Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

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

EDITORIAL

A welcome departure FROM THE NORM The media statement by Troy Resources Guyana (TRG) reveals an interesting feature that is not evident in the intent and operations of a few major foreign investors in this country. The TRG Chief Executive Officer’s public position is a welcome departure from the seemingly entrenched practices that have become a norm in the relations between foreign conglomerates and the local polity.

The forthright approach which addresses actual and potential concerns among the various local stakeholders is certainly appreciated at this juncture, and one which should be emulated across the foreign investment spectrum. It would have been of great value on the industrial relations front if entities of recent advent such as Bai Shan Lin and Vaitarna, had taken into consideration the importance of respecting universally accepted norms in that regard.

No amount of sand dancing by the Guyana Forestry Commission can erase native suspicion that all is not aboveboard after the series of evasions and ad hominem attacks that characterised the official response to the exposé on the conduct of the corporations engaged in human and material resource exploitation in the extractive sectors.

The forlorn attempts at catch up and damage control by the two conglomerates have not gained the type of positive impression that is intended, since there are more gaps and loopholes which cannot be explained away. The behaviour by the Guyana Revenue Authority only adds to the belief that only the rich and powerful are accorded the right to protection by the state apparatus to an obscene degree.

The question of tax exemption and remittances to the home country of foreign investors is one in which no effort should be spared in providing Guyanese with all the details, especially with all the concessions granted to these companies. The sight of hundreds of felled trees - which formerly made up Guyana’s contribution as the lungs of the world - being placed in containers for export, is one which does not inspire confidence that this country’s affairs are being conducted with citizens’ interest as paramount. It is no secret that Asian business practices embrace a concept of hand wash hand, but that is no reason that for a few dollars the ruling elite should be prepared to willingly sell the national patrimony for a song.

Indeed these developments speak to a lack of informed citizen participation and consensus that has consistently been taken advantage of by glib snake oil salesmen. What else could be the apparent abandonment of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) with the once bright-eyed prospects of millions of Norwegian dollars?

Nowadays climate change and its harmful effects have been taken off the stove and replaced by tales of the benefits of allowing the country’s forest resources to be shipped out without a murmur of protest. If that is not insulting enough, those who have dared to raise their voices on these issues have their nationalism and loyalty challenged by charlatans who embody Samuel Johnson’s coined adage about (false) patriotism being the last refuge of scoundrels.

Guyanese need to be assured that their foreign investor employer will respect them as worthwhile employees. But it must be remarked that the local labour force must provide reciprocal assurance that they are worthy of their hire. In the midst of all those assurances must be the wider knowledge that the government, through its respective agencies, stands prepared and willing to intercede on behalf of its people, regardless of race and political affiliation. No more should the infrastructure and natural environment of targeted communities be degraded on the altar of profit for a few.

The rights and livelihood of the indigenous people are under serious threat and all they are hearing is how good the raping of their environment is for their development. The colonial practice of offering baubles continues under homegrown neocolonialists. These days the indigenous communities are assailed with a tractor here, a boat engine

Friday September 19, 2014

Letters... Where your views make the news

At what cost is this new ‘free’ bus service being provided to the public?

DEAR EDITOR, Freeness from government is not really freeness. When it is a corrupt, self-serving government, it is usually a scheme to try to bribe taxpayers who are actually paying for this ‘free’ service with their own taxes.

Any economic action by government must be guided by principles of accountability, transparency, cost effectiveness, fairness and sustainability.

Thanks to the woeful PNC and PPP governments the minibus industry has become a largely rogue industry in this country, terrorizing the roads and arbitrarily imposing fare raises with much intimidation to the travelling public. However, those painful realities about the minibus industry cannot be allowed as an excuse for government to engage in reckless, unfair, uneconomic and shady excursions with

taxpayers’ money. On the face of it, this initiative of providing ‘free’ bus transport to commuters is a good gesture.

These people have actually paid for this service with the hefty taxes and VAT they pay to the government.

The question is how is government really using taxpayers’ money with this move? Details, as expected, are missing.

Instead of the PPP government doing the right thing and buying a fleet of these buses and operating a proper public transport system that can compete effectively with the private minibus industry with the hope of replacing it in fair manner, the government is doing what it does best; provide contracts to a set of individuals who own these large buses with no transparency or competitive bidding surrounding these contracts.

We all know the PPP’s

nefarious history with public contracts. This arrangement is right up that alley.

The other issue is fragility of this arrangement.

If this does not pan out, the contractors will pull their buses away to more feasible engagements and commuters will return to the prior debacle. The fact that government refused to actually invest in buying these buses as opposed to contracting them stinks of electioneering and election gimmickry.

The public needs to know if this is yet another ploy to misuse taxpayers’ money for votes and even if it is not, the issue is whether this entire plan is economically feasible and competitive compared to the existing minibus industry. The government is paying a handful of individuals who own these large buses for this service.

The public needs to know what they are paying, how much, how often and what

special advantages and concessions, such as duty free importation of these large buses, have been granted to these contractors.

The public needs to know if any of these buses are being offered to the government at a reduced cost with the intent to garner long-term contracts or if the government has already foolishly signed these contracts without full public input and consultation.

We cannot replace an existing profitable private sector industry with another private sector industry enjoying special government privileges and protections.

Taxpayers may actually be paying more for these ‘free’ rides than they pay their minibus operators when this deal is assessed on an equality basis. It is time the minister deliver the statistics and the opposition should be asking questions in Parliament on this deal.

M. Maxwell

DIGICEL has never retained the services of Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan DEAR EDITOR, Over the past few weeks, there has been ongoing discussion in the press on pertinent issues relating to the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector in Guyana and on the continued deliberation of the draft legislation in Parliament. In particular, matters relating to claims of telecommunications licences having being granted to persons other than Digicel and GT&T have occupied much space in the Kaieteur News.

Digicel is heartened to see that the liberalisation of telecommunications in Guyana has resonated with relevance on the Guyanese public, although sometimes amidst half-truths, innuendos and even blatant misrepresentations of the truth.

In an article published on September 18, 2014 titled “GT&T Telecommunications Licence Prohibit Others – Dr. Mahadeo” the author appears to relate parts of an interview which had been previously conducted with

Mr. Yog Mahadeo, former CEO of GT&T. The article quotes Mr. Mahadeo as saying that, he is not aware of any company other than Digicel and G&T being granted a telecommunications licence in Guyana.

The quotation continues “GT&T’s licence precludes any entity from being g r a n t e d a telecommunication license except in the mobile arena”.

Although Digicel does not agree with this premise, we rest assured that issues relating to the scope of GT&T’s licence and what it prohibits and does not prohibit are, at present, being properly ventilated elsewhere.

What causes particular umbrage to us, however, is the not-so-casual suggestion at the closing of the article that the process by which Parliament continues to deliberate on the draft legislation is somehow subject to undue influence

by Digicel.

The article represents Mr. Mahadeo as saying that the political

there, all in the sustained attempt to promote the continued exploitation of their ancestral lands by any with deep enough pockets.

Foreign investors must step up and disclaim any involvement in dishonourable and parasitic practices which are supported at the highest levels of state agencies. Citizens must unhesitatingly approach the courts and the Office of the Ombudsman, if needs be, for remedies.

parties, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) “both lack the independence to argue and debate telecommunications liberalisation since there is deep conflict of interest”.

With the same tenor, the article goes on to identify AFC members, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan and Member of Parliament, Mr. Trevor Williams as being retained

by Digicel and GT&T. Digicel is not in a position to confirm whether these utterances are, in fact, that of Dr. Mahadeo or the author taking journalistic licence. Regardless of its s ource, we categorically deny any suggestion that we have solicited the services of persons who are duty-bound to perform their duties to the public in an impartial (Continued on page 32)

That garbage pile in South Ruimveldt DEAR EDITOR, I write this letter with nothing more than love in my heart for my country. Each morning I have to take my two year old son to my aunt, who lives at Macaw Lane South Ruimveldt to spend the day, then I uplift him in the evening for which I am extremely grateful. So each day I pass through the exit then turn the first corner left into Macaw Lane.

Before I arrive at my destination, there is a enormous pile of which looks like dirt in front of an empty lot. One would have thought it was place there for land filling. However, upon inquiry I was told it’s a dumping site for persons in

the neighborhood, which has grown so enormous that it is taller than the average person and it is encroaching on the road that vehicles have to drive around. Has anyone considered that this can cause vehicular accidents, and more seriously, loss of life?

Aren’t we so unconcerned about our environment that in this modern day and age we continue with such uncivilized practice? I hope this letter brings awareness to the authority involved in clean up my country and it is removed because this can very well be one of the contributing factors to the flooding in that area.

Rhonda Chance.

Friday September 19, 2014

Kaieteur News

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

The “Ramjattan ticket” and A bitter-sweet story about gold the political conversation DEAR EDITOR, T h e r e c e n t announcement by AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan that a Nagamootoo/Hughes ticket would be the best combination for the AFC to contest the next general elections has drawn both the pleasure and ire of some.

While these commentators and critics chose to make the candidates and the ticket the focus of their discussion, I wish to channel my observation on the timing and political relevance of the Ramjattan announcement.

So, for starters, I consider the announcement to be premature and lacking in political relevance.

My first observation would be to point out that the AFC leader has done his membership an injustice by slighting them with his apparent public directive which is probably intended to influence the outcome of the upcoming AFC conference. In my mind, this kind of tactic is a hindrance to internal party democracy and brings into focus the whole question of respect for the membership.

However, I must admit that Mr. Nagamootoo’s reaction to the “Ramjattan announcement indicates that he recognizes that the views of the AFC membership, regarding any ticket, must be the deciding voice to be respected. According to Nagamootoo, the members of the AFC should make their choice at the party’s upcoming conference.

The more important point as it relates to timing of the Ramjattan announcement, is that Ramjattan’s comments provided a good escape route for the PPP. So, at a time when the entire political conversation was not in the PPP’s interest, Ramjattan provided a perfect “bumper ball,” which landed where the PPP wanted. At a time when the national political discussion is centered on the whole idea of parties and organizations forming a coalition to contest the next election, the Ramjattan ticket emerged.

P r i o r t o t h i s announcement, the PPP was forced to rethink their propaganda strategy in order to resurrect a political conversation which it thinks will be in its favour.

The government was so out of its game that it attempted to tout its apparent new found interest in a coalition, and rushed to

promote its own concocted idea of forming alliances with others. This is typical PPP reaction to a situation when its back is against the wall. The party tries every effort to find “wriggle room” in order to breathe.

Once that breathing space is had, it is back to the norms of the PPP, the issue of any alliance is abandon and the dictatorial attitude resurfaces with a renewed and intensified vengeance.

Prior to the Ramjattan conversation, there was a larger conversation which seemed to have united a majority of Guyanese, both home and abroad.

That discussion was centered on the idea of a coalition of the opposition forces, to contest the next national elections.

The larger conversation regarding some possibility of the AFC and other organizations teaming up with the APNU is a conversation that really, knocked the wind out of the sail of the PPP. However, the Ramjattan announcement has done exactly what I anticipated. It sought to revert the political conversation to a point where the PPP now thinks it can breathe in order to fashion and promote its campaign of mud-slinging and name calling I continue to watch the PPP’s reaction to the Ramjattan announcement and wonder when will this archaic political strategy ends. About two days after “the Ramjattan ticket” was revealed, Clement Rohee the General Secretary of the PPP boasted in delight that his party will, according to him,

“expose Nagamootoo”. So, in their thinking they will be bringing lots of “dutty linens” out of Nagamootoo’s closet. The PPP believes that this is its best approach to energize its base.

My thinking is that they are in hot pursuit to dig up, create and propagate the usual lines which they think will resonate with their base.

In 2011 we have seen the desperate attempt by Freedom House to assassinate David Granger’s character and project him as anti-Indo Guyanese, the results of that election showed that the IndoGuyanese community rejected this ignorance. So today, the strategy is very much the same. The PPP will pit Nagamootoo against Cheddi and Janet Jagan in the most dangerous fashion.

As the PPP unleashes its attack it will be analyzing the effectiveness of its strategy to determine how successful it is in changing the political conversation.

This change is necessary to ensure that the “campaign of distraction” is solidly in place in order to attempt to hoodwink the people and turn their attention away from what really matters to them and the country.

In the minds of those who operate at Freedom H o u s e , R a m j a t t a n ’s announcement is already helping them to launch their attack. They watch as the (Continued on page 32)

DEAR EDITOR, Just for a moment dear reader lay aside some of the everyday nonsense and allow me to share with you a bittersweet, wonderful and poignant story.

Some days gone on the American Hero Channel (AHC) there was a documentary on the “California Gold Rush” which gave me quite a classic insight on how the cruel fate of one can literally become a golden opportunity for another- a sudden twist of fate in the darkest moment changing the course of destiny catapulting one to plane beyond his/her wildest dream.

The discovery of gold in California was a big shout which caused quite a stir, thus galvanising well over 300,000 men on a hunt for this coveted yellow mineral in a quest for financial freedom, but as fate would have it, this mission was not a bed of roses-the price was tragic. As was explained by the narrator the dream of approximately one-third of the gold hunters was ephemeral, thwarted, came nowhere-not even remotely to sensing as much as a grain of gold; having lost their lives long before to treacherous and dreadful conditions and rigorous labour.

