Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition March 14, 2013 - Vol. 6 No. 11

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Price $80 (VAT Inclusive)

Online: http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

US wants enforcement of

laws against corrupt money “The influence of narcotics trafficking is evident in the political and criminal justice systems”

… assets earned through corruption not being seized

Neighbours caught stealing, given sound thrashing

Rose Hall recalls centenary British national says he found of shooting of 15 workers pouch with Cdn$10,500, not cop

Marriott's financial arrangements unheard of in the Caribbean - Ram - private media not invited as Ramotar tours site

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Kaieteur News

Thursday March 14, 2013

Robbers beaten, tied up to post by residents - One discovered to be a neighbour Two robbers were beaten and tied up by residents of Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara yesterday who caught them entering the lower flat of a house. One of the men was discovered to be a neighbour.

The men were confronted by residents after one of the robbers was acting suspiciously while standing on a step at Lot 552 Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara. The man on the step was confronted and attempted to flee the scene but was apprehended by residents, who in turn concluded that he was the lookout for another man who was already in the house.

Both men were beaten and tied with ropes onto two separate posts in the same yard in which they were caught.

Ironically, the man caught in the house was a neighbour.

Both men were given a thrashing. Embarrassed relatives of the thieving neighbour immediately requested that his clothing and belongings be removed.

Police were summoned and the men were saved from a further beating. They were

The neighbour who was caught red handed in the house. taken to the Grove Police Station pending charges.

“Imagine one of them is a neighbour, and he get caught coming through the door

after the other one try to run away…The last time we caught someone stealing like this we tied up the man on a mango tree.”

A policeman carrying the men tied with ropes to the patrol vehicle while residents look on.

DO YOU KNOW THAT JAGDEO’S BEST FRIEND IS THE ONLY PERSON IN GUYANA TO OWN THREE MEDIA HOUSES ...

Radio, Television and Newspaper?

Dr. Bobby Ramroop

1) Channel 28 now TVG 28 2) A radio station - 89.5FM 3) Guyana Times newspaper

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Thursday March 14, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Police, Buxtonians make new start … residents call for removal of stigma Eleven years ago, ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) would not have envisioned having peaceful discourse with members of the Buxton community. But all that changed on Tuesday when senior members of the Force engaged residents in an attempt at starting a new relationship with the community.

Buxtonians were asked to forget the past and start anew; to focus on a future where the police and residents can become friends to build a stronger and safer community. The Force’s outreach programme saw Buxtonians congregating at the community’s High School to relate their woes. The police, likewise, related their plans for the area.

Assistant Commissioner and Commander of ‘C’ Division Eric Bassant, Superintendent of Police Stephen Mansell, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Albert Ferrell, Inspector Alli Ashram of Cove John Police Station and several ranks under their command including traffic officers were available.

Buxtonians were told of plans to launch a Buxton Police Youth club which will start in the next two weeks.

The officers highlighted that in various communities, seasoned criminals are recruiting young men for criminal activities. The cops said that they are willing to accept the youths and engage them in various skills activities such as forensics training and photography among other things through the youth group.

The stigma attached to the Buxton Community When community members were given a chance to air their concerns, several issues about the treatment they receive from the police arose.

One woman complained that when a report is made, they hear comments like “Buxton again”. Persons are treated harshly, they said.

A man added that even when persons seek work and engage business people, there would be withdrawal when Buxton is mentioned.

Residents cried out about police harassment especially where young males are concerned.

An outspoken young man, one of the few in attendance, asked about police Standard Operating Procedures when approaching persons and about stop and search methods by police officers and the manner in which they should conduct themselves.

That same man had expressed earlier that the community deserves an apology because of how residents were treated during the “crime wave” of the early 2000s.

He said that he lived through the events and it had been downhill for the community ever since.

Residents continued to complain about police officers who take bribes and order money from residents, even when a crime has not been committed, they said.

“Dem does tell you how dem got to mek dem box money.”

To these issues, Commander Bassant charged that he would not condone any acts of harassment and corruption.”If you see an officer doing wrong, don’t be afraid to report it,” he urged.

Superintendent Mansell said that there are Standard Operating Procedures for all ranks. Officers too have a hard time dealing with tough characters. “Ranks complain sometimes how people curse them and tell them all kinds of things.”

Mansell spoke about persons liming on street corners, something he said is illegal.

Requesting police assistance Residents asked for better police response. Since the focus was on the youngsters, residents asked for assistance with game

A resident makes a point during the police outreach programme at Buxton

shop owners who allow students during school hours to use their facilities. A teacher asked about traffic ranks being posted at pedestrian crossings near private schools and none for their public school.

She said that she would have to assist students in crossing as it is difficult to get over the busy street because vehicles do not give way.

Another teacher contributed that at one time even a police car sped past the pedestrian crossing without stopping for the school children.

“If I could have gotten close to him, I would have asked him what is your motto?” she charged. The teacher continued that when police presence is required at schools, it is difficult. One time, she said, a young man ran into the school with a cutlass and the police when contacted said they had no vehicle and told her to call another police station; it was only after she threatened to go to the media that they turned up.

It was promised that from yesterday the pedestrian crossing problem would be rectified and the crossing would soon get a face lift.

Complaints continued about loaded school buses with load music to which the police promised action. When highlighted, the police also promised to look into matters

Unavailability of prosecutor stalls High Court proceedings The High Court criminal proceedings which are being heard by Justice Brassington Reynolds in the Berbice High Court have been severely curtailed by the unavailability of a prosecutor.

The trial of Mohamed Alli, called “Dick”, of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, who is indicted on a charge of attempting to murder Ann

Singh, the mother of his child, on March 31, 2009 at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, was scheduled to commence.

However, when the matter was first called on March 7, the accused indicated to the court that he had secured the services of a lawyer and needed some time.

The judge had given the accused until last Tuesday to

secure the services of a lawyer.

However on Tuesday the court was informed that appointed prosecutor, Dionne Mc Cammon, would not be available until the following week, thus halting the commencement of the proceedings.

The accused had also not secured the services of a lawyer.

of neighbourhood bullies and petty robberies.

Tuesday’s meeting closed on a positive note as Buxtonians and residents who spoke of other areas were seemingly satisfied and appreciative of the police initiative to engage the community.

The police said there is fresh talent in Buxton and

they will assist youths to tap into it. That was one way they said they could assist the youths in staying away from trouble.

Community elders were asked to play a part in a new initiative to have these persons intervene in a matter before the police.

Mansell said, “Not everything should be about

the police. Community leaders can intervene. It should not always be about charging and prosecuting a person.”

He said if something happens and community leaders could assist they should and if they see that the matter needs the Force’s intervention, then the necessary is done.

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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

New money and the society Slowly but surely Guyana is finding ways of preventing people from walking around with large sums of cash to conduct the most basic of transactions. Traditionally Guyanese were accustomed to walking around with wads of cash.

Many of the older folk preferred to keep their money in their homes under mattresses or in tins. There were also reports that some people kept their money buried in their yards. This may have been something that was a carry-over from the days of slavery and indentureship when there were no banks and the people had to have ready cash to purchase whatever was on sale by the colonial master.

This tradition continued to the point where the descendants of the slaves and indentured labourers continued with the tradition of keeping cash. Beggars were chief among the hoarders and there have been cases of beggars dying on the streets and people finding all their money strapped to their bodies.

That could have been done then because the rate of crime was not what it is today. Young people were not as violent or as disrespectful of people. The result is that once someone has a large sum of cash that person can expect some unwanted visits. Many people have been robbed of millions of dollars en route to or from a commercial bank.

Some of them have been robbed of similar sums in their homes. Business places accustomed to holding cash have been similarly robbed. And these robberies have not been isolated incidents. They have been so commonplace that whenever people hear about robberies they know that someone had been relieved of a bundle of cash.

As the society progressed and as banking became more popular, people began depositing their cash in the banks.

But they maintained the practice of withdrawing large sums of paper and transporting it to another location to complete a transaction.

Many people would recognize that all that was needed was a manager’s cheque that was as good as the currency itself. For some reason, chequing accounts did not become popular among the average citizen. And there were many factors that created this distrust of the chequing system.

For one, for someone to accept a cheque one would have had to have developed a business arrangement; there was need for some trust.

However, in this world there is plastic. Plastic money has become so pervasive that in many countries there would be more people with credit cards than people with cash.

And plastic money is more trusted than paper money which can lend itself to forgery.

For some time now members of the local business community have been beseeching the banks to promote the use of plastic money and so reduce the risk of robberies and even death. Indeed, some businessmen keen to avoid taxation would prefer to deal in cash. The ultimate thing is that whenever they become victims of a robbery the amount of money they lose would be more than they would have been required to pay as taxes.

But even the banks have not been as proactive as they should have been. Indeed, they all introduced debit cards which are fast becoming popular but these cards are not interchangeable. In short, one bank would be hesitant to allow another to use its facilities. This is the way to go, though.

Now there is mobile money that has the potential to render the postal service a little less needed. One hopes that this introduction would further see the need for people to walk around with lots of cash and so avoid attacks from those whose prime intention is to prey on those who intend to work hard for their livelihood.

Mobile money is nothing new. It has been around some of the developed world for a long time. Japan is one country in which there is no end to money transfer terminals. India with its huge population is also home to a vast array of mobile money services.

In Guyana this could be a blessing for many.

Thursday March 14, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

Is Mr. Kissoon preparing to join the communist PPP? DEAR EDITOR, Mr. Kissoon spent much of his letter, “The ethnic supremacists are going to maul Bhagwan over his admission” (KN, 11-03-13) deriding me about my line, “While some are asleep from their late-night dance, they get up early in the morning and start to wuk haad to feed themselves and their families”.

Indeed, my pronouncement in that sentence was not meant to offend or cast aspersions.

However, I do stand by the statement; I think that those who have lived in the countryside would pretty much agree with that comment, if they were honest.

Mr. Kissoon has gone on ad nauseam to focus only on the “they” in that riveting statement and has spent virtually no time on the “some”?

I echo what Bob Marley said “…and who the cap fit, let them wear it!”

No matter how ridiculous, no matter how preposterous, no matter what the innuendo is or transparency of that sentence, it is disappointing and unbecoming of the academic, to say the least, for deliberately misquoting me, and giving readers the impression that he was quoting me verbatim. I maintain that the writer is treading choppy waters in this aberration.

Mr. Kissoon has

repeatedly queried, “Where is the balance in commerce, import-export trade, financial houses, land ownership, property ownership, investments in business ventures, agricultural projects, engineering firms, the construction industry, the retail trade in downtown Georgetown, etc?”

This sounds like communism to me! Maybe Mr. Kissoon would be running on a PPP ticket come next elections, as I think that the jumbie of Karl Marx recently ‘hold’ Freddie baad!

The letter writer made reference to the letter by Leonard Craig. Please note, I appreciated Mr. Craig airing his sentiments; I replied to Mr. Craig et al, which was printed by the Guyana Chronicle on 05-03-13, titled, “Hey, can I join that group?”

That is an important testimonial in addressing why I do not consider myself an “Indian Supremacist”, or a racist.

Mr. Kissoon is full of glee that Bhagwan’s ‘blunder’ is exposed, to the chagrin of other “Indian supremacists”.

Listen, folks, as the big man unfurled his thunder: “Here is the self-destruction rant from Bhagwan that got him into trouble.

Every Indian supremacist must be looking for Bhagwan.

Here goes; “When you consider that Indians comprise 43% of the population (compared to 33% for Africans), one can

apprehend the ethnic equation imbalance better.””

I have sent at least seven letters to the Editor where I stated that the ethnic composition of Indians is either 43% or 43.5%, and the African makeup is either 30% or 30.2%.

Yet this former lecturer in Social Science who probably taught Statistics at the University has latched on the latest (inaccurate) figures that I gave in that last KN letter.

Believe it or not, but the “33%” figure for Africans was a typo. On my computer keyboard, the ‘0’ and the ‘3’ are adjacent to each other, and me juk de wrang key!

I am surprised and disappointed that eminent recent Professor would completely ignore my previous stats references, and hone in only on that one figure (33%). It is essential, however, that we go by facts, not fiction or feelings. The ethnic composition data have been taken from statistics provided by Statistics Guyana, and is backed up by NGOs in the country, as well as respected international outfits. So have your merry way, Fred; enjoy your voyeurism!

Mr. Kissoon has listed some stunning figures about Indian ownership of financial and other resources. In any event, we must take the letter writer’s data with a grain of salt, after his apparent “research” which was done in 2010, where he stated “almost

99.99 percent” are owned by East Indians; in other words, out of 10,000 businesses or so, about 9,999 are owned by East Indians! (What research tool did Mr. Kissoon use to calibrate his figures? Were his sources primary or secondary)?

Now, let us give Mr. Kissoon the benefit of the doubt for a moment, and accept his figures. Is the (Indian) ownership as result of diorism or favouritism? If so, I agree 100% with Mr. Kissoon in condemning such goings-on, as I join with him and all Guyanese in working towards a fairer and just society.

However, I am not surprised by some of the stats presented by Mr. Kissoon, where he claimed, “Almost 90% of downtown businesses are owned by Indians…Almost 90% of the import-export trade is controlled by Indians. Almost 90% of commercial transactions in Guyana are done by Indians.”

In Idi Amin’s days in Uganda, about 75,000 Indians had control of 90% of the economy – so the dictator kicked them out of the country. Shortly after, they were cajoled back into Uganda, so the burgeoning business is propelled again, almost solely by the Indians.

As I type this letter, a massive shopping mall that would employ thousands of Africans is being built in Continued on page 7

Thursday March 14, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

Awareness of accountability and a system desperately in need of reform DEAR EDITOR, The country seems to be unsure about what policing is about, and what kinds of accountability should be demanded from the Minister of Home Affairs.

Over the last 12 months, we have witnessed police involvement in the killing of Ron Somerset, Shemroy Bouyea, Ivan Lewis, Shaquille Grant and Dameon Belgrave. We have seen the police beat Ms Prince and her son in Marudi, and seen this happen in the presence of citizens and public servants.

The Linden Commission of Inquiry has included some comments about the reform needed in policing, much as other initiatives have done over the years.

In 1964, Minister Janet Jagan resigned as Minister of Home Affairs after the failure of the police to protect the victims of the riots and the 1963 and 1964 violence. Her resignation statement (available online at http:// www. j a g a n . o rg / Janet%20Jagan/ J J % 2 0 A r t i c l e s / JJ%20Articles%2019421964/jj_early4.html)

recounts some of the horrors of the 1963 and 1964 violence.

Mrs Jagan made it clear that she resigned because the police at the time were impartial in their treatment of citizens.

It is necessary to read Mrs Jagan’s thoughts, in 2013, 100 years after police killed Indian labourers at Rose Hall Estate, because it also tells of Mrs Jagan’s vision for the Guyana Police Force.

Mrs Jagan stated that despite the problems of policing at that time she felt that “... with an earnest and sustained effort and the goodwill of all concerned, the problem would be solved and we would evolve a balanced and impartial Police Force working in cooperation with the Government and the people...”

As we watch in horror as the Minister of Home Affairs and the Guyana Police Force have not detained the man who beat Ms Prince and her son, we read Mrs Jagan, referring to other ‘illegals’, fifty years ago as she had written to the Commissioner in relation to the police brutality on peaceful

DEAR EDITOR, “Are white people superior to non-whites?” An intriguing question. I am still trying to figure out whether the descriptions ‘intelligent’ and ‘knowledgeable’ are used interchangeably. To me the former is innate, instinctive, the latter acquired over a period of time.

In the 1990s while in Guyana, I read of the instinctive reaction of a very young child when he witnessed the shooting of his family in the yard. The man, still carrying the gun, then headed towards the house where the child was. The boy toddled to the door and drew the bolt across. The man was unable to get the door open and the child’s life was thus spared. That, to me, was real intelligence. Where did that come from? That was innate, natural. And the child was black.

It does not seem logical that one race could claim to be superior to another where intelligence is concerned.

Much depends on the environment in which one is brought up. One’s mind is trained to cope accordingly,

whether in sophisticated surroundings or in a more natural, simple environment.

It would be interesting to see how each group copes if members from each swap places for a week or so.

