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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
Traditional cures are often better than expensive medication On a recent visit to Kathmandu, Nepal, people were very pleased and relieved to see that the excellent buffet breakfast at the Shaligram Hotel where they stayed included yoghurt, good old home-made dahi. When one is travelling, in India or abroad, dahi at breakfast is not just a treat for my taste buds; it’s vital to the peace of mind. Or rather, to the peace of stomach. For year and years, whenever one would travel, one would suffer from what is variously known as Delhi Belly, or the Kolkata Collywobbles, or the Bengaluru Bogtrot. Simply put, this is diarrhea. One’s stomach would start acting up. It would act up so much that it would deserve a nomination for a Filmfare Award plus an Oscar. Travels became a travail of desperately looking for loos in the most awkward places at the most awkward times to find temporary relief from the rumblings and grumblings of my mutinous intestinal tract. The several specialist doctors consulted about the problem came up with different diagnoses. Colitis, said one. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known to its pals as IBS, said another. They prescribed different powerful, high-priced drugs. Nothing worked. The stomach continued to revolt, like a diehard Naxal militant. The word ‘surgery’ had not been mentioned, but it loomed ominously on the horizon. And then, in a London supermarket, there was a probiotic product that helps to restore the good bacteria in one’s gut and get the digestive process back on track. One traveller bought some of the stuff, and it worked like magic. The chronic traveltum problem was cured overnight. And what was this miracle medicine? Nothing but common dahi. To get which I didn’t have to go to a supermarket, in London or anywhere else. But this is not about any gastric problems. It’s about how old-fashioned home remedies are often far more efficacious cures for common ailments than all the fancily packed and even more fancily priced pharmaceutical products put together. Medical science has yet to find a cure for the common cold. But as all wise grandmothers know, an infusion made by steeping a few tulsi leaves in hot water is the best precautionary measure to take when you feel the sniffles coming. Sore throat? Forget those addictive cough mixtures with their high alcohol content which make you feel dopey and whoozy. The best cure for a sore throat is gargling with hot salt water. Bunny used to suffer from agonising cramps in her feet and legs at night which would wake her from sleep. A medic recommended huge doses of calcium combined with vitamin D first thing in the morning. Morning? No, no, said another medic. Morning was all wrong, the calcium-cumVit D blockbuster had to be taken at night, just before going to bed. Morning, night, nothing worked. The cramps kept coming. Then someone suggested she soak her feet for a few minutes daily in water in which two spoons of magnesium sulphate, also known as Epsom salts, had been dissolved. The cramps vanished as if a wizard had waved a wand to make them disappear. Chhoo mantar. And if you suffer from insomnia, instead of sleeping pills try a glass of warm milk just before bedtime. Or, better still, cut out this column and read it when required. Sleep guaranteed in five minutes, or your money back. There are other remedies that are so much cheaper than the expensive medications. Who can forget the concentrated sugar water when one suffered a fall? There is a perfectly good medical reason why this works. We still drink a dose of lemon and salt when we have a cough; we make poultice for wounds and the older people applied fire to a nail stick to ward off tetanus. Many people today are turning to “bush remedies” for everything. There are the aphrodisiacs which may or may not work but which people swear by. The talk is about herbs and surely, these were tired and proven until we became sophisticated.
Thursday March 12, 2015
Letters... Where your views make the news
As a Guyanese citizen, I condemn in the strongest terms this wanton killing DEAR EDITOR, At approximately 1930 hours on Tuesday evening, from where I reside, I heard at least five separate explosions which from the sounds, suggested they came from a firearm or from several firearms. I telephoned a contact who confirmed that an individual was shot at Diamond and shortly after I read the newsflash on Demerara Waves which gave the identity of the individual as Mr Courtney Crum-Ewing. As a Guyanese citizen, I condemn in the strongest terms this wanton killing of a young man whose only unlawful act just prior to his death by violent means may have been the use of a noisy instrument, a loud hailer, in a public place, without the necessary police permit.
As a former student of Queen’s College which was also Courtney’s alma mater, I mourn the death of a fellow alumnus. As a retired officer of the Guyana Defence Force, I am distressed that one, who at the time of enlistment and during his service would have pledged to lay down his life for his country and for his fellow ‘squaddies’, would have been marked for death in such a cold blooded and cowardly manner by perpetrators who did not even have the courage to face this unarmed citizen but fired their weapon from a vehicle in which they fled from the scene. Crum-Ewing had come to be known to the public through the media coverage of his one-man protests in Carmichael Street. He was
exercising his democratic right to protest. He was going about his advocacy work on Tuesday evening, in relation to the upcoming elections, noisily perhaps but peacefully. He did not deserve to die under such circumstances and this act of folly coming at a time when the environment is again politically charged, must not be contaminated by considerations being propounded by political spin doctors across the political spectrum. All political parties must unequivocally condemn this heinous act without seeking to attribute blameworthiness unless proven after investigations, so as not to cause panic in a society still seeking to mend the legacy of ruptures in the tapestry of Guyana’s multi-ethnic,
multi-religious and multicultural society. The forces of law and order must be allowed to objectively and professionally conduct their investigations and be given all support from officialdom and citizenry to bring the perpetrators to heel and have them face the full weight of the law in a process that is managed expeditiously. It is to be hoped that political leaders on their campaign trails will deal objectively and circumspectly with young Crum–Ewing’s death and those other traumatic events that occurred in Guyana’s recent history from the 1960s to date, and they will not seek to exacerbate tensions by ‘milking’ these for perceived political mileage. Joseph G Singh Major General (retd)
DISARMING THE ARMED BY MEANS OF AMNESTY DEAR EDITOR, Seeing that my Guyana Eldorado is on the brink of a major change, come May 11, would the country further benefit from a grand overhaul in the form of a gun amnesty? With the dawn of each new day, comes the loss of another citizen at the hands of a gun-wielding perpetrator. In my opinion, such an amnesty would serve a dual purpose, as it would hold both the Government and by extension the Police Force to higher standards thereby forcing them to embrace new paradigms, as the protection and security of the citizens remain always of prime
concern. In 1985, there was a gun amnesty of sorts, where Prime Minister Desmond Hoyte granted owners of illegal guns and ammunition until Oct. 31 to surrender their weapons without penalties, after which, new gun control laws, imposing severe punishment for arms violations would go into effect. In 2002, the then Security Minister Ronald Gajraj ruminated on a concern raised by the Guyana Police Force about an increase in gun-related crimes. He further added that the Guyana Government, which is the current Government,
My heart aches DEAR EDITOR, Please permit me some physical and emotional space to grieve for my true friend Courtney Crum-Ewing. RIP my brother Courtney. I remember our school days at QC. You an ardent E houser, while I was the quiet H houser. I remember those Facebook debates. I remembered how we both were trying to deal with the mental scars of our absent fathers. I remember we did not always agree, but at the end of it we remained very good friends. The banter we shared, I will remember. The
love for our daughters we shared. Only Tuesday I commented on your daughter’s beautiful picture and the confidence I have that like her daddy she will be not only an academic but someone with strong conviction. When my close friend Philip Vandeyar texted me this sad news I was devastated. Unable to sleep I turned to pills and potion. My heart goes out to his little angel he adored. I am shocked. RIP my brother. RIP my friend. RIP my hero. My heart aches. My eyes are sore. My emotions are raw. Dr. Mark Devonish
was considering an amnesty for individuals who surrender illegal firearms, in an effort to curb the flow of guns from neighbouring South American countries. On a cautionary note , at the selfsame time he added that while gun-related crimes was a major concern, he was in no position at the time to ascribe a time period for the effecting of such a venture, as he intended to look into previous responses to such situations. According to him, he had no intention of reinventing the wheel. Then again a few years later, in 2007, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, when called upon to outline the Government’s programme to arrest drug trafficking and to bring in the many illegal weapons on the street, saw as a remedial measure the adoption of a
more aggressive approach by the police in ascertaining the source of the supply. He further added that good intelligence was needed, such as procuring information from time to time as to where the guns were stashed which would help the trade of illegal weaponry. A gun amnesty translated and effected may not mean that more weapons will be off the street, or a reduction in functional firepower, as it is a complex and multifaceted problem, but at least it will be a start in taking some out of circulation, and sending a message that violence would not be tolerated. Yes, please note that I did not make any inference to the payment of money for collection, for not only does (Continued on page 5)
I really enjoyed the exciting debate DEAR EDITOR, I wish to extend congratulations to Ms. Ryhaan Shah and Mr. Ruel Johnson for the recent duel in the media and exchange of views intelligently on the nomination, selection and awarding of prizes for the Guyana Prize for Literature. I really enjoyed the exciting debate and representation of their respective arguments. Both writers were very articulate in presenting their views and both have presented justification for their individual positions. This is very admirable and ought to be practiced and adopted by like-minded, talented individuals in Guyana. Congratulations guys! I am proud of you both. Nazar Mohamed
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Don’t take my words for granted, get up and do your research! DEAR EDITOR, Since a country’s foreign policy is in keeping with its domestic imperatives, Guyana’s foreign policy can be described as both proactive and independent. These attributes have been its hallmarks in keeping with the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government’s policy of expanding its bilateral relations and fostering friendly ties with all states within the international system. From a Guyana that had experienced a collapsed economy; where the human rights of its citizens had been brutally snuffed out by a brutal dictatorship; its citizens being disrespected and subjected to unfriendly treatment from regional neighbours because their country had become a pariah within the international community, Guyana’s pride and dignity has today been restored. It is a known fact that from its inception of office in 1992, the PPP/C administration inherited the challenging task of resurrecting an economy from its abjectly fallen state, and restoring the belief of its citizens in their country. Moving from a place where Guyana was once considered/branded the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, it has now acquired the status of a developing country. Reports produced by the World Bank and CARICOM support the important fact that Guyana is rapidly emerging as one of the countries, with the highest economic growth rates in Latin America. The country has also over the years established uncountable bilateral relations across the international system, and continues to build new relations with non-traditional partners; as well as
strengthening existing ones. As a result of a CARICOM meeting that was held last year between Guyana and Turkey, Guyana and its new partner have been working at a bilateral level. This has resulted in had several visits from various teams from the Turkish Government and the recent approval of several small projects. Further, Argentina recently established an embassy in Guyana, and Chile is also expected to do the same by the end of 2015. The country also recently participated in a China, Community of Latin America and Caribbean (CELAC) forum, which saw representatives of all of the Caribbean and the Latin American countries discussing matters of mutual concern and benefits. This has also resulted in great partnerships. Also, Guyana continues to work towards strengthening its relations within the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) framework as well as bilaterally with the other members. Recently, the UNASUR Secretary General, Ernesto Samper visited Guyana. Furthermore, the country also continues to work towards maintaining and strengthening its partnership with the United States of America. Through the establishment of these and numerous other relationships internationally, Guyana has been able to receive a lot of financial aid and funding for many developmental projects. These include the construction of schools, roads, bridges and hospitals along with many other facilities that the government has deemed a necessity for us, the citizens of this country, to lead a comfortable and luxurious life. Another great result of
these partnerships is the Guyana-Cuba Scholarship programme which has provided the opportunity for hundreds of Guyanese to major in specialised fields, such as medicine, agriculture, and engineering among others. Also taking into consideration that just a few decades ago, Guyanese were scorned by the international community and were frowned upon; it is important to note that today the country has a voice and is even recognised as a model country in the fight against the dangers of climate change. Further, for a country that was perceived as a pariah within the international community, Guyana has today been able to be the proud host of several high profile international conferences, including UNASUR and several CARICOM Heads of Government Conferences among many others. Those of you, who lived in the days when the Guyana we know today was far from a reality, will be able to relate to the statements and changes I refer to in this letter. However, the young people who are fortunate to be born in a time when one is not starved for the basic necessity of life, I urge that you do your research and become au fait with the privileges that you have today, that were non-existent 25-30 years ago. I know as young people, we have a culture of saying that we didn’t live in those days, but does that mean that we should be negligent to the facts? Isn’t it our civic duty as citizens of this beautiful country, that we know our history and appreciate the development that has taken place over the years? I challenge you not to sit there and take my words for granted, but get up and do your research! Shivanie Rampersaud
I urge the media to focus more on issues of substance DEAR EDITOR, The attempts made by the political opposition, aided and abetted by the opposition media, to divert public attention from real and substantive issues of national development has not gone unnoticed. Indeed, too much attention is being paid to frivolous matters which are not germane to the well-being and future development of Guyana. It is unbelievable how much media space is given in the opposition press to
distort remarks made at Babu John on the issue of race, and the manner in which race was used by both the colonial powers and the PNC regime to divide our people and perpetuate the then status quo based on undemocratic and minority rule. The best safeguard against any form of abuse to our national matrimony is to allow for the free and democratic expression of the Guyanese people as to who they want to be their elected representatives. This was
denied the Guyanese people for close to three decades under the PNC regime. I urge the media, in particular the opposition media to move away from cheap and sensational journalism and focus more on issues of substance. The Guyanese electorate is more concerned with what is in store for them to ensure political stability and further improvements in the quality of their lives rather than issues that are lacking in substance. Hydar Ally
Police must stop this practice DEAR EDITOR, Have you ever been stopped by a traffic cop for a traffic light violation or any other minor offence and told that you have to go to the station, with the officer shadowing you like a common criminal? Well it’s becoming more and more the order of the day. I would like to know if the law compels a person to immediately go to the station if one commits a minor
offence like making a wrong turn or failing to stop at a stop sign. Aren’t tickets supposed to be issued for such offences? In most cases, if you agree to pay $3000 that is the end of the matter, or you can proceed to the station where an officer can write up the matter, or you can pay $5000 and that is the end of that. This practice is very prevalent. There are two motorcycle
Disarming the armed... From page 4 it take the issue to another level, but is not the answer for in terms of violence there is multi-causation, hence it is somewhat unfair to solely assess the impact of one leg of a multi-legged stool. There will be elements that don’t want to hand their guns in, but they can keep them until they are caught and have to face the court system.