Many were murdered, while the majority of those remaining were consumed by the heavy usage of the deadly toxic agent mercury (quicksilver) which polluted not only the environment/

water but also gnawed at and took toll on the human body itself: wrecking nerves, causing blindness, loss of hair, teeth, insanity and finally death.

Indeed, all that glitters is not gold, and half the stories have never been told.

As viewers were informed, the wonderful colourful stories about this yellow metal; the triumph of a handful who by a stroke of luck or providence made it were amplified, glorified and publicised while the tragic account on the other side of the coin: the grief, despair, hunger, frustration, hopelessness, the broken in spirit causing many to commit suicide; the overwhelming majority who lost their lives were not told, remained dead and buried like them.

But here’s the take- the gist of the story. Among those 300,000 plus prospectors were two friends equally woebegone and

consumed by despair all alone and sitting together munching on scraps of whatever was left of their ration, contemplating their future, their next move when one with an unmistakable nasty and heartbroken expression stamped on his face got up and said “I’m going for a walk”, within a minute a gunshot was heard, his friend in fright jumped to his feet and saw him lying on the ground-shot himself dead, he had given up on life, surrendered.

There was no light at the end of the tunnel for him, he pinned all his hopes and dreams on a mineral that eluded him, hence life for him was hopeless.

In grief he held on to him shedding bitter tears, unable to control his emotion, he is now left all alone in an abandoned terrain with no one in sight-nothing! As a parting gesture, in honour (Continued on page 32)

Friday September 19, 2014

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Granger declares protests Islamic State shows captive for local govt. elections British journalist in new video - Calls on all “good citizens” to join in

By Abena Rockcliffe Repetitively using three key words from the preamble of the Constitution—”We the People”—Opposition Leader, David Granger yesterday issued an address to the nation, in which he detailed the “grave threat” that the Guyanese people are under and that the time has come for citizens to take all possible legal action to protect themselves.

“We (A Partnership for National Unity) have called on the President to simply set the date on which Local Government Elections will be held. He has not done so. We have therefore embarked on a campaign of lawful, orderly, peaceful public protests – including picketing, rallies and vigils – to raise public awareness of the threat to our

David Granger, APNU Leader

President Donald Ramotar

Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.”

The Opposition Leader said that the President needs to understand that Local Government Elections, like

alleyways,” said Granger.

Yesterday Granger sought to remind Ramotar that, six months ago, several foreign missions and local nongovernmental organizations issued a joint statement

Pull quote: Our quality of life will not improve unless we stand up against the further decline and degradation of our communities and stand up for our democratic institutions and values. The demand for local government elections is a national necessity – a common cause. It is not a partisan project collective rights. We call on all Guyanese to join this campaign to challenge the President to hold Local Government Elections without undue delay.”

Granger said that all “good people” must now demand their ‘inalienable’ right to elect the persons they want to represent them in their towns, villages and neighbourhoods. He asserted that President Donald Ramotar and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration have tried every device to derail the legislative process and to delay local government elections, including not assenting to two Local Government Bills that were passed by the National Assembly and declining to issue the ‘Commencement Order’ to operationalise a third. He said that Ramotar and the PPP “have no interest in conducting local government elections. They have no intention of complying with the mandate of the National Assembly. They have no inclination to deepen local democracy. They have no incentive to heed local and international opinion. They have no intention to respect the spirit and letter of our supreme law – the

general and regional elections, are a constitutional necessity, hence he cannot postpone them indefinitely at his pleasure.

He pointed out that the President, by deliberately delaying the holding of local government elections, violates the Constitution which states that “Local Government is a vital aspect of democracy…”

Granger said that Ramotar is presiding over an “arrogant administration.”

The Opposition Leader said that the government has systematically underfunded local democratic organs; undermined democraticallyelected local councils; inhibited their development and impeded the provision of services to residents.

Granger pointed out as well, that the PPP administration has rendered 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and six town councils ineffectual. He said that the President’s attitude to local government has resulted in a near-total collapse in local governance. “This is evident countrywide where our towns, neighbourhoods and villages suffer from unmanageable mountains of solid waste; unsanitary markets; unsightly surroundings and unlit and unsafe streets and

expressing their collective hope that local government elections would be held by 1st August 2014. That statement was signed by the British High Commission; High Commission of Canada; Embassy of the United States of America; Berbice Chamber of Commerce; Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry; Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Guyana Association of Women Lawyers; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana Manufacturing and Service Association; Guyana Trades Union Congress; Justice Institute; Private Sector Commission and Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. The President has not assented to the Local Government (Amendment) Bill. He did assent to the Local Government Commission Bill but his appointed Minister of Local Government has not issued the ‘Commencement Order’ to operationalise the Commission. Both bills were passed by the National Assembly on 7th August, 2013 thereby paving the way for elections to be held. The President, also, has not assented to the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill which mandated that elections be held by 1st August 2014.

(Reuters) - Islamic State militants fighting in Iraq and Syria released a video on Thursday that they said shows British journalist John Cantlie in captivity saying he will soon reveal “facts” about the group to counter its portrayal in Western media.

The Islamic State, which controls territory in Syria and Iraq, has already beheaded two American journalists and one British aid worker in recent weeks in what it said was reprisal for U.S. air strikes against it in Iraq.

But in the new roughly three-minute video posted on social media sites, the man identified as Cantlie appears in good health and promises to “convey some facts” in a series of “programs,” suggesting there would be further installments.

“Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, ‘He’s only doing this because he’s a prisoner. He’s got a gun at his head and he’s being forced to do this.’ Right?” the man in the video, wearing an orange shirt and closelycropped hair, says.

“Well, it’s true. I am a prisoner. That I cannot deny.

But seeing as I’ve been abandoned by my government and my fate now

lies in the hands of the Islamic State, I have nothing to lose.”

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he had heard reports of a video on social media and said authorities would look closely at any material released online.

“These videos can be very distressing for the families of the individuals involved,” he told reporters during a visit to Copenhagen.

U.S. President Barack Obama has been trying to build an international coalition to destroy Islamic State, a Sunni Muslim extremist group which has exploited the chaos of Syria and Iraq to seize swathes of territory in both countries.

The United States has already carried out scores of air strikes against the group in Iraq and Obama said in a policy speech he would not hesitate to strike it in Syria as well. In the new video, titled “Lend Me Your Ears, Messages from the British Detainee John Cantlie,” the man identified as Cantlie says he was captured by the Islamic State after arriving in Syria in November 2012.

He says he worked for newspapers and magazines in Britain including the Sunday

Times, the Sun and the Sunday Telegraph.

“After two disastrous and hugely unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, why is it that our governments appear so keen to get involved in yet another unwinnable conflict?” the man says in the video.

“I’m going to show you the truth behind the systems and motivation of the Islamic State, and how the Western media, the very organization I used to work for, can twist and manipulate that truth for the public back home.”

Cantlie said other Western governments have negotiated for the release of their hostages but that the British and U.S. governments chose to do things differently.

“I’ll show you the truth behind what happened when many European citizens were imprisoned and later released by the Islamic State, and how the British and American governments thought they could do it differently to every other European country,” the man in the video says.

“They negotiated with the Islamic State and got their people home while the British and Americans were left behind,” he says.

U.N. to deploy Ebola mission as death toll reaches 2,630 (Reuters) - The United Nations unveiled plans on Thursday for a special mission to combat the worst Ebola epidemic on record in West Africa, as the death toll hit 2,630 and France became the latest Western nation to step up its support. French President Francois Hollande announced the deployment of a military hospital to remote Forest Region of southeastern Guinea, where the outbreak was first detected in March.

Since then the virus has infected at least 5,357 people, according to World Health Organization (WHO), mostly in Guinea, neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia. It has also spread to Senegal and Nigeria.

With fragile West African healthcare systems overrun by the outbreak, Hollande said France’s response would

not be limited to contributing to 150 million euros (118.4 million pounds) in aid promised by European Union nations.

“We must save lives,” he told a news conference. “I have asked the defence minister to coordinate this action and to include military doctors and the civil protection agency plus air support.” U.S. President Barack Obama, calling the disease a threat to global security, promised this week the deployment of 3,000 U.S. troops to help contain the epidemic. Britain also announced on Wednesday it would help to provide a further 700 treatment beds in Sierra Leone, its former colony. One of the most deadly diseases, there is no known cure for the hemorrhagic fever, though development of several

treatments and vaccines is being fast-tracked.

In New York, the 15member U.N. Security Council was due to adopt a resolution later on Thursday that declares the outbreak of Ebola, spread by contact with the body fluids of infected people, a “threat to international peace and security”. In a letter circulated to the Council, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon said he will appoint a special envoy to head the U.N. Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), based in the region. “The strategic priorities of the mission will be to stop the spread of the disease, treat the infected, ensure essential services, preserve stability and prevent the spread to countries currently unaffected,” Ban wrote.

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US promises eastern Caribbean assistance for impact of climate change KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – The United States says it is working with the Eastern Caribbean countries to reduce their vulnerability and increase their resilience to the impact of climate change.

Jonathan Conly, the Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, said that Washington is providing assistance to increase the capacity of technical and educational institutions in a number of areas.

He said under an agreement with the World Meteorological Organization and in collaboration with another agency, a regional climate center would be established for the Caribbean that would be “capable of providing …climate weather services to support adaptation and enhance disaster risk reduction region wide”.

He said the center would improve climate weather data collection regionally “to fill critically information monitoring and forecasting

gaps that will allow us to better understand and predict climate impacts,” he told the Fourth C l i m a t e C h a n g e seminar organized by the St. Lucia-based Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission.

D u r i n g h i s a d d r ess Conly said the declining availability of fresh water on the Grenadine island of Bequia is a matter of grave concern for USAID. He said “one of the threats from climate change has been identified as the declining availability of fresh water resulting from increased drought and saltwater intrusion due to sea level rise” and that USAID is funding a project to increase the water storage capacity for the reverse osmosis plant on Bequia and installation of distribution lines to facilitate access to and store clean water.

There are approximately 4,300 people living on Bequia.

On mainland St. Vincent Conly said that the focus is on water harvesting systems at six designated disaster

shelters. He said this will help to minimise the adverse impacts of water shortages during climatic events such as droughts. This initiative is expected to be completed early next year.

“We know that despite significant investments in disaster risk reduction and response there is much that remains to be done,” Conly said.

“We see a growing need to rebuild damaged infrastructure with resilient structures through coordination across agencies and to better educate Caribbean citizens about climate change.”

He said the long term sustainable of the Caribbean region is of vital interest to the United States both economically and environmentally and that as close neighbours and regional partners, Washington has a vested interest in contributing to a prosperous, stable and climate resilient future where the people and countries of the Caribbean continue to flourish.

Barbados Minister of Tourism appointed new CTO Chairman ST THOMAS, US Virgin Islands: As the Caribbean seeks to reposition itself for major change, a new flag bearer has been selected to lead the charge at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO).

Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, is now in the driver’s seat.

Sealy was elected by his peers at a meeting of Tourism Ministers and Commissioners at the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC), now on in St Thomas US Virgin Islands.

Sealy, who will serve for

the next two years, succeeds US Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism, Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

His tenure comes in the midst of the region’s thrust to focus on the importance of diversifying tourism products and services to secure yearround business, while moving to best practices in the sector.

Reacting to the announcement, Sealy stated, “I look forward to putting my very best foot forward and working along with all of the other entities in the region to deal with some of the vexing problems that we have right now with tourism. And of course to continue the good work that has been done by this organisation recently.”

The Barbados minister will shortly name his appointee for the post of

Chairman of the CTO Board of Directors, since, according to the CTO Constitution, the Board Chairman and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism must come from the same Member Country.

Five vice-chairs were also elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.

They are the USVI representing the US territories; St Eustatius, representing the Dutch Caribbean; Martinique representing the French Caribbean; Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago, representing the Independent CARICOM countries and the Turks and Caicos Islands representing the British Overseas Territories.

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THOSE WHO CONDEMN THE PAST ARE BOUND TO REPEAT IT It is hard for anyone born after 1992 to imagine how it was that at one stage, the shelves in Guyana were literally empty of imported items. Today when you go into any supermarket and see the shelves packed with as diverse a range of imported goods imaginable, you have to ask yourselves how it was that this country ever reached the stage whereby importers were not able to import goods because there was no foreign exchange for them to do so.

In order to understand how the economy was bankrupted, it is necessary to understand the degree of incompetence that reined during that period. In order to appreciate how this incompetence developed, one has to acknowledge that there were many square pegs in round holes. And in order to fathom how these square pegs got appointed, it is necessary to understand the politicization of the public bureaucracy.

As part of this politicization, bureaucrats were required to be submissive to the political oligarchs of the day. Unless you were a top member of the ruling politburo, when even an uneducated and ignorant

underling flashed a party card, you, the bureaucrat, trembled with fear. This is the extent to which the system became corrupt.

Corruption was institutionalized because public officials were forced to submit to political diktat.

They were forced to take actions which went against their professional judgment.

They were forced to engage in actions which went against this dignity such as being forced to participate in circuses such as the Peoples Parade or going to work on Burnham’s plantation at Hope. As a result of this political perversion, corruption became part of the very core of the system. It was institutionalized.

By ignoring the institutionalized feature of corruption, the PPP when it came to power repeated the mistakes of the PNC. The PPPC believed that now that it was in power it could have reformed this state and rooted

out corruption. It was wrong.

