Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 03, 2013

The removal of cataract at GPHC By Romila Boodram The eye is an organ that detects light and sends signal along the optic nerve to the brain. Cataract is the clouding of the natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. It is the most common cause of blindness and is conventionally treated with surgery. According to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)’s Ophthalmologist, Dr George Norton, cataract can be characterized by how it is formed. He explained that there is congenital cataract. There is also senile cataract which is what one develops because of an aging process and you can develop traumatic cataract because of an injury. Metabolic cataract however is formed because of a disease like diabetes. “You can also describe a cataract from the extent of which it exists, in that, it can be in an initial stage where there is some amount of vision or it could be a mature cataract where practically most of the vision is lost or it can be hyper-mature cataract where the patient can suffer

irreversible blindness,” Norton said. What causes Cataracts? The lens inside the eye works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina for clear vision. It also adjusts the eyes’ focus, letting us see

things clearly both up close and far away. The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and let light pass through it.

But according to Dr Norton, as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens- this is cataract, and over time, it may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder

to see. What is the process at GPHC? According to the GPHC Ophthalmologist, patients who need eye care are first seen by a health care provider who then refers them to the eye-specialist; this is done with a referral letter basically stating the patient’s history of the complain and the physical findings. After a triage process which is done by eye nurses, the patient would then see the eye specialist, who after recording in detail the person’s history and examination will then decide on the management of the patient which would most likely be surgery, if cataract is diagnosed. The patient would then have to undergo a general medical checkup to make sure all the parameters are intact, that is, their blood sugar level, their blood pressure level, temperature among other things are okay. The patient is given a date to return for surgery. Surgery… “The surgery is done under local anesthesia meaning we do not put the patient to sleep but we take

measures so that the patient will not feel excessive pain. We can do that by using eye drops, eye-ointment or injections” Dr Norton explained. He added that in most cataract surgeries, injections are generally used because not only does the injection prevent the pain but it also prevents movement of the eye. “With the eye-drops and the eye- ointment you will prevent the pain but the patient will have movement so it is more comfortable to inject the patient.” Dr Norton who has served the GPHC for over 20 years explained that cataract operation is simply removing the eye’s natural lens and replacing it with an artificial one. During surgery, the surgeon will remove the clouded lens and replace it with a clear, plastic intraocular lens (IOL). Some surgeons, according to him will ask the patients to open their eyes immediately after surgery to experience the end result while some cover the eye for at least one day since it would usually be red.

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Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Woman dies during power failure at N/A Hospital ...relatives contemplate legal action By Leon Suseran A Whim, Corentyne family says that it was frantically searching for porters to power- up the New Amsterdam Hospital’s generator after a blackout hit the facility during a crucial life-and-death surgery of their relative. The family members claimed that the doctors rushed out of surgery looking for torchlights, rushed back in with a cell phone with torchlight; and the porter was never found. Power was restored an hour later. In the end, Tirtawattie Shoandeo, 47, was pronounced dead. The woman’s son, Yuvraj Shoandeo, of Lot 129 Whim, Corentyne, is furious. He stated that his mother had complained of stomach pains on the evening of January 19. They took her to two private doctors before they decided to admit her at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. “The doctor (at N/A Hospital) said that he gotta do some surgery to her belly but [he] didn’t state what was wrong with her”. Later the next day, the woman’s husband, Satnarine

Dead: Tirtawattie Shoandeo Shoandeo, was informed by doctors that the woman needed to undergo surgery. The family had to sign a document accepting the outcome. “So around 9:30pm, they took her in the operation theatre; the operation was taking place and around after 10pm there was a blackout,” stated the woman’s son. Yuvraj said that he and his uncle were looking for the porter to put on the generator. “There was no porter; there was nobody to start the

generator”. He said that one Guyanese doctor, two Cuban doctors and three nurses were present in the operation room. He added that soon as the power went off, one of the doctors came out during the operation “and searched for torchlights, and when we asked what happened, he tell we that he was busy”. “He did find a light and he go in back and – it’s a light like on a phone—and he come out back again and went and get a bigger torchlight”. No relative knew what transpired in the operating room during the power outage. The power was restored one hour later, prompting the doctors to return outside and inform the relatives that the woman was now in a critical condition which merited her being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. “Before that, he came out and told me that whilst doing the operation my mother heart failed her and she ‘catch back herself’, but my common sense tells me [that], if your heart fails you, you die—it cannot come back, but there was black out [for] one hour”. The ambulance was

brought in and preparations were made for the transfer. However, it was around 02:00 pm that the family was further informed that the woman had passed away. “To me, it was the blackout that caused this, because if you are doing an operation, you cannot get standby, something gotta be wrong— they cannot see what they are doing in there! They don’t have standby! A postmortem conducted by Dr Vivekanand Brijmohan concluded that the woman died of kidney failure

and gallstones, but the family believes that the doctors made errors during surgery. “Without a light, —if you are doing a surgery in a theatre, you supposed to get a standby immediately—that is people life you playing with!” the son said. The woman’s brother, Ramesh, related how he was frantically searching for the porter to get the generator started. “We were looking for them and we were waiting for them but by then the current came on”, he stated.

The woman’s brother added that one of the doctors came out with a torchlight, “searching in his van—I ain’t know what he searching in he van for”. The family is contemplating legal action against all of the doctors involved in the surgery and the hospital’s administration. Several attempts to contact the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the N/A Public Hospital Mr Alan Johnson as well as Medical Superintendent of the facility, Dr Artie Sharma proved futile.

attached to the aerodrome. Air Services Limited was executing some works at the aerodrome on an active runway without the requisite permission. At the request of his supervisors, Hopkinson approached the workers and ordered them to cease work. The workers duly informed Mazahar Ally who reported to the site. Immediately there was a confrontation during which Ally reportedly lost his temper and became hostile, the reports stated. Hopkinson was at the receiving end of the tirade, sources at Ogle reported. They said that in the end

Ally got into his car and attempted to run over Hopkinson who had to dive out of the path. A source said that a recording of the incident tells a horrible story. Hopkinson immediately moved to the courts to file private criminal charges. He is being represented by attorneys Gino Persaud and Miles Fitzpatrick. Ally is being represented by Edward Luckhoo and Neil Boston. He was released on his own cognizance. The aerodrome officials said that this is not the first time that Mazahar Ally has lost his cool. On one occasion he drove his vehicle through a locked gate at the airport.

ASL boss charged after ruckus at Ogle Mazahar Ally appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to five charges including threatening behavior to cause a breach of the peace, assaulting an officer in the execution of his duties, driving his vehicle in a dangerous manner so as to run over the officer, and making use of insulting language by calling the officer an insulting name. The charges stemmed from an episode at the Ogle Aerodrome. According to reports from Ogle, Mazahar Ally of Air Services Limited was the driver of PKK 4853 when he tried to run over Harold Hopkinson, a security officer

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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

Kings in the Arab Spring The world has been transfixed during the last two years by the upheaval in North Africa and the Middle East as ordinary citizens seized powers from autocratic rulers and began to select their own leaders. The process has been dubbed “The Arab Spring’ in the expectation that the new form of governance would take root and blossom into fullfledged democratic rule in the region. But the Arab monarchies appear immune from the changes. No kingdom fell during the Arab Spring, and indeed a common refrain in the western press has been, compared to their republican counterparts, that the autocratic monarchies of the region have proven exceptionally resilient in the face of social unrest. The reasoning encompasses two arguments: these royal regimes enjoy a deeply rooted sense of cultural legitimacy that resonates throughout their societies. Unlike other authoritarian leaderships, they retain traditional acceptance with the public given their presence before or during anti-colonial struggles. Also, they are more adaptable, having a very flexible set of institutional tools with which to manipulate politics that go beyond mere repression. However, there is another school of thought that suggests the monarchies are running on borrowed time, and most are in worst straits than a decade ago. In Bahrain, for example, a mass uprising was stopped only through the combined efforts of the national security forces and the Gulf Cooperation Council’s military intervention. Morocco faced serious protests as well. There, the promise of constitutional revisions temporarily quieted public anger, but by accepting integration without meaningful political reform, the Islamist Justice and Development Party — the face of parliamentary opposition — now risk losing credibility like the rest of the political class. Moreover, the urban-rural divide is no longer salient; dissent is now everywhere, and demands for change have cut across old class and provincial lines. Like Morocco, the Saudi monarchy is thickly embedded in society. Blessed by geology, it has used its enormous oil revenues to offset overt opposition with new welfare and development programmes, which has allowed the regime to defer more fundamental structural reforms. The opposite is true in oilrich Kuwait. There, constant street protests against corruption and royal meddling have undermined the AlSabah family and the December 2012 elections were boycotted by the opposition. This tug-of-war between the monarchy and parliament has culminated in a critical juncture: either the regime accepts a Prime Minister who is a commoner, and thus beyond the emir’s control, or it must shut down parliament and backslide to authoritarianism at a very high cost. In Jordan, the monarchy has become suffocated by two complementary forces. The Islamists want to preserve the monarchy, because the collapse of monarchical rule would allow Israel to portray the East Bank as the new alternative homeland for all Palestinians and thus justify the annexation of the whole of the West Bank. Yet they also desire constitutional monarchy, with greater political freedoms. The monarchy’s Bedouin tribal bedrock has become restless due to rising unemployment and corruption, which allows them to accuse the regime of favouring the wealthier Palestinian majority. Vested interests run deep in monarchies, because dynastic families develop resilient connections to influential social and political groups that provide support in exchange for patronage, such as merchants, businessmen, farmers, tribes, and the ulema. Drastic reforms that replace absolute monarchy with real parliamentary governance would undercut not just royals but their commoner clients too. Second, the post-colonial and post-cold war history of the region shows that monarchs have an aversion to transforming their executive power into moral authority; they will only consider constitutional monarchism after exhausting all other options and strategies. So without a concerted popular challenge, kingships have no incentive to bring anything more than cosmetic reforms to the bargaining table. Once championed as moderate and adaptable regimes, the Arab monarchies now risk squandering a golden opportunity. Though they would have to surrender much power in a democratic transition, their institutions also have much to contribute in helping unify their societies during times of crisis and spare future conflict and instability.

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur M@ilbox It is clear that the PPP is on a propaganda offensive DEAR EDITOR, An erroneous and lamentable article was published in the Guyana Chronicle of February 1, 2013 under the caption “Kumar charges Opposition with frustrating local government elections” and in which PPP/ C`s MP, Neil Kumar accuses the Opposition of “frustrating the efforts of the Govt to discuss the local Govt Bills and, subsequently hold local Govt elections” (sic). This article arose from an interview held at Mr. Kumar`s office in Middle St and aside

and apart from the many ridiculous and unfounded contentions of Mr. Kumar that it contains, there are basic factual inaccuracies. Among the latter are the following : (i) he states that local govt elections are supposed to be held every two years -the fact is that they are to be held every three years !, (ii) he further states that at the first meeting of the Special Select Committee (SSC) held in December 2012 that “the Opposition had demanded to be represented by five persons while the

government had four representatives” -fact is that the composition of the SSC had earlier been determined by the Committee of Appointments and the purpose of the first meeting was to elect a Chairperson, (iii) he refers to discussions by the SSC on the “Elections Commission Bill” ! -no such Bill exists; the Bill that was discussed was the Local Govt Commission Bill 2012, Bill No. 13 of 2012 and (iv) perhaps most humorous was his belief and interpretation that the “ABC” diplomats

who had recently issued a joint-Statement calling for the holding of local govt elections without delay, represented Argentina, Brazil and Chile ! A separate article appears in the Guyana Times also of 1st Feb., 2013 quoting Local Govt Minister, Ganga Persaud as saying that the last meeting of the SSC was adjourned by the Chairman, MP Basil Williams “following dispute over the minutes” ! It is clear from the above Continued on page 6

Sunday February 03, 2013

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Kaieteur M@ilbox

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Kaieteur M@ilbox

Why not just abolish the murder charge so that society can decay faster? DEAR EDITOR, Much has happened recently in Guyana in so far as the administration of justice is concerned. While not listing them in chronological order, there were news about death penalties being commuted to life sentences, decades of the Guyana Law Reports being made available in hard copies along with electronic versions, and murder charges being diluted to manslaughter , just to name a few. These are all important events, but it is the conversion of murder to manslaughter which seems to have attracted the attention of some stake holders. Indeed! The murder to manslaughter conversion is important enough for it to have formed the basis of the editorial of the Stabroek News of January 24th, 2013. After all, the watering down of murder to manslaughter is nothing new or incorrect, but the alarming frequency with which it is occurring has certainly attracted the attention of many. Seven years ago, I and Mr. Baldeo Persaud (SN 0311-2005) highlighted this concern and I in particular

asked, “What are the conditions which need to be satisfied before murder is broken down to manslaughter?” I don’t recall receiving an answer, but the indisputable fact is that the administration of justice continues to be affected by this phenomenon much to the distress and dissatisfaction of many, especially the relatives of those who have been murdered. I may even say that some who are directly involved in the administration of justice are also concerned. For example, in2008 Chief Justice Chang in a landmark decision, granted bail to a murder accused. (SN 24-052008). All things being equal, murder is classified as an unbailable offence, but Justice Chang held and I dare say proved, that in the particular case, things were far from being equal in the particular case, in that the provisions ofArticles 139 and 144 of our constitution were not satisfied. In essence, the accused had not been afforded a trial within a ‘reasonable time’. Following Justice Chang‘s lead, Justices Bovell Drakes and Roxanne-George similarly granted bail to other murder accused two years later (2010).

The common thread which runs through all the murder cases in which bail was granted were definitely woven with protraction, delays and an abuse of the process as evidenced by the number of preliminary trials conducted at times. One would have thought that with the advent of Justice Chang’s landmark decision anyone and everyone who had anything to do with the administration of justice, especially in murder cases, would have endeavored to ensure that that all trials were conducted speedily and efficiently. Unfortunately, the nation continues to be haunted by an inordinate rate of substituting manslaughter for murder. Since the rate of converting murder to manslaughter seems to have reached unprecedented levels, I must continue to ask ‘What are the preconditions for doing so? I must also ask Who stands to benefit the most. Is it the prosecution, the defense, or the accused? Whoever they may be, there is little doubt that our justice system in its current state relative to the capital offence is nothing short of an

It is clear that the PPP is on a propaganda... From page 4 that the PPP is on a propaganda offensive (as well as an offensive one) to misrepresent and distort the truth and using media outlets that they control, as it relates to the work of the SSC charged with refining the four Bills now before it, passage of which are a pre-condition for the holding of local govt elections. Having been treated to the above m i s c h i e v o u s misrepresentation of events the public ought to know the truth. The meeting had to be adjourned not only because the Minutes of the Fourth Meeting were poorly written and contained serious flaws which it did. The other reason for the adjournment had to do with what was clearly a coordinated effort by govt members to misrepresent decisions that were taken at the previous meeting. Specifically I refer to Clause 4.(1) and 4.(1),(b) which were concluded and resolved by majority position. These two clauses changed the composition of the proposed Local Govt Commission from six to seven members and for three such members to be appointed by the President, acting on the

advice of Leader of the Opposition. The unresolved clause was 4.(1) (c) which deals with the appointment of the seventh member. The opposition members, though in majority, acquiesced to calls from the govt members to not make a decision/ determination on our proposal for this member to be a nominee of a Trade Union in the local govt field (and we proposed two such unions) but to defer such decision for the next meeting. Lo and behold we were told by govt members at the meeting in question that it was agreed that the ENTIRE clause 4., i.e., 4.(1)(a),(b)&(c) would be discussed at the next meeting ! Faced with this blatant attempt at reopening decisions previously taken, the Opposition members felt it to be a sufficiently important issue and principle to be definitively determined and only after accurate minutes were available, based on verbatim recording, before proceeding, lest future work of the SSC suffer similar fate. Unless this kind of behavior is nipped in the bud this process would have no end. MP, Kumar‘s clumsy

attempt to link the Opposition as being the cause of delays in the process is without foundation. At the very first meeting in December 2012 which was for the purpose of electing a Chairperson, I advised the meeting that Dr Ramayya who was unavoidably absent wanted me to convey his vote for Mr. Williams to be the Chair and that he hoped members would respect his wishes, even though absent, so as to not delay the work of the Committee. The govt members ignored his stated desire which only meant delaying the inevitable as once Dr Ramayya was present at the following meeting, the same result was had. Secondly at the third meeting of the SSC, Chairman Williams recommended that the Committee meet twice weekly which did not find favour with govt members. We believe that the public is well aware who is responsible for local govt elections not being held for many years and who it is that are denying them this right. It can only be the govt who have been in control of the process for the past twelve years. Ronald Bulkan

aggravation to the judicial soul. But even if the aggravation is eliminated by treating murder as murder to the very end, another vexatious problem emerges is the non-

implementation of the sentence. Just the other day a couple of death penalties were commuted to life sentences for the very reasons that bail is granted.

Why not abolish the murder charge and remove the death penalty from the books so that society can decay at a much faster rate? Francis Carryl

Are there no local policemen with the ability to oversee this strategic plan? DEAR EDITOR, I sometimes wonder what is going through the minds of officials when I read some of their public utterances. The Ministry of Home Affairs has just contracted Capita-Symonds for a sixweek consultancy to work on the areas of administration, succession planning, probity and integrity, public relations and communications. The ministry also intends to employ ten persons for work in a touted Strategic Management Unit. Mr. Rohee – we are told said that a panel of “distinguished persons” will be appointed to determine who are best qualified to fill the advertised positions. Please understand my

puzzlement where those two issues are concerned. Is there no local individual or group of individuals with the capacity to undertake a consultancy of the type that the foreigners are tasked with doing? Is the Guyana Police Force so bereft of talent that there are no serving officers or former members with the requisite knowledge and skills set to oversee the implementation of the identified strategic plan components? On what basis will those “distinguished persons” selected to pronounce on the suitability or otherwise of candidates to get the job done in an organization with the uniqueness of the GPF? In a past newspaper

article we read of the concern that members of the Force were refused permission to attend UG. Maybe if we were to think hard enough we might remember that several officers were punished with dismissal for having the nerve to pursue a tertiary education. All of this occurred within the past seven years. Couldn’t those same officers be sought out and offered a consultancy do what we so badly need? What value-added have those retained retirees brought to the ministry? Minister Rohee needs to understand that there is no harm in having a serious rethink of the entire strategy at this stage if he is to be taken seriously. Sylvia St Romain

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Two post-Independence generations know no other way of life DEAR EDITOR, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast” and “The cat is to be belled but who’s to bell the cat”? Those were my thoughts on reading the plea in the recent letter headed “This situation is becoming unacceptably claustrophobic and debilitating”(Major General (ret’d) Joseph Singh’s letter on the recent attack on PNCR’s Oscar Clarke). What is being described

in the letter is a general disrespect for law and order, for the environment, and for standards of decency observed in days gone by. In other words, the destruction of the entire infrastructure. Let us not forget that two post-Independence generations - three years away from half-a-century of being let go by our colonial masters - know no other way of life and therefore accept

the present way as traditional and the norm. We need to start a process of re-education, our leaders setting the example, then perhaps another ‘enlightened’ figure may come along and help to turn things around. Cheddi Jagan (Snr.) appeared in the late 1940s and changed attitudes of mind and put us on the map. Even in the mid-1950s, the average Brit had never heard the name ‘British

Guiana’. I remember being introduced as being “from British New Guinea”, and supervisors at work referred to me as ‘the Jamaican girl’. By the 1960s, everyone had heard of ‘Jagan’s country’ - and many ladies thought him attractive. As colonials, our citizens ‘knew their place’ and accepted the status quo - until Cheddi J. came along and pointed out the disparities in, and

injustices of, the colonial system. Let us hope someone of his calibre comes along to restore s o m e r e s p e c t a b i l i t y, i n answer the retired Major General’s prayer that we “....... be obedient to the Laws of Guyana; to love our fellow citizens; and, to dedicate our energies

towards the happiness and prosperity of Guyana” So say most of us. Guyana is a beautiful country, and if tourism is to be encouraged, we must make the effort. Our Kaieteur Falls may be regarded as one of the wonders of the world, our rainforests a joy to behold. Geralda Dennison

Stop the Murders and Serious Crimes DEAR EDITOR, Like other concerned Guyanese, I cannot help but be concerned about the number of criminal commissions that have occurred in Guyana, since the commencement of the New Year. Along with reported murders, robberies and other types of crimes; we had the critical shooting of the General Secretary of the PNC/R, Mr.