Years ago, in many British workplaces, colonials were generally regarded as ‘slow’ by their white colleagues, while colonials regarded Brits as being superficial.

The truth often came to light when there was a hiccup - colonials had anticipated it and had an answer ready.

Anticipation is not a strong point with the Brits. Even today.

I tend to agree that “the problem will only go away when non-white people stop behaving as if the white race is better...” An Anglo-Indian work colleague told me that at her workplace in India there was a British office manager who was always trying to belittle her Chinese colleague, until one day, in the presence of a full room, she said to him “Don’t let my nationality and colour fool you.” That put a stop to his bullying.

Geralda Dennison

An intriguing question

squatters on the East Coast “Your task is to see that law and order are maintained as impartially as possible. You have to expect a comparison of Police action now with such action last year. If squatters in 1963 could invade Government offices without receiving bayonet wounds it is not too much to expect that squatters should be allowed to sit on roads without being injured.”

Is it too much to expect in 2013, that Ms Prince or any citizen could sit on any road in protest without being injured or killed by the police?

Many times the lament is made that there are bad police and that they give the Guyana Police Force a bad name. Many of us who work with police know that there are many who seek to do the right thing.

Mrs Jagan wrote “…a good section of the Police Force of all ranks are conscientious, fair-minded and loyal. But many of these have had to close their eyes to injustices for fear of disfavour. I know Police officers of all races who have been harassed and hounded because they have sought to

do their duty as they know in conscience it must be done.”

We witnessed the debacle of the former Commissioner of Police Henry Greene, who it seemed was immune from any sanctions of those to whom he reported, even as we expected the police to do better as they dealt with sexual violence and domestic violence - crimes which affect women. Mrs Jagan wrote “The tragedy is that the effectiveness of the loyal section of the Police Force is seriously impaired by the misdeeds of their colleagues.”

Many of us prefer not to

wear seat belts, and we do enjoy the 120km/h drives on the new roads and as a result, sometimes view policing as a nuisance.

The Minister of Home Affairs has indicated some measures for reform. The tragedy though is that the Minister’s best intentions would not work if he does not feel accountable, as Mrs Jagan obviously did, for the performance of the institution which he and she inherited and which since then, and until now, is in desperate need of reform.

Vidyaratha Kissoon

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Thursday March 14, 2013

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

Guyana: a dangerous country?

DEAR EDITOR, In my few years of living in this country, I have often questioned the general acceptance of mediocrity and w i d e s p r e a d unprofessionalism evident in the society at large. It is indeed a classic situation that I believe facilitates the growth of an uncomfortable and unpredictably dangerous environment. In support of this position, several examples spring readily to mind. I will cite a few that I find particularly disturbing and which are practices that would not be accepted or go unchallenged in other societies.

I speak for instance of a Guyanese citizen whom, following injury and subsequent visits to three medical facilities, dies for lack of proper medical assistance.

Then there was a story of a government official who walks into a national radio/TV station and demands, brazenly, that songs adjudged as winners of a national calypso competition, be removed from airplay. No prior consultation with legitimate bodies!

Just a move it seems, inspired by political whims

and motives. In more organized societies, this would be the prerogative of an established Broadcasting Commission or at the very least, the ministry with responsibility for culture or information. Why the difference in Guyana?

I listened recently to a program entitled “Phadra’s Health, Wellness and Business” aired regularly on national TV. The program peddles products which the enthusiastic female presenter claims as virtual panacea for common but serious diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus, Parkinson’s, lupus erythematosus, kidney stones, hepatitis, cancer andAlzheimer’s.

Having worked in a medical facility, I know that many of these are chronic diseases that take years to develop. In most cases by the time they are manifest, irreversible damage would have been done to body tissues and systems.

While I question the qualifications of the presenters and the basis on which the curative properties of their products are founded, I find it insensitive and even cruel for programs to offer ‘remedies’ to desperate and

unsuspecting persons in spite of no conclusive and empirical evidence to substantiate their claims. Here again, in other societies, such programs would be scrutinized, regulated and only aired if backed by sound scientific research and evidence. Short of that, strong legal repercussions would be faced by the TV or radio station.

More recently, the action of members of the national police force was quite disturbing. These ‘guardians of the society’ subjected a citizen and her child to brutal physical and mental abuse – the Marudi Trail beatings! I don’t know for sure if this is allowed under Guyana laws.

If not, will anyone be held accountable? Certainly in other advanced societies, this would not go unchallenged.

What I find mindboggling is the general disinterest demonstrated by the wider society. No collective show of disapproval. Most persons, thus far, seem insensitive to this insidious undercurrent of unprofessionalism and mediocrity. This I find dangerous.

B. O. Campbell

Why not introduce a Taj Mahal Tax on homes worth more than $20 million?

DEAR EDITOR, As supporters of the poor and the working class in Guyana, we ask, why to date has the Presidential Tax Reform Commission not met and deliberated on this much vexed question of the inequity of our tax system? Why have they not recommended tax reform measures for executive implementation?

The PPP always attempts to claim that it is the political party of the working class, but in over a decade it has failed to implement a more fair tax regime; rather with the introduction of the VAT, the poor and the working class were strangled. So much for the political rhetoric!

Every primary school child that observes the attempts of their mother to survive under this administration understands the importance of changing our tax system to make it fairer.

Only the members of the cabal are oblivious of the sufferings of the people.

Why can’t the PPP introduce a Taj Mahal Tax on homes worth over $20 million? It is both practical and widely supported by

public opinion. It addresses the gross unfairness whereby a person with a regular house is called upon by the GRA to pay property tax, but most of the Taj Mahals in Guyana are not taxed.

Where is the fairness? We call on the AFC and APNU to champion this initiative in the name of the poor and the working class.

It is no secret that the PPP would not back a Taj Mahal Tax, since many of their former bicycle riders a r e n o w o w n e r s o f Ta j Mahals after short stints in Government. But there is no reason for the majority opposition not to continue to press them to institute this Taj Mahal Tax, reform the Corporation Tax and PAYE regime to put more resources into the pocket of the engine of growth – the private sector and the working class to take more risk and expand our economy.

From our preliminary discussion with a member of the PPP Cabinet, that party does not have an appetite for a Taj Mahal Tax. It was made clear to us that they will

filibuster on this issue since it will directly affect many in the government and they are of the core belief that as the political rulers, they should not pay taxes; that is the duty of Banks DIH, DDL, the public servants and the sugar workers.

The people must pass judgment on the PPP for their lethargy at Tax Reform in favour of the “have-nots”.

The PPP is on record of having the most oppressive tax regimen, even worse than that of the PNC regime. It is the PPP which reaped some $33 billion in VAT in 2012.

This is a new tax for the mothers of Guyana that they did not pay in the past and thus many are expecting some tax relief from this PPP Government. But do not expect much since the cabal represents the Sheriff of Nottingham; all they want is more gold from the poor.

The majority opposition, especially the AFC, is expected to push the PPP to deliver a more fair society enabling everyone to get a better deal.

Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh

Thursday March 14, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

Those managing our country’s resources never cease to stun me DEAR EDITOR, The so-called highly qualified individuals that manage our resources in this country never cease to stun me.

The latest evidence of their incompetence is the construction of a parking lot for GRA’s office on a vacant lot next to St. Margaret’s Primary School.

I was at the school for a meeting at 3:00 pm and the excavators with their tremendous noise were a true nuisance, hence, I could imagine what the children and

teachers experienced during the day.

There is a nursery school at rear of the compound also and the sand keeps dispersing during the day. My child developed a terrible cough as a result.

I would presume that the parking lot required urgency, since it couldn’t wait to be constructed during the Easter school-closed period.

However, what I really want to stress on is the fact that St. Margaret’s Primary School has classroom cluster problems along with other

schools in Georgetown, in addition to the unavailability of a playground, and yet the vacant lot right next to the school is being utilised for a mere parking lot.

You may recall that Sacred Heart Primary was burnt down since 2004, and to date there are no plans to construct another school, but rather, the solution is to overcrowd existing schools in Georgetown and make more parking lots, effectively providing a better future for cars.

Concerned citizen

From page 4 Kampala – you’ve guessed it – by an Indian!

Indians make up about 1.5% of the U.S. population, yet they account for more than 38% of the doctors in the country. Similarly, 36% of NASA scientists and 34% of Microsoft employees are Indians. And guess what, Freddie – Indians own more than 50% of the motels in the U.S. Can you imagine what the ethnic business ownership would be like if Indians were 5% or 10% of the population? If the business and professional pattern continues in the U.S., sooner or later one might see a similar ninety something percentage of Indian ownership in that country!

Mr. Kissoon gleefully declared that he’d use my (ethnic composition) figures as a “model” to argue and

demand ethnic balance. My (figure) statement was just that – a comment; it is not a “model”; a model is a representation to show construction or appearance of an entity. This reminds me of Mr. Kissoon’s super “Plural” (comical) model which he described as working well before the PPP came to power; these days the only supermodel that continues to move me is Aishwarya Rai Bachan.

The letter writer surmises that advocates of the Indian cause would be out to get my blood by what I have written regarding ethnic numbers. I am proud to have brought to the open the facts of ethnic composition in Guyana.

Many Indians have become conscience-stricken; they cringe, and become apologetic when they hear that in Guyana more

scholarships, more contracts, more jobs are given to Indians.

Indians, instead of pulling their tail under, they could now hold their heads high and assert their rights of more jobs, contracts, etc., simply on the basis that they are almost one-third more of the population compared to Africans (43.5% vs. 30.2%).

In addition to Indians and Africans, Amerindians, our indigenous, native peoples (9.2%) should also be mentioned in this equation.

In the last three missives addressed to me, Mr. Kissoon (finally) conceded the need for ethnic balance in the Disciplined Forces and the Civil Service. When cornered about the question of balance, Mr. Kissoon had nowhere to go; he had no choice but to capitulate.

Devanand Bhagwan

Is Mr. Kissoon preparing...

Gov. says US$80 million needed to complete international airport KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent - CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says his administration intends to raise US$80 million this year to complete the US$280 million international airport.

Prime Minister Gonsalves told Parliament that the funds would be raised from loans, land sales and departure taxes.

Gonsalves, who is also Minister of Finance, said an international commercial bank, which he d i d n o t i d e n t i f y, h a s approved US$5.498 million to finance the control tower. “ We ’ v e r e a c h e d t h e stage where we are identifying what we are doing to complete what,” he said, noting that the bank had also approved in principle another US$3.5 million for equipment. He said US$30 million is needed to acquire the equipment.

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves “So, if the numbers seem a little elevated from what they were before, [it is] because it involves more equipment,” he told lawmakers.

Gonsalves said that when he attended the funeral of

former Venezuela president Hugo Chavez in Caracas last week, the ALBA Bank said the last US$10 million of a US$50 million loan would be available next month and a further US$10 million is expected from the PetroCaribe initiative.

Gonsalves is estimating that EC$4.5 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) would come from departure taxes.

Gonsalves criticised his detractors who said the US$80 million would not have been raised.

“And I have seen it plastered all about that they don’t know it is going to be raised.

Well, it is not just a question of where there is a will there is a way; but you use your creative juices, your creative faculties, as we have done at every occasion, and we get there. And we are in the final leg.”

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WHAT IS EARNED SHOULD NOT HAVE CONDITIONS ATTACHED There is an age-old adage which states that impediments should not be placed in the way of a man receiving what is rightly due to him. Thus, if someone has worked, he should be allowed to receive his earnings and benefits without extraneous considerations.

There is also, however, a responsibility on the part of the government to ensure that persons satisfy their tax obligations and thus, over the years a great many administrative encumbrances have been erected to ensure that this happens.

Today, for example, if you wish to tender for a government contract, you are required to obtain tax liability and national insurance compliances from the Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Scheme respectively.

A person who does not obtain these statements would not normally be considered for the award of a government contract.

In many respects these policies are understandable.

A person who is not up to date in his tax and NIS contributions ought not to benefit from projects funded or guaranteed by taxpayers.

It may be suggested that there should be no such imposition and that tenders should be awarded strictly on technical and financial merit leaving out the demand for tax and NIS compliances.

This argument goes that having one’s tax and NIS contributions in order should not be considerations for

public tendering but these things should be left to the GRA and the NIS in the same way as a traffic cop in the United States is not concerned with the immigrant status of someone who may have breached the law, leaving the question of a suspect’s residency to the immigration department.

There is some merit in that argument but the payment of taxes is important for the operations of any government and State and the State has an ethical responsibility in ensuring that tax dodgers or those whose taxes are not in order should not benefit from public funds.

Also, the government and the State have obligations to ensure that they support the collection of taxes.

Thus, the condition that a person’s taxes should be in order before that person can be awarded a Government contract and thus benefit from such an award is from an ethical point of view, meritorious.

There was a time in this country, under the PNC, when if you wanted to pop over to one of the islands of the Caribbean, you needed to obtain a tax clearance to do so. This requirement was in place up to the early nineties, until it was removed by the Desmond Hoyte administration.

It all started under Burnham who was concerned that persons were migrating without settling their tax indebtedness.

In those days droves of Guyanese were leaving for

Dem boys seh...

Donald playing hide and seek When dem boys go to de Marriott and find out that no Guyanese was wukking there dem start to protest. Donald didn’t go to de Marriott. When dem boys talk how de hotel ain’t worth taxpayers’ money and dem call pun Brazzy fuh explain wha going on, Donald didn’t visit de site.

But some water come in and flood Donald yard and is a different story. De first thing he do was to go and see wheh de water coming from. Then he go up de East Coast to see if he friend place flood. He didn’t even go to see if he house was under water.

Then he guh to de Marriott and claim how is a new standard fuh construction. He right. Is de first hotel that build before de country know wheh de money coming from; Is de first hotel that start at one price and gun finish at a new price that lower than de original price.

When Donald visit wasn’t he alone. People think was a tour fuh diplomats until dem realize that was only one ambassador been in de crowd.

But de thing is why Donald didn’t tell dem other reporters, only Gee Nah. If was a case of de man didn’t mean to answer any question people woulda understand. But de least he coulda do was show that he even handed. Instead he showing that he ain’t comfortable wid de Marriott suh he ain’t want too much people to see that he visit de project.

Was de same thing he do when he visit de Amaila Falls road project. It look like while he supporting dem controversial project he don’t want people know.

Well dem boys know wheh he stand and dem know wheh dem stand.

Talk half and see wheh Donald gun visit next in private.

permanent residence overseas and Burnham was concerned that these persons were leaving without paying their full taxes.

As such, a tax certificate was required before permission was granted for you to board the flight out of Guyana.

It was also in those days that the requirement developed that when a public officer was retiring from public service, that office had to obtain a tax compliance certificate before being allowed to receive his or her pension and gratuity.

Aside from the legality of the imposition, there is the question of whether it is morally right for conditions to be imposed before someone obtains what he has earned.

It is one thing to demand that a person obtain a tax compliance certificate before seeking to benefit from the government, through for example, the award of a contract. It is quite another thing for such a demand to be made in respect to a benefit that someone has earned.

It is tantamount to asking a man to show that he has satisfied his tax indebtedness

before receiving his salary.

The pension and gratuity of someone is a benefit that has been earned. It is not something that is being applied for.

Therefore, there should be no conditions attached to the payment of these things.

On the other hand, the government is on the moral high ground in insisting that those who are tendering for government contracts should first demonstrate that they are not indebted to the tax authorities or the NIS. However, in making such a demand, the government

must ensure that the requirement is part of the law and not just an administrative rule which does not have the force or status of a lawful demand.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday March 14, 2013

Freddie Kissoon Column

Muse, amused, bemused, confused One of the harsh cruelties of life for me is the acceptance by society worldwide, of people who have achieved fame, eminence, status or wealth and in the process societal recognition. People flock around them, want to be their friends and say positive things about them publicly.

The truth is that many of these names do not deserve the respect that comes their way. They are not the people our children should look up to and we should tell their children about them.

I have one child and I wanted to live to see her grow

up so that I could share my life’s experience with her. My soul would have roamed wildly if I had died and didn’t give my daughter a lesson on this aspect of life.

Several times I have lectured to her about the wrong humans of this country that are national figures but are unprincipled, inhumane, deceitful, indecent and dishonest human beings.

