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Monday March 11, 2013

Venezuela election race starts, sources say Capriles to run CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuela’s opposition leader Henrique Capriles will challenge the late Hugo Chavez’s preferred successor for the presidency of the South American OPEC nation next month, sources said yesterday.

Capriles will face acting president and election favorite Nicolas Maduro, and the pair have until today to register their candidacies for the April 14 vote.

The election determine whether Chavez’s self-styled nationalist-socialist revolution will live on in a nation that has the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

Capriles, 40, a centrist state governor, formally announced his decision to run yesterday, two sources in his camp said.

“There’s a lot of negativity around. It’s going to be tough, but we’re going to do it,” one of the sources told Reuters. “Henrique’s made his decision. He’s not backing down.”

Former vice president Maduro, 50, a hulking onetime bus driver and union leader turned politician who

Henrique Capriles echoes Chavez’s antiimperialist rhetoric, is seen winning the election comfortably, according to two recent polls.

Maduro pushed a snap election to cash in on a wave of empathy triggered by Chavez’s death on Tuesday at age 58 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was sworn in as acting president on Friday to the fury of Capriles.

Capriles, the boyish Miranda state governor who often wears a baseball cap and tennis shoes, lost to Chavez in October. But he

won 44 percent of the vote the strongest showing ever by the opposition against Chavez. Capriles has accused the government and Supreme Court of fraud for letting Maduro campaign without stepping down.

Although the ruling Socialist Party is favored to win, opposition supporters are trying to raise their spirits for a month of campaigning.

“There’s no reason to think that the opposition is condemned to defeat,” Teodoro Petkoff, an antigovernment newspaper editor, said on his yesterday morning talk show.

Maduro has vowed to carry on where Chavez left off.

His first official meeting on Saturday was with officials from China, who Chavez courted to provide an alternative to investment that traditionally came from the United States. He has adopted his mentor’s touch for the theatrical, accusing imperialists, often a Chavez euphemism for the United States, of killing the charismatic but divisive leader by infecting him with cancer.

Chavez was immensely

popular among Venezuela’s poor for funneling vast oil wealth into social programs and handouts.

Throngs continued to flock to pay their last respects to Chavez as his remains as they lay in state yesterday, and emotional tributes were paid at yesterday’s religious service at the military academy housing the casket.

Chavez also railed against the wealthy and scared investors with nationalizations and in heavily polarized Venezuela some in the wellto-do class toasted his death with champagne.

Venezuela’s opposition coalition backed Capriles as its candidate on Saturday.

Capriles says, if elected, he would copy Brazil’s “modern left” model of economic and social policies.

With candidates assigned a campaigning window of just 10 days, and at an immediate disadvantage given the state resources at Maduro’s disposal, Capriles faces an uphill battle.

Some argue he has nothing to gain in running, but could also commit political suicide if he opts to

sit out the race and effectively hand the presidency, and a raft of economic problems like skyhigh inflation and a devalued currency, to Maduro.

“If the opposition runs, they’ll lose. If they don’t run, they lose even more!” tweeted Andres Izarra, who served as information minister under Chavez.

The opposition rank-andfile is already heavily demoralized after losing last year’s presidential race and taking a hammering in gubernatorial elections in December, stoking internal party divisions.

“There’s no doubt that it’s an uphill race for Capriles,” said local political analyst Luis Vicente Leon. “Maduro is not Chavez. ... (But) the trouble is that given the race is so close to Chavez’s death, emotions get inflamed and the candidate probably continues to be Chavez rather than Maduro.

“The big challenge for Capriles is not to campaign against Chavez but to try to take the fight to Maduro ... trying to show the huge gap (with Chavez) and relate it to

Nicolas Maduro the daily problems Venezuelans face.”

With Chavez still looming large as his remains lie in state, already visited by several million people, that will be tough. As with communist leaders Lenin, Stalin and Mao, Chavez’s corpse is to be embalmed and put on display “for eternity.”

“He liberated us from transnational companies and stood up to imperialist countries,” Jose Vielma Mora, the governor of Tachira state, told Reuters.

“We will be with Chavez forever.”

Monday March 11, 2013

Kaieteur News

National Security adviser moves to set up intelligence unit to go after criminals Trinidad Express - One month after an alleged intelligence unit, the New Flying Squad Investigation Unit (NFSIU) became public knowledge, steps were taken to set up a similar covert agency under the National Security Operations Centre (NSOC), Sunday Express investigations have revealed.

The Sunday Express understands that National Security Adviser Gary Griffith had proposed the idea of this covert intelligence unit to be headed by a retired lieutenant from the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) who worked in its intelligence department.

Sources told the Sunday Express that work was apace to get the unit operational because there were serious security gaps in the country’s intelligence gathering.

Contacted yesterday Griffith confirmed to the Sunday Express that he was behind moves to set up such a unit which would have fallen under the leadership of the now controversial director of the NSOC Garvin Heerah.

Heerah became NSOC director in November.

Griffith, who sits on the National Security Council headed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, said yesterday he had no problem with a “unit like that” and the time was right to go after the “big fish”.

“There are dozens of initiatives as National Security Adviser that I would like to see implemented so that we can go after the ‘big fish’, corrupt politicians and any high ranking people we want,” he told the Sunday Express.

He pointed out that the individual he selected for the job was “willing and able”

and had the necessary qualifications and experience to head an intelligence unit.

“What we need to be able to do is analyse information and turn it into intelligence,” he said.

But he insisted that any intelligence unit which is set up must have a legal structure and the blessings of the Commissioner of Police.

He pointed out that when units are properly set up and fully transparent like the Criminal Intelligence Agency (CIA) or the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) or the MI6, the authorities benefit from proper intelligence.

“We depend on snapshots, roadblocks and raids to get information. The technology is more advanced than that. There are scientific strategies to fight crime,” he said.

He observed that the Strategic Intelligence Agency (SIA) operated without transparency and that the Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT) also had an intelligence unit which was never approved by legislation and these were dangerous practices in intelligence which the People’s Partnership administration should not repeat.

The Sunday Express learnt that the intent of the unit was primarily intelligence gathering which is not dissimilar to what the NFSIU, headed by former police sergeant Mervyn Cordner, had claimed it was doing before it closed shop in December.

The NFSIU has claimed that it was given approval to start operations by National Security Minister Jack Warner.

Warner has repeatedly denied any involvement with the NFSIU.

Gary Griffith “I know of no Flying Squad. I have no contract with any Flying Squad. I have no letters between any Flying Squad and me. I have no emails between me and any Flying Squad. There is nothing between the permanent secretary and any Flying Squad,” he previously told the media.

All documentary evidence to the NFSIU seems to lead back to Heerah.

The NSC last met on February 28, after the cabinet meeting, to discuss the NFSIU. Cordner has consistently claimed the NFSIU was given approval by the Ministry of National Security and hired some 75 workers and rented office space in Piarco to set up operations.

He has also claimed that he has helped the police with investigations.

Prime Minister PersadBissessar has referred the matter of the NFSIU to acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams for further investigations.

