Grove midday blaze guts two houses, leaves 20 homeless
By Shirwin Campbell
OVER 20 residents of Grove, East Bank Demerara, are now homeless following a fire, which gutted two houses and partially damaged two others, leaving in its wake losses totalling millions of dollars just around midday yesterday.

The old, wooden buildings, each in close proximity to the other, proved ample fuel for the blaze, which moved quickly consuming everything in its path. Windy conditions helped to fan the noontime flames into a raging inferno.

Firemen encountered difficulties when their water supply was exhausted, and were forced to head for the Demerara River after they failed to break open a water main, one eyewitness told the Chronicle.

The management of Banks DIH Ltd assisted with a water tender after hearing of the disaster, and several Banks DIH employees also lent their services to the residents and firefighters.

The fire is reported to have originated at Lot 123 Post Office Street, Grove, but no one was able to explain how the blaze started.

Mr Kemraj Persaud, who resided at 124 Post Office Street, told the Chronicle that he was relaxing in his hammock and keeping an eye on his shop, when he heard shouts of "Fire! Fire!"

Persaud related that he then ran across to his neighbour's building, and saw flames. He pointed out, that efforts by residents to break into the building proved futile, and the intense heat and angry flames forced everyone to beat a hasty retreat.

The man added that he ran back on the road just in time to see the flaming building collapse onto his house. Within seconds, he said, his home was engulfed by the inferno.

Persaud's wife Chandra told this newspaper that the family lost all their possessions in the blaze. Nothing was saved, she lamented tearfully.

She added that she had $100,000 and an undisclosed amount of jewellery in her home.

The woman explained that shortly before the fire, she left her home to pay her electricity bill. While returning home, she noticed the smoke. The several persons in the village told her that her home was on fire. Filled with dread, Chandra ran into Post Office Street screaming.

After the fire was put out, Chandra and her family tried in vain to locate the jewellery. The family is wondering whether looters made off with their valuables.

According to the woman, several persons ran into her home offering to assist her as the fire started to lick the side of her house. She said that they broke the bedroom window in case the fire cut off their exit at the front stairs. They then ransacked her bedroom making off with gold bands, rings, chains, earrings and $28,000 in cash.

To Narine, the loss was insignificant since she is alive, and her home is more or less still intact.

"My husband died years ago and left the house for me. I ent know what would happen if it did burn down," she added.

Ms. Narine, who is employed at Noble House Seafoods, related that she was at home at the time of the fire because she was unwell.

However, her neighbour Ms Claudette Scott, who also works at Noble House Seafoods, was at work when the fire struck and she was not so fortunate.

The grief-stricken woman collapsed on the road when she saw what remained of her worldly possessions. She refused to be comforted and had to be carried by friends into a neighbour's yard.

Her husband Mr Andrew Scott was too distraught himself to comfort her. He simply leaned on the fence and stared in disbelief at what was once his home.

"I have lost everything," Scott said, "everything".

He told the Chronicle that he was alerted by a phone call, and rushed from his place of work to see his home reduced to a smoking shell.

He listed among their losses, a refrigerator, CD player, television set and VCR, stove, beds, wardrobe and other items. Important documents including passports were all destroyed, he related.

The father of three explained that he is still paying for some furnishings bought by hire-purchase.

The Sukdeo family escaped with minor damage to the walls and roof of their home. The Banks DIH employee, who recently built his home, was grateful to the Fire Service and Banks DIH in containing and extinguishing the fire.

Greene heads list of 221 police promotions
ASSISTANT Commissioner Henry Greene, (DSM) heads the 2004 list of promotions in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in which 221 officers and subordinate officers have been elevated in rank.

He is among five new Deputy Commissioners announced. The others are Assistant Commissioner Sydney Bunbury, DSM; Assistant Commissioner Edward Wills, DSM; Assistant Commissioner. Leon Trim, DSM; and Assistant Commissioner Mohamed Jameer, DSM. Mr. Jameer has been promoted to the rank of Supernumerary Deputy Commissioner.

The latter has already resigned and his appointment took effect from January 1, 2001 to November 30, 2003.

The approval for the appointment of the five new Deputy Commissioners was granted by President Bharrat Jagdeo in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Disciplined Services.

The remaining 206 promotions, which were approved by the newly constituted Police Service Commission (PSC), comprise: seven (7) as Assistant Commissioners; 16 as Senior Superintendents; 25 as Superintendents; 17 as Deputy Superintendents; three (3) as Assistant Superintendents; 37 as Assistant Superintendents; four (4) as Assistant Superintendents on Probation; 15 as Chief Inspectors; 77 as Inspectors and eight (8) as Cadet Officers.

There are also two (2) new Superintendents; two (2) Deputy Superintendents; two (2) new Assistant Superintendents and one (1) Inspector in the Special Constabulary.

Following is the complete list of promotions.

As Deputy Commissioner

i) Assistant Commissioner Henry Greene, DSM

As Supernumerary Deputy Commissioner from 2001-01-01 to 2003-11-30

Assistant Commissioner Mohamed Jameer, DSM

The following appointment have been approved by the Police Service Commission:

As Assistant Commissioner

i) Senior Superintendent Ivelaw Whittaker

ii) Senior Superintendent Clinton Conway

iii) Senior Superintendent Malvin Glasgow, DSM

iv) Senior Superintendent Letelle De Jonge, DSM

v) Senior Superintendent Philbert Adams, DSM

vi) Senior Superintendent Krishna Lekhraj

vii) Senior Superintendent Keith John

As Senior Superintendent

1) Superintendent Ronald Stuart

2) W/Superintendent Paulette Morrison

3) Superintendent Leroy Brumell

4) Superintendent. Carl Roberts

5) Superintendent Lloyd Hutson

6) W/Superintendent Vesta Adams

7) Superintendent Heeralall Makhanlall

8) W/Superintendent Alicia Crum-Ewing

9) Superintendent Welton Trotz

10) Superintendent Balram Persuad

11) Superintendent Samuel Thomas

12) Superintendent Clifford Peters

13) Superintendent Fred Wilson

14) Superintendent Seelall Persaud

15) Superintendent Michael Harlequin

16) Superintendent Stephen Collins

As Superintendent

1) Deputy Superintendent Ingrid Harvey

2) Deputy Superintendent Stephen Jarvis

3) Deputy Superintendent Haim Persaud

4) Deputy Superintendent Ivan Walters

5) Deputy Superintendent Kenwin Hope

6) Deputy Superintendent George Fraser

7) Deputy Superintendent Gordon Gilhuys

8) Deputy Superintendent Richard Oliver

9) Assistant Superintendent Clementius Ross

10) Assistant Superintendent Mark Gilbert

11) W/Assistant Superintendent Tessa Isaacs

12) Assistant Superintendent Michael Young

13) Assistant Superintendent Gavin Primo

14) Assistant Superintendent Rolland Alleyne

15) Assistant Superintendent Ulric Atkinson

16) Assistant Superintendent Rupert Hinds

17) Assistant Superintendent Phillip Armstrong

18) Assistant Superintendent Michael Sullivan

19) Assistant Superintendent Trevor Husbands

20) Assistant Superintendent Nolan Hendricks

21) Assistant Superintendent George Vyphuis

22) Assistant Superintendent David Ramnarine

23) Assistant Superintendent Louis Crawford

24) Assistant Superintendent Edgar Thomas

25) Assistant Superintendent Cortland Gordon

As Deputy Superintendent
1) W/Assistant Superintendent Desiree Theobald

2) Assistant Superintendent Alfred Paul

3) Assistant Superintendent Daniel Bovell

4) Assistant Superintendent Kelvin Ross

5) Assistant Superintendent Eustace Trotman

6) Assistant Superintendent Dennis Pompey

7) Assistant Superintendent Royton Benn

8) Assistant Superintendent Kenrick Maynard

9) W/Assistant Superintendent Camille Mentore

10) Assistant Superintendent Simon Mc Bean

11) Assistant Superintendent Vibert Lawson

12) W/Assistant Superintendent Claire Jarvis

13) Assistant Superintendent Deryck Grosvenor

14) Assistant Superintendent Ivan Daniels

15) Assistant Superintendent Eric Liverpool

16) Assistant Superintendent Evan Graham

17) Assistant Superintendent Colin West

Confirmation of Assistant Superintendent
1) Assistant Superintendent Rawle Bacchus

