Kaieteur News

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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

European Union stresses the importance of addressing Climate Change DEAR EDITOR, I was pleased to see that your editorial of 27 October (The effects of climate change on Guyana) noted the importance of the issue of Climate Change for us all, and that it is an issue that must be addressed urgently.

For this reason, a major global summit takes place in Paris in December this year – the UNFCCC COP21 summit – intended to replace the 1992 Kyoto Protocol, has as its objective the securing of an ambitious agreement that will ensure the world remains on track to keep global warming below a 2° C increase limit.

The EU has been working closely with Guyana and many other vulnerable countries and welcomes that fact that Guyana recently submitted its Intended

Nationally Determined Contributions to the COP21.

The EU is a global leader on this vital issue – we are committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The EU and its Member States are major providers of climate finance – delivering more than ten billion euro in 2013 alone. Almost half of all pledges to the Green Climate Fund came from EU Member States.

As your editorial rightly noted, Guyana’s coastal plain is below sea level and therefore climate change poses an immediate and serious risk to this country.

The EU and Guyana have a strong and long-standing relationship on climate change, and the EU - as the

largest grant donor to Guyana - has funded many climate change-related projects, in particular sustained coastal zone protection through sea defences and mangrove restoration.

In fact, to date the EU has given almost •100 million towards climate change adaptation.

For this reason the EU allocation of 34 million euro under the 11th European Development Fund 2014-2020 focuses on climate change adaptation, disaster reduction and sustainable infrastructure (including sea defences), building upon successful cooperation in this area in the past.

Ambassador Jernej Videtiè European Union Delegation

DEAR EDITOR, I’m penning this letter in response to a letter that was published captioned “Our system failed Zenita Nicholson”(KN 20/10).

Firstly, my condolences to her children and the bereaved family. While we recognize the need for better mental health intervention and programs, in the case of

Zenita Nicholson our system didn’t fail her as much as she failed herself.

It is no hidden secret that Zenita was socially relevant and connected, therefore help was at her finger tip and as an advocate who urged others to speak out choose to suffer in silence.

I’m assuming that Zenita

DEAR EDITOR, I have read the news item about the ‘territorial waters’ controversy with Venezuela.

I agree that we should all be, in the language of the late Margaret Thatcher, “batting for Guyana”, and my feeling is that the Chinese people may be doing that for us.

I think that, given their ‘substantial’ presence and business interests in our country, their President’s recent visit to the UK may have included a briefing to the Establishment that, as one of their former colonies, Guyana is worthy of their support, and a word in the ear of the right American person would

help; America’s oil interests being involved.

Thinking long term, the UK, as a member of the EU, should have a say in the matter if the International Court of Justice becomes involved.

John Public can never be sure of what goes on behind the closed doors of our political leaders.

Unaware as many may be, there could be external, ‘friendly forces’ working on Guyana’s behalf, to preserve her grass and curass.

Geralda Dennison

knew the ramification for anyone who chooses to be in a physical/verbal/emotional abusive relationship but what is rather unfortunate that such a beautiful, charming and free spirited young woman choose to end her life by way of suicide.

Her death has shed light on the fact that many of the leaders and advocates in our society, while they are not super humans; they are however, psychologically unfit to guide or represent us objectively. May her soul rest in peace.

Deodatt. M. Tillack Psychologist

Our system didn’t fail Zenita Nicholson as much as she failed herself

The Chinese may be batting for Guyana

Where are the IndianGuyanese intellectuals?

DEAR EDITOR, A letter writer raised a question in reference to the recent controversy regarding Diwali celebrations in Guyana by asking “Where are the Indian intellectuals?” In short, why are Indians not speaking out through a consensus voice and addressing issues germane to their physical existence?

The deafening silence has led to two possible conclusions. One, there are few Indian intellectuals in Guyana who are capable of articulating a position on behalf of Indians. Two, Indian intellectuals are afraid to speak out because of the perception that they may be branded as “racists”. They will be accused of not being a “true Guyanese”.

There is no question that an intellectual tradition is firmly grounded in the African community.

This has been established over the years, largely complemented by many years of oppression and discrimination, and a historical experience that has created shared values and common positions around national issues, be it racism against Africans, reparations, etc. Swami Aksharananda reminded us that within the African community (specifically, the PNC and WPA) “a significant number of African intellectuals, scholars, and activists …are quite vociferous when it comes to ethnic honor, and for whom the furtherance and defense of African Guyanese

interests, is an important plank in their political and public life.” He suggested that “this group of individuals seeks to connect ethnic interests with national interests” and that there is an “asymmetry in this position when it comes to Indians”.

His conclusion was that the Indian ethnic interest “has been presented as diametrically opposed to national interest.”

Judging by the letter writers, social blogs and social media platforms, there are some common trends that are identifiable when it comes to the way Indians are perceived in Guyana and the Caribbean. One, they are viewed as a backward, unsophisticated lot, a perception often linked to their Asian, rather than western outlook. Two, the language used to describe Indians suggest that they are “interlopers”, “temporary migrants”, or as Eric Williams of Trinidad referred to them as “a recalcitrant minority”.

In sum, Indians are seen as non-patriotic and as antinationalist as they come. As a result, Indians who publicly advocate for their community or group interests are viewed as “parochial” because they cling to their primordial sentiments.

If readers think these claims are not grounded in reality, one simply has to peruse the unfettered blogs where Guyanese, hiding behind anonymity, tell each other how they really feel. By no means am I claiming that

Indians are saints in this regard, but, unfortunately, the vitriol is reflected on both sides.

If an intellectual tradition exists within the Guyanese Indian community, it is difficult to identify the protagonists. Had there been an intellectual tradition in Guyana, the current perceptions regarding Indians may not have gone unchallenged.

One is hard-pressed to produce evidence that the PPP and its leadership has elevated the status of Indians, its largest voting bloc, to the next plateau because that party is guilty of squelching any semblance of intellectualism within its core, a tradition that dates back to the early days of Cheddi Jagan.

Moreover, beyond his Marxism, Jagan saw himself as the person on a mission to bring the races together. He was assured of Indian support, so little attention was given to the particular problems of Indians. He did not care to raise them, while working assiduously to delegitimize any Indian leader or organization that expressed a desire to engage in meaningful dialogue about race relations in Guyana.

Ironically, Swami Aksharananda’s statements received vociferous castigations, not from Africans, many of whom would probably agree with his assessment, but from a lone Indian, Freddie Kissoon, Continued on page 23

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Kaieteur News

Thursday October 29, 2015

Hijacked 'Red House' land has to be returned …you cannot use Public Office to rob the State - AG Williams The 99-year lease that governs the use of land on which sits the heritage building known as Red House will be quashed. Government is also looking to have the building used to commemorate not just one former President, the Late Cheddi Jagan.

This is the position of the A Partnership for National Unity plus Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government, according to Attorney General, Basil Williams. He did say that government was looking to have the matter between the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the new government resolved. He spoke of a meeting between the PPP and himself on the matter.

Williams was adamant that the land on which Red House sits, has to be returned to the State. On the matter of the actual building, Williams said it ought not to be used

only for the Late President Dr. Jagan. “We have other past Presidents.”

Not wanting to speak specifically on whether criminal charges would be laid, Williams suggested a settlement of some sort, but is adamant that what transpired in relation to leasing Red House lands to the PPP was in fact unlawful.

Asked if none will be held responsible, Williams denied that this was his position but repeatedly referenced a possible use of Guyana’s plea bargaining legislation in order to have the matter resolved.

He decried the lease, saying that it was in fact a device used to “hide from the eyes of equity, the true nature of the transaction.”

Williams posited that it was in fact a de facto giveaway of the land, since a 99-year lease is akin to transport. “If you had to do a transport for a 99 year lease for that kind of property you

The Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, also known as Red House are talking about tens of millions of dollars,” said Williams.

The Attorney General told media operatives that the previous administration used the guise of a lease, “and charged a peppercorn rent.”

He was adamant that the act constitutes an illegality and misfeasance in public office. “Because you are in an

Office, a Public Office and you are under a duty to exercise your functions for the benefit of the country, for the citizens of the country.”

He was adamant, “You cannot use (Public) Office to rob the State.”

Williams suggested that if the value of the land is in the tens of millions and “you have some device where you alienate that land to another for a couple thousand dollars, then obviously it’s an unlawful transaction.”

Pressed to identify specifically which of Guyana’s laws would have been breached by the then PPP Government in giving itself a lease on the land for such a small sum, Williams said, “it is misconduct in public office on the criminal side and misfeasance in

public office on the civil side.” He was clear, that as long as there is evidence in support of misfeasance, then there is evidence for criminal misconduct charges.

Williams was unable to report on the reaction of the PPP to the proposals by Government that the building be used to not only commemorate just one former President.

He said the matter was still under discussion and that he did not want to prejudice the talks with the PPP. Williams was clear, however. on the position of the administration.

“Red House which is State Property cannot be used solely as a research centre for one President.”

The state of affairs came to light during the recently concluded 2015 Budget

Debates and was described as “deceitful action” that sought to rob the nation of its resources.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at the time told the National Assembly that the then PPP administration spent tens of millions of dollars over the years to renovate the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (Red House) which remained state property until 2012.

During that year, ‘Cheddi Jagan Research Inc.’ was established and the building was leased by the PPP to that company.

The lease agreement has duration of 99 years at a cost of $1000 monthly.

This will add up to $12,000 per year and $1,188,000 over the 99-year period. This will not be even a quarter of what was spent to build, renovate and maintain the building over the years.

Apart from this, Harmon said that the entity’s staff remained on the job and were still being paid by the State.

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

International Criminal Court says India should hand over Sudan’s Bashir MUMBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The International Criminal Court said India should arrest and hand over Sudanese President Omar Hassan alBashir, who is wanted on genocide charges and expected to visit New Delhi for a summit this week.

Bashir is accused of masterminding genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in his campaign to crush a revolt in Sudan’s western Darfur region. The Hague-based tribunal issued warrants for his arrest in 2009 and 2010.

Along with at least 40 other African leaders, the 71year-old president is expected to arrive in New Delhi yesterday to attend an IndiaAfrica Summit aimed at boosting trade and investment between the two regions.

Although India is not an ICC signatory, New Delhi should act as a U.N. Security Council resolution had lifted Bashir’s immunity under international law and urged all states to fully cooperate with the ICC, said the office of ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.”As states ponder over such matters, it is fundamentally important not to forget the victims who deserve justice for the unimaginable atrocities they have suffered,” Bensouda’s

Omar Hassan al-Bashir office told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by email late on Monday.

“By arresting and surrendering ICC suspects, India can contribute to the important goal of ending impunity for the world’s worst crimes.”

Indian officials were not immediately available for comment, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup, when asked the country’s position, told local media, “India is fully compliant with its international legal obligations.”

This is not the first time the ICC has asked a foreign government to arrest and

hand over Bashir.

South Africa, which is a signatory to the ICC and obliged to implement warrants from the court, was criticised in June for allowing Bashir to leave an African Union summit, defying a ruling by its own court ordering his detention.

Sudan has previously accused the ICC of being a political tool to target African leaders. Others indicted by the ICC include Laurent Gbagbo, former president of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, and Muammar Gaddafi, the late leader of Libya.

But Amnesty International India said the two warrants against Bashir charged him with criminal responsibility on 10 counts, including murder, torture and rape, and appealed to India to detain the Sudanese president.

“As a country which aspires to a more prominent global position, India must not turn a blind eye to these charges.

The Indian government must show true leadership by helping bring Omar al-Bashir to trial.”

India is the second largest exporter to Sudan after China, selling everything from chemicals, pharmaceuticals and machinery to iron and steel. Several Indian oil, gas and construction firms operate in Sudan.

Italy backs central bank chief in corruption investigation Reuters Italian Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan gave strong support yesterday to the country’s central bank governor who is involved in a corruption investigation.

Padoan told parliament the government had no intention of asking Bank of Italy chief Ignazio Visco to resign because the affair was not sufficiently serious.

Prosecutors in the central Italian city of Spoleto said this month they had opened an investigation into Visco and seven other officials in connection with the collapse and subsequent sale of Banca Popolare di Spoleto (BPS).

