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Kaieteur News
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Rupert Roopnaraine wins Rice production for 2013 major literary award projected to surpass last year’s About two weeks ago harvesting of the first rice crop for 2013 began and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) projects that 240,000 tons of rice would be produced. Already, the Board expects production for this year to surpass last year’s 422,000 tons. General Manager of GRDB, Jagnarine Singh, in an interview with this publication yesterday, said that over the past three years rice production has had an increasing trend and that is unlikely to break this year. He related that owing to the lucrative returns and favourable weather conditions, rice farmers are motivated to produce more. So far, in excess of 200,000 acres will be harvested, with only 10 percent completed. Previously one hectare used to produce 4.8 tons of paddy, but that has increased to 5.5 tons. According to Singh, Guyana has secured rice markets with Venezuela, Europe, Jamaica, and CARICOM, as such there is no aggressive movement towards entering other markets. Arrangements with
GRDB General Manager, Jagnarine Singh each market have allowed large rice millers and by extension, farmers, to enjoy reasonable prices for their paddy and rice. He explained that given Guyana’s position as a CARIFORUM state, it has been able to benefit from the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union. This arrangement allows Guyana’s rice duty free quota access to the European market. In addition, because of
CARICOM’s Common External Tariff - a rate of duty applied by all member states to a product imported from a country which is not a member of the market Guyana can afford to compete with other rice producers selling their produce to other CARICOM states. He indicated that a 25 percent rate of duty is applied to rice imported from a country outside of CARICOM. Two of the most lucrative markets in CARICOM are Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Singh said that two-thirds of rice produced locally last year was exported to Venezuela through the Petrocaribe Energy Cooperation Agreement, which sees Guyana buying fuel from and selling rice to Venezuela. The demand for rice and paddy in Venezuela is high and it is unlikely that Guyana will lose this market, he added. In light of these markets and the high price for rice, farmers have been increasing their production. In fact, within recent years rice millers have been paying farmers roughly $1,000 more per bag of paddy.
Member of Parliament for A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), Rupert Roopnaraine, has won an award for his non-fiction book, The Sky’s Wild Noise. According to the Peepal Tree Press, two of its books won their individual category prizes in the One Caribbean Media (OCM) Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. These two titles, along with a third from Monique Roffey, will compete for the overall OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. Roopnaraine’s book is a wide-ranging collection of essays on art, literature, politics, and society. According to the judges, “in the corpus of non-fiction prose in the Caribbean intellectual tradition, only José Martí and George Lamming rival the range of Roopnaraine’s capacities of response, depth of analysis, and subtle and mordant style.” The winner of the overall OCM Bocas Prize will be announced on 27 April, as part of the third annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest. The 2012 prize was won by Trinidadian Earl Lovelace for his novel Is Just a Movie. Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott was winner of
Rupert Roopnaraine the inaugural 2011 prize for his poetry collection, White Egrets. The final cross-genre judging panel will be headed by the celebrated Jamaican writer Olive Senior. According to Peepal, writers from St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana have made the shortlist for the 2013 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, sponsored by One Caribbean Media. “From a long list of ten impressive titles in the poetry, fiction, and non-fiction categories, the prize judges have chosen a shortlist of three books, written by one of the Caribbean’s most esteemed poets, a well-known
contemporary novelist, and a distinguished academic-cumpolitician.” These three books, announced as the winners in their own genre categories, now go on to vie for the overall 2013 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, which comes with a cash award of US$10,000. The 2013 poetry winner is St. Lucian poet and dramatist Kendel Hippolyte’s Fault Lines (Peepal Tree Press), hailed as both lyrical and prophetic, matching spiritual searching with social critique. The judges praised the collection, saying it “demonstrates Hippolyte’s excellent, all-round craftsmanship as a poet. His voice and cadence are unique and distinctive.” The judges add: “This book stands out as a singular achievement.” Trinidadian novelist Monique Roffey is this year’s fiction category winner, for her novel Archipelago, a story of devastating personal loss that leads to a voyage of discovery. The judges praised the work for its risk-taking, “leaping beyond the boundaries of historical representation, language use, narrative perspective, and narrative form.”
ROBBERY OF OUR AIRWAVES
Bharrat Jagdeo
Robert Persaud: Five radio channels
Five radio channels granted to the PPP Mirror Newspaper by this dirty, rotten...!
granted to his nephew-in-law through his PS Omkar Lochan
Nine Radio and TV channels granted to Bobby Ramroop the best friend of the same dirty, rotten...!
DO YOU KNOW THAT JAGDEO GAVE HIS BEST FRIEND NINE RADIO AND TV CHANNELS, HIS NEPHEW-IN-LAW ROBERT PERSAUD FIVE RADIO CHANNELS AND THE MIRROR NEWSPAPER FIVE RADIO CHANNELS TOO, THE SAME MONTH HE LEFT OFFICE?
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Radio/Cable licences scandal…
Barefaced theft of limited national resources - Opposition MPs On September 27, 2011, former President Bharrat Jagdeo signed the Broadcasting Act 2011 into law paving the way for the Broadcasting Authority to start the process for the issuance of new television and radio licences. However, days before he was set to step down in November, ending his constitutional term in office, he gave permission to several entities, including ruling party members and close friends, to start operating radio stations. Last week, under pressure from the Opposition, the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), in shocking revelations, told the National Assembly that Jagdeo gave his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop five radio channels; New Guyana Company Limited five and Telcor and Cultural Broadcasting Inc another five. Telcor’s contact person is Omkar Lochan, who happens to be the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment…a ministry headed by Minister Robert Persaud. New Guyana Company is the one that publishes the party’s newspaper, Mirror, and whose contact person is PPP’s Member of Parliament (MP), Dharamkumar Seeraj. There have been widespread condemnations, of the allocations of the licences, by local media bodies… the Guyana Press Association (GPA) and the Guyana Media Proprietors Association (GMPA). The issuance of two cable licences to two of Jagdeo’s closest friends, Vishok Persaud and Brian Yong, has emphasized the shocking extent of the control that was and still is being exercised over the national spectrum. Now, there are numerous questions as to why Jagdeo did not wait on the authority to do its work. It would be one of the several criticisms facing the legacy of the former President who is under fire for a number of questionable multi-billion-dollar deals that he essentially tied Guyana to while in office. BYPASSED SYSTEM Yesterday, Alliance For Change Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, said that what is wrong in the entire process is the fact that Jagdeo bypassed the system
APNU MP Joseph Harmon
AFC MP, Moses Nagamootoo
Former MP/TV Station Owner, Tony Vieira
Bharrat Jagdeo
TVG/Guyana Times Dr. Bobby Ramroop (Nine radio/TV channels)
Robert Persaud
Minister Robert Persaud’s Deputy PS Omkar Lochan (Five radio channels)
Mirror Newspaper Dharamkumar Seeraj (Five radio channels)
Brian Yong granted cable licence
Vishok Persaud granted cable licence
that was established to grant licences. Nagamootoo, a former Minister of Information under the PPP/C and long time journalist at the Mirror newspaper, pointed out that it was the agreement between political parties that no new licences would have been issued until a new Broadcasting Act was in effect and after an Authority was established. Yet, weeks after assenting to the Act in 2011, Jagdeo took it upon himself to issue the licences. “This is the issue that has made the allocations so very lawless. It is how he bypassed what had been agreed to.” Nagamootoo is a founding member of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers and the first ever regional Vice Chairman of the International Association of Journalists. BAREFACED THEFT “This is a clear case of the barefaced theft of national resources, a resource that is limited. The early indications are that the aggrieved media houses and other affected persons and entities who have been ignored may now have recourse in the court,” Nagamootoo, now a practicing lawyer, asserted. He opined that the latest disclosures may serve to “clip” the Executive’s powers
to promote nepotism and challenged President Donald Ramotar to be more than just a “follower” of his predecessor (Jagdeo). Nagamootoo said he was revolted by the fact that prominent media houses like Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, two independent newspapers, were not favoured in place of the Mirror newspaper which is headed by a “now defunct company” and an individual who does not even have a “passing acquaintance” to the media. “I am also revolted by the fact that the Mirror complex in Ruimveldt has been hived off to a friend of Jagdeo, Ed Ahmad, and the contract for printing given to ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, a friend of Mr. Jagdeo.” Nagamootoo served at the Mirror for over 25 years before parting company with the PPP/C in 2011 to join the AFC. “Party paramountcy has been brought to live again.” OBNOXIOUS Meanwhile, A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), which has the largest bloc of seats for the opposition in the National Assembly, described Prime Minister Samuel Hinds’ recent disclosures as “obnoxious”, calling for the licences to be revoked. “Jagdeo and his party should be ashamed. What message are we sending to
the world by making such decisions? What makes it worse is that these licences were issued after Jagdeo would have assented to the Broadcast Act and done days before he left office,” said APNU MP, Joe Harmon. The Parliamentarian pointed out that Jagdeo in essence bypassed the prequalification checks that would have been conducted by the Broadcast Authority. He urged for the licences to be recalled as a consequence. The checks referred to by Harmon have to do with the fact that the Broadcast Authority has made it clear that it would not recognize any old applications that
existed before the Act was signed in 2011. The body wants fresh applications…a move that is being resisted by media houses and others that already have applications on file with the National Frequency Monitoring Unit (NFMU), which handled applications before the Act came into being. Applicants have to show financial means and present a business plan. Earlier this week, Tony Vieira, a long-time television station owner blasted the way the former president issued the licences. “The entire process is illegal. Full stop. A Broadcast Act was signed. Therefore even if the Broadcast Authority was not
established until last year, no licences should have been issued,” Vieira said. Vieira was the owner of the VCT Channel 28 which he said he was forced to sell out after government pressured him, taking away some of his biggest clients. Media owners who were ignored by the government are currently examining their options and have not ruled out heading to the courts. There has been mounting evidence that the radio, television and cable licences were issued as part of a bigger plan by persons close to ruling party to take full control of the growing telecommunications sector.
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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Partnership Democracy As the academic Imer Florez points out, the political philosopher Ronald Dworkin (who passed away earlier this year) in his book “Is Democracy Possible Here? Principles for a New Political Debate”, begins by acknowledging an increasing polarization between the two dominant political cultures in the US, represented by the ideologies of the two main political parties. They not only disagree about almost everything including the scope of their disagreements, but also —and even worse— neither have nor show respect — the one for the other and vice versa— to the extent that he cautions: “We are no longer partners in self-government; our politics are rather a form of war.” Now if there are many in our country who agonise over our even starker political polarisation and ask our warring politicians to take in the example of the USA, imagine the state of our body politic. Dworkin’s message then, bears repeating to our political class as they gird their loins for the battle of the Budget 2013. The 2012 battle was bruising enough. Dworkin warns that the split between the two poles may become an “unbridgeable gulf” if there is “no common ground to be found and no genuine argument to be had” in order to seek and eventually reach a broad consensus. In this regard, he adds: “Democracy can be healthy with no serious political argument if there is nevertheless a broad consensus about what is to be done. It can be healthy even if there is no consensus if it does have a culture of argument. But it cannot remain healthy with deep and bitter divisions and no real argument, because it then becomes only a tyranny of numbers.” This is where we have found ourselves today. The two major political parties in our country do not appear to have a “broad consensus” about what needs to be done to keep Guyana on the track of higher growth and sustainable development. The third and smallest, driven by the electoral mathematics, will focus on exploiting any emerging consensus as it did on the Linden electricity issue. But more dangerously we also do not have a widespread acceptance of a ‘culture of argument’ in which there is give and take. This is very clear on both sides of the divide as is seen in the Rohee saga. We can consider, as Dworkin did, “democracy” as the Lincolnian, “government of all the people, by all the people — directly on their own (“direct democracy”) or indirectly through their representatives (“representative democracy”) and for all the people”. However, in Guyana, the problem is that there are two competing and conflicting conceptions of democracy. They can be traced all the way back to John Stuart Mill, who suggested: “Two very different ideas are usually confounded under the name democracy. The pure idea of democracy, according to its definition, is the government of the whole people by the whole people, equally represented. Democracy as commonly conceived and hitherto practiced is the government of the whole people by a mere majority of the people, exclusively represented.” From Dworkin’s perspective, at the present time, the two competing conceptions of democracy not only coexist but also are still in conflict: “There is no guarantee that a majority will decide fairly; its decisions may be unfair to minorities whose interests the majority systematically ignores. If so, then the democracy is unjust but no less democratic for that reason. According to the rival “partnership” view of democracy, however, democracy means that the people govern themselves each as a full partner in a collective political enterprise so that a majority’s decisions are democratic only when certain further conditions are met that protect the status and interests of each citizen as a full partner in that enterprise. On the partnership view, a community that steadily ignores the interests of some minority or other group is just for that reason not democratic even though it elects officials impeccably by majoritarian means.” Dworkin warns that the degraded state of the public debate endangers the partnership conception of democracy and strengthens the majoritarian one, including viewing the other as an enemy and politics as a war. We hope our politicians will heed this call for a wider democracy.
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news
The intellect of the opposition is different from that of the populace DEAR EDITOR, Sunday Stabroek, February 24, 2013, in their Grade Six Social Studies Section offered the following as the main function of the National Assembly: “The main job of this body is to make laws for peace, order and good government. The laws proposed (Bills) must be debated upon, passed in Parliament and signed by the President before they can become laws.” So, while Mr. David Granger, so focused on sending a message to ‘the Executive’, as reported widely in the local press, led the Opposition, without debate, to reject the Firearm (Amendment) Bill, what message was he actually sending to ‘the Guyanese Public’ including children? Do we even exist? ‘Rohee Must Go’ seems to summarise the extent of the intellect and abilities of the combined opposition. It is certainly not a reflection of the intellect of the average Guyanese. Did Mr. Granger himself not agree in a meeting with government officials to a hike in electricity rates for Lindeners? Who were the organisers of the protests in Linden that put citizens of this country directly in the line of fire? And more importantly, who were the instigators of the protests? Could they have been right there sitting in Parliament somewhere pretending to be angels?
If all parties contributed in some way, shape or form to the fiasco and death of people in Linden, costing lives, human suffering and taxpayer dollars why is it that Rohee alone must go? The way that I have come to see it is that the whole pack needs to go. This is not about Mr. Clement Rohee. It is not even about concern for the citizens of Linden. This is what the PNC, PNCR and APNU think politics is all about – they must be the ones running the country and if they can’t, they will bruk it up to the extent that the international community allows them scope. Participation, compromise, engagement, collaboration and outreach – with Indian Guyanese - are not within their skill set or ambition. And it is not necessarily a racist thing either at this point – it could easily have been a religious divide. It is just the framework within which they operate and which has the potential to offer them ‘power’ and they are without the abilities – intellectual or moral - to change the system. The PPP Government became a minority because supporters were disenchanted with the administration. What message did Mr. David Granger send to the supporters of the PPP? Did he send them a message that he is an attractive alternative? He did the very opposite.
Almost everything that the PPP is saying is correct, in my opinion, at this point. The message coming out from the APNU’s ‘myopic’ perspective once again is that they don’t care about the PPP supporters. Their agenda is to bully or orchestrate or manipulate their way into office. Given the Guyanese/ Indian experience under the PNC, supported into office by British/American covert and overt assistance (ref 1: Guyana.org US and British declassified files in British Guiana/Guyana), and the behaviour of the APNU, why would Indian supporters today even look in the direction of APNU? With all of this ‘ínsanity’ from the APNU, they will have the gall to say to the world that PPP / Indian supporters are racists. This is deceitful, misrepresentation and, once again, unpardonable. It is time the politicians of this country be exposed as the incompetents that they are. It is time they stop projecting their failure unto the citizens of this nation. We are kicking this jumbie off our backs. The larger message that Mr. David Granger sent to the
Guyanese Public – by using antics to show ‘them’- is that the status quo of a bitter political divide continues and deepens under his leadership. We want to hear something different. If the APNU had the skills or the inclination to unite the country and improve the living conditions of the citizens, they would be doing it. Instead, we are offered, with a tiny majority, more lawlessness in the institution that makes laws. Are we to expect that they will suddenly transform when they control the Executive too? No, thank you. Most of us want to support the AFC and give them a break and a chance, but they have clearly also lost their moral compass. As a citizen of this country, growing up under conditions of bitter political violence, divide, strife and hatred, rape and murder, I part company with anyone anywhere who lead people to violence, death, sorrow and mayhem and threaten the peace and stability of this nation. Our means must be in alignment with our ends. It is the only way to build trust. Sandra Khan
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
The parliamentary debacle DEAR EDITOR, We are the silent majority. I am one small part of the silent majority. I am one who hates having his name published as I do not wish to be identified as a politician of any bent. Unfortunately, in our country, if you don’t agree with the Government position you are anti-government. Those over 30 years old may recall “If you’re not with me you are against me”. Did this change in 1992? No. When Guyana gained independence the Government that led us was a coalition Government which formed a governing coalition comprising of two parties. One of the partners in the coalition persuaded members of their partner party to join their party or “cross the floor”. This led to the dominance in Parliament by one Party, which in turn led to a new “constitution” with an executive President. There is a lot to be said in favour of having an executive President, however, as the years passed, certain negative aspects became apparent and, the opposition party in the years prior to 1992 called for, and promised “reform”, if they got into power. They did, yet the reform of the Presidential powers is still to be made some 21 years later. Why? Well it seems to be all about “power” NOT about accountability, or the improvement of Guyana, but the retention of power once gained. Is it that our first Executive President was right after all? Our elected
Parliamentarians could not be trusted. But are they elected or selected? I am not clear. There is a lot of talk about being elected by the people and all that, but what has evolved, and where has it got our Parliament which, as the supreme legislative body, is responsible for making our laws? It would appear that Parliament can make the law but some Judge in the Judiciary has to explain to our Parliamentarians what the law means. This, somehow, does not seem right. How did Guyana get such a Parliament elected or selected to examine this phenomenon? Back in the early sixties the colonial power called the three main political parties of the time to England to discuss “Independence”. This resulted in changing our electoral system to a “Proportional Representative” (PR) system being introduced. Under this system each party presented a list of candidates from which the Parliamentarians would be chosen depending on the number of votes gained by the party. There was also an agreement which covered the award of seats to areas which were very large but only slightly populated. The lists however were the important parts of the election. Another observation noted, is the effect of the PR system which caused parties to select candidates suitable to an area. Under one condition, the parties saw fit to choose a candidate who was known in the region that he was to represent, and who knew the area. Hence, the parties chose persons of character, diligence and integrity.
