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ARCHIVES FOR AUGUST 31 , 2009

GuySuCo, Skeldon residents to benefit from funding from reduced emissions
- World Bank mission in Guyana to verify, supervise SBCP
A World Bank mission to conduct initial verification and supervision of the Skeldon Bagasse Cogeneration Project (SBCP) under the Clean Development Mechanism, met Friday with Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, at the Ministry’s boardroom.

Minister Persaud pointed out that the SBCP will attract funding from the CDM which will benefit both the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and residents of the community. He was optimistic that the power generation facility will contribute up to 15 megawatts of energy per week.

Minister Persaud expressed confidence that the project, microcosmic of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), can gain Guyana significant incentives from the CDM. He anticipated up to US$3M in flows.

On May 4, 2008, the Skeldon Sugar Modernisation Project (SSMP) became the first project in Guyana to be registered with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As a result, the project qualified to receive incentives under the CDM of the Kyoto Protocol. With the new bagasse cogeneration plant being part of the SSPM, clean energy will be generated in keeping with Guyana’s obligation to the Kyoto Protocol – Article 12 in particular. As a party to the CDM, GuySuCo will be able to sell Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) that result from electrical energy generated from bagasse fuel.

The Bank’s Senior Environmental Specialist, Carbon and Environmental Finance, Africa Region, Noreen Beg, confirmed that the SBCP, within the broader SSMP, is the first project in Guyana and the Caribbean to be registered with the Kyoto Protocol’s CDM. She explained that the team had gone to review the environmental, agricultural and social practices relating to the project in Skeldon, and the operation of the factory. She submitted that the team was satisfied with the project and related realities.

Beg expressed hope that by next year August, the project would have undergone the first year of emission reduction power generation to the grid.

She added that within the next month, subsequent to final consultations, the Bank will be able to make a first payment to community benefits. Despite declining to disclose a specific amount, Beg assured the sum will be substantial, and will be used for community skills training; purchase of books for the library; and support for the Community Centre. She stressed that, initially, the hope is to ‘beef’ up the Community Centre with computers, sewing machines, and good sporting facilities.

Further payments will be made and expended toward the public dispensary, garbage disposal, transport for students, and generally in areas the community would deem to be necessary.

The other members of the mission present at the meeting were George Ledec, Lead Ecologist; Manuel Luengo, Carbon Finance Specialist, Carbon Finance Unit; and Adelaida Schwab, Natural Resource Economist, Carbon Finance Unit. (GINA)

Over 24,000 people to have improved access to water shortly
-$56M Diamond/Grove well to be completed by September 10

Site where new Diamond/Grove well is being established.

Construction and development of the $56M Diamond/Grove well at Sixth Street, Diamond, East Bank Demerara, will be completed shortly and this would be complemented by two others that are slated for completion before year end.

Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali and officials from his Ministry Friday visited the construction site to examine the progress of the well where, after inspection, he expressed satisfaction at the pace of the project.

He said despite some delays with the contractor related to shipping of materials, tremendous work has been done over the past few days.

“I am pretty much satisfied with the work performance they have done over the last eight days; they have been working 24 hours per day, which is something commendable...,” he said.

Works are expected to be completed by September 10. However, the Minister noted, that the contractor requested an extension and this is currently being assessed by his Ministry.

The Housing and Water Minister further outlined that the construction of the Diamond well is part of the Guyana Water Incorporated’s (GWI) consolidation plan, and on completion, contractors will be mobilised immediately for the construction of the well at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

“We are hoping that by the end of November, works at Lusignan would be completed after which we will move to Parfait/Harmonie…these three wells will serve in excess of 24,000 people…this is part of our extension of infrastructure consolidation plan…the Lusignan, Diamond and Parfaite/Harmonie wells are to be completed before year end,” Minister Ali said.

The construction of the wells at Lusignan and Diamond/Grove will cost approximately $51M and $56M respectively, and will benefit 2000 people from Lusignan, while approximately 8000 will benefit from Grove/Diamond.

The projects are being undertaken by a Trinidadian based contractor, Water and Oil Wells Services, and are supervised by CEMCO.

It is expected that on completion of the projects, residents of the Diamond/Grove and Lusignan areas will enjoy adequate water pressure. The project will also incorporate submersible pumps with electrical control panels, a pump house and fencing.

In addition, the Minister said other wells are being constructed across the country to improve water supply. These will be at Onderneeming, Region Two; Belle Vue, Region Three; and De Hoop, Region Five.

In one week’s time, the Housing and Water Ministry is hoping to advertise for a new bore hole at Cornelia Idea, Region Three. Three other wells for the Cummings Lodge, Manchester and Enmore areas are being designed by consultants and will come on stream shortly.

“We are looking to have all of these in place to deliver potable water by the first quarter of next year,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, CEMCO Site Engineer Victor Lall, who provided an update of the project, said approximately 690 feet of drilling has been completed.

Formation samples have been taken while upper casings and pipes have been installed. Logging of holes and placing of well screens are to be completed.

As a result of the continuous expansion of housing schemes and the increase in demand for water supply over the years, government continues to invest millions to ensure that more people continue to receive access to potable water supply. (GINA)

Foul play suspected
Body of 63-yr-old found in Best Village
By Vanessa Narine

Dead: Dhaniram

The body of 63-year-old Dhaniram, known as Boyo, was found yesterday afternoon, around 14:00 h, in Best Village, West Coast Demerara.
The body was found by two teenagers in the dense bushes along the path leading to his home.

He was frothing at the mouth and his pockets were turned inside out.

Dhaniram, of 25 New Road West Coast Demerara, was last seen making his way home mid-morning yesterday.

Dhaniram was a seaman, but was not working as the fishing grounds are closed. He was moonlighting as a watchman at a residence on New Road.

The man reportedly received his wages yesterday morning, after completing a night’s work, and proceeded to a local liquor shop, before heading home.

Neighbours are shocked at Dhaniram’s death.

But he never reached his house.

According to the man’s son, Surendra Dhaniram, his father was a heavy drinker but a peaceable man.

ȁHe never had any wrong dealings with anyone,” the man’s son stated.

Among friends, relatives and the son with whom he lives, Dhaniram leaves to mourn his wife, who is in Canada, and another son, who resides in Florida.

Dhaniram was described by neighbours as a “nice person” who never had a problem with them.

The 63-year-old has been a resident of Best Village for well over 25 years, as he moved there from Industry soon after his marriage.

Dhaniram’s son Surendra.

One of his neighbours, Mrs. Surita Yakub, explained that she knew him well as she provided meals for him from time to time.

ȁHe was a real nice man is just that he drank and cursed, but he never had a problem with anyone,” Yakub said.

