Preliminary probe...
Engine trouble blamed for Skyvan plane crash
by Mark Ramotar
THE Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) yesterday indicated that based on preliminary investigation so far on last Saturday's plane crash, in which two of the seven persons aboard the Skyvan died, it was quite clear that the right engine of the aircraft failed during flight.

Airworthiness Inspector of the GCAA, Mr. Clifton Bedaysie also told reporters that the GCAA cannot ascertain, at this point in time, the exact altitude of the aircraft when it encountered difficulties.

Bedaysie, who noted that several factors would have to be considered before it can be ascertain the exact cause of the crash, pointed out that this is the second Skyvan to have crash in Guyana, since the first one which was owned by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had crashed some years back.

Bedaysie also noted that the Skyvan aircraft was designed and built and certificated to such standard that "normally if you have a twin engine aircraft and one engine fails, then the aircraft should be able to continue the flight or come back and landed, that's normal".

But according to Rampaul, the most critical phase of a flight is whether your aircraft is taking off at full power and whether "just after takeoff, while you're on the runway, one engine stopped".

Asked whether there is a likelihood that human error could have caused the crash, from the preliminary investigations so far, Rampaul told a news conference at the GCAA office in Prashad Nagar, Georgetown yesterday afternoon that he is not in a position to answer that question since the investigation is still in its infancy stage. He, however, said that "we are still very open (and that) it is possible".

"We don't know. It is only our analysis that will show to us whether there is a contribution of human error to the accident," he said.

Asked how many other Skyvans we currently have in service in Guyana, Mr. Bedaysie said there are two others, which are operated by the GDF.

Mr. Rampaul also indicated that the GCAA are still in the process of interviewing a lot of people on the ground (especially in Sophia village). "Once we get all those information in, we would be in a better position to say what was the cause of the crash' he said.

Mr. Bedaysie also indicated that the loads that were on the aircraft at the time of the crash are currently in the possession of the GCAA and the manifest that would have had the loads, the definitions and the weights are also in their possession.

Asked whether the weights were over the specified limit, Mr. Rampaul said, "All we can say right now is that there was a generator but our calculations conclude that we were within our norms up to now".

Mr. Bedaysie also indicated that the maximum takeoff weight for these aircrafts was 13, 500 lbs.

He also indicated that the report of the preliminary investigations should be out within 30 days after last Saturday's crash and when the investigation started.

He also noted that although the aircraft was 19 years old, it was still ranked as 'averaged' based on its flying hours. In this regard, he pointed out that the 15,000 flying hours for the Skyvans are considered "average age".

The two GCAA officials also confirmed that two international experts from the United Kingdom were flown into the country to assist local counterparts into the investigations of last Saturday's plane crash, which claimed the life of two persons.

Following a request from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) the UK authorities promptly responded and two experts - one from the Department of Transport and the other from the UK Aircraft Accident Investigation Board - arrived here last night.

Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Works, Mr. Ajay Baksh, informed the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that based on this new development several changes will be made relating to the investigation.

Contrary to previous announcements, the voice cockpit recording will no longer be sent to Trinidad for analysis but will instead be flown to the National Transport Safety Board in the USA, along with the engine, for a thorough investigation there.

Eyewitness accounts are that one of the engines had failed.

Mr. Baksh also noted that the parts of the plane scattered along the site would not be moved to a hanger as was previously announced. Instead, these will remain as is for the high profile team. They are expected to commence their work today, almost immediately after touchdown.

According to Baksh, the grid was completed on the crash site and it determined that the plane crashed one and a half miles from the airstrip.

Linden Town Council dissolved, IMC to run municipal affairs
AN Interim Management Committee (IMC) is being installed to manage the affairs of the municipality of Linden following the issuing of an order dissolving the Linden Town Council.

The dissolution of the council took effect on Monday.

The dissolution is the result of an inquiry commissioned by Minister Collymore, under the provisions of Section 305 of the Municipal and District Councils Act chapter 28:01, into the running of the council.

The inquiry was conducted by Mr. Edward Johnson, a former Regional Executive Officer in the Local Government System.

In a public notice, Minister Collymore indicated that the Commissioner has completed his inquiry and has submitted a report containing his findings and recommendations.

"Now therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in the Minister of Local Government at Section 305 of the Municipal and District Councils Act chapter 28:01, the Minister has ordered that the Linden Town Council be dissolved with effect from November 10, 2003," the notice stated.

"It is further the order of the Minister that an Interim Management Committee consisting of 18 persons shall be installed to manage the affairs of the Linden Municipality until local government elections are held for Councillors thereto," it added.

Stock exchange trading up
Trading in local stock exchange this week has been higher compared to last week. The Guyana Association of Securities Companies and Intermediaries Inc. said this week trading saw a total of 29,522 shares changing hands.

Shares in the National Bank of Industries and Commerce Limited (NBIC) were traded at the highest price of the day, $13 per share. A total of 3000 shares of the commercial financial institution were traded today, resulting in a magnitude of $39,000 in business done in the name of the bank.

However, the greatest number of shares traded for any single company was that of Demerara Distilleries Limited, trading at a total of 15, 153 shares at a constant price of $6.5 per share, the same as last week's price.

The second largest number of shares traded was that of Banks DIH Limited, trading a total of 11,369 shares, at between $5.9 and $6.2 per share, averaging $6.5 per share.

The general trade prices of share were marginally increased over those of last week.

Crime Chief tells DFC...
Police lack intelligence on organised crime
By Nivedta Kowlessar
CRIME CHIEF, Leon Trim, yesterday said the Police were lacking intelligence on organised crime involving the growing smuggling of aliens, narcotics, arms and ammunition.

Trim, who holds the title of Assistant Commissioner, Law Enforcement, was testifying before the Disciplined Forces Commission conducting a public investigation into the Police, Army, Prison and Fire Services.

At the afternoon hearing at the Supreme Court Law Library in Georgetown, he said organised crime involves a continuous sequence of events and any one can have implications on the entire criminal empire. This can attract reaction and retaliation.

"Therefore, organised crime has to be dealt with in a profound, organised way," Trim told the Commission, reporting that the Police are either not yet competent or sufficiently empowered to deal with the situation.

"We need more training," he said, explaining that ranks need to be retained to deal with armed incidents at all levels.

Trim pointed to the critical need for a fully equipped training facility outside of Georgetown for 'mock' exercises, which will build the confidence and capability of the Police.

The Police also require equipment, an upgraded lab and fingerprint technology, the lack of which affects stronger criminal investigation.

Arms and ammunition are being transported coming across the country's borders, the Commission heard, to be used by drug traffickers to protect their businesses. "They are Siamese twins...arms and ammunition go hand in hand with drugs", Trim said.

Police intelligence reveal hard drugs are not manufactured in Guyana, but imported from Colombia across this country's borders with Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname for transshipment into North America and the Caribbean.

A small quantity remains here for consumption and is converted into 'crack' cocaine for such purpose.

Trim said the drug trade and smuggling of illegal immigrants to the United States spawned kidnappings and money laundering.

Asked whether the Police managed to prosecute any of the 'big fishes' involved, he said "with our limited resources, we are trying...we know a few of the big fishes."

And commenting on the violent crime wave after the escape of five notorious criminals from jail in February, 2002, Trim said the high-powered weapons used posed problems for the Police.

