Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Adequately fulfilling a role In today’s conditions, the job of police officers is clearly more risky and difficult than ever before, and the way they fulfill their role in society has never been under such intense scrutiny.

Given the current tense environment that exists with respect to citizens’ security and an upcoming election, this was no doubt pellucid to everyone who attended, when President Ramotar addressed yesterday’s opening ceremony of the Police Officers’ Annual Conference at Eve Leary, and made clear his dissatisfaction with a number of key elements in relation to service of the citizenry.

The Head of State made it clear that he was not happy that the Guyana Police Force is the least trusted among law enforcement agencies in the Region, and ordered that the ranks work assiduously to clean up their act and remove the perception.

He decried the perceived decrease in trust; what may have fueled those views and what can be done to turn this decrease in trust to an increase in confidence by the citizens.

He urged the leadership of the Guyana Police Force to lead by example and show all the other members the path forward.

The Guyanese leader identified professionalism, knowledge, people skills, firmness and fairness as the hallmarks of officers and ranks of the Force in the discharge of duties.

“In so doing, you will inspire public confidence and trust and (will) be looked upon as role models who are careeroriented and patriotic. The population and those elected to lead, whether in government or in opposition, will hold you, the leadership of the force, accountable for the indiscretions of those among you.

“I expect you to exercise zero tolerance in identifying the corrupt, the social deviants, the misfits who have infiltrated your ranks, and then take appropriate action…A Police Officer cannot be a walking contradiction; on the one hand pretending to be a paragon of virtue but on the other, clandestinely lining his or her pockets.

“Make no mistake, if you fail to perform your duties and fail to honour the oath you took to protect and to serve the Guyanese people, then I will do what I have to do to ensure that the Guyanese people have proper service by the Police Force.”

It is interesting that the President raised the idea of the role of the police, as opposed to the function, and called on members of the force to understand this. This suggests that he wants policemen and policewomen to think and function beyond the technical and operational aspects of police work.

It means that policemen and policewomen should be aware of and fulfill their larger function, purpose, or mission in society. Policing is a job which requires intimate social interaction, often in highly volatile and sensitive situations.

How the police function has an unavoidable influence on social life, social progress, and social change. It is bad if, in general, the police have a too narrow perspective of their role; if they have too broad a view it is equally bad.

In Guyana, it appears that the police best understand their role to protect and serve in terms of how they respond to situations requiring their intervention. Yet their role also requires them to be proactive, to prevent and control unlawful, anti-social conduct and, in particular, to identify problems with the potential for becoming more serious problems.

The proactive element of the role of the police is critical to creating and maintaining a feeling of security in communities in Guyana.

To do this more effectively, the police need to cultivate carefully a more positive image. One way to do this would be to improve information provision to the public about policing and crime, in accordance to needs of local communities.

To adequately fulfill their role, the police must, as the President stressed develop and maintain the support and confidence of the public.

That would be to ensure, as the President said, police ranks understand their role and move to improve public engagement and use more innovative methods of policing.

Friday March 13, 2015

Letters... Where your views make the news

What Courtney Crum-Ewing lived for, and what is lacking in this society DEAR EDITOR, I didn’t know Courtney Crum-Ewing and I had never heard of him before his almost three-month protest in front of the office of the Attorney General.

A few weeks ago, he sent me a private message on social media asking, “Ruel I need your opinion. Where did I go wrong during my 85 days outside chambers? ??” I gave my frank assessment that while his energy was commendable, he perhaps failed to implement a complementary media strategy to educate an apathetic public about what the core issue was.

After a brief discussion, the conversation ended with us recommitting to changing what was wrong about Guyana.

Earlier this week, I publicized on Facebook a

racist inbox message sent to me and Courtney commented jokingly that we needed to compare hate mail. The next day, I received a message that he had been shot dead.

I read Brigadier-General J o e S i n g h ’s r e a s o n e d intervention in which he urges both condemnation of Courtney’s murder and restraint from using it for partisan political mileage.

When I started this letter, 36 hours after Courtney Crum-Ewing was cornered and shot down while urging people to vote, there was no statement from the PPP, except the politically slanted and ludicrous press release issued by Clement Rohee’s Ministry of Home Affairs, and every single member of government active on social media was silent. There was not a single word of

condemnation from anyone, including Priya Manickchand, Ashni Singh, Nigel Dharamlall, Carolyn Rodrigues, Frank Anthony, Elisabeth Harper, Leslie Ramsammy and most importantly, Anil Nandlall.

Guyana Times and Chronicle dedicated minimal space to the story and state broadcaster NCN did not even touch it. What this indicates is that there is a deliberately constructed wall of silence on this murder.

In contrast, and to its credit, the APNU+AFC condemned the murder, contextualized it within the overall impoverished citizen security environment and the divisive rancor at Babu John, and called for an impartial investigation. Moreover, a fund has been set up to benefit Courtney’s three

daughters.

There will inevitably be a great deal of speculation on what Courtney Crum-Ewing was killed for, and I find it insulting that persons are urging people not to make logical connections between his murder and his dissident action. If a woman who is known for publicly and vocally confronting her abusive husband is found brutally murdered one afternoon after such confrontation, no reasonable person would condemn anyone who speculates that her husband is either the likely murderer or the author of it. Courtney Crum-Ewing suffered theft in full view of the police, he suffered threats, he suffered vandalism of his personal property, and he suffered (Continued on page 31)

Rohee’s strange link between this senseless killing and the Top Cop’s appointment DEAR SIR, Over the last few days, Guyanese have been trying to cope with the senseless killing of Mr. Courtney Crum-Ewing, who for weeks protested against very serious threatening remarks, via telephone conversation,

by Guyana’s Attorney General, Mr. Anil Nandalall, to a Kaieteur News reporter.

Guyanese witnessed the rush by the Ministry of Home Affairs to dispatch a press release, to the media, on the issue, and to attempt, in a very awkward way, to find a strange link between this senseless killing and the recent appointment of the Commissioner of Police, by

President Donald Ramator.

Further, the release stated that the Commissioner of Police was ordered to carry out a thorough investigation into the killing of Mr. CrumEwing. This was very surprising to me, because such an incident should immediately activate the appropriate systems of the Guyana Police Force, to find and bring to justice the persons, who are responsible for the death of this son of the soil.

On the face of it, the Ministry’s release was an attempt to assuage the masses and to keep then calm and simultaneously keep the opposition in focus and to somehow blame them for the

Give the police a fair chance to solve this murder

DEAR EDITOR, I sympathise with the death of Mr. Courtney CrumEwing and especially the manner of his death.

Condolences to his grieving relatives. I hope the perpetrators will be caught and brought to justice.

However, letter writers and opposition supporters are trying to link the PPP to this killing. This killing can be a drive by shooting by his enemies or business associates. So I am asking people to stop the speculation and let the police do their job.

The opposition wants political mileage out of this killing and protesting in front

of the Attorney General’s office as if the Attorney General has knowledge of this killing. They are putting the Attorney General, Anil Nandalall life at risk for their own selfish benefits.

Why didn’t the protestors picket the police stations as they did in the past when there is a murder? Why select the AG’s office?

These protestors and the opposition are not giving the police a fair chance to solve this murder instead they made inaccurate pronouncements immediately after the murder.

I hope the police solve this crime.

BalwantPersaud

death of this brave solider.

But that was not necessary because Guyanese are not fools; they understand exactly what is going on.

They will not be provoked into any action that would derail the up-coming elections for 2015.

They know that the way to fight back against this evil is to draw strength from this brutal slaying and the shedding of the blood of this patriot, and to exercise their franchise to vote the PPP/C government out of power on May 11, 2015. Guyana has no other option; it is the only

way out of this national wickedness.

Those who are trying to provoke a situation should know, by now, that, there is a Natural Mystic blowing through the air to borrowa few words from Bob Marley, and that change is inevitable; it has to come.

Courtney Crum-Ewing has been killed, by cowards who could not allow him to stand up for his belief, but many more brave souls have already taken his place. You can kill a man; you cannot kill his idea or spirit. Today, (Continued on page 31)

Can we not take the moral high road?

DEAR EDITOR, This week we celebrate the death anniversary of the reputed ‘father of our nation’, personal hero to me and I believe most Guyanese, the late Dr Cheddi Jagan who dedicated his life for the betterment of Guyana by, among other things, working to unite the races and pursuing policies that benefit the common man while he lived an exemplary life of honesty, personal integrity, hard work and dedication to the cause of improving the lives all Guyanese. Indeed, his work and life-style, as is wellknown and already amply documented, characterized “the moral high road”.

As we approach the

national elections scheduled for May 11, 2015, can we not try to emulate this great leader? Can we not avoid ad hominem attacks on others who try to follow in his footsteps in their own ways and thru their own parties?

Can we not consider and debate objective policies, approaches, programs…the so-called ‘Manifestos’ of competing Political Parties, instead of the reported continuing personal bashing of personalities?

I believe appeals like this might invite criticisms of my being naive…but is it really necessary for those who seek the highest offices in our land to stoop as low as is being reported in the media?

Nowrang Persaud

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

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

Rampersaud’s letter is riddled with Ramson tries to make a the non-recognition of historical facts mountain out of a mole hill

DEAR EDITOR, Elections season is often referred to as ‘silly season’.

This nomenclature seeks to highlight the level of idiocy that one should expect during this season. It will be very evident in the media, so much so, that it would be foolhardy to attempt to respond blow-for-blow.

However, I pen this letter in response to Shivanie Rampersaud’s letter of March 12, 2015, to alert the public, especially the innocent youths, to the need to look out for the idiocy that will be spewed by false prophets, and wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Rampersaud’s letter is captioned : Don’t take my words for granted, get up and do your research!

That is a fortunate, though inappropriate, caption since any modicum of research will expose R a m p e r s a u d ’s f l a w e d approach to research and consequently erroneous conclusions.

Rampersaud merely seeks to present some facts of today as the negation of the facts of yesterday, purporting the non-existence of yesterday’s facts.

Rampersaud’s letter is riddled with the nonrecognition of historical facts and attempts to elevate recent events to the first or only such occurrences, when in fact they are not first or singular, and on that basis seeks to discredit the Burnham era.

That Foreign Policy, a major success story of much of the Burnham era, is chosen to make the case highlights either the lack of knowledge or intellectual

dishonesty.

Here are a few samples to support my contention.

1. Rampersaud lauds the recent Guyana-Cuba Scholarship programme as evidence of unmatched PPP achievement. If research was done, or honesty employed, it would have been told that such a scheme predates 1992 by over 15 years.

There are still beneficiaries of yester-years Cuban Scholarships, Afro, Amerindo and Indo Guyanese, who are still rendering yeoman service in our Health Sector today.

They are living testimonies, not to forget our martyrs who died in the CubanaAir Disaster.

2. Rampersaud refers to Guyana’s present activism in the international arena as if there is no precedent. Had she researched or been honest, she would have recognized that one of the

Burnham era’s acclaims was its recognition by, and respect in, international fora.

This is amply evidenced by the various international committees it was represented on and chaired.

A read of Sir Sridath’s autobiography is recommended as a source of enlightenment for Shivanie and those who may be her prey. The burnt-down Umana Yana is physical testimony of Guyana’s involvement in, and recognition by, the NonAlign Movement.

The National Cultural Centre is living testimony of Guyana’s leadership in CARICOM and its cultural development, in particular.

3. As for economic recovery, the Hoyte Economic Recovery Programme is the programme on which Guyana’s economic (Continued on page 31)

DEAR EDITOR, I write to register my deepest concern over the exercise of editorial control of the Kaieteur News newspaper and media house.

Immediately after the conclusion of the press conference with former president B. Jagdeo in the media room at Freedom House I was present during a conversation between the editor of the Kaieteur News, Adam Harris, and Jagdeo when Jagdeo questioned Harris as to how such captions could be printed in the (Kaieteur News) newspaper when they had the transcript and video of his

speech at Babu John which would have revealed that he (Jagdeo) never said that the PPP was a “coolie people party”. Harris’ response was that he was not there (at Babu John) but in any event this was Glen Lall’s doing.

If this is indeed the truth as Harris has asserted, and I hope it is not, then questions need to be asked about Harris’ exercise of editorial control and power at the Kaieteur News newspaper and the underlying motive of pursuing an objective with the inherent risk of racial and political unrest that our country must assiduously avoid to maintain a course of

collectivenational development.

I am, therefore, seeking a public clarification on the accuracy of Harris’ statement and his role and knowledge, if any, in the publication of the notorious headline.

Charles S. Ramson Attorney at Law EDITOR’S NOTE: The headline resulted from the message conveyed to the reporter in Jagdeo’s speech at Babu Jaan. In any case, headlines are a collective affair. The editor would write the initial headline which can be adjusted following group consultation and consensus.

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

BRITISH girls were helped into Syria by spy from U.S.-led coalition (Reuters) - A spy who worked for a country in the U.S.-led coalition that is fighting Islamic State had helped three British girls to cross into Syria to join the militants and has been caught, the Turkish foreign minister said on Thursday.

The minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, told broadcaster A Haber in an interview: “He was caught. It turned out to be someone who works for the intelligence of a country from the coalition.”

He didn’t say which country the spy was working for, but said it was not the European Union or the United States. The coalition also includes countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Australia and Canada.

A European security source familiar with the case of the three girls said the person in question had a connection with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) spy agency.

A Canadian government source in Ottawa said the person was not a Canadian citizen and was not employed by CSIS. The source did not respond when asked whether the person had been working for CSIS. The spy agency did not respond to requests for comment. The office of Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney - in overall

charge of law enforcement - said it did not comment on operational matters.

A Turkish official who declined to be identified told Reuters the spy was now in custody.

“The person was working for the intelligence agency of a coalition country but is not a citizen of that country. The person was not a Turkish citizen either,” he said.

Islamic State seized large swathes of land last June, including territory close to the Turkish border. The U.S.-led coalition is using mostly air power in an attempt to push the Sunni militant group back.

British police and the girls’ families have issued appeals for their daughters to return home after they flew to Istanbul from London on Feb. 17. Amira Abase, 15, Shamima Begum, 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, are thought to have since entered Syrian territory controlled by Islamic State.

Thousands of foreigners from more than 80 nations, including Britain, other parts of Europe, China and the United States, have joined the ranks of Islamic State and other radical groups in Syria and Iraq, many crossing through Turkey. Turkey says it needs more information from foreign intelligence agencies to intercept them

(Reuters) - Iraqi security forces and mainly Shi’ite militia fought Islamic State fighters in Tikrit on Thursday, a day after they pushed into Saddam Hussein’s home city in their biggest offensive yet against the militants.

A source at the military command said there was heavy mortar shelling, sniper and machine-gun fire in the industrial quarter in the northwest of the city. Three Islamic State insurgents were killed but the army and militias struggled to advance from parts of the city which they took 24 hours earlier.

Islamic State fighters stormed into Tikrit last June during a lightning offensive that was halted just outside Baghdad. They have since used the complex of palaces built in Tikrit under Saddam, the executed former president, as their headquarters.

The military source said the insurgents still held the presidential complex and at least three other districts in the centre of Tikrit, holding up further army advances with snipers and bombs. A Reuters photographer saw one car bomb explode on the western edge of the city, and security officials said Islamic State fighters had booby-trapped abandoned buildings.

Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi said

on a visit to the frontline on Thursday that operations were going to plan, despite the lack of apparent progress on Thursday while the combined army and militia forces consolidated their positions.

“Now the second page of the battle commences,” he told state television Iraqiya.

“All the branches of the security forces are engaged in the battle as well as tribal fighters and the Hashid Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation),” he said, referring to the militia forces.

If Iraq’s Shi’ite-led government retakes Tikrit it would be the first city clawed back from the Sunni insurgents and would give it momentum in the next, pivotal stage of the campaign to recapture Mosul, the largest city in the north.

Mosul is also the biggest city held by the ultra-radical Islamic State, who now rule a selfdeclared cross-border caliphate in Sunni regions of Syria and Iraq.

BLOWN-UP BRIDGE More than 20,000 Iraqi troops and Iranianbacked Shi’ite Muslim militias, supported by local Sunni Muslim tribes, launched the offensive for Tikrit 10 days ago, advancing from the east and along the banks of the Tigris.

Iraqi forces slowed by snipers and bombs in Tikrit

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Friday March 13, 2015

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

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THE DEATH OF TWO MEN Two men were killed last Tuesday night. One was killed in Agricola and the other in Diamond. One was a shopkeeper. The other was described as a political activist.

No one has said that the death of the former was related to his work as a shopkeeper. But there are many voices who are saying that the latter’s death was a political assassination - that is, the motive for the killing was political.

In short, what we have is an argument that goes as a follows. X was a political activist. At the time of his death he was involved in a political activity. Therefore his death is a case of a political assassination.

This is not a valid argument, because even if one assumes that the first two propositions are true, namely that X was a political activist, and that he was killed while undertaking political activity, it does not follow that his death was an act of political assassination, because it could have been some other thing.

Unless there is some evidence that the death of X was politically inspired, the conclusion about a political assassination does not hold.

I have not seen any such evidence, and I know of no such evidence at this time. Yet the talk about political assassination persists.

It is illogical. It is like saying that Y was a shopkeeper. Y was killed while in front of his shop. Therefore Y’s death was related to his shopkeeping.

This too is not a valid argument, because Y’s death may well be unrelated to his work in his shop. It may be related to something else. At best, therefore, the conclusions drawn in both the deaths of X and Y are speculative.

I do not know either of the men killed. I have never met them. I have never seen them.

I have never spoken to them.

But I can understand the suffering that is being felt within their families. It is not easy to lose a loved one.

I extend my sympathies to the families of both men.

There can be no justification for what happened to those men, none whatsoever.

I expect that the police force will vigorously investigate both cases and will eventually solve them. I expect that anyone with information about the deaths

of these individuals will come forward and give such information to the police. I expect that special interest will be shown in the pathology of the man killed in Diamond, and that the same interest will be shown about the man killed in Agricola.

The families of both men are going through a very difficult time at this moment, and I do not wish at this stage to say anything that will be insensitive. I do not know anything about the deaths of these men and therefore I will not, as many are doing, speculate about what were

the causes of their deaths, or who may have been responsible for their murders.

Without any hard evidence or leads, I cannot say why these men died. A great deal of attention is being paid to the death of the man killed in Diamond, presumably because he was better known to the public, and because he was involved in political activities.

I have no knowledge about his death and I will not say anything about the person himself at this time, out of sensitivity to his grieving family. But when he is buried, I will discuss what research

into him has revealed. This information is not top secret.

It is publicly available with the simple click of a mouse and the use of Google.

I am sure that many in the media fraternity would have come across the same information in their research, but for some reason they are not making this information public, at least not as yet.

What I will reveal is therefore not any secret. It is information that can easily be garnered about the man who was killed in Diamond. This information I repeat has nothing to do with his death.

It is about his political views and therefore has implications for those who wish to turn his death into a political lightning rod. For the time being, let us allow the police to do their work and see what emerges in both cases. And let us be sensitive to the feelings of the families of both men and not say or do anything that would increase their distress or pain at this time.

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Kaieteur News

Friday March 13, 2015

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

A man dies. His story left untold. Life goes on. But the pen is mightier than the sword. The pen can tell the story that is still to be told.

Courtney Crum-Ewing’s journey must be recorded. I didn’t know Courtney well.

We met after some of us joined his one-man picket outside the Office of the Attorney-General directed against Anil Nandlall over the tape scandal.

There are things you can tell about someone if you are experienced and your praxis is eternal. Courtney CrumEwing came across as someone deeply anguished by the abuse of power.

Unlike most of the antidictatorship people that are currently fighting for democracy in Guyana, he seemed impatient. He seemed that he wanted to hasten the struggle to remove the authoritarian system.

But there was an esoteric

contradiction in his personality. He didn’t come across as emotional at all.

This is a contradiction difficult to understand, because most human rights crusaders are passionate people with a tendency to show emotions.

I could well have imagined him discussing in the calmest of manners, violations committed against him, displaying no anger, betraying no emotions.

When he told me about a certain policeman in the Brickdam station trying to pursue a trumped up charge against him, he was just nonchalant about it. Most activists would have reserved a few harsh words for the police officer.

Why was Courtney Crum-Ewing assassinated?

You can break it down to several factors but there is one conceptual framework only – powerful dictators cut him down to send a message.

The message was clear in how he was killed. Crum-Ewing died while he was directly involved in an act of struggle.

He was urging residents of Diamond to vote in the general elections and to do so

against the PPP. My take on his death was that while he was pursuing his political activity, a telephone call was made. The order was then given to kill him.

If it wasn’t Courtney Crum-Ewing, it would have been someone else, because a message had to be sent.

That message was graphically portrayed in the image of the dead man lying next to his bullhorn. When I saw that image I thought of the bestial days of apartheid, the cruel times of Latin American military dictatorships and the brutal era of African and Asian dictatorships in the immediate post-colonial period.

As you gazed at that hideous sight, your heart fell, because you know Guyana is moving inevitably to its final collapse.

Fools and propagandists will posit that the establishment did not kill Crum-Ewing. But since history began, dictators never acknowledged that they killed anyone.

Courtney Crum-Ewing was brutally gunned down in the Diamond Housing Scheme where he lived, as he urged his fellow Guyanese to

go out on Election Day and vote the PPP out of power, but the people who killed him will scandalize him as the days go by. We will hear that he was a victim of personal vendetta.

He will see blame being put on the opposition, in that it was an opposition act so the Government can look bad.

We will read that he was involved in questionable things. This is what is overbearing about dictatorship. A patriot is murdered by tyrants and even in death his name is desecrated. But here is where the moving pen comes in.

Those who struggled with Courtney Crum-Ewing, those who admire his work, those who are revolted by his assassination, must expose his murderers.

We must not be intimidated. In adopting fear,

we will willingly open the flood gates so that other Crum-Ewings can be murdered. Courtney CrumEwing was assassinated because power-drunk rulers in the tragic land feared his activism, feared his bravery, and sent out a message that those who want to be brave like Crum-Ewing will be dealt with. Bob Marley wrote in his powerful, moving, phenomenal composition, “Redemption Song,” the following words, “How long shall they kill our prophets, while we stand aside and look.” The people of this country have to put an end to these killings that started with Walter Rodney, took the life of Ronald Waddell and now Courtney Crum-Ewing.

Guyana has to reclaim its lost civilization. It can start by using the body of Courtney

Frederick Kissoon Crum-Ewing as the rampart which it must use to confront and remove the people who killed this courageous, brave nationalist who stood up fearlessly to the brutal dictatorship that has virtually reduced this country to a 10th rate nation. The Guyanese people must not be afraid to denounce the killers of Courtney Crum-Ewing.

Their silence will pave the way for others to be murdered before the ballots are counted on May 12.

Dem boys seh...

Some people wearing pampers because dem frighten When people frighten dem does do strange things. Some of dem does drop to sleep then dem does suddenly holler out. Some does jump out of dem sleep and de rest does try not to sleep at all.

Before Donald announce elections, dem boys use to see nuff Minister and dem opposition politicians in all dem drinking spots. Even Donald heself use to visit some of dem. Now that he announce de date, dem boys don’t see one of dem. Dem use to go to some places and never put dem hand in dem pocket, because dem got people who want to seh that dem and de politicians, especially de ministers, is friends.

But all of that change and will change even more because now is time to buy votes.

Spend to get is de motto. Suh all of dem gun be going into dem bars and buying rounds fuh everybody.

Dem boys would like to see Ashni buying drinks fuh Granger or Moses. That gun be

one time he gun tell de owner of de bar to send de account to Ohh Pee as a government expenditure. Fear does mek people get weak bladder and that is why some people does wear pampers, when under normal conditions dem don’t wear.

Anil use to hang out he underwear in de sun. Now people don’t see any. It is not that he don’t wear; it is that he don’t have need to wash, because pampers is disposable.

When you see any politician looking fatter than normal, know that he is one frighten kid and that he got on pampers.

And at de same time, de police claim how dem find spent shells at de place wheh some people kill Courtney Crum-Ewing. Dem boys waiting fuh de findings, because although Donald seh that dem must find de killer or the intellectual authors—that mean de people who plan it. De police could hide de facts if they point in a certain direction.

Talk half and check out who looking fat.

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Govt. mulls offering public shares in Marriott...

Winston Brassington

Hong Kong investor pulls out from casino management

Staffers under training at the Marriott Hotel having lunch in the ballroom.

Government has not ruled out the possibilities of public offering of shares in the Marriott Hotel which is set to open its doors in just over a month.

The disclosure came yesterday amidst news that a court case blocking the mortgaging of the Kingston seawall lands has affected the release of more than US$35M from Republic Bank and a Hong Kong-based equity investor.

The court case was filed in December by Desmond Trotman, former Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). In effect, it derailed the financing, forcing Government to step in and put up US$16M of additional funds to ensure the hotel was completed.

Under the financing structure, Government says that it had initially invested around US$20M or a third of the total costs –US$58M. It further invested another US$16M after it became clear

One of the regular rooms at the Hotel.

that no monies were coming from investors.

The question raised by the Opposition was, why the Government was throwing in the majority of the monies but is still planning to go ahead with plans to transfer 67 percent equity ownership into the hands of Ace Square Investments?, the Hong Kong investors who were putting in just US$8M. Some US$27M of costs would have been coming from a syndicated loan via Republic Bank. Just over US$15M of the US$27M has been released by Republic Bank.

