Rio Group Summit stage set
-- `an historic moment for Guyana’
By Mark Ramotar
THE government has made a “gigantic effort” to ensure that everything is in order for hosting the prestigious Rio Group Summit and a spate of other meetings this week in Guyana, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Rudy Insanally.

At a news conference yesterday, he said although Guyana is a small country, it has “nothing to be ashamed of” in terms of, for instance, accommodation of foreign delegations for the summit which will open with a grand cultural ceremony tomorrow evening at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown.

“I think that hopefully everything will run smoothly. It is a big event for a small country to handle and if there are any deficiencies then I hope that our guests will forgive us but we have made a gigantic effort to ensure that all is in order,” the Foreign Minister said.

Underscoring the importance of this event for Guyana’s national life, Insanally said, “This is truly an historic moment in the life of Guyana; it is the first time ever that an English-speaking country of the Caribbean has had the privilege of hosting this prestigious summit and I think we can be justly satisfied with the preparations thus far.”

The Foreign Minister also confirmed that at least seven other Heads of State from Latin and Central America will be joining President Bharrat Jagdeo at the summit Saturday.

The visiting Heads of State expected here tomorrow are Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez; President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet; President of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Antonio Fernandez Reyna; President of Honduras, Mel Zelaya; President of Panama, Martin Torrijos Espino; and Mexico President Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa.

Insanally said Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Patrick Manning, has indicated that he will be attending, following an invitation for him to participate in the informal sessions during the summit.

Also expected here from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), other than Manning, will be Secretary-General of the regional integration movement Mr. Edwin Carrington.

“Prime Minister Manning will be there for the informal sessions which will be dealing more with the social issues…so there will be an interaction between the distinguished leaders of Latin and Central America, Guyana and even CARICOM and this is an example of the dynamics we have tried to create during our chairmanship of the Rio Group,” Insanally asserted.

He also noted that when compared with summits previously held, the expected attendance of at least eight Heads of State is “a very respectable number”.

This, he said, is because like all summits, some heads find it difficult to attend for reasons of conflicting agenda. “…but we are gratified by the interest and the attendance that are now clearly manifest.”

He said the newly-elected President of Mexico is “very keen” to be at the summit in Guyana and to pursue efforts aimed at “establishing a renewed relationship with the CARICOM countries”.

Mexico has been pivotal to the development of the countries within the Association of Caribbean States and has had friendly trade and other relations with the region.

Also confirming their attendance at the summit, according to Insanally, is the Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Mr. Jose Miguel Insulza; and President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Dr. Compton Bourne.

He said the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) might also attend the summit, but Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon has advised that he will not be attending.

Several requests, he said, have been made for bilateral meetings between President Jagdeo and visiting leaders, including the Venezuelan, Brazilian, Panamanian and Mexican Presidents. “These bilaterals are very important and we will have to find time to arrange these crucial meetings.”

SUMMIT AGENDA
A main agenda item for the summit, according to the Guyanese Foreign Minister, will be the focus on social issues and efforts to reduce poverty, a platform that will be vigorously pushed by President Jagdeo who has been at the forefront in the relentless campaign for social change and raising the standards of living of the peoples of this hemisphere.

“The priority issue on the agenda will be that dealing with social issues of the region and President Jagdeo has a passionate interest in pushing this as a first issue in the interactive meetings with his colleagues on Saturday.”

“The President thought that while trade issues are very important - given the fact that they are now currently on the table in many fora such as the WTO and elsewhere - we will spend some time, particularly as the Head of Government in the region, to address this fundamental challenge of poverty and other social problems.”

On this note, he said the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has helped Guyana in the preparation of a background paper for the summit that looks at the current environment within Latin America and the Caribbean – a region that largely suffers from a great disparity in the levels of income and the standards of living of its peoples.

“Hopefully we will be able to establish a programme of action - based on initiatives on which all the countries of Latin America and Caribbean can agree on, to work together and to pool our resources, both human and financial, to better the welfare of the peoples of this hemisphere,” Insanally posited.

Another item on the agenda, he said, will focus on the “democratization of international relations” especially international economic relations.

He said developing countries need to have “a better say” in the decision-making process whether at the level of the World Bank, IDB or other institutions, especially in matters that are of vital interest to those developing countries.

The strengthening of the Rio Group is another agenda item, he said. “We want to make the Rio Group, which is an organ of political consultations primarily (but) which, over the years has acquired another role…as a very effective catalyst for regional integration (to be further strengthed),” he said.

“It is important that if this Rio Group is to remain relevant and as effective as it has been in the past, we must ensure that its working operations are made more agile and more responsive to the events that face us now,” Minister Insanally charged.

VAT collection on target but refund demands alarming
-- GRA head
COMMISSIONER-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Khurshid Sattaur said yesterday that, so far, the agency is on target with its collection, following the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT).

He said GRA has received 79 per cent of the VAT returns from registered businesses but expressed concern over the alarming number of companies claiming refunds.

Sattaur, at an afternoon media conference in his Lamaha Street, Georgetown office, noted that the deadline for filing returns for the period January 1 to 31 was February 21.

According to him, the 79 per cent accounts for 1,674 of the 2,100 registrants and is comparable to results from any new tax measure.

Sattaur commended those who submitted timely returns and said it aided the smooth process. However, he warned that the 21 per cent defaulters are adversely affecting the system and will be penalised.

“They should be advised that our information technology system will enable us to quickly identify those who default on their VAT returns and will generate automatic penalties,” the Commissioner-General stated.

He advised those defaulting to quickly contact the GRA by way of letter to indicate that they will be filing late so penalty can be waived.

Sattaur reminded that, for each day businesses fail to file, an individual fine of $1,000 is applicable. If a defaulter is given a deadline and it is missed, each following day would attract a fine of $2.000.

He said the submitted VAT returns have been analysed and the number due for returns is being viewed “with great concern”. The entities requesting returns number 550 of the 1,674.

Sattaur said options available to the GRA include having the accounts audited or estimating the amount of VAT payable by examining the returns.

“We have quite a few options open to us to determine whether or not we accept these returns or to proceed to assess those based on the face value,” he explained.

Sattaur cautioned businesses to maintain accurate books and records that can be used independently to test and verify the accuracy of returns because the GRA is empowered, under the VAT law, to carry out examinations of the underlying records if discrepancies are found.

Despite this, the Commissioner-General pronounced that there has been a good beginning for VAT in Guyana and the GRA has already begun following up the businesses which have failed to submit returns on time and is also preparing to receive the next set of submissions and payments for February, which are due on March 22.

Meanwhile, the campaign to identify unregistered businesses will continue, Sattaur said.

He disclosed that the GRA has intelligence information that there are businesses that ought to be registered but have not.

“We are currently identifying those businesses that fall into this category and we will take the appropriate steps to have them registered,” as they should be aware that civil penalties of double the amount of tax they should have remitted, Sattaur pointed out.

Criminally, they could face a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for up to two years, he said, noting that GRA is maintaining a close watch on prices charged for goods and, together with the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, will continue to publish advertisements showing what charges should be paid under VAT as compared to what they were previously.

Sattaur acknowledged complaints that stores selling auto spare parts have been charging high prices for items and annnounced that an arrangement is being worked out with the public transport sector to effectively deal with such businesses.

He said GRA is prepared to publish suggested businesses where consumers should shop or places at which they should not, if the illicit practice continues.

Sattaur said, although GRA will do everything to protect the interest of consumers, they need to also protect themselves.

Shoppers should demand bills for purchases and report businesses which suggest they not collect receipts in exchange for not paying VAT on merchandise.

“We want to remind consumers that, if they choose VAT-free prices, they are allowing these businesses to get away with greater profits for their personal gain and they are contributing to fraudulent activities,” Sattaur stated.

He said, should an item bought be faulty, the consumer will not be able to seek redress without proof of purchase.

EC funds for sugar action plan
By Chamanlall Naipaul
A FINANCING agreement between the European Commission (EC) and the Guyana Government was yesterday concluded, paving the way for some 5.6M Euros to be injected into the Guyana Sugar Action Plan, designed to buffer the effects of sugar price cuts announced last year by the commission.

The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Finance by Acting Head of the EC Delegation here, Ms. Helena Jenkinson and Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh.