I don’t have to write an anonymous column to air my opinion on some of the personalities in Guyana whom I think do not deserve the respect of the younger

generation.

I refuse to hide my opinion under a false name.

The replies to what I have to say can be brutal as if I could be bothered and I will not be scared of using my name that my good parents gave me.

Opinions can be scandalous or they can be within the limit of what the law and social mores allow. The law and civilized values permit me the opinion to say who I respect and don’t. That is an inherent right. I respect and admire Khemraj Ramjattan, Nigel Hughes and Eusi Kwayana. That is my opinion

and I have a right to it. I do not respect Gerry Gouveia and Ramesh Dookhoo of the Private Sector Commission (PSC). It is my right to say that.

The PSC took an emotionally charged objection to a column, “Muse or Amuse” that penned some unfavourable paragraphs about Gouveia and Dookhoo recently. One gets some relief from the relentless tragic outpourings of this country by some of the clownish antics of some stakeholders.

Since when is the PSC a patriotic, principled body that

our young people take seriously? The PSC in the opinion of this columnist is a waste of time. They have participated in the concretization of oligarchic and tyrannical governance in this country for which they should be denounced and unfortunately “Muse or Amuse” did it using a hidden name.

I sat in the UG Council with Ramesh Dookhoo and I say most unapologetically, that he is not modern material for this country and for that reason he should not have been in the leadership of the PSC but then again what is the PSC. He struck me as a person more willing to support the PPP Government rather than policies that would be in Guyana’s interest. I remember once in the UG Council, that he chose not to support the upping of the retirement age from 60 to 65 (at most, if not all universities, the retirement age is beyond seventy).

I turned to him and told him that he had a boss at Banks DIH who was seventyfour. He was visibly angry as if I cared. This same Dookhoo as PSC chairman supported the cruel uprooting of over 100 Stabroek Market Square vendors. It was hypocritical for Banks DIH to retain him at the company after this because this beer company makes an enormous amount of profits selling beer at that square.

When it comes to Gouveia, I want APNU

Parliamentarian James Bond to know that I will oppose him on the platform when local government elections come around. I told Bond to his face that he should not have accepted an invitation from Gouveia to investigate how one of Gouveia’s employees was held for cocaine at the airport. APNU did not sanction Bond and the same Bond turned up at Agricola to talk to irate citizens of over a police shooting.

Gouveia openly challenged me to prove that his acquisition of Duke Lodge from Jagdeo was not above board and if I do he would sell the property. My demand was that the proceeds go to the three treason accused at the time. I won Gouveia and to this day despite public requests to honour his covenant with me, he hasn’t.

I am happy to see that since the PSC condemned “Muse or Amuse” the columnist has struck back and did another trenchant piece on the beastly nature of the PSC. Why is the Transparency Institute in discussion with those jokers?

There are 7,000 registered gold mining dredges scattered all over Guyana’s hinterland and less than 100 Mines Officers within the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to monitor their operations and ensure that they comply with regulations.

The disparity was disclosed by President of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) Mr. Patrick Harding, and confirmed by GGMC Commissioner, Rickford Vieira, during a recent meeting of the GGDMA. Mr. Harding noted that this situation has led to enforcement of the regulations emerging as a significant problem in the sector.

Harding said, “The GGMC has its hands somewhat tied as far as manpower is concerned.

The Commissioner has a very

tough task.”

He urged miners attending the meeting to work with the GGMC in carrying out environmentally friendly mining and to sell their gold either to the Guyana Gold Board or to licensed buyers.

He said that there will be enforcement of regulations and urged the miners to register their equipment and to do the right thing for the industry and encourage others to follow suit.

Mr. Vieira confirmed that the operational resources of the GGMC were inadequate.

He said, “We are at the moment not fully in control of the sub-sector. We get a lot of losses in taxes and royalties because we can’t control it.”

“There is insufficient Government income from these operations in terms of royalty and there are a lot of illegal operations that we are now trying to deal with.”

Frederick Kissoon

Enforcing gold mining regulations a mammoth task

Thursday March 14, 2013

Kaieteur News

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GBTI makes donation to GPHC Falklands see referendum as a newdawn Gavin Short, a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Falklands, announced, “This morning my fellow Falkland Islanders and I woke up to a new future. Last night, our country made its voice heard.”

“Let me be clear that thirty years after the brutal invasion of our home, the people of the Falklands want nothing more than neighbourly relations with Argentina based on shared interests and mutual respect.” Short said that the people of the Falklands have offered to sit down with Argentina and discuss differences, as twenty-first century nations should. “But the Government of Argentina prefers not to engage with us, dismissing our people as colonial settlers or pretending – as their Foreign Minister said in London recently – that we do not exist.” “Our referendum this week, which has put an international spotlight on the Falkland Islands people, is our direct response to President Kirchner’s policy of dismissal and disdain.”

The referendum was a resounding ‘yes’ to the desire of the Falklanders to remain as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. “This is the will of the people, a decision that has been

The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry recently donated six clocks for use in wards and clinics of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

GBTI’s Marketing Representative Devi Persaud handed over the clocks to GPHC‘s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Khan.

Family of drowned boy takes aim at police

The family of the 14-yearold boy who drowned on Sunday in the Berbice River has criticized the police response. They stated that the two-hour wait for the police might have cost the boy his life.

Also, questions about lack of supervision of children by parents and relatives have come under scrutiny. It was just over two weeks ago when eight-year-old Emmanuel Welch drowned in an open underground reservoir at Sheet Anchor, East Canje. He, too, was playing with friends when the incident occurred.

Abdul ‘Sonny’ Assif, a student of the Canje Secondary School, suddenly went missing in the waters of the Berbice River, while swimming after a drifting fivegallon bottle that he and five other friends were using to keep afloat. The incident occurred shortly after 16:00 hrs on Sunday at the corner of the New Amsterdam Ferry

Stelling. The teen was not a trained swimmer. The body was finally discovered at 21:00 hrs Sunday after a frantic search by family and friends.

His friend, 20-year-old Orlando Adams, stated that “we were swimming and he had a jar—all of us brought the jar—and the boys left the jar floating and it float away.”

He added that “he will get licks for the jar and the boys wanted [him] to plunge after the jar and he go between the boat and he started to look for it”.

Assif did make a plunge from a moored vessel, belonging to Oldendorff Shipping, with hopes to find the missing jar but he never came back to the surface.

“We didn’t see he raise up back and we start [to] holler out for he. We ain’t seeing he anywhere, and suddenly he raise up back and started to fight—fight—and we take off to go in for he but he went under again”.

The boy disappeared under the boat “and he stick between the tug”, and that was the last of Assif.

One of the boys’ uncles made calls to the police at Central Police Station and it took over two hours for the police to arrive.

The Central Police Station is located a short distance from the New Amsterdam Ferry Stelling. “They [the police] said they didn’t get no boats to go in the river and do the search—so the family did the search—the police ain’t do nothing”.

The relative stated that the police started to ask irrelevant questions after the body was discovered under the N/A Ferry Stelling.

Efforts to contact the Commander of ‘B’ Division, Mr. Brian Joseph, proved futile.

Assif leaves to mourn his sister, Nazeema. The body is at the New Amsterdam Hospital Mortuary awaiting an autopsy.

expressed freely and unequivocally,” Short said.

“It is also our fundamental democratic right, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and which no amount of pressure from the government of Argentina will change,” he added. Mr Short said the Falklands and the UK share a modern relationship, based on democratic values. “Like Argentina, our society is made up of European settlers. But, like Argentina, we are an open and increasingly cosmopolitan society.

Argentina’s Ambassador in London, Alicia Castro, dismissed the referendum as “Brits voting to be British”.

Over twenty nationalities voted in the referendum – including Argentines, Chileans, Americans, Russians and Britons: but all of them Falkland Islanders.

“We are not held here against our wishes. We are not an implanted population, illegally supplanting an original indigenous population. These Islands have been our home for nearly one hundred and eighty years.

“Some of us have family ties going back nine generations – longer than some of those Argentines who accuse us of being foreign implants. We are a proud, flourishing community. And we are a

people who have rights.

“The Government of Argentina says they will respect our interests, but you will forgive us if we ask: who will define our interests? Surely only we can do so.

The free and democratically expressed will of the people cannot be disregarded

by Buenos Aires as an inconvenient truth.”

“We have now opened a new chapter in that history, one that looks to the future rather than the past, and focuses on building our home for future generations.

We will focus on growing our economy through the sustainable management of fisheries, tourism and agriculture, and we will strive to develop our oil industry in an environmentally responsible manner. We will continue to place the highest value on health and education, and helping our young people to reach their full potential. “The government of Argentina has sought to restrict our communications with the rest of the world, to damage our industries, and intimidate our people. But all this has achieved is to make our resolve stronger. Our freedom cannot be stolen; our human rights will not be sacrificed.

“So this week the Falkland Islands people have had their say. It is time for other nations around the world, who respect democracy and political freedoms, to stand up and lend us their support.”`

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Thursday March 14, 2013

Argentina objects to Falklands’ referendum Following a referendum which saw residents of Falklands Islands, South Atlantic, voting to stay under the rule of the British, Argentina’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has expressed its strong objections.

In a statement, Argentina said the referendum is a “further attempt by the British to manipulate the question of the Malvinas Islands”. The British has been describing the islands as the Falklands.

According to the Ministry, the United Kingdom has called for a vote by the inhabitants that “it implanted in the Malvinas Islands in order for them to decide on matters which aim to distort the true legal status of these islands.”

“The Malvinas, South Georgias and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas” are the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina which has been recognized by both countries as well as by the international community as a whole.

“Therefore, the United Kingdom has no right to alter the legal status of these territories, not even under the guise of a hypothetical referendum. Instead of

complying with its international obligations by resuming negotiations with Argentina to solve the dispute, the British Government in an attitude that clearly demonstrates the absence of any grounds for its claim, and, above all, a lack of good faith- seeks to introduce elements aimed at distorting the definition given by international law to this dispute, which is reflected in several pronouncements by the international community.”

The Argentine government said that aware of its international isolation with regards to the question of the “Malvinas Islands”, the United Kingdom is clearly attempting to distort its dispute with Argentina, and not to solve it.

“The Argentine Constitution specifically protects the way of life of the population of the Malvinas Islands. Meanwhile, UN General Assembly Resolution 2065 calls upon both parties in the dispute, Argentina and the United Kingdom, to bear in mind the interests of such population.” Argentina said that based on this mandate, the Argentine Republic regrets these initiatives by the United Kingdom, which are both irresponsible and lacking in good faith, and urges it to

seriously reconsider its policy directed to misinforming about the legal and political facts of the disputed territory.

“This British initiative is not in line with any of the 40 United Nations resolutions on the question of the Malvinas Islands, which is considered to be a special and particular case of decolonisation, in which the existence of a sovereignty

dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom must be settled through bilateral negotiations, taking into account the interests (not the wishes) of the inhabitants of the Islands.”

The Foreign Ministry statement said that the UN’s General Assembly expressly rejected, twice in 1985, British proposals to incorporate the principle of self-

determination in the draft resolution on the question of the Malvinas Islands.

“This new British attempt to manipulate the Question of the Malvinas Islands through a vote by the population implanted by the United Kingdom in the Malvinas Islands has been firmly rejected by the Argentine Republic, as well as by UNASUR and MERCOSUR

member countries.

After two days of voting the inhabitants of the South Atlantic archipelago decided by 99.8 per cent in favour of retaining their status as a United Kingdom overseas territory. Turnout from the electorate of 1,649, some of whom had queued in wind and rain yesterday to cast their ballots in Stanley, was 92 per cent.

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Kaieteur News

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Thursday March 14, 2013

Brother set free, other for retrial in beating murder trial One brother woke up a free man this morning while his elder sibling will have to face another trial after a 12member mix jury decided their fates yesterday. Presiding over the matter was Justice Navindra Singh.

Satesh Singh, called ‘Boy Boy’ and his older brother, Parsram Lalchand, called “Desmond”, were both charged along with four other male relatives for the murder of 58-year-old Naranjan back in 2008.

Vishal, Visham and Babzie Singh were all sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment when they pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter

in relation to the said murder.

Babzie Singh is the father of Vishal, Vishnu, Akash, Satesh Singh and Parsram Lalchand. They were all accused of “double banking” the deceased and beating him at Annadale Pump Road East Coast Demerara.

The deceased was said to have been beaten so badly that he died two days after.

During that trial, the State entered a Nolle Prosequi to withdraw and discontinue the matter against Akash who was said to be a minor; 15, at the time of the murder.

Yesterday’s matter was slated for state prosecutors Konyo Thompson and

Dhanika Singh to present their closing statements.

On Monday, Attorney for the accused, Hookumchand, delivered his final address before the court.

Hookumchand is claiming that when the crime was committed, his clients were not present. The defence is that the two accused remained at their home and did not chase the deceased who was severely beaten on the roadway by the accused with pieces of wood. One of the brothers was said to have had a cutlass in his possession.

The prosecution is however contending that Singh and Lalchand were in

fact with their relatives when they brawled on the street.

According to them, the main eyewitness, Ashraf Khan, the son-in-law of the now dead Lalchand was also present during the time of Naranjan’s death.

Back in 2008, Naranjan had lost his bicycle and according to the information, he saw Lalchand at a shop with a bike similar to his.

Naranjan engaged Lalchand about the bike and was told by the accused that the bike had been loaned to him.

Lalchand also invited the deceased to go with him to the person from whom the bike was borrowed.

According to the evidence, Naranjan took with him his son-in-law and two other persons to Lalchand’s home. While there, an argument ensued. The evidence of the man’s son-inlaw is that those who went to the Singhs had to run for safety after they were attacked by the accused.

The son-in-law said that he heard his father-in-law scream and when he looked back he saw the brothers and the father beating the deceased about his body with weapons.

State pathologist Nehaul Singh testified that the man died as a result of the injuries he sustained. The doctor had said that the man had severe head injuries, broken bones

and excessive bleeding internally. According to Singh, the deceased’s skull had been fractured and the brain had swollen.

Due to that the pressure being placed on the skull caused the brain to sink into the main nerve behind the head.

There was massive bleeding under the scalp the doctor said. There were broken bones in multiple places on both the hands and legs, so much so that there were sections of the bone that had so much space that there were shattered bones and decomposing tissues within.

Attorney –at-law Peter Hugh had represented the other brothers who received 15 years.

NDIA fraud allegations

Findings to be available by month-end

Deodat Sharma

Lionel Wordsworth

About six months after a damning report of fraud allegations at the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) involving senior officials was sent to President Donald Ramotar by the entity’s Field Auditor, the truth will finally be revealed.

Findings of the investigations conducted by the Audit Office would be sent to Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Chairman of the NDIA Board, Dharamkumar Seeraj by this month-end.

In October last year, a report recommending the immediate dismissal of the entity’s Chief Executive Officer Lionel Wordsworth and Senior Section Engineer, Aneel Chowbay, highlighted several instances of fraud and conflict of interest. The report was leaked to the media.

The report on fuel consumption and equipment operations and maintenance, was conducted between May and September 2012. It was completed and submitted to the Chairman of NDIA Board of Directors on September 26, and carbon copied Ramotar.

Though, Sharma does not want to reveal details of the findings confirming if the

Field Auditor was accurate in his report, previous comments by Seeraj confirmed there were procedural breaches at the entity. In addition, in the Audit Office Report 2011, it was recommended that the Agriculture Ministry put measures in place to ensure stricter supervision and control over the issuing of fuel to the Regions for its fleet of machinery and equipment; and the log books are maintained for all of its vehicles and equipment, and submitted for audit examination when requested.

According to Sharma, focus was placed on the purchase of fuel; contracts and the procedure used to award contracts; and vouchers- particularly, who is responsible for signing off of vouchers. His office is currently wrapping up a comprehensive report into NDIA’s operations for 2012.

He noted that the investigations are not only limited to the allegations in the Field Auditor’s Report.

Apparently, a comprehensive audit was done for the year 2012 so findings would be submitted to the Public Accounts Committee.