Residents say that this latest incident is another that adds to their concerns about security in Best Village.

They expressed concern with the frequency with which such criminal incidents occur.

Neighbours also told of several incidents in which nurses from the Best Hospital have been attacked and robbed while leaving work during the night.

Jagdeo urges Private Sector to invest more in Guyana
By Nadia Guyadeen

President Bharrat Jagdeo addresses the dinner.

President Bharrat Jagdeo has urged the Private Sector to invest more and to recognize opportunities for development.

The President even issued a challenge to members of the sector to provide another airline carrier.

President Jagdeo was at the time addressing a gathering of the Private Sector Commission representatives at a gala dinner at the Pegasus Hotel on Friday night. The event was held to facilitate discussion on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) as well as various other issues.

A member of the gathering asked what the government is doing about the fact that there are only two international airlines operating out of Guyana which results in a great demand for more flights and high cost of tickets.

President Jagdeo’s response was for the private sector to see it as an opportunity for investment rather than turning to the government.

“If there is so much demand then there is a chance to make money. What is the private sector doing? Why turn to the government? You have a chance to make money…. We have to see opportunities to develop the sector not just ask what is the government doing,” the Head of State noted.

He also urged members of the private sector not to dissuade persons from investing in Guyana. He said that this is done because locals see the market as very small.

Addressing the LCDS, President Jagdeo said that the model is a simple one. According to him, it is what Guyana can earn by deploying the forest to alternative use.

“…its based on 10% of our forest being set aside for conservation….and we then said what if we were to deforest over a 25 year period at four percent per annum, what are we going to earn as a country for the sale of the timber and for using the land to grow into agriculture and other kinds of ventures….There is clearly a big incentive to convert.”

The Head of state also said that the LCDS is about development more than it is about environment.

“We’ve identified several low carbon investment opportunities in the strategy and those are the ones that are going to be pursued with greater vigor.”

He added that separately but linked, there is this global opportunity now caused by climate change to raise significant amounts of resources for funding Guyan’s development.

This, he said, is largely because of the role that deforestation plays in climate change.

“In Guyana’s case, we recognize we needed our own model because the world was paying too much attention to cutting deforestation rate rather than dealing with avoided deforestation.”

The President also pointed out that if Guyana is successful in Copenhagen, the market for Guyana’s product would not develop immediately and that is why a fund market kind of approach was developed whereby there will be transitional payments until the market kicks in.

“So what if we get this money now $580M or $100M…..We are going to use it to fix the sea defenses because we looked at an average loss per annum from flooding every year and for the past 10 years it’s about 10% of GDP in financial terms.”

According to him, the monies will also be used to capitalise investment in hydropower which is important to the private sector, to bring in more fibre optic cables, to build more roads and better infrastructure in the savannahs.

President Jagdeo stated that the resources for the next set of infrastructural development can come from the LCDS.

He noted that a lot can be done with the funds generated under the LCDS from the trading of forest carbon credits.

Pushing development of clean energy

Developing clean energy is critical to solving global warming, strengthening our economy and increasing our energy independence. A clean energy future will require us to use energy more efficiently and generate more of our electricity from clean, renewable sources.

Energy efficiency is the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to meet our growing energy needs. Taking advantage of energy efficiency will lower consumers’ energy bills, reduce pollution and put hundreds of thousands of people to work performing energy audits, retrofitting older buildings, manufacturing energy efficient building materials and more.

According to scientists generating electricity from renewable sources like wind, sunlight, plants, moving water and the earth’s heat will greatly reduce global warming pollution while increasing our energy independence creating new jobs and income, especially in rural America. Investing in clean energy will diversify our energy supply and create a sustainable way to move our country forward.

Most of the environmental pressures in the region stem from economic activities such as agriculture, tourism, transport and energy, the report says. Current patterns of consumption and production also place an increasing demand on natural resources, putting our environment at further risk.

Associated impacts are wide-ranging: water, air and soil quality differ greatly across the pan-European region. More than 100 million people do not have access to safe drinking water and sanitation. In many countries in Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia and South East Europe the quality of water supply and sanitation has deteriorated over the past 15 years with the rural population being most affected, the report says. (Source: 'Europe's environment — The fourth assessment', was presented in Belgrade, Serbia, at the opening session of the sixth ministerial conference of the 'Environment for Europe' process held under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).)

The report, which includes a comprehensive assessment of the marine environment across the pan-European region, expresses particular concern regarding over-fishing, eutrophication and mounting pressures on coastal environments. Major accidental oils spills have decreased in European seas. However, oil discharges from day to day activities are still significant.

For biodiversity, the target of halting biodiversity loss by 2010 will not be met without considerable additional efforts. More than 700 European species are under threat from extinction, including a number of iconic species such as the Iberian lynx and the snow leopard, as a result of habitat destruction, degradation and disturbance.

The report also stressed that impacts of climate change on society and natural resources are already visible worldwide. They are projected to become even more pronounced — even if global emissions of greenhouse gases are reduced drastically. The report stresses the urgency of adaptation to the potential risks of future climate change impacts.

In view of the above it is therefore not surprising that President Bharrat Jagdeo’s persistent efforts to push the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is gaining global attention and winning acclaim from many quarters. The latest praise in this regard came from US Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton who in a letter showered commendations on President Jagdeo.

“I appreciate what you and your country are doing to combat climate change.” She added: “As you rightly note, forests represent an important opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase sustainable development. Your Low Carbon Development Strategy establishes a path to achieving those twin goals for Guyana.”

Recently too a visiting World Bank team which was here on a verification mission of the Skeldon Bagasse Co-generation project under the Clean development Mechanism, a Kyoto Protocol initiative found favour with what is taking place there.

Specialist for Carbon and Environmental Finance, Ms. Noreen Beg: “We looked at the operation of the factory and essentially all is going well; and we hope that by this time next year, the project would have undergone the first year of emission reduction generation to the national grid.”

Ministry of Health commended for “Put it on Road Show”
CONGRATULATIONS to the Ministry of Health with the “Put it On Road Show”. The activity in New Amsterdam was a fascinating one, as I saw Guyanese of all ages were able to have hands on experience in condom education. It was amazing to see young people from the Ministry of Health interacting with people who can be their mothers and fathers without any inhibition, especially when dealing with such a sensitive issue as condoms and sex.

I was amazed to see the amount of men who took the challenge to do a condom demonstration (both male and female) in public, and in front of the camera. This is indeed a quantum leap for HIV education in Guyana. I would like to urge the Ministry of Health to expand this campaign to all the regions of Guyana, especially where Guyanese are at high risk. It would be fool hardy to do this just along the coast, when there are many Guyanese who do not get the benefits of the mass media campaigns.

