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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
THE DIMINISHING AIRLINE SERVICE Another airline quit operating out of Guyana yesterday and all eyes are now on the possible hike in airfares since there is only one airline left to move Guyanese in and out of the country. That single carrier is Caribbean Airlines. The departing airline is Delta which came into operation not long after North American Airlines quit. When North American Airlines ceased its operation there were other carriers, many of them charters which offered cheap fares so the absence of that airline was not considered as severe. But one by one these charters collapsed, hurting many travellers in the process. Quite a few were stranded and had to rely on relatives back home to help them secure a return fare. What is difficult to appreciate are the fluctuations in airfares. Back when Guyana Airways Corporation was in operation, fares plummeted by some forty percent as soon as the airline hit the market. It did not survive but not long after it was replaced by GA2000 and fares remained low. But as soon as one or other of the airlines went out of operation the fares jumped. We have also seen that Guyanese are being asked to pay much more on Caribbean Airlines than any of their colleagues in the region. For example the cost of ticket between Trinidad and New York is slightly higher than the cost of a ticket between Guyana and Trinidad on the same leg. It is as if Guyanese are being penalized for merely being Guyanese or because they do not have too many options. Delta did provide untold help for the Guyanese public although it was operating at a disadvantage. While Caribbean Airlines was enjoying subsidized fuel through its owners, the Trinidad Government, Delta had no such option. However, it had to maintain an airfare that was competitive. It has pulled out. The one good thing is that it served long notice and it stopped selling tickets beyond its deadline date. The same could not have been said for those airlines that went under. Guyana is serious about its tourism and all effort has been put into attracting people. To attract people means providing the ways and means for these people to come. However, with airlines dwindling in number the drive to attract people would be affected. A few years ago, Caribbean Airlines announced that Guyana was its most lucrative market and to maintain this market, it introduced direct flights between Georgetown and New York and later, between Georgetown and Toronto. Now that it is the only carrier operating between these destinations one must be apprehensive about the future cost. This is where the government must be decisive. There are airlines that want to enter the market but it would seem that the government is slow to grant its approval. The prime argument is that it wants to protect the travelling public; it wants to ensure that these new airlines would be able to satisfy the need for on time departures, regularity and reliability. Suriname Airlines has been known to operate in Guyana for the past forty years but it has only been flying between Georgetown and the Caribbean with an extended flight to Miami. One of the world’s oldest airlines, KLM, has also been doing the same. SLM wants to return to fly the New York route and one is hard put to understand why approval has not yet been granted. Perhaps the departure of Delta will quicken this process. Another carrier, this one with a major Guyanese shareholding, is also applying to come to Guyana. Here too the government is slow to grant its approval. This carrier is based in Jamaica and has already been approved to fly to some destinations. We know that in Guyana, arrangements were made for the inaugural flight but this is still to happen. Again, with the departure of Delta, we may see some movement in this area. However, there is not enough time because from today, there is only one carrier operating between Georgetown and New York and Georgetown and Toronto, the home of most of those Guyanese who left these shores for one reason or the other.
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news
The tragedy of 50 percent youth unemployment DEAR EDITOR, When speaking about the future of the youths in Guyana, it is a paradox of the d e v e l o p m e n t a l dysfunctionality that has and continues to take place under this regime. While their parents, many of whom are single mothers, work menial jobs to send their children to school, unemployment among the youth remains stubbornly high. Statistics we thoroughly studied from the UNDP Human Development Report reveal that unemployment among the youths in Guyana (aged 1524) is at a shocking high of 50% which is thrice the reported national unemployment rate. This is essentially a human tragedy. It was the parents of these youths who worked tirelessly to rebuild the country’s economy after 1992: working in the sugar, bauxite and rice industries and in the public service doing the night shifts on guard duty and driving the minibuses around the clock. And a generation of women (many of them single parents) has and continues to make valuable contributions to the health, education and
social services, and has never been properly acknowledged and celebrated. Back to the tragedy of our youths. The high youth unemployment is very troubling and disappointing, especially for the males. As a result of extremely poor national planning, the economy has struggled to create the new type of highly skilled jobs demanded by the new generation. When we were growing up in Guyana there were companies such as the Ruimveldt Industrial Estate, G N E C , Ay a n g a n n a Construction, Versailles Dairy Complex, Guyana Timbers, Guyana Rice Board in Kingston, LIDCO Milk Plant, the sugar and the bauxite sectors, all of which were full of manufacturing and light-engineering jobs in addition to the physically demanding jobs in the fields and the mines. The youths of those days owe their existence partly to just those employment opportunities. But over the years, these jobs have largely vanished from Guyana due to privatization and in some cases, due to the lack of entrepreneurs and the government’s inability to create the environment to
attract foreign investors. Let us be clear, we are strong supporters of the concept of private enterprise, but any experienced national planner and politicians would have ensured that there would have been an evolving employment plan with privatization. Our ancestors found jobs and were able to climb the economic ladder with hard work even in the most difficult times during the colonial period and the PNC days. Now there are dwindling job opportunities for young people with or w i t h o u t f o r m a l qualifications. A generation ago it was still possible to leave school with good grades at 17 and become a bank clerk, a nurse, a local government officer with no political connections and earn decent wages to make a good living. Now these jobs are so few and scarce that many employers recruiting for similar roles are demanding a degree from applicants. There is no question that a lack of qualifications has held some young people back, especially our male youths. But there is anecdotal evidence that most
of the young people who are getting the best jobs in the country are those with less qualifications than their peers but have godfathers in the PPP, thus leaving the others to join the army of the unemployed or settle for low-paying jobs or join the criminal gangs and rob and sometimes kill innocent and law-abiding citizens. The empirical evidence is emerging that the lack of qualifications alone does not account for this level of high unemployment among the youths. The major problem is that the PPP government is yet to establish an economic strategy that would provide such employment. The PPP is more interested in covering up corrupt practices, spreading propaganda and governing as a majority than creating employment opportunities for the youths. We believe that the regime has committed the most offensive act; that is they have abused and abandoned the young people of Guyana. What is clear is that this economic lethargy is hitting t h e y o u t h s disproportionately hard. And the figures will only get (Continued on page 5)
Questions about Bai Shan Lin interventions in the forest sector DEAR EDITOR, I would like to ask the Minister for Natural Resources and the Environment for clarification after his evasive responses to SN’s reporter about the expansionist Bai Shan Lin (BSL) in our forest sector (‘Bai Shan Lin holds 960,000 hectares of forest’, Stabroek News 05 May 2013). Readers may recall the exchanges in SN during August-September 2007 about the de facto takeover by BSL of Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) leading, after some prodding, to the intervention of then-President Jagdeo as Minister of Forests (‘Transfer of assets between forest companies must meet approvals – Jagdeo’, SN 28 August 2007). The current Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment told SN that BSL has acquired access to Guyana’s State Forest
through ‘legally approved Joint Venture agreements’. That implies Presidential approval for such takeovers, under Condition 13 of Timber Sales Agreements and Section 12 of Forest Regulations 1954. When was such approval given, for what areas and under what conditionalities? Why were the existing logging concessions not rescinded and then publicly advertised to capture a bid premium at auction, for government revenue to the Consolidated Fund, in accordance with the National Forest Policy 1997/2011? SN asked when wood processing investments will materialize and what safeguards were in place to monitor them with regard to job creation and value added processing. Minister Robert Persaud failed to reply to these reasonable questions. Recalling the failures,
under the same Minister Persaud, for VHPI (Café Coffee Day of India) and Barama Company Limited to fulfill vague promises to invest in on-shore processing, it is fair to ask again: 1. Exactly what are the foreign direct investment arrangements for the various BSL enterprises? 2. Exactly what wood processing will take place, where and when (investment schedule)? 3. What raw materials will input to these wood processing facilities – species, dimensions, volumes, qualities of timbers? 4. What kinds of products will be produced which are not already milled in Guyana – species, volumes, values, intended markets? 5. What is the agreed schedule to phase out exports of unprocessed logs (such exports being contrary to national policies and to PPP
election manifestos in 2006 and 2011) species, dimensions, volumes, qualities of timbers? 6. What is the training programme for Guyanese at all operational and managerial levels of BSL to replace imported staff? We are entitled under Articles 13 and 146 of the National Constitution to ask such questions and to receive full responses from the relevant Ministers (President and Minister for Natural Resources and the Environment). And if BSL is going to consume an additional 300,000 m3 of timber per year, this will massively exceed the threshold set for log production in the Norway-Guyana MoU of November 2009 and will demonstrate the continued bad faith of the Government of Guyana in implementing this MoU. Janette Bulkan
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Corruption, begging and the imminent PetroCaribe dependence DEAR EDITOR, The PPP had a great idea to develop hydropower in Guyana, but like everything else these days, a few corrupt individuals saw this potential advancement as a cash cow and an opportunity to brazenly enrich themselves and fatten their pockets while discarding the country. Instead of a conscious and decent effort to advance this country for the benefit of all, a few persons have plunged this country down a deep, dark hole of debt with Amaila Falls - a medium size project that will cost significantly more than it should to build. A few will get rich, but the rest of the country will not only be saddled with the same expensive electricity they get from the inept GPL, but face the situation where the PPP’s absolute mess on Amaila Falls has damaged this country’s ability to obtain or develop more hydropower that is vital to our economic progress. At US $840 million and likely to be well over US $1billion by the time it is done, Amaila Falls is going to sink this country. No rational lender will be foolish enough to lend money to Guyana for another major hydro project after this fiasco. Plus, we have to be deathly afraid of the facility not working to full capacity. This is the intellectual banditry and patriotic shallowness of the PPP. For a few to profit, the entire nation is pushed down the river without a canoe or a paddle. These projects are not about the development of Guyana. They are about how the cabal will profit. So, here we are facing more than US$ 1 billion debt for Amaila Falls for which the access road is still not finished. After wrecking this country’s cheap electricity potential, we are facing a dilemma. Venezuela just this past weekend concluded a summit of Petrocaribe that opened up a can of worms. We will not hear from the PPP on this summit because it spells doom and danger for Guyana. Venezuela wants something more in return for the cheap oil it is handing out. Unlike Guyana where astounding wealth in public office is for free, nothing is for free in other nations. Yes, Venezuela wants an economic zone, which will obviously be dominated by Venezuela, the controller of the 108,000 barrels of oil sent daily to these countries. The mendicants in other countries should not see as much danger in this proposal as Guyana should sense, because Venezuela does not maintain a territorial claim to two-thirds of their country.
An economic zone controlled by Venezuela will establish economic dominance over Guyana and require this country to economically bow to Venezuela in return. It is an easy transition for Venezuela to assert territorial authority based on economic authority. The ‘ambitious’ within the PPP, lacking patriotism and ever greedy and moneyhungry, will see nothing but dollar signs, while this country becomes nothing more than an indentured extension of Venezuela. This economic zone will enfeeble and eventually destroy Caricom, since most of Caricom’s members are
begging oil from Venezuela. Without Caricom or with a weakened Caricom, these nations can be held hostage in any eventual confrontation between Guyana and Venezuela over its territory with most being forced to back Venezuela because of debt and oil. It is absurd for the PPP charlatans to think that Venezuela will not naturally expand its territorial claim to Guyana after it creates an economic zone that effectively controls the entire Caribbean. Even worse, Venezuela is contemplating a common currency, another element that will destroy our sovereignty and economic
The tragedy of 50... From page 4 worse if this administration does not get its act together quickly. The youths, particularly the young men, are more likely to fail in this new PPP developmental malfunctionality. Some people will be antagonised by any discussion of the fact that spiraling unemployment is hitting the young people the hardest. They may think of it as a price worth paying. But the more unequal a society, the more unstable it is. As a politician, the President must be made aware that the temperature among the unemployed youths has reached the boiling point and the pressure is rapidly building up and is likely to explode if there is no relief soon. Sweeping this issue under the carpet is not an option; it will only set the carpet on fire. The PPP regime cannot afford to ignore the reality of youth unemployment and the hopelessness, anguish and frustration that accompany it. They must examine carefully what the underlying results might be if they do not provide good jobs for the youths. Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh
independence, already shaky and dissolving with growing Chinese and Venezuelan influence. So, what will the corrupt ones in the PPP do? I suspect they will tamely succumb to their greed and their lust for power. Greed has destroyed Amaila’s potential for energy independence just as corruption and mismanagement have made a mockery of the LCDS. Greed, mismanagement, corruption, lies, fabrication and deceit on Amaila Falls have robbed us of the ability to get energy independence from hydropower, despite living in the Land of Many Waters. The hunger for power will cause the morally and patriotically suspect PPP to plunge this country deep into the Petrocaribe economic zone, signing our sovereignty away to secure a pretentious and enslaving economic stability in order to remain in power. It does not matter that this economic stability will be fed and controlled by Venezuela. It does not matter that our nation will become indentured and will eventually be completely consumed by Venezuela with this arrangement. All that matters
is that the gravy train keeps flowing and the corrupt remain in power to keep pillaging the nation. The current debt, which the PPP so conveniently failed to report during the Budget Speech which droned on for hours, is now US$1.8 billion. And the road to Amaila Falls is not even complete. I keep telling the Guyanese people that there will be a terrible price for the PPP’s corruption, wrongdoing, self-interest,
self-aggrandizement, elitism, nepotism, mismanagement, waste, plutocracy and begging to enrich a few. The Guyanese people will pay a terrible price under the PPP one of these days and it could very well be becoming another state of Venezuela. The so-called leaders of this country will not care for they will be rich and free to leave Guyana and enjoy a first class life anywhere else on the planet. M. Maxwell
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Tuesday May 07, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
I await a reply to these pointed questions DEAR EDITOR, Stabroek News of Saturday May 4th 2013, in a news item, quoted Leader of
the Opposition and Leader of the PNCR and Chairman of APNU Mr. David Granger as saying that “Burnham was
not responsible for the murder of Walter Rodney”. In support of his position, Granger relied on statements
from a book – “ASSASSINATION CRY OF A FAILED REVOLUTION” allegedly authored by Rodney’s accused assassin, former GDF army sergeant now deceased, Gregory Smith and his sister, Anne R Wagner. This is not the first occasion nor will it presumably be the last, when a PNCR leader has done/will do a great disservice to his credibility by denying that Burnham masterminded the assassination of Rodney, basing their contention on Smith’s book. When the book was published after the demise of Gregory Smith, Mr. Robert Corbin took the same position as that taken by his successor, Mr. Granger. On that occasion I wrote a letter contesting Corbin’s position. In my letter I pointed out the folly of Corbin’s position. I had expected that the incumbent PNCR Leader would have taken cognizance of that polemic and demonstrated greater political savvy, given his position as APNU leader, when defending the PNC’s founder leader’s worthiness for the South African award. Since Mr. Granger is so sure that Burnham was not involved in the demise of Rodney, he must publicly answer the following questions:
(1) Is he in agreement with Smith’s projection of the state under Burnham’s control as being weak and disorganized and the WPA at the time being all-powerful? (2) Why is it that neither Burnham when he was alive nor the PNCR after his death published, if they existed, state security reports which provided irrefutable or any evidence in support of the founder l e a d e r ’s innocence? (3) Why in an effort to clear his name during his lifetime did Burnham not request the UN Human Rights Organization, or some other appropriate international body, to examine the evidence and make a pronouncement? (4) Is Mr. Granger denying that GDF officers immediately after Rodney’s assassination took Smith by air transport to Kwakwani after Donald Rodney and the WPA named him as being responsible for planting the bomb on Rodney? (5) Was it the WPA that employed Gregory Smith’s wife after she was smuggled out of Guyana in the aftermath of Rodney’s assassination, as an employee in the Guyana Embassy in New York? (6) Why did the Burnham government and the GDF high command publicly deny that Smith was at the time a
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Martin Luther King, Jr.
member of the army, only to be embarrassed by the statement of Pamela Beharry (Smith’s friend and neighbour) and a Catholic Standard article carrying a photograph showing Smith in military uniform? (7) Was it the WPA minutes after Rodney’s car was blown up which dropped hand bills in front of Rodney’s residence saying that he blew his head off while trying to blow up the Georgetown prison? (8) Is it not reasonable to assume that those responsible for the handbills had prior knowledge of the heinous plot to assassinate Rodney, bearing in mind that Donald Rodney in his statement had said that Smith had instructed that Walter must activate the walkie-talkie in the vicinity of the prison fence to see how it would function in the presence of extensive metal? (9) Was not the PNC’s propaganda at the time consistent with Smith’s instructions to Donald Rodney, which was not carried out by Walter Rodney – who instead activated the walkie-talkie in the car holding it in his lap? Comrade Granger you chose to stand on sinking sand when you placed your reliance on the book written by the accused Smith who was a known fugitive running from justice. Or is it that you are in possession of other information which you are guarding jealously for now? I await your reply to these pointed questions. Tacuma Ogunseye
Tuesday May 07, 2013
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THE APPOINTED OFFICERS ARE THE COUNTERBALANCE IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM There is a need for an understanding of the local government system and how it was designed to function. The failure of understanding of the system has led to many problems which need not have got out of hand. Take for example, the present situation between the acting Town Clerk of Georgetown and her municipality. The two sides are at loggerheads. The incumbent acting Town Clerk is not the first Town Clerk to have been at odds with the Council. Almost every Town Clerk since the present Council was elected has had problems with the elected body. At the heart of these problems is a lack of understanding of the relationship that the Council should have with its officers. These officers are not responsible to the Council. They are officers of the Ministry of Local Government and they are there specifically to ensure that the Council acts in accordance with national policy as decided on by Central Government. This problem of local government councils, including Regional Democratic Councils, is that they believe that the officers appointed by the Ministry of Local Government are accountable to them and are there to do as they say.
