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PPP Grassroots have endorsed Jagdeo’s Leadership
It was not surprising that Freddie Kissoon used his Sunday column in the Kaieteur News to insult and degrade the intellect of the delegates at the recently concluded PPP congress held at the Diamond Secondary School.

Freddie in his usual obsessive manner has accused the over 1000 delegates of being sadists in that they have chosen to re-elect a leadership that has taken them nowhere. Freddie seems to be the only one in Guyana who has failed to recognise the development that is taking place.

Recently, a motion was taken to the National Assembly that dealt with the interventions being made by government to cushion the effects of the global rise in food and fuel prices and the Opposition in their address on the motion all acknowledged the interventions being made by government.

This lack of progress seems to be more in the mind of Freddie than in reality. Of course, Guyana is not at the level of the North American countries and it will take us some time to get there. Their human and natural resources are greater and they have had a longer history of self-government than Guyana.

Additionally they were not constrained by regimes such as those being imposed by the international organisations on less developed countries of which Guyana is a part.

On the re-election of leadership of the party, Freddie Kissoon has for some time now been advocating a rift in the party and a more serious rift between the President and the Party. This election has proven him wrong.

This is the last constitutional term for President Jagdeo, yet he has polled the highest number of votes.

Is it that the Party has seen the bigger picture and that is what Freddie has refused to see? President Jagdeo has been a President for all Guyana. Delegates have endorsed his leadership and acknowledged his determination to strengthen the party. President Jagdeo has continuously fought to reinforce the unity of the PPP.

It is said that a man convinced against his will is not convinced still, maybe that is the position that Freddie has found himself in with all the accusations of elected dictatorship and alienation of party supporters.

The arrogance with which he has judged, not only the delegates but all Guyanese is repugnant. It is this same thinking that has left many politicians in small developing countries out of office.

People will always leave a less developed country for greener pastures. That is a given fact. But how could the argument by Freddie stand up when he claims that our education system is so rundown, yet our University graduates are being offered top jobs in these developed countries? The migration literature today shows that migration is a phenomenon that afflicts numerous nations, and that today ‘brain drain’ is not a big deal because there is scope for ‘brain gain’. Kissoon needs to immerse himself with this literature, and then he will not be bugging himself with migration from Guyana; otherwise, he will develop a ‘migration ulcer’.

The confidence shown by the delegates in the leadership of the party is a reflection of the nation, as will be revealed in the next election. The development that Freddie cannot see has meaning to the small man.
EDWARD SIMON

This is indeed a countrywide problem
This letter is an S.O.S. call for help for residents of Cumberland Village in Berbice and other numerous areas in Guyana whereby persons cannot be at peace in their homes due to immense loud music banging from huge music boxes that ordinary residents seem to own these days.

I make specific reference to the central Cumberland area next to the NDC office. Last Sunday I got an intense headache all day because various persons were playing music at exorbitant levels.

We have senior citizens, sick persons and children who are regularly bothered by this occurrence which sometimes is a daily nightmare in this area.

Imagine, Mr. Editor, I tried contacting the Reliance Police Station at 05:25 p.m. Sunday last. Their phones were ringing out. I continued right through 06:00 p.m. but no one at this police station answered the telephone. All this time the music coming from several houses were continuing. So what if there was a crime being committed in the area? How could this police station have responded? That is a separate issue by itself but I will blend it in this letter by saying that it is a frequent occurrence to be calling police stations right across Guyana (Reliance included) and receive an ‘engaged’ tone.

It seems that some persons don’t have anything constructive to do than to wreak havoc on residents who just want to enjoy some peace and quiet on Sundays and other days in the week. You cannot even hear your telephone ringing, your own voice, your radio, your television, or conversations with other persons. It’s insane!

I am calling on those to whom power is invested to deal and to deal effectively with music disturbances across Guyana. I am sure East Canje is not the only place where it is happening.

What systems are in place at the various police stations across Guyana to deal with loud music disturbances? I called Reliance Station on several occasions for the same reason and received no help. Either there was no vehicle available to go and tell the defaulters to turn the music down or off, or they came too late when the music was already turned off, they never came at all or the music is turned on again shortly after the police arrived and left. If the police cannot effectively deal with these complaints from the citizens they ought to be serving, then who should we turn to for relief? Mr. Editor, this situation is very disgusting and I hope with all my heart that someone from the government is reading this letter. We may need some legislation in place to deal with these miscreants who disturb people with loud music.

Everyone has a right to peace, quiet and sanctity in their homes not to be bothered and disturbed at their wits’ end all day by throbbing loud music.
NAME AND ADDRESS PROVIDED

No elected dictatorship
The basis for ‘elected dictatorship’ is something to which American Diplomat Richard Holbrooke referred to in 1996 on the eve of elections in Bosnia. He noted: “Suppose the election was declared free and fair,” Holbrooke said, and the politicians elected were “racists, fascists, separatists, who are publicly opposed to [peace and reintegration]. That is the dilemma.”

This is a legitimate concern about democratically-elected governments which could degenerate into ignoring constitutional limits on their power and authority.

Fareed Zakaria in Foreign Affairs of November 1997 referred to this illiberal democracy/elected dictatorship as situations where political leaders could circumvent their parliaments and govern by presidential decree, and in the process dismantle fundamental constitutional practices.

Some columnists have described Guyana as an elected dictatorship. But do we in Guyana have a situation whereby our political leader bypasses the National Assembly and govern by presidential decree, and dismantle our fundamental constitutional practices?

If this were the case, then many columnists would not have a column to write. Are these columnists aware that it is the presence of liberal democracy that invests them with the right to peddle their garbage? Some columnists misunderstand Zakaria’s work on elected dictatorship.
There is no elected dictatorship in Guyana.
ANITA SINGH

Waiting for Olympics to begin
August 8-24, 2008 in Beijing, China, which is just a matter of hours away, we will once again be witnessing the highest level in sports at The Olympic Games via live broadcasting, and they are expected to be of unforgettable memories. My expectations of the opening and closing ceremonies will live up to what I expect from the Chinese for they are the masters in cultural creativeness.

I am very proud that the Golden Arrow Head is being represented and it's the best sports entertainment during this period for all those at home from school and the ones visiting the city from the very remote interior locations.

