Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

THE WEB OF SECRECY IS SUFFOCATING Government projects are usually devoid of confusion and contradiction. Generally, the government would initiate a project and would tell the people who are likely to be the beneficiaries. For the greater part, the government would explain the project especially when people begin to ask questions about the failure to undertake other projects.

When the government undertook to build the Soesdyke/Linden Highway it held talks with the people of Linden. In any case, it was a campaign promise in light of the fact that travel between the city and Linden (Mackenzie as it was then called) was some fifteen hours long. The people were told about the source of the funding, about the contractor and most of all, there were running commentaries on the construction.

Similarly, when the Demerara Harbour Bridge was to be constructed, there were discussions in the National Assembly because the money was coming from the public treasury. Again, the contractors were identified and the cost of the bridge was made known. There were talks about the deadline and even about plans for the vessels that plied the Demerara River transporting people between the two shores.

Today, the government is doing business differently.

Perhaps the nature of business has changed. Indeed, Winston Brassington, who heads the National Industrial, Commercial and Investments Limited (NICIL), is often at pains that there cannot be disclosures of some of the proposals and even contracts because the external partner is bent on secrecy until the deal is completed.

Of course, the local media has often challenged this contention, much to the anger of the government. One case involved the deal to have a Marriott-branded hotel constructed in Guyana. The government was talking with a team from Grenada. For its part the Guyana Government was mum but the Grenadians talked, debunking the contention that the investor or the potential investor preferred to remain silent until the deed was concluded.

It was the same thing with the expansion programme for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Guyana knew nothing about this programme because the government did not see it fit to inform the nation about a programme that is expected to provide a boon to the country. People in Jamaica knew before the Guyanese.

The excuse by the government was that the government was slow to make the announcement, having signed the agreement the same day the information was made known to the public. But one must say that when it decided to talk the government released all the information. It went further for a party that is known to be tight-lipped. It released the contract.

This time the issue at hand, and it keeps recurring, is the Marriott hotel construction. Even before Guyana signed a contract with Shanghai Construction Group for the construction of the hotel the people knew that the government would not say much. Indeed, at the sod-turning programme, the then President Bharrat Jagdeo announced details of the financing for the hotel. Republic Bank was to have secured funding for the foreign component of the funding.

However, neither Jagdeo, Brassington nor any of the people involved in the hotel project, would say who these private investors are. One would expect that the government would inform the taxpayers whose money is being used, about who else would have money in the project.

Lo and behold, the Cabinet Secretary is of the view that the investors have been revealed. That is not true but he obviously does not know. One is now left to wonder whether even President Donald Ramotar knows what is going on with funding for the Marriott. All he has been told was that Guyana needs the project and that is supposed to be good enough for him.

With each day that the identity of the foreign investors is withheld people are increasingly holding to the view that some rich Guyanese, many of them overseas-based and believed to be close to the government, are the real investors.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Letters... Where your views make the news

AN IRONIC AND TERRIBLE PARALLEL TO OUR SITUATION TODAY

DEAR EDITOR, I thoroughly enjoyed Dave Martin’s excellent column, “The Black Watch Time” (SN, May 12), particularly the anecdotal history present therein, although I find myself in a qualified disagreement with his conclusion, “I don’t think we’re in that time now.”

In re-reading much of Carter – whose words and personal interactions with whom are recalled with anecdotal fondness by several in the middle class – I continue to find an ironic and terrible parallel to our situation today.

For example, published in Kaie, in 1979 – the year of the murders of Ohene Koama and Father Bernard Darke, and a year before the assassination of Walter Rodney – Carter published the poem, “Show Me a Little Freedom”, the most prescient literary commentary on the state of affairs in Guyana at the time, the looming violence and the calculated and cowardly reticence of those who were most equipped to speak out, the middle class. I offer the excerpted lines…

“Show me a little freedom, different from this. Time’s tick tock is our doom’s astronomy.

Caring too little our voice betrays the hours we tread upon.

Only last night I dreamed a stray dog Eagerly as we would, devour a kitten.

Similarly,in the firmament’s disgrace Orion the great sky hunter fled in front of us. Yet I keep watch.

Not only their bad hands but worse eyes I see. Everything blindfolds.

Rain and meteors want now in this Season to surrender their arts of falling.”

The middle class in contemporary Guyana has blindfolded itself to the increasing indecency in this place, its voice silent against the din of baleful idiocy that emanates every hour from Freedom House, all responsibility abdicated, surrendered to the moral and intellectual peasantry of those in power.

A newspaper recently carried a story about a married couple who were charged for as serious a crime as treason and then released without any clear recourse toward restitution or compensation.

Mark Benschop, zealous but as decent a man as I’ve ever met, was imprisoned for five years on the same charge, then ‘pardoned’

without similar recourse. The murder of EPA employee, Alicia Foster, the disappearance of GRA staffer Levoy Taljit, and the orgy of violence that grips this coast constitute proof that the implementation of a far from ideal dispensation of ‘justice’ prevails, now as then.

The man with the gun still exists, still aiming at your dream, only he has traded in jack boots for designer sneakers, standard issue for an unlicenced AK-47 - his power, his lethality, his impunity nonetheless still derive from a supranational infrastructure of imperial and colonial authority, facilitated by the complicit undermining of native judicial, legislative and executive legitimacy.

We need no further evidence than the fact that drug baron and selfproclaimed extra-judicial enforcer, Roger Khan could drive around Guyana with a virtual armoury, as well as surveillance equipment only licenced to governments. The brown beetles, the British Army vehicles, of the dark time have today been replaced by bulletproof BMWs. The teenaged aspiring singer of today knows that certain names cannot be called in uncertain company, that he and his friends should go silent when a certain type of darkly tinted luxury vehicle drives by.

That said, perhaps the most effective agent of the authorities is not the man with the gun but the man with the clipboard. At present, in the United States, a scandal is brewing because the IRS appears to have placed anomalously intense scrutiny on Tea Party groups, known for their rabid criticism of the Obama administration - yet this is something that happens here on a daily basis, the government regulatory clerk’s ad hominem targeting of those who do not find favour with the regime, and it has been the PPP’s most clandestine yet ubiquitously wielded weapon used for the suppression of dissent.

The colonial governor’s great white house has become the yellow minister’s mansion at Pradoville Two and other such places, atolls of surreal estate, incredulous luxury in what is largely a relative ocean of poverty and displacement.

The middle class watch on and the decision is made that better a chance at such splendour enjoyed in an increasingly guiltless silence than risk

that which they have either feared all their lives or scrambled their way tooth and nail out of, poverty. And the man of the cloth is no different – on Brickdam, even the once-crusading Catholic has lowered his battling Standard. There is many a man here who in his quiet moments once vowed to never sell his soul, but once the twin wolves of hunger and debt came a-baying found that it was perhaps possible to rent it just a little, and then a little bit longer, and longer after that.

What we need to examine is not what happens on an absolute basis, but what happens in relative terms – the question is not whether we are exactly as we were at the Black Watch Time, but why we are near that place at all today, and why we are silent at such alarming proximity. Was a time worse than this, yes, but was a time worse that roused an anger where neither little nor enough yet growls in the bowel and belly, like gnawing hunger of niggeryard waif.

At the times Carter wrote, we were a subject colonial possession and subsequently a post-colonial dictatorship, living in an evolutionarily less refined era with little or no human development indices or others to refer to as benchmarks. Today we are ostensibly a modern constitutional democracy, yet here – as things continue to fall apart I can speak with the same exasperation at the cowardice of the middle class that Carter expressed in the final lines of ‘Show Me a Little Freedom’.

“In this foul age of a new and recurring despair, I keep working for a storm, some kind of fury to write new dates in our vile calendar and book.”

Ruel Johnson

Utility bill woes DEAR EDITOR, Could GPL and GWI be staffed by personnel that graduated from our school system and not be saddled with those who were NOT left behind?

Every month my electricity is disconnected because of some mix-up at GPL. I then have to wait for the crew to return to re-connect. It is frustrating that a bill-paying customer has to be put through this.

A. Paul

The allocation of radio frequencies DEAR EDITOR, I have decided, with some reluctance to enter the controversy which has arisen over the allocation of radio frequencies, especially as there is pending litigation concerning the granting of licences initiated by Mr. Enrico Woolford. In my opinion, the wider public interest dictates my decision to write this letter.

I must, at the outset, refer to the report of the press conference on this issue hosted by the Private Sector Commission and reported in the press.

In particular, I refer to the statement attributed to Mr. Kit Nascimento concerning the regulations made in 2003 pursuant to the Post and Telegraph Act, Cap 47:01 which enabled the establishment of the former

Broadcasting Authority as an advisory body to the Prime Minister (the Minister then responsible for broadcasting).

Mr. Nascimento and I were engaged, then, on a consultancy authorized by the Prime Minister. The result of the consultancy was the making of regulations pursuant to the Post and Telegraph Act enabling the establishment of the former Broadcasting Authority as an advisory body on the granting of radio frequencies.

Ministerial responsibility for the Broadcasting Authority was later vested in the President in the absence of an assignment to any other Minister.

With the enactment and entry into force of the Broadcasting Act 2011, the Broadcasting Authority became the statutory body authorized to receive

applications for the grant of radio frequencies and to grant or reject applications for licences. It is important to note that the Broadcasting Act 2011 does not include a saving or transitional provision which would have had the effect of preserving the continuation in force of the licences granted previously under the Post and Telegraph Act. The Broadcasting Act 2011 clearly, therefore, requires those individuals and entities granted licences previously under the Post and Telegraph Act and who desire to continue in the business of providing broadcasting services to the public to submit the requisite application to the Broadcasting Authority for consideration and approval as required by section of the Broadcasting Act 2011.

Brynmor T.I. Pollard, S.C.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

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

A CASE SUPPORTING FORBES BURNHAM

DEAR EDITOR, I have followed the debate that ensued after President Jacob Zuma and the ANC-led South African Government’s decision to name the Late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham as a recipient of The Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo Award, South Africa’s highest Award.

I will now present my case to support the conferring of the award.

I was born in the village of Bachelors Adventure on the East Coast of Demerara on the 26th of July 1954, my father worked as a cane cutter at the Enmore Sugar estate, I began Primary School in 1960 under a headmaster named MR Worrel at the Paradise Primary School, during this time, almost ninety percent of the students attended school bare footed, simply because there was no paved road in our community except the Georgetown-Rosignol Public Road.

This was the situation in almost all villages bought by the former enslaved Africans.

The colonial Government and later the PPP led by Premier Cheddi Jagan did very little to promote the development of these communities.

This led to a fall out between Forbes Burnham, the General Secretary of the PPP, and Cheddi Jagan, the Chairman, resulting in the formation of the People’s National Congress.

In 1964 the PNC and the UF (United Force) coalition defeated the PPP at the polls

and were accused of rigging.

To date the PPP has never accepted the results and from that day worked to undermine the work of the elected Government, massive sabotage of the sugar industry was used to destabilize the Government, these acts never allowed the sugar industry to grow, rice farmers were encouraged to stop planting rice for export, and today the industry is still struggling to stay alive.

With the violence and tension in the society during the sixties, Forbes Burnham granted an amnesty to all firearm holders to turn in their guns, to which many responded and Guyana returned to peacetime. Today the guns are back on the street making life difficult for us all.

The nation was now on the road to development, our community was encouraged to pave our streets through self-help, Forbes Burnham was there on the ground to advise and guide the leaders of the communities across Guyana.

As a student of Queen’s College, Burnham recognized that every student must have access to Education from nursery to University this he made a reality , many poor families that could not have paid tuition fees at the Secondary School benefitted from this noble initiative, so too did many of our Parliamentarians.

Hundreds of German trucks and TATA buses were imported to boost our

transport system and work on our many development sites, this again was sabotaged. Parts were stolen routinely to make these vehicles obsolete and hence affected the national development drive.

Forbes Burnham touted Linden as the new capital of Guyana, realizing the threat posed by the encroaching Atlantic Ocean, and so the building of the Linden Highway, today the gateway to our rich hinterland resources, then for quick and safe access the Demerara Harbour Bridge was built.

The textile mill with the Guyana National Service producing the cotton was a model for other countries in this hemisphere, we produced and exported cotton cloth, evidence of a once vibrant claybrick industry is readily available on buildings and roads in many communities across Guyana, and one such is Lake Mainstay Resort that was built for training youths.

The National Service was the Premier organization for training out of school youths; they acquired training in a variety of skills that complimented Guyana’s development thrust. He worked assiduously to create jobs for young Guyanese.

The National Insurance Scheme established by his Government to protect the citizens of this country is today plundered.

He was one of the key players in the Establishment of the Caribbean Free Trade Area

The desirability of constructing a cohesive society DEAR EDITOR, There has been much public comment on the matter of the Oliver Tambo Award to former President Forbes Burnham. My own public comments are confined to three issues arising from the public discourse.

The first is that for Burnham the termination of apartheid, the liberation of Southern Africa and indeed the liquidation of colonialism everywhere, including West Papua and East Timor, were cardinal policies which he, his Party and his Administration fully embraced and vigorously implemented. The evidence is overwhelming and incontestable.

The second issue is the need for “a full, frank and public inquiry” so persuasively advocated by Ulele Burnham (Stabroek News of 8th May, 2013) concerning Walter Rodney’s death. I seem to recollect a son of Rodney had held a protest urging the then PPP/ C government of Guyana to

launch an inquiry into his father’s death and that the protest elicited a positive response. To date however, that promise remains unfulfilled.

Be that as it may. The important question is this: should not such an inquiry be pursued now? Do not all the concerned and interested persons and organizations support such an inquiry?

There may conceivably be difficulty in settling the terms of reference and other matters concerning the inquiry. But given a spirit of compromise and goodwill (though these two qualities/attributes are not well known features of our national political experience) agreement is hopefully possible.

Success in this regard is an alluring prospect as it could, among other things, represent an important step in the repair of a fracture in our society and clear away misunderstandings.

Which leads me to the third issue, perhaps the most

profound, that is, the desirability of constructing a cohesive society, one which is humane, just and rules based.

A friend of mine, who follows Guyanese affairs keenly once said that, “In Guyana, there is a low intensity civil war producing serious and deep seated consequences for the society as a whole.”

His description may be regarded as somewhat overblown but many people in and out of Guyana believe that national reconciliation is an imperative - albeit a difficult necessity. However, is the political environment amenable to honest and fruitful conversations on this matter?

Borrowing the word of a patriotic song of days of yore the following seems relevant “Can we do it: yes we can.”

(Let us cooperate for Guyana).

I hope we have the will and the sense of national purpose to undertake such a project, one outcome of which could be that we acquire a shared narrative and understanding of our history.

Rashleigh E. Jackson

(CARIFTA) now CARICOM (Caribbean Community).

Staging the first ever Caribbean Festival of Arts in 1976 and establishing Festival City where the participants from around the Caribbean were accommodated.

