Police fire pellets to disperse protesters
SEVEN persons were wounded at Catherine, Calcutta, and Little Abary, East Coast Demerara when Police fired pellets and released teargas on protesters blocking the main highway yesterday.

Villagers punctured the tyres of a low bed trailer carrying a Caterpillar excavator on the road, seized and used it to block the highway. They also piled derelict vehicles, tyres, wood and other materials on the road to prevent the flow of vehicular traffic.

Residents said they were protesting over flooding in their communities.

The Government Information Agency (GINA) last night said the protest by about 250 persons seemed to have been “led by opposition elements” and the flooding in the communities, more than 40 miles east of Georgetown, was not as critical as that plaguing communities in the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary rivers.

Of those wounded when Police opened fire, some said they were innocent passers-by.

A Police press release said an officer was injured when protesters began pelting objects at cops deployed to restore order and clear the highway.

Police used tractors to remove the debris and the low bed trailer with the excavator was driven away after the punctured tyres were replaced.

The highway was open to traffic yesterday afternoon, Police reported.

The protest, which lasted several hours, prevented vehicles heading to the Rosignol ferry stelling from going further and stalled traffic from proceeding into the city.

When Mahaicony Police were unable to disperse the demonstrators and clear the road, Police from Georgetown were summoned to the villages.

Residents claimed the Police accused them of pelting at them. Further, they said it was when they scrambled to rescue an elderly woman who fell down when something was thrown at her, perhaps accidentally by Police clearing the road, that the law enforcement ranks fired pellets and released teargas.

But the Police said they had to take firm measures to restore order.

The Police said they had received no reports of anyone receiving injuries but a senior officer confirmed that persons were likely to have been wounded and officers were checking hospitals for those who may have gone for treatment.

Shannon Alfred, 38, an employee of the Ministry of Fisheries, Other Crops and Livestock, of Hope Town, was said to be working with Agriculture Minister Mr Satyadeow Sawh when she was hit by pellets.

Others who were treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for pellet wounds were Vincent Crossman, 24; Phillip Quacy, 42; Stephen Duke, 18; Bobbinton Hyles, 28; Rawle Byass, 24 and Shaun McKenzie, 21, all of Catherine/Calcutta.

As a result of the protests, two excavators were deployed to the villages in the afternoon. One was assigned to clear the Burma trench leading to the koker and the other was seen shoring up the dam alongside the trench.

Residents told the Guyana Chronicle the dam was too low and when the koker is closed because of the tide, the water in the trench increases and overtops, flooding their yards and homes.

They said they had noted an increase in the water in their homes over the past two weeks and had pleaded with the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to carry out the works.

However, they said their complaints fell on deaf ears, and they decided to protest in order to get the attention of President Bharrat Jagdeo who has visited several East Coast Demerara and West Coast Berbice villages flooded since excessive rainfall began last month.

Some residents said when they saw the excavator which the Police said is owned by a private construction company, being transported on the low bed trailer, they decided to block it from moving on, and the protest started.

Of those hit by pellets, Byass, a mason, and McKenzie who works at a furniture store, said they were not part of the protest. The young men claimed that they were on their way home from work.

“I was walking home from work when all I hear was `pow’, `pow’ and I turn me back and there is where I get hit,” McKenzie told this newspaper.

GINA said Minister Sawh intervened in the protest and explained that the village is experiencing some amount of flooding but the situation is not as critical as other areas such as the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary rivers.

A committee of about five persons was formed to identify priority drainage works to be done, the agency reported.

The Police Force called on all residents to stop blocking the public roadways and reiterated that though peaceful protesting in itself is not an offence, it is an offence to prevent persons ingress and egress and the Police will not stand idly by and allow the law to be breached.

Police said ranks are maintaining their vigilance in the area.

Residents in West Coast Berbice last month blocked the main highway in Belladrum and other villages after they were also hit by floods.

Embassies concerned at crime, violence
-- ambassadors issue joint statement
THE United States, Canada, Britain and the European Commission are worried about crime and violence here and yesterday appealed to leaders in the country to take a strong stand and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

In a rare move, the United States, British, Canadian and European Commission ambassadors issued a joint statement on their concern.

“We, the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, the Ambassador of the United States of America, the High Commissioner for Canada and the Ambassador representing the European Commission, join our voices with those who have expressed concern at the crime situation in Guyana and we condemn all forms of violence in the strongest terms”, they said.

 “We are concerned not only as members of the international community representing countries who care for Guyana and its future, but also as responsible residents of this country and of this city.

Violence and the resulting culture of fear undermine the stable functioning of society, eroding everything from democratic development, to the investment climate, to civic life”, the envoys said.

“As friends of Guyana, we invite all those who are in leadership positions to take a strong stand against violent crime and to demand that those responsible for violent crimes be brought to justice. We urge all citizens who have information to cooperate fully with police investigations.

We encourage the Guyana Police Force to persevere in its efforts to investigate all crimes thoroughly so that those responsible can be brought to justice.

In this regard, we support the work of the Guyana Police Force and all those involved in the fight against crime. Moreover, the Governments of the United States of America and of the United Kingdom will continue their efforts to support and strengthen the Guyana Police Force”, the joint statement said. 

President ends successful visit to Cuba
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday ended a brief but successful working visit to Cuba where he and President Fidel Castro further strengthened the already close ties of diplomatic cooperation between the two countries that go back more than 30 years.

A report from the Granma newspaper in Cuba said President Castro and his ministers warmly welcomed the Guyanese Head of State and his delegation at José Martí International Airport in Havana on Wednesday.

It said that at the terminal, Mr Jagdeo spoke in favour of strengthening relations between the two countries and thanked Cuba for its cooperation, particularly in the areas of health and education.

During a brief exchange with the media, President Castro, in his turn, said that beyond protocols, this would be a time of intensive work to the benefit of both peoples, Granma reported.

Afterward, it said official talks between the two leaders took place at the Palace of the Revolution.

On the Cuban side, other participants were José Ramón Balaguer, Minister of Public Health; Ricardo Cabrisas, Government Minister; Marta Lomas, Minister of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation; Manuel Aguilera, acting foreign minister; and Carlos Valenciaga, member of the Council of State.

President Jagdeo was accompanied to Cuba by Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford, and General Director of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran.

“We will work to expand relations and cooperation with Guyana, mainly in the field of health”, the Cuban leader is reported to have said during the official welcoming for President Jagdeo and his delegation at Havana's Revolution Palace on Wednesday.

The cooperation between both countries covers diverse sectors, including public health, agriculture, forestry, construction, scientific research, civil aviation, fishing, foreign trade, culture, education and sports.

The Guyanese delegation reportedly had a full work agenda, which included visits to various health and sports centres, and meetings with Guyanese students studying in Havana.

President Jagdeo was also very impressed with the Pando Ferrer Ophthalmological Institute which he toured on Thursday.

Accompanied by Minister Cabrisas, President Jagdeo was given an extensive tour through various health centres in Havana where he had a first hand look and assessment of the tremendous achievements of the ophthalmological programme.

At the Operation Miracle Centre in Marina Hemingway, President Jagdeo was received by Elia Rosa Lemus, an official of the Council of State, and Dr Gessiz Rodríguez Fernández, director of the centre.

He further talked with Castro about the idea of establishing an eye care centre in Guyana where diagnoses and even operations could be performed.

He also met Guyanese patients in Cuba who thanked him for his visit and expressed their satisfaction and congratulations for their exquisite treatment on the part of nurses, doctors and social workers who are attending to them in Cuba.

“This visit will contribute to reinforcing the excellent ties of friendship and cooperation that exist between the two brotherly peoples of the Caribbean and their respective governments,” a Cuban news agency reported.

Corbin claims 2006 budget lacks `philosophical underpinnings’
By Chamanlall Naipaul
THE main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is arguing that Guyana will not move forward unless there is good governance characterised by transparency and accountability.

Wrapping up the 2006 budget debate yesterday in the National Assembly, Leader of the Opposition and the PNCR, Mr Robert Corbin said the budget has laudable objectives but is without the requisite policies and programmes to achieve these and its theme of Modernisation and Transformation Through Partnership is misleading.

He charged that the budget lacks the “philosophical underpinnings” and should be put aside, because in addition it is in breach of the law, as it failed to meet the requirements enshrined in the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.

During the opening of the budget debate PNCR front bencher, Mr Winston Murray also made a similar charge and on that basis called for the budget to be withdrawn, or refashioned and then brought back to the House.

The PNCR leader said his party would be the first to commend the government if what is projected in the budget were accompanied by a feasible programme to achieve them.

According to him a fundamental flaw in the budget is that it failed to take into account recommendations and reports made out of studies by experts such as those in the National Development Strategy (NDS) and to use the experiences of the past to guide for the future.

He rejected the government’s argument that the floods last year were responsible for the economy performing poorly, and instead asserted that this was due to “colossal mismanagement of the country’s affairs” associated with “poor planning, visionless management and technical incompetence.”

The response by the government to the floods, Corbin claimed, is an apt demonstration of this.

“The President and his ministers are running around like merry men carrying out damage control,” he charged, adding that he has met people in several communities with slips to obtain flood assistance but have failed to so since the floods of last year.

He added that only when citizens mount protests is attention paid to their plight by the government and this is not a healthy development for the country as this is a sign that it is descending into anarchy.

He noted too that such developments are an indication that the society has deep-seated problems which should be addressed.

Lack of accountability and corruption has led to a disastrous situation, Corbin alleged, claiming that the drug business has been responsible for propping up the economy.

He launched a scathing attack on the President’s Youth Choice Initiative programme, describing it as a “colossal failure,” and questioned why it is managed by the Office of the President through Presidential Adviser on Empowerment, Mr Odinga Lumumba, even though there is a Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Failure to appoint a Chancellor of the Judiciary and appointing the Integrity Commission without consultation was cited also by Corbin as evidence of the government’s refusal to abide by the rule of law.

He blasted parliamentarians for being involved in an “exchange of frivolities” instead of engaging in an exercise of constructive ideas to remedy a situation in the society.

The PNCR leader said Guyana is in a state where the fragility of the social fabric is likely to deteriorate if a constructive approach and speedy actions are not taken.

He claimed that the society is characterised by brutal murders, an uncertain future, scarce jobs, uneducated youths, heavy losses by the agricultural community due to floods and unfair competition for the business community from the drug business, coupled with escalating electricity rates.

Touching on the Ronald Waddell killing he said this is just a recent one but there is a long list of such killings, noting that the crime and security situation is at a serious level.

Lofty speeches will not resolve the problems in the society, Corbin exhorted, and instead this would only happen through good governance, transparency, accountability and adherence to the rule of law.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr Harripersaud Nokta said the former PNC regime was largely responsible for the situation Guyana is facing.

In supporting his argument, Nokta referred to a speech made by former leader of the PNCR and President, Mr Desmond Hoyte, in 1988, in which he admitted the economic failure by the then government in which there was a poor balance of payment, high indebtedness and no growth in the economy.

However, Corbin countered that in 1989 when the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) was introduced in 1989 the economis decline was reversed and the present government benefited from the “tail wind” of the ERP.

Region Two gets promised excavators for Pomeroon
TWO new ‘Caterpillar’ excavators to be based in Pomeroon have arrived on Essequibo Coast, in keeping with an undertaking President Bharrat Jagdeo gave when he visited flood-hit parts of the riverain area last month.

The machines are in the Anna Regina engineering compound of the Regional Administration in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).

Officials said they would be moved to Charity and then transported to upper and Lower Pomeroon River by pontoon.

Last Monday, Pomeroon farmers, at a public meeting in the old Charity Secondary School building, elected members of two committees to oversee management of the machines that were purchased at a cost of some $60M.

On the Lower Pomeroon Management Committee are Chairman Dereck Gonsalves (St John); Secretary Elizabeth Harris (Martindale); Treasurer Selene Haroof (Cozier Canal) and Brian Ally (Marlborough); Vincent Overmuller (Friendship Canal); Ruth Lowenfield (Lilydale); Romney Tobin (Hackney); Victor William (Strong Hope) and Wilfred Williams (Aberdeen).

