CGX oil drilling preparations 'well underway'
CGX Energy Inc. and its subsidiary, ON Energy Inc. yesterday announced that the 2-D seismic survey it is currently doing in Guyana is "well underway".

CGX Energy Inc., a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company, also indicated that preparation for the fieldwork began in late March, and to date, nearly half of the 180km programme has been cut and surveyed.

In a statement issued yesterday, CGX said training for portable drilling operations started in the second week of April, including sessions on health, safety and the environment for over 100 crewmembers. To date, just over 10% of the 'shot holes' have been completed, it said.

"On April 21, CGX recorded the first seismic images on the coast of Guyana since the 1940's," stated Warren Workman, Vice President of Exploration. "The data quality was good and we're very pleased with the progress we've seen thus far. Recording is expected to continue through May, with processing and interpretation scheduled for June," he added.

CGX noted that the geo-microbial survey completed in October identified more than 20 anomalous leads, one of which is approximately 40 square kilometers in a real extent.

It said the 2-D seismic programme is planned to identify the depth and location of the potential reservoirs that could contain hydrocarbons that are associated with most of the anomalies.

The Canadian-based company also said that Seis Pros Inc. of Houston, Texas is completing the 2-D programme on the Berbice Block.

The company said it plans to drill a number of exploration wells to test seismically defined anomalies, following interpretation of the seismic.

CGX Energy Inc is focused on the exploration for oil in the Guyana basin and is actively looking at other international opportunities.

The company contended that it is managed by a team of experienced oil and gas and finance professionals from Canada, United States and the United Kingdom. CGX is financed internationally and has over 5,000 shareholders worldwide.

Woman shot on right thigh
--- don't know who did it
THE police said that they are investigating a case where a woman who was shot showed up at a city hospital early yesterday morning to seek medical attention for a gunshot wound she received in the right thigh.

According to a police report, about 06:15 hours on Friday morning Donna Prince, 45, of Lot 67 Public Road, Kitty, arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for medical attention.

The police were alerted but the woman refused to give any information.

The police said Prince is a "known character" who is addicted to drugs.

She was reportedly found at Middle and East Streets by a friend, Raul Peters, who is also known to the police for planting trees on the roadways and streets of Georgetown.

The police say they are trying to ascertain who shot, and the motive for the shooting of Prince.

She is a patient at GPHC; she, however, says she can't remember how she was shot or who did it.

Survey launched to gauge workers' behavioural patterns
A Behaviourial Surveillance Survey (BSS) programme was launched at GUYSUCO's Herdmanston House yesterday by the Minister of Health, Lesile Ramsammy, GUYSUCO Chief Executive Officer, Michael Boast, and Union Representatives from Guyana Agricultural Workers' Union (GAWU) and National Association of Clerical, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE).

Minister of Health, Lesile Ramsammy said our behaviour puts us at risk of HIV/AIDS and the Ministry of Health and GUYSUCO seek to reduce the transmission through behaviourial changes among Guyanese, especially in the workplace.

Once the behaviourial patterns are identified, ways and strategies will be implemented to change behaviour, he said.

The BSS programme is expected to start today beginning at GUYSUCO in two areas: Enmore and Enterprise, where some 40 interviewers will be out in the field.

This survey will be completed within two weeks in the following regions: 3, 4 and 6 respectively.

The total BSS is expected to be completed by the end of August and the completed report will be released in September.

Some groups identified for BSS are GUYSUCO workers, commercial sex workers, men having sex with men, in and out of school youths, police and military.

BSS is funded under the Presidential Emergency Fund for HIV/AIDS Response (PEFFAR) at a cost of $75M local currency.

Salvation Army gets UK $$ for drug rehab programme
Shirwin Campbell
THE Drug Rehabilitation Programme of the Salvation Army yesterday received added support from the British Government, as it continues to effectively provide the counselling and care that drug addicts need to recover and become productive citizens.

British High Commissioner Steve Hiscock at a simple ceremony presented a cheque valued approximately G$5M to Major Voyons Marancy the Manager of the Centre.

At the handing over which was held in the Men's Social Centre, Water Street Kingston, Mr. Hiscock noted that he was delighted to make the small contribution towards the operation.

He echoed the sentiments of the Duke of York when he toured the facility earlier this year "we were very impressed by the progress with the implementation of the programmes."

The programme also received exercise equipment for a gym and approximately G$2.5 m was donated last year by the British Government.

Major told Mr. Hiscock that he is greatful to him and his Government for the interest shown over the years. He gave the assurance that more persons will be helped this year with the donation, pointing out that it was recently discovered that the families of the addicts really in need of the programme, cannot afford it financially.

He reported to the media that since November 1996 they have received about 45 clients yearly in the programme and some 40% are doing well in recovery.

The donation will be used to house and feed some of the clients and also repair and paint the centre. A vehicle to transport the clients will be purchase.

He said that they have been thought the necessary skills and if they put in practice what they are taught, they will succeed.

The programme runs for some two years which includes six months in house and nine months half way house. When they leave us they are required to keep in touch with us once per week so that we can monitor their progress and know their location, he noted.

There are presently twelve in-house and a similar number of clients in the half way house.

PNC/R leads second 'rule of law' march
THE People's National Movement for Justice yesterday pulled off its second "rule of law march" which attracted about 300 people, as it stepped up efforts to mount pressure on the government to look in to a number of matters pertaining to what it said was restoration of the rule of law in Guyana.

The band of marchers bearing placards comprised people of political parties, civil society groups, trade unions and other organizations. The event was reportedly incident free.

The marchers took off from outside Parliament Buildings about 16:00 hours and went through several streets in the city before assembling at the Square of the Revolution where they were addressed briefly by representatives of the various organizations that participated.

Police escorted the marchers through the various routes in an effort to ensure there was no interruption to the flow of traffic and order was maintained.

Leader of the main opposition People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) Mr. Robert Corbin and trade unionist Mr. Lincoln Lewis were among the marchers who gave brief addresses at the Square.

Mr. Corbin told supporters of the march that "the time for talk is over and it is now time for action" - referring to what he said was the government's failure to respond to key issues such as the allegations leveled against Home Affairs Minister Mr. Ronald Gajraj, the existence of a "death" squad and other crime related issues.

He called on the supporters to stand up for their rights and promised that the march would continue.

The third in the series of marches planned by the organizers is due to be held on Thursday April 29, 2004 at 11:00 hrs.

During his contribution to the 2004 budget in the National Assembly last week, Minister Gajraj denied allegations that he was linked to any death squad and accused the PNC/R of orchestrating a vendetta campaign against him for his role in gearing the police to combat criminal elements in the society "on their own turf."

Man shot while reportedly entering house
THE police are investigating the shooting of a man by ranks on Thursday afternoon.

The man sustained a gunshot wound to his right thigh after he reportedly attacked ranks with a knife when he was challenged while attempting to enter a house on the East Bank of Demerara.

The police said that Orin Fraser, of Caneville Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) about 14:00 hours on Thursday after he attacked the ranks with a knife while trying to enter a house at Caneville Housing Scheme.

He is a patient at the GPHC.

Region Two spending $171M on 2004 capital works
ACTING Regional Executive Officer (REO), Mr Jagdeo Ramadhar has disclosed that $171.2M will be spent on the capital works programme in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) this year.

He said drainage and irrigation facilities will be boosted to improve service to farmers and $73M expended to construct 10 concrete irrigation checks, one tail wall, five box culverts, two regulators, four greenheart bridges and 13 wooden revetments.

Ramadhar also said several trenches between Annandale and Good Hope, Anna Regina and Zorg-en-Vlygt, Henrietta and Dartmouth and Westbury to Charity will be desilted to facilitate cultivation, including that of rice, on thousands of acres.