During a press conference at Marriott Hotel yesterday, Winston Brassington, head of the Atlantic Hotel Inc. (AHI), the governmentcontrolled company which is handling the construction, insisted that without the intervention of Government, the project would have been in deep trouble, with delays and losses likely. He said that notwithstanding the court

case, he has warned the Hong Kong investor that the entertainment complex, which includes the casino, that a decision will have to be made on the way forward. The way forward, he admits, may include a “relaunch” which offers shares publicly.

Meanwhile, it was disclosed yesterday that the Hong Kong investor has pulled out of managing the casino. This came in the wake of the failure of Guyana last year to pass key anti-money laundering and terrorism financing legislation. Guyana was blacklisted and referred to the world regulatory body - Financial Action Task Force (FATF) - by the regional body - Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

The management of the casino is now contracted to Marriott International which has experience in other countries.

Brassington insisted yesterday that it was never the intention for Government

to own a hotel. Rather it was structured deliberately as a private/public/partnership (PPP) initiative.

The current expense for over 200 staffers already hired and other overheads are currently being covered

under the capital expenditure included in the US$58M cost of the project.

Brassington, who has been under fire for his role in the sale of state assets and other investments as the head of the Government-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), claimed that the level of attacks by the Opposition on the Marriott project was the worse in his 20-year career.

The hotel, which is projecting a “conservative” 40 percent occupancy rate for the first year, will be able to cover its expenses, Brassington assured.

Marriott officials are expected from overseas shortly to conduct inspections to ensure it meets international standards before the hotel is handed over by Shanghai Construction Group, the Chinese contractor.

Brassington made it clear

that the Hong Kong investors would have been vetted by Marriott to ensure that everything is above board.

The five-star rating, consistent with Marriott’s branding, is expected within a month after the proposed April 16 opening, he disclosed. It will be the first major international brand to come to Guyana in over 45 years.

The 197-room hotel will include the country’s largest ballroom, conference centres, restaurants and the casino.

The project was under fire after it was announced that NICIL would have been using tax dollars to fund the project.

With not much details coming out, the Opposition and other concerned citizens have been critical of the details and cost, as well as the highly controversial decision for one investor to put in US$8M and control 67 percent of the equity shares.

In the Presidential Suite

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Friday March 13, 2015

Civil Society Council, R. C. Church weigh-in on shooting death of political activist “The State of Guyana will no longer be a democracy, if citizens are not allowed to, or are prevented from, or are murdered, or threatened, or harmed for, demanding those rights given to them in the Constitution and for exercising their responsibilities.”

This assertion was made by the Guyana National Civil Society Council, Inc. (GNCSC), which in a statement yesterday vociferously condemned the shooting death of political activist, Courtney Crum-

Ewing on Tuesday night.

The GNCSC has dubbed the incident a “cowardly act,” even as it pointed out that “Courtney Crum-Ewing felt that he lived in a Democratic State and that the Constitution of Guyana in the context of a Democracy gave him certain rights, and entrusted upon him certain responsibilities.”

According to the GNCSC statement, the 40-year-old was murdered while exercising his right of freedom of expression and his responsibility as a citizen who was participating in the democratic life of Guyana.

“Was Mr. Crum-Ewing misled as to the kind of State

in which he resided?

Courtney Crum-Ewing was also an activist, he was a part of Civil Society, and Civil Society is driven by values.

The public sector is driven by rights. It exists to ensure that rights are upheld,” the statement continued.

Moreover, it was noted that whenever Civil Society is of the view that rights are being violated, it intervenes from a value-based perspective, an approach that was embraced by CrumEwing, the statement added.

The body went on to question “whether the form of Guyana as a Democratic Society is changing or has changed?”

“If that is the case, then the Constitution must reflect likewise and this must be communicated to citizens.

This act of killing a citizen in this manner has raised concern that citizens may, in

the course of exercising their Democratic Right as they know it to be enshrined in the Constitution, come to harm.”

As such the body spoke of the need for citizens to be reassured that Guyana is still a Democratic State and that the Articles are still valid.

“Mr Crum-Ewing was a good person and a good Citizen,” the GNCSC said, as it expressed deepest condolences to the family and friends of the now dead political activist.

Even as it demands that “our national security system exercises its duty without fear, favour or reservation,” the GNCSC said that it is joining with other voices to appeal for calm in the nation at this time. “We are confident that Guyanese are a very smart and strong people and will rise above this tragedy,” the statement added. Also weighing on the Crum-

Ewing’s shooting death as well as that of a resident of Agricola, Randy Persaud, was Bishop Francis Alleyne of the Roman Catholic Diocese.

Recounting reports of the incidents in question, the Bishop noted that “on Tuesday March, 10, 2015, a few moments apart, the lives

of two of our citizens were brutally mowed down in chilling fashion as they were executed by gunmen, still at large.” Randy Persaud, 27 was gunned down in front of his home in Agricola while Crum-Ewing, 40, was shot multiple times in Diamond, East Bank Demerara, while (Continued on page 13)

Lack of trust in police...

From page 3 urged the officers to identify and get rid of them.

He said that it is particularly galling when women, children and innocent citizens are the victims of crimes, but equally unacceptable are instances where members of the Police Force or the Joint Services, are either perpetrators or are perceived to be in league with the perpetrators.

“The population and those elected to lead, whether in government or in opposition, will hold you, the leadership of the force, accountable for the indiscretions of those among you,” the President said. “I expect you to exercise zero tolerance in identifying the corrupt, the social devi-

ants, the misfits who have infiltrated your ranks, and then take appropriate action….A Police Officer cannot be a walking contradiction; on the one hand, pretending to be a paragon of virtue but on the other, clandestinely lining his or her pockets,” the president emphasised.

The Guyanese leader nevertheless, expressed optimism that the officers can address the perceived lack of trust but warned, “make no mistake, if you fail to perform your duties and fail to honour the oath you took to protect and to serve the Guyanese people, then I will do what I have to do to ensure that the Guyanese people have proper service by the Police Force.”

Friday March 13, 2015

Civil Society Council...

From page 12 walking around the community urging residents to vote.

But according to the Bishop in a concise statement, the execution of Crum-Ewing is also dangerously timed in a climate of electoral campaigning as the country prepares for national elections on May 11.

And according to him, many persons, in the absence of evidence, are already drawing political inferences.

The Bishop however noted that “at this time, to draw specific conclusions as to where culpability rests, I call on the Guyana Police Force to act swiftly in its investigations to find and bring these killers before our courts.”

He observed that the execution of Crum-Ewing, “under those circumstances, is a retrograde step for our nation and deserves the highest condemnation from all quarters.”

Nevertheless, he pointed out that the murder of Persaud, and so many others under similar circumstances, is no less important than the murder of Crum-Ewing as it affects all who value, or are expected to value, the sanctity and dignity of life and indeed the human person.

Bishop Alleyne in a public statement on November, 11, 2014, following the prorogation of Parliament, had stated that since Guyana is an uncharted territory, reconciliation and trust are crucial to the process of restoring and building the nation. He had called on all Guyanese and their leaders to ensure that “we navigate these uncertain times peacefully, honestly and respectfully,” a notion that he repeated in light of the shooting deaths.

“The constant call of God’s Spirit to us is to look at and register the stamp of immense worth that is placed on the whole of creation and, in a special way, on the human person,” added the Bishop as he too extended “…deepest sympathies, my prayers and the support of the Catholic Church to the grieving relatives of the deceased.”

“I call on the political leaders of all parties to specifically condemn the barbaric killing of Mr. Crum-Ewing and to actively promote messages of peace on the campaign trail and create an environment of security and nationhood in which citizens can exercise their democratic and constitutional right, and indeed duty, to elect a government of their choice,” added Bishop Alleyne, who is calling on all Catholics to offer prayers on Sunday.

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Brassington says Marriott Hotel built with NICIL money, not tax dollars - Pegasus owner rubbishes claim, calls Brassington a fraudster Head of National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington, strongly insisted yesterday that the US$58M Marriott Hotel has at no point in time, been funded with taxpayers’ monies.

Brassington, during a press conference held at the unfinished complex, told media operatives that in the meantime, NICIL, as the principal owner of Atlantic Hotel Inc., “has from its own resources, earned directly from the sale of investments owned by NICIL or dividend returns from its investments, and not from taxpayers’ money. It provided bridge financing to an amount of US$16M for the completion of the construction of the hotel.”

He said that NICIL will be reimbursed in accordance with the financial arrangements originally projected.

Brassington was then pressed to say what exactly NICIL sold in order to finance the construction of the hotel.

He claimed that while it was

NICIL Head, Winston Brassington not intended for that purpose, some of the proceeds from the sale of the 20 percent interest in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company were invested into the project. He said, too, that dividends from different investments in stateowned entities and others in which NICIL has a minority interest were also used.

Brassington asserted that every dollar invested in the hotel is well spent. He said that NICIL, and by extension, AHI’s financial transactions are subject to full public

disclosure and scrutiny, and audited by the Audit Office of Guyana and presented for Parliamentary review.

However, Pegasus Hotel owner Robert Badal has described Brassington’s statements as “utter rubbish”.

The businessman said that now more than ever, he will continue to hold the position that “the Marriott Hotel was conceived in fraud and executed by a fraudster.”

Badal told Kaieteur News last night that he strongly believes that the project is not a viable one and he has even sought to make a public call for President Donald Ramotar to ensure that the AHI head is slapped with fraud charges.

As for Brassington’s claim that the hotel is funded with NICIL proceeds and not taxpayers’ dollars, Badal says

Pegasus Owner, Robert Badal that this constitutes “a gross insult to the basic god-given common sense of the nation.”

The hotelier insists that taxpayers funded the entire project. He reiterated that the NICIL head is “nothing but a fraudster.”

Page 14

Kaieteur News

‘Suspicious’ driver arrested after tailed, shot at by police Residents of David Street, Kitty, were forced to run for shelter early yesterday after the sounds of gunshots echoed around their community for several seconds.

This reportedly happened at around 09:45hrs.

It was reported that plainclothes ranks in two unmarked vehicles had been tailing a white Toyota AT192 car for almost an hour around the city.

The cops allegedly caught up with the vehicle on David Street, Kitty, near Lamaha Street, and shots were discharged.

Kaieteur News was told that ranks fired approximately five shots at the car. A lone occupant was later arrested and according to an eyewitness, a “big bag”, believed to contain money, was retrieved.

While no ranks at the Kitty Police Station could confirmed the shootout yesterday, nervous

eyewitnesses said the incident did occur and unsettled those in proximity.

When this newspaper arrived at the scene, some of the residents said that they were still trembling as a result of the brief ordeal.

Up to press time spent shells were still at the scene.

A female resident from David Street, who asked not to be named, said that she was looking at a movie when she heard several gunshots. She said that she rushed to her verandah and saw a crowd.

“I thought it was a robbery and someone had gotten shot, because I see a man lying on the road, but then I heard that the suspect was a thief and the police went following he,” the woman said.

Kaieteur News was unable to confirm whether there was a robbery yesterday which resulted in the cops tailing and arresting the young man.

The man is believed to be at the police headquarters.

Friday March 13, 2015

Ridiculously slow police response times highlighted at Officers’ conference

The government claims it has been providing the police with vehicles to improve their mobility.

The response times of the Guyana Police Force to criminal activities are the worst in the Caribbean region and President Donald Ramotar wants to see this state of affairs changed.

The President in outlining a 15-point plan dubbed “15 in 2015”, that is aimed at restoring confidence in the Guyana Police Force, identified the police response times as one of the areas that need to be addressed. He made the observation while addressing the Annual Police Officers’ Conference yesterday.

He said that too often there have been complaints about the length of time that the police take to respond to criminal acts and the failure of ranks to answer the 911 police hotline, a situation that needs to be changed immediately.

Ramotar noted that the

shorter the police travel time from notification to arrival at the crime scene, the more likely it is that offenders can be apprehended.

This rapid response he said will produce three crime prevention effects: (i) reduce harm from crimes interrupted by police intervention; (ii) greater deterrent effect; (iii) incapacitation through imprisonment of offenders who are prosecuted effectively from evidence from response-related arrest.

To achieve this, he called for the creation of a state-ofthe-art rapid response centre, while requiring hiring and training of new officers, improved technology and infrastructure.

But many in the Force will argue that response time is intricately linked to the availability of vehicles, something which has been a source of concern for the force over the years.

While the government will want to boast about providing the Force with vehicles, the reality is that in most divisions, these are in

very short supply and on occasions, non-existent.

Calls to the stations are often met with the response, “we don’t have vehicles!”

On occasions, citizens themselves have had to provide transportation for the police to respond to their reports.

Just recently, the police had to rely on the assistance of a private citizen for transportation to track down a carload of bandits who had robbed a Mahaica businessman.

In other cases the police have been relying on the joint service assistance for their mobility.

According to President Ramotar, leadership and resources do not matter if there is nowhere to put the resources and nothing to lead.

To this end, he proposed 14 other programmes, which are designed to restore confidence in the Force.

Among them are the establishment of a neigbourhood watch programme; the introduction

of a problem-oriented approach addressing crime and increasing the number of police officers in the streets and neighbourhoods.

