ON THE ATTACK! One of the tournament favourites, Albouystown ‘B’ (black bibs) attack the goal against Wolves (Sophia) in the Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ in Albouystown Saturday night.

Albouystown after clearly reinforcing their varying superiorities.
From 48 teams three weeks ago, only six have been kept alive following those contests. The first to do so was Festival City who dismissed Laing Avenue 2-0 owed to second half goals from Odell Williams, who scored in the 12th minute and Paul Bobb, who found the back of the ‘small goal’ two minutes later.
Deion (no surname given) then sent Alexander Village through to the penultimate round of the competition, which will also be played in Albouystown at the same venue Thursday night, when he scored in the seventh minute for a 1-0 win against Broad Street ‘B’.
Those that walked to the venue from Alexander Village was given the opportunity to make the journey again Thursday night when their team will vie for a place in Saturday’s final that will be held at the National Cultural Centre tarmac.
Riverview also made it to the next round via a 1-0 win against Berlin after Andre Downes scored in the second minute. Broad Street ‘A’ versus West Front Road was the only game that penalties decided after a 2-2 stalemate in the regulation 15 minutes.
Randolph Wagner put West Front Road ahead early in the game, in the first minute to be exact, but Rocky Gravesande responded in the third minute to level the scores. Broad Street went ahead when Keron Solomon scored in the sixth minute, a minute and a half before the whistle for the first half went off.
However, looking to protect their 2-1 lead through spacing the ball and defence, Broad Street opened up the gates for West Front Road in the tenth minute when Hubert Pedro collected a cross and finished for the equaliser. West Front Road, which was the more aggressive side in the contest, eventually won 4-3 on penalties.
As expected, the crowd erupted into loud cheers when their home team, Albouystown ‘B’ took the court to warm-up before their game against Wolves (Sophia). It was clear that the expectation of the crowd was a mauling of the Sophia-based team.
However, that was not to be Saturday night. Devon Forde skilfully finished in the second minute for Albouystown ‘B’ to give them a 1-0 win; their supporters, anxious for more goals from them, agonisingly encouraged Albouystown in the second half, but their taunts came up empty as their team narrowly won.
Similar eruptions greeted Sparta Boss that boasts former national striker Devon Millington along with competent sidekick, Dennis Edwards. The duo has accounted for the team’s goals throughout the tournament.
It was no different against Liliendaal. Millington scored in the second minute for the up-tempo and fast-paced team, while Edwards finished in the 12th minute for a 2-0 win that kept them on a collision course with clearly the other favourite team. (Edison Jefford)

The University of Guyana (UG) developed a worrying trend of tense finishes Sunday at the Mon Repos Primary School Basketball Court when they escaped with yet another close win in the ongoing National Schools’ Basketball Festival (NSBF).
Guyana’s premier tertiary institution, UG beat President’s College 44-43 in the Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) East Coast Regional Conference of the NSBF, after a deciding minute of intense competition.

EASY AS SUNDAY MORNING! Quincy Easton (right) finishes an easy lay-up for UG Sunday against President’s College when the NSBF continued on the East Coast.

Quincy Easton, the hero for UG, ended with 21 points and seven rebounds with Jonathon Pooran contributing nine points. The University had also escaped with a close 29-27 win in their opening game against the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) last week.
Nyambekerie Bacchus continued to lead President’s College in the competition with 13 points that he supported with nine rebounds.
With the scores leveled at 39-39 and 1:36 left in regulation time, Easton heroically penetrated for a floater in the lane to give UG the edge; team-mate, Fonsie James then made it a two possession game for President’s College when he completed a lay-up.
President’s College had failed to convert their possession in crunch-time and with 36 seconds left in the game all seemed lost. James then scored one of two free-throws for UG that took the score to 44 points before high drama unfolded in the East Coast Conference.
With UG comfortably sailing to their second straight win, Bacchus nearly dashed that hope when he went on a rampage to score four points in 11 seconds. It was easy to conclude that the whistle saved UG from coughing up an otherwise easy win.
In the other Under-20 game, Bounty Colts Division I star Plaisance Secondary School’s Nikkoloi Smith led his school to a 32-25 win over GSA; the explosive guard scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds for a good all-round performance.
Emmanuel Archibald scored 12 points for GSA in their second loss of the competition.
Plaisance Secondary School also won their Under-17 game 34-8 emphatically against Annandale Secondary School. Wayne Calendar had 10 points for Plaisance, while Terrence Daniels finished with nine rebounds.
Raphael Sobers scored five of Annandale’s eight points and collected six rebounds.
President’s College also won their Under-17 game 31-10 against Bladen Hall; Eli Inniss scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds.  Mickel Austin scored six of Bladen Hall’s 10 points.
Digicel, Beharry Group of Companies and Banks DIH are the primary sponsors of the 2013 NSBF. (Edison Jefford)

Guyanese dominated the Telecommunications Company Suriname (Telesur) half marathon race on Sunday, sweeping the male category of the event staged in Nickerie.
The Caribbean’s most dominant distance athlete, Cleveland Forde won the race ahead of Kelvin Johnson, Cleveland Thomas and Lionel D’Andrade respectively.

Alika Morgan and Samuel Kaitan

It was good warm-up for the Guyanese male distance-running quartet ahead of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport’s Independence Half Marathon on Sunday.
In other results, from reports reaching Kaieteur Sports, Alika Morgan romped home to take the female event for her third consecutive triumph at the event. The 22-year-old Morgan clocked 39:30 to better her time in 2012.  Eighteen year old Samuel Kaitan finished third in the Junior category.
Guyana’s Andrea Foster was second in the junior female race with Jevina Straker winning. Straker was also third overall.
Llewellyn Gardner won the Master’s race, while Alicia Fortune, Foster’s mother, was second in the female Master’s event. Shirleen Phillips copped the second position in the senior women’s Masters Section.

Cleveland Forde

After seven days of intense battles at the Paragon Ranges in Christ Church, Barbados, Team Great Britain emerged as the best, highlighting their world leaders billing, winning all the rifle shooting matches on their Caribbean tour.
They won the prestigious Australia Match last weekend beating Australia West Indies and Canada shooting at 300, 600, 900 and 1000 Yards.

The victorious Great Britain Fullbore Rifle Shooting Team

Great Britain came out comfortable winners dropping some 48 points (1952) out of a possible 2000, hitting 167 V-Bulls.  Australia was second with 1909 points and 130 V-Bulls. The West Indies ‘A’ Team, took the 3rd place accumulating 1791 points and 99 V-Bulls, Canada ended with 1741 points and 91 V-Bulls, International Magpies 1738 and 66 V-Bulls, while the West Indies ‘B’ Team brought up the rear with 1724 and 71 V-Bulls.
This win was Great Britain’s 23rd in the history of the Match; Australia has won it on 18 occasions, New Zealand 6, Canada 4.  They had earlier beating the opposition in Jamaica, Guyana and Barbados during their tour.