Oscar Clarke last week. Editor, this state of affairs cannot be tolerated and longer and I call upon the ministry of home affairs and the nation’s security forces to take urgent steps in order to arrest this situation before it gets further out of hand. I believe that homeland security is a cornerstone of a nation’s existence. Morris Wilson

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

ImmigrationINFOTM Immigration News For Our Community

NEW Provisional Waivers Allow Illegals to File Waivers in U.S. (Part 2) Attorney Gail Seeram, Gail@GailLaw.com, 1-877GAIL-LAW Beginning March 4, 2013, certain immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who are physically present in the United States will be allowed to request provisional unlawful presence waivers prior to departing from the United States for consular processing of their immigrant visa applications. Effective March 4, 2013, the new law will benefit the following individuals: (1) crewman (or jump ships) who married US citizens, but do not have the benefit of Section 245(i); (2) people who entered the US without inspection (EWI), who married US citizens, but do not have the benefit of Section 245(i); and (3) people who entered the US on a K-1 fiancée visa, but did not marry the American who petitioned him or her, but instead married a different American; and (4) immediate relatives of U.S. citizens with an approved Form I-130 found ineligible to adjust status in the U.S. Will I be able to benefit from the NEW “provisional unlawful presence waiver” process if I entered with a fraudulent passport or have past convictions? This provisional waiver applies only to unlawful presence that triggers the three and ten year ban from returning to the U.S. If a person has other immigration violations, such as fraud (entry with another’s passport), criminal convictions, and the like, which also require a waiver, the person would have to depart the U.S. and file the waivers after an interview at the U.S. Embassy and wait abroad for the final decision.

Can an immigrant already living outside the U.S. benefit from the NEW “provisional unlawful presence waiver” process? Unfortunately, individuals who are already outside of the United States must pursue a waiver of inadmissibility through the current Form I-601 process. The NEW provisional unlawful presence waiver process will remain available only to those individuals who are currently in the United States and will be departing for consular processing abroad. How will immigration decide whether to approve or deny my “provisional unlawful presence waiver”? For the waiver to be approved, there must be an extreme hardship determination based on a showing of extreme hardship to a U.S. citizen spouse or parent. Documentary evidence to prove the “extreme hardship” must be submitted with the waiver form, Form I-601A. Can an immigrant with TPS benefit from the NEW “provisional unlawful presence waiver” process? TPS applicants who are immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can participate in the provisional unlawful presence waiver process if they are pursuing consular processing of an immigrant visa abroad. When can I file the NEW “provisional unlawful presence waiver”? Once you obtain an approved Form I-130 then a request for the unlawful presence waiver can be filed in the U.S. by using Form I-601A and you will be permitted to remain in the U.S. during the adjudication or decisionmaking process. The filing fee for Form I-601A will be

Gail Seeram $585.00. How old do I have to be to file under the NEW “provisional unlawful presence waiver” process? Individuals must be 17 years or older request a provisional unlawful presence waiver. What happens if I go through the NEW “provisional unlawful presence waiver” process and my waiver is denied? The individual may depart the U.S., attend the visa interview at the Embassy and file the waiver under the current process and wait abroad for a decision on the w a i v e r. Also, the individual may appeal or refile the waiver is new evidence will be submitted. If the individual wants to remain the U.S. after a denial on his provisional unlawful presence waiver then they may face removal proceedings before the immigration court. Before deciding to proceed with the NEW “provisional unlawful presence waiver” process, speak with an experienced immigration lawyer who can assess your unique situation and conclude you will benefit from this new law and new process.

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Digicel launches ‘EZ Cash’ to celebrate sixth anniversary With the launch of its newest promotion ‘EZ Cash’, to commemorate its sixth anniversary, Digicel Guyana is prepared to make six of its customers millionaires over a six-week period. By simply topping up with $600 or more, customers stand a chance of being a part of the promotion which will not only see one of them becoming a millionaire each week, but they will automatically become eligible for $600 free credit. At least this is according to the mobile company’s Head of Marketing Ms Jacqueline James who, during a press conference on Friday, declared that, “Once you top up with $600 daily you stand a chance to be one of 60 lucky customers who will win $600 free credit and of course if you top up every day you can win free credit every day for six weeks. Even if you top up and win free credit every single day you still have a chance of winning something even bigger because every week one lucky customer will win $1 million in cash courtesy of Digicel for our Sixth Anniversary.” Six years ago Digicel entered the Guyana market and according to James “every year we said we would offer fantastic

promotions for our customers and of course this year being our sixth year there is no difference.” Moreover, she announced that thousands of customers will win something special and even have a chance to become a millionaire. The anniversary promotion is set to officially commence tomorrow (Monday, February 4) and will continue for the next six weeks, effectively culminating on March 17. “It is very, very simple; it’s as easy as one two three,” James said as she disclosed that “leading up to our anniversary you will see the Digicel ‘Vibes’ teams out in various communities promoting our sixth anniversary as well as other activities that will be happening for this month.” James explained that the company will be selecting 12 lucky customers who have been with Digicel Guyana since it penetrated the local market on February 14, 2007. “We will have a special treat for those customers. They will celebrate with us, and of course, they can bring along their Valentine. So customers can look out for that,” James said.

There will also be special treats for customers who visit Digicel stores during the month of February. “For the next six weeks customers can expect quite a few prizes and surprises as we seek to reward our customers for choosing Digicel as their preferred mobile network,” James asserted. This month too will see the company directing much focus on the Mashramani celebration since according to Head of Marketing, “as you know Mash is on the way and many, many of our customers, supporters and well-wishers are excited to know what is in store for our mash band.” Moreover, part of the activities leading up to the anniversary celebration will be the launch of the Digicel Mash Band. “During that period you will find us launching our Mash Band at DCC ground and our Mashfit crew will be out in their numbers and of course our staff, guests and well-wishers will be out with us for that launch,” James emphasised Digicel’s facebook and twitter fans will also be granted the privilege to engage in its anniversary promotion celebration and its Mash Band, James said in concluding.

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Sunday February 03, 2013

Absent prosecutor stalls Robb Street murder hearing It has been 18 months since her death but the pretrial hearing concerning executed Robb Street granny Clementine Parris, is yet to begin. The matter was called at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday and had to be adjourned again because the prosecutor was absent. The policeman had a work-related matter to attend to. Lawyer for the four accused Basil Williams, is however adamant that the prosecution is wasting time and frustrating swift justice. Williams has also argued that his clients are being unfairly detained, since the police are yet to put over any incriminating evidence against the men. When the lawyer, on behalf of the accused Orin Hinds, 35, Cleon Hinds, 34, Kevin October, 29, and Roy Jacobs, 34, faced Magistrate Sueanna Lovell, he reiterated calls to have the case discharged. Williams inquired whether the matter should be stalled because of the prosecutor’s absence. He cited the length of time his clients have been imprisoned despite what he said was the weak prosecution case. The court,

72-year-old Clementine Parris however, gave the prosecution another chance to get ready. The matter will be called again on February 7 when the prosecution is expected to provide the defence with the relevant witnesses’ statements. At that time Williams may decide whether he has any witnesses to call or to cross examine, since the matter is being handled by way of paper committal. Late last year the prosecution and the defence were divided over which way the matter should be examined. Williams had argued for a paper committal, positing that the police had

no evidence against his clients and that the case should thus be handled in the swiftest manner. Police prosecutor, Neville Jeffers, had instead charged that adequate evidence existed to get the men committed to the High Court. He thus felt that the Preliminary Inquiry would have been better to hear also witnesses, while the police at the same time, searched for the masterminds in the alleged execution plot. The court subsequently upheld a paper committal and ordered the prosecution to lay over the statements. Several glitches had however set back the matters commencement. The 72-year-old woman’s death had however stirred public outcries fueled by the cruelty of the crime. Parris was on June 30, 2011 at her Lot 42 Robb Street, Bourda home when two men entered her premises and requested to see her. On hearing the strangers, Parris approached her front door where one of the men riddled her with bullets. Her brother, Fitzroy Fiedtkou, had reportedly witnessed the whole event. He said that the men had asked for his sister and when

she approached they opened fire. He attempted to stop the shooter, but the elderly man was pushed away by the second gunman. The assailants then escaped in a waiting motorcar. Parris was shot twice under the armpit, once in the

chest and once in the back. Police however believe that there are others involved in Parris’s death. The woman’s family said that she was involved in a bitter land dispute, before the courts. They said that she had

received threats and they became fearful for her safety. The woman however refused to leave her property which was purchased over 40 years ago. Reports were that the accused were reportedly paid $400,000 to execute Parris.

Harvest more logs— Commissioner Singh Commissioner of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) James Singh has dismissed complaints by loggers that Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) quotas were curtailing production in the forestry sector. He said that to the contrary, loggers and saw millers were producing less than 50 per cent of the total sustainable annual production. “We can actually produce 1.2 million cubic meters annually under sustainable forest management guidelines but in 2012 we only produced 400,000 cubic meters,” he said. He added: “Our figures for the past five years, 2008 to 2012, state that our production has never surpassed 500,000 cubic meters so we are well below our sustainable limit.” “So we are very far

behind.” He added that he wanted to make that point because of allegations in the print media that the LCDS and the agreement with Norway were curtailing production whereas the statistics show that there was much more scope for increased production and productivity. He said that the Commission has been doing a good job in sustainable forestry management. “We have had many international audits done here and the auditors have verified that we have the mechanisms and that these mechanisms are working.” “We have been honoring our international obligations such as the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), Monitoring Reporting and Verification System (MRVS) and the Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) with Norway and we have already started the process of sourcing satellite imagery at 5 meters resolution for the entire country to do the next check on our state of deforestation,” he said. “But we in the forestry can do a lot more in terms of our contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “ He said that towards this end the GFC met with loggers last week and told them that they had to produce more. He said that the GFC has made it mandatory for the operators to harvest more. The foresters have been requested to fill out forms detailing their short term, medium term and long term production targets. Singh said that this year, the Commission will monitor their performance against their plans very closely to ensure that they comply with their harvesting targets.

Gary Best visits mining community Guyana Defence Force Chief-of-Staff, Commodore Gary Best, met with a group of miners at the Julian Ross Landing in the Cuyuni, yesterday. It was alleged that a group of soldiers stationed nearby engaged in criminal conduct against the miners in the area. Commodore Best also visited Guyana Goldfields at Aurora. In discussions with the miners about what transpired during the alleged raid by the soldiers, Commodore Best emphasized the need for the miners to come forward and identify the soldiers who were allegedly engaged in the act. “Once we have evidence that the soldiers came here and went to the backdam and robbed the miners, I will ensure that they are charged and put before the court; and if they have to end up in prison, then they will end up in prison,” he said. “A crime

Gary Best is a crime.” Reiterating that the purpose of his visit was to ensure that justice was

served, he declared to the group of Guyanese and Brazilian miners that if they did not act to identify the men and have them brought to justice, then it could lead to a continuance of such behaviour and the thwarting of justice. The Chief of Staff reassured the miners that coming forward to identify the alleged wrong-doers could not lead to any form of retribution since the alleged perpetrators would, if found culpable, no longer be posted to that area since they’d be locked away. He said that bringing the soldiers to justice will send a signal to other ranks in the Force that, such behavior has serious consequences and that there was no way it would be allowed to continue. The miners and their support staff in the community have cooperated with GDF in its investigations, to the extent that some have identified the GDF Officer and soldiers as having been at the Julian Ross Landing, where they allegedly conducted criminal acts. The inquiry into the recently reported robbing of mining camps by a group of soldiers continues and a report is expected to be submitted to the COS shortly.

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Gold miner pleaded with gunmen before execution -Top Cop say investigators pursuing leads Gold miner Jason Wills was heard pleading with the gunmen who executed him last Thursday. This is the information that investigators have received from one of the occupants of the Pine Grove, Meadowbrook house in which the 33-year-old was slain. Kaieteur News understands that the woman who was in the house said she was in the kitchen when she heard Wills shout “Oh God, don’t do duh, don’t do duh...” before gunfire erupted in the living room. Police had detained the woman and her son-in-law while attempting to ascertain whether they were in collusion with the killers. They were reportedly both released yesterday.

While there has been no arrest, Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell told Kaieteur News that investigators were “working on some leads” and were hoping to effect arrests. The occupants of the Meadowbrook residence have told police that they were watching television with Wills, but that they both went into the kitchen some 30 seconds before the gunmen barged in. They also claimed that they had not seen the killers. A source said that the occupants also claimed that they had left the front door open that night because the air conditioning unit had malfunctioned. It is alleged that the killers entered through that door after scaling the fence.

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Bandits tie up cop’s wife in Lusignan home invasion Two bandits invaded the home of a policeman, tied up his wife and relieved her of more than $80,000 in an early morning attack yesterday in Grass Field, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. The policeman was on duty in Georgetown at the time of the robbery. He had left his wife, Hemwantie Persaud, alone at home.

From all indications, the bandits were fully aware that they were attacking the home of a policeman, timing their attack just when they were certain that he was not around. While the victim was tightlipped about the robbery, Kaieteur News understands that Persaud, who rears chicken, heard a noise

emanating from the coops in her yard. Upon investigating she was pounced upon by two unmasked men who were armed with ‘choppers’. Ordering Persaud not to make a sound, the two men forced her back into the single flat concrete house and one of them immediately enquired about her husband’s police

uniform. They eventually tied her up and ransacked the house, carting off the cash. After they fled, Persaud managed to free herself and alerted neighbours before eventually contacting the police. She also contacted her husband who hurriedly left his job and went home. So far no arrest has been made.

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Man claims no justice after assault by lawyer Although fearful that the justice system has been compromised, a man is now seeking to file criminal charges against the President of the Guyana Bar Association, Mr. Gamal Khan. According to Ansar Alladin, of 55 Public Road, La Grange, West Bank Demerara, he was both verbally and physically attacked by the lawyer at a mosque simply because he failed to remove his vehicle at the lawyer’s request. Recounting the incident, yesterday, Alladin said that he along with a number of other drivers had parked in such a way that the lawyer could not have entered the compound of the mosque, a state of affairs which evidently angered him. The incident occurred even as service at the La Grange Mosque was ongoing to commemorate a national Muslim holiday during the latter part of last year. Alladin said that the lawyer was so abusive in his request that he was not very

willing to respond. This, he said, was coupled with the fact that a few other vehicles would have had to move in order to grant the lawyer access. “He came late that morning and I was in the mosque and someone told me that I should move my car and it was then I realised it was Mr. Khan who wanted me to move... Two cars were on the bridge and a third car was in the way too so I said uncle Gamal if I move you can only get my space so you will have to talk to the other people too...” The lawyer, according to Alladin, was evidently annoyed that he was missing an important part of the service and started to use threatening language. “He said to me if I don’t move the car ‘you gonna see what will happen to you today’,” related Alladin. This, the 21-year-old said, caused him to completely defy Khan’s request and return to

Death row inmate Derrick Callender’s sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, while Safraz Rahim’s death sentence was quashed and replaced with a 10-year prison term. The judgments were handed down by Chief Justice Ian Chang. Callender was taken off the Death Row on Friday while Rahim was taken off the previous day. They were both represented by Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos. Derrick Callender was charged with Gary Moses but was tried separately on indictments which accused them of killing 53-year-old

Leila Barrow, at her David Street, Kitty, home between July 23 and July 24, 1993. The Appeal Court set aside the death sentence imposed on Moses and ordered him to stand a retrial. Derrick Callender was convicted and remained incarcerated for 20 years. He spent 17 of those on Death Row. Safraz Rahim was charged with murder on July 1, 2003 for killing a man on the West Bank of Demerara. Rahim had chopped a man to death after responding to a call for help from his sister-in-law. He was convicted and sentenced to death on June 5, 2005.

Two more death row inmates’ sentences commuted

PNCR General Secretary discharged from hospital The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)’s General Secretary, Oscar Clarke, was yesterday discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Clarke, a former Minister of Home Affairs was discharged from the hospital’s Hi-DependencyUnit (HDU) around 10:00am. He was shot twice and gun-butted last Tuesday after bandits stormed his Lot 37 Plum Park, Sophia home while posing as policemen. The 74-year-old man was shot in the region of the left groin and left side after he struggled with two of the intruders who had taken him to his bedroom. His wife, Linda, was

Oscar Clarke slapped by the robbers, who also escaped with an undisclosed amount of valuables. Police have so far arrested one person and are to conduct an ID parade to find Clarke’s attacker.

the service. The end of the matter was not to be as yet since according to Alladin the man proceeded to interrupt the congregation by yelling to him “‘I said move your car now or else you gonna see what will happen’.” In an attempt to appease the situation another member of the mosque decided to relieve Alladin of his keys in order to move the car. Other members also sought to move their cars as well thereby allowing Khan to take his car to the desired spot. Following the service Alladin said that he approached the man and said, “You know there are better ways to deal with things?”

This was however met with another bout of verbal abuse, which according to Alladin, also saw the lawyer preparing to do battle. Before he knew it, the young man said that the lawyer dealt him a blow to his face which prompted one of his uncles to intervene. The matter was subsequently reported to the police and both men were charged and were required to attend court for the matter to be heard. The lawyer got two charges for threatening behaviour and for causing actual bodily harm. Alladin said that he was charged for threatening behaviour too. According to the man’s

father, Saeed Rahman Alladin, from all indications justice was “blindfolded” since nothing came out of the matter. This result, he said, was however predicted by the lawyer, who he said, had warned that nothing would come of the matter since he (the lawyer) knew the presiding Magistrate. “That is one of the reasons that people does do wrong things in this country...” said the senior Alladin. He said that not only were the charges struck out against the lawyer but the matter was eventually dismissed by the presiding Magistrate for “want of prosecution.”

The younger Alladin was not in court when the matter was called. He explained that he was 15 minutes late. The expectation was that the Magistrate would have put down the matter for later that morning. Saeed Alladin said that he has since been advised to file criminal charges against the lawyer since it is his belief that if the lawyer is not penalised for his action it is likely that his behaviour will continue unabated. He said that ahead of having his lawyer file criminal charges against the lawyer he was advised to publicise the incident in the hope that there is not a repeat of the lack of justice.

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In the U.S. you do the crime you do the time

…WHAT ABOUT GUYANA? By Ralph Seeram One of the fascinating things about the U S justice system, is that it gives meaning to the term “no one is above the law”, especially when it comes to “white collar” crimes. There seems to be no tolerance for politicians, public servants or corporate executives who betray public trust or fail to carry out their fiduciary responsibilities. It doesn’t matter if you are a member of Congress, Senator or Congressman, State Governor, Mayor or State Representative; you are going to prison if convicted of any improprieties. I was reminded of this a few days ago as I was reading about the release from federal prison of a former Governor

of the state of Illinois. Ex Governor George Ryan was released from prison after serving about six years of a six-and-a-half-year sentence. Ryan was a Republican Governor for one of the larger States in the U S. He was a popular Governor, and is remembered for deeming Illinois capital punishment laws flawed and emptied death row. That started a heated nationwide debate over the death penalty. Ironically, in 2011 Illinois abolished the death penalty. Now what was Ryan’s crime? He was convicted in 2006 of racketeering, conspiracy, tax fraud and making false statements to the FBI. The jurors found that Ryan had STEERED STATE BUSINESS TO INSIDERS as Secretary of State and then as

governor, for vacations and gifts. He was also accused of stopping an investigation into Secretary of State employees accepting bribes for truck drivers’ licences. Note the operative word STEERED STATE BUSINESS. Does this sound familiar to the Guyanese public? Think of New GPC, Marriott Hotel, NICIL and the dozens of contracts awarded to friends of the government. No doubt there are some in Guyana who would like to see that type of justice meted out there. Many would like to see those who misuse taxpayers’ funds for their own benefit, in prison garbs. Time will tell. Ironically Ryan’s successor Governor Rod Blagojevich is now serving 14 yrs in Federal prison. He tried to extort money from prospective successors for President Obama’s then vacant seat. Quite a few Guyanese, including some attorneys, felt the brunt of the US courts in New York. They learnt the

hard way that the justice system is far different from Guyana. Drug lords in Latin America and the Caribbean fear facing the courts in the United States. Unlike their native countries you can’t bribe your way out. Not that the US justice does not have its fault, especially when it comes to the imprisonment of Afro Americans. Never the less the system works. This week in Orlando Florida, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement opened an investigation into the Mayor and County Commissioners (councilors) of Orange County. Orlando is situated in Orange County. The investigation was initiated because of texting. Sometime last year 50,000 voters signed a petition to be placed on the November ballot. The petition if passed would have forced employers to give their employees paid sick leave. This measure was strongly opposed by some of the state’s largest employers including Walt Disney. The

Mayor and Commissioners had to discuss the measure before placing it on the ballot as required. During the deliberations there was a frenzied exchange of texts between the lobbyists for Walt Disney and other large corporations and the Mayor and Commissioners? They were basically taking orders from the lobbyists. The local newspaper The Orlando Sentinel got wind of it and did an expose article. You see, Florida has what you call a Sunshine Law. Every public business has to be discussed in the open, no secret talks, no backroom deals, public business has to be open and transparent, and those discussions becomes public records. Therein lies the problem, when it became known that they were discussing the ballot measure by texts the officials decided to delete the texts that then created another offence tampering with evidence, destroying evidence. What was outrageous

was the fact that council members decided to delay the measure until after the deadline to place it on the ballot was passed. What is ironic about this affair is that the Mayor Teresa Jacobs ran on a platform of open and clean government. That was before big corporations started to donate to her campaign. Some of the deleted texts have been recovered and most if not all of those officials are looking at jail time if convicted. I mention these incidents to show the difference between good governance here in the US and Guyana. To his credit President Donald Ramotar has been opening up the government. However he has a long way to go to regain public confidence. Can we see a Cabinet minister charged with corruption under this regime? That may convince taxpayers that the PPP government is serious about corruption. Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: ralph365@hotmail.com

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Opposition names CCJ judge for President of Trinidad and Tobago Rolston Nelson Trinidad Guardian Former Appeal Court judge Rolston Nelson, a member of

the Caribbean Court of Justice, is the proposed nominee of the People’s National Movement for the post of President. Opposition whip Marlene Mc Donald wrote to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar Friday proposing Nelson’s nomination by consensus. Public relations officer of the PNM Senator Faris Al

Argentina plays last cards with NY appellate court BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina has played its last cards ahead of an appellate court hearing in New York that could set a global precedent for nations trying to settle bad debts. Briefs filed early yesterday Buenos Aires time show the South American government is refusing to cede any ground to a group of holdout creditors it calls “vulture funds.” The holdouts want to be paid the full original promised

value plus interest for bonds that Argentina hasn’t made payments on since its 2001 debt crisis. Instead, Argentina is offering the same terms that 93 percent of other bondholders accepted years ago. Its brief argues that anything less would be unfair to most investors and make it impossible for other nations to negotiate new terms for foreign debts they can’t pay. Both sides have 15 minutes for oral arguments on Feb. 27.