In the 1970s, Burnham vibrantly promoted the feed, clothe and house yourself campaign with the aim of a

better life for all Guyanese, but the detractors were at work undermining his many efforts, he crafted a Constitution that was condemned vehemently by the opposition - today that opposition which is now in power, is stoutly defending this carefully crafted document.

This is merely a few of the highlights of his twenty-one

years as leader of this nation, constantly under attack for his role in confronting capitalism, imperialism, victimization and racial discrimination.

Like Hugo Chavez condemned by his opponents Forbes Burnham was a freedom fighter for the cause of liberation at home and abroad.

RAS Aaron Blackman

There is need for an agreed interpretation of what rate/s should legitimately apply DEAR EDITOR, Kaieteur News of Sunday, May 12, 2013 quotes ‘$200 (US $1) per hour’ as ‘ the new minimum wage- which translates to’$8000 weekly’ and ‘$35,000 monthly’.

First of all it is hoped that the reference to the US Dollar was merely a journalistic initiative, and not part of the pronouncement of a ‘sovereign state’.

More material however, is the headline attention given to monthly paid employees in the configuration of a national minimum wage.

The standard understanding has long been that wages are paid on an hourly or daily basis, while salaries are paid monthly. The reported involvement of the Private Sector would suggest that wage earning employees outnumber the monthly paid.

This is more likely true for the innumerable small businesses which proliferate the

employment spectrum.

At the (calculated) $200 (US $1) per hour, a forty hour (5 days) week will amount to $8000.

Four weeks (20 days) pay will accumulate to $32,000 which when converted to the standard average of a 22 day month - creates a salary of $32,000 plus $3,200= $35,200.

A colleague former Labour Officer called to ask how Watchmen (and Security Guards) who work 12-hour shifts will be treated in the new dispensation, having regard to the current legislation which covers this category of worker.

One also thinks of those employed in the hospitality industry who work almost, if not every day of the week. There is need for an agreed interpretation of what rate/s should legitimately apply. Unfortunately there is minimal organised worker representation in this sector.

E B John

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IN RESPONSE TO A GOOD MAN Admission is good for the soul. We were reminded of this adage this past week by the esteemed Vincent Alexander who outlined that when the PNC changed its name to PNCR, it remained separate and distinct from the Reform.

Further, members were given the choice of either belonging to the PNCR or the Reform or to both. No wonder there is so much confusion within Congress Place.

In effect, what we are being told was that if APNU had not been conceived, the supporters of the once ruling PNC would have been asked in 2011 to vote for PNCRR, which would have represented an alliance between the PNCR and the Reform.

Now that Mr. Alexander has straightened the issue of the distinct personalities of the PNCR and the Reform, it would be useful if someone can explain what the R in the name-changed PNCR stood for. Because if the Reform was separate and if members could choose to be part of either the PNCR or the Reform, or be part of both, then the R in the PNCR must stand for something.

It is not the policy of this column to reply to those who express opinions on the views expressed by its contributors.

The guidelines outlined by the publisher were quite explicit on this point. In order to encourage healthy debate on issues, persons should feel free to express dissenting opinions without fear that their views are going to be assailed by the contributors. As such, it is not the general practice for this column to respond to criticisms.

However, there are obvious exceptions to this rule such as instances where inaccuracies are alleged.

It has of recent been alleged that Peeping Tom in a

column on the local government system was either being inaccurate or mischievous in contending that both the Town Clerks and the Regional Executive Officers were accountable to Central Government and not to their municipalities and Regional Administrations respectively.

This charge has come from no other than Mr. Vincent Alexander. And today’s response is primarily motivated by the great esteem in which Mr. Alexander is held. He is a man of high integrity and can be considered an authority on our system of public administration.

This column however respectfully disagrees with the argument that the Town Clerk of a municipality is accountable to the municipality alone, while the Regional Executive Officer is accountable only on financial matters to the Central Government.

It seems to me that there is an inherent contradiction in respect to t h e l a t ter argument. Mr. Alexander argues that the position of Regional Executive Officer is a composite of two positions. The REO acts as the Clerk of the Regional Administration and at the same time the Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Administration.

In both instances, Mr. Alexander argues, the Regional Executive Officer is answerable to the RDC. However as the accounting officer of the RDC he is answerable to Central Government for execution of centrally delegated functions.

I would respectfully suggest that this explanation offered by the esteemed, Mr. Vincent Alexander is as confusing as the one he offers about the PNCR and the other R. And I would go further to state that if the explanation offered about the reporting responsibilities of a

Regional Executive Officer is to be accepted, all such officers stand in a conflict of interest because they cannot at the same time be serving two maters. On the one hand, they cannot be accountable to the RDC as Chief Executives and on the other hand be simultaneously answerable for the financial affairs of the Regional Administration to Central Government.

In support of his contention ,Mr. Alexander argues that municipalities are autonomous and independent because 1) they exercise devolved rather than delegated authority and 2) they are given a subvention and raise their own funds, quite unlike the Regional Administrations.

The idea that municipalities exercise devolved authority and the Regional Administrations delegated authority is not consistent with either the public postures of both types of local government organs.

The municipalities have consistently argued that they are hamstrung by their inability to raise revenues.

In fact, under the law they cannot raise taxes without the consent of Central Government, they cannot authorize land use without the consent of the central planning authority and their applications for new sources of revenue have been denied.

This is not what one expects of a local government organ that is said to enjoy devolved rather than delegated authority.

The RDCs are elected bodies and many of them are likely to take umbrage to the status of being delegated creatures of Central Government.

Many years ago, Desmond Hoyte proposed that RDCs have full responsibility for land selection, education and health within the regions. But he did not wish to go the full nine yards and argue for

Dem boys seh...

Do fuh do nah obeah Old people got a saying.

Do suh nah like suh. De opposition in parliament try fuh pass a Bill. Donald and he boys tell dem up front, once y-all pass a Bill and we don’t like it we ain’t gun approve it. De opposition think he was joking suh dem pass, not one, but two Bill.

Donald refuse to sign any because he didn’t like dem.

Well he boys got a Bill and de opposition done decide that dem wouldn’t sign it. De thing is that if de opposition don’t sign it Guyana in real hell fuh at least seven years. De

country can’t send money overseas fuh buy goods, can’t buy car, can’t buy nutten. De opposition tell Donald to sign dem Bill or dem ain’t gun sign he own.

He and he boys hollering.

Do fuh do is not obeah. De opposition got he buy de nuts—at least he got.

De situation mek dem boys remember de saying that look suh is nah like suh.

A Chinee man tun up to collect he lotto prize. He name Hai Sang Wang. When dem boys see de last name de think was Chang.

Everybody feel that was Ian

Chang wid de lotto. Dem believe that dem woulda get drinks because Chang don’t buy nutten. Dem see de photo and dem sure was Ian wid hat and sunshades. Is when dem peep behind de shades and dem see de eye that dem know wasn’t Ian. And talking bout seeing, dem ain’t see Kwame fuh a couple days. One man write how he get stroke. People seh that was Julius and indeed Julius was teaching he de backstroke. Life really interesting.

Talk half and pray fuh Donald.

federalism.

If what Mr. Alexander is suggesting is accepted, then it would mean that municipalities enjoy greater autonomy and independence that RDCs which is supposed to be a superior local government organ.

To get to the bottom of the legal and constitutional relationship between central government and local government bodies, requires an understanding of the evolution of the system and how it has been constructed.

This is beyond the scope of this response but can be

undertaken in subsequent columns.

In the meantime, it is posited that a system of balance and counter-balance inheres in the administration of local government.

This is the underlying basis, has always been. The authority of the local organs are balanced and counterbalanced by regulations, laws and appointments that link these bodies to Central Government.

Local government organs, whether municipalities or RDCs cannot do as they please; they cannot carry out policies that are in contravention of the

laws of Guyana or which in conflict with government policy.

Whether you want to describe their authority as delegated or devolved, it matters not because there is neither total devolution nor absolute delegation.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday May 16, 2013

Freddie Kissoon Column

The compound where Mr. and Mrs. Mootoo were murdered I live in the same compound where Mr. and Mrs. Mootoo were murdered last Friday. It is called, Area Q, Turkeyen. It is bordered on the west by the Caricom Secretariat, the north by the Atlantic, the south by Cyril Potter College and the east by Cummings Lodge. It is referred to as Guysuco Gardens or Guysuco Housing Scheme.

It is a compound with a sordid history. It was prime real estate that was donated

by Guysuco to its senior staff through a Cabinet decision in 1994. The prices Guysuco sold the lots for ranged from $80,000 to $250,000.

It was a giveaway (not for me, I bought my land years after for a few million dollars from someone who was generous to me because he could have got a few millions more).

This was one of the first acts of Cheddi Jagan after he became President in 1992 showing his true colours within the race context.

In 1994, Guysuco senior staff had more Africans than Indians. Yet out of the 78 lots sold (for a song by Dr. Jagan), eighty percent of the recipients were Indians. I have documented this political

abomination and ethnic bias in my research, “Ethnic Power and Ideological Racism: Comparing Presidencies in Guyanese history,” which forms the fulcrum of my defence in the libel that Bharrat Jagdeo, while as President, brought against me Mr. J a g d e o , i n h i s eulogy at the funeral of Reepu Daman Persaud, referred to a section of that research. He pointed to the justification of a large number of Indians in the higher echelons in the public service.

He said they deserved to be there.

They were there because Jagdeo put them there. Mr. Jagdeo was not on the witness stand so Guyana didn’t get a chance to hear him justify how in 1994 when Guysuco was awarding these house lots to its managerial staff, eighty percent of the awardees were Indians when eighty percent of Guysuco’s managerial system were made up of Africans.

This was the beginning of the PPP’s forward ethnic drive. But it came too close to the assumption of power of Dr. Jagan so Guyanese never zeroed in on this clear signal that ethnic favourtism was coming. In addition the PNC

was burnt out and hadn’t the energy to fight Dr. Jagan’s creeping anti-African racism (we should remind readers that Dr. Jagan received the Oliver Tambo Award).

The second reason why Area Q, Turkeyen has a soiled history was that it was originally put forward by UG lecturers as the site where there would be a housing scheme for academics that had served the institution for ten years and more and were still on the staff.

There was immense disappointment among UG teaching staff when Dr. Jagan gave the estate over to Guysuco managers. The compound became known nationally when for three consecutive days on its front page Kaieteur News

highlighted the macabre situation where the Ministry of Works and Transport cleared the trench on the southern side of the Railway Embankment and refused to touch the part of the trench right outside my home.

The lots in the compound have been bought out because the original awardees already had posh houses. So they sold their lots for roughly around ten million dollars each (except my generous seller).

Current price is fifteen million dollars and up. Some Guysuco managers built mansions there and are renting them out to the diplomatic community. On the estate can be found the home of the daughter of Mr. Kellawan Lall; the sister of Bibi Shadick, a PPP big wig;

Yog Mahadeo, former CEO of GT&T; and some wealthy Indian business tycoons. Mr. Ian Mc Donald has a plot there too. The diplomats are moving out and a few foreign nationals have turned their backs on the site within the last two years because the road (there is only one road that twists and turns its way in the compound) is one of the worst in the world.

The press saw it for themselves when they covered the double homicide.

I keep my distance in the compound. I am not interested in the company of wealthy people. As Paul

careFrederick to see or notice me. But Kissoon I also keep my distance because that is a place where most of the inhabitants support the PPP and at the last election voted for the PPP. Year after year, they “bitch” about this long and winding road but election time they vote PPP. When

McCartney put it, “I will always be a working class boy.” Given my philosophy on my country, I doubt the wealthy folks in the compound

you see that road you want to know how any human being can be that stupid. You want to know if it was God that created human beings.

Sophia family terrorized by gunmen The Haynes family of ‘A’ Field Sophia was in the wee hours of yesterday morning, terrorized by gunmen.

Terrence Haynes, a senior citizen, explained that he was at home with his family when he heard a sound coming from his veranda, and decided to see what it was.

The man said that upon

peeping through the curtain to his front window, he saw a man ransacking the items in his veranda.

“The man looked me in the eye and continue going through the bags. The bag had my bible. I does be reading my bible in the hammock tied in the veranda.”

Haynes added that despite being in his 60s he wanted to protect his home, but realized that two armed men were also in his yard.

He said that while the men could not enter his home, they broke the windows to his house, and pointed the gun to his children, including his pregnant daughter, leaving them traumatized.

Haynes said that despite making several calls to the police, nobody came to his rescue.

“When they beat that man up the other day, you seeing big write ups in the newspapers about vigilante killing and all that, but what must people do to protect themselves and their families when these things

happen?…the police don’t respond to us at all.”

The man said that this is the second time in two months that his property has been attacked.

“This thing becoming too regular; is not the first time.

My son has a car. When my daughter comes, she coming with her car, and I have a car, so sometimes two or three cars does be parked in the yard, so these men probably think they could get in good,” Haynes said.

The man said that while beating someone to death is not acceptable, residents of Sophia are particularly forced to take matters into their own hands, because of the incompetence of the police force.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Sparendaam plane crash...

Expensive GPS and laser equipment missing- says Digital World Mapping

Flashback: metal remains of the aircraft at the crash site Some well protected GPS and laser equipment that could have survived, when the American registered aircraft crashed into a Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara house over a month ago has mysteriously disappeared.

This has raised questions of Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)’s ability to competently clear a crash site. And, Digital World Mapping, the company “subsub-contracted” to execute the lidar aspect of the survey project for the Amaila Falls Hydropower project, is wondering if investigations are ongoing to recover the equipment.

On April 13, the twinengine Piper Aztec, with registration N27-FT, crashed into Florence Tyndall’s house and also burnt a section of her neighbour Michelle Belle’s house. Tyndall escaped unharmed but the owner and pilot of the aircraft, Perrier Angiel and his passenger Canadian Scientist Nick Dmitriev perished.

John Vogel, Consultant of Digital World Mapping and an acquaintance of the late Dmitriev, during an interview with this publication, yesterday, said that a representative of the company in Guyana had reported the valuable missing equipment to the regulatory body.

According to Vogel, it is impossible for this piece of equipment to completely melt during the explosion since it is well protected by an

aluminium casing. He opined that had the equipment been onboard when the aircraft exploded there would have been traces. The Consultant related that the company finds it troubling that Dmitriev’s cellular phone was found at the crash site several feet away from the aircraft but the very robust equipment was not recovered.

The GCAA is unaware of the equipment which the company claims is missing.

According to Paula Mc Adam, GCAA’s Director of Aviation Safety Regulation, who led the technical team that cleared the crash site, there was no evidence of such equipment among the rubble. She concluded that the equipment and its casing must have melted in the crash. She suggested that the company complains to the Guyana Police Force for an investigation of that nature.

GCAA’s Director General, Zulficar Mohamed, has denied that a complaint has been lodged with the regulatory body about the missing equipment.

Speaking on the

insurance aspect of the illfated aircraft, Vogel said that Digital World Mapping was “sub-sub-contracted” to execute this part of the project.

