Kaieteur News

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November 03, 2012 - Vol. 6 No. 41 - Price $80 kaieteurnews@yahoo.com Website:http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Three Guyanese killed in horrific accident in Suriname Dead: Charlene Lynch

What is left of the SUV that was pulled from the canal in Suriname yesterday. (photo courtesy of www.starnieuws.com)

Boat captain Marlon 'Trini' Osborne Abary Cattle drowns in the sustained four gunshot Ranch to pay Cuyuni River wounds - PM reveals $25M to MMA

Commission wraps up Linden hearing - report to be submitted in Jan. 2013

Kaieteur News

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Saturday November 03, 2012

Boat captain drowns Three Guyanese killed in in the Cuyuni River tragic Suriname crash

Tragedy struck yesterday afternoon around 5:00pm in the Kamaria area , Cuyuni River , when 26-year-old boat captain, Charles Mc Watt, drowned while he was attempting to retrieve two sunken 75 hp Yamaha boat engines.

Charles was said to have been piloting his boat with the engines earlier this week, when it sank in the said area renowned for its treacherous rapids, Charles that time was

lucky to escape with his life, but yesterday afternoon he and others were trying to bring the engines to the surface when the air hose that was attached to him as he was below the river surface, became entangled with submerged debris.

He drowned. His colleagues on the surface, suspecting that something dreadful was amiss then successfully managed to get his body to the surface.

They then took him to the Bartica Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival .

At Bartica, a tearful mother, Mrs. Brigette Mc Watt, was inconsolable while Mr. Mc Watt was making the necessary arrangements to store the body at the Bartica Public Hospital Mortuary.

Charles leaves to mourn a four-year-old son and reputed wife.

(Edward A Persaud)

Three Guyanese were tragically killed yesterday afternoon after their Honda CRV flipped into a canal in Nickerie, Suriname.

A woman who was with them is said to be receiving medical attention.

While no names were officially released as of late last evening, Surinamese police are saying that from indications four persons were in the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), bearing number plates PKK 7256, and which crossed some time in the morning on the Canawaima ferry.

Unconfirmed reports said that survivor's name was given as Vilma Lynch who had gone there with her daughter Charlene Lynch and two other close relatives.

The vehicle was heading to the capital, Paramaribo.

Two women and a man were reportedly killed while the middle-aged woman was admitted to the Lachmipersad Mungra regional hospital, Police c o m m a n d e r, S t a n l e y Benschop, told reporters.

The blue SUV apparently lost control and eyewitness

What is left of the SUV that was pulled from the canal in Suriname yesterday. (photo courtesy of www.starnieuws.com) recounted seeing it careening from one side of the road to the other.

It is still unknown whether one of its wheels blew out.

The accident is said to have happened about 192 kilometers from Paramaribo.

The police commander could not immediately confirm reports that a child was in the car as the female survivor remained in a state

of shock.

The police were reportedly making checks with the Immigration Department at Nickerie to determine whether a fifth person was in the vehicle.

It is believed that the occupants died by drowning and rescuers searched for some time in the water in the farming community.

The police believed that it is a family.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Commission wraps up hearings

By Latoya Giles The commission of inquiry into the July 18 shooting at Linden came to an end yesterday as lawyers for the police, victims who suffered losses, the APNU and the families of the three dead men all submitting their closing arguments before the commission.

Attorney Peter Hugh, who is representing the police, in his summation said that if the organisers and leaders of the protest action on July 18 had asked the protesters to leave the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge, there would have been no cause for the police to get involved and the incident at the bridge would have been avoided.

Hugh also suggested that there is no evidence to show that the police were

responsible for the injuries and death suffered by protesters.

The commissioners then enquired from Hugh whether there was a high probability that the persons were injured by the police given that Todd admitted firing in the direction of the crowd and the absence of evidence pointing to other shooters.

But the lawyer would only say that there was a “possibility” that the protesters on the MackenzieWismar Bridge were shot by the police since there was no ballistics test linking the pellets to the police. Hugh based this aspect of his summation on Supt. Patrick Todd’s testimony where he said that he fired into the ground so that the bullets could ricochet.

Linden Commission of Inquiry ...

Minutes into the hearing, yesterday, Justice Claudette Singh inquired from the Chairman, former Jamaican Judge Lensley Wolfe if the secretary of the commission should extend the courtesy to invite attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes to present his summation.

Wolfe made it clear that he would have no part of that, adding that he did not believe the Commission ought to be doing that.

“They need to pay attention to the sensitivities of this issue. I live in Guyana and I know,” she said to no one in particular.

Commissioner Dana Seetahal, commenting on the matter, said that it was up to the attorney and not for the bench to decide.

Attorney at Law Basil Williams then said that he had spoken to the leader of the Alliance for Change and that there were attempts to have Hughes return.

Hughes later returned to the afternoon’s sitting and made his summations.

Nigel Hughes said that there is compelling evidence to prove that the police shot the three deceased and injured the Lindeners. He added that the deceased and injured persons were all shot with 00 buckshot pellets. The injured were in excess of 20 persons.

The lawyer said that the pellets could only have been discharged from a shotgun and not a handgun or rifle.

Hughes said that that eliminated the possibility of either a concealed weapon or sniper being present.

He said that a shotgun is at least three feet in length and hence would have been clearly visible at the time of

- report to be submitted in January 2013 “Both ballistics experts stated that 00 buckshot pellets with copper coating were used, based on the fact that the police used cartridges four and six and they did not ricochet …These are facts that the deaths were not caused by the police” Hugh contended.

Hugh further contended that the police acted justifiably and they followed their Standard Operating Procedures, if one were to consider the events. The lawyer said that there is no liability that can be attached to the officers executing their duties in maintaining law and order. Hugh said that the action by the protestors became unlawful when they decided to block the bridge,

which is a public thoroughfare.

Hugh contended that the police had the obligation to clear the bridge and added that Todd’s action would be exempt from criminal matters.

Hugh also argued that because they were involved in an illegal act, the injured protesters should not be compensated.

He made specific reference to Janice Burgan who admitted that she was part of the protest, stating that she should not be compensated since she was participating illegally. He also suggested that the organizers of the protest should be made to bear some sort of responsibility since they encouraged their supporters.

ORGANIZERS SHOULD BEAR LIABILITY Attorney Latchmie Rahamat, who represented the individuals who suffered property losses because of the July 18 incident, also summated that the organizers of the protest should be made to bear some liability for the losses of her clients.

Rahamat represented the Guyana Revenue Authority, Peoples Progressive Party, Linmine, and NICIL among others. The lawyer said that the failure of the organizers to control the protest led to the losses and so the organizers should therefore bear some responsibility for compensation. Asked by Justice Kennard how

compensation could be recovered from the protesters, attorney Rahamat said that her clients are prepared to file legal charges if her submission is favoured.

Rahamat said that the persons claiming losses contend that the organizers should take liability for trucks and buildings lost.

Commissioner K. D. Knight expressed the view that the organizers of the march should not bear any liability for damage or loss to property, while Commission Chairman Wolfe queried why the police did not withdraw permission for the march to proceed if they had prior information about the protest, as they had testified.

Enough circumstantial evidence that police shot - Nigel Hughes

the shooting. Hughes said that there were around several hundred persons present at the time of the shooting and the only persons who were seen with shot guns were three police officers.

Superintendent Todd, who was in charge, admitted that he discharged several rounds from shotguns which he took from various ranks that were on the police line in uniform. Todd further said that he was the only one who discharged the shotgun.

Hughes said that evidence shows that no witness whether civilian or police claimed to have seen anyone else but the police armed with a shotgun. He said that ballistics expert Dr. Mark Robinson, testified that from the fact that the deceased died from single pellet shots meant they had to be some 30 to 40 yards away from the shooter.

Hughes noted that Todd’s testimony confirms that he was within that distance when he fired the shotgun .Todd testified that he shot to the ground in an attempt to cause the pellets to ricochet. The U.K. ballistic expert, local ballistic expert Sergeant Ian Jackson and the police investigator who visited the scene the next morning all testified that there was no

evidence of any ricochet on the ground or did the pellets show that they were fired ricochet.

Hughes said that the position from which the persons were shot was consistent with the position from which the police said they fired. The witness Todd admitted firing at least four times at the crowd yet no one in the crowd was injured with the official # 04 and # 06 pellets which are issued by the police.

The lawyer said that would mean on Todd’s evidence they should all be buried in the ground or had fallen short of the crowd.

“The unaccounted gunman would have had to have fired repeatedly at the crowd and not be seen” Hughes suggested. The lawyer further suggested that the police claim that they heard four loud explosions coming from the bridge.

Assuming for the purpose of argument that this was our missing shooter armed with a shotgun on the bridge then several people in the crowd on the bridge would have been shot. “”The bridge was jammed pack so no space for 20 to 30 feet clear distance to allow a single shot to cause the death

of protestors,” Hughes said.

The lawyer said that the only basis on which the police claim it is not their officers who killed the protestors is that they don’t issue 00 double buckshot cartridges. He said

that is the equivalent of a shooter standing over the body of a person who had just been shot and claiming that he did not shoot because he does not have the type of bullets which was found in the

body of the deceased but his weapons is capable of firing that same type of bullet.

Hughes said that it was officer Rodney who was issued with a shotgun who (continued on page 15)

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Kaieteur News

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

EDITORIAL

The failure of the Linden Commission The Commission of Inquiry into the Linden shooting deaths is doing everything to get to the bottom of the story.

From evidence so far there is nothing to suggest that the police fired the fatal shots. This raises an interesting question. If the police did not shoot then one must now wonder whether the case for compensation still stands.

The police are representatives of the state. Should they do something untoward then the state is liable. When the commission got underway, its terms of reference were to also look into the issue of compensation. This may be the reason why there were so many questions about the police operations; why everybody concentrated on what might have gone wrong. It may also explain why witnesses were recalled to clear up contradictory statements.

But missing from the commission have been questions about the Standard Operations Procedure prior to the development of the protest. It transpired that the police were informed about the intention of the people of Linden to stage a five-day protest action. The protest organizers duly notified the police. In fact, they sought permission from the police to stage the protest. They also outlined the route along which there would have been the protest march.

What the commission has failed to do is to enquire of the police, what action they took. In the city if there is to be a picketing exercise in the vicinity of Office of the President, the police would establish barricades and ensure a strong presence in the area long before the protesters would have assembled. In the case of Linden one must wonder why the police did not adopt similar actions. There could have been ranks at the assembly points and patrols along the route of the march. This would have prevented any assembly at unwanted locations.

Further, the police had previous experience because there had been other protests. In fact, there were two previous protests over the government decision to hike the electricity tariffs. Using institutional memory, the police would have known what to expect. They would have known that the Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge was a major assembly point. With that knowledge the police would have been wise to maintain constant patrols across the bridge. They could have also placed ranks at both ends of the bridge, not necessarily in a manner to cause confrontation but to simply ensure that people kept moving.

The police have always been proactive rather than reactive. This drive to react to situations is nothing new and signals a weakness among the leadership. It exposes the lack of foresight and a major flaw in the decision-making process. As if they have learnt they have been able curtail any further aggressive action outside Agricola. All they have been doing is patrolling that corridor. It was the same with Buxton during the crime wave. When motorists became targets and when people were scared because gunmen were stopping the passing motorists and demanding money, the police with support from the Guyana Defence Force, maintained constant patrols. The corridor was never closed.

However, the Commission of Inquiry has not sought to ascertain the reason for the police being reactive rather than proactive. Perhaps the nation would have discovered that the police are not as enterprising as many would want them to be. This would now lead people to believe, as they are now starting to do, that the police are more interested in using force to quell the slightest of demonstrations.

And it is not that there are not police officers who are aware of how things could be done. Rather, it may be a case of the ranks subverting themselves to political whims and fancies. It may be a case of the political directorate planning the every move of the police although Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee told the commission that any order pertaining to the police action in Linden should have come from the Police Commissioner.

The report from the Commissioners would make for interesting reading, if only because it would highlight the shortcomings of the very commission itself.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

Position of AFC leaders on Agricola as it happened - Reviewing the Email Threads DEAR EDITOR, Guyana’s President and his Prime Minister led the PPP/C pack that accused the Alliance for Change (AFC), more particularly Chairman Nigel Hughes and I, with planning and organizing the unrest and violence in Agricola on Thursday, October 11, 2012.

The PPP’s imagination ran wild. They placed me in a Chinese shop in Agricola, directing violence against children and others, mainly Indo-Guyanese!

They repeated their lies and slander almost daily since.

So, where were other AFC leaders and I on Thursday, October 11?

For myself, I was in my Law Chambers until 2 p.m when I left for a Parliamentary Management Committee meeting at Parliament Buildings, and I remained there until about 4 p.m. The meeting was chaired

by Speaker Raphael Trotman and included PPP’s MPs Gail Teixiera and Indra Chandarpal.

After the meeting, I headed straight for home, looking forward with excitement to that evening’s US vice-presidential debate.

At about 6 p.m I was reading an email from VP Joe Biden on what to expect in the debate, when my secretary called to say that she was caught up in traffic on the East Bank highway.

She was in company with her husband and their two infant daughters. I invited them to our home, and

welcomed them to spend the night if they wanted. Just about then, my niece’s husband called that he was stuck in Providence, and my son shared a photo emailed by his friend showing fire on the roadway at Agricola.

I immediately began to email AFC leaders, requesting that we share information on what’s happening in Agricola. I never left my home. I watched the debate, thought Biden won, and stayed up deep into the night to help put an AFC media statement out.

For the record, I am sharing my email interaction with other AFC leaders, as it took place between 6.00 p.m and 9.49 p.m. It makes poignant reading, and exposes those who have wrongly and wickedly maligned us:Moses Nagamootoo: Hey, can we share info on what’s taking place on the ground? I got photos of fire on road and water cannon on its way.

Beverley Alert: Call Trevor. He is in Eccles.

Dominic Gaskin: I’ve been stuck here for three hours now. I’m in Houston.

There must be a few thousand vehicles waiting patiently for the road to clear.

David Patterson: I feel your pain and applaud your patience. However several persons have already given up and decided to spend the night in town with friends and family. On another note, I

spoke with Nigel a short while ago, and he has undertaken to draft a press statement for our review on this matter.

Moses Nagamootoo: We need intelligence on the ground. There would be lots of disinformation and infiltration to make this bad.

Khemraj Ramjattan: Just off a conversation with Nigel. Shared some thoughts on the Draft statement, which will be shared with all. Looks like situation bad on the ground. Traffic blocked badly. And robberies in the Village itself.

Moses Nagamootoo: We have to fully assess the situation but whilst we maintain our position in principle on Rohee and police killings, we do not condone violence or brigandage under the guise of protest. Protest must be organized and led not left to those either to exploit it or derail it.

Raphael Trotman: My reports are of chaos. Gun shots, tear smoke, people running, some beatings and robberies.

Khemraj Ramjattan: We have to persist with our position that Rohee must go and we will ensure through all legitimate avenues that he goes.

H o w e v e r, w e m u s t n o t condone what is happening…inconvenience of other citizens, robberies, etc. This we must condemn.

Raphael Trotman: The

perception out there is that it’s the AFC’s “protest”.

Moses Nagamootoo: T h a t ’s h o w i t w a s presented on NCN. Luncheon was pouring gasoline on fire by saying govt would take everything thrown at it but won’t sack Rohee. The NCN spin was that Nigel wanted Rohee to go and therefore the protest was his/AFC. Earlier NCN was saying that Nigel is behind the protest as they try to link ultimatum on Rohee. This is pre-emptive and suggests that the dirty tricks squad will infiltrate to debase AFC. Khemraj Ramjattan: Mo, the statement of Shaq m o m i n D e m Wa v e s explains why it happened.

She said that since Luncheon want to rumble, she and Agricolans went back from Mag Ct to rumble.

It is obvious that the tactless and belligerent mouthings of Roger at his Press Conference which started this. He even began singing “we never will remove Rohee”. This was also insulting when he said that Rohee is best minister.

Moses Nagamootoo: I agree. This is Luncheon’s tactic to discredit Black people and distance Indians from AFC. This is a la attack on presidential office when there was direction to “open de gate”. He would hope this gets worse.

Continued on page 6

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

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

Lessons from Hurricane Sandy DEAR EDITOR, The United States suffered a major disaster when Hurricane Sandy descended with unbridled fury leaving in its wake over fifty people dead and billions of dollars in damages. It is undoubtedly the worst natural disaster to hit the country for well over a century, one that will go down in history as the most destructive both in terms of loss of lives and damage to property.