GPL, make us proud and my appreciation is extended to the local channel/s carrying the broadcasts live.
I just can't wait for the games to begin.
T. PEMBERTON

Garbage disposal reaching crisis proportions
The media report of Tuesday, 22 July, 2008, that citizens of Beehive and neighbouring villages on the East Coast have complained of the illegal dumping of garbage in their communities is a timely reminder that garbage disposal on the East Coast is approaching crisis proportions, posing serious health hazards for residents as well as increasing the threats of flooding. These concerns had previously been raised by community members within the ECD Clean-up Committee with a number of the East Coast NDCs, and most recently with the Region 4 RDC when they met with Chairman Corlette to discuss the solid waste problems on the East Coast, from Golden Grove/Haslington to Plaisance/Industry.

According to a media report of July 11, 2008, the Ministry has signed a $1,050,000 per month contract with Puran Brothers Disposal Services “for the operation of the Lusignan landfill site”. According to the Stabroek News report, the Environmental Protection Agency had approved the “functioning” of the site. The brief report did not provide details of the contract and did not elaborate on exactly what “the operation of the site” involved. Can you say what arrangements are in place for the NDCs to move their waste to the site?

It should be recalled that Lusignan was never intended or designed to be a sanitary landfill, but a temporary waste holding area created at the time of the 2005 floods as an emergency measure to ease the pressure on the dump site on Princes Street where the waste being held at Lusignan would eventually be deposited.

Based on information from ECD Clean-Up Committee members and careful consideration of a number of reports and studies, GCI advises that before consideration can be given to turning the Lusignan waste holding site into a permanent landfill, certain basic features must be factored into the design and operation of the site to ensure that:

* the waste from the East Coast (the media report mentions Mahaica to Plaisance) be deposited effectively in “cells” (specially constructed pits);

* there is daily compaction with heavy rollers to optimise landfill space;

* there is daily soil cover to reduce irritants such as flies, rodents and odour;
* the environment is protected in the process.

Expert opinion made available to GCI strongly recommends that the site conform to certain basic requirements, among which are the following:

1. Site Approaches: there should be an all weather road approaching the site to ensure continued operations during heavy rainfall. We understand that Lusignan residents as well as Prison officers have complained of the condition of the road. More regular use by heavy vehicles will speed up the deterioration.

2. Fencing: The entire facility should be fenced to make the holding area a “service” facility, keeping out all unauthorised persons and animals. In a recent visit to the site by GCI personnel, before the start of the operation by Puran Brothers, it should be said, a family of bare-footed children and their parents could be seen scavenging in the refuse site. On a previous visit by ECD Clean-Up Committee members, groups of people could be seen picking up plastic bottles that we are told, were being sold to bottom-house business places manufacturing condiments (casareep, pepper sauce, green seasoning). The public heath hazard cannot be over-stated.

3. Gate Office: A gate office should be situated to guide delivery trucks/vehicles to deposit their pay loads in the prescribed cells. The office should also be responsible for collecting user fees if required and also to record types and volumes or weight of waste entering the site. Names (number plates, unladen weight) and other particulars of vehicles should also be recorded.

4. Site Construction: The site should not be swampy or otherwise waterlogged. There should be perimeter canals within or without the fence to ensure that leachate is collected. This substance is potentially harmful, in that it contains both chemicals and biological impurities and must be treated before it enters the surface canals in the neighbourhood. Given the proximity of the Guysuco canals, this is a vital requirement.

5. Cell Construction/Leachate Management: It is recommended that cells be excavated in rows adjacent to each other with a row for vehicular traffic in the middle of this network of rows; that semi-perforated PVC pipes be placed at the base of these cells to capture leachate and transport it to the perimeter canals mentioned earlier. Vegetation should be introduced into these canals; together with containment of leachate within the canals, the biological and chemical impurities can be minimised. Overflow mechanisms can therefore be attached to the canals to allow a phased migration of treated leachate from the canals.

6. Waste Deposit operations: Waste should be deposited in cells - one cell at a time and in layers – one layer on top of another until prescribed height is to be compacted with a bulldozer or a heavy roller (sheep foot) on site, and a thin layer of earth (soil cover) applied at the end of each day’s operation. This soil cover effectively limits the proliferation of flies, rodents and other irritants and odour. If dust becomes a factor during dry spells, then manual or mechanical spray of water can be applied. Inmates of the prison as well as prison officials and residents have complained of the smells and flies.

7. The Potential for Fires: Given the proximity of the prison, fires that are a feature of landfill operations have to be anticipated. The management of the facility should ensure that there is enough earth on site, and a water pump is always available.

8. Monitoring: The EPA Environmental Officers who have been involved in the approval process should also be involved in monitoring of the operations.
BERT CARTER
Chairman

Kissoon wrong again
Freddie Kissoon is a perennial critic of the Jagdeo government even when the government does positive things. Kissoon always challenges people to prove him wrong on any issue and he will quit U.G and writing in the papers. Well I have found Kissoon wrong and expect him to resign as promised.

Kissoon has distorted Vishnu Bisram’s Guyana poll findings of April 2008 in his letter captioned “What is the Government’s Record of Achievement (SN Jul 13).

Let me point out that Kissoon claims he is an historian but teaches political science although for him there is no such discipline as political science. Freddie said he did a Masters in Guyanese History but he can’t say where because no university offers a MA in Guyanese history.

In several responses to Kissoon, Bisram alleged that Kissoon distorted the contents of his writings and the findings of his surveys. Bisram offered some examples which were never refuted by Kissoon. I also saw Kissoon’s interpretation of Bisram’s writings and found evidence that discredits Kissoon.

In wanting to show that Bisram is a supporter of President Jagdeo, Kissoon penned that Bisram’s survey showed “a high percentage of popularity for President Jagdeo”. The poll in SN’s archives showed the opposite. But I think Bisram got it wrong. President Jagdeo remains enormously popular in the country in spite of efforts by Kissoon to undermine the President.

The May 2 issue of SN was headlined: “Majority Dissatisfied with Gov’t”. That is not exactly an endorsement of the popularity of President Jagdeo as Kissoon interpreted Bisram. I read the details of the article which reported that the NACTA poll found only 40% of the population said they were satisfied with the performance of President Jagdeo. So how Kissoon formed his conclusion that Bisram wrote that “Jagdeo is very popular” baffles the intelligent mind.

I also looked at the May 3 issue of SN which was headlined: “NACTA Poll Finds Widespread Opposition to VAT”. That is also not an endorsement of President Jagdeo’s popularity. In fact, it is the exact opposite of what Kissoon penned that Bisram found in the polls.