They are not. And this is at the heart of the problems. Even some members of parliament seem not to appreciate how the system of local government is structured. And the lack of understanding and appreciation of this balance is undermining relations between elected councilors and appointed officials. The system is so designed to ensure that there is a balancing of responsibilities between Central Government and the local government. Guyana does not have a federal system of government. Many of the Regions and municipalities which are dominated by the Opposition parties want to have total control over their operations, but they do not wish to push for the very system that will given them such authority. They do not want federalism. They desire the same system that is in place. But they want appointed officials to do as they say without regard to the wishes of the government. There is a good reason why the present system was designed the way it is. The purpose of local government is to devolve greater responsibilities to the local level. This is based on the assumption that the development of local communities would be had, if
Dem boys seh...
Ed Ahmad sing fuh save he tail A drowning man does clutch at a straw and Ed Ahmad is a good example of that. He get heself tie up thiefing people money and Aunty Dora did done line he up fuh a long spell wearing de pumpkin jumpsuit. Well he decide that ain’t going down alone and he start fuh sing. Dem boys seh that de man sing some tune and when he sing he didn’t want stop. He pull down a senator who just as crooked. But is de way de man sing. He wear what de Feds does all a wire and he trap he own friend. Everything de man tell he de Feds bout he friends and wha he couldn’t remember he mek de man talk heself and Ed record de conversation. Well if he do that to a senator dem boys want to know wha he tell de Feds bout he friends in Guyana. If some of dem only put dem foot in de States is done dem done wid civilian clothes fuh a long time. Of course, if dem was living in de States dem did done gone to jail too. Ed woulda pull dem in. Imagine he mek de Senator come out of he shell and pledge to kill all dem who plan to testify against Ed. But dem boys know something was wrang from de time Aunty Dora keep postponing de trial. Now dem boys want to know if is de same thing happening wid Sonny Ass Tin Ramdeo. He got to be squealing pun somebody. Ed story is just part of all de tricky things that happen. Poor Donald get ketch too. He go to East Bank Berbice and mek a big speech about giving de people a road last year. Up to now not even a pebble ain’t lay suh de people plan fuh he this year. But Donald ain’t no fool. He avoid dem and go to Albion. But Clement didn’t taking no chance, he send police and tear gas. Now when all these things happen how Donald gun call snap elections? Talk half and wait fuh hear who more Ed skin up.
administered at the local level rather than from central direction. In such a system it is however necessary to guard against parallel forms of government emerging that would undertake measures contrary to national policy. It is to avoid this situation that the system was designed to ensure a balance between devolution and compliance with national policy. To secure this equilibrium, the elected councils are counterbalanced by the statutory officers who are obligated to report to central government and to ensure that nothing is done that is outside of the laws of the country or contrary to the
policies of the government. This is the system that was patterned after local government systems elsewhere in Westminster jurisdictions and Forbes Burnham, the architect of the system, wanted it that way so as to ensure that the wishes of the center are not dispensed with at the whims and fancy of any local organ. If the Opposition and certain municipalities cannot live with the idea of this balance between the center and local government, then they should join the bandwagon and call for a federal solution to Guyana. But they cannot be demanding that appointed
officials be answerable to the Council. If the system is to work, there is obviously a need for civility and cooperation between the appointed officers and their respective councils but it must never be assumed. This cooperation cannot come at the expense of these appointed officers disregarding official government policy and directives. These officers cannot be reduced to being employees or servants of the Council more so when these orders are in conflict with central government policies. Having a balance between central and local government is also necessary for
accountability and transparency. If it were absent then an important check and balance would be removed. If the rationale and nature of the system is understood it will make it easier for everyone concerned to understand their respective roles and how each relates to the other. Once these roles are acknowledged and respected, they will avoid the problems and controversies that are now raging.
The Ministry of Public Works is urging members of the public to take all necessary precautions during the Spring tides period of May 6 to May 12. Last week Guyana’s coastal areas, mainly the East Coast Demerara highway and communities on the Essequibo Coast as well as Berbice, were immensely affected as the area was completely drenched with several inches of flood waters that were caused by extremely high tides combined with severe winds. The flooding, which wreaked havoc especially for residents between Subryanville and Liliendaal is premised to be directly linked to the usual Sunday lime.
Public Works Minister Robeson Benn pointed out that the area attracts a huge garbage pile-up that clogs the drainage system. He added that the litter prevents water from the high tide from exiting the drain into canals that feed into the Liliendaal and Kitty pumping stations. As a result, the government on Saturday announced a ban on the activities in the area. As though the worst has not yet passed, the Public Works Ministry, in a Public Notice yesterday petitioned the general public to take all necessary precautions between yesterday and May 12 noting that the predicted tides for this period indicates above normal levels.
The highest tide is expected to be on Thursday May 9 at 03:17 hours at the height of 2.91 meters. The Sea and River Defence Department urges those residing in areas that are particularly susceptible to flooding to take special notice. These include areas along the banks of the Berbice and Canje Rivers; communities on the Essequibo Coast; communities on the Leguan Island, areas along West Demerara; Kitty; Georgetown
to Ogle and areas along the Mahaica River Banks. In addition, mariners are urged to take precaution when operating their vessels during this period. Also, it is highly advised that recreational activities should not be conducted on beaches and foreshore areas during the impending period. Pictures saved in Tuesday as sea wall (1) and sea wall (2) Caption: Flooding caused by the overtopping of the sea wall last week
Spring tides predicted to continue from May 6 to 12 - All urged to take notice
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Tuesday May 07, 2013
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Donald Ramotar: A short biography I mean no insult but I never thought that Donald Ramotar would have been the President of this country. I knew Ramotar a long time ago but not in a very close way at all. As I wrote before, I never thought Ramotar was of admirable political material though as a person he was sociable and likeable. I believe he still is. I believe he is still one of the less arrogant persons in politics (he is not arrogant at all) and one of the PPP leaders not infatuated with the company of the rich as Bharrat Jagdeo is. Ramotar as a political animal is another kettle of fish. He is not a politician with leadership qualities. He never has such abilities. He never made himself a name in
politics. He started out his political career as a counterclerk in the PPP business company, GIMPEX, on Regent Street then graduated into the GAWU leadership. It was during this time that he emerged as someone keen on Marxism-Leninism but still he showed no outstanding ability in the PPP to be identified for party elevation. The PPP thought it could do without his input during the days of PNC authoritarianism so it sent him away to Czechoslovakia for eight years to sit on the editorial board of the journal of the world communist movement titled World Marxist Review. On his return to Guyana, he still maintained a low
profile. By this time (late eighties, early nineties), the people right up next to Cheddi and Janet Jagan were Navin Chandarpal and his wife, Indra, Gail Teixeira, Feroze Mohamed, Clement Rohee, Roger Luncheon, Ralph Ramkarran, Harry Persaud Nokta, Fazil Ally and Michael Shree Chand. Reepu Daman Persaud never sought a high profile, although Jagan made sure, because of his Hindu niche that he was always at the top of the pyramid. Ramotar was always there but never occupying a position of authority and influence in the party. After power was achieved in 1992, it is doubtful that some figures would have accepted not being in the Cabinet. They were too strong in the leadership for
the two Jagans to overlook. It was no accident that Ramotar was not put in the Cabinet. When Cheddi Jagan died, it was doubtful that Rohee and others would have accepted the job to run Freedom House. There would have been a rebellion. Ramotar as the traditional selferasing figure was chosen. Let us digress for a moment and return to that party meeting in Cove and John two weeks ago (see my last Friday column – “Incident at Cove and John.”) A statement was made from the floor that party members do not receive a respectful hearing when they journey to Freedom House and the speaker claimed this has been going on for years. One of the co-chairmen of
the meeting agreed that this was so, told the gathering that things have not been right at Freedom House for a long time, and plans are in motion to set things right. Then came a shocker. Another person got up and said that if things were not right for a long time now at Freedom House, how come the man that was in charge of Freedom House was made the President. There was an eerie silence that enveloped the room. Ramotar ’s years as general-secretary has been completely overshadowed by the authoritarian style of Jagdeo. This columnist has received countless complaints from people throughout Guyana that Ramotar never acted on their grievances when they went to him. This writer knows of several incidents where Ramotar showed immense incompetence as the generalsecretary of the PPP. His self-erasing style paid off for him. If Jagdeo was to maintain his hegemony over party and government his only choice was Ramotar. None of the other contenders, including Robert Persaud, would have been favoured by Jagdeo, Jagdeo knew that there was no way he could have walked into OP and run the government of Ralph
Frederick Kissoon Ramkarran or Gail Teixeira. When it came to Rohee, as President, Rohee would have personally ordered Jagdeo out his office if he stepped out of line. As President, Ramotar has started out on the wrong footing. He drifts from one faux pas to another. He said that the election was marred by opposition skullduggery even though his party won the plurality. He supported the claims of a nasty racist editorial in the Chronicle. He supported Jagdeo’s accusation that there are rising anti-Indian sentiments. He told the judiciary that it gives decisions against the State because it wants to be seen as independent. He called in stakeholders including the opposition to discuss the 2013 budget after it was laid in Parliament. He endorsed the radio licence abomination of Jagdeo. He retains Kwame Mc Coy. The one I like was when he told a Reuter’s reporter that I was a sick man, that I need a doctor, Donald!
Teen escapes from police custody Police at Rose Hall, Corentyne police outpost were on routine patrol when they conducted a search on Denesh Seepersaud, 16, of Haswell, Port Mourant, Corentyne on Friday, last. At the time they were at Portuguese Quarters Public Road, Corentyne, and the teen was acting in a suspicious manner. He had in his possession more than two grams of cocaine. Seepersaud was arrested and taken to the Police outpost lock ups to await a court date; but on Saturday a lone female police constable at the outpost was handing a box of food to another prisoner sharing the same cell with Seepersaud; when he pushed the female police constable as she opened the locks of the cell causing her to fall to the floor. He then ran out of the station and made good his escape since there was no other rank at the station. Other police stations were immediately informed and several patrols are on the hunt for the escaped teenager.
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Ed Ahmad sings, sinks US Senator to shorten jail sentence …cooperated with FBI In a closely watched case in the US and Guyana, Brooklyn’s State Senator, John Sampson, yesterday turned himself to the FBI, appearing in court hours later and pleading not guilty to two counts of embezzlement, five counts of obstructing justice and two counts of lying to agents. Sampson, whose father is a Guyanese, was released on $250,000 secured bail bond. However, it would be the details of the indictment filed by the US government and unsealed yesterday that highlighted the role that Guyana-born, New Yorkbased businessman, Edul Ahmad, played in the FBI’s investigations that led to the charges. According to the indictment, Ahmad who was referred to as the “Associate” and was not named, lent US$188,500 to Sampson, to repay US$440,000 the Senator had allegedly embezzled from a number of foreclosure sales he had handled. Newspapers reportedly identified the “Associate” as Ahmad. The Senator later promised to “take out” the witnesses in a major fraud case against Ahmad. Ahmad is a well known Guyanese with a hardware outlet at the former Mirror newspaper in Industrial Site, Ruimveldt. He is also a prominent real estate operator in the Queens, New York area, well known to the Guyanese Diaspora there, until his arrest in July 2011 while he was boarding a Delta flight to Guyana. In October last year, he pleaded guilty to one charge of intentionally conspiring to defraud several lending institutions, in a mortgage fraud scheme that lasted almost 15 years. The United States Attorney’s office alleges that Ahmad was part of a scheme that defrauded American lending institutions of approximately US$50M, obtaining approval for mortgages on various properties by falsifying documents submitted to the lending institutions, using a string of straw buyers, and other illegal practices. The inquiry focusing on Sampson’s campaign fundraising stemmed from a broader federal probe into Queens Democratic Congressman, Gregory Meeks, who like Sampson took a loan from Ahmad but came under scrutiny from the feds for not reporting it. Ahmad was said to be the common link that drew the feds from Meeks to Sampson. Meeks was cleared by a House Ethics Committee but
the FBI probe is continuing. Explosive indictment According to the indictment yesterday, Ahmad was asked by Sampson to provide US$188,500 to cover his (Sampson) alleged embezzlement of funds from foreclosure sales he had handled. The indictment said that Sampson claimed he used the embezzled monies to cover his campaign for Kings County District Attorney in 2005 and he could be subjected to criminal prosecution if the monies are found missing. The Senator said the money from Ahmad is a loan he would repay. “However, Sampson accepted this “loan” without written documentation of the transaction or a contemplated rate of interest, the indictment said. Sampson never repaid these funds to Ahmad. Further, Sampson did not divulge the loan transaction in his Senate financial disclosure forms, as required. However, it seemed that the Senator, one of the most powerful in the Queens area, panicked after the widely reported arrest of Ahmad in July 2011. He did not want knowledge of the embezzlement to come out. “Shortly after the Associate was arrested, the defendant John Sampson began engaging in a scheme to obstruct justice, so as to prevent the Associate from cooperating with law enforcement authorities, and thereby prevent authorities from learning of Sampson’s criminal conduct.” He reportedly told the Guyanese that he had a contact in the US Attorney’s Office. Sampson in the indictment was also accused of asking Ahmad to lie about the details of the three checks totaling US$188,500 that was paid over to other persons but ended up in the hands of the Senator. Witnesses dead? During one meeting, the indictment said, the Senator told Ahmad that, if they were able to identify the witnesses in the mortgage fraud case against the Guyanese, “he could arrange to “take them out.” While there are not any details about these witnesses, there are indications that it could have involved Guyanese. Sampson was unaware that his phones were being tapped by the FBI. In April 2012, law enforcement authorities went to the office of the employee who Sampson had claimed was his contact at the US Attorney Office. They found
Edul Ahmad an incriminating list of the names of the witnesses against Ahmad. The employee was then suspended and subsequently terminated from his employment at the USAO. According to the indictment, the Senator met on February 22, 2012 with Ahmad at a restaurant in Queens, New York. Ahmad was cooperating with the FBI investigators and meeting was being monitored, the indictment suggested. There, the Senator attempted to persuade Ahmad not give the feds the records of the checks he had issued. “Don’t say you don’t have it. Just say you don’t know. I don’t want you to lie, just say you don’t know.” He even asked Ahmad to remove certain records to make it appear as though the
Brooklyn State Senator John Sampson (center) and his attorney Zachary Carter (right) leave Brooklyn Federal Court on Monday. records were incomplete and lie to investigators about the loan if it ever came up. FBI agents claimed that they confronted Sampson outside his home about the loan but he was evasive on that and on asking an employee in the US Attorney Office for information about the witnesses in Ahmad’s mortgage case. Yesterday, in court, US Prosecutor, Alexander Solomon, revealed that the Senator was offered a plea deal which expires May 31. Under that deal, he would plead guilty to one count each of embezzlement and obstruction of justice, and face up to 46 months in prison. Monday’s charges follow
the revelation last week that Sampson was secretly recorded by a former colleague, former State Senator Shirley Huntley (DQueens), who has pleaded guilty to stealing from a nonprofit organization she controlled. Sampson was a member of the New York State Senate representing the 19th Senate District in southeastern Brooklyn. From June 2009 to December 2012, he was also the leader of the Democratic Conference of the Senate. From January 2011 to December 2012, Sampson was also the Minority Leader of the Senate. Since 1992, the Senator was an attorney licensed to
practise law in the State of New York. His law practice included, among other things, criminal defence work and legal work involving the sale of foreclosed properties. Meanwhile, in a further blow to his latest troubles, Senate Democratic Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, announced that Sampson has been stripped of his assignations. “These allegations are deeply disturbing,” StewartCousins said yesterday. “The alleged activity represents an offence violation of the public trust for which there is no place in government. Sen. Sampson has been stripped of his ranking positions and all committee assignments.”
GAWU President, Komal Chand
Chand said that it was disclosed that the discovery of copper was also likely. “This is good news! We may have found, not forgetting Omai, the elusive El Dorado after all these years, but then our curiosities urge us to ask ‘What is Guyana’s take in this and other possible bountiful finds?’.” According to Chand, realistically it is understandable that investors expect profits on their investments but also realistic, he added, is that the people should seek the optimum returns from the wealth they own in this a developing state. He pointed to the fact that despite increased investments, poverty in Guyana remains uncomfortably high. This, he said, occurs even as there are expanding social needs and at a time when there is still not enough done in terms of infrastructure. “With an eye on the future it seems that our natural resources and wealth have a significant role in our present and future all-round development,” said Chand, as he pointed to his belief that “those charged with the
management of our resources may wish to be guided by such sentiments and not ignore the experiences of other countries...that are often bitter.” He said that it is imperative that the nation as a whole be mindful of the path it travels, its achievements and the goals that are yet to be achieved. Chand also highlighted that there are still many and various battles to be fought such as the fact that “there are many workers that are underpaid due to the absence of a considered minimum wage. We must ensure that this issue be dealt with urgently.” Moreover, Chand insisted that it is important that the working class be more assertive of their rights and demand that they are involved in the decisionmaking process in the workplaces and at various levels of the society. “We need to work, particularly with our natural allies – the farmers, in specific tasks and also in general social matters. We must not remain on the sidelines we must speak-up and speakout,” added an emphatic Chand.