The Upper Pomeroon Committee comprises Chairman Nateram Ramanan alias ‘Juice Man’ (Charity); Secretary Shiek Yusuf (Upper Jacklow); Treasurer Shermon Austin (Lower Jacklow) and James Ramroop (Aripicao/Pickersgil); Wayne Benn (Warapana); Kawall Sanichara (Abrams Creek); Rodney Correia (Siriki); Timothy Alphonso (Dredge Creek) and Chuman Lall (David James Scheme).

Regional Chairman Alli Baksh, who witnessed the elections, said three councillors of the Charity/Urasara Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Regional Vice-Chairman Vishnu Samaroo, Agriculture Officer Spellen and Coordinator of the Regional Drainage and Irrigation Department Farouk Khan will also sit on the two committees.

The government has already made financial assistance available to households that suffered from the flooding, each getting $50,000 cheques to help resume farming, prior to Pomeroon being declared a disaster area. (RAJENDRA PRABHULALL)

Chinese hand over textiles mill to Guyana
-- investors to be invited to run company
By Shawnel Cudjoe
CHINA yesterday formally donated the equipment and raw materials from the G&C Sanata Textiles mill in Georgetown to the Guyana Government and Foreign Trade and International Cooperation Minister Clement Rohee said investors will be invited to take over the company.

Mr Rohee and Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Mr Shen Qing signed the certificate for the donation of the equipment and raw materials at the Foreign Trade Ministry here.

In the next few months, the minister said, the government will be on the hunt for investors to take over the company and make it a viable entity since Guyana has already secured a lucrative export market for its products.

“We already have a secure market in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). This is a market with about eight million people and growing and the product will eventually be a regional product thus enabling Guyana to be part of the CARICOM market,” he said.

Rohee added that although the prospects for success are excellent, the investor has a huge role to play. “A lot will depend on the investor and how he is able to take advantage of this market share and be competitive, not only in terms of the quality which we have no doubt about, but also in terms of the price of his products.”

He pointed out too, that while it is not easy competing in the textiles industry, especially when the Chinese are involved, the project can still be successful.

He told the gathering at the ceremony that the government’s policy is not to be involved in business, but to create an enabling environment for potential investors to participate in enterprises such as Sanata.

Ambassador Qing said yesterday’s signing was testimony to the cooperation between the two countries and Guyana stands to benefit greatly.

“After the handing over of these raw materials and equipment, I believe it will surely help the Guyanese side to build its own textile industry… This is just another example of the friendly cooperation of the two sides moving ahead,” he said.

He added that the rapid increase in bilateral trade between the two countries contributed to a record US$35M in foreign trade for 2005. Further, Guyana’s exports to China reached US$6M last year, four times bigger than in 2004, he said.

Qing estimated that as the friendly relations continue to grow, bilateral trade will see another record high this year since future areas of cooperation will be discussed at the joint commission on economic and trade cooperation meeting to be held mid February.

By mid-year, journalists would be given a tour of the Skeldon sugar modernisation project in Berbice, also being undertaken by the Chinese, the envoy said.

“Through your own eyes you will see the speed of implementation and the quality of that project is in full accordance with the agreement signed by the two sides”, he told reporters.

But coming sooner will be the handing over of the Convention Centre at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown to the Guyana Government. The centre, almost complete, is being built by the Chinese.

Executive Director of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Ltd, Mr Winston Brassington said the textiles mill gift from the Chinese Government is a significant one since the equipment alone when installed cost more than $1 billion.

He said that in finding investors, Guyana will be using the fact that the equipment is a grant and does not have to be repaid, to its advantage.

The Exchange of Notes to facilitate the formal handing over of G&C Sanata Textiles Company Inc was signed between Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr Manzoor Nadir and Assistant Minister of Commerce of China, Mr Liao Xiaoqi during a working visit by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds to the People’s Republic of China in July last year.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations some three decades ago, Guyana and China have enjoyed excellent and productive relations, with Guyana benefiting extensively from the Technical Cooperation for Developing Countries programme, medical brigades, cooperation programmes, notably those between CCTV of China and National Communications Network, and the services of a mushroom cultivation expert, among other expertise and programmes.

Four beaten, injured in Berbice gun robberies
BANDITS beat, shot and robbed three Berbice families of cash and jewellery between Thursday and yesterday morning, leaving four people injured, Police reported.

The first of the two separate armed robberies took place about 01:20 h Thursday when a gang of five men, one of whom had a shotgun, attacked two different families at Eversham, Corentyne.

In that incident, Rita Bhola, 65, her son, Patrick Bhola, 41, and her 11-year-old granddaughter were the victims whom the robbers hurt and took away jewellery and $3,000 cash.

The attackers then dragged the pre-teen child to where her mother, Michelle Cadogan, lives, about three lots from the Bholas, forcing the girl to call out for her parent, Police said.

Cadogan hesitated to open her home and the gunman discharged a round forcing her to comply and she was relieved of a bag containing money and valuables of undisclosed worth before the men escaped amidst more gunfire.

The Bholas received medical treatment but were not admitted to any hospital.

In the second robbery, three men entered the building where shopkeeper Babadeen Samad, 53, lives at Bath Settlement, about 20:30 h Thursday.

They gained entry through an unlocked back door to the lower flat which houses a grocery and held Samad and a friend, Errol Bharrat, at gunpoint.

The trio dealt Samad and Bharrat several blows about their bodies with their guns and the woman handed over a canister with jewels and cash, the total value of which was not quantified.

The injured Samad and Bharrat were treated and sent away from Fort Wellington Hospital, at West Coast Berbice, too.
Investigations into the three crimes are continuing, Police said.

Ituni marijuana fields, nurseries destroyed
TWO fields of cannabis (marijuana), about one acre each, were destroyed during a drug eradication exercise at Six Miles, Ituni, Upper Demerara River, on Thursday.

Police said two nurseries with the same plants and three camps were also razed but no arrests made.

Citizens park for Anna Regina
ANNA Regina Town Clerk Ganga Persaud has announced that construction of a $2M citizens park in the Essequibo Coast town will commence shortly.

It is being funded as a joint project between the Canadian Federation of Municipalities and the Town Council.

The site is a few metres from the car park near the high bridge, the eastern and western sides of which have to be earth filled before the structure is rehabilitated and painted for preservation as a heritage monument to attract tourists, Mr Persaud said.

He said trees will be planted in the park and along the road leading to the seawall from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) branch.

The Town Clerk appealed to livestock rearers to keep their cattle from entering the recreational place but warned that the municipality is soon to launch a campaign against stray animals.

The Canadian Federation, in collaboration with the council, has already financed the erection of public conveniences and the painting of a pavilion at the Community Centre ground.

New $112M building for Essequibo markets
THE sum of $112M is being spent to repair and modernise Bush Lot Market in the Anna Regina township on Essequibo Coast.

Town Clerk Ganga Persaud said the project got under way recently and the contracted R. Bassoo and Sons company is expected to complete it within nine months.

Mr Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle the aim is to house the Anna Regina and Bush Lot markets in one building and minimise operational costs to the municipality.

He said the Bush Lot market will be transformed into a modern shopping mall with different sections for green vegetables, ground provisions, fish, meat, groceries, clothing, jewellery and eating places.

According to him, all the Anna Regina vending stalls will be relocated to the Bush Lot edifice in time for Christmas this year.

Vendors and stallholders at Bush Lot Market have already been moved to Bush Lot bus park and along the shoulders of the public road while the construction is in progress.

Meanwhile, the main road at Bush Lot is closed to traffic during the usually busy Friday market day.

`Pirates all round de place’
SLINGSHOT’S ship and its buccaneers did not sail last year because the devastating floods across the coast cancelled the Republic Day float parade, but come this February 23, it will be “pirates all around de place.”

The costumes’ theme surrounds the piracy of intellectual property in Guyana and the Caribbean, and to sell the idea of sound, vision and creativity, he has brought together top costume designers Don Gomes and Derek Moore.
John `Slingshot’ Drepaul said his “pirates” theme was too good to be left to drown, and so yesterday at Le Merdien Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown, he gave members of the media a sneak peek at the costume – skeletons, eerie face masks, chains, guns, cutlasses, knives, eye patches, bandanas and more.

Slingshot and his camp are anticipating a minimum of about 500 revellers on Mash Day and will provide them with the pirate accessories.

Key to the parade would be a gigantic adventure ship being built by designer Moore, who has excelled at recent Mashramani float parades, winning top honours several years.

Gomes has taken on the task of designing a Pirate King.

With all the buzz Slingshot has been creating with his music on the radio and television in Guyana, can he mastermind stealing top honours on Mashramani Day? (NEIL MARKS)

Mash battle in the sun
By Kenwah Choquanyi
THEY were exhausted and drained of energy from the sun, but they kept on going yesterday, battling against their opponents with new moves, styles and vibes in the Dance 2 and Masquerade 2 competitions yesterday.

With a larger and more supportive crowd at the National Park, Georgetown, the competition among schools in the Mashramani anniversary programme took off with a bang and the judges were in for a hard time with the stiff contests among the students.

The segments were Social Commentary, Interpretive, Legends and Traditions and Religious Belief, similar to the Dance 1 categories run off earlier this week at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, also in the city.

The Dance 2 competition began with the 11-13 Individual round and in the Interpretive category, Christ Church Secondary placed first and Richard Ishmael second.

In the same segment, under Social Commentary, West Ruimveldt Primary was the only contestant and automatically brought first.

Tutorial High School and St. Ambrose Primary placed 1st and 2nd respectively, in the Religious Belief category.

West Ruimveldt Primary placed 1st in the 11-13 group dancing for both Social Commentary and Religious Belief, followed by Thomas More Primary in second place in the Social Commentary category, Brickdam Secondary second in the Religious Belief category and Rama Krishna third in the Religious Belief section.

In the Legends and Traditions category, North Georgetown Primary was first, West Ruimveldt Primary placed second and St. Winefride’s Secondary was third. St. Agnes Primary, ABC Academy and Tutorial High School placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, in the Interpretive category.

Tutorial High School placed first and St. Winefride’s Secondary second in the 14-17 Individual Dance 2.
In the last segment, in the 14-17 group Dance 2, Tutorial High School was first, Queen’s College came second and Richard Ishmael Secondary was third, in the Legends and Traditions category.

Queen’s College took first place, followed by David Rose Community High School and St. Winefride’s Secondary in that order in the Interpretive category.

The Children’s Mashramani Competitions 2006 national finals will take place on February 15-17 at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown.

The schools will march through Middle, Camp, Lamaha and Albert streets to the National Park in the grand children’s Costume Parade billed for February 18.

Teacher accused of molesting pupil on station bail
THE 27-year-old physical education teacher, who is alleged to have molested a nine-year-old pupil last week, has been placed on $20,000 station bail and is likely to be charged.

Police said the suspect will appear at Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court, on Monday, following investigations that started a day after the incident was reported, from Sarswat Primary School at Met-en-Meerzorg, also on West Coast Demerara.

The report to Police said the man fondled the girl after luring her into a classroom during the lunch period.

The Government Information Agency (GINA) said the teacher was immediately suspended by the Regional Education Officer and the Education Ministry viewed the allegation as serious.

According to GINA, the ministry will continue to put stringent supervisory measures in place to protect schoolchildren.

Embankment resident drowns in Lamaha Street canal
DAVID Raghubir, 52, drowned in the canal along Lamaha Street Thursday night, after he slipped and fell in, reportedly while under the influence of alcohol.

His body was fished out of the water, in the vicinity of Lamaha and Light Streets, Alberttown, Georgetown, about 07:45 h yesterday and taken to Lyken Funeral Parlour to await a post mortem examination.