Rawi said the letter was copied to Leader of Government Business, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal. He told a hastily arranged news conference at his law office in Port-of-Spain yesterday that the party had selected a nominee. He did not name the PNM candidate, saying only that the proposed nominee was “a suitable person for consideration, for consensus,” was an official from the judiciary and would only accept the nomination if it was on a consensus basis. Al-Rawi said the nominee had served “very high in the country, from the judicial sphere, someone who is truly and properly non-political in orientation,” and had never had any political affiliation. “We have written to say this is the person with the type of calibre we think survives any political affiliation, stands as truly independent in our society, who we think would have support from the broad society,” Al-Rawi said. He

said the PNM would like the People’s Partnership Government to “consider whether they can have consensus on this proposed nominee.” Al Rawi said the Government had ample time to consider the proposal before the February 5 deadline

for nomination. The electoral college meets on February 15 to elect a new President. The Government said it had a nominee but he or she will not be confirmed until after Monday’s special Cabinet meeting. The Opposition has been seeking to have the new

President appointed by consensus. Al-Rawi said he was hopeful the Government would seek to do the right thing “so that the larger elements of our society, the population as a whole will believe in the process of independence.”

Unruly passengers force Caribbeanbound flight to divert to Bermuda A Sunwing flight from Halifax bound for the Dominican Republic was forced to land in Bermuda Friday night because three passengers refused to stop smoking on the plane, CBC News has learned. The Bermuda police service said they were called to the airport around 9:55 p.m. local time to meet Sunwing flight 454, which was on its way to Punta Cana. Police said they boarded the plane and arrested the three smokers. “It appeared to be a father, a mother and a son. The

parents appear to be in their 50s. The son, I believe, is around 22 or so,” said acting Insp. Paul Simons. He said another passenger asked the family to stop smoking in the cabin and alerted the crew. Simons said he couldn’t confirm the family’s nationality or if they had also been drinking, but said they were co-operative when they were removed from the plane by police. They were taken to the police station and have since been released on bail. The flight was grounded

overnight and the crew and passengers were put up in a hotel. “The flight was also grounded so that a Canadiantrained mechanic could inspect the aircraft for undetermined reasons,” Simons said. The flight was scheduled to leave on Saturday. The family has been ordered not to leave the island and their passports and travel documents have been seized by the Bermuda police. They have not been officially charged. (CBC News)

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T&T media owners, Govt. ministers hold talks as legal battle looms over free airtime Trinidad Guardian - The T&T Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) yesterday maintained its objection to giving free airtime to government programmes. President of the TTPBA Kiran Maharaj raised objections during Friday’s meeting with Communications Minister Jamal Mohammed at his Nicholas Towers office. Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal also attended the meeting, a follow-up to one in October last year. Government is seeking one hour per day of free airtime for its programming, but media owners claim the Government is seeking to dictate the content on the airwaves. Maharaj said the TTPBA was seeking legal advice on public interest broadcast. She said the media owners continue to object to the move by the Government to have the programmes aired. In a statement given to the T&T Guardian, Maharaj said the TTPBA was “disappointed and surprised by the manner

Jamal Mohammed in which TV broadcasters were addressed via letters where you (Mohammed) gave a time for the programmes to be aired.” She also said the broadcasters objected to a Government programme titled MPs Scorecard. During the meeting Mohammed apologised for any misrepresentation and misapprehension caused and said the letter was subsequently revoked. He said there was need for compromise and consensus. Moonilal said while the TTPBA had the right to seek a legal opinion, there would

always be different legal opinions on any given matter. He said he wanted to know what would happen if the Attorney General had a different opinion from that obtained by the TTPBA. Tony Maharaj, a member of the TTPBA, said the matter would be taken higher. “The Privy Council?” Moonilal inquired, adding that he was hopeful that the matter would not be taken down that road. Moonilal said no government would be happy with a stakeholder imposing a definition of public interest, and suggested that the TTPBA submit in writing to the Communications Minister, within 21 days, the options available to the Government for airing the programmes. Mohammed told the Guardian after the meeting that he was happy with its outcome. “We have come to a good agreement as to the way forward,” he said, adding that he was confident there would be further dialogue and compromise. “So it is a good move and we are happy,” he said.

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US wants CARICOM to address human rights issues in Cuba GEORGETOWN, Guyana, - CMC – The United States wants the Caribbean to tell Cuba to deal with issues of democracy and human rights, but at least one Caribbean Community (CARICOM) government says it will not interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign country. Moreover, Guyana’s Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett said her country does not believe that there is a “one size fits all where democracy is concerned. “I see that many of the countries have partners with other countries that don’t have our brand of democracy as well,” she told a news

conference attended by US Plenipotentiary Representative to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Brent Hardt. Hardt said that the 15member CARICOM grouping should inform Havana that it must embrace democracy and improve human rights. “We (United States) are not perfect and we are trying to deal with some very serious security threats as well but we are a staunch defender of human rights throughout the world,” said Hardt. He said while Washington was not trying to tell Caribbean countries how to conduct their relations with Cuba “it has always struck me

Former minister joins opposition in filing court injunction Sam Condor

JLP wants PM to withdraw ‘enemy of the state’ comment

Andrew Holness Jamaica Observer - The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) says it is shocked by a recent statement by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who told supporters at a party meeting in St Ann earlier this week that Opposition Leader Andrew Holness could be an “enemy of the State”. JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang, in a release Friday, said that the term “enemy of the State” is a specific designation that refers to someone who has committed a crime against the nation. “When a prime minister

uses the term... it is potentially inciteful in our political context,” Dr Chang said. “We are calling on the prime minister to retract her comments and to reconsider the adversarial path on which she seems intent on taking the country,” Chang demanded. The party has, in the meantime, written Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington, stating that after careful consideration of the phrase “the Parliamentary Opposition is of the view that such a statement is inciteful and places the Leader of the Opposition in harm’s way”. “It is not an inconsequential designation, especially when it is made by a prime minister of a country... We ask that you take careful note of the statement and our concerns for the safety and security of the leader of the Opposition and his family,” the letter signed by the party’s spokesman on national security, Delroy Chuck, stated. Dr Chang, in expressing the party’s concerns, stated that the Jamaican people could not continue to ignore and

excuse “reckless statements” made by the prime minister. “For some time now it has been a strategy of PNP administrations to attack and label opposition leaders. This time, Mrs Simpson-Miller has gone too far. Not only is the statement inflammatory and inciteful, but it is a departure from the civil and democratic practices of our society,” the JLP official said. “A new trend is emerging where anyone who speaks up about social ills or the performance of the Government, whether they be priest or politician, are targeted for threats and uncomplimentary labelling. The prime minister’s statement is, in itself, a threat to the political stability of the nation and brings the office into disrepute,” he added. The releases emanating from the party were supported by similar statement issued by Generation 2000 (G2K), the JLP’s young professionals arm; the Nationalist Patriotic Movement; and, Citizens Action for Principle and Integrity, whose spokesman is former JLP Senator Dennis Meadows.

that there is great potential for this region to help to move Cuba to a place where its people can also share those same values, those same freedoms. “Because the Caribbean is such a good friend and partner with Cuba, I think they would be more inclined to listen to folks from this region than they might be if they were to hear the same thing from us,” he said. The United States has maintained a commercial and economic blockade of Cuba for many years, despite United Nations resolutions and calls by CARICOM for it to lift the embargo on the only Communist country in the region.

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Former deputy prime minister Sam Condor has filed an injunction in the High Court here seeking to prevent Attorney General Jason

Hamilton from performing as a senator in the National Assembly. Attorney Vincent Byron Jr, said he had filed the motion on Friday on behalf of

Condor and the leader of the main opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM), Shawn Richards, seeking also to block the performance of the Increase in Senators Act. Byron said the applicants are also seeking relief while the matter is being heard in court and that the defendants in the matter are Governor General Sir Edmund Lawrence, Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas, Speaker of the House Curtis Martin and Hamilton. Earlier this week, the Denzil Douglas government secured passage of the Senators Increase of Numbers Bill 2013 by an 8-7 margin with both Condor and dismissed senior Cabinet minister Dr. Timothy Harris publicly opposing the measure.

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Netanyahu asked to form next Israeli government JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s president asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday to form the next government, and Netanyahu pledged that his new administration will be committed to advancing peace talks with the Palestinians. Israeli President Shimon Peres formally requested Netanyahu to build a governing coalition, after conducting consultations with all 12 parties that won seats in last week’s election. A majority of newly elected lawmakers recommended Netanyahu as prime ministerdesignate. Netanyahu now has six weeks to form a coalition government, with an extension of 14 days if needed. If he succeeds, he will begin his third term as Israeli premier. At a televised news conference, Netanyahu said the government’s top priority should be to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon. He also said the government should “deal with another deadly weapon being stockpiled near us and threatening our cities and

civilians,” a thinly veiled reference to weapons caches in Syria. An attack on a weapons convoy in Syria this week has been widely attributed to Israel, though Israel has not commented on the matter. Netanyahu also said his next government would be “committed to peace.” “I call on Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) to come back to the negotiating table,” Netanyahu said. “It’s a shame, with every day that passes without us talking and trying to find a solution for peace for our two nations.” Netanyahu also vowed to push for more universal military service that would put an end to longstanding draft exemptions for ultraOrthodox Jewish seminary students, lower housing prices and revamp the Israeli system of governance. Those were three high-priority issues for the new centrist party Yesh Atid, which emerged as the second largest party in the January elections after Netanyahu’s Likud party. Party leader Yair Lapid, a former television anchorman,

campaigned on middle-class issues like the high cost of living, and also criticized Netanyahu’s outgoing government for including too many ministers. Netanyahu said he wants a broad governing coalition that will bring stability to the government and allow it to confront these challenges. “At a time when there are so many forces trying to splinter Israel, we have to unite,” Netanyahu said. It will be difficult for Netanyahu to form a wide coalition. Lapid’s new centrist party is expected to be Netanyahu’s main coalition partner, but to ensure a parliamentary majority, the two will need at least one more mid-sized partner. The most likely candidates are two parties that stand staunchly against Lapid’s demands for compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews and advancing peace talks with the Palestinians. The ultra-Orthodox Shas party is likely to resist any change to Israel’s draft law, and the pro-settlements Jewish Home party will likely

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, receives a folder from Israeli President Simon Peres in a brief ceremony in the president’s Jerusalem residence yesterday. (AP Photo/Jim Hollander, Pool) resist attempts to restart talks with the current Palestinian leadership. Lapid has said he will not sit in a government that does

not restart moribund peace talks with the Palestinians, but the issue could get sidelined since the largest parties share more common ground on

domestic matters like the army draft. Israel’s new members of parliament are scheduled to be sworn in next week.

Ahmadinejad unveils Iran’s newest fighter jet TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran yesterday unveiled its newest combat jet, a domestically manufactured fighter-bomber that military officials claim can evade radar. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a ceremony broadcast on state TV that building the Qaher F313, or Dominant F-313, shows Iran’s will to “conquer scientific peaks.” The Qaher is one of several aircraft designs the Iranian military has rolled out since 2007. Tehran has repeatedly claimed to have developed advanced military technologies in recent years, but its claims cannot be independently verified because the country does not release technical details of its arsenals. The Islamic republic launched a self-sufficient military program in the 1980s to compensate for a Western weapons embargo that banned export of military technology and equipment to Iran. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, torpedoes, drones and fighter planes. “Qaher is a fully

indigenous aircraft designed and built by our aerospace experts. This is a radarevading plane that can fly at low altitude, carry weapons, engage enemy aircrafts and land at short airstrips,” Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said. Vahidi said advanced materials were used to manufacture the body of the aircraft, making it Iran’s best stealth plane. However, some reports suggest that Iran’s program relies on equipment supplied by major international defense contractors and that it incorporates parts made abroad or uses outside engineered technologies in its domestic designs. Still photos of the Qaher released by the official IRNA news agency and pictures on state TV showed a single-seat jet. They described it as a fighter-bomber that can combat other aircraft and ground targets. Iran’s English-language state Press TV said Qaher was similar to the American-made F/A-18, an advanced fighter capable of dogfighting as well as penetrating enemy air defenses to strike ground targets.

But Hasan Parvaneh, an official in charge of the project, said the physical design of the Iranian plane was unique and bore no resemblance to any foreign fighter jet. “Development depends on our will. If we don’t have a will, no one can take us there,” Ahmadinejad told the inauguration ceremony in Tehran. “Once we imported cars and assembled them here. Now, we are at a point where we can design, build and get planes in the air.” Ahmadinejad said Qaher was built for deterrence. “It’s not for expansionism. It’s for deterrence,” he said, claiming the aircraft was among the most advanced fighter jets in the world. In 2007, Iran unveiled what it said was its first domestically manufactured fighter jet, called Azarakhsh or Lightning. In the same year, it claimed that Azarakhsh had reached industrial production stage. Saeqeh, or Thunder, was a follow-up aircraft derived from Azarakhsh. Iran unveiled its first squadron of Saeqeh fighter bombers in an air show in September 2010.

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Turkey says tests confirm leftist bombed U.S. embassy ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A member of a Turkish leftist group that accuses Washington of using Turkey as its “slave” carried out a suicide bomb attack on the U.S. embassy, the Ankara governor’s office cited DNA tests as showing Saturday. Ecevit Sanli, a member of the leftist Revolutionary People’s Liberation ArmyFront (DHKP-C), blew himself up in a perimeter gatehouse on Friday as he tried to enter the embassy, also killing a Turkish security guard. The DHKP-C, virulently anti-American and listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and Turkey, claimed responsibility in a statement on the internet in which it said Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was a U.S. “puppet”. “Murderer America! You will not run away from people’s rage,” the statement on “The People’s Cry” website said, next to a picture of Sanli wearing a black beret and military-style clothes and with an explosives belt around his waist. It warned Erdogan that he too was a target. Turkey is an important

U.S. ally in the Middle East with common interests ranging from energy security to counter-terrorism. Leftist groups including the DHKPC strongly oppose what they see as imperialist U.S. influence over their nation. DNA tests confirmed that Sanli was the bomber, the Ankara governor’s office said. It said he had fled Turkey a decade ago and was wanted by the authorities. Born in 1973 in the Black Sea port city of Ordu, Sanli was jailed in 1997 for attacks on a police station and a military staff college in Istanbul, but his sentence was deferred after he fell sick during a hunger strike. He was never re-jailed. Condemned to life in prison in 2002, he fled the country a year later, officials said. Interior Minister Muammer Guler said he had re-entered Turkey using false documents. Erdogan, who said hours after the attack that the DHKP-C were responsible, met his interior and foreign ministers as well as the head of the army and state security service in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss the

bombing. Three people were detained in Istanbul and Ankara in connection with the attack, state broadcaster TRT said. The White House condemned the bombing as an “act of terror”, while the U.N. Security Council described it as a heinous act. U.S. officials said on Friday the DHKP-C were the main suspects but did not exclude other possibilities. Islamist radicals, extreme left-wing groups, ultranationalists and Kurdish militants have all carried out attacks in Turkey in the past. The DHKP-C statement called on Washington to remove Patriot missiles, due to go operational on Monday as part of a NATO defense system, from Turkish soil. The missiles are being deployed alongside systems from Germany and the Netherlands to guard Turkey, a NATO member, against a spillover of the war in neighboring Syria. “Our action is for the independence of our country, which has become a new slave of America,” the

statement said. Turkey has been one of the leading advocates of foreign intervention to end the civil war in Syria and has become one of President Bashar al-Assad’s harshest critics, a stance groups such as the DHKP-C view as submission to an imperialist agenda. “Organizations of the sectarian sort like the DHKPC have been gaining ground as a result of circumstances surrounding the Syrian civil war,” security analyst Nihat Ali Ozcan wrote in a column in Turkey’s Daily News. The Ankara attack was the second on a U.S. mission in four months. On September 11, 2012, U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three American personnel were killed in an Islamist militant attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The DHKP-C was responsible for the assassination of two U.S. military contractors in the early 1990s in protest against the first Gulf War, and it fired rockets at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul in 1992, according to the U.S. State Department.

Tayyip Erdogan

It has been blamed for previous suicide attacks, including one in 2001 that killed two police officers and a tourist in Istanbul’s central Taksim Square. It has carried out a series of deadly attacks on police stations in the last six months.

Friday’s attack may have come in retaliation for an operation against the DHKPC last month in which Turkish police detained 85 people. A court subsequently remanded 38 of them in custody over links to the group.

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Syrian opposition talks with Russia, seeks breakthrough MUNICH (Reuters) - The Syrian opposition leader met Russia’s foreign minister in Germany yesterday and said he would also hold talks with the Iranian foreign minister, opening a window to a possible breakthrough in efforts to broker an end to Syria’s civil war. Russia and Iran have been the staunchest allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout an armed uprising against his rule, and any understandings they might reach with Assad’s foes could help overcome the two sides’ refusal to negotiate. At an annual international security conference in Munich, Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz Alkhatib had talks with Russia’s Sergei Lavrov that may have been made possible by Alkhatib signaling readiness to talk to Damascus. He also met separately with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and U.N. special envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi. “Russia has a certain vision but we welcome

negotiations to alleviate the crisis and there are lots of details that need to be discussed,” Alkhatib said after the meeting. The Syrian opposition leader said he would also meet Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, who was attending the Munich security conference, later on Saturday or on Sunday. His purpose in meeting Salehi and the U.S. and Russian officials was “to discuss finding a way to remove the regime with the least possible bloodshed and loss of life”, he said. Russia has blocked three U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at pushing out Assad out or pressuring him to end the civil war, in which more than 60,000 people have died. But Moscow has also tried to distance itself from Assad by saying it is not trying to prop him up and will not offer him asylum. “The talks about Syria are intensifying and the Iranians have been drawn in. Let’s see how it all ends,” one diplomatic

source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Alkhatib put his authority within the opposition movement at risk earlier this week when he broke ranks to say he would be willing to meet Syrian officials to discuss a transition if political prisoners arrested during the uprising were freed. The opposition coalition’s 12-member politburo then told Alkhatib not to respond to any proposals made in Munich without consulting with them first, with one opposition source citing concern that Alkhatib’s move would damage the revolt’s morale. Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Alkhatib’s apparent readiness to meet Assad envoys outside Syria, calling him “not only courageous but smart”. She also voiced concern that Iran had recently increased military support for Assad. While some headway was apparently being made in Munich, Iranian media said

that Saeed Jalili of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council had traveled to Damascus to meet officials and help Assad “stand against plots hatched by global arrogance” - an allusion to the United States and other Western powers. A comment by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev last week that Assad’s chances of staying in power were getting “smaller and smaller” was regarded in some quarters as a sign of a shift in the Kremlin’s Syria policy. At the same time, Syrian opposition figure Hassan Bali, in Munich as an independent observer, called Alkhatib’s meeting with Biden “a big signal from the Americans” that they were upgrading support for rebels fighting to topple Assad. Biden said he had urged Alkhatib “to isolate extremist elements within the broader opposition and to reach out to, and be inclusive of, a broad range of communities inside Syria, including Alawites, Christians and Kurds”.