Use of natural resources requires wide consultation – insists GAWU President “Investment is not all that matters,” said President of the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand, as he amplified his belief that there are a number of critical factors to be considered in the exploitation of a country’s natural resources. Chand, who was at the time delivering remarks at the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) May Day Rally last Wednesday, pointed out that there has been an increase in foreign investors in the mining sector. He said that while the union is heartened with the development, there are some evident concerns that must be noted. “We are pleased to know that our country can attract investments,” said Chand as he insisted that the natural resources of any country are owned by the people therefore, they must be widely consulted on its use. The GAWU President, who also doubles as the Vice President of the Umbrella Union, FITUG, premised his conviction on the fact that “today sad experiences abound in many countries
over the extraction, by foreign countries, of their natural wealth whilst sections of the population languish in poverty and in the process even losing their land and water in some instances.” The same could be possible here, as according to Chand, it was some weeks ago that the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, revealed that in one location alone an estimated four million ounces of gold are expected. Additionally,
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Done in by $10...
The Guyana-Barbados human trafficking case A BDS$10 dispute over a sex fee ignited an argument, resulting in the customer reporting the brothel to police. That report led to the bust of the Barbados-Guyana human trafficking ring. Now three people are locked up in Barbados and face a total of three dozen charges; five Guyanese girls are stashed away in a safe house giving evidence, and Guyana’s hapless police arrested and released a female organiser of the ring, giving their usual reason of there’s not enough evidence to lay charges. Barbados police, on April 18, raided a bar in downtown Nelson Street and found the five girls clad only in bathing suits, purportedly working as prostitutes. The barman and proprietrix were arrested and
Amelia Allison Joseph
Keenon Tristan Chase
slapped with 30 charges relating to human trafficking and false imprisonment. At the time police seized a quantity of passports, some said to be forged. The two will
return to court on May 22. The police swoop on the Bridgetown bar, fronting for an illegal brothel, was triggered by that customer’s complaint. Eyewitnesses who
The family of a 22-yearold woman is contesting reports that the Barbadian duo charged with trafficking several young girls from Guyana to Barbados may be innocent. The family said that their 22-year-old relative was able to escape Keenon Chase and Amelia Joseph unharmed after they intervened and made threats to contact the authorities. Yesterday, Kaieteur News spoke with a woman who lives in Georgetown. She requested anonymity for her family before explaining that earlier this year her granddaughter (name given) was invited to travel to Barbados by a school friend who claimed that there was work available on the island. According to the woman, her granddaughter did inform the family about her intention to travel and her purpose. Her airfare and accommodation were paid and provided by her Barbadian employers, the grandmother said. But after a while her granddaughter complained that what she had left Guyana to do was not what the Barbadian employers wanted them to do. The woman said that her relative informed her that the young girls were engaging in sexual activities and being paid for sexual favours. She said after her granddaughter had complained about wanting to come back to Guyana, she made contact with Joseph. “I personally spoke to the woman (Joseph). I told her I needed my granddaughter home and her grandfather needed her also.” The grandmother also made the woman understand that she had her contact information and she would not hesitate to
get the authorities involved. The woman, however, said that her granddaughter remembered Joseph remaining in constant contact via BlackBerry messaging during the trip to Barbados. Showing the messages from Joseph to Kaieteur News, the grandmother said her granddaughter had forwarded them to her. The messages showed Joseph contacting the young woman and telling her where she should go and who she should contact when she arrived in Barbados. One message even showed Joseph sending Chase’s BlackBerry PIN number to the young woman’s cell phone. She said that the family would have known nothing was amiss until the granddaughter started to complain. The young woman, the publication was told, worked in the bar but policies of the employers made her want to leave as the atmosphere was also unsafe. The grandmother said that on two occasions the granddaughter had sent money back home and that too made everything look legitimate. But what was however strange was the fact that unknown persons were bringing the money to the family. The grandmother said she was later informed by her granddaughter that on arrival to Barbados, all the girls’ passports are taken away, they would tell the woman about sending money home and someone in Guyana would deliver the money. The girls were not allowed to walk alone and to leave the premises without permission. When the girls worked, for example, the grandmother said, “If a customer paid a girl $100, it would be taken away from
her.” She said if the girls however asked to be paid, and the sum they receive is short, there is nothing they can do about it. The grandmother however said that she believes that there is a smuggling ring going on and Guyanese are involved. She said that as her granddaughter divulged more and more information about the matter she believes that Joseph would regularly visit Guyana. Barbadian police late last month netted five Guyanese girls working illegally and almost naked in a Bridgetown bar. The Barbados Nation newspaper had reported that police raided a bar in Nelson Street, a downtown area frequented by Guyanese and other nonnationals, and discovered the 17 to 21-year-old girls clad only in bathing suits. The Barbados Nation online newspaper said that Amelia Joseph, 36, and Keenon Chase, 22, were arrested and charged for trafficking the girls. The five girls are now said to be in protective custody in Barbados. Relatives of one of the females in Guyana had however said that the girls were lying and making up the whole story. But reports out of Barbados alleged that a third person had been arrested in connection with the case. Guyanese sources living in Barbados have told Kaieteur News that the third person arrested in the case, 76-year-old Joan Fernandez, had posed as the grandmother of a number of the girls. They however said that much more fallout is expected since youngsters, have been talking freely with Barbadian police, now that they are away from their alleged captors.
frequent the bar said the fare for intercourse with any of the girls was $10 (US$1 = 50 Barbados cents), and is paid to the barman prior to entering one of the make-shift rooms for delivery. This customer however, requested anal intercourse, causing the young woman in question to emerge from the room protesting. Management told the man that such an experience requires a higher premium. He refused further payment and demanded a refund, which he was denied. Irate, he left the establishment and reported the sour transaction to police. It is understood that the accumulated intake from those standard $10 fares did not go to the girls, and $150 was deducted from each week’s total earnings for rent for the youngsters who shared their make-shift rooms of business. Though paying $150 per week each, they were
made to bunk together on the small work-bed provided, when toiling was done. Following the arrest of the barman and business proprietrix, information has been flowing, and that has so far led to the arrest of a 76year-old woman, who sources say posed as a grandmother of young recruits from Guyana. She faces six charges, including that of human trafficking, and was scheduled to re-appear in court yesterday, May 6. The pregnant proprietrix, initially bailed at $30,000, is now behind bars with the barman who was never offered bail. Guyanese sources resident in Barbados, and Barbadians, all who do not want to be named, indicated that the woman was taken in by police last week after she allegedly began tampering with witnesses and uttering threats.
She in turn has reportedly leveled allegations to police about a Guyanese-Barbadian counterpart who functions as a recruiter of girls for prostitution, and is now in Guyana. That information led to the Guyanese-Barbadian woman being arrested by Guyana police, but subsequently released. Sources indicate that human trafficking between Guyana and Barbados for prostitution has been ongoing for years, and went unearthed by law enforcement because the girls held under bondage were kept on a tight leash. These women, including the five currently in a police safe house, were not allowed friends. Their conversation in the bar with prospective clients, were interrupted within (Continued on page 15)
22-year-old reportedly escaped Barbadian human flesh traffickers Political parties should find broad consensus – CAGI Representative The time is opportune for local political parties to find a basis for broad consensus which will lend to the country’s development. This is the deduction of Consultant Advisor attached to the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry Limited (CAGI), Mr. Samuel Goolsarran. Since the 2011 national elections, he has written in this regard to the leaders of the three main political parties, so far, to no avail. Goolsarran, during a recent interview with this publication, disclosed that he has been advocating for the broadening of the National Competitiveness Strategy Unit. The Unit has as its objective to provide the policy leadership that will ensure the ongoing development and implementation of Guyana’s National Competitiveness Strategy. And according to Goolsarran, he is optimistic that the Unit could be incorporated in such a way that it becomes institutionalised with an agreed, signed protocol involving the governing authority, that is, the parliamentary political parties, the government, the private sector, the labour movement and possibly, representation from civil society. This, he said, could see the various stakeholders having the opportunity to agree on a range of issues aimed at development. “If we can’t agree on the whole programme let us find
CAGI Consultant Adviser, Samuel Goolsarran common ground on where we would like, as stakeholders, to take this country... What kind of country would we like for our children and those who come after us...We would all like to enjoy some of the fruits of our development...” noted Goolsarran as he spoke of the importance of collaboration. This therefore, he noted, would require that trust and confidence is built among stakeholders. He underscored too that the issue of trust is a major factor to overcoming the existing socio-economic, political system. “We have to share information, share decision making and really compromise and/or agree.” Moreover, Goolsarran said that CAGI’s move to advocate for broad consensus is one that has stemmed from the tripartite arrangement within the International Labour Organisation. The ILO, he
explained, is a specialised international agency which deals on a general basis with the world of work. In fact it is said to be unique in its structure in that it has a tripartite structure where government representatives, employer representatives and trade union representatives constitute the international labour conference and all of its governing body. Moreover, he noted that everything that is done within the ILO is done on a tripartite basis. And it is such a practice that should be incorporated at the local parliamentary tripartite level, said Goolsarran, as he observed that this is severely lacking. “What we are seeing at the parliamentary tripartite and I told them plainly and publicly, that it is narrow, selfinterest...let us make it public; let the public, the major stakeholders, buy into it,” the CAGI Consultant emphatically noted. Speaking to recent budget cuts which have affected agencies such as the National Communications Network, and the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated, Goolsarran noted that “we strongly disagree with cuts without evidence, rationality and logicality that would go to the heart of the development thrust of this country.” And even as he shared his personal conviction that Guyana does not lack resources money-wise, he noted that CAGI will not in any way condone issues of corruption and mismanagement.
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Pandit, Canada-based Guyanese detained on robbery allegation … Leguan police station accused of taking instruction from prominent rice miller
Pandit Heeralall Doobay and his colleague Frederick Stoll A local Pandit, who was arrested last weekend by law enforcement officers at the Leguan Police Station, on allegations of robbery is classifying the division as one which lacks professionalism and adequate leadership. Pandit Heeralall Doobay, a native of Tewkesbury, Leguan, related the story of an unpleasant ordeal with police officers attached to the Leguan Police Station. Pandit Doobay and three other men, one of whom is a Canada based AfroGuyanese, visited the island last weekend in bid to conduct charitable work, when they were picked as suspects of a robbery. “I am from the island but I took my friends there, to donate stuff to the Blenheim Mandir, in Leguan. A little while after we had just finished contributing a seven-foot tall Murti to the temple, the police came up as we were in a taxi and say how we need to come down to the
station. “We thought it was because of some traffic infringement, only to find that we were being detained for some robbery of a rice farm/ mill … saying that I organized the whole thing.” Doobay and colleagues were detained for nine hours. According to Frederick Stoll, the Canada-based Guyanese man, the police used “no proper procedure while conducting the arrest.” “The Police arrested, two strange Negro men, who came on the island with the Pandit, based on no formal investigation or report. How I know this is because, officers claimed that they working under the instruction of a prominent rice farmer and that they cannot release or do anything with us unless this man instructs… The officers ditched protocol and kept us in custody taking away our liberty for several hours then did not allow us our citizen’s right of a phone call”
Kaieteur News understands that the police and the rice farmer have an arrangement, whereby the officers conduct shift work guarding the mill. An attorney representing the men later contacted the station, but the head of the department was reluctant to take the call. The Attorney subsequently sought the intervention of senior police officers for release of his clients. Doobay explained that while he was in shock at the whole occurrence, he is left to wonder what could have been the motive behind the issue. “I am a minister of religion in this country and this kind of degradation sets out to ruin my reputation. Imagine those police officers ransacked my 77-year-old mother’s house without a cause. Is that right?” All calls to the Leguan Police Station went unanswered.
Tuesday May 07, 2013
CAA recommends Fly Jamaica to Cabinet Jamaica-based Fly Jamaica may soon be getting the go ahead to render air services to Guyana. Officials at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said yesterday that the department has made recommendations to Cabinet to approve the Jamaica-based airline’s application to serve the Guyana route. With the pull out Delta Airlines which made its final flight out of Guyana yesterday bringing in about 70 and taking out more than 150 passengers, the newly commissioned airline will surely be needed, aviation officials said.Made in the past week, the recommendation has also come as Government officials scramble to lure international carriers like Jet Blue and Air Canada to Guyana. Officials had also eyed Caribbean Airlines which will likely dominate the Georgetown-New York route for a while and is likely to increase fares especially for the upcoming summer peak season.Fly Jamaica had from early last year declared its intention to service Guyana. Fly Jamaica, that island’s newest carrier, is partially
owned by Guyanese national, Ronald Reece, and Jamaican investors. Reece also owns Ogle-based Wings Aviation.He had expressed delight, as a man of the soil, to be rendering services here but had also expressed deep frustration at the royal run around he has experienced at the hands of authorities and the Civil Aviation Department in Guyana.It is unclear if Cabinet will discuss the issue at this week’s sitting but the sources say that the department has recommended that Fly Jamaica’s application be looked at favourably by the Guyana Government. Egbert Fields, who is the Manager of Flight Operations Oversight, Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority expressed delight when local Tourism Minister pronounced that” a few proactive moves in the local airline industry” would be made in dealing with the situation of airlift into and out of the country.Fields emphasized that Fly Jamaica completed a full certification which was issued with an Air Operators Certificate and associated Operations Specifications by the Jamaica
Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA).Fields further highlighted that Fly Jamaica was also issued their Operations Specifications by the Federal Aviation Administration (US) and Licence approval by the Department of Transport (US).The airline operates a 200-passenger Boeing 757 (same type of aircraft operated by Guyana Airways and GA2000), which it owns.Fly Jamaica commenced scheduled operations into New York on February 14, 2013. It is said to be heavily supported by the Jamaican Government and people, while the CEO is Guyanese aviation entrepreneur Captain Ronald Reece.Fly Jamaica will also have its inaugural flight out of Toronto Canada this summer after attaining full support and authorization from the Canadian Government. The Civil Aviation Authorities said that at the time, Fly Jamaica had not produced certain documentation and on production of such, consideration would have been made for the airline to service Guyana.
Police outpost in Kaneville is not priority- Brumell For ages, residents of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara have been calling on the government to place a police outpost in the community because of the rapid crime rate. But on Sunday, Commissioner of Police (ag) Leroy Brumell said “it is not a priority.” Brumell said that placing a police outpost in a co m m u n i t y is very expensive and having an outpost in Kaneville is not priority right now; instead, there are other communities that need to be considered. Kaneville is known for its high crime rate and according to residents, almost every night “somebody is getting
robbed.” “There is a lot of petty crime happening in here, this (Kaneville) is the nest for bandits. Every time they commit a crime they hiding here. After 06:00pm you have to be scared to leave your house,” a resident who preferred to remain unnamed emphasized. The Commissioner said that although there is no police outpost in that community, ranks from the Grove and Diamond Police Station would frequently patrol the area. However, many residents disputed this, stating that the police only visit the area when they are looking for someone
in particular. “They say you must call the Grove Police Station but I think they should give it a test call. Let them call in the night and see if anyone will answer the phone, and even if they answer, you always hearing ‘we aint got vehicles to come’. That is nonsense. They a r e t h e r e t o protect us but they ain’t doing anything,” another resident, Savitree Daniels stressed. When asked if there will be any plans to place an outpost in the community, the Commissioner responded in the negative, stating that there has to be a lot of consideration.
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Pensioner found dead in house Integration needed to implement
solutions for CARICOM- Ambassador
The lifeless body of Goberdan Sukhram, 72, called Uncle Kesh or Mamoo, of Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant, Corentyne, was discovered by a resident of the area, on Sunday. The resident had gone to purchase seasoning from the pensioner who sells from his kitchen garden. The resident, after calling and getting no answer, decided to peep through the open kitchen door and he saw the body of Uncle Kesh, and what appeared to be blood stains. He immediately alerted other villagers and the police of Whim Police Station who arrived around 18:30 hours. Sources revealed that the pensioner’s body bore several marks of violence.
There was an open laceration at the back of his head and a ransacked house, which led detectives to believe Sukhram was murdered. Goberdan Sukhram lived alone and was never married, a relative told Kaieteur News. “Long ago he bin like a gal but dem people na agree and he decide to live just like that,” said the relative. Residents say that they are of the belief that the pensioner has one sister who is overseas. The residents told this publication that Uncle Kesh had several problems with a known butcher in the area and recently he was threatened by the said butcher.
Several reports were made to Whim Police Station about these threats and problems, but the police never appeared to give the pensioner justice and he would cry bitterly to residents. The villagers are questioning why the threat reports were not used to arrest the butcher for questioning. Uncle Kesh was described by the villagers as a very quiet old man “who does his li’l farming and sells his produce and fruits from his yard.” He sometimes sold milk from the cows he reared. A relative said that in his younger days he was a tailor. Police were seen combing for clues as investigations continue.
East Berbice gears for Expo 2013 East Berbice is gearing for the annual Berbice Expo and Trade Fair for 2013. The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, founded in November 2004, hosts the annual Berbice Expo and Trade Fair. The 2013 Expo would be the ninth consecutive Trade Fair to be hel d b y t h e Chamber. An official of the Chamber said that the Chamber has
begun preparations for the event which is to be held on the last weekend in July with high expectations of it being a bigger and better Expo. The l a u n c h o f t h e preparations for Berbice Expo 2013 is to be held Wednesday at the Albion Estate Senior Staff Compound, Albion Corentyne Region Six (East Berbice /Corentyne) beginning at 3 p.m.
The official said that the idea of the expo is not only to enable businesses to sell items and make money but to build contacts and access newer markets as well as showcasing the standard of products Guyana has to offer. He disclosed that there will be live nightly entertainment as well as stand-up comedy. Security will be at a premium during the duration of the event.
The Guyana-Barbados... From page 12 minutes. Shopping expeditions into Bridgetown for clothes were allowed only if they were accompanied by the women now behind bars, or other controllers. With travel documents of the women taken away upon their arrival in Barbados, they are made to prostitute their bodies until the operator is satisfied that the investment has paid off, or patrons no longer request their services.