DEAR EDITOR, The long awaited results and recommendations from the Essequibo Nite investigation is now out, or at least part of it is out and anyone who were following the procrastinations in arriving at a decision as to who were culpable for the wrongdoings, surely see and hear now the one person on who if not most of the blames fall on. I think it is right that the authorities should take some sort of disciplinary measures on whoever is found guilty, but it is not fair to put all the blame on the one person who some believe was set up since she was sent from her ticket booth to another ticket booth to call another Essequibo Nite volunteer, then after five minutes or so her bag was searched and bogus tickets found. The big question is why was her bag not searched in her presence before sending
her out of the booth. Should the Councillor be charged and she takes a Lawyer to defend her in Court it is obvious that she will be set free since no bogus tickets were found in her bag when the Regional Chairman claimed that he found the bogus tickets after he sent the Councillor out of the booth to call someone. The big question however is still not yet answered. What happens to the two hundred tickets that went missing in the Regional Chairman’s office under his watchful eyes while he kept all the keys? Why did the investigators not look at that aspect of the irregularities? Why is he shielded and protected? He should be made to answer for those tickets like the Councillor. Or is the Councillor the sacrificial lamb and is being sacrificed for the Chairman’s welfare. Chuman Narine Affiance
Is there a sacrificial lamb?
However, at the end of 2011 Guyana had an election and an unexpected result occurred, caused by the emergence of a relatively new party. Guyana elected three parties in such a way as to have a minority Government. Unfortunately, this has led to a chaotic situation in the Parliament. After nearly five decades of parliamentary control by a majority Government, the current minority Government has to accept that “power” has now slipped from party
control to parliamentary control. This is proving very difficult as it calls for a sharing of power with another rival party with whom there has been a historic rivalry dating back (is it) some 60 years. The situation calls for very real political horse trading where each have to give a little to get an agreement, meaning positions, chairmanships, etc... If this cannot be achieved then there will be a continuation of a hung parliament with nothing getting done.
The Minister concerned is allowed to speak and presented an important Bill. This Bill is rejected by the majority vote of the opposition —I presume not because of the content or intent of the Bill, but because the Minister, in whom they have no confidence, presented it. This is understandable BUT whose interest are both these parties representing? Perhaps our First Executive President knew what he was doing when he gave himself the
Power. Perhaps the current President can act in a statesman like manner to break this impasse. This isn’t about the parties involved; this is about Guyana. The President can take the moral high ground. He can reshuffle his Cabinet, he can get the majority opposition to agree to some project the minority Government wishes and then Guyana can move forward again. Does our President have the qualities needed to achieve a solution? Only time will tell. Takuba
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
The PPP has been caught red red-handed DEAR EDITOR, Thank you and the team at Kaieteur News for your commitment to highlighting corruption in public and private offices throughout Guyana. Your diligence and commitment to Guyana are worthy of recognition and international acclaim. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has become the most unpopular party in Guyana largely due to massive public and private corruption and violence that it has been directly and indirectly involved in. This party finds itself between a rock and a hard place; it has been caught stealing, lying and aligned with street thugs and killing squads even though the party claims to be a party interested in the well-being of Guyana. The majority of Guyanese and other persons have come to view the PPP as a corrupt, violent and untrustworthy party. Now of course not all party members are like this, but those who oppose the
current way in which the party is being managed by its leadership hardly speak out for fear of victimization and separation from the privileges and benefits party membership provides them. So the math is really simple; the PPP has been caught red-handed stealing, lying and hurting citizens yet it expects Guyanese to support them. Why would I support my own destruction? Over the past 21 years, the PPP has demonstrated that it cannot be trusted; that it will do anything to strengthen and maintain control of the main productive sectors in Guyana. I have close friends who are PPP members, who have expressed to me their concerns about how the party is being governed and dragged through the mud by the Jagdeoites, Mr. Donald Ramotar included. I offer that the writing is on the wall for the PPP. The past 21 years have manifested the real intentions of the PPP top brass.
These intentions include total monopolization and domination of strategic economic sectors and undermining Guyanese workers (look at the PPP infiltration of workers unions, regional administrative councils and the Chinese workers fiasco at Marriot) even if it means killing and victimizing people who do not agree with the Government’s actions. We have learned a lot about the PPP over the past 21 years, and one thing we all know is that the Party is a far cry from the moral and upright party that was founded by former President Comrade Cheddi Jagan. No amount of make-up, instilling fear in its own members and the general populace will cover-up the wrongs that the PPP continues to be engaged in. I do hope the combined opposition calls an early election; I for one will not cast a vote for the PPP even if I’m blindfolded and threatened with death. Enough is enough!!! M. Archer
Corruption has been established DEAR EDITOR, A standard definition of corruption is, “The misuse of government power, with which one has been entrusted or assigned, to obtain private gain…” (McConnell, Brue and Flyn, 2012). Undoubtedly, this has direct relevance to the confiscation by former President Jagdeo of publicly owned assets of the Guyanese people that he in turn transferred by his clandestine action to a group of his private cohorts. How did the Guyanese people know of this multimillion dollar malfeasance? It was not the state or the private press who announced the details of the deal; but it was the Prime Minister who informed the Guyanese people of this troubling situation when he was asked the question in
Parliament (SN Article, 3-16, “Frequency Allocations stir Criticisms”). Compounding the corruption problem further is the linkage with the Brazilian cable network project, another nefarious scheme constructed in the dark by former President Jagdeo (KN 3-19-2013, “US$35M cable from Brazil a convenience for Jagdeo’s friends”). Going forward, two things must be done. First, Prime Minister Hinds needs to keep walking in the footsteps of the former Speaker of the House and former senior PPP/C member, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran who spoke about government corruption. But talk, the best pasttime in Guyana, is not enough; we need concrete action from the top to set a correction path, for Jagdeo’s path cannot be the best for
Guyana. Second, we need President Ramotar to show us that he is against corruption not only in words, but by his deeds. Specifically, President Ramotar must take concrete action and revoke all the licenses issued to these cohorts of Former President Jagdeo with immediate effect; he must ban these persons who received these licenses from having anything to do with communication in Guyana for the next 20 years. He must, with the approval of Parliament, appoint an effective Board with powers to approve, monitor and make changes that will benefit the Guyanese people. Separate yourself from this crime, President Ramotar, and let the sunlight in. C. Kenrick Hunte
DEAR EDITOR, I don’t suffer fools kindly. APNU/PNC has been a complete fool in this Clement Rohee exercise. It passed a motion. The PPP ran to the courts in response. The Chief Justice (acting) rendered a decision that allowed Rohee to speak. The Speaker agreed with the Chief Justice. Why this weeping, wailing, caterwauling, shedding of crocodile tears and all manner of stupidities when the simplest and only viable recourse was to appeal the Chief Justice’s and Speaker’s decisions, which the PNC/APNU has failed to do? Appeal the darn decision and let the chips fall where they may. The people of this country have already moved from this fiasco. In any event, anything Rohee says in
Parliament is being rubbished and his Bills are now being rejected so the opposition still gets its way. If Basil Williams has the time to write legal opinions in the letter pages of Kaieteur News then surely he had more than enough time to put those same arguments into an appeal of the CJ’s decision (“Reasons why Brig. David Granger and Khemraj Ramjattan’s motion should be debated in the National Assembly”, KN, March 19, 2013). There are greater bread and butter issues and a rising stench of overpowering corruption in this country that is seen as more important than this now fading Rohee mess. The PNC/APNU is clearly missing these new eruptions while still focused on an issue that is fading fast.
It is like a dog fighting with a bone while a big juicy steak sits just mere inches away. Until the PNC/APNU does the right thing and allows the courts to do their job, all this posturing and masquerading is just senseless drivel that is flogging a dead horse. The PNC/APNU’s laziness is evident here. The AFC has accepted the Speaker ’s ruling which follows the CJ’s decision and will abide by it. The PNC/ APNU disagrees but does nothing. It failed to mount a challenge to the CJ’s or the Speaker’s decision. Imagine this is the political entity wanting to rule Guyana. The PNC/APNU does not seem to know its hand from its foot. M. Maxwell
APNU, appeal the Rohee decision or shut up
A speedy recovery for Nigel Hughes DEAR EDITOR, The Rupununi Miners’ Association, at a meeting held on Monday, at which I was honoured to be invited, asked me to extend, on their behalf, to Mr. Nigel Hughes, Attorney-at-Law, best wishes and a speedy recovery. This distinguished son of Guyana was on a visit to the Marudi Mountains to get a first-hand view of the area. He was retained by the miners to fight their cause in the Courts of Guyana. Mr. Hughes, while in Marudi, displayed all the qualities of a top-notch Attorney. He even ventured into one of the tunnels that the miners work on a daily basis,
thus putting their lives at risk all the time. Many men have died in those tunnels as a result of cave-ins. The miners also wish to console his family asking them to take strength from this since he was in the line of duty. A soldier has stumbled but not fallen. This should make any opponent quake with fear, since despite all that is thrown at him, he refuses
to go down. Mr. Nigel Hughes is more than deserving of the title Senior Counselor. Best wishes sir and we wish you well as you fight on. We are with you as well as our prayers. Carl Parker Regional Councillor For the Miners of the Rupununi Miners Association
Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present. Jim Rohn
Wednesday March 20, 2013
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday March 20, 2013
South and North interdependent for continued development – Foreign Minister With ambitious plans to build on its recently improved status reflected in the 2013 Human Development Index, Guyana is poised for even more advancement. At least this is the view of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who recently asserted that “Guyana will continue on the path of human development. I would like to see us move up the rankings more rapidly, but I am nevertheless pleased in the circumstances that we have been able to move up.” The occasion was the launching of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Human Development Report, which places Guyana at a ranking of 118, up one place from the previous year. This development comes even as focus is being directed to the Southern Hemisphere in the Report titled ‘The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World’. According to Minister Rodrigues-Birkett “while the prospects for the South and North are not neutrally exclusive, in fact they are interdependent more than ever; the North needs the South now.” Building on her argument, the Minister pointed to the fact that although the United States remains the world’s largest economy in monetary terms, it continues to be one of Guyana’s largest trading partners. “So we are not necessarily seeing this as South against North, but together we can be able to move this world to a place where we would all like to see it.” And even as forward collaborative movements are embraced, the Minister alluded to the fact that the
UNDP’s Resident Representative, Khadija Musa United Nations is currently “very actively engaged” in looking at the post-2015 development agenda for the Millennium Development Goals. “As we look at that agenda and the sustainable development goals, we must consider the situation of small heavily indebted, highly vulnerable countries in that setting.. .I am glad that the Report also speaks to environmental sustainability, because that underscores everything else we do.” Speaking to the ‘Rise of the South’ notion, UNDP’s Resident Representative, Khadija Musa, emphasised the details of the Report, which state that the development recorded in the South has over the years been unprecedented in its speed and scale. She alluded to observations that “never in history has living conditions and prosperity for so many people changed so dramatically and so fast.”
The historic progress, according to her, is creating opportunities for the South and the North to collaborate in new ways to enhance human development and to confront challenges such as climate change. She amplified that countries across the South are extending trade, technology and policies tied through the North, “while North is looking South for new partnership that can promote global growth and development.” Moreover, Musa noted that the South, as a whole, is driving global economic growth and societal change for the first time in centuries and according to the UNDP’s administrator, Helen Clark, the Report makes a significant contribution to developmental thinking. This is done by describing specific drivers of development transformation and by suggesting further policy priorities that could help sustain the momentum, Musa added.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett
It was also emphasised that countries are tapping into global markets by investing in people to make the best of trade opportunities and are investing in infrastructure to facilitate access to markets and expanding into nontraditional markets. And in terms of social policy innovations, Musa added that countries from the South are investing heavily in some areas. “For example, Turkey has introduced health care for all, especially emphasising on the poor; Brazil is expanding education access by equalising funds across regions and municipalities and Mexico is focusing on poverty reduction.” According to Musa, the rise of the South and its potential for escalation progress for future generations should be seen as beneficial for all countries of the regions, since as living standards improve, the world as a whole will become more interdependent.
Some countries, she pointed out, have been very proactive and have committed to long term development by actively
promoting job creation, enhancing public investment in health and education and nurturing industrial capacities.
Paul Ateli, a Nigerian language translator, was yesterday sentenced to a jail term of 4 years and 6 months by Magistrate Sueanna Lovell for trafficking in narcotics. Ateli appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. The man, whose addresses were given as 22 Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar, and also of Bonnie Straat, Paramaribo, Suriname, was found in possession of 5510 grams cocaine. Ateli had denied the charges during his first court appearance. He had claimed that the story was a case of fabrication and that the reason why he had been coming to court was to clear his name because he did not commit the crime. “I can’t believe I was found guilty by the court,”
Ateli responded after hearing the verdict. The matter was prosecuted by Customs Anti Narcotics Unit’s Oswald Massiah Massiah told the court that the sentence must reflect not only to the locals but to those abroad the seriousness of the crime perpetrated. Massiah, had earlier noted that while Ateli had furnished the court with a Lot 22 Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar address, he had given investigators a Suriname address as well. The special prosecutor also said that while Ateli told the court he would be here for two weeks, he told investigators two years. Additionally, CANU’s investigations had revealed that Ateli had entered Guyana illegally from Suriname. Ateli
had told law enforcement officers that he was not a permanent resident of Guyana but a frequent visitor, and that he had intended to spend two weeks here before returning to Nigeria. Ateli was charged in January last year. It was alleged then that on January 3, 2012, at the Guyana Post Office Corporation, at North Road, he had in his possession 510 grammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. According to the details of the case, Ateli and a woman, a 49-year-old cosmetologist of South Ruimveldt Park, attempted to mail a number of packets containing false nails. The packets were pierced by officials who then discovered a powdery substance within them.
The Guyana Musical Arts Festival will be held from April 29 and entries are currently being accepted, the closing date for which is March 29. According to information garnered from the organising committee, the festival will see
competition in 64 classes: 42 children’s classes; 16 adult classes and 6 which will be open to all ages. The entry forms are available at the Festival’s office at Dewar’s Music School, 221 Charlotte St,
Bourda, ( between Oronoque and New Garden Streets). The office will be open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 4 pm and 6 pm and persons can also call 226-3052 during those hours for more information The festival will allow participants of all ages to compete in over 40 categories of artistic endeavour. Participants in this year’s festival must register with the office by April 5. The first music festival was held in 1952 and had a continuous presence until 1975 when it was replaced by Guyfesta. This is also part of the Ministry of Culture’s approach to resuscitate the art of music locally.
Nigerian jailed for cocaine trafficking
Guyana Music Festival slated for April 29
Wednesday March 20, 2013
A grieving mother who had just lost her son related to reporters what a good boy he was. According to the mom, the lad worked for $5,500 per week. Each week he would only keep $500 for himself and give her the rest. Upon reading this, it struck me that long ago, your first pay envelope would usually go to your mother who would determine what you got as spending money. It was a sign of respect then for sons who had just started to work to give their salaries at the end of each week to their mother. This would usually continue until the son was ready to get married or leave the home. But once under the roof of “Ma”, a working son would be obligated to hand over his entire salary to his mother. Over the years, this tradition began to be watered down. Eventually, it became a custom that only your first salary should be handed over to your mother. I was never comfortable with this practice, but out of respect for the wisdom of my elders, I too followed suit and when I began to work, I handed over my first pay envelope to my mom. She took out something and gave me the rest. I said to myself that from the second week, I would not hand over the entire pay package but would instead give her just what she had taken out, assuming this to be for my
Kaieteur News
board and lodging. I felt that by handing over my first pay envelope, I had fulfilled the custom in those days. The second week came and I was paid. As a responsible and obedient child, I carefully counted out what was for Ma and pocketed the rest. Instead of going home, I decided to have a binge with the “boys” at the corner shop. We drank a lot that day but I made certain that the money for my mother was safe and secure. When I went home, halfdrunk, my food was waiting for me as usual on the table. I then took out the money and gave it to my mother. She counted it, looked at me, counted it again, and then asked, “What happen son, they short pay you this week?” I explained in the best way I could that the money she had was for her and that I had the rest. I did not mention that a quarter of it had already been spent at the corner shop drinking rum. My mother gave an understanding nod and went about her way. For years, I continued this practice of each week, taking out my contribution to the home and giving it to my mother. She always willingly accepted it without fuss. Whenever I got an increase in my salary or worked overtime, I would usually increase my contribution. Also, on special
Dem boys seh...