Moaz Al Khatib There was little evidence at the Munich conference that the U.S. and Russian positions on Assad were getting any closer. “The persistence of those who say that priority number one is the removal of Assad is the single biggest reason for the continuing tragedy in Syria,” Lavrov told the conference. Biden on the other hand said the White House was “convinced that President Assad, a tyrant hell-bent on clinging to power, is no longer fit to lead Syrian people and he must go”. Russia is Assad’s main arms supplier and, with Iran, has been among his strongest supporters during

the 22-month-old conflict, which began with peaceful protests and evolved into civil war after Assad tried to crush unrest by military force. U.S. Republican Senator John McCain, a long-time critic of the Obama administration’s reluctance to intervene in Syria, said in Munich that the United States and its allies had “stood by and watched the massacre of 60,000 innocent people”. McCain told reporters Obama should have explained to the American people the need to intervene - but that “requires leadership”, he said. “And so far there is no American presidential leadership.”

UK may overhaul private-sector defence deals to save cash (Reuters) - Britain’s defence ministry, casting about for possible savings in a time of austerity, is looking into restructuring privately financed projects to take advantage of lower interest rates, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said yesterday. The ministry has used private finance initiative (PFI) schemes to fund projects ranging from a new fleet of aerial refuelling planes to military housing. But some of the deals have been criticised for saddling the government with long-term, expensive repayments. PFI schemes, used in Britain since the 1990s, tap the private sector to finance infrastructure or equipment needed by the public sector. The government then typically repays the loan over a long period. Britain has sharply scaled back government spending, including its defence budget, to rein in a big budget deficit but the government is looking for further savings. “We have a whole web of contracts which are financed with legacy financing arrangements that come from a period of time when financing conditions were different and the government

Philip Hammond didn’t have access to markets on the kind of prices that it does now,” Hammond told reporters at a security conference in Munich. “Any contractual arrangement where a significant part of the cost is constructed around financing is always worth looking at if financing conditions change - and they clearly have changed.” One of the most controversial PFI deals in the defence sector has been a 10.5 billion pound ($16.5 billion) military air tanker contract with a consortium led by European aerospace giant EADS. Hammond declined to say whether this was one of the projects his department

was examining. He said the government was looking into whether there were ways the Ministry of Defence could use the government’s good credit rating and low borrowing costs to restructure the financing of some of the PFI deals and reduce the annual operating costs of the contracts. “It doesn’t have any impact on front-line capabilities at all, but could, if got right, take out some serious cost,” he said, adding that his department had experts looking at the potential for restructuring PFI deals “right now”. Hammond gave no details of how his proposal might work. The British government, helped by its top-notch tripleA credit rating, has been able to borrow at low interest rates during the financial crisis, although rating firm Fitch warned recently that Britain faced greater risks of losing that rating. Britain and France, Western Europe’s leading military powers, and many other European countries have been forced to downsize their armies in response to budget pressures, raising U.S. concerns about declining European military capabilities.

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Biden raises possibility of direct U.S.-Iran talks

Joe Biden MUNICH (Reuters) - The United States is ready for direct talks with Iran if it is serious about negotiations, Vice President Joe Biden said yesterday, backing bilateral contact many see as crucial to easing a dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program. Speaking at a security conference in Munich, Biden said Iran - which says it is enriching uranium for peaceful energy only - now faced “the most robust sanctions in history” meant to ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons. “But we have also made clear that Iran’s leaders need not sentence their people to economic deprivation and international isolation,” Biden said. “There is still time, there is still space for diplomacy

backed by pressure to succeed. The ball is in the government of Iran’s court.” To date, fitful talks on Iran’s nuclear program have been between Tehran and the EU’s top diplomat representing six world powers including Washington. But analysts have suggested that with his re-election behind him, President Barack Obama might have more leeway to take on direct negotiations with Iran. That makes the year ahead critical for chances of overcoming a stand-off which, if left to fester further, could see Iran approach nuclear weapons capability, possibly provoking military action by Israel that could inflame the Middle East. Progress on Iran would also help ease regional tensions as the United States prepares to pull most combat troops out of Iran’s neighbor Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Asked whether Washington might consider direct talks with Iran to smooth the process, Biden said, “When the Iranian leadership, Supreme Leader

(Ayatollah Ali Khamenei), is serious. “We have made it clear at the outset that we would be prepared to meet bilaterally with the Iranian leadership, we would not make it a secret that we were doing that, we would let our partners know if that occasion presented itself. “That offer stands, but it must be real and tangible and there has to be an agenda that they are prepared to speak to. We are not just prepared to do it for the exercise.” Negotiations with Iran have so far been overseen by European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on behalf of France, Britain, Germany, China, Russia and the United States. But they have made scant headway, raising fears Iran is simply playing for time while it develops nuclear know-how. Ashton has asked Iran to hold a round of talks this month and on Friday called on Tehran to abandon plans to install and operate advanced centrifuges that would speed up its ability to enrich uranium - potentially making it easier for it to produce the highly-enriched

uranium needed for nuclear weapons. Many believe no deal is possible without a U.S.Iranian thaw, requiring direct talks addressing myriad sources of mutual mistrust and hostility lingering since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and the hostage crisis at the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Iran has avoided direct, public talks with the United States, though some suggest Tehran would eventually welcome an opportunity to end its international isolation. Speaking at a news conference in Munich, Republican Senator John McCain said he would have no objection to direct talks but questioned how much these would achieve if fundamental questions over Iran’s nuclear program remained unresolved. “I don’t know when we will have direct talks between the United States and Iran. That is a subject for the president of the United States. I don’t think anyone here objects to that,” he said. But he added, “to have grounds for optimism, I think, would be a mistake.”

With Iran holding its own presidential elections in June, hopes of progress before then are limited. The United States and its allies, however, do not have an indefinite amount of time to negotiate. Notwithstanding the current stalemate, Iran’s nuclear program is advancing and international consensus on sanctions may be hard to maintain. Israel, which describes the prospect of Iran being able to weaponize enriched uranium as an existential threat, has made clear it would be ready to bomb the nuclear sites of its arch-enemy to prevent that outcome. The United States has also said it would not rule out the use of military force. Speaking at the Munich conference, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said that “2013 is the decisive year on Iran, especially for political reasons. “We had elections in the United States and Israel, we will have elections in June in Iran; we see increasing capabilities especially with the issue of enrichment - let us be very frank, we did not have progress in the last 12

months, so it is obvious that we have to use this year..” Russia, which has been impatient with decades of U.S. hostility to Tehran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution but backed U.N. Security Council sanctions since 2006, repeated on Saturday the need to find a diplomatic solution. “Iran must know the overall game plan, it must see what is in it for it in this process. We need to convince Iran that this is not about regime change ... this mistrust must be overcome,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the conference. That comment was echoed by Westerwelle. “If we want to reach this goal, it would be wrong to discuss all these military options and possibilities. It is now important to focus our whole attention, all our effort for a diplomatic and political solution.” This would have to include a relief from sanctions as well as recognition of Iran’s right to enrich uranium to the lower levels needed for civilian nuclear fuel, security analysts say.

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Guyanese woman makes significant mark in the UK

Mayor Harewood and Her Husband Peter Jones

Mayor of Macclesfield, Alift Harewood By Rehanna Ramsay With a humble beginning in Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, just a stone’s throw from the backdoor of the Methodist Church, Alift Harewood nee Allman defied social, economic and ethnic odds to become the first black Mayor of Macclesfield, a small town in the City of Manchester in the borough of Cheshire. Growing up in the small West Coast of Demerara community, Alift Allman started school at the tender age of three. She would accompany older children to Edin Franklin‘s kindergarten school which was held in the front room of her small house. Education was a must for the Allman family, under the care of her aunt Leonora Allman also known as “Mama Nora.” Young Alift attended St. John‘s Anglican school, then Stewartville Congregational school where she won a scholarship to Tutorial High School. There, she wrote the Junior Cambridge examination. However due to social and financial constraints, Alift was forced to leave school before completing the senior Cambridge examination. Despite her current circumstances, Alift now 19 years old knew that she wanted to do something meaningful with her life. She loved books, reading, spelling and poetry, hence her vocabulary developed widely and consequently in comparison to her peers she was well spoken which was not customary for a girl her age, living in the

“countryside.” As such other teenagers would often separate themselves from her labeling her “Miss Prim and Proper.” Some even avoided her because of her appearance. They said that she looked like a boy. Alift decided to venture into the field of nursing. She thought it best to battle out on her own since it would have been financially difficult for her aunt Leonora to support her, being a single parent, having a few children of her own to care for. In 1954, Alift applied for nursing position at then Leonora Estate Hospital. However another challenge presented itself. Having been a successful applicant, the young woman was invited for an official interview but could not go to the meeting because she didn’t have a suitable dress for the occasion. One might imagine the immense anticipation that teenaged Alift may have been through at a time when neither telephones nor power of technology via computers was existent, what it must have been like for her to receive that telegram. How ecstatic young Alift may have been at the receipt of the mail and how that excitement all ended when she realized that she didn’t have the dress to suit the occasion. However crushed at the circumstances, she remained optimistic of the other possibilities. Thus Alift applied for a nursing job, once more but this time to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Some time after she

applied to the institution, while walking along the road, Alift met a kind old gentleman, Mr. George Todd, who told her that her name was published in the daily newspapers as a successful candidate to join the nursing profession. Alift confirmed the news after reading a copy of the publication. The aspiring nurse left for Georgetown with merely half the money needed to travel to the City. That day, she sat a theoretical examination and returned to West Demerara via the ferry service. Upon arrival at Vreed –en- Hoop, Alift walked to Anna Catherina. Alift began her lifelong career as a nurse at the Georgetown Public Hospital in January 17, 1956 under the first Afro-Guyanese Matron, Irma Primus. She loved her job hence her promotion to staff nurse/midwife in 1964, she even worked at the Palms. Alift moved to Georgetown, met and married her first husband, Roy Basil Harewood, a reporter. The union produced four children Basil, Courtney, Robert and Christopher Harewood, all of whom have success stories of their own. The Pre Independence era, which resulted in constant riots and political unrest throughout Guyana, prompted Alift Harewood and several other healthcare workers to migrate. Alift travelled to England to continue her training as a nurse with plans of returning to Guyana with additional qualification, and equipped for managerial position in the field. Thus Alift headed for London, leaving her husband and four children behind. In 1969, three months before she completed her training life took a turn. Alift received the dreadful news that her husband had passed away. The woman, now a registered nurse in Great Britain returned to her country with the hope of reclaiming her old job in the local workforce. However after her attempts failed, her brother Vincent Allman persuaded her

to return to England. A distraught and confused Alift heeded her brother‘s advice and headed for England with her children. After several years in the nursing profession, Alift, who sees age as just a number, decided to continue her education. She attended the Manchester Metropolitan University where she graduated with honours achieving her Bachelors of Arts (BA) in social sciences. It was during this period that Alift developed an interest in politics. Thus she returned to the University to acquire her Masters in political science. Alift has a degree in contemporary theater from Leeds University. She was honored as an outstanding student and awarded back in 2012, from Arden School of Theatre. In 2007 Alift received the Woman of the Year award and the Honorary Alderman Life achievement award in 2009. After graduating achieving g her political education, Alift Harewood

young Alift Harewood in her nursing uniform was elected a councilor of Macclesfield. She was elected Deputy Mayor of town and in 2011; she was reelected for the post. While serving as a Deputy Mayor in 2009, the woman returned to Guyana where she paid cordial visits to the Mayor of Georgetown, the Palms, the Georgetown Public Hospital, Tutorial High School and Stewartville Primary School where she gave a motivational speech to the students. On May 24, 2012 after residing for over 40 years in

Maccasfield Alift Harewood was finally elected Mayor of the City. Now 79 years old Harewood recently wed her second husband, Peter Jones, a British psychologist. Harewood also plays an active role in the Methodist church she attends, sings alto in the choir, loves performing arts and plans to be cast in a play. She accredits her success to her humble beginning as well as to her foundation of learning and is eternally grateful to her Primary school teacher Irad Doplin.

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Carnegie Home Economics celebrates 80 years - plans include changing name and expanding to the regions As the Carnegie School of Home Economics celebrates 80 years of existence, its Board of Directors has announced plans to have the name of the institution changed, as well as to have the courses offered be expanded beyond Georgetown and into the various regions of the country. Speaking at a press conference on Friday on behalf of the members on the school’s Board of Directors, its Chairman, John Seeram, explained that the call for a name change comes at a time when the Carnegie School of Home Economics has expanded in other areas like Cosmetology, visual arts and craft. He proposed that the Carnegie School of Home Economics be changed to the Carnegie Hospitality Institute. This will be done some time later in the year. Citing the need to extend its courses beyond the Georgetown area, the school’s governing board is hoping to one day establish

units of the school in other regions of the country, particularly Regions- Six (Berbice) and Two (Essequibo). However, despite the many plans to upgrade and develop the institution, funds remains a problem. The Carnegie School of Home Economics is therefore looking to engage the private sector in this regard. It should be noted that the school would do things to generate income on a daily basis. They have been running a daily restaurant which is catered for by students of the school. The students are also in the process of publicizing their new boardroom which they hope would be rented by persons in order to further generate income for the school. The school will be celebrating this milestone by hosting a number of activities under the theme- ‘Positive Attitude, Knowledge and Skills - the springboard for success’. Some of the events

Students of the Carnegie School of Home Economics pose for a photo opportunity in the restaurant planned include the launching of a magazine in March, fundraising activities, Chefs’ competition, a tea party, a church service; a bake-off competition; a craft

bonanza and lots more. The Carnegie School of Home Economics which is located on D’Urban and High Streets, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, was established in 1933 with the aim of educating the women of society and improving family life. In addition, Principal of the Institution, Ms. Penelope Harris, said that over the past eight decades, the institution has been playing a key role in churning out many of the professionals who are currently operating in the hospitality sector of Guyana and beyond. She added that the aim of the school is to assist in the development of the tourism sector, with emphasis on eco-

tourism. The Carnegie School of Home Economics will also be participating in Carifesta (Caribbean Festival of Arts) 2013 which is slated for Suriname. It was also explained that the school is also working to establish an alumni body. A call is therefore being made for all past staff and students to make contact with the institution as soon as possible. Harris also stated that the school takes pride in its achievements thus far, and that she hopes to continue to join with students and staff to further carry out the legacy set by those before them. It was also noted that some 1,600 students pass

through the various programmes, including the evening and full-time programmes and special courses designed for organisations and industries, on an annual basis. Apart from all the jolly celebrations, the Carnegie School of Home Economics will also be conducting a quality assurance evaluation. This is to ensure that its courses are on par with regional and international standards. The School is also working to be accredited. “It is important that we get accredited… We will be proud to know of our achievements in that we will be recognized regionally perhaps even globally” John Seeram said.

Dem boys seh...

Somebody know wheh de money deh When people talk bout fraud Jagdeo use to tell dem to provide de evidence. When dem provide de evidence he use to tell everybody that while dem got evidence, de evidence cannot stand up in court. Dem boys know that he is an economist. Dem ain’t know since when he is lawyer or judge or magistrate. Dem is de people who got to decide whether de evidence can stand up in court. People give de man evidence bout container fraud and he tun he face. When a man press he then he tun he back. That is how three-quarter of de country tun thieves. Some get away wid all dem thief and continue to thief. Ask de Bees plus Rob Earth and Irfaat. Dem know people who thief so much and some of dem share in de thiefing money that people know how dem tun some of de richest people in de region. And to become so rich you got to be a scamp of de highest order. That is wha dem boys seh. Jagdeo bright and he know de Treasury inside out. He know it so good that he can tek out money by remote control from de Treasury. When he was President, Shaatie use to tek out fuh he. Dem tek out money and give Bar Bee fuh keep. Bar Bee does walk money, sleep money and dream money. He and dem Bees now wondering wha next to buy. Dem done buy almost all of Guyana and dem control air, land and sea. Is only Sonny mess up de air control. And de man who selling is Brazzy. He sell everything, from de Santa complex to some private property. Brazzy strike de deal fuh Vieira TV and all he property, even de house at Versailles. And all de money wha transfer to NICIL did not end up in de Treasury or in de bank. Dem boys seh that de people of this country need to know wheh de money deh. That is wha dem boys want to know too. And dem boys ain’t gun rest till dem see, smell, taste, feel and know wheh all de money gone. Talk half and wait fuh when dem gun show wheh de money deh.

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Ganja-smoking soldiers to face military charges - there will be no retribution-Chief-of-Staff assures An Officer and four Other Ranks of the Guyana Defence Force have been detained in relation to their alleged involvement in criminal conduct, reportedly committed in the Cuyuni mining district recently. This was disclosed in a GDF press release following a visit to the area by Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best, in the wake of allegations that a group of rogues soldiers from the army base at Eteringbang had carried out an authorized raid two Fridays ago. The arrests bring the GDF closer to instituting court martial proceedings against the soldiers after they were positively identified by miners as being present and entering the mining camps. The five were escorted by GDF investigators and brought to Camp Ayanganna yesterday. “The officer and ranks are currently detained in Camp Ayanganna where they were charged with military offences. They appeared before a Commanding Officer and were remanded for a Summary of Evidence with a

view to Court Martial proceedings. At this time the Guyana Defence Force has sufficient evidence to charge the ranks under military law.” Prior to his visit, the Chief of Staff had ordered an investigation into the incident. The probe was followed by a commission of inquiry into the administrative breaches at the army Eteringbang Base. The GDF in a press release issued on Friday, said that the miners and their support staff in the community have cooperated with GDF in its investigations “to the extent that some have identified the GDF officer and soldiers as having been at the Julian Ross Landing, where they allegedly conducted criminal acts.” “The inquiry into the recently reported alleged robbing of mining camps by a group of soldiers continues and a report is expected to be submitted to the Chief of Staff shortly,” the GDF statement said. On Friday Commodore Best met with a group of miners at the Julian Ross Landing in the Cuyuni. He

also visited Guyana Goldfields at Aurora. In discussions with the miners about what acts transpired in the alleged raid by the soldiers, Commodore Best emphasized the need for the miners to come forward and identify the soldiers who were allegedly engaged in the act. “Once we have evidence that the soldiers came here and went to the backdam and robbed the miners, I will ensure that they are charged and put before the court; and if they have to end up in prison, then they will end up in prison,” he said. “A crime is a crime.” Reiterating that the purpose of his visit was to ensure that justice was served, he declared to the group of Guyanese and Brazilian miners that if they did not act to identify the men and have them brought to justice, then it could lead to a continuance of such behavior and the thwarting of justice. Best reassured the miners that coming forward to identify the alleged wrongdoers could not lead to any form of retribution since the alleged perpetrators

Commodore Gary Best with the miners at Julian Ross Landing. would, if found culpable, no longer be posted to that area since they would be locked away.

He indicated that bringing the soldiers to justice will send a signal to other ranks in the Guyana Defence Force

that such behavior has serious consequences and that there was no way it would be allowed to continue.

Following a Kaieteur News’ article published last Thursday, reports of possible shortages in quarry material (stones) on the local market, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, has written to some of the major suppliers of this key construction material, enquiring about the causing factors. “The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment has recently been alerted that there is a shortage of quarry materials supplied on the market. We are therefore seeking a response on the limiting factors that are causing this shortage, and whether there are any interventions our office can make in aiding the expedition of the production process to improve the current supply,” the Minister’s letter read.