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‘Collector’s Lane’ for East Bank highway The Housing Ministry is currently working on its ‘master plan’ to alleviate the congestion on the East Bank Demerara by constructing a secondary highway, dubbed the ‘Collector’s Lane’.

According to Minister Irfaan Ali, the Collector’s Lane forms part of the Ministry’s Macro Plan, being realized through collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works.

“This year the Ministry of Housing will commence work on the collector’s lane,” Ali announced.

As part of the overall plan, the Ministry has commenced construction of several ‘feeder roads’ including the new Providence access road, which will lead to the ‘ c o l l e c t o r ’s l a n e ’ , a n d which will link several c o m m unities along the corridor.

He explained, “The New Providence access road is one of the major feeder links; it will become a major highway finished in asphaltic surface.

It will become the major feeder roads that connect the existing East Bank Demerara Highway along the Demerara River with the Highway dam, in the inner part of the East Bank.

This road, when

completed, will lead to the ‘Collector’s Lane’, which will stretch from the East Bank, connecting Diamond all the way to Eccles then on to LBI, on the East Coast of Demerara.

As to the importance of this piece of infrastructure, one of the Housing Ministry’s Engineers, Mr. Omar Narine, noted that owing to the magnitude of the Housing Programme, the road was necessary in providing access to the land to convert to housing.

“The road is 1.5km long and 6m wide, this will connect Providence phase 1 and 2 Moderate Income section, the Re-migrant Scheme and give direct access to the Mocha Road.

The estimated time of the project completion is four to six months to bring it to asphalt level. We have expended $129M on the first phase and another $300M is projected to be expended in the second phase,” Mr. Narine revealed.

When completed, it is expected that the Providence access road will supersede the Diamond main road in terms of significance and importance.

The Minister of Housing, Irfaan Ali, has pointed to the

A section of the Providence access road, which has since been upgraded to crusher run surface.

transformation taking place along the East Bank corridor resulting in the creation of more lots, the improvement of existing infrastructure and the

creation of new facilities.

Ali reiterated that the housing strategy is integral to growth, economic expansion and poverty reduction in the

country. He noted that the transformation sweeping the country, through the housing drive, has been promoting private/public partnership,

integrated housing development and social landscaping, which takes into consideration the important elements of the economy.

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Security guard jailed for theft Puran Persaud, a security guar d a n d a l c o h o l i c attached at the Essequibo Technical Institute, was on Wednesday sentenced to two years imprisonment by Magistrate Sunil Scarce, after he admitted to stealing his neighbour ’s cash and

jewellery.

Persaud appeared unrepresented at the Anna Regina Magistrate court.

Reports are that Persaud, on Tuesday, walked into his neighbour’s house after gauging her movements and stole all of her gold jewellery

and cash, which amounted to thousands of dollars.

The neighbour was visiting another neighbour at the time.

Persaud was subsequently arrested. He later took the police to where he hid the stolen items.

Boat captain placed on $200,000 bail for wounding fellow captain.

Richard Griffith, a fisherman and captain of his boat, was yesterday placed on $200,000 bail for wounding Nawab Mohamed. He pleaded not guilty when he appeared at the Georgetown’s Magistrate’s Court.

According to police

reports, on March 8, the defendant, of Tuschen, and Mohamed, who resides at Sea View, Cornelia Ida, were on the Stabroek wharf in their individual boats.

A misunderstanding occurred between the two captains.

The accused allegedly

came out of his boat and entered the victim’s boat. He then dealt Mohamed two kicks to his left hand and allegedly stabbed him to his right knee with a knife during a scuffle.

The matter has been adjourned until March 19.

Thursday March 14, 2013

International Food and Drink Fest 2013 for Everest On Saturday, March 30, 2013, Easter Saturday, the Everest Cricket Ground at Carifesta and Camp Road in Thomas Lands, will become a beacon for gourmands looking to immerse themselves in an eclectic array of new and familiar cuisines and drinks.

This first annual ‘International Food and Drink Fest’ which is being held in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce of Guyana, and which has been organized by the Guyana Karate College, shall be a oneday gastronomic event filled with fun, authentic signature dishes, yummy treats and famous cocktails and other popular beverages of many countries from around the world, for patrons to feast on.

This Easter Weekend family event scheduled to commence from 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon and which is

expected to go well into the night, will have in addition to the sale of international cuisines and drinks, a children’s activity area, live on stage performances by local cultural groups, Latin dance performances, the music of the countries represented at the Festival, a Chef’s cookoff, a Bartending contest, a Farmers’ Market, and Beer, Wine and spirits tasting and sales.

For Beer Aficionados, there will be the top beers hailing from many different countries spanning the globe.

The depth and breadth of the Festival’s beer stock shall be unsurpassed with a most comprehensive variety.

There will be some of the world’s best dark beer, flavoured beer, lager, pale beer, sour beer, specialty beer, stout & porter and wheat beer from Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Also very experienced Mixologists will be on hand and preparing the famous cocktails of the countries attending including the martinis, highballs, lowballs shooters and tropical drinks such as the Margarita, Mai Tai, White Russian, Caipirinha, Martini, Daiquiri, Mojito, Tom Collins, Pina Colada, Cuba Libre and Sea Breeze etc.

And for the children, young adults and adult teetotalers there will be the most extensive array of non alcoholic beverages available, including smoothies, spritzers, sodas and mocktails.

For Food Lovers, this festival is a celebration of both local and global food including slushes, cheeseburgers, kebabs, lasagna, seafood and spicy Indian curries which will all be a part of the spectacularly varied menu.

British national says he found pouch with Can$10,500, not police The return of a pouch containing Can$10,500 and a Passport to an elderly Canadian-based Guyanese, may not be as straightforward as was previously reported.

The police had taken credit for the recovery of the lost pouch. They claimed that one of their Detectives, Constables Alvin Fraser found it and handed it back to its owner.

It has now been revealed that someone other than the policeman found it.

This newspaper was contacted last evening via telephone by British national, Aubyn Freeman, who expressed surprise that the policeman could claim credit for the find since it was he who found the pouch and

handed it over to the police.

Freeman, who was returning to London on Caribbean Airlines flight 424 via Trinidad on Tuesday afternoon after spending his holidays here, described in detail how he found the pouch belonging to 78-year old Abdool Haleem.

“I went into the toilet to change because I had on shorts, so I went to the last cubicle. It was a blue pouch and I saw it and I could tell that it had a passport inside, so I went to the girl and handed it over. She was just before the area where you check-in,” said Freeman whose father is a Guyanese from the island of Leguan.

“I actually pointed out to my friend that the woman was

holding on to the pouch without announcing it on the public address system,” Freeman added.

He said that he nevertheless went along his way with the confidence that the pouch would be handed over to its rightful owner.

This was done but Freeman was upset when he read on the internet that the police had taken credit for the act.

“I am back home now and I was reading on the internet and seeing that the police found it. That’s not true. It was I who found it,” he said.

Of course, the Detective had come in for high praise, with Divisional Commander Derrick Josiah publicly commending him.

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Schoolgirl battles for life

A third form Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School student is battling for her life. She remains in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, after she was involved in a motorcycle accident on the Cotton Field Old Road.

The child, who resides at Lima, Essequibo Coast, has sustained a broken hip and serious damages to her intestine.

Her mother, Zoreena Ally, said that her daughter is also in need of eight units of blood, after doctors at GPHC had operated on her Tuesday night.

According to reports, the third form student, a pillion

rider, was being transported from her School at Cotton Field, on her mother’s motorcycle on Monday afternoon around 15:00 hours.

The report added that Ally apparently attempted to overtake a truck that was heading in her direction when another motorcycle, which was coming behind, c o l l i d e d w i t h A l l y ’s motorcycle.

Her daughter was thrown off of the motorcycle and fell beneath the truck.

The child was subsequently transported to the Suddie Public Hospital but had to be referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital due to the severity of her

injuries Ally, who has since accepted blame for her daughter’s accident, said that she escaped unhurt. The injured child is Ally’s only child.

Meanwhile, four cars sustained extensive damage Tuesday night. Reports are that two cars were said to be racing on the Anna Regina Public Road when they crashed into two stationary cars at the Anna Regina Car park.

The drivers have since been charged for speeding and driving under the influence.

They have each been released on $65.000 bail.

Unavailability of prosecutor stalls High Court proceedings The High Court criminal proceedings which are being heard by Justice Brassington Reynolds in the Berbice High Court have been severely curtailed by the unavailability of a prosecutor.

The trial of Mohamed Alli, called “Dick”, of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, who is indicted on a charge of attempting to murder Ann

Singh, the mother of his child, on March 31, 2009 at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, was scheduled to commence.

However, when the matter was first called on March 7, the accused indicated to the court that he had secured the services of a lawyer and needed some time.

The judge had given the accused until last Tuesday to

secure the services of a lawyer. However on Tuesday the court was informed that appointed prosecutor, Dionne Mc Cammon, would not be available until the following week, thus halting the commencement of the proceedings.

The accused had also not secured the services of a lawyer.

Thursday March 14, 2013

Bhajan responds to furniture allegation Region Six Education Officer, Mrs. Shafiran Bhajan, has stated that an article captioned ‘Students take Education Officer to Task….during visit to Office of the President’ had several inaccuracies. She said that she would have commented on the issue had she been contacted for comments.

One issue was her alleged comment that there was adequate school furniture at schools in the region and that the problem was “a thing of the past”. At the Region 6 RDC Press Conference earlier this year, Mrs. Bhajan said that she never stated that the region had adequate furniture.

“At no time I said we had adequate—I further went on to say that we were making chairs—350—for teachers and the next time we will get the tables. That was all I said about furniture; nothing else.

I was misquoted”, she stated.

Responding to the issue raised in the article about school children at Albion Primary School making complaints to the Office of the President (OP) about shortage of textbooks and school- feeding biscuits, she stated that all schools received exercise books for the Easter term in November.

The Albion head teacher signed a voucher for more than 4,000 exercise books.

She showed Kaieteur News the vouchers. And commenting on textbooks for

that school, she said that there were “excess books”, even though some other special books would have to be procured shortly. “All schools have adequate biscuits and juice…The region placed a truck at our disposal,” she stated.

Each child will be getting one ‘Basal Readers’ and ‘Fun With Language’. “If the students said that they were not getting enough textbooks, it could be that they are talking about the class sets. There are so many angles you can look at this thing— [you] don’t just hear something and malign somebody and run with it just to make somebody look bad.

It’s not good, especially when you’ve worked all your life and you’ve done a great job and you’re a person of integrity. That’s what makes

it look bad”. The Education Officer was also perturbed that the article stated that the acting Minister of Education, Dr. Frank Anthony “speed” down to Berbice to investigate the complaints.

She noted that Minister Anthony had started a series of face-the-community meetings since late last year, and that his visit was for nothing of the sort (the complaints). He was visiting the region on the third leg of his face-the-community meetings.

“Minister came on the third leg of his four meetings that he had scheduled, but based on his timing and our timing and the children’s too, we have to tell him when we can accommodate him and he will have to say when he can come. It’s not that he run come to address that issue”.

Yesterday marked 100 years since the Rose Hall Riot in East Canje Berbice, which led to 15 sugar workers losing their lives on March 13, 1913. The workers were all shot by the colonial police on the high bridge leading to the Rose Hall Estate because they protested and refused to work on days for which they were granted leave.

Harvesting season ended on January 27, 1913 and the Administrative Manager told the immigrant workers that they were to clean their surroundings. On January 28, the Manager reportedly changed his mind and ordered them to go to work because he had some planting to do. Some were inclined while others were dissuaded from following the orders. The following day, the workers visited the Immigration Agent in Berbice who went the next day to visit the Administration Manager about the situation.

Seven men were served summonses to attend court.

The Manager asked that they pay the cost for the summons. The workers

agreed but to pay it in installments but the Manager rejected the suggestion. The problem escalated from this point. Efforts were made to transfer five immigrants who were considered the ring leaders in the protest and refusal to work. One of them was inclined to go but was pulled away. And the protests intensified as the workers refused to do any work on their ‘leave’ days.

Eventually, on March 13, 1913, the Inspector- General with a large force of police went to the Reliance Police Station, collected the arrest warrants and proceeded to the No. 8 Yard. The immigrants grew furious and armed themselves with sticks and bottles. The noise was too loud so they [the immigrants] could not have deciphered what the police’s intentions were or what the police were saying to them.

The immigrants could not hear the purpose of their visit due to the noise. The Riot Act was read by the Colonel to them that failure to stop their protests will result in shooting.

And it so happened that fifteen workers—14 men and one woman— were killed.

Their bodies were transported in jute bags on donkey carts to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Forty- one workers were injured. The dead were: Badri, 26; Bholay, 33; Durga, 72; Gafur, 27; Jugai, 30; Juggoo, 37; Hulas, 25; Lalji, 45; Motey Khan, 26; Nibur, 75; Roopan, 25; Sadulla, 23; Sarjoo, 21; Sohan, 33; and the lone female Gobindei, 32.

An Inquiry into the events was ordered by the British Government but found no one at fault. The results stated that nobody was to be blamed for the incident. The conclusion was that there was failure of the protestors to heed the police warnings and that the colonial police only went to arrest the five ringleaders of the protest.

Some 100 bullets were used in the shootings. A special commemoration event at Rose Hall will be planned shortly, and a temporary plaque will be unveiled.

The fifteen workers that were shot are now known as the Rose Hall Estate Martyrs.

Rose Hall recalls centenary of shooting of 15 workers

Thursday March 14, 2013

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Marriott’s financial arrangements unheard of in the Caribbean – Ram …private media not invited as Ramotar tours site The government’s decision to force taxpayers’ money into a Marriottbranded hotel project and then make special arrangements to accommodate investors without even knowing if any will come onboard is unheard of in the Caribbean, Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram has charged.

Despite mounting controversy over the project, the government is stubbornly pushing ahead, and is further locking out public scrutiny.

Yesterday, President Donald Ramotar toured the Kingston site of the hotel, but did not invite the private media.

Government not only advanced monies for investors who seemed unwilling to plug their own funds, but procured tens of millions of dollars in concessions and permits.

All along the way, it was the assumption that government would have continued to own part of the facilities which would include the casino, hotel, nightclub and restaurant.

However, recently, in surprising statements, Head of the Presidential S e c r e t a r i a t , D r. R o g e r Luncheon, announced that government has no intentions to hold onto the hotel, but will sell its shares once it is completed.

With fresh details of the project now emerging, Government is now being asked hard questions as to its true intentions regarding the project.

“The Guyana Government has now taken on the role of venture-capitalist and procurer of concessions,

President Donald Ramotar at the Kingston construction site of the Marriott-branded hotel.

Christopher Ram licences and permits for an unknown entity(ies) which is not willing to invest any money upfront. It is hard to think of any similar arrangement across the Caribbean,” says Ram, an accountant/columnist who has a long-standing business section in the privatelyowned Stabroek News.

In his column two Sundays ago, Ram said that an agreement dated April 14, 2011 has no conditions regarding ownership. This meant that Government can sell the hotel one day after completion “with all the massive concessions which amount to a windfall to whoever the buyer turns out to be.”

Yesterday, President Donald Ramotar led a team of ministers and other officials to visit the Kingston site where the hotel is under construction.

However, only the state media was present for the tour although the privately-owned

news houses have been asking questions. He was accompanied by Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Zhang Limin; Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) and their local counterparts, Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn.

The 197-room hotel will boast a large ballroom, conference centre, a casino, entertainment complex, restaurant, concrete walkway, swimming pool, sport facilities and all other amenities to outfit a worldclass hotel.

The hotel is scheduled to be commissioned August 2014, a government statement said yesterday.

Government, which has heavily been defending the project, insisted that it was critical if Guyana wants to develop its tourism product.

The hotel is being developed by Atlantic Hotel

Inc. (AHI), a subsidiary of the government-owned investments/privatization company, National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

NICIL is the same company whose privatization transactions have been criticised by the opposition as its monies are currently not now under the authority of the National Assembly.

AHI went ahead without the blessings of the National Assembly to approve the US$51M project to build the hotel.

Ram said he has seen a document, an agreement between the Guyana and AHI, dated April 14, 2011 and signed by Winston Brassington on behalf of AHI and Dhanraj Dhanpaul, Chief Executive Officer (ag) of Guyana Office for Investment (GoInvest) on behalf of the Guyana Government.