Then they are put on a flight back to Guyana with whatever the business owner declares as surplus income. “A young girl get send home just last month [April] with $200. She work for $5,900 but all was bills,” a Guyanese said to Kaieteur News. Apparently that bonded servant’s offence was becoming too close to a young male patron who had taken a liking to her and wanted the woman out of
bondage. The younger the girls, the greater the demand. An observer spoke of seeing the 17-year-old now under police protection, on one occasion emerging from her room only to immediately fall asleep in a bar chair, tired after taking a high number of fares. The three persons arrested in Barbados so far are Amelia Allison Joseph, 36, Keenon Tristan Chase, 22, and Joan Fernandez, 76.
Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, SecretaryGeneral of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), has underscored the need for Member States to work together to find and implement solutions to the challenges that face the Community. Basing his comments on the current state of the global environment and its effects on the Region, the SecretaryGeneral said that while the times are difficult, they also presented an opportunity for the Region to band together to overcome them. “It is not by chance that this year we can celebrate 40 years of integration, something that we must be proud of. It is through hard work, commitment and a determination to do what is best for the people of our Caribbean Community that we have kept the fires of integration burning. “The work of this Council over the next two days must stoke those flames,” Ambassador LaRocque said. LaRocque also raised the matter of the private sector’s representation at COTED at the opening ceremony of the Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the COTED at the Pegasus Hotel, in the context of the changing construct of the Council, and the private sector’s role as a conduit to transform the policies enunciated by the Council into bread and butter issues. “Honourable Ministers, Heads of Delegation, over the last few Meetings, I have heard you lament about the
Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, SecretaryGeneral of CARICOM absence of the private sector at the table. And the private sector too has been seeking to have access to the Council. As you deliberate here today about the future role and construct of the COTED, I urge you to consider positively the plea of the private sector to have a seat at the table of this Council. “Indeed, any discussion on the strategic direction of the COTED and the Region’s economy could only benefit from the input of our private sector through whom the policies enunciated by the COTED will become bread and butter issues,” the Secretary-General said. Minister RodriguesBirkett also referred to the accommodation of the Region’s private sector at COTED. She went further to suggest an interaction with
the private sector as a regional organisation at least once a year. “This Council, of course, should be in great part about the private sector, and while I think that it is good to have the private sector at the Council, and I support that completely, I have noticed that at OAS meetings, and the Commonwealth meetings, for instance there is always a session prior to the meetings with the private sector,” Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said. The importance of the private sector was also underscored by the Chairman of COTED, the Hon. Oliver Joseph, Minister of Economic Development, Planning, Trade and Cooperatives of Grenada. He called for the advancing of the work of the Council to send a signal to stakeholders, particularly the private sector, that the COTED is both concerned and responsive about changing its reputation. The strategic direction of COTED, to take account of the changing global environment and the necessity to more efficiently deliver on the Community’s priorities, is an agenda item of the two-day meeting. Other items on the agenda are the consolidation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, negotiations for the CARICOM-Canada Trade and Development Agreement, and considerations on the way forward with respect to the threat to CARICOM’s export of rum to the United States.
Five detained over missing St. Cuthbert’s man released Residents of St Cuthbert’s Mission in the Upper Mahaica River were up to yesterday deeply disturbed over the fate of a young member of the community who has gone missing since Friday April 27 last. Jermaine Dundas, also known as “Cow”, 23, was part of a group of men who travelled from St. Cuthbert’s Mission to Little Biaboo Creek, 50 miles north of the village ten days ago to sell logs. According to reports, after they had finished their business Dundas and his companions attended a wedding at Little Biaboo. Around 4.30 hours the next day when the others were ready to leave, his companions said, they failed to locate him. They later found a jersey and a pair of slippers which he was wearing at the wedding under a house where they had sought
lodging. They also found his haversack with all his other clothing inside, undisturbed. The five persons reported his disappearance to the Mahaica Police Station and then subsequently to the Police Station at St. Cuthbert’s Mission. They were arrested, interrogated and then released. Toshao of the village, Luke Simon, said that the disappearance of Dundas was very disturbing to the tightly knit community.
“He is the second of two children for his parents and they are now at their wits end trying to determine what to do next,” he said. Simon disclosed that a search party had sought to find Dundas but had been unsuccessful. Simon said that he is travelling out to Georgetown from St Cuthbert’s Mission today to seek assistance from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and other Officials to get a more intensive investigation going to determine what has happened to Dundas.
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Tuition fees unchanged at UWI St Augustine UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica—The annual business meeting of the Council of The University of the West Indies, held in the new UWI Regional Headquarters building in Mona, Jamaica, has endorsed the recommendations of the Sub-Committee on Tuition Fees with respect to fees for 2013/2014 academic programmes. Tuition fees at the St Augustine Campus in T&T remain at the level approved for the 2012/2013 academic year. These were TT$12,425 for the Faculties of Food & Agriculture, Humanities & Education and the Social Sciences; TT$16,216 for the Faculty of Engineering and TT$13,689 for the Faculty of Law. The increase represents an 18 per cent recovery of economic costs and is below the inflation rate of 7.2 per cent recorded for calendar year 2012. At the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados, tuition fees remain the same as for the current academic year— Bds$5,625 for the Faculties of Humanities & Education,
Science & Technology and Social Sciences; Bds$8,808 for the Faculty of Law and Bds$16,618 for the Faculty of Medical Sciences. For the Mona Campus, fees for all faculties will be increased by 5.5 per cent over the current academic year. Accordingly, students will pay an annual tuition fee of J$252,164 for the faculties of Humanities & Education, Science and Technology and the Social Sciences and for advanced nursing programmes; the Faculty of Medical Sciences will cost J$606.905 and the Faculty of Law J$274,407. This level of increase is below the inflation rate in Jamaica, reported at eight per cent for calendar year 2012 and represents a recovery of 20 per cent of economic costs. The schedule of fees for undergraduate, preuniversity and postgraduate programmes at the Open Campus remain unchanged. Open Campus students pay fees in the local currency of the site of registration on a per course
basis. Tuition fees for the undergraduate and preuniversity programmes would remain at US$300 per threecredit course and US$550 per three-credit course for Specially Admitted and Graduate Programmes. The council endorsed the recommendations regarding tuition fees for self-financing programmes delivered at all four campuses. In addition, special concessionary fees for students from the Association of Caribbean States were approved for three years initially, as part of the UWI’s thrust to widen access to students from outside the Caricom region. The council further decided to undertake a comprehensive review of the decision-making process on tuition fees. The vice-chancellor will convene a small task force which is expected to also consider a mechanism to facilitate timely decisions on fee levels, thus allowing firm offers to candidates much earlier than currently obtains.
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Jack Warner launches campaign for re-election to T&T Parliament PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Former international football executive Austin ‘Jack’ Warner on Sunday launched his bid for reelection to the Trinidad and Tobago parliament accusing some of his former government colleagues of being ungrateful. Warner, the former national security minister, who resigned his ministerial post as well as chairman of the United National Congress (UNC), told supporters in the Chaguanas West constituency that he was responsible for every one of the ministers being in office. Warner, 70, resigned in the wake of a damning report by the Confederation of Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) that was released in Panama last month. The report by the CONCACAF Integrity Committee, headed by former Barbados Chief Justice Sir David Simmons, slammed as “fraudulent in their management” the conduct of the football Confederation’s affairs by Warner, who headed the body for 20 years, and American Chuck Blazer, who served as general secretary. Neither Warner nor Blazer cooperated with the investigation. Warner has described the report as “baseless and malicious” and told supporters on Sunday that he met with his English-based lawyers to discuss the report. “Let not your hearts be troubled. Yesterday I met with English lawyers who reviewed the CONCACAF report. When you are told (the outcome of the review)
Jack Warner by these English lawyers, and a few locals, you will hold your head and bawl,” he predicted. Although the former vice-president of the world governing body, FIFA, had submitted his resignation letter to House Speaker Wade Mark late last month, a formal announcement is expected on Friday when the Parliament meets paving the way for the by-election within 90 days. Warner, who claimed he is seeking to re-validate his position with the Chaguanas West constituents, has not yet been screened by the UNC, the largest partner within the four-party coalition People’s Partnership government of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar. Media reports said that Warner is not expected to get the nod of the party and that trade minister Vasant Bharath. He told supporters that he was prepared for that eventuality and warned
supporters to be prepared for “all manner of tricks to be played out against me. Expect negative phone calls purporting to be from Jack Warner and his friends. “Those of you who support me, expect the threat of termination letters over your heads, especially if you are employed in the URP (unemployment Relief Programme). Expect our radio talk show hosts who were my friends yesterday to become my enemies today for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Expect all manner of columnists with anti-Jack Warner advice. Expect anti-Jack Warner criticisms of all kinds from both legal luminaries and bloggers.” Warner also accused Local Government, Works and Transport Minister Suruj Rambachan, “who now boasts that he’s the Prime Minister’s leading speech writer and who, even up to today, has never apologised for including the concept of ‘rogue media’ in the PM’s last speech,” to be leading the attack against his nomination. Warner said government ministers had become preoccupied with their concerns than that of the people and urged Prime Minister Persad Bissessar to “read them the riot act”. “There is also a disconnect between the government and the people,” Warner said, adding that his presence “marks the beginning of the return of Jack Warner. “I will come back into office based on the collective support of all or you... All of you who are here today are part of the making of history in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Curaçao politician assassinated One of Curaçao’s most popular politicians, Hemlin Wiels - a senior member of that country’s governing coalition - was gunned down on the Maripampoen fishing beach outside the capital, Willemstad, Sunday afternoon. The 54-year-old Wiels, a controversial politician and social worker who figured in the struggle for political independence from the Dutch, entered the political arena 10 years ago. He led the political party Pueblo Soberano, one of Curaçao’s largest parties, which he founded in 2005. Professor Hopeton Dunn, director of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication, who was among a group of press officials and journalists attending a UNESCO conference on world press freedom in the island, was on the scene of the incident. He noted that the incident triggered shock among onlookers, including policemen, who cried at the scene.
Hemlin Wiels Reports are that Wiels was murdered execution-style about 5 o’clock as he bought fish for his family in the fishing village. People who gathered at the scene applauded and saluted the politician as his body was taken through the community in a hearse escorted by the police.
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Public sector jobs review; Activity to begin this year - IMF agreement calls for evaluation of salaries, employment levels (Jamaica Observer) The Government is to review levels of employment and salaries paid to its employees starting this year, as part of its agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The review, which is among a number of proposals contained in Jamaica’s Memorandum of Economic
and Financial Policies to the IMF which was approved by the Fund’s board on May 1, is expected to be initiated this year and completed by next March. It will guide the rationalisation of modalities and terms of employment of government employees, but whatever recommendations are forthcoming will have to
fit into the Government’s medium-term macroeconomic framework, which aims at reducing public sector salaries to nine per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2015/16. The Government says in the document, which was tabled in the House of Representatives last Wednesday following the
Gov’t to hold enquiry in Tivoli Incursion
Security forces patrol Tivoli Gardens after an operation to serve an extradition warrant on Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke. (Inset) Public Defender Earl Witter KINGSTON, Jamaica — Cabinet yesterday said a Commission of Enquiry should be held into the Tivoli Gardens incursion of May 2010. The statement comes days after the Public Defender’s Interim Report on the incursion recommended that one be held. The Cabinet has agreed, stating that the interim report “raises issues of national importance.” “In considering how to move forward, Cabinet is
mindful that a separate investigatory process has led to the commencement of criminal proceedings arising from a matter which is addressed in the Interim Report:” Cabinet also said it will be further considering the report and the framing of appropriate Terms of Reference for the Commission of Enquiry. In his long-awaited report tabled in Parliament last week, the Public Defender, Earl Witter called for a Commission
of Enquiry into the operations of the security forces. His report had covered the operation of the security forces during the state of emergency in May 2010, the West Kingston/Tivoli Gardens ‘incursion’, the killing of businessman Keith Clarke and related matters. The Public Defender has suggested that the then head of the army, Major General Stewart Saunders and the police commissioner Owen Ellington should be among those called to testify.
Argument erupts over DNA testing in Barbados Men’s Educational Support Association (MESA) chairman Ralph Boyce has hit back, accusing Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite of behaving “fundamentally foolish” in rejecting a call for all children in Barbados to undergo DNA testing at birth. Breaking his silence on the minister’s criticisms, Boyce said Sunday that “no politician with a temporary lease” on authority should behave the way Brathwaite did. Boyce also found it
ironical that Brathwaite had rejected his DNA testing idea as lacking substance when “his own Government” had awarded the former Chief Education Officer a Gold Crown Of Merit for outstanding community work. Brathwaite, who is also Minister of Home Affairs, had said during a recent meeting of an all-female Soroptimist Club that he was insulted by suggestions from “some character” that children should face DNA testing and
Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite that he felt compelled to issue an apology to women.
announcement of the signing of the agreement by Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Peter Phillips, proves its commitment to improving the efficiency, quality and costeffectiveness of the public sector. “The issue of public sector transformation is one on which both sides in this Parliament should further collaborate to ensure that we, collectively, deliver to Jamaica a much more efficient userfriendly and growth-oriented public sector to the country,” Phillips said, prior to tabling the document in the House. According to the memorandum, the Government has adopted a timetable for finalising its review of the Public Sector Master Rationalisation Plan (MRP) and for implementing its adapted plan, which aims at inter alia improving the financial oversight of the public agencies and bodies, introduction of shared corporate services, reallocation, merger, abolition and divestment/privatisation
of units, as well as outsourcing of services. Consultants have already been engaged to produce a Strategic Implementation Strategy for shared corporate services, which will commence with a six-month pilot programme scheduled to start by next month, approval of a roll-out plan by early next year and full implementation across ministries during 2014/ 15. “The commencement of the pilot phase will be contingent on procurement and implementation of a human resource software system for the public sector (the Enterprise HR System), commencing with transactional aspects of human resources. A request for proposals for the software procurement is currently being prepared by Fiscal Services Limited,” the document said. The Strategic Human Resources Management section of the Cabinet Office is to be fully staffed by September, and the recently
Minister of Finance Dr Peter Phillips completed web-based Employee Census System (ECensus) application will be used to update census data by July. The number of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) which will utilise the service is to be expanded by the end of 2013/ 14. In addition, there is to be a further examination of Government-funded public bodies to determine their suitability for transformation into executive agencies during 2013/14.
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Tuesday May 07, 2013
At least 20 dead in Islamist protests in Bangladesh (Reuters) - At least 20 Bangladeshis were killed yesterday in clashes between police and hardline Islamists demanding religious reforms, as violence spread beyond the capital Dhaka to other parts of the country. The clashes began on Sunday after 200,000 Islamist supporters marched in Dhaka to press demands critics said would amount to the “Talibanisation” of a country that maintains secularism as state policy, but they were met by lines of police firing teargas and rubber bullets. Yesterday, hundreds of protesters, many wearing white Muslim skull caps and throwing stones, re-grouped and police fired teargas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse them. Protesters set fire to vehicles, including two police cars, and stormed a police post on the outskirts of the capital, police said. Two policemen and a member of a paramilitary force were among the 13 people
killed in the capital, said police official Shah Mohammad Manzur Kader. Five more died in the southeastern city of Chittagong after police opened fire on protesters attacking their station and two were killed in Bagerhat in the south. On Sunday, four people were killed and hundreds injured in the clashes, according to hospital officials. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all sides to end the violence and express their views peacefully. “The Secretary-General urges political and religious leaders to engage in constructive dialogue and help defuse the tensions,” he said in a statement. The protests are led by a group called Hefajat-e-Islam, which set the government a May 5 deadline to introduce a new blasphemy law, reinstate pledges to Allah in the constitution, ban women from mixing freely with men
and make Islamic education mandatory.The government of the overwhelming Muslim country has rejected the demands. The clash of ideologies could plunge Bangladesh into a cycle of violence as the two main political parties, locked in decades of mutual distrust, exploit the tension between secularists and Islamists ahead of elections that are due by next January. Bangladesh has been rocked by protests and counter-protests since January, when a tribunal set up by the government to investigate abuses during a 1971 war of independence from Pakistan sentenced to death in absentia a leader of the main Muslim party, the Jamaat-e-Islami. Jamaat opposed Bangladeshi independence from Pakistan in the war but denies accusations that some of its leaders committed murder, rape and torture during the conflict. The Hefajat-e-Islam emerged from the protests
Activists of Hefajat-e Islam vandalize a minibus during a clash with the police in Narayanganj yesterday. REUTERS/Stringer over the tribunal. More than 100 people have been killed in the clashes this year, most of them Islamist party activists and members of the security
forces. The troubles have cast a shadow over economic prospects at a time when industrial accidents, such as the April 24 collapse of a
garment factory complex where more than 600 people died, are raising questions about investing and buying cheap products from the country.
(Reuters) - The Congress this week opens its first debate in six years on a comprehensive immigration reform bill, testing whether business and labor groups can hold together on a delicately crafted deal that already is under attack. For 11 million illegal residents, the legislation in the Senate is their best hope of removing the threat of deportation and charting a path to eventual U.S. citizenship after a major push in Congress to reform a 1986 law died in 2007. The ambitious bill would put more federal dollars into strengthening the southwestern U.S. border against illegal crossings and aims to revamp a dated visa system so that more foreign workers - high- and lowskilled - could enter. But in a preview of the tough fight ahead, the conservative Heritage Foundation yesterday released a study concluding that the legislation would end up costing the U.S. government $6.3 trillion over the next 50 years as illegal immigrants become citizens and thus eligible for government programs. The study was quickly attacked by other conservatives, who said it failed to take into account the economic benefits of legalizing the 11 million people. Amendments to the 844page bipartisan bill, the product of months of negotiations, were flowing into the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will begin
considering the measure on Thursday. If its backers including President Barack Obama get their way, the legislation will emerge from the committee later this month positioned for approval by an overwhelming majority in the full Senate. But first, groups ranging from gay rights activists to construction industry representatives are converging on Capitol Hill, trying to win changes. “Every lobbyist who has any interest in immigration reform is going to be all over the Hill,” said Emily Lam, of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, which represents high-tech companies such as eBay, Microsoft and Yahoo! as well as other companies such as Citibank and Verizon. In the first quarter of 2013, 500 organizations and companies registered to lobby on immigration. A sampling includes the Commissioner of Baseball, MGM Resorts, the U.S. Olympic Committee, Perdue Farms, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and a variety of companies in the business of secure identification, such as Cogent, a 3M Company.
