…Liquidating the Holding Company not off the table – Greenidge

By Gary Eleazar

There is enough for a case to be made against Winston Brassington, the Executive Director of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) as well as subject Minister Dr Ashni Singh, says Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

Executive Director of NICIL Winston Brassington

Carl Greenidge, also challenges interpretations by Brassington of NICIL’s actions and mandate. He says that there is always the option to completely liquidate the holding company, failing alternatives available to remedy the situation.
Greenidge insists that for NICIL and Brassington to claim that it is a private company and as such cannot receive directives from the Government “is rubbish, completely inaccurate.”
In conceding that there is clearly something amiss, Greenidge says that the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) provides remedies.
He added that one option in light of the significant backlog of audited reports is to have all of the monies in the various entities such as NICIL immediately turned over to the Consolidated Fund
He reminds that the FMAA “actually has penalties…The penalties however will have to be subject to the intervention of the lawyers before they can be applied to the Minister.”
Greenidge says however that in the interim the FMAA has a penalty dealing with loss or misuse of state resources.
Under section 85 of the FMAA it states: An official who – (a) falsifies any account, statement, receipt or other record issued or kept for the purposes of this Act, the Regulations, the Finance  Circulars or any other instrument made under this Act; (b) conspires or colludes with any other person to defraud the State or make opportunity for any person to  defraud the State; or
(c) knowingly permits any other  person to contravene any  provision of this Act, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable on conviction to a fine of two million dollars and to imprisonment for three years.
According to Greenidge, Brassington is a public official, and as such falls under the purview of the FMAA and should malfeasance be established, then he can be prosecuted.

APNU MP Carl Greenidge

Greenidge, while conceding that he is no lawyer says that the law is clear, in that Brassington can be prosecuted as long as malfeasance can be established. “That’s what it clearly says in the Act.”
The Former Finance Minister told this publication that as it relates “Ministers and Politicians who are not officials, we will set about changing the legislation.” He summed up that in the interim, the Constitution coupled with the FMAA provides for a case to be taken to court.
This, Greenidge says, is his understanding from his lawyers, and this is what they will be asked to work on.
Greenidge also told this publication that in the current circumstances the independent auditors, which in this case would be the Audit Office of Guyana, will be expected to make recommendations, after which the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is mandated to act.
“To say that it’s a private company and the government can’t do anything about it is nonsense,” Greenidge stressed. He explained that the government is the sole shareholder of NICIL and as such can instruct the directors to turn the monies over to the Consolidated Fund.
“It is in its power, naturally, as the sole owner, to tell them to dispose of, or liquidate the company.”
He was adamant that this role is not up to the directors of the company as has been intimated by Brassington.
NICIL’s Directors include Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon and Company Secretary Marcia Nadir-Sharma.
“They have to take instructions from the representatives of government,” Greenidge said, even as he lamented the political makeup of the board in its current form, “you end up with people that are politicians essentially.”
Greenidge was adamant that it is the Government that has to instruct the transfer of NICIL dividends to the Consolidated Fund, and this cannot be done at the whims and fancies of the directors of NICIL as claimed by Brassington.
GOVT. TRANSFER OF LAND TO NICIL
Greenidge says that the argument now “is whether they have been using the shield of NICIL to dispose of funds in a non-transparent manner and in ways that are unjustifiable.”
In putting the administration to task over NICIL he asked, “If NICIL is a private company over which the government has no control, and only the shareholders, then what is it doing receiving free land from the Government?”
Greenidge suggests that if NICIL is a private company over which the government does not have control then it is illegal to be transferring lands to NICIL “free of cost.”
He said that State land is transferred to NICIL which in turn disposes of it in some cases, to Ministers, “which as far as I am concerned is illegal, especially to (Bharrat) Jagdeo.”
He argues that the Former President should not be entitled to State lands, saying that as President he was the guardian of State Lands.
Speaking to what NICIL is supposed to be doing with its money, the former Finance Minister says that the Constitution of Guyana supersedes any law and the Constitution demands that the monies be turned over to the Consolidated Fund.
Greenidge concedes that it is ultimately for the Government to decide where the money is invested, but argues that it is also for “the Legislature to know and to give its view on the matter.”
“It is for the government to decide on how state assets are used but it does not exercise that power in a vacuum.”
Greenidge reminded that the money in question are very substantial amounts and “whilst the government is taxing people and telling them that they cannot reduce taxes, the government has taken revenues from the sale of land and property, has it essentially in a slush fund, and they just facilitate friends, cronies and businesses associated with government and other things.”
“What Government must now do is establish that the monies are being disposed of in a way that is defensible. The idea of putting it in the Consolidated Fund is in the Constitution. The default position as it relates to government monies is to put it into the Consolidated Fund.”
He said that if for any operational reason it would be more prudent to have the monies managed outside of the Consolidated Fund then “if operational costs warrant it, then you can make such an arrangement.”
Greenidge was adamant that it is not a default position that large sums of government money automatically finds its way into NCICL accounts, “and you decide what you want to do with it afterwards.”
The APNU parliamentarian says that as it relates to his party, “all options are open. The situation will be rectified if necessary by amending the relevant legislation…The parliament has the competence to amend the legislation under which NICIL falls.”
He said that NICIL was not created by the Constitution and as such amending the legislation will not require a 2/3 majority vote, a simple majority will suffice.
“If necessary it can even be liquidated…all options are on the table, let us see how the government behaves, the initial reaction I must say is completely unacceptable”

Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday

after a second trial into charges of failing to declare a London bank account. Magistrate Marcia Murray is expected to deliver her decision when the matter resumes at 10 am in the Port-of-Spain First Magistrate’s Court.
At yesterday’s hearing, Panday’s lawyer, David Aaronberg, QC, continued legal arguments that the lead investigator had failed to interview people pertinent to the matter and therefore the case was incomplete. Aaronberg argued the prosecution failed to prove Panday had benefited and at the time of signing the statutory declaration, he had not been “deliberately evasive or untruthful about the accounts.”
Aaronberg said Panday’s wife, Oma, was the “true beneficial owner of the account.” On Monday, Aaronberg made an application to have the matter dismissed on the basis the prosecution had failed to prove its case. Panday is on trial for allegedly failing to declare a London bank account, contrary to the Integrity in Public Life Act, and is accused of failing to disclose the account at National Westminster Bank plc, Wimbledon, London, to the Integrity Commission for the years 1997 to 1999.
In March 2006, Panday was found guilty and sentenced by then Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nichols to serve two years in prison, the maximum penalty under the law. He appealed the decision and the conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal and a retrial ordered, which was upheld on appeal to the Privy Council.
On Monday, Aaronberg hinted the investigation against Panday was politically motivated and said the former prime minister had not committed any wrong by failing to declare the accounts. Aaronberg said Panday was being prosecuted under the Integrity in Public Life Act 1987 but that prior to the Integrity in Public Life Act 2000 public figures were not required to declare assets belonging to their spouses.
Responding to Aaronberg’s closing arguments, prosecutor Timothy Cassel, QC, said monies being deposited and withdrawn from the account during the years 1997 to 1999 were “wholly disproportionate” to Panday’s yearly earnings as the prime minister.