While in other countries there may not have been a resounding success regarding buybacks and gun amnesty, it is certainly worth a try in Guyana. The citizens should not be held hostage, with their basic human rights denied and have no fun because of the gun .Nothing ventured! Nothing gained! Yvonne Sam
cops attached to a city station who everyday carry no less than twenty people for minor infractions to that station and sometimes these individuals are kept waiting in excess of an hour, which forces people to pay the “early court” fine as one officer describes it. Nowhere in the Caribbean or the USA are road users ordered to go to Police Stations for minor offences. Why is this practice so unique to Guyana? Sometime ago two previous Commissioners of Police declared that traffic ranks should desist from this policy but it seems that ranks now feel free to pursue this vile policy. Now imagine you have a medical emergency or some other urgent issue, why must you have to go the Station and waste time and money? This practice must stop. Michael Anthony
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Thursday March 12, 2015
Investigators recommend criminal charges for sacked GPL manager in bribe-taking, extortion scheme By Leonard Gildarie Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has reportedly sacked a senior official from its Loss Reduction office in Berbice, after investigations of wrongdoings, in a case that has raised shocking questions. A recommendation has also been made for him to be charged and prosecuted. Yesterday, GPL’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Bharat Dindyal, confirmed that the contract of the official was terminated after complaints. Kaieteur News understands that a three-man investigating team was sent to the Loss Reduction office, Berbice, late last month to probe a number of irregularities. According to an internal report of GPL seen by Kaieteur News, the investigators found a number of “fraudulent” practices that could also have implications on the power company’s Georgetown department located on Sheriff Street. In one case, the investigators probed a complaint where the senior official asked for bribes amounting to $1.1M to install a 15KVA transformer at the business place of a customer. In the first instance, it was alleged that $200,000 was made at the home of the customer (name given) and the balance of $900,000 at GPL’s Loss Reduction office where the sacked official operated. GPL’s records, oddly
GPL’s CEO, Bharat Dindyal enough, showed that the cost of the transaction was a mere $292,513. Investigators found more on this particular transaction. The customer operated a business but was issued a residential account, which allowed him to benefit from lower tariffs. The customer and his family in statements made, also implicated operatives from the Sheriff Street Loss Reduction main office. The Georgetown operatives had travelled to Berbice to investigate, but the matter seemed to have instead been covered up, according to the GPL’s internal documents seen by this newspaper. GPL operatives went so far to hook up the customers with a straight feed which bypassed the meter and which resulted in the
customer using free power for more than seven months. In another shocking case, investigators heard how one customer was discovered with a tampered meter. The sacked official reportedly acknowledged the tampered report but ducked it. He was instrumental in replacing the meter with a new one for the customer two days later, using what is known as Defective Meter service order. The sacked official reportedly instructed the customer to apply for a prepaid meter. This was all done in one day. This is significant as it can take customers weeks to do this. It was alleged that the official received bribes from the customer, ensuring that he was not back-billed as would have been required in a tampering meter matter. Investigators found the concealed tampered report and other documents. In a third case being investigated by the special team, it was reported that another customer was found with a tampered meter. Instead of making the necessary tampered report, the official submitted documents stating that it was defective. It was replaced. However, the Georgetown office was alerted to the fraud and after an investigation, the customer was back-billed for more than $1M. However, the customer never paid that amount, but continued to pay the normal monthly charges, receiving power.
The account was flagged to be disconnected for consecutive months but apparently “stand-down” orders were issued. The investigating team also received reports that the sacked official had been leading a team, taking monies from customers found tampering with their meters. He would normally threaten them to report the tampering to the police. According to recommendations made in the report of the investigations, the senior Loss Reduction manager should be immediately interdicted from duties as his presence could have affected investigations
into the involvement of other staffers. Yesterday, the CEO when contacted disclosed that an official has been dismissed. However, Dindyal made it clear that each instance has to be investigated as there have been cases where allegations are made against staffers after tampered meters and other illegal activities were found. Some of the allegations, the CEO said, were found to be false, as the customers were upset that they had been caught. “We have to take each case on its merits and look at hard evidence before we take action.”
Dindyal insisted that despite this case, Berbice is doing well in terms of its loss reduction and other efforts. Loss reduction is a big deal for the power company. About 30 percent of its total production is lost to theft and technical issues. About 15 percent is estimated to go to theft alone. GPL has embarked on a US$60M-plus programme to reduce losses by phasing out old transformers and introducing new, smart metering technology. GPL itself has admitted that it has been forced to fire several crews for illegal activities, including taking bribes and turning a blind eye.
Assassination of anti-govt protestor ...
Cops reviewing CCTV footage for clues Up to late last night investigators were carefully examining surveillance footage of the scene of Tuesday night’s assassination of activist Courtney Crum-Ewing. Detectives are hoping that the video can shed some light on who the perpetrators are. Police in a statement on the night of the shooting had stated that Crum-Ewing was accosted by four men in a car, one of whom discharged several rounds hitting him about his body. So far police are working on trying to identify the car that was used in the attack. “We were given a licence number but when we checked with the GRA, it did not match the description of the car that was used,” a senior police official told this newspaper yesterday. “Earlier (Wednesday) we looked at one tape but we did not get anything concrete, we are checking another tape to see what we can get out of
it,” the official added. Detectives have also recovered four spent .32 shells from the scene of the crime and are carrying out ballistics tests to try to establish a link to the weapon that was used. According to reports, Crum-Ewing was using his bull horn in the Diamond Housing Scheme when he was confronted by the men in the car. During the confrontation, Crum-Ewing came under fire and decided to run hoping to evade the bullets. However he was unsuccessful. This newspaper learnt that after he fell one of his attackers stood over him and pumped a few more bullets into his body. Eyewitnesses said that Crum-Ewing walked past a car using his bull horn to say, “If you don’t like Black people, vote for Nagamootoo; if you don’t like Indians, vote for Granger.” The call must have
incensed his shooter because they came out of the car. Crum-Ewing a former national athlete, decided to run. The eyewitness said that he was caught in the bright lights. He ran to the end of the street only to be cornered by another vehicle. The community was suspicious at the fast arrival of the police prompting some to conclude that the police might have been involved, somehow, in Crum-Ewing’s death.
Jagdeo gets unlimited .... From page 3 modernisation agenda for Guyana and this will require “the skills of every bright and experienced mind as well as an enabling framework”. Ramotar said that based on Jagdeo's wealth of experience in the field of economics, both on the local and international stage; he is the ideal individual for the position. Several strategies developed under Jagdeo's presidency were highlighted before Ramotar suggested that the former president has much to offer, and he kindly agreed to assume responsibility as chair of the National Economic Council. President Ramotar had highlighted that while Jagdeo made clear his non-interest in any constitutional post, Government will ensure it taps into his vast experience and competence in making Guyana a more prosperous nation while the former President offers his service on a pro-bono basis.
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
MIND YOUR MANNERS, Venezuela tells U.S. official
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez speaks during a news conference in Caracas. CREDIT: REUTERS/CARLOS GARCIA RAWLINS (Reuters) - Venezuela’s top diplomat called a senior U.S. official “petulant” and illmannered yesterday in response to her contention that sanctions were intended to change the government, not topple it. Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez was responding to State Department Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson’s comments explaining a U.S. declaration that Venezuela is a security threat and its sanctioning of seven officials earlier this week. “In a rude and petulant manner, Mrs. Jacobson tells us what to do,” Rodriguez told local TV. “I know her very well because I have seen her personally, her way of walking, chewing. You need manners to deal with people and with countries.” The moves by President Barack Obama’s administration have infuriated President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government, which has accused Washington of planning military attacks and wider Cuba-style trade
sanctions. State TV has been playing old footage of the U.S. invasions of Grenada and Panama. Maduro has also asked parliament to grant him sixmonth special decree powers, given the “imperialist” threat, a move foes have condemned as a power-grab and attempt to distract Venezuelans from shortages and recession. The U.S. government, which endorsed a short-lived 2002 coup against Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez, has repeatedly denied it is conspiring. “The goal of these sanctions is to persuade the government of Venezuela to change its ways, not to remove that government,” the State Department’s Jacobson tweeted. The U.S. move is enabling Maduro to play the nationalist card skillfully employed by his charismatic mentor Chavez, whose populist style and focus on social welfare made him hugely popular among the poor for most of his 1999-2013 rule. Washington’s measures have also wrong-footed
Venezuela’s opposition which, while agreeing with U.S. accusations of rights abuses and corruption, do not want to be associated with outside interference. With Venezuelans increasingly fed up with soaring prices and shortages from milk to car parts, the opposition had hoped for a protest vote in its favor at upcoming parliamentary elections. But political analysts believe the U.S. spat may give Maduro a bounce, albeit a temporary one. Venezuela’s allies are supportive, with Cuba mocking the U.S. moves despite its own recent rapprochement with Washington. “We will respond to this grotesque, illegal, shameless, unheard of and unjustified meddling by the United States,” added Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, announcing a meeting on the issue next week of foreign ministers of regional bloc UNASUR, which has generally backed Venezuela’s stance.
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Magistrate Alex Moore reinstated …complainant disappointed with decision By Sunita Samaroo The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has ordered that Alex Moore, the Magistrate suspended on a number of allegations since last year, be reinstated to the bench. Moore, who received the order yesterday, had been suspended with pay since November 28, last; days after allegations of inappropriate behaviour made by an East Coast Demerara businesswoman, Seerojanie Singh surfaced. The embattled Magistrate was summoned to appear before the five members of the recently established Commission at the Court of Appeal, High Street, Kingston last Friday, and again this week for an official inquiry into eight allegations that were leveled against him. Among the allegations Moore defended were that of inappropriate behaviour made against him by the East Coast Demerara businesswoman, as well as absence from duties and failure to inform the Chancellor of the Judiciary of his absence. The Magistrate was also made to face the body because of cases he had dismissed while dispensing matters at the busy Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court. He was represented by Senior Counsel Rex McKay in the closely watched case . By way of public missive, the JSC said it “concluded an inquiry into a number of matters concerning the performance of Magistrate Alex Moore at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.” The JSC said that Moore was afforded a full hearing before the Commission and noted that one of the issues investigated involved a complaint by Singh, “whose complaint was widely reported in the print media.” The Commission added that the 47-year-old businesswoman had an audience before them and was also fully heard. “Given the representations made to it by Ms. Singh, the Commission is of the considered view that in relation to Ms. Singh’s complaint, no further action or intervention against or with Magistrate Moore is warranted,” the body said. Moreover, the JSC said in no uncertain terms that the account provided by the businesswoman of her experience at the Sparendaam
Magistrate, Alex Moore clutching his file shortly after the hearing before the JSC last week
Magistrate’s Court “differed in material respects from the report carried in certain sections of the print media.” According to the JSC, in all other matters engaging their attention they were generally satisfied with the responses Moore provided and as such, he has been reinstated to the Magisterial Bench. But the JSC’s decision did not sit well with the businesswoman. Less than an hour after being contacted by this publication via telephone about the JSC’s decision, a clearly upset Singh left her Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara residence for the publication’s Saffon Street office to register her discontent. Singh had reported that the Magistrate behaved inappropriately and by way of complaint, she approached the Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, and wrote to the Chancellor of the Judiciary as well as to Ombudsman, Justice Winston Moore. Within days, Moore was suspended. Singh related that around 13:00 hours on Tuesday she met the JSC Commissioners and was questioned extensively about the letter she sent and the reasons she approached the media with her complaint. The businesswoman said that during the 30 minute-long session, the Commission asked whether she would be able to forgive the Magistrate and if she would be content knowing Moore lost his job. According to the woman when she asked why the Magistrate could not have apologised on his own, she was informed that the body did not have the power to make that happen. “I can’t believe this, who must we go
Businesswoman, Seerojanie Singh to in this country? Why couldn’t he face me?” she lamented. The businesswoman is adamant about the information she gave to the media. In fact, she said that she detailed the entire session which took place on November 12, last at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court. “I tell them everything Alex Moore asked me. I tell them about the sex questions and the jewellery. Everything,” the disappointed woman stated. “If he going back to Sparendaam, I can’t go back there to face he. He ain’t respect me,” she said. The woman believes that the JSC should have held a confrontation between her and the Magistrate. “I feel like I was the one being tried,” Singh concluded. It has been 103 days since Moore was served the suspension letter by the JSC. Though there had been speculation circulating in the media that Moore’s suspension was a spin off of him being heavily criticized for handing down a five-year suspended sentence to confessed drug dealer, (Continued on page 23)
Thursday March 12, 2015
Assassination of anti-govt. protestor…
Family appeals for calm; convinced killing linked to activism For 80 days, he stood outside of the offices of Attorney General, most times alone, his voice loud, railing against abuse by Government officials. For the former Queen’s College boy, he was right at home, doing his thing. From since a little boy, he has been that way. It appears that very outspokenness is what ended his life. Courtney Nickosi CrumEwing, 40, was gunned down Tuesday night while urging residents of the high-income section of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara to vote for a change. The brutality and brazenness of the killing, just about half mile from where he lives, immediately brought swift condemnations from not only the Opposition but civil society with the social websites inundated with comments. Reports said that a gunman shot the activist and stood over his fallen body, pumping more bullets. The shocking murder would come as Guyana prepares for early general elections on May 11 in what is being regarded as one of the toughest polls for the ruling party in over two decades. Yesterday, the family of the father of three called for calm, insisting that it is not a random act. “It is because of his work…because of his activism. Of that we are sure. We are now talking to our lawyers on the way forward,” said a composed Donna Harcourt, 56, the mother of Courtney at her Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara home. The mother, who operates a stall, said that Courtney, a former army cadet officer, was her eldest child. Also at home was brother, Dwayne and
Brother, Dwayne; mother, Donna, and stepfather, Eustace.