It gives the hotel a host of benefit.

Among other things, the agreement said, the new facility is being granted 10 years exemption from corporation, property and withholding tax, including the payment of interest and dividends to debt providers and equity holders.

“Additionally the developer has received an undertaking that it will be granted a licence to operate a casino.

Additionally, the developer is guaranteed relief from duty and excise tax on capital repairs or replacements including machinery, equipment and buildings costing more than US$10,000.

“And on top of that, the developer is entitled to a “one-off” retrofitting of the project within ten years if so required for a period of ten years (sic) from the

commencement of commercial operations.”

Government is plugging at least US$21M ($4.2B) in the project from NICIL’s coffers.

Under the deal, investors other than the government which owned AHI, will have first preference to get back their money should the hotel fail for some reason or the other.

There have been protests after disclosures that only imported Chinese workers were employed on the worksite.

Recently also, it was disclosed that government doled out a US$1M contract to an engineering consultancy company in the US that has been banned by the authorities from participating in any of its school projects.

Government said that it went ahead and hired that company even knowing of the blacklisting.

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Thursday March 14, 2013

High Court rules in favour of CLICO policyholders The Trinidad and Tobago government suffered a major setback in the courts after a High Court judge ruled that the bailout plan by the Kamla Persad Bissessar-led coalition People’s Partnership administration was unlawful.

High Court judge Joan Charles Tuesday ordered the State to pay a group of Executive Flexible Premium Annuity (EFPA) policyholders all the money they invested in the failed insurance giant, plus interest.

Soon after it won the May

2010 general election, the Persad Bissessar government announced a new bailout plan for CLICO policy holders.

It said it would make an initial partial payment of a maximum of TT$75,000 (US$12,500) to depositors in the short-term investment and mutual funds and those whose principal balances exceed TT$75,000 will be paid through a government IOU amortised over 20 years at zero interest.

The policyholders had filed a lawsuit contending that

the original bailout plan presented by the Patrick Manning government amounted to a guarantee that policyholders would be reimbursed the funds they held in the cash-strapped conglomerate.

“It is declared that the claimants are the beneficiaries of legitimate expectations engendered by representations made to them by or on behalf of the government that (i) the government would ensure that their funds in CLICO

would be safe and that it would guarantee repayment of all monies due to them; and (ii) the government would make good the deficit in the Statutory Fund,” the judge said in her ruling.

“It is ordered that the defendant do make good the said legitimate expectation by making suitable arrangements to ensure that the claimants, less those who have already accepted the Government’s offer, receive a sum equal to 100 per cent of CLICO’s contractual liability

to them,” Justice Charles ruled.

“Interest at the rate of three per cent from September 2010 to March 12, 2013, be paid on the said sum,” the judge said, disagreeing with the argument by the government that it did not have the money to abide by the promise made by the last government.

Former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, who was among a team of lawyers representing the policyholders, told reporters that the ruling showed “that when the last government made the decision to honour the guarantee given to policyholders and they decided to make that promise, the country was in a worse economic situation than when this government decided to break the promise.

He said policyholders had left their money with the insurance company because of the promise of the last government.

“Based on that assurance they kept their monies in the system, and when the new government took office, the new government decided to

come up with a plan in which they were given time to accept that plan in that they would get their money over a period of 20 years,” he said.

He said the judge “ruled that the government acted unlawfully, and ordered the government to honour the expectation made by the last government to the CLICO policyholders that were part of the action and that is important only those policyholders who were part of this action would benefit from this judgment,” he said.

The State has 28 days to file an appeal. (CBC)

(Reuters) - Venezuelan acting President Nicolas Maduro said yesterday that “far right” figures in the United States were plotting to kill opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

“We have detected plans by the far-right, linked to the groups of (former Bush administration officials) Roger Noriega and Otto Reich, to make an attempt against the opposition presidential candidate,” Maduro said in a televised speech.

Maduro gave no more details, but he said the government had sent a senior general to meet with Capriles’ team.

Tensions are running high ahead of a new presidential

election following the death of Hugo Chavez last week.

The vote will pit Maduro, Chavez’s heir apparent, against Capriles, a centrist state governor who lost an election to Chavez in October.

Earlier this week, Capriles’ team said the opposition candidate had not registered his candidacy in person on Monday because they had received information that an attack against him was planned. Aides delivered his papers instead.

In January, Maduro said unidentified groups had entered the South American country with the aim of assassinating him and the head of the National A s s e m b l y, Diosdado Cabello.

High Court judge Joan Charles

Venezuela’s Maduro says U.S. “far-right” wants to kill Capriles

Skerrit hints at early election in Dominica, says he’s aiming for ‘clean sweep ROSEAU, Dominica CMC – Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has hinted at an early general election and has already told supporters that he intends to follow the record set by Grenada’s ruling New National Party (NNP) of a clean sweep of the seats in the upcoming poll.

Speaking at a public meeting to thank supporters for the three years of legal battles to determine whether or not he and his Education Minister Petter Saint Jean

were legally nominated to contest the last general election, Skerrit said that he wants the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) to remain in opposition for another five year term.

“I want my revenge for three years of strain and stress to be a thorough and comprehensive whipping of the United Workers Party whenever the next election is held,” he said, adding “I am serving notice from tonight that we are working to get back our three wasted years.

Thursday March 14, 2013

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Government to spend more in 2013-14 PM says she knows nothing about minister’s BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – The Barbados government says it plans to spend an estimated BDS$3.8 billion (One BDS dollar = US$0.50 cents) during the 2013-14 fiscal year, according to the estimates laid in Parliament.

The Freundel Stuart government which was reelected to office by a narrow 16-14 margin in the February 21 general election will spend BDS$227.5 million more than had been budgeted for the 2012-13 revised figure.

According to the government estimates, BDS$2.9 billion will be used for current expenditure, while BDS$879.9 million represents capital expenditure and

amortisation.

The estimates show that wages and salaries are expected to increase over the revised amount for 2012-2013

by BDS$14.4 million or 1.8 per cent to BDS$823.8 million, with the government saying the increase is due to increments. But expenditure on goods and services is expected to decrease by BDS$54.8 million to BDS$378 million, with current transfers also projected to decrease, declining by BDS$28.9 million or 1.9 per cent to BDS$1.07 billion.

The repayment of principal and interest on Government’s debt is expected to account for BDS$1.3 billion compared to

the revised projection of BDS$1.1 billion.

On the accrual basis, current revenue for the next fiscal year is projected at BDS$2.6 billion, while on the cash basis, current revenue is projected at BDS$2.5 billion, an increase of seven per cent over the revised revenue of BDS$2.4 billion for the financial year ending March 2013.

When amortisation of BDS$721.6 million is taken into account, a deficit of BDS$496.7 million on the cash basis is expected, representing 5.3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) according to the estimates laid in the Parliament on Tuesday.

State appeals sentence handed down to Soca superstar Machel Montano The State has appealed the sentence handed down to Trinidad and Tobago’s international Soca Star, Machel Montano, who was fined a total of TT$27,000 (One TT dollar = US$0.16 cents) after he had been found guilty last year of five criminal offences.

Last month, Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor also

imposed fines totalling TT$24,000 on songwriter and producer Kernel Roberts, the son of deceased calypso legend Aldwyn “Kitchener” Roberts.

Montano had been found guilty of assaulting Russel Pollonais, Brandis Brown, Janelle Lee Chee and Gerard Bowrin, and using obscene language outside the Zen nightclub in Port of Spain

April 26, 2007. Montano, 36 was fined TT$13, 700 dollars and also ordered to pay $TT13, 500 in compensation to the victims of the brawl. Roberts, 31, was charged with two counts of assault resulting from the same incident. He was fined TT$13,000 and ordered to pay compensation of TT$11,000 to Brown and Pollonais.

son being investigated in United States

Trinidad Express - Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar has said she has queried whether there was any minister in her Cabinet whose sons were under investigation in the United States and she received no such information.

Speaking to the media yesterday following a visit to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) offices in Aranjuez, Persad-Bissessar, when asked if she had questioned her ministers, responded : “Yes, I’ve asked.”

Asked if she was not concerned about reports that a minister’s sons were under probe, PersadBissessar said, “I would be very concerned about anybody’s son , indeed if they were one of my ministers but I have no information on any minister’s son who is in any circumstances abroad. I have no such information advised or knowledged.”

Following reports that a minister’s sons were under investigation in the United States, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley has said the country should not be left to

Kamla PersadBissessar speculate and if there was any fact in these reports and the minister should identify himself or herself.

The Prime Minister was also questioned on whether acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) Stephen Williams was the best person to investigate the setting up of the New Flying Squad Investigations Unit by former flying squad member Mervyn Cordner.

Cordner claims Williams

himself was involved in this initiative which Williams has repeatedly denied.

Persad-Bissessar said: “I do believe that the acting Commissioner of Police has all the resources within his jurisdiction, within his remit to conduct an investigation into this matter, until that time the matter is under investigation. I would say it would not be prudent for me to say more on that matter right now.”

To l d t h a t Wi l l i a m s himself was subject to claims made by Cordner, Persad-Bissessar said, “I do believe the office of the Commissioner of Police is the best office at this time to conduct such an investigation where there are alleged criminal activities that might have taken place, there might have been fraud that might have been committed. I am of the respectful view that the office of the Commissioner of the Police is best poised and resourced at this time to conduct that investigation.

We shall see what happens next.”

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Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina elected pope, takes Francis as name (Reuters) - Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the troubled Roman Catholic Church yesterday, and said he would take the name Francis I. Pope Francis, 76, appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica just over an hour after white smoke poured from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel to signal he had been chosen to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

The choice of Bergoglio was announced by French cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran with the Latin words “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam” (“I announce to you a great joy. We have a pope” Francis becomes the 266th pontiff in the Church’s 2,000-year history at a time of great crisis and difficulty.

Although a conservative he is seen as a reformer and was not among the small group of frontrunners identified before the election.

He also went against one of the main assumptions before the election, that the new pope would be relatively young.

He is the oldest of most of the possible candidates and was barely mentioned in feverish speculation about the top contenders before the conclave.

He is the first Jesuit to become pope.

The decision by 115 cardinal electors sequestered in a secret conclave in the Sistine Chapel came sooner than many experts expected because there were several frontrunners before the vote to replace Pope Benedict, who resigned in February.

The cardinals faced a thorny task in finding a leader

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

Martin Luther King, Jr.

capable of overcoming crises caused by priestly child abuse and a leak of secret papal documents that uncovered corruption and rivalry inside the Church government or Curia.

The wave of problems is thought to have contributed to Benedict’s decision to become the first pontiff in 600 years to abdicate.

Thousands of people sheltering from heavy rain under a sea of umbrellas had occupied the square all day to await the decision and the crowd swelled as soon as the white smoke emerged.

They cheered wildly and raced towards the basilica as the smoke billowed from a narrow makeshift chimney and St Peter’s bells rang.

The excited crowd cheered even more loudly when Francis appeared, the first pontiff to take that name.

“Viva il Papa (pope)” they chanted.

“I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m absolutely delighted. It’s

New Pope: Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina a very unique moment.

There is a great sense of unity here.

I t ’s g r e a t t h e y h a v e come to a decision about who will lead the Church,” s a i d J o h n M c g i n l e y, a Scottish priest from Glasgow who traveled to see the conclave.

“It’s a great moment in history, something I can tell my mum,” said David Brasch, 30, from Brisbane Australia. “He’s got to get the child abuse under control, I don’t know how they’re going to do that.

He’s got to unite 1.2 billion people.”

Bands from the Italian armed forces and the Vatican’s own Swiss guard army paraded in front of the basilica before the new pope appeared.

The secret conclave began on Tuesday night with a first ballot and four ballots were held on We d n e s d a y.

Francis obtained the required two thirds majority in the fifth ballot.

Following a split ballot when they were first shut

away amid the chapel’s Renaissance splendor on Tuesday evening, the cardinal electors held a first full day of deliberations on Wednesday.

Black smoke rose after the morning session to signal no decision.

The previous four popes were all elected within two or three days.

Seven ballots have been required on average over the last nine conclaves. Benedict was clear frontrunner in 2005 and elected after only four ballots.

Thursday March 14, 2013

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US business bemoans Saudi Arabia executes India trade ‘protectionism’ seven for armed robbery WASHINGTON (AP) — American businesses complained to lawmakers yesterday about Indian trade protectionism, contending that tariff and regulatory barriers are shutting out foreign firms despite the nation’s market-opening reforms.

Advocates for the pharmaceutical, information technology and agricultural industries detailed their grievances to a House subcommittee on trade where lawmakers also grumbled about Indian policies that favor local producers.

“They are for free trade on their terms,” said Democrat Rep. Richard Neal.

There’s strong bipartisan support for deeper U.S.-India ties, which have been pushed by the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and trade has grown markedly in the past decade and is approaching the $100 billion mark. But experts say that total is small, considering the size of the two economies.

“We now need our economic relationship to catch up to the historic progress of our diplomatic and security cooperation,” said Daniel Twining, senior fellow for Asia at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

He said U.S. trade with India is only one-seventh of U.S. trade with China, despite the fact that India is a strategic partner and China is a strategic competitor.

Twining said negotiations for a bilateral investment treaty are mired in bureaucracy and called for talks on a free trade agreement.

Arvind Subramanian of

Manmohan Singh the Peterson Institute of Economics said India has seen a sharp slowing in economic growth, and in response embarked in late 2012 on ambitious economic reforms, opening to more foreign investment, such as in multi-brand retail.

The reform effort championed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh faces stiff political and trade union opposition, and Subramanian said few countries have opened up to foreign capital since the global slowdown to the extent India has.

But he said protectionism has re-surfaced, with India still favoring domestic providers in areas such as banking, telecommunications, retail and solar panels.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc., which employs about 5,000 people in India, accused its government of policies that give an unfair advantage to local generic drug producers.

“India has systematically failed to interpret and apply its intellectual property laws

in a manner consistent with recognized global standards,” said Roy Waldron, the company’s chief intellectual property counsel.

In prepared testimony, he cited India’s revocation last September of Pfizer’s patent for a cancer drug, Sutent, which still enjoys patent protection in 90 other countries. He said the company had provided subsidies for patients that need it.

Health activists and aid groups say the $26 billion Indian generics industry allows the poor who cannot afford Western prices to access drugs to treat diseases such as cancer, malaria and HIV. The Information Technology Industry Council told the hearing that new regulations could shut out foreign companies from nearly half of India’s $20.5 billion information and communications technology market. That includes “onerous” testing and registration requirements by India that take effect April 3.

The trade group’s president Dean Garfield said India’s so-called preferential market policy unveiled last year is designed to force public and private sectors in India to procure products made at home. In some cases, it’s invoking national security grounds, which he said could set a dangerous precedent for other countries to mirror.

“The enlightened and progressive economic policies of two decades ago that enabled India to become a global powerhouse in software and services now seems to be in retreat,” Garfield said.

Russia says arming Syrian opposition would be illegal

LONDON (Reuters) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday that supplying the Syrian opposition with weapons was illegal under international law, a day after Britain floated the possibility it might bypass an EU arms embargo to do just that.

“International law does not permit the supply of arms to non-governmental actors and our point of view is that it is a violation of international law,” Lavrov told a news conference in London via a translator.

Russia, which has itself sold weapons to the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad and has repeatedly blocked tough action against him at the United Nations, says the only

Sergei Lavrov way to solve the Syrian crisis is through dialogue.

But Britain, and countries such as France and Turkey, are increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in that direction and have begun to talk about the possibility

of lifting an EU arms embargo to allow the rebels to be armed.

Lavrov and British Foreign Secretary William Hague stressed that they both believed in political dialogue, but their difference of opinion over arming the rebels and over taking tough action against Syria in the U.N. Security Council laid bare their disunity.

Lavrov said he was concerned about the presence of Islamist radicals among the rebels. The twoyear-old conflict started out as pro-democracy protests, but has descended into an increasingly sectarian war.

Some 70,000 people have been killed and more than one million refugees have fled the violence.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia yesterday executed seven men for armed robbery, the Interior Ministry said, despite an appeal for clemency by United Nations human rights investigators.

