Kaieteur News

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October 20, 2015 - Vol. 08 No. 42 - Price $80

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Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Skeldon factory records highest production since 2009 Annandale tragedy…

Second alleged Good Hope airport farmer found bandit tostabbed death in remanded bedroom

Baby’s killer was previously charged with murder

Collis Collison

- was charged for murder and other armed robberies in 2011

Two bodies to Providence man gets 57 celebrate Diwali yrs for murder on different days over bicycle

Govt. mulls national airline - PM Nagamootoo

Murdered: Shiraz Ali

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Tuesday October 20, 2015

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Kaieteur News

Skeldon factory records highest production since 2009 More than five years after it was commissioned, Guyana’s ‘flagship’ sugar factory at Skeldon in East Berbice is bringing some sweet smiles, last week chalking up its highest daily production.

According to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) yesterday, with just two and half months left in the year, sugar production is on course with almost 78 percent of the target completed.

The US$200M Skeldon Estate enhancement project had targeted a new factory and more cane lands in what was Guyana’s largest ever initiative by the Government.

It had come at a time when countries in the regions were leaving sugar production because of high costs.

The factory, however, failed to kick-start the industry which slid to a twodecade low performance within the last couple years.

This was despite billions of dollars being poured into GuySuCo to help the shortfall.

The turnaround of fortunes for the troubled factory would spell good news for Government.

The industry’s future is banking on the findings of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) that was launched by the David Granger administration following the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

Yesterday, Chairman, Vibert Parvatan, handed over the findings and recommendations on the way forward for the sugar industry.

The documents were handed over to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, George Jervis, in the Ministry’s boardroom, Regent Street.

With regard to production, GuySuCo yesterday disclosed that it produced 10,254 tonnes of sugar for week ending

GuySuCo’s COI Chairman, Vibert Parvatan October 16, surpassing the 10,000 tonnes mark for the third time this crop.

Estates at Skeldon, Albion, Blairmont, East Demerara and Uitvlugt have all surpassed their weekly targets while Rose Hall Estate achieved 97%.

On Wednesday last, the Skeldon Factory in reaching its highest daily production since being commissioned in August 2009, recorded 515 tonnes of sugar, surpassing its previous highest of 501 tonnes which was achieved in September 2012.

Last Wednesday also, the industry recorded its highest daily production of 1,785 tonnes of sugar surpassing its previous highest of 1,699 tonnes which was also achieved earlier in this crop.

Uitvlugt Estate completed its second crop for 2015 on Saturday October 17, 2015 and produced 7,847 tonnes of sugar surpassing its target by 733 tonnes.

“Further, the estate produced 16,428 tonnes of sugar for the year surpassing its year’s target by 1,065 tonnes.”

GuySuCo also announced yesterday that it has awarded its junior

staffers and rank and file employees on the seven estates a total of $285.7M for their achievement of 26 weekly production incentives for the first crop, 2015.

For the second crop, the Corporation has doled out $531.5M for their achievement of 47 weekly production incentives.

As at yesterday, sugar production for the crop to date is 95,983 tonnes or 65.6 % of the estimate for the crop.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, speaking on the COI report yesterday explained that the Commission members over the past three months deliberated on the future of the sugar industry. They were expected to address the future of the industry that has a 16,000-strong workforce through the development of a 15-year plan.

The plan is expected to bring GuySuCo back to profitability. Commission

Chairman Vibert Parvatan, the Ministry said, noted that in going forward, the recommendations by the e l e v e n - m e m b e r Commission will ensure

The US$200M Skeldon factory seems to making a turn for the better with production the best since its commissioning in 2009.

long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

“We (Commission) are pleased to have completed the study which took into account critical issues and

major constraints affecting the industry….the COI team remains thankful to the many organizations and people who assisted the work of the (Continued on page 20)

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

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

Ordinary Guyanese are living on far less This female officer stole my money and most are not motivated to steal during a ‘security check’ at the airport DEAR EDITOR, immediate attention. We are done to lift the spirits of the After spending some time reading the various comments, explanations, suggestions made about the salary increases for Members of Parliament, and other senior government officials, I would like to recommend that those who are trying to convince us the increase is just and fair, that it was transparent, that we should trust you, should have another read of GHK Lall’s succinct and cogent article - “The 50% increase is not reflective of genuine change”.

I have taken the liberty to quote extensively from this piece because it expressed so convincingly my feelings about promises of change made and already promises not kept.

No matter how Messers Harmon, Trotman or Jordan try to spin it, and claim justification for the increase at this time in the infancy of this new government, we are not buying it. And we are not buying it because that is not what you promised. As Mr. Lall has so forcefully stated, because of our past collective experiences in this land of Guyana, “The word change has come to represent the national watchword,.... This word also embodies to the core the nation’s expectations, its hopes; it registers the thorough disgust with all of the political nuances, subterfuges, and abuses that were so characteristic of bygone days.

Those crippling days and interminable years of wrath and woe must now be bygone in truth and in fact.

They cannot continue.”

This is how it burns in my soul. It seems that as soon as politicians get the power to rule, their thinking and thus behaviour become obtuse to the voices of the same people they promised to do so much for.

At this time in our history, I was hoping for a different outcome. Since being in power, this government has not done much to impress.

Granted, they’ve been only four or five months at the helm. They are growing into the job; with Junior Ministers learning from Senior Ministers and various issues cropping up daily that need

prepared to cut them some slack. But, to pay themselves first before proving their mettle?

Mr. Harmon’s rationale was .....

Again, Mr. Lall said it best. ..... “The interpretations and expectations of change are all encompassed by change in thinking, change in attitudes, change in vision, change in message, change in behaviour, and change in methodology. We have had the absolute worst, for the most part, of all of these in the last two decades. No more! No more! No more please!”

I believe that there should be a comprehensive review of pay scales for parliamentarians and other senior government officials. I also believe they can very well live on their current salaries, plus the other immediate benefits granted to them.

Ordinary Guyanese are living on far less and most are not motivated to steal to get by.

It’s been almost four weeks since this brouhaha started.

According to one writer, it should last about six weeks and Guyanese will have forgotten and moved on. I hope not! If we want to bring about lasting change, we have to let our voices be heard consistently and sustain the charge.

Not menacingly, but with purpose and direction. If ‘we are the change we’ve been hoping for’, then this gives us an opportunity as civil society to organize ourselves in our communities and work with those who govern us to bring about the change we want for the betterment of our country.

With clarity GHK Lall offers up that, ....”Authentic public change derives from, is powered by, change deep within. Change cannot be an easy convenient surrogate for abstraction or political euphemism or political selfishness.

It is about what can be

people, to empower them, and to give them that feeling in the gut, if not the soul, that their interests are paramount. That those elected will care more about them, than about themselves.

That they will move to address this abomination, now securely lodged as a bone in the throat. Now that would be surely indicative of real change, through the listening and then the acting.”

This young government has the opportunity to grow with us. Avoid making certain decisions as if you are in a cloistered environment.

Consult, talk with us.

Let us know what you’re thinking.

Have a consciousness of conscience about us (we, the people), as you go about making decisions on our behalf. If that kind of change can be sustained during your fiveyear tenure, you are sure to have us on your side during the next five to ten years.

Jacquie Browne

DEAR EDITOR, I am reaching out to you today regarding a highly important and very disturbing incident that happened to me upon leaving the Cheddi Jagan International Airport yesterday afternoon Friday, 10/16.

I was about to make my last exit to board flight BW526 when I was called over for a “random security check” by a female officer. She asked me to place my two bags (one overnight bag and the other my pocketbook) on the counter.

She barely opened the overnight bag and put just one hand on top and asked me to close it. She then proceeded to open my pocketbook, asked me if I have a cell phone, I responded, “Yes”, she asked me to turn it on, I did so, then she asked me to turn it off.

While I was occupied, she had both hands in my pocketbook but I never thought that she was about

to steal all my U.S. dollars. I became suspicious because she was fumbling with her gloves. I noticed her pulling off the top gloves and still had on another pair of gloves.

When she handed my pocketbook back to me, I decided to check for my money. It was COMPLETELY GONE. I told her that I can’t find my money and it alerted me to the gloves she was fumbling with and acting very suspicious. I noticed her getting nervous so I went with my gut and grabbed the gloves on her table. Lo and behold, there was ALL my U.S. dollars in her gloves. I quickly turned around to the officers that were at the door of the boarding gate and showed them this alarming evidence of theft. She kept saying, “I did not change my gloves, I did not change my gloves”. By then, a team of personnel was alerted and all reacted shocked and stunned at what has just happened. At this point, the thieving young

lady who was employed to protect me, looked as though she had seen a ghost and was sweating because she was trying to destroy me.

I am beyond distraught and disgusted by the actions of this young lady. I served as a Customs Officer for 16 years and I feel violated in my own country.

I had to quickly leave after this or else I would have missed my flight. Before boarding, personnel informed me that they will check the cameras and do a full investigation on their end, but who knows if they will come through.

I want this matter to be fully investigated to the highest degree by your office to prevent this from ever happening again to another innocent passenger.

I would very much appreciate you contacting me as there are more specific details.

My contact information is below and it is for your eyes only.

Frustrated passenger

DEAR EDITOR, Let me begin by saying I support GHRA’s objection to the ‘name and shame’ campaign. Quite frankly, it’s shameful that we have a policy endorsing public humiliation as a method of discipline. The principle of “name and shame” is simple: to psychologically humiliate to deter others from committing the same crime. In a society in which shaming

persons for their behaviour is more common than not, it is simply another way to encourage s h a m e - h a t i n g discourse. ’Name and Shame’ ruins an individual’s opportunity to sincerely feel, on one’s own capacity, remorseful.

Although these methods of ‘correcting’ may seem to work (arguably a short term effect), we ought to be very wary of endorsing this archaic method of

discipline and disturbed by the thrill some get by the idea of embarrassing or instilling fear to express moral disapproval.. The measures a society or state takes when it comes to punishing its people determines what kind of society or state it is. Rightfully, people ought to be corrected or disciplined accordingly when they err or have committed a horrendous crime. But the principle of justice, that is, what

is fair and decent, doesn’t allow for barbaric measures of punishment.When the state inadvertently sanctions what really seems to be an act of vengeance, it reflects poorly on our justice system. History informs us that this is not the sort of state one would want to live in. For progressive values to flourish, novel approaches to law and order are necessary.

Ferlin F. Pedro

Shameful to have a policy endorsing public humiliation as a means of discipline

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Govt. mulls national airline - PM Nagamootoo Guyana must and will have the return of a national Air Carrier even as the nation edges towards receipt of a Category One Status for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

These were among the sentiments expressed by Prime Minister and First Vice President, Moses Nagamootoo, as he opened the first ever locally held Aviation Conference, held under the auspices of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

Hosted at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, the activity saw a convergence of the local aviation fraternity in a bid to chart a course forward for the development of the industry.

Before declaring the conference open, the Prime Minister used the opportunity to recall the days when Guyana did have a National Airline of its own and spoke to the inherent benefits.

“Guyana must and will have a return to (of) its national airline,” said Nagamootoo, a sentiment that evoked a thunderous applause from those gathered.

Nagamootoo who also served once as Director of the failed airline said that its fate should not be seen as a hurdle but rather a challenge.

PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT Cognizant of the financial challenges facing the

industry, the Prime Minister made an appeal to the private sector “to come on board and to see the realization of this Guyana dream.”

The Prime Minister also spoke of the importance of the industry to the nation and national development. He pointed to days gone by, when larger aircraft serviced the interior locations transporting agricultural produce to the main land.

“Aviation in Guyana has become a part of our everyday life,” said Nagamootoo.

He said too that while the aviation sector serves as a critical lifeline for Guyana with the rest of the world and its interior, it is also a pivotal sector to the expansion of the local mining industry as well as the budding tourism industry.

He said, too, that while the benefits of the aviation industry are well known, it must be recognized that the situation requires much resources for the further development of the industry.

“I know our business partners, namely the Private Aircraft Owners of Guyana have been investing abundantly in aviation,” Nagamootoo acknowledged, even as he called for greater partnership and even more investment in the sector.

MUCH MORE Expanding on the development of the aviation sector, Prime Minister Nagamootoo underscored the

…as nation edges closer to Category One Status at airport – PM Nagamootoo

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, interacting with participants of the Aviation Conference after it was declared open. fact that investments in new aircraft are not the only requirements.

“It needs aviation security in the broader sense which includes safety, technology and synergies. I therefore welcome this forum as both timely and necessary,” the Prime Minister said.

He said that Guyana’s safety and oversight capability “needs to match the growth that we are witnessing in the industry.”

He pointed to the fact that there is need for a revamping of the legislative and regulatory framework governing the industry locally.

I n s t i t u t i o n a l strengthening and capacity

building, according to Nagamootoo, are needed urgently.

“There is unquestionably much work to be done in this regard,” said Nagamootoo.

On the matter of Guyana’s obligations under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Guyana is not on par with its regional counterparts.

This, he said, needs to be urgently addressed.

DRONES The Prime Minister was adamant also that in charting a course forward for the aviation sector there needs to be greater focus on the use of emerging technology.

“There is technology that is available to improve the efficiency of our airports and

our air navigation services.”

The Prime Minister said that while reviewing the security sector recently, the use of drones was highlighted.

“During discussions with relevant United Nations agencies, we were introduced to the idea of the use of drones,” said Nagamootoo.

He observed that in Guyana on some occasions search and rescue can prove to be extremely difficult given the nation’s terrain.

“This technology (drones) which has come under critical focus in situations of conflict can be put to use for surveys, research, monitoring of our coastline as well as search and rescue and other peaceful purposes.”

CHALLENGES Ahead of the opening of yesterday’s aviation conference, Minister with responsibility for the sector, Annette Ferguson, addressed the gathering and pointed to areas of critical importance that requires immediate attention.

She spoke to the weak regulatory regime in place, the shortage of skills locally, no national airline, the state of the interior aerodromes and the lacking legislative framework, among other challenges.

She said while the aviation sector’s contribution to the local Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is unknown, the industry does employ in excess of 3,000 persons locally in addition to the numerous intangible benefits.

As Minister with responsibility for the local aviation sector, she spoke t o G u y a n a ’s e ff o r t s i n meeting its international obligations and said while she could not give a timeline the nation is on track to receiving its Category One Status for its international airport.

It was pointed out that funding was approved in the 2015 Budget to help in meeting Guyana’s obligations on this front.

Yesterday’s activity also benefitted from presentations

by Regional and International Representatives.

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Venezuela says no to OAS election observers (AFP) – Venezuela said yesterday it will not allow the Organization of American States to send observers to monitor December 6 legislative elections seen as crucial for country’s leftist government.

The OAS’s secretarygeneral Luis Almagro has pushed repeatedly to have observers monitor the elections, amid opposition fears the government might resort to fraud to retain control of the Congress.

But German Saltron, the Venezuelan government’s representative on human rights issues, rejected the OAS’s bid to send observers.

“Venezuela has no confidence in the OAS,” Saltron said on the sidelines of a meeting of organization’s Human Rights Commission.

“The OAS has certified coup d’etats, electoral fraud, and dictatorships. The OAS is not reliable,” he said.

So far, Venezuela has invited international observers only from UNASUR, a South American regional body.

Saltron said his govern-

President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro ment would accept observers from other regional groups – and even the European Union – but not the OAS, which groups all countries in the western hemisphere but Cuba.

“It has no international credibility. It is an outdated organism,” he said.

The elections come as public support for the government of President Nicolas

Maduro has unraveled amid a worsening economic crisis in a country’s with the world’s largest oil reserves.

The IMF expects the country’s economy to contract by 10 per cent this year, adding to the woes of ordinary Venezuelans already struggling with shortages of food and medicine, soaring inflation and rampant crime.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 20, 2015

No evidence of corruption by NICIL – Brassington …says constitutional articles do not apply to company The National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Chief Executive Officer, Winston Brassington, is maintaining that no illegalities or corruption occurred in NICIL, even in light of recent statements by Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma.

Sharma said that he had found several cases of fraud and corruption within the body.

Minister Sharma confirmed that criminal charges have been recommended against Brassington. Sharma had said that the recommendation had been made following the unearthing of several cases of fraud and corruption during the forensic audit into the company.

However, Brassington has now come out and said that not only is NICIL innocent of any wrongdoing but also that the preliminary report is in contrast to the Minister’s statements and does not allege corruption or fraud by

him.

In a statement issued through NICIL, yesterday, Brassington made reference to an article published in this newspaper on Sunday. He deemed it “premature”.

“Kaieteur News article, of Sunday 18th October 2015 titled ‘Forensic audit recommends criminal charges against Brassington – Minister Sharma’ is premature when the basis of this assertion is from the unreleased preliminary audit report of Mr. [Anand] Goolsarran, the appointed forensic auditor of NICIL,” Brassington said.

