Kaieteur News

Saturday Edition

Online readership yesterday 100,694

March 16, 2013 - Vol. 7 No. 11 - Price $80 kaieteurnews@yahoo.com Website:http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Jagdeo shares out airwaves to friends...

PM Hinds fumbles

on multiple broadcast …says issues frequencies “technical” A Community Police outpost The government can spend money on the Marriott but it can't do the same for a facility to help the people who must fight crime

Zambia strips Late night “Broken Hearted” Magistrate ex-president of courting 18-yr-old damages orders woman, immunity from leaves man her 44-year-old kids to remain prosecution hospitalized lover's car out of house

Page 2

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Buck Hall accident…

Three hospitalized in stable condition Trever Smithet

Tyrone Ramlochan

A senior official attached to the Barama Group of Company on Thursday reportedly refused to assist several injured persons who were involved in an accident at 77km, Buck Hall, in getting medical assistance because he was too worried about the gasoline cost, a source stated.

At around 02:00pm on Thursday, a Guycom Mining Company’s truck was heading to Barima Waini,

Region One with 12 gold miners onboard when it toppled twice. Five of the twelve workers pitched a distance away from the scene and were rendered unconscious.

According to reports, a Barama truck, loaded with logs was heading in the opposite direction when the tragedy occurred.

“When the truck loaded with logs passed a set of dust raise and the driver of the

other truck swerve from the dust and it ended up toppling,” a source explained.

When the injured were taken to the Essequibo landing to be transported to a health institute, there was only one available boat.

The boat transported one set of persons and while it was on its way back, someone suggested to a senior official at the Barama Group of Company to assist in taking out the patients to the Parika

Alfred Jacobs

landing but the employee refused and questioned who will pay for the gasoline.

Of the five persons transported to the city, two were discharged while three, Tyrone Ramlochan, Trevor Smithet and Alfred Jacobs, remain hospitalized at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

At the hospital yesterday, Smithet who is nursing injuries to his spine said that he and his colleagues,

all gold miners, were heading down a hill, when the driver of their vehicle fail to slow down despite seeing the other truck proceeding with speed.

“The road is narrow and two trucks could not have passed there.

The driver of one truck probably thought that he could have passed but instead the truck toppled and rolled over two times and everyone who were at the

back fell off,” Smithet, a father of three recalled.

Ramlochan of the Soesdyke/Linden highway said he cannot recall what really transpired because he fainted.

He sustained a fractured shoulder and four fractured rib.

At the time of the interview, Jacobs was asleep.

He sustained a fractured neck along with other minor injuries.

DO YOU KNOW THAT JAGDEO GAVE HIS BEST FRIEND NINE RADIO AND TV CHANNELS Five radio and Four TV channels the same month he left office Best Friend: Dr. Bobby Ramroop

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 3

Sam Hinds fumbles on multiple broadcast frequencies …says issues “technical”

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Deputy PS, Omkar Lochan Prime Minister Samuel Hinds yesterday said that he sees no “big issue” over the granting of multiple broadcast frequencies to favourites of the government and former President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Hinds sought to explain that multiple frequencies were granted so that the programming of the station could be relayed to other parts of the country.

But telecommunications experts say the Prime Minister does not really know what he is talking about.

Hinds Thursday disclosed that three entities were given five radio frequencies each. These are TVG, owned by Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop, the best friend of former President Jagdeo; Telcor and Cultural Broadcasting using a contact name Omar Lochan, the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources under Minister Robert Persaud; and New Guyana Company Limited, owned by the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), with the contact given as Dharamkuamr Seeraj, a Member of Parliament for the PPP. Hinds’s explanation that one station would operate the frequencies does not hold weight, experts say, since the one station can use another mechanism to relay its

Dr. Ranjisinghi (Bobby) Ramroop

PPP MP, Dharamkumar Seeraj

programming and does not necessarily need a frequency to do so.

What Jagdeo’s government did therefore was to grab fifteen frequencies, apart from those assigned to the state broadcaster, NCN, and others close to the government.

As a result, it lessens other frequencies that are available if others are interested in radio broadcasts.

Further, those given multiple radio frequencies and links for television broadcast can use those to set up mini radio and TV stations, since they can de-link from their main transmission and send out whatever they want in different areas of the country.

While seeking to offer an

explanation, the Prime Minister admitted that they were technical issues.

On Thursday, Hinds revealed that just before he left office, former President Jagdeo farmed out the airwaves to his friends, those close to the government and a few others.

Hinds revealed that apart from the five radio frequencies, Dr Ramroop has Channel 28 and three other links to that station, which could effectively allow him to broadcast across the country.

Apart from those, in the month before he left office, Jagdeo gave one radio frequency each to other persons. These are NTN Radio (Anand Persaud),

Rudy Grant, Wireless Connections (Maxwell Thom), Hits and Jams Entertainment (Rawle Ferguson), Alfro Alphonso and Sons Enterprise (Alfro Alphonso), Haslyn Graham, and Little Rock Television Station (Rockliffe Christie).

In December, 2010, Jagdeo also granted two close associates of the PPP permission to broadcast television signals on the 2.5 GHz band, which allows for cable TV operations and internet-related services.

These persons were Vishok Persaud, the son of longstanding PPP stalwart

Reepu Daman Persaud, and Brian Yong, who mounted the PPP platform in 1996.

Regarding television stations, the Prime Minister said that only six more television stations can be assigned using current formats for television broadcast in Guyana.

Hinds said that determining the availability of channels for broadcasting depends on many factors.

These include transmitter power and specifications, height of antenna, and location of proposed transmitters.

The Prime Minister said

that in the Georgetown area (the area with the highest demand), at least 10 more channels can be assigned in the VHF band (FM sound broadcasting).

However, he said that countless other radio and television channels could be made available when there is a change in broadcasting formats.

According to the Prime Minister, if Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB) is introduced here, there is the potential for “hundreds of television and sound feed programmes/ channels.”

Page 4

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

A case of presidential deception When a president takes the oath of office he pledges to serve all the people of Guyana regardless of race, creed, colour or political affiliation. He then proceeds to administer the business of state, in the process making decisions that would impact the nation.

However, recent events seem to show that Guyana’s last president, Bharrat Jagdeo, failed to honour that pledge.

Certain events seem to reveal a self-serving and selfish, almost dictatorial attitude. One is forced to reach this conclusion when one examines his release of radio frequencies to fulfill a promise he had made shortly before he demitted office.

Before the release of the radio frequencies there had been a rash of people scrambling to acquire frequencies for television broadcasts. The first of these was Anthony Vieira, the man credited with introducing television to Guyana.

Others followed and they proceeded to allocate to themselves those frequencies that were available.

Eventually the government intervened and attempted to bring some semblance of order to the system that operated. Then it announced that until there was a regulatory body there would be no release of further frequencies for television broadcasts.

President Jagdeo failed to stick to this award. As Minister of Information he proceeded to allocate frequencies even as there were others who had pending applications. These later allocations were nothing but discriminatory, especially since they appeared to have been made along political lines.

Then came the release of radio licences. Many people who had applications in the system for more than a decade were ignored.

There was no explanation for the manner in which the new allocations were done. What was clear was that friends and associates of the former president seemed to be the major beneficiaries.

One controversial allocation was to a man former President Jagdeo admitted to being his best friend. Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop had acquired a television station by way of sale by Anthony Vieira. Since licences were nontransferrable one would conclude that the licence remained in force and continued to be executed in the name of Vieira Communications. Dr Ramroop also acquired a radio station through the sale. Vieira had begun broadcasting but the government claimed that the broadcast was illegal. Vieira moved to the courts and despite the lengthy delay in the decision the station was deemed to be legal. But this issue does not end there. President Jagdeo proceeded to allocate a plethora of frequencies to this same Dr Ramroop to the exclusion of others who had pending applications. This is nothing short of nepotism and cronyism.

We notice the allocation of frequencies to the political party to which President Jagdeo belongs. Again the number of frequencies was inexplicable. There have been allocations to President Jagdeo’s nephew-in-law through the man who holds the office of Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Robert Persaud heads.

The list is long and included in that list is the entertainment network that President Jagdeo facilitated with a television station and tax exemptions for shows featuring visiting artistes. Political affiliates and a sprinkling of others got these licences. And there was nothing to stop it since the president has executive powers.

But it was the same Jagdeo and the People’s Progressive Party who actually moved to the courts when the outgoing president Desmond Hoyte opted to sell cars to those who in his employ had been using them. If Jagdeo considered the presidential action wrong at that time then it should have been wrong now.

But there is more to this situation and we should have seen Jagdeo for what he was, a dictator. In the run up to the 1992 elections the PPP caused the international community to force the outgoing People’s National Congress to halt all new activities.

Jagdeo did not arrogate this principle to himself. He proceeded to initiate the Marriott hotel project, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Project and the specialty hospital project.

Sadly enough, there has been no move to change these decisions in the name of democracy or in any other name. President Donald Ramotar, to the contrary, has embraced them being aware of all the precedents during his tenure as a leader within the now ruling party.

How can we still talk about democracy and fairness?

Saturday March 16, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

The sum total of the COI report presents a damning outlook of the Police Force DEAR EDITOR, Consistent with the Terms of Reference, the Report by the Linden Commission of Inquiry (COI) is an achievement for all Guyana.

This report exposes the underbelly of the beast seeking to consume law and order in the society and rob the people of the needed security and protection to peacefully co-exist and go about their daily business.

A report that says: 1) “the police were responsible for the shooting to death of the three persons as well as the injuries caused to several other persons at Linden on July 18, 2012;” 2) “an examination of the relevant evidence reveals that ASP Todd and Constable Rodney were the only police ranks who discharged shots from shotguns;” 3) ‘00’ buckshot cartridges were used on the unarmed demonstrators and the “use of the ‘00’ in the circumstances would not have been reasonable but would constitute excessive force;” 4) “The use of such lethal force was not justified in the circumstances.” 5) “Even though Mr. Todd using the ‘shotgun…discharged a round into the ground to take off the velocity, to scare and chase the protesters who were gathered’ this was fraught with danger.

Discharging a shotgun is hardly the way to ‘scare’ persons and ought never to have been used in the circumstances;”

6) “the policy on the use of force should be reviewed and done urgently.[...] in order to adopt international best practices;” 7) “entries in the [Arms Book] cannot be relied on as there were numerous irregularities evident therein;” 8) “it must be noted that the Chairman of the Complaints Authority has made several requests for independent investigators to be made available to that body but to no avail; 9) “Some of the procedures for engagement of the police before carrying out operations appear to be very militaristic and aspects of their standard operational procedures support that position;” and 10) “recommend the government urgently implements the ‘Human Rights Standards and Practice for the Police’ as developed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,” is not a report to be treated with disdain or disregard.

A holistic and dispassionate examination of this report will find areas of concern and disappointment and where such are evident they should be noted in efforts to ensure this society adheres to Rights and the Rule of Law and hold accountable those placed in positions to execute and safeguard these tenets. Also, where there is misapplication of the Report it must be corrected.

There is a mix-up in understanding of the COI’s

take on the use of ammunition.

Persons question if the commissioners concluded that “ASP Todd was somewhat reckless when he discharged four rounds of ammunition....” can it similarly be said that “nonetheless the discharge of ammunition itself by the police in the circumstances described by ASP Todd was justified...”

This has created fodder, knowingly or unknowingly, and leads to projecting an impression that the police’s actions were justified.

A look into the report confirms the commissioners were looking at ammunition holistically - lethal and non lethal weapons - both of which were employed on July 18, and the use of the former (lethal) condemned.

Further, nowhere in the Report is it stated the Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee is “exonerated.” The report says, “There was no evidence given at the hearings before the Commission to support the assertion that the Minister gave instructions to the GPF in relation to the incident in Linden” and “All that the Minister and the parties who testified on interaction with the Minister admitted was that the Minister was trying to obtain information as to what was happening in Linden on July 18th in his telephone conversations with the police during that day.”

The absence and the duplicity of evidence by the

police, along with the acting Commissioner of Police’s November 2012 statement to “support the boss” open discussions regarding the believability of the statements made by the police and minister. But an absence of evidence does not constitute a pronouncement of “exoneration,” the latter of which the report never stated.

The report in addressing Human Rights said “The Lindeners had complained bitterly and with justification....” about police abuse.

It is against this backdrop all arms of government must seek to treat expeditiously all concerns of the citizens because this is one of the primary functions of government – the citizen’s rights. And while the people of Linden, by their resoluteness, paved the way for this report, it opens the doors for everyone and every institution to be held accountable and provide the needed impetus for attracting and retaining honourable officers.

Lusignan, Bartica, Agricola, Lindo Creek and every area or individual seeking answers to unsolved deaths or injuries, this report serves as a catalyst for pursuing justice and closure brought for loved ones.

The Report is the property of the people and its fruition requires individuals and civil society holding those in government, both executive Continued on page 6

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

This obscenity seen as “adequate” compensation cannot be allowed to stand DEAR EDITOR, Although others have condemned the size of the compensation awarded by the Linden Commission of Inquiry (the Report uses the words “awarded” and “ r e c o m m e n d e d ” interchangeably), the travesty of justice becomes clearer if we break the figures down.

This is a strategy Red Thread often uses: to break down large figures into what they mean for each household or individual per day: what is the Old Age Pension per day per recipient?

Public Assistance? The minimum wage? The wages of domestic workers, security guards, shop assistants, cooks and cleaners in small restaurants? What can each wage buy?

How does it compare to the cost of items of basic food? Of shelter? Of sending children to school? Of medicine? Of transport? Of utility bills? We started doing this because we were tired of the self-congratulating announcements of the millions of dollars in increases to various sectors of poor people. We were also tired of the opposition parties’ willingness to discuss budgets only in terms of

whether or not “macroeconomic fundamentals are sound”. We’ve previously quoted Wintress, a Red Thread member, who muttered as she was listening to a budget debate “But me micro-economic fundamentals not doing so good.”

With Red Thread going to court regularly with women and children who are poor, we bear witness to the injustice that the justice system frequently metes out to those with less social power. Thus, unlike the opposition political parties, we were never excited about having a Commission of Inquiry, with or without “foreign” members; why would their “foreignness” make them any fairer to poor people?

We listened without surprise to the condescension of some Commissioners during the proceedings. But in the most material way, the built-in injustice of the Commission of Inquiry was expressed in the size of the compensation the Commissioners awarded the families of Allan Lewis, Shemroy Bouyea and Ron Somerset.

We’re not sure that everyone has grasped the

Mr. Ambassador, please make music royalty restoration a litmus test for anti-corruption action DEAR EDITOR, I read with great interest US Ambassador Brent Hardt’s admonition to the Guyana government on enforcement of laws against corrupt money since we are a party to the Inter-American convention against corruption (KN, March 14, 2013).

My interest here is the penchant of our government for brazenly flouting international laws to which we are signatories with no apparent sanctions from the international community.

For example, we are a party to WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) laws which cover music royalty among others. As far back as there was a radio station in Guyana, local recording artistes whose music was aired on the radio were paid royalties. I was one such artiste among many who received monies annually as Performing Right Society

members.

My payments began promptly after my first recordings in 1980 and continued in the same pattern with my other recordings through the years to the early 90s. This situation ceased after 1992, without explanation.

We m u s i c i a n s a r e asking Ambassador Hardt to use the restoration of music royalty and compensation to all affected local artistes as a litmus test to our g o v e r n m e n t to end the wanton delinquency it fosters against laws to which it is a signatory. This test is most important at this time since a number of new radio stations are about to be plunged into this pool of delinquency. If a government institution cannot clean the moat out of its own eye, how can it seek the whereabouts of corruption to sanitize?

B. Houston

degree to which those awards trivialize the lives of the three men and the families they left behind. It is possible that the zeroes on the number “million” are hiding the reality.

We want to break down the figures so that the insult becomes more visible.

Let’s estimate the number of years that each of the men might have lived in the normal course of things (that is, if they had not been murdered) by using the average male life expectancy. Let’s use the uncontested figure published in 2010, which was 66.5 years: · 46-year-old Allan Lewis might have lived and

earned an income for another 20.5 years, which would make the award of $3,000,000 the equivalent of $153,846 a year or $421 a day. With that amount, his mother can afford to buy herself two pints of rice and one pint of peas, or a half pound of milk and a two ounces of cheese, or a half pound of milk and three loose sausages from a corner shop. · 24-year-old Shemroy Bouyea, who might have lived for another 42.5 years, was valued at $133,333 per year or $365 a day. With that, his mother could buy a half pound of milk or a loaf of

bread and two eggs. · 18-year-old Ron Somerset could have been expected to live another 48.5 years, which means that the award of $2,000,000 amounts to $41,237 per year or $113 per day. With that, his mother could afford two loose tennis rolls from a corner shop with $33 change or one pound of flour with $13 change.