State organizations in which corruption is institutionalized, to the extent of what existed under the PNC, cannot not be reformed. They needed to be dismantled and rebuilt. This was the mistake that the PPP made. It assumed that now that it had power and its operatives were moving into the upper echelons of the public bureaucracy, that they would perform better than the PNC did and remove corruption.

The PPP failed to appreciate that the corruption was systemic and that merely changing figureheads would not root out corruption. It has not done so. And neither has it prevented the politicization of public bureaucracy.

Parties such as the Alliance for Change believe that the best way to deal with corruption in the tendering for

public works contracts is to have a Public Procurement Commission. The AFC, too, is repeating the mistakes of the past. Its priority should not be about a Public Procurement Commission but rather about insulating the public bureaucracy from political perversion.

When it comes to the perversion of the public bureaucracy, two obscene features have developed under the PPP. The first of these is the use of public office by certain political figures to pursue vendettas against their enemies.

There are unquestionable cases of persons using their high office and the resources of the State to go after individuals with whom they have grouses. In some instances they have conscripted family members in other parts of government

to go after persons with whom they have issues.

There has also been the practice of pursuing the interests of their clients while in office. This is totally unacceptable. It represents an abuse of public office, which was one of the things that allowed corruption to become rampant under the PNC, since persons were afraid to speak out against these excesses for fear of being victimized.

The second perversion is the conscripting of public officials to go after political enemies and those who are seen as against the government. These officials are pressured into being unprofessional and to be used as tools for settling political scores and personal slights. This too is totally unacceptable and it is time that there be a massive

campaign launched by civil society to demand the resignation of those public officials who allow themselves to become political battering rams.

Both of these cancers, the use of public office by political figures to pursue private vendettas and the conscripting of public officials to do the dirty work of politicians must be rooted out. The only way for this to happen is to remove those concerned because like institutionalized corruption, they cannot be reformed overnight.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

Is this the most mysterious court decision in history?

To date, not one lawyer, former lawyer or former judge has written about a decision handed down by the Acting Chief Justice that on the surface gives immense credence to the ancient saying, ‘the law is an ass.” It is the case of the Town Clerk, Carol Sooba.

On a writ by Mr. Royston King, the CJ ruled that Sooba’s appointment was illegal. The CJ found that the Minister of Local Government did not have the authority to appoint Sooba. Then the CJ did what he is known in Guyana for doing – add a dimension to his ruling that confounds the mind, assaults commonsense, and leaves one to belief that the famous exclamation in the famous

book by Charles Dickens – the law is an ass – is indeed a phenomenal perception.

The CJ ordered that Sooba could still remain in office and that a writ has to be filed against her authority in order to have her removed.

There is no way any judge, any lawyer, any trained mind, should accept this decision. I know of no tradition in the world whereby a scholar or commentator or a citizen could be barred from publication of an opinion on a court decision or judge’s performance once libel and scandalous semantics are avoided. I intend to practice that right once I have a pen and a voice.

This columnist believes that the decision by the CJ to retain Sooba in the position of Town Clerk is one of the most flawed decisions in the history of jurisprudence in the region, and it makes a mockery of justice. My inflexible position is that the CJ’s order that Sooba can only be removed if a writ is filed

for that purpose against Sooba herself is not based on any reading of the law. For me, it is a strange decision that cannot be explained in law.

A PPP supporter like Oscar Ramjeet can make the same asinine claim as he did against Carl Greenidge, by saying that my knowledge is limited because I am not a lawyer. I could be chauvinistic and say I am more trained in knowledge than Ramjeet and at more universities than him. You don’t need to be a lawyer to know when judges give questionable decisions.

In any case, I have no respect for Mr. Ramjeet as a person and as a lawyer, and it is my right to say so. Mr. Ramjeet retains the right to think whatever he wants about me.

What is interesting to note is that the writ against Sooba that the CJ advised should be done if Mr. King wants Sooba removed has been filed, but who pays for the legal service and who

finances Sooba’s defence?

Since Sooba is the Town Clerk, then one would like to think that her office will provide her with legal services. If this is in fact the case, then the law is not only an ass but a large donkey.

This is my second column on this Sooba decision by Justice Ian Chang and until her illegal appointment is recognized by the court and until de facto (word used by the CJ himself) authority is dissolved, I will continue to write on the absurdity of this decision.

Which brings me to my friends in the non-existent Guyana Human Rights Association, and its leader, Mr. Mike Mc Cormack.

One of the most scathing attacks on a judge’s decision in this country was the GHRA’s analysis of Justice

Insanally’s ruling in favour of miner, Joan Chang, over the Isseneru Village Council. The GHRA’s critique was acidic and hostile. It referred to the decision as shocking and lamented; “One can only wonder if the Judge in question has any idea of the Pandora’s Box of mischief she has opened.”

The GHRA went on; “This judgement flies in the face of justice and decency, to say nothing of commonsense.”

I am not a fan of Mr. Mike Mc Cormack, but I would like to transfer his description of Justice Insanally’s ruling to that of the CJ in the Sooba case. One wonders if Justice Chang is aware of the Pandora’s Box of political abuse he has opened. This judgement flies in the face of everything that is

Frederick Kissoon fundamental to the validity and integrity of the rule of law, to say nothing of democratic freedoms.

The GHRA did not call for a review of Justice Insanally’s cases, but I am asking for such a review of the CJ’s. We have at last a fully constituted Judicial Service Commission (JSC). I will ask that body to remove the CJ from the bench.

My letter to the JSC will follow soon.

Dem boys seh...

Freddie got de Sword of Damocles hanging over he head People remember de story bout de man who eat and then drink suh much that when he lie down under a tree he roll over, close he eye, and seh how he could eat a lion. When he open he eye he see a lion stand up over he watching he full in he face.

De man mess up he self, he think quick and seh “When a man belly full he does talk sheer stupidness.”

But some people don’t have to be bellyful wid food fuh talk nuff stupidness. When some of dem belly full wid whisky, dem does sit down and shut dem eye and dem mouth does deh running. That is how dem boys hear another part of de story between Anil and de man who digging shit pun people.

Anil tell he budday, budday friend and padna in business that de man who digging shit pun people seh how he gun muzzle de Waterfalls paper de same way he muzzle poor Freddie.

When Anil budday friend hear that, he ask, “Wait man. He muzzle Freddie? When this happen, man? Nobody can’t muzzle

Freddie.”

Anil raise up he head and seh that de man words was “He got de Sword of Damocles hanging over Freddie head.”

Dem boys seh that it got to be true, because Freddie never write back nutten bout this man. This was a man who Freddie attack. Freddie attack Jagdeo too and that is how Jagdeo tell this man who digging shit pun people fuh go after Freddie.

Dem boys also certain that de Hana Reble Jagdeo tell Brazzy that fat crook fuh go after de Waterfalls paper. Since then he sue about 15 times. He sue so much that dem boys can’t keep track of de lawsuits. People reaching dem boys pun de road and asking, “Is wha Brazzy suing fuh? De fat, or de crook?”

Dem boys tek a vow fuh mek dem life miserable till dem stop being evil and wicked. Dem believe that dem suh bad that de Creatah would refuse to accept dem repentance.

Talk half and wait till Anil drink more whisky again.

Friday September 19, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Nursing student granted bail No bail for vendor on fraud charge after neighbour chopped The woman who it is alleged chopped a mother and daughter in a fit of rage last Friday has been charged with two counts of unlawful wounding, while the two women have been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm.

Annikah Luckham, 36, called ‘Nursie’ of Peral Stewart Housing scheme and a student at the New Amsterdam Nursing School has been charged with unlawfully wounding Bernadette Burnham, 59, and her 31-year-old daughter Ronetta Burnham. The incident allegedly occurred on September 12th following a misunderstanding by the families who are said to be neighbours, at Martin Luther Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam.

They all appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus yesterday in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court and were granted bail.

Luckham was placed on $30,000 on each charge while the Burnham’s were placed on $30,000 on each charge.

Prosecutor Sergeant Godfrey Playter stated that the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding between

ACCUSED: Annikah Luckham the parties. He said the Burnham’s received injuries caused by a sharp object and they had to seek medical attention. The police are in receipt of medical certificates in relation to the wounds received by the Burnhams.

He told the court that according to information, Bernadette Burnham used a broom stick to inflict injuries to Luckham while her daughter also assisted in injuring Luckham which caused her actual bodily harm.

In a bail application Attorney-at-Law Charrandass Persaud,

representing the mother and daughter, asked that his clients be placed on reasonable bail. He stated that it is obvious that the nurse was the aggressor and showed blatant disregard for the law. He said the younger Burnham and Luckham were before the court on a similar charge.

He noted that the warring parties live next to each other.

The lawyer mentioned that while his clients live in their own home, the other woman lives in a rented house.

“Something must be done to stop her from coming close to my clients and abusing them,” the lawyer stated.

Luckham was unrepresented.

Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus then stated that she will recuse herself from the case, stating that she is a close friend of a sibling of one of the defendants.

No new date has been set for the continuation of the matter.

A 25-year-old vendor charged for taking another vendor’s ‘cool down’ cart and beverages, was refused bail yesterday.

Shawn Clarke also known as Sherwin Benjamin of South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to face a fraudulent conversion charge.

It is alleged that on May 2, last, at High Street, Georgetown, he was entrusted by Randolph Glasgow with a drinks cart containing a quantity of beverages, together valued $70,550, but he fraudulently converted the items,

belonging to Princess Peters, to his own use and benefits.

Clarke pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Vishnu Hunt, did not reveal the details of the crime. He told the Court that although the defendant gave the same address to the Court and Police, the Prosecution learned that the Clarke is a street dweller.

Sergeant Hunt, in his objections to bail, added that the defendant was convicted about four times before on larceny charges.

In response, the unrepresented defendant told the Court that he was only convicted once in the

past for a matter involving his cousin. He challenged the Prosecution to check the prison’s records to confirm his claims.

He argued too that he has persons who can testify that he has been living in Better Hope since both his parents died. However, bail was refused and the case was transferred to Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond. It is set to be called on October 18.

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Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

Husband to stand trial for ‘head in bucket’ murder Thirty one-year-old Vindra Siriram has been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court for the murder of his reputed wife, Shellyann Persaud.

Siriram is charged with murdering the mother of his

three children by strangling and suffocating her in a bucket of water at their Friendship, East Bank Demerara residence, between June 9 and June 10, this year.

Persaud, a housewife, was on June 10, last, found at the

bottom of the back stairs of the couple’s premises. Her head was partly submerged in a five-gallon bucket of water.

According to reports, the couple’s eight-year-old daughter had told relatives that she heard her parents

arguing some time before the murder. The child reportedly also claimed to have seen her father beating her mother and pulling her hair while saying to her, “Tonight is the last night you will see your mother.”

Following the discovery of the woman’s body, a report was made by the family to the police.

Subsequent investigations led to Siriram being taken into custody and charged for his wife’s murder.

On June 13, he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. He has been in custody ever since and the Preliminary Inquiry started on Monday.

During the pre-trial proceeding, the court heard testimony from the couple’s eight-year-old daughter, the sister of the deceased, Sherry Persaud, the couple’s neighbour, Iris Dillon,

Detective Constable, Rohan Baksh, Detective Constable Chaitram Seeram, Detective Constable Mark Gaspar, Constable Maxwell Grant of CID Headquarters’ Photographic Branch and Constable Marks.

At the end of a three-day committal hearing yesterday, Police Inspector, Michael Grant closed the Prosecution’s case. Siriram’s lawyer Keavon Bess, in response, told Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry however that the Prosecution had no case against his client.

The magistrate ruled that a Prima Facie case of murder had been made out against the accused. When Siriram was asked if he had anything to say in his defence, he remained silent.

The Magistrate informed that she will be sending him

ACCUSED: Vindra Siriram before a judge and jury to stand trial for murder. The commencement date of the trial is yet to be fixed.

Govt. withdraws big buses; union agrees to hold off increases Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Irfaan Ali, met with the United Minibus Union and their affiliate member, the Zone 32 Motor Bus Association, yesterday, to discuss issues relating to the issues affecting minibus operators and passengers.

According to a joint statement, throughout the period of negotiations, both parties also agreed that the situation must return to normalcy; that is, the government withdraws its action in relation to big buses plying certain routes.

The buses in the different zones are also expected to revert to their established structure until an official agreement is reached and published in relation to their fares. An agreement was also made regarding the “32”

zone’s fare structure (Georgetown to Parika), in

which there has been no increase. The new structure does not impose any new or additional hardship on the travelling population, while at the same time; it safeguards the interest of the operators.

Negotiations with all other zones are expected to continue, with zones 31 and 44 meeting next week Tuesday with the authorities.

The fare structure was agreed upon by all parties and will stay in effect for a period of one year.

Friday September 19, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 13

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Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

Cocaine in SSS tonic…

Lone survivor, 12, testifies in drug trafficking case A twelve-year-old boy yesterday came face-to-face in court with the man fingered as being responsible for the cocaine-laced SSS tonic that killed members of his immediate family, but which he survived after ingesting.

Yesterday was more than four months after the incident that he faced the accused, Deon Layne, who had been charged with drug trafficking.

Magistrate Judy Latchman patiently walked the boy through a series of questions and deemed him competent enough to give evidence under oath.

He started crying before he could have explained what had happened.

Breaking the silence, the Tucville Secondary School

student explained that on May 2, last, himself, his stepfather and younger brother were at home when the accused, whom he pointed out in the prisoners’ docks, came to his stepfather.