However, the company is currently looking into the matter and there is no definite position as yet.

However, the company is knowledgeable that the aircraft’s insurance was to expire this month and believed that Angiel did take out the third party risk. The insurance would cover the liabilities incurred during the crash. However, the company is pursuing conversation with Angiel Company’s lawyer in Maine.

According to GCAA last Thursday, “Approval was given to Digital World Mapping to operate the specific aircraft to conduct a LiDar Survey for the Amaila Hydropower Project. In that approval the operator was advised that the aircraft must be insured against third party risk. Detailed examination, based on information provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the USA has revealed that the insurance coverage for the aircraft did

Flashback: Labourers clearing rubble at the crash site not include coverage for operations in South America.

“As a consequence the liability issues resulting from the aircraft crash are viewed as devolving to the charterer of the aircraft.”

Mohamed has denied claims that GCAA’s Air Transport Management Department did not inform the Aviation Safety Regulation Department of the aircraft’s presence in Guyana. The lone staffer of the Air Transport Management Department reports directly to Mohamed.

However, Mohamed refused to comment on how is it that one month after the crash, the GCAA cannot locate the insurer of the

aircraft. He said that GCAA is talking with all the relevant agencies involved and such information cannot be revealed.

According to Belle in an interview with this publication yesterday, a rank of the Criminal Investigation Department visited her recently and told her to prepare an estimate for the renovation of her property and submit it to Sparendaam Police Station.

According to Tyndall, she spoke with Transport Minister Robeson Benn on Monday and he assured her that Government will “look into something and take the matter to Cabinet”. She has

already given the police a statement of her losses.

The 69-year-old woman said that she suffered millions of dollars in damage because she had items from the good old days to present day. She emphasized her antique furniture and an aquarium with gold fishes. “I don’t think they would repay or believe but you can ask my neighbours I had a comfortable home,” Tyndall said.

Tyndall said that she had to fence her yard because persons were going on her property. She heard persons were removing items from among the remaining rubble.

She was promised a “No Trespassing” sign.

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Sharif’s win sparks hope for Pakistan-India ties WAGAH, Pakistan (AP) — Over a decade ago, the man now set to become Pakistan’s next prime minister stood at this border crossing with archenemy India to inaugurate a “friendship” bus service connecting the two countries as cheering supporters waved flags and tossed rose petals.

There is widespread hope on both sides of the border that Nawaz Sharif will take similarly bold steps to improve relations with India following his election victory over the weekend, thus reducing the chance of a fourth major war between the nuclear-armed foes.

The reason for this optimism is not only his track record of reaching out to India the last time he was prime minister — until the effort was doomed by Pakistan’s powerful army — but also his commitment to turning around Pakistan’s stuttering economy. Closer ties with India are seen as critical because of the potential for much greater trade between the two countries.

Reducing the threat from India could also help the 63year-old Sharif accomplish

another unspoken goal, reducing the clout of the Pakistani army, which has long used the potential for armed conflict to justify a huge defense budget.

But the army, which sabotaged Sharif’s previous peace efforts in 1999 by secretly sending troops into India and eventually toppling him in a coup, could hit back.

It may do so if it feels its interests are being threatened or the country is moving too quickly on sensitive issues with India like the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

“We will pick up the threads from where we left in 1999,” Sharif told reporters Monday at his palatial estate near the eastern city of Lahore. “That is the roadmap that I have for improvement of relations between Pakistan and India.”

Another potential spoiler is the Pakistan-based Islamic militant group Lashkar-eTaiba, which carried out an attack on the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008 that killed over 160 people. The attack followed efforts by Pakistan’s newly elected government to improve ties with majority Hindu India.

India’s political leaders

and media have hailed Sharif ’s victory. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sent Sharif a message the day after the May 11 election saying the people of India “welcome your publicly articulated commitment to a relationship between India and Pakistan that is defined by peace, friendship and cooperation.”

Sharif responded to the goodwill by saying he would be pleased if Singh attended his inauguration.

But India has been frustrated by Pakistan’s failure to crack down on Lashkar-eTaiba, which has strong historical links with Pakistani intelligence. That frustration could grow with Sharif since he has also shown no inclination to target the group, which is based in his party’s stronghold of Punjab province. The two-time prime minister is also seen as more devoutly religious and close to hardline Islamic parties than the outgoing government is.

Sharif sought to temper concerns Monday when an Indian journalist asked him about the Mumbai attack, saying “we will ensure there is no repeat of any such

Nawaz Sharif incident ever again.”

The Lashkar-e-Taiba founder who is believed to have masterminded the attack, Hafiz Saeed, remains free in Lahore, despite a $10 million reward offered by the U.S. for his arrest and conviction. A trial of seven Pakistani men suspected of involvement in the Mumbai attack has also made little progress.

Even if Sharif wanted to target Lashkar-e-Taiba, he could run up against Pakistan’s powerful InterServices Intelligence spy agency, which helped form the group to put pressure on India over Kashmir, which is

divided between the two countries but claimed in its entirety by both.

Kashmir has sparked two of the three major wars fought between Pakistan and India since they were carved out of British India in 1947. The Pakistani army used militant proxies to fight in Kashmir for years, and is accused of still doing so despite its denials.

Sharif discovered the danger of crossing the army in 1999. He began the year by inaugurating the “friendship” bus service at the Wagah border near Lahore in February. The Indian prime minister at the time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, rode the first bus across the border to meet Sharif, who reminisced about the day in his meeting with reporters Monday.

“We were very happy on this visit,” said Sharif. “It was a defining moment in IndoPak relations.”

Two days later, the leaders signed a landmark agreement known as the Lahore Declaration that sought to avoid nuclear conflict. But the goodwill didn’t last long. In May 1999, the Pakistani army chief at the

time, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, quietly sent soldiers into an area of Indian-held Kashmir called Kargil, sparking a conflict that cost hundreds of lives and could have led to nuclear war. Sharif said the army acted without his knowledge.

Five months later, Musharraf toppled Sharif in a coup and sent him into exile in Saudi Arabia, not allowing him to return until 2007.

Hostility in the army toward India remains strong, but the current chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, is believed to have supported efforts over the past 18 months to improve trade relations given the poor state of Pakistan’s economy. Trade between the two countries is about $2 billion dollars per year, and many experts believe that amount could increase multiple times with better ties.

Pakistan announced in 2011 that it would grant India most favored nation trading status, something India did in 1996. But domestic pressure from businesses worried about competition has prevented the government from following through.

U.N. urges support for Syria opposition; Russia opposed UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. General Assembly yesterday condemned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and praised the opposition, but a decline in support for the Gulf Arab-drafted resolution suggested growing uneasiness about Syria’s fractious rebels.

While the non-binding text has no legal force, resolutions of the 193-nation assembly can carry significant moral and political weight. There were 107 votes in favor, 12 against and 59 abstentions - a drop in support compared with a resolution condemning the Syrian government that passed last year with 133 votes in favor, 12 against and 31 abstentions.

Russia, a close ally of Assad, strongly opposed the resolution drafted by Qatar, which Assad’s government has accused of arming the rebels seeking to oust him.

But Moscow, which along with China used its veto three times to prevent Security Council action against Assad, could not block the motion because there are no vetoes in the General Assembly.

Diplomats said the Russian delegation wrote to all U.N. members urging them to oppose the resolution.

Moscow has complained that it undermines U.S.-Russian

Bashar al-Assad efforts to organize a peace conference that would include Assad’s government and rebels, a meeting that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said would likely take place in early June.

Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari told the assembly ahead of the vote that the resolution went against the U.S.-Russia push for a diplomatic solution to the two-year-old crisis that the United Nations says has killed at least 80,000 people.

“It is running against the current, especially in the light of the latest RussianAmerican rapprochement, which the Syrian government welcomed,” Ja’afari said.

Some U.N. diplomats and officials, however, are skeptical

that the U.S.-Russian initiative will resolve the deadlock that has prevented the 15-nation Security Council from taking any action on Syria given the wide gulf that remains between the positions of Moscow and Washington on the Syrian civil war.

The resolution, which had strong backing from Western and Gulf Arab nations, was originally conceived to give Syria’s U.N. seat to the opposition Syrian National Coalition. But U.N. diplomats said it became clear in early negotiations that such a move would not pass the assembly, where many delegations fear their own governments could one day face rebel uprisings.

South Africa Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo said his country, which voted in favor of previous resolutions condemning Assad’s government, would vote against the resolution because it opened the door to “regime change” by forces from outside Syria.

Iran, Bolivia, Venezuela and other delegations that tend to oppose U.S. policy at the United Nations also pledged to oppose the resolution.

Indonesia, which voted in favor of the August resolution, said it abstained mainly because of the resolution’s implied recognition of the Syrian opposition.

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UK’s Cameron survives humbling EU warns China it is ready parliamentary revolt over EU to launch telecoms dispute LONDON (Reuters) party squabbling over Prime Minister David Cameron suffered an embarrassing blow in parliament yesterday when a third of his Conservative lawmakers voted against him in protest at his stance on Britain’s membership of the European Union.

Though the revolt was defeated, the rebellion could undermine Cameron’s leadership, as scores of his own party’s lawmakers took the highly unusual step of voting to criticize his government’s legislative plans, a week after they were first put before parliament.

The rebels are angry that the government’s policy proposals did not include steps to make Cameron’s promise of a referendum on Britain’s EU membership legally binding.

The party turmoil has fuelled talk of Britain sliding towards the EU exit and has stirred memories of Conservative infighting that contributed to the downfall of former prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major.

While the vote was nonbinding, the scale of the mutiny, less than two years before the ne x t parliamentary election, will embolden eurosceptics pushing him to take a harder line on Europe.

Just before the vote, Cameron played down its significance, saying he was “extremely relaxed” about

British Prime Minister David Cameron what was a free vote for Conservative lawmakers, except ministers.

“It’s a free vote, and as I’ve said I’m relaxed about that, so I don’t think people can read in anything to the scale of that free vote,” he told reporters in New York, where he is on an official trip.

Labor deputy leader Harriet Harman said earlier that Cameron was “becoming a laughing stock”.

A total of 130 lawmakers voted against the government. More than 100 of them were expected to be confirmed as Conservatives when the full voting figures a r e r e l e a s e d l a t e r. T h e center-right party has 305 members of parliament. ameron had hoped to end

Europe in January when he promised to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU and hold a referendum on its membership before the end of 2017, provided he wins the next general election in 2015.

But Conservative eurosceptics soon began pushing for a law before 2015 to guarantee the referendum would take place. Some even called for an earlier referendum.

Cameron’s offer on Tuesday of draft legislation that would make his pledge legally binding received a lukewarm reception. Rebels say it will be blocked by the Conservatives’ coalition partner, the pro-EU Liberal Democrats.

W e d n e s d a y ’ s parliamentary vote underscored how Cameron is boxed in over Europe.

Keen to avoid a rift with the Liberal Democrats, he must also avoid alienating Conservative eurosceptics who see the EU as an overmighty “superstate” that threatens Britain’s sovereignty.

The success of the antiEU UK Independence Party in local elections this month only intensified Conservative pressure for Cameron to go further on Europe.

A YouGov poll in April put support for withdrawal a t 4 3 p e r c e n t , with 35 percent wanting to stay in.

Immigration to outpace U.S. population growth from births soon: Census (Reuters) - A wave of immigrants is set to become the principal driver of U.S. population growth within 30 years, surpassing growth from births for the first time since the mid-1800’s, federal government estimates show.

The swing toward growth from residents from abroad is expected between 2027 and 2038, the Census Bureau said in projections released yesterday.

By 2060, there could be 1.6 million new immigrants a year, compared with a natural population growth - the number of births exceeding deaths - of less than 900,000 annually, it said. (For a Reuters graphic, click on link.reuters.com/xug28t) In addition to an influx of immigrants, the shift also results from the country’s aging population and overall declining fertility rates, according to the agency, which tabulates much of the nation’s demographic and

economic data. Thomas Mesenbourg, the Census Bureau’s senior adviser, said the country has seen immigration surges before, “particularly during the great waves of the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” but it has not outpaced births since at least 1850.

Exactly when the latest shift will occur is largely driven by the rate of immigration in coming years, which is closely tied to an immigration overhaul now

before Congress. The Census analysis comes as lawmakers are grappling with a plan to revise the nation’s immigration laws not only to address the 11 million illegal immigrants but also other programs aimed at those seeking to enter legally.

Although it does not factor in potential changes from an overhaul of immigration laws, the agency’s findings offer a fuller picture of what America will look like in a generation or two.

White House says supports revival of media shield bill in Congress WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House has been in contact with Democratic Senator Charles Schumer to support reintroduction of a bill that would give journalists legal protection when guarding their sources, spokesman Jay Carney said yesterday.

The move comes after intense criticism of a probe by the Obama administration into telephone records of the Associated Press news agency while investigating a leak. Carney declined comment on that investigation.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) The European Commission has told China it is prepared to launch an investigation into anti-competitive behavior by producers of mobile telecoms equipment, opening a new front in a multi-billioneuro trade offensive against a critical partner.

European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said he and fellow commissioners had agreed in principle to open an antidumping and anti-subsidy case against China, but would first seek to negotiate a solution with Chinese authorities.

“The clock is ticking. We have had an open-door policy for negotiations with our Chinese partners for approximately one year now and we hope that the Chinese

authorities step forward and engage with us in a serious manner,” De Gucht’s spokesman told a news briefing yesterday.

While no companies were named in the statement from De Gucht, officials have in the past said Huawei and ZTE Corp, the world’s second- and fifth-largest telecoms equipment makers, were the objects of their concern.

In a statement, Huawei said it was disappointed the Commission had taken the unprecedented step of threatening to launch a case on its own initiative, rather than based on complaints from European companies.

It also dismissed the allegation that it was selling telecoms equipment below cost to secure market share.

“Huawei is confident that

these unfounded accusations can be addressed and amicable solutions can be found,” it said.“Regrettably, to date the Commission has not responded to Huawei’s requests for meetings and has relied upon unsubstantiated and incorrect information.”

The Commission’s move, which is not supported by all member states or by Sweden’s Ericsson, the global industry leader, runs the risk of sparking a trade conflict with China.

The European Union is China’s most important trading partner, while for the EU, China is second only to the United States. Chinese exports of goods to the 27member bloc totaled 290 billion euros ($376 billion) last year, with 144 billion euros going the other way.

OJ Simpson testifies in bid to win freedom AS VEGAS (AP) — More than four years after the world last heard from O.J. Simpson in court, one of the nation’s most famous prisoners spoke yesterday in a bid to win freedom from a sentence that could keep him behind bars until he dies.

Simpson took the stand to testify about his legal representation by attorney Yale Galanter in the case involving a strange hotel room confrontation with sports memorabilia dealers that led to a robbery-kidnap conviction.

Under questioning by his co-counsel, Patricia Palm, Simpson began discussing his background with Galanter.

“Yale had a good relationship with the media,” Simpson said. “I was in the media a lot.