He said that NICIL received the draft preliminary report on September 30. The preliminary report, he added, covered 13 years of NICIL’s business and is currently being responded to by the company. He said that Goolsarran is awaiting NICIL’s response before the auditor’s draft is finalized. From there, he said, the formal draft will be submitted to the Guyana

Government and NICIL’s response to the final version will also accompany the final report.

“The facts contained in the report will ultimately show that there has been and is no evidence of illegality, fraud, or corruption by NICIL. Further, the preliminary report does not allege any personal enrichment of any of the officers or Directors of NICIL, including the CEO, Winston Brassington,” the release stressed.

“NICIL maintains that all actions taken by NICIL over the years on matters identified in the preliminary report were on the lawful authority of its Boards (Privatization Board or NICIL Board) and/or Cabinet.”

However, it was noted that a recommendation had come from Goolsarran in the report, “In respect of alleged wrongdoings” though the recommendation was certainly not as drastic as those stated by Minister Sharma.

Five remanded after Essequibo drug bust Five persons who are said to be a part of a local drug ring were yesterday hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, after the police allegedly busted them with over three kilos of cocaine and a large sum of local and foreign currency in a house on the Essequibo Coast.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan were Gordon Williams, 52, of Lot 25 Sea Street, Lima Essequibo Coast; Marlon Scott, 28, of 503 Respect Street, Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast; Dennis Mohabir, 50, of Shell Road, Kitty, Georgetown; Damyone George, 34, a taxi driver, of 875 Second Phase Sand Pitt, Onderneeming, and Lorna Scott, 49, of 25 Section C, Lima Essequibo Coast.

It is alleged that on October 17, last, at Perseverance, Essequibo Coast, they had 3.84 kilograms of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Further, it was alleged that on the same day, at Perseverance, Essequibo Coast, Williams had 23 grammes of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. And it was alleged that on October 17, at the same location, Marlon Scott had 30.5 grammes of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The defendants each pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that on the day in

question, around 16:30hrs, acting on information, narcotics ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) conducted surveillance of a house at Lot 12 Perseverance, Essequibo Coast.

The ranks after gathering enough information, proceeded to the premises where they conducted a search in the presence of the defendants, who were found sitting inside.

The cocaine was found on a coffee table along with US$4010 and $258,800 in local currency.

Jones said that the police took possession of the cocaine and money and made further checks in the home.

The ranks searched a bedroom occupied by Lorna Scott and Willams, where they found 23 grammes of cannabis under a pillow.

Another 30.5 grammes of cannabis was found in Marlon Scott’s possession.

The defendants were all shown the drugs found, told of the offences committed, arrested and cautioned.

Prosecutor Jones said that Williams told the police that he was caught with his pants down and offered them a bribe.

Attorney Glenn Hanoman made a bail application on behalf of Williams. The lawyer argued that when the alleged narcotic was found his client was in bed recovering from a broken ankle.

Hanoman added that the five persons were all in the

building when the alleged narcotic was unearthed. He pointed out that the building is occupied by several persons, while highlighting this as a special reason for Williams to be granted bail.

In addition, the Attorney attested that his client never provided the police with a confession statement.

Attorney, Mark Waldron represented Lorna Scott.

During Waldron’s bail application he told the court that his client had been denying any knowledge in the matters from the time she was arrested. The lawyer explained that on the day in question, his client was stopped by the police and searched. Waldron pointed out that nothing was found in her possession.

Additionally, Waldron noted that the defendant is a reputable businesswoman in her community.

Both Attorneys argued that their clients were not flight risks and assured the court that they will attend all court hearings to prove their innocence.

The other defendants had no legal representation.

However, the Prosecutor objected to bail after underlining that no special reasons were presented by the Attorneys to satisfy the court. This objection was upheld by the Magistrate, who subsequently remanded the defendant to prison until October 29.

This matter was transferred to the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.

Winston Brassington Rather, Brassington said, the auditor would have suggested disciplinary action for violations of Articles 216 and 217 of the Constitution.

The violations were provided for under three sections of the FMA Act: (a) Section 48— Misuse of Public moneys; (b) Section 49-Liability for Loss of Public moneys; and (c) Section 85—Liability of Official.” The disciplinary action extended to the NICIL’s Board of Directors, the former Minister of Finance, Ashni Singh, and the previous Cabinet.

According to Article 216, “All revenues or other moneys raised or received by Guyana (not being revenues or other moneys that are payable, by or under an Act of Parliament, into some other fund established for any specific purpose or that may, by or under such an Act, be retained by the authority that received them for the purpose of defraying the expenses of that authority) shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Fund.”

Brassington said, “Mr. Goolsarran’s main contention has been and continues to be that NICIL is subject to Articles 216 and 217 of the

Constitution and therefore by extension the Financial Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).

NICIL has and continues to refute the applicability of or violation of Articles 216 and 217 by NICIL.” The CEO stressed that NICIL received substantial legal advice which indicated that Articles 216 and 217 are not applicable to NICIL. Further, he said, the application of Articles 216 and 217, would cause NICIL to be in violation of the Companies Act and NICIL’s own Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.

“NICIL operates like any other state-owned entity, incorporated under the Companies Act. If it operates in violation of Article 216 and 217 of the Constitution, then all state-owned entities would be similarly guilty. Further, this would defeat the very purpose of having Government conduct commercial business via companies.”

He continued, “NICIL does not fall within the definition of ‘Guyana’ as set out in Article 232(1) of the Constitution and section 5 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act, Cap. 2:01. As a consequence, Article 216 of the Constitution is not applicable to NICIL.” Furthermore, Brassington said that NICIL transferred money into the Consolidated Fund; $3.415B from 1991 to 2001 and $12B from 2002 to 2012. It was stressed that at no time did NICIL receive advice that it had to deposit all of its revenue into the Consolidated Fund.

“Notwithstanding these facts recognized in the preliminary report, Mr. Goolsarran states that NICIL violated Articles 216 and 217 of the Constitution when it retained all funds and

invested these funds. This argument, which contradicts the facts as stated by Mr. Goolsarran, is the basis of the above recommendation by Mr. Goolsarran.”

He continued, “Mr. Goolsarran also recognizes that the accounts of NICIL, prior to 2002, were ‘qualified’ audit opinions but for every year since, NICIL has received ‘unqualified’ or ‘clean bill of health’ audit opinions…NICIL’s ‘clean’ audit opinions for 2002 to 2013 is one form of evidence that the current Auditor General, who audits all of Government, does not consider NICIL to be in violation of Articles 216 and 217.”

Brassington stressed that news of any recommendation is detrimental to the audit process.

“It is unfortunate that the protocol for addressing the forensic audit is not being followed, and sensational public statements are being made without balance, much to the detriment of a fair and balanced audit and audit process.

Incendiary accusations without specificity as to wrongdoings lack any semblance of objectivity and is [are] one form of prejudicing a fair and balanced audit process,” Brassington said.

“Such actions are more akin to a ‘witch hunt’ than to a fair, independent, impartial, professional and objective audit process.”

According to Minister Sharma, the finishing touches are still being done to the report. The report is set to look into several investments

by NICIL, including investments into the Marriott Hotel, the Berbice River Bridge Company and the Pradoville Two Housing Scheme.

GDF conducting exercise in Bartica/Potaro The Guyana Defence Force will be conducting a Force Tactical Exercise codenamed EXERCISE GREENHEART in the

Bartica/Potaro area over a seven-day period from the October 20. The GDF is assuring the residents of Region

Seven, that there is no need to be alarmed when observing the build up of troops in its environs.

Troops assemble for Exercise Greenheart

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

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THERE WILL BE GROWTH IN 2015 BUT… There is actually a simple solution to the controversy over the salary increases paid to Ministers of the government. If this solution is applied it would prevent all the problems that the government now faces.

If the salary increases arose out of the need to ensure a differential between junior Ministers and senior Ministers, and between Ministers and Vice Presidents, then the solution is simple. All that needs to be done is for the positions of junior Ministers to be abolished and for the positions of Vice President to be abolished.

If this is done then there will be no need to have an increase the salaries of Ministers. All those who are

aggrieved by the increases would have no cause any more to protest.

Why do we need a Junior Minister? What do these junior Ministers do that cannot be done by the Senior Ministers assisted by the technical personnel of the Ministry. Why do we need two Ministers in the Ministry of Social Protection? Why do we need two Ministers in the Ministry of Health? Why do we need a junior Minister in the Ministry of Finance who task is simply to oversee the forensic audits? Simply appoint an Audit Director to undertake this task. You do not a need a Minister for that task.

Why do you need a Minister of Citizenship and Immigration? Appoint a

Dem boys seh...

Some cops holding wood Old people got two saying. One is that when you do good, you does hold wood; de other one is when you do you does see Gawd.

One constable wha did a fine job de other day finally understand de first saying. He holding a piece of wood bigger than Jettoo Sawmill.

He is de cop who see people trailing him from de airport and wid his alertness and his thinking cap on, he set up de capture of two of de gang members that was robbing people from de airport.

Dem boys believe that cops like that should be given instant promotion. He ain’t only tek bandits off de streets, he tek two guns too.

See-all got to be blind not to notice this and mek sure that this guy get an instant promotion.

Dem boys know that See-all new boss got a li’l problem wid he eye, so dem gun forgive him for not seeing too well but dem can’t forgive See-all fuh not seeing that.

Another set of cops also holding wood from Toolsie Lumber yard. Dem cops arrest three brothers and looking fuh a fourth fuh carjackings. Dem also arrest one of de brother wife. That is five from one house.

Dem boys seh that family got to be related to ex President Bharrat Jagdeo and Winston Brassington.

Dem seh when a whole family can thief like that dem got to born wid certain qualities. Jagdeo and Brassington born wid dem qualities.

People want to know wha de parents of dem four brothers was thinking when dem was mekking dem. Dem was either thinking about nuff, nuff money, Brassington or Jagdeo.

Is not See-all not seeing. Dem got a new kid on de block name Leonard Shadick. He not seeing too, because election gun come again and nothing will be done to legalise and give de righted people radio licence.

And this is one of de promise Soulja Bai from APNU and Rum Jattan from Hay Heff See mek to regularize it right away.

It look like if he Leonard Shadick move in wid Bibi Shadick because that is how she use to operate. It look like dem cooking and eating from one pot and doing nutten else whole day.

Talk half wait to see when Leonard Shadick gone act on dem illegally issued radio licence.

Director of Citizenship and Immigration and have that person work under the Minister of Public Security?

Why do we need a Minister of State in the Office of the President? What is needed is a Chief of Staff. Why is there is a need for junior Ministers in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Communities.

Totally unnecessary!

There is equally no need for Vice Presidents. As far as can be seen, these Ministers are not exercising any superior powers to anyone else in the Cabinet. Supreme Executive remains in the hands of the President.

The abolition of these positions is not going to make any difference to the status of the Cummingsburg Agreement. As far as can be determined that agreement is already null and void; it is useless of parchment which cannot be redeemed.

What is needed is smaller government. The government is becoming too large. This will swell the bureaucracy and create the same problems that led to thousands of Guyanese being placed on the breadlines as they were in the 1980’s when there was mass retrenchment with the

shrinking of the State sector.

Yesterday the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority placed an advertisement in the newspapers inviting applications for a number of positions. Are all these positions needed for what is essentially a regulatory body?

The government should be shrinking rather than expanding because the more it expands the harder it will be for persons to be paid better because expansion will swell the wage bill and make it impossible to pay sustainable wages increases.

The economy cannot support a bloated bureaucracy. Already, we are being told that the economy did not grow in the first half of the year. Well if did not

grow in the first half of the year, then growth in the second half will be reduced.

The stimulus that the private sector asked for did not materialize. There was a large Budget which came much too late for all the monies voted to be spent. It means critical sectors such as construction will stagnate.

Rice will do wonders for the growth of the economy but the industry has underlying problems that will ensure that the benefits of increased production in rice will not boost other sectors of the economy such as the commercial sector. The government is hoping on gold to bring growth by December. They may be lucky but the other problems in the economy will see continuing

Fire of still unknown origin on Sunday evening gutted a small one flat building at West Canefield Settlement East Canje, Berbice.

The house was completely destroyed.

The fire which began around 18:00 hrs quickly engulfed the building which is owned by Lalita “Fine Gal”

Bedessie and occupied by the woman, her son and daughter.

At the time of the inferno no one was at home as the occupants had all gone out.

Quick response by the Guyana Fire Service personnel in New Amsterdam and back up from the nearby Rose Hall Estate fire tender was able to quell the flames and contain the fire

cautiousness on the part of investors concerned about anti-investor sentiments.

Investors are cautious because they are afraid that their perceived affiliation with the previous administration will lead to recrimination.

There needs to be some sort of assurances to the private sector that this will not happen.

There is no growth strategy. Without such a strategy the existing growth in the economy cannot be sustained beyond. As such, an expanding bureaucracy would not be able to be sustained by the economy.

Fire destroys small building in East Canje to that house alone.

Residents were in high praise for the firemen for their quick and efficient response.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 20, 2015

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

The ruling coalition has given the PPP a life line There is a missing link in the salary increase for Ministers that no one has discovered as yet.

Obfuscated in the vortex of chastisement is the graphic emblazonment on the takehome pay packet of the Cabinet members of the date of the payout.

All cries are about the timing – how can they do that five months after succeeding the PPP? In fact it is six weeks because the increase takes effect from July 1, 2015. It meant therefore that six weeks after toppling the PPP government the APNU-AFC coalition gave itself an increase in salary. Let’s move to the explanation for the salary increase.

Does the coalition have political advisors? Do they

have people who put strategizing papers on the table? There are two explanations, among others, for the salary increase that the PPP will sing, sermonize and cry about until the General Elections of 2020. It will not be easy to stop the PPP’s success in selling that song.

Any political neophyte can get political capital out of those two explanations. The first emanation was that quality people comprise the Cabinet and you have to pay these people good money.

This is a lapse in judgement that will haunt the coalition until 2020.

These quality people have to show their quality until the next General Elections. If they slow up, do

not perform, falter consistently, demonstrate traits of incompetence then you have a relentless opposition that will ask if these quality people deserved the money they got from July 1, 2015.

I am not sure the quality people at the moment are showing their quality. I can cite the voice of two persons who in a previous column I mentioned without identification that told me the APNU-AFC Government is far slower than the PPP regime. If I name these two persons all Guyanese would know that they are totally committed to the People’s National Congress. Both are doing high-level work for the Government. Journalism becomes more credible when

you name names and places.

A reader can always say that the writer stitch in that example to prove a point but it never happened.

I cannot name these two committed persons whose loyalty to the new government cannot be questioned but I will provide the background circumstances. One told me that at the wake of the mother of Nigel Hughes. The other spoke to me while Aubrey Norton was next to me but I don’t know if Aubrey heard him. If you have quality then how come you are slower than the previous incompetent regime?

I can cite at least ten cases where people that have been employed by the new government in important

capacities have not been paid since they got the jobs in July.

I can cite about six cases where letters of appointment made in August are yet to be officially approved thus the appointees cannot assume office up to the time of writing. I know of people appointed to Boards that haven’t met as yet and the Board members do not know when these Boards will meet.

Many of these Board members have not received any official letters of accreditation.

In one situation my anger was uncontrollable when I intervened. This qualified man told his wife and family that he got the placement. Yet this man was reduced to humiliation by running to the particular Ministry everyday for one month. At the time of writing there is no letter of appointment in his hand. If you think I am not telling the truth please ask Leonard Craig what this man went through. He is a friend of both of us.

There is a similar situation at another Ministry.

If only I could identify these people so the Guyanese people could understand how they are feeling. Is this

Frederick Kissoon what we expected when we welcomed the new government? I went to a funeral last Sunday far out of Georgetown. I cannot name the place because in so doing, the person could be identified. I met someone that I campaigned with during the May election battle.

The guy told me he is yet to be paid by the Ministry he now works for. I ask in all sincerity where these quality people are who got their increase retroactive from July 1? The second emanation for the salary increase is that you have to pay good money if you are going to attract quality people to come and work with the government. I will look at the weakness of that point during an election campaign in another column.

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Traffic offences hit 40,000 mark

Page 11

Serious crimes rise, amnesty weapons not linked to any local crime - Commissioner

…more than 16,000 offences in last three months

As the Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues to record traffic offences, its latest statistics have shown that over 40,000 traffic offences have been recorded up to the end of September.

The GPF recently released its monthly traffic statistics which covered the period January 1, 2015 through September 30, 2015.

According to data coming out of the law enforcement body, the police made a total of 43,071 cases against motorists for breaching traffic laws. At the end of August, there had been 37,545 traffic offences made out by the police force.

With this figure, it was shown that September had recorded 5,526 traffic offences. This represented a decline of approximately 13 percent from the August number of offences. With 6,344 offences made out against motorists in August, that month had recorded the highest number of traffic offences.

