Thursday Edition
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Price $80 May 24, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 20 (VAT Inclusive) Online: http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
Govt. going to court over OP budget cuts Pg 3
The sign ‘Enter at your own risk’ says it all
A road in Diamond
Fire destroys Stepfather injures Two senior govt. Diamond 10-yr-old for eating engineers axed for Cemetery property last piece of fish - blamed Road death bridge Pg 13
Pg 6
Pg 2
Govt. buying 33 bulls for $26M Pg 6
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Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Stepfather injures 10-year-old for eating last piece of fish Concerned neighbours in Perai Square, East La Penitence, rescued a 10-yearold boy Tuesday after he received a sound thrashing from his stepfather for eating the last piece of stew fish. The 10-year-old boy and his eight-year-old sister were being kept at a neighbour’s house until the mother came home. Residents said that the child ran from his home screaming and begging for
assistance when the blows from the cable became too much for him. The child said that his stepfather would usually beat him in such a manner causing him to sustain injuries. He also said that at times his step dad would beat him and his siblings in front of their mother but she would save them. The 10-year-old told this publication that his mother had prepared stew fish and rice for the household before going to work. He said he became hungry and ate a piece of the stew fish. When his stepfather saw that the food was eaten he became enraged and turned to the cable wire to discipline the child. The neighbours told Kaieteur News that the mother works at the Stabroek Market where she owns a stall and would not always be around. It is also understood that the stepfather does not
live with the mother and her children. It was further alleged that the stepfather promised to kill the children. Neighbours were very angry over the incident and were requesting the intervention of the authorities. One woman said, “He lucky I am a child of God, or I would go to him myself and squeeze the life out of him. No one should treat a child like this, no matter what they do,� the neighbour opined. The residents were also upset that almost half an hour after calling the police, no one had showed up, not even ranks from the East La Penitence Police Station which is located a few corners away. The residents are calling on authorities from the Child Protection Agency (CPA) and other relevant organisations to look into the matter.
Injuries the 10-year-old received from the cable
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 3
Govt. going to court over OP budget cuts - Luncheon says President’s office crippled The government yesterday announced that it is moving to the High Court to reverse a decision of the Parliament to cut off key financing to the Presidential Secretariat, crippling the office of President Donald Ramotar. “This has severely compromised the ability of the President to discharge his constitutional obligations,” said Dr Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat. While the bulk of the cuts affect low carbon projects the government is pursuing, presidential advisors are among 122 workers at the Presidential Secretariat who risk losing their jobs, Dr
Luncheon told reporters at his weekly post-Cabinet news briefing. One month ago, the opposition controlled legislature voted to cut the 2012 budget by $20 billion. The spending that directly affects the President’s office amounts to some $300 million. “It has essentially stripped the president of advisory services, such advisory services provided by Cabinet, the Defence Board, Press and Publicity, protocol, climate change et cetera. These cuts are both on employment cost and other charges,” Luncheon stated. He blasted the opposition for putting the Presidential office in such “dire”
circumstances, calling it “common sense at its lowest.” “As a consequence, Cabinet has decided to have these actions by the parliamentary opposition alliance judicially reviewed,” Luncheon stated. The opposition parties have said that they would be willing to reverse the budget cuts once their conditions are satisfied, but Luncheon was not optimistic. ‘Why the hell would you do something that you have to undo?” Early last month, Chief Justice Ian Chang dismissed
a case by the government in which it sought to reverse the opposition’s move to change the composition of Parliamentary oversight committees. The Chief Justice ruled that the court cannot inquire or interfere in the proceedings of the legislature. On November 28, Guyanese voted in national elections that gave the opposition a one-seat majority in the 65-seat legislature. This is the first time in the country’s postindependence history that a government in office does not control Parliament. Guyana celebrates its 46th Independence anniversary
President Donald Ramotar Saturday. Chairman of the Alliance for Change Khemraj Ramjattan brushed aside the
court challenge. He said that it was meant as a distraction for the criticisms of National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). NICIL oversees several state corporations and is responsible for government investments. ‘They are masters of the art of distracting from the real issues and so they would want us to talk about court case and all of that,” Ramjattan stated. ‘If we do that (cut the budget) what is so unconstitutional about it; so our vote in parliament by 33 members is an illegal vote, is that what they gonna carry us to court for?” Ramjattan asked.
Baby succumbs three days after Lethem businessman mother dies in childbirth released on bail
Lethem businessman John Macedo was placed on station bail yesterday as police continue their investigation into allegations of rape made by a 17-year-old schoolgirl. Macedo was arrested on Tuesday, four days after the alleged act was committed. Crime Chief Seelall Persaud yesterday confirmed that the businessman was on bail and the investigations are continuing. He said that the businessman, who was once a top executive of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was not brought to the city as was previously reported. According to reports, the girl was on her way to school when the businessman offered her a ride in his vehicle. She was taken to an undisclosed location where she and the businessman engaged in sex. The girl’s father who reportedly saw when she was picked up by the businessman went to her school to see if she was taken there and was surprised when he found out that she was not. He waited and eventually saw when the businessman brought the teenager to school.
John Macedo When the father questioned her, the teenager was reluctant to speak about what had happened. However, she later confided in some concerned adults and this led to the police being brought into the matter. The businessman was arrested and despite his denial, he was placed into custody pending charges.
The family of Chitrawattie Ramjiwan, called “Nadira”, the woman who died in childbirth last Friday on her way to the New Amsterdam hospital, is devastated, heartbroken and peeved, even more so since the baby has also succumbed. The baby died on Monday at the Georgetown Public Hospital. The family wants answers and justice and feels that they are not getting any. The 20-year-old woman of Lot 53 Cotton Tree village, West Coast Berbice, and formerly of Black Bush Corentyne, Berbice died on Friday after she gave birth to her second child. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the New Amsterdam hospital after she was transferred there from the Fort Wellington Hospital after she encountered difficulties during delivery while giving birth to the child who has since died. A post mortem performed
… family not allowed to witness PM on the body on Wednesday at the New Amsterdam hospital gave the cause of death as shock and hemorrhage. However relatives stated that they are not pleased, since they were not allowed to witness the post mortem. They stated that they found that strange. They said that they were just told that she died from shock and hemorrhage, but don’t know shock and hemorrhage from what. They are sensing a cover up and believe something is not right. They are calling on the relevant authorities, including the Minister of Health, the Prime Minister and
President to assist them in getting justice in the matter. According to the woman’s husband, Lall Ramjiwan, 28, a factory worker at the Blairmont Estate, he is devastated, heartbroken and distressed and sad to lose his healthy wife and baby in one blow. He had told Kaieteur News that his wife took in with labour pains and was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital where she went into labour. He had stated that his wife encountered a lot of difficulties in delivering the baby. “Despite her efforts the baby was not coming out. She actually gave up, until the
baby finally born.” He stated that he was present and was told by the medical staff that the baby had a 50/ 50 chance of surviving. He had said that his wife was bleeding and after a while he was told that his wife and child will have to be transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital for further medical attention. The man, whose other child, Amrita is one year old, further said that he was told that his wife was pronounced dead on arrival at the New Amsterdam hospital. The family and a few organisations are calling on the authorities for a full investigation into the woman’s death.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday May 24, 2012
Letters... Where your views make the 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
A threat to invoke the courts, again The courts are going to be kept pretty busy if a recent announcement by the Secretary to the Cabinet, Dr Roger Luncheon, is anything to go by. The courts have already been asked to rule on a move by the parliament to change the composition of the Parliamentary Committee of Selection. It was not an overtly long challenge in the courts given the fact that sessions were held rather promptly. This issue is not yet determined because the government says that it is going to challenge the initial ruling in the Court of Appeal. None can fault the decision because even in the field of medicine the patient always tries to seek a second opinion. It has always been a norm in the court for the victim who feels that he or she is wronged to seek another opinion and the forum for that opinion is achieved by way of an appeal. So the initial ruling on the Parliamentary committee change is to be challenged. Parliament also applied the knife to some sections of the national budget on the grounds that the explanation for the funds was not clear. We do know that in any part of the world public funds are always subjected to the most rigid scrutiny in a democracy. Guyana is no different. The enforced scrutiny may be different because of the difference in the composition of the parliament. In the past, given the control that the government would exert by virtue of its majority in the House, some of the things that are now making headlines would have been ignored because the opposition knew that its serious arguments would have been futile. The media would merely report on the debate, refusing to take one position or the other. There is always sympathy for the underdog and parliamentary oppositions have always been seen as the underdogs. This time around, the so-called underdogs hold the majority in parliament in a new dispensation that sees a minority government in Guyana for the first time in its post independence history. The result is that many of the things that the government would have wanted to institute and would have instituted had it held the majority, are now challenged. This year there have been cuts to the national budget and the government says that these cuts have stymied some of the very things that it wanted to execute. But the move to the courts is not intended to challenge the cuts in every area. It is to challenge the cuts as these affect the president from performing his duties. Surely, the constitution gives the executive wide-ranging powers and it stipulates that no pillar of the government should encroach on the powers of the executive. Already the government is of the view that the opposition is operating out of spite and that its decisions are irrational. This is the message that it is taking around the country and even overseas. People are listening. The government says that some of the listening people have condemned these cuts. They may have prompted the move to the courts. That being said, courts are generally the avenue of last resort. All other avenues must be explored before there is a resort to the courts. For example, the government could return to the parliament and seek to resolve the issue. The parliamentary opposition has said that it is prepared to review the cuts provided the explanations for the funds are clear and certainly not contradictory. One would expect that the government would therefore modify the explanations and return to the National Assembly. The government says that it is apprehensive given that the very National Assembly had refused a supplementary vote on some issues. The very apprehensive government is going back to the parliament to seek a reversal of the vote on the supplementary budget. We suppose that if there is indeed a reversal then the government may postpone its move to the courts.
What’s the fuss about Asst Com. David Ramnarine’s posting? DEAR EDITOR, Hard as I try, I really can’t see what the fuss is about Assistant Commissioner (AC) David Ramnarine’s posting to the Department of Development (DoD). If indeed the GPF is moving the in the direction of a modern police force, then I can only applaud a very tactical move in placing Mr. Ramnarine in what is undoubtedly a very strategic position. I took a look at the GPF (draft) Strategic Plan 20102015 and noted that its key priorities over the five-year period include advancing modernization around five core areas of development namely, people, performance, partnerships, infrastructure and operational priorities. If those priorities do not fall within the ambit of the DoD, not to mention the intellectual capacity of Ramnarine, then I don’t know what is. But I need to repeat something I said eighteen years ago when I remarked somewhat presumptuously to my fellow newly promoted gazetted officers, among whom was Ramnarine, that “some will call your assertive style arrogant and abrasive, but you must stand by your convictions.” I agree with the thinking of a former senior police commander who recently said to me that what the GPF needs is more officers who are willing to turn adversity in its myriad guises into events which define their character. My personal gem, shared by my late drill instructor Sergeant ‘Jack’ Elvis, was that one should be like a cork which bobs back to the water’s surface when the hand is removed. When I examined the role that a DoD can play in reshaping the police service, I can more readily conclude that we are in good hands under David Ramnarine’s stewardship, particularly in light of the criticisms from upstanding citizens in recent times. In that regard, I would just like to refer to a letter I wrote during 2010 which suggested that in a vehicle stop for a traffic violation situation which is the more common police-citizen contact, law traffic officers could use an approach called ‘verbal judo’ which is taught to police officers in the U.S. and which was developed by Dr George Thompson, a former police officer and professor of English. Such an approach, using pre-determined steps and scripted phrases, has been
considered highly effective in that it deflects insults, shows empathy, and gains compliance without the attendant aggravation to which we have grown accustomed. Of course, in the face of actions and attitudes which obstruct the officer in the efficient execution of his/her duties, it requires no stretch of the imagination to see the likely outcome of policecitizen encounter. If we are to be fair then we need to accept that some scions in society are not averse to flaunting their importance in the face of ‘hapless’ police ranks and threatening them with everything but eternal damnation. Imagine - if you will, that I am a policeman with barely enough secondary education under my belt to muddle through life, combined with an (un)healthy dose of ‘ignorance’, coming into contact with these people. Obviously the outcome would depend on your commanding officer ’s strength of professional conviction or lack thereof. Therefore, I do believe that the DoD in conjunction with the Felix Austin Police College (FAPC) could probably do a bit of research on the efficacy of verbal judo and its impact on policepublic interactions at traffic
stops and other engagements. I believe that the DoD can play a more meaningful role in the GPF’s development if its (DoD) occupants move beyond seeing themselves as victims of a repressive and archaic unwritten punishment policy. There is the anecdote that after realising that the 1996 posting of an officer to the arguably notorious Tactical Services Unit was not getting the desired results (i.e. a broken and penitent individual) because he was using his off-duty to teach academic subjects to, and encouraging the personal development of junior ranks, the administration of the GPF decided to upgrade the punishment by transferring him to Berbice. The products I can see resulting from the DoD’s input under AC Ramnarine are not exhaustive, and include a defined and more realistic leadership/succession planning process which puts paid to the whole recycling idea, alleviate potential issues of stagnation and develop the operational and strategic capacity to maintain a seamless transition. Next could be the development of support services to officers and ranks which address issues that could affect the efficient and effective conduct of their
duties, including coping with organizational change; relationships and family issues; emotional stress; health, wellness and lifestyle issues; trauma and critical incidents; stress with work; career issues; alcohol and substance misuse; and coaching and mentoring for subordinate officers and officers. Another area which is of major concern to me has to do with the need for a fair and an open method of personal and professional capacity development of officers and other ranks through a range of education and training, secondments, and clear operational career path guidelines to enhance the members’ skills and abilities and contribute to the future resource needs of the department. The DoD can contribute to the design of a performance planning and review policy aimed at linking the evaluation and development of individual performance with the goals and objectives of the GPF, thus creating an environment which allows for the development of the full potential of its members for the benefit of all citizens. Finally, although the strategic risks are described in the GPF plan, I observed no risk mitigation factors. Patrick E. Mentore
Kaieteur News got this one wrong! DEAR EDITOR, One of the enduring qualities of human beings is their ability to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. All philosophies are built on this fundamental principle. As such, I felt Kaieteur News did a wrong and injustice to itself with its publication of the story “German citizen claims police brutality” which was published on the 13th May, 2012. The wrong I see here is that Kaieteur News presented Mrs. Hahn’s story only. In the article, no attempt was made to get the views of Mrs. Hahn’s neighbour, who happens to be the parents of the Minister of Housing and Water. Surely, an attempt should have been made to get a comment from the complainant’s neighbour, especially since she has labeled them as ‘power drunk’. If this was not possible then maybe an attempt could have been made to get a comment from some eyewitness. By presenting the views of the complainant only, the article is subjective rather than objective. It paints a picture rather than present facts. This goes against the principles of journalism. This picture is further exacerbated by the use of the highly irregular verb (in usage) ‘sandwiched’. The suggestion is that Mrs. Hahn is a tiny quantity being squashed together by two enormous forces: that of Minister Ali and his parents. I may be wrong in my interpretation but that’s not the issue. The fact that I can come to such an interpretation is indicative that the language used is inappropriate. Reading the article, one got the impression that Kaieteur
News was more intent on presenting another instance of the excesses of the PPP/C Ministers of Government. By taking such a slant, the seriousness of Mrs. Hahn’s apparent abuse at the hands of Police Officers is lost. Through this article, I think Kaieteur News did significant injustice to itself. I believe a more thorough investigation should have been done. This newspaper is known and respected for its thoroughness. One wonders why a more detailed investigation was not undertaken before publication especially if it was going to be a front page article. We need to remember that those who are often cited for excesses can have excesses perpetuated against them. I feel objective journalism was absent from the article identified. As a reader of this newspaper, I am disappointed by the slant taken, especially since so many other issues are involved, including alleged abuse by members of the Police Force. Rather than slanting this as an excess of another Government Minister, Kaieteur News should have attempted to answer who, what, when, where, how and most importantly why, in relation to the alleged incident. Mohammed S. Hussain EDITOR’S NOTE: Subsequent to the publication of Mrs Hahn’s report, a Ms Bibi Hussain submitted a letter which made the same complaints you are making and which was published in the same vein, without double checking with Mrs Hahn. This is therefore the second critique that we would be publishing and we do so without hesitation.