I would also like to encourage the good Minister to replicate this intervention to deal with other issues, such as alcohol, drugs and suicide, just to name a few. Mr. Minister, if you want to be serious in mitigating the threat of HIV and other serious illness, then you need to get your soldiers into the fields, in the trenches and in the hot sun (as did the wonderful young people did in New Amsterdam) last Saturday. I would once again encourage you to expand this Road Show, PUT IT ON in all the Regions of Guyana.
BRIAN SINGH

PNCR good at rigging elections
AFTER reading Van West Charles’s complaints of the debacle and fraud in the recent PNCR election one has to sit up and think.

It looks like even Van West Charles likes to talk about fire when he said " We will keep the (flame) of hope (burning),” he declared"

PNCR slogan of "Slo fyah and mo fyah" "Make country ungovernable" now yet again a PNCR member talking about "Flame burning".

The one and only good and great thing about the PNC and now PNCR or PNCR-1G is they are so good at rigging elections.

Before this PNCR election I told many people in Guyana that Corbin will win hands down by hook or by crook.

They said too many people do not like Corbin so he cannot win.

Well I give them all something to think about for a long time to come.

I simply told them that when you are PNC leader you lead until death.

Burnham and Hoyte led the PNC until death and so might Corbin.
T. KING

Proud of United States humanitarian efforts
I am always proud of the United States of America for its humanitarian efforts in the cause of humanity.

There are many in the world that wish to curse, even hurt Americans and her interests, when a crisis hits any country, even if it is a known antagonist to the U.S, it is always ever ready to deploy help to save lives. Be it hurricane, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, criminal and terror attacks, air craft crashes and disappearances, the US will utilise its resources to the maximum, be it manual, air or space crafts, satellite, trained sniffer dogs, robots and even facet of science and strength at its disposal.

In any crisis anywhere, Americans is always the first to be there. But when Americans have its catastrophes in the forms of floods and landslides, bad weather, etc very few will help the US, if any.

I am so joyful to see so many personnel of the US Air Force and volunteers in the New Horizons Guyana Project, building schools, renovating schools, constructing health centers, several medical outreaches, assisting food for the poor, the Guyana Public Hospital and others. I heard the dental support was tremendous. .

Many ask why I love the US so much and speak so much on it on my two various Islamic programmes. The above is just one of the very many reasons.

I wish the US Air Force civil engineers from the New Horizon Guyana a great stay as they help our people.
ROSHAN KHAN

Change the input for better output
Dr. LUNCHEON said that a Board of Inquiry has been established, hopefully, not only about the Bartica travesty. He says that the event itself is thought to be a reflection of something that deteriorated; something that is wrong; and an investigation should show what led inexorably up to this event. Unfortunately, it is unlikely any Inquiry may ever ask the tough questions - Is the current structure or leadership and ranks sufficiently educated, trained, paid, led and motivated to do an effective job?

What is clear is that the GoG refuses to recognise the need for outside expertise to rebuild and lead a more effective police force. So far, politics between parties have helped isolate the services from drastic reform, accountability and the citizens they are legally bound to serve. Change the input for better output.
N. AUGUSTUS

IAAF will be consulting with medical experts on gender verification
AUTHORITIES are subjecting the 800-metre world champion South African teenager, Caster Semenya, to a "sex test." Could she be a he? And why is that such a difficult question to answer? Why can’t the authorities simply consult the Book of Genesis which religious fundamentalist “experts” say could provide us with the answer to what they think is the simplest of questions?

No word is coming from our local sex “experts”, those who loudly profess that their God created just male and female genders. Of course, in the real world, human bodies are not that simple.

Scientific researchers say sexual characteristics go beyond genitals, having female or male sex organs is not always the surest way to determine gender. The balance of hormones must be factored in, including the possibility of congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Real experts know that there are people who are inter-sexed, in that they are biologically neither female nor male. Other people may be born as hermaphrodites, having both male and female sex organs. Exercising free will, being sinful or the devil running interference has nothing to do with these genetic conditions.

News reports say that previous gender testing turned up several athletes who were born with genetic defects that made them appear to have manly characteristics. In 1967, the Polish sprinter Ewa Klobukowska was barred from the sport because she failed a chromosomal test, even though she had passed a nude test a year earlier. In the 1980s, the Spanish hurdler Maria José Martínez Patino was disqualified because tests revealed that she was born with a Y chromosome. Patino had no idea that she was genetically part male.

“It’s very difficult to define what is a man and what is a woman at this point,” says Christine McGinn, a plastic surgeon who specializes in transgender medicine.

Because of a range of genetic conditions, people who look like women may have a Y chromosome, while people who look like men may not, she said. Many times, the people do not learn of the genetic difference until they reach adulthood. “It gets really complicated very quickly,” McGinn said.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) will not be consulting the Book of Genesis or any fundamentalist pastors in their gender verification programme; instead they will be consulting an endocrinologist, gynecologist, internal medicine specialist, and a psychologist.
JUSTIN de FREITAS.

Some people see only what they want to see
THEY were contrasting newspaper Articles: those of Sunday 16th August 2009 and

Monday 17th August 2009 Kaieteur News was narrow, very selective, restrictive and painted a picture of neglect, despair and inadequacy in the Mabaruma area of Region One. The third which appeared in the Guyana Chronicle of 18th August, 2009 and which represented the views of two well known Guyanese Culturists, offered a window of opportunities for promoting, inter alia, Eco-tourism, in the Mabaruma sub-Region and invited persons to grasp at these opportunities and help to make their Communities and obviously they themselves better off.

I reread the three Articles. They all referred to aspects of life and livelihood in a section of an administrative region in which I have lived and worked for more than three decades. I reflected:

Did the Author of the Kaieteur News Articles go to Mabaruma with an enquiring and open mind to view and to make objective appraisals of developments in the sub-Region or with fixed and preconceived notions and fixation centred around specific areas pointed out to him ?

The latter could only find “limited electricity supply stifling business in Mabaruma”;

Accelerated erosion at the Kumaka water front and a dilapidated Hymac at Morawhanna.

His fixation with pointing out these specific areas undoubtedly caused him not to notice the new Mabaruma Hospital Complex or to consider it worthy of mention; or to observe the 29 teachers in training at the CPCE in service training Centre at Mabaruma or to meet the Community Based Volunteers or the VSOs involved in the implementation of a National Hinterland Secure Livelihood Programme in fifteen Communities of the

Mabaruma sub-Region. The author was only interested in highlighting events and issues that he felt would serve as indicators of a lack of progress in the Mabaruma sub- Region of the Barima/Waini Region.

But for me, equity and impartiality; which are a sine qua non of balanced reporting, requires that progress or the lack thereof in areas of infrastructure and socio-economic development in the Region be examined not only in terms of our achievements but also as a function of the depths from which we started.