The prosecutors, who are looking into possible fraud and corruption, opened the investigation after small shareholders complained of the toll the central bank’s action had taken.

“The removal of the governor would only be possible in the case of grave shortcomings, and the affair in question doesn’t show signs of that,” Padoan told the Chamber of Deputies.

Ignazio Visco “The Bank of Italy’s actions were absolutely correct in both form and substance,” he said.

Being placed under investigation in Italy does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.

Yesterday Visco defended his and the bank’s conduct, in his first comments on the probe. “I only want to say that I have no hesitation in defining the supervision of the Bank of Italy as legitimate,

correct and attentive,” he told reporters on the fringes of an event in Rome.

The Bank of Italy had requested that BPS be put under special administration in February 2013 after an inspection the previous year found serious irregularities and large capital losses at the small, local lender.

The central bank then picked another small Italian bank, Banco di Desio e della Brianza, to take over BPS. In a letter sent to staff last week, Visco’s No. 2 at the central bank suggested that the institution was being targeted for political reasons.

He gave no further details.

“The episode has occurred in a climate of intense political conflict which occasionally targets the banking system and the Bank of Italy,” Director General Salvatore Rossi wrote in the letter, seen by Reuters.

In 2005, former Bank of Italy Governor Antonio Fazio was forced to resign over alleged wrongdoing in connection with a bank takeover, for which he was later convicted.

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Thursday October 29, 2015

Arch-rivals Saudi Arabia, Iran to discuss Syria face-to-face for first time REUTERS - Arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran announced they would attend international talks in Vienna tomorrow on the Syrian conflict, in what will be their first meeting to discuss the four-year-long war.

Saudi Arabia said it aimed to gauge during the talks the willingness of Iran and

Russia, the main backers of Syrian President Bashar alAssad and his government, for a peace deal, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said yesterday.

“The view of our partners ... was that we should test the intentions of the Iranians and the Russians in arriving at a political solution in Syria, which we all prefer,” al-Jubeir told a news

conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and three of his deputies will travel to Vienna, Iranian state news agencies said. It will be the first time that Tehran has been represented in international discussions on the Syrian crisis.

Demands GuySuCo resume wages talks by...

From page 3 weight of the law is not taken into account, the high level of production and productivity “ought to provide guidance for our negotiations which are yet to commence at this late stage of the year.”

With regards to the possible infractions of the relevant laws guiding the talks between GuySuco and the union, Narine contended that it is GuySuCo which is not respecting the law of the land.

GuySuCo had accused GAWU of being in violation of the Trade Union Recognition Agreement.

Narine also agreed with Sukhu, the GuySuco’s Industrial Relations Manager who had cited the “constructive relationship which currently exists between the Corpora-

tion and the Union should not be allowed to deteriorate.”

According to Narine, “we fully agree…however, GuySuCo’s evasion of negotiations is not helpful to the constructive relationship.”

Narine restated that the Union again seeks to engage the Corporation in earnest Collective Bargaining to address its claims which have been submitted since March 8, 2015. GAWU had previously lamented that since the restoration of Collective Bargaining in the sugar industry in 1989, at the insistence of the international financial institutions, the commencement of wage negotiations for the 25 years were never delayed as late as October. Meanwhile the industrial action by sugar workers from Sunday last has

since been condemned by Government as being politically motivated, a charge vehemently denied by the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Party General Secretary, Clement Rohee, on Monday last told media operatives “this strike as far as I am aware is an industrial action.”

He rubbished any other insinuations and said that his party would be ignoring those suggestions, namely that there was some political motivation behind the strike action.

“What we are seeing now is really an industrial action by the sugar workers.”

“When workers feel peeved the only weapon that they have to resort to in order to make their voices heard is strike action,” said Rohee.

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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THE WORK ETHIC IN GUYANA Some things are difficult to change. One of these things, in small societies, is the work ethic of public employees.

The work ethic in Guyana leaves much to be desired.

Change in Guyana’s work ethic is slow. No matter what is done, the work ethic remains almost the same as it was three decades ago.

This is so because workers are rarely sanctioned for their work ethic. They get away with their lackadaisical attitude.

When you live in small societies, there is a certain degree of closeness that develops between inferiors and their superiors. The boss comes to know his subordinate and therefore is disinclined to sanction them as often and as severe as one should.

When you live in a small society it is easy to have a

Godfather. Your boss gives you a problem, threatens to dismiss of transfer you, you run to your Godfather and the boss ends up being sent on administrative leave.

This is what happens and therefore work ethic becomes very relaxed. Workers do not take their responsibilities seriously. They are entitled to twenty-eight days paid sick leave and they ensure, sick or no sick, they take this leave.

Some of them work at two paces: slow and dead stop.

A few days ago, this woman on the bus was complaining about the nurses at a certain public institution.

She related that if she does not go to bathe and feed her sick relative in the hospital, the person would remain dirty and starve. The nurses, she said, do not pay the sort of attention they should.

This is one of the reasons why during visiting hours,

there are so many persons going to see their sick relatives in hospital. They have to go to ensure that their relatives are bathed, their clothes washed and that they receive food.

This is quite unlike what obtains in some private hospitals where foreign nurses are employed. These foreign nurses are very professional and they are courteous; they are eager to attend to you and they also ensure that there are no complaints about the work they do. They know that such complaints will cost them their job.

It is true that they receive far more money than some of the lackadaisical nurses. But it is felt that even if the local nurses receive such pay their work ethic will not be at the level of the foreign nurses.

Increasing the pay of local nurses is therefore not likely

2014 Auditor General Report …

Over $100M remains unaccounted for on certain eco-tourism projects Guyana’s Audit Office and even the former Ministry of Amerindian Affairs (renamed the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs) are yet to see a single piece of evidence to support the proper spending of over $100M on certain eco-tourism projects.

According to the Auditor General’s report for expenditure incurred last year, amounts totaling $119.505M were expended on projects relating to eco tourism such as three eco-lodges, two guest houses, one benab, upgrading

of a waterfall, funding for a trail from Parabara to Kasikaitu and language revival programmes.

Also included in this amount were sums totaling $41M which were given to eleven Village Councils to undertake various community projects.

TheAuditor General, Deodat Sharma, said that it could not be determined whether these projects were completed since no evidence was provided to demonstrate that these works were verified as completed by the Ministry.

Even the Ministry seems to be unaware of the status

of these projects and what has really occurred with the moneys. The Ministry’s Head of the Budget Agency explained to Sharma that the villages were informed to submit status reports on their specific projects within their communities.

It was noted, however, that the Ministry has not received any of these reports to date. Sharma stressed that the Ministry put measures in place where regular feedback and progress reports are received from the Amerindian Villages.

Dem boys seh ...

Some people shaking in dem boots Do nothing, fear nothing.

Dem boys mother always use to tell dem that. Nuff time when some of dem see de police dem use to continue doing wha dem was doing because dem know that dem didn’t do nutten so dem didn’t fear nutten.

But dem got some people who does run as soon as dem see police. De other day somebody get dem hand pun a bank report which skin up how much money dem got. It had to do wid something like bank balance. Do nutten, fear nutten. One lady run to she friend and seh how she hope de bank don’t leak she bank balance.

Now everybody know that dem bank careful wid dem accounts suh when de lawyer write to de bank complaining dem boys suspect that it wasn’t de bank

that leak de information.

However, de bank get vex at de letter and lef it careless.

Dem got people who don’t talk bout dem salary because dem feel that de bandits gun target dem. But these are de same people who talk bout how much Ministers does get. No bandit ain’t target Jagdeo and none ain’t tackle no minister.

None ain’t try to rob all dem who hustle de treasury.

Some people claim how these people got security guards but to tell de truth, that don’t really help id de bandit serious.

So it is not that people don’t want bandits know how much money dem got, is because dem don’t want C fuh Satar know how much dem hustle and hide from him.

And dem don’t want de

Americans know.

At de same time dem got to worry about which account because all of dem got account in every bank.

De Central Bank people know but dem don’t really talk. Is de same thing wid money laundering. Dem had de other one flying in wid he plane and bringing in money fuh everybody except Jagdeo. When he get ketch some people cry but dem do so in private.

De Americans did not mek a secret about how much money de man had in different accounts. In any case, it didn’t matter because de Americans was tekking it.

That is why people using de indigenous banks but people gun still know.

Talk half and watch how people gun pull dem money from dem banks

to result in better performance. The small society curse is likely to remain.

The work ethic is not going to change in Guyana by pay being higher. It is not going to change by mass firings. The work ethic is a product of the smallness of the society.

The only solution would seem to be to bring in foreign workers on a temporary basis.

They will do the work faster and cheaper. Just look at the Marriott Hotel. Do you really believe that if Guyanese workers had to build that hotel that it would have been completed? By now the

foundation would have still been incomplete.

The solution to the poor work ethics in Guyana has to therefore be to encourage more foreign workers, not to displace local workers but to show locals what hard work is and what is to be expected of them. The more foreign workers there are working alongside local workers, the better it will be.

It is not certain what is going to be the policy of the new government in relation to foreign workers. There are many foreign workers in the health sector and if they are not retained then a lot of sick Guyanese are not going to

receive the best treatment, and they will die in the hospital.

There is need to find foreign labour for the Guyana Sugar Corporation. Why can’t we bring persons from Central America and the Caribbean to Guyana and cut cane? Why, for a country built on immigration, forced and coerced, is Guyana so afraid of immigration?

Two arrested for digging up Gov’t reserves at Farm The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) yesterday apprehended two persons in the Farm community, East Bank Demerara, for illegally excavating Government reserves.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott, and a team from the CH&PA swooped down on the area after receiving reports of the activity, a Government release said.

“When we came out here, there were five trucks on the ground- three of them drove away but we got two trucks and a bob-cat, so we are now taking them to the station right now,” CH&PA’s Enforcement and Investigation Officer, Lestor Kit, told the Government Information Agency. The vehicles apprehended are GPP 4091 and GJJ 4002.

Kit explained that for the past two weeks, the CH&PA has been receiving information of persons removing the dirt from all the reserves in the Farm/ Providence and Covent

One of the seized trucks.

Garden areas.

“They been using bobcats and trucks and grading up that mud and selling it for $15,000 to $20, 000,” Kit explained.

He said that since receiving the report, the CH&PA has been looking for the persons but has been unable to make an

apprehension as they tend to mostly work in the night, and on the weekends, when the unit is not as active.

Kit noted that these persons have been digging on these reserves in some areas to a depth of five feet.

He expressed concern that this could lead to flood in these areas, if it were to rain.

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Thursday October 29, 2015

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Paying for quality politicians has campaign headaches Every governmental spokesperson that defended the substantial increase to the Senior Ministers and VicePresidents (why does a small economy like Guyana need four Vice-Presidents; the PPP regime didn’t have such) have openly postulated that the state needs to pay highly qualified people who become ruling politicians.

The argument is simple; a water engineering professor becomes the Minister of Agriculture, then he must be paid what he got when he was a high-priced consultant. So far, so good.

But if you bring that person on your election list with that framework you have endorsed, do you expect to win votes when other

opposition parties are telling the nation that they have professors on their list who will not demand a huge salary if they win the elections? It is a virtual headache for the APNU-AFC unity team and I would like to see them get out of it. Let us break it down for the readers.

Local Government elections are around the corner. For sure the PPP and Mark Benschop’s Independent Party will be contesting. Now the PPP and Benschop say that they have a few billionaire businessmen on their list who are fierce nationalists and they want to see the return of local democracy and Georgetown resuscitation. They will take leave from their daily

business routine and work for free. Opposing the PPP and Benschop would be the APNU-AFC slate. This slate has on its list a quality heart specialist, a quality brain surgeon and a superb agricultural engineer.

What are the choices facing the electorate? Well, there isn’t much. Voters will say that they will choose the party with the billionaire businessmen because the PPP and Benschop have not asserted that their top earners in private practice will want the same money when they devote their time to the Town Councils in Regions Three, Four, Six and Ten. The APNU+AFC will be at a disadvantage because its stated policy is that when

high earners move into politics and win elections you have to pay them good money because after all, they are accustomed to earning solid cash.