Police said the man, who lived alone along the Lamaha Railway Embankment, was last seen alive Thursday about 01:30 h.

He was a known alcoholic but Police are investigating the circumstances of his death.

Bishop George condemns Waddell killing
-- other groups raise concerns
ANGLICAN Bishop Randolph George says the killing of controversial TV talk show host Ronald Waddell deserves to be “utterly condemned”.

“There can be no justification for the perpetration of such an inhuman act on any human being. That should be the first reaction by all decent people regardless of any other consideration. Unfortunately, this sad and tragic incident has uncovered the fact that among us are those who are ready and waiting to use everything to plant the seeds of unrest and disruption among our people”, he said in a statement Thursday.

”I call on our political leaders, our politicians, media practitioners, all in positions of influence in our society to resist the temptation to see this incident as ammunition to be used against those with whom they may differ in any way,” Bishop George said.

“A dastardly crime has been committed on a brother. Let us do nothing to impede the forces of justice in finding and punishing the guilty ones,” he added.

The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) yesterday joined its affiliate in Guyana in expressing shock and dismay at the murder of Waddell.

The ACM in a statement said his killing is a major blow to the journalistic profession and the peace and security all countries of the region would want to enjoy.

“We call on the authorities in Guyana to ensure that media workers do not feel threatened in the execution of their duties under the current circumstances,” the ACM said.

Waddell, 57, died shortly after two gunmen Monday night riddled him with bullets in his car outside his Georgetown home and up to yesterday, the motive for the execution-style killing remained unclear.

The former journalist turned politician was a candidate for the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform in the 2001 general elections and later took his platform to talk shows on local TV, sparking controversy with his views.

HBTV Channel 9 late last year pulled Waddell off the air after his latest controversial pronouncements on his programme `Taking care of business’, in support of what he referred to as the `Buxton resistance’ – the gunmen in Buxton with whom he was accused of associating.

The Guyana Rastafari Council yesterday also joined with those who mourn the brutal death of Waddell.

“His execution occurred at a critical juncture in our history, a time when Africans the world over take a month to reflect on the struggles and achievements of our predecessors,” the Rastafari Council said in a statement.

“While we begin to mourn the atrocities committed to millions of Africans during the worst system of slavery known to man, another brother has fallen to a system that is no less inimical and horrendous in its nature. It is as if our Armageddon continues,” the GRC added.

It contended, too, that the death of Waddell “portends a disastrous and ghastly future”.

The GRC also expressed concern for the future of Guyana, saying it is convinced that no group of people, ethnic or otherwise, can afford to be tight-lipped. “If we raise our collective voices against injustice wherever it is found, if we demand a stop to the wanton execution of our citizens in spite of their ethnicity and in spite of who are the perpetrators, and if we do so on a wholly impartial basis, we can raise our country out of the morass of political corruption, crime and ethnic polarization and also halt its retrogression,” the Rastafari Council posited.

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), too, came out in condemnation of the “brazen execution-style” killing of Waddell.

“The horrendous crime is reminiscent of the rampage of the alleged death and phantom squads that we dare to forget at our peril,” it asserted.

The congress said that while it may not have agreed with everything Waddell may have said in the past, as a free person, he had the right to express his views unimpeded and that he did fearlessly.

“The execution of anyone, more so a journalist/politician is intolerable and unjustified and is a stark reminder of how sick the nation has become,” it said.

Traffic arrangements for Waddell cremation
THE Police have put on special traffic arrangements for the cremation of Ronald Waddell at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara today.

It said that traffic flowing west along the East Coast main road will be diverted to the Embankment Road through the Lusignan Market Road from about 12:00 h while traffic going east will be diverted at Dr Miller Street, Triumph.
“Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted”, the Police said in the advisory.

EU grant to help vulnerable communities
By Mark Ramotar
VULNERABLE groups and communities across Guyana will have enhanced access to development funds provided through a Micro Projects Programme launched yesterday and funded with a Euro 4.0 million (about G$960 million) grant from the European Union.

The Guyana Micro Projects Programme (GMPP) was inaugurated at the Umana Yana in Georgetown, and will be implemented by the Guyana Micro Projects Office (GMPO) on behalf of the Ministry of Finance.

The overall objective of the GMPP is to reduce poverty and social inequality in Guyana by contributing to the financing of sustainable micro-projects which have an economic and social impact on the lives of vulnerable groups and communities within the Guyanese population, officials said.

The programme was designed by a joint working group made up of representatives of the Guyana Government, the donor community and a wide cross section of civil society.

Projects identified for funding under the programme must meet a demonstrated and observed need - and must be undertaken at the initiative and with the active participation of the beneficiary group or community.

Commenting on the establishment of the GMPP, Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Guyana, Ambassador Per Eklund, said he is pleased to be involved in the implementation of a programme supporting Guyana's fight against poverty.

Within the total envelope, funding has also been earmarked to strengthen the capacity of non-state actors including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) involved in community development and to promote a regular dialogue between the government and civil society.

Louis Berger SAS, an independent private consulting firm working in the field of engineering, economics, planning and development, in partnership with VIKAB Engineering is responsible for implementing the GMPO.

NGOs and Community Based Organisations [CBO's] interested in working with vulnerable groups and communities in the identification, design, implementation and operation of community based micro-projects are encouraged to contact the Guyana Micro Projects Office in Georgetown.

At the launching ceremony yesterday, Ambassador Eklund noted that the programme is firmly embedded in Guyana’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. Its overall objective, he said, is to reduce poverty and social inequality in Guyana by approaching the challenges from the grass-root level.

Eklund said the Guyana Micro Projects programme is a cross-sector and civil-society-led scheme which focuses on the needs of the people in the communities all through the country.

He recalled when the programme was developed, a wide rage of representatives from civil society organisations was integrated into the work and consultations and several workshop sessions were organised to carry out the needs assessment.

“These workshops identified among other things that unemployment and lack of income generating opportunities, as well as insufficient or low quality of training and education were most important and relevant obstacles on the way of the people to prosperity, especially of those of the vulnerable groups,” Eklund told the gathering.

Narrowing the focus from the overall objectives to address the hindrances discovered in the workshops, the EC Ambassador pointed out that the programme has set as its expected results, 75 small schemes at the community level in the areas of employment or income generation, training, education, communication and good governance and all other community initiated development activities in socio-economic sectors in Guyana.

The programme, he said, will run until May 31, 2009 by which time four million Euros from the European Development Fund should have been disbursed, topped with some 0.5 million Euros from the civil society as evidence of ownership and sustainability.

“Maximum assistance from the European Development Fund to each individual micro-scheme is limited to 75% and to Euros 30,000 except in the rural interior where the limit is increased to Euros 50,000”, he clarified.

Eklund also indicated that the modus operandi of the programme is a participatory approach and above all, entails self-help action to guarantee ownership and genuineness of the needs.

“I think that I share the sentiments of all parties if I conclude that the micro-projects programmes are by experience most challenging to deliver and by definition very work-intensive to implement, but the objectives of good governance, democracy and poverty reduction are of such principal importance that we are all willing to march this route through and see the results come true,” Eklund asserted.

“Words stay empty if they are not translated into deeds (and) today we are celebrating the launch of a programme which we hope will materialise in many deeds,” he said.

Finance Minister Saisnarine Kowlessar noted that pogrammes of this nature usually have a long preparatory period due to the procedures that must be followed to access funding from the donors. As such, he encouraged all stakeholders to ensure that the time period remaining to implementing this programme be fully optimized.

He noted that a micro project board has been elected by civil society representatives and, in the spirit of the financing agreements, the board will be in charge of the implementation of the programme.

“This board has the responsibility for the guidance, direction and protection of this programme,” Mr Kowlessar posited.

He charged the board to dispense their responsibilities with diligence so that prospective beneficiaries are able to benefit in a timely manner, the resources being made available. The Finance Minister said, too, that he was assured by the board that most of the preparatory work to successfully implement this programme is already in place.

“The government extends its sincerest thanks to the European community for its decision to accommodate and fund this programme. We hope that the cordial, longstanding and complementary relationship we have enjoyed with the European Union over the years will continue for the benefit of the poor and disadvantaged segments of the society.”

“I wish the programme every success as we seek to reduce poverty in our country,” Kowlessar added.

Programme Manager of the GMPP, Mrs Coralie Simmons said its design is the outcome of a collaborative effort involving the European Commission Delegation in Guyana, representatives of the Ministry of Finance and other departments of the government and a large cross section of civil society operatives.

“The Guyana Micro Projects Programme is a 4.5 million Euros funded by the European Commission through the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) in collaboration with the Government of Guyana,” Simmons told the gathering.

“For us at the GMPP this official launch ceremony is the beginning of a journey (and) we welcome this opportunity and look towards working with our civil society partners in assisting vulnerable communities throughout Guyana in the identification of their needs and the design and implementation of corresponding sustainable projects that contribute to the goal of eradicating poverty in Guyana,” she said.

Chairman of the Guyana Micro Projects Programme, Mr Tallim Karimullah said the programme augurs well for the development of Guyana, providing for instance, the timely opportunity for the rehabilitation and establishment of the productive environment and development in the flood affected areas. He, however, pointed out that it is by no means restricted to that area.

“Indeed, our future development depends to a large extent on small businesses in the various sectors of the economy and in the rural and hinterland regions. As a result of the anticipated economic, value added, and business activity, the micro projects will contribute significantly towards the alleviation of poverty,” Karimullah said.

“It is expected that all stakeholders would be intricately involved, with a high degree of commitment and energy, in implementing the Guyana Micro Projects Programme,” he said.

He also told Eklund that the government and people of Guyana owe a debt of gratitude to the people and member states of the European Union for providing this country – relative to the size of the Guyana economy – such a large grant that is “bound to have a significant positive impact on our economy, given its multiplying effects, and thereby to reduce and to alleviate poverty”.

He said, too, that according to the financing agreement, the purpose of the GMPP is to improve the socio-economic conditions of vulnerable groups of the Guyanese population through the development of sustainable and participatory self-help schemes.

The areas of focus are employment and income generation, training and education, communication and good governance, and other socio-economic sectors.

He also gave the assurance that members of the board will at all times strive to have an independent and objective state of mind in order to better provide overall guidance and direction to ensure the success of the programme.

Members of the Guyana Micro Projects Board are Ms Nalini Naraine, Ms Hymawattie Lagan, Mrs Yvonne Hinds, Mr Bhaskkarand Singh and Mr Ashton Simon.

Ramotar rejects PNCR incompetence charge
By Chamanlall Naipaul
GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Mr Donald Ramotar has lauded the government for its management of the Guyanese economy in a difficult and challenging environment.

Speaking during the 2006 budget debate in the National Assembly, he rejected the contention by the opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) that the contraction of the national economy last year was due to incompetence and mismanagement rather than the impact of the floods.

Supporting his position, Ramotar stressed that it is unthinkable that the devastating floods last year would not have impacted negatively on the economy, which is agricultural-based.

He noted that the major sugar and rice industries were severely affected with production plummeting significantly and in addition, livestock and cash crops were severely hampered.

However, he offered that because of astute management, the decline in the economy was only three per cent compared to the six per cent predicted by international experts.

At the same time, he noted that many local companies recorded increased profits during last year, despite the decline in the economy overall.

He said also that credit to the private sector increased by 9.1% during last year, while the government moved to equalise concessions to both local and foreign investors.

The previous government only granted concessions to foreign investors, Ramotar said.

In recognition of the private sector being the main entity in the creation of wealth, the government, he observed, has been increasingly making conditions favourable for businesses, and in this regard it has implemented duty free concessions for importation of machinery and equipment for recapitalisation purposes.

He recalled too that the People’s Progressive Party government of the 1960’s established the first industrial estate at Ruimveldt and the present government has expanded the number of industrial sites with one at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara and plans are afoot to establish others at Lethem and elsewhere.

This, he said, is indicative of the recognition by the government of the role of the private sector in economic development.

However, he conceded that there are still some bureaucratic problems which need to be ironed out.