My thoughts went back to 1992 when the state of infrastructure and the scope and qualityof social services in the Mabaruma sub Region, and indeed the entire Region One left one aghast.

The number of hours of supply of electricity was zero and the required infrastructure to provide electricity was sadly missing. Seventeen years later, not only has the PPP/C government provided the resources to procure the requisite plants, generators, poles, transformers, lines, trained staff etc.but we have been able to provide electricity to the more than 700 households in the Mabaruma Settlement, Thomas Hill, Mabaruma Township and Compound, Kumaka, Hosororo Stretch and Hosororo Hill Communities, and this, despite the increased supply of electricity to an increasing number of dwelling houses, business premises and a concomitant increase in household and other appliances occasioned by the improved living standards of the population.

And may I inform the populace and remind “the members of the business community and residents” to whom the Author Mr. Eleazer refers and who I assume are not a figment; that while I am aware that electricity supply from the RDC Generator is restricted to a minimum of five hours per day; I am equally aware of the RDC’s efforts which have allowed for the extension of electricity supply to the Yarakita, Port Kaituma and the Santa Rosa Communities while we continue to spare no effort to extend the service to the Barabina, Bumbury and Wauna Communities in the Mabaruma sub Region and the Matthews Ridge area also. And may I remind beneficiaries of the service who understandably would wish to benefit from longer hours of electricity, that you have an obligation to pay for the service received which is already subsidised by the Regional Democratic Council.

Resources- human and material are limited relative to the demand for them. As a government and consequentially our Regional Democratic Councils are compelled to focus, as a priority, on the things that matter most for the development of our people. These include education, health care, transportation, communication, water, agriculture etc..In other words, they are competing uses for these scarce resources and the PPP / C has worked with the people and their elected Leaders to focus on those socio-economic interventions that make a difference to people’s lives. If all these interventions and improvements are merely “cultural events” as termed by one Opposition Leader; we are happy to bring them to our people.

If only Kaieteur News Gary Eleazer had visited the newly constructed Mabaruma Hospital and interacted with its staff and patients, he would have heard expressions of delight at its spaciousness and comfortableness. He would have observed that DOTS, malaria and dengue tests and treatment are being done in the new building, and, equipment and apparatus for the setting up of the X-Ray Unit, the laboratory and theatre are already in place. And equally important, he would have been informed of the positive results of our investment in training of health staff and the provision of improved transportation and vaccination, cold chain facilities for medical outreaches in very remote areas of the Region, viz; in the areas of immunisation coverage from 47% in 2006 to 80 %, Reduction in malaria morbidity and mortality by 37 % between 2007 and 2008;

Reduction in the number of cases of medical referrals, to mention a few areas of improvement. But, perhaps, some people see only what they want to see.

There can be no denying that there have been improvements in Education; transportation and communication between villages, electricity including solar power, water supply and quite recently, the introduction of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ low-carbon National Hinterland Secure Livelihood Programme with its focus on increasing output of existing producers and processors by implementation of 7 production and value adding enterprises in 15 Communities in the Mabaruma sub Region.

These Enterprises include Citrus and Passion Fruit Production, Crab Fattening, Peanut ultivation and Peanut Butter processing .etc.

These areas of focus in the development of Region One or more specifically the Mabaruma sub Region, are important in the fight against poverty. Perhaps Kaieteur News may wish to examine the progress in these areas. But I should not be too optimistic.

Some people see only what they want to see.
NORMAN WHITTAKER M.P

Race should not be an equation
WITHIN the context of nationhood, race should not be an equation for any consideration, especially for leadership of the nation because in the final analysis we are a Guyanese people and this should be the defining factor that identifies us in any national dynamic.

However, the denuded leadership within the PNC structure has left serious roles to be filled, especially with the loss of leadership challenger and former chairman, Winston Murray.

In a surprise move, Corbin reached beyond strong and able allies, including Basil Williams and Volda Lawrence, to appoint one-time minister in the former PNC administration, Cammie Ramsaroop, as Party chairman in an obvious attempt to balance the racial equation within the Party’s leadership structure and to counter the loss of Murray, whom it is said is of part Indian ancestry.

Which begs the question: What has race got to do with it?

In the first PPP structure, founded by Dr. Jagan, everyone stood on a common platform presenting a united front against the oppressive and suppressive forces.

When Burnham forced a split in the Party, race had nothing to do with the support provided the leaders of the split factions of the PPP – Burnham and Jagan, and one only has to study the history of this country to realize (what) became a factor long after, when divisive agents deliberately created distrust between the major races in this country in order to support their own nefarious agenda.

What is important, however, is the perception that no one race will accept a member of another race as leader of this country unless there is a lieutenant of the other race to balance the leadership equation.

And that is wrong because, as was posited by Ralph Gonsalves, Head-of-State of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there is a dearth of good leadership material in the region and we should appreciate and utilize to the optimum the leadership skills of proven leaders.

Within this context race should not be an equation, only consideration of what can be achieved by the leaders that we have, especially leaders who have proven themselves of exceptional merit.

With great respect to the gentleman, Cammie Ramsaroop is obsolete in the political framework and the leadership structure of the PNC, because either Volda Lawrence or Basil Williams would have proven better leadership material to take the PNC forward to the next general elections.

Neither discarding Murray nor recalling Ramsaroop would have any impact in attracting new voters, because Guyanese are not easily fooled. They are aware that no matter how reasonable and decent Murray and Ramsaroop may appear to be, they were both party to PNC policies of rigging and “more fire, slow fire” strategies; and they both enjoyed comfortable lifestyles while every citizen in the land who bought foodstuff and other basic commodities on the blackmarket were criminalized by a ruthless regime of which they were integral and in which they were pivotal.

Even as Van West-Charles expounds platitudes and Raphael Trotman pretends to be the soul of honour and conscience they also were quintessential to the PNC’s destructive configurations that sent this nation into almost-irretrievable infrastructural, financial, social, and moral decay.

And race has nothing to do with it – rascality is the face of shameful, dishonourable and discredited actions, not of one’s race; so leaders should not be chosen in this nation on the basis of their race, but only on their competence, their commitment to national welfare, their caring for humanity, and their proven ability to take this nation and its people out of poverty and into prosperity; and from the utter devastation pre-1992 to our slow but sure emergence into the sphere of socio-economic progress it is a nation that has been on the move – and race had nothing to do with it.
AARON SMITH

GCA/Cellink Plus First Division
GNIC and Everest to contest three- day final
By Calvin Roberts
JOINT defending champions Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) have earned the right to face Everest Cricket Club in the final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Cellink Plus sponsored first division final, after they defeated Malteenoes Sports Club by 42 runs in their semi final encounter yesterday.