It would seem that APNUAFC has boxed itself into a corner with its quality pay for quality people and as the coalition progresses in office that rationale will haunt it relentlessly. The turning point will be people’s attitude.

Will Guyanese accept to pay foreigners and foreignbased Guyanese who take up appointments here, the kind of money they earn in Saudi Arabia, the US, Canada, Qatar etc? The appointment of a UG Vice-Chancellor is going to catapult the APNU-AFC in boiling controversy.

The current ViceChancellor of UG was a senior lecturer at UWI when he took up the position. His current UG salary with all allowances included is about $2 million monthly.

This sum is far below what a university Vice-Chancellor

earns in any oil-rich country in the Gulf and in the US. It could be argued that the ViceChancellor at most American universities earn far more than two million Guyanese dollars.

One of the leading contenders for the UG top job that becomes vacant in March next year is a current ViceChancellor in the US. If he takes the job and given the salary framework that APNU-AFC has embraced, could Guyana pay the next UG Vice-Chancellor $4 million monthly? If the answer is no, then will the guy come? If the answer is yes, then I don’t believe that.

This economy cannot sustain a $4 million income for the UG Vice-Chancellor.

But that leaves the APNU-AFC salary blueprint intact - government has to pay quality money for quality people to serve in public office. We will have to wait and see how the UG ViceChancellor thing plays out.

There is another nightmare that the quality

Frederick Kissoon argument has brought into being. If the Government requests highly qualified persons to sit on Boards and in situational commissions of enquiries, they could also demand good bucks citing the rational of the APNU-AFC that high qualifications carry high money.

How much did a scholarly giant like Dr. Clive Thomas get for sitting on the Guysuco Commission? How much is a top class professor like Harold Lutchman getting for chairing the Public Service Commission?

I did say in a recent column that I would look at the disadvantage of this quality theory during an election campaign. This column is the analysis. Come 2020 when the next General Elections are due the APNUAFC may lose support. Voters are going to look at the big names on the APNU-AFC slate and yell out; “Not me boy, dem names big, me ain’t voting for dem; when dey get into power, dey gun want big money.”

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Pradoville 11 Scandal…

AG Chambers gathering evidence against Jagdeo, fmr. Ministers The Attorney General Chambers is still in the process of gathering evidence in the matter related to a 15-acre tract of land at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara. The land was transformed into a posh residential community where the lots were sold to several former Ministers of Government and other high level officials, including the former President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Attorney General, Basil Williams, yesterday provided an update in the matter which has since attracted the attention of the Court through civil litigation that was brought against a number of those given house-lots by former A Partnership for National Unity Member of Parliament (MP) Desmond Trotman.

Williams was asked to give an update as he held a media briefing at his Chambers yesterday.

He told media operatives, “We have to get the requisite evidence from the unit that sent it over.”

He was making reference to the recommendations by the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) which had called for charges to be laid against

those involved in the transaction.

Infamously referred to as Pradoville II, Williams said that as long as evidence can be found to substantiate civil action, then there is basis for criminal action, “which is swifter.”

He pointed too to the state of affairs over at Red House, which was leased by the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration to itself and said as long as civil wrongdoing can be ascertained then that lays the basis for criminal action.

According to Williams, the Sparendaam lands now referred to as Pradoville II were not sold to the former Ministers among others, on an as is, where is basis.

The former administration, he recalled expended huge sums of monies to prepare the land before it was sold the selected persons.

“Millions of dollars was spent on that land to bring it up to a standard,” before it was “given” to the former Government Officials.

He drew reference too, to the actual ownership of the land and pointed to the school of thought which suggests that the land was in

fact Communal Lands owned by the people of Sparendaam/ Plaisance.

“So how was it just reduced into the custody of government for those kinds of machinations,” said Williams.

He questioned whether the former PPP administration did not have the requisite foresight to realize that the transaction would have landed it into trouble.

SARU had conducted an investigation into the transactions surrounding the Pradoville II transactions and reported that in 2010, the Bharrat Jagdeo Cabinet made a decision authorizing the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to privatize state lands. NICIL is the body tasked with overseeing the privatization of state assets.

It reportedly spent more than $200M to develop the seaside community without the knowledge and blessings of the National Assembly and

other relevant bodies.

The said lands were then secretly sold to the former ministers and known friends and associates of the previous regime.

At the time of the sale, the report said, the lands were grossly undervalued and sold substantially lower than the market value for the land thereby depriving the state of its full benefits.

Jagdeo himself paid only $9.8M, giving himself two acres of lands that overlooked the Atlantic Ocean.

SARU has since argued that the former Ministers could be held liable for misconduct in public office and in the absence of legislation for the unit, that the Attorney General, Basil Williams, may institute proceedings against the former Ministers.

The unit said that the actions of the former cabinet Ministers have shown that they willfully neglected to perform their duties without

reasonable excuse or justification to such an extent that it amounted to an abuse of the public trust in the office holders, hence its belief that criminal charges are indeed warranted.

Providing a brief history of the nature of the Pradoville Two deal, SARU reported that Tract A of Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara was once deemed as Communal Lands, thereafter owned by Demerara Sugar Estates prior to independence.

After independence in 1966, it said that this plot of land was owned by the State of Guyana. The land remained state lands until 2010 when the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) privatized the land and sold it to the former Ministers and associates of the former regime.

SARU said, “There is a direct link between the misconduct and the abuse, of powers and duties of their position. The former Cabinet

Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo members knew they were doing a wrong in transferring state lands into their names and that of their acquaintances for undervalued market prices for the land. The lands were sold for $114 per square foot at the time.”

The Pradoville transaction had drawn widespread criticisms from the public after the details came to light. While Jagdeo and other beneficiaries paid $114 per square foot for the lands, ordinary Guyanese were made to $317 by CH&PA. Remigrants, who were encouraged to come back and live in Guyana, paid more than ten times the price Jagdeo paid for the same size house lot. They paid $1,111 per square foot.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 29, 2015

National Advisory Committee among measures needed for FATF compliance - PPP The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has called on the government to come clean on Guyana’s actual status with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), noting that Guyana is still very much non-compliant and thus on the gray list and also laid out three interim measures needed to be taken.

During a press briefing at the party headquarters at Freedom House, the opposition’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira read a list of countries still non-compliant and while she noted that countries such as Sudan had made the requisite amendments to their money laundering legislation, Guyana had not.

“If Sudan can make it off the FATF watch list, why can’t Guyana?” Teixeira queried. “There’s been a lot of talk on the issue on Guyana’s compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), including that Guyana is complaint,” Teixeira said. “However, FATF pronounced otherwise last week and now is the time for action.”

On behalf of her party, the Chief Whip recommended three interim measures that the government must take before the next FATF review in February 2016.

One of those measures was for the Government to name 10 appointees for Antimoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Authority, which she noted can be done without a twothirds majority in parliament; She also recommended that before the Authority’s establishment, the National Advisory Committee should be set up.

The National Advisory Committee is an administrative body that does not need Parliamentary approval and she noted that it can address the deficiencies pointed out by FATF in time for the next review.

The Chief Whip also recommended that further

Attorney General, Basil Williams. amendments to the AML/CFT (Amendment) Act be brought to the National Assembly in order to bring Guyana into compliance with FATF. According to Teixeira, since being declared noncompliant by FATF, Guyanese citizens and businesses have “suffered” and thus the problem must be addressed, even if the Government has to “eat crow” and acknowledge that it misstepped.

Asked if the PPP would be willing to work with the Government on ensuring Guyana is compliant, Teixeira made it pellucid that the Government would have to take the lead, while the PPP would willingly offer support, provided they were invited by the Government side to do so.

Teixeira also used several choice words to describe the Government’s attitude.

‘Carelessness’, ‘dismissiveness’, ‘disregard’ and ‘don’t care a damn’ were a few.

According to the latest FATF statement, Guyana’s efforts in October 2014 were acknowledged as a demonstrating a ”high-level” commitment, but it also noted that despite passing legislation under the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC), Guyana still

has “strategic deficiencies” in its AML/CFT framework. As such Guyana has not moved off the list of a list of countries still under review by FATF. FATF had recommended that Guyana continue to implement its action plan that included Ensuring and implementing an adequate legal framework for identifying, tracing and freezing terrorist assets; Ensuring a fully operational and effectively functioning financial intelligence unit; Establishing effective measures for customer due diligence and enhancing financial transparency; and Implementing an adequate supervisory framework Teixeira questioned how it could be that Guyana’s legislation was declared compliant from several quarters, a reference to US Charge d’Affairs Brian Hunts’ statements, as well as current Attorney General Basil Williams’s pronouncements to that effect.

Under the anti-money laundering legislations, banks, insurance companies, cooperatives, pawnbrokers, cambios, money transfers and a host of other agencies have to submit reports and highlight suspicious transactions to a local body called the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

The law changes are supposed to allow measures to be taken for the seizure of monies and property acquired from illegal activities and proceeds.

All agencies named have to adopt controls that will mandate customers to produce proper identification.

Guyana’s previous nonpassage of the Bill has however seen pressure from civil organizations and business bodies.

While several Caribbean nations’ form part of the CFAT, blacklisting would have implications on the way other countries perceive and do business with the blacklisted country.

Police recover engineer’s stolen car at Plaisance An Aircraft Engineer has the police to thank for the timely return of his Toyota Allion car, three hours after it was stolen outside a Kitty business place yesterday.

The car was recovered intact at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara after police responded swiftly to a report

by Eon Garson that his vehicle was stolen.

Kaieteur News

understands that Garson, of Roxanne Burnham Gardens parked his car PTT 2260 outside the business place with the keys inside about 12:15 hours to conduct a quick transaction.

When he returned where he had parked his car, the space was empty. So slick was the thief that no one noticed when the car was stolen.

Nevertheless, Garson reported the matter to the Kitty Police Station and an all stations message was sent out.

Three hours later, the car was found abandoned at Plaisance around 15:00 hours. It was dusted for fingerprints with the hope of matching it to the perpetrators’ whenever they are caught.

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Taxi driver disappears without a trace - mother believes last passenger could help solve case A 33-year-old East Bank Essequibo man has reportedly disappeared without a trace leaving his mother fearful that something sinister has befallen him.

According to Bhanmatty Dalloo, of Lot 55 Parika, East Bank Essequibo, her son, 33year-old Sherland Dalloo, who resided with her, left for work on Monday but has not returned home since. The distraught woman said yesterday that her son who earns an income as a taxi driver left home around 07:30 hours on Monday for the Parika Stelling from where he usually solicits passengers.

The woman recalled that around lunchtime she called the younger of her two sons on his cellular phone to inform him that lunch was ready. The young man, she explained, would come home every day

for lunch. “I always call him at lunchtime and if he is not on a long work he would come home and eat...” said Bhanmatty Dalloo who disclosed that this has been the routine for the past 10 years.

However, she said that when she contacted her son during the lunch period on Monday, he informed her that he had to transport a passenger to Georgetown.

Bhanmatty Dalloo said that she again called her son around 14:30 hours but he said that he was still in the city with his passenger. He was still not home by late afternoon, the woman recounted. Another call at 17:30 hours went unanswered.

In fact subsequent calls to her son’s cellular phone went to voicemail. “No matter what

Post mortem confirms death by poison

Dead: Zenita Nicholson A Post Mortem examination done on the body of human rights and LGBT activist, Zenita Nicholson, has revealed that the woman died of ingestion of pesticides.

The examination was done yesterday at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Kaieteur News was told that the woman’s stomach content was handed over to the police and a toxicology test will be done.

The mother of two died around 03:15 on Monday at a private hospital after she reportedly ingested 10 carbide tablets. It is believed that the woman, after being constantly abused, both mentally and physically by her partner, decided to end her life.

Nicholson’s death came as a shock to many as she was known as someone who fought against discrimination

and human rights abuses and domestic violence for years.

She was a former Secretary to the Board of SASOD – Society against Sexual Orientation Discrimination. Co-Chairman of SASOD, Joel Simpson, said that at around 04:00 hrs on Monday, he received a call from a mutual friend who informed him that Nicholson had passed away.

