Page 2
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Linden Commission of Inquiry hears‌
One handgun submitted for tests after shooting By Zena Henry After the July 18 shooting in Linden, the police force submitted one .38 Taurus revolver belonging to a Sergeant for ballistics testing to be conducted. He said that none of the weapon’s bullets were given to him to be examined. That was part of the evidence provided yesterday by Sergeant Eon Jackson, who is attached to Criminal Investigation Department at Eve Leary as the fingerprint
technician. He is also the force’s firearm and ammunition examiner. He gave his evidence before the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the July 18 Linden shooting that left three people dead and dozens injured. Jackson testified that he received no weapon from former E and F Commander Clifton Hicken and Assistant Superintendent Walter Stanton for testing. His testimony contradicted comments by Commissioner of Police Leroy
- Pellets cannot be traced to any particular firearm Brumell and Crime Chief Seelall Persaud in the wake of the shooting. They had said that the police had submitted weapons for testing. Persaud had stated that only four police cartridges were missing from those issued for the Linden event. Jackson, responding to
questions posed by Attorney for the people, Nigel Hughes, said that to know if a fragment, bullet or shell came from a police gun, the police would have to bring the firearm for testing to ascertain whether that gun fired the ammunition. Jackson testified that Detective Inspector Alexander brought samples
Firearm and ammunition examiner, Sergeant Eon Jackson testifies of 00 Buck shots with copper coating which are components of a cartridge in three separate containers. The ammunition, he understood, came from the bodies of Ron Somerset, Allan Lewis and Shemroy Bouyea. The expert could not say the gauge of weapon from which the ammunition was taken, but he said that it was the ammunition a shotgun normally used. He said that the pellets in the three containers could not be traced to any particular firearm. Jackson said that he knows the police to use Winchester and Mossberg pump action shotguns, and the 00 cartridges could be fired from either weapon. He however said that in his 17 years in the firearm field, he did not know the force to use 00 Buck shots until he heard his boss say that the police stopped using the ammunition in 2005. Under further questioning, Jackson said that bullets fired at protestors in Linden did not ricochet from any surface. He said for one to determine such an action, the bullet would have debris from the surface it hits, and would become deformed. He testified that none of the bullets taken from the three victims had the two mandatory features which are necessary in determining that the bullet had ricocheted. He could not say the distance from which those killed in Linden were shot. When questioned by Commissioner K.D. Knights, Jackson said that had he been given firearm cartridges, he would have been able to determine which guns the items came from. He said that normally, when there is a police shooting, casings and
firearms from police ranks would be submitted to him, but in this case (Linden incident) that did not occur. He said, also, that he does not know whether shells from Linden were collected following the shootings. Jackson testified that after testing the only handgun that was given to him, he found no gunpowder residue, meaning that the gun was not fired. For clarity, Jackson told the Commissioners that he is not a ballistics expert. The witness said that that field covers a large scope of areas than what is done in Guyana. He instead said he is a firearm and ammunition examiner. PATHOLOGIST Pathologist Nehaul Singh also testified at the COI yesterday. He gave evidence relating to the post mortem examinations conducted on the three men who died during the Linden unrest. Singh said that Ron Somerset died from three gunshot wounds in the body, one on the left thigh; another wound was on the right leg, under the knee. Another gunshot wound was found on the right chest going downwards to the left. Metal fragments were taken from the thigh and one from the chest. He said Somerset died from hemorrhage and shock as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. Singh said that Allan Lewis died from two gunshot wounds from the back to the front of the chest. Two metal fragments were recovered and given to the police. Lewis died from perforation of the lung and stomach due to gunshot wounds. Shemroy Bouyea received one gunshot wound from front to back. One metal (Continued on page 16)
Page 4
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Letters... Where your views make the news
Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Citizen Security The security of citizens is the fundamental raison d’etre of the state. It is therefore quite in order that the UNDP’s Caribbean Human Development Report 2012 focused on the theme, “Human Development and the Shift to Better Citizen Security”. In Guyana, we have had a plethora of reports that focused on the need for reform in our security sector. The UNDP’s report reminds us that while each country may have its unique features, there are enough commonalities with our neighbours to suggest that there may be broader, global issues that have to be addressed if we are to be successful in enhancing the security of our citizens. The report points out that even though we have very small populations our crime rates have placed us unenviably in the upper ranks in the world’s crime rankings. “The resulting alarm has often led to short-sighted, mano dura (iron fist) policies, which have proven ineffective and, at times, detrimental to the rule of law. A key message of the report is that Caribbean countries need to focus on a model of security based on the human development approach, whereby citizen security is paramount, rather than on the traditional state security model, whereby the protection of the state is the chief aim. “Indeed, the contrast between prevention on the one hand and repression and coercion on the other is ill conceived. Social inclusion to help prevent crime and violence and efficient and effective law enforcement are by no means incompatible or mutually exclusive. In a truly democratic society, broad based social inclusion and swift criminal justice–or “prevention” and “coercion”—serve to reinforce and complement each other.” Focusing on the policing institutions, the Report recommends: “The Caribbean police, in general, must do more to facilitate the transition from the state security model to the citizen-oriented model of policing. This will require a shift in focus at the highest levels of police administration. First, there must be dramatic changes in the leadership styles of top administrators. The traditional leadership styles of ‘steward’ and ‘commander’ must be replaced by the ‘executive’ style. The executive style incorporates a deep commitment to strategic planning and creative thinking to enhance the organization’s value to the community it serves. For example, both strategic planning and creative thinking are needed to determine how best to mould the willingness of citizens to help reduce violence into a viable and sustainable policecommunity partnership. In addition, the executive style views changes in organizational structure, cultural changes and programmatic changes as part of an evolutionary process that is to be embraced rather than avoided, as is traditionally done in the Caribbean. Finally, the executive style highly values input not only from subordinates, but also from external groups and individuals who have a stake in the security of communities and the nation as a whole. The community is viewed as a major resource in terms of input and support, as well as a valuable and necessary partner in reducing violence and increasing citizen security. “Change in leadership style at the top of the organization is only part of the reform that must take place if an effective community and police co-productive alliance is to be established. The rankand-file of the police organization must also be convinced that it is in their best interest to support reform and to work with the community to increase security. The job satisfaction of constables is key to their embracing organizational changes such as community policing. “If the transformation of the police services is to be successful, more robust systems of police accountability are required. These systems must include elements that are internal to the police forces and elements that are external, as well as formal and informal elements. The internal systems should include the following: Capable and credible departments of professional responsibility that possess the authority and the capability to investigate corruption effectively and to prevent it in all its forms. External units charged with investigating use-offorce violations by the police, especially those violations that have resulted in death.”
Moses Nagamootoo confronts Manzoor Nadir DEAR EDITOR, I write to reject the outright concoction and malicious lies peddled by Manzoor Nadir that I was paid $10 million, maybe $20 million in fees from the Chinese company that is involved in expansion work at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Nadir, the one-time TUF leader now representing the PPP/C, made the libelous statement during what was touted as a “debate” sponsored by and aired on state-owned National Communications Network (NCN), on 16th October, 2012. On 17th October, 2012, the Guyana Chronicle reported: “Nadir, holding a picture of Nagamootoo escorting a Chinese delegation from the company that won the bid for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project, dared the AFC member to challenge allegations of a $10M retainer he got in relation to representation in the particular project.” I d a r e N a d i r, a n d
challenge him to produce the proof of his wicked and baseless allegation! Nadir shared the “debate” with his side-kick, Leslie Ramsammy, both of whom viciously vilified AFC leaders behind our backs, especially Nigel Hughes and me, and said that we were guilty of “dishonesty” and “extortion”. At a press conference on 18th October, I had placed Nadir, NCN and Chronicle on notice about Nadir’s barefaced lies, and that I had referred the matter to my lawyers. The state-owned as well as other sections of the media did not publish my statement. The false and defamatory allegation against me, came just days after the Chronicle newspaper published on 7th October, 2012 a monstrous lie that I was paid $7 million from the state company, NICIL, to pass transport to D’Edward residents who were relocated for the Berbice Bridge to be built. Chronicle also lied that I had extorted from one
resident $300,000 to be placed in my bank account to pass transport to him. I have denied the latter accusation, and put the Chronicle to proof of its allegation, but Chronicle failed and/or refused to publish my rebuttal letter. Instead, through a writer, it has pleaded justification for the article, and insisted on the truth of it. I repeat: I was never paid $ 7 million by NICIL to pass transport to any of the residents, or for the D’Edward project, or at all. I was NOT hired to pass transport to any of the residents. I prepared the legal framework for and successfully negotiated a compensation package in excess of $90 million for the residents, with which they were well pleased. I now wish to state that I have NOT done any work for the Chinese company that was contracted to do the airport expansion. I admit offering assistance to another Chinese company that specializes mainly in
building railways and bridges, and I had introduced its delegation to the Speaker of the National Assembly and to some private sector investors during a visit in June this year. I have not charged the Chinese company a single cent for my assistance to help them bring investment to Guyana! H o w e v e r, w h e n w e learned that the visiting company was a subsidiary of the airport contractor, Speaker Trotman and I brought to their attention perceived corruption regarding the manner in which that contract was executed, and we insisted on transparency and best practices on any Guyana project. Mansoor Nadir has maligned me publicly. He has attacked me viciously and has lied against me. This is part of a wellorchestrated campaign at character assassination mainly to deflect the people’s attention from “pervasive” corruption by state officials and agencies, and the ineptitude of the Ramotar regime. The PPP has me locked in their sight as a scapegoat for their fall in support countrywide, and especially in Berbice, a former stronghold, that has lent support for the Alliance for Change. In their frenzy to woo back Indo-Guyanese support, the PPP has resorted to other wicked lies of linking me with violence in Agricola. I have repeatedly denied those lies, but it suits the racist agenda of the PPP to repeat them as their tactic for ethnic mobilization is to hold out the so-called “black jumbie” to scare former Indian supporters. I expect that they will continue to beat the Agricola drums for their frenzied crabdance of pulling our people apart and putting down Guyana! I call on Mansoor Nadir, the General Manager of NCN and the Editor of Chronicle to retract their false allegations and to publish an appropriate apology, failing which legal action will be taken against them without further notice. I urge the PPP to desist from this dangerous course of whipping up racism, hatred and further divisions in our beloved Guyana. The pain will never justify a “victory”! Moses V. Nagamootoo AFC Parliamentarian and Vice-Chairman
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 5
Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Kudos for the fire service driver DEAR EDITOR, I read in dismay your article about the near fatal incident which occurred at Lamaha and Irving Streets, involving a well known businessman and a Guyana Fire Service Water Tender. I am not diminishing in anyway the outcome of the accident with regards to Mr. Frank DeAbreu. My sincere concern goes out to his family and I hope he recovers well. However, in my opinion too much press was given to him, without the dangers of not yielding to Emergency Vehicles highlighted. This happens quite often, but is rarely reported. Don’t you think the heroics of the brave driver of the fire engine was outstanding, since he risked
his life and those of the other firemen with him, to prevent further harm to others? This self-sacrificing spirit is rare today and should receive recognition of the highest sort. Those firemen are the sort real heroes are made of, and, I hope Mr. Marlon Gentle and the Guyana Fire Service ensure Marlon Wilson and his cohorts get the best aftercare possible. Added to that I hope the Traffic Chief uses this well publicised incident, as a classic example to help others desist from disregarding wailing sirens on emergency vehicles on their way to help others. This should serve as a lesson. Dionne Plass R.N United Kingdom
Rose and Singh wrong to justify disorder at Agricola
DEAR EDITOR, This is in response to Messrs Asquith Rose and Harish Sasenarine Singh’s missive “Bisram’s condemnation of the opposition for the Agricola unrest is irresponsible” (KN Oct 18). The opposition AFC and PNC (APNU) claimed ownership of the protest according to all the media with APNU subsequently dissociating from it following the beating and robbing. Isn’t it a logical deduction that the opposition should be held responsible (and accountable) for the unrest that flowed from the protest? Contrary to what the two AFC sycophants penned, I am not acting as judge, jury and executioner on those responsible for beating, terrorizing and robbing Indians during the unrest. In my letter, I simply appealed to the AFC, since it was the lead organizer of the protest, to cooperate with the police to find the attackers who terrorized and robbed. The AFC has a moral, if
not legal, duty to get restitution for the victims. The two AFC sycophants stated that the working class is not daft. I agree. That is why the working class would want the AFC to help the authorities find the attackers and help the victims pay their medical bills and arrange to have them compensated for their loss of valuables and stolen money. Rose and Singh seem to be justifying the beating and robbing when they pen “other communities were discriminated against by the PPP”. The write that the time has come for those who feel they have been discriminated against to say “enough is enough”. That type of behaviour is unacceptable. No group has the right to pounce upon another. Rose and Singh condemn my advocacy for just compensation for the victims demanding instead that the people of Linden and other places be compensated.