September statistics are

just above average for the year thus far. September also recorded the third highest number of traffic offences, coming after August (6,344 offences) and February (6,013 offences). May was the lowest recorded month with 1,645 offences.

Furthermore, with the latest statistics, it was shown that 16,000 traffic offences were made out within the last three months. This was also the highest recorded quarter of the year thus far. This figure also accounted for 38 percent of the total traffic offences made out by the police.

In the first quarter (January to March), there were 15,807 traffic offences: January with 5,022 offences; February with 6,013 offences; and March with 4,772 offences.

In the second quarter (April to June), there were 10,583 traffic offences: April with 3,718 offences; May with 1,645 offences; and June with 5,220 offences.

Finally in this third quarter

(July to September), there were 16,681 offences: July with 4,811 offences; August with 6,344 offences; and September with 5,526 offences.

Types of offences Meanwhile, speeding continues to be the leading traffic offence made out by the police. At the end of September, speeding was eight times the second highest leading traffic offence and 53 times the lowest occurring offence.

According to the police data, there were 17,582 speeding offences at the end of September. This figure represents 40 percent of the total 43,071 cases made out by the GPF. Speeding also showed the biggest increase in September from August’s statistics. In August, the police stated that there were 15,640 speeding offenses at the end of that month. This figure increased by 1,942 cases by September monthend. The second highest increase was for the driving under the influence of alcohol offence, which increased by 415 cases from the end of August.

Speeding was also noted as the leading cause of road deaths in Guyana. For the year, the police say that there were 76 accidents resulting in 90 road deaths. Of these 76 accidents, 36 were caused by speeding. Thus, speeding accounted for 47 percent of road deaths.

After speeding, inattentiveness was the second leading cause with 24 of the 76 deaths, approximately 32 percent.

Furthermore, driving under the influence of alcohol accounted for 11 deaths while failure to conform to road signs resulted in two deaths. Additionally, error of judgment resulted in two deaths while breach of traffic Continued on page 21

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud engaging media yesterday.

Recent police data have shown that serious crime has increased by nine percent above last year’s statistics.

However, while Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud cannot say what may be the reason, he noted that the crime rise started in February.

However, he said there is no need for disheartenment as the future looks positive.

“We have seen dividend from our investment in capacity building. Highlights of these are the CID and intelligence Unit.”

“From these divisions there are many positive outcomes from projects that the force has embarked on such as the social Crime prevention and the Cops and Faith community Network.

The Commissioner said that he is currently working with the latter and with local businessmen to establish a nonprofit organization that will be dedicated to fund the education and general welfare of the children of the police officers killed in the line of duty.

This is scheduled to come on stream by month end to address some of the most recent and demanding cases to assist with benefits from that fund.

On the subject of gun amnesty Police Commissioner Persaud told reporters yesterday that thus far ballistic tests done have not

been able to link any of those weapons to any of the crimes committed locally.

He also iterated that collecting guns and ammunition during the amnesty period was not an additional burden for the force as significant amounts of firearms and ammunition were collected.

All told, 186 firearms were turned in during the amnesty period. These included 153 shotguns, thirteen pistols, ten air rifles, nine revolvers and one rifle (AK 47).

Additionally more than a thousand rounds of ammunition were turned in since September 1, when the amnesty period started.

“We didn’t expect people

who use firearms to commit robbery as their only means of providing for themselves and their family to turn in those fire arms,” the Commissioner related.

However, the Commissioner noted that as a result of the gun amnesty the firearms collected cannot end up in the hands of persons with criminal intent and that they will not be used in moments of anger by individuals who once possessed them.

If the weapons collected could become part of the police forces arms collection the Commissioner said, “The determination would be left up to policy makers but when that time comes we will make recommendations.”

The Commissioner noted, too, that there are a number of issues that arise with regard to possibility of the weapons being used by the police.

These include the fact that if the firearm is not good the force would not have uses for it. But he noted that the force does not know the real origin of the weapons and as such it may not be inclined to enlist the weapons collected.

“We do not know where the weapon came from and next thing you know when the firearm is enlisted it may be found that it was used to commit a crime in another country,” the Commissioner said. (Mondale Smith)

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Two bodies to celebrate Diwali on different days - As religious bodies continue to disagree on dates

From left, Dr. Vindhya Persaud and Pandit Jagmohan along with other members from the Sabha Hindus in Guyana are more than likely to celebrate Diwali on two daysNovember 10 and November 11. This is as two religious bodies continue to spat over the dates when the festival of light should be observed.

The disagreement continues even as Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, confirmed that he has already gazetted the date for the religious holiday as November 10.

The Diwali date changes every year.

The event is calculated according to the position of the moon. According to Hindu calculation, the date of the holiday falls on 15th day of the dark fortnight in the auspicious Hindu month of Kartik or the month of October/ November.

The Guyana Dharmic Sabha said that Deepavali should be observed on November 11 while Viraat Sabhaa is saying that the festival of light is to be celebrated on November 10.

Both bodies said that they have decided on the date after careful calculations and consultations from Astrologers in India and other countries, including Canada

and the United States of America.During a press conference yesterday, President of the Sabha, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, said that members from her organization were not contacted on the issue of the date change.

She said that for years, Hindus have been observing the festival on the day it is being celebrated by the rest of the world.

According to Persaud, a few weeks ago, the Minister contacted her and indicated that he was approached by some pundits to change the date of Diwali. “He (Ramjattan) asked that the Sabha submit an explanation on its date which I did promptly but I never heard from him again.”

The Sabha’s head said that for the Minister to declare November 10 as the day Diwali should be celebrated on, is a high handed and dictatorial decision.

“The Guyana Dharmic Sabha has been calculating and providing dates to the Hindu community and the Government of Guyana in excess of 41 years.

We don’t stand with a track record of one or two years, we have stood with the community for 41 years,” Persaud pointed

out.

She made it clear that the Sabha and its members will be celebrating Diwali on November 11. Also, she said that the final motorcade will be held on November 10.

Explaining how the Sabha came up with the date for the festival of light, Vice President, Pandit Jagmohan Persaud, explained that Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika.

According to the Pandit, that moment occurs at approximately 14:00 hrs on November 11.

Meanwhile, the other religious body, Viraat Sabhaa, in a statement said, “Our conviction on the November 10 date is based on calculations premised on the knowledge of renowned Astrologists, Kaushik, Kaashi and Bhaskaar.

These Panchangs/Patras (Astrological guides), all convincingly demonstrate that Deepawali 2015 is on November 10.”

The release further explained that all the auspicious time is present on November 10, which means that the festival of light must be observed during that day and not on any other day.

Government to review Christian prayers in public schools Before private schools were taken over by the government in 1976, schools and churches were often merged into one in an effort to promote the spread of religion. Years later and there are still remnants of British colonialism within the school system. The prayers are Christian-oriented Despite the various religions existing within the society and the country’s position as a “secular” state, most public schools across Guyana see students reciting Christian prayers despite their religious affiliation. According to the Constitution of Guyana, the practice of having Christian prayers in public schools across the country is in contravention of laws set out in relation to the separation of church and state.

The Ministry of Education over the years has never addressed the issue despite many calls for comments on it through various media houses.

By allowing public education to accommodate the Lord’s Prayer, the Ministry was seen to have been oblivious to the Constitution of Guyana.

Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, stated that the practice is not one which will be condoned by his Ministry. He made his intentions clear to do away with it and to implement inter-denominational prayers across the school system.

He added that the reciting of Christian prayers in schools may be a preference of the teachers and to his knowledge, has never been the policy of the Ministry.

“If that’s the practice that is going on in these public

schools,” the Minister stated, “it is not a practice we condone. We are a multireligious country and we have to realize that we have multireligious children so that whatever prayer is used in schools should not exclude any of the religions.”

The Minister said that the Ministry will soon review the practice as it could possibly be detrimental to social cohesion.

He said that he will soon start disseminating information throughout the country to inform teachers of the need of having inter-denominational prayers in our nation’s schools. Interdenominational prayers were said to be the only policy with regard to school prayers that the Ministry currently embraces as they can apply to all religions rather than to any single denomination.

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Page 13

Kaieteur News

Capacity deficiencies threaten …as access to loans Govt’s 2015 programmes concessional dries up - Jordan Structural and capacity deficiencies in local sectors collectively threaten the successful implementation of Government’s 2015 programmes.

This is the observation made by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, in his 2015 mid-year report, slated to be presented to the National Assembly on Thursday.

The Finance Minister in his mid-year report did underscore the fact that a late presentation of the 2015 Budget, among other shortcomings, led to a 50 per cent shortfall in capital expenditure for the year.

This in turn has led to accelerated spending in the latter half of the year.

But the Finance Minister noted, too, that the late presentation of Budget 2015 which left four months for the new Government to address expenditure issues, presented its own challenges.

“In addition, the Government was faced with unexpected structural and capacity deficiencies in the sectors that needed to be addressed to ensure the

ability to move f o r w a r d … C o l l e c t i v e l y, these factors pose a risk to full implementation of the 2015 programmes.”

He did say that Government will be looking to put in place systems to improve tendering and procurement and monitoring of expenditure in Budget Agencies in an effort to address the challenges.

Debt Payments On the matter of Guyana’s debt payments, the Finance Minister noted that while the country’s public debt is projected to remain on a sustainable path, there are challenges to be confronted.

Notably, he observed, “Guyana continues to accumulate significant arrears, totaling US$156.6M at June 30, 2015, to its nonParis Club bilateral creditors, who did not participate in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.”

As such, these debts, according to the Finance M i n i s t e r, c o n t i n u e t o accumulate in arrears.

“To address this issue, Government will continue to actively engage thes e creditors with a view to normalizing relationships and retiring the debts,” according to the Finance Minister’s report.

Regarding external factors which could pose a threat to the nation’s economy, the Finance Minister noted that while Oil prices are forecasted to r e m a i n l o w, “ i f t h i s assumption does not hold, several major industries will be impacted.”

He said that the fiscal deficit, balance of payments accounts and inflation could all be adversely affected.

The Minister did state that Government does stands ready to institute appropriate measures to lessen any burden on citizens should the occasion arise.

Concessional Loans He did point out that as Guyana’s growth performance and per capita income improves, access to concessional financing continues to decline and becomes increasingly

difficult due to loss of eligibility.

“As a result, while government continues to seek and negotiate for concessional terms on new borrowing, the country faces the prospect that new loans may eventually be contracted on terms that are less favourable than those currently obtained.”

Government will continue to seek the most concessional terms of new financing. Jordan said that in this regard two mechanisms are being pursued, namely the blending of nonconcessional and concessional financing within individual donor envelopes and the second, across multiple donors to blend donor support of nonconcessional financing with donors who offer grant windows of financing.

DEFICIT Expanding on Guyana’s Fiscal Deficit, the Finance Minister said that this would be at risk if any of the elements related to tax revenue, expenditure, debt payments or key external

factors changes unfavourably without a compensating favourable movement in another variable.

Turning his attention to the affects of the local political climate on the economic growth of the c o u n t r y, t h e F i n a n c e Minister was adamant, “any deterioration in the political climate can retard the pace of investment.”

According to Minister Jordan, Government being cognizant of this, has embarked on important confidence building measures including, organizing a National Social Cohesion Roundtable to

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan develop actions aimed to promote inclusive governance and extending an invitation to the Opposition for the holding of joint unity talks to ensure effective national dialogue in this regard.

Page 14

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Good Hope farmer found stabbed to death in bedroom A

mother worried about the whereabouts of her son got the shock of her life, when she entered her son’s Good Hope, East Coast Demerara home at around 13:30 hrs yesterday and found him stabbed to death and stretched across his bed.

Dead is 22 year old Shiraz “Amir” Ali, a cash crop farmer residing at Lot Two, Good Hope railway embankment, East Coast Demerara. The body, which was face down, could be seen in close proximity to some burnt wires and relatives at first posited that he was electrocuted.

Police however said that Ali was stabbed four times to the back, once to the neck and left side temple. Police sources said there were no signs of forced entry, leading investigators to suspect that Ali’s killer was known to him. The house was also ransacked.

When Kaieteur News arrived on the scene, curious onlookers could be seen in the yard and in the doorway of the blood stained room.

According to the tearful mother, Bibi Hamid, she traveled to her son’s home yesterday morning after repeated efforts to call his phone failed. She had last seen him on Saturday.

“I called his phone this morning and it (was) ringing out. I called the neighbors and them say them come over and call and they not hearing nothing. My mind say, ‘Let me come at the house and see what happen’.

My son must tell me where he going if he left to go anywhere.”

Hamid related that when Ali’s inconsolable she pushed the bedroom mother Bibi Hamid door it was to discover her son’s body. Other onlookers strongly ruled out suicide, but mentioned that Ali had no known enemies. They noted that the youth would attend Masjid regularly. “(I don’t) believe that boy gun do nothing to (him) self because he nah got no problem, no family nah come in he way or nobody,” one relative said.

One neighbor said he last saw Ali on Sunday burning refuse near to his row of farm beds in his yard.

“Is till when I hear the mother hollering I know something wrong.” He said, adding that he noticed no unusual activity around the house on Sunday night.

(Jarryl Bryan)

Dead: 22 year old Shiraz Ali

Detectives descending on the Lot 2 Good Hope home, where Ali lived

Providence man gets 57 yrs for murder over bicycle

R

Ravindra Pareemdass

avindra Pareemdass, 24, has been sentenced to 57 years in prison for murder.

Pareemdass was found guilty by a mixed Jury at the Georgetown High Court. The sentence was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh.

According to the charge, Pareemdass murdered Roopram Jagdeo some time between December 20, and December 21, 2012.

The incident took place at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

The unlawful killing reportedly stemmed from a row over a bicycle.

According to the facts, the victim was hit in the head with a piece of wood, during the brawl.

While leading his defence, Pareemdass told the court that the

incident was as a result of a fight, which Jagdeo started.

The man claimed that Jagdeo had threatened to kill him with a piece of wood after he refused to lend his bicycle.

Pareemdass explained that during the confrontation with Jagdeo, he sustained injuries to the head. He said that he then went into the yard of his attacker and dealt him lashes with another piece of wood - this was when Jadgeo sustained the deadly blow to the head.

In her closing address, Attorney-at-Law, Sonia Parag had argued that her client acted in self defence.

However, during yesterday’s summing up, Justice Singh underscored that the evidence

provided in the trial, did not support self defence.

According to the Judge, self defence is a factor to be considered when a person who is in immediate (imminent) danger, retaliates - this was not the case since the evidence suggested that Pareemdass had pursued his attacker into his (Jagdeo’s) yard before he delivered the deadly blow.

The Judge pointed to the evidence provided by four eyewitnesses. Justice Singh also instructed the Jury on other matters of fact and law. However, some one and a half hours after retiring to deliberate, the panel returned to the courtroom for further directions on the issue of provocation. The Judge subsequently explained that

provocation can be considered when actions or words are spoken to cause a person to suddenly lose their self control.

The Jury returned to deliberate on the outcome and subsequently emerged to the courtroom, with a unanimous guilty verdict for the offence of murder.

Pareemdass stood in the prisoner’s dock, speechless at the Jury’s announcement. The man subsequently indicated to the court that he had nothing to say in response to the verdict.

His father however could not contain his emotions - his sobs were audible. Attorney-at-Law, Sonia Parag, in a plea of mitigation, told the court that her client has no (Continued on page 15)

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Page 15

Kaieteur News

Annandale tragedy… Baby’s killer was

previously charged with murder

WANTED: Marc Angoy

DEAD: Arian Gill As detectives continue to hunt for 45-year-old Marc Angoy, the suspect who allegedly shot and killed a one-year-old baby and w o u n d e d h i s l o v e r ’s daughter, it was confirmed that he was previously charged with murder.

Angoy, a former member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was charged in 1998 for the murder of a man at Twelve and a Half Miles Issano, Mazaruni, Region Seven but he was later acquitted.

Also, he was arrested several times both as a

teenager and an adult for robbery under arms.

Yesterday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued a wanted bulletin for the suspect who allegedly shot and killed his ex-lover’s grandbaby, Arian Gill, and wounded the woman’s daughter, Ashley Wellington.

The incident occurred around 13:45 hrs on Sunday at Lot 38 East Ville, Annandale, East Coast Demerara.

According to reports, the man’s ex-lover, Shelly Norton, who is the toddler’s grandmother and Wellington’s mother, ended an abusive three-year-old relationship with the suspect about five weeks ago.

Since then, the suspect reportedly started to harass her. At times he even threatened to kill her.

This forced her to seek a restraining order to keep him away from her family.

However, the 45-year-old suspect allegedly showed up at her home on Sunday and pushed his hand through a window and opened fire on Norton’s daughter and grand baby while they were watching television in the living room.

He made no attempt to injure his ex-lover, although she was also in the house at the time. Norton said that she was in her bedroom when she heard what sounded like gunshots and later she heard Wellington screaming on top of her voice. ”I run to the bedroom door and I see him with his hand through the window and he was shooting at the children. He was aiming his gun at Ashley and firing shots continuously,” a terrified Norton recalled.