A young Courtney Crum-Ewing during his army days.
step-father, Eustace Harcourt. His sister, Althea, who received the tragic news Tuesday night, was in the city, joining protestors in front of the Attorney General’s office. “Our family…Courtney would have wanted Guyana to vote for a change. Everybody on the list should come out. It is time that Guyana vote for change. Everybody who is on the list have to come out and vote.” Courtney was no ordinary person, his proud mom said
yesterday. A high performer at school, he was a champion athlete at Queen’s College. He later represented Guyana in the basketball team, a game he loved. Leaving school, he joined the Ministry of Finance, working in the section that dealt with the army. At the encouragement of a senior official, he enlisted in the army’s cadet course hoping to join the air corps section. However, even in the army, it was clear that young (Continued on page 23)
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 9
IT’S TRADITIONAL! Many years ago, 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 her story, 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 tomymom. 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 board and lodge. 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
Dem boys seh ...
De lone protester seh ‘Is just de bend, not de end’ Dem gun put off de opening of de new hotel. Everything not in place yet and Marcie and Brassington separate de interior décor fuh de Marriott. Dem is de people who buying everything. Dem ain’t even trust demself. Dem boys hear that Brassington buy de beds fuh de Marriott through E-bay. He buy de furniture through Ali Baba wha selling out all Guyana wallaba and wamara. Marcie who never see nutten buy de blinds from Home Depot and she buy dem online. Then she go and buy bed sheet and towels from Cosco. Jagdeo who bring CHEC, de Chinee contractor fuh build de airport, tek on de job fuh bring in de toilet bowl and sink fuh each of de 200 room. He charge de hotel $452,000 fuh one. Brassington sit down pun one yesterday and break it. When he Number Two, Marcie, hear, she seh that she not even squatting on one. Today Brassington got a press conference. He call Ashni because he ain’t trust heself to face de press he alone. He know dem boys gun ask him how much money dem put aside. Dem boys seh is strange how Brassington was so silent bout de Marriott. Nobody couldn’t even go inside de yard. He even stop talk. But hours after de lone protester, de man who does keep dem on dem toes, dead, he announce press conference.He tell people that he know that boy woulda been there from morning when it open to night when it close. And while Brassington seh that he did frighten de lone protester, another man running way. Dem boys hear that he leaving today. Dem boys gun be watching who else going because people know dem wicked ways. Often when we lose all hope and think this is de end, remember the Creator and pray; it’s just the bend, not the end. This is a message to de planners and de orchestrators who kill dem boys friend—Courtney Crum-Ewing. This was de man who had de right solution fuh race voting in Guyana. He been saying through de streets in Diamond moments before he was assassinated, ‘If yuh don’t like black people, vote fuh Moses Nagamootoo; if you don’t like Indian people, vote fuh Granger.” That was de smartest man Guyana would ever see. Dem boys seh suh. Talk half and join other demonstrators outside de AG Chambers today at 12:00 o’clock.
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 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 put in stream. 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. 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. 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.
West Berbice man pleads guilty …probation to raping 10-year-old report ordered A man who is well known to the authorities and was on trial for raping a 10-year-old has pleaded guilty to the charge. The man, Dennis Evans, called ‘Die Die’, 36 of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, was on trial in the Berbice High Court before Justice Brassington Reynolds and a mixed Jury. He is accused of engaging in sexual activity with the child, knowing she was a minor, on October 18, 2010. The accused was committed to stand trial by Magistrate Rhondell Weaver on March 11, 2014. He was being represented by attorney at law Horatio Edmondson. The matter was first called on Monday last. State Prosecutor Judith GildharieMursalin had read the indictment and the jury was sworn in, after which the matter was adjourned to Wednesday. However, before the trial recommenced on Wednesday, the man through
his attorney indicated to the court that he wanted to take a certain course of action and thus pleaded guilty. A probation report was ordered and sentenced has been set for March 23. Evans had earlier come to notoriety when he had allegedly set fire and burnt down the home of his ex-wife Seeta Persaud on May 28, at Bath Experiment Scheme, West Coast Berbice. Reports had stated that it was the second time he had done so in five years. The woman had expressed her fear of the man who had also threatened to kill her. She had told investigators that the man threw gasoline on the house and set it alight, following threats he had made. He had struck again when he set fire to the home of the woman’s parents shortly before midnight at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice. According to information on the day in question, Seeta Persaud, 42, and her partner Nawaz Chaseem, were asleep
at her parents’ home at Bath Settlement when it erupted in flames around 23:40 hrs . Investigations led to the woman’s husband being identified as the culprit. He was subsequently captured. He had been charged with setting fire to a building and two counts of threatening behaviour.
Dennis Evans
Page 10
Kaieteur News
Thursday March 12, 2015
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
The two tragic mistakes of Courtney Crum-Ewing Political thugs openly broke up Courtney’s minibus. These centrally directed violent men were so barefaced that they ignored bystanders who were watching. Now they have murdered this one-man machine. But that is where Crum-Ewing’s vulnerability lay. He operated alone. He traveled in dark areas. Both strategies were dangerous. I have always taken care to have close political associations even though I am not a member of any political party and won’t be joining any. It is public knowledge that I support the Alliance for Change. I support the activities of the AFC. I have participated in all the Georgetown picketing exercise of the AFC.
I have intimate friendships with many leading AFC personnel. At the same time I am a founding member of other organizations including the popular 1823 Coalition for Parade Ground. I am very close to the Working People’s Alliance and have good friendships with people in the PNC and TUC. This is where Courtney went wrong. In Guyana, since the year 2000, we have been living in a political culture that is far more brutal than any other period outside of the 1960-1964 era. The vicious, violent attacks on people like Courtney CrumEwing and Mark Benschop and me have been encouraged by power-drunk people because they see us
as loners not leaders of major political parties. This is our strategic weakness. I hope Mark Benschop take extreme precautions with his security. There is no way Crum-Ewing should have been alone in desolate areas of the sprawling Diamond housing scheme after he knew what happened to me and Mark Benschop. Both attempts on my life were in dark, lonely places. One was on North Road at a lonely spot where I had parked. The other was on a lonely night outside Parliament. My life did not end because of a group of people (the now defunct People’s Parliament) who were one block away and heard the shouts. Had there not been a People’s Parliament, I would have died. Mark Benschop was alone
in the same area where Courtney was assassinated. He was filming the mansion of a violent PPP leader when he was brutally mauled by a group of violent men. Benschop escaped but what would have happened if he couldn’t at the time. In one of the worst episodes of barefaced violence in the history of this country, Benschop was arrested and locked up when he, Benschop, was the victim Surely, Courtney should have learned these lessons. He knew the danger of his one-man struggle. He told me that a certain police officer at Brickdam station, with a German name, shouted out loudly, “Find something to charge him for” when he was taken to Brickdam station for using the washroom at the Office of the Attorney-General during his
one-man vigil against Anil Nandlall over the infamous tape-recording. I went to interview that police officer with David Hinds but David advised against it saying that we must be careful. David is always careful. I am always careful. But sadly Courtney wasn’t and he paid with his life. I hope that police officer with a German name live with his conscience for the rest of his life. What was going on in the head of Courtney? Wasn’t he aware of his security problems and looked into them. People are out to kill anti-dictatorship activists in this country and we have to be meticulous with our security. I supported an AFC barbecue on the West Coast last Saturday night. I put down my opened bottle of cranberry water to go to my car and asked some AFC activists to keep an eye on it. I had already crossed the road but turned back and put the bottle in the hands of Michael Carrington. When I returned Carrington had put down the bottle and I remonstrated with him. You have to be extreme with your security precautions in
Frederick Kissoon Guyana. Had I been seeing Courtney often I would have offered my humble advice. He should not have been alone. Once he started the campaign early in the evening, his killers were aware of what he was doing in the area and they planned their attack. Courtney’s killers wanted to send a message that is why he was assassinated during a political act. They wanted to tell others that they too will be killed. The dead body with the bullhorn next to it was the graphic signal they wanted to show to political activists. Courtney Crum-Ewing made two tragic mistakes – he should have sought alliance with others and never be alone in the dark. I will have more to say about Patricia Rodney and the propagandistic Walter Rodney Commission in the context of Courtney’s assassination.
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 11
Page 12
Kaieteur News
Thursday March 12, 2015
Anti-government protestor’s assassination…
Opposition appeals for calm There is a general appeal for calm following the gunning down of antigovernment protestor Courtney Crum-Ewing on Tuesday night, while he was exercising his democratic right by asking people in his community to vote. The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change coalition is the latest to call on Guyanese to exercise restraint in the aftermath of the killing, which they say has to be considered within the context of increasing attacks on the rights of citizens to express themselves freely and without fear, as well as against the backdrop of an untenable environment of poor citizen security. The appeal comes on the heels of a similar call from Dr. David Hinds, a political activist and commentator, who is also an Associate Professor of Political Science and Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies at Arizona State University. Dr. Hinds in a statement yesterday urged Guyanese to resist being drawn into any form of ethnic revenge or tit
- Dr. Hinds urges “No tit for tat”
Courtney Crum-Ewing for tat. Crum-Ewing was shot dead on Tuesday night as he was walking in the Diamond, East Bank Demerara community with his bull horn, urging people to vote against the present People’s Progressive Party/Civic government at the upcoming General Elections on May 11. Police have not yet declared what might have been the motive for CrumEwing’s killing, but many are convinced that it had to do
with the activities that he was involved in. Crum-Ewing rose to public prominence protesting the retention of Attorney-General Anil Nandlall in office after the AG was recorded warning of violent consequences against the country’s number one newspaper-the Kaieteur News. For his efforts CrumEwing claimed he was subjected to harassment, threats and unreasonable detention by the Guyana
Police Force. On Tuesday night he took his activism a step further, and paid the ultimate price. “Mr. Crum-Ewing’s strident activism and his commitment to democracy and justice were carried out with a rare energy. APNU+AFC has lost a tremendous asset and for many a good friend,” the APNU+AFC coalition said in a statement. Immediately after the killing the Ministry of Home Affairs was the first to put out a statement calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. But the APNU+AFC said that it finds it abominable that the Ministry of Home Affairs would put out a press release which includes the following ominous warning and attempt at what can only be described as a bizarre nexus: “The Ministry notes the deep coincidence between the fatal shooting incident and the earlier swearing in of the new Commissioner of Police.” According to the
coalition, Crum-Ewing’s death comes two days after former President Bharrat Jagdeo mounted a political platform and spouted “his divisive and violence-tinged rhetoric.” Their position was echoed by Dr. Hinds who said that Guyana has crossed yet another dangerous line. He too noted that the killing took place a mere 48 hours after the former Head of Government and State publicly suggested to his successor that governance in Guyana should include “kicking some asses,”. “The barefaced murder of Courtney Crum-Ewing must now alert us that Guyana has become a semi-fascist state where protest by ordinary citizens is punishable by summary execution. This is not the first murder in recent times of an ordinary citizen exercising his or her right to protest against the current government; three years ago three protestors at Linden were shot dead by police while protesting against a proposed
government electricity hike. Other anti-government activists, notably Mark Benschop and columnist Freddie Kissoon have been physically attacked. This murder also has echoes of the assassination a decade ago of known anti-government activist, Ronald Waddell,” Dr. Hinds stated. He said that the ruling PPP cannot escape responsibility for CrumEwing’s murder. Dr. Hinds explained that the atmosphere that was generated by the theatrics and rhetoric of PPP leaders at Babu John last Sunday was a recipe designed to create havoc. “The “kick some asses” statement and its subsequent endorsement by other PPP leaders, in our charged ethnic and political environment, is an expression of political pugilism that could only lead to mayhem. When this is coupled with the clearly expressed ethnic identity of the PPP, the battle lines (continued on page 24)
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 21
Disabled woman duped CCJ to host seventh annual law moot this Friday by telephone fraudster What was thought to be a surprise visit from an overseas-based relative turned into a harrowing experience for a disabled Mon Repos woman. The woman said that she was duped out of more than $100,000 by a telephone fraudster. In an interview with Kaieteur News, the woman said that she received a call on her landline about 7:30am on Saturday. The voice at the other end purported to be an uncle who resided in the USA. The woman, who lives in a simple home, said her “uncle” claimed to have been in Trinidad and Tobago, awaiting a flight to Guyana. Then, about 10 minutes into the conversation, he asked her to turn up at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to clear and uplift some items he had sent in advance. “I tell him, ‘man you know I can’t come to the airport because I’m disabled,’ but I don’t know if the man really knew if I was in a wheelchair or not,” she said. She explained that she had not become suspicious even after the request was made and even after the man asked her to take $170,000 with her to cover duties and taxes. Though she did not have the requested figure, she promised the man that she
would send her son to the airport with as much money as they could muster. She said her husband borrowed $100,000 from a neighbour and she also included some jewelry to be used as collateral. About two hours later her son was on his way to the airport, she said. She said as he made his way there he was called by a man, purporting to be a customs officer. The man told her son that he was already off-duty and was awaiting his arrival at the airport with the cash. However, instead of the airport, the man requested to meet with her son at a wash bay in Timehri. The son acquiesced and met a man at the new location. He said the man was dressed like a customs officer in black pants and a white shirt bearing an emblem. He also flashed a badge, similar to that of a police officer’s, she said. He subsequently handed over the money and the jewelry and was instructed to continue to make his way to the airport. He was also instructed to seek out a Customs officer named Nicola. However, before he could reach the airport, the son was called once more and told to instead head to Laparkan to
uplift the items. “When he call and tell me tha’ I start getting suspicious,” the woman said. She said she instantly called Laparkan and used a reference number given to her by the man who was supposedly her uncle. However, she was told that no package had been lodged at the business. “That’s when I realized we had gotten conned. I had to call my son and tell him that it look like he get rob,” she said. They later made a report to the police. They also called Digicel seeking information on the fraudster’s number. However, they were told by the company that the information could not be released. The woman expressed hope that the police would have better luck in getting the information from the telecommunications company. “Everybody is quarreling with me, telling me I shoulda do this or I shoulda do that but nobody was in my position at that time,” she said. She continued, “He was so insistent, saying how his luggage is going to get seized and all these things…I guess I feel sorry for he. I didn’t really think so far that this is somebody trying to make me a fool.”