Rose and Singh claimed that I have not “uttered a single word in support of the Linden victims”. That is not factual. I penned several pieces in SN and KN calling for an investigation and for those responsible punished. Incidentally, in the commission of inquiry into Linden, no evidence has been tendered that the police shot the victims or that Minister Rohee gave any order to use violence – contentions made by Singh, Rose and their party the AFC as well as their ally the PNC. Even the AFC expert has concluded that the police could not have done the shooting. So aren’t the police owed an apology by the AFC as well as Messrs Rose and Singh? Guess there’s no political mileage for them anymore. Rose and Singh implore me to lecture Freedom House on protecting Indians. That is sound advice. I don’t think Rose and Singh feel the AFC is responsible for protecting
Indians when they call a protest. The police should have done their job by dealing firmly with the hooligans. Rose and Singh stated that what happened in Linden is more important to them. They state that the lives of the tens of thousands stranded on the East Bank are of lesser importance than the lives of Lindeners. That is their prerogative and I have no quarrel with that such personal belief. I am of the view that Linden should not be used as an excuse to beat and to rob and Rose and Singh should not justify the beating and robbing of anyone. The suggestion by Rose and Singh that the lives of the victims of the Agricola unrest are of lesser value than those of Linden is reprehensible. All lives are valuable. There should not have been any victims in Linden or Agricola and whoever is responsible (opposition and or government) must face the consequences. Vishnu Bisram
Page 6
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
There’s a lot for the Linden Commissioners to assimilate DEAR EDITOR, It is most embarrassing for the leaders of APNU when one of their serving lawmakers in the National Assembly, Desmond Trotman, would boldly state before the Linden Commission of Inquiry that engaging in unlawful or illegal behaviour is necessary. This is a dangerous statement and has severe implications for the continued presence of this lawmaker in the National Assembly as he has now brought disrepute to our parliament and by extension each and every Member. I had always respected Mr. Trotman as a social activist but he has been exposed for going around in circles before the Commissioners. He is first reported as stating that blocking the Wismar Bridge was not unlawful but he acknowledged the fact that
many people apart from Lindeners depended on the opening of that bridge. He then acknowledged that the Police were duty bound to clear the bridge but then states that there was no need for Police intervention during the blockade of the bridge. Then his bone of contention for justification of his support in protestors b l o c k i n g t h e Wi s m a r Bridge completely shatters his credibility beyond doubt as he states that this was necessary because it was due to “Government’s failure to respond to the community’s request to meet with them.” I do hope that the Commissioners take note of the many media reports and images of the reception which greeted Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who has portfolio responsibility for the electricity sector when he attempted to meet with the
A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. Martin Luther King, Jr.
protestors in the mining township way before the eventful day and his visit was eventually rebuffed. The Commissioners should also take note of the placards, including the one calling for the Prime Minister to be murdered. This fact has now completely exposed the testimony of Mr. Desmond Trotman and not only the CoI but the nation deserves an apology for his misleading testimony. I urge all Guyanese but specifically supporters of the opposition to realize that the only way we can move forward as a nation is to hold all our leaders accountable and not just a select few. I voted for APNU and I demand the resignation of all our MP’s who have been exposed for misleading the Linden Commission of Inquiry which we ourselves helped to craft and select the members who we are now testifying to. We cannot afford for this embarrassment to continue as it is whittling away the future credibility of APNU. Thank you, Mr. Dwayne Fitzgerald
An abomination for an Auditor General report
DEAR EDITOR, The report of the Auditor General on the public accounts of Guyana was tabled in the National Assembly on Monday. In a country with weak accounting and
accountability, an Access to Freedom Act that has not been brought into force, an Integrity Commission without Commissioners, no Public Procurement Commission, no anti-corruption or whistleblowers legislation, the
No of paragraphs
report by the Auditor General – if its Executive Summary is an indication of its contents - is striking for its sterility. A comparison of the 2011 Executive Summary is an almost identical reproduction of the 2010 report. 2011
2010
14
16
ü ü ü ü ü
ü ü ü ü ü
Issues addressed Contingencies Fund Contingent Liabilities Bank Accounts IFMAS and resulting effect Accounting for gifts Key findings Overpayment to contractors Clearing of cheque ordered Vouchers Overpayment of salaries to staff and deductions to Agencies Overstatement of Appropriation Accounts Compliance with Stores Regulations Late remittance to Overseas Missions Procurement of Drugs – Ministry of Health Procurement of Drugs - Georgetown Public Hospital Corp. Procurement of Text Books – Ministry of Education Irregularity Relating to payment of Pensions and Gratuities Other specific findings Guyana Stores Public Procurement Commission Stale-dated cheques
ü ü ü ü ü
ü ü
ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü
Note that 2011 was a less effective audit than 2010 which in any case was itself not a good audit: it ignored the armies of contract employees, the offconstitution spending by that abomination called NICIL, slush funds across ministries and including the dormant accounts,
the loan recovery unit, the National Frequency Management Unit. The problem we face is an unqualified acting Auditor General who plays to his master’s voice in order to retain one of the most lucrative employment contracts in Guyana. If we need
any proof of this we need go no further than the clandestine attempt to lay a path for confirmation. If that happens, if we think the 2011 audit is poor, we have not seen anything yet. Christopher Ram
DEAR EDITOR, A letter captioned “The Muslim community has no intentions of allowing these matters to be swept under the carpet” appeared in Kaieteur News. It has highlighted a serious problem facing
Guyanese Muslims as well as the poor and needy of all religions. This fraud presents an enormous threat to the viability of programmes designed to alleviate the ravages of poverty of the underprivileged. An attempt to cover up its
magnitude is a betrayal of trust that donors place in this organisationtodispensetheirZakaat responsibly. Idonotthinkthewriter’s request is an unreasonable one; the entireMuslimcommunityhasaright to know. Nalisha Azeez
The welfare of the poor
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 7
Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Withdrawal from community affairs DEAR EDITOR, Since 2010 I have been very vocal in publicly highlighting the plight of the Paradise Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society by offering constructive suggestions through letters, and exhausting all official and quasi-official avenues to get remedies. However, I now wish to state that the cooperative as a vehicle for development in Guyana is so much hogwash that those who matter pay lip services to the concept and eat at the trough of convenience. For the education of those who are unaware of this issue please allow me to recount briefly my efforts to date. Since March 2012 the Minister of Labour, Nanda Gopaul promised an audit of the affairs of the Paradise Multi Purpose Cooperative Society (PMCS). We were advised that an order to this effect was made during April but to date the Chief Cooperatives Development Officer, Mr. Kareem AbdulJabbar, who has been intimately involved in the running of the Society’s affairs since December 15, 2003 has showed a marked reluctance to commission an audit of the financial affairs using a variety of excuses. In other words, he is expected to determine when the audit is done and who conducts it even though he has been involved in managing the Society for nearly nine years. This is a clear conflict of interest in that Mr. Abdul-Jabbar has in six of the eight years that he has been in control (by virtue of Order 56 (2) made by the former CCDO Mr. Clive Nurse) is also reporting to himself in his capacity of CCDO.
A limited scope audit will not do justice towards ascertaining why the Society and - by extension the community— have remained largely underdeveloped for nearly nine years. Mr. Christopher Ram refused to be a party to such farce. Mr. Abdul-Jabbar has not seen it fit to introduce any development initiative for the benefit of the residents of the housing scheme. There is need for a community recreational centre but Mr. Abdul-Jabbar’s response to our demands has been that all residents may not desire a community space to plan community development and social activities. There is no place where four children can go to interact with each other. Our adults and our youths have nowhere to discuss community development interventions and Mr. AbdulJabbar has the temerity to say that he does not live in Paradise, but at Eccles. During early 2011 former President Jagdeo gave a commitment to provide computers to the community once we established the appropriate space as well as a nursery school. What has obtained over the years has been the wholesale selling and transfers of Society’s house lots with no intention of looking at other aspects of what a multipurpose cooperative is all about. The CCDO refuses to advertise in the media for persons who were allotted house lots over ten years ago to come forward and express continued interest in constructing their homes. Many residents are still without GWI water connections having being told that they must pay for
DEAR EDITOR, I want to take this opportunity to commend whoever is responsible, whether it is the Central Government or the NDC, for the upgrading of our roads in the village of Enmore, East Coast Demerara. As it is I noticed that works are being done in the Logwood part of Enmore and most importantly I would like to plea to the contractor and relevant authorities to place speed humps in an adequate number on the newly built roads. If there is a survey done within any given street what you will find is that there are at least five children below the age of six. With these new and
smooth roads there would be an influx of vehicular traffic within the area coupled with some real inconsiderate motorists who will surely take the opportunity to drag race and behave as though they at the grand prix. What will happen if one of these kids who aren’t accustomed to this high volume of traffic accidentally slips out of his or her yard and ends up in the path of a speeding motorist? I am appealing to the relevant persons to place speed humps on the streets before it is too late. I think that it is about time that we as Guyanese start being proactive rather than reactive. Randy Persaud.
Better roads inspire protection for children
their Titles before they can access potable water which is a basic and unalienable human right. This does not happen in any other part of this country and is a clear indication of an abuse of public office. By way of an August 13, 2012 petition to the Minister of Labour with responsibility for cooperatives, fifty-two members expressed loss of confidence in Mr. AbdulJabbar and requested that he recuse himself or be removed from intimate involvement in the affairs of the PMCS.
Our petition also requested that an inquiry be held to examine twenty-eight points with a view to resolving several burning issues, not least of which is the state of the Society’s finances, bank account and other assets disposable or otherwise. I am approached very often by residents asking about community development but I can only respond that the CCDO is covered by the latitude provided under the Cooperative Societies Act
which can only be modified by a willful principal if there is no objection from the House of Assembly. We seem to have no such person.I have expended a lot of energy on this and even on community security-related issues so much so that it has created a degree of friction in my relationships. In this regard I wish to unequivocally state herewith that I will no longer be involved in the public (or private) advocacy for the community development of Paradise Housing Scheme through the Paradise Multi-
Purpose Cooperative Society or any other entity. I am currently the Secretary of the Paradise Housing Scheme Community Policing Group - a position for which I will not be seeking reelection. Furthermore, if my presence is considered in any way obstructive I will resign from that position before the next annual general meeting. When I look at the happenings these days I am convinced that justice will be served no matter what I do or say. Patrick E. Mentore
Page 8
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Stabroek Rotary presents Vocational Service Awards The Rotary Club of Stabroek last Wednesday celebrated the Rotary International’s Vocational Service month of October by presenting three awards for excellence in Vocational Service to Robin Phillips, Cynthia Massay and Yesenia Aguirre, who the entity says “have all dedicated a tremendous amount of their personal time and effort towards helping others”. The awardees were selected “based on their strong commitment to provision of vocational service as they tirelessly contribute their vocational talents to meeting the needs of the communities that they serve”. The Club in a statement described Cynthia Massay as “a Guyanese icon with exceptional personal dedication to her profession as a Disabilities Specialist, who has for years supported Rotary International’s compelling drive to eradicate the dreaded disease Polio which currently only exists in three countries in the world. She started her career at the Georgetown Hospital just a year after graduating from high school. This sparked her interest in working with disabled
Cynthia Massay (right) receives her award from Club President Luana Falconer persons and she later collaborated with two colleagues to establish the Guyana Wheelchair Association which later became the Guyana Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. After being qualified as a physiotherapist, she attained many other distinctive academic and professional milestones, locally and abroad, which included a Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Management, appointment as Rehabilitation Officer,
Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC) and later Director of Rehabilitation Services at the Ministry of Health. But her passion for direct care for the disabled placed her right back at the PRRC where she had the opportunity to effect the highest standards of quality rehabilitation services to adults and especially children for them to benefit from the best therapy, education and life skills to maximise their potential to have a meaningful
Robin Phillips life. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Disabilities Act and she now focuses on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to ensure that there is equal opportunity for those persons to participate in all areas of society as defined in the National Policies”. Robin Phillips, it was noted “founded the Buxton Youth Developers in 2007, and passionately dedicated his life to promoting positive change among the youth in his community. He established the program to provide a safe place for the children of Buxton and its nearby villages to learn and develop good social skills and a positive self-image. He did this through providing free classes daily for school dropouts for reading, writing, mathematics and social studies. Having been trained in physical education, football, table tennis and track and field coach, Robin also single handedly coupled his lessons with several sports activities daily in addition to
being a part-time lecturer in Physical Education at the Guyana School of Agriculture. To date, 1371 children have passed through his program, which has since evolved with significant assistance from the Rotary Club of Stabroek, the Canadian High Commission, the Bank of Nova Scotia, UNICEF and Digicel to establish a new building and to refurbish the playground. The group recently registered as an NGO, with a newly established Board of Directors. According to the statement, Yesenia Aguirre who is an American US Peace Corps Volunteer in Guyana since February 2011 “started teaching Phonics and English literacy at the Nismes Primary school for about 120 children and Spanish as a second language to all children in Grades 1-6. She subsequently started teaching Spanish to the entire Bagotville Primary of about 35 children once a week. She then went on teach phonics and literacy for remedial children dedicating extra
Yesenia Aguirre hours of her time on weekends as a member of the Bagotville Literacy Group, a program further developed over the years with assistance from the Rotary Club of Stabroek through provision of books, teaching aids, stationery and other literacy resources to help youths struggling with learning differences to have alternative learning mechanisms. Yesenia has been greatly inspired by her experiences in Guyana and plans continue teaching with a focus on Special Education when she returns to the US.” At the simple ceremony, Club President Luana Falconer expressed heartfelt pleasure in honouring the three awardees on behalf of her Rotary club. She reflected that even though their backgrounds were vastly different, they share the most important human attribute - that of using their vocation to impact and positively change lives of others, one person, one child, at a time. In many ways she said, this exemplifies Rotary’s Ideal of “Service Above Self”.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
WHY IS CIVIL SOCIETY WEAK?
There has long been the recognition amongst the political leaders of Guyana, that race and ethnicity were important factors in Guyana’s political development. Some of the foremost leaders of the land felt that there was an inseparable link between politics and economics. Against this background, one would have expected that they would have paid far greater attention to the role of race and ethnicity in Guyana’s political economy. Unfortunately, most of the major political leaders of Guyana - Forbes Burnham, Cheddi Jagan, Walter Rodney and Janet Jagan underestimated the significance of race and ethnicity in Guyana’s development. After the neo-liberal experiments of the 1990s, it was hoped by many, including the West, that with a market economy in place, ethnic and racial divisions would have given way to group and interest agitation. Even Mrs. Jagan held to the view that once the economy grew and everyone began to benefit, race and ethnic divisions would disappear. She was to be sorely disappointed because the stronger the economy became, the greater and more reinforced were these divisions. Instead of the divisions becoming more class-oriented, Guyana has retained the same old divisions that have bedeviled this nation since prior to independence. It was expected that as Guyana transitioned to a democratic polity and a market economy, a number of civil society and interest groups would have emerged, and
they would have been vigorously agitating their interests. This plural model has not materialized and today, the private sector is the only grouping outside of the political parties with any capacity for wielding influence. Even the trade union movement is now without bite. The most powerful of interest groups in Guyana is the private sector, but one has to question why with such a powerful grouping, interests have not superseded ethnic and racial interests as the source of political agitation in Guyana. Let it, however, not be confused that there is no system of class domination in Guyana. There is, but the form that this class domination takes is not one of acting independently. The political elite rule in the interest of the dominant economic grouping. This has always been the case, even under that discredited system of cooperative socialism. The bourgeoisie class has never carved out for themselves an independent space. They have always attached, cuddled under, and been cozy with the ruling class. They have wooed and coerced the ruling political elite rather than dominated them. By inveigling themselves to the political elite on all sides, they have been able to penetrate deeply into all the political parties in Guyana. These parties may claim to have working class sympathies, but they depend a great deal on the propertied class to fund their election campaign and the propertied class knows how to get what
it wants from these political parties without directly taking over the leadership of these parties. The propertied class exercises influence from behind the scenes. In this way they are able to protect their interests. But this is certainly not what was expected by the western powers that played an active role in allowing Guyana to make the transition towards parliamentary democracy and a marketbased economy. Those who pushed Guyana along the road of a market economy and democratic society must have been hoping that by now the local bourgeoisie would have been a powerful grouping that did not need to cower to political interests. They would have been so powerful a force outside of the political parties that it would have been unthinkable for anyone to contemplate objecting to their presence at a meeting aimed at resolving a national crisis. They would have been so much respected and feared, that instead of the bourgeoise class having to cower to these parties and shower them with campaign funds, when the bourgeoisie class spoke, the politicians of Guyana would have trembled. This is quite unlike the culture in developed countries, where the propertied class is quite prepared to wield its muscle. In those countries, politicians have to bow to the wishes of the propertied class. Here in Guyana, the propertied class has to wheel-and-deal their way to influence within the political parties. The propertied class has the greatest to lose in the vent of political unrest. In fact,
they have suffered the most in those years when political unrest was rife. At least one member of the propertied class has made clear that there is a relationship between political instability and the falloff in economic growth in Guyana. As such, the bourgeoisie class understands that political unrest is not good for them and they know this all too painfully from experience. It is time that this class comes out and asserts its importance. It is time that it emerges from the shadows of the political parties. It is time for this class’ interests to assert itself for the better of the country. Since the working class is enfeebled, then the only class that is capable of enforcing its will on this country’s politics is the bourgeoisie
class. This class must have learnt by now that it has to forge its own independence and cannot continue to waltz between the raindrops as represented by the political parties in Guyana. Instead of cozying up to these parties and trying to exert influence from inside through coercion and other forms of influence, the bourgeoisie class must insist that it has the greatest to lose from this political tug-a war that is taking place in the country, and that it intends to use its influence to ensure that Guyana does not go down that slippery slope of decline again. It is time that the propertied class asserts its independence from the political parties and begins to demand the changes that they see as necessary in Guyana.
