Friday May 03, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
THAT HOME FOR THE DESTITUTE No one likes to see people living on the streets. In fact, there are those among us who believe that people are made to lie on the streets either because of impecuniosity or because of hostile family members. Indeed, Guyana, with its high percentage of poor people, is no stranger to the courts being full of people seeking relief from eviction either because they cannot pay their rent or because the property has changed hands and the new owners want vacant possession. Then there are the old people whose relatives could not take time to make their final days comfortable either because they are too uncaring or because they simply do not have the resources to care for such a person. Sometimes, there are people who dictate whether they want an individual to live with them. Some people have been known to lose property after pledging the asset for loans from commercial banks and failing to repay the loan and having the bank calling in the debenture. This is all too common although the people in this kind of trouble are less likely to become pavement dwellers. Not least among the lot are the drug addicts and the mentally ill. Increasingly, more and more drug addicts are adorning the streets either because they cannot cope with society or because they have become nuisances to the people with whom they lived. As far back as the colonial era the powers that be recognized the plight of the poor, particularly the elderly, and fashioned a place that was maintained at the expense of the government. One such is the Palms, once called the Alms House. Then came the people who felt that with their resources, they could provide help for the less fortunate among us. This saw the establishment of a number of senior citizens’ homes, among them Uncle Eddie’s Home, Gentlewomen’s Home, Archer’s Home and quite a few others. There is the Dharm Shala and the various orphanages. Eventually many of these homes could not be supported by the trust so the government, in what was by then independent Guyana, began to offer subventions to these institutions. Of course, not all of these homes fell by the wayside. Yet for their presence, there were people who could not take the time to place their seniors in these. Perhaps the fact that they would have had to pay was one of the inhibiting factors. The result is that we have pavement dwellers, some of whom are children. The children add another aspect to this phenomenon. Many of them run from broken homes but the society does not take time to investigate the social circumstances that give rise to these young people being on the streets where they suffer various abuses and sometimes are killed as was the case of one young boy who happened to be sleeping in the avenue. This issue caught the attention of the Venezuelan Government under the late President Hugo Chavez. The neighbouring Republic opted to fund the construction of a home for these people. The Guyana Government now says that one of the services that would be offered at this home is the rehabilitative service that would be designed to help these homeless people to get reintegrated into society. The Chief Government spokesman said that there would be nurses working with these people. However, the reality is that most of these people need psychiatric help and this would not be forthcoming in the newly constructed home. There are simply not enough psychiatric nurses in Guyana and even fewer psychiatrists. Some of these people are so mentally ill that even the best of homes would not entice them to stay; these are people who only feel comfortable on the streets. Left to their own devices these people would render the home a virtual white elephant. Unless there is some measure of security these people would simply walk out. The Night Shelter set up in the city is a case in point. Despite its presence, it often has space for those who need a roof although the streets are full of pavement dwellers.
Saturday May 04, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news
Burnham, South Africa and the Lear jet offer DEAR EDITOR, I read your article of 30th April captioned ‘Amidst protests, South Africa defers posthumous award to Burnham-reports’ with deep interest. It is well known that Burnham, despite his faults, was a conviction politician and a man of principle. This can easily be exemplified by his attitude to Apartheid in South Africa. To him it was not a cause célèbre or a fashionable stance articulated and acted out to demonstrate African Third World solidarity. It was much more than the sum total of all these—it was a moral imperative and a crusade. In the early seventies after our bauxite industry was nationalized, several foreign companies were vying for the contract to market Guyana’s precious bauxite ore internationally. One such company was a British mining multinational. This global player sent one of its top directors, an African friend of mine, to
negotiate an international marketing contract with Burnham. The African director came to Guyana several times within a few months to persuade Burnham to sign this marketing contract. Some of the initial meetings I helped to arrange. Before too long my African friend realized that Burnham had no intention of signing any such contract with the British mining giant. Obviously the African executive reported this to his boss, the Chairman and CEO of the company. The chairman’s response, based on decades of highly successful business dealings in India and Africa, was chronic disbelief that Burnham was not impressed with the deal, so he ordered his African director to find Burnham’s Achilles heel and his greatest acquired psychological need. A study was done and the director reported the findings to his boss in the City of London. His boss then
Sanction Christopher Ram DEAR EDITOR, I happened to read two letters published recently in the daily newspapers that caught my attention. The first one was published under the caption “Only $1,000M was requested for GPL’s operations and the National Assembly approved that; the warning of a tariff increase is nothing but scare tactics,” written by Christopher Ram and published in the April 24 edition of the Stabroek News. The second letter was published in the April 24 edition of the Kaieteur News under the caption “Christopher Ram should know that sometimes he would be confronted and exposed,” a response by GPL to his letter. Reading Mr. Christopher Ram’s letter, I couldn’t help feeling that something was amiss. It was only when I read GPL’s response to his letter that I understood. Mr. Christopher Ram’s company, Ram and McRae, was the auditor of GPL for a whole six years. This means that Mr. Christopher Ram would have had access to GPL’s privileged and confidential information for six years. I find it alarming that both as an Accountant and a Lawyer, who presents himself to the Guyanese public as a professional of the highest calibre of moral and ethical standing, he would choose to use privileged information to which he had access while fulfilling his professional duty
to a client, for which he was paid no small amount, for selfish and personal political ends. This is nothing less than a display of a gross violation and disregard for established professional ethical standards. The fact that he twisted and turned outright lies and half truths to mislead the public about an entity which he audited for six years speaks volumes about his professional ethics and moral standing. I am therefore calling on the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) to publicly denounce and sanction Mr. Christopher Ram’s unethical professional behaviour. Mr. Ram should know, both as an Accountant and a lawyer, that it is unethical professional behaviour for him to publicly comment on his former client using the privileged information that he had access to while fulfilling his professional duties. Mr. Christopher Ram, now that you have publicly displayed less than acceptable professional ethics, your clients, both present and former, must be left wondering. It is my hope that he will be appropriately sanctioned by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Sundar Nauth
instructed him to leave the Lear jet with Burnham on his next visit to Guyana while he, the chairman and CEO, would see that the paperwork to transfer ownership was started. However, Burnham flatly turned down the Lear jet gift. Subsequently, I was told by persons close to the transaction and close to Burnham (all deceased) that when they enquired of Burnham if he was mad (my words not theirs), Burnham’s memorable response was
that, as long as he was Guyana’s Head of State, he could never approve such an important contract with a company which has such close ties to the Apartheid regime in South Africa. My African friend took his Lear jet back to London and reported that Guyana has a highly principled leader at i t s helm and that the company should not waste any more time and money pursuing the bauxite contract with Guyana. F. Hamley Case
There must be worry on public health grounds DEAR EDITOR, The published findings of mercury in the bodies of Guyanese gold jewellers increase concern for their future health. Mercury is so clearly implicated in cancer, birth defects and other public health horrors that the liquid metal is banned from sale in many countries. Our Government is planning to ask for exemption from an impending international convention against its sale and use in mining. Guyana is probably the only country where mercury is regularly offered in almost full page ads in national
newspapers. But the question arises, how can jewellers be exposed to this substance, far away from mining and refining sites? Jewellers are supposed to buy the metal from GGMC, the only legal buyer from miners and its licenced dealers. Mercury present in a jewellery workshop has to come from imperfectly refined gold, or from amalgam illegally gotten from miners. Either the GGMC is selling impure gold, or there is a failure of law enforcement. Rule of law issues aside, there must be worry on public health grounds. Gustav Henderson
RESPONSE TO SUNDAR NAUTH DEAR EDITOR, In yesterday’s online edition of your newspapers you carried a letter subscribed by Sundar Nauth and captioned “Sanction Christopher Ram”. I wish to respond by advising Mr. Nauth that the process of sanctioning a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana can be initiated by a letter setting out the grounds of the complaint and addressed to the Secretary of the Institute, 47, Main Street, 2nd Floor, GCIS Building, Georgetown. And what is the complaint? It is that he was moved by a letter engineered by Winston Brassington and Bharrat Dindyal, Chairman and CEO respectively of Guyana Power & Light Inc. responding to my letter in the Stabroek News of April 24, 2012. In that letter I expressed concerns about billions of dollars being given to GPL, the mismanagement of the company, and the financial straits in which the management has placed the company. I concluded by suggesting that the granting
of further transfers by the National Assembly to GPL should be conditional on the “firing of the company’s Board and their replacement by competent individuals.” And here was the Brassington-Dindyal bogey: that I used confidential information to which Ram & McRae was privy some ten years earlier when we were the company’s auditors. If Sundar Nauth had acted less as a surrogate and mouthpiece for the Brassington-Dindyal duo, he would have realised that my letter referred to public information contained in the National Estimates, the company’s annual report for 2010 and the print media. And if he was diligent he would notice that the earliest information I quoted was from 2010! I wish Sundar Nauth the best of luck as he seeks to have me sanctioned. Should he require any further professional or legal assistance in the process, I would be very pleased to assist him. Without charge! Christopher Ram
Saturday May 04, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
AN OPEN LETTER What positive result can come TO CLEMENT ROHEE out of all this negativity?
DEAR CLEMENT, Please rest assured that I am committed to meaningfully addressing this issue (the attitude of the Regional Executive Officers in PPP RDCs). What currently obtains is that the REOs are refusing to cooperate with their respective councils. That they are aided and abetted by central
government is both an aberration and a travesty. It represents a perverse form of disrespect for the role and authority of local democratic organs in particular and local democracy in general. I would have thought that our engagement with the Head, Presidential Secretariat, last year on this very issue would have prevented it from
Revisit the ‘No confidence’ motion DEAR EDITOR, In the Kaieteur News April 29, 2013 edition there was a headline “Investigators relying on CCTV to track down cop’s killers “. As you read further into the article the reporter had contacted the Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, for his comment on the shooting. I just could not have believed my eyes when I read the comment that the Minister gave to the reporter and I quote “It is three o’ clock on Sunday and I am relaxing with my grandchildren and I don’t want to be disturbed. I will comment on the matter tomorrow.” I still cannot believe the utterances that come out from the mouth of the man under whose purview the security of this nation lies. When a Corporal of the Guyana Police Force, which constitutionally comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is killed in the line of his duty and the man who is the subject Minister of that Ministry can boldly, ignorantly and stupidly make those statements to a reporter, then it is about time that we agree with Freddie Kissoon that indeed Guyana is heading to become a failed state. I recalled not so long ago when during the Linden protests some questions were posed to the Minister and one of his responses was that he is not a visionary. This is the same Clement Rohee who said that he has it in his DNA to be the President of this country. Well if that happens then not only will we be a failed state but a foolish one also. Well I think that the goat done bite he. I would want to think that it is about time that the joint opposition revisit the no confidence motion that they had brought against Minister Rohee because when the Minister who is responsible for the National Security of
this nation can say such words, then I don’t know where we are heading as a nation. Criticize former and late President Burnham as much as we want, but in reality, no one like Clement Rohee would have been in Burnham’s Cabinet. I want to ask the decentminded citizens of this country what aspect of security has Clement Rohee improved or enhanced in this country and is working effectively. I honestly see none. I want to close by giving my sympathies to the family of Police Corporal Cleto. May his soul rest in peace. Randy Persaud
recurring, but alas, it is not to be. It has been clear to me for the longest while that the government has determined that local government and local democracy will be a casualty for their loss of control of the National Assembly. The examples are numerous and commonplace. For example, I recently addressed several questions to several Ministers for written responses all dealing with this issue of miniaturizing, marginalizing, indeed bypassing constitutional bodies such RDCs and even the National Assembly. The answers that have been provided so far in my opinion only compound the disrespect. In the case of my question regarding the No-confidence Motion passed in 2012 against the REO, Region Eight, this seems to have been ignored! Kind regards, Ronald Bulkan PS: I note that you have sent your letter to the Chronicle as well and I look forward to seeing this published there, particularly given that they recently carried an article in which it stated that I was “flayed” by Minister Ganga Persaud for my ignorance.
DEAR EDITOR, Each day as I check the newspapers I become more and more frustrated and depressed about the future of our country from what I deem to be extremist expressions in the letters and columns published. I ask myself what positive result can come out of all this negativity directed at mostly the government of our country and, by inference, the majority of the people who voted them into power in free and fair elections. The fact is that most times these voluminous outpourings contain not a shred of evidence to support their contentions, and I feel that editors and publishers have a moral as well as professional duty to demand such when publishing. Would it not be more constructive if these writers would deal with some specific issue and show what has gone wrong, possibly who has committed the breach of whatever kind, and what may be done to redress the problem? “If you know better, why not do better?”
Otherwise we can only surmise that they are grinding some axe or pursuing some devious agenda. Another aspect of all this disparagement is the negative image of our country and its people projected to outsiders as well as the diaspora, fostering the perception that Guyanese as a nation cannot take care of their own affairs. On a broader front, is it not an inbuilt proviso of the democratic system of governance that the government that has been fairly elected should be allowed to govern for the duration of its term with the
help of a minority group acting as a watchdog and providing constructive criticism when they observe any breaches of protocol and justice? I contend that the fact that the constitution has designated the minority group the “Opposition” must surely encourage and possibly force them to accept that their duty is just to oppose. If this is strictly followed, then with 49% of our people “opposing” the other 51%, is it not reasonable to assume that we will normally be making progress at 2% of our potential? Roy Paul
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Kaieteur News
Saturday May 04, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news
A feeling of great sadness
DEAR EDITOR, Every day as I drive around the city, I have a feeling of great sadness on how terrible we are treating our environment. I would like to point out one example: as I drive South on Vlissengen Road, between the Guyana Zoo and Castellani House, across from the Ministry of Agriculture and obliquely across from the Office of the President, there is a lone garbage bin that has been full and spilling over for the past several weeks. The garbage falling on the grassy area has nowhere to go but into the trench in front of Castellani House. You can imagine the negative impact this sight has on visiting
tourists and the apparent declining number of environmentally friendly Guyanese. I know that garbage trucks pass this site on a daily basis. Wouldn’t it be possible for one of these trucks to prioritize this lonely litter bin
and empty it on a daily basis? If not maybe it should be removed completely. “The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.” Ross Perot. Syeada Manbodh
I was not the author of that letter DEAR EDITOR, I have read a contribution to your issue of 1st May, 2013 at page 28, by Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh. I wish to inform the public, and particularly Dr.
Asquith Rose and Harish Singh, that I was not the author of the letter referred to in that contribution. My name is Murseline Bacchus. I do not have a “middle name”. Murseline Bacchus
Friday May 03, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Guyana,Venezuela finalise rice deal Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elias Jaua Milan and the country’s Food Minister Carlos Felix Osorio visited Guyana yesterday and signed off on agreements guaranteeing the export of rice and fighting drug trafficking. Osorio and Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, signed a letter of commitment, saying Venezuela will take 140, 000 tons of seed paddy this year and a further 70,000 tonnes of white rice. The signing ceremony took place at the Guyana International Conference Centre and was witnessed by scores of rice farmers and even some millers, who were looking for the deal to be secured. Dr. Ramsammy will travel to Caracas on May 15 to add the finishing touches to the agreement, which he says ultimately leads to food security for both countries. The agreement to export rice was a deal secured by late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and the new government has pledged to continue the programmes of cooperation Chavez initiated with Guyana. The delay in inking the deal weeks ago resulted in trucks filled with tons of paddy waiting in long lines to dry at mills, millers running out of money to purchase additional paddy and the slow outflow of rice and paddy from mills. Recently, the
…seal pact on fighting drug trafficking
Venezuela’s Food Minister Felix Osoria exchanges the rice export agreement with Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.
Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Elias Jaua Milan examines a gift from Guyana handed over by Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett. Guyana Rice Producers Association asked Dr. Ramsammy to provide access to the $500M that was allocated in the 2013 Budget to help farmers.
Abandoned baby recovering in hospital A baby suspected to be a few days old was found abandoned on Thursday morning in the vicinity of the Albion Koker, Corentyne. The baby boy was found around 08:00 hrs by workers who had gone to the back dam. Yesterday the child was recovering in the New Amsterdam hospital. The child was suspected to be left abandoned by teenage parents who were not prepared for the pregnancy. The infant was said to be naked and had lacerations about the body. However he has miraculously survived the ordeal.
After the child was spotted the police were informed, and ranks of the Albion Police Station raced to the scene where the child was picked up and rushed to the New Amsterdam hospital. He was examined by doctors and subsequently placed in the Paediatric Ward for further observation. A source at the hospital stated that the child will be kept for further observation and social workers will be in charge of his welfare. No one has so far come forward to claim the child. Police investigations are continuing.