The Sunday Express could not reach Heerah for comment yesterday and was informed that he is out of the country.

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Grenada’s PM calls for unity in rebuilding efforts NEW YORK - CMC – Newly-elected Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has called for all hands on deck and unity in re-building the triisland nation.

During a town hall meeting at Brooklyn College, late Saturday, Mitchell, whose New National Party (NNP) swept the polls in the historic February 19 general elections, urged all nationals to come on board in addressing the country’s dire economic plight.

“We’ve had a lot of wars in our country, we’ve had our fights – who don’t like me and who don’t like you, but we must love Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique,” Mitchell said in his first official visit to the United States since his return to power.”

I say to bury the hatchet,” he added. “As we begin this new journey, let the guiding light be for our little land. We will not make progress if we don’t stop fighting each other,” he warned.

The Grenadian leader said while numerous economic challenges lie ahead, his first

priority is the creation of “jobs, jobs, jobs,” stating that the nation “almost lost a generation of young people” because many of them have nothing to do.

Since assuming office, Mitchell has been meeting with creditors and investors in a bid to restructure the island’s public debt and put the country on a sound path to economic recovery.

Mitchell, who is also Minister of Finance said the island’s national debt has skyrocketed to US$2.2 billion.

On Friday, Grenada’s Ministry of Finance said the economy has been severely affected by the global financial crisis.

It said despite debt restructuring in 2005 and reforms implemented over the last five years under International Monetary Fund (IMF)-supported programmes, the island has been unable fully to recover from the devastation wrought by hurricanes Ivan and Emily in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

The Finance Ministry said an increasingly difficult financing situation in the

second half of 2012 prevented Grenada from paying the September coupon on its US Dollar Bond on the due date.

The Grenada Government said with further borrowing no longer a viable option, it will not have the resources to pay the coupons on its US Dollar and EC Dollar Bonds 2025 due on March 15.

According to Mitchell the country has exhausted the credit of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia in the ECCB (Eastern Caribbean Central Bank).”

But despite the dire economic status quo, he said Forbes magazine, reported last week that a potential investor plans to pump about US$700 million in Grenada.

“Because they now know there’s a government now that’s serious,” said Mitchell, adding that three major hotel investors are also planning to return to the island.

He said over the next few months, several projects will be announced, disclosing that oil and gas exploration will be “the biggest” among them.

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Before handing over prizes to the winners in the various categories of Mashramani 2013 competitions, Minister of Culture Youth and Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony on Friday evening last, deemed the recent 43rd Republic Anniversary celebrations an overwhelming success.

Anthony during the prize giving ceremony held at the Umana Yana stated that the success of the event can be determined by many things including the fact that this year’s Mashramani which was held under the theme, “Reflecting Creativity, Embracing Diversity”, saw the largest number of spectators.

Anthony added that the competitions leading up to Mash Day (February 23rd) are receiving so much support, that provisions need to be made for a new venues to host them, since the main venue, the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall cannot accommodate the amount of persons.

Despite this, the Minister said that there are some areas that need work in order to improve on Mashramani.

He said that 107 songs in the various musical competitions were created

Kaieteur News

just for the purpose of Mashramani alone this year.

He explained that in an effort to have persons become more familiar with these songs, the Culture Ministry will be working towards making “Mashramani merchandises” in the form of CDs and DVDs of the event.

While the CDs will boost local artistes, the DVDs, he said, will help to sell Mashramani on an international level.

“That product helps us to do a lot of things – one popularise the music so that more people can get to know the songs and secondly it will give people an insight as to what is happening for the next year.”

This, he noted, is something that is being practiced in Trinidad during the Carnival season.

However, in Guyana, due to various reasons, local musicians have challenges in putting together that product.

He promised that over the next year, the Ministry will be working towards assisting these artistes in ensuring that a timely product emerges after Mash.

His comments came at a time when the state owned

This little lady accepts her trophy from Minister Frank Anthony national communications network banned the playing of this year’s local calypsos on its airwaves.

The Minister said that a study will be commissioned later in the year to determine ways in which Mash celebrations can be improved.

He pointed out that in Trinidad and Tobago, there is a particular legislation that accommodates the carnival, and that there is also a special committee set up that manages the festivities year round.

The Minister expressed an enthusiasm to have the Mash model be revamped in order to improve the annual celebrations.

“We have a long way to go, but we are optimistic because the competition is growing. More bands are participating, and that’s a very good sign.”

In addition to this, Anthony stated that they will be looking to reintroduce the display of the King and Queen costumes prior to the road parade.

This aspect of the celebrations had stopped because of the last-minute touches the designers could not complete. However, this year saw most of the bands’ costumes being completed early.

“If we can keep that standard, then certainly next year we can look at reintroducing the night when we display the King and Queen costumes… that’s

Monday March 11, 2013

Rupesh Ganpat receives a cheque for $100,000 and a trophy from Permanent Secretary Alfred King for winning the Senior Essay Competition. something we will certainly take on board,” Minister Anthony said.

He congratulated the Private Sector for coming out and lighting up the streets with their colourful and entertaining floats. He also thanked several of the sponsoring business entities like Banks DIH for cosponsoring the Calypso Competition; Ansa McAl for taking on the challenge of Soca Monarch; GT&T – for their input in the Children’s Mash Parade; Republic Bank for the Steel Pan competition; Mr. Looknauth Persaud from King’s Jewelry World with the Chutney Competition and GuyEnterprise and Impressions.

Local singer, “Slingshot” who comes back every year and takes his float to the street, was also singled out for special commendation.

Anthony is encouraging others in the Diaspora to come out and do the same, as it is “our Mashramani”.

Meanwhile, as far as the results go, Detroy Dey received a trophy for winning the Children’s Steelband Competition (Junior Solo).

The senior category saw Ray Sparman winning.

Clayton Daniels and Ray Sparman came first in the duet segment.

In the School Bands Competition, North Ruimveldt was the winner. St. Andrew’s Kirk won in the Church Bands category. In the large bands, the Guyana Police Force took the first prize.

And of the 16 Guyanese artistes who entered the 2013 Chutney Finals, Roger Hinds received his prize for placing first. In Calypso, Lester ‘De Professor’ Charles copped first place.

The Soca Monarch competition saw Jumo ‘Rubber Waist’ Primo retaining his crown with his hit song ‘Fireworks’, while Adrian Dutchin kept his Road March title.

Olympia Small-Sonaram was awarded Designer of the Year for pieces that included the first placed Banks DIH Queen costume.

Ansa McAl topped in the Costume (Individual Pieces) while Digicel won in the Full costume large category. The Ministries of Tourism copped first in the medium category, while the Ministry of Education secured first in the small category.