-    2012 records lowest first crop figure for over 20 years

Almost halfway through the year, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is already counting its losses as its sugar estates are presently suffering from low yields and minimal sugar production across the country.
While GuySuCo and the Ministry of Agriculture were both optimistic at the start of 2012 that the industry would be able to meet this year’s production target of between 250,000 and 265,000 tonnes, the heavy rainfall has badly affected the first crop.
The inclement weather pattern, coupled with the strike action experienced during the first half of 2012, resulted in a major impact on the estates’ performances.

The sugar industry recorded a production of 67,299 tonnes, which is evidently the lowest figure in first crop production for over 20 years.

Kaieteur News understands that as at the week ending May 6, 2012, the sugar industry recorded a production of 67,299 tonnes, which is evidently the lowest figure in first crop production for over 20 years.
Last year, the country saw production of 106,627 tonnes at the end of that first crop and this year the industry barely managed to scrape 63 per cent of that total.
Some have deemed it “unwise” to reap cane in the wet since after this is done the fields are exposed to rainfall on the bare land which encourages soil compaction and poor regrowth.
It also washes away fertilizers and promotes weed growth etc.
In addition because of the intermittent grinding due to the low rate of harvesting in the rain, the factories become uneconomical to operate.
This newspaper was told that the Rose Hall factory in Berbice produced 79 tonnes of sugar as at the week ending May 6, 2012, and the Blairmont factory, also in the Ancient County, recorded a production of 139 tonnes.
Meanwhile the Enmore sugar factory located on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) saw a poor yield of 156 tonnes for that period.
For the Skeldon Sugar Estate, Corentyne, Berbice, which had a history of being the best yielding estate of cane and sugar per acre in previous years, the workers only managed to produce 6,596 tonnes at the week ending May 6, 2012, in comparison with the 6,944 tonnes produced at the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
The factory at Skeldon has produced the lowest amount of sugar in the 2012 first crop than any other factory in the entire industry.
In 2011, the first crop at Albion, Berbice, produced 28,504 tonnes of sugar; in 2012 it only produced 16,135 tonnes up to the week ending May 6.
Rose Hall, which had produced 15,430 tonnes last year, could only produce 10,640 tonnes for their first crop for this year while Blairmont produced 10,122 tonnes as at May 6, 2012 which was a much lower figure than 2011’s achievement of 17,611 tonnes for the same period.
It was noted that at the end of the first crop in 2011, the factory at La Bonne Intention (LBI), ECD, was closed off and all of the cane from there is presently being grinded at the Enmore factory.
However, in 2011 the Enmore/LBI combination produced 13,452 tonnes of sugar, but this year they only achieved 8,246 tonnes.
For Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD), for the first crop in 2011 the factory produced 10,752 tonnes but this year it only produced 8,615 tonnes of sugar, while the Uitvlugt factory generated 6,999 tonnes in comparison with last year’s 10,442 tonnes.

Efforts to contact Paul Bhim, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo yesterday proved futile. His secretary noted that the CEO was out of town.
In an interview with state media earlier this month, Bhim admitted that GuySuCo had fallen short of its 101,000 tonne production target for the first crop in 2012, due to a number of factors.
He stated that the weather, a combination of several factors, including management issues and poor turnout by harvesters, had led the sugar corporation to this outcome.
Kaieteur News also understands that most of the machines used at the Sugar Estates/ Factories are not effective during the rainy season and as a result, works on the estates and factories have come to a halt.
While these tasks can be completed manually, Bhim had explained that the workers have become reliant on the machinery and in most cases, refuse to undertake the job without assistance of bell loaders.
“We have not been able to use the machinery to load cane, and also the mechanized harvesting has been tremendously affected by the weather… We rely on workers to actually come in and load cane, and I am afraid that the workers are reluctant to do that,” GuySuCo’s CEO had stated.
At that time, he had stressed that the Skeldon sugar factory had become a major “worry”, since the rains impacted that area more than the other sites, and caused work to cease completely.
“We are quite reliant on mechanized harvesting at Skeldon, but the weather conditions also stopped us, and Skeldon has had more rain than any other part of the industry. And in fact, (since) mechanized harvesting wasn’t done, we are really struggling to take the cane out.”
He clarified that the management issues he had spoken of were not the reason for the strikes that occurred. However, strikes were related to the harvesting operations at some of the estates.
“We have had a few issues, particularly at a couple of locations, in terms of management of the harvesting operations; and that is what I mean by ‘management issues’. Most of all, we have been affected by the in-and-out rainfall. Normally, we would expect March to be a very dry month; normally, it is the driest month, but we had quite a large amount of rain.”
Additionally, he said, March rains created a major setback for the industry, since those rains were unexpected. According to him, March is known to be one of the driest months during production.
Turning his attention to the 2012 target, he noted that he was in no position to speak about that; but the industry remained quite optimistic with regard to achieving its overall target.
“I cannot say whether the company is optimistic about reaching its target, until the month of June. Target for the first crop is 101,000 tonnes of sugar, and we are looking to continue harvesting till the end of May or as far as the weather would allow.”

Justice Winston Patterson yesterday sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for the beastly murder of a 78-year-old pensioner. The accused, 21-year-old Latchman Persaud, had earlier pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. The court’s deposition stated that on May 26, 2008, he murdered Danwattie, a pensioner.
The state was represented by Prosecutor Teshanna James-Lake. It was stated that Persaud had given a caution statement which was used in the court. In that statement, Persaud said that he had just returned home from a party about 21:00hrs and felt he “wanted to have sex”. It was stated that Persaud walked across to the elderly woman’s home. The court was told that the woman lived alone and her house could not be locked with a key.
Persaud went into the house and had forceful sex with the elderly woman, who was wearing diapers. A post mortem report done by a government pathologist revealed that the woman died due to asphyxiation compounded by blunt force trauma. At the time of the incident, Persaud was 17 years old.

Having negotiated to lease the Sanata Complex at Industrial Site in Ruimveldt, Queens Atlantic

Executive Chairman of QAII, Dr Ranjisingh ‘Bobby’ Ramroop

Investment Incorporated (QAII) also negotiated the purchase of the land and property two years later for a still undisclosed sum from the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
Following the acquisition of this property, QAII reported that its assets more than doubled.
The company’s 2010 Financial Statements, which were inked by the Group’s head and best friend of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, verified that the group’s total assets for 2009 were $3.6B. It skyrocketed to $7.9B in 2010.
In that 2010 Financial Statement it is illustrated that appreciation of assets came from the realization of ‘tangible fixed assets.”
According to the report, QAII’s ‘tangible fixed assets’ for 2009 was worth some $1.2B and by the subsequent year that figure appreciated to $5.2B.
The company’s 2010 report on its financial expenditure also shows an increase for Director Fees and Allowances. While net expenditure for the year increased for the company over the previous year, its rates and taxes paid remained stagnant at $6M.
QAII is said to be an investment company consisting of five subsidiary companies, namely: Global Printing and Graphics Inc.; Global Hardware Inc.; Global Textile (Guyana) Inc.; Health International Inc.; Healthcare Life Sciences Inc.
Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. was incorporated in Guyana in 1999 and is run by a board of directors.
Following invitations to lease the Complex along with some components of the dye factory it housed, the Government of Guyana in 2008 approved the privatization of the Sanata Textiles Complex (Sanata), Industrial Site, Georgetown to QAII for the purpose of establishing a multi-purpose investment complex.
NICIL’s Executive Director Winston Brassington and the Executive Chairman of QAII, Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, in a joint missive, had stated that the privatization of Sanata had taken the form of the issuance of a 99-year lease at a substantive rental of approximately $50M per year.
Dr Ramroop at the time had intimated that he envisaged an overall investment of US$30M and the creation of 1200 jobs of which 600 new, permanent jobs would become a reality by the end of 2008.
Rehabilitation and construction of the facilities which commenced in June 2007 were said to be phased over a three-year period.
Prior to this, $400M was spent on the removal of asbestos from the buildings by the Government before it was leased and subsequently sold to Dr Ramroop.
Until it was sold, Sanata was leased to and managed by the China Textiles Industrial Corporation for Foreign Economic and Technical Cooperation of China.
In 2000, the assets of the company were brought under the control of NICIL and subsequently a new company, G&C Sanata, was established.
Following this, the Government advertised for investors to lease the property and when no takers approached, NICIL approached Dr Ramroop to lease the property.