Objectifying women among concerns highlighted by GAWL - as struggle for equality is amplified Even as the struggle for equality continues, much work is yet to be done to eliminate the stereotypes, prejudices and practices which continue to pose a stumbling block to many girls and women who seek to have a voice and control their own lives. This deduction has been made by the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) as part of its effort to recognize women for International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD is celebrated annually on March 8. Although belatedly, GAWL as part of its recognition of women expressed concern “about the discriminatory and stereotypical advertisements, some by leading companies in Guyana, which not only objectify women but also perpetuate sexist gender myths.” Moreover, the Association has underscored that “we must, however, always remember the inequities that still need to be redressed.” The group also
sought to point out that continued efforts to eliminate the scourge of gender-based violence, trafficking in women and girls, exploitation in the workplace through sexual harassment, or through being ill-treated by employers, including female ones, and/or being cheated out of rightfully earned wages while providing domestic services, must remain on the front-burner. The issue of lack of sufficient support from the Police when reports of rape and other sexual offences are reported by a woman remains a burning one, GAWL has insisted. “The promotion of the economic empowerment of women is also vital. Many women in Guyana find it difficult to support and sustain themselves and their families. Their economic vulnerability restricts their ability to be independent, to negotiate favourable working conditions, to access justice, proper medical care and education for themselves and children,” the Association has
observed. It went on to point out that as United Nations Secretary-General Ban Kimoon in his message for IWD, 2015 opined, “The world will never realize 100 per cent of its goals if 50 per cent of its people cannot realize their full potential. When we unleash the power of women, we can secure the future for all.” The Association has therefore noted that while it recognises that much more needs to be done and urgently so, “we nevertheless encourage women to value the accomplishments and gains made so far, and not take them for granted.” It was underscored by the Association too that women must also seek assistance to ensure that their rights are respected, even as it pointed out that they learn and know their rights. “The right to equal pay for work of equal value must be remembered at all times and demanded. Women must always bear in (continued on page 23)
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will be hosting its seventh Annual International Law Moot tomorrow at its Headquarters in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Students from throughout CARICOM are s e t t o participate in the competition, which was established in 2009 to provide future law practitioners with the opportunity to further develop their research and advocacy skills in a real court setting. It also aims to build greater awareness of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) which governs the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME). The CCJ is the only Court with the authority to interpret the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, a
responsibility referred to as the Court’s Original Jurisdiction. This year’s competition focuses on the timely issues of the enforcement of judgments by the CCJ in its Original Jurisdiction, as well as referrals by national courts over questions concerning the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Eight teams from Law Schools and Law Faculties throughout CARICOM will be vying for the CCJ Challenge Shield which was won by the Eugene Dupuch Law School of the Bahamas in 2014. These teams are: (1.) University of the West Indies, Cave Hill (2.) University of the West Indies, St Augustine (3.) University of Guyana (4.) University of the West Indies, Mona (5.)
H u g h Wo o d i n g L a w School (6.) Norman Manley Law School (7.) Eugene Dupuch Law School (8.) FHR Lim A Po Institute for Social Studies. Apart from the students filling the roles of advocates in the courtroom, first year students of the Faculty of Law, UWI (St Augustine campus) will form the Moot Registry, assuming the roles of Registrar, Deputy Registrar, Court Support Officer, Marshal, Timekeeper, and Usher. T h i s y e a r ’s m o o t i s expected to be attended by representatives of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps; members of the Superior Courts of Record; representatives of the p r i v a t e s e c t o r, l a b o u r community, law school and secondary school students.
Desmond Hoyte lecture today The Hugh Desmond Hoyte Sixth Commemorative Lecture will be held today in the Savannah Suite of the Pegasus Hotel from 17:00 hrs. This activity is being held in honour of Hoyte’s 86th birth anniversary, which was observed on Monday. The lecture will be delivered by Mrs. Supriya Singh-Bodden, a former member of the Central
Executive Committee, and one of the Founders of the Reform component of the Party. The topic of the lecture is “The Policies of Desmond Hoyte: Gender and Racial Inclusivity and Good Governance.” Mr. Desmond Hoyte was Guyana’s second Executive President. He is widely credited for restoring growth in the economy by
implementing an Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) whose essential elements are still manifest in the existing economic policies. Both the World Bank Report and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IADB) of 1990 referred to the positive impact of the ERP on the economy, which was growing at approximately seven per cent.
Page 22
Kaieteur News
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Brand new XBOX one with kinect, free fifa 15 game$110,000 negotiable – Tel: 6876750 VIDEOGAME PACKAGE, NEW RCA 21" TV, SONY PLAYSTATION2 WITH 2 CONTROLLERS, 2 GAMES, ONLY $50,000 – CALL MAX – TEL:6098132; 672-8569 Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc Call: 225-9032, 647-2943 SPECIAL DEALS ON YAMAHA OUTBOARD ENGINES: 90HP 4 STROKE, 75 HP 2 STROKE, 50 HP 4 STROKE – CALL: 6836721 Alligator trucks + spare parts, portable sawmill – Contact: 681-5839; 663-2291 1-16FT BOWRIDER FIBERGLASS BOAT, 85HP OUTBOARD ENGINE WITH 25 GAL BUILT IN FUEL TANK, SEATS, 9 TRAILER INCLUDED – CALL: 683-6721 One Diesel generator 7500 (14hours used) $300,000, car deck $8,000, new prestige car alarm- Call:695-6461, 6397758 One 15 Yamaha outboard engine next to new- Call:6884139 Used King size sleish bed with double box spring and mattress $180,000- Call:6655811, 668-8220
HB yellow AT192; good condition - $850,000 negotiable – Call: 647-0271 One Nissan X-Trail, year 2004, PRR series. Fully loadedPrice $3.1M Neg- Call: 6470016 PPP Series Rav-4 - $3.2M Contact:225-9230; 623-0368; 225-1005 L-Touring Wagon, excellent condition -15" rims; DVD, TV, R. Start Alarm - $1.3M negotiable – Tel:667-9013; 233-2538 2 Toyota Premio, 1 -2005 model. In immaculate condition. Owner leaving country - Call:678-0109/ 6182576 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, Spacio, Fielder, Carina 212, Sienta, IST – Call: 652-3820/665-4529 Allion PRR, DVD deck, reverse camera, alarm, HID, hardly used (40,000KM) $2.1M- Call:616-3566 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154
Prime business place for rent on Sheriff street only for offices- Call: 627-6740 Concrete 3 bedrooms upper flat house fully grilled, parking available @ Agricultural road Mon Repos, E.C.D- Call:687-1050 Refurbished 2 bedroom apartment @ Liliendaal (between Bel Air & Turkeyen) parking space – Call: 910-551-4109 (whatsapp & viber) Upper & lower flat apartment (2 bedrooms each) with toilet & bath – Contact: 220-6799; 657-4969
RZ BSS Series, remote start, Two bedrooms apartment, alarm, TV Deck, Reverse toilet & bath inside @ Camera, Fog lights – Tel: 615- Cummings Lodge; call after 5784 5:30pm: 222-3750 One AT212 New Model PRR Business place for rent; 46 series; excellent condition, Russell Street – Tel:226-9561 price $1.2M negotiable – Tel: 653-0120 One 3 bedroom flat building at 19th Street Diamond DAF Truck, GRR 9599 – Housing Scheme; Lot 1640. $4,000,000 Tel: 693-8349 Tel: 233-2805 One Hino Canter- Tel:2282098; 628-5796. Price $1.3M
White & Brown eggs, ducklings also – Tel:6887291; 652-6425 One Stale Pool Table – Price: $300,000 (three hundred thousand) - Tel:228-2098; 628-5796. 2 Long foot Yamaha 25HP, 1 with warrantee, another 1½yr old; 25 Tohatso, 2 complete foot, power head parts – Tel: 611-2729
Just Arrived! 09 & O6 Tacoma, manual & auto, new model Allion, Bluebird, Belta, Fielder – Tel:621-4190, bestcarautosale@facebook.com
1- Taylor Soft serve cone machine (triple head), 1-donut nut machine, 1-6 burner gas stove – Call: 683-5234
FOR SALE
Woodmizer Resaw with gas engine - $1,500,000, 1 Blades sharpener - $500,000, 1- 4X4 JCB Forklift –$1,200, 000- Tel: 683-2575
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 1 -8000 SQ Feet ware house, located 20 miles from City $5000USD monthly – Contact: 695-0333 Apartments for rent in Nandy Park E.B.D – Tel:227-5194; 624-5194 One 3 Storey building at 104 Regent Street – $9,000.USD negotiable – Tel: 223-6299; 617-7028 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, , JACK HAMMER, CONCRETE SAW & MORE - CALL: 6750767, 627-5098 Barber Chairs on Durban Street near Smyth Street $6,000 weekly- Call: 682-6396; 692-9806
ACCOMMODATION
American bully pups gottiline remyline – Call: 2207933; 667-4845; 610-0068 One 700 DVD movies with 7 Disc burner, 1-DSC security system, 1 Business Sign outdoor, Hamilton Beach mixer – Call:683-5234
Saturdays & Sundays after lunch @ Inner Retreat Hotel Parika: Bar-B-Cue & games: pools, darts, table tennis etc – Phone: 260-4504. Inner Retreat Hotel Restaurant & Bar, Retreat Road Parika. Indoor / Outdoor bar in Picturesque setting – Phone: 260-4504 Continued on page 23
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Kaieteur News
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Family appeals for calm; convinced... From page 8 Crum-Ewing was no pushover. He wanted more. He wrote letters and kept pestering his superiors to move on to something more than just training in jungle warfare. According to his mom, he was moved to the Marine section and while there was dismissed after an incident involving the disappearance of a quantity of prawns. He sued the army, insisting his innocence, and won a $1M judgment. In the late 90’s, a disappointed Courtney left shortly afterward for Antigua, after his wife was hired by an airline owned by billionaire, Allen Stanford. Even from Antigua, the outspoken man could not keep his voice down, taking to the social websites to express his anger over happenings. He returned less than two years ago. Courtney’s activism immediately became more evident. He was a regular caller to live television programmes. In the day, he worked his minibus for a few hours. Last year, he received a piece of land at Farm, East Bank Demerara from the Ministry of Housing. Due to a mix-up by the Ministry, his mother disclosed yesterday, he started building on a lot that belonged to someone else. Crum-Ewing visited the ministry several times and was promised compensation. He was loud in his protestations and was even thrown out by the Ministry. “They were very disrespectful. The Minister
was very disrespectful because (my son) demanded his rights. He was very fair to everybody. Courtney did not care about race. He was more concerned about rights and wrongs,” said his mother. But late last year, Guyana learnt about Courtney CrumEwing. He read in the newspaper that Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, had reportedly threatened Kaieteur News with a possible attack. He wrote Nandlall demanding he resign or face protests. Unhappy with the response, he started his oneman protests, drawing crowds and watchful police and even a few drivers who tossed him bottled water, but refused to join him. He even went to the offices of the Director of Public Prosecution to protest the delay in the decision of charges filed against Nandlall by Kaieteur News. “He does not belong to any party. He told everyone to stop being scared or face having a Government that continues to ride the people.” The support for CrumEwing was catching on. A former school mate of Queen’s College sent him two bullhorns for his protesting work. “A Barbados-based lawyer from Guyana even asked to help protest,” his brother Dwayne recalled. His activism drew criticisms and some subtle attempts to shut him up. A few months ago, he parked his bus at his home and it was broken into and the computer box stolen. He was convinced that it was deliberately done. Then he was charged for
New political party... From page 17 to claim that: 'Forbes Burnham is the father of the nation. He was the only president with the courage to articulate a national vision that would have led Guyana down the path to true independence and prosperity – and everyone knows it, even those that are too cowardly to admit it.” OVP will not be contest-
ing the presidential election – they are contesting the Regional elections and only in Region Four. Their flyer, entitled 'Important Message to All Citizens of Region Four' explains that 'if you live in Region Four, whichever party you give your presidential vote to, give your regional vote to OVP.' Their symbol is the striking Black Panther.
GT&T blames car... From page 17 Lamaha Street, West of Carmichael Street, east of Water Street (extending to Demerara River) and north of Church Street are also affected. “Vandalism, careless excavation and incidents such as this recent one continue to affect the delivery of service to GT&T's customers since financial and human resources both have to be diverted to effect repairs to the services,” GT&T said in a release. Meanwhile, approximately
500 East Bank Demerara residents are currently being affected by vandalism in the New Hope area. GT&T said that several spans of the company's cable were removed by vandals. “We continue to appeal to the public to say something if you see something, by calling our confidential vandalism hotline number 0908. The disruption of communication facilities can have major adverse effects on the security, business and social life of all citizens,” GT&T said.
(From page 22)
PROPERTY FOR SALE Two storey, 3 bedrooms house with furnished kitchen, 36X40 & yard space @ Land of Canaan New SchemeCall:690-6570, 685-9994 Business property located @ Supply public road, E.B.D. Entering either by river/ public road- Call: 698-8100
Courtney was a father of three. breach of peace after using the toilets at the Attorney General’s offices. The charge, which Crum-Ewing felt was also deliberate, was dismissed. When the May 11 elections date was announced by President Donald Ramotar, the former QC boy decided that he would be volunteering his services to bring voters out in their numbers to vote against the ruling party. According to his family yesterday, Courtney was
convinced that change was necessary for Guyana. On Tuesday, hours after he was seen in the city urging drivers to vote, he decided to take his message to Diamond, a village neighbouring Golden Grove. Residents and others heard him using his loud hailer, urging for voters to place their mark in favour of the Opposition. According to his family, he reportedly advised residents that if they intend
to vote race, to vote for Moses Nagamootoo if they prefer Indian or David Granger if for the African preference. His catchy words drew some laughter and anger. The campaign in Diamond was the first for Crum-Ewing. According to his mom, nobody was told that he was heading to the area, not even officials of A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition, for which he was campaigning.