She said that she is not sure if her ex-lover saw her but from where she was standing, he could have seen her but he made no attempt to injure her. ”He was too focused on

Providence man gets 57 yrs for murder over...

From page 14 previous antecedents, is still very young and had shown remorse over the incident.

State Prosecutor Narissa Leander, declined to address the court on the verdict.

Leander appeared on behalf of State Counsel, Teeshana Lake, who initially presented the case. Taking

all the factors into consideration, Justice Singh sentenced Pareemdass to a total of 60 years in prisonthree years was deducted off the sentence for the time, Pareemdass spent in prison pending trial.

He will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years in prison.

the children because he knows Ashley is my last daughter and I love my granddaughter.” According to Norton, the suspect had previously told her that he would hurt the “things closest to her.” “I love Arian and he knows that, so he killed her and he get away,” the terrified grandmother was heard shouting at the hospital on Sunday.

The woman confirmed

that she and her ex-partner were supposed to attend Court on Thursday, after he violated the restraining order.” Last week, he called me on my daughter ’s (Ashley) phone 17 times, so I took the phone to the Sparendaam Police Station and showed the police all the calls. He even told people that he has a gun and he will shoot me,” Norton stressed.

Late Sunday, the suspect,

in an interview with this newspaper said that he knows nothing about the shooting.

He acknowledged that he and his ex-lover, Norton, were to attend court on Thursday, in connection with the restraining order that she filed against him recently.

Angoy said that he last saw his ex-partner about two weeks ago.

According to Angoy, he has absolutely no idea of the shooting and will contact his lawyer. He then ended the call and turned off his cellular phone.

A n y o n e w i t h information that may lead to the arrest of Marc Angoy is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 2292557, 229-2702, 225-6411, 225-8196, 911 or the nearest police station.

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Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Major transformational changes to come for President’s College - Granger

By Jarryl Bryan Staff and students of P r e s i d e n t ’s C o l l e g e yesterday morning got the chance to lobby President David Granger for assistance and upgrades for the institution.

The President paid an historical visit to the 30-

- as President conducts historical fact finding visit year-old boarding institution at Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara.

During his visit, which he described as a factfinding one, Granger

conducted a walk around the dorms, kitchen, garbage dump, storerooms and the classrooms, seeking information from the

President Granger with Chief Education Officer Olato Sam and delegation headed to the dorms respective staff of what was lacking in their departments.

In his address to the assembly of students and guests in the dining hall, Granger promised to uphold the institution’s standards, pledging that during his tenure nothing will be done to lower the standard of President’s College.

President Granger examining the work of a student

Granger also promised as much financial support as possible in the 2016 National budget for the institution.

However, he called on the students to rise to the occasion, as they were the future of Guyana.

“We can’t live in the past; we have to look to the future.

We have to change, we have to start making things. We have to start manufacturing and I look to you, the next generation, to move the economy forward and it must start here. Education must open the door to employment…education is the mother of everything good that you want to achieve in this life,” the President told the attentive listeners.

The Head of State noted that the Administration is fully cognizant of the fact that the education system is plagued with serious problems which must be corrected. He noted several initiatives launched by the administration to help students, including those in the Pomeroon River.

Granger’s visit follows on one made by Chief Education Officer (CEO) Olato Sam, and now Head of Guyana Water Information (GWI) Dr. Richard Van West Charles to mark the 30 anniversary in September of 2015.

The President also promised to return in November to announce his policy decisions for the school. “I came here to look at the campus, to listen to the staff and to learn what the problems were. I walked around the campus; I went into the laboratory, the classrooms, the stores, the kitchen and the dormitories,” he said.

“I wanted to inform myself about the conditions at this college. It is a very important part of our educational system,” Granger said, adding that all other Secondary schools, not just President’s College, w o u l d g a i n h i s administration’s attention.

The President also called on the school not to fall into an apartheid system, where many (Continued on page 20) th

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Regional Aviation Executive wants Guyana to tap supportive resources Guyana is being urged to tap into available sources of funding, skills and other resources, meant to assist countries under a regional initiative to improve safety in their respective aviation sectors.

The pitch was made Nari Williams-Singh, Director General of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, who also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS).

The CASSOS Chairman was at the time addressing the opening of the first ever Aviation Conference to be held locally. The conference was meant to tackle issues facing the local aviation sector, key among which is the matter of safety in the industry.

In his address to the gathering representing the local aviation fraternity, Wi l l i a m s - S i n g h d r e w reference to the Regional Aviation Safety Oversight System (RASOS), through which Member States could share resources and reduce

the cost of providing the required airworthiness and flight operations oversight services, to individual member states.

Expanding on the role of this body, the regional executive pointed to the collective mandate of the eight member authorities, to provide aviation safety oversight and to assist and facilitate the provision of other aviation services for the Caribbean region.

According to WilliamsSingh, in 2009 a major step was taken when a new entity, CASSOS a designated Institution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) came into being under the provisions of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which established CARICOM, inclusive of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Incidentally, CASSOS was formally launched in February 2009 at the Headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat right in Guyana.

According to WilliamsSingh, “CASSOS and its

Nari Williams-Singh, Director General of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, as he addressed the forum yesterday at the Arthur Chung International Convention Centre

predecessor RASOS, through ongoing support from its many partners, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United States’ F e d e r a l Av i a t i o n Administration (FAA) and Transport Canada, have seen

growth in the existence and availability of the required technical skills in the various states.” He urged local stakeholders, including the Guyana Government to make full use of these available sources of resources.

The CASSOS mandate, according to WilliamsSingh, is focused on enhancing the ability of individual states to fully discharge their safety oversight responsibilities.

He opined that such a “Sub-Regional approach is consistent with the global strategy promoted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to

address safety oversight problems of its contracting states.”

In his address to the stakeholders present at the Arthur Chung International Conference Centre, Williams-Singh said, “As we explore the various issues surrounding safety in our industry, we encourage dialogue, collaboration and full participation of every player, as we strive to make aviation in the region safe and sustainable.”

He observed that through meetings such as the Aviation Conference hosted under aegis of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), “We get the

opportunity to continue to work together to achieve common goals of a uniformly safe, secure, efficient, inter-operable and sustainable aviation sector and facilitate the meeting of obligations specified under the Convention on International Civil Aviation and its Annexes.”

He implored the participants that as “A Region in general, and CASSOS Member States in particular, we must remain steadfast in our mission of facilitating a safe and efficient air transport system which must be manifested in the various strategic initiatives we embark upon.”

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Page 19

Kaieteur News

Harmon displayed a fundamental misinterpretation of his - His job is not responsibilities to apologize but to justify

By Abena Rockcliffe The idiom “It is not what you do, it is how you do it” is an accurate representation of the sentiments expressed by the General Secretary of G u y a n a Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis. The trade unionist was commenting on the recent salary increases for Government Ministers.

Lewis stuck to his earlier position. He said that he believes in a wage driven economy so he sees no wrong in the politicians giving themselves a hefty increase.

Lewis even told Kaieteur News that it is no big deal that the politicians took as much as a 50 percent increase for themselves.

In fact, he said that such a move now presents the perfect opportunity for unions to bargain for a better pay for the so called ‘ordinary’ public servants.

Lewis said, “The issue is not with the quantum. I am sticking to a principle. I believe that there must be a correlation of what the people at the lower level receive, as in a corresponding increase.”

Asked if he thinks it would be justified if aggrieved workers strike over the increase, Lewis responded in the negative.

He said that instead of public servants striking over the increase that the politicians get, they should strike over an increase they did not get. Lewis brushed aside the fact that the increase was taken before any significant time on the job. He said that the issues is not how long the politicians have been on the job Lewis then admitted that his only problem was with the way things were done.

He noted that Government had denied that such an increase was on its agenda and it therefore had a responsibility to return to the public and give an update when it came up on the agenda.

The trade unionist said that while he does not see anything wrong with the increase, he thinks that it was properly packaged and sold.

Lewis, like many, had a problem with the response given by Minister of State Joseph Harmon to the effect that he had no apology to offer to the Guyanese people and that the increase is a

mechanism to avoid corrupt practices. That argument does not go down well with Lewis. He told Kaieteur News that money cannot stop corruption. “Systems help to stop corruption.”

Harmon’s statement that he has “no apologies” was a major grouse for Lewis. The GTUC representative said that he noticed that Harmon has a clear misinterpretation of the roles and responsibilities of a Minister of Government.

“When a government makes a decision and the public or the media questions it, it is not for an a p o l o g y, i t i s f o r a justification,” said Lewis.

Lewis said that the government would do well to understand that at an early stage. His comments to the effect that an increased salary cannot stop corruption were seconded by political and financial analyst, Ramon Gaskin.

Gaskin was quoted in sections of the media that increased salaries cannot stop corruption. The only difference was that Gaskin said that once there is a lack of integrity, corruption will prevail.

Further, Gaskin said that Ministers should have not been in such a hurry to obtain a salary increase since their utility bills and most other necessities are handled by the government, The political analyst went as far to say that in many cases the Ministers even “eat free” but most other Guyanese do not have those privileges; therefore, the ordinary public servants needed the raise more.

Trinidad and Tobago (TT), which has an economy eight times that of Guyana’s, pays its Prime Minister less than what is now given to G u y a n a ’s n e w P r i m e Minister. Also, the salaries given to other TT Ministers are relatively in the same ball park of that which is given to those in Guyana.

On the other hand, the Caricom member state pays its teachers, police and nurses far more than what is being offered to Guyanese workers even after the recent five per cent increase by the new administration.

The Gazette listed the Prime Minister’s salary as $20,580,000 per annum.

This amounts to a few

dollars more than $1.7M a month. Nagamootoo is now the highest paid Prime M i n i s t e r i n G u y a n a ’s history. Trinidad’s Prime Minister is earning TT$48,000 which works out to just over G$1.5M. Nagamootoo is being paid over $200,000 (TT$6,129) more despite the fact that the Prime

- Lewis Ministerial responsibilities of a Trinidadian weigh more than Guyana as Trinidad’s President is only ceremonial.

A Temporary Qualified Master or Mistress (TQM) in Guyana takes home $35,000 and a trained teacher takes

home just about $60,000.

But a trained teacher in Trinidad gets TT $8,000, equivalent to $261,145.

More qualification earns a teacher a higher salary.

A Police Constable in Trinidad gets about TT$7,000 and that works out to about GYD $228,388; but a police constable in Guyana gets a little over GYD $ 50,000.

GTUC’s General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis

Page 20

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

2014 Granny Strangling…

Known convict for High Court trial Murder accused, Kevon Alfred, was yesterday committed to stand trial in the High Court for the 2014 murder of 75-year-old Joyce Lewis. The woman was

found partially nude and bound in the bedroom of her two-storey house by a relative.

According to reports, Lewis had been living alone

at her Christiani Street, North Ruimveldt home since her husband, a former Police Inspector passed away a few years ago.

On the morning of March

26, 2014 a relative had ventured to Lewis’ home after she had failed to answer several calls made to both her cellular and landline phones. It was then that her

body was discovered.

Five months after Lewis was killed, Alfred was arrested and charged with the murder. Reports are that Alfred’s fingerprints were among several that detectives found in the slain woman’s home.

Ye s t e r d a y, C h i e f Magistrate Ann McLennan found that a prima facie case was made out against were discussed.

“Text books and physical Alfred by the prosecution infrastructure are a problem, led by Police Sergeant (as well as) the staffing and Neville Jeffers, at the personnel situation. These are conclusion of a Preliminary things that must be Inquiry (PI) in the addressed,” he said after the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. meeting.

During the PI, 15 “The important thing, at the end of the day is that we witnesses testified on want students leaving to be up behalf of the prosecution. to the standards of any other These consisted of police college. This is not a college and civilians.

Alfred of Second whose standards should be Street, Crane Housing allowed to fall.

S c h e m e , We s t C o a s t “We are still planning the D e m e rara, was budget for 2016. We want to make sure that within the u n r e p r e s e n t e d b y a n financial year 2016 we can attorney throughout the one give the campus as much year summary hearing; financial support as possible although he had requested t o s o l v e t h e e x i s t i n g time from the Magistrate to retain legal representation. problems.”

Granger noted that he would have meetings with Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnarine in the From page 3 coming days to work out the Commission,” Parvatan way forward. said.

The COI, over the past President’s College was a project launched in 1983 by three months, examined the former President L.F.S current state of cane Burnham, though he cultivation, factory conceptualized it during his operations, production and days as a student at Queens m a r k e t i n g o f s u g a r, College. It opened its doors in molasses and other by1985, though Burnham never products.

Emphasis was also lived to see its opening. placed on human resource capabilities, research and d e v e l o p m e n t , diversification of the i n d u s t r y, c o m m u n i t y obligations, weather events, marketing, finance, procurement, factory performance and management, the Ministry said yesterday.

Permanent Secretary, George Jervis, lauded the effort of the Commission, describing the members as competent in pronouncing on the future of the sugar industry.

In addition to Parvatan,

Major transformational...

Rajani Singh, a student of President's College, can hardly contain her excitement as she presents President David Granger with a token pin.

From page 16 students drop out and a few succeed. He stated that this could translate into just a few students growing up to be rich and prosperous, while the masses are poorly educated and downtrodden.

Tour The President toured the kitchen area, where he enquired into the institution’s

meal preparation systems.

There workers provided the President with all the answers he requested.

He also went outdoors to observe the garbage situation, before going inside to visit the computer lab, industrial centre, science lab, home economics department and the store room. On the visit to the store room, the President

was warned of the lethal labaria snakes, which staffers noted would occasionally appear in the environs.

Following the tour, the President held a conclave with the campus staff for over a n h o u r. D u r i n g t h e discussion, initiatives including upgrading the school’s library, meals and Information Technology (IT)

Magistrate McLennan had over and over granted the accused time to retain a lawyer, but he never did.

Alfred on several occasions had refused to sit in on the PI after claiming that the Magistrate was being unfair to him.

The accused had retaliated by behaving disorderly in the courtroom, which forced officials at several hearings to remove him from the proceedings.

Nevertheless, the Magistrate continued with the PI in the absence of the accused.

A f t e r y e s t e r d a y ’s hearing, Alfred appeared visibly upset. As he was being escorted to the prisoner’s holding cell, the prisoner accused the police of trying to make him a criminal.

On February 20, last Alfred was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by City Magistrate Judy Latchman, after he was found guilty of having an illegal semi automatic pistol in his possession.

Skeldon factory... the COI members were Professor Clive Thomas Financial and Economic Analysis; Dr. Harold Davis and Mr. John Piggot Agronomists; John Dow and Joseph Alfred - Factory Operations; George James Sugar Processing; Nowrang Persaud Industrial Relations; Claude Housty -Marketing; Seepaul Narine, union official and. Omadatt C h a n d a n - t h e Commission’s Secretary.

The COI report will be handed over to Noel H o l d e r, M i n i s t e r o f Agriculture, who is at present in Cancun, Mexico on official business after which it will be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for further deliberations.

Since taking power in May, the new coalition Government under Granger sacked the Board of Directors and its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Rajendra Singh, citing mismanagement and poor performance.

GuySuCo itself, in addition to returning a string of low production, has been producing sugar at double the prices it earns.

The industry has been touch political football for years now.

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Guyanese woman admits to role in credit card scam

Albany, New York - A Guyanese woman faces prison time and deportation after pleading guilty Friday to her involvement in a scam that targeted Price Chopper stores in the Capital Region.

Georgette Jackman, 37, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, aggravated identity theft and trafficking in counterfeit access devices. She faces up to 15 years of imprisonment on the conspiracy and trafficking charges, and a mandatory two years of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft charge, which must be served consecutive to any other

sentence of imprisonment.

Jackman also faces deportation from the U.S. following the completion of her punishment.

Jackman admitted that from February 2012 through January 2013, she and coconspirators Jamese Williams and Terry Nicholas travelled together by car on a regular basis to stores throughout New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut, including approximately 47 Price Chopper grocery stores.

Some of those stores were in Albany, Saratoga and Fulton counties.

During these trips Jackman provided Williams

and Nicholas with hundreds of counterfeit credit cards bearing stolen account numbers and embossed names that did not correspond to the actual account holders. Williams and Nicholas used these cards to purchase $435,465 worth of gift cards, which they gave to Jackman.

Williams and Nicholas have already pleaded guilty to their roles in the scam and are awaiting sentencing.

Jackman was detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for February 18, 2016 in Albany before United States District Judge Mae A. D ’ A g o s t i n o . (www.saratogian.com)

From page 11 light signal resulted in a death.

After speeding, the police recorded overloaded minibuses as the most occurring offence. This offence, which recorded 2,200 cases at the end of September, accounted for five percent of the total issued offences.

More specifically, 245 cases were made out for this offence in September.