As of Wednesday, Toolsie Persaud Limited had resorted to rationing stones to its customers. When Kaieteur News contacted places like Gafoor and BK International, they were stones were not in stock. This had caused Toolsie Persaud Limited to come under pressure from those meeting deadlines. This even caused a scene to be created in front of the Stone Department of the Toolsie Persaud Limited’s location in Providence. Persons gathered to vent their anger on what they described as being “unfair”some felt that the company was being unfair to them, as only “certain persons” were supplied with stones. However, it was later explained to this publication by an official at Toolsie Persaud Limited, that the stones had to be “rationed”

in such a way that everybody gets some. There were several trucks parked in the compound awaiting an uncertain load of stone. Some of the drivers noted that they had parked their trucks in the company’s yard since the night before (Tuesday night), hoping that they would have gotten a load of stones, it soon turned into night and many of the trucks were still parked empty. This publication was later told that those who had just started to build, and those who had small jobs to complete, were turned away while persons in the process of building their homes and those with major deadlines to meet were given preference. The Minister in his letter also requested that monthly submissions of the production targets by these companies be made to the ministry.

Robert Persaud writes to stone suppliers

Three women rob supermarket Three women yesterday entered an Industry, East Coast Demerara supermarket and carted off 24 bottles of Marmite and a large quantity of Milk Powder. They hid the items under their skirts. According to reports, the three women, one of whom looked like a man but appeared to be a woman, entered into “The Market Place” located at 97 Fifth Street, Industry Scheme, East Coast Demerara around

12:06pm and carried out the act. Yashpaul Sewnarine, proprietor of the supermarket, said that he was not at the business place when the incident occurred but when he arrived he noticed some items were missing. “I know that all these things couldn’t have been sold so fast so I check the camera and is then when I see what really happened,” Sewnarine related. Kaieteur News

understands that according to the video footage, two of the women entered together, while the third culprit entered after them. The owner’s 12-year-old son who was at the counter was distracted by one of the three women while the other two carried out the act. “One of them fill her bag with 24 Marmite, five 5lb powder milk and three 2 ½ powder milk in a bag and under her skirt,” the businessman said.

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Ravi Dev Column

The Conflict about the Conflict The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Linden shootings has retired to ruminate over the testimonies presented in the latest skirmish in our long running political war. We’ve had so many CoI’s over the last sixty years but they haven’t seemed to have solved anything, have they? Why is that so? One of the major reasons is that our politicians have studiously avoided identifying the nature of the war and so for almost half a century they have made our country bleed without offering us a chance of peace. Because it should be self evident that if you refuse to be up front as to why you have a problem with something then on what basis would you resolve the problem? Most citizens have acquiesced in the code of silence. Our problem in Guyana is a political problem and it must have a political solution. The currency of politics is power, and politics is ultimately concerned with the competition of groups within a given society to capture and secure state

power. There is nothing sinister about this struggle for power. The question is what would the power holder do with the power and would the power holder be given the legitimacy to use the power by the citizens of the country. The composition of the competing groups varies with the nature of the divisions or cleavages in the society: all societies are split economically, most ethnically and some racially. The nature of the political competition depends to a large extent on which of the cleavage emerge and remain as the most salient. In Guyana you would think that we all know that our political competition is based on the fact that ethnicity (or race, which is not the same but is used synonymously) is the dominant cleavage and it not only suffuses politics but most of our other social interactions. But yet a powerful norm has emerged that rejects the public acknowledgement of this fact. In fact, if like ROAR, one dares to raise the issue in open discourse, apart from the distaste aroused, you are

immediately branded a “racist”. The main purveyors of this obtuseness have been the politicians who have, by and large, dominated the politics of Guyana in the modern era. Their Marxist-Leninist ideology (of whatever flavour) evidently compelled each of them to deny that when it came to protecting their political interests the Guyanese people divided themselves on ethnic lines. Our good citizens may spend 4 years and 364 days announcing “all awe ah one” but when they went individually behind the blinds of the voting booths on election day, they divided themselves as if they were all hard-wired to some ethnic transmitters. And the sad truth was that they are so wired. All the present political parties still mobilize along ethnic lines – just look at their meticulous ethnic stacking of their Executive bodies. They all define themselves as “multiracial” parties. Meaning that these parties know that to be seen as legitimate by citizens, they

THE BACCOO SPEAKS It is almost useless to restore order when the very society has become so disorderly. Try as they might, the police would always have to deal with people who should not have been granted a driver ’s licence in the first place. A speeding car would crash into a fence after trying to overtake two vehicles heading in the same direction. This is ignorance at its highest. The wreckage will simply boost the scrap metal trade. **** Carelessness and

inadequate supervision will lead to the death of another child. Just the other day a child fell to its death when its mother lapsed. This time a mother is going to hang a child through a window as

only a stupid mother would. Neighbours are going to be so angry that they will attack the mother. **** A police raid would uncover a quantity of weapons. Suddenly the police would realize that they had stumbled onto a den of criminals who were preying on the hapless. One of these guns would be linked to a series of murders, including a recent murder which caused police to suspect that there was a drug connection.

had to try to convince the voters that they had representatives from all the ethnic groups in their midst and so were competent to represent all the people. But since 1957 all elections have been more or less ethnic censuses where the Indians voted for the PPP and Africans voted for the PNC. Other groups had to make their choice. Yet the parties insisted that they were multiethnic. Like the WPA, the AFC will eventually be shown to have been just a gesture. The point, of course, is that since the two ethnic groups have become even more closely matched in numbers –– the PPP and PNC each think they can win it all and so refuse to give legitimacy to the other. When you combine this view with

the fact that the Civil Service, the Army and the Police are all overwhelmingly dominated by its constituency, the PNC/APNU will continue to be emboldened to threaten the status quo. We note that in its latest ‘police reform strategy’ the PPP has refused to include the major recommendation of the Disciplined Forces Commission (unanimously approved by the present three parties in Parliament) for the forces to reflect the ethnic composition of the population. The APNU and AFC have both remained mum about this retrograde step. But if PNC/APNU were to win the next elections, do they think they will be given legitimacy by Indians? Not likely. The PPP and PNC/

Ravi Dev

APNU must first end the conflict about the conflict and accept that they are ethnic parties. They should get together and form a transitional real multiethnic Government of National Unity. Then they can move on to promulgate a new Constitution for the 2nd Republic of Guyana which, we suggest, ought to be constituted along Federalist principles.

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Kaieteur News

driving south on his tractortrailer when a white Allion slammed into the trailer which resulted in Nihal falling from his tractor. One of the rear wheels then crushed the farmer’s head. The still moving tractortrailer ended up in a roadside ditch several feet ahead.

MPs from the government walking out. SUNDAY SPECIAL GOVT. STAGES LATE NIGHT WALKOUT FROM NAT’LASSEMBLY Government staged a walkout from the National Assembly on the evening of (Friday) January 25 after the Opposition refused to defer a motion for the establishment of a National Heritage Commission. Earlier, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) agreed to an 11th hour proposal by Government to change the name to the National Commemoration Commission. It was shortly after 22:00hrs that Government, after requests to defer the debate pending more interparty talks, walked out. By then too, Speaker Raphael Trotman, had left as he had another engagement. The motion for the Commission, according to APNU Leader, Brigadier (ret’d) David Granger, was spurred by several instances of discrimination and unilateral decisions by Government on critical cultural issues. These included the renaming of the Timehri International Airport to Cheddi Jagan International Airport in 1997 despite protests by especially the Amerindians. In arguing for the motion to be given full support, Brig Granger said that there seems to be lack of a cultural policy. Even a request for the holding of a separate holiday for the indigenous people in September was denied. He said that the Commission would allow for a more inclusionary approach that would see commitments for national unity. He warned that attempting to resolve cultural and other identity issues by a majority decision could have costly consequences. LINDEN HOSPITAL

COMPLEX ACCOUNTS STAFFARRESTED IN $25M FRAUD PROBE Three staffers attached to the accounts department at the Linden Hospital Complex were arrested following allegations of a multimilliondollar fraud. Kaieteur News understands that the three were arrested two Fridays ago after a $25M million fraud was uncovered. Reports so far indicate that several senior officials from the Criminal Investigations Department Police Headquarters in Georgetown traveled to Linden to effect the arrests. MONDAY EDITION GANJA-SMOKING SOLDIERS ACCUSED OF ROBBING MINING CAMPS Reports reaching this newspaper indicate that a gang of heavily armed rogue soldiers on Friday, January 25, swooped down on the mining community of Devil’s Hole in the Cuyuni and beat and robbed several miners of a large quantity of raw gold, using the uniform of the state as a cover for their nefarious activity. From all indications, the soldiers who carried out the attack, one of whom was positively identified, are based at the Guyana Defence Force’s Eteringbang location a few miles away. Speaking with this newspaper last Sunday, one irate local miner related that the soldiers, five in number, have tarnished the name of the Guyana Defence Force. He related that the ranks landed at the Julian Ross Landing, Devils’ Hole, Cuyuni and appeared to have one purpose in their minds banditry. “They did not come with any police, no Immigration, no GGMC personnel,” the miner told Kaieteur News. According to the miner, upon arrival at the landing, the

soldiers confronted some small time drug pushers, seizing their drugs, which they consumed in the full view of the public. This seemed to spur the soldiers on to greater heights, for they began harassing persons including women, who voiced their objection to their actions. The miner related that the soldiers became even more determined to carry out their mission, and they managed to force the owner of an allterrain vehicle to transport them to an area where several Brazilian mining operations are taking place. There they allegedly relieved several camps of raw gold before making their way back to their camp. FARMER CRUSHED BY TRACTOR A 58-year-old farmer was crushed to death at around 07:30 hrs Sunday after falling from a tractor that was travelling near Friendship, on the East Bank Demerara, Public Road. The victim was identified as Bissoondial Nihal, also known as ‘Nylon’ of Buzz Bee Dam, Craig, East Bank Demerara. A woman who witnessed the accident said Nihal was

TUESDAY EDITION BRASSINGTON SEEKS $204M COMPENSATION FOR LINDEN BUILDING Executive Director of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Winston Brassington appeared Monday before members of the Linden Commission of Inquiry (COI), seeking compensation to the tune of over $204M for the destruction of what was described as an “old beat-up building.” Monday’s resumption of the COI into the July 18 shooting of protesters at Linden and the events that followed was focused on hearings of victims affected so that the commission may or may not recommend compensation by the Government of Guyana. The members of the Commission of the Inquiry are Justice Lensley Wolfe O.J., Mr. K.D. Knight S.C, Ms. Dana Seetahal S.C. along with Guyana’s former Court of Appeal Judge, Claudette Singh, CCH, and Justice Cecil Kennard, CCH, a former Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana. During the afternoon session, commissioners dealt with Ulric Cameron, a Lindener and victim of the shooting, and Brassington who was there representing NICIL’s building which was destroyed. Brassington told the Commission that NICIL is seeking compensation of $204.7M to replace the building that housed the Linden arm of NICIL and several other businesses.

Sunday February 03, 2013

GDF DISPATCHES TEAM TO INVESTIGATE GANJA-SMOKING SOLDIERSAT CUYUNI The Guyana Defence Force dispatched an investigative team, headed by a Lieutenant Colonel and Guyana Police Force ranks to the Cuyuni district to investigate allegations that some rogue soldiers raided the mining operations there and relieved miners of various amounts of raw gold. The allegations were carried in an article in last Monday’s edition of Kaieteur News in which a local miner claimed that five soldiers from the GDF base at Eteringbang carried out the act. The GDF in a press release Monday stated that it “acknowledges the report in the Kaieteur News dated Monday January 28, 2013. The COS has already started to speak to miners in the area and will dispatch an investigative team headed by a Lieutenant Colonel and Guyana Police Force ranks immediately to the area.” WEDNESDAY EDITION BANDITS SHOOT PNCR GENERALSECRETARY PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke survived a terrifying attack at the hands of four young bandits who shot him twice and gunbutted him at around 20:45hrs Tuesday after storming his Lot 37 Plum Park, Sophia home while posing as policemen. Clarke, 74, was shot in the region of the left groin and left side of his abdomen after he struggled with two of the intruders who had taken him to his bedroom. His wife, Linda, was slapped by the robbers, who also escaped with an undisclosed sum of valuables after holding up the couple’s son and daughterin-law. There were no reports of any arrests. Mrs. Clarke described the gunmen as ‘boys’ in their twenties. Clarke, who was fully conscious, was initially rushed to the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Two medical officials who examined the elderly politician said that the injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. GDF CONDUCTS DRUG TESTS ON RANKS FINGERED IN MINING CAMP RAID Guyana Defence Force medical personnel carried out tests on ranks at Eteringbang to determine if they are indeed using narcotics as was claimed in an article carried by this newspaper last Monday. The article captioned

“Ganja-smoking soldiers accused of robbing mining camps” led to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) dispatching a high-level team to investigate the allegations made by a local miner. “We have a Medex there to conduct the tests; we also have police ranks on the team,” Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best told Kaieteur News on Tuesday. Immediately after the story was published, Commodore Best dispatched a team led by a Lieutenant Colonel to carry out investigations, which the army emphasised, are expected to go a far way in preserving the image of the Guyana Defence Force. “The GDF wishes to categorically state that any GDF ranks found culpable of this dastardly act will face the full brunt of Court Martial Proceedings or the Civil Law. Further, the Guyana Defence Force intends to ask for the maximum penalty for anyone found guilty,” the army had stated in a press release on Monday. “My statement is pretty clear, we are going right through with this (investigation) and if anyone is found culpable, there will be a court martial and the public will be kept fully informed,” Commodore Best assured. THURSDAY EDITION MPS GET $420 MONTHLY FOR TELEPHONE, ENTERTAINMENTAND DUTYFREE ALLOWANCES While Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali told the National Assembly, during the last sitting, that a $5000 allocation per month to former Presidents strips them of their dignity, despite the $1.2M pension, Kaieteur News learnt that parliamentarians take home a fixed $420 per month in telephone, entertainment and duty free allowances; but transportation allowance varies. The Minister’s argument was put forward as he defended reasons why the Bill titled “Former Presidents (Benefits and other Facilities) Bill 2012- Bill No. 29/2012” should not be passed. That Bill sought to repeal an Act made in 2009 that endowed unlimited benefits to all Former Presidents. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge, had tabled the Bill based on his main argument that a former President should be given unlimited benefits when the state has limited (Continued on page 45)

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

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== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

Germany and Guyana, Hitler and Castro: Philosophical notes On January 30, Germany began the commemoration of the rise of Hitler and his party to power. The event takes a myriad of forms involving every major city of Germany. There will be museum exhibits, lectures, film festivals, orchestral performances, etc. The event will last for one year. In declaring the commemoration open, Chancellor Merkel made a point that historians have written about long before the Chancellor was a teenager – Hitler could not have done what he did without help from the German people. For me, the two indictments of human civilization that question its very foundation are slavery and the Holocaust. The British people (and the rest of the world) cannot be excused for accepting slavery, but it was not occurring next door at their neighbour’s home. Londoners did not see their neighbour’s head taken off by a slave-owner. In Germany, Nazi killers arrived at banks, factories,

restaurants etc., and hauled off Jews (who in fact were German citizens) by the millions and murdered them for no civilized reason. It could not have happened if other Germans didn’t tolerate it or encourage it. Any student of philosophy will tell you that if human civilization could have accepted slavery and the Holocaust, then civilization itself is flawed. I believe it is. I believe the world can return to slavery and there can be many more Holocausts. Rwanda’s genocide was more bestial, savage and inhuman than what occurred in Nazi Germany. How can these nihilisms return? Because sane, rational minds will bring them back. As a Guyanese I can only start with my own country, Guyana, and my confession of being a supporter of Fidel Castro when I was a university student. I lived under Forbes Burnham and I saw how he deteriorated from an anticolonial intellectually strong

politician into a dictator. I would not dignify with a reply any argument that rejects the label of dictator as applied to Forbes Burnham. No brilliant polemicist can erase Burnham’s dictatorship. The facts are too mountainous. And how do I know about these things? Well, we who didn’t live under Nazi Germany may never know about the death camps. Those who benefited from Burnham’s generosities may not want to know about his power madness. But this writer came under Burnham’s radar, so I know that the man was a dictator. My mom in her grave probably still remembers what he did to me. My wife is alive so she knows about the memory. Guyanese, especially our business people and the Guyanese East Indians, have learnt nothing from history. Burnham took an inch and we let him. Then it went to a yard and we remained silent. Then Burnham went on and on and took Guyana as his personal possession. He scared the entire country.

Business people were devastated. Civil servants were dismissed at his pleasure. Judges bowed to him. The East Indian people complained bitterly that they were discriminated against. Guyanese on the whole resented Burnham’s descent into absolute power. Guyanese on the whole succumbed to fear. What have we learned from the violence, inhumanity and nakedness of absolute power under Forbes Burnham? Absolutely nothing. Today business people suck up in the identical ways to the new rulers as they did when Burnham took away their dignity. In today’s Guyana, they garland the possessors of naked power and bow at their feet. Burnham had Hope estate as his Coliseum. Jagdeo had the Providence Stadium. The Indians in Guyana hated Burnham because he loved power and used it against them. A new Burnham under a different ethnicity does the same, but this time to Africans, and the Indians look

away. What goes through the mind of a human that cries to his God when his daughter is molested but he becomes a policeman and protects his friend who rapes someone’s girl child? Can that analogy be applied to today’s Guyana as power in this land becomes more macabre? What do humans learn from history? Maybe nothing. But I do believe I have learned. I no longer support Fidel Castro and I wish for his removal, his brother’s and the Communist Party’s. I believe the Cuban people should prosecute them for crimes committed against the hard-working people of Cuba. The Germans felt aggrieved at what the world did to their country after World War I. Hitler appeared as their saviour. But they stood silent as his lunacy and mediocrity roamed all over their country. We resented American hegemony after the World War II because America was in company with the bad guys – South African apartheid rulers, Latin American

Frederick Kissoon dictators, the Haitian monsters etc. So we looked to Castro who defied the “Yankee imperialist.” But we shut our mouths and closed our eyes when Fidel Castro became a Cuban imperialist. We refused to tell Castro that he had brought back slavery to Cuba; the only difference was that in the era of British slavery, few plantationowners ran their slave kingdom for half a century. Fidel Castro, the tropical Mussolini in Havana, sat on his plantation throne for half a century. In huge parts of the Third World, this Caribbean Mussolini is admired. It is so easy for civilization to throw up another Hitler in this 21st century world of ours. Koestler was right. Homo sapiens are a flawed animal.

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Sunday February 03, 2013

MY COLUMN

WE LIVE IN A DECLINING SOCIETY You know that your country is in decline when houses lapse into various stages of deterioration, when basic services are lacking such as when there is hardly running water and electricity; when the education system is so bad that the bulk of the children who leave school are barely qualified to be labourers; and when garbage piles begin to appear all over the country. When the western world wanted to depict the abject poverty in places like Africa, their reporters simply photographed the garbage

piles and the children rummaging through the garbage. From time to time they would show old ramshackle homes. And to highlight the extent of the social decline, they would focus on the homes of the leaders. These images never failed to offend me, because I knew that there were better locations in the country, because in no country is there no poverty. The United States with its immense wealth has its poverty-stricken areas. There are places where people still use outhouses

and live in clapboard houses. However, such conditions merely highlight the extent of decline in that part of the country. The capitals are, however, almost always immaculate with their overpowering buildings and high-priced neighbourhoods. We would see people in their fineries and the many open spaces occupied by the hoi polloi as they sip their teas and brandies and the like. With this knowledge I turned my attention to Guyana and saw how much the society has declined. I

saw the decline in pride and morality and I am seeing the descent into apathy at what exists. Georgetown was once considered the Garden City because it had tree-lined streets, clean canals and painted homes that stood out. One saw motorists who took care on the roads and there was courtesy. In some places people slept with their homes barely secured and they walked the streets at nights in a most uncaring manner. Not so long ago people would remember the crowds on the streets after the late-night cinema

shows. There were garbage bins at every corner and people would keep their trash until they reached these bins. Georgetown was the place to be. The municipal authorities were allowed to run the city and they had real power. The other day I happened to be driving along Quamina Street and I saw a sign on a house. It read that a certain Mayor lived there. The house was a grand colonial structure, the likes of which are fast disappearing from the landscape, being replaced by concrete monstrosities. And for the past few years we have been hearing that Georgetown has become the Garbage City. Garbage piles exist everywhere and it seems as though the city council is unable to control the situation. There are excuses. I hear that the government is not giving enough money and that it is controlling the operations of the city. What I also know is that for an entity without money, there are too many people who have been found to have been stealing millions of dollars. There had to be money for someone to steal. Then comes the embarrassing part; the international community has begun a programme to put an end to littering. The United States embassy has mounted a programme called ‘Guyana Shines’. No one other than the Ambassador, D. Brent Hardt, is going out there and working with people to keep the environment clean. The embassy has also mounted a campaign that would see children becoming more aware of their environment. The word is that children are the greatest change agents; they are the ones who could influence their parents to stop littering. This should have been an effort that the locals should have undertaken. The

Adam Harris business places could have undertaken to keep their surroundings clean. Instead, they pay people to take their garbage and dump it any other place except in the vicinity of the business place. I live in a neighbourhood in which people are very careful with their garbage. You would see no garbage piles because the residents would not tolerate them. It goes to show that all it takes is a community effort to ensure that the community stays environmentally friendly. The city has announced the presence of an anti-litter committee, but I still see litter. Perhaps the committee is overwhelmed; perhaps the committee members can be bought easily and so accept a small fee from those who litter. But there is something missing. The United States embassy has started the move to clean up the environment, but other than the other diplomatic missions and the beneficiaries in the individual communities, I see no official involvement. It is as if we have reached the stage where we want the best but we will do nothing to get it. At the same time people seem to welcome the garbage piles and are doing everything to make them bigger. After all, the tallest point in the city was fashioned from garbage—the Le Repentir dump site.