He confessed that he had looked through the window and saw them talking, but couldn’t hear what they had said.

The young man recalled that his mother, Simone Pryce, had gone to church and when she returned home, she asked him to fetch a black bag from her bedroom and he did.

He said that his mother called him, his seven-year-old brother, Jacquel Blair, her friend Natasha George and his stepfather Alex Blair to “take shots” of the “SSS

tonic.”

The young man told the court that his mother poured it into snap glasses and they all took turns drinking it. He described feeling a “bit funny” when he drank it and added “it had me feeling upset and my stomach felt numb. My head start spinning.”

“My mother and neighbour got up and went into her room. I went into my bedroom and Jacquel was outside. As my mother and her friend were walking to go to the market, my little brother fell down from the chair.”

Demonstrating how his brother fell, the young man said that Jacquel soon began frothing at the mouth. “My stepfather picked him up and

started screaming for help.

Uncle Danny come in a van and me, my brother and stepfather went straight to the hospital.”

A taxi, he said, came and took his mother and her friend to the hospital. “At the hospital (Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation), they (medical practitioners) came out with stretchers and took us in. After I told the doctors I drank it (SSS tonic) too, they looked at me. I was admitted at the hospital.”

He recalled that he had spent two weeks at the hospital, but everyone else died.

His evidence was being led by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Prosecutor, Sergeant Vishnu Hunt.

Being questioned by the Prosecutor, the child stated that there was no other SSS tonic in their house and that he did not see anyone else throw anything in the bottle from which his mother gave him something to drink.

The student described the bottle’s size and stated that it was sealed and “full” when his mother opened it.

“It didn’t go down far when we drink from it,” he said.

The young man told the court that he later gave a statement to the police and

signed it in the presence of his father who also signed. As he finished his testimony, and the accused, who had no lawyer declined to cross examine him, he went straight into the arms of his father and began crying.

The emotional child was led out of the courtroom. The case is set to be called again on September 29 for continuation.

Two police witnesses have testified before the young man and the bottle and contents have been tendered in court.

Layne, a miner of Lot 88 Freeman Street, East La Penitence, is charged with having 252 grammes of cocaine on May 2, at Cokerite Street, East La Penitence, for trafficking purposes. He pleaded not guilty, but the court has kept him remanded ever since his first appearance on July 23, last.

It is said that Layne approached Candacy McGarrell, who was at that time visiting from the United States of America, and asked her to transport some SSS tonic for his brother in the US. She left Guyana, however, leaving the tonic behind, and the young boy and the four others ingested the substance. The five took ill and were rushed to the

Accused: Deon Layne Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), but four of the persons later succumbed. The 12-year-old was the only survivor.

A Post Mortem Examination (PME) later revealed that the persons died from consuming the tonic which was laced with cocaine. The tonic was taken to the police laboratory where it tested positive for cocaine.

Investigators extracted the illicit substance and it was weighed.

Following probes by detectives, Layne was later apprehended and charged for drug trafficking. The Prosecution will be calling on eight witnesses to support its case against him.

Friday September 19, 2014

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

Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call:225-9032,647-2943 Used electrical motor, 60HZ, 440Volts, 30HP, 6 0 H P, 7 5 H P, 1 2 5 H P, 150HP,200HP (in excellent condition) contact: 601-3194 or 266-2207 Salad bar, bar stools, popcorn maker, sesame street walker, electric deep fryer, Epson projector with screen- Call:660-3490 American bully purely bred pups razors edge bloodline Contact: 6674845, 220-7933 Dressed and mill cut lumber: Kabukalli, silverballi, greenheart, crab wood etc – Call: 688-6579 Brush cutter, pressure washer with car accessories, six seat dinning set - call: 660-3490 Bearings 32228, 23224, etc Tel: 662-9889 Complete equipment for water dredge, hardly usedEnglish Perkins outboard engine radio set etc.Contact:693-3779 6600 Ford engine $300,000, Massey Ferguson 390 (double drive) backend engine, gearbox, front axle &650,000- Call:682-7710, 668-9380 Pork $300 LB in 25Lbs, Salted Pork - $300LB, George & Hadfield Streets – Tel:6094594, 266-2711 Massey Ferguson 390 4X4fully renovated – Call: 6886274, 691-3851, 338-2591 All sizes in outboard motor & diesel generator, Toyota Tacoma, Ford F150 – Call:6825474 Brand New wedding dress for sale! Never used, price negotiable – Tel:609-9372, 689-6293 One 1200lbs ice machine $200,000 negotiable - Call: 231-0655, 683-8734

Kaieteur News

LAND FOR SALE At Eccles Housing Scheme price $5.5M - negotiable - Call: 616-6000 Prime Land @ Corriverton, 1.3 Acres, roadside land suitable for gas station/ hotel/ shopping mall, etcCall: 626-6245 Parfait Harmonie $1.3M & in a high income area - $2.6M (100ftX50ft), Herstelling $4.5M (110ftX56ft) -Tel: 6757292.

Diamond/Grove New Scheme, First Bridge, Corner lot with foundation and post - $7M - Tel:603-9700

VEHICLE FOR SALE

WANTED

SALON

FOR RENT

We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154

Over edge and straight stitch operator to work at garment factory-Call 222-2541Monday to Friday.

Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad.

Call: 660-5257, 647-1773

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 GT TOOL RENTALS: PUMPS; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM; SANDING MACHINE 30% OFF, SAWS & DRILLS (FOR SALE) - CALL: 6750767, 667-2535

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620

Apartments at Nandy Park, E.B.D - Call:227-5194/ 624-5194

AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 Noah Spacio, Premio, Rav4, Reverse Camera, TV registered and unregistered Tel: 697-0294 Smart Choice Auto unregistered Spacio (old & model) Allex, Voxy, Bluebird, Premio-Call:652-3820,665-4529 One Hilux 4 door pick up off Road Wheels, Off Road Suspension, A/C - $2.5M Negotiable - Tel: 699-1300 Mercedes Benz 1986 original “Baby Benz” air locks, automatic, good condition $2.5M Neg – Call:614-6655 Toyota Raum, FunCargo, AT212, AT192, EP71 Starlet, L-Touring Wagon, Hilux Surf 4 - Runner & Vigo - Tel:6445096, 697-1453

CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTAL CALL: 225-7126/ 2263693 DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM/ WWW.DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 2193900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel: 698-7807/ 690-6494.

FOR SALE Massey Ferguson 590 tractor backend $150,000. (1) 575 Massey Ferguson working condition - Call: 682-7710, 668-9380 Xbox 360 S&E systems, games, harddrives, controllers & Accessories, HDTVS also available - Call: 683-8386 1 Ice-o-matic cube machine 1600lbs, single phase - Call Vick: 220-2136 House for sale and immediate removal – Call: 225-1886, 6289500, 625-1974

Honda Generator DX 5000W, new $340,000 or best offer, Detroit diesel turbo charger 91-92 series - Call: 697-2550, 613-1810

Canadian rebuilt Perkins Duetz engine, Lincoln generator welder, model M with winch, 320 excavator – Call: 691-2921

Cheap! One Nikon D70 S/R Camera, 1 Seiko Yachting timer watch – Tel: 692-0659

Ricker Filter for excavator or trucks Contact: 697-2550, 613-1810

Page 27

First Class Auto: Allion, Premio, Spacio, Fielder, Sienta, Runx, Bluebird – Tel:609-8188, 602-6307 One Toyota NZE Fielder for sale - Call: 600-2050, 646-2050 Toyota Glanza - $900,000 negotiable - Tel: 650-3327, 670-7206 Unregistered Premio $2.3M Negotiable, fully loaded - Tel: 226-5473 Toyota RAV 4 PKK Series, lady driven, good offer - Call: 609-8425 1 Toyota land cruiser Prado PMM Series – Call: 219-5354, Monday to Friday – 8:154:15PM, Saturday 8:15-1:15PM 1-Dodge Ram 4x4, model 2002, 4 wheel drive $2.6M. 1F150 model 1999 $2.2M- Call: 674-4929 Black Mercedes Benz C200, new Altezza (sports look) & AE100 (loud music, average 6m- Call:679-3140 Star Cars Auto:- In stock: Allions, Premio, Spacio, Fielder, new Raum - Call: 6793140 Toyota Noah /Voxy, unregistered - $1.9M - Call: 603-9700 Toyota Spacio 2006 model, Toyota Rav4 2001 Model – Call: 231-2431 or 664-5114 FOR SALE/FOR RENT American pool table - 2770578 Located @ Lot 5 Block ‘K’ Waller’s Delight W.C.D - 4 bedrooms all self contain.

Price $2500000 / per month $100,000 - Tel: 674-4929/ 662-0187

Sales girl and live in maid.

Contact: 264-3355, 683-7936, 668-3985 Porters, One general domestic - Apply Lot 10 Vlissingen Road Survival Wholesale Bond.

One DAF 55 Sand Truck drivers with mechanical experience. Preferably in the Land Of Canaan areaTel:227-5585 Bartenders to work at an out of Town Hotel - Call: 6427963, 226-9768 Cashiers, salesgirl, porters and a domestic maid, Apply to 1E Dennis & Middleton Streets Campbellville Waitresses to work at an out of Town Hotel - Call: 6427963, 226-9768 One Chef/Cook to work at Out of town Hotel - Contact: 642-7963, 226-9768 Barber position at Top Salon, top salary minimum, 1 year experienced needed Contact: 614-6655 Experience dispatchers & drivers with minibus & hire car license to work for a reputable transportation service- Call: 645-0025 Counter attendants, Roti/ puri cooks, apply @ Shanta’s, 255 Camp + New Market Street One housekeeper to clean house, wash & iron clothes Call: 225-6492 Couple or small family to live and work at New hope E.B.D Tel: 266-2711, 609-4594 Two 20" containers - Call: 648-1821.

Porter & Canter driver, must be from W.C.D 40yrs and older - $30,000 - Call: 684-8231 One male or female to work in the interior in a shop – Tel: 669-6030 General domestic maid @ Diamond Contact: 626-8003/ 223-7357 Florida Real Estate, We buy all Low & High income house lots in Guyana - Tel: 652-2018

Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 662-6045 Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves.

Contact Nick: 683-1312, 6273206

Bus service available for school children- Call:6188394 FOR LOW COST: REPAIRS TO FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C UNIT, MICROWAVES, TV & WASHING MACHINE CALL: 629-4946 OR 2254822 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar: 2310655,683-8734 Ladies want to lose weight in 6 weeks & gain muscles on your butt & legs- Contact Personal Trainer @ 679-8388 HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING AND ESTIMATES FOR ONLY $15,000- CALL: 6949843/227-2766

One cook at Hibiscus – Tel: 231-5857

Salon Stations @ 51 Robb & Albert Streets to rent, must have clients – Call:2314010, 627-8277, 669-6110 One bedroom furnished apartment for rent – Tel Winston: 660-6446

EDUCATION IAE (Secondary Educational) 194 Camp Street, register for Forms 1-5, Lessons, CXC Adult Classes for repeaters & beginners Tel: 223-0604; 683-5742 Institute of Academic Supremacy Forms 1-5, CXC Adults Classes for repeaters / beginners $1200, Grade 6, 9 Lessons - Call: 231-5678, 690-5008 Foundations of home nursing, child care & care for the elderly courses - Call: 692-2063, 613-0803, between 7am to 3pm and 8pm to 10pm

Hello the doctor is back, have your gas stove repaired and service - Tel: 601-0595, 685-1301 TO LET Furnished and unfurnished two bedrooms apartment & rooms in Eccles, for short or long term – Tel: 690-6494; 225-3234

One cook to work in a kitchen in the interior – Tel: 681-6044

Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665

One nails table - Tel: 602-5469 Place for bond/office or other - Call: 680-9905

Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves.

Ultra Cool, call :225-9032, 647-2943

One pastry maker, general workers & sales person – Tel:668-0159

Salesgirl @ Christine Fashion &Variety Store, Lombard Street – Contact: 626-8003/ 227-8529

2 bedrooms semi-furnished apartment (3rd Floor) in Cummings Street, Georgetown - $100,000 per month - Call: 226-4419/ 6632600

WANTED Handyman with gardening experienced – Call:231-2076 Female worker needed, 3 CXC subject or sound secondary school education. Call: 612-1607

Newly built 2 bedroom semi furnished bottom flat in Festival City, asking price $80,000 - Call: 619-2141 after 4:00 Business place to let situate in De-Willem Public Road W.C.D – Contact: 625-9743 (Continued on page 32)

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

Letters... Where your views make the news

DIGICEL has never retained the...

(From page 27)

PROPERTY FOR SALE 3 Storey business property @ Middle Street G/Town opposite GPHC, 2 business property @ Whim Public Road Corentyne – Call:2315171, 619-7134 Two storey concrete house (26X45 ft), 4 bedrooms, 3 washrooms, grilled with electronic security @ Granville Park, Beterverwagting - Tel: 672-6169 Property at New Road Vreed-En-Hoop - Contact: 617-9230, 269-1406 2 Storey wooden & concrete with 3 bedrooms situated in Canal #2 W.B.D - Tel: 686-8173 3 Bedrooms, large kitchen, big balcony, land space (can hold 4 houses). @ East Canje, Berbice. GYD$15 M neg. Tel: 917-622-0934, 305964-5389, 333-6386.