Caribbean Premier League – With the start of the inaugural Caribbean Premier League tournament less than three months away, CPL officials have recently concluded a tour of the six franchise countries – Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago – meeting with Government Ministers of Sports and Tourism, cricket board executives, stadium management teams/owners and tourism authorities.

Explosive batsman Chris Gayle is expected to feature during CPL t20

The man charged with the task of keeping the relevant parties in each franchise country informed about, and satisfied with the preparations as it relates to their country and the overall Tournament is CPL’s newly-appointed Operations Manager Carlisle Powell, a Senator from Nevis and father of West Indies batsman Kieran Powell.  Powell is also a former Minister of Communications, Works, Utilities, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Environment in Nevis and a past member of the West Indies Cricket Board.  He brings years of political diplomacy and finesse to the table as well as experience and relationships with the cricket community.
Powell says the meetings in all of the countries have been positive and encouraging, and that the excitement has started to build.
“The opportunity to sit down at the table with each of these groups in the six franchise countries was imperative because we wanted to make sure we answered the questions, and addressed any concerns they had,” explained Powell.   “Once we did that, everyone had a greater understanding of the CPL vision, what we hope to accomplish and the benefits to their country specifically and the region in general.  The result was that the governments, the cricket boards and the tourism boards are all pleased to give their full support to the CPL, and are excited about the prospects of a first-class sporting event being hosted annually in the region, bringing a much needed economic boost to the Caribbean and attracting new and repeat visitors.”
Powell went on to say that the general response from the country heads and boards was that of a desire to cooperate however they could, and do what is necessary to ensure the Tournament’s success.
Speaking about the relationships between CPL and the local boards, CPL CEO Damien O’Donohoe expressed, “Our goal is to keep the countries abreast of as much of the planning surrounding the tournament as possible.  After all, they have demonstrated their hospitality by welcoming us into their jurisdiction, opening their grounds to us and allowing us to utilise the valuable resources that they have.  We are eager to reciprocate.”
In Guyana, Powell had appointments with the Ministers of Tourism and Sport, Hon. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony.
After the meeting, Hon. Minister Ali, commented “CPL is an amazing opportunity to use sport as a catalyst to advance the region’s tourism product since CPL will give us access to reach important global markets. In this regard Guyana has the best potential since we have the largest diaspora who love cricket, and so we in Guyana will pull out all the stops and give the CPL our full commitment.”
The first ever Caribbean Premier League will get underway on 30 July with 24 matches played in six franchise countries – Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.
Six top West Indies stars have been confirmed as Franchise players – Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy and Marlon Samuels.  Also confirmed are six overseas franchise players – former Australia captains Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting, ex-New Zealand captain Ross Taylor, Pakistan Twenty20 International captain Mohammad Hafeez, Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa and Sri Lanka spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan.
A total of 90 players will be contracted to play in the CPL. Each of the six Franchise teams will comprise of 15 player squads.  All teams are required to have a minimum number of local players from their franchise country and at least two of them must be under the age of 23.  Teams can also field a maximum of four international players.  The remainder of the team must consist of regional and/or local players.
Also confirmed is the make-up of the CPL Cricket Committee, which is being chaired by former Jamaica Prime Minister The Most Honourable PJ Patterson and include Zorol Barthley, Conde Riley and Walter Scott, QC alongside Ian Bishop, Lance Gibbs and Charles Wilkin, QC.

Twelve teams have so far qualified the play offs of the Georgetown Dominoes Association (GDA) tournament, which is scheduled for this weekend at Gaulding Place in South Ruimveldt. The teams that have so far gone through are Raiders, Scramblers, Wild Bunch, C 7, Specialist, TNT, Assassin, B 6, Lions, Cody Girls, Mix Up and Delta Force.

President Donald Ramotar

The move essentially paralyses the government’s efforts to have the amendments rushed through the House before it faces an international review panel in Nicaragua next week.
The issue which forced the pulled out of APNU from the committee is a letter sent to President Donald Ramotar by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) on April 10, last.
The CFATF is an arm of the International Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an independent inter-governmental body that develops and promotes policies to protect the global financial system against money laundering and terrorist financing, among other financial crimes.
Non-passage of the amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act could shame the government for failing to act and could put the country on an international blacklist for not doing enough to combat money laundering and stopping financing for terrorism.
Opposition Leader David Granger wrote President Donald Ramotar yesterday saying that he was shown the CFATF’s letter of April 10. The letter was circulated to members of the Special Select Committee concerning amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act.
The CFTAF recommended that President Ramotar share its letter to Members of the Government, the Leader of the Opposition as well as Members of the Opposition and all technical public sector officials involved in the fight against money laundering.
The letter noted that Guyana’s Report to the Plenary of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force be comprehensive, in writing and submitted to the Secretariat well ahead of the Plenary Meeting and in any event by May 6, 2013.
Granger said that he did not receive a copy of that letter from the President and asked Mr. Ramotar for an explanation of his refusal to share the letter.
As such, Granger instructed the APNU representatives of the Select Committee to take no further part in the work of the Committee until a satisfactory explanation is received from the President.
The Special Parliamentary Committee was set up to examine and tidy up the amendments proposed by the government.
The AFC, the other Parliament party, is participating in the work of the Commission, but when the amendments come up for a vote on May 22, the AFC could withhold its support if its demands are not met.
The government is due to defend its efforts to stem financial crimes when the Plenary Meeting of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) meets in Managua, Nicaragua from May 27 to May 30.
It wanted to have the amendments to the money laundering Bill passed before that review.
The government has already prepared its report for the plenary and this fact also has APNU taken aback.
Joseph Harmon, a front bench Parliamentarian with APNU feels that the preparation of the report should have involved all stakeholders, but he said that the government fell into the pattern of not treating stakeholders as equals.
“A pattern is developing where the government feels that it can give us any little dribbling of anything and we must deal with that,” Harmon told Kaieteur News.

Opposition Leader David Granger

He said that Granger’s letter to Ramotar is an indication that the Opposition is not prepared to “accept this nonsense anymore.”
The government has been saying that if the amendments are not passed the relationship with donor partners including the US, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom would immediately be impacted and could unravel.
Both Opposition parties have said that they would excuse careful scrutiny of the amendments to the legislation before the Special Select Committee because of haste to meet a deadline.
The AFC and APNU have said that the emergency is the government’s own making.
“Therefore, any failure to meet a deadline of May 27, 2013, lies squarely on the shoulders of the PPP/C Administration.”
APNU said that it is convinced that Government is attempting to create a situation where it could tell the Nicaragua meeting that the Opposition is to be blamed for Guyana not being ready.