He also called for police officers to work closely with schools to reduce school violence, drug abuse and the influence of criminal in the institutions of learning.

The establishment of a drug and weapon-free zone should also be a priority.

“If a person is caught with drugs or weapons near a school, they must be dealt with condignly in accordance with our laws,” Ramotar declared.

Another area of the plan is the re-opening of cold cases and unresolved crimes, which will be aimed at improving cleared-up rates for homicides, shootings, robberies, break-ins, larceny and sexual offences.

The President also called for the setting up of a targeted policing programme to secure and boost confidence in critical sectors such as tourism, agriculture, construction, commerce and sport, and the need to expand the force’s intelligence abilities to achieve greater focus on the critical crime targets such as gangs, trafficking syndicates, groups at risk and crime hotspots.

“This 15 for 2015 programme is the next step in the journey to bring greater security, safety and stability to Guyana. I am committed to seeing that it becomes a reality and I look forward to working with each of you in its implementation,” the president stated.

He told the police officers that “these are not matters to be glossed over in their haste to conclude their conference; these must be seen as work in progress, moving from one deliverable to another in a focused manner”.

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Man who allegedly burnt sister Ramotar to review medical with ‘boiling rice’ arrested benefits to Gov’t officials - Jagdeo Plans have already been made for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to review the policy that allows all medical bills of government ministers and officials to be footed by the Consolidated Fund.

Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo made this known on Tuesday last, when he hosted a press conference at the party’s headquarters, Freedom House.

Jagdeo made no qualms to reveal that the plans were decided upon after he spoke to incumbent President Donald Ramotar about the policy and told him it just cannot work.

The former Head of State said that after speaking to Ramotar, he was given all assurances that the policy will be changed.

The announcement by Jagdeo was a stark reminder of utterances from the Opposition to the effect that he was running the country even as Ramotar “posed” as President.

Jagdeo spoke about this as he addressed the fact that government officials utilized over $200M for medical services during the years

Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo 2012 – 2013.

He told media operatives that “He (President Ramotar) said to me that he plans to change this policy; that while he can’t take away benefits from constitutional posts of elected people including the Leader of the Opposition, he will move mainly, maybe to a policy of insurance, so that the charges against the Consolidated Fund will be limited. So, for example, if you spend $300,000 a year to create a policy for the person, then that’s the extent of the exposure of the Treasury.”

He added, “So he (Ramotar) has recognized that

this can’t continue and he has made it clear that he intends to change it.”

With reference to the fact that Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai had received some $2.1 million to do dental work, and other government officials were the recipients of equally large or even bigger amounts, Jagdeo said that certain issues should not be funded by the State.

Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon had defended the medical assistance stating that it has been inherited and supported by successive governments of Guyana.

As for his own medical expenses, Jagdeo said since he left office, the government has not paid “a blind cent” for any of his medical expenses. He said he has footed those bills himself.

Last year, the former President was medically evacuated via private jet to the United States.

When questioned about the source of the money behind the payment for the private jet and the nature of his medical emergency, Jagdeo told the media “that’s none of your business.”

- Sibling remains in hospital The man who allegedly threw a pot of boiling rice on his older sister before beating her on the head repeatedly with the pot the rice was being cooked in, has been arrested, while his sibling remains hospitalised.

The 33-year-old woman, Natasha Younge, of Lot 29 East La Penitence, Georgetown, sustained burns to her neck, head, hands and abdomen.

She is currently a patient in the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s Burns Care Unit.

She was wounded around 13:30 hrs on Tuesday last in her backyard. The siblings share the same place of abode.

Yesterday, Kaieteur News was told that ranks were able to apprehend the suspect shortly after the incident was reported.

Younge, a mother of three, is said to be in a stable condition.

According to information reaching this newspaper, Younge and her brother got into an argument early Tuesday and he allegedly

chased her out of the house with a knife. It is unclear what the argument was about, however, the matter was reported to the police.

“The police went by the house for him but he wasn’t there. Natasha went to school to pick up her son and when she come back he (suspect) went by the door and she told him that the police looking for him,” Faith Demonick, a relative, explained.

She added that the siblings again got into a heated argument.

“He started to curse her.

He said, ‘girl what happened to you’ and he threatened to bore her and she told him not to touch her because she is 33 years and he is younger, and then he said ‘you want people come and collect your body’,” the relative noted.

Kaieteur News was told that Younge walked away and went to the back of the yard to pick up her clothes from the line when her brother picked up the rice pot from the stove and ran behind his sister.

“He push her down and throw the hot rice in her head and on her skin and then he

Wounded: Natasha Younge took the pot and started hitting her in her head. I had to run and get a relative to come and pull him off from her,” Demonick said.

The woman added that Younge’s brother was still in the house when they rushed her to the hospital where she remains a patient.

He will be charged soon.

We are life savers, you should be one too! Donate blood today!!

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Others claim to be duped by phone fraudsters Following the revelation of a disabled Mon Repos woman that she had been duped out of $100,000 by a telephone fraudster, other persons have come forward with similar stories.

A resident from #2 Village, East Canje, made contact with this newspaper and explained that he too had been defrauded hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The man said in early January he was contacted via telephone early one morning by someone purporting to be his cousin. His “cousin”, who lives in the US, said he was in Trinidad and Tobago, awaiting a flight to Guyana.

The cousin also requested that money be taken to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to clear and uplift some items from an air freight organization.

“I was preparing to head out to work, but had to call in and tell my boss an emergency came up,” the man said. He went on to say

- Berbice man says he was conned in January that he borrowed $150,000 from a neighbour and took $55,000 from his savings to help out his “cousin”.

The money was later handed over to a man who claimed he was an off-duty customs officer.

“The man told me that he was off-duty but had used his own money to clear the stuff, so I needed to repay him for my cousin,” the East Canje man said.

The purported customs officer, who was dressed casually, met him on the Public Road at Herstelling and collected the money before urging the man to continue on his way to the CJIA. The man said he realized something was wrong when his “cousin” never turned up on a flight.

“The whole setup was just

so cunning,” he added.

He said too that he made a report that very day at two stations, but is yet to hear anything from the police. He said that he is hoping the police will approach his cell phone service provider to find out more information on the fraudster.

He further said that he is aware of about five other persons who had been tricked out of their money. These persons, he said, were in and around the vicinity of Canje and New Amsterdam.

“I thought these persons were finished with taking money from people, but then I saw the story about this Mon Repos woman,” he pointed out.

A Mon Repos woman had recently come forward and told this newspaper that she too had been similarly conned out of $100,000 and jewellery.

In her case, she said she was called by a man who claimed to be her uncle from the US.

Friday March 13, 2015

Youths must be involved in electoral, political processes - GECOM Chairman

Despite facing severe criticism from at least one political party, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has made clear that it will remain committed to working along with external agencies to encourage youth participation and promote voter education at the upcoming elections.

In fact, the commission’s Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, has highlighted the involvement of youths in the political and electoral process in Guyana as necessary; a belief he claims is also held in esteemed by most political parties.

Surujbally made these statements at the opening ceremony of a sensitization meeting held at the GECOM Head Office on Wednesday, last. It was then too that he announced April 7 as Nomination Day. Focusing on GECOM’s approach to youth, Surujbally drew comparisons to other parts of the world where youths are forced to vote.

“All over the world the youth tend to divorce themselves from the political process, in countries where voting is compulsory, even in those countries where there are heavy rules and fines the youths still abstain.”

The GECOM Head pointed out that in one particular country the youths have challenged that law that says they must vote.

“They said that the overriding law is the constitution and the constitution gives them the right to choose and they are choosing not to vote, and there is a court case going on now as I speak.”

This response follows criticism from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) which says that the Commission is overstepping its authority by collaborating with the recently-formed Guyana National Youth Council (GNYC).

The criticism aimed at the youth group was made by the party’s General Secretary, Clement Rohee, during a recent press briefing at Freedom House.

Rohee criticised the GNYC for being a “selfanointed” authority on representing Guyana’s

youth. He further described the Council as “a creature of external interference, through the (Leadership and Democracy) LEAD Project and nothing more than a group of partisan persons who are attempting to hijack the name Guyana National Youth Council.”

The LEAD project is an initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which focused on the capacity of Guyana’s Parliament, young people, women and Local Government Elections.

Glen Bradbury (USAID), Chief of Party for the LEAD project, was part of the contingent involved in negotiation talks between GNYC and GECOM. Due to his involvement, the PPP purportedly raised “concerns” over the collaboration.

According to Rohee, as far as the PPP is aware, GECOM’s involvement with what he deemed a “partisan body of youths” needed to be decided by GECOM’s Commissioners. Rohee further stated that the Commission was overstepping its authority, as the matter was never discussed at the Commission level.

But on Wednesday, the GECOM Chairman told a room filled with representatives of at least 12 political parties, “We’re saying that we will do everything to get the youths involved in the electoral processes, we do not approach the youths or individual groups, they approach us and we are very clear that our involvement is limited to the provision of information for dissemination.”

He went on to say “So when you come and you change words to say endorse, suddenly involvement becomes endorsement, and I am saying GECOM will not at any point endorse any external organisation.”

“When we give information, GECOM is saying you must use it as is and of course GECOM will not be providing any financial support,” he ended.

GECOM’s Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally Recently too, GNYC asserted that the body’s collaborative efforts with GECOM are solely aimed at increasing voter education and turnout amongst Guyana’s youth population in a non-partisan manner.

GNYC trustee member, Tiffany Daniels, had refuted claims that the Council is working in a partisan capacity for elections. She clarified that GNYC’s involvement with GECOM focuses on engaging youth in a nonpartisan way.

Daniels explained that the Council’s participation in this year’s elections “has nothing to do with partisanship”. She said that USAID was part of the formal proposal process which the Commission deemed acceptable.

According to Daniels, the Council is focusing on the education and distribution of basic electoral information to Guyana’s youth population.

To make this possible GNYC has announced its voter education campaign – ‘Vote Like A Boss’. That campaign will be launched on March 21.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Guyana’s youth make up over 60 percent of the country’s population, while data from various countries suggests that youth participation in elections is less when compared with older citizens.

In 59 days, Guyanese will head to the polls to elect national leaders. GECOM has since revealed that the current Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) stands at 567,125.

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Repeat offender jailed after Bail for break and enter accused thrashing wife with boot City Magistrate Annette Singh jailed and fined a repeat offender after he made his second appearance before her, charged with beating and threatening his reputed wife.

Mark Singh, 41 of Lot 150 Regent Street, Bourda, Georgetown, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on March 11, at the same address, he unlawfully assaulted Sujata Persaud.

Singh further admitted to the court that on the said day at the same location he made use of threatening language to his wife whereby a breach of the peace may be occasioned.

Police prosecutor Adduni Inniss’s facts stated that the defendant and the victim have three children together.

She related that the defendant was released from

Mark Singh prison three months ago after he was given a six months sentence for assaulting the same woman.

Inniss informed the court that on the day in question the defendant went to the home of the victim, where he

picked up a boot and dealt her several lashes about the body.

He also threatened to kill the woman.

Singh explained to the court that “Is only last week I come outta jail, she have three children fuh me. Is only wen I tek a lil drink I does behave bad. Meh son gotto write common entrance yuh worship, I won’t do it again.”

His wife explained to the court that she no longer wants “anything to do” with Singh because he beats her in front of their fifteen year old son.

He was given a two months jail term on the unlawful assault charge; on the threatening language charge Singh was fined $10,000 or an alternative of one month imprisonment.

He has one week to pay the fine.

Murder of America Street money changer...

Albouystown youth committed to stand trial in High Court Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday committed a father of one to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of a popular America Street money changer, when a prima facie case was made out against him after the completion of a preliminary inquiry (PI).

Nickosie Gritten, 20, of James Street, Albouystown, is accused of murdering Wendell Liverpool between June 20 and 24, 2014, at West Ruimveldt, during the course of a robbery.

The matter was prosecuted by police inspector Michael Grant who called ten witnesses on the prosecution’s behalf.

Gritten was arrested more than seven months after the death of Liverpool who was shot outside a night spot after a gang of three masked men robbed him.

Gritten, who is being represented by Attorney-atLaw Ronald Burch-Smith, made his first court appearance before Magistrate Ann McLennan in late January charged with an armed robbery that occurred in April last.

The Prosecution at that hearing had said that Gritten had orally confessed to the murder of Liverpool and that the file had been sent to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

Gritten then appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on February 2, charged with the capital offence. He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge.

Police reports indicate

that Wendell Liverpool of Lot 453 West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, was shot in the back, buttocks and shoulder, at around 22:00 hours on June 20, 2014 outside a night spot located on the West Ruimveldt Front Road, a short distance from his home.

Reports indicated that the money changer was sitting with one of his brothers when three men on bicycles rode up to the siblings. There was reportedly a brief exchange of words between Liverpool and the men before he was shot.

After he collapsed on the roadway, the men reportedly relieved the money-changer of a large gold chain, two gold rings encrusted with small diamonds and a gold band.