2 Storey concrete house fully furnished, 3 large bedroom, grilled, 2½ bath, concrete yard with large front - $26M – Tel:669-1028 One 25X50 2 storey building - $15M & One house lot $1.2M @ La Parfaite Harmony W.B.D - Contact: 622-1782, 687-7553

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From page 4 manner or to engage in any other acts that would serve to compromise the process by which Parliament considers legislation of such significant import to the development of Guyana. Although Mr.Trevor Williams was, in fact, an employee of Digicel, he left the employ of the company after he was elected as a Member of Parliament. Digicel has never retained the services of

Mr.Khemraj Ramjattan.

It is no secret that Digicel is an avid proponent for the full liberalisation of the telecommunications sector in Guyana. We are thrilled by the prospect of burgeoning competition in Guyana and of Guyanese finally being able to enjoy increased access to modern telecommunications services at affordable prices.

We have lobbied publicly and we continue to lobby aggres-

sively for the speedy enactment of the legislation, ensuring that we do our part to educate and to enlighten persons as to the benefits of liberalisation and its significance for the development of the Guyanese economy.

I don’t believe there is a single Guyanese who suffers from the lack of access to and the high cost of broadband and who struggle with slow data speeds who would not

welcome the urgent liberalisation of the sector.

Digicel expects that with the licensing and regulation of all operators, we can then compete on this level playing field for which we all yearn.

There simply is no other solution that meets the needs of all stakeholders and most importantly the consumers.

Gregory Dean C.E.O. - U-Mobile (Cellular) Inc

The “Ramjattan ticket” and the...

From page 5 supporters and non-supporters of “the ticket” do battle in the local newspapers and social media as they defend or dismiss “the Ramjattan ticket”. I watch as many local scholars, intellectuals and political commentators are caught up in this big distraction. Are they naïve to the obvious fact, or is it in their interest to do exactly what they are doing?

Do these people really want to ensure that good governance return to Guyana or are they so caught up in their own desire to demonstrate brilliance that they can care less how their own action may be aiding and abetting the perpetuation of a tyrannical regime in Guyana?

It is unfortunate that a supposedly prudent politician like Ramjattan could not have anticipated that his announcement would create

this kind of diversion, or serve as a major political tool for the PPP, for which that party will want to use to fan its flame of distraction.

Or, on the contrary, did Mr. Ramjattan believe it would have been in the interest of the AFC to shut down the talks of coalition?

Was the “Ramjattan announcement” therefore a political strategy contemplated and designed to change the conversation on coalition?

Clearly, the coalition conversation is energizing the Guyanese people, both home and abroad.

If Ramjattan was indeed trying to shut down the coalition conversation he must know that Moses Nagamootoo has certainly advanced it when he stated, on his social media post, that he Moses Nagamootoo “is excited about a rainbow coalition”. I would not want to

put words in the mouth of Mr. Nagamootoo, whom I respect, but I know that a rainbow has many colours and obviously, the AFC is only one colour, a colour that is not currently a part of that rainbow coalition forged by the PNC. So, is Moses Nagamootoo interested in building his own rainbow coalition or will he pilot the AFC to add its hue to the APNU rainbow. I believe

should the AFC do the latter it will not only garner more public support but it will also let the PPP know that it is serious about replacing the most dictatorial and tyrannical regime Guyanese have ever seen. This is time for bold, courageous, and sober leadership. The nation’s interest must be paramount.

Let’s keep the political conversation relevant.

Lurlene Nestor

A bitter-sweet...

From page 5 and respect for his dear buddy friend he decided to bury him. While half way into digging his grave he raised his pix-axe high but suddenly stopped it dead still, suspended above his head and starred wide-eyed and with a mixture of astonishment and anxiety bent down and focus intently; not wanting to be mistaken he began scratching nervously and hysterically and couldn’t believe his eyesbingo! He was dumb struck and made a funny sound you couldn’t tell if he was crying or laughing, but boy oh boy it was what it was.

Oliver Morton had literally struck gold, he continued scratching then picked up a handful of the soil and again examined it meticulously, convinced beyond a doubt that indeed it was gold he began digging around the solid rock, lo and behold it was the largest gold rock ever found: 150lbs of gold! I can’t remember if it was in the history of

gold mining or just California, a value then worth some three million dollars in the early 1800s. In the darkest hour, in a moment of lost hope, despair and deep sorrow Oliver Morton experienced a dream come through in a way he had never, not even remotely envisaged, a financial glory and superstardom beyond his wildest dream.

Had his good buddy friend not shot himself there would have been no need for digging that grave holding that 150lbs gold rock, and though it was by happenstance he picked a spot to bury him, one cannot dismissed the fact that the dead man played a key role in him realising his luck/fortune.

The death of his friend was bitter sweet, because of it he, Oliver Morton was reborn, a whole new life, it would not be stretching it too far in saying he died for him.

How and in what form could he ever thank him.

Frank Fyffe

Friday September 19, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 33

Chikungunya death toll in the Puerto Rico wins Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism award Caribbean passes 100 mark S T. T H O M A S , U S (SOTIC) here. properties and attractions

SAN JUAN – At least 113 people have died in the Americas, with all the fatalities reported in the Caribbean region, after becoming infected with the Chikungunya virus, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said, adding that it was not yet clear if these deaths were directly attributable to the virus.

In its latest report, which includes figures as of Sept.

12, the PAHO confirmed 55 deaths linked to the virus in Martinique since last December, when the disease was first detected in the Americas. Forty-nine deaths were reported in Guadeloupe, six in the Dominican Republic and three in St. Martin, where the virus was first found in the AmericasAlthough all the victims were infected with the virus, health authorities said Chikungunya may not have been the main cause of death.

The Puerto Rican Health Department is investigating whether or not two recent deaths were related to the virus, and officials plan to provide more details on the results of medical tests in the next few days. A total of 644,686 suspected and 9,640 confirmed Chikungunya cases have been reported in the region as of Sept. 8, the Caribbean Public Health Agency, or CARPHA, said.

The regional organizations emphasized the importance of taking preventive measures to control the breeding locations of the mosquitoes that transmit the two viruses, especially at this time of year, the peak transmission season in the Caribbean due to increased rainfall.

Some 850,000 people in the Americas have contracted dengue and 470 others have died from the virus in 2014, the PAHO said.

Chikungunya’s

Justice Janice Pereira symptoms include acute fever, followed by a longer period of joint pains in the extremities that may persist for years in some cases. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.

The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common.

The disease is transmitted to humans by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes like dengue fever and while no specific treatment is known, medications can be used to reduce symptoms.

The name ‘chikungunya’ derives from a word in the Kimakonde language, meaning “to become contorted” and describes the stooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain (arthralgia).

There is no specific antiviral drug treatment for Chikungunya. Treatment is directed primarily at relieving the symptoms, including the joint pain using anti-pyretics, optimal analgesics and fluids.

There is no commercial chikungunya vaccine.

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Chief Justice pleads for more funds THE VALLEY, Anguilla – Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Justice Janice Pereira Wednesday called for an increase in the budget allocated to the court that serves at least nine countries.

Addressing the opening of the new Law Term in the OECS, Justice Pereira said that the percentage of the national budget going towards the operation of the court is too low.

“In seven out of the ninemember states and territories, the court’s national budgetary allocation is below one per cent.

Virgin Islands, - The Puerto Rico Tourism Company ( P RT C ) h a s w o n t h e Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable To u r i s m (CEST) Award. Presented in collaboration with the online community for the travel and tourism industry, TravelMole, the award is presented to a destination or tourism-related company in recognition of excellence in planning and managing a diversified tourism product using sustainable tourism concepts and core values.

Six sustainable tourism initiatives in the Caribbean were presented with awards at a ceremony during the State of the Industry Conference

“ We s t a r t e d t h e s e awards to give our partners endorsements they can share with potential visitors so they can garner more business. There are persons keen on keeping their carbon footprint at a minimum during travel and through our award designations these

can be easily identified,” said Gail Henry, the CTO’s sustainable tourism product specialist.

The awards comprised six categories covering all aspects of sustainability, from overall excellence, to accommodation, community, heritage and biodiversity.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

Friday September 19, 2014

Kaieteur News

Kings XI show batting...

From page 37 bounce, and ended up skying catches to mid-on or mid-off while going hard at length balls.

Under these circums t a n c e s , M a x w e l l ’s i n nings showcased his rare talent, as he somehow found ways to slap the seamers inside-out or loft them back over their heads, while also playing one of his trademark reverse-sweeps against the legspinner Cameron Boyce.

Hurricanes’ innings, after they had been sent in to bat, lacked a sustained period when the batsmen were on top of the

bowlers. Ben Dunk and Aiden Blizzard, the two left-handers in their top three, struggled for timing early on and got themselves out just as they were beginning to look comfortable. Perera dismissed both of them, and both times the extra bounce caused them to mishit length or back-of-a-length balls, to deep and short cover respectively.

At 78 for 4 in the 13th over, Hurricanes seemed to be going nowhere when J o n a t h a n We l l s j o i n e d Travis Birt. They proceeded to add 52, with the left-handed Birt flourish-

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. Don't be surprised if lots of visitors show up today.

Perhaps you're hosting an impromptu social event or neighbors bring news of changes nearby.

Windies Women...

Friday September 19, 2014 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Yo u ' v e p r o b a b l y h a d a busy week, Aries, and may feel out of sorts today.

Perhaps you had too much good food last night, stayed up too late, or both.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) There might be a lot of work to do at home today.

Since certain family members are conveniently absent, you may feel that the burden falls on you.

Don't be a martyr, however.

Just do what you can and leave the rest.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Too much indulging may leave you with a headache or stomachache to the point where you may want to spend most of today sleeping.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You like to be honest with those you care about, but today you're likely to be a bit too honest. Don't be too quick to take offense, and watch the tendency to be too blunt.

Parasnath calls on WICB to...

From page 35 players.” He emphasized that: “playing in front of empty stands at the Queen’s Park Oval or at the Guyana National Stadium will never be good for the players who are eager and determined to put on a grand showing. The cynics will claim that players ought to be prepared to perform at their best at all times.

But that is only wishful thinking. Players must be challenged and motivated.”

He mentioned that: “stalwarts like Brian Lara, Carl Hooper, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Christopher Gayle or even legends like Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Vivian Richards and many others produced some of their best innings at certain venues where thousands of ardent fans were watching and shouting their support.”

He said that: “Lara played infront of 4,000 or more people at Guaracara Park in 1989 and he registered his maiden First Class hundred against Guyana and added three other

ing while hitting the legspinner Karanveer Singh with the spin and t h e r i g h t - h a n d e d We l l s cutting and driving fluently through the off side.

Just when the partnership was threatening to take Hurricanes to a biggish total, however, Wells ran himself out, and Kings XI tightened the screws once again, conceding only 14 runs off the last 14 balls of the innings.

Kings XI Punjab 146 for 5 (Maxwell 43, Perera 35*, Bailey 34*) beat Hobart Hurricanes 144 for 6 (Birt 28, Wells 28, Perera 2-17) by five wickets. (ESPNcricinfo)

22)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You could be feeling a bit antsy today and may want to spend time exercising or trying a new sport or game that you've never played before. This is great.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) An exciting communication could inform you of an advancement opportunity that you should explore. While you'd be quick to act under normal circumstances, Sagittarius, today you might be more cautious.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) A friend could ask for a loan and you might hesitate to give him or her the money.

Follow your instincts. The person probably isn't too savvy about money.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) It might feel like your home has turned into Grand Central Station. Lots of visitors, messengers, and others are going to drop by, and you may just want to watch TV or read a book.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Today you're likely to experience a powerful burst of energy that may temporarily turn you into a workaholic. Chores may have piled up around the house that desperately need to be done.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You might have to do a lot of running around when you probably want to stay home. Obligations to friends and family are likely to come up, and even though you're a bit tired you'll want to help out.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Frustration may be the word for today, Pisces. You could be experiencing a bit of wanderlust. Distant states and foreign lands may beckon to you, but circumstances could make it hard for you to get away.

Page 35

From page 39 Championship matches.

“Shakira is a very determined player I must say.

She has her bad patches and it’s good to see what she is doing. She is really performing for the team,” said the longstanding captain.

“It’s always good to believe in yourself and have that faith and once you get that backup from your team mates it makes it so much easier. Hopefully she could continue”.

The first three ODIs of the series counted towards the ICC Women’s Championship and the victory gave the home team two more points in the eightteam competition.

It meant that the Windies Women join World champions Australia in the No.1 position with a maximum of six points following the completion of the first round of matches.

“It is really good achievement. Hopefully as a side we can continue the momentum, Australia is a next store by itself. We have to refocus for that,”said Aguilleira.

“You can see the progression in the team. We have been training pretty hard and good to see we have been working up ourselves to something good like this. So hopefully we can continue the momentum”. (CMC)

First Class hundreds at the same venue and infront of much bigger crowds on each occasion.” “ Former Test players Philip Simmons, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Daren Ganga as well as current stalwart Shivnarine Chanderpaul enjoyed similar experiences at Guaracara Park where they also recorded their maiden First Class hundreds. Thousands of vociferous adoring fans who shouted words of encouragement and showed their genuine appreciation have important roles to play in all the players’ careers.”

“The Albion Sports Complex had always attracted thousands of diehard cricket fans for First Class and Limited-Overs matches. Real cricket lover’s indisputable support contributed significantly to the players’ overall growth and development into top class performers.”