The Force was also confronted with the slaying of its members, 21 of whom were killed, and Trim said this was in an apparent destabilisation effort.

Some 176 murders have been reported for this year and Trim said there has been a 49 per cent rate of 'clearing up' with suspects being charged, convicted or killed.

Overall, the Police have registered a 15 per cent decrease in violent crime since the escape. "At this stage, we are on top...we have control of the crime situation," Trim told the Commission.

The body pointed to public concerns about 'phantom' enforcement gangs operating outside the authority of the Police Force, but Trim said the Police were not aware if criminals were slain by such groups or their associates.

New York City is capital of taxes
MANHATTAN, NY (Daily News) -- It's official: New Yorkers pay the highest taxes in the nation - by far.

On average, New York state residents pay $141 in state and local taxes for every $1,000 they earn, the most anywhere. The main culprits are local income taxes that are a whopping 72% above the national average.

That's the conclusion of the Citizens Budget Commission, which lays most of the blame for making New York the nation's tax capital on Albany lawmakers who boost spending - then stick cities and towns with the bill.

"Local governments across the state are struggling under the weight of these requirements," commission President Diana Fortuna said yesterday. "It is time for Albany to be more concerned about the burden that it is placing on local taxpayers."

In particular, the privately funded agency pointed to Medicaid, education and pension costs as the driving forces behind higher state and local taxes. All are largely controlled by Albany, where lawmakers have not passed a budget on time in 19 years, the report noted.

The study found that New York state leads the way in almost every category - with income taxes that are five times the national average, a sales tax that is double most other states, and property taxes that are one-third higher than the national average.

But the burden is spread in different ways. In the city, for instance, local income taxes add as much as 4.45% to the state's already high 7.7% income tax rate - combining to make the highest income tax rate in the nation by far.

By contrast, even after a recent 18.5% increase, property taxes remain relatively low in the city compared to other New York communities.

But the bottom line could not be starker: The $141 state residents pay per $1,000 is well above second-place California, where the figure is $121. And it's nearly double the $88 paid in the cheapest states, New Hampshire and Tennessee.

In addition to runaway health and education costs, the report noted New York has a higher ratio of public employees to residents than any other state. And those employees are paid relatively well - $47,532 per year, on average - behind only California and New Jersey workers.

Mayor Bloomberg, who last year pushed through increases in the city's income, property and sales taxes, yesterday reiterated his pledge to try to lower taxes when the city's economy revives.

Trapping illegal activities in border areas---
Guyana needs concerted effort by law enforcement agencies
--Says Police Commissioner McDonald
By Nivedta Kowlessar
POLICE Commissioner (Acting) Floyd McDonald yesterday said a combined effort by all law enforcement agencies is needed to trap illegal activities reportedly flourishing in the country's porous border areas.

He told the Commission that policing the country's vast interior locations requires vehicles suited for rough terrain, boats and better facilities for ranks. The Government is aware of such needs and has given the impression that it is willing to meet them, he reported.

There are efforts to use alternative means of transport, for example, horses and bicycles, and to acquire boats and armoured cars, McDonald said.

The Commission also discussed with the top cop the need for quality leadership for the Police Force; specialised 'mock' training; the role of auxiliary groups; the autonomy of divisions and a vehicle licensing racket at Anna Regina, Essequibo.

McDonald advised that investigations into the Anna Regina issue have revealed "some skullduggery" and it should be "sorted out" in two weeks.

In closing remarks to the Commission, he expressed hope that the inquiry would spring improvements in the Force, which, he noted, belongs to all. "We are genuinely interested in ensuring a more efficient and people-oriented Police Force".

McDonald said the Force is "conscious of deficiencies", such as ranks not operating according to rules, but that this happens in all organisations. He noted that regulations are in place to deal with deviants and called for the support of the public to ensure the Police are seen as representing the interests of all Guyanese.

The Commission was appointed in June to investigate the Police, Army, Prison and Fire Services.

It is chaired by Justice Ian Chang and comprises Senior Counsel, Charles Ramson, Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall, Brigadier (retired), David Granger and Maggie Bierne, a member of the Commission for the Administration of Justice in Northern Ireland.

Cel Star Inc. director sued for allegedly taking shares fraudulently
Plaintiffs demanding jury trial--
By George Barclay
CEL STAR Caribbean, Inc., a Delaware corporation; and Cel Star Guyana, Inc., a Guyana corporation have filed a ten-count indictment in the Circuit Court of Florida against Director of Cel Star Guyana, Mr. Wesley Kirton, accusing him of taking over the shares of the organisation and setting up himself as the sole director.

The plaintiffs, who have given Mr. Kirton four months to enter appearance or file a defence in the matter, are demanding a jury trial.

Mr. Kirton's side of the story will be known if and when he files a defence.

The facts common to all counts as set out in the complaint, which has been filed in the Circuit Court for the eighteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Seminole County, Florida, in Civil Action No. 03CA 2463-16-K disclosed that:

"Plaintiffs, Cel Star Caribbean, Inc. is a corporation duly organised and existing under the laws of Delaware, with its principal place of business located at 940 Lincoln Road, Suite 203, Miami Beach, Florida 33159, Miami-Dade County, Florida.

"Plaintiff, Cel Star Guyana, Inc., is a corporation duly organised and existing under the laws of the Republic of Guyana with its principal place of business located at 940 Lincoln Road, Suite 203, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, Miami-Dade County, Florida.

"Wesley Brian Kirton is a resident of Orlando, Florida with his principal residence located at 3116 South Horizon Place, Florida 327565. The action against him is for an amount greater than $15,000 exclusive of fees and costs.

"Cel Star Caribbean, Inc., is a Florida-based company specialising in the building and operation of cellular networks.

"On January 9, 2001, Cel Star Caribbean, Inc., caused the incorporation of Cel Star Guyana, Inc., under the laws of the Republic of Guyana.

"Cel Star Guyana, Inc., is and has at all times been a wholly owned subsidiary of Cel Star Caribbean, Inc., and Cel Star Caribbean Inc., is and has at all times been the owner of all issued and outstanding shares of Cel Star Guyana, Inc. No other person or entity has been validly issued shares of Cel Star Guyana, Inc.

"Cel Star Caribbean, Inc is in possession of all validly issued and outstanding shares of Cel Star Guyana, Inc., which are represented by a share certificate in the name of Cel Star Caribbean, Inc.

"Defendant Kirton is and has at all times herein been an officer and director of Cel Star Guyana, Inc.

"On or about February 21, 2001, the Republic of Guyana awarded Cel Star Caribbean, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary Cel Star Guyana, Inc., a licence to own and operate a GSM 900 MHz cellular network in the Republic of Guyana (the Cellular Licence).

"The Cellular Licence remains validly issued and is held in the name of Cel Star Guyana, Inc.

"On January 4, 2002, defendant Kirton falsely, wrongly and invalidly issued and distributed shares of Cel Star Guyana, Inc to himself, as evidenced to this complaint, in a January 4, 2002 letter to the Registrar, Joint Stock Companies, Deeds Registry, Georgetown, Republic of Guyana.

"Upon information and belief, defendant created false and unauthorised share certificates to effect the wrongful issuance and distribution. Defendant issued and distributed these shares in Cel Star Guyana, Inc., for his own benefit and personal gain and to the detriment of Cel Star Guyana, Inc., and its sole shareholder, Cel Star Caribbean, Incorporation's interests," the complaint stated.