The lives and potential earning capacity of these three human beings were devalued to this level by men and women who were paid between G$14 million and G$16 million for a month’s work, that is, between

G$480,000 and G$540,000 for a six hour day.

On one side of the scale, lives found to be worth G$113 to G$421 a day; on the other, lives thought to be worth $480,000 to G$540,000 a (sixhour) day.

Even if the families decide to accept the awards because they need the money, this obscenity, which one of our local Commissioners sees as “adequate” compensation, cannot be allowed to stand.

Andaiye Karen de Souza Halima Khan Joy Marcus For Red Thread

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

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

The University of Guyana must come to terms with the society it serves DEAR EDITOR, I am responding to comments reportedly made by Prof. Jacob Opadeyi, the newly appointed ViceChancellor (VC), University of Guyana (UG), captioned “Higher tuition fees a must for quality education” (SN March 8, 2013), and by Dr Luncheon: “Renewed discussion on UG tuition hike could prompt Cabinet decision” KN March 15, 2013.

With all due respect, I would urge the new VC to make every effort not only to become familiar with the local terrain, but also to understand as much of the sociology of Guyana’s group (class/ ethnic) dynamics at the earliest.

He must be on the alert for he will encounter charlatans, Greeks bearing gifts, poseurs, sycophants, and even “Les femmes fatales”. Or, he may yet rue the day he accepted this assignment.

The VC will discover that Guyanese society has been rent asunder by the intense rivalry between our two major ethnic groups, as to who should inherit the power

previously exercised by our former colonial masters, and how this power is to be exercised.

Further, he will also discover that Guyanese society is characterized by several categories of imbalances. Of even greater significance to him, will be the absence of any semblance of a national consensus with regard to values, purposes and goals.

Given the above context, the big question is: “What role will the university he leads play in Guyana’s development, and in the building of a nation of one people with a common destiny?” Under the term development, I include concerns about social conditions and the quality of life, as well as the traditional preoccupation with economic growth.

The administration (and would-be social engineers with their hidden agendas), may desire higher tuition fees, but given the already fractured nature of the Guyanese society, and the rapidly widening income

chasm between “the new elite” (haves), and “the working poor” (have-nots), are higher tuition fees really desirable by existing public criteria? Or, is this how higher education will now be used to eradicate poverty, and to improve the quality of life for the working class?

Is the Guyanese public being asked to believe that increased tuition is the paramount priority at UG? No, this must not be the way.

There are several other more desirable ways in which UG can conserve by reorganizing, restructuring, be made leaner, efficient and more effective in enhancing its endowment, and in garnering income, while at the same time making the work and outcomes of the institution more relevant to environmental needs.

Guyanese must never forget what this government did in 2007 to the Critchlow Labour College, an institution that provided a second chance to late developers, and opportunities for taxpaying workers who were desirable of continuing and

upgrading their education.

Government withdrew all financial assistance from this working class institution!

The University of Guyana urgently needs to come to terms with the society it serves!

This is not only “common sense” par excellence, but it is, by far, the better way. The Guyanese people in general, and the university community in particular have had to endure far too much, far too long.

At this stage of the nation’s development, government should consider it obligatory to fund the institution adequately, for it will pay far greater and more enduring dividends than a thousand “Marriotts” or “Specialty Hospitals”.

In Guyana, where there is only one public university and an acute absence of key social institutions, would this not imply a wider and more diverse role than that of a traditional university in a more developed country?

After fifty years of questionable effectiveness, Continued on page 7

The sum total of ...

From page 4 and opposition, accountable in making sure they work in implementing the recommendations.

The performance of the Force has been put under the laser beam and coupled with the findings that the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has been denied the requisite resources to carry out its task, indicate that there is an orchestrated policy to allow the police to transgress people’s rights, violate laws, and immobilise an institution that would cause them to account.

This must be fixed and civil society along with the politicians must add their muscles to strengthen and depoliticise the PCA. Administratively, the acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) can began the process of police reform as noted in the chaos and lawlessness, careless record keeping, ammunition audit, tracking, deployment and destruction, among other inefficiencies.

The CoP needs no ministerial direction (policy) to act and his failure to put systems in place to correct the shortcomings will communicate to society that

there are other motives for allowing the situation to continue. The sum total of this report presents a damning outlook of the Police Force, whose policies are developed by the subject minister and by extension he shoulders the responsibility for the state of affairs.

The examination of compensation for the families of the deceased are recommendations and any caring government will take on board the responsibility to negotiate with the respective attorney packages that are appropriate for injuries and loss of lives.

The failure of the government to take on board appropriate consideration can see this said report being used in the Court to justify claims by affected persons and their loved ones.

And let it be clearly known, this report holds the police responsible for the killings and injuries. It is now the responsibility of the Force to offer favourable compensation, failing which civil action can be taken in the Court of the land.

Lincoln Lewis General Secretary GTUC

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

The Stone Age is beckoning DEAR EDITOR, We, the residents of Berbice, have patiently suffered through a neverending series of blackouts.

It’s about time, therefore, that the government immediately commences a new OLPF programme - One Lamp Per Family.

Government should dismantle the new street lights installed on the Corentyne Highway, and use the funds to buy lamps for every family without a power generator. It

should recall all the free laptops distributed, and replace them with notepads, pencils, and slate and chalk.

Doesn’t it know that these socalled developments are mere white elephants without a reliable electricity supply?

Give us something we can actually use.

Let us dust off our firesides, and get ready to live without internet, cell-phones, and televisions. The Stone Age is beckoning, and we, the people of Berbice, must

humbly sacrifice our dreams and our future to pay for our leaders to enjoy the finest and richest luxuries of life, including, but not limited to fancy mansions, the latest model of cars, exquisite meals, long, overseas vacations, and, of course, unlimited access to every form of debauchery. After all, all men are created equal, but some men are created more equal than others. How could we ever forget that?

Disgusted Berbician

The University of Guyana must ...

From page 6 would it not be reasonable to expect that UG’s policies, instead of seeking to exacerbate the social condition by perpetuating elitism and freezing social classes, will instead: facilitate and effect constructive social change; advocate and nurture reconciliation so that Guyanese might aspire to a

higher humanity and nationhood?

And, what can be a more noble human exercise, or what can make better sense than rescuing and protecting our own good Dr Luncheon from again being put into a situation where he might be forced to say that Guyana has no qualified public servants, teachers, or security

personnel, so government had to use Guyanese taxpayers’ hard earned money and recruit foreign workers under plush contracts, and a whole host of concessions?

In conclusion, I would wish Prof. Jacob Opadeyi a productive tenure. Demand the respect you deserve. I commend this courage.

Clarence O. Perry

Vatican denies Dirty War allegations against Pope The Vatican has denied that Pope Francis failed to speak out against human rights abuses during military rule in his native Argentina.

"There has never been a credible, concrete accusation against him," said Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi, adding he had never been charged.

The spokesman blamed the accusations on "anti-clerical left-wing elements that are used to attack the Church".

Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, led Argentina's Jesuits under the junta.

Correspondents say that like other Latin American churchmen of the time, he had to contend, on the one hand, with a repressive right-wing regime and, on the other, a wing of his Church leaning towards political activism on the left.

One allegation concerns the abduction in 1976 of two Jesuits by Argentina's military government, suspicious of their work among slum-dwellers.

As the priests' provincial superior at the time, Jorge Bergoglio was accused by some of having failed to shield them from arrest - a charge his office flatly denied.

Judges investigating the arrest and torture of the two men - who were freed after five months - questioned Cardinal Bergoglio as a witness in 2010.

The new Pope's official biographer, Sergio Rubin, argues that the Jesuit leader "took extraordinary, behindthe-scenes action to save

them".

Another accusation levelled against him from the Dirty War era is that he failed to follow up a request to help find the baby of a woman kidnapped when five months' pregnant and killed in 1977. It is believed the baby was illegally adopted.

The cardinal testified in 2010 that he had not known about baby thefts until well after the junta fell - a claim relatives dispute.

In his book The Silence, Argentine investigative journalist Horacio Verbitsky says the Jesuit leader withdrew his order's protection from Francisco Jalics and Orlando Yorio after the two priests refused to stop visiting slums.

The journalist is close to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who often clashed with Cardinal Bergoglio on social policy.

"He turned priests in during the dictatorship," Verbitsky was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

The man who is now Pope once talked about the two priests to his biographer.

"I warned them to be very careful," he told Rubin. "They were too exposed to the paranoia of the witch hunt. Because they stayed in the barrio, Yorio and Jalics were kid-

napped.''

Both priests were held inside the feared Navy Mechanics School prison. Finally, drugged and blindfolded, they were left in a field by a helicopter.

Orlando Yorio, who reportedly accused Fr Bergoglio of effectively delivering them to the death squads by declining to publicly endorse their work, is now dead.

AP news agency quoted Francisco Jalics as saying on Friday: "It was only years later that we had the opportunity to talk with Fr Bergoglio... to discuss the events.

"Following that, we celebrated Mass publicly together and hugged solemnly. I am reconciled to the events and consider the matter to be closed."

Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for defending human rights during the dictatorship, believes Fr Bergoglio "tried to... help where he could" under the junta.

"It's true that he didn't do what very few bishops did in terms of defending the human rights cause, but it's not right to accuse him of being an accomplice," he told Reuters.

"Bergoglio never turned anyone in, neither was he an accomplice of the dictatorship," Mr Esquivel said.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Page 7

Page 8

Kaieteur News

$108M to fight Tuberculosis, Brucellosis and Rabies To prevent the outbreak of Tuberculosis, Brucellosis and Rabies among livestock in Guyana, Government gave its no objection to the award of a US$541,766 ($108M) contract for the supply, delivery and testing of field supplies.

The body benefiting from this allocation is the Guyana Livestock Development Agency which comes under the purview of the Ministry

of Agriculture.

According to Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, the Ministry has an ongoing campaign to prevent outbreaks of those three diseases. The annual provision helps to keep the diseases under control.

He noted that testing samples of animals across the country is an ongoing process that enables healthy meat on the local market.

Andriska Inniss, an 18year-old of Lot 371 North East LaPenitence, appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court to answer to the charge of damage to property.

According to police reports, Her 44-year-old lover, Shawn Bristol, who lives at 379 North East La Penitence, reported that on March 13, he ended the relationship when the defendant allegedly told him “ She aint tekkin leff. It ain’t finishing like duh.”

He then parked his car, HC783 outside on the public

road and went into his home.

A few minutes later, he noticed that the defendant was scratching the right side car door and the bonnet with an object. Later, he discovered that she had punctured the front tyres of the car.

He said that the damage cost $124,650. The matter was reported to the East LaPenitence station and the defendant was arrested, cautioned and told of the offense.

Inniss who pleaded not guilty was granted bail in the sum of $100,000 and ordered to return court on March 18.

The ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will hold its Congress from August 2 to August 4 in Berbice, the party announced yesterday.

The Congress is the highest decision body of the party and would be held at the J.C Chandisingh Secondary School in Berbice.

This is the first Congress the party would be holding without the presence of one of the Jagans – Cheddi and Janet- the main forces behind

the founding of the party in 1950. The Congress is held every three years. The last Congress was held in 2008 when former President Janet Jagan was still alive. She died the following year.

A Congress should have been held last year but was cancelled.

Clement Rohee, a member of the central executive committee, has been named the chairman of the organising committee for the congress.

Saturday March 16, 2013

Foreign NGO builds community centre in Festival City

“Broken Hearted”18year-old damages her 44-year-old lover’s car

PPP Congress set for August

Hard at work The Festival City Youth and Prayer organization, a community based Non Governmental Organization (NGO), is well on its way to acquiring its own community center.

The building, which is being erected in Williamstaad Street, Festival City, is a gift from a US Connecticut-based organization, Builders Beyond Borders (BBB).

BBB is also an NGO with mission statement being “Building character, responsibility and leadership by engaging high school students in local and global community service.”

Kaieteur News understands that the Festival City Youth and Prayer organization had expressed, in writing, its need for a building in the community where residents could get

together for meetings, clinics, classes, sporting, cultural events, and training.

A proposal was sent to and approved by head of the BBB. Now, BBB in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, is building the centre. The community group, FCYPO consists of parents and other community members that are very invested in seeing the youth and old alike of Festival City having a “safe and inviting centre where they can gather.” Habitat for Humanity is slated to develop its first Resource Centre in the currently constructing building to give oversight to programs, maintenance and sustainability in Festival City.

This group of BBB members, consisting of 29 high school students and nine adults, marks the second that

have travelled to Guyana for the sole purpose of community service.

This publication was made to understand, that the volunteers individually raised their individual passage through lobbying for donations and small scale sales. The current group of high school students consists of freshmen students and, seniors aged 14 to 18, of Green Farms Academy located in Connecticut; they are only in Guyana for one week.

Contractors are slated to continue works after the group would have departed.

Nevertheless, the last group of volunteers is set to come in April and the official handing over is slated for April.

BBB, with motto to build, serve and inspire, visited

about 18 countries including Cuba and Costa Rica to undertake similar works.

Member of the visiting organization, Sasha Samuel, told Kaieteur News that her organization found Guyana’s culture very interesting and that she is proud to help “build a better world” for Guyanese youths.

The group’s plan is to work on five projects – three on the Essequibo Coast, one near Georgetown (Festival City) and one in the Berbice region.

Two teams were originally set for March to complete the Bridge in Berbice. And two teams in April to complete the other two projects. “Funding for these projects comes from the money students raise to participate in the B3 programme.”

(Abena Rockcliffe)

Immigration INFO Immigration News For Our Community Through this “Question & Answer” column, our goal is to answer your immigration questions. We appreciate your comments and questions. If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, please email: Gail@GailLaw.com.

Question #1: I would like to know about my visa. My mom is a U.S. citizen and she sponsored me and my wife in March 2011. How long do we have to wait for our visa? My mom is in New York.

Answer #1: Assuming you are legally married, then your petition is considered Family 3rd preference (married child of a U.S. citizen) and visas are available for petitions filed on or before July 2002. So, unfortunately, you have about a nine-year wait for visa availability.

Question #2: I migrated to the US permanently in 2009

and returned to live in Guyana three years later. Can you tell me what are my options regarding retaining my residency. I plan to return to the US within six months but don’t know my options. My son aged 11 also migrated with me but returned here in the second year to go to school (his mother lives in Guyana) since it was really hard for us. He has returned to the U.S. every August and spent the two months there and returned to Guyana to go to school.

Answer #2: If you and your son are both permanent residents, then you need to be living in the U.S. or you are at risk to have your permanent residency status or green card taken away. U.S. Custom and Border Protection has increasingly become strict about permanent residents who are not living in the U.S. and rather just

Attorney Gail S. Seeram, visiting the U.S. for two to three months in a year.

Question #3: I had a tenyear visa for the United States, six years ago. Because of an unregistered marriage certificate, the embassy revoked my visa. I would like to know what should I do to

retain my visa?

Answer #3: The U.S. Embassy has the discretion to revoke non-immigrant visas such as a tourist visa and unfortunately; there is no appeal process. One common ground for revocation is misrepresentation or fraud in obtaining the non-immigrant visa.

Question #4: I came into the United States as a permanent resident six months ago I would like to go back and marry my boyfriend of ten years and file for him.

How long would it take for him to get a visa?

Answer #4: Currently, under the Family 2A preference (spouse of a permanent resident) visas are available for petitions filed on or before December 2010. So, right now it’s about a two to three-year wait or processing time for immigrant visa.

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 9

School kids do not need cell phones I see no reason why any schoolchild should have need for a cellular phone while in school. For what possible reason does a child need a cell phone while in school?

Over the past few days I have been soliciting the views of children as to the need for this device. Most of them that I have spoken to, not surprisingly, indicated that a cellular phone is very much necessary, but very few could articulate convincing arguments in support of their contention.

One of the main reasons given is that in case of an emergency, they can call their parents. I asked one child how often such emergencies arise and was told that there are always emergencies.

School life must be becoming more dangerous for there to be emergencies all the time. I have never had an emergency at school, which required me to leave school to go home, and of the hundreds of children that were my classmates there was never any emergency, which could not have been resolved without the use of a telephone.

In fact, there were no telephones in those days.

Many schools have telephones and even if there is none, some teacher can always have access to a telephone to make a call in case of an emergency.