According to media reports, the storm killed at least 98 people, with at least 40 coming from New York City, which is the business centre of the United States, and home to millions of people from all across the globe, including a sizeable number of Guyanese.

The hardest hit was New Jersey, which saw several homes partially submerged with water and sand. And as if that were not enough, a large blaze destroyed more that eighty homes in Queens, a New York City borough where a sizeable number of Guyanese and West Indians reside.

Communities along the East and Hudson Rivers in Manhattan were severely affected by the flood waters as were several other low lying areas in Battery Park near Ground Zero where the World Trade Centre once stood.

Thankfully, there are no reported casualties involving Guyanese, unlike the destruction of the World Trade Centre about a decade ago when a number of Guyanese perished.

The disaster came in the midst of a tightly contested presidential election, which saw both contestants putting a pause on their hectic campaign schedules in deference to the tragedy inflicted on the nation by Hurricane Sandy.

President Barack Obama for his part issued federal emergency decrees for New York and New Jersey and declared these as major disaster areas. He was very pro-active in his coordination of disaster relief operations, which earned him praise from some unlikely quarters, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a strong supporter of Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

Despite attempts to play down the politics by both sides in order not to appear politically insensitive and to make political capital out of the situation, there are some important lessons that the disaster has brought to the surface, which in a sense could be seen as defining characteristics of the two opposing camps.

The first has to do with the role and responsibility of central government in the

Integrity, ineptitude, inarticulation and ineffectiveness DEAR EDITOR, The letter in your issue of October 31, 2012 by the International Committee of the Continuing Defence of Linden, articulately expresses the concerns of many about the conduct of the proceedings of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the historicity of the current Linden debacle.

Several observers have noted the Commission’s relative insulation from, or misapprehension of, the untoward experiences of living in Linden, resulting, in some instances, from specific administrative decisions; and the perceptible effort to ignore the substantive context within which actions and decisions are made – whether in Port Mourant, Tunapuna, or West Kingston – does not square with the global acknowledgement of peoples’ protest throughout the Middle East, for example.

The COI should be

mindful of the fact that their own performance will come under scrutiny not only of the immediate contending parties, but perhaps more importantly of their Regional peers, and very likely, that of relevant international interests and institutions.

Integrity is, and will be, a critical factor of measurement.

They must be seen to act out their own intellectual strengths and freedoms.

(Already there is loose mention of former interpersonal connections.)

Perhaps, however, the most regrettable aspect of the exercise is the embarrassment of having the disorganisation, miscommunication, inarticulation – indicators of sub-standard education and discipline – aggregating into a comprehensive ineffectiveness of the Guyana Police Force being exposed to our neighbours, and the world at large.

E B John

political and economic life of the citizenry. Republicans favour a much smaller role for government and a corresponding larger role for the private sector, which it regards as the engine of growth and the creator of jobs.

The public sector, in their view, should only be responsible for creating an enabling environment for the private sector to grow and develop. The business of government should be limited to those areas which the

private sector would not have any real interest in getting into, due to low rates of return on investment such as the construction of highways, harbours and other infrastructural projects.

Democrats, on the other hand, are of the view that the state has an important role to play in terms of providing the right stimulus for business to grow and expand, especially during periods of economic slump and recession, when huge injections of capital are necessary to revitalize the

economy and accelerate the pace of growth and development.

Investments by the government in infrastructural projects could have a multiplier effect on the economy and result in greater consumer spending and lead to an overall improvement in the health of the economy.

The recent government bailout of the auto industry, especially in the battleground state of Ohio, has proven to be a correct decision by the Obama administration, and is

likely to pay political dividends in the presidential election, if opinion polls in the key battleground state of Ohio are to be believed.

This divergence of thinking is also evident in the contrasting positions taken

by President Obama and Challenger Romney over the role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - responsible for disaster management nationwide, especially involving mega-disasters, as Continued on page 7

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Kaieteur News

Saturday November 03, 2012

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

Mohabir’s “jealousy letter” out of place DEAR EDITOR, Mr. Satesh Mohabir, in “A case of profound jealousy” (KN Oct 31), a retort of Mr. Lionel Lowe about EZ Jet (KN Oct 30), is out of place in engaging in a scathing personality attack of Mr. Nohar Singh (CEO,TravelSpan). As a supporter and defender of EZ Jet and Sonny Ramdeo, I find the attack against Mr. Singh very repugnant and distasteful.

Mr. Mohabir’s letter is an unjustified, unsubstantiated attack on a prominent person (Mr. N. Singh) of the Guyanese fraternity in New York. Lionel Lowe’s commentary seemingly cheering the troubles of EZ Jet is wrong. But so is Mohabir ’s attack of Mr. Singh. A tit for tat is inappropriate. And no evidence was offered to show Lowe is a pseudonym for Singh and as such the editor should not have allowed that comment.

I believe Mr. Mohabir errs in engaging in a personality attack of Singh in his defence of EZ Jet. I have praised EZ Jet for providing an essential service to nationals of our

Diaspora and I have urged the public to continue its support of the airline. I also back the application for scheduled carrier service.

Regardless of Lowe’s personal sentiments about the airline and Mr. Ramdeo, the attack on Singh does not help EZ Jet. I believe people should have absolute freedom of the press. But attacks on personality should not be published unless there are supporting facts and evidence to back allegations.

Mohabir made some very serious allegations against Singh but failed to offer verifiable evidence.

I am not familiar with the financial aspects of Mr. Singh or TravelSpan or of any other of the allegations leveled against Singh. And we are not close friends. But I have known Mr. Singh for almost 30 years and the serious allegations leveled against Singh is not the person I knew who did a lot for Guyana and Trinidad and their Diasporas.

My first encounter with Mr. Singh was around 1983, when he voluntarily joined my small group in the struggle against the Guyanese

dictatorship.

He was generous in his donations to the group, helping to publish newsletters about Guyana and costs associated with organizing rallies, leafleting, etc.

Later, when Singh became involved in the travel industry, he withdrew from political activities. But he offered discounted travel for several individuals who were involved in the struggle against the dictatorship during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Singh also offered financial assistance and discounted fares for many of us who were involved in political struggle in Trinidad.

Also, my feint recollection of news reports from the 1990s about Leisure Air was, it was owned by two nonGuyanese, Harold Paretti and Robert Young. I believe Singh was the Manager ( I stand to be corrected).

I do recollect that Leisure Air was shut down by the FAA and passengers were accommodated on Guyana Airways. I believe Guyana Airways was refunded by Leisure Air (from deposits) for transporting those

passengers. Fazal Khan, who was the CEO at the time, and Mr. Harry Nawbatt, who was Chief Accountant, would be in a better position to comment on the allegations. I do not think TravelSpan stranded passengers. The airline had to make a huge deposit in order to get a flying certificate.

My news recollection was passengers were refunded by TravelSpan and or the mandatory deposit was used to transport or refund affected passengers.

The news had indicated that TravelSpan was refunded its deposit because there were no stranded passengers.

Civil aviation will have commented on the above.

Mr. Zulfikar Mohammed can comment on the accuracy of my memory.

Also as far as I know, TravelSpan is not defunct and is probably the largest seller of air travel to Guyana and Trinidad.

To conclude, Mohabir’s defence and zealous support of EZ Jet is to be applauded and admired. But his response to Lowe attacking Singh was out of place.

Vishnu Bisram

Position of AFC leaders ...

From page 4 Beverly Alert: Can we say in our statement that Govt chief spokesman taunted grieving mothers. His callous remarks and jolly nature in a matter so serious taunted ordinary women and poor families to react.

Khemraj Ramjattan: We have to separate ourselves completely from that by saying we had nothing to do with that. It was Luncheon and his recklessness.

Beverly Alert: Gail on NCN with Anil, now.

Dominic Gaskin: Clearing up now. I’m now in Agricola but crawling Khemraj Ramjattan: Be careful, Dominic Moses Nagamootoo: Thanks. Email me when you pass…...

Moses Nagamootoo: We must reiterate that Rohee must go. His retention as home affairs minister is a provocation and further undermines confidence in the security forces.

His retention mocks the grief of mothers who lose their beloved children ever so often by criminal police violence under the watch of Rohee who has failed to

exercise general control and supervision of the public safety agencies.

AFC STATEMENT At 9.49 p.m that fateful night, we issued our first statement in which AFC condemned the provocative and belligerent statements by Luncheon and also the blocking of the roadway at Agricola and subsequent robbery of innocent citizens on their way home. AFC pleaded for calm and asked citizens not to be provoked.

The next day, Nigel and I at a news conference repeated our position.

The Government and its media blacked out and/or censored all AFC’s statements and instead continued unabated with their neo-fascist and racist propaganda attacks on our leaders, in their insane drive to use Agricola as a massive diversion from their widespread corruption, escalating crime and growing social fears in Guyana.

Decent Guyanese must never allow this insult to their intelligence to pass!

Moses V. Nagamootoo, AFC’s Vice-Chairman/ Parliamentarian

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news Was Sammy right to say that Stanford played a huge role in regenerating cricket?

DEAREDITOR, West Indies captain, Darren Sammy, made a controversial statement on BBC Radio 5 when he said “Stanford played a huge role in regenerating cricket on the (Caribbean) islands” and stressed that the impact he had on West Indies cricket can never be forgotten.

Hundreds no doubt agree with the West Indies captain, because his comments seem to be in order, because the Texan former billionaire spent large sums of money to improve the summer game in the region. As Sammy said “his tournament in the Caribbean did wonders, and guys like Kieron Pollard and Andrew Fletcher came through”.

Sammy commented on Stanford’s insight and the time and effort spent in preparation for the Super Series in Antigua four years ago. He also stated that Stanford’s absence has left a financial void in West Indies cricket, but made it clear that the future of the game in the Caribbean is healthy.

Stanford had given financial contributions totalling millions of dollars to 22 countries from Bermuda to Guyana to improve grounds, pavilions and other facilities for several years, but his generosity came to an abrupt end in 2008 when allegations of massive fraud surfaced and he was later arrested, tried, convicted and jailed for 110 years. There is no doubt that the standard of the former billionaire was extremely high and he ensured that the upcoming cricketers were well trained. It was not only that the cricketers benefitted from his generosity, but also the so-called West

Indies legends who were members of his Board of Directors: Andy Roberts, Sir Garfield Sobers, Gordon Greenidge, Wesley Hall, Lance Gibbs, Sir Viv Richards, Richie Richardson, Clive Lloyd, Ian Bishop, Courtney Walsh, Sir Everton Weekes, Curtly Ambrose, and Joel Garner.

It was reported that the legends were paid a salary of US$10,000 per month until the dissolution of the Board in December 2008. Antigua and Bermuda benefitted tremendously from Stanford since he employed hundreds in his airline, newspaper, bank, etc.

He also built his own cricket ground “Sticky Wicket” and a lavish restaurant, near to the VC Bird International Airport.

However former Windies pacer Jamaican Michael Holding feels that Stanford was a farce from the beginning. In his autobiography “No Holding Back” the former speedster now commentator said “Stanford’s primary move was not to improve the state of West Indies cricket, but mainly to boost his own ego, his own companies and eventually his own bank balance.

Holding added that not only did Stanford take the English and West Indies Board for a ride, but he also managed to “deceive the world”. He also stated that the Texan was arrogant and aggressive to the end since he told the judge after his conviction that “I’m not here to ask for sympathy and forgiveness”.

I have no doubt that the majority of cricket fans in the region and the world over are in agreement with Holding.

Oscar Ramjeet

From page 5 in the case of Hurricane Sandy. There is no way that the resources available at the state level would have been adequate enough to effectively manage the disaster, which incidentally gave a political advantage to President Obama, as opposed to Mitt Romney, who is on record as saying that his preference was to have resources for disaster management transferred to the state level, better yet, to the private sector rather than at the federal level.

But even more significant from a long-term security perspective, is the potential for future occurrences, a warning that has been largely ignored by policy makers, from experts who for quite some time have been preaching the gospel of climate change and the dangers that are likely to occur as a consequence of high levels of pollution and environmental degradation.

The United States is the largest contributor of carbon

emissions in the world, emitting roughly one-quarter of the global level. It refused to sign the Kyoto protocol, which was aimed at limiting carbon emissions to acceptable limits.

Sandy could very well turn out to be an eye-opener for policy makers and reinforce the scientifically established view namely, that procrastination is no longer an option and that the United States must come on board if the likelihood of future calamities is to be minimized.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar in a letter to US President Barack Obama extended heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives during the storm, as well as those who were injured or suffered losses and destruction of property.

He also expressed confidence that the American people will overcome these testing times and begin the process of recovery and reconstruction at the soonest.

Hydar Ally

Lessons from...

Setting up of an Epilepsy Foundation DEAR EDITOR, It was very disturbing to read about the death of eleven-year-old Vikaash Singh (Boy, 11, found dead in drain – KN, Nov 2), apparently by drowning after a seizure attack. To the grieving parents, relatives and friends I express my deepest condolences.

Little Vikaash’s tragic death made me go the Website of the Ministry of Labour and Human Services for an email address, but there was none that I could find. So I ask you to allow me to

indulge me on the matter of an application that was submitted some while ago to the relevant department of that Ministry, for the registration of an Epilepsy Foundation of Guyana under the Friendly Societies’ Act. A small group of us, including Rev. Maureen Massiah, Rev. Ralph Bactowar, Mr. Daam Barker and Dr. David Singh, working under the aegis of the Compassion, Justice and Peace Committee of the Guyana Presbyterian Church, had done quite a lot of work

in preparing the Registration application document, but to date there has been no response from the Ministry.

I must mention as well that we had received encouragement, suggestions and input from Dr. Laura Mantoan of the Institute of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, University College of London, in preparing our registration application.

Being in England at this time, I am now in a position to pursue the setting up of the Foundation with Dr.

Mantoan, but the process will benefit significantly from feedback about the Registration of the proposed Foundation.

I do look forward to a response from the relevant officer of the Ministry, either in this medium or better at my email address: thomas.singh@uog.edu.gy.

Thomas B. Singh Lecturer Dept. of Economics, University of Guyana & Visiting Commomwealth Fellow, University of Kent

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Saturday November 03, 2012

CJIA’s Chinese contractor denies it breached regulations in Jamaica The Chinese contractor of the Timehri airport multimillion-dollar expansion project has denied reports that it breached regulations in Jamaica with regards to contracts.

China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC) in a statement yesterday was responding to a report published Wednesday in Kaieteur News from the South China Morning Post website.

In that article, Jamaica’s Minister of Transport, Works and Housing Omar Davies, was quoted as telling his Parliament in early October that a forensic audit on two projects involving Chinese companies, including CHEC, had revealed “a host of occurrences, which demonstrate complete disregard for normal and wellestablished government practices”.

“The report from the forensic auditor has unearthed wanton disregard for the conventions and procedures established by the government of Jamaica,” he said. “These breaches of procurement guidelines have

A draft impression of the proposed new terminal building at the Timehri airport. drained precious budgetary resources and undermined the very foundation of public institutional integrity.”

Programme funds were used for unrelated projects, the news report said. The Chinese parties did not adhere to fund allocations approved by the Jamaican parliament and Ministry of Finance, and subcontractors were arbitrarily selected, Davies told the parliament.

According to the same

report, in December last year, former Transport Minister, Mike Henry resigned following criticism of the project, the government news agency, JIS, reported.

However, in an issued statement, rejecting the report which was reprinted in the Kaieteur News, CHEC said that the report was incorrect.

“Nowhere in the statement was CHEC accused of committing these breaches nor was the company

mentioned in relation to any wrongdoing,” CHEC said yesterday.

The two projects mentioned in the reprinted article are the US$400 million Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) and the US$68 million Palisadoes Shoreline Protection and Rehabilitation Works. They are being partly financed by the China ExportImport Bank (Exim Bank). Exim Bank is providing US$340

million for the project The Chinese firm said that since it started in 2012, the JDIP has been and continues to be implemented, administered and managed by the Government of Jamaica through the Ministry of Transport and Works (renamed since January 2012 as Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing) and the National Works Agency.

“China Harbour is the general contractor for the

project and as such has no responsibility for Government of Jamaica procurement, administration or management.”

Indeed, CHEC said, the same Minister is on record as having praised CHEC for its good work on the projects which the company is undertaking in Jamaica.