The breach of condition of road service licenses/music offence was also approximately four percent of the total cases with 1,801 at the end of September as compared to 1,564 cases at the end of August.

Other offences recorded at the end of September included driving under the influence of alcohol (1,666 cases), failure to wear seatbelts (1,156 cases), breaches of traffic light signals (736 cases) and use

of cell phones while driving (489 cases).

Meanwhile, officials believe that traffic offences are entirely avoidable and therefore the responsibility rests largely with the drivers.

This is similar to the belief of the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) which has, for years, been calling for a change in attitudes when it comes to road use.

In a recent interview, Ramona Doorgen of the GNRSC said, “Addressing attitudes when it comes to road use is the main problem.”

She had stressed that road users, whether they were drivers or pedestrians, needed to understand how to properly use the road. She added that even though there is a reduction in the number of fatal accidents recorded by the police, even a single death is one too many.

The GPF indicated that at the end of September there was an 18 percent drop in fatal accidents when compared to the same period last year while there was an 11 percent drop in road deaths.

Meanwhile, the GPF and the GNRSC are preparing for National Road Safety Month, which kicks off in a few weeks.

This year, the month will be observed under the theme, “Be Wise, Stay Alive, Stop Speeding, Don’t Drive and Drive”.

As part of the month, there will be a series of activities, training programmes and seminars in various regions.

National Road Safety Month will kick off in the first week of November with special focus being placed on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which will be held on November 15.

Traffic offences hit 40,000 mark

Page 21

Page 22

Kaieteur News

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

PARTY DECORATING: balloon creation, back drops etc. for weddings, birthdays, anniversary etc. Make your event extra special! Tel Maya: 642-6664 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, A/C, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES,FREEZERSCALL: 629-4946 OR 225-4822 Floor sanding & Lacquering House plans, Estimate & painting, Boat for Santa Mission - Call: 650-4362 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@yahoo.comCall : 225-6496, 662-6045 Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Austin Power ’s repairs: fridge freezers, washers, gasstove, AC unit, house wiring-Call: 685-2588 Eagle’s fridge re-gas @ 99100 New Market Street $8,000 & washing machine repairs. Phone: 697-2969, 223-5818 INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

Need to get rid of ants and roaches? Call:667-4604; 4421284; 647-0632

TAXI SERVICES Mario’s Taxi Service; Travel & Collect Coupons to win a smart Phone, Drawing Every Month from October- Call: 225-7686; 225-7689

WANTED Female worker wanted sound secondary education, computer literate-Tel: 6121607 One live in maid, assistant salesgirl, E.C.D. Call: 6035416; 644-9802 Female to work at restaurant in the interior, salary -$80,000 monthly- Call: 674-7043; 6645199 1 Live in maid; must know to cook. Call: 683-2271 Experienced minibus & taxi driver @ Princess Hotel Providence- Call: 616-5419 WOODMIZER LT 15 AND LT 40 OPERATOR- CAL: 688-6579/653-9752 One live in domestic maid – Call: 675-5256/ 666-4153 Urgently needed live in waitress- Call: 670-2323 Two labourers- Call: 227-1717 Security Night guard, apply @ Avinash Complex, Water Street: 226-3361; 227-7828 Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic –Call 219-5354 (Monday- Friday) (8:154:15PM)

CAR RENTAL DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 656-0087 ,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N T A L @YAHOO.COM Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj Building- Tel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 FOR SALE/RENT American pool tables –Call: 277-0578

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 One bedroom apartment at Coverden Public Road, EBD$25,000- Call: 625-1177 Prime business place for rent @ MonRepos Public Road E.C.D, 2 (2) Bedroom apartment @ Block 8 Mon Repos E.C.D-Contact: 6181754; 681-1508; 220-6168 1 Business spot to rent for pharmacy, eye clinic, boutique or any other business- Call: 673-0373, 675-3838 Canal No.2 Polder W.B.D, great condition -$35,000 monthly-Call: 613-1860

Tuesday October 20, 2015

VACANCY

SALON

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Work from home earn $5,000-$20,000 monthly. Call monday-friday (9am-5pm): 233-6517; 638-0595 or www.jobfairworldwide.com Male supervisor to work in housekeeping dept, room attendant- Call: 225-0198 or 233 South Road Lacytown.

-Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal, Mabelline.

-Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257 Affordable salon services: pedi, mani, wash & blowout, facials, etc $2,500 each. Vogue @ Kalyan Mall, Lamaha Street. Tel: 647-1773/660-5257

Land Cruiser Prado in Mint condition, fully loaded, PNN Series-Call: 601-0053; 2750264

Agent require for preparing document and quotes for regional contracts. Email: mozatart@yahoo.com/ 6919383 M.A.X Consultancy & Accounting Services urgently need: field sales agents.

For more information-Contact: 2231855/ 609-0623 One sales representative for furniture store in Georgetown-Call: 254-1801

Executive type house with large yard space, parking facilities centrally located, available immediately –Call: 226-6229; 226-5909 Fully furnished two bedrooms house for rent in Kitty, preferably foreigners or serious local. Call: 625-4118 Top & bottom flat @ East Street opposite Balwant Singh Hospital, 2 bedrooms top & 2 bedrooms bottom flat, no children. Call: 2276776; 667-3062 One self contained room; preferably bachelor. Call: 2234545 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, JACK HAMMER, CONCRETE SAW & MORE- CALL: 6672535, 627-5098 One bedroom apartment located at Better Hope, ECD; spacious yard, vehicle parking- $40,000 Call: 6721077; 672-0922 Prime business space; lot 5/6 Enmore Public Road, Suitable for Dental/Doctor, clothing, parts store, pharmacy.

Contact: 629-4090

EDUCATION Princeton College Forms 1-5 CXC Adults Classes, Grade 1-6 Lessons: Phonic lessons @ East Street-Call: 690-5008; 619-7911 Obtain a guaranteed distinction in CSEC Principles of Accounts. Call: 654-1723 for more information New Advanced Diploma in Computers office 2016, window 8/10, 9 courses @ Micrographics, Vreed-EnHoop-Call: 264-3057

PROPERTY FOR SALE Large 4 bedroom concrete house for sale at Ruimzeight Garden W.C.D, Residential Area- Call: 269-0189; 268-3214 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities –Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461.

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2013 Mercedes C250 turbo AMG coupe, retractable glasstop, mileage 15K, alcantara leather interior, brush aluminum acc- Call: 650-5136 One Ducati 1098cc motorcycle in excellent condition, will negotiate best offer-Call: 617-6934, 674-0137

FOR SALE

Model M Truck with Winch & Spares- GRR. Call: 6626045 Black Nissan Bluebird 2006 $2.5M –Call: 681-3462 or 6925447 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154

LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

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Lady One Imported Pools Table d r i v e n . $ 4 . 3 M contact 223-5273/4 negotiable. Contact: 609 8425 MILL CUT AND DRESSED GREENHEART FROM $160BM AND KABUKALLI FROM, $180BM- TEL: 6886579/653-9752 One flat bottom boat 32 feet, one 15 Yamaha, one hundred & seventy five (175lb) banga seine. Call: 691-7775 One Nissan Z20 Engine with gear box in working order.

Call: 667-7337

1 AT-170 for sale $800,000.

Call: 627-2897; 220-0904 AT170 Toyota Carina Wagon, price $400,000-Call: 628-4386 1-Toyota 4WD extra cab, pickup LH drive –price $1.2M negotiable –Tel: 6688431 45 Leyland DAF, GRR Series, price -$2.5M. Call: 696-2663

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LAND FOR SALE 1500 Acres Transported land 4 Miles from Bartica, 2 Miles River front, sand, loam, forestry, rock quarry, farming, resort-Call: 603-1266; 625-9788 365 Acres cultivated, 1135 acres-unclean, house 20X60 (porch)- Call: 657-0992

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Eccles (100FtX50ft) -$4.6M, Herstelling (110ftX61ft) $4.2M; low lands (East Coast) -$1.8M, Parfaite Harmonie -$1.2M. Call: 6042207; 611-7223 Corner lot with foundation @ 20th Street Diamond – Contact: 216-2364; 6952377 Continued on page 23

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Second alleged airport bandit remanded Another man who police are certain was among a gang that came under fire with the police, was yesterday remanded to prison after he pleaded not guilty to three criminal charges in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Collis Collison was captured on Wednesday, last in a house at Tucber Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice. He is believed to have been part of a gang that has been trailing and robbing incoming passengers from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Collison 23, of South Better Hope, East Bank Demerara is accused of discharging a loaded firearm at Prem Narine, a Detective

attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), with intent to maim, disable, disfigure or cause him grievous bodily harm.

The incident took place on October 7, at Kitty, Georgetown.

It was alleged that on the same day at Kitty, Georgetown, Collison had a .38 revolver in his possession, when he was not the holder of a firearm licence.

Further, it was also alleged that on October 7, at the same location he had three rounds of .38 ammunition in his possession.

Collison pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were read to him by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The defendant had no

legal representation. He told the court that he is a shopkeeper in the interior. He claimed that he had no involvement in the crimes.

Collison asserted that at the time of the incident he was in New Amsterdam, Berbice at his fiancée’s residence.

Additionally, the defendant contended that he was never found with a gun in his possession. He told the Magistrate that he was placed on an identification (ID) parade in relation to a robbery under-arms charge, but was not positively identified.

In May, 2011, Collison was also charged with the January 2011 murder of Linden businessman Albert Joseph, called ‘Bolo.’

Continued on page 24

was charged for murder and other armed robberies in 2011

TO LET Fully furnished luxury 2 and 3 bedrooms apartments to let (short and long term). Call: 603-9671

Collis Collison

Shawn Thom

Letters... Where your views make the news

GWI must revise their strategy DEAR EDITOR, I read time and time again [with disgust] the discomfort and inconvenience the population suffers as a result of poor water supply services offered by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).

This is compounded by the frequent public service announcements (either via the press or on social media) expressed by the company, advising on the disruption of services.

Residents frequently complain about being without water service for days and I have also been recipient to this level of service as well. My question to GWI is what do they expect residents to do during these periods?

There are also times (more often than GWI is willing to admit) water supply is disrupted for extended periods, with the most popular excuse given by GWI is due to voltage fluctuations.

It should be noted that

Salary Increases a brilliant decision

From page 4 improve the lives of all Guyanese. We know that the Ministers and policymakers have to remain focused on many fronts while they try to develop sound strategic plans for the development of this country.

They cannot afford to be distracted at this stage, and so we must compensate them adequately so that they can focus on the difficult tasks ahead.

This salary increase should be viewed as a first step to bringing decency and respect in our society. It must be followed up at the appropriate time by a significant upward revision of compensation for all public servants.

Max Mohamed

having a c c e s s t o a n adequate supply of safe water has been declared a human right by the United Nations, not so merely because access to water serves as a measure of human development, but because it’s a critical resource that protects human health and contributes to an improved living standard (inter alia).

We did not even have to wait for the United Nations to make such a pronouncement to understand the importance of water supply (and Sanitation – A concept I will address at later date) to Guyana’s development. The absence of a safe and reliable source of water has farreaching consequences that GWI needs to begin to appreciate and for which the burden rest on their shoulders.

GWI’s approach much change. While I know, through my long term relationship with GWI, efforts

are constantly being employed at the lower tier of the organisation to improve service quality [cannot speak for the upper tier as I have not recognise any policy change in decades], the current organisational approach needs to go beyond its immediate mandate to just provide water and sanitation services and examine initiatives that can be introduced to ensure households have constant access to a safe source of water that meets their household demands on a daily basis.

It still baffles me as to why in this day and age [modern times] the reliability of a water supply (treatment plant or pump station) is directly dependent on the reliability of the [GPL’s] power supply. I guess GWI finds it to be a worthwhile excuse.

This [inter alia] serves as indicators that the haphazard water supply service

From page 22

provided by GWI will continue in the foreseeable future, as such there may be the need for some policy changes, which can ensure households have water to meet their daily demands.

One policy that can reduce the impact of the frequent disruptions in water supply is requiring each household to install water storage containers with a capacity for at least two days [yes this was previously done in Guyana].

Although this is already an informal policy with most households [those that can afford them] having the ‘black tanks’, a more unified service provision requirement advocated by GWI would allow households be prepared for unexpected disruptions and any adverse impacts.

This approach is not new.

Water storage policies have been adopted by many countries, with some even

recommending rainwater harvesting. I know this will be a challenge for adaptation in Guyana due to our traditional approach in regarding most things essential as a “private matter”.

However, GWI must get on board with the current purported concept and national commitment to “improving the quality of life” for all Guyanese.

This cannot be achieved with the current operational practices, policies and water supply service provisions in Guyana.

I implore the current management of GWI to truly think about the nature of their organisation and to devise innovate ways to tackle the age-old persistent problems that continue to plague the company, with a knock-on effects to us your customers.

An advocate for adequate water supply and sanitation for all [especially in Guyana] Darren D. Shako

HEALTH Herbal treatment; get rid of your diabetes, get instant reliefs, stop using insulin & other doctor’s medication.

Call: 651-3560

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Tuesday October 20, 2015

Rehab students aim to better serve Guyana through new organisation Five years ago, the University of Guyana (UG) Faculty of Health Sciences introduced the Medical Rehabilitation Sciences Degree Programme.

At the time of its introduction, the programme had only mustered four students and was under

serious threat of being dissolved. However, the programme is now 55 students strong. These students have decided to take things beyond their studies by creating a nonprofit organisation known as the University of Guyana Medical Rehabilitation Students’ Association (UGMRSA).

The new organisation was recently launched and aims at providing philanthropic and specialised services within the field of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech and Language Therapy.

These fields are also currently offered as degrees at the University of Guyana with

Audiology recently being added under the Speech and Language Therapy degree, which is an internationally accredited degree programme.

“In Guyana, we are subjected to ill-advised approaches to injury and disability, where loss of minimal function can render a person marginalised and socially weak. Despite the efforts of our rehab professionals, many persons do not reach their optimal functioning potential,” the new body said.

UGMRSA further noted that each time an athlete engages in sport, he or she is at risk.

“When we look around at our promising athletes, at our national teams, we often find that there is no one there to safeguard them or to render assistance if any injury occurs.” The body further said that its goal is not simply to provide rehabilitation services to Guyanese athletes but to also educate the entire nation – but particularly those with disabilities – about proper rehabilitation, injury prevention, and the effect of exercise among other activities within the scope of rehabilitation to maintain a healthy society. Vice-President of UGMRSA, Neil Barry, further expanded that there is a need for greater emphasis on these fields in Guyana. Barry is a final year UG student studying in the area of Physiotherapy. He added that despite the need for rehabilitation experts in Guyana, the country only has one certified speech therapist in Guyana. That individual received training in Cuba.

“We are hoping to take these fields into our communities so that we can better serve our people,” Barry said.

He added that the UGMRSA is made up of all 55 students under the UG Rehabilitation Sciences Degree Programme.

They all aspire to make meaningful contributions to Guyana. He said that currently the body is aiming towards launching community

programmes out of each degree programme each semester.

Barry said that the biggest challenge will come in the areas of Speech Therapy – which is training to help persons with speech and language problems to speak more clearly – and Occupational Therapy – training aimed at engagement in every living as an aid to recovery from physical injuries or other barriers.

“These aren’t only medical procedures but living ones as well. Not many people are aware of Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy so sensitisation in these areas is high on our agenda,” Barry said.

He continued, “We were dreaming about this [the organisation] for quite some time now. We spent time in the clinic and community-based rehabilitation and we realised that there is a need for our services and standards in Guyana to be taken to a global level.”

He added that with a growing number of persons indicating their interest in becoming educated in the fields, it was a unique opportunity to take the services to the public. He said too that UGMRSA is interested in taking the services outside of the centrally located Georgetown and into other areas of the country where they can reach a wide cross-section of people, particularly parents of children with disabilities.

“There are probably a lot of parents out there who don’t realise that their children have speech impediments and need therapy. We want people to know that these services are out there and are easily accessible,” he said. Barry said that UGMRSA is looking towards fostering a relationship with the media, particularly the print media. He stressed that the media presented the perfect forum to provide pertinent information on rehabilitation. UGMRSA’s aim is to educate the public about topics pertinent to Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech and Language Therapy; educate members of the population on home care remedies; and educate coaches and athletes on modern athletic care. “By assisting us in helping to share our message, readers, both locally and internationally, can benefit from easy access to current evidencebased knowledge that can be useful in everyday life,” UGMRSA said.

“The opportunity also exists to help desensitise readers to many aspects of disability, and to discuss useful, practical solutions to making society more inclusive of such persons.”

UGMRSA also believes that its presence in the media would also impact more youths to pursue careers in rehabilitation, “which can then be taken back into their own communities.”