Children therefore should not

have to take a cell phone to school because of an emergency.

In addition, having such phones on their person attracts the attention of those who may wish to deprive the children of their valued possession. Many school children have been robbed of their cell phones.

Another reason given by students is that they have to attend lessons and they need the cell phones to call taxis or to let their parents know where they are. These kids today must be rich to be going to lessons with taxis and certainly if they are required to go to lessons, and do so, their parents would not need to contact them to confirm this.

The cell phone has its uses. But it has passed the point where it creates marginal efficiencies. It does, however, provide some conveniences in contacting persons wherever they may be, but I doubt whether the increased utility this provides is offset by the cost involved.

Cell phones are a fashion fad. Many persons have because it is in vogue and they feel they should have it.

It is just like the fancy footwear, which children used to wear at one time to school and which caused so many problems.

Poor children felt ashamed that they could not afford these expensive footwear,

Dem boys seh...

Jagdeo people preparing fuh defend he De bandits get ketch again. And is not de regular bandits who police does hunt. De police frighten this set because all of dem is big ones. Dem is de people who hold Government office. De main one is Jagdeo and he laughing all de time. He think he smart everybody when he share out dem radio licence.

De man select de people who he had to give because he want to shut down all who does criticize he and de government. He decide that de best way to mek sure that only he voice people hear was to give he friends de radio station.

All who is he friend and powerful he give five channels suh dem can send dem signal right across de country. He know that de private media can only reach a certain section.

Newspaper got de reach but is not everybody can read. But everybody can hear. And this is why Jagdeo mek sure that he friends and he party get de radio.

Is only Donald couldn’t see that because he eye fasten under de cow tail. But he can hear and he now hearing how people feel bout de radio channel wha Jagdeo give away. He now know why people never trust Jagdeo. He sit down wid Hoyte and promise that nobody gun get radio or TV till dem set up a broadcast authority.

Hoyte lef de meeting but he seh that he don’t think he can trust Jagdeo. Hoyte now turning in he grave. Before he dead people beg he fuh trust Jagdeo and he try. That is why he dead. He try fuh do de impossible.

Jagdeo do exactly wha he promise he wouldn’t do. He share out radio and TV licence but he share to he friends and he family. De few people who like a sport, he give dem one one fuh broadcast in dem village. And dem smile. He friends can broadcast to de whole country but not dem other people who look like Hoyte.

And Donald ain’t see this.

Talk half and light fire under Donald tail

which were being displayed by their peers and this created a lot of pressure on the children, so much so that one child killed herself because her parents mistakenly purchased the wrong brand of shoes for her.

The rat race over who has the latest or more expensive cell phones is also a problem today. Some kids want the latest and most expensive phones simply because they do not wish to have their friends laugh at them in school.

This creates its own pressures and even forces some children to demand more than their parents can afford.

For this reason alone, the ban on cell phones in schools

is fully justified. It will cause the same problems as occurred when children were allowed to wear whatever footwear they pleased.

Those who could have afforded the brand name shoes sported these and the other kids felt pressured to keep up. This is not good for the school environment.

Cell phones are also distractive. And this is one of the main reasons why they are outlawed from the classroom.

I can understand the distraction that can be caused if in the middle of a class a cell phone rings.

The phones can also be distractive outside of the classroom. One child told me that she used her phone to

call one of her friends within the same school, but only during the lunch periods or after school.

That constitutes wasted time because why would you have to use a cell phone to call another student in another class.

All those schools, which have therefore banned cell phones, are in order. Students should not have cell phones in their possession. There is no need for them within the school.

It is however wrong to expel a child for the possession of a cell phone.

There are ways to punish a child for a cell phone other than expulsion. The phone may be seized and returned to the parents at the end of

the week or at the end of the term.

But no child deserves to be expelled because of the possession of a cell phone.

A great deal of harm is done to a child who is expelled and when one is thus considering such punishment, one should also consider the possible mental and emotional damage which can be done to the child.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Date of budget presentation unknown - But will be before end of month Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, is yet to announce a date for the presentation of the National Budget 2013. However, the Budget is expected to be laid in the National Assembly before the end of this month.

According to Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, during post-Cabinet press briefing, the document financing policies and programmes of Government and Ministries and Departments would be presented within 90 days of the beginning of the fiscal year.

“I am certain that we are all aware that the week of March 25, is the last week within which the statutory obligation could be or must be realized. It is a week that sees a number of religious holidays and it does indeed limit the Minister of Finance

a specific day on which the date of decision and presentation,” Dr. Luncheon said.

President Ramotar at a recent forum in Region Six enlightened that the Budget document include plans to revamp the cash-strapped National Insurance Scheme (NIS); re-launch the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CR&MA); and online courses for the University of Guyana.

While, the preparation of the Budget is primarily a Government task, the Alliance for Change (AFC), that has seven seats in the National Assembly has voiced its displeasure about consultations and input into the budget planning. The party is already hinting that there could be a repeat of last year’s budget cuts to this year’s budget.

However, the Opposition may not be able to ‘cut’ the bud g e t s i n c e t h e C h i e f Justice had ruled that the National Assembly can approve or disapprove of the budget, but not cut it.

As such, the $21B deleted by the Opposition during the Budget Debate in 2012 was restored by Government.

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, during an interview with Kaieteur News had stated that he gave Ramotar a proposal outlining items the party wants considered during the budget preparation.

These include the procurement commission, reduction of Berbice River Bridge tolls; Public servants’ salary increases; and rice— better cultivation and drainage and irrigation systems.

- By Kerry-Ann Tracey, Norman Manley Law School Mr. Ramnarine Somrah joined the Guyana Police Force as a constable in 1965.

He was appointed Inspector of Police in 1986.

The Police Service Commission dismissed him from the Force in 1989 for being absent from duty.

He took the matter to court and the dismissal order was quashed but no order was made for his reinstatement to the Police Force.

Following this decision he brought another action that he be reinstated to the Force but this was dismissed. Undaunted by this decision he brought a third action for constitutional redress.

In this action the court ruled that he was entitled to salary, pension and gratuity payments.

The Police Service

Commission appealed this decision to the Guyana Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal granted the Commission’s appeal and ordered that Mr. Somrah be paid pension benefits calculated on the basis of 14 years of service.

It is this decision that sparked Mr. Somrah’s application for special leave to appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Mr. Somrah filed his application at the CCJ outside the deadline.

His lawyer therefore had to apply for an extension of time. Although his reasons for seeking an extension of time were rejected by the CCJ, the application did not fail because the case revealed that the Court of Appeal had made a mathematical error in calculating his pensionable years.

To guard against this miscarriage of justice the CCJ granted special leave.

Given that there was an

error in the pension calculations the CCJ decided that in the circumstances it was just to grant the appeal because of the Court of Appeal’s error.

However, the CCJ ruled that Mr. Somrah “did not have an arguable case” regarding his claim that he was wrongfully or unfairly dismissed by the Police Services Commission.

The CCJ stated that Mr. Somrah should have raised all his constitutional challenges in his second lawsuit rather than seek to bring a third lawsuit raising constitutional issues concerning the same dismissal.

The Court ruled that the former Inspector should receive pension and other superannuation benefits calculated on the basis of 24 years of service. Costs of $200,000 were also ordered to be paid by the Police Service Commission and the Attorney General.

Police acting on information on Thursday March 14, descended on a house at Wapping Lane, New Amsterdam, and after searching the premises unearthed a quantity of cocaine hidden in the defendant toilet.

The man, Wayne James, 33, who told the court that he is a married father of one, gave his address as West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

He also told the court that he is a security guard with a big security firm and he had come to Berbice to visit his cousin.

Prosecutor sergeant Phillip Sheriff informed the court that on the day in question the police, after receiving information and conducting a surveillance, noticed the accused in the premises making a steady trip to the toilet, after each visit

by numerous persons.

The police moved in and after conducting an intensive search they unearthed the drugs hidden in a toilet of the defendant’s home.

He was arrested and charged.

He appeared in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court before magistrate Adela Nagamootoo and was remanded to jail. His next court date is March 22.

CCJ awards pension benefits to dismissed Police Inspector

Frequent visit to toilet led police to cocaine hideout

Page 11

US Embassy announces critical changes to nonimmigrant visa application The U.S. Embassy in Georgetown has announced changes to its non-immigrant visa application and appointment process.

Starting yesterday, Computer Services Corporation (CSC), under a contract with the United States Department of State, will be providing some key visa application services, the embassy said in a statement.

Applicants will now have to pay their nonimmigrant visa application fees at any branch of Bank of Baroda and schedule their interview appointments through

CSC, either online or by telephone.

“Applicants with questions about the new process will be able to call CSC’s call centre, using a local number,” the embassy said.

Details on how to apply for a non-immigrant visa to the United States, persons can visit http://usvisainfo.com or call 225-8732.

“The U.S. Embassy’s nonimmigrant visa “How to Apply” web page will have a link to the appointment website.”

The embassy said that applicants and their family

members can also call 703439-2359, a call centre in the US. The call center can also be reached through Skype using usvisaguyana.

The embassy noted that an online visa application must be completed at https:// ceac.state.gov/genniv/ and the required visa application fees must be paid in Guyana dollars at any Bank of Baroda location before an appointment can be scheduled. Applicants may visit http://usvisa-info.com for further instructions.

The statement also said that the current application fees will remain in effect.

Eon Williams, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice was sentenced to a three-year jail term and fined an additionally $10,000 with an alternative of a further three weeks in jail by magistrate Adela Nagamootoo when he appeared before her at the New Amsterdam magistrate’s court and pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. On Friday March 8, the police were on mobile

patrol in the Angoy’s Avenue area when they noticed Williams leaving a shop.

Upon seeing the cops he retreated into the shop and made a dash for it through a back entrance. He was chased by the police and subsequently apprehended with a black plastic bag in his hand. He had tried to discard the bag. The contents of the bag were checked and what appeared to be leaves seeds and stems of the marijuana plant were found inside. He

was taken into custody and the contents of the bag was checked and weighed and was found to be 33 grams of marijuana.

He was charged. After the charge was read he was asked if he had anything to say. The accused told the court, “Them think them smart. I ain’t able waste time in remand and all a dat. When they done they gone still lie and jail you.

You can’t win then you cant beat them. Whatever them say is dat.”

Drug dealer jailed fined

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Magistrate orders woman, Mom of slain Guyanese children to remain out of house boy calls for peace …after three days of violent protests New York (New York Daily News) - The heartbroken mother of the Brooklyn teen killed in a confrontation with cops called for calm on Thursday after three nights of violent protests rocked her East Flatbush neighbourhood.

“I don’t condone any riots, any looting, any shooting, anything against any police officers,” said a tearful Carol Gray, whose 16year-old son Kimani Gray was killed Saturday night. Gray is said to be of Guyanese and Jamaican descent.

“Two police officers shot down Kimani and I only want justice for two police officers to be off the street before they hurt another young kid.”

Gray, dressed from head to toe in black, denied that Kimani was a member of the Bloods street gang — as police contend — but conceded he wasn’t “everybody’s angel.”

Kimani’s death outraged many residents, who have long complained about heavy-handed police tactics that target young black men.

For three straight nights, vigils in Kimani’s memory

Dead: Kimani Gray have ended in street battles resulting in nearly 50 arrests.

A few dozen people gathered Thursday night, but things were calm.

“Anytime a teenager is killed, it really is a tragedy — for the teenager, for the teenager’s family, for the entire community,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “But the way to get answers is not through violence or law breaking.”

City Councilman Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn) said the neighborhood was a “powder keg” ready to blow and demanded the Brooklyn

district attorney investigate Kimani’s death.

Police contend Kimani was shot by two plainclothes officers after he pointed a gun at them. A loaded .38-caliber revolver was found at the scene. But Gray’s lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery, denied that account, citing the autopsy report, which showed that three of the seven bullets that killed Kimani hit him in the back.

“He runs from the police then decides to turn around and point a gun? It doesn’t make sense,” he said.

A domestic dispute took an unlikely turn on Wednesday when a magistrate ordered a woman and her two children to remain out of their Charity, Essequibo residence.

Attempts to persuade Magistrate Sunil Scarce to let them remain in the house because of its proximity to the children’s school and the woman’s place of work, and the fact that the woman has no relatives on the Essequibo Coast failed.

This decision by the Magistrate has enraged some legal practitioners.

The woman and her two children have since moved to Georgetown where they are residing with a relative.

However, the property from which they have been evicted

is owned by the woman and her husband.

According to the woman, she and her husband have been married for the past 15 years. The woman claimed that her husband has a history of being unfaithful and his recent alleged sexual relationship with an employee caused the current dispute.

She related that upon confronting her husband on the issue he became abusive and there she took the decision to end the marriage.

The woman obtained legal advice from Legal Aid and sought protection and occupation orders.

Trying to safeguard herself and children, the woman spent Tuesday night by a stranger in Lima.

However, during the Court

proceedings the following day only the protection order was taken into consideration.

Her husband was ordered to stay 300 feet away from her and the children. But, the woman and her children were the ones ordered out the house.

The woman claimed that she pleaded with the Court to overturn that decision since she only spent the night in Lima for safety.

She further claimed that her husband withdrew all the money from the bank account.

As such, she would have to borrow money to travel to Essequibo on Monday for the next court hearing. In addition, she does not have money to purchase food and her children are not going to school.

Muse or Amuse: Cashflows Cash is critical to any organization, be it business, government or the church. It is where they keep the cash that is the thing to worry about.

A little news item escaped everyone’s attention. But it is a significant piece of news.

The US authorities signaled their unhappiness with Guyana’s attitude (or lack of) to money laundering – and the Guyana Government couldn’t care less. What many people don’t know is that the Guyana Government couldn’t care more! They care so much that there is an obvious attempt to ensure that the loopholes are maintained!

People are washing money all over Guyana.

Parliamentarians get huge tracts of land and wash money on it. Drug people get huge tracts of land and wash money with it. Politicians get

land too. So, the washing is taking place all over the country and the government, in many cases dare not care about it since they do everything to facilitate it.

Buildings are going up all over the place, washing money; hotels are going up, washing money; casinos going up, washing money; expositions are held, washing money; hospitals going up, washing money; airlines going up (or down) washing money; newspapers going up, washing money.

Televisions channels are now washing money, radio stations are washing money as well. And coming soon, a new bank will be launched to wash the money legal-wise.

Tell everyone, everyone in Guyana, you need to know that you need to wash fastfast. Soon as the bank is established, the initial first year free-for-all-wash will take

to hide the big washes - place and then bam! Door closed.

Laundry shut-down.

And this door won’t be like that koker door that was blown away, no thanks to Benn’s Works.

Billions of dollars in contracts and thievery has to end up somewhere, in some legalized system.

So the USA picked up on a problem. We know that the problem is sustained by people in high places who have money in high numbers.

Wash wash wash…..let’s hope some of the water from the Atlantic, oops the laundry reaches Uncle Donald’s face so that he wakes up and smell the coffee before it’s too late.

And talking about smells, what’s that smell in certain parts of Guyana? Oho it’s the money, unwashed, stacked away, washing slowly slowly.

Big brother watching and we are not amused.

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 13

US-based Guyanese student spearheads more outreach programmes in Grove

Two of the ten participants repainting the swings at Campbell’s Trust Nursery Instead of partaking in the typical American Spring break of intense partying sessions, some students of the Florida International University chose to have an “Alternative Spring Break”.

Their aim for this period is to make a difference in the lives of the little ones at Campbell’s Trust Nursery School in Grove, East Bank Demerara, by giving their school a facelift and upgrading their playground.

“We are painting the building; we filled the yard

with sand. We plan on cultivating a nice kitchen garden; we’re going to build a tyre swing; so yeah, there’s a lot to be done,” Onica Charles, Guyanese Founder/ CEO of the International Children’s Outreach (ICO) said.

Charles said that the activity has seen support from villagers, some of whom provided the necessary equipment (Shovels, spades, wheelbarrows), while some of the young men assisted with the “hard labour”.

The group of nine poses for a photo. Absent is Onica Charles The 29-year-old former St. Joseph High School student added that she believes that one should not forget where he or she comes from. She explained that while her charity caters for children all around the world, she ensures that every year, Guyana also benefits.

In addition to the facelift, the nine participants of the programme will also be handing out parcels containing household necessities to families in the community.

“We have some items on hand, so when we finish the school, we will be walking around the community to hand out these parcels,” Charles said.

The young woman added that following this, she and the nine other participants who are also her fellow classmates will be hosting a fun day.