By Latoya Giles
Heavily shackled and clad in white trousers and shirt, police brought a nervous and shaking Chaka Chase to court yesterday. Chase is alleged to have murdered Police Corporal Romain Cleto on April 27,last, at Georgetown. Chase made his court appearance yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Murder accused Chaka Chase yesterday as he was leaving the Magistrates’ court.

The accused was represented by Attorneys at Law Nigel Hughes and James Bond.  Hughes told the court that the police did not take statements from witnesses who could confirm his client’s alibi at the time that the shooting death of the policeman took place.
The lawyer said that he had since sent those statements to the Director of Public Prosecutions. It was at this point that the Magistrate questioned the Police Prosecutor about whether any advice was sought from the DPP in the matter. The Prosecutor told the Court that the DPP’s advice was not given.
The statements which will show that Chase was elsewhere when the shooting occurred were given by several eyewitnesses, including a police officer. The court was told that Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, is expected to review the entire file before the case comes up again on Thursday.
Hughes further told the court that his client had visited the police station on a number of occasions after his name was being mentioned as a suspect. He was arrested then released after 72 hours. He was again arrested on Thursday last and without any legal advice from the DPP, the Police decided to charge him with murder.
According to the prosecution, gun powder residue was found on Chase’s hands after it was swabbed by the Police. However Chase’s lawyer Nigel Hughes questioned the truth behind that statement. He told the Court that he does not understand why the Police would then release the man if they had found gun residue on his hands when he was swabbed on the same night of the murder after he turned himself in.
The Attorney said that the Guyana Police Force has once again instituted charges without a proper investigation being conducted.
Hughes said that the Guyana Police Force seems to be rushing to another form of erroneous judgment, in which it is bringing to court a young man who will be charged with murder without even beginning to conduct even the most rudimentary elements of investigation.
He added that he had read in the press that the person who allegedly committed the act was someone of either Portuguese or East Indian decent. His client, Chaka Chase, is Rastafarian and of African descent.
“It seems to be another example where a young urban citizen is charged for an offence where there is an inadequate investigation,” Hughes stated. The lawyer maintained that it was not too late for the police to take the statements from the eyewitnesses.
Attorney James Bond in his address told the court that there were burn marks about Chase’s body, which is a clear indication of him being “electrically shocked” and tortured.
Cleto was approaching the vehicle on foot when the occupants opened fire with what is believed to be an AK-47 assault rifle and a nine-millimeter handgun. Corporal Cleto was buried with full military honours. Chase was remanded and is expected to return to court on Thursday.

Relatives of Chase, mainly his sisters and aunts, immediately broke down as they heard that he was remanded. His relatives swarmed the entrance of the court to get a glimpse of a sobbing Chase.
Officers rushed him into the temporary holding facility at the court, before taking him off to the Camp Street Prison. Chase was heard shouting for relatives to briefly hold up his young son.

New York (Times Union) – State officials can’t account for US$39,560 in taxpayers’ money that Senator John Sampson steered to a now-defunct Brooklyn charity, the leader of which opened a liquor store with the powerful legislator several months later.
The exact financial relationship between Sampson, who until last year led the Senate Democratic Conference, and Edmon Braithwaite, a Guyanese, is unclear. But Sampson, of Guyanese parentage, noted that he became a “shareholder” in a liquor store Braithwaite owns in 2011, according to a disclosure form. The State Liquor Authority refused a Times Union request for details on the store because “disclosure of the information and documents requested would interfere with an ongoing

Edmon Braithwaite

investigation.”
Sampson, a Brooklyn Democrat, was charged earlier this month with embezzling US$440,000 from mortgage accounts and then threatening to “take … out” potential witnesses against a business associate, Guyanese Ed Ahmad, who is also facing jail time for a huge mortgage fraud in the Queens area that spanned several years and included straw buyers. Ahmad apparently struck a deal with the prosecutors and reportedly secretly taped Sampson who was attempting to get rid of witnesses against Ahmad.
Sampson pleaded not guilty. Federal prosecutors said the case against him is ongoing; they also revealed that Sampson was taped by a former colleague, ex-Sen. Shirley Huntley, at the direction of the FBI.
Robert Nardoza, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch, would not answer specific questions about Braithwaite, Sampson, or the liquor store. “The case against Senator Sampson is pending and the investigation is ongoing,” Nardoza said.
Sampson’s spokesman, Mike Roberts, said that the senator relinquished his stake in Braithwaite’s liquor store — Gateway Wine and Spirits in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood — earlier this year, and said questions about it were “moot.” Roberts said no law enforcement officials had inquired about the matter.
“Why would they?” he asked. “We’re looking for storms in teacups, I suspect. The senator did what any senator, when their constituents petition them, would do.”
Braithwaite did not comment. After a week of calls and emails, he left the Times Union a voicemail late Friday saying he had been unable to respond because he was undergoing radiation treatment for cancer. He did not return subsequent calls.
A Guyanese immigrant and entrepreneur, Braithwaite is known in Brooklyn political circles as the founder of One Caribbean Radio. The station runs a talk format aimed at the three million-plus Caribbean immigrants and launched on an AM frequency in October 2007. It now broadcasts via the Internet.
According to a 2008 profile by New York Daily News columnist, Clem Richardson, the station quickly became a destination for elected officials seeking to reach Caribbean Americans, many of whom live in central Brooklyn. The station’s guests have included area legislators like Sampson and Senator Kevin Parker, as well as then-City Council members Letitia James, David Yassky, Bill de Blasio and District Attorney Charles Hynes.
Hynes, who is white, made a monthly appearance and described Braithwaite as “a great guy.”
Braithwaite formed the One Caribbean Foundation in May 2008 and applied to the IRS for tax-exempt status in July 2010, records show. Its mission is “to organize and administer a charitable scholarship fund for individuals of Caribbean heritage, to be used for educational and medical assistance,” according to the IRS application.
It also planned to “embark on a programme to train and teach inner city underprivileged youth the inner workings of a functional digital radio station” — One Caribbean Radio.
Sampson earmarked a US$100,000 member item for the foundation as part of the 2009-10 budget. The grant was administered by the Office of Children and Family Services, which sent $39,560 to the foundation in October 2010, state records show.
One Caribbean Foundation has three listed directors: Braithwaite and his wife, Myrie, as well as Charles Mohan.
Mohan, an adjunct professor and consultant, said he became acquainted with Braithwaite through various Guyanese-American groups and was a commentator on One Caribbean Radio when Braithwaite recruited him for the foundation. He is listed as its treasurer.
“It never got off the ground. I never really participated or know if there was anything done. As far as I know, nothing was done,” Mohan said. He said his last involvement with the foundation was in July 2010, when he signed the IRS application.
Mohan said that he was unaware of the $39,560 state grant.
According to OCFS spokeswoman Jennifer Givner, the money was considered an advance payment, but the One Caribbean Foundation never filed paperwork documenting its spending — as was required.
OCFS referred the matter to the office of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in July 2012. State lawyers sued One Caribbean Foundation for the money, but Braithwaite ignored a summons. Last month, state lawyers filed a judgment for $49,411.19 — the US$39,560 plus interest and fees — with the Albany County clerk.
Michelle Hook, a spokesman for Schneiderman, said One Caribbean Foundation hasn’t submitted required annual filings since 2010, and its charitable status was revoked earlier this year.
Roberts said Sampson had not tracked One Caribbean’s progress.
“He funded an organization, like any other organization, it met the legal threshold for funding at the time. … From our understanding, the money was earmarked for internships in communication and radio, and that was done,” he said. “What does Senator Sampson have to do with that? That would be my question.”