According to Jenkinson, the funds are a first contributor to the sugar action plan and the first component of the EC multi-annual adaptation strategy for the period 2006-2013.

She is confident the local sugar industry will meet the challenges ahead.

“The commission is confident that the sugar cane sector in Guyana will meet the challenges of international competitiveness and profitability; that GUYSUCO (Guyana Sugar Corporation) will succeed in ascending the value added chain leaving more employment and money in this country instead of exporting them to the benefit of other, perhaps better off countries. This, of course, will be of general benefit to the people of Guyana,” she said.

She noted too that Guyana is one of the most advanced of the 18 Sugar Protocol countries in its programming for the future of the sugar sector, and is certainly the best in this region.

The envoy indicated that in accordance with GUYSUCO’s prioritised investment plan, the 2006 funding will contribute to upgrading the Enmore factory and installing a packaging plant there, as both investments aim at helping the company realise its strategy of value added and customer oriented products.

The funding will also finance a study of the social impact of the sugar action plan which will guide activities in the social sector following Annual Action Plans for the period 2007-2013, Jenkinson said,

During this seven-year period the overall adaptation strategy will be supported and will include enhancing competitiveness and profitability of the sugar industry, agricultural diversification and measures to cushion the social impact of the action plan.

However, up to the medium-term, 2010, the focus will be specifically on the sugar industry and on the possible social impact of the restructuring reforms, Jenkinson said, adding that there will be a mid-term review which may lead to a revision of the national policy, of the EC response strategy and of the financial envelope.

“So, this EU (European Union) aid is not set in stone but rather, after 2010 it can be adapted to changing circumstances and needs.”

She added that the allocation of the EU is guided by instruments such as the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the European Consensus on Development, both of which advocate a reduction in transaction costs entailed in development cooperation and broadening leadership and ownership by governments in decision making.

Jenkinson explained that the EU assistance for 2006 will be delivered by direct untargeted sector budget support, and this entails the release of two tranches of support. One is fixed which depends on meeting already established macro-economic criteria with the following indicators: stability oriented macro-economic policies are being implemented; satisfactory progress in the implementation of a credible and pertinent reform to improve financial management; and satisfactory progress with the implementation of the National Action Plan.

The other is a variable tranche which is released upon the achievement of specific performance indicators which have been spelt out in the agreement.

Jenkinson added that the delivery mechanism gives the government greater ownership and responsibility for the achievement of its policy objectives.

Agriculture Minister, Mr. Robert Persaud recalled that the government began preparations early in anticipation of the reduced price for sugar which will cost the industry billions of dollars annually.

“The government has been preparing the sugar industry for this eventuality nearly a decade ago. The major elements of our preparations are: a new state of the art factory and co-generation plant at Skeldon in Berbice and by improving productivity throughout its operations, diversifying, adding value through branded sugars, such as the Demerara Gold brand, and expanding its markets in CARICOM and further afield, and alcohol production refined sugar and ethanol.”

Persaud added that the government is investing some US$169M in the Skeldon project which is scheduled to be up and running during the first quarter of 2008.

On a national basis, the minister said GUYSUCO plans to spend US$51M on upgrading factories to ensure their reliability in the future, and this year alone some $11.6 billion will be spent on capital investment across the entire industry.

“Importantly, today’s signing is a signal of our firm commitment to the survival of the Demerara sugar estates and the long term viability of the sugar industry,” Persaud stressed.

Acknowledging that the current allocation will be invested to upgrade the factory process at Enmore, he said this will be a precursor to the construction of a packaging plant and warehouse contained in the National Action Plan approved by the EC.

Singh, reiterating the importance of the sugar industry to Guyana, said it can be considered to be the basis of Guyana as it has historically, and still, is the dominant industry, contributing to just under 20% of Gross National Product and over 30% to foreign exchange earnings.

He assured that the government has been proactive to the changes with respect to the sugar industry that have been taking place, particularly within the Sugar Protocol and the Skeldon project is the most visible manifestation by the administration in responding to those changes.

Exporter charged with shipping cocaine in caraila
A LICENCED city exporter who Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officers arrested here in the wake of the discovery of a stash of cocaine in caraila, by narcotics police in Trinidad, appeared in court yesterday and was remanded to prison.

Dexter Bentick, 29, of 56 William Street, Kitty, is charged with having, for the purpose of trafficking, 13 kilogrammes of cocaine on February 19, 2007 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.

Before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan, Bentick, who was unrepresented, pleaded not guilty. He is to appear in court again on March 15.

The arrest of Bentick and subsequent prosecution followed the seizure of the cocaine found hidden among caraila and other vegetables on a Caribbean Airlines aircraft in Trinidad on February 19. The information was communicated to CANU officials here who swiftly made the arrest.

The Trinidad Express newspaper which reported that the drugs carried an estimated street value of TT$5.3M said on February 19, officers of the Organized Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB) received information that a large quantity of drugs had left Guyana aboard a Caribbean Airlines aircraft , flight CA 600, which was in transit in Trinidad. The flight was destined for Toronto, Canada.

As a result, upon landing at Piarco International Airport, the aircraft’s luggage compartment was searched and detectives discovered 1,246 pellets of cocaine hidden inside six woven baskets which had caraila, tomatoes and bora.

While no one was arrested in that country in relation to the drugs bust, the newspaper reported OCNFB detectives as saying an international drug ring involving people from Trinidad, Canada, Guyana and London had been interrupted.

A CANU official told the Guyana Chronicle last night that investigations here are continuing as they seek other persons they suspect may have had links to the drugs bust in Trinidad.

They are also awaiting additional information from their counterparts in the neighbouring twin-island republic, the official added.

NAPS hotline on STI/HIV/AIDS established at Rosignol
THE National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) in the Ministry of Health has established an STI/HIV/AIDS hotline as an additional service at its Rosignol, West Bank Berbice treatment site.

It is available on telephone number 330-2335 from Monday to Friday every week between 08:00h and 16:00h, with a lunch break between those hours.

The facility will enable persons who want information on any aspect of those diseases to call and speak with an experienced counsellor and get answers and advice whether it is affecting the individual calling or someone else.

NAPS National Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Coordinator, Mrs. Deborah Success-Hall said that, as with all such facilities, callers are afforded absolute anonymity.

There are and will be no requests for the callers to identify themselves in any way, she assured, adding that conversations are and will be confined entirely to whatever issue, relating to STI/HIV/AIDS, callers may have and information or advice given.

Success-Hall said the trained telephone counsellor can also refer the caller to other sources of information or support if the need arises.

In use a little more than two weeks now, the telephone system is in addition to the VCT services and the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Programme (PMTCTP) for AIDS already being conducted at Rosignol Health Centre.

Success-Hall encouraged the general public to make full use of that and other related things on offer at Rosignol, as a means of contributing to the reduction of the spread of HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) within the West Berbice community and, indeed, the country as a whole.

Project fostering youth volunteerism in West Berbice
A UNITED Nations Children’s Fund/Government of Guyana (UNICEF/GOG) pilot project is under way at Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, to encourage volunteerism for community development among youths in that area.

Dubbed ‘Creating learning through education, skills training and Community Service’, it is being funded by UNICEF and executed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Culture, Youth and Sport Officer in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), Mr. Anson Barrington said that 30 young people are, so far, involved in the year long scheme but more will be taken on board before the end.

Barrington, who is coordinating the process, said it is being executed in three phases -- training in life skills for those participating; organising their involvement in community development and getting them to pass on their knowledge to others.

He said, during phase one, more than a dozen participated in weekend programmes at Rosignol Secondary School auditorium, late last year through earlier this year, when they were trained in communications, raising self-esteem and took part in discussions on such issues as teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS.

“The aim is to give them the knowledge and skills which would empower them to make better choices in life,” Barrington explained.

Phase two is in progress, teaching how to repair broken furniture in the three schools in Rosignol and that is on a voluntary basis every weekend.

UNICEF is providing the tools and Ali’s Sawmills has supported with the donation of wood for repairing the benches and desks.

Barrington said the 30 volunteers are restoring furnishings for Rosignol Primary and Secondary schools and learning carpentry simultaneously.

They are to move on to Rosignol Nursery School, eventually.