And finally I looked at the May 1 issue of SN headlined “NACTA Poll: Sharma TV Suspension Excessive”. There are also other evidence that I gathered which reveal that Kissoon has not been exactly truthful in his interpretation and paraphrasing of statements penned by Mr. Bisram. Suffice it to say that Bisram has been right in his complaint about Mr. Kissoon distorting his record.

The above three investigations are enough to convince any rational person that something is not right about Kissoon’s thinking. This asks two simple questions – why is Freddie Kissoon stretching the facts? What does he hope to achieve by misrepresenting Bisram’s position and polls and attacking Jagdeo? It is unbecoming of an academic to deliberately misrepresent the views or research of another academic. Kissoon loves to attack people, especially the government, without evidence. Now, he has undone himself.

Kissoon wrote repeatedly that he would end his columns if ever he was proven to write “falsehoods”. Now, Kissoon has been exposed in deliberately distorting other people’s writings. I just hope Freddie will carry through with his promise and save the nation of his vile conduct. Also, Bisram needs to redo his polls because President Jagdeo is well liked among the population.
RADHA CHINSAMMY

PPP Delegates express a democratic Choice
Even though I am not part of any government machinery, I feel compelled to tell my fellow Guyanese about the substandard and non-evidentiary conclusions that Freddie Kissoon unearths daily. He is once again using his Column to mislead through spewing out distortions, and grossly insulting the Guyanese people.

Delegates at the PPP’s 29th Congress gallantly and proudly exercised their democratic choice in electing the Central Committee. This voting behaviour Kissoon associates with sadism/masochism, and categorises the delegates as having ‘barren minds’, in his column of August 3, 2008.

This sort of outrageous statement is characteristic of Kissoon’s daily columns. For an academic and a University Lecturer, Kissoon should know that such a statement requires empirical evidence. His conclusion is nothing more than a false conclusion. How did he determine that each one of these delegates has a barren mind?

He has no legitimacy and certainly no credibility to cast aspersions on over a thousand political delegates, when their only crime is that they are members of the PPP. There certainly is no credibility and legitimacy because his conclusion carries no evidence and is based on illogic reasoning. In fact, he surreptitiously manipulates a quote from an English columnist, then tries to fit it with the voting behaviour at the Congress, and calls that research, never mind an ill-advised explanation.

It is amazing that everyday Kissoon gets away with disjointed conclusions based on sloppy observations and no evidence. Concluding that about 1,500 delegates have barren minds really is an overgeneralisation.

Kissoon has overgeneralised because he is pressured through his ego involvement to produce a general understanding of the delegates’ voting behaviour; in this way, he has successfully produced a general misunderstanding of these delegates’ voting behaviour.

The problem with Kissoon’s overgeneralisation is that it produces selective observation. How? Because he has concluded that the delegates have barren minds and explained this pattern through sadism/masochism, he will take notice of future PPP events and situations that match this pattern, and pay no attention to those that don’t. He does this everyday, and it is unfortunate that this man is still allowed to practice these falsehoods at the University.

At the Congress, people express a democratic right to vote for the candidate of their choice, people with good political track record. Clearly, this is democracy in action.

Dictator Kissoon is not happy with this kind of democratic process. How silly to refer to the voting behaviour of these delegates as sadistic. Dictator Kissoon must understand that people have different political positions from him and he must learn to live with that.

Dictator Kissoon has a sadistic mind because he seems to be experiencing feelings of sexual pleasure/gratification, as he brings pain to about 1,500 delegates by insulting their intelligence, and grossly disrespecting them.

Dictator Kissoon must know and recognise that Guyana is a democracy that he tries to derail on a daily basis.
STEPHEN BERNARD

Kissoon’s slide towards insanity continues
While Freddie Kissoon’s article in the Kaieteur News of Sunday August 3, 2008, is distasteful at most, it is indicative of his penchant for being disrespectful to anyone that fails to embrace a position similar to his. After reading the said article by Kissoon, it leaves one with the impression that the PPP’s 29th Congress was attended by ignorant and sadistic persons, devoid of any commonsense.

His statement “Only minds that are destroyed would go into a place of power and shout in frenetic ecstasy for men and women that have done nothing for a poor country that moves deeper and deeper into the abyss of deprivation and depredation”, highlights his inability to be objective and is demonstrative of his hatred for the PPP/C government and their many achievements, which includes Freedom from the PNC dictatorship, something that Kissoon has been a beneficiary of. And I would not hesitate to ask Kissoon; what have you done to assist in the development of your country? Since your articles in the Kaieteur News are counter-productive to the development of Guyana.

The PPP’s 29th Congress was attended by persons from all ethnic groupings, which is quite contrary to the beliefs of its detractors, that the PPP is an Indian party and for Kissoon to chastise them for democratically electing their leaders is indicative of his slide towards insanity. Kissoon uses, “the shortage of teachers and dying of tertiary education” along with the “shortages of Canadian and American visas” and “two of them at the event of Diamond today that will be gone this year” as his reasons for making such pronouncements. Is this not a slide towards insanity?
JASON

Guyana shock Barbados to reach Youth Cup quarter-finals
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Guyana joined Haiti in the quarter-finals of the Caribbean Football Union Youth Cup after a shock 1-0 win over Barbados in their second meeting, to win the two-match series 1-0 at the Plymouth Ground, Tobago, on Sunday.

But the Barbadians have only themselves to blame for their early flight home in the tournament as for the second straight match they were guilty of wasting clear-cut scoring chances.

Like Friday’s first meeting between both teams, the score after 90 minutes was 0-0 which meant, extra-time was needed to decide the winner.

At the end of the first 10-minute period of extra-time the score was still locked at 0-0 but five minutes into the second-half, Guyana’s Nicholas Parbhubial broke the deadlock for his team. They held on for the final five minutes for the win.

The extra-time was reduced from 15 to 10 minutes periods due to bad lighting at the venue.

With Haiti and Guyana now in the quarter-finals, yesterday’s final preliminary round of matches will determine the six other spots.

Yesterday, hosts Trinidad & Tobago were set to go into their final round-robin match in Group D knowing that anything less than a win by seven goals against Aruba will spell the end of their dreams for a spot in next year’s FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria.

T&T opened Group D on Thursday with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Bermuda at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.

The Bermudans then hammered Aruba 6-0 on Saturday to put pressure on T&T who must now win handily to advance to the last-eight.

In Group A, Cuba and St Vincent and the Grenadines both have maximum six points following wins over Turks & Caicos and Dominica and met in their group decider at St Mary’s College Ground, yesterday.