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
A Tribute to Sonia Noel
DEAR EDITOR, I can recall in my senior year at high school my Literature teacher called me an “egotistical chauvinistic pig”. This was the new phrase that became synonymous to my name. In every genre of Literature that dealt with the theme of women, I did always find a way of presenting women as inferior to men. I never believed in the word equality much less the sovereignty of women. Today, all of that has changed. I would like to salute all women in this country, and the world at large, for their unsurpassed contributions to the development of our civilization. For the past couple of weeks, I have been taking a special interest in the works of our own, Sonia Noel. I was moved deep in my spirit having read and listened to many stories from my peers of how much her works have inspired them. Many women and men are today living their dreams because of this great daughter of the soil. The debate of equality is pertinent to our present-day discourse of the empowerment of women. This subjective truth I infer is indelibly a new indulgence that marks the emancipation of Guyanese women. Allow me the opportunity to elucidate on my concept of the term “the free woman”. I have seen the unfolding revolutionary consciousness of Sonia’s fast-paced
transformation. This cognisance that eventually establishes itself in her work is tantamount to the free woman that aims at transforming not only the fashion industry in Guyana, but also the way in which women are most times perceived by men. This year’s theme for the Model Search and Designer Portfolio of focusing on Domestic Violence presents the Cultural Revolution that has envisioned her work. A revolution that bears the redemptive potential that can bring about the much needed change that we desperately seek as it relates to curbing the high spate of domestic abuse that plagues our country. The emancipation of my perception from deeply internalized egotistical and chauvinistic propensities is testimony to the positive work this designer has been doing. Congratulations Miss Sonia Noel for your startling contribution to Guyana. On behalf of all the people in Guyana, I would like to say thank you, for the work you have started, and continue to be the beacon and pioneer of women in our beautiful country. Guyana, I urge you to support all of the social and cultural programs that are positively effecting good changes in the life of our people, especially our youths. Samuel Sandy
An unmistaken conflict of interest DEAR EDITOR, The Attorney General (AG)’s attempt to defend Mr. Brassington is inappropriate and untenable. Mr. Brassington clearly placed himself in an unmistaken conflict of interest situation when he purportedly acted for his brother in procuring and disposing of shares. Mr. Brassington’s contention that he was advised that there was no conflict of interest in his dealings is simply unacceptable, since a senior official in the position of Mr. Brassington ought to know that he was placing himself in a conflict position. Any senior official, be it in the public sector or private sector, who fails to recognise such clear conflict of interest, does not deserve to hold that office. Assuming for a moment that there was no conflict of interest, the appearance of a conflict or the potential for a conflict is more than enough to have precluded Mr. Brassington from dealing with and acting on behalf of his brother. The perception of bias and the perception of a conflict is just as important as a real and apparent conflict or bias.
The reported details of the conflict of interest issue is more than enough for the police, the auditor general and the respective parliamentary committee to commence separate independent investigations. If and when either the police and/or the auditor general announce their decision to commence an investigation, the President should publicly support such independent investigation and refrain from commenting further until the results of the investigations are disclosed. The President should also encourage his Ministers to do the same. If this happens, the President will no doubt see his popularity increase, as he will be sending a clear message that actual and perceived corruption will not be tolerated. The President would also be sending a clear message that he supports the independence of the police and the auditor general and he would not interfere with
their independence if they decide to investigate. It is also imperative for the government to agree for either the Public Accounts Committee or the Finance Committee, if there is one, to conduct its own hearings on NICIL where Dr. Ashni Singh, in his capacity as Finance Minister and Chair of the NICIL Board, may be called to explain the circumstances surrounding the NICIL affair. The AG may also have to appear and explain the legal basis for his purported advice to Mr. Brassington that no conflict of interest exists. It may yet turn out that no such advice was rendered to Mr. Brassington. In a functional democracy facing a similar situation, the government of the day would have requested an investigation, or formed a commission of inquiry to hold hearings, as well as allow the relevant parliamentary committee to conduct its own hearings. The Guyanese people deserve no less. Oudit N. Rai
There are just too many things amiss in our 42-year-old town DEAR EDITOR, On Thursday May 3rd, last, there was a prolonged downpour in Linden that once again caused a flood. Definitely, it was not the first and will not be the last; for none of us can dare dictate to Mother Nature. Heavy rains have been with us since time immemorial, and residents of the Town of Linden can attest to many such experiences; of gutters overflowing and streets/ roads being flooded. However, the difference is: during the days of Mackenzie and into the early years of Linden - which superseded the name Mackenzie – a prolonged downpour was like heaven sent to most of us boys then; the entire watery landscape was transferred into an aquatic playfield. We longed for it, since it provided a special form of entertainment for us. Not only did we have fun bathing in the rain, but once the gutters, streets and playfields were flooded, it stimulated us and provided the energy and excitement for various kinds of water sports. We instantly became creative; all sorts of sailing vessels were made, using as our track the gutters of crystal clear water to propel them. We played football in the streets and fields using plastic footballs. We played water war and other athletics to the delight of parents, elders and all else, who looked on from their homes or shelter without the least thought or fear of us being infected by dirty gutter water. But rest assured that within half an hour after the rain ceased, you could have seen the roads/fields, and the water in the drains, though still high, was moving at a rapid rate as if behind time that’s when the excitement in boat racing was most hyped. I mentioned all the above to make the point and for us to get the picture of the quality and effectiveness of
our drainage system then main drains, culverts, access drains; all an intricate, interlocking combination that kept the community healthy and smart looking, and prevented roads from constantly deteriorating. Today the situation is crazy, lousy, scandalous, and far from the above, thus it begs the question: why is it so. Is it, as they say, rocket science, and too tall an order for the Town’s technical team/ engineers? What on earth can it be? The situation seems to be getting worse. About a year ago I questioned if we have sightless people overseeing our interest or whether it is not their interest. And I need to repeat once again that in spite of all the hundreds of millions boasted about that was spent on drainage, there hasn’t been any positive effects in preventing floods, it is just as if nothing was done, since anything more than a drizzle puts the Town under water. It is the same old same, and someone in authority who cares, needs to speak out very loud. The downpour which I mentioned earlier was no play, it was one of its kind in a very long time, still if our drainage network was functioning well, things would not have been that terrible. This situation in this Town that has just finished celebrating its 42nd birthday is totally irritating. Is this the way a Town is kept? By the way, the garbage left around after the Town Week celebrations was a main ingredient and chief culprit that took advantage of the heavy rain and contributed to the horrible ugly spectacle.
Seriously, I suggest that there be a public meeting where residents, young and old, who have some knowledge of the drainage system, along with the Town engineers and all other relevant personnel meet, with the main purpose of restoring an effective drainage network for the sake of our health and safety of children. The condition of roads in this Town are abominable; newly-built roads hardly last beyond six months! Our community/region is frighteningly infested with mosquitoes of almost every type, which has never ever been experienced in the past. I further suggest that the covers of those drains recently built and which serve little or no use, be lifted so that the drains can be properly cleaned and be re-examined. It is a shame that residents and senior functionaries stood by and observed the drains being covered without first being cleaned. There is a technical person who told me that he pointed out to the Clerk of Works’ senior personnel, and also the contractor, a number of defects that would have negative results, all to no avail. It is time that this community wakes up from its slumber, avoids and dismisses all the clap-trap, hypocrisy and piffle, and recognizes as well as understands things for what they are and the direction in which we are heading. There are just too many things amiss in this 42-yearold Town; too many games being played, hence too many wrongs that seem stubbornly rooted. Frank Fyffe
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Kaieteur News
Thursday May 24, 2012
Govt. buying 33 Two senior government bulls for $26 million engineers axed The government yesterday announced that it is buying 33 bulls for a price of $26 million. The bulls are being imported from Florida and would be used as part of a programme to boost beef exports. The announcement was made by Dr Roger Luncheon. The spending means that one bull would cost some $800,000. The particular bulls being bought are of the species Brahman, Beef Master and Brangus. The bulls are commonly used for breeding and meat purposes. The bulls are being imported under the Agriculture Diversification Programme (ADP). The programme is intended to contribute to the increase of Guyana’s export growth rate and reduce its volatility.
- blamed for Cemetery Road death bridge
A red Brahman bull In this regard, the programme was designed to establish services and institutions for a sustainable increase in the income derived from the export of nontraditional agricultural exports in the aquaculture, fruits and vegetables, and livestock
sub-sectors. At the end of the five-year Inter-A m e r i c a n Development Bank (IDB) funded Programme the government expects to move meat exports from US$60,000 to US$7.2 million.
April Fools Regent Street fire was no accident - Fire Chief Almost two months after the devastating Regent Street fire on April 1, last, which saw millions of dollars going up in flames, the Guyana Fire Service has submitted the completed report to the Guyana Police Force. According to Fire Chief Marlon Gentle, the report was submitted to him and based on the findings the fire was a clear case of arson. According to Gentle, their investigation revealed that the fire started at the eastern side of the building, near a stairway. He added too that there was evidence of a door at the stairway that was prised opened. “All our findings point to arson and our findings also show that it was through that door that the person or persons went and used some sort of flammable device.” Gentle said the detailed report has been submitted to
the police who will carry out their own investigations. An early morning fire on April 1, last, at Regent and Wellington Streets, Lacytown, Georgetown, razed several stores housed in the Jaigobin Rajkumar Building operated by several Indian nationals, and resulted in millions of dollars in losses. The fire, ripped through Dilip’s Variety Store and scorched Raf’s Variety Store. The other stores, operated mostly by Indian nationals, were owned by a Guyanese. Smart Choice Stores were left water-soaked. The affected stores, Dilip’s Variety Store, Akash Variety Store, Prakash Discount Store, Manu’s Variety Store and Monty’s Variety Store, were housed in the same building located opposite the GUYOIL Gas Station. Meanwhile, the Fire Chief
said that so far for the year there have been 28 reported cases of arson compared to 36 for the same period last year. He however noted that while there has been a slight decrease, fire of any nature is a concern to the fire department. He noted that it has been found that most of the properties that were deliberately set afire are those in disputes or are in lengthy court battles. It has also been found that there are numerous incidents of vehicles being set afire as well, most of which are as a result of deliberate attempts. So far for this year there have been seven vehicular fires as compared to six for the same period last year. According to the Fire Chief, in most of these cases the fires were set to the vehicles because of insurance frauds.
Government has reportedly terminated the contracts of two senior engineers following the death of a teen earlier this month on Cemetery Road, Georgetown. Senior Head of the Works Services Group (WSG), Rickford Lowe, and engineer Leon Goring of the Ministry of Public Works, were reportedly sent off a few weeks ago. They recently received letters from the Ministry which gave them one month’s notice each that their contracts were being terminated. While Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn, yesterday declined to comment, well placed sources have indicated that the decisions by the Ministry are linked to a bridge on Sussex and Savage Streets, Cemetery Road which claimed the life of 16-year-old Elbert Thorne after a dangerous hole in the road sent the car he was travelling into a nearby trench. There were reportedly several other incidents
WSG’s Head, Rickford Lowe
Engineer, Leon Goring around the same period at that particular spot. Residents had blocked the bridge in protest, citing its danger to the public. Government has since started works to repair the bridge. When contacted, Lowe declined to comment on the issue yesterday. However, this newspaper was told by a Public Works official that while roads across the country fall under that Ministry, smaller works
like repairs and maintenance would be the responsibility of the City Council or the Neighbourhood Democratic Council, depending on the location. In the case of the problematic bridge at Cemetery Road, there was no immediate direction to WSG to start repairs. However, other senior Public Works officials are contending that WSG is tasked with monitoring the conditions of the country’s roads and effecting emergency repairs when the need arises. Lowe would have served in excess of 30 years with government and was under contract. Kaieteur News was unable to contact Goring.
Shuttle service being set up to ease public transport woes The government is looking to encourage the setting up of shuttle cooperatives to ease public transportation woes to the giant housing schemes that have been set up along the coast. The initiative is being taken as passengers continue to complain about being ripped off by mini-bus operators. In addition, hundreds of passengers are left stranded on the roads for hours because of the unavailability of buses. To get to Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, one of the largest housing schemes set
up, the normal transportation fare is $200. However, in the nights when buses are hard to get, passengers are asked to pay $300, $400 and even $500 at times if they want to get home. This has continued despite numerous complaints. Yesterday, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon said the government is inclined to establish a shuttle service for large settlement communities. “This will cater for buses to be provided to transportation cooperatives whose creation would be
encouraged, and for them to benefit from cuts in taxis, for the importation of these vehicles and also for them to function in an acceptable context with the rest of the public transport system,” Dr. Luncheon said. The Ministry of Finance had announced the reduction of the excise tax on gasoline from 15 percent to 10 percent, a move that has made a significant dent in tax revenues, hence allowing GuyOil to continue to retail gasoline at a cost of $980 per gallon resulting in no increase in public transportation fares.
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Eurozone looks at Greek exit as leaders meet BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European leaders, at odds over how to resolve the deepening crisis in the euro zone yesterday, have been advised by senior officials to prepare contingency plans in case Greece quits the single currency area. Three officials told Reuters the instruction to be ready was agreed on Monday during a teleconference of the Eurogroup Working Group (EWG) - experts who work for the bloc’s finance ministers - and the German central bank said losing Greece would be testing but “manageable”. “The EWG agreed that each euro zone country should prepare a contingency plan, individually, for the potential consequences of a Greek exit from the euro,” said one euro zone official. The Greek finance ministry denied there was any such agreement but Belgian Finance Minister Steven Vanackere, asked by reporters ahead of the EU summit, said: “All the contingency plans (for Greece) come back to the same thing: to be responsible as a government is to foresee even what you hope to avoid.” The news comes at a highly sensitive time
with EU leaders gathering to try to breathe life into their struggling economies at a summit over dinner yesterday. Although minds will be focused by the prospect of Greece leaving the currency area, something EU leaders insist they want to avoid, disagreements over a plan for mutual euro zone bond issuance and other measures to alleviate two years of debt turmoil have already been laid bare. In its monthly report, Germany’s Bundesbank said the situation in Greece was “extremely worrying” and it was jeopardizing any further financial aid by threatening not to implement reforms agreed as part of its two bailouts. It said a euro exit would pose “considerable but manageable” challenges for its European partners, raising pressure on Athens to keep its painful economic reforms on track. Greek officials have said that without outside funds, the country will run out of money within two months and there remains the threat that if it crashes out of the euro zone, other member states could be targeted by the markets.
Pakistani doctor jailed for helping CIA find bin Laden PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani authorities have sentenced a doctor accused of helping the CIA find Osama bin Laden to 33 years in jail on charges of treason, officials said, a move almost certain to further strain ties between Washington and Islamabad. Shakil Afridi was accused of running a fake vaccination campaign, in which he collected DNA samples, that is believed to have helped the American intelligence agency track down bin Laden in a Pakistani town. The al Qaeda chieftain was killed in a unilateral U.S. Special Forces raid in the town of Abbottabad in May last year. “Dr Shakil has been sentenced to 33 years imprisonment and a fine of 320,000 Pakistani rupees ($3,477),” said Mohammad Nasir, a government official in the northwestern city of Peshawar, where the jail term will be served. He gave no further details. Afridi is the first person to be sentenced by Pakistani authorities in the bin Laden case. The sentence was handed down under tribal laws, which unlike the national penal code, do not carry the death penalty for treason. U.S. officials were strongly critical of the sentencing. “Without commenting on specific individuals, anyone who helped the United States find bin Laden was working
Shakil Afridi against al Qaeda and not against Pakistan,” said Pentagon spokesman George Little. Bin Laden’s long
presence in Pakistan — he was believed to have stayed there for years — despite the worldwide manhunt for him raised suspicions in Washington that Pakistani intelligence officials may have sheltered him. Pakistani officials deny this and say an intelligence gap enabled bin Laden to live here undetected. No one has yet been charged for helping the al Qaeda leader take refuge in Pakistan. A government commission tasked with investigating how he managed to evade capture by Pakistani authorities for so long is widely accused of being ineffective.