Flat concrete house for sale in Grove with land spaceCall: 679-3913 1 Flat concrete house @ Kururu Kururu Linden Soesdyke Highway, size 38X20, land 100X200 – $8M negotiable-Tel: 592-6616073; 694-1090
LAND FOR SALE 50 Acres titled farm land @ The Belle, Upper Dem, River Front - $100M Negotiable, serious enquiries only! Tel: 669-8152 Parfaite Harmonie -$1.2M, $1.3M –Tel: 675-7292
Objectifying women among... From page 21 mind that while domestic violence can be physical, it is often also psychological or emotional. Women must also be wary of job offers to work in our hinterland especially,” GAWL noted. It went on to remind women who are employers that exploitation of their fellow women folk is unacceptable and shameful, and this conduct must cease. Instead, women must be supportive of and be fair to each other, said
GAWL as it added that “We women must at all times fight to uphold each other’s rights. We must also fight for the rights of our children and nurture and protect them as best we can. We must at all times demand the equality which our Constitution assures.” Moreover, GAWL is urging that persons continue to be vigilant and supportive, even as efforts are made to celebrate the achievements in gender equality, the
empowerment of women and their elevation politically, economically, socially, and culturally. “We salute the incredible women standing up and advocating for gender equality and applaud their demand that women be accorded their rights to participate in decisionmaking, to quality education, the freedom to make their own choices and to live their lives without f e a r, d i s c r i m i n a t i o n o r violence.”
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTAL CALL: 225-7126/ 2263693 DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM/ WWW.DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel:698-7807
Magistrate Alex Moore... From page 8 Leonard Bacchus, Kaieteur News understands that matter was not dealt with by the JSC. Justification has been given that the matter is subject to appeal as filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the JSC, as such, would be refraining from dealing with matters that are engaging the courts attention. Moore was prominently
featured last year following the suspended five-year sentence he handed down to Bacchus who pleaded guilty to trafficking in more than 60 kilograms of cocaine. Bacchus was given a two year suspended sentence for also having 125 twelve guage cartridges and one hundred and fifteen .32 rounds of ammunition found at his Enmore/Haslington Housing Scheme residence. The DPP is appealing this
decision since the law does not provide for non-custodial sentences for drug traffickers. The Magistrate had pointed to the three-year time lapse and the resources the defendant expended. Recently, the JSC dismissed Magistrates Sohan and Geeta Chandan-Edmond, who both presided in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, on a number of infractions. Both Attorneysat-Law have since stated
publically that the JSC’s decisions were unjust and their intentions to seek all legal remedies available to them.
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Executed shopkeeper ... As police continue their investigations into the execution of Agricola shopkeeper, Randy Persaud, information has emerged that the killer was reportedly part of a notorious criminal gang during the crime wave of 2002. Persaud, called ‘Billo’, was shot multiple times at close range as he sat on a log with two relatives outside his Lot 83 Agricola home. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he succumbed, with his mother and other relatives at his side. Eyewitnesses identified the alleged killer as an Agricola resident, known only as Jamel. The suspect reportedly had a dispute with a prison officer who was a friend of Persaud’s. Relatives alleged that the
Thursday March 12, 2015
Suspect was part of notorious criminal gang during 2002 crime wave
Dead: Randy “Billo” Persaud shopkeeper and his friend survived a similar execution attempt last Sunday while travelling in a car in Brutus Street, Agricola. The suspect is said to be a sibling of a
notorious gunman who was at the centre of the unprecedented crime wave that began with the infamous 2002 Camp Street jailbreak. A cousin of the slain man told Kaieteur News that he was sitting with Persaud outside the victim’s shop, when a man in a hooded garment walked up to them. He said that the individual said: “Boy, you,” before kicking Persaud into a ditch. The man, who had a handgun, then riddled Persaud as he lay helpless in the ditch. According to the eyewitness, the gunman then calmly walked further north, down Second Street. Amanda Persaud, an aunt of the slain man, said that she was watching television when she heard several gunshots.
“I run into my verandah and I see this man shooting more bullets into my nephew.” She said that the young man was still alive when relatives put him in a vehicle. “His last words were ‘mommy’, but then he went into unconsciousness,” the distraught aunt recalled. His mother, Debbie Persaud, also recalled hearing gunshots and running outside to see her son lying on the ground. “He was lying on the ground and saying ‘ow mammy…ow mammy…” Some relatives insisted that Persaud had no dispute with anyone and revealed that he only returned from Suriname about a week ago. But one relative suggested that the killing stemmed from last Sunday’s incident in which the suspect
Govt. optimistic Guyana, Venezuela issue can be resolved diplomatically The relationship between Guyana and Venezuela has remained healthy, notwithstanding the ups and downs related to the issue of the 1999 Arbitral Award. Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, in addressing the media yesterday at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing, reiterated that both nations have sought specific
mechanisms not to have the controversy impact unnecessarily on the conduct of bilateral relationships. “This has been the enlightened approach by the then President (Bharrat) Jagdeo and former President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez”. It is on this and other initiatives taken subsequently, Dr. Luncheon said, that both the earlier
challenge to the status quo and the latest one, that despite those, the relationship between the two countries continues to remain healthy. This sentiment, he added, exists in the administration that the differences can, via diplomacy, be “handled adequately without any injury to the existing relationship”. Guyana’s Spanish-
Bogus auto dealer cons in excess ... From page 16 he reportedly seized from Pooran and repay them. The businessman, the couple claimed, took the vehicles because Pooran had not paid his rent. “Eventually now, the man asked me if I want the bus he will bring it in and try passing it through the bank,” he said. Subsequently, Rambaresh offered them a car which they said they agreed to take since they were stressed out with
the process. The man reportedly asked them to pay $580,000 but when they carried the cash, he did not want to write a receipt reflecting that he was paid $1,080,000 in total. As such, the Khans refused to pay a n y m o r e money “All I hoping is that he would have paid back my money. From the starting he could have said, he was not responsible but he said he
seized the man vehicles on the wharf because he (Pooran) didn't pay rent and he will try to pay back,” the woman lamented. “Me ain't know where Antonio (Pooran) gone and it's plenty people they rob, we see somebody else story in the papers already. It's a lot of people they owe,” the woman said. To date, the couple has not received their cash or a vehicle. (Sunita Samaroo)
Opposition appeals for calm From page 12 around the upcoming elections are clearly drawn.” And Mark Benschop’s, The Independent Party also condemned the killing in the strongest terms. “At this juncture when our nation is politically charged, violence in this form is especially nefarious, in view of the upcoming elections on May 11, 2015. The anti-democratic intent of the perpetrators could not be more obvious. We particularly urge the ruling PPP regime to reject its highly inflammatory and the racist
‘Kick Ass’ speeches by former President Bharrat Jagdeo and others at Babu John. The people of Guyana must continue to reject all forms of violence and to resist those who seek to destabilize our country for political gains,” The independent party stated. Meanwhile, the APNU+AFC coalition has appealed to Guyanese to be both resolute and reasoned in their condemnation of the impunity with which human rights abuses are carried and condoned under the present government and for them to
resist what they described as a “dastardly and cowardly act of provocation.” “APNU+AFC appeals for calm in this trying time. On May 11 Guyana will be delivered from this evil which stalks Guyana,” the coalition stated. The coalition is demanding a full and impartial investigation into CrumEwing’s murder along with independent observation of the post-mortem. “The longer his killers escape justice, the greater an indictment of the PPP’s failure to keep this society secure,” it said.
speaking neighbour had recently voiced its official disapproval of exploratory drilling operations which recently started offshore Guyana’s territorial waters, by US Oil Exploration giant, ExxonMobil.
and others were shot at in the car in which Persaud and his prison officer friend were travelling after Mashramani celebrations. Following that incident, police reportedly went into Agricola and arrested several other youths. The relatives believe that the alleged killer may have been incensed by the arrest as well.
No arrests have been made, but police yesterday took statements from a few of Persaud’s relatives. Twenty-eight people have now been slain for the year. There have been seven execution style killings, including one on Tuesday night which claimed the life of social activist Courtney Crum-Ewing.
Watchman jailed for trafficking cocaine A 23-year-old watchman was yesterday sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by Magistrate Judy Latchman after he pleaded guilty to a narcotic charge. T.J Prince had 0.8 grams of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on March 9, at North Road. Police prosecutor Shellon Daniels stated that on the day in question, at around 22:35hrs, the police received information. As a result of the information they received, the police proceeded to North Road between Orange Walk and Cummings Street. They saw the defendant sitting ‘on a building’ in the company of others with a black plastic container. Prince then threw the container on the ground after he was approached by the police.
Daniels added that the container was retrieved by the police and upon looking, a suspected narcotic was found. The defendant was told of the offence, arrested and taken to the Alberttown Police Station where the narcotic was weighed in his presence and amounted to quantity mentioned in the charge. She said that it was later placed in a white envelope, sealed and marked. When asked by the magistrate if he had anything to say before sentencing Prince replied, “No”. Prince, however, told the court that he was never found guilty before for any offence. The magistrate imposed the minimum sentencing on him and ordered that he pay a fine of $10,000.
Rowley backs Sanders OPPOSITION Leader, Dr Keith Rowley, urged Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar to withdraw Trinidad and Tobago’s nomination of Planning Minister, Dr Bhoe Tewarie, for head of the 53-member Commonwealth, but instead to back Caribbean academic/ diplomat, Sir Ronald Sanders. Rowley said Tewarie has no diplomatic background and has no other Caricom country backing him (except TT), but that Sanders has the support of nine nations. The Opposition Leader yesterday held a news
conference at his office at Charles Street, Port-of-Spain. It was attended by Senator Faris Al-Rawi and Point Fortin MP Paula Gopee-Scoon. He also scoffed at the Government’s nomination of academic Dr Hamid Ghany as head of the 79-nation African, Caribbean and Pacific Group, whom he alleged had been “summarily brushed aside as unsuitable” and whose nomination was allegedly “dead on arrival”. Rowley alleged that the two nominations were proof of cronyism and nepotism by the Government, which he
accused of putting square pegs in round holes. He said Tewarie’s nomination has no chance of going forward, and so TT should instead back Sanders, “a quintessential Caribbean man”. He called on TT to withdraw Tewarie and to instead support a superior Caribbean candidate, so that in future when TT has to offer a quality candidate it will be able to get the support of other Caribbean nations. Dr Rowley elaborated his concerns in a typed statement given to reporters.
April 7 is Nomination Day From page 13 request to be involved in all the processes required for the efficient conduct of elections. Today marks another step in that process where parties need to know, need to understand so they can efficiently operationalise these processes going forward.” “It will no doubt, in our view, minimize the likely errors contained in submissions for nominations day in the first instance so that the period for corrections will be a smooth one, should there be any,” Lowenfield ended. Guyana's constitution
mandates that every contesting political party must submit each of the Lists of Candidates on Nomination Day, one National Top-Up List, at least six Geographical Constituencies' Lists and the Regional Democratic Councils' Lists that the given party may seek to contest on Nomination day. The various Lists of Candidates must comprise registered voters who are eligible to be elected as members of the National Assembly. One third of the Candidates validly nominated must be female. Over the past weeks two new parties signaled that they
would be interested in taking part in the upcoming elections. They include the Independent Party led by Social Activist Mark Benschop, and The Healing the Nation Theocracy Party led by Ras Leon Saul. Recently, too, two of the leading opposition parties, A Partnership of National Unity (APNU) and Alliance for Change joined forces to contest the elections. In 60 days, Guyanese will head to the polls to elect national leaders. The agency's current Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) stands at 567,125.
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Search continues in military copter crash off Florida that left 11 presumed dead
Rescue crews search waters near Navarre Bridge, east of Pensacola, Florida yesterday CREDIT: REUTERS/MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER (Reuters) - Seven Marines and four soldiers were presumed dead after an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed on a nighttime training mission off Florida’s Gulf coast, where U.S. military officials continued a searchand-rescue operation yesterday afternoon. Some human remains had washed ashore, said a spokeswoman for Eglin Air Force Base in north Florida. Officials did not immediately release information on what caused the crash involving the Marines and four members of the Louisiana National Guard. Heavy fog was reported around the time the helicopter was reported missing around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Fog hampered the search effort yesterday. A U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the 11 service members aboard were presumed to have died in what could be among the deadliest domestic military training accidents in years.
One of two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters participating in the routine exercise crashed near the base 50 miles (80 km) east of Pensacola, and rescue workers discovered debris about 2 a.m. on Wednesday, the base said in a statement. The other helicopter “started to take off and then realized, I guess, that the weather was a condition and turned around,” Major General Glenn Curtis of the Louisiana National Guard told reporters. The second helicopter landed safely, the military said. Names of the missing troops were being withheld. The Marines were part of a special operations unit from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina conducting amphibious “helicopter and boat insertion and extraction training” focused on getting troops in and out of specific areas, according to a Marine Corps statement. “Our complete attention is on locating our fellow Marines,” the statement said.
The four crew members and the helicopter were part of the Louisiana National Guard, assigned to an Army unit based in Hammond, Louisiana. All four were married men with children, Curtis said. They were part of a highly experienced helicopter battalion, Curtis said, noting the two pilots were instructors and had “several thousand hours” of flying experience with their crew. President Barack Obama phoned military officials to express condolences, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters, noting the president anticipated a detailed investigation. The helicopter that crashed had a flight data recorder that will be part of the investigation, a Louisiana guard official said. The incident occurred near an Air Force base spanning nearly 500,000 acres (200,000 hectares) in the Florida Panhandle that is used extensively for training. General Martin Dempsey, the top U.S. military officer, told a U.S. Senate hearing that the “loss of the folks on that helicopter” served as “a reminder to us that those who serve put themselves at risk both in training and in combat.” In February 2012, seven Marines were killed when two helicopters collided during a nighttime training exercise along the California-Arizona border. The following year, another seven Marines died in an explosion at a Nevada munitions depot after a mortar round detonated prematurely during a live-fire training exercise.