In phase three, the participants are required to organise five workshops to pass on the skills and team spirit inculcated to at least 60 others, with UNICEF paying for stationery, snacks, meals and other requirements.

All those who successfully complete the series will receive certificates of participation at the conclusion.

Barrington said the main objective is to persuade young people in West Berbice to give some of their spare time to the development of their communities, not only for the project duration but after.

He observed that interest, energy and enthusiasm among the participants has been consistently high and the group felt some pride when they saw schoolchildren following their example and voluntarily assisting with the repairs to damaged desks and benches.

DDL appoints new Marketing Director

Ms. Veeren-Chand was most recently Assistant General Manager, with responsibility for Marketing, a position she held since August 2004.

A former reporter with the Guyana Chronicle, she joined the DDL group in 1995, as a Management Trainee and has served in a number of capacities.

She was Advertising and Promotions Manager from 1997 to 1998; and Operations Manager for the Subsidiary Distribution Services Limited from 1998.

A graduate of the University of Guyana, (holding a Degree in English and Communications), Ms. Veeren-Chand is about to complete a postgraduate Diploma in Marketing.

Commenting on the appointment, DDL Chairman Mr. Yesu Persaud said the company continues to provide opportunities for Guyanese who demonstrate a commitment to quality, customer care, achievement of results, and who have the proven capacity for hard work.

The Board of Directors, Management and staff of DDL congratulate Ms. Veeren-Chand on this appointment.

New Amsterdam Hospital building to house nursing school
THE 100 years old building which previously housed New Amsterdam Hospital, in Berbice, is to be partially used as a nursing school and dormitory.

The edifice, situated at Charles Place in the town, will be the temporary home of the expanding body of nursing students drawn from the ten administrative regions in the country.

New Amsterdam Hospital has been replaced with a regional hospital sited elsewhere in the township.

Committee named for chronic diseases oversight
A NATIONAL Oversight Committee for chronic non-communicable diseases has been named to strengthen the government’s plan for the prevention and treatment of such ailments.

To be chaired by Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, the group also comprises representatives of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Education, Agriculture, Labour, Human Services and Social Security and Culture, Youth and Sport as well as local and international partners, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

The agency said the body will prioritise diabetes, cardio vascular illnesses, hypertension, obesity and disabilities caused by vehicular accidents and violence.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, it said, will be fostering physical fitness while the Ministry of Agriculture works towards healthy eating and the Ministry of Labour promotes workplace programmes to cater for occupational/industrial accidents.

GINA said the Guyana Cancer Society, the Guyana Pharmacy and Medical Association, the Diabetes Association, non-governmental organisations and international partners such as the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the European Union (EU) are also involved.

A separate group will be established later to address cancer, GINA said.

The Ramsammy committee will meet for monthly updates and provide periodical reports on the status of chronic diseases and the focus would be on prevention of risk factors associated with them, including a lack of exercise, use of tobacco, marijuana, alcohol and other dangerous injected substances.

Ramsammy, at the launch Monday, also presented the national guidelines for controlling type two diabetes, a module that would be available for use at all health institutions.

He noted that, after years of consultations, they can now be obtained to assist physicians, community health workers (CHWs) and medexes undergoing training.

Chronic, non-communicable diseases were identified by Ramsammy as being overlooked in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) because policy makers felt that this problem only significantly affects the developed world.

But he remarked that, while communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria are dominant in developing countries, 80 per cent of morbidity and mortality rates are caused by chronic diseases.  

Ramsammy said his ministry will soon be launching a manual for better health and nutrition, targeting individuals, families and communities.

Competitiveness, innovation and equity
By Phil Pascal
IN JANUARY 2007, Guyana formally launched its National Competitiveness Council (NCC).

This marks a key decision to identify a suitable institutional mechanism to drive the “retooling” of the economy and make it “competitive” or more competitive, at least in key sectors.

The NCC as an instrument, like any instrument, is only as effective as it can be, depending on its leadership, users, composition, structure and operational modalities. More important is the broader vision of the national goals the economy intends to pursue.

Reference to these aspects in the Guyana situation will be addressed later but it is pertinent to note the timely announcement of the council’s agreement “to recruit a Director…and establish its Secretariat” (Stabroek News, February 6, 2007).

A rigorous and careful choice of a Director, hopefully without “political friendliness” being a major criterion in the selection, is of necessity a major requirement for an effective NCC but by itself, that will not be sufficient for the desired success.

The question of “competitiveness” for the economy ought to be treated with all the fundamental importance it deserves, given the objective conditions that the late President Cheddi Jagan, in his sound grasp of political economy, used to refer to. These are the dominant and prevailing ideological forces in the world, as a whole and the conditions of productive relation between states.

In today’s world, like it or not, the global balance of economic forces are driven by “cut-throat” capitalistic business practices of multinational and trans-national corporations in which there is only room for “survival of the fittest”. In simple language, this is what ultimately, so-called “free market” production and trade is all about.

If Guyana’s business enterprises, whether large like GUYSUCO or the many hundreds of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) making shirts, shoes or toilet bowls, cannot bring their cost of production to a level that the market will accept, then those products – sugar, shirts or shoes - just won’t find companies or persons to buy them. These products will then be described as just “uncompetitive” because other enterprises are making available the same or better products for the same or similar purposes at lower prices.

Understanding this objective condition at the global level was the underlying factor why the European Union, in March 2000, at its Summit of 15 Heads of State and Government in Lisbon, Portugal designed a strategic response.

The aim was to make Europe’s economies strong enough to fight off the competition from both the “American challenge” and the “new emerging giants” of China, India, the former Soviet Bloc in Eastern Europe and Brazil, for example.

In what has become known as the Lisbon Strategy, the EU crafted a common vision embraced by all its member states, aiming to become:

`The most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.’

In those few words are captured the driving forces for European competitiveness. Central to this vision is innovation, technological research and development as the foundation of a knowledge-based economy. Such an economy must be “sustainable”, strong on “job-creation” and designed to ensure “social cohesion” so that growth in economic terms will not result in social inequalities or have a situation whereby people, who though working, do not earn enough on which to live a decent life above the poverty line.

COMPLEX SET OF CHALLENGES
The questions of technological advancement, scale of operations driving acquisitions and mergers, increasing productivity, longer working weeks, etc are now at the heart of extensive debate in Europe, with much concern on the part of increasing numbers that so-called “labour” reforms do not undermine social security benefits and subject health care and educational opportunities only to those who can afford to pay.

The drive for “competitiveness” in Guyana, as elsewhere in developing countries, faces a complex set of challenges from both the external environment and the internal demands for the survival of businesses to become competitive. Without depressing wages, reversing hard-fought workers’ benefits or sacrificing social cohesion and bringing about the creation, rather than reduction of poverty, the development model has to ensure a drive to be competitive enables public-private partnerships, trade unions and civil society organisations to have a greater stake in the society as a whole.

This has at least two main implications as countries set about the design and operating of Competitiveness Councils. First must be continuing reflection, rethinking and reinforcement of the basic national goals that the society wishes to achieve. Employment generation, jobs that are meaningful and allow reasonable returns to investors, access to education for all in society, health care and social security particularly, for those who are physically challenged but most important in multi-cultural societies, the abolition of any semblance of racial or ethnic discrimination. In Guyana’s case, that direction was set in the National Development Strategy of 2002.

Once this larger vision is kept in the forefront of drives for competitiveness, then the internal structure and operations of a council will be able to concentrate on efficient and effective policy formulation and the promotion of “innovative enterprises”.

In such a context, Guyana’s NCC may need little more than a small, tightly organised and sharply-focused secretariat utilising a matrix management approach in which task forces are convened and rigorously analyse a sector or sectors and prospective enterprises with a road map for investment and implementation.

This is a major task to encourage innovation and applied technologies, drawing heavily on work that may be ongoing or about to pursue at the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST), for example, and in faculties and institutes of the University of Guyana or statutory agencies for various sectors.

The other major function for the NCC ought to be the regulatory obligations that ensure fair trade, good business practices and corporate governance that cover the legal requirements from standards applicable to the production and marketing of goods and services for local, regional and international markets.