The seven were sentenced to death in 2009 for crimes committed in 2005 and 2006 when human rights groups said some were younger than 18.

The conservative Islamic kingdom, which applies a strict interpretation of sharia, has faced criticism by Western countries for its frequent use of capital punishment and trials that human rights groups say do not meet international standards.

Human Rights Watch’s deputy director for the region, Eric Goldstein, condemned the executions yesterday saying they were inhumane.

Asked whether Britain’s Prince Charles should raise human rights when he visits the kingdom tomorrow, he said: “We think everyone, every government, every third party that visits Saudi Arabia should make human

rights a central part of the discussions with that country.”

The men, from Asir Province in the south of Saudi Arabia, had been due to die last week but were granted a stay of execution while authorities reviewed their case. They were convicted of theft, including armed robbery, the Interior Ministry said. Human rights group Amnesty International and the men’s families have said the robberies included one at a jewelry store.

Relatives of the men told Reuters last week they had been forced to confess to unsolved crimes in the district, in addition to the armed robbery they had carried out.

Amnesty said the men later retracted a confession which they said had been obtained through torture, without giving details of the confession. Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, denies it uses torture.

Human rights activists in Saudi Arabia, Washington’s closest Gulf ally, said the seven were executed by firing

squad.

“The charges against all seven persons were allegedly fabricated and all seven were convicted following unfair trials,” the U.N. experts said in a statement on Tuesday.

In January, King Abdullah said he had full confidence in the kingdom’s justice system after the United Nations voiced concern over the trial of a Sri Lankan woman who had been executed.

The Interior Ministry named the seven men as Sarhan al-Mushaikh, Saeed al-Amri, Ali al-Shehri, Nasser al-Qahtani, Saeed al-Shahrani, Abdulaziz al-Amri and Ali alQahtani and said they were part of a gang responsible for crimes including armed robbery and theft.

“By the grace of God, the security authorities were able to apprehend the perpetrators” whose sentence to death was “a punishment” and “to deter others”, the ministry said.

“I’ve lost faith in the judiciary and the political establishment,” said a family friend who asked not to be identified.

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Canadian trade minister expects EU trade pact this year NEW YORK (Reuters) Canada hopes to sign a longdelayed free trade deal with the European Union this year, though some key disagreements remain which could further postpone it, Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast said in an interview in New York yesterday.

Fast and his EU counterpart Karel De Gucht met last month to try to iron out differences over agricultural exports, intellectual property and public procurement that have so far kept officials from signing a deal.

But they failed to sign an agreement that Canada says would help diversify Canadian trade away from the United States and boost trade with Europe.

“It is a very small handful of issues that are difficult,” Fast told Reuters. “We are trying to identify some creative ways in bridging the gaps between our positions.”

He declined to say which issues were causing the delay.

The United States

Ed Fast currently takes 75 percent of all Canadian exports, and the EU just over 10 percent. Under an FTA, Canada-EU trade could increase by 20 percent, Canada has said.

FTA talks started in 2009 and were initially expected to conclude by the end of 2011, a date that was pushed back to the end of 2012. Even now, Fast said he will not be pushed by arbitrary deadlines while disagreements remain.

“Understand that it is the quality of the agreement and

not a particular calendar date,” Fast said. “It has to be in Canada’s long term trade interests, otherwise we won’t sign a deal.”

Canadian meat producers want an end to high EU import tariffs they say have effectively shut Canada out of a European market that consumes 8 million tonnes of beef products a year.

The Europeans want Canada to extend patent protection for major pharmaceutical companies, accept more EU dairy products and open up internal procurement markets.

The Canada Europe Roundtable for Business trade lobby last month urged negotiators to wrap up a deal soon, noting any agreement would have to be voted on by the European Parliament, which is due to hold elections in April 2014.

If legislators do not deal with the treaty in time, it would be handled by the next Parliament, meaning ratification could be delayed by 18 months, the group said.

Thursday March 14, 2013

Italy’s Berlusconi promises parliamentary battle against magistrates ROME (Reuters) - Italy’s former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, facing trial on tax fraud and sex charges and under investigation for suspected political bribery, promised to take on prosecutors after parliament opens this week.

The leader of the People of Freedom (PDL) party has often clashed with magistrates during his two decades in politics but problems have escalated this month as his trial on charges of paying for sex with an under-age prostitute has neared its end.

“The repeated moves to open trials by magistrates, which is motivated by political prejudice can no longer be tolerated,” the 76-year-old media billionaire said in an interview with Panorama, a weekly owned by his own Mondadaori publishing group.

He promised a “parliamentary battle”, accusing left-wing judges of trying to sabotage the center right, which has the second-largest grouping in parliament following last month’s inconclusive general election.

“It’s a battle we cannot lose if we don’t want Italy to continue to be a country in which there is no assurance for anyone who dedicates themselves to public service,” he said, according to extracts from the interview, due out on Friday.

Berlusconi’s comments add to growing tensions between him and magistrates following the election which left no party able to form a government as parliament prepares to sit for the first

Silvio Berlusconi time on Friday.

Both the center-left and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement of former comic Beppe Grillo have attacked Berlusconi for his persistently antagonistic comments and President Giorgio Napolitano has been alarmed by the feuding.

Earlier this week, parliamentarians from Berlusconi’s PDL protested outside the Milan courthouse where the prostitution trial is being held, prompting a warning from the president.

Napolitano issued a statement on Tuesday dismissing accusations of political bias by magistrates but calling for “respect for the strict rules of behavior” expected of justice system officials.

Berlusconi faces a long string of legal battles over the next few weeks, starting with the trial in which he is accused of paying for sex with

former nightclub dancer Karima El Mahroug, better known under her stage name “Ruby”, when she was a minor. He denies the charge and El Mahroug also denies ever having sex with him.

He is also being investigated by Naples magistrates on suspicion of bribing a senator to change sides in 2006 to help bring down the last center-left government led by Romano Prodi by sabotaging its waferthin parliamentary majority.

Berlusconi has been in hospital since Friday being treated for an eye problem which has already prompted him to cancel a number of public engagements and to ask for a further delay to the prostitution trial.

A hearing in the trial, which had been due today, has now been delayed until March 18, with further dates on March 20, 21 and 25, when a verdict is possible.

In addition, Berlusconi is appealing against a four-year jail sentence for tax fraud in connection with his Mediaset television empire.

Referring to the case, Berlusconi said judges wanted to ensure he shared the fate of former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, who fled to Tunisia to escape a jail sentence for corruption and spent the last years of his life in exile.

“They have not succeeded in eliminating me by democratic means, with elections and now they’re trying to do it by using the justice system for political ends,” he said.

U.S. to extend waivers on Iran sanctions for 11 countries

WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - The United States is expected to renew waivers on Iran sanctions for Japan and 10 European countries yesterday in exchange for their reducing purchases of the OPEC nation’s crude oil, U.S. government sources said.

A renewal from the State Department would mean banks in the 11 countries have been given a third consecutive 180-day reprieve from the threat of being cut off from the U.S. financial system under the sanctions designed to slash funding to Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

“We expect all those countries to receive exceptions based on continued significant reductions or based on the fact certain countries are already at zero on imports,” one congressional aide said.

Barack Obama The comments were confirmed by a second congressional source.

The West suspects Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear program is for power generation and medical purposes.

Japan, the world’s third

largest oil consumer, slashed Iranian imports last year by 40 percent to about 190,000 barrels per day, even as its total oil imports rose 2.7 percent.

The European Union implemented a full embargo on Iranian crude and petroleum products on July 1. The 10 countries expected to get renewals are Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, German, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Under the sanctions law President Barack Obama signed in 2011, the State Department must review the waivers every six months. All of Iran’s major buyers of crude were given the waivers last year.

The State Department extended the exceptions to China, India and a number of other countries on December 7.

Thursday March 07, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

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

18:30 hrs. Nightly News 19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:30 hrs. Two & a Half Men 21:00 hrs. Person of Interest (New Episode) 22:00 hrs. Elementary (New Episode) 23:00 hrs. Sign Off

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Thursday March 14, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may get so excited that it’s difficult to contain yourself. However, it may be obvious to you later in the day that you overreacted, which, in turn, makes the situation even more awkward.

Thankfully, smoothing the ruffled feathers is easier than you expect if you put your mind to it.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You have arrived at the Last Chance Cafe once again, although you are sure that this time it’s really your final opportunity to get it right.

However, you are wrong once more.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Concentrating on your work may seem nearly impossible now because there are so many interesting diversions that catch your attention. Often, your insatiable curiosity leads you down fantastic avenues of exploration.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You might grow tired of being responsible for the happiness of everyone else because it may seem as if that’s all you have been doing lately. Although you aren’t likely to walk out on your obligations, it could be time to restore some healthy balance to your life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) An intense emotional engagement with someone special may have taken a lot of energy recently, but now it’s time to turn this positive interaction into something more meaningful. It’s as if a gentle waltz is bridging into a powerful tango right in front of your eyes.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You feel as if you have a secret weapon today, but you can’t tell anyone about it because your power comes from what you don’t say.

Some may think that your charisma is a by-product of your sexual energy, but it actually goes beyond that and into spiritual realms.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You may have recently spent a lot of time and energy pursuing pleasure instead of getting your work done. Now it’s time to pay the piper by catching up on your chores, even if it means saying no to a leisurely lunch or an evening out with your friends.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The first part of the day may be frustrating because it feels like you’re running around in circles. Even your most reliable practices don’t seem to contribute to your progress today.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you feel like you’re riding positive waves of change, it’s wise to wear a life jacket as you head into rougher waters. A local storm isn’t necessarily an indication of a serious issue, it might simply be a sign that you need to slow down enough to review your plans.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) A wave of exhaustion may wash over your body today, requiring you to stop and reconsider how much you have already done this week.

Unfortunately, you still have a lot to do, yet your heart might not be in your work right now. Accepting your fatigue can be a crucial first step in overcoming it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You have delved deep enough into psychological intrigue and drama, and now you’re ready for a simpler approach to life. Even if sweet pleasures are elusive earlier in the day, you can rest easy knowing that some fun is on the way later on.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) This is a tortoise and hare kind of day — and you are now playing the role of both of these characters. You’re off to a fast start as the hare and you are ready to run your paces. But you grow smarter as you consider how you can sustain your efforts.

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Thursday March 14, 2013

Thursday March 07, 2013

Kaieteur News

Mayor’s KO Football tourney...

Page 27

Tenelec Inc First Division 50-Over Cricket Competition in Berbice

Uitvlugt face Police, Den Amstel Chattergoon’s 72 sees Port and Riddim Squad to clash in Mourant through to Semi-finals opening fixtures tomorrow

William Europe

Joshua Kamal

Randolph Wagner

Football fans on the West Coast of Demerara will be in for a treat when the Annual Mayor’s knock out football tournament gets underway tomorrow at the Den Amstel ground from 18:30 hrs.

Touted as a Georgetown versus West Demerara affair, Uitvlugt (West Demerara), boasting players such as Marlon Brandis, Jamal Petty, Delon Lanferman, Dwayne Wilson, Croffly Carroll and Jamal Harvey will take on Police of Georgetown in the first game of a double header.

The second game will see home team Den Amstel clashing with Namilco finalist Riddim Squad FC at 20:30 hrs.

Wycliff Simpson, Travis Simon, Hillaman, Dwayne Graham, Rondell Hutson, Prince Payne and Rodwell Huston are expected to appear for Den Amstel, while Riddim Squad includes Teon Jones, Sherwin Hope, Kevin Roberts, Denville Stuart, Orville Stuart, Sheldon Jerrick and Lyliton Ramsey.

Exiting action is anticipated and fans are asked

to turn out in their numbers.

Among the players also expected to feature in the competition are William Europe (Santos), Joshua Kamal (Pele) and Randolph Wagner (Western Tigers).

One million dollars is the reward for the winner of the tournament while the runnerup collects $500,000, $300,000 and $200,000 will go to the third and fourth placed teams. The organisers are still seeking sponsorship and the business community is encouraged to support.

WI, Zimbabwe get ICC funding under new agreement ESPNcricinfo - The WICB and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) have been given a financial boost by signing an agreement with the ICC under the Targeted Assistance and Performance Programme (TAPP), which is aimed at developing more competitive teams in international cricket.

Under this programme, the WICB will be awarded US$3 million and Zimbabwe Cricket US$1.5 million over the next three years.

The funding will aim to provide enhanced support to the current elite West Indian players and future generations. “We are delighted to be signing a TAPP agreement with the ICC, and are grateful for this enhanced support to help WICB achieve our high performance objectives,” Julian Hunte, the WICB President, said. “We have started to make progress on the field over the past year and this support will allow us to build on that by investing more resources than ever in the development of emerging talent in the West Indies.”

For Zimbabwe, on the other hand, the amount would be used to support an expansive schedule of their ‘A’ team and identify and support future international players. Wilfred Mukondiwa, the ZC managing director, said the funding would help them become more competitive at international level. “Zimbabwe Cricket is grateful for this support and looking forward to being able to strengthen our high performance pathway with this investment,” he said. “We believe the TAPP award will help us become more competitive in the international arena and facilitate the continued growth of the game in our country.”

David Richardson, ICC

chief executive, said he was eager to see the impact of the funding on the two teams. “It is very important to the longterm prosperity of international cricket that we have competitive teams at the highest level and both the West Indies and Zimbabwe have been very clear in identifying the factors that will support improved performance,” Richardson said. “The TAPP agreements provide an opportunity for both Members to increase their investment in high performance and we look forward to witnessing the impact of these programmes.”

The agreements with the two boards were similar to the ones signed by the ICC with Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland.

Former Guyana Under-19 captain Harrinarine Chattergoon slammed a match winning 72 for Port Mourant Karibee Rice which was good enough to lead them to victory over Bermine and to see them through to the semi-finals of the 2012 Tenelec Inc First Division 50Over Cricket Competition in Berbice.

In the play-off contested at the Port Mourant Ground and which was reduced to 40Overs-a-side due to late preparation causing a late start, Port Mourant won the toss and chose to bat first with Chattergoon and Joshua Ramsammy opening the batting. The two proceeded to withstand all that Bermine could throw at them and with Chattergoon dominating they featured in an opening stand of 105 in 19.2 overs before Chattergoon was caught off

left arm spinner Troy Mickle for 72 made off 75 balls in 70 minutes and which included 9 fours and 2 sixes.

Ramsammy continued and he put on 45 for the 2nd wicket with former Berbice and Guyana allrounder Vijay Sewnarine (15). After Ramsammy eventually fell for 44, contribution from Devendra Thakurdeen (17), Boughnarine Persaud (29) and Yudendra Harrinarine (21 N.O) saw Port Mourant to 221 for 5 in their 40-Overs. Mickle ended with 2 for 47 from 8 overs.

When Bermine replied after a promising opening stand of 18, offspinner Chattergoon soon accounted for both openers – Joemal La Fleur (12) and Hakeem Hinds (12) to have Bermine 28 for 2.

Trinson Bynoe tried a repair job, putting on 29 for the 3rd wicket with Jamally Odle (14) and 25 for the 4th wicket with

Romario Shepherd De Jonge (17) before he fell for 31 at 101 for 5. Damien Vantull then joined forces with Keion De Jesus and together they did well to put on 73 but with the pressure of the required rate hovering around 9 per over, they both fell in quick succession. From 174 for 5 Bermine slipped to 175 for 8 and eventually folded for 200 in 38.3 overs with Vantull topscoring with 43 and De Jesus making 31.

Bowling for Port Mourant, Thakurdeen took 2 for 27 from 6.3 overs while Chattergoon and Harrinarine each took 2 for 34 from 8 and 7 overs respectively.

Young Warriors Universal DVD, Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets as well as Albion Community Centre are the other three semi-finalists.

The semi-finals are scheduled for Sunday.

St John’s, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board today announced that the Guyana Cricket Board will host matches in rounds 6 and 7 of both the Regional Super50 and 4 Day tournaments.

Guyana will host Combined Campuses and Colleges in Round 6 and Jamaica in Round 7. All matches will be played at the Guyana National Stadium and dates and match times remain unchanged.