Jagdeo hijack de country and can’t sleep Some people does sleep and in de midst of de sleep dem does jump out of dem sleep and holler like dem see jumbie. But before that start to happen some of dem use to sleep wid a smile pun dem face. That is when dem do wickedness and dem believe that dem gun get away wid it. When Jagdeo was planning to share out de radio licence to he family and he best friends he thought he had a good plan. When he lie down to sleep he use to smile broad. Nowa-days he don’t even want lie down because he get expose. De first day he see de story how he deceive de nation he start fuh sweat. That night he couldn’t sleep. He toss and turn suh till he security believe that he had toothache and actually try fuh give he Advil. When he tell dem that nutten ain’t happen dem walk out. Then dem hear when he holler out in he sleep. De man behave like when people see dem dead family. Is he deeds ketch up wid he. He holler fuh Glenn and Uncle Adam. Jagdeo ain’t de only one who can’t sleep. Rob Earth walking up and down whole night; Vishok trying sleeping pills but he find that even that ain’t wukking; Bobby walking like he in a daze suh till when people ask he some question he repeating heself. Then he does get mix up. Is not that he does lie, is just that he confuse. He claim how de court give he dem radio station. Dem boys want to know since when Jagdeo is a court. De man get more confuse because he claim how de same court give he a television licence. He got to be de only person who get such a privilege from de court. And while all this happening Donald claim how he ain’t know nutten bout wha dem boys talking ‘bout. Dem boys seh that he coulda do like Desmond Hoyte when he overturn Burnham policy. But not Donald; he frighten Jagdeo like how woman frighten cockroach and rat or like how some man frighten snake. Talk half and wait fuh dem kavakamites run mad.
occasions, I would ensure that my mother would get something extra. In those days, it was not unusual for us to give our parents money for their birthday, anniversary or at Christmas. I thought I was being a good boy. This practice continued for years until the stunning Mrs. Tom walked into my life and I told myself that I had to get married. The plans were set in motion. Then days before my wedding, I went to give my mother the usual contribution to the home. She held my hands and said, “No more, son! You will soon have a wife and the money has to go to her.” Then she did something that I will never forget. She took out a bankbook and gave it to me. Puzzled, I opened it and when I saw the balance, I nearly dropped dead. With that sum, I could buy a house. I turned to her and asked why she was giving me the book.
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She quietly and without much of a fuss said, “It is yours!” “Mine?” I queried. “How come?” “It is yours!” she said “But mom. I cannot take your money. You have done enough for me all these years. I cannot accept all this money in your bankbook,” I told her. “The bankbook may be in my name, son. But the money is all yours,” she said. I was puzzled. “What do you mean that the money is all mine?” I asked. “Do you remember the money you used to give me each week from when you started working? It is all there.” My mother had saved every single cent that I had given her all those years. She had saved it for me. She never touched it. She never complained after that first payday about how I was no longer handing over my
full salary to her. She never muttered a word of protest. All those years she was saving for me what I thought was my contribution to the home. That day when my mother gave me that bankbook, I learnt a lesson in life. I had thought all along that I was my own “big man”. The cockiness of youth had led me to believe that I needed not stick to tradition and that I could manage my own affairs. However, when I saw how my mother set aside that money all those years until she felt I really needed it for the most important step a man could take – marriage – she taught me never to be too “big for my boots” and never to dismiss age-old customs. This is why while I was saddened to learn about the death of that boy, I was pleased to hear how much of his salary he gave to his mother each week. I still
shudder at the thought of just how much richer I would have been had I followed tradition and given my entire salary each week to my mother. However, the lesson was worth it. I hate to see good traditions go down the drain. I hate to see young people feeling that they should be able to control their own finances when they begin working. I wonder just how much of the younger generation hand over their earnings to their mothers when the month comes.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Freddie Kissoon Column
Elected dictatorship takes over the airwaves I ran into my political colleague and personal friend, Lincoln Lewis, on Monday morning inside Nigel’s Supermarket. We had a disagreement over the TUC’s engagement with PM Hinds, Winston Brassington and Ashni Singh over the Marriott Hotel deal that excluded the employment of Guyanese on the project. I approached Lincoln to inform him that on that day (Monday), our mutual friend Elton McRae had published a trenchantly critical letter in both independent dailies of that meeting. Lincoln Lewis’s immediate response was “Freddie even your enemies you have to engage and talk to.” There and then I vehemently disagreed. You just don’t talk to your enemy as a matter of policy. Engagement with your adversary is a strategic concept – more strategic and conceptual. You have to understand your opponent first before you begin your visit. If you don’t then when you walk into the room, you can either be arrested or killed, which is what happened during the civil war in an African country in the nineties.
Your first consideration is if the enemy will negotiate in good faith and if there is a track record of broken agreements then you should not talk. The second consideration is who has more to gain or lose from the talks – you or your enemy? In answer to both of these questions, the TUC, APNU, AFC and other stakeholders have a graphic record to guide them. The PPP Government from 1999 has not negotiated in good faith and stakeholders interested in good governance, democratic reform and economic protection of the less endowed classes have nothing to show the Guyanese people. Before Lincoln left the supermarket, I made it plain to him that I believe the struggle has gone beyond the point of talking. The TUC was represented at a national stakeholders’ meeting with President Ramotar last year and its President, Norris Witter, was quoted as praising the intentions of Mr. Ramotar. What came out of that confabulation? The answer is nothing. Can the TUC tell us what they expect from last week’s engagement?
The TUC can answer that question by looking at Parliament. APNU and the AFC have absolutely nothing to show the Guyanese people from their majority in Parliament. Here is the balance sheet. The Rohee noconfidence motion has had no effect. The motion to remove the barricades around Parliament has been ignored by the police. Two Bills passed by Parliament will not get the presidential assent because the Executive’s interpretation of the process is that the Bills were passed by the opposition in Parliament and not Parliament. There is no such thing as an opposition Bill. A Bill approved by Parliament is exactly what it is – a Bill by Parliament. Parliament’s cuts to the 2012 budget were restored by the Minister of Finance. Really! What have the AFC and APNU got from their parliamentary majority? This same TUC, this same APNU, this same AFC have lived in this country and saw what happened just weeks ago. A commission of inquiry indicted the police for shooting to death three unarmed protestors. The
Guyana Government has not ordered an investigation. The same commission valued those three lives at eight million Guyana dollars and the Government has refused to up the amount. This same Government secretly accepted a heinous document by a Chinese company that excluded the employment of Guyanese on a project funded by the State. This same Government forcefully ordered arbitration on the union at GPL during a strike two weeks ago. This same Government has arrogantly refused to erect a monument in honour of the 1823 Slave rebellion at a site that African stakeholders have requested. This same Government in about a week’s time will
present the 2013 budget and any schoolboy will tell you it will not contain the requests of the two opposition parties. This same Government is the same government that has behaved like this the past ten years. Now this same Government has literally shared out the airwaves which belong to the nation of Guyana to its friends. Not even a common sense strategy was adopted, in which out of ten permits for radio and television one, just one, went to an independent operator or an applicant connected to the opposition. The frightening dimension of this aspect of elected dictatorship is the granting of cable licences to two political friends of the
Frederick Kissoon government. In other words, the national airwaves are now a monopoly in the hands of the PPP and its acolytes, servants, supporters and incestuous friends. Now the new kid on the block, Transparency Institute, is into talking, so we can get good governance and democracy. Yeah Man! Keep talking! And keep hoping!
Region One gastro cases double Although the reported cases of gastroenteritis in Region One have almost doubled since the Ministry of Health last declared an official count, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud is adamant that the situation has stabilised. Speaking from Port Kaituma yesterday, Dr Persaud disclosed that there have been no further deaths. The number of reported cases as at yesterday was 529. At a press conference last week, health officials reported that the number of infected persons was 252, with three resulting deaths. According to Dr Persaud, a visiting health team backed by a regional group have over the past week been working to keep the situation under control. Gastroenteritis is a medical condition characterised by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that involves both the stomach and the small intestine resulting in some combination of diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain and cramping. Dr Persaud stated that the Health Ministry has been collaborating with officials from the Civil Defence Commission, the Pan American Health Organisation and the Guyana Water Incorporated in its quest to combat the outbreak. He revealed that close attention has been paid to the very contaminated water sources used by residents, adding that GWI has undertaken an assessment with a view of helping to tackle that challenge. “There were several suggestions, including trying to provide some form of treated water at the household level (but) since the level of contamination
- but Chief Medical Officer insists situation under control
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud was so high, we were also advising that even water for brushing teeth or having a bath, swimming in the river... all of those would constitute some amount of risk. “It wasn’t only about drinking water but it extended beyond, to providing safe water for other domestic purposes too. So we were discussing with the Regional Authority and GWI of the possibility of how we can make the entire domestic water supply system safer,” the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) affirmed. Even as this proposal was being discussed, Dr Persaud said that efforts were made to tackle the gastro situation by educating residents about the importance of using clean water and providing them with purification measures. The outbreak was first detected a few weeks ago and gained alarming momentum, forcing the Health Ministry to engaged intensified action. The cases were initially
noticed in the Sebai area, but it was soon found that other areas, including Port Kaituma, were also under threat. During the past week, the few cases that were still being detected were mainly from the Port Kaituma area but were being managed effectively, according to Dr Persaud. He had earlier revealed that although the situation was under control, the Ministry was on alert for a potential resurgence of cases since such outbreaks, at times, can appear to become docile. Moreover, he noted that the intervening approach was to pay close attention to those of the most vulnerable population - including the very young, the elderly and those with chronic diseases. Dr Persaud explained that it was through the Health Ministry’s surveillance system that the surge in cases was observed. Information is collected on a weekly basis on all the surfacing syndromes. The CMO disclosed that 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 Region and it was observed that the cases were clustered in a section of the locale of Sebai; hence a team from Georgetown was 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.
Wednesday March 20, 2013
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MP wants US$25M from GT&T Teacher mounts rooftop protest over salary placed in Consolidated Fund By Abena Rockcliffe
- High Court hearing begins April 12
Parliamentarian Desmond Trotman
Attorney-at-law Christopher Ram
Senior Counsel Rex McKay
NICIL Head Winston Brassington
Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang will on April 12 begin hearing arguments in the case filed by Parliamentarian Desmond Trotman to force the government to hand over monies from its investment arm, NICIL, into the Consolidated Fund. Yesterday, Justice Chang granted leave to the Attorney General Anil Nandlall and NICIL along with its chief executive Winston Brassington, to respond to the case filed by the Member of Parliament. Trotman, through a team of high profile attorneys, on February 8, filed a motion in the High Court seeking to compel NICIL and Brassington to pay over into the Consolidated Fund, the US$25 million received from
the sale of shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, GT&T. The government had announced that the US$25 million has been paid into the accounts of NICIL. But in the said motion, Trotman is asking the court to recognize that under Article 217 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, no money shall be withdrawn from any public fund other than the Consolidated Fund, unless the issuance of those funds has been authorized by or under an Act of Parliament. If the court so asserts, it would have a direct bearing on the current funding of the Marriott Hotel project. Under a company created by NICIL, some $2 billion has been paid
over to a Chinese contractor for the Marriott Hotel project, which will reportedly cost over US$50 million. Trotman is claiming that NICIL is an agent of the state and collects large sums of money on behalf of the state from the sale of state lands, other state assets and dividends from other government-owned companies. The government had 20 percent shares in GT&T which it sold for US$30 million. While US$25 million has been paid over, US$5 million is outstanding. Trotman argues that NICIL has a constitutional duty under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act to “fully and promptly” pay into the
Consolidated Fund all monies collected from the sale of Government property or assets. He quotes Article 216 of the Constitution which states that “all revenues or other monies received by Guyana (not being revenues or other monies that are payable, by or under an Act of Parliament, into some fund established for any specific purpose or that may, by or under such an Act, be retained by the authority that received them for the purpose of defraying the expenses of that authority) shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.” Trotman is being represented by attorneys Rex McKay, S.C., Keith Massiah, S.C., Neil Boston, Bettina Glasford and Christopher Ram.
Usually in Guyana when one hears of protest action, other than in prison, it is normally associated with taking to the streets; but frustrated to the point where he thought he had no other alternative, Sherwin Williams yesterday took to the roof of Richard Ishmael Secondary School for his demonstration. Williams, a technical drawing teacher at the institution, was protesting after being told that he would not be paid until June. The man, while on the roof, told Kaieteur News via a phone conversation that he is married with three children, and disclosed that he hadn’t been paid by the government for the year. According to him, in January, he contracted malaria and as a result he initially applied for 14 days leave. However, Williams said that since the ailment still had the better of him after the first 14 days, he then applied for another two weeks. The obviously upset teacher told this publication that during his absence, he kept contact with the school’s head mistress, keeping her abreast with his health situation. Williams further informed that he resumed duties on February 12 but was told by the head teacher that an order had been made to stop his salary. He said that after taking other measures, he eventually went to the Ministry of Education
yesterday where he met with a female only identifying herself as Ms. Singh. He said that after putting his case to Ms. Singh, she “relaxed more”. He recounted that he was told that no one could have found his resumption letter since it was filed away and “at the end of it all, I was told that I wouldn’t be paid until June”. He noted that he had applied for one year’s leave but was only granted six months. According to Williams, officials thought that the 28 days leave he had taken pertained to the period he had requested. Another incident cited was that his name was marked absent on the register even though he was at school helping with the flood after the Kingston koker broke. The man remained on the roof until the Chief Executive Officer, Olato Sam arrived at the school to resolve the matter. Previous attempts made by Guyana Teachers Union President Colin Bynoe and other officials to get the teacher to end his protest proved futile. The man contended that he has a family to maintain and simply cannot make it until June without his pay. When Williams came off the roof, he, the Chief Executive Officer, the head teacher and other officials entered into a meeting. Kaieteur News was later informed that they were able to resolve the situation amicably.
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Wednesday March 20, 2013
Wednesday March 20, 2013
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Dr. Roy Nandkumar to be charged for Pit Bull attack It has been confirmed that the owner of the pit bull which was killed in an effort to free a 10-year-old girl from its grip, will have to face charges. It is however, unclear at this time as to what those charges will be, since the police are still awaiting a statement from the child, and a medical report from the hospital. It was reported that on Sunday evening last, the child, Amanda Phillips, was on her way to a shop at Sheet Anchor, East Canje, Berbice, to run an errand for her parents, when the dog jumped the fence and attacked her. Phillips who is also known as “Manda”, of Sookhu Street No. 2 village, East Canje, is a student of Sheet Anchor Primary, and is scheduled to sit the National Grade Six Assessment in just a matter of days. The dog belongs to Dr. Roy Nandkumar who has been living at the residence for about six months. Residents attested that “the dog jumping the fence” scenario is a usual one, which, despite constant complaints to the doctor to secure his animal behind the “low” fence, had fallen on deaf ears. An eyewitness had told
The 10-year-old victim, Amanda Phillips media operatives that shortly after the incident, he was at home on his verandah about 19:45 hrs when he noticed the girl passing through the street. She had a bag in one hand, and a torchlight in the other. He explained that when the girl was just about to pass the doctor’s yard, he took his eyes away for a brief moment, only to hear the girl’s frantic screams. The resident added that upon looking back, he realized that the dog had already pounced on the child, resulting in her falling to the ground. An alarm was raised and neighbours rushed to
lend assistance. But despite the use of sticks and other materials, the residents were unable to free the girl from the jaws of the dog. This forced one resident to use his cutlass to chop the ferocious animal which continued to bite into the child’s head. It was only after the dog was chopped on the back, almost severing it, that the girl was freed of the anguish. The child’s nightmare lasted several minutes. The doctor was not at home. Another resident said that the girl was picked up, wrapped in a sheet, and rushed to the New Amsterdam hospital where she was admitted and taken for emergency treatment. The matter was reported, and the police subsequently arrived on the scene. The doctor was arrested, and later released. Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday, President of the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA), Oliver Insanally in his response, wrote a letter to the editor on behalf of the GSPCA. The letter stated that the GSPCA has tried repeatedly to engage the Guyana Police Force, with the intention of
working with its Service and Protection Unit in enforcing the country’s animal welfare laws which, the statement made clear, does exist in Guyana. The letter added that while efforts are underway to improve these laws, the current laws are enforceable, and do address many of the numerous cases of animal abuse which take place in our society. Insanally explained that “about a year ago, Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell had arranged for members of the GSPCA’s Executive Committee to meet with another senior member of the GPF; regrettably, the GSPCA’s attempts at follow up action proved frustratingly futile.” Insanally noted however, that “the GSPCA remains willing and able to work with the Guyana Police Force”. He made particular reference to the reported case of a man sexually harassing a woman’s puppy, and added that these incidents present an opportunity for the GPF, and by extension, the judiciary, to send a message to irresponsible animal owners and abusers alike, that if found guilty, their actions will not be tolerated.
Dr. Ramroop lied about radio stations Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, who by virtue of being the best friend of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, acquired five radio frequencies, had claimed that he got these through the court. Dr. Ramroop has since stated that “neither the government nor former President Bharrat Jagdeo ‘gave’, ‘granted’ or ‘awarded’ to Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. any television or radio licences.” He added that he bought the television station, VCT Channel 28, back in 2008 from Anthony ‘Tony’ Vieira. He claimed that with his purchase of VCT and all its assets, he acquired the radio frequency and further secured it in the court. However, at the time of the purchase, Vieira Communications Limited did not possess a radio station. The pirate radio that broadcast on 100.1 FM had been confiscated by the National Frequency Management Unit. Vieira moved to the courts and secured a decision from Justice Jainarayan Singh that the decision to deprive him of the radio was to deny him
Bharrat Jagdeo
Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop
the right to freedom of expression. The state appealed but it was not until Vieira had sold Vieira Communications Limited that the decision came. The Appellate Judges were Chancellor Justice Carl Singh, Justice B.S. Roy and Justice Yonnette CummingsEdwards. They ruled that the redress was granted under Article 153 for the contravention of Vieira’s fundamental rights
guaranteed by Articles 40, 146 and 149 of the Guyana Constitution. When Jagdeo decided to liberalise radio two weeks before he demitted office he shared out radio frequencies, giving five to Ramroop. Since Vieira merely won the right to own a radio it was palpably dishonest for Ramroop to claim that he got the radio frequencies when he bought VCT. And even if he did buy one radio station, which he
did not, he would have only got one frequency. “How come they (Kaieteur News) didn’t say CN Sharma was ‘given’ a television station? The television licence I bought goes back a decade before his,” he said in a statement. Even that statement smacks of gross irregularity. President Jagdeo had said that licences could not be sold or transferred. Dr. Ramroop may have bought the company and so enjoys the licence. The licence was not for sale, Khemraj Ramjattan said Dr. Ramroop indeed purchased VCT and all its assets, which he boasted he paid handsomely for, Ramjattan added. However, radio frequencies were not assets of the sold communications network. Armed with that court order, Dr. Ramroop was then handsomely rewarded his five frequencies by his best friend, just before that friend left office. According to recent information released by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, the five radio stations given to Ramroop were only issued in November 2011, and then by Jagdeo, who had only days to leave office.