He said expenditure on roads would total $37.2M, to upgrade them with 'chip seal' at Anna Regina, Supenaam, Perseverance, Queenstown, Affiance, Suddie, Golden Fleece, Dartmouth, Columbia, Westbury, Bush Lot and Coffee Grove.

Another $11M will be spent to do the same on roadways at Henrietta and Lima. Ramadhar said the sum of $12.5M has been allocated to complete the doctors' quarters at Suddie and do further rehabilitation on Suddie and Charity hospitals.

A $14.5M allocation is to construct new accommodation for teachers at Lilydale, Lower Pomeroon and rehabilitate Riverstown Primary School, Queenstown Nursery School and the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) branch at Cotton Field.

Hundreds benefit from Canadian team eye care clinics
HUNDREDS of people derived benefit from the recent visit to Essequibo by an eye care team from Ontario, Canada.

Reports said the visitors removed cataracts from the eyes of many free of cost and the benefactors, who underwent surgery and are now seeing very well, were loud in praise of the Canadians.

The clinics were organised by Essequibo Lions Club and the operations were performed at Suddie Hospital.

Vision defects tests were also done for 1,800 persons and spectacles were freely donated to hundreds.

The Essequibo business community facilitated by providing lunch, dinner and snacks for the duration of the Canadians' stay in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).

Samso's promises unmatched $$ transfer service
By Shirwin Campbell
GUYANESE remittance services received a major boost last Thursday when Samso's Express Money - one of the fastest growing money transfer companies with over 150 agents in the USA and over 6000 correspondents in several territories around the world - launched its services here.

Samso's, the only Guyanese owned licensed money transmitter in the U.S., hit the ground running at its launching, promising Guyanese "the highest level of service at a cost unmatched in this and any market and the guarantee of secure and speedy transfer of funds."

President of Samso's, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Haniff, a Guyanese who served as a banking executive and finance specialist in Florida, described the venture as "a project close to my heart."

Delivering the feature address at the official launching at Georgetown Club, Mr. Haniff said Samso's was born in 2001 out of the recognition that the major money transfer companies were offering their services at exorbitant rates, even as the market was increasing at a steady pace.

Once a butcher in Agricola, East Bank Demerara, he said, "I understand first hand how important it is to be able to assist your loved ones back home when they may be in dire financial straits, how good it feels to be able to send a little "something extra," and I understand the importance of giving back to your community, the place where you got your foundation. This is why I bring Samso's to Guyana."

Samso's is a non-bank provider of consumer money wire transfer services based in Plantation, Florida. The operation centre is in Los Angeles, California. The company is licensed in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, New York and Texas and also has permission to do business in South Carolina.

Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Haiti, Panama and El Salvador, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago will be included in the very near future.

The company's long-term plan also includes entry into countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia and Europe.

Mr. Haniff estimated that up to 600,000 Guyanese nationals live in the U.S. and that approximately one-third of them frequently remit money to Guyana.

Pay out locations in Guyana are Mohammed's Cambio, Regent Street; Caribbean Cargo and Packaging, High Street; Uncle Bugs Air Cargo, Croal Street; A. Ally and Sons, New Amsterdam/Corriverton; Imran and Son Variety Store, Rosehall; Fazal Habibulla - Chester Fried Restaurant, Bush Lot; Face to Face Internet Café, Linden; and Tamesh Tagmohan, Hampton Court.

GT, East Coast on weekend load-shedding list
GUYANA Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) yesterday announced that a major maintenance exercise will be conducted this weekend on the equipment that transmit high voltage power from Garden of Eden to the Sophia station, from where it is broken down before being sent through the distribution system to customers.

According to GPL, new steel structures will be installed for the transformers at Sophia and, simultaneously, general maintenance will be carried out on the 69,000 volt, 60-Hertz sub stations at both locations.

The power company in a statement said this maintenance exercise is mandatory and is conducted twice each year.

"As is customary, power supply will be interrupted to Lamaha Gardens, Campbellville, Lodge, D'Urban Backlands, Worthmanville, TUC Ville, the La Penitence Wards and Albouystown; the exercise will also affect supply to the Ruimveldt wards including North and South Ruimveldt, to Alexander Village, Industrial Site to Houston and to the East Coast from Ogle to Bygeval," GPL said.

GPL also indicated that work is expected to begin at 7:00 hrs and concluded by 16:00 hrs on both days.

The power company said it regrets the inconvenience caused.

"The company wishes to assure our customers that the power transmission system must be maintained regularly to avoid failures," GPL stated.

Ministry targets youth in skills training programme
Chamanlall Naipaul
THE Ministry of Culture, Youths and Sport sees youths as a positive force in society. Consequently, the ministry's skills training programme is placing emphasis on reversing the "dependency syndrome" that is prevalent among young people.

This was disclosed by Minister of Culture, Youths and Sport, Ms. Gail Teixeira during her contribution to the parliamentary debate on the National Budget.

One of the courses being pursued is the seeking of access to micro-credit friendly financing to help develop the entrepreneurial skills and capacity of youths, Teixeira said.

Refuting claims that the Guyana National Service (GNS) was closed under this government, Ms. Teixeira asserted that the scaling down of the GNS began as far back as 1989 under the previous government, and currently its training programme has been restructured to teach technical and vocational skills in all the administrative regions.

The minister indicated that some 800 persons are presently in training, 40% of whom are enrolled at the Kuru Kuru training centre, while the remainder are receiving training at centres in Regions 8 (Potaro/Siparuni) and 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo).

Dealing with the strengthening of the democratic framework since the restoration of democracy in 1992, Teixeira identified several positive developments. However, she noted that the country is still being "haunted by the ghost of the past" with the political opposition still using 'bullyism," but observed that the government which has been democratically elected to govern and make decisions on behalf of the people will continue along the same path.

She said meaningful consultations now exist between the President and Leader of the Opposition in making certain constitutional appointments, as well as the main opposition party the People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) is having representatives on 50 state boards. As regards the latter, she asserted that such a situation "exists nowhere else in CARICOM." The minister noted too that the powers of the President as enshrined in the 1980 constitution, has been significantly reduced in accordance with democratic changes.

Years of state control resulted in the stifling of the private sector which is now growing under an emerging democracy, the minister contended, adding that there must be respect for the rights of all, tolerance of differences and mechanisms to resolve issues peacefully in order to preserve democratic gains and propel the society forward.

Ms. Teixeira also announced that a cultural troupe from India will be here for the observances of the 166th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Guyana which will be observed on May 2, as well as a Cuban cultural troupe for emancipation celebrations.

Whim/Bloomfield can do better with more revenue
- Chairman
EXPENDITURE to improve the quality of life for residents of Whim/Bloomfield hinges on the capacity of the Corentyne, Berbice Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to collect outstanding revenue, according to the Chairman, Mr Mustapha Mohamed.

He said the agriculture sector owes more than 90 per cent of the arrears but collection in residential areas has increased significantly over the past years.

Mohamed said a private estate at Auchlyne has outstanding rates amounting to $18M and efforts to get the sum have so far been unsuccessful.

However, he said the NDC plans to upgrade several internal roadways and bridges at Whim, Auchlyne, Bloomfield and Letter Kenny.

Mohamed said drainage structures will be built in major cultivation sections and three more access dams are targeted for remedial works.

The local authority has budgeted $4M to undertake the projects but more can be done if rates and taxes collection improves.

Mohamed appealed to all the beneficiaries to cooperate and pay up their dues so that adequate services could be provided this year.

Ramdass unveils plan to counter flooding
CHAIRMAN of Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), Mr Kumkarran Ramdass has unveiled a plan to counter flooding during the current rainy season.