This money would be paid to the millers who will pay identified farmers. The money earned from the export would be reimbursed to the Ministry. Commercial banks were
also approached to reschedule loans and even write off interest on loans. Guyana was expected to sign the contract for the delivery of rice and paddy with Venezuela weeks ago. With the passing of President Hugo Chavez, the signing of the contract stalled until after the election of a new President for Venezuela. Chavez’s handpicked successor Nicolas Maduro was elected as Venezuela’s new President. Venezuela is offering US$520 per ton paddy and US$800 per ton rice of high quality products. Not to sacrifice this high price in the agreement, Guyana was not
enticed at the beginning of the harvesting season to export its products to Europe for US$605 per ton rice and US$512 per ton paddy. The European market is still willing to take Guyana’s rice and paddy but has reduced its prices. Meanwhile, yesterday the Venezuelan Foreign Minister and Guyana’s Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett also signed off on an agreement for the sharing of information between law enforcement agencies of both countries in the fight against drug trafficking. In addition, through the agreement, the Venezuelan
Government has pledged to rehabilitate drug addicts. The Venezuelan Ministers were due to open a shelter for the homeless up in Berbice yesterday but that event has been postponed to a later date. The facility was built through the Social Fund of the PetroCaribe agreement through which countries in Latin America and the Caribbean import fuel from Venezuela on a preferential system. The visit of the Venezuelan Foreign Minister came a day before he was due to convene the annual twoday summit of the PetroCaribe agreement.
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US embassy to host Media Training Workshop this month - working journalists and UG communication students welcome to attend! By Latoya Giles In an effort to boost the local media, the United States Embassy here in Georgetown will be organizing another media workshop for journalists and communications students at the University of Guyana. This disclosure was made on Thursday evening by US Ambassador D. Brent Hardt. According to the Ambassador, later this month from May 28 to June 1, 2013, the embassy will be organizing another Media Training Workshop for communications students and working journalists in Guyana in conjunction with UG’s Centre for Communication Studies. The workshop is expected to feature Dr. Yusuf Kalyango,
an Assistant Professor, at Ohio University’s Scripps Institute for International Journalism and Mr. Andy Alexander, Ohio University Alumnus and Former Washington Post Ombudsman. Ambassador Hardt noted that Mr. Alexander and Dr. Kalyango will present focused, practical workshops on topics such as: Advocacy Journalism and Social Responsibility; Political Communication and Democratization; Investigative Reporting; and Electoral Democracy and Political Campaigns. He said that it will be a high-powered program and which he hopes that many journalists and students take advantage of. In October 2011, the embassy had organized two
programmes on the media and journalism. USAID, in collaboration with the University of Guyana’s Centre for Communication Studies and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), conducted training on the Media Code of Conduct in preparation for the 2011 General and Regional Elections in Guyana. Participants included media owners, editors, and journalists. Fifty-three media owners and practitioners ended up signing the Media Code of Conduct for Elections. Our Embassy’s Public Affairs Section hosted a visiting Professor to offer basic journalism training to new and aspiring journalists, reaching over 90 students at UG and leading workshops on
journalism for entry-level reporters. Programme participants improved their ability to accurately and objectively report news and events to better inform the public and strengthen accountability for public figures. This training covered several core journalism themes, including the elements of a good news story, how to conduct interviews, how to research background information, how to report objectively, and how to undertake investigative reporting. The Embassy also sponsors exchange programmes for journalists, so they can share experiences and challenges with other journalists and learn more about the U.S. media environment.
Death after minibus scuffle
Fifty-two-year-old Basdeo Mangra of Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara, who died shortly after an altercation with a minibus conductor over loud music, died as a result of a cardiac arrest. This was revealed following a post mortem examination which was done on the man’s remains yesterday by Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh. Hence the minibus conductor with whom Mangra had a scuffle has been released from police custody. Mangra, of 57 Vryheid’s Lust North, was pronounced dead about 17:45 hours on Monday at the Georgetown Public Hospital. According to the dead
- Man died of cardiac arrest man’s wife, Kumarie Chintaman, she and her husband had just joined a minibus on the Vryheid’s Lust Public Road and were heading to the city. The woman recalled that when they entered the bus, music was blasting very loud in the vehicle, much to the dissatisfaction of many passengers, but no one said anything. Chintaman said that the minibus then made a stop at Ogle Airstrip Road where they picked up a woman who requested to be put off at Sugrim Singh Road, Industry. “The music de playing so loud de woman keep shouting
and telling dem where to stop but de driver nor de conductor didn’t hear she and they end up stopping till at UG road.” The grieving widow said that the woman pleaded with the conductor and the minibus driver to take her back to the location that she requested, but they blatantly refused. “De woman tell them they playing de music too hard that’s why they couldn’t hear wha she say and den when de bus drive off me husband keep asking dem to turn down de music and he and the conductor end up in a argument.” Chintaman said that the two men continued arguing until the minibus reached the Russian Embassy turn. At that point, the woman said, the conductor pulled out
an ice-pick and threatened her husband that he would stab him. “So me husband turn and tell he ‘bore me nah’ and de conductor turn around and start cuffing me husband to de back ah he head, and wid de fuss cuff me husband like he get dizzy and I start screaming.” Chintaman said the minibus came to a halt and the conductor still held onto her husband and was cuffing him repeatedly to his head until the driver intervened and took away the ice pick. The couple was then ordered out of the minibus and quickly boarded another minibus and headed to the Stabroek Market bus park. While on another minibus en route to the West Bank of Demerara, Mangra complained of feeling unwell and was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Saturday May 04, 2013
Venezuela’s Maduro says Colombia’s Uribe plotting to kill him (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro yesterday said Colombian expresident Alvaro Uribe was plotting to kill him, adding to a deluge of accusations by the former bus driver in recent months. “Uribe is behind a plot to kill me,” Maduro said in a televised speech. “Uribe is a killer. I have enough evidence of who is conspiring, and there are sectors of the Venezuelan right that are involved.” He did not provide details. The Venezuelan president, who was elected in April by a narrow margin, earlier this year accused the United States of seeking to kill opposition leader Henrique Capriles to stir chaos and spark a coup. He later said he himself was the target of an assassination plot by mercenaries from El Salvador who had entered Venezuela. The leftist, former President Hugo Chavez frequently clashed with Uribe while the two were both in
Nicolas Maduro office over issues ranging from border security to free trade agreements and military cooperation with the United States. Chavez died in March after a two-year battle with cancer Just hours before his death, Maduro alleged “imperialist” conspirators had infected the former president with the disease. Like the late Chavez, Maduro has frequently denounced assassination attempts but rarely presented proof or demonstrated who was responsible for them.
Suriname insurance company acquires Trinidad’s Gulf Insurance ASSURIA, one of the major insurance companies in Suriname has made a total acquisition of Gulf Insurance. In an interview with TTnewsflash, John Barkley, Operations Manager at Gulf Insurance confirmed both, the Central Bank of Trinidad and de Centrale Bank van Suriname approved the acquisition recently. Gulf Insurance has three offices in Trinidad and 11 in other offices throughout the Caribbean with approximately
70 employees. They major in general insurance since its establishment in 1974. When asked if this change was because of probable financial issues at Gulf Insurance, Barkley would only say that it is a normal drive of any good insurance company to have a geographical spread of risk, “while some countries may have more risk of storms, floods
Friday May 03, 2013
Kaieteur News
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THE MOTION THAT WILL DIE A NATURAL DEATH The National Assembly has passed a resolution with the support of the ruling party and government, calling for the restoration of Georgetown. But it will take more than just a resolution for any effort to be commenced to bring back some order to the capital city. There are four things that are needed if the preconditions that must be in place before any work commences. Unless these four minimal conditions exist, it is useless even trying to dream about a restored capital city much less commence. It is no use commencing any plans for the restoration of Georgetown unless these things are fixed because it will amount to pouring money and effort down the drain, just like what happened with Le Repentir, cemetery. A few years ago there was a big hue and cry about the state of the cemetery, one of the biggest if not the biggest, in the Englishspeaking Caribbean. The once well-kept cemetery was allowed by the Georgetown City Council to turn into a jungle. And so there were calls for something to be done. Interestingly most of the calls were directed towards the government as if it was the responsibility of the government to keep the cemetery clean. As if the government was collecting
the burial fees for persons who were interred in this cemetery. The government did respond and cleared the cemetery of the heavy, junglelike overgrowth. Fingers were crossed that the Georgetown City Council would take things from there and avoid a reoccurrence. But that was asking too much. The cemetery today, despite the millions of dollars injected by the government to assist in clearing the burial grounds, has returned to the jungle. This is just one example why unless certain fundamental issues are fixed, it makes no sense spending any money to restore Georgetown. The first thing that must be fixed is illegal vending. There has to be an end to illegal vending. The Council itself has accepted that vendors generate a considerable amount of garbage and therefore, unless vending is fixed, it makes no sense even trying to deal with the garbage. It is hard to walk freely in certain parts of the city because of the encroachment by vendors and therefore if Georgetown is going to be restored it has to be restored to a pre-illegal vending state. The second precondition has to be the removal of squatting on state reserve, parapets. Georgetown is sitting on a potential epidemic. The risk of an
Dem boys seh...
Kwame tell Curacao people he been pun a board Dem had de UNESCO meeting on World Press Freedom in Curacao de other day and of course de Waterfalls boss man and some other local media people get invite. Next thing dem see Kwame tun up. De people didn’t expect fuh see he but dem boys know that he love to tun up and dem get a chance fuh hear he confess to tunning up. De meeting start and de Guyana radio issue come up. Kwame listening. English talking and he pick up de head phone fuh listen to de translation. Everybody start watching when de Waterfalls boss man and Henrico point at he and start fuh chant “thief”. Dem seh he is Jagdeo stooge and he been pun de board that advise Jagdeo to give way de licence and to who. De people ask he if is true, and all he could do is hang he lip. Is like he couldn’t understand wha de people ask he. Kwame seh he sit pun a Board and he sure nobody else ain’t been pun that board. He grumble something bout some Julius. And de people ask he if is two people been pun de board, then. He seh is he alone been pun de board. Suh dem ask who is Julius, then? He seh Julius does wuk under he. Henrico, Glenn and Nazima was de only people who understand wha he mean. Dem is Guyanese and know he story. When de people ask he de Kwame why he stay pun de board, he seh he is a man who does cry fuh go pun board sometimes. Jagdeo did put he pun one but that didn’t satisfy he. He guh by heself pun this other board and nobody coulda tek he off. Dem boys seh is a miracle Julius ain’t get five frequency too. Talk half and ask youself who else been pun board.
outbreak of cholera is a real possibility because many squatters are disposing of their feces in canals which have become stagnant. In fact, the stagnation in many of these canals has been caused by fecal matter encouraging the growth of weeds which has restricted the flow and caused increased sedimentation. Unless squatting ends, there will continue to be a real possibility of an eventual outbreak of cholera because the canals run along human settlements and some pipelines run over some of these canals. Georgetown is also heavily populated and if there is such an outbreak, thousands of persons in Georgetown are going to fare
the worst. The third precondition is a return to zoning. The Central Housing and Planning Authority has been the main culprit here. Lacking a real understanding, or at least seemingly so. of how Georgetown developed and how cities are supposed to be ordered, a number of traditional housing areas have been converted into disorganized wards in which businesses have been allowed to be erected willy nilly. There seems to be little effort to stop this sort of commercial sprawl and it has spread to areas such as Queenstown. Fortunately, residents in some areas have decided to challenge some of these developments but it will require the rezoning of the
entire city before any order can be restored. Finally, the most important change that is needed is a revamp of the Georgetown City Council. It would be inexplicable for citizens to support the restoration of the city if it continues to be administered by the same body that has overseen its demise. No restoration effort will be taken seriously or will it be successful un less there is new administrative body to manage the process and quite honestly unless there is a political agreement allowing for a non-partisan group to take over City Hall, it makes no sense even beginning to even think about restoring Georgetown. The private sector is not going to throw
money down the drain unless there is change at this level and the government is not going to do the same unless there is a change of the guard at Town Hall. Unfortunately, there is no political will to do any of the four things and therefore the motion to restore Georgetown will not see the light of day, ever. Like the once vaunted capital city, it will die a natural death.
Geneva Barrett is Miss Big, Bold, Beautiful Miss Geneva Barrett, sporting a white and silver evening gown, was early Friday morning crowned Miss Big, Bold and Beautiful, at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, in front of an appreciative audience who ignored intermittent showers and trekked to the venue, to cheer on their favorite contestant. Barrett, who is a school teacher by profession, was Delegate Number Seven. This contestant certainly underscored the catch phrase ‘save the best for last’ as she bested the other contestants in almost every area, to gain both the judges’ nod, as well as that of her enamored audience. In the end she walked away with most of the prizes that were up for grabs, including a 32-inch plasma television. It was obvious from her very first appearance on stage that Barrett was a contestant to watch, as she exuded confidence, eloquence, charisma and grace, in all of her presentations. Delegate number one, La Toya Carryl, who was the first runner up, was also a strong contender for the crown. This delegate really set the tone for what was to follow, with her flawless and animated oral presentation. Tall and regal, Carol Prince copped the second runner up prize. Prince’s presentation was also one of eloquence, as she spoke on the diverse uses of the popular greenheart, which she represented. The delegates entertained their captive audience with provocative gyrations during their opening dance and well executed talent pieces. Judging from the mostly great presentations by the delegates it was obvious that they had done their research well on the various species of wood, found in Linden, and from which many streets derived their names.
Some of the prizes of the first and second runners up included one washing machine and vanity among other things. Miss Congeniality, Samantha Williams, copped a music system, compliments of Dave and Celina‘s, while all the delegates received a gift set, certificate of participation and a bouquet for their efforts.Patrons of course certainly got their money’s worth judging from the frequent applause and positive comments. The return of the Miss ‘Big Bold and Beautiful’ after a two-year hiatus, was greeted with much anticipation by Lindeners. The event is an important one on the calendar of the Linden Town Week of activities, which began on April 26. This year the women had chosen to represent the exotic species of woods from which Linden derived many street names. The now popular pageant, which initially had started out as merely an exhibition, progressed to a pageant in
Geneva Barrett 2009, and continued in 2010, but then there was a two-year hiatus, where no pageant was held in 2011 and 2012. One of the coordinators of the Big Bold and Beautiful, Ms Camille Cummings, pointed out in a recent interview that the aim of the pageant is to showcase ‘big’ women in a positive light, so that people could become cognizant of the fact that big can be beautiful.
“It is our belief that full figured women are worth more than the general concept that they are showcased to evoke laughter from an audience, but rather to display their beauty, talent , fashion and charisma. And on Saturday night the seven incredible and vivacious full figured women, certainly delivered in all the aforementioned areas. (Enid Joaquin)
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President Ramotar defends contract workers Government has defended its pra c t i c e o f h i r i n g contract workers in the public service. He described the practice as one which gives those workers more choices. President Donald Ramotar said that the Opposition had been labouring under the misconception that contract workers are paid super salaries. This issue came up last year during the National Budget considerations and again featured in the line of questioning by the Opposition’s Members of Parliament (MPs). The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and the Opposition have been arguing that contracts were issued to mainly friends and other party supporters who were placed in lucrative jobs at the various ministries and even at Office of the President. This year again, during the consideration of the budget in the National A s s embly, MPs were relentless in their questions about contract workers. Salary scales in the public service were compared to what the contract workers were receiving as ministries and other government agencies were examined in
- says it is an option offered
President Donald Ramotar detail. There were not many variations except perhaps one employee at the Ministry of Legal Affairs who was said to be paid over $1M for performing three functions. Last year, AFC MP, Moses Nagamootoo, likened contracted Presidential Advisors at the Office of the President to “fat cats”. It was disclosed that Press U n d e r s e c r e t a r y, Mahendra Roopnarine, earns $395,000 per month while controversial President’s Information
L i a i s o n Officer, Kwame McCoy, was taking in $334,850. Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon, was listed as being paid a salary of $895,326 while his Deputy, Hydar Ally, $550,064. Office of the President also paid the son of former Attorney General, Charles Ramson, $430,196 for the position of Technical Legal Director. The late Reepu Daman Persaud was listed on June payroll for OP as receiving $412,320 for his services as an Advisor to the President while former Regional Chairman for Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapha earned for himself as Head, Community Relations Liaison Officer some $307,600. Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira was taking home $967,985, a salary greater than her boss Dr. Roger Luncheon. GPSU itself said that the use of contract workers in the public service is a deliberate ploy by government to erode the strength of the unions. Last week, the President insisted that it is a fact that
City hall gears for rainy season The cash strapped Georgetown municipality has pledged to do its best to control flooding in affected areas of the city during the rainy seasons. “City Hall is mobilised with financial resources for the May/June rains.” Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green, stated at a recent press conference “that all the necessary steps have been taken to prepare for the forthcoming rainy season. City Hall will do what we can to control flooding. “We don’t have inexhaustible financial and other resources available, but we hope that with other stakeholders on board we can do what we can to control
flooding in the capital city.” With the restoration of the Georgetown project, the Mayor is optimistic about what can be done to improve the city’s drainage systems. “We talk of millions of dollars to clear and concrete these c a n a l s a n d w h o knows, if the restoration project may even propose the opening of some canals that we closed.” Mayor Green also said that an unthinking municipality had blocked many essential drainage systems around Georgetown. “Independence Boulevard, Merriman’s Mall and other canals acted as reservoirs particularly during rainfall but these have been filled following the colonial ages where the Dutch designed this city bearing
in mind that we are below sea level, this compromised the welfare of the city during heavy rainfall.” “The implementation of the public relations sub committee is to reconfigure the minds of citizens on how to care the city,” Green added. City Engineer, Lloyd Alleyne said that a comprehensive programme was prepared and installed for the rainy season. The programme extends from April to September. “We have installed additional sluice gates to facilitate extreme high tides… we have also informed sluice an d pump attendants and established engineers who will be on watch at this time.” The Civil Defence Committee is on standby, the officials added.