2) Assistant Superintendent Trevor Sampson

3) Assistant Superintendent Lawrence Kissoon

As Assistant Superintendent
1) W/Inspector Desiree Mc Donald

2) Chief Inspector Paul Walker

3) Inspector Wayne Jackson

4) Inspector Winston Benjamin

5) Inspector Christopher Griffith

6) Inspector Horace Bovell

7) Inspector John Huhges

8) Inspector Dennis Haynes

9) Inspector Malcolm Nedd

10) Inspector David Simon

11) Inspector John Sauers

12) Inspector Charles Alleyne

13) Inspector Wreford Johnson

14) Inspector Trenton Roach

15) Inspector Dennis Horatio

16) Inspector Richard Emptage

17) W/Inspector Morlene Nedd

18) Inspector Courtney Ramsay

19) Inspector Gilbert Nancooten

20) Inspector Edward Mc Cammon

21) Inspector George Richards

22) W/Inspector Mona Slowe

23) Inspector Cleveland Jordan

24) Inspector Keith Knights

25) W/Inspector Ann Thompson

26) Inspector Joseph Clarkson

27) Inspector John Daniels

28) Inspector Paul Kawall

29) Inspector Leslie Daniels

30) W/Inspector Carol Lewis

31) Inspector Winston Cosbert

32) Inspector Derrick Josiah

33) Inspector Terrence Alleyne

34) Inspector Esther Griffith

35) Inspector Godfrey Wray

36) Inspector Owen Trotz

37) Inspector Brian Joseph

38) Inspector Marilyn Garnett

As Assistant Superintendent on Probation
1) Sergeant 13989 Nigel Hoppie

2) Sergeant 13527 Paul Langevine

3) Sergeant 17114 Royston Andries-Junior

4) Sergeant 16158 Phillip Azore

As Chief Inspector
1) Inspector Clifton Smith

2) Inspector Gordon Peters

3) Inspector Horton James

4) W/Inspector Anita Levans

5) Inspector Louis Goulding

6) Inspector Arlington Jacobs

7) Inspector Yazid Raheim

8) Inspector Lloyd Smith

9) W/Inspector Patricia Robinson

10) Inspector Keith Bristol

11) W/Inspector Marva Clements

12) Inspector George Laundry

13) Inspector Horace Bagot

14) Inspector Lawrence Rogers

15) Inspector Gerald Rogers

As Inspector
1) Sergeant 9835 Johnson

2) Station Sergeant 9729 Coates

3) Sergeant 8407 Schultz

4) Sergeant 9642 Ross

5) Sergeant 12302 Boyce

6) Sergeant 10290 Lynch

7) Sergeant 9407 Goodman

8) Station Sergeant 8507 Lashley

9) Sergeant 11642 Lowe

10) W/Sergeant 12336 La Fleur

11) Station Sergeant 9671 Tyndall

12) Sergeant 0927 Castello

13) Sergeant 10186 Williams

14) Sergeant 9710 Wilson

15) Sergeant 0650 Noble

16) Sergeant 12622 Thomas

17) W/Sergeant 0861 Whinfield

18) Station Sergeant 10585 Thomas

19) W/Sergeant 11096 Fowler

20) Station Sergeant 0870 Albert

21) Sergeant 12098 Harvey

22) W/Sergeant 12014 Vaughn

23) Sergeant 10384 Doris

24) W/Sergeant 311 Cadogan

25) Sergeant 8307 Fraser

26) Sergeant 10056 Abell

27) W/Sergeant 0850 Hutson

28) Sergeant 11499 Payne

29) Sergeant 10247 Adams

30) Sergeant 11912 Vieira

31) Sergeant 0751 Nieuenkirk

32) Sergeant 0993 Cummings

33) Sergeant 0962 Reid

34) Sergeant 10985 Henry

35) Sergeant 13825 Lowenfield

36) Sergeant 11645 Alves

37) Sergeant 12473 Rodney

38) Sergeant 10209 Chalmers

39) W/Sergeant 11316 Trotz

40) Sergeant 9409 Graham

41) Sergeant 0578 Crawford

42) Sergeant 10653 Semple

43) W/Sergeant 14659 Lewis

44) Sergeant 9137 Lewis

45) Sergeant 11185 Trotz

46) Sergeant 11489 Springer

47) W/Sergeant 13367 Yarris

48) Sergeant 12045 Manbodh

49) W/Sergeant 13366 Wilshire

50) Sergeant 10255 Charles

51) W/Sergeant 12391 Henry

52) W/Sergeant 11302 Clements

53) W/Sergeant 13799 Schwartz

54) Sergeant 12596 Davis

55) Sergeant 10317 Fraser

56) Sergeant 0581 Charles

57) W/Sergeant 14152 Sancho

58) Sergeant 12473 Denny

59) Sergeant 10096 Barrow

60) Sergeant 9672 Wilson

61) Sergeant 14309 Denhert

62) Sergeant 13153 Hall

63) Sergeant 10910 Trotman

64) Sergeant 12452 Chapman

65) W/Sergeant 0672 Morrison

66) Sergeant 11093 Pestino-Belle

67) Sergeant 11951 Jessamy

68) Sergeant 10279 Sandy

69) Sergeant 12300 Anthony

70) W/Sergeant 12197 Thorington

71) Sergeant 14141 Hickens

72) Sergeant 13203 Browne

73) Sergeant 13949 Williams

74) Sergeant 13715 James

75) Sergeant 13457 Soloman

76) Sergeant 15926 Shivdat

77) W/Sergeant 184 Edwards

As Cadet Offices
1) Sergeant 17043 Henry

2) Corporal 17895 Wilson

3) Corporal 18094 Pareshram

4) Constable 18649 Dookie

5) Constable 18772 Mascoll

6) Constable 18783 Eastman

7) Corporal 17305 Simon

8) Lance Corporal 17815 Mandall

Appointment of the Special Constabulary

As Superintendent

Mr. Letelle De Jonge, DSM

Mr. Frederick Caesar, DSM

As Deputy Superintendent
Mr. Dempsy Jervis

Mr. Vibert Smith

As Assistant Superintendent

Mr. Royston Adams

Mr. Eustace John

As Inspector
Mr. Edward Nichols

Consumer price index shows downward trend
THE downward trend in the overall price level which was noted in November last year continued in the month of December, where the Urban (Georgetown) Consumer Price Index (CPI) registered a further decline of 0.4% for the month of December, 2003.

According to a statement from the Bureau of Statistics, which examined the CPI for December 2003, the index value which stood at 185.0 in the month of November declined to 184.3 for the month of December.

Accordingly, a 0.5% annual inflation rate has been recorded when the index of December 2002 is compared with the index at December 2003.

The Bureau of Statistics contended that though December is the peak month for buying and selling during the festive season of Christmas, the fall in price levels during December were undoubtedly influenced by a number of factors.

Firstly, it said food prices registered a 1.2% decline, and with the food group being the highest weighted category in the basket of goods and services, its impact on the overall downward price trend was significant.

The Bureau also said substantial price decreases were recorded in the sub-categories of Vegetables and Vegetable Products (-13.7%). Fruits and Fruit Products (-2.7%) - while Cereal and Cereal products declined marginally by -0.2%. Though increases were recorded in the sub-categories of Meat, Fish and Eggs (2.7%), Condiments and Spices (2.4%), Alchoholic Beverages (2.0%) and Oils and Fats (1.0%), these did not reverse the overall downward price movement in prices for the Food Group.

The second factor to note in the decline of price levels for December was the high level of competition among vendors of both food and other consumer items. The Christmas season was noted for the special offers and bargains put out by the scores of competing vendors and this competition in no little way exerted first a stabilizing and then downward pull in prices in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

The third factor is that the pay out of salary increases came for the most after the December 15 and this caused a partial dampening of demand during the early part of the month of December.

Moreover, the seasonal trend of increased purchases in some consumer items which are noted for the traditional increased demand at Christmas were reflected in price increases in Building Materials (0.4%), Domestic Gas (1.3%). Restaurant Services (0.8%), Footwear and Repairs (0.3%), Housing (0.2%) and Transport and Communication (0.1%).

These price increases, however, did not reverse or alter the downward prices pressures exerted by the food group, which led to the overall decline of 0.4% in the prices for the month of December. (Mark Ramotar)

Berbicians want Ramjattan to vacate parliamentary seat
MEMBERS of the People's Progressive Party's regional committees and activists of Crabwood Creek to Mara, East Bank, Berbice, have moved a resolution in support of the party's Executive Committee's decision to expel Khemraj Ramjattan for breach of party rules.

The resolution also urged the party's Executive Committee to "take all necessary steps" to ensure Khemraj Ramjattan vacates the Parliamentary seat of our party that he is now illegally and immorally holding on to."

Moved by members of the Regional Committees who are elected by party groups in East Berbice, the resolution reads: "Whereas the Executive Committee in its disciplinary capacity has on several occasions sought to convince and persuade Khemraj Ramjattan to end public attacks on the party, the leaders of the party and the Government and end all infractions of party rules.

"Whereas Khemraj Ramjattan, when he issued his public statement of February 10, 2004, accused the General Secretary and by extension the entire Central Committee, of spreading falsehood, he knowingly and deliberately broke party rules and commitments given to the Executive Committee on February 6, 2004. That is, to conform to the rules of the party.

"Be it therefore resolved that members of the party's Regional Committees and Activists of Regions 1 & 2 (Crabwood Creek to Mara, East Bank, Berbice), support the Executive Committee's decision of Friday, February 13 to expel Khemraj Ramjattan."

calypso finals `
Calypsonians gearing for finals in Bartica
NINE calypsonians will challenge reigning Calypso monarch Vivian "the Mighty VJ" Jordan for his title when the curtains on the 2004 Mash Calypso Competition comes down on Friday at Bartica.

The nine contenders are the Mighty Voter with "Walk de walk", the Mighty Rebel with "My Experience", Young Bill Rogers with "De Country Sick", Tempest with "Don't Dis my Ability", Ras Marcus with "Go Fuh Cup", Winfield James with "Unity is the key to Prosperity", Calypso Stella with "You got to sing", Mighty Eddie "A" with "Woe to El Dorado" and Lord Canary with "A Woman is a Woman".

This year's competition is considered one of the most competitive in years.

The Mighty Black Hat, a regular qualifier for the finals, was eliminated, while newcomer Eddie "A" advances to the final.

Ras Marcus, known for allegedly contentious songs, has moved smoothly into the finals with "Go Fuh Cup", a crowd favourite.

Marcus is considered a strong contender for the crown, which VJ has held on to for two successive years. His song this year is "I will resign".

The reigning monarch will for the first time perform his piece in public when he takes to the stage Friday to defend his title. The song is however being played daily on the airwaves.