There is a young saying, not a saying by Brian Yong, that it is better to keep yuh mouth shut and mek people wonder how stupid you are than fuh open yuh mouth and remove all doubt. That is Brazzy.
He nah only open he mouth he open he hand, he foot, in fact everything when he jumping from here to there and everywhere.
He use to walk in de Park a lot. He stop since de Rat gone. Now dem boys notice that he running. He running to all dem media house. He running to Channel 28 wha de Rat own, Channel 65, Hen See Hen and 69. He also running to dem newspaper—de Chronicle wha seh it got to reduce production and to de Hard Times paper that nobody does read.
He trying fuh wine heself out of a situation but that size wha he got somebody got to wine fuh he. He trying fuh paint a picture but is a picture wha nobody can’t see. Is a picture that ain’t got no colour.
Dem boys seh that if he want to paint a picture that he clean and that he and de Rat didn’t squander de billions he got to come and stand up at de Waterfalls paper and tell dem boys de truth. And not wha he think is de truth. Truth only got one side.
Dem boys gun give he de option. He can come fuss and try fuh protect ee Hin Tegrity. Dem boys know he can’t mek it alone suh he must bring de Rat who nevah had any Hin Tegrity whatsoever– and Shaatie.
Is de same Hin Tegrity wha Panday nah got and he facing jail. All because he nah declare de hidden funds wha he and he wife thief, according to de Trinidad police.
Dem boys hoping and praying that wha happen to Panday, happen to Shaatie and Brazzy. In de case of Panday, people coulda find he funds because he hide de money in wardrobe in a basement in London.
In de case of Shaatie and Brazzy de police got to hire one of dem partners in crime excavator fuh dig up dem backyard fuh find wha dem thief.
As fuh Jagdeo dem boys don’t want jail fuh he. He thief so much that excavator can’t wuk. Dem boys got to find dynamite fuh bring it up from under de Santa complex. And dem gun rejoice when dem hear he commit suicide.
Talk half and wait fuh de slow death

This column was typed on Tuesday, May 15, 2012. On that date in the edition of the Stabroek News, there was this letter; “The PPP/C has failed to ethnically balance Guyana’s armed forces,” written by an Indian man who supports PPP domination in Guyana by the name of Sultan Mohamed.
I don’t agree with any of the paragraphs of Sultan’s rage. But why should one deny Mohamed his right to express his opinion that there is a predominance of African Guyanese in the State’s security forces?
It is for African Guyanese to write, and write incessantly, that there should be ethnic balance in the ownership of Guyana’s resources; ethnic balance in the ownership of lands; ethnic balance in the ownership of properties; ethnic balance in the award of tenders; ethnic balance in state scholarships; ethnic balance in the business community that imports goods; ethnic balance in the sharing of executive political power.
The armed forces sector is the preoccupation of Mohamed and he writes on how he feels. There are thousands who say that African Guyanese are marginalized, but no African versions of Sultan Mohamed flood the newspaper. It is interesting that Sultan Mohamed’s letter and Philip Moore’s passing came up at the same time.
I was traveling to Berbice on Saturday afternoon, and in the car were Christopher Ram, Gerhard Ramsaroop and Michael Carrington. As we looked at the frenetic pace of constructions going up, I alluded to the fact that these are all owned by one set of investors. I was promptly told that ninety-five percent of Guyana’s private resources are owned by that particular set of the Guyanese nation. But we are yet to see frequent letters in the media about the need for ethnic balancing in this context.
If the Harvard, Oxford and Sorbonne political theorists come to Guyana, they would be confused on what to write when they come into contact with the great ethnic divide here. All over the world, including the US and Europe, when an ethnic community feels and experiences State discrimination, you can expect that the source of agitation comes from the victimized community, be it Corsica in France, Afro-Americans in the US, Blacks in Britain, Tamils in Sri Lanka, Basques in Spain, Germans in Poland, Russians in Georgia; not to mention the usual ethnic groups in the African continent.
Here in Guyana, the present picture contrasts sharply with the epoch of PNC power. Back then, East Indians were an angry, energetic, emotionally charged race group. They cried discrimination by an African-dominated Government. They were unstoppable in the confrontations and demands. Their leaders were unstoppable in their confrontations and demands. Finally, the indomitable spirit of the Guyanese East Indians prevailed. After 1992, East Indians in this land wedded business power with State power.
The consequences have not led to the development of a modern, free land and this writer is one East Indian that does not like the wedding, is unhappy with the shape the wedding turned out to have and will let his voice and pen be heard that this country must have ethnic balancing in all spheres.
If Sultan Mohamed chooses to focus on the armed forces then let him have his say. Where are the African Guyanese that want to have their say? African Guyanese should be thankful to President Ramotar for making Juan Edghill (it is my right to believe that he is not an ordained bishop of the Christian Church) a Cabinet Minister. If he was still in charge of the ERC then I would have been hauled before his (yes “his”) inquisition for writing this article which is purely and essentially a piece of academic commentary.
By now you must be wondering what this article here has to do with the great, heroic Philip Moore. Well it is not about him but about the state of African Guyanese politics. But Moore’s death was the symbol from which to call upon African Guyanese to reflect on where they are going. On Philip Moore himself, the State bears a horrible responsibility for his neglect.
How could the Government have treated this Caribbean icon like this? He was never given the recognition that was due to him.
I hardly knew Moore, but the little I knew told me he was a fantastically modest human being. Once during the crime spree in Buxton, he advised me not to worry about the criticism I was receiving because of my denunciation of the mis-directed violence. I liked him instantly the first time I met him.
He must be honoured in a substantial way by this nation.