“Sugar “charged with raping school girl Taxi driver Basheer Mohamed, called “Sugar”, 36, of Lot 73 East Canefield, East Canje, Berbice was on Friday placed on $120,000 bail by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo when he appeared before her at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court on a charge of rape committed on a girl under 16 years of age. According to prosecutor Sergeant Phillip Sheriff, the accused who is no stranger to the courts, is known to the family. It is alleged that he committed the act between Tuesday July 14 and Tuesday July 31, 2012 at Canefield, East Canje, Berbice. It is alleged that the man took the schoolgirl from a school in New Amsterdam to his home in Canefield, East Canje where he repeatedly had sex with her. The matter was reported and Mohammed was arrested. A file was prepared and sent to the DPP for advice and he was subsequently charged. The case will continue on June 26.
every society always fights to give people more choices. He explained that the contract workers include drivers and a host of other workers who took that option. “But what Government has been doing is, they have been giving people a choice that when they come to work with the government, they can either go into their public service establishment or they can opt for a contract.” The President found it strange that the Opposition would want to reduce these choices by the workers. The Head of State stressed that the salaries granted to contract workers and the normal civil servants are comparable. He also believed that the Opposition is more “educated” now than last year, following the explanations given by Government Ministers in the National Assembly. Last year, government spent $6.2B on contracted employees. It has allocated $7.8B this year, signaling an increase in the number of contracted workers.
Duck curry champions hope for many more top spots Today, being recognised as Duck Curry champions 2013, compounded with previous wins since entering the popular duck curry competition in2008, both at the Regional and International levels, 42-yearold Deoraj Jaikaran, a/k “Dev”, of Golden Fleece, Essequibo Coast, is even more confident of securing another win, come November, when another competition is set to be held in Suriname. Jaikaran emerged winner last Sunday in Trinidad in the recently held annual duck curry competition. The venue was the Mario Ground. There were 15 competitors. The duck curry expert walked away with TT$5000, a music system, trophies and hampers. Adopting his cooking skills from his wife, Indrawattie Rampersaud, Jaikaran said that he was able to successfully master the art of preparing the popular duck curry over the years, simply by observing and later assisting his wife by cooking for his family, especially during the holidays. Starting out with the fore knowledge of only knowing how to steam water, Jaikaran
explained that he would carefully gauge his wife while she was cooking and would later experiment using the practical knowledge at home. This saw him entering his first competition, in2008, at Hampton Court Ground. Jaikaran said that while he has over the years secured numerous wins, he however came second runner up in 2010 and 2011. But, while being tentative about disclosing the secret to his cooking, which continues to earn him the top spot, Jaikaran would only say he takes pride in carefully selecting and preparing his seasonings, spices, massalas and geeras. Jaikaran, who does all of his shopping for his cooking, said that he would venture into the market and purchase all the necessary seasonings after which he would prepare his meat by marinating and refrigerating prior to the day before the competition. Jaikaran, who also operates a taxi service, is extremely passionate about cooking and lends gratitude to individuals, especially Locknauth Persaud, the owner of Kings Jewellery, for his continued support.
ImmigrationINFO Immigration News For Our Community Attorney Gail S. Seeram Through this “Question & Answer” column, our goal is to answer your immigration questions. We appreciate your comments and questions. If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, please email: Gail@GailLaw.com. Question #1: I am a Guyanese, married to a permanent resident since March 2013. I also have two kids, one being 18 yrs in August and the other being 16 yrs now, both living with me in Guyana. My wife filed G325A form for me and I- 130 for myself and one each for my kids. Does she have to file any more forms and how long would that wait/process take before I can be there with her? I have a 10-year multiple visa. Will that be revoked because of the petition? Answer #1: Currently visas are being issued for petitions filed on or before March 2011 for spouses and children under age 21 of a permanent resident. So, you have about a two-year wait. Note, you will not receive any correspondence from Immigration or the Visa Center until the visa is current or close to being available. Remember, if you or the petitioner (your wife) change
your address, you must notify Immigration by filing Form AR-11. As for your visa being revoked, this is a possibility if you seek a visa renewal while the petition (Form I-130) is pending. Also, if you visit the U.S., the Officer may see the pending Form I-130 in the system and can also revoke the visa since you now have immigration intents or intents to come live in the U.S. Question #2: My father sponsored my two brothers but he died in 2010, their priority date was January 2005. Immigration advised we can pursue substitute sponsorship or humanitarian reinstatement of visa petition. Can you please advise on the process? Answer #2: When a petitioner dies, the pending petition also dies or becomes void. However, a request can be made by a substitute sponsor to reinstate the pending petition based on humanitarian grounds. This is not an automatic process. A new affidavit of support must be submitted along with strong evidence of hardship for the family. The key in getting these requests for reinstatement approved is submitting the right evidence. Question #3: Can you cover permanent residents and Aggregate Felons. Is there any hope for them with
Gail Seeram the new immigration reform? Answer #3: A permanent resident with a conviction that meets the aggravated felon definition for immigration purposes is deportable from the U.S. There is no relief or change to this provision under the proposed immigration reform. Question #4: Why does the U.S. Embassy ask for certified marriage and certified birth certificates when applying for immigrant visas? Answer #4: T h e reason is because they have had many cases of people submitting fraudulent birth certificates and marriage certificates. So, generally they require submission of certified copies of most civil documents dated within the last year.
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Sponsor hands over prize money for reading competition Long gone are the days when lines of students flocked the National Library for a chance to access the publications that are contained within the walls of the building, eager to complete the research necessary for the assignment that was due tomorrow. As of recent, reading actual books has declined since the arrival of new and exciting electronic devices. These have significantly over taken the minds of young people to the extent that even using their imagination has become a difficulty. Chief Librarian, Gillian Thompson, described the decrease in readers as “disheartening”. Working diligently towards the initiative of promoting literacy in Guyana and resuscitating the habit of reading, the National Library has been hosting an Annual Essay and Short Story Competition. Coordinator of the Extension Activities of the Library, Margaret Eastman, stated that this competition falls under the Champion Readers’ Competition that is aimed at helping participants to ‘progress from avid readers to budding writers.’ Bish Panday, Chief Executive Officer of P & P Insurance Brokers & Consultants, and sponsor of the Annual Essay and Short
P&P Insurance Brokers CEO Bish Panday hands over cheque to Chief Librarian Gillian Thompson Story Competition, even noticed the fact that there is not enough reading. He said that when students want to know something, they “just Google it.” Therein stems the commitment to reverse this atrocity some call research. P& P Insurance Brokers deems it almost an obligation to encourage reading and, by extension, writing from individuals, thereby empowering them to develop themselves in society. Mr. Panday emphasized the benefits of learning to read and write. He stated that the
benefits are too numerous to mention. Reading improves one’s vocabulary which directly lends confidence when carrying on a conversation. In addition, reading expands the mind and develops thinking abilities, he added. The competition accommodates participants between the age ranges of nine and 35 years. It was recently expanded to accommodate prisoners. This bold initiative is believed by Mr. Panday to help in the rehabilitation process of those who have been punished by law for their
misdemeanors. Inmates from the Mazaruni, Georgetown, Timehri and New Amsterdam prisons participated in the competition last year. This year, inmates from the Lusignan prison are expected to participate. Among the wide range
of topics from which participants can choose are ‘How it got there was a mystery to me…’; ‘I had a dream last night…’ and ‘The day I lost my library book’, all of which are designed to stimulate the mind and produce creative stories derived from an active
imagination. Not forgetting the hard work put forth by the participants to write their stories and essays, the sponsor of the competition provides for the first, second and third prize winners to receive awards. The first prize winner is given a $10,000 cash prize along with a trophy and a book, while the second and third prize winners are each given a trophy and a book along with $7,000 and $5,000 respectively. The competition last year attracted 75 participants and should attract even more this year. The competition officially commenced on April 8 and is scheduled to conclude on June 6, after which entries will be reviewed and the top three entries will be selected and given their awards. Other activities that are featured by the National Library are quizzes, debates and the popular Champion Readers’ Competition.
Minister of Housing to address TCL price hike
Man remanded for murder at Cool Square Hotel Leon Duncan, 23, of 1977 Williamstaad Road, Festival City, North Ruimveldt appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to face three indictable charges, one being murder. According to the prosecution on January 24, last, Intaz Roopnarine went to Cool Square Hotel accompanied by a female. The defendant was seen lurking in the vicinity and hours after when Roopnarine left the building he was attacked and robbed of his jewellery, cash, and subsequently shot.
Investigations led to Duncan being arrested and charged. It was also alleged that on April 27 at Conversation Tree Road, Duncan who was armed with a gun robbed Mahase Madraj of approximately $2M, property of Giftland Office Max. On February 22, the defendant together with others, whilst armed with a gun, allegedly robbed Shang Ling Ling of one apple IPhone, one Blackberry cell phone and other articles. Attorney at law, Mark Waldron who was expected to make an appearance on behalf of the defendant, was unable
to because he was needed in an unrelated matter at the High Court before the Chief Justice. Chief Magistrate Beharry transferred the matter to Magistrate Fabayo Azore’s court where the defendant was remanded, but will return on May 22 for hearing into the murder charge and the alleged $2M robbery. As it relates to the robbery against Ling Ling, Prosecution asked for the matter to be recalled on May 7 as the defendant is also charged alongside another suspect of the same robbery.
Overseas-based Guyanese commissions neonatal ICU at N/A Hospital From page 2 by 50 per cent. It should be noted that the NICU will not go into operation until nurses and doctors entrusted to use the facility undergo intense training at the Georgetown Public Hospital NICU. Also, the unstable electricity supply to the room which houses the NICU has to be sorted out. Dr. Singh urged that the equipment be maintained at all times. The NICU at N/A
Hospital consists of five incubators of which one is a transport incubator, “because if there is a very sick baby that needs to go to another hospital, it will be put in that one and transported safely to Georgetown”. In addition, there are IV pumps, cardiac monitors, phototherapy lights, and other implements. Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, praised Guyana's further step to
achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Several persons were present for the formal commissioning of the facility in the N/A Hospital Boardroom including his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chetram Singh; Region Six Chairman, Mr. David Armogan; CEO of New Amsterdam Hospital, Mr. Alan Johnson; Medical Superintendent, Dr. Vishalya Sharma; and Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran.
TGI’s Portland-Pozzolan Cement In light of the recent hike in the price of TCL Guyana Inc (TGI)’s Portland-Pozzolan Cement, the Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali has promised that efforts will be made to address the situation. On Tuesday, TGI issued a press release that informed sections of the media of a five per cent increase in the exfactory price of its PortlandPozzolan Cement that would have taken effect the following day. The company sought to water down the effects of the sudden hike, describing it as a “minimal adjustment” and blamed the cause for the increase on increased production costs and a price change by the parent company, Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) which has been continuously faced with substantial increases in major cost components. The press release added that the new price being implemented is comparatively low when taking into
consideration the price on the global market. TCL’s General Manager (Trinidad) Mr. Satnarine Bachew, in an invited comment, explained that the hike in the price is not confined to Guyana but also all across the region and with varying increases in different areas. Bachew did not hesitate to mention that in some parts of Trinidad, the price for the commodity has increased by as much as 9.5 per cent. No doubt, the recent increase in the price of this necessary commodity has been the worry of those who are part of the construction sector and more so, those who are involved in pertinent construction projects such as the building of the Marriott Hotel and the expanding of the East Bank Public Road. What is noteworthy, however, is the fact that local distributors, with their customers in mind, have generously decided to hold the price for the commodity. In addition, the producer of
the locally made West Indian Cement has assured his customers that his prices will remain the same. In an effort to mitigate the effects of the recent price hike, the Housing Minister has assured that measures will be taken to address the situation in order to ease the burden on those who are directly affected by the sudden increase. The Minister said that he believes that fairness in the market is not only required where there are shortages but also in the pricing of commodities. “Increases in product cost and raw materials should be balanced with the competitiveness of the product,” he said. He added that a full analysis of the situation is being awaited and upon being received, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will be able to determine what position should be taken or whether a market should be open to extra regional companies.
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Controversial radio, cable licence ...
Multiple media houses not necessarily freedom of press General Secretary of the Guyana Trade Union Congress, Lincoln Lewis, believes that a multiplicity of media houses could never translate into freedom of press where only close friends to the Government dominate the airwaves. As such, citizens need to mount pressure by taking to the streets the struggle to have those licences revoked since Government is unmoved about the unfair granting of radio and cable licences by former President Bharrat Jagdeo. Lewis expressed that sentiment on a live television call-in programme on Thursday. He had shared the stage with social activist and columnist Frederick Kissoon. The moderator was Dale Andrews of Kaieteur News. Lewis said that the granting of the licences by Jagdeo before leaving Office was, by extension, an action of the People’s Progressive Party. As such, the only recourse citizens have is to take the struggle to the streets. This, he opined, will cause Government to relent but, of course, it will find a way to fight back.
Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis, social activist Frederick Kissoon and Dale Andrews of Kaieteur News on live call-in programme Jagdeo awarded his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop five radio frequencies; New Guyana Company Limited, five; and Telcor and Cultural Broadcasting Inc another five. Telcor’s director is Ruth Baljit, who happens to be the sister of Minister Robert Persaud. New Guyana Company publishes the party’s newspaper, Mirror. The contact person is PPP
Member of Parliament (MP), Dharamkumar Seeraj. Jagdeo also gave two cable licences to two of his closest friends, Vishok Persaud and Brian Yong. Lewis also took a swipe at the Opposition and some in civil society who he claimed aided and abetted Jagdeo’s abominable behaviour over the years. He said that the issuance of the licences touches the core of society where persons elected believe that they are above
Man crushed in horrific Canter truck accident
the Constitution. “Jagdeo’s behaviour has been abominable over the years. This is a man who did as he liked. And people believe and argue that the constitution and the laws can’t hold this man accountable over the years,” he stressed. Lewis is of the opinion that from the outset the Opposition should have
challenged that concept in Court to rein in Jagdeo. But, even prominent lawyers accepted the perception that the President is above the constitution but that is not written in the Constitution, he added. The Trade Unionist contended that if the recipients of the licences are law abiding citizens, they should return them because those frequencies were granted illegally. He said that the current Opposition allowed Government to appoint 95 percent of the board of the Broadcasting Authority while only having a five percent input. That composition in itself is not equal since Government would select friends and supporters. According to Lewis, the Opposition must use its majority in the National Assembly to benefit the society. Kissoon, expressing similar expectations of the Opposition parties, said that A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For
Change should seek to amend the Broadcasting Act in the National Assembly. While, Lewis believes that Government will relent once citizens take the struggle to the streets, Kissoon does not expect any radicalism from the Opposition Parties. Kissoon said that the parties are hedging their bets, shaping their policies and manicuring their political fingernails for the future elections. “They believe their combined strength can defeat the PPP at the polls. They are afraid of radical consequences because they feel it will affect their electoral chances. What you have in Parliament now is critical support,” he added. According to the social activist, President Donald Ramotar, even though still General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic, should not be brought into the equation since he is an appendage of Jagdeo. Kissoon said that Ramotar has limited political skills and his tenure in office will end as a footnote President.
Buxton senior citizens enjoy May Day outing to New Amsterdam
The body of Jairam Beepat lying in a pool of blood
Some of the Golden Age Club members enjoying a game of dominoes
The mangled body of a man was yesterday discovered around 14:00 hours on the thoroughfare in the vicinity of High and Princes Streets, Georgetown. Although the man was earlier in the day
unidentified, by nightfall police were able to ascertain that he was 66year-old Jairam Beepat of Peter ’s Hall, East Bank Demerara. Eyewitnesses said that the man was crossing the road when he was hit by a
speeding Canter truck, which fled the scene immediately after the accident. Beepat at the time was clad in a multi-coloured shirt, denim pants and was wearing a pair of rubber slippers. The body was taken to the Lyken Funeral Parlour.