He said his Administration and the National Drainage and Irrigation Board (NDIB) have targeted five major channels for excavation.

Ramdass identified the outfalls at Whim, Liverpool, Adventure, Eversham and Numbers 51 - 52 as the primary drainage routes to be unclogged within the next two weeks.

He said, since the start of the current rainy weather, sluice operators and the Regional Drainage and Irrigation Department were alerted to ensure the systems are managed effectively.

Ramdass gave the assurance that mechanisms are being put in place to contain any possible flood, pointing out that the 16 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) are in collaboration with the Regional Administration to keep the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) informed of any emergencies.

Private hospitals formally licensed
THE licensing of three local private hospitals yesterday was lauded by Health Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who said the occasion is an important step in the process to formalize the delivery of quality health care to the people of Guyana.

Representatives of Woodlands Hospital, St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital and Georgetown Medical Centre (formerly Prashad's Hospital) received the Private Hospital's License on behalf of their respective institutions from Minister Ramsammy during a brief, but significant ceremony that took place in his Brickdam Office yesterday.

These three institutions, along with Medical Arts and Davis Memorial Hospital were inspected last year and were informed that they would be licensed this year if certain requirements were met.

Dr. Ramsammy yesterday reported that so far three of these five institutions have been re-inspected and requirements met for licensing. The other two hospitals will be re-inspected within the next two weeks, and from all indications, they, too, will be licensed.

"I think this is a great step for Guyana because we are formalizing the process of a quality and safe health care to the Guyanese people," Dr. Ramsammy said.

He said the minimum standards will not remain as it is now but will begin to be expanded in time.

"Unlike 2004, we will expect that all private hospital in the future will be able to have their inspection and to meet all requirements before the end of March to be issued a license. If they don't meet these requirements then they will not be issued a license," the Minister stated.

Vaccination Week - A commendable PAHO health initiative
FOR the first time ever, Guyana and the rest of the Americas are observing "Vaccination Week in the Americas."

It aims to spur governments into committing substantial resources toward healthcare and to spread public awareness of the essence of vaccination in protecting against diseases.

Vaccination Week in the Americas is the result a commendable Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) initiative to get governments in the Americas to continually place the campaign for the health of the hemisphere's children at the top of their agendas.

In fact, PAHO, the oldest ongoing public health agency in the world, has been working with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of all the people of the Hemisphere since its formation in 1902.

Through the Herculean efforts of its workers, PAHO has managed not only to get the countries of the Americas to agree on the virtue of devising a "Vaccination Week in the Americas"; it has also been successfully in securing their commitments to reach children "who have not been vaccinated in indigenous communities, marginal urban areas, remote areas and frontier zones."

PAHO expects the week's activities to surpass last year's vaccination campaign, which saw some 100,000 health workers in 18 countries head to border areas, isolated communities and marginalized urban populations during the first week of June to vaccinate millions of children who had not been immunized or who had not completed their series of vaccines.

Especially from Guyana's perspective, the campaign is going to require a large chunk of government's allocations for public spending in fiscal 2004. But the effort is worth every dollar because this "Act of Love" is going to save many a child's life.

We aren't sure how much of the Health Ministry budgetary allocation of G$6.7 billion - up from $725 million in 1992 - is going to be spent on vaccination this year. Nevertheless, Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has assured the Guyanese people that there'll be no let-up on the ministry's vaccination campaign.

We haven't forgotten that only in 2002 Guyana received an international award from the United Nations for its immunization programme. Or that the award, presented to Dr. Ramsammy during the Global Alliance for Vaccination (GAVI) conference in Senegal, Africa, was the only one received by a Caribbean country among the 14 nations that got similar awards.

Guyana started benefiting from GAVI aid for its vaccination programme in 2001 and it was estimated then that by 2005, Guyana would have received about US$1.3 million in vaccine purchases.

"Currently several vaccines are being provided locally. These include the BCG for tuberculosis and Hepatitis B. Other vaccines are for influenza and whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus (for children and pregnant women), mumps and rubella (MMR) and yellow fever," Minister Ramsammy reported then.

Things have improved a lot since 2002. And we are confident that the Ministry of Health will focus its energies toward making "Vaccination Week in the Americas" a great success story and do justice to PAHO's initiative in this regard.

Defence blames politics for reinstituted arms cache charges
THE Defence yesterday blamed politics for the reinstituted dismissed charges against three of the five people implicated in the September, 2003 Agricola arms cache case.

But only two of the trio charged again, Morgan James and Roxanne Nicholas appeared before Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen and were put on $55,000 bail each.

The third defendant, Desryn Rawlins is yet to be re-arrested.

Attorneys-at-law Mr. Basil Williams and Mr. Mortimer Coddette, representing all three, said they were very disturbed by the course of action taken by the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Coddette said, according to his instructions, orders were given by someone to have the case tried indictably, necessitating a preliminary inquiry (PI), which, he argued, is totally unnecessary.

Williams, in support of Coddette, said it is clear that reinstitution was politically advised and is an abuse of the process.

Williams said his only aim is to seek justice and compared the case with that of the so-called 'Good Hope Three', who were freed after being found with sophisticated arms, ammunition and equipment at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara.

The lawyer claimed that trial involved more arms and ammunition that were in an open vehicle and not in a suitcase like in this case.

Williams said the Good Hope dismissal met with no objections from anyone and was probably because one of the defendants is a policeman.

Williams, also an Opposition People's National Congress Reform Member of Parliament, declared that the magistracy and the rule of law are being undermined.

Police Chief Inspector Gordon Peters asked for an early fixture but pointed out that he would not be prosecuting in the matter.

He agreed that the proceedings would continue when Rawlins is present and Mrs. Holder-Allen set April 28 for the resumption.

On April 19, Senior Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle freed James, of Lot 30 D'Urban Street, Nicholas, of Lot 85 West Ruimveldt and Rawlins, of Lot 178 Charlotte Street, after a Prosecution witness failed to appear and testify.

The same magistrate also adjourned, indefinitely, the trial of the other two defendants, Lynton Blennon, of Lot 35 Norton Street, Lodge and Rockcliffe Nicholas, of Lot 217 Charlotte Street, Georgetown addresses, too, because they have eluded arrest.

Following that ruling, the case file was reviewed at the DPP's Chambers and the fresh charges of being in illegal possession of the guns and ammunition were laid.

Particulars of one offence said the defendants had one AK-47 rifle, an MK-90 rifle, a M15 AI rifle, a 'Winchester' 9AE sniper rifle with telescopic sight and 375 rounds on September 23, 2003.

Another allegation is that the trio, between September 1 and 23, conspired with other persons to commit a misdemeanour, by importing the weapons into Guyana without being the holder of a valid permit from the competent authority.

Police said the defendants were nabbed when HA 245, in which they were driving through Second Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara, was stopped and searched.

Returned accused mini-bus passenger robber granted bail
CHRISTOPHER Benjamin, charged with the armed robbery committed on a mini-bus passenger, was granted $20,000 bail when he returned to Court yesterday.

Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen had refused the remanded prisoner pre-trial liberty and ordered a check on his background when he made his first appearance on Thursday.

But yesterday Police Chief Inspector Gordon Peters, prosecuting, reported that nothing was known about the defendant.

Benjamin, of Lot 76 East Ruimveldt, is alleged to have robbed Aubrey Charles, at knifepoint, of a bag containing some clothing and $12,000 as the commuter was about to enter the public transport vehicle near Stabroek Market, also in Georgetown, on April 16.

The defendant, who has pleaded not guilty to the offence, will go on trial May 12.

More, not less, is being spent on Amerindian development
LAST year around this time Tony Vieira unleashed his criticism of the 2003 budget with distortions and misrepresentations.

This year again he has done no better. One year has passed and Mr. Vieira made no attempt to improve his understanding of a budget presentation.