GWI to host debating competition at UG Under the theme “International Year of Water Cooperation”, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) will be hosting a debating competition on Friday, March 22, in observance of International World Water Day (WWD) 2013, with the students of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus. World Water Day is an
observance initiated by the United Nations General Assembly to focus on the protection of freshwater resources. The debating competition will be broadcast on National Communications Network (NCN) television from 19:00 hours on Friday. A series of school visits are also planned for this week as well as a prize giveaway via the company’s official Facebook fan-page.
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Wednesday March 20, 2013
Suspect in US Army doctor’s death found hanging in police lockups By Leon Suseran The body of a 28-year-old man who was detained for questioning in relation to the death of the U.S. Army Doctor, Max Kungel, was discovered hanging in his jail cell at the Number 51 Police Station on the Corentyne early yesterday. Omesh ‘Radesh’ Thakurdin, formerly of Lot 286 Number 72 Village, Corentyne , was arrested by detectives on Monday as a person of interest in the gruesome shooting to death of the 42year- old Dr. Kungel, whose body was discovered in a vehicle in the Number 71 Village rice fields backlands on Sunday morning. Police stated that the man was found hanging at 05:20 hrs yesterday. Thakurdin was a cousin of the murdered US military doctor. But while the events in this matter have taken an interesting turn, Thakurdin’s family is highly suspicious of their relative’s apparent ‘suicide’. They stated that they were informed of the incident when a jeepload of policemen turned up at their residence just after 07:00 hrs
yesterday. Thakurdin, an employee at the Field Lab at the Skeldon Estate, was arrested early Monday evening and was accompanied by his mother, Jasmattie Thakurdin, to the Springlands Police Station. Kaieteur News understands that the woman left her son at the police station at about 20:00 hrs and returned home. Police sources informed this newspaper that Thakurdin became a person of interest after he was found in possession of what they described as evidence that could provide a clue to Kungel’s death. “That’s all we are prepared to say at this time,” a police source in Berbice told this newspaper yesterday. Thakurdin’s relatives’ suspicions about his apparent suicide were aroused by the fact that shortly after his arrest; Thakurdin was secretly transferred from Springlands to the Number 51 Police Station, where he was placed in a cell, without their knowledge. “He was a kindhearted person—he was scared of the police…he was a ‘soft’
Dr. Max Kungel
Omesh ‘Radesh’ Thakurdin person,” said a close friend, The man’s mother was very angry with the police. Dem [the police] a do dey own thing at Springlands (Police Station)…me ain’t know if dem knock him and kill him,” she lamented. “Me ain’t believe de police—that is a wrong step dey make. Me big boy didn’t do anything,” she stated. But the police are convinced that Thakurdin took his own life because “the net was closing in around him.” A source close to the investigation revealed that police had begun questioning the suspect along a certain line and were getting closer
to cracking the case. “I guess now that he is dead, we will have to follow other leads,” the source stated. Police had been working on a theory that Kungel may have been killed as a result of a property dispute, among other scenarios. Kaieteur News understands that the police are examining reports that Kungel was linked to large portions of property left by his deceased relatives. One family member, who requested anonymity, stated that the family dispute matter “had nothing to do with cousins and other ‘far off relatives’…they have their own personal internal problems.” The relative went on to say that the dispute centres around a Number 72 Village property and land, which Doctor Kungel’s father owned, as “well as other properties in Florida and New York.” When Thakurdin’s relatives were questioned by this newspaper as to whether he was involved in any land
dispute with Dr. Kungel, his mother replied, “He get his own house and land! Why would he involve in any land dispute?” Thakurdin was scheduled to get married on Sunday. The family is anxiously awaiting the results of the post mortem examination. Meanwhile, the mother of the murdered man is not saying much. When Kaieteur News visited her yesterday, she stated that she is in a state of mourning and could not speak to the media. Other family members are remaining tight-lipped about the incident. A post mortem examination was performed on Kungel’s body yesterday, confirming that he died from gunshot wounds. Two .25 calibre warheads were recovered from his body, leading police to concentrate in a particular direction although not ruling out all other possibilities. “A .25 calibre weapon is usually associated with a female,” a police source told this newspaper. A close examination of
Kungel’s wounds suggests that he was shot at close range. “Very close,” the source declared. “Whoever did this planned it very well. This is a different murder from one in which two men are fighting. It is not straightforward. The fact that the phones were taken could be a plan to remove all possible leads,” the source explained. However, investigators were provided with the numbers for the cell phones and will be seeking the assistance of the local telephone companies to trace the calls made to and from them. Meanwhile, an official from the United States Embassy in Georgetown in response to queries from this newspaper stated Captain Max Kungel was assigned to the 108th Training Command out of Charlotte, North Carolina. The official said that The Department of Defense has contacted the next of kin and is providing appropriate services and initiating proper military protocols.
Trevon Adams, 20, was riding his bicycle on the Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara Public Road last evening when he was hit by a speeding canter truck. The young man had left his mother’s home in Golden Grove, and was reportedly heading to see his father in Nabaclis when the incident occurred. The man’s father, Charles Adams, told Kaieteur News that he was also heading to see his son in Golden Grove when a yellow canter truck sped past him. The elder Adams recalled thinking to himself that the truck was going at a much too fast rate.
However, it was only after turning at the “bend” of the road (between Golden Grove and Nabaclis) that he heard someone saying that the canter had hit someone. “After I hear that, I just ride up lil fuh see is what…but is then I see me son lying with he bicycle in the middle of the road.” It is unclear as to which side of the road the younger Adams was on when he was hit. His father pointed out that the lad seemed to have been in a serious condition when he was being transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). “He look like he lost two
of he teeth, he hand, belly, back, all over was bruised up, and he one side face looked like it damaged from how it slam into the road. His bicycle break into two,” the senior Adams said. After hitting Trevon Adams, the vehicle also slammed into the back of a parked minibus on the opposite lane of the road before ending up in a nearby barbershop. Police arrived shortly after at the scene, and prevented the driver of the truck from being further roughed up by eyewitnesses and other villagers of Golden Grove. As of late last evening, Adams was still being treated at the GPHC.
Man hit by “speeding” pickup truck hospitalised
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Linden teachers protest escalating violence in schools By Enid Joaquin Chairman of the Upper Demerara Teachers’ Union, Jermaine Figueira, yesterday said that more needs to be done by the relevant authorities, to urgently address the prevalent and escalating violence in schools, as it threatens both teachers and students alike. “I say to you teachers, our coming together today symbolizes that the teachers of Region 10, are in unison, and have decided to take a stand against this frightening revelation that is plaguing many schools across this country. The time has come for us as educators to stand up, and say no more! No more to the violence in our schools, and in the homes of our students and their communities!” Ferguson was at the time addressing teachers from all across Linden who yesterday took to the streets in a rally to protest the escalating violence in schools and in particular to strongly condemn the recent attack on one of their colleagues, who suffered severe trauma, after she was hit in the head by a trap that was reportedly set by three students of the Wisburg Secondary School. Among those who attended in a show of solidarity with the teachers were Chairman of Region 10 Sharma Solomon, and APNU Member of Parliament, Vanessa Kissoon, who is also a teacher by profession. Several onlookers applauded the teachers for taking a stand, and one
woman pointed out that every day teachers go to school, their life is under threat. “Parents need to start teaching their children to be respectful and to realize that the teachers are placed in the schools to help them, and so they ought to be working with the teachers not against them. These teachers are already set for life, they have their education and their career, and these children have to realize that without the teachers they will be nowhere, because who will teach them?” President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union, Colin Bynoe, in alluding to the ever escalating violence in schools, pointed to a situation where he had gone to a school where he had observed a poster that prominently posted the rights of the child, and right next to it another poster that said what time teachers should come to school. Bynoe said that he wanted to tear down the poster, and emphasised, “If we in this country are going to continually remind children of their rights and don’t link it with their responsibilities, we will continue to have problems, as we are having presently”. He added that the environment in which teachers work is not conducive to learning. “We need to understand that what is happening in the school system today is a microcosm of what’s happening in the society. Parents today have been battered and bruised to the
Police on the East Coast of Demerara are baffled by the discovery, hours apart, of two human skeletons in Mahaica and Mahaicony yesterday. One of the skeletons, that of a male, was discovered around 08:00 hours at Unity, Mahaica, while the other which is so far undetermined was found on the left bank of the Abary River, shortly after midday. Police in a statement said that at about 08:00 hours yesterday, the skeletal remains of a human being were found at Unity, Mahaica, ECD, in an area with thick vegetation. Kaieteur News understands that the first skeleton was discovered by a farmer on a plot of land that he normally cultivates with cash crops. A source in the area stated that the farmer had not
cultivated the land for almost a year. Yesterday he returned there with a view to restarting his activity and it was while he was clearing the bushes, that he stumbled upon the skeleton. Investigators believe that the skeleton, which was clad in a green long sleeve shirt and a pair of blue trunks, is that of a young person, since a “brand named boots” was found close to it. Information about the skeleton found at Mahaicony is vague but a source in the district said that there was clothing on it. This newspaper was informed that a rural constable had made the discovery after receiving information from persons in the area. The remains are at the Lyken Funeral Home as investigations continue.
Human skeletons found on East Coast Demerara
extent that they have no work, and so some children, when they get up in the mornings, they have to be mother and father and prepare themselves to go to school. Bynoe said that “if we (teachers) want to ensure that our environment is safe, then we have to take up some of the slack”. He pledged that the Guyana Teachers Union will continue to stand behind teachers, and as such he exhorted them to always stand up for their rights - to be their ‘brother’s keeper’. Bynoe said that he will continue to insist that the Ministry of Education takes care of all the injured
teacher’s medical bills, and that she gets other financial assistance. He made a number of suggestions, including the installation of counseling and guidance departments in all secondary schools. He also urged officials of the Ministry to go out into the community and start sharing parenting skills, and remind parents of their responsibilities; he also exhorted that all incidents of violence be dealt with by the Ministry immediately, and that the police should deal with such incidents “immediately, appropriately and condignly”. Bynoe said that he was
‘mad’ about what had happened to the teacher, who at present can hardly smile, because of the excruciating pain she would feel in doing so. “So I’m proud of what you did here today, because we must be heard, changes must come, because somebody in authority must hear. You are in charge, and you must take charge. Keep on, keeping on - I’m not telling you anything bad, just read between the lines.” Meanwhile, the woman’s reputed husband Rawle Johnson, said Michelle Richards, who is the mother of his one-year-old child, has been severely traumatized by the incident, and has since
been unable to work. Johnson said that the incident occurred over a month ago, and has caused him to spend in excess of $100,000 for CT scans and other medical expenses. He complained that after the incident, a relative of one of the students involved in the incident, went to his house and ‘cussed him out’, telling him that he wanted compensation, but the man said it was not about money, because no amount of money can undo the damage done to his reputed wife. He however expressed gratitude for the financial assistance they received from the Guyana Teacher’s Union.
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32% in overall losses, electricity theft accounts for more than half - GPL The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), has attributed the majority of its losses to electricity theft, while highlighting that 32 percent marks the overall loss to the company during the period of 2012. Additionally, GPL cited the failure by the legal system in playing a key role in deterring perpetrators of the clandestine acts. At a media engagement held at the Regency Hotel yesterday senior officials of the electricity company, including chairman, Winston Brassington and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds sought to highlight and provide overall perspective into the organization’s activities, objectives and challenges. In light of 2012 seeing the least arrests made in connection to electricity theft over the past seven years, officials continued to bemoan losses in relation to stolen electricity. From 2007 to 2012, 2490 persons were arrested for electricity theft. Last year, 292 persons were arrested, but only 11 were convicted. Two hundred and eighty-one (281) of those matters were said to
be pending, while two were struck out and dismissed. In 2010, 575 persons were arrested in connection with electricity theft while 211 were convicted. Three hundred and ninety-five cases are still before the court while 33 were struck out and 47 dismissed. For 2012, it was highlighted that 5,604 illegal connections were removed. The field service department which plays a key role in loss reduction was said to have conducted 123 raids in communities and villages were illegal connections were identified. Additionally, GPL said that 7,764 meters were replaced because of tampering and defect, while 7,847 new services were installed and 13,261 pre-paid meters up and running. Brassington told the gathering that the prosecution of persons makes no significant change since all persons may receive is, “a slap on the wrist and a fine.” “When you look at the number of ways and number of illegal connections identified, only a small fraction is prosecuted, and
The team of GPL officials engaging the media yesterday
when you look at those cases and the number that are actually found guilty, it is a very small fraction….. guilty is typically a slap on the wrist, a fine and you get off. Very few people have actually gone to jail for stealing.” Brassington further highlighted that losses reduced from a 44 percent to a 31 percent where in previous years difficulty existed, since loss rates remained stagnated.
For 2012, the chairman said that 14.65 percent were technical losses while theft of electricity was pinned at 17.05 percent. Prime Minister Hinds said that, “It appears from the electricity end that all the splinters are together in commercial losses of electricity and that’s a terrible thing.” He highlighted that consumers refuse to pay for the losses, but added that in
operating the company, losses must be catered for. He charged that, “If we took a position that customers should only pay for what they use and not consider losses, one of the charges to be included in the cost. If that were to be the situation the electricity utility would be forced to close its doors soon, it would not have money to buy fuel and keep itself running.”
He further urged that Guyana should aim to reduce losses to that of Barbados which has a six percent loss rate, while noting that suggestions were made to GPL by a Barbadian team to place additional cost on the installation of meters. In relation to electricity theft, Hinds opined that a meaningful system must be put in place in tackling the issue of electricity theft.
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Wednesday March 20, 2013
Interpersonal violence receives Chief Co-op Officer to file additional motion to quash leave order much needed focus in key forum By Abena Rockcliffe Citing World Health Organization (WHO)’s research which proves that interpersonal violence has a negative effect on a country’s economy, and asserting that such incidents have reached epidemic proportions locally, Parliamentarian Deborah Backer at the last sitting of the National Assembly tabled a motion to tackle the scourge. Backer, who is the Deputy Speaker of the House, and sits as a Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), through her motion, called for the government to establish, within one month of the passage of the motion, a broad-based Committee comprising but not limited to, representatives of the political parties in the National Assembly; the relevant Government Ministries; religious bodies and other Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs). That committee, as stipulated by the Motion, will be mandated to complete a “National Plan of Action” to combat interpersonal violence within four months of its establishment. Also, the motion called for the government to, within one month of completion of the plan, “lay the document in the National Assembly”. By virtue of the motion, the National Assembly is called to designate a day to be observed under the theme “Parliamentarians Against Interpersonal Violence” during which the National Assembly will
APNU MP Deborah Backer organize appropriate activities to highlight ways in which Interpersonal Violence can be reduced. That observance will be carried out as a means of the House unequivocally condemning all forms of interpersonal violence. Interpersonal violence refers to hostility and abuse that occurs between people who know each other; it can occur within or outside a family setting and includes domestic violence. Backer emphasised that the aforementioned developments are necessary since interpersonal violence remains on the rise, despite the fact that numerous programmes aimed at reducing it were initiated by government agencies and other NGOs. She said that the reversal of the “epidemic” is in the interest of all Guyanese who
continue to be adversely affected by it. Hindrance to economic growth Noting that domestic violence falls under interpersonal violence, Backer said that those distresses can cause individuals not to focus at work and put a strain on the health sector and by extension the economy, as it often leads to workers needing time off, whether it is for physical or mental recovery. According to Backer, even in the cases where victims manage to go to work “production is low.” She said in schools there are several effects where teachers in distress won’t be able to deliver well and students who experience violence in the homes won’t be focused enough to grasp the lessons. Backer also pointed out that teachers are not motivated to do their jobs in an environment where the students are warlike. Asked if she thinks interpersonal violence exists in some form in the National Assembly, the deputy speaker said that “we all have to take some responsibility and we need to be less combative”. Further questioned as to whether she feels the motion is a little too late, Backer in responding acknowledged that the levels of violence in Guyana are unacceptable, but stressed emphatically that “it is never too late!” For the year, there have been several fatalities due to interpersonal violence.