The Buxton/Friendship Golden Age Club, a group which consists of senior citizens, paid a visit to New Amsterdam on Labour Day and had an enjoyable time. According to VicePresident of the club, Elizabeth Gibson, each year, the group organizes outings to various parts of the country. Upon the arrival of the group at the Penguin International Hotel and Bar at Strand, New Amsterdam, the members were welcomed by the Mayor of New
Amsterdam, Claude Henry and his wife, Mrs. Paulette Henry as well as by hotel manager, Ms. Mavis La Bennett. They sang recited poems and were the recipients of bouquets and other gifts. They relaxed and interacted. Some ladies even enjoyed a game of dominoes. “We were warmly welcomed by the Mayor of New Amsterdam; our club fosters unity among senior citizens and we share ideas and skills. We look after the welfare of senior citizens of
Buxton.” She said that the group consists of 40 persons over the age of 60, including a senior citizen who will be celebrating her 101st birthday next week. Among other activities of the group are concerts, rallies, organized trips, craft classes. The Buxton/Friendship Golden Age Club was formed in September 1993 by a group of senior citizens who got together and decided to form the group. They will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. (Leon Suseran)
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Cameron’s Conservatives suffer in UK local votes LONDON (AP) — David Cameron’s Conservatives took a drubbing in local elections amid a surge of support for an anti-European Union and anti-immigration party, heaping pressure on the prime minister to appeal to the dissident right-wing of his own party. Echoing results across Europe, British voters appeared to punish the ruling government, fed up with economic doldrums and austerity measures. Britain’s nationalist party appeared to be the recipient of a sizeable protest vote against the political elite and the EU, analysts said. According to incomplete returns from 34 contests across England, the rightwing United Kingdom Independence Party, or UKIP, won 76 county council seats, while the mainstream opposition Labour Party gained 150. The Liberal Democrats — junior partners in Britain’s coalition government — were down 64 county council seats, while Cameron’s ruling Conservatives lost 182 seats. UKIP leader Nigel Farage — whose party Cameron
once referred to as a bunch of “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists” — said the results will send a “shock wave” through the British political establishment. “This is a real sea-change in British politics,” Farage told the BBC. Cameron’s popularity has taken a beating as the government sticks to a strict policy of austerity to cut Britain’s debts, slashing public sector jobs and welfare payments. As results streamed in highlighting UKIP’s strong showing in the election, Cameron said respect must be shown for those who chose to support the party. “We are going to work really hard to win them back,” he added. The prime minister now finds himself in the difficult position of trying to shore up right-wing backing ahead of the next general election in 2015, while trying to maintain his own affinity for more leftwing causes. The results are a mixture of typical midterm protest and “rage against the machine,” said Tony Travers, director of the government department
David Cameron at the London School of Economics and Political Science. “It is a traditional midterm protest vote and it’s found its lightning conductor through UKIP,” Travers said. “However, there is a more generalized protest that isn’t just against this government in its midterm, but is also a protest against mainstream elite politics.” He suggested UKIP’s appeal — and the local election results — bear echoes of the Tea Party movement in the U.S., complete with cries of “we
need to get our country back.” “This is a vote against ‘they’re all the same.’” While yesterday’s results will jeopardize the Conservative Party’s success in the 2015 general election, Travers was skeptical the local elections would steer Cameron further to the right. “Cameron is quite awkwardly trapped,” Travers said. “The number of options available to him to shift towards UKIP are limited if he’s to keep faith with his own commitment to modernizing the Conservative Party,” Travers said. Still, the results in the short term could lend momentum to voices within Cameron’s party urging the prime minister to introduce legislation needed to enshrine his pledge for a referendum on European Union
membership by 2017. That promise of a referendum was seen by many as a political play to shore up support for the Conservatives amid growing signs of discontent within the party and voters flocking for the exits. The heart of UKIP’s success lies not only in harnessing anti-immigration sentiment and appealing to socially conservative views on gay marriage, but exploiting Britons frustrations with a stagnating economy. John Curtice, a politics professor at the University of Strathclyde, said the challenges facing Cameron’s Conservatives in clawing back voters were underscored by the response to the prime minister’s pledge to change Britain’s relationship with the EU. “It went absolutely
nowhere,” Curtice said. “What they have to do now above all is restore the public’s faith in the competence of the government — in particular its economics. That will help to bring these folks back.” But while many called the local elections indicative of a protest vote, UKIP leader Farage dismissed any suggestion the UKIP surge would be a short-lived phenomenon. “The next big vote is a European election this time next year in which we will be positioned as the only party saying we should divorce ourselves from a political union and have a simple free trade alternative,” he told the BBC Voting took place in 34 council contests across England, plus the Isle of Anglesey in Wales.
Kenyan leader, charged by ICC, invited to Somalia meeting in London NAIROBI (Reuters) Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who faces charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, is expected to visit London at Britain’s invitation next week for a conference on Somalia. It will be his first trip to a Western capital since his election in March. Britain and other countries said before his victory that, if he won, they would only have “essential contacts” with him because of the court case. “Kenya is a vital partner on Somalia and we judge our contact according to the issue concerned,” a spokesman for Britain’s Foreign Office said. Kenya was playing a crucial role in stabilizing neighboring Somalia and housing refugees, he added. A source close to the Kenyan presidency and a diplomat both said Kenyatta was likely to travel to the meeting, which aims to build international support for Somalia, where Kenyan troops have battled Islamist militants. The move reflected the West’s desire to keep Kenya as a stable ally at the expense of other principles, Kenyan
Uhuru Kenyatta rights activist GeorgeMorara said. “It is a U-turn in the UK and the Western world’s approach to the whole issue of impunity,” Morara said. The March election passed off peacefully, a relief to many Kenyans after ethnic violence erupted following the vote five years ago. The charges against Kenyatta’s in The Hague relate to allegations he had a role in orchestrating bloodshed last time. Western states view Kenya as an ally in their battle against Islamist militancy in
the region and it has sent about 5,000 troops to Somalia as part of an African force that has driven back al Shabaab Islamist fighters. The British spokesman said the decision to invite Kenyatta was taken in part because the president had committed to cooperating with the court in The Hague. Britain’s high commissioner (ambassador) to Kenya, Christian Turner, whose remarks about essential contacts had angered Kenyatta’s backers in the former British colony, offered the invitation during a meeting with him on Wednesday. After the election result, Western diplomats had privately indicated that they would take a pragmatic or “flexible” approach in assessing the level of contacts with Kenyatta, 51. As well as concerns about alienating an a l l y, We s t e r n p o w e r s are wary of jeopardizing trade ties w i t h east Africa’s biggest economy and worry the diplomatic wrangle could open the way for China and other Asian states to extend their influence.
Portugal to make civil servants work longer to cut spending (Reuters) The Portuguese government plans to raise the retirement age by 1 year to 66 and make civil servants work an extra hour per day as part of an array of new spending cuts needed to slash the budget deficit and meet Lisbon’s
bailout targets. Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho said the planned measures, to be applied mostly from next year and to save t h e s t a t e 4 . 8 billion euros until 2015, also include
voluntary redundancy programmes for 30,000 civil servants out of a total of some 600,000 public sector workers. “With these measures, our European partners cannot doubt our commitment” to the bailout programme, he said.
Saturday May 04, 2013
Kaieteur News
Hamas rebuffs Arabs for softening Israeli-Palestinian peace plan GAZA (Reuters) - Islamist Hamas’s leader in the Gaza Strip yesterday rejected a revised Middle East peace initiative put forward by the Arab League, saying outsiders could not decide the fate of the Palestinians. In meetings this week in Washington, Arab states appeared to soften their 2002 peace plan, acknowledging that Israelis and Palestinians may have to swap land in any eventual peace deal. The United States and the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank praised the move. But speaking to hundreds of worshippers in a Gaza mosque, senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh said it was a concession that other Arabs were not authorized to make. “The so-called new Arab initiative is rejected by our people, by our nation and no one can accept it,” said Haniyeh, prime minister of the Hamas government in the coastal enclave. “The initiative contains numerous dangers to our people in the occupied land of 1967, 1948 and to our people in exile.” He was referring to the partition of British-mandate Palestine in 1948 when the United Nations voted to divide the territory into a Jewish state and an Arab state, and to the 1967 war when Israel captured the West
Ismail Haniyeh Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist and claims all the territory between the Mediterranean and the Jordan river as rightfully Palestinian. It never accepted the Arab plan which was first presented in 2002. The modified version was announced by Qatar’s prime minister on Monday and Haniyeh’s comments represented a rare public disagreement between Hamas and one of its main supporters. The rich Gulf state has pledged over $400 million to fund housing projects in the Gaza Strip, which Hamas seized from the rival Palestinian Fatah faction in a brief civil war in 2007. “To those who speak of land swaps we say: Palestine is not a
property, it is not for sale, not for a swap and cannot be traded,” Haniyeh said. Haniyeh said the rival Palestinian Authority, headed by Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, was to blame for inspiring the softer Arab position because it accepted the need for land swaps with Israel. Israel rejected the Arab peace plan when it was proposed 11 years ago. Israeli officials gave a cautious welcome to the new suggestions, but the government still objects to key points, including the “right of return” for Palestinian refugees and the creation of a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is seeking to revive direct peace talks that broke down in 2010 over the issue of Jewish settlement building in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. On Tuesday, he hailed the Arab League announcement as “a very big step forward.” However, any peace moves will have to confront the fractured Palestinian political landscape with Abbas holding sway over parts of the West Bank and Hamas firmly entrenched in Gaza. Repeated attempts by the two sides to secure a political reunification of the two territories have failed.
Government support dips as Spaniards tire of crisis, corruption MADRID (Reuters) Public support for Spain’s ruling center-right party has slipped following a high-level corruption scandal and ongoing recession, and Spaniards remain pessimistic about the political and economic outlook, a poll showed yesterday. Half of Spaniards consider the political situation to be “very bad” and ranked corruption as Spain’s number two problem behind unemployment, according to a survey by the state-owned Sociological Investigations Centre (CIS), carried out in April. A record high unemployment rate of 27 percent, political corruption allegations and austerity measures have eroded support for the two main political parties, the ruling People’s Party (PP) and socialist PSOE, the survey of 2,482 people showed. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s PP would take just 34 percent of the votes if a
general election were called now, compared to 35 percent in January and the 44.6 percent the party received in the election in November 2011. Recession-weary Spaniards were angered by allegations of graft at the heart of the PP earlier this year, though Rajoy has denied any wrongdoing by himself or the party. The survey showed 56 percent of people have “no confidence” in Rajoy. Street protests have become a common occurrence in Spain, with over a million taking to the streets in May Day protests, according to unions, though such action has had little effect on government policy. In recent weeks protesters have stepped up demonstrations with gatherings outside politicians’ homes known as “escraches”, which the PP has strongly condemned. The PSOE has not fared well from the corruption
scandal because of the public perception of politicians as generally corrupt, with parties the least valued public institution in Spain. The PSOE would take 28.2 percent of the vote in elections, compared to 33.4 percent a year earlier. Its leader, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, inspired “no confidence” in 53 percent of respondents. Smaller centrist party UPyD would receive 7.4 of votes in a general election, up from 3.5 percent a year ago, while other alternative parties like United Left (IU) have also gained support. Spaniards were also worried about the economy, which has contracted for seven straight quarters. More than half of respondents described the economic situation as “very bad” and 36 percent expected it to be worse in a year’s time. Spain’s next general election is due to be held in 2015.
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US orders new visa reviews for arriving students WASHINGTON (AP) — The Homeland Security Department ordered border agents “effective immediately” to verify that every international student who arrives in the U.S. has a valid student visa, according to an internal memorandum obtained yesterday by The Associated Press. The new procedure is the government’s first security change directly related to the Boston bombings. The order from a senior official at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, David J. Murphy, was circulated Thursday and came one day after the Obama administration acknowledged that a student from Kazakhstan accused of hiding evidence for one of the Boston bombing suspects was allowed to return to the U.S. in January without a valid student visa. The student visa for Azamat Tazhayakov had been terminated when he arrived in New York on Jan. 20. But the border agent in the airport did not have access to the information in the Homeland Security Department’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, called SEVIS. Tazhayakov was a friend and classmate of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Tazhayakov left the U.S. in December and returned Jan. 20. But in early January, his student-visa status was terminated because he was academically dismissed from the university. Tazhayakov and a second Kazakh student were arrested this week on federal charges
of obstruction of justice. They were accused of helping to get rid of a backpack containing fireworks linked to Tsarnaev. A third student was also arrested and accused of lying to authorities. A spokesman for the department, Peter Boogaard, said earlier this week that the government was working to fix the problem, which allowed Tazhayakov to be admitted into the country when he returned to the U.S. Under existing procedures, border agents could verify a student’s status in SEVIS only when the person was referred to a second officer for additional inspection or questioning. Tazhayakov was not sent to a second officer when he arrived, because, Boogaard said, there was no information to indicate Tazhayakov was a national security threat. Under the new procedures, all border agents were expected to be able to access SEVIS by next week. The government for years has recognized as a problem the inability of border agents at primary inspection stations to directly review studentvisa information. The Homeland Security Department was working before the bombings to resolve the problem, but the new memo outlined interim procedures until the situation was corrected. Under the new procedures, border agents will verify a student’s visa status before the person arrives in the U.S. using information provided in flight manifests. If that information is unavailable, border agents
will check the visa status manually with the agency’s national targeting data center. It is unclear what impact the new procedure will have on wait times at airports and borders. Customs officials will be required to report any effect, including increased wait times, on a daily basis. The Obama administration announced an internal review earlier this week of how U.S. intelligence agencies shared sensitive information before the bombings and whether the government could have prevented the attack. Republicans in Congress have promised oversight hearings, which begin Thursday. Sen. Charles Grassley, RIowa, asked Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Thursday for details from the student-visa applications of Tazhayakov and Dias Kadyrbayev, the Kazakhstan students implicated in helping Tsarnaev after the bombings, including information about how Tazhayakov re-entered the United States. Lawmakers and others have long been concerned about terrorists exploiting the student visa system to travel to the United States. A 20year-old college student from Saudi Arabia was arrested in Texas in 2011 on federal charges of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. Authorities accused him of plotting to blow up dams, nuclear plants or the Dallas home of former President George W. Bush. He was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
(Reuters) - The Libyan army was deployed to Tripoli’s main square yesterday to guard a progovernment rally and became involved in an uneasy standoff with antigovernment gunmen. The pro-government protesters were rallying against groups of gunmen who have taken control of two ministries in the capital. “We are here to support the government and ask the prime minister to deploy the police and the army. We don’t want the militias here any more,” one protester said at the rally that had been organised through social networks. Unarmed supporters of the militias clashed with the pro-government
demonstrators, breaking their placards and pushing them to leave the main square leaving just the gunmen and the soldiers. Te n s i o n s h a v e b e e n high in the capital since militias stormed the Foreign Ministry, calling for a ban on officials who had worked for deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi holding senior positions in the new administration. Armed militia in pick-up trucks mounted with antiaircraft guns and rocketlaunchers have been in control of the Foreign Ministry since Sunday, and on Tuesday also surrounded Libya’s Justice Ministry. The anti-government gunmen in the square parked their pick-ups, marked with
spray paint to identify their towns, next to the soldiers, where they stood in separate groups. Some had stuffed the barrels of their anti-aircraft guns with pink, red and white flowers in an attempt to defuse the tension with the military stationed at their side. A Defence Ministry source said the order to deploy the military in the square and on the main road to the airport had come from the office of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan. “We need to change the government,” said one of the anti-government gunmen, who said he was working for a group from Misrata, which had parked a pick-up truck alongside one of the army’s armoured cars.
Gunmen in standoff with Libyan army at Tripoli protest
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Venezuela’s Maduro says Colombia’s Uribe plotting to kill him
Nicolas Maduro (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro yesterday said Colombian expresident Alvaro Uribe was plotting to kill him, adding to a deluge of accusations by the former bus driver in recent months. “Uribe is behind a plot to kill me,” Maduro said in a televised speech. “Uribe is a killer. I have enough evidence of who is conspiring, and there are sectors of the
Venezuelan right that are involved.” He did not provide details. The Venezuelan president, who was elected in April by a narrow margin, earlier this year accused the United States of seeking to kill opposition leader Henrique Capriles to stir chaos and spark a coup. He later said he himself was the target of an assassination plot by mercenaries from El Salvador who had entered Venezuela. The leftist, former President Hugo Chavez frequently clashed with Uribe while the two were both in office over issues ranging from border security to free trade agreements and military cooperation with the United States. Chavez died in March after a two-year battle with cancer Just hours before his death, Maduro alleged “imperialist” conspirators had infected the former president with the disease.