In the other semi- final which was played at the Everest Cricket Club ground, the home team defeated Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) on first innings to book their place in the final.

But it was the GNIC/MSC match which was played at the MSC ground in Thomas Lands, that provided the entertainment for the small crowd gathered on hand, especially with the cameo innings from former national and West Indies Under-19 captain and vice- captain respectively, Steven Jacobs.

After seeing his team fall short by 67 runs in their first innings, as they were bowled out for 210, thanks to the belated efforts of Damian Van Tull who struck a belligerent 75 (7x6; 3x4), after starting the day on 157-7, MSC bowled out their opponents for 214 the second time around.

Former national Under-17 skipper and wicketkeeper/batsman Dexter Solomon with 46 (3x4; 2x6), Dwayne Dick 40 (3x6; 2x4) and Ranole Bourne 39 (3x4; 2x6) were the principal scorers in GNIC’s second innings against the bowling of Danny Narayan (4-64) and Jacobs who took 3-36.

Needing to score 282 for a come from behind victory, Jacobs who opened the batting with Shemroy Barrington, blasted a cameo 33 ball 81, decorated with five sixes and nine fours, but only Narayan 53 (2x4; 3x6), Safraz Esau 27 (5x4) and Jeremiah Harris 26 were able to offer resistance to the GNIC bowling led by former national off- spinner Clyde Butts (3-33) with support from Ken Alphonso (2-19) and his son Collis Butts who took 2-44.

At Everest, it was a first innings affair in a game which eventually meandered out into a tame draw, after commencing 55 minutes late due to wet spots on the pitch.

After being bowled out for 246 in their first innings, Everest rebounded to restrict DCC who started the day on 105-3 with national all rounder Christopher Barnwell unbeaten on 47, to 199, with Barnwell contributing 68 and Darwin Christian 38.

Former national Under-19 spinner Chris Surat (4-44) and former national and West Indies Under-15 spinner Amir Khan who took 3-51, did the damage with the ball for Everest, who were bowled out for 156 in their second innings.

Demerara senior team wicketkeeper/batsman Joseph Perry (31) and Khan 29 showed resistance in the batting against the bowling of national fast bowler Trevon Garraway who took four wickets and Barnwell three.

Needing to score 203 to win, DCC were 10-1 in their second innings when the game was called off, thus ensuring Everest go on to meet GNIC in the final which will be a three- day affair on a date to be announced later.

Brathwaite , Walker head Caribbean line- up at Zagreb Grand Prix
ZAGREB, Croatia, (CMC) – History-making Barbadian sprint hurdler Ryan Brathwaite will be among the headliners at the 59th IAAF Zagreb Grand Prix today where close to 50 IAAF World Championship medallists will converge.

Brathwaite, 21, became the first Barbadian to win an IAAF World Championship gold medal when he captured the 110-metre hurdles in Berlin earlier this month.

He is the top entry in the men’s sprint hurdles.

Organisers moved quickly last week to secure Brathwaite’s appearance after injury ruled the Cuban Olympic champion and world record holder Dayron Robles out of his scheduled appearance here.

Brathwaite’s rivals in Zagreb will include the Berlin finalists Maurice Wignall of Jamaica and Czech Petr Svoboda, as well as Olympic bronze medallist David Oliver, who is on the rebound from injury.

Wignall, the reigning Commonwealth champion, and for several years the leading CARICOM sprint hurdler, lost his English-speaking Caribbean record of 13.17 seconds to Brathwaite when the young Barbadian clocked a personal best 13.14 to narrowly win gold in Berlin on August 20.

Brathwaite suffered a loss Friday in his first outing as World Champion when he finished third behind Jamaican Dwight Thomas (13.16) and American Terrence Trammell (13.17) at the Zurich Golden League meeting and will be anxious to rebound.

Jamaicans, including the superb 400-metre hurdles Olympic and World Champion Melaine Walker, will figure prominently in the other hurdles events.

Walker faces her arch-rival and Berlin runner-up Lashinda Demus, of the USA, in a field that includes Walker’s improving colleague Kaliese Spencer.

In the men’s 400-hurdles, Jamaican Isa Phillips will be in action trying to shrug off his disappointment of Berlin where he failed to reach the final after being one of the gold medal favourites.

His rivals will include American Bershawn Jackson and the Dominican Republic’s two-time world champion Felix Sanchez.

In the women’s sprint hurdles, Olympic champion Dawn Harper, of the USA, narrowly beaten by Jamaican World Champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton in Zurich on Friday, defends her title against Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London, who took bronze in Berlin, and Irishwoman Derval O’Rourke, who took fourth in Berlin with a national record 12.67.

The sprints are proliferated by Caribbean entries.

Veronica Campbell-Brown, the two-time defending Olympic 200-metre champion, who left Berlin empty-handed by her standards – without a gold medal -- returns to Zagreb to defend her 100-metre title from a year ago.

The Jamaican took silver in the 200 and fourth in the 100 in Berlin and her challengers will include her colleague Simone Facey, who took gold in the 4x100-metre relay in Berlin.

The men’s 100-metre field includes Berlin finalists Marc Burns, of Trinidad and Tobago and Darvis Patton, of the USA, along with US champion Mike Rodgers and Jamaican Berlin relay gold medallists Steve Mullins and Michael Frater.

Jamaican Shericka Williams is favoured for the women’s 400 metres after silver at the Beijing Olympics last year and another runner-up result in Berlin.

Williams clocked a personal best and near national record 49.32 seconds as runner-up to American Sanya Richards in Berlin on August 18.

Flintoff: I may never play again
ENGLAND all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has conceded he may never play cricket cricket again.

The 31-year-old underwent surgery on his long-standing knee injury after helping England seal their second consecutive home Ashes series win at The Oval last weekend.

Flintoff hopes to be back in action by March, but he told the News of the World: "There is a possibility I may not play again. It's something I'm going to have to be prepared for in case the operation is not as successful as I hope."

He added: "There will be a question mark in my mind about whether I have played my last game until I know how the operation has turned out.

"I'd be lying if I said it hadn't crossed my mind, but the success rate for an operation like this is pretty good. The bottom line is that if it doesn't work, there's nothing I can do about it.

"But I don't want my career to end like this. My Test career ended with a high by England winning the Ashes and I'd like to finish my one-day career by winning the World Cup."

Flintoff played through the pain at The Oval after missing the Headingley Test, but looked far from his best, with his only telling contribution in the second innings the run out of Ricky Ponting.

He said: "The day after the Ashes win I went for a scan, which confirmed my knee problem had got worse. I was really struggling towards the end of the final Test."