Touching on the control of inflation, the PPP General Secretary said despite drastic increases in the price of fuel which moved from US$10 to US$70 per barrel on the world market, inflation was constrained to a low level of only 8%.

Responding to those who have been calling for the closing down of the sugar industry, he said the government is firmly convinced that the industry has a glorious future, and attested to the steps that have been taken to modernise it and diversify into value-added production, such as refined sugar, ethanol and electricity co-generation at Skeldon.

He further argued that according to experts, the demand for sugar will exceed production and in the U.S. it could reach as much as US18 cents per pound. Therefore, in such a context, there will definitely be a future for the local industry, he said.

With respect to the bauxite industry, he said the prospects are exciting and promising with the massive investment by the RUSAL company of Russia, which would eventually see the production of alumina and the possible establishment of a smelter to manufacture aluminium.

On the issue of provision of funds to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for the holding of elections constitutionally due by August 4 this year, Ramotar assured that the government is committed towards the provision of funds.

He pointed out that some $1.4 billion is provided and the remainder will be provided by the donor community whose involvement is important in ensuring the credibility of the electoral process.

He made this point in the face of criticism by PNCR parliamentarian, Mr Joseph Hamilton who questioned why the donor community needs to be involved in the funding process.

Hamilton also charged that electoral preparations are behind schedule and because the government has not been releasing funds in a timely manner the acquiring of computer accessories has been delayed and this is preventing work related to election preparations to be delayed.

Ramotar explained that the delay has not been caused by a release of funds but because of the tendering process.

He also said, in reply to Hamilton’s charge that the continuous registration process is moving slowly, that it should have begun since 1997 but this was frustrated by PNCR manoeuvrings, as well as the resignation of the then Chairman of GECOM.

Ramotar noted too that most of the problems associated with electoral preparations are technical in nature and expressed confidence that these would be sorted out in a timely manner.

He observed that the PPP also has concerns about certain issues pertaining to the elections but, unlike the PNCR, it is adopting an attitude which will help the electoral process.

GPSU plans protest march next week
By Ruel Johnson
THE Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is planning to hold a protest march on Wednesday, part of a threatened programme of public demonstrations against what the union calls the arbitrary imposition of wages and salaries within the public service sector by the government.

At a press conference yesterday at the GPSU Hall in Georgetown, the union’s First Vice-President, Mr Herman DeSouza, read from a prepared statement which indicated the union’s “readiness to commence industrial action against the abuses and lawless practices of the PPP/C Government, culminating with the imposition of seven per cent on salaries and wages for public officers in 2005.”

It was a belligerent Mr Patrick Yarde – President of the GPSU – who yesterday expanded on the union’s statement.

He said the march was originally slated for December 21 of last year but after “several entities” pointed out the potential for economic disruption that such a move would have during the Christmas season, the union postponed its protest until February 1, 2006. He stated that when it was found out that the Guyana Teachers’ Union was planning to hold their `Stress Day’ on that date, the march was rescheduled to a week later, on February 8.

The GPSU has sought out and gained permission from the Commissioner of Police, Mr Winston Felix to hold the march which starts at the GPSU Headquarters at Regent and New Garden Streets; heads east into South Road; south into Vlissengen Road; west into Brickdam; north into the western carriageway of the Avenue of the Republic; east into Church Street; south into Camp Street; east into South Road; and then north into New Garden Street, back to the union hall.

Noticeably, this entails the protesters passing twice in front of the main entrance way, located on New Garden Street, to the Office of the President.

When asked about the support amongst the general union membership for next week’s protest action, Yarde said he was not calling on 100% of the membership to take part at the present time.

He said he was not ready to disclose, however, the numbers that are going to be turning out, nor the agencies within the public sector from which they would come.

“What I can say is that we are looking at numbers that will have more of an impact than the 57 that went on the [recently held] March for Peace,” Yarde stated.

He said the initial protest was just the beginning and that the union intended to continue protesting until it was satisfied with the outcome of negotiations with the government.

He stated that the dates of further protests actions would be released at another press conference.

Concerning the government’s contention that the protest action planned by the GPSU – coming as it does in an election year – was one that was politically motivated, Yarde responded that the wages issue has been one that has had a long history, and that the union is engaging in industrial, not political, action.

Regarding the claim that the union has been meeting opposition politicians, he said the very first political party that he had invited to talks was the People’s Progressive Party/Civic since they were the party in government. He said that a letter to PPP General Secretary Mr. Donald Ramotar was not responded to at the time of the conference, adding that he was open to meeting the PPP/C leadership even on the morning of the planned protest.

Ramotar was in Parliament at the time this paper contacted his office at Freedom House yesterday, and was therefore unable to comment on Yarde’s claims.

The union leader said he has met other political parties since, including the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR); the Justice For All Party (JFAP); and The United Force (TUF), which delegation was led by party leader and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr Manzoor Nadir.

Government policies strongly support investment
Georgetown, GINA, February 3, 2006
Government is seriously promoting production for exports and in pursuit of this, is providing advantageous tax policies and programmes that support private enterprise.

Director of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Geoffrey Da Silva, indicated that general incentives target the productive sectors and are available across-the-board to all investors. These include:

* Zero-rate on Customs Duty and Consumption Tax (C-Tax) on most items of plant, machinery and equipment

* Zero-rate on Customs Duty and Tax on raw materials used in the production of goods for export. Under a duty-drawback system, for qualifying firms and products, consumption tax paid on imported raw materials may be remitted. Qualifying firms must be registered with the Customs and Trade Administration of the Guyana Revenue Authority under the Consumption Tax Act.

* Unlimited loss carryover from previous years

* Accelerated depreciation on plant and equipment

* Double taxation treaties currently exist with the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and CARICOM countries.

* Full and unrestricted repatriation of capital, profits and dividends

Special incentives are also offered in several key sectors, including manufacturing, mining, information and telecommunication (IT), and tourism.

In addition to the general incentives, manufacturers are entitled to exemption from Customs Duty and Tax for those registered under the Tax Act, and a n initial accelerated allowance for capital expenditure.

Incentives in the mining sector include, exemption of Customs Duty and Tax on all equipment, processing material and spare parts used in the process of surveying, prospecting and mining. Exemption of Customs Duty and Tax on outboard engines, and a preferential consumption tax rate of 10 percent on aviation fuel.

Concessions in the IT sector include, a tax holiday of 10 years, a ninety-nine (99) year lease for land with the option to buy at concessionary rates, and waiver of Customs Duty and C-Tax on IT related equipment, machinery and vehicles. The Customs Duty and C-Tax on building materials is also waived.

In the tourism sector, Government is encouraging an increase in the number of hotel rooms and the upgrading of existing plant and other facilities.

To facilitate this growth, the administration has made available a five-year package of incentives that comprises mainly duty-free and C-Tax concessions for basic furnishings, plant equipment and building materials. Tax concessions are limited to 50 percent of the value of the investment.

Da Silva noted also that, “A number of things have been put in place to foster investment; these include a new Financial Institution Act and Money Laundering Act, a Small Business Act and a New Companies Act.”

A United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) analysis states that Guyana has attracted on average of US$66.1M between the years 1990 and 2003 reflecting huge investments in the mining, telecommunication and forestry sectors.

Go-Invest is the primary contact for investors and exporters. It liaises, on their behalf, with government ministries and other agencies to facilitate applications for concessions.

Foster care
THREE days ago, Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy announced that a foster care programme will soon be set up in Guyana, providing accommodation for orphans and vulnerable children.

An initial reaction would be that a foster care system in Guyana is something that is sorely needed at this juncture. The various drop-in centres and orphanages cater to and house children who have been through living nightmares that no adult human being – much less a child – should ever be made to experience.

The dozens, possibly hundreds, of children that such a system would benefit would prove “a concrete step” in Guyana’s progress towards tightening the gaps in our social safety net.

What is curious to note though is that 1) this initiative is being touted by the Minister of Health, as opposed to being promoted by the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, even if either singly or in conjunction with the Ministry of Health; and 2), it was announced at the opening of a joint one-day Ministry of Health and the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) National Consultation on Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support.

On the first issue, the question needs to be asked about the capacity of the Ministry of Health in undertaking what seems to be a primarily Human Services venture.

A foster care system, if the minister’s usage of the term is to be understood correctly, is one in which orphans and vulnerable children are provided with the home care and support that circumstances have denied them: this means food, clothing, education and recreation. There will be a need to procure appropriate accommodation, training of staff and vast financial resources.

At the very best, this seems to be something that another ministry should be spearheading, as an interagency effort including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Ministry of Health.

Of course, the programme at which Dr Ramsammy made the announcement was one held in response to the commitment by G8 leaders at the Summit held in Gleneagles, Scotland last year to provide support “to countries in their efforts to achieve universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010”; the provision of care to OVC – as orphans and vulnerable children are called in AIDSpeak – is a crucial element in this framework.

In brief, this means the carrot of major donor support. In terms of an actual foster came system, however, the definition of OVC outside of the strictures of HIV/AIDS funding guidelines may arguably be too broad. What this may lead to is a foster care system which necessarily includes some vulnerable children that fit the criteria, while leaving others who do not out.

Additionally, while a functioning foster care system seems practically destined to be funded by the G8, the establishment of such a system would not be an easy thing as was noted earlier. The changes in Guyana’s laws for example would be a monumental task, particularly so in an election year with the pending dissolution of the Cabinet.

The Minister of Health is undoubtedly one of the A-students on the Ministerial Campus. If there is a global health initiative that needs to be latched on to in Guyana’s interest, Dr Ramsammy seems to have an uncanny ability sniff it out and to make sure we are part of it, either directly or through partners like the Pan-American Health Organisation. As a result, we have been as on top of the game as we could be when it comes to our recent response to both familiar problems like HIV/AIDS, as well as new dangers like Bird Flu; and the country has been making rapid strides in the area of malaria eradication.

How Dr Ramsammy is going to pull this particular one off as planned however remains to be seen.

Manning assures investors:
No shortage of natural gas
By Linda Hutchinson-Jafar
PORT of Spain, Trinidad - Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning assured investors yesterday that the country has enough natural gas to supply six planned gas-based projects which have an investment of US$7.3 billion in addition to meeting existing commitments.

"There is no shortage of gas. We took a decision late last year that over the next year or two, there are six projects that will be given priority and that there is gas to satisfy those projects at any rate," he said at a ceremony to mark the completion of Atlantic LNG's Train 4 production plant.

Among the projects planned are two aluminium smelters, an iron and steel plant and a urea, ammonia and melamine complex.

Over recent months, questions have been raised about the ability of the government to satisfy the gas requirement of existing projects and of those that have already been given approval to begin construction.

Manning said the government also plans two more LNG trains, one based on gas from nearby Venezuela and another relying on gas from Trinidad and Tobago.

Atlantic LNG's Train 4, the world's largest operating plant, began production last month, increasing Trinidad and Tobago's total capacity to 15 million metric tonnes or 720 billion cubic feet (bcf) per year.

The United States is the largest importer with more than 75 per cent, while LNG is also exported to Spain, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Atlantic LNG's Train 4, the process where natural gas changes from a vapour to a liquid and re-gasified as needed, is owned by BP, BG, Repsol YPF and the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago.

Atlantic's first Train was built in 1995 to liquefy natural gas for export by BP Trinidad LNG B.V., British Gas Trinidad LNG Ltd., Repsol International Finance B.V., Suez LNG Finance S.A. and the Trinidad and Tobago National Gas Company.

With a reliable export market in the U.S., Atlantic LNG expanded its operations to include trains 2 and 3.

The trains are owned separately but a joint use and operating agreement among owners allows them to be run in combination, sharing common assets and costs, Atlantic LNG said.

Manning also said that the government was stimulating exploration through a bidding process for on shore and off shore blocks.