By Zena Henry
Apart from the motion to do away with the decision to send Chief Co-operative Development Officer Kareem Abdul-Jabar on administrative leave, another court document must now be filed in order for the public servant to be reinstated in his job. When his matter was called at the High Court before Chief Justice Ian Chang yesterday, it was revealed that Abdul-Jabar is no longer employed at the Ministry of Labour as Chief Co-operative Development Officer. The revelation was made by state prosecutor Pritima Kissoon who is representing the respondent Lorene Baird, Permanent Secretary at the Labour Ministry. Abdul-Jabar ended up in hot water over an alleged illegal land sale at Lamaha Gardens. He was sent on administrative leave when corruption was alleged in the transaction. Kissoon in essence explained that the motion filed by the applicant is irrelevant, since from the time of AbdulJabar’s administrative leave, he has not been back at work. While the current document requests that the administrative leave order be quashed; which would additionally relieve him from facing the Public Service Commission (PSC), Kissoon indicated that Abdul-Jabar no longer has a job. It was suggested that the current motion be withdrawn and fresh proceedings be filed to deal with his dismissal. Abdul-Jabar’s lawyers, Roysdale Forde in
Kareem Abdul-Jabar partnership with Keisha Chase, however, believe that instead of fresh proceedings, an additional motion should be filed to deal with the dismissal. According to Forde, on March 5, the motion was filed in the High Court in relation to Abdul-Jabar’s administrative leave. He said that on March 11, the motion was granted and subsequently served on March 13 to the Permanent Secretary. It was on that same day, Forde said, Abdul-Jabar received his dismissal letter, which was dated March 6. Forde further argued that despite the date of the dismissal letter being prior to the court document, it was only received on March 13. The date, he said, also reflects that Abdul-Jabar was dismissed within a seven-day period afforded to him for a response to the illegal Lamaha Gardens land sale allegations. In that light, Forde asked for four days to file an additional motion to quash his client’s dismissal. Justice Chang agreed with Forde’s position and granted
him the requested four days. The CJ charged that the matter should be viewed holistically, since the issue is stemming from one matter. The parties will return on March 26 for a report. Abdul-Jabar had come under fire when residents of Lamaha Gardens cited corruption in the sale of the piece of land which they said was designated for a community recreation area. They cited abnormality in the price for which the property was sold, the time span of the sale, and to whom the land was allocated. The Guyana Public Service Union also spoke out on the sale stating that the land was union property since GPSU is the successor to the entity that originally owned the plot. President Donald Ramotar also intervened in the matter ordering the Labour Ministry to launch an investigation, which later suggested that there were several anomalies in the transaction pertaining to an alleged breach in agency policies, procedures and unethical actions. Abdul-Jabar however stressed that his actions were above board. In his complaint to the court, he said that the entity responsible for the plot of land was dissolved since 2010 because of the lack of co-op members. He said he provided a complete report on the transaction subsequent to being sent on administrative leave and further wrote the Permanent Secretary to say that he could not respond to charges levied against him since there were no particulars.
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Capriles barbs unite “Chavistas” in Venezuela: strategist CARACAS (Reuters) Supporters of late president Hugo Chavez will punish opposition leader Henrique Capriles for his antigovernment barbs at a vote next month likely to produce a bigger win for the socialists than last year, a campaign strategist for Capriles’ rival forecast. The build-up to Venezuela’s April 14 vote for a successor to Chavez, who died of cancer two weeks ago, has been characterized by acrimonious personal attacks between Capriles and acting president and Chavez protege Nicolas Maduro. Andres Izarra, a senior member of Maduro’s campaign team, said that had galvanized ‘Chavista’ supporters behind Maduro’s candidacy and put him on course for a victory larger than Chavez’s 11-point win over Capriles last October. “Even the moderate Chavistas are highly motivated, they’re really upset over the loss of Chavez,” Izarra, a friend and former minister of Chavez, told Reuters. “They’re indignant at the opposition’s attitude, the way they’ve mocked Chavez’s death. People are furious with Capriles. They’re going to make him pay.” On Monday, Capriles
Venezuela’s opposition leader and presidential candidate Henrique Capriles (C) speaks during a meeting with students in Maracaibo. REUTERS/Isaac Urrutia berated Maduro as a weak imitation of Chavez and a puppet of Havana. Taking a more hostile line than in his presidential bid last year, Capriles has accused Maduro of lying over Chavez’s final days to minimize the gravity of his cancer while preparing behind the scenes for an election campaign to replace him. Maduro, his supporters and Chavez’s relatives have
rounded on Capriles, accusing him of insulting their grief. Capriles has said he is sorry for any offense that may have been perceived by the family, but repeated his attacks on Maduro. “I think we can win by a bigger margin than Chavez’s over Capriles ... but there will be no triumphalism,” said Izarra. Lampooned as a malevolent spin-doctor by opponents, Izarra was always
UWI professor tells auditors: Corruption, bribery now the norm
Secretary General of INTOSAI, Dr Josef Moser, left, chats with Auditor General of T&T Sharman Ottlety, centre, and deputy principal of the St Augustine Campus of the UWI, Dr Rhoda Reddock, at the opening of the IX Congress of CAROSAI at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain. PHOTO: SHIRLEY BAHADUR Trinidad Guardian - There is a need to strengthen internal auditing processes to ensure better transparency and accountability, Professor Rhoda Reddock deputy principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI) said Monday when she addressed the opening ceremony of the ninth Congress of Caribbean Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions
(CAROSAI) at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain. “With changes to legislation in T&T and other Caribbean territories, there has been an increased interest in and attention to the audit process, thanks to institutions such as CAROSAI,” she told the audience which included Secretary General of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions
(INTOSAI) Dr Josef Moser and auditor generals from throughout the region. Reddock said every day there are reports of public and private institutions falling short because of lack of oversight and internal checks and balances. She said auditors perform their task in a world where corruption, bribery, theft and tax evasion are fast becoming the norm.
treated with robust affection by Chavez, sometimes made to sweat in public as the president berated him for any technical problems during live TV transmissions. The only survey by a major local pollster since Chavez’s death has justified the government’s optimism,
giving Maduro a 14-point lead over Capriles. But the opposition is hoping to win over voters and counter the sympathy effect after Chavez’s death by drawing a distinction between Maduro and his hugely popular former boss. They are trying to depict him as an incompetent manager unable to fix a myriad of grassroots problems from potholes to crime. Izarra, who had various stints as Chavez’s information minister, said running an election campaign without him felt odd after the more than dozen votes during his 14-year-rule. “The whole country feels really weird (without Chavez),” he said, eyes watering as he recalled working beside the evertheatrical socialist leader who became famous worldwide for his lengthy speeches and radical rhetoric. “He was a genius at communications. It was always Chavez himself who decided the elements of the campaign, the ways of working, the themes ... He’s a permanent inspiration in this new electoral battle.”
Izarra said the government’s campaign would focus on the personality of Maduro, a former bus driver who has been playing up his workingclass roots, as Chavez always did. Maduro, 50, drove himself in a bus to and from registering his candidacy last week, to the delight of supporters - and the mockery of foes who decry his lack of university education. “Maduro is a son of Chavez, a man of the people ... It’s a crucial contrast with the opposition candidate,” Izarra said, referring to Capriles’ wealthy family background. Rumors of government splits were far from the mark, Izarra added, scoffing at media talk of a potential challenge to Maduro’s leadership of the ruling Socialist Party by the powerful National Assembly head Diosdado Cabello. “This is about as united as we’ve ever been ... there’s no room for ambitions,” he said. “The higher interest is to preserve president Chavez’s legacy and continue his work.”
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Government to inject millions into local economy BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – The Barbados government says it intends to invest BDS$600 million (One BDS dollar = US$0.50 cents) as part of a new stimulus to improve the local eceonomy and create at least 1,000 new jobs. “Together when the BDS$355 million taken from this new stimulus package and the BDS$300 million from traditional estimates, we anticipate an injection of BDS$600 million in capital works spending. “This new stimulus to the Barbados economy will forge additional economic activity and contribute to the reinvigoration of the construction sector, creating new jobs and growing the Barbados economy,” Finance and Economic Minister Chris Sinckler told Parliament as it debated the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the financial year 2013 to 2014. The new financial year starts on April 1. Sinckler told legislators that Monday that work is
Chris Sinckler ready to begin on phase one of the new cruise pier at the Bridgetown Port with full financing by July and providing for another $70 million in civil works over the next 12 months. The recently re-elected minister said that work on the Pier Head Marina will begin later this year with financing now being finalised resulting in BDS$60 million in additional work in the Barbados economy for the
first nine months of the project schedule.”Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) and the Ministry of International Transport are expected to conclude negotiations with developers and investors for an injection of an additional BDS$20 million to institute the construction of a new cargo shed at the GAIA. “The Ministry of Transport and Works will be given instructions to forge ahead with the negotiations of a special stimulus road works package starting at DBS$80 million with the major road builders to carry out much needed work in some parishes, which will start this late summer.” Sinckler said that the ministry will soon sign off on the lease for the work at Bushy Park where the Barbados Motoring Federation is involved in laying down a new track. The project which will also start this year will see a further BDS$10 million injected into the economy.
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Jamaica benefitted significantly from PetroCaribe Jamaica has received US$2.4 billion in funding support from Venezuela under the PetroCaribe agreement, since the facility’s establishment in 2005. Chief Executive Officer of the PetroCaribe Development Fund (PDF), which administers the facility in Jamaica, Dr. Wesley Hughes, says the funds, allocated between July 2005 and January 2013, have financed projects, spearheaded at the community and national levels. Speaking at the Jamaica Social Investment Fund’s (JSIF) Sanitation in Schools project ceremony at the Milk River Primary School, Clarendon, recently, Dr. Hughes said chief among these are two major sanitation projects for which over $200 million was allocated. Both undertakings were facilitated under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in 2011, between the PDF and JSIF. One of the developments was phase one of JSIF’s Sanitation in Schools Project, which entailed upgrading of facilities at 26 all age and primary schools in 11 parishes at a cost of $177.6 million. Some 3,287 students are currently benefitting from the improved facilities, which include: new sanitation blocks equipped with septic tanks; toilets; urinals; and ramps to facilitate access by physically challenged persons. These facilities replaced
pit latrines which previously existed at the schools. The other development is construction of 100 communal sanitary conveniences and showers in several inner city communities in Kingston and St. Andrew, at a cost of $100 million. These include: Denham Town, Tivoli Gardens, Hannah Town, Jones Town, Rose Town, and several communities in Central Kingston. Dr. Hughes explained that the partnership between the PDF and JSIF aims to foster employment creation; facilitate opportunities for training and educational development; promote rural development and entrepreneurship; build capacity for micro and small enterprises, as well as institutions catering to communities deemed marginalised.
“It’s a very wide-ranging memorandum, and we intend to maintain our relationship (with JSIF) as long as we have funding to be spent at the community level. Providing significant social and physical infrastructure, stimulating growth and supporting the development of human capital is the heart and soul of our collaboration with JSIF and other institutions, in building capacity in the country, utilising the resources of the PetroCaribe Fund,” he stated. He added that “in partnership, we have been able to combine our resources to better achieve development goals for the country.” Dr. Hughes told JIS News that the PDF’s management is currently reviewing the organisation’s budget for the 2013/14 fiscal year, to determine the projects which can be facilitated during the period. He pointed out that the US$2.4 billion is a loan allocation spanning 25 years at one per cent per annum, with a two-year grace period. He described it as a “significant amount of assistance” to Jamaica by the Ve n e z u e l a n Government, and late President, Hugo Chavez, in particular, to whom he said Jamaica owes a debt of gratitude. “The late President was a visionary behind the regional agreement, which has benefitted many Caribbean countries…in the wake of the very hard and difficult times we are passing through,” Dr. Hughes said. (JIS)
(Reuters) – Grenada’s St. George’s University, which came to prominence in 1983 when U.S. President Ronald Reagan sent in troops to evacuate American students following a military coup, is up for sale, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. The university is speaking to private equity firms about a deal and is hoping to fetch more than $1 billion, said the four sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential. A sale could end more than 36 years of independence for the university, one of the largest medical schools in the world. Credit Suisse Group AG is advising St. George’s
University on the sale, one of the people said. Last year the bank helped arrange a $250 million loan whose proceeds were partly used to pay the university’s founders a special dividend. St. George’s University, founded in 1976 by Charles and Louis Modica, Edward McGowan and Patrick Adams, generates annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of over $100 million, the sources said. Representatives of St. George’s University and Credit Suisse did not respond to requests for comment. In 1983 a Marxist coup led to the overthrow of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and the United States launched Operation Urgent Fury in
which about 6,000 American troops invaded Grenada to evacuate nearly 1,000 Americans, mostly medical students attending St. George’s University. The students returned to the United States unharmed but 19 American servicemen lost their lives i n c o m b a t . Te m p o r a r y classes took place in New York and New Jersey and another campus was established in Barbados before the Grenada campus re-opened in 1984, the same year democratic elections were held on the island. Charles Modica serves as both chancellor and chairman of the university’s board of trustees. Louis Modica and Patrick Adams, also sit on the board. (Reuters)
Dr. Wesley Hughes
Grenada’s St. George’s University Up for Sale
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Trinidad TV host fined for airing CCJ rules statements cannot be used as evidence video of girl being raped Trinidad Express - CCN TV6’s Crime Watch host Ian Alleyne was yesterday fined a total of $30,000, or serve 72 months in prison, after pleading guilty to airing a video on three separate occasions during his programme in October of 2011, that showed the rape of a 13-year-old girl. The sentence was handed down by Chief Magistrate Marcia AyresCaesar in the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court, despite an appeal last week by Alleyne’s lawyer Om Lalla, that Alleyne not be fined or imprisoned. Lalla had submitted that Alleyne was not malicious in his intent, and was seeking justice for the girl. Lalla said that due to the nature of the work being done by Alleyne, his family was living in the United States, and a severe sentence would affect his ability to travel to see his loved ones. H o w e v e r, St a t e Prosecutor George Busby countered that the offence that Alleyne was guilty of, had caused mental torture to the 13 year old, who, as a result of the airing of the video, was now known to friends, neighbour and members of the public. In passing sentence y e s t e r d a y, M a g i s t r a t e Ay r e s - C e a s a r s a i d t h a t ignorance of the law was no excuse, and the girl would have to live with the stigma, despite efforts to help her. Under Section 32 (2) of the Sexual Offences Act, it is an offence to reveal the identity of a rape victim. The legislation reads “A person who publishes or broadcasts any matter contrary to subsection 1 is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine
Ian Alleyne of twenty-five thousand dollars and to imprisonment for five years.” Alleyne was also charged with resisting arrest but has maintained his not guilty plea. CNN TV6 is facing the same three charges and six additional charges contrary to the Telecommunications Act. The company has however maintained its not guilty pleas on all nine charges. When Alleyne reappeared before Chief Magistrate Ayers-Caesar last Monday, Lalla made a plea in mitigation, saying that although Alleyne admitted to broadcasting the video, he did not purposefully identify the girl, and it was the act of an overzealous person reacting to the many cases in which women were being raped and no one was being arrested and prosecuted. Lalla noted that within 48 hours of the airing of the video, information came to Alleyne and a person was arrested and charged with the rape of the 13 year old. He said the very video was in the hands of police weeks before Alleyne aired it. Lalla said as a result of the incident, other media houses had reviewed their policy regarding the identification of sexual assault victims.
This morning, Magistrate Ayres-Caesar outlined the factors she considered in arriving at her decision. She noted that Alleyne, through the work he had chosen, had been able to achieve some level of success by having individuals arrested. She said she understood Alleyne’s motivation, since many in society saw the police as being somewhat ineffective, and the public did not have much confidence in the ability of the police to apprehend perpetrators. The magistrate commended Alleyne on the work he was doing to have persons arrested, but said that in the pursuit of justice on behalf of crime victims and families, there was a certain line that could not be crossed. She said that ignorance of the law was no excuse, and she was sure that Alleyne would have had legal advice before airing the video. She said that under Section 32 (2) of the Sexual Offences Act, community service as a sentence for Alleyne did not apply. Magistrate Ayres-Caesar said she considered Alleyne’s previous good character, but stressed that Alleyne needed to be responsible. She noted that Alleyne had taken steps to have the alleged victim of the rape undergo counseling. However, said the magistrate, no amount of counseling could heal the stigma the girl now had to face when she came into contact with peers. Alleyne was fined $10,000 for each of the three offences, and given two weeks to pay, or serve 24 months in prison for each offence. Outside the court, Alleyne said he accepted the decision, but that the sentence would affect any plan for him to run for public office.
Landslides in Rio mountains kill 24 (Reuters) - Landslides triggered by heavy rains killed at least 24 people in the mountains above Rio de Janeiro and prompted Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to call for tougher action to eradicate precarious dwellings. Firemen on Friday recovered the bodies of three children who were swept away by floods in the worst hit neighbourhood called Quitandinha, a suburb of Petropolis, where dozens of homes were demolished by the landslides. Most of the dead,
including two civil defense rescuers, were buried under landslides caused by 17 inches (420 mm) of rain that fell on defence the mountainous region in just 24 hours, almost double the rainfall average for the month of March in the area Rousseff, who is in Rome for the investiture of Pope Francis, said Brazilian authorities will have to take “more drastic” measures to stop people building homes in dangerous places. “ We h a v e o ff e r e d people conditions to move
away from areas that are at risk, but they always refuse to move,” Rousseff told reporters in Italy. “So we will have to be tougher.” Floods and landslides killed about 1,000 people in the mountain region north of Rio de Janeiro in 2011 in the worst natural disaster on record in Brazil. Wo r k s p r o m i s e d b y local authorities to prevent new disasters have not materialized, though sirens installed in the region helped reduce the number of deaths this year, officials say.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) yesterday ruled that the statements of two people interviewed by a police officer as part of his investigations into allegations by a Jamaican national that she was assaulted by an immigration officer when she visited Barbados in 2011 cannot be used as evidence in the matter. But the CCJ said that the statements could be used for identification purposes and for cross examination as it continued hearing evidence in the case in which 25-year-old Shanique Myrie, 25, alleged that when she travelled to Barbados on March 14, 2011 she was discriminated against because of her nationality, subjected to a body cavity search, detained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day. Myrie also claimed that she was subjected to derogatory remarks by a Barbadian Immigration officer
at the Grantley Adams International Airport and is asking the CCJ to determine the minimum standard of treatment applicable to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) citizens moving around the region. On September 27 last year, Jamaica was granted leave to intervene in the matter. Last week, the CCJ held its first ever sitting in Jamaica to hear testimonies from several witnesses and is now holding a similar hearing in Barbados. On Monday, lawyers representing the Barbados government had objected to
efforts by Myrie’s legal team that the statements by the two people be admitted as evidence. Queen’s Counsel Roger Forde had objected, saying to admit the statements without examining their veracity would be highly improper. He argued that M y r i e ’s l a w y e r s h o u l d have done it during the pre-trial disclosure. Attorney Kathy Brown, who is representing the Jamaica government argued, that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accepts all documentation submitted by any party.