The Timehri airport project is Guyana’s second most expensive to date and worth over US$150M.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

THE PPP IS TAKING CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT The recent demonstration outside of the High Court by a group of PPP supporters is indicative that the ruling party may be undergoing a process of change. Interestingly, this change is emerging from the actions of the old guard of the party and this fact may be related to a subtle form of distancing from the Jagdeo style of doing things.

It is now well established that there was tension at best and problems at the worse between the past government and the ruling party. This troubled relationship overflowed into an ugly incident in which one of the founder members of the PPP and someone long regarded as having tremendous influence on the direction of the party, Mrs. Janet Jagan, was referred to as a private citizen.

There is proof enough that the then government had begun to impose its will on the party at the expense of the old guard of the party.

There was also another significant development within the PPP. It had to do with the fact that the bourgeoisie class had begun to gain a foothold within the government and used this as a basis to also influence the direction of the party.

This influence had begun since 1992 but reached its nadir by the time the 2011 elections came around. While this was happening, the third development became pronounced.

A number of activists who spoke out against what they saw were wrongs being done by the government were either expelled

or marginalized from the party.

The most shocking development of all was when one man walked out of a meeting in frustration, mumbling, “Ah done with y’all” and this was shamelessly accepted as a resignation.

Concurrent with this was the emergence of individuals with no record of involvement in the historic struggles of the PPP being parachuted into important positions in the government and party. They virtually dropped out of nowhere into positions of high power.

Also, in some of the regions where the party traditionally enjoyed unassailable support, power was placed in the hands of persons who also did not have the grassroots appeal, the right attitude or the historic involvement with the party as some of the traditional leaders.

All of this is now being reversed. Under Donald Ramotar we are seeing that the older members of the party, who are likely to be loyal to the President, are being slowly returned to the government. In fact, immediately upon assuming office, Navin Chandarpal was returned to his position within the administration.

He had a public tiff with the former President and his return to the government was an early sign that the old heads were once again regaining control of both the party and the government.

Other party faithfuls have been given important postings within the government. In fact the elevation of two party stalwarts as ministers in the Donald Ramotar administration signals that the party wants to

Dem boys seh...

Sandy tek way dem Christmas barrel De Linden Commission done. Everybody had dem say.

Who fuh lie tell de lie and who try fuh hide get skin up. Dem boys hear people sing de Shaggy song, “Wasn’t me” but dem Commissioner didn’t dance. Well all de questioning and de lying done. Is fuh dem commissioners to mek up dem report and hand down dem decision.

How things going, though, is that people tek sides. A lawyer who represent de police done hear that he can’t get no more wuk. Nigel de Huge One try a thing and nearly find heself in hot water. He ask de policeman who win Best Cop three years in a row if he want shoot he. Dem Jamaican commissioners who know bout guns and shooting want know if de Huge One mad.

Basil de Willy try fuh mek Clement to be a funny person.

De Willy tell Clement how he had a man and Clement mek he know that he got a wife. Well that hurt de Willy and as dem boys seh,

when brick throw a hog pen de one that holler is de one that get knock. Willy holler.

That is not de only thing that mek people holler. Nuff of dem can’t get de Christmas barrel.

Sandy wipe dem out. Some people ain’t get wuk because Sandy carry it away; some ain’t got lights because Sandy mek dem feel like if dem never lef Guyana; and of course de gas lines that use to mek people cuss when dem been in Guyana.

Dem boys seh that Uncle Donald should sue Uncle Sam. But de thing that mek dem boys laugh is that some people come to Guyana and when is time fuh dem go back dem buy fish. Wid no lights is trouble. That is why all dem who apply and didn’t get visa now claiming how is de Man above punishing dem Americans fuh tekking dem money and not giving dem a visa.

Talk half and pray fuh dem Christmas barrel

ensure that never again will it be marginalized by the government.

This process of consolidation of the party within the government will take time but it is now inevitable that both the government and the party are assuming a new shape and that shape is one that will be favourable to Donald Ramotar.

Three prominent individuals now virtually control the reins of government and they will most likely put in place an unbreakable firewall that will be impenetrable by those who had previously dominated the government.

We are

effectively witnessing the end of the Jagdeo era.

This present period, therefore, is not a period of settling-in for the Donald Ramotar administration. It is a period of reshaping the influences within the party and of bringing the party and the government closer together.

The implications of all this will be a sidelining of the class relationship between the ruling political elite and the dominant oligarchic class. It is noteworthy that ever since he assumed office less than one year ago, Donald

Ramotar has not been as close to the dominant economic class as the previous government was.

In fact he has kept a cautious distance, sufficient to not make this class feel nervous but far enough to limit the reach and influence over the work of government.

Of importance also is that the party is now displaying greater militancy. Not only were many ministers in the courtroom giving support to the Minister of Home Affairs during the recent Commission of Inquiry but the party had a small but highly visible

presence outside of the courtroom.

This is something that would have been unheard of in the past and shows that it is not just the government which is mobilizing but that the party, even in Georgetown where its support is very limited, is coming out and showing that it is ready to rumble.

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Kaieteur News

APNU parliamentarians encounters ‘litany of woes’ at Linden hospitals

Immigration TALK: Questions & Answers By: Attorney Gail S. Seeram Through this “Question & Answer” column, our goal is to answer your immigration questions.

Many of you have questions on backlog time and eligibility – we seek to clarify these issues and more.

We a p p r e c i a t e y o ur comments and questions. If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, please email : Gail@GailLaw.com.

Question #1: I am trying to find out if my children could file for their stepmother to come to the United States.

One of the children did file for their father and stepmother to come to the states, however, the US Embassy informed her by letter that since her father’s wife was not her biological mother that the stepmother could not come to the U.S.?

Answer #1: The children can only file for stepmother if the marriage between their biological father and stepmother took place before children were age 18.

Question #2: I would also like to know if my

husband, who is a green card holder, should sponsor me and our three children (all under age 21), how long would it take and what is the procedure regarding that?

Answer #2: Right now, processing time for a permanent resident (green card holder) sponsoring a wife and children under age 21 is about two years – right now visas are being issued for petitions filed on or before July 2010.

Question #3: I am 25 years old and I live in Guyana.

I have my boyfriend of three years in the USA. We would like to get married but in the USA. What is the procedure and how long will it take?

Answer #3: To marry in the U.S., you would have to get a visitor visa. Otherwise, he can marry you in Guyana and file papers in U.S. If the sponsorship petitions are processed while you are in Guyana then it’s about a 9-12 months processing time.

If you marry in the U.S. and file for green card in the U.S. then it’s a 3-6 months processing time. In both cases, since your marriage

Saturday November 03, 2012

Gail S. Seeram will be less than two years at the time of visa approval, then you will have a conditional green card – only valid for two years. At the end of the two years, you will have to file to remove the conditions and if approved, will receive full 10-year green card.

Question #4: My father is a U.S. citizen and in 2010 he filed for me and my sister (we are 28 and 30 years). How long should that take for the first set of papers to come through?

Answer #4: If you are both unmarried then visas being issued for petition filed in November 2005 (so five years wait) or if married, then visas being issued for petition filed in June 2002 (so eight years wait).

APNU Member of Parliament, Rennison Morian, has expressed dismay at recent reports of an increase of tuberculosis cases in Region Ten, particularly Linden, He said that he is even more perturbed that health personnel at the two hospitals are without the requisite protective gear, to deal with TB patients, and are thus working in an environment that puts their own health at risk.

Morian underscored the latter by citing the cases of two nurses, who work with TB patients at the Upper Demerara Hospital and were recently diagnosed with traces of the disease.

The Regional Member of Parliament, who was accompanied by media representatives, was at the time touring both the Mackenzie and Upper Demerara Hospitals, when he made these observations.

At the Upper Demerara Hospital, more popularly k n o w n a s t h e Wi s m a r Hospital, the entire place was without power. Even though the facility is equipped with a generator, there is no automatic

changeover switch to ‘kick in’ and ensure continuous power.

“Whenever there is a blackout, we have to suffer in the dark and heat sometimes for up to an hour, before the technician comes from across the river to put on the generator, because there is no automatic ch a n g e o v e r switch.

“Whenever there is a blackout we have to call, and then he comes over whenever,” one of the workers complained.

Other issues highlighted were the lack of running water in the VCT and antenatal clinic, and the absence of a draft fan.

The area has been without running water ever since its rehabilitation over a year ago, when the water mains were disconnected, it was reported.

“After the extension, the water was disconnected, and was never reconnected, and every month sister been putting it in her monthly report, but still we’re not getting anywhere’.

The health worker emphasized that a draft fan is needed in the TB clinic as patients are always coughing and thus placing others at risk.

Over at the Mackenzie Hospital the complaints were so many that Morian described the situation as ‘a litany of woes”.

There were complaints of inadequate drugs and equipment like blood pressure kits and thermometers and the frequency with which the few equipment that are in stock malfunctioned.

The air conditioners in several areas like the maternity and pediatric wards and the rehabilitation clinic, are also currently not functioning.

Outpatients also complained about the general service at the hospital, including doctors who prescribe treatment for patients, without fully determining their illness.

“Sometimes they ain’t even talk to you yet, but they done prescribe treatment, is like some of them couldn’t care less, one patient lamented.

In response to the complaints, and especially as it relates to the reported increase in TB cases, Morian, said that adding (continued on page 16)

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

NAPS notes stabilisation ...as 3,500 continues to of HIV rate access ARV treatment Having battled the challenges associated with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) for more than three decades, the Ministry of Health is now boasting stabilisation of the disease. At least this is according to Programme Manager of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), Dr. Shanti Singh.

Dr. Singh assured that “we have done the best under the circumstances that we have” even as she stressed that “there is still so much more to be done.

The more you do the more you see that there is much more to be done,” she intimated.

She said that based on notifications that come into the Ministry about 75 per cent of the new cases are within the age range of 25 and 49 years suggesting that those infected are still within the productive age range. She noted that “we keep tabs on the younger population because that proportion of cases that we have seen remains the highest,” the NAPS Manager noted.

At the moment there are just over 4,000 HIV infected individuals registered with the national HIV care and treatment programme with some 3,500 of those accessing anti-retroviral treatment, according to Dr. Singh.

Stabilisation of the disease is not only linked to efforts such as the national week of testing, which was designed to encourage persons to know their status and by extension reduce the level of associated stigma and discrimination, but according

Dr. Shanti Singh to the NAPS Manager it is also linked to a very high quality of service.

“We are confident that the persons who are a part of our programme are receiving the best service that we can offer; we know this because we have been measuring the quality of care offered,” said an optimistic Dr. Singh.

The service offered does not only include the availability of treatment but also education and counselling sessions.

Measuring the quality of care is in fact not a new feature of the programme as, according to Dr. Singh, “we have always done that through an estimation process.” This process is done using a software in collaboration with UNAIDS and we have seen stabilisation both in terms of doing the modelling and reports coming to the Ministry...so there is no doubt

that there is stabilisation.”

Dr. Singh said that a number of national programmes are currently being undertaken and will serve to, within the New Year, give an even clearer picture of the achievements gained. “So when we do our next round of surveillance we will see what progress we have made and how we need to modify our programme to make sure that we have the needful responses.”

Among the programmes that are poised to yield results is one which will focus on those groups that are at high risk of contracting the disease including Men who have Sex with Men and female Commercial Sex Workers.

“Our focus now is on those groups that are at risk because of certain behaviour practices so we will be able to better understand what is going on among such groups as it relates to the HIV infection rate.”

Based on NAPS’s HIV prevalence data, Dr. Singh said that it can be safely deduced that the MSM group is the most at risk accounting for 21 per cent of those infected. This group is followed by the female Commercial Sex Workers group which accounts for 16 per cent as at the end of 2009.

However, Dr. Singh remained resolute that the prevalence of the disease across the country has generally been stabilised over the last five to six years since according to her “we have done a lot of work and we have already designed interventions to continue to target those populations (at risk).”

One Year in office - The President A year will soon be marked since Donald Ramotar took office as President of Guyana. A year, too, will be marked for the first ever majority opposition in the Parliament.

Analysts will be looking at the scorecards of the president, the ruling party and the combined opposition. How effective have they been in running the affairs of the country and what progress has been made under their leadership?

The President’s scorecard must be literally void of any accomplishments as he struggles to find his identity as head of state. No single area of progress can be identified under his leadership. Indeed, no area has even been identified as his major interest, a la, President Jagdeo’s LCDS. Instead, we have had a President who has struggled to identify with the projects and interests of the former president.

From hydroelectricity to roadbuilding, every single project had been undertaken by his predecessor and he seems unable

to change course or to make improvements on anything.

One can suggest that the former president, Bharrat Jagdeo, was in a hurry during his final year to ensure that he touched every project and started every possible area of development so that the new president would have nothing new to build.

While one may not expect the new president to create new areas or projects, one can surely expect that he would have found his identity and abolish some of the projects started by his predecessor which seem to be mired in deep corruption.

Appointments to various public boards continue to flout logic while decisions on public use of funds are sometimes a slap in the face of decency. Sugar continues to fail, Natural resources remain natural, roads continue to be poorly built and the economy continues to be propped up by the moneys washed into the housing drive.

The Chinese have their hand in every project. We have no problems with the Chinese per

se, but the quality makes a mockery of the Government.

Those close to Government circles continue to get the contracts and positions while the decisions by Cabinet range from illegal to ridiculous, like in the case of the textbooks piracy.

While there is some growth in the private sector due to the turnover of money within itself, there is hardly any improvement in the overall scheme of things.

New and Small businesses continue to be burdened by the bureaucracy of the poor systems in place, the GRA and other public offices continue to baffle the mind with their obvious corruption, the large private companies continue to ship their moneys out of the country and the general public sector is sinking into a deeper morass of corruption and lethargy.

President Donald Ramotar needs to get off his chair and become proactive lest he be branded the lamest and most ineffective president of the hemisphere.

We are not amused!

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Saturday November 03, 2012

Local writer takes books to alma mater

Maureen Rampertab with the head teacher and students of Cumberland Primary School at their Market Day For local writer, Maureen Rampertab, a creative foundation began for her from her Primary school days. Her essays that developed into short story writing highlighted a talent for someone with a deep passion for reading.

Now a published writer

with two books to her name ‘Butterflies in Paradise’ and ‘Story Time’ published in May and September, she has decided to extend her hand to her old schools to contribute copies of her books to the school libraries.

The Head teacher of Berbice High School in New

Amsterdam was pleased with Rampertab’s donation and her association with her old school. The Head teacher, teachers and students of Cumberland Primary in East Canje were also elated at her visit and donation. They said that they were proud of her accomplishments.

Vulcanizing shop brawl lands three in court Two vulcanizing shop attendants appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm upon a c u s t o m e r. T h e y b o t h pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

Kevin Griffith of Kitty, and Michael Crandon, of Sophia, were placed before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry for allegedly beating and wounding Garfield Lamaison, a miner.

The police reported that

on October 5, Lamaison, who owns a bicycle, went to the vulcanizing shop to have his cycle fixed but was attacked by the two attendants after they had a disagreement.

The victim was beaten about the body with a steel pipe and sustained a broken arm.

However while Griffith admitted to beating the man, Crandon told the court that he did not touch Lamaison.

In his explanation to the court Griffith said the plaintiff attacked him with an ice pick

after he was asked to stop triggering alarms of vehicles parked on the opposite side of the road.

“This man just fly over to me with the ice pick so I jus pick up something to defend meself” Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick made no objection to bail but asked that both defendants report to the Ruimveldt Police Station once weekly.

Both men were released on $75,000 each. Their next court date is listed November12.

East Canje father, mother and son charged with felonious wounding ‘A man, his wife and his son, on Friday appeared before the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on a charge of felonious wounding. The trio was Reaz Hossein, who was recently released from the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), his father Alli Modeen Hossein called ‘Idrin’, 55, a labourer of the Rose Hall Estate and his mother, Rajkumarie Makuyadin, 46, called “Pepper” all of Lot 1 Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice.

The trio appeared before

Magistrate Roby Benn charged with feloniously wounding Ganga Persaud called “Balo”, 52.

The prosecution headed

by Corporal Orin Joseph alleged that the accused and Persaud are neighbours. A member of the Hossein household lives with Persaud.

Joseph said that on October 30, the accused and the virtual complainant had a misunderstanding and got into a fight. During the scuffle, Reaz armed himself with a cutlass and dealt Persaud a

chop on the hand with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause him grievous bodily harm.

In court they pleaded not guilty and were placed on $25,000 bail each. The accused hadn’t any money to post bail and were referred to the New Amsterdam Prison.

Hossein had just spent a year at the NOC for theft from his father.