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Iran’s Ahmadinejad to visit as China slams new sanctions BEIJING (Reuters) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit China in June for a security summit and discuss his country’s disputed nuclear programme with Chinese President Hu Jintao, a senior diplomat said yesterday, criticizing new sanctions aimed at Iran. Ahmadinejad will be attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting hosted by Beijing in June, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping told reporters at a briefing. The SCO is a regional security forum that groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and which Iran is attending as an observer. The summit will likely be overshadowed by the presence of Ahmadinejad, whose country is at the centre of a standoff with the West over its nuclear programme. “Certainly, during his meeting with President Hu, the Iran nuclear issue will be an important talking point,” Cheng said. Ahmadinejad’s visit to China takes on particular significance as China is a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and has resisted U.S. demands for sanctions on Iran. Iran, OPEC’s secondlargest producer, exports most of its 2.2 million barrels of oil per day to Asia, home to its four main customers: China,
Japan, India and South Korea. All four nations have cut back on their purchases, dissuaded by a previous package of U.S. financial sanctions due to take effect at the end of June as well as an EU oil embargo and a ban on shipping insurance, which take effect on July 1. The U.S. Senate unanimously approved on
Monday a package of new economic sanctions on Iran’s oil sector. Iran is under increasing pressure to curb its nuclear programme and its security council chief is due to hold talks in Iraq later on Wednesday with six world powers - the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.
Amnesty accuses UN council of “failed leadership” LONDON (Reuters) Rights group Amnesty International lambasted the United Nations Security Council yesterday as “tired, out of step and increasingly unfit for purpose”. In its annual report, Amnesty said the failure of world powers to take stronger action on Syria was evidence that a sclerotic security council was hamstrung by vested interests, and also warned of abuses arising from Europe’s economic crisis.
Permanent security council members Russia, a key arms supplier to Syria, and China have shielded Syrian President Bashar alAssad from tough sanctions. The United Nations says at least 9,000 civilians have been killed in Assad’s crackdown on a March 2011 uprising. Amnesty said the security council had failed to fulfill its mandate to take “prompt and effective” action to preserve international peace and security.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday May 24, 2012
Warning for Caribbean countries GEORGETOWN, Cayman Islands - CMC - Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have been warned that they need to implement a raft of reform policies with immediate effect as the region seeks to overcome the impact of the global economic and financial crisis. “Success in carrying out the required structural changes will position Caribbean economies to take advantage of exciting new trends in international trade and business,” President of the Barbados based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Dr. Warren Smith told the annual meeting of the board of governors yesterday. He said that a major imperative for regional economies “is the need to enhance the environment for the production of internationally competitive goods and services. “This is no easy task, but it lies at the core of developing a more resilient Caribbean economy,” Smith told the governors, comprising mainly finance ministers from the 15
member CARICOM grouping. He said that the new initiative would necessitate introducing a raft of structural changes which address constraints to the emergence and the growth of new industries. “To facilitate these changes, we must be proactive in introducing reforms which improve the business climate. One useful tool for continuously measuring progress in this regard, is the systematic application and monitoring of the results of the World Bank’s “Doing Buisness’ Survey,” he added. Smith said that there is also need for the Caribbean to make “real progress” towards reducing the cost of electricity, noting that for the larger Caribbean economies this would require fuel switching equipment. “The smaller countries will have no choice but to interconnect to existing and newly emerging low-cost energy production sites in neighbouring countries. Close collaboration between the producing and
Dr. Warren Smith consuming countries is a prerequisite for making this a reality,” he told the meeting. The Jamaican-born economist said that all countries must accord high priority to energy efficiency, particularly in the area of conservation, “which remains the most efficacious means of reducing energy costs”. He said that the Caribbean also needed to prioritise the wide scale introduction of broad band internet to drive down the cost of communication, especially for business and education. Smith said that the region also needed to re-brand the tourism sector to reflect the changes in taste and preferences in the market place as well as expanding the skill sets in these industries.
OECS leaders to meet with Trinidad PM to discuss CLICO Leaders of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) whose citizens are affected by the collapse of the Trinidadbased regional conglomerate, Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO) and its subsidiary British American Insurance Company (BAICO) are likely to meet with Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar next month to discuss the issue. Prime Minister Dr. Denzil
Douglas said the meeting, for which no specific date has been released, is expected to “thrash out details of an agreement in relation to the CLICO debacle”. He said he and other OECS leaders met with Persad Bissessar during the Summit of the Americas in Colombia and had agreed that Trinidad would “definitely meet the commitments that were previously identified when (former prime minister) Patrick Manning was in office.”
Dr. Douglas said this needed to be clarified to some extent and consolidated. The Manning administration had made efforts to establish a new insurance company, NEWCO that would have together several investors, including Trinidad and Tobago, with an investment of US$100 million.But the initiative hit a snag after the coalition People’s Partnership government, which Persad Bissessar heads came to power on May 24, 2010. (CBC)
Netherlands may ban agricultural produce from Suriname PARAMARIBO, Suriname - CMC - The Netherlands is threatening a crackdown on the importation of fruits and vegetables from Suriname after recent studies have shown that the produce from the Dutch Speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) contain too much pesticides and other residues that could be a health risk - Trinidad’s Guardian reports. The Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority of the Netherlands said 162 samples between 2010 and 2011 show 11.7 per cent contained levels of pesticide residue higher that the legal limit. Agriculture Minister Hendrik Setrowidjojo could not be reached for a comment. He is reported to be out of the country. But recently, Amar Singh, a major supplier of Surinamese vegetables to the Dutch market,
expressed his concerns over the issue and predicted difficult times for Surinamese produce in the European Union. One legislator, Henk Ramnandanlal, a member of the permanent committee for Agriculture (LVV), said that “Suriname is considered a risk country, which means that we in Suriname only have ourselves to blame,” while agricultural entrepreneur Max Ghazi said that the issue should have been dealt with a long time ago. Suriname’s only food laboratory was destroyed by fire. “Eighteen months have passed since then, but the new food safety lab is not finished yet. This would not have happened with good management and a forward-looking policy and if we had set priorities if we were aware of these problems,” Ramnandanlal said.
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
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IN DEFENCE OF KAIETEUR NEWS Who says that a newspaper should not report an unsubstantiated allegation? There is no written or unwritten rule that constrains a media house from publishing an allegation even if this allegation has no basis in fact. Kaieteur News was recently taken to task for carrying a column, and later a news report, on the claim made by the Alliance for Change that the National Industrial and Commercial Limited (NICIL) was sitting on an estimated fifty billion dollars. The Kaieteur News cannot be faulted for carrying this allegation or contention which was made by a political party. In the absence of evidence that the numbers were not fudged, the newspaper is not constrained by any media ethics from carrying this allegation. The basis for the publication of any story is the public interest. Once an allegation is in the public interest and once it is not defamatory, or intended to incite violence or hatred, or in bad taste or against public morals, there are no holds to the allegation being published. The litmus test for the publication is whether the allegation is in the public
interest. Obviously, if a newspaper has reason to question the accuracy of an allegation, it has an obligation to state its reservations. If it has information that is contrary to what is alleged, it also has an obligation to so indicate. But once the story is deemed to be a matter of public interest, then the allegation may be carried. An allegation made by a political party with the standing of the AFC must be deemed to be a matter of public interest, and even if unverified may be published. The newspaper or media house would of course be advised in the interest of fairness to seek a comment from those to whom the allegation is targeted. In the case of the allegation by the AFC that NICIL is sitting on fifty billion dollars, it was incumbent for the editors and reporters to seek a comment from NICIL. But it is well known within the country that Kaieteur News has long been regarded as persona non grata when it comes to obtaining comments from NICIL and other government functionaries. So there was always going to be very little chance of Kaieteur News obtaining a confirmation about whether NICIL was sitting on fifty billion dollars.
Dem boys seh ...
Uncle Donald running to de vet again People does talk bout who treating dem bad and who good to dem. Well dem boys know that once you give people wha dem want, every time dem want then you is a good man. But de minute you seh no you bad. When de government had de majority in parliament everything was good. Even de opposition was good because like a good puppy, all de opposition could do was bark but no bite. Well this time dem got a opposition that does bark and bite. De government seh that dem bad. Dem suh bad that dem cut de government money. Dem boys seh that when people got dogs dem does feed dem. Jagdeo woulda know to feed de dogs. He would call out couple opposition people and give dem a raise fuh no reason at all. Poor Uncle Donald don’t know to play dem game suh he gun get bite steady. After he get bite wid de budget he threaten couple things. He threaten fuh kill dem dogs by going to some snap elections but somebody tell he that he could end up wid a bigger bad dog. He think and he seh that he rather keep de dog that he got than fuh get a more bad one. Then he threaten fuh get a vet. He did tek de dog to de vet and Ian Chang check de dog and seh that he didn’t have any reason fuh treat de dog. Well Uncle Donald threatening fuh carry dem dog to de vet again. Well de vet might have to think twice. He ain’t tell de Donald that nutten ain’t wrang wid de dog two times because Uncle Donald might find another vet. He already shopping around fuh a second advice since de last visit. But dem boys seh that if dem had to deal wid dem same dogs dem woulda doctor de snack at parliament and then call fuh a vote. Most of dem would deh running in de toilet after a good dose. De only thing is that some of de government members woulda get ketch too. It would be a shad shituayshun. Talk half and get bite wid de other half.
In fact, the initial reaction after the story broke was that the fifty billion figure was way off mark and then later, it was said that some $700 million was in hand. Therefore, in so far as the Kaieteur News is concerned NICIL has not been forthcoming and there was always going to be a lack of confidence that they would even speak to this newspaper much less confirm how much money they had in their possession. Instead of trying to address the concerns about the proceeds and actual takings over the years and providing details about what has been spent and what has been invested, NICIL along with the government is deflecting its shortcomings
onto Kaieteur News accusing the newspaper of reckless journalism by publishing speculative allegations. But as mentioned earlier there is nothing unusual about a newspaper doing this. When APNU indicated that it had found irregularities in the statements of polls for the November 28 elections and that the results of the presidency could be affected, these charges were not substantiated by APNU with any hard facts. But the charges were made by the main parliamentary grouping and therefore were in the public domain and were matters of public interest. A matter does not have to be accurate to be of public interest.
The Kaieteur News was entitled to carry the allegation made by APNU which it is doubtful was ever taken seriously by anyone. The President made his own allegation about connivance between APNU and certain polling officials. There was substantiation. But coming from the President, this allegation, whether true or not, was a matter of public interest and therefore had to be carried. Kaieteur News did the right thing in carrying the allegation made by the AFC about NICIL. Kaieteur News never asserted definitively that NICIL was sitting on great wealth. The AFC may have done this. Kaieteur News simply reported what the
politicians said. In the context of the animus between the government and this newspaper and the unwillingness of certain officials to speak to this newspaper on NICIL, Kaieteur News’s publication of what the AFC said, even if it is bogus arithmetic, cannot be deemed as reckless journalism. It is definitely no more reckless than the reports about irregularities about the elections results.
GuySuCo refuses to pay sugar workers - “Some fraud going on in the Union,” an upset worker claimed Thousands of field and factory workers who are members of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) are becoming agitated upon hearing that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will not pay them their holiday-with-pay (HWP) on Friday. Workers, however, claimed that the only reason they will not be paid is because there is “some fraudulent activity” going on within the company. GuySuCo informed the Union by letter last Friday that they are not in a position to make payments to the workers. The letter stated “As you are aware by practice, qualified workers are usually awarded Holiday With Pay no more than two weeks after the closure of a crop. Toward that end, those estates which ceased grinding during week-
ending May 11, 2012 should be effecting payment of the award on week ending 25th May, 2012. Unfortunately due to our unfavourable cash flow situation, we are not in a situation to make that payment.” Kaieteur News understands that the core reason for the Corporation’s consistent depleted financial state relates to its failure to attain, even close, its production targets. At the end of last week, Guysuco produced only 70,027 tonnes of sugar out of its target of 101,813 tonnes. It was reported that even if the weather had been favourable, the estates that ended their crop simply did not have the quantity of canes to assist meaningfully in realizing the crop’s target. A source advised that if the seven grinding estates had been facilitated by good
weather to harvest their entire crop no more than 84,000 tonnes of sugar would have been obtained. Some Wales sugar estate workers who have been working with the corporation for years said “every time they gotta pay we it’s the same problem. I have been working at this estate for years and the best time was with the Former President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan now is the opposite,” a sugar worker, Burtum Cummings stressed. Cummings, who is the father of three, said, “We paying the union but they nah do anything for us. If we work one day they taking out union due and then they are
not doing anything for us.” Another worker, Malcom Hercules, who is the father of eleven, said, “I work when GAWU was fighting for recognition on the estate, that time we had implementation from one -15 percent but when GAWU take over from MPCA and everything done, they just throw everything in the garbage bin.” Kaieteur News understands that the workers are frustrated that they have to strike every time they have money to collect. They are also angry at the fact that their Union, GAWU, is not fighting for them but instead, taking their money and doing “nothing.”
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Kaieteur News
Thursday May 24, 2012
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
It was better to look at Charles Bronson than Ashni Singh I bought a hard-to-findmovie last week. I was enjoying it on Tuesday evening when I stopped the disc to look at the debate that was to feature Moses Nagamootoo, Glen Lall, Khemraj Ramjattan and Chris Ram versus Dr Roger Luncheon, Dr Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington on NICIL (Ramjattan and Nagamootoo did not go). I regretted. I ceased
watching the Valachi Papers with Charles Bronson to digest the nonsense I saw and heard coming from Brassington and Singh. Luncheon didn’t speak on NICIL at all. After I saw his responses to Nigel Hughes’s cross examination in the Bharrat Jagdeo’s libel suit, I am convinced that his time as a politician and servant of the State is long, long over. It is my honest opinion that Roger
Luncheon is an embarrassment to the Government of Guyana. Even Idi Amin in Uganda or Samuel Doe in Liberia would not have kept him in their respective Cabinets. I am still to complete my viewing of the Valachi Papers. I didn’t return to it after the NCN debate was over. The film is about Joseph Valachi, the first informant the FBI got to talk against the mafia during mob rule in the thirties and forties in the US. I was at the most interesting part when I switched to the debate. One of the mob bosses had to run away from the US to Italy because the FBI was closing in. He had to leave his girlfriend behind. From Italy, he sent a message to Valachi to kill her because he heard she was having other lovers. When Valachi and his hit-man colleague burst into her bedroom, they found her with another lover alright only it was a female. Both men confessed that they wouldn’t know what to tell their boss. At that point I stopped the
disc to see and hear sleepy Luncheon as Ralph Ramkarran referred to him in a recent column. To listen to Roger Luncheon, Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington was a sickening experience. But I had to. How else would I have known what type of leaders we have and how they have crucified themselves on the bonfires of the asininities. First, Luncheon. The topic was NICIL. Luncheon didn’t utter one word about NICIL. His entire contribution was on what he considered bad journalism by the Kaieteur News. After Tuesday’s debate, we expect Luncheon to get Chronicle to come out of the gutter since Luncheon has become an expert on professional journalism. Brassington is a barefaced evader of answers. Twice Adam Harris asked him – if you said you only have US$3 million in NICIL, then where did NICIL get US$19 million from to invest in the proposed Marriott Hotel? Brassington kept insisting that he has integrity and does
his work professionally. Of course it is my right to say, “I am not convinced Sir.” Ashni Singh talked nonsense throughout the discussion. How can a trained graduate in financial studies talk so much nonsense? Singh justified the Government’s investment in the proposed Marriott Hotel by saying that the Barbadian Government built a hotel. This is not only stupid and foolish, it is academic miasma. Barbados is one of the world’s most known countries because it is one of the world’s most beautiful islands (have some of my siblings there) and is one of the world’s most patronized tourist sites. Top names in acting and singing have homes there. Perhaps most of the big names in the entertainment industry have visited Barbados. A few years ago, Pavarotti performed in Barbados. Pavarotti died without knowing who or what is Guyana. And if he had heard how stink the capital city was, he would not have come even
Frederick Kissoon if Alan Stanford was paying him all the money in the world to sing. Some educated person must tell Ashni Singh that it made economic sense for the Bajan Government to build a hotel. It is jumbie economics for the State to invest in a US$40 million hotel in Guyana. Nobody comes here except Guyanese expatriates at Christmas. Ashni Singh still lives in the past as when Hitler ruled Germany. He said prior to 1992, Government’s books were hardly audited. Singh forgot that Forbes Burnham died a long time ago and 1992 was a long time ago. Singh got away with his foolishness when he said it was the same toll for a car to cross the Berbice ferry. That is untrue. I taught at the Berbice campus and it was not $4000 for my RAV 4 to cross. God, yuh hear lies!