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
Islamic State ransacks Assyrian capital as Iraq appeals for help
A man walks past human-headed winged bull statues from Khorsabad, at the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad March 8, 2015. CREDIT: REUTERS/KHALID AL-MOUSILY (Reuters) - Islamic State militants have desecrated another ancient Iraqi capital, the government said yesterday, razing parts of the 2,700-year-old city of Khorsabad famed for its colossal statues of humanheaded winged bulls. Officials have said for several days they were checking reports of damage at Khorsabad following attacks on the cities of Nineveh, Nimrud and Hatra by the Islamist radicals who control much of northern Iraq. Yesterday the head of Iraq’s antiquities board and the country’s antiquities minister both confirmed that damage had been inflicted in recent days at Khorsabad, although neither was able to give details. “The city walls were razed, and some elements of the temples, but we don’t know the exact extent (of the damage),” antiquities director Qais Rasheed told Reuters. “Looting took place, and then the razing”. Islamic State rules a selfdeclared caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria which contain some of the richest archaeological treasures on earth, where ancient Assyrian empires built their capitals, Graeco-Roman civilization flourished and Muslim and Christian sects co-existed for centuries. The group, which rejects all but its own narrow interpretation of early Sunni Muslim theology as heresy, has systematically destroyed historic temples, shrines, manuscripts statues and carvings. Officials say it has also looted widely, selling
artifacts to help fund its rule. The United Nations has condemned Islamic State’s actions as a war crime and an attack on humanity’s common heritage, but the global outrage has not slowed the destruction. Iraq has asked a U.S.-led coalition which is supporting Baghdad’s fightback against Islamic State with air strikes to deploy its aerial power to defend the country’s heritage. U.S. General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said in Baghdad on Monday the military priority was focused on populated areas ruled by Islamic State, as opposed to some of the remote antiquities sites. SEEKING SATELLITE IMAGES Rasheed said Iraq had asked for, but not received, satellite imagery from Hatra and Khorsabad so it could assess the scale of the damage. “They say they are working on getting pictures. How? Is it hard for the Americans to get satellite photos?” Huge stone carvings of winged bulls with bearded human faces were shipped from Khorsabad and other Assyrian cities in Iraq to France, Germany, Britain and the United States in the 19th century. But Rasheed said those huge statues, each weighing several tonnes, were just a fraction of the Khorsabad treasures. “The French and English excavated at Khorsabad and the excavations only got 10 percent of the city - it’s a big city, a capital,” he said of the three square km site.
He was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with foreign ambassadors and the United Nations to set out the scale of the damaged wreaked by Islamic State and press for a stronger international response. Rasheed said in the northern province of Nineveh alone there were 1,700 archaeological sites under Islamic State control, as well as Iraq’s third largest museum at Mosul, ransacked by the insurgents according to video footage released two weeks ago. “We ask the whole world, and primarily the international coalition, to activate its capabilities, because every day that passes, we have new losses,” Tourism and Antiquities Minister Adel Shirshab, who also addressed the meeting, told Reuters. Rasheed said Iraq was also seeking help in returning looted items. “There are many stolen artifacts, in auction houses in America and Europe. The diplomatic corps can play a role in helping Iraq return them,” he said. James Ratcliffe of Art Loss Register, which runs a database of lost or stolen works of art, said he had seen little sign of anything of significant value reaching U.S. or British markets. “I’m sure lower value stuff is getting through but higher value items are not,” he said, adding there were likely to be networks in the region working to get materials out. “In Syria, Turkey and Lebanon there will be groups who are engaging in the trade of antiquities for profit in an
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French sport pays tribute...
The portraits of (LtoR) French yachtswoman Florence Arthaud, Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine and Olympic swimmer Camille Muffat are seen during a tribute ceremony at the training headquarters of INSEP (National Institute for Sport and Physical Education) in Paris, March 11, 2015. REUTERS-Christian Hartmann
From page 26 photographs of the three dead sports stars and a minute of silence was held. Speaking of his lost son, who vehemently disputed decisions that eliminated him respectively at the semi-final stage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the quarterfinals of the 2012 London Games, Vastine added: “The
LEWIS HAMILTON DDL backs KMTC post Phagwah... feels he has... From page 29 finishers will receive $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively- total prize amounted to $750,000. Upon handing over the package to president of KMTC Cecil Kennard at his office in Brickdam, Ivanoff Vodka Brand Manager, Maria Munroe said they are pleased to be associated with the
KMTC once again. “We have been supporting KMTC for the past 36 years and this is our way of giving back to the sporting community in Guyana,” Munroe said. Kennard thanked the sponsors and stated that he would love to see the working relationship between the two parties continue.
“Over the many years we have enjoyed a good relationship with DDL through its various brands,” Kennard said. Six races are carded for the day and admission (adults) is $1200; children will pay $600. Access to the car park is $500 while programmes cost $300 each. Race time is 12:30hrs.
Thursday March 12, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Good intentions at work are not enough to get you through a busy day; you must make a plan and stick with it. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You don’t want to do things today in the same manner as you did them before. In fact, you’re interested in trying a new approach to nearly any activity you start now. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may be so bored at work today that you check out for the weekend early. However, even if you’ve already escaped in your mind, you might have to stick around anyhow until it’s actually time to leave. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your friends may be counting on you now and expecting you to join up with them later.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) The Moon’s entry into your sign today shifts your attention from the rational world toward a more subjective perspective. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) If you think that you’ve been missing a significant piece of information, today might be the right day to do some serious research. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You might be unsure of your current destination, but a lack of clarity today won’t stop you from continuing on a road to somewhere. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Today’s timing may be frustrating because you have high hopes about accomplishing a lot at work. However, the day gets off to a slow beginning, making it harder to finish what you start. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You might start the day with your head in the clouds of your imagination. But your impractical approach to the day begins to shift as the changeable Moon enters your 3rd House of Immediate Environment.
It’s hard to keep your feet on the ground today, even if you have very practical goals at first. Hopefully, you can fulfill most of your obligations before you lose focus because you won’t want to look back once your key planet Uranus tempts you to cut loose.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) It’s challenging to concentrate this morning, making it harder to complete whatever you start. However,
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You might struggle to pay attention to your everyday affairs today because your imagination is running wild.
From page 31 didn’t arrive at the tests thinking ‘OK, I’m world champion.’ I’m thinking ‘I’ve got to do everything again and I’ve got to do it better than I did before because I know that everyone else will have taken a step.’” Hamilton is close to signing a new contract with Mercedes, having conducted negotiations himself after leaving Simon Fuller’s management company XIX last year. He said: “It’s been an experience. Learning something new and experiencing something like this, I’m glad I’ve done it. It’s a very, very nerve-racking kind of experience, but I just tried to do the best job I possibly could. “Hopefully we’re in the final stages. I don’t really know what the timeline is. We’re not rushing, but we’re very much in the last stages of it.”
kid was just so unlucky.” French air accident investigators have headed to Argentina to try to establish what exactly happened and French judicial magistrates have been asked to open an inquiry too. Two pilots and several members of the ALP-TV production company involved in filming the adventure show “Dropped” for private French TV station TF1 TFFP.PA were among the dead. Perhaps best known of the three killed sports stars was Arthaud, 57, known as the ‘Fiancee of the Atlantic’,
— a nickname she earned through many daring voyages, including a 1990 record for the fastest solitary Atlantic crossing. She had a recent brush with death in 2011, when she fell off her boat into the Mediterranean. Rescuers whisked her out after she called her mother by mobile phone. Muffat, 25, won 400 meters freestyle gold at the 2012 London Olympics. Vastine, 28, won bronze in London and was preparing intensely for another bid for gold at the upcoming Brazil Olympics next year.
ANGRY RONALDO’S... From page 30 failed to reach the level of recent months but what’s important is that we realise that,” the Spain international said. “We have to understand the Madrid fans and today we weren’t up to the standards of Real Madrid and the Champions League last 16,” he added. “We were made to sweat too much but what we have to do is be more united than ever. “Although we fell
short of what was required, we did enough to get through.” Real have little time to set things right with a trip to Barca for the La Liga ‘Clasico’ looming on March 22. They host Levante on Sunday, when they could find themselves four points behind their great rivals, who play at Eibar on Saturday. The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals is on March 20.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday March 12, 2015
Mayweather, Pacquiao Sangakkara milestones in Sri Lanka’s romp vs Scotland promise fight for the ages HOBART (Reuters) Kumar Sangakkara became the first batsman to hit four successive centuries in oneday internationals to help Sri Lanka wrap up their World Cup pool campaign with a 148-run romp over Scotland at Bellerive Oval yesterday. His team had already booked a place in the quarterfinals but Sangakkara’s insatiable appetite for runs continued unabated as he added 195 runs with Tillakaratne Dilshan (104) against Scotland’s limited bowling resources on a perfect batting track. Down the order, captain Angelo Mathews (51) clobbered six sixes in a 21-ball blitz in the frantic final phase of the innings when ropes were cleared and wickets tumbled regularly. Freddie Coleman (70) and skipper Preston Mommsen (60) tried their best but Scotland simply lacked the batting firepower to chase down such a huge victory target and folded for 215 in the 44th over. For Sri Lanka, who rose to second in Pool A with the win, Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Kulasekara justified their selection claiming three wickets apiece. Earlier, Mathews won the toss and decided to bat first but Scotland did well to restrict Sri Lanka to 46-1 after 10 overs. Dilshan and Sangakkara counter-attacked near the halfway mark when Dilshan hit Davey for back-to-back fours and followed it with a six. Sangakkara also accelerated and soon the former captains got into a competition - who reaches the century first.
Dilshan completed his 22nd ODI hundred in the 34th over with a single that brought Sangakkara on strike and the 37-year-old southpaw achieved his own on the very next ball. Sangakkara went on to consolidate his position at the top of the tournament’s rungetters’ list with a scintillating knock that contained 13 boundaries and four sixes. Dilshan hit 10 fours and a six in his fluent innings before falling to Josh Davey (3-63) in the 35th over. After Dilshan’s exit, Sangakkara hit Alasdair Evans for four boundaries and a six in a 24run over. Davey dealt a double blow in the next over, dismissing Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara off successive deliveries to
become the tournament’s highest wicket-taker. Boundaries kept flowing though as Mathews hammered Matt Machan for four successive sixes to race to a 20-ball fifty before perishing in his quest for the fifth of that 25-run over. At 216-1 in the 35th over, Sri Lanka threatened to go beyond 400 but lost eight wickets for 147 runs and fell short of the mark. Sangakkara also went past Australian Adam Gilchrist’s (52) World Cup record of most dismissals by a wicketkeeper. Scores: Sri Lanka 363 for 9 (Sangakkara 124, Dilshan 104, Mathews 51, Davey 363) beat Scotland 215 (Coleman 70, Mommsen 60, Kulasekara 3-20, Chameera 3-51) by 148 runs.
French sport pays tribute to stars killed in Argentina PARIS (Reuters) - The French sporting world paid tribute yesterday to the three stars killed in a helicopter crash in Argentina during filming of a reality TV show earlier this week. As sports officials, relatives and friends paid respects at the Paris headquarters of the national sports institute, INSEP, local media focused on the possibility that pilot error caused the crash that killed yachtswoman Florence Arthaud, Olympic swimming gold medalist Camille Muffat and Olympic bronze boxer Alexis Vastine. “French sport has lost
three stars who shone ... these stars will live on as three markers in the collective memory,” said Thierry Braillard, junior minister for sports town and youth affairs. In all, 10 people — eight French, two Argentines — died when two helicopters collided at low altitude in the remote western Argentina province of La Rioja on Monday afternoon. There were no survivors in the accident at around 5.15 p.m. local time (4.15 p.m. ET). Beyond ministers and sports federation bosses present at the Paris tribute was Alain Vastine, father of Olympic light welterweight boxer Alexis, whose sister died in a car crash in January. “To lose two children in two months — life is unfair,” Alain Vastine, sobbing, told French TV news channel i>TELE. He watched at INSEP headquarters as friends laid flowers before enlarged (Continue don page 29)
LOS ANGELES — As the hype machine for boxing’s fight of fights cranked into action on Wednesday it was the camp of Manny Pacquiao, and not Floyd Mayweather, who came out firing the first verbal jabs. It was a role reversal perhaps as surprising as the fact that the clash between the sport’s two biggest names is finally taking place, as the typically brash Mayweather stayed subdued while his Filipino opponent and his cohorts let fly. The day of the only public meeting between the pair ahead of fight week – the contest will take place in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2 – began with Pacquiao, usually quiet and reserved in interviews, taunting Mayweather by stating that the American would lose in a fight with female MMA star Ronda Rousey. Later, at a scheduled media session, Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach asserted that Mayweather’s legs, at the age of 38, were “shot” and that he has slowed significantly in recent years. Pacquiao himself said he was less concerned about this fight than he had been for facing either Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito or Oscar De La Hoya, all fights he won with consummate ease. “My feeling is I am confident 110 percent,” Pacquiao said. “I’m not worried about this fight, I was more worried about the others.” Tickets for the bout will be priced from $1,500 to $7,500. With less than eight weeks to go until the fight this is usually Mayweather’s time to get to work in cutting down the psyche of his opponent. Often his rivals are beaten before they step into the ring, destroyed mentally by a bombardment of taunts and jibes. It happened with Robert Guerrero, Ricky Hatton, Victor Ortiz and countless others on Mayweather’s way to a 47-0 record. Yet this time there is
no long, national publicity drive to give Mayweather the daily chance to put doubt into his rival’s mind. The fight was finally inked on February 20 after five years of frustration. With Mayweather set on the May 2 date there was no time for a grand global media tour – Wednesday’s press conference, red carpet appearance and media session at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater served as an all-in-one promotional extravaganza. On his one chance to get inside Pacquiao’s head on Wednesday, Mayweather was quiet, reserved and respectful. “On May 2 I have a tough test,” Mayweather said. “Manny Pacquiao is a good fighter. I can’t see how it will play out, I am not a psychic. But you best believe I will be in top shape and the best I can be.” It was possibly the clearest signal yet that Mayweather realizes that this is a challenge unlike any he has faced, one that can’t be one won with words and actions and publicity, but only with his own mental wiles and silky skills in the ring. In reality, this is a fight that sells itself, without need for the typical hoopla. Sure, it should probably have
happened years ago, but the wait has merely served to stoke the public appetite for what Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum correctly described as the biggest fight of this century, at least to date. Mayweather went a little further. “I can remember when I was young and always thought when Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard fought in the Superfight, I never thought there would be a fight that was bigger than that. And here we are,” Mayweather said. Both fighters are deeply ensconced in training camp before the bout that is likely to define the legacy of each man. Much will be made of the persona of each man on Wednesday, Mayweather’s atypical reticence and Pacquiao’s cockiness. Perhaps Mayweather truly is nervous. Maybe it was a ploy. Maybe Pacquiao is truly relaxed and convinced he can pull off the upset, or maybe his chilled nature was a mask for inner nerves. We’ll find out May 2. “It’s been a long road,” Mayweather said. “But the fight is on now.” Except that it’s not, not quite yet. Until then, every word, every rumor, every nuance will be analyzed with anticipatory fervor.