The PPP has a serious decision to make. This decision will however have to be made at the level of Congress.
While there have been a few changes taking place, albeit slowly but surely, while some differences are notable between the present administration and the Jagdeo administration, if the PPP is to regain the confidence of the four or five per cent it needs to secure a comfortable majority in the next parliament, it will have to further distance itself from the Jagdeo presidency.
Unfortunately, this may mean having to sever all ties from the leadership of the old president because right now there are still elements of the former regime that are still in power and who seem incapable or unwilling to move away from the policies of the Jagdeo era.
This is the major dilemma that faces the Ramotar administration. The president is surrounded on all sides by elements who are extremely loyal to the former president’s policies and who seem very comfortable continuing those policies.
The president has clearly adopted a new approach to governance. He is not into micromanagement. He is not meeting foreign delegations alone. He is meeting them with his team. Thus, he is able to benefit from the advice of those around him.
He is also trying to restore a position of influence to the party, but he has to be careful that in so doing he does not appoint persons who cannot function effectively.
If you examine the situation closely, it will be observed that the president is surrounded by persons who played a prominent role under the Jagdeo presidency, where working with the opposition was virtually non-existent.
So how can, for example, the tripartite talks work when the very persons who were part of the failed dialogue process with Desmond Hoyte and the constructive dialogue process with Robert Corbin, are once again part of the makeup of the new talks?
It does not lend to public confidence to have these persons around.  This is not a criticism of their abilities or even an admission that progress cannot be had with them. Rather it is an assertion that if the tripartite process was ever to enjoy public confidence, the public needed to see new players within the government leading that process.
In the context of government/opposition dialogue this may now be a mute point, because the opposition has clearly acted in bad faith, and it is now almost impossible for the tripartite process to be resumed. For all intents and purposes, that process is dead.
A new process has to emerge. But why should the old players in the government be willing to commit to further engagement with the combined opposition? “Once bitten, twice shy!” The government has been bitten more than once and they will be stupid to go back and be bitten again.
But even if the tripartite process is dead, there is still a need to break the political deadlock that will result. And the holding of snap elections is one way to do so.
The PPP may feel that it can easily go back to the polls and secure a majority. However, any majority that it will secure will always be tenuous, because the rules were changed in the last constitutional reform process, and under the new rules, the present situation of a minority government was always going to be on the cards.
The PPP won by a landslide in 2006, but the fact is that overall it held a slender majority in the House. With the new rules, this situation will continue to prevail.  It is not likely ever again that any majority party will hold more than a three-seat majority in the parliament. This means that we may have permanently legislated minority governments for the future.
The PPP is not also going to have it easy holding on to a majority in the future. That is unless it changes course and changes course radically. The economic model that was pursued by the Jagdeo administration brought forth unprecedented levels of economic growth but this growth and its distribution was skewed in favour of the propertied class.
More importantly, it neglected the rural areas, and this is why Berbice voted so strongly against the PPP. Berbice was like a forgotten zone. The only developments of significance were the Berbice River Bridge and the Skeldon Factory, and everyone knows that the benefits of these projects have not reached the ordinary Berbician.
The PPP has to understand that the present approach to the Budget and to economic development is not benefitting the poor. It therefore has to steer another course, but this will mean bringing in persons who can think outside the box, and who are prepared to kick rear ends to ensure that progress is made.
The leadership of the PPP is not likely, however, to change itself. And as such, it will be for the next Congress to signal a definitive break with the old policies by removing the old Jagdeo guard.

Dear Editor,
Now that the PPPC Government has been taken to task by the GHRA for being in denial, would  this   indeed wake them up to Guyana’s urgent  realities? Doubts reign supreme. How more poignant  can   the GHRA become?   More evidence of the PPPC denial?  The PPPC has failed to balance Guyana’s armed forces despite being in power for 20 years with the 1980 Constitution which gave them no grounds for excuses.  More evidence of the PPPC in denial?
Its socialist class struggles and history were not found  incompatible with its  rapid adequate  correction of  black racial deficiency in diplomatic service appointments – in less than three months!  Bravo!  But …but…. But why does  the PPPC  only make me see red?
Considering Mr. Mike McCormack’s criticisms in SN of 5-11-12 titled “ruling party appears   in denial over election results-GHRA” can anyone seriously believe that the PPPC can continue in power forever?  Just before he was assassinated, (Shakespeare’s) Julius Caesar, with all the conspirators surrounding him refused a petitioner’s plea which affected him personally: “What touches us ourself shall be last served”.  All the conspirators then plunged their daggers in him to his death. Must  PPPC refusal to   learn from history find  them continuously repeating the same mistakes?  Why is this issue not on their urgent  national agenda?
Just watch the charade when they inevitably become the opposition party. “Oh we made some mistakes” would be the concession; the ritual to excite their supporters in a whine up tassa dance to demand balancing the armed forces  will  start all over again.  How better that wine gets the more it ages.
There can only be applause for that cunning  GHRA wolf masquerading in sheep’s’ clothing now that it has again sunk its fangs in the ruling  party’s sagging  posterior. It should wake them up from their smug slumber.
A wolf craftily camouflaged in bed has every (GHRA?) rights to drool in crooning anticipation just before it devours a naive  hippity skippity  “little Red Riding (dare I say it…please hold me back)  Good”; for them!  Who can have any beef with a cunning wolf which can recalibrate  from sheep to grandma  to get some.
Ever since Mr. Mike McCormack’s one man secretive organization erroneously claimed that Guyana was carved out of the Atlantic Ocean by slaves it has sought to whitewash the ridicule which it evoked. Where did Guyana’s native population live before this bizarre claim that the GHRA is yet to explain? Obfuscating the ageless existence of our native Amerindians before anyone came to Guyana is just so much executive lunacy and GHRA hogwash.
Does the GHRA really expect any other minority Caribbean culture to willingly acquiesce in their annihilation and demise? If our original native Amerindians existence can be wiped out  just by a  GHRA press release by supposedly “human rights  champions”   how much more violence, trauma and danger  must anyone or group  especially  besieged  PPP/C supporters be subjected to, or  endure   for survival  in a growing hostile environment  which views them as a racial “numerical anomaly”, as ACDA’s  Mr. Barrington Braithwaite so pointedly  reminded  in a letter to Stabroek News (SN) on 11-27-11 titled, “Only APNU has the expertise to rescue this nation”.
If the PPP/C needs any further kicks that it must get over its current denial it must reconcile all its laudable economic achievements with GHRA’s assertation that “moreover, since the ruling party has to date offered little to either its own supporters or to other citizens (see what I mean?), particularly the young, with respect to jobs, education or a more attractive future, any snap election could only be won by appealing to (Indian) ethnic loyalties”. Whoa!
The GHRA has already placed blame in advance to those with any perceived “ethnic loyalties” to the PPP/C in case of snap elections. The GHRA  even murders the AFC with its pen realizing mostly Indian votes currently sustains it. Surprised?  Why does the same GHRA (or few others)  find no  fault whatsoever with  any  black ethnic loyalties (bucking the misery which they did, or did not suffer?)  but who yet massively voted   for the same PNC which dehumanized them for  28 years?
So far all GHRA’s history belie all the evidence that all Guyanese are entitled to their God given rights as human beings. Never must any Guyanese human existence be diminished or denied just because theirs is not Mr. Mike McCormack’s  GHRA preferred  favourites. When the GHRA emerges to champion the racial balancing of Guyana’s armed forces only then would it gain true respect and credibility  with which it adorns itself.
Why it has never done so in all its history is still a mystery. But just in case there is any ambiguity about the prejudices of Mr. McCormack’s GHRA, note his emboldened temerity in the same SN article of 5-4-12. In fact, he boldly asserts that “…a snap election would reflect a (PPP/C) desire to return to the ethnic dictatorships which characterized Guyanese politics since the 1960s”.
By harking back to the 1960s when the PPP was in office Mr. McCormack seeks to seemingly bridge  the gap to nowadays   PPP/C (sneakily attempting to dismiss  the PNC dictatorship of 28 years) to ostensibly infer a seamless , continuous “ethnic dictatorship” of the PPP. His obvious blatant thrust is to create menacing imagery of Indian domination and dictatorship for five unbroken decades!  Unbelievable as it is amazing that a human rights organization can epitomize such evil despicable mischievousness.
Where is the GHRA credibility … as a friend…in championing human rights for all?  With such a friend one certainly cannot want more enemies.
Sultan Mohamed