The lobbying activity has the eight senators who wrote the bill - four Democrats and four Republicans - nervous that any change could unravel the entire effort. But that is not discouraging lobbyists from trying. The construction industry and other business representatives plan to push for increases in the number of low-skilled foreign workers they would be allowed to hire. If successful at any stage of a complicated legislative process, organized labor’s support for the bill could erode amid fears the bill would undercut American workers. Several business groups also are concerned about EVerify, a system for checking the legal status of workers. All businesses would be required to use it for new hires. Businesses do not object to the mandate but want to make sure they are not held liable if the system turns up erroneous information. Meanwhile, gay-rights activists want the legislation to allow U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents to sponsor their same-sex
Battle over immigration bill starts in U.S. Congress
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North Korea missiles moved away from launch site: U.S. officials (Reuters) - North Korea has taken two Musudan missiles off launch-ready status and moved them from their position on the country’s east coast, U.S. officials told Reuters yesterday, after weeks of concern that Pyongyang was poised for a test-launch. The United States did not believe the missiles were moved to an alternate launch site and were instead in a nonoperational location, one of the U.S. officials said. The official did not elaborate.
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Israel says ‘no winds of war’ despite Syria air strikes (Reuters) - Israel played down weekend air strikes reported to have killed dozens of Syrian soldiers close to Damascus, saying they were not aimed at influencing its neighbor’s civil war but only at stopping Iranian missiles reaching Lebanese Hezbollah militants. Oil prices spiked above $105 a barrel, their highest in nearly a month, yesterday as the air strikes on Friday and Sunday prompted fears of a wider spillover of the twoyear old conflict in Syria that could affect Middle East oil exports. “There are no winds of war,” Yair Golan, the general commanding Israeli forces on the Syrian and Lebanese fronts, told reporters while out jogging with troops. “Do you see tension? There is no tension. Do I look tense to you?” he said, according to the Maariv NRG news website. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came under veiled criticism in Beijing, where he began a scheduled visit in an apparent sign of confidence Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would not retaliate. China urged restraint without mentioning Israel by name. Russia, Assad’s other protector on the U.N.
Damage is seen in what appears to be a chicken farm following an air strike near Damascus May 5, 2013, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria’s national news agency SANA. REUTERS/SANA/Handout via Reuters Security Council, said the strikes by Israel “caused particular alarm”. President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet on Tuesday to try to tackle differences over the Syrian crisis. Israeli officials said the raids were not connected with Syria’s civil war but aimed at stopping Hezbollah, an ally of Iran, acquiring weapons to strike Israeli territory.
Battle over immigration... From page 22 partners for residency. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont introduced the same-sex partner provision as a separate measure earlier this year, along with Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine. Immigrants’ rights groups expect him to offer it as an amendment to the immigration bill. Including such an amendment “will virtually guarantee that it (the bill) won’t pass” the Senate, said Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, one of the eight senators who wrote the legislation. He made the prediction in an interview last week with the newspaper Politico. If any of the controversial amendments do clear the Senate Judiciary Committee, they could complicate strategists’ efforts for a resounding vote in the full 100-member Senate. Anything less than 70 votes for passage, they fear, may not be enough to build the type of momentum needed to get the measure through the more resistant Republican-led House of Representatives. “Seventy (Senate) votes
would give the bill a big boost,” a senior Senate aide said. “Less than 70 wouldn’t kill it, but it would make it a heavier lift.” The strategy of building a big Senate vote to help create momentum to get legislation through the House worked twice before this year: Once on a bill to avert “the fiscal cliff” of steep, across-the-board tax hikes, and also on a measure to renew a landmark law combating domestic violence against women. The Senate passed the two measures on bipartisan votes of 89-8 and 78-22, respectively. In both cases, House Speaker John Boehner cleared the way for passage even though a majority of his Republican lawmakers were not on board. House Speakers generally do not like passing bills opposed by the members of their own party and if they do it too often, it could stir up a political firestorm. But with the growing number of HispanicAmericans becoming more influential in U.S. elections, Boehner has expressed support for immigration reform, though he has not endorsed the Senate bill.
Israel aimed to avoid “an increase in tension with Syria by making clear that if there is activity, it is only against Hezbollah, not against the Syrian regime” Veteran lawmaker Tzachi Hanegbi, a confidant of Netanyahu, told Israel Radio. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring group based in Britain, said at least 42 Syrian soldiers were killed in the strikes and 100 others were missing. Other opposition sources put the death toll at 300 soldiers, mostly belonging to the elite Republican Guards, a praetorian unit that forms the last line of defense of Damascus and is comprised mainly of members of Assad’s Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam that has controlled Syria since the 1960s. As well as the heavily-
fortified Hamah compound, linked to Syria’s chemical and biological weapons program, the warplanes hit military facilities manned by Republican Guards on Qasioun Mountain overlooking Damascus and the nearby Barada River basin. Residents, activists and rebel sources said the area is a supply route to the Lebanese Shi’ite militant group Hezbollah, but missiles for Hezbollah did not appear to be the only target. Air defenses comprising Russian made surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft guns on Qasioun and overlooking the rebellious Damascus district of Barzeh were also hit, they said. Their statements could not be verified due to restrictions on media. “The destruction appeared to be massive,” said
one activist in Damascus, who did not want to be identified. Russia said it was concerned the chances of foreign military intervention in Syria were growing, suggesting its worry stemmed in part from reports about the alleged use of chemical weapons in the conflict that has killed 70,000 people. “The further escalation of armed confrontation sharply increases the risk of creating new areas of tension, in addition to Syria, in Lebanon, and the destabilization of the so-far relatively calm atmosphere on the LebaneseIsraeli border,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said. Assad’s government accused Israel of effectively helping al Qaeda Islamist “terrorists” and said the strikes “open the door to all possibilities”. It said many civilians had died but there was no official casualty toll. CALCULATING Israeli officials said that, as after a similar attack in the same area in January, they were calculating Assad would not fight a well-armed neighbor while preoccupied with survival against a revolt that grew from prodemocracy protests in 2011. Israel has not confirmed the latest attacks officially, but has reinforced anti-missile batteries in the north. It said two rockets landed, by mistake, yesterday, in the Golan Heights, the Israelioccupied area near Syria’s border with Israel. “They were fired erroneously as a byproduct of internal conflict in Syria,” an Israeli military spokesman said.
Syria would be no match for Israel in any direct military showdown. But Damascus, with its leverage over Lebanon’s Hezbollah, could consider proxy attacks through Lebanon. Tehran, which has long backed Assad, whose Alawite minority has religious ties to Iran’s Shi’ite Islam, denied Israel’s attack was on arms for Hezbollah. Hezbollah did not comment. Moscow and Beijing have blocked Western-backed measures against Assad at the United Nations Security Council, opposing any proposal that has his exit from power as a starting point. Allegations of the use of chemical weapons - long described by Western leaders as a “red line” that would have serious consequences have added to regional and international tension. After months of increasingly bitter fighting, Assad’s government and the rebels have each accused the other of carrying out three chemical weapon attacks. Syria is not part of the international treaty that bans poison gas but has said it would never use it in an internal conflict. Rebels say they have no access to chemical arms. The White House has said the Syrian government has probably used chemical weapons. A U.S. official said on Monday Washington had no information to suggest that rebels had used them. A U.N. inquiry commission said yesterday war crimes investigators had reached no conclusions on whether any side in the Syrian war has used chemical weapons, after a suggestion from one of the team that rebel forces had done so.
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Tuesday May 07, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 29
The filmmaking, creative writing duo -- A force to be reckoned with By Kiana Wilburg The husband shoots and directs; the wife writes exceptionally well. This is a partnership that will only result in long-lasting contributions to Guyana’s entertainment industry and arts fraternity. Ron Robinson, an accomplished actor and director, says the two are not only perfectly matched but added that Mosa Telford will certainly become one of Guyana’s leading playwrights in the years to come. He noted that Kojo McPherson is not only brilliant in his creativity but is also an excellent photographer. The duo has been pooling their resources since 2006 and has since, been successful and feared by their competitors. In spite of his unending love for his wife, and the fact that he is enchanted by her excellent writing skills and prolific ability, he still challenges her. Filmmaker, Director and photographer, Kojo Mc Pherson, who attended President’s College then Bishop’s High School, said that he likes to challenge himself. It was in the first form that he realized that he was passionate about the arts –
writing poetry especially and in fourth form he began performing poetry. It wasn’t until 2011, that McPherson got involved in film. His formal training in professional film making started in 2011 and was done as part of the President’s Film Endowment. After his formal training, the filmmaker expressed that he had no idea that his passion had so many components and technicalities . Stating, “It is massive work,” he related that it made him appreciate video production even more. The spoken word poet and father of a one-year-old baby girl, Kinaya Mc Pherson, who has also been featured in two plays, expressed that his passion is deeply rooted in film making. He has also worked extensively with organizations such as UNICEF, Cineguyana, and the Help and Shelter Commission. “Mosa is not afraid to take her audience to places that may make them uncomfortable. Her plays compel you to think,” expressed Mc Pherson. Mosa Telford, a born Buxtonian, related that in her early teens, she found herself
in love with the arts. The Ebony skin-toned woman, who attended North Georgetown Secondary School, has also achieved a diploma in performing arts at the College of North East London. “You are going to be a writer,” uttered renowned Guyanese political activist, Eusi Kwayana, to Mosa, a statement that has lived with her since age 14. “Those words boosted my confidence and motivated me to go after my dreams. It meant the whole world to me hearing that from him.” Are you familiar with the radio show “Merundoi,” then and guess what? This remarkably talented woman has been one of the writers for the project since 2006. She has done three plays for the National Library. They include the Guyanese version of “To Sir with love”. Her play, titled “Shadows,” was first runner up at the National Drama Festival in 2011 whilst another play, “Sauda” placed second runner up in 2012. Her plays have been staged at the Theatre Guild for the past two years and she is praised for her high quality and eccentric perspectives in the structure of her plots.
This year she will be working on one play for the Theatre Guild One Act Festival. Together, the multitalented duo have made two films thus far, with CineGuyana, “Beached” and “To the night,” Both of which have received impressive commentaries from other noteworthy playwrights and directors within the Guyanese Diaspora. Moreover, the couple definitely has plans in the making for a possible sitcom and a web series for Guyana. According to the director of the film , Kojo Mc Pherson , the film, ‘Beached’ is about a man , Nyoike (Nyo) played by Randolph Critchlow, who struggles with life after suffering the loss of his wife and finding redemption. Here is the link to have a look at the gripping 15 minute film. https://vimeo.com/38887491 This film was also submitted to the Bahamas International Film Festival in 2012 where it was screened twice and taken on tour to some of the outlying islands. “The biggest challenge as a playwright is making a living from your work,” Kojo said. But in the face of all odds, The duo is determined to battle the odds and market
Mosa Telford and Kojo Mcpherson their talent and as the evidence proves , they are doing a great job at overcoming those hurdles. Telford believes that her success is due to her humility and says that there is always room for improvement. She stated that authors can lead social changes with their work and stressed upon the importance of remembering the power they possess in affecting lives.
Florida’s explosives experts bring know-how to army Three National Guardsmen brought their expertise of ordnance and demolitions to Guyana recently, continuing an ongoing partnership between Florida and the South American nation. Soldiers from the Florida Army National Guard’s 221st Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and an Airman from the 125th Fighter Wing traveled nearly 2,000 miles southeast of Miami to Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown. There they participated in an information exchange with members of the Guyana Defence Force. The Florida Guardsmen – all EOD specialists with experience in combat zones – conducted the exchange as part of the Florida National Guard’s State Partnership Programme from April 24. During the brief visit they toured GDF facilities in and around the capital, provided assessments of ammunition storage and arms room procedures, and offered best practices for handling ammo and explosives. “When we’re doing these assessments we are making
With this in mind, Telford will definitely be creating plays centered around human rights issues such as domestic violence for she believes that they are not given the necessary attention it should – the kind of attention that inspires change.
(From page 28)
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Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialists from the Florida National Guard and the Guyana Defence Force officers near Camp Stephenson, Guyana recommendations on better ways to inventory arms and ammunition,” explained Second Lieutenant Thomas Ashlock of the 221st EOD. “Perhaps we just recommend security locks or different accountability procedures. We will give them some suggestions, but we will also learn some tips that help us when we go back to the States.” Even though this was Ashlock’s fifth State Partnership Programme assignment with the Florida
National Guard, the mission didn’t go entirely as planned: his luggage and military uniform were lost during the flight to Guyana forcing him to wear civilian clothes for the week; seemingly perpetual rain interrupted scheduled visits; and his briefing to GDF members at their headquarters in Camp Ayangana was punctuated with loud music from the Guyanese Defence Force band practicing nearby. “We encounter problems here just like we do in the
States,” Ashlock, wearing a blue polo shirt and khaki shorts, said of the exchanges. “But ‘mission must go on’. It doesn’t matter what I’m wearing as long as I have the knowledge for these exchanges. I’d much rather be in uniform, but I can’t really help that.” During the visit the Guardsmen also met with Guyanese EOD teams at Camp Stephenson on the outskirts of Georgetown, sharing ideas about everything from safe disposal
of outdated ammunition to possibilities for recycling old shell casings. This included a site survey of an ammunition storage compound and a demonstration of “burning” unexploded rounds in a safe and efficient manner. Capt. Drumsom McCauley of the GDF said the exchange reconfirmed some techniques and training their EOD experts and senior noncommissioned officers already had, but for some of (Continued on page 30)
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Page 30
Kaieteur News
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Convicted prisoner caught Four witnesses testify in Kilcoy with drugs in jail again 2005 manslaughter retrial Prison and police authorities are wondering how incarcerated prisoners are able to get hold of drugs behind the wall of the prisons, so much so that it is being sold to fellow inmates. Almost on a weekly basis a number of prisoners are charged and brought before the courts in Guyana for possession of narcotics either for trafficking or smoking. Back in January when authorities at the New Amsterdam prison thought that they had broken up a drug ring in the prison by nabbing a gang leader, the man has been caught again with a quantity of drugs in the prisons and charged with possession of narcotics for
the purpose of trafficking. Convicted prisoner, Navin Busjit, 30, of Corentyne, Berbice, who is serving a 13-year jail term for robbery under arms and suspected to be a gang leader operating a drugs ring in the New Amsterdam prison was nabbed again. He appeared before Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court where he pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor, Sergeant Phillip Sheriff informed the court that the man was nabbed on April 10, last with 10 grams of the prohibited substance. According to information, the man was in the precincts of the penitentiary when he was
seen acting in a suspicious manner. He was taken into custody by alert prison officers, and searched. What was suspected to be leaves, seeds and stems of cannabis were found concealed on his person. The substance was tested and weighed and turned out to be 10 grams. He was subsequently charged. In court he pleaded his innocence and denied knowledge of the charge. He was taken back to jail to await his trial on July 22, next. Busjit was previously charged on January 7, 2013 while being an inmate of the prison with having in his possession a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems of the Cannabis Sativa plant concealed in his crotch. That matter is continuing.
Bandits were unsuccessful in another attempt to rob the Aurora Post Office over the weekend. The Post Office, which has been hit by at least four break-ins, was ransacked. The bandits gained entry through a window by removing steel bars that served as a form of
protection. While no money was reported missing, the thieves in their search ransacked cupboards. A report has been lodged at the Aurora Police Station. Most of the robberies and attempted robberies are said to be staged and would occur
during the period when pensions are made payable to senior citizens. In one instance, several years ago bandits managed to escape with some $700,000. On another occasion, thieves were unsuccessful in gaining entry to the safe at the Danielstown Post Office.