In his viewpoint of Monday April 19, Vieira criticized aspects of the budget. But when he could not find enough grounds to criticize it, he reverted to character assassination.

In his budget debate presentation, Minister Manzoor said this year's allocations for the tourism sector is $16m more than last year's $238M. Therefore, $254M should be spent this year on tourism activities.

However, Mr. Vieira said that last year's spending in the tourism sector was more than this year's.

He seems to be playing a political ball game with Amerindians. He wants to appear to be representing Amerindians by saying that the Government is decreasing their lands, because he knows that land is most important to them.

But in doing so, he again misrepresented the situation. He said that Minister Rodrigues said that only two communities were given titles last year. This is testimony to Vieira's ignorance of what is really happening in the area of Amerindian Affairs and is nothing but a fabrication.

In fact what Minister Rodrigues said was that, "Baramita and Konashen were granted Land Titles in the form of Absolute Grants. Baramita is the largest Amerindian Village in Region 1 in terms of land space, while Konashen is the largest in the country."

She further noted that these titles were not given under the present Amerindian Act, because the Act, which is being revised, gives the Minister the power to vary the boundaries of Amerindian lands without any consultation with the Village, or to cancel the title.

The Absolute Grants, on the other hand, gives them the land absolute and forever.

How then could Mr. Vieira accuse Government of taking away or reducing Amerindian lands?

Furthermore, let me remind him that Government approved the titling of four additional communities in Region 10. These will be surveyed and given titles too. Titling these communities means more land is being given to Amerindians.

As to why communities were uncertain about demarcating their lands, it was because representatives of non-governmental Amerindian organizations, which wanted to further their political and personal gains, confused them about the process.

It is important that we take note of misrepresentations by persons with the aim of creating mischief, and deal with them accordingly.
N. D

Civil society involvement has been broader
I WISH to make a response to the editorial in the April 21, 2004 edition of the Stabroek News Current Affairs supplement.

The editorial echoed Robert Corbin's excuse for ending the Constructive Engagement Process, calling for broader involvement of civil society.

First of all, the dialogue process was intended to engage the leaders of the two major political entities in Guyana, the President and the Opposition. The main thrust of this process was to break the traditional impasse between Government and Opposition initiated by the PNC.

Even the media was not allowed to cover the meetings between these two leaders so that genuine dialogue would be achieved.

In the implementation of the decisions of the dialogue, broad based committees were formed to assess the needs of, for instance, depressed communities and local government reforms. The committees conducted many consultations and community meetings.

In addition, the PPP stands tall in relation to inclusion of civil society in the affairs of the state. As a matter of fact, it is one of the marked differences between the PPP and the PNC. Many programmes, which literally changed the lifestyles of Guyanese, were pushed down the throats of Guyanese, during the PNC era. These would take into consideration the programme to Feed, Clothe and House the Nation, the universal National Service Programme, the Economic Recovery Programme and the Structural Adjustment Programme of the PNC. These programmes saw no consultation, whatsoever.

Prior to the PPP's assumption of office, the word consultation was not even a part of the vocabulary of most Guyanese. The PPP has initiated an Annual Business Summit, supported the Social Partner Initiative, held widespread consultations on crime, engaged citizens in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Programme. When President Jagdeo was Chairman of CARICOM in 2002, he championed the passing of CARICOM's Civil Society Charter in Guyana. These are all evidence of the PPP's respect for the contribution of Civil Society.

Civil society has had its fair share of participation in Guyana, with the PPP.
Yours truly,
Steven Bernard

Guyana's Honorary Consul in B'dos responds to 'Daily Nation' article on Guyanese women
Dear Sir/Madam:
I REFER to your article "AIDS Twist: Number of pregnant non-nationals with HIV rising" (Daily Nation, 19 April 2004) in which an unnamed "official" is quoted as saying that mainly Guyanese women make up "pregnant non-national HIV-infected women". It is alleged that "quite a few" of the Guyanese knew they were infected before they became pregnant.

The Guyanese Honorary Consulate wishes once again to express its concern about the unnecessary reference to the nationality of persons, in this case Guyanese (Vincentians are also cited), in news features about such sensitive issues. The identification of the women's birthplace was totally uncalled for. Such references in the context of the overall sensationalist thrust of the article, viz "foreigners come in to give we AIDS", encourages generalizations by misinformed and impressionable readers. In the absence of a thorough long-term study outlining the real impact on HIV-Aids infections in Barbados by people from overseas, the terms "from a fellow CARICOM nation state" or "other Caribbean nationals" would have sufficed.

The relevant section from the "Code of Practice for Caribbean Journalists" of the Eastern Caribbean Press Council, of which the Nation group of newspapers is a member, states: "(Journalists shall) Avoid reporting details prejudicial to a person's race, religion, gender, colour, sexual orientation, nationality or any physical or mental illness or disability unless deemed pertinent to the story".

Aside from the violation of journalistic ethics in this case, pandering as it does to sensationalist sentiments, the use of statistics in the article is problematic. The figures provided from a pilot study at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital indicate that of the 51 HIV-infected pregnant women delivered during the period under question, 14 per cent were non-nationals. If this 14 per cent approximates the numbers of overseas-born residents here (the "non-nationals" referred to in the story), isn't it, sad as it may sound, reflecting reality?

The article's statistical backup is further open to question since no information is given as to when the 14 per cent "non-nationals" were infected. It is possible it happened after they arrived in Barbados. Similarly, no information is provided as to where the 51 longer established residents (those born here) got infected. Sadly and like the Guyanese-born probably through no fault of their own, they may have been infected overseas and brought it into Barbados.

The word "rising" in the headline is also misleading. Unnamed "sources" only are quoted to this effect. Tellingly, the writer of the article concedes comparative figures were unavailable.

Typical of the article's sensationalist inference about the supposedly promiscuous and irresponsible lifestyle of "non nationals", the article sanctimoniously refers to the (admittedly relatively high) HIV-Aids rates in Guyana but nothing is said about the good work the Guyana government is doing, including giving support to the manufacture of anti-retro viral drugs in the country.

Your newspaper's efforts to compliment the fine work of the National Aids Commission is commendable. But you should really be more sensitive to the feelings of the many hard working and responsible Guyanese-Barbadians and others who have made Barbados their newly adopted homeland.
Respectfully yours,
Norman Faria
(Guyana's Honorary Consul in Barbados).

We must use our resources to strengthen, not weaken each other
I RARELY get in the middle of public disagreements. However, I now venture into the exchange between the folks from GID, and the editor of guyanaunderseige.com.

Gentlemen: it is my belief that you can use the resources, time, and energy at your disposal to strengthen, instead of to weaken each other. Why not use your websites, and the knowledge, and the intellect available to seek common ground, to widen consensus, to reach for larger truths. We are covering much traveled ground as we go back and forth about who did what, who is now entitled to privilege, and who is destined for failure. If we cannot appreciate that the pathway to progress is through broadening consensus, then we will be doomed to sniping from near and afar; through letter columns and via websites.

It is irrelevant whether one side is a PNC front, and is consumed with African marginalization. It is similarly irrelevant if the other side is the disguised face of another party, and is all about Indian supremacy. What is relevant is that both sides -and all other such sides- must recognize that their beliefs, militancy, and stands are not going to transform the country into, say the Ukraine. Meaning that, love it or hate it, Guyana will not become a single race nation, and thus be rid of the despised other(s). We can go on forever proving points, and believe that we are winning arguments, but at the end of the day have we really gained anything? Either for our side, or those that we claim to represent?