He added: "The next few weeks are quite crucial in the recovery and I'm not supposed to put any weight on my knee. In the past when I've been on crutches for two or three weeks my leg has been terrible, so this time it's going to be awful.

"I will see the specialist in a couple of weeks and then have another eight-week check-up. It's only then we'll know the extent of where I'm up to.

I have set myself a target of returning for the tour to Bangladesh, which is from mid-February to the middle of March, but whether that's realistic or not, I'm not sure.” (Eurosport)

GCA/ Cummings Electrical/ P&P Insurance Raymond Panday second division..
Wins for Ace Warriors, TSC and DCC
-Gafoor hits maiden ton
NEWLY formed Ace Warriors, Transport Sports Club (TSC) and Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) all recorded victories in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/ Cummings Electrical/P&P Insurance sponsored Raymond Panday Memorial second division two- day competition yesterday.

At the Ghandi Youth Organization (GYO) ground, Ace Warriors on the back of a second innings maiden ton and along with a disciplined bowling attitude from Afzal Gafoor (146) defeated the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) by 156 runs in their encounter.

After scoring 218 in their first innings, thanks to Melroy Stephenson’s 144, Ace Warriors had already secured their first innings points at the end of the day, as they bowled out the Army boys for 150 and were shakily placed on 40-4 at the close.

They rallied to score 258, thanks to Gafoor’s innings which was decorated with 11 fours and 10 maximums, added with valuable support from Stephenson who struck seven fours in his 54 and skipper Delon Azore’s 32(3x4).

Vijay Singh (3-44), Corwyn Byrne (2-42) and Miguel Cort (2-55) were the leading wicket takers for GDF who needing to score 326 for victory got a rapturous start from Colin Mc Pherson (69) and Mark Haynes (54), the two adding 110 for the first wicket.

But with the dismissal of Mc Pherson, the innings went into decline and only Cort’s 21 at the bottom which included two lusty sixes off Gafoor (4-59), was the lone resistance to the Ace Warriors bowling which saw Azore (2-26) and James Grovesnor (2-36) offering support to Gafoor.

At DCC, the home team had a tough battle on their hands against Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), before they managed to come away with a two wicket victory.

Replying to their opponents first innings score of 187, from which Paul Bevaughn (41), Alex Ramalho (30), national Under-19 opener Jeetendra Sookdeo (26) and Celvan Hayman (23) were the principal scorers against the bowling of Linden Lyght (3-16), Kevin George (3-43), Pravendra Jaigobin (2-19) and Jermaine Horatio (2-51), DCC declared their first innings close at 216-9.

Former Demerara under-19 skipper Denver Greaves (63, 5x4; 2x6), Kester Hardcourt (36), Jamal Hinckson (34) and George 27 were the leading batsmen for DCC against the bowling of Bevaughn who took 4-32 and Raj Nanan 3-48.

In their second innings, GCC were bowled out for 110, with Ellon Fernandes (46, 8x4) and Bevaughn 19 being the lone batsmen to offer resistance to George who took 5-27 for DCC who needing a mere 82 for victory, struggled to their target for the loss of eight wickets, thanks to Hinckson’s unbeaten 39 (4x4; 1x6), as Nanan (5-51) and Bevaughn with 2-24 tried desperately to give their team a come from behind victory.

At the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) ground, Transport Sports Club (TSC) had a tough battle on their hands against Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC), but they managed to come away with a 25 runs victory.

TSC batting first were bowled out for 150, with Kerwin Withers (45), Stephon Sampson (35) and Azim Azeez 23 being the batsmen who showed resistance to Dennis Legay who took 6-30 and Shaquille Williams’ 2-30.

MSC found the going rough when they replied and were bowled out for 61, as Imtiaz Pooran (3-13), Clyde Hoyte (3-15) and Shaun Massiah (2-11) ensured their team got first innings points, which they failed to build on, as they were bowled out for 136 in their second turn at the wicket.

Mark Nicholson 37 and Azeez 24 were the leading scorers against Williams who took 4-47 for MSC, who needed to score 225 for victory and were bowled out for 200, of which Vishal Narayan 49 (4x4; 3x6), Jamal Naughton 39 (4x4; 1x6) were the leading batsmen while Hoyte (5-40) and Pooran (3-35) bowled TSC to victory. (Calvin Roberts)

Benn shows good all-round form in Division One cricket
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Estranged West Indies cricketer Sulieman Benn advertised good all-round form Saturday for his club Spartan against BCL in the Barbados Division One Cricket Championship.

The 6-foot-7-inch Benn helped Spartan recover from a bad position, cracking a shot-filled 33 before claiming claimed two wickets at the Blenheim Ground where Spartan scored 267 for seven declared.

BCL were 63 for two in reply at stumps with both wickets falling to Benn.

Other players with West Indies experience, Ryan Hinds and Ryan Austin also made headlines on the second day of the rain-hit seventh-round matches in the competition.

With Spartan in trouble on 168 for five, Benn came in and lashed five boundaries in a 21-ball 33 that helped push Spartan past the 250-mark.

Benn, currently out of the West Indies set-up – along with the bulk of the region’s top flight players – because of a dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) over contracts and payment, then claimed two wickets for five runs, leaving BCL 204 runs behind on first innings with eight wickets standing.

At Bank Hall, Hinds, who top-scored with 52 in Empire’s first innings 219 all out, claimed three for 33 with his left-arm spin to reduce YMPC to 147 for six in reply.

Off-spinner Austin, who made his West Indies debut against Bangladesh this year, shared the new ball and took five for 64 off 26 overs for UWI to restrict Wanderers to 156 all out at 3Ws Oval.

UWI were 35 for one in reply at stumps.

Former Barbados player Antonio Mayers and teenager Jomel Warrican produced standout performances in other games.

Warrican, on the West Indies Under-19 squad for next year’s ICC Youth World Cup, grabbed four for 53 off 20 overs with his left-arm spin to help Barbados Youth reduce home team Maple to 161 all out.

Barbados Youth were 78 for two in reply at stumps.

At the Weymouth Ground, Mayers cracked fives sixes and two fours in a robust 105 that was the backbone of the Police first-innings score 233 for nine declared against Bristol, who were 22 without loss in reply at the close.

Morton among QPCC’s five Cricketers of the Year
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – Nevis-born West Indies batsman Runako Morton is among the five Cricketers of the Year for Trinidad and Tobago’s famous Queen’s Park Cricket Club.

Morton, 31, had a solid season for the Port of Spain-based club and joins West Indies rookie batsman Darren Bravo, spinner Amit Jaggernauth, Marlon Barclay and Rishaard Harris as the QPCC’s Cricketers of the Year, announced at its awards presentation and dinner at the Century Ballroom at the Queen’s Park Oval on Friday evening.