It added, "Defendant issued said shares to himself without the knowledge of Cel Star Caribbean, Inc., and without the consent or authorisation of the validly elected directors of Cel Star Guyana, Inc., or Cel Star Caribbean, Inc., and or without the consent of Cel Star Caribbean, Inc., the sole shareholder of Cel Star Guyana, Inc.

"Upon information and belief, defendant created false and unauthorised share certificates to effect the wrongful sales of Cel Star Guyana, Inc stock. Upon information and belief, defendant has sold Cel Star Guyana, Inc., stock for his own benefit and personal gain and to the detriment of Cel Star Guyana, Inc., and its sole shareholder, Cel Star Caribbean, Incorporation's interests," the plaintiffs alleged.

The ten counts named in the complaint by the plaintiffs against Kirton include: Conversion; Fraud; Constructive Fraud; Theft of Corporate Opportunity; Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Duty of Loyalty; Violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA); Common Law Unfair Competition; Accounting and Constructive Trust.

The plaintiffs also request that the defendant, his agents, co-conspirators, servants, affiliates, employees, corporations and other entities, attorneys, and representatives, and all those in privity or acting in concert with defendant, and each and all of them be permanently enjoined and restrained from directly or indirectly:

(a) Conducting business through Cel Star Guyana, Inc.,

(b) Selling shares or issuing additional shares of Cel Star Guyana, Inc.;

(c) Transferring any assets of Cel Star Guyana, Inc;

(d) Entering into contracts on behalf of Cel Star Guyana, Inc.

The plaintiffs, who filed their summons on October 7, 2003, also demanded that they be given a trial by jury on all counts.

Minister Sawh at meeting in Panama
Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh is in Panama City attending a four-day meeting of Agriculture Ministers on Agriculture and Rural Life in the Americas.

Minister Sawh and his Americas counterparts are also participating in the 12th Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA).

The meeting is taking place against the backdrop of the celebration of the centennial of the Republic of Panama.

The 2nd ministerial meeting, which concludes today, will provide ministers with an opportunity to discuss progress in implementing the mandates issued by the Heads of State and Government at the 3rd Summit of the Americas (Quebec, 2001) and to set a new course for agriculture and rural life, to be presented at a special summit in Mexico next January.

The motto of the event, "Promoting Trade, Agribusiness and Rural Prosperity," gives a clear picture of the topics the ministers will discuss.

Outputs expected from the meeting are:

The Agro 2003-2015 plan of action for agriculture and rural life in the Americas; an understanding on strategic topics, including a favourable environment for agriculture in the future; agriculture's place in free trade agreements; the importance of biotechnology to agriculture in the future; prosperity in rural communities; the strategy for implementing AGRO 2003-2015 plan of action; and the proposal ministers will submit to the next Summit of Heads of State and Government.

HPS refutes ethnic prejudice in World Bank appointments
GINA - Ethnicity was not a criterion used by Government in appointing two Guyanese from the Bank of Guyana to the Board of the World Bank.

Recently, the Administration was informed that Guyana had the opportunity to secure two places on the Board and they were filled by Head of Research at the Bank of Guyana, Dr. Gobind Ganga and Ms. Lisaretta Ramotar, as Advisor to the Executive Director of the Inter-Development Bank (IDB).

But the appointments were criticized by persons, who claim that Government could have appointed other suitably qualified persons. The basis of the criticism largely has been that Government filled both position with Indo-Guyanese and no Afro-Guyanese was appointed, even though there are suitably qualified Afro-Guyanese personnel to fill the positions.

Responding to the concerns at his post-Cabinet briefing last week, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon, noted that the appointments were already made and the process has resulted in "suitable appointments regardless of their race."

He further stated that once Government recognized that it had to make the appointments and that the two Bank of Guyana officials possessed the skills, training and qualification and importantly, the Region did not have any reservations, so there is no need for further justification.

"I do not feel that there is a need for the Administration to justify its choice and to entertain an argument about the appointment of two properly, fully qualified Guyanese in the Government Service who have been identified for that posting and to discuss the appointment on the basis of ethnicity. I think we are moving from the ground of intelligent and useful discourse into just pure and idle speculations," he said.

GGMC intensifies tailings monitoring in mining districts
GINA -- The incidence of typhoid fever and other water-borne diseases, particularly in mining districts has been a source of concern to many hinterland residents who charge that the effluence from tailings ponds contaminate their water.

In an effort to detect levels of turbidity or murkiness from mines, that overflow into nearby communities, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has stepped up its monitoring measures through the introduction of a turbidity wedge.

During a recent visit to Region One, (Barima/Waini) as part of the Prime Minister's delegation, Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Robeson Benn, tested samples of water around mining camps in the region.

Benn defined turbidity as being derived from the total suspended solids from among the solid material carried along with the water in mining tailings, coming down from mining operations.

He noted that the Commission intends to work closely with the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association to have each mining camp equipped with a turbidity wedge by January 2004.

To effect the use of the wedge, Benn said, "We're requiring in the production form, a new column, where the miner is required to disclose the type of water he is discharging." According to the GGMC head, the meter will indicate the water at a clear, turbid or muddy level. The GGMC considers the clear reading as most acceptable.

The GGMC official said the aim of the exercise is to clamp down on errant miners whose tailings ponds prove unsound, through the escape of waste that contaminates water flowing to communities surrounding mining operations.

Demonstrating the use of the turbidity wedge recently at mining district Eyelash, in Region One, the GGMC Commissioner, explained that the turbidity wedge indicates in seconds, the total suspended solid material carried along with the water into mining communities.

He emphasised that from next January, the GGMC plans to establish an "interim turbidity limit of 100." However, Benn conceded that readings will vary, due to the nature of mining in some districts, which employ the use of hoses for hydraulicing overburden, which produces slurry water.

In addition, operators move from one location to another, dependent upon the discovery of a fresh gold field, and this is another factor that has to be taken into consideration by field officers who may carry out sample tests, or seek to verify declarations.

Benn stated further, "The agreements which are in place for operations to move unto claims stipulate that clear water must be discharged, " adding that the intention is to have miners continue with the use of settlement ponds, recycled ponds, and other measures, to reduce sedimentation to the rivers into the receiving environment.

He expressed hope that with the introduction of the turbidity wedges, miners will observe the existing requirements, thereby reducing the incidence of contamination of water in nearby communities.

Woman charged for embezzling $3,400
No. 9 VILLAGE, WCB -- A former overseer of the Woodlands/Bel Air Neighborhood Democratic Council was on Thursday last charged with three counts of embezzlement of money she received on behalf of the NDC.

Police are alleging that former overseer Carol Nurse of # 9 village, West Coast Berbice, committed the offences in 2001.

The first charge read that she fraudulently embezzled the sum of three thousand four hundred dollars ($3400) taken into her possession from Premdatt Narine for the NDC on August 30, 2001.

Two others read that she embezzled $2,780 and $2,381 from Somna Narine and David Kistoo, respectively, in January and August of 2001.

When the charges were read to her by Magistrate Kumar Doraisami at Fort Wellington, the mother of four pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate allowed her bail in the sum of $5,000 on each charge and fixed December 4 next for trial.