He was able to refute many of the tabloid stories,”

Simpson said. “He sort of liked doing it; he told me he did.”

Simpson, with short graying hair and receding hairline, dressed in drab prison blue scrubs, spoke calmly and looked straight at Palm In 2008, he was near tears as he told a judge: “I didn’t mean to steal anything from anybody ... I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all of it.”

There is no jury in the hearing and his fate will be determined by Clark County District Judge Linda Marie Bell.

“He’s been wanting to tell his story. He’s excited about telling his story,” said Simpson attorney Ozzie Fumo.

When he went to trial in 2008 on charges of armed robbery and kidnapping, Simpson did not testify — a

decision that one of his lawyers said was pushed upon him by another attorney he trusted so completely that he took his bad advice.

“It’s going to be a long day,” Palm said Tuesday.

“He’s going to have to testify to every point in the petition.

But they can’t do a little miniretrial.”

With 19 points raised to support reversal in the writ of habeas corpus, Simpson was expected t o a n s w e r many questions from his law yers and then undergo crossexamination by an attorney for the state who wants to keep him in prison.

“He is anxious, and it’s hard for him when he hears testimony that he wants to refute,” Palm said of the 65year-old former football hall of famer and actor.

Egypt militants planned to hit U.S. and French embassies – MENA (Reuters) - An al Qaedalinked militant cell detained in Egypt was planning suicide attacks on the French and U.S. embassies, the state news agency MENA reported yesterday, quoting investigators.

Authorities on Saturday announced the capture of three Egyptians with links to al Qaeda, saying they had been found in possession of 10 kg (22 pounds) of explosive materials. “The investigations revealed that the suspects were intending to carry out terrorist bomb operations inside Eg y p t v i a s u i c i d e

operations, penetrating the security cordon in front of the American and French embassies with a car bomb,” MENA said, citing a source in the state security prosecutor’s office.

MENA said the suspects had escaped from prison during the uprising that swept Hosni Mubarak from power in 2011. Prior to that, one of them had been extradited to Egypt from Algeria and another had been extradited from Iran, where he had gone to join groups fighting U.S. forces in Iraq and Gulf states, MENA reported.

He was caught by Iran in 2006 and deported to Egypt.

France’s military intervention in Mali was cited as the men’s motive for the planned attack on the French embassy.

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Caribbean Airlines records major losses in 2012 Trinidad Express Caribbean Airlines (CAL) lost US$70 million last year.

And if the fuel subsidy is added, the total loss would be US$110 million ($704 million), Finance Minister Larry Howai conceded Tuesday.

However, he said the airline remains solvent.

Howai Tuesday faced a barrage of questions on the State-owned airline. And People’s National Movement (PNM) Senator Lester Henry said he was “astounded that the minister could describe as solvent a company which cannot cover its costs and no money in the bank’.

Howai replied that the company may be cashstrapped but it had assets.

“Perhaps the decisions made in respect of how those assets would be leveraged and what kind of leveraging you have for the balance sheet were not addressed perhaps in the way that others might have done,” the minister said.

He said the “preliminary” unaudi-ted” figures showed US$32 million of the $70 million loss was incurred by

the Air Jamaica route, and another major part of the loss was also incurred on the London route.

“On the Jamaica route, it has cut flights to Jamaica and on the London route, it has terminated the wet-leasing arrangement. He said he expec-ted to “significantly reduce the losses of the airline during this year”.

He said the airline used a lot of its cash in the acquisition of planes. He said he had instructed that a new restructuring of the balance sheet be done where the airline would have to borrow and replace the cash which had previously been used. “It is better to leverage the asset rather than leave it unencumbered while having the company incurring significant debt obligations.”

On the issue of CAL vicechairman Mohan Jaikaran issuing instructions for 19 complimentary tickets to be approved for a Mother’s Day function in Toronto, Canada, in which he is a promoter, as well as his instructions to upgrade persons from economy to first-class, Howai

said he had asked for and received a report.

“But when we went through it, there were a number of questions which the Ministry of Finance had that we have asked for further clarification on before I take anything to Cabinet.

“When I left earlier today, they (Ministry of Finance) had not yet received all the information required.... I expect that by yesterday, I would have the additional information I need...to facilitate a discussion on the matter today at Cabinet,” he said.

He said one contention put forward by Caribbean Airlines was that it was normal practice, predating this board.

He said CAL said this was an arrangement for marketing of the airline and the arrangement was that part of the cost would have been picked up by the company itself and part by the marketing people. They have submitted some documentation to support that, but there were additional questions.

Asked whether there is a

Larry Howai clear con-flict of interest between Jaika-ran’s position on the board and the de-gree to which CAL has been supporting many of the ventures which involve his companies, Howai said Jaikaran has a company which perhaps did work for CAL even before he became vice-chairman of the board.

“But there is a concern that we do have—where a director is getting a contract

from the company; our expectation is that the director is not involved in any way in the discussion or decision concerning the matter and that the board of directors would be the appropriate body to approve such an arrangement...the director himself being excused from the deliberations of the board.

These are some things that we are trying to get clarification on — was this decision taken by the board? “ The board, in approving this arrangement, must be satisfied that it is getting value that is defensible and easily explained to the population at large, Howai stated.

“Yes, you have a company and you can’t be expected to stop the business of your company. You are on board. Your company does business with Ca-ribbean Airlines. If there is going to be an approval of any such undertakings, then it should

take place in a particular kind of way.

“That protocol is that it must be approved at the highest level of the company, which is the board, and the director (Jaikaran) should not be involved in any of the deliberations.

“Because it seems, and that is subject to correction...that the director may have liaised directly with the management. And it would have perhaps created some degree of discomfort somewhere along the line”, he said.

Asked whether Jaikaran should be on the board, given the potential of conflict of interest situations, How-ai said when he gets all the data, the ministry would come to a conclusion on that and present its findings and recommendations to Cabinet.

Asked whether any jobs were on the line, he said: “Like I said, we would go to Cabinet and let the decision be made.

I don’t want to pre-empt Cabinet.”

Support Bajan producers, foreign businesses urged Barbados Nation - There a growing concern that unemployment in manufacturing could rise if more attention is not given to the development and sustainability of the sector.

To help avoid this, executive director of the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association (BMA) Bobbi McKay has issued a plea to foreign nationals operating businesses to support local producers.

There was a decrease in employment within the manufacturing sector last year by 8.1 per cent to 7 660 at the end of December 2012, compared to 8 334 at the end of December 2011.

The services sector recorded a total of 3 105 employees at the end of December 2012, 18.6 per cent or 689 less than 3 704 in 2011, according to information from the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation’s website.

McKay told BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY that when companies operating here imported items that could be sourced locally, this not only negatively affected employment but also the standard of life, adding that it was critical that Barbadians purchased more locally produced items.

“The money should not only be going out of the country to buy from your own country,” McKay said.

“Leave something here because the quality of life we have here right now we want to secure. Barbadians are now unsure about employment because you are importing everything that you need from your home country.”

The BMA executive added: “If you have a supermarket and you have products that are Barbadian and products from your home country give them equal prominence.

Barbadians have to be working to spend money in your institution or business so it doesn’t make sense coming and investing here and you are not ensuring that you care about the quality of life you are enjoying.”

Chief executive officer of Oran Limited, Scott Oran, in a separate interview, said he believed manufacturing could play a greater role in growing the local economy.

He said that despite the various challenges within the sector, “it doesn’t mean it is lost forever. It just means there needs to be a mindset to really develop [it].

“Many people think of just tourism as the industry but manufacturing is a very viable strategy for the future in terms of finding employment and bringing more skills to the population,” said Oran.

The president of the BMA, David Foster, said that while the sector could do with a lot more attention in developing it, other areas needed to be addressed as well.

“Not just manufacturing, the whole agriculture sector needs far more attention,” he said.

“Food security is something we certainly need to look at.

It starts from the agricultural sector and that leads into processing which then becomes part of the manufacturing sector.”

Foster, who is the managing director of Roberts Manufacturing, said he welcomed any incentive to assist producers.

In this connection, the executive said he welcomed any tax breaks that could be extended to the sector.

McKay disclosed that the BMA had put together a number of recommendations that the Minister of Finance could include in the Budget, expected this summer, which could assist players in the sector.

“Something as simple as the removal of VAT on solar water heaters will increase sales. Something simple as giving manufactures the opportunity to produce furniture for schools will give them the opportunity to justify keeping staff employed,” she said.

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Regional transport ministers to discuss transport woes P O R T- O F - S PA I N , Trinidad - CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ministers of transport will meet in St. Vincent and the Grenadines later this month and are likely to make recommendations that will go before regional leaders at their annual summit in Trinidad and Tobago in July on the vexing question of air and maritime transportation in the Caribbean.

CARICOM Secretary General Irwin La Rocque told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that last week, a task force of air transportation officials met to discuss a review of the CARICOM Air Multilateral Services agreement.

“The one that we have in

Irwin La Rocque place existed prior to current Treaty of Chaguaramas (that governs the regional integration movement) and

(are) inconsistent in some aspects,” he said.

La Rocque said that the transport ministers meeting schedule for May 27-29, will most likely be attended also by executive of airlines servicing the Caribbean.

“We intend to invite the three major regional airlines to sit down with us at the table and to see how there can be greater cooperation in air transportation issues. I am referring to Caribbean Airlines, LIAT, Suriname Airways and there may be others at well”.

The four shareholder governments of LIAT – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines – have been critical of the

Bharath: CAL, Air Jamaica merger did not go as planned Trinidad Guardian Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment Vasant Bharath said Tuesday that the merger of Caribbean Airlines (CAL) and Air Jamaica has not worked out the way it was planned.

“The intention was to have a Caribbean airline and the merging of Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines was supposed to provide that.

There was a stipulation by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that Jamaica would divest itself of Air Jamaica and that is how CAL and the Government of T&T stepped in.

Clearly it has not worked as it was intended to work because of the intervention of low cost carriers like Delta, West Jet, Jet Blue, which have come into the market place and usurped a lot of the traffic from those routes,” said Bharath, who is also Minister in the Ministry of Finance.

Bharath spoke to the media Tuesday after the Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) launch at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-ofSpain. He also said this is not the first time St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has raised the issue of T&T’s Government’s subsidy to

Vasant Bharath CAL. “It is not the first time he has raised it and it will be premature for me to make any announcement on it. The fact is when CAL was initially set up there was a grace period of five to six years when the airline during its restructuring would be given a subsidised aviation fuel price until it attained operational efficiencies. We have consultants coming from abroad to look at the operation,” he said.

Gonsalves plans to discuss the issue with Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar when he comes to

T&T later this month for a meeting of regional leaders.

Bharath said he has already written to Jamaican Transport Minister Dr Omar Davies with regard to issues of the CAL and Air Jamaica and will be leading a delegation there in June.

“The board did make a presentation to Finance Minister Howai and last week in the persons of the deputy chairman and the acting CEO Robert Corbie. It was primarily about what they intend to do over the next 24 months but also to explain in more detail the rationalisation of the Jamaican routes. The frequency of those routes have been reduced by 50 per cent,” he said.

When asked by reporters if “heads will roll” over possible mismanagement at CAL, he said he is not in a position to comment . “I can not say that for the moment as we have not received final reports on these issues and many of them are still ongoing. Many of them are just allegations in the press so we do not know for sure as yet,” he said. When questioned about if anything has been done about “free rides” given to friends of CAL’s management, he also declined to comment.

“It would be premature to say that, I do not know if that was actually the case in the first instance. It is just a newspaper report and the Ministry of Finance is investigating it,|” he said.

Despite CAL’s current situation he is optimistic that the troubled airline would break even by 2014. “The impression I have that I have got from the chairman is that by the end of 2014 CAL should be breaking even.”

decision by the Trinidad and Tobago government to provide a fuel subsidy to the state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL).

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who chairs the LIAT shareholder governments, said the subsidy, which according to figures released in the Trinidad and Tobago parliament on Tuesday, was estimated at US$40 million last year, is a violation of the CARICOM treaty and Common Air Services Agreement among member countries, resulting in substantial losses to LIAT. Gonsalves said the LIAT shareholder governments have agreed to provide a summary of a legal opinion to Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar regarding the “unfair” subsidy as he insisted that the Antiguabased airline does not want a fight with Port of Spain on the issue.

Gonsalves told reporters as a result of the legal opinion given to LIAT, the shareholder governments

had various options including taking the matter to arbitration, going before the tribunal of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as well as citing “rules of impermissible subsidies” under the articles of the CARICOM treaty.

He said the governments were also open to going before the CARICOM Anti Competition.

La Rocque told CMC “I think we have to keep on trying to see how we can address that issue. That will be done in St. Vincent and the Grenadines under the chairmanship of the lead head responsible for Transportation (Prime Minister Gonsalves).

La Rocque said he would not comment on whether or not the subsidy to CAL is a violation of the CARICOM treaty, telling CMC “it is a problem, it is an issue in the sense that it may be giving a competitive edge but I don’t know that is a matter that is going to throw cold water on anything (such as the formation of a single Caribbean airline).

“I think the desire to solve

the transportation issue is a real one and it’s there and I think the way to approach it is to have discussions on these matters, but I don’t think that is going to be the major issue to be discussed.

“I think that we have to try and find a solution to the transportation problems that are plaguing us in the Community, not only in terms of inter regional travel, but sometimes through the region. Our tourism depends on it, our trade and services...depend on transportation so we have to find solutions to our issues.

La Rocque predicted it would not be an “easy solve” noting “we have been talking about transportation and trying to find solutions for quite a while. It is probably one of the most difficult topics facing us in terms of our integration agenda,” he told CMC. Gonsalves told reporters Tuesday that he had raised the subsidy issue at the last CARICOM Inter-sessional summit adding “I want to have another conversation on that matter...”

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Kaieteur News

Jamaicans in the US urged to attend Diaspora conference Jamaica Gleaner Members of the Jamaican Diaspora, residing in the Midwest of the United States, have been urged to make every effort to attend the upcoming Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay from June 16 to 19.

Addressing nationals at a town hall meeting at the Redeemer Covenant Church, in the city of Minneapolis, on May 9, ambassador to the

United States, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, pointed out that the conference will give par t i c i p a n t s a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o h e a r, firsthand, how the Government and stakeholders are dealing with issues, such as national security, health care, education, investments, and job creation.

The ambassador noted that Jamaica has done

extremely well in its partnership with the Diaspora, and that the upcoming conference would break new and exciting ground in a number of areas, including the unveiling of the Draft Diaspora Policy document.

He told the Jamaican nationals that they should begin to capitalise on the benefits of Brand Jamaica.

He pointed out that the

Diaspora marketplace exposition would allow exhibitors to present business and investment opportunities to persons attending the conference.

Among the major projects that will be on display are the global logistics hub initiative, agro parks, the development of downtown Kingston, and information communication technology parks.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Jamaica uncovers scheme involving Trinidad and Tobago products Kingston, Jamaica Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, says the government will be taking action against a major exporter in Trinidad and Tobago for breaching the rules of origin in the Treaty of Chaguaramas.