Saturday May 04, 2013
Peru probes ex-President Garcia’s finances in corruption inquiry (Reuters) - Peru’s attorney general is opening the financial records of twotime former president and likely 2016 presidential candidate Alan Garcia as part of a preliminary corruption inquiry, the government said yesterday. The government suspects Garcia may have used illegally acquired funds to buy a house in an upscale Lima neighbourhood, a spokeswoman in the attorney general’s office told Reuters. The decision to lift bank secrecy protections for Garcia comes during a separate investigation in Congress into an alleged pay-forpardons scheme that freed thousands of convicted drug traffickers from prison during Garcia’s 2006-2011 administration. The two inquiries could shake up the presidential race in 2016, since a judicial trial or congressional vote to disqualify Garcia could stop his expected bid for a third term. Garcia has denied any
wrongdoing and says he is being persecuted politically. Garcia, who first became president in 1985 at age 36, tweeted on Friday that had no problem with the government verifying his reported income. He told Peruvian television that he earned money from speaking at conferences, writing books and directing a university program. “That’s how I had more than enough money to buy that house,” Garcia added. He has said that President Ollanta Humala and first lady Nadine Heredia are behind the investigations because they want to ensure “the reelection of the presidential couple.”
Alan Garcia Despite her denials, Heredia is widely expected to seek the presidency in 2016.
Her husband cannot run for re-election because of a constitutional ban on consecutive terms. Heredia is also being investigated - by Peru’s budget auditor - at the request of opposition lawmakers who say she has used public funds to promote herself. The Humala administration says those accusations are unfounded. Garcia has not officially launched a campaign for the presidency, but said last month he would run “if it were necessary for the country.” “I could not refuse,” Garcia said in an interview on CNN Chile. “I’ve given my life to Peru.”
Obama tells Mexicans a ‘new Mexico’ is emerging
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - President Barack Obama told the Mexican people yesterday that he sees a “new Mexico” emerging, with a deepening democracy and growing economy, and that Mexico and the United States should be viewed as equal partners. “I have come to Mexico because it is time to put old mindsets aside,” Obama said in a speech to university students. “It’s time to recognize new realities, including the impressive progress in today’s Mexico.” Obama tried out a little Spanish on his audience, saying “Es un placer estar entre amigos” (It is a pleasure to be among friends) and struck a deferential tone in speaking about the United States’ southern neighbor. Drug-fueled violence in Mexico is not entirely the fault of the Mexican people, he said. Instead, the United States shares the blame because much of the violence is centered around the Americans’ demand for illegal drugs and the fact that guns are smuggled into Mexico from the United States. “In this relationship there is no senior partner or junior partner. We are two equal
partners, two sovereign nations that must work together in mutual interest and mutual respect,” Obama said. Obama’s goal on a threeday trip to Mexico and Costa Rica is to emphasize the need for stronger commercial ties and broaden relations beyond the security partnerships that have dominated the past. He is to meet Central American leaders in Costa Rica later on Friday. Obama’s effort is aimed at creating more jobs in the United States and reigniting stronger growth. The U.S. jobless rate for April dropped slightly to 7.5 percent but
unemployment remains a problem. The United States would like to join forces with Mexico to compete for the fastgrowing markets for trade goods in the Asia-Pacific. “Let’s do more to expand the trade and commerce that creates good jobs for our people,” Obama said. Obama’s speech served to bolster Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, who last year took over from close U.S. ally Felipe Calderon. The new government has embarked on ambitious reforms to make the economy more competitive and institutions more accountable to the people, he said. It is clear that a “new Mexico is emerging,” said Obama. “I see a Mexico that is deepening your democracy, citizens who are standing up and saying that violence and impunity is not acceptable, a courageous press working to hold leaders accountable,” he said. Obama, whose second term got off to a ragged start amid struggles with the U.S. Congress, heard cheers of approval when he said he hoped to gain congressional passage of an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws.
ASSURIA, one of the major insurance companies in Suriname has made a total acquisition of Gulf Insurance. In an interview with TTnewsflash, John Barkley, Operations Manager at Gulf Insurance confirmed both, the Central Bank of Trinidad and de Centrale Bank van
Suriname approved the acquisition recently. GulfInsurancehasthreeoffices in Trinidad and 11 in other offices throughout the Caribbean with approximately70employees. They major in general insurance since its establishment in 1974. When asked if this
change was because of probable financial issues at Gulf Insurance, Barkley would only say that it is a normal drive of any good insurance company to have a geographical spread of risk, “while some countries may have more risk of storms, floods
Barack Obama
Suriname insurance company acquires Trinidad’s Gulf Insurance
Saturday May 04, 2013
Kaieteur News
Trinidad and Tobago’s ruling UNC discuss Warner’s resignation P O R T- O F - S PA I N , Trinidad - CMC – The ruling United National Congress (UNC) met on Thursday night to discuss the resignation of former national security minister Austin “Jack” Warner as the parliamentary representative of the Chaguanas West constituency, with senior party officials hinting that his declared intention to fight the seat in the by-election may not be a done deal. The National Executive of the party which is the biggest member of the coalition People’s Partnership administration of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar labelled Thursday’s meeting as a “regular one”. But UNC deputy political leader Dr. Roodal Moonilal told reporters that Warner’s resignation would “arise” at that the meeting would treat with the issue. “Mr Warner is a colourful character and he has expressed an interest in contesting the seat again. I think we will meet and treat with that expression of interest,” said Moonilal, who is also Leader of Government Business in the Parliament. Warner resigned last month as national security minister, UNC chairman and parliamentary representative for the virtual safe seat in Chaguanas West, telling the constituents he needed to revalidate his position in light of the damning report by the Warner had retained the
Austin “Jack” Warner position of UNC chairman late last year after he successfully whipped his lone rival, attorney Ashvani Mahabir, who had been backed by some of Warner’s cabinet colleagues for the post. The former FIFA vice president esigned from government less than 72 hours after the publication of a report by the CONCACAF Integrity Committee that had been very critical of him. His removal from the Cabinet followed widespread calls for Prime Minister Persad Bissessar to act immediately on the contents of the report of the CONCACAF Integrity Committee that was released in Panama late last month. Warner did not co-operate with the investigation and has hinted at the possibility of contesting the up-coming by election as an independent. But Moonilal said
Trinidad and Tobago’s political history does not support independents. “Over the years, we have had a lot of people who tried to be independent in one way or another, going back to Bhadase Maraj in 1972. But society is really settled on party politics and I think it is very difficult for an independent to gain an electoral foothold in Trinidad and Tobago in that way. “So I don’t give much hope for independents, but I wish all the candidates good luck,” he said, while another UNC deputy leader and Local Government Minister Suruj Rambachan said, “I think it is very nice when people come forward to fight elections. It is good for democracy, for the country. I would say though, the party is bigger than an individual. “The Prime Minister promised we will be having a (national executive) meeting to discuss the resignation of Mr Jack Warner and set other processes in motion for the by-election.” Party organiser Chandresh Sharma reminded journalists that no candidate who fought as an independent in the general election ever won the seat, while the party’s election officer Ramona Ramdial said, “as elections officer, we do have to discuss (the Warner issue) and we do have a timeline to work, with respect to declaring the seat vacant and elections being called, and all of that”.
MAD AT DUPREY Policyholders: No-show by former CL chairman at enquiry a ‘travesty of justice’ Trinidad Express - CLICO policyholders are “mad vex”. They Thursday described as a “travesty of justice” the decision of former CL Financial executive chairman Lawrence Duprey and group financial director Andre Monteil to not testify at the commission of enquiry into the failure of CL Financial and the Hindu Credit Union (HCU), and lack of sanctions against Duprey and the slap on the wrist for Monteil. The enquiry’s evidence hearings officially ended Thursday, according to lone commissioner Sir Anthony Colman. But Attorney General Anand Ram-logan Thursday said the Policyholders Group can rest assured that the commission is an “important step-ping stone in the pursuit of justice. Sir Anthony’s
report would provide an important guidance to the State on the way forward. The journey has only just begun,” Ramlogan said. In a news release issued yesterday, the Policyholders Group (CPG) stated: “CLICO policyholders are not only disappointed, they (are) “mad vex” since they feel as though they have now been cheated twice. “The first time was when they were told by the Government that they could not get back their life savings, and now that they were being told by the pre-sidentappointed commission of enquiry that Mes-srs Duprey and Monteil, the two central figures who according to the commission would be key to assisting them in understanding what really happened to their
Lawrence Duprey (policyholders) money, have essentially thumbed their noses at policyholders and the citizens of Tri-ni-dad and Tobago by not only blatantly refusing to appear before the commission but have also bold-facedly and shamelessly refused to answer any questions sent to them by the commission’s attorneys,” the release stated. The CPG said the nonappearance by Duprey and Monteil was not only a travesty of justice but added further insult to injury.
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CLICO Commission ends public hearings P O R T- O F - S PA I N , Trinidad - CMC – Policyholders with the cashstrapped Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO) have described as a “travesty of justice,” the decision of two former senior CLICO officials, including former chairman, Lawrence Duprey, not to testify before a Commission of Enquiry that ended public hearings on Thursday. Chairman of the Commission, Sir Anthony Colman, said that evidence part of the inquiry had ended and that neither Duprey nor the former group financial director Andre Monteil had appeared before it. He said while legal action would be taken against Monteil for failing to heed the summons, the same could not be done for Duprey, who lives in the United States. But Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, speaking at the end of the weekly Cabinet meeting on Thursday, said the Commission is an “important step-ping stone in the pursuit of justice” and that “Sir
Anand Ramlogan Anthony’s report would provide an important guidance to the State on the way forward”. But in a statement, the CLICO policy holders they were disappointed that “the two central figures, who, according to the Commission, would be key to assisting them in understanding what really happened to their money, have essentially thumbed their noses at policyholders and the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago not only blatantly refusing to appear
before the commission but have also bold-facedly and shamelessly refused to answer any questions sent to them by the commission’s attorneys”. “This is indeed unforgivable and not just a travesty of justice but adds further insult to injury, some may even say amounts to a colossal waste of time, resources and taxpayers’ money. “Accordingly, it also brings in to question the efficacy of the Commissions of Enquiry Act, in so far as the statute appears to be impotent to treat with persons who may wish to escape scrutiny and accountability,” the policy holders added. Sir Anthony said that during its public sittings, the commission had to deal with “no less than five million pages of documents. The coalition People’s Partnership government appointed the Commission of Enquiry to examine the circumstances that led to the financial problems at CLICO while accusing the then Patrick Manning government of spending billions of dollars for a minority shareholding in a ‘bankrupt’ company.
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Friday May 03, 2013
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Kaieteur News
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Arbitration Tribunal recommends 1% increase for sugar workers GuySuCo doles out 63% of earning to pay wages, salaries By Leonard Gildarie A special arbitration tribunal established to rule on salary and wage increase for workers in 2012 has ordered a one per cent across-theboard raise for sugar workers after finding that the stateowned company is doling out a worrying 63 per cent of its earnings for those payments. The 17-page report from the three-man tribunal headed by Major General (Ret’d) Norman McLean which was handed over to union officials and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) yesterday, also warned that the industry may have to consider a freeze on increases if the situation of poor production continues. Also appointed to that tribunal which was established in January by the Ministry of Labour, were Dr. Gobind Ganga, and economist, Dr. Clive Thomas. The body was appointed after talks broke down last year between GuySuCo and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees Union (NAACIE) over job evaluation payments and increases for 2012. Industrial relations came under severe criticisms with
the tribunal urging cool heads. GuySuCo has been taking a beating in recent years with falling productions and struggles to contain a migrating workforce which has been eroded by the attractive gold fields and construction industry. A US$200M investment into a new Skeldon factory in Berbice and moves to upgrade cane lands failed to revive production levels which fell to a 20-year low last year. Government has been targeting increased mechanization and even mulling a new timing for the crops as part of its strategy. Yesterday, GuySuCo’s Human Resources Manager, Jairam Petam, said that the Corporation’s call for arbitration after failing to meet an agreement was mainly due to the fact that there was no money to pay the increase demanded by NAACIE. He warned that the current performance of the crop is “pathetic” so far, compounding the Corporation’s woes. NAACIE’s General Secretary, Kenneth Joseph, who was among other union members at the Brickdam office of the Ministry of
Body found at Providence identified as ex KN worker The body that was found on the public road opposite Rubis Gas Station in Providence, East Bank Demerara on Monday has been identified as Steven Rinaldo Tinnie, an exworker of Kaieteur News. Yesterday, a Post Mortem examination performed by Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh gave the cause of death as multiple injuries and a fractured skull. Dr. Singh explained that Tinnie was drunk and his injuries are consistent with a road accident. There were abrasions to the front and back, suggesting that the body was dragged after it was struck by a vehicle. The body was discovered by police around 03:00am on Monday with bruises and lacerations. It was taken to the Lyken Funeral Home where it was later identified as Tinnie of D’Urban Street.
Members of the Arbitration Tribunal, and representatives of NAACIE and GuySuCo at yesterday’s handing over of the report. Labour, said that it was never the intention of his team to turn to arbitration. There was “great surprise when we actually had to come to arbitration”. He complained that NAACIE’s workers, numbering less than 1,000, are not “step-children”. The union leader was referring to a perception by his union that GuySuCo seemed to favour the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) –the largest workers’ union- more. GAWU is said to control over 16,000 sugar workers. RULING GuySuCo was given until December 31 to make that job evaluation payment. On the issue of the
across-the-board one per cent recommended for workers in 2012, the tribunal ordered that this was the amount to be paid –no moretaking into account GuySuCo’s financial situation. The tribunal heard that GuySuCo’s situation was compounded by the loss of preferential markets in Europe and despite$25B assistance programme, that sum did not entirely pass down to the Corporation. However, management pointed out that last year a $4.5B subsidy was granted by the government to GuySuCo. According to the report, production declined in the last five years by 15 per cent with a target tagged to a lowly
247,720 tonnes this year. There are also concerns by the union and GuySuCo over the quality of canes with more tonnage required now to make sugar. The tribunal also knocked the relationship between the unions and GuySuCo which would from time to time force arbitration proceedings. There is a need, Dr. Thomas urged, for the parties to engage in “good industrial relations practice.” The report was critical: “We noted that although the Arbitrators themselves tried to get the two parties to have some bilateral meetings outside of the arbitration process, the parties were unwilling to meet and talk. We also felt that GuySuCo’s
management needed to initiate and lead and be more proactive.” In its recommendations, the tribunal concluded that the industrial climate of the sugar industry is a turbulent one characterized by the “high number of unrests and strikes followed by tribunals to settle such issues.” It was also recommended that the concerted and team effort by NAACIE, GAWU, the Guyana Labour Union and GuySuCo be established to agree on a way forward, taking into account the Corporation’s finances. Another move should also be made to conduct an analysis to improve job satisfaction and possibly tie these to performance factors.
US visa scam artist arrested Police, on Thursday, swooped down at a location in Triumph East Coast Demerara and arrested a man suspected to be in the business of defrauding Guyanese through the provision of fake United States Visas. In a press statement released yesterday, police said that they were in
receipt of numerous reports about the individual’s illegal way of making a living. Following investigations into the leads provided, the police moved to make the arrest and found the man whom police did not identify, with the travel document and monies collected from the victim of a visa scam.
The suspect remains in police custody and the police are calling on persons who may have been victims of this visa scam to report to CID Headquarters, Camp Road, Georgetown, in order to assist with the investigations. The statement said that persons posing as employees of the US Embassy in
Georgetown are approaching unsuspecting individuals purporting to be able to obtain visas for them. Monies and travel document are later handed over by the victims only to find out that he/she has been conned. Police advises that the public be beware of such individuals.