…Second time in four months
Bandits fail to rob Aurora Post Office
Four witnesses testified in the second retrial in the high court of manslaughter accused Wazim Mohamed, 26, called “Junior” of Mara, East Bank Berbice. This trial is continuing in the Berbice High Court. Mohamed, who is accused of killing his one-time friend, Russell Nelson, 62, called ‘Josie’ of Fyrish, Corentyne, Berbice, is on trial before Justice Dawn Gregory and a mixed jury. He allegedly killed Nelson on September 27, 2005 at Fyrish, Corentyne. Mohamed is alleged to have beaten Nelson on a dam at Kilcoy Village on the Corentyne and left him in a critical condition. The man was picked up and rushed to the hospital where he died some three months later on December 5, 2005. Mohamed was later arrested and charged for the crime. He is being represented by Attorney at Law Charrandass Persaud. Attorney at law Dionne Mc Cammon is presenting the state’s case. First on the witness stand was the dead man’s cousin, Ramanan Nabbi, who told the court that on the night in question, he was driving home in his car with his wife and two grandchildren when he noticed a neighbour on the road with a flashlight. He said that as he drove up to where the man was, he was told something which caused him to drive up a little further where he noticed his cousin Nelson lying on the parapet. There was blood on his head and his arm seemed to be
Accused Wazim Mohammed called “Junior” broken. The witness told the court he left his wife at the scene and drove further up the street to his home where he awoke his children and told them what had happened. He said he and his son and a few others subsequently got hold of the accused and put him in his car along with the now deceased and drove to the Albion Police Station where the accused was handed over to the police. They subsequently took the deceased to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Another witness, Esau Mohamed, told the court that he knew the deceased for a long time. On the night in question he was in bed when he heard a lashing sound in front of his house and flashed a torch light through his window. Upon investigating he saw someone riding off on a
bicycle. He ventured outside and saw an object in the corner of the street. He said that around the same time a car was coming through the street. He recognised the car driver to be Nabbi, who told him something. The next witness to take the stand was Nabbi’s wife, Bibi Keshwar, who repeated the evidence her husband gave. She told the court that she found a bag not too far from the scene. The bag contained a T shirt, half pair slippers and a wallet. The wallet contained some pictures. The items were subsequently handed over to the police. Next on the stand was Fazila Nabbi who stated that she was awakened by her father some time during the night and was told something. She saw the accused on the road. He subsequently ran away. She said that her father and brother ran after the accused and caught him in a yard. He was subsequently placed in the car. She accompanied Russel Nelson to the New Amsterdam hospital where he was treated and transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. He was later referred back to the New Amsterdam hospital. A preliminary inquiry was conducted by Magistrate Chandra Sohan and concluded on September 25, 2007 at the Albion Magistrate’s Court. Mohammed was earlier tried in 2008 and again 2010. Both matters ended in hung juries.
Florida’s explosives experts ... From page 29 his soldiers the briefings were unique. “It is a plus for us because we have never been (some of them) exposed to this type of exchange before,” McCauley said. “We constantly keep doing these exchanges just to improve our standards here in the GDF.” Warrant Officer Dwayne Layne, an EOD expert in the Guyana Defence Force, explained how valuable the exchange was for the GDF soldiers – especially when the talk steered toward safe handling of explosives. As a member of the GDF for 15 years Layne has worked with a lot of explosives, but he said it was important that some of the less-experienced soldiers are reinforced with the safety aspects of their profession. “As EOD we take some great risks, so we put all of our safety measures into place,” Layne said. “This is a very dangerous job.” The visit was much more than just an information exchange, however; like
other SPP visits it was an opportunity for the Florida National Guard to reaffirm its relationship with a partner nation. “The partnership with Guyana is so important because it is U.S. Southern Command’s hope, the Florida National Guard’s hope, and Guyana’s hope that we can strengthen this partnership,” said U.S. Military Liaison Officer for Guyana Capt. Benton Gammons. “It started a few years ago and every year it has been consistently better. But what we want to do is continue to engage and grow the programme. It is mutually beneficial to us to reach out to partner nations and help them, because they help us with our interests in the region. “It is also mutually beneficial for the partner nation because we bring some things to bear with our forces – especially in the Florida National Guard – that they may not have access to.” The Florida National Guard has maintained a partnership with Guyana
since 2003. The SPP supports U.S. national interests and security cooperation goals by engaging partner nations via military, socio-political and economic conduits at the local, state and national level. The SPP emerged 20 years ago, and links state National Guards with the defense ministries of partner nations. Besides Guyana, the Florida National Guard is actively partnered with nations in the Regional Security System – an international agreement for the defense and security of the eastern Caribbean region. Florida’s SPP is based at the Florida National Guard headquarters in St. Augustine, and is maintained by both Army and Air National Guard personnel. “It build s relationships,” Ashlock said of this most recent visit to Guyana. “It is a great opportunity for the soldiers to learn from each other and build camaraderie.” (www.dvidshub.net)
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Kaieteur News
Michael Holding joins... From page 34 of the CPL means West Indian youngsters can now think to themselves ‘Hey, I can make a reasonably good living from playing cricket.’ Now there is something here in the Caribbean they can play in, they can make a reasonable living and they can go on and play cricket again.” Holding also sees the value of the region’s best young players getting the chance to mix with some of the games greats, with six overseas icon players – Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Ross Taylor, Mohammad Hafeez, Herschelle Gibbs and Muttiah Muralitharan – already confirmed starters. Six top West Indies stars have also been confirmed as franchise players – Dwayne
Bravo, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy and Marlon Samuels. “If the youngsters rub shoulders with those guys they will certainly learn a lot about cricket, not just Twenty20 cricket but cricket in general,” he said. ”Youngsters will love to be able to be with those guys, be in the same squad with them, going to team meetings and listening to those people they will be playing with.” Holding said if the CPL gets arrangements right then it could play a significant role in continuing the revival of West Indies cricket that has seen Sammy’s side win six Tests in a row and secure the ICC World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka last October, the side’s first global trophy in eight years.
“If cricket becomes accessible again, if the structures are put in place around the islands and with the CPL coming in and giving youngsters the chance to get some money in their pockets by playing the game they love, (then) more people will want to play the game,” he said. The player draft, which is set to take place on 24 May, will determine who will be playing where among the six franchises that are soon to be announced. The make-up of the CPL Cricket Committee has also been confirmed with former Jamaica Prime Minister The Most Honourable PJ Patterson chairing it alongside Zorol Barthley, Ian Bishop, Lance Gibbs, Conde Riley, Walter Scott, QC and Charles Wilkin, QC.
Tuesday May 07, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): You might not know how to manage your intense feelings today. Just when you thought you had everything under control, your emotions could lure you into new territory without giving you time to prepare for your journey. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20): You may be surprised by an emotional encounter today. Be prepared to reevaluate your current relationship goals even if you think you know where the current situation is leading. GEMINI (May 21–June 20): You like the thought of avoiding a stressful conversation and moving on to a topic that’s more palatable. But today something drives you toward finding the answers you seek. CANCER (June 21–July 22): You might feel exhausted from all the emotional changes that lead you around in circles today. It takes a concerted effort to ward off peer pressure now, especially if a powerful person wants to involve you in mischief you wish to avoid. I LEO (July 23–Aug. 22): You can’t help but wonder if you’re heading in the wrong direction today, only to find your confidence returning a short time later. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): Although life may be full of distractions now, your power of concentration is intense as your key planet Mercury forms a harmonizing trine with potent Pluto.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): Your recent caution is replaced by an urgent need for excitement today. You might grow bored with a previous decision and feel the irrepressible desire to stir things up at work. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): Although you might be unsure how to utilize the information at hand, at least there won’t be any question about the validity of your logic today. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): You may be searching for a bit of fun, but the need to remain fully involved on the job prevents you from following your heart’s desire today. CAPRICORN(Dec.22–Jan.19): It’s challenging to establish your natural work rhythm today because so many distractions entice you away from your chores. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): It’s smarter to keep things light and easy today since sinking into someone’s emotional drama won’t bring you any closer to Nirvana. Unfortunately, you aren’t in control of everything that happens ... you’re only responsible for how you react. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20): You may grow discouraged if you’re not feeling up for an important task now. Just remember that your self-esteem isn’t dependent on whether or not you’re capable of doing your work.
Page 31
COURT OF APPEAL RULES AGAINST ATTORNEY GENERAL Although there seem to be a truce between the Guyana Cricket Board and the Attorney General, it appears that the parties have allowed the court actions filed by both sides to continue its normal course. In the matter of the Guyana Cricket Board vs The Attorney General, the Court of Appeal ruled on a motion sought by the AG to squash the appeal on the grounds that the CCJ HAD NO JURISDICTION. The Appeal was filed in June, 2012 with leave of the Caribbean Court of Justice. In effect the Court of Appeal proceedings are taking place on the direction of the Caribbean Court of Justice. At the hearing of the appeal the Attorney General had raised an objection and filed a motion in relation thereto claiming that the Appellant (GCB) were not entitled to continue with the proceedings because the Caribbean Court of Justice had no jurisdiction to make the Orders they made and the Court of Appeal of Guyana should disregard their ruling as it was erroneous. Following arguments and written submissions from both sides the Court of Appeal made a ruling on the 5th April, 2013. The ruling was read by the Honourable Acting Chancellor Carl Singh and was expressly declared to be the judgment of the Court which also included Justices of Appeal Roy and CummingEdwards. The Court of Appeal dismissed the motion of the Attorney General. The Court ruled that the motion of the Attorney General was without merit and misconceived and in addition to the dismissal of the motion also awarded costs to the Appellant in the sum of $150,000.
- GCB appeal against govt. to be heard The Court in delivering its judgment said that the Caribbean Court of Justice was established by Parliament and the Constitution as the apex Court in the Guyana judicial system and it was entitled to make the Orders it did and any disagreement with the ruling of that Court (CCJ) should be dealt with by making an application to that Court. The Court of Appeal also ruled that an Order of Court must be obeyed and stood as valid and binding until such time as it was discharged. Without it being discharged or varied the Caribbean Court of Justice ruling had to be obeyed and given its full effect. The Court went on to say that it hoped “that the Attorney General and his team of eminent counsel would in a sober moment reflect” proceedings and recognize that the appeal must proceed to be heard and their motion was without merit. The Court strongly emphasized that administration of justice meant that the Court system of Guyana observed the principles of the hierarchy of
the Courts and that superior Courts were entitled to make orders to bind the lower courts and to guide and direct their conduct of proceedings. The substantive appeal will be heard in full on the 9th May, 2013. The Attorney General contracted the services of prominent attorney Steven Fraser and Associates to represent him in this matter, while the GCB is represented by Sir Fenton Ramsahoye SC, Sanjeev Datadin and Pratesh Satram. Meanwhile, the GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie has appealed the Chief Justice decision to have perjury charges against him go ahead, on the grounds there is no evidence to support the charge and the institution of the charge was based on bias and improper motives. This appeal is also set to be heard on the 9th May 2013. Many in the cricketing circles are of the opinion that these charges were instituted against Sanasie, even though they are without merit, to exert pressure on the GCB. It appears as though both the GCB and Sanasie are standing firm.
Page 32
Kaieteur News
Tuesday May 07, 2013
:: :: :: LETTER TO THE SPORTS EDITOR :: :: ::
Raj Singh explains his motives Kudos to the Rose DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to a letter penned by Mr. Winston G. Boston; a known employee/ associate of Mr. Claude Raphael, with the dubious headline ‘WHAT DOES RAJ SINGH HAVE TO GAIN?’ this letter contained some rather disturbing and uncomplimentary statements. I would humbly suggest to Mr. Boston should obtain copies of the Orders granted by the Honorable Judge in respect of this DCB matter and really try to comprehend same, rather than continuously mislead the media and the general public. If, after reading these Orders, it is still not clear, then a meeting with our Attorney, Mr. Roysdale Forde, would be most apt in explaining the legal interpretation and meaning of these Orders to them. This question posed by Mr. Boston allows me the latitude to blow my own trumpet whilst providing some brief answers for the reading public, which I hope will provide an insight into my motives. Mr. Boston seems to be overly concerned with my participation in cricket administration in Guyana and its impact on my professional reputation and credibility, but I do get the distinct impression that he would rather my involvement be terminated. My motives in everything that I do in life are driven by my will and attitude to succeed and these attributes have served me exceedingly well over the years. All of my accomplishments have been achieved by dint of hard work, discipline and dedication. Throughout my adult life, I have been a member of several Clubs, Chambers and other organizations and have carefully chosen to serve in only a few select organizations/fields at the administrative level. Firstly, I consciously decide on those organizations that are important and significant to me on a personal level and for which I have a love and passion, hence my involvement with my alma
mater, insurance education and cricket administration. In addition, I have timed my entry into these organizations to coincide with my readiness to fulfill the duties required of those Offices so as to add value to these organizations with my involvement, definitely not to gain anything from them. I have a very strong determination to fight in a fair and legal manner for whatever I know is just and right. I have served as a Vice President then President of my alma mater, St Stanislaus College Old Students Association, for over 5 years during the late 90s and early 2000s, during which time we introduced our signature event, SAINTSFEST, which was held every year while I was associated with the College. The funds raised from these events were used to enhance the environment at the College for the students and teachers. Only last summer, our Class of 1979 in association with the Board of Governors (BOG), refurbished the College’s staffroom and renamed it the “Fr. Fred Rigby Staffroom”. I surely do not need to explain the rationale for my involvement with this prestigious institution. I stay in regular contact with the BOG of the College and am always ready and willing to assist whenever the situation arises. Another very important organization that I chose to serve in various capacities was the Insurance Institute of Guyana. At one time or another, I served as its Social Activities Coordinator, Education Committee Chairman, Secretary, VicePresident and then President. During my Presidency in 2002, our Institute hosted the first AIIC Insurance Education Conference held in Guyana. In addition, I lectured extensively on various insurance education courses conducted by the Institute. Insurance is my chosen career and I thought it best to give back to the industry that nurtured me and my career. The third entity which I chose to serve, cricket, has now become the most tumultuous, stressful and chaotic, due to the selfserving interests of a few disgruntled persons. I have served in various capacities at every level of cricket administration and time and space do not permit me here to detail my accomplishments as an administrator, as those who served with me could easily
attest to my competence. Be that as it may, I can safely say that I have never slept through the performance of my cricketing or any other duties and responsibilities. There is a dire need for all parties to sit together at the table and have meaningful dialogue. I have personally made attempts at conciliation between differing parties and, in this regard, had even engaged Mr. Bissoondyal Singh, during his tenure as President of the DCB in 2010, when he was encountering issues with the membership and his Executive Committee (EC). Mr. Bissoondyal walked away from those talks. Together in 2009, we had also engaged the GCA when that Area Association had some issues with the DCB. The issues with the GCA were eventually resolved to a certain extent. I have always made sincere efforts towards having differences of opinions resolved in an amicable manner rather than pursue the hostile path. I am sure there is a place for Messrs. Harper, Raphael, Ronald Williams and Bissoondyal in the cricket administration landscape, but they should not hold the cricketers and administrations to which they are opposed, to ransom in the courts and otherwise. These guys just need to be patient and respect the democratic and legal process most of which, in any case, were initiated by this same group. This conflict started with Mr. Bissoondyal publicly stating intention to run for the Presidency of the GCB in 2009. Mr. Bissoondyal tried all the tricks in the books to hijack the DCB, including moving to the Court to throw out six EC members from the DCB in 2010, during the lead up to the DCB and the GCB’s elections in January 2011. He was unsuccessful in his bid. The Chief Justice then ordered an EC meeting of the DCB to be held on January 17, 2011 which meeting was chaired by the said Bissoondyal. At that meeting, Mr. Bissoondyal, in the presence of Mr. Harper, again attempted to unconstitutionally exclude myself and Mr. Rovin Stanley from the meeting, but was again unsuccessful. After failing in all of his attempts to thwart the democratic process, a Special Resolution was read by the Secretary at the EC meeting and passed by a majority vote of 7 persons to zero with a few abstentions.
As directed by the Chief Justice, this Special Resolution set the date, time, venue and Returning Officer for the DCB’s AGM to be held on the January 22, 2011, at which AGM the undersigned was elected to serve as the President of the DCB. It is now public knowledge that Mr. B i s s o o n d y a l blatantly disregarded the decisions and the Special Resolution passed at a Court ordered EC meeting and proceeded to hold an unconstitutional AGM, hence the genesis of the confusion at the DCB level. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to decipher why Mr. Bissoondyal wanted to eject those Executives from the meeting. Obviously, the numbers were not in his favor and this was the only manner in which he could exert his control. Finally, it is high time persons refrain from casting wild and reckless allegations or assertions about financial impropriety against anyone without any shred of evidence. Here again, Mr. Boston should also strive to obtain a copy of the independent Rupert Foster report commissioned by the Ministry of Labour/Friendly Societies Registrar in 2011 who conducted a thorough investigation into the affairs of the GCB which eventually paved the way for the Annual General Meeting of the Guyana Cricket Board in July 2011. It is very important to note that whenever the very foundation of your ambition is premised on shaky grounds, you are doomed to fail. Raj Singh
Hall Town Youth and Sports Club
DEAR SPORTS EDITOR, I had the greatest privilege two Sunday’s ago to attend the annual awards ceremony of the RHTY&SC at the fantastic and beautiful St. Francis Community Developers building as I accompanied a friend who was to be honoured as a retired teacher. Over the years, I had observed via the daily newspapers and the nightly Berbice Newscast, the work of the club and was very impressed by the humungous amount of activities of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club. It was always my desire to be part of an activity of the club to get a first-hand experience of its executives and how it was humanly possible to do so much work for youths and those in need. As I sat through the three hours programme, I could not help but marvel at the hard work and team unity and discipline under the supervision of the club’s secretary/CEO. The programme was well organised and flowed like clockwork, while everyone present wondered at the outstanding work the club was doing. Apart from the producing some of Guyana’s leading cricketers, the RHTYSC has been doing a remarkable job of changing and touching the lives of thousands and deserves a standing ovation from each one of us. As we left the building, we
offered our congratulations to some of the club’s executives who committed themselves to not only maintaining the high standard but raising the bar even higher in the future. The young cricketers were not only very disciplined and well groomed, but seems to talk with pride in being members of a club which has had a positive effect on their young lives. Mr. Editor, every cricket club in Guyana should make an organised trip to the RHTYSC and its parent body, the St. Francis Developers and learn from them how to get things done. The same advice should also be given to the Essequibo, East Coast, Georgetown, Demerara and yes the Guyana Cricket Board. It is a huge shame that the cricket board at the national level would try to deny the RHTYSC the opportunity to host a cricket tournament in Berbice. In Closing, Mr. Editor, I would like to personally appeal to President Ramoutar that at next announcement of the national awards the names of the RHTYSC and the person/s responsible for its unmatched achievement must be there. In the word of the club CEO/Secretary, no other youth and sports club in Guyana has done so much for youth, the elderly and less fortunate. The RHTYSC is a household name in Guyana and surely deserve a Medal of Service. Ariana Singh
GSL SOFTBALL CRICKET TOURNEY...