The matter has been transferred to the Reliance Magistrate’s court and will be called again on December 5.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Hydronie vendors irate after stalls burnt by RDC

R

oadside vendors of Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo yesterday denounced what they said was a targeted campaign by councilors of the ruling People's Progressive Party (PPP) to take away their livelihood.

An estimated 40 vendors who sell on the weekends protested outside the home of PPP Councilor Leon Fowler yesterday. They said that Fowler and other PPP Councilors on the Market Committee of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) are insensitive to their plight.

Last Sunday, the vendors had their goods confiscated by the Police and their stalls were burnt at the Bushy Park beach.

A stallholder who goes by the name of Aunty Annie said that she has been vending for the past ten years to make a living.

“I sell confectionery and whatever I get. Whatever come and I could mek a money, I does sell it,” she

told Kaieteur News yesterday. The woman said that they are unable to go into the nearby Parika Market because they cannot be accommodated there.

She said that the Councilors have pledged to work with the Police to ensure they, the vendors, do not ply their trade.

H a r r y n a r i n e Deokinanan, a councilor of the Alliance for Change (AFC), was among those in the protest line.

He said that the Market Committee of the RDC must find a way to accommodate the vendors, since it was their means of living.

“You have to work on a solution with the people, not take bread out of their mouths.” Deokinanan told this newspaper.

He said that he plans to raise the issue at this week's meeting of the RDC. Activist Freddie Kissoon and trade union leader Lincoln Lewis were among those who gave support to the vendors yesterday.

Two arraigned for robbing Marlon Osborne’s house

D

esmond Mc Pherson of Lot 1 Meadow Brook, Georgetown, and Peter Mc Kenzie of Lot 134 Roxanne Burnham Gardens, are charged jointly for breaking into a South Ruimveldt residence and stealing over $8 million worth of “pricey” clothing and jewelry.

The duo pleaded not guilty to the charge accusing them of breaking into the dwelling house of Senobia Butcher on October 31 and stealing a gold chain, gold band, and a white gold necklace, along with a quantity of clothing, shoes and sunglasses valued at some $8.7 million.

Butcher was the spouse of Ricardo Rodrigues’ associate, Marlon Osborne, who was gunned down around the same time that the robbery took place at the home which they once shared.

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Kaieteur News

The facts of the case are that on the said day, the virtual complainant secured her home and went away.

She later received a phone call from someone, who lives close by telling her that two strange men were seen jumping over her fence.

The woman contacted the police who responded quickly and caught the thieves. The stolen articles were recovered.

The prosecution asked that both defendants be remanded to prison since the two have various matters pending before the courts.

Mc Kenzie is also facing a murder charge while his accomplice has other matters before the court.

As a result of the submission by the Prosecution, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry ordered that the accused be remanded until November 9.

Hydronie vendors on the protest line.

Kaieteur News

Page 14

Saturday November 03, 2012

Local Govt Minister defends embattled REO L

ocal Government Minister, Ganga Persaud, has said he is aware of the call demanding the immediate removal of Governmentappointed Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ronald Harsawack.

According to Persaud, he is willing to investigate claims by residents and Regional Council that Harsawack is impeding the further development of Region Eight.

The Minister said that he cannot dismiss Harsawack without evidence. And as such, the Regional Council needs to provide the evidence, the Minister said.

On Thursday, scores of Mahdia residents staged a protest demanding the immediate removal of Harsawack, the provision of potable water and the construction of community roads.

While the protest sought to highlight the community's woes, the residents' main demand was the resignation of Harsawack, who they said, “has not been operating in the interest of residents�.

Prior to the protest, Regional Chairman, Mark

Crawford, on behalf of the Council and residents, had raised Harsawack's reluctance to further development in Mahdia with the Ministers of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud and Norman Whittaker.

Yesterday, Persaud said that three major complaints previously raised by Crawford against Harsawack were addressed and that this new protest is politically motivated by the Alliance for Change and A Partnership for National Unity.

Persaud said that both parties had agreed to meet on Mondays to discuss issues relating to the Region.

An All Terrain Vehicle was purchased for the Chairman; and it was established that the REO did not sabotage the water system in Mahdia.

The Minister said that it is untrue that the REO submitted the Region's Budget for 2013 without consulting the Regional Council.

Crawford who had forewarned the REO of residents' intolerance

The protestors as they make their way through Mahdia

towards his attitude denied that the protest was politically motivated. He emphasized that the protest comprised supporters of all three political parties in Parliament.

He said it was a civil action demanding better for

a Region that contributes significantly to the economy.

Citing an example of the R E O i m p e d i n g development, Crawford said that the REO is dragging his feet in the removal of squatters from the Mahdia Arcade area to facilitate the

rebuilding of the commercial zone.

The Chairman said that he is worried that the Minister's office would not conduct the investigation fairly since Persaud accepted the Region's Budget without his signature. According to

Crawford, the Council had submitted some proposals to the REO for the budget preparation.

In return the REO would have submitted the Budget document for the Council's review and the Chairman's signature.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

Fibre optic cable links Guyana, Brazil – Mid-year Report A total of 560 kilometers of fibre optic cable has been deployed from Lethem to Georgetown as part of Government’s quest to transform and modernise the society. According to the 2012 Mid-year Report, which was circulated in the National Assembly last week, in addition to the length of fibre optic cable, five repeater stations along the route have been constructed.

It was outlined that the electrical works for these stations are currently being sourced and installed and have already allowed for a connection to Brazil. The connection to the neighbouring territory was established during the third quarter of this year.

This connection, according to the Report, will be further complemented by the deployment of the Coastal Wireless and Fibre Optic Network which will see the installation of a fibre optic cable along the coast.

The set-up will cater to the construction of 54 4Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) sites and

the establishment of a National Data centre that will act as a central hub for communications as well as central computing complex for Government agencies and schools.

The data centre has already been constructed and will be deployed shortly with site integration which was expected to commence last month and continue until February 2013.

The Report details, too, that agreements have been established with 45 site holders for the erection of the 4G LTE sites while the equipment is in transit and soil tests are being conducted.

The civil work had commenced at these sites during the third quarter while the equipment installation and integration is expected to be completed by early next year.

In its attempt to promote information and communication technology, the Government had developed an Information Communication Strategy which it believes will facilitate a dramatic improvement in social and economic welfare

for all Guyanese.

A major aim of eGovernment, the Report states, is to facilitate high speed data access between various regions of Guyana and Georgetown for delivery of e-Government content thereby ensuring redundancy in connectivity.

It was against this background it was outlined that the fibre optic cable from Lethem to Georgetown was pursued.

In 2011 Government purchased 27,000 laptops to be distributed under the One Laptop Per Family project and as at the end of June 2012 approximately 11, 149 laptops were distributed around the country. The figure included 2,438 which were distributed during the first half of this year and according to the Report the distribution process is still ongoing.

It was also noted that the recipients have benefited from mandatory 10-hour training sessions that exposed them to actual device, word processing and spreadsheet skills as well as lessons in navigating the internet.

Enough circumstantial ...

From page 3 said he never knows what type of cartridges are issued to him when he uplifts his shot gun.

The ballistic results for the Linden weapons are not available since they were never sent to be tested.

The lawyer said that someone on the police line armed with a shotgun discharged 00 double buckshot cartridge hence the cause of death of three persons.

He suggested that they probably had a gunman armed with a shotgun located somewhere where no one saw him.

Hughes explained that for a gunman to be armed at the bridge and causing the death, they would have had to be about 30 yards from the gunman to sustain injury.

He said that the practical reality of that is if a gunman is on the bridge where several hundred are standing and he discharges a shotgun that results in the death of three persons, either the crowd parted for the pellet to go in the direction of persons, or he was much taller than the crowd or elevated on the bridge so he can hit someone 30 yards away.

In the Linmine compound, same facts would apply, Hughes said since the credible facts are not consistent with someone standing in a crowd with a shotgun that is not seen and not injuring several people around them.

On the issue of Ministerial involvement in the events,

Hughes said that one should not be distracted by the claim that the phone records don’t show contact before the shooting.

He said that evidence shows that Minister Rohee testified that on July 17, he had at least a 25-minute meeting with the Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell, Seelall Persaud and Clifton Hicken at his office about the protest which was scheduled for the next day.

He testified that he tried getting the police commissioner after the incident and he spoke with Brumell but could not get details of what transpired. He tried again could not get onto him and that’s why he called Hicken six times, two hours later.

Attorney at law Basil Williams, who represented APNU, said that July 18 would go down in the history books as one of the saddest days in Guyana, when peaceful protestors were shot and killed by the police.

Williams said that the evidence points to the police and no one else. According to the lawyer there was a prior plan to derail the five-day protest for which the Lindeners were given permission.

Williams said that certain persons helped to derail the protest. He said that it was Commander Clifton Hicken who threatened the Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon and Council Member Gordon Callender.

Williams contended that Commander Hicken had breached his duty when he failed to clear the bridge earlier in the day. He said that Hicken came back down under the cover of dark so that his plan to derail the protest would succeed.

The lawyer said that there is no coincidence that there was “blackout” just before the shooting.

“The blackout, the threats acted in accordance with a prior plan,” Williams suggested to the commission.

Williams said that they have a serious problem with Sergeant Stanton’s diary.

Some high powered rifles were uplifted and then when they were handed back they had short ammunitions. He said that there was no record of who uplifted these weapons.

The lawyer said that these were lame excuses and he urged the commissioners to take this into a serious consideration.

Williams said that there needs to be an independent pathology unit. He also made reference to the Police Complaints Authority as useless and urged them to do something which could help this.

There is the expectation of the commission that by the time there are finished, the recommendations will result in a better value of Human life and the need for protocol of law in the country where there is a lot of public security.

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Marlon ‘Trini’ Osborne sustained four gunshot wounds - PM reveals A post mortem examination performed on the remains of Marlon ‘Trini’ Osborne revealed that he sustained four gunshot wounds.

This publicat io n w a s told that one bullet p i e r c e d t h e m a n ’s h i p passing through his scrotal area, another pierced his spine and exited, another pierced his left chest and another his abdomen.

On We d n e s d a y, Osborne was gunned down at the junction near Laluni

and Peter Rose Streets shortly after leaving an associate’s home. Reports are that two men in a car d r o v e u p t o O s b o r n e ’s vehicle as he was reversing and opened fire.

The car then sped away.

The wounded man was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he died while in that hospital’s main operating theatre.

His death came one day after he was released f r o m p o l i c e c u s t o d y.

Osborne was arrested for

questioning into the execution style killing of his close associate Ricardo Rodrigues.

Rodrigues was gunned down while at a bar at the GMR&SC ground.

Three other persons were injured during that brazen daylight shooting, among them Canadian Jean La Blanc who was shot in his buttocks.

He died suddenly at the Georgetown Hospital and a post mortem examination is still pending.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Canadian’s post mortem further delayed The post mortem which was expected to have been done on the remains of Jean Le Blanc, the Canadian who succumbed after being injured during the Ricardo Rodrigues execution, has again been stalled.

According to a source, the post mortem was delayed because there are no financial arrangements in place for storage of the body after the post mortem. This publication was told that a Canadian Embassy official

was scheduled to be present yesterday for the post mortem to be done.

However this publication was told that no financial arrangements are in place hence the post mortem was again put on hold. This source said that the embassy is expected to make arrangement for that aspect to be dealt with.

Further reports are that aside from the post mortem toxicology tests are expected to be done.

On Friday October 26, around mid morning, La Blanc who was nursing a gunshot injury to his buttock succumbed.

Reports are that Le Blanc was scheduled to leave for his homeland on the Tuesday after police had promised to return his passport and cash which they had taken away from him shortly after the shooting.

In an earlier interview, Le Blanc said that he was

holidaying in Guyana and ‘was in the wrong place at the wrong time’. He had told this publication that he arrived in Guyana on October 13 and was expected to leave three days later.

On the day of the shooting he said that he was in a taxi passing but asked the driver to stop at the spot to drink a few beers.

He claimed that several persons had visited him in the hospital and had promised to inform his family about the incident but “I don’t know if anybody did. Nobody has come and told me that they called.”

On October 15, last Ricardo Rodrigues was killed when gunmen open fired on him while he was sitting at the Pit Stop Bar which is located at the GMR&SC compound, Albert Street. Three other persons, including Le Blanc, were shot.

28-year-old Orin Accra of West Ruimveldt was sentenced to one year in jail after he was found guilty of robbery. Accra was yesterday convicted of robbery under arms when he faced Magistrate Leron Dailey.

The man who was unemployed at the time he committed the crime in August last, robbed Wilma Sukdeo of a lipstick, a lady’s handbag, an umbrella and other items.

He was arrested and brought before the court.

According to the Prosecutor Denise Booker, on Thursday August 30 at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Accra armed himself with a knife and attacked the virtual complainant who was on her way to work at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt.

He relieved her of her belongings and later admitted to the offence in his caution statement.

Man sentenced to prison for robbery

APNU parliamentarians encounters ‘litany of woes at Linden hospitals ...

From page 10 health issues to all the other issues like unemployment and others that are already prevalent, is like a ‘death knell’ to the Residents of Region Ten. “Our interest is the good health and well being of our people of Region Ten, so based on reports that I’ve received from time to time concerning health care delivery, as a representative of the people, I’ve decided to visit the two hospitals,’ Morian added, while citing the many challenges facing health workers at the two institutions, both in terms of the general working environment, and the lack of proper functioning equipment. He described the situation as very troubling.

The Regional MP promised to take the issues to the Ministry of health,

and to other relevant authorities.

In an invited comment, Dr. Mohan Lall, Manager of the Tuberculosis Control Programme countrywide, said that in 2012 there have been 56 new cases of Tuberculosis, as compared to last year when there was 70 new cases registered in Region Ten; so the current trend is not alarming.

Dr. Lall noted that sixty percent of new TB cases in the entire country are in Region Four and of the fifty six new cases, thirteen are persons that have tested p o s i t i v e f o r H I V, a s compared to last year when nine out of the seventy persons diagnosed with TB were HIV positive.

He added that TB is a known opportunistic disease associated with both HIV and Diabetes.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

Doobay Medical Center moves closer to “international standards”

From left: Head Nurse- Olive Sinclair receiving the donation from Seaboard’s Bert Sukhai with DMC’s CEO, Vickram Oditt looking on.

While Guyana is lagging behind in health care delivery, more and more organizations are seeking to make donations towards development in that field. One such organization is Seaboard which yesterday made a substantial monetary donation to the Doobay Medical Centre.

Seaboard Corp is the parent of the National Milling Company of Guyana Inc (NAMILCO).

During yesterday’s presentation, NAMILCO’s Managing Director, Bert Sukhai, sought to note that Seaboard is a large Agro industrial company which has extensions in over sixteen countries; mainly in the African Continent.

Sukhai informed that the company has branches in Haiti, Ecuador and Colombia. He noted that in Haiti, the mill was completely destroyed by the earthquake but was rebuilt in just over one year.

“It is within that context that we have decided to

contribute to a nonprofit making body such as the Doobay Medical Clinic, asserted Sukhai.

He said that Seaboard has noticed the many strides made by the clinic in a short time through bringing relief to kidney patients.

Sukhai said that he looks

forward to seeing the progress in cardiovascular surgery in the future.

Chief Executive Officer of DMC, Vic Oditt said that he appreciated the gesture and noted that the donation will go towards expansion of the facility “as we strive to bring it to international standards.”

Teen’s hand almost severed in cutlass attack Seventeen-year-old, Terrence Sandy, of Macnaab, a remote predominately Amerindian community situated on the Essequibo Coast remains a patient of the male ward, at the Suddie Public Hospital after his right hand was almost severed by another teenager.

Doctors are contemplating referring Sandy to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

According to reports emanating from Macnaab, Sandy would have lost a large

quantity of blood because of the severity of the chop he would have sustained to his right hand.

Reports emerging from Macnaab stated that Sandy and the other teenager were imbibing alcohol at a rum shop at Lima Sands, the neighbouring Village.

An argument ensued at some point and explicit remarks were hurled leading to Sandy being injured.

The assailant has been arrested by the police.

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Saturday November 03, 2012

Tourism Awareness Month…

Courtesy, standards, security needed to promote tourism - THAG The growth of tourism as an industry produces significant benefits to a country’s economic development in a number of ways, including income generation, employment opportunities, and social and cultural transformation, according to chair of Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Marketing Committee, Shaun McGrath.

These sentiments were shared at the launch of Tourism Awareness Month, Wednesday, at the Mangrove Heritage Site, Cove and John, East Coast Demerara.