Region 5 gets new REO
MAHAICA, West Coast Berbice -- A new Regional Executive Officer (REO) has been appointed in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice).

He is Mr. Jugool Narine, who had served as REO of Region 1 Barima/Waini from 1998 to 2000.

Narine had served in Region 5 as Senior Clerk and Assistant to the District Development Officer between 1974 and 1979 prior to the establishment of the Regional Democratic Councils.

He also worked as Assistant Personnel Manager at Rose Hall Estate.

Mrs. Pamela Rockliffe, the Deputy Regional ExecutiveOfficer of Region 5 who had been acting as Regional Executive Officer for the past ten months, has reverted to her substantive post.

We wouldn't know for sure until local and British investigators find out why the Irish-manufactured plane crash-landed into the cane fields aback of North Ruimveldt about a minute after take-off from Ogle Aerodrome, killing two persons and injuring five others.

What we suspect is that Guyana isn't as geared as it ought to be to cope with plane accidents. If our hunch is correct, this inadequacy ought to be addressed as early as possible.

To say the least, the implications of our not having or developing the capability to grapple with airplane disasters can be devastating.

Take tourism.

Two Swedish journalists who were in Guyana on a ten-day visit left the country yesterday saying they enjoyed their stay. They had travelled to Marshall Falls and planned to go to other eco-tourism sites. But having already experienced jet trouble in Trinidad and Tobago on their way to Guyana, the two ladies (a reporter and a photographer) declined a second plane trip to the hinterland on learning of the Skyvan accident.

The Swedes had apparently concluded, upon hearing that the authorities would have to send parts of the wrecked Skyvan to Trinidad and Tobago and to the United States for examination, and that experts from the United Kingdom were coming to investigate the crash along with local personnel, that travelling to Kaieteur Falls was a chance they wouldn't be taking.

One could argue that their excuse was frivolous. Accidents happen, and this is no more strikingly evident than in Sweden and the rest of the developed world.

But this fact doesn't give us much scope for comfort.

It's not that Guyanese lack any knowledge of disaster preparedness.

The point we're seeking to make here is that although our fire service, say, has adopted an all-hazards mission statement that encompasses the many incidents to which it is expected to respond, it is more than likely that plane crash responses aren't a service specialty.

Besides, coping with plane accidents is a job for a peculiar unit trained and equipped to handle these kinds of accidents.

In many cases abroad, fire departments without primary responsibility for an airport have made few, if any, preparations for an aircraft accident. And there is also the ever popular "We've never had a plane crash here before" excuse that some are known to have made.

None of us likes to think of disaster as an integral part of our lives. But in a world where no one is perfect, and therefore where anything can happen, Guyana has to begin thinking about and gearing to cope with the unthinkable.

As unthinkable as it sounds, we must have a plan to acquire the necessary resources to respond to such a catastrophe as an aircraft accident.

Our archives remind us that eleven years ago, when United Airlines Flight 232, a DC-10, crashed in a cornfield near Sioux City, Iowa, after encountering a catastrophic failure of all of its hydraulic systems, that crash was thought impossible. It happened nonetheless.

Our own experience in Guyana is that a plane crash can occur anywhere, anytime, and without warning.

So, even though our airspace isn't crowded with passenger and cargo aircraft, Guyana's authorities must prioritize a programme to deal with accidents involving the hazards of road, air and marine traffic.

Guyana's delegation will be headed by President Bharrat Jagdeo and will include Foreign Minister Rudy Insanally and Minister for Foreign Trade, Clement Rohee.

Challenging trade, economic and political issues of importance to the 15-member Community, including the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), relations with the United States of America and Cuba, as well forthcoming international meetings are included on the agenda.

Originally scheduled to have been hosted by the government of Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados but shifted to St. Lucia, with new arrangements by the CARICOM Secretariat, the Castries summit is being hosted by the government of Prime Minister Kenny Anthony.

Participating leaders and ministers will move straight into working sessions following an opening statement by current CARICOM chairman, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson of Jamaica.

He is reported to have been in touch with colleagues urging widest possible participation for concerted efforts to resolve outstanding matters from the annual regular CARICOM Summit he hosted in Montego Bay last July.

However, the "Chronicle" has learnt that at least three Prime Ministers are expected to miss the summit. Absentees will include:

Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who has been ordered by his doctor to a week of complete rest and relaxation; Pierre Charles of Dominica, currently receiving medical attention in the USA; and Keith Mitchell, deeply involved in Grenada's current general election campaign.

There could be no confirmation whether President Jean Bertrand Aristide will attend. But Haiti is one of the political matters to be discussed in association with its forthcoming Bicentennial Independence Anniversary in January 2004.

Tomorrow's special summit will take place amid increasing reservations about the "readiness" by a number of member governments with the required legislative measures for implementation of the first phase of the Community's single market at year end, as originally pledged..

According to some ministerial and senior government technocrats, the "Chronicle" was informed that this was now more likely to occur following the 15th Inter-Session Meeting of CARICOM heads of government scheduled for St. John's Antigua in February, 2004.

The Castries summit will be preceded by today's special meeting, also in the Saint Lucian capital, of CARICOM's Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

Crucial decisions include settling for a common regional position on the hemispheric--wide free trade arrangements ahead of the forthcoming FTAA Ministerial Meeting scheduled for Miami from November 20-21.

A report from the COTED meeting is expected to be ready in time for the CARICOM leaders deliberations on common approaches by the region on negotiations involving the FTAA; World Trade Organization (WTO) and proposed Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) involving the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group and the European Union (EU).

Discussions on USA-Caribbean relations will include a "briefing" on the recent working breakfast meeting held in New York between President George Bush and four CARICOM leaders.

That meeting, which coincided with the formal opening in September of the current United Nations General Assembly, was attended by the President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Ministers Anthony of Saint Lucia, Grenada's Mitchell and The Bahamas' Perry Christie.

Along with a summary of the discussions between Bush and the four CARICOM leaders, the Castries meeting will also revisit the Community's stand in favour of the International Criminal Court (ICC), within the context of the request by the USA for exemption of its nationals from the jurisdiction of the ICC if wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Plans for a proposed mission to Washington by a delegation of CARICOM's Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), and the Community's participation in the Ministerial Meeting of the 25-nation Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in Panama City on November 27, are also to be addressed.

Cuba's request for the establishment in a CARICOM state of a Technical Training Centre for Nursing and other Medical Specialities, as part of its overall assistance to the Community, as well as appropriate arrangements for observing "CARICOM--Cuba Day" annually on December 8, will be discussed in the context of improved relations.

Updates in arrangements for the inauguration of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), now likely in the first quarter of 2004, and the region's hosting of the 2007 Cricket World Cup are among "preparations" issues on the packed agenda that is expected to take the leaders late into Friday.

NOTE:
Please use photos of President Jagdeo, Clement Rohee, rudy Insanally, Ralph Gonsalves, Kenny Anthony, and Keith Mitchell

American woman jailed for cocaine in delicacies
AN AMERICAN woman was jailed yesterday for trafficking with a narcotic that was found in delicacies last week.

Karen Sue Chobot, 39, of Lot 710 North Jordon, Allentown, Pennsylvania, in United States (U.S.) was sentenced to three years imprisonment by Principal Magistrate Cecil Sullivan, after she pleaded guilty in the case where the drug was discovered in pholouri, sugar cakes and egg balls at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.