“I immediately went to the hospital and my friend said that at a little after midnight (12:10 hrs) she (Zenita) called him and asked that he take her to the hospital since he (the friend) would reach her home faster than a taxi,” Simpson recalled.

He added that his friend further related that when he reached at the woman’s D’Aguiar Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home, she and her boyfriend reportedly entered his vehicle.

According to Simpson, his friend said that while in the car, Nicholson confessed to ingesting 10 carbide tablets. Simpson said that two Mondays ago, the woman had told him that her partner of one year had been beating her and that she was making arrangements to move out of their home.

However, she later informed him that her boyfriend had moved into a friend’s house and that she would be staying at the D’Aguiar property until renovation on her house in South Ruimveldt was finished.

“I was out of the country (continued on page 24)

he does, he always calls and let me know or at least answer he phone when I call...so I feel something bad happen to he,” said the evidently worried woman.

Neither Sherland nor his car, a silver grey Toyota 212, with registration plate - HB 8729, has been seen since Monday, the woman intimated.

According to the woman she is not aware of anyone that would want to hurt her son. She is however, convinced that the passenger(s) her son took to the city might have answers to his sudden disappearance.

No one at the Parika Stelling, she related, has been able to shed light on the identity of the passenger(s) her son transported last.

The woman said that she filed a missing person’s report

at the Parika Police Station and ranks there told her that particulars of her son will be issued at stations countrywide. The police, the woman added, had promised to check with other stations to find out if her son had been arrested or involved in any accident.

This publication was able to confirm from a senior police officer that a missing person report was made and an investigation into the man’s disappearance has commenced.

According to Bhanmatty Dalloo even her son’s “taxi friends” are worried by his disappearance. The friends, according to her, on Tuesday decided to start their own search for Sherland. The search took them as far as the East Coast of Demerara. It was fruitless. “They went about

Missing: Sherland Dalloo

The missing man’s distraught mother, Bhanmatty Dalloo

asking people to find out if anybody see a strange car, and they give people numbers, so they could call if they have any information to help us find him,” said Bhanmatty Dalloo.

She disclosed that efforts were also made to check

several hospitals for the missing man. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Sherland Dalloo, or of the circumstances that led to his disappearance, are asked to make contact with the nearest police station or his mother on 660-1940.

InselAir to work with Govt. to reduce illegal entries Gerald Gouveia, Captain Learie Barclay, Regulatory Compliance C o n s u l t a n t , Hospitality Manager Patrick Triumph, both of Roraima Airways and representatives of the Immigration Office.

Last month, Minister Felix, had said that his Ministry would be collaborating with the M i n i s t e r o f To u r i s m , Catherine Hughes, to circulate the Standard

Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix A meeting yesterday between Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, and representatives from InselAir and Roraima Airways, saw the parties not only discussing Guyana’s air carrier regulations but also agreeing to resolve the issues related to the incident where eight Indian nationals entered Guyana on July 17, last, via InselAir, without the required documentation.

According to Minister Felix, the meeting was intended to have a common understanding of the immigration procedures as they relate to the airlines operating in Guyana, but more particularly, InselAir. Among those present at the meeting were Edward Heerenveen, Chief General and International Affairs Manager of InselAir, Local Representative Captain

Operating Procedures (SOPs) to airlines, as there has been a record number of attempted illegal entries over the last few months.

Several persons were denied entry into Guyana, since they did not have the n e c e s s ary financial and documentary resources to sustain their vi s i t s . I n addition, most of the visitors lacked a Guyana visa.

Minister Felix had made

it clear that the Government and his ministry will not condone what he described as negligence on the part of airlines.

He noted that yesterday’s meeting provided the grounds for the government to lay down its immigration policies for the airline to ensure that there is a full understanding of required standard procedures so that the deficiencies can be rectified.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

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

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PARTY DECORATING: balloon creation, back drops etc. for weddings, birthdays, anniversary etc. Make your event extra special! Tel Maya: 642-6664 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, A/C, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES,FREEZERSCALL: 629-4946 OR 2254822 Floor sanding & Lacquering House plans, Estimate & painting, Boat for Santa Mission - Call: 650-4362 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Eagle’s fridge re-gas @ 99100 New Market Street $8,000 & washing machine repairs. Phone: 697-2969, 223-5818 Permanent & Visitors Vi s a Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@yahoo.com.

Call: 225-6496, 662-6045 INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

Services done to any kind of satellite dishes/ program FTA boxes. Call: 683-7167, landline: 227-8873 REPAIRS & SPARE, FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C, WASHERS, STOVES – CONTACT NICK: 6831312, 627-3206 TOURS Tour to Suriname (20-24/ Nov- $34,000) & Brazil (25-30/ Nov- $46,000) transportation and accommodation, Book Now! between Oct29Nov13.Call: 660-0312; 695-4506

WANTED WOODMIZER LT 15 AND LT 40 OPERATOR- CAL: 688-6579/653-9752 Live in domestic, hardworking, single, dependable, and trustworthy with no health problem. Call: 650-8632 (9:00am-7:00pm) Sales representatives- call: 652-0953, between the hrs of 5:30pm-7:30pm for further details.

Live in home aid in Republic Park, 1 week on, 1 week off $13,000 weekly –Call: 6750767; 627-5098 Experienced Roti/Puri cook, pastry maker, curry cooks, dish washers, apply at Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce Street.

Female to work at restaurant in the interior, salary -$80,000 monthly- Call: 674-1767; 6707043; 685-8720 One gardener for E.C.D residence must be 40years and older, preferably from E.C.D-Call: 225-4096; 6216006 Experienced wash bay attendant with driver’s license, attractive salary. Call: 646-8748 Now Hiring: Night Auditor/ bartenders, waitress, cook, Security guards-Call: 6102227 or 698-6075 Porters wanted to work on garbage truck in Georgetown – Call: 227-1717 Dust – Dry coconut. Call: 6940907; 226-2132. Office is situated at Orange Walk Bourda.

Security guard & a gardener: preferably from G/town and E.C.D. Call Neville Osman: 624-1737 (8:00am-4:00pm).

Truck Driver wanted to work in Georgetown. Call: 218-1455 SECURITY GUARD WITH EXPERIENCE, FIT AND ALERT. KNOWLEDGE OF HANDLING A WEAPON, MILITARY BACKGROUND A+. CALL: 231-8529 OR 231-8344 Arc/Acetylene Welder, Driving Skill an asset. Call: 227-1830 Lumber Concession to work.

All Species of Hardwood and Greenhart. Contact: Sunil 6255995/698-6245 One DJ/Entertainer to work @ a club on the Essequibo Coast. Accommodation provided, serious enquiries only. Contact: 231-6394

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

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Prime business place for rent @ MonRepos Public Road E.C.D, 2 (2) Bedroom apartment @ Block 8 Mon Repos E.C.D-Contact: 6181754; 681-1508; 220-6168 Fully & unfurnished apartment in South, 2 Bedroom, long and short term, cable, internet, hot & cold, AC. Call:689-5877

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WANTED Salesgirls needed at Graham’s Bakery. Call: 225-7417 Pump attendants and Cashiers- Call: 627-2550; 6706005 Security guards to work in the interior, military background a must. Call: 2316394; 615-6172 Diesel Mechanics to work in the interior must have knowledge of Perkins Engines. Call: 231-6394; 615-6172

VACANCY Experienced agent required for preparing procurement bid document, mozatart@yahoo.com or 6637504 Welder/Fabricator: interested person can contact us on telephone number: 603-4094 Accountant, Bond clerk, male & female workers, drivers @ RA Soda Factory, Rosignol. Call: 330-2399; 6235920 Porters, Drivers, Mechanic (Melanie Branch) 1-Bond Clerk RA Soda Factory (Rosignol). Call: 330-2399; 623-5920 One Supervisor to work at Hotel in Charity contact: 2235273/4 Experienced seamstress & persons to do hand work & pressing. Call: 264-2763 Popular East Coast Gas Station Day/Night: pump attendants, sales & office assistant. Contact: 658-2013; 695-9880, Strathspey E.C.D. 4 Waitress @ Sports Bar, E.B.D -$17,000 weekly, free meal, and accommodation, provided if necessary.

Whatsapp or call: 661-8802 One supervisor for Dixie Lee Fast Food in Charity E s s e q u ibo contact 2235273/4

LAND FOR SALE 1500 Acres Transported land near Bartica, Forestry, Agriculture, loam, sand rock quarry, price to sell. Cal Mark: 603-1266; 625-9788; 707-4652222 Land at Parfaite Harmonie $1.1M, $1.4M, $1.6M, Tuschen 2nd Street -$5.5M, Phase 2, $1.4M- Call:604-6724 33 Acres prime agriculture land located at Plantation F l e n sberg W.B.D-price negotiable-Contact Erick Boodhoo: Call: 654-6229; 627-0556 Land @ Lot 1856 Farm, EBD, size: 50X80- $2.7M negotiable-Call: 676-5229 Eccles (100ftX50ft) -$5M, Parfaite Harmonie (80FtX50ft) -$1.3M, Parfaite Harmonie (100ftX50ft fenced)-$3.2M. Call: 2231443; 611-7223; 604-2207 32 Acres of Rice Land for sale at Hogg Island. Contact: 266-0163 or 660-4104

Thursday October 29, 2015

PROPERTY FOR SALE

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461.

Property at Diamond New Scheme: 1-Three bedroom flat concrete house, price $9.5M negotiable. Call: 2663962; 667-1240 2 Storied transported concrete property upstairs 2 bedrooms, downstairs 2 bedrooms; fully grilled, block ‘8’ Mon Repos, E.C.D -$18M. Call: 625-1514, 231-7255 1 Church & 2 Storey building at 180 Charlotte Street. Call: 624-7341; 227-6817 3 Bedroom; 2 flat house for sale, Enterprise, Lincolin Street, Lot 135 -$14M negotiable. Contact: 597858-4554 (Suriname), Guyana: 602-3643

SALE! SALE! SALE One TOYOTA RZ MINIBUS GJJ series -$1.5Million.

One Econoline FORD 2005 GSS Series -$1.5M. Call: 6046108

Transported property at Tuschen Housing Scheme, located around School -$7M negotiable. Contact: 2641050; 683-7045; 669-3553 Property at Tuschen-Call: 669-9055; 674-1291 YARROWKABRA LINDEN, H/WAY, LAND SIZE: 100’X200’FULLY FENCED, HOUSE, CHICKEN & PIG PEN. CALL: 676-0931 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities –Call: 662-9335; 612-3244

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Prado Jeep. Call: 624-6702; Inner Retreat Hotel 624-5838 Restaurant & Bar, Retreat TO LET Road Parika. Indoor /Outdoor bar in Picturesque setting – Two bedrooms apartment, parking & other Phone: 260-4504; 685-6934 conveniences, Christian PAN-PAL working couples, no children Male looking for female, -$35,000 –Call: 218-3463; 623serious relationship, no 8759; 672-1586 private calls. Whatsapp or Call: 685-6478 Continued on page 23

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Letters... Where your views make the news

Guyana Defence Force does not cater for part-timers who want military training DEAR EDITOR I wish to complement our Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defense Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips, for effectively conducting these military manoeuvres, which are enormous positive reinforcements on the psyche on our citizens of Guyana, many of whom are distressed over the savage, wrong and despicable claims of the Venezuelan Government, to take our lands, our peoples, and drive terror into our hearts. Being “like a monkey on our backs,’ frustrating our development and that our standard of living. Our President is right in saying that an end to this is the only way.

Our President, Excellency David Granger, is an astute military master. He is known for his insights into military warfare and as a military tactician, in addition to that of being an intellectual. Yet, he maintains his simplicity, and is always so very approachable by virtually anyone. He obviously is a major part of the planning and conduct of the entire exercise.