Monday March 11, 2013

Kaieteur News

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:25hrs. Sign On 08:30hrs. This Morning 09:00hrs. Live! With Kelly and Michael 10:00hrs. Roseanne 11:00hrs. The View 12:00hrs. World News 12:30hrs. The Young and the Restless 13:30hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful

14:00hrs. The Talk 15:00hrs. Chain Reaction 16:00hrs. Family Feud 17:00hrs. Charmed 18:00hrs. World News 18:30hrs. Nightly News 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00hrs. Channel 8 News 20:30hrs. DTV’s Festival of Biblical Movies for the Lenten Season: “Mary,

Mother of Jesus” 00:00hrs. Sign Off NCN CHANNEL 11 05:00h – Inspiration 05:30h – Newtown Gospel 06:00h – NCN News (rb) 06:30h – BBC 07:00h _ Guyana Today 08:00h - Weekly Digest 08:30h – Focus (r/b) 09:00h – Stop the Suffering

Monday March 11, 2013 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): Dreams have offered you some amazing insight on the questions you've been struggling over, but whether or not you utilize that insight is up to you. You're feeling a little bit paralyzed and not ready to move ahead, especially armed with nothing more than information created by your subconscious mind during the middle of the night. ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): If you have been going through some power struggles with an authority figure or parent lately, today you will start to feel that a truce is finally possible. One conversation with them could clear up the issues between you two and help you both see things in a new light. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Taking things slowly is the wisest strategy for everything in your life today, from taking a shower to taking the freeway. Do not rush anything, especially when you are behind the wheel! Driving is not a competitive sport, you know -- do not fall into the trap of responding to an aggressive driver. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): You're entering a phase where your intuition seems to be overpowering your logic left and right. What seems like the best path to take on paper just won't feel right to you -- so what should you do? ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Unexpected transportation issues will force you to get a little more creative with your commute than usual, but you're up for it. Maybe you should get a ride from a coworker? ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept.

22): Have you been having a lot of confusing dreams lately? Don't fret -- they are not warnings about what is going to happen next in your life, they are just silly visions cooked up by your subcon-

scious. ********************* LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): The many different options for your day are all laid out in front of you this morning, and the choice is yours.

Do you want a big, bold day - or a safe, mild one? Follow your mood, and go from there.

Make no apologies for choosing the easier, less ambitious path if that's what you truly want. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 Nov. 21): Beware of unexpected outbursts, today.

Someone wants attention, and they don't care what they have to do in order to get it. You're smart enough to know where to apply your energy, so don't fall for the drama. ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 21): Your gift for the gab is greater than ever today, so do the world a favor and talk to as many people as you can -- including strangers. Talk to them about anything that pops into your head at the moment, from the latest news event to whether or not your shoes go with your outfit. .********************* CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 Jan. 19): You can turn heads with your beautiful words today, so use your impressive creative writing skills whenever possible. Have you been trying to work up the nerve to make a move on someone? ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 Feb. 18):Reevaluate your methods for dealing with arguments today, especially if you think that giving someone the silent treatment is a wise and mature idea. Ignoring or avoiding someone you're having a dust up with isn't going to do you much good. ********************* PISCE S ( F e b . 1 9 March 20): Learning a lesson from the inappropriate behavior of others is one of the safest and most effective educations you can ever get.

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09:30h _ Cartoons 10:00h _ Remembering Dr. Cheddi Jagan 11:00h _ History 12:00h _ CNN 12:30h – NEWSBREAK 12:35h – Insight (r/b)– 13:05h _ Movie 16:00h _NCN Newsbreak 16:05h _Cartoons 17:00h _ Anderson 18:00h – NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30h – Insight 19:00h _Al Jazeera 19:30h _ Pulse Beat 20:00h – 3d/daily millions/play de dream/lotto draw 20:05h _ NCN Newsbreak 20:10h _ Feature 21:00h _Feature 21:35h – Excellence Dazzell Show 22:05h – NCN Late Edition News 22:35h – Caribbean Newsline 23:00h _ Movie NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 05:00h - Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 05:15h - Meditation 05:30h - Queenstown Masjid Presents Quran This Morning 06:00h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Shiva Bhajans 06:15h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Shiva Bhajans 06:30h - Muneshwar Limited Presents Shiva Bhajans 06:45h - Double Standard Taxi Presents Shiva Bhajans 07:00h - RRT Enterprise Presents Shiva Bhajans 07:15h - M & M Snackette

Presents Raja Yoga Discourses 07:30h - Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc Presents Shiva Bhajans 07:45h - The Family of The Late Leila & David Persaud Presents Shiva Bhajans 08:00h - Timehri Maha Kali Shakti Devi Mandir Presents Shiva Bhajans 08:15h - NTN This Morning Live with Reyaz Husein 09:30h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 10:00h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 10:30h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta 11:00h - Indian Soap:- Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 11:30h - Indian Soap:- Punar Viivaah 12:00h - GINA Weekly Digest / Weekly Diary 12:30h - DVD Movie:WHAT’S YOUR RAASHEE? (Eng: Sub:) *ing Priyanka Chopra, Harman Baweja & Anjan Shrivastava

16:00h - Drying Tears Live with Pastor Edson 16:30h - India’s Best Dramebaaz 17:30h - Ganesh Parts Presents - BHAGAVAD GITA ( Discourses in English) Serial 18:00h - Birthday Greetings / Anniversary / Congratulations / Death Announcements & In Memoriam 18:30h - HARE KRISHNA TODAY 19:00h - Ricks & Sari Presents Bed Time Songs Live with Joel 20:00h - Health Care in Focus 20:30h - THE HOT SEAT Live with host Mr. Ossie Roger 21:30h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 22:00h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 22:30h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta 23:00h - Indian Soap:- Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 23:30h -.Sign Off

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Monday March 11, 2013

Monday March 11, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Afghan leader alleges US, Taliban are colluding

Afghan President Hamid Karzai sits among the audience prior to his nationally televised speech about the state of Afghan women in Kabul, Afghanistan, yesterday. (AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid) KABUL,Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday accused the Taliban and the U.S. of working in concert to convince Afghans that violence will worsen if most foreign troops leave — an allegation the top American commander in Afghanistan rejected as “categorically false.”

Karzai said two suicide bombings that killed 19 people on Saturday — one outside the Afghan Defense Ministry and the other near a police checkpoint in eastern Khost province — show the insurgent group is conducting attacks to demonstrate that international forces will still be needed to keep the peace after their current combat mission ends in 2014.

“The explosions in Kabul and Khost yesterday showed

that they are at the service of America and at the service of this phrase: 2014. They are trying to frighten us into thinking that if the foreigners are not in Afghanistan, we would be facing these sorts of incidents,” he said during a nationally televised speech about the state of Afghan women.

Karzai is known for making incendiary comments in his public speeches, a tactic that is often attributed to him trying to appeal to Taliban sympathizers or to gain leverage when he feels his international allies are ignoring his country’s sovereignty. In previous speeches, he has threatened to join the Taliban and called his NATO allies occupiers who want to plunder Afghanistan’s resources.

U.S. and NATO forces

commander Gen. Joseph Dunford said Karzai had never expressed such views to him, but said it was understandable that tensions would arise as the coalition balances the need to complete its mission and the Afghans’ move to exercise more sovereignty.

“We have fought too hard over the past 12 years, we have shed too much blood over the last 12 years, to ever think that violence or instability would be to our advantage,” Dunford said.