“After we finish, we plan on having a fun day where the students can have ice cream and other goodies while they play on their newly

refurbished playground.”

Charles who attended both the Campbell’s Trust Nursery and Grove Primary Schools also spearheaded a community development project, last year. Among some of the work done then, was the renovation of the Grove Primary School’s library.

She noted that when the group leaves Guyana this weekend, the members will be going to Jamaica and South Africa for other outreach programmes.

Meanwhile, Kaieteur News understands that ICO also has plans to establish a community centre in Grove.

“We are in the process of having a community centre at the Nazarene Church which is in the last street in Grove. We are redoing the entire bottom of the church and converting it into a community centre solely for school kids. Our plan is also to put in computers to assist in their learning and even setting up free Wi-Fi internet for the systems,” Charles had said.

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 15

Pomeroon boat accident sparks protest

Late night courting leaves man hospitalized The injured 21year-old, Jamaul McNeil

Families and members of the Alliance For Change conducted a peaceful protest, outside the Region Two Administration compound, in solidarity with the victims’ families, who perished last December in the tragic Pomeroon boat accident.

That accident claimed six lives — three adults and three children.

The protest was aimed at primarily lobbying for assistance, both financial and social, from the Government and from senior members of the Region Two Administration.

The protesters included Chairman of AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, who stood in

solidarity with the protesters displayed placards proclaiming “I am the lone survivor;” “God saved me”; “Our president lied to us;” and “we know the Murderers.”

Ramjattan said that while he felt a sense of human compassion to support the grieving families, he felt that a lot more should have been done, especially by the Region Two Administration and the Government.

The preliminary inquiry into the matter began earlier this month. Seerie Singh, who lost two of his young children, Rajkumar and Amrita Singh, on December 18, began his testimony at the Charity

Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Sunil Scarce.

The lone survivor, 12year-old Ornan Rodriguez, has since develop complications from his head injuries.

His uncle and now guardian, Sherman Lyght, said the child’s head is inflamed but efforts to seek medical care have been hampered by financial constraints.

Boat driver, Harrynarine Bhagwandeen, his cousin Vincent Singh, Zelda Rodriguez, her son Shawn Rodriguez, Rajkumar and his sister Amrita, all died after the boat that was transporting them to Adams Creek, in the

Pomeroon River, on December 18, last, was run over by a boat belonging to the Region Two Administration.

The Region Two boat was being piloted by Hypitall Ramdahin, a/k “Buddy.”

Ramdahin, who was transporting members of the One Lap Top Per Family programme, Persaud and his wife. There boat was heading in the opposition direction.

Ramdahin has being charged with one count of manslaughter and is currently on $600.000 bail. He is being represented by a lawyer provided by the Region Two Administration, Pragaaj Huckhumchand.

Chief Justice, Ian Chang, has quashed a decision of the Dental Council to suspend the licence of Cuban dentist Ruben Dario Mercado Navas.

Chang granted an Order of Rule Nisi of Certiorari quashing the decision of the Council to suspend the dentist for three months effective March 1, 2013.

The Chief Justice ruled that the decision of the Council was unreasonable, arbitrary, oppressive and was in breach of the dentist’s fundamental right to work as guaranteed under the constitution of Guyana.

As a result, the Chief Justice compelled the Council to register Dr Mercado for this year. The Chief Justice also blocked the Council from placing advertisements in the newspaper announcing that the dentist has been suspended from practice.

Dr Mercado, of Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown is a Guyanese by way of naturalization. He has been practising dentistry since 1996 and operates from Kit Singh Dental Clinic of Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara,.

The Dental Council is expected to respond on March 14.

The matter surrounds the

death of Lawrence Gopaul, a tooth extract patient Dr Mercado had seen and who subsequently died after being seen at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The man had visited the lab on April 4, 2012 complaining of a toothache and requesting that an extraction of the affected tooth be done.

The doctor claims that said patient was required to fill out and sign an information form stating general information about himself, nature of the problem and any previous medical condition that he may have which could affect any dental operation.

After examining the patient, the dentist said he discovered a cavity on one of the patient’s molar teeth and recommended to him that he would be able to save the tooth by performing a root canal.

However, the dentist claims that the patient insisted on having the tooth extracted.

The dentist said he administered the requisite dental anesthesia to the patient and thereafter, the extraction was performed. The dentist said it was a routine extraction, without any

complication, and with minimal bleeding.

Dr Mercado said he has performed thousands of extractions and the said extraction was no different from the others.

He said the patient was then advised not to eat any solid food for the next hours, to periodically gargle with warm water and he was also given Paracetamol to assist with the pain.

He said that the following day, the patient and his mother visited Kit Singh Dental Clinic – Lab, and informed him that he was experiencing bleeding of the gum from where the tooth was extracted. The dentist said he proceeded to examine the patient, and did not find any evidence of bleeding; the gum was just swollen and sore. The dentist said that the patient’s mother informed me that he was gargling with salt water instead of warm water and he was advised against doing so.

Dr Mercado claimed that he prescribed for the patient a dosage of antibiotic, amoxicillin 500 mg, for one week to prevent any infection of the gum and advised the patient to visit the clinic if he had any other problems.

The dentist said that he never heard from or saw the patient again, but that approximately two to three weeks thereafter, the patient’s sister telephoned the clinic to say the patient passed away at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

The dentist said that he and his employer, Cobeer Persaud, made inquiries at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation to ascertain the cause of death of the said patient, but no information was released about the cause of death because they were not relatives of the deceased and that the information requested was confidential.

He said he heard nothing further from any other relative of the deceased patient.

He said he subsequently learnt from newspaper articles that Gopaul had died of haemorrhaging and a blood clot to his brain.

Dr Mercado said that he has been practicing dentistry for 20 years and this is the first time that such an unfortunate event has occurred and that from a medical point of view there is absolutely no connection or nexus between the tooth extraction and the sudden death of Gopaul.

Chief Justice orders Dental Council to license suspended Cuban dentist

Jamaul McNeil, 21, remains a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s High Dependency Unit after he was shot in the leg on Sunday night last following a “courting session” he had with a young female.

According to McNeil, he left his West Ruimveldt Front Road home to go to a nearby internet café, but before he got there, the presence of a “nice girl” caught his attention.

“I see her standing up by she self, and was a nice girl, so I was hustling she li’l bit, and she did like it. And after li’l time, the two of we start gaffing.

Then and we decide to tek a walk. Was like around 10, and we did walking down the road courting each other for about a half an hour,” McNeil said.

The young man added that soon after, the young lady said that she had to go home, so he decided to walk her there, as it was about an hour to midnight.

While walking down Front Road, McNeil explained that the girl asked that instead of continuing down that path, they use the nearby Avenue, since it would allow them much more “privacy”. McNeil said that being a man, he did not object, and went ahead.

“Before we go on the Avenue, I buy her a juice, and like she did think that I was rich. Is when she try to hold onto me wallet, that I kind of think twice. But since I barely had over a $500 and all, I didn’t give she”.

McNeil furthered that

while walking through the Avenue, they saw two men on their bikes riding towards them, and the girl began to panic, saying that it might be her cousins who might’ve been looking for her.

“Before I could really react to the men them coming, she did done gone and hide.

But the men didn’t do anything, they just ride and gone them ways,” the man said Shortly after, McNeil said that the men returned. And again, before he realized that they were even coming, the girl vanished.

The former Lindener told this publication that the men did not just ride away this time, but began demanding that he give them his possession.

“After they start chucking and roughing me up, I started calling out to me uncle. From where I went, he could hear me, but it got a trench that he would’ve had to cross to get to me. But never mind that, he come out ah the house and like them get scared, so one ah them holler and said we got to finish this boy. Is then I hear the gunshot and realize that these men had a gun,” McNeil explained.

He noted that although he had been hurt, he was able to make his way onto Front Road where he was given some assistance, and transported to the GPHC on a motorcycle.

McNeil said that on the following day, he learnt from neighbours that the girl he was with, is known for setting men up to be robbed. The matter is currently under investigations.

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Health Ministry collaborating to combat gastro outbreak – Health Minister An intensified response to the gastroenteritis outbreak in sections of Region One has seen the Ministry of Health seeking to collaborate with a number of agencies, said Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran.

His comments came when he convened a press conference at Ramphal House, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, on Wednesday.

Among those on board the operation are the Ministries of Local Government and Regional Development and Housing and Water. The other agencies include the Civil Defence Commission, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Food and Drug Department, the National Public Health Reference Centre and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Since the outbreak, which was highlighted in the media recently, the Ministry of Health has been on high alert and according to Minister Ramsaran “teams visited and

conducted several community meetings...all of the affected communities were visited and a team headed by Dr Maurice Edwards briefed residents and of course certain supplies were passed out,” said Minister Ramsaran.

Residents of the affected communities were furnished with Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) and they were taught how to use them.

This was done even as the Chief Medical Officer gears to create a formal Task Force which will include the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the Local Government Ministry, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Guyana Forestry Commission.

This Task Force, according to Minister Ramsaran, will also solicit the support of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association, the Guyana Forestry Producers Association and the Women’s Miners Organisation. There is also expected to be collaboration with the Ministry of

Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud, (fourth and fifth from right respectively) are flanked by other health officials during Wednesday’s press conference.

Education, informed the Minister.

Recounting the genesis of the outbreak, the Chief M e d i c a l O ff i c e r, D r Shamdeo Persaud, reported that the Health Ministry has an ongoing surveillance system that routinely collects, on a weekly basis, information on all the surfacing syndromes.

And according to Dr Persaud while from the start of the year the situation was pretty much stable, it was

around week six, that is, the second week of February that an increase in gastroenteritis cases was noticed.

As a result, on February 20, 2013, an evaluation was done by the Regional Health Officer, Dr Nigel Langhorne, who observed that the cases were clustered in a section of the locale of Sebai; hence teams from Georgetown were dispatched.

It was soon discovered that the outbreak was linked to the water and soon after communities closer to Port Kaituma started to report an increased number of cases also.

“By week seven going into week eight there were cases reported from the wider Port Kaituma area and the cases in Sebai increased by then to more than 75 per cent of what was expected,” disclosed Dr Persaud.

Considering the period under review, the Chief Medical Officer informed that a total of 44 cases were reported from the Sebai Health post, 112 cases from the Central Port Kaituma area;

and in the town about 96 cases were reported. As at the start of this week there were reports of at least three deaths of children.

Moreover, health teams had also taken samples from wells and river sources and all of the water samples were found to be unacceptable even those taken from the solar powered well at Sebai, the Chief Medical Officer informed.

“The contamination was quite extensive...both faecal coliforms and E. Coli were present meaning there were contamination from human waste.”

The sanitary conditions in the affected communities were also assessed and together with the Environmental Unit from the Ministry of Health and the Regional Environmental Health Officer they were able to determine the state of the disposal of garbage were unacceptable.

On several occasions health officers reported that persons were observed dumping garbage into the

river as a means of disposal.

Currently, there exists a location in Port Kaituma for sanitary disposal and the Region also provides some amount of support in terms of removal of garbage.

“In some of these communities there was dumping and burning of garbage at the back of the yard and most of the outlined communities were found to be not so much a garbage issue but more or less the problem with disposal of human waste,” explained Dr Persaud.

He revealed that pit latrines are in close proximity to the river which based on regulations require a certain distance for placement.

Moreover, there will have to be some work in terms of relocating those that are not appropriately placed, he insisted.

This state of affairs is coupled with the fact that the affected communities have a large mobile population thus the need for a constant education effort is required, said Dr Persaud.

‘Missing’ teacher left legally for Suriname

- Returns home safe and unharmed The 37-year-old school teacher who was reported as missing has been reunited with her family. According to Police sources their immigration records showed that Beverly Mc Lean-Cutting left legally through Moleson Creek earlier this week and returned early yesterday morning The woman’s aunt, Pearline Gilkes, said yesterday, that the woman was safe and up to press time was being questioned by police. The woman said that she was not able to speak to her niece but she knew for a fact that she was safe and unharmed.

Initial reports are that Mc Lean-Cutting of Lot 35 John Street, Lodge, was said to

Beverly Mc Lean-Cutting have disappeared without a trace after persons last spotted her in the vicinity of Tucville.

Mc Lean-Cutting, a teacher at the Tucville Secondary School, was last seen on Monday. Her aunt, Pearline Gilkes, had told this publication that the teacher’s husband, Orette Cutting, said he last saw his wife after dropping her off at their son’s babysitter in Tucville around 09:00hours.

It is understood that Cutting, who works a stone’s throw away from her babysitter never reported for work. Staffers of the Tucville School said the teacher had not been seen since Monday, while the baby sitter said that the teacher did in fact drop off her son.

The woman left legally through Moleson Creek and came back this morning

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 17

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Fighting police corruption is a two-way thing - Brumell “The Police Force cannot terminate the services of a member of the Force on a mere report.

Other legal requirements have to kick in.

It is ironic that the very members of the public complaining about police corruption are the ones contributing to this vice.”

The words of Commissioner of Police (ag) during the opening ceremony of this years’ Annual Police Officers’ Conference on Thursday.

Brumell was making direct reference to those persons who shout “police corruption” and yet do not follow up with a statement or attend court or the disciplinary inquiry so that justice can be served.

Brumell lamented that the attitude of some members of the Force towards the public, and the deviant behaviour of some others, particularly corruption, are of concern to his Administration, since they impact negatively on the public trust and confidence and on the image that the force is trying to inculcate.

He added that the Force feels constrained in its efforts to deal with corruption, which he said is mostly “a two-way thing, as invariably members of the public ‘add fuel’ to police corruption by making

Leroy Brumell the approaches in most instances and only report when they fail to get the expected results.”

He explained, though, that the police have been dealing with such matters through its Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) which was recently decentralised to all policing Divisions for greater effect.

During last year, the department received 291 complaints against members of the Force, compared to 244 in 2011.

Complaints arose out of issues related to neglect of duty, assault, and corrupt practices – including demanding money from the public, bartering to forego charges and deliberately staying away from attendance at Court.

According to Brumell, arising out of the investigations, a number of ranks were charged both criminally and departmentally.

He expressed appreciation for support being given by the Ministry of Home Affairs in dealing with police corruption through the establishment of hotlines and email addresses where members of the public can make complaints.

The Acting Top Cop described 2012 as another challenging year for the Guyana Police Force.

He reflected on the challenges issued by President Donald Ramotar during his inaugural address to officers last year and he admitted that the force has not been able to achieve the goals in totality.

The president had challenged the force to improve its image, build trust and confidence with the public, and to root out corruption within the Police Force.

He had also charged officers to become more professional and responsive to the needs of society, to work closer with the community for the suppression of all forms of criminal activities in order to ensure that citizens feel safe

in their legitimate activities to build a country of peace, progress and prosperity.

But despite not achieving the goals, Brumell said, the force is continuing to work assiduously to achieve its mandate in response to those challenges.

“We have intensified our work in crime and traffic…we continue to work on our police/community relations in order to bridge that gap between the police and the public through a number of existing initiatives…

However the work of law enforcement is very dynamic in nature and as such there is always room for improvement,” the Acting Commissioner of Police stated.

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges faced by the force came in the form of the July protests at Linden over the hike in electricity tariff. Three men lost their lives.

A commission of inquiry was set up and after some interesting evidence a report was presented; one that was not too complimentary of the police. Another challenge

was the fatal shooting of Shaquille Grant at Agricola on September 11, last year, for which three police ranks have been charged.

The shooting sparked protests at Agricola during October; the carriageways were blocked and fires lit on the main thoroughfare.

Commuters were stranded for hours and persons were attacked and robbed by criminal elements.

This was followed soon after by the fatal shooting of Damion Belgrave on October 5 outside the White Castle Fish Shop on Hadfield Street. Two police ranks have been charged in this matter.

According to Brumell, the Force’s concept of operations has always been one of minimum force, constrained and guided by Standing Orders as well as the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officers adopted by the UN General Assembly.

“We have on stream a number of training programmes which aim to foster a more professional attitude by ranks. They focus on such areas as conflict

resolution, anger management, dealing with people, and policing a multicultural and diverse society and are designed to act as a catalyst for change in the conduct and behavioural attitude of ranks. However the use of force in police operations will always be a contentious issue,” he said.

The Force also endured difficult moments when the lives of police ranks were snuffed out.

Detective Constable Jirbahan Dianand was shot and killed on September 14 at Moleson Creek – a man has been charged in this matter which is before the courts.