The action is in relation to an alleged scheme which was uncovered by the ministry’s trade enforcement team last year. Speaking during the Sectoral Debate in Parliament, Hylton said the scheme involved the exportation of lubrication oils by Trinidad’s state owned oil company, Petrotrin.

He said the product has been claiming CARICOM origin status for years without attracting the applicable duties under the Customs Act when in fact it’s not a product from Trinidad and Tobago.

The Industry Minister said the Jamaica Customs had issued a verification query on the product to the Trinidad and Tobago Customs and Excise Division.

But he said more than six months after the query was sent, officials in Trinidad and

Anthony Hylton Tobago have not responded.

As a result, Hylton informed that he has instructed the Jamaica Customs Department to transfer the $184.2 million accumulated in interim charges into the Consolidated Fund with immediate effect.

He says customs duties will now be applied on lube oil entering Jamaica from Trinidad and Tobago.

Hylton stressed that the government will be moving to ensure that trade rules are imposed without fear or favour.

Montserrat signs new agreement to regulate maritime industry BRADES, Montserrat CMC – Montserrat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom Department for Transport (DfT) as it seeks to put in place international standards for the regulation of the maritime industry.

Montserrat is a member of the British Re d E n s i g n Group and operates as a Category Two Red Ensign (British) R e g i s t r y, registering ships of up to 150 gross tons (GRT) and pleasure vessels of up to 400 GRT. Comptroller of Customs Peter W.A White, who is also the Registrar of ships in Montserrat, said the MoU would see formal assistance given to Montserrat to help put in place international standards for the regulation of the maritime industry.

The accord was signed in the British Virgin Islands on Tuesday by Montserrat’s Financial Secretary John Skerritt and Retired Admiral Sir Allan Massey,

representing the UK Maritime and Coast Guard Agency (MCA).

White and Skerritt are attending the Red Ensign annual conference there and White said with an expected increase in maritime traffic in and out of the British Overseas Territory “it is important that Montserrat has in place the necessary mechanisms to regulate the quality and safety of this industry”.

A government statement said that new legislation and regulation s g o v e r n i n g maritime activities have been drafted and will come up for consultation with a view to have them introduced in the near future.

The Red Ensign Group comprises the United Kingdom and several overseas territories including the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey as wel l a s Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, St Helena and the Turks & Caicos Islands which operate shipping registers.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Guysuco staffers in Council has no money to undertake bloody fight over CD

Industrial site Day Care Center remains closed…

repairs to Day Care Centre- Mayor

Almost one month has passed since 70 children were moved from the Ruimveldt Industrial Site Day Care Centre due to the insanitary condition of the building and the infestation of frogs and cockroaches.

The centre, which is controlled by the Georgetown Municipality, has been flooded for almost a month.

Parents have deemed the centre as “unsafe” for their children since water has been dripping on the electrical wires every time it rains.

Two inches of water were trapped in the children’s sick bay and playing area for a while. This led to the infestation of mosquitoes and cockroaches. Yesterday, the Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green, told Kaieteur News that the council does not have enough money to carry out any major repairs on the facility. He said that the council will utilize whatever little money it has to carry out

Mayor, Hamilton Green maintenance.

Kaieteur News was told that an engineer inspected the facility and found a broken underground pipeline just below the building. This was the cause for the “everlasting” flooding.

A representative from the Mayor and City Council office said that the school will remain closed for a while until the problems are fixed.

Maintenance work has not started on the facility, but according to the representative, once repairs are started and the issue surrounding the broken pipeline is rectified, works will then start within the building.

A month ago, staffers at the Day Care centre staged a sit-in to register their concerns about the facility.

President of the Guyana Local Government Officers Union, Dale Beresford, had accused the M&CC of turning a blind eye on the facility.

He had told Kaieteur News, “We will not allow our workers to work under this condition. There are plenty waterborne diseases and electrical hazards, and the children can be affected.”

This publication was told that the children were placed at various close-by day care centres until renovation on the Industrial Site Day Care Centre is completed.

Missing Sophia teens found in Berbice house Up to press times yesterday the two teenage girls, Gillian Gilgeous, also known as Celene, and Ashana Persaud, both 15, who were reported missing for two weeks, were in police custody assisting with investigations.

This publication was told that around mid-morning, residents of Sisters Village, East Bank Berbice called in the police having seen the girls’ photographs in the newspaper. Reports are that the girls had been in the village for the past two weeks and would stay at people’s homes after befriending them.

There are also reports that the girls were seen at nights in the company of older men but no one suspected anything suspicious as the girls presented themselves as foreigners.

The girls, after being found at the house, were taken to the Central Police Station, New Amsterdam and their relatives were called.

The mother of one of the teens, Ranie Benn, said that the girls disappeared two Fridays ago and did not make contact with any relative.

Not even on Mother’s Day did Gilgeous contact her mother. Both girls lived under the same roof in Benn’s home. Persaud is said not to be any blood relative.

Benn told Kaieteur News that Persaud has been living with her for the last five weeks

Gillian Gilgeous

Ashana Persaud

before her disappearance.

According to her, the teen got “put out” from where she previously resided.

She explained that Persaud is “my daughter-inlaw’s sister. She use to live with she aunty dem but like they put she out. She come by we and I just couldn’t put her on the streets.”

Benn also related that “she (Persaud) de tell me that she was 17, and is only now de whole thing break out and we hear she is 15 and like she is a road girl…All de time she living with me she wasn’t working and I told her that I can’t tek care of she all the time.

“Is only de other day she get a wuk at a Chinese store.

Is only now I know the truth of the story and why she family didn’t want her in the first place.”

According to Benn her daughter was never one to

pull a stunt like this and she believe that her actions resulted from the influence of Persaud.

Two men have been arrested to assist with investigations; “a big Chinese man that de deh with the other girl, and me daughter li’l boyfriend from school.”

The woman said that after her daughter disappeared, she ventured down to the school she attended— Sophia Training Centre— where she made inquires and found out about the youth who has apparently been in a relationship with her daughter.

She also found out that the same night the teens disappeared, they went “sporting with the school boy and the big Chiney man.”

Benn said she was told that the girls were last seen at the Berbice Car Park.

Two field foremen attached to two different estates ended up in a fight over a $100 Compact Disk.

One of the protagonists ended up in hospital.

The matter is now engaging the attention of the court.

Devendar Samwaru, a field foreman attached to the Guysuco Rose Hall Estate, appeared before Magistrate Krisendat Persaud on Wednesday in the Whim Magistrate’s court on a charge of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Karam

Sahid, a field foreman attached to the Albion Estate.

The wounding is alleged to have occurred on Saturday May 4, at Free Yard, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice.

According to prosecutor Corporal Sherlock King, the two men are known to each other and are said to be friends.

On the day in question Samwaru a father of two, was said to be under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly committed the offence. He allegedly went over to the home of Sahid

who was playing music at the time and accused him of having his CD in his possession. An argument ensued and Samwaru is alleged to have taken out a knife from his waist and stabbed Sahid about his body causing him to be hospitalized.

The matter was reported and the accused was arrested and charged.

In court he pleaded not guilty and was placed on $100,000 bail. Samwaru will have to return to court on June 3.

Immediate works for East Bank Berbice road From page 20 no mention was made of any allocation for the East Bank Berbice road.

A representative of the Ministry of Public Works had stated that the IBD loan is expected to be available by the end of the first quarter of next year.

Regional Chairman David Armogan told the media that

$20M will go towards repairing the road while the Ministry of Public Works will match that amount.

The work will be undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works while a special team will be available to do continuous work on the road so that will be functional until next year when the IDB money becomes available.

Residents had said that doing remedial works over and over is a waste of money to fix the road to have it last for nine months.

A number of businesses are located on the East Bank of Berbice including Guysuco massive sugar cane cultivation, three Oil companies, a cement factory and numerous sawmills.

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Thursday May 16, 2013

Former Miss India Worldwide heads to court Legal representatives of Miss India Worldwide 2012 Alana Seebarran have set the record straight and have provided evidence that the beauty queen has indeed sued Miss India Worldwide Guyana Franchise, Chandini Ramnarine, and her sister Lucria Rambalak for $50M. This refutes assertions by Ramnarine, reported in Kaieteur News Entertainment on Friday that the court case is non-existent, particularly since she was not served a writ. She learned about the “legal action” while in Malaysia at Miss India World

Wide 2013, where Seebarran was not invited to crown her successor, she said.

In documents obtained from the Supreme Court Registry, Georgetown, Seebarran is alleging that Chandini Ramnarine failed to discharge contractual and fiduciary duties owed to her.

And, the claim against Rambalak, who was selected by her sister to be Miss India Guyana 2010, is for impersonation and “passing off”.

According to one of Seebarran’s Lawyers, Charles Ramson Jr. the writ was filed

on May 2, 2013 but because Ramnarine was not in Guyana, since last week Monday was a holiday, and not being aware of Ramnarine’s return date, the writ was not served earlier. A Court Marshall took the writ to a Sandy Babb Street address for Ramnarine late last week.

The Attorney-at-Law said that it is erroneous for the defendants to contend that a legal proceeding does not have life because someone was not served with a writ.

In November 2011, Seebarran was crowned Ms.

Manslaughter accused to know fate today Prosecutor Dionne Mc Cammon in the manslaughter trial of accused Wazim Mohamed, 26, called “Junior” of Mara, East Bank Berbice, gave a spirited address to the jury when the trial continued in the Berbice High Court before Justice Dawn Gregory and a mixed jury.

Mohamed is accused of killing his one-time friend, Russell Nelson, 62, called ‘Josie’ of Fyrish, Corentyne Berbice on September 27, 2005 at Fyrish Corentyne, Berbice.

In her address which came one day after defence Attorney at Law Charrandass Persaud addressed the jury, Mc Cammon urged the jury to look at the evidence in totality. She told the jury that Nelson’s death was due to a fractured skull and septicaemia. He developed septicaemia because he was hospitalized as a result of the lash he received on his head.

She urged the jury to digest the evidence. Look at the caution statement of the accused in which he stated that he rode behind the accused and hit him, she said.

The act was deliberate as the accused had a piece of wood and the deceased was bare handed and was no threat, the prosecutor added.

She told the jury that only the accused was there and only he knew what happened, so they must believe what was said in the caution statement. The caution statement, she said, tied in with what the other witnesses said in their statements.

The prosecutor asked the jury not to believe the defence story and asked if it is a coincidence that the bag, the clothes, slippers and other things were found at the scene next to the deceased. She also asked if it was a coincidence that the accused was found

just three houses away from where the incident occurred with blood and mud on his skin. Wazim 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 New Amsterdam Hospital.

He was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

He was subsequently returned to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he died on December 5, 2005.

Mohamed was later arrested and charged for the crime.

The accused had given an unsworn statement from the docks. He denied lashing Nelson causing him to die. .

“I did not beat anyone. I did not give any statement to the police. I am innocent,” he had told the court.

This is his third trial, the previous two ending in hung juries.

Guyana India and captured the hearts of Guyanese. As anticipated, the next year in Suriname she copped the Miss India Worldwide crown with her beauty, intelligence and talent.

Late last year, Seebarran accompanied by both Ramnarine and Rambalak, visited India satisfying part of her package as Miss India Worldwide. There, Rambalak appeared in an interview by the Indian media in what portrayed her as answering questions in the capacity of Seebarran. It went viral on YouTube.

When contacted by this newspaper regarding this, Seebarran modestly declined to comment, but noted that she was hurt. Apparently, the relationship between her and the franchise holder soured.

This was evident when Seebarran did not show-up to crown this year’s Miss India Guyana. Unfortunately, things got worse. Seebarran received an email from Management of Miss India Worldwide stating that she was not invited to crown her

Chandini Ramnarine, Lucria Rambalak, and Alana Seebarran in front of the Taj Mahal just before the relationship soured successor in Malaysia in late April. In response, to Ramnarine’s claim that Seebarran did not initiate legal action when the video went viral on YouTube but waited until she left the country, Ramson said that Seebarran was still the reigning Miss India Worldwide 2012 and she waited until her tenure was up

to go public on the matter.

Even though, Seebarran used discretion and obeyed the Head of Miss India Worldwide not go public about the events, Ramnarine issued press releases on the matter.

Ramson said, “She (Ramnarine) thinks I am playing.”

Missing St Cuthbert’s man found at Mahaicony River farm The 23-year-old man from St Cuthbert’s Mission who had been reported as missing since April 26 last has been reunited with his family.

Toshao of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Luke Simon, said that Jermaine Dundas, also called Cow, who had disappeared from a house at Little Biaboo, Mahaica late last month, was found at a farm on the bank of the Mahaicony River where he had apparently been persuaded to work as a labourer.

Dundas was found after a Mahaica River resident detained by the Police in connection with his disappearance had told relatives where he could be found.

Simon said that the man was located over the

weekend and was back home with his relieved parents by Monday afternoon.

Dundas was said to have disappeared late April when he and five other residents of St. Cuthbert’s Mission on the Mahaica River travelled from the Mission to Little Biaboo Creek, also on the Mahaica River, to sell logs.

According to reports, after they had finished their business, Dundas and his companions attended a wedding reception 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.

His companions 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.

Simon said that Dundas had apparently been persuaded to travel to Mahaicony Creek by three drinking companions at the wedding house and had neglected to inform anyone.

On being confronted, the owner of the farm where Dundas was found handed over $24,000 which he said the man had worked for during the period he had been reported missing.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Thursday May 16, 2013

AFC demands President assent to Opposition Bills, set deadline for Public Procurement Commission Demands President assent to Opposition Bills, set deadline for Public Procurement Commission A political battlefield is being set up for the days ahead with the seven-seat Parliamentary party, Alliance for Change (AFC), threatening to withdraw support for the amendments to the law on financial crimes unless its demands are met.

The AFC has two demands.

It wants President Donald Ramotar to re-consider withholding his assent to two Bills piloted by the oppositioncontrolled house. The party also wants the government to set a deadline for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) which will help halt corruption in the award of contracts funded by the public purse.

The legislation under consideration is the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering of Financing Terrorism Act (AMLCFTA).

Non-passage of the legislation could shame the government for failing to act and could put the country on an international blacklist for not doing enough to combat money laundering and stopping financing for terrorism.

A Special Parliamentary Committee was set up to examine and tidy up the amendments proposed by the government. The AFC is

Khemraj Ramjattan participating in the work of the Commission, but when the amendments come up for a vote on May 22, the AFC could withhold its support.

The AFC holds the balance of power in the National Assembly. Any intentions of the majority parties in the House – APNU and the ruling PPP – can be paralysed without the AFC’s backing.

The President has refused to give his assent to the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bill and the Former Presidents (Facilities and Other Benefits) Bill, saying that the Bills are in conflict with the constitution.

Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the AFC, said that the position of the President is outrageous and that the argument about the constitutionality of the Bills is “wholly unmeritorious” and

“totally ridiculous.”

“This government (disrespects) the National Assembly and the people’s elected representatives,” Ramjattan declared yesterday.

He said that the AFC is ready to get into “hard dealing” with the government because its demands are not unreasonable.

In the case of the Former Presidents (Facilities and Other Benefits), Ramjattan said it is reasonable for the National Assembly to demand that the benefits of former Presidents be capped.

The original law, signed by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, gives him unlimited access to vehicles, security guards, gardeners and cooks in addition to his cash pension which amounts to $1.2 million a month.

Further, Ramjattan said that the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bill was intended to enhance good

- threatens to withdraw support for amendments to financial crimes Bill governance and streamline accountability.

Regarding the demand for the Public Procurement Commission, Ramjattan said the ruling party has refused to identify its nominees.

He said that wanting this Commission in place is not unreasonable, as it is a “right” for the Commission to be set up. He said that the absence of the Commission is why corruption continues.

The government is due to defend its efforts to stem financial crimes when the Plenary Meeting of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) meets in Managua, Nicaragua from May 27 to May 30. The government attempted to force passage of the amendments two Tuesdays ago but the opposition forced

the setting up of the Special Committee to examine the government’s proposal, saying the legislation is too important to be rushed.

Those on the Committee from the government side are Chief Whip Gail Teixeira (who chairs the Committee), Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Finance Minister D r. A s h n i S i n g h a n d Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall. On the opposition side, Khemraj Ramjattan is representing the Alliance For Change, while A Partnership for National Unity named Deborah Backer, Joseph Harmon, Basil Williams and Carl Greenidge. Further, the government was chided for bringing the amendments to the House at the last minute.

The government was put

on notice at least twice before by the CFATF to amend the legislation, but only tabled it last month.

The CFATF is the Caribbean branch of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the international body which examines a country’s efforts to stem money laundering and dictate what new measures need to be enforced.

In the third round Mutual Evaluation Report, which was adopted by the CFATF Council of Ministers in May 2011 in Honduras, Guyana was placed on expedited follow-up and required to report at every Plenary.

Guyana was rated partially compliant or noncompliant on 16 Core and Key Recommendations and 25 other Recommendations.

K&VC hotel murder…

Estranged husband nabbed in Essequibo Police at the Aurora Police Station, Essequibo Coast, acting on intelligence, have apprehended 31-yearold,Vinood Balgobin, a/k “Bunga”, the estranged husband of Maryann Nauth, who was discovered dead in a City Hotel, Saturday last.

Balgobin was apprehended early Wednesday morning, after he disembarked a speedboat at Supenaam.

Police have since transported him back to the City.

According to reports, Balgobin was apprehended in the vicinity of Supenaam. He had travelled to the Essequibo Coast from Parika, after boarding the first speed

Maryann Nauth boat to leave Parika. This publication was told that a relative of the slain woman

spotted Balgobin at Parika and informed the police on the Essequibo Coast giving them a detailed description of the man.

Balgobin, whose address was given as 316 La Penitence, is the prime suspect in Nauth’s killing. The woman hailed from Lot 110 Vryheid’s Lust North, East Coast Demerara.

Nauth’s body was discovered in the K and VC Hotel on South Road, on Saturday last with a knife stuck in her chest. Hotel staff made the gruesome discovery.

A post mortem examination which was done on the woman’s remains revealed that she sustained 28 stab wounds.

Nauth’s relatives had indicated that she had shared a turbulent relationship with Balgobin for the past 13years. That relationship however ended December last.

The police had launched

a manhunt for the suspect, since there was evidence that he had entered the K&VC Hotel on South Road, hours before her body was discovered on a bloodsoaked bed.

The woman, according to relatives, was last seen in the company of her estranged husband on Saturday night around 20:30pm. Her body was discovered around 02:00 hours on Sunday.

Reports are that the woman checked into the hotel late Saturday night in the company of a man. Just before the discovery was made the man alone was seen leaving the hotel. This prompted hotel employees to check the room they had rented.

There they made the gruesome discovery of Nauth’s body with a knife still stuck in the centre of her chest. There was also a photograph of a man and a woman left beside her.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 31

SEARCH BEGINS FOR NEW GDF CHIEF OF STAFF

By Dale Andrews The process has already commenced to select a suitable officer to replace Commodore Gary Best as Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force.

Kaieteur News was reliably informed that two senior officers were interviewed to fill the position at the helm of the GDF when Best retires in September.

Defence officials are not confirming the reports, but a usually reliable source has informed that Colonel Mark Phillips and Kemraj Persaud have been identified to take up the two top positions in the GDF. Phillips is the more senior and it is widely expected that, barring the shenanigans that obtained in 2007 when Best was appointed Chief of Staff, he will accede to the top post, especially since he and at least two other senior army officers (Colonel Andrew Pompey and Bruce Lovell) had completed the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the premier training environment for operational level leaders and staff officers.

Colonel Lovell’s name was not mentioned in the leadership race, since according to the source, he too is scheduled to leave the GDF in a few months time. Colonel Persaud was promoted to full Colonel in 2011.

In 2007, Gary Best who was then Captain of the GDF Coast Guard, was promoted to Commodore and appointed Chief of Staff amidst much controversy following the retirement of Brigadier Edward Collins.

In fact, his inauguration was shunned by several senior officers of the Guyana Defence Force, including Collins himself.

Col. Kemraj Persaud

Col. Mark Phillips

Cmdr. Gary Best

Best took over at a time when Guyana’s internal security was being threatened by gangs and drug trafficking.

It can be argued that Commodore Best was not too popular as Chief of Staff, however he did manage to restore some amount of discipline within the organization.

His tenure has so far seen soldiers being charged with kidnapping, murder and armed robbery. There were also court challenges to a few of his decisions, including one that stemmed from the scandal surrounding the GDF credit union as well as the withholding of annual bonus payments.

The elevation of Best, who had declined

an offer to attend the Command and General Staff College, as it came while he was completing a Law Degree, stemmed from a decision by then President Bharrat Jagdeo to side-step more senior colonels.

This move caused some grumblings within the GDF and received mixed reviews in the media. Some senior GDF officers had complained to the press and others that Jagdeo’s move violated what they claim is a long-standing tradition that the Chief of Staff be appointed strictly based on seniority.

However, history will show that one of the seven Chiefs of Staff, since Guyana gained

independence, was appointed by Forbes Burnham who elevated Deputy Commissioner of Police Norman McLean to be GDF Chief of Staff. McLean had been head of the now defunct Guyana National Service.

The newspapers were filled with letters to the editor questioning the motives behind the move to appoint Best and according to the controversial Wikileaks cables, many saw it as Jagdeo selecting and promoting only those officers who are loyal to him and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

This time around the selection of a new Chief of Staff is appearing to be less contentious.

Page 32

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Thursday May 16, 2013

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We buy & sell vehicles for cash; we also do trading-in of vehicles- call:680-3154

(Continued on page 34)

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 33

Warriors take KKR down with... Rio Ferdinand: Manchester...

From page 37 course, but this time they managed to come back every time they slipped.

When Finch fell for 48 off 32, Warriors were 97 for 2 in the 13th over, and the expected slowdown began.

Yuvraj Singh struggled

against spin, and the next nine balls produced only two runs.

Manish Pandey, though, put paid to that, hitting three consecutive fours off Jacques Kallis. Despite later stumbles, Warriors managed 72 off the last six overs.

Parnell put them further

ahead with full swinging deliveries to Manvinder Bisla and Kallis. Gautam Gambhir fell early too. Yusuf and Ryan ten Doeschate, though, added 98 for the fourth wicket to take Knight Riders close.

Then came Yusuf’s first mistake of the night when he refused to respond to ten Doeschate’s call for a single to short fine leg.

That single was fair game for the final overs of limitedovers games, but Yusuf was now left needing to make amends. He nearly did make amends by rearranging Parnell’s figures, but he was adjudicated to have made the final mistake of the night.

Scores: Pune Warriors 170 for 4 (Pandey 66, Finch 48) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 163 for 7 (Yusuf 72, ten Doeschate 42) by 7 runs.

Strategic Guyanese...

From page 34 shooters at the Long Range as a team and that is what brought us through today (yesterday)”. Slowe was quick to point out that yesterday’s win is now history and his charges must now refocus on retaining the Short Range trophy today. He is expecting stiffer competition today, noting that he expects the rivaling countries to bring their A game.

“We have the physiological advantage but that is nothing until you go down and deliver.” Guyana is expected to field an unchanged team for today’s match. Following the Short Range match, attention will turn to the Australia match set for Saturday with the West Indies fielding a team which will be captained by ACP Paul Slowe.

Thursday May 16, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): You might be a bit sleepdeprived from all the energy that you have been expending lately. Nevertheless, you’re probably still raring to go today.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20): You have been waiting for the right time to express something that’s been on your mind for a while.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20): Your sense of starting anew is confirmed today when rational Mercury enters your sign. However, there may be so many choices in front of you that it’s nearly impossible to pick only one.

CANCER (June 21–July 22): Your thoughts may be running off in many directions today, but communicator Mercury’s move into your 12th House of Privacy hides your inner process from everyone else.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): You might have more of a bounce to your step today, as a wave of lightness washes over your body and activates your cells from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23–NOV. 21): Mercury’s move into curious Gemini today brings intellectual acuity to your 8th House of Intimate Sharing, reinforcing your drive to intensify your emotional interactions.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): Visiting an old familiar haunt with a friend may sound like a good time today, but you’ll probably wander into uncharted territory pretty quickly.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19): You might attempt to withdraw from the noisy distractions at work today to focus on improving your health.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22): A family member might place unspoken demands on you today and you’re not sure how to respond. You believe you’re clever enough to dance around the unknown, but you quickly realize that logic cannot help you regain control of your day. of pleasing everyone.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): Pleasing planetary positions pull you away from meeting your commitments today. You might aspire to high goals at first, but the opportunity for play outweighs the potential rewards for hard work as the day progresses.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): You’re uncertain how to establish new objectives at work today because you are pulled in two directions at once.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20): There is a lot more happening in your life than anyone can see, but this is, in part, a result of how well you hide the truth today.

From page 39 the team all the best for future tournaments.”

On Thursday, Hodgson will name his England squad for the end-of-season friendlies against Republic of Ireland at Wembley on 29 May and Brazil in Rio de Janiero four days later.

In October, Hodgson denied telling London Underground passengers that Ferdinand’s international career was over following his omission from England’s Euro 2012 squad.

Hodgson, who insisted the move was a “footballing decision”, did apologise after admitting he had discussed Ferdinand with members of the public as he travelled on the Tube.

Ferdinand’s absence from Euro 2012 avoided a potential conflict with John Terry.

The Chelsea defender was named in Hodgson’s squad for last year’s tournament in Poland and Ukraine as he awaited trial over allegations he racially abused Ferdinand’s brother, Anton.

Terry was cleared of the charge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in July, but was later found guilty by the Football Association.

Hodgson said he had been informed of Ferdinand’s decision in a telephone call from the player.

“It is important to pay tribute to someone of Rio’s stature and the achievements he had in a senior international career with England over 14 years at the highest level,” added Hodgson.

“I appreciated the call from Rio to inform me of his decision, which clearly he had spent much time considering before reaching this point.”

Ferdinand became the youngest defender to play for England when he made his international debut as a 19-yearold against Cameroon at Wembley in November 1997.

He played in three World Cups - 1998, 2002 and 2006 but was ruled out of the 2010 tournament in South Africa because of a knee injury.

Rio Ferdinand

Ferdinand also missed Euro 2004 after being banned for eight months by the Foot-

ball Association for failing to attend a drugs test in September 2003.

Bowling might takes...

From page 37 mockingly. Watson hadn’t even faced a ball. The umpires had to tell Pollard off, but he eventually had the final mock when Watson - under the pressure of falling wickets and rising asking rate - mishit Ojha to Pollard.

After celebrating wildly, Pollard went to his boundary post and seemed to have another conversation with Watson, who sat in the dugout behind him.

Eventually, Watson left the place in disgust, and fi-

nally Hodge got to bat when Royals lost another wicket.

Royals needed 79 from 43 when he came in, but he and Binny brought the target down with sensible hitting.

Hodge hit Ojha for four fours in the 16th over, which included a drop by Ambati Rayudu, but Malinga ensured Mumbai’s clean sheet at home.

Scores: Mumbai Indians 166 for 8 (Tare 59, Watson 230) beat Rajasthan Royals 152 for 7 (Hodge 39, Kulkarni 221, Johnson 2-23) by 14 runs.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

West Indies Fullbore Shooting C/ships Long Range Team Match

(From page 32)

Strategic Guyanese retains Title following testing conditions

PROPERTY FOR SALE At Clifton Port Mourant: Prime location on public road- Contact:905-595-1813/ 613-6795 or 322-5270/6248799 Versailles 5 Bedroom House with modern facilities and beautiful landscape- Call: 592-684-9203 / 592-624-8704 Charlestown property with Business potential- Tele:6735882 Two business properties @ Whim public road; 1 House & Land 4th street Whim, Corentyne: Price negotiablecontact:231-5171/619-7134

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Vacancy exist for computer literate person: Apply with written application to :Manager @ Trophy stall, Bourda Market

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Thursday May 16, 2013

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Strategist’s! Wind Coaches, ACP Paul Slowe (seated left) and Ransford Goodluck (seated right) converse while shooters, Mahendra Persaud (right) and Lennox Braithwaite have a chat before the start of yesterday’s Long Range Team Match.

Taking a gauge from the conditions that the competitors had to endure during the Individual Championships, it was always going to be tough going in the Long Range Championships and as the old adage goes, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough gets going’.

And that was basically how the defending Fullbore Long Range Champions of the Caribbean, Guyana, approached yesterday’s West Indies Fullbore Rifle Shooting Council (WIFRSC), Milex sponsored Long Range Championship at the Paragon Ranges, Christ Church, Barbados.

When the final shot was fired after One Hour and 15 Minutes of aiming with each nation’s eight (8) member team firing two (2) sighting shots and ten (10) shots to count; and the scores being tallied, the marksmen from the Land of Many Waters emerged as champions yet again beating out Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Antigua & Barbuda and Barbados. Guyana’s victory came against the backdrop of some difficult conditions which of course, all the other teams had to endure but at the end of it all, the Guyanese prevailed owing to some high level strategizing, the experience of the shooters and admirable teamwork. The countries shot in pairs at both the 900 and 1000 Yards Banks and unlike the Individual competition, both shooters had the expertise of a Wind Coach. Starting off the day for Guyana aiming at the targets were Caribbean Individual King Lennox Braithwaite and overall 3rd place Individual finisher who is also National Captain, Mahendra Persaud.

Seated in the Coaches chairs were ACP Paul Slowe and Ransford Goodluck, the experience of the starters in both instances not only brought a calm to the Guyanese’ focus, but one could have felt the level of confidence that was flowing through the camp and other shooters who were awaiting their turn to aim. The constant changing winds, commonly known as ‘Fish Tailing’, showed no signs of abating.