I wish to add my bit, as a

citizen of Guyana, as one who loves his country beyond measure. I ask that the Brigadier Mark Phillips think of the following: 1. In the not too distant past, late last year and earlier this year, I spoke to him of my son’s interest in doing a short stint in the Armed Forces, even if it be at the Camp Ayangana, for some basic military drills and exercises.. This young man has an enormous military calling. Even as a Cadet Corps, but it was not offered. I learned from the Brigadier and others that it was not in the statutes or procedures or policies of the Guyana Armed Forces/ Guyana Defense Force. The Brigadier wanted to help and was concerned. Recently since, His Excellency, President Granger became president, being a military mind, he saw the needs and usefulness of reestablishing this Corps, which produced in the past, many great Military Minds and Leaders, such as Retired Chief of Staff, Mr. Norman McLean, Late Commissioner of Police, Mr. Laurie Lewis, Chief of Staff Joe Singh, and others. I beg that this be put in place earliest, policy-wise and

logistically. Ambitious youths may lose the opportunity of serving their country, and even learning some basic military training for the disciplines that life may call for. At this juncture, this is too late for my son, who is finishing High School, and will proceed for University overseas.

He stands disappointed. He intends to return and serve his country after his completes his studies.

2. The establishment of the Reserve Unit, the Peoples Militia is being spoken of as intended to be activated. Let us get this done Sir. Excellent idea! Let us make every positive youth and Guyanese a soldier of the country. When a friend said jokingly at the opening of the Beepat’s Warehouse, “So Roshan I hear you will volunteer for the battle with Venezuela.” He was quite surprised with my answer. I said: “I am prepared to fight, even at this age of sixty, as I am still energetic, strong and full of power. “ So yes, my brother, I will volunteer……not a blade of grass, not one rice grain, not one curass, not a piece of ……….. Therefore, I suggest, persons such as myself, who

From page 4 for US$250M over 5 years to preserve our forests, but even though Guyana reportedly met the criteria to qualify for payments, some of the money has been ending up in a special account held by the IDB to be released as that agency sees fit. Where was the political noise from the PPP? Let me close on yet another enormous political blun-

der by Mr. Ramotar when he took issue with the Ambassador’s statements that the EU was responsible for overseeing the disbursement of the monies which comes from its taxpayers. “Perhaps he (the EU Ambassador) needs to be reminded that much of the wealth accumulated by Europe was built on the backs of enslaved and bounded labour, and as a result of the worst crime ever committed against humanity, leading to the very justifiable recent calls for reparations.”

Those words came from a man whose party enabled certain political players in Guyana to acquire unspeakable wealth from raiding the public treasury, pimping out our state resources and assets and on the backs of underpaid and undermined Guyanese, making it horrific because it was done by Guyanese. Mr. Ramotar just does not know how to read political tea leaves, which is why he is the utter political failure he has been.

Emile Mervin

Ramotar cannot read political...

Where are the Indian...

From page 5 supposedly a “Renaissance Guyanese” who declared the messenger as an “Indian triumphalist”.

The clear lack of an intellectual tradition creates a number of challenges for the Indian. His concerns are not seen as legitimate, his causes are not worth struggling for, his rights need not be protected, he has no business being in politics, and he should not make any claims to the national patrimony. It is much worse for Amerindians, who were here long before Africans and Indians were brought to this country when the colonial possession was still a swampland. Their voices are drowned by a national culture that does not legitimately embrace the Indian culture as part of the national fabric of dear Guyana.

Baytoram Ramharack

understand leadership, administration and can motivate, that we also be encourages to serve, with periodic training, even if to merely mobilize, do stock taking, educate, even actual battle, if and when necessary, the door should be open for Guyanese such as ourselves, who put country before politics, and personal comfort.

3. There is nothing I can teach the Honourable Chief of Staff, the talented and well trained professionals officers, and soldiers. But, just to make a point, as a kind of emphasis and I am sure they thought of all this. Actual confrontation and battle in sea and land will be well planned and conducted from our side, but I think, if they, the selfproclaimed enemy, dare enter

our country, we can make life very difficult for them with guerilla style warfare. Hit and run, search operations. This kind of warfare caused a major invading force in Afghanistan eventually dropping their military hardware and run for their lives after enormous losses, and in shame.

The peoples of Guyana are with our President, our Leadership of Guyana, and with our Guyana Defense Force. We are a people born for peace; goodwill and love in harmony for all; but they may think us too kind or too small, but may fail to realize we carry a big punch. In crisis and difficulties, we are like the American Machine….we become one! God Bless Guyana Roshan Khan

DEAR EDITOR We are presently experience an extremely hot season and many people are taking this opportunity to burn bushes around the areas.

Even to farmers are clearing areas and burning, and in some cases it becomes uncontrollable like what happened at Harlem and Crane on the West Coast of Demeara last week which causes the fire service to be called in. Editor, during last week also someone lit a fire at Bushy Park, Parika last week and the fire could not be controlled thus, the bamboos growing there started to burn and two fire tenders had to

stop the fire. For the past few days from where I am living, the sirens for the fire trucks could be heard regularly (more than normal which is strange) and I assume that they are going to put out some fire.

From all indications, the fires always could get out of control. Because of this hot season, it is proving to be dangerous so I am urging all to be cautious and keep a close eyes on their children, especially those who like playing with fire before we have to feel sorry as is the case where a family lost their house in less than twenty minutes at Stewartville yesterday morning.

Sahadeo Bates

Becareful lighting fires to burn bushes in this hot season

From page 22

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Kaieteur News

Thursday October 29, 2015

Small miner alleges bullyism by claim holder A small scale miner is up in arms over what he described as bullyism by a claim holder who he believes is receiving the backings of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.

Mickalow Pompey, 45, is now questioning why he is not receiving support from the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners' Association (GGDMA). Pompey, who was granted permission to operate

a dredge on block #M-2455/ MP/000 by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) for the period of May 17th, 2015 to May 16th, 2016, is alleging that his permit was disregarded and his mining operation sabotaged by the claim owner, causing him to lose income.

It all started when he came across the land, an island in the Mazaruni River in September of 2014. At the time the

land was only linked to logging and not mining.

Pompey nevertheless went ahead and began prospecting for gold on the said land.

According to a source, a mining permit is not needed to prospect for gold. It is understood that after gold is determined to exist, the prospector's next option is to negotiate with the claim holder and work out the percentage of royalty to be paid.

Pompey said that he was subsequently granted permission to operate and he began making much gold.

Pompey was subsequently approached by the claim holder, who had found out that he had struck gold.

The claim holder's sister and brother-in-law also entered the fray, subsequently bringing three dredges alongside his to mine on land which Pompey had initially excavated.

Despite this, Pompey said that his single dredge continued to churn out more gold than the other encroachers owing to his experience in mining in such areas. This fact apparently frustrated the claim holder's sister and the victimization increased.

“There were a lot of (disputes) but I wasn't backing off,” Pompey said. “So they decided to bring an excavator and come to me to say that they want the place to roll back (excavate) some stuff and I have to move. I asked, well 'where you putting me?' and he said he has somewhere good to put me. So I asked if you have (this place) why not put your dredge there?”

Despite promises of being provided with fuel and a spot to operate, Pompey rebuffed the proposals. He stated that after this, he was told “You do what you have to do and I will do what I have to do.”

“So when I wasn't there, he came with two excavators and load back stuff (overburden earth) on seven workers who were working in the pit,” Pompey said.

According to Pompey, this happened on Sat. 10th October.

After this move, he alleged that he was contacted by the claim holder requesting that he take up the previous offer of another claim to mine. He again refused and two days later he made reports to the GGMC. CEASE WORK ORDER Pompey explained that after GGMC's mediation in the matter, the claim holder was instructed to clean out the pit of the overburden so that he could work.

However, for some strange rea-

son, the GGMC, citing safety concerns caused by the overburden that was backed up near the mining site, issued Pompey with a cease work order on October 16th until safety regulations could be verified.

But although Pompey had to stop work, the claim holder who was operating nearby continued to mine. Additionally, despite the GGMC's instruction that the claim holder clear Pompey's pit of the overburden he had dumped there, to facilitate a resumption of work, this was not done.

Pompey reported this disregard for the GGMC'S instructions and a cease work order was then issued to all the parties on the land.

However Pompey pointed out that despite the cease order, work is being done in his tormentors' camp when the GGMC Wardens are not around. He said that whenever he made a report to GGMC, there were only promises that a team of Wardens would be sent to catch them in the act.

He stated that during a meeting with GGMC officials and the claim holder's sister on October 22nd to mediate the matter, he accused her of the dishonest practice. “(She says) how I can prove that. My workers are right there seeing (what is going on). They can just stand up and watch my dredge working from my camp.”

Pompey has since signaled his intention of getting legal representation. Among damages he envisions seeking is for the lengthy down time (time spent not working) incurred.

LANDLORDISM Landlordism is the practice whereby the holder of a mining licence would rent their land to smaller miners in return for a percentage of proceeds from the activities. However the regulations reportedly do not cater for such a practice A Management and Systems Review report undertaken on GGMC's mines, land management and geological services highlighted the evidence of rampant landlordism as one of the many irregularities it found in the sec-

Minister Norton addresses ...

From page 18 settings. In the majority of the cases, persons are ill prepared to exit and therefore ill prepared to integrate into their communities and society,” he added.

Further, the lack of knowledge and discontinuation of Anti Retroviral Treatment (ARV) is also a major contributing factor in the high rates of HIV in these systems.

“Persons are entering their communities with limited knowledge on HIV prevention and indeed, persons started on ARV treatment in the prison setting are far too often lost to follow up. This gap is significant and the implications are far reaching,” Minister Norton pointed out.

With regards to tuberculosis, the Public Health Minister said, “TB programmes in many cases have done well in prison settings. Moreover in the last decade or so, there has been strengthening, several folds, with the investments from the Global Fund.

“Many good lessons and best practices are available to us in this regard.

More importantly, this is a real opportunity for us to all take the comparative advantage of established TB programmes in creating synergies and better efficiency in dealing with the HIV epidemic…persons in a prison setting deserve the same access to services as anyone would.” (GINA)

tor. The report was prepared by Dr. Grantley Walrond, L.J.L Heesterman and J. Goolsarran.

One detrimental effect of this practice is the unfair and discriminatory practices taken by landlords against these small miners who operate on this land and the fact that the tenants are practically held at ransom.

Among the things the review called for was reforms to be made in order to create a level playing field, with little land being made available for local small miners.

Pompey's is not the only case of a victimized gold miner pushing back by speaking out. On May 10th mining land in Konawaruk, District H45 being operated by gold miners Mario andAliesha Figueria was invaded by gun toting security guards from Tessouro Mining Company, a rival mining concern on whose land they were prospecting, allegedly in a bid to get them to vacate the claim.

In the ensuing fracas, millions of dollars worth of equipment was shot up and an operator shot in the head. After seeking the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), charges were recommended.

The matter is currently before the Mahdia Magistrate's court, with the alleged gun men, Jason and Quincy Critchlow, Troy Pellew and Godfrey Christmas, facing several charges but out on bail.

“Let the Government know that small miners are going and excavate for people and they are being bullied,” Mario Figueria said in an invited comment, stressing that more attention must come to bear on landlordism as there are many other victimized miners out there.

Post mortem...

From page 21 and on Thursday (October, 22), I heard that she and her boyfriend were getting back together and that they would be trying to work things out,” Simpson said.

According to SASOD CoChairman, members from the organization were shocked when they received the news of the woman’s death. “It has taken everyone by surprise.”

“She recently confided about the changes she was going through and we were supporting her but our support wasn’t enough. She was such a strong and confident person but she too gave into the situation,” Simpson noted.

In March 2014, Zenita was featured by Kaieteur News as a Special Person and described as a Woman of Courage.

Also, in the same month, the US Embassy presented Zenita with the embassy’s first ever International Woman of Courage Award in recognition of her exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for the protection of the human rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons.

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Thursday October 29, 2015

Billion-dollar hotel plant investment under way in Barbados BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) — Proposed new hotel plant investment of over US$1 billion, which will over the next five years produce some 2,300 rooms, is currently under way in Barbados, chief executive officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), William Griffith, revealed during a media briefing at the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of the Industry Conference in Curacao.

Griffith stated that the investment started with the opening of the luxury allinclusive Sandals Barbados, which is scheduled to add some 220 rooms in 2016.