The Karzai government’s latest comments and actions come during U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s first visit to Afghanistan since becoming the Pentagon chief, a trip made in part to meet with Karzai. Hours after Karzai’s speech, their joint

Italy and Greece confirm hostages killed in Nigeria

ROME/ATHENS (Reuters) - Seven foreign hostages kidnapped last month by a Nigerian Islamist group from a construction company compound have been killed, the Italian and Greek foreign ministries said yesterday.

The al Qaeda-affiliated group Ansaru announced on Saturday that it had killed the hostages seized on February 7 in the northern state of Bauchi because of attempts by Nigerian and British forces to free them.

It published grainy photos purporting to show the bodies of a Briton, an Italian, a Greek and four Lebanese workers snatched from the Lebanese firm Setraco’s premises.

Foreign governments had not been able to confirm the killings until yesterday. Italy and Greece denied that any attempt to rescue them had been made by any of the governments involved. Nigeria had no confirmation of the killings.

“Our checks conducted in coordination with the other countries concerned lead us to believe that the news of the killing of the hostages seized last month is true,” an Italian Foreign Ministry statement said.

“There was never any military attempt to

rescue the hostages by any of the governments concerned,” it said, adding that the president had sent his condolences to the Italian’s family.

The British foreign office named the British hostage as Brendan Vaughan. An intelligence source in Abuja named the Italian as Silvano Trevisan, adding that he had been suffering from hypertension and heart problems.

Security has become a top concern for oil and infrastructure companies across the region since gunmen loyal to al Qaeda’s North African franchise stormed an Algerian natural gas plant in January. Up to 37 foreigners died during an attempted rescue mission by the Algerian armed forces.

The risk posed by Islamists across west and north Africa has soared since France sent troops to Mail to wrest control of its northern territory from al Qaeda-affiliated rebels.

Islamist groups have also spread across the north and center of Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, where they have become the main security threat after an amnesty ended an uprising by armed groups in the oilproducing southeastern Niger Delta.

news conference was canceled by officials citing security concerns, though officials said the two men still planned to meet privately.

The two men had plenty of contentious issues to discuss. The Afghan and U.S. government are negotiating a security pact for the long-term presence of American forces in Afghanistan — the difficulty illustrated when a deal to transfer a U.S. prison outside of Kabul to Afghan authority on Saturday fell through at the last moment.

U.S. and Afghan officials are also at odds over a Karzai demand that U.S. special operations forces withdraw from a province neighboring Kabul by Monday over allegations they participated in torture and extrajudicial killing — charges U.S. officials deny. As the deadline approached, Dunford told reporters he spoke to Karzai about the issue on Saturday and told him the U.S. is working on a plan to hand over security in the Wardak region to Afghan forces. He would not directly say whether the commandos

will stay in Wardak when the deadline to leave comes on Monday.

Karzai raised another difficult issue when he denounced the alleged seizure of a university student Saturday by Afghan forces his aide said were working for the CIA. It was unclear why the student was detained.

Presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi said in an interview with The Associated Press that the CIA freed the student after Karzai’s staff intervened, but that Karzai wants the alleged Afghan raiders arrested. The president issued a decree on Sunday banning all international forces and the Afghans working with them from entering universities and schools without Afghan government permission.

The CIA declined to comment. NATO spokesman Lt. Col. Les Carroll said that no NATO forces “harassed a university student” as described by the President’s office.

In the incident at the Kandahar university Saturday, presidential spokesman Faizi said the raiders fired shots as they grabbed student Abdul Qayoum, and blindfolded him before taking

him for interrogation at a CIA post that Taliban leader Mullah Omar once used as a home.

The CIA has trained an Afghan counterterrorist force several thousand strong, known as the Counterterrorism Pursuit Team, which works mostly in insurgent strongholds in southern and eastern Afghanistan. U.S. officials say they work in concert with the Afghan intelligence service, but Karzai frequently complains he lacks oversight over their operations.

Karzai said in his speech that any foreign powers that want to keep troops in Afghanistan need to do so under conditions set forward

by Afghanistan.

Karzai offered no proof of coordination, but said the Taliban and the United States were in “daily negotiations” in various foreign countries and noted that the United States has said that it no longer considers the insurgent group its enemy.

The U.S. continues to fight against the Taliban and other militant groups, but has expressed its backing for formal peace talks with the Taliban to find a political resolution to the war.

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Monday March 11, 2013

Italians say no to referendum Netanyahu hints Israeli coalition to be presented in days on euro membership: poll ROME (Reuters) - A large majority of Italians are in favor of staying in the euro zone and are also against holding a referendum on membership, an opinion poll in Corriere della Sera newspaper showed yesterday.

I t a l y ’s r o l e i n t h e currency bloc has been widely debated since last month’s election showed strong results for parties critical of austerity measures they said had been imposed

by Italy’s partners, especially Germany.

Outgoing technocrat Prime Minister Mario Monti, who imposed tough budget cuts and tax hikes over the last year, fared particularly badly at the vote.

However the survey, by polling company ISPO, showed 74 percent of Italians wanted to keep the euro, with just 16 percent favoring a return to Italy’s old lira currency.

At the same time, 69 percent said they were either strongly or moderately against holding a referendum, compared with 30 percent

Mario Monti who thought it was a quite good or very good idea.

Beppe Grillo, the leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement which emerged as the biggest party in the country at the election, has said Italy should hold a non-binding, online referendum on euro membership.

But the poll showed that even among 5-Star voters, 73 percent did not want to return to the lira and 65 percent did not want a formal referendum on euro membership.

Support for keeping the euro among 5-Star voters was in line with the electorate as a whole and was stronger than among voters of Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right coalition.

Center-left voters were the most pro-euro group, while anti-euro sentiment was strongest among supporters of the Northern League, a party allied with Berlusconi’s that wants more autonomy for Italy’s wealthy northern regions.

Yet even among the Northern League voters, only 25 percent wanted to return to the lira, while 44 percent were in favor of a referendum.

Among the whole electorate, the proportion who said a return to the lira would be bad for the economy has grown steadily in the last nine months.

In the latest survey, conducted on March 6-7, those who thought it would be either extremely or moderately bad stood at 82 percent, up from 74 percent in September last year and 70 percent in June.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his outgoing cabinet yesterday for what he said was probably the last time, signaling he was close to completing the formation of a new government.

Netanyahu’s deadline to present a governing coalition is on Saturday, and political commentators predicted he would announce by midweek that he had an administration in place.

With cabinet posts still to be handed out, Netanyahu was finalizing political partnerships with two parties that made surprisingly strong showings in the January 22 election - centrist Yesh Atid, led by former TV anchor Yair Lapid, and farright Jewish Home, headed by high-tech millionaire Naftali Bennett.

The centrist Kadima party, which fell from 28 to just two seats, is also expected to join Netanyahu’s coalition.

Their participation in a

Benjamin Netanyahu government led by Netanyahu’s conservative Likud-Beitenu list will come at the expense of his traditional coalition allies, ultra-Orthodox parties at odds with Yesh Atid and Jewish Home over benefits for religious Jews.