Dear Mr. Editor
It is with much disappointment that I share this harrowing experience. I visited Republic Bank, Camp Street, recently just before midday and was horrified at the huge crowd that was there awaiting service. I soon learnt that although there were fifteen wickets only nine were manned at the time.
Whilst waiting, I did a survey and observed that there were forty-two cameras hanging over the tellers’ serving members of the public.
One section which had fifteen wickets, there were twenty two cameras, the other had ten cameras covering seven wickets, and yet again the other had ten over seven wickets.
A few years ago six staff members were dismissed after $8,000,000 disappeared from RBL- Guyoil ATM in Kitty. I immediately wondered if it was by this or similar means that the culprit/s accessed the password/s to infiltrate the security system at that ATM. Of course, no one has ever been held responsible for that crime.
I also wondered if the young people at their wickets were conscious of the fact that persons can pick up the passwords to their systems via these cameras. Upon enquiring from the staff that attended to me, she said that it never crossed her mind.
The following day at the same hour, I visited NBS and they had eleven wickets of which nine were manned. Within twenty-five minutes I was able to transact my business and leave.
I also noted one solitary camera over all eleven wickets which translate into managements trust in their employees’ integrity.
It will be good if RBL can stop focusing on the billion-plus profits they declare, and invest in their external and internal customer needs.
An RBL Customer

The Editor,
This latest answer from Mr. Winston Brassington in relation to the details about the money accumulated by NICIL is a show of disdain and disregard for the citizens of Guyana.
From our standpoint at City Hall, we had a taste of the Brassington/NICIL greed and injustice.
NICIL by its unique process disposed of GNIC and ignored the requirement to pay taxes of $70 Million due to the Mayor and City Council. We sought recourse of the Courts but are yet to receive one penny.
What we need from Mr. Winston Brassington (we heard he had retired) are the sums paid to NICIL since its establishment with dates of each and every transaction; Was the agreed sum paid in full, if not who still owes and how much; are they paying any interest on the balance; what means were employed by NICIL to decide on the several buyers; how was the purchase / selling price arrived at; was there an official valuation, if so, by whom, or was the Government Valuation Division involved; if there was a valuation the people need to put it alongside the actual price paid / received; was the money paid in Guyana dollars; which bank or banks does NICIL use to hold its obviously vast sums; who are the signatories to this bank account; what does NICIL do with its money; why has NICIL failed to satisfy all of its financial obligation to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council in relation to moe than 12 properties located in the City for taxes are overdue.
The Chronicle, Channel 11 or radio will not publish this letter, but if the people whose property NICIL disposed of fail to obtain satisfactory answers, I will propose a signature campaign, confident that many PPP supporters, fed up with this apparent rape will come forward and sign..
Further, if more information comes out, the police must be told to act.The law required all property owners to pay all taxes due before selling. The Government for reasons best known, exempted NICIL from this obligation, but this did not remove the legal requirement to pay their due taxes.
All of the Holy Books support the injustice, ‘thou shall not steal! The God of the Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Bahal, Buddist or Rasta grants no exception.
Hamilton Green, J.P.

LONDON (Reuters) – Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s limpet-like batting and the express pace of Kemar Roach and Fidel Edwards will make West Indies dangerous opponents for strong favourites England in the three-test series starting tomorrow.
England top the world rankings, six places above their opponents, and have not lost a home test series since 2008, while West Indies have won only one of their last 18 tests on English soil and just one of their last 10 series.
With conditions also likely to favour England’s potent bowling attack, Darren Sammy’s touring side face a daunting task going into the first test at Lord’s.
“They’ve got Ottis Gibson as a coach who worked within the England set-up for three years, they’ve got two bowlers who can bowl very quick, they’ve got Chanderpaul who’s a world-class batsman who’s toured England on numerous occasions, so they’re certainly a team we have to be very careful of,” England fast bowler Stuart Broad told Sky Sports.
“We have to perform the way we can perform and should perform,” he added.
“We won’t look too far ahead in the series. We’ll look to that first hour in the first test match like we always do, try and set the tone and try and hit them hard.”
England lost 3-0 to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates this year, a series in which their top-order batsmen struggled badly for runs, and although they fought back to draw 1-1 in Sri Lanka there are still grounds for concern.
Captain Andrew Strauss scored the last of his 19 test centuries 18 months ago and the 35-year-old opener will be fully tested by the hostility of Roach and Edwards. Roach suffered a twisted foot and as a precaution did not bowl on the last day of their warm-up match on Sunday but is set to play on Thursday.
Kevin Pietersen did return to form with a fine century in the second test win over Sri Lanka and the highly promising Jonny Bairstow is likely to make his test debut batting at number six.
If the batsmen can provide a solid platform, England certainly have the bowling attack to expose the inexperienced Windies top order.
Broad is likely to open with James Anderson, supported by Steve Finn, Graham Onions or Tim Bresnan, and Graeme Swann will be the lone spinner.
“We’d love to make early inroads,” Anderson said. “That’s my job and Stuart’s job. But from watching West Indies against Australia recently, they showed glimpses of a talented side.
“We can’t just expect them to roll over. They’re going to put up a fight. It’s going to be a challenge for us.”
LIMPET-LIKE
Leading the West Indies resistance will be the obdurate Chanderpaul, the world’s top-ranked test batsman who has toured England six times with an average of 64.66.
The gritty left-hander has the technique and concentration to bat for long periods but he will need support from his team mates to repel the street-wise England bowlers.
West Indies showed signs of improvement in their recent home series loss to Australia, nearly upsetting the touring side in Barbados, and Sammy believes his young team are heading in the right direction after years in the doldrums.
“The only thing that has not been happening is the victories,” Sammy said. “We’ve been playing good, competitive cricket against strong sides like India and Australia and all our tests have been going five days and down to the wire.   “Not many teams go to India and give India a run for their money, but we did that.
“Coming from where we are right now, we are not going to start winning straight away. We are taking baby steps to the ultimate goal.
Sammy said the biggest problem was losing key moments in big matches. “One bad session keeps costing us,” he said. “Champion teams seize the moment but we keep having a bad session where we might lose five wickets in an hour. We just need to cut that out. Once we eliminate those bad sessions then we’ll make progress.”

Guyana and Linden’s international middle distance track star, Marian Burnett arrived in

Happy to be home!!! A fan greets Guyana and Linden’s international middle distance track star, Marian Burnett (left) upon her arrival at CJIA, late Monday night. Burnett is here to compete at the President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic III on Sunday.