Thursday May 24, 2012
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Kaieteur News
Georgetown centenarian turns 101 vowed to care her children at whatever cost. Mr. Blackmore said that his mother never remarried. What he said he does know is that his mother showed courage and displayed the true meaning of motherly love when she took on the burden of raising eight kids on her own. He said that his mother battled it out and raised her children, trying to instill the best qualities in them as she could. One thing she pressed for, Mr. Blackmore said, is knowledge of friends. He said his mother also warned
101-year-old Mrs. Blackmore decked out for her birthday
A dedicated mother of 10 was honoured yesterday at a small family get together to celebrate her 101st birthday at Lot 341 Cummings Street, Georgetown. Olive Blackmore, called “Bolly”, was surrounded by her son, relatives and friends. She was treated to a fine family lunch at her residence. The mother who has eight surviving children was described as a caring, dedicated and passionate woman who saw her duty as being the provider and keeper of her offspring. Mrs. Blackmore has eight grand children and six great grandchildren. Many of her surviving children live abroad. Marvin Blackmore, one of Mrs. Blackmore's sons, said that the gifts and greetings his mother received from his siblings were endless. The 101-year-old woman is a diabetic, her family said, and has to take
medication, but her illness has no bars on her, the son said. She still finds herself performing domestic duties in the home. Time has taken a toll on her hearing and her sight seems to be deteriorating, but again those pose no barriers for the pushy senior, according to her son. He also said that his mother is being cared for by a live-in house attendant. That attendant, Eugenie Bond, has the privilege of spending most of her time with Mrs. Blackmore.. And although Mrs. Blackmore may need some assistance in taking care of herself the woman prefers her independence. Mrs. Blackmore, in her prime, was a seamstress and took her place in the home as a housewife, dedicating herself to her family, her son said. In 1954, after the death of her husband, the mother took a different course. She
and cautioner them about friends. “Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are,” she would say. Mother Blackmore, by whatever means, provided for all her children and simply asked that they work their best to make positive instruments of themselves. Mrs. Blackmore is an active member of Our Lady of Fatima Church at New Garden and North Road and during her period as a single parent raising eight children, the woman never gave up any of her kids not even after being asked by the church
whether she wanted to place any in an orphanage. For that decision, Mr. Blackmore said he is more than grateful because his siblings were never separated. Now, Mr. Blackmore said, his mother just enjoys relaxing and spending her days lounging at her window. Mrs. Blackmore enjoys outings. She especially likes going to the seawall for the fresh air where she would enjoy her favorite snack, popcorn. Banana, her family said,
has become a food loved by the elderly woman. Mrs. Blackmore, loves singing and dancing. Today, she was heard singing a gospel hymn and clapping to the tune. One of her favourite artistes is Jim Reeves, a husband she adopted without a ceremony, her son said. The family hanged out yesterday and kept their senior relative's company, honouring her for her care, love and dedication. They look forward to as many more birthdays with Mrs. Blackmore.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday May 24, 2012
Thursday May 24, 2012
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Kaieteur News
Fire destroys Diamond property - Millions gone
Hamid and his mother embrace A Diamond, East Bank Demerara businessman, on his way to insure his property yesterday, got the biggest shock of his life after learning that it was on fire. Shazam Hamid, and his wife Regina Fernandez, of lot 686 Fifth Street, Diamond New Scheme, East Bank Demerara lost millions and are now contemplating how they will repay the mortgage they took to construct their home. The fire is believed to have started because of a four-burner gas stove some time before 10:00 am yesterday, just a few minutes after Hamid left to visit the Guyana Trinidad Mutual and Life Insurance Company (GTM) to insure his property. Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle, concluded that the fire was caused by the fourburner gas stove. The couple, who lived at the location for six years, recently opened a wholesale shop. Residents believed the flammable items helped the fire to spread throughout the property. “The fire start inside the house but people saw it too late. We saw it when it went big inside the house by then we couldn't do anything. Neighbours tried to break the door and windows but the grill work prevented
Firefighter talks with Hamid's mother
everything,” a neighbour said. “The only thing we save was some bleach which was at the door. But the whole thing is that people get to know about the fire too late,” a resident, Edson Larose claimed. Another resident, who refused to give her name said that while persons formed a bucket brigade and were trying to put-out the fire, “the fire caught on to GPL wire and it start jump and everybody run out.” Two fire tenders arrived at the scene but were unable to save anything; residents said that the fire tender arrived without water. But a senior firefighter refuted what was reported. He claimed that no fire tender can arrive at a scene without water. “We did arrive with water but the water was not enough to extinguish the fire so we called for a back-up tender.” He also said that some people look at the size of the fire truck and think “water is in the whole truck but what they don't know is that inside those trucks there is a container with water.” Kaieteur News understands that drivers using the East Bank Demerara public road did not cooperate with the fire tender. “The drivers were on
their phones and they were not pulling aside and I think that was the only challenge we faced yesterday,” the officer said. Hamid, who arrived at the scene in a taxi, minutes after the fire was put out broke down in tears. He held on to his mother after seeing only the four concrete walls of what he once called “home.” “When I leave home this morning, my home was very good and I expected to come back and get my home how I leave it this morning. But I
don't know what transpired in my house,” a distraught Hamid said. “…Before I reach the valuation office this morning I got a call saying 'your house is on fire'. I couldn't do nothing more because I was in tears. The officer told me that I left the stove on but I know to myself that is not true and I will deal with all the matters.
A distressed Hamid recalled an incident which occurred earlier that morning. “Around 2:30 this morning all the lights for my house came off so I look out and see the neighbours lights were on so I try to pull the main fuse up and down to see if the lights would come on because normally the breaker would come down and fly up but after I did that,
the light didn't come on so I leave the switch up.” He claimed that he was supposed to visit Guyana Power and Light, yesterday, to enquire what had happened with the “current” to his house.” Kaieteur News understands that the man's wife, Fernandez, had left home early yesterday morning to attend an interview for a job.
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Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Beheaded paramour's mother recalls her son …Cuckold killer still on the run
Junior Joseph Mrs. Ursula Wilson, mother of the 22-year-old miner who was hacked to death two days ago, said that her son, Junior Joseph, was forced to leave the Essequibo Coast in search of employment, at a young age, due to the lack of employment opportunities there. A sad Mrs.Wilson, who resides at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, said that she last spoke with her son on Sunday and that he anxiously told her that he was making rapid strides in relation to his production in mining. He assured her that every other thing was fine with him, she said. Mrs.Wilson added that the following day, Junior placed another call; this time he spoke with his sister, Fonda Joseph, and asked her to put some credit in his phone. She said that after Junior received the credit into his phone, he made a gratitude call to his sister. The woman said that she learnt that her son was murdered some time around 2:00am on Tuesday.
She added that she was stunned. She said that it has been a month since her son worked in a mining pit, at Port Kaituma and that he lost his life, because Omatoyai Benjamin, the suspect, caught him sleeping with a young woman. She added her son's body was scheduled to be flown to Georgetown yesterday for a post mortem. Mrs.Wilson said that Benjamin's father has assured her of taking full responsibility for footing the expense to transport her son out of Region One. Junior Joseph has left to mourn his parents and four sisters. According to police reports, Junior Joseph's neck was almost severed by his boss's 20-year-old son who caught Joseph in a compromising position with the young woman. The female is said to have also received life threatening injuries and remains in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital. “I will miss my son for a long, long time,” Mrs.Wilson said.
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
WANTED
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Live-in domestic must know to cook and 1 waitress, salary 50,000 monthly. Call:610-5043
Waitresses @ Diamond Gate Liquor Restaurant and Bar, Lot 18 Belmont Mahaica. Tel# 228-5013, 622-5599
Persons/family to live & take care of farm @ E.C.D, attractive salary offered. Contact: 690-1943, 691-8021
Carpenter with own tools. Apply at Guyana Variety Store, 68 Robb Street. Tel no. 225-4631
Visa and Immigration forms prepared for Canada, USA and UK. Also Passport forms. Call 626-9857
1 male or female to look after layer birds in the interior. Tele# 688-4905
1 General Domestic. Must know to cook, from East Bank Dem. Area. Tel# 614-4358
1 driver to drive in the interior. Must have bus and canter license. Tel# 688-0197
Sales boy and girl. 615-3090
Repairs, sales & spares, air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & Stoves. Ultra Cool: 225-9032, 6472943
Manager’s Assistant general duties including Custom and Bond, Security Guards, accommodation available. Call: 676-6700 1 Diesel Mechanic, to work in the interior. Tel# 688-4905 Taxi Drivers at Princess Hotel. Contact 616-5419, 2657075 Experienced sewing machine operators. Tele no.: 220-4337
Experienced Graphic Artist. Tel# 233-2725, 233-2439 Sawmill workers. Tel: 2616412/653-9752 I need an apartment to rent; call after 06:00pm - 648-0797 Driver for canter truck. $20,000. Full-time Porter & Mechanic to work part-time on W.C.D. Call: 684-8231 Buying non working appliances such as fridge, washing machine, freezer, etc. 669-9427
Experienced House Keeper. To work on the E.C.D (parttime). Tel: 225-1787.
Skilled Arc/Acetylene Welder. Very good rates offered. Tel – 22-71830.
Labourers to work at Jettoo’s lumberyard & Sawmill @ Coverden Public Road, East Bank Demerara. Call: 261-5041, 261-5042, 2262756
Female workers needed; 3 subjects or sound secondary education. Call: 225-7307.
1 experienced welder to fabricate grill and other welding work. Apply to Alabama Trading, Georgetown. One female bartender to live and work in Mahdia. Attractive salary. Contact # 680-9473/616-7241 Workers for landscaping. 656-1326, 626-1044 One live in maid and one maid to come and go. No cooking. No washing. Contact # 639-6500 Urgently. Hire Car drivers. Contact 656-8022 & 6390166 Kitchen Assistant. Come in to Dian’s Deli, Barr St. Kitty. One (1) Handyman/ Gardener. For more information please call O. Persaud 222-7003, 664-0807 Truck to fetch mud. Call 6231615 East Coast Guyoil pump attendants wanted (day and night), wash man, office assistant & sales girls. 6842838, 602-5031
One (1) General Worker to work shift system in G/Town. Tel# 225-6337. One Bond Clerk. Apply in person Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek.
US & Canada VISA application services. Call 643-6630. Family discounts available. We refill HP cartridges for $1,800. Call:650-7699
House plan drafting for only $10,000. Building estimate for only $10,000. Call: 6949843. ONLINE SHOPPING NO COMMISSION, WEEKLY S H I P M E N T S , AFFORDABLE RATES, FREE PRIVATE MAILBOX. TEL: 231-5789. FREIGHTLINKEXPRESS@ GMAIL.COM WE FILL OUT PASSPORT & VISA FORMS: USA, UK & CANADA. TEL: 2315789 Repairs in all types of Jet-Ski, stern-drive, inboard and outboard engine (2 & 4 stroke). Contact: 694-7949 Do you need a female bahir (cook) to work in interior? Call Andrea 692-1798, 6527355 Free excavated mud. Supply transportation. Location Hadfield and Sendall Place.
1 cashier (3 subjects) 1 pastry maker/cook salary $60,000. Waitress, salary $40,000. To work interior. Age 18-30. Contact 616-7543 Porter Boys and Sales Girls. Apply in person to 148 Regent & Alexander Streets. Telephone #22-61892 or 2251365 Scrap Iron, 1 Cutter/ Fabricator, 1 gardener, 4 scrap metal loaders, dredge workers, 1 truck driver. Tel: 623-2728, 618-1967, 667-5717 Chain saw operator and chokeman urgently. Good salary. Tel# 676-4262, 6416906
SALON Make up courses, artist trained & certified in Trinidad: 660-5257,647-1773 Qualify yourself in Cosmetology or nails, make up, Register, Limited spaces. Call Abby: 216-1950, 6197603, 666-5241 Seeta & Soma Salon. Specialists in perming, relaxing, styling, manicure, pedicure, etc. Tel: 618-6346/ 644-7142 DATING SERVICE Immediate link-Singles 1880yrs. Confidential: Tel: 2238237,648-6098. (No -text) 8:30am-5:00pm Mon-Sun (Both phones same hours). LIBRARY Closing down sale; text, university, novels & others from-$100 up. Call: 223-8237
PROPERTY FOR SALE 20 X 40 two flat concrete building @ Kitty. All amenities. Price $28 M Call: 668 – 9512, 223- 2570 1 three bedroom house Prashad Nagar, asking price $29M neg. Call: 227-2563, 684-2115 Lot 9 Johns St., Port Mourant, Berbice house with 12 rooms, on 16 Acres Land. Call: 337-1500.