In attendance were President Donald Ramotar; Minister of Tourism Irfaan Ali; President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (ag) Daniel Gajie; Director of Tourism Authority Indranauth Haralsingh; members of the diplomatic corps and other special invitees.

The Explore Guyana 2013 was also launched under the theme “Re-Discover Home”; this is the 13th edition of the magazine and the 11th with our current publishers, AMS Limited.

Chair of THAG Marketing Committee, Shaun McGrath, explained that since tourism is a service-based industry, it can be quite intangible and more difficult to market than tangible goods. The use of appropriate promotional campaigns and materials targeted to a global audience or a specific segment of society can boost the tourism industry of a country with remarkable results.

This belief is what led to the creation of Explore Guyana many years ago.

“The customs and charm of a particular tourist spot or a whole country can be magnified and made known through the right media. The development of suitable advertising and marketing materials is vital in creating this awareness within a target audience.

Moreover, tourism is an

Chair of THAG Marketing Committee, Shaun McGrath industry where the customer must travel to the product instead of the other way around.

Since the need to travel is a major factor in people’s decisions on whether or not to visit a country, tourism-related businesses, agencies, government and organizations need to work together to package and promote tourism opportunities and align their efforts to assure consistency in product quality.” McGrath underscored.

Adding that promotional materials can hugely impact an audience’s perception of a certain region, country or community, McGrath noted that over the last 12 years, every edition of Explore Guyana has helped chip away the negative impression of Guyana by promoting the country as a land of tropical rainforest, sprawling savannahs, mystic mountains, monster rivers, spectacular bird, wild life and a friendly welcoming and hospitable people.

“Explore Guyana has successfully played an important part in the work that is being done to promote Guyana as a beautiful, interesting and exciting travel destination. The increasing number of people who are travelling to Guyana to experience our unique product are testament to this fact.”

By creating awareness and altering an audience’s perception of a certain place through a consistent advertising and marketing campaign, McGrath said that desire is awakened and stimulated, and as such the specific target market is more likely to want to travel to the area, explore its promises, and gain a unique experience that they can treasure forever.

An important task of advertising and marketing is to constantly stimulate this desire, creating a sense of need for the target audience to travel to the area and soak up its diverse offerings.

“Over the last three editions of Explore, a policy decision was made to make the magazine more of a holiday brochure, in order to stimulate this desire for Guyana.”

“Even though Explore Guyana is always distributed free of charge, the cover is what draws the reader in and is an important feature of the publication. Explore Guyana has a reputation for having dramatic and stunning covers…

“This year is no exception and our cover feeds into the theme of this year’s magazine which is “A Haven For Nature” taken by the internationally renowned photographer James Broscombe. It shows a Humming Bird feeding her young and is guaranteed to further enhance the reputation of the magazine and indeed Guyana.

“The printing process used for the front cover uses a new cutting edge technology called Liquid Aqueous Coating and Explore is the first publication in the Caribbean to use this new feature. You will notice that the humming bird, its hatchling, the branches and the trees are raised giving a 3-D effect to the image.”

Explore Guyana has become an important source of revenue for THAG. This revenue has grown over the years as the magazine has become more and more attractive to advertisers.

No shortage of crusher-run stone in Guyana – BK Int’l BK Quarries has confirmed that there is no shortage of crusher-run stone or stone of any kind in Guyana contrary to complaint by Permanent Secretary, Collin Croal, of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

On Thursday, Croal at the Ministry’s weekly press briefing had said that there was a shortage of crusher-run nationally affecting the construction of community

road projects by a number of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.

But, BK International in a statement yesterday dismissed Croal’s comment as inaccurate.

“BK International wishes to confirm that there is no shortage of stone of any kind in Guyana and that BK Quarries is in a position to provide any quantity of stone required for construction,” the release stated. According to the company, it is not

prepared to extend credit to contractors who are either unable to pay on time or are in the habit of making payments over extended periods or, in a number of case, not at all.

The release said that BK International recently refurbished its quarry plant increasing capacity from 350,000 to 550,000 tons per year. BK Quarries can currently provide 25,000 tons of crusher run stone and 10,000 tons of other aggregate per month.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

Berbicians to face four more weeks of power outages Berbicians are being asked to bear with Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) for about four more weeks during which there will be sporadic blackouts. This is due to damage to the crucial and important 69 kV Transformer at the Canefield Power Station in East Canje.

This transformer is the crucial component in the Berbice Interconnected system whereby power can be shared amongst the three power sources in the Berbice area: Skeldon Sugar factory, Onverwagt and Canefield Power Stations. The stations, as a result of the damaged transformer, are no longer inter-linked and therefore, cannot share and transfer power.

GPL Area Manager, Mr. Ayube Bacchus, related the matter. “We have been temporarily affected by one of our 69,000 volts transformer…this equipment is part of the 69KV network that links the three generating facilities”.

Experts have done evaluation, he said, and “they have advised us on a way forward, which we have implemented. However, it was determined that the insulation wirings of that transformer were defective, hence that transformer was separated from the system”.

The engineers and experts, he stated, have advised the company not to re- use the transformer lest more damage be done to the system.

With this new development, it puts the company at a disadvantage to transfer load to the 69kv transmission line.

Canefield, he said, can only power up to Salton on the Corentyne.

“This results in excess power from the Canefield not being exported to the grid, so if units are out on maintenance, there will be very short interruptions of electricity”.

But the fact is that, many parts of Berbice over the past couple of days have been receiving several rolling blackouts per day, with Canje and Corentyne being the

hardest- hit areas.

With power no longer being shared amongst the stations, whenever there is a need for power from any given station at any point, there cannot be assistance from a nearby sub- station, hence, there is a generation shortfall, resulting in a blackout.

Berbicians have been reeling, over the past weeks, from rolling blackouts, sometimes several times a day.

Some residents of Rose Hall Town have told Kaieteur News that up to Tuesday last, the town had only received three hours of electricity in a 48-hour period.

Mr. Ayube Bacchus responded that he was not aware of this. Bacchus however, said that GPL is on top of the situation and is asking Berbicians for four more weeks of patience until the new transformer, which he said, weighs over 33 tonnes, is installed and put into operation.

“Consumers are being advised to bear with us as we have things in place to rectify the situation and we will replace the transformer and export or import power from the various locations”.

“Specialists came in to look at our infrastructure and see how fast they could replace this transformer” CHRISTMAS Bacchus said that the company is wrapping up its maintenance activities and preparing to face the high demand for power in December.

“This maintenance period will come to an end in midDecember and we have completed all our maintenance programmes, save for one unit at Canefield.” He said that GPL has systems in place to cater for the increased load.

“We anticipate about 20MW peak demand during Christmas and we have approximately 22MW”.

As it stands, there have been 217 blackouts in Berbice since the year began; compared with 133 for the same period last year.

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AFC dubs Chronicle editorial disrespectful, contemptuous

By Abena Rockcliffe The Alliance For Change has taken umbrage at an editorial published in the October 29 edition of the Guyana Chronicle, deeming it disrespectful and contemptuous. The party stated that “it is appalling that such an article could be published by a newspaper.

For a newspaper to refer to the work of our National Assembly, a bastion of our democracy, as a farce, is beyond comprehension.

“It is eye-pass to the highest degree. It is disrespectful; it is insulting, contemptuous and full of disdain not only for our elected officials, but also for the thousands of Guyanese

who took the time to cast their vote on November 28, 2011.”

The AFC said that the editorial went further as it cast allegations against US law enforcement officials.

The party was adamant that while editorial privileges would allow an editor to express an opinion, “such an opinion must be supported by facts and evidence; Journalism 101.”

Party member, Beverly Alert, said that “in a single editorial, that chronic organ of the State, in one swoop, attacked and cast damaging aspersions of the law enforcement arm of one of Guyana’s closest allies and mocked a pillar of our democracy, our National Assembly.”

Noting that the editorial

stated that the young men who were reportedly killed by members of the Police Force were involved in heinous crimes; Alert asked, “What evidence the newspaper possesses to make such an allegation?”

She further questioned, “Is Chronicle saying that Yohance Douglas, Dameon Belgrave and Shaquille Grant committed heinous crimes?

“As if denouncing the fortress of our democracy was not enough, the editorial sought to evoke that old, worn out spectre of racism.

Why would Chronicle enter into that realm?”

The party member said that any responsible newspaper, owned and operated by persons who are

conscious of their responsibilities as a media house “would know better than to publish a single line, much less an entire article or editorial that can be construed as racially inciting, and they would know that such mischief cannot be disguised.”

Alert said that it is clear that the Chronicle has a sinister motive “to put the people of this country against each other. Guyanese have worked hard to exorcise that demon called racism and no amount of chronic voodoo will bring it to life. The young people, especially, of this country, have no interest in racist sentiments. They are looking to leaders who stamp out corruption and fight for justice.”

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Saturday November 03, 2012

Anger grows over fuel shortage in storm-hit Northeast Battered by storm, Staten Islanders feel forgotten NEW YORK (Reuters) Frustration grew yesterday for residents of Northeast states hit by superstorm Sandy as the death toll reached 102, millions were still without power and tempers frayed at a lack of fuel and guidance on when life might return to normal.

New York City canceled its annual marathon in the face of rising criticism of a previous decision to go ahead with the race tomorrow as the search for bodies continued in devastated communities from New York’s Staten Island to New Jersey seaside towns.

Sandy, which brought a record storm surge to coastal areas, slammed into the U.S. Northeast on Monday. Fortyone died in New York City, about half of them in Staten Island, which was overrun by a wall of water.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he had spoken to the father of two boys, aged 2 and 4, who were swept from their mother’s arms as she tried to escape

rising waters on Staten Island. Their father is a sanitation worker and was helping the city respond to the storm when it happened, Bloomberg said.

“It just breaks your heart to even think about it,” Bloomberg said yesterday.

“While life in much of our city is getting back to normal, for New Yorkers that have lost loved ones, the storm left a wound that I think will never heal.”

Sandy started as a lateseason hurricane in the Caribbean, where it killed 69 people before smashing ashore in the United States with 80-mile-per-hour (130kph) winds. It stretched from the Carolinas to Connecticut and was the largest storm by area to hit the United States in decades.

In Brooklyn’s Coney Island, home to a large Russian immigrant community, Anna Ladd’s basement still held sea water and she was without power and gas. Ladd, 62, has applied to the Federal Emergency

Management Agency for help but was wary of what aid, if any, she would receive.

Acute gasoline shortages led to long lines and short tempers. Tankers were entering New York Harbour again and a tanker carrying 2 million barrels of gasoline arrived at 2 a.m. (0600 GMT) yesterday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Starting before dawn yesterday, long lines of cars snaked around gasoline stations in the area, in scenes reminiscent of the energy shortage of the 1970s.

Police were in place at many spots to keep the peace between furious, frustrated drivers.

Less than 40 percent of all gas stations in New York City, Long Island and New Jersey operated on Thursday because of a combination of power outages and constricted supplies after the storm devastated the energy industry’s ability to move fuel into and around the New York City region.

These two people hug in front of their home which was demolished during Superstorm Sandy in Staten Island, N.Y., yesterday. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Federal Emergency Management Agency Deputy Administrator Richard Serino visited Staten Island yesterday amid angry claims by some residents that the borough had been ignored.

“A lot of people are hurting and we want to work through the next days and hours to get people on their feet as quickly as possible,” Napolitano told reporters.

President Barack Obama, locked in a tight race with Republican rival Mitt Romney, has so far received praise for his handling of storm relief. But scenes of angry victims could affect the political campaign with Election Day four days away.

More than 3.5 million homes and businesses along the East Coast remained without power yesterday.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg canceled the marathon, which was expected to draw more than 40,000 runners, after mounting criticism from residents who said the city should be focused on recovery efforts.

“Staten Islanders feel like the forgotten people,” Cremer said before the cancellation was announced. “The thing about the marathon is just mind-boggling and people here are just extremely angry ... The insensitivity of Mayor Bloomberg is just unbelievable. We’re one of the five boroughs. We’re not

a little town in upstate New York.”

However, Frankie Abraham Kibret, 39, from Jersey City, said the marathon should go ahead. “You don’t give up, that’s New York,” he said from behind the counter of his family’s blacked-out deli in Manhattan’s West Village.

Rising seawater flooded lower Manhattan, much of which still lacked power and subway service on Friday, while midtown and uptown Manhattan were close to normal.

Power was expected to be returned throughout Manhattan today but it could be a week or more in suburbs and more distant towns along the coast.

WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney are dead even on a national level but Obama holds a slight edge in three of the most hotly contested states in Tuesday’s election, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday.

Obama leads Romney among likely voters by a margin of 3 percentage points in Virginia and 2 percentage points in Ohio and Florida, the online tracking poll found.

None of the polls indicates a clear lead for Obama because each falls within the survey’s credibility interval, a tool used to account for statistical variation in Internet-based polls.

The two candidates are tied in Colorado, the tracking poll showed.

Nationwide, they are tied at 46 percent each. Neither candidate has held a clear

- Reuters/Ipsos poll

or so states that are considered to be truly competitive in the election.

Obama holds his greatest advantage in Virginia, a state that was considered reliably Republican until the 2008 election.

Obama leads Romney 48 percent to 45 percent there, just within the poll’s credibility margin of 3.4 percentage points.

Romney will have a hard time winning the White House if he does not carry Ohio. Obama leads there by 47 percent to 45 percent.

Romney until recently held a narrow advantage in Florida. Now Obama leads by 48 percent to 46 percent.

In Colorado, the two candidates are tied among likely voters at 46 percent each.

Among all registered voters, Romney leads in Colorado and Obama leads in the other three states.

Race even, but Obama holds slight edge in key states lead in the four-day national tracking poll since early October.

But the national poll may be less relevant at this point because Tuesday’s election will be won or lost in the eight or nine states that remain truly competitive.

Collectively, the state polls indicate that Obama holds a slight advantage in the state-by-state battle to rack up the 270 electoral votes needed to control the White House.

Voters seem to share this assessment. Regardless of who they personally support, some 52 percent said they expect Obama to emerge the victor in the election, while 32 said they thought Romney would win.

Because many of the largest states are considered a shoo-in for Obama, Romney needs to win most of the nine

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Syria army quits base on strategic Aleppo road

A Syrian army tank is seen in the Khan al-Assal area after clashes between Free Syrian Army fighters and forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, near Aleppo city, yesterday. REUTERS/George Ourfalian BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army abandoned its last base near the northern town of Saraqeb after a fierce assault by rebels, further isolating the strategically important second city Aleppo from the capital.

But in a political setback to forces battling to topple President Bashar al-Assad, the United Nations said the rebels appeared to have committed a war crime after seizing the base.

The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said yesterday government troops had retreated from a post northwest of Saraqeb, leaving the town and surrounding areas “completely outside the control of regime forces”.

It was not immediately possible to verify the reported army withdrawal.

Authorities restrict journalists’ access in Syria and state media made no reference to Saraqeb.

The pullout followed coordinated rebel attacks on

Thursday against three military posts around Saraqeb, 50 km (30 miles) southwest of Aleppo, in which 28 soldiers were killed.

Several were shown in video footage being shot after they had surrendered.

“The allegations are that these were soldiers who were no longer combatants. And therefore, at this point it looks very likely that this is a war crime, another one,” U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said in Geneva.

“Unfortunately this could be just the latest in a string of documented summary executions by opposition factions as well as by government forces and groups affiliated with them, such as the shabbiha (pro-government militia),” he said.

Video footage of the killings showed rebels berating the captured men, calling them “Assad’s dogs”, before firing round after round into their bodies as they lay on the ground.

Rights groups and the United Nations say rebels and

forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have committed war crimes during the 19-month-old conflict. It began with protests against Assad and has spiraled into a civil war which has killed 32,000 people and threatens to drag in regional powers.

The mainly Sunni Muslim rebels are supported by Sunni states including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and neighboring Turkey.

Shi’ite Iran remains the strongest regional supporter of Assad, who is from the Alawite faith which is an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam.

Saraqeb lies at the meeting point of Syria’s main northsouth highway, linking Aleppo with Damascus, and another road connecting Aleppo to the Mediterranean port of Latakia.

With areas of rural Aleppo and border crossings to Turkey already under rebel control, the loss of Saraqeb would leave Aleppo city further cut off from Assad’s Damascus powerbase.

Any convoys using the highways from Damascus or the Mediterranean city of Latakia would be vulnerable

to rebel attack. This would force the army to use smaller rural roads or send supplies on a dangerous route from AlRaqqa in the east, according to the Observatory’s director, Rami Abdelrahman.