Liverpool was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he underwent surgery before being transferred to the Intensive Care Unit.

The money changer was pronounced ‘brain dead’ by doctors at the institution and

Murdered: Wendell Liverpool subsequently succumbed to the injuries he sustained on June 23, last.

A man was yesterday ordered to post $75,000 bail after he was charged with breaking and entering a residence, when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The allegation against Jevon Crawford stated that on March 5, at Hardina and Norton Streets, he broke and entered the dwelling house of Kenneth Marshall and stole a quantity of Digicel phone card valued $50,000, some broken pieces of gold valued $35,000, two bottles of rum valued $25,000, 12 redbull valued $12,000 and UD$14 along with GYD$40,000, all

totalling$164,000.

An unrepresented Crawford pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

Police Inspector Michael Grant related to the court that on the day in question the victim secured his home and then left to take his daughter to school.

The victim left the defendant in his home and upon his return he noticed that the door was ripped open.

Marshall then made several checks and observed that the items mentioned in the charge were missing.

The matter was reported to the police and the defendant was arrested and charged.

Grant had no objection to the defendant being released on bail.

Marshall however, informed the court that he did not wish to proceed with the matter since the defendant has compensated him $100,000.

The magistrate told him that she will take his statement into consideration when it is time for the trial.

Crawford was ordered to return t o court on March 31 for statements.

Two persons appeared yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court charged with trafficking cocaine.

Marcie Andrews, 27, of La Jalousie and Richard Prescod, 27, of East Ruimveldt were both charged with having 12.5 grams of cocaine in their possession on March 11, at Cross Street, Georgetown, for the purpose of trafficking.

The charge was read to the duo separately by Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

Police prosecutor Simone Payne’s facts stated that on the day in question the police were on patrol in the area when they observed Prescod

throwing a bag in a yard. The police went in search of the bag and retrieved it. Upon inspection they found a substance which was suspected to be a narcotic, and later confirmed it to be cocaine.

Payne further related that the defendants were arrested and told of the offence. She objected to bail citing the prevalence and seriousness of the offence.

The magistrate upheld the prosecutor’s requests and remanded both Prescod and Andrews to prison.

The duo is scheduled to make their next court appearance on March 31.

Marcie Andrews

Two remanded on cocaine trafficking charge

Page 30

Kaieteur News

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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Advertisements; Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves.

Contact Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 6626045 Mahadeo Construction for all construction, carpentry, masonry, pluming, painting etc. Free estimates and plan Contact # 669-7376 Accounting & Taxation Services: tax returns, compliances, financial statements. Avinash Persaud Tax Consultancy, 163 Parika, EBE – Call: 260-4762.

We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar: 2310655,683-8734

Business/Economics Writer, email application to snow198390@hotmail.com 1 babysitter between ages 4055; must be living on West Bank/ Coast – Contact: 2643268/ 671-9716 1 Live-in waitress with secondary education 1825yrs salary $60,000 monthly.

Must be honest & willingCall: 610-3974 One handy boy to work in a shop in the interior- Call: 6916260 One Accounts Clerk – Call: 614-4358 Office clerk: CXC English, mathematics. Live in, live out babysitter/domesticCall:219-5354 Truck driver to work in G/ Town- call: 218-5105 Urgent male shop assistant to work in Interior, salary $90,000 monthly. Age 21-35Call:664-5199 Female to work in Restaurant in the Interior, salary $90,000 monthly. Age: 25-40- Call:6645199 One live-in domestic to work.

Age 35-45- Call:664-5199 To buy, Toyota IST – Tel: 6101111 Responsible hire car driver and contract cars – Tel: 2260765 Need worker to work in Trinidad, 1 office clerk, 1 domestic between age 35-25, text or call: 1868-755-1990; 1868-683-1528 Salesgirls & porters, apply with written application @ Best Buy Food Supplies, Dennis & Middleton Street, Campbellville.

LAND FOR SALE 50 Acres titled farm land @ The Belle, Upper Dem, River Front - $100M Negotiable, serious enquiries only! Tel: 669-8152 Parfaite Harmonie -$1.2M, $1.3M –Tel: 675-7292 Vacant high income house lot @ Diamond New Scheme, 2nd Avenue - $6.8M negotiable – Tel:697-4659; 629-5300; 684-6536

PROPERTY FOR SALE Two storey, 3 bedrooms house with furnished kitchen, 36X40 & yard space @ Land of Canaan New SchemeCall:690-6570, 685-9994 Business property located @ Supply public road, E.B.D. Entering either by river/ public road- Call: 698-8100 Flat concrete house for sale in Grove with land spaceCall: 679-3913 1 Flat concrete house @ Kururu Kururu Linden Soesdyke Highway, size 38X20, land 100X200 – $8M negotiable-Tel: 592-6616073; 694-1090 Property @ Lot 63 West Ruimveldt, Estate Housing Scheme Georgetown – Contact Mark: 618-9744

FOR SALE American bully pups gottiline remyline – Call: 2207933; 667-4845; 610-0068 One 700 DVD movies with 7 Disc burner, 1-DSC security system, 1 Business Sign outdoor, Hamilton Beach mixer – Call:683-5234 One new Samsung refrigerator (French door with drawer), size: 35.78"WX70"HX35.67"D – Contact: 622-5512; 687-5006 XBOX 360 Slim with 2 controllers & 2 games; cheap –Call: 683-8386

Two General workers (shift system) Tel:602-8769; 2181400 Experienced land dredge workers Tel # 675-9157 Attractive live in waitressCall:327-0252/674-4665 Drivers living in Georgetown with minibus license, for contract – Call: 646-8748 Experienced Drivers with minibus and hire car license – Call: 645-0025 Wash bay staff – Call:6295913

CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTAL CALL: 225-7126/ 2263693 DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM/ WWW.DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel:698-7807

Friday March 13, 2015

FOR SALE

VEHICLE FOR SALE

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

Toyota Prado, Price$4.7M Neg. Call: 643-2403

American Made, Aluminum ladder 24ft -$38,000 & 32ft $52,000 –Tel: 602-5794; 6097257 3 Engel moulding machine – Please Contact: 695-0333 One Toyota Tacoma SR5 4WD pickup, left hand drive and manual transmission, only 22000 miles – Contact: 623-1202 Brand new XBOX one with kinect, free fifa 15 game$110,000 negotiable – Tel: 6876750 VIDEOGAME PACKAGE, NEW RCA 21" TV, SONY PLAYSTATION2 WITH 2 CONTROLLERS, 2 GAMES, ONLY $50,000 – CALL MAX – TEL:6098132; 672-8569 Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc Call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Business man leaving country have a fishing boat, 32 feet, 15HP, Yamaha engine, catguts seine 4½ & 5" seine – Contact:668-9077 Alligator trucks + spare parts, portable sawmill – Contact: 681-5839; 663-2291 2 – Three year old working horse cart, owner leaving country – Tel: 219-2877; 6006406 One Toyota Tundra, Mag rims – Contact: 650-8289 One Diesel generator 7500 (14hours used) $300,000, car deck $8,000, new prestige car alarm- Call:695-6461, 6397758 One 15 Yamaha outboard engine next to new- Call:6884139 Used King size sleish bed with double box spring and mattress $180,000- Call:6655811, 668-8220 White & Brown eggs, ducklings also – Tel:6887291; 652-6425 One Stale Pool Table – Price: $300,000 (three hundred thousand) - Tel:228-2098; 628-5796.

2 Long foot Yamaha 25HP, 1 with warrantee, another 1½yr old; 25 Tohatso, 2 complete foot, power head parts – Tel: 611-2729 1- Taylor Soft serve cone machine (triple head), 1-donut nut machine, 1-6 burner gas stove – Call: 683-5234 Woodmizer Resaw with gas engine - $1,500,000, 1 Blades sharpener - $500,000, 1- 4X4 JCB Forklift –$1,200, 000- Tel: 683-2575

Two Tacoma 2006- price $3.9M negotiable, 2009 $4.6M, negotiable. Silver, crash bar & alarm- Call: 6956461, 639-7758, 656-9990 One Nissan X-Trail, year 2004, PRR series. Fully loadedPrice $3.1M Neg- Call: 6470016 PPP Series Rav-4 - $3.2M Contact:225-9230; 623-0368; 225-1005 L-Touring Wagon, excellent condition -15" rims; DVD, TV, R. Start Alarm - $1.3M negotiable – Tel:667-9013; 233-2538 2 Toyota Premio, 1 -2005 model. In immaculate condition. Owner leaving country - Call:678-0109/ 6182576 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, Spacio, Fielder, Carina 212, Sienta, IST – Call: 652-3820/665-4529 Allion PRR, DVD deck, reverse camera, alarm, HID, hardly used (40,000KM) $2.1M- Call:616-3566 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 RZ BSS Series, remote start, alarm, TV Deck, Reverse Camera, Fog lights – Tel: 6155784 One AT212 New Model PRR series; excellent condition, price $1.2M negotiable – Tel: 653-0120

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 1 -8000 SQ Feet ware house, located 20 miles from City $5000USD monthly – Contact: 695-0333 Apartments for rent in Nandy Park E.B.D – Tel:227-5194; 624-5194 One 3 Storey building at 104 Regent Street – $9,000.USD negotiable – Tel: 223-6299; 617-7028 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, , JACK HAMMER, CONCRETE SAW & MORE - CALL: 6750767, 627-5098 1 Business place to rent at Stewartville W.C.D opposite Schools – Call: 613-5261 Prime business place for rent on Sheriff street only for offices- Call: 627-6740 Concrete 3 bedrooms upper flat house fully grilled, parking available @ Agricultural road Mon Repos, E.C.D- Call:687-1050 Refurbished 2 bedroom apartment @ Liliendaal (between Bel Air & Turkeyen) parking space – Call: 910-551-4109 (whatsapp & viber) Upper & lower flat apartment (2 bedrooms each) with toilet & bath – Contact: 220-6799; 657-4969 Two bedrooms apartment, toilet & bath inside @ Cummings Lodge; call after 5:30pm: 222-3750

One Hino Canter- Tel:2282098; 628-5796. Price $1.3M

Business place for rent; 46 Russell Street – Tel:2269561 One 3 bedroom flat building at 19th Street Diamond Housing Scheme; Lot 1640.

Tel: 233-2805

Just Arrived! 09 & O6 Tacoma, manual & auto, new model Allion, Bluebird, Belta, Fielder – Tel:621-4190, bestcarautosale@facebook.com

1 Executive apartment in an exclusive residential area with all modern amenities including parking. Call for appointment: - 653-2920

One Silver, new model Mitsubishi Colt – Tel: 6103746 1 Toyota Raum – Tel: 2765059 ACCOMMODATION Saturdays & Sundays after lunch @ Inner Retreat Hotel Parika: Bar-B-Cue & games: pools, darts, table tennis etc – Phone: 260-4504.

1 Bedroom apartment for rent @ Soesdyke E.B.D- Phone: 604-7022 EDUCATIONAL

DAF Truck, GRR 9599 – $4,000,000 Tel: 693-8349

Inner Retreat Hotel Restaurant & Bar, Retreat Road Parika. Indoor / Outdoor bar in Picturesque setting – Phone: 260-4504

Pre-Easter Computer Classes; 9 Courses: Office 2013, windows 7/8, $30,000.00 MicroGraphics Technology Vreed-En-Hoop, Tel: 264-3057 Pre-Easter Computerized Accounting, 4 Courses: Ptree, QuickBooks, POS, Excel 2013 $30,000.00 @ MicroGraphics Vreed-EnHoop, Tel: 264-3057 Continued on page 31

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Letters... Where your views make the news

Why hasn’t Joe Singh also denounced the PPP’s blatant manipulation of Rodney’s death?

DEAR EDITOR, At first glance, Joe Singh’s letter (published in the Stabroek Newspaper yesterday) gives the appearance of an

unequivocal condemnation o f M r. C r u m - E w i n g ’s assassination. However, a careful read reveals his cunning beguile.

Mr. Singh’s missive is

really directed to Guyana’s political opposition in that he is more concerned with stopping them from using the assassination for political mileage. If Joe Singh was

All members of the Police Force should embrace these new initiatives

DEAR EDITOR, I was an attendee at today’s opening of the Police Officers’ Conference 2015.

The proceedings compelled me to make the following observations, your print medium permitting: Without intending any slight to presentations by other Commissioners of Police on similar occasions, I found the presentation of Commissioner Persaud to be structured, focused, incisive

and informative. His administration and himself must be given kudos for offering a plan of action to this nation in terms of over-all Police work and it is essential that citizens throw their weight behind the Guyana Police Force to bring to fruition a much revived and structured mission.

President Ramotar himself offered a very pragmatic 15point “desirables list” for the Force’s deliberation. His

understanding of the national security situation was very evident in his presentation.