She was also fined $10,000.

Chatraj Boodlall called Shawn, of Lot 61-62 Jacaranda Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown, who is jointly charged with the prisoner, was remanded to custody until today and will make his next appearance in another Court.

He pleaded not guilty to the November 6 offence.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah said the woman prisoner had 2.75 grammes of the drug wrapped in silver foil in the eatables.

She was about to leave the country when busted, the Prosecutor said.

Chobot, accepting guilt, said she would willingly serve the time because she had knowledge of the contents in the suitcases but she denied putting the drug in the food items.

Defendant remanded in another cocaine by post case
RHONDA Bowling, of Lot 27 Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, was refused bail yesterday in another cocaine by post case.

Principal Magistrate Cecil Sullivan, before whom she appeared to answer the trafficking in narcotics charge, remanded her to prison and transferred the case to another Court for today.

It is alleged that the woman tried to post 275 grammes of the drug at the General Post Office (GPO) on November 5.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah said Bowling wanted to send two envelopes to the Philippines by mail but, when searched, the bulky packets were found to contain the drug in storybooks.

Man fined for airport soliciting
A MAN arrested for soliciting commuters at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, was fined on two charges yesterday.

Acting Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen imposed a $5,000 fine with the alternative of two months imprisonment on Leon Barker (no address given) for assaulting policeman Raymond Bacchus and another of $1,000 with a similar alternative, for fetching passengers’ luggage without permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), also on November 9.

Barker pleaded guilty to both offences.

Soesdyke-Linden Highway murder retrial--
Judge conducts voir dire
By George Barclay
JUSTICE Jainarayan Singh has begun hearing a voir dire (a trial within a trial) in the Soesdyke-Linden Highway murder retrial to determine the admissibility of an alleged caution statement that Stafford Robertson made to the Police.

At the hearing yesterday, prosecutor Ms Kim Kyte was attempting to have the statement admitted into evidence through Detective Constable Wesley Kyte, when defence counsel Mr. Hukumchand objected on the grounds that the alleged statement was not obtained freely and voluntarily and was not taken in accordance with the Judges Rules.

As a consequence, Justice Jainarayan Singh sent the mixed jury out of sight and hearing in order to begin the smaller trial to determine the authenticity of the said confession statement.

Robertson is facing a re-trial in which he is accused of the gruesome murder of Clement Dundas on March 14, 2000.

Dundas, who was a caretaker at Sarwan’s Sawmilling Company on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, was said to have known the accused. The two men had once worked together.

Earlier in the trial, Beryl Dundas, the widow of Clement Dundas, had testified that on the morning of her birthday March 14, 2000, her husband had accompanied her to the Highway, where she had caught transportation for the city.

When she returned home later that day she discovered her house ransacked and her husband missing. Her son’s haversack was also missing, she told the judge and jury.

Mrs. Dundas followed strange footprints outside of her house to an unlocked storeroom. There she observed that a water pump and a drill were missing.

When she and others continued following the footprints, she noticed marks in the sand that indicated that an object had been drawn along the track.

On the very track where she saw a pair of slippers and what appeared to be dried bloodstains. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Dundas related, she peeped into the pit of a makeshift well and saw the body of her wounded husband, who appeared to be dead.

After summoning the Police, Mrs. Dundas said that she, and a number of Police personnel, continued following the trail of footprints, which led them to the home of the accused.

Robertson has pleaded not guilty to the charge and is claiming that he is a victim of Police fabrication.

Ms Kim Kyte, associated with Ms Faith Mc Gusty, is prosecuting.

‘Fat Head’ jailed, fined for marijuana possession
SHAWAYNE King alias ‘Fat Head’, 31, was yesterday sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with the alternative of 50 hours community service for possession of three grammes cannabis (marijuana).

Acting Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen also fined him $5,000 and stipulated that, if that fine is not paid, he will spend another month in jail.

The prisoner, of Lot 3281 South Ruimveldt Park, Georgetown, pleaded guilty to the November 9 offence.

Police Inspector Gordon Peters, prosecuting, said cops, acting on information received, searched the porkknocker’s home and found the narcotic under a mattress.

Prisoners Constitutional redress motion--
Benschop’s lawyer granted right to intervene in proceedings
By George Barclay
JUSTICE Jainarayan Singh, who is hearing the Constitutional Motion brought by eight prisoners of the Georgetown jail to prevent the Director for Public Prosecutions (DPP) from listing treason accused Mark Benschop’s case and the cases of other recently committed prisoners for hearing before theirs, yesterday granted Benschop’s lawyer Mr. B.Gibson the right to intervene in the proceedings.

Following the ex parte hearing of the motion, brought by lawyers Ms Priya Manickchand and Mr.Glenn Hanoman on behalf of prisoners Seetal Sookdeo and seven others, Judge Jainarayan Singh had granted a Nisi Order to prohibit the DPP from executing the hearing list as planned, and to replace same with a list to include cases on a first-committed-for-trial basis.

The prisoners are contending that the existing DPP list, which showed Benschop as heading the list for hearing at the present sessions, was a contravention of the applicants’ fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by Articles 40, 139,141, 144 and 149 of the Constitution of Guyana.

Defendants named by the applicants were the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Registrar of the Supreme Court and the Attorney of General, all of whom agreed to file affidavits in answer.

Yesterday. Ms Manickchand alerted the Court that she had only received affidavits in answer in respect to two of the prisoners, and wondered whether this would mean that the other affidavits in respect to the other five prisoners would form part of another proceeding.

Mr. Gibson, who by the Judge’s ruling yesterday, will now have to file an affidavit in answer in relation to the substantive motion, suggested that all the matters should be held together, and declared that he was speaking for the absent lawyers.

Mr. Gibson had filed an affidavit sworn to by Mark Benschop, who had sought to intervene in the matter on the ground that he was an interested person ands that the Nisi Order granted by the Judge would affect him.

Gibson, on the advice of the Judge, filed a summons seeking the right to intervene on behalf of his client.

But after the summons was filed, Ms Manickchand, one of the lawyers for the prisoners, opposed the intervention on the grounds that Benschop did not have the right to intervene. She subsequently filed a summons objecting to the intervention, which summons was heard yesterday.

Justice Singh ruled that Benschop was an interested person and that he had a right to intervene through his lawyer.

Legal pundits have pointed out that since the application to intervene was not a Habeas Corpus motion, the applicant, Benschop, will not be at the hearing when it continues on November 14, at 1.30 p.m.

In his affidavit, Benschop had said, “I am one of the parties directly interested in the Order Nisi of the learned trial Judge although I am not named as one of the respondents in the Notice of Motion.

He added, “That I am charged with the offence of treason and have been incarcerated at the Georgetown Prison since July 15, 2002 when I first appeared before the Chief Magistrate (ag). I was committed on February 26, 2003 by Magistrate Sohan to stand trial for the said offence at the Demerara Assizes and continue to be incarcerated.

That I am advised by my Attorneys-at-law and verily believe that in terms of section 113 of the Criminal Law Offences Act Cap 10:01 my depositions are ready and completed and the first-named respondent has presented my indictment for hearing at the October sessions of the Demerara Assizes and the second-named respondent caused same to be Gazetted in the ‘Official Gazette’ of Saturday September 27, 2003.