This winter, the Sugar Bay Hotel (formerly Amaryllis) and The Sands (formerly Sandy Beach) will also open their doors as all-inclusive products, adding 300 new rooms. The Wyndham Hotel project at the site of the iconic Sam Lord’s Castle and the Hyatt Hotel in the historic Bridgetown will see the island welcoming two new established global hotel

brands by 2018.

In addition, 24 hotels have undergone significant refurbishments in time for the 2016 winter season. The CEO pointed out that Barbados has also made significant strides in both its long-stay and cruise arrivals. He noted that some 432,713 long-stay visitors were recorded at the end of September year-todate, an increase of 14.5 percent.

Meanwhile, he stated, cruise arrivals were set to increase by five to seven percent, largely driven by 16 inaugural visits. Among those scheduled calls are the Mein Sheiff 3 and the Carnival Britannia, two mega ships, which are now able to dock following a major expansion project at the Bridgetown Port. The BTMI chief also alluded to a number of initiatives geared toward increasing Barbados’ competitiveness.

“We’ve just completed a brand positioning exercise wherein all of our future marketing campaigns will capitalise on our reputation as

a safe, engaging and culturally rich destination – all of the ingredients sought by the contemporary traveller,” he noted.

Griffith added that the BTMI’s sister agency, the Barbados Tourism Product Authority, was also implementing a number of initiatives to create new tourism experiences; assure high service and product quality; and increase public awareness of the importance of tourism. Of great importance for Barbados, he pointed out, was the move toward being a year-round destination, a strategy being driven by their dense events calendar.

“In 2016, Barbados will be a hub for visitors, as we will raise the standard of every event in line with our golden celebrations to mark our 50th year of Independence. During these year-long celebrations, there will be chances to win free vacations and free destination weddings, as well as incentives for our topperforming travel agents,” the CEO said.

Coast Guard gets new naval ship

The TTS Nelson arrives at Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas, Tuesday, following its 37-day voyage from China to Trinidad and Tobago. PhotoS: ABRAHAM DIAZ Trinidad Guardian Tuesday was labelled an historic day in T&T with the docking of the TTS Nelson II, a large operational naval ship of T&T Defence Force.

Under the captaincy of Commander Jason Kelshall, who is the son of retired Rear Admiral Richard Kelshall, and Executive Officer, Lt Commander Akenton Isaac, the ship departed China for T&T on September 10.

The elder Kelshall had captained the TTS Nelson in 2000 from England to T&T. That vessel is to be decommissioned.

From China the new vessel crossed three oceans, three

seas, visited three continents and five countries in a 12,476 nautical mile journey that took 35 days and nine hours.

The vessel, which was constructed by the China Ship Building Company Ltd was commissioned in China on September 6, 2015.

Speaking afterwards, Capt Kelshall said he was proud he was chosen to bring the ship home.

“It was an honour just to be the face of my crew. My crew is brilliant, some of the best ever, my crew. I was just the face,” Kelshall said.

National Security Minister, Edmund Dillon described the vessel’s arrival

as a defining moment in the life of the Defence Force (assigned to the T&T Coast Guard).

He confirmed the vessel was one that was ordered by the previous government and assured that his administration would continue to rebuild T&T’s national security apparatus and fill in the gaps in the current security architecture.

“We will not simply abandon the capacity that has been put in place in the past.

We will not act hastily in our review of our country’s national security assets and capacity.

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Pressure mounts on Brazilian Congress to impeach president BRASILIA (Reuters) Opposition activists handcuffed themselves to a pillar in Brazil’s Congress yesterday seeking the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff for mismanaging a oncebooming economy and undermining confidence in the country.

The small protest inside the foyer of the lower chamber highlighted the growing pressure on Brazilian politicians to begin impeachment proceedings against a president struggling to survive economic recession and a huge corruption scandal.

“Impeachment can’t wait.

Brazil cannot put up with more unemployment, recession, inflation, currency devaluation and lack of international confidence. We have to remove this president,” said the group’s leader, Carla Zambelli.

Opinion polls have shown that two in every three Brazilians want to see Rousseff impeached, and her political opponents are stepping up their efforts to unseat the leftist leader one year into her second term.

The demonstrators called on house speaker Eduardo Cunha to take up an impeachment request made by lawyers from opposition parties. Legal advisers in

Congress said the petition was in order on Tuesday, giving Cunha a green light to proceed. But the speaker, who is himself fighting for his political survival after revelations of secret bank accounts reinforced corruption accusations against him, has said he is in no hurry to set impeachment proceedings in motion.

The Rousseff government is counting on Cunha to hold off on an impeachment, presidential aides say, because he needs the votes of the ruling Workers’ Party to avoid being ousted by a house ethics committee that will start meeting next Tuesday.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday October 29, 2015

Bavarian allies heap pressure on Merkel over refugees

Migrants wait on the bridge at the Austrian-German border between Braunau and Simbach at lake Inn near Passau, Germany, yesterday. REUTERS/MICHAELA REHLE Reuters - German Chancellor Angela Merkel came under intense pressure for her handling of the refugee crisis yesterday, with her Bavarian allies warning of a full-blown coalition crisis unless she takes immediate action to limit a record influx of migrants.

The Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), have been outspoken in their criticism of her “open doors” policy towards asylum seekers, in part because their home state of Bavaria is the entry point for virtually all of the migrants arriving in Germany.

Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer has issued a series of ultimatums to Merkel in recent weeks, including a threat to take the government to court over its refugee policies, only to back down at the last minute.

But the rhetoric reached new heights on Wednesday, with one senior Bavarian official saying relations between the longtime allies had reached their lowest point in nearly four d e c a d e s a n d a German newspaper reporting that Seehofer was considering pulling CSU ministers out of Merkel’s cabinet in protest.

“We are in the midst of a real coalition crisis,” Bavarian Finance Minister Markus Soeder told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

“The relationship between

the CDU and CSU is more difficult than at any time since 1976,” he added, referring to a major fight between former party leaders Helmut Kohl and Franz-Josef Strauss which nearly led to a split.

Although the CSU’s bark has proved worse than its bite, the sharper tone underscored how serious tensions within the German government have become as hundreds of thousands of migrants, mainly from Syria and Afghanistan, stream into Germany.

Berlin expects between 800,000 and a million migrants to arrive in Germany this year, twice as many as in any prior year.

Seehofer is due to meet Merkel on Saturday to discuss refugee policy and the two will then hold talks with Sigmar Gabriel, who leads the other party in her “grand coalition”, the Social Democrats (SPD).

Merkel has resisted calls to set a ceiling, arguing that the crisis can only be solved by tackling its root causes: the war in Syria and poor conditions for refugees in countries such as Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

But in the face of rising criticism and declining poll numbers, some of her leading ministers appear keen to contain further political damage by adopting far tougher rhetoric.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, acknowledging at a news conference in Berlin

that the influx of migrants had accelerated strongly in recent days, vowed to radically increase deportations of those who have no chance of winning asylum.

He described a sharp rise in the number of migrants coming from Afghanistan as “unacceptable” and said talks had been held with the government in Kabul to put a halt to it, saying Afghans should “stay in their country”.

However de Maiziere’s most pointed rhetoric was reserved for neighbouring Austria, whose recent handling of refugees he called “out of order”.

“We observed that refugees, without warning and after dark, were being driven to the German border without any provisions or forethought. There were intensive contacts. Austria agreed yesterday to return to an orderly process. I expect this to occur immediately,” de Maiziere said.

Austria on Wednesday outlined plans to build barriers including a fence at a busy crossing on its southern border with Slovenia to slow the influx of transiting migrants.

In a positive sign for Merkel, the SPD signalled that it might be ready to drop its opposition to so-called “transit zones” along the border, which would allow German authorities to register and deport migrants more quickly.

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Letter to the Sports Editor

A point on this upcoming GFF Election Dear Sports Editor, On Sat 14th November 2015, the Guyana Football Federation will be entering a new phase in the football life of the Federation. After Christopher Matthias almost ruined football in Guyana with his dictatorial and autocratic style of leadership, FIFA came and rescued us from total destruction by installing a Normalisation Committee.

On that date 22 affiliates will be going to the polls in one of the most important and historic elections in the life of the Federation.

Two groups have entered the race: Team Integrity and Team Unity both are headed by successful individuals in their specific field of expertise. Their slates consist of individuals, who are also successful in their own profession.

But I would like to comment on one Team, Team Integrity. The Presidential Candidate, Mr. Wayne Forde was in Linden and he had a discussion with the General Council of the UDFA. He

reminded me of Mr. Christopher Matthias; his speech was riddled with promises, innuendos and flowery rhetoric with little substance and foundation.

Mr. Editor, according to information coming out of Georgetown football circles, if Mr. Forde wins the presidency he will hire Mr. Matthias as his General Secretary. How ludicrous can that be? During Mr. Matthias failed attempt to get back into football power, Mr. Forde in collaboration with Mr. Matthias held a meeting with the GFA Clubs at the GFA office and they were trying to persuade the clubs to vote for Mr. Matthias but persons has had enough of him, he was disgraced and humiliated by losing 7 votes to 2 at the GFA Elections. Mr. Forde is on a trail preaching Integrity, by supporting someone like Mr. Matthias, how veracious is that.

Can Mr Matthias integrity stand up to interrogation?

Mr. Forde is a replica of Mr. Matthias, same demeanor, same posture and same characteristic.

After what Mr. Matthias did to

football in Linden by suspending the entire UDFA Executives wrongfully and putting in his cronies to run football in Linden, it would be most detrimental for us Lindeners to support someone who has an agenda to reinstate Mr. Matthias into the hierarchy of football administration. Can you imagine Mr. Forde and Mr. Mathias teaming up? That is a recipe for chaos and disaster, with a FIFA Ban or suspension looming in the future.

Respectfully, Gregory Vandyke Football Enthusiast Upper Demerara/Linden Community Editor’s Note: At the time of publication of this missive, Kaieteur Sport is in receipt of no information to substantiate a partnership between Mr. Wayne Forde and Mr. Christopher Mathias that could lead to Mr. Mathias being appointed General Secretary of the GFF if Team Integrity wins.

Thursday October 29, 2014 ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Don't blow situations out of proportion. Do not force your opinions on others the connections will be short lived.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Don't vacillate about asking for assistance if you need it.

You will have a tendency to exaggerate, which will lead to major confrontations with loved ones.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You might find group functions tiring. You are best to ask questions if you aren't certain about issues that are confronting you.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Make changes that will heighten your appeal. You can make changes to your living quarters, but not everyone will be pleased with your efforts.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Delve into your work if you can't make amends at home.

Your emotional partner will push the right buttons today.

You will learn valuable information if you travel today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Travel will be in your best interest. You may interest some of them in a service you have to offer.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Romantic opportunities are evident if you get involved in large groups or organizations. Don't let any money slip through your fingers today.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)

Communication will be your strong point and you should be able to persuade others to see things your way.

SAGIT (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Health problems may prevail if you don't take care of them immediately. In-laws may cause difficulties.

CAPRI. (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Unexpected bills may set you back. Club memberships or donations could be expensive and prove unnecessary.

AQUAR. (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Look for something entertaining to do. You've got that competitive edge. Females may put demands or added responsibilities on you.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You will feel the limitations if you have been overdoing it. Try to mix business with pleasure while traveling. Relationships will become stronger.

Page 29

Rubis Guyana continues support of Guyana Softball Cup

Clive Canterbury receives the sponsorship cheque from Rubis Guyana’s Retail Accounts Executive Rhonda Johnson. Sharing the moment (from left) are: GFSCA Vice-president Jailall Deodass, Sharon Mohan of Rubis Vlissengen Road outlet and GFSCA member, Surendra Nauth.

A partner from the inaugural tournament in 2011, Rubis Guyana on Wednesday committed to another year of sponsorship for the Guyana Softball Cup, the fifth edition of which will bowl off tomorrow at venues around the country.

At a simple, but yet significant ceremony at the Rubis outlet on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, top officials of the company presented what was described as a “handsome” sponsorship package to members of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA), the organisation responsible for conceptualising and sustaining the Guyana Softball Cup over the years.

Retail Accounts Executive Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Mohan of the Vlissengen Road branch represented Rubis, while the GFSCA members present were Ricky Deonarain, Jailall Deodass, Surendra Nauth and Clive Canterbury.