Guyana from Florida late Monday night ready to represent the turf she started her illustrious career on in the early 90s at the President’s/Jefford Classic on Sunday.
Burnett is very familiar with the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in Linden, given the fact that it is the venue she had first caught the eyes of athletic luminaries. Now, several years later, and with many accolades to boast about, Burnett returns to compete in Linden.
She will compete in her favourite events, the Women’s 800m and 1500m with the 1500m being dubbed an international event with the participation of Kenisha Pascal from Grenada and athletes from Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname included in the race.
Apart from those athletes, Burnett will have local support from Jevina Straker and Alika Morgan, who have been two of the consistent up-and-coming local athletes in recent times. The Women’s 1500m will be one of the many scorching events expected Sunday.
Burnett indicated that she is happy to be home to compete after such a long time and after taking a break to concentrate on family. She returned to the track sometime in February with the goal of qualifying for her third Olympic Games, scheduled for London, England.
The diminutive but powerful Burnett will not be an easy contender when she competes before an expectant crowd in the Mining Town; she has disclosed that she is on a mission to get back amid the top 10 middle distance runners in the world and wants to be impressive.
Burnett competed at both the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and 2008 Beijing Games. She has the distinct privilege of being a NCAA Indoor Champion in 2002 for Louisiana State University and a former world leader in the 800m and 1500m events.
The three-time National ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ has a personal best time of 4:17.91 in Rio de Janeiro in 2007 in the 1500m and 1:59.47 in the 800m. Those are world class times from a senior female world renowned athlete by any stretch of the imagination.
Burnett is excited to be competing at the President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic, and will be formerly addressing the media today; she’s expected to make several courtesy calls and was seen working out in the streets of Linden where she is based for the meet.

The occasion was straightforward, but yet important when Demerara

Acting GFF President Franklin Wilson (centre) signs the MOU in the presence of (from left) - GS Noel Adonis, DDL Sales Manager Alexis Langhorne, Sales Representative Almira Kassim and TD Jamal Shabazz yesterday.

Distillers Limited (DDL) and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) officially formalised their partnership by the signing of an MOU, during a simple ceremony which was conducted yesterday, at the GFF Head Office in Section ‘K’ Campbellville.
In attendance were DDL Sales Manager Alexis Langhorne and Sales Representative Almira Kassim, while GFF’s delegation was led by Acting President Franklin Wilson, General Secretary Noel Adonis and Technical Director Jamal Shabazz.
Langhorne in her opening remarks spoke of how pleased the Company was to partner with the Federation for the hosting of the third round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and international friendlies, adding that they are always looking for opportunities to support local sportsmen and women.
“This is an auspicious and proud moment not only for the ‘Golden Jaguars’, but for all Guyanese and the players have worked hard to raise the level of their performance which has brought them to this juncture. DDL through its Pepsi brand have always placed emphasis on sports and its development and signing the MOU today is testimony to the fact and in addition to providing financial assistance for the tournament, we will also be refuelling the players and officials with Gatorade and Diamond Mineral Water for the matches and encampment period,” Langhorne said.
In closing, Langhorne urged the general public to come out and support the ‘Jaguars’ in their quest for WC glory, adding that they look forward to working in the future with the GFF and the team and are confident that they will make Guyana proud.
Wilson reminded that the relationship between the two parties has been ongoing for quite sometime and the GFF was indeed grateful for the support over the years.
He called on other corporate entities to follow the lead taken by DDL since the campaign that the ‘Jaguars’ have embarked on is an expensive one and need the full support of many more businesses.
Meanwhile, in customary fashion, Shabazz came out slugging, insisting that because the success of the ‘Jaguars’ will not be only for the team, but rather all Guyana, it is necessary that more members of the business sector come on board from now and not wait until the team creates history.
He added that while DDL must be applauded for being there from the start, there is great need for many more to duplicate their act because the campaign is an expensive one that requires substantial financial resources.
“Players and coaches make a lot of sacrifices and many of them are not professional so they obviously need stipends to support their families,” Shabazz said.
The TD informed those present that the GFF is always looking for partners and commended DDL for coming on board up front, while advising those who are still undecided to join an alliance with the governing body since they are still welcomed.
“We need a lot of money, the journey is difficult and I want to thank the GFF for embarking on this move,” he stated.
He spoke of the two-tier system that the GFF has embraced which according to him has worked well so far, pointing out that only high level programmes have such luxury and Guyana is fortunate at the moment to have teams preparing for the WC qualifiers and the Parbo Bier competitions almost separately.
Shabazz said it is quite frustrating when the funding is scarce or at times unavailable and that is why the clarion call has been made for more businesses to come forward and back the GFF.
The team is scheduled to leave today for a game against Jamaica’s ‘Reggae Boyz’ on Friday, while they are also scheduled to go to Panama to face their national team in a closed door friendly and then leave for an undisclosed location for their final warm-up match.

The Third Edition of the President’s / Jefford Track & Field Classic

E-Networks Chief Financial Officer / Company Secretary Deonarine Sarjoo (left) hands over the cheque to Co-Organiser Edison Jefford yesterday.

received a timely boost when E-Networks Inc. became the latest entity to preserve its relationship with the event, joining a list of supporters to have done so.
During a simple presentation ceremony conducted at the Camp Street location of the business, Chief Financial Officer / Company Secretary Deonarine Sarjoo handed over a cheque for an undisclosed sum to Co-organiser of the Classic, Edison Jefford, who in his remarks, thanked the entity for its continued support which has been maintained over the three years of the event’s existence.
“I want to thank E-Networks for continuing its support for this event that is certainly growing with the expressed interest and confirmation of both Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago to compete in this the third edition,” Jefford said.
E-Networks Inc. is a leading institution in the Information Technology Sector that has managed over the short period of its life assisted in revolutionising the information technology sphere through its wireless digital communication system providing broadband wireless access throughout a large section of the Demerara grid.
Sarjoo speaking on behalf of the entity disclosed that the Company’s support for sports is not a new development, pointing to the assistance given to the Classic from the inception.
“We’ve been involved in sports from many levels and this is so because we feel that sports could be used as a vehicle to break down the racial and social barriers within our country and at the same time offer positive images of our country and those are some of the primary reasons why we are on board.”
He also said he was heartened to hear that more overseas-based athletes will be coming to participate in the event and this is clear indication that the Classic is growing in stature and popularity.
The addition of Guyana’s distance star Marian Burnett, who now joins compatriot Aliann Pompey as some of the high profile athletes to add their presence to the Classic lends credence to the fact that over the short period, the Organisers have done a marvellous job in creating what has to be accurately described as one of the leading Meets on the athletic calendar.

Members of Guyana’s Golden Jaguars football squad listen attentively to Technical Director Jamal Shabazz during a practice session at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
The Jags are down to face Jamaica on Friday in a warm-up game and left the country today for Jamaica to clash with the Reggae Boyz.  The Jamaicans have called up 14 overseas based players for the engagement, while only some of Guyana’s overseas players will make that trip.
The squad will however be a full strength in the coming weeks for other warm up engagements and encampment at high altitude and their eventual World Cup qualifier.