I am convinced that it must be the wish of all who listened to His Excellency and to the Top Cop that all members of the Force will embrace and effectuate the many new initiatives rolled out so that we can disprove the conclusions of the recent poll, which was not very complimentary to the Force.

Taajnauth Jadunauth

What Courtney Crum-Ewing...

From page 4 police detention under spurious charges, all linked to his dissident action and all leading up to his murder. Making a connection is basic logic.

I agree with Brigadier Joe Singh when he says that, “It is to be hoped that political leaders on their campaign trails will deal objectively and circumspectly with young Crum-Ewing’s death and those other traumatic events that occurred in Guyana’s recent history from the 1960s to date, and they will not seek to exacerbate tensions by ‘milking’ these for perceived political mileage.”

Perhaps he can use his influence to inform President Donald Ramotar that the Guyana Chronicle, which comes under Ramotar’s responsibility as Minister of Information, has been engaged in a months-long orgy of exploitation of the Walter Rodney Inquiry, one that has been anything but objective or circumspect.

In the final analysis, what is important to remember is what Courtney Crum-Ewing lived for, and what has been increasingly missing from Guyana – accountability in public office, respect for freedom of expression, and a respect for human life.

He possessed the outrage that this entire society failed to muster in the wake of the Attorney-General of this country intimating foreknowledge of phantom gunmen ready and willing to take the life of citizens engaged in

freedom of expression, and still being kept on the job.

It is tragic that he had to sacrifice his life, in essence giving life to Anil Nandlall’s warning, ‘Wah come, suh do.’

I am calling on every individual member of cabinet, and the People’s Progressive Party to possess the basic human decency to condemn this man’s killing, to offer condolences to his family, and to commit themselves to supporting freedom of expression as a basic pillar of democracy.

This government has con-

trol of the agencies responsible for citizen security in this country, and considering that police officers were on the scene within minutes of Courtney Crum-Ewing’s murder, one would presume that they have a good start in bringing the killers to justice, unlike the cases of Ronald Waddell, George Bacchus, Shafeek Bacchus, Alicia Foster, Levoy Taljit, Mohammed Khan, Trevor Rose, and hundreds of others whose families continue to be denied justice under this government.

Ruel Johnson

really genuine, he would have come out in condemnation of the PPP leader’s divisive speech at Babu-John before this man’s death occurred.

Furthermore, since he (Joe Singh) is so concerned about politicians using tragic deaths for political mileage, why hasn’t he denounced the PPP’s blatant manipulation of Dr Walter Rodney’s?

Also, where was Joe

Singh’s voice when Glen Lall was being threatened by the AG? The public is not so easily fooled, Mr. Singh.

Condemn the PPP’s threats, intimidation and legal harassment of their critics unequivocally.

It is they (the PPP) who a r e creating a toxic and deadly political atmosphere in Guyana.

Michael De Weever

Rampersaud’s letter is...

From page 5 recovery, from the mid 80s to the mid 90s, was founded.

The economic growth of that era is still to be matched.

I can go on ad nauseam to itemize pre 1992 successes of Guyana but the few examples above will suffice as an illustration of Rampersaud’s flawed or intentionally misleading conclusions.

As I close I repeat her charge : “I challenge you not to sit there and take my word for granted, but get up and do your research”. I am assured the results will not be as jaundiced as Rampersaud’s . Beware of “silly season”.

Vincent Alexander Chairman Forbes Burnham Foundation

Rohee’s strange link...

From page 4 we, all who want a better Guyana, are not discouraged but remain strong and committed to a new and prosperous Guyana. We reach out to his mother, father, siblings, children and all those, who loved him.

Let us remember the words of Jesus the Christ that:”For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but

against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesian 6:12).”

We can, we will, we must overcome! Long live the coalition–APNU+AFC.Long live the Republic of Guyana.

Ranwell Jordan City Councillor of Georgetown

(From page 30)

VACANCY Female Accounts & Sales clerk also for porters, Apply in person @ Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling.

FACTORY STAFF, GTI / GITC Male /Female graduates preferred.

CANTER DRIVERS, MARKETINGASSISTANT, Drivers Licence required, GUARDS. Tel: 266 4427 Vacancy for body work man.

Tel: 649-0659 Reception / maid, cook/ chef, to work at Hotel/ R e s t a u r a n t , a pply in person - Tel:223-6284; 2311908 International Cruiseline AB Sailors, waitresses, waiters, cooks, receptionists, storekeepers, cleaners, electricians, carpenters, welders, costmetologist, etc – Tel: 231-6296, 650-9880 One driver/salesman to work on water truck, must be living around W.B.D, attractive salary - Tel: 618-4257 Secretary, cleaners, office clerk, waitress / waiters, security officers, drivers, kitchen assistant, restaurant manager –Tel: 603-4094 CANTER DRIVERS FOR DAILY DELIVERIES, MUST HAVE DRIVING EXPERIENCED, POLICE CLEARANCE REQUIRED. CALL FOR INTERVIEW:231-8344 FAST GROWING IMPORTER/DISTRIBUTOR SEEKING ACCOUNTS CLERK, MUST HAVE ACCOUNTING,COMPUTER & COMMUNICATION SKILLS. CALL FOR INTERVIEW @ 231-8529 Gasoline Mechanic – Call: 223-5273/4 TO LET 4 bedroom house, AC, Security camera, GEB alarm, telephone, 2 vehicles parking, etc @ Friendship E.B.D- Tel:674-6363 Fully Furnished vacation home with all amenities- Call during working hours – Call: 227-1218 Unfurnished 3 bedroom house in Diamond Housing Scheme, in yard parking for 1 car -$60, 0000 monthly – Call: 618-8847; 613-6711 Two bedrooms house @ Lot 499 Cane Ville E.B.D – Tel:674-0169 or 627-9220

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Friday March 13, 2015

PETROBRAS scandal pushes Rousseff coalition to the brink BRASILIA (Reuters) President Dilma Rousseff can no longer count on a key ally in her ruling coalition, complicating efforts to stave off what could be the roughest patch for Brazil’s economy in a quarter-century.

Leaders of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), the biggest party in Rousseff’s coalition, blame her for their inclusion in a probe of politicians allegedly involved in a massive corruption scheme at staterun oil company Petrobras.

PMDB legislators told Reuters they expect the dispute to get even messier in coming weeks, making them less likely to support Rousseff ’s efforts to cut Brazil’s budget deficit and restore investor confidence in the struggling economy.

“Their passage will be tough. They are very controversial measures that affect the rights of workers,” Leonardo Picciani, the PMDB leader in the Chamber of Deputies, said of two initiatives that would save the government about 18 billion reais ($5.74 billion) a year by tightening access to pension and unemployment benefits.

“The government will have to convince us they are really needed,” Picciani told Reuters.

While few expect the PMDB to formally break with Rousseff’s leftist Workers’ Party in coming months, such open resistance to her legislative proposals adds to her long list of political and economic problems.

The economy is expected to shrink at least 0.6 percent this year, inflation is running well above 7 percent, a widespread drought has raised the possibility of water and power rationing, and public anger is rising over the corruption scandal at Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as Petrobras is formally known.

The PMDB, which has its roots in Brazil’s return to democracy in the 1980s but

Dilma Rousseff no clear ideology, holds more seats in Congress than any other party, including a quarter of the Senate.

Rousseff’s vice president, Michel Temer, is also from the PMDB. The party’s reputation for allying itself with whomever is in government, in order to reap power and other spoils, runs so deep that a satirical magazine joked during last year ’s tight presidential election runoff that the PMDB would endorse both Rousseff and her centrist opponent.

The cause for the party’s anger with Rousseff is disputed.

Officials in Rousseff’s government have denied any role in pressuring a prosecutor to include PMDB leaders on a list of 47 politicians under investigation in the Petrobras scandal.

Nevertheless, since the list was released last week, PMDB leaders have vented their anger at Rousseff and effectively shelved an increase in payroll taxes that was a pillar of her austerity plans.

The politicians being investigated may face charges and a trial in months and years to come, making more conflict likely.

“I don’t see an end to this crisis. It is not just any crisis.

The Petrobras case has

become the biggest scandal in Brazilian history,” PMDB Senator Ricardo Ferraço told Reuters. Brazil’s currency has fallen 9 percent this month and 15 percent since the start of the year as investors fear the government could be forced to abandon austerity and Brazil might lose its coveted investment grade credit rating.

Rousseff, a career bureaucrat who has struggled in the art of coalition building since taking office in 2011, is scrambling to defuse the crisis, or at least prevent it from further damaging the economy.

First, she met with Temer on Monday, prompting a wave of conciliatory comments from party leaders.

On Tuesday, she sent her finance minister Joaquim Levy to negotiate with the PMDB speakers of both chambers of Congress. Levy compromised and reached a deal on income tax bracket changes, although it was less than the government had sought and leaders on both sides say the wounds are far from healed.

The next battle will be over the two presidential decrees that need Congressional approval to set stricter rules for accessing unemployment and pension benefits.

PMDB lawmakers also say they will call the Workers’ Party’s treasurer in to testify in a congressional investigation of the Petrobras scandal to examine whether any of the bribe money was used to fund Rousseff ’s election campaign.

PMDB leaders complain the Workers’ Party poured its resources into helping just its own candidates in the 2014 elections. And when Rousseff was elected with its help, the PMDB was miffed it did not get meatier positions in her cabinet.

Worse, now that there is an economic crisis, they complain Rousseff is coming to the PMDB to help pass unpopular belt-tightening measures that even her own party does not support.

“When things were going well, the Workers’ Party was first in line,” said PMDB congressman Danilo Forte.

“Now that it’s time to pay the bills, the Workers’ Party hides and wants us to take the heat.”

Few PMDB members believe the alliance will still be in place by the next election in 2018. At last year’s PMDB convention, 40 percent of delegates wanted to end the alliance with the Worker’s Party, and the number is rising.

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

Barbados hoteliers urge government to provide duty free concessions as promised BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – The Barbados government Wednesday sought to assure hoteliers that it was dealing with their complaints regarding duty free concessions promised to them several months ago.

Finance Minister Chris Sinckler has responded to a statement made by the President of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Sunil Chatrani that “Brand Barbados” is in danger with the hotel sector losing its appeal if there is no immediate remedy to the problem.

“The concessions are technically by law now granted. I believe that there has been some issue in terms of the administration of the system and how it will work…and apparently there have been some challenges,” Sinckler said.

But he noted that subsequent to the meeting of the BHTA he had spoken to the members, assuring them that “we will get to the bottom of those matters pertaining to the administrative hold up.

“But in terms of the actual legislation and the law, everything is in place,” Sinckler said.

In his address to the first quarterly meeting of the

Sunil Chatrani

BHTA, Chatrani called on the authorities to sit down with representatives of the BHTA to iron out the problems.

“We have been working at this tirelessly now, week after week after week. If it is not one obstacle it is another after another. If it is not an interpretation of the Act then it is one of process or condition to be met or general instruction required or systems that needed to be upgraded and the list goes on.

“I honestly stand here today and cannot tell you what the next single obstacle is that we need to work

through,” he said, noting that it is “now a total of 17 months since the MOU (memorandum of Understanding) was signed with Sandals who are now open to business and accessing these concessions while the rest of the sector continues to pay high duties and taxes on our conceivable and food and beverage”.

Chatrani said the high duties were affecting the local hotel industry which he described “as one of the most highly capiatlised sectors which requires constant reinvestment to remain relevant in the market place.”

Gonsalves dismisses arguments by prominent St Vincent businessman KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent - CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has dismissed claims by a prominent businessman here that failure to build a new city at Arnos Vale, east of here, has led to his business going into receivership, placing more than 100 jobs on the line.

Work on the new city should have started in 2011 when the multi-million dollar Argyle International Airport, which is still incomplete, was expected to have become operational.

But Ormiston “Ken” Boyea, one of the island’s most celebrated entrepreneurs, who completed the construction of an EC$16 million (One EC dollar =US$0.37 cents) building to house a mall, supermarket and a KFC outlet in 2010, has blamed the delay in building the proposed new city for his KFC operations in the capital going into receivership.

“I jumped ahead and tried to beat the new city, and, quite frankly, I haven’t gotten it rented as I thought,” Boyea said.

But Prime Minister Gonsalves told reporters that he believes the “private sector entities in this country have a fair idea as to the reasons for the yanking of the KFC franchise.

“If it were not taken away, it would be continuing, because it makes money,” Gonsalves said, telling reporters that new cities take time to be built.

“Anyone seriously expect that you can

build a whole city out at Arnos Vale there in less than five years?” he said.

He noted that during the financial crisis that began in 2008, the local economy was at its worst in 2009 and 2010, when it contracted by an aggregate loss of four per cent.

However, the island has been experiencing economic growth that Gonsavles described as “small, steady, not as big as it should be, because the recovery is still halted.

“But in 2010, Ken will tell you that KFC grew by five per cent plus over 2009,” said Gonsalves, who is also Minister of Finance.