FOR SALE One Massey Ferguson 399 Tractor. Call: 619-6093 American dog food; 44lbs$5,500; 33lbs - $4000; 4lbs $800. Call: 628-9119 One 21 gallon Air Compressor. Contact Nicky – 646-6000, 697-9610 1 100-3 Motor Cycle, CF7191, $80,000. Contact 649-6144 Brand new American made Crosely 10.5 cu ft Refrigerator for sale $75,000. 626-4452/697-5677 Blu Ray DVDs. Perfume Dazzle 231-9485 Bag Neck Seal Tape. 231-8819 One Caterpillar D6 Bulldozer. Call: 622-1957 One Blackberry Curve 9300, 60K. Call: 609-2466 Sale Sale. Big Blow Out Sale. Lot 29 Croal Street, Enterprise E.C.D. Cell no. 6642209. Items as low as $100
FOR SALE One Hilux Vigo (new) GNN series 231-5171, 619-7134 Toyota Starlet 2 E Turbo engine with gearbox and ECU: Call: 624-7155. NARS lipgloss, eyeshadow & Clinique Chubby Stick. Tel: 669-8374. Peking ducks, call: 266-2711 / 609-4594 Roofing shingles. Call: Mr. Skepmire . 227-5195 (8am to 5pm) 1 G-force freezer $45,000,2 AT192 yellow $825,000, white $790,000,1 desktop computer and accessories Call: 628-8354,231-3417 15ft Fiber glass boat $170,000 call: 260-0301, 685-1233
(1) experienced waitress @ Mambo’s Bar, 93 Bar Street, Kitty. Mill/Saw Doctors, Moulder Operators to work @ Jettoo’s Sawmill @ Coverden Public Road, E.B.D. Call – 261-5041, 2615042, 226-2756
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Spares for washer, microwaves, fridges, stovetimers, gear boxes, pumps, etc. Contact 225-9032, 6472943 Brand new Blackberry Torch 9800, under $100,000. Call: 676-7443 1 AT170 Corona as scrap. 626-1044 Two 60-180 Leyland Daf dump trucks for sale in working condition. 628-1756, 228-5655 1 Kawasaki Ninja Bike Model 2009, 600cc, CG 2468. Contact# 677-1218, 216-0317
WANTED
1 Marino $650,000, perfect working condition. Part payment available. Telephone#650-5057, 6489137-1
Waitress to work in a bar. Will have to live in. Contact tel# 661-8965
Just arrived! Hilux solid axle pick up Tel:222-2662,6912077
Dell Laptops & Desktops. Complete with 19" LCD. From $70,000. Future Tech – 231-2206 Two Detroit Diesel series 50 engines, 300 HP. Call Troy 601-9004. 1 Tundra, 1 Perkins engine & Welder 400 amps. Call: 6605462, 611-5114 Used Fridge $45,000 . Used cooler Lg $85,000. Used freezer small $27,000, Lg $65,000. Excellent condition. 612-1486. Stainless steel sheet. Excellent for table top, etc. Call: 612-1486 Two 8ft Slate American pool tables, one Nissan Titan & variety of restaurant equipment. Call: 622-1957 Corrugated Zinc sheet @ 40% off. Local Lumber @ 25% off. Pine Lumber @ 10% off. Zack’s Lumber. Tel# 2267054. Games for PSP $900, PS2 $900, Xbox 360 $2600, PS3 $2600, Xbox, Wii. Junior 6722566, 265-3231
VEHICLES FOR SALE Just arrived: Allion and Premio, tel: 624-2000, 6221610 2005 H2 Hummer, 38,500 mileage fully loaded, chrome kit etc. Call: 639-3100, 6195400 Hilux 4x4 solid def pick-up, diesel, long base, excellent condition Call: 623-0243 1 special edition Toyota Runx PNN. 2 Nissan Wingroad Wagon. Tel: 6122522 Corolla Fielder just registered, AT 170 Carina. Price negotiable. Call 6149623 One Toyota RZ Longbase EFI, hardly used BKK series $1.6M. Call: Rocky 621-5902 2004 Mazda RX8, body kit, black, unregistered, $3M. 617-2891 Unregistered Allion and Spacio. Tel# 697-0294 1 Premio PNN series, TV, camera. # 616-6000 International Tow Truck with flat aluminum bed; takes two vehicles. Call: 639-3900, 619-5400 Lexus LS400/Luxury, BMW 740IL/Luxury, BMW 635CSI/Sports. Bring mechanic, make offer. Call: 612-1486, 646-8326 Toyota Prado, 2004 Prado, 2005 Mark II, GX110, 2005 Tundra. All fully loaded, excellent condition. Call: 600-5759 One unregistered new model Noah. Financing available. Price $3.6M. Tel: 629-2314 2 & 3 ton enclosed canter, unregistered. 617-2891 One Allion, fully powered, A/C, music, mag. Tel: 2590836, cell: 621-7838 Well kept, owner driven, Toyota Corolla AE100. Price $1.1 million. Telephone: 6615897. Serious enquires only. Jag’s Auto. Spacio, Premio, Wagon. Cheapest. Call 6167635
Cell Phones – Samsung, LG, Blackberry, etc. on wholesale. Contact 682-6874
AT170 Carina. Price $550,000 neg. Call: 673-2945, 671-3020
2003 Kawasaki Ninja, also 8 Camera DVR Security System. Tel: 643-6468, 6867273
Toyota Sprinter, fully loaded, TV, AC, CD, Alarm, single owner. For immediate sale. Contact: 669-2747, 6269834
Tibetan terrier, Daschund pup, Pekinese pup. 694-7221, Vreed-en-Hoop – Pet Shop 1 Pitch Propellor – 48"x36". 1 Propellor Shaft – 3 ½ “ Dia x 13’6". 1 Little Giant Dragline with 371 Engine. Tel# 6941440/618-2570 Used 1400x20 Model M Truck tyre. Call 648-2413
Toyota Raum, black, bodykit, mags, year 2000, roof rack. 269-0432, 686-0323 One EP71 and 82 Starlet, 1Toyota Ceres and RZ Minibus, 1 – 192 Carina, Nissan Pathfinder, PMM. Call: 644-5096, 697-1453 (Continued on page 20)
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Kaieteur News
Murder of T&T attorney’s daughter …
Trail on Guyanese suspect goes cold Local police seem to have lost the trail of a Guyanese construction worker who is wanted in Trinidad for the murder of the daughter of a prominent attorney in the Twin Island Republic. This is three weeks after Commissioner of Police (ag) Leroy Brumell exuded confidence that Ramesh Sookram, the suspect in the brutal murder of Nikita Ramischand will be captured soon. Yesterday Crime Chief Seelall Persaud was less optimistic when he told this newspaper that local police have no idea where the suspect is. “We have no information on where he might be,” the Crime Chief said. Brumell had confirmed that Immigration records show that the suspect, who is also known as ‘Alan’, entered Guyana. “Immigration records show that he came here…it looks as if he planned the kill. We are working…we will get him.” Detectives here have already checked at the Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara residence where the suspect’s mother resides. The 25-year-old Guyanaborn construction worker has been on the run since late last month, when he allegedly killed 18-year-old Ramischand near her mother’s salon in Maracas, Trinidad. The victim’s throat was slit and she was stabbed several times in the abdomen. The Crime Chief said that it is possible that although Sookram entered Guyana, he may have fled the jurisdiction. There is speculation that given the ease with which one can flee Guyana’s porous borders, the suspect may have avoided capture and is hiding out in neighbouring Suriname. The police have not yet issued a wanted bulletin for the suspect although a few weeks ago Brumell had indicated that he had spoken to the Crime Chief about doing so. Kaieteur News was also told that surveillance cameras at the Piarco International Airport showed the alleged killer and a male cousin,
Nikita Ramischand
Ramesh Sookram
known as ‘Ravi’, boarding a flight the day after the murder. According to this report, one of Sookram’s hands was bandaged. There are indications that he was injured while scaling a razor-wire fence during his escape. Two weeks ago, Sookram’s mother admitted that the fugitive visited her Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara home on the day after he allegedly killed the 18-year-old. But Dhanwattie Sookram said that she knows nothing about her son’s present whereabouts and is appealing to him to turn himself in. Ms. Sookram also expressed fear for her safety, alleging that a group of men “with big guns” threatened the family, beat one relative and gave the family a two-day deadline to locate the suspect. “Wherever he is, I would like him to turn himself in, because right now we are being abused by the police. They are saying I am the mother and I have to know where my son is.” According to Ms. Sookram, her son telephoned her at around 23:00 hrs on Wednesday April 25, and said that he was coming home. He then turned up at her Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara home the following day at around 09:00 hrs, allegedly dressed in a shortsleeved jersey and carrying a black bag. Kaieteur News was told that the suspect borrowed his mother’s phone to make a call. “He ask me to make a phone call, then he pick up his bag and my phone and say he coming back.”
According to the mother, he never returned. There are also reports that Sookram has threatened to kill himself rather than surrender to police. Nikita was the daughter of prominent Trinidadian attorney Odai Ramischand and also the niece of Attorney General Anil Nandlall.
Thursday May 24, 2012
Queen’s Atlantic suing Kaieteur News Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. (QAII) yesterday said that it has initiated libel action against Kaieteur News for what it said was a series of misleading articles in recent weeks over the operations of the business entity. Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop, the best friend of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, is the head of QAII. The company said that it has noted with consternation the recent attacks by Kaieteur News on the reputation, management and operation of the group. “It is clear that the imputations, inferences and conclusions drawn are not only false, erroneous, malicious and misleading but are deliberately calculated to disparage and bring into disrepute the Company’s reputation, goodwill and integrity,” the company stated. QAII said it is merely a holding company and has no
operating revenues of its own. It said VAT that amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars is being collected and paid by its subsidiaries. The company claimed that the VAT expense of $38,647 as reported is not the Input, Output, and also not the Net. Rather, it represents VAT not refunded or disallowed by the GRA on some expenses so this in turn legitimately became the company’s cost. QAII stated that input VAT collected through revenues is offset against Output VAT from expenditure and the NET, which indeed could be a very small figure, is paid or reclaimed as a refund. “ To j u x t a p o s e a correlation between $38,000 VAT paid with the size or worth of the Company is therefore baseless, illogical, and ludicrous,” the company stated. QAII also stated that at
no point in time did the Government ever spend or contribute any monies towards the removal of asbestos from the compound or execute any other restorative or expansion works. At the time of acquisition of the Sanata Complex in June 2007 by QAII, the entire Complex was in a state of disrepair, the company stated. “To otherwise suggest that taxpayers’ money in the sum of $400M was spent on removal of asbestos or fixing the property prior to leasing it to QAII, is inaccurate, irresponsible, misconceived, and a gross misrepresentation of the facts,” QAII said in a statement. The Government of Guyana in 2008 approved the privatization of the Sanata Textiles Complex (Sanata), Industrial Site, Georgetown to QAII for the purpose of establishing a multi-purpose investment complex.
Professionals differ on situation at School of Nursing
Some students waiting to enter the Georgetown School of Nursing Director of Health Sciences Education, Noel Holder, has denied that the Georgetown School of Nursing is overcrowded or has any challenges. He is adamant that the school has no problem and issues are being inflated. Rejecting claims by the institution’s tutors of overcrowding, ad hoc admission of students, and the Health Ministry’s disrespect for the school, Holder stated, “People write and say all manner of things…inflated things too.” He made those comments recently at the Georgetown Nursing School moments after a clustered hall of students dispersed.
According to a student, though the school is overcrowded this was the first time she has seen students waiting to enter the building while their colleagues lined the staircase to enter the classroom. The student stressed that this is a direct result of the new students that the Health Ministry admitted to the school on Monday. Apparently, students who are preparing for final examinations usually utilize the building to engage in group studies. Because the new students have to use the classrooms for the evening session the two shifts clashed causing frustration yesterday. The tutors had foreseen
this problem and had asked that no more students should be admitted until requested. Owing to their day shift teaching schedule the new students are not benefiting from their skills and knowledge. Days before the new students were admitted to the institution the tutors had written the Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, Leslie Cadogan, signaling their unacceptance of the new batch of students. In the letter they stated, “The current number of nurse trainees in the school has significantly compromised the quality health care system and is a total violation to legitimate and acceptable health standards.”
“The curriculum for the nursing programme cannot be complete in the already overcrowded Georgetown School of Nursing and clinical areas, to such an extent that the tutors are forced to makeup classes to adequately prepare students for the writing of exams,” they further noted in the letter. They emphasized that the Health Ministry should have taken into consideration the school’s recent failure rate and should have deferred the new intake of nurse trainees. Currently, the seven tutors have to lecture to 494 students during the day shift. The international standards require one tutor to 25 students and one tutor for eight in the lab.
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
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Manickchand gathers teachers and parents’ views on automatic promotion The Ministry of Education, yesterday, kicked off the first in a series of Public Consultation Forums on grade retention, automatic promotions and corporal punishment in schools. Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand was accompanied by several high level officers from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and met with school administrators and parents at the New Amsterdam Secondary School (NAMS) in Berbice. The two issues have been heatedly debated at various levels and have been attracting a variety of views and opinions from school teachers, parents, even students and lawmakers. Two MOE Circulars were issued on the MOE’s position on both issues; Grade Retention and Automatic Promotion in 2010 while the pressing issue of corporal punishment (CP) was issued to all schools in 2010. During the feedback sessions, it was evident that most of the educators present, were not in favour of the automatic promotions policy, and in more than one way or another, sent a signal of their rejection of the policy to the subject minister and her senior officers that were present. Region Six Education Officer, Shafiran Bhajan, noted that given the
investment in education, “we must have returns...We know when the circulars on Grade Retention was issued, it was a time when the returns on the investment was not there at the secondary level”. She noted that Universal Secondary Education was the ultimate goal of the MOE, “but we found it was not only about access but graduation rates, and drop- outs; and we found that the retention and repetition rates were so high...” “Today our Minister is taking a second look at the investments at the secondary level of education and from what we have seen, she wants every child to graduate...you are fortunate to be at this forum where you can give...You are the players at the school level and would seem that sometimes because of high repetition rates, utilisation of resources, including space, time, human-teacher resources. “Today you have an opportunity to say what you have to say with regards to the two circulars”. Manickchand said, “We are telling you where we are and want to hear whether it is working or not working and what you [the teachers] think we can do”. She urged the participants to say how they feel about the issues. She said that the sessions and consultation forum would be recorded. A Lower Corentyne
A section of the group of teachers, headteachers, and education officers at the MOE National Public Consultation in Berbice Secondary School administrator noted how lower- grade, lowperforming secondary schools have enormous challenges on the policy. He added, “Not enough was done to reach out to members of the community and as such, parents do not understand the meaning of the policy because what has been felt was that the No Child Left Behind policy did not encourage children to study because they knew they would be promoted anyway”. He stated that the policy
CGX appoints Dr. Dennis A. Pieters to Board of Directors TORONTO:CGX Energy Inc. has appointed Dr. Dennis A. Pieters, to the Company’s board of directors. Dr. Pieters is a Reservoir Engineer with over 30 years’ experience in the E&P industry. Since 2009 he has held the position of Director of Reservoir Engineering for Huber Energy LP, a company involved in the exploration, development and production of oil and gas in Texas, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. Huber Energy LP, is a subsidiary company of J. M. Huber Corporation, one of the largest privately held companies in the US with diversified interests and operations in 20 countries. Over his career, Dr. Pieters has worked i n s e n i o r reservoir engineering positions on behalf of a number of major oil E&P companies including Conoco Phillips, Halliburton, Shell Oil, Saudi Aramco and Amoco. In 2003, Dr. Pieters was appointed Subject Matter Expert to the US Army Corps
Dr. Dennis A. Pieters of Engineers for Task Force RIO. His team was tasked with developing an estimate for rebuilding Iraqi oil infrastructure to pre-war levels for delivery to the President of the United States. The $18.4 Billion cost estimate was approved by Congress. He holds a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering, an M.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering and a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering, all from the Colorado School of
Mines. He is also the author of a textbook on “Decision Making in Oil & Gas”, has published a number of seminal publications in the field, and taught Reservoir Engineering courses at Colorado School of Mines. Dr. Pieters resides in Katy, Texas and is originally from Guyana where he attended Queens College. Dr. Suresh Narine, the Board Chairman, stated, “The CGX board of directors welcomes Dr. Pieters. His wealth of E&P experience will be very useful as the Company pursues its petroleum exploration portfolio.” Dr. Pieters has been granted 300,000 stock options exercisable at a price of $0.30 until May 22, 2017. CGX Energy is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration of oil in the GuyanaSuriname Basin, an area ranked second in the world for oil and gas prospectivity by the United States Geological Service.
should be revised, “and get things that were working...Not all the children will understand the true meanings of success until they face a little bit of failure.” A teacher from Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary supported the Retention system “simply because you find that when these children go to Grade Eleven, and they have entered for CSEC Exams, you have serious problems there...They will not meet the criteria but because of the CSEC criteria and policy, we are forced to enter these students... “If we are going to keep ‘putting over’ these children when they reach Grade Eleven we will have serious problems”. The teacher added that retention of students and keeping them back when they fail will “help them” even though it will place more expenses on the family....but
in the long run we will be doing a good [thing] for these children”. Speaking about the remediation ‘after- school’ programme that was instituted by the MOE to cater for poor- performers by keeping them back for one hour after school to do Maths and English, the teacher noted that the children are exhausted at the end of the school day to participate in such a programme. “They are in school all day and they know they have to stay back for Math...but at 2:30 [pm] when the remedial teacher is there to start the lessons, 90 per cent of the children are out the gate, because they are tired, or hungry. Most of these children who need remediation are children from the poor homes and they are hungry at 2:30pm”. The teacher recommended that a snack be provided for these students.