“Albion SC has always been in top class shape while Petrotrin officials were prepared to upgrade the facilities at Guaracara Park but shelved those developmental plans after the decision by WICB

officials to play all First Class matches at the QP Oval,” added by the Editor.

Parasnath hopes that the WICB officials would act urgently to rectify a major blunder in the previous policy position in regards to the staging of the 4-Day competition. “With an extended season and double round of matches, the new WICB officials; need to urgently review that policy and allow the local Board officials to have an input in decentralizing First Class again. While majority of the matches should be carded for the Test venues, some should be staged at other venues where the countryside folks will be only too happy to patronize in the large numbers.”

“First Class cricket must be de-centralised and marketed so to once again attract local fans that usually provide the atmosphere and encouragement that boost the morale and spirit of the players,” said Parasnath, who is the Editor of the annual publication that chronicles regional and international cricket records.

Page 36

Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

Urruti brace lifts Portland past Olimpia Sweden qualify, play-off participants decided Portland, Oregon – The Portland Timbers moved into a first-place tie on points with Olimpia, recording a 4-2 win over the Honduran side in a CONCACAF Champions League Group 5 clash at Providence Park on Tuesday night.

Maximiliano Urruti struck for a brace for Portland (2-00, 6 points), which played its first ever CCL home match.

The Timbers have a game in hand on Olimpia (2-0-1, 6 points). The Argentine broke a 2-2 tie in the 57th minute.

With a superb pass behind the defense, Will Johnson freed the forward, who did the rest by taking a touch past onrushing goalkeeper Noel Valladares and hammering his fourth CCL goal into an open net.

Rauwshan McKenzie scored his first professional goal in the 72nd minute, latching onto a Gaston Fernandez corner kick and putting his looping header into the net. One minute after being denied on a point-blank shot, Urruti gave the Timbers a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute, when he cut inside of a defender, took two touches and rolled his shot inside the near post from eight yards.

Johnson helped set up the goal by chasing down a defender and blocking the attempted clearance. It was the first CCL goal Olimpia conceded in 392 minutes or since Sporting Kansas City scored August 27, 2013.

Kevin Alvarez, 18,

Maximiliano Urruti

equalized for Olimpia nine minutes later, heading a David Meza corner kick inside the near post from the six-yard box for his first professional goal. The influential Johnson restored Portland’s advantage in the 26th minute.

The Canada international unleashed a 28yard shot that went off Valladares’ and ricocheted into the net. One minute before halftime, the visitor capitalized on a gaffe by goalkeeper Andrew Weber to tie the match at 2-2. Meza put a 28-yard free kick on frame, but Weber fumbled the shot and Romell Quioto easily tapped in the equalizer.

Portland hosts alreadyeliminated Alpha United on September 23, before traveling to Honduras for another meeting with Olimpia

on October 21.

Meanwhile, The Impact de Montreal recorded a 1-0 victory over the 10-man New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night at rainy Stade Saputo to take a commanding lead in Group 3 of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Marco Di Vaio netted for the Impact (3-0-0, 9 points), which extended its advantage over the Red Bulls (1-0-1, 3 points) to six points. New York midfielder Connor Lade was awarded his second yellow card for a foul on Jeremy Gagnon-Laparein the 76th minute, forcing the visitors to play a man down.

New York travels to play at CD FAS in El Salvador on September 24, before hosting Montreal in the group finale for both on October 22.

(CONCACAF.com)

10-man D.C. United notches road win at Waterhouse Kingston, Jamaica — Fabian Espindola scored two goals to put 10-man D.C. United into the Group 4 drivers’ seat with a 2-1 victory over Waterhouse FC in the CONCACAF Champions League at National Stadium on Tuesday.

Espindola tallied off a brilliant individual effort in the first half and added another shortly after the break.

Hughan Gray pulled a goal back for Waterhouse in the 71st minute, two minutes after Kenroy Howell was fouled by Taylor Kemp outside the box. Kemp was red carded after accruing his second yellow card, giving the Jamaicans a one-man advantage for the final 20 minutes.

United (2-0-0, 6 points) went into a first-place tie with Waterhouse (2-0-2, 6 points) on points as the Jamaican side finished the group stage. The Major League Soccer club needs a draw in its final two matches against Tauro FC of Panama (00-2, 0 points) to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals. D.C., which

increased its CCL unbeaten streak to six games (5-1-0), improved its road record to 2-33. Espindola, who cannot play domestically against the Chicago Fire on Saturday due to a suspension, scored a goal that was worthy of admission in the 38th minute. He intercepted a Kenardo Forbes pass at midfield and beat three defenders before launching a looping 15-yard shot into the upper left far corner over goalkeeper Richard McCallum for a 1-0 lead. The Argentine striker scored again in the 50th minute, heading home from 10-yards out off a rightwing feed by Samuel Inkoom for a two-goal advantage.

The 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup champion needed it as Gray connected off a 20-yard free kick that bounded off the crossbar and into the net a minute after the red card.

Waterhouse pushed forward for the final 20 minutes, but goalkeeper Bill Hamid was sharp. He

frustrated Gray three times, producing a two-handed save on a shot from distance in the 76th minute, smothering a close-range attempt in the 84th minute and denying him three minutes into stoppage time. United hosts Tauro FC on September 24, before traveling to Panama for the group finale for both sides on October 21. Meanwhile, A pair of three-goal performances from Luis Gabriel Rey and Martin Zuñiga paced Club America to a 10-1 win over Puerto Rico Bayamon FC in a CONCACAF Champions League Group 8 encounter at the Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel on Wednesday night. Rey netted all three of his goals inside the opening 34 minutes as the Aguilas (2-1-0, 7 points) broke their own record for most goals in a CCL first half — set when they scored five in the opening 45 minutes in the first meeting with Bayamon (0-0-3, 3 points) — by scoring six before halftime.

Swedish players celebrate.

Sweden held their nerve in the battle for the final automatic European qualifying spot at the FIFA Wo m e n ’s Wo r l d C u p Canada 2015™, joining S w i t z e r l a n d , G e r m a n y, England, Norway, Spain and France at next year’s s h o w d o w n . F I FA . c o m rounds up the last round of group stage qualifiers.

Sweden book ticket to Canada While the winners of six of the seven European qualifying groups were already established going into the final round of matches, Group 4 went down to the wire.

In the head-to-head tussle between Sweden and Scotland, the Scots needed to win by at least a two-goal margin with any scoreline but 2-0 in order to top the standings.

H o w e v e r, c o a c h P i a Sundhage’s Swedes went in front after just seven minutes through Therese Sjogran to dent Scotland’s hopes, which were ultimately dashed by Lotta S c h e l i n ’s s e c o n d - h a l f strike to make it 2-0.

E n g l a n d ’s s p o t a t Canada 2015 was already guaranteed, but that did not stop them putting in a commanding display in a 10-0 victory over Montenegro, who finished bottom of the group with zero points to show for their efforts.

Germany’s perfect ten Two-time World Cup winners Germany ended their qualifying campaign with an impressive record of ten wins from as many games, netting 62 goals and only conceding four to finish as the continent’s top scorers during qualification.

7,028 spectators were in Heidenheim to witness c o a c h S i l v i a N e i d ’s charges beat Republic of Ireland 2-0 thanks to efforts from Anja Mittag and Melanie Behringer.

Finding the target crowned a special o c c a s i o n f o r t h e l a t t e r, who became only the 20th player to earn their 100th international cap for Germany’s women’s side. “ Yo u c o u l d s e e w e enjoyed ourselves out there,” said the midfielder afterwards.

“We r e a l l y h a d I r e l a n d under control and the only problem was that we didn’t score the goals earlier. But we won all ten of our games and we can be proud of that.”

France were likewise already assured of their place in Canada but initially struggled to find their rhythm against Finland. Coach Philippe B e r g e r o o ’s s i d e e v e n went behind when Juliette Kempi struck, but fought back to win 3-

1 with goals from Elise Bussaglia, Louisa Necib and Marie-Laure Delie.

Play-off hopes for quartet The seven automatic qualifiers may have now been determined, but four more countries still have hopes of sealing the coveted final European ticket to the World Cup next year. Italy sent out a statement of intent in a 15-0 rout of FYR Macedonia, with Daniela Sabatino scoring six times.

Ukraine benefitted from Finland’s defeat to France and also managed to reach the play-offs thanks to a 1-0 victory over Wales that spelled the end of the line for Denmark and Austria.

Russia overcame Croatia with a 3-1 triumph but missed out on the playoffs as their goal difference was inferior to Ukraine’s.

The Netherlands kept their chances alive with a 2-0 win over Norway, while all is not yet lost for Scotland either, despite their defeat to Sweden. The play-offs to decide the eighth UEFA participant at Canada 2015 will be held between 25 October and 27 November.

The play-off draw will take place on Tuesday 23 September at 14:00 in Nyon, Switzerland.

Stag Beer / EDFA Senior League – Rd 2 Second round action in the Stag Beer sponsored East Demerara Football Association senior league will continue this weekend with three matches.

Tomorrow at the Buxton ground from 16:00hrs, Sparta

- three matches slated for this weekend will come up against Buxton Stars. On Sunday, play will return to the Victoria ground where a double header will be contested. Buxton United

opens against Mahaica from 16:00hrs while home team Victoria Kings will match skills with Ann’s Grove in the feature attraction.

Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

Page 37

MYO / RAF’S T10 Inter Jamaat Softball Final

Defending champs MYO to clash with Leonora on Sunday

MoH / GPA collaborate for Sports Medicine and Proper Diet seminar

The facilitators pause for a photo op following a successful morning session.

Approximately three weeks following the conclusion of a workshop by the Caribbean arm of the Wo r l d A n t i - D o p i n g Organization (CRADO), local sports administrators were taken to another level when the Guyana Physiotherapy Association (GPA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health staged a seminar that dealt with the intricacies associated with sports medicine and proper diet.

Activities were conducted at the Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue and got underway at 08:30hrs with Director of S p o r t s , N e i l K u m a r, delivering brief remarks. He congratulated the organizers for the initiative and said that he was delighted with the partnership between the two entities while pointing out the importance of such initiatives which served to inform the participants of the many constraints and

injuries that could be incurred during training sessions. The Director of Sports further urged the participants to share their newly acquired knowledge with their respective charges.

President of the GPA, Ariane Mangar, delivered welcoming remarks even as she gave an overview of the programme. Secretary of the GPA, Beverly Nelson, explained that the forum was planned in collaboration with the World P h y s i o t h e r a p y D a y, September 8 last, and is aimed at raising awareness of the detriments of improper eating habits and the benefits of exercise.

She said that her executives are concerned with the high incidence of obesity. “This seminar also aims to sensitize coaches on techniques associated with the prevention and management of sports injuries even as we attempt

to foster good relations with our stakeholders,” explained Ms Nelson.

Consequently, several facilitators, through the use o f p o w e r p o i n t presentations, imparted relevant information on issues such as the importance of fitness, nutrition and supplements, the intricacies of hydration recovery in sports and maximizing sports performance among others.

Those of the differently able clan were also catered for when Physiotherapist, Barbara Lawrence spoke extensively on athletes with disabilities.

Other facilitators included Abigail Caleb, Dexter George, John Campbell, Jason Johnny, Aruni Shamnarine, Mellissa Corlette and Gloria Garraway. The session lasted all day and was highly interactive with each participant elaborating on aspects of the sessions.

Defending champions Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) and Leonora will on Sunday clash in one of two semi finals in the 4th Muslim Youth Organization of Guyana / RAF’s Variety Store, Hajjin Zeleena Rafeek Memorial countrywide Inter Jamaat T10 knock-out softball cricket tournament at the MYO Ground, Woolford Avenue, Thomas Lands.

MYO will be led by the

hard hitting Saheed Gittens, Richard Latiff, Zulficar Ali and Safraz Esau. Their bowling which has been an area for concern must come good if they are to retain the title.

Leonora Jamaat is a strong and balanced side and will be looking to win the title in their debut year in the competition. The West side boys will boast some of the best exponents of the game from their area including the likes of Azaad Azeez.

Also in the semis is Cotton Tree Masjid representing the Ancient County of Berbice and they have expressed confidence in their ability to get past Fairfield Masjid from the Cinderella County of Essequibo.

Fairfield too, has said that they are a confident unit having turned back the challenge of one of the favourite teams, Anna Regina, on their way to the final four.

Attractive prizes are on offer for the top four team as well as outstanding individual performers. The

winning Masjid will pocket $ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 a n d t r o p h y, runners-up $200,000 and trophy, 3rd place $100,000 and a trophy and 4th place $50,000 and trophy.

Man-of-the-match in the final will receive $5,000 and trophy, man-of-the-match in the third place a trophy; player scoring the most runs in the competition a bat and trophy; player taking the most wickets in the competition a trophy; player with the highest individual score a bat and trophy; player with the best bowling figures a trophy while medals would also be presented to the finalists.

All teams are required to assemble at MYO for 08:30hrs on Sunday as the draw for the semi finals will take place followed by the 3rd place game and final at 14:00hrs.

Photo saved as MYO champs – 2013 Muslim Youth Organisation / RAF’S Variety Store / Hajjin Zeleena Rafeek Memorial champions MYO aiming for a repeat on Sunday.