Victorious Schoolgirls Windball team lauded
THE victorious Guyana Schoolgirls Windball cricket team yesterday paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Director of Sport, following their 5-0 triumph over their Trinidadian counterparts in the five-match series that concluded last Sunday at the National Park tarmac.

Director of Sport Neil Kumar was in high praise of the girls as well as the organisers of the tournament which Guyana have won for the second year by a 5-0 margin.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony presents captain of the Guyana Schoolgirls Windball Cricket, Kattie Ann Punch, with the trophy for the series victory over Trinidad & Tobago while Director of Sport Neil Kumar (far right), other team members and officials look on. (Photo by Adrian Narine)

Kumar expressed his delight at the team which comprised players from the length and breadth of Guyana and called on the organisers to ensure more tournaments are played throughout the country.

He also urged the jubilant schoolgirls to continue in the sport. "You young girls are the assets and I want to see the day when you go on to play hardball and represent the West Indies," he added.

On Saturday, the Guyanese edged the Trinidadian girls by five runs for their fourth win of the series and they completed the rout on Sunday with a 30-run victory.

In Saturday’s match (that was reduced to 15 overs a side) Guyana, sent in by Trinidad & Tobago, managed a respectable 114 for the loss of five wickets in their allotted overs.

Akaze Thompson (37) and skipper Kattie Ann Punch (20) led the Guyanese batting.

Loretta Eligon 2-8 and Shayan Martyr 2-17 did a decent job to restrict Guyana.

However, the Trinidadians could muster only 109 for 8 wickets when the overs ran out, with Chantel Emanuel 25 and Trinidadian MVP Shericka Campbell 23, failing to clinch the elusive victory.

Punch returned with the ball to take 2-22 for the Guyanese.

In the final match of the series a 20-overs-a-side affair, Guyana racked up 180-3 after being inserted by Trinidad & Tobago.

Guyanese MVP and captain Kattie Ann Punch (53) combined with Sherica Campbell (78) in a 152-run second-wicket stand after Guyana lost their first wicket without a run on the board. Rockael Bissoon 2-18 was Trinidad's best bowler.

In reply Trinidad despite a 5th-wicket partnership of 100 between Shayan Martyr 53 and Akala Shepherd 50, were unable to overhaul Guyana's challenging total and ended on 150-9. Campbell and Cindy Jattan both took two wickets each and Punch had one.

Meanwhile the organiser of the tournament, Allister Munroe, expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Guyana Teachers' Union, Bholanauth Construction Company, Glow International Hotel, the umpires and others who played a role in making the tournament a success.

The Guyana team is planning to make a return visit to the Twin-island republic some time later in the year.

Report to be presented to WICB as CEO Peters returns to work
By Keith Holder
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – After what chairman of the West Indies Cricket Board Finance, Audit and Human Resources committee, Enoch Lewis, described as a “good, frank meeting” with under pressure Chief Executive Officer Dr Donald Peters in Antigua on Sunday, a report is to be presented to the Board within a week as Dr Peters returned to work as early as yesterday morning.

Sunday’s meeting was held against the background of Dr Peters being sent on administrative leave last week Monday. It followed an emergency, internal investigation into the controversial issue of money spent for renovations to the premises of WICB president Dr Julian Hunte in Hunte’s native St Lucia. Corporate Services Manager Tony Deyal was fired earlier the same day.

Lewis and three other members of the committee met with Dr Peters for roughly one-and-three-quarter hours at the West Indies Oil Company on Sunday evening.

Yesterday - a public holiday in Antigua as well as today - Dr Peters was back on the job for a two-hour meeting with the new West Indies selection panel of chairman Clyde Butts, Raphick Jumadeen and Robert Haynes, as well as Dr Hunte, WICB Chief Financial Officer Barry Thomas, Chief Cricket Operations Officer Tony Howard and chairman of the Cricket Committee Clive Lloyd, who linked by telephone from the United States.

Both Lewis and Dr Peters, who has been CEO since November 1, 2007, told CMC Sports in separate, exclusive telephone interviews yesterday that they were happy with the outcome of Sunday’s meeting.

“We had a good meeting. We are supposed to be providing the Board with a report and we hope to do that sometime between now and perhaps Monday next week,” said Lewis, a former Leeward Islands batsman, who is also a director of the WICB and president of the Antigua Cricket Association.

“Basically our mandate was to get the facts, find out exactly what happened, when it happened and how it happened. I think our discussions provided us with the opportunity to do that and we will just tell the Board what we discovered and leave it to them to decide exactly where they want to go.”

Lewis added: “We had a good meeting and I believe that everybody was frank in the discussion as to what we felt individually and collectively and the CEO told us what he thought and how he saw the situation, and at the end of the day we will just document that for the Board to review and make any other recommendation that they feel is necessary.”

Asked if he felt Dr Peters would return to work in a relaxed state of mind, Lewis responded: “I would think that he would have to speak on that. Speaking to him yesterday (Sunday), I didn’t get the impression that he had any concerns. He seems comfortable enough but that is only my position.”

Significantly, Barry Thomas, a Trinidadian who is also a member of the Finance, Audit and Human Resources committee, was not invited to Sunday’s meeting.

Apart from Lewis, the others present were WICB director Conde Riley, who is the First vice-president of the Barbados Cricket Association and a retired Investment banker with Barclays Bank; Gregory Georges, a Dominican, who resides in Antigua and is the financial controller of West Indies Oil Company and Avondale Thomas, an Antiguan who is an accountant in the firm of KPMG.

“We didn’t think that it was a meeting that we wanted him (Barry Thomas) to be at,” Lewis said.

Pressed as to why the Board insisted that Dr Peters meet with the committee after its Board meeting in St Lucia on July 24 and 25, Lewis said: “Unfortunately I did not attend that meeting but the Board had to have seen it in that light to have made those decisions, I would think.

“They obviously felt that there was still something for them to find out. Basically I think if they had all the facts they could have made all the decisions but I think they felt there was still something to be uncovered and so they passed this to us.”

In a brief comment on the meeting, Dr Peters remarked: “My understanding was that it was supposed to be a discussion and I did have a discussion with them.”

Deyal, who worked with the WICB for two years, was also a member of the Finance committee. He returned to his native Trinidad last week and has reportedly met his lawyers to discuss his firing.

GT&T Cellink/GABBFF launch bodybuilding championships
THE Guyana Amateur Body Building & Fitness Federation (GABBFF) and Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) have teamed up to launch the Cellink/GABBFF's Senior Mr and Ms Guyana Bodybuilding Championships, to be held on August 15 at the Thirst Park ground.