The bodies of Constables Marlon Letlow and Ledon Aaron, who had been shot and killed, were found at Paramakatoi, North Pakaraimas, on October 17 And on February 10 this year, Constable Harold Sukhai was shot and killed during an armed robbery at Tuschen, while on his way back to the Police College.

“While we mourn the loss of our brothers, our resolve remains strong,” the acting commissioner declared.

Chief Co-op Office, Labour Minister, Attorney General jointly sued for $10M - Belle Vue Cane Farmer Society member claims actions unlawful Damages in excess of $10M is being sought from a member of the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd who is jointly suing the Chief Cooperative Development Officer Mr. Abdul Kareem Jabar, the Minister of Labour, Human Services and Social Security Dr. Nanda Gopaul and the Attorney General.

The case is to be heard before Justice Diana Insanally on 19, March, 2013.

According to the Affidavit, the plaintiff Deodat Deokinandan stated that the defendants have no right or authority to deprive him of his right to occupy the lands allotted to him by the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society. Thus, he is seeking $10M damages from the defendants for unlawfully interference with his right to property, distress and consequential.

Deokinandan is also claiming that the intention of the defendants is to take away the lands that are in cultivating mode with bearing sugar cane and hand it over to political adherents.

He is also contending that the defendants have no legal authority to deprive him of membership of the society or the possession of the lands allotted to him by the society.

As such, a declaration

that the suspension of the lawfully elected Committee of Management of the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd. by the Defendants was unlawful. A declaration that the appointment of the Interim Management Committee by the defendants is unlawful. Deodat is one of 17 persons in the society.

The plaintiff who is being represented by Senior Council Bernard De Santos noted that the Management of the Society’s business be returned to its members through a new Management Committee duly elected according to the provision of the Cooperative Societies Act Cap. 88:01. The affidavit further stated that the plaintiff is requesting an injunction restraining the first named Defendants either by himself, his servants and/or agents from dispossessing his lands allotted to him by the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd. in terms of his said letter or otherwise except by due process of an order of a competent court. In addition, to a declaration that the defendant be stopped from interfering unlawfully in the affairs of the Society.

The court document further stated: The Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. has

leased lands owned by it to farmers including 670 acres to the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd. for the production and supply of sugar cane to its factory at Plantation Wales and these lands are allotted to the Members of the said Society.

Over the years several of the Members of the said Cooperative Society have either migrated or otherwise defaulted in the cultivation of their allotments and those lands have become abandoned and overgrown with bush thereby affecting the Society’s production and the income of the financial and producing members.

Several of the defaulting members owed money to the said Cooperative Society for services provided to them and they refused to pay their debts, thereby affecting the viability of the Society.

As a result the husbandry of sugar cane on the Society’s land and maintenance of the waterways and cane punts were adversely affected.

The Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. warned the said Society of the fact that the land leased to it was not being beneficially utilized.

The Plaintiff further stated in the document that he paid to some of the defaulters compensation unlawfully levied against the society by the first and second name defendants, in order to appease those persons.

That compensation was $3.7M.

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Venezuelans flood streets for another Chavez coffin parade

Hugo Chavez CARACAS (Reuters) Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans were on the streets again yesterday at a funeral parade for Hugo Chavez amid opposition protests that the government was exploiting his death for election purposes.

Chavez’s remains were being transported for about 12 miles through Caracas from an army academy to a military museum on a hillside where the former soldier launched his political career with a failed coup in 1992.

The events were the culmination of 10 days of official mourning in the South American OPEC nation led by the flamboyant socialist president for 14 years until his death from cancer.

A state funeral was held a week ago.

“You are a giant,” his daughter Maria Gabriela said in an emotional religious service before the procession began.

“Fly freely and breathe deep with the winds of the hurricane. We will care for your fatherland and defend your legacy. You will never leave, your flame is in our hands.”

Though his remains will for now be placed in the museum on the edge of the populous January 23 neighborhood - arguably the most militantly pro-Chavez zone in the country - there was still doubt over his final resting place.

The government wanted to embalm Chavez “for eternity” in the style of Soviet leaders Lenin and Stalin and China’s Mao. But embarrassingly for Venezuela, officials say the process was started too late and may not

be possible.

Parliament had been due to debate a motion this week to amend the constitution so that Chavez’s body could be buried in the National Pantheon, close to the remains of his idol and South American independence hero Simon Bolivar.

The constitution states that honor can only be accorded to leaders 25 years after their death.

But the debate was delayed amid talk Chavez’s corpse might instead be taken to his hometown Sabaneta, in the Venezuelan “llanos,” or plains, to fulfill his oftstated wish to lie alongside the grandmother who raised him in a mud-floor home.

Crowds of red-shirted “Chavistas” lined the streets for Friday’s parade. Some wore headbands with the name of acting President Nicolas Maduro, who was named by Chavez as his preferred successor. He is running in an April 14 vote.

“Chavez, I promise you, my vote is for Maduro,” read

the headbands, repeating a slogan at pro-government rallies.

“I’ve got 500 and I’m going to sell them all easily.

Chavez left Maduro in charge and he will be president,” said Miguel Angel, 43, selling the headbands.

The opposition, whose presidential candidate Henrique Capriles faces a tough battle to beat M a d u r o amid so much emotion over Chavez, say the government is mawkishly protracting the mourning and exploiting his coffin as a campaign prop.

Capriles, a 40-year-old state governor who views Brazil as his political and economic model, plans to begin campaigning around the country over the weekend.

“We urge those indiscriminately using the president’s name for the capture of votes to halt this perverse method of electoral proselytism,” an opposition communique said.

“Let’s have a decent campaign, without unfair advantages or abuses of power.”

That, many analysts say,

looks unlikely given the government’s vastly superior financial resources and progovernment supporters’ dominance of state institutions.

Fighting back against that impression, however, the government says Capriles is a well-financed puppet of both Venezuela’s powerful

and wealthy elite and the U.S. government.

The deification of Chavez in death has taken surreal turns.

Maduro suggested that in heaven Chavez helped persuade Christ to choose a Latin American pope.

Venezuela boasts the world’s largest oil reserves.

Rich Bermudans to pay higher tax on properties HAMILTON, Bermuda – CMC - Cash-strapped Bermuda, which is in a fouryear recession with a national debt of $1.4 billion, is increasing land taxes on wealthy home owners.

Under legislation approved by the House of Assembly, the Land Tax Amendment Act increases taxes for properties with an annual rental value (ARV) of between US$90,001 and $110,000 from 9.6 per cent to 19.2 per cent, while taxes on properties with an ARV of more than $120,001 will rise from 19.2 per cent to 23 per cent.

Land taxes on all other properties will remain

unchanged.

The increase will comes into effect on July 1.

Finance Minister Bob Richards said the legislation would only affect a small percentage of homeowners and raise millions in revenue for the government.

“This is fair. Those who live in the most expensive homes should pay more land tax than others.”

Shadow Finance Minister David Burt said he was pleasantly surprised, saying there were “a few more places” to look in order to find similarly progressive revenue sources, to which Richards replied “hope springs eternal.”

Page 20

Kaieteur News

‘Do something about corruption’ Trinidad Express Integrity Commission chairman Kenneth Gordon says something has to be done about where Trinidad and Tobago stands on the corruption scale.

However, he does not necessarily accept as accurate what the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has reflected.

The CPI is published annually by Transparency International and ranks countries by their perceived levels of corruption.

Gordon was speaking Thursday at a Declarant Education Seminar, titled “Know Your Forms”, for all newlyappointed members of State boards and statutory enterprises.

The seminar was held at Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain and was aimed at assisting new appointees in the completion of their declaration forms which are required to be submitted annually in accordance with the Integrity in Public Life Act (IPLA).

“Outside there, what we have is a problem of corruption that has said to the world that we are not really at

Kenneth Gordon an impressive level,” Gordon said.

He told the audience, however, that one must bear in mind that what is projected is not necessarily fact.

“Sometimes it is because it (corruption) is being addressed that the perceptions occur. I’m not seeking to defend the rating Trinidad and Tobago got because of any strong arguments to say this is not only perception, this is fact, what I am saying is that we as a Commission must now try to get to the point where we can deal with more than perception.”

Gordon said the Commission

has been greatly stymied by its inability to proceed with enforcement on certain issues as aggressively as it would like.

“The Act makes it clear that we should do certain things. But the Act doesn’t always tell us how those things should be done. The result is that you get to a certain point and then so many things can stymie you.

There are so many side issues.

“You hear sometimes that an issue is before the Commission and it has taken two or three years. First of all, people forget to tell you that there were 13 months when the Commission just sat down and couldn’t do anything because we didn’t have a Commission.

“There are other circumstances whereby someone who wants to drag issues out for a very long period but, because of the limitations of the Act, there is little you can do about it.”

Gordon said the Commission is in the process of preparing a document, for the consideration of Parliament, with recommendations on how the issue of corruption could be aggressively addressed. The Commission has been in existence for 25 years.

Saturday March 16, 2013

St Vincent PM wants Caribbean reparations group established KINGSTOWN, St Vincent - CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is calling on Caribbean countries to establish a regional reparations committee, pledging to spend the rest of his life seeking compensation from the British for land, genocide against the Garifuna, and slavery.

Prime Minister Gonsalves said Cabinet will soon name its reparations committee “But we want to see not only a reparations committee for St. Vincent but we want to see a Caribbean wide reparations committee involving other Caribbean countries. Jamaica has one, Antigua has one, Barbados has recently set up one,” Gonsalves said as the island observed National Heroes Day on Thursday.

Gonsalves, who turns 67 in August, noted that the average lifespan of a Vincentian male is 74 years.

“I have seven more years, to talk like this, with the help of Almighty God, and to demand a proper historical recompense for genocide, for the land, and for African slavery and for us to reclaim our history,” he said at the Wreath-Laying Ceremony in honour of National Hero Joseph Chatoyer.

Gonsalves reaffirmed the position of his government as stated at the United Nations and other fora that it is making a case and a claim for reparation from the British.

“I want to say that the quantification of what we are owed as reparations that quantification has to be

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves complete with the appropriate technical work.”

He noted that in the 18th Century the British took 90,000 acres of land from the Garifuna, the original inhabitants of St. Vincent.

“Imagine the price of 90,000 acres of land (today). Even if you valued it then for 100 pounds an acre, you are talking about EC$500 million (One EC Dollar = US$0.37 cents) for the land, [at] the least. And then, what value you are going to put on people’s lives? That’s a number we will have to talk about,” he said.

He noted that at Emancipation the British gave slave owners in the British Caribbean 20 million pounds One British Pound =US$1.38 cents).

Prime Minister Gonsalves said a recent study by a British scholar concluded that 20 million pounds then is about 16.58 billion pounds now.

“Just forgetting for a moment the institution of

slavery itself, that’s what they paid the owners of the slaves.

If you take half of that representing for the Caribbean, you are talking about 8.25 billion pounds for the English speaking Caribbean,” Gonsalves said, adding that the figure is about EC$40 billion.

“Great homes in England — lord this and lord that — were financed by the compensation money for the slaves. So when I talk like this you, you have some people saying Ralph (is)] against the British. “I have nothing against the British. I have nothing but admiration for the British and their achievement but there are some things for which we must take account.”

He said that some people argue that the British gives aid to St. Vincent.

“Well, I rather they give me that (reparation) than give me some aid. I rather we settle that. This is a matter which can’t be settled in law court.

But this is a matter where, politically, we have to raise our voices,” Gonsalves said.

He said he expects “those who have suffered from French and Spanish colonialism to make those same claims against the relevant or appropriate European powers”.

Last month, Principal of the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Sir Hilary Beckles, called on Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to begin efforts aimed at seeking some form of reparation from Western countries for slavery.

Barbados to hold public dialogue on death penalty The Barbados government says it will hold public dialogue on the death penalty before any decision is made on the issue.

Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite, who met with Baroness Patricia Scotland of Asthal of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group and former President of Switzerland and member of the International Commission against the Death Penalty, Madame Ruth Dreifuss, said that any decision to have a moratorium on the death penalty until the conclusion of those dialogues was one that would have to be made

by Cabinet.

Brathwaite said he was concerned about the matter, and intended to lead debate on the issue. In the interim, he said there was a recognised link between poverty and

Adriel Brathwaite crime, domestic violence and murders. “The goal is to reduce the incidents of domestic violence, murder and the crime rate in this country,” Brathwaite added.

He said in order to make this a reality reforms to the Juvenile Justice System, the Domestic Violence Legislation

and Family Law were high on the agenda.

However, he made it clear that he was not saying the ultimate goal would be the abolition of the death penalty.

Baroness Scotland said that records indicated that for states which had abolished to the death penalty, the murder rate dropped, while those who retained it saw the murder rate continuing to escalate. She added that there were also financial benefits of abolishing the death penalty.

Madam Dreifuss also pledged to give assistance where required to support the debate and to bring ideas on board.

Barbados has continued to vote against the biennial UN General Assembly resolution on the moratorium on the use of the death penalty. (CBC)

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Jamaican mother of youth shot dead by New York cops calls for peace after violent protests NEW YORK, United States - CMC – The Jamaicanborn mother of a 16-year-old youth, who was shot and killed by police, is appealing for an end to the violent protests in the predominantly Caribbean district of East Flatbush, Brooklyn.

“I don’t condone any riots, any looting, any shooting, anything against any police officers,” said Carol Gray, whose son, Kimani “Kiki” Gray was killed on Saturday night.

Police claimed that Kimani, whose father is Guyanese, had pointed a gun at two plain clothes officers, but family members and eyewitnesses disputed that claim.

“Now I have to place my younger son in the same house,” Gray told a press conference in her first public comments since her son was shot dead. “Today I had to choose the colour of his casket.”

Gray denied reports that Kimani was a member of the Bloods street gang, adding, however, that he wasn’t

“everybody’s angel.

“But he was my angel.

Any time a group of kids get together, they call it a gang.”

Police said that nearly 50 people were arrested as fights between tlaw enforcement officials and angry youth erupted for the third consecutive night over Kimani’s killing.

Police said they had struggled to control an irate crowd that broke away from a planned peaceful vigil after attendees learned that Kimani was shot in the back.

Protesters hurled bricks, bottles and garbage at cops in the furious clash on Wednesday night, police said.

Cops said Kimani’s sister, Mahnefeh, were among those arrested along Church Avenue in East Flatbush in the heart of the Caribbean community here.

New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesman Paul Browne said a policeman suffered a cut in the face after hit by a brick and that a window of a police inspector’s car was smashed

in the melee.

“Any time a teenager is killed, it really is a tragedy, for the teenager, for the teenager’s family, for the entire community,” New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told reporters at City Hall.

“But the ways to get answers is not through violence or law-breaking. I can promise you that we will conduct a full and fair investigation.”

City Council members Charles Barron and Jumaane Williams demanded that the Brooklyn district attorney investigate the deadly shooting. “Most people in the city don’t believe the police version,” Barron told the press conference, flanked

by Gray. “There have been several eyewitnesses who have said he didn’t have a gun.”

Kenneth Montgomery, Gray’s lawyer also disputed the police’s account, citing the autopsy report, which showed that three of the seven bullets that killed Kimani hit him in the back.

PANAMA CITY, Panama - CMC – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) yesterday announced plans to launch a biodiversity and ecosystems services programme (BSE) that will help Latin America and the Caribbean leverage its natural capital to achieve sustainable development.

It said the programme will support measures and projects that integrate the economic value of biodiversity and ecosystem services into key productive sectors and infrastructure, fill in knowledge gaps in priority ecosystems, identify new

biodiversity-friendly business opportunities, and promote south-south exchange of knowledge and effective policies.

“Latin America and the Caribbean (region) is home to a wealth of biodiversity and ecosystems that generate critical, life-supporting benefits for people. These include food, shelter, clean water and air, flood mitigation, disease and pest control, and sacred places, among others.”

IDB said that these benefits, known as ecosystem services, directly support sectors such as

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands CMC) - Britain’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague has taken Rufus Ewing - the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands - to task following a recent speech to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government.

In a scathing letter Hague described the presentation at the Inter-session meeting of CARICOM heads of Government last month, as a “ s u b s t a n t i a l misrepresentation to the people of the TCI and to the leaders of the Caribbean.”

“I have seen the speech you gave to CARICOM

heads of government on 18 February about the relationship between the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Kingdom.

I regret to say you substantially misrepresent both the past and the present situation to both the people of the TCI and to the leaders of the Caribbean,” Hague said.

Hague went on to remind Ewing that the previous government run by his Progressive National Party (PNP) “left behind a chaotic situation including — through incompetence, abuse of power and corruption — rapidly deteriorating public finances.”

agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and tourism, which employ 17 per cent of the labour force, account for 15 per cent of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) and half of its exports.