Based in Trinidad and Tobago, Morton has played 15 Tests and 54 one Day International (ODI) matches for West Indies.

The 17-year-old schoolboy Nicholas Alexis won the ‘Phil Thompson’ award, which goes to the most promising young player in the Queen's Park Cricket Club.

Alexis played was part of the T&T Under-19 team that finished second – to Jamaica -- in the TCL West Indies Youth Championship in Jamaica this summer.

Vettori’s defiant 140 unable to prevent Sri Lanka sweep
COLOMBO- (Reuters)-New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori recorded his highest Test score with a defiant 140 yesterday but was unable to prevent Sri Lanka winning the second Test in Colombo by 96 runs to wrap up the series 2-0

Vettori, his team's highest run scorer in the series, showed the discipline and patience that had been lacking from his top order colleagues to bat through two sessions on the fifth day.

He struck 16 boundaries from 189 balls and added 124 with all-rounder Jacob Oram (56) and a further 69 with number 10 Iain O'Brien (12).

However, New Zealand, who started the day on 182 for six chasing an improbable 494 for victory, were eventually bowled out for 397 in 123.5 overs just before the tea interval.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath led the Sri Lanka bowling with veteran Muttiah Muralitharan struggling with a groin injury. Herath finished with five for 139 from 48 overs in the innings and a match haul of eight for 209.

Muralitharan, who is now a major injury doubt for the two Twenty20 internationals this week, also played his part with three for 85 from 26.2 overs.

Vettori's hundred, the fourth of his career, helped New Zealand set a record for the highest fourth innings score on Sri Lanka soil.

Sri Lanka were expected to wrap up their fourth win in five home Tests this summer in the first session but Vettori and Oram held the bowlers at bay in the highest stand of the series for New Zealand.

It turned out to be a frustrating morning for the hosts as several chances were missed, including a sharp slip chance off Vettori that flew to the right of Mahela Jayawardene at second slip.

Dammika Prasad, the bowler who found Vettori's outside edge during a fine spell, was also denied an lbw decision against Oram in his next over.

Herath added to the home team's woes when he dropped a throw at the non-striker's end to squander a clear runout chance.

To make matters worse for Sri Lanka, Muralitharan broke down with suspected groin strain. The off-spinner hobbled off the field in the middle of his 21st over.

However, part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan broke through in the penultimate over of the morning as Oram mistimed a drive to Kumar Sangakkara at short cover.

Oram had scored a diligent 56 from 148 balls with five boundaries, his best score of the series.

Muralitharan did return in the afternoon, despite being visibly troubled by the injury, to bowl a five-over spell that included the wicket of Jeetan Patel (12), who was caught at bat-pad while trying to sweep.

SNew Zealand innings 234
New Zealand second innings (overnight 182-6)
T. McIntosh RI LANKA 416 and 311-5 dec
b Prasad 7
M. Guptill c P. Jayawardene b Herath 28
D. Flynn lbw Herath 50
R. Taylor C M Jayawardene b Herath 27
J. Ryder lbw Herath 38
B. McCullum b Muralitharan 13
J. Oram c Sangakkara b Dilshan 56
D. Vettori c Herath b Murilitharan 140
J. Patel c Kapugedera b Murilitharan 12
I. O’Brien c wkpr) Jayawardene b Herath 12
C. Martin not out 0

Extras: (13-lb, 1-nb) 14

Total: (all out, 123.5 overs) 397

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-41, 3-97, 4-131, 5-158, 6-176, 7-300 , 8-318, 9-387, 10-397.

Bowling: Paranavitana 1-0-2-0, Thushara 23.3-1-78-0 (1-nb), Prasad 15-1-56-1, Herath48-9-13-5, Muralitharan 28.2-2-85-3, Dilshan 6-0-15-1, Kapugedera 2-0-9-0

Sri Lanka eyes South Africa’s number-one Test spot
SRI Lanka has narrowed the gap with number-one ranked South Africa to just two points in the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship after winning the two-Test series against New Zealand in Colombo on Sunday.

Sri Lanka’s 202 runs victory in the first Test at Galle and its 96-run win at Colombo has earned it a crucial ratings point which has put it on 120 points – just two behind South Africa and one ahead of third-placed India.

Such is the competitive nature of Test cricket, six ratings points separate the Proteas from Australia. And with all the top four teams to resume action in the longer format of the game immediately after next month’s ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa, a reshuffling of the pack is definitely on the cards.

The first Test series after the ICC Champions Trophy is West Indies’ tour to Australia for three Tests, followed by Sri Lanka’s tour to India, England’s tour to South Africa for four Tests and a three-Test tour by Pakistan’s to Australia.

This gives both India and Sri Lanka the first shot at the number-one spot as the first Test between South Africa and England starts after the conclusion of the Test series in India which, according to the Future Tours Programme, is likely to start in November.

While Sri Lanka will need to win the series to go top of the table, India will have to win 2-0 to topple South Africa.

While Sri Lanka’s commanding performance in its domestic international series has put it in sight of the top spot, New Zealand has retained its seventh position in the rankings but has conceded two ratings points to lead eighth-placed West Indies by just four rating points and trailed sixth-place Pakistan by the same margin.

Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship (as of 30 August 2009)

Rank	Team	Rating
1	South Africa	122
2	Sri Lanka	120
3	India	119
4	Australia	116
5	England	105
6	Pakistan	84
7	New Zealand	80
8	West Indies	76
9	Bangladesh	13

(Developed by David Kendix)

Raikkonen wins at Spa while Button crashes
By Alan Baldwin
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, (Reuters) - Kimi Raikkonen won the Belgian Grand Prix for Ferrari's first success of the season yesterday after Formula One championship leader Jenson Button crashed out on the opening lap.

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella finished as runner-up, 0.9 of a second behind the Finn, to give his stunned Force India team their first points in 30 starts after taking their first pole position the day before.

Germany's Sebastian Vettel was third for title contenders Red Bull after rival and Australian team mate Mark Webber saw his race wrecked by a drive-through penalty for a pit lane infringement.

Button's failure to score for the first time this year left the Brawn driver 16 points clear of Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello, who battled through to seventh place from a poor start, with five races remaining.

"It's still open," Vettel said of the championship battle. "It's a little bit crazy, to be honest. It's up and down and it shows how important it is to be consistent."

Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, has now won four times in the past five years at Spa.

Yesterday’s success was the Finn's first in 26 races, and 18th of his career, and he was hounded all the way to the chequered flag by Fisichella and a car that had ranked among the tail-enders only a few races ago.