Following failed attempts by several Guyanese boxers to qualify at the imminent London Olympics

Imran Khan

later this year, officials of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) have indicated that there still is a minimal chance of fielding at least one boxer based on a wild card option.  However, the chances are very slim, confirmation would only come after President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Mr. Juman Yassin examines the prospects.
This much was relayed to the media when GABA convened a press conference at the Main Street office of its President, Steve Ninvalle, shortly after the boxers returned home, yesterday afternoon.  They came in for praise for their efforts despite losing out on qualification at this stage.
It was revealed that bantamweight boxer, Imran ‘Magic’ Khan, touted as Guyana’s main hope to procure an Olympic Gold medal at the imminent tournament scheduled for the United Kingdom later this year, was defeated at the Olympics Box Off tournament in Brazil.
Coach of the local team, Terrence Poole, blamed Khan’s misfortune on a virus contracted shortly after arriving in Brazil. Mr. Poole further informed that the other two pugilists on tour, lightweight, Stephan Gouveia and jnr/welterweight, Bert Braithwaite, also failed to make the grade after surrendering their respective bouts. Gouveia won his inaugural bout against a boxer out of Honduras but lost his succeeding encounter to a Colombian, while Braithwaite was ejected from the tournament after the referee stopped his contest against a St Lucian.
Mr. Poole said that shortly after arriving in Brazil Khan complained of feeling unwell and started to vomit. He was taken to a doctor where he was diagnosed with a virus but was still inclined to fight. The coach said that he solicited professional medical opinion and was told that the risks to his fighter’s health were minimal and after listening to his charge’s plea, decided to go ahead with the bout. The decision eventually backfired as his Khan was unable to perform his ‘magic’ and drum up sufficient energy for competitive combat.
Mr. Poole was also unhappy with the referee’s decision to halt Braithwaite’s bout. He said that the first count occurred after a clash of heads and upon resumption, both men attacked resulting in another clash of heads following which, the third man inexplicably disqualified his charge. Otherwise, he felt that Gouveia was truly outclassed by a Colombian that went on to win the silver medal. Gouveia had earlier registered a win in his first bout.
Meanwhile, the GABA President downplayed accusations of impartiality pertaining to the omission from the squad, at the last minute, Berbician, Richard Williamson. Mr. Ninvalle cited the availability of sufficient funds and explained that Williamson’s omission occurred after intense examination and an eventual vote by a 4 man committee. He admitted that such an eventuality could have a negative impact on the young man’s psyche but said that his executive have gone the extra mile to assuage the situation even explaining the circumstances in detail to the affected boxer.
He said that many lessons could be drawn from the just concluded tournament and he intends to use those lessons towards the advancement of the sport. Among such ploys is a heavier concentration on the nursery even as he strengthens the senior boxers. Amidst it all, Mr. Ninvalle is adamant that those boxers that failed in the Brazil tournament could still go on to procure major accolades in future tournaments provided that they remain resolute and committed. (Michael Benjamin)

Senior national chess champion, Taffin Khan, turned back the challenge of his dad, David and registered a convincing victory when play in the Caribbean Container INC. (C.C.I.) FIDE rating tournament continued at the Ocean Spray Hotel, Rupert Craig Highway and Stanley Place Kitty, Saturday afternoon last.

David Khan (left) and his son Taffin engaged in a battle of wits before the younger Khan prevailed

The younger Khan now enjoys the leading position with 5½ points at the end of the 6th round. In a highly anticipated encounter, the two players started on a high note. Thirty moves later, it was all over when the younger Khan launched an attack and expertly took advantage of his opponent’s unsafe king after forcing erratic movements around board.
The older Khan then gambled his queen in an effort to save the king but sank deeper into the mire after weakening his position to eventually concede the game.
Meanwhile, national junior champion Hai Feng Su improved his standing in the competition with a decisive win over Anthony Drayton to take his points tally to 3, two less than Cecil Cox, the leading junior player. The other point standings after six rounds read: David Khan and Cecil Cox (5 apiece), Shiv Nandalall (4), Anthony Drayton (3.5), Hai Feng Su (3), Ryan Singh (1.5), Kana Khan and Ron Motilall (1 apiece) while Sham Khan remains in the cellar on ½ point.
The six junior players are competing against four FIDE rated seniors to qualify for similar ratings but will be required to dig deep since the World Chess Federation (FIDE) will grant the improved ratings based on the performance of the younger players during the tournament. The tournament continues this Saturday when three rounds will be played at the same venue, while the final two rounds will be played on Sunday.
Activities get underway at 16:30 hrs at the Ocean Spray Hotel and the presentation of prizes are set for Olympic House shortly after the tournament ends.

Dear Editor,
This phenomenon has its genesis in the desire and aspirations of a few individuals seeking  to dominate and take control of the Guyana Cricket Board for their own personal gains rather than for the purpose of developing cricket.
The GCB is composed of three (3) Members; Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo and according to its constitution each member is entitled to nine (9)  delegates at the its Annual General Meeting which elects the “Executive Committee” to manage the operations of the GCB for two (2) years.
The Executive Committee of 2009 comprised 13 members of which (7) constituted a majority and quorum for the decision making process. It was readily observed by the majority of Executive Members that the signature Executives were deliberately violating the rules by
(a) making decisions on their own  and/or
(b) ignoring decisions which made by the majority of Executives and General Members Meeting with regards to the financial and administrative matters of the Board.
Time after time those concerns were either raised at meetings, or written to no avail.
The Board was in effect taken over by the President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, PRO and Marketing Manager who represented a minority 6 of the 13 member Executive. Ironically the VP and Treasurer, who had initially expressed their support with the seven (7) member majority, signed a 25 point list of concerns tabled at the Executive meeting held on November 13 2009. They however surprisingly and suddenly disclaimed their involvement one week after.
This entire period of Lawlessness dominated the public domain and was even sent to the Directorship of the WICB, who completely ignored the complaints with response coming from only one WICB Director who said it was totally an internal affair and they were not concerned with Guyana’s Cricket problems.
Yes the very WICB that is now proclaiming its recognition of only the GCB has been guilty of ignoring the GCB when it mattered most, thereby losing opportunities which could have resolved the entire mess earlier.
It is surprising that no efforts were made by WICB to resolve the matter at the GCB level, especially since the charges were made by the majority of GCB Executive Members along with more than 50% of the GCB’s Membership, in other words the cream of Guyana’s Cricket administration.
It is as a consequence of the WICB’s indifference to our “internal affairs” at the GCB that the Government was requested by the majority of Members and Executives to intervene in an effort of resolving the issues, within a short specified time-frame, and placing our cricket back on track.
This was done in good faith with the best interest in mind, but at that stage the WICB suddenly came to life throwing all its Bombs at the Government and in the process devastating our cricketing operations.
What was shameful and certainly anti-Nationalistic was the fact that Guyana had the privilege of Chetram Singh, Anand Sanasie, Clifford Reis, Ramsey Alli and Clive Lloyd sitting as Directors of WICB during this period of deliberate destruction of our cricketing programmes by the WICB.  Except for Mr. Lloyd, what role did Guyana’s representative play? No other director has been recorded as saying or doing anything in support of our cause, a really sad state of affairs; especially when the great and powerful WICB decided to withdraw the Australian Test and other cricket matches arranged for our country and place them in another territory. The ugly face of arrogance, insularity and selfishness surfaced in the most despicable way, without any query or enquiry as to the accuracy of the reports on financial and administrative malpractices and fraudulent elections, while our esteemed Directors remained silent, and the so called “Brother Country” gleefully and selfishly accepted.
It is most surprising that these acts were perpetrated even though the government by its actions had permitted the so called GCB to field representative teams as stipulated by the WICB, showing its willingness to understand the dynamics of compromise under the threat of an unyielding WICB.
The Guyana members of the WICB Directorship must answer to the people of Guyana on the question of their involvement in the Banning of Cricket from Guyana. This is a national issue and not a political one so all Guyanese must take a position of finding out their role in the process, so as to ascertain the quality of their representation and the basis of its future.
One has to only look at the quick and successful response of WICB to the intervention yes “intervention” of the Jamaican Government, where Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller in the Chris Gayle matter intervened, and when the Jamaican reps in the WICB supported their Prime Minister on the issue. So why the power drunk imposition on Guyana?
We cannot allow the WICB with its so called concern for “Non intervention of Government” to destroy our cricket, when such a position is unfounded, and penalizing the cricketing public in the process. Let our voices be heard loud and clear.
The mighty ICC has always displayed maturity, good sense and tolerance in dealing with its members who are in any way violating the same rule, so why is the WICB so unbending and draconic, in deliberately destroying the efforts of Guyana, a member that has done so much for cricket in the Caribbean over the years. Are we being indirectly advised to shift our allegiance to South America? And remove all connections to the Caribbean. This seems to be what the regional body is indicating since not a word of support has been forthcoming from any of our so-called Caribbean Brothers at this time of our trials. With five Doctors and an array of experience on the WICB, one would expect better judgment and decision making. At least for the arrangement of an enquiry or investigation and for a genuine attempt to resolve the problem in the interest of unity in West Indies Cricket.
Maybe that is why our cricket languishes at the bottom rungs of the grading ladders and why WICB has continually lost out in its negotiations with WIPA.
Or maybe it is in their own self interest that the WICB Directorship prefers the present crop of GCB Directors who are more concerned with their status Quo than to respect and represent the wider interest of Guyana’s Cricket requirements and its sovereignty.
We are at the cross roads and as a people must decide now on the way forward by taking the appropriate action, especially since it is obvious that the government cannot do it alone. Total involvement is the only way, or our Cricket is doomed.
Claude Raphael