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Friday May 03, 2013
Saturday May 04, 2013
WANTED 1 live-in babysitter, honest and trustworthy, proper identification- ages 18-25: boarding provided, $40,000 monthly- call:675-0053 Urgently needed live-in waitress to work in Bar: Good salary offeredTele:681-9683 1 General domestic must know to cook Indian & English dishes, 1 live-in maid to work in BelAir- call:2275585 Attractive live in waitressCall:327-0252/674-4665 1 experienced cook, 1 snackette attendant around E.B.D (food handler’s certificate required) Tele:269-0045/650-4974 Live- in domestic must know to cook, live-in waitress: Salary $50,000 monthly. Boarding & lodging freeTele:610-5043
Kaieteur News
WANTED One mechanic/ welder to work in the interior: Interested persons call Tele: 625-5136: 8am-4pm One live-in or live out maidcall:668-3985/264-3355/6837936 Land to buy in Parfaite Harmonie- call:675-7292 Driver to work at Gem’s TaxiContact:667-9013 1 Handy boy must know gardening, 1 Excavator operator to work in Land of Canaan- call:227-5585 1 Supervisor to over look road building, Landscaping and Construction- Contact: 227-5585 Cleaner- call: 225-9223 / 2253234
One live-in baby sitter to work in interior- contact:6953368 Sawmill workers call:2616412,653-9752 One porter, one salesgirl, preferably from Diamond area: 2 years experience in Grocery Shop- call:216-1420/ 691-9212 Office clerk Senior/ Junior: CXC English/ Mathematics: Computer knowledgeCall:225-0188/225-6070 Couple or small families to live and work on farm at New Hope EBD call: 266-2711, 609-4594 Accounts Clerk, CXC Accounts grades 1 or 2, from E.B.D- Call:602-0945 Sales Assistant from E.C.D to work on Lorry- Call:2664427 General Unskilled Male Workers ages 18-24 from E.B.D- Call:266-4427 Security Guards from E.B.DCall:266-4427 Nail Technicians- Tele:6015824- Lot 6 Diamond, E.B.D Cooks and assistant cooks to work in Kitty area: During 7:30am-4:30pmcall Tele:226-7054
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
FOR RENT
LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY M E R C U R Y (QUICK SILVER) 9 9 . 9 9 9 9 5 % PURITY - $20,000 PER POUND CALL:604-6108
Khemraj & Son landscaping - Call: 6275969; 18 months coconut tree, plant for sale, mould for sale, trimming plants
Agricultural Land (5 acres) in long creek- call:216-1496
187.5 KVA Cummins Generator 3 phase- volt 208460: silent working $5 million Neg. Contact Daniel: 6221165/220-9889 HID lights call: 642-2850 Live/pluck chicken call:6504421,220-9203
PROPERTY FOR SALE Two storey business property Agriculture Road call:612-2522 (1) - 3 bedrooms 2 storey concrete house $18Mlocated - Harmonie Call:6221782/658-5803 Two storey concrete Diamond New Scheme near to Secondary school $20MTele:225-1005/225-9230 Norton Street, Wortmanville: Two flat concrete and wood 5 bedrooms front property $25M neg- contact: B&G’s Realty 227-4125/617-9717 1 Newly built concrete 2 storeyed house, 5 bedrooms, 2 wash rooms: Middle road La Penitence: Price $23M negotiable- Call:682-1172/ 696-9616 East Coast $8M-$12M, Anna Catherina $12M, Alberttown $16M-$32M, Mc Doom $18M- call Diana: 2272256/626-9382 Parfaite Harmonie 1 flat house $5.8 negotiable call: 675-5523 Mon-Repos $12M- call:6757292 CAR RENTAL
Wanted drivers and experienced dispatchersTele:616-5419/256-4167
Progressive Auto Rental cars from $4000 per day. Call 643-5122, 225-8711; email w w w. p r o g r e s s i v e a u t o rental.com
Contract cars to work at Gem’s Taxi – Tele:667-9013/ 231-3709
Untouchable Car Rental: Low Rate , Low Deposit call:2318653,621-6827
Pitbulls for sale- call:674-1186 Games for PS 2, $900,PSP $900, Xbox360 $2600, PS 3 $2600, call:672-2566 (1) Honda grass cutting Tractor; (1) US Marine 125 HP outboard engine; 6# High pressure pump- Tele: 6115292
One Fiber glass 19ft Boat & Trailer with center console equipped with control box & multi-tech gadgets- call:6991711 One 1750 watt Inverter $60,000: One commercial fryer 2 compartments 20 liter capacity $100,000- call:6198008/676-2573/219-4484 1-225 Miller Welding Generator, 1- Big 40 Miller Welding Generator- call:6165424 or 220-4818 1-MF 185 $2M, 1-MF 394 4WD $6M, 1 flat F130 4WD $7M- call: 699-2995/ 276-3701
One sales boy to work in interior- contact:695-3368
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Single Wooden bed without Mattress- call:233-2182 2- Perkins engine 6-4 CLY, 1 complete Bet (new), DVD player (new), 1 Samsung 32" TV- Call:604-1140 1 X Leyland DAF 60 Dump truck $2.6M- Call:668-4553 Diving suit call: 613-5158 M.Khan Two 250HP two stroke Yamaha outboard engine and one 80HP Mariner Variety of religious items, barbering & salon supplies: Stall 111 Merriman’s Mall, Bourda on Church St. Call:219-2133/669-1662
EDUCATIONAL LEARN TO DANCE LATIN STLE:SALSA, MERENGUE, WALTZ, TANGO, ETC. COME & FEEL THE EXCITEMENT CALL: 6126475, 629-8842 Need a tutor for your child/ children with disability? Then contact the specialistcall:683-3887 Electronic course - practical 12 persons per class . Register early beginning 6th May Abdul Electronics call: 226-6551 or 225-0391 Course for: Bridal accessories, Cake decoration & Floral arrangementscontact Sharon: 672-8768/ 223-3303
Nissan wing road Ryder wagon call:612-2522 Axio 2007 3.2 neg. Hiace pitbull 2008 - 3.6 neg. Call:697-0294, 6695172 One Toyota Avensis: PNN series: Excellent condition: Price negotiable- call:624-6240 Toyota Spacio $2.350M, 4WD Fielder $2.250M, 2001212 $1.950M- Tele: 617-2891 1- F150 XLT in excellent condition, 22" Mag fully loaded- call:690-6520/6420110 Smart Choice Auto: Unregistered Runx, Allion call:652-3820,665-4529 1 Toyota Raum with sun roof, alarm & remote startcall:691-5485
SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call660-5257,647-1773 New classes -Cosmetology , Nails, Wigs, Designs, Make-Up, Hair-Styling; call Abby 216-1950, 666-5241, 619-7603 Natural beauty salon & spa: Grove Market Street EBD tele:265-4138,652-5800 specialized in everything for women & children
Unregistered Nissan Wing road 2003, 32000/cmcall:689-7325/644-9277 Mini bus RZ BLL Series: Excellent work conditionTele:622-3384/223-9955 1 2007 Toyota Avensis unregistered-Call:698-0674 Toyota Premio, Fielder, Vitz, Alex unregistered, Norpan Auto- Call:2690432/686-0323 Motorcycle 125 (scooter): (not working)- call:223-3303 1-55 Leyland DAF excellent working condition $4M negotiable- call:656-8346 1 Toyota 212 in excellent condition, magrims, CD deck & leather interior, was PKK now HB 8184- call:661-3525
Tibetan & Dachshund PupsCall: 680-0192/ 216-3408/ 2252958
Secret Villa apartment, fully furnished apartments Landof-Canaan E.B.D- Call:2665243/266-5245
Rock star hollow blocks available in large quantity in 3",4" & 6" call: 269-1406, 617-9230
Furnished short term apartments- call:646-5147
House for rent in Friendshipcall: 266-0163
TO LET Camp street 1st & 2nd floor between New Market & Lamaha Streets Tele: 6394499
Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call:225-9032,647-2943
Rooms to rent- Call:225-9223/ 225-3234
Diamond H/Scheme E.B.D, 3 bedrooms house to rent. $50,000 per monthTele: 667-9499
One #185 Massy Ferguson in very good working conditionTele: 444-7332 /681-5988 Pure bred rottweiler pups call:666-3061
Original games for sale call:265-3232
One bedroom apartment to rent- call:222-3435, First Street Cummings Lodge H/S
2 Bedrooms Apartment to rent: Coglan Dam- call:6426079/264-2763
15-15-5 fertilizer call:2662711,609-4594
Dell laptops & desktops complete computers from $49,000 Futuretech call: 2312206
East street, hospital vicinity bottom flat fully grilled, A/C, good for Doctor’s officecontact B&G’s Realty:2274125/617-9717
VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 F-150 Ford $1.2M, Raum $2.2M, Spacio $2.3M unregistered- call:641-6516/ 264-22644 1 Tundra 2002 Model Portable welders 270 AMPS contact: 623-5055, 611-5114 Toyota Allion 2.6 Million Negotiable- Tele:616-3001
MASSAGE American Style massage services- Call:609-4036 Massage therapy for women- call Debra 621-5883 The Gent’s spa: Come be pampered by beautiful sophisticated masseuses four hands special call:657-5979
Diamond $75,000-$100,000; Campbellville $65,000$100,000; Eccles US$2500call Diana:227-2256/626-9382 One bedroom house Lusignan ECD call:662-9043 CAR RENTAL Adian’s car rental- Tele:6987807 Fab’s Rental: Cars to rentcall:671-6051 or 609-6890 Car Rental- Tele:643-1131
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman & Sons Driving School , First Federation Building Call 225-4858, 6445166,622-2872,615-0964 B & C Driving School, pick up & Drop off call:2250150,229-7258,680-6826
Toyota Hilux Solid Diff- 4Y Gasoline engine, excellent condition: UK Auto 60 Brickdam- Phone:227-0424/ 676-6429 1 EFI Long base Mini Bus, BJJ- RZ Call:277-0042
DRESSMAKING Designing and sewing classes by Sharmela (Canadian Trained) call: 2252598, 641-0784 WANTED (1) One house Lot in Tushen- call:616-1422/6262612 (Continued on page 27)
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Kaieteur News
DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55 hrs. Sign On 09:00 hrs. Back at the Barnyard 10:00 hrs. Smart Guy 11:30 hrs. Prime News 11:45 hrs. Movie: The Meekville Ghost 13:15 hrs. Movie: Junior Pilot 14:50 hrs. Movie: Kids World 17:00 hrs. The Baptist Hour 18:00 hrs. World News 18:30 hrs. Nightly News
19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00 hrs. Alliance on the Move (Live) 21:00 hrs. Indian Movie 00:00 hrs. Sign Off NCN CHANNEL 11 05:00hrs - Inspiration 05:30hrs - Newton Gospel 06:00hrs - NCN Late Edition (r/b) 06:30hrs - IPL Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi DareDevils
Saturday May 04, 2013
09:30hrs - Gina Presents 10:00hrs -Youth Expression 11:00hrs - Ebenezer Praise Time 11:30hrs - The Truth 12:00hrs - Weekly Digest 12:30hrs - Feature 12:45hrs - Save the Children 13:00hrs - Epic Hype
13:30hrs - Revelation & Power 14:30hrs - IPL Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab 17:30hrs - Choices 18:00hrs - NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30hrs - Law Enforcement
& You 19:00hrs - Kala Milan 19:30hrs - President’s Diary 20:00hrs - 3d/daily millions/play de dream/ lotto draw 20:05hrs - Video Hit List 21:00hrs - Bollywood Hits 22:00hrs- Movie
Guides are subjected to change without notice
Saturday May 04, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): Complicated dynamics in a relationship might have you wondering if achieving your goal is really possible. You might even declare defeat before you start, but this is not a wise course of action. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20): You may be feeling selfcentered today with four planets traveling through your 1st House of Personality. However, you could attract situations that require you to act responsibly if you’re too concerned with taking care of your own needs. GEMINI (May 21–June 20): There’s nothing wrong with wanting some more time to yourself, but you might be too busy today to fully enjoy any real downtime. Others may be making demands on your time and withdrawing could create more problems than it solves. CANCER (June 21–July 22): You don’t mind talking about serious things with someone you really like but it may grow tiring today if others act like you’re doing something wrong. You don’t take criticism easily and are tempted to end a conversation if you feel that you’re on the wrong end of the stick. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22): There’s nothing to be gained today by avoiding a serious conversation about your duties at home. You might think you can just go on with your day as previously imagined, but you won’t be able to feel free if you’re worried about running away from your obligations. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): Although you are happiest when there is some reliable structure to your day, you could go too far and micromanage your schedule. But over-planning sets you up for failure now instead of making you feel more secure; if one activity falls behind, the rest of the day suffers accordingly.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): You might attempt to distract yourself from a serious romantic or financial issue today by acting very busy. You could bury yourself in details to show others that you’re taking care of business, but your priorities may require reconsideration. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): Your weekend of creative expression continues, but the voice of reason might need to call you back to handle a mundane chore that’s still unfinished. Unfortunately, the reminder may arrive through an acquaintance that seems to come down on you harder than necessary. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): Although you might like to indulge in a day of relaxation, there’s probably too much on your plate now to ignore. But it won’t help if you try and do everything all at once so you can be done with your work. CAPRICORN(Dec.22–Jan.19): You know what needs to be done and you have trouble understanding those who choose to walk out on a responsibility for the sake of seeking fun. Unfortunately, letting them know that what they’re doing is wrong only compounds the problem. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): You are King of the hill today — at least in your own mind. Others might question or even challenge your authority, especially if you attempt to establish your dominance. Give up your pretensions and your sense of entitlement ... the best way to end up on top now is alongside everyone else. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20): You expect to be taken seriously by your cohorts today, but your moodiness may get in the way. Although you want those close to you to know what you’re feeling, your position is weakened when you deviate from the facts.
Saturday May 04, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 27
WANTED One female to cook for family in Interior- contact:695-3368
Guyana vs Great Britain Rifle Shooting Championship...
Lennox Braithwaite cops top individual prize but British shooters cart off Lion’s share The British has a rich history of laudable achievements on the rifle ranges and a group of marksmen (and women) from that country kept the tradition alive and shot their way to the lion’s share of the loot when the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) hosted a 4 days Goodwill Full-bore Shooting Championship at the Timehri Ranges that concluded Thursday afternoon last. Hours after packing up their weapons the marksmen convened at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street Georgetown to receive the fruits of their labour at the prize giving ceremony and reception and the skill of British marksmen David Calvert and Thomas Rylands stood out when they were called on several occasions to collect prizes for various feats. Calvert was the man of the moment after dominating several events from the very first day when he won the individual competition on the 300 yards range and followed
up with a sterling performance on the 900 yards range to clinch the day’s aggregate. He continued his good showing on the second day with another top performance on the 500 and 600 yards ranges. The prolific rifle shooter also demonstrated a remarkable propensity for the sport over the remaining days with remarkable achievements on the 600 yards, while he was outstanding in the 5 man team competition. Other notable performances came from Thomas Rylands, who dominated the 300 yards range and Jonathan Hall, who clinched the honours on the 1000 yards range to finish with 50 points and 5 V Bulls, while local shooter, Lennox Braithwaite, amassed 245 points with 24 V Bulls to clinch the prize for the top individual score. Meanwhile, Charles Brook performed the duties of Captain of the British team in the absence of Nigel Penn. He explained that the letter
individual was constrained with personal duties which precluded him from making the trip. Mr. Brook said that he was deeply touched by the hospitality rendered to his team as well as the camaraderie exhibited on the ranges. He also said that he will nurture fond memories of Guyana even as he lauded the press coverage given to the tournament. Captain of the Guyanese Full-bore squad, Mahendra Persaud assured the English team that the local shooters were delighted to have accommodated them. The foreigners were scheduled to tour the Orinduik and Kaieteur Falls yesterday morning and Mr. Persaud urged them to enjoy the visit. “I hope that when you would have left Guyana you could attest to our rich diversity and eco tourism,” concluded Mr. Persaud. Consequently, the Full-bore Captain said that plans are in train to host the 150th anniversary of the GNRA in October 2017 where most of the rifle shooting
nations will be invited. The English team leaves today for Trinidad and Tobago where they will compete against those shooters. Secretary of the GNRA, Ryan Sampson, delivered the vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the many corporations and individuals that contributed to the success of the tournament. The local team is scheduled to visit Barbados soon on a similar assignment and Mr. Sampson thanked those individuals that offset the expenses or supported in any other way. He also reinforced the English captain’s view that the press coverage was efficient and above par. Other notable individuals at the ceremony included President of the GOA, K A Juman Yassin, businessman, John Carpenter and Manager of Citizen’s Bank Denise Thompson among others. Rtd Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe also performed master of ceremonies duty.
Six pull out of Jamaica International Invitational Meet Jamaica Observer MONTEGO BAY, St James — Six athletes led by Jamaica’s Commonwealth and PanAmerican Games 100m champion Lerone Clarke and 2008 Olympic Games 100m silver medallist Richard Thompson have withdrawn from the Jamaica International Invitational set for this evening at the National Stadium. An e-mail from Athletes Liaison Donald Quarrie
Quarrie says late withdrawals will not affect quality Thursday advised that six athletes, including Jamaican male sprinter hurdler Richard Philips, American shot putter Cory Martin, American female sprint hurdler Gennie Crawford and quarter-miler Shereefa Lloyd had all withdrawn from the meet for various reasons. Quarrie said, however, that despite the late
Nasir, Ziaur script massive victory for Bangladesh ESPNcricinfo - Bangladesh came out on top by making fewer mistakes, and ended up crushing Zimbabwe by 121 runs. The home side fell into a sink-hole of wickets in the middle order, from which they never recovered. The material differences between the two teams were Nasir Hossain’s timely 68, which rescued Bangladesh from their own middle-order implosion, and Ziaur Rahman’s five wickets, which damaged the Zimbabwe middle-order badly. It also helped Rahman bring down his bowling average. It was Brendan Taylor’s dismissal for 33 that saw the home side slip from 78 for two in the 15th over to 148 all out in 32.1 overs. Taylor had his offstump rattled by Razzak after batting confidently for 37 deliveries. After a short partnership, Sean Williams was run out after some hesitation with his partner Hamilton Masakadza, who fell for a promising 38 soon after. He was Ziaur Rahman’s first wicket of the day, before the Bangladesh bowler dismissed Elton Chigumbura and Prosper Utseya in quick succession. Chigumbura played a slog off his third ball, while Mominul Haque took a catch to remove Utseya for a duck. Television replays of Utseya’s dismissal weren’t conclusive as the umpires went to the third-umpire for a decision. Scores: Bangladesh 269 for 8 (Nasir 68, S Masakadza 4-51) beat Zimbabwe 148 (H Masakadza 38, Ziaur 5-30) by 121 runs.
withdrawals — added to the absence of World Record holder and six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt and IAAF World Championships 100m champion Yohan Blake — the meet which is part of the IAAF World Challenge series is still a quality one. Thompson and Clarke were down to contest the men’s 100m event but pulled out due to injuries, the Jamaica Observer learnt. Jamaican sprinter Jacques Harvey, who left the MVP/ UTech group in the preseason, has been added to the 100m line-up, Quarrie said. Harvey, who is now based in Florida, is the World University games 100m champion and also won the College men’s 100m at last year’s Penn Relays American record holder Tyson Gay and
his compatriots Ryan Bailey and Darvis Patton — members of the silver medal winning men’s 4x100m team in London; Jamaica’s Olympic men’s 4x100m relay gold medallists Nesta Carter and Kemar Bailey-Cole are the big names in the line-up. Phillips, who was injured in the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles at the Olympics in London last year and has since moved back to Jamaica to train with Fitz Coleman his high school coach, will miss the meet due to injuries, as well as Olympic female 4x400m bronze medallist Lloyd. American 100m hurdler Crawford has also withdrawn due to injury and has been replaced by Queen Harrison. A family emergency will keep shot putter Cory Martin out of the meet.