From page 23 Joseph was shot during a robbery at his Sunflower Street, Linden business place. Collison was freed on that murder in November, 2014.Also in May, 2011, Collison was placed on two armed robbery charges which allege that at Dageraad Avenue, Linden, being armed with a gun, he robbed Nigel Hescott and Rajindra Tiwari of one gold chain valued $160,000 and $250,000 respectively.Last Wednesday, former murder accused, Shawn Thom, a taxi driver, was remanded to prison on the same charges as Collison.The charges against the men stemmed from a recent confrontation between police and bandits, who are said to be

involved in attacks on incoming passengers from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).Collison and Thom will make their next court appearance on October 28, next, when the matter comes up again for report.

According to Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones, the police file is incomplete. Once again the virtual complainant was absent from court proceedings. At this point the prosecutor explained that the detective was carrying out special duties and unable to attend. Magistrate McLennan then instructed that the complainant be present for the next hearing. According to reports, two Wednesdays ago the off duty cop had gone to the

CJIA to pick up a relative, when he noticed a yellow IST following him all the way from the airport.

It was reported that the rank contacted his colleagues, informing them about what he had noticed.Kaieteur News understands that the police turned up close to the rank’s home in Kitty and waited for him to arrive from the airport. When the rank arrived in front of his yard, a car with three men stopped a corner away from his home. Two of the gunmen reportedly exited the vehicle and were liming at a bridge, while one remained in the car.

The gunmen and the police exchanged gunfire, which left Collison and Thom injured.

While popular in other countries, physiotherapy still needs to make further strides in Guyana

Second alleged airport bandit remanded

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Hotel catches a fire in Stanleytown Berbice Fire, suspected to be of electrical origin, razed a section of La Chateau Van Fago Ketur Hotel at Lot 45 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam yesterday.

According to information, the three storied hotel, which houses eight rooms and is owned by one Suzan James, an expatriate Guyanese, has been unoccupied for the past few months.

The fire reportedly began around 20:00 hrs in the ceiling of the hotel and quickly burst through the roof, en-

gulfing that section of the building. Information revealed that at the time of the fire no one was in the building.

The Guyana Fire service responded quickly and began dousing the flames, which were billowing from the roof of the building.

However, the firefighters encountered problems accessing water fro m t h e nearby fire hydrants and had to resort to the Republic Road trench some distance away.

The hotel, which was opened on Valentine’s Day 2013, also housed a bar, internet café and banquette hall.

Divisional Fire Officer Patrick Carmichael expressed appreciation for the work done by his ranks, who were able to contain the fire to the top of the hotel.

The Guyana Fire Service and The Guyana Police Force are conducting investigation.

No one was hurt and the cause of the fire is said to be electrical in nature.

Another Trudeau sweeps Canada’s polls Justin Trudeau will be Canada’s next prime minister after leading the Liberal Party to a majority government win, dashing the hopes of Stephen Harper, who had been seeking his fourth consecutive mandate, CBC News has projected.

This will be the second time Canada will be led by a Trudeau, as the Liberal leader follows in the footsteps of his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

The Tories will form the Official Opposition, moving Tom Mulcair’s NDP to third-party status.

It’s a stunning turnaround for the Liberals, who held only 36 seats at the time of Parliament’s dissolution.

The Liberal Party will form a majority government, knocking the Conservatives out of power and into the role of Official Opposition.

On several occasions throughout the marathon, 78day election campaign, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has fondly mentioned his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and his legacy. But political observers say it’s not just the Trudeau name that helped the Liberals regain power after a humiliating slide in the 2011 federal election.

Trudeau, billing himself and the Liberals as the only path to “real change,” was

able to convince voters across the country that he was ready to lead the country — despite what the attack ads claimed.

The Conservative Party was on its way to suffering a crushing defeat. It remains to be seen whether Stephen Harper will embrace the role of Opposition Leader or step down as leader of the party.

The political future of NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair was also uncertain Monday night as the party slid into third place. Under its late leader Jack Layton in 2011, the NDP surged to Official Opposition status, thanks to major gains in Quebec.

The Liberal win did not come as a surprise to anyone who has been following the last few weeks of the election campaign.

Heading into election day, Nanos Research put the Liberals in the lead, at least nine points ahead of the Conservatives.

Advance poll turnout was strong, with some 3.6 million Canadians casting their ballots over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The heavy voter turnout was expected to continue Monday, according to Elections Canada.

Peter MacKay, the former Conservative minister who did not run for re-election,

said it was painful to watch the Conservative losses Monday night.

His own Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova, considered a Tory stronghold, was claimed by Liberal candidate Sean Fraser.

“Obviously not the results were hoping for across Canada,” MacKay told CTV News earlier Monday night.

It’s an historic win for the Liberals, who are leaping from third place to the seat of power. The Trudeau family is moving back to 24 Sussex Dr., establishing Canada’s first political family dynasty The Conservatives held 159 seats in the 308-seat House of Commons and the NDP had 95, with another 18 seats either vacant, held by Independents or shared between the Green Party (two seats) and the Bloc Québécois and a splinter group.

Because of population growth, 30 new seats have been added this election, including 15 in Ontario, six each for Alberta and British Columbia and three more for Quebec.

In Ontario, the Greater Toronto Area was considered key to a Liberal majority victory. But the Liberals, who lost all but one of their seats in the area to the Conservatives in 2011, were expected to take most of those seats back.

Indian mob kills man over beef eating rumour A man was dragged out of his house and beaten to death by a mob near New Delhi over rumoursthathisfamilykilledandate a cow, the victim’s brother has told AlJazeera.

Mohammed Akhlaq, 52, a resident of Bisara village in Gautam Budh Nagar, about 40km from the Indian capital, was attacked on Monday night. He died of his injuries early yesterday while his 22year-old son Mohammed Danish was admitted to a nearby hospital in a critical condition.

“My brother threw goat’s skin in the garbage dump. But some people circulated a rumour that a cow was slaughtered and an announcement was made from the local temple,” Mohammed Saifi, the victim’s brother, said.

“Soon a mob of about 1,000 people, armed with lathis [batons] and swords, gathered and attacked the house of my brother.

“They did not even spare my 82-year-old mother Asgari Begum, who has suffered injuries, along with Akhlaq’s wife and daughter, Sajida

Saifi,” he said.

The attack on Akhlaq, a Muslim, comes amid rising tensions between Hindus and religious minorities in the Uttar Pradesh state, where the incident occurred. “Such barbaric incidents don’t happen suddenly. These are well planned.

Why the UP administration is failing to prevent them is a matter of grave concern. Suspects in last year’s Muzaffarnagar riots have yet to be punished,” said Ram Dutt Tripathi, a former journalist with BBC.

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

CIA boss John Brennan’s personal email ‘hacked’ US authorities are investigating reports that CIA Director John Brennan’s personal email account has been hacked by a high-school student.

The alleged hacker told the New York Post that he had found work-related files such as Mr Brennan’s application for a top security clearance.

The CIA said investigations were under way, but did not confirm whether the hack happened.

The teenager making the claim has remained anonymous.

He was described by the New York Post newspaper as “a stoner high-school student” who was angry about US foreign policy.

His Twitter account included links to files which he said were Mr Brennan’s contact list, a list of phone calls by a former CIA deputy direc-

John Brennan has been CIA director since 2013 tor and other documents.

There was also a tweet with a list of names - including one claiming to be John Brennan - alongside telephone numbers, email addresses and social-security numbers.

A statement from the CIA said: “We are aware of the reports that have surfaced on social media and have referred the matter to the ap-

propriate authorities.”

The alleged hacker also claimed to have breached an email account belonging to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

The use of private email by senior US officials has become a major issue in recent months, since it emerged that White House hopeful Hillary Clinton had done so while secretary of state.

Rights groups decry death of Eritrean in Israel attack -risk of vigilantism growing, rights groups say, after mob lynches asylum seeker mistaken for attacker.

The lynch mob attack on a young Eritrean asylum seeker in Israel during a deadly assault at a bus station has stoked fears that a climate in which Israeli citizens are encouraged to take the law into their own hands is growing.

Haftom Zarhum died in hospital after he, mistaken for an accomplice of an attacker that killed an Israeli soldier, was shot by a security guard and kicked by bystanders.

Rights groups on Monday called for Israeli authorities to bring those who murdered the 29-year-old Eritrean to justice.

“The death of an asylum seeker at the hands of security guards and an angry mob is a tragic but foreseeable outgrowth of a climate in which some Israeli politicians encourage citizens to take the law into their own hands,” said Sari Bashi, Israel-Palestine country director at Human Rights Watch.

“The Israeli authorities should investigate and prosecute those responsible for the attack. Israel faces acute threats to public safety, but vigilantism will only lead to more innocent people being harmed or killed.”

‘Misidentified’ Zarhum was a bystander on Sunday night at a bus station in the city of Beersheba

when a Palestinian Israeli man, armed with a rifle and a knife, killed an Israeli soldier and wounded 10 others.

A security officer shot Zarhum and as he was bleeding on the ground, a mob brutally beat and critically injured him. The asylum seeker later died in hospital from the trauma.

The Palestinian Israeli attacker was killed on the scene.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld confirmed that Zarhum was “misidentified”.

“The man was hit by bystanders and individual civilians who were in the area.

Police are looking into it now and have obtained the CCTV footage of the incident,” he told Al Jazeera.

At least one Israeli soldier was filmed kicking Zarhum in the head as he lay bleeding on the floor of the terminal.

Another man lifted a bench and dropped it on Zarhum’s head as others tried to protect him by placing a bar stool over his body.

Israel has seen a spate of knife and shooting attacks this month, as violence and protests against Israel’s occupation have increased in frequency across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

Forty-four Palestinians have been killed in the un-

rest, as well as eight Israelis.

‘Victim of racism’ Amnesty International Israel said it was “appalled and in mourning after learning of the murder.

“Zarhum was shot by an Israeli security officer, targeted simply because of the colour of his skin. He was a victim of racism and xenophobia who just happened to be at the scene of a terrorist attack. After being shot and wounded, Israeli civilians then set upon and attacked Zarhum, beating him to death.

“Amnesty demands that the Israeli police arrest those involved in the murder of Zarhum, and to bring them to justice.”

The rights group added that the murder was not an isolated case.

“It is a result of the government’s and Israeli authorities’ encouragement to execute people without trial.

“It is the responsibility of the Israeli government and security forces to stop and to prevent civilians from taking the law into their own hands, and to eradicate the security forces killing of suspects without a fair trial.”

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat recently called on civilians who own firearms to carry them at all times in the wake of a spate of stabbing and shooting attacks.

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Tuesday October 20, 2015

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Unbeaten Golovkin pummels... Clive Atwell spews fighting...

(From page 30) take a knee.

Golovkin had to be careful though not to get disqualified as he continued punching Lemieux while he was on one knee before the referee stepped between them.

Lemieux proved to be a game brawler and even landed a few blows of his own. But he was simply outclassed by a much harder puncher and better boxer.

Golovkin was able to score at will with his jab as Lemieux proved to be an easy target, moving straight ahead and walking into jabs and uppercuts w i t h o u t m u c h defense.

Golovkin, who has drawn comparisons to former undisputed middleweight champ Marvin Hagler, now hopes to become the face of the 160-pound division and

this win should put him into the mix of the fighters hoping to follow in the footsteps of the flamboyant Floyd Mayweather, who says he has retired.

The 33-year-old Golovkin improves to 34-0 with 31 knockouts and he has now stopped his last 21 opponents within the distance.

Lemieux was the heavy underdog coming in and his only hope of winning the fight was if he could turn it into a brawl.

Lemieux, of Montreal, said he was upset the referee stopped the fight when he did and called for a rematch, which appears unlikely considering how onesided this one was.

- ‘Keep my mouth shut’ “He is a great fighter. Tonight he is the champion,”

said Lemieux, who had won nine in a row.

“I didn’t think it should have been stopped. I could have continued,” he said.

“But tonight I will keep my mouth shut. I have a lot of respect for Golovkin. I will beat him in the future.”

Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs) won the vacant IBF title in June when he knocked Hassan N’Dam down four times en route to a unanimous decision. He landed a couple of heavy right hands but had never been in the ring with a middlew eight as dangerous as Golovkin before.

On the undercard, Nicaragua’s Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez retained the WBC flyweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of the ex-American Olympian Brian Viloria.

Tuesday October 20, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Love and passion may be on your mind. If you aren't currently involved, you might be attracted to someone you know through business, so a little caution is advised.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) If you're single, you might long for a romantic partner today. If you're attached, you might think of making your commitment more permanent.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Have you been thinking about adopting a pet? If so, today is a great day to go to the shelter and rescue one.

You'll know which one to choose, as the animal will probably choose you!

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Someone you love dearly could provide inspiration for creative activity of some kind.

You might write a song or poem about your friend, draw or paint a portrait, or cook a special meal.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A forthcoming social event that you're planning to host in your home could inspire some minor redecorating today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) A very loving message could come to you from a woman, possibly your mother. If this is a letter, it may go on for several pages. If it's a phone call, the conversation could last for a long time.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A small sum of money could come today, possibly through the efforts of a woman.

Yo u m a y h a v e b e e n waiting for this for a long time, so expect to feel relieved.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today's energies will bring good fortune and success.

New opportunities to increase status and income could come your way.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today your imagination should be flowing freely. You could channel this into creative work, or you could come up with some ingenious ways to advance your business interests.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today you could meet with a female acquaintance that you know through a group. By the end of the day, this person could turn from casual acquaintance to firm friend.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Don't be surprised if you feel a powerful affection for someone you've met at work.

This could be a friendly affection or it could be stronger than that.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A powerful feeling of love for someone from far away could strike you today.

This migh t b e s o m e o n e you're involved with professionally.

(From page 34) in Dominica. “The acclimatization period was tough and you must remember that I had accepted a substitute fight at short notice,” he explained.

Atwell admitted that Gonsalves is smart and he (Atwell) will have to employ all the tricks in the book to overcome him. “I am prepared to do whatever it calls for to win this fight be it to box or brawl; I repeat, whatever Dexter brings to the table I will be ready for him,” Atwell reiterated.

Atwell said that he heard rumors that Gonsalves is a strong fighter but he (Atwell), is hardly perturbed. “Johnny (Gonsalves) is also a strong puncher and I managed to overcome that,” Atwell wryly replied with a hint of a smile on his lips. “I discovered myself in the (Johnny Gonsalves) bout because that’s when I realized that I could take a punch; I don’t believe that (Dexter) could pack such power,” he said.

During an earlier press conference, Gonsalves had blurted that he was going to knock out Atwell by round four.” Yesterday, Atwell scoffed at that remark and declared, “If that happens it will be the last time I enter the ring and I am already planning my next fight,” he declared matter of factly.

Less than a mile away, at the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF), also in Albouystown, Gonsalves was working out under the guidance of Sebert Blake and

Joseph Murray. After a hectic session of shadow boxing, the rangy fighter turned his attention to the heavy punching bag and released much pent up venom. Gonsalves is not the chatty type but he came out of his shell at an earlier staged press conference to pronounce that Atwell will sleep in the 4th round.

This statement cannot be taken lightly and Revlon Lake could attest to that. He had casually approached his bout with Gonsalves last year and paid the price after a crunching left hook dumped him on the canvass for the full count.

Fans could expect the same level of application when Gonsalves enters the ring this weekend.

Anson Green was also at the FYF and sent a missive to his opponent, Quincy Gomes, “Walk with your pillow and bedding because I’m going to put you to sleep,” Those two will match gloves in a 6 rounds welterweight showdown.

Keeve Allicock fights Terrence Adams in a 4 round jnr/welterweight bout and he was also at the FYF. “This will not go the full distance and I will be the winner,” he

boasted when asked for a prediction. Imran Khan fights David Thomas over 4 rounds had already talked his talk and had attempted to frighten his opponent when they clashed in verbal warfare at the prefight press conference.

The amateur boxers segment opens the show and in this segment, popular Republican warrior, Nankumar Singh, will bare fists with Kellon King in a lightweight bout while Orin Bancroft tackles Travis Hubbard in the lightweight (youth) category.

Glenroy Smith (EBG) will then square off with Republican Clifton Graham while Tefon Greene (GDF) will bring the curtains down on the amateur segment when he opposes Republican, Dexter Wray.

The dye is cast and with just 4 days left to showtime, fans are urged to secure their tickets early, those that have already bought tickets for the aborted card last month are assured that those instruments are still valid. Fans can also interact with the boxers this morning when they convene at the Merriman’s Mall for a tree planting exercise starting at 10:00hrs.

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Tuesday October 20, 2015

Boxing returns to Linden Saturday, ‘E’ Assessing how Guyanese players have gotten a Division Commander Kelvin Brutus supports Letter to the Sports Editor

raw deal by Chairman of Selectors Clive Lloyd

Dear Sports Editor, Ever since the India tour pull-out the talk of the Caribbean has been the obvious victimization towards Trinidad & Tobago players Dwayne Bravo & Kieron who were left out the World Cup squad and their recent nonselection in one-day squad for Sri Lanka tour due to “outside influences” as coach Simmons termed it, further solidified this belief.