At the end of the 900 Yards shoot, Guyana accumulated 349 Points with 15 V-Bulls, a score which underlines the difficulties that faced all and sundry on the day. Ransford Goodluck led the scoring for Guyana with 46 Points and 3V-Bulls. Jamaica was trailing Guyana at this stage by a single point.

Conditions did not change at the 1000 Yards Range, but as is the norm, the Guyana team huddled together before the start and then it was suggested that some changes

should be made to the order of shooting. It was readily agreed, so changes were made to who would start and who would follow.

It turned out to be a master move as the seasoned gunners were able to come at the end to steady the scores in some tricky conditions; that made the difference as Guyana eased to victory totaling one point less than the 900 Yards Range with a similar amount of V-Bulls.

The shooters from Reggae Island, who were the closest threat to the lads from the Land of Many Waters, found the going even tougher dropping some 75 points to end way off the Guyanese total with 673 Points and 28 V-Bulls to Guyana’s 697 Points and 30V-Bulls.

Trinidad and Tobago tallied 632 Points and 25V-Bulls, while Antigua & Barbuda managed 595 Points and 15 V-Bulls. No scores were available for the home team, Barbados.

Captain Mahendra Persaud speaking with Kaieteur Sport after the win, stated that the score was not a true reflection of how hard his team worked due to the difficult conditions which presented its fair amount of challenges for them.

“Seeing conditions were difficult, wind conditions were difficult but at the end of the day, the shooters and coaches did an excellent job. The scores do not look fantastic as we would like it to be, but reality is realty. It was a difficult day, even the British found it difficult but I am satisfied with how it all ended up.”

Persaud reminded that they still have a job to complete with the Short Range Championships set to take place today at the same venue.

“I would say that we showed the ability to buckle down and deliver under pressure whilst remaining focus were wonderful attributes that we displayed in retaining the trophy. And this is where picking an experienced team worked for us.”

Coach Paul Slowe echoed his Captain’s sentiments on the extremely difficult conditions as the scores reflects, noting that it was the first time that any team would have won the Long Range trophy shooting less than 700 points.

“At the end of the day however, we aimed to do our best and I think we achieved that given the conditions. Our performance was better than the other teams and that’s what it’s all about. We have a good team that have good shooters and experienced Wind Coaches. We are better (Continued on page 33)

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Blairmont’s Derick Narine helps Stage set for John Deere Golf his team to Elizabeth Styles Classic at Lusignan Golf Club U-19 semifinal in Berbice A series of good performance by Berbice under-17 all-rounder, Derick Narine playing for Blairmont Community Centre, helped his team to the semifinal stage of the Elizabeth Styles under-19 competition in Berbice.

In the preliminary round, the left hand batsman, first struck an unbeaten 65 and returned with his right hand off spin to snare 3 for 11 against Bush Lot United Sports Club to help his team to victory. He then returned to compiled 56 and picked up 2 for 16 to help his team win against Achievers.

He led from in front in the quarterfinal game against Edinburgh with an unbeaten 106 as his team chased down 161.

Scores in the game were At Bush Lot, Blairmont whipped Bush Lot United by 151 runs. Blairmont batted first and hammered 223-4 from 32 overs with D. Narine scoring 65 No (5x4, 3x6). He was well supported by Kevon Jawahir with 56 (5x4) and Nick Ramsaroop 42 (3x4). In reply Bush Lot United were skittled out for 72 with Jawahir being

Derick Narine

Kevon Jawahir

the main destroyer with 5-12 and Narine 3-11 doing the damage.

At Blairmont, the home team mauled Achievers by 107 runs: Blairmont again took first strike and scored 182 all out from 39.5 overs, Narine hitting 56 (6x4 1x6), Nick Ramsaroop 36 (3x4 1x6) and Kevon Jawahir 23. Bowling for Achievers, Quesi McPherson picked up 3 for 25. In reply, Achievers were bundled out for a meager 75 in 26 overs with David Nedd scoring 19.

Bowling for Blairmont, medium pacer Abdool Subhan destroyed the batting with 6 for 12 with

Narine supporting with 2 for 16.

In a quarterfinal game at the Blairmont ground Blairmont hammered Edinburgh by 9 wickets.

Edinburgh won the toss and decided to bat first and were bowled out for 160 in 49.5 overs with Jermaine Henry striking 61 (3x4 4x6), M. Yadram 20 and J. Giddings 17.

Bowling for Blairmont Aviskar Sewkarran 3, Narine 2 and Jawahir 2 were the pick of the bowlers. Blairmont in reply raced to 161 for 1 from 26.1 overs with Narine blasting 106 (8x4, 5x6) and Aviskar Sewkarran 29, both finishing unbeaten. (Samuel Whyte)

Barath, Brathwaite head new HPC squad as Beaton and Hemraj included WICB Media - CAVE HILL, Barbados – The West Indies Cricket Board advised on Tuesday that 14 players have been chosen for the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre for the 2013-2014 programme.

Commenting on the announcement, Sagicor WIHPC head coach Graeme West said he was very excited about the prospects of transforming a new group of players.

“Now that I have been in the position at the Sagicor WIHPC for more than 12 months, I feel I’m more

confident about the knowledge of players and understanding of how a talented, young player in the Caribbean develops and is looking to the develop,” he said.

“I’ve also had the benefit of watching some of the players in regional matches and looking to see how we can help them improve for the benefit of cricket at the regional, as well as the international level.”

He added: “We will need to spend some time initially on the players’ skills, fitness and developing their all-

round game before stepping up their preparation to deal with competitive situations.

“The batting in the regional matches is a good example of an area that we can really improve. We have footage of when the players have potentially made some mistakes this year and when they have performed well, and use these as opportunities for instruction.”

The new squad will be encamped from June 1 at the Sagicor WIHPC’s facilities located at the University of the West Indies campus here.

The HPC programme has been broadened to focus The players chosen: more intensely on developing Name of Player (Country ~ Age ~ Playing role) the mental prowess of the Adrian Barath (Trinidad & Tobago ~ 23 ~ Opening batsman) players in addition to the Ronsford Beaton (Guyana ~ 20 ~ Fast bowler) standard rigorous training in Quinton Boatswain (Montserrat ~ 22 ~ Fast bowler) skills development and Kraigg Brathwaite (Barbados ~ 20 ~ Opening batsman) fitness required for high John Campbell (Jamaica ~ 19 ~ Opening batsman) performance athletes.

Chandrapaul Hemraj (Guyana ~ 19 ~ Batsman) The players will also Shai Hope (Barbados ~ 19 ~ Wicketkeeper/batsman) benefit from specialised Akeal Hosein (Trinidad & Tobago ~ 20 ~ All-rounder) training in a number of other Steven Katwaroo (Trinidad & Tobago ~ 20 ~ Wicketkeeper/ areas including their roles as batsman) ambassadors, personal Kyle Mayers (Barbados ~ 20 ~ All-rounder) development, anti-doping, Dalton Polius (St. Lucia ~ 22 ~ All-rounder) anti-corruption and media Raymon Reifer (Barbados ~ 22 ~ All-rounder) skills. The 2013 programme Tyrone Theophile (Dominica ~ 23 ~ Batsman) will conclude in December Hayden Walsh Jr (Antigua & Barbuda ~ 21 ~ Batsman) this year.

The stage is set for the John Deere Golf Classic sponsored by General Equipment Guyana Limited of Mc Doom on Saturday at the Lusignan Golf Club, East Coast Demerara.

Officials are looking forward to a keenly contested tournament as most of the top players will be in action.

Last weekend’s winner Haresh Tewari, who has won two titles recent, will be looking to add another win to his collection but will be hard pressed by a very competitive field. That field will include Avenash Persaud, Jorge Medina, Alfred Mentore, Carlos Adams, Munaff Arjune, Carlos Adams, Patrick Prashad, Gavin Todd, Imran Khan, Andre Cummings, Mohanlall Dinnanauth, Christine Sukhram, Roy Cummings, Fazil Deo, Munaff Arjune, Kassim Khan, Troy Cadogan, Brian Hackett, William Walker, Clifford Reis, Maurice Solomon, Dr. Ramsingh, Robert Hanoman, B. Harry, Mark Lashley, Kishan Bacchus, Dave Mohamed, Chatterpaul Deo, Brian Glasford, Ronald

Bulkan, Fazil Deo, Dr. Philbert London, Muntaz Haniff, Ayude Ali, Colin Ming and Mike Gayadin.

President of the Lusignan Golf Club, Jerome Khan said that the course is in very good condition despite recently inclement weather.

He expressed gratitude to General Equipment Limited for partnering with the Lusignan Golf Club for this prestigious

tournament.

Prizes will be awarded to the top four players with the best net scores as well as Best Gross and Nearest to the Pin hole to be decided by the Club Captain. Khan disclosed that officials including marketing manager Jessica Xavier will be among officials to attend and present prizes to the top players. Tee off is at 12:30 hours.

Karate Referees score 100% on written test For the first time in Trinidad and Tobago first -time candidates in a referee’s course scored 100% in the written test. Cecil Lee Chong, Rodney Ramlal, Rebecca Bhola and Megan Ali all got 100% on both the multiple and T/F parts of the examinations. On May 4th they went on to pass an oral and practical exam. Then again, they were evaluated at the Trinidad and Tobago Karate Federation (TTKF) National Karate Championships on Sunday May 5th for seven hours.

The were tested by TTKF Chief Referee Lex Springer on Command of proper terminology, Ring control, starting and stopping the match, use of gestures and kata guidelines.

The rules are in accordance with the World United Karate Organization (WUKO). For doing so well, Rodney, Rebecca and Megan were promoted to Class C Official, Cecil Lee Chong was promoted to National Judge for Kata and Kumite.

He has been training for two years as a referee. His certificate will be issued by WUKO. Usually referees get their first grade after at least three courses.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday May 16, 2013

MCYS/ NSC/ Al Sport & Tour Promotions Primary Schools Windball Competition

Leeds, No.56, Massiah and Monar among latest winners Students from schools participating in the Berbice Zone of the MCYS/ NSC/ Al Sport & Tour Promotions Primary Schools Windball Competition pose for a photo op recently.

Leeds, No.56, Massiah and Monar are among the latest winners in the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport (MCYS)/ National Sports Commission (NSC) / Al Sport & Tour Promotions 16th Annual Primary Schools

Windball Champions Trophy Competition.

At No. 71 Village GroundBoys: Leeds Primary beat New Market by 14 runs.

Leeds made 44-3 batting first with Andy Rohoman 20

and Ajoy Ramnarine 10, being the principal contributors.

New Market in reply, could only muster 30-7.

A. Rohoman and Enosie Leitch grabbed 2 wickets apiece.

No.56 then eased past

Corriverton by 15 runs.

N0. 56 compiled 58-4.

Ishwar Deo Malley hit 33.

Richard Roopchand picked up 2 wkts. Corriverton in their turn at the crease reached 433 with Ralph Seenarine slamming 31.

Massiah romped to an easy 10 wickets win over No.59.

No. 59 taking first strike closed on 40-6 with Deondre Mc Kenzie scoring 25.

Charran Singh ended with the impressive figures of 5-2 bowling for Massiah.

Chasing 41 for victory, Massiah knocked off the required runs, ending on 42-0 Krishana Jhaman hit 22 and

Gireshwar Persaud 10.

In Girls action: New Market beat Massiah by 9 runs.

New Market 32-4, Abigail Henry 11. Massiah in reply was restricted to 23-5, Terisha Lakeram 10.

Corriverton then defeated No.59 by 2 runs.

Corriverton 28-2, Anastacia Pitman 11. No 59 replied with 26-2.

Over at the National Park in GeorgetownBoys: North Georgetown beat St. Margaret’s by 5 runs.

North Georgetown 47-4.

St. Margaret’s reached 42-8, Malachi Richard 11.

Redeemer squeezed past St. Pius by 2 runs.

Redeemer made 49-3. Michael George topscored with 10.

St. Pius was reduced to 47-3, Joel Edmonds 10.

Monar Educational Institute beat Thomas More by 10 runs.

Monar Educational Institute 62-2, Ashmead Nedd 32, Nicholas Ganesh 18.

Thomas More 52-4, Melroy Mason 15.

West Ruimveldt and defending champions St. Agnes played to an exciting tie.

West Ruimveldt made 27-4, Sachin Singh 12.

St. Agnes 27-5.

MACKESON ‘KEEP YOUR FIVE ALIVE’ CONTINUES AT CALIFORNIA SQUARE TONIGHT The Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ Football tournament will continue tonight at California Square, East Ruimveldt with six games, and six teams qualifying for the next round of a twelve-team knockout following the preliminary competition.

The small goal football competition that is being played under the theme “Your skill, your style, your five, your stout” have moved to several venues in Georgetown and will result in the top unit taking home $300,000 and the runner-up $150,000 in cash prizes.

Trophies are to also accompany all the cash prizes. Six teams have already gone through to the next round.

Another six will join them after tonight’s proceedings and following another night of competition six teams will be left to battle for the cash prizes.

Games tonight will feature Leopold Street ‘B’ against Festival City; Broad Street ‘B’ will take on Vryheid’s Lust Champs; Back Circle battle Berlin; West Front Road play Castillo; Sparta Boss tackle Turkeyen and

Albouystown ‘B’ come up against Rasville ‘A’.

Each game will last for 15 minutes; 7½ minutes per half with no extra time allowed in the preliminary rounds if the game is drawn after regulation time; a penalty shootout will decide the team that moves forward to the next round.

However, extra time will be allowed in the final game; six minutes and three minutes for each of the teams. Teams, and players, were reminded that there will be a zero-tolerance attitude towards issues of indiscipline as the tournament is aimed at development.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Warriors take KKR down with them

Bowling strength propel Mumbai to No.1

Manish Pandey of Pune Warriors India raises his bat after reaching his fifty (BCCI).

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SPNcricinfo - Yusuf Pathan ended his three-year IPL fifty drought, but the day was meant for the end of another barren spell. Pune Warriors won their first match since April 15, which knocked Kolkata Knight Riders out of the tournament. This was their third win in 24 matches, which gave them hope of avoiding the bottom of the table for a second year running.

For a majority of the contest, the match seemed going down the familiar Warriors script. A good start from Aaron Finch and Robin Uthappa, a slowdown after they fall, a middling finish, then a good start with the ball, then a recovery from the opposition, and then Warriors break down. Tonight, though, it was Yusuf, who seemed to have committed the crucial error, getting out obstructing the field when his 72 off 44 had brought his side to needing 23 off 14 balls.

Parnell, who had started well with two

wickets in his first spell, was going through a torrid comeback over - 14 off four balls when he bowled a yorker. The ball was on the pitch but Yusuf took off for the single. Parnell closed in on him while going for the ball, which was also in Yusuf’s path.