Park Rangers, Wolf Warriors through to semis Park Rangers and Wolf Warriors have booked their places in the semi-finals of the Over-35 and Open categories respectively when the Georgetown Softball League\Regal Stationery and Computer Center\Mike’s Copy Centre\ Star Party Rentals\ Salod Marketing Agency and Trophy Stall cricket competition continued yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club. In the Over-35 category, Park Rangers defeated Success Masters by 5 wickets. Success Masters batted first and scored 153-8 off their allotted 20 overs.
Krishna Ramnauth top scored with 54 while Randy Ketwaroo supported with 33 and Dharmendra Mohabir 20. Toney Singh took 2-23 and Mark Fung 2-30. Park Rangers replied with 154-5 in 19 overs. Danny Mohanram led with 64, while Ramjit Singh chipped in with 26 and Eon Abel 18. In the Open category, Wolf’s Warriors overcame Farm XI by 4 wickets. Batting first, Farm XI made 85-5 off their allotted 12 overs. Avinash Sookdeo was their leading run scorer with 31 while Ameer Azeez supported with 19; Vishnu Chanderan and Diaram
Persaud grabbed 2 wickets each. Wolf’s Warriors then responded with 87-6 in 7.4 overs. Chanderan 15 and Reaz Karim 10 were their leading batsmen. Tony Rank captured 2-15 and Rawl Reid 2-20. The competition continues on Sunday at the Christianburg ground in Linden with the quarter-finals featuring the top four female teams from Georgetown playing the best four female teams from Linden, while Regal XI will face Kwakwani Strikers in the male Open quarter-final with the winner taking on Speed boat XI in one of the semi-final games.
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Kaieteur News
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Kentucky Derby winner Orb to tackle Triple Crown (Reuters) The connections of Kentucky Derby winner Orb have already set their sights on trying to complete the Triple Crown after their colt pulled up well from his victory in the first leg. Shug McGaughey, the Kentucky-based trainer of Orb, wasted no time declaring his intentions to run the threeyear-old in the remaining two legs. Speaking to reporters outside the winner’s barn at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning, McGaughey said he was already thinking about the next two races, the Preakness Stakes on May 18 and the Belmont Stakes on June 8. “I’m looking forward to getting the process going again and seeing what happens and go from there,” McGaughey said. “I said last week that I wished it had happened to me earlier so I didn’t have to worry about it anymore, but I’m not sure I believe that now. “Yesterday was quite a day and today’s been quite a day so far. It’s been quite, quite a thrill.” McGaughey said Orb was being flown to New York on
Sunday and would remain there before being moved to Baltimore next week to finish off his preparations for the Preakness. AGONISING WAIT It has been 35 years since a horse last completed the Triple Crown. That was Affirmed in 1978 and the wait for another horse to win the three races has been agonizing. Last year, I’ll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness to renew hopes, but was scratched on the eve of the Belmont and never raced again. What makes the Triple Crown so difficult to win is the makeup and timing of the three races. They are each held in different states, over different distances, during a span of five weeks. And the winner invariably faces different opposition each time. It is not uncommon for the horses which finish close behind the winner in the Preakness (1 3/16 mile) to save themselves for the 1 1/2 mile Belmont, the longest and most grueling of the three races. The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles. The field for the
Preakness will not be decided until just a few days before the race but only a handful of the 19 horses who contested the Derby are expected to back up. Trainer Dallas Stewart, who prepared the Derby runner-up Golden Soul, said his horse was unlikely to race in the Preakness. “At this point, I think we will pass on the Preakness and look at the Belmont,” Stewart said. “That would give us five weeks and hopefully we can get one of the three (races in the Triple Crown series).” Revolutionary, which finished third for trainer Todd Pletcher, was also skipping the Preakness to save himself for the Belmont, as was his stablemate Overanalyze. Normandy Invasion, which led the field turning for home and finished fourth, will not race in the Preakness either and was being aimed at the $1 million Travers at Saratoga. Mylute, which finished fifth under jockey Rosie Napravnik, was a strong possibility to take on Orb in the Preakness as long as the horse was not fatigued. “We
Orb trainer Claude McGaughey (R) walks his horse, with Jockey Joel Rosario aboard, to the winner’s circle after the running of the 139th Kentucky Derby horse race. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes need a couple more days to think about it,” said Todd Quast, the general manager of the farm which owns Mylute. “When he came out of the Louisiana Derby he was so high that we worked him back eight days later. If he comes back with that kind of energy we have to seriously look at it.” Doug O’Neill, who won last year’s Preakness with I’ll Have Another, said he would saddle up Goldencents in the Preakness even though the colt was well beaten in the
Nicolette Fernandes finishes a creditable 2nd, Perry wins milestone 10th Irish Open title Squashstarters.com Madeline Perry claimed her milestone tenth WSA World Tour title after winning her fifth Tour15 Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open, beating a game Nicolette Fernandes of Guyana. The 36-year-old Perry from Bambridge, Ireland set about reclaiming the title she last won in 2010 in a clinical fashion, dispatching Egyptian qualifier Mariam Ibrahim Metwally in straight games after a narrow opener. Last year’s event runnerup then made similarly short work of Japan’s Misaki Kobayashi in 30-minutes to ensure her tenth consecutive Irish Open semi-final appearance. There, she faced surprise semi-finalist Deon Saffery had who scalped third seed and local hope Aisling Blake in straight games. The Welshwoman caused Perry some trouble in the early stages of the game, just losing out in a first game tie-break before claiming the second by a similar score-line. Perry’s experience at the top levels of women’s squash enabled the former world No.3 to move past her opponent in four games and in to the seventh Irish Open final of her career.
Her final opponent, No.6 seed Nicolette Fernandes made her way past qualifier Sarah Cardwell of Australia in the opening round, before surprising Mexican second seed Samantha Teran in a dominant three game victory. The Guyanese international continued her strong form into the semi’s as she shut out English teenager, fourth seed Emily Whitlock, also in straight games. Reaching the seventh WSA final of her career,
Fernandes was unable to continue her form against the quality of Madeline Perry, and the Irishwoman took a strong first game lead before doubling her advantage with a narrow second game. Fernandes’ slow start had hindered her initial progress, but she slowly worked to establish herself in the contest. Despite letting a good lead slip in the second, her resilience was rewarded in the third game, as she won to throw Perry’s dominance into
question. The experienced Perry responded well however, and her opponent had no response as she steamrollered the fourth game to end the competition with her milestone tenth WSA World Tour title, and fifth on home soil. Madeline Perry’s first WSA title came in her third year of competing on the tour, as she won the Proctor Memorial event in March 2002.
Kentucky Derby. Goldencents, which won the Santa Anita Derby, was among the favorites to win the Run For the Roses, but
struggled in the wet and muddy conditions and finished 17th. “We’re a go for the Preakness,” O’Neill declared.
Gratitude extended to sponsors by RHTY&SC The Executive and Members of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) is expressing gratitude to its sponsors and donors for their partnership which enabled to club to host a successful Awards ceremony and Luncheon at the St. Francis Community Developers Training Centre on Sunday last. According to the club, some $2.2M was expended in trophies, gifts and prizes which were presented to members, sponsors, journalists and retired teachers. Following is the list of entities and individuals the club has expressed its thanks to: Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, Guyana Beverage Inc. – Busta, NAMILCO, Republic Bank, Impressions, New GPC, The Trophy Stall - Ramesh Sunich, Minister Jennifer Westford, A. Ally, HA Snacks, Colin Elcock, AH&L Kissoon Ltd., B. Ramoutar, Feroze Barukut, Dr. Ramesh Sugrim, Ronald Williams, Reeaz Hamid, Claude Raphael, Alfred Mentore, Micheal Fernandes, Arnold King, D. Somaru, Mark and Roger Harper, Ansa Mcal Trading, FM Hamid General Store, Deonarine Shane, University of Guyana – Tain Campus, Lance Hinds, Gilgeous Pawn Shop, Stanley Ming, Demerara Distillers Limited, Bissondyal Singh, Anil Beharry, S. Tulsi, Naresh Mahadeo, King’s Jewellery World, Cell Phonix, Mohamed’s Enterprise, The Gift Centre, Ramesh Munna,
Starr Computers, Bakewell, GTM, Universal DVD, Paul Persaud, Basil Butcher, CIDI, David Granger, Oscar Roach, Jennifer Lewis, Office of the President, Farfan and Mendes, Neeta Lumber Yard, Derek Seetaram, Bobby’s Boutique, Leon Wiggins, Rana Persaud, Ryan Rambarran, Len’s Craft, Rameon Shoe World, Martin Singh, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ganesh Gangadin, Bounty Farm Ltd., Tony Rambarran, DTV-8, Banks DIH Ltd, P & P Insurance Brokers, F & H Printery, James Fraser, John Lewis Styles, Charles Rodriques, Ricks & Sari Ltd., DeSinco Trading, Louise Nero, Angel Haniff, Roxeanne Approo, AK Pawn Shop, Roy Jewel House, Peter Lewis, Joey Torrenzo, Imran Sacoor, BCIDA Cops Security (Doreen Gaskin), Dr. Ian McDonald, Unicell, JG Cosmetics, Dr. Phillip DaSilva, Turbo Jagdeo, CCCC, Rose Hall Town Council, Vincent Alexander, Ministry of Sports (Berbice), Imran Jaferally, Venu Shopping Centre, Pastor Dennis Ram, T. Persaud, Furniture World and David Burgess. Special thanks was also extended to the various Media outfits which covered the events; LRTVS CH10, DTV-8, Guyana Times, Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and Guyana Chronicle. The RHTY&SC will next host the Berbice Teachers Awards Ceremony and will also be launching its 14th Annual Magazine.
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Team preparations at 75% Michael Holding joins CPL The national rugby squad currently preparing for their NACRA engagement against Barbados on May 18, at the Guyana National Stadium, is intensifying preparations according to Technical Director (TD) Alwin Etwah, during a telephone interview with Kaieteur Sport yesterday. Etwah when asked by this newspaper to gauge the percentage of preparation the team has covered so far rated it at around 75%, while attendance during the sessions hovered at 80%, but according to the TD these fractions will definitely increase as game day draws nearer. “We are expecting three players from overseas in Richard Staglon, Ronald Mayers and Dillon Downer and they are anticipated to arrive shortly to join the group just before we commence the tactical preparations,” Etwah disclosed. He revealed that the squad of 47 players will be reduced this Saturday to 22 shortly after a game simulation session, at the National Park. According to Etwah, 6-7 players are expected to make their debut in the upcoming game against Barbados and they’ve already shown admirable commitment during the preparations, much to the satisfaction of the team’s management. “The phase we’re in right now is strengthening and conditioning since this is 15’s rugby and strength is a necessary prerequisite, while fitness is just as important,”
-TD Etwah Etwah said. Asked to give a figure on those aspects of the preparations, Etwah pointed to 80% as a realistic assessment, but expressed optimism that the team will be fully prepared in time for the clash. He added that while they are understandably behind schedule due to the inclement weather that affected preparations to some extent, they are satisfied with the progress to date. Etwah said the arrival of the three overseas-based players will certainly allow for a intensification of the preparations since it will allow Head Coach Theodore Henry to work on his game strategy and other integral elements that will ensure that the team is not only well prepared, but have all the ingredients intact to ensure victory. Meanwhile, the players called are: FORWARDS Cyon Kitt Marvin Stephens Delroy Gordon Allien Crawford Rondel McArthur Kiefer Lopes Dwayne Schroeder Walter George Kevon David Jacques Archibald Rickford Cummings Terence Daniels Daniel Anderson Jason Tyrell Cloyd Prowell Troy Arjoon
LeBron James named NBA Most Valuable Player (Reuters) - Miami Heat forward LeBron James was named the National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player for the 2012-13 season on Sunday. James received 120 firstplace votes from the panel of 121 sports writers and broadcasters selected to choose the award. Oklahoma’s Kevin Durant finished second overall and the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony, who received the other first-place vote, placed third. It was the fourth time in five years that the 28-year-old James had won the game’s most prestigious individual award, elevating him among the sport’s greatest players. “When people ask me, I tell them I just try to be the best player on the court every
night I step on the floor,” James said. Only four other players Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain - have won the trophy at least four times. Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for six MVP wins, one ahead of Jordan and Russell and two in front of Chamberlain and now James. James, who twice won the award with the Cleveland Cavaliers before moving to Miami, averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists during the 2012-13 regular season, where the Heat finished with the best record in the NBA. James was the only player in the NBA to lead his team in all three categories during the
Alwyn Etwah Jason Ridley Grantley Williams Ato Talbot Kevin Joseph Jamal Angus Reign Dey Kenroy Evening Peter Bristol Andrew Jarvis Clinton Mars Avery Corbin BACKS Ryan Gonsalves Akeem Fraser Christopher Singh Peabo Hamilton Breon Walks Troy Bascomb Jaryl Moore Elwin Chase Claudius Butts Godfrey Broomes Orin Williams Carl Lewis Lancelot Adonis Leon Greaves Claude Alexander Blaze Bailey Trenton Braithwaite Osei McKenzie Marvin Lawrence Kevin Joseph season. He shot a career-high from the field (.565) and from three-point range (.406). He produced a record streak of six straight games with at least 30 points and a .600-orbetter field goal percentage. He received his award at a special presentation on Sunday, attended by his team mates, family and friends, and broadcast live on national television. In an emotional and heartfelt acceptance speech, James extended his thanks to everyone who had supported him both as a person and as a player. He turned to his team mates, who were wearing shorts and t-shirts, and said they deserved the award as much as he did, “Nothing I receive individually is possible without those 14 guys, and the sacrifices they make,” he said. “This really doesn’t mean much to me. I’m humbled and I’m happy about it but I wish it was 15 of these up here because what a great group of guys that allows me to be the MVP.”
CPL - BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS West Indies fast bowling legend Michael Holding has thrown his weight behind the forthcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on the basis that it can help develop the next generation of cricketing talent in the region, and has agreed to be the Ambassador for the CPL Development Programme. Holding has long been known for his preference for the longer forms of the game, having been brought up and enjoyed success in both Tests and One-Day Internationals. The Jamaican was part of Clive Lloyd’s all-conquering West Indies side of the 1970s and 1980s and took 249 Test wickets in 60 matches as well as a further 142 from 102 ODIs, and he secured an ICC Cricket World Cupwinner’s medal in 1979. Looking forward to the inaugural CPL, which will be staged across the Caribbean in July and August, Holding – now a renowned broadcaster on the game – said he was happy to back the new project because of its commitment to help identify and develop locally produced young players. “The CPL is looking at a development programme which they will start rolling out in January 2014, I understand,” he said. “They will have about 60 young cricketers, 10 from each of the six franchise regions, who they will put on contract and create programmes to improve their cricket. That is what I am interested in. “It is not easy to start with Twenty20 cricket and go into Test cricket and David Warner (of Australia) is the only person who has come even close but if we can develop some young cricketers in the Caribbean, even if a lot of them are tempted to play Twenty20 cricket, then maybe we can still find one or two who are quite happy and even capable of playing Test cricket too.”
Michael Holding With each of the six franchises based in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago required to have 11 out of their 15 players qualified to play for the West Indies and with four of those needed to be under the age of 23, there is plenty of incentive for those franchises to unearth local talent. And, as Holding observed, the introduction of the CPL will also be a means of attracting young people in the region to play cricket as their sport of choice. “I think cricket has lost a lot of young people in the Caribbean who are thinking ‘Why bother with cricket because unless you are playing for the West Indies then there is nothing there for you,’” he said. ”The advent (Continued on page 31)
Inaugural Ansa McAl Award of Excellence Programme unveiled Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) as part of its ongoing efforts to recognise and honour outstanding Berbicians has unveiled the first ever Ansa McAl Award of Excellence programme. The Award, which is the brainchild of the club’s Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster, was approved by Ansa McAl’s Managing Director Ms. Beverly Harper who also serves as the Club’s Patron. Foster disclosed that the Ansa McAl Award of Excellence Programme will honour three outstanding Berbicians who, over the years have excelled in a Leadership capacity in the areas of Sports, Education and Community Development. The general public will be involved in the process of identifying these individuals and will be able to do so by making nominations between May 4th - June 1st. Winners in the three areas (Leadership, Sports, Community Development) would be selected by a panel of judges headed by veteran Television
- administered by RHTY&SC
Hilbert Foster
Beverly Harper
Journalist Gregory Rambarran. The winners would be selected based on years of service, impact on society and role model status. Nominees should be over 40 years old. Persons making nominations must be living in Berbice and are allowed only one nomination under every subheading. They must also submit their names, address and contact telephone numbers. The announcement of the winners and presentation of prizes would take place on
Sunday June 23rd. Members of the RHTY&SC are not allowed to nominate any persons or to be nominated. Each winner would receive a plaque, a medal of excellence and a collection of gifts. Nominations can be sent to the RHTY&SC Office, DTV-8 at Main and St. Ann Streets New Amsterdam or the Berbice Cricket Board Office, Charlotte Street New Amsterdam. Nominations via emails can be forwarded to foster_hilbert@yahoo.com.