This will be the first outdoor bodybuilding competition by the GABBFF.

It is expected that the championships will be keenly contested by the best of Guyana's bodybuilders. In the Mr Guyana competition, bodybuilders will be competing in the U-154, 154-165, 166-176, 177-186 and the Over-186 weight classes. On the distaff side there are the Ms Guyana Physique, Ms Body Fitness and the Ms Fitness.

In the Ms Guyana Fitness and Ms Body Fitness categories, contestants will be judged on shape, symmetry, balance and muscularity. While in the fitness category they will be judged for agility, power and flexibility movements.

From these results the GABBFF will select a team to participate at the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, September 25-28.

At a press conference held at GT&T's main branch yesterday, Frank Tucker, president of GABBFF, expressed gratitude to the major sponsor of the tournament, GT&T, who will be sponsoring all advertisements for the event and the prizes for the winners of the U-154 and Over-154. Caribbean Airlines, another sponsor, will be providing the prize for the Mr and Ms Guyana winners.

Tucker also stated that since Guyana hosted one of the best CAC championships and Guyanese Sylvon Gardner won his fifth title it was important for Guyana to field the best team.

Also speaking at the press conference were Ronda Johnson, Senior Marketing Officer of GT&T and Frankie Wilson, secretary of the GABBFF.

Ms Johnson, in her remarks praised the company’s efforts to provide the service and to commit the company's continuing hard work and healthy relationship with the GABBFF.

At the championships, according to Johnson, there will be guest appearances by the Jamzone contestants and fashion displays from the Olympia Small collection.

Persons will also get a chance to win the recently launched BIRD phones in the Peoples' Choice promotion.

This promotion will enable persons to text who they think is going to win the overall championship. They also have a chance to win tickets for the event.

Downes underlines superiority to take Nigel’s Supermarket trophy
TOP seed Anthony Downes underlined his superiority over his peers with a 6-1, 6-1 thrashing of Jonathan Antczaka in the Boys’ Under-18 final of the Nigel’s Supermarket Junior Classic Lawn Tennis tournament that culminated on Sunday at the Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel courts.

The 16-year-old highlighted his credentials as a prospect for the ATP circuit with a ruthless display.

From the first service game it was evident that the match-up was a David versus Goliath, with the more muscular and athletic Downes mercilessly looming over the bespectacled Antczaka.

Downes started things off and from the outset he showed his hand. His brute power engineered an easy hold but Antczaka responded with a hold of his own, capitalising on some unforced errors from Downes along with some crafty shots.

However, that was the only service game he won in the one-sided first set. His weak first serve and even feebler second serve was easy pickings for Downes. Antczaka had his chances earlier on with two break points on Downes' second service game but that was as close as he got.

Both players were inconsistent with their serves but Downes had the armoury and pulled out some big second serves.

Antczaka double-faulted to concede his first break and Downes clinically held serve to move 4-1 ahead. The first set was over in less than half an hour as double faults and weak serves saw Antczaka broken once more and Downes sent down some big serves to hold and take the set.

The second set was more of the same and though Antczaka managed to hold serve for the second time in the match thanks to some skilful rallies the outcome was inevitable.

Downes powered his way through his service game and errors from Antczaka opened the doors for Downes who needed no invitation. A pummelling Downes forehand put him in sight of his first break of the second set and he converted with a beautiful backhand a la Richard Gasquet to go 2-1 up.

Downes never looked back and Antczaka's failing serve did not aid his cause. A double fault from Antczaka handed Downes his second break of the second set and some booming winners from Downes, coupled with some meaty ground strokes, saw him holding with ease to move 4-1 ahead.

Downes put Antczaka out of his misery quickly, breaking him easily and then sending down some thunderous serves to seal his victory 6-1, 6-1.

Antczaka, who plays the sport for the fun and has been doing so for nearly four years, brightly stated that he will continue to work on his game.

Downes, who is more serious about his tennis, is hoping to play on the ATP tour having already been scheduled for overseas ITF tournaments later this year. The Roger Federer fan hopes to emulate his idol and is even trying to model his forehand after the Swiss ace.

In other results for the two-week long tournament, Seanden David-Long retained his Under-14 title with an epic 7-6 (11-9), 6-4 victory over Gavin Lewis. David-Long identified his consistency as the reason for his triumph while Lewis noted that his inability to sustain long rallies was his downfall.

Lewis also lost in the mixed doubles as he and his partner Aruna Ramrattan went down to the Daniel Lopes/Shauna Gentle combination 9-8 11-9.

At the presentation ceremony vice-president of the GLTA, Dr Joseph Haynes, thanked Nigel’s Supermarket and Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel for their support that made the tournament possible.

He also looked ahead to the tournament's bright future.

“It (tournament) is not ITF standard as yet but we will be working towards that," he noted optimistically.

Further he admonished the youngsters to continue playing the game, citing its numerous benefits. "Tennis is a game that can take you places and make you millionaires," he informed, and also recapped the success of Guyanese in obtaining scholarships through the game.

On the matter of the sport's development in Guyana, Haynes again called on the government to get involved in lawn tennis and take a closer look at the sport. "With the government's help we can get further much faster," he stated.

Representative of Nigel's Supermarket, Christopher Franklin, also urged the participants to take the opportunities to improve their game.

According to the coordinator and GLTA coach, Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan, the tournament, although hindered by inclement weather, was still able to produce quality tennis amongst the youngsters and bright prospects have emerged.

England moves into new era with Pietersen as captain
By John Mehaffey
LONDON, England (Reuters) - England moved into a new era yesterday with the appointment of South African-born Kevin Pietersen as captain less than a year before the start of the 2009 Ashes home series against Australia.

Pietersen, 28, will lead both the Test and one-day teams after Michael Vaughan resigned from the former post on Sunday and Paul Collingwood relinquished the latter shortly afterwards.

He will be in charge for next year's Twenty20 World Cup in England as part of the latest challenge for an ambitious man who left his native land to qualify for the country where his mother was born.

"In choosing a new captain we were keen to identify a player who could lead the team in all three forms of cricket and bring fresh enthusiasm and ideas to the role of captain," England and Wales Cricket board chief selector Geoff Miller said in a statement.

Vaughan, who announced he was giving up the captaincy at an emotional news conference after leading his team to an England record 26 wins from 51 Tests, has been replaced by Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara. It will be the only change to the England squad for the fourth Test against South Africa starting at The Oval on Thursday.