Another teacher shared her experience on the negatives of the automatic promotion system. She contended that while a group of Third Formers was writing the National Grade Nine Examinations (NGNA), the “children went to sleep after they were given the exam papers.” A teacher of Canje Secondary School said that even though there is the automatic promotion policy, students are “dropping out by the tons”. Parents, she noted, give the teachers phone numbers and cell phone numbers “but we are [still] not getting in contact with them”. One teacher was bold enough to describe the Automatic Promotion policy “a national disaster...causing pandemonium”. He noted that the policy has opened a way for “indiscipline and caused tremendous stress on teachers because of the indiscipline...brought the standards of the school down” due to the poor performance rates. Manickchand listened keenly to all of the views of the teachers, most of whom were in favour of retaining students who fail, in the same class. She questioned teachers present as to why some of them are not doing the remedial programme. Some of the answers were, that the students are too tired to work in the afternoons after school; payment for teachers who teach an hour after school; as well as providing snacks for students since many of them are hungry and cannot concentrate. Manickchand later met with parents on the matter of automatic promotions. Similar consultations are planned for the other regions in the country.
Fire Chief defends his firemen against theft allegation Fire Chief Marlon Gentle has refuted claims in certain sections of the media which suggest that his ranks were involved in a theft at a fire scene on Tuesday. Yesterday, Gentle said there is no evidence to suggest that his ranks acted in an unprofessional manner. According to Gentle, around 10:14 hours on Tuesday, the Fire Service received a telephone call about a fire at Lot 2 Rewa Street Lamaha Springs and responded promptly. Gentle added that when his ranks arrived on the scene they were met with a smoke filled house which was tightly secured since none of the occupants of the house was
home. He added that his ranks according to procedure broke into the house through the roof in order to extinguish the fire. “Shortly after the fire was put out the owner of the home arrived and realized that several valuables were missing. Again, as a part of our procedure a search around the immediate surroundings was conducted.” According to the fire chief, some of the items were found on a dam aback of the house while others were found in a nearby yard along a passage way leading to the house and others were found packed
u p i n t h e s a m e house. Nothing belonging to the home owner was found on the person of any of the fire ranks. In the end, Gentle pointed out that only a laptop and a few other personal items were not recovered. “We are concerned about the image portrayed in the media which suggests that we are very unprofessional. “Such claims only seek to tarnish our good name and say that we are unprofessional.” Gentle reiterated that the Administration of the service does not in any way condone such acts and if anyone is found, that person would be dealt with strongly.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday May 24, 2012
Multi Cultural Radio bid Thieves caught in Atlantic Ville house out on bail to lease Radio Roraima Multi Cultural Radio Ltd, headed by overseas-based Guyanese broadcaster, Bobby Vieira, has submitted a bid to lease the operations of Radio Roraima 101.1 FM through a Leased Management Agreement (LMA). The company which first submitted a similar proposal in March 2009 to then and former President Bharrat Jagdeo, was also among the numerous applicants for radio station licences since 2002. Vieira, who is also Vice President of Operations at One Caribbean Radio in New York, indicated that the primary objective of the proposed lease was to create a format that can be related to radio as it were, featuring soft relaxing music, news and information. The programme format will include a wide cross section of Guyanese and music from around the world,
Bobby Vieira including light and contemporary reggae and vintage calypsos. He stated that the station’s intended format would be similar to what its mission will be, and that is “GUYANA’S LITE FM”. The US- based journalist and broadcaster hopes to
hear from the management of NCN as soon as possible, since it was rumoured that several other interested parties from outside of Guyana, have also been showing interest in the lease opportunity. He cited his loyalty to the industry both home and abroad, as well as his 25 plus years in the broadcast industry experience, which more than qualifies him to land the opportunity. Vieira along with former GBC General Manager Fazil Azeez were the principal architects in the establishment of 98.1 FM. In fact it was Vieira who coined the phrase “HOT FM” for the now popular station. Bobby Vieira is a graduate of the College for Radio and Te l e v i s i o n Announcers, and is also a member of the prestigious Radio and Television Gallery of the US House of Representatives.
Regional historian gears to launch new book
Trinidadian Professor Dr Tony Martin, will be launching his new book today at the Umana Yana, The book which is entitled CARIBBEAN HISTORY is a comprehensive survey of Caribbean history from precolonial times to the present. The book will be reviewed by Prof. Emeritus, Winston McGowan. The book is centrally focused on the Caribbean more than any other survey of the region. It examines a wide range of topics to give readers a thorough understanding of the region’s history. The author, Dr Martin, a Trinidadian by birth, created a readable narrative for undergraduates.
Dr. Tony Martin It contains the most recent scholarship and pays particular attention to the U.S.-Caribbean connection to
more fully relate to students. Dr Martin was born and grew up in Trinidad and Tobago. He is Emeritus Professor of Africana Studies at Wellesley College, Massachusetts where he taught from 1973 – 2007. He is a Barrister-At-Law, earned a BSc (hons) in Economics at the University of Hull (England) and his MA and Ph D in History at Michigan State University. He has been a visiting Professor at the University of Minnesota, Brandeis University, Brown University in the USA and worked as Honorary Research Fellow at the University of the West Indies, in Trinidad and Tobago.
No arrest yet in Church’s robbery Investigators are still trying to locate the mastermind behind Sunday morning’s robbery at the Church’s Chicken outlet near Bourda Market during which one passerby was shot and the store Manager beaten. According to police sources they have made several checks around Georgetown but have failed to locate the suspect. The police were able to make the identification after the entire robbery was caught on tape. Dennis Fitzpatrick of Albouystown, who was shot in one of his legs, is said to be in a stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital
Corporation. According to police reports the store Manager, Gregory Degannes, was leaving the fast food outlet with cash when he was confronted by the bandits. Kaieteur News was told that a supervisor observed two men on a motorcycle acting in a suspicious manner. She attempted to warn Degannes but then one of the bandits fired a shot at the Manager but hit Fitzpatrick who was shopping nearby. Degannes tried to retreat into the restaurant but fell, and the men began to beat him. They then snatched a bag containing cash and
fled. This newspaper was told that the suspect is currently on bail, for allegedly committing another robbery. Kaieteur News was told that the suspect currently has over 13 armed robbery matters before the courts. Only last week, armed bandits escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash after robbing the Church’s Camp Street, Georgetown outlet. According to reports two employees had accidentally left a back door ajar. The two bandits used this opportunity to pounce on the unsuspecting employees. The men then robbed a cashier before escaping.
Two men who were caught red-handed removing articles from the Atlantic Ville home of businesswoman, Gaitree Dulichand, were granted bail in the sum of $50,000 each when they appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Clinton Powell, 42, of Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara, and 20-year old Shambeer Matthews called John, of Patentia, also on the West Bank, were charged with break and enter and larceny. The charges stemmed from their capture last Tuesday morning, while they were in the process of removing a steel vault and other valuables from the Lot 13 Atlantic Ville house. They both pleaded not guilty after they were advised by their attorney. Matthews was previously employed by a contractor who was effecting some repairs to the businesswoman’s house. Early Tuesday morning police ranks from the Sparendaam anti-crime patrol, responding to reports that a burglary was in progress, swooped down on the location and caught two perpetrators just as they were removing a steel combination
Shambeer Matthews
Clinton Powell
safe from the house. The men had already packed up a quantity of household items, including a 42-inch flat screen television, stereo set, computers and a large portion of expensive kitchen utensils with the intention of loading them into a waiting pick-up truck when the police intervened. The driver of the pick-up managed to escape in the vehicle when he saw the police entering the premises. It was an excellent example of police/public cooperation. At the time of the burglary, the house was unoccupied, and it was the
neighbours who alerted the police. The lawmen did not waste much time getting to the scene, a sure indication of what could happen as a result of quick response. The men had gained entry into the house by breaking the glass portion of the front door with a hammer and an iron bar. Neighbours heard the breaking of glass, and, realizing that the homeowner was not at home, contacted the police. It took the police less than three minutes to reach the scene. When they arrived they had to use a torchlight to locate the thieves who were obviously startled.
The dredge owner and the man whom he hacked to death were apparently living like brothers. That was of course, until he caught the man in bed with his reputed wife. This was according to the suspect’s father, Robert Benjamin, who told this newspaper that ever since the now dead man, 22-yearold Junior Joseph, started working with them a few months ago, they became very close. “They ate from the same utensils, and would, from time to time, borrow each other’s clothes. He (Joseph) started working with we a couple months ago. We trusted he. He was like family. Both of them were like brothers; me can’t really say what could’ve happened with both ah them fuh something like this to happen,” the man lamented. It is alleged that the suspect, 21-year-old Omatoyai Benjamin, told his reputed wife that he would be leaving to attend to some work in the night, and will not be returning until the following day. But unsuspectingly did, only to find the man with whom he lived like family, in a compromising position with
his reputed wife. The man reportedly went berserk and started to chop Joseph about his body, almost severing his neck. After Joseph was served his share of Benjamin’s fury, his reputed teenaged wife was next. She too suffered several blows with a cutlass. Joseph died, and the female is said to still be in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). She was air dashed there some time yesterday, a few hours after the attack which occurred at around 22:00 hours on Monday night last, at a mining camp in Big Creek, Port Kaituma Northwest District. The dredge owner is still to be located by Police. When contacted, the dead miner’s mother who resides at Onderneeming Essequibo Coast, Ursula Wilson, told Kaieteur News, that while she is not certain about what exactly occurred that fateful night, she was told that her son boss’s action was premeditated. “I hear that he de already suspecting something going on between the two of them, and that the people who he left fuh watch them call he and
tell he that me son was in he bed, so he went back with cutlass and so,” the distraught woman said. Meanwhile, as Joseph’s household continues to mourn his death, the tension is no different at Benjamin’s residence at Oronoque, Port Kaituma Northwest District. The suspect’s father also told this publication that he and his family are extremely worried as to where Omatoyai might be, and in what state. He also wants to hear his son’s account of what happened in the camp that night. The frustrated man described his third son as being a cool, well liked, down to earth young man, who was making much improvements in his work. “He was making good improvement with his job. He is so young yet he got a great head start in being the owner of a dredge. I was certain that my son would’ve gone very far in this work. He has lots of potential,” the saddened father noted. Nonetheless, even as the opinions of the both anguishing families differ, they are not taking it out on each other. Police in Division ‘E&F’ are continuing with their investigations.
Dredge owner and miner lived like brothers
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 19
The Abigail Column To wait or not to wait - that is the question
DEARABIGAIL, My first real relationship was when I was 18.The relationship got serious quickly, but I still made him wait several months before sleeping with him. Now I’m 22 and on the brink of a new relationship. I’m wondering, is it a sign of immaturity if I make a man wait a longer time than the couple of dates they’re used to waiting now?
I know it’s all about “when I feel ready,” but do men find it respectable when a girl makes them wait, or does it seem as if she’s taking a relationship too seriously and therefore acting immature about it? Confused Dear Confused, According to you, it could be a sign of maturity if you have sex with a man after two dates and a sign of immaturity if you wait to have sex. I understand that you think men want girls to be casual about sex. But just as you have an idea of what you
want your sexual and emotional life to be like, many men do too. Sex is not a game, and “making people wait” is not necessarily a gauge of maturity. If mature people don’t want to have sex, they choose not to have sex. A couple in a serious relationship will discuss this — frequently. Sex means different things to different people, and men and women often interpret and react to sex (and the idea of sex) differently. Your only job is to always act according to your own values.
Thursday May 24, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): Be ready, willing and able to accept extra tasks and responsibilities even if you aren’t keen on what is being asked of you. Presenting a willing face to the world will keep you in your boss’s good books. ************************************** TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): Is turning a friendship into a romance really a good idea or are you acting on impulse? If you feel emotionally drawn to someone but you are already in a close and loving relationship, you need to suppress your need for excitement. ************************************* GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): Be firm about what you intend to do today and don’t let anyone talk you out of it. If you are your usual flexible self, people will start taking advantage and you will probably end up doing things you don’t want to do. ************************************* CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Before you know it, you could be involved in transporting people here there and everywhere, running errands and delivering messages. It might feel as if all some people care about is themselves. ************************************* LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): Either you or someone close might make too big a deal over a money dispute turning it into something bigger than it actually is. ************************************* VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): No matter how minor, a small achievement is something to be proud of as it takes you another step forward towards achieving a cherished goal. Experience should now be showing you that the harder you work at achieving your ambitions, the higher the chance of success.
LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Anything you achieve today will be purely from your own efforts as team-efforts will only cause aggravation. When with others, no-one will agree on anything and for every step forward, it will be two paces back. ************************************* SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): Your Scorpio desire to achieve total perfection and efficiency could get a little out of hand and annoy some who are around you. You need to bite your lips. ************************************* SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): Even if it seems like a good idea at the time, resist the temptation to leave important chores or responsibilities to others. ************************************* CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): Travelling to somewhere you’ve never been to before will do more than simply satisfy your curiosity. What you discover could well put you on the road to success where a personal ambition is concerned. ************************************* AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): Those sharing your day may be keen to take a risk or two and they could try to persuade you to do the same. Gambles of any kind are best avoided so even if you are tempted to speculate, resist with all your might. ************************************* PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): Concentrate on partnerships that have been languishing lately, for want of attention. If there have been disagreements, it may be necessary to go back to the beginning in your efforts to make the peace. Or at least to achieve a compromise.
DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55hrs. Sign On 09:00hrs. Live! With Kelly 10:00hrs. The A-Team 11:00hrs. The View 12:00hrs. Prime News 12:30hrs. The Young and the Restless 13:30hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 14:00hrs. The Talk 15:00hrs. Boy Meets World 16:00hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00hrs. The Wayans Brothers 18:00hrs. World News 18:30hrs. Nightly News 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 21:00hrs. Movie: Country Strong 23:00hrs. Sign Off NCN CHANNEL 11 02:00 – NCN Late Edition (R/B) 02:30 – Late Nite with GINA 03:00 – Movie 05:00 – Inspiration 05:30 – Newtown Gospel 06:00 – NCN Late Edition News(R/B) 06:30 – Feature 07:00 – Guyana Today 08:00 – Bollywood 60 Mins(R/B) 09:00 – Stop the Suffering 09:30 – Cartoons 10:00 – CCTV 11:00 – History 12:00 – CNN 12:30 – NCN Newsbreak 12:35 – Feature 13:00 – Revelation & Power 13:35 – Feature 14:00 – Movie 16:00 – Cartoons 17:00 – Anderson 18:00 – NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30 – Farming Today 19:00 – Al Jazeera 19:30 – NIS & YOU 20:00 – 3d/daily millions/ play de dream/lotto draw 20:05 – Fam Fest 20:35 – Miners’ World 21:05 – Ravi D Show Essequibo 22:05 – NCN News Late Edition 22:35 – Caribbean Newsline 23:00 – Movie MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 06:00hrs - Islamic Perspective 06:30hrs - News Update 07:00hrs - DAYBREAK 08:00hrs - Dabi’s Musical Hour 08:30hrs - Avon DVD Club music break
09:15hrs - Top Notch Music Break 09:30hrs - Caribbean Temptation Music Mix 10:00hrs - Payless Variety Music Mix 10:30hrs - Double day Int. Music Break 11:00hrs - H Persaud (Crown Chowmein) Music Break 11:30hrs - The View 12:00hrs - Current Affairs 12:30hrs - The Young and The Restless 13:30hrs - Days of Our Lives 14:00hrs - The Revolution 15:00hrs - General Hospital 16:00hrs - The Bold and the Beautiful 16:30hrs - Cartoons
17:00hrs - Birthdays and other greetings 17:15hrs - Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30hrs - Al Ja Zeera News 18:00hrs - Sitcom: Friends 18:30hrs - Jai Santoshi Ma 19:00hrs - Soul Melodies with Trans Globe 19:30hrs - News Update 20:30hrs - Winners Row Quiz 21:30hrs - Let’s talk Tax 22:05hrs - Movie: Killer Clans 23:00hrs - News Update 23:30hrs - Movie: Killer Clans Continues Sign off
Guides are subjected to change without notice
Page 20
Kaieteur News
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Bagosports of T&T wins Goodwill Series (From page 15)
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The visiting Bagosports Beach Football Club out of Trinidad and Tobago ended their Goodwill Series against Guyana Red Jaguars on a victorious note after registering two wins and suffering one loss in the best of three Series that was played at the Christianburg facility in Linden. In the opening game, Bagosports squeezed past the Red Jaguars 6-5 with Jerome Dickenson (8th), Chad Apoo
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From page 23 golds, even equal it,” he said. “I’ll be going out there running my 100, 200 and 4x100m and doing as best as possible. Hopefully, I can break those records at the Olympic Games. That would be a wonderful feat and I’m training for it. Bolt added that he had been left disappointed by Chelsea’s Champions League victory over German club Bayern Munich over the weekend. The football aficionado, a proclaimed Manchester
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(18th & 26th), Shallun Bobb (19th) and Captain Makan Hislop (23rd & 31st) minutes, being the goal-scorers for the visitors, while Keon Sears 4th, 5th & 22nd), Kennard Simon (29th) and Michael Wilson (20th) responded for the locals. In the second match, Bagosports registered a similar amount of goals to edge the Jaguars, who netted 5. For Bagosports, Makan Hislop netted in the (1st &
Bolt eyes 9.7
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United fan, said he had been supporting Bayern, with whom his doctor works, thus incurring the Jamaican’s support. “I think Bayern had a lot of chances, but my side lost,” he said.