“It appears that this will be the last meeting of this government,” Netanyahu said in public remarks at the weekly cabinet session.

With Yesh Atid, Jewish Home, Kadima and the small, centrist Hatnuah party,

which has already signed a coalition pact, Netanyahu is set to control 70 of parliament’s 120 seats.

The Labour party and ultra-Orthodox and Arab factions will be in opposition.

Lapid, 49, gained wide backing among young, secular voters and has called for a resumption of peace talks with Palestinians that have been frozen for two years in a dispute over Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

Yael German, a lawmaker in Lapid’s party, said he was likely to become finance minister.

Bennett, 40, rejects any future Palestinian state and has strong support among Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Israeli media said he would get the industry and trade cabinet post.

A deal soon will enable Netanyahu, who will begin a third term as prime minister, to shift his focus to the visit later this month by U.S. President Barack Obama.

Monday March 11, 2013

Kaieteur News

Egypt’s interior minister won’t allow ‘militias’ CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s interior minister yesterday declared he would not allow vigilantes or militias to take over police duties, while admitting his police force has been strained by daily protests, clashes and criticism.

Minister Mohammed Ibrahim was speaking a day after protesters rampaged through Cairo, furious over the acquittal of seven of nine police officers in a trial over soccer violence that left 74 people dead last year. Some 21 civilians received death sentences in the highly charged trial.

Protesters torched a police club and the soccer federation headquarters Saturday. Hundreds of rioters battled police along the Nile river boulevard in an area packed with hotels and diplomatic missions. Two people were killed. The clashes along the river continued Sunday.

There were also limited protests in Port Said, the Suez Canal city where the soccer stadium riot erupted in February 2012. The city was the scene of bloody clashes with police in the past week.

They stopped this weekend after police evacuated their headquarters and the military took over.

The unrest coincides with an unprecedented wave of strikes by police over demands for better working conditions, as well as anger over alleged attempts by President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood to take control of the police force.

Ibrahim acknowledged that his force is under strain, but he insisted he will not allow vigilante groups to take over the duties of the force.

“From the minister to the youngest recruit in the force, we will not accept to have militias in Egypt,” Ibrahim said. “That will be only when we are totally dead, finished.”

His declaration followed a statement by a hard-line Islamist group that its members would take up policing duties in the southern province of Assiut because of strikes by local security forces. Lawmakers have raised the possibility of legalizing private security companies, granting them the right to arrest and detain.

“There are groups of policemen on strike. I understand them. They are protesting the pressure they are under, the attacks from the media,” the minister said.

“They work in hard conditions and exert everything they can and are not met with appreciation or

thanks.” Egypt’s police and internal security forces are widely hated seen as a legacy of the rule of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, when they were notorious for abuses, torture and crackdowns on political opponents, including the Brotherhood.

Ibrahim said the strike is minor and is not affecting the capabilities of the force.

Instead, dragging the police into the political dispute between the opposition and the ruling Islamists is exhausting the force, he said.

“I only ask all (political) forces to leave the police out of the political equation and the conflict that is taking place,” Ibrahim said. He said he is talking with the striking policemen, who, he said are demanding better armament.

He dismissed charges that the Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood is dictating his ministry’s policies.

“There is no interference by anyone in the work of the ministry. Rest assured,” he told reporters. He said “infiltrators” among the protesters target police with live ammunition, birdshot and firebombs, to draw the force into using violence.

In the country’s Islamist-led Shura Council, the upper house of the legislature, members criticized the striking police, accusing them of dereliction of duty and allowing chaos to spread. One called for banning strikes by police, while another accused former regime officials of conspiring to undermine Morsi’s rule and hold on power.

“We are facing a very tight conspiracy that aims to destroy any legitimacy,” said Hassan Youssef AbdelGhaffour of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party.

Egypt’s new constitution granted the Shura council temporary power to legislate following a court order disbanding the more powerful lower house last year. Since late January, the country has been hit by relentless street protests, mainly directed against Morsi and the Brotherhood. The near-daily demonstrations have turned into clashes with police, and about 80 protesters have been killed since then.

The political turmoil is deepened by a battered economy, as the government struggles with unemployment, poverty and dangerously shrinking foreign currency reserves. On Sunday, drivers of vans used for public transportation around Cairo went on strike because of rising prices of diesel fuel, briefly blocking main roads and causing huge traffic jams.

Page 25

Syria’s opposition postpones meeting to form government AMMAN (Reuters) Syria’s opposition has postponed a meeting to form a provisional government, in the latest setback to opposition efforts to create an administration to take over if President Bashar al-Assad is ousted, coalition sources said yesterday.

The Syrian National Coalition meeting to elect a provisional prime minister, which was due to be held tomorrow after being postponed once already, has been rescheduled for March 20, but it was uncertain it would be held even then, the

sources said.

“We cannot afford a split over this issue any more. The revolution was not born chaotic,” said coalition member Kamal al-Labwani, a veteran opposition figure who spent nine years as a political prisoner after Assad took over from his father in 2000.

Labwani said the coalition was split in two over the merits of forming government, with some preferring to wait to see if U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi’s efforts to form a transitional government as part of a

political compromise succeed.

Other wanted to form a government immediately to pre-empt any deal that could see Assad remaining in power, Labwani said.

A second coalition source said that the meeting could go ahead on March 20 and that even if only a small number of members attended they could approve a government with a simple majority.

Osama al-Qadi, an economist who leads an opposition taskforce drawing up plans for post-conflict

Kamal al-Labwani economic recovery, has emerged as front-runner for the post of prime minister after former Prime Minister Riad Hijab, the highestranking civilian defector from Assad’s government, withdrew his candidacy.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Monday March 11, 2013

Leal wins Assuria Insurance feature race

Representatives of Assuria Insurance and Race officials pose with the various category winners and other top performers.

Sixteen-year-old Raul Leal became the first winner of the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational race at the inaugural Assuria Insurance 11-Race Cycle Meet which took place at Guyana’s number-one cycling facility, the Inner Circuit of the National Park.

The Team Coco’s rider outlasted a field of 29 other riders to win comfortably in a time of One Hour 17 Minutes 57 Seconds after sprinting away from his nearest competitors during the final 300m of the race.

Leal also copped one of the eight prime prizes, while second place finisher Robin Persaud collected four prime prizes.

Junior Niles, who finished third, collected two primes while Paul Choo-Wee-Nam, Marlon Williams and Wazim Gafoor rounded off the top six in that order. Jude Bentley accounted for the other primes.

In other results, Jamar Hulija won the BMX 6-9 race from Isiah Sahadeo and Jeremiah Harrison, while Rashidi Ceres got the better of Thuran Garbarran in the BMX 9-12.

Rawle Small took the BMX 12-14, leaving Bryton John and Shamar Grannum to settle

for second and third respectively, while Jason Jordan was the top rider in the BMX Open, finishing ahead of Jamal John and Earl Ramkarran in that order.

Romel Crawford, Tyrique Hall and Jason Jordan finished in that order in the 12-14 Boys and Girls race with Niles taking top honours in the Veterans Under-50 ahead of Stephen Fernandes and Kennard Lovell.