Bjorkman excited at chance to work with Murray LONDON (Reuters) Former world number four Jonas Bjorkman was “super excited” yesterday after being handed a trial as part of Andy Murray’s coaching set-up. Murray, beaten in this year’s Australian Open final by Novak Djokovic, is keen to add some depth to his support crew as his coach Amelie Mauresmo has other commitments, including being captain of France’s Fed Cup team.
“I’m super excited and I’m really looking forward to join @andy-murray and his team for a test week,” Bjorkman, 42, said on his Twitter feed. Bjorkman, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist who also excelled as a doubles specialist with nine grand slam titles, is currently appearing in Sweden’s Let’s Dance TV show so it is unclear when his trial week with Briton Murray would take place. World number five Murray, twice a grand slam champion, trimmed his entourage at the end of last season with hitting partner Dani Vallverdu jettisoned. However, since reaching the final in Melbourne, the Scot has suffered some disappointing defeats, losing to Gilles Simon in Rotterdam after beating the Frenchman 12 times in a row and then falling to Croatian teenager Borna Coric in Dubai.
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
AAG shortlists nine for CARIFTA Games The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has shortlisted nine athletes for the annual Junior CARIFTA Games scheduled for April 4-6 in St. Kitts & Nevis. The AAG shortlist follows the CARIFTA Games trials held last weekend at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Ground, Camp Ayanganna. According to an AAG press release, seven athletes all in the Under-18 Category made qualifying times while no athlete made the standards in the U-20 Category. Those shortlisted are: Compton Caesar (U-18 Boys 100m, 200m); Matthew McKenzie (U-18 Boys 1500m, 3000m); Kenisha Phillips (U18 Girls 200m); Cassie George (U-18 Girls 1500m); Claudrice McKoy (U-18 Girls 3000m); Chantoba Bright
(U-18 Long and Triple Jumps) and Natricia Hooper (U-18 Girls Triple Jump) In addition to those U-18 athletes, the AAG release said that a concession was given to U-20 middle distance athlete, Ornesto Thomas because of how close he ran to the qualifying time. He was named to compete in the 800m and 1500m events. United States-based Brenessa Thompson was also identified for the U-20 Girls 100m and 200m races. Yvonne October was identified as the Team Manager while the AAG said that a Coach is to be named at a later date. Noticeably, Jason Yaw and Tevin Garraway, who both suffered injuries last weekend, were left off of the shortlist.
Matthew McKenzie
BAYERN annihilate 10-man Shakhtar 7-0 to equal record Shakhtar Donetsk’s Taras Stepanenko (L) reacts as Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller (3L) celebrates with Sebastian Rode (2L), Mario Goetze and Rafinha (R) after scoring a goal REUTERS-Michael Dalder
MUNICH (Reuters) Rampant Bayern Munich humbled 10-man Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 yesterday to ease into the Champions League quarter-finals and equal the biggest win in the competition’s knockout stages. After a goalless first leg it was expected to be a close game but it turned into a stroll for the five-time European champions thanks to the third-minute dismissal of Oleksandr Kucher. Mario Goetze was brought down in the box by Kucher and Thomas Mueller converted the spot-kick. It was the fastest red card in Champions League history from the start of a game and Mueller’s fourth goal in the competition this season, all
from penalties. The early setback forced a complete change of plan for Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu, who brought on defensive midfielder Serhiy Kryvtsov as Bayern pressed on. Arjen Robben missed a huge chance to double the lead after narrowly failing to connect with a Robert Lewandowski cutback in front of an empty goal. The Dutchman’s thundering drive then sailed over the bar before he went off with a thigh injury after 19 minutes. The substitution did nothing to take the pace out of the Germans’ attacks, with the hosts hitting the post from a well-placed placed Robert Lewandowski header. Jerome Boateng did better
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GROVE HI TECH STRIKER Joins Pro League with Goals Grove High Tech Striker Domini Garnett is the latest player to join the professional ranks in Trinidad and Tobago. The prolific striker has signed a two-year deal with Caledonia AIA of the TT Pro League after spending 2 months on a trial in an arrangement between the East Bank Football Association and the T&T based club. Speaking to Kaieteur News Garnett said: “The feeling of signing for a professional club is great and I am very excited knowing that I would be playing at the high level of the game. My intention is to work hard day to day to improve in every aspect of the football world including educating myself on the game more.” Caledonia’s Head Coach Jerry Moe felt that Garnett is a player for the future and is impressed with how he has fitted into the team. “Domini is quite an ambitious youth who though soft spoken is not shy. I am impressed with his focus and commitment. “At first we just allowed the trial to facilitate a request from our Owner Jamaal
Shabazz who is working with the Guyana team. So we gave him the opportunity and he has held it with both hands.” A goal in the TT Pro League Reserve Division and injuries to senior players saw Moe give Domini his debut First team appearance in the TT Pro League. The aggressive 19 year-old striker returned the compliment by scoring in his first game in a 3-1 win over St Ann’s Rangers. To date Garnett has scored 3 goals for the first team and has started in four matches. “With some work and more playing time I think this kid can make it. He has a good attitude towards working hard and that is so important. “His three goals so far were well taken and once he keeps his head right I think he can achieve something in the game,” ended Moe. Garnett commenced his football career locally with the number one club in the East Bank Football Association, Grove Hi Tech as a 9 year-old and has played at the Under13, 15, 17, 19 and senior levels. Garnett represented Guyana at Under-15 (Suriname), U-17
(Dominica) and U-19 (Dominican Republic). In the EBFA’s Stag Beer sponsored division one league last year which was played over two rounds, Garnett ended as the leading goal scorer with 21 goals and was also the tournament’s MVP. He also ended as the joint top scorer in the inaugural Stag Super XV1 KO Cup with nine goals including all five in the final which his side won 5-0. While expressing gratitude to the Management of Caledonia AIA, Garnett also thanked the East Bank Football Association, Mr. James Herbert and family, Franklin Wilson (EBFA Secretary), Clive Matthews (Grove Hi Tech Manager) who Garnett said used to plead with his mother for him {Garnett} to play which she didn’t want him to play. His mother, Kay Ann Padmore and father, Mark Anthony Garnett also came in for high praise by the young Garnett as did Coaches, Gordon Braithwaite, Jermaine Alves (Grove Hi Tech) and Sampson Gilbert among others.
Neymar: ‘Barcelona forwards better than Real Madrid’s’
in the 34th tapping in on the rebound after a Lewandowski shot was temporarily cleared with Shakhtar’s defence in complete disarray. The Bavarians picked up after the break where they left off with two quick goals from Franck Ribery and Mueller, who joined Mario Gomez on 26 goals as the best all-time German scorer in the competition, to kill off the tie. Defender Holger Badstuber scored his first goal since coming back from injuries that ruled him out for two years before Poland striker Lewandowski also got on to the scoresheet. Goetze made sure of a mention in the record books with the seventh goal of the evening.
BBC Sport - Barcelona can repeat the best season in the club’s history and win the treble this term, according to the club’s forward Neymar. The Brazilian said that his side’s attack, which also includes Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, is better than Real Madrid’s trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. Barca are chasing La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. “We have the team to think about winning the treble,” added Neymar. Barcelona last won the treble in 2008-09, but their season is hitting momentum at a time when Real Madrid are struggling for form. The Catalan giants are one point clear of Real - who they meet at the Nou Camp on 22 March - at the top of the La Liga table. In addition, coach Luis Enrique’s side hold a 2-1 lead over Manchester City in the last 16 of the Champions League, while they meet Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Copa del Rey on 30 May. Although Real are through to the Champions League quarter-finals, Carlo Ancelotti’s outfit are without
Neymar (Reuters)
a win in their last three matches. Asked if he thought Barcelona’s front three was better than Real Madrid’s, Neymar added: “I think so. “But we focus on ourselves, we don’t think about the opponents. “We try to do damage to
rival defences and every day we understand each other better. They are two brilliant players. “Leo is the best in the world and Suarez is a great goalscorer. It is an honour for me to play with them. They are two brilliant players.”
GCB steps in to avert... From page 34 in contact with the parents of several players and they have all agreed that the games should not be disrupted regardless of the legal challenge against that Body.’ It continued, ‘The team was already selected by the BCB prior to its Executives being injuncted, and the GCB will take steps to ensure that
the Tournament is successfully concluded with the participation of all the youth teams. All related expenses would be absorbed by the GCB in this regard. The GCB recognizes that this is an internal matter of the BCB and urges all stakeholders to seek a prompt resolution while respecting the order of the court.’
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Kaieteur News
Non member clubs voting at BCB AGM among reasons for court action Two clubs affiliated to the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) recently obtained an injunction restraining the Executives of that Board to function. The claims of the Port Mourant Cricket Club and West Berbice Cricket Association (WBCA) is centred around the BCB Elections not held in accordance with the Government introduced Cricket Administration Act 2014. President of the WBCA David Black and Godwin Allicock of Port Mourant made some claims outlining various breaches of the Act committed by the BCB in relation to the AGM. Black stated that non member clubs voted at the AGM which is one of the reasons for the court action. He said that
- WBCA Notices were not properly sent, subscription was not paid by member clubs, nonexisting clubs voted at the AGM, splitting of votes through Interim Management Committees in areas not aligned to the incumbents and Failure of the BCB to elect representatives to GCB AGM are other reasons for their action. The WBCA head pointed out that the BCB Constitution attached to the Cricket Bill was identical to the original BCB constitution of 12th December 1991, but failed to include amendments made over the years. “This is reflective of the lateness in the preparation of the Cricket Bill which exposes the
deficiencies in the act,” he added. Black said that the BCB wants to use the cricket bill conveniently and this cannot be tolerated. “The Executive Committee is trying to use the players as pawns but all efforts have been made to ensure none of the cricketers suffer as a result of the court action. In fact, all of the players are participating in the GCB sponsored Under 17 Tournament despite instructions from the BCB Executives to return home,” he said. In an invited comment, president of the Guyana Cricket Board, Drubahadur said that all arrangements were in place and a full Berbice team is playing in the GCB Under 17 Tournament. He added that while this was an internal matter in the BCB, no cricketer would be left behind. However, it must be noted according to discussions with several sources, both WBCA and Port Mourant participated in the AGM and objections were not made at the time of the AGM when members also agreed to split the votes of the riverain areas. The matter is however scheduled to be heard in court tomorrow.
Thursday March 12, 2015
Groundbreaking plans for 5th Wray & Nephew Contender Season Guyanese to see event live on TV
Tsetsi Davis (left, foreground), representing the Green Team, poses with Jermin King of the Yellow Team during the launch of the 2015 Wray & Nephew Contender series last Thursday. (PHOTO: MICHAEL GORDON) Jamaica Observer - J Wray & Nephew Limited has big plans for the fifth season of its Wray & Nephew Contender boxing series, the most watched televised reality series programme in Jamaica, which begins on Wednesday, March 18 on TVJ. For the first time since the inception of the Wray and Nephew Contender five years ago, the televised boxing programme will have a live broadcast in five Caribbean countries outside of Jamaica. These countries are Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, and the Cayman Islands. This groundbreaking development is in line with the international thrust that the boxing series started last year, with the inclusion of eight Caribbean boxers. Another major announcement is that media personality Denise Hunt has returned to host the televised live broadcast of the Wray & Nephew Contender, which will air on Wednesdays at 9:30 pm. Hunt previously hosted the first two seasons of the boxing series, but went on sabbatical for two years overseas to further her studies. Fitness guru Kamila McDonald-Alcock, who had done the hosting duties for the past two seasons, will now teach her in-depth knowledge of physical training and exercises to the boxers for the challenges segment of the television show. Additionally, during the show’s live broadcast, McDonald-Alcock will be getting real-time feedback in the form of comments and emotions from fans in the crowd during the fight. For a closer, more indepth television experience
for viewers, a new segment called Corner Bites will be aired, where people will be able to view and listen to the fighters and their coaches while they are in the corners in-between rounds. Gary Dixon, marketing director at J Wray & Nephew Limited, is elated about all that his company has in store in the Wray & Nephew Contender’s fifth season. “Five years strong, and the Wray and Nephew Contender continues to grow not only as a national phenomenon, but now a regional one that our Caribbean neighbours can’t wait to watch. The Wray & Nephew Contender has become more than just a television staple over the past five years, but a sporting institution that allows our boxers to get international exposure for their hard work and talent. “To thank the hundreds of thousands of persons that tune in weekly to watch the programme, we will be having a myriad of prizes, which include $10,000 cash up for grabs weekly, and a major grand prize. This grand prize is a trip to the 2016 World Championships in Beijing, China.” Dixon continued: “Chances to win these prizes can be activated from the Wraytastic Combo Pack Promotion that we will have in supermarket outlets, which will include one 750 ML sized Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum plus a 2L Schweppes Grapefruit. Wraytastic Combo packs will be available in supermarkets islandwide by the end of March.” In addition to these promotions, this season will
have a major social media activation which will see viewers having a chance to watch the programme from home with one of the four past Wray & Nephew Contender victors. This can be won through the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum’s Facebook account, and will also include a fully stocked home bar and bartender for the viewing party, courtesy of Wray & Nephew. In continuing the regional competition aspect of the Wray & Nephew Contender established last season, Jamaican boxers of the middleweight class will go up against their counterparts from the United States and the wider Caribbean. These Caribbean nationals come from Guyana, Barbados, the Cayman Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago. Carl Grant is the coach of Team Jamaica (Green Team), and Andrew Boland is the coach of Team Caribbean (Yellow Team) for this season. The names of the team members from Team Jamaica (Green Team) this year are: Kevin Hylton, Jermaine Bowen, Richard Holmes, past winner Devon Moncriffe, Kemahl Russell, Gregory Miller, Ricardo Planter, and Tsetsi Davis. Team Caribbean (Yellow Team) members are Kevin Placide, Edmond DeClou, Duke Brooks, Jermin King, Charwin Estwick, Courtney Pennington, Derick Richmond, and Winston Pompey. The prize money for this season’s Wray & Nephew Contender winner is $2,000,000, with the runner-up receiving $500,000. The opening bout will take place on March 18 at the Chinese Benevolent Centre.