31st), while Stevon Stonte (8th), Chad Apoo (21st) and Andre Red (27th & 31st) supported admirably. For, Red Jaguars, Colwyn David hammered in a treble in the (24th, 25th& 27th), Keon Sears (19th) and Michael Wilson (33rd). In the final game of the Series, Red Jaguars beat Bagosports 7-3 For Red Jaguars, Captain Jermaine Grandison scored in the (4th & 6th), Keon Sears
(8th), Michael Wilson (34th) and Colwyn David (22nd, 34th & 35th). Makan Hislop (10th) and Chad Apoo (17th) responded for Bagosports. Bagosports received the Goodwill Series Trophy compliments of Linden Care Foundation. Chad Apoo of Bagosports was voted MVP of the Series and he received a Red Jaguar T-shirt compliment of Guyana Beach Football Association.
Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust... From page 21 interest and proliferating basketball in Guyana. The tournament continues tonight at the same venue with West Side, the team that replaced Kitty that failed in their efforts to
present a team, vs. Gizmos & Gadgets East/West Ruimveldt in game one at 6pm and Western Union Plaisance/ Vryheids-Lust vs. Lodge/ Medowbrook in game two at 8pm. All games are expected to start on time.
Super Kings wallop Mumbai Indians... From back page a rash of wickets resulting from the pressures of a skyhigh asking rate. The match was really about what Chennai did when they took first strike. Harbhajan, criticized through the tournament for underbowling himself, opened proceedings by restricting Hussey and Vijay to just one off the first over. Vijay continued his indifferent form when he edged Dhaval Kulkarni’s late away swinger to Rohit Sharma at first slip. On the next ball, Suresh Raina went for a drive on the off-side and chopped the ball on to the stumps for a golden duck. Within the first eight balls of the match, Chennai were on the back-foot in this most critical of matches. Would they recover from here? Oh yes, and how! Harbhajan followed up his one-run opening over with a maiden to Hussey and the pressure on Chennai mounted, but Hussey and Badri made the best of their
chances to resurrect the tattered innings. Badri edges Kulkarni a couple of times to the boundary and smashed the same bowler to the long on fence. Hussey got off the mark on the ninth ball he faced, but switched gears when R.P. Singh came on to bowl. The Aussie crunched three fours – one of which was chancily feathered wide of first slip – to catch up on his strike rate. Malinga was introduced and Hussey welcomed him with a four caressed through the off-side. Chennai reached 61 for two in ten overs as Bhajji played around with the bowling changes. But when the skipper came on again to bowl – in the 11th of the innings – he was molested by Badri and Hussey, who clouted a six each and took 19 from the over. Badri looked good for a fifty in his return game but he skied Kieron Pollard to longon where he was taken by Rohit for 47. Hussey and Ravindra Jadeja departed
soon after, and then began the most brutal phase of the innings as the last eight overs of the innings conceded 105 runs. Dhoni flicked the first ball he faced to the mid-wicket fence and waded into the flurry of full-length deliveries that Mumbai bowlers offered him. James Franklin was massacred over long-on for the biggest hit of IPL-V – all the way for 112 metres. The Powerplay hero Kulkarni was clobbered straight past his head. Then the India captain launched into a helicopter shot off Malinga that came to rest in the stands. Dhoni reached his half-century in 20 balls. It was fearless, nerveless hitting as Bravo joined his captain in a carnage that produced 73 runs in just 29 balls. What Sooper hitting! Whatay Sooper team! Delhi Daredevils had better watch out. Scores: Chennai Super Kings 187 for 5 (Dhoni 51, Hussey 49) v Mumbai Indians 149 for 9 (Smith 38, Bravo 2-10, Morkel 2-31).
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 21
Wortmanville/ Eight shot outside NBA Werk-en-Rust launch playoff game in Oklahoma title campaign
One of the most successful Inter-Ward Basketball teams, Wortmanville/Werk-En-Rust launched its title campaign in the National Community Basketball League (NCBL) with a hard fought win against BV/Melanie when the competition continued Wednesday night. The Universal Group of Companiessponsored Wortmanville/Werk-En-Rust defeated Sculpture Craft-sponsored BV/ Melanie 29-21 in a shortened version of the game owed to a late start when the nationwide competition continued on Burnham Basketball Court. Wortmanville, which boast some of the most seasoned players in the country in Royston Siland, Naylon Loncke and Clement Brusche among others, were forced to dig deep against BV/Melanie in their first game of the tournament that has reached national proportions. In the end, experienced prevailed at the undocumented Mecca of ‘street ball’. The quality of the Wortmanville/Werk-En-Rust team rubbed shoulders with the many interesting new facets of the NCBL to create a fusion of competitive basketball and entertainment. The initial game set the right atmosphere for the Mc Doom/Diamond versus the Tucville/Guyhoc encounter, which the former prevailed 49-40 in yet another close battle. In the four groups across Guyana, only two teams will advance to the knockout round. McDoom/Diamond’s Jermaine Slater had 10 points while Tucville/Guyhoc guard, Ryan Melville had14 points in that game. The NCBL is a mechanism that is aimed at recapturing public (Continued on page 20)
Royston Siland
Clement Brusche
(Reuters) - The American men’s and women’s basketball teams will tune up for the London Olympics by facing Brazil’s squads in an exhibition double-header in July, USA Basketball said on Wednesday. The games will take place on July 16 at the Verizon
Naylon Loncke
Guyana’s Squash dominance started since in the 1980’s factors but, inter alia, a unique group of talented players that would define a generation (Richard Chin, Diane Lee, Gillian Griffith, Garfield Wiltshire, Roger Arjoon, all who would go on to win a plethora of national junior and senior titles) as well as the inspiration, guidance and skill of one, Dr. Ronald Hughes. Ron was a Canadian diplomat stationed in Guyana, but also a certified squash coach who established the first formal coaching programme in the country. Highly technical and supremely organized, his unique system was the foundation of all the success that followed. I don’t have the records to hand, but would posit that our squash success at a regional level from 1984 to 1998 (a convenient 14 year period and therefore one for
exchanged words, Nelson said. “At least one guy pulled out a gun and started shooting,” he said. “We don’t know why it happened.” The shooting occurred at 11:35 p.m. local time in Bricktown, the city’s entertainment district. There have been no arrests, but two people in a vehicle were detained for questioning, Nelson said. Investigators believe interviews with the wounded will help identify suspects. “We hope some of them know who was shooting at them,” he said. Besides the 18,000 people who packed into Chesapeake Arena for the game, about 7,000 to 9,000 others gathered outside the stadium to watch the action being streamed on outdoor monitors, police said. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City police have arrested a
second suspect. Police say they arrested a 17-year-old man late Tuesday in connection with the shootings in the Bricktown entertainment district the previous night. A pregnant woman was hurt but not shot in the incident. Authorities say one person remains in critical condition. The others are in good condition. Police also arrested 19year-old Rodney Hill in the shootings. Both suspects face eight complaints of shooting with intent to kill. Formal charges have not been filed. Police are looking for more suspects. Thousands of people were in the area after the Thunder-Lakers playoff and police are seeking cellphone video of the shooting. Police say the shootings were not connected to the NBA game.
U.S. men, women to face Brazil in London tune-up
>>>Letter to the Sports Editor<<<
DEAR SPORTS EDITOR, I refer to your article entitled “Coach Ince says CASA preparations going well” (KN May 21, 2012). As a product of Guyana squash from the 1980’s, I challenge the notion of Guyana not being a dominant force in squash prior to Carl Ince taking over as national coach in 1998. Guyana first emerged as a regional squash powerhouse in 1984 at junior CASA in Jamaica. The then newly constructed team exploded on the scene and claimed the first of the unique triple of Boy’s, Girl’s and Overall team titles. In fact, nine of ten team members made it at least to the semifinals in the respective individual tournaments. This initial success was due to a confluence of many
(Reuters) - Eight people were wounded, one critically, by gun shots fired as thousands of sports fans left a National Basketball Association playoff game late Monday, police said. The shooting occurred during a confrontation outside Chesapeake Arena in downtown Oklahoma City, as fans walked to parking lots after the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers. One victim was in critical condition while wounds suffered by seven others were not believed to be life-threatening, said Captain Dexter Nelson of the Oklahoma City Police Department. City police said early Tuesday there was no update on the victims’ conditions. The shooting erupted when a group of women “ran up” on a group of men and
easy analysis and comparability), was equally as good as the more recent 14 year period to date. Coach Ince has done an absolutely fantastic job in his tenure as national coach and he is revered by everyone in the local squash community. His leadership and skill has guided the success of this generation of players and his presence and efforts will no doubt ensure continued success. However, squash success for Guyana was evident for half a generation prior and I believe our dominance had already been established at the regional level; a unique achievement for a national sport over a 28 year period and one of which we should all feel great national pride. Yours faithfully, Roger Arjoon
Center in Washington. The American men and women won Olympic gold in Beijing four years ago and the games against Brazil will be the last domestic stops for each team prior to their preOlympic European tours. “Brazil is a respected international basketball power
on both the men’s and women’s sides,” USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. “These exhibition contests will be the final games on U.S. turf for both teams and they will offer basketball fans a very special night of international basketball.” The London Olympics will begin on July 27.
GASA to host Independence Swimming c/ship starting today The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) will host the Annual Independence Swim Meet, from today May 24 to May 27. This competition will also serve as the Time Trials for the 2012 Squad selection for the Goodwill 2012 Championships to be held in Guyana in August comprising of Teams Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, and Barbados with a special invitation to St. Lucia. These championships (LC- long course) will be held at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal 50m pool. Contact can be made with Ms Dee George, GASA Secretary (624-5082) and Dr. Karen Pilgrim, VP Admin/Fund Raiser (225-1553 or 660-4289) for any details. The scheduled action will see: Day 1 - Thursday May 24 6:00 am - Warm-up (morning) 6:50 am - 800m Freestyle (Evening) 3:15 pm - Warm Up 4:05 pm - 200m Freestyle
50m Backstroke Day 2 - Friday May 25 6:00 am - Warm-up (morning) 6:50 am - 1500m Freestyle (Evening) 3:15 pm - Warm up 4:05 pm - 200 I.M 100m Breaststroke Day 3 - Saturday May 26 10:30 am - Warm Up 11.20 am - 400m Freestyle 100m Butterfly
50m Breaststroke 100m Freestyle 200m Backstroke Day 4 - Sunday May 27 10:30 am - Warm Up 11:20 am - 400m I.M 200m Breaststroke 50m Butterfly 100m Backstroke 200m Butterfly 50m Freestyle 4 x 100m Free Relay (Under 19)
Page 22
Kaieteur News
Inter Ministry/Corporation 7-a-side football competition kicks off this evening Football fans are in for a treat when the curtains go up on the Inter Ministry/ Corporation 7-A-side 30minute football competition this evening at the Banks DIH Thirst Park Ground starting at 18:00hrs. Activities would be staged under the Powerade brand, a nutritional drink manufactured by main sponsors, Banks DIH Ltd and there will be four matches starting with GNIC up against GPL. Forty five minutes after the commencement of the first match, Guyana Lotto Company will match skills with J&S Electrical. In the other two matches, NIS will take on the Ministry of Public Works, while Banks DIH and the Republic Bank will bring the curtains down on tonight’s activities. The tournament continues on Saturday May 26 with 5 other enthralling encounters from 16:00hrs and
then Tuesday with five more matches. A total 22 teams are registered for what has been touted as a tournament that promotes fitness in what the organizers said stemmed from the projection of Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Frank Anthony, in the physical fitness initiative. The initiative will also serve to promote cohesiveness within the work place since it allows those within the corporate fraternity to engage in recreation even as they maintain healthy habits. Among those teams competing for a first prize of $250,000 and a trophy are GNIC, GPI, Neal and Massy, Lucky Dollar, Digicel, Amerindian Affairs Ministry, Republic Bank, Courtney Benn Contracting Company, Guyana Water Authority, GPL and NIS among others. The second place finishers win
$175,000, while third and fourth places receive $75,000 and $25,000 respectively. Several other corporate entities have joined with Banks DIH and contributed towards a successful tournament including Giftland Office Max, Talk is Cheap, Ross Gas Station, Money Gram, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry Culture, Youth and Sports and Hopkinson Mining among others. The competition will be played on a round-robin basis with four groups participating before the top two teams from each group qualifying for the knock-out stage. Deputy Permanent Secretary Steve Ninvalle is scheduled to kick off the ball in this evening’s opening game after saying a few words before the commencement of the competition.
Khan to fight WBC champion Garcia in July (Reuters) - Former champion Amir Khan will fight undefeated American lightwelterweight Danny Garcia on July 14 for the WBC title. The Briton’s rematch against Lamont Peterson, scheduled for May 19, was called off after Peterson, who beat Khan in controversial circumstances to win the WBA super-lightweight and IBF light-welterweight titles, failed a drugs test. Peterson has appealed against his failed drugs test and Khan is still waiting to find out whether or not he will be given back the belts he lost in the defeat. Should that happen, or the titles be declared vacant, Khan’s fight against Garcia, which will take place in Los Angeles or Las Vegas according to Khan, could be a unification contest. “It’s a good fight for me, Danny Garcia is unbeaten in 23 fights and has 14 knockouts so it will be a tough test for me,” the 25year-old Khan told Sky
Amir Khan prepares for a session. Sports on Wednesday. “It’s a great match-up, the WBC title will be on the line which I’d love to win. We don’t know what’s going to happen to the other two titles at the moment because the hearing will be in the next couple of weeks and then the governing bodies will make their decision.” Khan said he was still frustrated at being deprived a chance to avenge his December defeat by Peterson, who was awarded a split-
decision after Khan was docked two points. “I’m still angry because I trained so hard for that fight in the Philippines and LA then in the last week it was called off and all my training went down the drain,” Khan, who has lost just twice in 28 fights, said. “I’m still upset because I wanted to win my titles back and settle the score.” Philadelphia-based Garcia, 24, took the WBC title when he beat Erik Morales on points in Houston in March.
Thursday May 24, 2012
Great Manchester Run: Haile Gebrselassie takes fifth crown Haile Gebrselassie recorded the fastest 10,000m time in the world this year to win his fifth Great Manchester Run. The Ethiopian, 39, clocked 27 minutes and 29 seconds to beat compatriots Tsegae Kebede and Ayele Abshero, and secure a fourth win in a row. Gebrselassie missed out on selection for the London 2012 marathon, but may compete in the 10,000m event in which he has won two Olympic golds. Kenyan Linet Masai took victory in the women’s race in 31 minutes, 35 seconds. Gebrselassie will now run in Hengelo, Holland, next Sunday in a race which will double as the Ethiopian trials, with the top three set to be selected for the London
Haile Gebrselassie
Games. “I am so happy today, everything was perfect,” said Gebrselassie, who could come up against British world champion Mo Farah in London. “I am not surprised to run that fast. I wanted to run under 27 minutes. “According to my training this year, I feel I can run faster on the track. I want to go
under 27 minutes, that’s what I am thinking. If I run this fast on the road, why not on the track?” In the women’s race, former world champion Masai took victory ahead of Britons Charlotte Purdoe in fourth and Mara Yamauchi - who will compete in the marathon at the Olympics - in sixth.