'Guyana on Show' at B'dos trade fair
GINA - TWO representatives of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) will soon travel to Barbados to attend a trade fair scheduled for February 27 to 29 at the Grand Barbados Beach Resort, Bridgetown.

The representatives are Chairman Brian James and Marketing Manager Indranauth Harasingh.

The title of the exhibition is 'Guyana on Show' and it focuses on eco-tourism, wood and wood products, seafoods, fresh and processed foods, handicraft and furniture, among other things.

The event emphasizes all products that are grown and manufactured in Guyana.

The trip is sponsored by the Guyana Office for Investment (GO INVEST) in collaboration with Guyana's Honorary Council in Barbados, the Barbados Manufacturing Association and the Barbados Chamber of Commerce.

Barbados is one of Guyana's key Caribbean markets for manufactured and grown products.

It is estimated that approximately 22,000 to 28,000 Guyanese reside in Barbados.

Guyana will host a similar trade fair for Barbados to showcase that country's products here.

Analyst Dept. deems abortion drug 'dangerous'
THE Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD) is informing healthcare providers and the general public that preparations containing mifepristone are not registered for use on the local market.

"This drug is used for ending early pregnancy, that is, for abortions. Its most important side-effect is severe bleeding which may be experienced by some women (and) misuse of mifepristone that may result in complications that may require hospitalization," an advisory from the GAFDD stated.

The advisory said that due to the potential for abuse and misuse discussions were held with the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health and the Guyana Medical Council and the following has been agreed upon:

** that the drug be treated as a Dangerous Drug

** that the drug should not be available to pharmacies, but should only be sold to fully registered medical practitioners or authorized institutions according to the Medical termination of Pregnancy Act

** that physicians and institutions that procure this drug keep a scrupulous record of all patients on whom the drug is used and quantities thereof

** that under no circumstances is the drug to be sold to a third party

** that physicians and institutions seeking to procure the drug do so by way of written declaration as is in the case of other Dangerous Drugs.

The Department said it is counting on the cooperation of all pharmacists, medical practitioners, importers, distributors, and the public in general to adhere to the above in order to protect the health of local women.

Here’s what they’re saying
The new Police Commissioner
Mr. Winston Felix, former Deputy Commissioner of Police, was on Monday formally sworn in as Commissioner of Police.

We hope that he does not change, since any change we will accept from him would only be a change for the better.

5) AMO - Businessman: The new Commissioner will do what he has to do, and do what is possible to do as regards crime in this country. If he does the right thing, then everything will go good in this country. People are on the streets getting rob every single day and there are many violent crimes taking place. We want our streets to be safe once more. We want o know that generally citizens do not have to live in fear. We hope the new Commissioner can use his good offices to make this possible. Guyanese expect a lot him.

6) LEONIE MUNROE - Housewife: Mr. Felix assuming office was long overdue. He could have given years of good service as a good Commissioner of Police a long time ago had he been given a chance earlier. He’s there now and we wish him all the best and hope that he continues to uphold the law in good faith. Based on his record, I think that he will get the support of the ranks in the Force in getting the Force well on top of the crime situation. We also wish Mr. Mc Donald well in whatever he sets himself to do.

7) MOHAMED ALLI - Businessman: The swearing in of Mr. Winston Felix as Commissioner of Police is a step in the right direction, and I congratulate the move. At this critical juncture, what we need is someone who could do things better and bring the Force in line what is expected on good disciplined Policemen. We believe in Mr. Winston Felix to move the Force forward. One of the first things I would like to see him do is review the process of issuing gun licences, and ensure that these go only to genuinely deserving cases, and businessmen and farmers should be among the lot.

8) SHEILA FORDE - Vendor: We now have a new Commissioner, yes, and the only way we will know whether he is worth his salt is if he starts off by doing the right thing: Those who are implicated in criminal matters must be charged.

Fostering job creation through infrastructure development

GINA -- "THIS is a very important job to me because it enables me to take care of my family and save some money," says Selwyn Barrington, a utility operator for Seereram Brothers Construction Company.

Several jobs have been created through the construction of several infrastructure projects countrywide. The construction of the four-lane road from West Coast Demerara to Ruimveldt to ease the traffic congestion is moving apace.

Persons working on the road have expressed satisfaction with the project, since it provides employment for them. For many it is a first time job while others have been in the trade for many years.

Supervisor for the construction of drains on the Ruimveldt strip of the road Mr. David Johnson, said, "The project means a great improvement for the country and the people and has exposed me a little more to the public." On a personal level Mr. Johnson said the job serves to provide him and his family with their daily bread. He has been working in construction for 15 years.

Mr. Neville Narine, another construction worker, sees the project as a good one for Guyanese which will allow traffic to flow in and out of the city more freely. He stated that the job is satisfying and has opened up many opportunities for the young people of Guyana.

Joseph Luke said, "It is hard to get employment and the job means a lot to me and my family, because I am supporting my family." He started working with the project two weeks ago and said with the experience he is gaining he will continue in this field of work.

For Jevon Roberts, the job is allowing him to support his daughter. He said, "Working with Seereram Brothers has been a good experience for me and I am very grateful for what I have gained so far."

Quincy Archer stated, "The project is doing a lot for me because I have a young daughter to support."

Wainright Hicks, a road inspector, sees the project as betterment for Guyana and his fellow Guyanese. The University of Guyana student said, "This here for me is good progress for my country because you would find that the systems in this part of the city is clogged and the project will build better drainage systems." He also noted that with the imminent World Cup the project would assist a great deal.

He said, "This is a satisfaction to me as a person conscious of road building and this was one of the areas I wanted to work in."

"I just started to work with this company and so far I like the work. Concerning the project I must say I am pleased with it. We have been having problems with the traffic for a long time now, and the project is very timely," said Mr. Mike Earl.

According to Mr. Hussein, "my family depends on me so this job is helping me to provide for them. I have been doing this kind of job for about 24 years." He is in charge of servicing the trucks that transport sand, loam and bricks to the site.

Since 1992 when the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration took office, several measures were implemented to enhance the quality of life for Guyanese.

The latest available figures on unemployment in Guyana, shows that the rate has been decreasing constantly since the 1970s. The data shows that Guyana's unemployment rate stands at 11.7 percent, which is relatively low, compared with the rest of the Caribbean.

The contract for the four-lane roadway project was signed in October 2003, by Seereram Brothers, at a cost of US $16M and work commenced in November 2003.

Water under pressure
THE Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is advising residents in Georgetown that the Shelter Belt pump station is currently delivering water at a reduced pressure.

According to GWI, this is as a result of technical difficulties being experienced at the Shelter Belt.

Customers in areas such as Bel Air Park, Kitty, Newtown Kitty, Queenstown, Bourda, Alberttown, North and South Cummingsburg, Lacytown, Stabroek and neighbouring wards will therefore experience a reduction in their water supply as technicians move to correct the problems at the plant, GWI's Assistant Public Relations Officer, Mr. Javin Singh said.

Singh apologized on behalf of GWI for any inconvenience these measures may cause and promises a return to normal operations soon.

Shipping industry to benefit from diploma programme
THE shipping industry in Guyana will benefit from the upgrading of its human resources with the launching of the Diploma in International Shipping and Logistics (DISL) programme here.

The programme was officially launched on Monday during a ceremony at Le Meridian Pegasus, Kingston Georgetown.

DISL is a two-year full-time, part-time programme that is jointly offered by the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) and the British Colombia Institute of Technology. It will be conducted at the Critchlow Labour College here.

The objective of the programme is to equip participants who are already in the shipping industry with the complete requirement for the operation and management of port and shipping organizations.

Participants of the programme are drawn from the ports and shipping industry with management skills in shipping and port operation.

The programme was first launched in 1994 after a series of training needs surveys were conducted, which revealed that there is need for this certification for people who are already operating in the maritime industry.

According to Mrs. Vivette Grant, Regional Coordinator of CMI, the surveys were conducted by members of the regional shipping fraternity, the Caribbean Shipping Association and the Trainmar Regional Centre.

It revealed a number of very interesting findings; These include the need for specialize port shipping and transport courses that could be offered on a part time basis within each territory, utilizing if possible a distance teaching made of delivery.

Also, what it finds is that most of the major players currently operating in the regional shipping industry were not formally trained and certified.

The findings have suggested that there would also be the need for land- based training, which would complement the seamanship training that is currently in existence at the CMI.

The programme is comprised of three certificates, one in port administration, maritime logistics and the shipping business certificate. The modules are very relevant to the needs of the shipping industry.

For the Critchlow Labour College, this training in maritime administration is part of what the institution had developed as a vision for labour education.

Principal of the college Mr. Philip Walcott said he believes labour education should be expanded to include any thing that could prepare a person within the work force to effectively compete on the international market for a job.

And it was against this background that the College has decided to embrace the programme, which is much needed.

Minister of Public Works Mr. Anthony Xavier during the launching said the introduction of the programme to Guyana is timely, for a critical part of a national action plan for maritime administration in here.

He noted that the Maritime Administration in Guyana deals with human resources development and the acquisition of the relevant skills for the management and daily operation of any organization is a prerequisite for a successive sustainability.

Mr. Xavier noted that in today's global economy the impact of technology is rather visible in the social economic and political spheres, generally.

In the context of the global ports and shipping industry, he said new and varied approaches have been adopted to facilitate greater efficiency and competitiveness.

With this in mind, it is the intention of the Government of Guyana to modify and adopt those international legal regimes and develop strategies which are suited to Guyana's needs, the Minister said.