Add the spurious reasons Denesh Ramdin was removed as test captain prematurely for Jason Holder & cricket fans of the twin-island republic have every reasons to feel that non-cricketing reasons are behind the WICBs and selectors treatment towards the trio.

However, Guyana has many reasons to feel that its players have also got a raw deal namely: Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Veerasammy Permaul, Leon Johnson and Rajendra Chandrika.

When Clyde Butts was chairman of selectors alongside Jamaican Robert Hayne, the common viewpoint among cricket analysts was that since they were not great cricketers - it comprised his ability to be a competent selector.

Sadly though, ever since the aforementioned India tour despite having Clive Lloyd and Courtney Walsh as new selectors whose cricketing background doesn’t need explaining - things have become equally bad.

Let us begin with Chanderpaul. Admittedly at the time I was in favour of Chanderpaul not being selected for the Australia tour for two reasons: Firstly his form in series versus South Africa and England looked bad enough to suggest giving him a farewell two test against a very strong Australian pace attack would have been a bad idea.

Also around the time coach Simmons had began to have conversations with Windies IPL stars who under the previous selection panel

were not always picked for the longer format, to clarify their availability for tests.

We now know Simmons noble gesture and vision to want the best players playing for West Indies across all formats isn’t in sync with the selectors’ strange thinking.

Therefore if before the Australia tour it was clear players like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Lendl Simmons were not going to be available - then giving Chanderpaul his farewell tests was deserved.

This would have been more logical than picking Shane Dorwich who bats at number six as a wicket-keeper batsman for Barbados, to bat at number four in a test match against Australia. Madness.

Who knows maybe the “Tiger” could have defied his bad form and made runs and he could have been involved in the Sri Lanka series.

Leon Johnson also must wonder what he did wrong.

On the South Africa tour he averaged 33.60 - only Marlon Samuels and Kraigg Brathwaite were better. Before that in one test versus Bangladesh as a make-shift opener he averaged 53. How he has not played a test after that is foolishness.

This brings me to poor Chandrika.

West Indies have a big problem now finding a steady opening partner for Brathwaite because Gayle has not played a test match since last September due to persistent back problems. Currently Shai Hope who impressed as a middle-order batsman last season is being wasted as an opener by the selectors.

Why was Chandrika, who never scored a first-class century, given a test debut? Then why after making a doubleduck on debut was he not playing in the first test in Sri Lanka after Clive Lloyd and co chose to ridiculously retain him? This is one of the most crazy West Indies selectors in recent history and it’s unfortunate that Chandrika is

being pushed into international cricket when he clearly is not good enough.

Finally Permaul. He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2014/15 domestic season and in the two test this year, his bowling was instrumental in helping West Indies to beat England in Barbados, while he had a poor tests versus Australia in Jamaica.

With Sunil Narine stating he is not 100% ready to play test cricket yet with his remodeled action, Permaul clearly was the most deserving spinner to tour Sri Lanka as replacement.

The situations highlight a major problem with Lloyd and the current selection panel. It is well known that the West Indies 4-day competition is crap, one season of the new Professional cricket league won’t change that.

When picking West Indies teams one can’t just judge domestic performances statistically only - we need selectors who can think out the box and identify players who look like they have the required acumen for international cricket.

Not because spinners take a ridiculous amount of wickets every season mean all of them are international standard. Bajan Jomel Warrican who was chosen ahead of Permaul is no different to Nikita Miller or Suliemann Benn - average left-arm spinners who don’t turn the ball.

Lloyd also defended Warrican’s selection, so why then not play him in first test?

It’s illogical to tour Sri Lanka on spinner friendly surfaces and play one spinner in a five-man attack.

Whether he realizes or not, Lloyd his doing a great disservice to his countrymen as chairman of selectors and from a larger West Indies perspective, his tenure is disconcertingly resembling that of former successful England captain Ray Illingworth - who when he was England selector in the 1990s failed miserably on the job.

Colin Benjamin

Supporting boxing in Linden: Kelvin Brutus, Commander of E Diuvision at right handing over a cheque to organiser Orlan ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rodgers.

An exciting night is anticipated on Saturday when amateur boxing returns to Linden as Commander of ‘E’ Division Kelvin Brutus joins forces to support the Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym and Fresh F r o m T h e We s t G r e e n s business with a ten bout boxing card set for the New Silvercity Secondary School hard court.

Two Georgetown-based boxing gyms, Harpy Eagles and Forgotten Youth Foundation will journey to Linden to take on Linden’s Pocket Rocket Gym in what will see some of the country’s promising young pugilists at the Under 15 and junior levels match skills.

Superintendent Brutus said he was impressed by the

efforts made to promote boxing in Linden and the Police at Linden will give their support with sponsoring meals and medals while also giving logistical support to its preparations.

Commander Brutus also informed that he has seen the drive behind organizer Orlan Rodgers to get boxing back to Linden after returning to the area. Rodgers had taken his Pocket Rocket Gym to Berbice in recent years and has now returned to Linden.

This is his first effort after relocating to Linden even though he had taken boxers form Linden to Georgetown recently with relative success.

Superintendent Brutus added: “We know that this

individual has been in this community for a while, some youths from Victory Valley and the surrounding communities are being currently trained by him to do boxing at the Community Centre ground in Victory Valley. So we want to keep that partnership and we want to be a part of the endeavour in the future, because it will be useful for us and useful as well for the community.

We have never been involved in boxing, we have been in football on more than one occasion, in cricket and circle tennis so this is our first venture in the area of boxing.”

The first set of boxers will touch gloves at 7.00pm.

Army exact revenge against nemesis UG Wolves It was sweet revenge for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), who turned the tables on UG Wolves to win the Banks 7s Championship trophy Sunday, at the University of Guyana Campus ground, Turkeyen.

Playing in the final one week after they had lost to the Wolves in the Trophy Stall final, the soldiers produced a courageous performance to prevail 17-14 in another exciting encounter between the two sides under floodlights, before a fair-sized crowd that included Director of Sport Christopher Jones, Banks DIH Communications

Manager Troy Peters, Brand Manager Richard Jodhan and President of the Union Peter Green.

Tournament MVP, GDF winger Avery Corbin, Captain Patrick King and fellow national player, Dwayne Schroeder were the lynchpin of the Army’s victory, while UG Captain Rondell ‘Bull’ McArthur and Lance Adonis led from the front for the academics.

Corbin’s two tries in the final (six for the tournament) along with a try and a conversion by Schroeder was enough for the GDF to replace last year’s champions UG as

the new title holders of the Banks 7s trophy.

Adonis’ try and two conversions along with an Owen Adonis try could not get them over the line on this occasion.

Speaking with King after the victory, he said that, “It was a great victory knowing that we lost last week. This was a big victory for us because this is a bigger tournament than the one last week. We went back to the drawing board and everyone wanted it. It was sweet revenge.”

Rugby action continues next week with the staging of a Schools Tournament.

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

ICC considering ‘different colour’ balls in Test matches BBC Sport - The International Cricket Council is considering the use of “different coloured” balls in all Test matches.

A pink variation will be used in the first day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand in November, but day-time matches use only a red ball. A red ball can be difficult to see when floodlights are used, like in England’s draw with Pakistan on Saturday. “It may be that we use a different coloured ball for all Tests,” said ICC chief executive Dave Richardson.

Though the pink-ball Test between Australia and New

Zealand is scheduled to take place under floodlights, restrictions are currently in place on how red-ball cricket continues under artificial lighting. These are enforced by the umpires, with no consultation to the players, as occurred on Saturday, when England were denied the opportunity to hit the 25 runs required for victory under floodlights in Abu Dhabi.

“It’s not ideal for the game,” added former South Africa wicketkeeper Richardson. “How we solve it I’m not so sure. We’ve tried various methods.

“We are pinning some

hope on developing a ball, a different-coloured ball. At this stage it would be a pink ball.

“If we can use it for daynight Test cricket, if the quality is good enough and it stays in decent enough condition, long term we can use that different-coloured ball for all Test matches.”

On Monday, Richardson was quoted in the Times suggesting a “greeny-yellow” ball could be used, but the 56year-old clarified these comments in a press conference.

“I was just talking about a different-coloured ball, and said ‘pink, yellow, green, whatever’ - nothing specific.”

Jadeja returns for South Africa Tests ESPNcricinfo Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja has made a comeback to the Indian squad for the first two Tests against South Africa after being dropped for the recent tours of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Offspinner R Ashwin, who suffered a side strain in the first ODI in Kanpur, was included in the 16-man Test squad but not picked for the last two oneday internationals.

Jadeja replaced offspinner Harbhajan Singh in India’s Test squad. Harbhajan, who had been out of the Test side since March 2013, made a comeback during the Bangladesh tour in June. He played the only Test of that series and the first Test of the Sri Lanka tour in August - in which he only picked up one wicket in 25 overs in spinfriendly conditions - before sitting out the second and third Tests.

Since being dropped from the squads for the Test series in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Jadeja has topped the wicket charts after three rounds of the Ranji Trophy - with 24 in two matches at an average of 8.25. He has also scored 91 and 58 in two innings for Saurashtra.

“We don’t discuss just 15 players. We consider domestic performances,” the chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil said. “The kind of pitches that we will play on, the opposition, and keeping that in mind we have picked Jadeja.”

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma was named in the Test squad despite being ineligible for selection for the first match because of a suspension slapped on him by the ICC for bad behaviour during India’s tour of Sri Lanka. Ishant was ruled out of the last two ODIs against South Africa, after injuring his hamstring during Delhi’s Ranji Trophy match

Ravindra Jadeja (Getty Images) against Haryana, but is expected to be fit in time for the Tests.

Seamer S Aravind replaced fast bowler Umesh Yadav in the ODI squad for the remaining two matches of the series, which South Africa lead 2-1. Umesh had been left out of the team for the third ODI in Rajkot after conceding 2 for 71 and 1 for 52 in eight overs in the first two matches of the series. Aravind had played the first T20I in Dharamsala, where he took 1 for 44 on debut, but did not play the next two Twenty20 fixtures.

The BCCI also named the Board President’s XI - led by Cheteshwar Pujara - to play South Africa in Mumbai on October 30 and 31. That group of 13 players included Rajasthan fast bowler Nathu Singh, a 20-year old fast bowler who took 7 for 87 on first-class debut against Delhi.

“We are looking for something special,” Patil said. “For the last three years two selectors accompany the Indian team, but the rest travel all over to watch domestic cricket. We have seen a

glimpse in Nathu Singh. We want to give him the chance.”

The final two ODIs of the series are on October 22 and 25, and the first Test begins on November 5 in Mohali.

Squad for first two Tests: Virat Kohli (capt), M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishr a , B h u v n e s h w a r Kumar, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma ODI squad for last two matches: MS Dhoni (capt), Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma, S Aravind, Gurkeerat Singh, Amit Mishra, Harbhajan Singh Board President’s XI: Cheteshwar Pujara (capt), KL Rahul, Unmukt Chand, Karun Nair, Shreyas Iyer, Naman Ojha, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Sheldon Jackson, Karn Sharma, Nathu Singh.

Page 31

Ulric Harris reclaims coveted accolade after tough battle among scrabble players A few weeks ago, Yvonne Murray inflicted a 182 spread defeat on Ulric Harris to claim the winning trophy when several scrabble enthusiasts convened for a tournament at the Murray’s residence, Nandy Park EBD. Harris proved that he is indeed made of sterner stuff when he returned last Sunday evening to avenge the victory on his way to regaining the accolade.

When the group last convened for the tournament, it was Yvonne that had won the trophy after defeating all and sundry. This time around, Harris was patient and at times rode his luck to eventually amass a flawless 5 points and a positive spread of 294 to emerge at the top of the heap.

Carlton Murray was Harris’ first victim and he went down by a spread of 40. Ruby Cummings did not fare better and though she battled courageously, she eventually surrendered the game by a spread of 60. Maurice Munro suffered the worst fate when he was totally outclassed after losing by a large spread of 181.

Harris’ first post lunch game against Michael Benjamin proved to be his toughest after the latter player’s first play was a bingo. The play hurt but Harris brushed it aside and resolutely applied himself to the rebuilding pro-

In this photo Harris enjoys the moment after reclaiming the prized trophy. cess. He was within twenty points of overtaking Benjamin’s score when he (Benjamin) struck again with another bingo. Though shaken, Harris rode his luck and came good with more than 50 points after placing the ‘Z’ on a lucrative spot and accruing more than 50 points.

The bag was almost depleted but the ‘old master’ was still in with a chance after registering a bingo. Benjamin then rebounded with several clever plays that pushed him

further away and seemed set to upset Harris. The bag was eventually depleted and merely 7 points separated the two when Benjamin placed 4 tiles on the board and surged to the lead. It was then that Harris pulled the proverbial ‘rabbit from his hat,’ after playing out his tiles and accruing the points held by Benjamin which barely pushed him over the line by 7 points.

Harris’ victory over Murray, the final for the day, was just as close, by a mere 5 points.

Unbeaten Golovkin pummels Lemieux to unify middleweight titles New York (AFP) Gennady Golovkin looked dynamic as he dominated David Lemieux in a middleweight unification title fight and now says he wants to rule the suddenly resurgent division and make boxing history at the same time.

“I am happy I gave my friends and fans a big show,” said Golovkin after knocking out Lemieux in the eighth round in New York late Saturday.

“My goal is to have all the belts in the middleweight division. I want to break a new story.”

WBA champ Golovkin grabbed the IBF belt, extending his unbeaten streak to 34 straight wins with the victory in front of 20,548 at Madison Square Garden.

The Kazakh national put on an explosive display of punching power in the 160-pound fight, dominating the former Canadian champion from the opening bell before the referee stopped the slaugh-

Kazakh boxer Gennady Golovkin (pictured) knocked out David Lemieux in the eighth round of their middleweight bout in New York late Saturday (AFP Photo/Mark Ralston) ter halfway through the round.

Golovkin staggered Lemieux with a vicious left hook hal f w a y through the fourth

r o u n d a n d t h e n scored the first knockdown of the fight in the fifth with a crushing bo d y s h o t t h a t caused his opponent to (Continued on page 29)

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Stag Elite League

Pele’s unbeaten run halted by GDF at the death; Buxton is solid against GFC

By Franklin Wilson A Delroy Fraser goal in the final minute of added on time (90+3) sunk Pele to their first defeat of the Stag Elite League (SEL) with the Guyana Defence Force recording an exciting 2-1 win over the league leaders in the feature match on Sunday evening last at the Guyana Defence Force ground, Camp Ayanganna.

It was the GDF’s third win in seven matches having been awarded the game against Slingerz FC who had refused to take the field at the same venue last week after being locked in an international transfer issue with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) which has since ruled in favour of the Army.

Sunday’s opening match saw Buxton United recording their second win of the league as they turned back the challenge of the high riding Georgetown Football Club (GFC) team, 2-1.

The GDF/Pele clash was an eagerly anticipated showdown, many of the fans predicting that the GDF was now finding form and their speed would have been a challenge for Pele whose main weapon, Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson moved to seven goals in the league after putting them ahead from the penalty spot.

Richardson did so very early in the piece, his 9th

minute penalty which sailed under goalkeeper Carl Stephenson at full stretch.

That would have been the last time that Pele was able to breach the GDF’s defence on the night as Stephenson who many felt was the unofficial MVP of the match was flawless from then to the final whistle.

The GDF’s pace and ability to utilise the flanks was always troublesome for Pele which on the defensive end of things, the home team were able to nullify the threats of Richardson who was double teamed on most occasions.

It did not take too long for the GDF to come on even terms with Pele; the nippy Eusi ‘Bony Man’ Phillips finished clinically in the 21st minute from the penalty spot, custodian Devon Charles unable to stop the goal; Pele 1 GDF 1.

Thereafter, keen exchanges were the order of the day with the GDF looking the more dangerous of the two sides; Richardson tried all he could to break through but was not allowed to. Just as the game was seemingly headed for a draw with the fourth official signaling 3 minutes of added on time, the home team had not yet finished.

In the final minute and what could be termed the final run down, Another of the GDF’s danger man, Delroy

Denvor Dennis (right) and Inceford Charles.

Fraser pulled one out of the bag, letting off a well executed shot that settled at the back of the nets to give them the win 2-1.

It was a deflating goal for the Pele side and they would know all about that since they did the same against both Slinger and Alpha United to draw their matches, 1-1 and 2-2, respectively.

The opening game saw a resurgent Buxton United notching up their second win by stopping GFC 2-1.

Buxton dominated the opening half; both their goals were scored in this period.

Inceford Charles put the East Coast based side ahead in the 38th minute, while Denvor Dennis (45+2) fired an excel-

lent shot that rippled past debutant 14 year-old goalkeeper Sesi Norville to the far post.