Therefore, it is imperative that those of us who have commendably taken on the mantle of representing a people, do so within the context of the larger society. The leading parties have failed miserably at this, so now why do learned men and women seek to perpetuate both the failures and misery while operating in more enlightened times? There is no problem with hearing the pain of your first constituency, but do not be blind to all the other significant constituencies that exist, or deny that they too have their share of pain. We can do better to hew from a mountain of despair, the stones of hope (MLKing).

To all groups aspiring to represent, speak not as Indians or Blacks, or as party loyalists, but first and always as citizens. Seek ways to educate your constituencies (and yourselves) on how we can blend instead of separate; how to appreciate instead of denigrate, and how to move ahead together, instead of apart. In reality, what other choice do we have?
Sincerely,
G.H.K. Lall

Guyanese want Guyana to bloom
I NOTICED that Jerome Khan, in the 2004.04.21 edition of Stabroek News bashed Peter Ramsaroop's for the objective advice that he was giving to the PNC on issues such as its protests and more recently, its boycott of Parliament.

Jerome Khan also accused Stabroek News of campaigning against the PNC.

It is not surprising that this is Ramsaroop's reward for being civic minded towards development. The PNC can't seem to understand that Guyana will soon be 38 years old as an independent nation, and the people of Guyana want to grow up as well. Guyanese want Guyana to bloom so that they can have a bountiful life like other developed countries of the world.

It is time that the PNC becomes civil and support the development of the people of Guyana and stop being confrontational.
Yours faithfully
Satesh Deodat

Bandit with party sympathies
Linden London, also known as Blackie, was an ex soldier turned bandit, who is thought to have committed a number of violent crimes. The police declared him a wanted man. Privately they wanted him dead or alive.

Through out the PNC dictatorship he was involved with his criminal gang in robbing many businesses.

He continued this trend after the present government took office.

One case was the America Street cambio robbery on September 22, 1999. In this raid, four heavily armed men carted away millions of dollars from D. Singh and Sons Cambio.

In another incident, two men on January 11, 2000 attacked the National Insurance Scheme headquarters on Brickdam at about 07:15 and carted off $13,000,000. Machine guns and grenades were used to threaten the staff and Blackie was once again suspected.

A recent testimony of a former Berbice serviceman alleged that Blackie might have been working with the knowledge of the top brass in the PNC. If this is true, then how long was there such collaboration? Note that after Blackie met his demise, there was sympathy for him from the PNC camp.

The former President of Guyana, Desmond Hoyte, gave him a state funeral draped with the flag of Guyana.
Thanks
Sutley

Lara back in action for second ODI
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) - West Indies captain Brian Lara is set to play in the second Cable and Wireless One-Day International (ODI) against England in his home country today, after he was named yesterday in the 12-man squad.

Lara, who missed the first ODI in Guyana last weekend, told reporters yesterday that although the injury to the little finger on his right hand is not 100 per cent healed, it has improved a lot, and he is looking forward to playing in the first of two back-to-back matches in Port-of-Spain at the weekend.

The new world record holder for the highest individual score in Test cricket damaged the finger during the first Cable and Wireless Test against England at Sabina Park in Jamaica, and carried the injury throughout the Test series.

"We still have 24 hours to the game, but I think the injury has improved a lot, not at the point that I am totally comfortable, but I think that it is important that I get out there and play,” Lara said.

“I am looking forward to playing but I still think there is some time for the injury to get better, or if there is any accident, it can get worse. So hopefully keeping fingers crossed, I will play,” Lara said.

The 34-year-old batting genius, who reclaimed the world batting record when he scored 400 not out against England in the 4th Test last week Monday in Antigua, said that he believes the West Indies team can beat England and was confident of bouncing back in the limited overs series.

"England is a very inexperienced team. The top performers in the Test series are not here -- Thorpe, Hussain and Butcher. And of course that would have weakened the team. Or maybe England is looking long-term.

But obviously by our performance in the first one-day, that should indicate that there is great possibility that West Indies should win the series and win it emphatically,” Lara added.

West Indies trail the seven-match series 0-1, after a narrow two-wicket loss in Guyana on Sunday.

England captain Michael Vaughan’s main concern is his team’s ability to cope with back-to-back matches Saturday and Sunday.

"The back-to-back games could be pretty tough, playing in the heat,” he said.

“It’s something you have to accept and you have to go out and play. But it’s the same on any tour. You just have to get yourself up for it and make sure that you try and drain every little energy that you have in your body."

TEAMS:
WEST INDIES (from): Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Dwayne Smith, Ridley Jacobs, Mervyn Dillon, Ravi Rampaul, Corey Collymore, Sylvester Joseph, Dwayne Bravo.

ENGLAND (from): Michael Vaughan (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Anthony McGrath, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Chris Read, Rikki Clarke, Ian Blackwell, James Kirtley, James Anderson, Steve Harmison, Darren Gough, Gareth Batty, Ashley Giles.

Rebels reject ZCU mediator
HEATH Streak and Grant Flower have rejected a mediator recommended by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union aimed at ending the dispute.

The ZCU suggested former businessman Much Masunda act as a mediator but Flower and Streak were against it.

Fifteen rebel white players are refusing to play in the dispute that has weakened the side.

A union official said: "It's extremely frustrating. Streak and Flower were supposed to have talked to the others."

The trouble began when former captain Heath Streak queried the composition of the Zimbabwe selection panel.

He was replaced and 14 other players were not considered for the current one-day series with Sri Lanka.

It was unclear whether the other players would follow Streak and Flower's lead.

The ZCU has said the players have until May 7 to present themselves for selection or face sanctions.

On Thursday, an under-strength Zimbabwe lost their second game with Sri Lanka by nine wickets to trail the five-match series 2-0.

Australia leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has refused to take part in May's tour of Zimbabwe because of concerns over President Robert Mugabe's government.

England will consult government ministers before deciding whether to go ahead with their tour in October.

The International Cricket Council said last month that countries which refused to fulfil their tour obligations would be suspended from international cricket and fined more than £1m. (BBC Sport)

Volleyball Workshop for secondary schools
SECONDARY schools in Georgetown will be exposed to a volleyball workshop in the coming week, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

The programme, organised by Physical Education Sport Coordinator Arnold Sukraj, will be held on April 27, 29 and 30 and will focus the discussion on Physical Education Sports Syllabus, the history and development of the sport, techniques and rules, and the role of teachers and the development and organising of school programmes and competitions.

Sukraj and Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) president Lennie Schuffler, among others, will conduct the sessions.

The objectives of the workshop are to motivate and increase knowledge and teaching skills in the game and also to provide information for the CXC curriculum implementation.

The opening ceremony is set for 09:00 hrs where Director of Sports Neil Kumar, Chief Education Officer Ed Caesar and Assistant Chief Education Officer Joseph Gilgeous will make opening remarks.

Jamaica to submit two venues for 2007 World Cup
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - Prime Minister P.J. Patterson on Thursday disclosed that Jamaica will submit two venues in its bid to host matches in the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007.

At a press conference, Patterson announced plans to bid for two of the eight packages, which are being offered and said Jamaica will be bidding for the final, a number of quarterfinals as well as one of the four groups of preliminary and warm-up matches.

Against this background, he said the government intends to prepare both Sabina Park and the Greenfield site in Trelawny as venues.

"We intend to propose in our bid as our first option, that the final and quarterfinals be at Sabina Park (in Kingston) and that the preliminaries and warm-up matches be at the Greenfield site in (the northern parish of) Trelawny. If that is not accepted, our second option is the reverse of the above, that is to have the preliminary and warm-up matches at Sabina Park and the final and quarterfinals at the Greenfield site," said Patterson.

He said the shortlist of bidders will be announced by July 4 and this will then await the approval of the International Cricket Council (ICC), which should place its stamp of approval on the venues by the end of September.