The Alliance for Change (AFC) says it will only reverse its position on the proposed amendments to the country’s law on financial crimes if President Donald Ramotar acts to root out corruption.
The party is adamant that it will only vote in favour of the amendments if the President appoints the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) and rethinks his decision not to give effect to Bills passed in the National Assembly.
“The AFC is of the view that one of the best methods of stamping out money laundering is to turn off the taps on the “illicit proceeds” which come from many sources.
“One of these sources is the illicit funds associated with contracts awarded to friends at amounts several times the real market value,” the party said in a statement.
The AFC said that if the PPC is established, it will go a far way toward weeding out these illegally earned funds thus contributing to less money being laundered.
The government has heavily criticized the AFC for its position, mainly on the grounds that Guyana would be placed on an international blacklist if it does not amend the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill.
The Bill is before a Parliament Select Committee, but with the major coalition bloc APNU pulling out yesterday, the fate of the Bill seems doomed for failure; at least it may not make the deadline the government proposed. But then again, APNU can abstain in the National Assembly.
The AFC said that it is as deeply concerned as the Private Sector Commission, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other organisations about the potential blacklisting of Guyana.
The government needed the Bill passed before the end of the month when the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force carries out its review in Nicaragua.
But the party said that this concern is overshadowed by the Government’s   repeated opposition to the establishment of constitutionally mandated organs like the PPC coupled with the President’s “promised and delivered obstruction to the legislative agenda of the majority of its citizens.”
The President has refused to give his assent to the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bill and the Former Presidents (Facilities and Other Benefits) Bill, saying that the Bills are in conflict with the constitution.
Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the AFC, has said that the position of the President is outrageous and that the argument about the constitutionality of the Bills is “wholly unmeritorious” and “totally ridiculous.”
“It might have escaped our collective attention that the apparent ‘crisis’” can be easily resolved without further delay by His Excellency complying with the constitutional obligations  by  establishing the PPC and assenting to the bills, and have his most willing Attorney General challenge them in the appropriate forum afterwards,” the AFC said.
The party said that the lack of enthusiasm to repeated calls for good governance, greater transparency and a commitment to greater overview of the use of taxpayers’ money by the Executive, long ago brought the country to crisis status, “and to permit the continued degradation of any crisis in governance of this country is simply unacceptable and irresponsible.”
The party noted that while some agencies have been expressing concern about the possible non-passage of the amendments to the anti-money laundering Bill, those very agencies did not express similar concern about the establishment of mandatory constitutional bodies and “assumption of judicial office” by the President when he pronounced on the legality of the “opposition Bills”.
According to the AFC, the ruling PPP failed to establish the PPC in the Ninth Parliament and now seems unwilling to establish it in the current Tenth parliament.
The party said that it finds this unacceptable and has demanded that the PPP submit the names of their nominees to the Commission, “as an act of good faith to energize any alternative AFC position on this Money Laundering Bill.”
The AFC noted that the government was fully aware since May 2011 that the Money Laundering Amendments were required when the Mutual Evaluation Report [MER] on Guyana was adopted by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force [CFATF].
Since then, Guyana was placed on the “expedited follow-up list” which required that they report on the progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the MER at every plenary session of CFATF.
Since May 2011, Guyana was cited on three occasions for minimal progress.
“So why this emergency now when our Ministers of Government spent many hours in the studios of NCN engaging in nasty political propaganda rather than at their desks doing the Government’s work?
“The facts remain that it is the PPP Ministers who are solely responsible for the impending black-listing of Guyana and not the AFC,” the party stated.
The AFC said that it continues to support comprehensive financial reforms in Guyana, as it believes that money laundering is a scourge  to be eliminated and will continue to support any national effort at “removing the comingling of the proceeds of crime with the income of hard working citizens of the Republic.”

The police have solved a high profile murder which led to a juvenile and a teenager being among three charged. The robbery/murder occurred at a Mandir at Williamsburg, Corentyne back in January.

Jagdat Ramcharran

The trio Kevin Hintzen, called ‘Ratty’, 23, of Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Shivnarine Jainarine called ‘Sammy’ or Samuel, of Train Line Dam, Port Mourant, Corentyne, and the 16-year-old of Rose Hall Town, on Monday, appeared before Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court and were not required to plead to the indictable charge of murder.
The unrepresented youths are accused of between January 6 and January 7, last, murdering security guard Jagdat Ramcharran called “Ronald”, 61, a father of two of Bloomfield. The man’s body was found bound and gagged at the Iskcon Hari Krishna Mandir at Block 6 Williamsburg Corentyne, Berbice.
Hintzen and Jainarine were remanded to prison until June 4 and ordered to make their next court appearance at the Albion Magistrate’s Court.
The juvenile was remanded to a juvenile correction centre.
The police had initially held three men for the burglary of a   Digicel\Cell Smart outlet at Rose Hall Town Corentyne.
The men were held later in the day and found in possession of the stolen items. They had sustained injuries during the break-in as blood was found in the building. They allegedly used a saw to cut open the padlock from the door before smashing a glass door to enter the building during which time they were apparently injured. A cutlass was also left on the counter.
Two of the men eventually admitted to being involved in the murder of the security guard .The men then named others who were part of the gang that raided the Mandir on the fateful night. They stated that six of them were involved.
According to information, on the day in question about 03:00 hrs a worshipper who would visit the temple early morning to worship arrived at the temple for his usual devotion. Upon arriving he would usually be greeted by the watchman who would open the gate. But when the man arrived no one came to greet him and the gate was locked after making several calls and getting no response. He scaled the fence and to his horror he noticed the watchman lying on the ground with his hand and feet bound and the place ransacked on the body of Ramcharran. His face was swollen.
A bell, a pair of golden slippers and a tape recorder were missing and the Altar was in a mess. The thieves had entered the premises by cutting and wrenching open a grill window. They had also wrenched the door on the Altar.
Hintzen and Jainarine along with Ravendra Ramoutar, 21, called “Navin” of Train Line Dam Port Mourant Corentyne were also charged with break and enter and larceny. The trio is accused of between Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th May at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne Berbice they broke and entered the Digicel Cell Smart store and stole 22 cell phones, 112 SIM cards, One flash drive, six packs of T-Shirts, 12 dummy display phones and $68,700 in local currency, the property of Basil Joseph.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Phillip Sheriff objected to bail stating that the police are investigating other matters the gang is said to be involved in.  He told the court that eight of the phones were recovered from a private dwelling house.
He added that they are also looking for others involved in the robbery.