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Sloane Stephens basically Horse saved called Serena Williams a phony from
Serena Williams
Sloane Stephens
E
Messenger. I mean, what for? Why?” It’s a jarring quote, and not just because Stephens admits to still using Blackberry Messenger. In January, the sporting press played up the idea of a Serena-Sloane partnership. It was a story that seemed too good to be true: The elder stateswoman of American tennis was mentoring the star of the next generation. But Stephens implied that the story wasn’t the fairy tale the media made it out to be. The first sign of public discord came at a match in Brisbane, when Stephens complained to her coach about Serena’s inmatch shouts. The teenager later said she was joking. In retrospect, the incident plays differently. Then, after Stephens beat Serena in the year’s first Grand Slam, Serena sent a cryptic tweet that read “I made you.” Stephens said it was obviously about her. “If you mentor someone, that means you speak to them, that means you help them, that means you know about their life, that means you care about them,” Stephens said. “Are any of those things true at this moment? No.”
ver since upsetting Serena Williams at the Australian Open, 20-year-old American Sloane Stephens hasn’t heard from the tennis legend that was supposed to be her mentor. Stephens told ESPN The Magazine about the lack of relationship she’s had with Williams since she ousted the 15-time Grand Slam champion in a quarterfinal match in Melbourne. She tells Marin Cogan (via Beyond the Baseline): “[Serena has] not said one word to me, not spoken to me, not said hi, not looked my way, not been in the same room with me since I played her in Australia,” Stephens says emphatically. “And that should tell everyone something, how she went from saying all these nice things about me to unfollowing me on Twitter.” Her mom tries to slow her down, but Sloane is insistent. “Like, seriously! People should know. They think she’s so friendly and she’s so this and she’s so that — no, that’s not reality! You don’t unfollow someone on Twitter, delete them off of BlackBerry
slaughterhouse, bought for $300 wins Chicago race
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aily Mail (AP) - He may never run for the Kentucky Derby roses, but Illinois race horse Magna Fortuna and his owners are celebrating a victory none-the-less — his survival. The three-year-old gelding’s name means ‘great luck’, and he was a long shot when he won a recent race at Hawthorne Race Course outside Chicago - one of the biggest race tracks in America. His mother Lulu was purchased for $300 at an Indiana slaughter auction by Gail Vacca, founder and president of the Illinois Equine Rescue Center. Vacca found out later that Lulu was pregnant when purchased. When the foal was born he was first named Taxi - that was until Vacca traced his lineage back to an impressive sire — a $2.58 million career stakes winner called Magna Graduate. Speaking about the race, Vacca said the horse - who was the number six spot
Magna Fortuna, with jockey Julio Felix
in the seven horse race - led the entire way. ‘He was out for a joyride,’ she said afterwards. ‘He didn’t even look back.’ Magna Fortuna’s ‘biography’ explains the moment Vacca rescued the horse’s mother Silver Option from slaughter: ‘Ms Vacca was at the auction looking for any thoroughbreds that may have come from the tracks in Illinois when she spotted a smallish bay mare that was in obvious discomfort from being severely lame in both front feet. ‘Unfortunately the mare was already in a “kill pen” just waiting to be loaded onto a trailer for the grueling ride to slaughter in Canada.’ After being taken back to Illinois, Silver Option soon gave birth to Magna Fortuna, who was originally named Taxi until his routes were traced back to his race-winning father. It was then that Vacca decided he would be trained to race. Since the victory, offers have flooded in to buy the horse but so far they have been rejected.
NP Electronics cop GTTA Inter-Organisation title
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- Stabroek News’ Duff wins Singles accolade
P Electronics won the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Teams’ title, while Stabroek News’ Donald Duff claimed the Singles accolade yesterday when the competition continued at the National Gymnasium. NP Electronics won 3-2 against the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ‘A’ team, while Duff defeated GDF’s Rhono Joseph 11-6, 10-12, 11-6 and 11-2 for the Singles title. The team competition consisted of two singles matches, a doubles encounter along with two more singles games if required. NP Electronics dominated the two singles encounters against GDF with Xen Goliah defeating Devon Richmond of GDF 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 6-11 and 13-11 in a match that went down to the wire. Veteran campaigner, Michael Vieira of NP Electronics displayed his experience with an array of shots against GDF’s Rhono Joseph to win 16-14, 11-9 and 12-10 in the second singles match of the team’s final. However, Goliah and Vieira faltered in the doubles competition of the final, losing 5-11, 11-2, 6-11, 11-7 and 11-6. Richmond then leveled the series with a commanding 11-2, 8-11, 12-10 and 11-6 victory against NP Electronics’ Michael Vieira and Vieira. Xen Goliah (right) in action against GDF In the final and deciding series, Joseph came from at the National Gymnasium in the GTTA behind to tie the singles match-up, but failed in the fifth set Inter-Organisation tournament. 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 12-14 and 11-4 against Goliah.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Miller magic leaves RCB stunned 2013 Woodpecker ESPNcricinfo - David Miller became the fourth centurion of this edition of the IPL, as he singlehandedly kept Kings XI Punjab in contention for a place in the play-offs. Miller’s 38-ball century resurrected Kings XI from 64 for 4 and was chiefly responsible for the 99-run blaze off the last five overs of the chase. It ensured his side pulled off a grand coup against a team studded with superstars. Royal Challengers Bangalore would not have expected this Kings XI, especially after posting the tournament’s fifth-highest score. The Royal Challengers innings was built on the shoulders of Chris Gayle - who went past the fifty mark for the first time since his whirlwind 175 against Pune Warriors and reclaimed the orange cap - and the fit-again Cheteshwar Pujara, and was given legs by AB de Villiers’cameo at the end. Kings XI responded with only a spine in Miller. He proved it remains the most important component of the human body and can be totally self-sustaining if needs be. Miller’s father would have been a proud man, if he was watching in Durban. He gave his son an important piece of advice when he was growing up and last night he followed it to the letter.”If it’s in the V, it’s in the tree and it it’s in the arc, it’s out of the park,” Miller senior said. Against an attack that continued to offer him length, Miller had both those options and took full advantage. His innings was a masterclass in hitting straight, although not all his shots found the boundary. He top-edged one attempt when he was on 42. Virat Kohli spilled the skier which proved match-changing. The next over confirmed it, as Miller took 26 off RP Singh to begin the assault. He started by dispatching a halfvolley over long-off and ending with a cut over point
to display his ability in hitting to other areas of the ground as well. Miller went on to pick the slower ball with ease and targeted wicket area as well, bringing up the 100 partnership with Rajagopal Sathish with a six off a shortball. Sathish had only scored 11 at that point and was happy to play a bit-part role until the end. Sathish managed 14 runs off Gayle’s over and then dutifully gave Miller the strike to end the match. With four runs to get - it was only the 18th over - and Miller on 94, he needed a big hit to reach a century and sent a length ball over the sightscreen to bring up his milestone in
characteristic fashion. Fittingly, it came off Gayle who had himself showed intent in the other half of the match but had to be a spectator this time. Gayle started well, despite being peppered with short balls from the Kings XI attack. Praveen Kumar and Parvinder Awana did not have the pace to test Gayle on the back foot and he had Pujara as an ideal foil. When Gayle was bowled, Pujara went on to record his first half-century in the format in typically classy fashion. His only ungainly shot came when he charged Manpreet Gony and played on. Kings XI clawed back but ran into de Villiers at the
end of the innings. His cheeky defiance began with a flyswat through midwicket and he innovated with the sweep shot and square cut to take Royal Challengers to a total they would have been satisfied with. Having reduced Kings XI to 64 for 4 at the halfway stage, with David Hussey among those dismissed, Royal Challengers would have been confident of victory. But the other David was still at the crease and it is his name Royal Challengers will remember after tonight. Scores: Kings XI Punjab 194 for 4 (Miller 101*) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore190 for 3 (Gayle 61, Pujara 51).
Golden boy gets golden toy... ‘MR BOLT’ handed keys to personalised Nissan GT-R
Usain Bolt being handed the keys of his new Nissan Gt-R.
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ix-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt has been given a personalised Nissan GT-R covered in gold. The Jamaican had been a Nissan brand ambassador and has promoted the company’s Global Brand Campaign which began in April 2012. Bolt’s season has had a slow start, a hamstring injury forcing him to pull out of Jamaica’s International Invitational event. He has confirmed that he will be racing in the
Cayman Invitational at 100m this week. Two of Bolt’s main rivals, fellow Jamaicans Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell have also struggled with injuries at the start of the summer months. As for Bolt, he has also confirmed that he will be running in London at the Olympic Anniversary Games at the end of July. But for now he has a new car to keep him company with his own personalised number player: ‘MR BOLT’.
National Junior c/hips start today
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he Guyana S q u a s h Association will be serving off the Woodpecker National Junior Championships today at the Georgetown Club. This tournament will give much insight on Guyana’s junior contenders for the Caribbean Junior championships which will be held in Trinidad and Tobago in July. The Woodpecker National Junior Championships is the GSA’s premier’s junior tournament and will take place each night starting tonight and beginning at 6pm before concluding on Sunday May 12. Most of the country’s marquis junior players are expected to compete in this tournament and for some of them it will be the final tournament of their junior careers. Four-time Caribbean junior champion Mary FungA-Fat as well as former Caribbean under-19 runner up Jason Ray Khalil and 2012 under-19 Caribbean championships runner up Ashley DeGroot, will be competing in their final edition of this tournament. All three players were part of the team that helped Guyana win its eight consecutive overall team title at the Caribbean Area Squash A s s o c i a t i o n ’s ( C A S A ) Junior Caribbean Squash Championships last year but are no longer eligible to compete at the under-19 level. Other campaigners that will be competing in this week’s tournament include Steven Xavier, Nyron J o s e p h , t h e Wi l t s h i r e siblings Akeila, Larissa and Shomari Wiltshire, Rebecca Low, Sarah Lewis, Benjamin Mekdeci, Taylor Fernandes and the Islam twins Anthony and Daniel Islam. According to the GSA,
Mary Fung-A-Fat
Jason Ray Khalil
Ashley DeGroot the tournament will be used as one of the primary measures to help selectors identify Guyana’s final team for CASA Junior Caribbean Squash Championships which will be held in Trinidad and Tobago July 21 - 29.
Fifa’s Chuck Blazer suspended over ‘fraudulent’ claims
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BC Sport - Fifa executive committee member Chuck Blazer has been suspended from football for 90 days after claims his conduct was “fraudulent”. The former general secretary of Concacaf has been given a provisional ban pending full disciplinary proceedings. Chuck Blazer (AP) Blazer, 68, is alleged to have received more than $20m (£12.86m) from
Concacaf. Investigators said the American had abused his power by enriching himself at the expense of his own organisation. He and former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner were described as “fraudulent in their management” last month in a report by the head of Fifa’s integrity committee David Simmons. Warner, who resigned as Fifa vice-president in 2011,
failed to disclose a $25.9m (£17m) centre of excellence was built on his land, Simmons said. Blazer is scheduled to stand down from the executive committee on 30 May. His provisional ban applies to “any kind of football-related activity at national and international level”. Fifa said “various breaches of the FIFA code of ethics appear to have been committed by Chuck Blazer”.
Tuesday May 07, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 37
Carmelo Anthony cold as Juventus win Serie A title for second successive season Pacers edge Knicks in Game 1
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Juventus supporters made it an occasion to savour (AP)
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BC Sport Defending champions Juventus clinched their 29th Serie A title with a 1-0 victory over Palermo on Sunday. A penalty from Arturo Vidal secured the win and gave Juve an unassailable 14-point lead over secondplaced Napoli, with four games to play. It is the first time they have won back-to-back titles in 10 years, excluding the titles of 2005 and 2006 which were subsequently stripped. They now have 11 more titles than anyone else in Italy. Juventus had both the 2004-05 and 2005-06 championships removed in July 2006 after an Italian
Football Federation ruling regarding match-fixing and were also demoted to the Italian second division along with Lazio and Fiorentina. Despite their 29th Scudetto success, Sunday was not the perfect day for the ‘Old Lady’ as Juve finished the game with 10 men, after former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba was sent off for spitting at Palermo defender Salvatore Aronica. For Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo, the title is his third in three successive seasons and fourth in total, after he won with AC Milan in 2004 and 2011 and with Juventus in 2012 and 2013. Meanwhile, crowd banners - and Juve’s official website - featured the
number 31 prominently, in reference to the 29 titles plus the two taken away from them. Elsewhere in Serie A, Mario Balotelli was thirdplaced AC Milan’s saviour at the San Siro as he scored in the closing stages against Torino to seal his side’s 1-0 victory. Fiorentina’s defeat by Roma on Saturday evening meant Milan had a chance to increase the gap between themselves and the Viola in fourth to four points, with only three rounds of league matches left to play. And Balotelli’s closerange strike in the 84th minute did just that, as a lapse in concentration from Torino was punished by the former Manchester City striker.
SA Today -NEW YORK – Up until that point when the bottom completely fell out for the New York Knicks in their 102-95 Game 1 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon, it was all passion and patience among their loyalists. No fanbase is as discerning as the one that resides inside Madison Square Garden, but this was a day to appreciate the meaning of it all. This was their return to real relevance. It had been 13 years since their Knicks played in the second round, back when those pesky Pacers had knocked them out of the 2000 Conference Finals. So they heckled the refs, championed Knicks great Patrick Ewing by chanting his name as he smiled from his courtside seat, gave a collective sigh when things didn’t go their boys’ way, and generally reveled in the affair with the sort of rose-colored glasses not typically found in these parts. Until the end of the third quarter, anyways. The vintage Garden boos started because, well, the Knicks were finished. After cutting the Pacers lead to 62-57, the Knicks missed 11 of their last 14 shots in the quarter while the Pacers just kept coming with the inside-out attack that was there for them throughout. It was Roy Hibbert and David
MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa beats Marc Marquez & Jorge Lorenzo in Jerez
Marc Marquez (right) barged past champion Jorge Lorenzo following contact between the pair at the final corner to take second place. BBC Sport - Dani Pedrosa grabbed his first win of the MotoGP season as Marc Marquez barged past
champion Jorge Lorenzo at the final corner to take second place. Lorenzo started from pole position
but was passed by Pedrosa on lap five, with the Repsol Honda man able to ease away. Pedrosa’s young team-mate Marquez was involved in running battles with Valentino Rossi and Lorenzo, finally clashing as he passed Lorenzo. Rossi took fourth spot, with British rider Cal Crutchlow fifth. Marquez now leads the championship standings from Pedrosa and Lorenzo, who refused a handshake from the 20-year-old after the race and was clearly angry about his aggressive passing move. Lorenzo was all smiles at a ceremony in which the final corner at Jerez was
named after him earlier this week, but it turned out to be an unhappy ending as Marquez dived up the inside. Lorenzo was pushed off the track by Marquez’s move, but was able to recover to finish in third place. He told BBC Sport: “I prefer not to comment on the move. I congratulate Dani for the win. And that’s it. Let’s see what happens in Le Mans.” Marquez - who was sanctioned during his time in Moto2 for being too aggressive - apologised for the move and likened it to a similar incident at Jerez in 2005, when Rossi passed then-rival Sete Gibernau.
Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and Pacers center Ian Mahinmi battle for position. Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports West in the paint, Lance Stephenson and DJ Augustin slashing through the lane, and it still wasn’t enough pressure applied in Indiana’s view. After the boos killed the once-cheery mood and pushed Indiana’s lead to 7865, Augustin buried a threepointer after an offensive rebound to end the quarter 81-65. The Pacers were the league’s top defensive team during the regular season, and they showed why yet again while holding the Knicks to 43.2% shooting and a manageable 36.8% from the three-point range (7 of 19) where New York is so dangerous. The Knicks were outplayed at almost every position, and that included the Pacers’ Roy Hibbert (14 points, eight rebounds and five blocks) getting the best of Knicks center Tyson Chandler (four points, three rebounds and two blocks in 28 minutes). After a George Hill threepointer pushed the Pacers’ lead to nine, Anthony drove right and was blocked by Hibbert, then had his offtarget right baseline jumper contested by George in the following play that led to a West dunk and a 57-48 Indiana edge. Anthony managed to get by George for a dunk moments later, but then came the fourth foul that put him back on the bench – an ill-
advised reach on a George jumper near the free throw line midway through the third that led to him playing just four minutes in the period as he had hit just 6 of 17 shots at the time. He drew his fifth foul with 10:11 left in the fourth and scored 15 of his 27 points in the fourth, but the Knicks were never truly in it then. JR Smith, the sixth man of the year, was equally-awful, hitting just four of 15 shots for 17 points, 11 in the fourth. The Knicks shot 69% when the Pacers Stephensen wasn’t on the court, but 38% in the 39 minutes he was playing. The Pacers led 52-46 at the half because the scripts returned to normal, with the Knicks being held to just 19 second-quarter points and continuing to get beat on the glass (22-13 for the half) while falling off defensively (11 of 16 shooting for the Pacers in the second). Anthony was off-target, hitting just 5 of 13 before the break and, against his norm, missing four times at the rim. It was nothing new for Indiana to have George and West (10 first half points apiece) carrying so much of the load, but D.J. Augustin’s scoring was something the Knicks didn’t likely see coming. He scored 10 points as well, coming within one of his playoff high thus far after scoring in single digits in four of six games in the first round against Atlanta.
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LeBron James Nicolette Fernandes named NBA Most finishes 2nd Valuable Player ... as Perry win smilestone 10th Irish Open title
Heat forward LeBron James won his fourth MVP award Sunday, joining four others with so many. (Photo: Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports)
Madeline Perry (left) battles Nicolette Fernandes in the final. (Squashstarters.com)
Park Rangers, Wolf Warriors through to semis GSL softball cricket tourney...
Part of the action in the match between Farm XI and Wolf’s Warriors yesterday.
Michael Holding joins CPL
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Miller magic leaves RCB stunned
David Miller launches into a shot during his hundred (BCCI).
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