Jamaica not considering restructuring external debt – Finance Minister Jamaica Gleaner Finance Minister, Dr Peter Phillips has said the Government is not contemplating restructuring its external debts. “We have no active plans,” Phillips said in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. He was responding to questions from Audley Shaw,
the Opposition spokesman on finance. The Government last month implemented the National Debt Exchange, the second debt swap in three years as it seeks to reduce the country’s debt stock. Both debt exchanges so far have been on the domestic portion of the debt.
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Wednesday March 20, 2013
Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria BEIRUT (Reuters) Syria’s government and rebels accused each other of launching a deadly chemical attack near the northern city of Aleppo yesterday in what would, if confirmed, be the first use of such weapons in the two-year-old conflict. U.S. President Barack Obama, who has resisted overt military intervention in Syria, has warned Assad in the past that any use of chemical weapons would be a “red line”. There has, however, been no suggestion of rebels possessing such arms. Syria’s state television channel said rebels fired a rocket carrying chemical agents that killed 25 people and wounded dozens. The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, said 16 soldiers were among the dead. The reported toll is far below the mass slaughter inflicted on the Iraqi Kurdish city of Halabja where an estimated 5,000 people died in a chemical attack ordered by former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 25 years
ago. No Western governments or international organizations confirmed a chemical attack, but Russia, an ally of Damascus, accused rebels of carrying out such a strike. Syria’s deputy foreign minister, Faisal Meqdad, said his government would send a letter to the United Nations Security Council “calling on it to handle its responsibilities and clarify a limit to these crimes of terrorism and those that support it inside Syrian Arab Republic”. He warned that the violence that had engulfed Syria was a regional threat. “This is rather a starting point from which (the danger) will spread to the entire region, if not the entire world,” he said. In Washington, the United States said it had no evidence to substantiate charges that the rebels had used chemical weapons. Britain said its calculations would change if a chemical attack had taken place. “The UK is clear that the use or proliferation of chemical weapons would demand a serious response
from the international community and force us to revisit our approach so far,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. A Reuters photographer said victims he had visited in Aleppo hospitals were suffering breathing problems and that people had said they could smell chlorine after the attack. “I saw mostly women and children,” said the photographer, who cannot be named for his own safety. He quoted victims at the University of Aleppo hospital and the al-Rajaa hospital as saying people were dying in the streets and in their houses. President Bashar alAssad, battling an uprising against his rule, is widely believed to have a chemical weapons arsenal. Syrian officials have neither confirmed nor denied this, but have said that if it existed it would be used to defend against foreign aggression, not against Syrians. There have been no previous reports of chemical weapons in the hands of insurgents.
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, a Syrian victim who suffered an alleged chemical attack at Khan al-Assal village according to SANA, yesterday. (AP Photo/SANA) Information Minister Omran al-Zoabi said rebels fired “a rocket containing poison gases” at the town of Khan al-Assal, southwest of Aleppo, from the city’s southeastern district of Nairab, part of which is rebelheld. “The substance in the rocket causes unconsciousness, then
convulsions, then death,” the minister said. But a senior rebel commander, Qassim Saadeddine, who is also a spokesman for the Higher Military Council in Aleppo, denied this, blaming Assad’s forces for the alleged chemical strike. “We were hearing reports from early this morning about
a regime attack on Khan alAssal, and we believe they fired a Scud with chemical agents,” he told Reuters by telephone from Aleppo. Washington has expressed concern about chemical weapons falling into the hands of militant groups either hardline Islamist rebels fighting to topple Assad or his regional allies.
French budget minister in tax fraud probe resigns PARIS (Reuters) - French Budget Minister Jerome Cahuzac has resigned from his post after being targeted in a tax fraud inquiry, the president’s office said yesterday. The announcement - a major embarrassment for President Francois Hollande’s government came hours after French prosecutors opened a formal investigation into allegations that the junior minister held a secret bank account in Switzerland. Cahuzac, who is leading a government crackdown on tax evasion, has repeatedly denied a report in December by French investigative news website Mediapart that he held an undisclosed account at the Swiss bank UBS until the start of 2010. The brief presidency statement said the move came at Cahuzac’s own request. It named Europe Minister Bernard Cazeneuve as his successor. Earlier, the public prosecutor said police laboratory tests showed a correlation between the voice of Cahuzac and that in a recording of a telephone call
Jerome Cahuzac published by Mediapart, in which a male voice acknowledges holding an account at UBS. “In other words, the result of our analysis reinforces the hypothesis that Jerome Cahuzac is the unidentified speaker,” the office of the Paris prosecutor said in a statement. French prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into the affair in January, but this step takes the inquiry to a new level and will involve deploying greater resources to the case and cooperation with other judiciaries, notably in
Switzerland. Cahuzac, a former plastic surgeon who rose to prominence as the Socialist Party’s toughest budgetwatcher, has led efforts to crack down on tax evasion and fraud by French citizens seeking to avoid high levies at home. His resignation could hardly come at a more sensitive time as Hollande’s government is in the process of redrafting deficit reduction plans vital to maintaining fiscal credibility with France’s euro zone partners. Weaker-than-expected growth forced the government to abandon Hollande’s pledge to cut the public deficit to an EUimposed ceiling of 3 percent of economic output this year, tumbling a key pillar of Cahuzac’s fiscal policy. His replacement, Cazeneuve, is familiar with the inner workings of Brussels as Europe Minister. That could help Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici as he tries to convince the European Commission and other euro zone countries that France should get more time to meet its deficit target.
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U.S. working out transfer Zimbabwe approves constitution of Congo war suspect to ICC curbing presidential powers
Bosco Ntaganda KIGALI (Reuters) - The U.S. Embassy in Rwanda was working out the logistics of transferring a Congolese warlord to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a day after Bosco Ntaganda walked off the street to face war crimes charges. Ntaganda stunned embassy staff in Kigali when he gave himself up, a seemingly meek end to a 15year long career that saw him fight as a rebel and government soldier on both sides of the Rwanda-Congo
border. He specifically asked to be transferred to the Haguebased tribunal, the U.S. State Department said yesterday. “We’re completely working to facilitate his transfer to The Hague,” said an official at the U.S. Embassy in Kigali. “We are still figuring out how it’s going to work.” Neither the United States nor Rwanda has an obligation to hand over the commander nicknamed “the Terminator” to the ICC as they are not signatories to the Rome Statute which set up the independent,
BRUSSELS (Reuters) India would be breaking international law if it stops Italy’s ambassador from leaving the country in a dispute over two Italian marines charged with killing two Indian fishermen, the European Union said yesterday. The statement was the bloc’s most forceful intervention yet in the festering dispute over the marines which has soured relations between India and EU member Italy. India’s top court last week temporarily barred the envoy, Daniele Mancini, from leaving after Rome refused to send the marines back to India to face trial following a home visit. The marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, part of a security team protecting a tanker from pirates, are accused of shooting the two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February last year. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton noted the Indian court’s ruling about the ambassador “with concern”, Ashton’s spokesman said. Ashton regarded the 1961
Vienna Convention, which sets rules for diplomatic relations, as a cornerstone of the international legal order that should be respected at all times, he said in a statement. “Any limitations to the freedom of movement of the ambassador of Italy to India would be contrary to the international obligations established under this convention,” he added. “(Ashton) continues to hope that a mutually acceptable solution can be found through dialogue and in respect of international rules and encourages the parties to explore all avenues to that effect,” the statement said. The EU statement echoed comments by Italy’s Foreign Ministry on Monday that the Indian court’s decision violated diplomatic immunity law. India’s Supreme Court had allowed the marines to go home for four weeks to vote in last month’s parliamentary election, provided they returned. They have not done so, and Italy’s Foreign Ministry said the incident had become a formal dispute over U.N. laws.
EU warns India over bar on Italian ambassador
permanent court in the Netherlands to try people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Washington broadly supports the ICC, but testimony by Ntaganda, who has fought in a string of Rwanda-backed rebellions in Congo’s east, may be damaging for the government of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, a close U.S. ally. Rwandan-born Ntaganda faces charges of recruiting child soldiers, murder, ethnic persecution, sexual slavery and rape during the 2002-3 conflict in northeastern Congo’s goldmining Ituri district. A U.N. panel of experts said Ntaganda was most recently a leader of the yearold M23 rebellion - an insurgency in eastern Congo that experts have said was backed by senior Rwandan government and military officials.
HARARE (Reuters) Zimbabweans have approved a new constitution that curbs presidential powers after 33 years of Robert Mugabe’s rule and puts the southern African state a step closer to a vote, the election commission said yesterday. Nearly 95 percent of voters in a referendum approved the new charter, which was backed by Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, political rivals who were forced into a power-sharing deal after disputed elections in 2008. The turnout, at slightly more than half the 6 million eligible voters, was higher than many had expected. Analysts said the presidential and parliamentary election expected in the second half of the year could draw out even more voters in what will be seen as a showdown between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. A high turnout in the rural areas that have traditionally supported Mugabe’s ZANUPF party suggests the vote is headed for a tense ruralversus-urban split if Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) mobilizes supporters in high numbers. The new charter sets a maximum of two five-year terms for the president. However, the limit will not apply retroactively, so Mugabe, 89, and in power since independence from Britain in 1980, could still theoretically rule for the next decade. Presidential decrees will
Robert Mugabe also require majority backing in the cabinet, and declaring emergency rule or dissolving parliament will need the approval of two-thirds of lawmakers, changes that will take effect after the next election. The new constitution and referendum were conditions of the 2008 power-sharing deal. The turnout of more than 3 million people was the largest since 1985. Even bigger numbers are expected in the presidential and parliamentary elections, in which Mugabe will face a new crop of voters born since 1980. “On the face of it, I think this referendum confirms that we are going to have a very tight electoral race,” said Eldred Masunungure, professor of political science at Harare’s University of Zimbabwe. “People in urban areas were cynical and didn’t put much value in the constitution, but the general
election will be a different game altogether.” Although the referendum passed off without incident, Mugabe detractors are seizing on the arrest at the weekend of four MDC staff members and leading human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa as evidence that ZANU-PF is bent on intimidating rivals ahead of the elections. Mtetwa appeared before a magistrate court yesterday and was charged with obstructing police work. She was to spend a night in prison, together with the MDC officials, and their bail hearing will continue today. Thabani Mpofu, Mtetwa’s attorney, said her arrest amounted to an assault on Zimbabwe’s legal profession at a time when the country was celebrating a new constitution. Tsvangirai told journalists he hoped the adoption of a new constitution would usher in respect for the rule of law, and urged his MDC ranks to stand up to any intimidation. “We must remain steadfast and focused despite these attempts to divert our attention from our democratic agenda,” he said. “Change is certain and inevitable.” Despite his age and fears that his health is failing, Mugabe has said ZANU-PF would fight like a “wounded beast” to retain power after being forced into a compromise unity government after the contested 2008 election outcome.
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Wednesday March 20, 2013
Remade Mideast poses new Pakistani girl shot by perils for Obama on trip Taliban returns to school WASHINGTON (AP) — On his second trip to the Middle East as U.S. commander in chief, President Barack Obama this week will confront a political and strategic landscape nearly unrecognizable from the one he encountered on his first trip to the region shortly after assuming office in 2009. Gone are the authoritarian regimes and leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, and the once seemingly indestructible Assad regime in Syria is tottering on the brink of collapse. Uncertainty abounds in the wake of the revolutions that have convulsed the Arab world for the past two years and shaken many of the strong but imperfect pillars of stability on the planet’s most politically volatile patch of land. And the few constants are hardly cause for cheer: a moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process that remains mired in mutual distrust and recrimination, an Iran that seemingly inches closer to nuclear weapons capability despite intensified
Barack Obama international sanctions, and the ever-growing threat from extremists. At the same time, Obama’s 2012 re-election has changed his political calculus. Having run his last race as a political candidate, he is no longer beholden to the whims of voters. His sights appear set on building a legacy that, at least in the short term, is focused not on foreign policy but on the domestic issues
that now drive the agenda in Washington. Thus, U.S. officials have set expectations low for the trip. No new plan to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. No big boost in assistance to the struggling Palestinian Authority. No new strategy for dealing with the chaos in Syria. No new outreach to Muslims like the one that was the centerpiece of his June 2009 visit to Cairo. Instead, they have presented Obama’s visit to Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan as a symbolic, handholding trip. Obama’s goals are to reassure nervous Israelis that the U.S. has their back in the face of any threats, tell the Palestinians that their aspirations for statehood are in America’s national security interests and show support for a Jordanian monarchy that is struggling to satisfy its subjects’ demands for reform while dealing with the spillover from the civil war in Syria.
Malala Yousafzai LONDON (AP) — Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager shot in the head by the Taliban, has returned to school for the first time since
she was targeted. The 15-year-old joined other girls at Edgbaston High School for Girls in Birmingham for her first day back at school yesterday, said Edelman, the public relations agency handling her media relations. Malala was airlifted to Britain for treatment after Taliban gunman shot her on Oct. 9, while on her way home from school in northwestern Pakistan. The militant group said it targeted her because she promoted “Western thinking” and criticized the group’s behavior when it took over the scenic Swat Valley where she lived. The shooting sparked outrage in Pakistan and many other countries, and her story has captured global attention for the struggle for women’s
rights in her homeland. Malala was released in February from the hospital that was treating her for her injuries. Doctors said she was recovering well after receiving skull reconstruction and cochlear implant surgeries. In a statement, Malala said she was excited to return to school and that she wanted “all girls in the world to have this basic opportunity.” “I miss my classmates from Pakistan very much, but I am looking forward to meeting my teachers and making new friends here in Birmingham,” she added. The teenager is expected to remain in the U.K. for some time as her father, Ziauddin, has secured a post with the Pakistani Consulate in the English city of Birmingham.
British court rejects immunity claim by two Saudi princes (Reuters) - A British court ruled yesterday that two Saudi princes involved in litigation in London over a business dispute did not have immunity from being sued, a new blow to the royal pair after they failed in an attempt to have the case heard in secret. The elderly Prince Mishal bin Abdulaziz al Saud, one of King Abdullah’s many brothers, and his son Prince Abdulaziz bin Mishal, had argued that they had immunity as members of the monarch’s household. But in a 45-page ruling that delved into Saudi royal genealogy, judge Geoffrey Vos said the two princes did not meet the requirements of Britain’s State Immunity Act. The princes plan to appeal against Vos’s judgment. The litigation, which has been going through British courts since December 2011, stems from sales in 2010 and
2011 of shares in Fi Call Ltd, a company jointly owned by Prince Abdulaziz and Jordanian businessman Faisal Almhairat. The pair have fallen out and accuse each other of serious wrongdoing. Details of the allegations have so far remained secret because the prince and his father have argued that it would be damaging to Saudi Arabia’s relations with Britain and the United States to air them in open court. They have also asserted that Prince Abdulaziz would be “at risk of serious personal injury or death from reprisals” if details of one of the disputed transactions were made public. These arguments were rejected on February 13 by Judge Paul Morgan, who said they came “nowhere near being clear and cogent evidence” to justify holding court hearings behind closed doors.
However, the details of the case remain secret pending an appeal by the princes against Morgan’s ruling. The secrecy and immunity arguments have been dealt with in two separate strands of hearings ahead of the main trial, which is scheduled for January 2014. It is not the first time that the threat of damaging relations with Saudi Arabia has played a part in legal proceedings in Britain. A corruption investigation into a huge arms deal between British defence contractor BAE Systems and the kingdom was dropped in 2006, officially because of concerns that it could harm Britain’s security interests. But there was widespread criticism at the time from anticorruption groups and British media th a t t h e t r u e motivation for shelving the case was to protect commercial interests.
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Kaieteur News
Foreign companies bid for veterinary lab-related entries Training in the use of equipment for the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL), a venture which falls under the Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU), has attracted several foreign bidders. The project also covers the supply, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning of the VDL. The bids, which were opened yesterday by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance, Main Street, are as follows:
Under the Ministry of Housing, bids were opened for upgrading of roads at Amelia’s Ward Phase 1B, Linden Region 10. The bids, related to the Central Housing and Planning Authority, were divided into two lots.
The Ministry of Home Affairs under the Citizens’ Security Programme received bids for the supply, delivery, installation of forensic laboratory furnishing. The bids were divided into six lots.
And bids were received for the supply of laptop computers and related hardware equipment for the Audit Office.
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Chief-of-Staff given 14 days to respond to suing army officers Chief-of Staff Commodore Gary Best has been given two weeks to respond to a lawsuit pertaining to the nonpayment of bonuses which were granted to members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) by President Donald Ramotar last December. State prosecutor Pritima Kissoon made the 14-day request on behalf of Commodore Best before Chief Justice Ian Chang at the High Court yesterday. Representing the plaintiffs; Major (ag) Lesley Ramlall; Captain Rono Joseph; Captain Harold Fraser and Coast Guard Lieutenant André Cush, is Attorney-at-law Abiola Wong-Inniss, who had no difficulty with Kissoon asking for leave to file an affidavit in response. The Chief of Staff did not attend yesterday’s proceedings. The parties will return to court on April 2. The four officers in their complaint to the court have charged that the Chief of Staff has been unreasonable, unlawful and unfair in his action to withhold their bonuses. Best had taken a position subsequent to the President’s announcement, to withhold the bonus of soldiers who had disciplinary action taken
Army Chief-of Staff, Commodore Gary Best against them in 2012. Over 100 were said to have been affected. The senior army men have however claimed that other officers received their bonuses, despite there being matters against them. Ramlall and Fraser stated that during 2012, there were no charges instituted against them. Ramlall said that in January 2013 he was charged with respect to allegations pertaining to the performance of his duties while attached to GDF Credit Union in 2011, but those charges were never determined. Joseph said that administrative action was taken against him in 2012 for what was referred to as “inappropriate relationship with a female”. Cush said he
was charged for insubordinate behavior in 2012, but is yet to be prosecuted. The officers further said that they were never formally told about their incentives being withheld, neither were they afforded the opportunity to be heard on the issue. Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon stated last week during a post-Cabinet press conference that in the case of the decision by the President, “it had never been elevated to the level of an across the board measure...it has never been; it is a discretion that is exercised after the review of annual performances of the joint services.” Officers and other ranks of joint service organizations such as the Fire Service, Police and Prisons have indicated that they are paying keen attention to the issue and are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the court action. Several senior officers related that never before have their agencies withheld any of the bonus payments from any staff member for whatever reason and they believe that the ruling of the court could have a significant impact on how their organizations treat the matter of the annual onemonth bonus payment in the future.