The Prime Minister also slammed local critics who are suggesting that Jamaica's preparations for the World Cup are behind schedule.

"Local organising committees have been advised not to commence its CWC 2007 venue and infrastructure development operations until this overlay process has been completed and a notice to proceed has been issued by CWC 2007."

Patterson emphasised that the hosting of the World Cup in Jamaica should be viewed not only as a sporting activity but also as a catalyst for economic growth and development.

Upper Corentyne Business Community to sponsor Berbice first division competiton
… matches to start today
WITH Banks DIH Limited, the leading sponsor of Berbice cricket, pulling out after a 16-year association with the Berbice Cricket Board of Control, due to a downturn in their business profits last year, sponsorship for Berbice have recently been hard to come by.

So much so that between last year and this year so far there has been no three- day cricket played in Berbice and only one one-day round robin competition played off last year, compliments of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

This situation has caused a debilitating effect on Berbice cricket. From being inter-county champions at all levels of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) competitions, Berbice has recently surrendered the Post Office Under-17, El-Dorado Senior One-Day, the GCB four-day, the Castrol Under-15 and recently the GTM One-day titles all to Demerara.

As a result, the Berbice Cricket Board decided to tackle the problem from two different fronts. It was concluded that the Board itself would have to seek funds through a different medium to run off a meaningful first division competition, that is approaching the Berbice business community for individual donations.

To this end, a special delegation comprising board executives, visited the Upper Corentyne area, canvassed individual business persons in that area and raised over $350 000 in donations specifically for the running off of a first division competition with all of the umpires’ fees being paid by the board.

It was later decided to run off a 50-overs round robin competition, involving the twelve (12) top first division teams. A decision was also taken that the format of dividing the teams into two zones be dispensed with, resulting in each team having to play all of the others.

The competition, which has been named the Berbice Cricket Board of Control/Upper Corentyne Business Community First Division 50-overs round robin cricket competition, is scheduled for today and tomorrow with first and second round matches. After the eleven preliminary rounds, the first four teams will advance to the semifinals, which will have the first-placed team hosting the fourth-placed team and the second-placed team hosting the third-placed team.

However, due to intermittent rain in Berbice, grounds at Kildonan, Rose Hall Town, Cumberland, New Amsterdam and Shieldstown are all unplayable, thus only six of the scheduled twelve (12) matches can be played off.

Today’s first-round matches:

Albion Community Centre vs. Port Mourant at Albion -- umpires Roshan Moakar and Gangapersaud Shivdyal.

Upper Corentyne vs. Skeldon Community Centre at Number 69 -- umpires Rajah Sukhra and Abdul Gafoor.

Blairmont Community Centre vs. West Berbice at Blairmont -- umpires Joseph Simon and Rafik Latif.

Rose Hall Community Centre vs. Police at Rose Hall in Canje.

Sunday’s second round matches

Skeldon Community Centre vs. Port Mourant at Skeldon -- umpires D. Samwaru and Sirpaul Jackishan.

Rose Hall Community Centre vs. Bermine at Rose Hall, Canje -- umpires Keith Sultan and Roshan Moakan.

All matches start at 09:30 hrs.

Four young boxers make GABA senior and junior lists
FOUR young boxers have been called to train in both senior and junior categories as the 32-man squad begins two months of preparations from Monday for the Annual Caribbean amateur championships, billed for Trinidad & Tobago in June.

The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) short-listed lightweights Kofi Noble, Hendrick Pelswijk, Joel McRae and Roy Sandiford in both categories.

The initial list of those called is:

Seniors - heavyweights Mitchell Rogers and Thelophelos Blue and light heavyweight Gordon Ross, middleweight Mark Pierre, welterweight Anson Greene and Juion Pompey, junior welterweight Mark Solomon, Iwan Azore and John Henry, featherweights Jermaine King and Paul Lewis Jr, bantamweights Ray Sandiford and Gavin Alphonso, flyweight Chalton Skeete and junior flyweight Dexter Marques;

Juniors - middleweights Kwesi Jones and Ryan Clementson, welterweight Kareem King, junior welterweight Randy Tello and Edmond Declou, featherweight Damian Robinson, flyweights Earl Sobers and Boigny Miggins and junior flyweights Edward Skeete, Delon Allicock and Mervin Sobers.

A list of seven coaches was released to conduct training sessions, headed by Donald Allison and includes Carl Franklyn, Rupert David, Lennox Daniels, Siebert Blake, Terrence Poole and Compton Moore.

Daniels was not named National Coach. He had spoken against sending boxers to the Pre-Olympic Box-off in Rio de Janeiro, in another section of the media, saying that it would be better to send a strong team to the Caribbean Championships where medals would be assured.

The GABA, also, aims to add more boxers from the National Intermediate Championships scheduled for May 21-23. (Isaiah Chappelle)

Arsenal close on title, relegation battle hots up
By Nick Mulvenney
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Arsenal could win their third English title in seven seasons when the runaway premier league leaders face Tottenham Hotspur in tomorrow’s north London derby.

If Chelsea fail to win at Newcastle United earlier in the day, a victory over Spurs at White Hart Lane would be enough to make Arsenal English champions for the 13th time.

Arsenal, who also won the title under Arsene Wenger in 1998 and 2002, would have 84 points with four games remaining, while a draw would give second-placed Chelsea 73 points but with only nine points up for grabs from their last three matches.

Chelsea's midweek disappointment in Monaco, where they lost their Champions League semifinal first leg 3-1, was compounded when champions Manchester United drew to within a point of them with a 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic.

Second place means a passage straight into the Champions League, while the third-placed club will have to negotiate a potentially tricky qualifier to access the riches of Europe's top club tournament.

Today, United host Liverpool. Gerard Houllier's team are 21 points behind their opponents in fourth and also need points to hold off Newcastle and claim the final spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds.

Liverpool and fifth-placed Newcastle are both on 50 points, although Bobby Robson's team have a game in hand.

Neither club can afford a defeat as Aston Villa, who have 49 points and travel to Middlesbrough today, and seventh-placed Charlton, who are a point behind Villa and visit London rivals Fulham today, are breathing down their necks.

DOUBLY IMPORTANT
Tomorrow's north London derby could also have ramifications for 14th-placed Spurs, who at one stage this season had hopes of grabbing fifth place and a UEFA Cup spot.

Their fans will be praying Arsenal do not clinch the title at White Hart Lane -- as they did in 1971 to set them on the way to their first league and FA Cup double -- while defeat could nudge Spurs towards the relegation dogfight.

Spurs are six points above the drop zone, but wins for Leeds United and Manchester City in relegation ``six-pointers'' at the weekend could leave David Pleat's side with more than pride to play for in their final three matches.

Leeds have 32 points in 18th place, the third relegation spot, but are still hoping to cap a financially traumatic season by avoiding the drop.

They play 16th-place Portsmouth at Elland Road tomorrow and a home win, combined with a defeat for 17th place Manchester City at Leicester City today, would take them out of the relegation zone for the first time since late October.

Leicester are second from bottom on 28 points and badly need to beat Kevin Keegan's team.

Anything but a win for bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers, who also have 28 points, in their derby against Birmingham City tomorrow, would likewise almost certainly condemn them to a quick return to the first division.

FIA proposes Formula One revolution
By Alan Baldwin
IMOLA, Italy, (Reuters) - Formula One's governing body has proposed the biggest shake-up in the sport's history to slash the cost of competing and put drivers back in the limelight.

The raft of ideas put forward by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) yesterday will, if approved, come into effect in 2008.

Engine capacity would be reduced to 2.4 litre V8s from three litre V10s, with each unit having to last two races, and teams would be allowed to buy, loan or sell their chassis and components between each other.