All Saints Primary are inter primary school champion in New Amsterdam All Saints Primary school played unbeaten to emerge champions when the Hearts of Oak Masters Football Club held their twentieth anniversary Inter Primary school football tournament for schools in New Amsterdam. The one day tournament which was played recently at the All Saints Scott Church ground was played on a round robin basis and saw the teams engaging each other using the small goal version, which saw five teams participating. The schools that took
part were All Saints Primary, St. Therese Primary, Overwinning Primary, St Aloysius Primary and New Amsterdam Primary. At the end of the competition both All Saints and St Therese were deadlock on six points each. However All saints were declared winner by virtue of scoring more goals than their opponent in the competition. Overwinning Primary and St Aloysius Primary were also deadlock on four points in the fight for third place. It took 10 penalty kicks to decide the
GDA host Darts Tourney at Seepaul’s Sports Bar The Guyana Darts Association (GDA) in partnership with Seepaul’s Sports Bar Alexander Street Kitty will be hosting two tournaments tomorrow, at the sponsor’s location, starting from 19:30 hrs. According to a release from the GDA, the two competitions to be contested are 4-member “1001” League format and knockout Draw Doubles. The release added that keen rivalry is expected from teams spearheaded by Norman Madhoo and Sudesh Fitzgerald and they will no doubt attempt to overthrow the teams from the East Bank of Demerara. Cash prizes for the respective winners and runners-up are up for grabs.
third place finisher. At the end of the competition Lenard Reid of All Saints Primary was named the most valuable player. The most goals in the competition were scored by Jamal McCalmont of All Saints, while his teammate Trivet Edwards took home the best goalkeeper prize. The most promising player on show was Deon Swami of Overwinning Primary. In brief remarks at the presentation ceremony, officer in charge of the New Amsterdam Prisons Assistant Superintendent Carl Graham congratulated the teams for putting on a good show. He had special commendation for the winners All Saints Primary and the individual prize winners. He also told the youngsters to continue training, take in their education and have good discipline and they will definitely go a far way. He told them that, “It is not only about winning, what is also important is how you play the game.” He challenged them to start thinking about playing for Guyana as they are many opportunities available.
Tucville 8-0 beating of St George’s headlines latest Scotia/Pepsi schools football Play in the Scotiabank/ Pepsi School Football Academy continued last Saturday with three (3) exciting games at the Tucville Ground. In the first game between Tucville Secondary and St. George’s High School males in Group A, Tucville defeated St. Georges 8-0. Goal scorers
for Tucville Secondary were: Kevin Andrews -16th, 32nd & 45th, Dennis Johnson - 47th penalty, Colin Waterman 50th, Roland Mares - 53rd and Wesley Wishrop 58th. The Second game saw North Georgetown Secondary and Lodge Secondary in the Females Group B, with North defeating
Lodge 3-0. Goal scorers for North Georgetown were National U-17 Lady Jags Althea Holligan who slammed in a hat-trick in the 17th, 24th and 46th minute. The Final game for the day saw East Ruimveldt Secondary defeating Christ Church Secondary in the males Group B Category 4-1.
Scoring for East Ruimveldt were: Romel Legall - 7th, Craig Hughes - 11th and 25th and Ahmad Stephens - 35th. Christ Church replied through Andre Trotz - 26th minute. More school football action continues on Wednesday 23rd May with Christ Church Secondary and
Lodge Secondary battling in a male Category Group “B” game at 15:30 hrs at the Tucville Ground. Also on Sat 26th May the final 2 games in the Round Robin Segment are scheduled for the Tucville Ground. At 10:00 hrs North Georgetown & Campbellville will clash in
a female match, while at 11:30 hrs St George’s and Queens College males will collide The Semifinals for both the male and female segment are slated for Saturday 2nd June at the Tucville Ground and the Final is slated for the Ministry of Education Ground on Saturday 16th June.
Thursday May 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Bolt eyes 9.7
Banks DIH, Gilgeous First Choice Pawnshop on board for the Guyana Independence T/20 Cup
-Jamaican star graces Ostrava track tomorrow
everage giants Banks DIH Limited and Gilgeous First Choice Pawn Shop have joined a long list of sponsors that have come on board for the Independence T/20 Cup one day cricket extravaganza slated for Saturday May 26th, Independence Day at the Albion Sports Complex. The joint Fundraising venture by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and Berbice Chambers of C o m m e r c e a n d Development Association (BCCDA) has been receiving overwhelming support from Cooperate Guyana. The tournament will be played under the theme “Celebrating G u y a n a ’s S t r u g g l e s , molding our future through the development of sports.” Banks DIH Berbice deputy Regional manager, J o s h u a To r e z z a r o , o n Tuesday presented a hefty sum on behalf of the beverage giants to Assistant Treasurer of the BCB and member of the organising community Romesh Munna at a simple presentation ceremony which was done at the company’s Berbice head
Usain Bolt
O S T R AVA , C z e c h Republic (AFP) — Reigning double Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt is targeting a 9.7sec time when he takes to the track to race the 100m here tomorrow in his European season debut. The Jamaican will be making his sixth appearance in the eastern Czech city, where he holds the meet record of 19.83sec over 200m, set just before the Beijing Olympics in 2008. “It’s almost like the ‘must’ for me,” the 25-yearold told media on arrival. “I really enjoy running here and my coach (Glen Mills) knows this is one of the meets I must come to every year. “It’s always important to run good races. I’m definitely looking forward to it. I started off the season very well,” he said of his winning 9.82sec performance over the Kingston Invitational 100m earlier this month. Bolt said the track in Ostrava was a fast one, and that he was clearly targeting to beat compatriot Asafa Powell’s meet record of 9.83sec, set in 2010. “Ostrava’s a good track and I always do extremely well here. So I’m just looking forward to going out there, running well,” he said. “I’ll definitely like to go faster than my opening race. I think I’m in great shape. My coach is very happy at where I’m at, and I’m very happy with it also. “So I’m definitely going out there to run very fast, 9.7sec would be good for me.” Turning to next month’s Olympic Games in London, Bolt joked he would like to take home “as much as
possible” when it came to gold medals. More seriously, he also sent out a broadside to rivals that he wanted to improve on his showing in Beijing, when he won golds in the 100, 200 and 4x100m, all won in world record times. Bolt went on to better his 100 and 200m records at the 2009 Berlin worlds to 9.58 and 19.19sec. “I definitely want to improve on my last Olympic Games, run fast, win more (Continued on page 20)
B
Banks DIH Limited Berbice Deputy Regional manger Joshua Torezzaro (left) hands over sponsorship cheque to Romesh Munna of the BCB. office in Main and New Street, New Amsterdam. Mr. Torezzaro said that his company has been one of the leading supporters of Sports and community activities in the country and is pleased to be a part of the venture. He stated that it is a distinct pleasure to work with two outstanding
o rg a n i s a t i o n s a n d h i s company was more than happy to be a part to the impending spectacle. Banks DIH support for activities of s u c h n a t u r e i s unquestionable and again we are more than happy to be a part, the Manager said. Gilgeous First Choice Pawn Shop with operations
throughout Guyana also joined the numerous sponsors with sponsorship of an undisclosed sum. The tournament will be part of the activities to mark Guyana’s 46th Independence Anniversary. Four teams competing are the Universal D V D B e r b i c e Ti t a n s , Karibee Rice Tigers, Hits and Jams Superstars and New Line Cavaliers in their quest for the more than $1M in cash and other prizes on offer. A number of activities will be organized for children including, Merry Go round, Trampoline, castle and other activities, while a number of dignitaries will be invited and patrons will be treated to a full night of Cultural activity which will also include Fireworks. Admission to the venue is $500 for Adults and $200 for children with gates open from 9:00hrs. Tickets will be sold only at the venue and patrons are urged to get theirs early. Proceeds from the activity will be used by both organizations to enhance their community and other charity works.
James and Wade on fire as Heat scorch Pacers (Reuters) - With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on fire, the Miami Heat pounded the Indiana Pacers 115-83 on Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff semi-final. James had 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists while Wade put up 28 points as Miami took command of the best of seven series with the club’s third-biggest winning margin in a post-season game. The build-up to the game had featured plenty of tough talking from the Pacers, in particular from forward Danny Granger, but just as in game three, Miami showed they are at their best when provoked. Nonetheless the league is likely to be looking at several LeBron James #6 posts up Paul George #24 during Game Five. incidents in the game particularly flagrant fouls from the Heat’s Udonis baskets from James - a sign of things cross-court pass for Wade to dunk. Haslem and a late elbow from team- to come in a one-sided second half. Miami were fast and direct in mate Dexter Pittman on Lance Key man Granger had to hobble out transition and there was never a hint of the game just after halftime with a of a repeat of the Pacers’ Game Three Stephenson. It was a physical battle at times sprained ankle sustained late in the road win which had raised questions but the rough and tumble never second quarter, and without him over whether the Heat could advance knocked the Heat off their stride - Indiana were unable to cope with an without the injured Chris Bosh. The league’s Most Valuable they outscored the Pacers 22-2 in inspired James. In one stunning play, as Miami Player James, whose 40 points in fastbreak points, the high-flying Wade and James delivering on the ran away with the game in the third Sunday’s win restored Miami’s quarter, James took a long pass from home advantage, was able to take bulk of those. Miami led 49-40 at halftime, Mario Chalmers one-handed and, some rest at the start and end of the ending the half with two emphatic falling backwards, lobbed a pinpoint fourth quarter. Miami’s supporting
cast have taken some criticism but forward Shane Battier set the tone with a trio of early threepoint shots and he ended with 13 points while Haslem chimed in with 10 points and six rebounds. The Heat can secure their place in the final against the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers with a win in Indianapolis today. Despite Tuesday’s overwhelming 32-point win, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is sure his team will face a sterner test back on the road. “It was a good win. I don’t think the score is indicative of anything really. Our challenge right now is to leave it behind us,” he said. “We have to focus on the next one and really commit to keeping this edge that we’ve had the last two games, knowing that we’ll be going into a hostile environment.” Pacer’s head coach Frank Vogel was also keen to move on. “They kicked our butts but, as we’ve said before, you don’t get two wins for a blowout. It only counts once”. As well as Granger’s ankle problem, the Pacers will also be hoping that forward David West recovers from a knee injury that restricted his minutes in the second half.
t r o Sp YBG Conference Finals Best ready for West -nations on this weekend leading Indies opportunity school teams to battle
Dominic Vincente
T
he Conference Finals of Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) will bounce off this weekend at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall after some of the best basketballplaying schools in the country were successful in last weekend’s semi-final round of the competition. East Coast’s top-ranked, P l a i s a n c e A c a d e m y, steamrolled the Guyana School of Agriculture 89-42, ending the conference unbeaten. Junior national guard, Nikkoloi Smith had a game high 34 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists. Nicholas Cassius offered support with 29 points and six 6 rebounds. For the Guyana School of Agriculture, Jamal Watson top scored with 26 points and seven boards with Quincy Easton putting up 14 points.
Drexel Amsterdam In the second semi-final of the East Coast Conference, President’s College unusually outplayed the University of Guyana to win 53-35 to set up a battle against Plaisance Academy for the East Coast title. Durash Roopnarine led his team with 15 points, with support from Shaquille Adonis who had 14 points a n d 11 r e b o u n d s f o r President’s College. For the nation’s top academic institution, Shaka Codrington had a doubledouble with 12 points and 16 rebounds. Georgetown top-ranked, Marian Academy reached their second consecutive City final after what can be considered a hard fought game against the muchimproved, and spirited, Queens College team, following a 50-37 points’
win. The Georgetown defending champions struggled to find rhythm, but managed to do just enough to avert what would have been a monumental upset. Junior national guard, Dominic Vincent lead with 18 points, four rebounds and three steals. For Queens College, Akil Lewis completed a good tournament, he had 14 rebounds as Jonathan Pooran and Kareem Critchlow each had 11 points. Meanwhile, the Government Technical Institute found some much needed form, defeating Charlestown Secondary 5235 to setup up a much anticipated rematch against Marian Academy in the Georgetown finals. Versatile former national forward, Drexel Amsterdam led from the front with a double-double as he put up 13 points and 10 rebounds. Patrick Reid supported with 13 points. For Charlestown, Murtland Ward had 13 points and Kaya Dover 12 points in a losing effort.
ESPNcricinfo - Tino Best has described himself as fit and ready to return to action for West Indies, three years after he last played Test cricket. The fast bowler was called into the touring party as a replacement for Shannon Gabriel, who has returned home after suffering a stress reaction in his back during defeat in the first Test against England. Best, 30, who had been named in the West Indies A team to face India A next month, was recently a member of the full squad for the limited-overs internationals against Australia but did not play. He left the Caribbean on Tuesday ahead of the second Test at Trent Bridge, which starts on Friday. “I’m very happy to be recalled for the Test squad for the series in England,” Best said. “I’ve been waiting for my opportunity to represent the West Indies again and this is another opportunity to wear the Baggy Maroon.” “I’m fit and feeling quite ready. I’ve been training and working hard, looking forward to this. I was in the team earlier this year when we played against Australia and I gained a lot of knowledge from being in the group. I felt I fitted in quite well and I have a good idea of the work ethic and what will be required of me.” With Fidel Edwards, Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul all suffering niggles, Best could make an unexpected Test comeback, even if West Indies decide to pick the offspinner Shane Shillingford, as the tourists look to build on an encouraging but ultimately unsuccessful performance at Lord’s. Best is familiar with English conditions, having toured with the West Indies in 2004 and played for Yorkshire in 2010. “What I have to do, and what I am fully
Tino Best
aware of, is how to put that knowledge to work,” he said. “I’m a hard worker and I’m really delighted to get this opportunity.”
Super Kings wallop Mumbai Indians by 38 runs Yahoo! Cricket – BANGALORE: jaw-dropping exhibition of power Lucky. Spoilt. Favoured. Favourites. hitting from captain M.S. Dhoni (51, Whatever! Count Chennai Super Kings 20bb, 2x6, 6x4) and Dwayne Bravo (33, out at your own peril. After making the 14b, 3x4, 2x6). The conclusive assault play-offs following a string of fortunate brought in 107 runs from the last eight results, the defending champions overs, as captain cool and Bravo went overcame a disastrous start to defeat berserk, taking Chennai to a gargantuan Mumbai Indians by 38 runs in the 187-5. Eliminator at the M. Chinnawamy The most successful IPL franchise Stadium on Wednesday night. then tided over Dwayne Smith’s early Super Kings will next play Delhi fireworks in the chase to trounce Daredevils in the Qualifier - a virtual Mumbai comprehensively, the chase semifinal - at their stronghold, the M.A. having virtually ended when the Chidambaram Stadium, on Friday. The pursuers found themselves five down winner of that game will meet Kolkata for less than hundred, all their stars back Knight Riders in the final. in the dug out. Bravo had a memorable On Wednesday, Chennai were sent day in the field, first sparkling with a 14in to bat by Harbhajan Singh and found ball 33 and adding two wickets to his themselves in hot water within the first haul when Mumbai took guard. eight balls of the match. They were two The Champions League T20 down for one run, with M. Vijay and winners were never in the hunt except Suresh Raina back in the pavilion, and for a brief period when Smith was going the ball swinging viciously late, when after Ben Hilfenhaus – who had a rare the turnaround began – and what a off-day – but when Sachin Tendulkar turnaround it was! sacrificed (yes, you read that right!) his Super Kings steadied the boat wicket for Smith in a brainless run-out, through Michael Hussey and S. the chase faltered irrevocably, ending in Chennai Super Kings' fielders celebrate the fall of Dinesh Karthik. Badrinath, and then benefited from a (Continued on page 20) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210
Dhoni, Bravo incinerate Mumbai