The Police and society
YESTERDAY'S formal appointment of Mr. Winston Felix as Guyana's 28th Commissioner of Police was widely expected.

With the opposition People's National Congress/Reform finally ending its boycott of discussions with the Government on the reconstitution of the Police Service Commission, it was announced/disclosed that Mr. Felix would be sworn in to replace Mr. Floyd McDonald on February 16.

As can be said of every officer assuming the commissionership of the Guyana Police Force, Mr. Felix has begun his tenure as CoP at a critical period in Guyana's history. At no time since its establishment in 1891 has the force come under so much scrutiny and ridicule.

Its mission is "to provide service and protection by preventing and detecting crime, maintaining law and order, controlling traffic, protecting property and preserving the peace through the provision of the highest standard of professional police service with absolute integrity and complete dedication." But its execution of that mission has been stymied by a section of society whose anti-government animosity, fueled by race hate/ethnic preference, has led to the demonizing of the police - especially when ranks win out in their confrontation with criminals and/or crime suspects of a particular ethnic make-up.

Undaunted, the police under Commissioner McDonald continued their assault on crime and in collaboration with the Army brought Guyana back from the brink of a crisis of crime-infested proportions.

Commissioner Felix has taken over at a time when serious, violent crimes appear to be on the rebound.

The Top Cop isn't oblivious to this reality, however. Nor is he under any illusions that policing isn't exclusively the function of the Guyana Police Force. Thus, one of the priorities is to hold discussions with community/civil society leaders. The purpose would be to establish a stronger partnership with the community to provide quality police service - the kind that ensures the creation of a safer, more secure Guyana.

If we know him well, Commissioner Felix is a Top Cop in the "traditional" sense. Like his predecessors, he'd rather work quietly, without unnecessary media hype, to accomplish his goals.

We expect him to unveil unclassified law enforcement strategies in the short term.

His appointment represents an integrity clearance and his own resolve to uphold the decrees of the Constitution relevant to his job and the mission of the Guyana Police Force.

We congratulate and wish him well and look forward to the force addressing the factors contributing to crime, working even more closely with community groups to foster a style of policing that is necessary to improve safety and security across Guyana.

Sheriff Street shooting…
Yohance Douglas accused cop killers for jury trial
ACTING Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen yesterday overruled Defence no-case submissions and committed the accused cop killers of Yohance Douglas to stand jury trial for his murder.

The Court ruled that the Prosecution had established a prima facie case against policemen Mahendra Baijnauth and Gerald Alonzo, who are charged with unlawfully killing the University of Guyana (UG) student in the fatal March 1, 2003 shooting on Sheriff Street, Georgetown.

Ruling at the end of the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the joint charge for the capital offence, Mrs. Holder-Allen said the most important part of the case was that five Police constables, all armed, went into the line of duty with no supervision.

Mrs. Holder-Allen said the fact that they did not object to being unsupervised suggests that they accepted full responsibility for whatever happened in the process and ascertaining what frame of mind the accused were in at the time of the fatality is a matter for a jury.

On the issue of identification, Richardson said one witness, Quacy Heywood fingered a “red-skinned guy with a handgun” who had not been identified as a member of the Police patrol implicated in the crime.

The lawyer submitted that no testimony has been led by the Prosecution to prove that the unidentified man did not fire the bullet, which killed the victim.

Senior Counsel Bernard DeSantos, representing Baijnauth, contended there was no evidence to suggest the latter caused the demise of Douglas.

“The evidence is that Yohance Douglas was struck in the back and I will submit that the evidence, when analysed, is inconsistent with the fact that Baijnauth could have shot him,” DeSantos maintained.

He said, according to the evidence, Baijnauth fired a single shot and the witness Ronson Gray confirmed that it struck him in the jaw as he sat in the driver’s seat of the car in which he and others, including Douglas, were travelling.

DeSantos said, too, that the accused were in pursuit of their lawful business as members of the Guyana Police Force and did not engage in any joint enterprise to perpetrate any unlawful act.

Responding to the two other lawyers, State Counsel Jo-Ann Barlow, from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), pointed out that, undoubtedly, the five cops left their base on a lawful tour of duty.

She said their mission became unlawful when the leader, Baijnauth aimed and fired at an unarmed man, hitting him in the face.

Barlow said, when the vehicle, PHH 8115, in which Douglas and his companions were, had been intercepted, a gunshot immediately rang out after someone from the policemen’s CRV said something that no one in the other automobile understood.

She said, even though the policemen might have said: “Police! Pull over!” the driver of the Douglas vehicle had no time to comply.

Barlow said depositions from witnesses O’Neil King and Quacy Heywood suggest that the bullet, which struck Gray, was from Baijnauth’s gun and policeman Wendel Thomas, who was on the patrol, as well, supported that theory.

State Counsel continued that, although there is no direct proof of who fired the fatal shot, there is enough circumstantial evidence to conclude it was Alonzo.

Barlow said the evidence is that two persons fired gunshots and Baijnauth’s hit Gray, accounting for his.

The only person firing from behind was Alonzo, who admitted he discharged 10 rounds from his M-70 rifle at the wheels of PHH 8115, Barlow said.

Nevertheless, in her submission, the wheels were not the intended targets because the car was a short distance away, moving slowly and Alonzo missed them completely.

“The nature and position of the injury are consistent with someone taking specific aim at a person in the car, rather than lower, at the wheels,” Barlow concluded.

She refuted any suggestion that the “red-skinned guy” fired, saying the evidence from Heywood attests that he saw the man for the first time, after the shooting had abated, standing on Sheriff Street.

Barlow said the evidence from Heywood further shows that the “red-skinned guy” and “a Negro guy” took them to Brickdam Police station.

She said the “red-skinned guy” is Thomas and he testified that he was indeed standing on Sheriff Street and was the driver of the vehicle, which took the Douglas group to Brickdam Police Station.

Thomas said he did not fire any shots because he felt his colleagues had the situation under control.

Barlow said Baijnauth was responsible for the murder, as he was the commander of that morning patrol and was the one who fired the first shot.

“He could have also ordered his colleague to desist from shooting, if he so desired”.

She added that, when he said: “The car still moving”, after Gray was shot, Baijnauth could have encouraged continuation of the shooting which had fatal consequences.

After their committal, Baijnauth and Alonzo both maintained innocence and reserved their defence for the High Court.

Eighteen witnesses testified since the PI started in May 2003.

At Berbice Assizes…
Judge excludes challenged statement in murder case
JUSTICE Winston Moore ruled Monday, at the Berbice Assizes, that the caution statement attributed to murder accused Latchman Ramjitt called ‘Dago’ will not be admitted in evidence.

The ruling, reserved after the conclusion of a voir dire (trial within a trial) on the admissibility of the attestation, was a success for the Defence being led by Senior Counsel Marcel Crawford.

The lawyer had objected to the testament being tendered and argued that it was obtained in breach of the Judges’ Rules.

Earlier, Detective Corporal Richard Frank, who recorded the challenged testimony, told the Court he was attached to Whim Police Station when a report of the crime was made.

The case for the Prosecution, being presented by State Counsel Candace Raphael, is that the prisoner in the dock used a four feet piece of jamoon wood to inflict the fatal blows on the other man three days after the two had an argument.

Latchman Ramjit, 17, is indicted for the unlawful killing of Hemchand Juman nicknamed ‘Sonny Boy’ on July 26, 2002.

Frank testified that, on July 27, 2002, he went to the intersection of a dam and the public road at Johanna North, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, to look for jamoon wood sticks but did not find any, nor did he see bloodstains.

The witness said, the same day, a confrontation was held, involving Chandrapaul Juman, Yadram Ramjit and the accused.

According to the Frank, Chandrapaul Juman said, in their presence, that, on July 24, 2002 at about 17:30 hours, he and his brother, now deceased Hemchand Juman, were standing at the junction when the accused, his mother, Kuntie Ramjit and his brother Yadram Ramjit disembarked a mini-bus and held on to Hemchand Juman.

The cop said Chandrapaul Juman reported that Hemchand Juman pulled himself away from those who held him but the accused picked up a piece of jamoon wood and beat the victim until he fell unconscious.

Frank said Yadram Ramjit denied portions of the statement, while the accused said it was Chandrapaul Juman who had beaten his brother.

The witness said, on July 27, 2002, he held another confrontation at Mibicuri Police Outpost where those involved were Chandrapaul Juman and Kuntie Ramjit.

Frank said, on that occasion, Chadrapaul Juman maintained what he had said previously and Kuntie Ramjit told him something.

Ten minutes later, Frank said he contacted the suspect at the same outpost, and, after the allegation was put to him, he elected to make a deposition, which the detective wrote and Police Constable Singh signed as a witness.

When the trial resumes today, Justice Moore is expected to hear arguments on whether Chandrapaul Juman can give more evidence-in-chief.

Raphael made the application yesterday following cross-examination of the witness by Crawford.

Testifying earlier yesterday, Chandrapaul Juman said, on July 23, 2002, he visited his sister Asha, who resides at Joanna South, Black Bush Polder.

She was under her house and her two children were inside while music was being played from a tape recorder, the witness said.

He recalled that, on entering the home, he observed that the bedroom of his brother-in-law’s brother, Andy was closed and that was unusual.

“I entered in and saw Harold, the accused brother, under Andy’s bed and although I spoke to him he remained there,” Juman said.

He said the man who was hiding left and an argument had arisen in the house when the accused entered with a cutlass and raised it to chop him.