With the broad-based participation of business and professional associations, engineers as well as economists, workers representatives in unions and civil society organisations, there is an abundance of talent, skills and legitimate interests for “competitiveness” to become a means and hallmark by which the innovative insights of many sections of society will retool the economy to achieve growth in jobs and an improved quality of life for the majority.

With less talk and more action, Guyana’s NCC can be on the road to success.

Children undergoing heart surgeries in India
FIRST Lady Varshnie Jagdeo yesterday reported from India that several of the children in the group with her have had successful heart surgeries and are doing well.

She said that after spending four days in the UK, they arrived in India at 03:30h on February 25 and after much needed rest, the doctors did pre-op testing on the patients and finished lab tests and echo cardiograms by 23:00h.

Surgeries started the next day. Jamie Peters, Kuntie Rajaram, Destiny De Ally, Requel Williams, Jasoda Narayan and Devindralall Dabidyal had catheterisations and Deokhi Harripersad had an angiogram and will have bypass surgery, Mrs Jagdeo said.

Cynthia Collins and Adrian Beharri were to have surgery yesterday.

“The group is doing well and miss home.  Attempts to call have not been successful in that the line was not clear, so families may call the Frontier Lifeline Hospital on telephone  91 44 420 17575 to enquire”, she said.

This latest group to go to India is part of the work of the Kids First Fund's Heart 2 Heart programme which started in September 2005.

The First Lady said the group is scheduled to leave India once all the patients are fit to travel and spend four days in the UK before returning to Guyana on March 20. 

There will be a fundraising activity at the Guyana High Commission on March 18.

Mrs. Jagdeo thanked everyone who made the trip possible, especially Kids First volunteers/supporters in Guyana and the UK; Mama, Aunty Pauline, Roy, Kieran and Camillia, the staff of the Guyana High Commission, Westminster Council and Dr. K.M. Cherian and all at Frontier Lifeline Hospital.

Sharma never contacted me
-- GECOM Chairman
DR. STEVE Surujbally, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday denied that leader of the Justice For All party and TV station owner, Mr. C.N. Sharma, had contacted him on claims for a seat in Parliament.

In a statement, the commission said Surujbally wanted to correct “a fallacy published in an article in the Stabroek News of Saturday, February 24, 2007 titled `Sharma hoping for amicable settlement over seat in Parliament’.”

“Information of a similar nature was also published in other sections of the media, and repeatedly so by one television station in particular”, the commission said.

It referred specifically to the first sentence of the second paragraph of the article which reads as follows: “Sharma said he made several attempts within the last three months to speak with Guyana Elections Commission, Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally and has been turned down.”

“Surujbally hereby states categorically and unequivocally that Mr. C.N. Sharma has never contacted him orally or in writing regarding any purported desire of Mr. Sharma to meet the GECOM Chairman.

It follows that Mr. Sharma could not have been `turned down’”, the commission said.

Sharma is claiming that based on results of the August 26 general and regional elections last year, his party is entitled to a seat in Parliament.

Police hunt gunman in woodcutter murder
POLICE have since launched a hunt for the gunman who shot dead 38-year-old woodcutter, Indar Lall Gajadhar, on Tuesday.

The man, of Zorg, was fatally wounded at Onderneeming backdam, also on the Essequibo Coast.

He and several other persons were cutting firewood about midday when the lone bandit attacked him and tried to steal his chainsaw.

It was in the process of the attempted theft that Gajadhar suffered gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen.

The other men who were with the wounded man ran into nearby bushes and hid.

Gajadhar’s body was subsequently removed to the Suddie Funeral Parlour after a report was made at the Police station in the same village.

Reports said the shooter has, reportedly, over the past several days, staged attacks on residents of Onderneeming Housing Scheme and the Amerindian communities of Mashabo and Bethany, in Essequibo, too.

Owners report cattle killings by stray dogs
A PACK of stray dogs roaming the villages of Columbia and Affiance on Essequibo Coast has killed and eaten some 40 calves during the past three weeks, cattle owners reported.

They told the Guyana Chronicle that the dogs hid in bushes aback and attacked the calves during the night.

The cattle rearers made reports about their loss to Anna Regina Police and the Department of Agriculture in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).

Only recently, villagers in the same villages shot and killed a puma in the backlands and blamed the predator for killing other calves.

Investor confidence
IN THE past few months, Guyana has seen some serious amounts of money being pumped into the local economy.

Last month alone, for example, saw the opening or launch of some major billion-dollar projects in Guyana. There was the official launch of Digicel on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. The cellular phone company’s initial investment in this country is worth US$60M, or roughly $12 billion in local currency. This massive investment was made despite the existence of an incumbent cell provider and a relatively small customer demographic compared to other potential markets.

Then there was the National Hardware Super Centre, a $1 billion venture made by businessman Edward Boyer.

Buddy’s International Hotel was also launched last week and represents a close to $2 billion investment in Guyana.

This is despite the fact that our international tourism industry is still very much in development. The launching of the City Mall earlier this year provides yet another example of massive investment in Guyana.

Most recently, Republic Bank turned the sod for their newest investment project in Guyana – a $1.3 billion state-of-the-art banking facility in the centre of the capital city.

In his feature address at the ceremony, Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Kumar Singh, saw the initiative as an expression of confidence in the future of Guyana’s economy. The same could be said of other similar ventures.

However, true investor confidence is not measured only by massive inputs of capital like those made by the businesses noted above but in other smaller, yet collectively substantive, ways. These initiatives stand out but cannot realistically represent the larger picture of investor confidence in Guyana.

Dozens of small or medium seized ventures are in progress during any given week – restaurants, agricultural projects. Not only are new businesses sprouting up but already established ones are expanding and improving upon their services.

And if the Guyanese Diaspora hasn’t been coming back to invest in the numbers that we would have liked, there has been a slow but steady trickle – gone virtually unnoticed – of expats coming into Guyana on a temporary basis but opting to stay and pump their money into the local community.

While an ideal investor-friendly environment is still a work in progress in Guyana, these people are seeing something in Guyana that so many of us have accustomed ourselves to being blinded to.

A decade or so ago, anyone seeking to put any serious amount of money into Guyana would have been seen as a visionary or, more likely, an extreme venture capitalist.

Today the situation is different; investing money into Guyana seems to be a matter of simple practicality for an increasing number of people. Contrast this with incessant calls from some quarters that the national economy is in a virtual state of crisis – admittedly lessened of recent – and you have a clear case of reality finally emerging to disperse the mists of cultivated doubt.

The empty rhetoric of the negative may continue but far more people are putting their money where their mouths are.

Accused killer freed on no-case submission
ALAN Wills, who was indicted for the murder of businessman Kenneth Burnett, at Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara, walked free from the dock yesterday.

Justice James Bovell-Drakes agreed with a no-case submission by Defence Counsel Leslie Sobers and directed the Demerara Assizes jury to formally return a not guilty verdict, without calling on Wills to defend the indictment.

State Prosecutor Donelle Harding had led evidence that Burnett was playing a game of dominoes with two other men when Wills shot him dead and took away his wristwatch, on July 13, 2004.

However, at the close of the Prosecution, Sobers submitted that there was no case for the accused to answer and adverted the judge’s attention to inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the testimony presented.

The judge had reserved his ruling to yesterday when he ruled in favour of the Defence and discharged Wills.

Court injunction against Stabroek News in ads controversy
JUSTICE William Ramlal has issued an injunction restraining Stabroek News from implicating Office of the President Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nanda Gopaul in the controversy surrounding the withdrawal of government advertisements from the newspaper.

The restraint was granted on February 26, following a writ filed by Senior Counsel Ashton Chase on February 19.

Stabroek News had printed a number of articles linking Gopaul to the decision by the Government Information Agency (GINA) to withdraw the ads and he complained that, notwithstanding statements by GINA and President Bharrat Jagdeo to the contrary, the newspaper maintained its stand.

That, Gopaul said, constituted libel and brought his character into disrepute.

Chase had written StabroekNews, requesting that it retract the statements and publish an appropriate apology to Gopaul, with a view to amicably settling the matter. But the non-response of the medium triggered the move for High Court intervention.

In the court papers, Gopaul said he is totally in favour of freedom of the press and his whole record as a trade unionist showed him struggling for freedom of expression, too.