Fuh years dem boys know that people been thiefing money till dem get so much that dem couldn’t do nutten wid it. Some of dem try fuh drink and party wid de excess that dem couldn’t put inside a bank. All of dem frighten Uncle Sam because he quick fuh clamp down pun scamps.
Now Guyana trying fuh clamp down pun de money laundering but de opposition notice that de move only come two weeks before de deadline. One man seh that if this Bill been in de system fuh two years why it didn’t come before.
If only dem know. De government had to give all dem who thief enough time fuh wash dem  money. De Marriott is no accident. That is de biggest washing machine. This is why to this day de very government can’t tell people who are de foreign investors. Dem ain’t got none—only Guyanese who got more money than dem can spend.
Dem boys notice that de building boom only happen in de last two years. Don’t ask why. Dem notice that people had to get warning.
China come to Guyana over de last two years and that wasn’t by accident. De money people had to find a way to clean up de money dem had. De Chinese give dem a reason fuh tell de world that dem drawing down from dem investment in projects.
Now dem boys know why nuff people vex because de Specialty Hospital get cut. De plan was to get de money from India and tell people is a soft loan, and then really invest de money that dem been thiefing all de time.
Well things reach de stage. Some people willing to give money to de opposition just fuh let dem vote but nuff of dem don’t care because dem like how it going because dem know that dem don’t want spend dem money outside Guyana.
That is why people watching Barbie and dem other Bees. Dem got money fuh wash.
Talk half and wait fuh see money floating in dem canal.

Despite Government’s attempt to justify the manner in which former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, issued several radio licences in 2011, days before he ended his two terms in office, there is evidence that frequencies were given away without proper procedures followed.
A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) said yesterday, that the administration’s excuse that the

Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo

former Head of State used his executive powers to make the decision, was always an improper one as the country’s resources cannot be allocated without rules and procedures being followed.
APNU, which controls 26 seats in the Opposition’s majority, said it is now moving to the National Assembly to demand answers whether a number of persons who were granted licences actually had any applications on file at the time of their granting.
The 10-party coalition was yesterday responding to Government’s statement to the ‘Trinidad Express’ editorial two weekends ago. That editorial lashed the government over the allocations. The Express, a leading newspaper in the Twin-Island Republic, argued that government was attempting to cement its control of the media.
Trinidad Express, local and international media bodies and local diplomats have all been applying pressure on the Donald Ramotar government to review and even recall the licences until a review is done on how they were issued in the first place.
There is the belief that Jagdeo, in his last act of defiance to private media with whom he had a rocky relationship with, granted the licences.
Among the 11 persons and entities receiving permission to run radio stations were Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, Jagdeo’s best friend; the Mirror Newspaper, which belongs to the ruling party; and Telcor Cultural and Broadcasting Inc, a company with close links to Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud, who just happens to be the nephew-in-law of the former President. The three received five frequencies each giving them countrywide control of the radio airwaves.

Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop

APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC), the other Parliamentary Opposition party, are convinced that the other persons were only issued licences to cover up the true intent of Jagdeo…that is to gain control of the radio frequencies for his party.
Seven other persons, including businessman, Maxwell Thom of Wireless Connections, also received licences and one frequency each with their licences to broadcast, limiting them to specific areas.
Government, in a statement to the Trinidad Express, published Wednesday, said that Jagdeo used his discretionary powers under the Postal and Telegraph Act which controlled radio licences applications prior to the new Broadcasting Act of 2011. The new Act was signed into being by Jagdeo in September 2011.
He issued the licences days before the November 2011 General and Regional Elections.
Although the new Broadcasting Act was not in effect until last year when the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority was established in August, the Opposition is contending that Jagdeo broke a binding political agreement that no new radio licences would be issued until the Broadcast Authority was set up.
They admitted that persons, including those supportive of the government, were granted the licences.
Government also made it clear to the Trinidad Express that the licences were issued to persons who showed that they had the money that is needed to establish the radio stations.
However, Government has been extremely silent on Thom, whose business was floundering in 2011 when the licences were issued. Thom, through Wireless Connections, once a popular mobile phone outlet, faced the court for outstanding monies and a number of prominent businesses have said that he is indebted to them.
Yesterday, APNU’s Parliamentarian, Joe Harmon, who is the Shadow Minister of Telecommunications, noting the reports on Thom, insisted that the coalition was highly worried over the licences. These are in the control of mainly the ruling party and the Opposition will be placed in an unfair position, especially during elections.

APNU’s Front Bencher, Joe Harmon

“The resources of a country are not the personal property of the President or anybody. This is a national resource. It is not within your power to share it out to your friends. There is emerging evidence that some of the persons do not have money. How were they granted a licence?”
Harmon believes that Government has been caught with its “pants down” and is hard pressed to defend an “indefensible” position.
“Nobody in this part of the world would accept this kind of reasoning. This is making the country look bad. When you will send an explanation like that to the newspaper in Trinidad… what would they think of us here in Guyana? It is exporting a certain level of mediocrity… of incompetence.
“That is what we are doing when we are preparing these off-the-cuffs answers to established institutions.”
Harmon said that even if the previous Postal and Telegraph Act said financial wherewithal was one of the conditions to grant a radio licence, it would hardly be the only reason.
“This excuse about the Postal and Telegraph Act was concocted after the fact to justify an improper act by Jagdeo.”
Harmon said that the government in attempting to justify the licences, has even been sending “little messages” on the emails using the “same foolish arguments that granting of the licences is keeping with old Act and that it was a pledge to break the radio licence monopoly. Everybody knows Jagdeo shared the licences out to his friends and his party.”
The details of the licences only came to light after AFC demanded answers in the National Assembly. The answers were provided earlier this year, immediately sparking street protests by established, private media houses which were ignored by Jagdeo.
These include Kaieteur News, Guyana’s largest daily; Capitol News; WRHM Channel Seven; CNS Channel Six; HBTV Channel Nine and Stabroek News.