Juman said he proceeded to Mibicuri Police Station where he reported the incident.

The witness continued that, the following day, he and his brother Hemchand went to First Street in Joanna North, where they bought aerated drinks and the accused, his brother and mother emerged from a mini-bus that stopped there.

Juman said the accused and his brother Harold were each armed with pieces of jamoon wood but their mother was unarmed.

The witness said Harold and his mother grabbed the victim and slapped him whilst the accused was running around with the stick in his hand.

“As I was pulling my brother, the accused hit him with the jamoon wood on his head thrice, causing him to fall to the ground,” Juman testified.

He said he held up his sibling and sent for their mother who came and they took the injured man to Mibicuri Police Station, then to Mibicuri Cottage Hospital, from where he was being referred to New Amsterdam Hospital.

Cross-examined, the witness denied that he or his deceased brother were armed with sticks and had lashed the accused.

He admitted that several persons were standing on the roadway but denied they had a vendetta against the accused. (Jeune Bailey Van-Keric)

AT LONG LAST, COMMISSIONER FELIX!
THE majority of Guyanese, I think, would be very pleased that at long last Mr. Winston Felix has been appointed Commissioner of Police.

We all know that it is not the Government's fault that the process of the appointment, which they initiated and supported, was so long delayed. This was due to the fact that the main opposition party, the PNC/R, wanted to play politics with everything, including this, rather than play a constructive role in assisting things to move forward more expeditiously.

Because of the opposition's obstructions, the appointment of a Police Service Commission and the approval of recommended promotions were also delayed.

Scores of officers would have suffered loss of increments and increases in allowances and other prerequisites due to the delay, but now all these will be addressed in as speedily a manner as possible.

Most of us will want to join with His Excellency the President in congratulating Mr. Felix and wishing him well in his new appointment. We must also thank Mr. Floyd McDonald for his long service to the Guyana Police Force, especially during the difficult time of the last two years.
Yours truly,
IMRAN ALLY

This is most unpatriotic
IT is understood that the PNC/R is supporting the removal of the CARICOM headquarters from Guyana to another member country.

If this is true, and I have got the information from reliable sources, then I am sure all would agree that this is most unpatriotic of them. This most certainly isn't "putting Guyana first."

Guyana has its problems but I do not deny that we are working them out, and they are far from serious about problems such as crime and violence in sister territories.

Guyana is the gateway to accelerated development and prosperity in the region, and it would be a very serious mistake for the CARICOM Headquarters, so long here, to be removed.

The PNC/R should consider what is in the best interests of the people of this country and not cut off their nose to spite their face because of politics.
Yours faithfully,
Sheron Johnson

We have come a far way...
ACCORDING to Dr. Arthur Durant of the prestigious Governors State University, Illinois, in his letter in Stabroek News of February 16, 2004 "Guyanese must put their house in order before going for help" as his letter is captioned.

Among other things, in his letter he puts Guyana into the same category of poor countries such as Haiti "at the bottom."

It has plainly escaped Dr. Durant's attention, although he has managed to keep up-to-date with the essays and remarks of Dr. Clive Thomas and his colleagues, that we have been there before. In 1991 when Guyana, under the PNC regime of Hugh Desmond Hoyte, was declared in the McIntyre Report to be the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, having overtaken Haiti.

Guyana ended up there after twenty-eight years of the Burnham/Hoyte PNC administrations.

Besides a very deteriorated socio-economic and physical infrastructure, the PNC regime left us a legacy of an international debt of US$2.1 billion and with the absence of the annual Auditor-General's Report from 1982 to 1992, covering the whole tenure of President Desmond Hoyte's extended seven-year term from 1985 to 1992. No one knows up to now where this money went or how it was used.

Since 1992, in spite of the legacy of the PNC, and difficulties created by them since then as the main opposition, Guyanese have made remarkable progress to "put their house in order," with significant help from foreign governments and international financial institutions to repair and restore the country's infrastructure and expand it into areas which were largely neglected before.

Under the present administration, our country is no longer ranked with Haiti and since 2003, with debt forgiveness under the enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) adding to what was received before, and we are now classified as a middle income country in economic terms.

Our country has also made significant progress on the Human Development Index scale and as regards Foreign Direct Investments.

In addition to these accomplishments, attained because of prudent fiscal management, transparency and accountability, Guyana has come a long way but still has far to go largely because of the profligacy and legacy left by the PNC administration.
Yours faithfully,
John Da Silva

Have a rethink
Mr. Ramjattan should have a rethink of his position and where he is now and consider if the course on which he has embarked is really in the best interests of those rank and file members whom he claims to represent.

This is no way reduces or takes away his democratic rights to express his views in the public domain, as an individual, but he cannot express those views as a member of the party or especially as a Central Executive member. No organization tolerates or sanctions this - political or otherwise.

Look at the PNC and what happened to long-standing members and senior executives such as Hamilton Green - a former PNC Prime Minister and a friend of Burnham no less, and to Aubrey Norton, a former general secretary and Member of Parliament who was removed from office by Hoyte and put by him at the bottom of the back bench in Parliament.

Mr. Ramjattan had no restrictions put on him in expressing his views and proposing his ideas at the forum provided by the Party's Constitution and rules by a democratic and dynamic political party such as the PPP.
Yours faithfully,
Ronald Smith

I MAINTAIN MY POSTURE OF ECONOMIC GENOCIDE
I DRAW attention to comments in the press (Stabroek News, Guyana Chronicle and Kaieteur News, 6/02/04, 7/02/04 and 8/02/04) on my posture of economics genocide and the Government' policy that gives the perception that its program is carefully and craftily executed to disempower the African community. While I recognize attempts by Messrs. Da Silva and Robert Persaud, Liaison Officer to the President, to respond, the situation before us is very serious and I shall not engage in non-consequential discourse.

Since, however, Mr. Saisnarine Kowlessar, Minister of Finance, the Executive points man on the economy, chose to express his views and by extension the government's, I wish to say the following:

1. Paragraphs 1,2,3,4,7 & 10 (as represented in Stabroek News 8/2/04) see the administration resorting to its comfort zone of management by lame game, side tracking of the issue, character assassination and misrepresentation of statistical analysis. This in no way addresses the issue. Since the issue from the outset is making jobs redundant in the African community, and the sustainability of jobs in the East Indian community.

2. Paragraph 5 speaks about the reduction of jobs and privatization with little regards to the rights and welfare of workers under the PNC administration. My contention is what have you done to create jobs? Or where are the jobs your Government has created? As you speak of workers welfare during privatization can you explain the Government's conduct in the recent merger of GTV and GBC by terminating the employment of all the staff entities? What of the bauxite industry pension fund where your government adopts an aggressive posture to destroy under the name privatization? This fund to date is the largest single pool of money owned by Africans.

3. You mentioned in paragraph 6 that the agencies identified as created under the Hoyte's administration "... did not account collectively for more than 1500 new jobs..." Here again you seem to be creating data to suit your purpose, since such data as presented is inaccurate and untruthful. May I remind this nation that Aroamina, Omai, Viceroy, JP Knights and Barama accounted for more than 2500 workers. The issue is not to shift the argument numbers but to say to this nation where you have created jobs or the resultant environment to suffice the needs of the group I refer to.

Additionally, I recognize that you have put the nation on notice that some of the stated companies have experienced problems under your government and that "... another one is facing closure by next year", but what is absent is information as to what mechanism will be put in place to absorb the workforce that will be put on the breadline. To do nothing can be viewed as one of the polices of the government in making sure it disempowers the African community.

4. Much time has been spent telling the nation about budgetary spending for LINMINE and Linden (paragraph 8). My point is while the administration is spending millions of US dollars in constructing a state of the art factory for the processing of sugar you have failed in similar manner to buy a new kiln (for processing); or two shovels (for stripping the overburden); or large trucks (for hauling of ore) for LINMINE. The policy of investing in bauxite is designed to disempower the African community.

5. The President Youth Choice Initiative that the administration loves to highlight has not translated into jobs (paragraph 9) and in my opinion has been a symbolic act to hoodwink African youths. Every time we speak of Linden's impoverishment we are reminded of LEAP, another symbolic gesture. I challenge this administration to take me on a tour in Linden to show me the people who were trained and where they are placed. Can you tell the nation how soon the industrial estate for Linden, which President Jagdeo told Lindeners he has the money to spend, will be established?

From the evidence I have been supplying it seems as though the "orderly and peaceful development of Guyana" (paragraph 10) you speak of has the focus of placing Africans of the breadline. Until such I shall continue to accuse your government of committing economic genocide on the African community.

6. Since the administration has initiated through one of its agencies to file a complaint to the Ethnic Relations Commission on my posture I expect the commission to invite me to address these allegations. If for some reason the complainant fails to pursue this issue I shall present a formal complaint to the Ethnic Relations Commission for there shall be no retreat.
LINCOLN LEWIS

NO WATER IN MON REPOS
After the residents of Block 8, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara sent a petition to his Excellency the President and the Minister and letters in the press, about 50 residents were given connection by Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). The rest were told to wait.

However, after three days the water ceased to flow. The operators at the pump station say they don't know anything. The staff at the Melanie office give differing excuses, the Supervisor is not in, a valve blow; there are breakages; they will investigate.