Orb, Verrazano battle in... From page 28 NCAA championship. His jockey is Kevin Krigger, bidding to become the first African American rider to win the Kentucky Derby since Jimmy Winkfield won for the second time in 1902. Rosie Napravnik is also chasing history in the saddle, hoping to become the first female
to boot home the winner. Two years ago, she finished ninth in the Derby, the best placing by a female rider. Last year, she won the Kentucky Oaks. This time she is aboard Mylute, a 15-1 shot. The lone international entrant this year is Lines Of Battle, trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien, and rated a 30-1 pop.
One person to look after layer-birds in Interiorcontact:695-3368 Persons to work in Snackette, must know to cook- call:6477432/223-5798
(From page 25)
Live- in waitress to work in a bar- call: 604-6832 Single female for live-in domestic duties- Tele:6103091 to learn of super offer VACANCY Vacancy for porters and drivers (age 25-35): Apply to 23 Lombard street, Werk-enRust- Tele:227-6458 Vacancy for porters and drivers (age 25-35): Apply to 23 Lombard street, Werk-enRust- Tele:227-6458 Vacancy exist for computer literate person: Apply with written application to :Manager @ Trophy stall, Bourda Market Medical Clinic seeks driver/ office assistant: Please send applications to PO Box:26022 FOR RENT 3 bedrooms Ixora Avenue Eccles $72,000 call:2332583,687-2022 (serious Enquires only)
VACANCY Administrative support. Excellent English skills. Fast, accurate typist. $140K per month www. capitaltyping. com/gyjob to apply Veneer factory workers livein, meals and accommodation provided. Contact: 685-6137 Popular 24 hour East Coast Guyoil needs day & night pump attendants, sales girl, cleaners/maintenanceTele:698-5559/684-2838 Experienced Bartender- Call 225-8572, between 7am10am: Must be able to work shift
FOR SALE 1-500 Ford tractor engine; 1front and back DEF; 1Boutin winch- Tele: 261-2785/ 615-9862 1 Female Dachshund and Tibetan mixed breed puppy: De-wormed & vaccinatedcall:663-3397 1- Flat screen TV 28"$55,000; 1- Fridge $130,000; 1- Four burner Gas Stove $30,000; 1- Double Bed frame + Mattress $35,000- Tele:6046435 AT 192 Rotor $7000, AT 192 Drum $5800, RZ Five hole rotor- Tele:654-6394/227-6689 Lumber Sales, dressed (B) grade quality at Lumber Master Sawmill- Tele:684-5868 Now in stock at Alabama Trading: Aloe Vera drink, Fruit drink, Cereal milkTele:225-5800 Now in stock at Alabama Trading: PVC Ceiling, white & coloured candles, Tarpaulin etc- Tele:225-5800 LAND FOR SALE House lots 50"x118" New Hope EBD serious enquires only 266-2711, 609-4594 100 Acres of transported land on the left bank of Mahaica, suitable for cattle/ rice farming: Call: 617-5406 Kuru Kururu 20 acres with creek and farm housecall:261-5500/643-1861 2 Acres lease land with creek @ Kuru- Kururu, price $2.2M- call:601-7610/ 6693058
SERVICES Vehicle lights restoration service on the spot, 297 Independence Boulevard La-Penitence Georgetowncall:624-6471 Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. Ultra Cool, call:225-9032,647-2943 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer call:2310655,683-8734 Omar ONLINE SHOPPING ZERO COMMISSION, WEEKLY SHIPMENTS, AFFORDABLE RATES, FREE PRIVATE MAILBOX. CALL:231-5789, 2259030. WE FILLOUTVISAFORMS: USA, UK & CANADA & CREDIT CARD SERVICES CALL: 231-5789 Services and repairs to Gas stoves, washing machines, electric stoves call:686-6209 PERMANENT& VISITORS VISA APPLICATIONS, PROFRESSIONAL IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT ROOM D5 MARAJ BUILDING CALL: 225-6496, 662-6045, 2238115 House Plan Drafting for only $10,000- call:6949843/227-2766
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Kaieteur News
BCB/Berbice River Bridge First Division 50-Over Knockout Competition...
Young Warriors whip Skeldon Community Centre by 105 runs to advance to Semi-final - Gajanand Singh 60, Karamchand Ramnarine 7 for 46 outstanding performers The 2013 Berbice River Bridge sponsored 50-over knockout cricket competition for teams in Berbice continue on Wednesday May 1st with one match. In the only game possible, Universal DVD Young Warriors cricket club (UDVDYWCC) crushed Skeldon Community Centre by a massive 125 runs in the game which was played at the Cumberland ground in East Canje. The UDVDYWCC’s commanding victory was led by a fine half century by former West Indies Under-19 and Guyana senior middle order batsman, Gajanand Singh and career best bowling figures by Berbice Under-19 all rounder, Karamchand Ramnarine. The host UDVDYWCC won the toss and took first strike in the match that was
Gajanand Singh
Karamchand Ramnarine
reduced to 45 overs due to preparation moisture. They were off to a good start as openers, national senior T20 standby Shimron Hetmeyer and former Berbice senior opener, Maxie DeJonge put together 37 before they were separated. DeJonge was the first to go bowled by Junior Blair for 12. Gajanand Singh
then joined forces with Hetmeyer and they put together 28 runs before Hetmeyer went for a well played 30 (6x4). Singh continued to carry the fight with the rest of the batsmen for a top score of 60 (4x4, 1x6) with support coming from former Guyana Under-19 all rounder Linden Austin 25
and Vishal Mohabir 27as they ended on 225 all in 43.4 overs. Bowling for Skeldon CC, Sherwin Murray, Junior Blair and Berbice U-19 selectee, Parmanand Narine took two wickets each. Skeldon CC in reply were befuddled as they had no answer to the left arm spin of Ramnarine who took 7 for 46, as they were bundled out for 105 in 33.3 overs. Verendra Gooniah made 37 and Narine returned to score 16. The UVDVDYWCC has reached the semi-finals and now await the winner of the game between West Berbice Super Kings and Port Mourant Karibee Rice. The competition continues this weekend with one game set for tomorrow with Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets clashing with Cotton Tree Die Hard at the Area “H” ground from 09:30hrs.
Five Organisations benefit from Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club donations
RHTY&SC President Keith Foster presents the winners’ trophy for the Black Bush Polder tournament to Ms Jacqueline Johnson The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club continues to assist other organisations to fulfill their mandates by making contributions to them. The Club’s Cricket Teams under their personal development programme donated $100, 000 worth of trophies and prizes to five sports organisations during their 23rd Annual Awards Ceremony on Sunday last. The teams - Farfan &
Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19, Metro Female and Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 and first division in 2013 have committed themselves to a total of 100 personal development programmes under which the teams would seek to make a personal difference in the lives of youths, the elderly and less fortunate.
DCU&SA Half Yearly General Meeting set for July The half yearly General meeting of the Demerara Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association (DCU&SA) is set for the 14th of July 2013 at 10:00hrs at the McKenzie Sports Club in Linden. A release from the association indicated that efforts will also be made to resuscitate the Upper Demerara Cricket Association.
A respresentative of the Guyana Cricketing Umpires Council receives the donation The organisations that benefitted were the Berbice Cricket Board, Lower Corentyne Secondary School, Mibicuri Cricket club, Rose Hall Athletic Club and the Guyana Umpires Council. The Secondary School received two volleyballs on a request from them, while the Berbice Cricket Board collected four trophies for the upcoming Independence T/ 20 Tournament. The teams also donated a set of white cricket balls, trophies and gifts to the Guyana Umpires Council for a fund raising cricket match, while $40, 000 worth of trophies was given to the Mibicuri Cricket Club for a major tournament for clubs in Black Bush Polder. The Rose Hall Town Athletic Club received a set of trophies and prizes to assist them to
host their first ever athletic event at the Area “H” ground held on May Day. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that every year sports NGOs, clubs and schools across the ancient county of Berbice receive assistance from the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club to assist them to make sure that youths have equal opportunities to educational and sports careers. Foster urged the groups to use the donations for the intended purposes and also to use every available opportunity to promote the message of No to Drugs and Yes to Education. He also pledged that the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports club would continue to work hard to assist other clubs in the future.
Saturday May 04, 2013
Orb, Verrazano battle in wide-open Derby (Reuters) - Few sports fluctuate as much as horse racing and even fewer races are as unpredictable as the Kentucky Derby. This year ’s race, at Churchill Downs today, is no different and looms as one of the most open in decades. The early favorite is Orb, who won the Florida Derby, one of the key traditional leadup races, in brilliant fashion. His main challenger, at least in betting circles, is the unbeaten Verrazano, but this is anything but a two-horse race. With a capacity-field of 20 impeccably bred three-yearolds, the 139th Kentucky Derby has all the makings of a classic. An expected crowd of more than 160,000 will cram into the track while tens of millions of people will watch the race, dubbed the most exciting two minutes in sport, on television. The only sure bet is that the winner of the Run for the Roses will instantly be feted as the sport’s new great hope, raising expectations he can emulate the likes of Secretariat and Seattle Slew by winning the Triple Crown. But the Triple Crown will have to wait. With no obvious standout horse from this year’s field, no one is taking anything for granted before the mile and a quarter race on dirt, one of the toughest tests for a thoroughbred. Orb was installed as the 7-2 favorite after winning each of his three runs this season, including the Florida Derby, but his trainer Shug McGaughey said he would still need some luck after drawing the 16 hole. A Hall of Fame trainer who has prepared nearly 250 graded stakes winners but never a Kentucky Derby winner, McGaughey said his prospects could be decided at the first bend. “Hopefully, he’ll get a clean trip around
the first turn, which I think is very important,” McGaughey told reporters. “That’s where all the jamming up comes. Going down the backside, hopefully, he can ease in and save a little ground, but not be down in there and not be able to make a run when the time comes.” HEAVY RAIN Verrazano, named after the New York City bridge connecting Brooklyn with Staten Island, has won his four career starts, all this season. He was listed as the 4-1 second pick but has the added weight of history against him. The last horse to win the Kentucky Derby that did not race as a two-year-old was Apollo in 1882 but Verrazano’s trainer Todd Pletcher was unfazed by the doubters. “As far as Orb being the favorite over Verrazano, that’s not an issue. He (Orb) deserves to be the favorite,” said Pletcher, who has five runners in the race. “And it might even be an advantage. There’s usually more pressure on the favorite.” Goldencents was rated the next best chance, at odds of 5-1, but none of the 20 runners were longer than 50-1. His trainer Doug O’Neill won the race last year with I’ll Have Another and is hoping history will repeat itself after both horses finished off their Derby preparations by winning the Santa Anita Derby. Heavy rain is forecast for today’s race but O’Neill was unconcerned about the weather. “From what I know about this track, it handles water real well,” said O’Neill. “As long as we don’t have any gushers just before or during the race, I think we’ll all be all right.” Goldencents is partowned by Rick Pitino, the coach of the University of Louisville men’s basketball team that won this season’s (Continued on page 27)
From page 30 overs when Gambhir introduced Sunil Narine. The bowler’s repertoire of variations was all thrown at Watson in the first over, and the batsman, struggling to pick the changes, bowed out of the battle after just five balls. Samson continued to dazzle and looked set for another half-century, but fell in the 18th over trying to clear the long-on boundary. He had a reprieve five balls before when Bisla, the wicketkeeper, got under a leading edge around cover point, but
dropped the easiest of chances off Narine. Dravid held himself back till the end and came in at No. 8 to play just three balls, but none of the batsmen who came before him had much of an impact. Royals’ total proved too tiny to pose any problems for Knight Riders, who rounded off their final league match at Eden Gardens with a resounding victory. Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 133 for 2 (Yusuf 49*, Kallis 33) beat Rajasthan Royals 132 for 6 (Samson 40, Watson 35, Senanayake 226) by eight wickets.
Bowlers set up...
Saturday May 04, 2013
Kaieteur News
ULSC gets Boxing Gym
National Coach Wincel Thomas shows how it is done to one of the aspiring boxers, while other members of the ULSC share the moment. The Unity Lancaster Sports Club (ULSC) has scored a first on the lower East Coast of Demerara, following the staging of its first coaching session in boxing for youths in the area. The launch of the Boxing Gym was initiated by the club and has the backing of the Guyana Boxing Association. More than 20 youths attended the first session, which was conducted by National Coach Wincel Thomas with assistance from former national boxer, Michael DeMattos. According to a release from the club, the introduction of Boxing is intended to get the attention of the other youths of the area who
are not part of the ULSC’s cricket programme. The release added, “Very shortly the club also intends to introduce Karate or Judo to its programme of activities. The ULSC is hoping to stage a Boxing card at its home venue in about two months’ time. This will be an open air event which will involve other Gyms and national boxers. It is the club’s hope that a home grown fighter will be included in the first card. Recently the ULSC held its first Cricket Academy from which a group of 30 youngsters were selected for special training at the under-15 and under-19 levels.
BCB/Universal DVD T20 Competition continues this weekend The Berbice Cricket Board/Universal DVD T20 cricket competition for First Division teams in the ancient county is set to continue this weekend with a number of matches with play slated for both today and tomorrow in both groups A and B in rounds four and five of the competition. Below are the fixtures: GROUPA: SATURDAY MAY 4TH ROUND 4: Blairmont CC vs Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets @
Blairmont from 09.00hrs Blairmont CC vs Police @ Blairmont from 13.30hrs Albion CC vs Port Mourant Karibee Rice @ Albion from 13.30hrs SUNDAY MAY 5th: ROUND 5: D’Edward CC vs Police @ D’Edwards from 09.00hrs D’Edward vs Port Mourant Karibee Rice @ D’Edward from 13.30hrs GROUP B: SATURDAY MAY 4TH ROUND 4: Skeldon CC vs West Berbice
@ Skeldon from 13.30hrs Upper Corentyne vs Universal DVD Young Warriors @ No 69 Ground from 13.30hrs SUNDAY MAY 5TH ROUND 5: Edinburgh vs West Berbice @ Edinburgh from 09.00hrs Edinburgh vs Skeldon CC @ Edinburgh from 13.30hrs Upper Corentyne vs Bush Lot United Rising Stars @ No 69 from 13.30hrs Universal DVD Young Warriors vs Bermine @ Cumberland from 13.30hrs
Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ continues tonight in Albouystown The Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ Football tournament will continue tonight at Punt Trench and School Street, Albouystown with eight games, and eight teams qualifying for the next round of the knockout competition following Wednesday night’s opening. The street football competition that is being played under the theme “Your skill, your style, your five, your stout” will be played at several venues in Georgetown with the top team taking home a whopping $300,000 and the runner-up $150,000 in cash prizes. Trophies will also accompany
all the cash prizes. Eight teams have already gone through to the next round. Games tonight will feature Middle East against Rasville ‘A’; Bent Street will play Carifesta, the Island All-Stars comes up against Rasta’s, Alexander Village versus Charlotte Street; North East against Middle Road; Charlestown will take on Team
L.A (East); Leopold Street challenges River View and Albouystown ‘B’ will take on Kingstown in the final game. Each game will last for 15 minutes; 7½ minutes per half with no extra time allowed in the preliminary rounds if the game is drawn after regulation time; a penalty shootout will decide the team that moves forward to the next round. However, extra time will be allowed in the final game; six minutes and three minutes for each of the teams. Teams, and players, were reminded that there will be a zero-tolerance attitude towards issues of indiscipline as the tournament is aimed at development.