"What has been explored so far is virtually minuscule in relation to the amount of acreage available for exploration in the future. And therefore, when we speak publicly, we don't concern ourselves unduly with whether the gas will run out, not because we live in the clouds but because we have a proper understanding of Trinidad and Tobago at this time as it relates to oil and gas production and oil and gas exploration and production potential, " he told a cross-section of international investors.

He estimated that the country was producing about 150,000 barrels of oil per day while the oil equivalent of gas production per day stood at 650,000 barrels.

The Prime Minister also said that efforts were being made to stimulate oil exploration since there is a huge revenue imbalance in terms of oil and gas.

UG cocaine trafficker gets suspended jail sentence
UNIVERSITY of Guyana student Nicole Williams, convicted of drug trafficking in a bust at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, was slapped with a suspended two-year jail sentence yesterday.

The 17-year-old, who was nabbed with cocaine strapped to her body, was fined $50,000, as well, after she changed her plea to guilty before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan.

She had four kilogrammes 363 grammes of the narcotic while an outgoing passenger on January 28.

Attorney-at-law Mr Glenn Hanoman, who made a plea in mitigation for the teenager, acknowledged that the law under which she was charged stipulates mandatory imprisonment but pointed out that an amendment to the legislation provides for young persons between 14 and 18 years old to be treated differently.

He cited the convict’s age on the date the offence was committed and alluded to the case of another UG student who was previously placed on one year probation and given a non-custodial penalty.

Hanoman said, if Williams is treated similarly, she has hope of improving her life, as she was fourth on the list of those who topped the country at the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination before attending Queen’s College and has finished one semester of studies towards a UG degree in Computer Science.

The lawyer said that her single parent mother migrated to St Lucia to work and left Williams unsupervised.

Police Inspector Lloyd Thomas, prosecuting, said, notwithstanding the amended Narcotics Act and the provision which allows for special consideration, he was asking for Williams to be incarcerated because she is a person of great intelligence.

Thomas had also said the court should send a definite and appropriate message to young people and those who use them as drug couriers.

Woman drug trafficker, shoplifter jailed
A WOMAN drug trafficker and a shoplifter were both jailed by Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan yesterday.

Fifty-eight-year-old Evelyn Williams, of Lot 29 Campbellville Housing Scheme, was sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined $10,000 for having trafficked four and a half grammes of cocaine on February 2.

Police Inspector Maxine Graham, prosecuting, said members of the City Constabulary arrested Williams in Orange Walk, Bourda, after she was seen acting suspiciously.

The prisoner was taken to the Bourda outpost and, while she was being searched, Williams gave an officer a container in which the narcotic was found.

The other convict, Roy Vieira, of Lot 35 Waterloo Street, got a 12-month prison term for simple larceny.

He admitted stealing two cans of insecticide valued $1,790 from C&F Supermarket in Regent Street, also in Georgetown, on February 2, too.

The Prosecutor said Vieira entered the shopping centre about 09:00 h, took up the merchandise and was leaving without paying when the manager confronted him and a search of his person yielded the stolen items in his pants waist.

Accused horse thieves refused bail, other defendant granted
THREE men on a joint simple larceny charge were refused while a third man charged with the same offence was granted bail yesterday by Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan.

Twenty-year-olds Mark Rodrigues and Wayne Castello and Rudolph Sears (no addresses given) all pleaded not guilty and were remanded to prison until March 6.

Particulars of the indictable offence said the trio stole two horses valued $60,000, property of Norma Rodrigues of North Rupununi, between January 15 and 27.

The case was transferred to Lethem Court, also in Rupununi.

Akash Sukhnarine, 21, of Lot 3 Reliance, Essequibo Coast, secured the grant of his pre-trial liberty on a $100,000 bond after he pleaded not guilty.

His case, too, was transferred to another court, for February 14.

The allegation against Sukhnarine is theft of $900,000 cash, belonging to Deo Kumar, between January 5 and 27.

Police said the crime was committed while the defendant was living and working with the virtual complainant.

Attempted murder accused remanded
LEROY Phillips, 52, of Lot 91 Enmore, East Coast Demerara, charged with attempted murder, was refused bail and remanded to prison yesterday by Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan.

Particulars of the indictable offence said the accused, on January 30, unlawfully and maliciously wounded Odell Alves with intent to kill him at Herstelling.

Phillips will make his next appearance February 13, at Providence Court, also on East Bank Demerara, to which his case has been transferred.

Remanded murder accused on break and enter charge
REMANDED murder accused Rondell Bacchus, 23, of Lot 1837 Waterloo Street, Georgetown, was yesterday also charged with larceny from a dwelling house.

He appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan but was not required to plea to the indictable offence, particulars of which said he broke into the home of Ryan Smith and stole a television set and a stereo music set valued a total of $239,000, on August 26, 2004.

Bacchus was refused bail and remanded to prison and the new case was transferred to another court for February 16.

Boat captain charged in Essequibo illegal fuel bust
THE Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has charged the captain of the vessel on which it recently found illegal fuel at Adventure, Essequibo Coast.

Vishnu Singh (no address given) pleaded not guilty to possession of the contraband when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan yesterday and was granted $500,000 bail.

Particulars of the offence said Singh had a quantity on board the M.V. ‘Fuel Supplier’ that did not have the marker in the required proportion stipulated by the GEA.

GEA Special Prosecutor, Mr Anil Nandlall told the court the consignment was tested as legal before it left the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara plant for Adventure.

But, when it arrived at the destination, a test by GEA officers proved it was illegal and the Prosecution is contending that the boat was intercepted and its 45,000 gallons cargo exchanged, the Prosecutor said.

However, Counsel for the Defence, Mr K. Juman-Yassin claimed the fuel belonged to GPL.

Nandlall did not object to the bail grant on Juman-Yassin’s application but pressed for the sum to be substantial, having regard to the “progressive prevalence” of the type of offence.

Prosecuting Counsel asked Mr Sullivan to take into account the $1,090,000 fixed by Magistrate Bertlyn Reynolds in another similar case.

Nandlall, however, said he could not accede to Juman-Yassin’s request for a sample of the fuel to be given to an analyst of his choice because that person will certainly be self- serving and his certificate would be of little evidential value.

On another issue, the Prosecutor said the proportion of the marker determined by GEA has been published in the Official Gazette as required and offered to have the subject matter of the charge retested at the GEA laboratory in the presence of an analyst of the Defence choice.

The case has been transferred to Anna Regina Court, also Essequibo Coast, for February 15.

Get the DVDs off
SOMETIME ago, early last year, I recall the Guyana Chronicle carried a letter by W. Thomas concerning DVD’s and other equipment in public transportation and music carts.

I was again reading your newspaper and saw an interesting article about banning music from public transportation.

If this was North America, I feel that since last year some measures would have been implemented.

But it is not too late for us in Guyana to start, as the Home Affairs Minister was saying that agencies must cooperate.

This shows the seriousness of the situation and all need to get into action to rid these mini-buses, taxis and other public transportation of the DVDs and musical devices they are carrying.

Also, we need to get rid of the fancy writings on the windscreens of these vehicles -- let the owners or drivers take them off.

We need to set standards. One good way for us to start is to set our authorities loose in the parks in and around Georgetown and elsewhere where these vehicles might happen to be.

I was also tuned into NCN radio around 08:00 h on Thursday and one of those good announcers was reading something interesting. I wish if that could be done over and over again on both NCN stations so that drivers, conductors and passengers can hear it.

It all pertains to the type of DVDs shown in mini-buses on a particular route -- the Route 40 Kitty/Campbellville buses.

These DVDs, of course, are of a pornographic nature, the announcer was saying, and involve children who go to school right here in Guyana.

Can you imagine how this society turns now? This is serious.

I hope that the authorities would get hold of a copy of this or these films and lay heavy charges.

The education officials, educators, parents/guardians, women’s groups, men’s groups and the mini-bus association need to up their voices in this situation if they want a better society.

Come on people, we need tourism and business and in two years’ time it will be Cricket World Cup, so we need to set standards.

This rowdiness and harassment that passengers face, this speeding and overloading, this heavy music and devices hidden in side panels, under the seats, in trunks and A/C and five gallon pails placed in polythene bags, must stop.

Those drunken drivers and conductors must be dealt with accordingly.

We need to look at dress codes for these people too since it is a service to the public. I wish if the conductor’s licence can carry their photograph on it so that it cannot be exchange and borrowed, which does happen.

Proper policing on the railway embankment road and elsewhere is needed. Stiffer penalties for drunken drivers are needed and let us use more radar guns.

Where policing is concerned, there should be no friends, but law and order.

We should all think about what the tourists would say about our transport system and its harassment; this is a major turn off to some.
R. THOMAS

Ruling from behind
TO MANY, the opposition parties are supposed to oppose or be against whatever the ruling party propose.

This is sad.
Reason: the opposition parties are called opposition parties only because they are sitting on the opposite side of the bench. They are the parties who are sitting on the opposite side of the bench from the ruling party.

Now the ruling party is expected to rule from the front. The opposition parties are expected to rule from behind.

What do I mean of ruling from behind? When the opposition parties propose actions in parliament that will benefit the country, which the ruling party fail to propose, then the opposition party/ies are ruling from behind.

It will be reasonable to say that if the opposition parties are ruling from behind, relatively speaking, more often than the ruling party, then the electorate, the voters, may feel that the opposition party/ies should be leading from the front and vote accordingly come the next election.

My point is that the People National Congress Reform, PNCR, has finally decided to take parliament seriously.

During these last two months, they have made very good suggestions. It clearly shows that the PNCR had no business protesting on the streets when they could have done a more effective job in parliament. Thus proving to the voters that they are worthy of their votes.

Unfortunately, the PNCR chose not to recognise the important role they could have played over the last 13 years.

It is only until recently that they decided to recognise the importance of parliament.

Truly, I think that the PNCR has now decided to play its rightful role in parliament because it has run out of other options and election is near.

I believe that the PNCR fully knows what the right things are and what is good for Guyana but it either just does not want to do that which is right or just does not know how to do it right.

Knowing what is right and doing it right are two different things.

All who do the right, know the right. But not all who know what is right can do it right.
Think about it.
ED DAYALSINGH

End the violence
IT IS evident from the recent execution of Mr Waddell that the death squads are still flourishing in Guyana.

It is also no secret that the squads’ mission is to silence both the criminals and their sympathizers.

The authorities should commence an immediate crackdown on the financiers of these groups to bring an end to the violence.

Although the authorities may cite lack of `credible intelligence’, in disbanding these groups, it is widely known on the streets who the perpetrators are.

The time has come for the authorities to take prudent action against the drug lords hiding behind fancy hotels, car dealerships and other sham businesses.

If illegal drug trafficking is allowed to continue to flourish, heaven help us.
JOE OWEN

Who are we?
AS WE draw closer to elections, it is natural for the big question of identity or unity to arise in our dear land.

Who or what are we? Indo-Guyanese? Afro-Guyanese? English descendants? Portuguese? Chinese or Indigenous peoples? Or Mixed?

Some of us feel that these labels are divisive. Others believe that they are absolutely necessary name tags and are indicators of our identity and cultural patterns and enrich our national life.

Take the analogy of a beautiful garden (I wish I could say our Promenade Gardens, but there is much improvement to be made there).

For instance, you will see there a wide variety of flowers, with different petals, buds, blossoms, sizes and colours that are given different names; but each gives out a sweet fragrance of its own kind. A perfume of its own kind.

Others feel that unity in Guyana can only be had when we adopt the "Guyanese" name tag alone because we are born in Guyana and not India, Africa etc.

As "Guyanese" then all six cultures are ours to be utilised to the best of our ability.

Some of us feel that in doing so we are going to dilute and even pollute a particular heritage, leading to the loss of traditional or ancestral identity and disconnection from a particular homeland.

They also claim, and correctly so, that although they were born in Guyana, they were born with distinctive features that are too significant to deny.

When we say we are Guyanese, are we trying to deny the human body itself? Are we denying personal form?