He said he was embarrassed by persons, both locally and overseas, calling him about their concerns over his role as portrayed in the publications.

Gopaul, in a supplementary affidavit, also denied allegations by Stabroek News Editor-in-Chief David deCaires that he was misusing government finances to penalise the newspaper by withdrawing the government ads.

Guyana Publications Incorporated is another defendant in the continuing litigation.

Man charged with having `date rape’ tablets
TWENTY-TWO year old Damien Ross, of Lot 1 Princes Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, detained Monday in a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) raid that netted drugs and counterfeit notes, was yesterday remanded to prison.

He appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan charged with possession of 522 grammes of cannabis (marijuana); 100 grammes of `crack’ cocaine and 170 amphetamine `Ecstasy’ or `date rape’ tablets.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and his attorney Glen Hanoman did not request bail but asked the court to set an early hearing of the case.

Mr. Sullivan transferred the matters to Court Three where Ross will make his next appearance on March 13.

Meanwhile, a CANU official told the Guyana Chronicle that the case involving the `date rape’ pills is the first of its kind brought before the courts here in 25 years.

During the Monday raid, CANU ranks also confiscated 185 counterfeit $1000 bills; four empty toothpaste tubes; a vase with false walls believed to be used for concealing narcotics; a component of a radio set and an electronic pocket scale.

The counterfeit currency has been handed over to the police and it is likely that they will slap additional charges in that matter against Ross.

CANU officials are still conducting investigations into the drugs bust as it is likely they may have stumbled on to a ring, the official said.

‘Bat Ears’ gets death sentence for sex murder
RYAN Robinson alias ‘Batman’ and ‘Bat Ears’ was yesterday found guilty of murdering a woman with whom he had sex and was sentenced to death at the Demerara Assizes.

The capital punishment, for killing 43-year old Carol Ann Augustus, was pronounced on him, by Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards following the jury verdict, in the presence of standing courtroom spectators.

The case for the Prosecution, presented by State Prosecutor Judy Latchman, was that Robinson induced the woman to have sexual intercourse in some bushes, on July 15, 2005, and her body was fished out of the Atlantic Ocean at Lancaster foreshore, East Coast Demerara.

In a confession admitted as evidence after a voir dire (trial within a trial), Robinson told Police he choked the woman and threw her into the ocean.

The jurors deliberated for just more than an hour before unanimously agreeing on the Robinson’s guilt.

Give them better targets
ABEL Peters is right to complain about the Mash pictures (Letters Feb 27).

But I do not support his arguments. Nature has given us all kinds of beautiful things to see, taste and enjoy.

The paper gave us nature’s rejects.

One picture I saw on the internet version of the paper gives me enough grounds to complain to Mr. Nature.

Then again I should question Ras Rief’s tastes in ‘sweeties’.
We owe it to our children to give them better ‘targets’.
FAIYAZ  

Shut up such views
YOUR newspaper published a letter 26/02/2007 that disturbs and shocks me.

First of all, letter "censureship" exists at the Guyana Chronicle.

Non-publication of certain letters is not the sole prerogative of the Stabroek News. I sent the Guyana Chronicle an open letter to President Bharrat Jagdeo, and to date, two weeks later, it has not been published.

Second, the letter you published, that diatribe for a letter attacking Stabroek News, smacks of ethnic insecurity and incensed racism. Stabroek News does not practice racism in its pages, nor does it play politics. Why are you publishing such letters?

If Stabroek News is anti-PPP, then why did it campaign for free and fair elections in Guyana?

This nonsense about East Indians not getting their fair share of Guyana must stop. As a nation, we must understand that to take Guyana forward we need a fundamental mental shift.

Racism has no place in our society. Such views must be shut up.

The Guyana Chronicle must be more responsible than this.
SHAUN MICHAEL SAMAROO

Doing a disservice
WITH regard to the person who wrote about those brown clothes officers at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, I experienced similar situations twice on my trips to Guyana, my homeland.

I agree with the writer because it seems very harassing. These are officers who are supposed to uphold the laws and make visitors feel comfortable, thus encouraging people to travel to Guyana.

But they seem to be doing a disservice to the country. Are there any law enforcers there or are they all participants of this illegal activity?

This is a total shame and disgrace to the ultimate level.

On my last trip there, I felt so helpless and these "Brown Clothes" officers knew darn well that you are in a vulnerable situation.

I am also forwarding a copy of this email to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I hope that someone at the airport moves to address this situation.
DISTRESSED

Visible progress
OUR country Guyana has made tremendous progress under the present government, progress that is visible and verifiable.

We have rebuilt, rehabilitated and extended our physical and socio-economic infrastructure and lifted thousands out of abject poverty, through development and investments – either foreign direct investments or added investments by established industries and businesses.

The government has been making and continues to direct large amounts of its resources towards the social sectors – health, education, housing, potable water, social assistance, youth and women empowerment, technical and vocational training and the reduction of poverty.

New schools and hospitals have been built and others have been rehabilitated, renovated or refurbished.

Our democratic system of governance has been maintained and deepened so that all sections of the population participate in discussions, debates and in the making of decisions.

We have restored and maintained freedom of speech and the media; all views are freely expressed in the media, whether print or on the numerous television stations we now have.

Government advertisements are placed not only in the state media but also in the private media as well, if even they are critical of the government, once they have the reach, distribution and circulation to reach the largest number and all sections of the people, throughout the length and breadth of the country.

We have a government and administration made up of people who represent all races and classes, cultures and religious denominations.

Our constitution and system of governance have been revised and reformed so that it is one of the best in the region and the world where inclusiveness and the rights of the opposition, and the protection of human and constitutional rights are concerned, and is the subject of constant review by a Commission made up of representatives of all the parties elected to Parliament.

The stability of our macro-economy has been maintained despite local and exogenous shocks, and our development and prosperity continues to grow while we continue to strive to lift more people out of poverty through our programmes and policies in the social sectors and the provision of further physical and socio-economic infrastructure.

We shall certainly continue on our upward thrust to build a stable and prosperous country for all of our people.
JOHN DA SILVA

On brink of massive development
REGIONAL Chairman of Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapha, on a recent visit to the #43 Fish Complex on the Corentyne, said Region Six would soon become the “economic powerhouse of Guyana”.

The Chairman noted that over the years, the government has been spending millions of dollars on Region Six, which in effect would modernize the region.

Among the projects mentioned, those that were undertaken and are presently being undertaken are: the $170M Skeldon Sugar Factory and Co- Generation Plant, the spanking new New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek highway, a Science Laboratory at the University of Guyana Campus at John’s, Port Mourant, a garment factory at Tain which would provide jobs for dozens of persons, an Industrial Estate at Hampshire on the Corentyne where furniture establishments, etc. would be set up, and the multi-million dollar Water Treatment Plant at Skeldon.

The Chairman also noted the biggest project to be undertaken this year: the bridging of the Berbice River.

He pointed to the positives of this project which include more trade and business with other parts of the country, and the willingness of people to visit the region, many of who might have been reluctant before the bridge would have been built.

It can be seen that Region Six is definitely on the brink of massive development.
SHELLON HAMILTON-BOWRY

World expects Windies to fail in hosting CWC 2007 - Warner
… slams marketing of World Cup
From Isaiah Chappelle in Trinidad & Tobago
FIFA vice-president Austin ‘Jack’ Warner has warned that the world expects the West Indies to fail in hosting the 2007 Cricket World Cup, a situation compounded by small countries becoming venues.

Just days away from the world's third largest sporting event, Warner pointed out that many people in the Caribbean did not even know which matches were playing where and when, slamming the marketing of CWC in a presentation to regional sportswriters attending the two-day symposium entitled ‘Cricket, Lovely Cricket’ organised by the Sports Desk of the Trinidad Guardian ahead of the historic event.

Warner said he offered his services, having been involved in all FIFA World Cup finals staged since 1974, with only St Kitts/Nevis seeking his knowledge and expertise.

Speaking on the topic "What the world expects", Warner said the CWC was thrusted upon the West Indies, with no difficulty of bidding like the hosts of FIFA World Cup finals, for which the criteria filled a very thick book.

"We did not have to fight for it."