Page 9
So what is holding them back? Is it that the bourgeoisie class itself is shackled by the same polarized divisions that constrain progress in Guyana? Or is it that the local bourgeoisie class lacks the capacity to exert its influence even though today, they dominate 80% of the economy. Are they vulnerable to the divisions that have bedeviled Guyana for over four decades or are they simply lacking in that capacity to advance their own interests outside of the clutches of the political parties?
Dem boys seh
Brazzy ketching he hand again Couple months back de government bring in some cow, but no bull, because dem plan to artificially inseminate de cow. But until then de plan was fuh Leslie jump dem cow because he was de expert. Well de insemination thing come. Was a time wid Leslie. De Big Market paper ketch Leslie watching de instrument wid longing eyes Tuesday. De foreign expert ask he if he wanted to tek a trial. And Leslie smile. Dem boys want to know wha gun happen when dem lef Leslie alone wid that instrument. Dem wouldn’t be surprise if he inseminate heself. That ain’t de only strange
thing that might happen. De government ain’t build a hotel yet, but it busy selling out de only parts of de hotel that gon mek money. Dem boys plan fuh express some interest and see if dem gun get accept. Dem got experience in gambling because every day dem listen to dem politicians dem got to tek a gamble that de politicians telling de truth. Dem know bout cooking because all of dem live batchee and dem got to cook so dem can cater fuh everybody, especially all dem who got wife who can’t cook. De nightclub ain’t no problem because all dem got to do is
talk to GPL and dem gun get blinking lights whole night. De problem gun come when Brazzy see how much money dem mekking, because he is a man don’t like see money. That is why he selling out dem things even before de hotel build. Is one thing though. Dem boys want to know who gun invest in a hotel that ain’t got no entertainment or gambling. Dem boys done decide that dem gun bar all de hotel guests from de casino and de night club, suh Brazzy gun really suck salt. Talk half and wait fuh de backlash.
Page 10
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
The PNC is desperately trying to survive It would not only be foolish, but repugnantly indecent for any informed, mature citizen anywhere in the world to deny the great and historic role in this country’s evolution of the People’s National Congress. As someone who practises revisionist history, I believe historical evidence exists to justify the PNC’s politics of the sixties that brought it to power in 1964. When historians look back at the true nature of the Jagans and their organization and the people they nurtured
in their party, but most of all the morally bankrupt and truly sickening nature of the PPP’s rule since the death of Cheddi Jagan, the people who embrace and support the PNC have nothing to be ashamed of. This does not erase the historical record of PNC‘s authoritarianism. It is foolish for Guyanese to sanctify Forbes Burnham. It is unwise to attempt to defend his abuse of power. How ironic life is. The PPP is using Burnham’s “lovely, humane,
democratic” 1980 Constitution to perpetuate its lust for power. You would think the last person to criticize Mr. Jagdeo’s use of the 1980 Constitution would be a PNC member. Examine Mr. Burnham’s 1980 Constitution and you will see how fanatical he was about possessing power. The reality today is that the 1980 Constitution places unbelievable power in the hands of the Executive. The PNC must know by now, there is nothing in Burnham’s 1980 Constitution that can
make President Ramotar accountable to Parliament if the Executive refuses to assent to a Bill. Forbes is long gone, but we are still victims of his ruthlessness. Enter the post-1992 PNC. After seeing what was to come from the PPP Government, especially in the area of racial politics, Desmond Hoyte, decided that he was not going to live with that kind of PPP’s use of power. He rightfully invoked the Hobbesian framework of the social contract. I used
Hobbes instead of the other two great social contract philosophers, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, because Hobbes preferred strong absolutist government. But he was wise enough to argue that despite the enormity of authority that the ruler possesses, the ruler must be decent and respect his side of the social contract and that the subjects have a right to reject him once he didn’t keep his side of the covenant. It was clear to Hoyte that the PPP was not going to abide by the social contract that to him was a Hobessian one. From 1997, Hoyte and the PNC confronted the PPP Government achieving the remarkable victory of dissipating the fulcrums of Janet Jagan’s government. Had the PNC not removed Mrs. Jagan, I think this country would have imploded beyond anything imaginable. Mrs. Jagan was just big trouble waiting to happen. Of every single Guyanese politician, including procolonial personalities in the fifties, Mrs. Janet Jagan gave absolutely no recognition to traditional democratic values. Had she remained in power, she would have become a violent, communist tyrant. Mr. Hoyte died suddenly and Mr. Corbin’s tenure almost wiped out the existence of the PNC. The PPP Government did not have to weaken the PNC. They left that to Mr. Corbin. Sadly, the PNC lost an election it should have won in 2011. It thought it had the numbers, but 100,000 registrants did not vote. If a substantial percentage of them did, APNU would have secured a parliamentary
Frederick Kissoon majority. The loss of the 2011 election has left the PNC psychologically exhausted and spiritually defeated. Since November last year, the PNC has drifted from one embarrassment to another. No one can defend the PNC’s absence in the Linden electricity crisis to me. I was on the ground in Linden in April from the time the electricity tariff hike was announced. It was this columnist on July 1 who confronted officer Hicken when the first big rally was held. Hicken came in a belligerent mood with his tear gas team while hundreds of babies and little children were among the demonstrators. Our confrontation was captured in a photograph in the Stabroek News the next day. Where the PNC goes from here no one knows. After long periods of agitation from 1997 to 2001, the fight has gone out of the PNC. The AFC is too small and young to take over from the PNC which means opposition supporters have to endure a long period of angst. My humble opinion is that the PNC is beginning to fade. It will pin its hopes on another election, whether snap poll or the constitutional five-year election. It will contest and lose. It may die a natural death, but Guyana cannot afford to lose the PNC.
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 11
Four bids for re-agents and Muse or Amuse? diagnostic supplies for HIV One Year in office – The Opposition
Four bids were opened yesterday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance, Main Street, under the Ministry of Health for the reagents and diagnostic supplies for HIV/AIDS and related activities.
The Ministry of Health also received a solitary bid for the procurement of a breast milk substitute.
Still in the health sector, two (2) bids were received for the supply and delivery of laboratory supplies and consumables.
In addition, the Ministry of Health also received bids for supply and delivery of office furniture and equipment.
Under the Ministry of Housing and Water, bids were opened for construction of alternative access road to Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD) Region Three. The bids were divided into three lots, and the engineer’s estimates were: Lot (1) $181,942,306; Lot (2) $365,025,013 and Lot (3) $208,270,233.
Meanwhile, under the Ministry of Legal Affairs there were three (3) bids for the rehabilitation of its head office building. With an engineer’s estimate of $2,984,080 the bids are:
The Pesticide and Toxic Chemicals Control Board received bids for the supply and delivery of one new SUV motor vehicle.
November 2012 will mark one year for the majority combined opposition in the Parliament of Guyana. Most Guyanese will agree that the only thing that the opposition achieved effectively was to show its oneseat majority by cutting the Government’s budget. As much as there seems to be a lameduck president, there is an even worse situation with the opposition. The APNU and AFC still cannot grasp the magnitude of this historical moment in Guyana! They seem to not realize the power that they have in their hands – or rather, seem to understand it too well. No proactive instrument has been laid in parliament by the opposition. No work is being done to develop this country. Almost a year since elections – zero progress for Guyana. The opposition has instead retreated to the trenches and is focused on adopting the civil protests of the people. Adopt-a-protest is the new mandate. Talk about tail wagging the dog! How quickly the Lindeners became
the darlings of the opposition! How quickly Agricola mattered to them! Yet, what about Linden -today? Or Agricola - today? Where is the progress? Where is the opposition? Have they visited Agricola or Linden since then? No bi-partisan success story has been revealed. The truth is that the opposition is unable to make any progress for Guyana. Are we to understand that there is no single area that these three parties can collaborate on for the development of this country? Their manifestos proclaim their plans, their actions belie their failure to lead and their entire agenda is based on breaking down the work of the Government! No spark of progress or progressive idea is coming from them. APNU and the AFC need to explicitly tell this nation what development plans they will encourage – or force – the Government into doing for the next year. If not, they will be, as they are, not worth the tick on the ballot paper. Are we to assume that the next year will be more of the same – NOTHING? We are NOT amused!
Operations disrupted as thieves hit Licence Office
Operations at the Licence Revenue Office (LRO) of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) were disrupted on Monday after the discovery of a break-in. But officials have indicated that nothing much seems missing except a few tins of soda. It seemed that the thieves over the weekend were targeting a safe of cash at the Smyth Street office which
handles the processing of business and drivers’ licences. However, they left without succeeding. According to a statement from GRA, operations were disrupted Monday as police investigated. However, operations were up and running again yesterday. Senior Manager of the LRO, Wayne Austin, explained that there was a
disruption of services due to theft following a break and entry at the LRO which occurred over the weekend. “Consequently, the Liquor, Trade and Miscellaneous and Driver’s Licencing services were disrupted as officials at the LRO were in the process of facilitating the police investigation into the robbery.”
Page 12
Kaieteur News
UNDP-sponsored training for MPs commences at Grand Coastal The three-day training seminar for Members of Parliament and Parliamentary staff commenced yesterday at the Grand Coastal Inn, East Coast Demerara. The workshop, which aims to furnish participants with the insights, and strengthen their capacity to draft and amend legislation, was well attended by the three political parties represented in the National Assembly: The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC). Staff of the Parliament as well as those from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, are also participating in the course which is divided into two parts; the first being in October 2012 and the second in February of 2013. The United Nations Development Program and the Parliament are working together to conduct this course. Two experts will work with the participants for the first module, which started yesterday and will conclude tomorrow. They are Peter Vanhoutte, Co-founder and Chairman of the Center for Democratic and Participatory
Governance and Steven van Wichelen, UNDP expert on Parliamentary Development. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman said the legislative training seminar comes after months of planning. He acknowledged the hard work of the National Assembly and thanked the UNDP for its continued partnership in developing the National Assembly and the Parliament office. Ms. Khadija Musa, UNDP Resident Representative, said the United Nations Development Fund is pleased to be associated with this training seminar. APNU Member of Parliament Joseph Harmon, in explaining the importance of the workshop, said a properly functioning democracy requires a properly functioning Parliament, and a properly functioning Parliament requires Parliamentarians who know how to both read and interpret legislation. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall in delivering the feature address, said the workshop is timely and is vital to Guyana’s democracy. Nandlall noted that
historically the legal drafting department has been resident in the Ministry of Legal Affairs and disclosed that he is advocating having legal advisors within the Parliament Office. The Attorney General in explaining the process involved in drafting legislation, said that it is a difficult science. He said that it is unimaginable that in three days any substantive training can be done and opined that the workshop must be an ongoing exercise. Nandlall further expressed Government’s full support to what he termed an unprecedented initiative. This legislative drafting course is implemented under the framework of the longterm agreement, which was signed between UNDP and the Parliament in 2011. Following the 2011 elections, and the election of the unique 10th Parliament, the Agency was re-engaged by the Speaker to vary its programme to meet the new dispensation that existed. The new programme gave rise to the Induction Seminar for MPs in May 2012, and continues now, with the current training in the legislative drafting process.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Cadet Officer flees scene after knocking down US senior citizen An American-based Guyanese senior citizen is demanding an apology from a Police Officer Cadet, who struck her down with his car and drove away. The accident occurred on the Anna Catherina Public Road, West Coast Demerara, around 19:00hrs on Monday, resulting in injury to 64-year old Bibi Hashna Khan. Khan, who is currently recuperating at home after spending a night at a private hospital, told this newspaper that she is angry at the fact that a policeman of that rank could have struck her down and driven away without rendering some assistance to her. She recalled that she was riding a motorcycle from Tuschen heading to Vreeden-Hoop when the Officer Cadet who drove out from a cross street at Anna Catherina, and without looking, slammed his car into her bike. The woman and the
damaged motorcycle were hurled to the ground a few yards away. But instead of rendering assistance to the stricken female, the policeman reversed his car and sped away in the direction of Parika. “He reversed and stopped for a few seconds then sped off,” Khan told Kaieteur News. She said that several persons who saw what had happened came to her assistance. Even another policeman in uniform turned up at the scene. But Khan is not pleased with the way he too handled her situation. “He never spoke to me or asked me if I want an ambulance,” she said. Fortunately, persons had managed to obtain the licence number of the car that struck her down. In the meantime, the US citizen was taken to a private institution for medical attention.
Kaieteur News understands that upon learning that the woman was hospitalized, the Officer Cadet, who was apparently under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, sought to have persons act on his behalf to settle the matter. Khan said that persons connected to the Officer Cadet tried to get her to accept a financial settlement. “I don’t want compensation. I want him to replace the motorcycle and pay my hospital bill. I also want an apology from him,” Khan declared. A senior police officer on the West Coast of Demerara told Kaieteur News that the Officer Cadet, who is stationed at the Brickdam Police Station, turned himself in at Leonora yesterday morning. “He will be severely dealt with,” the senior police officer assured.
Boy dies after beating by mentally ill mother
While the close-knit community of Little Red Village, located in the Onderneeming Sandpit Area, has expressed shock over the sudden death of 13-year-old Travis Emmanuel Garraway, a mute, yesterday morning, neighbours are contending that there was nothing they could have done to stop the child’s mother from beating him. Garraway, who neighbours said, was always seen smiling, received a sound trashing from his mentally challenged mother for almost half of Monday night and died around 08:00 hours yesterday morning at his Onderneeming Sandpit home. Neighbors said a knife, cutlasses and a pot were discovered next to the child’s lifeless body. The mentally challenged woman, who has been identified as Veronica Benjamin, was taken to the Suddie Police station, where she was asked to give a statement. She was released shortly afterwards. Benjamin, a single-parent mother of three, attended the psychiatric clinic at the Suddie Public Hospital. Speaking from her residence, Benjamin said that
Veronica Benjamin and her two surviving children her eldest child was overcome with a fever and diarrhea but she admitted to dealing her son lashes with a belt, since his uncontrolled crying affected her. “He was keeping nuff noise, so I get a belt and put a couple of lashes on him.” But while Benjamin forcefully maintained that her son was ill and she didn’t take it upon herself to seek medical assistance, since she believed that her son would have eventually died. Neighbours are saying that Benjamin, who usually beat
her now deceased son, had beaten the child mercilessly for almost half of the night, until the cries of the child were silenced. One neighbour said the mentally challenged woman is violent and a serious threat to the community, since it is a norm for her to lash out against individuals, mostly on occasions when she is seriously depressed. Benjamin’s brother is calling for a post mortem to be performed on the 13-yearold nephew, whom he said was “looking well last week”. Other persons from the Community are also calling for an intense investigation into the matter, since they said that the two other children are left at the mercy of the mentally challenged woman.