That the applicant has no cause nor reason to interfere with my right to a fair trial within a reasonable time.”

The affidavit is claiming that the Order Nisi herein is unlawful having regard to the Constitution more particularly Article 187 where the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions has been created as an independent public authority with power to institute, undertake and carry on criminal proceedings independently.

Benschop also said that he has authorised Mr. Benjamin Gibson and/or Shaun Allicock and/or Ms. Emily Dodson, Attorneys-at-law to act as his attorneys-at-law in the matter.

The Nisi Order was granted to lawyers Priya Manickchand and Mr. Glen Hanoman, who are representing the applicant’s prisoners - Kenneth Richardson, Seetal Sookdeo, and six others.

They are seeking constitutional redress under Article 153 of the Constitution for contravention of their fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by Articles, 40, 139, 141, 144 and 149 of the Constitution of Guyana. They are saying, too, that their rights are being contravened by listing the name of treason accused Mark Benschop as Number One on the hearing list along with other prisoners, who had recently been committed to stand trial in preference to persons who had been awaiting trial for years.

The substantive hearing of the motion is fixed for November 14.

Man jailed for burglaries at Breda Street apartments
DEVON Semple (no address given) was sentenced to six months imprisonment yesterday for breaking and entering two apartments and stealing booty worth $76,900.

Pleading guilty to both charges, before Acting Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen, the prisoner admitted that, between November 8 and 9, he broke and entered the dwellings of Rudolph Yaw and Seon Baston at Lot 80 Breda Street, Georgetown and committed the crimes.

Police Inspector Gordon Peters, prosecuting, said the Yaw family had retired to bed about 22:00 hours (10 pm) when the prisoner entered their home.

Mrs. Yaw was going to the bathroom at 04:00 hours (4 am) and saw Semple with her husband’s pants in his hand but the burglar escaped through a window after she raised an alarm.

Later it was discovered that the convict had stolen a ‘Nokia’ cellular phone worth $19,000 and $54,000 cash.

In the other burglary, Semple stole a wall clock and a radio belonging to Baston while the latter was away visiting his girlfriend.

The virtual complainant was making a report of his loss at the Police station where Semple was questioned and he confessed.

Warrants issued for two in rape, sodomy case
ACTING Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen yesterday issued warrants for two men charged jointly with rape and buggery.

The fugitives from justice, named only as Jose and Hoofung, face the joint indictable charges with Andy Arthur, who was remanded to prison until November 14.

Particulars of the offences said the trio raped and sodomised the 18-year-old victim at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, last October 14.

Police said the virtual complainant had already ended a relationship with Arthur when he pulled her out of a mini-bus, took her to his home and invited the other defendants, by telephone, to participate in the criminal acts.

Sheriff Street shooting…
More evidence taken in Yohance Douglas murder case
ACTING Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen took more evidence yesterday when she continued the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the charge against the policeman accused of murdering University of Guyana (UG) student Yohance Douglas.

One of the witnesses was Lance Corporal John Cummings, who began his testimony last September 21 and faced cross-examination yesterday by Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos, for policeman Mahendra Baijnauth.

The other witness was Police Inspector Deonarine, who completed his evidence-in-chief and was also cross-examined by DeSantos and other attorney-at-law Mr. Compton Richardson, on behalf of policeman Gerald Alonzo.

Deonarine, presently stationed at Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters and attached to the Homicide Squad, was re-examined by State Counsel Jo-Ann Barlow from the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) before the adjournment was taken to November 17.

The charge for the capital offence was slapped on Baijnauth and Alonzo after Douglas was shot dead while travelling in a car along Sheriff Street, Georgetown, last March 1.

Baijnauth alone faces a separate charge of attempting to also kill Ronson Gray, who was among those in the same motor car with Douglas on the tragic day.

Trial of second cocaine in delicacies defendant today
CHATRAJ Boodlall, the man implicated by jailed American Karen Sue Chobot in the cocaine in delicacies case, was further remanded to prison yesterday when he made his second Court appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen.

Boodlall called Shawn, 39, of Lot 61-62 Jacaranda Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown, was jointly charged with the 39-year-old Chobot, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined $10,000 on Monday.

But he pleaded not guilty to trafficking in 2.75 grammes of cocaine that was found in pholouri, sugar cakes and egg balls, amidst Chobot's luggage at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, on November 6.

Boodlall's trial is scheduled to start today.

Chobot, of Lot 710 North Jordon, Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States (U.S.) confessed to the crime before Principal Magistrate Cecil Sullivan Monday when Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah said the narcotic in the eatables was wrapped in silver foil.

Woman charged for cocaine in post further remanded
THE woman who denied trying to post 275 grammes of cocaine to the Philippines made her second Court appearance yesterday.

This time before Acting Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen, who further remanded her to jail until Friday.

Rhonda Bowling, of Lot 27 Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, was also refused bail Monday by Principal Magistrate Cecil Sullivan.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah said the defendant wanted to send two envelopes to the Philippines by mail from the General Post Office (GPO), also in the city.

But, when searched on November 5, the bulky packets were found to contain the narcotic in story books.

Stepfather accused of indecent assault granted bail
ACTING Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen yesterday allowed bail to the man accused of indecently assaulting his 10-year-old stepdaughter.

On his second Court appearance yesterday, Natiram Gopaul, of Lot 53 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, was ordered to post $45,000 surety and the case was transferred to Leonora Court, West Coast Demerara, for December 2.

Gopaul was denied pre-trial liberty when he first appeared in front of Mrs Holder-Allen on November 5 and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Police are alleging that the defendant put the child to sit on his legs when they were alone at home and fondled her.

GDF flagship drug bust case rescheduled to tomorrow
THE absence of Defence Counsel Vic Puran caused the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the charges that followed the Army flagship drug bust not to continue yesterday.

Magistrate Maxwell Edwards rescheduled the continuation for tomorrow.

In the case, Wayne Inniss, of Lot 130 Lamaha Springs, Georgetown and Shandy Stephens, of Lot 118 Dacama Circle, Mackenzie, Linden, are jointly charged with conspiracy to traffick in 60 kilogrammes 681 grammes of cannabis (marijuana) between May 1 and 11 this year.

Inniss alone faces a separate charge of trafficking the same amount of marijuana by exporting it.

The drug was discovered on the 'GDFS Essequibo' when the naval vessel docked in Barbados to participate in the Caribbean regional 'Exercise Tradewinds',

The ex-soldiers, who remain remanded prisoners, were dishonourably discharged from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) after an internal probe and handed over to Police for the criminal investigation.

They were originally charged summarily but, last August 12, the DPP instituted the present charges and the others were put down sine die (indefinitely).

State Counsel Paula Gilford and Simone Bullen from the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions Office (DPP) are conducting the case for the Prosecution.

Police charge two with $1.6M Corentyne heist
POLICE have charged two men with the $1.6M heist committed on the driver of a beverages delivery vehicle last week.

Lloyd Cort, 36, a mason of Rose Hall town and Ronald Cumberbatch, 40, (no address given) appeared before Principal Magistrate Krishendat Persaud in New Amsterdam Court on Monday.

Both defendants denied involvement in the November 4 robbery during which Jaggewan Sukdeo, an employee of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) was robbed of $1,650,000 along Fyrish Road.

Cort was ordered to post $500,000 bail and Cumberbatch $300,000.