He said the region got immersed in politics and missed the big picture, with governments using the event to show off.

"It will not change government's attitude to sport."

Warner said that small nations were now spending millions of dollars on facilities, money that could have been used for the development of the people of those countries because the financial returns from the mega event might not even materialise since the expected attraction of tourists flooding the region was not assured.

The FIFA official declared that the restrictions were "ridiculous", disclosing that no shop close to FIFA World Cup venues were prevented from opening. He pointed out that the match venues were built specifically for cricket with floodlights.

"We're too poor not to have multi-purpose facilities. The legacy of the facilities will be short-lived."

Warner pointed out that some Local Organising Committees were misleading the public on ticket sales, the T&T LOC one day announcing all the tickets were sold out and the following day, that some were available.

"The marketing is atrocious. I checked this morning and I was told I could get 100 tickets. I asked eight persons when the first match would be played and seven did not know."

He suggested that it was because the event was government-funded and they were not concerned whether the event paid for itself.

But Warner urged West Indies not to let their guards down because the world would look for flaws to justify that the West Indies should not host the event.

"They expect us to fail on the field and off the field."

He said security should be the concern of all LOCs and the hosts should be honest to point out the areas that should be avoided because of crime.

"Barbados is a model in the Caribbean in being safe to move around. We must not compromise on safety. We have to emphasis personal security."

Warner said the world expected more than cricket and visitors would be looking for clean hotels, good restaurants, cheap shopping and tours to see the culture of the hosts.

He said the world could be placed into two groups - fans at the venues and those watching the event on television sets and listening to radio.

The FIFA executive said that had his advice been sought, he would have offered the marketing strategy of FIFA, have more youth involvement and make the ticket prices more affordable for the man in the street.

He said the West Indies could have used the event to set new rules for hosting the event, like rewarding the players and officials more and taking away absurd restrictions.

"A FIFA referee in the World Cup finals is paid US$50 000 and $250 per day.

Cup win could be right tonic for Windies cricket - Lloyd
By Kevin Pile
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – A win in the Cricket World Cup is the momentum West Indies cricket needs, says Clive Lloyd, the man who guided the regional team to triumphs in the 1975 and 1979 editions of the event.

Reflecting on his side’s effort in 1975, the inaugural staging of the World Cup in England, the 62-year-old former West Indies captain said the impetus from that victory was crucial in the team’s development.

“I think we can be a very formidable side. We are not too far off … this competition might give us the lift that is needed,” Lloyd told CMC Sports.

“It’s the same thing that happened in 1975. We won the World Cup when Australia were supposed to be the winners of it and from that we moved further up the ladder.

“I know that these guys (West Indies), if they can understand what is waiting for them out there, can give the West Indies people something to really be proud of, which they can, and I hope they can do that in this World Cup because I can see that is the lift that we need.

“It would be a magnificent effort to do so (win the World Cup). People are calling other teams but they are still thinking that West Indies have a very good chance. It would give us that type of boost that is needed in the region.”

The team will benefit from Lloyd’s experience during the March 13 to April 28 tournament after being recently appointed as team coordinator.

Originally appointed for the short four-match One-Day International tour of India last month in place of regular manager Tony Howard, Lloyd will now oversee the team’s upcoming campaign in the Caribbean.

He was appointed as special adviser to the team during their ICC Champions Trophy campaign in India last October and was credited with helping the team improve their performances as they reached the final of the tournament.

“You look at when they are batting and bowling or whatever and you try and work on the little things,” Lloyd explained.

“You don’t want to give them too many things because you can’t change people overnight but you just give them enough that will improve their play and hopefully with the other people who are around – the other coaches – that we manage to put things together.

“Let’s hope they have inculcated all the other things we have spoken to them about and that it will come to fruition in this World Cup.

ICC announces target-testing at CWC
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CMC) – International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed confirmed yesterday the ICC’s intention to target Test players for banned substances during the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean.

These target-tests, the ICC says, will be in addition to ICC’s commitment to randomly test four players -- two from each side -- in 17 of the tournament’s 51 matches.

The tests may take place at any time from March 2 onwards, the start of the tournament’s support period ahead of the warm-up matches.

The ICC’s decision to target-test has been taken in the wake of Pakistan players Shoaib Ahktar and Mohammed Asif testing positive for banned substances last year.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) withdrew the two players from the ICC Champions Trophy in October as a result of those findings, which came about following internal tests prior to the tournament.

The PCB banned the players but those bans were thrown out on appeal and the ICC was unable to intercede as its own anti-doping code -- which is World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-compliant -- only governs ICC events.

WADA is seeking to challenge the overturning of the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a matter that is still ongoing.

“From an ICC perspective, having the option to target-test as well as the already-scheduled tests in place means that if a player does have anything in his system then there is a very strong possibility he will be caught out,” Speed said.

“If that happens, he will face a charge under the ICC Code of Conduct and his team mates will also suffer because it is extremely unlikely that the tournament Technical Committee would allow a replacement if a player is banned as a result of such a charge.

Speed, in Cape Town for the ICC Board meeting today and tomorrow, said he believed cricket could be proud of the fact that since the ICC began drug-testing in 2002 no player had ever tested positive for a banned substance at one of its events.

Warm-up matches for the ICC Cricket World Cup begin on Monday with the opening ceremony being held in Trelawny, Jamaica six days later.

The opening match of the tournament will take place between hosts West Indies and Pakistan at Sabina Park, Jamaica on March 13.

The final will be held at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, on April 28.

CWC Media passes held up for security investigations in T&T
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Close to one hundred local journalists who have applied for accreditation to cover Cricket World Cup (CWC) matches in Trinidad and Tobago are being investigated by Special Branch police officers.

And this has caused a delay in the handing out of media passes for the tournament because local Special Branch officials have not conducted background checks on individual journalists, photographers and cameramen who applied for the passes.

On Tuesday, members of the media with accreditation applications, turned up at the Accreditation Centre at the Queen’s Park Oval to collect the passes, but were told that the passes were not available since Special Branch had not yet given clearance for the passes to be released.

Assistant Police Commissioner Randolph Protain, who is one of the coordinators of the security arrangements for CWC 2007, said Special Branch was still engaged in carrying out security checks with respect to issuing passes for the games -- including warm-up fixtures -- from March 5 to 25.

He promised that passes would be available tomorrow at the accreditation centre.

According to Protain, the accreditation centre is not yet fully operational and every effort is being made to have it in full in gear by tomorrow.

He made it clear that media workers will not be prevented from photographing and interviewing members of the South African team when they arrive just after midnight last night at the Piarco International Airport.

He also revealed that the media will be allowed access to the South Africans today when they are engaged in practice session.

It is understood that Special Branch has to investigate every media worker who applied for passes to ensure that they do not have a criminal record, are not involved in illicit activities including terrorism, and are not linked to persons with questionable backgrounds.

Once those checks are carried out and the persons are cleared, the passes will be made available.

Since December last year, the applications for accreditation for the ICC World Cup Cricket were sent to Jamaica to be processed.

All-rounder in desperate World Cup bid…
Oram talks about cutting off injured finger
NEW Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram said he will do anything to ensure he plays in the Cricket World Cup, including cutting off his injured ring finger.

Oram suffered a break during the first Chappell-Hadlee Trophy match against Australia a fortnight ago.

"We've got taping techniques and guards that fit into a batting glove, and I'm confident I'll be fine," said Oram.

"If it means cutting the finger off, if that's the last resort, I'll do that, there's no way I'm missing this."

Oram, 28, has played 93 one-day internationals for the Black Caps, scored 1 382 runs and taken 100 wickets.

But he is unlikely to be fit for New Zealand's crucial opening match against fellow Test-playing nation England on March 16.

"The plan is to get to the West Indies, whip off the protective strapping and assess the inflammation," added Oram.

Oram added that doctors have told him he will be more troubled by skied catches than balls coming straight at him.

Oram said the initial impact of the high chance at Wellington did not hurt and it was only when he looked down that he knew something was wrong.

"You know when your finger's not going straight it's bad news," said Oram.