Fully manual gearboxes and clutches would return with power steering banned along with the use of spare cars, a move that should let driver talent shine above the technology and allow more overtaking.

Teams will not be allowed to do any substantial mechanical work on cars for the duration of an event while also included is the highly contentious proposal to end the sport's 'tyre war' by forcing out one of the two current suppliers.

``I think it is probably the biggest package of changes (Formula One has ever seen),'' FIA president Max Mosley told Reuters, ``And the reason for doing it now is that I think there is a really serious problem in Formula One with the amount of money that is being spent.

``Several of the major manufacturers are starting to look at what they are spending on engines and wondering whether they are getting value for money. Teams are finding it difficult to get enough sponsorship to meet their costs.

``There is a risk that we will start to see big problems if we don't do something.''

MONACO MEETING
The FIA will meet the six team bosses who replied to an invitation to discuss the proposals in Monaco on May 4.

McLaren's Ron Dennis and the bosses of Jaguar, Toyota and Minardi failed to reply to the invitation.

Mosley said the first objective was ``to improve the racing spectacle without introducing artificial rules.''

The others were the elimination of so-called electronic 'driver aids' such as traction control and measures to reduce the costs of competing, and bring in new teams to encourage a full grid of 24 cars.

``If people don't go and watch it (Formula One), it doesn't matter how cutting-edge it is, it will fail,'' Mosley said.

``People are really interested in the human contest but obviously not in very high performance machines.

``If you have too much technology and not enough driver, the public will start to lose interest.''

The last new team to enter the sport was Japanese car giant Toyota in 2002, paying $50 million to secure their slot, but the smaller Prost and Arrows teams have folded in recent seasons.

Some of the teams, such as Ferrari and Toyota, have estimated annual budgets in excess of $300 million while the likes of Minardi are struggling to pay around $1 million a race for their engines.

``You would be looking at budgets more in the order of, and this is guesswork, $15 to 20 million, or perhaps even less,'' said Mosley. ``Whereas the Minardi type operation is significantly more than double that.''

The proposals also called for private testing to be slashed back, limited by mileage rather than the number of days and enforced by the use of an FIA control unit in cars.

Teams currently spend more time and money testing than racing, with most of that time devoted to tyre development.

The FIA said final proposals would be submitted to its world motor sport council on June 30, 2004.

Under the confidential Concorde Agreement governing the sport, the FIA must announce the technical regulations for the 2008 season by December 31, 2005.

Sometimes 123,582 persons can get it wrong
By Mike Collett
Soccer Editor
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, (Reuters) - Last month Pele misguidedly published his ``FIFA 100'' - a list of the 100 greatest living footballers.

For some reason, never properly explained before or since, Gerson, Jairzinho, Tom Finney and John Charles, who was still alive when the list was compiled, were left out.

Yet, American female footballers Michelle Akers and Mia Hamm made the list.

It was hard to countenance that Pele, or his advisers, honestly believed that Mia Hamm is or was a better footballer than Finney or Jairzinho.

This month it is UEFA's turn, for while FIFA is celebrating its centenary this year, UEFA, coincidentally, is marking its 50th anniversary.

It seems that no soccer anniversary can pass without a list of ‘The Best’ this or ‘The Greatest’ that to mark the occasion.

UEFA decided to commemorate their Golden Jubilee in a far more democratic way than FIFA.

Whereas FIFA merely asked Pele, UEFA canvassed the general public via the Internet to vote on Europe's greatest player of the last half-century.

As anyone who has ever sat in a bar talking football knows, this was a recipe for disaster.

There are grown men who would claim, given half the chance, that the Best 11 Players in the World Ever, only qualify for that list if they played for Liverpool.

MISGUIDED SOULS
There are other misguided souls who could not name the star players of last week, let alone last year or the last decade.

Then there are the 123 582 persons who voted on the UEFA website for Zinedine Zidane of France.

He may well be. But then again, so might Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, Marco Van Basten, Dino Zoff, Alfredo Di Stefano, Eusebio, Lev Yashin, Michel Platini or Paolo Maldini who all finished in the Top 10 behind Zidane in the voting.

So the argument comes to this: was Di Stefano a better footballer than Van Basten? Was Platini a better footballer than Zidane? The answer is: Who on earth knows?

The question should have been: What European has contributed more to European football than any other in the last 50 years?

There is only one candidate for that accolade: ``Der Kaiser'' Franz Beckenbauer, who has been directly involved in football since he was a teenager.

The only man to win the World Cup as a player and as a coach, Beckenbauer has gone on to high office with Bayern Munich and is a figurehead in Germany's 2006 World Cup plans.

He could have retired and played golf and spent days out in the 4x4 with his family.

Instead, he has continually worked for the sport that made him a rich and revered man from the time he was in his 20s.

The good thing is, no one has to decide on that contribution now.

It is 50 years until UEFA celebrates its centenary and 50 years before FIFA is 150 years old.

By that time, hopefully, polls to find out who was the greatest this or the most fantastic that will have been consigned to the rubbish bins they belong in.

Sevens rugby league continues
THE Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) will resume play in the President’s Cup Sevens League Tournament today, providing there is no water on the ground.

Play in the fourth round of the tournament was postponed last weekend due to a flooded National Park field.

The Yamaha Caribs ‘A’ are ahead in the competition by a point with Hornets ‘A’ in second position, followed by the Hornets ‘B’ in third.

Unplayed games from the third round will be completed with kick-off time scheduled for 14:00 hrs.

Maradona off respirator, but remains in intensive care
By Brian Homewood
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - Diego Maradona was taken off an artificial respirator yesterday but remained in intensive care five days after being rushed to hospital with a swollen heart and breathing problems, a hospital statement said.

The hospital, where a group of fans kept up their vigil in the street outside, also said the former Argentina World Cup winner’s pneumonia was improving, though he is still taking drugs to keep his heart and blood circulation stable.

``Shortly after midday (1500 GMT), the mechanical respiratory assistance was suspended and the tube could be taken out,'' said the statement issued by the Suizo-Argentino clinic.

It added that Maradona was still receiving oxygen treatment with a mask.

``The ventilatory function is good at the moment,'' the statement said.

Maradona, who has put on so much weight that he is scarcely recognisable from his playing days, arrived in Argentina last month from Cuba, where he has spent the last three years undergoing a drugs rehabilitation programme.

He was rushed to hospital on Sunday in a serious, feverish condition, shortly after watching his favourite team Boca Juniors play Nueva Chicago and then going to a traditional Argentine barbecue.

His doctor Alfredo Cahe has rubbished suggestions that drugs use might have been behind Maradona’s illness.

The 43-year-old has also developed pneumonia, which the hospital said is easing.

``The pneumonia is evolving favourably .... although it remains serious,'' the statement said.

``He continues to require drugs to keep the cardiovascular function stabilised.

``He’s also receiving antibiotics and sedatives, the latter in smaller doses than when he arrived.''

Maradona’s plight has moved the South American country, where his exploits on the field are still fondly remembered, particularly the 1986 World Cup when he almost single-handedly led an otherwise unremarkable team to the title.

The daily arrival of the medical bulletin has become a midday ritual in front of the hospital, with media scrambling desperately for copies handed out by two hospital workers and onlookers attempting to take copies as souvenirs.

Doctors have not been available to answer questions since Cahe appeared on Tuesday.

The player’s admirers have lit candles and plastered tributes to him on the walls of the clinic, turning the pavement in front into something resembling a shrine.

Caribbean teams beaten again at Pan-Am Hockey
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) - Regional hockey teams, Trinidad and Tobago and hosts Barbados, both lost their encounters in the Women's Pan-American Hockey championships at the Sir Garfield Sobers Sports Complex in Wildey on Thursday.