It is now three weeks since there has been no water. Can the Minister please intervene? Were the connections a mere gimmick?
R. PERSAUD

The PPP deserves better
I WISH to dispel the letter supporting Ramjattan on the grounds that his father was in the party, as carried in the February 6th edition of Kaieteur News

As far as I am concerned Mr. Ramjattan should have known better than to behave in the manner that he has behaved toward the PPP since 1997. Sometimes when I read his columns and more specifically his recent statements I sometimes wonder as to his motives. When writers such as Mr. Hydar Ally and Mr. Robert Persaud write you know that they are forwarding the cause of the party.

Mr. Ramjattan should have represented the PPP better in his position as president of the bar association. This does not include leading the challenge against bills that the PPP fights hard to pass in the National Assembly. Is the PPP still going to be opposed by these former PNC affiliated alliances even when its people are in strategic positions? Come on Ramjattan, this party deserves better.

Finally, I am a PYO member and wish to be treated fairly. I want meritocracy to guide the operations of this party. I am offended by the kind of appeal that advocates nepotism in the PPP.

Mr. Ramjattan should have been more loyal to the PPP, being in the struggle from a child. Besides as a lawyer he should set a better example as regards the maintaining of the laws in the PPP.
B. Premchand

Cozier attacks 'lack of decorum' in Windies squad
VETERAN broadcaster Tony Cozier has delivered a stinging broadside at what he called the "lack of decorum" in the West Indies squad during the recently completed tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Writing in the Barbados-based Nation, Cozier, who reported on both series, said that the management of the tour party left a lot to be desired. It was, he said, clear that it was "divided and deficient, not only in relation to such cricketing issues as fitness and practice but, just as importantly, to standards of dress and demeanour."

He went on to bemoan the slovenly appearance of some members of the squad – officials as well as players – who were seen "in caps and armhole-shirts in the lobbies and bars of their five-star hotels and in elegant restaurants." He singled out Kenny Benjamin, the side's assistant coach, and Ronald Rogers the trainer, as being seen during national anthems before matches as being the only ones in shorts. And Corey Collymore, "with his unkempt hair and beard", was the worst of the players. "A man is a man and I am my own man," was Collymore's response.

"Anyone chosen for the West Indies, in whatever capacity, should appreciate, or be made to appreciate, that he is no longer his own man but rather a representative of an institution with a long and proud tradition,” Cozier fumed, "and millions of people whose very psyche revolves around it."

Cozier's criticism will hardly come as news to seasoned followers of West Indies cricket. As long ago as 1995 Wes Hall reported at the end of the England tour that a meeting had to be held to address "unacceptable behaviour of some members of the team". That was the series when Winston Benjamin was sent home for disciplinary reasons.

Several subsequent tours have ended with thinly disguised complaints from managers and officials about the poor approach of some players.

Last year's Wisden Cricketers' Almanack described the West Indies A tour of England as "a bad-tempered, unproductive meander around the backwaters of English cricket, rather than an exhilarating fast stream to the top. (Wisden Cricinfo)

British High Commission hosts reception for Phil Brown
BRITISH High Commissioner Stephen Hiscock on Monday night made a few presentations to athletically inclined schools at his residence in Bel Air Springs.

The occasion was the hosting of a cocktail reception for Olympic athlete Phil Brown.

Presentations were made to Wendy Doris of Dora Secondary School, Linden Soesdyke Highway; Marvis Davis of President’s College and the Ministry of Education.

Brown is here for a number of clinics, in collaboration with the Amateur Athletics Association (AAA) and the High Commission.

He intends to have discussions with the association to help draft a solid development plan so that the sport will benefit more.

On Monday afternoon he met coaches, while he was in Berbice yesterday.

He will continue to meet coaches and athletes for the remainder of the week in the various areas to see their needs and recommend possible ways of developing and stimulating interest in the sport.

President of the AAA, Claude Blackmore, noted that he was involved in fruitful discussions with the High Commissioner a few months ago and it was agreed that Brown would work along with the association while on his visit here.

Rollers cart off Arfeen Hussain trophy
ROLLERS Volleyball Club of New Amsterdam notched their first lien on the Arfeen Hussain Memorial trophy when the second annual competition for that trophy was played recently at the GTM Volleyball court in New Amsterdam.

The competition was played on a round robin basis among five teams, namely, Defenders, Rollers, Shooters, D’Edward and GTC/PM.

A total of thirteen matches were played under very humid conditions and Rollers clinched the first place in a playoff after three teams (Rollers, Shooters and Defenders) were deadlocked at the end of the round robin. Shooters gained second with a victory over defending champions Defenders who had to be content with third place.

A small crowd, which included Mrs Yvonne Hussain, the widow of the late Arfeen Hussain, and other relatives of the former vice-president of the BVA, were on hand to witness the competition, which brought out the best in the players.

At the rain-interrupted presentation ceremony, held immediately after the competition, trophies and medals were presented by Mrs Yvonne Hussain and other female spectators. The first and second place winners, apart from receiving trophies and medals, received a ball each, from Mrs Hussain who together with her son Kevin (a former national youth player), sponsored the competition.

Rollers received the lien trophy, a first place replica and a trophy for being adjudged the most disciplined team while individual trophies for outstanding performances were presented to the following players: Benie Sukra of Rollers (Best Receiver & MVP), Seon Glasgow of Defenders (Best Spiker), Mark Da Costa of Rollers (Best Blocker), Jason Choy (Best Setter), Orlando Fraser (Best Libero), Tony Rambarran (Best Server) and Paul Azar (Best Defence).

Murali wants to race Warne to 500th Test wicket mark
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Sri Lanka spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan hopes Australia's selectors will name leg-spinner Shane Warne in their squad for the three-match Test series between the two sides.

Muralitharan wants to race with Warne, who is available for selection after a one-year drugs ban, to the historic 500th Test wicket milestone and then on to Courtney Walsh's 519 wicket world record.

The Sri Lankan, on 485 wickets from 85 matches, has closed in on Warne's 491-wicket tally during the past year and both bowlers are now within striking distance of Walsh's record.

``I definitely want Shane to come to Sri Lanka and I am looking forward to the challenge,'' Muralitharan told Reuters yesterday.

Muralitharan expects his 34-year-old rival to reach the world record first but is confident that by the end of his career he will be the world's most prolific wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket.

``He is a great bowler and is six wickets ahead so he should reach the record first, although I have the advantage that we have more matches coming up,'' he said.

CONTROVERSIAL ACTION
After the three-Test series in Sri Lanka, Muralitharan has two Test matches in Zimbabwe in April. Australia will not play again until their two-Test tour of Zimbabwe in May.

``Shane has done cricket proud during the past decade and he is a player that I greatly admire. If he reaches the record first then good for him,'' said 31-year-old Muralitharan.

``Even if he does get there first though I will probably have a little bit more time than he and I can break the record after that.''

Muralitharan, who bowls with a controversial bent-arm action and extracts prolific spin from a super-flexible wrist, is looking forward to the challenge of testing his abilities against the world champions.

The off-spinner has averaged 5.7 wickets per Test against all opposition but only three wickets per match against Australia at a moderate 41.90 average.

However, Muralitharan believes that modest record reflects the relatively low number of Tests he has played against Australia and, now, armed with an improved arm-ball that fizzes away from right-handers, he expects to do well.

``This will definitely be a much tougher tour than England and it would be a great honour to do well against them,'' he said.

``Doing well is not guaranteed but I will do my best and I feel very happy with my form at the moment.''

Berbice name 18 for Under-15 Inter-county tourneys
THE Berbice cricket selectors have chosen an eighteen-man squad from which the final fourteen will be selected for the upcoming 2004 Castrol and British High Commission Under-15 Inter-county cricket tournaments which get on the way from February 28 in Demerara.

The squad which was named after the conclusion of two 50-over trial matches will be under the long-serving management team of Vemen Walter and Michael Hyles as manager and coach respectively.

The squad includes four players with previous Under-15 Inter-county experience. They are batsmen Javed Mohamed, Terrence De Cunha and Dane Benny, along with off-spinning all-rounder Murphy La Rose.

Talented Albion left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and Rose Hall Town all-rounder Steve Latcha, the son of former Berbice senior Inter-county county captain Randolph Latcha, are among the new faces included.

The full squad reads: Javed Mohamed, Murphy La Rose, Terrence De Cunha, Dane Benny, Hemant Kumarlall, Asif Khan, Veerasammy Permaul, Jonathan Foo, Amit Singh, Julian Thomas, Travis Perry, Baichan Boodoo, Davendra Ramoutar, Steve Latcha, Parmanand Singh, Ramees Khan, Farouk Hussain and Arthur Bailey.

All players are asked to report to the Albion Community Centre ground tomorrow from 15:00 hrs and must bring along their birth certificate.

Berbice will open their campaign in the Castrol 50-over tournament on Tuesday March 2 with a match against Essequibo while the British High Commission tournament starts on Tuesday, March 9 with Demerara meeting Essequibo.

Jones grabs 10-wicket haul as England A win
NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - England fast bowler Simon Jones took a 10-wicket haul in his first significant four-day game on his comeback from a long injury layoff to bowl England A to victory over Tamil Nadu yesterday.

Jones took five wickets apiece for a match haul of 10-88 to shine in the 187-run victory on the fourth and final day on a slow pitch in Madras.

``I felt really good and was happy with my rhythm,'' Jones told Reuters from Madras. ``I feel 100 per cent. It has given me a lot of confidence.''

The 25-year-old Glamorgan bowler had been sidelined for nearly 15 months after rupturing his cruciate knee ligament in only his second Test against Australia in Brisbane.

Jones will have to convince England selectors further in India's Duleep Trophy inter-zonal tournament next week to be included for the four-Test tour of West Indies starting in March.