Johnson said her company was more than pleased to once again partner with the organisers, noting that the GSFCA has been doing a fantastic job in running off the tournament annually.

She expects the same level of professionalism that has prevailed over the years, both on and off the field, and said it should be an easy task to replicate such high standards, given the proficiency of the GFSCA members.

As has been the case over the past years, Rubis Guyana will once again be sharing out branded products on the day of the finals.

Deodass, speaking on behalf of the GFSCA, said the body was grateful for the support of Rubis Guyana on a yearly basis, adding that the company started its

involvement with the tournament through Bel Air Rubis for the first two years, before it became a general sponsorship on behalf of Rubis Guyana for the past three years. A total of 26 teams, 10 in the Open and 16 in the Masters, will compete for top honours when the tournament bowls off on

Friday. It will culminate with the grand finals on Sunday, starting at 11:00hrs and concluding under floodlights at the Demerara Cricket Club ground in Queenstown.

Wolf’s Warriors are the defending champions of the Open category, while Floodlights won the Masters division in 2014.

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Mike Gayadin produces fine form to win COURTS Golf Tournament

Thursday October 29, 2015

MOBLIE WIZARD 1010 UPDATE:

ENTHRALLING SECOND DAY BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN TEAMS WOLF’S FURNITURE STORE ON BOARD AS A SPONSOR

In picture, from Left: Avinash Persaud, Mike Gayadin, Purnell Cummings (of COURTS) and Oncar Ramroop (Golf Club President.) after the presentation.

Recently returned to the office of Grounds Superintendent of Lusignan Golf Club, Mike Gayadin, who won his last tournament in 2014 when he was Grounds Superintendent, led the field in fine style on Saturday October 24, as he sought to establish dominance over last weekend’s winner Brian Hackett.

Playing in a very supportive field of some 45 golfers - including 6 from overseas - many ensuring they received good practice for the Guyana Open due this weekend (October 31 – November 1), in the COURTS tournament, Mike won a spectacular victory.

Mike Gayadin (67/15), a veteran golfer of over 15 years and winner of over 20 trophies during his career so far, last won a tournament on Saturday 19, July 2014– the BK Group of Companies Inc. sponsored tournament – when he was Grounds Superintendent; then he grossed 75, and ended with a net 60 - a fantastic score for any golfer, and the same as Brian Hackett returned last week. Prior to that he had won

the Maurice Solomon & Associates sponsored Tournament of 11 March 2014. Mike said he simply played a good game and brushed past Hackett.

2nd place winner was M. Shivraj (68/28), while 3rd place winner, Best Gross (70) and Nearest to The Pin was Avinash Persaud (68/2).

Avinash, so far five times (2006,2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014) Guyana Open Champion for the Best Gross, parred the Course (as did Imran Khan – himself a previous Guyana Open Champion – last week) with his gross 70, a feat few have achieved and one many hope they could achieve before they finish playing golf.

However, the scores from Saturday’s play were rather encouraging as in the 4th (unprized) position were three golfers each with a net of 69!

Bholawram Deo (69/17) Maurice Solomon (69/24) and Brian Hackett (69/21). These scores augur well for preparation for the Guyana Open.

“COURTS – the household retail giant in Guyana” – Club President

Ramroop was careful to note, “has transformed the retail shopping face in Guyana, allowing many householders to receive and enjoy the use of household items on a credit or hire-purchase arrangement, and has also been very supportive of golfing in Guyana for over a decade now.”COURTS’ mission is to give customers total satisfaction and their number one shopping experience every time!

COURTS Guyana has been a tremendous corporate citizen, exemplified in its activities over the last weekend - PeeWee Football at the Thirst Park Ground, the annual Courts Golf Tournament at the Lusignan Golf Club, the Health & Fitness Expo at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the Elite League Football Tournament & the Polio Walk on Sunday – all in one breath!

COURTS Marketing Manager Purnell Cummings was on hand for the distribution of prizes, and in addition to complimenting the winners, indicated COURTS’ continued support for golf (and so many other sports) in Guyana.

Teammates applaud Jaipaul Singh, who took 6-1 including five wkts in five balls, as he was named player of the day.

The second day in the Mobile Wizard 10/10 brought more excitement as games seesawed back and forth as the level of intensify and emotions showed as the teams cranked it up.

The first match between the Power XI and Next Level XI saw the crowd buzzing as the amazing bowling feat set the tone for the day as the former won by 76 runs.

Power XI showed their power in both batting and bowling as they won the toss and elected to bat on a perfect batting strip. Gersham Sookmangal (23: 2x6, 1x4) and Jaipaul Singh took 13 off the first over bowled by Navindra Singh. That set the tone for a score in excess of one hundred. Power XI eventually got to 103 all out in their ten overs. Bowling for Next Level XI was Intiaz Mohamed who took 2-12 and Narendra Hussain 2-6 in their 2 overs.

The Next Level XI batting never lived up to expectations and with the run out of Narendra Hussain the team crumbled as the pressure took its toll. Jaipaul Singh’s introduction hastened the end with his amazing feat of 6-1 from two overs.

That feat included 5 wickets from the first five balls as the batsmen had no answer for the prodigious turn he was getting off the wicket.

One such pitched outside the leg and seemed to be heading for a wide as the batsman watched the ball as it spun so big it hit the base of the off stump as the keeper who was heading down leg side froze in awe. Next Level XI eventually folded for 27 and was in shock as only 5.1 overs were completed.

The second match saw Settle XI defeating United

Muslim Youth by 38 runs and settling an old score.

Settle XI were inserted and were in trouble in the first over losing Ameer Khan for 1 but a 67 run partnership in 23 balls between Avinash Dhaniram (41; 3x6,1x4) and skipper Nazim Azeem (30; 3x6,1x4) took them to 110-8 in 10 overs. Zahir Haniff with 216 was the pick of the bowlers for United Muslim Youth. In their turn at the crease the newly crowned Raf Champions were bundled out for 72 with only Zahir Haniff 29(3x6) showed any semblance of coping.

Bowling for the winners, Premnarine Omadat 3-2 and Ameer Khan with 3-19 off their respective 2 overs took Settle XI to victory much to the delight of the fringe players.

Leonora Youths SC took care of Enemy Lines XI by 76 runs.

Leonora Youths SC won the toss and batted first with opening bat Imtiaz Hack slamming 56 off 20 balls laced with 7 sixes and set the tone for a huge score.

The next best score was 16 by Christopher Sookram.

They ended on 137-6 in 10 overs. The Enemy Lines XI who are made up of mostly West Demerara under-17s were never in the hunt and folded for 61 with only Avishkar Ramgobin with 12 got into double figures.

Leonora Youth SC Nandalall Ragoonath took 3-15 off 2 overs.

The last match of the day

between Ocean View XI and Super Street XI was a low scoring affair in which Ocean View XI scraped home by 5 runs.

Ocean XI took first strike and made 61 all out in 7.3 overs. Khelawan Tulkhan with 19 was the top scorer.

Ameer Ali with 3-9 was the pick of the bowlers for Super Street XI. In Super Street XI chase it was easy going for the first 4 overs, cruising to 45 for the loss of 4 wickets, but the introduction of Tameshwar Persaud and to the amazement of the crowd, wickets tumbled quickly and they were bowled out for 56 much to the disbelief of their own supporters. Persaud ended with 4- 8 in 2 overs.

Meanwhile, in the games for the spectators Imtiaz Hack and Narendra Hussain won in the hit the wicket respectively and were the recipients of one Oakley sunglasses and Mobile Wizard T-shirts.

The teams move to Ruby ground this week for the continuation of the tournament in which a Linden Combined Male Team will challenge a club Team from West Coast. Another match will be Leonora Primary School versus a strong Cornelia Ida Primary School team.

Meanwhile, Wolf ’s Furniture Store has joined the list of sponsors which includes Mobile Wizard, Trophy Stall and will be donating a number of items to the winning team.

Chato’s Hotspot dominoes set for Friday Chato’s Hotspot, formerly known as Butsy’s bar, will be hosting a king dominoes competition on Friday at their location 214 Shell Road, Kitty. Entrance fee is $1,000.

Thursday October 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Banks Beer Inter-Ministry Current policemen discipline former counterparts in goodwill match Futsal resumes tonight

Action in the Inter-Ministry Futsal competition on Monday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Play in the Banks Beersponsored Inter-Ministry Fusal Competition resumes today with eight more matches, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, staring from 19:00 hrs.

The fixtures are seen below: Bank of Guyana vs Transport & Harbour Ministry of Infrastructure vs Ministry of Public Security Oasis Water vs Forestry Ministry of Agriculture vs Ministry of Tourism GPL vs Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic Bank Ltd vs John Fernandes GNIC vs Customs NIS vs Wartsila Meanwhile, in results of the previous round held on Monday are as follows: Game-1 Oasis Water-6 vs Ministry of Foreign Affairs-1 Oasis Scorers Gerald Gittens-6th, 7th and

8th Eon Harry-2nd and 4th Junior Padmore-10th Foreign Affairs Scorer Godfrey Powers-6th Game-2 Customs vs Ministry of Infrastructure Customs won via walkover Game-3 Guyana Fire Service-3 vs Bounty Farm Limited-1 Guyana Fire Service Scorers Travis Charles-7th and 16th Azuma Roberts-12th Bounty Scorer Kevin Collins-20th Game-4 Barbers Association-5 vs Courts Guyana Inc.-0 Dave Waterman-8th Devon Garrett-11th Chris Galloway-15th Travis Simon-18th Teon Joaquin-20th Game-5 Digicel-5 vs Lands and Surveys-2 Digicel Scorers Devon Dooker-3rd and 10th

Ryan Grant-18th Juan Carlos Palacio-19th Juan Carlos Guzman-20th Lands and Survey Scorers Mark McCalman-7th Adrian Ifill-12th Game-6 GTT-3 vs GGMC-3 GTT Scorers Delon Williams-9th Rawlston Burgess-16th Leroy Jones-17th GGMC Scorer Lennox Winill-6th, 14th and 17th Game-7 Ministry of Health-4 vs Mayor and City Council-1 Ministry of Health Scorers Stephan Garnett-10th, 17th and 19th Deshane Garnett-8th MCC Scorer Dexter Beckles-5th Game-8 Banks DIH-2 vs Media-1 Banks Scorer Phillip Rowley-13th and 14th Media Scorer Nicquan Nestor-16th

NBA Roundup: Stephen Curry’s clinic powers Warriors past Pelicans

Associated Press OAKLAND, California — Reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry showed he hasn’t lost a step or his swagger in the offseason, scoring 40 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 111-95 victory over New Orleans as the new season began Tuesday.

Curry put on a familiar shooting clinic from all over the court, knocking down seven of his first nine shots, with four 3-pointers, for 24 first-quarter points.

He finished 14 for 26 with seven assists and six rebounds in a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff series that Golden State swept 4-0.

In the other opening games, Chicago had a narrow victory over Cleveland and Detroit had a more comfortable win at Atlanta.

Curry and the Warriors

raised the championship banner and received their rings in a pregame ceremony.

Coach Steve Kerr attended, then left for the locker room to rest his surgically repaired back as interim Luke Walton coached the team.

New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, who averaged 29.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in two games against Golden State last season, shot just 4 for 20 and scored 10 of his 18 points on free throws.

Bulls 97, Cavaliers 95 Chicago’s Nikola Mirotic scored 19 points and Derrick Rose added 18 to lead the Bulls past Cleveland 97-95.

Pau Gasol blocked a potential tying layup by LeBron James in the closing seconds, and Jimmy Butler then blocked an inbounds pass intended for James as time expired.

James scored 25 points

and grabbed 10 rebounds for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers came up short against the team they knocked out in the conference semifinals last season.

All five Detroit starters reached double figures in points as the Pistons won 106-94 at Atlanta.

Kentavious CaldwellPope scored 21 points for the Pistons, who finished 28 games behind the Hawks last season, but began to pull away just before halftime.

They led by double figures through most of the final two quarters and held on despite missing 20 of their last 22 shots from the field.

Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 20 points. New starter Kent Bazemore, promoted at small forward after DeMarre Carroll left in free agency, was held scoreless.