In response to the rebels’ territorial gains, Assad has stepped up air strikes against opposition strongholds, launching some of the heaviest raids so far against working class suburbs east of Damascus over the last week.

The bloodshed has continued unabated despite an attempted ceasefire, proposed by join U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to mark last month’s Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

In the latest in a string of fruitless international initiatives, China called on Thursday for a phased, region-by-region ceasefire and the setting up of a transitional governing body - an idea which opposition leaders hope to flesh out at a meeting in Qatar next week.

Veteran opposition leader Riad Seif has proposed a structure bringing together the rebel Free Syrian Army, regional military councils and other rebel forces alongside local civilian bodies and prominent opposition figures.

His plan, called the Syrian National Initiative, calls for four bodies to be established: the Initiative Body, including

political groups, local councils, national figures and rebel forces; a Supreme Military Council; a Judicial Committee and a transitional government made up of technocrats.

The initiative has the support of Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Wednesday for an overhaul of the opposition, saying it was time to move beyond the troubled Syrian National Council.

The SNC has failed to win recognition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people and Clinton said it was time to bring in “those on the front lines fighting and dying”.

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Saturday November 03, 2012

Nigerian army kills 30 in militant bastion: witnesses MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian troops shot dead at least 30 people during raids in the northeast city of Maiduguri, bastion of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram, witnesses and hospital staff said yesterday.

Boko Haram says it wants to create an Islamic state in Nigeria and its fighters have killed hundreds in bomb and gun attacks targeting security forces, politicians and civilians since launching an uprising in 2009. The sect

has become the top security threat to Africa’s biggest energy-producing state.

Three witnesses told Reuters that soldiers from the Joint Task Force (JTF) raided several neighborhoods in Maiduguri late on Thursday and arrested or shot dead dozens of people.

“More than 30 bodies were brought in by the JTF yesterday and most of them were young men,” a nurse at one Maiduguri hospital Yagana Bukar told Reuters.

The military spokesman in Maiduguri did not respond to requests for comment.

“Yesterday around the Gambaru area, soldiers raided places with an insider who pointed to suspected terrorists and they just killed some of them on the spot and others were taken away,” a civil servant who saw the attacks told Reuters, asking not to be named. He said he saw more than 40 dead bodies.

A recent military

crackdown has reduced the more deadly Boko Haram attacks seen early this year, although violence in Maiduguri and the rest of northeast Borno state is still an almost daily occurrence.

Western governments are concerned about Boko Haram linking up with other militant groups in the region, including al Qaeda’s north African wing.

Amnesty International said in a report on Thursday that the JTF had committed

human rights abuses in its fight against Boko Haram that were fuelling the insurgency.

The report said the JTF had carried out executions in the streets and tortured people without bringing any charges against them. The military said the report was biased and the police said they would investigate the matter.

A man claiming to be a senior member of Boko Haram told journalists by phone on Thursday that the group was willing to hold talks with the government under certain conditions, although there were doubts over what links he has with the group.

Several efforts at dialogue have failed and Boko Haram’s self-proclaimed leader Abubakar Shekau has said in videos posted online that the group is not interested in talks with the government.

Shekau is on the U.S. “foreign terrorist” list.

The man calling himself Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez told reporters in

Maiduguri that the sect would cease fire if the current governor of Borno was arrested, the group’s mosque was rebuilt, they were compensated for all their losses and all of the sect’s imprisoned members were released.

He did not mention the implementation of sharia law, a key demand of Shekau’s in the past.

Abdulazeez proposed that Muhammadu Buhari, President Goodluck Jonathan’s main opponent in 2010 elections, be part of a negotiation team which would meet in Saudi Arabia for talks.

He spoke in English, unlike previous communications from spokesman Abu Qaqa and videos from Shekau, who both spoke in Hausa and Arabic. Shekau said in September that Qaqa had been arrested and may now be dead. Qaqa used to communicate with groups of journalists in Maiduguri by telephone.

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo, who stands accused of multiple war crimes, is well enough to stand trial, judges at the International Criminal Court ruled yesterday.

But they also warned that his fragile mental health required close monitoring and appropriate treatment.

Preparations for Gbagbo’s trial for crimes against humanity including murder, rape and persecution have been on hold since June, when he told judges the illtreatment he had received at the hands of his captors in Ivory Coast had left him unfit to stand trial.

Judges found Gbagbo, 67, was able to understand the charges against him, which relate to the civil war that followed his refusal to stand down after losing presidential elections in 2010. Some 3,000 were killed and more than a million were displaced in four months of fighting.

The trial can only begin once judges have confirmed the charges against Gbagbo and no date has been set yet.

One of the doctors the court consulted found that Gbagbo was “a shadow of his former self”, while another said he tired easily and had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

When he arrived in The Hague last December, Gbagbo

said he was ill after having been held in a windowless room.

“The question is not whether Mr Gbagbo is at present in full possession of the higher or better faculties he may have had in the past,” they wrote, “but whether his current capacities are sufficient for him to take part in proceedings against him.”

A third doctor cited in the judges’ ruling said Gbagbo seemed “more concerned with salvaging his image” than with addressing the specifics of the case.

Gbagbo is the first former head of state to be brought before the 10-year-old ICC the world’s first permanent war crimes court - which earlier this year handed down its first conviction, jailing Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga for 14 years.

Former Ivory Coast president is well enough to stand trial

Laurent Gbagbo

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

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St. Lucia still mulling CLICO multi-billion over LIAT investment dollar fund launched CASTRIES, St. Lucia CMC - Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony remains doubtful as to whether St. Lucia can at this time participate in the redevelopment of the regional airline, LIAT, which is seeking to purchase new aircraft and expand its route network.

The St. Lucia government is being asked to play a greater fiscal role in the struggling carrier which has been beset by financial difficulties and misfortune.

Earlier this year, The St. Vincent and the Grenadines government, one of three shareholders of the Antiguabased airline, called on Castries to fast track its decision to become a significant shareholder.

However, despite a sales pitch by airline officials here in late October, Prime Minister Anthony remains circumspect about investment in the financially strapped carrier.

He said that the outlay for the new fleet of aircraft would be significant, a tall order for the carrier which has accumulated million of dollars in debt.

Anthony said contrary to popular belief St. Lucia is a shareholder of the company, albeit with a minority stake of

Dr. Kenny Anthony six million EC dollars (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) and it was for that reason that the airlines executives were granted an audience during as visit here last week.

“I have said before that there is a sympathetic environment for LIAT because we provide minimum guarantees for aircraft from other countries bringing tourists into our country and it seems unfair that we are subsidizing other aircraft and we do not extend assistance to LIAT,” Anthony said in a television broadcast.

Anthony said he was in no position to tell the LIAT team whether his government would accede to their request

for help.

He said he was mindful of the importance of upgrading the carrier’s fleet and the fate of the dedicate employees, but noted that his government too was faced with economic challenges which require that his government protect the public interest.

“We have to ask the question what does St. Lucia get out of this and in the new configuration of LIAT we would want to explore what benefits can be accrued from any investment that it makes in LIAT,” the Prime Minister noted.

Anthony said the airline executives were told that government and technocrats would review the proposals and assured them that a timely response would be forthcoming given the urgency of the situation.

“The situation with LIAT is serious, they need help as of tomorrow basically, because the aircraft as I said is pretty dated and if the situation continues then the debt levels will worsen, so I think it is important that the agony be reduced as much as possible and a decision one way or the other must be made as quickly as possible,” he added.

Cuba denounces US diplomats

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba denounced the American diplomatic mission on the island yesterday for what it called subversive activities designed to undermine the government of Raul Castro, a shot across the bow just four days before the U.S. election.

The Foreign Ministry said the Americans illegally give classes inside the walls of the U.S. Interests Section, which Washington maintains instead of an embassy, and provide Internet service without permission.

It vowed to defend Cuba’s sovereignty “by any legal means” at its disposal, but gave no details. There was no immediate comment from American diplomats on the island.

“The U.S. Interests Section in Cuba continues to serve as a general headquarters for the subversive policies of the North American government,” reads the statement, which was published in state-media yesterday.

The statement said the Interests Section’s aim was “the impossible task of converting its mercenaries

Raul Castro into a credible internal opposition movement.”

Cuba considers all opposition figures to be stooges paid by Washington to cause trouble.

The American mission has long provided Internet services to dissidents on the island. It also runs cultural and language programmes.

It was not clear why Cuba chose now to criticise the practice. But the timing could be linked to next Tuesday’s U.S. election.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney has launched a Spanish-language ad in the key swing state of Florida implying that President

Barack Obama is supported by the Castros and leftist Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. The Obama administration says the ad itself rewards Chavez and the Castros with undeserved attention, and notes that relations with both countries have remained chilly under Obama.

In its denunciation of the U.S. administration, Cuba charged that those using the diplomatic facilities are indoctrinated into the opposition and trained to work against Cuba’s interests.

It said millions of dollars in so-called democracybuilding funds went into the effort, evidence, it said, that Washington was still living in the Cold War. American officials have said previously that they are doing nothing illegal here, and that supporting free speech, cultural activities and Internet access is a common practice at missions around the world.

Cuba and the United States have been at odds since shortly after Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, which ushered in a Communist government.

Trinidad Guardian Finance Minister Larry Howai Thursday described the exchange of bonds held by holders of short-term investment products issued

by CLICO and British American for units in the CLICO Investment Fund (CIF) as an “excellent” idea.

Howai was speaking at a news conference to launch the CLICO Investment Fund (CIF), which will allow holders of short-term investments in the two insurance companies to swap their 11 to 20 year zero-coupon bonds for units in the CIF. He said there is the potential for a 100 per cent uplift for those who choose to exchange their 11 to 20 bonds for units compared with those who opt to cash in those bonds. He also told reporters that those opting to exchange their 11 to 20 bonds for units will have the opportunity to do so at no cost until December 14.

By launching the CIF Thursday, Howai fulfilled a commitment he made in the 2013 budget. Holders of the

Larry Howai zero-coupon bonds would be able to swap their 11 to 20 zero-coupon bonds at the rate of exchange of 40 units in the CIF for each $1,000 face value of their bonds.

This means that someone with an investment of $1 million would have received $75,000 in cash and $925,000 in 20 zerocoupon bonds, half of which can be exchanged for units in the CIF. The investor would end up with 18,500 CIF units at $25 each, which amounts to $462,500.

Howai said that at least 95

per cent of the dividend and interest income generated by the CIF, would be credited to the fund from November 1 and paid out in dividends twice a year: on February 21 and August 21.

Holders of the CIF units would also be able to sell their units when the trust is registered on the T&T Stock Exchange in January, the Finance Minister said.

Howai clarified that the CIF would be fully capitalised with 40,072,299 shares of Republic Bank, worth $4.39 billion, representing 86 per cent of the assets of the CIF, and with 25year, fixed rate government bonds with a coupon of 4.25 per cent accounting for the balance of $702 million.

He said it was the Government’s intention for the CIF to be fully capitalised with Republic Bank shares. A number of CLICO’s Republic Bank shares were being held by CLICO Investment Bank as collateral for loans to the insurance company.

Negotiations are ongoing with the liquidator of CLICO Investment Bank to allow those shares to be made available to CLICO.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday November 03, 2012

Former AG says Grenada govt. Barbados issues not likely to survive full term leptospirosis alert

Former attorney general Jimmy Bristol is predicting the downfall of the Tillman Thomas government “the minute Parliament opens”.

Bristol, the President of the Grenada Bar Association, (GBA), said while the constitution provides for the parliament to be prorogued “we all know the reason for the prorogation”, an apparent reference to the move by the Prime Minister Thomas in September have GovernorGeneral, Sir Carlyle Glean prorogue Parliament.

A two-paragraph statement from the Office of the Prime Minister gave no date for the start of the new parliamentary session but indicated that “the traditional Throne Speech is expected to be graciously delivered by His Excellency, the GovernorGeneral”.

The decision to prorogue Parliament meant that the Prime Minister did not face a motion of no confidence that had been filed by his former foreign affairs minister Karl Hood and was expected to have been debated in the last

Jimmy Bristol session of Parliament.

Political observers say Hood will now have to re-file the motion Former environment minister Glynis Roberts, who has submitted her resignation from the government, has publicly criticised the decision to prorogue parliament saying it is tantamount to governing by decree.

Since winning the 2008 general election, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been plagued with internal

bickering.

In addition, four government ministers have resigned including Peter David, the former tourism minister, Hood and former trade minister Michael Church.

Three other government ministers, including Bristol have been fired.

The NDC which won the election with 11 seats now has only six legislators in the 15-member Parliament.

Bristol, speaking on a local television programme here, said that “the talk on the street, in all quarters of life in Grenada, is that the government has done the wrong thing; they continue to do the wrong thing; and they’re quite looking forward to the elections.”

Bristol described the government’s action as gameplaying intended for the survival of the ruling administration.

“What the government is trying to do is delay the inevitable. They’re playing games with our democratic system. That is not acceptable; it is not a good thing,” he said, arguing that

suspending parliamentary sittings are tantamount to “the shutting down of one of the three pillars of our constitutional democracy.

“We have the judiciary; we have the executive which is cabinet; and we have the legislature which is parliament,” he said, noting that Parliament is the place where legislators elected by the population, go to air the views of the people in their communities.

“If that is shut down, then that aspect of our democracy is also shut down. What the government has done, it has shut down any debate, or stymied any debate, on any issue. So, we have to resort to the media or to gossiping in the rum shops. And that is not a good thing for a democracy.”

Bristol said he does not believe that the Thomas government could gain anything positive from proroguing parliament, and delaying calling fresh general elections.

General election is due here by March 2013. (CMC)

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC - Barbadian health officials have issued a leprospirosis alert urging the public to wear adequate protective clothing when participating in outdoor work or recreational activities, such as gardening and construction.

Last year, the island recorded three deaths from the 44 cases and so far this year, the number of people suffering from the disease has been put at 29.

Senior Medical Officer o f H e a l t h – N o r t h , D r.

Karen Springer, said the disease, which includes flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, nausea and vomiting, eye inflammation and muscle aches, could be contracted through contact with water, or damp soil or vegetation that is contaminated with the urine of infected animals.

In more severe cases, the illness may result in liver damage and jaundice, yellowing of the skin and

whites of the eyes, kidney failure, and internal bleeding.

The Ministry of Health said that people who are seriously ill with leptospirosis may be at risk of death and might need to be hospitalised.

“The disease may however, be prevented by minimising contact with water, mud, vegetation and foods that might be contaminated with the urine of infected animals, especially rodents, since bacteria can also enter the body through broken skin and if the person swallows contaminated food or water.

Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria could reach all parts of the body and cause illness,” according to a government statement.

It said that although rodents are the main carriers of leptospirosis in Barbados, the disease may also be transmitted by other animals which carry the leptospirosis organism, including pigs, horses, cattle and dogs.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Govt. shuts down state agency Top Cop defends right of used to import basic staples Jamaicans to police information Jamaica Observer - Owen Ellington is unapologetic about opening up the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to more public scrutiny. His reason is simple: The JCF, he says, costs the country $30 billion annually to operate, therefore the Jamaican people — as one of the police force’s stakeholders — have a right to know what is happening within the organisation.

Ellington, the police commissioner, was responding to critics who, he said, opposed his decision to share more police information, such as the weekly force orders, with the country.

“The population can’t be satisfied with statistics alone,” Ellington told a leadership forum for senior police staff at the Wyndham Kingston Hotel Tuesday morning.

The forum, held under the theme ‘A New Era in Policing — Transforming the Constabulary’ — formed part of the JCF’s strategic review project and was attended by representatives of various organisations.

Arguing that the police can contribute value, Commissioner Ellington said that the output of the organisation “can no longer be based on the standards of measurement we set for the departments, such as patrolling the streets; responding to calls

Owen Ellington for service; investigating crimes; arresting suspected offenders; regulating traffic; responding to citizens’ complaints and requests for assistance; handling crowds and demonstrations and responding to emergencies”.

He listed an enhanced sense of public security, increased usefulness of public spaces and facilities, and the raising of individual property values as among the set of desired social outcomes that constitute the ultimate justification for policing.

The commissioner also said that one particular social result of policing which must be viewed simultaneously as an end in itself as well as a means to a desired end, is legitimacy.

That legitimacy, he said, is the measure of how citizens judge their police department to be fair, honest and competent or

trustworthy.