Businessman, Maxwell Thom

Two court cases have been filed by Kaieteur News and the Guyana Media Proprietors Association and Enrico Woolford, seeking to quash the licences.

Guyana has found itself in a tenuous situation because of the existing legislations that seek to curb money laundering and dent international terrorism. The government sent the various amendments to the National Assembly on May 7, last, and expects that the Bill would be passed when the House meets on May 23.
Already the Alliance For Change says that it is not prepared to support the Bill, not because its content is bad but because President Donald Ramotar refused to assent to two opposition Bills passed in the National Assembly.  The President contended that the two Bills were an affront to the constitution and that he would not be party to any breach of the constitution.
But the opposition holds the opposing view. One of the Bills seeks to modify the benefits for former Presidents. They say that according to the existing legislation, there is no limit to the number of vehicles, the number of personal assistants including security guards that former President Bharrat Jagdeo has.
President Ramotar, by refusing his assent has in effect killed the Bill. In keeping with the regulations, it has been returned to the National Assembly. Before it reaches his desk again it must be accompanied by a two-thirds majority vote in the National Assembly. By no stretch can one see any government member voting in support of that Bill.
This has angered the Alliance For Change which is now proposing a tit for tat arrangement; “You don’t pass our Bills and we would not pass yours.” It does not take clairvoyance to see that the country would grind to a halt. There would be no new legislation and for sure, there would be no release of money when the government moves to access the supplementary votes.
One of the pieces of legislation that seems to have been caught up in this tit for tat arrangement is the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill. Guyana has until it meets in Colombia on May 27 to have this legislation in place.  Failing to reach this deadline could have serious implications for the country.
For one the country could be blacklisted, making it difficult for money transfers to be effected. Local businessmen would be hard pressed to pay for imports and these range from vehicles to clothing to just about anything. Given the parlous state of electricity Guyana may not be able buy the needed generators out of the United States.
Bank transfers could be stymied and international donors could withhold financing since the issue of monitoring the money would be questionable.
One would expect that such a frightening scenario would see a united National Assembly working to ensure that Guyana is not blacklisted. Generally, when a country is blacklisted it remains a pariah for about seven years. And this is a real fear on the part of the national leaders.
But we now find that the political opposition is harbouring no such fears. For one, they believe that the government was less than transparent and they now want the very government to be brought to book.  The A Partnership for National Unity initially questioned the timing of the Bill. This Bill has been languishing in the national Assembly for two years. Then suddenly, with two weeks to go before the deadline it has been brought for the vote. APNU is suspicious about the rush.
The Alliance for Change is not even considering such things. It simply wants to see a Public Procurement Commission in place, a drastic change from an earlier position when it proposed that all Government Bills be voted against in retaliation for President Ramotar  withholding his assent to opposition Bills.
So where does this leave the people of Guyana? They could raise their voices for a greater transparency in the government; or they could rail against the opposition. For sure, no one wants to see Guyana become a pariah state although everyone knows that money laundering is rife and that the government is not too keen on prosecuting the so-called prominent people.
The nation must now hold its breath until tomorrow.

The Housing Ministry’s sign placed after the scheme was built on alleged cattle lands.

Minister Ali through the State’s newspaper said, “I never spoke to anyone. No one came to my office.” He said in the article that the allegations made against him by the head of the Tuschen West Cattle Farmers Association, Deonarine Cheddie, were false, since he never uprooted cattle farmers in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo.
The farmers, angry at the Minister’s response, said that they were concerned that they might soon be out of business since part of the grazing land was confiscated by the Housing Ministry and the other portion is currently under threat for more housing developments.
The farmers’ representative, The Tuschen West Cattle Farmer’s Association, said that grazing land was handed over by previous Agriculture Ministers, but the Ministry of Housing charged that the original agreement for the farmers to have the land was a mistake.
Association head, Deonarine Cheddie, said that on July 9, 2003, the Tuschen Cattle Farmers Association was registered with 16 members who owned some 250 cows. The farmers had been using the said land to rear their animals and it was late President Cheddi Jagan, who related to late Agriculture Minister Reepu Daman Persaud that he should work towards farmers attaining the land.
Cheddie said they however got no official documentation for the land but on July 11, 2005, the association wrote to former President Bharrat Jagdeo for the granting of the land and Minister Satyadeow Sawh subsequently wrote the association on July 22, 2005 to say, that a successful meeting was held with the farmers and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission would be visiting the area for an occupational survey. This was done on July 27, 2005 and paid for by the association—the cost was $48,500.
Despite showing the Housing Minister the documents from previous arrangements including the Lands and Surveys document, Cheddie said they were told that “Lands and Surveys made a mistake.’ Three days later the Ministry started bulldozing and scaring off the cows, some of which were never retrieved.
Cheddie said that the farmers were however assured that another plot of land would be made available for them at Zeelugt. To date that has not been fulfilled.
The farmers further charged that the remaining 89 acres of land is too small for the animals to graze and the cows end up on the road or in the Housing Scheme. Farmers then have to pay $8000 to retrieve one cow.

APNU takes it to the National Assembly
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has moved to the National Assembly to have the government live up to its agreement made with Region Ten last August. The Party’s contention is that the people of Linden have honoured their part of the agreement but the government is yet to do the same.

APNU MP Vanessa Kissoon

The motion, which stands in the name of Vanessa Kissoon, is titled “Honouring the 21st August, 2012 agreement between the government and the Region Ten Democratic Council. The same is slated to be moved at the next sitting of the National Assembly- this Thursday.
Linden went into a state of unrest last year after the government attempted to impose a hike in electricity tariffs.
Following over a month of protests which saw the shooting to death of three demonstrators, the burning of bridges and road blocks, Linden and the government entered into an agreement to end the unrest.
Since then, there have been several “issues”. The Linden administration is contending that the government is reluctant to honour its commitment in its entirety. The government, on the other hand, is saying that Linden is asking for things that didn’t form part of the agreement.
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, on behalf of the government and Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon, on behalf of the Regional Democratic Council signed the agreement.
Come Thursday, the National Assembly will vote on the Motion that seeks to have the government “adhere” to its commitments and obligations or be held responsible to what unfolds after.
One of the whereas clauses states that “the people of Linden were involved in peaceful protest and were subjected to the uncalled for use of excessive and lethal force by the Guyana Police Force resulting in the death of Mr. Allen Lewis, Mr. Ron Somerset, Mr. Shemroy Bouyea and the injuring of scores of unarmed protestors.”
The same clause further stated that “the use of lethal force rather than instilling fear that was intended, increased the resolve of the people and escalated the protest forcing the Government to respond to concerns of the people of Linden and enter into negotiations with the people of Region Ten, represented by their elected and legitimate representatives; CONCERNED that even while the negotiations were ongoing the Guyana Police and Guyana Defence Forces were used against the people of Linden.”
The motion reflected that, six months after the signing of the Agreement many aspects of the Agreement have not been implemented, “especially the commitment to return the dish and transmitter to the people of Linden, inter alia.”
Should the Motion be passed, the National Assembly will call on the Government of Guyana to “immediately adhere to its commitments and obligations under the written Agreement of 21st August, 2012 thereby ensuring that the benefits which were to accrue to the residents of Region10.”
The “be it further resolved” clause calls for the Government of Guyana to “be held solely accountable and responsible for all direct and indirect consequences flowing from its continued unwillingness to adhere to the letter and spirit of the written Agreement of 21st August, 2012.”