Page 16
Kaieteur News
Consul General to New York, Brentnol Evans and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Laleshwar Singh, have been labelled the two longest-serving heads of Guyana Foreign Missions. Their positions, among those of other heads of Foreign Missions, came up for discussion on Monday when the National Assembly resumed sessions. Queries of the Foreign Missions were evoked by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mrs Deborah Backer, who sought to gain an insight on behalf of the opposition side of the House, as it relates to those who are tasked with heading
the missions, as well as the period that each has served in his or her current posting. Among those detailed in an answer obtained from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Carolyn RodriguesBirkett, was George Talbot, who has served as Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York for the past 10 years, of which seven were in the substantive position. The Consul General to Nickerie, Suriname, Mr. Arlington Bancroft has served for eight years, eight months with Bayney Karran following closely with eight years, six months in the position of Ambassador to
Washington D.C., United States. The list provided by Minister Rodrigues-Birkett details that Patrick Gomes has been Ambassador to Belgium for the past seven years, five months while Ronald Gajraj has for the past six years, 10 months held the position of High Commissioner to India. It was announced, too, that Mitra Devi Ali has been Ambassador to Cuba for three years, three months while Mrs. Leila King assumed the position of Consul General to Boa Vista, Brazil, two years, five months ago. It was also revealed that David Dabydeen has for the past two years been holding
Relatives of a 33-year-old man from Strathsphey, East Coast Demerara, are concerned about his safety, after he mysteriously disappeared from his worksite at Buck Hall, Essequibo. Vickram Narine was last seen on September 28, but spoke to his relatives last Thursday night, October 18. That was also the last day the man reported for work at a plywood factory in Buck Hall and was last seen. The man’s mother-in-law Rohonie Sanichar, said they last spoke with Narine around midnight on October 18. The woman said she became concerned given the hour of the night the man called as it was very unusual. “He does normally call every weekend, because to call very expensive so when he call de night I didn’t
believe was he and he tell me leh we neighbor come fuh collect he and I ask is who and he say ‘is me’ and he just hang up.” The woman said while he sounded strange, she did not read anything into the call until she received a call from his workmates saying that he has been missing. “Is only Friday he workmates call and tell we that he missing and dem tell we dem search, but dem ent find he nowhere.” Sanichar said only yesterday they were able to travel into the location to meet with the man’s employers. The woman said they were merely told that the man last reported to duty on October 18 and was scheduled to return the following day, but he did not show up. None of his colleagues claim to have
seen or heard from him since. She added that the company reassured her that they are searching for her son-in-law. Sanichar said her son-inlaw has never left their home without contacting his relatives more so his three children. “He would never go away without calling he wife and he don’t know dem area wheh he working… is bush… even if he lef the work compound he does left with the people from work,” she related. The woman added that a report was made to the police and an all-station message has been sent out. The woman is pleading with members of the public to contact her on telephone numbers 690-9048 or 690-2905 if they have information on Vickram Narine’s whereabouts.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
the post of Ambassador to China and Harry Narine Nawbatt has for the past 17 months remained High Commissioner to Ottawa, Canada. As Ambassador to Venezuela, Geoffrey Da Silva has been rendering his duties for the past one year, four months while Odeen Ishmael has been operating in the same capacity out of Kuwait. Functioning in the capacity of Honorary Consul General to Toronto, Canada, for the past seven months is Mrs. Sattie Sawh while Keith George has for the past six months been posted to Paramaribo, Suriname as Ambassador. The Foreign Minister also disclosed that for the past three months Mr. Michael Brotherson was
Laleshwar Singh
Brentnol Evans
tasked with rendering service as Consul General to Barbados. However, it was just recently that Merlin Udho
was posted to Brasilia, Brazil, effectively replacing Kellawan Lall who was rendering such a task there for one year prior.
(From page 2) fragment was given to the police. Singh said that Bouyea died from perforation of the heart and lung due to gunshot injury. The doctor said there was no gunshot residue, which meant that the men were shot from a distance of more than three to five feet. Singh however said he was unable to determine from what type of gun the objects from the dead men’s body came. He said that he handed the items to one Inspector Alexander. THREE INJURED DURING THE PROTEST Three persons also testified to injuries they received during the July 18 protest in Linden. The first witness on the stand was
Robin Bowen, a 56-year-old vendor who sells pastries and other food items in the interior. The man said that he was between the toll booth and the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge when he was shot. He stated that since his injury he has not returned to the interior to ply his trade because the bullet has not yet been extracted from his body. Bowen also testified that the police on July 18 struck him with a piece of wood. He said he was later taken to the hospital. Bowen however said that he could not identify the persons who shot him since it was dark and he was in a lot of pain. Sheila Austin was next before the Commission. The
37-year-old vendor said that she had been affected by tear smoke when police released it on the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge on July 18. The woman said she had to go to river and wash her face along with her nephew who was in her company at the time of the incident. Another witness, Lennox Campbell, said that he was heading home from his handyman job at Wismar on July 18 when he sustained injuries on the Mackenzie/ Wismar Bridge. The man said he was heading to his home on the Mackenzie end of the bridge when he fell. He said he was picked up by a police rank and a young woman and taken to the hospital where he stayed overnight.
Family fearful as man goes missing from worksite One handgun submitted for...
Page 18
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 19
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 21
Page 22
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Creative sector could contribute significantly to GDP The creative sector of a country has the potential to contribute in a major way to its economy. This notion is especially true for developing countries, according to Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony. In fact, he revealed recently that in some cases as much as 10 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of developing countries is earned through the creative sector, an achievement he is confident that Guyana can emulate. “We can start making that difference here, and
Mashramani offers us that opportunity of making that difference,” the Minister opined. He posited that Guyana has the potential of cashing in on its creativity, in the area of songs which have been produced in abundance over the years. “Very often when we talk about songs and people singing in Guyana we always lament that we don’t have enough content and we don’t have enough Guyanese songs, but for the last six years alone, I can safely say that for every one of those years there were more than
100 songs to choose from just for Mash. We have the Chutney, Soca, Calypso and Health song c o m p e t i tions, so in any given year, more than 100 songs are written and performed for Mash.” Next year will mark Guyana’s 43rd Republic Anniversary, and according to Minister Anthony, if the past 42 years are reflected on “we would have produced 4,200 songs, and that by itself is a major feat that we have been overlooking”. The Minister made his remarks as he officially launched the 2013
- Culture Minister Mashramani activities being streamlined for the Republic Anniversary. He asserted that Mash is designed to contribute in a very significant way to the development of Guyanese culture. Aside from songs, he pointed to steel bands and designing, insisting that “in almost all the spheres you can see the same impact being replicated”. Although there are plans to ensure that tradition remains constant for the celebration of Mashramani,
Dr. Anthony expressed optimism that many new features will be adopted with the view of further helping to develop Guyana. He noted that while the usual song competitions are being planned “what we are going to be striving to do is to improve the quality of the competitions, and we have had partners that have worked with us over the years. We have had Carib and Banks; both have been there”. Additionally, he revealed that the Ministry has been investing heavily in this regard and seeking to grow the competitions. These efforts, he said, have seen the Ministry being able to partner with a company from Trinidad so that “the finalists of our competitions were able to go to Trinidad and take part in competitions there. They have had the exposure and were also able to compete for more financial prizes there”. Collaboration will also see Suriname seeking to participate in Guyana’s cultural song competitions this year, a move the Minister believes will help to enliven the events. It is anticipated that the finalists of the song competitions (Chutney and perhaps Calypso) will again be able to participate in similar competitions in Trinidad. Apart from the song competitions, Minister Anthony disclosed that his ministry has had a steady partnership with Republic
Bank to improve the level of steel band competitions. The bank, he disclosed, has already pledged to continue to support the activity next year. Speaking to the area of drumming, he noted with excitement that “all Guyanese when they get together and hear good drumming, they enjoy those vibes.” For this reason, Dr. Anthony said, the Ministry is seeking this year to introduce a new feature into the Mashramani celebration, which will entail drumming of both African and Indian groups. “What we’d like to do is to introduce a traditional drumming competition so that we can get winners and help sustain the drumming art form.” The family-oriented Mashramani activities, particularly the parade, are known to attract in excess of 100,000 people, and according to Dr Anthony “this is a wonderful opportunity for companies to come on board so that you can market your products to this Guyanese audience. Mash is not only about the spectators who are there, it is perhaps the largest festival where you will have so many creative people coming together like the musicians, singers and designers, among others, to make it the greatest festival of Guyanese creativity”. According to the Minister, for too long, people in the creative sector have been convinced that there is no support for them, but there is now an opportunity for companies to come out and change this.
Man accused of stealing bogus gold jewellery The court yesterday heard an allegation that assuming that the jewellery which Charlene Williams had been wearing was genuine gold, 19-year-old Prince Pickering robbed the woman of her belongings. As a result, he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court charged with the offence. According to the prosecution, Williams was walking along Brickdam dressed in artificial gold jewellery when the accused came up from behind her, snatched a chain and pulled of a band which was valued at just over $1000 and ran away. The woman raised an alarm and got the attention
of police ranks, who were on patrol in the area. The ranks gave chase and caught Pickering with pieces of the jewellery in his hand. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when he faced Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. When questioned about his past, the man told the court that he had been charged before for drug possession and assault. However, police information is that the defendant had been arrested on three separate occasions, but was never convicted of any crime. Pickering was released on $10,000 bail and was ordered to return to court on November 1.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 05:00h -Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 05:10h - Meditation 05:30h - Queenstown Masjid Presents Quran This Morning 06:00h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Saraswati Bhajans 06:15h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Saraswati Bhajans 06:30h - Muneshwar Limited
Kaieteur News
Presents Saraswati Bhajans 06:45h - Double Standard Taxi Presents Saraswati Bhajans 07:00h - RRT Enterprise Presents Saraswati Bhajans 07:15h - M & M Snackette Presents Raja Yoga Discourses 07:30h - Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc Presents Saraswati Bhajans 07:45h - The Family of the Late Leila & David Persaud Presents Saraswati Bhajans
08:00h - Timehri Maha Kali Shakti Devi Mandir Presents Saraswati Bhajans 08:15h - NTN This Morning Live with Reyaz Husein 09:30h - CARIBBEAN POT Jamaican Rice And Peas Recipe 09:45h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 10:15h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 10:45h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta
Wednesday October 24, 2012 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): What do you really want? Things look good, but you can always reach for more, and your ambitious nature comes out in force today. ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Your conservative nature -- which may or may not have anything to do with your politics -- is making you grouchy today. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Your passion is engaged today -- it may be a political cause, a charity or just a friend in need, but you are there, doing all that you can. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Conflicting ideas may pop up over and over today - so do what you can to either make peace or to throw your weight behind the right side early. ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Any conflicts that arise today -- and there will be a few -- are almost certainly linked to ego rather than anything substantive. ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): You can't help but notice that things are harder to deal with today, but that could just mean that you need to adapt your own routines, rather than simply throw up your hands
and walk away. ********************* LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Does your love life need a lift? It should come tonight, or maybe earlier in the day, as your sweetie or someone you've been crushed out on for a while finally takes serious notice. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): You're not so sure what to make of today's conflict with your roommates or family -- but try not to turn it into a major battle! ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 21): Your communication style is a perfect match for today's frenetic pace, so make sure that you're keeping your people in the loop. **************** CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 Jan. 19): Finances are still on your mind, which should be a good thing -- your life and interests are all lined up in the right direction, and you should be able to push your savings into something new. ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): Change is coming -- and you are the one bringing it! ********************* PISCE S ( F e b . 1 9 March 20):You are feeling the urge to go to sleep at some point in the middle of the day -- but you should just let your mind wander instead.
11:15h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 11:45h - Indian Soap - Punar Vivaah 12:15h - NAVRATRI - JAI DURGA MAA (D12)(Episodes 44 - 46) (Eng: Sub:) SERIAL 14:45h - Navratri - Vijaya Dashami - Mahisasur Mardini (Episodes 1 - 5) 16:15h - Headline News 17:00h - Drying Tears Live with Pastor Edson 17:30h - Kingdom Agenda Hosted by Bishop Dr. J. Edgehill 18:00h - Ganesh Parts Presents - BHAGAVAD GITA ( Discourses in English) Serial 18:15h - Birthday Greetings / Deaths Announcement & In Memoriam 18:30h - Hare Krishna Today 19:00h - Music Fantasia with Asif Nawaz 20:00h - Ashmins Presents DANCE WITH ME with Joel 21:00h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 21:30h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 22:00h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta 22:30h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 23:00h - Sign Off with the Gayatri Mantra MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 06:00h Islamic Perspective 06:30h News Update 07:00h DAYBREAK – Live 08:00h Dabi’s musical 08:30h Avon DVD Musical 09:00h Current Affairs 09:15h Top Notch Music Break
Page 23
09:30h Caribbean Temptation Music Mix 10:00h Amanda’s Costume jewellery musical 10:30h BBC World News 11:00h The View 12:00h Current affairs 12:30h The Young and The Restless 13:30h Days of Our lives 14:00h General Hospital 15:00h Katie Couric Show 16:00h The Bold and The Beautiful 16:30h Cartoons 17:00h Birthday and other greetings 17:15h Death
Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30h Al Ja zeera news 18:00h Aracari Resort Hour 19:00h Judicial Service Commission 19:05h The Paralegal System 19:10h Slim Jet infomercial: Perfume factory 19:15h Aljazeera news 19:30h News Update 20:30h DJ Stress Update 23:30h Musical Waves 22:00h Maximum convictions 23:00h News Update 23:00h English Movie: Maximum convictions continues Sign Off
Page 24
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Major powers examine long-shot options in Iran talks BRUSSELS/VIENNA (Reuters) - Big powers may ask Iran for stricter limits on its nuclear work if it wants an easing of harsh sanctions - a long-shot approach aimed at yielding a negotiated solution that has eluded them for more than a decade. A solution to the standoff is increasingly urgent. The longer the impasse goes on, the closer Iran could get to the technological threshold of a capability to build an atom bomb, raising the odds of
Israeli strikes against its installations. Western diplomats say the possibility of revising their negotiating tactic is under discussion as they prepare for possible talks with Iran after the November 6 presidential election in the United States, following three inconclusive rounds this year. One option could be for each side to put more on the table - both in terms of demands and possible rewards - than in previous
meetings in a bid to break the stalemate despite deep skepticism about the chances of a breakthrough any time soon. Years of diplomacy and sanctions have failed to resolve a dispute between the West and Iran over its nuclear programme, raising fears of Israeli military action against its arch foe and a new Middle East war damaging to a fragile world economy. “The next meeting would have to be well prepared,” said
one Western diplomat. “There could be interesting new developments, like more demands and more concessions.” Israel, believed to be the Middle East’s only nuclear power and convinced a nuclear Tehran would pose a mortal threat, says Iran could arrive at the point of being able to “weaponise” enriched uranium next spring or summer. Iran denies accusations it is seeking nuclear weapons
and has so far refused to meet demands that it scales back its atomic activity, insisting on immediate sanctions relief. Western powers have rejected that and, instead, offered limited incentives focused on technology cooperation. They have also ramped up punitive measures to draw Iran, one of the world’s biggest oil producers, into meaningful talks. Another Western diplomat cautioned that a new strategy for diplomacy had yet to be finalized by Iran’s six interlocutors: the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany. But he said a new meeting with Iran soon after the U.S. vote could not be ruled out, and preparations were under way. “It is possible there may indeed be some meeting in November to discuss an offer ... and that we ask more of the Iranians, in which case we could offer more,” this diplomat said. In a possible sign diplomacy could gather speed after the U.S. election, the New York Times has reported Washington and Iran have agreed in principle to hold one-on-one negotiations, although the White House denied that any talks had been set. In the earlier meetings this year, the powers called on Iran to stop producing highergrade enriched uranium, shut
down its Fordow underground facility and ship out its stockpile. Iran rejected the proposal, described by Western officials as an initial step to build confidence, and demanded recognition of its “right” to refine uranium, activity which can have both civilian and military purposes, as well as lifting of sanctions. But for Iran to secure any relaxation of the pressure, it would have to take substantial additional action beyond the so-called “stop, shut and ship” demand, another Western official said. “For a lifting of sanctions they would have to do much more than just these three steps,” the official said. A more-more strategy would make sense as the West would want to see strict limits to Iran’s entire enrichment program, said nuclear expert Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think-tank. Any new proposal would also have to take into account Iran’s growing holdings of refined uranium as well as its expanding enrichment capacity, according to Fitzpatrick. In return for making concessions, Iran “will need some sanctions relief beyond the meager measures that were offered in the earlier rounds of talks,” he added.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Voters say President Barack Obama did a better job than Republican challenger Mitt Romney in Monday’s debate but their opinions of each candidate did not shift significantly, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday. Some 47 percent of registered voters surveyed in the online poll judged Obama the victor, while 31 percent believed Romney won. But neither candidate’s favourability ratings shifted in the wake of Monday’s debate, the last of three televised matchups before the November 6 election. Likewise, voter assessments of the candidates on a range of issues from the economy to foreign policy did not change by a statistically significant margin. Obama’s favourability rating ticked up by 1 percentage point to 57 percent, a statistically insignificant change. Romney’s favourability also inched up 1 point, to 54 percent.