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NCN CHANNEL 11 05:00 hrs - Inspiration 05:30 hrs - Newtown Gospel 06:00 hrs - BBC 07:00 hrs - Guyana Today 08:00 hrs - Guysuco Roundup (R/B) 08:30 hrs - Close Up. 09:00 hrs - Stop the Suffering 10:00 hrs - 2nd International Home Test 12:00 hrs - The Interview 12:30 hrs - Newsbreak 12:40 hrs - Cricket resumes 14:40 hrs - Feature 15:00 hrs - Cricket resumes 17:00 hrs - Anderson 18:00 hrs - NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30 hrs - In Depth 19:00 hrs - Al Jazeera 19:30 hrs - Close Up 20:00 hrs - 3d/daily millions/
Wednesday March 20, 2013
play de dream/lotto draw 20:05 hrs - NCN Newsbreak 20:10 hrs - Oral Traditions 21:00 hrs - NCN Sports Magazine 22:30 hrs - Caribbean Newsline 23:00 hrs - Movie 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: “Judas”
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. Criminal Minds (New Episode) 22:00 hrs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (New Episode) 23:00 hrs. Sign Off
Guides are subjected to change without notice
Wednesday March 20, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): Although your awareness is breaking through new ground like a germinated seed sprouting towards the sunlight, you might experience momentary pangs of self-doubt. Your life is pregnant with positive possibilities and you want to pursue all of them. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20): You are quite fascinated with the symbolism that’s bubbling up from your own imagination today. Your current fantasies seem so real, so meaningful, so dangerous and so not you. GEMINI (May 21–June 20): Serious feelings come and go in waves today. Although you want to lighten up and be socially involved, worries about money are tough to shake. Even if you choose to enjoy the c o m p a n y of friends or coworkers, you must set limits on your discretionary spending. CANCER (June 21–July 22): On one side of the equation, actions speak louder than words and you’re eager to make things happen at work today. However, on the other side, the Moon is visiting your sign and feelings are all that really matter. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22): You Lions are like a field of eager dandelions today, ready to spring into full glory at the slightest hint of warm s u n s h i n e . Yo u f e e l s o creative now that you want others to stop and admire your work. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): You might be slightly annoyed today because you want less noise in your surroundings so you can concentrate on your work. But the distractions come knocking at your door like too many bad jokes at a cocktail party.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): Your key planet, Venus, forms a magical connection with boundless Jupiter today, leading you off course and promoting a fun day. But you can’t keep everything light and fluffy. Your impulses may be wild and uncontrollable now, but you are also obsessed with deeper feelings that need to be expressed. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): You wish that you had more time to weigh your current options before being pressed into action. Although you may have to sacrifice your personal timetable, you’re not eager to just let someone else rearrange your agenda. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): Sweet Venus highlights your key planet, Jupiter, today in your 7th House of Partners, bringing optimistic people into your life. As enthusiastic as you are about working with someone special, you might also be worried that your secret insecurities could unravel a new relationship. CAPRICORN(Dec.22–Jan.19): Although the Moon may reflect your fear of rejection today, her opposition to potent Pluto gives you strength to stand up for your beliefs. You have a very realistic view of your possible future, but it might feel as if a friend or coworker is standing in your way. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): Springtime places an emphasis on communication for you non-conformist Aquarians, but you prefer to keep everything light and lively. You may be invited on a magical mystery tour of subterranean emotional mysteries. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20): You are being bombarded by deep feelings of attraction or repulsion that won’t go away. The waters of life are humming with complex patterns of emotional charges today.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Sammy inspired by Sir Garry as West Indies look for sixth Test win in a row ROSEAU, Dominica – Darren Sammy will take inspiration from the great Sir Garfield Sobers when he leads the West Indies into battle in the second Test against Zimbabwe at Windsor Park. Sammy recently met with the legend during a function to celebrate the team’s recent successes and said he was delighted to have the opportunity to sit and listen to words of advice from the game’s greatest allrounder. “We take inspiration from different things. Last weekend we had a function and I had a chat with Sir Garry – one of my all-time cricket icons – and it was a good chat. He gave me some inspiring words to share with the team and urged us to move on from strength to strength. That coming from someone like Sir Garry is motivation in itself,” Sammy said on Tuesday. “This is an important match and we have our game plans. This is international cricket we’re playing and we will go out and look to win against all opposition, no matter where we’re playing. We play for the people and we look to win for the people.” Sammy’s team will be chasing a sixth consecutive
win when the second Test bowls off today. Their fivematch winning run dates to August last year when they beat New Zealand in Antigua and Jamaica; and last November when they beat Bangladesh in Dhaka and Khulna. “The plan is to win this match and go 2-0. We stand a very good chance of winning six matches in a row and building on the winning streak we have started in Test cricket. We have had a lot of great support over the years, but we have not won here in Dominica and I know the people here will want us to deliver a victory,” the Windies captain said. “We will have more or less the same type of game plan we had for the last five Test matches – where we play five specialist batsmen and the four specialist bowlers – and we are looking to continue in that way. Last Test match we played the three fast bowlers with Shillingford bowling really well to win the match for us, but I think it was a very good job by everyone when it was required.” West Indies won the opening match at Kensington Oval by nine wickets in a little over seven sessions. The star of the match was off-spinner Shane Shillingford, who
marked his return to the international stage with a match haul of 9-109. That display of high-quality offspin bowling saw him jump up 19 places to Number 41 in the ICC Test bowling rankings. He will expect massive home support when he returns to Windsor Park where he took 10 wickets against Australia last year. “Last time we played here against Australia it was a very good and close game and Shillingford bowled really well to get 10 wickets in the match. This looks like a similar pitch and we believe he will do very well again in front of his family and his home supporters. He always plays with a smile on his face, but he is a fierce competitor and he keeps improving with every opportunity he gets,” Sammy added. The second Test bowls off at Windsor Park today at 10 am (9 am Jamaica Time). SQUAD: Darren Sammy (Captain), Denesh Ramdin (Vice Captain), Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Veerasammy Permaul, Kieron Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels and Shane Shillingford.
Scotiabank supports Bartica Regatta
Mrs. Nirvana Burnette (left) presents the sponsorship cheque to Bartica Regatta representative Ms. Simonette Layne in the presence of bank staff. Scotiabank, in keeping with its cooperate responsibility of giving back to the community, has come on board as a sponsor of the Bartica Regatta. The bank recently handed over a cheque to the Bartica Regatta Committee in collaboration with & DC
Promotion group, who are staging the event. The Bartica Easter Regatta, the biggest in the country, attracts Guyanese from all walks of life and is an action packed event over two days that features several events that is highlighted by the powerboat racing. Again
this year it is anticipated to attract large crowds and Scotiabank is contributing to ensuring a successful staging of the mega event. Mrs. Nirvana Burnette handed over the sponsorship cheque to Bartica Regatta representative Ms. Simonette Layne recently.
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 29
Mayor’s Annual KO Football Republic Bank Nets look to trap... tourney continues today
Delon Williams
Peter Parks
Competition in the Annual Mayor’s Knockout Football tournament continues from 18:30hrs at the Georgetown Football Club ground this evening. In encounters pitting Georgetown and East Coast Demerara teams will start with Camptown facing Golden Grove at 18:30hrs, while in the nightcap at 20:30hrs Fruta Conquerors take on Mahaica. Two entertaining matches are anticipated and the East Coast teams are expected to come out firing with the aim of halting their more seasoned City counterparts. Mahaica will look to the skills of Delon Charles, Quacy Holder, Terry Caesar, Delroy Perreira and Azunna Roberts to carry their charge against Camptown. The city team will depend on Reshawn Sandiford, Peter Parks, Jamaal Codrington, Travis Martin and Joel Bond to turn back the challenge of the Mahaica boys. On the other hand, Conquerors will have Delon Williams, Trevon Lythcott and Pernell
Reshawn Sandiford
Schultz to spearhead their attack, while Golden Grove features Carlos Kingston, Osafa Prince, and Shawn Douglas. The tournament continues tomorrow and Friday at the same venue from the same times. Tomorrow Western Tigers are down to face host team GFC, while Pele tangle with Den Amstel in what should be two competitive games. Friday the action will pit Santos against Seawall in the opening encounter, while Guyana’s number one club, Alpha United are down to collide with Uitvlugt. The victorious team in this tournament will cart off $1,000,000, while the runner up will take home $500,000; the third and fourth place finishers will receive $300,000 and $200,000 respectively. The sponsors on board so far are 2 Brothers gas station, Mohamed’s Enterprise, General Equipment Guyana Ltd, Bakewell, Guyana Beverage Inc and MaCorp.
Balram Raghubeer Joint Service cricket...
POLICE ARREST ARMY
Eric Angel (right), Kelvin Leitch (centre) and Troy Benn Guyana Police Force defeated the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) by 65 runs in the opening game of the Balram Raghubeer Joint Service 40 over cricket competition yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground Eve Leary. Police won the toss and elected to bat but lost the early wicket of Rawle Browne for 6 at 18. Troy Benn and Ameer Mohamed carried to score to 28 before Colin Mc Pherson had Benn caught for 10. The host then lost three more quick wickets before Eric Angel and Sheldon Agard steadied the ship somewhat adding 26 for the 6th wicket, the duo rotated the strike nicely and as just as they appeared set to build a significant stand Agard perished for 13. Angel was then joined by Rawle Haynes and featured in a 7th wicket stand of 27 which proved to be the biggest partnership of the innings before Haynes who hit two sixes departed for 14; the host were eventually bowled out for 151 in 36.3 overs. Angel finished unbeaten on 47 which
contained five fours as Mc Pherson took 219, Castello 2-23 and Nakeitho Nester 2-29. GDF in response found themselves in early trouble when McPherson played back to one form medium pacer Troy Benn and was trapped in front for 8 at 10. Isaiah Brijader and Farhat Uthman added 24 for the second wicket before Uthman was run out for 10 as a result for poor communication between the wickets. Castello and Brijadder then took the score to 41 but the left handed Brijadder who timed the ball well was needlessly run out for 19(3x4) as GDF fell into further trouble. Apart from Castello who made 28 no other batsman offered resistance as the visitors fell for 86 in 25 overs. Kelvin Leitch grabbed 4-19, Benn 3-27 and Agard 2-4. The competition continues on Thursday with Guyana Prison Service facing Guyana Fire Service. The winner will take on City Constabulary on Friday in the lone semi final. Police drew the bye to the final.
From page 35 offensive night. With those, their only defeats aside, Colts and Nets, two teams that have had tremendous success over the last six months, will engage each other in a game that will ensure one of the teams slip to 2-2 at the Division I level of the ongoing GABA League, which would certainly mean a slip further down the leadership ladder of the League. Colts went in the Pacesetters clash Saturday night after beating them twice late last year. On the other hand, the Republic Bank Nets reached the finals of the last two Division I finals. The last outings of both teams suggest that in Georgetown both of them are now forces to reckon with at the Division I Level, but tonight’s game will decide whether or not they will remain in an unambiguous fight for a top two placing in the GABA League, where only TGH Pacesetters, and Ravens are unbeaten. Republic Bank Nets’ Darrion Lewis will have another big role to play tonight. He has been their
leading scorer in the competition. He will combine with forwards Mortimer Williams and Fabian Johnson to help the team continue their ascendancy in local basketball. Nets also posses guard Hodayah Stewart and forward Drumson McCulley. The problem has been in the backcourt where their inventory is very limited. Nets have the bodies, but lack the speed of potent guards, which Colts have in their lineup in large supply. Colts’ guards, Shelroy and Sheldon Thomas as well
as Nikolai Smith is a constant bother for the local big men with their quickness. It’s one of the reasons Colts have become one of the top units in the City, coupled with the efficiency of forward Marvis Hilliman. Tonight’s game will be an interesting contest among two teams looking to confirm that they are deserving of a place among the best in Georgetown. The other confirmation will be a separation of those still in the running for the top three slots in the GABA League.
GCA\Hadi’s 1st Division cricket continues this weekend The Georgetown Cricket Association\ Hadi’s first division 2 day competition continues this weekend with one game at Malteenoes Sports Club ground where the host will play Demerara Cricket Club with Matthew Kissoon and Colin Alfred officiating.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Enterprise Busta Sports Club is East Coast Elizabeth Style 1st Division Champions As expected hundreds of cricket fans journeyed from various parts of the East Coast to witness the grand finale of the East Coast Cricket Board/Elizabeth 40 overs cricket competition between Lusignan Sports Club and Enterprise Busta Sports Club at the Lusignan Community Centre. In bright sunshine Lusignan won the toss and invited Enterprise to take first strike. Arif Habib and Vivian Albert started solidly before Habib started a mini assault belting 4 X 4s and 4 X 6s. He was dismissed for 55 with the score at 81 for 1 in the fourteenth over. Rajendra Chandrika did not last long; he was bowled for 2 by Left arm spinner Emran Khan. Zaheer Mohamed and Albert steadied the innings before Albert went for 39 (4 x 4s). Mohamed was dismissed for 19 (2 X 4s). Parmanand Dindyal and Kamesh Yadram built a mini partnership of 33. Dindyal made 18 (1 X 4s – 1 X 6s) and Yadram contributed 15 (3 X 4s). Enterprise reached
Vivian Albert man of the match
Victorious Enterprise Busta Sports Club and President of the East Coast Cricket Board Bissoondyal Singh (right)
173 for 9 in their allotted 40 overs. Bowling for Lusignan Kumar Bishundyal took 3 for 12 and Narvan Singh 3 for 56. Lusignan started their run chase badly losing Somnauth Bharrat for 1 off the bowling of Kishore who surprisingly delivered with pace and
bounce that troubled all the batsmen who faced him. Soon after Chetram Gangadin, Devindra Bishun and Harnarine Hira fell in quick succession leaving the score at 26 for 4 in the twelfth over. Narvan Singh 21 (3 X 4s) and Surujpaul Deosarran 21 (1 X
4 and 1 X 6) attempted to save the innings but were unsuccessful. The remaining batsmen fell quickly with Lusignan being bowled out for 91 in 30.1 overs. Bowling for Enterprise Kishore took 3 for 16 and Vivian Albert 2 for 18.
At the presentation ceremony witnessed by many supporters of both teams, President of the East Coast Cricket Board Bissoondyal Singh thanked his Executives for executing a well organized tournament and congratulated both teams for reaching the final. He also thanked Singhfamcorp of the USA (manufacturers of Elizabeth Style brand products) for coming on board and expressed
gratitude to the management and staff of the company. Singh urged everyone to visit the Company’s facebook page and website (elizabethstyleintl.com). Each player and match official that participated in the match was presented with hampers containing Elizabeth Style products. Vivian Albert was named man of the match for his stylish 39 and his good bowling, 2 for 18; he was presented with a trophy.
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Kaieteur News
Final CARIFTA Games team named
Cassey George
Kadecia Baird
Tirana Mitchell
Jevina Straker
The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) yesterday named the final CARIFTA Games team that will represent Guyana at the March 29 –April 1 Games
in the Bahamas. This was according to AAG Public Relations Officer, Charles Griffith. Griffith informed Kaieteur Sport that the team will depart
West Indies want to... From back page want to send them home empty-handed. We have had a really good run in Test cricket this last year – we did well against New Zealand, we did really well in Bangladesh and we would like to follow that up with a complete sweep here as well.” Radford, who joined the team a year ago, was speaking after Monday’s training session on a hot and humid morning at Windsor Park. The three-day victory by nine wickets in Barbados was the fifth in a row for the West Indies. They will be looking for their sixth consecutive win – going back to August last year when they beat New Zealand in Antigua and Jamaica; and last November when they beat Bangladesh in Dhaka and Khulna. “There is a lot of confidence in the team and there is a good combination of youth and experience in the squad. It is great to have the young and the senior players playing alongside each other. Any side we come up against we want to perform well. There is a real thirst among the players to keep improving and it’s nice to have a squad of players who want to work hard and put the right preparation in,” Radford said. The second Test bowls off at Windsor Park today at 10 am (9 am Jamaica Time).