Teneshia Lewis, 19, recalls shouting for the driver of the car that she was in, to stop as the traffic light at the junction of Rupert Craig Highway and Conversation Tree on the East Coast of Demerara minutes before the two-vehicular smash up. The crash occurred around 22:30hrs last night.

The 22-year-old front seat passenger of the errant car, Junior Horton.

The young lady, who is the first of the six injured persons injured to be discharged from the Georgetown Pubic Hospital Corporation, told Kaieteur News that she and the three other occupants of the car, her friends, were on their way to the capital City when they met with the accident.
The 68 Bladen Hall, East Coast Demerara resident, said that she was in the backseat of the ‘white’ car (PJJ 2643) along with her friend Roshana Smith, 17, when the driver, instead of adhering to the red light, sped through the junction of the Rupert Craig Highway where the vehicle collided with another car which had the ‘green light’ to turn into Conversation Tree Road.
The driver of the errant vehicle was identified as Andrew Wickham, 22. The front seat passenger was Junior Horton also 22.
When this publication visited the hospital yesterday, Horton who remained a patient of the Male Surgical Ward could not remember what exactly happened. He sustained bruises to the face as well as a possible broken left leg.
When asked if the occupants of the errant vehicle had been drinking, Lewis said that while she can vouch for herself and her two close friends, she is not sure whether the driver had consumed alcohol before meeting up with them.
Meanwhile, the passengers of the other car, 27-year-old Rupendra Bhookmohan and his 20-year-old wife Bibi Fazeema Khan immediately became patients of the GPHC’s Intensive Care Unit. They are both critical.
According to relatives yesterday, the B3 Bel Air couple was returning home from the city in a “private car taxi” when the accident occurred. It left Bhookmohan pinned for almost an hour in the backseat of the car which was leaning dangerously into a canal that runs along the southern side of the Rupert Craig Highway. His hand was broken in several places.
Khan who hails from the Essequibo Coast was rescued by passersby. He has been unconscious ever since he was pulled from the wreck.
Teneshia Lewis’s recollection of the accident last night is consistent with that of an eyewitness.

Taxpayers outside of the GRA headquarters on Camp Street, yesterday.

“They want to put all the offices under one roof and they don’t expect a heavy build up of persons, and how to deal with it! The rain is falling and people are left outside at the mercy of GRA,” one frustrated man said while standing outside.
According to one businessman, he rushed to the GRA with over $2M to pay in duties after making a sale. However, after turning up at the agency, there was a crowd that was only growing. He said that based on previous experience of robberies of taxpayers in front of the site, much more consideration has to be taken with handling the public and placing proper systems to deal with taxpayers.
Another businessman noted that “some nefarious characters come inside and join the lines pretending to being doing business while taking note of persons with large bags who become frustrated and leave. They are the subsequently robbed at other locations…Priority needs to be given to people with large amounts of cash. A special cashier should be designated.”
Most persons at GRA yesterday noted that the agency should have realized that when the LRO is placed at the Camp Street headquarters there would be a huge build up of persons since the crowd is only transferred from Smyth Street and a more efficient service needs to be offered.
Many of them noted that the atmosphere was already congested and that this move has made the situation worse. It was further noted that the Licence and Revenue Office should have been left to operate at its previous location on Princes Street.
Some of the services that will now be offered at the GRA headquarters are: Processing of new private and hire drivers’ licences, Processing and renewal of private and hire drivers’ licences, Processing of duplicate private and hire drivers’ licences, Renewal of provisional drivers’ licences, Renewal of conductors’ licences, Processing of foreign drivers’ permits and the Processing of international driving permits.
The examination of motor vehicles will still be conducted at the Smyth Street location of GRA.

The Regent Street building eyed by GGMC.

In a press release yesterday, the agencies said that, “The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) wish to state categorically that the GGMC has not concluded any arrangements to rent any property on Regent Street or surrounding area.”
The release added, “The Commission is disappointed that a section of the media published such inaccuracies without first seeking clarification. The Commission would like to restate that the High Street Building is expected to meet the space requirement of the GGMC when completed. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment is reviewing the matter of accommodation given the expanding mandate of the GGMC.”
Kaieteur News was reliably informed over the weekend that the GGMC has secured a location at Light and Regent Streets and that it is scheduled to move in the new week. The entity identified was the former Co op Complex. Members of the mining agency were furious when they learnt that they would have to incur a $1M rental expense since the move to Regent Street is necessary to aid with space congestion.
The move, they asserted, is as a result of the Natural Resources Ministry confiscating and occupying the GGMC’s recently constructed building at the Brickdam location.  The additional structure, they said, would have immensely aided the overcrowding of the agency’s 300 plus staff. The Brickdam location, they further stated, is under greater strain now since additional field workers are being hired for increased service to interior locations.
GGMC staffers who made contact with Kaieteur News yesterday stated that contrary to the press release, the Commission allegedly played no part in the Natural Resources Ministry’s initiated statement.  According to low level staffers, senior officials refused to sign the press statement since they are indeed moving to Regent Street; this they said, is unless the Minister prevents it.
The staffers however reiterated that GGMC is an independent agency under the constitution, and is mandated to only follow the policies of the Ministry. The decision to move does not need the consent of the Ministry, they urged. They in fact assumed that the Natural Resources Ministry was unaware of the decision to move; only being cognizant of the matter after Monday’s publication.
The staffers are however hoping that the move would follow through

The recently constructed GGMC building that now houses the Natural Resources Ministry.

since congestion has been a long standing issue at the main office. Earlier reports said that the Commission was seeking to add to its 125 existing field workers. The workers were at the time relieved following the completion of the three story new building at the GGMC Brickdam compound.
The Natural Resources Ministry has however taken over the GGMC edifice with only 25 workers being housed there. “The place is practically empty,” a staffer had told Kaieteur News.
GGMC is however taking on a $600M tab to complete a recently bought building at High and Princes Street Georgetown. The agency said they were ordered to make the purchase and they might be moving to that location next year. Again this was a move made to ease space congestion.