The Board of Directors of the WICB approved a recommendation at the last meeting that the two Super50

and two 4 Day matches be played in Guyana. All the necessary agreements have now been received and the Guyana Cricket Board will host the games.

It is the first time in two seasons that Guyana will play home games after playing away for all their games in the 2012 season and in the first half of the current season.

Fixtures: 4-Day - Guyana Vs Combined Campuses & Colleges Venue: Guyana National Stadium Start Date: 2013-03-30

10:00:00 Local Guyana Vs Jamaica Venue: Guyana National Stadium Start Date: 2013-04-10 10:00:00 Local Super50 - Guyana Vs Combined Campuses & Colleges Venue: Guyana National Stadium Date: 2013-04-04 14:00:00 Local Guyana Vs Jamaica Venue: Guyana National Stadium Date: 2013-04-07 09:30:00 Local

WICB announces Guyana to host Rounds 6 & 7 Super50 & 4 Day matches

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Race walk fraternity honours recently departed PRO Olga Harry in two events Race walkers will resume the intense battle for honours when the Cavalier’s Sports and Tour Club (CS&TC) in association with the Soesdyke Community Policing group presents several 10K race walks in commemoration of the recently departed PRO, Olga Harry starting Sunday March 17 next.

Several of the country’s top walkers are expected to participate in Sunday’s event dubbed ‘Olga Harry Memorial Race Walk’ which starts at the Cecil Harry Photo Studio, Back Road Soesdyke, proceeds around the community and culminates at the place of origin.

Later on, at 17:00hrs on that same day, the walkers will assemble at First Hill on the Linden Soesdyke Highway for another 10K trek up to the CPG Office further down the Linden Soesdyke Highway.

While several competent athletes are expected to grace the starting line, all eyes will be riveted on National Race walk champion, Rudolph Mitchell as he attempts to

Cecil Harry gratefully accepts the trophy from Marcia Harry while two race walkers observe stretch his unbeaten streak to a phenomenal 119.

Meanwhile, Ms Harry’s daughter, USA based Guyanese Marcia Linton, has donated a trophy for the winner of the event and recently handed over the prize to Chairman of the Soesdyke Community Policing Group, Cecil Harry, who has been appointed as the coordinator of activities (CSTC). Mr. Harry expressed gratitude to his benefactor and urged other businesses and individuals to

render similar support towards the sustenance of the CS&TC. Mr. Harry will send the athletes on their way at 06:00hrs and later on, he will present the various winners with their prizes.

Successful participants will receive trophies, medals and other lucrative prizes and those desirous of participating in the race are asked to grace the starting line at 06:00hrs on race day for a prompt start at 06:30hrs.

Thursday March 07, 2013

LDA and EDC to sponsor nationwide Dominoes tourney The Linden Dominoes Association and the Exodus Dominoes Club will sponsor a nationwide Dominoes competition which will get cracking on March 17th at Transport Sports Club from 14:00hrs.

Teams from Essequibo, Mahdia, Ituni, Kwakwani, East Bank Berbice, East Coast Berbice, Linden, West and East Bank Demerara, Corentyne, New Amsterdam, Mabaruma and Port Kaituma are expected to take part.

According to one of the organisers, Mark Wiltshire, the World Council Dominoes Federation rules will be used. The champion team will receive $300,000, the second placed $150,000, third placed $75,000, fourth placed $35,000 along with trophies and medals.

Zone winners and the Most Valuable Player in the final will be given $10,000 each, while the player who share the first double love in the playoff and the most outstanding female player will collect $5,000 apiece.

The finals will be played on May 4th and 5th in Linden. Entrance fee is $9,000. Interested teams can contact Wiltshire on 665-5855, Oswald Charles on 687-5300 and Wendy Daw on 6110850.

Australia look to stop the...

From page 35 that is left behind. It looks easier on paper because there aren’t many alternatives left, but you can’t imagine any captain envying Michael Clarke right now.

Matthew Wade is as good as ruled out as a wicketkeeper, but there is an outside chance he could play ahead of Hughes as a batsman.

They could play both the specialist spinners, and leave Glenn Maxwell out.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS Mohali will be the closest Australia will get to decent bounce and carry in India, especially with India’s current mood of spin

domination.

Don’t bank on it too much, though.

“There’s not much grass to cut off and it was quite dry yesterday so it’s probably even drier today,” Clarke said. “I think the conditions are going to be very similar to what we’ve seen in the first two Test matches.” Australia have lost both the Tests they have played in Mohali.

However, it won’t be as hot as in the south.

Day-time temperatures are likely to stay in the mid-20s, and cloudy spells and an odd thunderstorm is likely to make it even more pleasant.

Thursday March 07, 2013

Kaieteur News

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New Zealand v England, 2nd Test, Wellington...

New Zealand facing a test of their stamina ESPNcricinfo - Had the first Test been decided on a points decision, there is little doubt that most judges would have awarded it to New Zealand. After bowling out England for 167 - their lowest first innings score since 2009 - the hosts replied with 460 to take a first innings lead of 293; their third highest against England in completed innings. While a flat pitch and some determined England batting prevented a repeat in the second innings, it was England who benefited most from the first day having been lost to rain.

But the fact is that the match was drawn and, bearing in mind the history of England improving after a faltering start, New Zealand may come to reflect that they have missed their best opportunity to strike a telling blow. Worryingly for New Zealand, this pitch is expected to provide more assistance to

the England seamers.

It certainly proved that way in 2008. After New Zealand won the opening Test in Hamilton, England struck back at Wellington with Tim Ambrose recording his only Test century and claiming the man of the match award as England leveled the series. They subsequently went on to win it by prevailing in the final Test in Napier.

It remains to be seen how much the effort in Dunedin took out of the New Zealand side. While they should have taken confidence from some aspects of their performance, the concern is that their three seamers bowled 114 overs between them in the second innings in their pursuit of victory.

With so little time to recover between the games, Wellington will offer a stern test of their stamina. The ability of Steven Finn, who went into the Dunedin Test

with few pretensions as a batsman, to resist the New Zealand bowlers for nearly five hours in the second innings might also prove sobering for the hosts.

Still, any fears New Zealand had over the potency of England’s seam attack should have been eased by the Dunedin performance. Indeed, in three first-class innings on the tour to date, England have yet to bowl out their opposition with the New Zealand XI in Queenstown declaring in their first innings and completing a testing fourthinnings target with three wickets in hand in their second innings.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Had Martin Guptill been fit, it is highly likely that Hamish Rutherford would not have played in the first Test in Dunedin. Rutherford seized his chance with some style, though, and in scoring 171 set

Berbice Chamber hails Government’s Initiative to illuminate Albion Cricket Complex Following the announcement by the Guyana Government that floodlights will be installed at the Albion Community Centre, a number of organisations have come forward and hailed the announcement. The Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) is one such organisation.

In a release the BCCDA expressed its satisfaction and hails the move as good since the lights will be of international standards. It stated that the Albion Community is a premiere sporting venue in the Region and the provision of flood light will bring it up to international standard. The chamber in its release stated that this is a positive step in developing the facility so that all can benefit especially the youths. It also said that the installation of the lights will bring a new perspective in the County so that Berbice can host proper and safe night games. Over the years the BCCDA in collaboration with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and a number of other private organisations have hosted several floodlight competitions. However these were done using makeshift floodlights (tower lights) and because of insufficient

lighting, the boundaries had to be brought in significantly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Samuel Whyte)

a new high for an opener on debut against England. Only Mathew Sinclair, who made 214 on debut against West Indies in 1999, has made a higher score on New Zealand Test debut. Rutherford’s excellent start has buoyed home hopes that a line-up containing Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Brendon McCullum and, one day, perhaps, Jesse Ryder, might have the potential to develop into the strongest batting unit in New Zealand’s Test history.

Stuart Broad’s form has been the subject of much debate. But while the focus has tended to fall on his bowling - he claimed his first Test wickets since August in Dunedin - his batting has arguably - fallen away more sharply. Since he last made a half-century - in January 2012 against Pakistan in the UAE he has had 16 Test innings, passed 20 only four times with a highest score of 37 and averaged only 13.60. Perhaps more remarkably, in that time the average balls he has faced in a completed innings is just under 20. Such statistics do little to support the claim that he can be viewed as an allrounder and suggests that he may be batting too high at No.8.

TEAM NEWS New Zealand will be unchanged and England are likely to follow the same route. For New Zealand, Doug Bracewell has not recovered from the foot injury sustained while cleaning up glass after a party while for England Kevin Pietersen is expected to play despite what Andy Flower described as “a little bit of pain in his right knee.” Flower went on to say:

Stuart Broad's batting form has fallen away sharply © PA Photos

“Most of the players play with something sore most of the time. I don’t anticipate it being a huge problem for us at all.”

PITCH AND CONDITIONS The pitch is expected to have more pace and bounce than Dunedin, with some claiming it is the quickest in New Zealand. The last time England played here, Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson both gained swing movement and claimed fivewicket hauls and it is worth noting that Chris Martin, with 60 wickets in 14 Tests, is the highest Test wicket-taker on the ground. Bowlers capable of generating bounce should enjoy it.

New Zealand have not won any of the last six Tests on the ground. The last two against South Africa in 2012 and Pakistan in 2011 - have been drawn, though the weather played a role on both occasions.

Wind may also play a role.

Wellington is a notoriously windy city and some bowlers struggle to adapt to the challenge of running into it.

Shane Bond, the New Zealand bowling coach, has admitted it is an experience that all three of his side’s leading seamers are unaccustomed to having developed as strike bowlers running in with the wind behind them.

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Thursday March 07, 2013

IAAF sets up temporary blood-testing facility in Kenya

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

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

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

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

facility in the country.

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

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

samples are tested.

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

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

Meanwhile, the IAAF says it is investigating a

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

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

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

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

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

Torginol Golf Tourney on Saturday The Annual Torginol Paints Medal Play Golf tournament sponsored by Continental Group of Companies will be played off on Saturday at the Lusignan Golf club. It is expected to be another keenly contested tournament that will feature several previous winners including last year’s champion Clifford Reis, 2011 winner Fazil Haniff and Colin Ming who won in 2009.

Keen eyes will be focused on the inform Mohanlall “Santo” Dinnanuth who won last weekend’s Carib Foods Stableford tournament.

President of the Lusignan Golf Club Jerome Khan said that tournaments in the coming weeks will return to the Medal Play format following two Stableford matches recently. According Khan, the Continental Group continues to be a regular sponsor and members of the Club look forward to competing in Torginol Tournaments.

Khan said several new members will also be on show including two female players

who have recently joined the Club. “This is great for us, it really good to see new players are we are excited that more female players are showing an interest in the sport,” he added.

Other top competitors for Saturday’s showdown are Avinash Persaud, Alfred Mentore, Ayube Ali, Brian Hackett, Mark Lashley, Kassim Khan, Christine Sukhram, Maurice Solomon, Robert Hanoman, Troy Cadogan, Carlos Adams, Dr. Ram Singh, Muntaz Haniff, Munaff Arjune, Albert Semple, Dave Mohamed, Kishan Bacchus, Andre Cummings, William Walker, Chatterpaul Deo, Imran Khan and Mike Guyadin.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers as well as Nearest to the Pin, Best Net and Best Gross.

Officials of Continental Group of Companies have been invited to present the prizes at the end of the tournament and it is likely that the Sales Manager of Torginol will also attend. Tee off is at 12:30 hours.

Thursday March 07, 2013

Kaieteur News

Scotiabank/Pepsi Football Academy programme to kick off on March 23

GSDF’s Lawrence ‘Sparrow’ Griffith and Students from Georgetown after the completion of their referee’s course.

The Third Annual Scotiabank Football Academy is set to begin on March 23, simultaneously in Linden, Georgetown and Berbice.

Under the guidance of the Guyana Sports Development Foundation, 24 teams, both male and females born January 1, 1998 and after will commence the country’s largest school’s football programme.

Encompassing the different elements of the game, the programme saw some 40 teachers being trained in the capacity of coaches, while approximately 20 students were trained have completed the Referee

Course with only Linden left to complete their phase in that area. Scotiabank and the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) under their Pepsi soft drink brand have each plugged $1.9M into the initiative; by far the most money ever being placed in school’s football and rightfully so since it’s the largest school’s football programme in Guyana.

Meanwhile, according to a release from the organisers, a male and female will be played after the march pass and opening ceremony from 9:30 am. Matches will be played every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Coming out of last year’s programme, the GSDF had an all-star female team training continuously for approximately six months.

The team participated in a U-21 Female Football Competition and won over established teams from Berbice and West Demerara.

Previously a number of females coming out of this programme represented Guyana in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) World Cup U-17 Qualifiers with the Female National U-17 Team winning their group playoff in Guyana and going on to Jamaica for the next round.

Leitch continues winning ways in monthly Athletics Road Race in Berbice The fourth edition Rose Hall Town Athletics Club monthly 5KM athletics road race was successfully run off on Sunday last on the Corentyne highway.

For the third time 17years old Denzil Leitch took matters in his own hands to power away from the rest of the field and ran away with the event in a time of 27mins 48 seconds. The race which started at the Ulverston Road to Rose Hall Arch saw some 35 athletes facing the starter.

As the athletes were sent on their way it was clear that pre race favourite Leitch, the winner of two of the last three races, was in a no nonsense mood as he set a blistering pace leaving the other athletes to play catch up.

Leitch was never threatened and romped home unchallenged about 150Meters from his nearest rival. Running in second was Arson Gray who came ahead of Michael Dick, Michael Layne and David Williams.

Leitch collected the beautiful T. Jagdeo Trophy and $5,000 for his efforts, while the other top three finishers received $3,000, $2,000 and $1,500 and trophies respectively.

The females and U16 runners started outside the CIDI warehouse at Bloomfield. Abiola Ross ran away with the female segment in a time of 16mins 28secs as she crossed the finishing line ahead of Denille Gray, Tyenese McKenzie and Shawana Kyte. For her effort Ross collected $3,000 and trophy donated by Fiesta Fish Shop and Guinness Bar. Other winners during the day saw Leitch also copping the U18 trophy with Arson Gray second.

The U16 male winner was Oswin Tudor with Keon Sampson second. The top two finishers in the female U18 category were Denille Prince and Michelle Arokium.

The top female U16 runner was Abiola Ross with Denille

Gray placing second.

A special prize was given to Manchester Secondary School for having the largest contingent on show.

Among the sponsors were T. Jagdeo, Fiesta Fish Shop and Guinness Bar, Archway Snackette, Banks DIH, Prophecy Car Rental and Bus Service, Robin’s Jewelry, Seerams Jewelry, Sham and Sons Grocery, Crown Spot Lemonade Factory, Jermaine Frontline Barber shop, George Papannah and friends of Rose Hall Town. The next race is carded for next month and according to coordinator Godwyn Allicock. They are very pleased with the turn out this time around, stating that the idea is catching on. He mentioned that some new initiatives are on the cards, which should cater for different age groups and clubs.

Interested persons can contact Allicock on telephone numbers 337-4774 or 660-9048. (Samuel Whyte)

Page 31

GMR&SC March 24 Meet...

Sankar Auto Works through its Valvoline brand remains committed With the distinction of being classified as one of the major corporate entities that support the sport of motor racing, Sankar Auto Works through its Valvoline brand will once again be on board the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) March 24 Meet which is scheduled to be staged at the South Dakota Circuit.

The Meet which will set the tone for what is anticipated to be a very busy season will see most of the top local racers battle each other for supremacy in all the different categories. On Monday, Manager of the GMR&SC Rayon Samaroo was handed a cheque for an undisclosed sum from Manager of Sankar Auto Works Bognarine Rajhubar at the Company’s location, at Durey Lane, Campbellville.

Samaroo commenting on behalf of the Club, first thanked the Company for sustaining its support towards motor racing, adding that they’ve been one of the

Manager of Sankar Auto Works Bognarine Rajhubar (left) hands over the cheque to GMR&SC’s Rayon Samaroo on Monday. more consistent sponsors over the years and is referred to as a close associate of the fraternity. He highlighted the importance of the support given by the Company and all the others that make the Meet possible, informing that without such sponsorship it would be impossible for the sport to enjoy the kind advancement that it is

currently experiencing.