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Transportation is vital in interior locations By Valerie Garrido-Lowe Member of Parliament Almost every day on NCN, viewers are treated to sceneries from the various Amerindian villages and loads of information on all the good things this Government has done and is doing for the Amerindians throughout the hinterland, and how they are so much better off under the PPP/C. Yet, is Rosalind Stephen, a young Amerindian mother, better off? According to her father, “… now at least she gone”. Rosalind suffered so much before she died that in death she may very well be better off. Because of the remoteness of the villages in Guyana’s vast interior, transportation has always been a problem to residents. Transportation is especially needed to carry the sick in emergency cases to the nearest hospital for treatment which, in most cases, is a matter of life and death. And not just any transportation is needed… certainly not a motorbike to transport a woman about to deliver her baby and hemorrhaging profusely, as in the case of Rosalind Stephen from Parishara in Region 9. Journalist, Gaulbert Sutherland, in Stabroek News dated January 28, 2013, mentioned that Mr. Brutus Stephen, Rosalind’s father, has been pleading with the relevant Ministers of the Government for transportation to be made available to patients for a long time and while promises were made,

unto this day, Nappi, Parishara and Hiowa have not received transportation as yet, not even for the medical outpost. This is the story of many villages and it is a shame. How many more of our hinterland brothers and sisters have to die before each village is provided with proper transportation? Both Rosalind of Parishara and Euphemia Francis of Nappi did not have to die; they could have had a chance to live if the village or the health post had possessed a suitable vehicle. The Government knows how vital transportation is to residents of the hinterland. Besides saving lives from snake bites, malaria, dengue, maternal and other complications, accidents caused by falling trees and attacks from jaguars, it is also needed to uplift teachers’ salaries every month, to transport village produce to main market areas like Lethem, to transport athletes to compete in the inter-school and inter-branch sports and to transport students attending the secondary schools in Lethem and other villages. (I remember walking fourteen miles from Achawib to Karaudanau to board the Guyana Airways plane from Lumidpau to fly to Georgetown to attend high school when I was just a little girl). With the World Bank just releasing money from the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), and the signing of the necessary agreements, Amerindian communities are supposed to benefit from the LCDS monies from Norway, hence, on behalf of my

Amerindian brothers and sisters, I am asking our Government to make sure that monies are made available to purchase appropriate transportation for each village that does not have. Or, if the proposals that were submitted to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs from the various villages under the GRIF do not include transportation, then other funds should be made available to do so. How can other funds be made available? The 2006 Amerindian Act states that the “Guyana Geology and Mines Commission shall transfer twenty percent of the royalties from the mining activities to a fund designated by the Minister for the benefit of Ameridnian villages”. Therefore, one would naturally deduct, judging from the amount of mining being carried out on Amerindian lands, that this crock pot would always keep boiling, so footing the bill for village vehicles should pose no great problem. Added to that, Government must look into providing the necessary training in the fields of auto mechanical and auto electrical/ engineering for young men of the villages, so that they will have the knowledge to repair their vehicles when they are broken down. This is where a technical school is needed in Region 9, more so in preparation for the jobs that would be available with the opening of the Linden-Lethem highway which seems to be taking forever to initiate but, hopefully, is still on the cards for our country’s

development. I must say it is rather ambiguous which end is causing the delay, however, if it ever comes to pass, residents of villages in Region 9 must be prepared to access these jobs. And, for the health and wellness of our people, it is necessary to have well trained medical staff, even in a little health post in a remote hinterland area. Long ago, health posts in remote areas had qualified midwives and well trained dispensers. What is the problem now? Last year in Parliament I asked some written questions of the Minister of Health concerning the dismal state of the Georgetown School of Nursing which he did not answer until after several months - and that is after he tried to rectify some of the faulty situations I had highlighted. I must commend him for this, given that the students did benefit from his intervention. However, more clinical instructors are still needed to supervise the students, and this is of utmost importance considering, after graduation, some of them are sent to remote outposts where they work unsupervised and residents become virtual guinea pigs until the self-supervised internship is completed! As a nation we can do better, but we must first think better. Our Government has to think and do better… but first they have to care. On behalf of the Alliance For Change I extend heartfelt condolences to the family and relatives of Rosalind Stephen and the family and relatives of Euphemia Francis. May they rest in peace.

Sunday February 03, 2013

From page 36 resources. For example, the 2009 law only says former Presidents are entitled to vehicles and staff, without specifying a number. The new Bill intends to make the benefits specific. At the previous sitting, Alliance For Change Member of Parliament, Moses Nagamootoo, drew a parallel between the President’s $5000 for telephone, electricity and water to $20 for serving parliamentarians as telephone allowance. EAST R/VELDT MAN SHOT DEAD IN D’URBAN STREET A 47-year-old man was early Wednesday morning shot dead at the corner of D’Urban and Hardina Streets, Wortmanville, by a lone unmasked gunman. The dead man has been identified as Allan Lloyd Profitt, of East La Penitence Squatting area. Reports are that the man was shot around 07:00 hours in the vicinity of the Banks DIH D’Urban Street outlet, Caesar’s Palace. This publication was told that moments before the gunshot rang out Profitt was seen talking with the man who shot him. One eyewitness said that it was customary every morning for a nearby bakery to give bread to ‘junkies’ in the area. “I just go over the road and sit down and I see this man and me friend (Profitt) talking like they had a li’l vibes and then the man pull out a gun and do like if he going to lash me friend and then he just shoot he in he forehead and walk away.” The wounded Profitt fell to the ground near to a cart which he used to transport scrap iron and other stuff he sold to make a living. The man’s body was left at the scene for some time, until police and undertakers arrived. By this time several of the dead man’s relatives arrived on the scene.

Kaieteur News

FRIDAY EDITION GOLD MINER SLAIN IN MEADOW BROOK HOUSE A 33-year-old gold miner and close associate of Ricardo Rodrigues was riddled with bullets at around 20:00 hrs Thursday night by at least two unidentified gunmen who stormed the 1002 Pine Grove Street, Meadowbrook residence in which the victim was staying with friends. Jason Wills, called ‘Teddy’, of Mahdia, was shot at least seven times at close range with what appeared to be an M-16 assault rifle and a .45 automatic pistol as he sat watching television in the bottom flat of the two-storey house. Kaieteur News understands that the father of seven was shot once behind the ear, twice in the armpits, once in the left shoulder and also in the abdomen. A close friend of Wills, and the friend’s mother-in-law were the only other two occupants. They escaped unharmed. Several bullet casings from an assault rifle and a pistol were retrieved from the scene, while bullet-holes were clearly visible in the living room. Kaieteur News understands that the occupants suggested that the gunmen scaled the fence and entered through the open front door. A source said that Wills’ friend told police that they were all watching television when he and his mother-in-law went into the kitchen. The friend alleged that he was dishing out a meal when he heard gunshots and he reportedly immediately took cover behind a gas stove. After the gunshots ceased, the two persons ventured to the living room where they found Wills’ bullet-riddled corpse. BURKE SUES CHRONICLE, NCN OVER IDENTITY THEFT STORY President of the

Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) Rickford Burke is seeking a whopping $20M apiece from the state-owned Guyana Chronicle and the National Communications Network (NCN) over stories accusing him of identity theft in the United States. He has also slapped the PPP website Newguymedia.com with a defamation lawsuit. Burke is being represented by Attorney-atLaw Nigel Hughes who is also demanding that the stateowned entities issue apologies to his client. The alleged defamatory article was aired on January 30 on NCN and published in Thursday’s edition of the Guyana Chronicle. “We have been consulted by Mr. Rickford Burke in relation to an article entitled “APNU official Rickford Burke charged for identity theft in New York,” Mr. Hughes said in letters issued to the two entities. “The direct references to our client coupled with the allegation of a charge of a serious criminal nature are untrue and amount to a very serious libel. All the allegations are untrue. We have to request you to submit to us a draft of a very clear and unqualified apology and retraction for publication in an equally conspicuous position in the next edition of the Guyana Chronicle,” Hughes added in reference to the Chronicle publication. “Further, having regard to our client’s position as a businessman, a social and political activist, the gravity of the allegation made and your paper’s wide circulation, our client is clearly entitled to substantial damages as well as an apology.” SATURDAY EDITION U.S. GIVES $172M TO FIGHT CORRUPTION, DRUGS TRADE In two agreements signed onFriday, Guyana and the

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United States agreed to ramp up their cooperation in the areas of anti-corruption, law enforcement and information sharing. The agreements valued at $172 million were signed between Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and U.S Ambassador Brent Hardt, and resulted from the amendment of an agreement which was signed last April. The United States government is funding the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, and has already plugged 200 million into the region. However, under the initiative, it also arranges bilateral programmes with specific governments. Over the last three years, Guyana has been granted assistance valued at US$1.5 million. The first agreement signed on Friday was a modification of an agreement signed last April under the Caribbean Basin Initiative and will provide additional funding to allow for cooperation in the areas of rule of law and anticorruption, law enforcement professionalization support, which would include border and ports, strengthening counter-narcotics control capabilities, money laundering and financial crimes. The new agreement will train officers in the area of forensics with the aim of enhancing the Police’s ability to collect, analyse and present forensic evidence in criminal investigation and prosecution. Assistance would also be provided in justice reform to enhance the country’s ability to address narcotics trafficking and transnational crime. Of specific note is that the new agreement caters for a socalled vetted unit to be used in the fight against narcotrafficking; that unit would only be made up of officers who pass a polygraph test. The second agreement facilitates an arrangement

called Cooperative Sensor and Information Integration Programme. This system is an internetbased information sharing network that will allow Guyana and the United States to fuse data on airborne, maritime and ground tracks in order to develop a common operating picture in such areas as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, flight safety and search and rescue operations. The Caribbean Basin Initiative was launched in May, 2010 is now entering its third year. GOLD MINER’S EXECUTION… COPS QUESTION HOUSE’S OCCUPANTS Police are questioning two people who were in the Pine Grove, Meadowbrook Gardens house when gunmen shot and killed gold miner Jason Wills, called ‘Teddy’, on Thursday night. One of the individuals in custody is a man who is related to the owner of the house. He is also a close friend of Wills. The other individual is the man’s mother-in-law, who, along with the friend, both reside in the house where Wills was slain. The friend has reportedly told police that he, Wills and his mother-in law were all watching television on Thursday night when he and

his mother-in-law went into the kitchen. The friend alleged that he heard gunshots some 30 seconds after entering the kitchen and when the gunfire ceased, they found Wills’ bullet-riddled corpse in the living room. Kaieteur News understands that the man and his mother-in-law also told investigators that the front door was open at the time. It has been suggested that the gunmen entered via the open front door after scaling the fence. However, this newspaper understands that police are baffled by the fact that a bullet was found in the kitchen, which is separated by a wall from the living room where the gunmen shot Wills. Investigators are still to find anyone who saw the killers enter or leave the premises. Some of the immediate neighbours said that they switched off their lights and lay low as soon as they heard the gunshots. The 33-year-old goldminer from Mahdia was riddled with bullets around 20:00 hrs on Thursday, reportedly by at least two unidentified gunmen who stormed the Meadowbrook residence. He was shot at least seven times at close range with what appeared to be an M-16 assault rifle and a .45 automatic pistol.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 03, 2013

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

The Abigail Column Married co-worker is off-limits

DEARABIGAIL, I have a longtime lady friend whom I also work with. She got married just over a year ago. Her husband ran away a couple of times for days at a time while they were dating and during their engagement. They have a child together, and she feels she might have gone through with the wedding only because of their kid.

There has always been a connection between us, and it has come to the surface that there may be feelings there from both of us. I am close to her husband as well. I don’t want to feel as if I’m trying to steal her away from him, because I am also divorced and had my wife stolen from me by a man. However, if she is married for the wrong reasons, how does she figure that out? Lonely Man Dear Lonely Man, Getting married for the

sake of a child isn’t such a bad reason to tie the knot. Your friend is responsible for her own choices. You shouldn’t trivialize her choices, and she shouldn’t use you as a motivation to leave her marriage. Your friend’s judgment will be clouded if you reveal your feelings for her. You are also at risk of doing the very thing you claim destroyed your own marriage. You seem to be asking my permission to move in on these friends and interfere with their marriage. Sorry, permission denied.

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DTV CHANNEL 8 09:25 hrs. Sign On 09:30 hrs. Touching Lives 10:00 hrs. Pair of Kings 10:30 hrs. Crash and Bernstein 11:00 hrs. Movie: Encounter with Danger 13:00 hrs. Movie: Vanished 15:00 hrs. Family Feud 16:05 hrs. Movie: Dennis the Menace 18:00 hrs. Catholic Magazine (Faith in Action) 18:30 hrs. Know Your Bible 19:00 hrs. Greetings and Announcements 21:00 hrs. The Good Wife 21:42 hrs. The Mentalist 22:22 hrs. Elementary 00:00 hrs. Sign Off MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 Sign on 06:30 hrs - Prayag Vanie 07:00 hrs - Toolsie Persaud Ltd. Bhajan Hour 07:30 hrs - CNN News 08:00 hrs - Christ for the

Nation 08:30 hrs - Puran Brothers: Shiva Bhajans 09:00 hrs - Muslim Melodies with Al Madina Exclusive 09:30 hrs - Teleview Kutbah 10:00 hrs - DJ Stress Indian Movie 13:00 hrs - Garam Geet 14:00 hrs - The Variety Show with WR Reaz 15:00 hrs - Sitcom 16:00 hrs - Bollywood Sensation with Kavita 17:00 hrs - Birthdays & Other greetings 17:15 hrs - Death Announcements/ In memoriam 17:30 hrs - BBC World News 18:00 hrs - Entertainment Buzz with Shivanie 18:30 hrs - DNA TV Show 19:00 hrs - JKS TV Show 19:30 hrs - BBC World News 20:00 hrs - Sangeet Mehfil 21:00 hrs - Indian Movie: Son of Fardaar Sign Off

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Sunday February 03, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You try to express your emotions today, but are tempted to filter out the difficult feelings by withholding them from everyone else. Secrets are being kept — either by you or from you. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Others are making demands that pull you in too many directions and you just cannot do everything being asked of you now. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You can use all the logic you want to subdue the needs of your heart, but it’s not going to work today. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your attempts to establish boundaries in your current relationships create stress today. You may be lured into the hazy territory between friendship and romantic love, even if the other person isn’t fully aware of your feelings. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Tensions abound as you struggle to control your feelings during a family conflict. However, denying what’s in your heart now only adds to your frustration. As difficult as it may be, try to engage your emotions fully today while remaining detached from the outcome. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may not be your normal rational self today and your emotions could get the best of you. Regardless of your current circumstances, be aware of how your intuition isn’t necessarily supported by your intellect now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You’re motivated to defend someone’s right to artistic freedom today — and, it might even be your own. It doesn’t really matter if you like the creation; you’re just attracted to the idea of being able to express a unique style, whether it is acceptable to others or not. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) It can be tricky to find a place where you feel secure enough to share your current concerns. Things at home or within your family may be tense and you’re not able to sustain your current position much longer. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) It may feel as if something important is coming to an end today; the process has taken you as far as it can. Now it’s time to dream about your future possibilities, even if fantasy won’t satisfy you for long. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Your most valid ideas may be tested today as you come into contact with friends or associates who have a very different perspective than you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You’re typically comfortable in your own skin and in touch with the purpose of your life. However, you might question your own motives today as you try to get yourself out of a tight spot. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your current flourish of creativity originates from your own imagination.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 03, 2013

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

Unique Entertain/Banks Premium Beer Futsal Classic...

Action pack night anticipated as tournament continues Former National Striker Collie ‘The Hitman’ Hercules will roll back the years when he was once Guyana’s most feared forward as he takes the court tonight for Team 25 as the inaugural Unique Entertainment Banks Premium Beer Futsal tournament continues at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court in Linden. Hercules will form alliance with Quacy Johnson as they face off against BOSAI in the night’s feature of the four games slated. Already, the tournament is enjoying massive crowd support by the community of Linden who has embraced the shorter format of the game and tonight, another mammoth crowd is expected. In the opening game from 7:00 hours, Gunners will collide with Phoenix while Kuru Warriors and El Dorado ‘A’ are down to play in the second. Alister Johnson will lead another tournament favourite Hard Knocks ‘2’ against Classic. The other Hard Knocks team on the tournament’s opening night, had wowed the capacity crowd with a 19 – 0 performance over Sharp Shooters and their second unit team had promised to do better. Meanwhile, the tournament continued on Friday last where a total of 23

Quacy Johnson

Collie ‘Hitman’ Hercules goals were scored in the four matches played while some tears were also shed after teams lost in some nail-biting encounters. Penalty Kicks were used to separate Silver Bullets from Fulham FC whom they defeated 3 – 2 after ending

Alister Johnson with the scores leveled at two when regulation and extra time had elapsed. We-Is-D-Boss also had to head to the penalty spot to overcome Spartans 4 – 3 in one of the most entertaining games of the night. Retrieve Well Known got past Classic Six three goals to two (3 – 2) and 100 Dollar Cars outclassed Juventus 4 – 2 to advance to the round of 16 which will start this coming weekend. With the players eyes all focused on the tournament’s $500,000 first prize, the scores of persons turning up are being treated to some impressive Futsal. The tournament which is set to conclude on February 17, will see the Second place finisher carting off $300,000 and third place $150,000.