“If police services are offered courteously and responsively, then those who receive the services will value the police more,” Ellington said.

“If the police do their enforcement work in a way that feels fair to the citizens who are the focus of police operations, those who are witnesses to them and those in whose name the police act, the police are likely to enjoy greater degrees of legitimacy than if they are seen to be brutal, callous or indifferent to the right of suspects,” he added.

That legitimacy, he also argued, is a valuable means of combatting crime.

“The success of the police in controlling crime depends critically on assistance from individual private citizens. If citizens do not trust police motives or capabilities, they will withhold their support,” he said.

“They will not call when victimised, will not co-operate in investigations and will not show up as witnesses. The police must therefore be interested in the quality of the individual transaction with citizens as both a value and as a valuable means.”

The commissioner then suggested that his senior officers appreciate the changing role of policing and accept that “policing must generate value, not just figures”.

Haiti pleads for international aid following Hurricane Sandy

PORT AU PRINCE, Hait - CMC - Haiti is appealing to the international community for help after Hurricane Sandy caused death and widespread damage during its passage near the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country late last month.

The death toll stands at 54 and is expected to count as disaster officials continue their assessment of the damage caused by the storm on the Caribbean country still recovering from the powerful earthquake in January 2010 that killed an estimated 300,000 people and left more than a million others homeless.

Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste, director of the Civil Protection agency said that two new bodies had been discovered.

“I am launching an appeal to international solidarity to come help the population, to help support the completion of our efforts towards saving lives and property,” Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe said.

“What we’ve just heard is frightening. We should act quickly for the people and put

Michel Martelly ourselves to work to improve the situation. Without a doubt we don’t have enough means, but we must show we have the will,” he said, appealing for international assistance.

Hurricane Sandy drenched Haiti with more than 20 inches of rain and President Michel Martelly has declared a month-long state of emergency.

Haitian officials said that at least 21 people are still unaccounted for after the

storm.

Early assessment indicates that the agricultural sector has registered a loss of more than US$104 million.

“Several thousand kilometres of agricultural roads were destroyed and thousands of heads of cattle were swept away by the flood waters, which also destroyed thousands of hectares of plantations,” Agriculture Minister Jacques Thomas said.

Health Minister Florence Guillaume said “numerous cases” of cholera have also been reported in the wake of the storm.

Cholera can spread quickly in contaminated water, and it has killed more than 7,000 Haitians ever since the first case was recorded here in October 2010.

On Thursday, the government said that Venezuela has proposed building 5,000 homes and had already sent three planes and a boat loaded with 240 tons of food.

France has promised to rebuild seven destroyed bridges, while Mexico has offered food.

The St. Kitts-Nevis government says it has closed down a near century old state agency responsible for the importation of basic staples such as rice, milk, flour and sugar, and is assuring the public that the private sector will not be given an opportunity to exploit the situation through price increases.

“Cabinet is aware that the closure of the Supply Office and the transfer of the trade of these essential staples, rice, flour, sugar and milk are entirely in private hands, will have implications for the stability of prices,” Consumer Affairs Minister Dr. Timothy Harris told Parliament.

But he told legislators “in order to mitigate the level of price increases, Cabinet has agreed that rice, flour, sugar and milk are to be admitted into the Federation free of all taxes, including customs service charge”.

He said that the situation would be reviewed at the end of next year and in the meantime, the Denzil Douglas government “will do all in its power to ensure a smooth transition”.

Dr. Timothy Harris St. Kitts-Nevis has a US$38 million Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since 2011, but in his statement, Harris gave no indication whether the decision to divest the state agency was related to the IMF agreement.

Harris said that the Supply Office, established in the 1940s, has since its inception “been making a contribution in relation to the supply and price stability of basic commodities readily demanded by the people.

“We note it started in the height of the Second World War when trade was being

disrupted and supplies to the colonies were made difficult as a consequence of the scourge of war. In the inflationary period of the 1970s milk and flour were added to its stock.”

He said that the clear intent then was to stabilize prices of milk and flour and that in delivering the 2012 national budget, Prime Minister Douglas, who is also Minister of Finance, had signalled his administration’s intention to shut down the agency and place it in the hands of the private sector.

He said that the government has held discussions with the private sector on the divestment of the company and decisions had been taken with regards to staff, the levels of concession that government will grant to the private sector entities and the mark up on bulk sugar, rice, milk and flour.

“The Ministries of Finance, Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, will next week consult with the prospective importers and all issues relating to the trade in these selected items,” Harris told legislators. (CMC)

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Kaieteur News

Saturday November 03, 2012

Courts Pee Wee Schools Football Competition...

Part of the action in this year’s Courts Pee Wee Football Competition.

Parents and teachers to win gate prizes - Eight more matches on today Evidently satisfied with the response of the teachers and parents in this year’s Courts Pee Wee Schools Football Competition, the title sponsor has now confirmed its decision to reward the teacher or parent with gate prizes who attends the matches consistently.

According to a release from the Organisers, the lucky winner will receive a Coby DVD Player, Coby 4GB MP3 Player or Eureka Vacuum Cleaner compliments of Courts (Guyana) Ltd. Meanwhile, the competition continues today with another round of eight matches at the Thirst Park ground, commencing at 10:00 hrs. In the fixtures: Enterprise goes up against Redeemer

and that game will be played simultaneously with West Ruimveldt versus St. Margaret’s.

Starting at 11: 00hrs, South Ruimveldt tackles North Georgetown and over on the other pitch St. Gabriel’s engages Sophia.

At 12:00 hrs, F.E Pollard battles Success and Ketley square off against St. Pius, while in the final double header, Green Acres tackles Tucville and Marian Academy clashes with St. Sidwell’s. The top four finishers will be presented with Desktop Computers, while every school that participates will benefit from the donation of two Coby Boom Boxes apiece in addition to trophies and medals.

Inter-Guiana Games competition starts today The first leg of the Inter Guiana Games 2012 involving Suriname and Guyana for the disciplines Volleyball, Cycling and Chess being held in Guyana, starts in earnest today following the arrival of the Surinamese contingent yesterday.

The aim of the Games is to create possibilities for the youths to gather together in order to compete in different sport disciplines, focusing on better sport results and better understanding of each other culture. The Opening Ceremony is set for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 09:00hrs today. However, the competition starts one hour earlier at 8:00am w i t h

cycling Team Time Trials at the National Park.

Following the opening proceedings, at 10:00am the volleyball begins with Female competition at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Male volleyball is set for 12:00noon followed by the cycling Road Race at 2:00pm on the West Bank/Coast Demerara. Chess will be staged at the same time at the Ocean View Int’l Hotel, while volleyball continues from 5:00pm at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The closing ceremony is set for later this evening following the competition. The Surinamese leave for home tomorrow morning.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Guyana Cup softball tourney...

Singh, Malone, Rodrigues hit centuries on opening day The Guyana Cup 20 over softball cricket competition commenced yesterday at various venues across the city. Following are the results from day one matches.

At Bourda, in the Masters category, Parika Defenders 121-9 in 20 overs (Orville Blacks 52, D. Chattar 2-19, Dyalall Latchman 2-25, Deonarine Debidyal 2-16) lost to Wellman 124-5 in 15.1 overs (Eon Abel 43, Ramesh Rambahrose 2-17 by 5 wickets.

New York Legends 143-8 in 20 overs (Linden Langhorne 44, Dereck Edwards 31 no, Wayne Jones 2-12 Yusuf Younis 2-34) beat Flood light 130-8 in 20 overs (Lalta Gainda 37, Lloyd Rooplall 33, Dereck Edwards 2-14, Ronald Evelyn 2-14, Boodram Deopaul 2-20) by 13 runs.

Parika Defenders 75 all out in 18.1 overs (Extra 31, Rickey Edwards 4-7) lost to New York Legends 78-0 in 7.4 overs (Tony Fernandes 47 no) by 10 wickets.

Wellman 68 all out in 15.3 overs (Clyde Canterbury 4-7) lost to Flood Light 69-2 in 6 overs (Nandram Samlall 29) by 8 wickets.

At Queens College, Success Masters 148-7 in 20 overs (K. Jaikarran 40, M. Arjune 3-23) lost to Regal Masters 151-5 in 17 overs (L. Klass 50, K. Ramnauth 2-24) by 5 wickets.

At DCC, Savage Masters 249-4 in 20 overs (Manja Malone 138, Sheik Mohamed 59, Rajin Rakesh 4-46) beat SCI Miami 132-8 in 20 overs (Munie Pooran 39, M. Malone 2-21) by 117 runs.

C I Masters 190-7 in 20 overs (E. Williams 48, R, Narine 3-25) lost to Flood Light Masters 1915 in 17.4 overs (L. Makai 72 no) by 5 wickets.

Flood Light Masters 275 -4 in 20 overs (Rudy Rodrigues 133, G. Madray 355) beat SCI Miami 155-8 in 20 overs (M. Pooran 35, E. Lovell 2-13) by 120 runs.

C I Masters 192 -5 in 20 overs (Ashraf Ali 94) lost to Savage Masters 196-4 in 20 overs ( Sheik Mohamed 60, Nigel Vieira 2-46) by 6 wickets.

In the open category: At Everest, Speed Boat xi 167 all out in 19.1 overs (N. Gooblall 57 no, Yaseer Mohamed 4-30) lost to Smith xi 186-9 in 20 overs (Latchman Rohit 59, Chabilall Etwaroo 52, N. Cooblall 4-22) by 19 runs.

Karibee Boys 143 all out in 18 overs (I. Hussain 43, Ramesh Baron 3-17) lost to New York Allstars 149-5 in 19.1 overs (Asif Ally 55, S. Rengasammy 2-37) by 5 wickets.

South Florida 134 all out in 17 overs lost to Memorex 1394 in 15 overs (N. Edwards 50, A. Zaman 2-26) by 6 wickets.

Trophy Stall 219-9 in 20 overs (Wazim Haslim 82, K. Singh 2-25) beat South Florida 42 all out in 7 overs (D. Singh 5-26) by 177 runs.

Speed Boat XI 283-9 in 20 overs (G. Singh 111, A. Azeez 2-56) beat Wolf Warriors 228 all out in 20 overs (A. Azeez 56, I. Hamid 3-40) by 55 runs.

Trophy Stall 168-9 in 20 overs (W. Haslim 32, M. Ayume 3-27) beat Regal XI 162 all out in 19.4 overs (M. Ayume 38, D. Singh 3-26) by 6 runs.

New York All Star 228 all out in 20 overs (Eon Ellis 75, R. Singh 5-33) beat Cotton Field Wild Oaths 138 all out in 15.1 overs, by 90 runs.

Smith XI 186-8 in 20 overs (Latchman Rohit 59, N. Kooblall 4-22) beat Speed Boat xi 167 all out in 19 overs (Yaseer Mohamed 4-31) by 19 runs.

Memorex 170 -9 in 20 overs ( W. Edwards 78, R. Sargeant 3-23) lost to Regal xi 171-7 in 18 overs ( Saheed Gittens 65, Richard Latiff 60, V. Da Silva 2-32) by 3 wickets.

At Queens College, Farm xi 193-8 in 20 overs (Amar Azeez 54, Deon Wallace 3-21) lost to Cotton Field Wild Oaths 194-4 in 17 overs (Ramesh Narine 40, Frederick Delph 2-28) by 6 wickets.

At YMCA, Crab Wood Creek 170-8 in 20 overs (D. Charritar 51, Dhanraj Persaud 4-26) lost to Wolf Warriors 171-6 in 15 overs (Mohamed Karim 57, Safraz Karim 51, J. Garnette 3-35) by 4 wickets.

The competition continues today.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

Floodlight and New York Legends in action at Bourda yesterday.

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Saturday November 03, 2012

Uniparts Senior Chess championship qualifiers...

Anybody’s game as chess players go into final round close battle Frankie Farley (left) is all concentration in his winning effort against Loris Nathoo

Frankie Farley registered an upset victory over frontrunner, Maria Thomas, and now joins the frontrunners battling for honours when the 5th round of the UNIPARTS Senior Chess Championship Qualifiers ended at the KEI-SHAR’S Sports Club, Thursday November 1 last.

Farley is now bundled with Kriskal Persaud, Loris Nathoo and Glenford Corlette, with four points apiece while Thomas remains on 3 ½ points.

The players convene at the same venue for the final two rounds tomorrow morning when the overall winner and top seven

performers to compete for the 2012 senior championship to be contested shortly.

The other scores read: Shiv Nandalall and Anthony Drayton (3 apiece), Haatram Parbat and Roberto Neto (2 ½), Craig Sylvester, Errol Tiwari, Alexander Duncan and Chino Chung 2 each) while two other players have recorded less than 2 points.

The tournament is being conducted by the Guyana Chess Federation to give the top seven players an opportunity to enter the 2012 National Senior Championship and challenge reigning senior champion Taffin Khan.

XM 2012 GUYANA OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS...

Haniff, Sukhram ready to defend titles Over 80 golfers from the USA and Canada, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago along with those based locally will converge at the Lusignan Course to participate in this year’s XM 2012 Guyana Open Championships which tees off today from 06:30 hrs and ends tomorrow.

Among those expected to take the Course are d e f e n d i n g M e n ’s a n d Ladies champions T&Tbased Papo Haniff and Christine Sukhram, while there are a number of contenders who could make life difficult for the two titlists.

Three-time champion Avinash Persaud, Mohanlall Dinanauth, 18-year old Avinda Kishore, Fazil Haniff and Alfred Mentore are all worthy players with the ability to capture the crown, while on the distaff side

Christine Sukhram

Papo Haniff

Sukhram, who is coming off a solid performance in the Digicel Open last week is still the player to beat.

She will have compatriot Joann Deo as one of her main contenders, while not much is known of the visiting Ladies from Suriname, but word is that they are good

players and proficient enough to spring a surprise on the champ.

Sukhram quizzed earlier in the week about her readiness, said that she is confident and even though the Surinamese have players of quality she is going to try her best to defend her title.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

Rising Sun Rodeo part of Tourism activity as Ministry, Digicel, joins sponsors list Four major sponsors have jumped on board with the Rising Sun Rodeo committee for the event set for tomorrow at the Rising Sun Turf club, Arima Park, West Coast Berbice.

Digicel, Ministry of Trade and Tourism, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Stable and Buddy Shivraj establishments are four major sponsors that have joined with a bevy of companies for the grand annual event.

The Tourism Authority is using the activity as part of their calendar of events for the year in their tourism expansion drive. According to Mr. Habibulla, the ministry is pleased that his committee has brought Rodeo to the costal plane and it is good, since many persons could not make it to the interior to be part of the spectacular activity. Major sponsors Digicel and Banks DIH among others will be having special bargains and giveaways and fans are expected to come out in their numbers.

Habibulla promised to make this the biggest Rodeo on the coastal plain so far and stated that it will definitely rival those held in the interior.

He promised that fans will be in for a treat and stunning performances from those participating.

Vaqueros are expected from Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela, Lethem, the Rupununi Savannah and the Corentyne River areas and they will be competing

against the locals who are usually drawn from the Berbice, Abary, Mahaica and Mahaicony River known as the West Berbice Posse, which is being trained by Fazal Habibulla.

The days programme begins at 11:00 hrs and will feature activities in some 12 different categories including steer roping, bare back bronco, which will also see the females getting into action.

There are also male and female barrel race, wild cow milking, calf roping, wild bull riding, Saddle bronco and the popular Tug O War event and the Rodeo King competition.

The various winners and other outstanding performers will be presented with monetary incentive, trophies and other attractive prizes.

Among other sponsors on board are Banks DIH Limited, Neal and Massey, A H and L Kissoon, Trophy Stall Bourda Market, Muneshwar Guyana Limited, Inshan Bacchus Construction and Trucking Company and Racing stables, Mohammed “Nankoo� Shariff General Construction Limited, Trucking Company, Farmer and racing stables, Hablaw Meat Centre, Chester Fry Bush Lot West Coast, Rising Sun Cattle ranch.

Additional details can be had from Inshanally Habibulla on tel No 623-4495, and 623-5453, or 232-3295,

BCC 40 over knockout tourney...

STANFORD HITS HALF CENTURY IN ORIENT VICTORY Adrian Stanford slammed a fine half century as Orient defeated Kent when play in the Bartica Cricket Committee 40 over knock out competition continued last Sunday at the Bartica Community Center ground.

Stanford top scored with 59 (3x4, 4x6) and got support from Eon Premdass 47 (3x4, 3x6) and Raymond Jabbar 31 (4x6) as Orient rattled up 219 before being bowled out in 25.4 overs. Vishal Ramsammy snared 331, Marlon Safraz 3-34 and Navindra Conhaye 2-21.