"I thought the worst straightaway - two weeks out from the World Cup and your finger's going at right angles.” (BBC Sport)

Badminton head reaches men’s open singles semi-finals
PRESIDENT of the Guyana Badminton Association, Gokarn Ramdhani, proved that administrative work has not hampered his ability to hit the shuttlecock, after playing undefeated on Tuesday night (day one) in the Open singles tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Ramdhani played undefeated and has advanced to the semi-finals of the competition. Also advancing to the semi-finals were Renick Evelyn, Grandison Robinson and Deodat Etwaroo.

In the quarter finals Ramdhani defeated Selwyn Daniels (21-8, 21-11), while Evelyn won against James Blackman (21-10, 21-13), Robinson won against Haymant Ramdhani: (21-13, 21-8) and Etwaroo in a tough battle got past Karl Wharton (26-24, 13-21, 18-21).

On the distaff side Ashley Khalil and Kristal Khalil were the first two to advance. Ashley defeated Helen Bowman 21-14, 21-13 while Kristal got past Suprana Bera 21-1, 21-16.

The semi-finals and final of the competition are set for tomorrow night at the same venue from 19:00 h.

Schools’ Futsal competition kicks off this afternoon
THE CHICO Sweets national inter-secondary school indoor futsal football competition will kick off this afternoon at the National Gymnasium, with seven games being contested from 17:30 h.

Dora Secondary will tackle President’s College in the opener, followed by Buxton CHS against Freeburg Secondary, Richard Ishmael Secondary against School of the Nations, Tucville Secondary against North Ruimveldt Secondary, Christ Church Secondary against Queenstown CHS, Central High against St Joseph High and East Ruimveldt against Charlestown Secondary.

Prior to the kick-off there will be a march past of all 44 teams.

A number of attractive prizes are up for grabs, with the champion school and the most valuable player (MVP) each receiving Dell computer, while the best goalkeeper and the best defence player will each collect a bicycle.

Some of the other sponsors are: Smalta, Guyoil, National Sports Commission (NSC), Courtney Benn Construction, New GPC, Bank of Baroda and Hamson General Store.

FIFA reveals World Cup fund for injured players
By Mike Collett
LONDON, England (Reuters) - FIFA has revealed it set up a special compensation fund for players who suffered injury at the 2006 World Cup in Germany mainly to help the poorer nations.

But world soccer's governing body has been asked to pay compensation to Newcastle United, who play in the wealthy Premier League, for the loss of Michael Owen to injury.

"We set up a special fund for injuries to players for all 32 participants of the competition with a total of 15 million Swiss francs ($12.31 million) available for everybody," FIFA president Sepp Blatter told a media briefing in London yesterday.

"... it was perhaps to mainly help the likes of Angola or Ivory Coast, those countries playing in the World Cup for the first time," he added.

"But if you look at who is asking for money then something is wrong because it's from the richest league in the world."

FIFA has made a "final offer" to Newcastle of 2.2 million Swiss francs in compensation for England striker Owen's injury at the finals, which has kept him sidelined this season.

Newcastle have been paid 50 000 pounds ($97 940) a week in compensation by the FA towards Owen's salary costs but the club submitted a separate claim to FIFA for 6.2 million pounds.

United also claimed compensation from the FA as well as FIFA to cover the cost of signing Obafemi Martins for 10 million pounds to replace Owen, who cost 17 million from Real Madrid.

ANGRY BLATTER
Blatter could hardly conceal his anger at the FA and Newcastle for their demands of almost six times the amount of compensation offered by world soccer's governing body.

"Newcastle have said they had to replace him (Owen) with another player, that this is not fair. We've made a last offer and if anyone has responsibility then it's the FA towards the player," said Blatter.

"The transfer regulations say players put at the disposal of the national team should be insured by their club. The competition regulations of the World Cup say the national associations must make sure the players are correctly insured."

A case against FIFA by Belgian first division club Charleroi and the G-14 over a player injured in a friendly international has been referred to the European Court of Justice, while a similar case involving Olympique Lyon of France is pending.

Thomas Kurth, the head of the G-14 representing 18 of Europe's most powerful clubs, said last year the rift between the soccer authorities and the top clubs over compensation for injured players should be resolved before Euro 2008.

A FIFA spokesman said yesterday that its World Cup compensation fund was set up solely for last year's tournament in Germany and does not apply to friendly internationals.

Owen ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee against Sweden in the first minute of England's match in Cologne on June 20 and he has not played since. He has only just started light training but still hopes to play this season.

Miandad tells Pakistan to forget about Shoaib and Asif
By Waheed Khan
KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Former captain Javed Miandad has told Pakistan to stop waiting for Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif and go into next month's World Cup without the two pace bowlers.

"With so much uncertainty over their availability, I think it is best Pakistan forgot about them and devise a new strategy with more spinners," Miandad told Reuters yesterday

"Why waste time on something which is not available?"

Shoaib and Asif are receiving treatment in London for their knee and elbow injuries and will not be leaving for the Caribbean today with the rest of the squad.

The pair have also yet to take the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) official doping tests, said media manager Pervez Mir.

Shoaib and Asif tested positive last October for the banned substance nandrolone but a PCB appeals panel cleared them of a doping offence and set aside their bans in December.

Pakistan have also yet to receive permission from the World Cup technical committee to replace injured all-rounder Abdul Razzaq with Azhar Mahmood.

A veteran of six World Cups, Miandad said Pakistan would fare better in the competition with two specialist spinners.

"They have leg-spinner Danish Kaneria in the side and they should also include left-armer Abdul Rehman," he said.

"They can be threatening on slow West Indian pitches."

Rehman played recently in South Africa but has not been picked in the 15-man World Cup squad.

Pakistan will be in Group D with hosts West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland.

World Cup should head to N.America - Blatter
By Mike Collett
LONDON, England (Reuters) - The 2018 World Cup should be held in North America, although Asia and Europe could also host the finals, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said yesterday.

"If the FIFA executive committee decides later this year that the rotation policy is maintained, in strict procedure it should be in North America in 2018 and there are three countries who could host it there -- the United States, Mexico and Canada," Blatter told a media briefing.

He dismissed suggestions it was a foregone conclusion the tournament would be held in Europe in 11 years' time.

England, who hosted the World Cup in 1966, has expressed a keen interest in staging the 2018 finals with the government strongly backing the idea.

"I can understand the eagerness of the English FA, supported by politicians, to stage the finals, but it is not definite the finals will come back to Europe in 2018," added Blatter.

The U.S., Australia and China have also signalled their intentions to host the world's biggest single sporting event.

Blatter was in England for a series of meetings including one with Britain's Finance Minister Gordon Brown later yesterday.

FIFA will make a decision on the host nation for the 2014 finals -- and on its future rotation policy -- in Durban, South Africa, in November just before the qualifying round draw for the 2010 finals which are being staged in South Africa.

Brazil are the expected, but far from certain, hosts for 2014 while Colombia also announced they will be bidding.

However, Blatter said he thought Colombia's bid was "more for PR reasons to promote the country" than a realistic attempt to stage the finals.

He has said previously that if Brazil was not awarded the World Cup then the finals "could be moved north".

WAY OPEN
If that was the case, he said, FIFA could well decide to treat "the Americas" as one confederation.

If 2014 was moved to, for example, the U.S., that would open the way for the 2018 finals to be staged in Europe or Asia.

If Brazil, part of the South American confederation, is awarded the finals, then FIFA could still give the 2018 World Cup to the U.S., Mexico or Canada as members of the CONCACAF (North American and Caribbean) confederation.

Blatter added that a discussion to have every third finals in Europe was never fully decided upon.

"We should consider the rotation of the World Cup as a privilege for all the confederations to have the right to host the World Cup if they can meet the right conditions -- though without Australia, which is now part of the Asian confederation, Oceania are not in a position to host it."

The U.S. announced last week it would consider bidding for 2018, while Blatter said senior Chinese officials had informed him of their interest.

"In discussing the Beijing Olympics, Chinese officials have also told me they are considering a bid for a future World Cup," he added.

Bush honours Heat championship with mixed emotions
By Steve Ginsburg
WASHINGTON, USA (Reuters) - President George W. Bush praised the Miami Heat's championship season at a White House ceremony Tuesday but said he had mixed emotions.