Parnell stuck his hands out as he approached Yusuf, who slowed down, possibly because of the contact. Yusuf ended up kicking the ball with the face of his foot open, like footballers do. The umpires, with the help of replays, deemed Yusuf had done so deliberately, and ruled him out.

Yusuf was livid at being given out, and he watched the rest of the match from the stairway to the dressing room, punching the railing at one point. The railing was sturdier than Knight Riders’ lower order, who maaged only 15 further runs. This was the kind of finish you could have attributed to Warriors in the normal (Continued on page 33)

Page 37

Kieron Pollard of Mumbai Indians celebrates after completing a catch to get Shane Watson of Rajasthan Royals out (BCCI).

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SPNcricinfo - On a slightly surreal night, Rahul Dravid lost his cool and shouted at the umpire, Kieron Pollard mocked Shane Watson so much he made him leave the dugout and go into the dressing room, Pollard was run out for the first time in the IPL, Mumbai Indians scored just 34 in the last five overs, but their bowling might won them the match comfortably and all but sealed a place in the top two. Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings now have one more win than Rajasthan Royals, and also a higher net run rate accumulated over 15 matches, which will take some doing to overcome.

Mumbai might not have

finished their innings well despite 59 off 37 balls from Aditya Tare, who had replaced the injured Sachin Tendulkar, but it was their start with the ball that eventually sealed the game.

Two wickets each from Mitchell Johnson and Dhawal Kulkarni reduced Royals to their worst Powerplay score of all time: 29 for 4. Watson wasn’t one of those wickets, but he topedged a Pragyan Ojha long hop before he could cause much damage.

Royals were 58 for 5 in the 10th over when Watson fell but Brad Hodge, held back to No. 8, and Stuart Binny tried to put the chase on track, and even brought the equation down to 38 off three overs. However, Lasith

Spurs whip Warriors, on brink of West final

Manu Ginobili (2nd L) shoots against Draymond Green (L) as Warriors forward David Lee and Spurs centre Tiago Splitter (R) watch. REUTERS/Mike Stone

(Reuters) - The San Antonio Spurs routed visiting Golden State 109-91 on Tuesday to grab a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference second round series.

The Spurs had squandered an eight-point advantage in the fourth quarter of Game Four to let the Warriors even the series, but they much more clinical back at home in the AT&T Center where they only briefly trailed in the first quarter.

Tony Parker recorded 25

points and 10 assists while Tim Duncan had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who will try to close out the series in Game Six on Thursday at Golden State.

Harrison Barnes led the Warriors with 25 points and Jarrett Jack had 20 but Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who had erupted for huge games earlier in the Western Conference semifinal, combined for 13 points and made one three-pointer between them.

Malinga bowled two of those overs and he went for five and eight in them.

Royals could claim similar success with their bowling towards the end of the first innings, but the start wasn’t that good. Mumbai opened with the new pair of Tare and Glenn Maxwell, who weren’t pretty but were effective. After Maxwell for 23 off 17, Tare took over and went after all Royals bowlers without discrimination.

However, he was only 24 off 15 when Dravid dropped a catch at short midwicket. He rubbed it in by pulling Binny over Dravid’s head next ball.

When he finally fell, at 108 for 3 in the 13th over, Tare had set Mumbai up for possibly a score of 200.

Some superb fielding and canny bowling from Royals, including Pollard’s run-out

by Kevon Cooper and James Faulkner’s last two overs for just 11 runs, kept Mumbai down, but not for long.

Having recovered from his poor game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Johnson was creating breakthroughs at the top. In the first over, he might have got Dravid caught at the wicket without the edge, but it was a sharp bouncer nonetheless. Royals continued holding Watson back, and Mumbai kept running through the rest.

When Watson finally arrived, Pollard started talking to him immediately. While Watson seemed furious, Pollard seemed to be laughing almost (Continued on page 33)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday May 16, 2013

Chelsea clinch dramatic Europa League victory over Benfica B

BC Sport Rafael Benitez’s r e i g n a s Chelsea’s interim manager will end in triumph after Branislav Ivanovic’s injury-time header won the Europa League final against Benfica in Amsterdam.

Benitez has proved an unpopular appointment with Chelsea’s supporters but they were celebrating wildly in the Amsterdam Arena as they added this trophy to the Champions League won last season.

Fernando Torres scored against the run of play to put Chelsea ahead on the hour but Oscar Cardozo’s penalty deservedly drew Benfica level.

Blues keeper Petr Cech saved superbly from

Cardozo and Frank Lampard struck the woodwork in a dramatic conclusion before Ivanovic - suspended for last year’s Champions League final - rose to meet Juan Mata’s corner deep into stoppage time to prompt a subdued clenched-first celebration from Benitez.

It was a night when Chelsea rode their luck for periods against their Portuguese opponents but the sheer grit and resilience shown in grinding out this win in their 68th game of the season is a tribute to their reserves of character.

As for Benitez, he will leave Stamford Bridge following Sunday’s final Premier League game against Everton a satisfied and probably in-demand manager after guiding the

Chelsea lift the Europa League after beating Benfica in the final in Amsterdam (Chelsea FC/Press Association)

west Londoners into next season’s Champions League and claiming a major trophy after succeeding Roberto Di Matteo in November.

Benfica, with their greatest ever player Eusebio watching from the stands,

were attempting to lift their European curse and end a 51-year barren sequence but have now lost seven successive European finals, many of their players slumping to the turf in tears at the final whistle.

NACRA Senior Men’s 15’s Championship

Coaching staff pleased with commitment shown by promising young players

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ssistant Coach of the national rugby squad Shane GrantStuart speaking with Kaieteur Sport shortly before the commencement of a practice session, at the National Park yesterday, praised the work ethic and commitment shown by the six young players who remain part of team following the cut from the original 57 players.

Grant-Stuart said the Coaching Staff was extremely pleased with the performance of the players, adding that despite the fact that the squad is still to be reduced further to 22, there are a few who could be tussling with the established players for final selection on the team to face Barbados in the NACRA 15’s Seniors on Saturday, at the National Stadium.

The six players are Kevon David, Grantley Williams, Jacques Archibald, Carl Lewis, Lancelot Adonis and Akeem Fraser.

He informed that they are very promising players who have excelled over the

Carl Lewis

period that the sessions have been conducted, adding that should they stick with the programme it is his feeling they all could have promising careers in the sport.

“They have a whole lot more that they can bring to their game, but we are gradually integrating them into the system,” GrantStuart disclosed.

He said there is no shortage of potential among them and combined with their youth, going forward those are distinct advantages.

Grant-Stuart reckoned that because Guyana does not place 15’s rugby as a priority, it is always going to

Akeem Fraser

Grantley Williams

Lancelot Adonis

Jacques Archibald

be difficult and take some time to get the players to convert from the 7’s to the more traditional format.

The Assistant Coach opined that the game against

Barbados could be a real test for those who survive the cut and should they take to the field, it will be valuable experience for them in their fledgling careers.

India’s July tour to Zimbabwe ‘on hold’

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SPNcricinfo India have put their ODI tour to Zimbabwe that was scheduled for July “on hold”. A BCCI official told ESPNcricinfo that the “fatigue factor”, which will follow the Champions Trophy and a tri-series in the West Indies between June 28 to July 11, was the reason for the board’s decision to put the series on ice.

T h e F u t u r e To u r s Programme had pencilled in three ODIs to be hosted in Zimbabwe but there was talk of that being extended to five. The BCCI has given an assurance it will “respect” its commitment to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and intends for India to travel there at some stage, but it has not set a deadline for taking a call on when to reschedule.

Both ZC and broadcasters SuperSport are unaware of the proposed postponement.

Zimbabwe’s cricketers are under the impression they will start training to compete against India in two weeks’ time, having just completed what Brendan Taylor called a “satisfactory” series against Bangladesh, while a spokesperson for the television production told ESPNcricinfo they had not heard about any reschedule and are “due to host broadcast and transmit the series”. An India no-show will have wide-ranging

consequences for Zimbabwean cricket, most notably financially. ZC is running on close to empty and is in severe debt.

Match fees to some players are still outstanding and there has been no clarity on the scheme for funding franchise cricket next summer.

The cost of hosting Bangladesh in April and early May will not have helped that situation. There are also scheduled tours by Pakistan in August and Sri Lanka in October, for which they will likely make a loss.

Some of the money could have been recovered by the big drawcard of India because of the substantial television rights fees they bring with them. It could also have helped ZC clear some of their outstanding bills. One of them is some of the commentators who worked on the Bangladesh series. They were not paid

by ZC at the time but told they would be reimbursed after the India series.

Another cost they could have thought of covering is putting up the floodlights at Harare Sports Club, something that has been in the works for close to three years. The pylons have stood bare for several years while the lighting units were stuck at customs because ZC was unable to pay the money for their release.

Thursday May 16, 2013

Kaieteur News

Smith, Shillingford top awards list W

ICB Media ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Windward Islands duo Devon Smith and Shane Shillingford again featured prominently on the list of award winners for the Regional 4-Day Tournament, which ended last Saturday in Barbados.

Smith carried away the Sir Vivian Richards award for being the top batsman in the tournament. He gathered 700 runs at an average of 70.00 from 14 innings in seven matches.

The compact, lefthanded opener was similarly the top batsman in the Regional Super50 Tournament which the Windwards won.

He also picked up the Clive Lloyd award for top fielder, having clutched 15 catches.

Off-spinner Shillingford and Jamaica left-arm spinner Nikita Miller shared the Courtney Walsh award for the top bowler in the tournament however, both grabbing 52 wickets.

Like Smith, Shillingford had singularly been the top bowler in the RS50.

Lindon James, a third Windwards player, captured the Jeffrey Dujon award for t o p w i c k e t k e e p e r. H e featured in 27 dismissals, comprising 24 catches and three stumpings.

New champions Barbados produced Miguel Cummins, the West Indies selectors’ choice for the Most Promising Fast Bowler in the tournament.

Cummins, a graduate of the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre, took nine scalps in the Grand Final, propelling the Barbadians to an innings and 101-run victory over old foes Trinidad & Tobago. He finished the season with 35 wickets.

T&T’s Imran Khan earned the Malcolm Marshall award for being the top all-rounder. He scored 234 runs and snared 20 wickets.

Rio Ferdinand: Manchester United defender retires from England

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Pacesetters double-up with Division III League win

Shane Shillingford (right) is one of the top performers

AWARD WINNERS Headley/Weekes Trophy (Champions) Barbados beat Trinidad & Tobago by an innings and 101 runs in the Grand Final Top Batsman: Most Runs – Sir Vivian Richards Award (US $1,500) Devon Smith (Windward Islands) 700 runs Top Bowler: Most Wickets – Courtney Walsh Award (US $1,500) Nikita Miller (Jamaica), Shane Shillingford (Windwards) 52 wickets Top Fielder: Most Catches – Clive Lloyd Award (US $1,500) Devon Smith (Windward Islands) 15 catches Top All-rounder: Malcolm Marshall Award (US $1,500) Imran Khan (Trinidad & Tobago) 234 runs, 20 wickets Top Wicketkeeper: Most Dismissals – Jeffrey Dujon Award (US $1,500) Lindon James (Windward Islands) 27 dismissals (24 catches, 3 stumpings) Most Promising Fast Bowler: Andy Roberts Award (US $1,000) Miguel Cummins (Barbados) 35 wickets

BC Sport E n g l a n d defender Rio Ferdinand has announced his retirement from international football. The Manchester United player, 34, who won 81 caps, said he wants to concentrate on his club career.

“After a great deal of thought, I have decided the time is right to retire from international football,” he said. England manager Roy Hodgson said: “To have captained his country, and to play at three World Cups, marks him out among a very special group of players.”

Page 39

Ferdinand has not played for England since a Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland in June 2011.

He was recalled by Hodgson for the World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro in March, but later withdrew because of a “pre-planned fitness programme”.

Ferdinand helped Manchester United regain the Premier League title and was voted in to the Professional Footballers’ Association’s team of the year by his peers.

“I feel it is right for me to stand aside and let the

younger players come through, which allows me to concentrate on my club career,” added the former West Ham and Leeds centreback.

“The team looks in great shape and there is an influx of young, talented players coming through the ranks, which bodes well for the future. “I regard it as a great honour and a privilege to have represented my country at every level from Under17s upwards.

“I have always been very proud to play for England. I would like to wish Roy and (Continued on page 33)

Coach Robert ‘Bobby’ Cadogan (standing, left) pose with his victorious Division III team after it was confirmed that they are the GABA League winners.

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rinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters, after claiming the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Division I League title last month with a 7-1 win loss record, also took the Division III League with a dominant 10-0 record.

It means that combined, Pacesetters had dropped only

one in 18 games that gave Coach, Robert ‘Bobby’ Cadogan an astonishing 17-1 record with his Division I and III teams at the beginning of the 2013 season.

The Division III League will conclude on Friday when the Guyana Defence Force takes on the Plaisance Guardians and Pepsi Sonics play West Side Jammers.

The games will determine those teams that will finish third and fourth respectively.

Buxton Heat secured the second spot in the Georgetown Division III League with its 7-3 record.

Following the completion of the League, the GABA is mulling a Playoff among the four teams that finished at the top of both Leagues.

Carib aboard KMTC Independence Meet

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nsa McAl under its Carib Beer brand has trumped up sponsorship f o r t h e K e n n a r d ’s Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) Independence Horserace Meet at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, which will be held on Sunday.

The Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) organised competition will give horseracing fans a special treat when they witness Justice Cecil Kennard (left) of KMTC and GHRA some of the nation’s best receives the sponsorship cheque from Public thoroughbreds competing for lucrative Relations at Ansa McAl, Darshanie Yussuf yesterday. cash prizes and trophies.

“This is the third year that No stranger to I n a s i m p l e presentation held at Ansa C a r i b B e e r w i l l b e horseracing, Justice Cecil McAL Trading Ltd Head sponsoring the event and it’s Kennard of KMTC reiterated Office, Beterverwagting, because of the growth that we his gratitude for the effort to Public Relations Officer, have witnessed that we support meet, extolling Ansa Darshanie Yussuf, said that c o n t i n u e t o l e n d o u r McAL and Carib Beer, and the company did not hesitate support to ensure that this assuring that all efforts will to offer sponsorship for the sport gains the recognition be made to ensure that the meet because of its continued that it deserves,” Yussuf company receives value for indicated. their sponsorship. growth over the years.

t r o Sp WEST INDIES FULLBORE SHOOTING C/SHIPS LONG RANGE TEAM MATCH

Guyanese marksmen retain title in testing conditions

The triumphant Guyana Fullbore shooting team proudly fly the Golden Arrowhead and scoreboard after retaining the Milex Long Range Cup in Barbados.

Chelsea lift the Europa League after beating Benfica in the final in Amsterdam (Chelsea FC Press Association)

Chelsea clinch dramatic Europa League victory over Benfica

Pacesetters double-up 31P. with B/ball Division III League win Smith, Shillingford capture top awards Beaton and Hemraj included in HPC squad

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