Parasnath calls on WICB to de-centralise first class cricket in the region Brij Parasnath, Editor of the Cricket Records Magazine is calling on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Directors and officials to de-centralise West Indies First Class cricket so as to boost the players and help to generate greater interest in regional 4Day competition.

Parasnath, who is a s e a s o n e d Commentator/Analyst; made the call in his editorial of the Cricket Records 2014 Edition as he looks ahead to the professionalization of the First Class game in the region.

He pointed out that former WICB’s officials made it a policy that all Regional First Class matches must be played at the Test venues of the respective territories. Parasnath stressed that: “while I could understand and appreciate the rationale behind such a

decision, it does put a major constraint on the regional Cricket Boards, especially in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana; from organizing matches where they would be able to attract much bigger crowds.”

“While is important for the players to gain first-hand experience and knowledge of playing on the surfaces that will be used for Test cricket and other international fixtures, it is also of greater value for them to be able to adapt their style and showcase their talent and temperament on other surfaces against quality players. Playing on other surfaces will definitely enhance their preparation and readiness to take on top quality opposition under any conditions,” he added.

Parasnath said: “playing matches at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre and the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial

ground, UWI St Augustine Campus in Trinidad or at the Albion Sports Complex will attract thousands of spectators to these venues which will serve as a twofold purpose.”

“Both the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) and the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) officials will be able to collect gate receipts which will help to offset costs for preparation of teams and hosting the various First Class matches or other lower age-group competitions.”

He noted that: “all the players will be energized and motivated to impress and improve the overall performances like those players we have witnessed in the past, prior to the new regulations that has served to stunt the growth and development of the regional First Class (Continued on page 35)

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Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

Association Do Shotokan Karate-Guyana excels 1KD Caribbean Karate Championships Association Do Shotokan Karate-Guyana (ASK-G / YMCA) returned to Guyana with a total of fifty (50) medals which were won at the recently held 1KD Caribbean Karate Championships held in the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago which attracted 7 countries.

Tw e n t y f o u r ( 2 4 ) Karatekas from the ASK-G YMCA Dojo came up against the best from several Caribbean countries in the team and individual Kata, Kumite, Embu and Bunkai.

The fifty (50) medals comprised of 16 Gold, 24 Silver and10 Bronze.

In the adult male category both Patrick Cheeks and Keith Beaton lost in the second round of the individual Kumite in close encounters that could have gone either way. The trio of Patrick Cheeks, Keith

Beaton and Roger Peroune won silver medals in the Te a m K u m i t e ; S h a n e Rahaman replaced Beaton in the trio to win silver in team Kata. They lost to Barbados in the team Kumite and Trinidad & Tobago in the Team Kata. In the Individual Male Adult Kata, Roger Peroune won bronze with point one of a point separating first, second and third respectively.

In the Individual Male 17-19 category, Shane Rahaman won bronze medals in both the Kumite and Kata events. In the Female Individual Adult Kumite, reigning champion Nathalie Gibson of Guyana lost in the final to Adanna Moore of Grenada having held that title for the past four years.

The Female 17-19 Individual Kata saw Kristina Cheeks and Lakeisha

The successful Association Do Shotokan Karate-Guyana, YMCA team after their excellent performances in T&T. Pearson securing gold and silver respectively for Guyana. Lakeisha created history by becoming the first female karateka of the ASKG from Linden to secure a

medal at this level of competition.

Guyana’s Kemo Cornelius, Shane Wilkinson and Nixon Cheeks easily captured gold in the Boys

LDIMAA captures 14 medals at 1st Shuirken Martial Arts School tourney in Suriname The Little Diamond Int’l Martial Arts Academy (LDIMAA) turned in creditable performances at the Shuirken Martial Arts School of Suriname first International Martial Arts which was held in the neighboring country on September 6.

Despite only being able to have 9 of its 12 students participate due to the divisions the competition was held, LDIMAA still managed to do their county and self proud. Those allowed to compete were Christian Freeman, Leal Garnett, Matthias Ignatius, Vikash Somwaru, Michael Prescott, Moses Ignatius, Umish Parasram, Marlon Ignatius and Parsuram Arjune and they collectively captured 14 medals (4 gold, 9 silver, 1 bronze).

Following are the results: Senesi Parsuram Arjune of Wales, West Bank Demerara won 1 gold and 2 silvers for Kata and Kumite in the 16 and over Division. Christian Freeman also of Wales achieved 1gold and 1 silver in the 7 – 10 Kumite and Kata Divisions.

Matthias Ignatius of Parfait Harmony won gold in the 7 – 10 Kata Division;

Vi k a s h S o m w a r u o f Enmore took gold and silver in the 13 – 15 Kumite and Team Divisions. Marlon Ignatius of Parfait Harmony and Umish Parasram of Enmore collected 2 silver medals apiece. Marlon Ignatius got one silver in the Full contact tournament.

In the team Kumite

championship bout, Guyana was second of the 4 teams. According to a release from the club, overall, the Guyana team did excellent in their first overseas tournament.

Shihan Nazim said that he will now turn attention to getting his team ready for the Open International

Championship next year where the Shin-Kai-Ryu Guyana team would be going up against the likes of S u r i n a m e , Ve n e z u e l a , French Guiana and Curacao. A total of 22 persons (athletes and supporters) travelled to Suriname.

14-16 Team Kata which they repeated in Team Bunkai and Team Enbu. Cornelius then won gold in the Individual Kata and Nixon Cheeks got gold in the Individual Kumite.

This made them the most decorated athletes from Guyana, having both won four gold medals each. The 14-16 Female category saw Leah Shariff, Kelly-Ann Fortune and Theresa Sampat winning gold in the Team Kata.

They took silver in the Team Bunkai with Leah settling for bronze in the Individual Kumite. Theresa Sampat then won gold in the Individual Kumite, 11-13 age category with Kelly-Ann

Fortune copping silver.

ASK-G’s Medharishi Ramdhani teamed up with GKC’s Aubrey Bettencourt and Kenrick Cheeks to win silver in the Team Embu and bronze in Team Kata and Team Bunkai in the Masters division. Medharishi also won bronze in Individual Kata Masters division.

The other outstanding performances were in the Male 8-10 age group; Daniel Jailall, Aryan Singh and Jordan Fae Kong winning silver in both Team Kata and Bunkai. The local athletes are now focusing attention on preparation for the World Championship scheduled to be held in Toronto Canada in 2015.

Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

Page 39

DIGICEL acquires SportsMax Guyanese appointed to FIBA Kingston, Jamaica: Digicel yesterday announced that it has acquired majority ownership and control of St. Luciabased International Media Content Ltd., parent company of regional sports broadcaster, SportsMax, and North American broadcaster C E E N - T V, f o r a n undisclosed sum. Under the terms of the deal, the founder and a number of the lead principals will continue to have an ownership stake and be involved in the day-today running of the IMC operation.

Currently available in 23 countries across the Caribbean, SportsMax is the Caribbean’s first and only indigenous 24-hour dedicated sports cable channel featuring a strong mix of international, regional and local sports content. Its large inventory of coveted content includes the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, West Indies cricket,

the Indian Premier League and the IAAF Grand Prix.

IMC has been responsible for the broadcast of major international events such as the FIFA World Cup tournaments since 2006, including this summer’s event, and the 2012 London Olympics. In 2013, SportsMax launched its 24hour Spanish language channel, CDN SportsMax, in the Dominican Republic which includes similar content as SportsMax plus Major League Baseball.

Ranked as the number one viewed sports channel in the region, the move to acquire IMC/SportsMax comes hot on the heels of Digicel’s entry into the cable TV market with recent acquisitions in Anguilla, Dominica, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Commenting on the acquisition, Digicel Group CEO, Colm Delves, said; “As a complete communications solutions

provider, it’s all about ensuring our customers enjoy access to the best multimedia content on the best devices via the very best network and that we meet all of their communication, entertainment and networking needs.

SportsMax represents the perfect blend of sports entertainment and infotainment with a Caribbean flavour and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the team to the Digicel family.”

Patrick Rousseau, Chairman of IMC and SportsMax, comments; “Our commitment to excellence and blazing a trail across the region mirrors Digicel’s own commitment to delivering the very best for its customers. We are delighted to be joining with them and working together to continue delivering the best sports on television and growing our audience and reach across the Caribbean and North America.”

Colombia and the Netherlands swap places Guyana remains at 153 2014 FIFA World Cup™ finalists Germany and Argentina have slightly extended their lead over the chasing pack and remain unchallenged at the top of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. They are followed in third position by Colombia, who have swapped places with the Netherlands. The Oranje have paid dearly for their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Czech Republic in their opening qualifying match for UEFA EURO 2016. For their part, Colombia have equalled their highest-ever position, Los Cafeteros having previously achieved third in July and August 2013.

In the top ten,

meanwhile, Brazil (6th, up 1) and France (9th, up 1) have gained ground, while Uruguay (7th, down 1), Spain (8th, down 1) and Switzerland (10th, down 1) have each dropped a place.

However, this month’s biggest winners are Guatemala, whose three wins in four matches in the qualifiers for the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2015 have seen the team led

by Coach Ivan Franco Sopegno leap by 77 places to 57th in the table.

The win against World Cup participants Honduras yielded many of those points. With Iceland (34th, up 12), Congo (48th, up 30) and Antigua and Barbuda

(80th, up 69), September 2014 saw three teams reaching their highest-ever position since the world ranking was introduced in 1993.

Of the 141 international “A” matches taken into account for this month’s ranking, over half of them (80) were continental qualifiers in Europe, Africa and CONCACAF, the other 61 fixtures being friendlies.

This takes the total number of international “A” matches played in 2014 so far to 526.

Costa Rica is #1 in CONCACAF and 15th in the world followed by Mexico (16), USA (17), Panama (55) and Honduras (56) as the top five in the confederation.

Guyana remains at 153 in the world and 22nd in CONCACAF. (FIFA.com)

Governance Commission

- augurs well for basketball development in Guyana - GABF

By Edison Jefford Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) VicePresident of Finance and Marketing, US-based Guyanese, Patrick Haynes scored huge points when he was appointed to the International Basketball F e d e r a t i o n ’s ( F I B A ) Governance Commission.

Haynes appointment followed the FIBA World Congress in Sevilla, Spain where a new President of FIBA, Horacio Muratore was elected last Saturday.

The appointments will run until 2019, and will complete the composition of the FIBA Central Board.

Haynes assumed the post of CBC VP in January this year after newly-elected President of the Guyana’s Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Nigel Hinds, had nominated him at the CBC Congress, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Hinds expressed elation yesterday on the appointment. “The GABF extends its congratulations to Mr. Patrick Haynes, a Guyanese who has worked relentlessly for the development of Basketball in Guyana from the youth to the senior level,” Hinds said in a statement.

“Mr. Haynes has played

key roles by contributing in cash, and kind, to basketball stakeholders in Guyana. The GABF is proud to have played a role in Patrick’s appointment; the ascendancy of Patrick Haynes from his roots in Guyana to becoming a Commissioner on The FIBA Governance Commission augurs well for basketball development in Guyana,” Hinds continued.

According to the GABF P r e s i d e n t , F I B A’ s Governance Commission is one of the most respected and reputable within the organisation. Hinds also disclosed that the new GABF ensured that their relationship with Haynes remains firm, especially internationally.

“As the Honorary General Secretary of the GABF, Patrick oversees the international operations, including international recruiting, fundraising, and seeks to ensure GABF compliance with FIBA statutes,” Hinds said.

Prior to his ascendancy to FIBA, Haynes also served as a Director of Marketing for the CBC, in which he oversaw and administered all o f t h e C B C ’s o n l i n e marketing programmes. In June this year, he was elected to serve as a Confederation

of Central America and Caribbean Basketball (CONCENCABA) Board Member.

The FIBA Membership Commission has responsibilities for monitoring the relationship between FIBA and its national member federations and provides advice to the Secretary General. It also monitors the evolution of Statutes and Internal Regulations of the national member federations and writes proposals for improvement and alignment with FIBA’s General Statutes and Internal Regulations, and to review applications for membership.

The FIBA Governance Commission comprises of the following members: Chairman: George Vassilakopoulos - Greece; Deputy-Chairman: Usie Richards - US Virgin Islands; Members: Abdullah Al Ansari - United Arab Emirates; Maimouna Bah Diallo- Guinea; Mabel Ching - Hong Kong, China; Terry Donovan - England; Patrick Haynes - Guyana; Jean-Michel RamorosonMadagascar; José Luis Saez Regalado - Spain; Giancarlo Sergi, Giancarlo Switzerland and Burton Shipley - New Zealand.

Kings XI show batting depth in victory CLT20, Group B Glenn Maxwell

The loss of Mitchell Johnson to a rib injury had left Kings XI Punjab’s bowling looking a little suspect ahead of their Champions T20 opener, but it proved a bit of a blessing in disguise for them, with his replacement playing a crucial hand in an fivewicket win over Hobart Hurricanes.

With the four-foreigner limit leaving no room for him in Kings XI’s star-studded line-up, Thisara Perera didn’t play a single game for them during their 2014 IPL campaign. With Johnson’s absence giving him an opportunity, Perera grabbed it, taking two wickets in a three-over spell in which he conceded less than a run a ball before coming in to bat in a thorny situation and scoring an unbeaten 20-ball 35 that steered Kings XI to a win with 14 balls remaining.