“The programme will leverage the region’s competitive advantage in natural capital and generate new sources of employment and growth to meet the increasing development demands in Latin America and the Caribbean, “said IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno, who announce the program during the IDB’s Annual Meeting late yesterday The IDB has established a special multidonor fund and has initially provided three million US dollars for 2013 to finance grants, loan preparations, knowledge products and capacity building.

The first contributor to the fund is the Presidential Agency for Cooperation (APC) of Colombia. APC will become founding partner, with an initial contribution of US$700.000.

The IDB plans to join forces with a number of stakeholders such as governments, businesses, and civil society organizations to have a deep impact in the region in terms of knowledge, development capacity, public policy reform, and financing.

New programme to support sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean

Britain Foreign Secretary scolds Turks Premier over CARICOM speech

Page 21

St Lucia: Public servants vote against offer CASTRIES, St. Lucia CMC – Public servants yesterday voted to take strike action after rejecting the latest wage offer from the St. Lucia government.

Hundreds of public servants voted to reject the Kenny Anthony administration’s offer of 4.5 per cent or a four per cent wage hike with conditions, insisting on their demands for a 9.5 per cent increase.

The decision by the public servants comes even as other trade unions representing nurses, firemen, teachers and police, grouped under the Trade Union Federation (TUF) accepted the four per cent wage hike with conditions.

President of the Civil Service Association (CSA), Mary Issac, said that her members had expressed dismay over Prime Minister Anthony’s handling of the dispute, accusing him circumventing the negotiation process and insulting public servants in his two radio and television broadcasts on the issue.

Kenny Anthony She said that conditions promised by the government were already on the table from previous negotiations and represented more of a smoke screen in the negotiations.

“We have to agree to go through the process, rather than suddenly decided that you are paying no more than four per cent. If we start throwing processes out which is what we have been doing resulting in all the corruption we have, because we throw systems out of the window when it is convenient for us. And we as public

servants must not tolerate that because we are the gatekeepers for economic development in this country,” Issac said.

“There was nothing concrete in their proposal that satisfied the members. It was more like empty promises presented to civil servants. Also, the members noted that accepting the four per cent increase would not be beneficial to officers in grades 1 to 5.

“Yes the teachers and police may be willing to accept this offer but bear in mind that these officers salaries starts at grade 7,” she added.

But in an immediate response Friday Prime Minister Anthony challenged the CSA president to present evidence of government corruption even as he appealed for good sense to prevail in the current situation.

“For me this is a very serious issue I want the President of the CSA to know that government has activated the Integrity Commission and she should present it with information to show how the government is corrupt.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Cameron’s allies dismiss talk of leadership threat to PM LONDON (Reuters) Two senior members of Prime Minister David Cameron’s ruling Conservative party spoke out to calm growing talk of a leadership challenge against him yesterday, days before a closely watched budget.

Halfway through a fiveyear term, Cameron’s Conservatives are trailing the opposition Labour party by 10 percent in the polls, the economy is stagnant, some MPs say they are unhappy with his leadership, and one of his ministers is being touted as a possible replacement.

But yesterday, two senior party figures insisted Cameron’s leadership was not under threat ahead of a general election in 2015, dismissing media stories which have suggested others may be positioning themselves to usurp him.

“David Cameron is more popular than all of us ... more popular than all of the party in the country, which is a key point that lots of people do recognise,” said Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps.

Talk of a leadership

David Cameron challenge was “for the birds and certainly not for today,” he told political magazine The House.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, who has himself been tipped as a leadership candidate, agreed. “People need some sort of political drama so they’re inventing one. I think it’s complete nonsense,” he told The Sun newspaper.

Cameron is going through a bruising time politically.

His party was beaten into third place in a vote for a parliamentary seat earlier this

month, half of his party rebelled against him over a gay marriage law last month, he is at odds with his junior coalition partner on press regulation, and is being criticised for his ambiguous stance on an alcohol control law.

Most analysts believe the malcontents are in the minority and would have scant chance of unseating Cameron if they chose to try.

No serious rivals have emerged, they say, and even most internal detractors think Cameron should remain leader.

But, as his Chancellor, George Osborne, prepares for a budget on Wednesday that will give the Conservatives a chance to tip the political scales in their favour, Cameron’s position remains the subject of almost weekly speculation.

This week, Theresa May, the home secretary or interior minister, delivered a speech that went well beyond her brief, prompting media speculation she was angling for Cameron’s job.

Labour taunted Cameron over the speech in parliament as Conservative party

strategists told MPs to curb their criticism of Cameron on social media and to decide if they were commentators or participants in the battle to win the next election.

Johnson said it was time for the party to unite.

“If ministers are setting out their stall now, it strikes me as being very odd,” he said. “They should save their breath and cool their porridge.

Put a sock in it and get on and back the Prime Minister.”

In a party political TV

broadcast earlier this week, Cameron shrugged off the speculation about his leadership as “rubbish”.

“It’s so vital that you look to the horizon and not tomorrow’s headlines, because there is a sort of daily battle of this story and that event,” he said. “It’s all rubbish.”

Several Conservative MPs disenchanted with his leadership have said they would judge him by five “key tests”.

In their eyes, he has already failed two of them after his party lost a vote for a parliamentary seat in the constituency of Eastleigh earlier this month and the country lost its top-notch AAA credit rating in February.

Three tests remain: setting out a successful budget on Wednesday, avoiding a triple-dip recession, and performing reasonably well in local elections in May.

US to beef up missile defense against North Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration will add 14 interceptors to a West Coast-based missile defense system, reflecting concern about North Korea’s focus on developing nuclear weapons and its advances in long-range missile technology, officials said yesterday Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the decision late yesterday. It was first reported by Fox News.

In advance of Hagel’s announcement, defense officials confirmed the decision on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The Pentagon intends to add the 14 interceptors to 30 already in place at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and Fort Greely, Alaska.

That will expand the system’s ability to shoot down longrange missiles in flight before they could reach U.S. territory.James Miller, defense undersecretary for policy, said in a speech Tuesday that the Pentagon has the ability to deploy up to 14 additional missile interceptors, “if needed.” He did not say in the speech that a decision had

been made to do so.

Miller also said the Pentagon is studying three alternative sites for deploying still more interceptors in the U.S., if needed. He said that would provide options for building an interceptor base on the East Coast or adding more interceptors in Alaska, “should either approach become necessary due to further future increases in the threat from Iran and North Korea.”

The threat of a missile strike from North Korea was the rationale for building the missile defense sites in Alaska and California during the administration of President

George W. Bush. Technical difficulties with the interceptors slowed the pace at which they were installed at Greely and Vandenberg.

“Our policy is to stay ahead of the threat — and to continue to ensure that we are ahead of any potential future Iranian or North Korean ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) capability,” Miller said in Tuesday’s speech.

Miller noted that last December, North Korea launched a satellite into space, demonstrating its mastery of some of the same technologies required for development of an intercontinental ballistic missile. “Our concern about Pyongyang’s potential ICBM capability is compounded by the regime’s focus on developing nuclear weapons.

North Korea’s third nuclear test last month is obviously a serious concern for all nations,” he said.

“North Korea’s shrill public pronouncements underscore the need for the U.S. to continue to take prudent steps to defeat any future North Korean ICBM,” Miller said in his speech on Tuesday.

LUSAKA (Reuters) Zambia’s parliament stripped former President Rupiah Banda of immunity from prosecution yesterday, clearing the way for investigators to arrest him for corruption-related offences.

Banda is accused of abuse of office, corrupt acquisition of public property and misappropriation of public funds involving more than $11 million during his tenure as president.

Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba said the government had concluded its investigations and were ready to prosecute.

“We bring this motion in the interest of the country,” Kabimba said, Banda was swept from office in 2011 by current President Michael Sata, whose government has launched several highprofile graft probes into deals struck by the former administration while it ran Africa’s biggest copperproducing country.

Kabimba has accused Banda of siphoning $2.5 million from the treasury in a 2008 oil deal and the former president has also been accused of using public funds to finance his 2011 campaign.

Banda’s lawyer Robert Amsterdam said in a statement that yesterday’s action in parliament was aimed at getting rid of political competitors.

Sata’s government has already won convictions against a few Banda officials and has been investigating suspected shortfalls in tax collection revenues from copper.

In February, Banda who then enjoyed immunity from prosecution, refused to appear before a team of investigators, which summoned him for questioning on graft allegations.

Chuck Hagel

Zambia strips ex-president of immunity from prosecution

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 23

EU rejects Franco-British push to arm Syrian rebels

French President Francois Hollande BRUSSELS (Reuters) European Union governments yesterday rejected Franco-British efforts to lift an EU arms embargo to allow weapons supplies to Syrian rebels, saying this could spark an arms race and worsen regional instability.

France and Britain found little support for their proposal at an EU summit in Brussels, diplomats said, but EU foreign ministers will consider the issue again next week.

French President Francois Hollande, backed by British Prime Minister David Cameron, pressed for the embargo to be lifted, saying Europe could not allow the Syrian people to be massacred.

Western nations mostly have stood on the sidelines as 70,000 Syrians have been killed, according to a U.N. estimate, during a two-yearold revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a leading opponent of lifting the arms embargo, said there was a danger that Assad’s allies Russia and Iran could step up arms supplies to his government if the 27nation EU lifted its restrictions.

Just because Britain and France now wanted to drop the ban, that didn’t mean 25

other states must follow suit, she told a news conference in Brussels. “That will not be the case.”

“Others have, with, in my view, very good reasons ... pointed to the fact that Iran and also Russia are only waiting for a signal to export arms (and) that one must also be aware of the fragile situation in Lebanon and what that means for the arming of Hezbollah,” she said.

German officials cite what happened in North Africa where guns smuggled out of Libya helped arm Islamists in Mali.

European Council President Herman van Rompuy said leaders had asked their foreign ministers to look at the arms embargo “as a matter of priority” at a March 22-23 meeting in Dublin.

Hollande said he had received guarantees from the Syrian opposition that any arms delivered to them would end up in the right hands.

“I will do everything so that at the end of May at the very latest ... a common solution is adopted by the Union,” he said.

Syrian insurgents are a disparate array of mostly locally organized units, only some of which are loyal to the Free Syrian Army, which is loosely linked to the internationally recognized political opposition, the Cairo-based Syrian National Coalition.

Others are hardline Sunni Islamist factions, such as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which Washington calls a terrorist group, but which has won prestige for its battlefield exploits.

French officials say that, for now, Paris is keener to use the scrapping of the embargo as a bargaining chip to put political pressure on Assad than to actually supply arms.

Britain, too. has not said it would arm the rebels.

France and Britain

Senegal ex-ruler’s son accused of amassing fortune DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal’s special prosecutor charged with investigating the embezzlement of state funds has asked the son of Senegal’s ex-president to justify a fortune that he estimates is worth up to 694 billion West African francs, equal to more than $1.3 billion.

Karim Wade’s lawyer told reporters his client is accused of owning companies in Senegal, as well as in Niger, Ghana, Jordan and Equatorial Guinea. Lawyer El Hadj

Amadou Sall said yesterday that his client is being unjustly accused.

Supporters of the former regime clashed briefly with police, who fired a few rounds of tear gas in front of the building where the proceedings were occurring.

President A b d o u l a y e Wa d e w a s t r o u n c e d i n l a s t y e a r ’s election, and one of the opposition’s rallying cries was, “Y en a marre,” meaning, “We’ve had enough.”

reopened the Syrian issue only days after EU states had hammered out a hard-fought compromise to relax the embargo to allow non-lethal aid to the opposition, such as armored vehicles and technical assistance.

A French foreign ministry official said any changes to the arms embargo would be gradual and would likely be implemented only when the current package of EU sanctions on Syria expires at the end of May. “It is not going to take

effect immediately. It will probably take a few weeks to try to agree and probably be effective at the end of May,” Justin Vaisse said during the General Marshall Fund’s annual Brussels Forum.

Cameron said pressure must be applied to bring about a transition in Syria.

“As things stand today, I am not saying that Britain would actually like to supply arms to rebel groups,” he said.

“What we want to do is work with them and try to make sure that they are doing

the right thing. And with technical assistance we are able to do that.”

The arms ban is part of a package of EU sanctions on Syria that rolls over every three months.

An extension agreed last month expires on June 1.

Without unanimous agreement to renew or amend it, the embargo lapses, along with the sanctions.

Although an EU agreement to lift the embargo completely is unlikely, there could be scope for a

compromise, perhaps expanding the aid that EU governments may give to the rebels.

France and Britain have both suggested they could act alone if no EU-wide agreement can be reached.

“Two countries may want this, but the overwhelming majority don’t and to lift the embargo there’s got to be unanimity,” one senior EU official said. “It’s not just Germany that has concerns, but Sweden, Spain, Austria and others too.”

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Israeli PM forms new coalition government JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a coalition deal yesterday with rival parties to form the next government, a spokesman said, in an agreement that was stalled for weeks due to tough negotiations.

The new coalition is the first in a decade to exclude ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.

It includes two new rising stars who have vowed to end a system of draft exemptions and welfare subsidies granted to thousands of ultraOrthodox students.

Noga Katz, a spokeswoman for Netanyahu’s Likud-Yisrael Beitenu faction, said leaders of the Yesh Atid and Jewish Home parties struck the deal yesterday afternoon after agreeing to give up lastminute demands to be named deputy prime ministers shortly before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath. Those demands delayed the deal from being formalized at the last moment the night before.

Netanyahu welcomed the

Benjamin Netanyahu agreement in a statement.

“We will work together in the new government for the sake of Israel’s citizens. We will act to strengthen Israel’s security and to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Israel,” he said.

The next step is for Netanyahu to notify President Shimon Peres last night. The new Israeli government will be sworn by Monday, two days before President Barack Obama is due to visit Israel.

Talks were stuck for

weeks over the division of Cabinet portfolios and reforms in the military draft law. Although Netanyahu’ Likud-Yisrael Beitenu bloc emerged as the biggest faction in the Jan. 22 parliamentary election with 31 seats, he struggled to form a coalition with the necessary 61-seat majority in the 120member parliament.

Newcomers Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid and Naftali Bennett of the Jewish Home party proved to be tough negotiators, forcing Netanyahu to ask the president for extra time to build the coalition. If he had not formed a coalition by today, the country could have been forced to hold a new election.

Yesh Atid, which ran on a ticket vowing relief to Israel’s struggling middle class and an end to draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox will have the Finance and Education ministries. The Jewish Home, a party linked to the West Bank settler movement, has the Housing and Trade ministries.

Saturday March 16, 2013

UK’s Cameron disagrees with pope over Falklands LONDON (AP) — The pope may be infallible to his followers, but not to British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Pope Francis — the Argentine cardinal elected as the new pontiff — has been quoted as describing the Falkland Islands as Argentine soil that was “usurped” by Britain.

The islands in the South Atlantic have been British territory since 1833, but are also claimed by Argentina, which calls them the Malvinas.

Islanders last week voted overwhelmingly “yes” in a referendum on remaining a British O v e r s e a s Te r r i t o r y. O f 1,517 votes cast, only three islanders said no.

Cameron yesterday urged the pope and other world leaders to respect that vote, saying: “The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear.”

When asked about the pope’s views on the

Pope Francis Falklands at a Brussels news conference, Cameron said he doesn’t agree with the pontiff, “respectfully, obviously.”

“There was a pretty extraordinarily clear referendum in the Falkland Islands, and I think that is a message to everyone in

the world that the people of these islands have chosen very clearly the future they want and that choice should be respected by everyone,” Cameron said.

A r g e n t i n a ’ s ambassador to London has said the referendum was organized by and for the British, just to claim the islands for Britain.

The new pope’s views o n the Falklands made headlines in Britain as soon as Francis — formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio — was elected.

The British press has fixated on comments he made last year during a Mass to commemorate 30 years since the 1982 war over the islands between Britain and Argentina.

“We’re going to pray for those who have fallen, children of the fatherland who went out to defend their mother, the fatherland, to reclaim what is theirs for the fatherland and that was usurped from them,” the then-cardinal said.