In the first match of the day, Uruguay defeated Trinidad and Tobago 1-0 in a dull encounter, while Barbados slumped to a heavy defeat to the United States.

Though Trinidad and Tobago pressed Uruguay hard in the opening exchanges and produced the best scoring chances, the South Americans opened the score in the 21st minute, through Virginia Casabo, who connected a right cross from Lorena Margni.

Trinidad and Tobago reacted with some strong counter-attacking plays, which had Uruguay retreating, but the Uruguayans held on until halftime.

On resumption Trinidad and Tobago pressed hard for the equaliser but they were inaccurate in attack, while the Pan-American bronze medallist struggled in their own attempts to add to their lead.

T&T manager Annette Waldron-Joseph said the team lifted their performance significantly after their heavy 9-0 opening game loss to the USA.

“This was a much improved game overall by all the players, it was a tough loss,” she said.

In the second game of the day hosts Barbados were totally outplayed by the USA, who won 7-1 and shot to the top of Group B on goal difference over Uruguay.

The United States made light work of the Bajan lasses, with their goals scored in the ninth and 30th minutes by Tracey Fauchs, Kristen McCann in the fourth, Angela Loy in the seventh; Kate Barber in the 14th, Tamika Smith in the 25th and Keli Smith in the 43rd.

Barbados improved their tactics at halftime to be more competitive, and this paid off in the 57th minute when Tricia Ann Greaves converted a short corner.

In the day’s other games, Canada beat the Netherlands Antilles 8-0, and in the clash of the evening, defending champions Argentina trounced neighbours Chile 11-0.

Yesterday was a rest day for the tournament with action resuming today with the last group encounters.

Barbados will face regional neighbours Trinidad and Tobago in the bottom of the table clash in Group B, in which the USA play Uruguay for group honours.

In Group A, the Netherlands Antilles meet defending champions and leaders Argentina, and Canada will face Chile.

Heavyweight woes mount up
By Ben Dirs
MUHAMMAD Ali once implored America's young to "get an education, become an electrician, a mechanic, a doctor, a lawyer - anything but a fighter."

Unfortunately, for boxing fans across the globe, many seem to have taken his advice.

For last Saturday's world heavyweight double-header at New York's Madison Square Garden was no more than a depressing exhibition of how far the division has fallen.

John Ruiz, as grim a champion ever to pull on a pair of gloves, put Fres Oquendo and millions watching out of their misery when he stopped his fellow Puerto Rican after almost 11 rounds of wrestling to retain his WBA crown.

Grapple fans will have been impressed, but for top draw boxing it wasn't impressive.

Next up, Chris Byrd retained his IBF belt with an entertaining but equally damning draw with the ‘Foul Pole’, Andrew Golota.

This is the same Andrew Golota who bit Samson Po'uha in 1995, was disqualified twice against Riddick Bowe in 1996, knocked out in one round by Lennox Lewis in 1997 and who quit against Mike Tyson in 2000.

To make matters worse, demonic promoter Don King is in charge of all four, plus Lamon Brewster who iced Wladimir Klitschko last weekend to claim the WBO crown.

Throughout the Ruiz-Oquendo debacle, the crowd chanted the name of one Mike Tyson, perhaps the only person in the Garden who liked what he saw.

I say perhaps, because 41-year-old Evander Holyfield was another at ringside and his comeback bandwagon must be gathering pace.

Like some maniacal ringleader, King called out Tyson after the circus had stopped and although his former cash cow refused to bite, Tyson may want in.

Theories abound as to where all the big men have gone.

Perhaps they are linesmen in the NFL or centres in the NBA. But a more plausible explanation is that they are - as Ali once wished for - electricians, mechanics and doctors.

Boxing has always been a reliable social and economic barometer. Jewish and Irish fighters were plentiful in the early part of the twentieth century because the socio-economic situation dictated it.

When the condition of Jewish and Irish-American communities improved, Italian-Americans took over and great champions like Marciano, Graziano and La Motta were spawned.

Then came the African-Americans, wave upon wave of impoverished and hungry young men looking to boxing for salvation.

Now that the great African-American heavyweights seem to have dried up, it should be cause for rejoicing in the wider black community - fewer Sonny Listons and Joe Fraziers with no other option but to fight for a buck.

But, from a purely selfish stand point, it leaves heavyweight boxing in a perilous state.

The International Boxing Organisation's independent heavyweight rankings for February included only two Americans under the age of 30 in its top 50.

Dominick Guinn, a fighter some mistook for the country's next big hope, was beaten in March by the mediocre Monte Barrett, who in turn lost to Joe Mesi last year.

Mesi, touted by some as the next Marciano, is a humdrum fighter who was recently dropped four times by Vassiliy Jirov - a natural cruiserweight.

Indeed, it could be that the best two heavyweights in the world are in fact middleweights: James Toney, who flattened Holyfield last October, looks capable of beating anyone, and Roy Jones Jr ran rings round Ruiz to win the WBA title last March.

That young South African firebrand Corrie Sanders, 38, fights the Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title in Los Angeles today.

And people wonder why Britain's Audley Harrison is so confident about his future success. (BBC Sport)

England open to Law option
ENGLAND’S chairman of selectors David Graveney has not ruled out considering Stuart Law as a Test batsman.

The Australian has expressed an interest in playing for England once he has been granted British citizenship.

The 36-year-old averages 51 in the first-class game and was the leading run-scorer last season.

Graveney told BBC Sport: "I was at Hove on Thursday and saw Law bat against Sussex and there is no doubt he is an exceptional player. But he is 36."

Law, in his second season at Lancashire, expects to become a British national by the end of the year.

Graveney added: "He will not qualify to play for England until at least next year so it would be wrong for me to comment on it now.

"He is a fantastic player and a great asset to Lancashire so we will just have to wait and see what happens at the end of the season.

"We deal in runs and wickets and he is doing nothing wrong in that respect."

Law believes his chances of an England call are slim on the grounds of age, but weighed against that is his phenomenal batting record. "If the opportunity arose, it is a chance to play Test cricket," he said.

"I am not counting any chickens. It is not that I don't want to play, but I think it would be ridiculous for a 36-year-old to play ahead of some good young players coming through."

His only previous experience of Test cricket came in December 1995 when he made an unbeaten 54 as Australia beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 36 runs in Perth.

Law also played 54 one-day internationals, the last of them in 1999, but retired from Australian cricket at the end of the 2003-04 season having been named Queensland's Player-of-the-Year.

If given a chance by England, it could come against Australia in next summer's Ashes series.

"I could play against a few of my best mates - that would be interesting," he added. (BBC Sport)

Camille’s take wind ball title
CAMILLE’S Institute of Business and Science Studies have claimed the female windball title in the 12th annual Easter Term competition that culminated at the National Gymnasium on Thursday.

Camille’s, taking first strike, dethroned St Rose’s High who were the 2003 champions.

Camille’s posted 168 for 4 with eventual MVP of the tournament Kristen Farnum smashing 84 runs with support from Sharmilla Sookraj 36, while wides totalled 30.

Farnum had earlier in the competition become the indoor record holder after registering 152 runs.

The best all-rounder Shinead Emerson took 2 for 32 for St Rose’s who were restricted to 122 without loss.

Emerson posted 73 and Kersee Welch 32.

Meanwhile, Goed Fortuin captured the third place after disposing of Lodge Community High in the opening game.

Some ten schools participated in the championship, organised by the Al Sport and Tour Promotions.

National Sports Commission (NSC) chairman Laurie Lewis will do the presentation of prizes on Monday.

Lewis, along with DDL marketing representative Keith David and Area Manager Derel Shaw, will make opening remarks at the NSC/Diamond Mineral Water Regional Primary Schools windball championship.

The championship will be declared open at the same venue.