In other words, if you are talking about animals, you would distinguish them by their bodies. Is it because we are in a higher category that we no longer wish to be distinguished by body?

Even if that is so, surely we do not have to act as if our bodies are formless or invisible?

It is the individual that makes the state. Not the state that makes the individual.

We are born in Guyana but we are born with a form that must be recognised and will never be denied. As humans there are common traits, attributes and physical structures that can be highlighted, that place us in the highest class of creation or evolution.

I am proud to be a member of that class. I wish always to affirm my membership and celebrate it. Therefore, whenever you see me you may address me as a Guyanese Human, Guy Human or Human Guy.

For I am a Human bonded to Guyana. I would not give up that status for a formless Guyanese state.

As such, all cultures are at my disposal and I stand ready to learn from them all.

That, my friend, is the true meaning of globalisation – my humanity; and my thought for the voters.
KENNETH DANIELS

Letter to President Fidel castro
ON BEHALF of the Guyanese eye patients and on my personal behalf, I would like to thank you Mr Castro a million times for the grateful opportunity you have given to us in this health aid.

Mr President, I cannot explain how much we really appreciate your dear kindness in the opening of many of our dull eyes to see life once again in a more splendid way.

Truly Cuba is a success – yes, yes we have succeeded in our future sight.

Our motive is love and our model is Jesus.

Fortunately, all the hospital staff followed that principle and indeed it was an incentive to us.

Collectively, we would like to thank all of them for their kind courtesy and outward deportment.

May God richly bless you Mr Fidel Castro and all the hospital staff in the future endeavours.

Hats off to President Castro and the hospital staff.

Long live Castro and Cuba!
SHIV MANGAL
EYE PATIENT

Goodluck and Fernandes take top sports awards for 2005
GUYANA’S top rifleman Ransford Goodluck and squash queen Nicolette Fernandes were yesterday named Sportsman and Sportswoman for the year 2005, the 50th year of this award, when a panel chosen by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and journalists met at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

National Under-19 cricket captain Leon Johnson, now leading the West Indies Under-19 at the ICC youth World Cup tournament in Sri Lanka, was named the Junior Sportsman and talented national junior table tennis champion Michelle John copped the Junior Sportswoman award.

The Guyana national Under-18 Rugby team was named the Sports team for 2005; table tennis coach Linden Johnson, Sports coach of the year; Lennie Shuffler of the Guyana Volleyball Federation got the Male Sports Personality award; and Guyana Amateur Swimming Association honorary secretary Dr Karen Pilgrim took the Female Sports Personality title.

The Guyana Hockey Association received the Most Improved Association award while the Guyana Table Tennis Association and the Guyana Rugby Union were jointly named Sports Association for the year.

Kaieteur News’ Claude David was again named Sports Journalist of the year for the print media, with NCN’s Reuben Stoby getting the award for the non-print section.

Stabroek News Lawrence Fanfair was named Sports Journalist among the photographers.

The Sportsman-of-the-Year Award was decided after two rounds following a tussle between marksman Goodluck and Guyana and West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul while another West Indies player Ramnaresh Sarwan was eliminated in the first round of voting.

Eventually Goodluck took the award by 8 votes to four from Chanderpaul who eventually gained the runner-up spot from national squash champion Shawn Badrinath.

But it took three rounds of voting to arrive at the Sportswoman-of-the-Year award as both Nicolette Fernandes and world champion female boxer Pamela London gained six votes in the first two rounds with Fernandes prevailing by a seven to five score against London.

London was then voted as the Runner-up Sportswoman by a 11-1 score against national and West Indies female cricketer Indomatie Goordial.

Junior cricketer Leon Johnson sealed the Junior Sportsman title by 11-1 margin over national swimmer Yannick Roberts who also lost out for the runner-up spot to middle-distance athlete Cleveland Forde who is now training in Kenya.

Table tennis champion Michelle John was easily the Junior Sportswoman winner tallying 10 votes to athlete Alika Morgan’s two.

Morgan in taking the runner-up spot scored 11 votes to another table tennis player, Trenace Lowe who got one.

It took two rounds of voting to arrive at the winning Sports Team title as the fight was between the Guyana National Under-18 Rugby team and the Guyana National Rifle team.

In the end the Guyana National Under-18 Rugby team gained a seven to five edge. For Sports Coach-of-the-Year, national table tennis Linden Johnson walked away with the prize by a seven to two margin from squash coach Carl Ince and cricket coach Albert Smith. In two rounds the Guyana Volleyball Federation president Lennie Shuffler won from Noel Adonis seven to five for the Male Sports Personality award.

The Female Sports Personality winner was hard-working swimming official Dr Karen Pilgrim who gained the award from swimming coach Stephanie Fraser by a nine to two score with one abstention after two rounds of voting.

It took the panellists four rounds of voting, yet they could not separate the Guyana Rugby Football Union and the Guyana Table Tennis Association for the Sports Association prize.

It was six each after a six to five score in the first round when the Guyana Rifle Association was eliminated after gaining the other vote. But the six to five margin was not enough to hand the ruggers’ body the award over the racquet-wielding association.

In three more attempts the votes remained knotted at six and a joint winner was named in this category.

In the print sports journalist category after two rounds Claude David was named the winner again for the third straight year. David gained the nod over Guyana Chronicle’s Faizooll Deo by a seven to five score in the second round of voting, as another Kaieteur News reporter Rawle Welch lost out in the first round.

In the non-print section National Communication’s Network Reuben Stoby gained nine votes to win the award from Guyana Chronicle’s Isaiah Chappelle and Kaieteur News Sean Devers.

In the Sports Journalist Photographer race Stabroek News Lawrence Fanfair won from Guyana Chronicle’s Winston Oudkerk and Kaieteur News Claude David. In the Disabled category Prince Bedlow was the lone nominee and he gained approval by the panel in copping the award among the disabled. He had improved on William France’s 10K road race time when he won the race from Chateau Margot to Carifesta Sports Complex in a time of 1:08:04.

Guyana grab first innings points…
Sarwan leads from the front with masterly century
ST GEORGE'S, Grenada, (CMC) - Ramnaresh Sarwan hit his second century of the Carib Beer Series as Guyana fought back impressively to grab first innings points against the Windward Islands on the second day of their encounter at the Tanteen Oval Recreation ground yesterday.

The elegant, 25-year-old, leading the side in the absence of the injured Shivnarine Chanderpaul produced a captain's knock of 104 not out that lifted Guyana from peril at 52 for four, to 245 for eight at the close.

Sarwan came to the crease with his side struggling at 52 for three, and proceeded to hammer 12 fours and one six, in an innings lasting 288 minutes and 222 balls.

He shared a crucial eighth-wicket stand of 96 with Rayon Griffith, whose invaluable 36 required 153 minutes and 92 balls, and comprised five fours.

Beginning the day six for one in search of the Windwards' first innings 189, Steve Jacobs (11) and Narsingh Deonarine (30) partnered together for a 44-run stand that saw Guyana safely to 50 without further loss.

But newly recalled West Indies leg-spinner Rawle Lewis grabbed two quick wickets, those of Jacobs (11) and Assad Fudadin (1) while left-armer Kenroy Peters prised out Deonarine for 30, to leave Guyana in a muddle at 52 for four.

It brought Sarwan and Travis Dowlin (17) together and they posted an even 50 for the fifth wicket before the latter was bowled by medium pacer Darren Sammy in the post-lunch session, after Guyana went to the break at 75 for four.

Mahendra Nagamootoo (11) and Derwin Christian (9) fell cheaply to leave Guyana in trouble again at 147 for seven before Sarwan and Griffith came to the rescue.

Peters finished with three for 43 while Lewis took three for 63.
WINDWARD ISLANDS 1st innings 189 (L Sebastien 64; M Nagamootoo 5-41)

GUYANA 1st innings (o/n six for one)

K. Arjune c Sammy b Lewis 4

S. Jacobs c Smith b Lewis 11

N. Deonarine c Sammy b Peters 30

A. Fudadin c Smith b Lewis 1

R. Sarwan not out 104

T. Dowlin b Sammy 17

M. Nagamootoo lbw b Peters 11

D. Christian c Sebastien b Peters 9

R. Griffith c Sammy b Paul 36

I. Jaferally not out 0

Extras: (lb-11, w-1, nb-10) 22

Total: (8 wkts, 90 overs) 245

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-50, 3-52, 4-52, 5-102, 6-131, 7-147, 8-243.

Bowling: Butler 12-1-32-0, Lewis 27-8-63-3, Paul 7-0-29-1, Peters 15-2-43-3, Sammy 13-6-20-1, Sebastien 11-0-33-0, Smith 5-1-14-0.

‘Boy Blue’ Cumberbatch rides off to the Great Beyond
By Faizool Deo
“GUYANA has lost a great son”. That statement, was uttered numerous times yesterday, in plain words and sometimes with added sentiments by all those who were given a chance to speak about cycling great George Alexander ‘Boy Blue’ Cumberbatch.

Hundreds upon hundreds of family members, friends and fans packed into the First Assembly of God Church, L-P D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, to pay their final respects to him.

In his reign on wheels he had many fans, and National Sports Commission (NSC) coach Hassan Mohamed was one of them.

“George was my idol, he encouraged me as competitor, administrator and national coach,” Hassan pronounced to those in attendance.

His rather emotional speech, also expressed his admiration for the humane side of Cumberbatch, who was known in his time as the ‘Black flash on wheels’. He remembered when he and Boy Blue were knocked down by a speeding car on the East Coast of Demerara in the late ’60s.

He said that the now-deceased broke his collar bone while he himself sustained head injuries.

“George was more concerned about me than he was about himself,” Hassan said.

In adding up the great cyclist accomplishments, the NSC coach agreed with the president of Continental Cycle Club Maxie Perreira, who recently stated that Cumberbatch was the best cyclist that Guyana had ever produced.

According to his niece Greta Cumberbatch who did the eulogy, ‘Boy Blue’, who got his name due to his colourful clothing, was a cycling enthusiast from an early age.

She said that the deceased was always curious about cycles.

She said that his older brother would always find their bikes stripped by George and it was not until his father verbally intervened that the real reason was revealed.

“One day his father got disgusted (about flogging him about the stripping) and asked him ‘George why are you stripping these bicycles’ and his answer was ‘I want to find out what makes the bicycle go so fast,’ Greta said.

But, Cumberbatch who died last Saturday morning at the age of 71, was not only into cycling. He devoted 47 years of his life to the Mayor and City Council.

Deputy Mayor of Georgetown Robert Williams, in his tribute informed those present how important the great cyclist (who had retired twice) was to the City Council. He said that Cumberbatch knew where every culvert was and could have told them about every high tide.

So great was this man that Williams said that less than seven days before his death a decision was made to rehire him to deal with the city’s drainage problems.

The deputy mayor also said that he will fight for Cumberbatch’s name to live on, be it in the naming of a street, or any other public place.

Simmons, Bravo bat T&T into strong position
By Adriel Richard
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) - Trinidad & Tobago, set up by their bowlers and fortified by their top-order batsmen, were in a strong position in their Carib Beer Series match against Barbados yesterday.

T&T were 145 for one in their second innings when stumps were drawn on the second day of the match at the Carlton Sports Club, after dismissing Barbados for 167 to gain a first innings lead of 92.

Lendl Simmons was unbeaten on 73 and Dwayne Bravo, surprisingly opening the batting, scored a rapid 50 to give T&T an opening stand of 93 that helped to establish T&T’s position.

Mervyn Dillon had taken three wickets, and Richard Kelly and Dwayne Bravo collected two wickets apiece to undermine the Barbadian batting.

Nightwatchman Ryan Austin hit the top score of 46, Floyd Reifer scored 42, and Patrick Browne got 32 to be the principal contributors to the Barbadian total.

Simmons and Bravo, who was looking for a significant score before departing on Tuesday to New Zealand with the West Indies, then launched a merciless attack on the ragged Barbadian bowling.