The margin of victory looked fairly wide in the end, but it could have gone either way when Kings XI were 51 for 4 in the eighth over, chasing 147. This, though, was where the quality and depth of their batting came to the fore, with Glenn Maxwell playing strokes that belied a two-paced pitch on his way to a 25-ball 43 and George Bailey showing a cool head

that his Big Bash League franchise could have done with during their innings, in putting on an unbroken 69 with Perera.

Virender Sehwag’s firstball dismissal owed more to his impetuosity than to the conditions, but Wriddhiman Saha, David Miller and Manan Vohra were all discomfited by the extra (Continued on page 35)

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Kaieteur News

National U-19s Inter County showing accentuates standard at Regional level

By Sean Devers Double Regional Under19 cricket champions Guyana were expected to be very competitive in recently concluded Senior Inter County 50-overs cricket competition and the decision to have them compete with three County teams was seen by many as a master stroke by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).

Hopes were high for the teenagers to even win the title since they had dominated this year ’s Regional Under-19 series in Guyana playing unbeaten in both 50-over and three-day formats.

This was the first time that any National team was playing in an Inter County tournament and a riveting contest was anticipated when they made their debut against Berbice.

But the youngsters were brought crashing down to earth with a crushing defeat to the team from the Ancient County which made 278 then bowled them out for 173 despite 47 from all rounder Kemo Paul who was hammered for 63 runs from his 10 overs when he bowled.

Worse was yet to come for the National Colts when they came up against Essequibo, considered the weakest team in the competition. Opener Kevin Boodie scored the first ever double century in the competition with a shot filled 217 to lift his team to an Inter County record 386-8 before dismissing the Youth team for 157 despite Taignarine Chanderpaul’s 46.

Paul, who is a leading player for Essequibo, was pounded for 90 off his seven overs as records tumbled in that match. With their confidence splattered on the floor the U-19s won the toss at Bourda and experienced their worst batting performance yet, being bundled out for 125; only wicketkeeper Kemol Savory with a 70-ball 51 reached

double figures.

Demerara responded with 127-3 to win the contest in convincing fashion to emphasize the low standard of the Regional U-19 tournament which I have already publicly stated was the worst such competition I have seen since I first watched a tournament at this level in 1985 when Carl Hooper’s all round brilliance led Guyana to championship honors.

I have played in three Regional U-19 tournaments and have covered this level of cricket since 1992 when the tournament was played at home. I speak with some authority when I say there was nobody that I saw this year, maybe except Guyana’s Chanderpaul and Trinidad & Tobago’s Jeremy Solozano that could become a success story at Test level.

Chanderpaul and Shemron Hetymer, both First-Class players, have played for the West Indies U19 and scored a century each in the U-19 three-day format but while Chanderpaul, the 18-year-old son of Veteran Te s t b a t s m a n S h i v Chanderpaul has all the assets (good technique, sound temperament & the ability to score on both sides of the wicket) he is yet to make a First-Class fifty.

Hetymer has all the shots and is very aggressive but needs to work on his shot selection or else even if he progresses to the next level, his career could be limited to just T20s and ODIs. Paul has another year in U-19 and is a promising talent but needs to work harder as a bowler if he wants to be a genuine all rounder at the senior level.

Savory can bat, he looked the best wicketkeeper on show in the Regional tournament this year and at a time when Guyana is struggling to produce good keepers he should be taken in hand and worked with before he, like so many other young cricketers is lost to Guyana’s cricket for various reasons.

The West Indies have won only 17 of their 100 Test matches and this is the easiest period for players to break into the Regional side but they must take a leaf out of Shiv Chanderpaul’s book and show commitment, dedication and the willingness to work hard at their game. Unfortunately, not many youths have these qualities and the poor showing in the senior Inter County tournament must now rate as one of the GCB’s biggest disappoints for the year.

The National Colts have been replaced by the GCB Rest Team for the four day competition. But all is not dome and gloom for our next generation of players since only this month representatives of the GCB and WICB met with Sports Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony to discuss the National School Cricket League. The League is proposed to be a joint WICB/GCB/GOG venture.

The League came about to fill the gap existing in school cricket. According to him, a research by the WICB found that almost 75% of member territories had significant gaps in their development pathway between age groups, which encourage later development of cricketing skill sets.

Instead of the youth players grasping the fundamentals of the game at ages 7-13, it is now done until ages 14-17, especially as it relates to hard ball cricket.

The GCB is working on bringing in Lethem and North West soon and it is hoped that this programme will create a reliable feeder system for Guyana’s club cricket.

Dr. Anthony welcomed the initiative and was of the opinion that when all the schools are staffed with a Physical Education Specialist all the National Sporting disciplines can benefit.

Friday September 19, 2014

GCB Senior 4-day Inter County tourney

Singh, Chandrika slam tons for Demerara; GCB Development Squad limits E’bo to 232

By Zaheer Mohamed On a typically flat Bourda sward, Captain Vishal Singh and opener Rajendra Chandrika produced contrasting centuries to put Demerara in a strong position on the opening day of the first round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Senior Inter-County four-day tournament against archrivals Berbice yesterday.

The home team will resume today on an imposing 320-3 after facing 92 overs with Chandrika on 138 and Christopher Banrwell on two. Singh was dismissed in the final session for 153; he faced 248 balls and hammered 16 fours in 348 minutes.

Having recently won the 50-over tournament, Berbice entered the game high in confidence and pacer Raun Johnson made early inroads after Demerara decided to bat. Johnson had Robin Bacchus (03) caught at square leg attempting to hook with the score on 13 in the fifth over.

He then induced Trevon Griffith (12) to nick a delivery to wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble in the said over leaving the score on 172 after the opening session was interrupted for an hour due to rain.

However the day belonged to Singh and Chandrika; the pair frustrated the Berbicians with a third wicket stand of 300 which came off 487 balls and included 32 fours. The duo started cautiously and took their team to lunch at 60-2, with Singh on 21 and Chandrika on 17.

In the post lunch session, both batsmen gradually grew in confidence executing a number of lovely shots on both sides of the pitch off pacers Johnson and Keon Joseph. The right-handed Chandrika took consecutive boundaries off Johnson forcing skipper Narsingh Deonarine to introduce an all-spin attack.

Singh was put down twice off left arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, but made the most of his chances to bring up his half century off 93 balls with five fours.

Chandrika reached his fifty with a single off 83 balls with eight handsome boundaries.

The pair continued to g a t h e r r u n s p a t i e n t l y, carefully rotating the strike

Ricardo Adams

Mark Gonsalves and was quick to pounce on the bad balls. Singh stroked Deonarine to cover for a couple before hitting him down the ground for a boundary while Chandrika drove Deonarine through covers and cut Joseph to the point boundary, adding 160 in the post lunch session.

Singh continued to gather runs almost untroubled, driving Permaul through covers for four before hitting Joseph to longoff ropes. The left handed Georgetown Cricket Club batsman attained his well deserved century from 152 balls with 13 fours.

Chandrika hardly encountered any nervous moments, taking boundaries off Joseph, Johnson and Permaul as he continued to pile up runs. He soon reached his century off 248 balls with 16 boundaries. Demerara added 100 in the final session, but Berbice, can at

least take one positive going into the second day today; Johnson uprooted the stumps of Singh after he had scored 153 just before the close.

Johnson, the most impressive of the Berbice bowlers, finished with 3-55 from 15 overs. Meanwhile, in the other first round game being played at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, the GCB Developmental Squad closed the opening day on 60-1 in reply to 232 made by Essequibo. Seon Hetmyer is not out on 24 and Chanderpaul Hemraj on 15.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul was the wicket to fall; bowled by Anthony Adams for 11.

Earlier, Ricardo Adams stroked an attacking 56 while Ricardo Peters scored 44 to lead Essequibo’s batting after they elected to take first strike. They added 80 for the third wicket after Essequibo lost Royan Fredericks (09) and Kevon Boodie (06).

Adams smashed six fours and four sixes while facing 51 balls before he was dismissed, while Peters reached the boundary eight times; he faced 103 balls.

Brian Hubert and Mark Gonsalves featured in an eight wicket stand of 49 to beef up their team’s total.

Hubert clobbered four fours and one six before he went for 31 while Gonsalves hit one four and a six in his 29.

Steven Sankar was the pick of the bowlers with 4-36; Kellon Carmichael snared 350, Kemo Paul 2-8 and Steven Jacobs 1-66. Both games resume today at 09:30 hrs.

Kaieteur News

Friday September 19, 2014

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Club aiming to level playing field Windies Women aiming and make categories more exciting for clean sweep

The Superbike category is anticipated to produce gripping rivalry and exhilarating action for motor racing fans.

Motor racing fans will be in for a treat come September 28 when the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club stages its ‘Race of Champions’ Meet, at the South Dakota Circuit, starting from 09:00 hrs.

According to VicePresident of the entity Raj Boodhoo, in light of the sport’s growing popularity, the Club, cognizant of the increasing difficulty that some competitors face in terms of procuring sponsorship, has decided to make it easier for Superbikers who cannot afford to make upgrades to their machines.

Boodhoo speaking via telephone yesterday, said that they’ve decided to split the Superbike category into two segments, one for competitors who will be able to ride their bike as a stock bike, while the other section will be for those who’ve modified their machines to

generate more speed and competitiveness.

“We realized that some of the guys struggle to get adequate sponsorship and this usually places them at a disadvantage against those who can afford to make the kind of modifications that gives them superior advantage against the others,” Boodhoo disclosed.

Boodhoo said it’s all about allowing persons desirous of entering the sport to do so and at the same time enter a race with competitors their equal in terms of the respective machines capacity and capability and not feel intimidated going up against someone who has had the luxury to do serious mo d i f i c a t i o n s t h e r e b y placing him at a distinct advantage. He said he believes that the sport is growing in stature both in Guyana and across the Caribbean as evidenced by

moves made by countries to upgrade their facilities in their effort to attract larger crowds. He cited Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago as two countries that have already moved in that direction, while Guyana and Jamaica, also have plans to follow suit. Boodhoo noted that in order for the sport to enjoy a healthy fan base, the local entity will have to come up with innovative measures to attract more participants and by virtue of doing so then the attendance figures will grow automatically, a situation they would like to see happen. “We have a plan which is to level the playing field by ensuring that the respective categories are equally competitive and the racers are similarly equipped. It must only come down to who is truly better than who in terms of their skills and ability.”

Captain’s Golf tournament returns to Lusignan It’s been several years since the Captain’s Golf Tournament was contested but now golfers are getting ready for keen competition when the organizers of the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) once again host the tournament at the Lusignan ECD venue tomorrow.

This is a medal play Flight Tournament and there will be prizes for the 1st and 2nd place finishers in the four flight categories; 0-9

handicap, 10-18 handicap, 19-28 handicap and the Ladies’ flight. Prizes will also be awarded for Nearest to The Pin, Longest Drive, and the golfer with the best net. The organizers also said that there will also be several surprise prizes. Refreshments will also be available for the players while activities will conclude with a free barbecue.

Captain Chatterpaul Deo is credited with organizing

the tournament and President of the LGC, David Mohamad, congratulated him on his initiative.

The LGC President pointed out that a significant feature of the tournament is the camaraderie it promotes among the club members.

The tournament is expected to provide keen rivalry and great excitement synonymous with previous championships. Tee-off is at 12:00hrs.

Milan to host 2016 Champions League final Milan will host the 2016 UEFA Champions League final, European football’s governing body uefa decided at a meeting of its executive committee in Nyon, Switzerland. The final of the UEFA Europa League next season will be held in the Swiss city of Basel and that of the Super Cup in Trondheim in Norway, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino announced following the meeting. This will be the fourth time the northern Italian city and its San Siro stadium host the Champions League final after 1965, 1970 and 2001. The game is scheduled for 28 May 2016. Milan will follow Berlin, which will host European club football’s most prestigious tournament final next year. The Europa League and Super Cup finals in 2016 are planned for May 18 and August 9, respectively.

Merissa Aguilleira (2nd from left) celebrates with her team following victory in the third One-day International against New Zealand.

Basseterre, St. Kitts West Indies Women will be aiming to complete a clean sweep of their One-Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand when the two sides meet in the fourth and final fixture today.

West Indies have already won the series, by establishing an unassailable three-nil lead after

impressive wins against the visitors. Captain Merissa Aguilleira says her side will be looking to end the series on a high.

“We begin the tour on a winning note. We can finish it off as well. Leave the people in St.Kitts something to talk about,” said Aguilleira.

“So hopefully once we

continue doing what we are doing now. Things will fall in our favour” A career-best spell of 515 from Shakera Selman inspired an eight-wicket victory for the Caribbean side over the New Zealanders on Wednesday – allowing them to sweep their three ICC Women’s (Continued on page 35)

t r o Sp appointed DIGICEL acquires SportsMax Guyanese to FIBA Governance Commission

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Patrick Haynes FIBA

Digicel Group COO, Andy Thorburn, and Patrick Rousseau, Chairman of IMC and SportsMax (front row left and right) celebrate with Phillip Martin, Deputy Chairman of IMC and Sportsmax (standing left) and Oliver McIntosh, CEO of Sportsmax (standing right).

GCB Senior 4-day Inter County tourney

Singh, Chandrika slam tons for Demerara; GCB Development Squad limits E’bo to 232 Rajendra Chandrika gathers runs yesterday.

Demerara skipper Vishal Singh plays an attacking stroke enroute to his century

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