BUTTON FRUSTRATED
"My aim has been to win at least one race and we try to keep third place in the (constructors') championship," said Raikkonen, who could have Fisichella as Ferrari team mate at the next race at Monza in Italy. "This is going to help us a lot."

Button, winner of six of the season's first seven races, was hit from behind by Renault's French rookie Romain Grosjean in an accident at Les Combes that also took out McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton and brought out the safety car.

"I got a very good start. I got past Lewis, and obviously Rubens had his problem. I made up like four places," said Button, who started 14th.

"As we were going down the straight through turn five, Grosjean out-braked himself. It's frustrating to be taken out like that."

Stewards investigated and decided to take no further action.

Button has 72 points, Barrichello 56 and Vettel 53. Webber has 51.5 after finishing ninth.

Brawn have 128 points to Red Bull's 104.5. Ferrari are third on 56. At the back, Force India overtook Toro Rosso to go ninth.

Fisichella, widely tipped to replace struggling Ferrari stand-in Luca Badoer, made a clean start but his hopes of pulling away were thwarted by the safety car. Raikkonen swept past when it came in at the end of lap four.

"I was quicker than Kimi, he could just overtake me because of the KERS at the beginning," said Fisichella, referring to the energy recovery system that gives a brief boost at the push of a button. "It's a little bit sad for that."

Poland's Robert Kubica was fourth for BMW-Sauber, ahead of German team mate Nick Heidfeld -- who almost collided with Webber in the pit lane incident that penalised the Australian -- and McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen.

Barrichello, winner in Valencia last weekend, had a scare in the closing laps when his engine started smoking but hung on for seventh. The Brawn caught fire moments after he crossed the finish line.

Germany's Nico Rosberg took the final point for Williams. Badoer started and finished last.

Toyota had a dismal race, with Italian Jarno Trulli qualifying on the front row but retiring with a brake problem while Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso also stopped with a wheel problem after running as high as third.

Hughes books date with Tendulkar
CHENNAI, India, (Reuters) - Dumped Australia opener Phillip Hughes has set up a date with Sachin Tendulkar where he hopes to learn from the Indian stalwart's experiences following his own Ashes meltdown.

The 20-year-old left-hander lost his spot to all-rounder Shane Watson after the second Test at Lord's. Australia lost the series 2-1.

"I'll chew his ear off. I've got questions about a lot of things that I want to ask him," Hughes told the Times of India newspaper yesterday.

"I like getting around and talking to the guys who have been around for a long time."

Hughes, who scored a century in each innings in his second Test after scoring a duck on debut, is in the western Indian city of Nagpur with his coach Neil D'Costa, who is head coach of a regional cricket academy in the city.

The paper said Tendulkar, who holds several international batting records, will meet Hughes in Mumbai today.

U.S. Open tennis..
Federer and Serena begin title defence in New York
By Simon Cambers
NEW YORK, (Reuters) - Roger Federer and Serena Williams will begin the defence of their U.S. Open tennis titles at Flushing Meadows today, while Kim Clijsters returns to grand-slam tennis for the first time in two years.

World number one Federer, chasing a modern-day record sixth straight title at Flushing Meadows, plays American wild card Devin Britton in the first round in his first grand-slam event since the birth of his twin daughters last month.

The Swiss, bidding to add the U.S. Open to the French Open and Wimbledon titles he won earlier this year, is hoping to equal the mark set by American Bill Tilden in the 1920s.

Moreover, Federer can extend his record of grand-slam wins to 16 by winning in New York.

It is a far cry from 12 months ago when he arrived in New York without having won one of the first three grand slams for the first time since 2002.

"I'm just more relaxed this time," he said. "I've already won slams this year. That takes away pressure from having to do well here, like the feeling I had last year, not having won a slam last year, trying to get the first one.

"This year is different. I feel like I'm playing great. That gives me obviously a lot of confidence and relaxes my mind."

Fifth seed and 2003 winner Andy Roddick, the runner-up to Federer at Wimbledon, opens his campaign against German Bjorn Phau.

Women's champion Serena Williams, seeded second, plays fellow American Alexa Glatch in the first round.

Victory for Williams over the next two weeks would give her a 12th grand-slam title, equalling Billie-Jean King's mark.

Serena's sister, third seed Venus Williams, plays the first night match against Russian Vera Dushevina, while the tournament begins (1500 GMT) with the return of Clijsters after two years off the tour.

In her third event back, the Belgian former world number one, who had her first child 18 months ago, plays Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine.

Eighth seed Victoria Azarenka, Flavia Pennetta (10) and Amelie Mauresmo (17) are also in first-round action today.

First England v Australia Twenty20 match abandoned
MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) - Heavy rain forced the first of two Twenty20 internationals at Old Trafford between England and Australia to be abandoned yesterday.

Australia notched up 145 for four wickets from their 20 overs and had reduced the hosts to four for two before rain intervened.

The visitors found themselves 54 for three but Cameron White smashed 55 from 36 balls and added 78 for the fourth wicket with captain Michael Clarke who compiled a watchful 27 not out.

England lost openers Joe Denly for a golden duck after he top-edged a spitting Brett Lee bouncer to square leg and Ravi Bopara for one when the Englishman nudged Mitchell Johnson to slip.

The second Twenty20 will be played tomorrowy before the seven-match one-day international series from Sept. 4 to 20 begins in London at the Oval.

Manchester United and Spurs quartet recalled by England
By Mike Collett
LONDON, (Reuters) - Wes Brown and Ben Foster of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur's Peter Crouch and Aaron Lennon were recalled to the England squad on Sunday for next month's matches against Slovenia and Croatia.

Coach Fabio Capello recalled Brown for injured United team mate Rio Ferdinand in defence while Foster, who has recovered from injury, replaces Birmingham City's Joe Hart after missing out for the friendly against the Netherlands on Aug. 12.

Crouch and Lennon, who both scored in a 2-1 win over Birmingham on Saturday, are back in the party after impressive early season displays for Tottenham who are joint top of the Premier League after winning their opening four matches.

Arsenal's Theo Walcott is omitted while he recovers from a back injury which has kept him sidelined so far this season.

The 24-man party will assemble next week before the friendly against Slovenia on Sept. 5 and the Group Six World Cup qualifier with Croatia at Wembley on Sept 9.

England have won all seven of their World Cup qualifiers so far and will make sure of their place at next year's finals in South Africa if they beat Croatia.

The visitors will be without their main playmaker Luka Modric after he broke a bone in his fibula playing for Spurs against Birmingham on Saturday.

Squad:
Goalkeepers: Ben Foster (Manchester United), Robert Green (West Ham United), Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers)

Defenders: Wes Brown (Manchester United), Wayne Bridge (Manchester City), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham United)

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards: Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)