There were strokes of all descriptions either side of the wicket, with Bravo reaching his half-century before being caught behind offering a bat-pad catch playing forward to Austin, after striking eight fours from 44 balls in an hour.

Simmons remained unflappable throughout close to two hours of batting for his highest score of the season in which he struck seven fours from 98 balls, and will be eyeing a hundred, but more importantly a significant T&T lead, on today’s third day.

Earlier, Barbados were fortunate to reach 83 for four at lunch, after they continued from their bedtime position of 14 for four.

Nightwatchman Ryan Austin put in some overtime, alongside long-standing left-hander Floyd Reifer, who Simmons had dropped first ball at first slip off Mervyn Dillon the previous evening.

Austin also survived a couple of chances in the morning period. When he was four, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin dropped him down the leg-side off Dillon, and on 22, Amit Jaggernauth dropped him at third slip off Rayad Emrit.

All of the hard work of Austin and Reifer became unravelled in an inspired spell from Dwayne Bravo.

About 10 minutes after lunch, Bravo made the breakthrough when he had Reifer caught behind driving loosely at a wide ball.

The left-hander struck half-dozen boundaries from 119 balls in 2-3/4 hours of batting.

In his next over, Bravo snared another scalp, when Alcindo Holder was caught behind down the leg-side for four to leave the hosts on 103 for six.

Almost 45 minutes later, left-arm chinaman bowler Dave Mohammed removed the obdurate Austin, who batted for close to 3-1/2 hours, faced 167 balls, and struck three fours, before he was adjudged lbw playing back to a well-pitched delivery.

Dillon added to the Barbadian agony, when left-handed Ian Bradshaw was caught at cover for one driving a straightforward catch to the fielder.

Rugged left-hander Ryan Nurse joined Patrick Browne at the wicket and they had a bit of flourish.

Bravo dropped Browne, on 28, at second slip off Dillon, but Jaggernauth made the breakthrough when Nurse was caught at backward point for 21 slicing a drive.

With the rules allowing for an extra half-hour past the scheduled for T&T to claim the final wicket, they did not have to wait long, and Browne was caught at mid-off off Kelly for 32 slapping a short ball.

Barbados top the standings with 36 points, and T&T are tied for second with Guyana on 24 points. Both teams have already qualified for the semifinals.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 1st innings 259

BARBADOS 1st innings (o/n 15 for four)

D. Richards c wkpr Ramdin b Kelly 8

W. Blackman lbw b Dillon 1

K. Wilkinson run out (Bravo) 3

R. Hinds c Bravo b Dillon 0

F. Reifer c wkpr Ramdin b Bravo 42

R. Austin lbw b Mohammed 46

A. Holder c wkpr Ramdin b Bravo 4

P. Browne c Simmons b Kelly 32

I. Bradshaw c Khan b Dillon 1

R. Nurse c Mohammed b Jaggernauth 21

F. Edwards not out 0

Extras: (b-3, lb-4, nb-2) 9

Total: (all out) 167

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-6, 3-6, 4-15, 5-91, 6-103, 7-137, 8-140, 9-165.

Bowling: Kelly 11.2-4-23-2 (nb-1), Dillon 18-8-29-3 (nb-1), Mohammed 16-6-33-1, Jaggernauth 15-5-21-1, Emrit 8-3-10-0, Bravo 9-2-44-2.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2nd innings

L. Simmons not out 73

D. Bravo c wkpr Bravo b Austin 50

D. Ganga not out 16

Extras: (lb-2, w-1, nb-3) 6

Total: (1 wkt) 145

Fall of wickets: 1-93.

Bowling: Edwards 3-0-24-0 (nb-1), Bradshaw 4-1-19-0 (nb-1), Hinds 3-0-17-0, Austin 10-0-45-1, Nurse 5-0-25-0 (w-1), Wilkinson 3-0-13-0 (nb-1).

Position: T&T lead by 237 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Young Windies demolish NZ in warm-up match
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, (CMC) - West Indies' Under-19 warmed up nicely for the Youth World Cup starting tomorrow, as they overwhelmed New Zealand by 130 runs in the final round of warm-up matches at the Police Park Ground yesterday.

Batting first after being sent in, West Indies piled up an imposing 310 for eight off their 50 overs, with opener Richard Ramdeen slamming the top score of 70.

In reply, off-spinner Sunil Narine and medium pacer Nelon Pascal grabbed three wickets each as New Zealand crashed for 180 off 42.5 overs.

West Indies did not have the best of starts when they lost Andre Fletcher cheaply for seven with the score on 29 but captain Leon Johnson restored the regional side's dominance by adding 62 for the second wicket.

Johnson smashed 36 from 29 balls with five fours and a six while Ramdeen's 70 came required 102 balls and included nine fours and two sixes.

When Johnson departed, Ramdeen shared another enterprising stand of 78 for the third wicket with Jason Mohammed, whose 33 came from 42 balls and contained five fours and one six.

Gajanand Singh weighed in with 59 from 48 balls with six fours and two sixes but two quick strikes by left-arm slow bowler Jason Donnelly left West Indies struggling at 186 for six.

But a cameo 39-ball 46 from Andre McCarthy with three fours and four sixes, and a 28-ball, unbeaten 25 from Sunil Narine, gave the innings impetus.

In response, New Zealand struggled from the outset with only opener Todd Astle, who batted 175 balls for 56, showing any resistance as Narine grabbed three for 29 and Pascal, three for 48.

West Indies play their first match of the Youth World Cup on Monday when they clash with the United States at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo.

WEST INDIES

R. Ramdeen c Astle b Donnelly 70

A. Fletcher c Fitzgerald b Noema-Barnett 7

L. Johnson c Fitzgerald b Bartlett 36

J. Mohammed c Fitzgerald b Hira 33

G. Singh c Bartlett b Guptill 59

K. Pollard c Ellison b Donnelly 0

S. Brooks b Donnelly 0

A. McCarthy c Guptill b Astle 46

S. Narine not out 25

J. Searles not out 0

Extras: (lb-3, w-21, nb-10) 34

Total: (8 wkts, 50 overs) 310

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-91, 3-169, 4-175, 5-180, 6-186, 7-240, 8-306.

Bowling: Southee 9-0-65-0 (nb-1, w-10), Noema-Barnett 3-0-28-1 (nb-7, w-4), Bartlett 5-0-28-1 (w-1), Karaitiana 6-0-42-0 (nb-2, w-3), Hira 10-0-41-1 (nb-1, w-1), Donnelly 7-0-33-3 (w-1), Astle 3-0-33-1, Guptill 7-0-37-1 (w-1).

NEW ZEALAND
T. Astle b Searles 56

M. Guptill c Ramdeen b Pascal 17

N. Fitzgerald c Pollard b Narine 10

K. Noema-Barnett c Fletcher b Pollard 0 M. Ellison c Pascal b Narine 0

A. de Boorder c & b Narine 0

R. Karaitiana run-out 27

R. Hira c Ramdeen b Mohammed 0

T. Southee c Fletcher b Pascal 20

J. Donnelly b Pascal 18

D. Bartlett not out 0

Extras: (b-1, lb-3, w-25, nb-3) 32

Total: (all out, 42.5 overs) 180

Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-54, 3-59, 4-60, 5-63, 6-123, 7-127, 8-151, 9-177.

Bowling: Searles 5.5-0-22-1 (w-8), Pascal 7-0-48-3 (nb-2, w-8), Narine 10-1-29-3, (nb-1, w-3), Pollard 5-0-22-1 (w-4), Brooks 6-0-20-0 (w-2), Mohammed 4-0-21-1, McCarthy 5-0-14-0.
* Jason Donnelly replaced Hamish Bennett as Super-sub after just 19 overs of the West Indies innings.

Egypt celebrate Nations Cup semi-final place
… to meet Senegal on Tuesday
By Mark Gleeson
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, (Reuters) - Egyptians broke out into joyous celebration when the host nation marched imperiously into the African Nations Cup football semi-finals with a 4-1 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo in Cairo yesterday.

The emphatic victory for the home side cast aside a jittery start and fears of excessive expectation when the tournament kicked off a fortnight ago.

Egypt now meet Senegal in Tuesday's semi-final in Cairo after the 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists had come from behind to beat Guinea 3-2 in Alexandria earlier yesterday.

Senegal overwhelmed Guinea with three goals in the final half hour, showing a vast improvement after scraping through the group phase.

Two goals for Ahmed Hassan, another at the tournament for Emad Moteab and a fairytale strike for the 39-year-old Hossam Hassan ensured Egypt unleashed celebrating supporters onto the streets of the country's major cities.

Egypt could even afford the luxury of an own goal by central defender Abdelzaher El Saqqa as they efficiently demolished their opponents, who were under strength due to suspensions.

Hassan, a surprise choice in Egypt's 23-man squad, started for the first time in the tournament in his 167th international in place of the injured Mido and scored his first goal in two years for his country.

IMPROVED SENEGAL
Senegal gave a first glimpse of their real potential in what coach Abdoulaye Sarr described as a "much improved performance" in beating Guinea in the west African derby.

But they had to fight back after goalkeeper Tony Sylva had been too casual in clearing his lines and was dispossessed by striker Kaba Diawara, who put Guinea ahead in the 26th minute.

It took until one minute past the hour before Pape Bouba Diop equalised with a header after sneaking in between Guinea's defence.

A rare error by Guinea captain Dianbobo Balde allowed Henri Camara to set up substitute Mamadou Niang for Senegal's second before scoring their third himself.

Pascal Feindouno scored a consolation on the stroke of the final whistle with a stunning swerving free kick but by then Guinea were already a spent force.

"We lost to a superior Senegal side who were more mobile and put a lot of pressure on us," said Guinea coach Patrice Neveu.”

Bermuda suffer third loss on UAE tour
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, (CMC) - Bermuda suffered their third consecutive defeat on their World Cup preparation tour of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) when they lost a day/night limited-overs fixture by six wickets to a Select XI on Thursday.

Electing to bat, Bermuda scored 222 for eight off their 50 overs, but they could not contain the UAE XI, who galloped to a solid win at 225 for four with eight overs to spare.

The Bermuda coach Gus Logie, worried over the weak performance of his team's top-order in their previous losses, got some encouragement this time as opener Stephen Outerbridge (40) and No.3 batsman Saleem Mukuddem (49) had the tourists going smoothly on 113 for one at one stage.

But there was a rapid decline, and while Irving Romaine (30) and Dean Minors (35) got scores of some value in the middle-order, the home side's bowlers made decisive inroads and set themselves up for victory.

Khurram Khan (3-25) and Arshad Ali (2-40) led the bowling for the UAE XI, whose winning response was set up by a solid 99-run second-wicket stand between man-of-the-match Abdul Rehman (62) and Arshad Ali (61).

Khan (29 not out), Saqib Ali (25) and Amjad Javed (24) also got useful scores as the UAE completed their win off 42 overs.

A UAE Development XI had beaten Bermuda by 46 runs on Monday and won easily again Tuesday, by seven wickets.

Bermuda will play in Group B of next year's World Cup with Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh in the first round in Trinidad and Tobago.

Aussies crush S. Africa by 80 runs in brilliant all-round display
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - Brett Lee ripped through fragile South African batting and Andrew Symonds and Mike Hussey piled on the runs to help Australia to an 80-run victory in a limited-overs one-day match yesterday.

Symonds (65) and Hussey (62) plundered 109 runs off 79 balls to help Australia reach a daunting total of 281 for seven, before Lee captured four wickets to restrict the Proteas to 201-9 at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium.

Lee trapped Proteas captain Graeme Smith lbw for a duck on the second ball of the South African innings then captured three more wickets in his eighth over to finish with 4-30.

"I thought it was an excellent all-round performance tonight," Australian captain Ricky Ponting said in a televised interview.

"We always try and time our run during these competitions and build our momentum and we're getting better each match."

Lee was called into the Australian team on the morning of the match when Glenn McGrath withdrew after learning his wife had been diagnosed with cancer for the third time.