He was particularly impressive in the second innings, taking 5-31 in 11.5 overs to skittle Tamil Nadu, chasing 321 in the fourth innings, for 143.

``The slow pitch was a challenge but we had the ball reverse-swinging and that was a big help,'' Jones said.

Although he complained of a sore knee last week during a 3-0 one-day series defeat against India A, Jones said he had not been too concerned.

``For the first couple of games I felt a bit rusty because of the scar tissue.''

Jones said he was not concerned about the West Indies tour.

``Our first target is to do well on this tour. If I make it to West Indies so be it but right now I am only trying to do well here.''

Lara, Dillon to boost T&T chances against Barbados
By Naz Yacoob
POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad, (CMC) - Repeat Carib Beer Cup champions Barbados may have to work extra hard to complete an unprecedented seventh victory in the Carib Beer 2004 Cricket Series when they face Trinidad & Tobago in the final preliminary round, starting at Guaracara Park, today.

Runaway championship leaders Barbados have the maximum 72 points from victories in all of their previous six matches and will be looking to become the first team to win all of their preliminary matches in the West Indies first-class championship, since a two-tiered format was introduced three years ago.

Two years ago, Jamaica missed out on winning all seven preliminary matches when their first match against Windward Islands at St George’s ended in a draw.

T&T, joint second with Jamaica and needing a favourable result to gain a place in the semifinals of the Carib Beer International Challenge, are likely to be boosted with the return of West Indies captain Brian Lara, batsman Ricardo Powell, fast bowler Mervyn Dillon and unorthodox left-arm spin bowler Dave Mohammed.

Anxious for Lara to play, T&T have delayed trimming their squad of 16 to allow the batting star time to have a fitness test this morning. The left-handed batting genius is reportedly suffering with a niggling injury to one of his knees.

The Jamaica-born Powell visited Dr Terry Ali, a member of the WICB’s medical panel yesterday at his Port of Spain offices and was declared fit to play his second regional four-day match for Trinidad and Tobago.

Mohammed, who has been suffering with a torn groin and hamstring muscle injury, was also given the green light by his medical personnel, Dr Terrence Babwah in San Fernando on Monday.

Dillon is fit and in good health and is more than likely to take his place in the final 11. He trained with the national squad at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, yesterday.

“It is a very important match for us and we need to come out with some points,” said Dudnath Ramkessoon, chairman of the national selection committee.

“The inclusion of the four Test players should help motivate the other players. An improved performance is expected as we look to qualify for the Carib Beer International Challenge semifinal.”

The Barbadians too, have been fortified with the return of fast bowlers Corey Collymore and Fidel Edwards, while Tino Best, the season’s leading bowler, who missed the previous match through injury, has also travelled to the twin-island republic and is available if a medical exam there gives him the all-clear.

In 19 matches between the two teams in the twin-island state, Barbados have won six, T&T eight and the other five have been drawn. The two teams have met three times at Guaracara Park with T&T winning twice.

Squads:
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Daren Ganga (captain), Shazam Babwah, Marlon Black, Dwayne Bravo, Mervyn Dillon, Reyad Emrit, Sherwin Ganga, Amit Jaggernauth, Imran Jan, Aneil Kanhai, Brian Lara, Theodore Modeste, Dave Mohammed, Gibran Mohammed, Ricardo Powell, Rodney Sooklal.

BARBADOS: Courtney Browne (captain), Sulieman Benn, Tino Best, Ian Bradshaw, Sherwin Campbell, Corey Collymore, Pedro Collins, Fidel

Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Antonio Mayers, Martin Nurse, Floyd Reifer, Dwayne Smith, Kurt Wilkinson.

UMPIRES: Clyde Duncan, Kemraj Barrasin.

Top clubs want compensation fees but no World Club Cup
BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Europe's top clubs agreed yesterday to press for compensation payments when their players are called up for international tournaments and stressed their total opposition to FIFA's Club World Championship.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the chairman of the 102-strong European Club Forum, told reporters: ``All the clubs are of the opinion that it is fair to ask confederations, including UEFA and FIFA, to compensate clubs for the release of players for international tournaments.

``At the same time the clubs will continue to give their full support to national team football, but we hope that it will be possible to find a practical solution which is fair to all parties.''

While the clubs agreed to pursue that development, they also rejected proposals to re-launch the Club World Championship.

The tournament was held for the first time in 2000, but the 2003 tournament was cancelled because of a lack of funding. FIFA want to stage it again in 2005, but the clubs are opposed to the idea.

In a statement they said they agreed to a reduction in Champions League matches this season to ease the workload on their players and to re-introduce the World Championship would be counter-productive.

NO WAGE-CAPS
``It would be incoherent to support any additional tournament (so we have) unanimously agreed to reject, for a variety of reasons, any proposal for a FIFA Club World Championship,'' they said.

Plans to impose salary caps on Europe's top clubs were also dismissed, with the clubs believing that UEFA's new licensing system would control players' salaries in future.

The clubs also discussed the future of the UEFA Cup, whose format is due to change next season.

Although there was a unanimous endorsement of the new format and the need to re-brand the competition, there was no unanimity on marketing aspects,'' the statement explained.

``A compromise proposal is to implement the new format as from the 2004-05 season and to review results over a two-year period while carrying out further investigation into the viability of adopting a centralised marketing approach.''

The new format for the UEFA Cup will feature a first round knockout phase of 80 teams, followed by a group phase involving 40 teams in eight groups of five.

The 24 teams, who negotiate this stage (the top three from each group) will then be joined by eight teams from the UEFA Champions League for the final knockout phase, which will consist of 32 teams.

The proposals from the meeting will be discussed at the next UEFA Executive Meeting in Dublin on March 22-23.

Fleming’s 108 guides Kiwis to five-wicket victory
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, (Reuters) - Captain Stephen Fleming smashed a brilliant century to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket win against South Africa in a one-day international yesterday.

Fleming's 108, which featured 10 fours and two sixes, helped the hosts to level the six-match series at 1-1.

The hosts easily surpassed their victory target of 254 with more than four overs to spare.

South African skipper Graeme Smith had earlier climbed out of his sickbed to score a defiant 80 in the tourists' 253 for eight.

Having passed the 6 000 runs mark in one-day internationals, Fleming was out with the score on 226. New Zealand reached their target without losing another wicket.

Craig McMillan supported Fleming with a quick-fire 70, which included eight boundaries and two sixes, his 20th half-century in one-dayers.

With New Zealand losing opener Michael Papps and the promoted Brendon McCullum, both for two before the team had scored 20, Fleming dug deep to stabilise the innings.

He consolidated with Hamish Marshall (18), who was dismissed when he ballooned a simple catch to Jacques Rudolph at mid-on, and Scott Styris, who was caught by Herschelle Gibbs low down at point on 24.

When Styris was out with the score on 124, New Zealand were only halfway to the target.

However, McMillan and Fleming took the hosts to a strong position before Chris Cairns smashed the winning run with a huge six over bowler Andre Nel's head.

HEAVY COLD
South African opener Smith was suffering from a heavy cold on Monday but made himself available on the morning of the match.

After electing to bat on a drop-in pitch that was difficult to read, South Africa's start may have led Smith to wish he had stayed in bed. Fellow opener Gibbs was out lbw to Kyle Mills without a run on the board.

Worse was to follow when the normally dependable Jacques Kallis failed to find his touch, scoring seven, before he was bowled in the 11th over, shouldering arms to Daryl Tuffey.

At that stage the score was 28 for two and Smith was joined by Boeta Dippenaar, who assumed the main scoring role.

Dippenaar had hit 36 in 58 deliveries when he became the second leg-before victim of the day trying to sweep spinner Daniel Vettori.

Smith continued to pick up runs with ease while Rudolph took to the bowling, hitting two sixes in his 36-ball stay of 42.

Smith was out when he got a thick edge to Cairns and was well caught by Tuffey at third man, bringing an end to his 109-ball innings that included seven fours and a six.

South Africa won the first one-day international by five wickets in Auckland last Friday.

SOUTH AFRICA

G.Smith c Tuffey b Cairns 80

H.Gibbs lbw b Mills 0

J.Kallis b Tuffey 7

B.Dippenaar lbw b Vettori 36

J.Rudolph c Tuffey b Styris 42

M.Boucher c & b Cairns 40

L.Klusener c Cairns b Tuffey 8

S.Pollock not out 20

N.Boje lbw b Mills 2

M.Ntini not out 9

Extras: (b-1, lb-2, nb-4, w-2) 9

Total: (for 8 wickets, 50 overs) 253

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-28, 3-107, 4-161, 5-204, 6-217, 7-223, 8-231.

Bowling: Tuffey 10-1-47-2 (w-2), Mills 8-0-37-2 (nb-2), Oram 10-1-44-0, Cairns 8-0-35-2 (nb-2), Vettori 8-0-42-1, Styris 6-0-45-1.

NEW ZEALAND

M.Papps c Pollock b Ntini 2

S.Fleming c Nel b Ntini 108

B.McCullum c Boucher b Ntini 2

H.Marshall c Rudolph b Klusener 18

S.Styris c Gibbs b Kallis 24

C.McMillan not out 70

C.Cairns not out 10

Extras: (b-1, lb-7, nb-4, w-9) 21

Total: (for five wickets, 45.1 overs) 255

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-19, 3-66, 4-124, 5-226.

Bowling: Pollock 8-0-41-0 (nb-1, w-3), Ntini 10-1-45-3 (nb-3, w-2), Klusener 8-0-55-1, Nel 7.1-1-45-0 (w-4), Boje 7-0-41-0, Kallis 5-0-20-1.