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

the Restless 13:30 hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 14:00 hrs. The Talk 15:00 hrs. DTV’s Festival of Biblical Movies for the Lenten Season: “Salome” 17:00 hrs. Charmed 18:00 hrs. World News

18:30 hrs. Nightly News 19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00 hrs. Channel 8 News 21:00 hrs. The Vampire Diaries (New Episode) 22:00 hrs. Beauty and the Beast (New Episode) 23:00 hrs. Sign Off

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Saturday March 16, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Reconsidering your own motives now may bring a critical realization to the surface, yet greater awareness also presents additional choices. Circumstances might require you to decide between taking care of yourself and assisting another person through a rough spot.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A feeling of competence helps to put you at ease today, but the situation probably isn’t quite as manageable as it seems at first. One way to be of service now is by acting as a cheerleader because you can encourage people to perform beyond their normal levels.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You may feel a sense of resignation sweep through your thoughts today as you see things from a new point of view. Although you believe you know the truth, you don’t have to rush in and solve the problem.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Dealing with a stubborn person today might make you realize how rigid you can be, too. Although singlemindedness is an admirable trait, it may also be a recipe for disaster if two bull-headed people remain inflexible for too long.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Even your most casual actions can give others exactly the inspiration they need today. Imagine what you could do if you consciously commit to go the extra mile.

Don’t be afraid to push past your justifications for doing less.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Thinking about the future now reminds you of the past.

In particular, you might remember an old emotional or physical wound, but you really don’t have the time to reminisce.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You’re tempted to rescue every lost animal and hug every needy child today. Your compassion is real, but it may be fueled by your own feelings of insecurity. You won’t fix your emotional wounds by helping others, but you might feel better for a while.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your hard work may be enough to get you through a difficult time today, although you probably realize that solving the underlying issue is more complicated. Tensions have been brewing for a while and could take additional time to fully address. In the meantime, don’t procrastinate.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Giving voice to self-doubt can make everything seem more difficult today.

Thankfully, your recent tendency toward scattering your energy may temporarily become less of a problem now, but you could retreat so hard and fast that you don’t make any progress at all.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You are more relaxed now that your common sense is back in the driver’s seat.

Although there’s still a lot of background noise in your life, the energy seems to be settling down a bit. You can help your cause by cutting back on unnecessary activities.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) A conflict between what you currently want to do and what you have already promised can distract you from being productive. You could waste precious time today arguing with a friend or family member.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A powerful wave of compassion might motivate you to sacrifice something important today so you can help another person — maybe even a member of your own family.

Page 25

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Nadal ruthlessly beats an injury-hit Federer in anti-climatic clash So much for this week being some battle of the wounded knee for Rafael Nadal – the ATP Tour ’s longtime absentee is in the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open after an anticlimactic 64 6-2 victory over Roger Federer.

Their 29th career meeting turned out to be memorable only for its role reversal from what had been expected prior to the tournament, with Nadal moving like a gazelle and Federer slightly restricted by the stiffness that has plagued his back in recent days.

A packed 16,000-capacity stadium on a balmy night at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden saw the match start promisingly and then fizzle out somewhat as the 26-yearold nosed ahead and then ruthlessly surpressed his opponent like he had never been away.

Nadal now plays Tomas Berdych in the semis while Andy Murray will try and join them at that stage when he takes on Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro on Friday.

Reaching the final would

now see Murray overtake Federer for the world number two spot, but that will be the least of the Swiss master’s worries as heads into an eightweek break designed to ready him for the arduous phase beginning in May, which takes in the big European clay court events and Wimbledon.

He heads back to Switzerland having lost in two quarter finals and two semi finals this year, not a disaster by any means but not the start to the season he would have anticipated either.

While much of the attention was focussed on the slight awkwardness of his movement that clearly caused him some trouble stretching to his right, it was equally striking just how comfortable Nadal looked at an event some had not expected him to enter, given the damage hard courts have done to his knees. Federer was not among the doubters: ‘He’s not going to come back if he’s not well or half broken,’ he said. ‘I expected him to tear through those South American clay tournaments

(last month). He’s a bit careful at times with his movement, that’s totally normal because he hasn’t played for some time on a hard court. I didn’t understand the talk after those clay tournaments.’

The Wimbledon champion had been struggling slightly against Stan Wawrinka in the previous round, and the stiffness had lingered: ‘It was the same as against Stan, I could play and I was happy to be able to compete. It’s a small issue but that doesn’t work against guys like Rafa.

The longer the match went on I realised I had to change up my game and he got more comfortable, things became difficult.’

Both players started strongly amid the hugely expectant atmosphere that greeted their first encounter in precisely a year, and the first in nine seasons to take place before the semis.

Federer had to save a break point in the sixth game, and then in the eighth two illjudged forays to the net led to him being passed by a

Authorities impose booze ban for Inter v Spurs clash to prevent fan violence Wrecked: The bar in the centre of Rome was ruined after the attack (EPA)

Daily Mail - There will be a 29-hour booze ban in the main areas of Milan in a bid to stop violence overshadowing Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa league tie against Internazionale on Thursday.

No alcohol will be served around the San Siro, main train station or the square in front of the cathedral or at Milan’s Linate airport from 7pm on Wednesday until midnight on Thursday.

Tottenham fans will also be held inside the stadium for at least 30 minutes after the final whistle on Thursday and have been advised not to frequent any pubs or restaurants near the San Siro or drape Spurs flags or scarves over monuments in the city centre.

Tottenham fan Ashley Mills was stabbed before his

side met Lazio in Rome in November, while three supporters were taken to hospital after a bar was attacked ahead of Spurs’ last 32 clash in Lyon last month.

Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel said: ‘There has been a lot going on. We are told

about it and we hope everyone is safe on their journey.

‘Everyone has been very helpful in trying to solve the problems that have gone on.

We are all in this together to make sure that all fans on both sides are safe. Hopefully everything will go smoothly.’

LICA to celebrate 100...

From page 29 gala event are now available and may be purchased from member associations. For further details and ticket information, please contact your local association.

The Leeward Islands team began playing First Class cricket in 1958. However, between 1966 and 1981 they played along with the Windward Islands as the Combined Islands in the regional First Class tournaments.

After the Combined Islands won the regional tournament in 1981, they were again split up into the Leeward Islands and Windward Islands. Dominica was initially part of the Leeward Islands.

cross court backhand on a third break point.

The edge to the match dissipated when he lost the first seven points of the second set and went two breaks down at 0-3. The Swiss then hit out to win the next two games and raise expectations but could make no further headway against Nadal, who was happily scrambling behind the baseline and hitting a rock solid backhand, which has been the case all week.

It was over in 84 minutes, and by the end almost had the feel of a warm-up match for the lower key doubles that followed.

Nadal loves this event and for the eighth straight year is in the last four: ‘I played a great first set, the second set was strange, Roger didn’t fight as usual, he had a problem,’ said the Spaniard. ‘My movement

Winner: Rafael Nadal celebrates beating Roger Federer in the quarterfinal at Indian Wells (Getty Images)

today was better than yesterday and I was very happy to compete so well after a long match (the three setter versus Ernests Gulbis).

Four weeks ago I didn’t know I would be here, so I’m very happy. When I was out I missed these kind of matches.’

Ricky Ponting to play in CPL Bridgetown, Barbados Former Australia Captain Ricky Ponting has been announced as the first International franchise player for the inaugural Caribbean Premiere League (CPL) scheduled for later this year.

Ponting, who has toured the Caribbean six times between 1995 and 2012, will find out which franchise he will be lining up for at the CPL draft planned for May. The CPL is scheduled to take place from July 29 to August 26 in six franchise countriesAntigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.

“The West Indies has always been one of my favourite cricket destinations,”said Ponting.

“The mix of entertainment and cricket is the perfect recipe for West Indian cricket fans as well as the rest of the world”.

Ponting is the first big name international player to be announced for the CPL and organizers say others will follow soon. Already confirmed are the six West Indies franchise playersDarren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard and Marlon Samuels.

“The format and concept is just fantastic and I am sure it will be a huge success right from the start” Ponting said.

Ponting’s appearance in the CPL will be another highprofile stop for him in a busy year since retiring from international action in

December 2012.

He began 2013 playing for his native Tasmania in firstclass and one-day cricket, and the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, ahead of the CPL he will appear for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League and then move on to English County side Surrey, where he will fill in for South Africa Test captain Graeme Smith during the ICC Champions Trophy tournament.

Considered as one of the all-time greats Ponting has played in 168 Tests scoring 13,378 Test runs, another 13,704 runs in 375 ODIs and 401 runs in 17 T20Is. Ponting has never batted in Twenty20 cricket in the Caribbean since his one game in 2008 was rain-affected.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

IAAF sets up temporary blood-testing facility in Kenya

Kenyan athletes will be tested by a new bloodtesting programme (Getty Images)

BBC Sport - Kenyan athletes will be tested by a new blood-testing programme after concerns about doping, according to the IAAF. Blood-testing has not been possible in east Africa because of the remoteness of training bases.

As a result, it has been difficult to transport and test samples to an accredited laboratory within the required 36-hour time frame.

However, the sport’s governing body is now setting up a temporary testing

facility in the country.

It follows a visit last month where anti-doping officials were sent to Kenya on an unannounced visit to investigate claims of widespread doping.

The body succeeded in testing samples from more than 40 leading Kenyan athletes within the permitted 36-hour time frame after transporting samples to Switzerland for analysis. The temporary on-site Kenyan facility will reduce the amount of time it takes before the

samples are tested.

Thomas Capdevielle, the IAAF’s doping results manager, told an anti-doping summit in London they were confident that setting up the testing lab would help them achieve effective testing in Kenya. Blood testing is recognised as the preferred way of catching athletes using EPO and growth hormones.

Last September, Kenya’s athletics authorities revealed they were investigating allegations of widespread doping. And in February, Moses Kiptanui, one of most successful runners in Kenyan history, claimed doping was rife among athletes there.

Meanwhile, the IAAF says it is investigating a

further 17 suspicious samples collected by the sport’s biological passport program since 2011.

Analysis of the samples produced 38 adverse findings, 19 of which have already led to sanctions.

The biological passport system monitors an athlete’s blood profile over time to check for variations that indicate doping.

Cycling also uses the system, while tennis announced last week that they would be using it, too.

Last week the IAAF announced re-testing of stored samples from the 2005 World Championships had led to six athletes, including five medallists, being sanctioned.

Peters, Smith guide Mix-Up to Joseph & Wiltshire Dominoes title

President of the GDA Orin Joseph presents the winning trophy to Travis Cameron of Team Mix Up. Rawle Peters and Tony Smith marked 10 games each as Mix Up chalked 44 games to take the Faye Joseph and Mark Wiltshire Dominoes title when the final was contested last Wednesday evening at the Transport Sports Club.

Providence took the runner-up spot with 43 games while Turning Point placed third accumulating 38 games.

Shellon Nicholson and

Sandra Nurse were Turning Point’s leading markers with 11 games apiece.

Mix Up received a trophy and $80,000, Providence took home $40,000 and Turning Point $20,000. President of the Georgetown Dominoes Association Orin Joseph thanked the participating teams for making the competition a success while congratulating the champions.

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Berbice Chamber hails Gov’t’s Mohamed’s Enterprise Initiative to illuminate ACC on board once again GMR&SC March 24 Race Meet

Supervisor of the Electrical Department of Mohamed’s Enterprise Dione Johnson (right) hands over the sum of money to Manager of the Club Rayon Samaroo.

Mohamed’s Enterprise of Lombard Street became the latest entity to come on board the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) March 24 Race Meet which is scheduled to be staged, at the South Dakota Circuit.

On Thursday, Supervisor of the Electrical Department of the Company Dione Johnson handed over an undisclosed sum of money to Manager of the Club Rayon Samaroo at the entity’s business location. According to Johnson, the Company has always been supportive of motor racing and pledged future support for the sport.

Samaroo in response thanked the Company on behalf of the Club for continuing its support for the

sport, adding that the club will make sure that the day’s event will run in accord with what is essential to encourage and strengthen the relationship between the two parties.

He noted that with the support of the corporate community, the sport of motor racing is guaranteed continuity which will not only benefit the competitors, but all those who love the sport. According to Samaroo, some 22 races are carded for the day and competitors will line up in all the different categories in what is already being hyped to produce some exhilarating performances.

The first race is set to begin at 09:00hrs with the lineup of competitors set for 08:30 hrs.

Country’s top bodybuilders on show in Berbice tonight Following the conclusion of the Mr. Central Corentyne Flexout 2013 over the past weekend, Bebicians are guaranteed similar entertainment when the Fitness Zone Gym of Stanleytown New Amsterdam stages the Mr. Muscle Flex Junior and Senior Body Building Competition 2013 at Lot 49 Stanleytown New Amsterdam Berbice later this evening. The event is highly anticipated and will feature the top bodybuilders in the Ancient County showing off toned physiques.

Practitioners from several of the County’s top Gyms will

be in action including Windero Fitness Gym, Power Tech Gym, House of Pain, Hard Core, Keep Fit Gym, Crushers Barbell Fitness Zone, Power House and Total Fitness Gym. Several guest posers will also compliment the junior and senior competitors Musclemen and Women will also journey from Georgetown and Linden to be a part of the action.

Fans are also assured of added entertainment when the winners of the recently staged House of Pain Gym ‘Flex Out’ grace the stage with their presence. Pose off time is 18:00hrs.

Carmel, Charlestown...

From page 33 George and Neil Cameron are expecetd to carry the brunt of the responsibility if they are to upset the formidable Charlestown side.

The competition continues tomorrow with another double header, at the same venue. In the opening game, South Ruimveldt takes on Richard Ishmael from 13:00 hrs and that will be followed by the clash between and Bishop’s High and Tucville at 15:00hrs.

Following the announcement by the Guyana Government that floodlights will be installed at the Albion Community Centre, a number of organisations have come forward and hailed the announcement. The Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) is one such entity.

In a release the BCCDA expressed its satisfaction and hails the move as good since the lights will be of international standard. It stated that the Albion Community is a premiere sporting venue in the Region and the provision of floodlights will bring it up to international standards. The chamber in its release stated that this is a positive step in developing the facility so that all can benefit especially the youths. It also said that the installation of the lights will bring a new perspective in the County so that Berbice can host proper and safe night games.

Over the years the BCCDA in collaboration with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and a number of other private organisations have hosted several floodlight competitions. However these were done using makeshift floodlights (tower lights) and because of insufficient lighting, the boundaries had to be brought in significantly.

The BCCDA stated that, “Now that permanent lights will be installed much more

organised events can be executed which bring an overall increase in entertainment opportunities for the Region and its people.” The two have again planned a series of activities for this year starting with the Guyana Independence T/20 Cup which hopefully will be played using the new lights.

The BCCDA in its release wishes to acknowledge the untiring efforts made by the indomitable Regional Chairman - Mr. Permaul David Armogan, who was very instrumental in getting the project off the ground. It also stated that, “It is now necessary that other facilities like the commentary booth, score boards and pavilions be maintained and upgraded so that international and regional matches can once more return to the venue like

in the past.”

The famous Albion Sports Complex was the venue for the first ever one day international cricket match in the West Indies which was played on the 16th March, 1977 between West Indies and Pakistan. The game was won by the West Indies by four wickets.

In an earlier interview Regional Chairman Armogan had stated that he was pressing President Donald Ramotar to have it done, stating and the president had agreed that it was possible.

The Regional Chairman, who is an ardent cricket fan and a former cricketer himself, had stated that, “Not only will we be able to have night cricket there, but it will enhance our chances of having any game played there in the night under lights.”

The venue which was one of the premiere cricketing venues in Guyana has hosted a number of one-day international games so far, but it’s been more than two decades that the venue has not been used. The venue accommodates a 300M athletics track and can also host a number of different sporting activities. The facility boosts a number of stands and pavilions and can accommodate over 15, 000 spectators. The BCCDA through the instrumentality of its president Imran Saccoor and executives has given the commitment to purchase lights for the outside of the complex.

According to Saccoor, the lights on the outer side will assist persons who want to exercise in the nights.

(Samuel Whyte)

LICA to celebrate 100 years of cricket ST. John’s, Antigua – The Leeward Islands Cricket Association is this year celebrating 100 years of organised cricket in the subregion. As part of the celebrations, LICA will be holding a black tie gala event in Antigua. This event is confirmed for Saturday, April 6, 2013 at the Grand Royal Antiguan Resort.

LICA will use the event to honour several persons who have served the sport in various capacities over the years, as well as to recognize

the contributions of many who have blazed the trail but are no longer with us.

Organised cricket among the islands in the Leeward Islands were first held in 1913.

Teams initially played for the Hesketh Bell Shield, in honour of the Governor of the Leeward Islands at the time – Sir Hesketh Bell.