Police alleged that the duo traced the victim from Heathburn, East Bank Berbice to Fyrish, where he was stopped and relieved of cash and jewellery.

The case will be called again for report on November 18, in Albion Court, also at Corentyne, Berbice.

Ballistics expert testifies in Police outpost murder case
THE preliminary inquiry (PI) into the murder charge against the ex-cop accused of killing his lover continued Monday before Principal Magistrate Krishendat Persaud in New Amsterdam Court.

Police ballistics expert, Corporal Eon Jackson gave evidence and the pre-trial proceedings were adjourned to November 24.

Former Special Constabulary member Norman Mitchell was charged with the capital offence following the shooting death of the victim, Hemwattie Woati Paramsook, in the Lewis Manor Police outpost, along Corentyne highway, in Berbice, too, last June 23.

Fine, community service ordered for marijuana possession
BRENTNOL Williams, 40, of Rose Hall town, Corentyne, was yesterday fined $10,000 with the alternative of six weeks imprisonment for being in possession of cannabis (marijuana).

In addition, Magistrate Chandra Sohan ordered the defendant to do two weeks community service.

Williams pleaded guilty to the offence at New Amsterdam Court, also in Berbice.

Police said he was acting suspiciously in the town where he lives and a November 5 search of his pants pockets yielded two grammes of the narcotic.

Accused Berbice armed robber refused bail
PRINCIPAL Magistrate Krishendat Persaud yesterday refused bail to Raymond La Fleur, 27, of Lot 57 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, who is charged on five counts of robbery under arms.

The defendant was remanded overnight and will re-appear at Reliance Court, Corentyne, today to face the allegation that he and an accomplice robbed businessman Shameer Mohammed of G$800,000 and US$1,000 at his Cumberland, Canje residence last September 13.

Other charges against La Fleur said he and others committed a similar crime in the October 19 robbery of George and Joyce La Rose and their son, Orson, at their Vryman's Erven business place and residence in New Amsterdam.

The La Rose family lost US$11,280 and G$175,000, the Court heard before adjourning the case to November 21, for attention again at New Amsterdam Court, in Berbice, as well.

'Development' efforts must be ongoing
With the rapid development and expansion of commerce and industry in the country, it was necessary to ensure that the environment is carefully protected for sustainability and that strong emphasis is placed on natural resource management.

This meant that the Environmental Protection Agency had to be strengthened to have more effective regulations, standards, codes, practices and technical guidelines.

There had to be a systematic approach to the environment and to the building of national awareness through education and ongoing capacity-building programmes.

This includes focusing on dealing with the problem of solid waste disposal and environmental assessments of landfill sites and the introduction and enforcement of general pollution management regulations.

Although a lot has been done so far, efforts have to be ongoing to deal effectively with continually developing problems.
Yours faithfully,
Simone Jones

'We have arrived' letter very debatable
The letter "We have arrived!" by S.S.S. in your Monday, November 10 edition is very interesting - and very debatable.

The writer did not spell out his or her name apparently because he or she preferred to keep a low profile, or because he or she suspected that he/she would be labeled as being naïve - a person who was out of touch with the grassroots/public perception of what is of great importance to them at any particular time.

My response nonetheless!

It seems to me that Third World decision-makers, or political leaders, or policymakers, whichever is applicable, basically carry a socialist line when it comes to divulging information to the public.

They come on to us with a "father knows best" mentality, convinced that what they think we should know is what we should know because that is best for us - even though they publicly declare that Guyanese are wise and capable enough to make intelligent decisions.

In effect, what the people at the top are actually saying is that we are intelligent ONLY if we read, listen to and accept what they believe we should be informed about. It's like we must have access to information that they think we should have, not information that we know we want!

I agree with S.S.S. that information about what the Government is doing is important. People always want to know what their Government is doing. And if the Government is responsible for managing the State media, then there can be no quarrel that the Government is going to insist that the State media carry what in its estimation we need to know.

But look at the results. According to an editorial in Kaieteur News about two weeks ago, the Chronicle is the lowest-selling daily or national newspaper in the country.

It is obvious that readers are buying more of the other two newspapers than of the Chronicle because the people, not the Government, reserve the right to make the final decision about what they want as against what the Government wants them to have.

If we are truly in a democracy where freedom of information is an inalienable right, then there should be no hypocritical fuss over our exercising of the right to information of our choice.

Many people communicate with their relatives afar through the media. Many people in faraway rural or hinterland areas do not have easy access to a postal service or they simply don't like writing to their families on the other side of Guyana.

Also, many people do not have electricity, so a television set is of little use unless they can afford to buy a solar panel or a generator or a battery.

The alternative, then, is a newspaper or a radio that works with pen-torch batteries.

Whenever a shooting or a robbery or an accident occurs, people naturally are desperate to know where this incident took place, who were involved, how badly the victims were affected, and what was or is being done as a form of redress. If the incident or accident occurred in an area where their relatives dwell, you can imagine how anxious they would be to read or hear about that incident or accident.

Is S.S.S. saying that giving these anxious relatives information about a bridge being repaired or about a speech a Minister delivered is more important to them than knowing something about how their far-away, traumatized relatives were making out? Or that reading about a repaired bridge costing millions of dollars would erase their anxiety and grief over their hurting relatives?

Com on, S.S. S., wake up!

Some politicians are under the impression that even in this party-polarized country, their supporters will lose faith in them and vote for the opposing party if they hear about a shooting that may involve a relative or friend or colleague, instead of a turning-the-sod ceremony! Nonsense!

If politicians know their constituencies, they would know that the opposite is true.

I must say in closing that I honestly believe that if people at the top are serious about making us want to vote for them again and again, keeping the so-called "bad" or "negative" news from us is not the answer. They can turn all this "evil into good" by showing us again and again what the Government is doing to prevent bandits from kidnapping, murdering, robbing, and/or raping people.

I like reading about developments taking place in the country because my relatives abroad ask me about these things all the time. But they also ask me for details of a crime when they hear about it.

I think it is unwise to duck or hide or minimize something that is all over the place and that people will get to know about eventually. People would resent whoever does that. On the other hand, they would admire and respect those who tell it like it is and let them, the people, decide for themselves what it is they want.
Yours faithfully,
Dennis Singh

We're concerned about crime-associated violent incidents
Women Against Violence Everywhere (WAVE) is concerned at the number of violent incidents that have been reported in the press recently. We note that much of the violence has been associated with crime. We also note that many of the incidents involve women being murdered by their (ex) husbands/partners. We are heartened that Minister Shadick has made a public statement acknowledging this and pledging to address the issue.

WAVE would also like to comment on the recent case in which a 20-year old man and an 11-year old girl committed suicide. While we regret that two such young people died in such a senseless and tragic way, we are appalled at the way this item has been reported. Many reports including Stabroek News, Chronicle and Kaieteur News reports refer to Amanda Hernandez and Zaheer Williams as "the couple" "lovers" or "sweethearts". Since Amanda was only 11-years old it was illegal for an adult to have been involved in a sexual relationship with her. Since she was only 11-years old, she was not emotionally ready to be involved in a romantic relationship. If Amanda and Zaheer were sexually involved then she was being raped. If they were not, then by his own admission Zaheer was pursuing a "romantic" relationship with her.