In the Veterans Over-50 class Lancelot Rose emerged as the winner ahead of Dwayne Ramsey and Courtney Hackett.

Maurice Fagundes defeated Krishendat Singh to cop the Veterans Over-60 trophy with Jaben Crawford and Keon Thomas winning the Juveniles and Mountain Bikes races respectively.

National cycling Coach Hassan Mohamed thanked the riders for making the event a success while lauding the sponsor Assuria Insurance for being proactive in joining the sport of cycling.

Assistant General Manager of Assuria Insurance, Yogindra Arjune, said his company is pleased to support the development of the sport and plans to venture into other disciplines in the future.

After some keenly contested trial matches, the West Demerara Cricket Association selected their squad to compete in the Demerara Cricket Board under-15 cricket competition.

In the trial matches played Last week end, Cornelia Ida defeated Zeeburg at Zeeburg. Batting first Cornelia Ida scored 254 all out in 38.5 overs with Vickram Talmakund scoring 54; Kelvin Seepersaud captured 3 wickets in his eight overs for 44 runs. Zeeburg in reply only mustered 199 all out with Malcolm Hubbert

scoring 70 and Vanus Kissoon 61. Bowling for Cornelia Ida Rickie Looknauth and Ajita Persaud each captured 3 wickets.

Over at Wales, Canal #2 Sports Club came up against Christ Ambassadors. Batting first Canal scored 175 with Keshram Seyhodan and Vishwanauth Jadunauth scoring 61 and 47 respectively. Bowling for Christ Ambassadors Dhaniram Samaroo and Yadav Dindial bagged 3 wickets each. Christ Ambassadors were bowled out for 105 in reply. Keshram Soyhodan completed an impressive all

Raul Leal raises his hands in triumph as he powers to the line.

West Demerara selects squad for DCB under-15 Inter-Association tourney round performance by capturing 4 wickets while Vishwanauth Jadunauth bagged 3 for 36 runs in 6 overs.

Players from the West Coast and the West Bank then faced off against each other at Wales. Batting first West Coast scored 175 for 4 with Malcolm Hubbert scoring 50 not out. Keshram Sehodan claimed 2 wickets for 14 runs in 6 overs. West Bank in reply scored 131 all out with Sehodan managing 46.

Malcolm Hubbert returned to take 3 for 12 off 5 overs.

The West Demerara

Squad for the Demerara Cricket Board under-15 competition reads; Khemraj Jaigobin, Keshram Seyhodan, Vishwanauth Jadunauth, Yadave Dindial, Malcolm Hubbert, Vanyus Kissoon, Kelvin Seepersaud, Titus Gill, Vickram Talmakund, Richie Looknauth, Avishkar Ramgobin, Ajitia Persaud and Dhaniram Samaroo.

The Stand bys are Permessar Persaud and Ganesh Jitlall.

The Manager is Mohamed Khan and the Coach is Dhan Paul.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Monday March 11, 2013

King retains GFRC Presidency

The GFRC executive following the election. Seated from left Troy Peters, Alfred King, Natasha Lewis and Dwayne Lovell.

Alfred King was returned unopposed as President of the Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) when the local referees’ body held its Annual General Meeting Saturday at the Carifesta Sports Complex.

King, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport headed a slate put forward to members and all nominees were elected unchallenged.

The majority of the officers served on the previous administration with Carlos Bernard being named as the Senior Vice President, Dion Inniss - Junior Vice President, Troy Peters General Secretary, Dwayne Lovell – Treasurer.

Natasha Lewis is the new assistant secretary treasurer,

while Stanley Lancaster and Ingram Johnson returning as committee members. Sherwin Moore joined them as a new committee member.

King thanked the members for showing a vote of confidence in the newly elected officers and promised to strive for excellence to ensure that referees development, training and welfare are foremost in plans by the new executive body that will serve for two years.

He has earlier highlighted the challenges faced by the GFRC following the impasse between the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) which allowed some of its members to break away and form a referees’ body within

Georgetown.

“We have to work together, we are critical to the game of football and must stay united or we will be sending mix signals, the time is right to regroup and organize for the future,” he told members in his President’s Report.

King said referees must strive to formulate a new structure of governance with the recent formation of a National Referees Committee, a directive from FIFA, the world body governing football.

A five-member committee comprising veteran football administrator Lawrence “Sparrow” Griffith, Kayode Lambert, Dion Inniss, Natasha Lewis and Sherwin Moore was appointed to

review the GFRC constitution.

Several organizations were also lauded for working closely with the GFRC including Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T), New GPC Inc., Neal and Massy Group, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and auditing firm PKF, Barcellos, Narine and Company.

The new executive committee will meet this week to finalise a course of action for the next two years and discuss plans for the GFF forthcoming Ordinary Congress.

Mr. Dion Nurse, Secretary of the Guyana Weightlifting Association, served as the returning office on recommendation from the Guyana Olympic Association and the GFF.

GCA\Noble House Sea Foods 2nd division 2 day cricket

Leitch bowls Police to victory, Third Class register win Hussain takes match haul of 10 wickets Kevin Leitch grabbed 5-37 as Police defeated Transport Sports Club (TSC) by 86 runs when the latest action of the Georgetown Cricket Association(GCA)\ Noble House Sea Foods second division 2 day tournament concluded Sunday.

At Gandhi Youth Organization ground, Police took first strike and mustered 182 before being bowled out in 46.5 overs. Sheldon Agard made 26 not out while Eric Angel supported with 24, Fitzroy Culley 22 and Troy Benn 20. Azeem Azeez captured 3-38 and Jonathan Alphonso 2-14. TSC in reply declared on 188-9 with

Stephan Sampson top scoring with 32, while Azeez made 30, Sunil Singh 27, Shawn Massiah 26 and Charwayne Mc Pherson 20.

Sheldon Agard grabbed 3-10 and Leitch 2-36.

Police in their second innings made 231-8 before they declared. Stephan Blacks was their leading run scorer with 37, while Angel got 35, Culley and Leitch 31 each and Benn 30. Oslyn Batson picked up 3-33, Keon Morris 2-19 and Azeez 2-59.

In pursuit of 219 for victory TSC fell for 139 in 19.1 overs.

Devon Nandan scored 39, McPherson 31 and Alphonso 21. Off spinner Leitch bagged

5-37 and Culley 3-21.

At GNIC, Third Class got the better of Vikings. Vikings were bowled out for 78 in 17, batting first. Ravi Persaud and Vickash Dallo made 21 each as Trevor Hussain claimed 5-35 and Alvin Castello 3-10. Third Class then responded with 203 all out in 44.3 overs. Andre O’ Neal led with 123(18x4,1x6) and Govinda Muniram chipped in with 50. Persaud returned to capture 4-42 and Yusuf Ali 3-36.

Vikings in their second innings were bundled out for 146 in 31.5 overs with Persaud top scoring with 54 as Hussain snared 5-26 and

Kevin Leitch Lenny Pancham 3-62. With 22 to get for victory Vikings decided to award the game to Third Class without bowling a ball in the latter’s second innings.