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Ottis Gibson calls on Welsh public to support Trinidad Guardian DUBAI—West Indies coach Ottis Gibson believes the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2013 is an opportunity for the West Indies to claim its second ICC global trophy in the space of nine months, and is calling on the Welsh public to support the side when it plays South Africa on June 14 in Cardiff. “I played for Glamorgan in the early stages of my cricket career and people welcomed me into the county. It was a really good time and the people of Wales were nice and good to me. The people there are very passionate about their team. “I believe if we can get there early and get the support of the locals that would be great for us,” said Gibson who played two Tests and 15 ODIs for the West Indies between 1995 and 1999. “I had many highlights from my time there; I got over 60 wickets and made 700 runs in my debut season, so that was a very good start to my county cricket career in the UK. I had a very good time and great experience. “When I was at Glamorgan, we also had amazing support when we played around the county circuit and at Cardiff Wales Stadium (previously known as Sophia Gardens), and I know that support has continued over the years. It’s a wonderful place for sports and you always feel the passion and love for sports over there.” The current ICC World Twenty20 champions and ICC Champions Trophy winners in 2004, kick-off their campaign on June 7 at The Oval against Pakistan, and Gibson is confident that this tournament is an opportunity for his side to carry on its winning momentum. “It is a great opportunity
for us. We have quite a few players who have played in England and Wales before. “The hardest thing will be to get used to the conditions early. But we have quite an experienced one-day outfit at the moment, so once we get there and get acclimatised early we will be OK. “We believe we can win these big tournaments, having recently done it in Sri Lanka. So, this is something that we are really looking forward to,” commented the 44-year-old from Barbados. “In a format like this, with the top eight teams in the world, it is a bit difficult to choose one. I think the weather is going to play a big part in the tournament, so I believe England could be listed as favourites simply because of the weather conditions and they have been in good form in this format recently. Getting acclimatised to the conditions early will be a huge factor,” admitted the former England bowling coach. The former West Indies bowler admitted that his team needed to improve on its performances in the one-day format, saying: “We haven’t done all that well in the 50over format recently and that is something we are trying to address. We had some success against Zimbabwe recently at home and that is certainly something that we can build on as we head to England. “We understand what it will take for us to do well in England and we recognise we will have to be able to bat out the 50 overs, absorb the pressure and be able to catch up at the back end of our innings. We will need a lot of good efforts from the top order to get us in good positions and we believe we have the bowling attack to do very well in the English conditions.”
Ottis Gibson Although coy to admit who fans should look out for during the tournament, Gibson said that the youth of the West Indies side were the ones to take it forward. “The team has not been selected as yet so it’s difficult to pick out people and name them. “However, we have some excellent players who can take West Indies cricket forward. Age-wise and cricket-wise people may say that Kemar Roach is not one of the ‘youngsters’ but he is one of our players who is learning all the time and we expect a lot from him. “We also have Darren Bravo who is starting to fulfil his promise and we also have young Johnson Charles who got two centuries in about ten ODIs, and these are players who are learning from the more experienced players in the group.” The ICC Champions Trophy, featuring Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies, will be played across three worldclass venues-Cardiff Wales Stadium, Edgbaston and The Oval-over 18 days in this action-packed event from June 6-23.
Muneshwar’s Hardware sponsors Golf Tournament The Annual Muneshwar’s Hardware Medal Play Golf Tournament will tee off today at the Lusignan Golf Club. Jerome Khan, President of the Lusignan Golf Club said that a large field is expected to compete in the tournament sponsored by devoted golfer Robert Hanoman who will be among the starters. Previous winners include Hanoman, Mike Gayadin and Colin Ming and according to Khan the players are extremely keen to participate. He said that despite the current inclement weather the course is in great shape. “We are extremely pleased to announce that the course is being upgraded with a new green
being built. We have also seen an increase in membership,” Khan added Among the players expected to compete are Andre Cummings, winner of last weekend’s Scotia Bank Charity tournament, Patrick Prashad, Alfred Mentore, Kishan Bacchus, Mohanlall Dinnanauth, David Mohamed, Munaff Arjune, Muntaz Haniff, Chatterpaul Deo, Troy Cadogan, Brian Hackett, William Walker, Clifford Reis, Imran Khan, Christine Sukhram, Haresh Tewari, Kassim Khan, Carlos Adams, Maurice Solomon, Dr. Ram Singh, Fazil Haniff, Mark Lashley, Dr. Philbert London, David Harry and John Tracey. Prizes will be awarded to the top three players with best net scores. In addition, there will be nearest to the pin. Tee off is at 12:30 hours.
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Kaieteur News
Saturday May 04, 2013
Bowlers set up easy Nurse, Benn bowl Barbados to win for Knight Riders innings victory over Windwards WICB REGIONAL 4 DAY SEMI-FINALS...
Controlled spin bowling by Ashley Nurse and Sulieman Benn gave Barbados an innings and 101 runs victory over Windward Islands at Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica, while rain stopped play between Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica at Sabina Park in Jamaica in the West Indies Cricket Board Regional 4 day semi-finals yesterday. In reply to Barbados first innings total of 212, Windwards resumed on their overnight score of 27-3 and were bowled out for 44 at Warner Park. They lost Andre Fletcher who recommenced on 01 caught behind for 5 at 37-4. Gary Mathurin who resumed the day on 04 only managed 01 to his overnight score before he fell with out addition to the total. Ashley Nurse then accounted for
- Rain stops play at Sabina Park Liam Sebastian for a duck as Windwards fell into further trouble at 38-6, it then became 38-7 when Nurse had Lyndon James caught and bowled without scoring. Keddy Lesporis was then leg before to Sulieman Benn for 01 as Windwards lost 3 wickets without addition to the score and were soon bowled out for 44 in less than an hour play. Nurse bagged 7-10 and Benn 3-13. Trailing by 168 Windwards were asked to follow on and their weakness against spin bowling was again exposed as they were skittled for 67. Benn struck early when he sent back Tyrone Theopille (00) without a run on the board. The Islanders continued to lose wickets at
regular intervals and were all out just after lunch on the second day. Nurse was again the main destroyer with 7-30, while Benn had 3-35. Nurse finished the game with figures of 14 for 39. Summary Scores: BARBADOS 212 (Jonathan Carter 116, Kemar Roach 24; Shane Shillingford 34-4-81-6, Liam Sebastien 2-47) WINDWARD ISLANDS 44 (Ashley Nurse 7-10, Sulieman Benn 3-15) and 67 (Andre Fletcher 27; Ashley Nurse 7-30, Sulieman Benn 3-35) At Sabina Park, In pursuit of Jamaica’s 247 for first innings points, Trinidad resumed on 17-1 with Lendl Simmons on 09 and Yannick Carriah on 5. They progressed
to 73 before Carriah was removed by Odean Brown for 26. Left arm Nikita Miller then trapped Steven Katwaroo (02) leg before as Trinidad and Tobago slipped to 86-3. Simmons however continued to play his shots and soon brought up his fifty from 116 balls in 175 minutes with seven fours. The visitors then lost Jason Mohamed (00) who had his stumps knocked back by Andrew Richardson at 94-4 before Miller uprooted the stumps of Denesh Ramdin for 08 at 118-5. Simmons and Akeal Hosein added 27 for the sixth wicket before Simmons was leg before to Miller for 79. Play was then halted with Trinidad and Tobago on 1626 with Hosein on 24 and Imran Khan on 6. Miller has so far taken 4-33, while Brown and Richardson have 1 each.
Warriors eliminate Denver with 92-88 win in Game 6 UT San DiegoOAKLAND, Calif. — Draymond Green threw his arms in the air and ran to Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson for an emotional hug. Jarrett Jack squatted down, put his right hand on his head and closed his eyes. Stephen Curry wanted to see it all - teammates parading around the court, gold confetti in the air, smiles all around the announced sellout crowd of 19,596. Forget that “We Believe” team. These Warriors proved they belong. Curry had 22 points and eight assists, Andrew Bogut broke out with the best performance of his injurysaddled season and the Warriors eliminated the Denver Nuggets with a 92-88 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night. “When we go in the locker room, we’re jumping up and down, we’re hugging, we’re changed men,” Jackson said. “This is the greatest group of men as far as a team that I’ve ever been around or seen in my life.” Bogut had season-bests and career-playoff highs of 14 points and 21 rebounds, and Green added a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds to power Golden State into the second round for the first time in six years. Bogut also became the first Warriors player with 20 rebounds in the playoffs since Larry Smith had 23 on May
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) shoots over Denver Nuggets’ JaVale McGee (34) during the first half of Game 6 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) 12, 1987 at the Lakers. “It’s very emotional for me because I’ve had a nightmare of a year,” said Bogut, who added four blocks and three assists in an unforgettable performance after rehabilitating his left ankle
most of the season. The Warriors went ahead by 18 points early in the fourth quarter before holding off one final Nuggets flurry. Andre Iguodala scored 24 points and Ty Lawson had 17 in another disappointed early
exit for Denver, which has lost in the first round nine of the past 10 seasons. The Nuggets won 23 of their final 26 regular season games to earn the Western Conference’s third seed, then lost four of six to the hot-shooting Warriors. “We didn’t lose this series tonight. This is a proud loss,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “We lost this series in Game 1 and 2. We didn’t play well enough to sustain the confidence. We won Game 1 on a last-second layup. In Game 2, we gave away everything we worked for with 57 wins in the season. And that’s on me.” The Warriors only outshot the Nuggets 40.3 percent to 34.7 percent in the finale but dominated the rebounding matchup again, 55-44. They also overcame 21 turnovers - including 10 in the fourth - while the Nuggets only had seven. Golden State, seeded sixth, will open the second round at second-seeded San Antonio on Monday. The Spurs swept the Lakers in four games. “I’m exhausted,” Warriors owner Joe Lacob said after emerging from the locker room celebration. Jackson ratcheted up the rhetoric after the Nuggets won a physical Game 5, saying Denver sent “hit men” out to take “cheap shots” at Curry. The accusations earned Jackson a $25,000 fine from the NBA for an “attempt to influence the officiating,” though neither side ever got out of control in the finale.
Shane Watson was left clueless by Sunil Narine’s variations © BCCI
Kolkata Knight Riders used the comfort of their home territory to register only their fourth win in the competition, effortlessly beating Rajasthan Royals by eight wickets. Both teams had stuffed their teams with spinners as though it was a fifth day Kanpur pitch, but it was Knight Riders’ spinners who strangled Royals’ batsmen before Yusuf Pathan and Jacques Kallis pushed the team over the line with 16 balls to spare. The victory has kept Knight Riders’ chances of making it to the playoffs alive, but the task ahead remains extremely difficult; five wins in five matches required from here. Royals, on the other hand, maintained their hold on the third spot on the points table. At the mid-innings break, Sanju Samson, the top scorer for Royals, had said that he was confident the 132-run total was defendable on a pitch that was slow and afforded turn to the spinners, but Royals’ slow bowlers were not able to have the same impact as their counterparts from Knight Riders, with Brad Hogg guilty of dishing out plenty of full tosses. Manvinder Bisla and Gautam Gambhir raced away at the start, adding 41 runs in no time, the highlight of their stay not being the runs they scored, but Bisla’s heated exchange with Rahul Dravid. Although both openers were dismissed within 10 balls of each other, Yusuf and Kallis quickly shot down any hopes that might have cropped up for Royals with some lusty hits. Yusuf remained
unbeaten on 49, his best score for Knight Riders in his threeyear long association with the team. Royals have an untarnished home record this season, but they have been a shadow of themselves playing away. As they chose to bat, a heavy dose of spin was expected. But Gambhir made a surprise move, opening the bowling with medium pacer Sumit Narwal, but handed the ball to Sachithra Senanayake soon after. Senanayake extracted the juice that was available for the spinners and drew a mistake from Ajinkya Rahane. The batsman stretched out to play an inside out lofted drive, missed the ball as it turned sharply through the gap between bat and pad, and saw the keeper whipping the bails off. Dravid tried to unsettle Knight Riders’ plans by sending James Faulkner at No. 3, but the move yielded just one run. Sanju Samson, the impressive 18-year-old, joined Shane Watson and added 41 runs for the third wicket during which neither batsmen appeared in any trouble. The two picked up singles off the spinners for a couple of overs, before Samson unleashed a meaty punch through extra cover that oozed class off the second ball bowled by Jacques Kallis. He got more adventurous in the next over, smashing a short delivery by Iqbal Abdulla over cow corner, deep into the crowd. Royals had patiently moved to 71 for 2 after 10 (Continued on page 28)
Saturday May 04, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 31
National Hockey ladies continue preparations To play in Canadian for PAHF Cup in Argentina tournament in June T
he Guyana N a t i o n a l Women’s Hockey Squad faces an uphill battle to compete in the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Cup being staged in Mendoza, Argentina from September 21 – 28, 2013. According to a release from the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), the PAHF Cup features the top 8 teams in the Americas which make it on par in competition for hockey as the Pan American Games. By virtue of their s u c c e s s i n t h e PA H F Challenge of 2011 in Rio de Janeiro, the Guyanese ladies have qualified among the elite teams in the Americas to participate in this prestigious World Cup qualifier. Guyana’s road to the PAHF Cup began in 2010 when the withdrawal of Cuba from the 2010 CAC Games in Puerto Rico permitted the lowly ranked Guyanese ladies the opportunity to participate in the tournament. The CAC Games feature the top 8 teams in Central America and the Caribbean and since Guyana had only recently returned to international competition, after an absence of some 20 years, they were ranked at the very bottom.
Guyana Women’s National players pose with their silver medals in the PAHF Challenge in Rio de Janeiro 2011. Cuba’s withdrawal and the absence of some additional nations gave Guyana the opportunity to enter the tournament as the lowest seeded team. G u y a n a , h o w e v e r, managed to secure a victory over hosts Puerto Rico, draws against Bermuda and Barbados and losses against Tr i n i d a d a n d J a m a i c a enabled the team’s 6th place finish in the tournament, improving their PAHF and World ranking.
Their performance in Puerto Rico permitted Guyana to then enter the PAHF Challenge in Rio de J a n e i r o i n J u l y 2 0 11 although they were still ranked below all other participants. The Guyanese ladies were surprise finalists, registering victories against Paraguay and Bermuda, a draw with hosts Brazil and lost only to eventual winners Uruguay. The top two finishers in t h e PA H F C h a l l e n g e
qualified for the prestigious PAHF Cup which is the r e g i o n ’ s Wo r l d C u p qualifier. From their lowly ranked position of 18th in the Americas in 2010, Guyana now finds itself among the region’s elite teams as they enter the PAHF Cup seeded the lowest of eight teams. The competition includes world beaters Argentina (ranked 2 in the world), USA (10), Chile (18), Canada (23), Trinidad (27), Mexico
(30), Uruguay (50) and Guyana (58). In an effort to provide the Guyanese players the best possible opportunity to perform well against the tough opposition, the GHB has arranged for the team to travel to Canada from 8th to 17th June to compete in the Canadian National Championships. The release added that special permission was obtained to allow Guyana as a guest team in these
championships which usually are contested solely between Canadian provincial teams. GHB President and Head Coach Philip Fernandes said, “The game is played at a very high level in Canada and we are convinced, will offer the best possible game preparation for the PAHF Cup.” A full team of 18 players have been selected to make the trip to Canada under the management of Rawl Davson and Fernandes. Those named are: Natalie Hing, Alysa Xavier, Ulrica Sutherland, Tiffany Solomon, Marisha Rodrigues, Maria Munroe, Va n e s s a P i r e s , Tr i s h a Wo o d r o f f e , M a r z a n a Fiedtkou, Leigh Sandison, Ashley DeGoot, Chantelle Fernandes, Gabriella Xavier, Kerensa Fernandes, Samantha Fernandes, Cora Towler, Aliyah Gordon and Janella Munroe. Fernandes stated that the preparation encampment in Canada and participation in the PAHF Cup in Argentina will require substantial funding. The ladies have been holding fund-raisers in the form of parties and food stalls over the past year in the hope of being able to raise the required funds to make this a reality.
t r o Sp
Nurse, Benn bowl Barbados to Lennox Braithwaite cops top innings victory individual prize but British over Windwards shooters cart off Lion’s share GUYANA VS GREAT BRITAIN RIFLE SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP...
- Rain stops play at Sabina Park
From right Thomas Rylands, Jonathan Hull, Chloe Evans, Matt Charlton, David Calvert, Jonathan Underwood, Lennox Brathwaite and Ransford Goodluck.
Ashley Nurse bagged 14 wickets for Barbados (WICB)
National Hockey ladies Bowlers set continue preparations for up easy win for PAHF Cup in Argentina Knight Riders
Orb, Verrazano battle in wide-open Derby
Orb is a Kentucky Derby favourite (AP).
Verrazano gallops on the track with exercise rider Humberto Zamora (Reuters John Sommers II).
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