South Africa clinched the four-match series 2-0 at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Saturday, a loss which, allied to his loss of batting form, prompted Vaughan's resignation. Vaughan, 33, said he was unavailable for The Oval Test but hoped to regain his Test place after a spell in county cricket with Yorkshire.

OBVIOUS CHOICE
Collingwood's announcement that he was giving up the captaincy of the one-day side left Pietersen, England's best batsman in all three forms of the game by some margin, as the obvious successor to both men.

Andrew Flintoff has made it clear that he does not want the job again after England were whitewashed in the 2006-7 Ashes series in Vaughan's absence through injury while Andrew Strauss, who did a decent job earlier against Pakistan, is not in the one-day team.

Yesterday Pietersen promised to captain with the same aggression he brings to his batting.

"You have to be positive, you have to be aggressive and that's just the way to play," he told a news conference.

"I like to do things spontaneously, I like to do what I feel is right in a situation. I think I have gained a good cricket brain.

"It's something that's a brand new Test and a brand new challenge. I love challenges. I love to test myself.

"I love waking up every day to do something new, try something different and I will always try things."

Pietersen's unabashed enjoyment of the celebrity lifestyle and his frustration at not being allowed to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League has won him unfavourable comparisons with another South African-born England captain Tony Greig.

Greig, a flamboyant character and fine all-rounder who shared Pietersen's abundant self-belief, defected to the rebel Kerry Packer series in 1978-9 and has lived in Australia since.

Pietersen, who has three lions and a crown tattooed on his left arm, has pledged his commitment to the England cause and yesterday, after paying tribute to Vaughan, he said how much his new job meant to him.

"It's a great honour, it's a great privilege and it's something which has turned my life around in the last 24 hours," he said. "The last 24 hours have been very, very emotional for me."

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games…
Williams promises to be a good ambassador
By Michael DaSilva
YOUNG cycling sensation, Geron Williams, has pledged to be a good ambassador for Guyana while in Beijing, China, for the 2008 International Olympic Committee’s Youth Camp.

The 17-year-old who has been actively involved in cycling for just over eight years, was nominated by the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) to attend this year’s Youth Camp in China after displaying a great degree of discipline on and off the track/road and more recently, maturity in the sport of cycling.

He (Williams), along with Guyana’s middle distance `Queen’ Alika Morgan who was nominated by the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), was subsequently selected by the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) for the Youth Camp. While there, the duo will interact with youths from most, if not all, of the IOC’s affiliates for a period of approximately 16 days during which time they will be involved in cultural activities, guided tours and will also be privileged to witness a few of the 2008 Olympic events.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport prior to his departure for China on Sunday, Williams said: “This is a great opportunity for me to meet and interact with other young people, especially sports persons from around the world and I’ll make the best of it. I’ll be a really good ambassador for Guyana and I would really like to thank the Guyana Cycling Federation and Guyana Olympic Association for affording me this opportunity.”

Williams, who recently returned from Trinidad and Tobago where he, along with Christopher Holder, Enzo Matthews and Naiomi Singh, the lone female, participated in the Trinidad and Tobago Gold Cup Cycle Meet, said it would have been great if the organisers of the IOC’s Youth Camp had made provision for the campers to showcase their respective talents in Beijing.

While in Trinidad, Williams placed second to Matthews in the Junior 32-mile road race while Holder won the juvenile category which covered a similar distance.

Williams also placed third in the Keirin and Team Sprint events at the Arima velodrome.

Williams, who has been a force to be reckoned with at the junior and juvenile levels over the years both at home and in Trinidad, was high in praise for both his parents, mother Gemma and father Glen for their support since getting involved with the sport.

He also thanked George `Popeye’ McKenzie for the support he has given him over the years.

Since becoming involved in the sport, through the National Sports Commission’s `Teach Them Young’ programme, the brainchild of cycle coach Hassan Mohamed who is still actively involved with the event, Williams has created a name for himself in Trinidad and Tobago where he ventures annually to compete in the West Indies versus the World Cycling Classic.

To date he has participated in five editions of that meet and has won more than his fair share of medals (gold, silver and bronze), much to the dismay of his compatriots and counterparts from Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados.

For making his most recent overseas trip (Trinidad) possible, Geron and his father Glen would like to thank the following individuals and business entities: DeSinco Trading Limited, Demerara Power Company, Farfan and Mendes, R&R International, Rambarran Poultry, W&H Rambarran, Hendy and Randy Rambarran and Kenrick Ramcharran.

Speed/Ray’s Auto triumph in Everest four-team Emancipation softball cricket
SPEED/RAY'S Auto emerged the victors in the Everest four-team Emancipation 15-over softball competition, held last Friday at the Everest ground.

Reshma Budram of Everest Cricket Club hands over the man-of-the- match trophy to Kamal Seebarran.

Scotiabank, Everest, Speed/Ray's Auto, and Desperado participated in the tournament. In the first match Speed/Ray's Auto defeated Scotiabank by 42 runs.

Batting first, Ray's Auto made 140 for 5 off their overs with R. Deonarine 48 and Abbass Farouk 35 leading the way with the bat. Scotiabank, in reply, folded for 98 in 14 overs. In the second match Desperado defeated the hosts.

Everest took first strike and made 116 all out in their 15 overs. B. Ramsaroop, 5 for 18, was the chief destroyer of Everest's line-up. Desperado reached their target in the 13th over with A. Persaud 41 and Brian Gomes 27 being the top scorers.

In the final that pitted Speed/Ray's Auto against Everest, Speed/Ray's Auto batted first and made 93 for 6 in their 15 overs with Sheik Mohamed 18 topscoring.

C. Sookraj (2 for 20) was the pick of Desperado's bowlers who could manage only 90 for 7 in their 15 overs. Brian Gomes, with 28, top-scored for the losers. Kamal Seebarran (3 for 18) led the bowling for Speed/Ray's Auto.

Bopara replaces Vaughan in England squad
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Ravi Bopara has replaced Michael Vaughan in the England squad for the fourth and final Test against South Africa, the ECB said yesterday.

Vaughan made himself unavailable for the final Test, starting on Thursday at The Oval, when resigning as captain on Sunday, saying he needed a break.

Essex batsman Bopara is back in the squad for the first time since last December when he made his only three previous Test appearances in Sri Lanka.

The 23-year-old, who hit 42 runs in five innings for England in Sri Lanka, has a batting average of 63 in the county championship with Essex this season.