The full impact of the debate on the race won’t show up in opinion polls for several more days, but it is unlikely that it will give either candidate a big enough boost to break their statistical tie, Ipsos pollster Julia Clark said. “By this point in the election cycle a lot of people have formed a more complete view of each candidate,” Clark said. The accuracy of Reuters/ Ipsos online polls are measured using a credibility interval. The survey of 515 registered voters, conducted yesterday following the debate, has a credibility interval of 4.9 percentage points. The debate did appear to move the needle with some voters, but not in a way that clearly benefited either candidate. Some 22 percent of those surveyed said they had a more positive view of Obama after the debate, while 19 percent said they had a more negative view, and 54 percent said their opinion did not change one way or another.
Obama debate win unlikely to shift race: Reuters/Ipsos poll
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
PM defends Nevis Premier’s decision to call general election
Dr Denzil Douglas BASSETERRE, St Kitts – CMC - Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas yesterday defended the decision of the Premier of Nevis, Joseph Parry, to call a general election rather than a by-election to fill a seat made vacant as a result of a High Court ruling. Last week, Premier Parry told Nevisians they would go to the polls to elect a new Nevis Island Administration (NIA) dashing any idea of calling a by-election in the St. John’s constituency following a court ruling in August that the seat won by his deputy, Hensley Daniel, be declared vacant. “We are having a general election. Let’s not believe that we are having a by-election. It’s not going to happen. No by-election is going to take place in this country; it’s going to be a general election,” Parry said on his weekly radio programme “In Touch with the Premier”. His announcement ended weeks of speculation that the Nevis Reformation Party (NRF) would seek to regain the seat it won in the July 2011 NIA elections. Speaking on his weekly radio programme “Ask the Prime Minister”, the St. Kitts Nevis leader said that the constitution provides the opportunity for Premier parry to seek a fresh mandate from the population on the sister
island.“There is a section in the Constitution that gives the authority to the premier or the prime minister to dissolve at any time and call a general election. And so he is going, I believe under that relevant section of the Constitution which is the same as ours with regards to elections,” he told radio listeners. Dr. Douglas said that he also has the powers to dissolve parliament “at any time. “So if for example there is a vacancy that arises in my case and instead of having a by election within the 90 days …I can say let we have a general election and go back to the polls,” he said, reminding listeners “the prime minister or the premier has the right at any time to ask the Governor General to dissolve the House.“Once you dissolve the house you must have a general election,” he added. In August, the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal upheld a lower court ruling that declared the results of the July 2011 election in St John’s null and void. Daniel was declared the winner by 14 votes over Mark Brantley of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM). The court’s ruling left both the NRP and the CCM with two seats each in the NIA. The court was also critical of the role played by the Supervisor of Elections Leroy Benjamin who
subsequently resigned, followed soon afterwards by Registration Officer Bernadette Lawrence. Former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Utilities and chairman of the National Advisory Electoral Reform and Boundaries Committee, Raphael Archibald, has since been appointed Supervisor of Elections, while Beulah Sandra Liburd has been appointed Registration Officer for Nevis Nine. Parry gave no indication as to when he intends calling the NIA elections, but CCM leader Vance Amory said Monday his party was seeking legal advice on the matter. The CCM has publicly championed a by-election, arguing that in the current economic recession an islandwide election would take a heavy toll on the economy.
Joseph Parry
Page 25
No one has supplied one specific instance of corruption in Govt. - PM Trinidad Express - Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar has said there is no evidence of corruption in her Government. However, she said the day there is evidence, she will take swift action against any member, as she has done in the past. Persad-Bissessar was speaking at a lavish fundraising dinner and dance at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, on Sunday night hosted by the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) to raise funds for its upcoming Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections. Patrons paid $1,000 a plate at the event which was attended by Ministers Jack Warner, Ganga Singh, Anil Roberts, Rupert Griffith, Prakash Ramadhar and Delmon Baker. TOP leader Ashworth Jack also spoke at the event. Persad-Bissessar said: “They talk of corruption in my Government and up to today they cannot give me one specific instance of corruption. They call names, they blame people, there’s nothing I’ve seen evidence of and I promise you this — the day any evidence of corruption comes in my face I will deal with it. “No minister will stand, no councillor will stand and no board member will stand. I’ve
already demonstrated my commitment to transparency and accountability.” Persad-Bissessar said that on May 24, 2010 the people of this country voted for change and a new form of governance. She assured that her Government remains committed to service and delivery to the people but she pointed out that there are many who are resisting the changes. “There are those who want no change and every time we do something different there are some persons who say we have done wrong, but you know what it is they fear ... the change that you voted for on May 24,” said PersadBissessar. The Prime Minister said
in various ministries there is resistance as ministers work towards progress. “...As your Government, as we seek to make changes, I think the Attorney General, he’s seeking to make changes in the way legal briefs are given out, there’s resistance to that change. I see the Minister of Water Resources making inroads in dealing with forestry and environment, there’s resistance to that change,” said PersadBissessar. She also stated there is resistance to change in the works of the Ministries of Science and Technology, Transport, Ministry of the People, among others. “We have a Minister of National Security taking a different approach to dealing with the horrendous crime level in our country. Guess what, resistance to change,” said Persad-Bissessar. Persad-Bissessar said there is also resistance in the education sector but she promised that early childhood education centres will be built and free education will be offered for children ages three to five. “When you pick up a newspaper, when you look at the TV, when you see the naysayers, remember my words to you: resistance to change,” said PersadBissessar.
through the worst economic crisis in 100 years?,” he asked, adding that single mothers in particular were facing acute challenges of housing, employment and maintenance for their children. “We are not as bad as some countries, but in Barbados households are
hurting and Government has taken cognizance of it,” he told Parliament today during debate on the passing of a Resolution to grant the sum of $400 000 from the Consolidated Fund and place it at G o v e r n m e n t ’s d i s p o s a l toward the child maintenance fund. T h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r, who first brought the idea
of the fund to Parliament in 2009, warned that it was not another way of telling delinquent fathers that they didn’t have to maintain their children. He noted, in fact, that methodologies were also being put in place to recoup whatever Government would pay on behalf of delinquent fathers.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Fund for mothers, a must - Stuart Barbados Nation - Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is not apologising for establishing a fund to make sure mothers get child maintenance monies when fathers are delinquent. Stating that a country’s first and paramount concern should be the welfare of its children, Stuart said the fund of $400 000, from which
magistrates would pay mothers in order to avoid their frustrating and fruitless treks to the courts, was necessary at this time. “This is absolutely necessary within the context of all that is going on in Barbados today…what better time to fix it than at a time when the world is going
Page 26
Kaieteur News
US group accuses Barbados police of cover-up NEW YORK - CMC T h e N e w Yo r k - b a s e d Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) is accusing the Barbados Police Force (BPF) of covering up “the apparent murder” of a Barbadian national, whose parents are from Guyana and Barbados. CGID said that Clinton Norton died “under suspicious circumstances” on September 3, this year. CGID president Rickford Burke last week wrote Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart asking for an “independent and fair review” of the police investigation of Norton’s death “so as to ensure justice for the family”. Burke said the Barbados police have “misled the public about the facts of the case and, therefore, his organisation felt constrained to release further information to support its contention of a possible police cover-up”. CGID has released
several photographs of N o r t o n ’s b a t t e r e d b o d y which, it claims, “bore marks of violence, including what appear to be burns, lacerations and bruises”. It said the photographs establish that Norton was “either beaten or tortured to death as the wounds could not have been selfinflected”. CGID said the cause of death, “as declared by Barbados government pathologist, Dr. Corinthia Dupuis, is registered as indeterminate”. It said independent pathologist, Dr. Michael Brown, who witnessed the autopsy “revealed that there was blood in Norton’s lungs and sand in his nostrils and mouth”. Burke said that these findings “invalidate the police’s theory that Norton cut himself while attempting to commit burglary and bled to death”. He said Norton’s body was found inside a
Liquidation Center and that the police “claimed that Norton, who had a prior run-in with them, broke into the building, cut himself in the process and bled to death. “But a c o r o n e r, Magistrate Manila Renee, has ordered an inquest into this suspicious death,” he added. “The government of Barbados needs to determine if this is a case of Jack-the-ripper investigating Charles Manson for murder. “Serious questions arise when witnesses allege that an investigator in a potential murder investigation was last seen with the deceased. This is why we are demanding answers from the Barbados Police Force,” he added. Burke said Barbados authorities have not yet set a date for an inquest, stating that “relatives fear N o r t o n ’s d e a t h w i l l b e swept under the rug”.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
LIAT officials make pitch to St Lucia govt. CASTRIES, St Lucia – CMC - A delegation from the regional airline, LIAT, has held talks with the St. Lucia government urging Castries to invest in the cash-strapped Antigua-based airline. The LIAT delegation, headed by its chairman, Jean Holder and including newly appointed chief executive officer, Ian Brunton, discussed with Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony various matters including a proposal to reduce the number of flights to more than eight locations, a move observers say is likely to affect the hospitality industry across the region. Holder while not indicating whether he obtained any renewed commitments from St. Lucia regarding investment in the airline, said the company was not doing well financially and is now implementing a business plan so as to repositioning the airline to become a viable entity. “It is a business plan that has objectives that are very important, which includes moving this airline from loses to profitability and we want to improve particularly the efficiency of the regional carrier,” Holder said. The LIAT chairman said that the plan also includes improving its customer service, since over the last four years, the airline has recorded a slump in the demand for regional travel.
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves “What we really want to do is to offer the kind of service in air transportation that this region needs and the type of service that this region has not had for a long time, so we have spelt out the details of our plans to the Prime Minister and more than anything else we have asked for his support and involvement in this journey that we are undertaking to success,” he said. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who chairs LIAT’s trio of government shareholders, has been urging St Lucia to invest in the airline LIAT even as he noted that his St. Lucian counterpart has some concerns about “LIAT’s management and the like”. The airline, which is owned by the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, St
Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados, is set to be joined by Dominica as a fourth shareholder. “Now is the time to come in as an equity partner — an equity shareholder — because you are going to be part of making the decisions concerning the types of planes we would have to refresh and the types of planes you are going to extend, expand the service,” Gonsalves has said of recent talks with Anthony. Gonsalves said that Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skeritt has confirmed Roseau’s commitment to becoming an equity partner in LIAT by investing eight million EC dollars (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) in the airline. He said LIAT had already introduced two flights to accommodate night landings in Dominica, allowing passengers to take advantage of late connections from North America and Europe, Barbados, and Antigua and Barbuda. The island-hopping carrier, whose turboprop planes link smaller islands to jet-carrying hubs, is especially important to St. Vincent and Dominica as both countries do not have an international airport. LIAT is seeking to replace its existing fleet of 17 Canadian-made Dehavilland Dash-8s with the Bombardier Q-400.