Monday March 11, 2013

Kaieteur News

Mayor’s Cup football starts Friday at Den Amstel To showcase several young talent

Andre Hector

Jamaal Harvey

Jamaal Cozier

Nikel Fraser Action in the Mayor’s Cup football tournament will kick off on Friday at the Den Amstel ground with a double header starting at 6:30pm.

Keen competition is anticipated in the tournament

as leading teams from around the coastal belt of the country, which feature a number of exciting players, collide for the $1M first prize.

Friday’s contest will see Uitvlugt battling Police in the opening game, while home side Den Amstel come up against Riddim Squad in the nightcap at 8:30pm.

The tournament moves to the East Coast for its second day of action when the BV ground will host Bakewell Buxton against Santos, while to follow homsters BV Triumph collide with GFC. The remainder of the preliminary fixtures will see action returning to Den Amstel on Sunday at the same times with Stewartville playing GDF in the first match, while Slingerz tangle with Northern Rangers in the second game. Monday March 18 the action swings to the GFC ground and will remain there for the rest of the tournament. Camptown play Golden Grove and Fruta Conquerors face Mahaica in the two games on Monday.

Wednesday 20 March, Alpha United face the winner of the opening game between Uitvlugt and Police, Pele collide with the winner of the Den Amstel/Riddim Squad contest. Seawall United battle the Bakewell Buxton and Santos game winner and BK Western Tigers oppose with winner of the BV Triumph and GFC game in matches set for Friday March 22.

Quarterfinal play is set for March 25 and 26, while the semis are fixed for March 28 with the Grand Finale and third place playoff on Sunday March 31.

A number of the country’s footballing talent will be on show; players the likes of Andre Hector (Slingerz), Jamaal Cozier (Pele), Jamaal Harvey (Uitvlugt) and Nigel Fraser (BV Triumph) all who would have played at the youth national level.

Slingerz fresh from winning their recent tournament on the Westside will look to impress and steal the number one club status from Alpha United.

Easier said than done and with the other teams gunning for the $1M payday, the Mayor’s Cup is expected to serve up and entertaining serving for football fans.

Coordinator Lennox Arthur said that while he has received some amount of sponsorship he is still in need for much more and is imploring corporate Guyana to come on board and assist the tournament and ensure its success.

Page 29

Return of Samuels is “great news” in Windies camp BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The return of Marlon Samuels from injury will bring a lift to the West Indies team for the upcoming two-match Test Series against Zimbabwe.

The classy top-order batsman was out of the game with a facial injury, but made a successful comeback with a stroke-filled half-century for Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre against Zimbabwe in a three-day fixture.

West Indies Head Coach Ottis Gibson welcomed his return and also backed experienced opener Chris Gayle to break out of his recent slump and come good in the upcoming matches.

“Having Marlon back is great news for us. The injury was unfortunate but he has been a ‘big’ player for us in the last 12 months or so. He has been the main batsman in all formats and we are very happy to have him back in the team and we expect him to do well again,” Gibson said.

“Chris is a quality player and I’m sure he will turn around his fortunes very soon. We have no doubt he will perform for us. He has done it many times before and we know he will be confident going into this series.”

The resurgent Samuels starred in all three formats last

year. In Tests he had scores of 86, 117, 76 not out and 76 on the tour of England; 123 and 52 against New Zealand in Jamaica; and a career-best 260 against Bangladesh in Khulna.

Overall he made 866 runs in seven Test matches. His most memorable knock, however, was the brilliant match-winning 78 in the ICC World T20 Final against home side Sri Lanka in Colombo last October.

Gibson was speaking during his official preseries media briefing at the team hotel as the two sides prepare for the first Test at the historic Kensington Oval. First ball on Tuesday is 10 am (9 am Jamaica Time).

“The interesting thing is we play three different formats with some new players coming in, so hopefully those players will bring a new focus. The Test series is very important for us because we have won the last four matches we have played and if we can win these two, we would have go back to see the last time the West Indies have won six Test matches in a row. That is something we want to focus on and an achievement we would like to have after the Test series,” Gibson said.

“For us as a team we have to focus on the first session

Ottis Gibson

of the first Test match and look to take it from there, and at the end of five days of hopefully good cricket we would come away with a win and put smiles on the faces of everyone.”

WEST INDIES SQUAD Darren Sammy (Captain) Denesh Ramdin (Vice Captain) Tino Best Darren Bravo Shivnarine Chanderpaul Narsingh Deonarine Shannon Gabriel Chris Gayle Veerasammy Permaul Kieran Powell Kemar Roach

Marlon Samuels Shane Shillingford TEAMMANAGEMENT Ottis Gibson (Head Coach) Richie Richardson (Team Manager) Toby Radford (Assistant Coach) C.J. Clark (Physiotherapist) Hector Martinez Charles (Strength & Conditioning Coach) Richard Berridge (Video & Statistical Analyst) Philip Spooner (Media Manager) Fitz Alleyne (Massage Therapist)

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Monday March 11, 2013

New Era ENT/Cell Smart Super-8 tournament

Pistons and Raiders record contrasting opening victories Retrieve Raiders and Wismar Pistons were the first two teams to record victories when action in the New Era ENT/Cell Smart Super-8 basketball tournament officially bounced off at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court in Linden on Saturday last.

Playing in the opening game, Pistons got the better of Block 22 Flames 61 – 45, while Raiders blew away Half Mile Bulls by 20 points (76 56).

Trevor Profit led all scorers with 18 points as he led an offensive onslaught by the Pistons’ back court which also saw point guard Nevin Grenville dropping in 16 points.

Dwight Cooper who had a solid game on the glass, also did some damage in the front court for Pistons, going on to score 14 points.

Flames trailed from jump ball even though they hung on behind the Pistons 17-18 at the end of the first quarter and 22 - 29 at the end of the half. But the steady ball pressure, coupled with a poor shooting performance saw them only scoring five points to the Pistons’ 17, closing the penultimate period 46-27.

Aubrey Johnson, 17 and Devon Morrison 12, were the only two players from Block 22 Flames to reach double digits.

Meanwhile, in the second game of the night, Retrieve Raiders displayed a complete team performance to convincingly defeat Half Mile Bulls.

With former National football Striker Collie ‘Hitman’ Hercules and Sheldron Noel being the main distributors of the ball, Raiders led 14-13 at the end of the first period and 33 - 23 at half time.

Former Junior National forward Geoffrey LaRose, who netted 18 points, was the go-to guy for the Raiders, given the fact that the Bulls’ inside players had no stop for the powerful player.

Despite Keron Cameron (18 points) offensive display, Bulls just couldn’t match the Raiders on either side of the court.

Hercules, known for his exploits on the football field, only managed two points, but facilitated many with his unselfish style of play, most of which went to National forward Neil Marks (13) and Alexander Rose (10).

After their sides were outscored 24 - 11 in the third quarter Michael Turner and Jamar Bethune, who both ended with 12 points, tried their best in the final period, but the Raiders’ defence thwarted their every move.