Guyana on March 24 and arrive in the Bahamas on March 25 to acclimatise. United States-based Syron McKenzie (U-20 Boys 400m Hurdles); Kadecia Baird (U-20 Girls’ 200m and 400m) and Ashley Tasher (U-17 Girls Long Jump) have all been included in a nine-member team. Baird’s Coach, Shawn Diaz was also named. The local athletes includes, Alita Moore (U-20 Girls 100m, Triple Jump), Cassey George (U-17 Girls
800m, 1500m), Avon Samuels (U-17 Girls 200m, 400m), Tirana Mitchell (U-17 Girls 100, 200m), Jevina Straker (U-20 Girls 800m, 1500m) and Jason Yaw (U-17 Boys 200m, 400m). Police Progressive Youth Club Coach, Mark Scott will Coach the local athletes while Amanda Hermanstine was named Manager. Charles told this newspaper that the team will return to the country on April 5, following the competition.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Kaieteur News
Demerara Board set to kick off Inter Association Under-15 competition In a release President of the Demerara Cricket Board Raj Singh indicated that following invitations from the DCB to all Area Associations to prepare and present their squads for the Inter Association U15 competition, only the squads from East Bank Demerara Cricket Association and the West Demerara Cricket Association were received by the original cutoff date March 11. The release stated that after very careful deliberations, the DCB then decided to extend the deadline for the teams’ submission by a further one week until March 18th and this information was subsequently communicated to those delinquent Associations. It is important to note that players who do not participate in the officially sanctioned cricket of the Area Associations and their respective Boards would not be eligible to be selected to represent the county nor the national team. For this simple reason, the DCB has been reaching out to all and sundry to ensure that the politics does not interfere with the cricket and the youths and their future. The release noted that the GCA and the ECCB have totally ignored their parent Board. Many concerned parents have already contacted the DCB officials regarding the future of their children’s cricket careers. The DCB is of the strong
view that there is no legal impediment preventing the Demerara Cricket Board headed by Mr. Raj Singh from carrying out its functions and operations and challenge anyone to show evidence to the contrary. This Board has been recognized by the Guyana Cricket Board as the sole administrative authority for cricket in Demerara. The DCB urges the players to remain focused on the task at hand and continue with their preparations for this important tournament and wishes to reassure those parents out there that every effort has been made to ensure that cricket is played where it was meant to be played, that is, on the field of play rather than in the corridors of the Court. In an effort to ensure that these youths do not continue to suffer from the malaise affecting these administrators, the DCB has made arrangements for the selection of representative teams from these areas which are detailed hereunder: East Coast Demerara Under-15 Cricket Team Camroul Hookumchand (Captain) Robin Williams (Vice Captain/ Wicket Keeper) Anil Singh Afzal Rohoman Mark Baichu Gavin Budwah Rajpaul Goupaul Baskhar Deodat Prakash Debidyal
Reaz Mohamed Shrichand Gangaram Andy Dowlatram Shane Chatoorang Satyanand Ramkumar Manager: Bhimraj Ramkellwan Coach: Adrian Persaud Georgetown Under-15 Team Bashkar Yadram (Captain) Clevon Mc Ewan (Vice Captain) Jadell Mc Allister Timothy Mc Almont Raymond Perez Ronaldo Mohamed Ronnell Brandis Ashmead Nedd Junior Phillips Andrew Clifford Romain Muniram Stephen Campbell Darshan Persaud Colin Barlow Coach: Gavin Nedd The DCB is also reminding all Area Associations and their respective managements that all players selected must be born on or after September 1st 1998. Hereunder are the fixtures for this competition: Thursday 21 March 2013 Match 1 East Bank vs Georgetown @DCC Match 2 East Coast vs West Demerara @ Wales Friday 22 th March 2013 Match 3 East Bank vs West Demerara @ Wales Match 4 East Coast vs Georgetown @Everest Saturday 23 March 2013 Match 5 West Demerara vs Georgetown @ Everest Match 6 East Coast vs East Bank @ DCC
Mark’s Interior Communications supports C&R Promotions 5-A-Side Football
C&R Promotions’, Rayan Farias receives the monetary contribution from a Mark’s Interior Communications representative. Mark’s Interior Communication became the latest business organisation
to contribute to the C&R Promotions 5-A-Side football tournament which is slated for
the St. Ignatius Ground, Lethem on April 1. The company made a contribution to the men’s first place cash prize, which is set at $50,000. Some 20 teams have registered for the competition. The organisers said that the small goal tournament is aimed at resuscitating football in the community. Coorganiser, Colin Haynes said that four years passed without any competitive football being played in the region. The tournament have a female competition with eight female teams expected to battle with the same amount of money being allocated to the first place winners of the female version of the competition. Meanwhile, second and third place finishers for both versions of the competition will be receiving $30,000 and $20,000 respectively.
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JETS STOP BULLS IN OT TO REMAIN UNBEATEN Amelia’s Ward Jets and Kings have both ended the preliminary round of matches unbeaten when action in the New Era Entertainment/Cell Smart Super-8 basketball tournament continued in Linden on Sunday last. The Jets toppled Half Mile Bulls 63 – 57 in Over Time (OT), while Kings made light work of Wismar Pistons 60 – 40. It was the Bulls second loss of the tournament, having lost to Retrieve Raiders on opening night and just like the Jets, their intention was to win. A complete team effort is what it took the Jets to tame the Bulls after Michael Turner had tied the game at 55 with 40 seconds remaining. Turner ended with 20 points but had the game to close off after he was fouled by Shane Webster with 20 seconds and was sent to the charity line. He instead missed both free throws but Keon Cameron stole the ball from Jets point guard Neil Simon and passed to Kevin Easton who missed what would’ve been the game
- Kings KO Pistons winner as time expired. Except for the first quarter where the Bulls led 16 – 15, Jets controlled every other period; heading into half time with a 34 – 22 lead then closed out the penultimate period of regulation 46 – 38. Things never went the Bulls’ way in ‘OT’ as Amelia’s Jets, behind Webster’s (Shane) 19 points, closed out the game and would now await their semifinals opponent. Meanwhile, Omally Sampson poured in a game high 22 points to lead the unbeaten Kings past Wismar Pistons and knocking them out of the competition in the process. Pistons had only defeated Block 22 Flames but then lost to Victory Valley Royals and subsequently Kings. Sampson received support from sharp shooter Orin Rose (12) and National Captain Steve Neils (10). Mark Louis and Quincy ‘Progzy’ Jones both netted 15 points for Pistons who were
never in the game from jump ball. The game started slow with both sides failing to get going offensively and it reflected on the score board that read 6 – 7 with Pistons holding the advantage. But the second quarter (26 – 20) and third period (48 – 27) saw the eventual winners not only leading but they rallied behind Sampson who was having a superb night at both ends of the floor. Pistons had no stop for the power forward since the Kwakwani native basically did what ever he felt like in the paint. The tournament continues today with one game; New Era 12 and half Mile Bulls battle. Given the fact that Jets are already through to the semifinals, the race is now on to see which other team from their group will join them. Raiders have one more game remaining against New Era 12 and a win over them would see them through.
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Kaieteur News
Berbice football clubs beseech intervention of Guyana Football Federation officials - Cite inconsistency in voting process With just over 3 weeks before affiliates of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) convene to elect an executive body to run the affairs of the Federation for the next two years, trouble is brewing in Berbice and football officials of three clubs in that region are calling on officials of governing body to investigate several inconsistencies following the controversial culmination of the recently staged Annual General Meeting and the election of office bearers for that organization. Elections concluded a few days ago which saw the reinstallation of the incumbent Keith O’Jeer and Secretary Joseph Simon among others. To this effect, three entities, Cougars Football Club, Paradise, Monedderlust and New Amsterdam United have discredited the constitutionality of the elections, citing flagrant disregard for the constitution. They are also contending that elections were held devoid of the requisite quorum and have breached several articles of the Constitution. The disgruntled members cited Article 5 (1), (2) and (3) in support of their claims. These statutes clearly state that that (1) at all executive meetings a majority of voting members shall form a quorum, (2) that at general meetings, a majority of the membership should be in good standing
and (3) in the event that the quorum for any meeting is not met within thirty minutes after the start of the meeting, activities shall be adjourned; all of these statutes were flagrantly breached. Additionally, the aggrieved affiliates are claiming that the executives of the BFA have also contravened article 9 (1) when they failed to produce audited financial reports since 2010 with the flimsy excuse that the association was operating devoid of a treasurer. The affiliates were also critical of the secretary’s report which they said was read to the membership but was not adopted. The disgruntled clubs are also disturbed that the minutes of the previous AGM were moved by a representative of Corriverton Links Football Club even though that individual only attended the meeting for a mere few minutes. They are contending that the official in question was ineligible to pronounce on what transpired. The group is also suspicious of certain occurrences prior to the commencement of the meeting where the returning officer Lawrence Griffith, and the GFF representative, Duane Lovell, met behind closed doors with Mr. O’Jeer and Secretary, Joseph Simon minutes before the commencement of the meeting in an act they feel
reeks of partiality. They are contending that Mr. Griffith and Mr. Lovell conspired to alienate the four clubs after realizing that they had nominated slates contrary to that of the incumbency. Subsequently, President of the Cougars Football Club, Phillip Carrington, said that he approached Mr. Griffith questioning his decision to debar the affected clubs from the elections process even as he pointed out breach of the statutes regarding the formation of a quorum. He said that Mr. Griffith disclosed that the clubs failed to produce audited financial statements. He then advised that the two clubs could emulate their female counterparts and form a separate Association. “We immediately informed Mr. Griffith that his comparison was out of order, since it is not a situation of forming an Association, hence the Women’s Association only has two membership that form the majority,” explained Mr. Carrington. He further contended that Mr. Griffith remained inflexible and proceeded with the election despite only two of the six members and one associate member being present. Based on these abnormalities, members of the aggrieved clubs have approached the executive of the GFF for mediation and possible resolution.
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Impressive performances in Powerlifting Federation National Novices and Junior C/ships By Samuel Whyte Berbicians were given a treat when the Guyana Amateur Power lifting Federation (GAPLF) on Sunday successfully held their annual National Novices and Junior Championships at the New Amsterdam Multilateral School (NAMS) Auditorium. The competition which culminated during the night attracted a large field of lifters which was dubbed the largest ever at such an event. Some 38 lifters representing 10 gyms, some taking part for the first time participated in the event. For the first time four females also participated. Several of the debutants made an immediate impression and cast a spell on the judges and officials in their quest to impress. The outstanding performers were Marino Jeffery of the Power Gym participating in the male novice category and competing in the 93 kg class who was declared the overall best lifter. In his display he squatted 272kg, bench press 167kg and dead lift 227kg for an over total of 667.5kg and 426.132points on the Wilks scoring system. Vijai Rahim of the Hard Core Gym of Rosignol was in excellent form. The 21 year old competing in the 66kg class Squatted 245 kg, bench pressed 125 kg and dead lifted 250 kg to come out tops in the 66kg category. He had a total of 620kgs with 524.024 points on the Wilks scoring system to be one of the top lifters on the day. Mustapha Rohoman of the Total Fitness Gym of Corriverton competing in the male junior and open category equaled the Pan American Junior Powerlifting record with a lift of 237.5 kg in the dead lift segment. Colin “Mr. Clean” Chesney campaigning in the male open 120kg weight class was also in good form. He squatted 292 kg, bench press182.5kg and dead lift 285kg for a total of760 kg and a score of 442.320 on the Wilks scoring sheet. Also outstanding were the Shewdas brothers Gumendra Shewdas and Suraj Shewdas, Fabian Ketwaroo, Randolph Blackman, Leon Rupertie, Donnell Perry, Rayan Anderson, Darren Ramoutar and Osmond Mack. The top female novice lifter on show was Natoya Robinson also of Fitness Revolution Gym. She squatted 150 kg; bench
Suraj Shewdas dead lifts. pressed 57.5 kg and dead lifted 175 kg to gain a total 311.431 using the Wilks point’s calculation system. Speaking at the end of the activity President of the GAPLF Peter Green congratulated all those who participated and had special words of commendation for the winners, especially those who were outstanding. He was also encouraged with the turnout of first timers and noted for the first time that four females also participated. He was particularly impressed with the large turnout and noted that it was a good sign for things to come and thanked the gyms for the work that they have been doing. Green also stated that some of the top performers from the day’s activity will be assessed with an aim of determining whether they could be included in the team to represent Guyana in June at the Pan American National Championships. Other activities on the association’s programme are the
intermediate championship in June and the senior competition set for later in the year. This was the third year in succession that the activity was held in Berbice, but the first time in a long time in New Amsterdam. Trophies and other incentives were presented to the top performers with national female and world champion Dawn Barker doing the honours. The Shewdas brothers and Fabian Ketwaroo, all of the Total Fitness Gym which is coached by Egbert Jackson, have already been selected for possible participation in the upcoming North America Power Lifting Championships, the Caribbean Power Lifting Championships and the Pan American power lifting Championships all slated to be held during the month of July in the USA. The coordinator of the activity was PRO and organizing Secretary Denny Livan.
Female lifter Natoya Robinson going through her paces.
Wednesday March 20, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 35
::: Letter to the Sport Editor :::
HALF-TRUTHS, DISTORTIONS AND PLAGIARISM HAS UNFOLDED IN MATTHIAS’ MANIFESTO DEAR SIR, My previous association with the administration of football in Georgetown had spanned a period of 28 years (1982-2010) which entailed my humble commencement from the lowest rung of the administrative ladder, as a Divisional Representative. Thereafter, I became a Divisional Secretary; Public Relations Officer (PRO); Asst: Secretary/Treasurer (twice); and Hon: Secretary (thrice). Editor, this is nothing but the truth and the whole truth, so help me God. While I would have enjoyed my stint administratively, in all my endeavors I had always placed the sport first and foremost, above my personal image. In this aspect I must give credence to the Almighty; my late parents; Mr. Ivor O’Brien; fellow executives; clubs, players and those too numerous to mention, for allowing me the privilege to maintain the high standards of administration and proper representation. Additionally, my track record as a former manager, both at the club and association level remains unmatched, in relation to success, albeit, wins over losses and championship titles. In this aspect mention
must also be made of my elected position as Club Secretary, for Kitty Rangers, Water Works, Fruta Conquerors and Camptown. So in actuality, it gives me the distinct privilege to comment publicly, on the state of local football! As a consequence it now pains my heart, of what passes off today as administration, both nationally and sadly in my beloved Georgetown, that made me, but now aids significantly to the “ c o n t i n u e d underdevelopment of the sport”. This now brings me to the essential points of Christopher Matthias’ nomination and seconding as a presidential hopeful for the presidency, of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), compliments of the Georgetown Football Association and East Demerara Football Association respectively. Firstly, not being sarcastic or derogatory to the East Demerara Football fraternity; How in God’s good earth can the EDFA second a nomination for an all Georgetown slate that is noninclusive of any other association executive to run football in Guyana,
encompassing Berbice, Bartica, West Demerara, Upper Demerara, East Bank and East Demerara? Is this the apex of lunacy, that can be seen by the President, of the Blind Association, (no offence meant) from atop of the Lighthouse? Secondly, the cover page of Matthias’ manifesto sub headed “Guyana Football Federation Mission Statement”, remains far from reality; Since there never was efficient management, administration and development of the game in Georgetown, over the last two years. As a matter of fact, it took the GFA executive almost (2) two years to complete its Premier League. While the youth level has been a complete failure; with a sprinkling no more than 4 competitions, for the corresponding period! Can this be equated with the previous Troy Mendonca led Administration, of which I was the Asst: Sec/Treasurer, that completed a record 16 competitions in 2 years, 10 of which (5 per year) at the youth level? With the first quarter of 2013 steadfastly concluding, how is it the GFA executive have not commenced its season? Thirdly, page 1 and 2 of
Republic Bank Nets look to trap Colts tonight -in GABA League-deciding clash
Colts guards: Nikolai Smith, Sheldon Thomas and Shelroy Thomas. By Edison Jefford Add two developing Division I Clubs, a popular outdoor venue and a mustwin situation and the result is one of the first real deciding games of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) League tonight on the Burnham Basketball Court. Two of the emerging Division I Clubs in
Georgetown, Colts and Republic Bank Nets will battle in a League-deciding contest tonight in the featured game with both teams boasting 2-1 win-loss records thus far in what has been a competitive League. Nets dropped their only game against Pepsi Sonics, compliments of a buzzerbeating three-point jumper from Jason Squires last weekend. Their loss against
Pepsi Sonics undermined the efforts of Darrion Lewis, who had a dominant game Saturday night. Colts only loss thus far came against the unbeaten Trinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters in an unfortunate fourth quarter collapse from Colts; likewise their collapse diluted the heroics of point guard, Shelroy Thomas, who had a high percentage (Continued on page 29)
the manifesto highlights “plagiarism” to the highest level that it’s extracted from FIFA’s Mission-FIFA.Com, verbatim. Whereby, it’s a serious infringement of the copyright laws, that Guyana is a signatory to. Fourthly, Developmental change: A. Administrative. The most important area of the sport, does not include no courses/ seminars to upgrade the knowledge of administrators? Unbelievable! The other areas of B. Technical and Tactical Development. C. Structural. It’s preposterous to exclude under-11 football D. Marketing and E. Equity, Transparency and Accountability. Were all unachievable areas in Georgetown, so how can it be implemented nationally! Fifthly, Matthias’ Profile as it relates to his involvement of football in Georgetown is a clear indication that “amnesia”
exists or downright dishonesty. During the period 1999-2000, the 1st Vice President was Oliver Hinckson; with Messrs: Braithwaithe and Rutherford as the other 2. Maurice John, President; Troy Mendonca, Treasurer; Yours truly, Hon. Secretary, and Cecil Jacques, Asst: Sec/Treasurer. In the final analysis it’s not for me to decide who must accede to the presidency of the GFF, but rather, who must not and definitely it would be Matthias, based on the following: i. No other profiles exists for the other members of his slate, which in actuality places him as being egotistical and self-centered, while failing to attract any individual of prominence from (the corporate society). ii. Supportive of a clarion call (by way of silence) from one of his fellow executive/slate members to boycott the Golden Jaguars
home matches, in last year’s World Cup Qualifiers. iii. With a “vote of no confidence” in the entire executive under the stewardship of Matthias’ presidency for unaccountability of $500,000 in 2001. Can the nation’s football be entrusted with his presidency, in overlooking $50,000,000 annually from FIFA along with other contributions and sponsorship from corporate Guyana, as it relates to item E? iv. Defiance of GFF’s constitutionality, re: General Secretary, instead of Hon. Secretary, that is enshrined in the GFA’s Constitution. In all due fairness the administration of football in Georgetown, has been a “colossal failure”, so the nation cannot afford continuity along these lines nationally, with Christopher Matthias at the helm! Lester Sealey