Canada pledges more help to Jamaica
OTTAWA, Canada — Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper says his country will continue to pursue efforts to boost trade and investments in order to help Jamaica get out of its current economic hardships. Harper made the disclosure Monday morning while addressing a joint press briefing with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who is on a five-day official visit to Canada. Following an impressive welcome ceremony, featuring a military parade, at the Parliament building in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, Simpson Miller and Harper met for close to 30 minutes before facing journalists. Harper emphasised that Jamaica’s best strategy is to grow its way out of the prevailing challenges and pledged to assist the country through trade, agriculture and investments in order to boost
Portia Simpson Miller Jamaica’s recovery. Meanwhile, Simpson Miller, who is on her first visit to Canada as Jamaica’s prime minister, thanked Harper and the people of Canada for their continued support to Jamaica. In addition, she thanked Harper and the Government of Canada for using their position on the board of the International Monetary Fund
to speak on Jamaica’s behalf and to articulate the flaws and consequences of the decision by global financial powerhouses to continue their classification of Jamaica as a middle-income country. That designation prevents Jamaica from accessing many benefits available to lower income countries. Simpson Miller also spoke to the success of the employment programme, under which many Jamaican farm workers and artisans benefit from work in Canada. After the press conference, both prime ministers met again, following which Simpson Miller was scheduled to travel to Toronto for a series of engagements with other Government representatives, members of the Canadian private sector and the 300,000-strong Jamaican Diaspora. (Jamaica Observer)
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 27
Sharp focus on transportation, agri-tourism linkages at special COTED on agriculture
CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers of Agriculture wrapped up a Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) Friday, recording movement on the linkages between agriculture and tourism and agreeing on the need for intensified action to address the transport of goods within the Region. The Special COTED Meeting on Agriculture was the last activity of the 11th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) held in Antigua and Barbuda under the theme ‘Celebrating Youth and Gender in Caribbean Agriculture: Each Endeavouring, All
Achieving’. At a press conference at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium at the conclusion of the Meeting, Chair of COTED, the Hon. Roger Clarke pointed out that food security and the reduction of the Region’s very high food import bill were the common threads running through the Meeting’s agenda and the entire CWA, which he described as “very, very fruitful.” He told representatives of the media that the Meeting endorsed a Plan of Action for the strengthening of linkages between agriculture and tourism. That plan, he said, included measures to increase the trade of agricultural goods into the tourism and hospitality sector, and rural/culinary tourism product development and promotion. The special emphasis in this regard was on root and tuber crops. Extensive discussions were held on the subject of linking small farmers to market and Ministers received reports from the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN) on the implementation of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)-funded PROPEL programme, which will
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC - The Trinidad and Tobago government is exploring the feasibility of paying the airfare for 163 Asians who have been stranded here since the companies which employed them went into liquidation. “As of now, the issue is escalating into one of a humanitarian concern, so that the Government of (TT) will consider payment of their airfare back to Asia,” said acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Roodal Moonilal. The Asians, including 147 Indonesians and 16 Vietnamese nationals, have been on five boats anchored here and on Monday were given water and other basic food items after their plight had been highlighted on a local television newscast. Moonilal said that the government, which is working with the Indonesian embassy in Venezuela, will also be seeking reimbursement from the respective countries “for
any expenditure to return the seamen”. He said the government hopes to have the matter resolved “in a matter of two or three days. “We have resolved to work with the Maritime Services Division, the Coast Guard, and the Embassy of Indonesia in Caracas, Venezuela to resolve the matter quickly.” Moonilal said the men who were fishing in international waters came into local waters and abandoned when the companies that hired them went into liquidation. “Certain agents on the scene in Trinidad fled leaving the workmen on the boats, without fuel and water, and in a terrible condition.” Under maritime law, Moonilal said, “the host country, and in this case (Trinidad and Tobago), has certain obligations to intervene in the context of a humanitarian concern. That we intend to do”.
Roger Clarke
Govt. to help repatriate stranded seamen
support increased access to intra-regional markets by small farmers. The programme will focus on a selection of regional agricultural products, forging links with supermarkets and other buyers. According to Minister Clarke, the Meeting welcomed the initiative, particularly in light of the
Region’s high food bill. However, concern was expressed about the poor transportation linkages available to the Region’s agricultural producers and it was agreed that intensified action was needed in this area. It was also agreed that concerted action needed to be taken to reduce the costs of production.
“Discussions took place because the CaFAN organization, which represents farmers throughout the Region, had been looking at the i n t r a - regional trade in agriculture and what came out as an impediment was the transportation problem. It has to do with a lot of things: it has to do with volumes; it has to do with the demand in
particular territories. So what they have decided to do is to establish some linkage with the private sector … There must be synergies between those who want the product, how much they want, what is perishable, what can be held for longer periods, all those sorts of things… Minister Clarke pointed out.
Page 28
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
After final debate, Obama says election comes down to trust
DAYTON, Ohio (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned voters yesterday that Republican rival Mitt Romney cannot be trusted to deal honestly with the public as the presidential campaign shifted from televised confrontation to a frantic dash for votes. After three televised debates that have boosted Romney’s prospects before the November 6 election, Obama delivered what is likely to be his closing argument: that, unlike Romney, he has been honest
with voters about his plans to deliver a broadly shared prosperity over the next four years. “There is no more serious issue in a presidential campaign than trust,” Obama told a rally of 11,000 people in Florida. “Everything he’s doing right now is trying to hide his real positions in order to win this election.” The charge ties together several critiques of Romney, from shifting policy stances that Obama mockingly attributes to “Romnesia” to a persistent charge that the
wealthy former private-equity executive is more concerned with helping fellow millionaires than the struggling middle class. Romney said Obama is resorting to attacks in the absence of new ideas of his own. “Attacks on me are not an agenda,” Romney told 6,000 people at a rally in Henderson, Nevada. “We haven’t heard an agenda from the president and that’s why his campaign is taking on water and our campaign is full speed ahead.”
Obama unveiled a glossy booklet outlining his secondterm agenda, which will serve as an important prop for his massive grassroots network. The campaign said it will print 3.5 million copies for volunteers to distribute in door-to-door canvassing. The booklet contains no new proposals, but could help rebut what Romney aides say will be their central message in the final two weeks of the campaign: that the country cannot afford another four years of an Obama presidency because he has no plan to fix the sluggish economy. Romney spokesman Kevin Madden called the plan a “glossy panic button.” In their final debate on Monday, Obama accused the former Massachusetts governor of a reckless and inconsistent approach to international affairs. Romney played down his disagreements with the president as he sought to present a reassuring image to a war-weary public. Romney avoided gaffes that would disqualify him in the eyes of voters and emerged from the three debates with an energized base, a full war chest and a sense of momentum. Most importantly, nearly half the electorate now sees him as a plausible president. “These debates have supercharged our campaign, there’s no question about it,” Romney said. Still, Obama holds a narrow advantage in the handful of battleground states that will decide the election. Romney will have a
Barack Obama hard time winning the White House if he does not carry Ohio, where Obama retains a narrow lead thanks in part to his bailout of the U.S. auto industry. After starting the day in Florida, Obama flew to Dayton, Ohio, where he pointed out that Romney had said the government should not step in to prop up the industry during the financial crisis of 2008-2009. “If Mitt Romney had been president when the auto industry was on the verge of collapse we might not have an American auto industry today. We might be buying cars from China instead of selling cars to China,” Obama said. Florida is also a critical swing state in the election, and most polls show Romney leading there by a narrow margin. Statistics compiled by the Miami Herald show that Republicans have a slight
edge among the 830,000 voters who have cast their ballots by mail already. Democrats hope to even the score with early in-person voting, which starts on Saturday. Obama campaign officials say their efforts to encourage supporters to vote early are locking in their advantage among minorities, younger voters and those who less reliably participate in elections. “The Romney campaign has bet that young people and minorities won’t turn out. The early voting is proving the folly of that gamble,” Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said on a conference call. Obama supporters say they have expected a close race all along, given the polarized electorate and the sluggish economy. “You knew this election was going to tighten up no matter who our opponent was,” Vice President Joe Biden said on CBS’s “This Morning” programme. To a c c o m p a n y t h e i r get-out-the-vote efforts, both campaigns and their allies are saturating the airwaves with new advertisements in an effort to sway the remaining undecided voters. Reuters/ Ipsos polling indicates that roughly one in five voters may be undecided or willing to switch their support. In a new ad set to air in swing states, Obama highlights successes like the auto-industry bailout and urges voters to read his plan for a second term.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 29
Rebels battle Assad’s forces for gateway to north Syria BEIRUT (Reuters) Syrian rebels are battling to seize an army base close to the main north-south highway and say its capture would be a big step towards creating a “safe zone” allowing them to focus on Bashar al-Assad’s southern strongholds. For two weeks they have surrounded and attacked Wadi al-Deif, east of the town of Maarat al-Numan. They say the ferocity of counterattacks by government forces shows how important holding the base is to the president’s military strategy. Assad is fighting an insurgency that grew out of protests 19 months ago and has escalated into a civil war in which 30,000 people have been killed. His overstretched army has lost swathes of territory and relies on air power to keep rebels at bay. If Wadi al-Daif fell to rebels, who already control northern border crossings to Turkey, Assad would be dependent on a single land route from the Mediterranean port of Latakia - to supply his forces fighting to win back Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city. “The battle started 11 days ago. At first we sent small groups to liberate (the base) and we were surprised by the resistance the regime forces showed,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Khaled
Hmood, a former army officer who defected to fight Assad. “The regime is fighting fiercely. It seems that it doesn’t care if it loses thousands of troops in order to keep its control over the compound.” Maarat al-Numan has already fallen to Assad’s opponents, effectively cutting the Aleppo highway. But without control of the nearby military base, their hold over the road is tenuous. Hmood said he believed around 400 soldiers were defending Wadi al-Deif - a group of barracks barely 500 meters (yards) from the Damascus-Aleppo road and backed by air power that Assad has deployed against rebels and Maarat al-Numan residents. The base may also be an important fuel depot, holding at least five million liters of kerosene in five underground bunkers, according to Hmood.. “The regime is bombarding Maarat al-Numan and the villages to pressure us to end the siege,” he said. “By bombarding our families they want to force us to pull back.” Anti-Assad activists say 40 civilians were killed in air strikes on the town last Thursday in one of the most intense air offensives of the Syrian conflict. The army has resorted to supplying Wadi al-Deif by air,
dropping bread and other food supplies from helicopters. But its efforts to send military reinforcements have been repulsed by the besieging rebels. The last attempt on Sunday ended when four tanks were destroyed and the remnants of an army column had to pull back. “We have noticed that the best strategy is to hit its supply line. We have been harming the regime a lot by hitting the reinforcements it is sending.” Hmood said that if rebels could take the base and secure the highway, they could intensify efforts to cut Assad’s second main supply line to the north - the road from Latakia to Aleppo that passes through the town of Jisr al-Shughour. “If we liberate these barracks we will be able to protect our backs and move on to Jisr al-Shughour from which we can block supplies and reinforcement coming from Latakia,” he said. “This will give us a defacto free zone ... The north will be liberated and will be our enforced free zone, and the battle will be in the south of the country.” The rebels still face challenges to take the base. Although they have acquired increasingly deadly arms, including artillery and antiaircraft weapons, they have
ROME (Reuters) - Italy’s Civil Protection agency said yesterday that the manslaughter conviction of seven scientists and officials over a deadly 2009 earthquake in the central city of L’Aquila would create “paralysis” in disaster assessment and prevention. O n M o n d a y, a c o u r t sentenced the group to six years in prison for failing to warn of the magnitude 6.3 quake which hit L’Aquila in the early hours of April 6, 2009, killing 308 people and devastating the medieval city. The verdict has caused indignation among scientists around the world, who have warned it will make experts extremely reluctant to express an opinion in public about the likelihood of such events occurring in future.
The agency said it was “easy to imagine the effect of this incident on all those asked to assume responsibility in these sectors which are considered among the pillars of a modern civil protection service.” The sentence would not just affect seismological forecasting, it said, but could also deter other experts from offering opinions such as building safety assessments given by inspectors after the Emilia Romagna earthquakes this year. The statement from the Civil Protection agency came after the heads of the government disaster assessment body at the center of the case resigned, saying it was no longer possible to carry on their work. The head of the National Commission for the Forecast
and Prevention of Major Risks, Luciano Maiani, former president Giuseppe Zamberletti and vice president Mauro Rosi said the convictions had made it impossible to continue their work. The seven convicted on Monday were all members of the Commission. Monday’s case related to a meeting of the Commission on March 31, 2009 at which the scientists gave what prosecutors called “incomplete, imprecise and contradictory” statements about the risk of a major earthquake. Prosecutors accepted it was impossible to forecast earthquakes with any accuracy but said the Commission had given an overly reassuring picture of the situation facing L’Aquila when the earthquake struck.
Italy earthquake verdict will cause “paralysis:” agency
Members of the Free Syrian Army celebrate next to a tank that belonged to pro-government forces. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih regularly complained that they have only limited supplies to keep up the fight. There have been bouts of heavy fighting along the border with Turkey with some
rounds of heavy weapons fire crashing on Turkish territory, prompting Ankara to beef up its military presence and return fire. Yesterday an anti-aircraft
shell fired from Syria hit a health centre in the Reyhanli district of Turkey’s Hatay province but there were no reports of injuries, CNN Turk television said.
Page 30
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Chanderpaul guides Unity to consecutive wins We s t I n d i e s m i d d l e order batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, slammed two stroked-filled centuries last weekend as Unity Sports Club defeated Canal Number one and University of Guyana respectively in two feature limited over matches. O n S a t u r d a y, t h e dependable middle order batsman slammed a magnificent 159 not out to lead Unity Sports Club to a 145-run win over Canal Number One Sports Club. Batting first, Unity Sports Club piled up 322-4 from their allotted 35 overs with Chanderpaul hitting 14
fours and 11 sixes during his fine knock. Former national Under-19 batsman, wicket keeper\ batsman Hemraj Garbarran, supported with 51 (8x4s, 1x6). Canal Number One Sports Club in reply, were dismissed for 177 with only M. Chung scoring of 51 (2x4s, 6x6s). Pacer Keith Saroop bagged 3-19 bowling for Unity. On S u n d a y, Chanderpaul continued his fine form, hitting 102 in a no-result game against a University of Guyana XI. The former West Indies captain clobbered 11 sixes
and four fours in his innings, which guided Unity to 266-6 from the allotted 30 overs. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, played the supporting role with 47 (6x4s, 1x6). Damion Va n t u l l snapped up 2-63 bowling for UG, who responded with 194-7 when bad light stopped play after 23.1 overs of the innings. Akeem Vieira made 43 (7x4s, 2x6s). Bowling for Unity Sports Club, left-arm spinner Tagenarine picked up 3-31, while Shivnarine, bowling gentle mediumpace, bagged 2-28.