Aussies warm-up for Sri Lanka with easy victory
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Australia warmed up for their five-match one-day series against Sri Lanka with a five-wicket win against a Sri Lanka Board President's XI yesterday.

Australia's top order batting, set a challenging 284-run target, powered home with 5.4 overs to spare as skipper Ricky Ponting (57), Adam Gilchrist (43), Damien Martyn (40) and Andrew Symonds (49) all spent valuable time at the crease.

The Sri Lankan bowlers only took two wickets in the innings as Ponting, Martyn and Symonds all retired to give the middle order a chance to acclimatise to local conditions.

Australia travel to Dambulla today before the series opener on Friday

Platini will never return to Heysel stadium
PARIS, France (Reuters) - Michel Platini says his wounds from the Heysel disaster are so deep he could never return to the Brussels stadium where 39 fans died at the 1985 European Cup final.

The Frenchman, who scored Juventus's winner against Liverpool from the penalty spot, said he had never been back to the arena, now renamed Roi Baudouin stadium.

``I have never returned there,'' the former France captain and coach told Belgian website wwww.sporever.be when asked if he would attend the Belgium v France friendly today.

``I'd rather not talk about the Heysel, it's something I never talk about. But I must confess I would be physically and mentally incapable of going back there one day.''

Platini celebrated on the pitch after scoring the final's only goal. He said he had felt no joy whatsoever.

``People think and talk but they were not on the spot, they did not live it from the inside, they don't know what we players knew or didn't (know).

``But it belongs to the past. It's a deep wound that cannot be healed,'' he said.

The 39 fans, most of them Juventus supporters, were killed after a wall collapsed after a charge by Liverpool fans.

Shields romps away with Citizens Bank trophy
WITH ideal playing conditions, Hilbert Shields was unstoppable last Saturday when he posted a gross 76, handicap 12 for a net six under par 64 to win the Citizens Bank-sponsored Golf tournament.

Twenty-eight players started the stroke play tournament using a staggered start under the bright midday sun. At the end of play, four players shot net par or better. Raj Sankar with gross 80, handicap 10 and net 70 placed fourth, third was Joan Fields with gross 100, handicap 31 and net 69 while F. Hanif with a gross 82, handicap 14 and net 68 was a credible second.

Raj Sankar was also the winner of the longest drive with his tee shot on the par four No.3 hole going a good 305 yards down the fairway.

The closest to the pin challenge, which was on the par 3 No.1, had no winner, as no one was able to find the green.

At the presentation ceremony, secretary Melissa Humphrey had to stand in for the Bank's representative, who was absent due to unforeseen circumstances, in handing out the prizes.

Vice-president, Colin Ming, expressed the club's gratitude to the sponsor and, with loud cheers from the members, said he hopes that the bank would continue with their support for golf.

Under-19 World Cup 2004
England overwhelm Uganda
Group C Bangladesh U-19 96 for 1 (Nafis 39*, Naeem 49*) beat Scotland U-19 95 (Enamul 4-21) by nine wickets.

BANGLADESH picked up their first points of the Under-19 World Cup, and in emphatic style, as Scotland were crushed by nine wickets at the Fatullah District Stadium, yesterday.

Over 5 000 fans turned up to watch the first-ever international match at the ground, and they were in good voice as Bangladesh romped past Scotland's total of 95 in only 12.2 overs. It was a fine all-round performance from the Bangladeshis, who asked Scotland to bat first and made swift inroads.

The stars of Bangladesh's bowling performance were the spinners Enamul Haque Jr (4 for 21) and Shahadat Hossain (3 for 27). Only Scotland's captain, Kyle Coetzer, put up any resistance. He made 42 before being bowled by Haque for 42, to add to his 62 in the first match against India.

Scotland had made their runs in 30.2 overs, but Bangladesh needed less than half that number to race to victory. Nafis Iqbal and Naeem Islam did the damage with 39 and 49 not out respectively, and their coach Richard McInnes was pleased with his team's positive attitude.

"The speed with which we wrapped up the match should fill the players with a lot of confidence," said McInnes. "We prepared very well for this tournament and we are giving it our best shot. I still think the players can perform better."

Scotland's coach Willie Morton refused to be downcast in defeat. "The tournament goes on into next week and for us that is when the competition will really begin," he said. "In Scotland we would normally have four men and a dog watching us play, so it is a great experience for our boys to play in front of such crowds."

Group A Sri Lanka U-19 84 for 1 (Vithana 52*) beat Canada U-19 81 (Kulasekera 5-27) by nine wickets.

Chamith Kulasekara claimed his second consecutive man-of-the-match award, as Sri Lanka trounced Canada by nine wickets at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium. Kulasekara's figures of 5 for 27 snapped Canada's resistance as they tumbled to 81 all out in 31.1 overs - a far cry from the resolute performance they had put in a day earlier against Australia.

Sri Lanka's batsmen made light work of the target, and needed just 16 overs to wrap up the match. Harsha Vithana scored the bulk of the runs to finish on 52 not out. But Sri Lanka's coach D.S. de Silva refused to get carried away by another comfortable victory. "We are taking the tournament game by game," said de Silva. "If we can play like we did today and continue performing like this we have a chance of winning the trophy."

de Silva's opposite number, Franklyn Dennis, on the other hand, was understandably downcast. "It has nothing to do with the conditions here in Bangladesh which I think are good," said Dennis. "Our players got out by misjudging balls and I hope we can perform better in our next match."

Sri Lanka's victory means that tomorrow's Group A clash between Australia and Zimbabwe in Bogra is a make-or-break encounter. Zimbabwe have to win to stay in contention for the Super League.

Group B England U-19 259 for 7 (Wright 70, Patel 55) beat Uganda U-19 46 (Bresnan 4-7, Stiff 4-7) by 213 runs.

England completed their second comfortable victory of the tournament, as Uganda were overwhelmed by 213 runs at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong.

Uganda started brightly enough, however, and after winning the toss and electing to bowl, they succeeded in restricting England to 259 for 7 in their 50 overs. Their main man was Davis Arinaitwe, who took 3 for 53 in nine overs as only two England batsmen, Luke Wright and Samit Patel, managed to reach 50.

But that was as good as it got for Uganda. Their reply was strangled at birth as both Tim Bresnan and David Stiff returned the destructive figures of 4 for 7. Mark Lawson was made to look comparatively profligate as he swept up the other two wickets for 13 runs, as Uganda were bundled out for 46.

England's second win has virtually guaranteed them a place in the Super League, although their real test of the first round will come when they take on South Africa.

Tomorrow South Africa take on Nepal at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium and a win for South Africa will ensure both Super League places are decided before the final round of matches.

Group D Pakistan U-19 146 for 2 (Adnan 64*, Khalid 50) beat Ireland U-19 142 (Mansoor 4-28) by eight wickets.

Pakistan have all but secured their place in the Super League, after bringing the Irish back down to earth after their near-upset against West Indies on Monday.

West Indies had squeaked past Ireland by six runs, but Pakistan showed that they are a classy unit by cruising to an eight-wicket win, in front of a crowd of over 4 000 at the Khulna Divisional Stadium. Ireland were asked to bat first, and lost regular wickets as they were bowled out for 142 in the 48th over.

A day after falling only six runs short of an upset against West Indies, Ireland were outplayed by an impressive Pakistan team in front of a crowd of over 4 000 that included ICC President Ehsan Mani.

Put in to bat, Ireland struggled to keep the scoreboard ticking over as wickets fell at regular intervals. The European Champions had reached 142 when their tenth wicket fell in the 48th over. The leg-spinner Mansoor Amjed took 4 for 28, while Salman Qadir and Tariq Mehmood picked up two wickets each.

That was half the battle won, but Pakistan still had to hunt down a potentially tricky target. But they were given a flying start by their openers Adnan Zaheer and the captain Khalid Latif, who eventually fell for 50 from 45 balls. Adnan remained unbeaten on 64 as Pakistan won with almost 25 overs to spare.

"I don't think we did badly," said Ireland's coach Adrian Birrell. "We were simply beaten by a better team. (Wisden Cricinfo).

T&T horses clash with locals in GT meet
TWO horses imported from Trinidad & Tobago will be galloping in Sunday’s racing meet at the Mocha Arcadia course.

Eight races are carded for the Georgetown Turf Club event with the feature being for horses classified B & Lower over 1600 metres with $375 000 in cash prizes. The winner will pocket $200 000, the second $100 000, third $50 000 and fourth $25 000.

Guyana’s top horse Satranie from the Mohan stables of Corentyne will come up against the newly imported chestnut colts, Lion Zion and Small Ax from the Twin Island Republic, racing out of the Michael Simms stables.

Prince of Peace from the Gray stables of Corentyne and Bright Tricks from the Khan stables will also be on show in the B-Class event.

Some 75 horses have registered for the meet, with 13 competing in the L3, I3 in the L2, nine in the L1, ten in the K-Class, ten in the J & I, eight in the H-Class, seven in G & F and six in the B & Lower.

Other horses on show will be Kentucky, Cash, Big Joey, Frisky Girl, Plaisance Boy, Buxton Man, Final Mission, Windy Classic, Rum Till I Die, Martins Gold, Red Eye, Cream Girl, Royal Priest, Grains Man, Rubber Man, Shaggy, Hustling Queen, Doll & Roti, Brave Heart, Thevid, De General and Tyrona.

The first race will gallop off at 12:30 hrs, with the club using its own starting gates for the meet.