Kent in reply were bundled out for 103 in 18.3 overs with Conhaye 25 (1x6) and Dindyal Seeraj 23 (3x4) being their principal scorers. Richard Algree bagged 4-19, while Khemraj Ahmad took 2-18 and Lenny Singh 1-50.

Meanwhile last Sunday at the said venue, Agatash SC failed to turn up to assist in the preparation of the wicket for their match against Hampshire and as such were disqualified from the tournament by the BCC.

Fazal Habibulla at Chester Fry Bush Lot West Coast Berbice on Telephone No 232-0232 or 6577010,648-6522 or Donald or Zaleena Lawrie on telephone no 225-4530, 225-4565.

(Samuel Whyte)

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Saturday November 03, 2012

Mohamed’s Enterprise, Hadi’s World Inc continues

K&S sponsorship for 22nd year

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he organizing committee of the K&S football organization can now breathe easy following affirmation from the proprietor of Mohamed’s Enterprise and Hadi’s World Inc, Nazar Mohamed, of a sizeable sponsorship package of more than seven million dollars towards the success of the 23 edition of the Kashif and Shanghai football extravaganza from December 16-January 1 next at venues countrywide.

The gift consisted of a set of replica trophies for each member of the winning team plus the cheque for the winning team. Both Directors of the K&S football organization traveled to the Lombard Street, Georgetown business place of their benefactor, where K&S Public Relations Officer, Ms Jaime Lee Charles collected the sponsorship package from rd

Supervisor, Ms Dionne Johnson.

Mr. Kashif Muhammad expressed delight at once again being afforded the opportunity to support K&S towards the success of the tournament and by extension, local football development. He wished the organizers well even as he urged the general public to support the venture.

Muhammad said that he was truly grateful for the support and reminded media operatives that Mohamed’s Enterprise has rendered support from the inauguration of the tournament, 22 years ago.

“My executives are indeed indebted to Mr. Mohamed who continues to demonstrate staunch corporate support for the biggest football event l o c a l l y, ” s a i d M r.

Muhammad.

Sixteen teams comprising the nation’s best

SMILES OF APPRECIATION: Ms Jaime Lee Charles collects the sponsorship package from Ms Dionne Johnson in the presence of Nazar Mohamed (2nd R) and K&S Directors, Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammad (extreme left & right respectively)

footballers will face the starting lineup, all optimistic of adding their name to the lien trophy even as they collect the replicas donated

by Mohamed’s Enterprise.

The players will be vying for a top prize of four million dollars, also donated by Mohamed’s Enterprise,

while the team finishing second receives one million dollars. The third and fourth places will cart off $750,000 and $500,000 respectively.

Additionally, the Most Valuable Player will win a luxury motor car while coaches will be compensated for their hard work when the

best among the lot receives one motorcycle.

Members of the public will also be included following the donation of one 125CC motorcycle donated by Cell Phone Shack. One lucky spectator will cart off this prize after a draw on Boxing Day. Other

sponsors include Demerara Distillers Ltd and Ansa McAl. The organizers of K&S have gone one step further and will also host an U-13 tournament adjacent to the above mentioned one and details pertaining to this tournament are forthcoming.

Saturday November 03, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Morgan wins Deadlift- creates gold at history World Open c/shipsas Guyana’s first Gumendra Shewdas and Anis Ade Thomas among others.”

Green, who attended the World Congress noted that had Barker not pick up an injury prior to the Worlds, Guyana would have been shouting from the roof tops about her Girl Power.

“Even more satisfying is the emergence of the settled position of a capable Coach with competent Managerial skills in the form of another youngster in Denroy Livan who has proven to be extremely capable in providing the positive, calming influence and efficiency in preparing the athletes before their lifts.

Guyana definitely is the winner, having the opportunity to showcase

Randolph ‘The Accomplisher’ Morgan is all smiles atop the podium following his gold medal effort.

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uyana’s most decorated powerlifter, R a n d o l p h ‘ T h e Accomplisher ’ Morgan achieved yet another milestone and made further history when he overcame the challenges of Hurricane Sandy to win individual gold in the Deadlift at the 43rd Men’s World Powerlifting Championships, October 29 to November 04 in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

In his debut year at this level, Morgan, competing in the 83kg class overcame an unexpected delay and potentially major obstacle to his goal of a gold medal, arriving mere hours before the start of his competition to lift his way to a gold medal in the Deadlift, while placing 8th overall.

Morgan achieved a commanding lift of 330kgs (727.65lbs) proving that he was stronger than Todor Vasilev of Bulgaria (325kgs / 716.62lbs) in second and Jose Castillo of Ecuador (322.5kgs / 711.11lbs), third.

Hurricane Sandy had stranded Morgan and Coach Denroy Livan in the city of New York on Monday which meant that they could not have gotten the connecting flight to Puerto Rico the same day.

But sterling efforts by the Federation’s official travel agents Millennia Travel

Agency saw the duo being re-routed through San Juan on Wednesday night with another three hours driving to Aguadilla Thursday at 04:00hrs which meant that they only had just under nine (9) hours to prepare for competition at 13:00hrs.

With the 83kg Category attracting over 24 of the World’s best, it was always going to be tough, but as the saying goes, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough gets going’ and that is exactly what Morgan and Coach did.

He dug into his reserves and experience and his indomitable never say die attitude, managing to dominate Group B which featured lifters ranked 12th to 24th.

Although putting in decent efforts in the squat and the bench press, it was not until the Deadlift that all eyes were unavoidably placed on Morgan.

Fans at the venue and those following the action online were amazed by the Guyanese strongman’s second and third attempts (Deadlift) as he smashed his own national and Caribbean records of 322.5kgs.

His final effort of 330kgs being good enough to clinch his (and Guyana’s) first World Open individual Gold Medal.

T h e O v e r a l l To t a l winners, Eugeney Vasyukov

of Russia (925kgs / 2,039.62lbs), Gold, Andrei Naniev Ukraine (915kgs / 2,017,15lbs) and Volodymyr Rysiyev (910kgs / 2,006.55lbs) underlined the dominance of the Eastern European bloc.

Morgan’s best ever yet (national record) total overall of 850kgs / 1,874.25lbs surpasses even Guyana’s Heavyweight Champion ‘Big’ John Edwards recent best total of 845kgs / 1,863.22lbs with a bodyweight of 82.03kgs to Edwards’ 116kgs making him undisputedly Guyana’s top gun, pound for pound.

Morgan is slated to arrive around November the 11th due to the rescheduling of flights.

Also in Puerto Rico for the championships was Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation President Peter Green and in an invited comment said he is extremely elated that the federation’s goals and plans implemented in 2008 under his leadership has borne tremendous fruits.

“I am very gratified and proud with the performance of Morgan against the odds.

Himself, Winston Stoby, John Edwards and Dawn Barker have led the way at the World level followed closely by a host of young and determined Regional top guns led by Vijai Rahim,

herself on the World stage, along with the federation’s untiring efforts at promoting the Country as a Sports Tourism destination.”

At this year’s Congress, President Green took the opportunity to have ongoing discussions with various member federations lobbying for sports assistance in the form of training and equipment.

His efforts were favorably received and several proposals were d i s c u s s e d f o r implementation by 2013.

He informed that it has definitely been agreed that I n t e r n a t i o n a l Championships will be awarded to Guyana once the necessary infrastructure and equipment is in place.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday November 03, 2012

Lotto Footwear links up with Banks Beer KO Cup

Lotto Footwear Representative Selecia Harlow presents the cheque to GFA Treasurer Dexter Schultz in the presence of Assistant Secretary Treasurer Sharmaine Wade recently.

S

ponsorship for the upcoming 2nd Edition of the highly anticipated Banks Beer Knockout Cup has been coming in at an alarming rate and the latest to endorse the tournament through financial support is Colours Boutique agents of Lotto Footwear.

The entity recently pledged its support when Representative Selicia Harlow handed over a cheque to Treasurer of the Georgetown Football Association Dexter Schultz during a simple ceremony conducted at the Company’s location on Robb Street.

Schultz in his remarks thanked the sponsor for its support, adding that the gesture was a positive demonstration of their love for the sport, but more importantly the need to see further development of sports and athletes

generally.

The tournament carries prize monies in excess of $9million and is expected to last for eight playing days commencing on December 16 and concluding on January 1 with matches being played, at the GCC and GFC grounds.

The winning team will receive $4Million, runner-up- $2.5M, 3rd place-$1.5M and 4th place-$1M with outstanding individual performances to benefit from additional incentives.

The clubs confirmed for participation are Houston Stars, GFC, Riddim Squad, GDF, GPF, Fruta Conquerors, Camptown, Banks All Stars, Georgetown Masters, Nothern Rangers, Black Pearl, Flamingo, Beacon, Santos, University of Guyana and Charlestown United.

Windies on way back, says Sir Viv

L

ONDON, England (CMC) — Cricket legend Sir Vivian Richards says he believes West Indies cricket can return to its glory days under the leadership of Darren Sammy.

Richards believes cricketing confidence in the region has received a timely boost following Windies monumental Twenty/20 world cup win in Sri Lanka. “West Indies cricket is on the road back — winning should create the confidence that you need in other formats of the game,” Richard told the Sun in the United Kingdom. “We can walk tall again. Winning a tournament of that nature will ignite the spirit again — and winning in cricket is what it is all about.”

Meantime, the former West Indies captain has praised the roles played by opener Chris Gayle and top-order batsman Marlon Samuel in restoring the fortunes of the Caribbean side. Samuels has been singled out for an incredible year with the bat which culminated with a blistering 78 off 56 balls against Sri Lanka that helped secure a first piece of

silverware since the 2004 Champions Trophy.

“Over the years he looked isolated in the team. So I told him ‘this is your last chance’ — and he responded in such a magnificent fashion” said Richards who towered over international cricket from his debut in 1974 to his final Test at the Oval in 1991.

“He made a commitment. He said to me, ‘I ain’t gonna let us down’, and I looked in his eyes and believed him. I could see the change within him. So hats off to the man, he’s delivered.”

Richards, a member of the world-beating Windies team that won two ICC World Cups, has commended Gayle for restoring confidence in the side on the strength of his monstrous run-scoring ability.

“Chris has given himself a platform to operate from and has returned to the West Indies side as a leader,” said Richards. “The guys in the team have an enormous amount of respect for him and to have a guy who is that destructive makes the players feel more comfortable as they have a better chance of winning.”

Saturday November 03, 2012

‘Caribbean ‘Race of Champions’ Meet...

Kaieteur News

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GT&T strengthens relationship with motor racing fraternity

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We are proud of them and extremely grateful for their support over the years,” Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) official Vishok Persaud told a gathering of media operatives yesterday in the Canteen of title sponsor GT&T yesterday.

The Meeting was held to announce the Company’s continued association with Sunday’s ‘Caribbean ‘Race of Champions’ Meet which will be staged at the South Dakota Circuit when some of the best drivers, riders and karters in the Region go head to head in a battle for country and individual supremacy.

Apart from Persaud, others present at the occasion included GT&T’s Co-ordinator of Mobile Sales Allison Dundas, PRO Allison Parker, Marketing Executive Nicola Duggan and GuyEnterprise Marketing official Shameer Shahib.

Officials at yesterday’s Press Briefing GMR&SC official Vishok Persaud (centre) flanked by (from left) GT&T’s Nicola Duggan, GuyEnterprise Shameer Shahid, GT&T’s Allison Dundas and Allison Parker.

Persaud in his remarks reminded those present about the strong relationship the two entities have which according to him dates back over eight years, but more importantly it was a reaffirmation of the 3-year contract agreement that will see the disbursement of $40million over that period.

He added that GT&T has been the backbone of motor racing and the clear signal

from them is that they are prepared to preserve that status in the future.

“With the cost associated to host a Meet the magnitude of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship, if we do not get the kind of substantial support that we’ve received from our title sponsor it would be virtually impossible for us to manage such a huge undertaking,” Persaud disclosed.

The racing official confirmed that all the foreign cars are in the country and the competitors are expected to start arriving next Tuesday and Wednesday so that they will be afforded valuable practice.

He urged all to come out and witness the races since it is anticipated to be thrilling and competitive with most of the categories fully subscribed with little

difference in the lap times amongst the competitors.

Persaud gave as examples the little difference between Guyana’s Andrew King, David Summerbell Jnr of Jamaica, Roger Mayers of Barbados, Mark Vieira and Kevin Jeffrey, informing that very little in terms of lap time separates them, while Canadian Kevin Graham and Stephen ‘Valentino R o s s i ’ Vi e i r a , C a r l o s

Rodrigues and Joel Neblett, all have some fantastic times and just as the cars, the disparity between them is slender. He thanked the Company for being on board and looks forward to their future assistance.

Dundas in her presentation spoke of some of the offers that GT&T will be providing for the fans including the E-Ticket purchase where a spectator could buy a ticket for the races using the text medium and have the opportunity to get to the venue via the Fast Lane which provides priority for those that bought tickets using the SMS system.

Tickets cost $2000 for adults and $1000 for children and could be purchased by texting 620race and specifying 1-A for the adults and 1-C for children.

Some 26 races are carded and over 100 competitors are listed to compete.

t r o Sp

Defence Force defend ISAAC title - hold off Police in historic tie

Athletes from the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force share a photo opportunity at the Base Camp Ayangana Ground last night after they were declared joint winners of ISAAC in the 2012 event, marking the first of such result in the competition’s history.

By Edison Jefford The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is still holder of the Inter-Service Annual Athletic Championships (ISAAC) title following a historic tie at the Base Camp Ayangana Ground yesterday that prevented the Guyana Police Force (GPF) from re-arresting the trophy they lost last year at the same venue.

On a day that emotions boiled over and records tumbled left, right and centre, the soldiers were in command until the javelin throw and tug-o-war events after overhauling the Police’s 33-point lead heading into the final day of competition.

Following those events, it was announced that the GDF was in a deadlock with the GPF on 601.5 points for the top spot in the first tie in the history of the Championships.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) finished third with 107 points, while the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) was fourth on 38 points

after yesterday’s conclusion of the 2012 edition.

The emotional tension at the venue had everything to do with the fact that both camps competing for the top spot felt that there was something sinister about the administration of points and results; GDF Chief of Staff, Commodore, Gary Best made it a subject in his address to the teams at the Presentation Ceremony.

“I must say that I am disappointed with the level of officiating; I don’t know if officials had personal agendas to fulfil, but they must be reminded to be professional,” Best said, pausing to caution his own GDF team that was murmuring in the background.

“You must be reminded that we have cells right here, so behave yourselves,” Best told his team in the middle of his final address.

The competition between the two armed forces, the Police and Soldiers, clearly went beyond the borders of sportsmanship.

The 2012 Joint-Services competition was nothing short of a war; a war of attrition and a war of words.

Following the presentation ceremony, where Police’s Alita Moore and Janella Jonas were given runners-up Champion Female Athlete; Natasha Alder, Champion Female Athlete; Defence Force Leslain Baird, runner-up Male Champion Athlete and teammate, Cleveland Forde, Male Champion Athlete, the GDF Chief of Staff hosted a meeting with his team.

Notwithstanding the notable tension, it was a day where records unbelievably tumbled.

The GDF Rupert Perry completed a double in the 100m and 200m races, in record time. Perry won the 100m in 9.9 seconds, replacing his 10.1 record last year, with Police’s Terry Easton second in 10.2 seconds and teammate, Quinse Clarke third in 10.4 seconds.

He also smashed his 20.3 seconds 2011 record with a 20.0 time in the 200m ahead of the Police’s Winston George (20.2) and teammate, Patrick King 20.9 seconds.

Police’s, Alita Moore won the female 100m in 11.4 seconds that replaced Leota Babb’s 2009 12.0 record. Letitia Myles (11.5) and Leota Babb (11.9) were second and third. Myles turned the tables on Moore in the 200m, winning in 23.2 seconds, which was faster than the 25.4 seconds time Nadine Rodrigues ran last year. Moore was second in 23.7 seconds and Tiffany Smith third in 23.9 seconds.

Smith won the 400m in record time, finishing in 58.3 seconds to replace her 1:01.0 record from last year. Janella Jonas was third in 59.2 seconds with Akela Alves (1:00.8) third. George (46.6) replaced his 48.1 record with a scintillating run yesterday, knocking King (47.5) and Semple (47.6) into second and third respectively.

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