Bopara will play under Kevin Pietersen, who was named yesterday as the new captain of England's Test and one-day sides.

As well as the Test squad, the England selectors also announced a 15-man squad for the one-day series and Twenty 20 matches against South Africa.

Uncapped Nottinghamshire batsman Samit Patel, 23, has been included and there was a recall for Sussex wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who has not featured for either the one-day or Twenty20 side since September last year.

England Test squad: Kevin Pietersen (captain), Tim Ambrose, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss.

England one-day squad: Kevin Pietersen (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Luke Wright.

Bolt's presence makes for sprint classic
By Mitch Phillips
BEIJING, China (Reuters) - The confirmation that world record holder Usain Bolt will be running in the Olympic 100 metres has elevated the blue riband event of the athletics programme to even more mouth-watering levels.

Bolt, a world championship silver medallist over 200 metres, blasted his way into the 100 metres reckoning with his world record 9.72 run in May but only confirmed on Sunday he would run both races in Beijing.

His Jamaican compatriot Asafa Powell, whose 9.74 record Bolt surpassed, and American world champion Tyson Gay, who scorched to the fastest time ever recorded over the distance with a wind-assisted 9.68 this year as well as a legal 9.77, complete an awesome trio.

With the big three all owning sub-9.8 second times and with two further Americans, Darvis Patton and Walter Dix, owning personal bests of 9.89 and 9.93 respectively, also likely to be in the mix, fireworks certainly look in store for the August 16 final.

When Justin Gatlin won in 2004 the first five runners all went under 10 seconds, the first time it had happened in an Olympic final, and such is the quality of the field this time that it would not be a huge surprise if all eight finalists dipped under that barrier.

As is usually the case, there have been few head-to-heads between the main contenders in the build-up races and with Gay not having run since July 5 when he suffered his hamstring injury, there remains a fascinating sense of the unknown hovering around the event.

POWELL SHARP
Powell arrives as the form man having put together an impressive series of three consecutive wins in IAAF meets.

He edged Bolt by one hundredth of a second in Stockholm with 9.88 then clocked 9.94 in London before signing off in Monte Carlo with 9.82.

"A couple of weeks ago it was all about Usain and I was enjoying myself in the background," Powell said after his Stockholm triumph.

"I showed the world that Asafa Powell is still here," added the Jamaican, whose season had been hampered by a series of injuries.

Bolt was always focused on the 200 and looked pretty sharp over that distance when he set a UK all-comers record of 19.76 despite easing up in the London Grand Prix last month.

But his startling arrival on the 100 scene this year meant it was no real surprise when his coach Glen Mills announced he would double-up.

UNLIKELY BUILD
At 6ft 5ins (1.96 cm) the 21-year-old has an unlikely build for a sprinter and is never going to be flying out of the blocks but once he unwinds his long legs anyone in front of him better have a good lead.

Gay's chances depend on how well he has recovered from the injury sustained in the U.S. trials that ended his chances of making the 200 metres team for Beijing.

He pulled out of the July 25 London Grand Prix, saying he did not want to risk the hamstring so close the Games, but stuck with his plan to train in Europe.

His team have remained tight-lipped but when the 2007 double world champion arrives at the US training camp in Dalian today he will be assailed by the world's media desperate to hear him declare himself fit.

If everything goes to plan then it could be an explosive final.

"I honestly think Bolt can run 9.6 seconds, Asafa can run 9.6 and a healthy Tyson can run 9.6," American 200 metres hopeful Wallace Spearmon said yesterday.

"Four athletes ran faster than 9.90 seconds in 2004 but that might be like sixth-place here."

West Ham to retire Bobby Moore's number six shirt
LONDON, England (Reuters) - West Ham United will retire the number six shirt worn by former Upton Park and England great Bobby Moore, the Premier League club said on their website (www.whufc.co.uk) yesterday.

Moore, who died in 1993, is one of the most celebrated names in English football, having lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966 as captain of England's World Cup-winning team.

A ball-playing central defender, he was one of three West Ham players in Alf Ramsey's victorious England team, alongside striker Geoff Hurst and midfielder Martin Peters.

A statue of the three stands outside the club's stadium.

Moore, who was at West Ham from 1958 to 1974, was the club's most successful captain, lifting the FA Cup in 1964 and European Cup Winners' Cup the following year.

He died from bowel cancer at the age of 51.
West Ham chief executive officer Scott Duxbury told the club's website: "When we were talking about ways to mark 50 years since Bobby Moore's debut, there was only one true gesture that would do him justice - retiring the number six shirt he made his own."

Moore made his first appearance for the club aged 17 against Manchester United in September 1958 and to mark the anniversary West Ham will play Spanish club Villarreal in a pre-season friendly on Saturday for the inaugural Bobby Moore Cup.

After leaving West Ham, Moore - who won 108 caps for England - played for Fulham and American clubs San Antonio Thunder and Seattle Sounders.

Matthew Upson, the England defender who has been wearing the number six for West Ham, will take the number 15 shirt.

Another look at reviews
By Sambit Bal
THE review system needed to be tried, but there are plenty of questions still unanswered and kinks to be worked out.

After having been in use for all of two Tests, the review system now needs a review. There is no doubt that it needed to be tried, though it would perhaps have been preferable to have trialled it during the Champions Trophy, which is an ICC-run tournament, and where all the teams would have got a taste of it.

But it can be argued that one-day cricket doesn't produce the sort of dismissals that would have tested the system to its fullest; and in fact, having used it in a Test series, the advantages and disadvantages have been exposed to a greater degree. To that extent, the trial has served its purpose already.

The results have been mixed. In the first Test, Sri Lanka benefited from the review process four times - twice justly, twice wrongly. No field umpire would have given Sachin Tendulkar out to an edge behind his pads, which only the replays revealed; and Rahul Dravid was so clearly out that it was a surprise the umpire didn't spot the edge - much-deserved justice for the bowlers on both occasions.

But Tillakaratne Dilshan benefited from lack of immediate visual evidence of a nick, which had been spotted by the field umpire in the first instance.

Then, far more shockingly, Virender Sehwag was given out because of a human error from the third umpire, and alarmingly, an error from the Virtual Eye system, which is expected to produce reliable graphics.

Rudi Koertzen, the third umpire in question, should have spotted the obvious deflection from the front pad onto the back one; Virtual Eye showed the impact to be in front of middle stump, but outside the crease.

Sehwag was indeed hit outside the crease - on the front pad, which was in line with leg stump. The second impact was in front of middle stump, but the back foot was within the crease.