GFF Super League restarts today Football fans are bracing for the recommencement of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Super league today with three matches set to take place at two venues. The lone fixture set for the Blairmont Community Centre Ground; located on the West Coast of Berbice will see home team Rosignol United coming up against Uitvlugt Warriors. The West Demerara based Uitvlugt have lost a number of its key players during the transfer window which ended on January 31 but will still be a force to reckon with, the same can be said for Rosignol which also lost a few players during the said transfer window. For that matter, there would have been some interesting movement of players to and from clubs which will test the technical and tactical capacity of the 10 Super League Clubs. Kick off time at Blairmont is 15:30hrs. A large turnout is anticipated at the Buxton Community Centre Ground, East Coast Demerara, where a double header will be contested, the home team Buxton United Sports Club set to lock horns with Upper Demerara’s Milerock from 15:30hrs. All eyes will be on the reigning Kashif and Shanghai knock-out champions following their historical triumph on January 1, 2013 against another Linden side, Amelia’s Ward United. Both Buxton and Milerock have on their roster a mixture of youth and a few seasoned

players, but no big names so fans can look forward to some enticing play apart from the team aiming to consolidate their respective positions in the point’s standings. The curtain raiser features BV Triumph United against Den Amstel Porknockers in what is expected to be another cracking duel and this gets underway at 13:30hrs. Meanwhile, two more matches will be served up on Wednesday at the GFC Ground. Defending champions Alpha United will engage Amelia’s Ward United in the first game at 18:00hrs, while the night cap between arch rivals Pele and Western Tigers.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 03, 2013

GBA EXECUTIVES MAKE PITCH FOR PRIYANNA RAMDHANI FOR JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN AWARD 2012 has been a bittersweet year for many sports personalities with some achieving phenomenal results while others rued missed opportunities and aspiring to enact the requisite changes to enhance their fortunes this year. The selectors will soon huddle to examine the respective nominations for the prestigious sports accolades and while the list may present

some challenges, the executive of the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) believe that their charge, Priyanna Ramdhani, has done enough to be adjudged Junior Sportswoman of the Year. President of the GBA, Gokarn Ramdhani, feels that though she is merely 10 years old, Priyanna, also a table tennis player and 2011 Junior Sportswoman of the Year, has

been outstanding in both disciplines and has been consistent in her achievements. “She has been outstanding throughout the year and dominated the U-11, 13 & 15 badminton events locally while emulating her local performances on the international scene in the U11 & 13 events,” revealed Mr. Ramdhani. The multi talented sportswoman had also

Priyanna Ramdhani

performed creditably in tabletennis. Ramdhani had journeyed to the Alberta, Canada in July last year to participate in the Junior Pan American Championships and won two bronze in doubles and mixed doubles and silver in the singles consolation round. Fourteen countries had participated, but Ramdhani’s medals had distinguished her country which was the only Caribbean

country that medaled at that tournament. She also replicated her performance when she travelled to the Dominican Republic in August last year and competed in the Caribbean Badminton Championships; she won two gold in singles and doubles respectively and silver in mixed doubles. These achievements can be added to many others which the GBA President feels can tip the scales in favour of his charge. As if her achievements with the badminton racquet were not enough, the dual talented Priyanna also outshone her counterparts in the table-tennis arena which started from February last year; she clinched a gold medal in the National InterSchool Table Tennis Championships (10 & Under) while securing 2nd place in the NSC Annual Mashramani Table Tennis Tournament and 3rd in the National InterSchool Table Tennis Championships, both in the 10 and under category. She has achieved much in badminton throughout the year despite a few setbacks including gold medals in

several categories of the National Sports Commission Junior tournament in February, the GBA Junior Easter Tournament in March and the tournament between the Marian Academy and Queens College Secondary school in April. She also enjoyed some success during international tournaments in Canada, in the XXI Pan American Championships (silver in the U-11 singles; bronze in the U11 doubles and bronze also in the U-11 mix doubles). Ms Ramdhani currently attends Marian Academy and is preparing for Secondary School Entrance Examination later this year but still finds time to engage in rigid training sessions. She visits the Yonex Badminton Club at least thrice weekly while she hones her skills in table tennis at Marian Academy two days of the week. Mr. Ramdhani is confident that when everything is taken into consideration, his charge stands a great chance of procuring the coveted Junior Sportswoman of the year accolade.

Rajesh Singh resigns as GCB Assistant Secretary Rajesh Singh who was elected as the Assistant Treasurer of the Guyana Cricket Board when the body held its elections on January 27th at the GCC pavilion has tendered his resignation from the post. Here is the full text of his resignation letter: “Please be advised that, I Rajesh Singh has voluntary resigned my position as Assistant Treasurer of the Guyana Cricket Board. The reason behind my resignation is purely, personal. I wish to thank those who had put their trust in me in electing me to the said position at

Rajesh Singh the GCB Annual General Meeting held on Sunday January 27th 2013.” Best Regards, Rajesh Singh.

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Milo U-20 School Football Competition...

TUCVILLE SURVIVE SCARE TO REMAIN UNBEATEN - Charlestown, North Georgetown also in winners’ row Tournament favourites Tucville Secondary produced an inspiring performance to erase a 2-0 half time deficit to defeat a gritty Tutorial High 6-2 in the latest action of the Milo U20 School Football Competition. Played at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta Avenue, opposing captains were tasked with the important function of showing commonality in the fight against gender violence by eloquently sharing terse declarations in support of the aforementioned cause prior to kick off. Displaying the fortitude and mental effectiveness of champions, the boys from the Tucville area opened the first half clearly in an over confident frame of mind and squandered a few chances of taking the lead early in the period. Exhibiting crisp passing complemented with deft touches, the Tucville unit began to create openings in the Tutorial backline as they constantly pressed forward at will. Operating on the counter and quite happy to surrender

the lion’s share of possession to there more illustrious opponents, the Woolford avenue unit shocked the partisan crowd by taking the lead in the 29th minute through a Steve Stunton strike. Nudged by their surprising concession, the Tucville outfit started to attack fervently as they game began to become stretched. A further setback was incurred as Tutorial quickly added to their lead in the 31st minute compliments of a Teshawn Rodney finish. Realizing the severity of the occasion, Tucville desperately tried to find a foothold in the game only to be denied by the catenaccioesque defending by the Tutorial side. The game began to take on an open nature and Tucville almost pulled one back, only to be denied by the uprights twice as halftime quickly loomed. The second half started in a frenetic fashion with Tucville throwing bodies forward trying to find a way back into proceedings. There continued persistence was duly rewarded as they scored in the 49th minute through the

Action in the clash between Tutorial High and Tucville Secondary yesterday at the Ministry of Education ground. precocious Kiefer Brandt, sending their fan base into loud celebrations. Sensing the momentum shift and urged on by their rabid mass, the Tucville offensive juggernaut went on an all out offensive, searching for the all important equalizer. Under the pump and unable to mount an attacking rhythm, the Tutorial unit conceded further as equivalence was restored in the 63rd minute through a Kevin Andrews finish sending the Tucville faithful into a frenzy. Dominating the game in totality, Tucville inevitably took the lead as Dorwin Filter added his name to the scorer’s sheet in the 68th minute,

GUMDAC Open Badminton Singles underway

Ambika Ramraj

Nicholas Ali

The GUNDAC Open Singles Badminton Tournament started at the Queens College Courts on Friday last. The tournament starts off the series of tournaments the GBA has planned for the year 2013. Reaching the semi-finals in the Men Singles are; Narayan Ramdhani, Nicholas Ali, Jonathan Mangra and

Darrell Carpenay. In the Ladies Singles are: Arian Kayume, Priyanna Ramdhani, Nadine Jairam and Ambika Ramraj: The results of matches played on day one are: MEN SINGLES ROUND ONE: Jonathan Persaud defeated Armand Ramdhani: 21-5, 21-10 Cecil Abrams defeated

Hemraj Beharry: 21-9, 21-11 Jonathan Mangra defeated Ajave Singh: 21-19, 17-21, 10-21 Omari Joseph defeated Dominic Braam: 22-20, 21-6 MEN SINGLES QUARTER-FINALS: Nicholas Ali defeated Jonathan Persaud: 21-7, 21-10 Darell Carpenay defeated Cecil Abrams: 21-8, 21-9 Jonathan Mangra defeated Ernesto Choo-AFat: 21-19, 18-21, 23-21 Narayan Ramdhani defeated Omari Joseph: 21-7, 21-4 LADIES SINGLES ROUND ONE: Crystal Dey defeated Meshonn Persaud: 21-16, 21-18 Jea Ramsammy defeated Cindy Sookwah: 21-6, 21-3 LADIES SINGLES QUARTER-FINALS: Arian Kayume gained a walk over from Greer Jackson Ambika Ramraj defeated Kara Abrams: 21-12, 21-14 Nadine Jairam defeated Crystal Dey: 21-15, 21-16 Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Jea Ramsammy: 2113, 21-5. The Tournament continues tomorrow from 6:00pm at the QC Courts.

completing the turn around. Dejected by their recent fate, Tucville’s comeback was further solidified as auxiliary goals were conceded in the 76th, 83rd and 85th through Roland Mayers, Wesley Wishropp and Andrews respectively, living up to their pre tournament billing. In the opening fixtures, Charlestown Secondary crushed Ascension Secondary 5-1 thanks to Anthony Bartholomew hat

trick in the 10th, 15th and 45th minutes, Shane Morris in the 5th and Omari James in the 28th, while Joshua Ramoutar was on target in the 40th minute in a losing cause and North Georgetown Secondary defeated Christ Church Secondary 4-2 compliments of a Londale George double in the 37th and 48th minutes, while getting admirable support from Nehemiah Gomes and Tiatun Tiatun in the 21st and 69th

minutes respectively to end the day’s round of matches. The tournament continues today with three more matches, at the same venue. In the first game at 12:00 hrs, St. George’s takes on St. John’s College and that will be followed by the clash between Cummings Lodge and Queen’s College at 13:50 hrs, before South Ruimveldt tackles Bishop’s High from 15:45 hrs.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 03, 2013

Commodore Gary Best returned as Kitano Travel Service supports GVF GNRA president at AGM last Thursday The Guyana National Rifle Association held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday January 31, 2013 at the Bank of Guyana Roof Garden. The AGM saw a very large attendance, the best in years according to the Hon Secretary, Mr. Ryan Sampson. At the Elections, Commodore Gary Best was return as President of the Association, unopposed. The two Vice Presidents being returned were Mr. Richard B. Fields S. C. and ACP (ret’d) Paul Slowe. Mr. Ryan Sampson was returned as the Honorary Secretary and Lt Col. Terrence Stuart as the Treasurer, both were unopposed. The Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer remains Mr. Hemant Narine with the other proposed nominee being Ms. Vidushi Persaud. Fullbore Captain Mahendra Persaud and Vice Captain Dylan Fields were unopposed. The new Smallbore

Captain is Dale Hing with Gordon Richards being returned as Smallbore Vice Captain. There are two new Committee Members being Lennox Braithwaite and Dr. Johan DaSilva with Mohamed Qualander retaining his Committee position. There were four nominations for the position of auditors with Ray Beharry retaining his position and Ransford Goodluck being elected as the second auditor. The PRO for the Guyana NRA will be appointed next Wednesday at the first Statutory Meeting. It is strongly felt that current PRO Troy Peters will be unopposed in this position. Reports from the AGM will be sent to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the National Sport Commission and the Guyana Olympic Association as part of reporting to these bodies. The Minister of Sport has always maintained that the

Guyana NRA is one of the better run Associations. Meanwhile, there were reports given by the Honorary Secretary, Treasurer, Fullbore and Smallbore Captains. The comprehensive report given by the Honorary Secretary highlighted the activities of the Association: the high point being the hosting of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Champions in October 2012 which entailed the upgrading of the Timehri Rifle and Pistol Ranges to international standard. This preparation was a collaborative effort with the Guyana Defense Force, thanks to Commodore Gary Best. The competitors from the visiting territories commended the Association for a well ran championship. The Guyana NRA also created history by having its Paton, His Excellency President Donald Ramotar,

firing the ceremonial opening shot. This was a first in the West Indies. The National Fullbore Team won both team championships and its Guyanese marksmen finished in the first four positions with Mr. Lennox Braithwaite taking the top gun position and most of the individual prizes. The smallbore team also attended three international shoots in Barbados and Trinidad with creditable performances. In terms of Fund Raisers, a Mash Bar was held and also a Take-Away BBQ and Lime. This together with donations from the business community assisted in the Teams representing Guyana and hosting championships. The Treasurer reported on the positive financial standing of the Association as we were able to pay all our debts and retain a positive bank balance. Plans for 2013 includes further upgrades to the Timehri Ranges, improving the competitiveness of the smallbore shooters, hosting at least three fund raising activities, hosting the Great Britain Rifle Team in April 2013 and attracting new members. The AGM agreed on a new motion to be added to the Rules of Smallbore Shooting to its Constitution.

Ms. Flores (right) presents the antennas to BVA Rep Errol Chase

Ms. Andrea Flores, an Executive member of the GVF and Owner/Manager of the Kitano Travel Service, recently presented a pair of Tachikara Volleyball Antennas to assist in the raising of standards of officiating during competitions. Ms. Flores said she was impressed with the number of competitions organized by the BVA in the past and

together with her husband, Commander John Flores of the GDF Coast Guard, who is also the Head of GVF’s Refereeing Commission, thought it wise to make the donation. BVA President Gregory Rambarran expressed thanks to the donors for the important piece of equipment and said it will be utilized fully in all competitions.

Fudadin slams half century in final warm up game West Indies middle order batsman Assad Fudadin slammed three sixes and similar number of fours in a top score of 53 as bad light stopped play in the national team’s final warm game against Rest XI yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club. The Guyana team batted first and posted 216-4 after the game was reduced to 35 overs due to a late start caused by overnight rain. Fudadin and Leon Johnson added 47 for the 3rd wicket after they lost Trevon Griffith who was bowled by pacer Brandon Bess for 18 at 56 and Rajendra Chandrika for 30 (1x4,1x6) at 58. Johnson hit two fours and one six in scoring 26 before off spinner Zaheer Mohamed had him caught and bowled. Fudadin then featured in a fourth wicket stand of 61 with Steven Jacobs before he

Assad Fudadin was asked to retire. Christopher Barnwell played a little cameo hitting one four and two sixes before he was dismissed for 20, Jacobs ended unbeaten on 45 which contained three fours and two sixes while Rajiv Ivan was on 06 not out as Bess, Keon Joseph, Andre Stoll and

Mohamed picked up one each. The Rest XI reached 1125 when play was halted after 25.2 overs. Pacer Ronsford Beaton sent back Robin Bacchus for 04 at 13 before Richard Ramdeen and Tagenarine Chanderpaul took the score to 57 after which Ramdeen in trying to stepped up the run rate was bowled by Jacobs for 31(4x4,1x6). Chanderpaul then featured in a 3rd wicket stand of 47 with Vishal Singh before they were both dismissed for 30 each in the space of 06 runs. Singh accounted for four fours; Ricardo Adams was the last wicket to fall when he was caught off skipper Ve e r a s a m m y Permaul for 03. Play was then called off with the Rest XI needing 104 in 9.4 overs. Permaul took 2-30, Beaton 1-10 and Jacobs 1-25.

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Gibson says Windies will bring positive approach to Sunday’s ODI Perth, Australia – It was a hot, sun-kissed Saturday morning as the West Indies players hit the nets at the WACA Ground with one aim in mind. They wanted to “get it right” as they look to rebound from the defeat against Australia in the first One-Day International. Temperatures reached 38 Degrees Celsius as the players went about their preparations. There is a short turnaround between matches and the Windies will have another date against the Aussies in the second OneDay International at the WACA Ground on Sunday. First ball is 11:20 am. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Head Coach Ottis Gibson backed his team to “get it right and respond to the challenge” facing them. “We focus on us, keeping our spirits high and making sure when we step out onto the park, we play with pride and passion and try to win,” Gibson said. “We had some good preparation leading up to yesterday. We spoke about the Perth conditions, but we just didn’t respond to what was a great spell of fast bowling by Mitchell Starc. “As you can see from the way we are here in the nets, at 9 o’clock in the morning, we are trying to get it right for tomorrow. We are a talented batting side and they are a talented bowling side. We look forward to tomorrow and that is what international sport is all about.” Gibson added: “We knew coming away from home playing in these conditions

West Indies players prepare for a sprint race during the West Indies training session at the WACA Ground, Perth on Saturday. (WICB Media Photo Philip Spooner) would always have been a test. I don’t think we will make wholesale changes. We lost the first match of a five-match series and we are eagerly looking forward to the next four.

“The guys that were picked in the first game are the guys we thought would do the job. We back the guys we have in the squad and we will send them out tomorrow, with

better preparation and a better mindset, so I’m positive tomorrow you will see a different West Indies team.” Gibson has charted the course for the West Indies over the last three years and in that time the team has made strides forward. They drew the five-match ODIs series 2-2 against Australia last March and won four consecutive Test matches in 2012. The highlight of the year was winning the ICC World T20 trophy in Sri Lanka. Gibson believes this series is another opportunity for the players to show their worth. “Maybe two years ago it wouldn’t have been as easy to pull ourselves around as it is now. We had a good 2012 and we did a lot of good things. We learned a lot of things about ourselves as a side and we have a captain who is a very strong character and leads the team well, and we have some good experience in the side,” he said. “They all accepted that what happened yesterday was not good enough and it was not what we came here to do. I fully expect that we will bounce back strong. One of the hallmarks of this side over the last 12 months is that they are able to handle some tough situations. We have to bounce back and the one thing that’s there is that there is a really good spirit in the team with guys believing in each other. Tomorrow is a new day and you will see a different West Indies team.”

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Sunday February 03, 2013

“Money, runs, winning and great appearances too - What a week for sports!” Colin E. H. Croft Sunday morning, and I do not yet know if I won US$176,000,000 ($176 Millions) USA Power Ball lottery! Like most people, I have several tickets too. I am sure that, if I did win, that that sum would keep me constantly in ice tea, protein bars and yogurt into my eventual ancient days! What great loot! Oh, I would make donations to all churches I attended in my lifetime, other charities too, even though I have four of the latter already; two offspring, Lee and Shannon, and two “next generation” – grandsons – Zayde and Zarrin. I am sure that those four would be extremely willing to help with that disposal! I make reference to that lottery, for it was only last week, in these very pages, while wishing them all the best, that I also cautioned about the maelstroms that both West Indies senior men and women teams were entering, for those continuing tours and competitions in Australia and India. What a big lottery! Indeed, if I could predict lottery numbers, any lottery, then I may not even have to continue to write these diatribes for your eventual consumption. But then again, I would not want to deprive you, the reliable readers, of either the

mostly abuse or kudos meted out to me, very often, just for being almost always right! Let me first state the real absurd as regards grand sums. Even I was severely shocked at this revelation this last week. This is really stupendous! Last year’s USA general elections broke all records, according to its Federal Elections Commission. For Mitt Romney and re-elected President Barack Obama, Republican and Democratic nominees respectively, an astounding seven billion dollars, with a “B”, that is (US$7B), were spent on that election! By CNBC’s reckoning, you could buy 28 brand new Boeing 787’s, that same troubled next generation aircraft that has been grounded world-wide, due to teething problems. Indeed, with today’s trends, you may even get “BOGO” – buy one, get one free! More big money! Back to cricket! Did you ever see such abject surrender looking at West Indies cricket teams, as seen when West Indies played Australia in that first of five ODI’s, at Perth? Not at all on the money! I know, in my playing days, that no team or player ever went to the field to lose – that may have changed, I do not know - but West Indies never looked like making a creditable score, much less to even think about winning. It should be quite easy for

Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of Kieron Pollard (Getty Images) West Indies to improve drastically in today’s game! I do not know which was worse of the last two quite poor scenarios for our representative teams! West Indies Men were effectively blown away for 70, after being 19 for 5 at one stage, courtesy of Australia’s marauding left-arm fast bowler, Mitchel Starc – 5 for 20 - to lose by a whopping nine wickets. West Indies Women were annihilated by underdog hosts, India, to lose by a stupendous 105 runs, courtesy of India’s lefthanded opening bats-woman,

Thirush Kamini, who had to be run out, for 100! Both games were total lefthanded shambles for the touring West Indies teams and supporters. I know that I had warned about these possibilities, but even I did not expect such paltry displays by both teams! Is it too late for West Indies to retaliate? No, not with so many games ahead, but that must start today! The irony of this last capitulation in Australia is that only last week, Ashley Mallet, Australia’s premier 1970’s offspinner, was alluding to,

regaling even, the brutal massacre, severe battering, given to Australia, including great speedsters Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, in 1975, by Roy Fredericks! On that same Perth pitch, infinitely quicker than it is now, “Freddo” lampooned Australia, for 169, from just 145 deliveries, with, as Mallet suggested, “Lillee at his most fearsome, Thomson at his very fastest, and it was not even a one-day game!” To complete this carnage, West Indies even won that Test too! Present day West Indies even have a much more recent bowling performance, one of the best ever, on that same pitch, from one of our own fast bowling stalwarts, Curtly Ambrose, to refer to. 20 years ago, “Amby” stupefied the Aussies with a spell of 7 wickets for just one run! West Indies won again then too! How does each team come back immediately? Simply, but not easy, each team must win its next game! In the women’s case, in their group, at least their arch rivals, England, the defending

Colin E. H. Croft Women World Cup champions, also surprisingly lost to Sri Lanka, so there could still be hope for our girls yet. How the men do would be much harder, as the Aussies are not very “giving” sportsmen. They always mean to dominate! Later today too, Super Bowl XLVII comes to New Orleans, that “come-back” city, after nearly dying, courtesy of Hurricane Katrina eight years ago, between personal favorites San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, coached by close brothers Jim and John Harbaugh respectively. This game will also generate many billions too. Enjoy!

Mario Balotelli criticises life in England after Italy return BBC Sport - Mario Balotelli says he will miss little about life in Manchester after taking a swipe at English culture following his £19m move to AC Milan. The Italy striker was paraded by his new club on Friday and did not shy away when asked what he liked and disliked most about England. “Good things? Only when I get to Carrington to train, so my team-mates and manager,” he said. “Bad things? Everything else - press, weather, food, the way you drive.” Balotelli, 22, has agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Italian giants AC Milan after scoring 30 goals in 80 appearances for City. He was at the centre of several

controversial incidents, both on and off the pitch, during two-and-a-half-years in Manchester. But Balotelli told a news conference in Milan: “I prefer playing - not talking. “To be a player for Milan has always been my dream so I’m very happy. “Now I’m at Milan it’s very important above all because I am close to my family and friends. Manchester is not so far, but it’s not close like Milan.” Asked whether he planned to return to the Premier League before the end of his playing career, Balotelli added: “It is an amazing league and I think it’s the best, together with the crowd and the pitches. But he added: “I don’t know for the future if I could go back or not.”