The three successful marksmen who won the game for contemporary police officers. L-R Holder, Boston and Gordon.

Policeman, Quincy Holder netted twice with support from Keyron Boston and Junior Gordon, who scored one each, to register a 4-1 win for contemporary footballers of the Guyana Police Force when they opposed past players of the same organization at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, last Tuesday afternoon. Jolyan Lewis missed a clear cut opportunity to score early in the first session but made amends shortly afterwards when he sent in a ripper to narrow the score, albeit inconsequentially.

The match got underway under the scorching heat of the afternoon sun and the younger players took advantage, raiding their opponents’ goal with abnormal frequency. The blunders were many but eventually Holder

distinguished himself from the bunch and after racing down the right flank, sent in his team’s first success, a wicked right foot shot that sped past the opposition’s goalie, Andrew ‘Docka’ Bright.

Persistency on the part of the current lawmen resulted in another goal, this time off the boot of Junior Gordon who dexterously evaded the oppositions’ defence before plastering their goalkeeper.

Bones were creaking as the former officers attempted to match the skills and energy of their contemporary counterparts but try as they might, they could not find that magic shot and those of the present batch went into half time with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

Upon resumption, Lewis, always a thorn in the opposition’s side, was gifted a penalty but goofed the shot,

sending the ball wide. He made amends less than 5 minutes later after dribbling past the opposition’s defence and sending in a light tap that evaded the advancing custodian.

Commander of A Division, Clifton Hicken, took to the field at the start of the second session and manned the right wing.

He received a torrid reception as the younger officers guarded their advantage zealously. It was in fading lights that the present officers tested the skills of the opposing goalkeeper, Andrew ‘Docka’ Bright and found him wanting.

Two goals later, and with the field shrouded in darkness, former national defender, Earl O’Neil, who carried the whistle, sounded the final chime that handed the honours to the young batch of lawmen.

Ramnarine Appiah Memorial twenty-over cricket competition

Young Warriors, Canje Pathfinders and Hamids Eleven secure wins The Ramnarine Appiah (Brother Appiah) Memorial twenty-over cricket competition for second division teams in the East Canje/Lower East Coast, Berbice area continued last Sunday.

The summarized scores of matches played over the weekend below: At Cumberland, Hamid Eleven won against No 7 by 8 wickets. No 7 won the toss and batted first scoring 105 all out off their allotted 20 overs. Raymond Mohamed made 25 and J. Bowler 21. 72year-old Zamin Hamid continued his fine form taking 3 for 12. I. Kamaludin with 3 for 12 supported him. In reply, Hamid Eleven raced to 106 for 2 in 9.5 overs. J. Kamaludin blasted 54 not out and S.

Latchana 26. Mohamed returned to take 2 for 26.

Again at Cumberland, Young Warriors beat Kendall’s Union Big Team by 37 runs. Batting first after winning the toss, the host amassed 192 for 6 off the allotted 20 overs. Popular umpire Zaheer Moakhan scored a classy 66 with 4x4 and 5x6. Berbice youth player Alex Algoo supported with 60 consisting of 4x4 and 3x6 and national under-17 all rounder Kevin Sinclair made 27. The visitors give a good account of themselves and were always in the hunt until they lost their way in the last few overs. They ended on 155 for 7 off 20 overs with Dasrat Debidin 50 and skipper Navendra Mangra 48.

Bowling for the YWCC, youth

left arm spinner Trevon Stanislaus took 3 for 21.

Roydel Phil supported with 2 for 16.

Over at Rose Hall Estate Ground, the host lost the toss to Canje Pathfinders and were invited to take first strike.

They made 134 for 9 off their allotted 20 overs. Kristoff Bahadur 31, Berbice junior player Sasenarine Sukhu 22 and Khemraj Dyal 22 were the principal scorers. Bowling for Canje Pathfinders, Mark Sampson 2 for 14 and Andre Sobhai 2 for 22 were the wicket takers. The visitors reached 138 for 8 in exactly 20 overs with Doodnauth Arjune 52 not out and Videsh Singh 36.

Bowling for RHCC, skipper Ameer Rahaman 2 for 17, Andre Grant 2 for 20 and Zachary Persaud 2 for 27.

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 29, 2015

PCL four-day practice match Improved sporting facilities Johnson’s XI win by 9 wickets for Berbice residents Basketball court, pavilion and sports gear handed over

Motie (4-53) stakes claim for selection Robin Bacchus is bowled by a beauty from Raymon Refier yesterday at Providence.

President David Granger, Director of Sports Christopher Jones and Minister Nicolette Henry participates in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Fyrish Basketball court and pavilion.

Residents of Fyrish, Corentyne Berbice was on Sunday presented with a Basketball Court, Pavilion and sporting gear when his Excellency President David Granger visited the East Berbice Corentyne Community. The President urged the residents to take responsibility for the development of their community, even as he participated in the commission ceremony.

The Head of State spoke extensively on the importance of community involvement for further community development. He was joined

by Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry and Director of Sport Christopher Jones at the commissioning ceremony held on Sunday last.

The President stated that his Government will continue to provide support and financial assistance as far as possible to such ventures, but noted that while there is need for central government’s intervention there is a greater need for active community involvement. “I

am afraid of embarking on governmental intervention in communities unless the communities see themselves as partners and not as beneficiaries of handouts.

We know central government must be involved but if we are to build the spirit of community development, you the residents must become involved,” President Granger stressed.

With high level of community involvement, the President said, will come along a greater sense of pride, appreciation and ownership for projects within communities.

“People intuitively believe that Government must come and help them, but let us build that culture through education that we must help ourselves and government will assist. Let us attempt to do what is being done in other areas.

We have to educate our villagers they must get up and work toward the acquisition of resources and assets,” the President said.

Equally important too, the President said is the need for an

excellent community organisational structure, a greater grasp of mobilisation and better understanding of obligations. “You have a proud tradition but don’t let pride degenerate into a pride of dependency,” President Granger urged the residents of the community.

The basketball Court was procured in 2010, while the pavilion was constructed under the President’s Youth Choice Initiative. The fencing for the facility was completed under the Culture Ministry’s One Million Dollars Community ground enhancement project.

Basketball equipment was donated by National Sports Commission.

Also speaking at the ceremony were Minister Henry and Director of Sports Jones. The Fyrish Basket Ball Project is an initiative of The St Francis Community Developers (SFCD), led by Mr. Alex Foster.

The facility is among the best in the country at the moment and is the home of the Fyrish Black Sharks Basketball Team. (Samuel Whyte)

GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket…

Lachaber, Fort Ordinance and Aurora Primary Schools victorious Lachaber Primary, Fort Ordinance Primary and Aurora Primary were victorious in the second round of the GCB/ Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket Competition which was contested recently.

In the New Amsterdam/ Canje District, Sand Voort Primary won the toss and decided to bat first posting 1602 with Jarvis Southwell scoring 32 and Nathan Christian 17.

However, it was the extras (70) that aided Sand Voort to a respectable score of 160 runs. In reply, Lachaber Primary found

themselves 34 runs short of the target, when their overs expired.

Afraz Wahab made 19 and Sabrian 15. Bowling for Sand Voort, Kaylor Hope took 3-7 and Jarvis Southwell 2-2.

Over at All Saints Primary cricket ground, Fort Ordinance Primary defeated Friends Primary by 12 wickets. Friends Primary batted and posted 116-2 in 14 overs. Simon Gaffoor and Zelline Peters each contributed 15. Bowling for Fort Ordinance Primary, Tracy Simon took two wickets for 13 runs apiece.

In response, Fort Ordinance

eased to their target in just 10 overs for the loss of only two wickets as Noel Brummel hit a fine 41, which included six fours, while Stephan Dindial made 38 (4x4). In the Essequibo Coast District, Good Hope Primary came up against Aurora at Hibernia ground by six wickets.

Good Hope Primary took first strike and managed 149-1.

Joshawn Hackett led with an unbeaten 53, while Narendra Dusrajh contributed 20.

In reply Aurora Primary made 154-4 in 14 overs. Anil Williams hit 35 and Sherwin Davson 15.

Leon Johnson’s X1, led by a four-wicket haul from 20year-old Gudakesh Motie defeated Robin Bacchus’ X1 by nine wickets on the third day of their final PCL four-day practice match which ended at the Providence Stadium yesterday.

Scores: Bacchus’ X1 (141 & 169), Johnson’s X1 (277 & 34-1).

In bright sunshine, Johnson’s X1 resumed on 201-5 with Shiv Chanderpaul on 53 and Raymon Reifer on seven and lost Chanderpaul after adding seven to his overnight score when he was removed by left-arm spinner Anthony Adams at 217-6.

Refier (21) soon fell to pacer Raun Johnson at 234-7, while Ronsford Beaton got rid of Chris Barnwell (27), Steven Jacobs (0) and Akshaya Persaud (7), while Anthony Bramble (19) ran out of partners.

The pace trio of Beaton (3-41), Johnson (2-31) and Paul Wintz (2-38) were the main wicket takers for Bacchus’ X1 who started their second innings with a deficit of 136 runs and fell for 169, leaving Johnson’s X1 34 to win in a day and 45 minutes.

They reached 34-1 in 8.4 overs as Assad Fudadin (12*) and Skipper Johnson (7) were the not out batmen after Shemron Hetymer (11) who steered Wintz for four and pulled Johnson for six, was LBW to Johnson at 19-1.

Earlier, Jevon Searles, who hit eight fours and a couple of sixes in a 69-ball 60 before he was run out to end the innings, shared in a 61run stand with number 10 batsman Steven Sankar, who

struck three sixes and two fours in 35 from just 28 balls, rescued their team from 95-8.

Former West Indies under-19 left-arm spinner Motie bowled beautifully as he produced teasing flight and extracted turn from a dry track to bag 4-53 from 20 overs to stake a claim for a FirstClass debut next week Friday when the Jaguars begin their title defence at Providence against the Windwards Volcanoes.

Motie has been representing Guyana at youth level for over a decade and after yesterday’s crafty spell, could sneak past Raj Nannan and Adams for the spot left vacant by Test spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who could miss the first two matches due to an ankle injury.

Both Keon Joseph and left-arm seamer Refier bowled with good control with the new ball.

Refier trapped Tagenarine Chanderpaul (5) and bowled Bacchus (4) with a beauty that came back into the lefthander to leave Bacchus’X1 on 9-2.

West Indies U-19 selectee Tevin Imlach (11) and Kandasammy Surujnarine (15) carried the score to 30 before Surujnarine, willing to use his feet to the spinners, fell to a good catch over his head by Jacobs at mid-off as he was deceived by Motie before Kevin Boodie was stumped off Motie for a duck at 36-4.

Imlach stroked Reifer with consummate ease to the extracover boundary to move into double figures before he was LBW to Chris Barnwell at 605 and by Tea Bacchus’ X1 were 67-5.

Motie dragged Kemo Paul (15) out of his crease to have him stumped at 72-6, while Barnwell (2-32) struck again when Kemol Savory (5) was bowled.

Thirteen runs later Dexter Solomon (9) failed to get to the pitch of one that turned away from him and he was taken at cover by Fudadin to leave the score on 95-8 and his team in danger of an innings defeat.

But Searles showed that he has all-round ability with a confident half-century and found a useful partner in Sankar as both batsmen counter-attacked nicely to frustrate the bowlers.

Searles danced into Motie, lofted him for a couple of fours. The Bajan dumped Barnwell for six, whipped him for four, while another boundary off Barnwell meant his over had gone for 14.

Sankar then clobbered Motie over long-on to get off the mark with a six before Searles turned his attention to Joseph.

He sliced the Berbice pacer for four, pulled him to the boundary when he bowled short before he stroked two more fours past mid-on in an over which cost 16.

Sankar joined in the fun and smashed Joseph through cover and dispatched Motie for two sixes to ensure that Johnson’s X1 had to bat again. Searles edged a mighty swing at Jacobs and was dropped at slip on 49 before Sankar brutally hit Jacobs over his head for four, after which he was bowled by Jacobs. Searles, who reached his 50 from 64 balls, was then run out. (Sean Devers)