“You and I know that Vincentians love KFC. Let me ask this question, you have two KFC, one downtown and one uptown, but a third one was opened in Arnos Vale. You would only open a third one if two can’t supply the demand…” Gonsalves said.

“I don’t know if it is a throw away line, but you wouldn’t be able to put the delay in building the city at Arnos Vale as a reason for KFC closure. I would have thought that the more important one is the one he (Boyea) made, that, listen I spent too much money to build the thing I build out at Arnos Vale. That’s what he said. That, to me is the germane issue.

I am not analysing and parsing what he said,” Gonsalves told reporters.

Boyea said on Monday said that he has been unable to meet the mortgage payments for the EC$16 million investment, which does not include the price of the land.

Page 33

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Kaieteur News

Friday March 13, 2015

US ready to wage war Major nations hold talks on ending on Venezuela: Official U.N. sanctions on Iran - officials Caribbean News.Net Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez has said the US is laying a legal groundwork to wage a war against the South American country.

The administration of US President Barack Obama is seeking congressional approval to attack any country that “doesn’t serve its interests”, Rodriguez said.

At a hearing in the US Senate on Wednesday, the White House asked lawmakers to grant extensive powers to fight the Islamic State (IS) anywhere in the world, which, according to the Rodriguez, “leaves the door open” to a military campaign in Venezuela, Xinhua reported yesterday.

“The US is preparing to declare war on all countries

Delcy Rodriguez because requesting authorisation to use military force without a geographic restriction means they can invade any country,” the minister said. She also called on Venezuelans to prepare for

a US embargo against Venezuela’s trade, finance, and economy, similar to the one Washington imposed on Cuba for more than 50 years.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called on the country to unite to prepare for any US aggression and asked parliament to grant him the right to rule by decree for six months, so his government can quickly react to any threats.

On Monday, Obama issued an executive order to impose additional sanctions on Venezuelan officials over human rights abuses and corruption.

In a nationwide televised address on Monday night, Maduro said the US president had taken “the most aggressive” step against his country.

Victim alleges sex assault in squad car…

TWO POLICEMEN HELD Trinidad Guardian - Two policemen were put on an identification parade Wednesday evening in connection with the sexual assault of a woman and bribery. They are accused of sexually assaulting the woman in a squad car while they had her in custody on a matter. The officers—a constable and a member of the Special Reserve United— were also questioned by their colleagues from the Professional Standards

Bureau (PSB) after the woman made a report on an incident in which they were allegedly involved.

Both officers are assigned to a station in western Trinidad. On Monday, officers assigned to the station where the accused are assigned said ten members of the PSB entered the building asking for the accused. After being told the officers were not at the station, the PSB members asked for the sergeant on duty. The

sergeant reportedly told them one of the suspected officers was present but the other was on mobile patrol.

The officers have been detained at the Central and Belmont Police Stations since their arrests.

The T&T Guardian understands that one of the officers is accused of sexually assaulting the woman while she was in custody, while his colleague was held for allegedly offering the victim $1,800 not to report the matter.

Venezuela assures Grenada of continued support under PetroCaribe ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (GIS) — Grenada need not fear that falling world oil prices will result in a threat to the PetroCaribe programme.

In fact, the Venezuelan government has assured Grenada and other PetroCaribe member states that as long as it

holds the reins of power, they will continue to benefit.

“The arrangements are of great importance to all of you the people of Grenada and a lot of concerns have been expressed,” said minister for economic development Oliver Joseph. “So on the sixth of

Government curb on scholarships and grants Barbados Nation Government is limiting its scholarships, grants and other assistance for education to Barbadian nationals.

The change is being facilitated through an amendment to the Education Act approved by the House of Assembly on Tuesday night. The amendment limits the categories of people who will be eligible for bursaries, grants, awards, scholarships and exhibitions handed out

under the act to citizens of Barbados. Minister of Education Ronald Jones, who piloted the amendment through the Lower Chamber, said originally under the act citizens of Barbados, children of citizens and “children of a person who is ordinarily resident in Barbados and has been so resident for a period of seven years” qualified for the offerings, which included an ease on fees in secondary schools.

March last week Friday the president of Venezuela called a meeting of all the member states of PetroCaribe …to give us the assurance that the programme will continue. The concern was that with falling oil prices that programme will be under threat,” Joseph said.

Oil under the PetroCaribe deal constitutes only five percent of Venezuelan’s oil export. “So it’s a very small percentage and therefore the programme will continue and that was reiterated by the president, so we have no need to fear in Grenada as long as the current government is in Venezuela,” Joseph said.

Joseph also reported positive developments regarding Grenada’s membership of ALBA. “We are very happy because in our budget a lot of the resources from social programmes come from PetroCaribe funds. We will continue to get funding from ALBA Bank,” he said.

(Reuters) - Major world powers have begun talks about a United Nations Security Council resolution to lift U.N. sanctions on Iran if a nuclear agreement is struck with Tehran, a step that could make it harder for the U.S. Congress to undo a deal, Western officials said.

The talks between Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - the five permanent members of the Security Council - plus Germany and Iran, are taking place ahead of difficult negotiations that resume next week over constricting Iran’s nuclear ability.

Some eight U.N. resolutions - four of them imposing sanctions - ban Iran from uranium enrichment and other sensitive atomic work and bar it from buying and selling atomic technology and anything linked to ballistic missiles.

There is also a U.N. arms embargo.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani gestures at the conclusion of his address to the 69th United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters

Ambush of policemen triggers manhunt in racially tense Ferguson (Reuters) - The shooting of two police officers during a protest rally in Ferguson, Missouri, sparked an intense manhunt for suspects on Thursday and ratcheted up tensions in a city at the center of a national debate over race and policing.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder condemned the attack on the officers, who were treated at a local hospital and released. Hours after the shooting, police said they were questioning an undisclosed number of people following a raid on a home in the St. Louis suburb.

“What happened last night was a pure ambush,” Holder said at a press conference. “This was not

someone who was trying to bring healing to Ferguson, this was a damn punk.”

With organizers vowing more protests on Thursday night, St. Louis County police and the state’s Highway Patrol will take over security from the local force at any demonstrations.

Security was similarly stepped up after rioting erupted in November, when a grand jury brought no charges against a white officer who shot a black teenager to death, an incident that touched off a national wave of demonstrations.

Since 18-year-old Michael Brown’s killing in August, protesters have rallied regularly in Ferguson, where tensions between African-

Americans and a mostly white police force have smoldered for years.

Thursday’s shooting left a 41-year-old St. Louis County Police officer with a shoulder wound and a 32year-old officer from nearby Webster Groves Police Department with a bullet lodged near his ear, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said.

The incident unfolded while protesters were gathered at Ferguson police headquarters to demand more changes in the wake of the resignation of its longcriticized police chief, Tom Jackson, who quit a week after the release of a scathing U.S. Justice Department report that found his force was rife with racial bias.

Friday March 13, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Page 36

Kaieteur News

Friday January 30, 2015

Bhutan bewilder as... Italy in, Spain out of ...

(From page 37) finished the first half goalless.

The breakthrough came eight minutes after the restart, when talisman Chhetri slotted past onrushing goalkeeper Kiran Limbu. It was one-way traffic in India’s favour thereafter, and though Jack Stefanowski’s visitors defended gallantly, they could not prevent Chhetri doubling the advantage. The other attractions In the earliest game played, Timor-Leste routed Mongolia 4-1 at home courtesy of a pair of quick-fire goals in either half. The Portuguese-speaking nation took a 2-0 lead inside just seven minutes, with Indonesia-based forward Chiquito do Carmo completing a brace in a space of three minutes.

Rodrigo Silva would make it 3-0 on 84 minutes to put the game beyond the visitors’ doubts, before substitute Jairo Neto put the icing to the cake a minute later, leaving Batmonkhiin Erkhembayari’s 87th-minute effort as a mere consolation.

Cambodia showed visiting Macau no mercy, netting three unanswered goals. The visitors showed the resilience that had recently seen them pull off a 2-2 draw against Singapore, holding their hosts to a goalless first half.

What was a tightly contested match was, however, tipped into Cambodia’s favour once

(From page 39) each. With Northern Ireland (43rd, up 8) back in the top 50 and Congo dropping three places down to 52nd, the composition of the top 50 has changed slightly in favour of

midfielder Chan Vathanaka was substituted in shortly after the restart. The 21-year-old broke the deadlock on 64 minutes before doubling the lead nine minutes from time.

Khoun Laboravy wrapped up the triumph with a stoppage-time strike as the south-east Asians registered only their second victory out of 17 qualifiers.

Asian Zone, Round 1 results - India 2-0 Nepal; Yemen 3-1 Pakistan; Timor-Leste 41Mongolia; Cambodia 3-0 Macau; Chinese Taipei 0-1 Brunei Darussalam; Sri Lanka 0-1 Bhutan. (FIFA)

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today you might plan a quick trip by air, Aries. This could be business related. Someone else may have been meant to go but couldn't, so you may be taking his or her place.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) If you've been studying astrology, numerology, or any other occult science, Libra, today you might find some of the concepts you're studying a bit confusing.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) A date to get together with a romantic partner might have to be broken at the last minute, Taurus.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A friend could be having financial troubles and ask you for a loan, Scorpio. You like this person and understand what he or she's going through, so you want to help.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Too many communications may prove distracting today, Cancer. The phone could be ringing off the hook and your email inbox overflowing.

Everyone around you seems to be talking at once.

confederation are Germany (1st), Argentina (2nd), Costa Rica (13th), Algeria (18th), Iran (42nd) and New Zealand (134th). The next FIFA/CocaCola World Ranking will be published on 9 April 2015.

Sunil Chetri

Friday March 13th 2015

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Sudden and unexpected problems could have your household in chaos, Gemini.

This probably doesn't relate to difficulties with your housemates.

UEFA, which is currently represented by 29 teams, followed by CAF (11), CONMEBOL (6), CONCACAF (3) and the AFC (1), while the OFC has none.

The best-ranked teams by

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Some equipment that you use a lot, perhaps an appliance, computer, or TV, might go on the blink today, Sagittarius.

Don't try to fix it yourself even if you think you know how.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Some rather bizarre news could come to you today about metaphysical or paranormal matters, Capricorn.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A sudden but necessary expense could make a big hole in your budget today, Leo. Perhaps some repairs need to be made around the house or to the car.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) This could be a hectic day, Aquarius.

Yo u will probably try to go too many places and do too many things at once.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Generally you're pretty emotionally stable, Virgo.

Today's events might seem to conspire to create erratic moods that you aren't used to feeling. It's the only way you will remain calm today.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You might hear some rather b i z a r r e r u m o r s t o d a y, Pisces. Someone has misinterpreted a piece of information and blown it into something far different from reality.

FIFA to choose 2022 World ...

(From page 40) year option in Doha last month despite opposition from European leagues and clubs who object to being shut down for several weeks in the middle of their season.

The exact playing dates must be decided, with FIFA suggesting a 28-day tournament instead of the usual 32 days to reduce the time clubs must hand over players for national team duty. FIFA President Sepp Blatter says he wants the final on Sunday, Dec. 18 — Qatar’s national day — over UEFA’s wish for Friday, Dec. 23.

Qatar, and its pledges to improve treatment of migrant construction workers, will also be discussed in the “Sports political matters” portion of the two-day meeting. Clubs will take note of another FIFA discussion next week on how much money they are due from World Cup revenues in 2018 and 2022.

Although FIFA rejects the idea of compensating clubs for the 2022 disruption, the governing body is in talks with the 214-member European Club Association to renew a working agreement. The expired accord paid clubs worldwide $70 million from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, distributed on a daily rate for as long as players were involved.

FIFA will announce the financial results of the 2014 tournament next week. Final revenues of about $4.5 billion are expected for the four-year commercial cycle which ended last year. The Blatter-chaired executive committee is meeting for the first time since candidates for the May 29 presidential election were confirmed last month.

Blatter is seeking to extend

his 17-year reign against an executive committee colleague, FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, plus Michael van Praag of the Netherlands and Luis Figo of Portugal.

FIFA should also choose a host for the 2019 Women’s

World Cup. France and South Korea are competing for the rights, and to stage the 2018 under-20 women’s World Cup also as a test event.

A single host nation for the Club World Cup in 2017 and 2018 should also be picked, FIFA said. (FIFA)

Friday January 30, 2015

Kaieteur News

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U.S. women win Algarve Cup Serena ends 14-year boycott Faro, Portugal - Julie Johnston and Christen Press scored first-half goals and goalkeeper Hope Solo saved a late penalty kick as the United States won the Algarve Cup title, defeating France 2-0 in the final at the Estadio Algarve on Wednesday.

The Americans earned their 10th crown in the annual women’s tournament.

Johnston recorded her first international goal in the seventh minute.

Midfielder Lauren Holiday launched a 23-yard free kick from the left side into the middle of the six-yard box, enabling the 22-year-old defender to head past goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi for a 1-0 lead.