Rikhi (87), Bishoo (70 and 4 for 35), Permaul... From page 34 9 in reply. However the best bowling figures of the round came from former West Indies Under-19 and Guyana pacer Keon Joseph, who playing for West Berbice, took 5 for 29 from 8 Overs to bowl out Edinburgh for a paltry 98 in reply to West Berbice’s 175, a total to which Sherwin McPherson, a former Guyana Under-19 batsman contributed 51 (3 fours and 1 six). Another former West Indies Under-19 cricketer, Zamal Khan, back home after spending some years in Canada, slammed 81 which included 13 fours in Port Mourant Karibee Rice 244 against Police who could only reply with 192 with former Guyana Under-19 captain and offspinner Harrinarine Chattergoon picking up 4 for 25 from 9 Overs. Deveshwari Prashad slammed 74 N.O. (8 fours and 1 six), his second consecutive half century, to help Blairmont Community Centre reach 200 against Skeldon Community Centre whose former Berbice Under-19 pacer Junior Blair took 4 for 37 from 8 Overs, Skeldon could only reply with 139. In scores from the matches played: 1. At Edinburgh, Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets beat Bermine by 7 wickets. Bermine losing the toss and
sent in to bat first, 217 for 8 in 50-Overs with Joemal La Fleur 45, Anthony D’Andrade 30, Trinson Bynoe 27, Eon Hooper 3 for 30 from 10 Overs, Shawn Pereira 3 for 32 from 7 Overs. Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets 218 for 3 in 42.2 Overs with Dominique Rikhi 87, Renwick Batson 78, Rajiv Ivan 25 N.O. 2. At Albion, Albion Community Centre beat Young Warriors by 130 runs. In the match which was reduced to 46 Overs-a-side, Albion Community Centre, choosing to bat first 281 for 8 in 46 Overs with Veerasammy Permaul 77, Devendra Bishoo 70, Kandasammy Surujnarine 58, Kevin Ramdeen 3 for 56 from 9 Overs, Amir Rahaman 2 for 32 from 9 Overs. Young Warriors 151 for 9 in 46 Overs with Seon Hetmyer 43, Gajanand Singh 33, Devendra Bishoo 4 for 35 from 10 Overs. 3. At Bush Lot, West Berbice beat Edinburgh by 77 runs. In the match which was reduced to 40-Overs-a-side because of late preparation, West Berbice winning the toss and batting first, 175 in 36-Overs with Sherwin Mc Pherson 51, Raffiel Estriado 44, Raid Ally 3 for 31 from 8 Overs, Ralph Chakalall 2 for 9 from 2-Overs, Haresh Yadram 2 for 38 from 8 Overs. Edinburgh 98 in 23 Overs with Keon Joseph 5 for 29,
Group A: 1. West Berbice 2. Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets 3. Albion Community Centre 4. Bermine 5. Young Warriors 6. Edinburgh Group B: 1. Blairmont Community Centre 2. Skeldon Community Centre 3. Port Mourant Karibee Rice 4. Police 5. Bush Lot United Rising Star
Andrew Dutchin 2 for 4 from 1.2 Overs, Krishendat Ramoo 2 for 12 from 9 Overs. 4. At Port Mourant, Port Mourant Karibee Rice beat Police by 52 runs. Port Mourant choosing to bat first, 244 in 44.3 Overs with Zamal Khan 81, Bougnarine Persaud 47, Mahendra Veerasammy 27. Sean Jhetto 4 for 32 from 9 Overs, Andel Doris 2 for 46 from 8 Overs. Police 192 in 44 Overs with Martin Singh 46, Elon Schultz 30, Leon Andrews 22, Shawn Jhetto 20, Harrinarine Chattergoon 4 for 25, Bougnarine Persaud 2 for 18 from 9 Overs. 5. At Skeldon, Blairmont Community Centre beat Skeldon Community Centre by 61 runs. In the match which was reduced to 40-Overs-a-side due to late pitch preparation, Blairmont Community Centre winning the toss and batting first 200 for 8 in 40-Overs with Deveshwari Prashad 74 N.O, Ridwan Ramjohn 23, Altaf Khan 22, Junior Blair 4 for 37, Eric Byass 2 for 49 from 8 Overs. Skeldon Community Centre 139 in 35.1 Overs with Parmanand Narine 33, Victor Pedro 22, Clavern Beresford 20, Wagar Hassan 2 for 25 from 8 Overs, Kevon Jawahir 3 for 27 from 6.1 Overs, Shabeer Baksh 2 for 32 from 8 Overs. Meanwhile, the points standing after two rounds of matches are as follows:
4 points from 2 matches. 2 points from 1 match. 2 points from 2 matches. 2 points from 2 matches. 0 point from 1 match. 0 point from 2 matches. 4 points from 2 matches. 2 points from 2 matches. 2 points from 2 matches. 0 point from 1 match. 0 point from 1 match.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Everest beat Parika Defenders by 4 wickets Host Everest Cricket Club defeated Parika Defenders by 4 wickets in a feature 20 over softball played on Friday evening. Parika defenders batted first and rattled up 1947 off their allocation of overs. Asif Ahmad topscored with 86(6x6, 7x4) while Jimmy Sahadeo supported with 34. Shivnarine Chanderpaul took 2-25. The home team then replied with 195-6 in 19.4 overs. Richard Latiff led with 66 (4x4, 5x6) and Chanderpaul made 52 (3x4, 1x6). Ashmeed Bacchus claimed 3-35 for the visitors. Everest received a trophy, compliments of Trophy Stall. In the first game which was played between Speed XI and Enterprise Legend, the former triumph by 68 runs.
ECC honours Chanderpaul Speed XI scored 235-5 in 20 overs, batting first. Chanderpaul was their run getter with 70(1x4, 4x6), while Toolsie Sahadeo made 60(1x4,8x6), and Dereck Ramoutar 36. Seemabgal Yadram picked up 4-45. Enterprise in reply mustered 167-7 in 20 overs. Nirmal Singh 29, Pagoo Ramdial 26 and Vishnu Ramnarine 20 were their main scorers as Ramoutar, Ramo Malone and Fazal Khayume grabbed 2 wickets each for the winners. Meanwhile, Everest Cricket Club after the game honoured Shivnarine Chanderpaul for this achievement in the game by granting him life membership
to the club. Chanderpaul in return presented the club with an autograph picture of himself. The West Indies star batsman in a brief remark thanked the club and said it was the first time he was honoured by a club in Guyana. He stated that he will work towards the development of the game at the club and in the country. President of the club, Rajesh Singh said his club was pleased to reward Chanderpaul for his achievement in the game locally, regionally and internationally and stated that he is an inspiration to many youngsters.
President of Everest Cricket Club Rajesh Singh presents the membership card to Chanderpaul in the presence of another member.
2012 BCB/Diamond Fire & General Insurance Under-19 Inter-zone Cricket Competition finals
Lower Corentyne and New Amsterdam/Canje to clash for title The Cumberland Cricket Ground in Canje on Thursday and Friday would be the venue for the 2012 BCB/Diamond Fire & General Insurance Company Under-19 Inter-zone finals. Lower Corentyne would be defending their title against arch-rivals New Amsterdam/ Canje and would be determined to win as the host has already won the Under15 and Under-17 titles for 2012. Lower Corentyne would be led by national Under-19 captain Shawn Pereira and he would be supported by fellow national player Gudakesh Motie Kanhai,
Sharaz Ramcharran, Arif Chan, Shailendra Shameer, Nicholas Cameron, David Latchaya and Devin Baldeo. New Amsterdam/Canje would be spearheaded by national Under-19 player Shimron Hetmyer, Leon Andrews, Hakeem Hinds, Romario Shepherd, Kassim Khan and Nial Smith. At the Skeldon Community Centre Ground, Upper Corentyne and West Berbice would battle for 3rd place. The exciting Parmanand Narine, Deon Esau, Viendra Gooniah, Askay Homraj and Kamesh Sugrim would be the crucial players for Upper Corentyne
against Grisean Grant, Parmanand Ramdhan, Quacy McPherson, Nick Ramsaroop, Derick NarineLalsa Jnr and Kevon Jawahir of West Berbice. The winning team would receive $60,000 and a trophy, the runner up $35,000, third place $25,000 and fourth place $15,000. Representatives of Diamond Fires & General Insurance and Berbice Cricket Board would meet the teams before the start of play and then distribute prizes after the match. Play starts at 09:00 hours daily and first innings would be restricted to 65-Overs.
Page 31
Page 32
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Politician, teacher and avid sportsman, Rudolph Orlando Michael, passes on Members of the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP) are still to come to grips with the harsh reality that one of their members, Rudolph Orlando Michael, has succumbed following a brief period of hospitalization at the Woodlands Hospital, Carmichael Street, Georgetown. He was 85 years old. Rudolph is the father of another top scrabble player, Orlando, and is also regarded as the father of the sport by dint of his involvement from the inauguration of the GASP. According to his daughter, Hazel Woolford, her father complained of feeling unwell about three weeks ago and family members took him to the Woodlands Hospital where medical practitioners prescribed saline while admitting him into the institution. Up to then his condition was listed as stable and no one envisaged his death. The situation took a turn for the worse and on Saturday October, 20 last, at just around 13:45hrs, he drew his last breath. R O, as he was fondly called, was a sportsman of no mean order. He was an excellent swimmer and also played cricket during his youthful days. His love for the sport remained intact even unto his senior years when he would stay up late into the night following the exploits of West Indian cricketers as they sought to bring glory to the region. Later on, when his frail body could no longer endure
Rudolph Orlando Michael the rigors of cricket and swimming, R O developed a love for indoor games. He played darts, pools, billiards, dominoes and eventually turned to scrabble. In fact, he established himself as a scrabble player, in the early 1960s in Linden and later became a founder member of the GASP. He was integral in the organizing of tournaments and was solely responsible for purchasing and labeling the trophies, a task he performed with distinction. R O also played a mean game of scrabble and those competing against him can attest to the many times they had challenged his words, confident that they were invalid, only to become disappointed or even dismayed after the words were deemed valid. Otherwise, R O would have served this nation in several other capacities; he was a teacher, postal supervisor and a storekeeper. He was also a dedicated Christian and was an
ordained Elder in the Christian Catholic Church and preached the word of God in several parts of the country. R O was also a licensed marriage officer and conducted funerals. R O was also a trade unionist, political activist, and community worker and ended his career as a trade unionist as a Vice- President in the Postal Workers Union. Though he had not obtained a secondary education, he was ambitious and successfully completed the Pupil Teachers’ Examination and later became a teacher, in the Industrial Arts department where he specialized in woodwork. He was also an accomplished musician and was trained in the intricacies of the tradition by the late Valerie Rodway, the mother of the late Chancellor of the Judiciary, J. O. Haynes. Thereafter, he performed at concerts at the New Amsterdam Town Hall among other notable places. It was after he had resigned from teaching that he had entered the postal service, like so many of his contemporaries including his brothers, Rudy and Cedric Grant. He came from good stock and like his father, shared a love of public speaking and, singing. R O’s remains will be cremated at the Good Hope Crematorium tomorrow October 25 at 10:30hrs. The management and staff of Kaieteur News wish to convey deep sympathy to the family, friends and members of GASP on the passing of this sport stalwart. May his soul rest in peace!
9th Busta Champion of Champions tourney bowls off today The 9th annual Busta Champion of Champions cricket tournament organized by the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club for the top eight cricket clubs in Berbice is set to bowl off today at four venues across the Ancient County. The tournament, which has been successfully hosted by the Club over the years and sponsored by the Guyana Beverage Company under its Busta brand, is quite popular in Berbice and would feature the best players. Secretary/CEO of the RHT&SC Hilbert Foster has disclosed that all arrangements are in place for a successful tournament which should be completed in less than a month. Foster also stated that the teams have been informed that players’ discipline on and off the field must be of the highest standard and all umpires decision’s must be respected. At the Blairmont Ground, the home team spearheaded by Waqar Hassan, Deveshwari Prashad, Altaf Khan and Kevon Jawahir would play a very strong Bermine side with players the likes of Eugene LaFleur, Anthony D’Andrade, Romario Shepherd, Stephen
Latcha and Jomal LaFleur. Young Warriors leg by Gajanand Singh, Richard Ramdeen, Balram Samaroo and Shimron Hetmyer will host West Berbice at the Cumberland Ground. West Berbice would be spearheaded by Keon Josephy, Krisendat Ramoo, Sherwin McPherson and Brandon Bess. At the Albion Community Centre Ground, the home team will entertain Skeldon. Albion will start as the favourite featuring consist players including Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devindra Bishoo, Jonathan Foo, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai and Kandasammy Surujnarine, while underdogs Skeldon would depend heavily on Gary Phillips, Junior Blair, Parmanand Narine and Clavern Beresford. The final game of the first round involves hosts Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets and Port Mourant at the Area ‘H’ Ground. RHTGG is made up of Royston Crandon, Delbert Hicks, Clinton Pestano, Rajiv Ivan, Shawn Perreira, Eon Hooper and Dominic Rikhi, while the once powerful PMCC will have the services of Zamal Khan, Devendra Thurkadeen, Yogindra Harrinarine and Tony McKenzie. All matches starts at 09:35hrs.
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 33
Exciting start has given us renewed energy - Mendonca Now that the Courts Pee Wee Schools Football Tournament has started Kaieteur Sport (KS) posed a few questions to Director of the Petra Organisation, the entity responsible for coordinating the event. Below are the questions posed to Director Troy Mendonca (TM) and here are his responses. KS-First, let me ask you in your capacity of being a member of the Organising Committee if you were satisfied with the turnout of parents and fans last Saturday? TM-We were more than satisfied, as a matter of fact, we were overwhelmed with excitement and this has given us renewed energy to deliver a high quality tournament that overtime will produce the kind of players who could go on to represent this country at the highest level, while the competition could serve to augment the local football programme. KS-Given the limited time the schools had to prepare for the competition, were you impressed with the level of play seen?
Managing Director of Courts (Guyana) Clyde DeHaas (left) and Petra Organisation Director Troy Mendonca, seen chatting shortly before the kick-off of the Pee Wee Schools Tournament last Saturday. TM-Definitely, we were very impressed with the talent that was displayed and I think we have gone in the right direction by using the schools for this programme. KS-Do you expect the
standard to improve as the tournament progresses with the teams having more time to adequately prepare? TM-Definitely, we think that now the tournament is up and running the teams will be
more organized. KS-Are you satisfied with the commitment and support being given by the respective schools? TM-Kudos must be given to the schools, especially the persons who were directly involved, since most of these schools didn’t have a football programme prior, but were able to mobilize a team to compete. KS-We saw a few teams come a bit late even though it did not affect the smooth execution of the fixtures, but will this be addressed in the coming weeks? TM-All the teams arrived early according to the fixtures, except for one school that was delayed because of circumstances beyond their control. KS-What about the support offered by the referees and I ask the question on the basis of seeing just two referees officiating in some of the matches. Will this be the ongoing scenario? TM-The Guyana Referees Council is supportive of this tournament, but based on information a few referees
who were slated to officiate did not turn up because of unforeseen circumstances. Nevertheless this situation has been addressed and all the necessary steps will be put in place to correct same. KS-What about the support of the media has it met with the satisfaction of the Organisers and sponsors? TM-We are very happy with the support from the media thus far and look forward to the continued assistance to enhance this grassroots initiative. Initially, we were very apprehensive about the idea of hosting this Tournament among Primary Schools.
However, it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened, because of the amount of players that was given an opportunity to showcase their talent and the bonding and camaraderie shared between players, teachers, parents and supporters from different schools. We are, therefore, very thankful for the response and support given by the Headmasters , Headmistresses, Teachers, Parents , Coaches , the Ministry of Education Allied Arts Department, Banks DIH Limited and last but not least Courts Guyana Inc. for making Saturday special.
Golden Jaguars squeeze to... From page 35 Sheldon Holder and Gregory Richardson. Meanwhile, Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz commented: “The long time together is starting to tell on the team but these lads have an uncanny ability to switch on in the big moments and I am backing them to do just that. “We created 15 chances and scored 2 our finishing today left a lot to be desired. We made a mountain out of a molehill and by not taking our chances we made the game too close for comfort.” “Facing St Lucia at home is an uphill task and one that as professionals we embrace and eagerly face.”