Bush Lot United Turf Club... From page 56 Romel Jagroop takes charge of the K class match which has the likes of Pleasant Surprise, Wicket Revenge, Gold Rush, Secretariat among the 14 listed to compete for the $120,000 over 1200M for the Lenny Singh trophy. Among the stables expected to be a part of the days programme are the Jumbo Jet, Shariff, Elcock, Singh, Crawford, DeRoop, David, Jagmohan, Bacchus, Quinn, Habibulla, Sookdeo, Jagdeo Night eyes, and Ashrafally among others. The individual performers including top jockey, stable and trainer will be presented with trophies compliments of The Trophy Stall, Bourda Market and the organisers. Race time is 12:30 hrs. (Samuel Whyte)

Sunday February 03, 2013

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Super Bowl XLVII: Bringing big bucks to the Big Easy BBC Sport - America’s National Football League championship game, known globally as the Super Bowl, is upon us once again. This year’s 47th edition pits the San Francisco 49ers against the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans, Louisiana, and claims as its most interesting storyline two close-knit brothers coaching against each other for the title. But the biggest story this week in the Big Easy (as New Orleans is nicknamed), as happens every year, is the remarkable revenue the weeklong Super Bowl celebration brings in to the host city, the television networks broadcasting the game, and the National Football League itself. The 3 February NFL championship marks the tenth time the Super Bowl will be played in New Orleans, equalling it with Miami as the most frequent host city. More significantly, this is the first time New Orleans is holding the game since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region almost eight years ago. ECONOMIC BOOST It’s hard to forget the images of New Orleans broadcast around the world in August 2005 - a city half under water, its citizens trapped on rooftops or packed in the fetid shelter the Superdome had to offer, armed soldiers and tanks patrolling the streets to prevent widespread looting, or worse. It wasn’t inexpensive or easy to get New Orleans back in good enough shape to host the Super Bowl necessary renovations to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome alone totalled $336m (£212m), and overall, New Orleans continues its slow rehabilitation from the storm. But for New Orleans, the positive economic and psychological impact the Super Bowl brings might be just the cure the hurricane doctor ordered: Super Bowl XLVII is expected to generate a $423m economic boost, up substantially from the $323m

Indianapolis produced in 2012. To prepare for the Super Bowl, New Orleans has invested $1.2bn on various civic improvement projects, including extensive road work, a new streetcar line, renovations to Louis Armstrong International Airport, and numerous private hotel makeovers. The Super Bowl Host Committee alone raised $13.5m - some $6m from the state and $7.5m from corporate sponsors. A lot more money will be changing hands in New Orleans and elsewhere in America this weekend. Tickets to the game on secondary ticket marketplaces are averaging $3,100, making the street value of 76,000 seats about $237m. HOTELS FULL Super Bowl merchandise revenue is expected to be around $150m. Legal gambling in Las Vegas, Nevada. should top out around $100m, while illegal betting across the country will total more than $1bn (with few exceptions, sports betting outside Nevada is illegal in the States). For the hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs throughout the region, from the bars on Bourbon Street to such restaurants as Emerils and Galatoire’s - famous for their spicy Cajun and Creole cuisine - Super Bowl revenues provide a muchneeded boost to stillrecovering businesses. As is typical, 90% of the rooms in the city are committed to the NFL, so some visitors find it necessary to find lodging as far as Baton Rouge, roughly 130 km (84 miles) away. Restaurants such as Walk Ons, near the Superdome, offer one Super Bowl-themed promotion after the other Walk Ons will sell $100 tickets guests can use toward food and drink purchases the day before the game, when the establishment tries to break the world record for the “Largest Seafood Boil”. As for the teams vying for

The game is a huge money spinner for a number of business sectors

the championship, sports fans in the UK should be somewhat familiar with the San Francisco 49ers (a team that boasts five Super Bowl wins), since they played in the NFL International Series game at Wembley in 2010. TELEVISION JAMBOREE Super Bowl viewers will get a partial preview of this year’s Wembley match, as the Niners are scheduled to play the Jacksonville Jaguars there on 27 October. The Baltimore Ravens, founded in 1996, are one of the NFL’s newest teams, but nonetheless managed to get a Super Bowl victory under their belts in 2001. According to Forbes, the 49ers are the ninth most valuable NFL team at $1.18bn, while the Ravens are the eleventh most valuable squad, at $1.16bn almost pocket change compared to Manchester United, which just surpassed the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys to be named the world’s most valuable sports franchise, at more than $3bn. For the vast majority of people around the globe, of course, the Super Bowl is a television event - one that provides a healthy chunk of the annual operating budgets

Results from STSC and the QCAASF Day of Sports Results from the South Turkeyen Sports Committee and the Queen’s College Allied Arts Sports Foundation day of sports which was held recently at the Ministry of Education ground are as follows: 1 C Girls tied with 1 A Girls, both teams scored 49 each off their allocation of 8 overs. 1 C Boys overcame 1 A Boys, 1 A scored 60 in 8 overs batting first while 1 C replied with 61 in 7.4 overs. 2 C Boys defeated 1 D and 1 B Boys combined, 2 C

made 76 in 8 overs and 1 D and B responded with 56 in 8 overs. 1 D Girls got the better of 1 C Girls, 1 C managed 37 off their allocation of 8 overs; I D made 38 in 6 overs in reply. Trophies were donated by Roysdale Forde, Ministry of Sport Frank Anthony, Trophy Stall Bourda Market and Marketing manager of Gift land Campton Babb. The events were organized by Johnnie Barnwell and Quasen Nedd.

both for the NFL itself and for its television partners. In the US, it’s CBS’s turn this year. The network paid a whopping $622m for its NFL rights this season, but it will make up more than one third of that expenditure from the advertisements aired on

Super Bowl Sunday alone. NEWADS CREATED Super Bowl commercials this year are averaging a record $3.7-$3.8m per 30seconds, with some ads having sold for more than $4m. The total estimated ad

revenue for CBS is $263m (approximately 70 ad spots at an average cost of $3.75m each). The Super Bowl is much more of an entertainment platform than just a sports championship. Outside of its splashy halftime programme featuring the likes of the Rolling Stones, the Black Eyed Peas, Madonna, and Beyonce this year, its unique and innovative ads are the main reason that millions of people watch the game in the first place. Super Bowl ads are generally created exclusively for the game, more often than not to launch a new product, and do their best to be as memorable - and provocative - as broadcast censors will allow. Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light, Doritos, the webhosting company Go Daddy (featuring glamorous racing car driver Danica Patrick), carmakers, and the duelling soft drink giants Coca-Cola and Pepsi are Super Bowl regulars. In the social media world, reaction to their ads is instantaneous, and sometimes, quite harsh.

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Bush Lot United Turf Club Horserace meet races off today Today is D day as all roads lead to the Bush Lot United Turf Club (BLUTC) for their grand one day multimillion dollars horserace meet at the club’s Sea View Park, Bush Lot, West Coast, Berbice racetrack. With the final releases being made for the nine races meet which has over $8.5 M in cash and trophies up for grabs and with over 80 horses now entered the action is expected to be riveting. Especially since some of the horses will be having an opportunity to compete for the first time for the year and some the first time in Guyana. The feature race for animals classified B and lower compliments of the Bush Lot United Turf Club for a first prize of $1.2M over 1400M. With the likes of Score’s Even, the Message, Grande Roja, Renia Del Café, Got to Go, Diamond Dazzling, Who’s on the Case and Diamond Illusion among others. Banks DIH Limited is on board for the three year old Guyana and West Indies Bred 1400M race which has the likes

of Wild Grinder; it’s my turn, Another Jet and Block Bay in competition for the $500,000 and the Dennis DeRoop trophy. The D and lower 1400M race compliments of Jumbo Jet and Shano Seenarine for the Banks DIH Trophy with a first prize of $450,000 and trophy will have Stormy Flame, Red and Lovely, Quiet Storm, Miss Karina, Home Bush Baby, Top of The Line, Traditional man and Fresh Again, Diamond Illusion, Renia Del café and Diamond Dazzling in competition. Aron Lall Civil Engineering and Construction is on board for the G class 1200M race for a pole position taking of $350,000 and the Dr. Guy Lowe trophy has the likes of Indian King, Dream Girl, Flying in the park, Princess Kiara, Captain Crook, Rosetta, Quiet Storm and Traditional man. There is also $350,000 available for the winner of the Guyana Bred three year old 1400M event compliments of Mohammed Shariff for the Lakeram “Bubby” Sookdeo Trophy with Dream Boy, She

so special, Royal Passion, Lucky Gold, Ameera’s Joy and Silent Night in contention. The race for I class horses with the compliments of Buddy Shivraj for the Phagoo General store trophy has a pole position taking of $200,000and trophy over 1200M. Some of those entered are Prospectors Pride, The Gump, Lucky Gold, princess Renuka, Pixie Fire, Mona Lisa, and I want Revenge. The J class event compliments of Inshan Bacchus for the Joseph Downes trophy over 1200M will see the likes of Obama, Bounty Flyer, Windy Killer, May Ann, the Diplomat; It’s My time, Sugar Boy, Pick Pocket and Sun Raiser competing for the $150,000 top prize. The J3 and lower event has been added to the day’s programme compliments of the BLUTC and will see the horses galloping for a winner’s take of $130,000 over 1200M. Over 12 horses have been entered for that event. (Continued on page 54)

Sunday February 03, 2013

The only way is up for West Indies ESPNcricinfo - It feels as though the series hasn’t really started, yet Australia find themselves 1-0 up. The first match at the WACA on Friday was so short that it was over well before the time that should have been the change of innings. In fact, the teams could have played a Twenty20 afterwards and still been finished early. Having been bowled out for 70, the only way is up for West Indies. Hopefully, at least. The Perth fans would certainly like to see more of a contest in the second game. Prior to the series, the captain Darren Sammy spoke of his desire for West Indies to begin 2013 in the right way, to set the tone for the coming year. He can only hope the players forget Friday’s match ever happened, just like they have tried to erase from their minds the ODI series loss to Bangladesh late last year. There is much improvement required from West Indies in the 50-over format, and if they can’t turn things around on Sunday in Perth this series could be almost out of their grasp by the time Australia send their first batch of players off to India to prepare for the upcoming Test series. IN THE SPOTLIGHT Glenn Maxwell has scored two halfcenturies from his eight one-day international innings, including an unbeaten 51 in Australia’s tiny chase on Friday. But it is bowling that needs to continue developing and he is yet to take a wicket in ODI cricket. If Xavier Doherty is again left out, Maxwell will be the only spinner in Australia’s line-up and it will be a good test of his bowling - that is, if the fast men leave any work for him this time. West Indies rely heavily on Chris Gayle at the top of the order and they cannot afford for his lean patch to continue too much longer. He has not scored a half-century in his past nine ODI innings and his BBL form was also disappointing. There is plenty of batting talent in the West Indies line-up but Gayle sets the tone, and they need that tone to be positive. TEAM NEWS After Australia’s clinical performance on

Friday, there is little reason for them to alter their team. The success of the fast men means it is unlikely Xavier Doherty will be needed until the series moves away from Perth. West Indies will be hoping Andre Russell can prove his fitness after missing the first match due to a knee problem. He would add some depth to their batting while also providing another pace option. After the success of the fast men on Friday, West Indies might consider whether Sunil Narine is required at the WACA or whether they can use Chris Gayle for their spin requirements. PITCH AND CONDITIONS Perth’s forecast is for another hot day with a top temperature of 37C. There should again be assistance for the fast men.

Windies Women aim to tame buoyant Sri Lanka Women MUMBAI, India – Merissa Aguillera said West Indies Women are fully aware of what will be required for them to land a crucial victory in their second match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 against Sri Lanka Women today at the Middle Income Group Ground here. The Windies Women’s captain said her side were prepared to brush off their demoralising 105-run defeat in the opening match against India Women and revive their chances with a victory over a team they have dominated in the recent past. “We are ready and everybody is in high spirits, looking forward to this match,” said Aguilleira. “We fully appreciate the position in which are now, so we really have to perform at our best.

“I think our batting has been faltering a bit, but I believe we can turn things around if we put our heads down and do what we have to do. Everybody is pumped, so we are looking to execute.” The Caribbean side have won eight of their last 13 ODIs against the Sri Lankans, cock-a-hoop following a stunning one-wicket victory over reigning WWC champions England off the last ball in their tournament opener. Aguilleira said her side was not fazed by the newly-found Sri Lankan confidence and will be looking to put their game right to enhance their claims for a place in the next round. “We cannot underestimate them right now,” she said. “They are on a high, but we have had the

better of them in the past and we have a strong belief in ourselves as a team that we can do it. “We are going into this match with a positive frame of mind because we know where we stand and to move forward we have to do what we have to do as a team.” Aguilleira said good batting will be the key for her side, but she, like coach Sherwin Campbell, identified their weak performance in the field for their defeat in the first match. “We were very inconsistent with our bowling and we were not as sharp in the field as we are typically,” she said. “Though they scored over 200 runs, I know we have the capacity to score it, but it was probably inconsistency and a lack of application.”

Sunday February 03, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Tenelec Inc. First Division 50-Over Round-Robin Cricket Competition in Berbice...

Gajanand Singh slams 89, takes 3 for 40 as Young Warriors, Albion reach Semis - Bermine through to play-off Gajanand Singh Another fine all-round performance from former Guyana batsman, Gajanand Singh, led Young Warriors Universal DVD to victory over West Berbice in their final Group A preliminary match of the 2012 Tenelec Inc. First Division 50-Over Cricket Competition to see them end up with 8 points, the same as with Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets, but, having beaten them in the head-tohead clash, declared winners of that group and thus, qualifying for the semi-finals. Albion Community Centre, led by a fighting 47 from their former West Indies opening batsman, Sewnarine Chattergoon, and fine bowling from off-spinner,

Veerapen Permaul, and West Indies right-arm leg-spinner, Devendra Bishoo, managed to overpower Bermine to end up with 6 points, coming in third in Group A behind Young Warriors and Rose Hall and thus, also joining them in the semi-finals. Bermine and West Berbice ended up with 4 points each, but with Bermine having defeated West Berbice earlier in the competition, they were given the nod for the fourth position in Group A and were to clash with Group B winners, Port Mourant Karibee Rice, yesterday at Port Mourant for the fourth semi-final spot. Blairmont Community Centre, led by a four-wicket haul from their right arm legspinner, Kevon Jawahir, has a consolation Group B victory over Police to see them totaling 6 points after the

preliminary rounds, the same with Port Mourant Karibee Rice who had defeated them earlier. In the matches: 1. At Cumberland, Young Warriors Universal DVD beat West Berbice by 63 runs. In the match which was reduced to 43 overs-a-side because of rain, winning the toss and batting first, Young Warriors, led by 89 from Gajanand Singh and 63 fr4om Guyana under-19 batsman, Shimron Hetmyer, made 246 for 9 in their 43 overs. Bowling for West Berbice, leg-spinner Andrew Dutchin took 3 for 38 from 8 overs, medium pacer Alan Johnson 2 for 43 from 9 overs and former Guyana under-19 pacer, Rovin Johnson 2 for 71 from 9 overs. 2. When West Berbice responded, they lost their early wickets quickly and

even with their No.8 batsman, Keith Fraser hitting a fast 70, they could only reply with 183 all-out in 37 overs with Arthley Bailey chipping in with 38. Bowling for Young Warriors, former Guyana opening batsman, Richard Ramdeen, bowling left-arm spin took 4 for 8 from 4 overs, off-spinner Gajanand Singh 3 for 40 from 9 overs and another off-spinner, Balram Samaroo 2 for 48 from 8 overs. 3. At Albion, Albion Community Centre beat Bermine by 26 runs. Losing the toss and sent in to bat first, Albion Community Centre were set back early by former Guyana under-15 pacer, Nial Smith, who had both Kandasammy Surujnarine (1) and Jonathan Foo (2) caught to leave them 3 for 2. The experienced Chattergoon however batted on, putting on 47 for the 3rd wicket with Permaul (24) and after Permaul and Bishoo went in quick succession to leave

them 60 for 4, he and Guyana under-17 batsman, Sharaz Ramcharran, added another invaluable 39 for the 5th wicket after which Chattergoon fell for 47 with just 2 fours. With Ramcharran going on to score 33 and Guyana under-19 cricketer, Gudakesh Motie 23, Albion made 149 allout in 48.5 overs. Bowling for Bermine, Nial Smith took 2 for 19 for 5 overs, off-spinner Devon Clements 2 for 33 from 9 overs and left arm spinner Eugene LaFleur 2 for 36 from 9.5 overs. 4. When Bermine replied, they seemed well on the way, scoring 18 runs in the first three overs, the combination of Veerapen Permaul and Bishoo saw them slip to 54 for 5. A run-out soon had them 60 for 6 before former Guyana under-17 batsman, Jamally Odle, tried a rescue act, putting on 38 with Guyana under-19 cricketer, Romario Shepherd

DeJonge (12) for the 7th wicket and them 20 for the 8th wicket with Damien Vantull (19) but after he fell for 27 at 118 for 8, the innings folder for 123 all-out in 44 overs with Veerapen Permaul taking 3 for 19 from 6 overs, Bishoo 2 for 4 from 10 overs and Motie 2 for 34 from 9 overs. 5. At Blairmont, Blairmont Community Centre beat Police by 2 wickets. Police sent in to bat first 130 in 39.3 overs with Don Farley 29 and Charles Grimmond 26. Bowling for Blairmont Community Centre, Kevon Jawahir took 4 for 34 from 10 overs, pacer Deveshwari Prashad 3 for 35 from 9 overs. Blairmont Community Centre replied with 131 for 8 in 35.2 overs with Nick Ramsaroop 30 not out, Deveshwari Prashad 29, Avinash Sewkarran 23. Bowling for Police, offspinners Andel Doris 3 for 21 from 10 overs and Quesi Mickle 2 for 30 from 8.2 overs.

t r o Sp

NSC Mashramani 11-Race Meet...

Greaves rides away with feature; Leal cops juvenile contest

A

lonzo Greaves opened his 2013 winning account with victory in the feature School Boys and Invitational 35-lap contest when the National Sports Commission (NSC) held its 11-Race Mashramani Cycle Meet yesterday at the Inner Circuit of the National Park. The main event attracted 41 starters and in the final sprint home among the top three, Greaves was a comfortable winner in One Hour 28 Minutes 15 Seconds ahead of Paul DeNobrega and reigning National Road Race champion, Linden’s Orville Hinds. In another sprint to determine the third to sixth place finishers, USA based Horace Burrowes outdueled John Charles who has made a welcome return to competition and Alex

Mendes in that order. Greaves took half (4) of the sprint prizes on offer with Hinds pocketing three and DeNobrega, the other. Raul Leal was the winner of the Juvenile 10-lap race, crossing the line before Alonzo Ambrose andAkeemArthur. The top rider among the Upright cyclists was Stephano Husbands with Ozie Macaulay taking the second spot and Julio Melville third. Junior Niles continued his winning ways among the Under-50 riders with yet another win, this time he bettered Wilbert Benjamin and Kennard Lovell. Suriname’s Kenneth Marjie ruled the roost among the Over-50’s; Virgil Jones came in second with Lancelot Rose, third. Maurice Fagundes continues to be the standard bearer among the Over-60 competitors; he took the top

All the winners and other top performers along with the organizer and race officials take time out for a photo following yesterday’s presentation at the National Park.

spot followed by Joseph ‘Uncle Joe’Fariah and Harry Lall. The 12-14 boys and girls contest went to Berbician Romello Crawford, Alfie Sonoram placed second with Tyrique Hall, third. Following are the results

of the BMX Races, first to third: 6-9 - Jeremiah Harrison, Isaiah Sahadeo, Christian Sahadeo 9-12 - Shamar Grannum, Jamal Arthur, Rashadi Cerres 12-14 Sceion

Thagg, Raphael Leong, Bryton John Open - Makiel Diaz, Jamal John, Khemraj Sanichar Attention will now turn to today’s road race which is set for the West Demerara

pedaling off from the Demerara Harbour Bridge, proceeding to Bushy Park, Parika on the East Bank Essequibo before returning to the starting point for the finish. Race time today is 09:00hrs.

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