GFC were able to pull one back from the penalty spot on the third attempt, the alert Charles Kellman hitting the ball past Buxton goalie Jason Cromwell who blocked the initial shot as well as the second attempt in the 88th

Eusi Phillips (right) and Delroy Fraser. minute.

All the while, the Buxton defenders were just standing by taking in the action and not aware that they too, like the GFC players could have advanced to clear the ball.

Action is set to continue today when second round action kicks off at the GDF ground with a double header.

GDF will take on Buxton in

the feature game with the curtain raiser bringing together Monedderlust and Fruta Conquer ors from 18:00hrs.

Tomorrow at the same venue, two more matches will be contested, Pele will face Alpha United in the opening clash at 18:00hrs with the main event between GFC and Slingerz.

Broncos beat Browns in OT to remain unbeaten (The Sports Xchange) Brandon McManus kicked a 35-yard field goal with 4:56 remaining in overtime on Sunday to keep the Denver Broncos undefeated and beat the Cleveland Browns, 26-23.

The lead changed hands twice in the fourth quarter before a 26-yard field goal by Browns kicker Travis Coons with 1:30 to play tied the score, 23-23.

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning threw a 75yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders midway through the fourth quarter one play after the Browns took the lead for the first time after being down 100 at halftime.

The Browns scored three touchdowns in the second half and took a 20-16 lead with 8:07 to play on a 35-yard interception return by linebacker Karlos Dansby.

The interception was the

second of the game thrown

by Manning, but just when it seemed all the momentum was with the Browns, the Broncos’ 39-year-old quarterback hooked up with Sanders to temporarily regain the lead for Denver.

A 29-yard field goal by McManus accounted for the only scoring of the first quarter.

The Browns started a drive on their own 19 late in the first quarter and advanced to the Denver 38 to start the second period. Running back Isaiah Crowell lost two yards on a run to the right.

On second down, quarterback Josh McCown looked to his right for wide receiver Travis Benjamin, but Denver cornerback Aqib Talib jumped the route and sprinted 63 yards to the end zone with the Broncos’ eighth interception of the season.

The Browns cut their 10-0

halftime deficit to a field goal with a touchdown on their first possession of the third quarter w h e n M c C o w n threw a 12-yard fade to tight end Gary Barnidge in the back right corner of the end zone.

Twice in the third quarter after cutting the lead to 10-7 the Browns got the ball back with good field position but each time the Broncos refused to yield. One Cleveland possession beginning at the Browns 35 ended in a threeand-out and one that started at the Browns 48 ended with a strip sack by Broncos linebacker Shaq Barrett. Barrett recovered the fumble to set up a 25-yard field goal by McManus.

McManus kicked his third field goal of the game for a 16-7 lead and then the Browns cut it to 16-14 on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Barnidge with 9:20 left.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) carries the ball for a touchdown after the catch as Cleveland Browns cornerback Jordan Poyer (33) defends in the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium.

(James Lang-USA TODAY Sports)

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Berbice Cricket Board/Tenelec Inc First Division Cricket Competition

Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets get past Young Warriors for final spot Half century by Assad Fudadin, four-wicket hauls from Shawn Perriera and Rajiv Ivan

Assad Fudadin

Shawn Perriera

Rajiv Ivan

A responsible half century by West Indies middle order batsman Assad Fudadin coupled with fourwicket hauls from Berbice senior cricketer Rajiv Ivan and former national youth player Shawn Perriera led Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club to a resounding victory in the semi-final of the 2015 Bobby Deonarine and Tom Gruntzel sponsored Tenelec Inc fifty over first division cricket organised by the Berbice Cricket Board.

In glorious sunshine and on a sun baked dusty Area ‘H’ outfield, the host won the toss and batted first.

They enjoyed a solid opening partnership of 67 from Vidal Crandon and Assad Fudadin. Crandon went first off the bowling of national under 19 all rounder Kassim Khan for a boundary filled 37 with 8x4.

The consistent Berbice wicketkeeper batsman Jason Sinclair joined Fudadin and together they put on exactly 100 for the second wicket before Sinclair went bowled by former national youth player Kevin Ramdeen for 42 (4x4 and 2x6).

Ramdeen kept a check on the RHTY&SC progress by getting the wickets of Ivan for 14 and Berbice all rounder Clinton Pestano for no score. However, the lower order rallied their team to an impressive 254 for 8 off their allotted overs.

Fudadin top scored with 68 (7x6 and 1x4). Bowling for Young Warriors CC Ramdeen took 3 for 54 off 10 overs and Khan 2 for 41.

In reply, the visitors lost Berbice under 15 opener Alex Algoo early by the run out route for 1. They never really truly recovered except for a few promising starts

from national senior opener and West Indies under 19 player Shimron Hetmyer with 45 (4x4 and 2 x6), Kassim Khan 36 no, former national youth batsman Seon Hetmyer 27 and playoff centurion Waheid Edwards 20. They ended on 193 all out in 42.5 overs.

Doing the damage for the host was Rajiv Ivan with 4 for 34 off 10 overs and Shawn Perriera 4 for 39 off 10 overs.

Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets will now play neighbour and arch rival Albion Com m u n i t y Center Cricket Club at a date and venue to be announced.

Both clubs are asked to note that the Berbice River Bridge final is now confirmed for Saturday October 24, 2015 at the Port Mourant ground from 9:30 am.

Mahaica Helena beat Gibson Unity Primary Mahaica Helena defeated Gibson Unity when the National Sports Commission inter-primary schools cricket competition continued recently on the East Coast of Demerara.

Mahaica Helena batted first and scored 99-1 off their allotted five overs. Mario Persaud slammed nine sixes in scoring an unbeaten 67 while Lakeram Persaud made 18 not out (2x4).

Gibson Unity responded with 57-4. Timothy Robinson struck 23 (4x4); Mario Persaud had 2-17.

Coordinator Daniel Richmond informed that the competition will continue tomorrow involving schools

Daniel Richmond from Ann’s Grove to Paradise and on Friday from Plaisance to Better Hope.

Page 33

Top Puerto Rican boxer remains critical after collapsing in ring Just over one month after stopping Guyana’s former world champion, Vivian Harris, September 11 last, P u e r t o R i c a n f i g h t e r, Prichard Colon, is now battling for his life after he was knocked out by Terrel Williams in a bout in Washington, D.C., suburb of Fairfax, Virginia, last Sunday evening.

Colon was deemed a rising star with stunning power in both hands and had out-boxed Harris, sending him to the canvass before stopping him in the 4th round to improve his record to 160, with 13 coming from KOs. Sunday’s fight was the first time that he has lost a fight.

President of the promotions group, DiBella Entertainment, said that Colon underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain after the conclusion of the bout. The report continued that Colon appeared to be fine after he left the ring but subsequently showed worrying symptoms in his dressing room.

He was rushed to Inova Fairfax hospital and underwent immediate surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. The stricken boxer reportedly suffered brain bleed as a result of an injury during the bout and is now under the care of emergency medical technicians.

The fight had all the ingredients of a world title affair but was marred after both boxers were cited for

illegal tactics. In the 5th round, Prichard struck his opponent in the groin in what the referee ruled was an intentional act and discounted two points from his score. The ‘no holds barred’ affair saw both pugilists vengefully going after each other. Prichard then received some consolation 2 rounds later when, during close combat, his opponent delivered a rabbit punch that landed behind his head and sent him writhing to the canvass. The referee was a bit apprehensive, took some time, but eventually ruled that the blow was intentional and deducted a point from Williams’ score.

The two boxers resumed at a frenetic pace, each attempting to inflict maximum pain to the other.

Colon was knocked down twice in the ninth round, the second time just before the bell by a right hand and when the p e n u l t i m a t e round ended, Williams was touted to be unofficially ahead on the judges’ scorecard.

Prichard returned to his corner but shortly afterwards, it was noted that his handlers were removing his gloves triggering speculations that he had quit.

Shortly afterwards they claimed that they thought that the previous round was the 10th and that the fight had ended.

Confusion reigned as Prichard’s handlers, upon realizing their mistake,

Prichard Colon (YouTube) frenetically attempted to repair the damage and hastily attempting to re-tie the laces of their fighter’s glove when the referee, Joseph Cooper, ruled that the fight was ended and awarded the bout to Williams.

Prichard exited the ring and appeared to be fine but shortly afterwards, while in the dressing room, showed symptoms and was rushed to the Inova Fairfax hospital.

“He was diagnosed with bleeding to the brain and underwent immediate surgery to relieve pressure on his brain,” DiBella said in a statement. “His condition remains critical.”

He said that the stricken fighter is under the care of emergency medical technicians.

Colon was undefeated in 16 fights and favored against Williams in the semi-main event that was televised by NBC.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 20, 2015

GBBC/Giftland Office Max Nex Generation Boxing Card

Clive Atwell spews fighting words in response to Gonsalves knockout threats

By Michael Benjamin “I am ready for anything Dexter (Gonsalves) brings to the ring this weekend.”

Those were fighting words and they were uttered by Clive Atwell when Kaieteur Sport engaged him in discussions pertaining to their imminent clash this weekend. He said that he is a more seasoned contender and Gonsalves will get a rude awakening on fight night.

The two fighters will clash in what the pundits have labeled ‘The Fight of the Century’ for the F e c a r b o x junior/welterweight title at the Giftland Office Max

Mall, Liliendaal, ECD. Atwell returned to Guyana last Saturday night after spending the past month sharpening up at the world famed Gleasons Gym, Front Street, Brooklyn, New York.

Iwan Azore was to have been Gonsalves’ opponent and that fight was scheduled for last month end.

However, Azore sustained an injury during training sessions and Atwell, who was in Dominica, merely keeping himself in shape with light exercises, instantly grabbed the opportunity when he was asked to fill the void.

Officials of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) wasted little time in

putting the necessary modalities in place for the bout. Fresh from his remarkable victory over Jamaican Contender Champion, Sakima Mullings, Atwell only needed to intensify training activities and he opted for t h e N e w Yo r k b a s e d institution. While there, he was tutored by former Olympian, Dillon Carew and multiple champion, Leon ‘Hurry Up’ Moore.

Yesterday afternoon, Atwell resumed sessions under the watchful eyes of his main coach, Lennox ‘Cappell’ Daniels and after assessing his condition and skills, even the uninitiated will admit that he is indeed ready for

whatever Gonsalves brings to the ‘square jungle.’

Atwell is basically toning down after weeks of tough work and spent yesterday pounding away on the strike pads, held by Daniels. This particular tool facilitates proper coordination and accuracy even as it helps the boxer improve his speed. Atwell pieced together his combinations and remarkably achieved those goals.

He also spent the better part of thirty minutes working on his coordination and strength with a basketball which he bounced laterally against the concrete wall of the gym. He

GCB presents gears to coaches for secondary school league

Clive Atwell

then closed off the day with a hectic session on the jump rope before wrapping up with light calisthenics and rigorous abdominal exercises. “I have done the bulk of work in New York and am home to finish the job,” Atwell pronounced in answer to a question. He said whereas the initial stages of his training were all about

strategies and condition work, he is currently concentrating on speed, body and mind coordination and the maintenance of his fitness.

Atwell also said that his workout in New York was a bit tough because he was required to regroup after reducing his boxing activity (Continued on page 29)

Yaw, Samuels impress at North Georgetown Inter-Zones -Zone One wins title

Schools cricket programme coordinator Anthony D’ Andrade (third from left) presents a bat to Anil Persaud in the presence of other coaches.

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) yesterday presented a quantity of cricket gears to several coaches which will assist them to conduct sessions in their respective zones for the successful staging of the Banks DIH/Digicel National Secondary School League.

The presentation took place at the board’s office.

In an invited comment Territorial Development Officer of the GCB Colin Stuart said that this venture will also help to ensure that adequate gears are at the venues for the games.

Coordinator of the School cricket programme Anthony D’ Andrade, a former Guyana U19 player who also represents Tucber Park CC, indicated that the competition w ill help to indentify talent w hich w ill s erve w ell for the growth of the sport

and that he is looking forward to a successful tournament.

Coach Daniel Richmond welcomed the initiative and informed that they will be better equip to conduct practice sessions and thanked the board.

South American 400m youth record holder and national sprinter, Jason Yaw was impressive at North Georgetown Inter-Zone Championships that concluded on Friday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.

Yaw won the sprint triple in the Under-20 category, racing to victory in the 100m, 200m and 400m to be the Most Outstanding Male Athlete.

Avon Samuels was named Outstanding Female Athlete in the U-18 category with a similar feat as well.

Claudrice McKoy topped the female U-16 group with wins in the 800m, 1500m and 3000 metres races while Jeremy Garrett ran away with the 400m, 800m and 1500 metres.

Matthew McKenzie was also in top form with wins in the U-20 Boys’ 1500m and 5000m.

Catyann Jones won the

Jason Yaw comfortably wins the Boys’ 400m race at the Police Sports Club Ground on Friday.

female 100m and 200m.

Meanwhile, Zone One won the event with 1,192 points while Zone Two finished second with 822 points. Zone three was third with 713 points.

Tuesday October 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Trophy Stall onboard with InterD’Andrade, Johnson Ministry/Corporation futsal tourney tops T&T Road Races.

Proprietor of Trophy Stall Ramesh Sunich hands over the trophies for the top performers to coordinators Esan Griffith (right) and Otis James (left).

With the GT Beer InterMinistry/Corporation futsal tournament set to kickoff on Thursday, Trophy Stall joined the fray of supporters on Monday by donating the winning trophies.

At the simple handing over ceremony at Trophy Stall’s Bourda location, cocoordinator of the event Esan Griffith thanked the Trophy Stall for their support.

“This tournament has been in the planning stages

for a while but due to a few sponsorship setbacks we had to reschedule… we are ready for kickoff on Thursday and we are grateful for Trophy Stall’s support and coming onboard with us.”

“This tournament is a way of getting all these organizations an opportunity to have some recreation as well as to build camaraderie,” Griffith noted.

Proprietor of Trophy Stall Ramesh Sunich

stressed that sport is important to society, “We are pleased to be associated with this tournament as it was mentioned this will be the biggest futsal tournament and we at Trophy Stall believe that sport brings people together and we hope that it does,” Sunich stated.

The tournament will feature 32 teams with up to $500,000 in cash and prizes to be won. Action will start from 18:00hrs.

Uprising Stars overcome St. Cuthbert’s in T20 fixture

Sheldon Sealy Uprising Stars of Christianburg defeated St. Cuthbert’s Mission of Linden Soesdyke Highway by 16 runs in a T20 encounter played on Sunday at Bayrock, Linden.

Uprising were somewhat pegged back by steady bowling by St. Cuthbert’s, but a robust 32 from Sheldon Sealy propped up the total as they posted 147-8, batting

Timothy Andrews (left) and Julio Ferreira first. The right-handed Sealy slammed four fours and one six, while Ricardo Anderson struck 24 with four fours and Nerbert Sansculotte 22 including three fours.

Julio Ferreira was the pick of the bowlers with 4-18 and Timothy Andrew had 323.

St. Cuthbert’s threatened but fell for 131 in 19.2 overs in reply. Ferreira showed his

all-round prowess with a blistering 46 which contained six fours and one maximum, while Andrews hit 18 and Eustace O’Selmo 12. Dellon Allicock claimed three wickets while Nial Morrison, Travis Morrison and Dereck Lowenfield had one each. The game was organised by the Upper Demerara Cricket Association.

Trinidad and Tobagobased Guyanese distance running duo, Kelvin Johnson and Lionel D’Andrade continued to excel in the Twin Island Republic last weekend when they finished first and second respectively in the Palo Seco Credit Union 6km Road Race on Saturday.

Johnson stopped the clock at 19:12 while his teammate Lionel D’Andrade followed closely in 19:24 in the race to place second.

Trinidadian, Colin Pereira (19:39) finished third.

“I felt good this morning.

I was focusing on speed training more than putting in the mileage and my time today is an improvement from last year, where I clocked 20:21 in this same event. Also last weekend I also placed fifth in the Air Bon Sonics 5k,” D’Andrade said yesterday. “ T h a t ’s a d e f i n i t e

Kelvin Johnson

improvement.

I am tapering down now in preparation for the 12th Edition of the UWI Spec Half Marathon scheduled

Lionel D’Andrade for next Sunday (October 25),” he added.

The Palo Seco race had 109 participants last Saturday.

t r o Sp

Pele’s unbeaten run halted by GDF at the death; Buxton is solid against GFC

GDF goalkeeper Carl Stephenson punches the ball away to break up a promising run by Pele.

Army exact revenge against nemesis UG Wolves

The victorious Guyana Defence Force team poses with the winning trophy in the presence of Director of Sport Christopher Jones (left), President of the Union Peter Green (right) and Banks DIH representatives Richard Jodhan (2nd left0 and Troy Peters on his immediate left.

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