Rajhubar said that the Company is a staunch supporter of motor racing and they are happy to be on board once again.

Twenty-two races are carded for the day with the first race is set to begin at 09:00 hrs and fans are being promised a day of exciting rivalry.

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 07, 2013

Thursday March 07, 2013

Kaieteur News

Windwards, Jamaica lead region St John’s, Antigua – Windward Islands and defending double champions Jamaica sit atop the Regional 4 Day and Super50 points standings at the mid-way point of the domestic season.

The fast-rising Windward Islands are on 36 points with three wins and one loss in the 4 Day format with Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica all on 24 points apiece.

While Jamaica has won both of their matches, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago have won two and lost one respectively.

In the Super50 Jamaica has 14 points from three wins plus 2 bonus points and also have the best Net Run Rate of 1.160.

In second position is Trinidad and Tobago (12 points) followed by Combined Campuses and Colleges (10 points).

REGIONAL4-DAY TOURNAMENT: Windward Islands (4 Matches) 36 Points Barbados (3 Matches) 24 Points Trinidad & Tobago (3 Matches) 24 Points Jamaica (2 Matches) 24

Points) Combined Campuses & Colleges (3 Matches) 12 Points Leeward Islands (3 Matches) 7 Points Guyana (3 Matches) 6 Points REGIONAL SUPER50 TOURNAMENT: Jamaica (3 Matches) 14 Points Trinidad & Tobago (3 Matches) 12 Points Combined Campuses & Colleges (4 Matches) 10 Points Windward Islands (4 Matches) 8 Points Barbados (3 Matches) 5 Points Guyana (4 Matches) 4 Points Leeward Islands (3 Matches) 0 Points

Volleyball action in Berbice on this Sunday Volleyball players in Berbice will be in action again this Sunday 17th March when the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) stages a one day Volleyball Competition for all teams in the Ancient County at the Albion Complex Volleyball Court.

The competition is being sponsored by Kris Jagdeo Construction of No.1 Road, Corentyne and will be played on a “roundrobin” basis and is expected to attract both males and females in Berbice.

Among the clubs expected to participate are - national champions PMTC, Port Mourant Jaguars, Albion Sports Complex, Union Renaissance Sport Club of #53 Corentyne, Falcons of Canje,

Vikings of Blairmont and Three Door Strikers of D’Edward.

At stake are trophies for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers, while outstanding individual players in the specialized departments of the game will also be awarded.

The action is scheduled to commence at 9:30 hrs and all teams are asked to be punctual for the opening ceremony.

The BVA selection committee will be assessing all players and is expected to identify male and female players to be in a senior and junior Berbice squads which will be required for training with a view to representing Berbice in competitions later in the year.

Gittens Domino set for March 15th Gittens Twenty\20, 1 out 2 in Domino competition is set to commence on March 15th at Strikers Sports Club, Meadow Brook Drive.

The competition is being sponsored by Stag Beer. Trophies along with $200,000, $80,000 and $50,000 will be given to the first, second and third place teams respectively, while the fourth place finisher will receive $20,000. Entrance fee is $10,000.

Page 33

GNNL Post Mashramani tournament....

Mitchell, Roberts and Nelson crowned champions MARLON Mitchell, Calvin Roberts and Keiton Nelson were all crowned winners of the Beginners, Over-40 and Elite category respectively Thursday night last, when the Guyana National Newspapers Limited Sports Club hosted a PostMashramani Table Tennis tournament for their staff.

The Trophy Stall, Mark Interior Communications and Regal Stationery and Computer Supplies sponsored tournament saw over 19 participants competing in intense and exciting action which served off at 17:00hrs sharp, for supremacy in all three categories.

Mitchell, who was forced to dig deep in his reserves by a red hot Rawle Toney, came out successful in the two best of three encounters, while Roberts was pushed to the hilt by the defending Over40 champion Garfield Niles before he triumphed in similar fashion to Mitchell.

Many felt that Keiton Nelson would have been an easy walkover for former champion Orlando Milner, especially after the latter rallied his way to take the first game, but the latter proved he is championship material and rallied back to take the final two games and the Elite category in grand style.

The action got underway with Mitchell taking on Gary Eleazar whom he defeated in straight sets 11-9, 11-5, before Kizan Brumell disposed of Christopher Hardyal 11-5, 1012, 11-6 while Toney defeated Seon Thomson 11-3, 8-11, 113.

Mitchell gained a bye to the finals of the Beginners category, leaving Toney to battle Brumell in the semifinals for the other place and certainly, both competitors did not disappoint the small but appreciative group of spectators on hand.

Toney dug deep to rally back from 1-6 in the first game to take same 11-7, before Brumell took the second game 12-10 forcing a third game which got underway with Brumell racing to a 4-0 lead, before Toney gathered his wits and rallied back to win the game and the contest 11-7.

It seemed as though Toney enjoyed fighting from behind, as he allowed Mitchell raced to a 4-0 lead in the first game of the final before he took the next three points, then watched as Mitchell took the other four to race to an 83 lead.

Known more for his prowess on the basketball court, Toney staved off several game points before conceding the first game 9-11 and as was the scenario in

that contest, allowed Mitchell to take another 4-0 lead in the second game.

That was to be the last hurrah for Mitchell, as Toney reeled off the next 8 points to take an 8-4 lead and subsequently the set with the score line reading 11-6 in his favour heading into the third and decisive set, from which the winner of that category would be decided.

A winded looking Toney offered no resistance to Mitchell, who took the set and title with an 11-4 win, leaving Toney to settle for the runners-up spoils, while Brumell took third place.

After disposing of O’Neil Rodney in straight games 117, 11-2, Roberts watched as James Johnson defeated James Leitch 7-11, 13-11, 1210, before Niles disposed of Johnson 11-4, 11-7 to set up a clash with Roberts in the final.

The eventual champion, who won the Elite category the last time around and was not allowed to compete in that regards, took the first game 11-4 before Niles refused to let go of his title easily, displaying his championship worth in the second game which he won 15-13.

Niles raced to a 6-3 lead in the deciding game, but the factor of youth and experience prevailing over experience alone, enabled

Roberts to rally back and take the final game and the title with an 11-7 win, while Johnson placed third.

Competition in the Elite category got underway with Keiton Nelson defeating Sonell Nelson 11-3, 11-5, followed by Milner’s double win over Sharukh Imran whom he defeated 11-3, 11-6 and Calvin Marks who gained a walk over following the no show of Duane Prince, 11-9, 11-5, to set up the showdown with Keiton Nelson in the final.

After seeing Mitchell defeat Toney and Roberts disposed of Niles, Milner and Nelson took centre stage to do battle for the Elite title, with the former racing to a 7-2 lead over the latter in the first game, before winning same 17-15.

Using his power serves and loops to his advantage, Keiton Nelson took the final two games 11-8, 11-8, leaving a winded Milner to settle for the runner up spot.

Trophies which were donated with the kind compliments of Trophy Stall and cash prizes were handed over the top two finishers of each category, while the third place finishers received a medallion and cash prizes and the organizers expressed heartfelt thanks to the sponsors who made the event a successful one.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 07, 2013

Thursday March 07, 2013

Kaieteur News

Australia vs.

India...

ESPNcricinfo Continuous losing in professional sport brings the worst out of people.

Especially in Test cricket where individuals can perform outstandingly and still lose, where a match goes on for five days and tours last months, where you are stuck with the same faces preparing for the same results.

It brought the worst out of India when they were in Australia. They kept on picking the same failing batsmen, kept on batting in the same order, waited for some higher power to authorise the firings, and hoped that past glory will miraculously pull them out of the hole.

If India sleepwalked, as if on sedatives, through the losses, Australia have been behaving as if on crack. The thing they have been wielding is not so much an axe as it is a chainsaw. Nathan Lyon experienced it after the first Test, losing out to a limited-

Australia look to stop the treadmill of defeat overs spinner. Now four others are out for discipline issues that the team management says have been accumulating.

Australia have made it clear that failing to show intent, discipline and subordination in team meetings is a bigger sin than not scoring a run off spinners or under-bowling a fast bowler on fire and overbowling him into dust when he is not or making poor selections or failing to reverse-swing the ball.

The first set of things is what they can control, the latter depends more on skill and the application of that skill, which is not always in their control. Even if Australia lose every match on the trip, and there is a strong likelihood they will, they perhaps want to know they tried everything in their control.

There’s not much left in their control, though: they might have only 12 men left to choose from, Steven Smith and Brad Haddin could be playing in the top six, but it’s

fair to say they will rather be on the field than in front of a green backdrop with strings of VB and Cricket Australia logos in the press conference room.

Watch out for...

Phillip Hughes will be aware he is allowed to sit in this test only because some others have been asked to stand outside the class for the next period. Hughes has faced 39 balls from spinners this series, and has been out four times without scoring a run. That spin barrage is not likely to stop any time soon.

It will be interesting to see how he counters it.

Michael Clarke has finally decided to move up in the order in an attempt to prevent fires as opposed to doing all the firefighting with fewer specialist batsmen for company. You can seen, though, why Clarke wanted to cling on to No. 5: he averages 64 and 51 at Nos. 5 and 6, and only 22 and 25 at 4 and 3. We are not sure yet where exactly he will bat, but he has made the decision for the good of the team.

GFF Super League...

2nd Rd. action starts this weekend; five matches slated Defending champions Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United will start the second round of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Super League with a game against Pele on Sunday, the feature game of a double header at the GFC Ground.

The opening clash at 18:00hrs brings together Buxton United and Den Amstel Porknockers. Another double header will be contested at the Wisburg Ground, in the Bauxite Mining Town of Linden.

Opening play at 14:00hrs will see Amelia’s Ward Panthers coming up against BV Triumph United with main play between Milerock and BCC Rosignol United two

Page 35

hours later.

The lone game at the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground pits Uitvlugt Warriors and BK Western Tigers from 16:00hrs.

Following a competitive first round, teams will be seeking to regroup and come out with more vigor as they aim to better their respective performances. The Technical

Staff of each team would certainly have been reviewing the players’ performances with a view of being more potent in this final half of the 2012/2013 League.

Alpha sits comfortably at the helm of the points table with 22 points from their 9 matches which includes a single defeat. Their forward line has shown a great appetite for scoring goals banging in a total of 39 and letting in a mere 4.

Western Tigers are 5 points adrift of the leaders with Pele 2 point’s further back. Fans will be looking for more competitive matches which mean that the clubs would have had to be doing their home work.

This will be Ishant Sharma’s 50th Test. He averages 38.52 with the ball.

No specialist bowler who has played 50 Tests has ended with an average that bad.

Looking at India’s pace resources, Ishant still has time to correct this statistic.

Mohali at least should provide him more help than the two earlier pitches.

Teams news India are in that happy inconspicuous place that Australia inhabited when India toured there. MS Dhoni’s picks have been working, Ravindra Jadeja has turned into a Test bowler at home, and you don’t see the anxiety that should accompany the firing of Virender Sehwag. In fact they have gone ahead and said a day before the Test that Shikhar Dhawan will debut in Mohali, something almost unheard of in modern Indian cricket.

There had been a bit of an injury scare to Cheteshwar Pujara, who batted with what seemed like a troublesome knee in Hyderabad, and

Back to the wall Phillip Hughes has not scored a run off spin in this series © AFP walked off gingerly during a training session two days before the match. He is likely to play, though. Harbhajan Singh could continue being chosen ahead of Pragyan Ojha, but you never know

with India.

In this Test, some on-field action can’t come soon enough for Australia. Can it?

They have the task of picking a Test XI out of the debris (Continued on page 28)

t r o Sp

Darren Sammy pulls for six (WICB)

Denesh Ramdin drives during his half century (WICB).

E

SPNcricinfo - West Indies were in danger of conceding an embarrassing first-innings lead on home soil to Test irregulars Zimbabwe, playing their first Test in over a year. At 151 for 6 in pursuit of 211, captain Darren Sammy arrived and did what he normally does. He attacked.

And for once, he survived long enough.

The result was a 69-ball 73 that turned the game and sent Zimbabwe into defensive mode, like Marlon Samuels’ assault in the morning had done. It also gave West Indies a sizeable lead, the importance of which was driven home when Zimbabwe lost three quick wickets towards the close.

Both innings came when Zimbabwe were in a position to exert pressure, but couldn’t, largely due to one bowler consistently leaking runs. Samuels had targeted Graeme Cremer, not allowing him to settle as he took 32 off 26 deliveries from the legspinner.

Brendan Taylor persisted with Cremer, over his other specialist spinner Ray Price, and Sammy took further toll.

Forty-seven of Sammy’s runs came off the 28 balls he faced from Cremer. In contrast, Price bowled just 27 deliveries to Sammy and Samuels combined, and conceded only seven.

All Sammy and Samuels wanted to do

Marlon Samuels plays a spanking square drive (WICB). was to hit boundaries, which is what Zimbabwe allowed them to do, with Cremer serving up long hops and overpitched deliveries. All the four sixes Sammy hit came against Cremer, as did most of his fours.

When Cremer bowled full, Sammy powered him straight down the ground.

When he dropped it short often, he was pulled over midwicket. Samuels cut and pulled Cremer despite the bounce in the pitch, and also stepped out to drive him against the turn through midwicket. By the time the restrictive Price was given more bowling, the damage had already been done.

Denesh Ramdin played an important knock, giving solid support to Sammy during their century partnership for the seventh wicket. Then, after Sammy chopped Hamilton Masakadza onto his stumps shortly before tea, Ramdin patiently built the lead further along with Tino Best, who became Kyle Jarvis’ fifth victim to end the innings.

The part-time medium of Masakadza had claimed Samuels as well, off what proved to be the last ball before lunch.

Samuels was in imperious touch on his comeback from facial injury, but could not resist going for one more boundary, and edged Masakadza to the wicketkeeper. Till that moment, Samuels hadn’t let West Indies feel any strain after the big wickets of Chris

Gayle and Darren Bravo. He’d come out and gone after the bowling so clinically that it was Zimbabwe who felt constrained enough to let Price start with a defensive line outside leg.

Jarvis had given Zimbabwe an early opening when he switched to round the wicket and had Bravo edging to the wicketkeeper in the ninth over of the day. At 43 for 3, West Indies should have been made to grind for their runs. Samuels and Gayle had other ideas.

Samuels hit Cremer out of the attack.

Gayle drove the seamers through extra cover and down the ground, although he was far more watchful compared to Samuels. He was leaving them alright outside off stump and defending solidly.

It needed something out of the ordinary to dislodge him, and the debutant mediumpacer Tendai Chatara provided that. First ball after the first drinks break, he produced one that reared up at Gayle from short of a good length, and carried to second slip off the glove.

Samuels was not going to change his approach despite 81 for 4. Shivnarine Chanderpaul added still more solidity to the batting and the duo’s partnership went past 50 in next to no time. Zimbabwe turned to Masakadza and Price and the pace of scoring came down with lunch approaching, before

Kyle Jarvis had 5 wickets for Zimbabwe (WICB).

Samuels threw it away after reaching a fifty in 67 balls.

West Indies slipped from 144 for 5 at lunch to 151 for 6 soon after, as Chanderpaul under-edged an attempted pull off Jarvis to the wicketkeeper. Two overs later, Cremer was brought back, probably to lure Sammy to his fall. Only, Sammy wasn’t to be lured today.

It was Tino Mawoyo who was lured into chasing a wide, full away-swinging delivery in the eighth over of Zimbabwe’s second innings, only to edge it to Sammy in the slip cordon. It was the first ball Shannon Gabriel bowled, after Kemar Roach and Best had been far too short with the new ball.

Zimbabwe’s day, which had begun so promisingly, was to end on a worse note.

Masakadza failed to keep his gloves away from Shane Shillingford’s first ball, a seemingly harmless short delivery which carried to backward short leg. Vusi Sibanda tried to turn Shillingford to the leg side, only to offer a tame return catch off the leading edge. After a day on which they could have taken a morale-boosting lead, Zimbabwe are now struggling to avoid defeat on day three.

Scores: Zimbabwe 211 and 41 for 3 (Shillingford 2-9) trail West Indies 307 (Sammy 73, Ramdin 62, Samuels 51, Jarvis 5-54) by 55 runs.

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