Page 34
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Trinidad taught Guyana Lance Armstrong ‘must return a lesson in team-racing Tour de France prize money’ - Forde skilfully used experience to survive By Edison Jefford The Trinidadians exposed a pervasive weakness among Guyana’s distance athletes on Sunday at the IAAF South American 10km Road Race that, if not seriously addressed, threatens to prevent them from achieving the regional success they can. Trinidad and Tobago had six male representatives in the race with half of them, namely Richard Jones, Matthew Hagley and Curtis Cox, finishing between second and fourth respectively getting US $600, $400 and $300 for their placement in the race. Cleveland Forde won the race and received US$1000 with Dennis Horatio, who finished sixth in the overall line-up behind Nathaniel Giddings, cashing in on US$200 for fifth because Giddings competed in the Junior category, which he won convincingly. The result of the top five in the international male race would therefore indicate that Trinidadians dominated with three athletes among the cash prizes, compared to two from Guyana. It was only so because Trinidad raced as a team as opposed to Guyana. Giddings had jumped out to an early lead that he sustained when Cox joined him around the 7km mark; at this point in the race and with Giddings exuding pace as is the role of a ‘race-rabbit’, the contest was well poised with Dennis Horatio, Cleveland Thomas and Cleveland Forde among the Trinidadians in a head-to-head showdown along the Kitty Public Road. It is at this stage that the Guyanese athletes needed to independently, but yet collectively decide that to break up the Trinidadian gang they needed to race as a team and implement a strategy that could have probably produced more top five finishers for Guyana. Instead, the Guyanese allowed the Trinidadians to do the thinking in the race. Jones, who is not a stranger to distance running, sensed that all was not well with
Trinidad and Tobago’s Curtis Cox hangs on to the lead with less than 1km left in the race along Thomas Road with Guyana’s Cleveland Forde battling among the other Trinidadians, Matthew Hagley and Richard Jones behind. Forde, who admitted to a thigh and abdomen injury after the race, dropped his pace and allowed his countryman, Cox to get away on about a 50m lead when they turned onto Vlissingen Road on their way back to the finish. Forde could not have gone with a tougher pace because of his pain, but none of the other athletes had picked up Jones’ tactic. Forde bought his time, used his experience, and allowed Cox within striking distance, knowing his finishing speed was superior to the Trinidadians. But when Jones dropped the pace of the chase-pack, it was an opportune instance for a Guyanese collective effort. However, none of the athletes except Forde upped the ante and pressure, which in effect allowed the Trinidadians to dictate the finishing pace and result. The Trinidadian tactics was
Lance Armstrong should have to repay his Tour de France winnings after being stripped of his seven titles, says race director Christian Prudhomme. The International Cycling Union stripped Armstrong of his results since 1 August 1998 after ratifying a US AntiDoping Agency report on him. Tour director Prudhomme called the UCI’s decision “totally logical”. And he added: “The UCI rules are clear. When a rider is disqualified, he must pay the prize money back.” It has been estimated that Armstrong won around £2.4m, some of which was shared with his US Postal team-mates, for winning the Tour de France in seven successive years from 1999 to 2005. Armstrong has deleted reference to his Tour de France wins on his Twitter biography. It had read: “Father of 5 amazing kids, 7-time Tour de France winner, full time cancer fighter, part time triathlete.” Now it states: “Raising my 5 kids. Fighting Cancer.
Swim, bike, run and golf whenever I can.” The American has 3.78m followers on the social networking site. The UCI accepted the findings of the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s (Usada) investigation into systematic doping and called for Armstrong “to be forgotten”. The UCI management committee will meet on Friday to discuss the “exact sporting consequences” of the decision, including whether the titles and prize money will be re-distributed, but Prudhomme repeated his wish that the results from the Armstrong years are not reallocated. “We hope that there is no winner in these editions,” he said. “A formal decision must be taken by the UCI but for us, very clearly, there must be a blank record.” Armstrong has also been asked to return $7.5m in bonuses to Texas insurance company SCA Promotions. The International Olympic Committee will await Friday’s UCI meeting and further information before a decision
Lance Armstrong (AFP) is made on the bronze medal Armstrong won in the time trial at Sydney 2000. Armstrong overcame cancer to return to professional cycling. He has always denied doping but chose not to fight the charges filed against him. Usada released a 1,000page report this month which included sworn testimony from 26 people, including 15 riders with knowledge of the US Postal Service Team and the doping activities of its members.
2012 Tenelec Inc First Division 50-Over Cricket Competition similar to what the distancerunning savvy Kenyans implement internationally and it definitely separated the Trinidadian nous in the race from the Guyanese. Had it not been for the closing speed of Forde, Guyana would have been in the cellar positions of the top five in the race. Forde could have received much more assistance from especially Thomas and Horatio, who would have placed better as a result. Both athletes were visibly still strong after the race, which meant that they had more left in their reserves. Giddings’ performance, toppling both Thomas and Horatio, was remarkable for a junior athlete; he did his work in the race and got his reward: the top prize among the juniors, a top five placing and his best performance in an international calendar event. Forde gave the impressive crowd that came out to see the race enough to cheer about; however, it could have been much more resounding with more local placements in the top five; the women’s race tells its own story with only Ashanti Scott among the prizes for Guyana with her third place finish. Sensible team-racing tactics will solve the local distance running problems.
Rikhi (87), Bishoo (70 and 4 for 35), Permaul (77) headline round two performances The 2012 Tenelec Inc First Division 50-Over Round - Keon Joseph takes five Robin Cricket competition organised by the Berbice Cricket Board continued recently with some outstanding performances. Bermine was very helpful after registering 217 for 8 against Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets but their aspirations died when the Rose Hall Town two former Guyana Under-19 batsmen Dominique Rikhi with 87 (9 fours) and Renwick Batson with 78 (7 fours and 3 sixes) put 149 runs in an opening stand that saw their team to a big 7 wicket win. Albion Community Centre amassed 281 for 8 in 46 Overs, against Young Warriors, the highest score in the competition so far, with recent West Indies selectee Veerasammy Permaul leading the way with 77 (4 fours), former West Indies leg spinner Devendra Bishoo 70 (9 fours and 1 six) and former Guyana Under-19 opening batsman Kandasammy Surujnarine 58 (5 fours). Bishoo then came back with the ball and took 4 for 35 from 10 Overs, while Permaul had figures of 1 for 27 from 9 Overs to restrict Warriors to 151 for Continued on page 30
Keon Joseph
Deveshwari Prashad
Dominique Rikhi
Renwick Batson
Wednesday October 24, 2012
Kaieteur News
2012 Neal and Massy Intermediate 50-Over Cricket Competition in Berbice
Nazim Mohamed (139) and Ezam Ali (74) steer No.71 to a 175-run victory over Skeldon The 2012 Neal and Massy Intermediate 50-Over Cricket Competition organized by the Berbice Cricket Board continued recently with No.71 inflicting a heavy defeat on Zone D’s favourite, Skeldon Community Centre. In the match which was played at No. 71 and which was reduced to 40 overs-aside because if the late arrival of Skeldon, No.71 won the toss and elected to take first strike. After losing an early wicket with only 3 runs on board, Ezam Ali dominated a second-wicket stand of 60 in 10 overs before his partner, Deoprakash Ramdat, fell for 9. Five runs later, Imran Khan went for a duck and at the same score, Imran Mohamed suffered the same fate, No.71 in effect falling from 63 for 1
to 68 for 4, with all three wickets going to off spinner Gajendra Ramnarine. However, Ali was joined by his young brother, Nazim Mohamed and together they took the initiative away from Skeldon, built a partnership and proceeded to add 106 for the 5th wicket before Ali fell to Ramnarine for 74 (9 fours and 4 sixes) at 174 for 5. Mohamed continued and put on 35 for the 6th wicket with Deonarine Deodharie (18) and after three quick wickets fell again, he hammed almost single-handedly, an unbroken 9th wicket stand for 55 with Amar Rajin, whose contribution was 1, not out. At the end, Mohamed was 139 not out, which included 18 fours and 5 sixes, taking No.71 to a sound position at 262 for 8 in their 40 overs.
Bowling for Skeldon, Ramnarine ended with 5 for 48 from 8 overs. When Skeldon Community Centre began their response, No.71 opening medium pacer, Nazim Mohamed, returning immediately with the ball, took three early wickets to leave them 15 for 3. The opening off spinner, Deoprakash Ramdat, then took the next three to see them slipping further to 49 for 6. Nigel Trotz tried to take Skeldon to the 100-run mark but after he fell for 22, his team folded for 87, to lose by 175 runs. Bowling for No.71, Nazim Mohamed and Deoprakash Ramdat each took 3 for 20 from 4 and 8 overs respectively, while Deonarine Deodharie took 2 for 22 from 3 overs.
Page 37
ECB 40-over cricket semifinals
Adams, Pooran, Parsram slam half centuries as Wakenaam, Central E’bo secure final berths Wakenaam defeated East Bank Essequibo and Central overcame North Essequibo by 57 and 157 runs respectively and secured their places in the final of the Essequibo Cricket Board first division 40 over competition. On Saturday, at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground, the host batted first and mustered 239 all out off their allocation of overs. Ricardo Adams top scored with 68 (5x4, 2x6) and got support from Navishaul Pooran 56 (4x4, 2x6), while Kemo Paul and Oyono
Sampson chipped in with 26 each. Deon Carew, Sheldon Alexander and Hemchand Persaud claimed 3 wickets apiece. East Bank Essequibo in reply folded for 188 in 34 overs. Brian Hubbert led with an even half century (1x4, 6x6), while Kevon Boodie made 30 (2x4), and Mahendra Nandkishore 28. Nazeer Mohamed was the pick of the bowlers for the host with 330, while Imran Khan took 342 and Chandreka Ragnauth 2-36. At Affiance, Central took
first strike and managed 2516 off their allocation of overs. Rovindra Parsram 60, Navindra Persaud 47, and Parmesh Parashutam 37 were their principal scorers as Uvindra Balgobin picked up 2-41. North in response were bowled out for 94 in 26.2 overs. Hemant Beharry scored 18 as Latchman Rohit grabbed 4-19, while Herry Green captured 3-18, and Ronsford Beaton 2-19. The final was played last evening under lights in Pomeroon.
Roraima Bikers Club to host weekend of cycling
Letter to the Sports Editor 15th Humphrey’s Bakery Troy Humphrey Mem. & Digicel Breast Cancer Awareness Meets
Was it A Unilateral Decision to Remove the World Cup Qualifying Match from Guyana? DEAR SIR, I hereby refer to the above caption as it relates to the World Cup Qualifying group B match Guyana vs. Mexico, scheduled for Friday, October 12th, 2012 initially slated for the National Stadium Providence, but has since been shifted to Texas, USA! Wherein upon whose instrumentality was the decision taken to shift the match? Was it a collective executive decision, that was unanimous (2/3 majority)? Further, was any executive meeting convened? And is there a record of minutes, accompanied by a Financial Statement, outlining income and expenditure? While not foregoing profit/loss! If not the entire exercise was in futility, since it wasn’t business oriented! What of the “toothless poodles” that continues to masquerade as General Council Members, whose whimper cannot even scare an ant! How many of those amongst, associations and affiliates have the machismo (guts) to go through the entire process with a fine teeth comb, asking questions of relevance, and demanding answers of substance? Was there any consultation? Presuming that a FIFA/ CONCACAF Licensed Promotional/Marketing Group sells the idea to Guyana on behalf of Mexico offering the GFF USD$250,000 to forfeit its
rights as a host, surely, the significant amount of GUY$50,000,000 would be gobbled up at first sight, moreover, hindsight. By the way was legal advice sought from the GFF’s attorney, along with the relevant financial review from a qualified financial expert? Suffice it to say that whatever figure the GFF receives, the Mexicans will get almost double, if not, more! Meanwhile, figuratively speaking with the stadium having a seating capacity of probably, 25,000 and an average entrance fee of USD$40.00 would garner USD$1,000,000 in gate receipts! However, with advertising, sponsorship, beverages and food franchises and broadcast rights being other sources of additional income! Then to receive a mere 25% of gate receipts, places the GFF in a quagmire of being “penny wise and pound foolish. Since conducting the affairs of football as a business, must make dollars and sense, and definitely not cents”! By the way, how many individuals outside the managerial and technical staff were offered free rides for live viewing of the match, accompanied by a one entry visa? Especially, those who have never made a tangible contribution to the continued “development and promotion of football”!
Finally is the national goalkeeping cupboard so bare, that the #2 choice is Derrick Carter of BK Int. Western Tigers, who was granted conveniently a reprieve along, with a $20,000 fine after he had previously verbally abused a referee with expletives, in a GFF National League Match? So good for inconsistency! And the dispensation of justice, while other players from lesser known clubs, would have received lengthy suspensions from club representation. What of the 12th man that a clarion call was made for publicly to support the Golden Jaguars, in home matches, why were they deprived of viewing the Mexican line up live on local soil which would have been once in a lifetime? While a significant amount of local Brazilians, former national Guyanese footballers residing abroad and a few islanders would have added up to filling the Providence Stadium. More so, with Chicarito of Manchester United fame an English Premier League Club! Was it wise enough in selling the rights of hosting when taking into consideration the possibility of not having the best national selection for representation owing to visa issues? In addition to a depleted managerial and technical staff! Lester Sealey
George Humphrey With the aim of enhancing the sport of cycling in Guyana, the Roraima Bikers Club (RBC) will this weekend host two events that are expected to feature the best riders in Guyana. On Saturday at the Inner Circuit of the National Park, the 15th annual Troy Humphrey Memorial Meet will be held, pedaling off from 09:00hrs and sponsored by Humphrey’s Bakery & Farm Products, Kettley Street, Charlestown. According to the organizers, Super Cash Prizes will be at stake among other prizes at both events. On Sunday, the outer circuit of the National Park is where the action will take
place when the Digicel sponsored Breast Cancer Awareness Road Race is contested, also pedaling off from 09:00hrs. A special One Lap event, open to all (public) persons with cycles will precede the feature 25-lap contest. In the one lap event, current Caribbean Junior and Juvenile champions Paul DeNobrega and Michael Anthony along with all the other top riders will rub shoulders with the other riders. The outer circuit of the National Park takes in Carifesta Avenue, Camp
Street, Thomas Road and Vlissingen Road. Carifesta Avenue is the starting and finishing. The first six cyclists to cross the finish line will be rewarded with one to three receiving trophies. The winner will also be rewarded with a Champion Jersey. The top three juniors and veterans will cash in. Special cash prizes will be awarded to the top two females, youngest and oldest finisher. For each lap there will be a sprint prize of $25,000 while laps 5, 10, 15 and 20 will see the winner receiving one cell phone each.
Following is the list of events for Saturday’s Meet Event Laps Prizes Junior/Juvenile 20 1st – 3rd Vets (Under-50) 6 1st – 3rd Vets (Over-50) 6 1st – 3rd Mountain Bikes (Open) 6 1st – 3rd Team Time Trials 3 1st – 3rd BMX 6-11years 1 1st – 3rd BMX 12-14years 2 1st – 3rd Seniors (Category 1-4) 25 1st – 6th