Meanwhile, at the colourful opening ceremony, Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon, who declared the tournament open, charged the players to be discipline and play in accordance to the rules of the sport and tournament since it’s the only way they could repay the organisers and corporate Guyana for supporting the game of Basketball in the mining community.

Bernard Hopkins, 48, breaks record as oldest world champion BBC Sport - Bernard Hopkins beat Tavoris Cloud to break his own record as the oldest world champion in boxing history.

The 48-year-old American claimed the IBF lightheavyweight crown with a unanimous points win in New York City. Hopkins, who has been linked as a possible future opponent of Wales’ Nathan Cleverly, took full advantage of cutting 31-year-old Cloud above his right eye in the sixth round.

Veteran Hopkins first became the oldest world champion with a May 2011 victory.

The decisive sixth-round moment was ruled by the referee to have been an accidental clash of heads but replays showed the damage was done by a left hook.

The judges awarded the fight to former undisputed world middleweight champion Hopkins by scores of 117-111, 116112, and 116-112.

Hopkins, who now has 53 wins from 61 fights, made headlines nearly two years ago when he defeated Canada’s Jean Pascal for the WBC light-heavyweight title.

When he was comfortably beaten by Chad Dawson last April, many thought he would finally announce his retirement.

But his latest victory, to the delight of the majority of the crowd at the Barclays Center, again rewrote the history books.

Monday March 11, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 31

GCA\Hadi’s World Inc 1st Division 2 day tourney

GABA Division I and III Leagues

Yadram stars as GYO overcome MSC, Chandrika hits double in Everest victory

Ravens emphatically begin campaign

Gandhi Youth Organization (GYO) and Everest Cricket Club recorded victories as play in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)\Hadi’s World Inc 1st division 2 day competition continued last weekend with four matches.

At Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC), GYO overcame the home team by 133 runs.

GYO won the toss, batted and scored 200 all out in 55.3 overs. Chris Deonarine led with 71, while Anthony Ifill and Wazeer Mohamed chipped in with 29 each.

Shaquille Williams picked up 4-49, Nicosie Barker 2-4 and Seon Daniels 2-57.

MSC in response were skittled for 107. Kwame Crosse was the only batsman that reached double figures with 32 as Kamesh Yadram captured 6-37. GYO declared on 152-9 in 49.2 overs batting a second time.

Mohamed was their leading batsman with 41, while Ifill supported with 26; Williams claimed 5-74. Set a target of 245 for victory, Malteenoes in their second turn at the crease were bowled out just after tea for 112 in 25.3 overs.

Edwin Burnette made 34 not out as Yadram grabbed 3-51 to end with match figures of 9-88, Wazim Ali snapped up 3-12 and Ifill 2-20.

At Everest, the host defeated Transport Sports Club (TSC) by an innings and 73 runs. Opener Rajendra Chandrika slammed an unbeaten 220 (23x4,3x6) and Chanderpaul Hemraj stroked 112 (10x4,3x6) as Everest piled up 385-2 declared, batting first. TSC in reply were bowled out for 177 in 50 overs with Sherwin Lovell scoring 44 and Marvin Cato 24 as leg

Hemraj, Bacchus hits ton

Rajendra Chandrika

Kamesh Yadram

spinner Amir Khan bagged 639 and Troy Gonsalves 3-70.

The visitors in their second turn at the crease were restricted for 135 in 29.4 overs. Lovell continued his fine form with an even half century, while Clive Andries made 31; Gonsalves snared 560 and Khan 2-39.

At Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), the host and Police played to a draw. Police batted first and scored 189 all out in 54 overs. Jason Heyliger made 59, Rawle Brown 44, Pernell London 42; Gavin Singh picked up 524 in 12 overs, Devon Lord 219 and Treon Forde 2-72. GCC in reply managed 289 before they were bowled out in 51 overs. Robin Bacchus led with 163 (19x4) and Gavin Singh made 25.

Police, batting a second time were 220-9 in 73 overs when stumps were drawn. Trevor Benn made 44, while Heyliger and Reginald Rodrigues made 41 apiece and Brown 33. Gavin Singh took 4-49, Bacchus 3-35 and Treon Forde 2 52.

At Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), the home team and

Guyana National Industrial Corporation SC (GNIC) game ended in a draw. DCC took first strike and rattled up 3109 declared.

Kemol Savory good continued his good run with the bat by top scoring 96 (13x4, 2x6), while Travis Dowlin made 60 (6x4, 1x6) and Brian Sattaur 40 (7x4, 1x6); Ranole Bourne claimed 3-80.

GNIC in their first innings were bowled out for 170 in 56.4 overs. Marc Nicholson led with 87 (10x4, 2x6) while Jeetendra Sookdeo made 19 and Ejaz Mohammed 16 (2x4).

Left arm pacer Andre Stoll captured 5-35, Kevin George 3-32 and Dexter George 2-20.

DCC in their second turn at the crease declared on 74\9 with Andrew Lyght scoring 38(4x4,3x6); Rayon Griffith snapped up 5-26 and Premchand Sookdeo 4-19.

Needing to score 214 to win the match, GNIC closed on 179-5 in 33 overs. Nicholson was again their leading batsman with 71(7x4) while Rayon Griffith contributed 42; Cavell Reece and Stoll claimed 2 wickets each.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

Undoubtedly one of the top teams in Georgetown and Guyana, Ravens started their campaign for an official number one Division I seeding in the City when they comfortably dismissed Plaisance Guardians and whatever challenge they offered Saturday night.

Ravens thrashed Guardians 72-51 when Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association’s (GABA) League continued on the Burnham Basketball Court with guard Ryan Stephney adding additional lights to the venue from downtown on both ends of the court.

Stephney finished with a game high 23 points and confirmation of a smooth shooting stroke in an

otherwise lopsided win for Ravens. Guard/forward Akeem Kanhai had 14 points including a one-handed break away dunk that confirmed a dominant offensive run.

Nicholas Cassius scored 11 points for Guardians that was strengthened with the acquired forward Rudy James from Ravens. It was sort of a home-going for James, who fundamentally was taught the game in Plaisance. His presence, however, did not save the team.

In the other Division I game of the GABA tripleheader, Republic Bank Nets also inflicted what can be called a first class thrashing on Melanie Patriots. The emerging Nets that reached the final of both of its last

outings beat Patriots 74-54 in the feature game.

Forward, Darian Lewis scored 22 points while Hodayah Stewart and Mortimer Williams pitched in with 16 points apiece for the much improved Nets. N. Bacchus had 17 points for Patriots with Kurtleigh English adding 15 points in the team’s second loss of the League.

Earlier in the night, Nets’ Division III team failed to set the tone for the Division I clash when an enthused Buxton Heat handed them a 54-76 defeat. Kwesi Newton and Deon Robert finished the game with 15 points each for Buxton while Okemi Sampson scored 10 points. Peter Melville was the lead scorer for Nets with 15 points.

CAN’T STOP THIS! Ravens guard, Ryan Stephney seems to have that in mind as he sinks one of his many threepoint daggers in the face of a Plaisance Guardians defender Saturday night on Burnham Basketball Court.