Moves by the parliamentary opposition to not render its support to Government were yesterday condemned when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) held a press conference at its Headquarters, Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown.
Unsupportive tactics portrayed by the Opposition were described by Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, as “a psychological warfare” aimed at developing a sense of frustration and withdrawal syndrome among the populace thereby allowing the Opposition “to score cheap political points.”

Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali

Ali’s verbal ranting was forthcoming even as efforts were made to denounce moves by the Alliance for Change (AFC) to withhold its support for Government’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill.
And even as he slammed the declaration of AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, that Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, is a “hypocrite” for expressing anger and shock at the AFC’s decision, Ali warned that the onus is now on the entire Guyanese society to guard against political pettiness.
Although A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the other crucial faction of the Parliamentary Opposition, has not indicated plans to withhold its support of the Bill, it has questioned the Government’s rush to have it passed.
But according to Ali the approach being embraced by the Parliamentary Opposition is one that is akin to “political blockade that is being developed against this Government and against the infrastructure of this country.”
Ali contended that there is currently a “comprehensive understanding” among the members of the Opposition to block development, economic advancement and financial reforms all aimed at seeing the Government fail. “They want to see the Government fall, they want to make governance impossible and they want to see the economic gains stalemated.”
He noted that the society must not only guard against this but it must seek to recognise that moves are being made by the Opposition to generate enough energy around what he dubbed a “sinister plan” to destroy the country.
Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill, said that the National Assembly should have been more sensitive and responsive to Guyana’s interest as it relates to the legislation in question. He disclosed that when the piece of legislation was tabled all members were furnished with it two weeks before the next sitting to consider the proposed amendments to the Bill.
He noted, though, that even before it was tabled there was a history attached whereby the Act was established in 2009. However, a gap in the Act required that it be amended in order to not only synchronise a number of other pieces of legislation but also to ensure that “dirty money” does not go undetected.
Edghill said that Government was able to benefit from expert advice both from the Caribbean and International Financial Task Forces.  Additionally, he made mention of a special meeting which was attended and addressed by President Donald Ramotar. That meeting was supported by the Americans, the British, the Canadians and the European Union.

Minister within the Finance Ministry, Bishop Juan Edghill

“Members of the Opposition, even before its tabling, knew of the importance of this piece of legislation and they also knew that Guyana was coming up for review in May 27- 31 which is closely approaching,” Edghill noted.
In fact immense efforts were made by the Government representatives yesterday to emphasise that not only was the Bill supported by the private sector and the religious community but it was touted as a piece of legislation that “all members of Guyana should show a keen interest in.”
Edghill said that without the enactment of the amended legislation “banks will literally be refusing money coming to Guyana because there will not be sufficient policing to ensure that they are not tied into any untoward activity.”
Could you imagine Guyana being placed in a different category as a result of not having this legislation in place and the consequences that flow from such actions?…And here it is we have men and women in the National Assembly being fully aware of how their insensitivity, their unreasonableness, their irrational approach to national development can affect a wide cross-section of Guyanese and take a hard-line position that first of all says we are not supporting and another group saying what is the issue with the timeline…”
Government has been desperately advocating for the passage of the Amendment Bill as failure to do so could see Guyana being blacklisted by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force for not doing enough to combat money laundering and to stop the financing of terrorism.
The Task Force, made up of 29 states of the Caribbean Basin, was created in 1990 following meetings in Aruba and is mandated to implement measures to address the problem of money laundering.
And even as the Government’s side insisted that it had not procrastinated in addressing the needful amendments to the Money Laundering Act, APNU at its most recent press briefing stressed that it would not shirk its responsibility for careful scrutiny of the amendments to the legislation on the altar of expediency.
The Amendment Bill is currently before a Special Select Committee.

Romain Cleto

The Force has also strongly denied that its ranks tortured Chase into admitting that he had committed the crime as is being alleged by relatives.
Corporal Romain Cleto was shot dead about 18:45 hours on April 27 last, in the vicinity of Regent Street and Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown.
Recounting the sequence of events that led to the charge against Chase, the Force said that 25 minutes after the killing, Chaka Chase went to the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost and told the police that he had received information that the police wanted him for the murder of the policeman.
This move by Chase was deemed strange since at that time, police investigators were still processing the scene and interviewing persons and they had no information as to any suspect.
Nevertheless, they interviewed Chase and swabbed his hands before releasing him on bail.
Several persons are alleging that at the time of the shooting, Chase was at another location and they have volunteered to give statements to that effect.
But according to reports, investigators had refused to entertain these statements.
The police said that at 17:30 hours on Sunday, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes went to the CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, in connection with the matter and was told to return yesterday, since there was no CID Investigator at the CID Headquarters at the time.
The police stated that on May 15, they obtained a statement from an eyewitness who identified Chaka Chase as one of the persons in the motor car that Cleto’s killers had used.
But there are reports that the eyewitness’ statement was also not freely obtained by the police. Several sections of the media had reported that a Rosemary Lane (Tiger Bay) woman had reported that she too was tortured into implicating Chase.
Police said that in the meanwhile, the laboratory report which was subsequently received also indicated that the swab from Chaka Chase’s hands was positive for gunpowder residue.
“As a result the suspect was rearrested at 18:27 hours on May 16. He was interviewed by police investigators who asked him to explain the gunpowder residue on his hands.”
The investigators, according to reports, also told Chase that an eyewitness had given a statement that he was in the vehicle from which shots were fired that killed Corporal Cleto.
According to the police, at 19:25 hours on May 16, less than one hour after he was rearrested, Chaka Chase gave a confession statement in which he named three associates, one of whom had been arrested previously.
That other suspect who was in police custody also had gunpowder residue on his hands.  The police said that information provided in Chase’s confession statement led to the seizure by the police of the motor vehicle that was used by the suspects.
A statement was taken from the owner of the vehicle, who told the police that she gave Chaka Chase the vehicle for similar reasons as that provided in his confession statement.
The police did not disclose the stated reason for which the vehicle was used.
Based on this revelation, there is the suggestion that two persons in the car opened fire on Cleto and his colleagues, despite eyewitnesses’ accounts that the driver of the car had shot at the police ranks.
The police have not yet apprehended that person.
Investigators had recovered two sets of spent shells, some from an AK-47 and some of 9mm caliber.
Initial reports had stated that one of the police ranks had returned fire and he believed that he had wounded the shooter.
Police in their press release yesterday stated that on Saturday last, May 18, Attorney-at-Law Gordon Gilhuys indicated to a police officer that Chaka Chase had been assaulted by the police.
The officer immediately had Chase taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was seen and examined by a Medical Doctor who issued a medical certificate that there was no sign of injuries.