At worst this was a situation where an 11-year old child was raped and then either voluntarily or under coercion committed suicide. At best an 11-year old child was preyed upon by an adult male and either voluntarily or under coercion committed suicide. Either scenario is unacceptable.

Calling Amanda and Zaheer a couple/lovers/sweethearts legitimizes an inappropriate or illegal relationship between an adult and a child.

It is tragic that family members, neighbours and friends who were aware of the situation either did not know where to turn to for help or chose to do nothing rather than contact the police and try to seek counselling for Zaheer and Amanda so that this senseless tragedy might have been prevented.
Sincerely,
The women of WAVE

We have to hold our own
In spite of our many successes in the face of many difficulties, we must continue to strive to develop our economy by optimizing the benefits from our traditional sectors such as sugar, rice, forestry and fishing as well as mining, while at the same time continuing with our diversification, developing new activities and fully benefiting from Information Technology.

In these days of globalization and trade liberalization, we have to hold our own with our competitors by providing a wide variety of products of the highest quality.

This is necessary to keep improving the standard of living and quality of life of our people and keep providing opportunities and jobs for the growing number of young people graduating from our schools.

Yours faithfully,
Rodney Rambarran

This Guyana Prize rule is flawed
This letter is for the Guyana Prize Management Committee and the government of Guyana. After much effort, I recently acquired a copy of the 2002 flyer for the Guyana Prize for Literature. It contains an undemocratic and repressive rule which states that only locally based writers are allowed to submit manuscripts for the poetry, fiction, and first book (of poetry and fiction) categories. Outsiders must submit books. I assume that this was created to accommodate our writers in light of the absence of a publishing industry in Guyana. However, this rule is discriminatory because it assumes that writers beyond our 83,000 square miles have easy access to publishing houses, regardless of where they reside or publishing costs, the available markets for certain writing genres, and migration.

Guyanese writers living in the Caribbean also suffer from a lackluster publishing industry. A Guyanese writing in a Suriname village has no more access to publishing a book than a Guyanese in Mahaica Creek. Although one of the "objectives" of the Prize (see flyer) is to "stimulate" interest in creative writing "among Guyanese in particular and Caribbean writers in general," ("Caribbean writer" here means a Guyanese national by birth or naturalization who resides in the Caribbean) the book-only rule prevents them from reasonable access to fair entry. In other words, we encourage overseas entries but limit the number with red-tape policies that place undue burden on outside writers.

Many Guyanese in North America and Europe who engage in creative writing but who are not writers by profession, have never been published. Few people have a poem or two in a magazine, and it's never recognized literary magazine like the Paris Review or Granta. General publishing is expensive and unless one's writing is excellent enough to be picked up by a major publishing house such as Knopf, or one is a professor eligible for grants/endowments, one must pay to publish with a subsidiary publisher. This explains why many oversea-based "winners" like Dr. Dabydeen happen to be professor-writers, because they have easier access to publishing their "books." This is not the same for most people.

In general, some genres (type) like poetry and scripts for plays are almost nonexistent. There's no profit margin; even big names like Walcott do not sell as before. Further, the poor state of the publishing worldwide has forced acquisition editors to sign less book contacts, and lagging national/state economies have reduced financial help to university presses. Private/small presses are charging more to publish, because they are getting less "gifts" from wealthy families or foundations. So, expecting writers to submit books simply because they live overseas is inconsiderate, far-fetched, and stifling.

This rule fails to acknowledge the consequences of migration which writers are not immune to. What happens when a writer migrates two months before she could submit her "manuscript" locally? Her writings become invalid once Universal takes off at Timehri. If it has the potential of becoming a masterpiece, the public simply will never know.

By restricting writers this rule reduces the total number of submissions possible, and thus affects the diversity and the quality of writings we should be seeing. Instead of advancing literary creativity ("reward and award outstanding work," from flyer), it fosters a false sense of literary excellence among local "winners." Fewer submissions from outside Guyana gives a local writer a clear advantage of being "winner" in a shrunken pool of submissions, and at the expense of improving literature at large.

If this is the intention of those who masterminded this rule, then it is based on the treachery of overt national bias and money, making the Prize a financial venture to fill the pockets of local writers. This will continue to backfire for quality literature cannot be brought into being as bureaucrats are bribed in being. We will celebrate books that will be dismissed easily if taken just a few miles across the Brazilian or Venezuelan borders. Literature will not tolerate self-praise and national pampering or undue suppression. Freedom of _expression is less a freedom to speak and more a freedom to be heard, as is demonstrated by the deafness of our political leaders. Writers should not be silenced because of a typeface, paper stock, or ink color.

I believe the public is unaware of this rule. I do not believe the public would refuse (given our need to revive our reading and writing and literary cultures) our relatives and friends overseas from showing us their poems and stories simply because theses are on sheets of paper. This ought to be questioned by Stabroek News in its "What the people think column," with proper explanation. Further, people in Guyana who claim they're interested in having serious literature should speak out on this rule, for while the best of literature may preach ultimate self-destruction, only the worse encourages self-destruction at its beginning. We should create rules sensibly based on all our conditions, and not adopt rules more fitting for developed countries. Literary revival requires that we start small and grow big, not think big and remain small. I look forward to this rule being struck down.

I thank Ms. Althea Dover at the Faculty of Arts at UG, Mr. Kojo McPherson, editor of the Guyana Christmas Annual 2003, and a government worker whose name I cannot mention in light of possible democratic retribution from our democratic government, for their assistance in getting this flyer.
Regards,
Rakesh Rampertab

The rebuilding continues
The re-building, building and expansion of the infrastructure continues; not only in the main population centres, but also throughout the length and breadth of the country.

The provision of infrastructure while increasing the comfort and convenience of the people also provides a base for investments - providing what is sometimes referred to as social capital.

Guyana has spent a tremendous amount of money on the infrastructure and has also provided increased employment and opportunities for small, medium and large investors.

Regions have been and are being linked by roads, making it possible to transport goods by land rather than by air, which is far more expensive. This will result in lower prices especially for those in more remote or hinterland areas.

A great deal has been done in a comparatively short time.
Yours faithfully,
Joseph Williams

Ms. Gibson's book as a treacherous denial...
Permit me to kill three birds with one stone as they say in common Guyanese parlance. This will ease the effort of my having to pen three letters. I will like to devote a critical note on each of three statements made in the press recently.

First, the Stabroek editorial on Keane Gibson's book: It is a well-outlined, intellectual dismissal of both the main argument of and methodology used in the book. But there is a wide gap that ought to have been plugged by the editorial and there have been larger editorials than this one so space constraint was not an excuse. Stabroek missed the motive of Ms. Gibson for writing the book. Ms. Gibson is definitively saying that since 1992, when the PPP came to power, there was a planned regime of anti-African violence. When you read this exclamation there is no anxiety. The worrying moment comes when Gibson denies the other side of the coin, and that is that since 1997, there has been a systematic and relentless regime of anti-Indian violence. And this formation has led to the birth of two Indian rights groups, GIFT and GIHA. Both of these groups have a larger claim to proving anti-Indian violence than Ms. Gibson's record of the existence of anti-African violence.

Her denial of a planned violent anti-Indian platform is best exemplified when she says that ACDA is a body that seeks racial understanding but GIFT is ensconced in an ideology of racial domination. Here is a group that says our people are being killed and we need to speak out against it. Ms.