The system again invited some justifiable scepticism when it projected a ball from Ajantha Mendis that pitched on middle and hit Gautam Gambhir in line with leg stump, to be shaving leg.

Of course, the umpires do not use the projection part of the system, and Gambhir was ruled not out, but the doubts only grew.

The Indians might feel hard done by, but that's merely because they have had more decisions going against them.

And that's not really the point. They lost in Colombo because they failed abysmally with the bat, the ball, and in the field.

The question before the administrators is whether the game is better served by the review process.

There is evidence, as acutely manifested during the morning session on the fourth day of the Galle Test that too many reviews can get tiresome and create major interruptions in the game.

There were four reviews in the session, and each lasted four to five minutes. Sourav Ganguly, on being prompted by his batting partner, won himself a reprieve, which would have seemed like justice to the Indians after Dravid was given out - rightly, as it turned out - following a demand for a review from the Sri Lankans.

But Anil Kumble asked for a review when he was stone-dead leg-before, and Sri Lanka made two unsuccessful reviews on leg-before decisions.

More than 15 minutes were lost in a morning session which had been extended by half an hour to make up for the lost overs on the first day.

The review system exists to undo obvious wrongs, but it's clear that teams will ask for reviews simply because they have a few pending, as was evident from the Kumble instance and in some cases because bowlers always think that they have got their man. In the first Test, Harbhajan Singh asked for one after the ball had pitched about half a foot outside the leg stump.

In all, 24 unsuccessful reviews are allowed in a Test. (The total number of reviews can, of course, be much higher.)

And in the event of all of these being reviewed, and granting three to five minutes per review, anything between 90 minutes to two hours of play can be lost. That's between 20 to 30 overs. Can Test cricket afford to slow itself down even further?

This is not to argue that the system ought to be junked. Quite obviously, it allows edges to be detected with greater certainty. In fact, the ICC ought to go a step further and allow the use of the HotSpot technology, which has looked the most foolproof so far in detecting the impact of the ball.

The super-slow cameras pick up the thick edges, but as demonstrated by the Dilshan incident, they are not good enough for the thin ones. It is understandable that not all television production companies would be inclined - and they certainly cannot be forced - to use expensive technology, so it is incumbent on the ICC, as the global custodian of the game, to employ and pay for the best available technology at all international matches.

The matter is far more complicated with leg-before decisions. There is simply no technology available to remove the subjective element, and indeed, if every ball that would go on to graze a stump were to be given out, matches may well finish in two days. It is also not clear what information is exchanged between the on-field and television umpires. Does the television umpire merely communicate the information - the line of the ball, the point of impact - or does he offer an opinion? And as evident from a number of the reviews so far, despite multiple replays there remains an element of ambiguity about the final decision. If technology cannot provide an absolute answer, it is more likely to muddle the situation further.

The only areas where technology can help are in cases of line decisions for lbws, and edges, and it should be left at that. If it can be ascertained that a technology can provide accurate pitch mats, then it must be used uniformly.

To cut the delay, on-field umpires could possibly be provided with handheld devices that allow them to view the pitch mats instantly. This will cut down the number of review appeals from the fielding side.

It also needs to be clarified whether captains are allowed to seek an explanation from the on-field umpire, as Mahela Jayawardene did before asking for the review of Dravid's lbw, and how much time they have to make up their mind.

Jayawardene was within his rights to ask the umpire: if the review is being sought, it must be done with knowledge of what evidence was used in arriving at the initial decision. The Indians obviously missed a trick because Kumble consulted only his team-mates.

Of course, there is a view that cricket ought to be like baseball and football, two highly televised, multi-billion-dollar sports, that haven't bowed to the pressure of introducing technology into decision-making. But cricket made its call years ago.

It is now impossible to imagine run-outs and stumpings being ruled on without a replay. And with a bit of fine-tuning and common sense, even the review system can be made to work. (Cricinfo)

Beijing Games hit by Internet ticket scam
By Crispian Balmer and Ken Wills
BEIJING, China (Reuters) - Sports fans around the world have been swindled by an international Internet scam which offered thousands of bogus tickets for the Beijing Games, Olympic officials said yesterday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced it was taking action to shut down the fraudsters, but the move came too late to help the victims find replacement seats at the Games.

Among those left out of pocket were the families of Olympic athletes in both Australia and New Zealand, with people in the United States, Japan, Norway, China and Britain also reportedly conned by the sophisticated sting.

"We cannot accept people paying money for tickets and not getting them," said Gerhard Heiberg, an IOC executive board member.

Heiberg said the issue was raised last week, with both the IOC and the United States Olympic Committee filing a lawsuit on Friday in a district court in California, accusing at least six websites of selling illegitimate or nonexistent tickets.

However, a U.S. lawyer who said he had lost $12 000 in the fraud, accused the IOC of complacency.

"They have known about these sites for months and months and did nothing," said Jim Moriarty, the partner of a Houston-based law firm which is looking to represent fellow victims in any subsequent legal actions.

"They have dashed the hopes and dreams of thousands of people who have been planning for years to go the Games, and have already paid thousands of dollars for airfare and what they thought were legitimate tickets," he told Reuters.

STILL UP AND RUNNING
Despite last week's IOC suit, one of the sites accused of fraud -- www.beijingticketing.com -- was still operating yesterday, offering seats for numerous events, including Friday's opening ceremony, with prices topping $2 150.

The professional-looking site, which carries the official Beijing Games logo, provides a London phone number, which rang dead yesterday, and a U.S. address in Phoenix, Arizona.

Australia's Olympic Committee (AOC) offered commiserations but no solutions to the scores of Australians left out of pocket.

"Our sympathy goes to them ... but we certainly aren't in a position to step in, compensate or find other tickets," AOC chief John Coates said yesterday.

"We warned folk to only deal with authorised ticket suppliers," he told a news conference.

The press reported that some Australian nationals had been swindled out of almost $45 000. Moriarty said one unnamed individual had lost $57 000.

"The worst thing is that some people don't even know yet that they bought tickets that won't arrive," he said.

"Some were told they could pick up the tickets at an office in Beijing, and they won't be there. My guess is they sold thousands of tickets that don't exist."

Tickets for events in host city Beijing completely sold out last week, Games organisers said, leaving only seats for competitions in co-host cities still available.

Many tickets are still being offered on the e-Bay auction website, but Australia's Coates urged caution.

"There may be tickets on eBay that are delivered ... but I think it is a great risk. That would be my message," he said.