One of those persons whom LICA plans to honour is Elquemedo Willett of Nevis, who in 1973 became the first player from the Leeward Islands to gain selection to

the West Indies team. Willett recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of that selection.

Two players from the Leeward Islands have since gone on to captain the West Indies team.

Other persons who will be recognized include administrators, volunteers, sponsors, fans and other persons who have contributed to cricket in the Leeward Islands.

Tickets available: Limited tickets for this (Continued on page 27)

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERS REVEALED

The chance of Real Madrid meeting Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley remained alive when the Spanish giants were kept apart in the draw for the quarter-finals.

Barcelona will face David Beckham’s side Paris SaintGermain while Real Madrid will take on Galatasaray.

In the other two quarterfinals, Bayern Munich’s reward for seeing off Arsenal is a meeting with Celtic’s conquerors Juventus, while Borussia Dortmund will play Spanish side Malaga after beating Shakthar Donestk and Porto respectively.

Unlike in previous seasons, UEFA did not also make the draw for the semi-

final pairings at the same time - that will now take place next month.

Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho is aiming to become the first Manager to win the Champions League with three different clubs, having achieved it previously with Porto and Inter Milan. His side saw off Manchester United in the first knockout round and also qualified from a tough group comprising the domestic league champions of Spain, Germany, England and Holland.

Steve McManaman, the former Liverpool and Real midfielder who carried out the draw for UEFA, said: “Real have had to do it the hard way so far - they have beaten a lot

of good teams.”

Galatasaray’s squad includes two former Mourinho favourites - exChelsea striker Didier Drogba and former Inter midfielder Wesley Sneijder. Barcelona, who came from 2-0 down in the first leg of the last round to beat AC Milan 4-2 on aggregate, will come up against their former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. PSG sporting director Leonardo said Barcelona were “red hot favourites”, telling www.uefa.com: “It is the most difficult draw against the best team in the competition. We play the return leg at their home ground. It won’t be easy, but we are looking forward to it because Paris deserves to be part of what will be a celebration of football.

“We get the chance to measure ourselves against one of the greatest sides of all time. Barcelona are the redhot favourites, it’s a celebration in which anything can still happen”.

Barcelona sporting director, and the club’s former goalkeeper, Andoni Zubizarreta said the experience of being 2-0 down

to AC Milan had hit home with the players. He said: “We have just experienced something in the round of 16 that demands us to be prudent. We have to look on playing the second leg in Barcelona as being positive.

“PSG have very good players with a lot of talent and with their experience and knowledge of playing these types of games I am sure they will be challenging right until the end. They are very

competitive and we will be coming up against several players we know quite well.”

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp admitted his side and opponents Malaga had both been surprises.

“Borussia Dortmund and Malaga are two teams that have surprised with their performances in the Champions League this season,” he said. “So one thing is certain: there will be a surprise team in the semi-

final. The way they eliminated Porto shows that they have a lot of quality in their squad.”

UEFA Champions League quarter-finals: Borussia Dortmund Malaga Real Madrid – Galatasaray Barcelona - Paris SaintGermain Bayern Munich – Juventus First-leg be played on April 2 or 3, second-leg to be played on April 9 or 10.

Mayor’s Annual football continues today at BV

William Europe

Delon Cadogan

Two exciting matches would be contested when the Mayor ’s Cup football championships continues at the Beterverwagting Community Centre Ground tonight. Activities get underway at 18:30hrs when Santos FC plays Bakewell Buxton Stars while BV Triumph United would be at home to the Georgetown Football Club in the feature attraction. Lennox Arthur is the organizer of activities and he assures fans that tonight’s matches will be sizzling. The BV team will pose credible stalwarts the likes of Linden Dennis in goal, striker, Delroy Deane, midfielder Ronnie Gordon and centre half Nikel Fraser among other reputable stalwarts.

Delroy Dean

They will be up against the force of Keon Solomon, Paul Daniels, a competent striker and several utility players the likes of Delon Cadogan, Paul Daniels, and Quamina Francis among others.

Consequently, the action will shift to the Den Amstel Community Centre Ground tomorrow evening when the powerful Guyana Defense Force tackles Stewartville and Northern Rangers face off with Slingertz FC. The players are competing for a first place purse of one million dollars with the runners up carting off half that amount. The third and fourth place finishers receive $300,000 and $200,000 respectively.

Banks DIH Classic Inter Club B’ball tourney ...Exciting encounters envisaged in 3rd place & final

The organisers have completed the requisite modalities and Berbicians can gear up for two exciting encounters when the grand final and third place playoff of the inaugural Banks DIH Classic Inter Club Basketball competition gets underway at the Fyrish Basketball Court tomorrow evening.

When activities commence at 15:30hrs, Rosehall Town and Smythfield Rockerfellas will go head to head in what is anticipated to be a keenly contested encounter to determine the third place followed by the championship game at 16:30hrs between Central New Amsterdam and Fyrish Black Sharks.

Central New Amsterdam will enter the game with the psychological advantage after winning a preliminary encounter against Fyrish Black Sharks 53-35. Contrastingly, the former team has played unbeaten during the preliminary stages and will start as firm favourites.

Their lineup include the likes of Randy Richardson, Jevauhn and Enoch

Vanderstoop, Marvin Chester and Randy Caesar while their opponents have had mixed fortunes during the preliminary stages.

Smythfield Rockerfellas took some time to become acclimatized to the conditions and surrendered several games in the preliminary rounds. They eventually found their range and made amends, consuming all in their path to eventually clinch a finals berth.

They will be depending heavily on the likes of Leyland Edwards, Joel Fraser, Rayol Franklyn and Joel Fraser in their quest for championship honours.

The third place game is also expected to be keenly contested affair and apart from the prizes on offer for the winner and runners-up, there will be special awards for other outstanding individual feats. The presentation ceremony will be held immediately after the game and representatives of the sponsors will assist with the distribution of prizes. The coordinator is Vibert Garrett.

Saturday March 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

ECCB / Elizabeth Styles Div. 1 final on tomorrow

From L-R: Rajendra Chandrika, Zaheer Mohamed, Brian Sattaur, and Vishnu Ramjeet Pulsating cricket action is anticipated tomorrow at the Lusignan Community Centre ground when Lusignan Sports Club will face Enterprise\ Busta Sports Club in the final of the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) / Elizabeth Style 40 over first division competition. Several national players will showcase their talent as they aim to make their team victorious and take home the trophy.

President of the ECCB Bissoondyal Singh said everything is in place for an action-packed event, come tomorrow.

Singh informed that the

ECCB anticipates a large crowd since the two teams are at full strength and have contested numerous fierce battles in the past.

This game will be played with coloured clothing, white balls and black sightscreens and both teams and match officials will take home lots of prizes in Elizabeth Style products. The competition commenced last year with eight (8) teams participating.

Singh also said that the ECCB is very grateful and thanked Elizabeth Styles of USA and India (and now established in Guyana) for their involvement and

described the company as ‘wonderful corporate citizen’ whose involvement with local cricket has affected the lives of hundreds of youngsters in a positive way.

Lusignan: Hemnarine Hira, Kumar Bishundyal, Brian Sattaur, Vishnu Ramjeet (Capt), Rajendra Nickbarran, Dellon Carmichael, Somnauth Bharrat, Narvan Singh, Devindra Bishun, Steve Ramdass, Imran Khan, Chetram Gangadin, Gajanand Suknanand, Tajpaul Deosarran. The Manager is Gewan Persaud and the coach is Chandrika Geenarine.

Enterprise: Zaheer

Mohameed, Parmanand Dindyal, Videsh Lall (Capt), Rohan Mangal, Rajendra Chandrika,Amitab Ramcharran, Kamesh Yadram, Vivian Albert, Arif Habib, Ramesh Atkinson, Chatterpaul Singh, Basant Prashad, Dave Persaud, Amar Kisshur. The manager is Jitlall Jawaherlall and the coach is Latchman Yadram.

The umpires for the match are Mr. Gyananand Sukdeo and Ms. Kenalyn Baker with Mr. Gavin D’Guiar being the stand-by. Overseeing the day’s proceedings is national Match Referee Mr. Judister Rampersaud. The first ball will be bowled at 10:30hrs.

Page 31

FINA Swimming World Cup...

2013 edition kicks-off in August in Eindhoven (NED) Lausanne (SUI) – The competition calendar of the 2013 edition of the FINA Swimming World Cup has been established and will include eight meets in three clusters – Europe, Middle East and Asia. The main novelty for this year is the organisation of two meets immediately after the conclusion of the 15th FINA World Championships Barcelona 2013, finishing on August 4.

The 2013 circuit (held in 25m-pool) will kick-off on August 7-8 in Eindhoven (NED), a new organiser of the series, and will be followed by the leg in Berlin (GER), on August 10-11. Then, in October/November, the traditional dates of the World

Cup in the last years, the remaining meets will take place in Moscow (RUS), Dubai (UAE), Doha (QAT), Singapore (SIN), Tokyo (JPN) and Beijing (CHN).

2013 FINA Swimming World Cup event calender: Eindhoven (NED) August 7-8 Berlin (GER) August 10-11 Moscow (RUS) October 12-13 Dubai (UAE) October 17-18 Doha (QAT) October 20-21 Singapore (SIN) November 5-6 Tokyo (JPN) November 9-10 Beijing (CHN) November 13-14

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 16, 2013

Saturday March 16, 2013

Milo / Petra Organisation Under-20 Football Competition...

Even though Carmel will start as favourites to beat Chase Academy, they should know that previous performances and a strong line-up on paper will not make them automatic semi-finalist when the two schools clash today in quarter-final action of the Milo / Petra Organisation Under-20 Football Competition, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

It is plain and simple; teams who’ve reached this far in the competition have proven their class and any team failing to acknowledge that could pay a heavy price for the lack of respect.

Kaieteur News

Carmel, Charlestown favoured to advance Carmel even at the commencement of the tournament were touted as one of the favourites to cart off the top prize, and their disciplined display in their round of 16 clash against Lodge confirmed that the earlier prediction was not farfetched as they looked menacing in attack and composed in defence in what many described as a mature performance.

The prolific Marlon Nedd, who must be in the running for the tournament’s Most Valuable Player accolade was in sublime form, hammering in all three of his team’s goals, while Aubrey Hodge, Jamal Hamilton and Moses Gritten are all capable of producing terrific performances.

Chase Academy on the other hand has been the latest revelation to impress in the

tournament with some entertaining performances of late and they now seem to have settled down to the task of winning the overall crown after a slow start in the competition.

The team looks well balanced in attack and defence and Carmel is being warned not to take them lightly, especially with their recent form.

The nippy Steve Sanker will once again lead their quest for victory and a place in the semi-final, but he is expected to receive support from Ryan Watson, Carl Semple and Isaiah Reddy, a player with the potential to take a game over.

Whatever the final result, one thing is almost certain it promises to be a scorching affair. The day’s feature is another exciting matchup that

GSL Cricket - Frontline, Ogle record victories Frontline Masters and M and K Ogle recorded victories in latest action of the Georgetown Softball League\ Regal Stationery and Computer Centre\Mike’s Copy Centre\Star Part Rentals\ Trophy Stall and Salod Marketing Agency cricket competition which continued last Sunday at the Cyril Potter College of Education ground (CPCE).

Frontline Masters defeated Parika Defenders by 84 runs. Frontline batted first and posted 180-8 off their allotted 20 overs. Fazal Ali top scored with 57 while G. Mc Roy made 34 and R. Sankar 32. A. Mohamed and R. Rambharose picked up 2 wickets each. Defenders in reply were bowled out for 96 in 10 overs. Rambharose returned to hit 23 as R. Narine

Page 33

took 3-26 and L. Persaud 215.

In the second encounter of the day, M and K Ogle overcame Industry Super Kings by 7 wickets. Industry took first strike and managed 168-6 in 20 overs.

David Harper was their leading run getter with 81 and Rupert Basdeo supported with 38.

M. Wilfred grabbed 3-21 and N. Narine 2-34. Ogle then responded with 172-3 in 17.1 overs. Mohamed Yusuf stroked 60 while Krishna Bissesar chipped in with 45; Pooran Singh claimed 2-24.

The competition continues tomorrow with Speed Boat XI playing Challengers and Tradesman XI at 09:30hrs and 11:30hrs respectively. Superior Woods face Challengers and

Tradesman XI at 13:30hrs and 15:30hrs correspondingly on pitch number one at CPCE. On pitch number two, Trophy Stall will tackle Success Warriors at 09:30hrs, Elcomodante will challenge LBI Top Gun and Trophy Stall at 11:30hrs and 13:30hrs in that order and Success Warriors will take on Mon Repo at 15:30hrs.

On pitch number three, Herstelling will match skills with Marshon XI at 09:30hrs, Mon Repo will entertain Queens Park Rangers at 11:30hrs, Herstelling will face Rapid Fire at 13:30hrs and Accomplishment will battle Rapid Fire at 15:30hrs.

At GNIC, Frontline Masters will play Savage Masters at 09:30hrs and Everest will engage Savage at 11:30 hrs.

Matt Prior upbeat after late wickets Wicketkeeper Matt Prior says the removal of three New Zealand batsmen late on day two has put England in charge of the second Test. Peter Fulton, Hamish Rutherford and Ross Taylor fell to leave the hosts 66-3 in reply to England’s 465.

“It ended up a pretty good day for us,” Prior, who scored 82, told BBC Sport. “Those late wickets swung it in our favour but it’s very important we come in hard [on day three] and try to force the advantage we have.”

Resuming on 267-2, England slid to 325-5 but were hauled to an imposing total by Kevin Pietersen’s 73 and Prior’s 99-ball knock.

The Sussex gloveman added 83 for the eighth wicket with Steven Finn, who followed up his maiden fifty in the first Test in Dunedin with a steady 24.

“When I first came in it was time to buckle in a little bit,” added Prior. “We wanted to make

sure we batted long and make sure we got a very good score on the board, which we ended up doing.

“It’s nice to score some runs but more important to me was the contribution Finn made again.

“He has put in a huge amount of work with [head coach] Andy Flower and [batting coach] Graham Gooch and, seeing what he did in the last Test and then again today in that partnership, it’s outstanding.”

England were all out on the stroke of tea, giving them 33 overs in which to make inroads in the New Zealand batting. “That session was a nice amount of overs for us,” said Prior.

“Our quick bowlers could have short fiery spells and Monty Panesar could get in a bit of rhythm. “The day panned out brilliantly for us. We are in a very good position.” (BBC Sport)

Milo U-20 Schools Football action brings together two titans in the sport, Charlestown and St. George’s.

The former undoubtedly has been the most consistent performer in the competition to date, stringing together some impressive performances, while gathering some lop-sided wins, but as was mentioned earlier, at this stage of the competition, past results are usually extraneous, but rather

it is who plays better on the day.

Charlestown have a host of stars to call on to lead them to the next round and they include the in-form Anthony Bartholomew, while goal scorers from their last game Shane Morris, Brian Prince, Arody Bransford and Collis Best will be chomping at the bits to get on the field and into the scorebook.

They are unquestionably a star-studded unit and must

be favoured to go all the way.

St. George’s on the other hand has always had a solid reputation of producing players of calibre at this level, but they’ve looked inconsistent at best thus far.

However, they managed to produce an inspiring performance in their last encounter Queen’s College, who they defeated 5-0. Sean Taylor, Jummer Small, Royston Dublin, Adulka (Continued on page 29)

t r o Sp

Farfan & Mendes First Division Men’s Hockey League...

Defending champs GCC, Hikers square T off for title today

GCC’s Steven Xavier (centre) seen on the attack against Hikers in a previous encounter.

he Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) has scheduled the final Farfan & Mendes Men’s First Division League match to be played today, at the GCC ground, Bourda. The final match of the 2012 season is considered a virtual final as it is a contest between the two sides still vying for the trophy, the Hikers and GCC. After two rounds of play, GCC sits at the top of the pool just two points ahead of the Hikers who will therefore need an outright win to dethrone the defending champions, GCC. Jamarj Assanah will be one of the key strikers on the goal hunt for the Hikers coming off a lucrative string of first round pool matches, scoring a number of goals in the process.

The return of Shane Samuels from injury late last year will also be a welcome boost for the Hikers and that will definitely add strength to their already solid midfield that contains Captain Devin Munroe and Shaquille Assanah.

GCC’s attack will be led by the prolific duo of Kevin Spencer and Orland Semple and anchored in defense by the experienced Dwayne Scott and energetic Raphael DeGroot.

Bully-off time is 16:00hrs and the presentation of the 2012 trophy will be held immediately following the match.

Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210