McGrath released a statement saying he would not be available for selection with his wife about to undergo radiotherapy treatment but that he intended to resume playing for Australia.

Australia made a bright start, Adam Gilchrist (33) and Simon Katich (25) getting the innings off to a flyer, but suddenly looked to be struggling when they lost Damien Martyn (34), Ponting (53) and Michael Clarke (one) in quick succession to slump to 137-5 in the 37th over.

CROWD THRILLERS
But Hussey and Symonds quickly turned the match around, posting individual fifties and sharing a century partnership that thrilled the crowd.

Hussey's 62 came off only 58 balls and featured nine boundaries, including six fours from seven balls off Johan van der Wath. Van der Wath gave up 82 runs for his two wickets, including Hussey in the last over of the match.

Symonds made 65 off 60 balls, including 19 runs off one over from Smith, before he was eventually run-out on the last ball of the innings.

The Proteas made a terrible start when Smith departed in the first over and Boeta Dippenaar (nine) was dismissed in the seventh over.

Super-sub Johan Botha (46), Herschelle Gibbs (33) and Ashwell Prince (24) tried to resurrect the innings but Lee destroyed their hopes when he was reintroduced into the attack and promptly got rid of Justin Kemp (20), Mark Boucher (no score) and Botha in the same over.

"We're disappointed we lost but we're going to have to pick ourselves up again," Smith said.

Australia are already assured of a place in the best-of-three finals while South Africa need to win one of their remaining two matches to claim the other spot ahead of Sri Lanka.

AUSTRALIA innings

A. Gilchrist b Hall 33

S. Katich c Pollock b van der Wath 25

R. Ponting c van der Wath b Botha 53

D. Martyn c Botha b Smith 34

A. Symonds run-out 65

M. Clarke run-out 1

M. Hussey b van der Wath 62

B. Lee not out 0

Extras: (b-1, lb-1, nb-2, w-4) 8

Total: (for 7 wickets, 50 overs) 281

Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-71, 3-145, 4-163, 5-167, 6-276, 7-281.

Bowling: S. Pollock 10-2-20-0, C. Langeveldt 6-0-50-0 (nb-2, w-1), A. Hall 10-0-56-1 (w-1), J. van der Wath 10-0-82-2 (w-1), G. Smith 10-0-59-1 (w-1), J. Botha 4-0-12-1.

SOUTH AFRICA innings

G. Smith lbw b Lee 0

B. Dippenaar c Gilchrist b Clark 9

J. Rudolph run-out 19

H. Gibbs b Hopes 33

J. Botha c Gilchrist b Lee 46

A. Prince run-out 24

J. Kemp c Hopes b Lee 20

M. Boucher c Ponting b Lee 0

S. Pollock c Martyn b Symonds 16

A. Hall not out 19

J. van der Wath not out 8

Extras: (nb-1, w-6) 7

Total: (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 201

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-13, 3-48, 4-69, 5-117, 6-155, 7-156, 8-156, 9-183.

Bowling: B. Lee 10-2-30-4 (nb-1, w-1), S. Clark 8-1-34-1, B. Dorey 10-0-48-0 (w-2), J. Hopes 6-1-16-1, B. Hogg 7-0-32-0 (w-2),

A. Symonds 9-0-41-1 (w-1).

Dravid upbeat about one-dayers despite Test loss
KARACHI, (Reuters) - India captain Rahul Dravid is confident his team will pick themselves up for a five-match one-day series after their crushing Test defeat by Pakistan.

India were thrashed by 341 runs on the fourth day of the third and final Test on Wednesday.

"The one-day series is a chance for us to make amends for our disappointing performance in the final Test," Dravid said at the launch ceremony of the one-day cup yesterday.

The one-day squad included some promising young players and that the team had performed well in recent series against Sri Lanka and South Africa, he added.

"We are in the process of developing our one-day squad for bigger events in future leading up to the World Cup," he said.

"We have learnt a lot from the Test series and hope that these lessons would help us. Playing Pakistan is a big motivation."

The first one-dayer is due to be played in Peshawar on Feb. 6 followed by matches in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan and Karachi.

India have picked four new players for the one-dayers with batsman Mohammad Kaif, all-rounder Suresh Raina, left-arm spinner Murali Kartik and paceman Sri Sreesanth.

Former captain Sourav Ganguly, Parthiv Patel, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble and Wasim Jaffer have left for home after featuring in the Test squad.

Kaif joins the team after leading Uttar Pradesh to their maiden national title with scores of 92 and 109 in the final against Bengal.

BATTING WOES
Dravid said post-Test criticism of the team was justified.

"The fact is we failed. We didn't bat well and we didn't get a good start in both innings. Mohammad Asif used the new ball very well against us in both innings."

India were bowled out for 238 and 265 in the Test with Asif and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq sharing 14 wickets.

Dravid hoped a different batting combination in the one-dayers would help.

"We did pretty well with the one-day combination against Sri Lanka and South Africa and hopefully we can carry that form into the one-day series against Pakistan. It is a test for us," he added.

Pakistan vice-captain Younis Khan, who also attended the ceremony, said the home side would be boosted by the return of captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for the one-dayers.

"Inzamam is a very good captain and experienced batsman. His presence is good for the team," Younis said.

But he cautioned that Pakistan's Test series win would count for nothing in the one-dayers.

"Limited-overs cricket is very different from Test matches -- you need to be on your toes all the time. I think the team which plays well on the day will win. There are no favourites in the series," stated Younis.

Chelsea meet familiar foes Liverpool again
By Ken Ferris
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Liverpool face Chelsea for the fourth time this season when they travel to Stamford Bridge tomorrow, hoping to take advantage of the Premier League football leaders' dip in form.

Chelsea are coming off three successive draws after managing a single goal in each of those matches, and manager Jose Mourinho is lamenting the absence of Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba at the African Nations Cup.

"We miss Didier Drogba," he told the club's website after a 1-1 draw at Villa Park widened their lead over Manchester United to 15 points.

"(Hernan) Crespo (and) Carlton Cole are doing very well... But Drogba has a presence in the box, is strong, tall, a fighter. Crespo and Drogba can give us something different."

Chelsea beat Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield in October and the teams also played out two goalless draws in the Champions League, helping both to qualify for this month's round of 16.

European champions Liverpool will aim to make up for that embarrassing home defeat, especially after Xabi Alonso's own goal gifted Birmingham City a point at Anfield on Wednesday.

Liverpool are third with 45 points, 18 less than champions Chelsea although they have two games in hand.

FERDINAND SUSPENDED
Manchester United are licking their wounds after Blackburn Rovers completed a league double with a 4-3 victory at Ewood Park on Wednesday, although United should have little trouble against Fulham at Old Trafford.

The west London side snatched a late goal in a 1-0 win over fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on Tuesday to ease their relegation fears.

United will be without England defender Rio Ferdinand, who was sent off at Rovers for a second booking having filled an unfamiliar midfield role for the second game in a row.

Sixth-placed Arsenal travel to Birmingham shell-shocked after being dumped out of the League and FA Cups inside a week and suffering their second home league defeat of the season.

Arsene Wenger's injury-hit defence are likely to be without right back Kerrea Gilbert (bad back) who went off before halftime in Wednesday's 3-2 home defeat by West Ham United.

Long-term injury victims Lauren, who may miss the rest of the season, Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy are all sidelined and Sol Campbell is being rested after a crisis of confidence.

Arsenal's slump in form has allowed north London rivals Tottenham to hold on to the fourth Champions League qualifying place despite their own run of poor results.

Spurs are still three points clear of surprise package Wigan Athletic, who visit seventh-placed Bolton Wanderers, and four ahead of Arsenal, although the Gunners have a game in hand.

Tottenham entertain Charlton tomorrow and are struggling to cope without striker Mido who is on Nations Cup duty with hosts Egypt.

Spurs' new signing Danny Murphy will not play against his former team after a gentleman's agreement between the clubs. Ireland winger Andy Reid is also sidelined through injury.

Newcastle United start life without sacked manager Graeme Souness at home to fellow strugglers Portsmouth, who are second from bottom and eight points behind their opponent.

Lara apologises for indiscretion
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) - Cricket superstar Brian Lara offered a public apology for an ill-advised incident to spectators attending the second day of the Carib Beer Series match between Barbados and his native Trinidad & Tobago, yesterday at the Carlton Sports Club.

Lara, upset after being given out, caught at cover for 54 off Ian Bradshaw in the T&T first innings, knocked over a chair when he entered the pavilion on Thursday's opening day.

"I just want to apologise publicly to everyone involved for my behavior yesterday," the 36-year-old former West Indies captain said on the public address system, just before he took the field. "I'm very sorry about that!"

The incident was seen by close to 200 spectators packed into the clubhouse of the Carlton Sports Club, which is hosting its first regional first-class match.

Match referee Carlyle Carter admitted he was not pleased about the incident, but spoke to the T&T management, and would not take further action.

"On his dismissal, on entering the pavilion, he was a bit indiscreet in his behaviour," he said.

"As a result of that, I had a chat with him in the presence of the captain and the manager of the T&T team, and I explained to him what I thought was an indiscretion.

"He apologised for what had happened. As far as I was concerned, that was the end of the matter."

Lara is the world record holder for the most runs in the history of Test cricket. He also holds the records for the highest individual scores in Tests and first-class cricket.

Murali given unofficial reprimand for one-fingered crowd gesture
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will be given an unofficial reprimand for gesturing at a spectator, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday.

Muralitharan was photographed making a one-fingered gesture at a spectator who heckled him during a one-day match against South Africa in Perth on Tuesday.

Match referee Jeff Crowe said that while he accepted Muralitharan had been provoked, the Sri Lankan was still bound by rules governing player behaviour.

"While it is understood that there was substantial provocation from a section of the Perth crowd, there is a standard required and a player needs to keep his emotions under some control," Crowe said in a statement.

Muralitharan has been subjected to chants of “no-ball" whenever he bowls in Australia in reference to his unusual bowling action.

He was called for throwing during a Test in Australia over a decade ago but was allowed to keep playing after scientific tests cleared him of having an illegal action.

Sri Lankan team manager Michael Tissera told reporters yesterday his team mates were annoyed by the ongoing criticism of Muralitharan by spectators.

"We are quite cheesed off that this abuse keeps going on and on and on," he said. "There's nothing we can do, and the player is thoroughly frustrated.”

Kaif eyes Test career boost after domestic win
NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - India batsman Mohammad Kaif is hopeful his stellar effort in guiding his team to their maiden national title will fetch him a regular Test playing spot.

Kaif, 25, rallied Uttar Pradesh to their maiden Ranji Trophy on Thursday, top-scoring with 92 and 109 in the final against former champions Bengal.

The winners were declared on the basis of a first innings lead after the five-day match ended in a draw.

"It is a nice feeling, a reward for all the hard work we put in," Kaif told Reuters yesterday.

He will now join the squad in Pakistan for a five-match one-day series starting in Peshawar on Monday.

Although Kaif has been a vital one-day player in the last five years, he has mostly remained on the fringes of Test selection in the presence of a middle-order full of established batsmen.

He has so far played only eight Tests since his debut as a talented teenager against South Africa in 2000.

Kaif felt there were few opportunities to impress in one-dayers because he batted down the order. In the Ranji Trophy, he came in at number 3.

"In one-dayers, the position I bat in, it is very difficult to score runs consistently," he said. "Sometimes you get only a couple of overs.

"But I've performed consistently over four matches here. This has helped me send a message across to the selectors."

Kaif's superb diving catch in a one-day victory in Karachi is one of the most enduring images of India's triumphant Test and one-day series in Pakistan two years ago.

Although India suffered a 341-run rout in the third and final Test in Karachi to lose the series 1-0, Kaif was upbeat.

"They have all played at the highest level for so long," he said. "I'm very happy the way I'm hitting the ball. I want to keep my form going in the series.”