Dear Sir,
The Government since Independence in 1966 has honoured numerous citizens and organisations for services to the people of Guyana. Most of these awardees deserved their national awards while some were questionable. The main aim of our national award scheme I suppose was to recognized and honour those individuals and NGOs who have worked beyond the call of duty to make differences in the lives of Guyanese.
As a Berbician who has been involved in public services I would like to recommend an organisation for a national award which in my mind is long overdue. This organisation is the Rose Hall Town Youth & sports Club which since its formation in 1990 has had an unbelievable impact on the lives of thousands upon thousands of lives not only in Berbice but throughout Guyana. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club list of activities includes sports, youth development, community development, charity, educational social, anti-drugs, finding jobs for youths and less fortunate.
As Secretary of the Berbice Cricket Board, I can say without fear that the successes of the Berbice Board has been because of the hard work and effort of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and its Management. Dozens of youths and sports clubs in the ancient county are still active because of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, while countless sportsmen/women and less fortunate school children have been able to achieve their dreams because of the assistance of this dynamic organisation. Less fortunate families, the orphans and the elderly have been assisted on a regular basis while sportsmen, teachers, retired senior citizens and students have all been honoured each year under the series of awards and tribute programmes.
To organise a record breaking 130-140 programmes/activities each year is the proof of this club’s ability to go beyond the horizon and the county of Berbice and the township of Rose Hall would forever be grateful for its services.
The Club has received numerous awards for its work including four Guyana Cricket Board Club of the Year, four Berbice Cricket Board Club of the year, Rotary International Vocational Award, while only recently I was present when President Donald Ramotar handed over the International Olympic Committee Award for Sports. In addition, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club became the first organisation to produce an official who was the National Sports Personality for work done at the club level and has also produced two junior sportsmen/women runner up awards.
Mr. Editor, I am confident that the majority of Guyanese would agree with me when I recommend to President Ramotar, that the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club serves to be honour with a Medal of Service at the upcoming 2012 National Awards Ceremony.
It would be a fitting honour to a role model NGO whose work in Berbice and Guyana has not only changed the lives of countless, but is unmatched locally.
Angela Haniff,
Secretary, Berbice Cricket Board

Three exceptional mothers were honoured on Mother’s Day when the cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports and DTV-8 hosted their 5th Annual Region 6 Mother of the Year Award Programme. Haimkumarie Basdeo of Canje was named the RHTYSC/DTV-8 Region 6 Mother of the Year while Beverley King of Alness Village and Jenny Ramoutar of No. 2 Village were named runners-up.
The event was organised by the Club’s Farfan & Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17, Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21, Pepsi Under-19 and Metro Female teams in conjunction with DTV-8 of New Amsterdam.

Striving to maintain family values!!! The Mother’s honoured display their prizes in the presence of their daughter’s and one father.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster at the presentation noted that the main aim of the programme was to identify and honour parents who are positive role models and who have also played a major role in the development of their children.
Foster expressed concern about the lack of family values and respect for authority among the young generation while urging the awardees to share their parenting skills with their peers. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, Foster stated is blessed with disciplined and committed members because of their family background and would continue to invest in family related programmes.
Mother of the Year, Mrs. Basdeo praised the different cricket teams of the Club and DTV-8 for making her feel special. Motherhood, she stated is a God given privilege and discipline, patience and understanding were the virtues needed to be a good parent. All three mothers were presented with certificates among other prizes.

Sixty-year-old Cousilia Bishoo of Albion was honoured by the Special Events

Mrs. Cousilia Bishoo pose with her Mother’s Day bouquet after receiving same from BCB Secretary, Ms. Angela Haniff

Committee of the Berbice Cricket Board as their Mother of the Year, 2012.
Mrs. Bishoo is the third mother to win the prestigious award which was initiated in 2010 as part of the Board’s efforts to recognize mothers who played major roles in the development of their children and for providing guidance in their cricketing careers.
Secretary of the Board Angela Haniff and Coaching Coordinator Julian Moore visited Mrs. Bishoo at her Albion residence and presented her with a floral arrangement and a special mother’s day gift.
Haniff congratulated Bishoo on her well deserved selection and praised her for the positive influencing role she played as a single parent to West Indies Test player Devendra Bishoo. The cricketing public, Haniff noted is grateful to her for single handily molding Bishoo into a disciplined and dedicated individual.
The BCB Secretary also urged Mrs. Bishoo to share her motherhood skills with the younger generation.
In brief remarks, the elated Bishoo expressed pleasure and gratitude to the Berbice Board for making the day extra special for her while stating that being a single parent after the death of her husband was no easy task but her love for her only child was too strong for her to fail him.
His passion was always for cricket and she allowed him the freedom to pursue his dream. She stated she is a very proud parent as her son became the 15th Berbician to play Test cricket and also won the ICC Emerging Player of the Year-2011.
Mrs. Bishoo urged the BCB to continue its outstanding performance in developing the game in the Ancient County and for working overtime to produce more test cricketers like her son. The first two winners of the programme were Mrs. S. Chattergoon, mother of Test Player Sewnarine Chattergoon and Mrs. Zoria Fudadin, mother of West Indies senior selectee Assad Fudadin.