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
Young players will be focus for St. Lucia Game
Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz and Assistant Wayne Dover meeting some of the young players before the start of yesterday’s training session at Eve Leary.
T
he Golden J a g u a r s commenced training yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary ahead of back to back friendly internationals commencing on March 22 against St. Lucia and March 29 against Grenada.
Under the guidance of Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz and his Assistant Wayne Dover, yesterday’s session was shortened due to a late start since the ground was also being used for the Guyana Cricket Board Under-17 competition match between Demerara and
Essequibo. Speaking with the media, Shabazz noted that a number of young players would be used for the St. Lucia encounter the likes of USA based Brandon Beresford, Canada based Jamaal Smith and some of the T&T based players who will
likely join the team closer to game date. He noted that this is the rebuilding process that will return Guyana to a formidable unit accepting that there will be a lot of work and the process would not be easy. Commenting on back to back matches, Shabazz, complimenting the Normalization Committee said that it was a huge step to organize the matches to bring back international matches to Guyana after such a long layoff. Given the short time frame, Shabazz shared that the focus would be on tactical work with a view of getting the team to play the way they want them to in attack and defence. “We are happy that the players are engaged in their clubs with the Kashif & Shanghai tournament preparations so they are coming in a lot better than the last time.”
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DDL backs KMTC post Phagwah horse race meet
Cecil Kennard (left) collects the sponsorship cheque and trophy from DDL’s Ivanoff Brand Manager Maria Munroe
T
he Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) has received the backing of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) for the staging of its post Phagwah meet which is set for Sunday at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne.
Under its Ivanoff Vodka brand, the entity yesterday handed over the sponsorship package for the D3 and lower race which will see the winner pocketing a trophy and $400,000 , while the second to fourth place (Continued on page 29)
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Kaieteur News
Thursday March 12, 2015
Gabriel back Untouchable Boss hosts big for Red Force Birthday Domino Tournament vs Guyana TTCB Media - Port of Spain, Trinidad - The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB) has announced the senior team for their Ninth Round match in the PCL Regional 4-Day Tournament against tabletoppers Guyana which takes place from March 13 to 16, 2015 in the South American republic. Notable change is the omission of hard-hitting allrounder Kieron Pollard who has requested an indefinite break from national duty, and which has been granted by the T&TCB and the National Selectors. Shannon Gabriel makes a return to the side for the game. T&T Squad: Rayad Emrit (Captain) Jeremy Solozano Imran Khan Kjorn Ottley Jason Mohammed Yannic Cariah Yannick Ottley
Shannon Gabriel Steven Katwaroo Marlon Richards Shannon Gabriel Bryan Charles Derone Davis Mark Deyal
Untouchable Boss ‘Lyall Gittens’ will be celebrating his birthday with a big twoday Domino Tournament and take-away lunch scheduled to be staged from March 20-21 at the Banks DIH Sports Club, starting at 15:00 hrs. Kaieteur Sport caught up with the Organiser and he told this newspaper that it anticipated to be one of the biggest tournaments for sometime with a number of the leading Domino Clubs and teams anticipated to participate in the competition. Gittens, who is widely regarded as one of the premier organisers of the sport said that teams from the Private and Public Sectors have been invited to participate in the tournament and he expects most of them to confirm their attendance very shortly. Close to $350,000 in prize monies and trophies will be up for grabs and entrance fee is $10,000 per team. The winning team will
collect $150,000 and a trophy, while the runner-up receives $100,000, 3 place $50,000 and 4 place $10,000. According to Gittens, among the teams invited are F& H Printery, Sterling Products, the Guyana Police Force, Banks DIH, Guyana National Shipping Corporation, CCI, Orin Taxi Service, Ministry of Works, Guyana Harbour Bridge, Frankie’s, Legend, Buxton All Stars among others. The leading sponsors of the event are: Jada Juices of Guinness Bar, August Beverages, Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Sdtall, Korner Kick, Cyril’s Taxi Service, HJ Boom Station, Gobin’s & Sons, Kaieteur Spring, Big B o s s Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n , Demerara Ice House, Strikers Sports Club, Boom Town DVD, Park 28, Michael and Lisa of First Street, Bartica, ABU Taxi Service, North East Taxi Service, Beck’s Lumber Ya r d a n d P a t t e r s o n Associates. rd
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Lyall Gittens
ANGRY RONALDO’S RECORD GABF Int’l Series overshadowed by poor Real showing continues tonight MADRID (Reuters) Two-goal Cristiano Ronaldo may have become the record scorer in European competition on Tuesday but the Real Madrid forward was left seething by another poor performance from the stuttering European champions. Te l e v i s i o n c a m e r a s captured a grim-looking Ronaldo shaking his head and apparently mouthing “disgrace” to Karim Benzema shortly before the end of Real’s 4-3 defeat to Schalke 0-4 at the Bernabeu, the holders squeaking through to the quarter-finals 5-4 on aggregate. Ronaldo’s two first-half headers had helped keep hopes of a record-extending 11th European crown alive and took his tally in European competition to a record 78 goals, surpassing Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (76) and former Real striker Raul (77). However, they were one of the few bright spots in a generally weak showing that came hard on the heels of the 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao at the weekend that cost Real top spot in La Liga. The reverse to Schalke
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nternational Basketball will continue tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when Bermuda take on Guyana in the second of three games scheduled in the 2015 Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) International Basketball Series. The night begins at 7pm when Republic Bank Nets play Trinity Grid Holdings Pacesetters in the preceding game with the featured Guyana vs. Bermuda clash following from 9pm; the first game was played last night while game three is set for Saturday night. The International Basketball Series will take a break tomorrow when the Guyana Olympic Association hosts the teams at a luncheon. Comedian Kirk ‘Chow Pow’ Jardine is the nightly host with halftime entertainment scheduled on each night. The GABF indicated that it has done all within its scope to ensure that an atmosphere of peace is enforced as the Guyana Police Force will be providing security. The Series forms part of Guyana preparation for the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championship in June.
Cristiano Ronaldo (L) goes for a header challenged by Marco Hoger during their round of 16 second leg soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, March 10, 2015. REUTERS/Juan Medina
was their first home defeat in the Champions League in 22 matches since April 2011 and the players were whistled off the pitch by the angry home fans, many of
whom waved white handkerchiefs in the traditional sign of discontent. Ronaldo g r u ff l y a n n o u n c e d t o reporters he was not going to speak to the media again until
the end of the season, leaving captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas to try to explain the team’s recent slump. “The team has again (Continued on page 29)
GCB steps in to avert crisis
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he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has taken swift action to ensure that cricket is not disrupted in the Inter-County Under-17 Tournament which is currently underway. A release from the board stated, ‘The GCB learnt yesterday that 16 persons from the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) have been prevented from functioning as the Executives of the Berbice Cricket Board. The GCB is of the firm view that, irrespective of the challenges facing that or any other Board, cricket must not be affected. The GCB has been (Continued on page 29)
Thursday March 12, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 35
Tang Soo Do martial Demerara trounce Essequibo, arts arrives in Guyana GCB INTER-COUNTY U-17 TOURNEY
U-15 upset Berbice Select XI
By Zaheer Mohamed Demerara secured a 158run victory over Essequibo, while a select U-15 team defeated Berbice select XI by four wickets when the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-County U-17 50-over tournament got under way yesterday. Spearheaded by contrasting half centuries from Timothy Mc Almont and Gavin Boodwah, Demerara rattled a challenging 302-8 off their allotted overs after they were inserted at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary. Mc Almont and Boodwah came together with their team in a comfortable position on 1514 and featured in a fifth wicket stand of 69 to further frustrate the opposition. Mc Almont got into his stride quickly, hitting Sachin Persaud for maximums while Boodwah expertly rotated the strike. Mc Almont continued to play his shots without fear and struck five fours and a similar number of sixes before he was caught off Travis Nedd for a top score of 67 with the score on 287. The Essequibians consistently over pitched and Boodwah capitalized well. He stroked medium pacer Kevin Christian t h r o u g h l o n g o ff a n d deposited him for a maximum in the said area before hitting boundaries off Persaud. He continued to accumulate his runs, mixing
Gavin Boodwah aggression with defence before he was caught off Christian for 62 with five fours and two sixes. Earlier, openers Joshua Persaud and Raymond Perez added 39 before pacer Joshua Jones provided Essequibo with the breakthrough when he had Persaud caught for 20. However, Perez and Bhaskar Yadram laid the foundation for a sizeable total with a second wicket partnership of 53. Demerara then lost them both in quick succession - Perez was run out for 21, while Yadram went for 34, leaving the score at 108-3. Ramnarine Chatura hit three fours and one six in scoring 26 before Mc Almont and Boodwah steadied the innings. Jones claimed 2-55 while Persaud, Christian, Nedd and Mark Williams had one each.
Essequibo were restricted for 144-8 in 50 overs in reply. Pacer Ronaldo Mohamed bowled Jones (01) in the third over b e f o r e Wi l l i a m s , w h o stroked Colin Barlow majestically to the cover boundary, was run out for seven. Christian and Persaud added 27 for the third wicket before off-spinner Sagar Hathiramani picked up three quick wickets-hitting back the stumps of Persaud (13), Mahendra Persaud (00) and Troy Drakes (06) leaving the score at 58-5. But Christian played with a straight bat, adding 42 for the sixth wicket with Shakeem Sue who slammed two fours and one six. Following the demise of Sue for 22, Christian shared in a 36-run seven-wicket partnership with Matthew Chung before he was dismissed for 32 (1x4) off 81 balls. Chung was left not out on 14 as Hathirimani snared 3-26 and Mohamed 2-28. Looknauth and Yadram took one each. Mc Almont was named man of the match. At Everest, Berbice select XI were bowled out for 98 in 34 overs, batting first. Matthew Hardial scored 17 and Chris Ramnarine 15. Kevin Omroa captured 3-17, Kelvin Anderson 2-37 and Ashmead Nedd 2-9. The select U-15 team replied with 99-6 in 41.5 overs. Junior Sinclair cracked 22; Nedd 20 not out and Anderson 11 not out. Asif Ally took 3-10 and Kevin Sinclair 2-5.
From left; Roland Eudoxie Fly Jamaica Senior Marketing Officer Wesley Tucker, Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony and Master Jose Torres.
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new form of martial arts has made its way to Guyana, thanks to International acclaimed specialist Master Jose Torres. Tang Soo Do is described as a Korean martial art which incorporates fighting principles from subak as well as northern Chinese kung fu. The techniques of what is commonly known as Tang Soo Do combine elements of Shotokan Karate, Subak, Taekkyon, and Kung Fu. Guyana is the first Caribbean country to open its doors to this type of Martial Arts, following locations in the USA, Mexico, Canada and Puerto Rico. At a simple ceremony at the office of Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony, in the presence of local instructor Roland Eudoxie and Torres, it was announced the school based will be at the National Gymnasium with classes commencing on April 1 and are held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays.
The school caters for entrants starting at five years old and registration is $5000 which is a yearly subscription and $2000 monthly for children as old as 12 years and $3000 for adults. Uniforms are also on sale for $4000. According to Torres, the good thing about Tang Soo Do is that it doesn’t require other persons leaving their respective schools since the technique incorporates the other forms of Martial Arts. “I think we should make it clear that if you want to join our school, you don’t have to leave another. The thing is with Tang Soo Do if you know another form of Martial Arts, it will actually help you a lot,” Torres said. He added, “I’m happy that we were endorsed by the Ministry of Sport and so far our first corporate sponsor is Fly Jamaica.” Torres pointed out that in November, the school will be hosting the ‘Guyana Open Martial Arts’ tournament that will feature teams from North America and further afield.
LEWIS HAMILTON feels he has mental strength to defend F1 title
Man of the match Timothy Mc Almont (right) collects his prize from selector Nazimul Drepauls Lewis Hamilton won 11 F1 races in 2014. (Getty Images) BBC Sport - Lewis Hamilton feels he is “stronger than ever” thanks to the “impenetrable” mental attitude he fostered in becoming world champion last year. The Briton said he drew strength from winning the title amid a fierce rivalry with Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Hamilton added that he would not let his break-up with Nicole Scherzinger affect him ahead of this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
“I developed a mental attitude I would like to say was impenetrable,” he said. “Of course, in previous years it has been the case where it [a break up] has affected my life in general. “But I feel I still carry that kind of mentality from last year - and while it’s not been easy, having been in this position before I feel stronger than ever, so I don’t feel it’s going to be a problem.” Hamilton said the collision with Rosberg during the Belgium Grand
Prix at Spa last season that strengthened his resolve. Speaking to the Observer, Hamilton said: “After Spa I thought ‘I’m going to turn this up. I’m going to have to turn this up. This means war.’ After Spa I had a different approach.” He described becoming world champion for a second time as “like a warmth in your heart that you carry”, but said there is “no less pressure” going into the new season. The Briton added: “I (Continued on page 29)
t r o Sp AAG shortlists nine GROVE HI TECH Striker Joins Pro for CARIFTA Games League with Goals
Cassie George
Compton Caesar
Domini Garnett is presented with his shirt by Caledonia AIA General Manager Ricarda Nelson.
Young players will be focus for St. Lucia Game P. 29
Claudrice McKoy
Ornesto Thomas
Natricia Hooper
Mayweather, Pacquiao promise fight for the ages
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao face off in Los Angeles at a press conference.
Kenisha Phillips
Sangakkara milestones in Sri Lanka’s romp vs Scotland
Kumar Sangakkara shapes to play the scoop ©AFP
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