"It is such a joy to welcome the Miami Heat to the White House," Bush told a packed crowd in the East Room. "It was the Miami Heat's first championship. I congratulate you on a tremendous achievement - even though you beat a Texas team."

Bush, the former governor of Texas, hosted the event to honour the Heat's improbable six-game run to the championship last season over the favoured Dallas Mavericks.

"As you know I used to be in pro sports," said Bush, the former owner of baseball's Texas Rangers. "I never had the pleasure of winning anything."

Miami coach Pat Riley gave Bush a number one Heat jersey with the president's name on the back along with an autographed ball.

"The Heat did something they weren't supposed to do," Bush said. "They went into the Eastern Conference championship (against the Detroit Pistons) as the underdogs. Nobody thought they could win.

"And then went up against the Mavericks. They're two down and 13 points behind with seven minutes remaining in the third game. They lose that one, it's over.

"They did something no team has done in nearly 30 years, which is win four straight to become the NBA champs."

Bush dribbled the ball expecting it to bounce back up but it died on the carpet, eliciting a roar of laughter from the Heat players.

"We didn't want him to hurt himself," Heat’s 13-time All-Star Shaquille O'Neal quipped following the ceremony.

Bush lauded the Heat's work in the community, citing Alonzo Mourning's foundation, Dwyane Wade's charitable work, and O'Neal's part-time job as a police officer in Miami Beach.

"He gives new meaning to the long arm of the law," Bush said as O'Neal towered over him.

Wade, the Most Valuable Player of the Heat's triumph over the Mavericks, said it was "an unbelievable honour" to attend the White House ceremony.

"You always see teams that go to the White House and you know those are special teams, championship teams," said Wade. "To be there today with this group of guys, knowing that we did something special last year, is just great.”

Ageing warrior Holyfield still in pursuit of 'destiny'
By Larry Fine
NEW YORK, NY (Reuters) - Evander Holyfield has been crowned world heavyweight champion a record four times but the 44-year-old believes he has yet to fulfil his destiny.

Holyfield, who made $20 million to defend his title against Mike Tyson 10 years ago, will be fighting for a fraction of that next month against journeyman Vinny Maddalone as he looks to write the perfect last chapter for his career.

"I'm happy to have an opportunity to get back in the ring and fulfil my destiny," Holyfield told reporters on Tuesday in announcing his March 17 bout in Corpus Christi, Texas.

"My destiny is to be undisputed champion of the world."

With four world champions in the fractured division, Holyfield has a mountain to climb to achieve that goal.

But he hopes his showing against Maddalone will bring IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine, WBC title holder Oleg Maskaev of Kazakhstan, WBA holder Nicolai Valuev of Russia or American WBO champion Shannon Briggs calling.

"It don't make no difference who's first," Holyfield said.

"The first one who gives me an opportunity, the first one who wants to make a lot of money. The only way they can make some money is to fight somebody who can draw."

EAR-BITING
Holyfield said he was already financially secure and that his love of the fight game was what had drawn him back.

"My choice is to live life to the fullest," said Holyfield, who has defeated 16 world champions in a professional career he began in 1984.

"I love the game of boxing. I set this goal back in 1992 after I lost against Riddick Bowe."

Holyfield became undisputed champion by stopping Buster Douglas in three rounds in 1990.

After he was outpointed by Bowe two years later, Holyfield went on to win the title three more times -- including his 11th-round stoppage of Tyson in 1996 for the WBA crown. He defended it in a rematch the next year in which Tyson infamously bit off a chunk of his right ear.

But Holyfield, who has a career record of 40-8-2, never again held all the crowns at once.

Since he lost a 12-round decision to Britain's Lennox Lewis for the undisputed heavyweight championship in November 1999, his record is 4-5-1 including two wins over little-known fighters in his comeback.

"I'm not injured, I'm going to surprise people," said Holyfield, who was recently appointed to the state of Georgia's Commission on Men's Health.

"By 2008 I know I'll be undisputed heavyweight champion."

Maddalone, 28, is a brawler with a history of cuts. His 27-3 record includes 19 wins within the distance.

Trainer Al Certo said Maddalone would be looking to trade with Holyfield.

"He's had about 500 stitches in his career so far," he added.

"You won't have to look for Vinny. He'll be there, breathing down your throat.”

Australia still World Cup favourites - Ponting
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - Australia are still favourites for the World Cup despite losing their last five one-day matches, captain Ricky Ponting said as the team prepared to fly out to the Caribbean yesterday.

Ponting said Australia's 15-man squad, bidding for an unprecedented third consecutive title in the West Indies, were capable of victory despite their recent slump in form against England and New Zealand.

"I can't see why not. I'm really happy with the squad of players that we've got," Ponting told reporters at Sydney airport.

"There's been a bit of negativity around the team over the last couple of weeks, but I guess that's to be expected when you're not playing your absolute best and we certainly haven't done that."

"But we've had up to six or seven of our top 11 players out as well, which probably hasn't been reported that much over the last couple of weeks."

Having looked unbeatable in the early stages of the tri-series competition in January against England and New Zealand, the Australians have been hit by injuries and a dramatic collapse in form.

They lost the tri-series finals 2-0 to England before they were swept aside 3-0 in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series by New Zealand, the Kiwis achieving the second highest run-chase in one-day history to complete the whitewash.

ENVIABLE RECORD
Paceman Brett Lee was ruled out of the World Cup after damaging ankle ligaments in a practice fielding accident while key all-rounder Andrew Symonds will miss the opening matches after biceps surgery.

But despite far from ideal preparation, Ponting is looking to add another chapter to his side's enviable one-day record after their World Cup victories in England in 1999 and South Africa in 2003.

"It doesn't get any bigger than a World Cup so if we can't lift ourselves up and play some good cricket in this, we never will.

"I know now that we're drifting favourites but, once the cricket gets under way, hopefully you'll see some cricket that's going to mean that we still are the favourites going in."

Australia have been drawn in Group A alongside South Africa, Scotland and the Netherlands, and open their campaign against the Scots in St Kitts on March 14.

Gough back as Yorkshire captain
YORKSHIRE have signed veteran fast bowler Darren Gough as captain.
Barnsley-born Gough, 36, made his debut for Yorkshire in 1989 before spending the last three years playing for Essex.

Gough said: "I thought today would never happen when I left. It's a challenge to come back as captain and the biggest accolade I could ask for.

"We've had 10 players leave over the past six years. People haven't been happy here so I want to get everyone together and try to move forward."

Gough revealed that he was close to a dramatic recall for the World Cup, having last played for England in 2006.

"I was told I was just about there but obviously when England win their three or four last matches, you miss out," he told Sky Sports News.

"I'm 36 years old; I can still bat and bowl. I can still do a job. I wish I was there but I wish England well. You never say never. My job is now with Yorkshire."

He retired from Test cricket in 2003 after taking 229 wickets in 58 appearances.

In 159 one-day internationals, he has 235 wickets, a national record.

Chairman Colin Graves said: "There is nobody in the game who has as much enthusiasm or knowledge, or is as dedicated as Darren Gough is.

"When I spoke to him six weeks ago he said he had unfinished business at Yorkshire. This is a fantastic day for Yorkshire County Cricket Club."

Gough explained the background to his belated return to Yorkshire.

"Essex offered me a contract last August," he said. "It was a good contract.

"But when Yorkshire did get in touch and Geoffrey Boycott - who I've seen all around the world this winter - got involved, it came to a point where it was the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn't turn it down.

"Whilst I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Essex and made some good friends, I am a Yorkshire lad through and through and have always had a desire to return as captain.

"We have a very strong squad here, some impressive young kids coming through the academy and there is no reason why we shouldn't go on and be successful once again.

"I am very impressed with the Board's plans and am delighted to be coming back."

BBC Sport understands that all-rounder Anthony McGrath, who wanted to move away from Headingley despite having two years left on his contract, could now be persuaded to end his differences with the club.

Essex chief executive David East said: "It is with regret that Darren has decided to leave after we initially had high hopes over the winter that he would sign a new contract with the club.

"As is widely acknowledged, Darren's ties to Yorkshire are strong and we understand his desire to return to play for his county of birth.

"Everyone connected with Essex would like to thank Darren for his outstanding service with the club.” (BBC Sport)