Press doubled the advantage with her 20th international goal in the 41st minute.

Solo started scoring sequence with a free kick to Amy Rodriguez, who sent the ball toward Press.

The forward weaved her way through three defenders, before slipping a shot into the lower right corner for a 2-0 margin.

Solo was outstanding throughout the encounter,

with return to Indian Wells

Christen Press

denying Camille Abily in the 22nd and 35th minutes, punching away Kheira Hamraoui’s attempt in the 40th minute and tipping Laure Boulleau’s shot off the crossbar in the 71st minute.

With nine minutes left in normal time, however, Solo made the biggest stop of the game.

After defender Meghan Klingenberg was whistled for a foul against Marie-Laure Delie in the penalty area, Amandine Henry

saw her subsequent penalty be saved by the 33-year-old with a dive to her right.

In February, with Solo serving a 30-day suspension, France posted a 2-0 win over the visiting U.S. in an international friendly. The USA next will host New Zealand in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4.

NOTES: The USA will try to become the first team to win the Algarve Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in the same year. (CONCACAF)

Chris Froome backs 24-hour drug testing amid Nicole Cooke criticism Chris Froome says he would “welcome” 24-hour drug testing in cycling. The British rider’s comments follow a damning report into doping and criticism from former Olympic road race champion Nicole Cooke.

Froome, who has never failed a drugs test, tweeted: “If it can help clean up the sport I love, let’s do it.” But Cooke believes he should not have been granted a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) to race in and win the 2014 Tour de Romandie.

She also criticises Brian Cookson, the new boss of the International Cycling Union, for failing to get to grips with the abuse of TUES, which legally permit riders to use banned substances for medical conditions.

Team Sky’s Froome, who won the 2013 Tour de France, was

granted a TUE for a steroid because he was suffering from a chest infection. “I don’t think it is at all right that Chris should have the race and prize money taken off him retrospectively, but Cookson needs to issue a very clear message: he should be apologising to the rest of the riders for failing them,” Cooke wrote in The Guardian.

The 31-year-old Welsh cyclist added: “That TUE application should not have been approved; Froome and Sky should have had a clear choice of either riding without steroids or pulling out.”

Cooke said Cookson, a founding board member of Team Sky, had left himself open to accusations of favouritism, although she praised him for commissioning the report in the first place.

Responding to Cooke’s accu-

Indian Wells, Calif. (AP) - Serena Williams returned to the BNP Paribas Open yesterday, ending a 14-year personal boycott of the $5 million tournament that began when she was booed as a teenager on her way to winning the title in 2001.

Williams took questions for 10 minutes a day before the world’s top-ranked women’s player is to compete in her first match. She never thought she would return to the twoweek tournament in the Southern California desert. She even stayed in Los Angeles an extra day because she wasn’t yet ready to start the journey. ”I was a little nervous to come out here,” she said. “In the beginning, I was like, ‘What was I thinking?’ I kind of had to overcome that hurdle.”

Earlier in the day, Williams practiced with security on hand to keep fans and media away.

She has played just one Fed Cup match since winning the Australian Open in January. Last month, Williams announced her change of heart toward the tournament in a column for Time.com.

She said Thursday she was nervous informing her parents about her decision. She said they were both supportive, with her father Richard telling her “it would be a big mistake if I didn’t go back. I thought that was really admirable.”

Now 33, Williams is deep into a career that boasts a gaudy resume: 19 Grand Slam singles titles, the world’s No. 1 ranking, and millions of dollars in prize money and endorsements earned.

In 2001, she was just 19 and matches between Serena and older sister Venus were still a novelty. Fans were tantalized by the prospect of two siblings dueling in a semifinal.

When Venus pulled out of the match 20 minutes before the start with tendinitis, boos rained down on stadium court, startling

Serena. She was offended by later accusations that the sisters’ matches were fixed by Richard.

Williams learned to play tennis about two hours and a world away in Compton, California, a crime-riddled suburb of Los Angeles.

She won her first pro match at the Indian Wells tournament, playing doubles with Venus in 1997. Her victory over Steffi Graf in the 1999 singles final was her first big title.

Williams has said her decision to return was influenced partly by a film about Nelson Mandela and his dedication to reconciliation.

Venus Williams has chosen not to play in the tournament, but Serena said her sister encouraged her to come back. Williams’ return was welcomed by several other players, including top-ranked men’s player Novak Djokovic.

Williams will play Monica Niculescu of Romania in a second-round tonight.

Tiny Bhutan pulled off a giant shock in Sri Lanka as Asian qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ got underway, while Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam also recorded upsets over Mongolia and Chinese Taipei respectively.

With Cambodia, India and Yemen winning comfortably, FIFA.com reviews the first round, first-leg action.

The match - India 2-0 Nepal, Goals: Sunil Chetri 53, 71 The forward scored twice in the second half

as India saw off Nepal. The result saw the hosts live up to their tag as the strongest of the 12 sides involved in the first round, and left them with a clear mental edge heading into the return leg in Kathmandu in five days’ time.

Having won ten out of the teams’ 13 previous meetings, Stephen Constantine’s hosts were the first to attack, with Robin Singh coming close to opening the scoring on 13 minutes. The Bengaluru FC striker then saw his rasping left-footer sail over as the two sides (Continued on page 36)

Serena Williams

Bhutan bewilder as India, Timor-Leste cruise

Chris Froome sations, Cookson said: “I made it a firm pledge that I would separate myself from all anti-doping processes, specifically to avoid any potential conflict of interest.”

(BBCsport)

Page 38

Kaieteur News

Friday January 30, 2015

South Africa ease Was GDF’s pulling out into quarter-finals of K&S the right move?

Letter to the Sports Editor

South Africa moved into the World Cup quarter-finals with a routine 146-run victory over United Arab Emirates yesterday. Proteas captain AB de Villiers top scored and was dismissed on 99 after useful contributions from Rilee Rossouw (43) and David Miller (49).

Farhaan Behardien blasted 64 off 31 balls to take South Africa to 341-6, a total UAE never looked like reaching. Swapnil Patil scored an unbeaten 57 and Shaiman Anwar made 39 but UAE were bowled out for 195 in 47.3 overs.

The victory means South Africa, who have never reached a World Cup final, will finish second in Pool B and, barring shock results, will probably face Sri Lanka in the quarter-final in Sydney on 18 March.

South Africa dominated against a UAE side that has never beaten a Test-playing nation in a World Cup but who surprisingly opted to bowl first after winning the toss. That decision backfired as South Africa made the eighth highest total of the tournament with De Villiers

again leading the way.

He scored the fastest 150 in one-day cricket off 64 balls on his way to an unbeaten 162 against the West Indies earlier in the World Cup and hit six fours and four sixes in his 82 ball-knock.

However, he missed out on his 21st ODI century when he sliced the ball to short third man Amjad Javed off Kamran Shazad’s bowling. De Villiers then showed his ability with the ball, taking 2-15 from three overs. ”It’s never just a given you are going to make the quarter-finals of the World Cup, we have a lot of people we are representing back home and we have a great opportunity,” said De Villiers.

“They made it difficult so I was very happy with the way we fought, which is what I want to see as a captain.”

The only disappointment for South Africa was another failure from opening batsman Quinton de Kock, who made an unconvincing 26 off 45 balls before being caught behind. He has only scored 53 runs in their six pool games.

In reply, UAE struggled to cope with the pace of the

South African attack, as both Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander claimed two wickets each. The associate side fell to 45-3, although Patil and Anwar gave their score some respectability.

With Fahad Alhashmi unable to bat after suffering a knee injury while bowling, Patil was left unbeaten on 57 as UAE suffered their fifth successive defeat. Despite another loss, UAE captain Mohammad Tauqir was pleased with his side’s performance.

He said: “We bowled well until 44-45 overs when things went a bit wrong. We almost batted 50 overs which is very positive for our batters. “It has given us a lot of confidence, they have some amazing bowlers. There is a huge difference between our domestic level and this level so the more we play against these nations, the better it is for our cricket.”

South Africa 341-6 (50 overs): De Villiers 99, Behardien 64; Naveed 3-63.

UAE 195-9 (all out) (47.3 overs): Patil 57 not out; De Villiers 2-15. South Africa won by 146 runs. (BBCsport)

Dear Mr. Editor, Guyana’s football recently has been undergoing changes which augur well for the future of football in this beloved nation.

However there seems to be some individuals who are hell bent of deflating the process of development.

Guyana’s football was recently given a boost with two of the country’s top clubs – Alpha United FC and the Guyana Defence Force FC entering the CFU Club Championship.

The two clubs are in receipt of fixtures and they are slated to play in April in Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago respectively.

As part of a team or club’s preparation for international matches, the training intensifies with more rigid sessions and practice games against teams with the same or higher caliber. Playing matches usually assess your team performance so that coaches can remedy and correct the team’s shortcomings.

However a recent development has me bewildered.

The GDF FC was selected by

the Kashif & Shanghai Organization to participate in their tournament which has over the years been the best and most professionally organized tournament in Guyana.

When this tournament comes around teams are disappointed when they are not selected but lo and behold the GDF team withdrew from the tournament citing their participation in the CFU tournament as the reason for their withdrawal.

Mr. Editor, can someone from the hierarchy of the Guyana Defense Force or a member of the Technical Staff of the GDF FC explain to the nation what went wrong. I can’t understand how can a club which will be participating in a high level CFU competition, withdrew from the highest level of competition in their country when they should be using these games as warm up games to assess the team’s preparedness.

Was this decision taught through thoroughly by the Technical Staff of the GDF FC or was the decision made on sentiments? Was this decision the correct decision

based on the fact that the team will have to seek practice games against clubs who may be in the same K & S tournament and probably against clubs which are not in the tournament.

Who will they play against, Police FC, Timehri Panthers, Uitvlught Warriors, Cougars United FC? Will these matches be competitive, will the intensity be there, will there be official Referees, and will the fight to win be there? I don’t think so.

It is my opinion and view that this was a bad tactical blunder on behalf of the military hierarchy by approving the withdrawal of its club, thousands of dollars will be spent in preparing the team and also to transport the team to the Country where the tournament will be played.

This was a travesty of justice for the footballers who will have to participate in the game and at the end of the day, if the team is humiliated, the players will be blamed for their inefficiency and lack of ability.

Respectfully, Raul Jones

Honduras earns U-17 World Cup, CU17 final berths San Pedro Sula, Honduras – Honduras (3-2-0, 11 points) clinched a second straight trip to the FIFA U-17 World Cup, earning a 2-1 win over 10-man Guatemala (1-13, 4 points) in the 2015 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship on Wednesday.

The tournament hosts finished atop Group A, one point ahead of Jamaica (3-11, 10 points) and the United States (3-1-1, 10 points). The Jamaicans claimed second place on the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to their 1-0 win over the U.S. in the second game of a tripleheader at the Estadio Francisco Morazan.

Honduras took the lead and gained a man advantage early in the encounter, when

goalkeeper Gilder Lemus fouled Darixon Vuelto in the penalty area, causing him to flip in the air. Referee Mathieu Bourdeau pointed to the spot and showed Lemus a yellow for his infraction.

Then, Guatemalan defender Mario Rodas was ejected after kicking the ball at Bourdeau from eight-yards away.

When the dust finally settled in the eighth minute, team captain Allan Rivera fired his penalty kick into the lower-left corner to give Honduras a 1-0 lead.

Despite being reduced to 10 players, Guatemala did not modify its game plan and leveled in the 26th minute. From 35-yards out, Ganzalo Deras lofted a threatening free kick

into the Honduran goal box, where Esteban Garcia headed forcefully into the back of the net at the right post.

Garcia nearly scored again, but after a long down the middle for a ball played out of the back, his shot from outside the box was saved by right-diving goalkeeper Jose Aguiluz. Vuelto would net what proved to be the gamewinning goal in 38th minute.

Oslin Sevilla made a strong run down the left towards the top of the penalty area.

He cut inside, drew a defender and played a square pass to an unmarked Vuelto.

The forward took two touches, before releasing his shot, which hit off a charging Lemus and drifted into the net.

The second half produced limited scoring opportunities and as the final whistle blew, the home crowd of 11,512, players and coaches celebrated yet another World Cup qualification.

Honduras will next meet the Group B winner in Sunday’s final, while Jamaica and the U.S. advance to single-game playoffs, which will decide the Confederation’s last two representatives at Chile 2015.

NOTES: Honduras qualified for three previous U-17 World Cups (2007, 2009, 2013).

Jamaica edges U.S. on penalty Nicholas Nelson converted a penalty kick in the 57th minute to boost Jamaica to a 1-0 victory over the United States in the final

Honduras players celebrate (Photo:Mexsport) Group A match for both on Wednesday night.

Had the Americans won, they would have clinched a spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The U.S., Jamaica and Honduras have booked spots for at least Sunday’s playoff

stage, but won’t know their opposition until the completion of Group B play which was last evening.

Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada have already clinched the trio of berths from that group. (CONCACAF)